The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-11-29
THE ETHER MOTOR.
How the Press Articles Have Been
Distributed.
Men In England and Winnipeg Saw the
Articles in the Press About the Ether
Bicycles and Wrote MIR. Twombly for
Particulars-Many Other Letters.

Bicycles and Wrote Mr.. Twombly FOL
Particulars-Many Other Letters
The following extracts from letters are
Indicative, not only of the wide dlstriou-
tion of the Portland Daily PRESS, put Oh
the still wider distribution through the
press of the country of any article OF
particular interest.
The above letters were written to MI.
Willard j. Twombly OF this city, and were
called forth by the articles thai were pub
lished in this paper. giving description
and illustration of his invention of bicycle
ard a launch to be propelled by the Vapor
of ether, in the place of steam.
One of these letters came from Chelten-
ham, England, and is dated October 90. 1t
says:
81 read in the Portland Daily PRESS. of
August 23d. 1894, that you had invented a
bicycle to be propelled by ether vapor.
l would consider it a great favor if you
would send me description of it and could
you furnish one should I want it? am an
ardent bicyclist, and have been for the last
fifteen years. l know old Portland quite
well. having spent some time there with my
regiment. the eth Maine Staff. really hope
that you will favor Inc with an answer.
''Yours truly,
III. P. FERNALD. D. D. So
D. Henderson. NJ. p. of Winnipeg, Mani
toba. wrote under Date OF October 20, saying
that he had read in the Portland PRESS of
Mr.. Twombly's invention of propelling
bicycles by power generated from sulphuric
ether" He asked if it is an entire success
and if the ether can be condensed readily.
He says: How does the expenses of your
power compare with that of water-steam
power. l should think that when you man.
age to condense the ether and use 1t over
and over again, without any loss and gaso-
lene being SO cheap for fuel, that your
power must be far cheaper than any ordi-
nary steam power, mot that alone, but the
danger of explosion is less, requires less
space, consequently can be used for various
purposes for which our ordinary steam
power is not suitable. If it is a success l
intend to have one of your bicycles. shall
also have that same motor power for other
purposes, such as generating electric light,
hoisting water, etc. 1t would be very suit
able for propelling sportsmen's boats, when
creeping on game. If your invention is a
success the uses to which it can be applied
are very numerous would like to have a
territory for Introducing it. BY having q
suitable rig, constructed for doctors and
not too expensive. every one of them that
could afford it would purchase one."
The Blasiu's Piano House of Philadelphia.
wrote September 9Th. that they had a self
playing piano, then running by an electric
motor, and would like to know how much
space an ether-motor Of One-sixth horse
power would occupy. They had seen an
article about it in the Philadelphia Record.
A second letter from the same parties,
dated November End, reiterates their desire
for substitute for the electric motor for
their self-p1aying piano. They sell from 500
to 1000 of these motors in Europe every
year, besides the American trade, and If the
ether motor is successful it would get all
this big business.
Walter NJ. Call of the Simcoe Gas and
Water company of Simcoe, Ontario, wrote
September 4th, saying that he saw the ether
motor article in the Buffalo Express. and
wanted just such a motor for a launch. say
ing that a gas engine ne had was far from
satisfactory.
j. Libby White of the Bradbury Marble
company of St. Louis. saw the ether bicycle
article and wanted machine with three or
four wheels, suitable to carry two persons.
He was ready to give an order for three
such machines if the price was reasonable.
j. Elmer Jones of New Boston, Pa, saw
the article in the q Philadelphia Press and
wrote Mr.. Twombly for particulars.
R. NJ. Hartley of Philadelphia. wrote Ito
know If the ether motor could be adapted
TO running small boat.
Tanner P. Hall of New York. saw the
=
tioulars.
These are simply samples of many letters
of in quiry that Mr.. Twombly has received.