The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-07

women have confined their efforts largely
TO little things, things that"
Things that appeal TO womens work and
Germ his?'
"Um, yes. that is what / was about to
say" said the vanishing clerk.
The United States Patent Office was
opened in $780, but women are not entered
In its list of patentees until 1909. The first
fnventlon-can you guess what IL Was2 No.
II wasn't a corset, but the second invention
Gin 1879 was, and from that day TO this
about every sixth device patented by
women is corset That's food for refec-
ton for dress reformers. No drawings re-
main to-day of these early stays. You must
guess what they were like. III in this day
Of straight fronts and flexible boning YOU
are curious concerning the cumbersome
frames in which our ancestors encased their
fair forms. The very first invention. was a
device for weaving straw or thread. 1t Is
typical OF the inventions that follow for
they pertain with few exceptions TO two
divisions-those things that concern a wom-
ans health, dressing and personal adOrn-
ment, and those things that concern her
household and her family
Some of the strictly feminine inventions
are stocking-heel protector, evidently the
patentee was the mother of boys improved
shoe lacing, hair curling apparatus. safety
belts, hygenic bustles, skirt protectors, bOs-
ON pads. hair crimpers safety pockets and
toe-protector for children's shoes one
Harriet NJ. Fisher, OF New York, in whom
the eternal feminine seems TO have been
strong. invented an improved rouge pad in
1867, and one May +. Harrington. Of Oak
land, Cal, OF whom the records do not say
whether she was married or not. but she
must have been-was given a patent on a
mustache guard in 1850. A few not MANY
toys have Deen invented among them a
mannikan made OF egg-shen and a
strand of twisted wire, the joint Origination
OF Miss Stella Sweet. Of Kansas CITY and
w. r Sweet, of St. Louis.
Household devices include washing ma
chimes galore and all sorts of attachments
to sewing machines, such as that for quilt
ing, tucking, and pleating apparatf and
threading devices. There are dish washers.
washboilers. egg-beaters steamfnr
apparatus for shaping pantaloons. a pea
Smelling machine. folding crib folding
wardrobe and chiffonier baby walker de-
tachable coffee pot handle, and a device for
medicinal devices are syringes hot wafer
bottles, atomiZers, douche pans shoulder
traces and reIneoles Tor dlphtheria, coughs.
worms, and other maladies that women ana
children are heir to-
Notwithstanding the superciIiousness Of
the clerk who brought the list women have
taken out some inventions that do not per-
tain strictly TO their lives as women A
portable balcony was patented in 1872 a
wheat-cleaning machine in 1873 and a car
coupling device IN 1SS2 woman each
time was the patentee OF a device for num-
bering houses. punching machines and
typeWriterS OF various sorts. "A sliding WIN
dow brake for vehicles. cigarette ma
chine and Neiocipede. Oh, yes, and a
canteen. Tell that 10 Carrie Nation
An alphabetical list Of inventions of wom-
en- since 1903 runs as follows: Agricultural
implements, art appliances. baby carriers
barrel attachments, bicycle attachments
building appurtenances, bottling apparatus
boxes and baskets, clocks and repairing
culinary utensils. educational appliances
flowers and plants. furniture and furnish
ings, heating apparatus. horseshoes. med
zeal appliances, motors, musical apparatus,
plumbing. preserving. and disnfecting.
printing and binding, railway appliances,
screens and awnings, sewing and spinning.
stationery. theatrical apparatus. toilet ar
ucles, toys and games, trunks and bags.
typewriter appliances. washing aud clean
ing. and wearing apparel. The three items
that have long subdivisions are the culinary
utensil. washing and cleaning and wearing
apparel.