The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-04
MUSIC AS MOTIVE POWER.
KeeIy of "MOtor" Fame Has Har-
messed Sound in His Laboratory.
NaW
New York Press.

Music may. be the motive power of the
latter end of the century. If keely OF
keely motor fame is right in his most re-
cent propositions, then the millennium is
at hand. Soon every servant may have to
have a musical education. Soon every me-
chan-c may have to combine with his trade
the art of playing on the one or two mu-
steal instruments that Vibrate in harmony
with his peculiar work.
If the mere touch of a tuning fork will
set in motion and keep running for an in
definite time a One-horse power keely
motor, why cannot the joyous playing of
piano furnish the harmony, or, as Keely
calls it, the "synthesis," for a whole fac
tory? one is bound to ask
In some future day it may be possible
to take a tuning fork and by striking a
high CT go to Harlem on bicycle without
further effort. Think of a man going
aboard Staten-island ferry boat, and by
simply playing the proper tune on the
proper instrument thus working his pas
sage across the bay
While it may be said that there IS Moth
ing distinctly new in Keely's latest dem
onstration. the mere fact of it's being in
dorsed by practical men ought to give him
encourage cement TO keep in the line that
he has been working for more than gen
GRAFTON until he has produced something
tang gil E. or, at least, practical.
And keely'S new force has received al
most unequiVOcal Endorsement by nearly a
score of hard-headed tnanciers. Practical
men with no axes to grind having seen
inventor has really succeeded in harness.
ing sound. After a life of ridicule Keely
has at last demonstrated that there We're
more forces of nature operating in the
world than were dreamt of in the natural
philosophy of the schools. Nobody except
Mr. Keely and his lawyer has a clear idea
Of how the motor notes., but a number
or practical gentlemen from New York are
convinced that it does. 1t seems as if some
day the name of the much-ridiculed Kelly
would be placed with that of Watts, Morse,
Franklin and Edison.
Among those who went the other day to
Philadelphia to see the Kelly motor was
ET3nGinli ia >
OF the Manhattan Elevated. In speaking
OF what what, ne saw in n keely's workshop, Mr..
keely has discovered a force. AS
steam and electricity have been harnessed,
so keely seems to have harnessed sound,
AS to the practica bility of the employ
ment of the force which Keely has discov-
cred that is another question. Certainly
ne has nothing there now which has a
kind He has. | am convinced, a small
force, or 1t may he small development of
a great force
whatever it is. it is rot thing which
in its present state of development will take
the place of the forces already known and
employed as motive powers. The state
ment that l went to Philadelphia with the
intention of deciding upon the employment
OF the Keely motor on the elevated roads is
absurd: L went there because l received an
invitation, and, having heard so much
about Keely and his motor, : was a little
curious about him and it.
Il was amazed by what I saw There
was evidently no chance for deception.
saw machine that put itself in motion
when something that looked like a tuning
fork WAS struck. Kelly had several Of
these things about the edge of his machine
He explained the workings of the machine
TO US, but we could not understand his ex-
PLANTATION.
The only thing which he did. not try to
explain was how he sensitized the disks so
that they would put themselves in motion
when the vibration was started, to which
they were accorded.
'keely calls his force polar waves what
ever that may mean. Possibly, far on in
summers that we shall not see the Keelv
motor may amount TO real engine which
can move machinery and do what cleo
tricity and steam do now, but at present il
is not practical thing
We have no more idea OF considering II
seriously for use our roads than we
have of contracting for flying machines
Still. 1t is great discoveryylt that may lead
some time 10 something great
"Keely. of course, is very sanguine He
thinks his invention or discovery is at once
TO revolutionize motive power but il is not
think that the only man besides Keelv
who really understands the motor is his
lawyer, who, when the invention comes to
be patented will draw up the papers. To
him. | think Keely has fully explained an
about the motor. possibly with the idea
that IL in the inventors lifetime nothing
practical came OF it. this man can tell