Conduit Electric Railway. (open access)

Conduit Electric Railway.

Patent for an underground conduit electric railway meant to propel cars. The conduit can be drained and kept dry, and a trolley attachment protects the conduit from dirt and water as well.
Date: December 5, 1893
Creator: de Voe, William R.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Conduit Electric Railway. (open access)

Conduit Electric Railway.

Patent for a surface trolley for electric railways that operates "upon the surface of the pavement or ground between the tracks of the road, for connecting the car with the motor power, in place of the trolley and over head wires now suspended upon the unsightly poles in the center or at the sides of the street, which are found to be very objectionable on account of their obstructing the passageway in the streets and upon the side walks, and the wires preventing the free movement of fire companies in extending their ladders in gaining access to buildings, and also because of the great danger attending persons and animals moving about in the street, on account of the charged or live wires frequently being thrown down upon the ground, and coming in contact with and destroying the life of persons, and also on account of the frequent fatal accidents to persons having charge of the repair of the wires and other apparatus in connection with them, often coming in contact with live wires while elevated on the poles and engaged in repairing them" (lines 16-38).
Date: April 11, 1893
Creator: Voe, William R. de
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Combination-Plow. (open access)

Combination-Plow.

Patent for a combination-plow that "may be combined with facility to form a variety of plows designed for work of different kinds, the present invention being an improvement upon that shown and described in Patent No. 492,462, granted to [the inventor] February 28, 1893" (lines 10-15).
Date: July 14, 1896
Creator: Dean, John Rowe
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Forage Plants for the South (open access)

Forage Plants for the South

Report discussing the findings of an experimental study of over 500 native and foreign species of grasses and other forage plants in the southern United States. The report is limited to a discussion of species that were established to hold agricultural value for hay and pastures.
Date: 1894
Creator: Smith, Erwin F. (Erwin Frink), 1854-1927
Object Type: Pamphlet
System: The UNT Digital Library
Suggestions to Southern Farmers (open access)

Suggestions to Southern Farmers

Report summarizing the contents of papers read at the Interstate Farmers' Convention held at Vicksburg, Mississippi, February 8-10, 1899. Topics discussed include soil properties, cotton products, livestock farming and feeding, horticulture, agricultural education, forage crops, and the Weather Bureau. The material collected in this report is intended primarily for residents of the South and the Southwest.
Date: 1899
Creator: United States. Department of Agriculture.
Object Type: Pamphlet
System: The UNT Digital Library
Valve for Engines. (open access)

Valve for Engines.

Patent for certain new and useful improvements in valves for steam engines, including instructions and illustrations.
Date: November 8, 1898
Creator: Allen, Walter J.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Method of and Apparatus for Treating Mineral Pitch. (open access)

Method of and Apparatus for Treating Mineral Pitch.

Patent for an "improved method of and apparatus for treating mineral pitch and similar material to readily separate the asphalt and asphalt-oils from sand, bituminous rock, and other impurities contained in the mined material and removing the sand and impurities" (lines 12-17). The method circulates the material in hot water to separate the asphalt and asphalt-oils from the sand and impurities. The asphalt and oil rise to the top of the water and the impurities sink.
Date: November 5, 1895
Creator: Sellers, Harvey Lee; Conyngton, Hugh Ronald & Conyngton, Thomas
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Plow. (open access)

Plow.

Patent for improvements in reversible plows: "The object of the present invention is to simplify and improve the construction of reversible plows and enable them to be adjusted to any desired depth" (lines 9-12).
Date: August 18, 1891
Creator: McKay, Robert B.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History