Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1892-05-28
SLICK PATENT FAKIRS
TIE HARM THEY 90 AND the
DECEIT THEV Use.

Their yietlms--rhey Generally Operate
by Publishing a Paper what They
Promise and How They Avaid the Law.
OF the making Of patents there Il no |
end, like the making Of books The
bookmaleer and the patentee are half
brothers, the one making machines for
the convenience OF the mind, and the
other making things for the convenience
of hand. Both see through the same
glass, and both see the Elusive vision of
wealth and fame. The distinction In
that hookmaking aud patentmaking,
which are failures, produce an army OF
desperate cranks. whose persistence OF
purpose is eqnaled only by the useless
ness or impracticability OF the book or
patent. This age of invention has, how
ever, produced one class of inventors
called "fakirs," which derives liveli-
hood by its schemes To draw the coins
from the pockets Of the better class Of
inventors.
The patent fakir In some cities is be-
coming numerous, prosperous and bold.
1t is only question of time until con-
gress will have to suppress him.
The "patent faxir," as distinguished
from the legitimate agent, is SO called
because he runs an agency that is pure
fake. Any one can become a fakir, and
he doesn't need much knowledge OF
either patent laws or mechanical laws.
The legitimate patent agent Is man OF
wide knowledge, easily commanded.
The fakir imply rents n suite Of rooms
and puts up his sign. Then he frequent
ly begins the publication Of patent
paper.
II isn't necessary for the paper 20 have
amy circulation, but is a good idea to
send out several hundred sample copies
to known inventors. Then he watches
legitimate patent Journals closely. and
the publications and reports Of the
patent office. and when an invention is
found that 1t IN possible, he thinks, to
induce its originator TO back 1t up TO the
bottom Of his pnrse. he writes him a
ticklish letter.
HOW THE FAKIR WORKS.
He says something of this sort: That
he "has regarded with deep interest
your valuable invention" Continuing,
he may state that he viii be glad to put
the article on sale, and a model will help
him greatly. The last paragraph of the
letter is to the effect that 1.-The agency
Ii publishing paper of general circula-
ton, and that description of the pat
ent will be printed for ten dollars; for a
like amount the reading matter will be
adorned with cut Of the invention,
which Is the property Of the inventor
after used once. but to properly and
cheaply advertise the invention IL Is
necessary to purchase 5000 circulars u,
two dollars per 200, which the agency
will mail 10 interested capitalists.
Here is "A bonanza for the inventor for
only thirty.two dollars! Publication in
an illustrated journal and introduction
, to the wealth necessary to make his in
|, vention marketable. So he replies tC
the circular aud incloses the necessary
amount.
This is how the agency plays it,
, part When the thirty-tw dollars Is re-
, ceived cheap cut is made and about
two sticks Of descriptive mattel
printed About three Thousand circular,
are printed. bundle Of which is sent L
B. the inventor. and the remainder fed u
a old Boreas from the housetops The
a paper may have little or no circulation
!. but still its circulation is general"
). The model of the patent which is for
4 warded is placed on exhibition" fol
4 sale, and thus the agreement is nomi.
Q nally kept and no law is violated. Thu:
f the agency" is about twenty dollar,
a better of without much hard work
Wl,a,a so To-
o number of inventors who accept thes
} proffers of help il can be seen how prs
: porous the business may be.
a GuLLIBLR INVENTORS.
4 II is said that one man who has beel
a In this fake. business in a city dow
=. east for many years has secured vas
!. fortune, and that he occupies severa
Il floors of building with his Offices
A mo persons are more gullible than in
! ventors,' is the belief upon which tn
i fakir works
But there are other schemes TO inter
est inventors Another agency metho,
is to organize an association" for In
II ventors, the membership in which is nj
r the way from ten dollars TO twenty-tiv
rs dollars. The inventor is not required 3
7 pay his membership fee until mis- paten
} has passed the test of the "examinin
le board. Be that'test successful or un
N successful. the inventor receives highl
ar illuminated picture of an examinin
NJ board examining inventions and passin
nt judgments thereon II his was success
s. full he is eligible 10 membership, and
Ii unsuccessful he must 20 elsewher,
n There Is no violation Of the letter Of tia
agreement which induces the inventor /
N join the association. The latter does a
ly it promises. but all it promises can ben,
u fit him little
ly Recently there came under the ban {
N the French government an academy c
II invention. The plan of this institutio
* was To have n gradual system of inve
ri tigation Of the patents submitted, an
each stage cost few dollars additiona
When the last Que was reached media
were awarded at different prices, br
a. the inventor seldom got of for less tina
Of fifty or seyenty-fye dollars. The ''acas
I'd envy" was opened by an astute Partisan
I'd who. while he had violated no law, wa
TO morally guilty Of working confidenC
o game upon thousands of bic couutr,
ne indianapolis News.
M An Agreeable IDENTIFIES.
One of the most agreeable Of dent
frices is TO be found In a few drops
tincture 6. ::::::-;..Fhh In half glass {