Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-06-02
Tragedy and Discovery.


was shocked by the death of c. c.
Dickinson. formerly president OF the
Carnegie Trust Company OF New York
and one of the leading bankers of the
country. His death was declared by
physicians to be due to pneumonia
and acute Bright's disease. 1t de-
veloped that Mr. Dickinson had been
to Scranton Penn. and there had wit
messed some experiments by chem
list, during which he had been made i'll
| by inhaling the fumes of some OF the
| chemicals which had been heated
| Naturally interest centered in the
experiment which was generally be
| Iievcd ia have caused the death of the
banker, inasmuch as he was not
known to have any especial interest III
chemistry. Immediately the chemist,
Or +, w. Lange. declared that the
banker had been furnishing money for
experiments in transmitting the baser
metals into gold and silver. The
/
periments had been successful and that
| he had discovered the secret for which
chemists have been seeking through
! out the ages. In fact the search for
| this great secret is responsible for
much that has been accomplished in
that study.
"a I.IS
mad. the wonderful discovery he says
that he has, for nothing is Impossible
in this age of wonderful things. but it
is doubtful if the search for gold as
served by Nature is abandoned just
yet. Other chemists will inincdldtc-
~ constitute themselves ID committee
| from Missouri with a strong desire to
be shown. before they will accept his
statements. They have heard of the
| same "discovcry.
The Kansas City journal, in COM
| mcnting upon the discovery brought
| to light in such d tragic manner. says:
Chemists and metallurgists will be in
| no hurry to accept the claims of the
Scranton. Pa, investigator who poses
as having solved the mystery of the
into gold and silver. His is in no
sense Il unique case. The science of
chemistry had its birth in the alem-
bics of the alchcmists who sought the
engine of precious substance. out of
their dreams Of tranSmutation have
come results more valuable than gold
or silver and what was actuated by
mere rapacity has become one of the
most bcncficcnt of all branches OF
learning. But even chemistry with
all its modern dignity and achieve
ments has not been free from its
takers and its crooks. While one
branch of it's dcvotces has been per
fecting processes and making dis
c"vcries with Il view to promoting life
and civilization, another branch has
furious prcscrvativeS and making alb
| Surd claims of progress that have
never stood the tests.
| The process of transmutatiou is CON
Sidcr"d Il chemical impoSsibility. That
| by processes of reaction iron can b"
| changed int" gold is a proposition not
less ridiculous than to say that by the
same chemical process turnips can be
changed into grapefruit. 1t may be
too much to assert that it cannot be
done, but all reason ana experience
rcpudiate tn" idea. chemistry is IA
science OF surprises. The expert
mentcr is constantly confronted with
An accidental fusion of elements ln-
der certain extranc"us conditions Of
heat. light. moisture. electrical con
tact. or catalysis may establish M
atomic law.
Or. f.angc of Scranton may have made
a most interesting discovery. but he
will have to supply more proofs than
Or Cook gave before his statements
will be accepted. So many men have
made this same claim either through
iGuorancc or for the purpose Of self
exploitation that thoughtful mon arc
wont to pay little attention t" them.
The days OF the Kelley motor and tho
universal solvent are passed. and
science refuses to listen to the claims
"i the unaccrcdited eXperimcntcr IT
DR., Langc has in Truth discovered the
art of causing silver chlordes and
| ntratcs to reproduce themselves, he
has performed a miracle.
This Years Politics.