Amador ledger., 1909-02-05


bath room or bed cham ber. Water is
admitted at the bottom. Turning the
electric switch permits enough water
to enter to iii the system of pipes,
thus insuring them against burning
out and this is heated to l40 degrees f.
in about 40 seconds. The stopcock
below the switch is then opened.
when a Estesdy stream rises over
series of water-tight surfaces lnolos-
ing the heating coils and emerges at
the overflow quite hot enough for the
bath. The current can be either that
of IL sixteen -candle-power inandes-
cent lamps Of the ordinary kind or
half as much, the latter giving COR
respondingly slower healing. The
cost of the current necessarily varies,
but even at the high rate of ten cents
an hour. the expense of a hot bath
would be small.
Our deserts are to give US some of
the surprises of the near future, as
DR.. g. r. Keyes points out. ] he arid
regions. with an inch to foot of
rain year, are by no means repul
sive, but even scientific men are only
just becoming acquainted with their
beauties and possibilities. The land
scape is striking. The deserts are
mountainous, yet the broad sand
plains are the dominant feature, aud
the mountains-though bold and
lofty-rise sharply from the level ex-
panse. The earth as we see it has
been carved by water. The deserts,
as has but lately been discerned. have
been soulptured and leveled by the
wind; and the rocks, free from
chemical action, are unweathered,
bright and fresh.
Factory smoke-chiefy from btu
minous GOALS becoming so harmful
to vegetation in Germany that the
Saxon Ministry of Finance has offered
asprize of S2400 tor the best preven-
tive of the harm by sulphurous acid
and other vapors, also; $500 for
compendium of the literature of the
subject.
Electric transmission lines of high
voltage are liable to serious accidents
from sudden increase of pressure
through unskillful manipulation of
apparatus on the line or from Light
ming. The curions property of some
metals of becoming coated with q film
of non conducting oxide that is
broken down by high tension currents
gives means of providing an auto
matte overflow, analogous to the
safety value of the m-engine, and'
electrolytic valves seem to be serving
successfully in the United States and
France. valve of this kind, de-
scribed by A. Troller. as being tried
on a French railway line, consists of
two aluminium plate electrodes dip
ing into a suitable conducting,liqu |
On the passage of a low tension
current, oxide forms on the plates,
almost instantly stopping the electric
flow, hut when the tension rises above
400 volts, the insulating layer dis
appears. and the current passes free
ly. Most electric systems allow
higher voltage than this. A sufficient |
number OF aluminium electrodes ar
;anged in series, however, will give
any desired resistance, and valve of
eleven elements will not open until
the tension exceeds 4, 600 volts.
Considering earthquake forecasts,
DIR. Il. K. Gilbert finds that the
places liable to be shaken can be
pretty we'll determined by geological
evidence as we'll as from past expert
ence but, there is little reason TO eX'
pect satisfactory prediction OF the
time of earthquakes. The one we'll
known earthquake district of the
United States includes central and |
southern California, with areas in |
Mexico and the Pacific Ocean. Alaska
also has district. and there may be
a third In Utah. Since the beginning
of the last century, Alaska has had at
least 8 destructive shocks; and IL are
listed for California district. or IL if
the Oregon earthquake of 1867 and
the Sonora aud Arizona OF 1887 be
included. Other United States earth
quakes have been the New Madrid of
l8ll-l2, the Charleston of 1886, and
the New Madrid OF 1865.
The novel bIeakwhter at Algoma,
Wis, is being built of huge hollow
blocks of reinforced concrete "a feet
long, 10 wide aud II 1-3 high, each