Keely and His Discoveries: Aerial Navigation

by Mrs. Bloomfield H. Moore

There is a distinct advantage in having one section of scientific men beginning their work untrammelled by preconceived notions.—Engineering.

A knowledge of scientific theories seems to kill all knowledge of scientific facts.—Professor Schuster.

Tizeau found that the speed of light is increased in water which moves in the same direction as the light. This result must be due either to the motion of matter through the medium, or to the fact that moving matter carries the ether with it. The whole question of matter and motion as a medium is a vital one, and we shall hardly make any serious advance before experiment has found a new opening.—Professor Schuster.

How Mr. Keely, in 1891, was Able To Secure the Attention Of Men of Science To His Researching Experiments.

During the summer of 1890, Mr. Keely was harassed by threats, said to proceed from disappointed stockholders in the Keely Motor Company, of suits at law for “obtaining money under false pretences.” After making many unsuccessful attempts with the editors of leading magazines in London, Boston, and New York, to bring before the public the claims of Mr. Keely for sympathy in his colossal work, the proposals of an editor, on the staff of the London Times (who had the year before introduced himself to Mrs. Bloomfield Moore to obtain information of Keely) to make known the researches of the persecuted discoverer and his need of assistance, at that time, were accepted. The programme, as laid out by this editor, was to use his extended influence with the leading journals throughout Great Britain, and to have brief notices of Keely inserted; to be followed up with a magazine article, for which the material was furnished. Later this arrangement was modified by the editor, who then proposed to write an essay for some influential journal, handling the various molecular and atomic theories; pointing out wherein Keely’s views were original, and showing their revolutionizing tendencies. This work, which was to have been commenced in November, was delayed until all need was over. When the editor wrote to Philadelphia in January, 1891, that he had been unable to commence his work for want of sufficient material (enclosing questions to be answered by Mr. Keely before he could set about it), the answer returned was that the threatened troubles were over, that Mr. Keely had gained the protection of men of science, and the order for the essay was countermanded. At this very time a subscription was in circulation to raise money from disaffected stockholders for the purpose of bringing the threatened action at law, in case Mr. Keely did not resume work on his engine, instead of pursuing researches in order to gain more knowledge of the operation of this unknown polar force in nature.

It was at this juncture that the late Professor Joseph Leidy, that eminent man of science who had been the first to recognize the importance of Keely’s discovery to the scientific world, arranged with the Provost of the University of Pennsylvania that an appeal should be made to the trustees, the faculty and the professors of that institution, to permit Keely to continue his researches for science under their protection.

Accordingly, on the 14th of January, 1891, a paper entitled “Keely’s Discoveries” was read at the house of Provost Pepper. The answer sent by one of the professors, in reply to Dr. Pepper’s invitation, probably expressed the views held by all the distinguished men who assembled to listen to the appeal, which was to the effect that the professor would be present to hear the paper read, if the Provost wished it; but, if he came, he should make it very unpleasant for the reader, as he had no faith in Keely nor in his discoveries. All those who were present listened with attention, and among the few who became interested in the claims of Keely as a discoverer, was the professor who had made this remark. The preamble to the appeal was read by the Provost, Dr. Pepper.

Preamble.

Before commencing to read my paper I wish to lay before you the object of this effort to interest men of science in the researches of a man who, in the cause of justice alone, is entitled to have his life’s work fairly represented to you. Some of our men of science have, unwittingly, been the medium by which great injustice has been done to Mr. Keely; and to others also, by placing me before the world as a woman whom the Keely Motor Company management has robbed of large sums of money; whereas, in truth, I have never been in any way involved by the Keely Motor Company.

In the winter of 1881–82, Mr. Keely, who was dependent upon “The Keely Motor Company” for the means to continue his researches, as to the nature of the unknown force he had discovered, was virtually abandoned by the Company. Himself as ignorant as were its managers of the source of the mysterious energy he had stumbled over, he was driven to despair by their action; and, when I was led to his assistance, I found his wife’s roof mortgaged over her head, and that, his honour assailed, he had resolved to take his life rather than submit to the indignities threatening him. At this time I had taken from my private estate ten thousand dollars, to found a small public library to my father’s memory, in the town of Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts. After convincing myself that Mr. Keely had made a great discovery, I felt that if this money could save his discovery, jeopardized as it was, it was my duty to so appropriate it. At that time, Mr. Keely thought half of the amount so appropriated would be all that he should require; but, unfortunately, his efforts were for years confined to the construction of an engine for the Company that had abandoned him. Later, he commenced researches which resulted in the discovery that he had unknowingly imprisoned the ether; greatly increasing my interest in his work.