Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-09-27
--1s---@s KEELE,S LATEST.
Public Test Of the Motor Mans vap0ric
Gun.


Public Test Of the Motor Mans vaporic
Gun.
From the New York Herald 2lst instant
The "keely Motor company's vaporic gun"
was what the invitations called 1t. and the gov
eminent range at Sandy Hook was named as
the place for the first public test of the famous
MI. keely's invention. The steamer JohH H.
Starln was loaded with capitalists. brokers, two
lunches. and brass band, and at o'clock yes
terday afternoon landed 200 interested gentle
men at the Sandy Hook pier. Headed by the
Fort Hamilton military band, the company
marched soemnlv up to the range where in
his shirtsleeves, Mr.. Keely was found bending
over his latest invention. A little group of
army officers appointed by the Secretary of War
10 report on the gun stood at a respectful dis
lance from the cannon
As the visitors drew up Mr.. Keely Strengthened
out to ereet them, and they saw man above
the medium height, well built with bold black
eyes set wide apart IN head covered with black,
curly hair. His dark side whiskers and mus
tache were streaked with gray, and the deep
lines about his face bore witness to the fifty
eight years he confeSses. HIS heavy hands were
+ knotted. and, with the CRIME upon them. resem-
b!ed those of practical machinist. With only
friendly nod to his friends he turned at once
to his gun.
1t was little thing upon wheels. like a can
barrel about foot long. By its side lay two
heavy iron cylinders. one of one gallon and the
other OF five gallons capacity. From these
cylinders to the rear of the gun ran a strong
hollow wire. as thick as a lead pencil The
bore in the wire was not large enough to admit
knitting needle. 1t was through this small
wire pipe that the energy or force. ormysterous
something. was admitted to the CUR. The CYL
lnders had been stored with the ''etheric force"
at Mr.. keely'S workshop in Philadelphia and he
DfOnOht them with fp Tha
thin wire pipe ran from the cylinders to the
breech OF the gun, and by turning trigger or
valve the force passed like lightning through
the four feet of hollow wire into tine gun, dis
charging the bullet. The gun was little over
an inch bore, and threw ball OF lead weighing
half pound. or a steel conical bullet much
heavier 1t was loaded by putting in first a
rubber wad and then the bullet
everything was ready the man at the target
five hundred yards away was signaled to hide
and Mr.. keely touched the valve. There was a
slight report as the bullet left the gun and sped
on ITS way over the mark. Nothing had eX-
ploded, and the visitors crowded around the in
vention. wondering at the force that could pass
so rapidly through so small an aperture. So
for nineteen times the experiment was repeated
the last ball passing through one three-inch
plank and half way down into a second. There
was no diminuton of force. ana it was claimed
Eat over one hundred shots could be fired with
20" ave gallons OF mysterious energy stored up
~" '" last shot would have just as much force
3 20 ST As for manufacturing the force. it
80" 'ade in what Mr.. keely called his ':vibra-
for,, out of half wine glass of water and a
little air.
After the firing was over the wire or tube
was detached from the gun and the trigger
turned just little. SO that the force" could
escape slowly, giving everybody an opportu-
nifty to touch, taste and test it, Its appear
ance was very much like common EVERYDAY
air.
Once back on the boat, Mr.. Keely made few
remarks in which he said he had yielded to the
pressure of Keely motor stockholders to test
thls gun publicly. In six weeks he would give
everything to the world, would get his patents.
and then the public would see this wonderful
energy applied as motive power. He ex-
planned the long ten years wait as the natural
consequence OF working in new field Col
Hamilton, the military expert, said he, was
pleased with the experiments. He was scien-
fist. and declared positively that the power used
could not possibly be compressed air, carbonc
acid gas, or any force known to the scientific
world. Other scientists present admitted that
as matter of course. The colonel suggested
that life was short the motor secret was pre-
cous, and begged Kelly to confide in some one
The force costs nothing to make, and can be
used in a thousand ways
Strange Story of a Dogs Intelligence.
HOW HE RESCUED TIE INMATES OF BURNING
HOTEL.
Anew chapter must be added to the annals of
canine bravery, and one of the most remarkable
and interesting in the already long series. The
Newfoundland has distinguished himself by
many rescues. and proved himself on many oc-
casions devoted helper of man, but never was
more spirit-stirring instance of heroism and
devotion known than the behavior of the dog
"Heck" at the burning of the st. Elmo hotel, at
Eldred. Pa, last week. His master. the porter,
went to bed drunk Thursday night and was
dragged out of his bed and into the hall by the
dog before he the pOrter) discovered that the
house was on fire. Satisfied of the porter's |
safety, "Heck" rushed through the halls bark |
ing to arouse the inmates and in several in |
stances pilOted them down stairs safely through |
the smoke. At last he fell martyr to his no. |
bile desire OF saving life. mother CARRYING a |
little child, trpped and fell on the stairs, drop
ding the baby in the hall. The dog rushed in |
and pulled the child out. The mother. not |
aware of its safety, started again for the burn
ing building, when ''Heck," understanding from |
her action that some one was still left unres-
cued, rushed in once more. 1t was too late and |,
he persisted in the flames. The dog seems to |
have been the only cOO-headed individual i'm the |
entire building. If it had not been for his &C |
tytv many lives must have been lost. Such is |
the story Of "Heck" as told by veracious cor