The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1850-01-16
From the Washington Union.
An Important Invention. =

4 From the Washington Union.
] An Important Invention. ~
| The following communication washsnd.
ed to US by the author, Rufus Porter, Esq,
who is well known to us as the former edi-.
tor of the Scientific American and d man
well versed in knowledge Of the arts and
invention. He is man Of superior intel'
ligence and Of great honesty Of character,
and we do not hesitate to say, that any
fact stated upon his own knowledge may
be relied upon implicitly. We do not know
whether all the great results which he an;
ticipates from the invention which he de-
scribes, can be realized; but he has stated
some remarkable facts, the results of his
own experiments, which would SEEM to-
justify the anticipations in which he eindti.
ges. lfthe invention should turn out to be'
what the inventors now promise themselves
it ll-be, it is certainly most wonderful
discovery. and will create new era inthe
arts and in civilization: 3 ae q ggia lD{s
MEssRs. ED1ToRs: am authorized To-
announce the discovery and practical test
of the most important scientific, invention
ever yet produced or brought to light since
the world has been inhabited by man. am
invention which must eventually, and al
most Immediately, produce an immense
revolution. in the commercial intercourse
and business in general throughout the'
world; and, although it will break, down
and ruin many of the most important
branches of business and avenues Of wealth.
with hundreds Of wealthy corporations and
business establishments, yet il will build up
thsouapds of others, and contIib ibute thund.
reds Of millions to the benefit of mankind
especially to the American community
The first and main feature, and founda-5
ton of this invention, and which at once
opens field for hundreds of other inven.
tions, is the discovery by Henry M. Painey,
Esq, of ready and almost expenseless
mode of decomposing water and reducing
it to the gaseous state. BY the simple OPP
Grafton of very small machine, without
galvanic batteries, or the consdmption Of
metals or acids, and only the application
Of less than one three hundredtb (1-3001
part ofone horse power, Mr.. Paine protur
ces 200 cubic feet of hydrogen gas, and
100 feet of oxygen gas per hour This,
quantity of these gases, (the actual cost Of
which is less than one cent) will furnish, as
much heat by combustion as 1000 feet of
the ordinary coal gas, and sufficient to-
supply light equal to three hundred COM
mon lamps for ten hours; or to warm an
ordinary dwelling house twelve hours, in
cluding the requisite heat for the Kitchen;
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 recently the ap-
plicability of these gases to the warming
of houses has also been tested with perfect
ly satisfactory results. A steam engine
furnace and parlor stove, both adapted to
the burning of these gases, have been in
vented, and measures taken for securing
patents therefor. -
Mr.. 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 twen.
ty days. The only actual expense Of
warming houses by this apparatus is that
of winding up weight (like the winding
up of a clock) once day; and the heat.
produced may be as easily graduated and
regulated as the fame of common gas
burner. No smoke whatever is produced,
but very small quanty Of steam, sufficient
to supply the requisite moisture to the.
atmosphere. In its application to the pro-
duction of steam power, it will reduce the
expense thereof to the mere wear of ma
chinery, and will Immediately produce the
demand for steam engines, and induce
the establishment of thousands Of manu-
mills, reduce the expense Of
and increase the demand for
agricultural produce, while it ruins the
coal and gas business, and such manu-
featuring establishments as depend on mo-
nopoly and high prices. This inventions
removes completely the only
obstacle which has hitherto existedto serial
navigation-the difficulty Of procuringhy-y
1rogen gas, and carrying supply of fuel;
and it may now be considered as matter
Of tolerable certainty that men will be seen
swiftly and safely soaring in various direc-s
lions before the first of May next. These
|acts, being ofimmense Importance, should
not be longer withheld; and Therefore
would avail myselfof your widely.circulat-a
ng journal to present them to the public.ol
Yours, respectfully, go 9di 1ef
R. PoRTER.au
WASHINGTON, Dec. 90, 1849. sa aa bnR
rs ~ hsI
IRON FOR THE BALTIMORE AND, Ono
AIT RoAD-ENc1 Jsu cONTR cT cI osrn -