The times., 1899-12-24

AaaAA b34lA AdAt ~ as if.a-A7Ahf q ca +t a.--
Italian woman. Harriet Hosmer is men
toned as having invented the way to make
marble from limestone which the Italian
Government had long been seeking Mary
Kies was the first woman in America to
take out a patent. and in the year 1908
she was granted one for weaving straw
with silk or thread
During the next twenty-five years only
fifteen patents were granted TO women
owing to limited means of education.
Among their inventions was a globe foI
teaching geography. a baby-jumper, g
fountain pen, deep-sea telescope, and the
first cook stove. In the next twenty-five
years, when more privileges were accorded
women. the number of patents ran up &c
thirty-fye. During the next twenty-five
years. from 1853 to 1884. the patents num-
bered 1903. Taking their husbands places
in war time on the farms and in the work
shops, women invented many improved
agricultural implements. and new kinds
OF machinery. Nursing in hospitals, they
invanted camp-beds. bandages, cauteens
etc AT the present time colleges and
manual training schools are developing
woman s mechanical powers, and patents
TesU ting from heT ideas numbered nearly
5000 ia the years between 1870 and $3.50.
Practical Devices Invented.
Some OF the most valuable Inventions are
due TO The efforts of women. Mrs. Harriet
Strong. who began by inventing a corset
ended by taking out patents for dams and
reservoirs. Although now an aged wo-
man. she recently patented q device for
storing water. Another woman Invented a
peTmuAlon lock with three thousand com
binauors. also letter box for the outside
Of houses which throws up signal to
the pOs,mau when there is q letter TO col
Iect
A woman invented satchel-bottomed
paper bag and WAS offered $4,000 for her
patent before she left Washington. A wo-
man invented the Burden process OF making
Lorslshoes which turns out such rapid
work thar i- has saved the country s. &c.,
o0O iI fourteen years A number Of w0-
Uer's inventions are known 10 have been
patented under the names OF their hus-
bands, fathzrs. or brothers.
Experienced patent brokers say that
nearly - per cent Of patents TAX
en out hy women inventors in the past ten
years are reapiug profitable returns for
their owners. Much Of w0mau's present
activity iu making inventions must be cred
ited 20 the good educational facilities Of
which they can avail themselves. The col
lege standards is high and popular courses
have taught woman 20 use her hands as
vel as her brains A large proportion Of
the more successful women inventors. how
ever, are those who have had only medium
or limited educational advantages, but who
have been daily toiIers In the various lines
o. industry
A woman inventor must never lose sight
OF pracJicabiiity II she would succeed. Many
women inventions are submitted 20 The
Patent once, accompanied by elaborate
models but couspicu0usIy lacking in
some vital principle which makes them
practically useless. Quite a number are re-
5ected on The score OF ab=urdity. but ac-
cordiEg 10 the testimony OF those who
know The women's inventions 10 not differ
from the mems iu this respect Many wC-
men submit practical specifications and fail
20 score success. r0t because Of a lack Of
originality. but because the inventor was
ignorant Of previous patents covering the
same point 80 matter how brilliant an
inventors idea may appear he saves him
self great deal OF money and time by
searching thoroughly the Patent Office rec
ordz before making a model.
New York Women Lead.
The women Of the State Of New York.
In point Of numbers Of inventions head the
list. VITA those OF the New England Sta1es
following a close second. the Northwest
and MIDDLE States ranking next The South
has not produced many women inventors:
but some very good devices have been pat
ented by Southern women.
In point OF numbers Of patents issued TO
women the field Of inventions has been
enriched By the sex in the following cIas-
sifcation: Wearing apparel, culinary
utensils. furniture and furnishings, heat
ing apparatus, washing and cleaning. sew
ing and spinning. toys and games. miscel-
laneous. medical appliances. building ap-
purtenaIces, agricultural implements. edu-
catiouaI appliances trunks and bags. art
appliances, railway appliances. toilet arti-
cles. stationery. screens and awnings. mu-
Eical apparatus, typeWriters and appli-
Ences baby carriers, boxes and baskets
printing and binding flowers and plants
theatrical apparatus. barrel attachments.
hOrseless motors plumbing. clocks and re-
pairing. bicycle, bOtuing apparatus pre-
serving and disiUfecJiug. ID viii be seen
that the inventive genius Of woman has
not been confined entirely 20 the house
hold, dress or other matters Of doInestfc
nature but THAI industries and trades Of
all descriptions have received their atten-
tiCn.
An Illinois woman invented baIlne
press; and two from Texas, a digging ma
chine Cincinnati woman is the inven-
Tor of method for decorating pottery. and
one from san Francisco devised tap and
faucet. Philadelphia woman a bicycle
saddle. Massachusetts woman q window
frame and sash. a woman from Switzer-
KIND calendar clock. a California woman
method Of and means for impounding de-
bris and storing water, a New York vo-
man q glass fruit jar protector: an En-
Rllsh woman horseshoe; a Massachusetts,
woman an abdominal supporter, a Florida
woman q railroad car. an Illinois woman a
car heater, a West Virginia woman a
hemmlng attachment for sewing machines
In. the beginning and toward the middle
OF tLis century most OF the inventions
patented By women were made iu the line
q articles pertaining 10 the house. the
nursery, personal comfort and wearing
apparel such as sBiuulng-wheel heads
moccaEirs calash balloon for ladies a
bsnoage, an ice cream freezer, making ar
tfcial flowers, a button worker a clothes
frame, mu1. washing machines. and "a
process for manufacturing cheese After
the war and up 10 the present time stfeat
Cats vulcanized rubber. and textile fabrics
windmflls. Gre escapes, typewritera sec
t1oual horseshoes, and pneumatic tires were
patented by women inventors.
The first woman inventor Of the District
20 apply for patent was Emma T. Porter.
Her Invention Was clothes frame There
Ia q printed list Of women's inventions dat
ing from 1876 TO March !, 1885. al the Pat
ent Office 10 special record Of wome1 In
Fentors has been kept since and II Is i'm
possible 10 learn from the records whether