The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1888-11-22
SCIENTIFIC SCRAPS.

A petroleum engine IS now being ex-
hiblted in England, aod is attracting q
great deal Of attention.
The length of pipe lail in Pari, for
the Distribution of power by COM
pressed air, already exceeds thirty
miles.
II the wooden die blocks used in
shoe factory be coated with shellac
every night they viii last much longer
without planning.
A Pittsburg optician makes the state
ment that gum chewing has a harmful
effect on the eyes, aud when carried to
excess Is apt to cause bI;ainess.
An important invention in railway
practice IS the method Of welding Of
steel rails by electricity, by which track
layers are enabled to lay Z continuous
rail.
The new G-inch gun, throwing a 100
pound projectiIo, and penetrating thir-
teen inches OF plating at 1000 yards, IS
gun of sufficient power to deal with
almost anything built and building.
1t has been di.c2vcreI that large
portion of Utah is undcr.aiI with
stratum of water which may be reached
ly boring wells from 100 to 200 feet.
The wells flow so HbcraIy that one Of
them will water five to SIX acres thor.
ou2hly.
The idea that all microbes are in
furious to health, is a very common one
even among those who pose for well,
informed persons. The fact IS that they
are now believed to play a not unim-
portant part in the process of digestion
and the transformation Of food into as
similablo form.
Several inventors are at work upon
machines which ctst and set type at the
same time, each letter being cast when
a key is pressed. The principal trouble
with this class Of machines, and with
other type setting machiaes, is that it is
difficult to 'justify" IS, to fit out
the lines evenly at the rjght-land end
and space properly between the words.
A new ship log is provided with a
hollow tube running down its centre
which is connected by a canvas covered
india rubber tube to a pressure gauge
on board. When tho ship Is under way
the flow o. the water past the log estab-
fishes partial vacuum in n, tube, and
causes the pointer Of the pressure gauge
to oyc over its dial, which is grad u
atcd to give the speed cf tho vessel
from four up to 25 knots.
The Tay bridge when completed &C
cording to the vast and aImira Bile de.
sign OF its projectors, Will be one of the
greatest marvels Of engineering CON
struction which Europe can show. The
Island Of Inchgarvie, in the middle of
the arm of the sea which it crosses, en-
ables the bridge to be in four spans,
only two Of which are over water; these
two prin cipal spans arc each of about
100 feet, and the height above the sea
Of each of them is 200 feet, all of the
most massive masonry.
In Carlisle, England, tail factory
chimneys are being utilized as sewer
ventilators with good Is, twenty
nine now being used, The velocity of
Of the rising air has been measured by
Surveyor Mekie, and it is found to be
1909 feet minute in ordinary weather.
The owners of the factories make no
objection TO this use Of their chimneys,
and the practice seems to meet with
general approval. This suggests plan
that probably might be proftably en-
ployed in many cities in this country.
With chimneys Of ample proportions
there would seem to be no serious
trouble in using them to some extent as
ventilators.