The Portland daily press., 1874-11-03
The Gallahne Patent.
A Party Desires To &c, $500, 900 Year.

The Lewiston Journal says that Gods iderable
excitement has been occasoned of late by the
attempt of a man named Gallahue to enforce a
slumbering right which is alleged to be inner
ent in letters patent granted to him by the
United States Patent Office. Gallahue some
years ago made remarkable discovery, in
watching the workings of pegging machine.
Previously the knife which cut the peg-wood
had entered the wool from above downward.
He proposed that it should enter and cut from
the side, enabling cross-grained peg wood to be
used. This was his invention, certainly not of
a character to entitle him to any great claims
for genius, nor such as to require any profound
study merely. thought such as thousands
may utter while observing the working of any
machine. He procured patent upon his hap
Ply thought, but seems to have hardly been
aware of its Importance, until lately, having
permitted it to slumber these many years.
However this may be, suffice it to say that of
late he has come to realizing sense of the full
Importance of this invention of his. 1t has
been suggested by some that some dear friends
of his in this time of need, from virtu0us New
York, skilled in speculations, knowing how to
make much out of little, having had experience
the menagerie of "bulls" and bears in the
pure city of New York, and being altogether
very tremendously disposed, came to his assist.
ance and helped him to see what he had before
failed to see. A grand scheme was concocted,
by which it is proposed to secure to Mr.. Gala.
hue, land his friends perhaps) threc-fourths Of
a cent upon every pair of shoes pegged by the
use of machines using his patent Not very
large royalty it might seem at first thought, but
when applied to the whole shoe interest which
it involves, amounting to about 100000 an
nually, a very handsome income for man
who hopes to secure it by means of so simple
an invention. But this is not all; there are
manufacturers who would be liable for back
royalty for several years. One firm in the city
of Auburn, we understand, would be liable to
a back royalty for eleven years, amountingi to
about 500, 000-a very considerable sum for a
business firm to be called upon to pay, and
which would very materially diminish their
hard earned profits.
offer to such firms as will take out a license and
bind themselves not to oppose the renewal of
this patent at its expiration next year, that
they will let the past go and not require them
to pay for it. This is a very nicely planned ar
rangement by which it is proposed to bind the
manufacturers hand and foot and then put
little gag in their mouths so that they will not
ask any one to unloOse them.
Further, if they refuse to enter into this nice
little arrangement, they are minously threat
ened with immediate lawsuits. A seven days
notice has been served upon the Auburn shoe
firms and has expired, and none have complied
with the demands. They are now waiting for
Mr. Gallahue to commence legal proceedings
against them if he sees fit He will find them
rather of a stiff-necked and strong back -boned
set to deal with. The shoe firms are all leagued
together to fight this little project, and are
backed up by Mr. Sturtevant, who furnish
es peg-wood, and by an increase in the price of
his peg-wood proposes to secure means to fight
Gallahue's patent as long as it needs any fight
ing
1t seems as though the people have been bur-
rights, and the thought suggests itself if these
abuses cannot be prevented, that it would be
better to lay the ak at the root of the matter
and extinguish the whole thing, Patent Office
and all.