Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1899-11-23
FACTS OUT OF THE ORDINARY.
But Highly Interesting Just the
Same.


order to get at the facts of the rivers
depth beneath the bridge Assistant
Engineer w. C. Duncan and F. c. Shen-
chan, United States engineer IN charge
of the Niagara river and OF the late
survey at Buffalo, recently maze
soundings from the bridge. Those IA
miliar with the Niagara locality know
that the cantilever bridge is situated
just above the whirlpool rapids, and
that beneath it the current is very
swift. This rapid current made neces-
sary the use of unusual methods 10 as
certain the depth. In the tests referred
to heavy weights were used. These
weights were made of cast iron and
were shaped something like an egg'
supporting long fin in the rear. rms
fin was to keep the sinkers or Welghts
from twisting when in the rapid cur
rent, and thus breaking the wire. Inc
wire attached to the weights was OF
the finest tempered steel, and although
| it was only about an eighth of an inch
in diameter it was warranted to sup
port a weight of 2,400 pounds. One OF
the weights used weighed 900 pounds
and the other $50 pounds. They were
| lowered from the bridge at midstream,
and, striking bottom, it was ascer-
tanned that the depth of the water was
seventy-eight feet. The weights were
raised and then lowered again, and
they were lost, making in all four such
weights at the bottom of the river, for
others had been lost in previous tests
in former years. Another weight was
attached to the wire and lowered about
100 feet out from the shore, when 1t
was found that the depth of water
there is forty-three feet. By means OF
such soundings the Michigan Central is
able to make accurate maps of the
river at the point of crossing, and in
this case it is especially valuable be-
cause of the fact that the cantileVer
bridge abutments are located close to
the waters edge on both sides of the
stream.
Bacteriology has shown how human
ity may count alike upon friends and
foes among the myriads of bacteria
known to u.s. Now it has been found
that bacteria serve even as engineers
who can perform stupendous work
when associated in myriads so long as
they are placed under a favorable en-
vironment. The disposal of sewage by
purely bacterial agencies, which under
suitable conditions convert an often
sive material into simpler and innocu-
Gus materials, is perhaps the best case
in point. But the disintegrating action
of bacteria, though perhaps an indirect
one, must, according to recent Obser-
vations, be reckoned with as a source
of mischief. At first sight it would
seem hardly possible for bacteria to be
concerned in the breaking down of a
stone wall, yet this is the case, accord
ing 10 observations made in studying
the cause of the decay of cement. The
gradual disintegration of the cement
mortar used in water-supply reservoirs
is one of the serious troubles met with
by water engineers, and a trouble
which so far they have not been able
to avoid with any measure of practical
success. Hitherto this action was sup
posed to be the result of the solvent
property of carbonic acid and other
mineral substances commonly present
in a water supply. The cement grad
ually disintegrates and becomes kind
of mud, which slowly detaches itself.
But now it has been found this strange
process is due to the action of none
other than that bacterium known as
the nitrifying organism. An examina-
ton of the mud shows it to be teem-
ing with these organisms.
Emperor William of Germany will
have stable for his horses which will
cost 100000. 1t will be the finest in
the world. It's length along the Spree
river will be three short blocks" in
New York. 1t will have room for 27O
horses, room for 300 vehicles and two
great tanbark riding rings. The sta
bles will be two stories high, with ell
evators and inclined planes. The car
riage room, of equal height, has bal
cony for visitors at the level of the
second story. 1t will take three Years
to build the stable and it will be finer
than that of any other reigning mon
oi III. IL LiIC val VI IluSSld wanted
surpass his dear brother William. he
would only need to spend quarter
of his income for one year-S12 900 900
to do it.
By counting the number of seconds
in the interval between lightning and
thunder it is possible to figure approx
imately how far from the observer is
the scene of the storm. Sound travels
1920 feet second, so multiply the
number of seconds by 1900, which will
give the distance in feet from the point
wher the lightning flashed. For ex-
ample, if ten seconds have elapsed, the
distance away will be 10000 feet, or a
little over two miles. 1t might be
added that, as light and lightning
travel so much faster than sound, if
one survives after hearing the crashing
peal he can be sure he is safe. Re-
membrance of this will dissipate fear.
Thunder can be heard a relatively
short distance only. Strong cannon
aiding can be heard as far off as sew
enty-five miles, while thunder is us
ually not farther away than twelve
or fifteen miles. In only exceptional
instances does the interval between
thunder and lightning amount 10 100