The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1892-04-16
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.
USEFUL DISCOVERIES THArwiLL
BENEFIT MANKIND.
Fast Time on the Rail--sun Spots
and the Aurora Boreaiis Dig
Rtng Powers of the Newly
Discovered MoIe--
Steam Engines.
Fast Time on the Ran.

| rast Time on the Haii.
First of all, we must know how
soon after receiving warning OF danger,
u train OF $50 tons, running mile in
SO seconds, can be stopped. 1t is es-
timated that il running at go miles
per hour, with the full braking weight
OF the train utilized, and the rails in
the most favorable condition, this
train could be brought to a full stop
in 300 feet; at 80 miles per hour, in
1900 feet; at 90 miles per hour, in
POPS feet; and finally, at 100 miles
per hour, in $500 feet. These figures
at once establish the fact that under
the best possible conditions the track
must be kept clear OF all Instructions
for at least $500 feet in advance OF a
train running at the highest limit; but
we must estimate the clearance for
| the worst conditions, such as slippery
rails, foggy weather and unfavorable
grade; the personal equation ofthe en-
| gineman must also be considered in q
train covering las feet each second.
Would it be too much to ask that
the engineman receive his warning
three-quarters Of q mile before he
must haltf
The difficulties of arranging for the
passage of trains OF this character are
manifest; we are not speaking OF spec
ial trains, but rather OF regular trains,
running as frequently as may be de-
sired. It should be remembered that
in q two hour run the fastest trains
OF to-day would require a leeway of an
hour, and slower ones would have to
start proportionately earlier, or be
passed on the way.
The most improved forms of signal
ing and interlocking, be they mechani-
cal, pneumatic, electric, automatic, or
| otherwise, which are SO necessary TO
| the sale movement of the passenger
trains, may be introduced, but can
not be placed nearer together than
| three quarters of mile. The very
| presence of these signals, while giving
the maximum safety, has in practice
| made prompt movement more diff
cult. This state of affairs would point
to the necessity for an increase in the
number OF tracks, so that passenger
trains could be grouped on the basis
OF speed just as it has been found al
| ready necessary, on crowded lines, to
separate the freight traffic from the
! passenger Theodore N. Ely in Scrib-
ner.
| sun Spots and the Aurora Borea-
lis.
Observers of the suns tace have for
centuries noticed at times dark
spots on it. Now we know from the
accumulated observations that the
extent and number of these spots
vary. Sometimes we can see very
few, or even none at all, and some
times we can see great many, some
of which are visible to the naked eye
when protected by colored or smoked
glass. Such spotted region is now
February 18th passing out OF sight
on the southwestern limb of the sun;
but a second group OF spots is visible
on the northern hemisphere, stretch
ing in a long line from the eastern
edge to the centre of the sun. But
what has the sun to do with the
aurora? Simply this: 1t has
been shown that when we
have the greatest number of
sun spots, then we have the most fre-
quent and most gorgeous displays OF
the aurora. When there is q great
storm on the sun-producing spots,
then we feel at once on our little earth
a disturbance of electrical conditions.
The display of the aurora on Febru-
airy 18th is regarded as an accom-
paniment of the solar disturbances
which have produced the tremendous
spotted regions mentioned.
The average time from when the
spotted area on the sun is greatest to
tie next maximum is q little over
eleven years. The last spot maximum
occurred in 1884, year or two be-
hind the average time, and we seem
now to be approaching maximum in
1923. We may therefore fairly con-
clude that during this year we shall be
favored with numerous and brilliant
aurore.
Digging Powers Of the Newly Dis
covered Mole.
The Motorcycles burrows obliquely
in the sand, going two or three inches
under the ground, and never betraying
it's passage except by slight undula-
ton of the soil. In digging it uses it's
conical nose which is protected by a
horny plate, and the strong, mattock-
shaped claws OF it's fore feet. The
hind ieet, which are wider and spade
shaped, throw the sand back so that
no trace is left OF the tunnel which it
hollows. 1t comes to the surface q
few yards farther on, and then buries
itself again, all without making any
noise. It is prodigiously agile and
swift, n property on which Mr.. Ben
ham, who lived for some time at
Idracowra, says: Everybody here
can tell you how soon one of these
animals will get away by dig
ging in tho sand. had brought
a live one to tho house and
we were talking OF its agility in digging