Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-11-14
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

Bituminons coal is produced IN
twenty-seven counties of Pennsylvania,
and the annual output is 1o,OOO,Oo0
tons.
A new form of dynamite is made
from poplar wood flour, and resembles
a vanished d%oughnut. 1t is as eXplo-
sive as the ordinary kind, but far
safer.
George c. Pyle. a young inventor
of Dayton, Ohio. has made a success
ful electric headlight for locomotives,
and a company is formed to manufac-
ture them. 1t is claimed to light the
track for half a mile ahead of the en-
glne.-Clercland Leader.
A late novelty is q flour barrel made
from straw ,ulp, at Hartford, Conn.
The pulp is run in a mold and then
compressed by powerful machinery.
] he barrels seem to answer fully for
ordinary shipping purposes, but have
no apparent advantages over the wood
barrels commonly used, being about
the same price and wcight.-Hayti ord
lost.
An electrical tooth pulling machine
which is quick and almost painless in
its operations can pull as many as seven
teeth in five seconds. a pair OF forceps
protrude from q nickel tube which is
connected with q Wire. The torccps
are applied 20 the tooth, the operator
touches a spring, 81 spiral arrangement
within the tube winds up in u wink,
draws down the forceps like flash and
n an instant the tooth is ierkcd from
the Jaw and cast on the Goor.-N. Y.
san.
"A dumb piano is tho latest device
for the enjoyment of the neighbors of o
musical family. 1t is an instrument
the sound OF which is SO far reduced by
a strong felt border between hammers
and strings that the music can only be
sufficiently heard by the player to
enable him to distinguish between the
chords. 1t was invented in Dresden,
where the ''piano nuisan e" is a seri-
Gus matter Chicago Times.
The cause Of the powerful muscular
contraction of the claw of the common
crab after it has been severed from the
body with the scalpel has engaged the
attention of q New York Psychologist
summering on the New Jersey coast.
ne COutldCllOu, uC IlluS. is III me ma
ture OF a death throe to the tissue, but
the rigidity continues for about forty
minutes, when the rigid muscle sponta-
neouslv relaxeS.
An Italian invention is a compass,
in which the needle floats upon a pool
of water, tincturcd with spirits of wine
to prevent freezing. The whole is in
closed in a sealed case. The advantage
claimed for the compass is that, while
the ordinary movements of the needle
are free enough, those occasioncd by
sudden shocks are modified and soft
ened. The effects OF the dischar c of q
heavy cannon and Of the pitching of
the vessel are thus guarded again [.
Those who remember the wooden
cogs and screws Of tho cider mill of the
olden time would open their eyes at the
process OF cider making now in New
England. BY means of a grinder, as
many bushels can be grated in = min
ute as there are horse powers used in
operating the machinery. An elevator
carries the apples to the hopper as fast
rs they can oe used up. Tie pcmace
falls directly upon q platform, and
when the cheese is complete the plat
form ~revolves like : railroad turn1able.
The cider is strained through racks anc
cloths. Tanks in the basement are pro-
yided for catching the juice, and by
means of q pump it is brought into it's
rprpntonlaS