The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-07-31
MAY SUE FABRIC.
Shale Owners on Trail of Start
ling Information.
C. w. Potter, Chicago Expert,
Makes Charges.
GIVE HIM A TRIAL.
Two Men Are to Conduct Series
of Experiments.
Why the Test Mill Has Not Been
Bnilt.
GIVE HIM A TRIAL

c. w. Potter, prominent Chicago as
sayer and chemist of the firm of Dick
man, Mckenzie & Potter, and a SON
in-law of Paul Morton, vice president
of the Santa Fe railroad, makes the
sensational charge that DIR. Ernest Fab
rigs much discussed ''bauxogen'' meth
cd of extracting gold from Kansas shale
is fake.
There is a report that if Mr. Potter
can sustain this charge, suit will be
brought against DR.. Fahrig by the rich
Topeka men who employed him. to
either recover about $1,000 paid to him,
or failing in that. to enforce some pen
atty for the alleged crime of obtaining
money under false pretenses.
1t is also reported, and has not been
denied, that DR.. Fahrig has been obliged
to resign his position as chief of labora-
tories of the Philadelphia Commercial
| Museum, because of certain things
which were disapproved by the manage
ment of the museum. 1t is stated that
among other things, DR.. Fahrig's al
legged discovery OF ''bauxogen'' and his
methods of exploiting it, were consid-
cred unsuitable.
Among the men who employed DR..
Fahrig. and superintended his elabor-
| ate experiments here with the test
MILL there is a difference of opinion
as to the truth of the charges against
DR. Fahrig. Some condemn Fahrig in
/ the most bitter terms. and accuse him
of all manner of crookedness. Others
think that when given a chance, Fahrig
will be able to sustain his position, ana
! prove that Mr.. Potter is badly mis-
/ taken.
1t is the plan of the Topeka shale men
to have both Mr.. Potter and Mr.. Fab
rig come to Topeka, and together con-
/ duct experiments with the shale, to de-
teTmine which of them is right.
''Bauxogen," the mysterious subject
which Fahrig used as his active ele-
ment," and which he refused to tell
much about, is said to be nothing but d
chemical form of aluminium. .Fahrig
claimed that he discovered bauxogen
while experimenting with ozone, and
that the only protection for the secret
of the manufacture OF this wonderful
substance was to refuse to tell anything
about it,
Fred Freeman, cashier of the Mer-
chants National bank, and one who
development of the Trego and Ellis
county shale fields by the Topeka
syndicate. said today:
I'VE have as yet had no official re
port from Mr.. Potter. We have moth
ing whatever to give out We will have
nothing until DR.. Fahrig and Mr.. Pot
ter can get together and make some
tests. 1t was all arranged that they
should come here on June 1, but the
flood prevented it, and then Potter
went to Utah on business, and when he
was ready to come Fahrig had gone to
Cuba for some concern, and he has noI
returned. So the thing has see-sawed
along that way. They are both ver..
busy men, and it is hard to find a time
when they can both come here at the
same time. l know there are great
many rumors as to what Mr.. Potter
has said about the Fahrig process, but
1 have nothing to give out. I think
that within thirty days we will know
something definitely, and we will then
make a statement for the press, though
we do not think it is anything which
concerns the public. This is all our
affair. We are putting up the money,
and if we want to keep our progress to
ourselves, we have as much right to do
so as any other company"
The charges made by Mr. Potter, and
the inability to come to a definite con-
clusion about the matter. is un6oubt-
edly what is delaying the erection of
the 100-ton Fahrig mill which was
scheduled to be built Immediately on
the banks of the Smoky river
Nearly everyone in Topeka had the
utmost confidence in Prof. Fahrig. He
came with the highest credentials ano
Commercial Museum seemed to assure
him the rank of one of the foremost
scientists of the country. If it is true.
as reported, that DR.. Fahrig has been
dismissed from the position of chief OF
| labora tories of that institution it will
tend to arouse the suspicion of those
who have been his most valiant de-
| tenders in the gold shale experiments.
| There are some who hold the theory
that DR.. Fahrig is really the possesscr
| Of a process which will extract gold
from the shale and that Mr. Potter is
simply trying to throw discredit on
Fahrig's plan in order to leave the way
clear for a process of his own.
But if it is true, as claimed. that
| ''bauxogen'' is of no more value in the
Fahrig process than so much common
salt, it would naturally prejudice the
shale men against Fahrig because he
has charged them enormously high
prices for the bauxogen which has been
used in the tests. Tt is said that the
company paid Fahrig for the bauxogen
/ used in the last series of mill runs the
sum Of $4,000. Fahrig claimed that with
| cut bauxogen. his progress was impos-
sibe And he kept to himself the secret
of bauXOgen, and its manufacture. He
claimed that as soon as a large mill
could be built for the manufacture of
| bauxogen. it could be turned out at very
small cost. and would be a commercial
proposition" in connection with extract
ing gold from the shaIe.
There IS no doubt that DR.. Fahrig is
a man of great ability He showed by
MS COtSlIuCllOn ana management OF IHS
test mill that he was well versed in the
science of electricity and engineering, as
well as chemistry. He has also done
very important work in mine inspection
for other parties. Fahrig's bauxogen
| was a substance which looked not un-
/ like undissolved glue. He put a small
quantity of it into the tanks with the
pulverized shale and water and then
let the mixture run down an electro
| lytic tower" repeated passing over
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