Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-03-30
SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL.

The heaviest metal is osmium,
which has, bulk for bulk, very nearly
twice the weight of lead. The specif-
ic gravity of gold is about 194, while
that of osmium is almost 22l. Os-
MUM is also the most infusible of
metals, remaining unaffected by q de-
gree of heat capable of causing plati-
mum to run like water. 1t even re-
sists the inconceivable temperature Of
the electric arc.
The idea of making starch from
sweet potatoes is being discussed in
the South. Professor f. S. Shiver, of
Clemson College, South Carolina, as
sumes that 800 bushels of sweet pota.
toes can be raised to the acre ordin-
arily, and sometimes 500. Taking
the former figure as his basis, he esti-
mates that the amount of starch per
acre is 684 pounds if made from wheat,
1888 from corn and 264O from sweet
potatoes.
The ST. Petersburg Academy of
Science was interested recently by
note from Professor Karpinsky, de-
scribing some peculiar hail which fell
in Russian Poland. The grains were
pear-shaped and contained black
granules. Chemical analysis showed
that they consisted of iron, nickel and
cobalt, and this satisfied Professor
Karpinsky that they were of cosmic
origin. The iron was magnetic. The
grains, probably the debris of meteors
that had been burned in the upper air,
would have escaped detection had they
not been enclosed in the transparent
hail pellets, where the contrast OF
color quickly called attention to them.
Fine dust of coal or of flour mixed
with air forms an explosive agent which
has been the cause OF many a mine
and hour-mill disaster. Advantage is
taken of this property of combustible
dust in new process of boiler firing
The fuel reduced to dust is fed by ma
chinery into the furnace in which
fire must constantly be maintained.
The instant the dust falls into the
furnace chamber it burns with flash.
almost explosively, and the produc-
ton of smoke is absolutely prevented
and the firing becomes economical as
regards consumption of fuel. 1t would
seem that it might lead to the utiliza-
tion of the enormous mountains of
coal slack which cover so many square
miles of land in the mining districts.
Max Boucheein, Consul at Barmen,
Germany, reports new method for
the manufacture Of artificial silk in
vented by DR.. Fremery and Civil En-
gineer Urpan, in W hich the use of the
injurious nitro-cellulose is omitted.
These inventors dissolve cotton waste
in copper oxide of ammonia, and pump
this solution through fine tubes. The
delicate threats are passed through
diluted acid, which separates the cop
per and ammonia, the result being an
extremely fine, lustrous fibre, which
is employed as an imitation silk. This
process, patented in Germany and in
all other civilized States, is said to
have the following advantages over
those of Chardonnet and Lehner: (D
That the manufacture as well as the
product is in no way dangerous; (2)
that the production is much simpler;
(3) as consequence, that imitation
silk can be manufactured by this pro.
cess at considerably less cost.
A very curious industry, at least to
the uninitiated, is that pertaining to
whalebone, from its original or crude
form to that of its many applications,
useful and artistic. Most of this ar
ticle is landed at San Francisco and
shipped eastward to be distributed at
the various centres. Before leaving
the Pacific coast the bone is split,
sorted according to color, and tied up
in bundles; after splitting, the pie ces
are termed "stalks" or "slabs," are
fro IN three to twelve feet in length
when ready for shipment, and weigh
from five to twenty-five pounds each.
When received by the manufacturer
each slab is fringed with strong, glossy
black hair; this has separate value
of its own, aud is used for certain fur
niture manufactures, and is also mix ed
with horsehair in brushes. On the
hair being removed the slabs are
scrubbed vigorously and then put to
soak in water for about week; when
sufficiently softened they are sub
jected to the action of steam in strong
receptacles of special design, being
thus ready to be split into "shell" or
''grain" bone, and finally cut into
Btays wlipstOcks etc