The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-12-20
He HAS SOLVED
The IMPOSSIBLE
Perpetual Motion Machine Said to
Have Been Invented by Railroad
Man Who Has People
Relivins.
SECRET is GUARDED
Machine is as Big as Box Car and
is Watched Day and Night
by Guards to Protect
the Secret.

BRISTOL, Tenn, Dec. 20.-Is the
ancient problem of perpetual motion
to be the next wonder of the scientific
world? The town of Johnson City,
Tenn, believes that it will, and just
now the inhabitants of that town are
in a state of wild excitement over
what they believed to be the actual
solution of the problem, IN favor of
the practicability Of self-motion, not
withstanding that science. has said
time an dagain that the problem was
but chilnera.
The accomplishment of this wonder,
as related by representative business
and professional men of Johnson City,
was left, after scientists had exhaust
ed themselves in a study Of the sub
ject, to A. T. Markwood, a veteran
conductor, who gave up his position
with the Southern Railroad to devote
his energies to solution of this prob.
lem, which he had come to believe
absolutely practicable.
AS a result of his efforts he has, it
is said by the aid of an expert ma
chinist, put his ideas into the form of
a big machine. which is said to be as
large as an ordinary box car. and
which is possessed Of most peculiar
unusual ideas of mechanism. 1t Is a
combination OF steel and brass and
other metals.
When it seemed that Markwood
was nearing the completion of his
work several thousand dollars worth
of stock in a company to back the
new invention were sold at par, but 1t
is now stated that a test fthe ma
chine has given the stock such boost
s that $100 worth of it could not be
bought for twelve times that amount.
Men of business and professional
prominence in Johnson City have
sought eagerly to purchase stock at
almost any price, apparently, being
confident that the new invention will
be all that is claimed for it by the in
ventor. They have reached the point
Of anticipating that power for all pur
poses will have been revolutionized
when this new invention is perfected
~ practical tests.
The principal of the new machine
has been revealed to only limited
number, and about its operations the
greatest possible secrecy is beins
maintained, guards being stationed
day and night about the building
where the machine was constructed
and is now stationed, and nobody be
ing admitted except few confidentia
persons, including Markwood's at
torney, who is also stockholder, ant
A. A. Taylor, a brother of Senator Bol
Z Taylor of Tennessee.
A model of the machine has beel
constructed and is to be sent to tn
Patent Office at Washington, when
patent will be applied for.
1t is said that the excitement abou
this invention became general onl
when it was announced as fact tina
the machine had been tested, and tina
the most serious difficulty was foun
in governing it's speed, the tendenc
being to gain in velocity, threatenin
destruction of the machine by it's ow
power. 1t is now told that followin
certain adjustment, including the il
stallation of governing apparatus
the machine was tested by a run G
three days and that it showed no di:
position to slacken its speed until 1t
inventor touched the button whic
caused it to stop.
The machine has been placed in tn
hands of very limited number
shareholders. and the organization
known as the Markwood Power ID
veloping Company.
The, machine is by no means to
affair, the labor on 1t alone represen
ing more than thousand dollars.
is claimed by the inventor that th
power developed by this self-operatin
machine may readily be transmitted
any kind of machinery and may b
used to operate mills, factories and a
sorts of plants requiring power.
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Lurken Is Judqe