The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1879-09-13
Our 0lio.
The Uses to be Made Of the Steam Engine
faiH in Time to Come.


Supposinga good and cheap small engine
TO be avaiable-an engine that will be
strong, simple, safe, light, noiseless, and
economical in fuel-not only would all lis
industrial applications be extended, but il
would find new and wide sphere Of use
fulness in ministering to domestic wants,
one Of the most widely pervading Of which
is the want Of a simple motive power. In
American hotels steam engines have long
been employed for brushing boots and
cleaning knives. They are the doeile and
inexpensive Helots Of the age, and the do
Inestic production Of the electric light is
a new and important sphere for their en-
ergies But besides these functions, a
domestic engine may be employed 10 roast
ing meat, driving washing machines and
mangles, driving sewing machines, in
brushing hair, in preparing aeratcd waters,
and in the country for pumping, for saw
ing wood, and for performing many other
laborions operations. A steam engine may
be made 10 cool houses in summer and to
warm them in winter; to maintain foun-
tains in conservatories, 10 work punkas, to
produce ice, and to create and maintain a
vacuum in safes for the preservation Of
meat For such purposes the engine must
obviously be Of the simplest, most compact,
and of the most inexpensive character, 80
that the whole may be lifted in piece,
like hall stove. The boiler should be
provided with self-acting feed Of water,
and the fuel should bo gas, which has only
to be lighted to enable the engine to be put
into operation. Gas companies will find
ample compensation for the loss of theiI
lighting function 10 the creation Of new
heating function which will become large
and more remunefatiye than the lighting
has ever been. Instead Of extracting from
I. the coal only the Illuminating gases, tn,
: whole fuel should be turned into combus
: tible gas by the aid Of superheated steam
. and all the fires Of houses could be main
= tanned by this cheap gas burning in Jet
amid pumice, which it would keep red hot
There would then be neither dust fror
CRATES nor smoke from chimneys, aud th
gas works would supply the fuel that
y necessary to the generation Of the electri
y light. The application Of the steam er
n gine to the propulsion of carriages, omn
q buses aud cabs is now only hindered by i
'e too heavy weight aud too high cost Al
L pholt payements, which are objectionab
e for horses, afford for steam carriages su
:, face as eligible for easy traction as a raj
Ie way, and without any counteryailing faul
d All wheeled vehicles, whether required
:, travel at a high or low speed, win be DR.
/ PEELED by steam instead Of horses as soc
n as the steam engine is made sufficient
y light and sufficiently cheap to warrant Il
l. substitution. Life e.boats, instead Of beir
= open boats propelled by number Of me
le should be deeked boats propelled by
"a steam engine and managed by only "
I men, one to steer the boat and the 9th
y to attend to the engine. Such boa
y. should be propelled by water Jet Whit
d will always act, whatever may be the roug
% ness Of the sea aud whether the stern
&c the boat is in or out of tho water. IT
=, use of the steam engine for irrigation.
u connection with the centrifugal pump is
. application Of which the sphere is limit
it only by the cost aud the deficient port
. bility Of the apparatus. To render 1
fe class of small engines so much more port
u BILE, so much more simple aud 50 much Il
u costly as to remove the existing impet
= ments to their use may certainly be q
D. counted one Of the most important pro
ie lens Of the present time, and | trust it
y not presamptuOus to hope that the curse
Is hints here given may accelerate the desir
= ! solution, 80 English Poper