The Somerset reporter., 1900-04-12
Liquid Air.

The postal revenues of this country
have been considerably increased of laie
by the circulars sent forth by liquid air
"promoters". Interesting and attractive
schemes are set forth and many people
are of course led to invest their earn ngs.
The American people are always willing
to test any new thing, and, because we
do not hesitate to accept improvements.
we areIcalled progressive nation. 1t Ia
an unfortunate fact, however, that all
that Is new Is not good. Liquid air is a
novelty, but it is we'll to consider
whether 1t really possesses all the wonder.
full qualities claimed for ii. First OF all
it is not patentable, and the patents on
the machines invented for its manufae-
ture and use are not above suspicion. A
trade journal Of unquestioned authority
states that these patents will not hold,
and it may be added that this same
journal was foremost In denouncing the
"marine gold" scheme, when that craze
was at Its height.
10 the second place, liquid air Is not a
new power with "marvelous possibilities"
as the circulars say. 1t is medium for
the storage of power, but a relatively
poor one, for liquid air is, at best, expen-
sive in its manufacture and wastetul In
its application to work. The best ma
chine today requires IL horse power,
hours, to make gallon of liquid air aud
a prominent investigator of the subject
states, that not more than "a of horse
power of work can be obtained from this
z dion, even under the most favorable
circumstances.
Furthermore, liquid air cannot be kept
without waste. Unless it iss kept under
pressure, which means danger II the
temperature is allowed to rise, there
must be constant evaporation. Thus a
tank fl led with gallons in New York
and taken to the city of Washington,
suffered 10 two days loss of over one.
half. This is a serious matter, when
liquid air costs s. 90 gallon. Liquid
air then is not inexpensive, and when
the circulars tell of the "inexpensve and
perpetual source OF supply" and refer to
the pipe projecting from the roof of the
factory, they fail to mention what is
more .important-the coal which mus
fill the bins that feed the boilers that fur
nish the steam to run the lqufier
Liquid, air is m trvelous material with
which to perform experiments before al
audience, but the worlds work Is done
in more prosaic way, in which dollar!
and cents count for more than magica
effects.
AS a refrigerant liquid air is no
economical, but this will not prevent il
doing good work in hospitals where
expense is not so important as dry
cold atmosphere. In shipping perish
able produce, two or three pounds oil
good K ,nnebec ice are worth as much al
a gallon of liquid air, and the ice costs
much less. Looking at the matter il
IiilS way III SctlHS budG we uluSL bdkt
issue with those who claim that "nt
other invention ever devised has before Il
such tremendous possibilities for gen
eral use and vast returns"
W. may safely assume that thu
outlook TO stockholders IN these liquit
air companies is not what the promoter
would have u9 bill eve. L. would indeed
be strange il iC should be. "PromOters'
are people of vivid Imagination and thei
enthusiasm frequently leads them tt
over ate the property or scheme il
which they are interested, even if they
are strictly honest. II is safe to weigh
we'll extraordinary Inducements held ou
for rapid accumulation ut wealth, ard bt
wary of brilliant offers of exceedingly
profitable investments.