The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-27
OWNING PATENTS.
Millions Made by Manufacturers,
But Not Inventors.
From the New York Press.


From the New York Press.
What is more beneficent than the opera
ton of the patent laws? 1 understand that
the inventor of the Photographic transpar-
ent film will soon be a millionaire. Gcod.
He struggled hard with misfortune while a
wealthy camera manufacturer appropria-
ted his invention and made millions out of
ii. The poorfellow went often to make
some trade but satisfaction was denied
him. If the manufacturer had had the de-
cency and common sense to offer him
small royalty there would have been no
trouble, but he hogged everything and now
he has met his Waterloo. Defeated on ev-
cry point. he is subjected to a searching
investigation by a commission appointed
by the court TO learn how much he has
robbed the inventor of. The sum the lat
ter will receive will be enormous.
Lieutenant Governor Oliver Fisher Win
chestefs name is known TO all the wo Id
of sport on account of its association with
the repeating rifle that has become so uni
versaly popular. Speaking OF appsopria-
ting patents, am reminded of him and his
factory at New Haven. He became large
stockhoider in the Volcanic Arms Company
which manufactured the Henry rIIie,
bought ii out when it failed, reorgauized
il as the Winchester Repeating Aims Com
pany. changed the name of the rife 10
the Winchester and established a cartridge
plant with a capacity of $4,000 day.
From time to time the rifle was much inn
proved. An important addition u the
breech-loading mechanism was an eXtrac-
tor which a poor machinist had invented.
Winchester appropriated it without so
much as saying THANK you" For years
he refused to recognize the rights of tie
patentee but one day a rich man hap
pened to hear of the mater, and sending
for the unfortunate, offered to ndvaace
money with which to prosecute the COM
pany.
The trial was a cause celebre. Winches-
ter was defeated and a commission was
appointed TO assess the damages. The leu
tenant governor filled New York cellars
with his rifles. l remember one big store
on Broadway where many thousands were
concealed, but they were discovered, and
the firm was required to show its books,
as were all other firms selling Winches-
ter's arms The decree of the court was
that the company should pay 81 for every
extractor used, and the inventor suddenly
found himself with half million dollars
of back damages and promising income
from future royalties. The extractor, as
all hunters know, is small piece OF steel
worth about cents.
Yale remembers Winchester and honors
him. He was a generous patron of the
university, contributing handsomely to the
scientific and theological departments and
giving property worth at the time $lOO,VOO
for the foundation of the observatory,
which for a time was called the Winches-
ter Observatory He began life as APP
prentice to carpenter, went from Bos-
ton to Baltimore and became master
builder. The work proving too hard, he
opened a mems furnishing store, and from
that slid naturally and easily into making
shirts. In New Haven he entered into
partnership with John NJ. Davies, and this
firm made more shirts than ANYBODY else
in America. From making shirts he went
to making shooting irons, and died in 1880
one of the richest men in Connecticut He
would have been much richer If he had
not appropriated that little extractor.