The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1910-12-02

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ShfNTEW YoRK.--ccntury upon
NY century ago. thousands 9of1
ef-SSM years before the railroad
sS1eES or steamboat was ever
$sS Y dreamed Of, Hermes Iris,
q w. pmeglstus,, an Egyptian, des
voted his life to the work
Of attempting to discover some process
Cor transmitting the baser metals into
the precious ones-gold and silver.
Less than a hundred years after. his
death one ofshis followers was put to
death with exquisite torture because
he claimed that he, had actually. dis,l
covered this process for which his
predecessor had labored in vain. Per.
,haps there was a reform movement
sweeping the Old World at that time !
At any rate, the poor disciple lost his
life because of his supposed knowl.,
edge OF, evil and mystic arts.
Recently: Charles G.. Dickinson, or!
ganizer and former }presi lent Of the
Carnegie Trust company Of this city
and che OF the best known and
tshrewdest ot,7Wa1l Street financiers,
died from tie effects Of inhaiing
! poisonous gases while watching an
experiment which had for its purpose,
the demonstrating Of the alleged dis!
covery OF process akin to that which
Trismegistus sought so long in vain.
The lure Of alchemy, which aftef
all is but the lure Of gold, has been
felt In every generation since the de,
scendants Of Adam and Eve began to
increase and multiply. In each cen.
fury It has exacted a-heavy toll of life
and fortune: nor has II enriched any
one except few alchenic frauds. who
used their knowledge Of chemistry to
cheat and deceive the ignorant Yet
there are in this city today not few
who believe that eventually the baser
metals can in some way be trans
muted into the precious ones.
Quest Of Alchemists. *
| 3 & ~ .
| Originally alchemlsts sought the ac.
complishment of two principal things
the discovery of a5process OF trans.
mutation and the discovery of some
mixture which when. quaffed would
give tho drinker. perpetual youth. Old
alchemists have asserted that they
knew how TO mix such drink, but In
at least Qua instance the elixir cock.
tall proven fatal to fits Inventor.
Mr.. D!clilnson's death came SO un.
expected that at first there was a
run!or OF suicide. originating prob.
ably from the suddepness of his Ia.
king on ind the fact that lie is un.
7, derstocd to have suffered recently
some severe financial revcrses. Then
from Scranton. Pa, came the startling
story Of an alchemic experiment, with
all the old, familiar scenic staging
boiling crucible. poisonous gases, mys.
terious formulas, great secrecy and
promises Of untold wealth
His Enthusiasm Fatal.
According to the story. MIR. Dickin.
son went to Scranton at tho request
Of n chemist. a Dr.. F. W. Lange, who.
1t Is said, told him that he had dis.
covered process to take silver
matrix end. by adding fuxes, produce
100 per cent. more OF the chloride and
nitrates OF silversthan had ever been
produced before 5Lange wanted Dick.
inson's backing. During the expert.
ment the banker became so enthusias.
tic that he. left his seat, and stepped
close to the furnace. where metals
were. being subjected TO a heat Of 1000
degrees, md iataled the deadly pols
onous gases arising from It.
Si;orticism. to use a mild expires.
sica. was the feature of the manner
In which scientists In New York treat.
ed thu announcement that SO wonder.
full secret had been discovered BY a
Fern3ylranint. One of them some.
what sca,liinSly remarked that the
only successful method OF transnuta.
ton hat lie knew Of or believed In
vas the o 4 ga,d. brick scheme. which
has wo,hci with astounding success
and considerable profit II many cases.
Tho h!s.o-: o: 3 alchemy, from
ancient ito mof:srnS times always IN.
Iitc:esrs and etlc;,S th:iIls. Fourteen
years ase,. on EtaY az, 1896 two rist
ELEcTloR Of GERS:
The Ladies Of the "a. r.. meade