The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1894-08-02
MOTORS OF THE FUTURE.
With q Glance at Results Kelley Failed to
AccOmDlish

With Glance at Results Kelley Failed to
Accomplish.
The average observer of events re-
CARDS electricity, in all probability, as
the only form of motive power which
can be taken into consideration with
the mechanical progress of the future,
said resident of St. Louis recently.
The fact Is, however, that advanced
students of mechanics are to-day CIV
ing almost as much attention to the
power contained In the air we breathe
as they are TO the subtle fluid that per-
meates that atmosphere. 1t Is Ques-
ton, indeed, If the practical applioa-
ton q compressed air will not solve
the problem of harmless rapid transit
in populous communities. OF course,
by harmless 1 mean the accomplish
ment OF the best results with the least
danger to life and limb. The large
tunnel at Niagara Falls through which
the water of the Feoently-estab 1ished
water company flows from the turbine
wheels was bored in TN almost inoon-
ceivab3e short space Of time by the use
of rock drills run by compressed air.
The tunnel Is something over seven
thousand two hundred feet long, and,
in round figures. twenty feet in diam
enormous hole was rushed through the
ground by those compressed air rock
drills in six months, at a cost of some
thing like four hundred thousand dol
lars Where frequent air shafts are
possible tunnel ten miles long can be
made with compressed air power as
quickly as the same tunnel one milo
long can be bored with any other kind
of applied energy Oh, yes; when it
comes to the consideration of motive
power it will not do to leave the elastic
atmosphere out of the question, for its
power is incomprehensfble when it Is
applied in the proper way.
You have heard, of course. of Kelley,
the Philadelphia motor fellow Kelley
has made many preposterous claims for
his motor, and the principle which he
asserts Is involved in his invention is
its power TO release tho inherent force
OF nature by which the atoms that
form matter ace held together, and
then 30 Apply this force TO mechanics
under restricting Guidance Several
years age a compaittee Of the most en-
snent engineers in the east were select
ed TO visit Keeley's workshops and re-
ceive q practical illustration Of the
power of his motor. 1t would take q
week TO describe all the wonderful
proceedings that occurred on the COCA
Sion OF that visit. The interior of the
building was cut into various apart
ments; there were wires running every
where, and glass sounding tubes and
metal contraptions of the same sort, Of
different Sizes and lengths, scattered
All over the place. Hung upon one
side of one apartment was an immense
tuning fork, and Kelley would draw a
bass Violin bow across this instrument
ana produce heavy sound, then rush
around like maduan, tapping the
various sounding tubes and listening
intently to the effects, ever and again
running from one room to another and
turning cocks and keys and doing all
sorts Of mysterious things He Oh
planned that certain harmony was
needed before the power that he was
seeking TO release could burst its
bounds and pass TO his control. When
everything was arranged according to
Mr.. keeiey's ideas the members of the
committee were taken into an apart
ment, in the center OF which was q
transparent glass cylinder filed with
piece Of steel. The experiment was ex-
PCSlCN W GA CtuSlnR tIk6 1OfS6
that held the atoms OF drop of water
together TO become released and then
TO be used to make the metal rise to
the surface of the water. Kelley Ia
bored for long time with his various
mysterious appliances. but failed to
accomplish the desired result.
Mr. Charles II. Cramp, the weli-
known ship builder, was O member of
the committee, end the others were
men equally we'll known and eminent
In the world Of mechanics Mr.. Cramp
believe 1t was. tapped one of the nu-
merosss wires which gridironed the
workshop. and discovered that 1t was
hollow. keeley's ettention was called
to 1t, and he said that such was the
case and that he had had them made
that way. 1t was the opinion Of sew
eral Of the committee that Kelley was
using compressed AR, by means Of
these wires in the experiments that
appeared TO be SO woaderful TO pro-
spective purchasers of the motor stock,
but that he was afraid to apply it 10
the presence of such committee for
fear it might be discovered, and the
mysterious character of his invention
and its consequent power to secure the
financial suppQrb of wonder-seekere de-
stroyed. -Washington STAY.
Greatest of EouilibrIsts.