The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-02-20
MAXWELL -BRISCOE
CO. BUYS COLUMBIA
Claims to Have Secured Control
OF Many Valuable Auto
mobile Patents.
OUTPUT OF THE COMPANY
SAID TO BE 10000 CARS
SeIden Patent Only Covers Part
of Field, but Makes It,
self Felt.


It is natural that SO important a
trade development as the recently re-
ported amaigamation of the Maxwell
Briscoc Motor company with the
United States Motor company should
give rise TO general inquiries into the
reasons leading 10 this union. There
fore. and in order TO answer numerous
inquiries, ! have set forth in the 1ol-
/ lowing a general statement of the con-
siderations which were the most pow
erful factors in leading 10 the assocla-
| tion of the interests and facilities of
| the United States Motor company and
| the Maxwell Briscoe Motor company.
The automobile. as ii is used In this
country today, has become so import
ant an item in our industrial develop
ment that il deserves an attention
claimed hv few other fields; in short
| ii has become commodity the in
tcrest in which is not confined to a COM
/ paratively small number of manufac-
turcrs and distributors, but is shared
by every one 10 whom time IS of valuc
and who has occasion TO need transpor-
tation.
Important Matter.
To be"jr with what ] consider the
most important matter, ] want 10 say
that the circumstance likely 10 pro-
ducc the most far-reaching conse-
00enCcS Is l0c patent SlIUiIlbH, WHICH
has been Il source of continuous hazard
to the Maxwell Brlscoc Motor com
pany as well as 10 every other automo
bile manufacturer
The Seden patent. basic as it is,
in reality covers only part Of tho field
and there exist besides ii number of
other patents protecting the various
structural features OF The modern mo-
tor car. which. like the Seldom patent
viii mako themselves felt in "a very
short time.
As a matter of fact, the patent sit
nation III the industry is a most i'm
portant and interesting one TO which
but little attention has been given nm
I'll the recent decision Of Judge Hough
clearly established the validity of the
Sclden patent This decision opened
the eyes Of the Maxwell Brscoc Motor
company, and cost its treasury Sl50000.
which were spent IN the protection Of
our dealers and their business. Yet
even the payment of thls sum did not
altogether eliminate future jeopardy OF
our interests.
Attorneys Secure Facts.
This Jolt woke us. so to speak. Inn
mcdiately the best patent attorneys of
the country were set to work on y
thorough investigation of all existing
automobile patents and the result of
their searches, ] must confess, was
somewhat OF surprise W U.S. ioi we
found that nearly every important
structural feature used in the present
day automobile was covered by patents
more or less fundamental, so that we
as well ms other makers were placed in
n most hazardous position with regard
10 the future.
One of the results Of our patent in
vestigation was the realization OF the
fact that the Columbia Motor Car com
pauy Of Hartford Conn. had what
might be termed a corner on prac-
tically all good automobile patents.
We considered these patents such a
menace to fhe security Of our busi-
ness that we immediately opened ne
gotiations with the owners of the CO.
lumbia Motor Car company, who, we
discovered were very confident in the
strength OF their position. They had
invested large sums of money in this
branch of their business and under ad
vice OF good counsel had purposed TO
hse these patents as controlling fac
tor IN the automobile industry, having
been awaiting the decision In the Sci
den litigation.
To us il seemed desirable for the
good of the Maxwell Briseoe Motor
company and tho industry as a whole
to have control Of the patent situation
obtained by Il company that would
have enormous facilities for manufac
ture and distribution, and I advised the
United States Motor company to pur-
chase the Columbia Motor Car COM
pany-
Ideal Product.
There are other reasons. As we stat
ed in the first notice given out in refer
ence TO the matter, the main idea and
governing motive in the, commercial
sense. were that the United States Mo
tor company, the Maxwell Briscoe Motor
company and other constituent concerns
would in the concentration of effort
find the certain means of bringing forth
an ideal product, Of conducting the man
ufacturing and marketing operations on
broader and more scientific lines and Of
overcoming generally the obstacles
which now inevitably present them
selves TO an automobile concern at the
time when it reaches certain degree
of magnitude
The Maxwell Rriscoe Motor company
has reached point where 1t produces
10000 automobiles during single year
Yet it is true that in producing this
number of ears we always have been
and still are dependent upon other man
ufacturers who either produce rough or
finished parts or furnish the numerous
cxtraneous componcnts of a complete
motor car.
IT is plain therefore that whereas a
small concern might find it compatible
with considerations for its future wei
fare TO run the risks incident to pro.
ducing cars under such circumstances,
the wider scope of our own business
makes such a course very undesirable
not only for ourselves but for our deal.
ers: Even il it should be feasible TO
make contracts for raw materials and
supplies ever so binding, it is practically
impossible 10 have deliveries focus in a
way not attended with vexing and ex-
pensive delays.
NOTICE
Notice IS hereby given that a special