, 1870-03-21
THE PNEUMATIC RAILROAD.
Lecture Before the Chicago Academy
Of Sciences by B, d. Gilbert,

The atmosphere Is natures great common car-
ricr. 1t is the everywhere present motive power
which psyz the most Important part OF ali tho cie
ncnts In the great work Of the universe It car-
1ea the foul air Of our cities away, and brings to
rs the pure mir Of the country. 1t sakes our ear-
nonlc acid, ind the dead matter VIC constantly eI-
hale from our lungs md hodles. SWAY to veScta-
ton, and to the forests anI brnga back egtrtng
oxygen It carries IN heavens monJ chArtota,-
the clonda the sapoEs raised from the sea by the
Euns aetion to distant mountain ranges, where 1t
falls IN rain to seplenlsh the earth and supply the
It back to the sea It brings NJ cold fron TIC
north, end hest from the uoplca Extending
upxaId for The space Of MY miles OF more, 1t Is
move At the bottom OF II, to an amount eoua to is
pounds to every square Inch. Could Wc construct
should md he pressure At tas bottom of il lis
tounts, or equal to a column Of water 81 o3-1oo
fect high. Or 30 inches of mesrurJ- A cubic footof
grains, OF about lis ounces; Is sl7-looo cubic
feet weigh enc pound 1t Is about $50 zines lighter
than FaseE. It Is eomprcssihe, but elastic and i'm
The bottom of the ocean the air within would bc
compressed, but only to certain degree; beyond
taat iae water could not 20. Compress into
and though kcp. thefe FOR 5ears, ii win
'sese 'ssa sro1s. Sss' Tses .is .sssssls sss
~ motive power in atmospheric transportation.
ALI, set In motion bJ the action Of heat anu cold,
motive rover OF commerce on the seas Long be-
forc The 1lad was Written, or the 5panlsh uaytga-
tors had dreamed OF the Eldorado OF the New
10 the breeze, and, BY their tr1t1c and commerce,
!atsed M 70 power and masnincence Tyte and
sidon, those ancient and wonderful clues Of old.
ne 's e.4s sR see = MI e. .ss ssFs9 so
the toSe ane .hea eon.ssus n saeos..
ne cars and that the new Inventions IN SCI
! common pn1nac, tast 1t such dimes, md In iunt
such quantities Rs mAy Be nccesaaIJ-A very DC
e % = III se IN
the passengers VIII not hare SUFFICIENT III, w be
-out OF BREATH = is e1Toneona Even though they
which prcres tic cars travels Win hen The
ca1 arc travelling to1aEd The pArdai vacuum
which ls Induced before them to Increase their
rated from It BY dlaphr1gtn which Is IN front Of
the carh The passengers, therefore, hare al the
alr they wans, ind can hare double supply should
The cs1I themselves do net closely 1t the tube,
nnt lense space 10 prevent friction This tpacc,
The ossillss!on os lie caIs 7un hitun2 sae Ees Of
r. e. ~ : = q AZ ss5sal.s .a.ns; soEzsgonasgg
| they arc propelled, and may oe ntted up IN a. efc-
CANT md comfortable manner Is could bo desired
ne m nsoss h1.litaat manpct 81 @ ihs ouS1arosep * % -
nAme on Nncnn!2. the mineral earth OF that naIne,
giving an Illumination almost - bright n sunlight
eael q tae eas nd ID 1aeuam IN N
| duced before thcu- To aid tho action Of the *
hans. and COMPRISING ~ engines, the ~ A.
Il IS nten when required to give %
ss9.1 &ss1 se between . e sop pna 'ss sse re-
| which the carr open or close automatically. TIT
air. oelEg thus liberated ia positive IN its aet1on
! and sanaeDS % overcome shs ia5saa 81 nc eas'
/ n1ents provide system OF teleSrapn1ng BY whic.
tic exact location Of the c4r1 u made known =
The station, and ~ Which the manager can II =
telegraph operatoEA DR.. Gilbert then descztbes
the system now In operation IN London, By d!a
Light, and gave = description Of the New for1
| road building under Broadway, concluding With
engines, and showing The advantagc gained ore
the cid rota15 fans and blowers in tneit power :
nove h3Se r aHsnuaes ot sir fer propulsion Of u
j dered the system particularly aaapted 70 chtcaee
, | eievsied by pueumaac powe. 70 The point fEur
. | which they could he despatched, via h1so show
) | b. the calcium light
. ct transportation, proceed to tho consideration {
; tho remhlning topic OF NJ LECTURE, viz o1
.Co1nmetc ProsIess, and the Bearing E1issin
!, he ieai!ng points OF American history havtr
rrfsace 70 or nauon,1 ost1, ,ss aod p.Sg,sss
Independcnce, heA1nt tho telegraph and the Fl
teenfh Amendmtnt
Lolng back oysr or pai,s S3sn e hs1c AVE- hn
n,ncTrssed. n* mainly IN propoEttun - 1ae meAna
I eea eeommunteston Ind The faeitues for transport
u9r ri n91e pe eoneeded thas the conditions Of
= he pnoH civilized raoc Of ths 0o "@aetto, "3tam
blood f1eghted IN 5,on I :, I'D u sodety-e