The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1869-03-20

SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION.

STEEL.-We are passing from the age
Of iron to that Of steel. The improved
processes of Besscmer and others bid
fair to work a revolution in the applica-
tions of iron. Steel rails, steel boilers,
steel everything almost, is the current
talk among mechanical engineers. The
result of all this cannot well be predicted,
though some Of the probable changes
may be surInised Already, leading sci
entifc and engineering periodicals are
discussing the adoption of heavier loco
motives, now rendered possible By the
increased strength of steel rails. The
economy Of heavy locomotives over those
Of lighter construction has been demon
stratcd, and thus VIC can see how the In
creased cost Of steel rails is partially COM
pensated by the saving in fuel, required
to transport given amount of freight to
a given distance.-N Y. Mercantile
Journal.
COMPRESSED LEATHER-A substance
under this name is now manufactured IN
considerable quantity in England, and is
prepared by first cleaning shoemakers
paste and cuttings from dust, and foreign
matters, and reducing 10 fbrous mass.
Cuttings Of OK or other hides are also re-
duccd to a fbrous mass. These combined
together, in certain proportions, are mix
ed with water, to which has been added
one per cent Of sulphuric acid until the
whole becomes plastic mass, which 10
then pressed into moulds of the desired
size and shape. After drying by steam,
they are passed through rolls glazed On
one side and roughencd On the other, to
produce the grain and flesh sides Of the
leather About one pound of .glycerine
TO the hundred weight is added to render
the leather flexible. For many purposes,
as for soles and heels of shoes, etc, it is
equal to natural leather, and, can be sold
at one-h If the cost.
WHERE THE MICA CONES FRoM.-
Mica is mineral, and is used in its nat
ural state, being called by many isinglass.
It is one Of the three constituents of
granite rock, in which it exists only In
small particles. But In the quartz rocks
in New England it is found in masses, ror
veins of sufficient size to furnish the
sheets that are used in the stoves and
sometimes in lanterns It once happened
to us TO spend term Of school In the ro-
mantle town Of Acworth, New Hamp-
shire, and 10 board in the family of man
whose business was to quarry mica and
prepare it for the market. It requires
considerable blasting of the quartz rock
to reach the veins of clear mica, which
is obtained in sheets an inch or less in
thickness. a curious quality of the sub
stance is its diyersibility, or tendency to
split InUV ~L@~s~ To this quality there
is no appreciable limits, /. e. no snec1 ur
mica is so thin that it cannot again be
split, and there is no limit to this within
the possibility of performing the opera
ton by human means. Those who pre-
pare it for market split the sheets to the
proper thickness for use in the stoves and
then cut the sheets into given forms with
shears. 1t is not affected by any degree
of heat, and being pliable is not easily
broken. The supply of marketable mica
is not very abundant anywhere, and the
cost of quarrying makes it somewhat ex-
pensiye