The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-29
MISSED A GOOD THING,
Invested I'm KeeIy's Motor Instead of
Westinghouse Engines,

Westinghouse Engines.
From the New Orleans Times Democrat.
Il don't believe in Barnums cynical
axiom that the public likes 70 be hum
plugged" said visitor from Philadel-
phia, but 1 must confess there are times
when it really seems to be the case. I
remember very distinctly when Prof.
Kelly of motor fame first bobbed up with
a queer tumble of cogs and pistons and
a string of big words calculated to awe
the thoughtless. and just before l left
home, few days ago, his executor made
a candid admission that no secret of any
kind had been left behind, which Is tanta-
mount 10 saying that the gullible Phila-
delphia public put over $5OO,O 600 in a thing
of air. l was among the fools, and there
is one little circumstance in connection
with my investment that strikes me upon
looking backward as being rather pictur-
esque. Like almost every resident of Phil
adelphia, had become deeply interested
in the motor scheme, and my curiosity
was piqued 10 the last degree by the
vague but fascinating descriptions print
ed from time to time in the papers. More
over | was well acquainted with several
OF those who owned stock, and had great
confidence in their judgment and sagacity.
1t so happened that l had about $500 "
ing idle at the time and. to make long
story short. l finally concluded to invest
It an the enterprise, new company hav-
ing just been organized among the form
er stockholders and the securities placed
on the market. Before l could do So how
ever young lawyer of my acquaintance
dropped in at the office and told me that
he had a mighty good opening in view for
a small investment.
ut seemed that a mechanical genius IN
Pittsburg had devised a new type of en-
gine that was to all appearances a vast
improvement over anything yet built, but
he was as poor as a church mouse, and
needed money to secure foreign patents
and construct working models. He was
willing to assign half interest ia the In
vention to anybody who would put up
enough cash to get 1t launched, and mu-
tual friend in Pittsburg, who had seen the
machine. and was deeply impressed with
its practicability, had given him a very
strong letter of recommendation to the
young attorney 1 heard the story through
and told my visitor that l was very sorry
but his proposition came just a trile too
late. l had made up my mind, / said, TO
put what little spare cash l had on hand
IN dnOtner KIM OF mecnanlCdI uSNlce-tne
Kelly motor-and was intending that very
day to go over to the company headquar-
ters and put down my name for a small
block of the new issue of stock. At that
time Kelly Motor stock was regarded
with profound respect in Philadelphia,
and there was nothing in the least fan
tastic about my proposal to invest in It..
So the lawyer made no special effort to
dissuade me- but at the same time he
could not conceal his disappointment, and
said he felt sure / was missing a rare and
exceptional chance. Time win tell. re-
piled sagely and time has told in a manner
peculiarly emphatic and impressive. The
name of the Pjttsburg genius who wanted
a few hundred dollars to get his engine be-
fore the world was George Westinghouse.
If 1 had embraced the opportunity and
obtained an interest in his engine / would
have realized several million dollars in
side of five years AS 1t was l gave my
little old $500 to Mr. Keely, paid fully 5000
more in assessments, and realized nothing
but a large dividend of anxiety. 1t GER
tainly seems a good joke nowadays that
the Westinghouse engine should have gone
begging for hackers, while the Keely mo-
tor had only to open lis books when 1t
wanted money"