The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-07-25
ASPHALT FROM HERRINop


Asphalt made from fresh herrinc
and shavings Is the latest novelty in
the chemical world, ana Prof. William
G. Day, OF Swarthmore College. is the
genius who has discovered this new
use for the plscatorial deHcacy.
Kippered herring. the smoked yarle-
! ~ and the fresh fish, have so long bee
| standard dishes on the menu thar their
use for anything other than as an edi-
bic appears almost preposterous. In
fact, II suggests the idea that asphalt
paving OF this variety should ne laid
on Friday, and only used during fent
AT any rate the new finny asphalt as
concocted by the professor. does NOT
differ in appearance, weight or to,,cb
from the natural product. In fact ac-
cording TO the philadelphia Times II Is
almost impossible for even an exner,
TO note any dissimilarity.
Prof Day is regarded az the highest
authority in the world upon the 1IIss-
ton OF asphalt. He received a fex,
days ago. specimen OF gilsonite n
natural variety of asphalt which ev-
lists i'm large quantities IN Utah The
chemist MADE careful examination Of
the product from the Mormon Terri-
tory He then asked his assailant En-
gene Leaning. TO secure him sorne
fresh fish and some fat pine ghavinpr
as he intended making some ejlsonito
The assistant greeted this assertion
with intense surprise, but as his super-
ior was not a practical joker ne se-
cured the slivers OF the forest and tbe
denizens OF the deep and eaperIv
watched the peculiar experiment.
Into a cylindrical iron retort were in
troduced number of fresh herring ami
a number OF small pieces OF Fat pine
wood. The retort was connected bv
plaster OF Pags joints with a short
glass tube. and this with gas nine
four feet long. The latter being placed
in an ordinary combustion furnace the
other end OF the pipe was connected
with a Liebeg cold water condenser.
After charging and closing the retort |
II was heated by means of gas stoves. !
which together with the retort were |
surrounded with loose bricks 10 pre- |
vent the loss Of heat. The gas pipe was !
heated TO bright redness by the ccm. /
bustion furnace.
During the progress Of the distilla-
ton water and OIL together with a
white smoke. flowed from the conden- |
ser into the receiver The oil obtained
was lighter than water. OF bad odor
and very dark red i'm color.
This oil was then placed In a G,s-
tilling bulb and heated until about half
OF IL had been distilled away. When the
residue was cooled tt formed a black
brittle solid. This brittleness showed
the same cleavage when broken and !
was practically Identical with the
Utah substance.
That is: Herring plus pine equals as
phalt.
Upon another occas on Prof. Day
succeeded i'm obtaining sIatenite an
other form of asphalt. from fish alone.
he does not claim any prac-
tica value for his new produces. the
are OF great scientific val
ne. III is not necessary 90 make enor-
nous catches OF fish for asphalt pur-
the natural product he
found i'm ample quaDtities. In fact. this
summer Prof Day will visit the prin-.
cipal asphaltum beds in the United
States. i'm the interest OF the Geologi-
cal Survey Department. which has en-
ployed HIM as an expert in this line for
several years. Prof. George Eldrldge oe
the Geological Survey, will visit depos-
It's in the near future and forward
specimens to Prof Day for chemica!
analysis.