The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1891-01-01
ROMANCE OF PATENTS.
HOW THE INVENTORS ARE RE-
WARDED FOR GENIUS.
Honors and Emoluments for the Originators OF
Valuable ldeas-Some Of the Singular
Articles from Which Fortunes
Have Been Made.

Valuable ldeas-Some Of the Singular
Articles from Which Fortunes
Have Been Made.
''rhere u.s. says an eminent author
ity, scarcely an article of human con-
venience or necessity in the market
to-day that has not been the subject of
a patent in whole or in part. The sale
OF every such article yields its inventor
profit. If we purchase box of paper
collars q portion of the price goes to
the inventor; it we buy sewing ma
chine the probability is that we pay
royalty to as many as a dozen or fifteen
inventors at once" Lord Brougham
often said that he would gladly have
exchanged his honors and emoluments
for the profits and renown OF the in
ventor OF the peram blator or sewing
machine. We are not wishful to lead
our readers to covet what are termed
large fortunes as really conducive
to happiness or usefulness. "Fortune''
is itself heather and not a christian
word. But invention" is another
thing, and the remunerative results
are fitting element for consideration
in these days. Howe, the originator
of the sewing machine, derived E100,-
600 a year from it, and from their
mechanic improvements the celebrated
Wheeler & Wilson are reputed to
have divided for many years an
income of 100000, while the author
OF the Singer sewing machine left at
his decease nearly f3,000,000. The
telephone, the planning machine and
the rubber patents realized many mil
lions, while the simple idea of heating
the blast in iron smelling Increased
the wealth of the country by hundreds
| OF millions. The patent for making
the lower ends Of candles taper instead
OF parallel, so as to more easily fit the
socket, made the present enormous
business of well-known firm of Lon
don chambers. The "drive well'' was
an idea of Colonel Green. whose troops
during the war were in want of water.
He conceived the notion of driving a
two-inch tube into the ground until
water was reached, and then attaching
a pump. This simple continuance was
patented, and the tens of thousands of
farmers who have adopted it have been
obliged to pay him royalty, estimated
at 100000. A large profit was real
lied by the inventor who patented the
idea of making umbrellas out of al
paca instead of gingham, and the
patentee of the improved ''paragon
frame" Samuel Foxy lately left by
will f170, 600 out of the profits of his
invention. The weaving, dyeing, lace
and ribbon making trades originated
and depend for their existence upon
ingenious machinery, the result of an
inhnity OF inventive efforts.
The discovery of the perforated SUBJ
stance used for bottoming chairs and
for other purposes has made it's invent
or millionaire. George Yeaton, the
inventor in question, was a poor Yam
kee cane-seater in Vermont. He first
distinguished himself by inventing a
machine for weaving cane, but he
made no money out of it, as some one
stole his idea and had the process
patented. After a number of years
experimenting Yeaton at last hit upon
this invention, which consists of a
number of thin layers of boards oil
different degrees of hardness glued
together to give pliability. He formed
company, and to-day he has plan,
valued al $500, 600, and is in the receipt
of a princely annual revenue derived
rom this inven ton. Carpet beating,
from being an untold nuisance, has be-
come lucrative trade through inven-
tive genius and mechanical contriv-
ance. Even natural curiosity has been
turned to account in the mum Der O.
automatic boxes for the sale of good:
: of all kinds, and fabulous dividends
have been paid by the companies own
ing the patents. The most profitable
inventions have been the improvement Is
in simple devices, things of everyday
use. that everybody wants. Among
the number of patents for small things
may be mentioned the photographic
pen," and d pen for shading in differ
ent colors, producing $4,000 per
} annum. A large profit has BEEF
reaped by miner who invented
, metal rivet or eyelet at each end O
the mouth Of coat and trouser
pocket to resist the strait
caused by the carriage of pieces OF or,
and heavy tools. In a recent lega
action it trauspired in evidence tha
the inventor of metal plates used t
o'ect soles and heels Of boots from
3 + sold upward of 100000 plates
~, and in 1887 the number reach
r "a 143. 900, 900, producing realized
3 profits OF Il quarter of a million o
!, money. Another useful invention is