Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-01-06

| Architect, is to cOYer-before commence
| ing the footings-the entire area of the
| excavation of the building with Il thick
| stratum of concrete, laid directly upon
top of the clay hardpan. The depth of
this course is nearly two feet, and its OBJ
| ject is to strengthen the clay that the
settlement may be reduced to minimum
Edward Atkinson, the Boston econo-
mist, says a New England genius, has
| recently discovered a cheap method of
| dissolying zine by combining it with by
drogen and producing a solution called
zinc water. This liquid, applied to GER
taiE woods-nOtably white wood-makes
it absolutely fire proof at low cost
Atkinson regards this discovery as one of
the most important Of the aee-one that
will surely reYOlutioniZe fire insurance as
we'll as immensely decrease the loss by
fire.
At Royal Powder Factory of Wettern
in Belgium, new gunpowdel' is being
made. They call it poudrepapler, or pa
per powder, and it is said that a charge
of 2l5 grammes $50 grains) gives, in a
rife of small calibre, an initial velocity
of eco yards to the ball. This is equal
to, if it does not beat, the Lebel powder
The additional advantages are attributed
to it of not smearing the barrel, of pro-
ducing no smoke, and of causing little re-
coil
Some chemically prepared wicks are
now being made for use in all kinds of
oil lamps. The method of their prepara-
ton is not made public, but the form, in
which they are sent out ready cut i'll
lengths for use, is certainly an improve
ment on the old-fashioned method. 1t is
claimed for these new wicks that their
burning quality is 30 per cent. higher
than that of the ordinary wick.
Pans of water placed in fruit and berry
patches will keep birds from eating the
fruit An English naturalist claims that
the reason birds eat cherries and straw
berries is because III the blazing heat
they get dreadfulIy thirsty. If the birds
can easily get At water they soon leave
oil taking the fruit.
A Swedish scientist claims to have dis
covered the secret of artificially petrify-
ing wood, by which means ne believes
edIfices may be built of wood and con-
vePted into stone. At present the cost is
about $500 per cubic inch, so that the dis
coyery does not promise an immediate
revolution in building.
The uses of the cotton plant are devel-
opiug rapidly. Formerly the fibre OF the
blossom was the only part utilized Then
the seed began to supply a large proper
ton of the 90 olive oil - and lard in
the country, and now the hulls are found
TO lie cheaper and better than wood for
paper pulp.
4 mortar which it is claimed viii stand
in all sorts OF weather is made OF one
bushel of unslaked lime and three bush
els of sharp sand, TO which is added one
pound of alum mixed with one pint of
linseed OIL The alumni win counterfeit
the action of frost on the mortar.
A mixture for the removal of old
varIish has been patented III Germany
by Mr.. Meyer 1t is obtained by mix
ing ave parts of SO per cent. silieate of
potash, one OF 40 per cent. soda lye and
one of salammoniae (hydroehlorate OF
amlnonia).
Nearly every kind of glass, especially
that containing manganese, is liable
to change color by exposure TO sunlight.
Heat viii restore the color, however.
Professor Riley, the entomologist, has
discovered au insect which preys upon
boots and shoes 1t can be destroyed by
a yapor of bisulphide OF carbon.