 On January 13, 1869, Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts submitted a petition prepared by Loomis that requested that the U.S. Congress appropriate $50,000 for financing for developing his ideas "during the next year".This petition was initially referred to the Committee on Patents, then at Loomis' request was rereferred on March 11, 1870 to the Committee on Appropriations.Twenty days later the petition was again transferred, to the Committee on Commerce.