Democratic Sentinel, Volume 18, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 June 1894 — OLD LOADSTONE MAGNET. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OLD LOADSTONE MAGNET.

Its Exceeding Age Testifies to Its Excellent Workmanship. The picture of the old-time loadstone magnet shown below Is from the Electrical Engineer. It is composed of a piece of loadstone with soft iron pole pieces fitted to it. One of the bands which holds the parts together is silver. On this band is engraved: “Meinert (one side not Bhown) AParis, 1753,” on the pole pieces the letters N and 8 indicated the polarity. This polarity is, according to the French custom, marked S on the north-seeking pole. The

magnet weighs two pounds three and a half ounces and will sustain more than Its weight. The magnet was brought to America about 1775 by Dr. John Francis Vacher, a EYench physician who was educated at the college of Montpelier. He joined one of the American regiments as surgeon, and served for sometime. He was a member of the Cincinnati, and Is buried in St. Paul’s churchyard, in New York. It has been the plaything for his and his descendants’ children for over 100 years, and its survival shows its good construction. It is now in the possession of the family of the late Hon. Robert Gilchrist.

OLD-TIME MAGNET.