The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1896-11-05
WONDERFUL NEW MATERIALS.
Statues, Bas-Relief and Carving Can BE
Initiated Exactly.

C'ahuoSf NdEtihS Van DO
Initiated Exactly.
Prof. Woods, a Washington chemist,
has discovered a substance which can
be made to resemble any metal or
marble in color and texture, it can
be nodded into any form, takes high
polish, reprodIces the patterns of the
toughest stone or most delicate lace, is
acid proof, imperishable, unbreakable,
and is probably destined to bring abort
a revolution in arts and architecture.
The compound which has been the
result of years of study is a metalloid
in it's nature and has been named pro-
team plastic, from it's adaptability to
every metal and stone with which it
is brought in contact and also from the
innumerable uses to which 1t can be put.
The astonishing changes by which 1t
will take on the texture of any sub
stance is its greatest advantage, and
it is by this means that it can be made
to resemble gold, silver, copper, iron,
steel, brass, glass, granite, marble, onyx
and numberless other minerals. The
laboratory in which are kept many mod
els of this new discovery is on one of
the busiest streets of the capital. Seat
tered about the room are molds of the
plastic in every form; here a cameo
of gold, there a bas-relief of bronze
while on a long table is arranged a
collection of figures in every known
metal; iron and shining gold resting
side by side with marble and mosaics
of highest polish.
All of the objects are made of the
same substance, the changes in its APP
pearance and color being brought about
by chemical formula, which is known
to the inventor alone.
The plastic is a metalloid, as by it's
nature it partakes of the nature OF a
metal. Prof, Woods, however, states
that the base of this plastic is of very
finely powdered stone known as steat-
lite, variety of soapstone known to
commerce. This, with other elements,
he places in crucible and subjects to
heat of nearly 600 degrees, adding at
pleasure the substances with which
he varies his formula to produce the
different effects.
This liquid, which is of about the
consistency of thin molasses, is poured
into a mold and as soon as cooked is
ready for market. BY mixing pc
| culiar compound containing gold dust,
the work will come out with a golden
surface, it will be, not gilded wood or
marble, but a metal as hard as gold,
of the same color and possessing all the
properties of the most precious ores,
except that it is not quite SO heavy.
But it will not corrode and will last
| forever.
With this golden metal, which is one
third cheaper than real gold, we could
have our home fashioned into bowers of
oriental luxury. The houses of the
future can be filled with golden stat
! ues exact copies of the ancient Greek
art, the tables and service can glitter
with yellow luster, and even the doors
and windows may be made to seem
parts of Aladdin's tabled palace.
The daintiest lace will be reproduced
on this golden surface with every fiber
of the thread showing in it's outline
as fine as a hair; the bowls and the
| thousands of utensils can be equal to
tbt VI AlltAdS Oh Olu.
If we wish to have home which will
flash back the sunshine from Parian
marble, this counterfeit compound can
| be mixed in a certain consistency and
we have but TO pour it into a mold and
there we have the shape of the purest
| of stone of what we wish. No cutting
| for days with "a slow saw by the old
process; no filing away of the precious
| stone, but what seems to be the fairest
| of Italian marble will spring up out
| of the crucibe and cool into beauti-
| full shapes within our sight in a few
minutes.
Silver and other metals and rocks
and granite blocks can be initiated ex-
| actly the same way, for when the plas-
tic is removed from the molds it will
| be found to have copied the color and
| the texture of the metal or stone to
| perfection. 1t will resemble steel so
| closely that an expert could not tell
| the difference. 1t is hard and Yields
| to the file as slowly as the real metal
In bronze work or statutes it will be
| invaluable.
The brick of which houses are now
built can receive coating of this COM
| pound in any color stone or metal
wished and will last forever. For
burial caskets, particularly in such
countries of low, marshy land as New
| Orleans, it will spring into instant use.
In water piping and sewering it will
be found invaluable, as no dirt can ac-
cumulate nor can any acid corrode its
surface. Neither can it be broken any
more easily than iron.-Philadelphi
| Times.
| Proof of His Love.
BE my wife," urged Mumbojumbo,
| r