Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1898-03-09

of thin wood sheets, so glued to one
crossed, thus obtaining n thin, elastic
plate which cannot be twisted out of
shape. They are pitched to make them
waterproof and may be tireproofed by
saturation with soluble glass. The
weight per square yard is but twelve
pounds.
Leaks in steam pipes are easy 10
heal with manganese cement which
hardens in "A few hours. and Is prepared
by thoroughly mixing four parts black
oxide of manganese. ten parts litharge,
five parts minlum, five parts crude
limestone and five parts yellow ochre,
all powdered, with some boiled linseed
oil and kneading 1t to paste, with
some asbestos fiber.
Everybody has noticed the sudden
gnshes of rain which occur during
thunder-storms. Prof. Cleveland Alb
DE, the meteorologist has lately inyes-
tigated the connection of these rain
gushes with the occurrence of light
ming, but the question is still left to be
decided whether 1t Is the rain which
brings about the formation Of light
ming, or the lightning which causes the
gushes of rain. Further information
on the subject is desired.
Much difference of opinion exists
concerning recent observations of the
planet Venus. Sgnor Sehiaparelli and
Mr.. Percival Lowell assert that the
planet always keeps the same side to-
ward the sun. and Mr. Lowell thinks
1t Is lifeless desert. baked Oh one side
and frozen on the other. On the other
hand, Monsieur Camille Flammarion,
after reviewing the evidence of various
observers, announces the conclusion
that the maps of Venus made up to
the present time are Illusions" He
thinks the planets atmosphere prevents
us from seeing its real surface.
In recent address on the achieve
ments of hygiene, Professor Kober, of
the Georgetown University, quoted the
following facts to illustrate what the
introduction of germicides aud antisep-
tie methods has accomplished: During
the Crimean war many more than half
the amputations that were performed
resulted in the death of the patient, the
exact percentage of mortality being
63.5. During the American Civil War
the mortality from amputation was
still 4S.1 per cent. Then the new meth
ods came to be more and more employ
ed. and in 1890 the statistics of ampu-
tation showed that the mortality was
but SO per cent.
Glaciers vary in length from year to
year, and apparently In cycles of years
also. those of the Alps having shown a
general diminution since 1880. An in
yestigation of the changes of arctic
glaciers has now been made by NJ. Ch.
Rabot There is no sign of general
retreat corresponding 10 that of the
Alps, but In Greenland the ice Is at
present at maximum. and station
ary. In Iceland there was general
increase in the eighteenth century. in
terrupted by partisan decrease. There
came n very extensive advance during
most of the present century, slight
retreat-not comparable with that of
the Alps-having begun in the north of
the island about 1S5o-1S60, and twenty
years later in the south.
Shells filed with frozen dynamite
are one of the most recent inventions
for killing people. The inventor de
clares that these projectiles when fired
will smash anything into little bits,
whether it be wooden box or an iron
clad. The frozen dynamite is packed
in the cavity of the she'll and does not
explode until the missile strikes an OBJ
ject Another entirely new feature of
the missile is slow burning fuse, suf-
ficiently insulated from the charge to
prevent premature explosion while the
shell is traversing the designated dis
tance At II recent trial. a shell Went
clean through a three-inch steel plate
at range OF one hundred yards and
then exploded, shattering the plate TO
bits.