Connecticut western news., 1888-08-08
MONEY OUT OF DIRT.
Making Aluminium Out of Common Clay and Using Water for Fuel.

There is man in Melrose, Mass, who claims to have discovered the art of coining money out of dirt, and he has been doing it for some time, in spite of Government laws and officials His business has been conducted in such mysterious manner as to attract the at- tention of Secret Service off icials,s but they have left his retreat mystified but satisfied that he was not breaking the laws. This mans genius has enabled him to manufacture aluminium from ordinary clay. Of course he keeps his method profound secret, yet the facts have leaked out.
 For two years the mysterious work has been conducted at the ''old red mills," SO called, but none of the towns citizens have obtained even the slightest hint of what was going on. It IS difficult to give detailed account of the invention, for those in charge of the experi- ment are ,xtremely reticent, It may be spoken of, however, as an "atomic theory" or the dis integration of one substance and the formation of another substance by new combination of the atoms. This combination has been se- cured by the action of certain chemicals To purchase these chemicals without betraying his secret, and to transport them to his factory, has been one of the most difficult features of MT. Washburn's secret; yet he has done 1t successfully, and only the capitalists who are backing the inventor know how it is done.
 This mysterious shipping of chemicals and of boxes with unknown contents naturally at tracted the attention of those Government off, cials who are on the lookout for counterfciters Detective J. J. Scanlon was the first outsider to force his way within the barred door, and he found-nothing AS Mir. Washburn and his assistants were engaged in legitimate experi- ments, the Government agent, after careful examination, concluded that there was no cause for him to interfere.
 NIT. Washburn appears to be about 40 years old. After five minutes conversation with him one would be unlikely soon to forget him; not only because 1t takes but 8 short time to learn that he is exceedingly keen, but also be- cause he is go enthusiastic over his schemes that the listener becomes fascinated by his guarded talk about them.
 "People think all sorts of things of me-" he says. "Some imagine I'm counterfeiter; oth- CTS that illegally carry on still. Officers of the Special Service and detectives of the Inter- nal Revenue Department have made investiga- tions, and, of course, have learned nothing against me. You might go to my laboratory now, and yet you would see nothing fo shed any light on what I'm doing. The secret isn't to be discovered, but 1t is big enough to revo- lutionize commerce by and by. Why, use water for fuel, and that is only one of the many wonderful things can do. It's too early to say anything yet-too early. Two months hence l expect to have all in readiness, and then the public shall be enlightened
 According to some statements made by Mr. Washburn he has backing of prominent cap- italists in Boston. His office is at 50 State street, though his name does not appear on the door of the room which he occupies He says his correspond nee and literary work are so extensive that he has to employ a steno- grapher, and sometimes works until o'clock in the morning. MT. Washburn says he was formerly in charge of the Government secret service, with headquarters in New York. This was at the time when Green was Comptroller