, 1879-02-20
GIGANTIC PATENT SWINDLE.
Tho Government and tho HHlirond mil
Steamboat I.incA to Ro Pluutloretl-Tile
Elre-EKttnEu1Biier Ring,
r. itar IL GL3 11stf.,

Tho Government and tho lsalirond nn.l
Steamboat Lines to Ise pluu,lore.l--Ti,o
Flrs-EKttnEu1siier Ring,
TO the Editor ot TAt 7t4buae.
CHICAGO, Feb. 18.-Abotts ten years ago,
when the Carliur md VIgnun patents covering
tic general principle {s'eurbnnic uclu tn water
In portable mucliine for cxtirguishing fires ~
upon which all chemical observation-disclosures arc
n,ndo were Issued, thc owners, thinking they
bud q monopoly, rot bill passed through Con-
gress compelling all American eteatncrs carry
iny passengers to purchase d number of these
niac!tncs at about three times their Gust. The
nboye were DECLARED void for the want of nusety,
lhe machines bclng nothing but simple sola-
fountains dr apparatus for which William A.,
Graham, OF Virginia, had implied for 4 patent Us
carly us 1857. His application was rejected Of.
the ground that a new use for an old
tnachHe Ur ucVlco rua not patentable.
Nevertheless, the law compelled the stcaruers
to purchase tic machines. but they got the
cheapest tint could be found In tie market re-
got the bill passed did not roapt!.e harvest they
whcrc arc bitter cuem!ca OF al chemical t,,,-
pa1atus, md greatly rcsarl It's introduction, rs
at Louisville, Cincinnati, N,tt St. l.0liis.
The heirs of William A. Grlliafn living IN Eir-
gtnta, being reminded ot this nd reIeeted up
pIleatian which had lain III the Putent-Uillce for
ieuriy forty years, tuale application about
three years ago to ,I'e Congress- Of the United
sutrs 10 pass MI enabling act for the rcllct of
the heirs Of WliIinn a. tiratsa.ll. ordering tho
Commissioner u issl,c IL satl hcirs putcnt
covering everything tn tllc past uII seventeen
years of tho future In tl'e st1uue OF ss,aa-
fountain iscl for putting out tlrrs. Illrre was
III attc,npt 10 smusglt this bill through, hut
after two .Ycars VI sharp nlantp,tlasIo'ls, nlul
rftxI.. Jrlfr
tending parties, all opposition lnvllIg beet,
lnugnt up tilr bill quietly ,rass,Hl In,t, HOUSES
nt Cn,,grcJs, un received tiu signature pE tlu
President. tor thu rrliri ft) Of William A, Oy,.
t,nu'A hers Tt,e patents wrre accordingly ahUut
seven months nsu, grlntcd, a,ni solt1e mani.
fnet,,rcrs Of in brst iltrrxtiu.l,Ishers lii fit i,su
ylayo Ind their b,isi..tsh rl.lell. They did mt
f.et ii,tu thr poui ur know that such a blll was
In TIl1; TRIbuSE Ut reb II " tho sfInp1r nh.
npil,,,rn,pnt ;hut ..tieD. Hanks il Icv.diir III.
last uys III Caress to tie SUPPORT d, It meas.
lire wlict lie entities 'A hill tu nrttrct ii,n uIt1
Of Inntls On rulIrDs ului stsn,tIb,nis nncr;,t.;i
hy strnH, n,ycr within tin inristtiliin,, nj tlu,
UDitcti Stntcs ul Ainrisu,'H Iuis Iii appo,,i,s
i've Commissioners, tl!rvu appol.,,ci s,y ,Iv
rohimry hid excc,,tiun ami ufunrly tl,y;in I'm,
swnr, aul twn nv ii,. ,I,t,,,,4|its' l"sa t;nn. s
llssif,,,rrs nr,. to rrcrfyu irUI,I th, Goyrrmnmt
SlOiiU taary e..ct!. fiIie saiary must be Iar.,,
t1nIEl t1rn. HuUl.4 ami juir t,tHJrs.-In
u,,"r wurts l. ,s, In hit, "nouph ri, - ~.
ist ,,nr., ta,, hair In I,t,!<r.a,,,,.t, mn, Kan,
t"r. T., a,n,"r, .f ,,'n ua",,rr v";I s""n III
i" wnnId ro, y tor ~ n" hi u y ~" s In n%t 't
IN ,l.. ,,. In, IL IN, hrrv NJ ',,r rr" ,,r"sI nS tut
inotirrs ~ r % iiat ,art - ,,nx mi ; d's,.r"rr
FL .nin.s ,.I"i. ill., " sr."".i',, "x,,,so,
nrfnt,rv mi ~ i'"r ,.",,nu,,.s n.77t a., tl,.
{IoysrnI1,cI,t .ot isss tIa sl5,sS, nsr ai,,,', M
AMI fr H., x,"r. ,,,,,11 a o,ntn, @ W..
Tnis t.un,is,in,, ,as "hanIt'sn n,,scr ~ ~ IN
n,"r AMI Ei, n ,irn,..x.,,,,!s,ars =" AMI n ar e
~ ih 1ui,sa Sl' a,sts St & fu%" ,%, ~ ~ n' ntaat
t.'ishcr In n,,1 ,,or T. ~, sa " Ky 'o1 ts ~ e
s""ssainn' t iii ~ hci'1 ,1r.w, T. n In.
inn, i hw so,,,. NV ~ t snr,s ,v,a,u ~ l., H..
t.r s, III ,rI"s ,,,M Hnso"rs, .i ''eslars
seives onr. I,r ~ syerai s .,'i" Ht, r. tl .nn