Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-02
honaires owe their fortunes. to valuable in

lionafres owe their fortunes to valuable in
ventions. OF these, perhaps the four most
conspicuous are George M. Pullman of pal
ace car fame; Alexander Graham Bell who
secured the first telephone patent; Cyrus
n. MtGSormick. the harvester manufacturer,
and Thomas A. Edison.
or the other men whose important and
successful Inventions brought them both
I Iame and wealth, high up on the list is
Elias Howe. the original inventor of the
sewing machine. whose early struggles were
fuiI OF disappointments and trials finally
ending In success and affluence: Samuel f.
D.. morse, who invented the telegraph; Sam
uei Colt, inventor of the revolver pistol
who made the first model of his Invention
on board ship in 1920, and took out his
nrst patent in 1885, which was the fore
runier OF all the great inventions in re-
VoiVng firearms bearing his name; Rich
ara M. Hoe, VINO by gradual steps after
many improvements finally produced the
wohderfui rotary presses into which were
Ied rlpDons OF paper five miles long at the
rate of 800 feet a minute; Robert Bruce
inventor OF the type-casting machine; Eli
whitney, who invented the cotton gin;
Inomas Blanchard, inventor of the tack
rnachIne; John Ericsson, who designed the
screw propeller for vessels and Invented
the 1ronclad Monitor, and James B. Eads
Whcse genius created the st. Louis bridge
and the New Orleans jetties More honor
ed than any of these. perhaps, because his
inventions stood more for philanthropy
than for possible profit, is Joseph Francis.
Wno invented the life-saving boat used in
IHe government coast service. The Fifty
irst Congress voted him a medal of pure
gold, valued at $1,000. 1t is the largest
ana nnest ever given by this government
~ any Individual, and was presented to
MI. FRANCIS at the White House in 1890 by
Tresident Harrison, with appropriate cere-
monies. 1t Is two-thirds of an inch thick
ana as large as a tea plate. On the occa-
siol OF mis- last visit to Washington four
years ago. then in his ninety-second year,
me medal was donated to the National
museum, where 1t is now on exhibition to-
sether with his original life car, which
sht.o ~ uVes from the wreck of the Ayr
ehlre on the coast of New Jersey in 1S47.
me Great American Crank Pen.
with all its other peculiarities and at
'aihn'enns, the patent office is known as the
great American crank pen, and it is this
feature of it that presents the humorous
aspect. The great number of utterly i'm
practicable and almost ridiculous devices
lor winch patents are asked is a source of
amusement and wCnder to those who get
al iiislght INTO the matter wheels in the
nei-d seems to be an apt designation of
the mania which possesses hundreds Ar men
mho are pusylng themselves in the field of
Invention, and glance through the recent
ms at any tme VIII reveal some new i'll
sanity IN mechanism upon which a patent
Is asked. Years ago, in the DAYS of fire.
queht Indian depredations, when the from
tieT covered good deal more ground than
- 80 INV, sumo rural genius invented a
common pioW that was to have its beam
iiiled with grape and canister ready for use
IN case OF surprise by the redskins. An
other western chap designed a cyclone
mouse which was to be anchored at the four
corners as protection against cyclones
among the other oddities noted are a tape-
worm trap, to be inserted through the
mouth to catch the unwary tapeworm when
ne ventures too far off his reservation End
an Illuminated metal cat, with eyes of fire
ueslSned TO be a holy terror to rats and
lllice. later device of the funny sort but
one with some possible utility, is a hens
nest IN which the egg drops through tran
door as soon as deposited by the hen. the
OBJECT being to make the hen believe she
mas not succeeded In laying an egg. still
latef imam this Is an invention by a man
named Batter, which consists of a shoe
with heating apparatus in the sole tn
Keep the feet warm, also steering con-
1iiNaHce Tor hunting dogs, consisting of a
ian attachment to the tail of the dog to as
sist MN IN turning sharp corners. In re-
cent years many of the crank devices are
OF the electrical sort. One of the most in
eehiously fmpractCahl of these is a .'pick-
POCKET and coat thief detector" invented
d! thcago man. 1t consists of an cleo
tfic battery corcealed about the person
connected with bell worn under the vest
which riggs when a hand is inserted in the
protected pocket.
Another Illinois man patented an cleo
tric continuance to assist the bcfuddIed
clun man in finding the keyhoIe when re-
.urh.ns nome late on dark night. A small
metal cylinder containing powerful little
lncdndescent is to he countersuak in the
doorJamb near the keyhole Just over which
is a push button. No matter how dark the
night or how uncertain the gentleman's
frame of mind, he has only to rub his hand
down the side of the door over the button
and the keyhole is disclosed to view
LOUIS NJ. BABCOCK.