Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-06-30
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SATURDAY EVENING. JUNE3O.

STOLEN SECRETS A manufacturer in these
our days holds his own against competition BY
force Of capital, knowledge Of science, and skill
of workm:u lie has no secret beyond that Of
producing the best article at the lowest price,
One hundred years ago the case was different.
What man discovered in the arts be conceal
| cd. Work men we're put upon their OATH, 10
| The name o; GGd, DeFIr 20 reveal the processes
used by their employers. Djors we're kept clos
cd, artisans going ont were searched, visitors
We're vigorously exc udei from admission, and
false operations blinded the WoIkmen them.
| selves The mysteries Of every craft were bedg
ed ia by quick get fences Of empirical pfstenson
| and judicial affirmation.
The rcya! manufactures oi porcelain, iOr e1
ample, we're !o0g carried On ~ Europe with
spirit oi jealous ezc!uslTentsS. Ills Majesty OF
SaxoGy was specially clrcums2ect Not content
with the cath cf secrecy imposed upon his work
people, he would not abase his kiD9ly ly'suspioion
10 favor OF !. brother monarch. Neither king
nor king y delegate Il ghl enter within the ia
boocd walls Of Mesjco. What is erroneously
called the "Dreslen' porcelaiD-that exquisite
pottery Of which the world has never seen the
like-was produced for Two hundred years by q
process so secret that neither the bribery of
princess nor the garruy Of operatives ever re-
vealed il.
There used to be, close by Temple Bar,
In London, an old chemists shop. The pro-
prieGor o! it, in days gone b7, c'joyed the mo
nopuiy of making citric acid. More favorably
orcumstapccd tbao any other secret mauutac'
turers, his was a process that required no as.
sis; aUce. He employed 20 Workmeu. Experts
came to sample AMI assurt aud bottlc his pro.
ducs. They never eucred thc laboratory. The
mystic operations by which be grew rich wero
cJnfped to hlnscf.
Ore day he looked the doors and blind
ed the wludjms cGTG as usual or The safety OF
his secret our chemist Weot D0ue 70 dlnoer.
chimney sweep, ~ boy disyused as such,
WIDE ar ks IN chemistry, was 90 the Watcp.
Following ;ho secret keeper 60 !ar 90 his Way
u CharluG Cross as u be su!e he would DOT re-
turn thar day, the sooty philosopher hied rapidly
tack TO remplo Bar, assembled the low build
ing drorpal du1n the huy, saw all he wanted,
aud returncd, carryus with hiu the mystery OF
makug ciric acid Iha monopoly OF the 10.
vculcr ;7aa gone. \ few months after, and the
price Of the article was reduced four htthS. The
poor mlu was b1art broken, and died shortly
af;er iguoraOt OF the trek by which lie had
been victimz.d. Like Mss TAbtha Bramblc,
when Informed that the thunder had spoiled
Two barrels of beer in her cellar, ne might
have said How the thunder should get There,
@he1 the cellar wa4 double locked, l can't
Comprehend.
The manufacture Of uware in England origl-
mated 10 a stolen secret. Few readers need to
be informed that tinware is simply THU iron
plated with tin By being dipped into the molton
metal 10 theory it Is an easy matter to clean
the surface Of iron, dip il into a bath OF tho
boilinp Il l. and remove H. pu7GlOpcd With the
silvery metal 20 a place for o)oiing. La prac
ticc, however, the process is one Of the most
difficult 10 the arts 1t VAS discovered 10 HoI.
land and guarded from publicity with the ut
most Vigilance for nearly half century. Fog,
land tried n vain to discover the secret, until
James Sherman, q Cornish miner, crossed tho
Channel, iosnuated himself snrreptitlous!y 10.
10 tinpate panuactory, made himself mag
ter OF the secret, and brought it home
OLD AID NEW HORRORS One cannot I've III
Europe withou. having some fresh horror to re-
late every week. An oiti ler l.om Agers tells
thatthe grH4shoppers ther3 sro like an Egyptisn
plague You can aac no trees |hDn they light on
them The rails erd covered w.Lh mass OF
paste, oncssioncd by the bodies OF the crushed
insect: mngng with tho sand. Iney Wero
obliged to stop half IN hour er route IN order 10
clean the wheels. The ncw horror makes ones
pulses stop Yesterday woman of 81. Q ,entin
placed her child on the rails in order that II
might b. crusnn! The cries Of the child happl.
ly attracted attention and saved it. The mother
WAS arrested as She Was stepping into the car
which should crush her child. would ane nave
locked out to gee tho deed accompll5hod' Mosl
probably
rVrHEEE WILL BE a MEETING or TIE
4 Stockholders Of tho