Page 8
THE WAYNESVILLE MOUNTAINEER
THURSDAY, SEPTEMrfd
Haywood Man In- .
vents Many Items
-Continued from page 1-
pass over these scales time and time
aain, ever stop to think that the
idea of this scale was conceived in i
the mind of a Haywood county man?
"We won out . . . not only once,
but twice," said Mr. Christopher, re
ferring to the law suit brought by a
Dayton. Ohio firm vs. Ohristnnhi'r and
his associates for infringement of
patent rights on this scale. The case
was heard at Washington, D. C, in
1901 or 1902 and was a long-drawn j
out and hotlv contested case. Mr.
Christopher stated that he took wit
nesses not only from Haywood coun
ty, but from Asheville, Spartanburg
and other places to prove that the
idea of the computing scale was his j
own. Many witnesses testified before
the court that they had seen Calvin
Christopher's diagram for the scale, I
as well as the completed model there
for at his shop long before the year
1901.
"I was just careless with my draw
ings and model for the scale," said
Mr, Christopher; "I showed them to
everybody that came into my shop and
asked to see them . . . even to strang
ers, inis, ne tninKs is now spies
got his idea; so that before long a
scale appeared on the market based
and built on the same idea. This was
in the closing years of the nineteenth
century, and Mr. Christopher had al
ready obtained his patent.
In the year 1900 a company was
formed at Washington, D. C, known
as the Independent Scales Co., to' be
gin the manufacture of the different
types of computing scales which
Mr. Christopher had invented, He
not only had an interest in the firm,
but was to receive so much as roy
alty on all scales manufactured. Af
ter their product was being success
fury marketed, in the year 1901, is
when the Dayton firm brought suit,
resulting in a victory for the Inde
pendent Scales Co.
Receives $87,000
Shortly after this Mr. Christopher
sold all his interest, patents and pat
ents pending to the company for
around $87,000 and came back to his
old home near Bethel . . for further
study and experimentation.
With this sale he relinquished his
right, title and interest in the some
nine or ten different types of scales-
all of a computing nature, which he
had invented.
From Washington, D. C, the plant
was moved to Bridgeport, Conn., then
to Kansas City, Mo. Finally the
factory was bought up by some Ashe
ville citizens and they were manu
factured there for two or three years.
Upon dissolution of the firm there the
factory was dissembled piece by piece
and sold out.
Now there is Dayton, Stimson, To
ledo, National and other computing
scales on the market.
"But it makes no difference what
scale it is, they've all got my idea,"
said Mr. Christopher.
Following are some of the nine or
ten different types of scales and cal
culators which he invented:
Lumber Calculator,
A Multiplying and Adding Machine,
Merchant's Caluclator,
Gas Meter and Calculator (not pat
ented.) Cotton Weighing and Computing
Scale.
This last was used quite extensive
ly for weighing and computing cotton,
cattle, etc., and was one of his out
standing inventions.
'Necessity The Mother"
That "necessity is the mother of
invention," is true as regards the com
puting scale.
Mr. Christopher stated that he got
the idea from watching an old-fashioned
country merchant of the Bethel
section weigh and sell a piece of meat,
It seems that the merchant was
rather "poor in figures," so after
weighing the meat he was quite a
while getting it counted up for the
customer
"Looks like a scale could be in
vented that would do away with all
that figuring;" said Mr. Christopher
who was looking on".'.'. "I think I'll
make one myself." And he did that
very thing!
Set-Backs and Discouragements
But he had his set-backs and dis
couragements, especially in the man-
ufacturing and marketing of the
things which he invented. ,
For example, a stock company was
formed at Spartanburg for the manu
facture of Mr. Christopher's Rotary
Engine; a factory was built and
equipped at an expense of approxi
N. C.
mately $90,0000. But just as they
were getting ready to start up the
factory was burned down and every
thing destroyed. There was no in
surance and the enterprise was aban
doned. "No, it wasn't all easy sailing,"
remarked Mr. Christopher, with his
i usual broad, amiable smile . . "Not by
a jug full."
nois
327 LIQUOR STORES
ARE GIVEN PERMITS
The South Carolina tax commission
has issued 327 new retail liquor store
licenses since the new fiscal year be
gan on July 1, 1937.
skillf
hand
"St. Louis Woman"
L.r.f u
If . rw r vj.
Wauneta Bate
"St Louis woman," celebrated In
the ballad of the same title,
might be depicted by stunning
Wauneta Bates, professional dan
cer who was chosen "Miss gt.
Louis" for the national beauty
pageant at Atlantic City.
SUBSCRIPTIONS
The following subscriptions have
been received during the past two
weeks:
P. P. Crawford, Route 2.
Mrs. R. C. Long, Lake Junaluska.
Mrs. Laura Carnee, Route 2.
Fred Medford, Route 2.
J. W. Green, Route 2.
Mrs. G. C. Paxton, Canton.
Miss Hester Davis, City.
G. W. MeBser, Cove Creek.
W. C. Chambers, Route 2,
Miss Flora Palmer, Nellie.
Bennie F. Hankinson, Aiken S. C.
W. S. Ferguson, Route 2.
Miss Robina Miller, City.
Gideon Francis, Route 1.
O. G. O'Brien, Clyde, Route 1. -
Clarence Barnes, City.
Leo Buckner, Jr., Norfolk, Va.
E. P. Martin, City.
Luther Gordon, Route 1.
R. C. Hensley, Route 1.
J. M. Kelly, Route 2.
R. N. Griffin, Hazelwood.
H. -C. Ledbetter. Canton. Route 2.
Marion Smith, City.
G. H. Putnam, Hazelwood.
Frank Mathis, Hazelwood.
T. J. Chastine, Route 2.
Paul Caldwell, Route 2.
Porter Gentry, Route 1.
Mrs. E. T. Turner, Dayton, Ohio.
Howard Collins, Hazelwood.
Miss Alma Chambers, Canton, Route
Two.
Mrs. P. L. Turbyfill, City.
Dr. E. W. Gudger, New York City.
Fred S. Rude, Brooksville, Fla,
Miss Helen Coffey, Jefferson City,
Tennessee.
Mrs. Chas. M. Hard, Elyria, Ohio.
Frank Battle, City.
Miss Marion Boggs, Route 1.
John W, Shook, Clyee.
Mrs. Joe Graves, Route 1.
Will M. Ray, City.
C. B. Medford, Canton.
Mrs. Susan Crawford, Dayton, O.
John F. Stamey, City.
C. L. C. Putnam, Hazelwood.
Miss Wilsie Snyder, Route 1.
Ralph Prevost, Hazelwood.
Fred Marcus, Hazelwood.
Will R. Ray, City.
Joe Howell, City.
Joe Gaddis, City.
A. G. Baldwin, Cove Creek.
T. L. McHone, Hazelwood.
Allen Rathbone, Route 1.
Mrs. Hector Robinson, Hazelwood.
Porter Gentry, Hazelwood.
Arie McClure, Hazelwood.
T. J. Chastine, Route Z.
Emmett Ballentine, City.
Mrs. A. G. Boineau, Hazelwood.
Mrs. F. M. Townsend. McDonald,
Fred Martin, City.
J. C. Adams, Route 1.
M. H. Bowles, City.
J. B. James, Clyde, Route 1.
Doctor Sues Those Who
Kept Him From Suicide
In a Federal District Court in Illi
last week Dr. Andrew C. Kelly
sued the Merccyville Sanatorium and
St. Joseph's Mercy Hospital, both of
Aurora, for $200,000. While a pa
tient, Dr. Kelly tried to kill himself,
but was restrained, he claimed, by use
of a leather and metal strao "so un-
ully adjusted" as to cause his
to be permanently crippled.
WOK T JCHOCL
Bright , Children Have Bright Ideas About
Comfortable, Good Looking Wearables . .
Boy's suede jacket with
slashed pockets, knitted
band. ........... $4.95
17
MISSES WOOL SKIRTS
Zippers, pleats and flar
es fall colors as screen,
brown, grey and rust.
$1.95 to $3.95
Soft, luscious pastel
sweaters in a styk
variety at
WARM THINGS
Fleece fabric ski suit for kindergart
eners to size 12.
Mackinaw in wool fabrics, brightly
striped for college and high schools.
$7.95 to $9.95
C. E.
FEATURING
TOM SAWYER
BOYS W EAR
CORDUROY Materials
JACKETS
LONG PANTS
KNICKERS-SHORTS
Wool suits in sizes 6 to
10. Boy's shirts and
blouses
Learn your fashion les
son before you learn
your school lessons, and
you'll know the wisdom
of thrift . . . the economy
of quality, .the virtue
of trading at RAY'S.
SMALL
MISSES SWEATERS
Slip-overs, all-wool
98c up
Twin sweaters some
with collars, some col
larless contrasting com
binations, and solid col
ors All fall shades
$1.95 to $4.95
Children's FELT HATS
Deanna Durbin models.
97c to $1.95
Children's Cotton Print
DRESSES
49c up
Extra Quality Prints. At
tractive washable pat
terns. "Gone With the
Wind" styles.
98c up
Mi
RAY'S SONS
P xmf-J
WE'RE
HERE TO
PLEASE
BOYS AND GIRLS
TOM SAWYER SHIRTS
c no M
eth.
TRUBCNIZIN(
PBOCtJJ COHPONATION
N0STARCH NEEDED
Good school clothes that are durable
but good looking enough to thrill
young vanity. Priced to fit in the
budget.
Children's
SCHOOL COATS
$3.95 to $9.95
SIZES 5 TO 16
Attractive well tailored coats of ut'
standing value. Bright colors in dur
able fabrics. Coats selected to plea.
both the child and the mother.
Misses
SPORT COATS
$9.95 to $19.75
SIZES 12 TO 20
High school and college girls demand
and deserve smartly tailored clothe.
Knowing accurately their need we
have assembled an extremely attrac
tive group of coats.
COATS THAT WILL
PRICES THAT WILL SAVE
Boys and Young Mens
, SUITS
In Ages 6 to 10 . . . . . .$L93 to $
In Ages 11 to 15 . ... .$9.95 to SI-
In Ages 16 to 20 . . . ..$9.95 to $l?-a0
M li