The Coconino sun., 1891-06-13
INVENTIONS THAT PAY.
MINTS OF MONEY MADE OUT
 OF BRIGHT IDEAS.
One Million Dollars Realized from Baby's Rattle and Several Millions from the Cotton Tie--The Sheet-
 Iron Cat,

In reply to the question:: What is a patentP" the Yankee inventor once said "It is the right to suo some- body" And the answer really em-
 bodies the most comprehensive defni- tion of the word that could be found.
 The patent office annually issues "A, 900 patents and it is safe to say that out of them not less than half that number of lawsuits arc evolved.
 The great building at Washington could supply fund of humor, of which might well furnish the novelists of the world with plots for a lifetime. As a rule the little inventions-that is, those which seemed really insignificant have brought forth the greatest for tunes. The man who invented the tin rattle for babies retired with $l, ,00O,- 900 to the good.
 The return ball, which consisted of an ordinary rubber or wooden ball to which was attached long elastic cord, was invented by shoemaker in New York. It met with universal favor and the man who originated the idea found that it prodted him to the extent of $50, 900 per annum. It is said by those who are supposed to know that he never secured patent on tho device, but instead bought up all the rubber balls in the market, attached to them the elastic cords and reaped his for tune while others were hustling around to find enough with which to compete for the prize. The wire bottle-stopper is very simple contrivance and yet it has earned an immense fortune.
 One of the remarkable simple" in- ventions is the cotton tie. Formerly all cotton bales were tied with rope, but there were many objections to that process which hundreds of men sought to overcome, and at last one by the name of Cooms invented what was known as the arrowhead" tie for an iron strap. The contriyance was so simple that cottonmen far and near quietly took their old pants from the closet hooks and kicked them around their rooms because they had not thought of it themselves. The tie went into immediate use, thousands of jim provements" were patented. and mil lions Of the straps were sold and mil lions of dollars were realized. The man who at present controls the patent and the numerous assignments con- nccted herewith, made to him by the various inventors of improvements. has purchased the famous Navarro flats in Fifty-seventh street and Is the posses sor of large fortune beside.
 Everybody remembers the fifteen puzzle" Fifteen little blocks were placed in a square box, which was made to hold sixteen. The sixteenth space was left vacant, and block fifteen" was placed between blocks thirteen" and fourteen" The problem was to arrange them in order without remov- ing a block from the box. The idea was originated by cripple, and from it he is said to have amassed a large fortune, The puzzle went everywhere in tho homes of the rich and poor alike.
 "Pharaoh's serpent" was the..inveu- tion of Brooklyn man. It consisted of little pill, to which a lighted match was touched, when snake crawled forth and writhed and twisted after a most serpentine and fascinating fash ion. The pills sold like wildfre- which, indeed, they were-and brought the inventor between $50 GOO and Sl00- 900. But 1t also cost him his life. In working upon an Improvement" in his laboratory he inhaled the fumes of the chemicals he was using and died from the poisonous effects produced upon him.
 IL was q Yankee who first thought of | putting copper-tips on childreu's shoes and his check became good for mag nifceut sums.
 Sometimes many years elapse before | the good qualities of an invention are | appreciated. The patent upon roller skates had nearly expired before it | realized any profit. Then somebody | started rink, and so made the skate | inventor worth Sl, 900, 900.
 There is a mechanical sheetiron cat, | with steel claws, which runs by clock | work and is warranted to dick" any | cat in Christendom. The cat Is wound | up and placed on the roof. Old round- CTS spy newcomer and tackle him. | Whew! When they light on his back spring is touched and the mechanism works. There is small cyclone on | ihe roof, ircessant yells, and--the old | rounder retires to meditate on the un- ,ertaintips of life