The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-09-01

ST, IOUtS, August A. t0tS
II, NV last letter | told you something
about 4ha onenine Of the twenty-seventh an
nual convention OF the
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCE
NENT OF SCIENCE.
THE aainnttsts finished their work here yes
tordav and most of them have already left
the ritv. About fifty Of them started for
Colorado last night on an excursion tram
and the balance returned TO their ZONES
The members Of The association were most
Hospitality entertained while here Trans
were provided for them for several little OK"
cursion trips arranged by the local commit
tees The transfer companies and express
companies carried the members them
selves and their baggage anywhere
and everywhere without charge. They were
invited TO concerts and exhibitions OF different
kinds boat ride on the river was given
them Sunday afternoon, and carriage ride 10
Che suburban parks and gardens Monday al
fernoon The Chamber of Commerce was
Thrown open to them, rs were also the Mel
s,antile and the Public School libraries, and |
4 Ahe Washington University people granted !
them the use Of their building for their meet |
tngs. In short lything was done for their
entertainment aud in the way OF hospitality |
that could have been DONE except perhaps |
settling their hotel bills, and il it hadn't been
for the call for contributions to the yellow |
fever fund. we might have done that also. AS |
II was. they were charged only half rates at
Tho hotels The convention was also big
SUCCESS In scientific way, in the number
and character Of the scientific papers read
before the association and in the general
! ,Y, Ia t;ro,ioCnna fol
their presentation. The most important
event. perhaps, of the convention was the
introduction of Thomas Edison to the asso-
citation. The applause with Which the distin-
ouished inventor was received by the sclei-
lists was almost deafening, exceeded only by
the applause which followed the chairman's
announcement directly afterwards that
telegram had just been received from Paris
to the effect that the grand prize Of the Ex-
position for
WONDERFUL INVENTIONS
had been awarded to Thomas A. Edison, of
America Mr. Edison received the announce
naent as he had received the welcome given
him, with a smile and bow. He seemed to be
very much embarrassed and was evidently
greatly relieved when permitted to retire
from the stage and take his seat in the audi
enco Prof. Barker said that he had had
some difficulty III persuadng Mr. EdlSon 10
attend the convention, but that the distln-
guished inventor was now there and would
D. explain some of his wonderful inventions to
the association after recess. Mr.. Edison &C
cordingly appeared before the audience again
In the afternoon. His tasimeter was the first
instrument explained. With long pointer
in his hand, Mr.. Edison stood with his back
to the audience, and pointed out and eN,
nlained the diagrams which had been chall1ed
ant "a HACK h5,nT HpD1n !
very much like that of a bashful scho0boy
demonstrating proposition n n, geometry
The diagrams represented the different parts
OF the apparatus used by MI. Edison and
Prof Barlxerin their observations at Rawlings,
Wyoming Territory, at the time OF the recent
solar eclipse The tasimeter was one OF these
parts, the part used for the measurement OF
Che heat of the suns corona and the star Ac-
turus. Mr.. Edison occupied only about four
minutes in explaining the construction and
uses OF the different parts OF
s..5 THE TAsIMErER
itself and of its connection with the other por-
tions of the apparatus, including the tele-
scope, batteries, wires, etc, and he succeeded
in making everything clear to at least all the
physicists present. After he had finished
Prof Barker told how successful he and Mr..
with the tasimeter, and what a
valuable invention the instrument was des-
tined to prove itself in the future. Their OBJ
servations would have been failure, said the
trotessor bhC iof anotheI NV l,lNeIIQ 4 nevl9ca
by Nj Edison almost at the last houf' A
most serious obstacle presented ITSELF or
rather had been overlookeds but it was re-
moved by q simple device OF the inventors RS
constructed cut OF an old board, q few taeks
and some stoVeplpe WIRE lound II me shanIy
where the observations were being made
The man, said Professor Barker, was. full of
devices and an emergency would bring one one
Of them out every time With the aid Ia OF IN ne
taslmeler me neat OF sIats Oh even INC lalG l
magnitude may be accurately measured SaSo
the Professor ......, -,,,,,,- ,..p-.,..-
me audience received, All thlS lltornattoh
with the most Gntnusiastlc applause, ana t.le
eyes Oh eIetynouy We're LiNtteu on y99uus
Euisoh as ne SAT on lne THRe Oh INC paeluiln
smlllhg ana gf'hnlng: len an epppEt4llty
was given the sclNntiSls 10 assn loL tAplan Ia
Mons On fnalI9ts nov clearly uAoeLSCoou ~
0heLn. "A nt'ilpe. o! 4uesIiolls mete HsN e1
ana every one "a tnelh Whs satlslaGt2LlS co.,
sWered; me answer cam? Ill cNeLy lLSsaaice
WlJlOQta nonont 5 lleSltal lou,titl was Always