The Jasper news. [volume] (Jasper, Missouri) 1898-1924, 1917-06-07

to rldicule, MS set forth in the Con-
gressional Record, give fair Idea of
how seriously the proposal was taken.
One of the chief points of the debate
was made upon the question of
whether the resolution should be re.
ferred to the committee on foreign
affairs Of the house or to the COM
mittee on commerce, the decision be-
ing rendered in favor of the latter body
after a discussion which was carried
on with burlesque solemnity for some
hours. 1t is interesting to note that
the presiding officer on that occasion
was none other than Representative
James A. Garfield Of Ohio, who later
became president of the United States.
incidentally there Is n strange simi-
, larity In the conduct Of the house
then, as related In the Record, and In
Its actions in the present day.
Representative Conger read an mr.
ticle from the since defunct Sunday
Chronicle of April IA, 1872, which, de-
spite the fact that 1t was laughed at by
congress. seems to have had realiz-
ing sense Of grace in considering the
project of wireless.
The serious attempts Of the Sunday
Chronicle to plead the cause of wire
less was the signal for q chorus of
presumably humorous remarks some
what like those leveled at the two alb
surd Wright boys, Orville and Wilbur,
when they gave up n profitable bicycle
business out In Dayton, o., some years
ago and started fussing around with a
ridiculous contraption that they
thought they could make fly like n
bird, whereas oil the wlseacres there
abouts knew 1t was all plumb foolish
ness and couldn't be done. Everybody
knows what CHASTITY failure the
Wrights made of flying.
The butt of most of the jokes hurled
at the Loomis invention was Repre-
sentative Holmes Of Indiana, who had
helped Mr.. Bingham introduce the res
olution, and who was one of. the few to
believe that wireless communication
was really possible. He made n speech
amid n chorus of grOans, jeers and In
terruptiOns of all sorts, representa-
tives continually insisting upon read.
Ing articles from publications not
so farseeing as the Sunday Chronicle
and all poking fun at wireless
Loomis."
Mr. Bingham also had his turn, and
his speech, like the others, appears In
the Record, although the disorder In
the house made 1t impossible Of hear
ing for most of the members. He, too
could see the possibilities Of wireless
and stoutly maintained his position.
Mr.. Bingham's extreme earnestness
carried. with 1t measure Of convic
ton, and the unruly house at the enc
accorded him some measure of seriou.
attention. Whether II was owing Il
his speech or a certain feeling that 4
would do no harm to let LoomIs try
his stunt, since 1t could not hurt any
thing, at any rate the resolution wa!
passed a few nights later and tn,
dentist-electrician started In to form
the company to exploit his idea.
In many respects Doctor Loomls
plans for wireless development wer,
more ambitious than any proposed be
fore or since. He not only aimed a
communication by Geographic meth
, DDS, but he likewise expected to util
lie the power for lighting and heating
purposes. In July, 1872, he secure,
patent from the United States paten
, Office which SO far as Is known wa
the first ever granted Of its kind. Tn
Z text of 1t Is interesting.
"Be 1t known that I, Mahlon LOOMS
, dentist, of Washington, District of Co
, lumbia," 1t says, "have invented or dis
covered new and improved mode o
: telegraphlng and of generating light
, heat and motive power, and l do here
Z by declare that the following Is ful
l description thereof:
"The nature Of my invention or dis
Z covery consists, In general terms, O
: utilizing natural electricity and estat
2 fishing an electrical current or circuI
e for telegraphic and Other purposes
!. without the aid Of wires, artificial bal
n teries or cable to form such electrical
Q current, and yet communicate fror
q one continent of the globe to another
"As In dispensing with the doubl
n wire" (Which was first used In telt
q graphing) land making use Of but ont
= substituting the earth instead of wir
n to form one-half of the circuit, so
e now dispense with both wires usin
!. the earth as one-half the circuit an
v continuous electrical element far abov
e the earth's surface for the othe
o part of the circuit. also dii