The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-02-14
MEMS HND COMMENT

According to foreign dispatches Pro-
fcssor Walter Nernst of GOettingen uni
Ncrsity has invented an electric lamp
which does not require inClosure in vacuum
as is the case with the present glow lamp.
The Nernst light is emitted by rod COM
posed of rare earths, similar to those used
in the manufacture of the Welsbach man
tie. These rods do not conduct electricity
cold, but heated. They give out a mild,
yellowish light, and work equally well at
any pressure, with consequent economy
in copper. Concerning this invention the
New York Sun says: Prof. Nernsts lamp
is intended to take the place of the ordin-
airy incandescent electric lamp, and, ac-
cording to the records which he has made
in experimental work, 1t promises great
economy in the production of light. As
used in the present incandescent or glow
lamps the electric current is conducted to
a filament of carbon, which, because of
its electrical resistance, or choking ef-
feet upon the current, is raised to a white
heat, and thus emlts light. To prevent the
destruction of the carbon by burning it
is inclosed in glass bulbs from which the
air has been exhausted. Prof. Nernst
does away with the glass bulb entirety,
for in place of the Combustible carbon
filament he uses fllaments of magnesium
oxide or other materials which are in
i
table for the large proportion of visible
light rays which they radiate. The lime
light and the Welsbach gaslight man.
ties are examples of their value in this
regard. These materials are, however,
under ordinary circumstances non-con-
ductors OF electricity, and Prof. Nernsts
discovery, which admits of their use, is
that when they are heated they become
conductors. Using this discovery in ex-
periments with hollow magnesium tube,
he obtained results which showed the
expenditure of only 90 watts of electrical
energy per candle power, against about
three watts per candle power for the or
dinary glow lamp. This economy IN the
use of electric energy could be utilized
either by putting three times as many
lamps on a wire circuit or by reducing
the size, and consequently the cost, of
the copper conductors for the current. The
cost of these Is now very great
What is known as the Torrens system
for the registration and transfer of land
titles is now in operation in Cook county,
ILL.,, and the Chicago Record gives this eX-
PLANTATION of It: The procedure of bring
ing land under the operation Of the law
is not difficult OfiiCials say the services
of an attorney are not necessary. The
first step is to make application to tho
clerk of either the Circuit or the Super
tered. Blank applications may be pro-
cured either from the clerks of the
courts or at the office of the re-
cOrder of deeds, who, under the law,
, Is register of titles. The application is
referred by the court to one of the eX-
aminors of the Registrars office, who
makes a careful examination of the title
and reports upon 1t. The court then
passes on the title, and if it is approved
the Register registers the title as pro-
Vided by law. The owner is given a certi-
ticate of title, which, after the eXpira-
tiOn of two years, is incontestable.
The fees required for bringing under the
act land to which the owner has clear
title, uninCumbored by conditions or limi-
| tatiOns are as follows:
| Payment to clerk of court on filing ap-
plicatiOn ........... ..................... 80
! Registrars fee for examination of
title ...... ...........s.............. IN
! Advertising .............. .................
Total fees Except charge for indem-
/ nifty fund.- for bringing land under
the act ........................... S2i
| For land subject to mortgage or other
| limitation, or where the titles are derived
! from more than one source, the fees are
! somewhat more. There is another charge
which will vary in amount according to
! the value of the land. When the title Is
| first registered a payment of one-tenth of
! l per cent. of the value of the land is re-
| quired for the creation of an indemnity
! fund. Under the law the title to land IS
made inContestable after two years. In
/ order to prevent possible injury to per-
sons, such, Tor example, as minor heirs,
who may have claims to land which are
! not presented within two years, this in
demnity fund is created, from which
/ such persons may recover for their in
at
charge for the indemnity fund would
. amount to only $40. When land is once
brought under the operation of the act
transfers thereafter may be made on pay.
ment of the simple fee of 50 for register
ing the transfer and issuing and register.
ing the new certificate of title.
According to a Honolulu correspondent
of the Chicago Record nowhere in tht
world. perhaps is the telephone a great
er factor In life than in Hawaii. In
the islands there are about 200,
telephones to population of no.,
90, or one telephone to every fifty-twC
inhabitants. On the island of Oahu, or
which Honolulu is situated. there are
1850 telephones to a population of about
$4,000, or about one to each forty-one Oi
the population. The correspondent adds
THE telephone is much more of a publ,
institution here than 1t is in most places
Isolated as the islands are, the arrival o.
a steamship from a foreign land is of per
sonal interest to almost every individual
The government maintains lookout sta
tion on Diamond Head, from which ap
preaching vessels in any direction can b
sighted while still from twenty to fort,
miles distant, depending on the state G
the atmosphere. AS soon as a steamer I
sighted central is notified. Central thCl
notifies the pilot office the port physician
the board of health, the custom house, tn
pOstotliCe, the newspaper offices and
few other persons who have particula
interest in having early information O
this character. Then the electric ligh
company is notified and il Eives two Ion
whistles If the steamer is from AmeriC
and three If ii Is from any other part o
the world For two minutes after thes
whistles are blown no telephone coneC
tiOns are made, but the force at 'centra
keeps repeating the name OF the steame
and its location, as Australia of kok
Head or China off Valance So that a
any individual needs to do is TO go to tn
nearest telephone, put the receiver to hi
ear and listen, and he will know wha
steamer 1t is, where 1t is, and If he ha
lived here any length Of time he can forT
an accurate judgment as TO how long
, ! will be before the steamer will be at tn
p wharf. If the steamer brings any strl
ing piece of news OF general interest 'cer
tral' gives IL to everybody who calls u
Tor connection. In this way the destruC
| tion of the Maine was known all over tn
| island within ten minutes after the Zea
andia, which brought the news, was
. ! the wharf"
Leaving the disgrace and humiliatio
out Of sight, many an officer in the arm
{ or the navy would be glad" writes w. !
p | Curtis, "to receive the sentence that Wa
1 passed upon General Eagan In fac
nine-tenths of the population of the cart