The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-06-30
KEELYS LATEST MOTOR
Spectators Say 1t Noted. That's All They
Know.

lWO ulcCudulCdl GuSlu0cIo, UWO ClCOpl1-
cal engineers, and the general manager of
the Manhattan Elevated railroad went to
Philadelphia from New York on Friday
to witness test of the Keely motor
Here is what some of them thought of
what they saw. 1t would seem that if the
vince those who saw the test that he has
discovered new force in dymamies he
certainly did succeed in puzzling them.
Alfred S. Brown, the chief electrician of
the Western Union Telegraph Co., in
speaking of the motor, said:
You must excuse me from going into
a technical discussion of Mr.. Keely's
invention, If it really be an invention. I
do not know enough about the con
trivance to enter into such a discussion.
l do not know that it is an invention, be-
cause lido not know that Nr. Keely has
made the discovery of a new force in
dynamics. This much, though, can say:
1 really believe he thinks he has made
such discovery. We were invited to
visit Mr.. Keely's laboratory to see the
motor work We saw it, at rest and in
and large one. We saw some of its
parts, we heard Mr.. Keely speak of the
sympathetic transmitter,' which, he says
generates the powers; we heard him speak
Of the 'vitalized discs his polar and
sdepolar etheric waves, and his 'sensitized
cartridges. 1 cannot speak for the other
gentleman who went over with me, but as
for myself, have not the slightest idea
of what any of those terms mean. 1 really
think that any other fantastic names
would have done quite as well as those
Mr.. Keely uses. After hearing all these
terms, we saw the motor mote. That's
about all can say for it. Nothing that
saw would justify me in saying that
any useful discovery in dynamics has
or, etheric engine, or whatever you may
choose to call it, develop more than one
twentieth horse power.
when it came to an examination of
the motor, we were stopped before we got
very far. We were not allowed to find
out, even if we could, just what it was
that came from the sympathetic gener-
| ator, or to test the composition of the
| vitalized discs No examination was
| allowed of the composition of the sensi-
tized cartridges How, then, was it pos
sible for us to draw any conclusions as
/ to the practical value of the motor? I
saw nothing to convince me that it has
practical value. can imagine that the
wheels went round by some device,
such as the late Mr.. Hermann might have
conjured up. Mind you, do not say
that such is the case, but from all saw
itimight have been. l am quite willing
to admit that, if Keely has discovered
what he says he has, it will prove one of
the most wonderful discoveries the world
has ever known. As near as Il can make
out, Keely claims to have discovered
thor ir,c from the
and planets. These he controls and har-
monies by his tuning fork continuance.
When the harmony is perfect the sym
pathetic transmitter' begins do business
and the motor notes"
Another man who saw the "motor
mote" but did not wish to be quoted
said: "Those of us who saw the motor.
or 'etheric engine, in operation came
| away knowing just about as much as we
did when we went there. The most won
derful thing in relation to the test was
| the reports Of it in some of the papers this
| morning. They were absolutely absurd
lake, for instance, one report. In that
I find this:
Although the railroad men were NOT
| here in an official capacity, it is generally
understood, should they become convinced
of the practicability of the inventions of
Keely, both the Manhattan Elevated and
| Metropolitan Traction companies of New
York would be recommended to adopt
them as motive power.
"None of those connected with either of
| the companies mentioned has the SLIGHT
est idea of even considering the Kee1v
continuance in the light Of a motive
power. We saw nothing to lead us to be-
lieve that the invention, or whatever it
may be called, has any practical value.
Even If it has, the chances Of its being
suggested for use on either the elevated
on ~ are re as remote q ta Tract
of your being struck by lightning When
there's clear sky over your head