The morning news., 1897-08-28
NEW USE FOR ALUMINIUM.
This Metal HAS Become Almost as
Useful as Iron and steel.
From the PhiladeIphia nine

From the Philadelphia Times
Aluminium bids fair to become, within
the next half century, the most useful OF
metals. Scarcely week goes by that
some new field of usefulness for it is not
discovered. From a strong possibility Of
becoming the metal which enters most
largely into the subsidiary coins of the
United States government to the newest
of shoes for the feet of horses, 1T runs
through a catalogue of uses that is mar
veiors in it's extent. Iron and steel have
long been known as the two most useful
metals. Aluminium must now be given an
equal place with either of them
The odd uses to which this metal is put
are almost innumerable. The grewsome
metallic casket of copper and steel that
is used to hide away forever the mortal
tenemehts of humanity is gradually be
ing replaced by the lighter aluminium af-
fair, which answers the purpose more sat
isfactorily, and at the same time may
be hegnetically sealed.
ALMOST a revolution has been created by
aluminium among The photographers. The
chances are that nine persons out of ten
suppose the old stone process as II is
called, is still in vogue This consisted
of tracing on a slab of stone, krrown as
hthographers stone, whatever ii was de-
sired to make a Autograph Of 10 print
these Autographs under the old system
described necessitated the use of a fiat
press and this meant slowness OF speed
With the up-to-date aluminium litho-
graphic plate it is different. The alumni
mum plate may be bent so that ii will ft
upon the cylinder Of a fast press making
the speed fully 100 per cent. greater, and
thus saving expense on the basis of the
fact that time is money.
So far as Uncle Sam and aluminium are
concerned there is much 20 think Of
Should aluminium, as seems very probao
now succeed copper as the metal in use
at the mint. every person who utilizes the
penny will be affected. When that day
comes. each cent will be light weight and
a thousand times more convenient to carry
about For this use aluminium is also pre-
ferable, IL ia said, from hyglenic stand
point as copper affords a resting place for
the microbes Of various diseases, which
aluminium certainly would not do.
Some months ago a series Of experiments
with aluminium We're carried on at the
United States mint at Philadelphia, and
although not as extensively as they Nigh
have been, were sufficiently so 40 prove
that the substitution Of aluminium for cop
per in money was entirely feasible nhe
matter was reported upon by the congress
siondl committee upon coinage, weights
and measures, and in view Of their report
il is very likely that some action in the
matter will be taken at the next regular
session Of congress.
Speaking of hygienic purposes Of alumni
mum, II Is said TO be as excellent "A DuTi-
fer OF WaIer as there is. The salts Of
aluminium are insoluble in water Conse-
quently IL IS plain that when these salts
are formed the water can be stlpined and
the impurities removed from a.. Perhaps
the most popular method OF lpurihcation
of water by means Of aluminium Is what
Is known as the trough method The
trough Is composed Of plates Cf aluminium
and zinc or iron six or eight ihches apart.
one end of the tank affords an entrance
for the volume Of water which passes over
the top OF one plate and thence under
the plate next 10 a.. this being accom-
plished by the fact that itne elevation
OF the plates is different IN connection
with this tank or trough thpre is "A mol
crate sized electrical gene rator. Alum-
mum will not form the negative pole OF a
current, but the other plates used VIII n
is always the case that when am electric
current comes in contact with water in
this fashion. IL decOmposeg a certain por-
ton Of the fluid. as IL were
The result Of this decoupostion IL that
ozone Is formed and oxygen freed. This
mans absolute extinction 90 any microbes
or organic matter which the water
might contain. leaving II after meeting the
publication the salts OF aluminium occa-
sion as clear and healthful as the water
which flows from the pureet spring. There
are other methods Of purifying Water
bY the use OF aluminium but they are not
adopted 10 any extent. the trough or tank
system always having been productive of
the best results.
Possibly one Of tho greatest claims Of
aluminium - preference o. that Il ls
cheaper. for although the demand Tor 81
has tremendously Increased there has
been no notable increase in price. n costs
much lees than zinc and copper. Tor in.
stance. ana n is replacing them in many
Instances such as in the manufacture of
paper and cellul0ld Even homf 0f the
most popular musical instruments aro
made % aluminium The mandolin. the
gulfar tho banjo are all constructed 0f
The metal occasionally Even tho violin
has been made of aluminium. and very
successfully
Those who are familiar with recent Arc.
Iio explorations slil call 10 mind fhat ila
Wfilmnn eEufllIlun uHrd aluminium bDriH
lr1 found them nknsl'enf Cor fhe uufpDTes
designed ln face. f0 namr ail iho uHrf
lnl particularly fhe naW 0rra of ailmi.
1uu Noull hr an endless fHHf faf ihf
rfanon naf nfH utft aft constantly being
f....W