Amador ledger. (Jackson, Amador County, Calif.) 1875-19??, 1908-06-05

Like worlds, animals and plants,
some elements at least, as we have
lately come to know, are born, live
and die. We know little of their
life periods, but A. Il. Cameron
points out that the activity of radium
emanation falls to one-half in four
days, to one-eighth in eight days, and
so on, but will not completely dis
appear in an infinite time. The half
life period of a radioactive sub
stance, or period when halt given
quantity disappears, can be deter
mined, the time varying from four
emanation to millions of years in the
case of uranium. Sir William Ram
say states that infinity in this con-
nection may mean simply longer
time than we can measure, and that
it is very probable that the atoms Of
radium and other elements may have
definite and measurable life period.
Experiments indicate that the radium
atom has very regular decay, being
little influenced by external condi-
tions. In given mass some atoms
are being born, some may be thou
sands of years old and some may be
dying, and from the rate of disappear
ance we are justified in assuming an
average life of a radio active atom,
and that average will probably be the
actual life of an atom of that ele-
ment.
The Dannert gas, the new German
illuminant for small towns, is made
from oil and coke, and is much
cheaper than water gas, which it
somewhat resembles. The coke used
in its production is less than third
of that consumed for like amount
of coal gas. The new gas yields a
bright flame, and as there are no by
products, the process of manufacture
is simple.
In the process of Leon Dion, partial
decomposition of water by weak
electric current yields oxygen and
ozone that purify the water for drink
ing and other uses at slight cost.
Glass mirrors for the searchlights
of battleships are liable to break and
the silvering at the back often
bllsters, but the attempts to sub
stitute metal for the glass seem to
have been unsatisfactory until the
electrolytic process of SheIrard
Cowper Coles, the British metal
lurgist, overcome the difficulty of
making true parabolic mirrors of
metal. BY this method thin reflect
ing film of silver is first deposited on
convex glass mold, then copper is
deposited on the back until this is
sufficiently strengthened. Such mir
rors have come into extensive use.
but an improved type, in which alter
nate gold and silver bands make up
the rejecting surface, is now claimed
to give more penetrating beam OF
light A new application of the
Cowper Coles process is to the maxi
ing of metallic wall paper. This is
made on continuous rolls of copper
and contrasting metals, either with
or without paper backing, and can
be given the texture of the finest
fabrics, with beautiful colors and
effects. 1t is specially adapted for
railway carriages, cabins and damp
walls. 1t is claimed to be damp
proof, fireproof, economical, and far
more sanitary, artistic and durable
than any other decorative paper ap-
piled to walls and ceilings.
A new idea in ventilation seems to
have given excellent results in the
Royal Theatre, at Stuttgart, at IA low
cost, and without draft, or the usual
heating OF fresh Hi supply. Within
Il few minutes the air of the entire
building is purified Icy means of a
supply of ozone. A small electro
motor and transformer convert IA
continuous current into an alternat-
ing current of the necessary tension,
and another motor and an air blower
force the air through the field of cleo
trio discharge, where the oxygen is
converted to ozone
Glass Is made Iridescent by being
exposed, in red-hot condition, to
the fumes of salts of tin, barium and
strontium. Red Is produced by the
strontia, blue by the baryta, and
blush white by the tin. In ancient
glass, which is more Opaque, iridesc-
ence is due To partial decay.
While the transm ission of pictures