Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-16
Commissioner of Patents
Submits 1t Today.
THE LARGEST BUSINESS
EVER DONE IN A SINGLE YEAR
THE RESULT.
Work Of Carrying Out New Trade
Mark Law Greatly Increased
the Work.

The United States patent Office did the
largest business II has ever done in a sin-
gle year during the fiscal year ending Juno
30 last. According TO the figures gwen In
the annual report OF the commissioner OF
patents for the period noted, fled with the
acting secretary of the interior today, the
receipts of the office were more than a mil
hon and a half dollars and the expendi-
lures were quarter of a million less. The
patent office is probably the only govern
ment bureau that is more than self-sup-
porting. Every year It has turned into the
United States treasury such respectable
amount as receipts that handsome
plus would be shown when the expenditures
provided in the appropriation bills are sub
tracted. Within the past year the labor or
caring for the enormous number of applica-
tions for patents and trademarks has in
creased twofold, and Commissioner Allen
asks that a larger force be provided to look
after the work. He states:
Applications Received.
There were received in the last fiscal
year 52323 applications for mechanical pat
ents, 749 applca tions for designs, ia appl-
cations for reissues, 1.s46 caveats. 11,2bs ap-
plications for trademarks. L2}6 applications
for labels and 44s applications for prints.
There were 3o,2G6 patents granted, includ-
ing reissues and designs, and 1925 trade
ma rks, !, OBS labels and 345 prints were reg
istered. The number of patents that ex-
pired was 10, J67. The number of allowed
applca tions which were by operation OF
law forfeited for nonpayment of the final
fees was 5154. The total receipts of the
Office were 81 131 :.:i4 ~; the total expendi-
lures were S1,4I2 467.5l, and the surplus or
receipts over expenditures, being tho
amount turned into the treasury. was s26A,-
S6G.93.
New Trade Mark Law.
The most important event which has oc-s
Cured in the operations Of the patent office
during the past year has been the taking
effect of the new trade mark law, which was
approved February 20 and which took ef-
feet April l. 1905 This new law, In ex-
tending the registration of trademarks to
those employed in interstate commerce
and in its reduction Of the government fee
of S25 to $40 has stimulated enormous
increase in the trademark work Of this Of
flee. This statute also provides for oppo-
sitons to the registration of trademarks,
which is a new subject of litigation In the
business of this office
The last three months of the fiscal year
considered in this report witnessed the fl
ing of 9,7lO applications for registration or
trade marks under the new law; and al
though, owing to the delay necessarily
caused by the requirement for publication
of trademarks prior to their registration,
there were no registrations of trademarks
in these three months, the fact that this
office will need to increase largely its force
engaged in this work has already become
very clear, and this division has already re-
quired to be helped by taking examiners
and clerks from other divisions where they
were much needed.
Classification Necessary.
an view OF the large number OF patents
issued by this government, amounting to
about $4,000. a good system of classifica-
ton is absolutely necessary to furnish sat
isfactory results in the preliminary searches
made by this office, and it is much regret
ted that ii has not been possible to use sur-
ficient force TO make more rapid progress
in this work. i believe II Is OF great con-
sequence that the classification work or
this office should be more rapidly carried
out, with a view TO its completion, so far
as classification work can ever be COM
p!eted. l am Of the opinion that good
classification is the only means by which
satisfactory preliminary searches can be
made.
'In the past year progress has been made
in the restoration of exhausted copies TO
the files, and ii has been possible TO meet
promptly orders for exhausted copies OF
patents and for manuscript copies of rec
ords. The correspondence of the office has
also been transacted with promptness.
Receipts of the Office.
/ ''Of the total receipts of this office, the
fees received in the mail and express room
In the fiscal year ending June 80, 1908.
amounted to 81, ,U20, ,St261. OF this amount
there were received by ordinary mail 2i.94S
pieces, transmitting s923398. The number
OF complaints of losses of office fees AL
legged to have been sent by mall Were eleven
in number claiming losses of $3.I0. This
number includes complaints enormously
made and II is thought TO show high con-
ditien of efficiency in the mail service
which brings these funds TO the office, as
well as a satisfactory accounting by this
office for funds transmitted In this manner.
81 am of the opinion that with the growth
expected in the work OF this office there
should be a corresponding increase in the
number of its employees and in the space
provided for the transaction of its busi-
ness, and at the present time II cannot be
said that either in number of employees or
in the space provided are the necessities or
this Office adequately supplied.
I'm this connection l beg TO call attention
to the fact that the net balance for the fis-
cal year just ended is s264 ,S6G.93 l believe
that considerable part of this surplus
could be wisely expended in the improve
ment of the service of this office, and that
in justice to our service II should be so ex-
pended"