Democratic Sentinel, Volume 18, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 March 1894 — Promoting Ingenuity. [ARTICLE]

Promoting Ingenuity.

It may not be generally known, says the Railway Review, that Messrs. Denny grant to the workmen in their shipbuilding yard at Dumbarton a sum of money for suggestions for the improvement in plant, etc., likely to facilitate or cheapen production, During the year past fifty-seven new improvements have been considered, and of this number thirty-eight have been successful, fifteen rejected, and four postponed. The total sum expended during the year was $720; of this sum S4BO was paid in ordinary awards and $240 in premiums. The number of awards and the amount of money expended are not only much greater than those of last year, but are the third highest in any year since the scheme was started. Fully twothirds of the total number of claims received were successful, as against an average of fifty-two per cent, for the fourteen years the scheme has been in operation. The workmen in the iron department have this year succeeded for the first time in sending in more claims than those of any other department, while the electrical department has been successful above all others, considering the number of workmen connected with the branch. Since the introduction of the scheme, 602 claims have been received, 818 being successful and 289 rejected. The total sum expended is $7,400, of which $5,170 was paid in rewards and $2,230 paid in premiums. The sum of $4,840 has been gained by eighteen claimants.