The Newtown bee., 1894-12-21
Around the Preside.
QUEER DEVICES THAT HAVE BExH
 PATENTED.
SAFETY ALARMS FOR CoFFINs. COM BINED CANNON AND PLow.-TAPE- WORM TRAPS, ETC.

Patent Office Museum is like wandering in world of oddities, many of which have been called into being by the fertile minds of self-appointed geniuses, who have considered themselves ordained by nature to do away with the old and to introduce the new. At any rate, even cursory examination of exhibits will suggest that whatever may have been the accomplishments of really great in- ventors no small number of individuals have been impelled by the most remark able views as to the needs of this exact. ing age, and not few have concluded that their fortune would be made were they able to produce something which differed from everything else.
 For instance, from time immemOrial the human heart has followed in sympa- thy the souls of the departed, and the human mind has contriyed to favor the dead should they pass on to . new and mystical existence or choose to return to life upon the earth. Old as the bills are the customs of the venerating Chin ese, who heap high beside the graves their delicate viands of chicken and rice. The North American Indians, too, were found to strew the mounds of their dead with food and hunting implements. These ancient customs were the out come of deeper faith in certain theor- ies than can prevail among enlightened people to-day, and yet, from experience purely in the natural realm, prepara- tions fer the welfare of those supposed to be dead, should they revive to stay among the living, may even now be wit messed in our country every day. The ingenious inventor, appreciating the possibility of premature burial, and knowing full well the horror with which the subject is regarded by afflicted nor tals, has come to the scratch at once with the most elaborate devices by which the reviving person may conn municate from his coffin to the outside world. Franz Vester of Norwalk, N. J., styles his invention thew and useful improvement in burial cases or cofflns for the dead" and proposes to attach 8 chimney to the coffin, extending from over the face of the body up above the surface of the ground. Within this chimney he would place ladder and 2 cord leading out to bell, 50 that the buried person, should he revive, may climb to the world with out or communi- cate with his mourning friends.
 The machinery of the invention for . similar purpose by Adelbert Kwiatkow- ski of Posen- Wilda, Germany, is much more intricate. He declares that he has "invented certain new and useful im- provements in safety coffins," and pro- poses to arrange his apparatus so that ian alarm will be given to the outer world by the slightest movement of the apparently dead body.'' To this end, Herr Kwiatkowki proposes to connect the ceffin with the surface above the ground by pipe or chimney, to be her medically sealed and to contain near. tho top brightrcolored signaltuft. He would then surround the supposed de- ceased body within by cords, and place a bridlc lightly upon both the forehead and chest. Thus equipped, the slightest movement of the body would release the springs on rod in the pipe above and the bright-colored tuft would be shot out as signal to warn the living. The breaking of the cap above would also introduce more air into the underground prison.
 That the spirit of Ethan Allen and Gen Putnam still fingers to inspire the patriot may seem to be evidenced in the curious invention of c. M. French and w. H. Fancher of Waterloo, N. Y. It is none other than combined blow and gun, which the inventors call an sim proved ordnance plow," so arranged that when wanted for farming the tar mer may have blow s'equal if not su- perior, in point of strength and light ness to that implement as ordinary made, and swhen the occasion offers, ; 8 "piece of light ordnance" of great value, especially when used in border localities, subject to savage feuds and guerrilla warfare" The inventors wax eloquent in their afirmations as to the good qualities of their device: s.It Is unrivalied, and in times of danger, In repelling surprises and skirmishing at- tacks on those engaged in peaceful avo- cation; it may be used in the field, ready charged with it's deadly missiles of ball or grape" The share will hold the gun firmly on the ground and the han dles can be used in giving the weapon d. rection. .aaa s.s, 4 -sa sss.
 But not alone in frontier districts must the lives of people be protected. Tn civ. ilized countries and express train ages, when men cannot overcome their de1lro to be whisked about from point tosp0ints All care must be taken to insure thoIr safe transportation. At least 50 thinks Steph- ,en Scotten of Richmond, Va, who clslms to have invented ssmachine for thc0<S ing missilos at COWS on railfOadg. ' 10 that hereafter, when the frisky cow ye1- tufes on the tfaf K, 1t will not be neceS- sarY to derail the train in order to re- move the carcass, but | shower ofsR1ave1 may be expelled at tho offending craA4 stur0. sSss gs N 1sssa ss5xsss sssgs comes to the roscue of mankind. hi is the use, he aske, Of being deliVere4 from the tomahaWk or rifle Qf the eayeHe &nd saved from the fri9h III p054fb} }1ltJ. Of the railroad wreck, II ron lxa n q IF by sIow uegrees from tho ravagos II tllo tnpa wormH And 10 he rsOd 1eR1 1ooking sOm0Wil6t v M III 6
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