OF GENERAL AND PERSONAL INTEREST.

Mr. C. Russell Riordan, a third assistant examiner in Division 28, resigned January 2, 1924. Mr. Riordan was appointed on October 1, 1920 from the District of Columbia, and has been examining some of the sub-classes of Class 123. He is a member of the bar, and is leaving to go into business with his father, Mr. Charles E. Riordan, a patent attorney of this city.

The Office has just been notified that the application. of Mr. Wilbur M. Beatty, a first assistant examiner in Division 43, for retirement on account of total disability, has been approved and that his retirement became effective under date of August 15, 1923. Mr. Beatty was appointed on May 5, 1902 from Ohio.

Mr. Aubrey E. Hummer, a third assistant examiner in Division 1, resigned December 3, 1923. Mr. Hummer was appointed from the District of Columbia on Aug. 2, 1920.

Mr. George K. Engelhart, a second assistant examiner in Division 7, resigned January 6, 1924. Mr. Engelhart was appointed Feb. 13, 1919 from Illinois.

Mr. Wm. T. Hedlund, a third assistant examiner in Division 18, resigned December 5th. Mr. Hedlund was appointed from Mass. on Dec. 19, 1921.

Mr. Morton A. Buchman, a fourth assistant examiner in Div. 15, resigned December 9, 1923. Mr. Buchman was appointed Sept. 17, 1923 from Ohio.

It is with regret that the recent death of three patent attorneys, for many years familiar figures in practice before the Office, must be here noted. The death of an attorney who has appeared before the tribunals here only occasionally does not always strike the officials with the directness that does the announcement of the pass

ing of a local attorney or a frequent visitor of long standing in practice. In the latter cases there is always a sense of personal loss.

Mr. Alexander H. Semmes of the firm of Semmes and Semmes, having offices in the Ouray Bldg., this city, died suddenly November 12, 1923, while taking testimony in his office.

Mr. Franklin H. Hough, a local practioner of many years standing, died December 7th after a long illness. Mr. Hough had recently retired from active practice and was personally known by most of the examiners and officials.

Mr. John A. Weidersheim, senior member of the firm of Weidersheim and Fairbanks, of Philadelphia, died December 18th after a very short illness. Mr. Weidersheim, it is understood, was the dean of solicitors before the Office, having begun practicing soon after the close of the civil war. He, too, was intimately known by all the older officials of the Office as well as by a multitude of patent attorneys. It is hoped later to print a sketch of his life and work.

Journal

OF THE

Patent Office Society

Published monthly by the Patent Office Society Office of Publication 3928 New Hampshire Ave., Washington, D. C. Subscription $2.50 a year Single copy 25 cents

E. C. Reynolds, Chairman and Editor-in-chief.

G. P. Tucker.

N. J. Brumbaugh.

S. F. Smith.

EDITORAL BOARD.

M. L. Whitney, Business Manager (Room 57, U. S. Patent Office.) 3928 New Hampshire Ave., Washington, D. C.

N. E. Eccleston, Circulation.

Entered as second class matter, September 17, 1918, at the post office at Washington, D. C., under the act of March 3, 1879.

Publication of signed articles in this journal is not to be under stood as an adoption by the Patent Office Society of the views expressed therein. The editors are glad to have pertinent articles submitted.

VOL. VI.

MARCH, 1924.

No. 7.

COMMENT.

There appears elsewhere in this issue an article entitled "Expediting Prosecution of Applications" which sets forth the results of efforts in this direction made in one division. It is hoped that other examiners who have found special methods of this kind effective will send a description thereof to the Journal. It is not expected that a definite formula of universal application will be evolved by any such process on account of the varying conditions in the different divisions, but it is believed that a substantial gain will be made by putting at the disposal of all the knowledge gained by any one.