Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-05-07

anu no" SccIllS
sold in Boston at 5000 a quart. Thi.
was thirty years ago. The man thai
made 1t, and who alone knew its com.
position, died, and not even his name
or place of burial is recalled. The
inventor never revealed any Of the
details of his mixture. What makes
the story more pathetic is that he new
er knew the extraordinary oil he had
made. 1t was not until after his death
that its real value was seen.
When the man died, disheartened
his bookkeeper, who had about $500
due him, took what oil was left. There
had not been much of 1t turned out
for watchmakers were suspicious OF
1t, and had not given 1t fair and full
test. But the bookkeeper, who prov
ed better salesman than his master,
finally sold 1t to famous clockmaker
Of Boston. He. In his turn, induced
great chronometer maker Of Lon
don, Frodsham, to try 1t out. Frods-
ham made remarkable test, using
the oil on some ships chronometers OF
the finest type sent on an arctic voy-
age. The oil proved wonderful. When
the ships returned 1t was as fresh as
when first put on.
The oil had now proved itself, but
there was only this very small quantity
in the entire world. About this time
Willard, the Boston clockmaker, who
had bought 1t, retired, and gave II
to an old employe as a mark Of af-
fection. Its new owner fully realized
its value, and that 1t might be kept
safe, divided 1t into four portions and
placed them in four different ware
houses in Boston. There were just
four quarts remaining.
The great fortune that easily nigh,
have been was lost. Any quantity OF
that oil could now have been sold
The new owner boarded what he had,
waiting to sell it gradually at the
highest possible price. But sudden
Visitation Of God" came upon him.
A great fire descended upon Boston,
and. by strange fate, destroyed three
of the four places where the oil had
been stored. The single quart left
was eagerly snapped up by a huge
watch concern. They would only too
gladly have paid other sums Of $500
each for many more quarts.
Day and night a noted firm OF
sauce makers has, for century now,
guarded the secret recipe of its pro-
duct This precious knowledge, which
could be written out on four or five
sheets of foolscap paper, is easily
worth half a million dollars. Only
one man knows 1t, the head Of the
firm. This has been the custom of
the "house" ever since 1t was found
ed. In the vaults of a bank in seal
ed packet which can only be opened
in accordance with certain testament
tary instructions, after the death OF
the head" lies the full detail plain
ly and simply told. Not even the great
est expert, with all the records and
papers Of the office at his command.
could put together the secret without
this.
The new senior partner, then, In
obedience to the concerns traditions,
will master the contents Of the pack
ct, committing 1t to memory In such
a fashion that he will never forget 1t.
It will be the one great, vital fact OF
his life. Then he will seal the treas
ure up, and the packet will go back
to the vault again, marked to await
the coming of the next heir to this
business throne. The new incumbent
will make a new will, and insert a
clause covering the valuable docu-
ment.
Heads Of departments and the jun
ior partners know portions of the
big secrets. Even If they should
treacherously combine, however, and
fit their knowledge together, nothing
would come OF it. The key and the
Looping stone" lies in one mans brain
and the little packet in the vault.
Governments have some Of the best
trade secrets going. The Chinese en-
pire is the owner of the secret of
making vermillion red. Many people
can make reds Of innumerable shades
and tints, but only the Chinese gov
ernment the vermillion. This may or
may not be the most beautiful OF
reds. 1t is certainly the most famous
red in the world.
Any employee, high or low. OF
these government workshops where
vermillion is made would die Instant
ly IL he divulged the smallest part Of
the processes of manufacture. Spies
constantly follow the workmen, and
particularly shadow those who have
any responsibility. Every movement
of the chiefs is known. 1t Is a GER
tifcate of probity and reliability just
to be employed in the making Of this
product, and the Chinese affirm that
there the men in charge have been
proved above every temptation. They
have been tested by the spy service
many times.
Thus this big secret has been kept
for several hundred years.
The Turkish empire has a like case.
Reports come from time to time OF
wonderful new methods for inlaying
metals But none pass muster along
side Of the Turkish governments
state secret of inlaying the hardest
steel with gold and silver. The way
1t is done is perfection. and the mys-
terry remains unrevealed.
The Turks employed in these gov
ernment factories must pay guaran-
tees for their faithfulness and hon
esty, substantial sums. They know
that If any part of the secret gets out
there will be relentless tracking down,
and death will be meted out to the
guilty. No man can work In one OF
these factories unless he Is Of a family
of good standing and Is himself Of
real character. Not a hint Of the
secret has ever crept out. AS In the
case of the Chinese governments ver-
million, spies are plentifully used
New York Times.