The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-06-10
The MECHANICAL EXHIBIT
A Nations Inventive Genius on
Display at Buffalo.
Thousands Of Devices That Promise
to EnIiven business Mt the Patent
Office After the Exposition Closes.
Indians and Their Development.

LudE<tFE anu thSsT ABeNtieDEiEHt
BUFFALO. y. Y. June 10--In view
ing the wonderful mechanical exhibits
shown at the Pan-American Exposition
it Is. Of course. evident that the person
acquainted with science or manufacture
has the best chances Of peTfeCting a
valuable invention. and still there are
numerous cases on record-in fact, they
are cf almost daily occurrence-where
mind uneducated by experience in
many fields has developed device ex-
ccedingly valuable.
It Is highly probable that following
the Pan-American Exposition there VIII
be an unusual number of patents ap-
piled for This viii be in keeping with
the fact that there are no people so pro
life in invention as those Of the AmeTi-
can Continent.
At the Pan-American Exposition
there is much to see. The developed
ideas of thousands are there portrayed,
and all come under the critical eye OF
the millions of visitors. The experience
Of this person or that person Will rec
ognIZe that improvements can be made
in many of the appliances shown, and
the first thought viii be to take out
patent on the Improvement
It would be interesting to know to
what extent the producing power of the
world has advanced through things
that have been patented. Take, for in
stance. the article of bread. and con-
slider how patented machines have in
creased its production, at the same time
rendering its cost cheaper. This is one
article that comes home to the atten-
ton of ALL and when we apply the same
thought TO other industries we cannot
fail TO realize that humanity is thor
oughly benefited by the clever, wonder
full inventions Of bright minds.
Events like the Pan-American Expo
sition exert a truly wonderful influence
on thoughtful people, and the crop of
patents that win follow it viii extend,
no doubt, over many years It is gener-
ally understood that where the largest
general intelligence prevails, where the
benefits of free schools are enjoyed, the
greatest activity in invention is found
/ Thus. in a sense, the Pan-AmerLcan
Exposition viii be an object lesson Of
the inventions that brilliant minds have
developed during the nineteenth centu-
~ and the early days Of the twentieth
century, and in all that will be display
ed at the exposition there VIII be a gen
uine evidence Of astonishing progress.
Looking back TO the early history Of
the. country we find that the first pat
euts were granted in 1890. The number
was three. No. 1 was for process for
f.lr OF r,aaTT
and it was granted to Samuel Hopkins.
Patent Nc. went 10 Joseph Sampson
for his ideas in manufacturing candles
Beyond question Mr.. Sampson had
| original ideas and methods in this field
but what would he think today could he
look upon the half million of incandes-
cent lights that viii glow on the Expo
| sition grounds. The third patent was
granted TO Oliver Evans on process
/ for manufacturing flour and meal
/ Then. as now, people were actuated in
! securing patents on new. unusual and
serYiceable things; but stop and think
| how far recent patents have outdis
! tanced the Evans patent in the manu-
facture of -four and meal.
The record Of the present century
may not be so great in the patent line
| as the record of the last, but it is fair
| TO assume that many Of the important
! inventions Of the twentieth century viii
! have the seed SOWn in some mind at
| the Pdn-AmeTiCan Exposition.
| Notable among the vast array Of su-
perb exhibits in the Government Build
/ ing at the exposition is the Indian ex-
! hibit installed by Miss Alice Fletcher.
! The exhibit shows both her knowledge
/ Of the subject and her artistic appIe-
! citation Of Indian character
! Al the entrance 10 the exhibit Is a
| case full Of Indian relics which ante
| date the discovery OF America
! To the initiated these are full Of
meaning Then the evolution OF the IN
! dian under the influences Of civilization
/ is told in the systematic installation
until the final group, enclosed in beau
| tiful grill work. shows the educated IN
! dian 10 be artist. poet scholar, and au-
! thor. This represents modern sitting
| room, mainly designed by Angel de
! Cora, an Indian girl, who graduated
! from the institute at Hampton, Va,
| and is now studying art. her chosen
| profession. in Boston. The fireplace is
! a poem IN wood
! A conventional eagle-the Thunder
/ Bird Of the Indian-in dark wood is in
! laid on the light panel which supports
/ the Hlantel shelf. It is placed here be
| cause the Thunder Bird is also a type
| Of the sun, the source Of all heat and
| fire.
Around the entire mantel is a wood
| carved scroll made up Of the sacred fire
! sticks with which the Indian produced
| fire by friction
! IN the topmost panel Is an oil paint
in representing a fiery sunset on the
/ prairie In the left of the picture is a
/ group Of Indian tents through which
| tbs glow of the evening fires shines. On
| knoll near the centre are an Indian
/ maiden and an Indian brave grouped 50
as to indicate the formation Of another
! hearthstone in the near future.
/ In this room are articles Of furniture
! hand-carved and inlaid with onyx
/ This dainty apartment is hung with
| beautiful portieres woven by the Naya-
! no Indians.
| Near the entrance is a column of diff
| ferent coIoTed woods arranged So as &c
| look from a distance like a costly mo-
| sale.
The pedestal has four faces, on which
/ are inIaid NEUROLOGICAL designs and
| symbols Of Indian aIIegOries much Older
| than the advent Of the pale face to this
| hemisphere. which cannot be inteTpTe-
ted by Miss Fletcher or any other ex-
/ pert in the history or religion of the
American Indian.
The capital is as ornate as that Of a
/ COriuthian column, and reproduces fouI
/ heads Of MOqUi Indian maIdens. clUs-
tiers Ct oak leaves and acOrns, etc. or
| top of this column is an ancient urn OF
classic shape which suggests those
! seen at Pompeii and the museums Of
/ Greece
| Around the bottom of this pedestal is
| q reproduction Of the well-known GreeB