The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-11-12
RICH WOMEN INVENTORS,
PATENTS BY WOMEN IN THE LAST
FIVE YEARS HAVE PROVED.
PROFITABLE.


States Produces the Greatest Num-
Der of Women Patentees-What
the south and West Can show in
This Line.
Washington, Nov. 9.-Meu acquainted
with the field say that fully IS per cent
of the patents taken out by women in the
last five years are yielding profitable re-
turns. The woman who invented sachel-
boItomed paper bags, for Instance, was
offered $4,000 for the patent before she
left Washington. A simple glove buttoner
is bringing to the woman inventor an in
come of 5000 year. A woman clerk in
a department store invented lately a parcel
delivery system which netted substantial
returns One New England milliner, her
self an inventor enjoys the right 10 sew
eral patents that represent the ingenuity
| of the women operatives in her employ.
| She shares profits with the inventors, and
one of the devices first put in operation in
| this factory brings in oveU $4,000 a year.
| 1t often happens that a woman employ&
| from familiarity with the machinery or
| business methods in use, thinks out some
| time and labor-saving scheme. She shows
| the model to the manager of her depart
ment He informs the former of its mer-
its and they arrange with the employee for
| the exclusive use of the invention. The
employe goes on quietly with her work in
the store OF mill. The public never hears
of her, but success has been a stimulus,
and she keeps on the lookout for further
inventive opportunity.
Partly Due to Higher Education.
Much of woman's present activity in IN
| ventions is ascribed to the better educa-
tional facilities now obtainable. The
college standing in high and popular
| courses in sloyd and manual training have
| taught women to use their hands as well
as their brains. Notwithstanding this a
| large proportion of the more successful
| women inventors are those who have had
| only medium or limited educational adj
| vantages, but have been daily tOilers in
| the various lines Of industry. A Rhode Is
| land woman invented an improved button
| hoe-cutting machine that measures the
distance between the button holes auto
| matically, with much profit and conven-
| fence to garment makers A lock with
| three thousand combinations is a woman's
| invention, also letter box for the outside
of homes that shows a signal when there
is a letter inside for the postman to col
| lect an invention now in constant use.
woman has just perfected valuable
| apparatus for removing wool from skins
| by electricity, showing that women are
quick to adopt the modern facIities-of the
age to practical purposes.
Value of Practical Sense.
The woman inventor must never lose
sight of practically if she would succeed.
| Other women brain workers may at times
| indulge in dreaming and theorizing, but
| the woman inventor however high her
| flights of fancy, must always come back
| 10 the practical. Many women's inventions
are submitted to the patent office, accom-
panied by elaborate models, but so con-
spicuously lacking in some vital principle
! as to be unaYailing. A good many are re-
| jected on the score of absurdity but ac-
cordlng TO official testimony, the women
! asprants do not differ from the men in
| this respect Many women submit prac-
| deal specifications and fail to score sue
| cess not from lack of originality, but be-
cause the inventor was ignorant of previ-
| Gus patents covering the same point. No
matter how brilliant an inventors idea
may seem, she is advised TO search thor
| oughly the patent Office records before
making model Some women have TAX
| en- out five and six patents for widely diff
| ferent purposes. A California woman
whose first invention, in early youth, was
a corset, has lately patented several in
ventions relating to reservoirs and irriga-
| ton.
Where the Inventors Come From.
The Northwest, the Middle and East
ern States have produced the most active
women inventors. The South has yielded
| the fewest number, but the Southern wo-
men who have entered the field at all, have
| been financially successful. Two impor-
| tant aids 10 agriculture were the inven-
| ton of an Alabama woman. A working
woman in North Carolina succeeded with
| culinary invention. A Florida matron
| patented a useful car-heating apparatus
| A Texas woman invented novel folding
| tent; and another Southern woman a fin.
| ger-exercising device, of value 10 must
clans. A Yves ern willow paten ed a unique
method OF desulphurizing ores; another
| invented a conn osition solder of use 10
metal workers.
Women inventors from the big cities
| have almost invariably patented articles
| pertaining to the elegance OF dress and
| house furnishings. Those from he country
| districts, and villages have been active in
| the way of dress-drafling patterns novel
devices for adjusting portieres and cur
| tains, and patents useful in the manufac-
| ture of Artistic goods. Numerous tacili-
| ties for clerical use have been patented
| by city women, such as safety envelopes,
| improved typewriting appliances, copy
| holders, letter openers, etc Most of these
women were employed at some time as
clerks in business offices and felt the lack
| of convenience which they afterwards
supplied
The Wide Field Covered.
A number of women school teachers are
successful inventors, and have patented
educational systems and devices. also kim
| derga rten implements, erasers, school bass
and book rests. Women fom the small
towns in Wisconsin, Minnesota, dakota
and Illinois have been prolific in invent
| ing household conven ences washing and
/ cleaning apparatus, facilities for sanita-
| ton, garment bindings, shields, fastenings
and dress improvements. New England
women have brought out attachmets
and improvements that nave to do with
saddles harness and vehicles; also the
| paaIQ ~ hq and qr1pD hav In,
vented butter workers plumbing appli-
| ances, brushes for Cleaning and fire-kind-
| ling compositions, toys games puzzles
| and amusement knick-knacks. A consid-
| cradle portion of the fakirs' goods, novel;
| ties and trick pastimes sold on the streets
| are originated by women. They sell their
/ patent right promptly to the proprietor of
| news agencies, who include such small
| gear in their stationer's and confectioner's
| supplies. A fair proportion of the "spe-