PHILADELPHIA, Penn., June 19.- A test of the new etheric engine was made yesterday at Inventor Keely's laboratory in this city. A number of gentlemen were present, inclusing General Manager Fransioli of the Manhattan Elevated Railway, New York: Mechanical Engineer Pierson of the same company, Chief Electrical Engineer Brown of the Western Union Telegraph Company, and Mr. Sterritt of the Metropolitan Traction Company, New York.
All were surprised at the force produced by Mr. Keely's new motor, but they declined to express any opinion as to its value.
The new engine is a complicated structure, arranged and supplied with vitalized disks of metal, placed at intervals on two hoops or bands of steel, one of which runs inside the other. These disks are composed of a secret metallic composition.
Mr. Keely's representative said he has a large number of drawings, specifications, and photographs, which he will, when he applies for a patent, submit to the authorities at Washington. This he expects to do in about thirty or sixty days. Aside from these disks, Mr. Keely has also prepared a metallic powder, which, to look at, very much resembles iron or steel filings, but which lacks one essential feature of iron or steel - it will not respond to the attraction of a magnet. The engine, which weighs about 200 pounds, will, it is said, develop fully ten-horse power.
MANAGER FRANSIOLI SURPRISED.
Cannot Understand the New Motor, but Thinks It`s Remarkable.
General Manager Fransioli of the Manhattan Elevated Railroad said last night that, although he could not attempt to describe Inventor Keely’s new motor, it was an interesting and puzzling contrivance. Mr. Keely did not divulge the secret of his motive power to us, “said he,” but merely showed us the results, which were startling, to say the least. We were shown a glass table on which the motor rested. The motor consisted of an elaborate arrangement of metal disks and wires, and from these extended a single wire to the periphery of a wheel a few feet distant.
“At the base of the motor a number of metal prongs projected resembling tuning forks. These forks were struck by the inventor, and at the instant they gave out sound the wheel attached to the motor began to revolve, and continued to do so until stopped.
“I am sure no electricity entered into the propelling force. It may be the utilization of polar currents, or is possibly caused by the action of sympathetic sound waves.
Mr. Keely told us he would soon be able to manufacture motors sufficiently powerful for practical use on railways as propelling agents. He may or he may not, but certainly I did not go to Philadelphia to examine the new invention with a view to recommending its use on the elevated railroads here.”
Mr. Fransioli refused to express a decided opinion upon the practicability of the new invention on the plea that he did not thoroughly understand the principles of its construction.
Published: June 20, 1897
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