Los Angeles herald., 1908-01-12
ALVAH l.. REYNOLDS

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ALVAH l.. REYNOLDS
ATEARLY all the great inventions that
~ have served to make the world
~ what it is today have started from
the discovery of some simple yet scen
tific principle, insignificant perhaps in it.
self, yet basic in its importance, and from
which all subsequent improvements must
emanate, and all future progress along
it's line cannot depart from. The sewing
machine would never have been invented
If Howe had not discovered the principle
of putting the eye in the point of the
needle, yet the thousands of improve
ments that have followed have been UNI
able to get away from that principle.
very small thing of itself, but think of
its Importance and effect on the lives
and fortunes of the human family.
The talking machine would have re-
manned a mechanical impossibiltty but
for Edison having discovered that all
sound was vibration and here again the
principle which was to unlock the secret
of recording and reproducing sound was
found to be in the point of a needle.
All the great inventions, therefore. have
been brought into existence through the
discovery of a single. or combination or
principles. Some may have been discov-
cred by mere accident and some through
years of hard study and diligent re-
search.
The problem Of Harvesting the waves OF
the ocean, and compelling them to work
for humanity, is by no means new sub
ject For the past century the inventive
genius of the world has been graphing
with the task, yet, at the present writing
not a single actual trial in the sea
.I1.I tI,,t hos c4~ata
on success. Too much power in the force
of the waves has proved the undoing and
eventual destruction of all the so-called
wave motors that have been placed in
the path of the angry pillows,
Wrong Principle
The prevailing thoughts of those who
have recorded their ideas in the patent
office seems to have been of the vertical
or rise and fall of the wave, and have
accordingly based their inventions on the
principle Of the floating barge, to bob
up and down on the surface OF the water,
transmitting their power by various me-
chanical appliances.
An examination of the patent office
records shows that out of 1856 patents is
sued all but three were based upon the
principle of the float. notwithstanding
the appalling record of failure to the
credit of this principle, it still seems to
he a popular method of blighting the
hopes and running the fortunes of men.
The float from it's very nature, must
he battered to pieces by the constant
bonbardment of the waves, reduced to
old funk and strewn along the shore, to
show the world that the correct principle
had not yet been adopted nor the right
philosophy applied to harness the god OF
waters
If the problem were merely a question
of money or mechanical engineering, IL
would have been solved hundred years
ago, but the fact is, it is question OF
correct principles, which will be found TO
be- very simple in themselves, but which
to depart from in the least Will mean
failure lust as inevitably as darkness FOL
lows day. There never was but one solu-
ton to any great problem, and no great
problem will ever be solved but once III
the worlds history. -,
The discovery of the principle that VIII
unlock the power house of old Neptune
will mark the beginning of an epoc IN
the lives of men and nations, the erect
of which will have to be imagined for
it cannot be described with letters and
words.
A Boon to Humanity
For hundreds of years mankind has
toiled. suffered and died in the dark ana
dangerous mines that the world might
be supplied with coal with which 10 pro
vide comforts and necessities for the mil
lions. Great trusts have been formed IN
order to withhold from the people the
products of the mines, the oil wells ana
the forests until they should pay the
price demanded by those in control
while the untold energy going to waste
on our oceans shores awaiting the touch
OF genius to gather it from the waves
transform 1t into power. heat ana nght'
- IL oF-ta
the homes of humanity with a cleaner
cheaper and better fuel than could ever
be furnished by the coal barons and OIL
kings of commerce.
Electricity, the essence of all energy
and parent force of all industry, VIII
soon take the place of all other FORMS
of fuel and all the labor and expense
incidentally to the problem of light, neat
and power will become almost clpher
in the affairs of the home. 1t will not
have to be mined, sorted and screened,
and then loaded on a fiat car and hauled
across the continent, and then shoveled
again, and finally delivered at the back
door in a bursted sack, but 1t VIII pc
sent to every home Oh small, clean wire
ready TO respond to the touch OF the
button, and the woman of the house VIII
not even have to understand 1t.
Greater still will be the effect on the in
dustrial pursuits of the people. Great
manufacturing enterprises undreamed or
today will spring into existence from the
magic touch OF the vibrant force. Even
the salt water of the sea may be dis
titled and made fit for use, and the coast
towns and cities furnished with pure dis
titled water, while the salts and other
chemicals be precipitated and turned to
commercial account through the agency
Of electricity generated by the oceans
costless energy
Problem Is Solved
The steam engines that now supply
power to the wheels of industry will give
up their places to the electric motor and
the worlds work will be made easier.
cleaner and brighter for al mankind.
Darkness will be banished from the
night where and whenever man elect, and
thousand Niagaras distributed through
out the land could not pour out The