The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1880-04-05
EUREk A!
Edison's --latest and Most Wonderful Dis
oovery.


discovery than that with which he startled
the world some time last year, when he found
the wonderful properties of a piece Of charred
paper. He has, by an accident, discovered
how to extract fabulous riches from the tail
ings or refuse of mines. by a simple and in
expensive method. How he does 1t is Of
course secret, but that he does 1t admits of
no doubt whatever. The following extracts
are from very interesting article in the
New York Herald of the twenty ninth of
March:
EpIsoN's EUREKA
Edison claims that he has this secret. He
asserts that he has discovered a combination
by which all these vast wastes OF gold In certain
mines can be recovered In both simple and
effective manner. The agents he employs are
chemistry and electricity.
What the process is only himself and few
trusted assistants know; but whatever 1t Is he
exhibits as Its results the undoubted gold. He
any known process is concerned, contain not a
trace OF gold, and by wizard.ltke manipula-
tfon of chemicals he produces therefrom the
precious metal In quantities simply astonfsh-
Ing, He states that by his method he had got
out gold from concentrated tailtng gs at the enor-
nous ratio, in some instances of S1400 per ton at
an expense not exceeding IS per ton-a result
which, IL true, will eclipse In pecuniary value
to him even his European telephone. with Its
enormous yield In royalties, and make him a
veritable Ormsus.
A FORTUNATE OBSTACLE.
The history Of his great discovery dates from
early last summer, and owes its origin to what
appeared at the time to be an insurmountabe
Light at that time, for 1t was before his discov-
cry OF the remarkable properties of charred
platinum made luminous by the passage of an
electric current For the general Introduction
Of 1e the system I immense m Quantities les OF platinum
the metal would. In ali likelihood. enhance it's it's
isure that the light would In time % cease sas
to be economical. This. was ali the
nsmr likely bsesnse essWn ns.n% 2, the Limited
and the Urai Mountains OF Russia furnishing
dilemma the scientist had before him two
courses-ether he must flnd some substitute
for platinum In his electric light or discover
latter course, and dispatched agents In all d.
rsctions In search of the precious install. He
also wrote to miners In different sections Of the
country explaining the characteristics of the
metal and suggesting where and how it might
be found. Offering at the same time appropriate
quantities. Before many weeks answers came
pouring in to Menlo Park. together with scores
OF samkles OF sand In which the microscope
samples Edison at once began experimenting
with view to eliminate the. platinum.
ON THE TRACK.
A history OF the experiments that Ellison
tried before he atighted on the Eureka discov-
cry would fill a volume To get gold out of the
falling samp sent him WAS at first tturthest
from his thoughts He wanted platinum and
resources of his large chemical laboratory
were directed to that one end, and 1t might be
said the gold discovery Wis thrust upon him
DR.. Alfred Haid. his chief chemical assistant,
relates at the present time, with not little
humor, the annoyance the finding of gold was
at hrst TO Edison. Again and again after SUBJ
lecting quantity OF Iailfngs to his process
and finding as the result not a residue of pla-
tinum but little heap of gold. he would dis
oaindfuily throw away the shining PARTICLES
One day, however. it occurred TO him that per.
haps IL would be well as a diversion to