The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-11-30
THE KELLY FASCINATION.
How Conservative Business Men
Were Induced to Invest.

philadelphia Times)
More than three years ago futile effort
was made to lure John Jacob Astor into
the Kelly scheme. A public announce
ment of that fact brought an approving
smile from well-known newspaper pub
Usher, who was then admired for his fore
sight and excellent Judgment in financial
matters. Eighteen years ago. he said
to the narrator at that time Il was in
vited to attend an exhibition of Keely's
marvellous force With view of inducing
me to make an investment of money in
the enterprise. 1 took with me Two we'll
known experts in physics, one of whom
was the gifted Professor George Barker
of the University of Pennsylvania. We
saw what many others have seen since.
A pint of water poured into cylinder
appeared to work incredible wonders, the
gauge showing q pressure OF o6,U0O pounds
to the square inch Great ropes were torn
apart, iron bars were broken and bullets
were discharged through twelve inches OF
planking by force that was invisible,
and which the expert scientists with me
tested in order to discover whether 1t
possibly could have been produced by
compressed air, electricity, steam or gases
of any kind. Upon that occasion l well
remember that Kelly said that within
very short time. with one quart of water,
he would be able to send train of cars
from Philadelphia to San Francisco and
back, and that with one gallon of the
same fluid he would drive a steamship.
from New York to Liverpool and return.
friends, the experts, whether or not the
force demonstrated had been produced
by any of the four causes have men
toned They said it had not: asked
them what was the power They said
they could not tell
The next day our friend, the publisher.
walked into the office of the secretary of
the Kelly Motor company, on Walnut
CT I'M q check
with request for ten shares of the stock
of the corporation. A look of disappoint-
ment crossed the officials face, and he
remarked that he thought the subscrip
ton would be larger. One hour later, in
his office. the publisher was visited by
two of the most influential members of
the board of directors, who said to him.
Were you not satisfied with last nights
demonstrations"
'Delighted," was the reply.
well, we surely counted upon your
subscribing for at least $4,000 worth Of
the stock said the visitors.
NO" said the newspaper man. IF all
that Keely says is true, the $500 I've in
vested will in few years be worth many
millions, and that will amply satisfy me
for the investment. If Keely has what he
claims, every newspaper press, every sta
tionary. engine, every street car, every
yided with steam power, will be given
force by the use of only pint of ordinary
water and untold millions will accrue to
invention"
That was twenty years ago, and steam
and electricity have not yet been sup
planted as motive powers.
Shortly after this occurrence a relative
by marriage of the publisher called upon
him and begged him to arrange for an in
spection OF the mysterious motor, To
this the relative said: Don't go. If you
do you WI be fascinated. You will invest
your nc Y perhaps to a reckless extent.
and yet there is nothing there to warrant
any sensible business man buylng the
stock The relative coaxed,. promising
that he would not put any of his money
into the scheme, explaining his curiosity
by the fact that he was interested in all
keen, shrewd judgment. He saw the
motor. 1t was not supposed afterwards
that he had spent penny upon it: Not
his personal estate disclosed the fact that
the day after he had visited Keely's work
shop in this city he had handed the sec
rotary of the company his check for $1,000.
One more incident
Shortly after the newspaper publisher
referred to had made his investment in
Keely stock he was visiting New. York.
name had been rumored about as a be-
lever in the motor. One morning he re-
ceived a card of nephew of George f.
Peabody The visitor explained that he
had noticed the arrival of the Philadel-
phian in one of the morning newspapers,
that he was going over to the Quaker
City to examine the great mystery, and
that he wanted the newspaper mans op1n-
ion of it. The reply received was: Don't
go. 1t is certain to impress you as
marvel. Unless you are ADLER than most
men you will believe in 1t and you will
waste your money. I do not say that it
is fraud, but L do say that Keely makes
extravagant promises, none of which are
ever fulfilled" The visitor declared that
he was possessed of sufficient firmness of
will not to be led into anything that cool
judgment. did not approve of. Now for
the sequel: Ten years ago or more there
was a row between the Philadelphia and
New York stockholders as to who should
control the Keely Motor company, and
at that time the Quaker City publisher
any, his visitor at the Fifth Avenue hotel
of years before had invested in the stock
of the CORPORATION. The answer he re-
,.t,rnha Sod $50 (N00 of K aa1V motor Sfoclx -