The times., 1899-12-31

rom Things That Are Now Ia
Daily Use An Interesting List.
The American negro is progressive. and
his ambition to get ahead IS illustrated in
the patents thst have been granted 20 col
ored men by the United States Government.
tie is quick to take advantage OF an Oppor-
tunity- Since the abolition OF slavery ha
has made wonderful strides toward intel
lectual perfection ana material enrichment.
The indisa, as regards adaDtabnity 70
civilized manners. amalgamatiou Of inter-
ests. and spirit OF ambition. cannot be
compared with the negro. The Indian IS
obstinate. clannish. and exclusive; he wants
to be let alone. He does not care whether
he can read or write. He does not want TO
be disturbed on his reservation. He nor
tally hates those who interfere with him in
the pursuit Of his tribal relations and Gus
toms. and as long as Uucle sans Indian
Agency furnishes an abundance OF all that
the treaty calls Tor. he does not care what
becomes Of the other part Of the world and
its peoples.
It Is now thirty-fire years since the roll
ored man emerged from q state Of serviruda
and ignorance. lie has since then made
giant strides to catch up with his white
brother, and his success IS little short o.
astonishing. He is repre =eutea in poILlcs.
in all the fields of industry and learning
The Glowing list, which is by no means
full and complete. gives an idea o. the in
ventive genius OF the cOlored man. The
records of the Patent Ofce DO not desig-
nate whether the respective inventor be
q white OF a C0i0red person. The data
given here below are authentic and relia-
be. however, as they have been collected
by a student who has observed tha prog
resS OF the American negro with an ulbi-
ased and watchful eye.
Inventions made by c0lored persons are
OF decided pTacticality, and they cover
nearly every line OF industry and trade
According to testimony o. reliable patent at
t0rneys and investing capitalists. inven-
tiOns OF ColOred people are as easily and
advautageously disposed Of as those pat
eHJed by his white brother. IL has been
said that the negro IS an imitatzr- il he Is
an imitatOr. he is also an originator. a.
the models and drawings Of his Inventions
in the Patent Office prove.
The First Negro PafeHtee.
A seed planter" was the first invention
patented BY a coIored man. He was Henry
Blair. a free negro OF Glenross. Nd. and
received his patent on the 14th OF October.
1894. Up 70 1867 there we're three patents
granted 70 coloTed persons. two o. which
were on seed planters. the other or q grid
iFon- In the year 1857 two were granted.
one on an animal trap. the OthEz on a shoe
Between 1870 and 1880 fifteen patents we're
granted TO negroes on various devices. in
clUdiRg a locomotive smOksstack. dough
kneader, ironing table, a process Of prepar-
ing cocoa nut for domestic use. a lite-Pre-
serving stool, biscuit cutter, a steam cyl
inder lubricator. a range. a rotary engine.
a hre-escaps ladder. printing press IL
brary table. ladder scaffoid support, a
shutter and fastener. door holding device.
appliances for melting szOT, valve satess
etc
Since 1850 at Isass rs pa ints have been
granted to cOi0red inventors. cmanz which
was an electrical traEsmitter which the
inventor sold 20 Bcston firm fer $4,000.
a former C0Iored Congressman from South
Carolina has taken out eight patents uR
agricultural implements which are being
exploited By q s.. Louis firm. guaranteeing
the inventor a handsome inccme. a De-
trCit cClOred maa IS the rzteltee Of thirty
inventions, mostly lUbricatiug devices.
which are in use Ga nearly all locomotives
and engines in the Northwest. the Pacific
Railroad. and the Great Lake steamers
His Inventions bring him an annual roy
atty CT 81 o50. Pullman diuiRg-car p0r-
ter. invented q dust screen" for sleeping
car windows which is in use on all ezhe
ears Ct the company The concern paid
the inventor $4,000 for the use Of his in
VsntiOn, without his knowledge. and he Il
now drawing a snug annual sum from the
PuIlman's. A Bostcn hotel proprietor has
Invented a dough -kneader which is in use
in about every large baking establishment
hotel. and passenger steausT.
a Washington ColOred man invented
truss which was pronounced by surgeons
as very efficient and recommended it for
general use in the army. The inventor
manufactures the article himself and en-
plsys a large number of hands RE is alsG
the inventor OF a tent cot which is in use
IN the American army in the Philippines.
Cuba and Porto Rico Fie presented one
OF these cots 10 Mrs Mckinley who in a
personal letter, spoke &C the merits and
praCticabiity OF the ilveEtion. The in
ventor has now in course Of construction
a cot which he VIII exhibit at the Paris
Exposition Text year.
4 WashingtoRian's Device.
The picture hanging stFip" which IS
used in every house. is the mveation OF a
Washington coIored man. Another ons
walked all ths Cay from Memphis. Tenn.
TO Washington to save the expenses where
with TO patent his Inventions. an airship
and submarine torpedo boat. He has al
ready received q number of fattering Offers
TO sell which would fix him comfortably
for the rest of his natural life. but Ee re-
fused to accept them. The tuning instrU-
meut which is in general use wiki piano
tuners in the invention of q Coiored man
The pinking iron is also an invention %
q negro and which enabled him Go retire
and enjoy the fruits OF his ingenuity An
invention patented by & coIored woman
from Massachusetts is the only one so far
granted 10 the female branch Of the col
ured race Ii consisted in q gong signal
attachment for chairs and it Is in use ia
the assemblies Of several States. Senator
H0ar on one occasion nearly succeeded in
having the cOntrivauce in reduced for use
in the houses OF Congress.
There have been more patents granted
to cOlcred people iU the last fifteen years
than ia the whole period between Jhc tine
of the abolition o. slavery ana the year
1885. This fact proves the increase and
growth Of the inventive genius Cf the Lew
generation OF the American negro
It would furnish very valuable iuf5rma-
tiOu for study and research should the
Patent Ofic6 authorities require that th5
sex and color Og the inventor Dc desigHat-
ed. This Official, judisPutable evidence
would furnish proofs Of the percentage
races and sexes.
No Chinamau or Indian ever had an in
veutiOu patented according to the kHoWi-
81 loo and belief rtF fhpza III hp ara IN "a rHaf-