Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1914-08-19
LOT OF INVENTOR
NOT AN EASY ONE
GaIsman, Who Got $500, 900
For Device, Exception.
CAPITAL HARD TO INTEREST

olaros That Patentees Need Re-
sources TO Fight Infringenaemt-!n
ventor of Garbage Gathering Cart
Buried In Potter's Field.
Some Of the inventors who read the
statement OF ii. ]. Gaisman, who, hav-
ing received 100000 for showing u
method for autographing photograph
ic film so that it might be reproduced
on the finished photograph, was led
to remark that he believed "a glorious
new era for the whole profession Of In
ventors had arrived" were skeptical
about the approach Of happier days for
men and women Of inventive genius.
George Whigelt, president OF the In
ventors' League OF the United States,
made this comment:
"As read the account Gaisman re-
ceived over quarter million of dollars
for an invention which he himself ad-
mits he would have sold for $4,000.
The purchaser voluntarily paid him
many times more than he asked or
hoped for. 1t is almost unbelievable
to me. 1t makes the recipient stand
out as the fortunate one Of century.
might be some cause for congratulate
Ing ourselves and agreeing with his
suggestion that the poor inventor is at
last to come into his rightful Inherit
ance.
Il am sorry to say that the condi-
lions are just opposite. The expert
eDce Of many with whom have come
In contact shows that the man with an
idea Of value backed up by patent
rights has just as hard a struggle to-
day to get hearing, to sell his inven-
ton or to interest capital as at any
time. or course men like Thomas a.
Edison Are better of today than SINH
lar men in the past, because there is
more demand for inventive genius,
and such men have the means to make
known and profit by their work.
"But the inventor generally Is either
compelled to sell out for small sum
or be prepared to do constant battle
In the courts to protect his interests
from infringement, which he cannot do
unless he gets financial support If he
attempts to market his invention in a
small way, paying as he goes from the
profits Of small sales, and should his in
vention be popular one he more often
finds that some one Is reproducing It.
Fortune Reports Often Untrue.
when you hear reports of some one
getting fortune for some simple lit
tle article that gives promise OF great
popular demand It is often fur from
the truth. Fortune may come from
years Of work Rnd atrugg!c ic the IN
ventor has the courage TO push his ar
dcle In small way until he can deyei-
op his product In larger and more
profitable manner. Few can do this,
80 they sell, and the fortunes go to the
capitalist who makes the Investment.
SEVEN the useful articles that may
be sold at popular prices do not always
meet success Immediately. or course
advertising has much to do with con-
dit1ons in that respect, and few invent
ors have the money to make known
the worth Of their goods. Then. again,
an inventor is seldom q good business
man.
"a few days ago Carl Ilg, inventor
of garbage gathering cart and sepa-
rator. was buried in potter's field. He
had refused to accept $500 for his In
ventton after experts and city officials
had witnessed the work OF his cart"
President Whigelt manufactures
some OF his own inventions and has
interested capital In others. A year
ago he found that q western concern
was selling a machine similar to one
ne was making. he says, from which
he received no returns. He wrote
warning the maker that 1t was an in
fringement, as he had patent for the
design and had a patent pending for
the entire device. He showed q re-
porter the copy of the patent for the
design and then this copy OF a letter
received from the alleged infringers:
Ha. ha! Where did you get this won
derful invention2 Why didn't you tell the
trade that2 And why didn't you tell the
trade you have been violating the law.
misleading them quite awhile by "patent-
ed You ge, that patent mark off your
literature quickly, or there will be no
question abou: litigation.
He invited Suit.
THAT firm has more money than
have. and they know 1t will take me
long time and much money to pro
tect myself" said Mr.. Whigelt "But
l wrote as hot letters as / dared be-
cause Of the mails daring them to
make an issue of It In the courts. They
have not made a move But received
this from their attorney:
There may be something that you are
using somewhere, but we understand that
you dc not claim that our client IN in
fringing It. and as this seems to be the
only Intont that you claim to own we
shall a, our client accordingly. We
were afraid that you had gained a patent
on the earth and wanted our client to
move off OF IT.
President wbioaIt soys ho th,,E. .ho