Evening star., 1886-08-14
KEELY OUrN0NE.
Making Something Ont Of NOthing-A
Wonderful Story

singular inventive genius. In 1850, when a
young man. he became impressed 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 tor
thirty-siX years in alternately brilliant and ad-
verse circumstances mas troddeu over this
field till there II no nook or corner wi IN which
he is unacquaiuted. He commenced his stuiies
at time when little was known OF electricity
and by pursuit of knowledge in that direction
with unbounded zeal he has not only kept
tpace with the wizards II the day, but has so
far gotten in advance OF them mat his aSser-
tions are almost accepted as altogether incredu-
lous.
But no matter whether his claims seem won.
derful and almost beyond belief they are
worthy OF credence, Tor he must be placed I'm
the list of successful inventors. In ls52 he
conceived and constructed "a device that reyo-
lutioniged the manufacture OF sorghum syrup
The device was called an evaporator, and was
used To make syrup from sorghum His prin-
cple was TO run the juice across "A heated sur
face in zig-zag rows Till the juice would run out
as a pure syrup ready for the table the water
being evaporated in its Passage and the i'm
purties being thrown To one side on this he
received letters patent in 1855. and in 1859 a
company began the manufacture Of the same.
Thousands and thousands We're disposed of
varying in price from S25 to $50, over
$4,000, 900 being realized. on which the I'm.
ventor got handsome royalty. Through this
he derived quite fortune. although a portion
OF 1t he spent in improving and introducing the
ts engaged in the manufacture OF this same
evaporation, from which the members OF the
URN made themselves rlcn. COOK, however.
several years ago lost his right 10 "A royalty by
some means Or other, and has not been drawing
anything from that source since.
Save for this slight diversion, Mr.. Cook has
not experimental in any field outside OF cleo
trlcity since thirty-six years ago to any consid-
cradle extent, but 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, &c.,by producing the proper
current by means of a battery. He invented a
battery OF peculiar value tor telegraph PURPOSES
which was in use for a long time at Crestline on
the Western Union, and until the discovery OF
the cheap gravity battery that is now in use
But Mr.. Cook long ago concluded in his own
mind that In dynamic electricity lay future
success Accordingly he cast aside the battery
as b secondary affair." and set about To expert
struction.
For several years past he would occasionally
meet me and speak oi his discoveries In the
electrical Held but would say that he had not yet
secured the result he was after. He would tell
me, w hen get my experiments completed
l want TO show you what will revolutionize the
world propose to make perpetual electric
generator or motor which will propel itself by
proper being only about ten per cent of the ro-
tary power of the electric engine upon which
the current Of the generator acts"
InlS assertion was sufficient TO shock
dinary persons nerves, but 1 accepted the
statement with much allowance. However, 1
became interested and kept watching results.
Last November Mr.. Cook came To me and
said: 81 have at last met with success. have
found the principle that have been hunting
II
and 1t Will never stop, except by the wearing
away OF Its own parts. Not only will IL run
itself by its own current, but also produce
power enough, according TO the size Of the
engine, to run any machine in tae world"
perpetual motion" suggested.
petaa oion saan vs ony nS fep'lea M Is per
force used, leaving 30 per cent Tor power, TO be
utilized as is desired Not ouly that, but more;
proportion to its size, while the other l. max
ing the current that runs the engine. 1t will
serve to heat your house. SO that instead of
having stoves and CRATES, little wires will run
through your rooms, and on your parlor table
will be q highly FURNISHED apparatus contain
ing wires, &C., which will keep the temperature
OF the house ~ whatever point you wish"
Nv hat Will be the cost TO run 1t?
Nothing. AS said, start it, and it will 60.
tor absolutely nothing"
looked at MIN to see If he was there yet and
II SO, whether he was mad, In earnest or joking.
He laughed at my astonishment, and said: II
am now making u model, and when tar enough
along Will show it to you"
The matter was not specially discussed after
that, although he would frequently bring up
the question, until a day or two ago, anC had
my serious doubts whether he would ever show
motor, and felt that tue results Mr.. Cook pro-
fessed himself able To obtain were such that he
would keep secret his machine-if lac had any
in order 10 mystify the public My surprise
may be imagined, therefore, when Mr.. Cook
came to me lew days ago and said: III believe
will show you my electric engine and genera
tor. / am far enough along now TO show you
how the results are accomplished"
A time was fixed, and At the appointed hour
three miles south of Mansfield. As an excuse
for u heavy crop OF weeds in a hne field, where
hundreds Of bushels OF wheat should have been
harvested, he explained: II have been so busy
with my researches that have been unable 10
put out any crops. could get nobody to at
tend TO the farm, and therefore il is nothing
but q barren waste. I succeeded in getting =
few acres Of oats planted, and that, with q
small potato patch, will be all will derive this
year from this fine tract"
Here he lives, AS he has lived for years. with a
wife and fourteen-year-old daughter and his
wite's sister. The latter is his enthusiastic
Sistant, 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 IL is herein
that are contained the results OF thirty-six
years of labor. This seclusive rule has been al
most invariable, having been broken but half a
dozen times in over third OF century. Sew
eral electricians and two TIL others of
known integrity have been admitted, but only
after signing an iron-clad agreement not To re-
veal, patent or cause 10 be patented or improve
without his consent any OF the parts shown TO
them.
The shop is dilapidated, as is the rest of the
farm SO much is mis- mind taken up in the pur-
suit OF his studies. The rear is used a shelter
tor 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 sigl ed. Mr.. Cook led the way
to the door but before unlocking ii, grasped me
by the hand and had me renew tie promise
made in the written agreement. This done, L
was ushered into the IN sterious room. was
bewildered by the appearance OF the place
The room was large and everywhere hung
bundles Of wire. Magnets OF AL shapes anu
sizes hung about the walls, aud We're scat
tered on the noor in confused heaps. In one
corner was a huge machine, with large coils
and magnets, which Mr.. Cook told me was
the nrst machine he attempted to make. But
iii the center of the room sat the priue of his
life. SAW al q glance that this mysterious
man had not wasted his time and fortune. He
had branched out from the beaten track, and
Lad prouuceda a machine that differed in all
spects from dynamos of present construction,
except in that he also used wire and iron.
'Ihls,' said he, sis my perpetual electric
generator and engine. will call my assistant
and show you how ii works.
The machine was rudely constructed, for Mr.
Cook made ii ali himself with a lew old tools
that had done too much service already. Parts
Ot IL were made OF wood and the whole was not
put together in u very artistic manner but il
demonstrated his discoveries, and that was his
only purpose In its construction. This model
weighs three hundred pounds, and Mr.. Cook
said by the hand-pOwer Of one man could be
generated currents sufhcient TO light up from
thirty TO fifty sixteen candle power incandes-
cent lamps.
His assistant having arrived, who by the way
Is young lady OF handsome appearance, the
work OF demonstration began. tested the
current in several ways aud lound il very pow
erful. Having made electricity somewhat of a
study was surprised at the simplicity oil many
OF the principles. The manner ia which he eX-
poets TO get the results heretofore mentioned, is
theore eticaily correct, and there is no mechani-
Cal difficulty which he has not already over
come.
Alter examining the machine carefully In all
Its parts, was conducted 10 adjoining room
where on a table, sat smaller model OIL more
accurate make. 1t contained u much better
arrangement OF the parts. and from what he
told Inc am compelled 10 believe all that Mr..
Cook had told me. asked him why ne had not