The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1881-09-24
DI,COyERIEs MADE BY ACCI.
A DENT.

and valuable inventions suggested, by
the veriest accidents.
An alchemist, while seeking to dis.
cover mixture Of earths that would
make the most durable crucibles, one
day found that he had made porcelain.
The power Of lenses. as applied TO the
telescope. was discovered by watch
makers apprentice. While holding
spectacle>glasses between his thumb
and finger. be was startled at the sud-
denly enlarged appearance Of neigh
boring church spire.
The art of etching upon the glass
was discovered by q Nuremburg glass
cutter. BY accident, few drops oi
aquafortis fell upon his spectacles. He
noticed that the glass bee ,lre corroded
and softeDed where the acid had touch.
I'd it. That was hint enough. He drew
figures upon glass with varnish. ap-
piled the corroding fluid. then cut
away the glass around the drawing
When the vsrnish was removed. the
figures appeared raised upon a dark
ground.
Mezzotinto owed its invention to the
simple accident Of gun-barrel of a
sentry becoming rusted with dew.
The swaying too aud fro of chsnde.
lier in q cathedral suggested to Galileo
the application OF the pendulum.
The art Of lithographing was per-
fected through suggestions made by
accident. A poor musician was curis
ous to know whether music could not
be etched apon stone as we'll rs upon
copper. After be bad prepared his
slab, his mother asked him TO make a
memorandum Of such clothes as she
proposed to send away to be washed.
Not having pen. ink and paper conve-
nient, he wIote the list Oh the stone
with the etching preparation, intend
iug 10 make copy of II 1T leisure. A
few days later. when about to clean the
stone. he wondered what effect aqua
fortis would have upon it. He applied
the acid. and in few minutes saw the
writing stand out in relief. The next
step necessary was simply to ink the
stoDe and take off an impression.
The composition of which printing
rollers are made was discovered by .
Salopisn printer. Not being able to
find the peit ball. he linked the type
with piecs Of soft glue which had
fallen out of the glue pot. It was such
IN excellent substitute that, after mix
ing molasses with the glue. to give the
mass proper consistency. the old pelt-
ball vss entirely discarded. aN rs
The shop Of . Deblin tobaccopist. by
the name Of Lundyfoot. was destroyed
By fre. While he ~. gnzis;E jolefully
into the sEoldering fuinS be noticed
that his poorer neighbors we're gather.
ing the snuf from the osn,sters. he
tsslsd the snnf himself. and discovered
that the 6ys had largely improved Ia
puRgsncy and aroma. Ii was . hint
worth profting by. II. secured another
chop. built ios Of eveus sabjectins
the snuff to heating process, gave the
brand = particular name. and in few
years became rich through an accident
which he at 6rst thought had com
pletsly ruined him.
The process of whitening sugar wa.
discovered in . curious way. A her
that had gone through . clay PADDLE
went with her muddy fees into . sugar.
house. She isft her tracks on pile OF
sugar. Il Vas noticed that wheresei
her tracks were the sugar was whiten-
ed. Experiment. were Instituted. and
the result WAS that vet clay came tc
be used In refining sugAr. a0
The origin of blue tinted paper came
shout by'a mere slip ofths hand. Tue
wife OF WisA;am East. an English pa
per maker, accidentally let . blue bag
fall iuto one Of the vats Of pulp. The
woskGsn were Astouished when they
saw the peculiar color OF the paper
while Mr. East was highly inceusee
over what he considsisd q grave pecu
niary loss. His wife was 50 mucl
frightened that she would not confes
her sgescy in the matter. After stor
ing the damaged paper for four years
Mr. EAse sent il 70 bis agent in London
with instructions to sell il for what !
would bring. The paper was sccepte,
- . 'purposed novelty and WAS die
posed Of st quiss sn advance over th
market price. Mr. East was sstooishe'
ct receiving an order from his ageu
for another large invoice Of the papes
He was without the secret. and foan'
himsslf 10 . dilenms- Upon mention
ing the fact 10 his wife. she told his
shout the accident. He kept the secret
aud the demsnd for the novel tint fs
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