The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1852-01-01


this whole subject, writes as follows;
"Guua Percha is often conflund
ed with India Rubber, ur Capntchouc.
where's it differs from il in every impnr
tant particular, aud is capable ofa vastly
wider application in all the useful aud or.
uamental arts The most valuable pro.
perty Of Inlia rubber is its elasticity. but
Gutta Percha is comparatively non elias
tic, having in its manufactured form but
five per cent. ofeIastcityor spring. The
action Of heat upon India ruhber is To
soften the mass. aud il emiins soft aud
sticky unless vulcanized. an ohircti0ua
bic process on account of the bad smell
of the sulphur incorporated with it, The
poisonous property OF the white lead used
iu large quantities, and the deteriuraiing
influence ot high degree ofheat upon
the India rubber. On the contrary, the
Gutta Percha, when softened by heat.
can be rolled into sheets as thin as tissue,
or worked into any form. and immediate
ly becomes rigid at the temperature oi
100 deg. Farehheit, being free from all
sickness, aud retaining all its original
tnughness, aud hexiblily The Gntta
Percha is soluble, but not by the same
agents as India rubber it resists the ac
iiOn of alcuhnl! ether, acids; oils aud
grease, as perfectly as it does that of wa
ter. Tar Naptha is perfect and cheap
solvent of Guua Percha, dissulying it at
summer heat. and holding il suspended;
as il does not dissolve the cuoring matter
of fGutta the product on eyap0ratlug the
Baplha, is Thin, soft, water proof and
beautiful white sheet resembling the tin
est kid
The plastic art inds in Gurta Pefcha
its most valuable auxiliary; soitened by
water al temperature of $50 degrees, ii
is easily moulded to any required shape
or form, which il retains conliug, without
Shrinking giving remarkable sharp,cul
ting aud truthful fac simiIe nfths nrlld,
IN substance impressibIe. that cannot be
broken; copies Of the most delicate toll
age, far exceeding the most eIaborate car
wings 10 beauty aud trulhfu!ness, have al
the strength Of raw hide
Telcgraphing by electro magnetism is
uncertain aud expensive without this val.
liable iu-ulalor. sulphur, glass, wax silk.
and all the known substances which are
but Indifferent conductors Of electricity.
had been tried aud rejected as unsuited
to the covering Of extended lines of wire
consequently the wros have been ex
tended through our cities, towns. an,
villages un poles, subject To tho a'mos
pheric electricity, marring our slreeu
and parks. and liable to consian, inter
ruptlon by wind and storm aud the prank
of mischievOus urchns. The cumbin
nalinn in Gurta Peicha uf strength, nex
ibiity, and other properties which rem
der it durable, together with lho ease
with which it is wound round the wire
and its perfect non conducting property
direct our attention To it as the one thing
needed 10 perfect this great aud valua'
ble discovery. Rivers arc crossed by
laying the wires upon tho bultom. aud
shortly poles must ho discarded and the
Prussian plan OF buying tho wires fnul
feet under the ground must be adopted
then we shall have a perfect aud rnliabl,
systom of Felrgrophiug, profitable to tn,
companies aud IN universal use.
"Gura Pe,cha is made To take plac,
Of cast steel in the manufacture of cyllu
dsrs for cotton gins, aud woolen machn
ery. reducing the cost of such nnchner
aud rendering it better suited t. III,
III, Il. al "a - L
ed or contracted by heat or cold uude
100 deg. Fdreuheit, is unaffected b.
dampness or oils. aud with a HE spin
Of five per cent. ills rnpldly taking pIac,
of The extensive gearing aud mauuiac
turing by water pnwrr--very mnteriaI
reducing the cost Of erection and givin,
a s;eady ppwe:, noideess, unilnm an,
permanent
Again it is substituted for load aud ro
Tor water pipes, mud found far prrlerah
toeilher, belnl cheaper aud not liable t,
oxydi2c; free from all poison, MT injnre,
by trosls or aclds onl sustaining an,
reasonable amount of presslre wlhou
bursting.
II is an excellent Conductor ur sound
imporous, aud rcsisls abrasion IN an EN-
inent degree; makes wa,e, pronf ano
durable sole to shoes, aud IN many other
respects takes the place of leather.
We understand that Gn,a prrcha i
also used in the process of binding book :
though To what extent we are unl in'nm
ed Ia its application, the most beau
tfIl, chaste aud elahnrito designs at
capable Of being brought into rolei, h
the trulhlnlness and finish with which III
gum receives The m ud; aud as these f.
ures. by exposure become az rigid
wood, their durability aud freedom fro
emt rasion render the substitute fn 'eatl
er Of peculiar Importance. In I"'ndn
the trade have carried the eXperimel
10 its utmost; aud those who have ha
occasion to examine the test declule he
opinion that the material must ultimate
supercede any qnalily Of leather, in th
respect, IN present use.
ltis not our intention in this place
follow out the Improvements that hav
attended the discovery, in the manufa,
iure of this substance, but will recur
this portion of The subject again. Mear
while we may state that the amount
Gutta Percha imported this year is ca
culated at two hundred TINS; that expor
ed from Singapore to Great Brtain. or
thousand five hundred tons Tho oo