The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1892-03-17

4 Greater Practical xnowIe6go WouI4 In
sure : gma1lse Percensaxs ~ FaIiures-
The fact that . very large proportion
Of patented Inventions are : disappoiut-
ment to the ori0inators, because Of
their failure to yield profitable return
for time and money expended on them,
is q subject often discussed by inventors
and those who are directly interested
in their work. Il Is probable that In
no other field Of human Ell 5rt are there
90 many bitter disappointments so
many crushed hopes and SO much Of
genuine heartache IS am ing Investors
Although thousands of them annually
achieve success and enter on q career
of prosperity. other thousands find
little or no reward; the devices from
which they confidently expect af1iuence
have only added to their poverty. Many
an intelligent man tolls for year, J, dsnv-
ing himself all the luxuries and most
of the com forts Of life, to bring out an
invention seemingly full of promise.
but destined to utter filure.. The,
reason for this extended area OF 1isap-.
pointment are not very numerous nor
hard to find. First among the n is in
sutficiency of practical knowledge on
the part of the inventor. For example.
a. man who knows nothing OF the
practical work of steam engineering
may invent and patent device in that
line which will appear to him, and
other non-professionals, to be aNgreat
advance on existing melho Is for gener-
Iating or utilizing steam. but which will
be condemned bv the most competent
judges In all kinds Of machinery the
same cause is prol fc spurce OF disap-
poin ment. Tie thing invc nted may be
very ingenious, may have cost a vast
deal Of mental labor and may attest
the intellectual superiority 4 the in
ventor; but if it be deficient in practi al
utility, il it's Introduction will not
be profitable to those for whom it is
intended, it goes to the lumber yard of
oblivion. Persons who are utterly ig
norant OF gun lery frequently invent
something in that in,, but they very
rarely attain success The same rule
holds good il all the industrial arts, in
cludi e agriculture, mining, manufact-
ures ship building AMI railroading.
Brilliancy OF intellect and originality
in conception are Offset by lack of prac-
teal knowledge. Anotndr reason why
allure is SO frequently encountered is
lack of capital to perfect, construct and
demonstrates. Many inventions. of great
value are lying dormant because good
deal of money woult be required to
show the world what thew are and what
advantages thew poss .s,. This is es-
pecialy true of inventions that me ace
great interests. Wnen patent threat
ems annihilation OF vast values, when it
proposes to sweep awav plants that
represent millions of dollars, ca pital
hesitates to develop it, for it, introduc-
ton means fight to the death between
gigantic conflicting interests.
In catering to the demands Of fashion,
elegance and luxury, there are manv
inventions ought out that d not pay.
because there is not and cannot be a
large demand for the n. The best ele-
nept of success in pate is adapta-
ton to universal orYgeneral want To
do some simple thing that is done by
better than before, is to succeed. To
furnish healthful and innocent amuse-
mint in a new AID attractive way, and
to do it at small cost, is to put money
in vour purse Anything that the peo-
Pile will'recognize as meeting want
tastefully and cheaply will find pur-
chasers. Some of the IN ,st profitable
patents--paying the best in proportion
to the time and money expended-have
been the simplest things, SO simple
that IN st everybody, on seeing one
of them, wonders why he or she did
not think of it long ago. Inventive
Age. .s44a...e,.-4~