Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1873-05-31
Industrial Progress.

AhuuSuiaA Il AAOSitcof
1t is estimated that the mills in Cali
fornia consume 81, 200 pounds of quick
silver per month.
Quartz -four is deemed one of the
best articles for polishing knives 1t is
used largely in the manufacture Of stone
cliins. ....
Topeka. Kan. having decided by
popular vote to contribute to the build
ing of a rolling-mill, that work will soon
be commenced. ...... f..
The narrow-gauge railways OF the
United States make total length of 325
miles. The length of the lines pro-
lected or building is about 1900 miles.
Belgium has begun to receive large
supplies OF coal from the Ruhr Valley,
Germany The cost price delivered at
the works does not exceed 81. II per ton.
Mrs. Col. Neill, resident of Victoria,
Australia, is promoting silk culture in
that colony. She has been 80 energetic
as to visit Europe for the purpose of
procuring a supply of silk worms eggs,
and acquiring information on the pro-
duction of silk.
The building of the western section
of the Texas Pacific Railroad was begun
on the Dist ult. at San Diego, the ter
minus on the Pacific coast. This part
Of the trans-continental line will be con-
structed by the California Texas Railway
Construction Company, of which Gen.
Briston is President.
The East Indian Government has ex-
pended $13, $1,000 in promoting artlti-
cial irrigation in the northwestern prov
inces. The canals formed have, besides
being the means of irl1gatlng large
district, created an enormous tund OF
water-power, available for mills 9na In
dustrial purposes generally.
Confirmed topers may like to know
that they can detect fusel oil in whisky
or brandy by putting a few pieces OF
permanganate of potash in q long test
tube containing the liquid, slowly
shaking it. If the spirit contains to
per cent. Of fusel oil, a perceptlbly
! light yellow color soon appears.
The smelling of Utah and Colorado
lead and silver ores is now successfully
carried on in Pittsburgh. The lead
produced is equal in every respect for
all purposes to the best English and
German brands. New smelling works
are about to be erected at Mansfield, six
miles from Pittsburgh, which will be
extensive enough to make 100 tons pig
lead weekly.
The borax industry is attaining inn
portance in Nevada. Nearly all the
assay Offices, factories, and mining com
panies now use the domestic product
One company is putting up new works
which will enable them to make four
tons per day, which will be worth So, 600
| if it realizes only "a cents per pound.
The supply of crude material in the
bora1 fields is said to be inexhaustlble.
1t is a we'll known fact that iodine
when dissolved lii liquids containing
tannin, cannot be detected by the ordi-
nary starch test. Tessier has found,
however, that on adding to such solu-
! ton few drops of neutral solution OF
chloride of iron, the iodine is at once
set free, and can be detected bycoverlng
the test glass with watch glass or an
inverted funnel, covered on the inside
with starch paste.
There are at present $50, 900 miles OF
railway on the globe, whereof about
6S, ,O0O, or more than one-half, are in the
United States. In countries where
governmentmanagement exists there are
altogether about 10000 miles of rail
way. The Belgian Government has the
greatest interest in railways, that is to
say, it has the greatest proportionate
ownership. In Austria there are 1000
miles of railway, and Russia possesses
5000 miles open for traffic, and 5,OOO
more in course of construction.