Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-09-06
MONOPOLY OF LIGHT.
The Edison and United States Com
panies May Compromise.
MANY MILLIONS ARE INVOLVED.
Effects Of Judge Wallace's Intimation as to
the Moral Rights.
SOME PROPOSITIONS ALREADY MADE

NEW YORK, Sept. 5.-EIectricians are
showing very great interest in the recent
decision of Judge Wallace in favor of the
Edison General Electric Company.
Although Judge Wallace decided in favor
of the Edison Company, yet his decision
was accompanied by such plain intimation
that it was not without regret that he had
been obliged to give the technical opinion
in favor of the Edison Company that it
seemed as though the United States Com
pany, which was the defendant in the suit,
had won something of moral victory, even
if they did not win the case on the techni-
cal points.
In is not usual for judge while awarding
case to declare that, in his opinion, the
v1ctors were not without fault, but that is
practically what Judge Wallace did in the
Edison case. He seems to have felt that he
was obliged to declare that technically the
Edison Company had valid patent for the
incandescent lamp which the United States
Company had infringed, and yet he felt and
intimated that aside from this technical in
fringement, the United States Company had
almost gained a right to the manufacture of
these lamps, because the Edison Company
had waived its own rights for SO long
time.
TO LOSE MEANS BANKRUPTCY.
After the decision was given, and only
few weeks ago, the United States Company
applied to Judge Wallace for stay of all
proceedings, while an appeal was taken to
the new Circuit Court of Appeals, and
Judge Wallace granted that stay. of
course, if the Edison Company wins in the
higher courts, it would have a claim against
the United States Company, which could
not be enforced without bankrupting that
corporation. Judge Wallace himself said
that if the Edison Company got royalty on
all the lamps the defendant sold, it would
get justice, but he did not think, evidently,
that it should receive anything more than
royalty.
Now, in view of the fact that Judge Wal
lace gave only a technical victory to the
Edison Company, and intimated that there
was reasonable doubt whether the higher
Court would affirm his own decision, the
question which interests men who have vast
capital and electric business here is, whether
the Edison and United States Companies
will continue to fight, or whether the Edison
Company may not be disposed to lend
willing ear to any propositions the United
States Company may make for compromise.
HEAVY CAPITAL INTERESTED.
1t is safe to say that SOS, ,OO0, 600 or $780,
000, 900 of capital is watching the outcome
of this case with intense interest. The men
who control this capital are not little
anxious, and they have reason to be, and
these are men who are connected neither
with the Edison nor the United States Com
pany.
Suppose, for instance, that the Edison
and United States people compromise, and
as result of the compromise they join
issues, so to speak, it seems as though such q
result could not fail to be unfortunate
for all other manufacturers of inean-
descent lamps throughout the United
States. There are good many
of them not so favorably situated as
the United States Company. There is
little doubt in the minds OF some of the
best informed on electrical matters that the
case will never reach the Court of Appeals
It is already understood that tentative
propositions looking to compromise have
been exchanged, and if they are accepted
the two companies might gain permanent
monopoly of the entire electric lighting
business of this country.