The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1886-10-14
QUITE SURE OF IT.
One Who Thinks He Has Cor
nered Perpetual Motion.
An Ohio Man Invents an Electrical Ma.
chine Which He Claims VIII Run
Until 1t Wears Itself Out
81 Mystery of Force.

For half a century p. M. Cook has
been a familiar figure in Richland
County, and has been marked for his
singular inventive genius. In 1850,
when a young man, he became i'm.
pressed with the wonders of electrical
science, and then became enamored of
its study. He began to delve into the
unknown of this hidden force, and for
thirty-six years in alternately brilliant
and adverse circumstances has trodden
over this field till there is no nook or
corner with which heis unaequainted.
He commenced his studies at a. time
when little was known Of electricity,
and by pursuit of knowledge in that
direction with unbounded zeal. he has
not only kept apace with the wizards
OF the day, but has so far gotten in adj
vance of them that his assertions are
almost accepted as altogether incredu-
lous
But no matter whether his claims
seem wonderful and almost beyond
belief, they are worthy of credence, for
he must be placed in the list of fsuccess-
ful inventors. In 1852 he conceived and
constructed device that trevolutionized
the manufacture of sorghum sirup.
The device was called an evaporator,
and was used to make sirup from sor-
ghum. His principle was to run the juice
across heated surface in zig-zag rows
till the juice would run out as a pure
slrup ready for the table, the water
being evaporated in its passage, and
the impurities being thrown to one
side. On this he received letters patent
IN 1888. and in 1859 a company began
the manufacture of the same. Thou
sands and thousands were disposed of,
varying in price from $25 to $50, over
N,O00,O00 being realized, on which the
inventor got handsome royalty.
Through this he derived quite fortune.
although portion of it he spent in inn
proving and introducing the device.
Even to this day firm in Cincinnati is
engaged in the manufacture of this
ZANE evaporator. from which the men,
bers OF the firm made themselves rich.
took, however, several years ago lost
MS right to royalty by some means or
other, and has not been drawing any
1alng from that source since.
Save for this slight diversion, Mr..
Cook has not experimental in any field
outside of electricity since thirty-six
years ago to any considerable extent,
pat IN IN this direction he can be said
70 e, have spent the greater part of his
ife. For while he sought to solve
sae question of ofcheap power, light, etc..
" producing the proper current by
means OF a battery. He invented a
oattery of peculiar value for telegraph
purposes, which was in use for a long
nme at Crestline, on the Western
Union, and until the discovery of the
cneap gravity battery that is now in
ase. But Mr.. Cook long ago concluded
- ms own mind that in dynamic cleo
,Iielty lay future success. According
\ ne cast aside the battery as secon-
vary affair. and set about to experi-
Ment with dynamos of novel and
peculiar construction.
for several years past he would oc-
ssa:slonally meet me and speak of his
discoveries in the electrical field, but
aouia say that he had not yet secured
~, .au results he was after. He would
.all me: when l get my experiments
n s9,npeted want to show you what
.s'nrevolutionize the world. l propose
make perpetual electric generator
" motor which will propel itself by its
san sou current, the, resistance of the
esaerator s. proper being only about ten
~ cent. of the rotary power of the
a0s.ric ~ .a engine upon which the current
NJ, rue generator acts.p
,n auls assertion was sufficient to shock
esn.aa na.a1ainaay PERSONS nerves, but ac-
lopa pssa the statement with. much al
hsnce. estaa However, 1 became inter-
u Ia.s ana M kept watching results.
ma LAST Noyembes Mr.. Cook came to
sueaa SUI sad: 'Thave at last met with
thssess; ths. have found the principle
Is Iesn nave been hunting for SO long.
and !, aow nw start dynamo to going,
WY never stop except by the