New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1903-05-16
A STARTLING INVENTION.

WlrI Joul A. MONTGOMERY Of
NIIItau>port, Pa, snou ecs Il II
few days ago that he hnd /, rlrrIrd
Il device by means OF witch water
could be used as a means Of fuel H.
any stove, people began to doubt
his reason This suspicion has
now given place TO III intense in
tereet in the old inventors scheme,
whish is daily becoming more wide
spread
From various capitalists aud
manufacturers, including II Phil
adelphIa syndicate, who have learn
ed of the invention, have come ullur-
ing propositions looking to It's pur-
chase, hut all have thus far been
declined Feeling secure in the pos
session of his marvellous secret, Mr..
Montgomery is determened to take
no one outside of his own family
into his confidence until Il satisfac
tory patent right is secured. Then,
he declares, he or his son will
manufacture the article aud fix a
price which will place it within the
reach of all.
That the invention is complete
and thoroughly practicable, there
is no longer any doubt, for tests
made 10 the presence Of disinterest-
ed persons have been perfectly
successful. In making II demon.
stration, Mr.. Montgomery draws
some aqua pura from the hydrant,
aud pours it into the burner through
n metal tube. The water apparent
ly uudergoes decomposition dur
ing it's progress through the tube,
and presently appears in the CRATE
in the form Of white fire, which
throws ont an intense heat. The
inside Of that tube and the con
denser at its extremity are guarded
closely against scrutiny, and the
device is never left III the stove
while the eihventor is ont Of the room.
This wizard, who accomplshes
the seeming paradox of getting fire
out of water, is not crank or an
upstart 10 the scientific field He
was u warm personal friend Of the
late Prof, Morse and invented a
switch which he presented to the
father Of the telegraph. He is now
7S years old, and yet it was but a
few weeks ago that he announced
the invention Of Il chart to facili-
tate the instruction Of children in
primary schools. When small
boy he invented for his mother an
adjustable marker for prefguring
ornamental quilting, aud since that
time he has made about thirty in
ventions Of note. 1t has taken him
just thirty-five years to perfect q
device for utilizing water for fuel.
In his pleasant home in Wash
ington street, a day ortwo ago, the
inventor talked Of his discovery
rs follows:
"In the first place, wish it un-
detstoOd that have never said |
could do a thing until after had
done it. When | say that | can
burn water, however, saw thing
which | have proved time and
again.
II cannot understand why my in
vention should create such sur
prise, for any student of chemis-
try should know that it is founded
on sound scientific principles.
Thirty-fve years ago, when | re.
sided at Poughkeepsie, N. Y, |
learned by experimenting that per-
feet heat is derived from the COM
bustion Of one part of oxygen with
two parts of hydrogen, forced into
contact by means Of Il compound
blowpipe. Now, it happens that
water is composed Of those two ele-
meuts in that exact proportion.
The idea readily occurred to me,
why should water not be the per-
feet fueli' and have been work
ing out that idea ever since. |
started, with the conviction that
heat is s4present in water in the form
of latent energy, and that with a
nroper device il could be made per-
ceptible.
THE THEORY SIMPLE.
1.-THE theory was very simple,
but the mechanical work cost
the many a sleepless night, and
enough disappointment to drive an
ordinary man mad. In the mean
time, l have held various positions
aud made other important inven'
tions, but this is the one object
on which all my most serious
thought aud labor have been cen
tered Now thst the goal is reached
you must not think it strange thai
| am chary Of rushing into tn.
Patent Office aud perhaps losing
the fruit of my thirty-fve years OF
labor. ! hope to get something
more than v patent, for once the
secret becomes known what is tt
drohibit others from patenting simi
lar water burners with sligh
changes in the mechanism The
article is one of such grea; henef'
to the public that think the gov
erntnent should give me specia
protection as its inventor. In thu
ca>r. | will guarantee that the pub
lie will have HE u.s.. 1T the invrn
fiun ~ II normal cs,>i
As it stands, the device does no
p-r,uil VI much description. Tll,
secret lies in n metal condenser
whici, may be placed ju.t nin'rl
the graie Of any sf.,''r The wai.I
NAV tc fed from a tank over tht
stovr, or from II iiy,iran. il,fnngl
4 metal pipe attached to ihr con
deuser. Here thr water hrcume.
decomposed aud separated into oxy
l. -