Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-12-17

To Corre.pOndents.
Hing Coal Threatened.

III hing coal were not q Stlfi-backed. stub
born ruler, he would begin to wayer like the
value OF gas stocks before the numerous uSlrp-
ers who threaten his throne. II has long been
q private habit OF his subjects 70 speculate In a
COld-bloOded way about the length OF time
which the Old monarch might b. expected to
last before exhaustion; but now there is open
treason. and men are crying. The King is
dead; long live the KING before King Coal has
any idea Of laying aside the royal robes to
make room for successor Mention has al
ready been made OF the petroleum furnace the
Canadian water gas, the electric light. and the
magnetic motor, which have arisen as UlSurpers
81 different realms. Which acknowledge the SOW
rreignty of King Coal. But the boldest attempt
against him involves the transfer II allegiance
due him 10 the sun, from which source he Dor
lows all OF his authority IL C:ber words il is
proposed to Use the power OF the suns rays dl-
rcctly % furnish heat aud motive force. instead
OF di%glnC underground ID release the same
power from its wooden COlfa. We have all
heard Of ErTicSS0n'S proposed ship, which is to
le driven entirely by the SINS rays. but
Uf the recent experiments at the French
exhibition In this direction less. perhaps.
j. Known. The apparatus Used. an ingenious
Invention by VI. MOuchOt, IS described as q
great haSin-Shapcd mirror turned towards the
sun like an immense metallic SunfOwer The
VI tllc OI the Is SttcH tflat all
the rays falling upon 1t are concentrated upon
its center. where whatever is To he heated is
placed For cooking purposes it was found
that mirrors of less than eight inches sdrare
Stlf1ced 10 roast pound of beef in twenty-five
minutes, TO complete StewS in an hour and
half that required four hours with an ordinary
WOOD IRE, and TO raise TO boiling in half an
hour pint and half OF cold water. The
suns rays were utilized as a motive power by
means OF large receiver in whose focus was
placed an iron boiler. The steam thus obtained
was made TO drive a Tangye pump raising ff-
teen hundred to eighteen hundred quarts OF
water per hour height of over six feet, and to
produce ice in Care apparatus. The Use OF
this apparatus is OF course limited in time Ii
Il necessary to remember the Old admOniLion in
regard to making hay, and 10 cook Our food and
drive our engines when the sun shines.
"
The police seem TO be quite IN earnest in the
effort to suppress the horn-bfowtng nuisance of
the street hucksters. and great relief is al
ready afforded TO invalid, and nervous people
who have been So much harrdsscd by the hid
eous noises. Not only have Our citizens a right
TO this protection. but Our material Interests
require II. The prosperity OF Washington de
ponds 50 much upon Its being made 4 pleasant
a iding place for people % leisure wealth and
culture, from all parts OF the country, that it is
Important that everything That tells against
t!e health, comfort and convenience OF visitors
ard residents should be promptly corrected
-
Ii would be money in the pocket OF some
speculative spirituaiiSJ to obtain exclusive pos
session OF the Heller secrets, especially that OF
the secOnd-sght mystery. The description of
things unseen after the Heller method would
not seem 10 require that the deScriber and thing
described should be in the same room. except
for the convenience OF an audience The power
Il make known from one spot the ninutcSt par
ti,ularS OF actions going on in any room OF
whole building would seem possible by an eX-
tension Of the plan. \ spritualiSt possessed of
this power might easily obtain recognition as
tie king OF all the spirituali5s. Miss Heller
may, therefore expect to be interviewed on the
Subject with all the persl5tency and craft OF the
typical newspaper reporter bent on Knowing
what is meant to be secret.