Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1884-04-17
THE BARBED-w1RE FIGHT.
The rluely Position Of the erinnen Com

The Plucky Position of the Grinnen Com
Pany.
The following circular letter has lust been
issued by the plucky proprietorS of the
Barbed Wire Works at GrinnelI. Iowa, who
are fighting the Washburn 6 Moen mo-
nopoly:
DEAR s1R:-We are informed that the
WashDurn q Moen Manufacturing Co., is
again making an attempt to iniure our trade
and righten our customers by threatening
to bring further suits. This information
comes to us by various letters. COPIES of two
of which we inclose.
1t Is evidently the purpose of Washburn &
MOen to visit all our customers and through
misrepresentation and bull-dOzing to getas
many OF them as possible to sign an agree
ment to sell no more unlicensed wire.
We beg TO assure you again that there is
no danger. 1t Is the last resort of parties
who have been fairly and emphaticalIy
beaten IN the courts. We enclose copies of
the DEGREES lately entered upon the funda-
mental, and as Washbnrn & Moen claimed,
the two important patents. By these de-
crees these patents are completely anuihi-
lated, and will never trouble the people of
this country again.
In this situation they fall back upon an
other patent-Which they considered of no
value Whatever-and which they bring for
ward as we believe, simply to harrass and
annoy US and our customers.
We shall defeat them on this patent Just
as we have defeated them on their more i'm
portant ones, and to show that our conf
dence Is well founded we have only to quote
what Judges Blodgett and Drummond, of
Illinois, said in regard to the patent on
which they now threaten suit, and in this
connection it should be remembered that
the Illinois Judges sustained the two i'm
portant patents which Judges McCrary and
Love, of this State, have declared invalid.
They said: ''The proof shows that the
final form of fence wire and spur which
has been adopted for practical use is suo-
stantially that shown in the last Glidden
patent; but it seems to us there was moth
ing left in the line of invention to Justify
the issue of the patent to Glidden as an in
ventor." And this patent upon which the
Washburn 81 MOen Manufacturing Co. is
now clustering was, in the Illinois suits,
declared invalid and void.
With how much honesty and fairness
! the present attempt to injure US is made,
we very willingly submit to you.
We are standing on solid ground. We re-
spect every right that Washburn & Moen
actually and legally have, but we cannot be
| forced into paying tribute to a monopoly,
when the courts have said that we have
! Just as good right to manufacture and sell
barbed wire as they have.
| We know that you will stand by us; we
| do not believe that they will carry their
threats into execution, but if they do sue,
We~Will relieve our customers of all care or
expense. We believe the plan is to get ali
the dealers in the Western States to sign q
contract agreeing not to sell any but the
monopoly wire, then form the syndicate,
and advance the price. We do not think
that you will be foolish enough to swallow
the Dose Yours, very truly,
GRINNELL WIRE COMPANY.
By J. E. RHODES, President.