Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-02-09
new IDEAS IN INDUSTRY.
scow Electrically Driven.

Electrically driven Scows are being used
In the handling of material to workmen
employed in the building of a sewer at
Worcester. Mass. These scows. according
TO the Electrical Engineer. are Il success,
doing the duty allotted them in as salts
factory q manner as possible. The Scow
is twenty-seven feet long and nVe feet
wide, each of the small bulls being eigh-
teen inches wide A small paddie-wheel
operates in the middle of the deck, box
ed to prevent splashing. and Is driven
through the Intermediary OF Sprocket
wheels and Il chain by an electric MOTOR. At
the stern of the scow are 4 rudder and
controller of ordinary form, SO that one
man can manipulate both.
Six of these scowS are in use, and can
easily handle 1900 bricks. fifty barrels of
cement and 100 barrels of sand daily In
pumping out the cofferdam a special scow
is used. This is fitted with a Sotor :neo-
stat and centrifugal pump, and takes the
necessary current from trolley wires The
whole thing is operated by secondhand
decidedly economical. Electricity not only
operates the scows. but furnishes lights.
works electric fans and works electric
pumps.
BertillOn System for Beasts.
In shows of pedigree stock it is frequently
required that the prize winners shall bs
photographed, it being of obvious import
ance that the appearance of the prosenitors
of animals should be known before selec-
tons are made for pairing: Francis Gal
ton proposes by making the photographs
or the basis of scientific measurement TO
render the pictures of horses and other
pedigree stock available for strict scientific
studies in heredity.
a simple kind. an ordinary photograph car.
be transformed from a mere picture into
a record of real scientific value, SO that
ii photographs should hereafter be habit.
Caily made of pedigree stock mot only OF
horses under those conditions, and after
ward published. a mass of material would
Qnipklv accumulate sufficient TO advance
the science. of breeding far beyond the
point at which it now stands. From meas
London. two facts Were proved: On was
that horses of the same class vary among
themselves as much as men. In short.
they could be identified by a Bertillo.
method. The other was that the present
system of measuring animals is not by any
means infallible. There is good reason for
believing that measurements made on u
half plate photograph under the conditions
already mentioned would be more trust
with a tape or calipers. especially on fidS-
A Tree Climber.
Mention having recently been made Of
the astonishing speed at which a West
India negro. by the aid of the climbing
loftiest cocoanut palm, o. 7. Mason says.
in a communication to a scientific jour
nal. that DIR. F. Boss. while travelling in
British Columbia. saw the only apparatus
of the kind ever reported to have been
used by an American Indian. It is alse
adopted by the Tlingit and other tribes
as far south as Vancouver island. This
device, however. is more elaborate than
the simple rope of the Caribbean.
1t has a wooden ~footrest and an arrange
ment of ropes for the upper part of the
back of the climber under his arms. This
combination is necessary in the North
west country from the number of limbs
and knots on the trees. At certain points
on the trunk the climber must unship his
apparatus in order to pass the obstruction.
The climber connects the upper half of the
apparatus by means of his rope lines.
When he arrives at a limb he draws his
footboard as high up as possible; then,
resting his body on this. he readjusts the
upper portion, sustaining his back above
the obstruction, and moves upward as far
as he can reach. Then he is able to draw
up again. and. r~eadjusting his foothold.
continues his way. after the manner of an
inch worm.
Cleaning Tenders.
The sand blast is gaining favor in rail-
| way ~paintshops for cleaning locomotive
tenders preparatory to r%epainting. On one
line 1t has been used for about eighteen
poopfhS during which time tho ayaraQ a