The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1850-06-20
The Great Discovery.

Intense interest is felt in the discovery
of Mr.. Paine, of producing light and heat
from water, and the New York Tribune
has the following in reference to the trial
shortly to be made at the Astor House, in
New York. Professor Henry, of the
Smithsonian Institute, at Washington does
not believe in it, and gives certain reasons
which, in his opinion, prove it to be i'm
practicable. The Tribune says:
But the opinion of an individual can
have little effect in settling the public mind
as to whether Mr.. Paine has producedthe
mightiest discovery yet made, or only a
grand and ingenious humbug. That ques-
ton cannot be answered by abstract rea-
soning, or general asse rtions on either side,
but only by conclusive experiment, on
such scale and in such manner as to
silence every doubt. Such an experiment
we are happy to say is now on foot. Ar
rangements are in progress for lighting the
Astor House by this process, and it is ex-
pected that the trial will be made within a
month, as soon indeed, as the machine
can be prepared for the purpose. That
establishment is now lighted by gas made
by its proprietors on the premises, and has
whatever. The pipes and burners now
used are pefectly adapted to burn Mr..
Paine's carbonized hydrogen; all that will
be necessary, will be to detach them from
the present apparatus and join them TO the
new one. The experiment will be tIieG
under the eye of the proprietors and other
gentlemen, and collusions or trick will be
impossible. Every means will be taken
TO ensure fair trial, all the parties being
as desirous of success as Mr.. Paine or his
friends can be. If it succeeds, the thing
will be established. If it fails that will be
the end of the affair.
This experiment is TO made, TO satisfy
a number of highly respectable and res
ponsible parties, who purpose TO buy the
patent right iii case of success. The con-
ditions are that Mr.. Paine shall bring a
machine of his construction to New York
and produce at nominal expense, say
five cents per thousand cubic feet, gas
enough to light the Astor House for
SIX successive nights. Before he com
mences, the parties in question are to de-
post one hundred thousand dollars with
some person, acceptable TO the proprietor
John &. Pedrick, Esq, of Boston. who
aided MIR. Paine in carrying on his exper-
lments for the past two years-to be paid
over to MIR. p. as soon as the trial is de-
clared successful. This is by way of bo-
nus or guarantee, in case there should be
a failure to pay over to him the sum of
one million, which is to render those par
ties part proprietors of the invention.-
The value of the patent for the United
States, (the city of Worcester excepted
which is reserved for Mrs. Paine,) is fixet
at ten million dollars, and a Joint stock
Company is to be formed to manage it,
In this Company, Mr.. Pedrck is to holt
from one third to one half the stock; or
the remaining part which he sells, the
million handed over Immediately OIL
the success of the experiment is to be
considered an instalment, and the balance
is to be made. up by sales of rights. Thu:
the parties buying in will receive no divi
dends until Mr.. Pedrick shall have beer
fully paid.
Such is the arrangement agreed upor
between Mr.. Pedrick and these gentlemen
If the trial here should prove successful
1t will no doubt be carried into effect; i
not, the New York Spectators will lose
nothing, and the invention will be heard O
no more at present. We devoutly hope
for successful result, though we shall
not be very keenly disappointed by a fail
ure.
n-s- r n IL