The Columbus journal., 1882-11-08
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

DIR. Isador Kitsee, of Cincinnati, k,s
J patented q device for disc ,vering fire.
damp in mines before the miners enter
them. Electricity is used tn fuse little
pieces Of metal at various points in u
mine, and if IN explosion Of damp Occur
a bell is rung.-N. Y. Post.
Spirits of %turpentine is now mad.
from sawdust and refuse of the saw
mill. 1t is extracted by y swe ,tin.
process, and yields fourteen gallons of
spirits, three to four gallons of resin.
and q quantity of tar per cord. The
spirits produced has a different odor
from that produced by diStiilatiOn.
The JOarnai Of Science says that a.
the SOiree of the Society of Chemical
Industry, held at Owens College, Mr..
Fletcher, of Warrington, Eng, Demon
strated the possibility of The combustion
Of gas without visible flame, the heat
obtained from a quarterback gas-pipe
being sufficient to fuse iron into drops.
"A gun invented by a man i'm Ripleg,
Miss, is, if it is what it is claimed to be.
one of the most wonderful inventions OF
the age. 1t Gan be fired from ten to
twenty thousand TINS Il minute, q he
elevated or depressed or turned to the
right or left, inclined to ever the slope
vi n hill, contracted so rs to bring the
fire to bear on n spot or expanded to
cover a wide area, and ali withthe great
est ease and in the simplest manner, by
merely turning a crank. - Chicago
Times.
1T ia said tina. alcohol eqnal to that
made from grain can be produced from
acOrns. The acnrns are freed from the
shell and ground finely; then they are
mashed with malt and allowed to fer
ment AcOrns contain about 90 per
cent. of starch and Is per cent. of glu-
ten. They would be a valuable article
for human food if it were not for tho
fannie acid (about 3 per cent? which
they contain. Vast quantities which 90
to waste every year, where hogs are not
fed in the woods, might be gathered by
boys and converted into alcohol for use
in the arts, thus freeing an equivalent
amount of grain for use as food.
Considerable progress is being made
in reviving the mining industries of the
Isthmus of Panama. For many wears
its mines excited the cupidity of Span
iards and buccaneers. Indian and ne
gro slaves were made to work in quartz
and placer by the most primitive proc
esses. and almost entirely without ma
chinery, but their labors were very pro-
ductive, according to tradition. 1t is
centuries, however, since most of the
mines were abandoned. Some Were
worked ont, others were not rich enough
to pay with hired labor, and all required
IN investment of capital which the I'M
settled condition of the country, and
especially the fear all foreigners enter
aimed for isthmus fever, effectually pre-
vented from being made.-N. Y. San.
An impetus has been given to the
nickel industry by the improved process
IS of making it ma!leable. Many useful
IS we'll as ornamental articles are now
made of this material. Nickel table
Utensils especially are in great favor
abroad. This class of goods is now be-
ing manufactured largely in Prussia,
and is preferred to similar articles of
other materials. The hardness of the
metal renders it capable of receiving a
high polish. which is not readily in
iured by friction of any usual kind; on
account, too, of the peculiar smOOthnesS
If the surface, matters do not adhere
firmly to it, and cleaning requires but
title attention or effort. 1t also pos
'eS>es the advantage of not furnishing,
like some other sub ,~tances, when fire.
Iuently used.-Chicpyo Trib"ne.