The San Francisco call., 1897-05-09
THE FORCE OF
THE FUTURE
IS THE AIR
Another Great Achievement
of the Century An
nounced.
ATMOSPHERE CHEAPLY
LIQUEFIED.
Discovery of Simple and Sale
Process of Generating
Vast Power.
FROZEN AIR CAN BE RENDERED
PORTABLE.
The Pvwer May Be Appli'd to Propal
ling Cars AID ShipS-Of Great
Advantage to Commerce.
FROZEN AIR CAN BE RENDERED
PORTABLE.
The Power May Be Appli' d to Propal
ling Cars AID Ships-Of Great
Advantage to Commerce.

One Of the greatest discoveries in the
generation of power may soon be an
nounced 10 the world.
1t has been known for some months or
year that Professor Linde of Berlin had
invented or solved process of producing
at low cost liquefied air. 1t was not
known, however. until very recently that
Professor Trippler, an eminent scientist
in New York. has been conducting highly
successful experiments on the same line
in his own laboratory in that city. An
unexpected mishap caused the direction
of public notice to the investigation.
The accident, OF which brief account
came by wire, happened in this wise. Pro-
fessor Trippler brought to a hotel from
his laboratory station a mile distant a
small quantity of liquid affair which
had been reduced TO a temperature of 30
degrees below zero. 4 few drops of the
LIQUID was placed in a glass of alcohol.
The instant effect was the freezing of the
alcohol. Among the men who had the
privilege of attending the experiment was
the ubiquitous fool. and he had the inspi-
ration TO apply a lighted match 10 the
frozen substance.
terrific explosion which shattered
much glassware and caused a deal of
alarm in the hotel was the immedia re-
suit of the experiment with the match.
Subsequent investigation at his own
laboratory convinced the professor that
it was the alcohol and not the air that
exploded.
Among the few men OF the country who
have been posted from time TO time on
the progress of experiments in liquefying
air is E. A. Rix OF San Francisco, presI-
dent of the Rix Com pressed Air Ma
10 Nar
when the foregoing incident occurred, but
was not present at the explosion of the
alcohol. Incidentally at a lecture which
he delivered at Stanford University last
Monday night mention was made of the
explosion.
Facts now brought to light show clearly
that the experiments with llquehed air IN
the United States have progressed beyond
those made in Germany, and that the
credit of the great invention may be given
TO the scientists of the New World.
Professor Trippler is very reticent con-
cernng his discoveries, but he is confident
that the liquefied air can be retained in
cylinders or storage reservoirs occupying
small spaces and be used readily as power
to propel machinery.
Liquetied air may be described as 700
cubic feet OF atm mosphere condensed into
one cubic foot. Tne temperature of the
substance may be reckoned as 700 degrees
below zero. In appearance 1t reSem bies
water, and to the touch feels like mercury.
I may be possible, as the result OF the
New York invention, for tremendous
power TO be safely stored in a small
cylinder.
The purpose of the New York inventor
is to complete the process of generating
and applying the power before others shall
step in and wrest the discovery from him.
The invention in its usefulness to man
kind may fall but little below the inven-
tions of steam and electricity.
In advance sheets of consular reports,
May number, from the Department of
State bureau of statistics, dated Washing
ton, April 90, 1897, is a circular entitled,
Fluid Air for Industrial Uses" written
by Charles de Kay, Consul-General, dated
Berlin, Marcn IL, 1897, as follows:
FLUID AIR FOR INDUSTRIAL USES.
Liquefying air is not new thing. 1t has
been performed by exerting enormous pres
sure, or by freezing air to an unusual degree,
or by q com binaion of pressure with refrig-
Grafton. There many uses to which
uquefed air can be put that scientists hardly
know where its usefulness will end If it can be
proouced at a low rate of cost in commercial
quantities
Among other advantages air in the portable
cheap form OF g LIQUID as it passes back to it's
ordinary state can be used for iIlum mating