Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1889-01-12

Of the 200 goldbeaters Of New
York not one is woman, while of
the 900 goldcutters not one is a man.
Edison claims that gasoline is an
absolutely sure preventive Of yellow
fever. He has experimental with it,
and says that organic germs can not
withstand it.
A German patent has been issued
for the preparation of wood fibre for
spinning. The fibre is separated in
the first place by boiling in sulphur
Gus acid or bisulphitc solution, and
the tibers are dried and softened in
water and subjected to sundry me-
chanical operations. Strong fabrics
are made from the product.
Quill tooth-picks come largely
from France, which possesses the
largest factory in the world. This
factory, which is located near Paris,
was originally started to make quill
pens; but when these went out of
use, the proprietor turned it into
tooth-pick mill, the present annual
output of which is 20,0O0,000 quillss
A new glass recently invented in
Sweden is said to be capable, when
made into lens for microscope, of
senabling us to distinguish the 2O4,-
| T00,00Oth part Of an inch.' 1t is
also said that there is great prom
Use of the glass producing wonderful
ly powerful telescope lenses, and
new departure in astronomy.
Further investigation upon the
solar spectrum are thought to prove
the presence of the metal platinum
in the suns atmosphere, though no
lines corresponding to that element
have hitherto been observed. Addi-
| tional evidence has also been found
| of the presence of cadmium, bismuth,
and silver, which have always been
considered doubtful; while the pres
ence of lead, tin, potassium, lithium,
and the cerium group, is not con-
firmed.
Firing is only done properly when
the fuel is consumed in the best pos
sible way--that is, when no more is
burned than is necessary to produce
the amount of steam required, and
to keep the pressure uniform. To
obtain this end, complete combustion
must be obtained in the furnance,
| and this is going on when the fuel is
burning with bright fame evenly
all over the CRATE. Blue flames, dark
spots and smoke are evidence of in
complete combustion, due to lack of
air.
An interesting development in
photography is the use of clocl1work
in printing from negatives. BY this
means, continuous web of sensitiz-
ed paper is drawn at suitable inter-
walls under a negative exposed to a
source of light. After printing, the
paper is drawn, still by the mechan-
ism, through washer" "toner," and
"fxer" successfully, and appears
finally as series of finished pictures,
ready for mounting, and all alike in
expression, color and tone.
Rapidity of execution, not fine
work, is the distinguishing feature of
all American handicraft. American
carpenters and wood-workers do
more good works in given time
than any of their brothers of other
lands, but itdoes not have the faultless
neatness of the product of Chinese
and French artisans. The Chinese,
for instance, make chairs, cabinets
and even houses without the use of a
single nail, and every piece of wood
is fitted to it's place with hair-line ex-
actness. 1t is not considered extra
ordinary in China to spend three
years in the construction of a single
bedstead.
o-aess---