The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1920-09-02

c. Turner ofeWaithaTn, Mass. who has
come here to havoc barge Of the new
office of the Tide Power Company.
Mr.. Turner ob1igingly and patient
1y explained the theory of what his
circulars describe as "a proposition
as great or greater than the discov-
cry of the telephone or the air brake.
Briefly the scheme is this. A dam
placed across some stream, in which
the tide rises and falls, impounds a
supply of water at high tide which
by a controlling mechanism is al
lowed to flow into cylinders COM
pressing the air which in turn is used
to run dynamo to generate cleo
tricity. A rectangular space en-
closed with walls as high as the dam
provides a means for taking care of
the used water during the period that
the tide Is high. By this means it is
proposed to harness and bring I'M
der control-for commercial uses
the stupendous and unlimited forces
of the tide"
In the room at CT Cannon street is
a large tank some three feet wide by
eight long and probably six high ar
ranged to demonstrate the working
of the scheme. Two-thirds of the
tank is filed with water. The COM
preston chambers and outlet for the
used water are in the remaining por-
ton. Over the tank are placed a
small air turbine and q tiny dynamo
and eight small electric lights. When
the Times man stopped at the Office
the tank was empty and Mr.. Turner
explained that he had been troubled
with its leaking but offered to dem
onstrate the affair If the Times man
would wait until he could go out and
secure corn meal with which to stop
his leaks. The Times man readily
agreed and after a considerable spell
the great tank was full and every
thing Ready for the demonstration.
By that time an assistant of Mr..
Turner's, John Monpart a Spaniard
who speaks italian, Greek, French,
and English in. addition to his native
language, came in with five of his
ceuntrynren who did not appear to
have been in the United States very
long While he. discoursed to them
in a. mellow tone Mr.. Turner put on
his demonstration. Selling a long
lever he threw his strength on. it and
pushed it down. There was a gurgle
of water and rush of air and the
little turbine spun rapidly and when
it had gained considerable momen-
tu1n the tiny dynamo was thrown in
to gear the lights glowed for a few
seconds and died out, the lever was
thrown back and the show was over.
Amusement showed on the faces of
the five Spaniards and John" with
a confident smile began filling out a
receipt meanwhile keeping up his fire
of musical description.
Mr.. Turner could not answer any
questions concerning the engineerig
details such as preSureS and horse
powers, ETC., butt he told The Times
man that the company had been in
existence for five years and that
plant was now in course of building
on the Saugus river near Lynn, Mass.
This plant when complete he thinks
will cost approximately a million and
a half dollars Mr.. Turner does not
know just when it is expected to be
finished
Mr. Turner says that he dmagines
that some five or six hundred thou
sand dollars worth of stock have been
sold and that the average amount sold
is about 100 shares to an Individual.
He says that they have been sold in
many of the Massachusetts cities and
by mail as far as Texas and CaIifor-
MIA He Us looking to get a corps of
statesmen to introduce the stock to
Bridgeport The stock sells for 81
share with a bonus OF five shares
thrown in for each 25 shares paid for
in cash.
Mr.. Turner in speaking about his
stock emphasized the fact that all in
veStmentS In stock were in the nature
OF a gamble and that where the de-
gree Of safety was reasonably large
the price was usually high but where
there was no particular degree of
safety the price was low as general
thing but with the possibility that if
the venture succeeded it would prove
a winning hundred to one shot