Show PATENT ON DRIVE WELLS wr WE have been requested to state what effect the recent decision of the united states supreme court relative to the drive well patent will have on the driven or flowing wells of this territory the text of the decision has not yet been published and our only sources of information regarding its effect and scope are the meagre telegraphic references to it and brief comments which some of our eastern exchanges have made upon it from these we gather that the patent confirmed by the decision referred to was in litigation fourteen years year saud and that it expired january 1885 hence the decision has no application except to wells sunk stink prior to that date and while the patent was in force the particular patent confirmed by this decision is that of nelson W green and he is authorized by it ic to collect a royalty on all wells sunk prior to jan 1885 that infringed on his invention an exchange says this royalty will probably be 10 As very sunk in this territory prior to that date very few if any will be subject to the royalty the rural kural new yorker says that about different patents covering various features of tube wells have been obtained nearly all of which have expired A few however remain in force but what points they cover we have no means at hand band of ascertaining it is hardly likely that the drivers or owners of tube wells in this territory will be molested b by any patentee otherwise there would likely have been some stir regarding the matter before this |