The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1875-07-01
VOL. w
DIX aTH 0F THg STEAM ENGINR
AND BIRT Al OF A CIIY OF DREAM-
LAND.

DH AAA W. 8THAM ENOBN =
AND BIRT "A OF A CITY OF DREAM-
LAND.
The first century Of American freedom
closes with the announcement, not only Of
the extinction of slavery, perhaps every
where among civilized peoples, hut of
aAeged wonderful discoveries destined TO
revolutIonize wholly the condition and
habits of our race. II we may attach Gre
dence to recitals of facts given with seem
| iag absolute confidence by newspaper
writer's, our relations and modes of life
are to be thoroughly changed. Steam
| is no more. 1t was oninipotenf three
tonrths OF century. IL relgued su-
preme in Europe and America and was a
mightier conqueror, shaping more effec-
of mankind than priests or kings or prcsi-
dents. II was an every day adjunct of our
lives, and served us in all things, and with
fidelity that never faltered, force that
culiar 70 the genius of steam. 1t built our
houses, made our clothes, perfected our
food, almost enabled US to fly, and served
us in all things, save in the mere act of
breathing. 1t seems that steam must die
with the dawniDg of the American eenten.
nial year, and he who pronounces the fun
ereal eulogium upon the dying century
must lavish most eloquent encomiums upon
the giant who may be buried in its grave.
For months past we have been reading
incredible accounts of q discovery made by
toiling mechanician and chemist in Phila-
delphia. The story goes that he has learned
by accident to use component elements of
water and air in such a manner that boilers
and fuel are practically dispensed with, and
water and air become the resistless motor
OF machinery. The power generated is
simply limitless, and we do not see, if rep
reservations made by capitalists who have
already invested, it is asserted, two millions
of dollars in the discovery, be well
founded, why Eads may not abandon
his task at the BaIize; why Calves
ton need indulge further anxiety
because a sandbar walls in the city;
and why Cowdon should dream of croco-
diles digging slackwater ship canal even
from New Orleans to Fort Livingston. The
weight of machinery and of fuel, and space
occupied on sea-going vessels, must be inf
nitely reduced, and thus the draft of ves-
sells relatively lessened and carrying capac-
| ity maintained. But if the facts stated be
we'll founded, there will come of this dis
covery even more startling results. The
power Of birds wing, as related to the
weight of the bird, is the secret of its Ca
pacIty for aerial fight, and such is the inf
mite power said to he generated by this use
of aqueous gases, and comparative lightness
of machinery, that winged locomotives will
be borne about by balloons, and the cost OF
attending Democratic conventions at Lam
pasas and other inaccessible places will be
infinitely lessened. The politicians will
then chant in ecstacy the time-worn ditty
| On wings of steam I'll iy
From gloceree TO groceHye
| simultaneously the art; known of old,
even among Phenicians, of making mallea-
BILE glass, is rediscovered, and glass as soft
and flexible and irrefragable and transpar-
ent as DeMorse's Uranium is on exhibition
Eat Cooper's Institute. Everybody except
ropers-in of parties, distributors of spoils
and habitual placeseekers, will build their
dwelhng-pla of this indestructible mate
rial, stronger and more durable and beauti-
full than Pentelican marble. Will not Aus
tin become a city of dreamland when these
heights CLEAN In unutterable splendor be-
meath the rays of tropical sun, and the
scene by night will be of 1anscendant
beauty when each lamp that glows along the
streets flashes forth reproduced from a thou
sand reflected images of itself? Cleanliness
will invade each kitchen, for each cooking
implement will be of stainless glass. With
this comes necessarily, since filth begets
vice, an immeasurable Improvement in pop
ular morals:
| The night shall be filed with music
| Ant the cares that infest the day
| VIII fold their tents like the Arabs,
| And ~ silently steal away. fs
But We cannot find space to recite the
thorough revolution in all popular habits
and modes of thinking and living to arise
necessarily from these two discoveries,
the one as wonderful and benefcent as the
other; the one ministering to every practi-
cal want, even giving us wings and driving
the sewing machine, and the other giving
brilliAncy and beauty to every incident OF
everyday life. But let US be patient. Let
ter-writers are more inventive than artisans
or mechanics, and even wise men have been
thoroughly misled by discoverers who,
themselves, are insane. For all that there
is much reason to believe that malleable
glass is reproduced at last and aerostation