Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1904-09-23
Many scientific men and expert ma

ana unite IN saying IL Is one OF lne
most wonderful the world has ever
seen. They predict that in the future
it will be universally used to heat
buildings. railroad coaches and street
cars
Altogether it has not been explain ed
on any reasonable theory, yet it is a
fact that the wooden roller by which
this heat is produced is not burned In
the slightest, and after nine months
use does not show the slightest wear
The only theory advanced in explain
alton of this is that cushion of air
forms between the wooden roller anS
the inside of the tube and prevents
the heating of the roller and the wear
that would naturally follow when it is
turned at such high rate of speed.
Experts have told Baker that his ma
chine will produce enough steam to
run itself and in addition heat large
building. This has not been practical
ly demonstrated by the inventor, but a
three-horse power engine has been run
by it, when only a two-horse power
motor was required to run the heating
machine, the gain being one horse
power on Bakers model.
Since it is certain that Bakers in
vention will produce the steam to run
itself, in addition to doing the work
of heating for which it was intended
it is nearly perpetual motion, although
Baker was not aiming at this when he
invented the apparatus, and lays nc
claim to having discovered perpetual
motion,
The machine to heat by friction Is
not Bakers first invention. A short
time ago he invented a device for Civ
ing signals on railroads, and it was
sold to St. Joseph capitalists. 1t will
soon be put in use on one OF the larg.
est railroads in the country it is said
During his residence in st. Joseph
Baker attained the greatest fame as
the editor of paper. He became
known as writer on many deep sub
jects, but his newspaper was a inan
cial failure and he again went to
work on his invention. His latest
achievement is one that is likely tC
, hand his name down to posterity.
Several months ago company was
formed in st. Joseph to promte the in
vention of the Negro. This company
is known as the Friction Heating com
pany, and it's members have, within
few days, closed contract with
Campbell, England & Co., of St. Louis
for the use of the machine.
Baker has ordered several machines
suitable for use on street car or rail
way coach, and at the machine shop
shop in st. Joseph they have cost S
each. 1t is estimated that a machine
large enough to heat a street car can
be made for 81, and that the cost may
be still smaller on large contract.
MANY of these people seem to have
the idea," said Baker, that because
am Negro need not expect to real
ize anything from my invention. They
come here impressed with the belief
that because l am Negro it neces
CARLY follows that l am ignorant. One
man asked me how l happened tc
stumble on this invention. He did not
know that | have given twenty years
of careful study to it, and thateI spent
hundreds of dollars experimenting be
fore | had completed it.
81 know it has been the fate OF
nearly all inventors to realize nothing
from the work of their brain. Some
body else reaps the benefits, but | an
determined that it shall not be SO ir
my case. I am certain that improve
ments will be made on my invention
and that it will be many years before
it is perfected, but have made a ma
chine that will produce heat and I dc
not propose to let go of my rights fo1
a mere song. l can live and hold it
several years yet. The first use tC
which this machine will be put will be
in heating street cars and railway
coaches, and that is the reason | have
objected to the sale of the right to use
it for that purpose for such a small
sum-
Mr.. H. H. Kahn of the St. Louis firm
of Campbell England & Co., which has
offices in the Equitable building, was
seen by a Sunday Post-Dispatch re
porter and said:
1.-The comapny has just purchased
this United States rights of the fric
ton heating machine invented by
Charles S. N. Baker, the st. Joseph
Colored man, the purchase being made
from the Friction Heating company
of that city. We do not care to give
the figure for which these rights were
sold to us, but will state that large
cash sum is to be paid down and after
that we are to pay certain amour,
for every company formed Throughout:
the United States to sell these ma
chimes. The Friction Heating com
pany of st. Joseph still holds the pa
tent rights on this machine, and will
remain the parent company"