The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-19

There is an idea that nearly everything
Imaginable has been PATENTED. and that
each year the opportunities in that line
are growing less. Such belief Is contra
dicted by the report just finished by Conn
missioner Dueil for the use Of Secretary
Hitchcock. The pamphlet covers the
work Of the Patent once for the year end
ventors filed 1888 applications for various
sorts &C patents. Over half of them
to be precise. exactly 28,54o-were granted.
During the same time Just dozen less
than 10000 patent rights expired. SO that
the sum total of registries has made net
gain of nearly 1000 during the year. THESE
patents originated In all parts of the world.
but the great bulk Of them were granted
American inventors. The old favorites.
such as car-couplers. self-ciutching but
tons, AID fire extinguisherz, were on hand
as usual. The year. however. has brought
forth some new ideas. and automobile ma
chinery now holds a large place in the
files Of the office.
During the past year the total receipts
of the patent office were 81, 35S. 228.35, while
the outlay was $1.247. S27.59 That left
cash balance of sl10. 400.77. which has been
turned into the Treasury.
1t does not now take as long to issue
patent as it once did. Now the examiners
have systematized their methods so that the
most of the applications have been passed
upon within a month after being filed.
Commissioner Duell points out the
crowded conditions under which work Is
being conducted, and suggests that new
Patent Office be erected.
Legislation in this direction" he says,
sis favored by many societies and asso-
Citations interested in the subject Of inven-
tion. and by hundreds OF progressive man
ufacturcrs and inventors who have ad-
dressed petitions TO Congress- in the mat
ter. The--surpius receipts Of the United
States Pasent Office for the past ten fiscal
years amount to more than s2.CCo. COO.
while the total excess Ct such receipts COW
cred into the Treasury amounts to over
s5.Gae. COO. Aside from this, the United
States owes a debt to inventors which it
can never repay. A slight recognition OF
this debt. however, would be the erection
OF building such as referred to which
might be considered In the nature OF
monument The necessity for some action
on the part Of Congress is pressing and
should not be longer delayed"
THE Patent Once Library" the report
says, consists of over 1000 bound VOL
umes. and a conservative estimate of its
value is $200.Cc 1t would. however, be i'm
possible even with this 5amount or with
any sum, TO replace the library, should ii
be destroyed by fire. Many OF the most
valuable works contained in the library are
out Of print. Our books are not now safely
stored. and while IN this building 1t is
impossible to wholly protect them from
fire. yet much might be Done in this line
by the use Of steel stacks, which are now
in common use in every modern library
building"
On the subject Of salaries the report
says:
Something more in the line Of readjust-
mont of salaries and a Redistribution of
the clerical force Of this office is needed,
and in submitting my estimates fer the
ncxt fiscal year your attention will be
called in detail to such matters