Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-05-26
NOTHING LIKE ALUnINUM.
The Wonderful Things that May
Happen when 1t becomes
ChenDer

A Washington special says: Aluminium
NAV vet reyolutioulze the world" sad SUI
perintendent Powell, Of the Geological Sur.
yey, this morning as he dsn1led piece OF the
bright metal in lis hand. "lsn't il a
beauty" he inquired, hs eyes dancing
with enthusiasm as he thought OF the posi-
bilities in store for II.
Whv," continued the Professor, "there
ia slummum in every clay bank, in every
plain. on every mountain side. II is present
i'm earth everywhere. There are to-day rs
many chemists devoting their DAYS aud
NIGHTS with a view to discovering processes
by which aluminium may he furnished to the
public chcaply AZ there ore scientists dely-
ing into the possibilities OF electricity. Pye
Known the time when the metal was more
precious thar gold. Then It fell 10 s. per
pound. Now it il 81 per pound. This fall IN
cost has been reached by the discovery OF new
afliniiifs which cheaper its production.
When II reaches a cost Of twenty-five cents
per pound II will be generally used. ii j.
about as light a. oak wood, four times a.
light &c iron, and has more resistance than
the very best steel. IL will he used I'm the
construction OF houses, superscding wood
and stone or brick. IL will take the place Of
iron ana wood In ship-buldiug. Just think
OF ship constructed Of a metal thit will but
just sink in water. The ocean steamer Of
to-day built OF IRON and wood will be- az a
cana.bost compared TO vessel constructed
Of aluminium. such one Will ny as bird
over the wayes. said the Professor.
the ALUMINIUM AGE.
New YORK journal Of Commerce.
The world hA. had It's sges OF stone and
bronze. We are nos passing through the
iron axe. win this be succeeded by an age
OF aluminium! We believe that It will. IL
taxes ones Imagination littlc we confess.
bat not ones creduiity to soe IN the minds
eye the bright and beautiful aluminium re-
placing black and ugly iron in most OF the
laflcr's Uses.
Fancy houses built OF aluminium instead
OF IRON. The weight OF the new metal Is
only a third aS much IS iron, with cqus or
greater tensile strength. The giIders and
the plates could be cast and readily handled
in sizes far larger than those 10 which archi-
tectural iron is now confined. Perhaps
whole fronts OF modcrn.siZCd houses could
be- moulded in single piece. This would
greatly facilitate building operations which
are nov slow.
Aluminium Is rs tire-prOof as IRON. The
l'rgeT tie lUes OF the metal composing the
side Of the house The less liIble they are TO
~ WhilWu hUN fMIitil Nv lUAfI~N neat y
building with aluminium walls, such a. We
have described. would survive great con-
hsgratiOn ~ which iron structures Of exist.
ing patterns would wither and crumble TO
the ground. As aluminium never rtIsts, z
house Constructed OF il would always ex-
hibit a silyery. giistenlng surface. II would
require no cleaning except as smoke or Gust
might gradually dim ITS native beauty. A
sponge and water would bring all that bacA.
Whenever aluminium Is cheap enough for
housc-bnlding steamships Will be made OF
1t. This VIII be a revolution in ocean com,
merce. Hubs OF aluminium ships will weigh
only u thrd rs much a iron ones Of The same
tonnage. They will be a. strong and secure
against damage from collision rs iron YES.
seis now are. Their far greater bu0yaucy
will be TO that extent au increase OF safety
Passenger cars made OF aluminium In HIGHT
and graceful patterns -i1cludlng wheels Of
the same netal-need weigh no more than
wooden ears Of our day. and tUey would be
incOmbustible, and would not be readily
crumpled up or smashed into ,spilniers by
collisions. The perIls OF railroad travelling
In the aye OF aluminium will be much less
than now.
The ductllity OF ALUMINIUM will render II
the best Of all possible materials for bridges.
The weight OF the wire ropes, as also OF the
bridge Itself, for given span, being but one
third that OF iron, engineers will perform
fests OF bodybuilding now wholly beyond
their powers. The age OF aluminium will be
the are OF bridges. They will probably be
thrown over the East and North rivers at
intervals OF every few blocks.
With the sufficient cheIpenine OF aluml.
nun may come the realization OF the fylng-
machine. One great Obstacle 10 the success