The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1886-11-20
QUITE SURE OF 1T.
One Who Thinks He Has Cor.
nered Perpetual Motion.
An Ohio Man Invents an Electrical ma
chino which He Claims WIN Run
Until IL Wears Itself Out
.fs Mystery of Force. af

f9 Mystery OF Force.
For half a century d. M. Cook has
been a familiar figure in Richland
County, and has been marked for his
singular inventive genius. In 1850.
when y young man, he became i'm
pressed with the wonders of electrical
science, and then became euamOred 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 he is unacquainted.
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. af
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 success
full inventors. In 1852 he conceived and
constructed device that revolutionized
the manufacture of sorghum strip.
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 ont as a pure
sirup 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 1868, aud in 1889 company began
the manufacture of the same. Thou
sands and thousands were disposed of,
varying in price from $25 to $S5, over
$4,000, 900 being realized. ON which the
inventor got handsome royalty.
Through this he derived quite afortune.
although portion of it he spent in i'm
proving and introducing the device.
Even to this day firm in Cincinnati is
engaged in the manufacture of this
same evaporation. from which the men,
bers of the firm made themselves rich.
Cook, however, several years ago lost
his right to royalty by some means or
other, ant has not been drawing any
thing 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,
but in in this direction he can be said
to have spent the greater part of his
life. For a while he sought to solve
the question Of cheap power, light, etc..
by producing the proper current by
means of battery. He invented 4
battery of peculiar value for telegraph
purposes. which was in use for long
time at Crestline. on the Western
Union, and until the discovery of the
cheap gravity battery that is now in
use. Bat Mr.. Cook long ago concluded
in his own mind that in dynamic cleo
tricity lay future success. According
ly he cast aside the battery as secon-
Diary affair, and set about to expert
ment with dynamos of novel and
peculiar construction.
For several years past he would oc-
casionally meet me and speak of his
discoveries in the electrical field, but
would say that he had not yet secured
the results he was after. He would
tell me: ''When get my experiments
completed l want to show you what
willrcvolutionize the world. i propose
tomake perpetual electric generator
OF motor which will propel itself by its
own current, the resistance of the
generator proper being only about ten
per cent. of the rotary power of the
electric engine upon which the current
Of the generator acts"
This assertion was sufficient to shock
an ordinary persons nerves, but &C
cepted the. statement with much al
s iowance. However, l became inter-
ested and kept watching results
Last November Mr.. Cook came to
me and said: II have ut last met with
success, have found the principle
that / have been hunting for so long.
lean now start dynamo to going,
and II win never stop except BY the
wearing away Of its own parts. Not
only viii ftrun itself by its own current,
but also produce power enough. ac-
cording to the size OF the engine, ia
Gun any machine Ia the world.
s.PerpetuaI NOTION ! suggested.
s.Mofe than that. be replied. 1T
Is perpetual motion with only ten per
cent. of the force used, leaving ninety
per cent for power. to be utilized as
Is desired. Not only that, but worci