Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-12-27
LIGHTNING ON TAP.
A Maine Wizard who Has . Cistern Full of
the stuff.

Maine Wizard Who Has . Cistern Full Of
the stuff.
| Special Correspondence of the World.
CHERRYFIEIp, Me-, Dec. 1S-Away out on
the "Houlton road" twenty miles from the
nearest church and ten miles from any
post Office, "Uncle Sile" Leatherbee divides
his time between hunting bears and picking
blueberries, following the former vocation the
year round and the latter in the season when
blueberries are ripe. He is seventy-fve years
old. seventy-fve inches tall, and, being double
/ toothed," he says he has seventy-ive teeth in
his head, one having been knocked out in q
fight with bruin. Years ago Uncle Siie' was
lumberman and general adventurer. and he
says he cut, hauled out and set up the first tele-
graph poles set between Baltimore and Wash
ington. At this time he knew Prof. Morse
we'll Once there was a talk OF partnership
between the two. but a man by the name Of
Cornell of York state advanced the cash, so
Uncle Slle missed his chance Of becoming a
millionaire.
After wandering all over the country as well
as visiting several foreign ports a sailor. he
drifted down here to Cherryfield and. taking
up state lot. began farming and trappings
At present he is uHcouth and wild in his dress
and language He still retains many curious
ideas gained from contact with the electricians
whom he met half a century ago. Among
these is a keen interest in the advances which
have been made of late in galvanism. electric
ity and magnetism. All the books and paper.
which treat these sub ecJs come to him through
the mails. and every other saturday night he
walks over 70 the post Office. returning home
verT late and heavily laden with the literature
of science.
One of his hobbies is that Of electric lighting.
Last winter he constructed several powerful
storage batteries, and had them carefully put
away in one end of the cellar under his little
cabin of a house. When any stray hunter or
berry-pickcr strolled his way and asked what
he was doing. he replied. 'Wait until it gets
hot next summer and YOU will see Summer
came. and when all the BURBERRY plains were
IN green -fruitage. Uncle Sile' ran tall iron
lightning roo up from one peak of his house
and connected the lower end with his storage
batteries by means OF q stout copper wire.
Often when dark cloud sailed overhead and
rain began 10 patter on his roof. bright sparks
were seen to go skipping down the rod en- route
for the storage batteries.
go along. my beauties ne would saw .'and
when next winter comes / viii trot you ont and
show you what you are good for So the
showers came and went. and all the time
Cncle Sie stood by with greedy eyes looking
al the passing sparks.
One night toward the last Of November a
large party OF New York and Boston sportsmen
were out on the plains in front Of Uncle
SHE s place when they all dropped their guns
and stood awe-struck at the sight before them.
Inc mouse, which d minute before. was IN dark
ness. row was ablaze with light from ridge pole
TO ground sill. A gaudy arc of light leapcd
into the air from one end of the house and set
tied down upon the other end, while both the
windows and the solitary door were framed in
such glow as was never before seen in Cherry
field.
The fact was that "Uncle Sle'' had let his
bottled lightning as he termed it. loose that
night Tor the first time and 50 he told the Won
dering gunners when they came running up
out of breath. doubtful whether they should
have ~ put out a fire or lay 3 ghost He did
the best he could to explain how his invention
worked, and many things az plain for the
strangers as the average college professor
could 90. According to MS way of reckoning
he had electricity enough in his storage batter
les TO last him from then until the middle of
June. when the thunder showers would enable
him to hay IN new supply. As to cost. he said
the whole affair had not spilled 900 BILL
and l: was good enough for years to come. OF
course The electricity he gets for nothing, az it
Is taken from the clouds by a rod. the way
Franklin procured it years ago with his kite.
When the hunters went away they left him a
pint flask of good OLD rye whisky, of which the
old man said. after taking long pull
This is the OILY stuff i ever saw that would
beat electricity in d fair race