A MILLION HOLLARS DOWN

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 443, 5 February 1890, Page 3

A MILLION HOLLARS DOWN

And Twenty Thousand a Year Beside— The Romance of Smokeless Powder From the Inventor’s Own Lips. The inventor of noiseless and smokeless gunpowder, referred to in the 8 Courant’s ’ despatches from Washington, is Captain William Ledyard Ellsworth of 117, Trum-bull-street, this city, an old Hartford citizen though not a continuous resident here. He was in the army and afterward was Consul at Cyprus awhile, and has been about the world a great deal. He has been at work upon this gunpowder for a long time, but, as our Government demanded of him an analysis of it before consenting to a trial, he went abroad with his idea—not caring to give the secret of the thing away in advance. His first contract, made abroad, sold to Carl Von Auderlich the right to use and manufacture and sell the substance everywhere except on this Continent, in return for which he gets $500,000 down and SIO,OOO a year for himself or his heirs for ninety-nine years. In that contract is a proviso that the purchaser shall have the option also to buy the American rights on payment of another $500,000 and pledge of a 'further SIO,OOO a year for ninety-nine years. That option would have expired November Ist, but before that time the following paper was left at Captain Ellsworth’s residence here in Hartford : London, England, Oct. 12, 1889. Captain William Ledyard, Kllswoth, 117, Trumbull-street, Hartford. Conn. Dear Sir : I hereby give notice that I will avail myself of the privilege and option he expressed in article VI. of the contract of October 1, 1889, relating to the reserved rights in said section. I hereby take personal service by this letter, as provided for in said section of said contract. My agent and counsel, J. D. Payne, is hereby instructed to make the necessary arrangements. Carl Von Auderlich. Witnesses—Eugene Francke, J. D. Payne. The service of that notice closes the contract and prevents a sale in this country. Captain Ellsworth was seen Thursday by a ‘ Courant’ representative, and seemed to be in a cheerful frame of mind over his financial success. He said he intended to return to Hartford or this vicinity for a permanent home, and that he had it in contemplation to go out upon Talcott Mountain, beyond the ; Hoe purchase, and lay out an elegant place there, with deer park, etc., in the style of an English estate.

The Washington 8 Star ’ describes the new powder as of 8 a dark chocolate colour, absolutely smokeless and noiseless, giving off no odour nor gas.’ It says that at the sham fight at Hanover the German troops fired 17,000 rounds with perfect success and thereupon the Von Auderlich contract was made for the benefit of the German Government. Of the inventor, it says : ‘Captain Ellsworth is'a short man with a keen, shrewd, typical New England face. He looks about forty-five years old, his hair being raven black, but is in reality sixty.’—‘Hartford Courant.’