New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-03-08
THE BELL TELEPHONE PATENT ENDS
IT WILL MAKE LITTLE DIFFERENCE Io i"D
PRESENT MONOPOLY.

The patent obtained by Alexander "rah'm nen -,
March = 1876 covering the Only prac'r"
,c,ephoninc which has been invented ehaeo yes
This pa,ent has been one OF the best KNOW" "'''
.mportant ever granted By this Government 49,
ndo. :, ono n the greatest OF existing monopol.e'
.,,, an In fact 20 strongly has the
American Bell Telephone Company become 'ho.". :,
,ha, 4, - n,nhabc that the expiration OF Tue o'e
o,or, ,r,l, have little or no effect upon H. a' ic"'
for tie present. o, ,,is
Tie assaults which have been maze "lo". ''"s
,am,us patent have been gigantic. Inc i"'"."s'
resource. Of opposing companies ana o'here. i'''
,nr rho United States Government. have oeeh IT,
ncatedly used 10 fight II. but The Amer'c"" Duh
nhone Company has emerged from all tue 'o"''''
,,c,orous Tho right OF Mr. Bell TO the patent was
d,snntcd from the beginning. On the same a"y '"'c
bc filed his application for patent Eisha gray VI
Chicago. filed a similar application. Mt. ~" s''
tho potcnt hut he Immediately had 10 de'enu ""
right to It in the courts
In 1ss5 1856 and 49, the celebrated sun oro"su
bv the United states Government 10 cancer Tue w"
uutcnt was fought. There have also been h""o'r
~ ,.os NJ Infringement all won 10y the Bell Company
Tho Roll Company stil has two sources oil po"fr'
either one OF which would probably be sumcieh. ~
maintain itself against competition one Is us ',".'
patents which do not end for several years.
patent on the receiver In general use docs hoI 'o2,
until 1904 and that. OH the Flake trahs"h''c' u"'
1898. Tile Ecrllner patents is>u'" '"'' 49,
owned by the Bcll Company. covering. IL IL S"'"'
some Of the material grounds have many years yc' "
run. There arc also. other. patents numbering UP
into hundreds
Tho second source Of strength Is the immense
size OF the Bell Company as commercial oreah'1"'
tIon and the abundance Of It's resources. "ros>c"o
P Lowrcy who has been prominent In the telephone
tcaon as an opponent Of the Bell Company proueh.
ont This r,int In Il recent number OF The EIccu'ca'
Review.
"Tccphone scrvice" he says. ais essentially diner'
,n from any other undertaking, because apart from
the caIdal involved. the old company has the SUD
scrb.,S and they constitute the most important ce
mcut I'm the service. The valne OF telephone III
ms house Is based the subscription list OF the COM
pauv An instrument is valuable according 10 'ts
ability TO connect with that want 10 reach.
The Bell e pmpany has all the subscribers now. III
my opinion IL Is much more intrcnch'd IMAM 'c
Western Union telegraph Company
John H. Cal secretary OF the Mctrop Titan Iee'
phone and Telegraph Company, was seen by Tribune
reporter AT his Office. No. Is Cortlandtst yesterday
af,.rn ,on The expiration Of the patent VIII not
make the slightest difference TO as he SAID ne
American He'll Telephone Company makes the tce'
phones. and THIN all over the country. Inc
local companies like merely get licenses 10 ic.ise
III. telephones to individuals The expiration OF the
patent does not affect tie contract which we nave
with the american Bell Telephone Company