Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-07-19
seeLinr > Rs.pectnhle remnern1nre.

The consideration of device for keeping cool
in hot weather is not quite so seasonable at this
moment as it would have been day or two
ago; but the memory Of the cheated term" is
still with us, if its reality has given US a little
respite, and we are not SO sanguine as to sup
pose that We have seen the mercury at ninety
or thereabout for the last time this summer.
Even if we had, there are future years TO be
provided for, so we shall not apologize further
for calling attention 10 plan proposed in the
Nation of this week for correcting the excuses
of our summer temperature as effectually as we
now do those of winter The writer, who has
resolved TO make practical trial of his scheme
proposes TO lead number of small air pipes
several times through large box or I'm, which
is 10 be packed full of some liGht material, such
as moss, through which air could readily find
its way. The moss is 10 be kept constantly
wet by water suffered 10 drip upon Its upper
%srIace, and a current of air is to be forced by
large bellows through the moss and also through
the air pipes. The rapid evaporation thus pro
dueed is expected 10 cool the air in the pipes as
much as is desirable. The cold air from these
pipes is to be distributed to each room by means
of wooden pipes, in like manner as the hot air
from our furnaces is distributed in winter, ex-
cept that the cool air is 10 be led always to the
upper part Of the room. Like the hot air from
furnaces il may be shut off or turned on at
pleasure. The bellows is to be operated by
sort Of clock work arrangement, the immediate
motive power Of which will be heavy weight.
The writer calculates that horse will, with ten
or fifteen minutes heavy pull, once day or
once week, according 10 the heat Of the
weather, wind this clock affair. 1t will have a
pendulum, can be started or stopped at pleasure
and, by altering the length Of the pendulum, be
made to run fast or slow, according TO the heat
of the weather.
Supplied with this contrivance, he believes
the temperature Of a house may be easily kept
as low as sixty degrees, IL desired. The doors
and windows will be kept closed in hot weather
as carefully as in winter. The blinds may be
kept open and the rooms will be light; flies,
mosquitoes and dust will be shut out, and the
air will be as dry as outside. The expense has
not been carefully estimated, but he is sure il
will not be great, and equally sure that the ex-
ira work he can do in the hottest weather will
soon repay him for the outlay. The author of
this contriyance is enthusiastic in regard to the
blessings il will confer on mankind, and believes
that in future we may reasonably expect TO find
cooling machine in every respectable dwelling
in cities and in the country
We confess there is something fascinating in
the prospect, especially on such days as many
of those which this month has brought to us I;
but we have doubts as TO the sanitary effect Of
living in houses cooled 10 GO or IS degrees, as
this writer proposes, when the outside air is
Thirty degrees warmer We have the impress
sion that the frequent exchange Of one temper
AZURE for the other would be injurious, even II
we should take the precaution of putting on
our oycfcoais in the hall ON coming in as we do
in winter on going out, and 1t would not be
surprising 10 rs TO learn thar nature has
planned our seasons for MS pretty we'll in spite
OF occasional lnpses into indeiensible extremes
and that il we could mitigate the summer heats
in accordance with our notions of personal
comfort, we should suffer for II in one way or
another to a greater extent than we now do
from loss Of energy and sometimes OF
liie, through excessive heat, made need.
lessly injurious by imprudent exertion OF
indulgence. This is only an impression, how
ever; we have no facts to support it, and expert
ment might Prove it b be baseless. In regard
10 the details of the scheme, we suspect IL
author ers IN supposing that his cooled aii
would be as dry as that outside The moistur,
nndetected IN the latter at its high temperature
would become very sensible when the capacity
Of The air for holding IT had been diminished by
the loss Of thirty degrees Of beat Az a motive
power for the bellows small steam engine