Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-12-06
A BIG COLD BRICK
The Trap That JernegaH Baited
With Salt Sea Water.

Various inventors have been working
for years on the theory that there is
plenty OF gold in sea water if only
some process of extraction could be de
yelOped.
Some years ago the Rev. Prescott J.
Jernegan was the salt water wizard Of
the hour. From the day his bubble
burst and be left for Europe nobody
seems to know what has become Of
him. Jernegan, who posed as a clergy
man. and {. Z. Fisher, once floor
walker in a New York department
store and before that diver, got to-
gether in the fall Of 1896 and for
whole year carefully considered the
problem OF extracting gold from salt
water. 1t is true, their whole field Of
thought comprised the use Of salt wa
ter as an accessory only. the real ma
terial from which the gold was 70 be
extracted being the American people.
Very artiStically Jernegan, TO whom
was left the matter OF publicity. per
mifted some vague rumors 10 leak out
"A leading clergy man had n marvel
OTIS money making device. The world
was soon 10 be stunned by fact that
would make the possessor of the orig
inal secret so rich that all the multi
millionaires would be paupers in com
parison." When they had stirred up
public curiosity JerneEan and Fisher
went TO New England and there set up
some mysterious machinery.
On Narragansett bay was an old halt
dismantled wharf. and at the sea end
OF this the two erected cheap frame
shauty about by 10 IN size. with Il
square hole cut through the floor and
looking directly down into about fifteen
feet OF water An electric wire from
a small battery was run along the pill
ing OF the wharf and attached TO a
mysterious box. with heavy iron
clamps and holes all through 10 per
NIT of free passage of the water back
and forth.
Finally the great secret was divulged
These two men had discovered a way
OF taking al the gold they wanted from
The salt water M cost so trifling
that 1t was ridiculous 10 mention il.
Two wealthy persons. one a Provi-
deuce iewcier and tine other a New
York florist. were approached by Jer.
negun with what seemed 10 be such
a truStful and childlike proposal that
they both embraced II eagerly. 1t was
that all his apparatus being ready for
experiment. they would come to the
shanty on the wharf prepared 10 go
through nights vigil and witness the
result, accompanied by any scientit-
friends they cared 20 bring along.
The idea. as outlined by Jernegan,
was 70 send current into n pan of
mercury held within the box, the rccep
tdcip then being sent To the bottom OF
the sen ana drawn UP after several
hours. when IL would be found that
the mercury had absorbed gold from
the ocean
When tho night NJ the experiment
came the box was prepared in the
shauty. TWO chemists. friends of the
capitalists hriu-iu" their own mercury
with them The box was lowered &
TIE bottom. md then the party Of five
began their wait. Soon after daylight
JCrr"gau announced that II was time
to draw the box mp again. This was
done. and the whole party eagerly Sc
o. work to hud out whether any GolC
bad been received When the chemists
announced that gold to the value o
Sli was found miyed with the quick
silver al were stunned by the discov