Salaries of Members of Congress: A List of Payable Rates and Effective Dates, 1789-2006 (open access)

Salaries of Members of Congress: A List of Payable Rates and Effective Dates, 1789-2006

Congress is required by Article I, Section 6, of the Constitution to determine its own pay. Prior to 1969, Congress did so by enacting stand-alone legislation. From 1789 through 1968, Congress raised its pay 22 times using this procedure. Congressional salaries initially were $1,500. By 1968, they had risen to $30,000. Stand-alone legislation may still be used to raise Member pay, as it was most recently in 1982, 1983, 1989, and 1991, but two other methods are now also available, an automatic annual adjustment procedure and a commission process.
Date: April 18, 2006
Creator: Dwyer, Paul E.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Texas Register, Volume 33, Number 16, Pages 3079-3350, April 18, 2008 (open access)

Texas Register, Volume 33, Number 16, Pages 3079-3350, April 18, 2008

A weekly publication, the Texas Register serves as the journal of state agency rulemaking for Texas. Information published in the Texas Register includes proposed, adopted, withdrawn and emergency rule actions, notices of state agency review of agency rules, governor's appointments, attorney general opinions, and miscellaneous documents such as requests for proposals. After adoption, these rulemaking actions are codified into the Texas Administrative Code.
Date: April 18, 2008
Creator: Texas. Secretary of State.
Object Type: Journal/Magazine/Newsletter
System: The Portal to Texas History
Texas Register, Volume 28, Number 16, Pages 3173-3398, April 18, 2003 (open access)

Texas Register, Volume 28, Number 16, Pages 3173-3398, April 18, 2003

A weekly publication, the Texas Register serves as the journal of state agency rulemaking for Texas. Information published in the Texas Register includes proposed, adopted, withdrawn and emergency rule actions, notices of state agency review of agency rules, governor's appointments, attorney general opinions, and miscellaneous documents such as requests for proposals. After adoption, these rulemaking actions are codified into the Texas Administrative Code.
Date: April 18, 2003
Creator: Texas. Secretary of State.
Object Type: Journal/Magazine/Newsletter
System: The Portal to Texas History
81st Texas Legislature, House Concurrent Resolution, House Bill 135 (open access)

81st Texas Legislature, House Concurrent Resolution, House Bill 135

Concurrent resolution introduced by the Texas House of Representatives and Senate relating to designating March 31 and April 1, 2009, as Gregg County Days at the State Capitol.
Date: April 18, 2009
Creator: Texas. Legislature. House of Representatives.
Object Type: Legislative Document
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Tenoning-Machines (open access)

Improvement in Tenoning-Machines

Patent for an improvement in tenoning-machines, including saws, gauges, flanges, and hinged plates.
Date: April 18, 1871
Creator: Bourland, Melton S.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Dish Cleaners and Drainers. (open access)

Improvement in Dish Cleaners and Drainers.

Patent for a convenient and cheap article of household ware for washing dishes, glassware, and similar articles of household use.
Date: April 18, 1876
Creator: Harper, Elijah S., Sr.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Churns. (open access)

Improvement in Churns.

Patent for improvements to the design of the butter churn, to ease labor and improve efficiency, including illustrations.
Date: April 18, 1876
Creator: Rost, Otto
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Horse-Powers. (open access)

Improvement in Horse-Powers.

Patent for a horse-power with a master-wheel, communicating, through a pinion, crank, and pitman.
Date: April 18, 1876
Creator: Andrews, Henry K.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Back Band Buckle. (open access)

Back Band Buckle.

Patent for a new and improved back band buckle. This design "consists in the construction and novel arrangement of the middle bar having an outwardly-projecting stud, the upper bar parallel to the middle bar and having an under offset recess, and a depending lug-hook and spring-snap" (lines 19-26).
Date: April 18, 1882
Creator: Lowe, Joseph Alfred
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Coffee-Pot. (open access)

Coffee-Pot.

Patent for a coffee pot that has "a movable handle whereby the same may be placed on the opposite side of the pot from the spout or to one side thereof as may be preferred" (lines 18-21). It also has an acting slide or valve that keeps the spout closed when liquids are not being poured out of it.
Date: April 18, 1893
Creator: Cummings, James K.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Car-Coupling. (open access)

Car-Coupling.

Patent for an improved, durable, and efficient car couple that can be operated from one side of the car for the safety of the operator. The draw-head is newly designed.
Date: April 18, 1893
Creator: Bishop, James C.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Combined Plow and Harrow. (open access)

Combined Plow and Harrow.

Patent for a simple, inexpensive, and effective combined plow and harrow that can be used as a plow and harrow at the same time, or the operator can detach one and only use the other. The machine can be adjusted to better suit different types of soil.
Date: April 18, 1893
Creator: Lee, George W.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Buckle. (open access)

Buckle.

Patent for a buckle "wherein a closed frame or box is employed that is formed with a smooth exterior surface to avoid contact with and injury to the animals on which it is used, and prevent the reins from contacting therewith, and dispensing with the use of a guard thereover; and at the same time producing a secure fastening that is applied to straps without the necessity of the employment of stitches or other modes of fastening" (lines 9-18).
Date: April 18, 1893
Creator: Monday, Robert
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Wrench and Cutter. (open access)

Wrench and Cutter.

Patent for a simple, durable, and economic wrench and cutter that is easily used to turn nuts, pipes, or to cut pipes. The wrench does not need to be removed while cutting.
Date: April 18, 1893
Creator: Fletcher, Theodore
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Projectile for Fire-Escapes. (open access)

Projectile for Fire-Escapes.

Patent for a rope fire escape "in the form of a harpoon to which a chord or rope is attached, said device being projected from a gun or by any other means against the burning building with sufficient force to embed itself therein so that any suitable apparatus may be elevated to the building necessary for the escape of the inmates or so that the person or persons may descend by the rope attached to the harpoon" (lines 14-22).
Date: April 18, 1893
Creator: Martin, Johan
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Pump. (open access)

Pump.

Patent for an improved, useful, durable, and simple pump that is powered by cattle as they walk into an enclosure. It consists of a water receiving chamber with inlet openings on one end, supporting rods, a hollow pump piston with a spout, a valve on the bottom of the pump piston, a walking beam, a bridge, hinges, angle-irons, and a counterbalances weight.
Date: April 18, 1893
Creator: Clayton, James W.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Post-Driver. (open access)

Post-Driver.

Patent for a machine that drives posts and "can be placed on the running gear of a vehicle in such a manner that it can be readily adjusted to operate on posts at either side of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle" (lines 14-18). It can be easily adjusted and is simply constructed.
Date: April 18, 1893
Creator: Harris, Stephen G.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Steam-Pressure and Water-Level Recorder for Boilers. (open access)

Steam-Pressure and Water-Level Recorder for Boilers.

Patent for a division on the inventor's previous patent application (No. 404,658). This patent is for a device that records steam pressure and water levels in boilers, and is meant "to provide a new and improved steam pressure recorder for boilers, which is simple and durable in construction, very effective in operation, and arranged to automatically record the pressure of the steam in the boiler for a given period" (lines 14-19).
Date: April 18, 1893
Creator: Lewis, William Morgan
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Hay-Press. (open access)

Hay-Press.

Patent for a hay press that is meant to "check the rebound of the plunger so that the working beam or lever will not be thrown against the horse; also to provide for automatically applying a brake for the purpose of checking the rebound; also to provide for cushioning the rebound of the plunger so as to prevent or check its tendency to throw the toggle elver against the main lever; also to provide for automatically giving a signal or alarm to indicate when a bale of a given size has been compressed; also to improve the construction of the tie box portion of the press; also to generally improve the construction of parts" (lines 17-30).
Date: April 18, 1893
Creator: McNeill, Charles DeWitt
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Fire-Escape. (open access)

Fire-Escape.

Patent for a fire-escape that uses ropes and pulleys held up by brackets and attached to a window. A receptacle is at the end of the rope and is designed to lower people from the building to the ground.
Date: April 18, 1893
Creator: Martin, Johan
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Fire-Escape. (open access)

Fire-Escape.

Patent for a fire escape "with a cord or rope of suitable length which has at one end a weight to serve as a projectile to facilitate throwing the cord or rope to a person at any part of the burning building, after which the fire-escape or other device necessary for the purpose may be conveniently elevated to the window or other portion of the building where most needed for the rescue of person or property" (lines 14-22). It is adapted to assist firemen.
Date: April 18, 1893
Creator: Martin, Johan
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Permutation-Padlock. (open access)

Permutation-Padlock.

Patent for an improved and simple combination padlock that only opens if the operator knows the combination, and it can be used with watch charms, bracelet locks, valises, trunks, bicycles, tool chests, writing desks, store rooms, and similar articles.
Date: April 18, 1893
Creator: Sanderson, Benjamin A.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Device for Cutting Boiler Tubes. (open access)

Device for Cutting Boiler Tubes.

Patent for a new device for cutting boiler-tubes. This design "is to be adjusted a distance from the head sufficiently in excess of the thickness of the tube sheet to prevent injury to the latter. The device is then inserted into the end of the tube, with the head abutting against the outside of the tube-sheet. By turning the screw the wedges may then be drawn toward each other, thus forcing the block carrying the cutter outward. The device is now to be turned by the shank alternately with feeding the cutter outward until the tube has been cut through, after which it may be readily removed" (lines 75-88).
Date: April 18, 1882
Creator: Franklin, James Johnson
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cotton-Scoop. (open access)

Cotton-Scoop.

Patent for a simple and inexpensive cotton scoop and is "adapted to have its tines yield to facilitate its insertion in a mass of cotton" (lines 13-14).
Date: April 18, 1893
Creator: Brown, William C.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History