West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1890-02-20
SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL.

The extension ladder fire-escape ha,
been adopted by the German army as q
more satisfactory apparatus than the
balloon from which 10 watch an enemy.
A new continuance has been applied
to watches called an appointment re-
minder." A small dial is set into the
watch's face upon which one can set the
hands at any hour required.
In tanning by electricity the ordinary
tan liquid is employed, and the hides
revolve slowly through it, while the cur
rent from a dynamo traverses the vat
and helps the tanning TO combine with
the gelatinc Of the skin.
France claims the honor of utilizing
the highest water power in the world.
At Brignond a turbine nine feet ten
inches in diameter was put in operation
in 1875, utilizing head of 1888 feet.
1t is still working, and gives a force of
1900 horse power.
A significant and interesting in.
stallation Of electric lighting is about to
he made at Portland, Ore. That city is to
be lighted for the first time by electricity.
The current is TO be carried twelve miles
before being distributed, thing never
before attempted in this country. A
specially constructed machine, capable of
producing 1000 volts, is to be used.
Austria is n country where ones food
needs to be tested in order to avoid
adulteration. At the laboratory in Venice,
where food is analysed for nothing, a
loaf Of bread was found to consist
largely of the pulverized bark of trees,
sawdust and chaff; ground pepper was
found TO be mixed with wood ashes
cinnamon was colored with ochre and
so-called "nutritious coffee" consisted
entirely Of roast acorns and chicory.
At recent meeting of the Society of
Accusation in Berlin Professor Griese
entertained the assembly with descrip-
ton of an invention of his, by means of
which man with his own muscular
power only may leap up into the air and
fly for a short time. The machine is
called sprungflugel. Several scientific
men have become convinced that Herr
Griese's invention is serious, and that it
will aid considerably in solving the
problem of navigating the air.
A new system of paving has been
brought forward in England. II com
prises the use of blocks having alternate
hard and soft layers, such rs Portland ce-
ment and mixture of sand and cement,
those being SGT upon edge, so that the
edges of the laming form a wearing sur
face. The blocks are made four inches
nigh, and may be worn TO less than an
inch without becoming smooth like gran
lite blocks. The idea is derived from the
surface of an elephants tooth, which con
sists of intermingled hard and soft lay
crs.
Several months ago Rudolph Ericsson,
a young Swedish chemist, OF New Brit
ain, Conn, invented new explosive TO
which he gave the name "extralite. - A
number of experiments were tried with
the new powder in different parts of the
Nutmeg State, which showed that Err
lessons invention is one of the most re-
markable explosives yet compounded, as
it cannot be exploded in the open air
under any circumstances, and yet when
placed within rigid enclosure, from which
the air was excluded, its execution was
terrific.
Two almost perfect spheres about four
inches in diameter-one black and of
vegetable origin and the other white and
a mineral product-were lately exhibited
to the Geneva Society of Physics and
Natural History. Both were remarkable
as having been produced bya mechanical
movement The black ball was one of
two formed by the slow rolling together
of dust in a cavity of the oak shaft of an
old mill wheel; and the white ball was a
calcareous pebble found with many Others
in grotto traversed bya torrent flowing
into the Rhonc.
1t is reported that German scientist
has devised an incandescent lamp ar
rangement by which the interior of
boiler may be inspected while the same
IS under steam. A thick tube is inserted
into stuffing box, through which a
small incandescent lamp is introduced,
which is connected with battery. By
means of thick glass plate placed in
the shell Of the boiler at convenient
place, the Illuminated interior Of the
boiler may be inspected This is likely
20 be the means Of providing remedies
for many Of the existing uncertainties in
boiler manipulation.