Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1901-05-21
WHY a FORTUNE GOES BEGGING.
NEW YoRK's MILLION DOLLAR DEBT
WITHOUT A CLAIMANT.


serious debt, but If there is no one to
claim the money it may not amount 70
much after all. Five years ago the
courts decided that New York city must
pay royalty for the use OF q patent
which, for long time, it had been
ENJOYING free. It has taken ever since
then to figure out exactly what New
York owed and the announcement Is
now made that, with interest reckoned
in, the sum the city will have to pay Is
a little over 81, 900, 900. The only thing
left to do now is to find some one who
has a right to call for this money and
give a receipt. If Dickens were only
here to write this story, he might
make another Jarndyce versus Jarndyce
of it, for it is case that has been
running on since our civil war, and
now seems likely never to end.
About forty years ago steam fre en-
gines were first used in New York
city and for some time it seemed i'm.
possible to regulate the pressure OF
water in such way as to keep the
hose from bursting while the engine
was at work. Accidents to the hose
were constantly happening just at the
most critical moment in a fire, and yet
skilful inventors, who were studying
the matter, could think of no way to
prevent the trouble.
One day a very humble young me
chanic had an inspiration. He had
never had any very wonderful ideas be-
fore that, and there is no record that he
had any other later, but he happened
to think of good plan for keeping
the fire engine hose from bursting.
He interested some friends in his in
vention and secured patent, but the
city of New York having seen his ap-
paratus, coolly adopted it; other cities
followed the example, and the result
is that the relief valve invented by the
mechanic has been used on our steam
fire engines ever since without his ever
getting either fame or fortune for it.
He had no money to fight New York
city with and long ago he sold out his
rights for a small sum to man who fol
years has been known as one of the
most eccentric personalities in New
York city. His name was II. B. Had.
lock; he weighed 800 pounds, wore
long curly hair, liked to appear al
breakfast in dress suit, and do all
sorts of queer things. One of his fads
was to live at the lotel and occupy
the very room that used to be Daniel
Webster's stopping place when he was
in New York. But if Mr.. Hadlock
was peculiar in some ways, he hao
good brains under his wig-like curly
hair, and his great knowledge of oul
patent laws made many people who
knew what he was seeking for fee
sure that he would some day compe
New York city to pay for its infringe
ment on his patent.
So, as the years went by and trials and
retrials took place, one man after an
other advanced Hadlock the money
to 90 on with the fight, taking in re
turn his promise for a slice of the
fortune he expected to win in thu
end. New York city is not the easiest
opponent in the world to overcome, ant
from time to time Hadlock found him
self face to face with some of tht
most brilliant lawyers in the country
but he held his own with most of then
and finally won.
And then, before his success haC
taken the form to benefit him, HI
died. The mechanic is believed to b
dead; if Mr.. Hadlock had any heirs
they are yet to be discovered. Tit
various people who have advanced
money in the matter are scattered, NJ
one knows where. 1t is likely tina
during the long years of waiting the!
have lost faith and forgotten all abou
it, perhaps destroyed the papers which
would prove their claims. About
quarter of a million has been spent II
the fight, but even if this were al
paid off, there would be nice littl
pocketful left for any one who had
right to demand it.
AS it stands, however, there is
Judgment against New York for 81, 900,
600 with a strong prospect that tn
city will be none the poorer becaus
| of it.