The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-02-23
WASHINGTON LETTER
Especial Correspondence. j

| system of wireless telegraphy invent
ed by a Washington man long before
the advent of Marconi, a system that
in the early days of telegraphing prom
ised to do much to advance the art.
1t was picked up and then dropped.
and it has remained for the weather
bureau to take interest. enough in 1t to
make some experiments to see whether
the theories on which the system was
founded hold good or whether there
was some error in the observations of
the men who declared they saw wire
less messages transmitted soon after
| the close of the civil war.
Patent Granted to LOOMS.
The inventor Of the system was
Mahlon Loomis, then a resident cf
| Washington and practicing dentist.
His work in no way trenched on that
of Marconi, for the Hertz waves were
then unknown, and the inventor de-
pended for his transmission on what
he said were certain currents of cleo
tricity to be found in the upper air.
Loomis worked for long time on
| his invention, and finally patent was
granted July 80. 1867, for ian improve
ment in telegraphing." He set forth
| In his patent that he did not rely on
| wires or cables for the transmission
of electric impulses, but used the
| earth for one side of his circuit and
the electric strata of the upper air for
the other side. He said that he used
an ordinary Morse key and wire to
connect his upper station with the
| ground, but that was all.
Experiments In Blue Ridge Mountains
| DR.. Loomis carried on his expert
ments in the Blue Ridge mountains
not far from where the weather bu-
reau viii duplicate them. 1t was cur
rently reported in the papers at the
time that his work was entirely sue
cessful The Washington Chronicle of
Nov. 10, 1870, contained a somewhat
detailed account Of his work, stating
that two mountain stations were es-
tablished and that the aerial was a
kite covered with fine wire gauze and
flown on thin copper wire. The end
of this wire was grounded in a small
pool of water
Messages Transmitted.
With this equipment 1t was stated
th6t DIR. Loomis transmitted messages
400 miles with his Kites at an altitude
of 2,100 feet With his kites at 1900
feet he sent fourteen miles. The sold !
record does not say whether the kites
were thus high above the ground or
were that distance above sea level.
1t is probable, in view of the absence
of box kites at that date, That the
aerials were not put up as much as
2, 100 feet above the ground.
1t was stated that the experimental
continued his work in the mountains
and that in the summer of 1872 he
was talking regularly with his assist
ant over a twenty mile aerial circuit.
The Proposed Tests.
The facts in the case have been
transmitted by Professor Willis Moore
to DR.. Blair, who is carrying on
series of kitefying experiments at
Mount Weather, and he will try to re-
produce the results. The experiment
will not cost anything to speak of and
possibly will be Of value.
The officials of the Smithsonian who
know something of the records in the
Loomis case are not enthusiastic over
the revival of the old story. Mr.. May
nard, who has charge of the technical
work, says that he has never found
what was to him satisfactory evi-
dence that Loonis actually accom-
plished anything. He says that If he
could find any of his old Instruments
he would be glad to add them to the
Smithsonian collection. but that he has
never heard of there being such relics
In existence.
Washington Relics.
The Mount Vernon Ladies' Associa
ton of the Union is given chair,
once the property of George Washing
ton, by the terms of the win of Mar
garet Bayard Smith, great-grandniece
of Martha Washington, dated May f6,
1900 and filed recently for probate.
The association is also to have other
Washington relics, including a desk
given by Mrs. Washington to her
niece, Margaret cambridge; minia-
ture of Martha Washington and a
manuscript letter from Tobias Lear to
his mother, giving an account of the
death of George Washington.
The testatrix requests that the. rel
les be placed in Mrs. Washington's
room at Mount Vernon and marked:
used by General and Mrs. Washing
ton at Mount Vernon. To the memory
of Henrietta Elizabeth Smith, grand
niece of Martha Washington, daughter
of Com. John cambridge Henley and
wife of j. Bayard II. Smith,"
The New Gold Certificates.
Secretary Cortelyou has had pre-
pared at the bureau of engraving and
printing new designs for gold certid
Gates of the ten and fifty dollar de-
nominations On the face of the ten
dollar certificates is an admirable bust
portrait Of president Cleveland, the
lower part framed in wreath of lau-
rel, and on the face of, the fifty Is an
equals fine portrait Of General Grant
similarly treated with wreath of oak
leaves.
The backs of the notes are printed in
gold bronze color, used exclusively in
printing gold certificates 1t is the
opinion OF the treasury officials that
the designs for the new notes are SUI
perior to any hitherto put out by the
government. 1t is expected that the
notes of the new series will be ready
10 issue within the next three months.
| CARR, SCHOFIELD.