Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-05-15
SCIENCE.

THE PLANETS IN MAY.-Venus. will
be in good position for observation
about four A. NJ, during May. She
will be in conjunction with the moon
on May 81 at three P. NJ. Mars is also
to be observed in the morning, but
Jupiter and Neptune will be too low in
the west during the early morning
hours for satisfactory observation.
Saturn, however, will be in the best
position, crossing the meridian about
ten P. NJ. in the frat half, and st nine
P. NJ. in the last half Of of the month.
The rings are now so we'll widened out
that the three parts can readily be dis
tinguished. Saturn is now about five
degrees north of the star Spica, with
which he is almost equal In brightness.
He will be in conjunction with the
moon on May 16, at five minutes TO
eleven P. Nj.
A PRACTICAL SMOKE CONSUMER
The best smoke consumer a man can
have is a boiler with about fifty per
cent greater capacity than he requires.
The reason so many steam plants give
out so much smoke is on account OF in
sufficient boiler capacity. When
boiler is over crowded; when the fur
mace has to be filed to its capacity
with coal to keep up the required pres
sure. then it is that great portion OF
the fuel goes up in the smoke and the
people OF the city suffer from 1t. II a
manufacturer has boiler capacity in ex-
cess of his requirements he is able to
make steam with very little coal; he
does not have to force the fire, but can
obtain the pressure wanted with his
furnace door open. If people could
be brought to see 1t, one OF the most
profitable investments manufacturer
can make is TO buy boiler above the
required capacity. 1t will soon pay
for itself and give nice profit In the
saving OF fuel.
A PECULIAR BRIDGE.-It is claimed
that a recently completed bridge over
the south branch OF the Chicago River
is the only one of its kind in existence,
and it is certainly a radical departure
from common methods, the principle
on which 1t works being that OF raising
or lowering a window. On either bank
rises tower Of iron lattice work l9l
feet high. The bridge, 50 feet in span
and weighing 500 tons, extends between
them, its ends fitting into grooves. 1t
is fitted with CONFERENCE.-The, cables
and puleys, all OF which are governed
bv a 70-horse-power steam engine.
When the bridge is to be opened the
engineer throws OF the balance, and
the bridge rises smoothly and, horizon
tally n its grooves, hating at height
Of l55 feet.
ALUMINIUM PLATINUM ALLOY. -
Many attempts have been made TO Sc
cure an alloy OF aluminium and platin-
um that would be of CON mercial value,
and the measures taken TO that end
have at length proved successful. The
alloy is of q handsome yellow color,
and is described as suitable for protect
ing steel knives, razors and the like from
rusting. In appearance IL is not unlike
gold alleged with Eve per cent OF silver,
and it contains only very small per-
centage of platinum: 1t is, therefore,
not al expensive metal, and will doubt
less be extensively used as substitute
for gold plating for cheap metal mugs
and dessert services. 1t is applied
extraordinarily. The bath consists of
solotion OF sodium illuminate, to
which is added platinum cyanide, dis
solved in potassium cyanide solution.
The article to be plated is Immersed in
this bath, and attached in the ordinary
way to tho cathode, or negative ter
minal of the battery, while block OF
carbon or sheet OF platinum serves as
the anode, or positive terminal.
DUPLICATING THE EFFECT OF LIGHT
BY ELECTRICITY.-A. f.. Dolbear de-
scribes how the effect of light can be
duplicated with suitable electric APP
paratus. II a coin be laid on plate OF
glass and few sparks from an electric
machine be allowed to fall on it the glass
surface will not appear to have been
affected after the coin has been remov-
ed But If the glass be breathed upon
the image OF the coin will at once be
seen. That it is really engraved on the
glass surface is certain, otherwise II
could be easily rubbed of. If "a piece OF
photographic paper be substituted for
the glass it will have the imprint OF the
coin on it. 1t is not even necessary to
have the sparks fall on the coin, Tor II
the glass be inclosed in a dark box and
brought near to the short sparks OF an
Induction machine, the ether waves set
up will affect the Photographic surface,
which may afterward be developed in
the ordinary way. In this way ii is
possible.to take the photograph Of an
object In absolute darkness. e.,
solely by means OF the ether wave set
up by the sparkling OF static machine.
Professor DoIbear, while pointing out
that this is at present an almost untrod-
den field of investigation, looks forward
to the time when the qualities and
colors of the surfaces Of many things
will be changed at will by the pplica-
ton of electric waves OF suitable length
whereby proper chemical relations may
be established, and he believes that the
electric machine is destined soon TO be-
come a necessary adjunct to the appar-
tus OF the photographer.
He Was Expected.
Excited Countryman - Have you
seen boy Of is with his hat of"
Policeman-"And his nose bleeding?"