Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-03-15
POPULAR SCIENCE.


The great mass of air is concentrated
within five miles of the earth's surface.
The monster Hilton cannon recently
manufactured in Germany carries twenty
ni,cs. M
1t is by no means settled that forests
increase rainfall, as is quite generally be-
.ieved.
A man may Intrust his servant with
The duty of buying his coal, but he must
Engage skill and science to burn it.
The discovery of deposit of stone
bearing n resemblance to some valuable
descriptions of marble. at Bolton, n. Y,
has excited much interest. and active
operations have commenced.
Among recent camera achievements is
portrait copy taken by the light of
Cuban firciiy in thirty seconds, and
photograph of the aurora borealis To
obtain the latter had been declared an
utter impo ssibility.
In machine which has come into use
in France for testing steel railway ties,
n succession of blows similar to those de-
livercd by means of sledgc hammer aro
given to the tires in place on their wheel
centres and rcvolved on rollers.
cement very much used in China and
Japan is made from rice. 1t is only
necessary TO mix rice flour intimately
with water and gently. simmer the mix
turc over clear lire, when it readily
forms n delicate and durable cement.
The longest period total eclipse of
the sun can continue to the inhabitants
OF the earth is seven minutes and fifty
eight seconds. The conditions under
which such I'M eclipse would take place
arc so rare that it might not occur once
in ten thousand years.
DIR. Paul Gibicr, who has been investi-
eating the yellow fever germ, ut Jackson
vile, Fla, has started for Washington
to offer his services free to the Govern
mcnt for further experiments, which he
will suggest be carried on in an island
oil the r. orida coast, where they cannot
be dangerous to other localities
A factory Mt I.eominstcr, Mas J., is pro.
ducinG in large quantities asbestos mill
board for steam packing, or use in other
ways. to resist fire and heat, it being alb
solutely non.combustiblc rs we'll MS
non-condu tor, and is now being intro.
duccd for packing in kerosene engines;
it is more easily applied and cheaper
than rubber packing
Among the latest methods rcsortcd to
for hardening copper is that of melting
together, and stirring until thoroughly
Incorporated, copper and from one to
six per cent. of manganese oxide; the
other ingredients for bron.c and other
alloys may then he added. The copper
thus becomes homogcnuo us, harder and
tougher.
Building blocks made of corncobs
form the oh cct of new Italian patent.
The cobs are pressed by machinery into
forms similar TO bricks, and held to-
gethcr by wiro. They are made waite,
tigh. by soaking with tar. These molds
are very light and strong. Their weight
is less than one third of that of Il hollow
brick, and they can never get damp.
The deposit OF boratc of lime in Curry
County, Oregon, proves of much greater
extent than was Mt first supposed, and
gives promise of considerable commercial
importance. The deposit is dry one,
in blulI directly upon the ocean shore
in locality very convenient for ship.
mcnt. 1t has already been traced for half
mile, the width also being found to be
some 500 feet. and the depth 30 feet. 1t
is thought to be the most valuable de-
post OF the kind yet discovered on the
Pacific conSt.
A low ledge in western Norway marks
the spot on which an extensive promon.
tory stood until III. During n thaw in
that year the crcvices in the rock were
filled with water, which was quickly
frozen 10y n sudden change TO cold. The
result was the rending of the rock and its
projection, with its cultivated fields and
1armstead, from a height of 1900 feet
into the neighuoring ford. The fall
raised u great wave, which not only de-
stroyed all the fishing boats wI!hin two
and half miles, but swept away
church fifty feet above the water
mile away from the promontory.