New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-06-02
Professor Vineyards Experiment.

Professor Vineyards Experiment.
A proces rerbal has been made out and
signed by Professor C. G. Forshey. L. P.
Maddox and NJ. F. Bigney, in which these
gentlemen state that they yesterday wit
messed the demonstration of Professor Win
cards 'nameless torce" at Lake Pontchar-
train; that at thirty five minutes past two
o'clock in the afternoon the professor die
charged his apparatus, and ninety seconds
after the schooner at which the test was ap-
Piled, moored at one and three-ffths miles
distance, blew up by the stern and sunk to
the waters edge. The memorandum of the
committee goes ON to state that after Pro-
fessor Wingard came ashore they went to
visit with him the vessel in sail boat.
They found her completely wrecked. Even
the small timbers aft of the mainmast were
broken all to pieces. The mast was still
standing. but all else was wrecked 30 that
it would not stand being towed ashore.
The flag was torn to pieces and fell'to half;
mast, where it was still flying.
Professor Vineyards hand was severely
burned by the flash, the silk glove with
which he held glass tube not proving y
sufficient non conductor.
signed by the following named citizens,
most of them well known to the public, who
were present and corroborate the same:
Captain John Grant, j. B. Kelley, Captain
E. L. Cope. Charles Brown, John P. La
brano, H. Rosenhaber, George w. Wintz,
Captain NJ II. Riddell, Andrew Despartes,
M. Branon, A. r. Ober, NJ. D., A. B. Will
liams, James Jane Embrey, Joseph G.
Steeher.
From an interview with Mr.. Bigney. one
Of the committee, the following additional
particulars were obtained:
Mr.. Biguey etates that at the time men.
toned in the brief process rerbeal, hereto
fore alluded to, he discovered slight vol
ume of smoke arising from the skif in
which Mr.. Winaa ard had taken his position,
and Immediately after saw what appeared
to be the trail of some substance or body
passing out from the sklff toward the
doomed schooner Augusta. Supposing cleo
tricity to be the agent employed, and that
the effect would be almost instantaneous,
he turned his eyes toward the schooner.
But there she lay with her flag still float
ing defantly. He then arrived at the con.
clusion that there had been another failure,
and that his friend Wingsrd was self-de-
luded mortal, lad away by such stuff as
dreams are made of. A little moro than a
minute elapsed when some one remarked,
''there she goesr'
He then saw q smoke above the schooner,
heard the report of an explosion, and in
less than five minutes the doomed vessel
had settled down to the waters edge.
Mr.. Wingard came ashore, and after his
hand had been dressed, which was badly
burned, the committee accompanied him,
proceeded to the wreck which, being en-
tirely of wood, still foated at anchor on the
lake, with the flag, partly freed from the
broken haliards, settled at half-msst, as if
indicative of a vessel in distress.
If the force be all that Mr.. Wingard
claims it to be, says Mr.. Bigney, one that
can be successfully and economically en-
ployed at distance of from five to seven
miles, and v holly beyond the range of the
best guns hitherto made, it will completely
revolutionize maritime warfare, and leave
the cannon of to-day with the clumsy on
ginery of ancient times.
In conclusion Mr.. Bigney said Mr.. Win
gard, though much laughed at of late, is
neither fool nor madman. He has al
ready vindicated his claim as a successful
and scientific inventor, and the hitherto
"nsmeless sforce"-henceforth the "Wingard
foroe'-will yet be heard of as a factor in
controlling the destinies Of nations.