The Cairo daily bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1870-1872, 1870-09-17
OH Bnllatin.
PERPETUAL MOTION.
A Young Chicsgoan Solves the Mys'
terry Of Centuries.
A MACHINE WHICH FURNISHES ITs
OwN MOTIVE POWEx.


MACHINE WHICH fuRNlsHEs'"
OwN MOTIVE POWEH.
The Chicago Tiwes says, that e'. a;.,,
a machine has been invented IN ,n.s Nv!
and is nov in practical working olu'. No.
will run itself until 1t wean que y, e'.e
r,.rL s6ie ~ ali similar remarkable falls
cie. recorded IN the history OF invenuons,
rur pIscovERER $3.50 -
1. a vounp man named Horace WickhAm,
Jr native Of Orange county, New YORK,
who has resided in Chicsgo incc his early
cbildbood. A slighk undereized figure,
with clear eye, wide forehead, an un-
necessary growth Of long, rank nair he Is
person that, from his very oddity OF ap-
nesrance, would call for second look
Pom almost any ono, undcr apy circnn-
stances. Presenting himself at Tho 7fnies
Office few dsys sincc, he made known tne
fact that no had discovered and perfected
what he modestly termed TO be "a seh-sus--
tanning motive power He bore the IN
evitable auizsiug upon such an announce
ment with unrufasd good-humor, stating
onlv that he courted investigation, ana
thut ne was anxious TO have his discovery
msfo known 20 the world through the
coinmns 81 the Time As further proof
~ his honest intentions in the matter, he
snbmit,ed a document bearing the bona
III, sivpstures OF several OF the leAding
ci,izcns and officials Of Chicago, in which
tbey attested that they critically examined
his invention, and believed II TO be exactly
according TO his representations. %
HIS STORY.
At his rsausss, 0 hatch q doubling
Thomsscs accompanied him TO his resi-.
dence 70 inspect the wonder at their leis-
urs, While en- route 10 the place Of des-
tinstion Mr.. Wickhan stated that he
began his experiments in the fall Of 1863,
Ana that ~ had CONTINUED steadily at his
work until his long .hoped-for result was
consun, matsd. During the time no had
man ufac,ursd upward of 70 machines, oil
very curious, and nearly all ofthem devel-
oping some new and useful principles. he
had only spent oil Of his own ready money
buthad not made unbanished inroads upor
the fortunes Of his friends and relatives.
SOMETHING THAT CANNOT BE REAsoSKI
AWAY.
or course, there are shrswd and scien
tiac people without number who, from
even the meagre description Afforded, vii
be enabled to sit down at once and by tn
most conclusive Of reasoning show tha
the device 10 fsilure, and that II cAnno
work. But they will have toconoeeds on
point, and that IL that IL does work.
For seven long months has that littl,
beam moved steadily up and down, land
the main wheel has ground out its 30 rsgu.
lar revolutions minute, and tho minor
cors have been driven Mstef still, and the
tiny brake has controlled the motion OF
the whole, the diminutive governor reg.
ulating all.
The most astuts logic under heaven can
no, prove tina, two and two are not four
and sll the reasoning upon the faoe OF the
earth cannot do away with the fact that
Mr.. Wickhams invention has thus far
done whot is claimed for 1t.
PERPETUAL NOTION EXPLAINED.
The young enthusiast was ready, at the
inQuirers elbows, with MS answer. Hs
showed how the walking beam was hollow
and its interior formed an unbroken
circuit, in which little halls partially
ed with mercury, were chasing each
other in m eternal pursuit; how the air
was exhausted from the channel Ia the
beam 20 that tho spheres Of QUICKSILVER
might play In vacuum how when bal
reached the end OF the beam furthest iron
the wheels, n valve was driven open an
the sphere Wa, forced up into tho top q
the course 10 be again hurried on in its ur
broken route; how the main wheel Ia
auicksilver In some Of its spokes, ready a
the proper instant 10 overcome the weigh
Of the balls at the further end OF th
beam-in short, exactly how his yer
simple and vet altogether beautiful devic
was operated. But lao did not show I'll
visitors how they might explain the sam
in print, 80 that a lucid description Of III
machine could be given u the world.
Tng woSDER ITsELf.
Arriving at Mr.. Wickham's residenc
the party were shown into that geltl
nans bed-chan,bcr. ncside the couch VI
an ordinary table, and upon that rested
thick marble slab, which formed the fou
aa,ion Of hi. device. -Four iron legs he
the marble above the table, and the sla
with il. accompanying machinery, cou
be lifted clear from the boards and carr
into the adjoining apartment.
The boy turning tie crank Was SUI
marily dropped from the minds Al
Tongues of the visitors. II Is much plain
thon the noses upon their respective fac
that the impelling force Is all laid aboy
and not below, the marble.
Several upwright standards werc frm
screwed upon the slab, and these sustaint
the something tina, was perplcxing the wi
of the party. A lever, some Two fest
length, delicately hung between two Of III
standards, was oscilla,ing steadily up NJ
down, Ike the walking beam Of miniatuI
steamboat. In fact, II was, 20 all appes
snces, more like q tiny walking beam thu
anything else. A thin shaft hung from O
end, the lower extremity Of which Was
tsehed to . main wheel, and this TO q
plain cogs, surmounted by an inhnitesn
governor, such a. Is used for rsgLl ali
the speed Of all stean,-engines.
The i'm nu,ive BEEN seemed to dri
the main wheel, the wheel seemed to ~
the eog' the cog. foresi the governor