Rensselaer Republican, Volume 12, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 May 1880 — The Drive Well Patent. [ARTICLE]

The Drive Well Patent.

We notice that there is activity again at Washington among persons who are exposing the exactions to which farmers and others have beep subjected by the owners of the patents for driven wells. Within a few weefcs a very large number of petitions have been received in congress, asking that tbe laws be amended, so that the penalties for infringement shall fall, not upon the innocent users of such wells, but upon manufacturers and dealers; and bills have been. introduced to remedy the evils and abuses of which innocent parties who have such wells complain. The means resorted tp lay the Arms now controlling the patents are reprehensible to

the last degree, fhesp individuals it appears, endpavor tp apnoy parties who are using the welia and will not accede to their demands, by bringing suits in United States District courts, sitting at points remote from the home of the defendants, thus causing heavy sacrifices for traveling and other expanses, in cases involving only a few dollars—a species of bull-dos-ing which is despicable. As has been stated iB the flraifi* farmer heretofore, this patent has caused no little trouble to western farmers add Others, and the'growing discontent has culminated in a movement looking to relief at the hands of conpress. We notice that a joint resolution iaa bpep introduced into the House of Representatives by Mr. Ryan, of Kansas, instructing the attorney general to bring suit in the nshie of the United States, to cancel the letters patent issued in 1898 •nd 187 J to JJejspii W. Green, for drive weds, on the ground that Breen was net the original inventor, and that the device had been in use hi many parts of the country and was common property, long before the issuing of such patents.—Prairie Farmer. * -*•••- - Cooper and Adam*, two of tbe esaaKyj convicts from Columbus, Ohio, have been recaptured. They were clad in their underclothes when captured. . The other prisoner was famished with clothing and so soon a* he had landed on the