The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-05-10
Uncle ssm's old Curiosity shop Holds Great Collections of Models of
 Freak Inventions.

Washington Special to New York
 Herald.
 It was only recently that the most picturesque of all the nations port able possessions, the collection of models of inventions at the Patent Office escaped description and dispersal when decree to sell them was revoked by succeeding session of Congress In former days these models were kept on exhibition in the Patent Office itself, but the space being need ed for other purposes they were trans ferred to another building. Here they are today and the occasional sight seer has taken the place of the crowds who used to consider the models one of the sights of Washington. Up to within very recent years model had to be submitted with every application for patent. and thus 1t l was that an immence collection was Gradually got together, many of the inventions representedG dating back to very early period. Many of the interesting objects show the earliest steps in the evolution of certain things which have since come to be regarded as essentials of our civilization, such as the first practial sewing machine the first typewriter, the first ice cream freezer. and so forth. This last by the way, was originated by a PhiL- adelphia woman. Mrs. Nancy Johnson. It is natural that the freak invent ions should attract the most attention. and because of the exceptional inte- rest displayed of the queerest are exhibited as conspicuously as possible The prize oddity of the whole collect ion is the steamboat contrived by Abraham Lincoln, which. was provided with huge bellows-like arrangements on both sides. intended to be inflated with air whenever the vessel should chance to be stuck on a shoal. thus lifting her of. It does not appear that the device ever proved to be of practi- cal usefulness.
 Thomas Jefferson. however. was the inventive President. It will be remem- bered that his plough proved to be . most substantial Improvement over any implement of the kind previously known. He originated a sulky carri- age, a walking cane inthree parts which could be converted into chair the now familiar copying press and the revolving chair. This last is in common use to-day as Is likewise the chair convertible into a stepiadder, which was the idea of Franklin, the first piece of furniture of this pattern being constructed by the sage himself to enable him to reach with ease the books on the upper shelves of his lib- ray In Philadelphia,
 Experience in sech matters has prov ed that it Is by no means safe to con- demn a seemingly absurd novelty in the way of an invention, for in a good many instances such freaks have proved to be extremely valuable. Some of the earlier flying machines. models of which have been exhibited as absurdities at the Patent once. em- bodied ideas which have found practical expression in the dirigible airships of today When, not very long ago a so-caIIed crank conceived the idea of killing insects on fruit trees by cov- ering the trees with suitably contrived tents and filling them with poisonous gas, much derision was excited. Never theless, the idea has proved extremely valuable and is at present much en- ployed,
 It was a man who invented the self rocking cradle which, being provided with a clockwork mechanism to keep 1t going, may be counted on to keep rocking while the mother Is at the club or otherwise engaged. 4 woman in- vented mechanical fan as an adjunct to a sewing machine.
 An "anti-scrach device" proves to be an appliance attachable to the leg of a hen and designed to prevent her from damaging the garden bed. Consisting of two prongs projecting rearward, it obliges her to keep on going ahead all the time. so that she must soon leave the premises.
 Then there Is the dimple maker. It Is wire mask intended to be worn at