The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-11-26

died was the author of what has bsa.
known for fifteen or twenty years as the
Kelley motor. He succeeded in induc-
ing one patron after another 10 spend
money In perfecting his supposed dis
covery. and enc lady could not be dis
abused OF the idea that the machine
was to be successful until she had spent
nearly 100000 as the story goes.
Certain II Is that great sum Of money,
probably not less than sso0. 900. has been
spent upon this secret invention during
the many years Kelley was engaged on
the work
keeley's peculiarly was that he
claimed to have discovered an origina-
ting force independent of steam or cleo
tricity or water or gas-a force which
required an infinitely small beginning
to place In motion the most ponderous
machinery. Nobody has ever been told
what his secret was. His machine has
been seen. and an exhibition OF il was
made sor's five or six years ago, when
II became necessary 10 interest some
new capitalists. 1t is claimed that he
has left specifications of his plans in the
hands OF his company and that his Sc
cret has been fully written and de-
posted for safekeeping When the last
organization for raising money was
planned, one OF the conditions was that
he should impart his secret so that in
case Of his death the investors should
not lose their money. OF course, no.
body knows whether he did that or not
because the paper was sealed up.
II will be interesting to know whether
that secret has been put into such Ian
force can be continued. Those who have
contributed will have both the right and
the opportunity to know what prospect
there is now of being rewarded for their
confidence.
The extent of that confidence is no
less remarkable than the success Of the
inventor. who for twenty-eight years
has concentrated his attention on this
one subject and been successful in Sc
curing hundreds of thousands of dol
lars from people of intelligence from
practical business men and from in
quisitive women, who must have been
convinced that there was something in
the plans which were partially unfolded
TO them by Kelley.
Kelley is not the first man by many
who have either deceived themselves or
deceived the public by their efforts to
find an original motive power The
search for perpetual motion has driven
men crazy. and many machines have
been erected with great ingenuity and
considerable expense in pursuit Of a
myth. Richard Arkwright, whose in
veniion has done so much to simplify
the art of weaving. had very little
knowledge Of mechanical principles. and
he spent all his money making expert
ments In pursuit of perpetual motion.
His wife became so angry and impn-
tient at what she considered his folly
that she broke his collection of wheels
and levers TO pieces
Kelley had n great advantage oyer
most inventors who have had to prose-
cute their work in spite Of poverty and
encouragement He has lived comfort
ably and with none Of the anxieties
which tormented poor John Fitch. the
inventor Of the first steamboat who
was described as having been born
poor, lived poor and died poor, but leav-
Ing wonderful legacy 10 posterity Eli
Whitney, whose cotton gin added a
thousand million dollars to the revenue
OF the Southern states. did not benefit
by bis work. and John Kay. who in
vented the spinning machine. was not
only unable % benefit pecuniarily by
his labor, but was mobbed. fled the
country. and died in a foreign land.
George Washington records In his diary
THAI he spent thc greater part Of one
day making a new plow az his own in
vention. hut was fain to give il up.
The disappointments of the inventor
are pretty we'll set forth by the famous
James Watt. who discovered that steam
was power which could he applied to
mechanics. He said that Of all things
In life there was nothing more foolish
than inventing. and Kelley might have
said as Watt did: = have now brouEh,
the engine near a conclusion, bat ans
not an idea nearer that rest wish for
than was fopr years ago" Ye; the
rest came