Antedating of "Motel"

[Cohen, Gerald Leonard]

I've been looking at the 2011 ads-l messages on "motel" (+ Sam Clements' important 2006 posting) and have a residual question.

There's a discrepancy in the ads-l messages. The Jan 18, 1925 L. A. Times quote says that the word "motel" has been copyrighted (i.e., trademarked), while the Internet item on "motel" says that the word wasn't trademarked. One of them has to be wrong.
Sam Clements later (in reply to a private e-mail) informed me he finds no evidence that "motel" was ever trademarked.

But if so (i.e., if the 1925 L. A Times is correct), why wasn't the name protected)? Why could other motels open with "Motel" in the name?

Would anyone perhaps have a possible explanation?

Gerald Cohen
P.S. Here's the Jan. 18, 1925 L.A. Times citation:
1925 L.A. Times 18 Jan. B7 (ProQuest Historical Newspapers) The word “Motel,” which has been copyrighted, means motor hotels.

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