Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1890-02-21
POPULAR SCIENCE.

D., the invention of the microscope is to he
celebrated in Antwerp in 1890.
Sir John Lubbock has just discovered
that the death rate i'll London is sixteen
and one-half per Thousand as against
seventeen and onc-half in other English
| cities.
! In u Moscow foundry castings are made
from metals fused in an electric furnace.
The operators work two hours per day,
the glare being greater than that of the
sun, and uncomfortable for long time.
An incandcscent lamp arrangement for
showing the interior of boilers while mn
der steam has been made by Il German
inventor The device is likely to he Of
practical, as we'll as of scientific, value.
The first astronomical observatory is
said to have been erected on the temple
! of Belus, at Babylon; but one on the
tomb of Osymandyas, in Egypt, with Il
! golden circle 200 feet in diameter, and
one at Bcnares, also date from Il very
early period.
OF the first turkey in America the only
records we have are in the recently dis
covered fossils Of the osttertiary period.
These prove that the turkey not only
antcdated Columbus, and even the Morse.
man, but that in all probability he was
} the original Coolest inlabitant of Amer
| lea"
An electric balance has been exhibited
in Paris. The placing in the pan Of the
object to be weighed closes an electric
circuit, when the current operates Il mo-
tor on the weight and carries the weight
out on the beam until an eq,ipoisc is es-
tablishctl, breaking the circuit. With
the cmptying OF the pan, the weight re-
| turns.
The attempt to acclimatze the Swedish
reindeer in the Harz Mountains of Ger
many has not been quite so successful rs
was anticipated. The heat of the sum-
mer having caused the death of many of
the animals. a new attempt is TO be
made next spring i'll the Algan, which,
it is expected, will give better and last
ing results.
1t has been shown very satisfactorily
that the banana plant contains greater
quantity of pure fibre than any other of
the numerous vegetable products used in
the manufacture of paper. The adapta-
ton of the plant to commercial purposes
will, it is anticipated, rcvolutonizc the
paper material! market and largely affect
| the industry.
1t is not fact generally known that
The rea! inventor of the powder used for
the "Lebel'' rifles is not the Colonel of
that name, but M.Vielle. young Freuch
engineer. NJ. Vicillc will be the fortu-
nate recipient ere long Of Il prize OF $40,
900 awarded every three years, under the
auspices of the Academy of Science, to
the author of the most important discov-
cry made within that period
The French Professor of Chemistry. De
| Milleheurs, recently exhibited before Il
meeting of Partisan scientists several
bricks of petroleum, which lie has dis
covered how to solidify by an original pro-
cess. The petroleum bricks were hard
enough to be handled without inconvcn-
cncc, yet soft enough TO be cut with Il
stout knife. They burned slowly when
touched with lighted match. Mile
llcurs says they are non exp!osivc and ill.,
! expensive.
A Honolulu paper thus describes a
'-H'ioi' 'tbStsuNS Otl w lLc UlOl-
| ten lava and found close to the lakes of
| fire ut the volcano: at clings to the adj
! Joining rocks in iiber-likc threads of Il
iiaxen color, and has the appearance OF
human hair; but mixed with it are Sharp
particles OF black lava. Considering that
this substance is mineral production, ii
is wonderful flexible and tough-benting
easily, but not ductilc in its present state
or capable of being heightened. II is
peculiar TO this volcano, and is certainly
singular production"
According TO DR.. S. s. Kilvington, the
Mississippi River received during the
year 152, 675 tons Of garbage aud OF all,
10S,250 tons of night-soil, and 1865
dead animals. from only eight cities; the
Ohio, 5000 tons OF garbage, 81, 1877
tons of night-soii, and 800 dead ami
mails, from five cities; and the Missouri,
$4,000 tons Of garbage, 90, 400 tons OF
night-soil, and 81, GOO dead animals, from
four cities. DR.. Kilvington urges the
cremation of most of the refuge, and
twentytlirec out of tliirty-live health
officials consulted by him favored tn