The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-09

with hrSt-claSS mechanlcal apPllduCeS,
Some time ago Mr.. Shepherd concluded
that his equipment required 5000 or 500 Ieet
of wire rope for carrier purposes, put
how to get it up into his mountainous
district in single piece, as required, was
question. By no possibility could 1T De
moved from the railroad to its destination
ON wheels, and he could not see how even
But Mexican did. He got the contract
for carrying the 1A-inch cable TO the
distant mountain, and successfully exc,
cuted it. This is how he did it. He colled
the rope up at fixed distances along us
entire length, each coil being OF approx
mately the same size, ana design 9 ~ ~
weigh 800 pounds. He then loaded the
coils on a string of burros fastening them
carefully, and allowing plenty OF slack rope
between each animal. TO take up the
slack between each two burros, TWO
Mexicans with padded shoulders were
placed, and they logged along patiently
and faithfully to the end of the journey.
AS the American who tells OF the. incident
says: 1.-The procession was curious one,
but it got there just the same.
BATTLING THE MosoUITo.-The time OF
year is arriving when many people are
keenly interested in any measure that Will
lead to the circumvention OF the pestllent
mosquito. An American agricultural ex-
pert finds that film of kerosene Oil on the
water tanks near his house has rid 1t of
mosquitoes. Kerosene, smeared on the
face and hands. is quite effective in keep
ing the insects at bay. The odor OF the
oil is not, perhaps, so desirable as that of
cologne water, but it is much to be preferred
to the mosquitoes. An Indian journal
vouches for the castor-oil plant as one of
the best projections against mosquitoes.
In Egypt it is planted about the houses to
drive the insects away. In towns the
young plants can always be had IN pots,
and they can be placed about the house for
a day or two. After that they must be put
out into the fresh air, for the plant loves
the sun. But with two sets of pots, one
for service within doors and the other re-
coupling, the plan can be worked perfectly.
In tropical countries the ordinary belief is
that the mosquitoes are killed by poison
that is to be found on the lower side OF the
leaf; but if dozen leaves are placed about
a room that swarms with the insects, they
will disappear without leaving any DEAD
ones lying about.
Color PHoToGRAPHY.-Parisi photog
raphers have been especially active in ex-
perimenting in color photography, and
another artificial method is now reported
from Paris. A negative of gelatine is ex-
posed to the blue rays of the object and
then treated with solution of aniline
blue, which fixes Itself in the parts affected
by the blue light The plate is then ex-
posed to the red rays of the object ano
similarly treated with aniline red The
process is repeated for the yellow rays and
the picture is then viewed by holding the
plate against the light or putting a sheet
of white paper behind it.
SOAP AS A DIsINFEcrANT.-Cleanl people
will learn with satisfaction that soap is one
of the best disinfectants known for certain
bacili. A 10 per cent solution of soap
containing about 81 per cent of fatty acids
and 10 per cent of alkai was found to kill
the bacilli of typhoid fever in few min
utes, and the effect was more marked at
the lower temperature of the solutions.
The results of recent experiments in
France, by NJ. Max Jolles, agree with
others formerly obtained for the cholera
bacillus in showing that washing with soap
and water is a sure way of disinfecting
linen.
SILK FROM THE SPIDER.-An authority on
silk is quoted as expressing the belief that
if it could be obtained in quantity silk
from spiders might be packed in bales and
sent to Europe, where it would readily find
market for being carded and spun into
silk threads for sewing or weaving pur-
poses. The fact that it would be difficult
to procure the web free from dirt would
detract from its value as compared with
genuine silk waste, but still price could
be obtained that would pay for the trouble
of collection. The spider from which it is
proposed to obtain the silken mass is a
tropical variety, which distributes its silk
in great abundance on low plants and
shrubs. 1t is suggested that it would be
possible, with little trouble, to form a
spider farm for the purpose of producing
this silk in the greatest possible perfection
and abundance.
DIAMOND SETTING FOR TooLs.-In work
ing hard materials with diamonds set in
metal there has always been difficulty in
preventing the stone from being ripped out
by the strain. An effective method of do
ing this has been devised. A little block
of steel, suitably notched to receive the
diamond, is brought to red heat, the dia-
mond is inserted and the block is passed
through small roll. The diamond is thus
firmly imbedded in the block, though pro-
jecting slightly beyond its surface, and de-
ties the strain of the most exacting work.
-"
Jubilee of Mrs. Mills Graduation.
Mrs C. T. Mills of Mills College has gone
East. She expects to be absent about month,
and will visit Chicago Pittsburg, Mount Holy
oka COllepa and her old home in Wara Mass