I believe, moreover, that the method claimed by Mowbray, in said
patent, differs materially from any of the various modes of exploding
Nitro-Glycerin described in the before-mentioned re-issues granted to
the assignees of A. Nobel, since these various methods specifically
require the Nitro-Glycerin to be under confinement, or subjected to
heat or pressure when confined, in order to explode it; while Mowbray
claims exposing the Nitro-Glycerin to the concussion, agitation, or
percussion of a heavy charge, not less than ten or twelve grains of
pure fulminate of mercury, which fulminate is fired by passing the
electric spark through a priming composition.”
June 8, 1870. GEORGE F. BARKER.
Evidence of S. W. Johnson, Professor of Analytical and Agricultural
Chemistry in Yale College.
“I have read the foregoing affidavit of Professor Geo. F.
Barker; I witnessed the experiments therein described, and
concur in the statement contained in said affidavit.”
June 8, 1870. SAMUEL W. JOHNSON.
Evidence of George M. Mowbray, Operative Chemist.
“About October, 1867, I concluded an agreement with the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts, to erect Nitro-Glycerin works near the West Shaft of the
Hoosac Tunnel; these erected, I commenced manufacturing Nitro-Glycerin
about the 26th day of December, 1867, and with but few intermissions
have continued to manufacture it for blasting purposes for the tunnel
work ever since. About June 13, 1868, I had a long interview with Mr.
Taliaferro P. Shaffner, the complainant in this suit, when the said
Shaffner proposed to me a consolidation of interests, and told me, if
I would influence J. H. King and Henry Hinckley to advance the sum of
seventy-five thousand dollars, that Robert Rennie of the Lodi Chemical
Works, of Lodi, New Jersey, would credit him with acids to manufacture
Nitro-Glycerin, to the amount of eighty-five thousand dollars, and he
would then purchase land about twenty miles up the Hudson river, and
manufacture Nitro-Glycerin. The proposal I forwarded to J. H. King
and Henry Hinckley, who deemed the same too chimerical to enter upon,
more especially since said Shaffner informed me that one-fifth of
the consolidated association would have to be paid to one Frederick
Smith, one-fifth to said Robert Rennie, and one-fifth to said Shaffner,
on behalf of said U. S. Blasting Oil Company’s engagements, said
Company being deeply indebted to the Lodi Chemical Works, according
to the assertion of Joseph Butterworth, the superintendent at Lodi.
Mr. Shaffner further informed me that the United States Blasting Oil
Company had transferred and assigned all the patent rights conferred
by the Nobel patents to him, and he intended to obtain a re-issue of
the said patents, and with the individual patents obtained by him, and
the patent that had been granted to me in April, 1868, a Company could
be formed that would control the supply of Nitro-Glycerin throughout
the United States.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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