The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-03-26
THE ART or MIXING SILVER.
An Alleged discovery by Dr. Fnrriss-Cnn sii-
yer be Made Of Cheap Materinist

F,ors ne Burlington Haukrve
DR.. Thomas Farriss IL native OF MT.
Pl asnnt and about 80 years ~ nge. He was Ed
c"iI"ee e e OF Prof H"psirk ofthe Burling-
ton High School. Tho Row pr. John WhetIer
WIS ut that time the President OF tho ,unl-
Versity and Prof. Mansfield had charge OF tho
department Of chemistry and laboratory prnc-
tice. Both speak In high terms Of Their former
pupil's studiousnrss and natural ability.
While employed in the university LABORATORY
I'm 1873 as under tenChpr. and treat nR OF chrnl-
cal analysts before the class one day; hls atten-
tion was directed to the condition OF the waste
material or " washings in the earthrn vessel
where they remained during the night Various
metals and acids had been used in the illustra-
tlon In emptying the vessel he noticed that n
metal had been formed from the waste ma
ierlals. and which he concluded was patina =.
THIS led him carefully TO note tho ingredients
and proportions that had been used. hoping to
be able to reproduce the same substance
He aftprward as"ertained that the metal was
not patinn hut silver, and. without letting his
discovery he known. he questioned Prof Mans
field rs tn what the effect would he Of tho union
Of tho various materials he had thus acct
dentnly mixed. The Professor. as Rswreful
scientist, stated what would be tho result &C;
cordng to the known laws OF chemistry rs laid
down in all the standard works. The young
expert. however, found n result quite different,
and resolved, to keep the Information TO him,
publicity. In continuing his experiments he
would sometimes succeed in reproducing the
first result. and Mt other times he would fatl.
These experiments continued over period Of
several yenrs. during which time, hoping to
OMAN better laboratory lNrllltleS tOr PURSUING
his researches, he went to ST. Louis.
After struggling along for some time and ex-
hausting his own resources. DIR, Farrss hogan
citizens Of Mount Pleasant for help. partially
revealing his object hut II looked 80 chimerical
that none OF them were willing to venture any
III ing on such enterprise. He finally com
plotted an arrangement, In the latter part OF
1873. with Mrssrs. W. @. Saunders. and the
,9tter's nephew J. A. Grant. both OF Mount
Pleasant
The next step after making the business ar
rangement was to have more extensive analyses
Of tho metal. so rs to BE- certain beyond doubt
ms to ts real nature Four assays were made
by, different .exprrts; One by Howard 4 Noble;
l John street New York, which was forwarded
through II. 7. Hldretch Of that city-assny 995
per cent. 1000 the standard; one button for
warded to Wheeler. Parsons X Hayes 2 Maiden
lane. New York. who report assay 997 per cent.
standard 600 and the market value $1.O7li per
ounce. Report received through senator Saun-
ders Of Nebraska, and analyzed by Rohrheck
late Of J. Y. Lume & Co.. IA Bond street New
York. is. silver, $3.50 per cent iron traces Of
being 1896. and that Of perfecty pure silver
ranging from l04Q To- 1860 and the melting
point was found 70 be tho same ms that OF silver
1.S73 degrees Fahrenheits scale; hardness
malleability and physical characters are the
same as silver. and the commercial value will
be the same as those OF silver In its nearly pure
state" This last assay was made by an expert.
The analysis made by Jeurgens and Anderson
OF Chicago report market value t1.l0 per ounce.
and are furnishing money to conduct the tests
and manuiacture the product. and are also
themselves under ten thousand dollars bonds
not TO divulge the secret before DR.. Farrss gave
taught them how to handle the material, and
IN order to acquire proficiency each OF
partners arc not chemists by profession
they have learned how 10 handle the
made the silver. Ii fact. Mr.. saunders has
himself purchased and prepared material which
he has used when engaged in the laboratory.
N = NRr m
his exclusive supervision he selected the speci-
mems that were assayed. By these careful steps
Messrs. Saunders and Grant have carried Tor
ward the work this winter until every shadow
of doubt rs 10 the success and practical value Of
the discovery is entirely removed from their
minds and they are now preparing 10 erect fur
naces. H.. to carry on the work on a larger
scale. The manufacture thus far has been con-
Quoted on n very limited bnsis. yielding but n
emal! quantity 81 silver in each operation.
" What materials are used in the manufacture
OF the silver" This is a question everybody
will naturally ask. and one which felt could
not In duty to your readers refrain from ask ing
But OF course did not receive. and had no
right TO expect. an explicit answer. That would
be giving away the key to the situation. The
gentlemen. however. appreciated my motives
reason 70 complain Of the delicate manner in
which they treated tho matter. Indeed. they
| liberty at present to make public. / presume
however II will besa satisfaction to your read
ers, rs II was TO me, to learn that the crude ma
terials used are abundant in the vicinity OF Mt.
| Pleasant. II not throughout Iowa. This being
the cse. the success OF their enterprise will add
greatly to the wealth Of our State. and stimulate
| in no small degree our trade.
! find the question is frequently asked. why
re-, hns Il taken SO long TO develop, discovery
was not full OF such instances Of delays and dis
| appointments would attach moro importance
! 70 this expression OF doubt. But in this case
| Ind reasons that are satisfactory to my own
mind. ana without enumerating them all will
| content myself with the statement OF Dr. Farriss
| that tho experiments were costly that they
were delicate; that ottentimes he was baflled in
| trying TO repent successful result: that he
| could advise with no one unless he divul ged the
secret; that the experiments had to be con-
| Quoted secretly. and that at last. when he ap-
| pealed to men for financial aid. they we're in
| credulous because OF the astounding nature OF
| his ella ims-an incredulity which j dare say he
will continue TO meet with everywhere until he
has still further demonstrated the feasibility OF
| his process.
The foregoing facts were submitted. yester-
day. to Mr.. A. 7. Hay of New York. whose
hive, made him practically familiar with
all the known processes for the treatment
| Of ores. metals, and minerals. and whose
| original line OF thought and investigation
l has resulted II the production Of the famous
comment in scientific circles. and is rapidly
nnding profitable market,
| Reporter-How ia II possible that silver could
| be produced rs the inventor claims?
Hay-Nell. have thought for years that gold
elementary substances. l do not think they
| are dlvisiblc, but they are products Of other
| Substances. Gold and silver belong Ia q family
| group Of metals and mctalOds and they may
| be the products Of Two or more of the several
| substances composing that group. Ii Is my
! opinion that there II no such thing in nature As
| n Simple element. All indivisible. or non-oXi-
| dizing substances are the product Of two or
| more analogous substances. just rs in the ami
| nal kingdom there are two sexes. so in the
| mineral kingdom there ia Il like dual nature.
| and in every instance II requires two fac
| tors Of tho same genus TO produce n third.
Nearly all the scientists Of to-day are trying 10
| reduce everything TO one element. That is why
| they SO often fail in results. They are cropping
! in tho dark, because they do not take cOgni2-
! ance OF this dual nature OF every crented thing
| II takes hydrogen and oxygen to produ' 4 water
| and II TAX rs carbon and oxygen To support com
| hustion. and yet in former ages both water and
| fire were considered simple elements II this
dual law obtains ia those supposed elements
who shall say IL does not obtain in tho precious
| metals, and indeed in all known substances?
Rrporter-Ihen, without asserting II IA n
fact you think silver might be- produced out
OF certain metals and metalloids under the
| proper thcrmie and electrical conditions?
Hay think It possible. Observations Of the
| action OF other metals as iron and steel. under
those conditions. incline me to that belief; buI
| we don't know Il thing until We know il.
The Land Of the Pistol.
Great Texasl on your wide. dark forehead
And ON your broad and rugged breast,