Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1890-11-28
POPULAR sCIsNCE.

Flowing by clcctricity is In contempla-
ton for large property in Central Spain.
Electro-plating with platinum is, &C.
cording to advanced machinists. one of
the possibilities of the near future.
Electricity is now used to clean files,
and it is claimed that by its use they are
restored almost to their original con-
dition.
Electric roads exceed twenty-five per
cent. of the mileage und of the number
of street railways in this country aud in
Canada.
Silk from paper pulpis made smooth
and brilliant, has about the same clasti-
city as ordinary silk, and is about two
thirds as strong.
A lighthouse built of masonry or con-
crete is said to be the only thing which
can stand the terrific force of the seas on
Hatteras Shoals.
A feature of the Frankfort the.
Main international Exhibition will be the
transmission of electrical power over cop
per wires from distance of lao miles.
1t isproposed securing knife blades to
the stern bearings of steam launches for
the parposc of cutting the weeds as the
vessel steams along, with view of pre-
venting the screw from fouling
Recent experiment has proved that
aluminium is particularly we'll adapted
for treatment in the drawing press, one
of its chief advantages being that it can
be worked with very little anncaling.
1t has been found that in the long run
no nOw6nr ic f,r o,,sat-
guns that is not absolutely safe from cx
plosion by defamation, and that the only
satisfactory and safe system of quick fir
ing is by electricity.
In England, where particular atteutioa
has been given to the subject of electric
brakes, means has been discovered by
which train going thirty miles au hour
can by an electric brake be brought to
standstill in space of 200 feet.
Some interesting trials with signal
lights were recently made in Paris be-
tween persons IN a balloon and others in
the Eiifel Tower Which showed the prac.
ticability of interchanging signals from
distance far beyond the circle of au in
vcsting force.
Signor Chistoni has been investigating
the temperature of snow at various depths.
He has found that the temperature of the
uppcrmost layer is often considerably
higher than that of the layer next the
ground, the difft renee sometimes amount
ing to ten degrees centigradc.
A singular phenomenon is recorded on
the authority of IL German scientific
paper. 1t is stated that one evening in
n stearine and ccresin factory in Italy
some watts OF white ccrcsin, which is n
paraffinc obtained from ozokcrite, were
cooling down, and when they had nearly
become solid the electric light that illu-
mined the room went out. The ceresin
immediately became luminous wherever
it was touched, and if tho hand was
brought near, long sparks of nearly two
inches were obtained. This remarkable
luminosity is said to have lasted over half
an hour.
a great many inventors are puzzling
over device to improve the gearing of
electric motors used in street cars. The
electric motcr is sudden sort of thinr
that starts at high speed. 1t is difficult,
however, to apply the power economical
ly in starting n car, and it is found that
the horse power required to overcome
the initial inertia of IL car standing still is
many times greater than that required to
keep the car i'll motion after it has once
been set n-going The mechanical >rob-
Jam, therefore, to obtain.fr -1ahc
motor shaft u slow initial Il. ztj ~
without loss Of power.
An invention which is designed to be
Of special Use in snow storms, fogs, and
cases of color blindness is IN audible
electric signal, which was tried in New
York city recently, with most satisfactory
results. When one train is on block of
track protected by the continuance and
another enters, warning is given to tho
engineer of the on-coming train in the
shape of flat iron disk of bright red
color, and the ringing at the same time
of gong. These operations are effected
by an electric current along n wire, one
end of which is attached to the body of
the locomotive and the other to the first
truck of the first car. The circuit is
made as the locomotive wheels touch one
rail at n magnctized point and the car
wheels another.