Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1902-03-28
CHANCE FOR INVENTORS
FAME AND WEALTH AWAIT THEM
IN MANY FIELDS.

A few months ago corporation paid
to Prof NJ. |. Pupin of Columbia Uni
versity a fortune for his invention OF
ocean telephony. This transaction typ
ifies the new conditions in the world
of invention
Many of the ablest inventors OF past
years have enriched other men. but
have amassed for themselves, little ex-
cept fame-and that mostly postum
nous. Henceforth the inventors pro-
fit will be great and sure. and not he
but the capitalist will assume the
chances Of failure.
II Is significant that the greatest
optimists as to the future of inven-
tions are to be found among the men
who have the best opportunities OF
judging the future along this line
the officials of the United States pat
ent office. In discussing the subject
the other day, Frederick Allen, United
States commissioner Of patents. said:
81 certainly do not agree with those
persons who consider that we are APP
preaching the end of invention. be-
lieve that the whole creative realm
will go on developing and expanding
in proportion to the growth of the ma
ton.
The business of this office shows
it. During the past quarter of CEN
fury there have been issued in this
patents or over three times as many
as had been issued in the three-quar-
tiers OF a century preceding it.
1T is difficult to predict along what
lines inventive genius will be most &C
tive. Certain it is that the evolution
of new things will go on in constantly
increasing proportions"
The imaginative mind naturally
foresees the greatest possibilities in
the fields of electricity, aerial naviga-
ton and the Harvesting of the great
power forces in nature. 1t is interest
ing to note that this view has the sup
port OF Charles H. Duell, lately COM
missioner OF patents. In discussing
the matter, Mr.. Duell said:
''In my opinion all previous ad-
vances in the various lines OF inven-
tion will appear totally insignificant
when compared with those which the
present century will witness. / almost
wish that might live my life over
again to see the new wonders which
are at the threshold.
1T will be but a few years until the
residents of all our larger cities will
be consulting the time tables Of aerial
bee lines to New York, allured by sucn
advantages as no smoke, mo dust, no
heat; each private residence will be
provided with its own cooling room
and cooling devices for houses will
make bearable any climate under the
Stars and Stripes; the sun and the
wind will be completely harnessed,
and possibly the waves as well; auto
mobiles will be in universal use and
quadruplex apparatus should bring the
telephone service down to about 10
cents a month"
Probably the field which will give
forth the most wonderful inventions
in the next quarter Of century is
| that of electrical science. Within the
| past few months devices have been
| patented which will enable Americans
| to talk with their cousins across the
| sea; which permit telephone messages
| and signals of various kinds to be
transmitted through the earth or be.
| low or above the surface of the ocean
| without wires; which cause telephone
messages to be recorded automatically
and repeated mechanically hundreds
Of times; which make it possible to
transmit colored pictures by wire be-
tween distant points and enable the
despatch of 16 telephone messages
over a single wire.
The future of electricity and of the
whole transportation world waits upon
the discovery of some means to har-
ness the magicsurrent and house II in
| 'nshc anu oo-----.s 1orm. For nearly
a third of a century inventors have
been seeking to devise a storage bat
terry that will answer all requirements,
and the inventor who first produces it
will obtain wealth and fame.
cheap, compact and durable stor.
age battery will make possible cleo.
| trio air-ships, steamless locomotives
and horseless carriages of character
| more nearly perfect than has hereto
fore been dreamed of. Automobiles,
the popular vehicle of the dawning
century, have within few months de-
clined in price owing to the improve
ment Of equipments, but the discovery
OF the sorely needed storage battery
would eventually make them within
reach Of all.
The discovery OF practical storage
battery will open a new era for the
electric railway and hasten the day
of electric propulsion for long dis
lance express trains for mail and pas
sengers.
Even the subject OF electric light.
ing has not been exhausted by any
means. Greater brilliancy and the saw.
ing OF the electrical energy now vast
ed in lighting systems are the goals
| to be reached, and a beginning has
been made by the recent introduction
| OF modification of the old kaolin
light, whereby the mixture of oxides
as light-emitting element has served
| to produce glow which is more bril-.
liant than an incandescent light and
yet not so dazzling as an arc.
Supplementary to electrical inven-
tons proper will be the discoveries
which may be expected in the field of
electro-chemistry, the new science
Already this new sphere has pointed
way to fitch gold from ores which
no other process could induce to re-
lease II, and the newcomer among the