Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1904-09-21
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Variations i'll magnitude have been
detected in several Of the asteroids or
minor planets.
What he calls "emanium" is sup
posed by Gisel to be a new clement
existing in Il strongly radioactive
earth consisting chiefly of lanthanum.
On a zinc blende screen this earth
gives flashes brighter than radium.
Large chimneys ere usually felled
by cutting away the base and setting
fire to the temporary wooden props
placed in the cavity. A new method
has been successfully tried at Open
shaw, England, three large chimneys
being thrown down by dynamite car
tridges exploded simultaneously in
holes drilled in the brickwork
The Cadiz Chamber of Commerce
reckons the total annual production of
cork for the entire world at 81 ,2S7, 100
pounds. Of this Portugal produces the
largest amount. In 1902 it's. cork trees
contributed 32,515,1O4 pounds. Spain
comes next, with a contribution in the
same year of 2S,45O,716 pounds. AL
geria and the other minor cork -produc-
ing countries together contributed TO-,
321 $40 pounds.
Contrary to the general impression
that the supply has been rapidly fall
ing off, recent statistics show that the
timber produced by the forests Of Sax
Ony continually increases in quantity.
This fact is aScribed to the scientific
care with which the forests have been
developed. There has not been dec
ade in the last eighty years in which
the total acreage covered has not in.
creased, and during the same time the
income from the forest lands has
grown skiold. The growth has been
particularly rapid in the last ten years.
Late reports concerning the expert
ment Of preventing dust on the roads
of France by coating the surface with
tar indicate that the results are salts
factory. After twelve months trial
in the Department Of Seine-et-Mame,
it has been found that the dust and
mud, formerly troublesome, have dis
appeared, and the cost of maintaining
the roads has decreased. The mingling
of the tar with the dirt forms kind
of elastic skin over the roadway,
which muffles the sound of footsteps
and renders traction easier An un-
successful trial of a mixture of oil and
petroleum was made before the adop-
ton Of tar for the purpose.
The great weight of storage bat
teries, which is SO serious an objection
to their use on passenger cars and
smaller carriages, is an advantage on
switching locomotives, as it gives nee
eSSary adhesion. Such locomotive Is
being tested in the yards of the Prus-
sian State railways. Among it's spe-
cial merits it claims that of being al
ways ready and that Of costing less
than steam for irregular service. The
battery Of 200 cells is charged once
day from source of constant current
at 10. volts. The total weight Of the
locomotive is $4,000 pounds, of which
$4,000 pounds is the weight of the bat
terry and $500 pounds that of the other
electric apparatus.
/ The proposal that the United States
shall establish game refugees for wild
animals in various forest reserve tracts
is explained by Alden Sampson, the
game preserve expert, who last year
was sent out by the government to
study the question. 1t is intended to
prevent a recurrence Of what hap
pened to the buffalo. Out of the for
mer millions less than 1000 buffalo
now remain, but it is hoped that their
number will increase There are left
two large herds Of elk, one of about
10000 in the Yellowstone Park, and
the other Of about 5000 in the State
of Washington. There is also a band
of 100 in California, and there are
smaller bands elsewhere. The ante
lope and the Rocky Mountain sheep
are nearly exterminated, but refugees
would be formed for them also. The
overflow from the refugees would fur
nish hunting in their neighborhood,
as now occurs with the Yellowstone
Park animals.