The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-03-24
INDUSTRIAL: SURVIVAL 81 The FlTEST

Odell.
He makes nothing else" -.
There's a lot of old patent rights
among our papers, Mr.. bubble. Hunt
up something that antedates his-that
covers a hay-rake Of some kind. Then
sue him for infringement, and carry it
up till you swamp him."
l gazed at him silently. He went on:
'It'n be an easy, job. Straitsons at
the critical point most young business
men reach, where fast-growing busi-
ness, no matter how profitable, gets
! will down him, and take it that you're
ready to throw in ten or twenty thou
sand"
leaned back in my chair in bewilds
erment. In my efforts to develop the
Lorsford Works, of which I now pos
sessed almost the entire stock, I had
tried to make combination with
Straitson. He was the owner of a
factory at Hoppel Falls. Both of US
were making hay-rakes, and il one Of
these machines were thrown out, and
our energies confined to one style on
ly, the machines could be built more
economically, and saving effected in the
distribution. But Straitson refused
any proposition for combining, and de-
clined a fair offer to sell out.
This called forth Odells suggestion.
He was secretary Of the Lorsfora
Implement Works.
I argued with myself this way:
Economic progress has ever been
pitiless in it's sacrifices. The wishes
OF the few must give way to the well
fare of the many" So I began to look
for patent to serve my purpose. The
old proprietor Of our works had been
rather careless in his purchase Of such
things. We found one upon which we
could carry out our plan. 1t antedat-
ed Straitson's patent, and described
some kind Of rake-not in any wa,
similar to his. Still, our opinion was
not evidence. The courts were estab-
lished to decide.
So commenced suit against Strait
son for infringement, calling for an
accounting of the profits. I got Til
son to go over to Hoppel Falls. He
had slight acquaintance with man
in Straitons shipping room, and, by
adroit management, obtained list OF
the dealers who handled their goods.
This cost me couple of hundred
Tilson said it did, but little depend
ence can be placed on men In such
matters. However, it was worth that,
and I caused circular letters to be
addressed to all these customers, tel
ling them that, as Staitson's rake was
an infringement upon ours, we should
look to. them for royalties. This was
only business.
This was severe blow to Straitson,
for dealers would not handle his goods
excepting under guarantee against
liza bility-and this was heavy prop
osition for a man of limited resource
es. Furthermore, it headed him oft
from obtaining outside capital if he
attempted to.
But he put up stubborn fight.
We secured two of the keenest,
shrewdest practitioners whom we
could find, and although we had no
hope of gaining our suit, our men
knew how to conduct it satisfactorily:
At the trial they introduced every
technical point which could be
wrangled over, and took exceptions to
the judges rulings, thus piling up A
mass Of material for an appeal. 1t
vas all very expensive but Straitson
had to meet as big load while his
bank account was smaller than mine.
Months passed and we were drift
ing toward the second trial, when the
Hoppel Falls Daily Item stated that
Straitson had disappeared-raised all
the cash he could and decamped.
It is an unfortunate ending to his
"a ierhf IN
young man.
The creditors went into the court,
the plant was sold and when I had
secured the whole thing aud figured
out the totals, I found that my law
costs had proved very satisfactory
investment. At last matters were in
the shape l wanted.
"Rainsford,'" said I to one of my
stockholders, "l'll make these the
biggest implement works in the coun-
try! I'll start up the Straitson plant
at once, and with the two small shops
here and our Lorsford plant there Is
capacity for handling thirty five humid
red men,"
How about the capital. Dick?
It'll put in every drop of water the
thing will hold"
These four plants have cost me
100000. I've been buying up pat
ent rights and they are good things
to call assets and write stock upon.
1t all foots up to nearly a million. Now
I propose to bring the four plants un-
der one company, and capitalize at ten
millions. I intend to show a dividend
on that ten millions before Offering
one share to the public
go ahead, and I'll stay with you'll"
I've secured a. treasure, believe
in McGregor. He is superintendent
for Straitson, and I consider him
a more valuable acquisition than even
the factory itself. He says: There's
no man Living and working in any cap
acity but can do a little more than
he is doing!"
Il don't know much about financ-
ing" said McGregor; Give me a. good
gang and a proper equipment and I'll
give you all the profit there is in the
goods-every cent?
I'm disposed to- be liberal about
the equipment I said. My intention
is to consolidate all these factories
into one big plant
mn