The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-11-22
FAILED TO PATENT MAIL BAG.
Manufactures Profits by Invention of
POstoHzce Department..

The Postofhee Department officials are
inclined TO believe that T. Colt Johnson, a
manufacturer OF mail equipment in New
York, is about the most enterprising in
dividual with whom they have had to deal
Their comments stop here. for there is no
way in which Mr. Johnson may be pre-
vented from exploiting his enterprise"
When the subject was first brought TO the
attention Of the Department there was
much loud and excited conversation re-
garding injunctions and the like, but
which failed TO maUerIaIize into anything
more formidable.
The whole matter originated in the eff
forts Of the officials of the Railway Mail
Service and the Mail and Equipment DI-
vision OF the Department to procure
lighter but strong. secure, and serviceabIe
mail bag, to replace the heavy leathern
affair with the stiff staple-studded top
which, since time immemorial, has been
the receptacle Of Uncle Sans mail in its
tours around the country.
It was discovered by careful computa-
ton that 81 per cent of the amount ex-
pended in the carriage of domestic mails
was accounted for by the weight of the
oId-styIe pouches 4 large part Of this
excessive ratio was due to the fact that
in the small fourth-class offices it was
the exception when the mail bag did not
weigh about ten or fifteen times more
than its contents.
Advertisements are issued by the de-
paTtmelL once every four years for fur
nishing the Government with mail bags.
and At the same time the department
soiicits improvements on the old bags
and inventions of an entirely new char
acteT for mail receptacIes.
No satisfactory improvements having
been submitted a commission Of experts.
composed OF representatives CT the rail-
way mail service, and the mail and equip
ment division, got together about a year
age and devised what is known as a soft
Hosed mail bag, weighing considerably
less than the cum ersome affair in gen
eTaI use and which it WIS thought had
the necessary qualities of security and
durability The device was not patented.
the officials for one reason or another
failing 10 invoke the protection Of the
patent laws to secure the result of their
labors.
A contract was given Johnson to man
ufactUre the bags, and the patched and
worn out ones of the old style were call
60 IN. and the neW ones Subtituted as fast
as practicable a short time ago the Of
fcials Of the Department learned that
Johnson was selling the bags in large
numbers to railway and steamboat com
panies, and all concerns having use for
a light, durable, and Otherwise desirable
mail receptacle The officials say how
ever, that they can see no way TO prevent
him from selling the bags to individuals
or corporations. and they do not think
il advisable" II apply for an injunction
TO restrain him.
Meanwhile. Z Colt Johnson continues
to manufacture the soft-nosed bag. IT
his pamphlet, received at the Department
yesterday, he explained in great detail
to prospective purchasers the advantages
of his receptacle The Department off
Gals do not need any arguments. they
say, to convince them the bag is a good
one but they would like to get a little
credit for what they claim is their inven-
tioE.