Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-02-20
PATENT OFFICE REPORT
Commissioner Seymour's Statement Of the
Work of Year.
Issue as to States and I'm Foreign
Lands-An Increase of Force
Recommended.

Commissioner John S. Seymour of the
United States patent office has submitted
a report for the year ending December 81,
1894 During 1894 there were received 36,
9S7 applications for patents, 1857 applica-
tions for designs, 95 applications for re-
issues, 2,2S6 caveats, 2,053 applications for
registrar ton of trademarks and 81 appli-
cations for labels. There were 20,SO3 pat
ents granted, including designs, Ga patents
reissued and 1,SO6 trademarks registered.
The number of patents which expired was
1920. The number of patents which were
by operation of law forfeited for non-pay-
ment of the final fee was 3,s12. The total
expenditures were 81, 1,1O0,O4712. The re-
ceipts over expenditures were $S7 1892. .46.
and the total balance to the credit of the
patent office in the treasury of the United
States amounts to $4,369, 1881.
Issue as to States.
In proportion to population more patents
were issued to citizens of Connecticut than
to those of any other state, one to every
992 inhabitants; and next in order in pro-
portion to population come Massachusetts.
with one to every 1885 inhabitants. and
the District of Columbia, with one to every
1879 Inhabitants New Jersey, Montana,
Rhode Island, New York and Colorado fol
low in the order named. The fewest pat
itants were issued to citizens of South Car
DINA, Mississippi North Carolina, Arkan-
sas and Georgia, following in that order.
AS to foreign countries more were grant
ed to subjects of England than of any
other-6S9; to those of Germany, $50; Of the
Dominion of Canada, 293: of France, 1856;
some to subjects Of Austria-Hungary. Bel
GUM, China. Cuba; Denmark. Finland,
Hawaii, India, Ireland Italy, Mexico,
Netherlands. New South Wales. New Zea-
land, Norway, Queensland. Russia, Scot
land, Servia, South Australia, Spain, Swe-
den, Switzerland. Venezuela and Victoria,
British Guiana, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador,
Guatemala, Natal, New Providence, Peru
and Porto Rico.
The report says that an average of I'll
original cases and 1.643 amended cases were
received each week. None of the thirty
three examining divisions in the Office was
In arrears more than one month, so that
an application for pension properly filed
SO as to be Immediately available for ad-
judication might be received and granted
within a month.
More Force Needed.
After referring at some length to various
practices by which applications without
merit were kept for years before the bu-
reau. and recommending a remedy against
this practice, the commissioner says: 81
respectfully reiterate my former recon.
mendation that the working force of the
patent office be increased and that the ap-
preparation be increased by S64OOO, in order
that the work of classification which now
falls to the present examining corps may
be assigned to the increased force. Perfect
classification is the Indispensable condition
upon which reasonably accurate examfna-
tions upon the question Of novelty may be
made. If 1t were possible to make this ac-
curate examination upon the question of
novelty very much litigation concerning
patents would be avoided