Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1902-12-04
Secrets Lost to the World.

down to posterity as public benefac'
tors have been killed by their secrets
before they would consent to divulge
them to their fellow.b beings, says Tit
Bits.
In 1895 all Europe was startled By
the discovery of new explosive called
fulminite, which it was believed would
revolutionize modern warfare. 1t was
the invention of an Exeter scientist
named Sawbridge, and samples Of the
explosive which were tested by the
government revealed the fact that Its
power was three times greater than
that of cordite, and in consequence it
would treble the range of rife bull
let. The German government offered
Sawbridge 10000 pounds for his in
vention, which he patriotically refused
until the home authorities had had
the first option of the purchase. But
lust as the latter were about to seal a
contract with him the news came that
his laboratory had been blown up and
him with it. Unfortunately he left
no records whatever, and although
some of the leading experts Of the
day minutely examined the debris
they failed to discover the secret,
which is probably lost forever.
Forty.two years ago an Italian
priest, named Luigi Taranti, diecov-
cred method of making stained glass,
the coloring of which was declared to
be equal to that made by the ancients,
whose secret has been lost. Taranti
abandoned holy orders and set to work
TO execute the hundreds of commits
sions he received, in the secrecy of his
workshop at Ostia, near Rome. The
finest stained-glass windows in Italy
were made by him, aud he guarded
his secret well, for when year later
he was found dead of blood poisoning
set up by the pigments he employed,
it was realized that he had carried
his secret with him. The cleverest
workmen were called in to examine
the ingredients, but they one and all
failed to penetrate the dead man S
secret.
The person who could make compo-
sition billiard balls equal to those Of
ivory would quickly qualify as a mil
lionaire, and it is not an impossible
task, for it has already been done.
Less than a decade ago Scotch man
ufacturer put composition billiard balls
on the market which were as good but
only third Of the price Of those al
ready in use He refrained from pat
enting his invention, and made all the
balls himself, even his family being
prohibited from sharing his secret.
But just as be was beginning to taste
the fruits of his experiments he was
one day mortally wounded by an ac-
cident in his workshop and died be-
fore he could make any statement.
Experts were given specimens of the
balls to analyze, but, in spite Of the
fact that they succeeded in tracing
the materials used, they have long
since given up all hopes Of being able
to discover how they were put together.
The only man who has yet been sue
cessful in taking photographs in color
WAS a martyr to his discovery, the se-
cret of which j, lost. Some years ago
DR.. Herbert Franklin, Of Chicago,
submitted number Of colored photo
graphs-of somewhat crude nature,
it is trus-to the leading American
scientific institutions, and the eDcour-
aeement be received was such that he
built himselfa laboratory, proofagainst
the wiles Of spies, at a cost Of $4,000,
wherein to perfect his invention. In
the preparation Of his plates he used
charcoal FIRE, and one day whep at
work be omitted to open the ventila-
tors and was found asphyxiated. he
had refrained from divulging his Sc
cret to any one, and in consequence,
although some partially-fnished plates
that hid the secret remained, the way
they were prepared is problem that
has baf1ed scientists TO this day.
Another victim to his secret was
Adams, the inventor Of tallium, the
greatest discovery in metals Of the
age. Adams was confident that
metal could be produced which, al
though as hard as steel, was only half
it. weight and price, and after FIVE
yesrs' experimenting with an electri-
cal process, tallium was the result.
The invention was taken up through
out America, and orders for thousands
of tons of the metal began to pour in
from the railway campanies.
d. - ---o, soo IoIa Tba anorrnor1o