Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1902-02-28

The Government of India has just
completed a concrete dam on the PERI
var River to conserve its waters for
the irrigation of 100000 acres of land.
1t is 17G feet in height, 1882 feet in
thickness at the base, twelve feet thick
ON top and 1900 feet In length. 1t is
forty-six feet higher than the Assouan
dam across the Nile. 1t has cost the
Indian Government $2,009,600.
A chief merit in acetylene lies in its
true rendering of color shades at night
One Of the recent large installations
designed to take advantage of this
characteristic is that reported from
Muhlbach, in Alsace, In a cotton mill
employing 500 hands. Between 800
and 900 jets of acetylene are now in
operation daily. Naturally enough it
Is reported that all operatives are
highly pleased with this and other
qualities of acetylene.
A kite for signaling from a wrecked
vessel, and also to be used as means
of sending line ashore has been in
vented by Captain Brossard de Cor
bigny, of the French Naval Reserve
1t is collapsible and readily packed
when not needed for use. When flown
In the air it can be detected at an an
gle of forty-fve degrees from the di-
rection of the wind. By this means a
line may be flown over almost any de
sired spot. The line is dropped by
sending aloft little cutting device
which travels along the cord and is
put into operation automatically when
1t touches the kite.
A new screw propeller, for which va.
rious advantages are claimed, has
been brought out in England, and its
merits We're discussed at the meeting
of the International Congress at Glas-
gov. Mr.. Mumford said that he had
experimental for twenty years with
screw propellers of various pitches,
but had never found one to give higher
efficiency than true screw. Also, that
in propeller designing no reliance
whatever could be placed upon theory
alone; the only course was to obtain
better knowledge by actual practical
tests; so far as he could see, there was
not much hope of improving upon the
screws now in use.
The diamond drill has added millions
of dollars to the mineral wealth of the
world. Its inventor, Ashel ]. Sever.
ance, recently died poor at Denver,
Col. In 1870 he and his associates
sold the patent on the diamond drill
for 100000, and Severance lost his
vestment. At the time of his death he
was about to realize considerable
money on the sale Of patent for the
manufacture of Damascus steel, which
he secured a long time ago, but on ac-
count of the great number of persons
who have claimed to rediscover this
secret, he found difficulty in interest
Ing any one in his process.
1t Is surprising what number of
camphor eaters there are among the
well-to-do classes in India. The idea
seems to prevail that this gum, taken
In small and regular does, gives Pc
culiar clear creaminess of complexion,
and scores of young women buy It for
this purpose. The habit Is, moreover,
very difficult to cast off for camphor
produces mild form of eXhlaratlon
and stupefaction, and in many in
stances, where very large does have
been swallowed, the habit has become
a sort of slavery. These camphor eat
ers all have a dreamy, dazed and very
listless air, and in most of them there
Is an ever present longing to sleep, or,
at least, to rest. Extreme weakness
generally follows the taking of regular
doses, and cases have been seen where
it has been almost difficult to tell the
effects from those of alcohol AS to
the complexion, If CHASTITY pallor be
, an Improvement camphor certainly
produces it.
Fighting Cancer.
1t is stated in Nature that Professor