The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-08-04
From, the Ne,o York Sun.

Q0A
From, the Ne,1 York Sum
BosToN, July 30.-There is a man in Mel
rose who claims to have discovered the art
of coming money out of dirt, and he has
been doing it for some time in spite of gov
eminent laws and officials. His busin ess
has been conducted in such mysterious
manner as to attract the attention of secret
service officials, but they have left his re-
treat mystified, but satifled that he was not
breaking the laws. This mans name is c.
H. Washburn, and his inventive genius has
enabled him to manufacture aluminium
from ordinary clay. OF course he keeps his
method profound secret, yet the facts
have leaked out. and the Transcript to-
morrow afternoon will publish the story OF
the inventors perseverance and success
For two years the mysterious work has
been conducted at the cold red mills" so
called, but none of the towns citizens have
obtained even the slightest hint of what was
going on. 1t is difficult to give detailed
account of the invention. for those in charge
of the experiments are extremely reticent.
1t may DO spoken of, however, as an
atomic theory" or the disintegration OF
one substance and the formation of another
substance by a new combination of the
atoms. This combination has been secured
by the action of certain chemicals To pur-
chase these chemicals without betraying
his secret, and to transport them to his fac
tory, has been one of the moot difficult
features of MIR. Washburn's secret; vet he
has done it successfully, and only the capt.
talists who are backing the inventor know
how il is done.
This mysterious shipping Of chemicals
and of boxes with unknown conte n Is
naturally attracted the attention of those
government officials who are on the lookout
for counterfeiters. Detective ]. J. Scanlon
was the first outsider TO force his way
within the barred door, and he found
nothing. As Mr.. Washburn and his as
sistants were engaged in legitimate expert
ments, the government agent, after a care
full examination, concluded that there was
no cause for him to interfere.
Mr.. Washburn appears to be about 40
years old. After Ave minutes converse
ton with him one would be unlikely soon
TO forget him. not only because it takes
but short time to learn that he is exceed
ingly keen, but also because he Is so en-
thusia tic over his schemes that the listener
becomes fascinated by his guarded talk
about t !em.
People think all sorts of things of me, "
he says. "Some imagine Pm q counter
feiter; others that | illegally carry on a
still. Officers OF the special service and de
tectives of the internal revenue department
nave iiNcobikullohS, anu, VI
have learned nothing against me. You
might go to my laboratory now. and yet
you would see nothing TO shed any light on
what I'm doing. The secret isn't to be dis
| covered. But it is big enough to revolu-
tionize 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 vet-too early. Two
| months hence / expect 10 have all in readi-
ness, and then the public snail lie enlight-
ened"
According 10 some statements made by
Mr. Washburn he has a backing of promi-
nent capitalists in Boston. His Office is at
30 State street. though his name docs not
appear on the door Of the room which he
occupies. He says his correspondence and
literary work are SO extensive that he has
to employ a stonographer, and sometimes
work until o'clock in the morning. Mr..
Washburn says he was formerly in charge
of the government secret service with head
quarters in New York. This was at the
time when Green was comptroller.