Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1890-09-11
THIS AGE OF ALUMINIUM.
epoculations Concerning tho Future Use
of This wonderful Metal.

Have we really entered upon the age
Of aluminium asks the Philadelphia
Press. As 1t Is well known, aluminium
Is the most abundant of all the metals
on tho earth's crust, and ever since its
discovery almost every leading metal.
urgist and chemist has been working
to find cheap process for reducing it.
In u large measure they have succeed-
ed. Only n few years ago this metal
cost more than gold. Today, thanks
TO the enterprise Of Americans, 1t has
been reduced to the price, block for
block, OF nickle. At 81 por pound
aluminium Is cheaper metal TO use
than nickel. Ii Is nearly four times
lighter than nickle, aud will go there
fore nearly four times rs far.
Aluminium has only been on the
market in commercial way for about
year. In that time the applications
to which this metal can be economically
put have been found TO be so numerous
that the Press predicts its introduction
will mark great step in the advance
of human progress. Aluminium at %
cents per pouud-aud II will surely
reach that price will take the place
OF iron and steel in many important
lines Of manufactures. Its adaptability
to ship-building becomes ut once APP
parent. Tho use of aluminium for
this purpose would change the mighty
black racers of tho Atlantic into bright
silver vessels, which would inspire the
marine poets TO flights of hitherto un-
heard-of fancy in describing how
"lightly the silver ships rode the blue
pillows" Seriously, there Is posi-.
bility that ocean racers In the course of
time will be constructed Of aluminium.
Its chief advantage Is its lightness.
At present one Of the great difficulties In
ocean navigation is the weight Of ves-
sells. 1t Is impossible to get engine
power sufficient to obtain more than
twenty miles an hour. II has been es-
timated that II an Atlantic liner were
built of aluminium, or that the weight
of the material out of which ships ara
constructed be reduced by one-half, aud
their sides coated with a highly polished
noncorrosive substance, Ii would have
less than one-third the draught. aud
be propelled with tho same engine
power at double the speed which char
acterizes the iron-built steamships OF
the present day.
Commenting on this matter. tho
London Spectator in recent issue said
editorially: 1t is calculated that q
ship which, il entirely constructed OF
iron, would draw twonty-six feet OF
water would when made Of aluminium
not draw more than four or five. Prac
Ian Drh t..1 A
treble or quadruple the number OF
miles Of nayigable rivers in the world,
and we should think nothing of YES.
sells crossing the Atlantic in seventy
two hours"
What n boon to humanity this change
would be. Houses can be built OF al
umininm, and MS this metal never
rusts aud is as fire proof ms iron, u
house constructed of ii would not only
survive great conilagration, but al.
ways exhibit IL silycry, glistening sur.
face. Passenger-cars made of alumni.
ium would be incombustibe, and would
not be readily crumblcd by collisions.
Pure aluminium melts and becomes
fluid at about 1900 degrees Fahrenheit,
and is most mallcable ut temperature
between 200 and 800 degrees Fahren-
heit, although 1t can be rolled cold
with frequent anncaling. In MALE.
ability IL ranks next to gold aud silver,
and may be easily drawn, its tensile
strength varying from twelve to four.
teen tons to the inch. 1t can be ham.
mered into foil rs thin as any beaten
gold-leaf aud rolled into sheets of live
thousaDdths Of an inch in thickness
Whether the bright aud beautiful al
minimum will sooner or later replace
the black and ugly iron in most OF the
latter's uses remains TO be seen. There
is aluminium in every clay-bank. In cv.
cry plain. in every mountain side, and
when it reaches cost of say rs cents
u pound it Is safe TO predict that we
shall have entered on an age Of alumni,
INN