The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1896-02-17
We HAVE A ROENTGEN HERE
And He is But Eighteen Years of
Age.
HAS PRODUCED CATHODE RAYS !
Raymond Bhrhart Accomplishes Results
That Surprise His Relatives and
Friends-Lee straub is a valu-
able Co-Laborer.


spiration excited in the scientific world by
the discovery of Prof Roentgeu and the
experiments of scientists and inventors in
this country with the new X rays a leading
newspaper stated few days ago that it
looked as if the rays would finally be pro-
duced by such simple methods and appar-
atus as to bring experiments within the
reach of amateurs. The HERALD wishes to
add to this statement that two amateur
scientists in this town have already produced
the rays with highly satisfactory results, and
neither of the parties is IS years old. One is
Raymond Ehrhart, the 17-year-old son of
Prof w. N. Ehrhart, principal of the Maha-
nOy City public Schools but resides ON East
Oak street in this town, and the otheris Lee,
the l5-year-Old son of DR.. ID. w. Straub, of
South White street. These young men have
been experimenting with the Y rays for a
little over two weeks and accomplished their
aim on saturday evening. 1t is difficult to
imagine the joy with which the boys
announced the result to their friends and the
satisfaction experienced by their parents is
of no less degree.
The accomplishing Mt of the boys is more
remarkable from the fact that they were
aided by no special apparatus. Everything
used in their work was made and arranged
with their own hands and upon theories
arising in their own minds, principally based
upon what they had learned of electricity and
photography in the High School, from books
and newspaper reports of discoveries and ex-
periments in both scientific spheres. Young
Ehrhart is the recognized electrician of the
twain and Straub the photographer. As soon
as Prof. Roentgen's discovery was given
publicity their attention was attracted by it
and they determined to sec what they could
attain in that line. After considerable ex-
perimenting they undertook final test
Saturday afternoon. They placed a sensitive
plate, about p inches square, within COM
mon pasteboard box about the same size, with
the sensitive side upwards. Upon the cover
of the box they placed an ordinary leather
purse containing three dimes (the purse being
closed a nail and lense from small magic
lantern. Directly over and about three inches
above these articles was suspended by
silken thread bulb which had done service
as an incandescent electric lamp, had burned
out and been cast aside, but Young Ehrhart
reserved it for use in his laboratory They
also placed ON each side of the assembled
material large magnet They rested on
empty tin boxes which at one time contained
cocoa. The points of the magnets were drawn
close to each other under the incandescent
lamp. The latter was connected with
battery which young Ehrhart made for him
self. The exposure commenced at o'clock
Saturday afternoon. The laboratory was
kept in total darkness, At7 o'clock in the
evening the boys removed the sensitive plate
and found upon it not only excellent shadow
graphs Of the nail, lense and purse, but also
clearly defined shadowgmphs of the dimes as
they were placed in the purse, scattered. The
negative has been placed in the hands Of u
professional photographer and he is taking
prints from it. The young scientists will
distribute the prints among a few of their
| friends as mementOes OF the first plate
prepared in line with Prof Roentgen's dis
coyery in Pennsy sylyania, outside of Philadel-
phia, and more interesting from the fact that
they are the handiwork of scientists who are
| from four to six years below the recognized
age of manhood.
Young Ehrhart seems destined to follow in
the footsteps of the great Thomas Edison.
Electricity seems to monupoize nearly all
his thought and attention. His laboratory Is
in his bedroom. A rough work bench in one
corner with Il homemade switchboard and
covered by scores of batteries of all sizes and
descriptions made of old tomato cans
covered with tin foil, discarded tumblers and
fruit jars, and other accessories strongly
suggesting the most unimportant accumula-
tion of junk shop, is the altar at which he
spends hours of days and nights, and seem,
TO worship. Mr., and Mrs Ehrhart said las
evening, We tried to discourage Raymond
| in his electrical work because we wanted {,
fit him for the medical profession, but all oul
efforts have been in vain, as you can sec By
the accumulation of material with which he
has surrounded himself. This spool you see
with yards upon yards of wire wound upon
it," said Mrs Ehrhart he made when We
/ thought he was sound asleep. l happened to
wake up at about three o'clock one morning
and saw u light in his room. Upon inquiring
into the cause | found him completing this
spool" Since he is so persistent and has
succeeded in confirming Prof. Roentgen's s
discovery without any aid other than that
given him by young Straub, suppose there
is nothing for us to do but to give him a
full course in electricity and allow
him to pursue the bent Of his TALENT
While his mother was talking young Ehr
hart sat in a tilted chair with his head bent
slightly forward, the muscles of his face
motionless, and his eyes bent upon plates
lying on the rough workbench with which he
evidently intends to improve upon the plate
he has already made What he and his
colleague have accomplished is somewhat
Insignificant when compared with what has
been done in that line but it is certainly
remarkable when we take into consideration
the age of the boys, the recent date of the
discovery and the homemade character Of the
apparatus used, and this in face of the pre-
diction made by one of the foremost news
papers of the country only week ago thai
1T looks as if tho rays will finally be pro
duced by such simple methods and apparatus
as to bring experiments within the reach o
amateurs" indicating that no idea was enter
tained that any amateur had tho hardihood
to undertake an experiment under the present
condition of the discovery. 1t would seen
that young Ehrhart is not only tho frs
disciple of Roentgen in Pennsylvania, outsid,
of Philadelphia, but the first amateur {,
successfully follow his footsteps in thi
trrattu