Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1902-10-03
FORTUNES MISSED.
Accidental Discovery Of Some Of the Worlds
Potent Forces.

Potent Forces.
The average man, in the course OF
his life, stumbles upon many inven-
tions, though, unfortunately, he has
seldom the wit to realize what he has
, happened upon until somebody else
discovers the same thing or elevates
it. One man in a million may ap.
preciate the value of these discoveries
Many years ago kitchen maid at
Stanley farm, near Burslem, was boil
ing up some salt and water for curing
pork. The vessel used was of un.
glazed earthenware, and, during her
absence from the kitchen, the brine
boiled over. and there was trouble.
Subsequently, the brine refused to be
scraped off the clay, but stuck to tho
outside OF the vessel in shiny water.
proof coat. The story of that acci-
dent came to the cars Of a Burslem
potter. To him it signified some-
more than the wicked waste of
brine" of the kitchen maid. He
pirated the unconscious discovery,
invented" the system of glazing by
common salt, and simultaneously gave
the Staffordshire potteries one of the
greatest boons they have ever exper-
fenced.
In the latter half OF the Eighteenth
century one of the members of little
scientific society in Liverpool laid a
curious wager. He bet brother
scientist that he would read q news
paper by the light of farthing dip,
at a distance OF 80 feet. The B. S.,
finding the feat difficult at even a
sixth of the distance, cheerfully ac-
cepted the wager. The layer merely
coated the inside of shallow wooden
box with sloping pieces of looking
| glass, so as to form a concave lens,
placed behind his farthing dip, and
readily deciphered the small print at
the stipulated distance. The expert
ment was witnessed by a Liverpool
dockmaster. He was a thinking man,
and saw great possibilities in this
learned jest. He straightway adopted
the principle to lighthouse require.
ments, and forthwith the modern
reflected light, with its miles OF effec-
tive range and untold life.saving
powers, sprang into being.
A Staffordshire potter, named Ast-
bury, once stopped at Dunstable, on
his way to London, in order to obtain
advice as to his horses weak vision.
| The hostler at his inn burned some
flints and pulverized them into q fine
powder, which he blew into the ami
mails eyes.
Astbury was astounded-not at the
nature of the operation, but at the
fact that the erstwhile black flint be.
came white with the heat. Surely,
! thought he. if this powdered flint
were added to ordinary pipe clad, it
would, on being fred, produce q far
harder and more serviceable white
ware than ordinary clay. He tried
the experiment, and flint ware was
added to the list OF British manufac-
lures.
Edison was one day walking on the
sea coast, when he came across patch
of black sand. Curious to know what
it contained, he filled his pockets with
it, and subsequently turned it out on
q bench in his laboratory. Just then
a passing watchman stumbled against
the table and dropped the big magnet
he was carrying across the sand.
When he picked it up again it was
covered with tiny black grains, prov.
ing the sand to consist largely of me-
tallic particles. Many men would
have sworn and passed on. To Edi.
son, however, this action suggested the
modern process of metal extraction
from low-grade ores. In this the ore
is first crushed to powder, and then
passed between powerful magnates,
while the dross passes on.
Two centuries previously, a clever
compatriot Of his obtained audience of
the great Richelieu, and astonished
even that Unconditional statesman by
the exhibition of piece of malleable
glass. This had been the quest OF the
trade for many years, and the inventor
was proportionately elated. "It will
revolutionize the glass trade OF the
world" cried he, incautionsly adding
that he alone knew the secret of its
manufacture. at would indeed, were
you to have free play" admitted rhe
crafty diplomat, as he then and there
committed him to Imprisonment for
life. The Cardinal disapproved of
such revolutionary ideas. Under the
existing conditions France had then
the bulk of the worlds glass trade,
and Richelieu had no desire to risk it.
The secret of malleable glass is still
unknown. 1t died with the inventor
probably in the bastile.
WHILE the weather is about all that
is to be desired, it is about time for the