Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1888-08-31
VOTES IN SCIENCE.
SCHOOLS or sc1ENcE.

States occupied solarge share ofpublic
attention or given signs Of such vigorous
and fruitful life as ut the present time.
Among these institutions are classed
schools of science, pure and applied,
which, according to the writer of the re-
port, shave greatly increased the pro-
vision for superior instruction, extended
it's province, and borne an important
part in the adjustment of its processes
to the demands arising from the extra;
ordinary increase of scientific knowledge
and its application to the leading in
dustries of modern times"
DIRECTION IN "TEMpER1NG."
A Philadelphia tool manufacturer In
structs his workmen to hold large steel
tools in north and south line while
they are being tempered. He says that
many years ago he noticed that such
tools would often fly apart, when being
tempered if held "east and west," and
that the liability to such accidents was
greatly lessened, if mot entirely obviated,
if the tool was held north and south"
GOING UP IN SMOKE.
Some startling figures are presented
in a late report of the Smoke Abate-
ment Institute" a society in London
which is attempting to abate the smoke
nuisance-there, as here in Chicago.
the result of wasteful extravaganza of
the present system of combustion. The
weight Of the smoke cloud which en-
velopes the great metropolis is estimated
at about fifty tons of solid carbon and
$50 tons of hydro-carbon and carbonic
oxide gases. From actual tests, the
value of coal annually wasted through
the obstinacy of the cockneys is SILL
287, 500, or AZ per cent. of the amount
expended for coal in London, that being
the percentage of heat that escapes up
chimney without warming anybody.
This waste also causes useless expen-
diture of 81 ,343, $50 for carting coal, to
say nothing Of the wear and tear Of
streets and of 81, 215, 900 more for cart
ing away ashes. Altogether, about
$12, 100000 is yearly thrown away in
London. Add to this $1O,O0O,OOO for
injury to property from the smoke-laden
atmosphere, and there is shown total
of $22 500, 600 which London annually
loses because of it's failure to burn coal
under proper conditions.
LIVING LIGHTS.
Under the title Living Lights" Mr..
G. F. Holder gives popular account of
phosphorescent animals and vegetables
in which he discusses all possible sides
of his subject from luminous man to
cosmic dust in its relation to the sun
glow, and including luminous paint--a
modern invention now claimed to have
been anticipated by the Chinese. No
tetre accuses the author Of suffering from
"phosphorescence MAMMA charge
fairly supported by the extrayagant
statement with which he leads off:
among the revelations of modern SCI
ence none have more absorbing inter-
est than those relating to the illumi-
nation of the deep sea-" He is, more
over, genuine enthusiast, and, like all
such, sees the salvation of his race in
his own hobby, for he gives it as his
opinion that "the discovery of the secret
Of phosphorescence, and its practical APP
plication to the wants Of mankind, would
result in revolutionizing present sys-
tens; heatless, inexpensive, inextin-
guishable light being the perfection of
possibilities in this direction"
THETR0PIC4LT TOWN OF ST. PIERRE.
We are ashore in St. Pierre, the
quaintest, queerest, and the pretiest
withal among the West Indian cities
all stone-built and stone-fagged, will,
very narrow streets, wooden awnings,
iron balconies, and peaked roofs of red
tile pierced by gabled dormers. Most
of the buildings are painted in clear
pale yellow tone, which contrasts de-
lightfully with the burning blue ribbon
of tropical sky above; and no street is
absolutely level. Nearly all of them
climb hills, descend into hollows, curve,
twist, describe sudden and amazing
angles. There is everywhere continu-
GUS chant Of running water, pouring
through the deep cutters contrived be.
tween the paved thoroughfare and the
absurd little sidewalks varying in width
from one to three feet. The architect,
ure is very old; it is seventeenth CEN
fury probably; and it reminds one q
great deal Of that characterizing the
Anticipated French quarter of New Or
leans. But one must imagine New
Orleans idealized by artistic conception,
made intensely tropical, and projected
audaciously upon the side of huge
volcanic hill. All the tints, the FORMS
the vistas, would seem to have been es-
pecially selected or designed for aqua.
relle studies, just to please the within OF
some extravagant artist. No ruin was
ever more picturesque than these living
streets in their perfect solidity and un.