The Panola weekly star., 1885-11-21
TIE ACE OF GLASS.


An important discovery which MAY Hsvo.
iutlonbe Architecture.
An important discovery has recently
been made In the manufacture of glass
which bids fair 10 reyOluionize that art
as completely m the character of the
iron trade has been changed In its meth.
ods by the introduction Of processes for
making steel chcaply on large scale.
II is in effect that any desired degree Of
hardness, within rather wide range,
may be communicated to glass, and that
by very simple means, II Is nothing
more than the equablo distribution Of
heat through the mass and then an
cquablc cooling Tho discovery is crcdi
ted TO Frederic Siemcns, and full ac.
count Of the process appears in the
Science,
Tho difficulty Of heating and cooling
glass at m equal rate throughout is the
great stumbling-blOck that has stood in
the way Of success, Without this the
material was liable 10 crack or explode,
familiar illustration Of which Is furn.
ished in the breaking Of u tumbler when
hot water IL poured into II, the danger
Of fracture increasing with the thick
ness Of the glass, The application Of
radiant heat overcOmcs the first half Of
the difficulty, and the second Is obviated
by surrounding the edges with amaterial
that prevents the heat from leaving
them more rapidly than that from other
portions by placing the glass between
plates Of suitably prepared metal the
softcncd substance can be embossed with
any wished.for design, and after leaving
the mold II Is four or more times as hard
~ ordinary glass, being in fact so firm"
In It's substance that the diamond fails
even To scratch II. Hence il must be
made TO exactly the size and shape
wanted, but after having been so
made II is at least three times rs
strong as ordinary glass of the same
thickness, aud appears to be even less
liable 10 give way on account Of flaws
than Is cast-stcel@ Castings have nj.
ready been made Of floor plates, grind.
stones, pulleys, railroadsleepers, etc,
and II is believed that It's use can bc in.
definitely extended to many Of the uses
of wood and metal in tho arts, and cs-
pccially in the building trades.
Nothing is said Of the cost Of the new
glass, which Is most important point
, In determining the extent TO which Il
will he employed for the purposes aboy,
, noted. But at tho first blush II woul,
appear 10 be capable OF being produce,
, much more cheaply than its equivalcn
In iron or steel. II consists of abou
r fifteen per cent. Of potash, scyeniy-iiy,
4 per cent. Of silcx (sand), smaller quan
). titles Of lime and aluniina, aud traces q
r other material. All Of the article
q named except the first are literally "a
4 cheap as dirt" and potash Is not YER
r costly; while the quantity Of fuel re
quircd Is probably less than that needle,
Z. to reduce the ores Of iron to the metal
q lie form. Hence Il Is not impossibl
y that many Of those now living will So
Il the time when people will reside !
A glaSs-houses. aud not be more afraid {
;. throwing stones than II they tcnantc
o structures made Of ordinary bricks an
" mortar. II needs no great stretch {
$. the imagination to look forward in fame
pr to n new era directly resulting from iii
pr discovery. Man has successfully passe
through the stone age, the bronze pcrio'
" the iron age, the golden age, more +,
IN Gently tho age Of steel has dawncd upo
is us. and Il has been proposed 10 nan
ID this the age Of paper. Next In orl'
i. may come the age Of glass and thenP.
re Chicago Tribune.