The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-07-01
TWO CENTS.


REPORT OF THE COMMITTEES OF INVESTIGATIONS.
The committee from this city who visited worcoetcr
recently TO examine the merits Of the discovery OF Mr.
Paine, In the decomposition Of water to gas, have
made the following report;
Wo.ecsrER Mass Tuesday, June q, 1860.
We the undersgnsd mot at the Worcester Hotel this
day, by appon,ment-Mr Green, the agent OF Mr.. Ped
rick having given to MI Roomo the assurance that
MIR Paine would this day be present and prove to his
satisfaction and the satisfaction Of such nthc gem
u,m.n M he (Mr Roome) might invite that his dis
coyery Of method OF accompanying water and gono-
rating illuminating gas was genuine and valuable
Having been introduced to Mr.. Pscrick, the partner
OF Mr. Paine, by MIR Green, the latter stated that he
sorry Mr. Paine could not be present having been
called from the city by previous engagement Mr.
at his room in the Worcester Exchange building We
accordingly proceeded to do aud there intro
duced to younger brother Of Mr.. Paine.
] n the centre Of the room We saw disointvd pooo
of machinery. said by Mr. Pedrick to be tho machine
with which Mr. Paine decomposed water. Mr. Ped
rick and Mir Paine Jr explained far they said ~
they could do the action Of this machine but from its
djopted and perfect state could form definite
idea Of its rode Of operation.
Prom thence We accompanied Messrs. Pedrck and
Green to the dwelling If Mr. Paine the brother OF MI
Paine having preceded us On arriving at tho house,
ushered into a front parlor. two-light gas
bracket stood on the mantel Mr.. Paine. Jr lighted
of the burners which gave very bright light On
when not lighted it had the odor Of oil rosn gas.
We were then shown into basement room in the rear
OF the house In this room supported on four bricks,
box about two feet squara and ten inches high
said by Mr Paine Jr. to contain the imaginative
OF copper, said be the electrodes. extended
from the box to circular tin vessel about two feet
high and about eight inches in diameter resting on
he top Of the box. and this tin vessel Mr. Paine Jr
called the posing vessel From this vessel pipe
passed through the wall, and were told connected
with gas holder placed the outside Of the bulldog
From this pipe branch leading to small tin oy-
Under Of the capacity OF a quart measure.
In this cylinder MIR Paine. Jr said the gas used in
the house was csrbonisei A small plugged opening
attached to this cylinder leaked DR. rorrey tasted the
liquid which dropped and ascertatn-dt TO be water.
Another branch pipe leading from the one comm ctih
the gas holder with the decomposug vessel turned on
In another direction and bending dpwnwards passed
through the cork of wide necked bottle aud dipped
into spirits Of urpentinethis bottle was OF glass
Arother tube inserted in the cork With burner
attached TO its upper end Mr. Paine having Lighted
the gas burned with bright light, proving tito be
Mr. Pain, and MIR Pedrick both assured us that the
gas ydrogen produced from water by the machine
before that it carboniI-d by being passed
through the turpentne alone.
Mr. Roome then asked Mr.. Paine. Jr, to d!soonnest
the pipe from the bottle Of turpentno aud prove the
gas be free hydrcgen by burning it. This Mr. Paine
refused to do saying that his brother had roiddsu
Mr. Blake then asked Mr Pedrick II he would permit
the pipe that dipped into the SPIRITS Of turpenne to
be drawn through the cork far enough to raise ABOVE
Afer soms conv,rsstion between Mr. Ped,iok aud
young Mr. Paine during which elatter lett the room
and returned Mr. Pedrick consented snd the pipe was
Ished as requestedi on sPplyins matn' uno s.
burned with very feeble light showing the presslcs
OF free hydrogen Mr. Roume then asked that the PIPE
Ia ap.jn i'm nersed in the turpentne and the burner
Ij,bt,d AS before Mr. Paine Jr, objected but 50 We
all insisted upon tie experiment being made " vas
done and the flame from the gas Hrr passing through
turp,ntine, proved beyond all doubt in our minds
to- be hydrogen only aud not caburetsd hydrogen ~
INIT aud to he tOtslly uRnt tor illumination Mr.
Paine Jr. witnessing the result OF this last expe
appeared confused aud declared that the lsnt
burned well before but much paler, to which
we all sssented Mr. Paine then shut of the gas, and
positively refused TO permit fur her examination.
(signed) JOHN TORREY, NJ. D., Prof
Chem in Col J EllaafSsi'ag' en- en- fprSoS 3 T.
Practical Chemist, New York
CHARLES ROOdE,
Engineer Manhattan Gas Works. New York
GEORGE UARkACOrf,
Agent Boston Gas Company.
II BLAKE,
Engineer and Chemist, Boston.