Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-04-10
Subjects Discussed by Edward Atkinson and
Octave Chanute.
ence dispersed.


At Yesterday afternoons session a paper by
DR.. Edward Atkinson on Invention in its
Effects upon the Household Economy was
read by Prof. Gilbert.
The theory of Mr.. Atkinsor's address ap-
peared to be that We pay many penalties for
the progress Of invention, but these penalties
are being gradually removed by further pro-
gress on the same lines.
He expressed stron:; preference for the old
fashioned, heavily timbered, house, low-studded.
serene and homelike in its aspect as COM
pared to the modern style, which he called the
''crazy roof style" of houses. surmounted with
inverted mustard and pepper pots for decora-
tive purposes He attributed many evils to the
invention of the buzz saw by which good solid
timber Is cut up into combustiblo sham
material, and he expressed his approval of the
renaissance now developing in a return to
the colonial style in the construction of the
country house.
In respect to heating and cooking he said
that il might almost be affirmed that the pro-
gress of invention had been backward but
that the subject had now become conspicuously
important and from the present date great pre-
gress might be anticipated. He recommended
the establishment of cooking Laboratories in
connection with every agricultural experiment
station, remarking that better instruction had
been given III the scientific nutrition OF the
plant and of the beast than had ever been given
to the nutrition of mankind
In conclusion he summed up our present
condition as being that OF transition period
OF great compiexity, both in society and in the
household. I'VE now seem 10 have reached n
period of extreme conplexity. We are COM
peeled TO think more of living and less of life
We possess more comfort, but do not enjoy it
because ii Involves more care. We have many
more servants and much less help. We cun
| spare more time. but we get more leisure. We
pay for more amusement and are less amused
We may read more books, but we do leys think
ing We strive to be independent, still We be-
come more dependent. We condemn legislators
but constantly appeal to them for more legisla-
ton. We admit that the progress of markind
can only come through the development of in
diyidual character. and then We take up all
fanciful fads which would sink the individual
| In the collective mass
Through all this compile kitty he could see the
way toward simplicity and toward return to
the better and more HUMANE condition of old
times, coupled with much less labor in the con-
duct of living.
Mr. Chanute's Paper.
The paper of Mr.. Octave Chanute Of Illinois
on ''The Effect of Invention Upon the Railroad
and Other Means OF INSTRUMENTATION, :"
read at Yesterday afternoons session,
referred in its opening to the condi-
ton of things existing 100 years ago. At sea
/ an average progress of 100 miles per ,lay was
considered satisfactory and on land the COM
mon road was still the principal way t,aveie I
and the horse was the power used in transpor
ing passengers and freight. A fair days travel
/ at that period may be stated as
averaging about leo miles IN twenty-four
hours. Extraordinary performances mi CHIT attain
to twice that speed. Thus upon his disas trous
return from Moscow the first Napoleon anx-
ious to reach his capital in the shortest posi-
| BILE time, rode in his travelling and sleeping
| carriage from Smorgoni to Paris. a distance of
! loo miles. between the 9TH and 10th OF De-
cenber, 1872, and this speed Of, say, 200 miles
a day may be considered as the utmost
! that man, with Iulimited resources
at his command. could then accomplish
ON n thousand miles journey. Freight rates
| by wagon were a cents ton a mile between
London and Leeds and 80 cents a ton a mile
between Liverpool and Manchester. All this
has been changed by one mighty invention.
bringing in Its train multitude Of other in
| ventlons- Steam came into tho world
| 10 transform into mechanical energy
and speed the light and heat Of
past ages stored iu the coal during the carbon
| ferrous period, and applications to various
means of transport soon followed, SO that TODAY
a fair days journey for q steamship NAV be
stated At 400 miles, and runs of coo miles in
twenty-four hours are not uncommon. while
the distance OF LOCO miles travelled by Napo-
leon in i've days now be done by rail in
twcnty-foIr hours, and. moreover, one need
not be an emperor to accomplish the fact
THE MASS OF PEOPLE BENEFITED.
Indeed. one of the most remarkable ehar.