Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-08-20
DRIVE WELLS.

The Boys Getting Eccited--- WflL the Mat
ter M to the Supreme Court of the
United States---Report ofthe Committee
collecting Wednesday Night.
On Saturday night the citizens of Mime
apolis and vicinity who interested in the
fight against the drive well men held meeting
at Workingmen's Hall for the purpose of con-
sidering what was best to do under the circum-
stances.
The whole matter was considered, there being
fifty or seventy-fve persons pr. sent interested
in the matter, and the general sentiment was
millions for defense, not one cent for trib-
ute.'
Readers of the GLOBE will understand that
the drive well has been in use in Minneapolis
for the past fifteen years. From the peculiarly
favorable location of the city, the drive well
| can be used in almost any section, and SO dur
ing fifteen years past agents of the various
companies have made this their camping
grounds, and every man who owned lot high
and low, rich and poor. who could pay for one
has secured drive we'll.
Over q year ago the Green patent was brought
| to the notice of drive well owners by NJ s.
James, who claimed to be the agent of the pat
entee Green, and demand was made for $40
royalty every we'll in use in this city. This
$40 it will be remembered, was to be paid by
every one using the drive well, when each in
dividual had already paid for his particular
we'll.
This aggression was resisted, and the matter
was put in the hands of Davis, O'Brien &
Wilson, of st. Paul, and fought through the
United States district court, and about a month
ago a decision rendered against the well owners
by Judge Nelson.
Then James commenced his harvest, demand
ing his $40 royalty or a lawsuit. The we'll
owners however, think there is yet chance to
fight in the courts, and are trying to collect
enough money to carry it to the supreme court.
The meeting on Saturday night adjourned
another meeting will be held at the same place
on Wednesday (to-morrow) night to further
consult on the subject.
All who have drive wells are earnestly re-
quested TO be present, and consult as to what
In best to do under the circumstances.
committee appointed at previous meet
ting submitted the following report, which was
adopted:
MINNEAPOLIS, August IL. 1873.
Your committee respectfully submit the fol-
lowing report
The whole amount fraudulently claimed by
the patentees under this patent on the wells
already in use in the United States is estimated
bv those best informed upon the subject is not
less than five or six millions of dollars.
in many parts of the country this
kind of we'll had been in use twenty
years before the patent was granted. All
who submit to pay this fraudulent claim are
lacking in the most essential elements that
make men fit for citizenship in a free State.
These fraudulent claims, in the aggregate
amounting to more than $6,OUO00O, furnish us
one of the conclusive proofs that our laws, in
stead of being used for the protection of the
rights of men, have through corruption and
bribery. become machine run by sharpers for
the purpose of plundering the people. This is
one of those cases where we should make ap-
nJnatiOn of the nrincin1a hat la ara
made for-the purpose of securing each in
dividual in the peaceful enjoyment of his nat
ural rights; and when the laws fail to do this
the people should calmly and dispassionately
set the laws aside as we cast aside useless
machine
one case fairly and fully presented in the
courts; and that we appoint vigilance COM.
mlttee to notify all persons whomsoever who
are base enough to act as the agents for their
scheme Of robbir the poor and needy that
they must at once and INN diately stop acting
as such agents; and that if we find that we
have in this community any person base and
mean enough to act as such agents, after re-
celving notice through the vigilence committee,
that we deal with them the law of nature
and our rights as men require us to deal with
highway robbers and pirates.
We recommend that this meeting at this time
form association for the purpose of defend
ing rights in the courts, and that no indi-
vidual be admitted to the association without
the payment of at least 81 or more; that this
committee of three canvass the city and ascer
tain the amount that can be raised, and that
we appoint a treasurer to receive the funds
subscribed for the purpose of carrying one case
through the courts, and that the treasurer give
bonds to the association In double the amount
of the funds that will probably come into his
hands, and that the committee receive out of
the funds their common day wages.
J. T. KENNIsoN,
nj. MASON,
o. E. SPEAR.