Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1850-01-31
ExrRAoRDrNARY DiscovEhY

We copy the following letter, says the
Chicago Dollar, from the Washington
Union, which vouches for the scientific
intelligence and high integrity Of the wri-
ter:
Messrs Editors:-I am authorized To
announce the discovery and practical test
Of the most important scientific invention
ever yet produced, or brought 10 light
since the world has been inhabited bf man.
The first and main feature, and fouilda-
tion of this invention, which at once opens
field for hundreds Of other inv ventions, is
the discovery by Henry M. Paine Esq,
of ready and almost expenseless mode
Of decomposing water and reducing il to
the gaseous state. BY the simple opera
tion of very small machine, without gal
vanic batteries, or the consumption Of met
ais and acids, and only the application Of
less than one three-hundredths (l.3OOJ
part Of one horse power, Mr. Paine pro-
duces 200 cubic feet Of hydrogen gas, and
100 feet Of oxygen gas, per hour.
This quantity Of these gasses (the &C.
tual cost of which is less than one cent)
will furnish as much heat by combustion
as 1000 feet Of ordinary coal gas, sufficient
TO supply light equal to three hundred
common lamps for ten hours. Or TO warm
an ordinary dwelling house twelve hours,
including the requisite heat for the kitch-
en-; or TO supply the requisite heat for one
horse power Of steam. This invention
has been tested by six months operation
applied to the lighting Of houses, and re-
Gently the applicability Of these gasses to
the warming Of houses has also been test
ed with perfect satisfactory results. A
steam engine furnace and parlor stove,
both adapted 10 the burning Of these gas
ses, have been invented, and measures
taken for securing patents therefor. :.
MIR Paine has one Of his machines, new
and elegant, now in full operation, and
publicly exhibited, and may be expected
to exhibit the same in this city within
twenty days. The only actual expense Of
warming houses by this apparatus is that
of winding up weight (like the winding
up Of clock) once day and that tho
heat produced may be as easily graduated
and regulated as the name Of q common
gas burner. No smoke whatever il pro-
duced, but very small quantity Of steam.
sufficient to supply the moisture to fhs
atmosphere. In its application to the
prosecution OF steam power, it will re-.
duce The cost 10 the mere wear Of ma
chinery, and will Immediately produce an
immense demand for steam engines, and
induce the establishment of thousands of
manufacturing mills, reduce The expense
Of travelling, and increase the demand Tor
agricultural produce, while il ruins the
coal and gas business, and such manufac-
uring establishments as depend on mo.
uopoly and high prices.
The invention, moreover, removes com.
pletely the only obstacles which have
hitherto existed to aerial navigation The
difficulty of procuring hydrogen gas, and
carrying supply of fuel ; and il may now
be considered matter Of tolerable Ger.
tainty, that men will be seen swiftly and
safely soaring in the various directions be.
fore the lst of May next. These fact.
being Of immense importance, should be
no longer withheld and therefore Moult
avail myself of your widely circulated
journal, TO present them 10 the public.
Yours, respectfully, @. PORTER.
Washington, Dec. %, lS49.
Father Ritche, ant that If the full christian name OF
the writer had been given il would have been spell.
ed ssQuiz."--tEd. Hawk-Eyc.