History Blog: Alvarado and Decoto Inventors

In a previous article I discussed , who was awarded four patents. He was not the only local inventor.

Ebenezer Dyer, who founded the Alvarado Sugar Beet Factory, was awarded patent 607,229 on July 12, 1898 for an improvement in a “boring implement for frozen earth.” In the patent, Dyer states: “My invention relates to implements for boring or penetrating frozen earth and to means for thawing the frozen material in advance of such implements as they pass into the ground." The drawing submitted with his patent shows a boiler that generates steam that is then sent through the boring tool, down the hole, where the steam hits the frozen ground at the bottom of the hole.

Ebenezer's nephew Edward Dyer was also an inventor. His patent, number 319,007, was for an improvement in the “manufacture of beet sugar” and was awarded on June 2, 1885. His improvement “increased yield of sugar and greatly shorten the time of manufacture.” This invention really helped the sugar beet factory maintain profitability for many years.

Other inventors included: H. G. Cox of Alvarado for his work on a horse harness, granted on September 22, 1891; L. C. Page of Decoto for his work on an “attachment for telegraph apparatus, granted on April 21, 1914; A. J. Lattin of Alvarado for his work on a “spring bed bottom”, granted on December 5, 1876; F. L. Eaton of Decoto for his work on a “tension retaining binder” for securing loads to trucks, granted on October 14, 1955.

The oddest invention is by J. S. Bartholomew for his “swimming apparatus.” The device is attached to the lower leg with a strap around the foot and is designed for swimming with the frog stroke. The device does not look effective or comfortable and probably did not go much beyond the inventor using it.