The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-12-18
PROFESSIONAL ADVICE.
The Careless Way in Which Some People
Act Upon 1t.

The Careless Way in Which Some People
Act Upon 1t.
The peculiarly careless way in which
some people act upon professional adj
vice, especially in the various branches
of engineering, is largely responsible
for the occasional unsatisfactory re-
suits and the distrust shown by some
as to the value of expert work. The
fact seems to be lost sight of very often
that, no matter how valuable the adj
vice, if the work be executed indiffer-
emily it is absolutely impossible to get
anything but an Indifferent result, and
it is often only after thorough practical
demonstration that this is appreciated
as fully as it ought to be.
A few years ago we were one Of sew
eral who listened with interest to little
scraps of experience from professional
life related by one of our prominent
engineers: and one of the accounts
given so aptly illustrated our remarks
above that we can not refrain from
publishing it for the benefit of our
readers.
1t appeared that in certain place
it is immaterial where-the proprietor
of several oil stills found it impossible
to secure the necessary temperature
under his stills, Notwithstanding the
fact that the furnaces were apparently
amply large, and that the fire was
kept in good condition. 1t was finally
recommended that he should introduce
blast-pipe into the ash-pit, and thus
attempt to secure the desired result by
the application of forced draught. The
necessary arrangement were soon made
and a week or two later the engineer
whose advice was sought, and whom,
for the sake of convenience, we will
call Mr.. n, meeting his friend, very
naturally asked how the stills were get
ting. on. The reply was that there was
no difference in favor of the forced
draught, but certainly most decided diff
ference in favor of the old plan without
the blast pipe. Accepting the invitation
to call and examine the arrangement,
Mr.. X. found that while the blast-pipe
was properly led into the ash-pit, and
all the connections were in good order,
a space, several inches in width, had
been left between the front end of the
CRATE and the furnace doors and walls,
thus establishing direct and unob-
structed communication between the
ash-pit and the space above the fire.
The air, forced into the ash-pit instead
of passing through the layer of fuel on
the grate-bars, thus passed up through
this space, and the effect, as can read
lily be imagined, was about the same
as though the furnace-doors had been
opened. The fire was chilled and COM
bustion retarded, and, altogether, the
state of affairs was worse than before
the change had been made.
The mystery was solved, and, after
the proper alterations had been made,
no further complaints were heard of.
Assuming, however, that Mr.. y. should
not have happened to have an oppor-
tunity to hear of the unsatisfactory
working of the furnace, and to point
out the difficulty as resulting from i'm
proper construction, it is safe to say
that the blast-pipe would, after a short
time, have been removed and the old
method resumed, and the advice so
given and imperfectly car
ried out would, perhaps, forever after
have been regarded as a costly and
bit of experience.-Midland
Industrial Gazette