Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1902-12-08

fAAWsMN SSs@- -&a.=e--A
According to note in the Electrical
Review, a gas engine, when coupled
to a dynamo, produces three times as
much light in incandescent lamps, and
about eleven times as much in arc
lamps, as the same amount of gas
would produce If burned directly at
gas jets.
The largest coil of wire rope ever
made in Brooklyn was turned out by
n rope company of that city recently.
1t measured 17,700 feet in length, or
over three miles, without break, and
weighed 22,030 pounds. 1t is for use in
a bituminous coal mine, was made OF
forty-two strands of crucible cast steel,
took sixteen days to manufacture and
was valued at $4,000.
DR.. Grun, of London has been using
the fluid lens with much success for
taking photographs at night without
any light except the ordinary illumina-
ton used in buildings. For example,
he made excellent snapshot pictures OF
stage scenes in theatres with no extra
light, and even cinematograph views in
the same way. The fluid lens was for
merly used to overcome the difficulty OF
chromatic alteration before the com
bination of flint and crown glass was
invented, but DR.. Grun used it for its
rapidity of action. He thinks that it
will greatly widen the field Of pho.
Biography.
Government investigations of stream
pollution and of the qualities of natural
waters in general have been instituted
by the Division of photography of the
United States Geological Survey. The
work will embrace the sanitary inspec-
ton Of streams, turbidity and color
measurements, and chemical and bac-
terial analyses. The cooperation of
workers in various fields is desired
particularly in the physical and analyt-
ical sections. To secure uniformity in
results, the department has issued two
bulletins setting forth standard meth
DDS of making and reporting analyses,
and describing handy apparatus for
the color and turbdity determinations
Many persons have a notion that the
pineapple grows on a tree. 1t does not.
The plant reaches a height Of only
four feet, to the tip of the leaves. 1t
comes out of the ground as stalk, but
divides at once into sword-like leaves.
fifteen in number, from the centre Of
which projects a stiff, upright stem,
and at the top of this stem grows the
fruit. The stem is short, and the
crown of the fruit, when full grown,
is foot or more below the tips Of the
leaves. Each plant produces single
"apple," but when this is pulled little
sucker appears on the stem among
the leaves, and this becomes the head
of the plant, and within a year pro-
duces another apple. This may go on
for years.
The Catholic University of America
has just equipped an elaborate depart
ment for the thorough experimental
study Of the problem of flight. Part
of the equipment is n wooden tunnel
fifty feet in length, with a cross Sec
ton of six square feet, in which wind
of any desired speed can be generated
by means of a suction fan at one end
of the tunnel. Objects of various kinds
and shapes are placed in this wind cur
rent, and their resistance, lift, drift,
surface friction, etc, are noted. A
gauge that can be read to less than one
millionth of an atmosphere is used
to determine the pressure at all points
in the stream of air. 1t is hoped that
these experiments may furnish trust
worthy data for aeronautic calcula-
tions.