The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1898-10-21
GROWING INDUSTRY.
phenomenal Increase in Number OF
Patents on Cycles.
The Inst Two Years Has witnessed
an Immense Impetus to tne
Bicycle Business in All
Branches.

= In the WlOle SyStCh ~
system none of the mechanical arts mas
inspired in an equal period of time such
extensive and widespread activity as
those that relate to the cycle. In 1867
when Lallement filed his application
for his now celebrated patent for We
locipede, only 20 patents had been IS
sued by the United States for rider
propelled vehicles. At that time all
of these were classified by the patent
office as Carriages and wagons ana
were included in the class having that
official title. By January 1, 1869, 43
patents for such vehicles had issued.
With the year 1860 the "velocipede
mania" came upon the country In
that year velocipede patents were IN
creased by about 200, andin consequence
were grouped together as subclass OF
carriages and wagons and officially
designated 'velocipedes." After the
mania of 1869, invention in velocipedes
remained practically dead until 1876,
when the English exhibits of bicycles
at the Centennial exposition gave 1T an
impetus. Until the year 1890, how
ever, when the influence of the pneu-
matte tire began to be felt, the growth
of invention relating to cycles was com
paratively slow. In 1890 one assistant
examiner in the patent office was able
to examine all applications filed in this
class of inventions. Since 1890 nearly
1000 of the 5000 United States patents
for velocipedes have been granted. In
1892 the applications had become so nu-
merous that velocipedes were collected
into class by themselves distinct from
carriages and wagons and transferred
to another division, which was then en-
ployed in the examination of velOci-
pedes, harvesters and games and toys
The class was then split up into some
35 subclasses for convenience of ex-
animation. Applications accumulated
so rapidly that games and toys were
soon crowded out and sent elsewhere,
and in May, 1897, harvesters also were
forced out and the class of velocipedes
now forms by itself one examining
division, requiring the labor of one ex-
aminer, nine assistant examiners and
five clerks to handle the great number
of applications. And even with this eX-
pert force, force larger than any other
examining division in the patent Office,
passing on 800 applications, new and
amended each month, more applications
are awaiting action there than in any
other division. In fact, on an aver
age during the past two years twice as
many cases have been awaiting action
in this division as in any other, and
three times as many as in most Of them.
And, withal, the class of velocipedes
does not include motorcycles, wheels,
tires, cycle accessories, nor the numer-
Gus special machines, all of which ex-
ist only because of the cycle. During
1892 about 600 velocipede applications
were filed, in 1894 about S25, in 1895,
1000; in 1896, about $500, and in 1897,
about $500, including the various &C
cessories, gear cutting and tube draw
.ng machines and special machinery de-
signed for use in the cycle factory
Iron Age.
He Had to Own Up.
He had taken his shoes off and was
about to creep upstairs, when he
stumbled over the umbrella rack.
John" came voice from the head
Of the stairs, sis that your"
'Yesh, m'dear.'' -
"Are you intoxicated?"
'Hic-no'm."
"Say special personal prerogatives,
them" continued the relentless voice.
There was an interval of silence.
sJohn." -.
'Yesh."
"Well, why don't you say it?"
'I'm intoshicated-hic- dear
Then, hanging his shoes on the hat
rack, he took his hat in his hand and
proceeded upstairs.-N. Y. Journal.