The Washington herald., 1911-11-05

The winning out Of DR.. Wiley has
given most people a clearer notion
than they had before of the for
mIdable power welded by the really big
scientific men here in Washington. From
this time on the distinguished chemist
will swing the whole authority Of the
government where matters relating to
the sale OF foods are concerned, as well
as in a good many other important af-
fairs-the bureau of which he is chief
being not merely n group Of experimental
laboratories, but a great administrative
office, charged with the enforcement Of
wide-reacfing laws.
To cite another instance the greatest
individual spender of the government is
a scientific man-Frederick H. Newell,
who is at the head of the Reclamation
Service. In the last eight years he has
paid out no less than $50, ,547 600.
He has done a good deal with the
money, however. For one item, he has
constructed 5,967 miles OF canals, many of
which carry whole rivers. He has built
2.193 brides, and has completed three of
the highest dams ir the world-the best
known of these being the Roosevelt Dam
in the Salt River Valley II Arizona. In
cidentally, he has bored great holes
through mountain ranges, and has eXca-
waited rs, ,6660OO cubic feet of earth and
rock.
All of this work has been done for the
purpose OF creating artificial oases in
formerly desert valleys by storing water
during the season of rainfall In huge
reservoirs in the mountains and distrib-
uting 1t over the thirsty land in the dry
months. During the present year $2O,-
0O0 900 worth Of crops has been produced
on these irrigated patches, and as a re-
suit of the enterprises in twenty-eight
valleys land values have increased more
than $106, 100000.
President Benjamin Harrison said that
one, Of the most important achievements
of the government under his administra-
ton had been the production of a salts
factory smokeless powder. This powder
was, the invention of Prof. Charles T.
Munroe, who is the greatest expert in
explosives now living. Although he is not
in the service Of the government, he is
employed by it from time to time to
make special experiments or to do orig
inal research work of one kind or an
other. Thus, for example, he made for
the Treasury a series OF tests of the ef-
fects of high explosives upon safes and
vaults-the results obtained being pub
lished in the form Of a bulletin which
the newspapers spoke Of Jocularly as the
Burglars Guide"
Prof. Monroe has made some very in
terestlng discoveries in regard to the
explosiveness of certain things which are
not ordinarily regarded as dangerous at
all. For instance, in explaining the oc-
currence of occasional disasters in flour
mills>he has stated that the contents of
a twenty-five-pound sack of flour mixed
with 1900 cubic feet of air will, II ig-
nited, generate force enough to throw a
mass OF iron weighing one ton forty-hve
miles up into the sky. Gunpowder is no
more dangerous than common household
flour II the latter be set afloat in the
air. But sawdust, cork dust. finely pow
dered starch, malt dust, or even soap
powder will explode with frightful vio-
lence under similar conditions.
The government is now thinking serf-
ously of adopting a new idea Of Prof.
Munroe'S, which Is to color the outside
of the grains of all the smokeless pow
der used by the army and navy with a
dye which will change its hue in case
chemical decomposition. Such decomposi-
ton, causing the powder to set itself on
fire, Is said to have been accountable
for the recent blowing up Of the French
battle ship Liberte. The material used
for the aforementioned purpose may
perhaps be colorless, only assuming a !
pinlkish or blush tint in case the powder
goes wrong. The idea, Of course. Is that
any batch of smokeless powder which |
has begun to decompose shall make its
condition Immediately visible to the eye. |
Most men, in order to get along in this |
world ind It necessary to proclaim
themselves to some extent They must |
tel folks how really important they |
are, lest perchance they be overlooked. |
Quite otherwise Is it with Frederic A.
Lucas The most unassuming person |
he would, in all sincerity. |
have you believe that 1t was mere acci- /
dent which elevated him recently to
the position OF director OF the great /
Museum OF Natural History in New
York City.
Not very long sEO. Mr.. lucas was thel