The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1882-09-08
A Scheme to Generate Electricity from Q
Horses Hoofs.


1--WE got q scheme on hand" said
Bixler.
whats thatp'
Electricity. Manufacture It whole
sale, no cost, cheap as water. Every
man makes his own"
..How's thatp'
Friction. Horses hoofs. Sec here"
and he planted on the table small,
solid-looking walnut box, brass bound
on the corners. That's Brush reser-
voir," he exclaimed triumphantly.
What do you do with itp''
''Just stick 1t under the buggy seat
when you go to drive. Horses hoofs
wrought iron. Constant friction against
rock and clay generates acres OF electric
ity. Wire run from each hoOf to the
box. Every last drop Of Electricity
picked up and stored. When you get
home from the cliff or the park you've
got fluid enough to light your house or
run an engine. Great scheme. Millions
in it."
Tried it yet?''
mo; just going to. Wanted You to
see it and give me . seEdof. viii
youp"
"Yes."
"Come on" and he led the way out
to the sidewalk and around into Webb
street, where an alleged horse and bug
gy stood up without assistance near q
post. The horse was o white and VEN
cradle animal, which had evidently re-
ceived q diploma from some street car
company and then turned out to study
vegetable economy in a vacant lot. 1t
seemed like a very docile animal; 30
docile that you might build fire under
1t or hang package OF inhained fire.
crackers TO its bald-headed tail without
exciting any particular indignation or
unseemly anger on its part. 1t was .
real good horse to try experiments with.
and maybe 1t was good for something
beside that, but not knowing the horse
well we could not tell. The buggy was
also admirably adapted for experimental
investigation.
Bixler hustled and fidgeted, and final
| ly got the box under the seat with four
long wires reaching over the dashboard.
These he passed along the harness and
understands on the horse's legs, clamp
ing them to the upper side OF the frog
of the shoe. Then he got in.
"Pll just take trip around the block
and show you," he said, prodding his
Arabian rapidly and hard with o toy
club as he spoke. The old horse was
finally walked up, fore starting he
turned his heada ,htfully studied
the machineryon for some time.
He evidently did .srstand 1t. He
lifted his fore foot then put Il down
again. He tried his hind foot, and sud-
denly let fly with It at the dashboard,
straining his spine with the unaccus-
toned exertion. and looking both mo-
rose and gloomy, as il he felt hurt in
his mind. Then he started down the
street ut q walk, while Bixler's eyes
snapped and beamed with excitement.
Ten minutes later there was commo-
ton on Kearney street. The roars OF
men, the shrieks of women and children,
and confused. collective yell of "Stop
him. shook the neighborhood The
riot came nearer and nearer; there was
sharp rattle and clatter, and suddenly
the old horse, with his tail on end and
his eyes glaring wildly. shot around the
corner and down California in a mad,
reaching gallop that would have turned
buffalo sick with envy. One hind
wheel was gone-a lamp-post had cap
tured it, and the other was running on
spokes alone, and just as it passed our
Office collision with furniture wagon
reduced the wreck to splinters, with the
exception of two shafts and small box
which went bouncing along as the old
horse kept on his wild journey on bee
line for the ferryboat. Bixler was thrown
up in the air. and took wild dive into
q pile of auction mattresses. We hast.
ened to his remains, but found them
comparatively unhurt
His crest was dropping and his man.
ner gloomy, however. He looked rue
fully after the white shadow disappear.
ing like q comet down the street, and
then said mournfully. but obviously
.Its all right, all right. l only forgot
to insulate the id horse"