Amador ledger. (Jackson, Amador County, Calif.) 1875-19??, 1910-04-08

Improved Protective Slates-A Motor
of All Work-Platnum That Is Part
Platinum Germs at High Speed.
"Amalgaline, designed for making
Joints in plumbing and other lead-work'
is a very thin ribbon of easily fusible
metal, that, having been treated with a
composition to prevent oxidation, is
placed between the surfaces to be
joined, and on the application of heat
melts and causes the other metals to
amalgamate at temperature below their
normal melting-point. The process is
adapted for Joining brass and copper
parts to lead pipe, uniting pieces of lead
pipe, and many other purposes. Quite
unlike ordinary soldering, the amalga-
line is claimed to pass into the surfaces
joined by molecular absorption, causing
the junction to become stronger than
other parts of the material. Severe
tests have demonstrated this greater
strength The process is stated to give
more economical as we'll as stronger
work than any other and wide range
OF applications is foreseen.
The reinforced macadam pavement
under trial near Paris, the idea of M.
Quiet has a foundation of concrete 2
inches thick; and on this, along its
length, are laid steel strips feet apart
with steel wires at a distance of s
inches on each side, and smaller cross
wires at intervals of 8 inches, cement
mortar containing broken stone being
spread thickly on this reinforcement.
The steel strips are a inches wide and
SIG inch thick set on edge; the main
wires are about Is inch in diameter.
The road, resembling in appearance an
irregular stone paving with cement
| joints, costs from 1.20 to S1.40 per
square yard, but it is expected that its
durability and small repairs will make
it as economical as ordinary macadam.
The brightness of the sky is interest
ing astronomers. The luminosity of the
background of the sky proves not only
to be greater than the total starlight, but
the brightness varies during the night
and from one night to another, and in
creases toward the horizon. 1t has been
suggested that besides starlight we have
/ With l;Ubt t,1uol, Of WI ,,,oU
| be due to permanent aurora.
For obtaining large photographs of
distant objects, lens OF long focus is
essential, and such a lens is accom-
modated without sacrifice OF portability
in novel recent camera, which divides
the focal length into thirds, the light
entering the lens being reflected by two
mirrors in a Z-shaped patch to the
plate. BY this method a camera l6
inches long provides for lens of As
inches focus. Another advantage is
that the deficient luminosity obtained
win ordinary telephotographic cameras
is overcome, and rapid instantaneous
photographs may be taken, snapshots in
1000 of second giving clear and
we'll defined views. In tests from a
free balloon of the Swiss Aero Club,
pictures were secured that would have
been impossible with ordinary appara-
tus. From a distance of nearly mile,
scenes in the Rhine valley were photo
graphed, and houses. trees and men
were distinctly brought out, although
such objects were practically indistn-
guishable in photographs of the kind
usually taken.
Electricity is used in Germany for re-
moving grease from metallic objects.
When the metal is used as negative pole
in hot solution of potash or sodalye,
sheet iron or pieces of carbon forming
the positive, the oil is driven away in
a few minutes. II was at first supposed
that the alkali transformed the fatty
matter into soap. Investigation by
Barth, however. has shown that paraain
anu OlIlSI olIy SupSldlSSo tii"l Sa'lhOt DS
saponihed are removed very quickly by
the electric current, and the explanation
seems to be that the bubbles of hydro
gen set free act mechanically to drive
off the particle OF oil. The action takes
place only when the fatty matter is
liquid.
Asbestos states, now produced in
Munich are claimed to have been made
quite waterproof and as hard and strong