Smyrna times., 1886-04-21
For the Smyrna Times.
Aluminium and its Alloys.
THE DREAM OF THE ALCHEMIST REAL
IZED--THE COWLEs ELECTRIC
SMELLING AND ALUMINIUM CO.,
OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

DEAR TINES Whether the western
men of this generation are more ingen-
ious than their fathers l shall not at
tempt to decide, but that they are tax
ing advanced steps in science and liter
ature is patent fact. They are mas
ters in the science of electricity, whose
developments in recent years has been
a succession of surprises to an admir-
ing world.
This city has been a leader. The
Brush Electric Co., dozen years ago
lead of and made their millions on
their successful Arc Light. Later,
they came along with an improved in
candescent light, which are so extensive
that they have plants in all of the prin-
cipal cities of the world. There is
here Street Car Co., whose motor
power is Electricity, and q company
manufacturing dynamOs for LocomO-
tive headlights and an appropriate
mention can here be made of the
Cline Whistle and Steam Bell Ringer,
on western locomotives.
The most startling fact now stands
| before the scientists of to-day that some
of the most valuable metals can be re-
covered from common earth (clay)
| by the application of electricity
TO metallurgical processes made
| to affect dry reductions by means
of an electric current. The idea con-
ceived by the Cowles Co., is to obtain
a continuous high temperature on an
extended scale by introducing into
! the path of an electric current, some
metal that would afford the requisite
resistance, thereby producing a CORE
| spending increase in temperature to
! precipitate a metal, and that metal was
Aluminium, which Mr.. COwels has
spent a great deal of time and treas
ure, which he has accumulated as pro-
prietOr of the Cleveland Leader, a pa
per widely known among the western
dailies.
For five years previous to 'S5, he con-
tinued his experiments and found that
cOarsely pulverized cafbon was the
best means of maintaining an invaria-
Bile resistance and at the same time the
most available substance for the reduc-
ton of oxides. When this material,
mixed with the oxide to be reduced,
was made part Of the electric current
or circuit, in fire clay retOrt, and sub
mitted to the action of a current from
a powerful dynamo, not only was the
oxide reduced, but the temperature in
creased to such an extent that the
whole interior of the retOrt fused COM
pletely and well defined crystals of
COrundum, and Aluminium, were OBJ
tanned in native color and beauty, as
well as some specimens Of Silicon
Bronze.
Many people have never seen these
metals because they are very rare and
we remember it as heading the list of
metals, sixty in all, in Towns Chemis-
try. Aluminium is rare because it has
never been found in native ore like
gold or copper, but has been found
chemically combined with some other
natural element, and was not found
until the beginning of the present
century by Sir Humphrey Davey and
others.
Hitherto it has been obtained by
German and English Chemists at great
cost, but its value has long since been
sounded, not the least of which is, it is
almost universal alloy; always to
strengthen or to beautify in some de-
sired direction. 1t is Of light straw
color, non corrosive, resists the action
of most acids and while it is only half
as heavy as iron, it has ten times the
strength and possesses nearly the same
features in the workman's hands.
1t has already been successfully ex-
perimented on for ordinances. Ten per
cent. of Aluminium Bronze increases
the tensile strength of cannon so much,
that their weight could be reduced one
fourth to one third; very desirable for
flying artillery.
Beautiful specimens of table cutlery
and fine chandeliers, faucets for plumb
ers use, ornaments for window fixtures
which the hated house-fy cannot de-
spoil. Thimbles and scissors, and nu-
merOus familiar devices, are on exhi-
bitiOn at the cOmpany's office, all as
imperishable as gold, and stronger
than steel, and who shall say what is in
store for us before the nineteenth cent
ury shall have gilded its western hori-
zOn with its farewell sunset.
RAMBLER.
UereldHd o. ADrI 7fh