The Washington herald., 1908-06-21

portant feature OF the museum will be an
inventors laboratory. The Munich Mu-
scum Of Safety Devices has one that has
been IN successful operation for some
time Here special problems will be
taken Up and investigated under the d.
rection Of committee. The laboratory
would also serve as a help 10 the poor
inventor lacking in means 10 secure ma
terial and place where he might deveIou
his ideas
An interesting exhibit was a mine gal
lery installed by the Carnegie Steel Com
pany. II showed how the construction OF
steel, instead Of wood. is being used 10
make the galleries of mines safe and
strong The steel beams, the tagging, and
the track were all OF natural size An
other exhibit attracting much attention
was that OF an automatic railway signal
by which the dispatcher IN the secIusion
of his own Office. with the train sheet In
front OF him, indicating the whereabouts
OF every train on the line. can at will at
any minute talk with any engineer in his
cab at any point on the line. warning him
Of the peril in the block Just ahead OF
him. II this warning be not needed. the
dispatcher by the simple turn OF a lever
can shut off the power in the locomotive
so thai It Will come to full stop. A
recording device on the locomotive shows
when and where a danger signal was
given. how quickly an engineer responds.
and the speed Of the train, among other
things.
A new fire-hghting device for use at sea
was also exhibited. II resembled an UNI
brelia stand in appearance, and was filed
with sixteen speaking tubes connecting
with as many pipes going TO different
parts Of the ship. In case Of fire, the sue
ton fan on top OF the umbrella stand will
draw the smoke up the pipe from the
compartment where the blaze IS and
through the tube. thus making # possible
20 locate the fire at once. This being
done, the officers In charge merely screw
cap on the tube and by the turn OF a
valve let in live steam, which very soon
quenches the fire.
There is a model press. with an arm or
small bar operating at right angles 70
the descending press. that pushes away
the operators hand. rendering IL impos-
sible for him 10 crush his fingers. There
are woodworking machines with saws
and knives revolving thousands of times
a minute, fitted with guards that permit
the workman's hands 10 push the work
along or 10 glide harmlessly over the
knives or cutters. al the same time not
interfering with the speed or limiting the
output
The Travellers Insurance Company. Of
Hartford. sent an odd exhibit. which,
next TO the mine gallery, probably at
tracted the most attention of those not
scientifically bent II consisted OF sam
pies Of defective elevator cables dlscov-
cred by the Travellers inspectors while
on their rounds. photographs Of the dam
age caused by boiler explosions, and ar
rangements showing how they could
have been avoided. and rotten beams.
ropes. and other defective things caus-
ing accidents 10 those insured by the
company.
Devices for preventing accidents in fac
tories and shops are being invented every
year. generally by men who are in dan
ger OF the very accidents which they
seek 20 prevent. This Is laudable work
But IL is even more important that en-
couragement be given those inventors who
are seeking 10 devise schemes for pre-
venting those accidents which involve
many persons and which come without
warning 20 the innocent and unsuspect-
ing. The shame Of the American rail-
roads is their annual death list II the
movement headed by DR.. ToImsn shall
aid in cutting down that roll OF horror
II will deserve the recognition and COM
mendat!on Of the nation.
Copyright, 1905. by Frederic J. Haskin}