Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1869-07-15
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Mech.nlc.i and sct.ntIac.

nuHuleu iect USbWeou Tug tOWelss MI.
Roebling Is one of those men who gen
orally manage to perform more than
their contract calls for. His work In
this neighborhood, the ALLEGHENY Sus-
pension Bridge in particular, Is some
thing any city in the country might be
| proud Of -
A committee appointed by the Eng
lish War Office to inquire into the prop
critics of gun cotton as q substitute for
gun powder or naval, military and CIV
IL purposes, recently reported favorably
concerning the new invention, which
they pronounce decidedly superior to
gunpowder for all practical purpeses.-
The experiments made by the commit
tee extended over period of four years.
In their report to the War Office. they
pronounce the gun-cotton ''as beine
pre-eminently the most efficient detona-
ting primer known, and one that will
effect q material economy in the work
ing of mines" Nothing" they add,
"can be more safe or convenient in ordi-
nary handling, nor can we imagine an
explosive agent of such great power as
is obtained by the use of the detonating
primes, to be more safe and convenient
for use.n '-4 & S =
NJ. Donnet, a French engineer, has
discovered a method of increasing the
flow of wells, by closing the mouth as
perfectly as possible, by mean of sheet
iron bell, through the TOD of which the
tube passes which is attached to the
pump. When the pump is worked, If
more water is withdrawn from the well
than naturally flows into it, the water
level is lowered, and diminuation of
pressure is produced OF the surface; this
causes an increased supply of water to
come from the springs which feed the
well, and the total delivery of the well
is permanently increased. At Lyons.
Rheims, and various other places, Dom
nets method increased the few of wells
from four hundred liters per minute to
tw elve hundredi b Ea.
Peat is manufactured in Copnetieut at
a cost of one dollar and fifty cents per
ton. A single establishment engaged in
the business makes upwards of enc hun
dred tons per day. In this locality we
are not interested in the method of man
ufacturing, or cost, further than to know
what substitute or auxiliary to ordina-
ry eombustibles can be procured fer
The process is exceedingly simple. Lay
ers of the deep bog are cut in square
pieces, permitted to dry, and afterwards
subjected to powerful pressure, which
increases their density. l5z-
The last idea broached for securing
cheap power hints at the utilization Of
the tides. This is even more n,vel than
motor power from solar heat. The total
power of the tide wave over the whole
surface of the eartl is reckoned at three
trllllOn horse power. Here Is the novel
calculation: The extent of ocean surface
elevated to the mean hight of two feet
twice in twenty-four hours is set down
at one hundred million square miles
Every square mile contains nearly 6O,-
O0O,OO cubic feet. or {, $40, ,0OO, 600 pounds
of water. This multiplied by the num-
Der Of square miles affected gives the
enormous number of768, ,O00, ,0O0, ,OOO, ,OOO,-
600 foot pounds exerted every twelve
and half hours, or power Of 100, ,OOO,-
900, ,OOO, ,O0O, 900 foot pounds per minute.
This is divided by g, 900 to reduce it to
horse power. To those who are disposed
to ridicule the idea we would suggest
that the nineteenth century, the centu-
ry that created the steamboat locomo-
tive, telegraph, sewing machine, and
ocean cable Is not precisely the best OPP
portunity to limit the genius of man
kind.
Advices from the wooden cloth dis
trict of England represent "that wooden
goods have not been so low since 1s4S,
as at the present time. Many failures
are mentioned and mills are stopped
This comedies with accounts at hand
from other parts of the world. Take
for instance. The sheep own
ers, some of them having iocks that
amount to million, are absolutely boil
ing down their surplus stock for the tai
low. Again in Prussia, at Breslau, what
were the facts connected with the mar
ket held their on the 7th instant? This
was the annual gathering of producers
and buyers. The unfayorable presenti-
ments of the wool producers were fully
justified by its results, as the English
and French wool buyers inquired only
ior fine and superfine qualities. The
holders of these were enabled to sell at q
reduction of from five to twelve thalers
per centner on the prices of last year,
while it was otherwise with the midling
kinds, which it was found impossible TO
dispose of under loss of fifteen thaiers
per centner. To this sellers refused to
accede. The purchasers consequently
retired, and on the following day many
ots were sold at twenty thalers per cent
ner below last years prices.
An extensive manufactory is about to
De erected in Niles, Michisan, by Mr..
Colby, a wealthy and prominent citizen
IF that place, for the manufacture of
edge tools, under the patent obtained by
! well known cutler of Battle Creek,
Michigan. The machinery will be run
1y water power, dam being about to
De constructed on the st. Joseph river,
1t Niles, for that purpose. Swords can
De made by the new process, equal to
The famous Damascus blades. They can
De bent so that the point will meet the
lilt, and spring back again upon being
An ordinary pocket-knife
blade, hardened by the new method,
will cut glass even better than q dia-
nond, and will also cut into iron or Or
iinary steel without injury to the edge
Of the knife blade. The invention of
his process is certainly great one, and
will revOlutioniZe the manufacture of
'teel and edge tools in this country with
)ut doubt.
LIFE'S NICIsITUDES.-It Is appalling
% think how near to the happiest and
most prosperous scene of life stands the
,addest despair. All homes are haunted
with awful possibilities, fer whose realiz-
alton no array of threatning agents is
lightning, or tempest, or
battle; a peaceful household lamp, gust
Of perfumed evening air, false step in
4 moment of gaiety, draught taken by
a match overlooked or mislaid,
. moments oversight in handling q
tho xuhnla Sean. Of Bfn l.