The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-08-15

an down. The vest is of white chiffon and
yellow lace The belt is of blue velvet.
A yoke of gulpure is edged with the velvet
embroidered with jet nail heads.
Who says the mind of woman is sim
ply initiative and utterly lacking the in
ventive quality? Let him visit the United
| States patent Office in Washington and be
undeceiVed.
The first woman to take out a patent
In this country was named Mary Kies.
1t was perfected on May >. 1909, the de-
vice on which protection was obtained be-
ing "a new method of weaving straw with
SILK and thread" 1t was six years after
ward in 1915 that Mary Brush got a pat
ent on a new corset. After that woman
patentees increased in number. though,
more than once, a year. and sometimes
two, elapsed during which no woman ap-
piled for protection for invention.
By far the greater number of patents
granted to women have been for inVen-
tons pertaining to women's dress and
| household duties. A large proportion of
the rising of 5000 washing machine pat
ents were taken out by members of the
fair sex, and they are also responsible
for many of the hundreds of patents on
churns. The household patents have in
cluded clotheS-baskets and dishwashers;
dough raising devices and dress skirt ell
evators; in fact there is hardly an ar
ticle of clothing or an operation in house
work that has not been the subject of
study on the part of the inventive wO-
man. In one line, the hustle, women Sc
cured many patents which al first seem
ed likely to be extremely valuable to their
holders. Since then they have lost most
or all of their money making poser. When
the patents Were issued it was almost a.
disgrace for woman to appear on the
streets without a hustle, but relentless
fashion has made complete face about
and bustles are as much out of it now
as their predecessors, hoop skirts
It it interesting TO watch
group Of bustleless modern wo-
men examining the glass cases filled with
hustle models at the patent office, and
making comments on the absurdity of the
fashion that compelled their use in the
years gone by. 1t seems significant to
mere men that one in every six patents
granted to women is on some improve
ment of the corset and that next to the
corset comes the crimping iron and sim
liar devices for beauufying the hair. Cos
metics are next in order and the woman
applied for a patent on a method of max
ing a dimple Briefly described, her plan
was to smear a small spot on the cheek
with coloriess shellac Varnish mixed with
glue, and then with a pencil or other
pointed instrument make a dent in the
yielding flesh and hold IL in place until
the shellac dries hard All traces of the
Varnish were to be rendered invisible by
the skillful use of face powder. The in
Ventor admitted in her application that
her Invention would not be of as much
value TO women with thin and bony faces
as to those with plump and bonny ones
1T is not likely that this had anything to
do with the patent commissioners decis-
ion, but he declined to grant the patent
Among other inventions designed to in
crease personal beauty that took its pat
ent all right is a nose improver It's chief
feature is "A metal shell of the exact size
and shape desired. This she'll is 20 be
placed on the nose at night after that or
gan has been well anonted with olive oil
or glycerine. In the morning a nose bath
in hot water is supposed to take away
any resulting soreness.
Sleep may be induced. according to an
other woman patentee, by a curious in
Vention consisting Of a collar-like rubber
neckband, so made that by proper ad-
jus,ment the flow of blood to the head
may be regulated. Still another wo-
mans invention that attracts the atten-
tion Is a combination crimping pin which
in addition to the purposes indicated by
its name. can be used as a paper cutter,
skirt supporter paper file, child's pin,
bouquet holder shawl fastener and book
mark.
It is to the credit OF New England
perhaps that the percentage granted to
I women from lnaI section OF the union
is much larger than the proportion Of
New Engaud's population as compared
with that Of the entire country. 1t Is
also TO the credit of women-perhaps-
that the proportion OF general patents
among those granted to them is increas-
ing every year.
II was a Philadehia woman who
changed the current OF woman's prac-
tical inventions from household appa-
ratus and wearing apparel TO articles OF
wider application She devised a new
hive for honey bees ana got II patented.
and at about the same time another
Philadelphia woman took out letters pat-
ont for a scheme 20 prevent the journals
of railroad trucks from heating Then
there came a patent to stlll another wo-
man OF that city for a railroad car heater
Soon after this patent had been issued
a California woman invented and PATENT
ed a device for desuiphurizing ores. "a
Georgia woman followed with a pillow. ana
after that inventions Of general utility
/ patented by women increased in number
rapidly.
hut women inventors do not yet APP
/ proach men inventors In numbers, the
proportion being only about 3 per cent.
or In POO Neither DO the majority OF
women inventors as yet denote their On.
/ gonuity 90 things other than those which
appeal directly 20 their fellow women.
who have the hardest time OF n. men
or women This question was thrown
! Ike u bomb into the conversational circle
Of summer hotel lawn tho other dav.
and in hail a minute tfe people had gath.
T cred themselves in battle array says the
T Philadelphia Times There were three
sides taken. those who thought women
/ che martyr those who hegHrd that honor
I Tor men. aud the miserable bat ever safe
J musHump. Hho enjoyed Rat.h.ng the bat.