Rensselaer Republican, Volume 20, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 November 1887 — End of the Drive Well Steal. [ARTICLE]

End of the Drive Well Steal.

It is with a great deal of satisfaction that '4’he Republioan announces that the U. S. Supreme court has at last, and finally, disposed of the odious “Drive Well” extortion. The patent has been declared invalid. The particular evidence upon which this decision was based, was the fact, conclusively proven, that the drive well process was used in Cortland county New York, two years before Green used it, in 1864. The owners .of the patent have been making the most of their brief opportunity, during the last few months, and many thousands of people have been compelled to pay the royalty of ten dollars on each well. Jasper county, we believe, has escaped the extortions of this swindle, and in this respect has been much more fqrtunate than many counties of this state, including some of our immediate neighbors.