The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1889-10-26
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.


"A travelling electric light plant has
proved quite successful in Germany.
The whole outfit complete for service
10 carried in one vehicle.
-Cotton-seed oil is becoming stu
pendous industry in the South. In 1850
there were forty mills, with capital
'of IS. 500, 900. Now there are 21S mills,
with $50. 0o0, 900 capital.-Topeka Cap
ital.
Trade statistics in France show
that the export of French kid to this
country Is falling of. The French kid
gloves are nearly all made Of rat skins
tanned, rats being more plentiful than
kids in La Belle. France.
AT recent test of search lights
for the purpose of discovering an APP
preaching enemy dressed in uniforms
of various colors, 1t was found that the
red uniforms were very distinct, blue
being the least conspicuous.
DIR. Foster. director of the Univers-
ity Ophthalmic Clinique at Breslau, be-
lieves that common cause of short
sightedness in the young is restriction
Of the circulation produced by the
wearing of tight-fitting collars.
"A Swiss inventor has perfected a
method of making artificial boards, and
is advocating their use in building.
They are made of mixture of plaster
OF paris and reeds pressed into shape
by hydraulic process. The material
has the advantage of incombustibility
and lightness, and will resist the warp
ing action of atmospheric changes.
Sand is considered the best mate
rial for forming molds, rs the hot
metal has no chemical action upon it
it behaves we'll as conducting medium
for the air expelled from the space by
the metal, and for the gases generated
in the mold; it possesses considerable
adhesiveness when rammed together
and Ia made to conform very accurately
To the surface Of the pattern. holding.
sand is always mixed with about one
part of coal or charcoal dust to from
ten to fifteen parts of sand.
"A company has been formed under
the laws of New York State to develop
large deposits Of ozokerite, natura
paraffine wax existing in the WasatcE
Mountains of Utah Territory, about one
hundred and thirteen miles east Of Salt
Lake ('ity. These mines are said Il
contain the only deposits OF this min
eral known to exist outside OF Galicia
Austria, whence the entire worlds sup
ply of this product has until recently
been obtained.
I'm response to AN invitation sen,
out two years ago by the Council OF the
Meteorological Society of Great Britain.
more than hundred photographs Of
lightning flashes have been received
by the society, showing knotted light
ming. ribbon lightning. and flashes
which appear like lace curtain sus-
pended in the air. The photograph OF
celebrated dark fash, about the
meaning of which there has been con
siderable discussion. has also been re
ceived.
During the last twelve months.
says the Revue des Cuirs, q paper leather
to initiate calfskin. has made its APP
pearance and seems likely to play an
important part In the manufacture Of
portfolios and albums. 1t can be used
for a variety of purposes, for toilet arti-
cles. bookbinding. etc. Real calf is ex-
pensive. but OF great durability. This
imitation calf is cheap. although 1t can
hardly be expected to wear we'll.
Professor Angel. of Michigan Uni.
versity, furnishes the following as a
test of the purity Of water for drinking:
Dissolve about half teaspoonful Of
the purest white sugar in pint bottle
completely full of the water to be
tested. and tightly stopped; expose it
to daylight and temperature up to
700 Fair. After day or two exam
inc. holding the bottle against some
thing black, for whitish floating specks,
which will betray the presence oil
organic matter in considerable proper
ton"