The times., 1899-03-23
Weird EXPERIMENTS
With LIQUID AIR
Solid Substances COnsu med by
the Intense Cold.
Commercial Value of It's Irresisti-
BILE Expansive Power.
Novel Entertainment of the National
Geographic Society-Thc Won
derfuI Process Explained.

The National Geographic Society held
its annual reception last night in the Ar
lington Hotel, and upward of 600 members
of Washington society were received and
entertained in most novel way, Witness
ing experiments with liquid air.
Several gallons of this had been brought
from New York by Prof. Charles E. Trip
Ter. and the experiments which he made
with the wonderful liquid were marvellous.
Air was essentially the feature of the even
ing, as the Weather Bureau had placed on
exhibition Its various instruments for de-
termining atmospheric conditions, and
these were briefly explained by Prof Willis
Moore. Chief of that bureau, as a prelude
TO Professor Tripler's experiments.
The exhibits and apparatus for the ex-
periments had been placed in the banquet
hall, one end OF which was also arranged
as a sideboard for light refreshments. The
beautifully decorated reception rooms be-
gan to fill about o'clock, and an hour
was spent In conversation. 1t was also
an hour Of eager expectancy on the part
of the guests, as the treat in store for
them had been announced. and many Gu
rious eyes peered through heavily curtain
ed doors leading into the banquet hall.
The tactful seating Of the members of
this entrance was necessary in order not
to curtail the reception feature of the
evening, and when the hour of 10 ar
rived there was n general crush to gain
entrance to the experiment room.
President Bell. of the society made a
brief Introductory speech, introducing Prof
Moore, who occupied ten minutes in ex-
planning the various instruments used to
get the velocity of the wind, the amount of
q nj he
and the pressure of the atmosphere. Mr..
Tripler was then introduced and proceeded
without remark to astonish his auditors.
Taking a small tin saucepan he reached
down into the receptacle which contained
the liquid air and dipping out a small
quantity poured it on the floor. 1t fell
heavily like molten lead. and sent up clouds
of steam. The carpet was not wet and no
signs of the air could be seen after it
struck the floor A glass tumbler full was
then dipped out and set on the table. 1t
boiled up and sent forth such cloud of
steam that the glass could hardly be seen.
Into this ,tumbler Mr.. Tripler dropped
lighted cigarette, which Immediately
famed UP and was consumed almost in
stantly.
a potato was dropped in a tin saucepan
containing the liquid air and after remain
ing there for minute was taken out and
broken up like piece of glass with slight
rap from hammer. The potato resembled
very much a piece of ivory. The particles
were as hard as rocks. A hollow rubber
ball was then immersed for short time in
the liquid and thrown to the floor. 1t also
broke up with sound like that of breaking
glass.
Mr.. Tripler explained that the tempera-
ture of the liquid was 312 degrees below
zero and would freeze anything in the
ha in
actly like clear water, with little blush
cast.
The next experiment was to take half
| tumbler of whisky and pour some of
the air into it. After stirring the mix
| ture with stick for a short time, during
which the air was boiling iercely, the
| whisky was frozen solid. 1t was then
broken into small pieces and passed
| around to the audience on a tray.
A piece of steel clock spring was put
| into glass containing the air and melted,
sputtering and burning like parlor match.
| Mr.. Tripler said there was from one to
| two thousand times as much oxygen in
| liquid air as in ordinary air.
| A beautiful geyser was set in operation
| by placing a small quantity of the air in
a long-necked tube. the base of which was
placed in water. The liquid air was i'm
mediately thrown to the ceiling and evap-
GRATED in cloud Of steam.
lice is $40 degrees hotter than this air. -
explained Mr.. Tripler at boils, although
it is the coolest thing in nature. 1t is
red-ho and boils just the same as water
boils on the stove. only water takes tenn
perature of 312 degrees above zero to boil
| it and air boils at 312 below zero"
A lineup was dipped in the air and
then crushed to fragments in the hand.
A piece of steel bicycle tubing was also
| dipped in the liquid, and it also broke to
| fragments. A gas stove, which had been
placed on the table, was lighted and a tea
kettle. in which some of the air had been
placed, was put over the fire. The kettle
began to boil before it reached the fire.
and after it had remained some minutes on
the stove, 1t was covered with ice. More
air was poured into the kettle and then a
quantity of water. the kettle remaining on
the fire. In a minute or two the kettle
was taken from the fire and the water
which had become ice on the bottom Of the
kettle was broken up and taken out.
A tin goblet containing some of the
air was then pushed down into a dish OF
water and held there for some minutes