Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1881-07-01
miscellaneous.
Discoveries Made by Accident.

An alchemist, while seeking 10 discover u
mixture of earths that would make the most
durable crucbles one day found that he had
made porcelain.
The power of lenses, as applied 10 the
telescope, was discovered by watchmaker's
apprentice While holding spectaclo-g.a
between his thumb and finger he was star
tied at the suddenly enlarged appearance of
a neighboring church spire.
The art of etching upon glass was discov-
cred by u Nuremberg glass-cutter, BY ac-
cident few drops of aqua .t0rtis fell upon
his spectacles. He noticed that the glass
became corroded and softened where the
acid touched it. That was hint enough; he
drew figures upon glass with yarnish, APP
piled the corroding tluid, then cut the glass
around the drawing. When the varnish
was removed the figures appeared raised
upon dark ground.
Mezzotinto owed hisnvention 10 the sim
pie accident of the gun-barrel of sentry
becoming rusted with dew.
The swaying to and fro of u chandelier
in cathedral suggested TO Calico the APP
plication of the pendulum.
The composition of which printing rollers
are made was discovered by 4 printer. Not
being able to find the pelt-ball, he linked the
type with piece of soft glue which had
iuIltll OuL vi u Rlut IDt. IL was biCn I'LL OK :
cellent substitute that, after mixing molasses
with the glue, TO give the mass proper con-
sistency, the old pelt-ball was entirely dis
carded
The shop of Dublin tobacconst was des-
troyed by fire. While he was gazing dole
fully into the smouldering ruins, he noticed
that his poorer nclghbors were gathering the
snuff from the canisters He tested the snuff
for himself, and discovered that the fire had
largely improved its pungency and aroma
1t was a hint worth proiiting by. He Sc
cured another shop, built n lot Of ovens, sub
jected the snuff to II heating process, gave
the brand particular name, and In few
years became rich through an accident which
he at first thought had completely ruined
him.
The process of whitening sugar was dis
covered IN II curious way A hen that had
gone through "A clay puddle went with her
muddy feet into sugar-house. She left her
tracks on pile of sugar. 10 was noticed
that wherever her tracks were the sugar was
whitened Experiments were instituted,
and the result was that wet clay came 10 be
used in refining sugar.
! The origin of blue.tinted paper came about
| by mere slip Of the hand. The wife of
William East, an English paper-maker, ac-
cidentally let blue bag fall into one Of the
watts Of pulp The workmcn were aston
ished when they saw the peculiar color of
the paper, while Mr.. East was highly in
censed over what he considered grave pc.
cuniary loss. His wife was 80 much fright
ened that she would not confess her agency
In the matter.
After storing the damaged paper for four
years, Mr.. East sent il % his agent in Lon
don, with instructions to sell il for what IL
would bring. The paper was accepted NJ II
"purposed novelty, and was disposed Of at
an advance over market price. Mr.. East
was astonished at receiving an order from
his agent for another large invoice of the
paper. He was withOutth secret, and found
himself in dilemma. Upon mentioning IL
TO his wife, she told him about the accident.
lie kept the secret, and the demand for the
novel tint far exceeded his ability to sup
ply il.