The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1850-03-28
Electric Lisht--Paine's Discovery.

| MIR. Paine. whose discovery of produ-
cling light from water, excited SO much in
terest few months ago, has at last fur
nished the public with something in expla.
nation of his alleged discovery. He states
that he has discovered a new principle in
electricity, ponderability, materiality and
obedience to the laws of gravitation-that
he is the first to accumulate and compress
the electric fluid, and has invented ma
chine which enables him to use the elcc-
trio fluid for useful purposes. This COM
munlcalion is long, the material part how
ever, is that in trying some xperiments tor
the precipitation of silk by the action of
| electricity he became satisfied that, so long
as the whole body Tof water around the
| poles remained conductive or diffusive
medium, the action of the passing currents
would be limited, and the result desired
unattainable. With this view of the sub
ljects he sought fol, some method by viii ch
the atoms of water in contact with the
poles, could be effectually barred from COM
munication with any conductive substance
and yet admit of a continual supply of the
water to be decomposed.
Believing in the doctrine ofimpondera-
bility and immateriality of the electric flu
i'd, all efforts to accomplish the desired re-
suit failed and the experiment was about to
be abandoned, when doubt as to the truth
of the books on the question of the nature
of electricity, arose in my mind, and on
the faint hope held forth, the experiments
were renewed, and the results more than
realized the most sanguine expectations;
for not only was the insulation of the wa
ter perfect, and the decomposition rapid,
but the electric fluid was found to be sus-
ceptable of accumulation and condensation
to an unlimited degree. The ease and ra-
pidity with which the water was resolved
into its component gases, naturally sugges-
ted the idea of applying the discovery to
some practical use, and that light was Sc
lected. as the most simple and inexpensive
in its application. But on the very thresh-
old of the experiment an apparently in
surmountable obstacle was met in the ina
bilty to separate the gases. After num-
Der of serious explosions, the entreaties of
my family compelled me to desist.
Although the practical experiments were
abandoned, the mental action on the sub
ject was not, and during some time in the
fall of ls4S, | concluded that the law
which demanded an aqueous communica-
ton between the poles should both enter
one body of water, was not correct-a
conclusion which very simple experiment
decided to be correct. One was inserted
into glass of water III the corner OF large
room, and the other pole in another glass
in the opposite corner, and d communica-
ton made between. Ali the water In one
glass was decomPosed, and by drogen only
obtained. All water was decomposed in
the other, and oxygen only was obtained.
| The result was known the experiment was
considered fully successful, and a small
electromagnetic apparatus, having its he
Ices kept in motion by clock work put in
operation atmy dwelling, and was found
capable of supplying three burners with an
abundance OF the gases. 1t was at this
period of the experiment issued the cir
cular announcing the discovery, and with
1t an invitation to the citizens ofthis place
to call and examine for themselves.
He adds
The result of all experiments up to this
date are as follows: The descent of weight
81 lbs. distance of 9 feet, will generate
500 cubic feet ofgases, at no other expense
than the interest of the cost ofthe appara-
tus, say $500. You may use the gases
for light, power, or purposes of caloric.-
Il have as yet experimental only withthe
former and make your own deductions
Large Lamps Of Gold.-Some aston
ishingly large pieces of gold are reported
to have been found at:the Stockton mines,
In California, within the last two weeks of
January. letter of January 2lst:to the
New York Tribune, says:
One piece weighIg'tsOenty thre pounds
was brought TO Stockton; that another
piece Of incredi bic size and weight was
also reported to have been brought to
Stockton Oh Friday-it was said to weigh
ni'ety-eigM pounds: l saw a number
of persons on board the Stockton boat who
had seen the lump weighing twenty.
pounds. The gentleman who carries the
express between Stockton and San Fran
cisco, tod me he saao and had in his
hands the peice a0eighing ninety-eighl
i pounds. IfthIs be true it is the largest
piece of gold ever found, exceeding the
one found in the Ural Mountains, which
weighed nearly one hundred pounds