Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-23

patented inventions. The body OF the
building is OF Virginia sandstone, and
was afterward paintet white.
December H. 1886. a fire destroyed the
building in which the patent office was.
and all the models and records and the
library. with the exception of one book.
volume of the Repertory of Arts and
Manufactures, which an employe OF the
office happened to have taken 10 his home
before the fire. Among the records de-
stroyed was folio containing drawings
Of Fultons first steamboat made by bis
own hands. IN 1887 an appropriation was
made to replace the records destroyed
and for the erection OF a new building
the patent office as it stands today.
The commissioner of patents In his an
nual report for 1910 said: The patented
models are classified and exhibited in
suitable glass cases. The national gal
lery is ready for the exhibition OF mod
els and specimens i am happy to say
that the mechanics and manufacturers
are improving the opportunity to present
the choicest contributions. and from the
encouragement given no doubt Is enter
tanned that the hall, considered by some
SO spacious, will in short time be en-
trely filled, presenting a display OF ma
tional skill and ingenuity not surpassed
by any exhibition in the world"
September "a. 1877. there was another
fire In the patent office, when the roof
and model rooms and contents in the
west and north wings We're destroyed by
fire and much damage done to the build
Ing. About $1,000 models and 6p0,ooo
photo-lithographic copies Of drawings
were ruined by fire and water.
From the first superintendent OF pat
ents in 1890 to the present commits
sioner in 1911 is a long jump. 1t Is
just 10 years ago. Many changes
have taken place during this time
When the first patent was issued the
President of the United States made
the grant, while the record was writ
ten by a clerk in the State Depart
ment.
Then followed the patent board. com
posed of the Secretary of State, the
Secretary of War and the Attorney
General. This board was continued
until 1895. when the first commissioner
of patents was appointed. From that
time to the present day there have
been many commissioners Of patents.
the incumbent now being Edward
Bruce Moore.
Mr. Moore has worked his way up
from the ranks. He entered the patent
office as assistant examiner in 1889.
and from that time served in various
capacities until he was made commits
sioner in June. 1907. He has spent
twenty-eight years in government
service.
He had a wide and varied experience
while serving Uncle Sam. Before he
was appointed commissioner Of pat
ents he was assigned as special COM
missioner to the Paris exposition in
1900 In the summer of 1908 he was
appointed United States delegate to
the International Conference for the
Protection of Industrial Property.
which was held at Stockholm, Sweden.
Later in the fall of 1909 he acted as
special commissioner of the State De-
partment to nine principal capitals of
Europe on international reciprocal
patent protection. Then he served as
delegate to the Fourth International
Conference of American States at
Buenos Aires, Argentina, in the sum
mer of 1910. in charge of matters re-
lating to patents. trade marks and
copyrights.
Since 1886 the work of the patent
office has increased by leaps and
bounds. And today. when the number
of patents granted each year averages
more than 10000, the inventive bump
of the Yankee may almost be seen
growing, it is developing so rapidly.