Evening star., 1937-08-05
DRESS INVENTIONS
0F OLD RECALLED.
Oldest Inhabitants Hear OF
Machine Wonders and
Styles of the '8Os.

and scientific discoveries during the
present "age Of wonders" James F.
Duhamel, patent attorney and cor
responding secretary of the Associa-
ton Of Oldest Inhabitants, last night
told his fellow patriarchs OF the or
ganization: I'VE may cogitate on the
great things that are coming for fu-
ture generations, but be proud OF
the fact that we were at the start
OF the worlds scientific progress.
A touch of levity was injected into
the meeting when Duhamel mem
toned hoopskirts as one OF the "popu-
lar inventions. John Clagett Proc
tor. vice president, said as boy he
and his friends used to put discarded
hoopskirts on a broomstick and use
them to play dog catcher" John r.
Mahoney recited a poem about hoop
skirts.
Duhamel related stories of his work
with famous inventors, including John
G Holland, on submarines; Mergen-
thaler, on the linotype: Lanston, on
the monotype; Thorn, with the uni
type; Hudson Maxim, on smokeless
powder, shells and detonators.
City of Inventors.
This city, Duhamel said, had been
honored by the residence of many
famous inventors - Joseph Henry,
Ericsson, Dahlgren, Rodman, Robert
Fulton, Alexander Graham Bell, Emil
Berliner, Lanston, Mergenthaler, S. F.
B. Morse, j. Harris Rogers, Prof.
Langley and others.
Among the inventions OF this won
der age" listed by Dlhamel were the
sewing machine, hydraulic turbine,
machine gun. typewriter, railway air
brake, automatic coupler lawn mower,
telegraph, telephone, talking machine,
incandescent and electric arc lamps,
knot-tying binder and harvester, foun-
tain pen, trolley car, airplane, airship,
automobile, radio, television.
Included In the list OF popular"
inventions were hoopskirts, corsets and
wire bustles.
Proctor took up the question Of
hoopskirts and discussed the subject
Of women's dress, describing feminine
apparel of A. years ago
Notes Chic of Today.
Women then wore -four times as
much clothing as they do today" de-
clared Proctor, 'and the chic, trim
way they look now must convince the
open-minded person that three
fourths of the clothing they wore in
1890 was strictly superfluous."
The poor bicycle girl of that Pc
riod was contrasted sharply with the
bicycle girl of today. Proctor said the
girls of those days wore long skirts,
which had tendency to fly up with
every gust of wind, and to overcome
this lead buttons were sewed in the
hem to weight it down"
"A jacket, cap and high-laced boots
and bloomers completed the outfit.
which must have weighed around 10
pounds"
The bangle bracelet" was described
by Proctor as a silver bracelet COM
posed mostly Of 10-cent pieces con-
tributed by admiring swains who had
hired a jeweler to smooth one side
Of the dime and engrave upon it his
Proctor, that many a grandmother
has one or more of these bracelets
today safely tucked away in her bu-
reau drawer-just for remembrance. !"
Greetings were brought to the asso-
ciation from its president, Theodore
W. Noyes, now in Atlantic City, by
Je-se C. Suter, who announced Mr..
Noyes' intention Of being back TO
Washington in time for the October
meeting Of the association.
Bowling Is Praised.
Tribute was paid to the late Frank
W. Dowling, marshal Of the associa-
ton, who died recently from injuries
received when he was struck by an
automobile. John B. Dickman char
acterized Dowling as Cheerful soul,
with good word for everybody-a
valued member and a sincere friend"
j. Eliot Wright, recording secretary
and treasurer. said Dowling had been
member of the organization for "a
years and marshal for II years. He
praised Dowling's faithfulness to duty.
Duhamel said the organizat ton never
cial." Proctor declared Dowling's most
outstanding feature to have been "his
iovial disposition and friendly atti-
tude toward every one"
Duhamel was officially congratu-
lated on his birthday-today-by vote
OF the association, proposed by suter.
Financial Secretary MAhoney an
nounced that in five months he will
be 80 years Of age. Wright described
beauties OF Asheville, N. c., where he
spent vacation.
Col. John w. Oehmann. District
inspector Of buildings, was elected =
member Of the association.