Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-10-05
PERPETUAL MOTION AT LAST.
A Chicago Youth Inyenfs n Machine
That has Supplied Its own Motive
Power for Seven Months.
A. II. l


A Chicago Youth Inyenfs n Machine
That has Supplied Its own motive
Power for Seven Months.
From the Chicago Tribune.l
We always knew that Chicago woult
doit. What all the world has been try
ing to do since time began only to fail in,
a man in the Illinois metropolis boasts o
having accomplished. What the French
Academy of Science pronounced imposs
BILE inl775, one Chicago boy declares he
has done in 1870. Horace Wickham
Jr., has q machine which has supplied
its own power and been in perpetual mo
ton for seven months, and which is never
expected to stop except from the natural
wear and tear incident to things earthly
but it is hoped that this contingency will
be avoided if the concern is kept in the
Divorce City.
This petite, long-haired young man
who is trihe shaky in general knowl-
edge, but as sound as the pyramids in the
matter Of inventive faculty, has spent
six years of unremitting application, has
wasted nearly all of the funds that he
could get his hands upon, and has filled
half dozen garrets with choice as
sortment of demoralized wheels, cranks
pinions, cogs, levers, and gears; but the
youth himself believes he has got it this
time for sure. He has instructed his at
torneys to take the necessary steps for
claiming the rewards offered by various
countries England and her societies
have given out that she will pay over
fl00,000; Germany and France nearly
the same amount, and it is understood
that $4,000 has been offered for the
result by the Smithsonian Institute.
A description of the machine says
that it stands upon marble table, where
no outside power can be applied to it.
Several upright standards are firmly
screwed upon the slab. A lever, some
two feet in length, delicately hung be-
tween two of the standards, was ossillat-
ing steadily up and down, like the walk
ing-beam of miniature steamboat. A
thin shaft hung from one end, the lower
extremity of which was attached to a
main wheel, and this to few plain cogs,
surmounted by an infnitesimal gov
ernor," such as is used for regulating the
speed of all steam engines.
The diminutive beam seemed to drive
the main wheel, the wheel seemed to
turn the cogs, the cogs forced the gov
ernor' to spin about.
The enthusiastic inventor showed how
the walking beam was hollow, and its
interior formed an unbroken circuit, in
which little balls, partially filled with
mercury, were chasing each other in an
eternal pursuit; how the air was ex-
hausted from the channel in the beam so
that the spheres of quicksilver might
play in vacuum; how, when ball
reached the end of the beam furthest
from the wheels, valve was driven
open and the sphere was forced up into
the top of the course to be again hurried
on in its unbroken route; how the main
wheel had quicksilver in some of its
spokes, ready at the proper instant to
overcome the weight Of the balls at the
further end of the beaun-in short, ex-
actly how his very simple and yet alto
gether beautiful device was operated.
For seven long months has that little
beam moved steadily up and down, and
the main wheel has ground out its fifty
regular revolutions a minute, and the
minor cogs have been driven faster still,
and the tiny brake has controlled the
motions of the whole, the diminutive
governor" regulating all.
The Chicago Times, which originates
this story, charges that the United States
Patent Office authorities are implicated
in an Endorsement of this machine. In
the morning Mr.. Wickham put in his
application for patent, indorsed by
Senator or two, and accompanied by his
model, etc. In the afternoon
The full papers were handed to him,
showing either great esteem for the in
rention on the part of the examiners of
haste to openly approve fraud
The inventor of this latest claimant
Tor the honors of selfproducing motion
states that his device is applicable to
stationary work. 1t is, however, in its
present form, useless for railway pur-
poses or for driving vessels upon the
water. 1t must have perfect level and
be delicately adjusted, or it does not
work. The presence of grades would
hinder its movements upon the land,
while the rocking of the waves would
top its motion on the water, unless, in
Iced, the newly-developed ideas of Bes-
iemer, with his stationary cabins, shall
prove effectual. But it is believed that
he invention in its present stage can
llways drive machinery, while who shall
'enture to say how little it may be i'm
proved in the future, or what new and
'aried improvement in travel it may not
Kansas City is to have Hackman's
Jnion.
Iowa has 100000 more people than
Wisconsin.
Helena, Montana, is to have Chinese
newspaper.
Gage county, Neb., is to have a new
courthouse.
A squash on exhibition at the Mime
ota State Fair weighed l27 lbs.
A man in Claytonville, Kan, has in
ented and patented a stone adj.
A Mt. Pleasant Qowa) editor was re-
emily arrested as a pickpocket.
Fine specimens of silver ore are re-
Iorted TO have been found IN Dade, No.
Not a dram-shop license has been is
ued in Kirksville, No, for three years.
Colorado will apply for admission into
he Union at the next session Of Con-
ress.
The permanent school fund Of Iowa,
$ shown by the Auditors books, is 81
p, ,626.
The censustaker in Usage county,
TO-, found nineteen pairs of twins-all |
ierman.
DR.. P. Hubbard has been appointed |
usiness agent Of the University Of Mis-
0uri.
Lucas county, Iowa, has 10, ,Os6 inhabi- |
ants and Charlton, its largest town,
72S people
Topeka, Kansas. has used 700 tons Of |
,e this season, and the supply has been
rhauated