The morning call., 1892-09-15
RICHMOND And HIS AXLE.
he Declares the Railroad
Wants It.
EVIDENCE OF SMOOTH WORK.
The Inventor of Valuable Axle Attachment
Who Asserts That He Is Being
Defrauded.

AS an Illustration of the practical philan-
thropy of the Southern Pacific Company OF
Kentucky, and especially Of G. p. Hunting
ton and others high in authority, the fol-
lowing instance is given:
One of their employees, A. d. Richmond.
on February Of the current year filed let
ters Of patent for car axle lubricator.
through Dewey & Co. of this city.
About ten days after he filed amended
specifications.
Between the dates Of the two filings he
showed his first specifications and also his
first drawing to the superintendent Of mo.
tive power at SACRAMENTO. Mr.. Small.
The specifications, with amendments, were
forwarded to the Patent Office at Washing
ton. Some little time after Mr.. Richmond
spoke to his fireman. Phil Douglass, and
asked him if he thought Mr. Small would
give him an opportunity to test his appll-
ance In practical manner.
Mr.. Douglass replied: ~ do not know.
The company never intends a man to
make anything out of patent while in their
employ"
Some time after, however, he took his
amended drawing to Mr.. Small. who found
no particular fault with it, and said, after
examining it, "Go ahead; get out your
patterns and | will put il on for you"
The inventor took him at his word, and
after an expense of about 500 he completed
his patterns and first castings OF standard
car axle-box with the addition of the pro-
posed lubricant. This he took to the shop
and was ready to demonstrate the feasi-
biity of the invention.
Mr. Small went square back On his prom
ise" and would not permit a test Of the
appliance.
The inventor wrote President C. P. Hunt
ington, stating his grievance to him, and
Mr.. Huntington answered as follows:
EXECUTIVE OFFICE,
FOURTH AND TOWNSEND STREETS,
SAN FRANCISCO, April 7. 1892. }
Mr.. 4. d. Rfchmond-DEAR SIR: Yours Of
the 4lh Is received and Its contents ale noted. /
think you must be mistaken about Mr.. Small
doing less than he agreed to do with you, as Mr..
Small has been with us for some time. and we
consider him very just and capable man.
VIII. however, look into the matter when 20 TO
Sacramento. Yours truly,
c. r. HUNTINGTON, President.
Mr.. Huntington soon reached Sacramento
and, fearing that he might forge. the mat
ter, the aggreved party, who In the mean
time had left the company's service, sent
him reminder and requested an interview.
Mr. Huntington sent word by the messen-
ger that he would have no time to see Mr..
Richmond.
With four years experience at car-re-
pairing and 0iling the inventor was capable
of proving to demonstration that the ap-
pliance was not only of great value but
capable Of immediate test without danger
10 rolling stock.
Incidentally 1t might be stated that the
company held the inventors drawings for
over week, thus retardng the filing Of the
amended specifications and giving them
time to take advantage. Il they chose TO do
so. All subsequent efforts on his part TO
secure the patent have failed.
The Inventor asserts that he used none of
the company's time or material to perfect
his invention.
Richmond is at present in this city engag-
ing legal talent and viii push the case
through. Richmond is fully convinced that
he Is being gOuged out of his patent by the
Southern Pacific. During the time his
drawings were in the hands of the company
at Sacramento he made every effort to re-
cover them, but the papers were not given
up until the railroad people had secured
such ideas they wanted.
Shortly after this episode Mr.. Hunting
ton made hurried trip to the East, and
then Mr.. Richmond began TO have trouble
with the Patent Office. The date of his
first filing on the patent axle-box was set
back about two weeks, for no other reason,
he claims, that TO give the Southern Pacific
priority on the filings 1t made on the same
idea.
The inventor entered a vigorous protest,
and after some correspondence with the
Patent Office the date WAS changed back to
the original.
Richmond says he has every reason to be-
lieve that Huntington, with the wealth at
his command. has fixed" the Patent Office
for the purpose OF deprivng him OF the
benefits of his invention, which is of grea.
value TO railroads.