Sheriff Takes Tesla's Tower

And the Inventor Guesses He'll Have to Pay a $1,080 Judgment Now.

The steel tower, 216 feet high, erected by Nikola Tesla, the inventor, at the eastern end of Long Island, together with his entire property there, was advertised for sale. by the Sheriff of Suffolk county yesterday, to satisfy a judgment for $1,080. The judgment was obtained four years ago by Dr. James S. Warden and now belongs to his heirs.

Mr. Tesla, when seen at the WaldorfAstoria last night, did not seem to be at all afraid that he would lose the tower, which has been a puzzle to the people of Long Island ever since it was erected four years ago: He was afraid, however, that he would have to pay the judgment.

"This is an old case which has been dragging in the courts for years," he explained. "I took an option on 400 acres of land down there at some distance from my property on which my plant is located. I intended to use this land for an agricultural experiment in fertilizing soil by means of electricity. I thought that by the use of certain electrical principles the productivity of the soil could be increased very much. I agreed to take a certain option, but subsequently discovered that the person who entered into the agreement had no right to make such a disposition of the property. I told him the option was off and paid no further attention to the matter. A year or so later a suit was brought and has been fought with varying results. The heirs of the owner have simply pressed the claim and it is very likely that it will have to be paid. It does not in the least affect my undertakings and the work at my plant."

Mr. Tesla said that altogether his plant was worth $850,000, but he refused to dispel the mystery surrounding the tower. At the time that work on this was begun it was reported that was to send the human voice on wireless waves around the globe.

"I have no announcement to make now," said Mr. Tesla. "In a few, months I shall begin to manufacture new devices of mine at this plant and then I may have something of interest to say."

The Tesla property is at Wardenclyffe, and consists of 200 acres. The tower has a great mushroom top, from which there used to be blinding flashes of electricity at night some years ago.