The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1880-03-05
A REMARKABLE INVENTION-EVERY
THING WATERPROOF.

An new Invention has just been exhib-
tied in New York city, which promises to
be as important as any invention of these
ten years, and which is likely To effect
great changes in, if not revoiutionize,
some branches of industry. The exhi-
bition was had at Al West Sixteenth
street. There were present ex-secretary
McCulloch, Richard Sugden Grant, of
the Paterson locomotive works, +. D.
French, general Emerson Opdyke, Da-
vid Moffit, of the Little Pittsburg mine,
and others.
The inventor, K. NJ. Lamb, stood at the
table, on which was a wash-bowl, and
he held Il piece of broadcloth over the
bowl on the palm of his left hand, and
poured Croton water upon it from pitch
err "You ser, it does not wet it, he
said. He passed the cloth around, and
it was found to be dry. He subjected d
piece of black velvet TO the same opera
ton, with the same result. 1t did not
absorb any moisture, the water on StTik-
ing its silky pile forming great gobules
and bounding oil like quicksilver.
what l claim" said Mr.. Lamb, lis
that all fabrics treated by my solution
are rendered absolutely waterproof and
moth-proof; that it makes no difference
whatever in their appearance, and that il
can be applied for a cent yard"
This was an extreme claim. 81 Will
show YOU" he said He took II silk hat
Efrom tho mantel. This hat has not been
thoroughly treated with the solution, but
only sponged with it on the outside, bu
| have worn it through all the snow and
sleet Of the last fortnight without any
protection, and you see how 1t looks
The hat was passed around. 1t was IA
smooth and glossy as ii just handed
down from u hatter's shelf Here are
two pieces of silk. cut from the sam,
piece" he said, producing two fragment
of sleasy silk ofadelicate sky-blue "On'
has been treated and the other has not
| don't know which is which, and nu
body can tell by sight, smell, feeling o
any sense. They weigh the same. We
you SEQ" and he plunged them int
the washbowl. Presently he removed
them, and shook them in the air. On
was saturated-spOiled forever; the otI
, er was as dry as if just removed from a
oven. He took an ostrich feather an
plunged 1t in the bowl; lifted it out an
Tipped it in lns fingers so that any &C
1 herring drops would fall off, and handle
t it around. 1t was quite dry.
He produced piece of lovely pin
velvet, one of the beautiful aniline co
ors, and poured water ON it. The resu
was the same; it jumped off as quickl
\ rs possible, like water from u red-ht
stove Precisely the same result follow
ed the submergence of lace and furs tn;
+ had been treated. They were perfect
water repellant.
a 80 of leather" he said, taking dow
"A tanned goat skin. This is kid"
= added. such rs ladies' boots age Aade q
D l hung this over an empty WATERFALL,
/. such position that it would hold waite
b and poured two quarts into the skin.
let il hang three days and three night
: and mt the end of that time it had n
leaked drop, and half minute after
0 poured the water out the kid was as dl
as il is now. have imprisoned mott
4 with these furs for a year. and thu
would starve if | did not give the
something to eat that had not been tres
d ed The furs are untouched. Hereaft
, there will be no necessity To lock up flu
, in summer"
y How much DO you say it will cost
<, subject goods TO this treatm6ntg'' ask
D. the spectator who had just come IN.
n "A cent a yard. perhaps" he answere
y Next to nothing. Gloves can be treat
for four cents dozen pairs, 50 that tn
4. will never spot or mIldew."
re Can clothing be washed and GLOW
IN be cleaned that have been subject to 20
process %
"Yes; just as well as before. The
l., luton seems to enter into the fibre, a
&c renders all colors absolutely fast. No
al ing will fade that has been treated Wi
" this solution. Fading is produced
the action of light or heat on moistu
n and my goods never get moist boil
a piece of figured ribbon three hou
oP and It was just as strongly water-rep
liant On taking it out as it was before
VI What | claim is this" he add
short, "that in five years nobody can
ty ford To wear anything that has not be
~ treated by this process and render
water and moth repellant. If lady {
20 out anywhere in a storm without
as umbrella or oYeFshoes. dressed in 81
ne and velvets and feather and laces, W
only Il veil over her face TO keep the r.
out of that, and stay out in the storm wi
IN out getting wet, viii not every lady
IN the world desire to be similarly prott
ed, provided il does not add anythi
no. whatever to the price of goods?"
slave you any objection to tell
ne what your solution is ~
81 cannot tell exactly, even if | won
al. Ny patents now cover the whOlcciyili
world so there is no harm in saying I
the base IL the Hydrocarbons with
luton of India rubber. Butt resi-
- from my formula compound wis
new TO chemistry, and even Prof. d,
mus doesn't know what 10 call it,"