The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1859-11-16
Perpetual Notion.


Mr. James G. Hendrickson, Freehold: New
Jersey, ITO go of itself" A model, which
Mr.. Hendrickson had made after patient
whiting for forty years, was brought into
our office, and we found that it would 60
without any impulse from without, and
would not stop unless il was blocked. The
power was self.contained and adjusted,
and gave sufficient force TO carry ordinary
clock-work without any winding up or re.
plenishng. In short, it was no reason why
it would not go until it was worn out. Our
announcement of the fact brought out a
great deal OF Iidicule; the incredulous
pointed at all of the projects 10 obtain a
perpetual motive power which had failed
in The past, and predicted the same disgrace
10 the new invention. Many scientific gen.
,lemen visited it., and although they could
not dispute the fact that il was "going,"
they nearly all attributed the movement 10
some hidden spring or ingenious trickery
The inventor was an old man, who had
spent his whole lie in pursuit Of the object
he had now attained. He had become SO
much accustomed 10 ridicule, that he was
very patient under it; and the only reply he
made TO the cavilers who pronounced the
thing impossible, was-"but il does 60"
The notice which we printed attracted The
attention of the curious, and for the first
time in his history, the inventor found
e. - - hop ii
be present al various fairs and exhibitions
of new inventions, and wherever he went
his machine formed one of the chief attrac.
,ions. Science, however, turned up its
nose a, him, and determined TO put him
down. The professors were all against him,
and as they had pronounced the whole thing
humbug, they were determined 10 prove
the truth Of their assertion. Accordingly,
Mr. Hendrickson was seized at Keyport, n.
j., for practising ''jugelery," under the "Act
for srppressing vice and immortality" AT
the trial, several builders, mill-wrights, en-
gineers, and philosophers were called, and
testified positively that no such motive pow.
er as that alleged could drive the machine,
and that there must be some concealed
spring within the wooden cylinder. There
was no help for it and the imposture must
be exploded. An ak was brought, and the
cylinder splintered into fragments Alaa
for the philosophers, there was no conceal.
ed spring, and the machine had gone Of it.
self! But alas, for poor Hendrickson, The
machine would 60 no more. With tremb-
ling hands he again resumed his spectacles
and his jack-knife. His model once more
completed, he had new machine construc-
ted Of brass, hollow throughout, so that the
eye could examine all its parts. This was
brought TO our Office nearly two years ago,
when we noticed it once more, and gave TO
our readers some of the facts we have now
recalled. The inventor was trying 10 secure
patent for this discovery, but the work
went on slowly. The Patent Office required
a orking model TO test the principle, and
one was sent on 10 Washington. The mo-
ment the blocks were taken out, the wheels
started off "like thing of life," and during
ten months that the model remained in the
Patent Office, it never once stopped TO
breathe. The inventor had perfected two
new machines, and made very comforta-
hlc livelihood exhibiting them, prosecuting
efforts meanwhile 10 secure his patent,
lending 10 apply the power TO clockwork,
.or which it is peculiarly adapted Age
crept upon him, however, before this point
was reached; his highest art could not
make his hearl-beatings perpetual and last
Saturday afternoon he breathed his last, in
the old homestead at Freehold. He had
been so much prosecuted by the incredu-
lous, that he had provided secret place
beneath the floor of his shop, where his last
two machines were deposited. 1t was in
the form of vault, covered by trap.door,
which was locked, and the foorso replaced
as to avoid suspicion. After his last illness
commenced, he made known this secret to
his family, who examined the spot carefully
and found the contents exactly as described.
The night after his death, the shop was
broken open, the floor taken up, ihe trap.
door pried off, and both models stolen. 1t
is probable that the family in their visits
had not taken the same precauton as the
inventor, and some prying eyes had discov.
cred the secret Fortunately, the drawings
are preserved, and there is little machine,
one OF the earliest made, now running in
Brooklyn, where it has kept up its ceaseess
ticking for nearly six years. Hr, Hendrck.
son leaves family oil four sons and four
daughters, all of them, we believe, given 10
inventions. Had he died ten years ago,
how emphatically would it have been said
that his lie had been wasted in ''the hope
less effort 10 obtain perpetual notion ~
Y. Journal Of Commerce.