The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1907-10-19
Correspondence Baltimore County linton.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

Pyrotechnic Metallurgy-Using Old Rub
ber-Telephone Waste-Bread- Making
Research-Land Made Good by It's Peat
Durable Poles-Electrical Black-Ball-
ing-Air- Calming of Waves-The Rope
as Pump.
The curious phenomena Of alloys are only be-
ginning to be known. Seeking an alloy that
would give an iron interior with bronze We
neer-a thing that proves to be not at all impos-
eible or impracticable-C. Vickers, British
metallurgist, made a series of experiments in
the course of which iron was melted in a cruel
bic and alleged with aluminium. It was desired
to learn the effect of adding small percentage
of zinc. A two.ounce bit was cautiously tossed
upon the molten mass, when. after a few sec
onds, series of mufled explosions ensued and
the mixture in the crucible was shot upward to-
ward the roof of the shop. giving beautiful
pyrotechnic display, the iron producing stars,
and the zinc yielding dazzling blue lights, while
flakes of molten metal glowed between. This
continued until the crucible was emptied.
"a
In manufacture, caoutchouc is mixed with
sulphur, or vuIcanized, and with various mineral
substances and organic fbers. Worn out rub
Der has been worked over for some uses for
many years, but DO way Of completely purify
ing has been known, and it has lacked strength
and elasticity. The improved process lately an
nounced by w. E. Reid depends upon A. Tixiers
discovery that vulcanized rubber is completely
soluble in terpinol. The old rubber is digested
with terpinol at moderate heat. benzene is add
ed, the clear solution is poured away from the
insoluble impurities, the liquid is distilled, and
the residue is treated with alcohol and acetone.
The recovered caoutchouc is much like the nat
ural. is very viscous and capable of vulcaniza-
ton, and has increased resistance to chemical
action.
The telephone, apparently so extremely sem
sitive, is found by Henry Abraham to transmit
to the ear less than thousandth of the energy
received from the line.
s*s
In the production and control of a pure food
supply by thoroughly scientific methods, the
Germans are disposed to keep their lead. The
new Government institute for milling research,
experimenting the two institutes for research
in the sugar and fermentation industries, is
equipped with an experimental granary, a wheat
and rye mill and a bakery, together with adj
ministrative Offices and laboratories. the ma
chinery and apparatus being of the most adj
vanced kind, all driven by electricity. The
purpose of the institute is to carry out practi-
cal research and scientific investigation on grain
during storing, milling, working up and baking;
to experiment with the baking of home and
imported grain; to conduct research work for
the Government, and to carry out official and
private analyses of grain, -four, fodder stuffs,
etc. Every effort will be made to investigate
thoroughly the numerous problems of milling
and baking.
In the work of retaining the 5000 acres in
the great peat boys of Konigsmoor and Mar
cardsmoor in the Leer district. East Friesland,
the land will be drained by a network of %
miles of canals, and station for generating
electricity will be established at the junction of
the main canal with the high road from Leer to
Wittmund. Current from this station will be
distributed over an area thirty miles in diam
eter. The peat will serve as fuel, the plows
and other machinery used in fitting the land for
cultivation being driven by power from the bog
products, which will also give light and power
to many surrounding towns.
-
A factory at Grossalmerode, Germany, manu-
features patented telegraph pole of glass in
terwined with strong wire. This pole is spec
tally adapted for use in hot climates, and sue
cessfully resists the attacks of weather and in
sects that soon destroy the ordinary wooden
poles.
The secret ballot provided by the Automobile
Club of America in it's palatial New York club
house consists of a small two-drOp annunciator,
supplied with electric current by a set of four
dry cells, and having wires extending around a
large table to a button-block at each of the
chairs at the table,. When the board of COVER
nors is to vote on an application for member
q curtain. Each member of the board then
presses the white or black button of his block,
and If any black button is pressed the black disc
is seen when the curtain is removed from the
annunciator. 1t is impossible to tell how any
person voted or even how many black balls have
been cast against the rejected applicant. The
APPARATUS, which is the invention of DIR. s. s.
Wheeler. club official, can be quickly put in
place or packed in the battery box.
"a
The most effective means of breaking up sea
waves, giving practically a smooth surface,
seems to be discharge of compressed air into
the water. This new discovery is expected by
Philip Brasher, of Brooklyn, to prove of impor-
lance in various ways. A disabled vessel drift
ing toward shore may protect itself by throw
ing out an anchor through which air is forced,
and lightship may be shielded by a surround
ing circular air pipe giving a region of calm
In the center. More visionary is the scheme to
provide harbors in mid ocean by means of pipes
suspended by floats SO that both floats and COM
pressor plant may be protected from wave
action.
The novel idea of German mining engineer
is an endless rope band as a pump in boreholes.
This absorbs large quantity of oil. or salt and
acid solutions, and the liquid is squeezed out be-
tween rollers as the rope is drawn upward. As
the only weight to be lifted is that of the liquid
on the ascending side, the method is suggested
as economical for draining mines as well as
numninp oil