The Paint factory New York

304 . MAY 17, 1884. mnican. back of grinding paint pigment ESTABLISHED 1845. MUNN & CO., Editors and Proprietors. PUBLISHED WEEKLY AT No. 361 BROADWAY, NEW YORK. 0. D. MUNN. A. E. BEACH. TERMS FOR THE SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN. One copy, one year postage included S3 20 One copy, six months postage included 1 60 Clubs.—One extra copy of THE SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN will be supplied gratis for every club of live subscribers at $3.20 each ; additional copies at same proportionate rate. Postage prepaid. Remit by postal order. Address MUNN & CO., 361 Broadway, corner of Franklin street, New York. The Scientific American Supplement is a distinct paper from the SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN. THE SUPPLEMENT is issued weekly. Every number contains 16 octavo pages, uniform in size with SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN. Terms of subscription for SUPPLEMENT, $5.00 a year, postage paid, to subscribers. Single copies, 10 cents. Sold by all news dealers throughout the country. Combined Rates. —The SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN and SUPPLEMENT will be sent for one year postage free. on receipt of seven dollars. Both papers to one address or different addresses as desired. The safest way to remit is by draft, postal order, or registered letter. Address MUNN & CO., 361 Broadway, corner of Franklin street, New York, Scientific American Export Edition. The SWINT' Fic AMERICAN Export Edition is a large and splendid peri-odical, issued once a month . Each number contains about one hundred large quarto pages, profusely illustrated, embracing : (1.) Most of the plates and pages of the four preceding weekly issues of the SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, with its splendid engravings and valuable information ; (2.) COmmercial, trade, and manufacturing announcements of leading houses. Terms for Export Edition, $5.00 a year, sent prepaid to any part of the world. Single copies 50 cents. VW- Manufacturers and others who desire to secure foreign trade may have large, and handsomely displayed an-notincements published in this edition at a very moderate cost. The SCIENTIFIC Am lc it ICA N Export Edition has a large guaranteed circu-lation in all commercial places throughout the world. Address M UNN & CO., 361 Broadway, corner of Franklin street, New York NEW YORK, SATURDAY, MAY 17, 1884. REMOVAL. The SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN Office is now located at 361 Broadway, cor. Franklin St. 1 I. Contents. (Illustrated articles are marked with an asterisk.) Animal remains in coal Bees, how to handle 313 312 Machines, spinning, collecting and removing waste from*... 306 Blindness,color, suggestion. 308. Meteorite, fall of a 306 Business and personal 314 Monsters, sea, unmasked 309 Chrysanthemums, stimulants for 311 Motor, sun, Ericsson's* 310 Cincinnati, health of 310 New books and publications 314 corn, green, for pigs 312 Notes and queries ..... . . 315 Cough remedy, a 304 _ F.W._. Paint and varnish works Of W ELEVATED CITY RAILWAYS CAUSE EYE TROUBLES. The introduction of the elevated railways in this city has also brought in a peculiar class of optical troubles, due to the lodgment of iron dust in the eyes of pedestrians and others who have occasion, to travel or pass under the railway struc-tures. Hundreds of such cases are now treated at the hos-pitals, and most of them are successfully cured, the parti-cles being removed by a gouge-shaped instrument about the size of a sewing needle. The pieces are too firmly held to be removed by magnets. The trains have a high speed between stations, and are quickly brought to a stop. This requires strong braking, which grinds off the iron from the shoes in fine showers, and the iron particles fly in all directions. A magnet applied by us to the tops of the crossties at-tracted a large quantity of very fine iron dust. Each pass-ing train deposits its quota of iron, not only on the cross ties, but upon the street below. We passed a magnet along the gutter of the street near the stations, where dust usually ac-cumulates, with the result that large quantities of iron par-ticles were secured upon the magnet. The same experiment was also tried in Broadway, through which no elevated rail-road runs, and while iron particles were attracted, the quan-tity was far less than at the railways. By passing the magnet along a distance of only six feet near a railway station, more iron was attracted than by passing it along an entire block on Broadway. These particles varied in size from one-sixteenth of an inch to dust so fine as hardly to be distinguished by the naked eye, and were frequently entirely invisible, requiring the aid of the microscope to reveal them. Viewed under the microscope, their dangerous character becomes apparent. The greater part were bordered by a jagged fringe with very fine points, compared with which the point of a cam-bric needle appeared dull. Not infrequently the projections were hook-shaped and barbed similar to a fish hook, which will account for the difficulty experienced in removing them from the eye, into which they have been driven—the clos-ing of the eyelid and the rubbing which thoughtlessly followed, assisting to more firmly embed them in the cornea. In order to determine whether iron particles could be at-tracted while floating in the air, a magnet exposing about one square foot of surface was suspended in mid air under one of the railroad tracks, and although the magnet was by no means a strong one, it attracted to itself iron particles in spite of a strong wind which blew at the time. Further, the awnings of shop keepers along the lines of the elevated railroad are discolored by irob rust in a very short time, and require frequent renewals, since washing fails to remove the stains which the rust produces. The evil above described being manifest, the question of its prevention naturally suggests itself. The subject is worthy the attention of inventors. THE LITTLE SHOP. 7 7 7 radical change. Yet he would be surprised to see one of his machines turning out from 600 to 700 carriage wheel spokes every ten hours, made from the toughest hickory, and not only that, but changing its feed automatically to suit the work. This change is quite ingenious. There are two feeds to the longitudinal progress of the cutter head along the machine, and where the sawed spokes are small and the amount of material to be removed is little, the feed is very rapid; but as the cutter head approaches the hub end of the spoke the curve makes the material to be removed more, be-cause the spokes as sawed present only straight lines from end to end. The feeds are by pulleys and belts, and when the time comes for changing the movement of the cutter head, it releases a lever and holds another, each carrying idler pulleys, so that the fast or swift feed pulley is released and the slower pulley takes its place. The work is so nearly automatic that the attendant has only to take out the turned spoke and put in a sawed blank; but at the rate of over one a minute his place is no sinecure. Disinfection of Egyptian Rags. In relation to the proper disinfection of rags imported into the United States from Egypt, the State Depart-ment has, upon careful and mature consideration of the subject commensurate with the interests involved, decided upon the following methods of disinfection, either of which will be satisfactory to the health authorities of New York city, New Haven, and Boston, who have been consulted in respect to the matter, viz.: 1. Boiling in water for two hours under a pressure of 50 pounds per square inch; 2. Boiling in water for four hours without pressure; and 3. Subjection to the action of confined sulphurous acid gas for six hours, burning 114 to 2 pounds of roll brimstone in each 1,000 cubic feet of space, with the rags well scat-tered upon racks. Full and explicit instructions have accordingly been given to Mr. George P. Pomeroy, Agent and Consul-General at Cairo, and Mr. Francis McNally, a citizen of the United States, has been designated as the Inspector. He will have immediate supervision, under the Consul-General, of the process of disinfection, will be required to give the subject his earnest personal attention, and furnish a proper certifi-cate. Mr. McNally's certificate will show the following facts: The name of the consignee in the United States, the place where the rags were disinfected, and the process of disinfection, which must be one of the processes herein-before descri bed. After that the Consul-General is to authenticate the certi-ficate given by the Inspector. This process is to be observed in the case of every bale of rags, which is to be also marked " Thoroughly inspected," with the name of the inspector. The Parasites of Money. The Frankfurter Zeit/1nc states that Dr_ Reinsoh lifts J. 1.2.1 JL,J .L 11V A- N../Na .L 11V • V located at 361 Broadway, cor. Franklin St. Contents. (Illustrated articles are marked with an asterisk.) Animal remains in coal 313 Bees, how to handle 312 Blindness,*color, suggestion 308 Business and personal 314 Chrysanthemums, stimulants for 311 Cincinnati, health of 310 corn, green, for pigs 312 Cough remedy, a 304 Couplings, car, victims of 307 Criminals. characteristics of 313 Diarrhcea. hot lemonade for 310 Discoveries, remarkable* . . . . . 311 Doctor, dist., incidents in life-- 305 Engine, gas, new* 310 Evergreens 305 Eye troubles,elevated R.R cause 304 Fountain attach. for brushes* ... 312 Girls, electric 312 Gun, heavy, casting of a.. ...... 305 Hen, a sheet iron ...... Hickory. .312 Industries, American 308 Inventions, agricultural. 314- Inventions index - engineering.. . ... 314 Iventions, ndex of 315 Inventions, mechanical 314: Inventions, miscellaneous 314 Inventors, traps for 306 Lakes, walled, of Iowa 309 Lathe, Blanchard, the. 304 LOCK, new, Mikesell's* 396 Locust, seventeen year, the 313 Machines, spinning, collecting and removing waste from*... 306 Meteorite, fall of a 306 Monsters, sea, unmasked 309 Motor, sun, Ericsson's* 310 New books and publications. 314 Notes and queries .. . . . .._. 315 Paint and varnish. works of F.W Devoe & Co.* 303, 308 Parasites, dangerous, two 311 Parasites of money 304 Patent bill, stenographic, a ...._ . 305 Patent question, the 305 Plane, bench, Curtis'* 307 Plant, house, beautiful* 310 Pine, screw, the, at home* 310 Rags, Egyptian, disinfection of. 304 Revolver, photo., for amateurs*, 307 Shop, little. the ........ 304 Silverware, to photograph ... 312 Sleepers,rail way, suggestion as to 309 Sugar, sorghum Sumac 313 Swords. English vs. Arab 306 Tombstone, Miller's* 309 Trees, height of, measuring 306 Truck, car, McConnell's* . 396 Turning and grinding *. 309 Watch made to be pounded...... 312 Wells, digging 307 Wrench, improved, De Silva's*.. 306 Yucatan, discoveries in" 311 TABLE OF CONTENTS OF THE SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN SUPPLEMENT No. 437, For the Week ending May 17, 1854. Price 10 cents. For sale by all newsdealers. PAGE I. ENGINEERING AND MECHANICS.—Bange's Artillery System.—Siege and fortress guns.-3 engravings 6967 Planetary Wheel Trains.—Action of curious combinations of wheels, and formulae or equations for the same.—With 13 figures 6968 Single Spindle Profiling Machine.—With engraving 6968 Proposed Suez Ship Railway.—With full page of engravings 6970 Auber's Tubular Boiler with Movable Fire-box.-1 engraving 6972 Submarine Explorations.—Apparatus used on the Talisman for collecting water at different depths.—Eiectric light in the sea.—Effect of the pressure of the water at great depths.—Deep sea and surface fishes taken by the Talisman 6978 II. TECHNOLOGY.—Notes on Pharmaceutical Apparatus.—Paper read by CHAS. SYMES at a meeting of the Liverpool Chemists' As-sociation.—With 3 engravings 6972 Amalgam Retort and Condenser.—With engraving............ 6973 Lawrence's Capillary Coolers.-3 figures 6933 III. ELECTRIC [TY.—The Play of the Needle.—With 1 figure 6973 The Great Discoveries in Electricity 6973 History of the Electric Telegraph.—How Morse first thought of the telegraph.—Description of Morse's different apparatus.—With five engravings and diagram showing specimen of writing of Morse's first telegraph 6974 The Drawbaugh Telephones.—With full description and ten fig-ures 6975 The Source of Atmospheric Electricity.—Hypotheses of different scientists.—By Prof. TAIT . 6976 11r. ASTRONONIY.—Prof. IlEYER on Comets.—A letter to the Editor, 6977 V. P,HYSIOLOGY, ETC.—The Six Gateways of Knowledge.—By Prof. Sir WM. THOMSON.—Treating of the senses, manner in which they are affected, etc.—A sixth sense 6980 VI MISCELLANEOUS.•How to Make an Incubator.—Directions.--- Brooders.-6 figures 6977 Two Useful Geometrical Problems 6982 01/11,G VL CL OW-W18 VV111L1 VI, .1,11 1J1G VV CLL 1,11E ULM% Further, the awnings of shop keepers along the lines of the elevated railroad are discolored by irob rust in a very short time, and require. frequent renewals, since washing fails to remove the stains which the rust produces. The evil above described being manifest, the question of its prevention naturally suggests itself. The subject is worthy the attention of inventors. vit. 4 • -411. THE LITTLE SHOP. It is time that notice should be taken of the work done as well as of the place taken by our small shops. The " big concerns " do not monopolize all the skill and mechanical capability in the country. They may profess to do the best work and produce the best results, because they are fur-nished with the best tools. But they do not monopolize all the mechanical skill, nor collect all the best workmen. Many of the best manipulators, and a very large proportion of the most exact mechanics, are in the little shops; con-tent, may be, to be the foremen, when in a big shop they would be only first class workmen. The small shop men are valuable in any shop where mechanics, rather than ope-ratives, are required, because they are generally. " men at a pinch," " expediency men," and generally excellent work-men. The proprietor of a large manufacturing establishment, building fine tools of a particular character, claims that his best men come from small shops where makeshifts and con-trivances are the rule. " Such men," he says, " can make the shop hum " by their methods. It is very convenient to have a shop full of adapted tools, but it is also convenient to have in the shop graduates from " the little shop " who can contrive as well as tend a ma-chine. The Blanchard Lathe. The "last lathe " of Thomas Blanchard is an invention that proves itself worthy the name in perpetuity instead of being confined to the turning of wooden lasts. This inven-tion was made public more than sixty-three years ago—Janu-ary, 1820—and was afterward adapted to wheel spokes, hat blocks, wig blocks, and a large number of other irregular forms. Although Mr. Blanchard made many improvements on his original device, the main design is retained in the latest adaptations—that of guiding a rapidly revolving and longitudinally feeding cutter head by a model. Except for exact corners, there is hardly any simple form that cannot be reproduced by the Blanchard method; of course, a produc-tion with a body and members, as a statuette, or a vase, or many other articles, could not be turned as a whole in the lathe. A few changes have been made in the Blanchard lathe within the last twenty years, but these were mainly adapta-tions of well known mechanical movements for the special work to which the particular lathe was assigned. The writer well remembers Mr. Blanchard, thirty years ago, and in conversation he then stated that of all his inventions that of his " last lathe," as he called it, was one that required no the place where the rags were disinfected, and the process of disinfection, which must be one of the processes herein before descri bed. After that the Consul-General is to authenticate the certi-ficate given by the Inspector. This process is to be observed in the case of every bale of rags, which is to be also marked `"rhoroughly inspected," with the name of the inspector. The. Parasites of Money. The Frankfurter Zeitung states that Dr. Reinsch has found, as the result of a long series of minute investigations, that the surfaces of 50-pfen nig pieces (sixpences) which have been long in circulation are the home and feeding ground of a minute kind of bacteria and vegetable fungus. An ex-tended series of observations showed that this is the case with the small coins of all nations, the thin incrustation of organic matter deposited upon their surfaces in the course of long circulation rendering them very suitable for this parasitical settlement. Dr. Reinsch scraped off some of these incrustations, and with a small scalpel divided tliem into fragments, which were subsequently dissolved in dis-tilled water. The employment of lenses of very high power showed the bacteria and fungi distinctly. This is a matte' of no little importance from a hygienic point of view. It has now been conclusively established that bacteria form the chief agency in the propagation of epidemic disease. The revelation that they have a chosen domicile in the most widely circulating medium which probably exists in the world presents us with a new factor in the spread of infec-tious disease. There is, however, a remedy. Where coins have been in circulation for a number of years, if they are washed in a boiling weak solution of caustic potash they will be cleansed from their organic incrustation, and so freed from the unwelcome guests which they harbored. 4111I 41. A Cough Remedy. One of our English contemporaries, in reply to an inquirer, recommends a sirup made of the following ingredients for colds and coughs: Take 18 ounces of perfectly sound onions, and after removing rind make several incisions, but not too deep. Boil together with 13% ounces of moist sugar and 23/ ounces of honey in 35 ounces of water, for three-quarters of an hour; strain, and fill into bottles for use. Give one tablespoonful of this mixture (slightly warmed) immediately on attack, and then, according to requirement, five to eight half tablespoonfuls daily. It is said that this recipe was that used by the Zulu Caffres when visiting Europe some two years since, and who suffered much from the climate, but invariably recovered upon its use. ORANGE JUDD, who has ably managed and edited the. American Agriculturist for thirty years, has retired from the latter paper and removed to Chicago, where he is employed as editor of the Prairie Farmer. We wish. Mr. Judd great success in his new field of labor, and we congratulate the Prairie Farmer on its good fortune in procuring the services of so valuable a coworker.

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pg 357

DECEMBER 7, 1895.1 Sftientifit American. THE CHICAGO MOTOCYCLE RACE. In 1894 a great impetus was given to the automobile carriage by a competition organized in Paris by the Petit Journal. The course was from Paris to Rouen, 75 miles, and the prizes amounted to $2,000. Fifteen competitors started in the race, the best time being 5 hours and 40 minutes. On June 11, 1895, occurred another race in France, for prizes aggregating $8,000. The course measured 727 miles, and was from Paris to Bordeaux and return. Sixty-six vehicles competed, and the best time was made by a petroleum carriage, which made the entire journey in 2 days and 53 min-utes, or at the rate of 14.9 miles an hour. With a laudable intent to awaken widespread inter-est in the motocycle, two papers offered last July sub-stantial prizes aggregating $10,000 to be competed for by horseless vehicles. The Chicago Times-Herald offered $5,000 in four prizes for the winners in the race of November 2, and the Engineer of London offered about $5,000 for a race to be held in England Under the existing law in England, which prohibits the use of steam carriages on the roads at a greater speed than four miles per hour, no adequate competitive trial could take place, but a repeal of the law is confidently expected, so that allowing time for necessary legislation the competition can scarcely take place at an earlier date than October, 1896. No vehicle must weigh over two tons, the limit being fixed by the Shaw-Lefevre over three weeks, only six contestants started on Thanksgiving day morning, November 28. It is pro-bable the terrible storm just preceding the day fixed for the trial and the accumulation of snow and mud deterred many from appearing. The route selected was as follows : Midway Plaisance, Washington Park, Fifty-fifth Street Boulevard, Michigan Boulevard, Rush Street, Lake Shore Drive through Lincoln Park, the Sheri-dan Drive and Kehmore Avenue to Evanston ; thence THE CHICAGO MOTOCYCLE (Automobile The Duryea wins Yea) RACE.
In 1894 a great impetus was given to the automobile carriage by a competition organized in Paris by the Petit Journal. The course was from Paris to Rouen, 75 miles, and the prizes amounted to $2,000. Fifteen competitors started in the race, the best time being 5 hours and 40 minutes. On June 11, 1895, occurred another race in France, for prizes aggregating $8,000. The course measured 727 miles, and was from Paris to Bordeaux and return. Sixty-six vehicles competed, and the best time was made by a petroleum carriage, which made the entire journey in 2 days and 53 min-utes, or at the rate of 14.9 miles an hour. With a laudable intent to awaken widespread inter-est in the motocycle, two papers offered last July sub-stantial prizes aggregating $10,000 to be competed for by horseless vehicles. The Chicago Times-Herald offered $5,000 in four prizes for the winners in the race of November 2, and the Engineer of London offered about $5,000 for a race to be held in England Under the existing law in England, which prohibits the use of steam carriages on the roads at a greater speed than four miles per hour, no adequate competitive trial could take place, but a repeal of the law is confidently expected, so that allowing time for necessary legislation the competition can scarcely take place at an earlier date than October, 1896. No vehicle must weigh over two tons, the limit being fixed by the Shaw-Lefevre over three weeks, only six contestants started on Thanksgiving day morning, November 28. It is pro-bable the terrible storm just preceding the day fixed for the trial and the accumulation of snow and mud deterred many from appearing. The route selected was as follows : Midway Plaisance, Washington Park, Fifty-fifth Street Boulevard, Michigan Boulevard, Rush Street, Lake Shore Drive through Lincoln Park, the Sheri-dan Drive and Kehmore Avenue to Evanston ; thence

THE DURYEA FIRST PRIZE MOTOR WAGON cont
bill, which was introduced during the last Parliament. When the Times-Herald first made its offer, it was feared that the time was too short for American in-ventors to construct motocycles which would stand a fair trial when compared with the skilled construefion of the most experienced French and German makers. This prediction was fulfilled, for out of nearly one hun-dred machines entered, and after a postponement of

of November 2, and the Engineer of London offered about $5,000 for a race to be held in England Tinder the existing law in England, which prohibits the use of steam carriages on the roads at a greater speed than four miles per hour, no adequate competitive trial could take place, but a repeal of the law is confidently expected, so that allowing time for necessary legislation the competition can scarcely take place at an earlier date than October, 1896. No vehicle must weigh over two tons, the limit being fixed by the Shaw-Lefevre

a veritable blizzard, which alLost entirely cut off the city from telegraphic communication, crippled rail-roads, and brought the cable and trolley cars to a standstill. The streets were choked .with snow, which was soon mixed with the accumulations of dirt, until they became well nigh impassable. The snow was 12 inches deep in places. It was in the midst of this city of snow and slush that six motocycles started for their race at 8:55 A. M. on Thanksgiving morning. The vehicles competing were : The Duryea motor carriage, of Springfield, Mass.; the Morris & Salmi electrobat, of Philadelphia, Pa.; the Benz-Mueller mo-tocycle, entered by Mr. H. Mueller, of Decatur, Ill.; the Roger motocycle and the De la Vergne moto-cycle, of New York ; and the Sturges electric moto-cycle, of Chicago. The course was fifty-four miles long. The De la Vergne machine quit at Sixteenth Street ; the Mor-ris & Salom electrobat and the Sturges electric motocycle made short runs and then dropped out of the race. Both the electric vehicles returned in good condition and made a good showing un-der the circumstances. The Roger • machine broke its running gear when half of the course was covered and lost the race. The probable winner of the first prize was the Charles E. Duryea gaso-line motocycle, which made the fifty-four mile run in ten hours and twenty-three minutes. The Benz-Mueller moto-cycle came in second, covering the course in eleven hours and fifty-. eight minutes. Consider-ing the condition of the roads, this showing was very satisfactory. An en-graving of this machine will be found in our paper of November 16, 1895. The prizes offered were as fol-lows : First prize—$2,000 and a gold medal, the same being open to competition to the world. Second prize—$1,500, with a stipulation that in tli`e event the first prize is awarded to a vehicle of forei"

357 A LIGHTNING AND HEAVY CURRENT ARRESTER. The illustration represents a current arrester, charge grounder, open-circuit, alarm, and automatic live wire tester, patented by Miller R. Hutchison, of No. 18 North Commerce Street, Mobile, Ala. It is intended to protect telegraph, telephone, fire alarm, call bell, and all low-pot entia I instruments that are liable to damage from lightning :11111 live wires, giving notice by an alarm bell of the passage of a heavy current, and de- BEilarit HUTCHISON'S CURRENT ARRESTER. termining whether it is due to a stroke of lightning or a continuing and dangerous current from a live wire of high potential. The ordinary line current, enter-ing the instrument at a binding post, passes by wire into jaws on the base of the instrument,thence through a bar constituting a drag switch and into a support, and through an upright and wire to the metal bear-ing in which is journaled a spring-actuated pivoted shunt bar, the limit of the motion of which is indicated by the dotted lines. From the shunt bar the current passes to a pivoted armature lever normally held out of contact with the magnet by a spiral spring, the bot-tom end of the magnet wire I3eing also connected with the bearing in.which the armature lever is journaled and the magnet being connected with a ground wire. When a live wire or heavy charge of lightning strikes the line wire, the magnet attracts the armature lever to free the shunt bar from its catch at the other end of the lever, when, the shunt bar springs over to thc J4711 by the AN IMPROVED STEAM CONDENSER. The illustration represents a simple and inexpensive condenser designed to condense exhaust steam at a rel-atively high temperature, thus obviating excessive back pressure on the engine piston. The improve-ment has been patented by Michael and James V. Spelman and William H. Graves, of Shreveport, La. The shell of the condenser is formed of two parts, united by flanges and bolts, and within its lower part is an inverted cone receiving vessel having an over-flow pipe delivering into the bottom of the shell. Above the receiver is an inverted cone perforated distributer, supported by the upper part of the shell immediately be-low a deflecting cone wherein slides a vertical perforated tube, to more or less fully close the outlet from the condenser. The exhaust pipe delivers into the con-denser centrally at the bottom (the drain pipe leading from one side), and the entering steam is directed up-ward in divided currents until it strikes the deflecting cone at the top, when it is forced downward through the distributer, to be further divided and thrown evenly throughout the whole upper part of the shell, causing it to condense rapidly, and the water of con-densation being caught by the receiver and flowing out through the drain pipe. SPELMANS & GRAVES' STEAM CONDENSER. south on Clark Street and Ashland Avenue to Roscoe Street and Western Avenue, west on Belmont Ave-nue, southeast on Milwaukee Avenue to Humboldt Boulevard and through Humboldt, Garfield and Douglas Parks to Western Avenue Boulevard, east on Fifty-fifth Street boulevard and Washington Park to Jackson Park and the Mid way. - Three days before the race, Chicago was visited with a veritable blizzard, which almost entirely cut off the city from telegraphic communication, crippled rail-roads, and brought the cable and trolley cars to a standstill. The streets were choked with snow, which was soon mixed with the accumulations of dirt, until they became well nigh impassable. The snow was 12 inches deep in places. It was in the midst of this city of snow and slush that six motocycles started for their race at 8:55 A. M. on Thanksgiving morning. The vehicles competing were : The Duryea motor . rriafro_ of Snri lipid DECEMBER 7, 1895 Scientific American. pg 357 A LIGHTNING AND HEAVY CURRENT ARRESTER. The illustration represents a current arrester, charge grounder, open-circuit, alarm, and automatic live wire tester, patented by Miller R. Hutchison, of No. 18 North Commerce Street, Mobile, Ala. It is intended to protect telegraph, telephone, fire alarm, call bell, and all low-pot entia I instruments that are liable to damage from lightning :11111 live wires, giving notice by an alarm bell of the passage of a heavy current, and de- HUTCHISON'S CURRENT ARRESTER. termining whether it is due to a stroke of lightning or a continuing and dangerous current from a live wire of high potential. The ordinary line current, enter-ing the instrument at a binding post, passes by wire into jaws on the base of the instrument,thence through a bar constituting a drag switch and into a support, and through an upright and wire to the metal bear-ing in which is journaled a spring-actuated pivoted shunt bar, the limit of the motion of which is indicated by the dotted lines. From the shunt bar the current passes to a pivoted armature lever normally held out of contact with the magnet by a spiral spring, the bot-tom end of the magnet wire I3eing also connected with the bearing in.which the armature lever is journaled and the magnet being connected with a ground wire. When a live wire or heavy charge of lightning strikes the line wire, the magnet attracts the armature lever to free the shunt bar from its catch at the other end of the lever, when, the shunt bar springs over to thc AN IMPROVED STEAM CONDENSER. The illustration represents a simple and inexpensive condenser designed to condense exhaust steam at a rel-atively high temperature, thus obviating excessive back pressure on the engine piston. The improve-ment has been patented by Michael and James V. Spelman and William H. Graves, of Shreveport, La. The shell of the condenser is formed of two parts, united by flanges and bolts, and within its lower part is an inverted cone receiving vessel having an over-flow pipe delivering into the bottom of the shell. Above the receiver is an inverted cone perforated distributer, supported by the upper part of the shell immediately be-low a deflecting cone wherein slides a vertical perforated tube, to more or less fully close the outlet from the condenser. The exhaust pipe delivers into the con-denser centrally at the bottom (the drain pipe leading from one side), and the entering steam is directed up-ward in divided currents until it strikes the deflecting cone at the top, when it is forced downward through the distributer, to be further divided and thrown evenly throughout the whole upper part of the shell, causing it to condense rapidly, and the water of con-densation being caught by the receiver and flowing out through the drain pipe. over three weeks, only six contestants started on Thanksgiving day morning, November 28. It is pro-bable the terrible storm just preceding the day fixed for the trial and the accumulation of snow and mud deterred many from appearing. The route selected was as follows : Midway Plaisance, Washington Park, Fifty-fifth Street Boulevard, Michigan Boulevard, Rush Street, Lake Shore Drive through Lincoln Park, the Sheri-dan Drive and Kehmore Avenue to Evanston ; thence SPELMANS & GRAVES' STEAM CONDENSER. south on Clark Street and Ashland Avenue to Roscoe Street and Western Avenue, west on Belmont Ave-nue, southeast on Milwaukee Avenue to Humboldt Boulevard and through Humboldt, Garfield and Douglas Parks to Western Avenue Boulevard, east on Fifty-fifth Street boulevard and Washington Park to Jackson Park and the Mid way. - Three days before the race, Chicago was visited with a veritable blizzard, which almost entirely cut off the city from telegraphic communication, crippled rail-roads, and brought the cable and trolley cars to a standstill. The streets were choked with snow, which was soon mixed with the accumulations of dirt, until they became well nigh impassable. The snow was 12 inches deep in places. It was in the midst of this city of snow and slush that six motocycles started for their race at 8:55 A. M. on Thanksgiving morning. The vehicles competing were : The Duryea motor . rriafro_ of Snri lipid

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Scientific American. DECEMBER 7, 1895
DECEMBER 7, 1895

invention or manufacture, this prize shall go to the most successful American competitor. Third prize—$1,000. Fourth prize—$500. The third and fourth prizes are open to all competi-tor°, foreign and American. We present an illustration of the first prize winner. The Duryea carriage is made by the Duryea Motor Wagon Company, of Springfield, Mass. The Duryea wagon weighs about 700 pounds and is built for either two or four persons. The one shown in the engraving is arranged for two people. It is driven by two three-horse power motors, which use ordinary stove gaso-line, so that the expense of running is less than one-half cent a mile. The wagons have a carrying capacity of eight gal-lons, so that they will run from 100 to 200 miles. The wagon needs recharging with water each day, and both the gasoline and water can be supplied to the wagon in five minutes. The object of the tank of water is, of course, to prevent the motor from over-heating. Its runs backward or forward with equal facility, and has four speeds forward and one speed backward. It can be geared to different speeds to suit the roads of any locality, and may be run at any speed desired below its limit over roads over which ordinary traffic travels. The wheels of the carriage are 34 and 38 inches in diameter and are equipped with 2% inch pneumatic tires, and it is easily governed, be-ing steered and speeded by the same lever, being steered by a sidewise motion of the lever and speeded by a vertical motion. It is provided with a powerful brake, and as its motors are wholly independent, one will propel the carriage even if accident affects the other. As an electric spark explodes the charge, the danger of explosion is reduced to a minimum.

A Drop of Water.
The water which is now in the ocean and in the river has been many times in the sky. The history of a single drop taken out of a glass of water is really a romantic one. No traveler has ever accomplished such distances in his life. That particle may have reflected the palm trees of coral islands, and has caught the sun ray in the arch that spans a cloud clearing away froth the valleys of Cumberland or California. It may have been carried by the Gulf Stream from the shores of Florida and Cuba, to be turned into a crystal of ice beside the precipices of Spitzbergen. It may have hovered over the streets of London, and have formed a part of murky fog, and have glistened on the young grass blade of April in Irish fields. It has been lifted up to heaven and sailed in great wool-pack clouds across the sky, forming part of a cloud mountain echoing. with thunder. It has hung in a fleecy veil Azientitic American.

[DECEMBER 7, 1895 A KEY RETAINING DEVICE. For holding and securing keys in asylums, prisons, hotels and other places where many keys are required to be kept for the usual service, holding them in such way that they can only be removed by one having the proper release key, the Improvement shown in the ac-companying illustration has been patented by Richard Hensley, of Salem, Oregon. Fig. 1 is a face view of the device, which is represented in section in Figs. 2 and 3, Fig. 4 showing the key. The key-holding hook is pivoted to swing down, as shown in dotted lines, and at its upper end is a bevel and notch adapted to en-gage a bolt of the lock on the rear of the face plate, as

HENSLEY'S LOCKING BOARD FOR KEYS. shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the bolt being spring-pressed and being disengaged from the hook by the release key.

THE LEBER PATENT PORTABLE FIRE ESCAPE. A simple and inexpensive portable fire escape, which may be packed in small compass to take but little room in a traveler's trunk or bag, is shown in the accompanying illustration. It has been patented by Victor Leber, and is manufactured by the Turner Machine Company, of Danbury, Conn. It consists of a clamp adapted to slide upon a rope, as shown in the small figure, the clamping or frictional pressure upon the rope being readily controlled by the person using the device. The two hinged parts of the clamp are provided with registering half grooves adapted for convenient use on different sizes of rope, and the clamp is held in gripping position upon the rope by a threaded locking lever on the outer end of which is a finger wheel. At the top and bottom of the clamp are rings through which the rope passes, affording a slight frictional brake, and at the bottom is also a double hook to which may be attached body and shoulder straps to support one the whole device is designed to be so simple and safe in its mode of operation that there shall be no reasonable possibility of a person failing to make it work properly in an emergency. This apparatus may also be conveniently employed by painters, builders and electricians, and by all engaged in work necessitating their being suspended outside build-ings. Remedial Foods. This list of food remedies compiled by the House-keeper is well worth preservation for reference : Celery is invaluable as a food for those suffering from any form of rheumatism ; for diseases of the nerves and nervous dyspepsia. Lettuce is useful for those suffering from insomnia. Water cress is a remedy for scurvy. Peanuts for indigestion ; they are especially recom-mended for corpulent diabetes. Peanuts are made into a wholesome and nutritious soup, are browned and used as coffee, are eaten as a relish, simply baked, or are prepared and served as salted almonds. Salt to check bleeding of the lungs, and as a nervine and tonic for weak, thin-blooded invalids. Combined with hot water is useful for certain forms of dyspepsia, liver complaint, etc. Onions are almost the best nervine known. No medicine is so useful in cases of nervous prostration, and there is nothing else that will so quickly relieve arid tone up it worn-out system. Onions are useful in all cases of coughs, colds and influenza ; in consump-tion, insomnia, hydrophobia, scurvy, gravel and kin-dred liver complaints. Eaten every other day, they soon have a clearing and whitening effect on the com-plexion. Spinach is useful to those suffering with gravel. Asparagus is used to induce perspiration. Carrots for suffering from asthma. Turnips for nervous disorders and for scurvy. Raw beef proves of great benefit to persons suffering from consumption. It is chopped fine, seasoned with salt, and heated by placing it in a dish in hot water. It assimilates rapidly, and affords the best of nourish-ment. Eggs contain a large amount of nutriment in a com-pact, quickly available form. Eggs, especially the yolks of eggs, are useful in jaundice. Beaten up raw with sugar are used to clear and strengthen the voice. With sugar and lemon juice, the beaten white of egg is used to relieve hoarseness. Honey is wholesome, strengthening, cleansing, heal-ing and nourishing. Fresh ripe fruits are excellent for purifying the blood and toning up the system. As specific remedies, oranges are aperient. Sour oranges are highly recom- 358

invention or manufacture, this prize shall go to the most successful American competitor. Third prize—$1,000. Fourth prize—$500. The third and fourth prizes are open to all competi-tor°, foreign and American. We present an illustration of the first prize winner. The Duryea carriage is made by the Duryea Motor Wagon Company, of Springfield, Mass. The Duryea wagon weighs about 700 pounds and is built for either two or four persons. The one shown in the engraving is arranged for two people. It is driven by two three-horse power motors, which use ordinary stove gaso-line, so that the expense of running is less than one-half cent a mile. The wagons have a carrying capacity of eight gal-lons, so that they will run from 100 to 200 miles. The wagon needs recharging with water each day, and both the gasoline and water can be supplied to the wagon in five minutes. The object of the tank of water is, of course, to prevent the motor from over-heating. Its runs backward or forward with equal facility, and has four speeds forward and one speed backward. It can be geared to different speeds to suit the roads of any locality, and may be run at any speed desired below its limit over roads over which ordinary traffic travels. The wheels of the carriage are 34 and 38 inches in diameter and are equipped with 2% inch pneumatic tires, and it is easily governed, be-ing steered and speeded by the same lever, being steered by a sidewise motion of the lever and speeded by a vertical motion. It is provided with a powerful brake, and as its motors are wholly independent, one will propel the carriage even if accident affects the other. As an electric spark explodes the charge, the danger of explosion is reduced to a minimum. A Drop of Water. The water which is now in the ocean and in the river has been many times in the sky. The history of a single drop taken out of a glass of water is really a romantic one. No traveler has ever accomplished such distances in his life. That particle may have reflected the palm trees of coral islands, and has caught the sun ray in the arch that spans a cloud clearing away froth the valleys of Cumberland or California. It may have been carried by the Gulf Stream from the shores of Florida and Cuba, to be turned into a crystal of ice beside the precipices of Spitzbergen. It may have hovered over the streets of London, and have formed a part of murky fog, and have glistened on the young grass blade of April in Irish fields. It has been lifted up to heaven and sailed in great wool-pack clouds across the sky, forming part of a cloud mountain echoing. with thunder. It has hung in a fleecy veil Azientitic American.

[DECEMBER 7, 1895 A KEY RETAINING DEVICE. For holding and securing keys in asylums, prisons, hotels and other places where many keys are required to be kept for the usual service, holding them in such way that they can only be removed by one having the proper release key, the Improvement shown in the ac-companying illustration has been patented by Richard Hensley, of Salem, Oregon. Fig. 1 is a face view of the device, which is represented in section in Figs. 2 and 3, Fig. 4 showing the key. The key-holding hook is pivoted to swing down, as shown in dotted lines, and at its upper end is a bevel and notch adapted to en-gage a bolt of the lock on the rear of the face plate, as

HENSLEY'S LOCKING BOARD FOR KEYS. shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the bolt being s

pring-pressed and being disengaged from the hook by the release key. THE LEBER PATENT PORTABLE FIRE ESCAPE. A simple and inexpensive portable fire escape, which may be packed in small compass to take but little room in a traveler's trunk or bag, is shown in the accompanying illustration. It has been patented by Victor Leber, and is manufactured by the Turner Machine Company, of Danbury, Conn. It consists of a clamp adapted to slide upon a rope, as shown in the small figure, the clamping or frictional pressure upon the rope being readily controlled by the person using the device. The two hinged parts of the clamp are provided with registering half grooves adapted for convenient use on different sizes of rope, and the clamp is held in gripping position upon the rope by a threaded locking lever on the outer end of which is a finger wheel. At the top and bottom of the clamp are rings through which the rope passes, affording a slight frictional brake, and at the bottom is also a double hook to which may be attached body and shoulder straps to support one the whole device is designed to be so simple and safe in its mode of operation that there shall be no reasonable possibility of a person failing to make it work properly in an emergency. This apparatus may also be conveniently employed by painters, builders and electricians, and by all engaged in work necessitating their being suspended outside build-ings. Remedial Foods. This list of food remedies compiled by the House-keeper is well worth preservation for reference : Celery is invaluable as a food for those suffering from any form of rheumatism ; for diseases of the nerves and nervous dyspepsia. Lettuce is useful for those suffering from insomnia. Water cress is a remedy for scurvy. Peanuts for indigestion ; they are especially recom-mended for corpulent diabetes. Peanuts are made into a wholesome and nutritious soup, are browned and used as coffee, are eaten as a relish, simply baked, or are prepared and served as salted almonds. Salt to check bleeding of the lungs, and as a nervine and tonic for weak, thin-blooded invalids. Combined with hot water is useful for certain forms of dyspepsia, liver complaint, etc. Onions are almost the best nervine known. No medicine is so useful in cases of nervous prostration, and there is nothing else that will so quickly relieve arid tone up it worn-out system. Onions are useful in all cases of coughs, colds and influenza ; in consump-tion, insomnia, hydrophobia, scurvy, gravel and kin-dred liver complaints. Eaten every other day, they soon have a clearing and whitening effect on the com-plexion. Spinach is useful to those suffering with gravel. Asparagus is used to induce perspiration. Carrots for suffering from asthma. Turnips for nervous disorders and for scurvy. Raw beef proves of great benefit to persons suffering from consumption. It is chopped fine, seasoned with salt, and heated by placing it in a dish in hot water. It assimilates rapidly, and affords the best of nourish-ment. Eggs contain a large amount of nutriment in a com-pact, quickly available form. Eggs, especially the yolks of eggs, are useful in jaundice. Beaten up raw with sugar are used to clear and strengthen the voice. With sugar and lemon juice, the beaten white of egg is used to relieve hoarseness. Honey is wholesome, strengthening, cleansing, heal-ing and nourishing. Fresh ripe fruits are excellent for purifying the blood and toning up the system. As specific remedies, oranges are aperient. Sour oranges are highly recom-

******359********

pg 360

Scientific American. DECEMBER 7, 1895
[DECEMBER 7, 1895, br>
THE ACETYLENE GAS EXHIBIT AT THE ATLANTA EXPOSITION.
The word carbide is used in chemistry to designate the combination of an element with carbon, and in cast iron and steel examples of such compounds may be found. The first production of a combination of carbon with an alkaline metal is due to Sir Humphry Davy, and since his time various carbides of this type have been produced experimentally. The alkaline and alkali earth carbides, such as calcium carbide, nave a distinguishing characteristic in being decom-posed by water with the evolution of acetylene gas, it-self a hydrocarbon of extraordinarily high value as an illuminant. The production on the large scale of cal-cium carbide to be used for the manufacture of acety-lene gas is now being carried out at the works of the Wilson Aluminum Company, of Spray, N. C. By heating in an elekric furnace a mixture of lime and carbon a combination of the two substances ensues, and a stone-like material, the calcium carbide, is produced. When water comes in contact with it, part of the hy-drogen of the water combines with the carbon, form-ing acetylene ; the rest of the hydrogen, with the oxy-gen of the water, combines with the calcium, forming calcium hydrate. The subject has been already treated in considerable detail in our SUPPLEMENT, and no recent achieve-ment in the technical world has attracted as much at-tention from the public as this one. The practical synthesis of carbon and hydrogen has long been a dream with the chemist, and its accomplishment on the small scale in the laboratory has represented one of the triumphs of chemistry. The commercial synthesis of carbon and hydrogen as exemplified by acetylene gas formed one of the most striking exhibits at the Atlanta Exposition and is illustrated by us. For there not only was the cal-cium carbide and products of the electric furnaces at Spray, N. C., to be seen, but the gas was shown in practical shape, produced from a portable and com-pact evolution apparatus and also as burned directly from compression cylinders in which' it was stored in liquid form. The gas was burned from open burners and in different types of car lamps, one of its prospect-ive uses being the lighting of railroad trains. In the foreground of the larger cut the direct evolu-tion apparatus is shown in operation, while its section is given in the smaller cut. This apparatus is of the type of the familiar hydrogen gas generator of the chemist. In all such apparatus for the production of acetylene due regard has to be had to the extraordinary rapidity of evolution, comparable only to the evolu-tion of carbon dioxide gas from sodium bicarbonate and acid. In the outer casing, which is about one-half filled with water, a point of the basket. Thus an approximately constant water level and pressure is maintained. When more carbide is to be added, the apparatus is opened at the top for its introduction, and the evolution of gas must cease for the time. To insure a constant pressure a gas governor is mounted on the delivery tube and a pressure gage enables the pressure to be watched. In the background of the large illustration are shown

ACETYLENE GAS EXHIBIT AT THE ATLANTA EXPOSITION.
Angling by Electric Light. One evening recently two anglers, one a resident of Newhaven, tried the inter-esting experiment of fish-ing. in Seaford Bay by elec-tric light. A fisherman of Newhaven rowed the an-glers from the railway pier soon after six o'clock, when it was completely dark. A portable battery with a 5 candle power incandes-cent lamp was taken, and this lamp was lowered until a weight below it touched the bottom at 25 feet. Both battery and lamp were spe-cially made for the trial, and the lamp was protected by a galvanized crinoline and was made watertight. When it reached the bot-tom of the sea, there was, it is stated, a circular area, 20 yards in diameter, brightly illuminated right up to the surface. Fishing was carried on with an or-dinary line on the port side, the lamp having been lowered on the starboard side of the boat.

SECTION OF GAS EVOLUTION APPARATUS.
the compression cylinders as arranged for household uses. The steel cylinders are 3 feet 10 inches in height and 5 inches in diameter. They are mounted on a re-ducing valve or high pressure governor whose case forms a base for the cylinder to rest on. From the base the delivery pipe rises, and is carried to the burners. The effectiveness of the liquefied gas can be deter-mined from the following considerations. One volume of the liquid gives at 64° F. 400 volumes of gas, and for the supply of a single burner from to IA a cubic foot per hour is sufficient. A common gas burner uses 5 to 8 cubic feet per hour. It is therefore a fair ave-rage to take 70 cubic feet of acetylene gas as the equi-valent of 1,000 cubic feet of ordinary gas. This 70 cu-bic feet would be yielded by about 300 cubic inches of the liquid. There is one point in connection with the liquefac-tion of the gas which might be the occasion of some difficulty. The critical point is put at 98'69° F., about 10° above that of carbon dioxide. If this is correct, acetylene would cease to be a liquid above that tempe-rature and the conditions of its storage in cylinders might be considerably modified. -40.4 • ►► A u ri fero us Beach Mining in Australia. A considerable portion of the New South Wales coast, north of Newcastle, is largely auriferous, and for many years Ilinnbers of people have been regularly employed in extracting gold from the sand, both from the beaches and from the natural terraces at their back, the principal scene of operations being confined to that portion of the coast between the Clarence and Tweed Rivers. Gold is found on other parts of the coast, both north and south of Sydney, but rarely in payable quantities. The beach miners appear to derive a comfortable living from their labors, but the exact amount of metal cannot be ascertained, because a con-siderable portion of the miners have a migratory ten-dency, not remaining long in one place; consequently many parcels of amalgam are taken elsewhere and in-cluded in the returns from other districts. The Syd-ney mint returns show, however, that something like 3,400 oz. were received during 1894 from the coast be-tween Byron Bay and Iluka. The gold on the beaches is more plentiful after violent storms, and at such times the miners are actively employed. The busiest scene is perhaps that afforded by the Seven Mile Beach, near Byron Bay, where, according to a, recent visitor, many men are engaged On a line of reef at low tide, scooping up the black sand from the crevices in the rocks, from which they generally obtain good re-turns, an instance being recorded of a party of miners on this part of the coast clearing £700 per man in a few months. This, of course, was an exceptional re-turn. Considerable discussion has taken place re-specting the probable source of the gold, but nothing definite has been ascertained. The local opinion is that it is washed up from auriferous beds at the bot-tom of the sea. The gold-saving appliances used are generally of a somewhat primitive character, the re-turns not being sufficiently large to encourage the in-troduction of costly machinery. One peculiar feature of beach mining is that, as a rule, where the black sand is deepest the gold is least plentiful. In the vi-cinity of the Maclea,y Heads there are veins of black sand from 2 to 6 feet in thickness, but these contain only slight indications of gold. The best returns have been obtained during exceptionally low tides, when the masses of submerged rock can be ap-proached, and the black sand in the holes and crev-ices extracted. The plates often require different modes of treatment, ac-cording to the locality from wich the sand is

Lion apparatus is shown in operation, while its section 5 to 8 cubic feet per hour. It is therefore a fair ave-is given in the smaller cut. This apparatus is of the rage to take 70 cubic feet of acetylene gas as the equi-type of the familiar hydrogen gas generator of the valent of 1,000 cubic feet of ordinary gas. This '70 cu-chemist. In all such apparatus for the production of bic feet would be yielded by about 300 cubic inches of acetylene due regard has to be had to the extraordinary the liquid. rapidity of evolution, comparable only to the evolu- There is one point in connection with the liquefac-tion of carbon dioxide gas from sodium bicarbonate tion of the gas which might be the occasion of and acid. In the outer casing, which is about one-half filled with water, a fixed bell or receiver is in-verted, whose lower lip reaches to within a short distance of the bottom of the containing vessel. A rod passes through, the top of the receiver, the joint being made gastight by a stuffing box, so that the rod can be pushed up and down. To the lower end of the rod a conical wire basket is secured. From the top of the receiver a tube passes off to conduct the gas to the burners, and a hole with tightly fitting screw stopper is provided in the top for the intro-duction of calcium car-bide. The apparatus is on ex-actly the lines of the ex-perimental one illustrated in the SCIENTIFIC AMERI-CAN of March 30, 1895. As the water comes in contact with the calcium carbide in the basket, acetylene gas is generated. This forces the water down and out of contact with the car-bide, and gas is no longer evolved. If any gas is drawn off, the water rises, again reaches the carbide and evolves more gas. Thus a constant supply can be taken from the ap-paratus. As the carbide becomes decomposed the calcium hydrate resulting from the decomposition falls through the basket to the bottom of the water, and the fresh material keeps descending to the some

cinity of the Macleay Heads there are veins of black sand from 2 to 6 feet in thickness, but these contain only slight indications of gold. The best returns have been obtained during exceptionally low tides, when the masses of submerged rock can be ap-proached, and the black sand in the holes and crev-ices extracted. The plates often require different modes of treatment, ac-cording to the locality from which the sand is obtained. I n preparing the plates cyanide of pot-assium is used to a large extent, and in many in-stances the concentrates have to undergo a sepa-rate treatment before fin-ally passing over the plates, especially where traces of coated gold are perceptible.— Engineering and Mining Journal.

[DECEMBER 7, 1895

********361*****Potassiumorthodinitrocroesolate*******

pg 361

Scientific American. DECEMBER 7, 1895
[DECEMBER 7, 1895, br>
THE ACETYLENE GAS EXHIBIT AT THE ATLANTA EXPOSITION.
The word carbide is used in chemistry to designate the combination of an element with carbon, and in cast iron and steel examples of such compounds may be found. The first production of a combination of carbon with an alkaline metal is due to Sir Humphry Davy, and since his time various carbides of this type have been produced experimentally. The alkaline and alkali earth carbides, such as calcium carbide, nave a distinguishing characteristic in being decom-posed by water with the evolution of acetylene gas, it-self a hydrocarbon of extraordinarily high value as an illuminant. The production on the large scale of cal-cium carbide to be used for the manufacture of acety-lene gas is now being carried out at the works of the Wilson Aluminum Company, of Spray, N. C. By heating in an elekric furnace a mixture of lime and carbon a combination of the two substances ensues, and a stone-like material, the calcium carbide, is produced. When water comes in contact with it, part of the hy-drogen of the water combines with the carbon, form-ing acetylene ; the rest of the hydrogen, with the oxy-gen of the water, combines with the calcium, forming calcium hydrate. The subject has been already treated in considerable detail in our SUPPLEMENT, and no recent achieve-ment in the technical world has attracted as much at-tention from the public as this one. The practical synthesis of carbon and hydrogen has long been a dream with the chemist, and its accomplishment on the small scale in the laboratory has represented one of the triumphs of chemistry. The commercial synthesis of carbon and hydrogen as exemplified by acetylene gas formed one of the most striking exhibits at the Atlanta Exposition and is illustrated by us. For there not only was the cal-cium carbide and products of the electric furnaces at Spray, N. C., to be seen, but the gas was shown in practical shape, produced from a portable and com-pact evolution apparatus and also as burned directly from compression cylinders in which' it was stored in liquid form. The gas was burned from open burners and in different types of car lamps, one of its prospect-ive uses being the lighting of railroad trains. In the foreground of the larger cut the direct evolu-tion apparatus is shown in operation, while its section is given in the smaller cut. This apparatus is of the type of the familiar hydrogen gas generator of the chemist. In all such apparatus for the production of acetylene due regard has to be had to the extraordinary rapidity of evolution, comparable only to the evolu-tion of carbon dioxide gas from sodium bicarbonate and acid. In the outer casing, which is about one-half filled with water, a point of the basket. Thus an approximately constant water level and pressure is maintained. When more carbide is to be added, the apparatus is opened at the top for its introduction, and the evolution of gas must cease for the time. To insure a constant pressure a gas governor is mounted on the delivery tube and a pressure gage enables the pressure to be watched. In the background of the large illustration are shown

ACETYLENE GAS EXHIBIT AT THE ATLANTA EXPOSITION.
Angling by Electric Light. One evening recently two anglers, one a resident of Newhaven, tried the inter-esting experiment of fish-ing. in Seaford Bay by elec-tric light. A fisherman of Newhaven rowed the an-glers from the railway pier soon after six o'clock, when it was completely dark. A portable battery with a 5 candle power incandes-cent lamp was taken, and this lamp was lowered until a weight below it touched the bottom at 25 feet. Both battery and lamp were spe-cially made for the trial, and the lamp was protected by a galvanized crinoline and was made watertight. When it reached the bot-tom of the sea, there was, it is stated, a circular area, 20 yards in diameter, brightly illuminated right up to the surface. Fishing was carried on with an or-dinary line on the port side, the lamp having been lowered on the starboard side of the boat.

SECTION OF GAS EVOLUTION APPARATUS.
the compression cylinders as arranged for household uses. The steel cylinders are 3 feet 10 inches in height and 5 inches in diameter. They are mounted on a re-ducing valve or high pressure governor whose case forms a base for the cylinder to rest on. From the base the delivery pipe rises, and is carried to the burners. The effectiveness of the liquefied gas can be deter-mined from the following considerations. One volume of the liquid gives at 64° F. 400 volumes of gas, and for the supply of a single burner from to IA a cubic foot per hour is sufficient. A common gas burner uses 5 to 8 cubic feet per hour. It is therefore a fair ave-rage to take 70 cubic feet of acetylene gas as the equi-valent of 1,000 cubic feet of ordinary gas. This 70 cu-bic feet would be yielded by about 300 cubic inches of the liquid. There is one point in connection with the liquefac-tion of the gas which might be the occasion of some difficulty. The critical point is put at 98'69° F., about 10° above that of carbon dioxide. If this is correct, acetylene would cease to be a liquid above that tempe-rature and the conditions of its storage in cylinders might be considerably modified. A u ri fero us Beach Mining in Australia. A considerable portion of the New South Wales coast, north of Newcastle, is largely auriferous, and for many years Ilinnbers of people have been regularly employed in extracting gold from the sand, both from the beaches and from the natural terraces at their back, the principal scene of operations being confined to that portion of the coast between the Clarence and Tweed Rivers. Gold is found on other parts of the coast, both north and south of Sydney, but rarely in payable quantities. The beach miners appear to derive a comfortable living from their labors, but the exact amount of metal cannot be ascertained, because a con-siderable portion of the miners have a migratory ten-dency, not remaining long in one place; consequently many parcels of amalgam are taken elsewhere and in-cluded in the returns from other districts. The Syd-ney mint returns show, however, that something like 3,400 oz. were received during 1894 from the coast be-tween Byron Bay and Iluka. The gold on the beaches is more plentiful after violent storms, and at such times the miners are actively employed. The busiest scene is perhaps that afforded by the Seven Mile Beach, near Byron Bay, where, according to a, recent visitor, many men are engaged On a line of reef at low tide, scooping up the black sand from the crevices in the rocks, from which they generally obtain good re-turns, an instance being recorded of a party of miners on this part of the coast clearing £700 per man in a few months. This, of course, was an exceptional re-turn. Considerable discussion has taken place re-specting the probable source of the gold, but nothing definite has been ascertained. The local opinion is that it is washed up from auriferous beds at the bot-tom of the sea. The gold-saving appliances used are generally of a somewhat primitive character, the re-turns not being sufficiently large to encourage the in-troduction of costly machinery. One peculiar feature of beach mining is that, as a rule, where the black sand is deepest the gold is least plentiful. In the vi-cinity of the Maclea,y Heads there are veins of black sand from 2 to 6 feet in thickness, but these contain only slight indications of gold. The best returns have been obtained during exceptionally low tides, when the masses of submerged rock can be ap-proached, and the black sand in the holes and crev-ices extracted. The plates often require different modes of treatment, ac-cording to the locality from wich the sand is

********360************

Scientific American THE SCIENCES The Motocycle Award December 14, 1895 We learn from the Chicago. Times-Herald that the judges made the following awards on December 5: Gold medal won by Morris & Salom. Points—safety, ease of control, absence of noise, vibration, heat, odor, cleanliness, and general excellence of design and workmanship. Duryea, $2.000 (prize), first in race and compactness in design. Mueller, $1,500, second in race and economy. Sturges, $500; Macy, $500; Lewis, $200; Haynes & Apperson, $150; Max Hertel, $100; De la Vergne, $50. The Morris & Salon electrobat, which received the gold medal, is an electric carriage and was illustrated in the SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN for November 16, 1895. Only the Duryea and Benz-Mueller carriages went over the course. They are both propelled by gasoline. The Sturges machine is electrical, the Macy, Lewis, Haynes & Apperson, and the De la Vergne carriages are all run by gasoline. The Macy machine is more properly called the Roger machine. The Duryea, the BenzM ueller, and the De la Vergne motocycles all carried modified Benz motors. The gold medal is very handsome. On the obverse side the medal hears a typical representation of a herald of the days of chivalry. Around the figure surrounding a background of rays is the inscription, The Chicago Times-Herald Motocycle Contest, 1895. On the reverse. and surrounded by a wreath of bay leaves, is a winged figure of Victory, with pinions extended and holding on her left arm an oval shield, upon which will be inscribed the name of the winner. The medal is composed of 100 pennyweights of fine gold and is valued at $250. The judges of the contest were Prof. Barrett, C. F. Kimball, J. Lundie, and L. L. Summers. The preliminary arrangements were made by Mr. F. U. Adams, the manager of the motocycle contest. Although the number of contestants in the race was small, still the contest has scientific value, on account of the elaborate tests to which the carriages were subjected, speed not being the only factor which was taken in/itIJ consideration. This article was originally published with the title "The Motocycle Award" in Scientific American 73, 24, 370 (December 1895) doi:10.1038/scientificamerican12141895-370