The Case of Summerfield | Page 8

"Yes; I recollect the event."
Now, then, I wish a reply to the simple question: Did the single spark, that kindled the
conflagration, consume the negroes and their charge? No? But what did? You reply, of
course, that the spark set the entire prairie on fire; that each spear of grass added fuel to
the flame, and kindled by degrees a conflagration that continued to burn so long as it
could feed on fresh material. The pilule in that vial is the little spark, the oceans are the
prairies, and the oxygen the fuel upon which the fire is to feed until the globe perishes in
inextinguishable flames. The elementary substances in that small vial recreate themselves;
they are self-generating, and when once fairly under way must necessarily sweep onward,
until the waters in all the seas are exhausted. There is, however, one great difference
between the burning of a prairie and the combustion of an ocean: the fire in the first
spreads slowly, for the fuel is difficult to ignite; in the last, it flies with the rapidity of the
wind, for the substance consumed is oxygen, the most inflammable agent in nature."
Rising from my seat, I went to the washstand in the corner of the apartment, and drawing
a bowl half full of Spring Valley water, I turned to Summerfield, and remarked, "Words
are empty, theories are ideal - but facts are things."
"I take you at your word." So saying, he approached the bowl, emptied it of nine-tenths
of its contents, and silently dropped the potassium-coated pill into the liquid. The
potassium danced around the edges of the vessel, fuming, hissing, and blazing, as it
always does, and seemed on the point of expiring - when, to my astonishment and alarm,
a sharp explosion took place, and in a second of time the water was blazing in a red, lurid
column, half way to the ceiling.
"For God's sake," I cried, "extinguish the flames, or we shall set the building on fire!"
"Had I dropped the potassium into the bowl as you prepared it," he quietly remarked, "the
building would indeed have been consumed."
Lower and lower fell the flickering flames, paler and paler grew the blaze, until finally
the fire went out, and I rushed up to see the effects of the combustion.
Not a drop of water remained in the vessel! Astonished beyond measure at what I had
witnessed, and terrified almost to the verge of insanity, I approached Summerfield, and
tremblingly inquired, "To whom, sir, is this tremendous secret known?" "To myself
alone," he responded; "and now answer me a question: is it worth the money?"

* * * * * * *

It is entirely unnecessary to relate in detail the subsequent events connected with this
transaction. I will only add a general statement, showing the results of my negotiations.
Having fully satisfied myself that Summerfield actually held in his hands the fate of the
whole world, with its millions of human beings, and by experiment having tested the
combustion of sea-water, with equal facility as fresh, I next deemed it my duty to call the
attention of a few of the principal men in San Francisco to the extreme importance of
Summerfield's discovery.
A leading banker, a bishop, a chemist, two State university professors, a physician, a
judge, and two Protestant divines, were selected by me to witness the experiment on a
large scale. This was done at a small sand-hill lake, near the seashore, but separated from
it by a ridge of lofty mountains, distant not more than ten miles from San Francisco.
Every single drop of water in the pool was burnt up in less than fifteen minutes. We next
did all that we could to pacify Summerfield, and endeavored to induce him to lower his
price and bring it within the bounds of a reasonable possibility. But without avail. He
began to grow urgent in his demands, and his brow would cloud like a tempest-ridden sky
whenever we approached him on the subject. Finally, ascertaining that no persuasion
could soften his heart or touch his feelings, a sub-committee was appointed, to endeavor,
if possible, to raise the money by subscription. Before taking that step, however, we
ascertained beyond all question that Summerfield was the sole custodian of his dread
secret, and that he kept no written memorial of the formula of his prescription. He even
went so far as to offer us a penal bond that his secret should perish with him in case we
complied with his demands.
The sub-committee soon commenced work amongst the wealthiest citizens of San
Francisco, and by appealing to the terrors of a few, and the sympathies of all, succeeded
in raising one-half the amount within the prescribed period. I shall never