The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-01-06
FAULT OF WAVE MOTORS.
A HONOLULU MECHANIC WHO
KNOWS A BIT ABOUT THEM.
A Notable Failure - Enormous Cost
Perpetual Matchmaking Kaiskaua
fY as an Inventor.

81 would like to meet the man mem
toned in the STAR as working on wave
motor" said II. G. Reed to reporter
last evening. This opened conversa-
ton in which the Honolulu Iron Works
foreman talked interestingly on efforts
to capture the power OF the sea swell.
Years ago Mr.. Reed had novelty shop
in San Francisco. He made number
of models for inventors and in time de-
voted himself exclusively to that work.
The big city had dozens OF men with
mechanical ideas OF various degrees of
weirdness, utility and uselessness. Every
designer believed firmly in his pet
scheme and was willing to stake his last
penny on it. Some of the inventors
succeeded in producing an available
patent. Most OF them failed. There
were two examinations to the projects OF
the enthusiasts either the machine re-
fused to work or its cost was fabulous.
Mr.. Reed said the wave-trap idea was
worked out and the motor constructed
and operated. The inventor was in the
seventh heaven OF ecstasy. He was
figuring on the disposition OF the mill
lions that were to flow into his treasury,
and in an attack OF friendship and adj
miration volunteered to endow the model
maker with large fortune. As Mr.. Reed
had tried to tell his customer from
the first, the only difficulty was
the cost OF making captive the swell.
When they came right down to figures
it was to find that an expenditure OF
100000 daily was required for the de-
velopment OF each unit OF horsepower
shown. The plan was to pump water to
an elevation and have it force wheels in
its downward flow, the power being app
piled in the generation OF electricity.
1.-THE one thing required TO make the
thing a success" remarked Mr.. Reed,
Twas scheme to get chain round the
retreating swell to haul back the bulk
head.
The remains of wave motor, repre-
senting an outlay OF 10000, lie under
Point Lobos, near the Cliff House, San
Francisco.
At one time Mr.. Reed journeyed to
Sacramento in the service of man who
had perpetual motion machine. The
workshop and device so far as completed
were behind three heavily barred doors.
The inventor was a farmer. He had
brought out from Germany u brother
who was a machinist, but shipped him
back upon the relations demand that he
have half interest in the property. Mr..
Reed tried to tell his client that neither
that machine nor any other could achieve
power without a source. The man would
not listen to arguments, and in a few
months used SO 600 on the model. When
it was finished it would run just so
long as it had assistance. The inventor
was not bit discouraged. He said
it only required one more wheel prop
erly placed to make it complete sue
cess and create mechanical revolution.
The German was shrewd enough, after
his patent had been granted, to exhibit
the device in tent at Sacramento. He
did big business for time as show
man, but finally dropped the machine
and returned to his farm.
1t is quite generally known locally
that the late King Kalakaua was a
student of steam and other enslaved
forces. Very few are aware, however,
that he once worked on perpetual mo-
ton machine, setting up a little shop in
the bungalow. After a few trials with
his engine he gave it up. Upon one oc-
casion Kalakaua called into consultation
an eminent engineer who was visiting
the Islands. He submitted project to
run the electric light plant for the
Palace by weight system. He had
figured on tower $50 feet high. To get
the weight to the top he proposed al
fording employment for large force OF
natives. They were to man the cranks
on the pulleys. The engineers calcu-
lation gave in result the creation of five
horse power for single hour as the ut.
most capacity OF the weight plant
Kalakaua at once abandoned the plan
and rather lost interest in mechanics.