The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-07-09
ASPHALT MADE FROM HERRING.
Fish and wood Article Cannot be
Distin Guished From the Natural
Product,
From the Philadelphia Times.

From the Philadelphia Times
Asphalt made from fresh herring and
shavngs is the latest novelty in the chem
zeal world, aud Prof William c. Day of
Swarthmore College is the genius who has
discovered this new use for the piscatorial
deNcacy.
Kippered Herring, the smoked variety
and the fresh fish have so long been
standard dishes on the menu that their use
for anything other than as an edible ap-
pears almost preposterous In fact. il
suggests the idea that asphalt paving of
this variety should be laid on Friday, and
only used during Lent.
At any rate, the new flnny asphalt, as
ooncocted by the professor, does not differ
in appearance, weight or touch from the
natural product. In fact, 1t is
almost impossible for even an expert TO
note any dissimilarity.
Prot. Day is regarded as the highest au-
thority in the world upon the question of
asphalt. lie received, a few days ago, a
specimen of gisonte, natural variety of
asphalt which exists in large quantities an
Utah. The chemist made a careful ex-
animation of the product form the Nor
mon territory. He then asked his as
sistant, Eugene Leaning. to secure him
some fresh fish and some fat pine shay
ings, as he intended making some gilso-
mite. The assistant greeted this assertion
with intense surprise. but as his superior
was not a practical joker he secured the
slivers of the forest and the deuizens Of
the deep and eagerly watched the peculiar
experiment.
Into a cylindrical iron retort were intro
number of small pieces of fat pine wood.
The retort was connected by plaster Of
Paris joints with short glass tube, and
this with gas pipe four feet long. The
latter being placed in an ordinary com
Dustion furnace, the other end of the pine
was connected with a Lieb!g cold water
condenser. After charging and closing the
retort, it was heated by means of gas
stoves, which, together with the retort
We're surrounded with loose bricks to pre-
vent the loss of heat The gas pipe was
heated to bright redness by the combus-
ton furnace.
During the progress of the distillation
water and oil, together with a white
smoke. flowed from the condenser into the
receiver. The Oil obtained was lighter
than water, OF bad odor and very dark
req in color
This oil was then placed in a distlling
bu-J and heated until about half of il mad
been distilled away. When the residue
was cooled it formed a black brittle solid.
This black, polished substance was of the
same brittleness, showed the same c,eav-
age when broken and was practically
Identical with the Utah substance
That is: Herring plus pine equals as
phait
Upon another occasion Prof. Day sue
ceeded in obtaining slatenite, another form
of asphalt, from fish alone. Although he
does not claim any practical value for his
new products. the experiments are Of
great scientific value. 1t is not necessary
to make enormous catches of fish for
asphalt purposes, as the natural product
can be found in ample quantities. In
fact this summer Prof Day will visit the
principal asphaltum beds in the United
States in the interest of the geological
survey department, which has employed
him as an expert in this line for several
years. Prof George Eldridge of the geo
| logical survey viii visit deposits in The
near future and forward specimens 70
Prof Day for chemical analysis