Tombstone epitaph., 1917-06-17

to ridicule. as set forth in the Con gressional Record. give a 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. It 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 a 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 ar ticle from the since defunct Sunday Chronicle of April fl, 1872, which, de spite the fact that 1t was laughed al by congress. seems to have had a 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 a chorus of presumably humorous remarks some what like those leveled at the two ab- surd Wright boys. Orville and Wilbur, when they gave up 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 a bird, whereas all the wiseacres there abouts knew irswas all plumb foolish ness and couldn't be done. Everybody knows what ghastiy 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 Mir. Bingham introduce the res olution. and who was one of the few to believe that wireless communication was really possible. He made a speech amid chorus of groans. jeers and in- terrupdons of all sorts. representa- tives continually insisting upon read ing articles from publications not so farsee:ng as the Sunday Chronicle. and all poking fun at "Wireless Loomis."
 Mir. Bingham also had his turn, and his speech, like the others, appears in the Record. although the disorder in the houoa vno1a lx tvnnnecthlo o$ h,~~ ing for most of the members. He, too. could see the possibilities of wireless, and stoutly maintained his position. Mir. Bingham's extreme earnestness carried with 1t a measure of convic- tioL. and the unruly house at the end accorded him some measure of serious attention. Whether 1t was owing to his speech or a certain feeling that 1t would do no harm to let Loomis try his stunt, since 1t could not hurt any thing, at any rate the resolution was passed a few nights later and the dentist-electrician started in 10 form the company to exploit his Idea.
 In many respects Doctor Loomis' plans for wireless development were more ambitious than any proposed be- fore or since. He not only aimed at communication by telegraphic meth ods. but he likewise expected to util- ize the power for lighting and heating purposes. In July. 1872. he secured a patent from the United States patent ofice which 90 far as Is known was the first ever granted of its kind. The text of it Is interesting. Be 1t known that l. MahlOn LOomis, dentist. of Washington. District of CO lumbia." 1t says. have invented or dis covered a new and improved mode of telegraphing and of generating light, heat and motive power, and I do here by declare that the following Is a full description thereof:
 "The nature of my invention or dis covery consists, In general terms, of utilizing natural electricity and estab. fishing an electrical current or circui, for telegraphic and other purposes without the aid of wires. artificial hat | teries or cable to form such electrical | current. and yet communicate from one continent of the globe to another
 "As in dispensing with the double wire" (which was first used in tele. graphing) "and making use of but one, substituting the earth instead of wire to form one-half of the circuit. so l now dispense with both wires. using the earth as one-half the circuit and continuous electrical element far above the earth's surface for the other part of the circuit. 1 also dis.