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There is no enterprise known to the business world where the possibilities for accumulating a fortune are so great as in successful inventions. Millions of dollars have been made in the past, and the field is still unlimited. New articles for the use of mankind, and improvements on old ones are constantly being placed on the market, bringing rich rewards to the fortunate discoverers. A few suggestions are offered which may be of use to those whose talents lie in this direction. 56. Floor Coverings.—Carpets are expensive; matting is not elegant. Discover something in place of both, cheap and ornamental. 57. Water Tank.—Instead of the water tank on the top of a tower or country dwelling, with its liability of leakage and destruction of property, why not put it in the cellar and operate it by means of compressed air? By placing it in the cellar or underground, the water could be drawn cool and fresh, and in winter it would be much better protected from freezing. 58. There are many washing machines on the market, but none so far has driven out the old-fashioned washboard and tub. A good one that can be sold cheap will do it. 59. A Stove Damper.—One that will close the draft automatically, when the state of the fire warrants it. 60. Cold Handle.—A separate handle which could be instantly applied to utensils on the stove and remove them without burning the hands. 61. A Can-Slide.—A fortune awaits the person who will invent a can-slide which will effectually keep the food airtight, and which at the same time may be easily opened. 62. A Noiseless Clock.—The ticking of clocks is very annoying to many nervous people. Who can invent one that will perform the work silently? 63. Ice Machine.—Produce one so small and cheap that it may be used in every house. 64. Book Lock.—A small contrivance which can be attached to the edges of a book. Private correspondence, cash books, etc., could then be guarded during the absence of the owner. 65. Scissors.—A scissors or shears that will cut round as well as straight would be bought by everyone who uses a needle. 66. Gas Detective.—A device to be placed on a gas fixture to ascertain instantly whether it leaks. There is frequently an odor of gas when it is difficult to tell from whence it proceeds. 67. Towels.—Paper towels having the quality of cloth, yet designed for a single use, will make a fortune for their first maker. 68. Cement.—A cement which will take the place of pegs, nails and threads in the manufacture of shoes would revolutionize the trade. 69. A Paper Match.—The National Druggist says: "The time-honored scheme of rolling up a piece of paper and using it for a lighter could be utilized by an inventor in the manufacture of matches. The matches would be considerably cheaper than the wooden ones, and also weigh less, a fact which counts for much in the exportation." 70. Bottles.—If a paper bottle could be made as serviceable as glass, its many advantages would insure a fortune for the inventor. 71. Horse-Fastener.—A contrivance by which a rider can fasten his horse and unfasten him without alighting would meet with ready sale. 72. A Corn-Cutter.—A machine to run between the rows and cut the stalks on each side would sell to every farmer. 73. Fertilizer-Distributer.—One constructed on the plan of a sprinkling cart would be a great saving in farm labor. 74. Bone Cutter.—A cheap bone cutter, by which bones could be cut into small bits for fowls, would appeal to every poultry raiser. Bone is an egg-producer, but no cheap means has yet been invented for utilizing this kind of refuse. 75. Well Refrigerator.—Farmers often keep articles in the well, but if an accident to the rope occur, the articles of food are often spilled, thus entailing great annoyance and expense. Invent a way by which a well may be a safe ice-box. 76. Portable Fence.—A fence of which the posts are made of steel or iron, tapering at the end so as to be readily driven into the ground. Such a fence could be carried in a wagon and set up anywhere in a few minutes. 77. Paper Milk Can.—If milk cans could be constructed of paper, the saving in cost of transportation would be a boon to every dairyman. 78. Egg Preserver.—No process has yet been found for preserving eggs for months and keeping them as fresh as newly-laid ones. Here is a chance for a practical chemist. 79. A Flameless Torch.—An igniter which will cause combustible matter to burn, but will not itself flame—a device which will instantly ignite a lamp by thrusting it down the chimney, or light the gas without the usual search for a match, would meet with ready sale. 80. Galvanized Iron.—The amount of galvanized iron used is enormous, and the range of its usefulness is constantly increasing. A process which will reduce the cost of galvanizing even in the slightest degree would be a bonanza for its inventor. 81. Metal Extractor.—A solution which will precipitate gold or silver from the ore. Such an invention would revolutionize the mining industry. 82. Many of our wealthiest men have made their money in mining industries, and it is safe to predict that many more will meet with the same good fortune. There is still gold in California, Arizona, Mexico and the Klondyke; silver in Colorado, copper in Michigan and Montana; lead and zinc in Missouri, and new bonanza kings may appear at any time. 83. Patent Medicines.—Great fortunes have been made from the manufacture and sale of patent medicines. No man lives who enjoys perfect health at all times, and medicines guaranteed to cure every disease under the sun may be found on the shelves of every drug store. Where there is such a supply it is evident that there is a demand. There is room for more, and if introduced in an attractive way, the public will respond. 84. Real Estate.—Handsome fortunes have been amassed by shrewd, careful speculators in land. In order to make a success of this business, capital is required, but with proper care, and a knowledge of market values, large sums of money may be made. 85. 0il.—A writer in the Electrical World says that petroleum is the coming fuel. It is probable that the immense sums of money made after the discovery of oil fields in Pennsylvania in 1865 will be discounted in the near future in sections of the west and south. Late discoveries in Texas and southern Louisiana indicate an inexhaustible supply of fuel oil, and the mountains of Wyoming appear to be a promising field. 86. Cattle Raisers.—A few years ago Grant Gillet was a station agent in a small Kansas town, working for a bare living. He secured a position as cattle feeder, and four years later be was worth half a million dollars, made by buying and selling cattle. Another man bought Texas cattle for $432,000, and four months later sold them for $540,000. This simply shows what opportunities there are for shrewd men of means in the cattle business. 87. Hunting.—Most men use the rod and gun for sport, but there are a number of persons who follow the business for a livelihood. Especially in the great forests of the north are found thousands of men to whom the skins of wild beasts may be said to be meat and drink. Some of them attain a competence and retire on their savings from the sale of furs. 88. Building Materials.—"A man who has a quarry of good building stone, easily accessible, is richer than if be owned a gold mine." This statement may be an exaggeration in many cases, but the fact remains that there are thousands of acres of land throughout the country useless for farming purposes, that contain quarries which if properly developed would bring their owners large returns. 89. Wealth in Trees.—The area of the pine forests in Michigan and Wisconsin is growing less every year, but there are still lumber districts in Texas, Georgia, and Louisiana of astonishing extent, and that offer opportunities for capital equal to any the world has ever known. 90. Cotton Mills.—The people who live south of Mason and Dixon's Line are beginning to realize the great value of the cotton mill to their section. Instead of shipping the raw material to New England, and having the manufactured article returned to them, thus paying double freight, they are turning their attention to securing mills for themselves. The field is an immense one, and no investment is surer of profitable returns. There are many positions in which very large salaries are paid. As a rule, the remuneration is proportionate to the responsibilities involved, rather than to the actual labor required. The right man in the right place may always be sure of a rich reward. 91. Advertising Agents.—The great magazines and newspapers depend to a large extent on their advertising columns for their profits. The men who have charge of this department frequently receive as high as $10,000 a year. 92. Editors.—Editors of departments on great daily newspapers receive from $2,000 a year upwards. Many managing editors and editors-in-chief are paid five times that sum. 93. Attorneys.—Corporation lawyers, celebrated bar-pleaders, and specialists in many branches of the law, earn large sums of money. Single fees of $10,000 and over are not unusual. 93. Physicians.—Here, as in the legal profession, the great financial rewards are secured by specialists. Many doctors in our large cities have incomes of from $25,000 to $50,000 a year. 94. General Managers.—The manager of a leading department store in Chicago is paid $10,000 a year. He began his business career with the same employers, many years ago, at a salary of $7 a week. 95. Electricians.—This is a comparatively new field, but the rewards are very large. As in every other line of work, there is always room at the top. A young man employed in a New York establishment says: "I am in receipt of a salary of $4,000 as superintendent of the dynamo building, and recently I had an offer of $ 7,000 to go to a new company out west." 96. Detectives.—Besides the men regularly employed by the national and local authorities, there are many who own or work in private agencies. The pay depends on the nature of the work and the wealth of the employers. 97. Press Clippings.—Men like to read items about themselves which appear in print. The press clipping bureau gives them the opportunity. The profits depend on the number of clients it is possible to secure, but many of them do an enormous business, one in particular handling an average of 100,000 clippings a week. 98. Experts.—There are many kinds accountant, color, handwriting, etc. Anyone who confines his life-work to a special field can command a large price for his services. 99. Corporation Presidents.—The largest salaried employees of the business world will be found among these men, and the extremes are wide apart. Five thousand dollars may be considered a very low figure, and there are a favored few who receive as high as $100,000, or even more. 100. Among other occupations and professions that command large salaries may be mentioned Government officials, who receive from $600 to $50,000; preachers, from $20,000 in the fashionable city church to a pitiful $300 in some country town; school teachers, from $250 to $4,000. A visitor at a factory where the superintending engineer was paid $25,000 a year was asked if the salary was not an extravagant one. The owner replied that he considered it cheap. Talent and skill are everywhere in demand, and when they are found almost any salary will be willingly paid.
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