Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1902-01-31
IDEAS WORTH FORTUNES
Some Of The Things Which Brought
Money To Inventors.

Ideas are the most lucrative com
modities in the world, provided yot
carry them to the right market.
If your brain has worked out /;
scheme that is of practical benefi
somebody will want it and will pay
money for it. There are plenty of case.
where manufactures have honestly
paid inventors not for anything SC
tangible as a patent or model, but
just for suggestion that could be
materalized.
All the soda water and other ''fizzes >
in the world had their origin this way
To Harvey Browne, an Englishman,
as he was knocking his pipe on day,
occurred the notion of making aerated
water by forcing carbonlc acid gas
through it under pres sure.
He never made any diagrams or
bothered about any patent. He simp
ly took himself and his idea to big
beer bottling firm. They questioned
him a little and then offered him $25,-
900 for it. He told them they would
have to pay $50, 900 or be would patent
it and sell it else where. They couldn't It
afford to let him do that, SO they sign
ed the check for $4,000.
The idea for the perforated postage
stamp edges netted the man to whom
it came $25. O0O. And he realized the
sum without any patent. He went to
the Government officials, and with
just a needle and an ordinary slip of
paper showed them what be meant, at
the same time suggesting simple
device for perforatlng machine that
should do the work of the needle.
1t was a discovery worth while, for
previously all the sheets of stamps had
TO be laboriously cut with scissors.
Norman Miles was the mans name,
Ind for his idea, without so much as
1rawing plan or making a model. be
got $25, 900.
The modern gum on the back of the |
postage stamp brought its inventor
100000. Jacob Morris he was, a Spital-
ields Jew. who used paste of cold
tarch and water to stick his hand
bills on his store windows.
The English Government had been
ffering reward of $4,000 for a gum
hat could be allowed to dry so that
be stamps could be later stuck on
with lick" Morris hit on the idea
+ drying his starch paste to give it
rying powder. He told the Govern
tent officials that be had the discovery
IT which they were offering $4,000,
ut he didn't propose to sell it for less !
ian $25,O00. He finally compromis ,
], however, on $4,000.
John Ruthin's safety valve for loco
otlves was offered as an idea to an :
lgine-making firm. They might i
lth the greatest ease have stolen it,
1T instead they paid him 5000 7
I've years later the same inventor got =
5000 just for the suggestion of how to =
AXE a new sausage machine, which .
rs since proved a marvel. b
Henry Stephens, the inventor of q
lurn now used in every part of the
orld sold the idea of the machine to =
firm of agricultural implement h
akers, who paid him $40, 200. 9,
L
1acile'' electric motor came to Hunt =
y Webbs he stopped only to dash h
'wn few pencil notes and then rush
off to sell the idea Immediately to -
ickman & Rouse. They paid $45, 900 =,
+ it. 9
Many of these men might have be ;.
me millionairds if they had held on =
their ideas, patented them and them
Ives placed the goods on the market.
ut they preferred instead the cash in o.
nd at once, for they were dreamers 4
dreams and lacked the executive
,illty and the hard hustle and push :,
make their dreams realities. Phil :,
lelphia North American. =