The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1888-01-05
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

One of the finest plate mills in the
country will soon start at Ferndale, Pa.
Three hundred men will be en-
ployed at new plate mill at Wheat
land. Pa.
The Southern manufacturing mills
are working night and day, with orders
running months ahead.
Within six months Chicago will
have five new packing-houses in active
operation. which, jointly with those
already in the city, will have a capacity
of preparing for the market daily 1900
head of beef cattle and $1,000 hogs
Boston Budget
Applying certain measurements to
scarcely visible film of silver, Herr
Wiener arrives at the conclusion that
no less than 125.OOO,OOO molecules of
silver must be laid in line to measure
an inch. h.-Arba'asoW TrdUeLer.
1t has been estimated that Paterson
turns out 500, 900. 900 worth of finished
silk goods annually, and that Swiss
manufacturers and workmen are being
driven out of the business in conse-
quence. Public Opinion.
The foundry business has grown to
very large proportions this year, and
within three years the size and cost of
equipment has greatly increased. About
fifty large foundries, worth from $780,
600 to $4,000, are now under course Of
construction.
In his latest writings on solar
physics, Mr.. j. Norman Lockey. the
distinguished English astronomer, ex-
presses the opinion that the volume of
the sun is much greater than was form
erly supposed, and its density conse-
quently much less: The latter he esti-
mates to be about half the density of
water.-M 7. Ledger.
The prospect of further exploration
in the direction of the South Pole grows
brighter. The Prime Minister of the
Australian colony of Victoria proposes
an appropriation of fifty thousand dol
lars for the stimulation of Antarctic
research on the part of navigators, pro-
vided that the other colonies of Aus
tralasia will join in the enterprise.
Y. Ledger.
-Ofthe various geological collections
in the British Museum, the oldest is the
Sloane collection, which was acquired
by purchase in 1853. The fossils were
then regarded as mere curiosities, and
the original manuscript catalogue, still
preserved, contains many curious en-
tries to remind the readers of the rapid
progress of the science of geology
during recent years.-Arkansaw Irav.
eler.
A magnificent gift has been made
to the Natural History Museum, South
Kensington, by Captain Wardlaw Ram.
sey. The late Marques of Tweeddale
had perhaps the finest collection Of
birds in Great Britain, aud had in adj
dition very valuable ornithologica
libary. This collection and the library
were bequeatbed to Captain Ramsey
who has assigned the whole to the
nation, together with many rare or
astrological specimens obtained b,
himself in the far East. The value o
this present is f15,OOO.
A. Pringle claims to have discov
cred six new substances in some lowe
silurian rocks in Selkirk. Five are sal,
to be metals, and the other is a sub
stance resembling selenium. and whicl
he calls hesperisium. One metal is lik
iron, but does not give the rhodanat
reaction, nor that with tannin; anothe
, resembles lead, is quite fusible and vol
atile, and forms yellow and greer
salts; another is black, and he names
, erebodium; the fourth is light-gra,
powder. and the last is dark in color
For three of these elements the autho
assigns the equivalents 95.4, 1876, ant
74.-Publ,c Opinion.
Under the auspices of the Wagne
, Free Institute, Of Philadelphia, whic
devotes portion of its income to th
encouragement of original research,
scientific exploration of Florida wa
!, made last year. A report of the wor
, done, which was chiefly geological, ha
!. recently been published. The invest
) cations did not tend to support th
> opinion of Agassiz as to the coral fol
! nation of Florida, but indicated tn;
the coral tract of the peninsula is col
), fined to the south and southeast. Th
: fossil remains examined By these an
earlier explorers show that Florida wa
: once inhabited by the llama, tapi
camel, rhinoceros and mastodon. -
; Y. Ledger.
Nocturnal Photography.
. Narin1ts nnothnds hnuo hnon infr