New-York tribune., 1875-02-04
PROCEEDINGS or S0CILuL5.

BOsrON: MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF IBCu
So.OGY; Dec. Gi.-Nr. George Woods OF CimJriuse
presented new process Tor drying lumber, which he
considers much superior 10 that formerly IN ust The
usual method, according Slr Woods consists IA pass
ny steam pipes through the dyla rooms in which The
O.r stored aud by which the outside Is dried r5t,
wnc tue moisture i'll the interior fails 70 be expelled
By the new cement steam pipes are adjusted IN
the same manner underneath the lumber, but the
moisture driven or instead of being carried away by
ventilation, ia condensed by cold wafer constantly
running through the room. The condensed water runs
down the pipes into a grOoved channel and flows out OF
the chamber Thus the moisture Is gradually unI-
fornly, and constantly withdrawn from the wood,
which dries regularly, without strain on the outside or
cracking on inside The drying 20 ec square
and 10 feet high. quarter Inch pipe under the ogdi
nary pressure of tank or pump Is sufficient
for forcing the water through The colder the water
rue more rapid the condensation and the shorter the
process and six days may accomplish efficiently what
requires threo weeks by the ordinary method. BY the
process IN question Mr. Woods claims that no saves
thrce-rourhs of tho time required and all the neat
which ia rae ordinary passes OF in the y1utlil-
tion. similar method i ayailaoie in iaundres Tor
driving cloths and wool IN factories, ana Is applicable %
any material gIL4C OK inorganic, winch ulit 10 be
dried speedily and Uniformly In one case MI Nooa-
extracted l6 gallons OF water IN seven days IRON sUUO
feet of umuer 20 the end OF when time the wab'r
ceased to run, and the wood was thoroughly dry tour
hundred feet of inch P2e are enough iSr r' room of
Nr X W. Lowe made sOme remarks On thc Leaning
Tower OF Pisa. which he tOoN the ground tAdl l de
ylion from the vertical llUe was the result az % acct
dental sinking OF the foundation on one SIDE ana nU Of
an intention Oh the part vi he builders.
PHILADELPHIA AIERICAN PHHOsOPHCAL
SOCIETY: Jan I-PrJf. Frazer exhibited aud con-
yenent oxygen ret0rt, hollow cone OF copper plate,
fitting tightly upon Il short conical ring mounted "A
beplate and forming box for receiving and retaining
the residue from the process. Plaster of Paris Is run
into groove around the outside OF the base OF the
tort TO nte it, There choking Of the avenues u the
receiver and no difficulty in cleaning; even il
posion should take place, the resistance is s ht
TO remove all danger. 1t is merely more convenient
OF Prof. MOrtons cheap oxygen retort per
mitting easy cleaning. The material also being
"copper" instead OF iron, patching IL needful IL easily
done and the will last for years Mr.. Briggs
spoke of the commOnncss OF accidents from eNplO-
sion in making oxygen, aud that he had satisfied
himself In the case of the engineer at kirkDride's
Hospital that a small quantity Of hydrogen must have
been present In the tube Prof Morton after three
rois explosions used the precauIlon OF passing the
gas through water Prot. Frazer said that ne usually
passed the through wash bottle, but mixed oxide
manganese to make the decomposition OF the chorae
slow Mr. Briggs described the accident at the hospital
AS having occurred with length OF 80 feot OF pipe, only
four feet which guttapercha Prof Frazer then
read paper entitled "Crtcsm OF the Belfast Address
OF Prof Tyndall" Prof. Chase communicated further
views on tine magnitude OF grayitating;wayes.