Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1902-10-17

may be held in the bare hand almost
Immediately, because the development
OF the heat is too rapid to affect sur
rounding bodies unless kept in contact
with the molten mass longer than it
remains in the crucible.
$50 great is the heat that the rail
would be still hot to the hand at the
end of eight or ten hours if the mold
were allowed to remain unopened 80
long. The practical utility of the in
vention is shown by the fact that steel
rails are now welded by this process in
Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Cassel and
other German cities.
at is also q success in welding
pipes into continuous lengths, miles
long, if necessary. For pipes only the
Stag (not the molten metaD is allowed
in contact with the pipe joint. Many
other uses have been suggested for
thermite, and it will work a revolution
in the great industries of iron, steel
and other metals.
ain conclusion it may be remarked" !"
says the scientist, "that the thermite
mixture is safe to handle and safe to
stOre-as safe as sawdust. Only very
high surrounding temperature or the
ignition of the priming material will
make it burn. OF course it is never
added to the mixture until . demon.
stration is to be made. The constitu-
ents of thermite may be transported
separately, to be mixed on the spot.
Until they are mixed they are as harm.
less az sand"
Such are the wonders of chemistry, ,.
suggesting Emerson's claim. thought
sets men free" BY a single process
flame applied to metal filings-prison
bars melt and vaulted dungeons flow
like water.
What is the secret hidden in these
cold metals? Only the Creator knows.
Everybody has seen aluminium. 1t is
q cheap, silvery metal, a. light As
cardboard, yet, in its various forms, it
composes about one twentieth of the
great earth's crust. Marvellous to re-
late, many metals are of the alumni
mum form. Mixed with copper every
day, aluminium becomes the cheap
gold OF commerce, as used for cheap
watch cases, jewelry and settings for
artificial stones, now widely displayed
in show windows.
These stones, almost as hard as
those of nature, are of corundum, an
oxide Of aluminium. The corundum
referred to above is the famous SUBJ
stance recently manufactured by elec-
tricity at high temperature. 1t is q
kind Of precious substance itself, near
ly as hard as the diamond. and among
the gems of its various forms are sap.
phires, amethysts, rubies and topazes.
Another wondrous element is chrom-
ium. In its pure state it 10 of q tin
white color, like aluminium. After
fusion it is even harder than corun-
dun. It oxidizes slowly and in oxy.
gen burns vividly. 1t does not occur
native" but is found in chrome iron
stone, lead chromate and metoric
iron. One of its forms is supposed to
be the green that gives resplendent
lustre to the emerald. When arti.
ficially made this kind OF chromium is
of dull green color and is popular
with manufactures for importing q
green tint to porcelain. The most
important use of pure chromium is to
harden steel. With it Krupp tempers
armor plates for battleships.
By chemistry the pale.faced modern
Faust, working in his laboratory,
makes metals out Of clay and many
marvellous combinations. What they
will do when sxillfully proportioned
and exposed to heat the story above
gives Q Understanding as it were,
for the forces at work in space, Great.
ing heat and electricity, making suns
burn with indescribable fury, colliding
with peaceful planets, mixing their
metels in a second OF time-and new
worlds seem to leap into vision, balls
Of molten fire sweeping through
space; vast cyclones Of fame, making
Pelee cold storage vault by compari-
son. All this seems simple enough as
explained by modern chemistry, giving
men unlimited power. making them
gods, as it we're, to first master them
selves and then the universe.
MRS. Bizzy-I am 30 sorry to hear
that your wife has been throwing the
crockery at you again, Casey. Where
did she hit your
Casey-Fai:h, ma'am! That's what
Oi do be sfther complainin' av. Twas
. whole set av dishes broke to pieces
an she niver hit me wanst.
Mr.. Straitlace Awful to see In.
dians drink so, isn't it,
Pisen Pete-You betl It's . clear
waste O. good liquor.
>H%
"WONDER what Brown needs to
make him . successful authorf"
" Nothing but q story to tell, and
brains to tell it,"
POPULARITY is one thing, notoriety
is another; but If you cans be popu-
lar, get notorious-don't be ignored.