Genius in Flames

Yesterday's deplorable catastrophe, by which was destroyed almost the entire scientific apparatus of Nikola Tesla, the electrical wizard whose discoveries have rivaled those of the famous Edison and upon whose experiments hangs the attention of the world, will cause universal sympathy and universal regret.

The flames did not destroy apparatus alone; the tangible results of years of labor and untiring search vanished in their smoke, and the loss is therefore not to be estimated in mere dollars and cents. Nature has surrounded her secrets with such wellnigh impregnable bastions that when a man is on the point of a triumphant entry into one of her strongholds, it is most discouraging to find her reinforced by the accidents of fate. Tesla has worked hard and long, and marvelous results have crowned his labor. His experiments were yielding practical data, and scientists have believed that he was on the point of making the world's greatest discoveries in electric laws.

This set-back will be a terrible blow to the intrepid young Serbian. Just to what extent it will affect his future work it is impossible to say; but it is sincerely to be hoped that he will not find himself unable to rebuild what an unlucky chance has thrown down. The world, and practically this city, where he has worked and studied long, will watch with the keenest interest for the rehabiliment of his work-shop and the successful and hopeful continuation of his absorbing experiments. We expect great things of Nikola Tesla.