Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-04-23
Clinton Inventor Claims He
Can Make Millions From
Button Factory Refuse
MAKES POINT OF FINE QUALITY
Rejected Portions of the Shells Ground
Into Smooth and veIvety Substance
Which Can Be Moulded Into Many
Useful ArticIes-Adds Much Value to
Shells.
Special to imes-Republican.

Special to Times-Republican.
Muscatine. April 23.-J. p. r. James.
a capitalist and inventor of Clinton,
has been in the city and brings with
him, as he alleges, a formula, by the
means of which he says he is able to
make millions of dollars out of the re-
fuse clam shells, that are now being
used to improve the streets. Mr.. James
resides in Clinton and has been in that
that city for the past two years that
he has been working on an invention
which, he says, will add a phase to the
pearl button business that the fathers
of this industry never dreamed of. and
that out of the part of the she'll which
the button cutters refuse. he is able to
make 500 where the button men make
81.
Mr.. James plan is to grind the shell
into a substance of velvety smooth
ness, and from this he claims to be
able to mould and fashion knife hand
les. marbles. pipes, buttons, watch
charms. innumefable designs of jewelry
and almost every other article in this
line that the mind can suggest.
Also Makes Paint.
Blu the novelties are not the only
things that can be produced from the
waste part of the clam shell, accord
ing to the idea of the inventor. He
claims to be able to manufacture a
high grade of paint, something that
will surpass in ~cheapness and dura-
bility. anything no won the market.
Enamel, of the finest quality. is also
one of the possibilities of the shell that
is now being used to pave the streets.
Look at that wagon load of Shells
said Mi. James to a local reporter, as
a teamster was hauling a load of the
articles mentioned from some Musca-
tine factory. Why that is being sold
for 25 cents per load and it is worth
hundreds and hundreds of dollars. I
sit here and watch load after load go
by, and 1T makes my heart ache to see
them scattering money around on the
highways that way. When we get our
company started we will not only use
the shells that are offered by the fac
tories. but we will gather up all those
that are on the streets. every one of
tIiSiiis IS llO'5C al outtOiIS WIN tilS
in the button business, and then give us
what is left. We will put the refuse to
a greater usefulness than Il can pic
ture to you in words"
Patent Pending.
Mr.. James said tina his patent on the
proposition was applied for and 1T a
only a question of time until he would
be fully protected in all his rights. All
that he wants now is for the city of
Muscatine TO manifest an interest in the
matter, and get he business started.
The inventor says that/ft will not
take much capital to get the enterprise
to running smoothly, n he is willing
to start in the business on a small scale.
If the city is not willing to take UP the
matter, he offers to take any young
man into the company on a half-share
basis, the %nventor to be the business
manager.
The matter was put before the Com
mercial Club at it's meeting last night
and was referred to the committee on
new manufactures.
Has Samples Here.
Mr.. James is making his headquar-
tiers at the Scott House INT in a large
room there he has samples of some of
the work that he has done He showed
the reporter samples of putty, paint
and powder, and he talked of the posi-
bilities of his great invention with en-
thusiasm.
Many painters have used this paint
he said, land in every instance they
declared it the best on the market"
This putty has NJ equal andthis other
sample of paint is first class. l have
been painting boats with it for two
years, and one of the steamboats, which
plies up and down the river thru Mus !
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