The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-30
NOTES ON SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

Comm railroad extension. the principal feat.
urc OF the machine being plough. which
throws the dirt endless roll and by this means
the material IL and dumped ina stream into the
carts which latter llow by the side of tho grader
US it advances In appearances. the grader Is large
fonr.whcclcd wagon drawn by eight mules in front.
with four more pushing behiad. There is u
high platform on the front, on which IL II seat
for the driver. aud in the stands the foreman
| who controls the machine BY system OF wheels
and clutches the plough and its guiding wheel, a.
tachcd to the side of the wagon at the left. be
raised or lowered and from the plough running up
ward to the right side of the cart the carrier or
elevator which receives the earth from the plough
and casts II into the dump carts. This is cOntnu.
Gus rubber belt which three rollers two OF
which have sprOckets. chain connecting the rollers
to system Of gears and pnion, the large gear en-.
circlng the inner hub of the right cart wheel
The mules start tho cart, tho wheel starts the
gear, and the earth s cast up by tho plough on the
carrier and over into dump cart which moves
alongside until filled.
Some interesting data have been published by the
French Meteorological Bureau, Paris. From these II
appears that on the average. Spain has about 900
hours of sunshine year, while Italy has 700 less.
and France has within 100 of Italy; but
than LOO are credited to Germany while England.
beset with fogs. has but 400. The fall OF
rain in England IL. however. greater than that Of
any other European country. In the northern part.
| ana on tne Dlnu plateauS OF SCOTLAND, ABOUT SD1
inches fall each year and London ia said to have
tho average - rainy days in the year. and ton times
the quantity OF rain that falls Paris Further
northern Germany has rainfall OF 300 mmetres.
and In Alsace the water ia reckoned at $50 MILNE
tres. Among the Alps. 1t. Bernard receives tho
greatest rainfall the average registered there
being .564 mllimetres.
In recent article in the Bulletin of the Geolog-
ical Society Of America. Prof. Edward orion OF Ohio
gives readable resume OF the geological probable
tiles as to petroleum.. the origin OF tho substance
and the conditions under which 1t occurs being set
forth in all interesting manner. In accordance with
the opinions OF many other wel.inown geol ogsts
Prof. Orion concludes that tho fluid is OF organic
origin derived from either animal or vegetable re-
mains. He also argues for tho importance OF rock
structure In determining the position OF petroleum
deposits and further that tho oil is formed in tho
Identical stratum or rock in which II 10 found. In
other words, and contrary TO investigations made by
other eminent scientists, he believes IL does not
migrate either up or down through the rocks.
comparison between the cost OF oil locomotives
and electric motors in some OF the mines Of Europe
where both are used, has been made with interest
ing results 1t is said that in ono mine the cost OF
the former has been one and half pence per train
mile against three and fourth pence the case
Of the electric motor while the cost OF two oil loco
motives is reported to have been nefourth of the
COsl Vi Gus Inc nitrogen and
carbonic acid evolved by the former not enough
20 vitiae the atmosphere. and 1t has the advantage
OF compactness: working on q two foot and III
gauge and when exerng six horse power. II is able
to take a maximum load OF seventeen tons. II
further appears that. when running at the maxi
mum speed OF four and one-haf miles per hour, and
with the full load the consumption OF oil is barely
six AMI onc-half pounds per hour. BY means of
special gear. tho engine runs backward or forward
at the will Of the operator.
In Its endeavors TO improve tho national marine
lfc-saving system the United States Board for that
purpose has recently examined n considerable mum.
Der Of appliances brought to its attention by inven
tors Among these is model of a serpentine shi p,
constructed by James Graham. the peculiar feature
Of which is that the body OF the ship will revolve in
the water and the occupants will be in an interior
cylinder. Perhaps n more practicable idea is tina
, presented in tho makeup OF life preserycrs de
, veloped by c. Molor OF Norway, who has made ,
padded vest and used reindeer hair for padding the
claim being that such hair whether dry or wet is as
buoyant as cork and moro durable. In behalf OF
this latter device it urged before the board tina
life prcserNers belts made Of canvas and filled
with reindeer hair have the desirable advantages OF
giving to the user more freedom of action, Will" there
Is also less liability to catch distinctions to nure
the hands by contact when rowing.
} Anew article. known as the geatine or Van luar,
! silk. is noticed IN tho Tsrti, Induuri>. But this
srtd" it is asserted lacks the essentials called for
in substitute for the natural fabric in that i,
so:trns in cold water and dissovea in that which
hot It Is well understood that. in an artificial silk
dress Of the harlounet order the wearer takes tie
risk Of heng consumed by flames. but In Vauduara
, garment there must be no exposure to rain Never
theess, meeting the difficulty in question chem
| istry has recently discovered that formsldehyde
, snmCans for insurng tbs insolubity Of gelstine
, silk not only in water but in most Of the &C.
inc tba aly apta h,3,,
to dry passes through the glass tubes used in the
artificial process as smoothly collodion and the
machines send ont the gelntine threads by k!lo
, meters. One workwoman can daily reel off several
hundred cocoons each yielding 800 to 200 meters
r of raw silk. while ono man get through with
, length of artificial threads which equals that con
tanned in nearly - 900 cocoons.
Chemists have for some time past been producing
orreproducing tho more valuable perfumes in the
laboratory, and in this way have succeeded in
evolving from coaltar the true scents of newmown
hay, carnations. &C. the expectation being also
: eventually. these artificial products will take the
place largely OF those now derived by dstillatior
and otherwise from flowers and other parts OF
plants. probable exception to this is the tube
rose, TO obtain which in it's perfection the French
resort TO the so called "enhowering" procesi
Of extraction. This method consists In plac
ing tho blossoms IN contact with layers o,
grease on panes OF glass in frames. the flow
ers being renewed from day To day-fats Of all sorts
having a special affinity for perfumes absorbing
them readily and thus the grease which Is 4 refined
lard. takes up the odOr from the blossoms becoming
at length saturated with it; the lard is stee ped
: in alcohol, which has still more pronounced
affinity for perfumes. and il withdraws the odo rifer
GUS essential oil from the grease. Jasmine perfume
It is stated, cannot he initiated by com bnation Of
U other odors, being an exception in this respect.
The great notorlety achieved recently in mining
= | circcs-and financial as well-by the remarkabl,
copper region at Butte, Mon gives interest t. IN.
fact that this phenomenal metallic belt is 8 900 fee
wide at its western end. Missoula Gulch and UOc
feet wide at 600 feet east OF that point the usua
strike OF the copper lodes being about east and west
The ore deposits are not always sharply defined tn,
. ore passing over gradually to altered country
rock Of no special value. The formation in which
: these famous deposits occur is granite the crop
pings in most consisting OF dark red or brown