Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-08-25
EVENIAG STAR.
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

Ppoy. HENRY ON ACOUSTICS. AT the Albany
scientific Convention on Thursday, Professor
Henry. Of this city, read paper on the AeOMs-
he treated with great success at the meetings
in Washington and Providence. He reviewed
yerv succinctIy the peculisrities Of ancient
architecture, and held that every vestige OF
Old architecture should be preserved with
scrupulous care. He then proceeded to treat
of modern edifces. While the principles OF
sound, be said, have been studied with care
for half century, these principles have but
rarely been applied to the construction of
rooms intended for public purposes. What is
wanted is, q combination of scientific knowl.
edge. the results of careful investigation, till
the highest practical skill in determining the
question of the application of acoustic prin
cinIes 10 public buildings becomes necessary to
institute experiments. Such experiments ave
been tried under his direction. One expert
1nent proved that the voice, while pers IN
reads book in an open field, in the ordinary
tone is heard distinctly in front to a distano Q
OF 100 feet, at the side to distance of IS, and
in the rear to the distance of 30 feet. In ey-
perimenting on practical acoustics, il IL, there
fore, necessary 10 place the speaker opposite
a wall, and to note the distance at which he
ceases to take cogniIance of the reflection Of
the sound of his voice. A wall lined with
thin board will produce reflection loud, but
short steel wall will produce the highest
degree Of resonance; so will a wall of glass.
The principles Of acoustics thus laid down
have been applied with success in the con-
struction Of the new lecture room in the Smith
souian Institute A Committee, Of which Prof
Henry wac the hub, was charged with the
duty Of making this apartment as nearly PER-
feet as q public room could be. The original
plan was modified; the lower floor was for.
saken because Of the heavy pillars which
studded it, and an upper room was selected
into which portion of the towers was thrown,
so a. to break up the sound. The speaker
stands upon the rostrum in much the same
position he would occupy if he stood in the
mouth of trumpet, and the rays Of sound 20
from his lips straight forward, undiverted by
angles in the building The room is 100 feet
by so, and fan-shaped with gallery ia horse
shoe form, and smaller gallery behini. In
either Of these latter you may hear the slight
est whisper from the stage The walls are
slate and plaster.
CAUTION 70 SPoRTsNEN-Our bird shooters
in the excitement of the sport seem to forget
the section Of a late act Of Congress, which
reads az follows:
.sSEC 2 And be 1T further enactef, That it
sha all not be lawful for any person or persons
to ride, drive or lead any horse, mule, or other
animal over the wooden part Of the upper
Eastern Branch or Benning's bridge at faster
gait than a walk or to discharge any gun or
fre-arm on or under the said bridge. or from
the causeway leading thereto; and all persons
violating either of the provisions of thi. section
shall forfeit and pay, for each and every such
offence a penalty of not more than ten nor less
than FIVE dollars, to be recovered il the name
Of the United States before any magistrate in
the county Of Washington and District of Co.
lumbia, the money when collected to be handed
over TO the levy court, and by them applied
to such repairs and improvements of the road
leading to the bridge as from time to time may
be required"
We learn that the necessity for the passage
Of this act was urgent; that at times the gum
firing upon the bridge was go continuous to
cloud the bridge and causewsy with the smoke
Of powder, and that horses passing the bridge
have been so startled by the firing as to crouch
to the ground trembling with excessive fright.
All good citizens will see the necessity of the
law and the propriety of complying with it in
good faith. -
CRIMINAL COURr.-This morning, Daniel
o Keefe was found guilty Of petty larceny
and sentenced to eighteen months imprison
ment in Jail Darlington for defense.
The trial Of William Sullivan, charged with
the murder Of Caspar HOFFMAN, was entered
upon, and up to the time our report closed the
following jurors had been obtained:
John Scrivener, EnOch Moreland, Thomas
j. Davis, Henry g. Murray, Jos S. Worth
ingtOn, John 7. Bradley, Thomas E. Baden.
Messrs. Morgan and Martin appear for Sui
Ivan in this case.
teer companies, the National Guards, propose
visiting York, Pa, on or about the 18Th of De-
tober next. The Guards are composed Of cit
liens Of the highest standing, and will, we are
sure, make favorable impression upon the
good people Of York. Many Of the "Guards"
being single men and on the lookout for wives,
Will, In their tour, probably combine bust
ness with pleasure Presuming such to be
the case, we most cordially recommend them
10 the favorable consideration of the single
disengaged and matrimOnially inclined girls of
York, Pa. The Guards will be under the ex-
perienced leadership Of Capt Jas A. TAFT.
ATTEMPT AT OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
night, some malicious person attempted to burn
the frame dwelling house On the corner of
Twenty fourth street and New Hampshire av-
enue by kindliDg fire between the weather.
boards and studding Of the building The
house was occupied by an old colored woman,
who had in her care q sick female at the time
the atteInIt was made. 1t was discovered and
extinguishei before serious damage was done
A SUCCESSFUL EXCURSION As an evidenc
Of public appreciation of a rightly conducted
excursion, we are CAD to record the fact "a At
over seven hundred tickets for the Central
Lodge excursion had been sold this morning
prior to the departure Of the first boat Many
more were doubtless sold Oh board the boat
and for the afternoon trip.
LARCRSY.-Saturday night a colored boy
named Loyd Williams was arrested for stea
ing a number Of rings from the store of Mr.
sanstag. on the Avenue He had a hearing
before Justice Hollingshesd, and was held to
bail for court. Alex. Williams, a white man,
was caught in a corn field stealing green corn
The owner arrested him and he was sent to
Jail.
ASSAULT A man named James Hiser, was
caught last night by party Of rowiies in that
part OF the Fourth Ward known az Swampoo-
die, and badly beaten. The injured man was
very unwell this morning, and was unable to
describe the asssultiDg party.
DIsoRDERLY.-Yesterday a fight occurred