Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-05-07
THE ATMOSPHERIC TELEGRAPH


MoSTaoMERy, ALABAMA, April % 1874
GENTLEMEN: Being personally stranger to YOU. though
for long time subscriber to and constant reader ~
the Intelgencer feel deicacy in asking nace
in the columns Of your paper but am constrained 10 ID
so Of the nature of article in your tri
weekly edition Of the 10TH instant copied from the Boston
Daily Advertiser and headed atmospheric telegram
That article and other similar which are taking the
rounds of the newspapers give description of the con-
structon the properties powers and of an appa
ratus or machine called " Atmospheric Telegraph
ana they say that the patent right for the machine il
owned by the Atmospheric Telegraph Company of which
nir. Richardson is agent" Now, Mr.. Richardson NAV
oe ,ne agent OF the atmospheric Telegraph Company
anu Mr. Richardson may be the inventor of an Atmo-
ieiegraph but do not believe those articles
otate tnat the Atmospheric Telegraph Companyn or
any one else owns the patent and for the FOLLOWING
reasons some time in 1648 conceived the idea thai
mai matter could be transmitted much more exped
~ nI0W spheres or globes, through cylindrical
tuDes py the means OF atmospheric pressure than by
stage-coaches steamboats, and railroad cars Knowing
.at the atmosphere exerted pressure under vacuum
OF about hteen pounds TO the square inch which exceeds
force or power OF 900 pounds the square foot felt
cohhdent this amount Of power was vastly more than
would be necessary to these spheres or globes upon
PLAIN surface in horizontal direction at any rate of
velocity which might be desirable did not entertain the
uea OF attempting TO create in the tubes for
the purpose OF gaining this immense amount of power
put SIMPLY by the action OF ar-pumps create sro1o
current through open tubes towards the point Of rarefac
ton. Upon communicating my views to nv friends T
found them opposed by such an array Of objections and
arguments that nothing short Of practical demonstra
ton OF my ideas would enable me to carry nv point
Accordingly had constructed the necessary apparatus
ana machinery which are and hare been onfhe last
four gears in the Patent Office at Washington under the
name Though, ! acknowledge, misnomer) of Atmo-
spheric Telegraph" II.
demonstration Of the operation of this machine not
only confirmed my own views its practical applica
ton to the purposes intended but eectually senced all
the objections which had been urged against it. with the
excepuonof one which do not regard as valid objec-
on nor Shall until 1T is shown to be by actual de-
monstraton The objection is this that the power Of
the machine decreases in proportion to increase dis
lance Such acknowledge would be the case if il was
operating against closed tube the spheres globes
were 10 be forced forward by atmospheric compression
the resistance would increase with the distance but in
the operation of my machine there increase Of ress
lance on account Of distance and increase of power
required and it appears to that little reflection will
satisfy any person that much power will be REQUIRED
to start the machine to keep it in motion and when
the Whirwnd or tornado is started in the tube it will
extend TO It's remotes extremity and the pressure will be
as great W not as sudden) the remoes extremity as
at the nearest point of rareacton for it is as much
law IN pneumatics for the atmosphere to preserve an
equal degree of density in hd9ostacs for water to
seek and maintain its level.
After observing the operation of my machine nv friends
urged me to make application for letters patent and hav
ing given my views to Hon. Dixon H. Lewis Senator and
the Hon Henry w Hiliard, then in Congress from this
all the information which desired and having learned
that no application for similar invention had been made
or was pending at proceeded to submit my claim
by complying with all the laws and requirements Of the
Patent Otce IN such cases made and provided ! then
visited Washington where remained ten days waiting
the decision of the Commissioner Hon EDMUND BuRKE5
and on or about the 9th Of April l849 it was announced
70 me oy the Commissioner that my invention not
Pdfentaote The decision made, not from careful
examination OF my machine as to its powers or capa-
bites its merits dement's lis novelty or its useful
ness but It was made from the report found in volume
IN the library OF the Patent Office Of an invention by and
of letters patent granted to one Valance" in England
did not feel well satisfied with the decision for it APP
peared to me that there very little similarity between
valance's invention and my own His appears to have
been an effort at improvement in atmospheric railways
and consisted of brick tunnel constructed on some
noblemans grounds, through which carriage was con-
veyed by the means of atmospheric pressure Nine viii
venture to say IS unlike any thing in England in the Pa
tent Ohce, or any where the face of the globe did
not claim patentrgh to the discovery of any new prin
cple or power or the invention improvement in ma
chinery, but claimed the application of well known
principle or power to purposes heretofore unknown in
use, through the agency of peculiar arrangement of
machinery as WHOLE under the q ATMOSPHERIC
Telegraph"
For what purposes his invention was made whether as
an improvement in atmospheric railways, to amuse
some Of the gentry and nobility Of England cannot tell
Mine made TO uphold az argument and 10 demon
strate the applicability of well known power 70 new
purposes, and served admirably afterwards to amuse
crowds Of men and boys by cracking marbles.
At all events if the record Of Valances invention and
the grant of letters patent by the English Government
constituted sufficient grounds for the rejection Of my APP
pcation, il would certainly act bar to any other
application of the hence infer that the patent
right is moi owned by the Atmospheric Telegraph Com
pany of which Mr.. Richardson is the agent"
In consequence Of decisions Of the Supreme
Court of the United States, Off am not in error which
establish the principle that the application Of well known
powers or principles to new purposes and paeR
able have been induced take steps to renew or revive
my application for letters patent upon my papers
he in the Patent Office, not wishing to make any altera
ton improvement in the specifications drawings or
model If in the face Of the decision of Commissioner
Burke eterspatent have been granted other parties
it is evident that have been made an innocent subject
steps will be most likely to in all such rights
as may possess in the premises Otherwise, shall
await patiently the result Of my revised appca.
ton under the decision Of the Supreme Court
BY the bye, If any person has desire to my At
mospheric Telegraph" they will find il f ii has not been
removed) in the basement story Of the Patent Office Gf
not consigned to the tomb Of the Capules close along
side of Gen. Jacksons sarcophagus encased in an old
psno-forte box with divers balls Of marble lead cork
and tin tubing, sc. But every body cannot see 1t
viii give such description Of 1t will enable those who
not fortunate to form idea Of its construction
its capabilities and its 1t consists Of strong air
tight chest to side Of which is attached Of air
pumps worked by eccentric crank. This chest may
be called the exhauster each end Of the exhauster is
attached smaller chests called receivers having openings
connected with the exhauster he machine is double in
tended to operate from opposite points into the
end Of the receivers the tubes inserted and secured
these constitute the essential working parts Of the
chine. The operation Of the machine is in this wise
when the pumps put in motion the air is rapidly
tracted from the exhauster and there being ngress
for the surrounding atmosphere except through the
cevers and consequently through the tubes through which