Democratic Sentinel, Volume 20, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 July 1896 — A GREAT BOTTLE PROBLEM [ARTICLE]

A GREAT BOTTLE PROBLEM

FORTUNE AWAITS THE MAN WHO SUCCEEDS IN SOLVING IT. Attempts of Dealers in Liquors and Medicines to Cet a Bottle that Can't be Refilled—Thousands of Devices, but None Just Right With the persistency and almost the despair with which Diogenes searched for an honest man, the distillers of high-grade whiskeys, the brewers of ales and beers whose labels are proof of the beverages, and the vintners of wines that are test proof,have searched for a bottle to contain their products which can be used once, but never used again. This search has been going on for years, and there s now little more prospect of its ending successfully than there was when it began. Such a bottle Is desired by the liquor men to prevent the sale of Inferior brands in bottles whch originally contained highgrade liquors. It is estimated that more than half the bottles used in the putting of firstclass liquors are, as old bottles, bought up by the bottlers and makers of lowgrade ales, beers, wines and whiskeys, The old bottles are cleaned and filled with inferior goods, which are put on the market, and sold for the goods which tne bottles originally contained. This practice has resulted in great loss to the firms of established reputation, while, at the same time, the consumer has been cheated. This practice Is not confined to the liquor business either. Bogus patent medicines—fluid extracts, elixirs, syrups and pills—are put on the market In this way, and even food products sold in bottles are thus counterfeited. It is said that there is infinitely more swindling practised in this way than the bunco steerers, check raisers, forgers, and confidence men ever thought of. And the swindler does much more harm than the tricks of criminals, because it affects more people, and It is much harder to detect and punish the swindlers. “Why,” said a dealer in fluid extracts, the other day,” “these bottle swindlers are the most dangerous criminals in any community. They will do anything and dare anything for the sake of selling their spurious goods. They fear neither God, man, nor the devil. They cate no more about the bane ful result of the game they play than they do about their own honor. These people really play with human life. Some of the stuff they sell as medicine in bottles that once contained the genuine article is little less harmful than so much rank poison.” This may be an extreme view to take of the situation, but it is, nevertheless, true that the system of forgery that has been practised for years by the bottle swindlers has wrought no end of harm, and because of it the manufacturers of bottled goods, as well as the liquor men, stand ready to make a modern Croesus of the man who invents a bottle which can’t be refilled and has a practical value. Men possessing inventive genius know of this fact, and, for years, have been working to accomplish the desired result. It is well known in the Patent Office that the relation which, exists between Industrial demand and inventive activity is very close. Thus, as it became more generally known how great was the demand for a nou-reflllable bottle, the Patent Office began to be flooded with applications for patents. According to the Official Gazette of the Patent Office, issued May 12, upward of 1000 applications for patents on bottles which cannot be refilled are now ln#lie Patent Office, and something over 100 patents have already been granted. The fact that none of the patented bottles is on the market indicates that there is some fault in all the inventions. The truth is, none of them is thoroughly practical in its workings. This comes largely from the fact that the conditions to be fulfilled are not fully understood by the Inventors. Some of those who have been trying to invent a bottle which shall meet all the requirements complain that the bottlers themselves haven’t a clear notion of what they want. According to an article on the non-reflllable bottle published in the Scientific American not long ago, the situation is about as follows: One dealer says that the present shape of bottles must not be materially changed. The inventor begins working with this idea in mind, and another dealer in bottled goods comes along and tells him that the shape of the bottle doesn’t matter so long as the desired result is obtained. Then he is informed that if any liquid whatever can be introduced into the bottle, once It has been filled and emptied, the invention Is useless. Another dealer combats this view by telling the inventor that, if the bottle cannot be refilled under ten or twejve hours, it is practicable. As to the cost of the bottle one man tells the Inventor that it must not cost to exceed three cents. Another man says five cents. Then it is pointed out that any invention can be readily made usless by boring a hole in the bottom of the bottle, refilling it, and plugging the hole in such a manner that the plugging cannot be detected. This objection is combated by the statement that the scheme of boring and plugging the bottle is no objection, since it would require an artist in glass-blowing to so plug the bottle that the plugging could not be easily detected.

“It is pointed out,” says the Scientific American, “that such contradiction is bewildering, and discourages invention at the very outset The trade owes It to itself to formulate certain qualifications. which may be easily recognized by inventors, and by which any new device shall be judged. In regard to the change in the shape of the bottle, if it is the attractiveness of the particular bottle that sells the goods, the advantage gained does not warrant the change; but if it is the quality of the goods, it does. If it will take not less than ten or twelve hours to refill a bottle, it is practical as to that feature, because an appreciable percentage of substituition is occasioned by laziness and the vast majority would give up the practice if it consumed so much time. The cost of the non-reflllable bottle should not be measured by that of the ordinary kind. If its cost be anything less than the cost of the present bottles, plus the present loss due to their refilling, it is practical in regard to this feature. “As against tbi* statement that It

would be an easy matter to bore a hole In the bottle, refill it and seal it up again, it is urged that the easiest way to convince one's self that this objection is an error is to take the necessary tools and bottles to any dealer, show him how to do it, and see how long it will be before he can do it so cleverly as to avoid ordinary observation. He would rather give up the practice of substitution. Now, whether such a hole were sealed with glass or by the paper label, it would be readily discovered by agents; who, knowing that there was but one way to refill it would always look carefully for such evidence; and. if found, it would be tangible evidence of the attempt at, or fact of refillment.” Of late it has ccpne to be recognised in the trade that the essential features of a nonrefillable bottle must include the following: The shape of the bottle doesn’t matter much, so long as the material of which it is made will in no way taint the liquid. This, of course, makes glass /ibout the only material that may be used, precludes the use of metal, rubber, celuloid, leather, and many other substances in the manufacture of the bottle. Then, to make the bottle non-refillable, it must contain some device which will enable it to be readily filled the first time and impossible to till again. The parts of the device must be so protected that they cannot be interfered with or made inoperative by means of wire or other instruments. It must also be impossible to refill the bottle by submersion or by shaking it so as to disarrange its operative parts or by forcing the liquid through the device within any reasonable time. Of course if it can be so constructed as to absolutely prevent the introduction of any liquid whatever, so much the letter. Finally, the bottle must be strong and cheap. Notwithstanding the tempting reward in store for the man who can meet this demand, and notwithstanding the numerous Inventions offered to the trade, the problem remains unsolved. And yet it looks simple enough.