The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-02-06
The Poverty Of Elisha Gray.

This genius. who Is one OF the three great
est inventors OF the century. finds him
self poor man az sixty-three, and IN
the very shadow OF the palaces OF some
OF the men who have Toasted from the
products of his brains he is now forced
TO live in q humble house. the half OF
whose rooms and table is shared by day
boarders. who pay the regulation price
OF the weekly meal ticket
He can sit in his place in Highland
Park H. and call the names of score
of powers in the world OF finance who
have caught him in a corner. found him
without penny. and fooled him into self
ing his patents for song. The piufui
lament Of his latter days is that he did
not have a conservator appointed when
he had money. he now fears he may Ole
without a cent
Professor Gray knows his falling better
than any one else he has been up ana
down. He has made fortunes and spent
them. He has never had any considera-
bic amount OF money that he did not think
IL was enough 10 last forever. He admits
that II never occurred 10 him 10 be
scientist for money He has never looked
for any return save the fame. Ho once
spent year in ievising plan for an i'm
provement in the work Of the telephone.
The improvement was grabbed UP on
sight. II brought him 4 check fer $4,000
He thought this was enough 10 last him
the balance of his life He ordered his
wife and family 10 pack the trunks. They
sailed for Europe the next week. There
was nothing too good or expensive for
! them to buy. They brought home pictures.
| statuary and art treasures, and the home
was decorated like the palace of a king.
| This season of extravaganza was fol-
| lowed by one of extreme want. The pro-
] Led Haa
would be practicable to send autograph
messages by telegraph. The plan took so
much OF his time that he forgot 10 pay
| the grocer and the butcher. The barn
| on his homestead became his study. He
borrowed all the money he could get his
/ friends to loan him. This went for wires.
batteries and machinery. He became so
filed with the scheme on his mind that
time and time again he was carried by
his station In his trips TO Chicago for ma
terial He lived like man in a perpetual
dream. The men who knew him knew
that something great was 10 transpire.
| They waited.
The time TO deal with Gray Is when
he is dreadfully hard up" said the pres
| ident Of one of the telegraph companies.
1T is never good business to make him
an offer when he has money. He has now
on the string an invention which is going
to revolutionizs telegraphy. He wants a
big price for his idea, which is In prac-
teal working order His figures are way
up. The thing to do is 20 wait until his
bills get away up. He will then sell foI
a song"
Professor Gray is getting TO the point
where he will sell for a song. II has come
TO the point where boarders have been Ia
ken in the home to help meet the bills
He has lost his buoyancy of spirit and
has descended to the plane Of an ordinary
grinder for an ordinary salary. The bis
shop which was erected for his use Ia:
practically been abandoned The fires II
the plant are smokeless, and. pent up II
his little study, which has been shorr
of the pictures bought in golden days, M
has been compelled to abandon his plan,
of science for science sake and Is nov
trying to recoup his fortunes by working
in the most commonplace lines. He spen
the last year in improving bicycle lamp
The improvement was quickly gobblet
up by a man who had money and paid
cash-the smallest possible fraction Of its
actual worth.
This trait, possibly more than his great
ness. has made him one of the most
sought after men in Chicago. His neigh
bors have been most solicitous about him
Men of money have been keeping tab:
on his habits for a quarter of a century
lie told me the other day that he hat
more friends after long season OF con
finement and study than at other times
He thinks he is watched like vulture'
watch a feeding ground. His friends in
crease as the evidences of his poverty in
crease.
There was two years in which he was
working over the telautograph that he di,
not have a caller. The moment he pu
the thing to an actual test MS house wa
thronged with people who were so intense
" interested in him that he could find NJ
time for his research. \ company was or
gained. a majority OF the stock wal
sold in New York. His little share ha,
since disappeared. The company which
now controls the invention has abou
brought It 10 actual perfection. and Pro
fessor Cray will get nothing.
| This sort of thing has been going on fo1
so long that he has come TO expect ~. If
first met hard luck In 1875. He had speu
years in his laboratory improving his piar
Of the speaking telephone. he had tbs
thing perfected and sent the Cavest @
Washington. There was a leak IN th'
patent Office. A man who had filed hh
application some months before called ans
withdrew H. lie said he wanted 20 MAXI
/ NOMINATIONS
The very plans IN Professor Gray's paper
were incorporated In hts OWL. law sui
followed between the two patentees- Pro
fessor Gray was defeated. despite the hes
NJ could do. All be got was q right =
collect royalties on certain parts. IL
prof,ed by this for a time and vas ther
fooled out Of IL.
This man is now IN affect poverty. Eii'
Drese3t plan Of invention embraces a con
viction that electricity can be produce
without extrsneous aid. such a. steam
He Insists that the energy obtained from
cosI through steam will BE turned directly
into electricity. He claims that too rnuct
Of the latent energy Is lost IN the round
about transformation. ard that the 6irec
results will be sooner Or later obfslHef
without the waste Of force
Time and sine again he has tried - utl
lie the electrical currents IN she air f'
has abandoned that theory he says ma
the force manifested 81 the air is The -
suit Of conflict Of nat1Ta! force. and eH
lists in taa air as a form % energy.
rnay nevs been Egat or hest before it wa'
changed 20 electricity. Fe does not thial
70 can ever be turned back iato eiecfsic4
u Tor TIE generation = power.
7 Professor Cray talks thus r. TIRE com
ifrg inventors. even 81 tae rulerf of hi
! personal fa.lure. He g. 10 longer able ..
: provide Tor hlrlseif q strtio which is FIRE.
. from invasion There fs . hogae FIJI q
children. The rrec.rc-s wsfc1 have Esre
totore been sacred 81 a.u ere u0N 30
rau-.s q r9.sfcT.nz b1ys sDd z.ris u
receD..cn r5orn - grrpe-Ha44y s-revu uiti
TOYS TIE 11arssrs fox - Eis h81sl
- ths tlow o zee whistle TIE yogri
porre- z6sc% ~ Sc gla1s 81 ere sstsini
room. Ire grosrfs have been Isziecte