St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-06-25
THE FELINE MOTOR.
The Marvellous Invention Of a
Western Genius.

The Marvellous Invention Of a
Western Genius.
Stoughton, Wis, Special.
Prof. Richard de Long, the inventor
of the new feline motor, is a tall, pale
faced man, with three-story, bay win
dow forehead overhangIug a pair of
deep-set, skv-blue eyes, set OH each side
of large, thin hooked nose. lie is not
a beauty: but he is a genius.
His feline motor, which at present is
creating such sensation in scientific
circles in Stoughton, is marvellous
machine, unique in appearance and
wonderful in operation. 1t may be de-
scribed as a curious combination of large
and small fly wheels, great balance
wheels, bright steel rods, and almost
innumerable number of coils of copper
wire, all joined to a brightly-poliShed
cylinder of brass, one end of which pro-
iects into wire cage filled with ordinary
cats. Its operation is very simple, but
surprising in its results. A slight pull
on a small nickel-plated lever starts the
machine. Then like lightning from out
the end of cylinder projecting into the
cage shoots long steel arm and hand.
grabbing one of the cats by the nape of
the neck and yanking it into the cylln-
ucl- WH6lG IL QlSdpDodIo Will d yOWl
of more than feline terror. In moment
the fiy-wheels and all of the complicated
machinery begins to move, at first slowly
but soon with starting rapidity. AT the
proper moment, which is indicated by
small clOck-like attachment. the
operator pulls another lever. when from
out of the other end of the cylinder,
with hair and tail erect, scintillating
eyes, and a caterwaul dislOcating TO
ones spinal column, the cat is projected
into tub of cold water prepared for
its reception.
This operation, surprising as it may
seen, extracts from the cat electricity
equivalent to the power represented by
ten horses. working for one hour, and
this power can be stored in the cylinder
until needed. AS cat can be run
through the motor every three minutes,
and all the accommodating electricity be
stored, the power of the machine is
practically limitleSs. The same cat can
be used once every ten hours without. in
the least impairing its health and gen
eral usefulness.
The professor is juDilant over the
success of his invention. He is satisfied
that he has overcome every difficulty,
and intends soon TO put the machines
upon the market. In speaking OF the
result of it's use, he says:
Il have long believe that the cat is
natures Leyden jar, charged with an
enormous amount of electricity. but in
such manner as requires peculiar
process to extract it. This process it
has been my good fortune to discover.
The discovery will be of incalculable
benefit to mankind. 1t will revolution
ize the mechanical world and be felt in
every department of life. By its means
every family, no matter how poor, can
have its home brilliantly lighted with
electricity at less cost than TO have it
poorly lighted with kerosene. By SIM
ply running the now practically useless
house cat through the machine twice
each day sufficient amount of cleo
tricity can be engendered to illuminate
brilliantly any medium-siZed house.
Think how advantageous it would be to
large city. Take New York, for ex-
ample. Carefully complied statistics
show that there are at present within
the city limits about 9.99S, 347 cats.
This represents very nearly 10000, COO
continuous horse power. or enough to
light the entire city and furnish all the
motive power to do its work The feline
motor will do away with steam. Ten
years from now, l venture to say. there
will not be a steam engine in active
operation III the United States"