Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-03-24

Washington, March 23-The guests of
the National Geographic Society after
its annual reception tonight were en-
tertained by Chas. E. Tripler, of New
York, the inventor of liquid air. Mr..
Tipler had brought from his laboratory
in an ordinary vessel not unlike a milk
can ten gallons of liquid air at a tenn
perature of 312 degrees below zero.
This was brought into the banquet
room at the Arlington Hotel, where
the audience was assembled, and many
of the experiments which have lately
startled the scientific world were re-
peated.
Mr. Tipler was introduced by Alex
ander Graham Bell, inventor of the tel
ephone. A large number Of distin-
guished scientists had gathered to wit
ness the experiments, and in the audi
enuce were the German and Russian
ambassadors, the Chinese minister and
a large number Of the most distinguish
ed people in Washington.
Mr.. Tripler first exhibited the liquid
air by passing around the audience tin
dippers filled with it. These gave off
a vapor like steam and rapidly accumu-
lated frost on the outside. After the
audience had finished the inspection
Mr.. Tripler struck the dippers against
the table and they broke to pieces like
glass. He then immersed a common
hollow rubber ball in the liquid and
afterward threw it on the floor, where it
broke into pieces.
WONDER OF THE BURNING CAR
BON.
He partially immersed in a common
tumbler filled with liquid air a stick OF
carbon, like those used on the arc light,
and the part of the carbon above the
surface burned rapidly with a white
light as intense as that of an arc lamp.
He explained that temperature OF
1 1000 degrees above zero was required
to burn carbon, yet this air at 312 de-
grees below zero burned it rapidly
He immersed in the same glass the end
of coiled watch spring, and it burned
rapidly and threw off a shower of
sparks until the entire spring was con-
sumed.
Mr.. Tripler explained that alcohol
freezes at a temperature OF 2O2 below
zero, and he accordingly took a pint
of whisky and, pouring liquid air over
it, soon had it in a state so that he
broke it up into small chunks and
passed it around to his audience.
Mercury freezes at 40 degrees below
zero. The inventor froze a chunk Of
it in the shape of hammer and drove
a nail into the table on which his ex-
periments were conducted. This ham
mer afterwards circulated through the
audience for half an hour without
melting, though it gradually accumu-
lated frost on the outside.
Mr.. Tripler dipped several Irish po-
tatoes into the can of air, and then
threw them on the floor, and they
broke into pieces like china eggs. The
but we're found to be so cold that they
were uncomfortable to keep.
SERVED FROZEN POTATOES.
They were extremely hard and could
be carved with a Denknife like box
wood. They circulated pretty rapidly
through the audience, each person be-
ing apparently anxious to pass them
on to his neighbor.
A piece of raw beef was immersed
in the air and taken out pure and
white and hard as ivory. Thrown on
the floor it broke into pieces. Several
persons having picked these up as
souvenirs, Mr.. Tripler warned them
that in a few minutes after the cold
had passed away the beautiful white
substance would return to beef again
and would become an uncomfortable
keepsake.
A cake Of ice was placed on the ta-
Bile, and Mr. Tripler placed upon 1t a
tea kettle filled with liquid air. He
then placed the tea kettle over gas
flame and it quit boiling, and a thick
coating of ice formed on the outside
and was afterward was broken off with
a mallet.
Mr.. Tripler threw a dipperful of air
over his clothing, and it left them per-
fectly dry, and finger dipped into the
LIQUID would be withdrawn dry but I'M
comfortably cold. A quantity OF the
air thrown on the floor made heavy
sound like melted lead. The liquid
scattered in all directions, throwing off
a gray vapor and being rapidly con-
sumed. 1t left the floor dry.
SCIENTIFIC MEN ARE DOUBTERS.
Mr.. Tripler said that he had received
letters from scientific men all over the
United States questioning his statement
in a. recent number OF McLure's Magazine
to the effect that he could produce liquid
air with liquid air; that is, with a start
of two gallons OF the substance, he could
20 on producing any quantity of the air
for any length of time. The inventor said
that though this invention had been ques-
toned by scientists from Harvard College
and from several other eminent institu-
lions of learning it was literally true, and
was demonstrated daily in his laboratory.
He said that it was strange that these
scientists were not surprised when, with a
few gallons Of ammonia, a large ice fac
tory was kept in operation. He said that
he had actually made ten gallons of liquid
air in his liGuifier by the use OF about
three gallons in his engine surplusage
that would go on indefinitely.
The inventors theory IS that liquid air