Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-23
THE KELLY MOTOR.
A Marvel, but an Unsafe Investment-
Some Experiences.


Some Experiences.
From the Philadelphia Times.
| The publication in the New York letter
| in Sundays Times of the fact that John
| Jacob Aston did not intend burying a por
ton of his millions in the Keely motor
mystery brought an approving smile yes
| terday from a well-known Philadelphia
newspaper editor and publisher, who is
noted for his foresight and excellent judg
ment in financial matters. Eighteen years
| ago." he said Il was invited to attend an
| exhibition Of Keely's marvellous force with
| a view of inducing me to make an invest
ment of money in the enterprise. l took
with me two well-known experts in phys
| les, one of whom was the gifted Professor
| George Barker of the University of Penn
! sylvania. We saw what many others have
seen since. A pint of water poured into
| cylinder appeared to work Incredible won
| ders. the gauge showing a pressure of
J $4,000 pounds to the square inch.
/ Great ropes We're torn apart iron bars
were broken and bullets were discharged
through twelve inches Of plankiEg by
| force that was invisible, and which the
| expert scientists with me tested in order
to discover whether it could possibly have
| been produced by compressed air, cleo
| tricity, steam or gases of any kind. Upon
| that occasion l we'll remember that Keely
| said that within very short time with
| one quart of water he would be able to
| Send tram OF cars from HnllaQelpnla 10
| San Francisco and back and that with
| one gallon of the same fluid he would drive
steamship from New York to Liverpool
| and return. After the exhibition l asked
my two friends, the experts, whether
| not the force demonstrated had been pro-
| duced by any of the four causes l have
mentioned. They said it had not. 1 asked
| them what was the power. They said they
/! could not tell"
The next day our friend. the publisher
walked into the office Of the secretary of
the Kelly Motor Company, on Walnut
| street, and handed him check for $500,
| with request for ten shares of the stock
! of the corpora ton. A look of disappoint-
| ment crossed the officials face, and he re-
| marked that he thought the subscription
would be larger
Practical View.
| One hour later, in his office. the pub
| Usher was visited by two of the most influ-
| entail members of the board of directors,
who said to him: Were you not satisfied
| with last nights demonstrationf'
| Delighted" was the reply.
| well, we surely counted upon your sub
scrihing for at least $4,000 worth of the
Stock said the visitors.
| No said the newspaper man. IF all
| that Keely says is true. the $500 I've in
! vested will in few years be worth many
| Millions and that will amply satisfy me
! for the investment. If keely has what he
| claims every newspaper press, every sta
;ionary engine, every street car, every loco
motive, everything that is now provided
with steam power will be given force by
the use of only pint of ordinary water,
| and untold millions will accrue to those
who have put their money into the inven-
| ton
That was eighteen years ago, and steam
| and electricity have not yet been sup
| planted as motive powers.
| Shortly after this occurrence a brother
| in-law of the publisher called upon him
and begged him to arrange for an inspec-
| ton of the mysterious motor. To his rea-
| tive he said: Don't go. If you do you will
| be fascinated. You will invest your money
| perhaps to reckless extent, and Yet there
| is nothing there to warrant any sensible
| business man buying the stock" The
hrother-in-law coaNed, promising that he
| would not put any of his money into the
| scheme, explaining his curiosity by the fact
that he was interested in all mechanical
| devices. He superintendent of one Of
| the largest print works in the world-a
| man Of keen, sbrewd judgment. He
| the motor. 1t was not supposed afterward
| that he had spent penny upon 1t. A few
years ago he died, and an examination of
| his personal estate disclosed the fact that
| the day after he had visited Keely's work
shop in this city he had handed the secre-
| tary of the company his check for 5000
| A Prediction Verified.
| One more incident
| Shortly after the newspaper publisher
referred to had made his investment in
| Keely stock he was visiting New York,
| staying at the ruin Avenue iOlel his
name had been rumored about as be-
| lever in the motor. One morning he re-
| ceived a card of a nephew of George F.
Peabody. The visitor explained that he
had noticed the arrival of the Philadel-
| phian in one of the morning newspapers;
that he was going over to the Quaker city
| to examine the great mystery, and that he
wanted the newspaper mans opinion CT it.
| The reply received was: Don't go. 1t is
| certain to impress you as marvel Unless
| you are ADLER than most men you will be-
lieve in it, and you will waste your money.
| 1 do not say that it is a fraud; but l do
say that keely makes eXtraNagant prom
| Uses, none of which are ever fulfilled"
| The visitor declared that he was pos
sessed of sufficient firmness of will not to
| be led into anything that cool Judgment
did not approve of. Now for the sequel.
| Eight years ago there was a row between
| the Philadelphia and New York Stockhold-
ers to who should control the keely Mo-
| tor Company, and at that time the Quaker
| city publisher made inquiry as to how much
| money, if any, his visitor at the Fifth Ave
| nue. Hotel of years before had invested in
| the stock of the corporation. The answer
he received was: Mr.. Peabody has alto
| gether purchased $4,000 of keely motor
stock.
What has become of all the money?
That is mighty difficult question to
answer. Keely himself is a rough, rude.
| crude man. whose personal habits are not
| expensive There is no doubt. however.
| that vast sums have been expended in
| useless machinery, devices ana toolS one
| piece of mechanism, which cost $4,000, was
| paid for and Immediately rejected by the
| inventor because he claimed there a
| flaw in 1t. He thinks nothing of spending
| $4,000 for piece of machinery, and few
| weeks afterward throwing it aside as use
| less. In that queer-looEing workshop of
| his on Goth street. above Master, he GER
| tainly does perform the most marvellous
| things, but how he does it no one but HIM
| self knows.
doubt If any one ever will.