Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-02-16
BOY UNCOVERS
SECRET SOUGHT
BY SCIENTISTS
Invention of Seattle Youth
Said to Generate Power
From Atmosphere.
PASSES RIGID TESTS

SEATTLE, Wash, Feb. 16.-Though
great scientists have spent their lives in
an effort to determine the power within
the atmosphere and whether it could be
applied on earth, a 19year-old boy, AL
fred NJ. Hubbard, of this city, claims that
he has discovered and tapped the mex
haustible reservoirs Of natures energy
and harnessed to the use OF man the
power that holds the world together.
The lad is supported in his claim by
college professors and noted scientists
Of the Pacific northwest He is supported
only to the extent that he had demon
strated his discovery, and none has been
able to detect a flaw in the working, nor
has any one found q secret" wire in
the instrument.
Because he has not as yet obtained a
patent upon his discovery, young Hub
bard is reticent to speak of his instru
ment or to allow outsiders to get more
than a glimpse of his apparatus. George
Quinan, superintendent of the electrical
operations OF the Puget Sound Electric
Light and Power Company, after viewing
the bit of machinery and witnessing
demonstration, said: Whatever it is
the lad has done, it is marvellous dem
onstration."
KEEPS LIGHT GOING
MORE THAN HOUR.
A few days ago young Hubbard an
nounced that he would give a public dem
OnStration of the practicability of his
apparatus. He calls it the atmospheric
generator" He contends that fl viii
draw power from the air and drive en-
gines on earth. It is q simple piece OF
small coil, surrounding a permanently
magnetic core. An ordinary incandescent
electric light connected with the two
terminals Of the generator, caused 1t TO
glow a cherry red for more than an
hour. Investigation so far has proved
that there are no hidden batteries and
no storage and no primary. The boy re
iterates his claim to each query: There
is no connection with any power source
other than what You see.'
The next and more startling demon
stration. made before a distinguished
gathering, was the throwing Of the
switch into place on a 25-horsepower
electric motor and instantly the motor
jumped into life, developing its full ca
pacity Of power.
Skeptics present scoffingly asserted
that the motor was connected BY I'M
seen wires Hubbard hoisted the motor
with a tackle and allowed his audience
to make examination and tests to assure
themselves that no wires extended from
the motor.
TAKES APPARATUS
APART FOR AUDIENCE.
The tiny apparatus was then taken
apart by Hubbard for the benefit OF
his audience. Though he showed exactly
what it consisted of, he would not tell
nor discuss how he had arranged the
parts to change the polarity at the rate
Of 100 times second, which, he says, is
the secret of his invention.
The boy claims he can drive an au-
tomobile with the same apparatus and
is now connecting his machinery to one,
but as the work OF preparation viii take
some weeks, no demonstration will be
given until that time.
One of the many persons who write to
Hubbard every day, some 90 give legal
advice and others to purchase bis inven-
ton, has advanced the theory thai Hub
bard operates his device by personal mag
uetism-
Hubbard denies that his device seeks
perpetual motion. He maintains that It
taps the vast storehouses OF cosmic
energy and that the apparatus is founded
upon sound scientific principles.
Father William z. Smith, professor
of physics at Seattle college, states that
he believes the boy has stumbled upon
a principle Of electricity never conceived
Il, have existed. Father Smith believes
the young man has applied himself assid-
uousiy to electrical work. but that he
came upon his discovery by accident -
have given the apparatus some study
ayers Father Smith, "but while ! can
not say l understand the device thor
oughIy, 1 am able to say that it is not
a hoax or a fraud and that it will serve
TO give a basis for future work that
eventually will bear good fruit. 1 have
sufficient information TO know that It is
yure to upset some of the most firmly es-
tablisned theorems of science