Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-12-16
USE OF ELECTRICITY.
HIDES QUICKLY TANNED BY THE
AGENCY OF THE CURRENT.
Facts of Interest from Workshop and La
boratory-Latest T1yin2-Machine
and Other Inventions.
fPhlladeiphla Preas.l

and Other Inventions.
fPhiisdeiphla Preas.l
For some time past reports have been
current as to the perfection in France of
method Of tanning by electricity, and
the matter has excited great curiosity
throughout the country. This country
is, as America is. one OF the largest
leather-producing countries Of the world,
and has no fewer than 1900 or 1900
tanning establishments. Within the
present month the process has actually
been experimental with in America, and
the results are now exciting no small
amount Of discussion and controversy in
leather circles. The process, which is
the invention OF Worms & Bale, OF
Paris, has been under trial abroad since
1897, in tannery in Paris, and another
large tannery has been started for the
sane purpose at Longinmeau.
In this method the tanning is expe-
dited in two ways. First, by the aglta-
ton OF the skins in contact with the tan
ming liquor and secondly, by the pas
4 sage OF the electric current through the
body Of the liquid. To attain these two
ends circular drum is employed, and
as the drum rotates current is passed
| through it by means OF a wire brought
10 contacts ct its side The skins, TO nm
dergo this process, are prepared in the
ordinary way, the hair being taken of by
lime. and they are then put into the
drum with the tanning solution. The
current to which they are subjected ave-
RACES about 10 to 100Tyolts, and the di-
rection Of the current is changed every
twelve hours, so as TO act equally on the
| skins, which constitute the electrodes.
During the operation the liberation OF
gas is insignificant, so that The hides may
| be considered to act in the same way as
the plates of an accumulation. Goat and
sheep-sllIns require only about twenty
four hours for complete tanning. Calf
skins require forty-eight hours. Cow,
steer, and horse-hides require from
seventy-two to ninety-six hours, accord
| ing 10 their texture. The leather
| produced in this way has been
examined by experts and is said to be Of
excellent quality. Nine hundred and
| nineteen pounds Of hide, treated in this
electrical manner at Newark, gave l,278
| pounds Of leather in four days, while
| ,042 pounds Of hides subjected to the
action of the revolving drum but with
out the current turned on, gave only
| ] ,210 ponds OF poorly -tanned hide.
Hence there appear to be economies adj
| ditiOnal to those involved IN the saving
| Of time.
ELECTRICAL TEST FOR ORE.
The introduction of electricity into
mining operations has led to a new and
very ingenious application. A portable
device has been arranged whereby rocks
Of all kinds can be Immediately subject
ed 10 test which will enable the miner
to determine the quantity and quality
Of the metal they contain. For pros
Dectors such contrivance IS
invaluable, IA, consisting, as 1t
does. of simply battery and
spark coil, with two platinum
pointed conductors, enclosed in handy
box. it can he carried on the back. and
be available throughout the work OF the
longest day. Then two points of the
conductors are placed against the rock to
be tested, and spark Is Immediately
formed, from the flame and color OF
which is gathered an indication of the
| metal contained 1t is claimed that the
| presence of metal can be detected by
merely applying one electrode and
passing the other rapidly over the sur
! face.
The novice or "tenderfoot 10 said 10
! have Just az good chance Of successful
prospecting with this new device as the
/ most experienced miner. All the trou-
| bles involved in the loss OF "lead IN
/ a shaft can now be avoided, as well as
uncertainty in the sorting of ores. the
difference in which is reliably shown by
| the electric flame. The whole apparatus
weighs about ten pounds, and an add
| tional recommendation OF it Is that 1t
can be used for exploding blasts in con-
nection with electrlc-prlmers
BASEBALL SCORES BY ELEcTRrcTTY.
Many of those who cater for the devo-
tees of the diamond - and the 4" twirl-
| ing sphere" are likely TO turn their
! thoughts TO the consideration OF a
| method Just devised of registering the
Doints of the game of baseball in such
way that every one on the ground can in
| stantly become cogniZant of the stage at
which il has arrived and OF the nume-
rous interesting, and to the baseball en-
thusiast vital, issues, upon which the
game depends. This is effected by the
! display of colored balls on pile erected
| in conspicuous place III the ball
ground.
| The device can be worked electrically
and can be operated at any distance by
a person placed in the most favorable
position for seeing the points OF the
game.
LARGEST AND SMALLEST ELECTRIC ROAD.
The smallest town in the United States
which has an electric street-railway IN
operation is Southington, Conn, with
n population of 400. Two cars
are in service over two miles OF
track. and the average daily receipts
are 80 per car. The power for the
operation of this road is furnished by
the local lighting company and costs
| 81. % per car per day. The largest cleo
trio railway is at Boston, Mass. This
! entire system comprises -ot hiiiN' ~
track, sixty of which are electrically
equipped. and there are 3l2 motor-cars
in operation. During the month Of Au-
gust they had 800 motor-cars IN service,
making q total mileage OF 364. 10000
ALCOHOL AS A MEDICINE.
Another fond delusion has been shat
tered by the relentless data OF science,
! Whiskey has long been regarded as OF
value in the treatment Of pneumonia, but
a comparison OF the results attained In
different hospitals by its Use in this ca
pacity shows that its employment Is not
desirable. 1t is found that in the New
York hospitals IS per cent of the pneu-
monia patients die under alcoholic treat
ment. while in London, at the Object
Lesson Temperance Hospital, only D per
cent. die.