Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1918 [PAGE 761]

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UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

755

Under this cooperative agreement Mr. H e r t has spent something over $12,000 on the investigation. H e and his associates now feel that there is nothing further to be gained by continuing the investigation on a small scale, and that the next step will be the development of apparatus of commercial size, which will involve expenditures of $200,000 or more. In a letter dated April 17, 1918, Mr. E. B. Fulks, Vice-President of the American T a r Products Company, Chicago, Illinois, who is one of Mr. Hert's associates, requests that the cooperative agreement be terminated. In this letter, a copy of which I enclose, Mr. Fulks requests that some arrangements be made whereby patents on this process will be applied for, and that Mr. Hert be given a license to use the patent under such conditions as will protect him and his associates and justify their expenditure of large sums in the commercial development of the process. I have prepared a draft of certain Articles of Agreement between the Board of Trustees and Mr. Hert, covering the points which seem to me should be included in any final contract entered into with Mr. Hert. It is possible t h a t . M r . H e r t and his associates may desire to have some of the conditions named in these Articles modified before he will sign the contract. In the meantime, however, it seems to me that you and the Board of Trustees should be advised of the negotiations and should indicate your approval of the, tentative contract herewith presented. Very cordially yours,

C. R. RICHARDS

Professor

DEAR SIR:

C. R. Richards, Dean of the College of

April 17, 1918 Engineering

In the early part of 1916, there was formed a cooperative arrangement between the University and Mr. A. T. Hert, of Louisville, for the purpose of investigating the possibility of making coke of Illinois coal. This arrangement was consummated, formally, by an exchange of letters dated January 18th and 21st, 1916, between Dean Goss and myself; therefore, it should be closed in the same manner, I presume. This investigation has extended through a period of about two years and has involved an expenditure on our part of slightly over eleven thousand dollars. The results obtained have been highly satisfactory to us, and we trust they may be equally so to the University. In terminating this agreement, there arises a question concerning which, perhaps, there should be a definite understanding. This question relates to the possibility of securing a patent covering some discoveries which have been made during the course of the investigation. It has been demonstrated that under the proper conditions and control, good coke can be made from Illinois coal, and it may be possible that the process for bringing about these proper conditions is subject to patent. This is being investigated by our patent attorney and should he advise favorably, we will initiate proceedings for securing such a patent. The