Perpetual Motion.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 182, 9 August 1901, Page 3

Perpetual Motion.

AFTER SEVEN YEARS’ TOIL MAN SHOOTS HIMSELF. New York, June 14. Everything about the perpetual motion machino which William Herford invented seemed perfect, but the contrivance had a way of running down when it should have been going at full speed. For seven years the inventor sought to win the machine from the error of its way and last night ho’ gave up the struggle,-put a bullet in his head and died.

Herford was seventy-ono years old. He had worked as a carpenter all his life, and adversity had reduced him to poverty. Unless his invention should be a success he saw no refuge for himself but the Almshouse or death.

He choose the haven of which he kn ew nothing. His wife and his six children wore in their graves. One of liis sons, a policeman, had committed suicide about six years ago. Herford thought there was nothing for him in life and calmly and even with a smile of resignation on his face he made his preparations for death. He told a friend who was calling upon him last evening that he had an engagement to meet a man in his shop and talk over a business matter. He then went to

lio carpenter shop and made his proparaions for death.

First the old carpenter lighted his pipe and then stretched himself at full length upon his work bench. He evidently remained there for ten or fifteen minutes. When he had fully made up his mind he placed a revolver to the right side of his head and shot himself.

When the police came they found that

the pipe was still lighted as it lay upon the floor. The body rested easily and naturally as though he had fallen asleep while reclining on the bench where he had toiled so long and hopefully. On a shelf not far away was the perpetual motion machino which was to have brought fame and fortune. Tho mechanism consisted principally of two wooden cones, placed upon a wire or rod, which had an inclination of forty-five t degrees. The point of the top cone rested upon the base of the lower cone. The top cone, revolved by a pneumatic apparatus, was supposed to keep the lower cone in perpetual motion.

Some months ago an attempt was made by a Melbourne man to attract the attention of the scientific world to a “ marvellous ” discovery he had made —the secret ol' perpetual motion. This modern Pascal was prepared then to expose the fallacy that perpetual motion was impossible, and offered as a demonstration a wooden wheel arranged in the back yard of his house. In consequence of statements made at the time, and despite the fact that the claim was discredited in every scientific publication of the day, several persons rushed in to assist the inventor, and between them put nearly .£2OOO into the invention. One enslaved admirer purchased an interest for .£SOO, expecting to reap a mint of money from the proceeds of a tour round the world with the unique wheel. The next course taken was the construction of a wheel in iron, and

this was done at a cost of £6O. A few days ago, when everything was ready for tho “ grand display,” those interested, including the inventor, attended at the foundry to start the wheel in motion. At first the strange looking contrivance, which weighs a ton, refused to start, and then when it had been made to move all the strange looking contrivances, weights anc] levers with which it was almost

hidden from view, could not carry it more than a quarter of a revolution. “ I have miscalculated the balance,” the inventor snapped out. He left the foundry. Other spectators said something about the “ wheel of misfortune,” and agreed among themselves to hide their discomfiture from the world, and so the finding qf the French Academy that ‘‘perpotual motion is impossible ” still remains undisturbed.

We roverence as heroes those who have fallen fighting for the. Empire ; let us be prepared to aid the living as well as to honor the dead.—Auckland Star.

The Opposition to-day is just as keen, jui,t as alert, and just as ready to corner the Government as it has been at any time in its history.—Taieri Advocate. Discussion upon a measure which, in our opinion, is pre-destined to the wastepaper basket, would, ho superfluous.— Napier Telegraph on State fire insurance. The proper policy of the Government is to have in the market plenty of land, to fix upset rents for it according to circumstances, and then tu put it up to auction. —Napier Telegraph. The produce of the sea is public property in the most literal sense, and the State, as the custodian of the interests of the people, should see that this valuable crop is economically harvested.—Auckland Star.

Centuries of distinction and an origin to be proud of have had their effect on men, and wherever England has needed defenders or advocates, she has found them among the noble families.—Masterton Times.

The time must come when the pendulum will swing hack, and our industries must either then go by tiie board, or the extravagant claims now being made under conciliation and arbitration will have to be considerably reduced, Palmerston Times.

As long as a £3 fine is looked upon as a fair equivalent for knocking a policeman (or anyone else) about, so long may-larri-kinism and violence be expected to increase. “ Two months’ hard ” would be a fair thing in proved cases of this kind.— Christchurch Spectator, Tho Premier is not easily seared, but when he received that monstc-r petition from Ivumara, sigoed by the Rev. J. S. Thompson and no less than thirteen other people, protesting against the proposed amendment in the licensing law, and the sale of liquor in the King Country, his iron nerve was no doubt strained. —Kumara Times.,

In honoring our politicians, the King honors us, his people. Sir Joseph has been accused by his detractors of accepting honor from personal motives. He has clearly demonstrated that it is so, and that his personal motives are so wrapped up in the motives of the people that they are as one. His progression, and tb,e progression of his colleagues, is the progression of tho peonlc. If he is capable of further exalting himself, he also exalts the people whose servant he is proud to be. —Wellington Free Lance. CAN you knit? Here is a rare chance. Baldwin’s 4-ply Beehive Wools, in a few good colors, at 3s per lb. All other colors at 20 per cent, less than usuM ijrioe.— C Rosie £ (Jo.