PAINE'S ELECTBO-MAGNETIC ENGINE 25 



standard on the chimney, and the current was supposed to pass from 

 these, along wires, to the break piece, and thence to the magnets. A 

 belt on the pulley connected with a shaft overhead, whence another belt 

 proceeded to the pulley of a small circular saw. 



As soon as the connection was made with the battery, the whole 

 apparatus began to move, and soon the saw attained great velocity, 

 shaking the building with violence. The latter effect was caused by a 

 heavy fly wheel on the saw arbor, which probably was not well balanced. 

 When well in motion, boards were applied and sawed with the greatest 

 ease. To show the excess of power, they were sometimes placed on 

 edge and passed over the saw, so as wholly to envelop it, and the cut 

 made from end to end, without the velocity being at all diminished. 

 On throwing off the belt from the saw, the machine still proceeded at 

 the same velocity, with entire indifference to external resistance. On 

 mentioning this to Mr. Paine, he informed me that when the saw was 

 attached, and the resistance greater, the increased pull on the magnets 

 brought them nearer together, by bending the heavy iron frame; and, 

 as magnetic attraction varies inversely as the square of the distance, it 

 only required a small change of distance to account for the increased 

 power. I clearly indicated that I was skeptical on this point, and sug- 

 gested that it would also work without variation if the power pro- 

 ceeded from some well governed steam engine in the neighborhood. 

 On this he intimated that, if I were not careful, a force might proceed 

 from his body which would act in conjunction with gravitation in 

 causing me to be projected through the window, and strike with vio- 

 lence on the ground below. 



The exhibition being over, on going down stairs in company with the 

 rest, I tried the door of the room below, but found it locked, and the 

 windows covered with papers. I desired to get in, but was met with 

 the assurance that the room was rented by a man who was then absent. 



This, 1 believe, is the last visit paid by an outsider to this wonderful 

 invention. I have been there several times since, but there has been 

 no admittance to me, or to any one else. I have since been to the 

 owner of the building, and find that Mr. Paine rents the room to which 

 I sought admittance, and also rents power in that same room, which is 

 directly below that containing his machine. The engine from which 

 the power comes generally stops work at twelve and starts again at 

 one, but sometimes works all day. 



My visits there have established the following facts: First, That 

 my friend and I were denied admittance at twelve o'clock, but were 



