New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-08-19
TO ADVANCE SCIENCE.
VALUABLE PAPERS READ AT ROCHESTER
INTERESTING EXPERIMENTS IN SOLAR PIG.
ToGRAPHY-MUNIcIPAL GAswORKs-THE
VOLCANOES OF NORTH AMERICA.
Try TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUSEj

IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE,
Rochester, n. Y, Aug lS.-WOrk was vigorously
prosecuted to-day in all sections OF the American As
ISOLATION for the Advancement OF Science. The frs.
paper presented before the section OF chemistry was
that entitled "A Select photography Of Chemistry
by H. Darlington Bolton. Of NewYork 1t consisted
OF a brief statement of the scope OF work now In
press which will contain 10000 titles and will en-
brace titles In twentyfOur languages. Notes on q
photography OF Mineral Waters was the subject Of
IA paper by Alfred Tuckerman OF New-lOrk who Is
making list OF all mineral waters OF the world. with
their chemical analyses, the names OF the analysts
and the dates. He has 10000 titles and
analyses, and at least as many in sight. He
desires information concerning Canadian, Central
American and SOuth American mineral waters. lie
says that analyses OF OF the mineral waters
need 10 be made those made hitherto are imperfect
The classification to De first In the order Of locality
and second in the order and character OF the con-
situents.
George f. Hale of Chicago read paper before the
astronomical section Oh "The SpecroheOgraph OF
the KenwOod AsroPhyslcal Observatory, Chicago and
Results Obtained In the Study OF the SUM-, He de-
scribed the ingenious apparatus which he had invented
and perfected for phoographing the aculae and pro-
tuberanccs Of the sun. This apparatus gives By far
the most perfect pictures taken, and IS the first
which has successfully photographed the bright spots
showing faculae which the eye cannot detect. Means
were devised for taking on the same plate at one ex
posture both the facua, and the protuberlnccs, and
Professor Hale exhibited the first complete picture
Of the sun ever taken Comparison with the best
plates made the Lick Observatory showed the great
superiority Of the work at Chicago. An observation
OF unusual interest was made on July 10, 1o92. A
photograph OF the sun showed large spot. a few
minutes later another photograph taken, which
when developed showed that the bright band had ap
pcaed since the last exposure. Twenty seyen minutes
thereafter another photograph showed that almost the
entire spot covered with brilliant facuae which by
the end OF an hour had entirely disappeared leaving
The spot as at the first exposure This indicates
eruption proceeding with Undesirable and nconceva
bic velocity. This disturbance seems to be connected
with magnetic disturbances and the brilliant aurora
noted the next day Tie section with much en-
thIsasm passed a vote of thanks to Professor Hale
for his researches.
The results OF some interesting experiments In
regard to persistence Of vision We're given this morn
ing in a paper that subject by Erwin S. Ferry Of
Mount Vernon, n. Y. His conclusions entirely dsa-
gree with the old theory that the persistence Of
vision depends on color. According to the old
theory said he, when II noticed that the
image produced by the spokes OF a revolving wheel
was or less persistent, according to the color
OF the spOkes, it reasoned that persistence OF
vision depended on color and think the expert
ments Of the last year upset this theory and indl-
cate that color is not the important feature, but
brightness OF light. The experiments were carried
out by taking the normal eye and measuring the
direction OF that impression for different colors. 1t
was found that these varied from $1,000 OF second
TO 36-1 900 Of second depending upon the bright
ness OF light We next experimental upon coorblind
people and found that color made no difference In the
change OF the phenomena"
Among the papers presented before Section ID was
hat by Professor Edward W. Benlis, Of the Uni
versty Of Chicago, on Municipal Gasworks." The
paper opened follows II is quite common in this
country TO reject the suggestion of city ownership and
management OF gaswOrks as Socalisuc, undemocRuc
and 10 entail such 1obbery and political COL
ruption as tC be utterly Utopan. Few disnterested
persons who talk this way are aware that in one Of
the most democratic states OF this Union, virginia,
nearly every large city does thus own its gsswdks
without any suspicion of uprooting thereby the In
dustral framework Of society, and not only without
increase but the citizens OF these places are to b
believed, with positive diminution Of political cor
iuption. Nor is the movement confined TO Virginia.
Its greater progress, however there at least in re
years. may be reasonably ascrbed to the greater
knowledge the people Of that state now have OF its
effects" The paper stated that most Of the cities
owning their gasworks have entirely paid for them
out OF their net earnings and have been so much
pleased with the results that several have lately con-
struced city electric light plants.
Robert +. I'LL read papers before the Geological
section on the volcanoes Of North America mad the
dissertations S lie called attention to the renewed
activity OF volcanoes throughout the world and pointed
the probability that some OF the numerous extinct
volcanoes the Western part OF the United states
may again become active These craters all in
the West and the volcanic belt extends into Mckee,
where volcanoes IN similar geological strata show
activity.
Professor Riley read valuable papers TO the
club. Professor Fernow, before the
Economic section, again sounded the note Of warning
so often heard but not needed to the danger wtlch
threatens the Government timber lands from thieves
and fires. lie said: We have only twenty TO
twenty four wachmen TO protect 10000 square miles
Ne expend 100000 a year and rarely succeed In
receiving about that value back. We need =
thoroughly organized and efficient service costing
b 900 900 10000 which would result In saving
81. OOO, 900 to $50, 1000 a year.
The social feature OF the meeting WAS the reeep-
ion at the Powers Building this evening.