The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-12-15
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

~ 10 ciuiiiel InaC tine steamer Ma
5rstic is the most economical coal burner
OF any of the Atlantic "h:gh flyers"
one burns 22O tons of coal IL day,
shows $500 horse power and makes
an average of over 20 knots, or 23 miles
per hour throughout the Atlantic pass
age.
"A railway is to be built across En-
gland that will enable II passenger to
make direct trip from the Mcrsey to
the shores of the North Sea. 1t will be
about $50 miles in length. and the OK
pense of purchase and construction will
be Mt the rate OF $500, 900 per mile. -
Manchester Union.
Have you ever thought just how
water puts out fire? The Popular Sci
ence Monthly says it acts in two ways,
lowering the temperature of the burn
ing matter, and by envcloping its parts
in way to exclude the atmosphere and
exclude the oxygen of the air which
keeps up the fire.
In 1855 the mica product of the
United States amounted to 1870
pounds, worth S36S, 525, while that of
1850 was but 40, 800 pounds worth only
$50, 900. Since there is no decrease in
demand for this article this decline in
the home production can be attributed
to no other cause than the large guam
titles imported from Canada and other
foreign countries.
The vastness of Names timber
wealth, says the Southern Lumberman,
is not generally appreciated. Every
year now 500, 600, 600 feet of logs are cut
in the state, about one-thrd of this
amount floating down the Penobscot,
and the quantity of manufactured lum-
Der that has been shipped from the
state since the first sawmill was started
is enormous beyond description.
A novel cure for nervous diseases is
being practiccd in Worishofen, Bavaria
The treatment is the outcome of the
study of an old priest and consists
chiefly in spraying water over the body
in various places, dressing at once with
out drying, and brisk walking immcdi-
ntcly aftcrward. The diet is carefully
attended to, and thousands have been
cured of nervous troubles which had
defied all previous physicians.
"A gigantic tunnel, which is esti-
mated to cost $50, 600 and require ten
years to finish, is being constructed in
the Lcadville mining district for the
purpose of draining the mines 1t will
be ut least five miles long and will,
when completed, leave to easy access
millions of tons of good ore that cannot
now be properly got at and probably
never can be handled without the use
ofproper drainage.
The respiration of insects has been
the subject of study by Mr.. Contejcan,
who has found that contrary to what
oil ,,1n tol,- 4,
mcnt of inspiration is passive and that
of expiration active. The air is driven
from the body by contractic effort.
Hence, when the insect is wounded the
flow of blood occurs at. each expiration
The respiratory movement is not inter-
rupted by cutting off the head nor by
the absorption of the curarc, which pro-
duces an immediate cessation in man.
CALIFORNIA; production OF quiclsil-
yer for 1889 was 20, 464 TASKS, cqualng
2,024, 400 pounds. This state has eleven
productive mines of this commodity,
which nccessitates the employment Of
thirtysiX furnaces, which, together
with the mines, furnish work for 937
hands. a flask of quicksilver is pro-
duced ut cost of $50. 81. The world s
production of this article during the past
DECADE is 1,093,6ll TASKS, the United
States producing more of this amount
than any other one country on the
globe.
The most experienced railroad men
feel that the possibilities of steam prac-
ticc are nearly reachcd-much greater
speed is not practicable. A maximum
of ninety miles per hour with run
ming speed of sixty to seventy, is all
that can be hoped for under the very
best condition which can be provided.
The limitations are numerous and they
aye we'll known to all engineers. The
maximum speed of which locomotive
is capable has not been materially in
creased in Il number of years. The
scheduled time has been shortened prin-
cipally by cutting down grades
Strengthening curves, filling up ravines
and replacing wooden structures by
permanent ones Of iron or stone; by the
use of heavy rails, safer switches.
HER CASE WAS "URGENT."