The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-09-16
ducsd by one machine, for absolutely

earnest, or Joking. He laughed at my
astonishment, and said: Il am now
making a model, and when far enough
along [ will show it to yon."
The. matter was not specially dis
cussed after that, although he would
frequently bring up the question, until
a day or two ago. and had my serious
| DOUBTS whether he would ever show
the device to me. | thought of Keely
and his motor, and felt that the results
Mr.. Cook prOfessed himself able to OBJ
tain were such that he would keep secret
his machine, if he had any, in order to
mYstify the public. Ny surprise may
be imagined, therefore, when Mr.. Cook
came to me few days ago and said:
Il believe will show you my electric
engine and generator. | lam far enough
along now to show you how the results
are accomplished"
A time was fixed. and at the appointed
hour Mr.. Cook called and took me to
! his farm, about three miles south of
Mansfield. As an excuse for a heavy
crop OF weeds in fine field, where
hundreds of bushels OF wheat should
have been harvested. he explained: Il
have been SO busy with my researches
that have been unable to put out any
crops. l could get nobody to attend to
the farm, and therefore it IS nothing
but z barren waste. | succeeded in
getting a few acres of oats planted, and
that. with q small potato patch, viii
be all will derive this year from this
fine tract.
Here he lives, as he has lived for
years. with wife and fourteen-ycar-
old daughter aad his wife's sister. The
latter IS his enthusiastic assistant, and
has helped him in many long years Of
toll. Distant from the house stands an
old shop, wherein is hidden the secrets
Of his life. No stranger ever enters
here, for It is herein that are contained
the results of thirty-siX years of labor.
This seclus;vc rule has been almost in
variable, having been broken but half
a dozen times in over q third of cen
fury. Several. electricians and two or
three others of known integrity have
been admitted, but only after signing
an iron-clad agreement not to reveal,
patent, or cause to be patented or i'm
prove without his consent any Of the
parts shown to them.
The shop is dilapidIted, rs is the
rest Of the farm, 50 much is his mind
taken up in the pursuit of his studies.
The rear is used as 4 shelter for his
truSty old horse, who has done near
thirty years OF royal service, while the
front part is devoted altogether to his
laboratory.
The agreement signed, Mr.. Cook led
the way to the door, but before unlock
ing it graSped me by the hand and had
me renew the promise made in the
written agreement. This done, [ was
ushercd into the mysterious room /
was bewildered by the appearance Of
the place The room was large, and
everywhere hung bundles of wire.
Magnets of all shapes and sizes hung
about the walls and were scattered on
the floor in confused heaps. In one
corner was huge machine, with large
coils and magnets, which Mr.. Cook
told me was the first machine he at
tempted to make. But in the center of
the room sat the pride of his life. l
saw ut Il glance that this mysterious
man had not wasted his time and for
tune. He had branched out from the
beaten track and had produced a ma
chine that differed in all respects from
dynamos of present construction, eX-
cept in that he also used wire and iron.
This" said he, sis my perpetual
electric generator and engine. l will
call my assistant and show you how it
works"
The machine was rudely constructed,
for Mr.. Cook made it all himself with
Il few old tools that hal done too much
service already. Parts of it were made
of wood, and the whole was not put
together in a very artistic manner, but
it demonstrated his discoveries, and
that was his only purpose in its con-
StructiOn. This model weighs three
hundred pounds, and MIR. Cook said by
the hand-power of one man could be
generated current sufficient to light up
from thirty to fifty sixteen candle-power
lamps.
His assistant having arrived, who by
the way is young lady of handsome
the work of demonstration
began. tested the current in several
ways and found it very powerful.
Having made electricity somewhat of
atudy, was surprised at the simplicity
of many of the principles. The manner
n which he expects to get the results
heretofore mentioned is theoretically
and there is no mechanical DIFF
iculty which he has not already over
come.
After examining the machine care
fully in all its parts, | was conducted
to an adjoining room, where, on table,
sat smaller model of more accurate
make. 1t contained a much better ar
of the parts, and from what
he told me l am compelled to believe
all that Mr.. Cook had told me. l asked
him why he and not sought capital to
develop his theories more rapidly,
when he replied that he had not here
tofore been ready. He said:
Il wanted to complete my labors so
that l could say my work is all done. /
desired to give to the world 4 machine
perfect in every particular, that would
settle forevermore the question of cheap
power, light and heat. Up to now my
work was not finished. l am now
almost done. Within very short time
shall be able to show to all mankind
that | have a machine that will revo-
lutionize the world. When | can ex-
hibit a running model, which | can in
a few days, then will be ready to con-
slider the many propositions that l have
already received. -NapSfeLd Cor. Cirs-
cinmati Commercial Gazette.
T,uo Good poIiticaI Workers