Scientific American. / Volume 7, Issue 4
25-32
fltttiirnt,
VOLUME VII.]
THE
Scientific American,
CIRCULATION 16,000.
PUBLISHED WEEKLY
At 128 Fulton street, N. Y.,
BY MUNN & COMi~N4~
Hotchkiss & Co., Boston.
Dexter & Bro., New York City.
Stokes & Bro., Philadelphia.
Jno. Thomson, Cincinnati, 0.
Cooke & LeCount, San Francisco, Cal.
Courtenay & Wienges, Charleston, S. C.
John Carruthers, Savannah, Ga.
M. Boullemet, Mobile, Ala.
Barlow, Payne & Praken, London.
M. M. Gardissal & Co., Paris.
Responsible Agents may also be found in all the
principal cities and towns in the United States.
Ternss$2 a-year$1 in advance and the remain-
der in S months.
~w ~
Locomotive Race at Lowell.
On Wednesday, last weok, the race to try
the speed of various locomotives took place,
and a great crowd was attracted thither. It
came off over the Lowell Railroad, the dis-
tance being nine miles exact, from Wilming-
ton to Lowell, and the following gentlemen
acted as judges
Professors Treadwell and Pierce, of Cam-
bridge; G. H. Corliss, engine builder, of Pro-
vidence; Isaac Hinckly, agent of the Merri-
mack Mills, Lowell; and W. P. Parott, engi-
neer, Boston. Six engines were run, but the
i~isult of the race, so far as regards the awards
of medals and diplomas by the Middlesex
Mecha~j~~~ Fair, is not yet ascertained, the
relative weight of machines, the pressure of
steam, and other minor matters being taken
into consideration in their decision. The Ne-
ponset, Nathan Hale, Addison Gilmore. of the
Western Railroad, and the Addison Gilmore of
the Passumpsic, the Union and Essex, were
tried; and the A. G. of the Western attained
the highest rate of speed, accomplishing a
single mile in 1 minute 11 6-10 seconds, and
averaging about 47 miles per hour. The
judges report will be published and will form a
useful work of reference.
The Paciflc Railroad.
The St, Louis Republican, of the 20th ulti-
mo, announces the return to that city from
New York, of Mr. Allen, President of the
Pacific Railroad Company. While at the
East he had made contracts for the construc-
tion of a portion of the road, and had ordered
rails for the first division, about forty miles,
and locomotives and machinery for its equip.
ment. It is expected that cars will be run-
ning on a portion of the road by the 4th of Ju-
ly next.
Railroads to the Gulf of Mexico.
Col. Dexter, an experienced engineer, has
contributed an article to the Montgomery
(Ala.) Journal, on the importance of the
speedy completion of the works contemplated
to complete the line of railroad connection
from New York to the Gulf of Mexico.
Locomotives and Brooklyn Author ities.
The Brooklyn corporation has forbidden the
Long Island Railroad running their engines
into the city. It is asserted that great injus.
fice is done by this action; there is a
hot war on the subject between the Railroad
and corporation authorities.
Cuh)a Once a Part of the AmerIcan Continent.
It is the opinion of some of the geographers
that Cuba, St. Domingo, and other West India
Islands were once connected with the main
land. The disruption is supposed to have been
occasioned by a great catastiophe of nature,
long before the commencement of human re-
cords. By this hypothesis the Gulf Stream
now rolls along a channel where once the so-
lid earth defied the surges of the ocean, and
resisted the torrents rushing down the great
rivers Mississippi, Alabama, Tombigbee, Es-
~7sbia and Apalachicola.
NEW-YORK, OCTOBER 11, 1851.
IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR DRESSING MILL
STONES.---Fig. 1.
The accompanying engravings represent an
improvement in machinery for picking and
furrowing Mill Stones, and for dressing stones
of any description, invented by Messrs. S. W.
and R. M. Draper, of Boxborough, Mass., as
briefly noticed by us last week.
Figure 1 is a perspective view; fig. 2 an end
elevation, and figure 3 a sectional view of part
of the machinery. The same letters refer to
like parts. A is a bed piece of cast-iron, with
a circular head-piece, B, at one end. C is a
plate secured to the top, A, and hanging over
the back part of it, and containing a slot
which extends nearly along its whole length.
D E are two upright standards, one at each
end of the plate, A; the one. D, has a ho-
rizontal arm, b. F is a square shaft running in
Fig. 3.
bearings in the upright standards; one end
projects through D, and carries a bent arm, c
through which it receives motion by the cams;
I is a block fitted on the shaft, F, and is capa-
He of sliding along it. This block receives
the end of the hammer arm, J, which carries at
its end the socket, K, bored at right angles to
the length of the arm to receive the pick stock,
N; this stock is a cylindrical metal socket,
having a cylindrical shank, h, fitting into K
and having a slit across it to receive the pick, L;
there is a screw which secures it. The shank,
h,turns freely in the hammer socket, but can
be secured in any position by a key, 1; the low-
er edge of this key enters one of a series of
notches, i, in the top of the socket, and holds
the edge of the pick in any required position.
G is the arm which gives the vibratory mo-
tion to the shaft, F ; it rests on the face of the
ring, B, and has a square hole through it to re-
ceive the end of the spindle which drives it
it has a flange round its low~. edge, overlapped
by the dogs, c e, which keep it in place, but
allow it to rotate; it has a suitable number of
inclined projections, s s, for the purpose of act-
ing on the bent arm, c, thus giving the shaft its
motion. The arm, c, is kept in contact with
the face of the cam by a spring, g; the end oi
this spring projects beyond the end of the arms
and bears under a pin (f, fig. 2), inserted in a
small pillar, H; this spring also gives force to
the hammer, the amount of said force being re-
gulated by the height of the pin,f There is
another spring, si, on the opposite end of the
shaft, F, which can be inserted in either one of
a series of notches in a bar, o, secured to the
standard, E; this spring is for altering the
force of the blows while working, should there
be any irregularities in the hardness of the
stones surface. M is a vertical shaft working
in bearings in the bed piece and arm, b; 0 is a
pulley on it above; there is a small one below.
Z is a band to drive the large pulley from a
smaller one, Q, on the spindle, R; this spindle
receives motion from a crank, 5, which is dri-
ven by the pin, q, secured to the face of the
cam. G.~ T is a pulley hung loosely on a fixed
stud r, secured in the bed piece. U is an
endless chain runniag round small pulleys
[NUMBER 4.
and carrying pins or studs, at any suitable dis-
tances apart. V is a small metal block fitted
to the slot in the plate, C, and capable of
sliding along it; it has a small tongue, u, stand-
in up, which fits in a groove in the back of the
block, I, so as to allow the said, block to vi-
brate easily, but to carry it along the bar, F,
when it is itself moved along the slot in the
plate, C. NV is a catch bar which works on a
pivot, on the top of the block, V; it has
two forks, v, which may be brought in contact
with either of the chain pins, which, when the
chain, U, is in motion, will move the block, V,
along the guide slot and the block, I, along the
shaft, F. X is intended to represent the top
of a mill spindle, and Y a false spindle of the
same form as the mill spindle; this latter has
an eye, x, attached below it by a bent rod, y;
the said eye fits to the top of the mill spindle,
and raises the false spindle to make it form a
continuation of the mill spindle.
OPERATION IN PICKING AND FuauowlNts A
PAIK os MILL STONEsSupposing the bed
stone to be first operated on ; the runner is first
removed to expose the face and bed piece, A,
laid upon the stone with the circular head, B,
over the eye; the top of the mill spindle pass-
es through the head which has a circular open-
ing in it, and is inserted in the square hole in
the cam, G. The bed piece is then brought to
the required position on the stone for commen-
cing the operation. The blocks, I and V, are
moved along thebar,F,and the slot, to one
end (that, we will suppose, towards the end
farthest from the centre of the stone), and in
order to effect this, the catch bar is moved to
bring its fork against one of the studs, on
the chain. The mill spindle is then set in mo-
tion, giving motion to the cam, G.
We would observe, here, that two cams
should be provided for every machine, with
their projections, s s, inclining opposite ways,
as millstones do not rotate always in the same
direction.
Motion being giveato the machine, the cam,
G, as it revolves, acts on the arm, c, raises it
every time it ascends a projection, 5, and al-
lows it to descend when it passes the end of
the projection. Every time the arm, c, is rai-
sed, the hammer and pick are raised by the
motion given to the shaft. Every time the
arm falls the hammer drops by its weight,
which, with the spring, g, causes the pick to
strike the stone with sufficient force to make
the required cut. By the motion of the end-
less chain, the blocks, V and I, are moved
along, carrying the hammer and pick, causing
them to cut in a direct line, until the blocks
arrive at the end of their paths, when, if it is
desired to cut back again, the catch bhr is mo-
ved to the opposite side of the chain, and the
fork, u, brought into contact with one of the
studs on the opposite side of the chain, when
the hammer and pick commence cutting back
in the same line; but if it is required to cut in
another line or furrow, the bed piece is moved
by hand a sufficient distance to bring the pick
to the required point, when it will return in a
new line. The operation proceeds in this
manner, the motion of the hammer and pick
being reversed at the end of each line cut, & c.
When the runner is to be cut, it is laid upside
down upon the bed stone, and the bed piece,
A, is laid upon it in the same manner as the
bed stone just described, but in this case the
mill spindle is not long enou~h to reach the
cam and the false spindle spoken of then comes
into use, which is placed on the top of the mill
spindle and inserted in the cam, and the action
described proceeded with in this case like in
that of the other stone. It will be observed
that, in fig. 1, the spindle, q, is detached from
the crank, S, but they are united in fig. 2.
The attention of millers will no doubt be di-
rected to this machine, and more information
can be obtained by letter addressed to the in-
ventors, Messrs. Draper.
I
TII
1.. -
I L~
Figure 2.
~cientif ic ~hnetiean.
Foreign Correspondence.
LONDON, Sept. 28, 1851.
Leather.
I believe that I have not said a word about
the articles of leather exhibited here, and for
this I must ask my countryrnen~s pardon, for
the tanning interests of America are indeed
very great, and employ millions of capital.
The leather of the United States being mostly
of hemlock tanned kind, has attracted a great
deal of attention, not so much for its compa-
rative quality with the English BenI am
speaking of sole leatherbut from its own in-
dependent quality. The leather here is more
than twice the price of the American.
while it is generally acknowledged that ii is
not l)y any means as much superior in quality.
The color of the hemlock skins has been ob-
jected to, but that is nothing to sensible tan-
ners. an(l a decided compliment has been paid
to the American tanners by the English, for
they have said every hide in the American
(lepartment is tannedthoroughly tanned.
This is not the case with leather from Russia
there is not a hide of sole leather exhibited
which is tanned in the middle. This shows
that the principles of tanning are thoroughly
understood in the United States, while in Rus-
sia they are not. The Russian leather has a
peculiar smell, derived from birch bark
which is used in the tanning I believe. The
English leather looks well, no sole leather
here can equal it, but I think I have seen
some Baltimore leather as good. The French
fine calf skin is the best by far exhibited,
and maintains the high character which
France has long had in this article. There is
a great quantity of leather exhibitedevery
nation that shows a rag, shows a piece of
leather. It seems to be an article of manu-
facture belonging to every nation, tribe, and
tongue. The quantity from Turkey is consi-
derable, and looks very well, but no leather
surpasses that in the English department ex-
cept the French calf spoken of. I have been
told that the old methods of tanning are still
pursued in England, and that of many plans
brought forward to shorten the process, with-
in twenty years, all have been abandoned. It
was supposed at one time that by exhausting
the air out of the pores of the skins, confining
them in a strong air tight vessel, and letting
in the tanning liquid, that the skin would be
tanned in a few hours, as the ouse penetrated
at once into the interior of the skin. Whether
from a defect in the apparatus or the mode of
workingI do not know, for the plan looks
reasonablethis process was tried and aban-
doned. Pressure has also been resorted to
that is using a force to drive the tanning liquor
through the pores. This plan was also aban-
tloned, and it is now asserted by English tan-
ners, that the action of tanning is slow, that
it requires time for the tannin and the gluten
of the skins to amalgamate and form a truly
good insoluble substance named leather. Well
there may be a protound chemical truth at
the bottom of this idea soon ripe and soon
rotten, is an old proverb and contains much
truth. The English way of tanning is to
commence with very weak liquors and very
gradually increase in strength, and all the
tanneries proceed on this slow principle. It
is said if strong tanning is used early in the
process, to quicken it, the solution is prevent-
ed from reaching the middle of the skin by a
too early formation of leather on the surface.
Oak bark is the common tan used in England
along with some catechu. The latter makes
bad leather, but is very full of tannin.
I have been informed by some English
tanners that there are not one half of the hides
tanned in England that there used to be.
At one time the export of English leather to
the IJoited States was very great, now it is
very small comparatively speaking; English
leather once found its way into some parts of
Germany where it is now excluded. There
is a finish about the English fine skins for
bookbinding, which no other leather possesses.
It has a smoothness and closeness of grain
which makes it look beautiful. It strikes me
that I never saw such skins inAmerica, I
hope this hint will not be lost upon our leath-
er dressers. We can do whatsoever another
peopje can do, and a little better in the long
run, I think. It only wants the attention of
our people directed to the precise object, and
then they are sure to go ahead. In respect
to leather, I subscribe myself as usual.
EXCELSIOR.
Great India Rubber Patent Case.
The long contested india rubber cases, be-
between Goodyear and Day, came up for a
final hearing in the U.S. Circuit Court, for
the District ofNewJersey,in Trenton, Sept.30,
before Judges Grier and Dickersout. There were
two actions, one at law and one in equity, in-
volving the validity of the Goodyear Patents.
The defendant was ready and demanded trial
in the suit at law.
The plaintiff filed an affidavit, and moved to
postpone the trial at law, moving at the same
time that the case in equity, praying for an
injunction, should be taken up and tried before
the suit at law, upon the ground that the de-
fendant, by certain contracts, was technically
estopped from denying the validity of the
Goodyear patent.
The defendant demanded a trial at law, on
the ground that it was the only action by
which the validity of the Goodyear patents
could be tested; the counsel for the plaintiff
as earnestly insisting that the suit in equity
ought to be tried, seeking, seemingly, not so
much to try the validity of the patents as to
estop the defendant from contesting them on
the ground of his contracts.
After considerable skirmishing between the
counsel, on both sides, for two days, it has
finally resulted in the continuance of the
suits pending between the parties until the
15th of February next, in order that the
testimony on both sides may be completed.
Thus, therefore, the matter stands.
There is surely something wrong about our
patent trials. Delay after delay and no settle-
ment. This is not right.
Something for Farmers---Exporting Peaches.
It is known that the United States produces
immense quantities of that most delicious iruit
the peach, and so far as we have heard,
none have ever been brought to this country.
A gentleman on board the Africa has, howev-
er, made the attempt, and with some care has
succeded in bringing them in a perfect state.
He has brought them as a present to the fami-
ly and friends of a gentleman farmer of this
town, who may, therefore, claim to be the
first importer of ripe peaches from the United
States to England. [London paper.
As next year in the customary course of
things, may be expected to be a good peach
year, we hope our farmers will lay past the
above information, and endeavor to profit by
it. A profitable peach trade may be carried
on between this city and England. The time
will yet come when fresh fruits will be ship-
ped by every steamer, the same as they are
now shipped every evening from this city for
Albany and other northern cities.
Singular Case.
Dr. J. H. Davis, of Pine Plains, N. Y., died
on the 16th inst., from a small wound inflicted
while performing a post mortem examination
some two or three years since. After suffer-
ing about a year with a severe pain in his hand
which received a cut, to all appearance the
dicease had left it, and he appeared in usual
health until about six weeks before his disease,
when the pain re-appeared and spread through
The whole system, causing great suffering,
which was unconquerable till relieved by
death.
Commissioner to Examine Into the Factories.
The Providence (R. I.) Mirror announces
that Welcome B. Sayles, Esq., has been ap-
pointed by the Governor a Commissioner to
examine into the condition of persons employ-
ed in the factories of that State, their ages, the
number of hours that they are employed, their
opportunities for education, & c., & c., all of
which is to be reported to the General Assem-
bly. Mr. Sayles has entered upon the duties of
his commission, and expects to present a par-
tial report at the October session of the Gene-
ral Assembly.
Benjamin Robbins Curtis, Esq., of Boston,
has been nominated by the president to fill the
vacancy on the supreme iench created by the
lamented decease of Mr. Justice Woodbury.
Improved Melodeons.
Mr. A. L. Swan, of Cherry Valley, Otsego
Co., N. Y., has taken measures to secure a pa-
tent for an improvement in Melodeons and
other keyed wind instruments of a similar na-
ture. His improvement embraces three new
and useful results in the construction of the ex-
hausting bellows alone whereby it is made
first, to exhaust nearly double the quantity of
air to that exhausted by the ordinary exhaust-
ing apparatus occupying the same space; se-
cond, it produces a peculiar clear ringing
tone, which the ear can appreciate, but which
cannot be described; third, it exhausts with
equal power at all times, no matter what may
be the position of the movable flap or top of
the receiving box, thereby sustaining a note
with uniform power as long as the apparatus
is exhausting. A new improvement is also
made in working the bellows in a more con-
venient manner, by which the operation is ren-
dered more easy to the performerthis latter
improvement is of great value in operating the
instrument. Mr. Swan has long devoted his
attention to the construction and improvement
of such instruments, and has patents for former
improvements. Engravings of his Parlor Me-
lodeon will be found on page 228, Vol. 5, Sci.
Am.
Imprevement in the Manufacture of Gongs.
Mr. Vine B. Star, of East Haddam, Middle-
sex Co., Conn., has taken measures to secure
a patent for a new and useful discovery in the
manufacture of gongs or sounding plates like
cymbals and Chinese gongs. The invention is
a very original one indeed; it consists in ma-
king the basis of th~ gong of sheet iron or
steel, putting a rivetted rim round it, and then
putting an alloy of tin or copper, or any suit-
able metal to give the gong the proper tone.
The operation is a chemical one, and involves
a knowledge in the manipulation of coating
metals. The art of making bell metal and
gongs is quite a secret, and the toning of such
metals is a very critical and troublesome ope-
ration. Perfect command of the exact tone for
every gong is asserted to be held in the hand
of Mr. Star.
Improvement in Attaching Hubs to Axle3.
Mr. Elnathan Sampson, of Claremont, Sulli-
van Co., New Hampshire, has invented and
taken measures to secure a patent for an im-
proved mode of attaching hubs to axles, the
nature of which imurovement consists in attach-
ing the hub to the axle by means of two col
lars attached to the axle, each of which has a
flanch at each end, and there being a disc at-
tached to the back band of the hub, it slides
between the double flanches of the collar, thus
coupling the hub and axle together in a very
simple manner. Dust and sand are prevented
from getting in between the disc and flanches,
by a head which is on the outer side of the disc
and flanches, and which projects over the rim
of the outer flanch.
Night Lamp for Ships.
A night lamp has been invented by Mr. H.
Carmick, of this city, with a view 01 prevent-
ing collisions at sea. The captain proposes
using at night large plates of colored glass to
designate the particular course which a vessel
might be heading. By the use ot bright co-
lors, as red, green, yellow, & c., properly dis-
posed, it would seem that accidents at sea may
be avoided. Something of this kind is imperi-
ously demanded, both from the increasing num-
ber of steamers and the increasing rate of
speed. Captain Carmicks plan has been sub-
mitted to the N. Y. Chamber of, Commerce,
and received from that body a favorable re-
port.
California.
By the latest news from California, the
country appeared to be in a desperate state
morally, or the papers greatly exaggerate the
state of affairs. Lynching was quite a com-
mon practice. The gold appears to arrive in
considerable quantities, and the crushing and
washing of the quartz rock by machinery
were operations which now gave better re-
turns than mining in the mountains.
Destruction of Vines in Europe.
The Allegheny River,
Mr. Ellet, the eminent engineer, has recent-
ly published a report respecting some surveys
which he has made of our western rivers, it is
fidl of interest as the following extract will
show
By precipitating the waters of the Alle-
gheny down a slope of more than 1~000 feet of
perpendicular height, over the borders of the
basin, into the Lake, a succession of cataracts
might be formed which would rival Niagara in
sublimity.
From the remote sources of the Allegheny,
a boat may start within a few miles of Lake
Erie, in sight, sometimes, of the sails which whi-
ten the approach to the harbor of Buffalo, and
float securely down the Conewango to the Al-
legheny, down the Allegheny to the Ohio, and
thence to the Gulf of Mexico. In all this de-
scent of 2,400 miles, the descent is uniform and
gentle.
Horse Power Ditching Machine.
Mr. Charles Bishop, of Norwalk, Ohio,
has brought into requisition a machine to do
away with spade labor.
His machine is worked by horse power, and
is provided with a revolving excavator, the
shaft or axle of which lies in the direction of
the length of the ditch. The excavator is of
a screw form, and is operated by an endless
chain. The ditch is cut of a semi-circular
form, and it deposits the cut clay, or other
kind of excavated earth in a box, from whence
it is delivered at one side on the road by scra-
pers attached to the endless chain. The ma-
chine being propelled forward by a friction
wheel or roller, moving in the ditch, and ope-
rated by the excavator shaft. [Tribune.
[See, on page 388 of our last volume, a no-
tice of this invention.
New Propeller.
The Sentinel and Witness, Middleton, Conn.,
speaks highly of a new propeller which has
been tried there on a boat. It is the inven-
tion of Mr. Franklin Kelsey, of that place, and
has been named the Fish Tail Propeller.~~
It is said to be very simple (so are all our
propellers), but we are not able to form an
idea of its particular form nor action by the
description.
Florida Salt.
It is estimated that from 30,000 to 40,000
bushels of salt are made annually at Key West
by solar evaporation. The salt is said to pos-
sess superior qualities for saving meat, and is
much sought atter. The business is now car-
ned on to a small extent, but can easily be ex-
tended a thousand-fold, as the natural salt
ponds are very extensive. It is predicted that
it will become a very important trade in a few
years at Key West.
Discovery Relating to Bees.
It has always been regarded as a fact that
bees require the light to be carefully excluded,
but we learn by the North American Gazette
that Mr. Longstreth. of Philadelphia, a clergy-
man, has hives of his own invention in which
the bees are exposed to the full light of day so
that all their beautiful works are as easily ex-
amined as the articles exhibited in a shop-
keepers window. They do not manifest the
slightest dislike to such a perfect flood of
light.
Trade Between the United States and Canada.
The Montreal Herald of the 29th ult says
The largest sale of wollen shawls that ever
took place here, or we believe, on this continent,
was made by Scott & Glassford, yesterday, for
account of the Bay State Mills, situated at
Lawrence, near Boston.
The attendance of merchants from various
parts of the country was very largebiddings
were spirited, and every lot on the catalogue
was sold, realizing a satisfactory price.~l
Locomotives for the South.
The splendid new railroad engine Poto
tomac2 which waa in the Jubilee procession
at Boston on the 19th ult., and attracted uni-
versal admiration, was shipped on board
schooner Joseph James, and arrived at Norfolk,
A parasite plant has attacked the vines in Va., on Wednesday last week.
Naples, Tuscany, Parma, Piedmont and the The Malta Times announces the death of
States of Rome. The grapes become bitter, the celebrated African traveller, James Rich-
and when partaken of produce acute suffering. ardson. He died in Africa.
I
k
scientific ~hneticnn.
(For the Scientific American.)
Adumbration of tiLe Creators Transcendent
Wisdom In the Adaptation of Things.
There is not a more fruitful theme to excite
the human mind to gratitude, adoration, and
l)raise to the omniscient Parent of all things,
than the contemplation of the nicety with
which he has adapted all things to all other
things, to bring about the beneficent purposes
which manifest themselves in every part of
creation, and become the more obvious the
more we contemplate them. Here the mind
may feast as in a garden of perpetual and ne-
ver-ending delight; and, when death closes a
long life devoted to this subje6t, we shall have
but entered on the threshold of an inexhausti-
ble theme, which will likely engage the un-
remitting attention of immortal beings during
an endless existence. But I can only mention,
at present, a few isolated instances.
The earths axis is inclined to the ecliptic at
an angle of about 23~~: this position makes
nearly its whohs surface inhabitablegives us
the different lengths of days and nights and
produces the changes of the seasons with all
their varying vegetable and animal produc-
tions, which could not all have existed if the
position of the earth had been much different.
It is often stated that every part of the earths
surface enjoys an equal duration of the 5~fl~5
light, but this is not accurately true: the dry
land approaches the north much nearer than
the south pole, and the earth moves faster
through the northern part of her orbit than
through the southern, because she is then
nearer the sun, so that our summer, north of
the equator. is about 7 drys 17 hours longer
than our winter, and the contrary in the south-
ern hemisphere. And as it is day and night
alternately but once a year at the poles, it fol-
lows, of course, that the duration of sun light
must be proportional to the duration of sum-
iner and winter. Besides,if we count the du-
ration of twilight at the poles, which there
lasts about two months after sunset and com-
mences the same length of time before sun-
rise, there must be more light in the north po-
lar region during the year than any where
else, without taking moonlight into account;
for the whole time of night would be only
four months; whereas, at the equator, days
and nights are always of equal duration, and
every where else the aggregate times of days
and nights during the year are very nearly
equal.
If the earths axis had been perpendicular to
the plane of the ecliptic, then the sun would
have always appeared to move in the equator
the days would always have been every where
equal to the nights; there could have been no
changes of seasons any where, and consequent-
ly the variety of vegetable and animal produc-
tions would have been very limited. Again,
if the equator had stood at right angles to the
ecliptic, the poles of the earth would have been
situated in the ecliptic itself, and thess, to a
spectator on the equator, the sun, as he left the
vernal equinox, would every day perform his
diurnal revolution in a smaller and smaller cir-
cle, until he reached the north pole, where he
would halt for a moment, and then wheel about
and return to the equator in reverse order, in-
crcasin0 his diurnal circle until he reached the
autumnal equinox, where he would be vertical
for a moment in his passage to the south pole;
here, in consequence of the refraction of light
produced by the atmosphere, his whole diame-
ter would be a short time above the horizon;
and the two days when the sun was at the
poles, would be the longest to the equatorial in-
habitants. To a spectator living north of the
equator, the sun, between the vernal and au-
tumnal equinox, would advance continually
northward, making his diurnal circuits in paral-
lels farther and father distant from the equator
until he reached the circle of perpetual appa-
rition, after which he would climb, by a spiral
course, to the north pole; and then as rapidly
return to the equator, and begin to repeat simi-
lar appearances to those residing in the south-
ern hemisphere. It is easy to perceive that,
in this last case, the earth would be uninhabita-
ble, for the norther and southern hemispheres
would have alternate day and night of half a
years duration, except a short twilight near
the equator, and the light of the stars. The
same reasoning may also be applied to the
moon.
vaporized it absorbs sensible heat. When the
sun rises, us summer, he heats objects very fast,
and would scorch every animal and vegetable
being were this increase not speedily checked
by the evaporation of water. On the contra-
ry, when water freezes, it throws off heat, and
thus warms the surrounding air. Hence, the
warmer the sun shines the more water he eva-
porates, and the snore he evaporates the more
the heat is moderated; and lest this should not
suffice, the Creator has made the additional pro-
vision of perspiration. Again, the increase of
cold does not augment as fast, after the tempe-
rature of the air has arrived at the freezing
point, as before, and sometimes not at all. If
the cold continued to increase during the whole
night as fast as it does the first hour aster sun-
set, ice would be formed almost every night in
the year, and vegetation could not take place.
To avoid this the all-wise Creator has so con-
~rived his works that the water, which was
converted into vapor by absorbing heat in the
day time, is condensed by the absence of heat
and made to give in the night what it had im-
bibed during the day, to surrounding objects
and hence the dew.
(To be concluded next week.)
A Moving Monatain.
The Genoa correspondent of the Newark
Advertiser narrates the following incident
I notice, as apropos to this report of subter-
ranean disorder, an account from Hun0ary of
the actual movement of a mountain !a feat
which the Mahometan prophet tried to accom-
plish in vain. The Hungarian Gazette tells us
that on the 13th ultone of the very days on
which Naples was shakenthe mountain
Geleztas, in the county of Clausenburg,
Transylvania, moved towards the mountain
Nenyikesboth mountains being from 800
to 1,000 feet in height. The town of Mono-
~ which was, before the movement,
an hours walk from the last named mountain,
is now scarcely twenty paces distant from it
having been removed with the terrene move-
mentand is threatened momentarily with
burial. This movement lasted from the af-
ternoon of the 13th to noon of the 15th. It
occasioned incalculable losses; all the plains
at the foot and around the moved moun-
tain, with their ungathered harvests, being
ruined. In their place now appear rocks of
great height, and the features of the landscape
are entirely changed, No one of the old own-
ners can recognize his fields. Waters have
broken out in the whole vicinity, which is
converted into a rocky marsh. The popula-
tion of the village, some four or five hundred,
fled to their next neighbors. The account of
the phenomena is given with all the appear-
ance of truth, and I transfer it to you as it
comes to us here.
American Clipper Ships.
In every respect, as it relates to swift sailing
vessels, America stands far in advance of all
the rest of the world. This year she has gain-
ed imperishable fame in hes yacht and steam-
ship contests with England, and also with a
new style of vessels named Clippers. These
ships, it may be said, have come into exis-
tence for sea voyaging within two years.
They are built more for making fast passages
than for carrying cargo. They are beautiful
in shape. and carry a great amount of sail.
The vessel of this class which createdthe great-
est excitement in this city was the Flying
Cloud, built by Donald McKay, of Boston, and
she has made the fastest run to San Francisco.
She made the voyage from this city in 80 days.
In one day she run 374 miles, averaging about
16 knots per hour. This beats our Atlantic
steamers. In three days she run 992 miles.
Our steamships must look to their laurels.
We have the foreshadowing here of the pas-
sages which we yet expect from our steam-
ships, namely, seven days trom New York to
Liverpool. It will require our steamships to
run at the rate of about 17 knots per hour to
do this. They will do it yet, and if we live
twenty years longer we shall see it.
Cast Iron Fronts of Honses.
The Scientific American says that the great
majority of new brick and free-stone buildings
for stores which are now being erected in New
York, have the fronts of their lower stories
made of cast-iron. This is also the case in
I have heretofore shown that when water is Baltimore; %ut in no city in the Union has
there yet been attempted such a structure of
iron as the building at the corner of Baltimore
and South streets, for the Sun printing estab-
lishment. [Baltimore Sun.
This is so; the Sun building referred to was
designed and cossstrsscted by the ingenious Bo-
gardus.
The Aisiericasi Arctic Expedition.
This expedition, fitted out by Mr. Grinnel,
of this city, and associated with everything
honorable to his name, has returned aster a
cruise of more than a year, in which incredi-
ble hardships were endured, and in which the
greatest courage, patience, and energy were
displayed by all, from the commander to the
humblest mariner.
IcE-LOcKED AND DRIFTINGTO give some
knowledge of the difficulties experienced in
navigating the Arctic seas, the expedition was
locked in ice for nine months. During this
time they drifted one thousand and sixty
miles,a polar drift of unprecedented extent.
During this whole imprisonment iii the ice
the two vessels suffered comparatively little
damage. The Advance lost her bob-stays and
part of her false keel; the Rescue had her
cutwater and bowsprit literally chisseled off.
Having got both his vessels liberated, Capt.
De Haven determined again to try to prosecute
his search, and turned the Advances head to
the northward. He succeeded in reaching
the upper Melville Bay region, but was there
again hemmed in by ice.
From this he was not liberated until the
19th of last August, at which time the season
had so far advanced that it was impossible for
him to proceed and accomplish his purpose,
even supposing that everything should be fa-
vorable and no ice intervene. He therefore
determined with great reluctance to return
home.
Scuavv.During the time mentioned that
dreadful disease, the scurvy broke out, and some
things connected with it exhibited marked pe-
culiarities. For example, Captain Dc Haven
had a wound on his finger, made when a
school boy, by a blow from a cane, and many
years ago completely healed and forgotten,
was re-opened by the disease. A similar re-
sult attended a wound which Dr. Kane receiv-
ed in the Mexican war, and indeed every man
exhibited a similar illustration of this phase of
the disease.
They called at the Greenland ports, where
they obtained full supplies of frdsh meats, ve-
getables, fruits & c., and Dr. Kane soon had the
happiness of seeing the scurvy entirely disap-
rear.
SAFETY OF FEANsLsN.It is the opinion of
all the officers,~we believe, that there are hopes
of Sir John Franklin being yet alive. Capt.
Penny, of the British expedition entertains the
same opinion, and he has returned and asked
a powerful steamship to go back at once and
commence the search anew. Lady Franklin
has written a very feeling letter to Mr. Grin-
nel : hope deferred maketh the heart sick,
and she is failing fast with anxiety, fears, and
doubts.
CuasossTszs.The expedition has brought
back a number of curiosities from the northern
regions. Some boats used by the Esquimaux
are curious pieces of sea furniture. They are
made by stretching seal-skins over a light
frame-work of wood, shaped very much like
a flattened cigar, both ends being very sharp,
with a hole in the top about 14 inches in di-
ameter. The whole length of a boat is about
12 feet, by 14 inches in width, and 8 inches
deep at the centre. The boatman slides his
legs and hips through the aperture in the top
of the boat, extending his legs lengthways.
The upper part of the boat is covered with
seal skin. The boatman propels his craft with
a double-bladed paddle, about seven feet in
length, made of light wood, and slightly fa-
shioned, the main part about 1 1-2 or 2 inches
in diameter, and the blades 4 inches wide, and
ornamented with ivory. With this he moves
his boat through the water, at a very rapid
rate. By a dexterous movement with his
oar, an expert boatman will completely turn
his boat over, and come up on the opposite
side, still retaining his accustomed situation.
In this fragile vessel he pursues his avocation
of spearing seals in the roughest weather.
A number of Esquimaux dogs have been
brought by the expedition..~They are very
docile in disposition, but the very reverse in
appetite. They eat at one meal as much as
would feed three of our dogs, of the same size.
They will soon get over this however, the
climate will work the cure. They are stout
built and very strong.
One of the officers of the Advaisce killed a
white bear and the skin is brought home as
a trophy. The bear measured eight feet nine
inches from tip to tip. The foot of this bear
measures twenty-one inches in length, inclu-
ding the claws, and about fifteen inches wide:
and the weight was about 1.800 pounds. He
was killed with buck shot while swimmisig
in the water, under the bows of the vessel,
impelled there probably by curiosity. The
officers of the expedition killed quite a isum-
ber.
EsQusasAux ~ DREssSome dresses of
the natives are rather curious, especially those
around ~ Bay, some of which adorn the
museum of the vessel.
The dress of the married lady is cossiposed
of a pair of short seal skin pants, fur outside,
extending nearly to the knee joint, where it
meets the legs of the boots, iTnade of the same
material, or of deerskiis. The upper part of
the person is covered with a kind of sack
with a hood for the head, and sleeves made
whole with the exception of a place for the
face and arms. This also is made of sealskiss
or deerskin, and in the warmer weather is
covered with a fancy-colored cotton cloth
sack. In the coldest and wet weather the
cloth sack is removed and a seal skin cover-
ing, without fur, placed in its stead. This
composes their whole dress. The dress of an
unmarried lady is distinguished by a broad
band made of fancy figured webbing about
two and a half inches wide, sewed oss each
side of the front of their pants, extendisig near-
ly the whole length of them. A married
woman can also be distinguished from an un-
married one by the hair, which in both cases
is tied upon the top of the head, and the ends
of that of the married are colored blue, and of
the unmarried red.
The boots are made very iseat. The upper
leather is colored. They tan deerskins with
urine, and their sealskins are dressed in a beau-
tiful manner, simply by drying and rubbing
them with a smooth stone. A pair of slip-
pers complete the wardrobe of a lady in the
Esquimaux country; these are neatly fringed
round the tops with white rabbits fur. The
dresses of the males are very similar to the
married ladies, with the exception that they
are longer and rather heavier.
WHALEs, & c.White whales with greess
backs were seen in great numbers; the horn
of a nar-whale, about lIve feet long, is an evi-
dence that fish as well as land animals carry
bayonets. Red snow water and Russian moss,
a kind of eatables, are also subjects of more
than mere curiosity. A party ascended an
iceberg 300 feet high. Every step upwards
was cut out of the ice.
AsisuszaszNTs ANSi ExEstessiEDuring the
time that the vessels were, frozen up in the
ice, the men and officers practised every day
in drawing the sledges, as they were expect-
ing every hour almost to have their vessel
crushed, and their only means of escape was
to travel by ice across ~ Bay to the
nearest port, Uppernavia, a distance of between
two and three hundred miles. Two sledges
of provisions, enough for thirty days full ra-
tions, was all that could be taken along, and
these were kept loaded and in readiness the
whole time, to start at a moments warning.
The men also had their knapsacks ready for a
move. Ten miles a day is all the distance
that can be made in a day with a sledge
the ice being very uneven, and covered in
many places with deep snow and frightful cre-
vices.
For the amusement of the men, and to oc-
cupy their time, a theatrical company was
formed, and performed nightly to a large audi-
ence, using the deck of the Advance as a thea-
ter, it being housed iii. One evening during
the performance, the mercury stood at 36~
below zero, and the average during the day
was 2l~. Yet they did not suffer from the
cold.
The expedition has returned without the
loss of a man, which speaks volumes alike for
the officers and men; and is no mean praise
for the surgeon of the expedition.
27~N
~dentific ~LmedcAn,
Improvement in Musical Instruments, Combi-
ned Pianoforte and Flute.
Messrs. James and John McDonald, Piano-
forte makers, this city, have invented and ta-
ken measures to secure a patent for some very
unique improvements affecting the combina-
tion of the pianoforte with the flute, organ, or
other wind pipes, forming a combined instru-
ment named The Euterpean ~
The piano and flute accompaniment can be
made to play on the same pitch, or the flute
may be made to play an octave lower than the
piano, at the same time. The piano can also
be made to play alone; and the jacks of the
piano can all be prevented from operating,
whereby an effect is produced the same as if
an octave and concert flute were playing to-
gether. The piano and flute arrangement can
also be played separately as two instruments,
the melody upon the flute, and the accompany-
ment upon the piano. The flute arrangement
can also be played singly. The wind chest is
arranged to occupy but very littlh space. This
is an improvement whereby a combined in-
strument is produced 01 very varied powers
and great range of action. It will, we hope,
as it is a credit to their genius, be of great be-
nefit to the inventors.
improved Heating Stove.
Mr. J. M. Thatcher, of Lansingburg, Rens-
selaer Co., N. Y., has made a very good im-
provement in Air-Heating Stoves, for which
he has taken measures to secure a patent. He
employs a series of tubes or cylinders, arranged
within one another above the fire box and
around the chimney, with a space around and
between every pair, a number of these spaces
being connected at the top and bottom to form
flues leading from the fire to the chimney and
the intermediate spaces between the first na-
med spaces, forming air passages. through
which, and also through smaller tubes passing
through the flues, the air passes to be heated
for the more effectual heatin~ of the apartment
in which the stove is placed. Th& connections
between the several spaces are formed in such
a manner as to cause the heated products of the
fire to ascend and descend through the spaces
forming the flues, and to circulate through them
all befbre reaching the chimney, but at the
same time allowing the air to pass directly up-
wards through the intermediate spaces and
small tubes to a chamber above them, from
which it is distributed. The intensity of the
heat can be regulated in the passages, so as to
induce the greatest flow of air through the
highest heated flues.
Improvement in Apparatus for Boring for
Water.
Mr. John Thomson, of Philadelphia, has in-
vented an improvement in machines for boring
for water, for which he has taken measures to
secure a patent. The improvements consist in
employing a series of springs which are placed
around and work loosely on the shank or rod
to which the boring tool is secured, and which,
by their elastic action, press against the sides
of the hole and keep the rod of the borer in a
true vertical position; these springs descend as
the boring chisel descends, and thus the hole
of the well is bored with vertical precision.
This is an important consideration, when pipes
have to be inserted afterwards in the hole;
but, above all, it allows the boring action to be
carried on without loss of labor by the angular
action of the chisel. The boring chisel or au-
ger receives a systematic rotating motion by
means of a forked cap placed on the shank of
the tool and worked loosely thereon. Small
diagonal chains are attached to the springs and
the cap, a pin attached to the shank catches
into one of the forks of the cap as the shank
ascends, and forces the cap upwards, the cap,
(and consequently the shank of the boring
tool) is turned by the chains assuming their
own right line of tension.
New Wire and Picket Fence.
Mr. E. L. Hagar, of Frankfort, Herkimer
Co., N. Y., has invented a new improvement
in the construction of fences, which consists in
the combination of picke1~s and horizontal wire
cords, so constructed and unitec~ with the posts
that the wires threading or running loosely
through the pickets which they brace, may be
strained or tightened by drawing up the ends.
Measures have been taken to secure a patent.
L
ELECTRICAL PROCESS OF PURIFYING LIQUIDS.
The accompanying engravings illustrate an
invention for extracting impurities from fer-
mentable and other liquids, secured by patent
in England and America, to Mr. Andrew
Crosse, of Bloomfield, Somersetshire, England,
The invention consists in applying electric cur-
rents to act on the liquors to be purified. In
treating wine, beer, or other liquids, the cur-
rents can be applied before, during, or after
fermentation. The best apparatus for apply-
Figure 1.
e
taming the liquid, and are open to the atmos-
phere. c is the containing vessel, and it may
be of any size. Supposing the said vessel, c,
to contain wine, beer, or other fermenting li-
quid, the electric apparatus is made to act upon
the liquid during fermentation, until it is as-
certained that the proper degree of attenuation
has been obtained, when the pure liquid is re-
moved, casked, and closed. Water is employ-
ed in the porous vessels, a d, which are char-
ged with clean water daily. In the vessel, a,
there is a plate of zinc, d, and in the vessel, b,
is placed a coil or cylindrical frame, x, fig. 1,
of iron wire, and these are connected by a
strip of sheet-iron, e. The specification states
that the electric action on fermented liquid, in
a closed cask or other vessel, prevents it be-
coming sour. The above apparatus is to be
introduced into a cask or other vessel, in such
a manner as to leave the vessels~ a b,opeato
the atmosphere, and by such means may wine,
beer, and other fermented liquids be restore~
from partial acidity or sourness, and preserved
from becoming more acidulous. The inven-
tion may also be applied to purify water, and
for this purpose a similar vessel to c, and a like
apparatus, may be used. The impurities of
the water would be precipitated, and any acid
or alkaline properties would go to the vessels
a b, and by such simple means will water be
found to be purified. In applying the inven-
tion to sea water, the water is first distilled
ing electricity for the purpose stated, according
to the opinion of Mr. Crosse, is that exhibited
in the engravingsfigure 1 being a vertical
section, and figure 2 a side elevation; a b are
porous earthen vessels, immersed in the liquid
to be operated on, so that the upperpart comes
above the liquid, and when such apparatus is
to be used in or applied to a closed vessel con-
taining the liquid to be treated, the upper parts
of the vessels, a b, rise out of the vessel con-
Figure 2
Ar
I
and afterwards operated on by the electric ac-
tion, as set forth. To improve the taste of the
sea water, it should, in addition, be made to
pass in small streams through the air. Filter-
ed water for drinking should also be made to
imbibe the atmosphere in the same way. Wa-
ter, without being charged with air, is very in-
sipid to the taste. This invention, it is also
stated in the specification, tends to preserve
milk and keep it sweet, by the same means
and action as that described for the wine, by
simply placing the milk in an open vessel
like c.
The claim of this patent is for the applica-
tion of electric action to separate or extract
impurities or matters from fermentable, fer-
mented, or other liquids. We have presented
the substance of the official specification deri-
ved from the Patent Office. We have not ex-
perimented with the apparatus, but the inven-
tor must have been fully satisfied of its merits
or he surely never would have been at the
enormous expense of five hundred dollars for
the simple fee to our Patent Office. In Eng-
land it cost him somewhat more than this, but
these sums are nothing to the benefit which
can be derived from the invention by the pub-
lic, if it accomplishes the objects stated. It is
so very simple that any person can construct
and use it; and in presenting it thus before our
readers, we believe it will elicit no small
amount of attention.
INTERFERING HORSE-SHOE.
It is our desire to set before our farmer, engraved to explain its peculiarities in the full-
everything new and useful in the mechanic est manner. The correspondent who describes
arts in which they have an interest ;we there- the shoe is Mr. Soloman W. Jewett, of Wey-
fore select from our worthy Gotemporary, the bridge, Vermont, who does it well:
Boston Cultivator the following inventions Interfering, or striking one foot a~,ainst the
the illustrations of which we have had neatly fetlock of the opposite leg, is quite a common
and serious difficulty with many a fine horse
that carries a shoe. I design in this article to
show how a horse may be shod, so as to pre-
vent concussion while the limb is in motion,
accompanied with a sketch of an interfering
shoe, to be adopted in extreme cases. Per-
haps there is no piece of mechaiiicai work
except the planning and building of dwelling
houses, where opinions and modes vary so
much, and where skill and art are so horribly
mangled as in horse-shoeing. I have many a
time thought, that a blacksmiths shop would
turn black and blue, if a horse, rough shod,
only had the power of speech!
Figure 1 represents two interfering shoes
with the inside quarters much wider, longer,
and less curved, than the outside portion of the
shoe; with the toe-cork set more upon the in-
side quarter, as may be seen by the line, c
drawn across the centre of the hoof from the
toe to the heel. When properly set, the in-
side quarter of the shoe lies more directly un-
der the toot, as may be seen by the line, c, d
drawn through the centre. Upon the inside,
or quarter of the shoe, the holes to receive the
nails should be punched as iiear the edge as
possible, that the shoe may set well under the
outer wall or crust of the hoof; when properly
adjusted. Consequently, the inmost quarter of
the shoe sustains more of the weight or bear-
ing of the animal. This part of the shoe hav-
ing more surface, it is not liable to settle on
the road as the outer quarter. The toe-cork
inclining more to the inner side of the toe of
the shoe, and left the highest on the iniier side,
all helps to roll the hoof and fetlock outward
Figure 3 represents the outside quarter of
the shoe, when fastened to the hoof, as the
thinest; a lighter heel-cork, and well set un-
der the heel at 0. By comparing this with I
the inside quarter of the shoe, as represented
upon the same hoof in figure 4, you will ob-
serve the shoe to be thicker and lar~er, with a
stronger heel-cork, which exten(hs back from
the heel at A. more than at 0. The outside
quarter or crust of the hoof; should be i)ared
away more than the inner quarter, which lat-
ter should be pared as slightly as possible.
The inner wall or crust of the hoof being long-
er under the same quarter, the shoe is thicker.
the heel-cork and inner portion of the toe-cork
being longer than the opposite side of the shoe,
all tends to spread the legs apart at the fetlock
or pastern joint as at P, and prevents the strik-
ing of the hoof when the limb is in motion.
See figure 2. The nails, especially those that
fasten the inner quarter, should run well up to
the hoof, the clinches short, and headed down,
and often examined. The heel cork may be
dispensed with in summer on gravelly and
sandy roads. It winter a horse travelling in
the trough or concave snow path, is more lia-
ble to interfere than upon the road in sum-
mer.
Mr. B. H. Andrews, farmer, Waterbury,
Conn., objects, and justly so, in our opinion,
to the theory of Mr. Jewett. He demurs to
making the inside of the shoe the thickest
and asserts that it will produce the very op-
posite effect to that stated in the above. His
practice is against that of the blacksmiths
to have the outside full and the inside well
pared down, and he is never troubled with an
interfering horse. This latter theory is the
correct one in our opinion.
Improvement In Pumps.
Mr. William H. Nichols, of East Hampton,
Middlesex County, Conn., has taken measures
to secure a patent for an improvement, deemed
to be a valuable one, in pumps, whereby the
working action is averred to be much impro-
ved: it consists in employing a reciprocating
box worked by a roller on a crank axle in the
interior of said box, and fitting the body of the
pump, which causes continuous pumping ac-
tion by a reciprocating motion.
New Water Wheel Buckets.
Mr. Jacob J. Anthony, of Sharon Springs,
Schoharrie Co., N. Y., has taken measures to
secure a patent for an improvement in a new
mode of arranging and constructing water-
wheels. He employs straight flat buckets ra-
dial to the axis, and forming planes perpendi-
cular to the plane described by the revolution
of the face of the wheel, and combined with
inclined buckets. The water is admitted on
the wheel by spiral shutes.
28
C
~1
~cientif it ~buetitftn.
NEW-YORK, OCTOBER ii, 1SGi.
Mechanical Fairs.
Periodical exhibitions for the display and
laudable rivalry in works of mechanism, agri-
culture, and art, are now very common in our
country. We are glad of this, they have been
the means of doing much good in every coun-
try where they have been established, from
the days of Grecian glory to the present era.
A very few years ago, such exhibitions were
few and uncommon in our country, now the
States, counties, and cities, have periodical ex-
liibitions where our mechanics meet in the
honest rivalry of ingenuity and skill. In an-
cient days the Grecian Fairs were the resort
of all nations, and the Olympian Games were
wisely instituted to attract the ingenious and
enterprising of all nations. Almost every
year some famous fair was held on the Corin-
thian Isthmus; at Delphi and Thermopyhe, a
fair was held in Spring and Autumn, and in va-
rious other parts of the old world, the same
kinds of fairs were not uncommon. There
can be no doubt but the principal object of
these fairs was barter, but if that is not the
ostensible, it is the main object of all our mo-
dern fairs. We like the principles upon
which our fairs are conducted and no coun-
try can profit so much as ours. Pecuniary
and honorary recompenses are the true legal
modes of encouraging rising manufactures.
There can be no doubt but injustice and injury
may sometimes be done in the awarding of
of prizes, but still that cannot destroy the
real good done. This consists in the assemb-
ling of the ingenious, the spreading out of their
works to the public gaze, the emulation to ex-
cel which brings them together, and the trials
which are sometimes instituted to decide upon
the comparative merits of various machines.
These things excite ambition, inflame the
spirit of emulation, and the concentrated re-
sult of all upon the American mind, leads to
personal and collective effort to excelto do
still better, to be surpassed by none.
The fair of the American Institute opened
at Castle Garden, this city, on Wednesday, the
1st inst. The arrangements, so far, impress us
more favorably than any fair which has taken
place for a number of years. The managers
appear to be the better for our scolding; we
trust that it will be conducted throughout
with the utmost impartiality, good sense, and
dignity, and that neither fear nor favor will
guide the committees to partial decisions.
The machinery is not by any means complete
in its arrangement or working order, we there-
fore cannot say much about it yet, but next
week we shall publish engravings of some ma-
chines exhibited, and make comments upon
others.
Patent Office Report for 1S50....No. 4.
ExAauuza RzuwsciQs REPORT.HC spe-
cifies the exact number of applications refer-
red to him for examination, like Examiner
Page. The number was 529, for which 204
patents were issued, and 23 were not examin-
ed, thos making apparently 300 rejections, out
of 304 applications, a great number indeed;
but we judge that a number of these have not
been finally rejected, as he says a number of
papers have been sent for amendm~~~)~ He
corroborates the opinion expressed by Ex-
aminers Page and Fitzgerald, respecting the
inadequate force in the Patent Office to keep
pace with applications. In respect to rejec-
tions for patents, he is quite eloquent upon the
disappointment experienced by an inventor
after having been picturing to himself in no
faint colors, the honors and profits which are
to accrue to him from the production of his
brain. A communication to such an effect is
to all men a disappointment; others it irritates,
and there is a small, I am glad to say, but a
small number, who conceive that a decision
against them furnishes good ground for a
quarrel with this office. These parties gene-
rally labor under misapprehension as to the
duties of this office, & c. Thus, as quoted,
speaks Mr. Renwick; it will be observed that
one of the quoted sentences exactly resembles
that famous passage in a presidential message,
we are at peace with all the world and
the rest of ~ the worthy Examiner
says a communication of rejection is to all
men a disappointment, others it irritates, & c.
He is savage upon those who are dissatisfied
with his rejections, but their reasons for being
dissatisfied, at least many of themare no
doubt just and honest: Mr. Renwick cannot
have forgotten one case this very year, upon
which, in the first decision, he did not exhibit
the right spirit, or a full understanding of the
subject. A gentleman, modest, intelligent,
ingenious, and long publicly known through-
out all the south and west of this State as a
thorough-bred practical architect, made appli-
cation for a valuable improvement in the con-
struction of bridges. It was rejected, the in-
ventor went to Washington, saw the Commis-
sioner, was referred to Mr. Renwick. His re-
presentations were met with a spirit akin to
ridicule, and the principles alleged to be em-
braced in the invention were denied. But
quiet though our friend is, he is a determined
man in the right, and he stated that he was
prepared, as we know he was, with the tes-
timony of the very first engineers in this State
to back him up against the decision of the
Patent Office. The patent was granted with
a very slight modification of his claim.
We are inclined to attribute such hasty de-
cisions to the too great amount of labor re-
quired of the Examiners, but it would be much
better to let cases lie over, than make such im-
proper decisions. It requires great research,
and much study in many cases, to decide upon
the novelty and correctness of advanced prin-
ciples, and this requires no small amount of
time. But we find great fault with the Exa-
miners for putting so many inventors to much
unnecessary trouble and expense, by causing
themwhen there is really no just occasion for
it, ajourney to Washington from distant parts
of our country, to have rejected applications re-
considered. It is generally understood by inven-
tors that the alteTation of a few words in the
claims, which are at last allowed, and which
do not alter the sense nor the spirit of them, is
an exhibition of more weakness than good
sense. This has naturally created considerable
prejudice against the Patent Office. A very
respected old friend of oursa gentleman long
known as a public man in this State, and dis-
tinguished for his inventions, his intelligence,
great practical knowledge and skillmade ap-
plication this year for an improvement in tools.
He had made out his own papers, but was re-
jected out and out. He went to Washington,
and, without being required to do any more
than merely alter a few words of his claim,
omitting nothing, but embracing all he first
claimed, Mr. Fitzgerald ordered the patent to
be issued. We hope there will be a decided
reform in such matters; for we know it cost
each of these gentlemen about double the
amount of their patent fees to go to Washing-
ton. There are, perhaps, hundreds of rejected
applicants who cannot go there, or who dread
to go there, and who have as just claims to pa-
tents as the gentleman referred to. We know
that, in a pecuniary sense, arising from the
merits of the two inventions referred to, the in-
ventors have justly realized considerable profit,
which, without patents, they would not have
done, as their inventions would have been pi-
rated throughout the whole land. How much
real injury has been done to inventors by such
hasty decisions, we cannot tellno doubt a
very great deal. Mr. Renwick had certainly
a fine field here for an expression of sympathy,
but this would have compromited the charac-
ter of the Patent Office.
There is just one other part of this Report
to which we can allude at present. He says,
true inventors are often rejected, having their
claims disallowed many times, merely on ac-
count of their not claiming that to which they
are entitled. By examination of references
furnished by this office, at each time it rejects,
they at last perceive, and are able to define the
precise point in which the invention consists;
their way to a patent is then a clear one, and
the propriety of withholding the same up to
that time, would appear to be ~
says Mr. Renwick; we think he misappre-
hends his duties, as do the other Examiners
who act upon the same principles. One thing
about him is, he is transparent in his Report,
and would never be able to make a treaty with
a Clive. We have here a clue to the great
amount of useless trouble Examiners give
themselves, and we may thus express it An
inventor makes application for a patent, he does
not claim the exact new points; Examiner
Renwick sees them, and knows a true inven-
tor, but it is none of his business to tell him
what the new points are; he refers the ap-
plicant to this work and that work (but we
beg to state here, that such works are referred
to only in cases of rejection, not for the pur-
pose stated by Mr. Renwick) until the appli-
cant makes a new discoverythe new points
when Mr. Renwick at once orders a patent
to ~ If Mr. Renwick sees the new points
at once (and he does so, or he contradicts him-
self) why does he not point them out immedi-
ately, and thus save himself and the inventor
further trouble? Why does the Patent Office
refer to books, which few inventors have the
means of examining? The object, evidently,
is more to mislead than assist.
The object of organizing the Patent Office
upon its present basis was for Examiners to
give applicants the very information refused,
and referred to above. We have not set down
aught in malice, but presented the two salient
points of this Report in respect to rejected ap-
plications fairly before our readers. By the
Reports of Examiners Fitzgerald and Hen-
wick, we see that it gives them a great deal of
trouble to make the community believe they
have been upright and just in their decisions,
but their arguments are strong against them-
selves, and the spirit exhibited is that of justi-
fying an accusing conscience, which is, indeed
a very bad spirit.
From what we have heard about the vessels
of this latter line, we anticipate very success-
ful results: the S. S. Lewis, the pioneer of
it, will soon make her first Atlantic voyage
she was built in Philadelphia, and is a splendid
vessel. Her hull was built by Messrs. Birely
& Sons, and is most substantially constructed.
Her frame is almost entirely of white oak, and
the planking and ceiling principally of the same
material. The frame is bound together with
diagonal iron braces, each 00 feet long, 3 inch-
es wide, and 1 inch thick. These braces cross
one another, and let into the timbers, being
bolted through them and rivetted on the out-
side, and at every intersection are bolted to-
gether. The hull was planned and superin-
tended by the ingenious Capt. Loper, and she
is driven by one of his propellersthe wheel
being 18 feet 4 inches, with four fans. Her
engines were designed, we believe, by Capt.
Loper, and for compactness, beauty, and power,
are said to be superior to those of any other
propeller steamship afloat. This line will be
composed of four fine vessels. Next year we
will have four screw steamers for freight and
passengers belonging to Messrs. Burns & Co.,
of the Cunard Line; these, with the four of the
Philadelphia Line, and the Glasgow Line of two,
together with the ~ Great Britain and Sarah
5ands, which, we understand, are to be put
on the route between New York and Liver-
pool, will make twelve large screw propelling
steamships that will be running between Eu-
rope and our country next year. This looks
like doing business in an improved way, for a
year ago there was but one such vessel making
Atlantic voyages; and from what we have
heard from a number of sources, we may con-
fidently assert that half as many more will be
added to this list before the first of 1833.
Our fine packet ships will soon be looked
upon like the old packets on the Erie Canal
for assuredly the propellers will very quickly
take all the passenger trade out of their hands.
South Carolina Institute.
The third annual Fair of the South Caroli-
na Institute takes place next month. It will
be opened on the 17th, and continue during
the week. The object of this Institution is
the promotion of art, mechanical ingenuity,
and industry, and the means adopted to secure
the desired ends are so good, and accord so
like unit to unit with our views, that we can-
not but state what they are, in order that
some of our mechanical exhibitions at the
North, may learn something by them.
Specimens in every branch of mechanism,
art, and industry; also of cotton, rice, sugar,
tobacco, and all other agricultural products, are
solicited, for which suitable premiums will be
awarded.
The following special premiums are offered:
For the six best specimens of steel made
from Spartenburg or other iron, the product of
a southern State, and manufactured into edged
tools of any kinda gold medal.
N. B.A specimen of the steel in bars to be
sent with the tools.
For the largest quantity of cocoons raised
on one plantation, not less than ten bushels
a gold medal or $30.
For the largest quantity of spun silk, the
produce of any one plantation, not less than
ten poundsa gold medal or premium of $30.
For the best sea island cotton gin, on some
new principle, superior to that now in general
use; or for any real and important improve-
ment on the present onea gold medal.
For the invention of a suitable machine for
pulverising red peppera gold medal.
For the best steam enginea gold medal.
For the best model steam fire enginea gold
Propeller Steamships.
The ~~Glasgow,~ a new propeller, arrived at
this port on Tuesday week, in fourteen days
from Glasgow, Scotland. This passage is
about equal to thirteen days from Liverpool,
and may be considered the fastest ever made
across the Atlantic by a screw steamer. It is not
a long time since we made this remark the
time is not far distant when every vessel
which navigates the ocean will use steam,
either as an auxiliary or prinse propelling pow-
er. This prediction required no prophetic
vision to insure its correctness in respect to ful-
fillment: since that time the increase of ocean
steam vessels, has been extraordinary, and in
no one particular so much as in screw propel-
lers. The first direct communication which
we had with that small but wonderful Euro-
pean country, Scotland, was by the City of
Glasgow,~~ last year; that vessel was sold to
the Liverpool and Philadelphia Co., and to fill
up the gap occasioned by her removal from
this route, the new steam vessel just arrived
has been built. Her builders are the same
gentlemen who constructed the City of Glas-
gow2 and the City of ~ and she
is constructed on the same lines as the latter,
but as we have never seen her, we can only
say a few words about the ~~Glasgow,~~ which
is, we have been informed, the pioneer of a
permanent new line to run regularly between
the two cities rendered famous by the first
successful experiments of two great names in
the mechanic worldWatt and Fulton. The
~~Glasgow~~ is 1,962 tons, being much larger
than her predecessor, the City ; her engines
are 400 horse-power, screw 14 feet diameter;
her length of main deck is 223 feet, breadth 36
feet; she has four masts, (two of them hQllow
iron tube) ,and is fully rigged. She is a vessel
of great capacity, beautiful model, and possess-
es good accommodations; her hull is iron. Her
builders are Messrs. Todd & Macgregor, of
Glasgow, practical engineers of great celebri-
ty. The screw is of three blades, and when
we looked at the result produced by the one
small propelling device of 14 feet diameter,
and compared it with two huge paddle wheels medal.
of 30 feet diameter, we could not but conclude,
all things considered, that the screw was the
superior propelling device. To show how
quick the engineers do business on the other
side of the water, (a fact which we must and
shall profit by) from the day in which this
steamship was launched until the day she sail-
ed to New York, only three weeks elapsed:
her boilers, engines and cargo were all put in
during that brief space. of our present volume, as suggested by the
We will soon have five lines of screw pro- Hon. John F. H. Claiborne. We hope for
pellers running between our country and Bri- something good to come out of our notice.
tam. At present we have three, namely the We would recommend to our southern friends
Philadelphia and Liverpool, the New York and to offer a still higher prize, and let it be given
Glasgow Lines, and Boston and Liverpool Line. out this year for the next exhibition.
Contributors who forward articles must
send full descriptions of the same.
Here, like our agricultural premiums, speci-
fic prizes are to be awarded for specific arti-
cles. This concentrates the mind of exhibi-
tors to excel in particular departments. It
will be seen that a prize is offered for a new
gin to clean Sea Island Cotton~ the necessity
of which invention was pointed in No. 1
F
291
~ientific ~hneticAn.
17 Reported expressly for the Scientific Ameri-
can, from the Patent Office Records. Patentees will
find it for their interest to have tlseir inventions il-
lustrated in the Scientific Anserican, as it has by far
a larger circulation than any other journal of its
class in America, and is the only source to which the
public are accustomed to refer for the latest improve-
ments. No charge is made except for the execution
of the engravings, which belong to the patentee af-
ter publication.
LIST OF PATENT CLAIMS
Issued from the United States Patent Office
FOE THE WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 1851.
To Timothy Gilbert, of Boston, Mass., for improve-
nsent in Pianofortes.
I claim the combination of the return screw
and button, or equivalent contrivance, or con-
trivances, with the hammer and fly, and its re-
tractive spring, so as to operate in manner and
in connection with the same and other parts,
substantially as described.
To Laroy Litchfield, of South Bridge, Mass., for un-
provement in Weavers Shuttles.
I claim making the spindle and spring both
in one piece, by extending the spindle behind
the hole, for the pin that fastens it into the
shuttle, and reducing it to a proper thickness,
and bending it to form the spring required to
hold the spindle in its proper positions in the
shuttle, either with or without the catch on
the end of the spring, in combination with the
pin or its equivalent, against which the spring
acts, to hold the spindle in the different po-
sitions required, substantially as described,
thereby avoiding the inconvenience arising
from the loosening of the screw which holds
the spring in other shuttles, and saving the ad-
ditional labor required to fit in, when the
spring is made separate from the spindle.
[This is a good improvement.]
To N. B. Livingston, of Portland, md., for im-
provement in Weighing Carts.
I claim the construction and arrangement
substantially as described, by which a weigh-
ing apparatus is capacitated for easy removal
from place to place, be the adaptation to each
other of the containing and weighing appara-
tus and of the resnning gear; that is to say, by
making the fulcra for the lever or weighing
beam, upon the axle near the wheel, the arm,
with its sliding weight lying upon the pole or
tongue, and the axle affording, by its bent
form, free access to the contents of the box,
when discharged, by means of the valve.
To Win. Moore, offlellville, Ohio, for improvement
in Self-acting Presses.
I do not claim either the cams or the tem-
ple joint, when used singly, but I claim the
combination of the eccentric cams rolling on
each other, so as to avoid friction, in connec-
tion with the braces or temple joint, as above
described, for the purpose and substantially in
the manner aforesaid.
To G. F. Wooloton, of the District of Orangeburg,
S C., for improvement in Saws for Sawing Boards.
I claim forming and arranging teeth of saws,
substantially as described.
To Robert Batee, of Philadelphia, Pa., for im-
provement in instruments for the cure of Stammering.
I claim, first, the employment of a tube in
the mouth, which will admit of speaking and
of the passage of air when either tile tongue
or lips, would prevent the passage of air, sub-
stantially as set forth.
Second, the employment of the adjustable
spring pad, substantially as set forth.
Second, the joint employment of the mouth
tube and the adjustable spring pad, at the same
time curing the guttural, lingual, and labial
disease of stacnmering, substantially as set
forth.
To Maria Vaughn, of Greenbush, N. V., adminis-
tratrix of Joseph C. Vauglsn, deceased, (assignor to
J. C. Bell, of Greenbush, N. V., & Robt. Chrystie, Jr.,
of the City of New York,l for machine for making
Wheel Tires.
I claim the combination of the upper and
lower dies, with the welders, receiving motion
from wedges attached to the upper and falling
die; the whole acting to shape a tire, on all
parts of its surface at the same time, substan-
1~~iall~ as described in the specification.
To Thos. Nicholson, of Falmouth, Va., for impro-
ved Maze Lock.
I claim the disc, with its concentric and ra-
dial passages, or their equivalents, in combina-
tion with the bolt end, operated substantially
in the manner rand for the purpose described.
To T. J. Sloan, of New York. N. Y., for machine
for arranging Screw Blanks and articles of a similar
character.
I wish it to be distinctly understood, that I
do not limit myself to the precise mode of con-
struction and arrangement specified, as these
may be varied without changing the character
of my invention. What I claim is the combi-
nation of the inclined ways, substantially as
described, with a trough, and provided with a
pin or pins, or their equivalent, as described, so
that, by the motion of the trough towards the
ways, or vice versa, the screws or other arti-
cles, will be forced up the inclined ways, bang-
ing by their heads, as described.
To L. H. Parsons, of Lambertville, N. J., for im-
provement in Plotting Scales.
What I claim is not the division into equal
parts, with or without subdivisions of one or
more of those parts of the continuous edge of
a scale or rule; nor the use of a vernier for
measuring or describing right lines, nor the
manner of attaching the vernier slide to the
main plate of the instrument; nor the use of
a lever or slow motion screw for adjusting the
motions of the vernier slide, but the combined
application, in one and the same instrument, of
the graduation upon the edge (to obviate the
imperfection and inconvenience attending the
use of dividers or compasses) and the slide,
carrying with it the several primary divisions
of the unit; and those divisions carrying with
them, respectively, by means of the vernier,
the several secondary divisions, into hundredths
or otherwise, so as to enable the operator to
distinguish and apply hundredths, or half hun-
dreds, of the smallest unit, with a great rapi-
dity, precision, and ease, as tenths of the same
unit, with the scale graduated on the edge,
without a slide; and so, also, that whatever
parts of a unit are required, or whatever the
whole length of line to be measured, the whole
amount of motion required, in lengthening or
shortening the instrument, is only equal to the
the number of additional or intermediate hun-
dredths or other subdivisions, never exceeding
one-tenth of the unit of measure.
To N. A. Prince, of New Gloucester, Me., for im-
provement in Fountain Pens.
I claim the hollow, flexible, and long exten-
sion of the reservoir or tube, to extend up and
be secured to the arm of the writer, substan-
tially in the manner and for the purpose as
specified.
To Elijah Whiten,of Hiogham, Mass., for improve-
ment in machines for Sawing Volutes.
I claim, first, the manner in which I produce
the two motions necessary to be given to the
block, in order that it may be sawed in the re-
quired form, viz., the screw rod, with its right
and left screws cut upon it, meshing into the
pinions, by which motion is communicated to
the horizontal rods, the toothed wheels, pi-
nions, or spurs, grasping the edge of the block
and causing it to rotate, in combination with
the bevel pinions, screw rods, and arm, by
which a rectilinear motion towards the saw is
given the carriage and block, producing the re-
sult described.
[This is considered a very excellent im-
provement.]
To Matthew Spear, of Dowdoinham, Me., for im-
provement in Mitre Boxes.
I claim one or two rotary saw guides, with
sliding gauge rests, & c., and mechanism for ro-
tating the guides and fixing them in any desi-
rable position, or positions, as specified, in com-
bination with the improvement of making or
applying the uprights, or vertical supports of
the saw, to the bars, so as to be capable of be-
ing turned down to an angle with the horizon,
for the purpose, as described.
To Alex. Jimason, of Parkesburgh, Pa., for im-
provement in Shields for Valves.
I claim surrounding the valve by a shield,
constructed substantially in the manner descri-
bed, and fitting closely enough to regulate the
ingress and egress of the water, or steam, to
such a degree as to prevent the slamming of
the valve, in opening and closing.
To Joseph Putnam, of Salem, Mass., for improve-
ment in the manufacture of Clay Pipes.
I claim the use of the wire gauge frame,
constructed substantiallyas described,in mould-
ing clay or earthen pipes, in the manner aIld
for the purpose specified.
I also claim the improvement specified, in
the sack, in which said pipes are suspended, to
be dried, said improvement consisting in con-
fining said sack to two rails, kept parallel, by
means of cross bars, forming, with them, a rect-
angular frame, as described.
DR 55 ONS.
To Nathan Chapin, of Syracuse, N. V., for Design
for Tables.
To Ezra Ripley, of Troy, N. V., for Design for
Stove Fronts.
Aerial Voyage.
Our friend John Wise made his 124th aerial
voyage on the 2~th ult., at the Ohio State Fair.
His balloon Ulysses contained only 9,000 cubic
feet of gas, and he made an ascent with his wife
and son, after which be came down and left his
son, and then went up again with Mrs. Wise,
and came down again, after which he ascen-
ded alone and attained an altitude of 10,000
feet. In describing his voyage he says:
I entered a stratum of mistit was highly
electricalagitated by convolutionary air-
whirls. In this mist, and above it every thing
in and about t e balloon became intensely
elastica spruceness, if I am allowed the term
pervaded the whole mass that rendered it
quickening and musical. The touching of the
valve cord produced sounds like a guitarthe
cords by which the car was suspended gave out
sounds like a string instrument at every whirl
of the electric medium.
When in the mist it had the appearance of
dust, but viewed from above, it had a dingy
and gloomy appearance. It was a distinct
stratum several hundred feet thick.
Respecting distinctness of hearing in the at-
mosphere, he says
I was aloft until sunset. The sunset scene
was a grand one. The tops of the clouds in
the distance were magnificently illuminated
and variegated with the colors of the rainbow
While viewing this scene from over a mile
high, my attention was suddenly directed to a
conversation passing between two individu-
als. At first I thought it a delusion, but upon
close observation it proved to be a fact, for I
could distinctly hear words, such as I dont
know, did you see him. I tried the expe-
riment upon my own voice, and found it to
echo distinctly, which also brought shouts from
persons below; probably from those whose
conversation I ~
Effect upon his health and curious electrical
stratum
Although the air at this point was only
40 deg., my pulse was quickened to not less.
I judge, than 90 a minute, and my veins were
considerably distended. I felt that I was get-
ting much relief from sickness I had labored
under for several weeks; and I now candidly
say, that I feel a permanent improvement of
health, really astonishing to myself, and alto-
gether ascribed to the electrical invigoration
received in a highly charged atmosphere.
This was one object in resuming my voyage
after Mrs. Wise and Charles were landed.
While passing through the cold electrical
stratum, theory would assign to the gas a loss
of buoyancy from condensation, but in this case
its buoyancy was increased, as I am certain
its ascent became accelerated from the time
it entered it without discharging any ballast.
For the Scientific. American.
Machine for Making Ladies Combs.
Knowing some may be curious to understand
something 4bout the machines at present in
use for making ~ combs, I will try and
describe one so as to render it easily under-
stood.
The machine is driven by a belt pulley or
crank. There are two cutters attached to the
lower ends of two mandrils, or one mandril
split in two lengthwise, and playing vertically
in two metal boxes placed above one another.
The horn of wkich the combs are made is
first cut into the required shape in single pie-
ces, out of each one of which two combs are
made, two teeth of each comb being cut during
one reVolution of the crank. The horn is pla-
ced upon a carriage which runs upon ways un-
der the cutters, and, by turning the crank, each
half of the mandril, in its turn, is forced down.
driving its cutter through the horn, which is
made and kept soft by heat from a fire burn-
ing in an iron box beneath the carriage. Two
double pointed cams, placed above the man-
drils, operate them at the appropriate periods;
these cams are so arranged that each of the
four points acts alternatelytwo on each half
thus forming one side of two teeth at every
quarter revolution of the crank. Alter having
done its work, it is forced back by a spring,
arid is ready to be acted upon by the next point
of the cam. In the meantime the horn is mo-
ved forward by means of a thick double point-
ed cam operating a steel hand, which acts up-
on a rack on the carriage. The horn is thus
cut in the middle, forming two combs, with
backs complete. G. L. F. B.
Portland, Me.
Spirit Varnishes.
Almost every workman that uses varnish
has his own receipt for making it. These re-
ceipts are mostly remarkable for the number of
ingredients, some of which are of scarcely any
use, and others absolutely hurtful to the wish.
ed-for effect.
Brown rosin, gum sandarac, mastic, shell
lac, seed lac, dissolved in strong spirit of wine,
generally form the basis; Venice or common
turpentine is added to prevent the varnish from
cracking as it dries; camphor, anime, benzoin,
alemi, are occasionally introduced; also gain-
boge, turmeric, dragon~s blood, saffron, and
lamp black as coloring ingredients.
The common varnish is made by dissolving
4 ounces of sandarac, and 6 ounces of Venice
turpentine, in a pint of spirit of wine.
A harder varnish is made by dissolving 2
ounces of mastic, 1 ounce 1-2 of sandarac, and
1 ounce 1-2 of Venice turpentine in a pint of
spirit of wine.
A very hard varnish, much used of late by the
name of French Polish for Furniture,~~ is
made by dissolving 3 ounces of shell lac, with
1 ounce each of mastic and shell lac in 2 pints
1-2 of spirit of wine in a gentle heat, ma-
king up the loss by evaporation by adding
more spirit at the end of the process.
The plain solution of either mastic or san-
darac in the proportion of about three ounces
to a pint of spirit of wine makes very good
varnish.
Yellow varnishes are used by the name of
lacquers to give a golden color to metals, wood,
or leather: the following is, perhaps, that most
used: color a pint of spirit of wine with three
quarters of an ounce of turmeric, and fifteen
grains of hay saffron; filter and dissolve in
it two ounces each sandarac and elemi, one
ounce each dragon~s blood and seed lac, and
three quarters of an ounce of gamboge.
Black varnish is made for sale by dissolv-
ing half a pound of sandarac, and a quarter of
a pound of yellow rosin, in half a gallon of
spirit of wine, and then adding two ounces of
lamp black to color it. But workmen gene-
rally make it by dissolving black sealing wax
in spirit of wine.
The making of varnish fi-om copal is a mat-
ter of difficulty, as copal is not soluble itself in
its raw state in the spirit. One method is to
add camphor to a pint of highly rectified spirit
of wine until it ceases to be dissolved, and to
pour this charged spirit upon four ounces of
copal, keeping up such a heat that bubbles
may be counted. When cold pour off the var-
nish, and if all the copal be not dissolved, add
more spirit impregnated with camphor. Ano-
ther method is to heat the copal and let it
drop as it melts into water; a kind of oil sepa-
rates from it, and it becomes soluble in ardent
spirit, and still more so if the melting is re-
peated. ____________________
Astronomical Observatory in Albany.
An astronomical observatory is to be erec-
ted in the north part of Albany, on a spot of
high table land, which is to be connected with
the Albany University and be under the charge
of Prof. Mitchel, the celebrated astronomer.
Through the liberality of Mrs. Chas. E. Dud-
ley, who gives $10,000 for the purpose, and
Stephen Van Reosselear who gives the land,
the institution is siabled to erect the struc-
ture.
We are glad to see this; Albany is laying
a sure foundation for a good name. She is not
situated for much commerce, nor has she na-
tural manufacturing resources; she can be a
literary city, and wisely are her inhabitants
using their influence and means to make her
one, but she has much to (10 yet.
J
30
scientific ~Lntetieon.
TO CORRESPONDENTS. ing weight of cast-iron is 49 tons per square inch;
but for a considerable range, under equal weights, the
S. C. T, of GenWhat kind of saw did you mean cast-iron is twice as elastic, or compresses twice as
the engine to drive? If an upright, we should not much as the wrought-iron.
use an engine of less than six horse-power; a double
three horse engine can be purchased for $330, not in- Money received on account of Patent Office busi-
cluding the boiler, which would cost as much. ness for the week ending October 4th.
A. W., ef 111.We know of no plan invented to M. M. C., of N. Y., $55; T. S., Jr., of Ct., $40; II.
clear over-shot wheels of back water; two re-action B. 1., of N. Y., $40; J. 11., of N. Y., $45; II. & Co.,
of N.Y., $45; W. B., of N.Y., $55.
wheels on one shaft have long been used, these are the
kind you refer to. In theory, a water ram will throw Specifications and drawings belonging to parties
two-thirds the water to one-third the height, barring with the following initials have been forwarded to
friction, the patent office during the week ending October 4th.
J. I)., of PaA patent could isot be obtained for EBL., of N. Y.; W. B., of N. Y.; J. Ii., of N.
Y.; F. F., of N. Y.; SW. R., of Ct.
tise substance you propose to make, but if a new ~
method of making it was discovered by you, then Binding Volume 6.
you could obtain one. Catechu is made uposs the Subscribers who desire to get their volumes of the
same principle and for the same purpose. The car- Scientific American bound, can have them executed
nags coupling is not new; we have seen others like in a substantial and uniform manner by sending them
it. We would not like to undertake to get a patent to this office. Price 75 cents.
for the natural paint ; as it is our opinion that Blakes
would not stand law, and we would not advise any On Sending Receipts.
person to spend money in a case respecting which ~ It is not generally nuderstood that it is in strict
isad any doubts as to validity: it is a fact, and to tlse violation of the Post Office Laws of this country to
shame of the Patent Office be it spoken, tisat while enclose in the paper a receipt for money on account of
Mr. Blake was granted a patent, other persons were subscription : such being one of the restrictions with
refused for discoveries as good and of a like nature : which publishers have to contend under our present
if 0ne got a patent so should the other. odious Postal Laws, we hope our patrons will excuse
W. P. P., of Pa.The wool picker of Mr. Daniels is us for not granting their request to send receipts in
formed of a series of concave rollers geared together defiance of law, but consider their money has come
at tise ends; they are arranged in combination ~ith to hs~nd providing the paper comes to them regularly:
tise picker cylinder and slow turning rollers placed our custom being never to continue the paper after
above the delivery; you will readily see tisat yours tlse time for wisich it was prepaid has expired.
would interfere with it very materially, and unless Back Numbers and Volumes.
yoss can purchase the right to use it of tlse inventor, In reply to many interrogatories as to what back
you had better not put up a maclsine. The patent is numbers and volumes of the Scientific American can
dated April 3, 1849. be furnished, we make the following statement:
A. R., of VaThe Hot Blast Patent trial came Of Volumes 1, 2 and 3none.
oil in Trenton, N. J., on the first week of April, 1849, Of Volume 4, about 20 Nos.; price 50 ets.
before Judge Greer; tise plaintiff received $350 da- Of Volume 5, all, price, in sheets, $2; bound, $2,75.
mage; tlse decision appeared to us correct,the re- Of Volume 6, all : price in sheets, $2; bound, $275. 1 4t*
marks of the Judge were higisly appropriate.
151. I-I. S., of TexasBr. W. W. Reid, of Rochester, New Edition of the Patent Laws.
N. Y., is the assignee of Ilibbards Tanning process. We have just received another edition of the
G. IL, of MassWe have examined the subject of American Patent Laws, which was delayed until after
your letter of the 3rd inst., and find tlsat the method the adjournment of the last Congress, on account of
is essentially the same as the Safety Fuse of Alfred an expected modification in them. The pamphlet
Stiliman, of this city, for indicating low water in contains not only the laws but all information touch-
boilers. ing the rules and regulation of the Patent Office. We
I. B. L., of VtYours of the 2nd came duly to shall continue to furnish them for 121-2 cts. per copy.
hand; the case will be decided by the Commissioner, Patent Claims.
and due advice will be given.
A. 0. C., of PaYou had better read tise article Persons desiring the claims of any invention
over again ; it is evident you Isave misunderstood its which Isas been patented witisin fourteen years, can
meaning, obtain a copy by addressing a letter to this office
G. L. F. B., of MeTo publish your remarks about stating the name of the patentee, and enclosing one
the machine you refer to, would be doing an unin- dollar as fee for copying
tentional injustice to tise inventor; iso is a manufac- Postage oct Books.
turer, and knows what he is doing,the machine Subscribers ordering books or pamphlets through
works well.
us are particularly requested to remit sufficient to
R. R., of OhioYou cannot, of course, use tise pa- pay postage, or we cannot attend to their orders. We
tent of another without paying for it: this is as it are obliged to pay from 10 to 50 cents every time a
should he. Your combination may be new. pampislet or book is sent by us througls the post, and
A. LI., of St. LouisWe have nothing additional to the justice of our demand is made apparent.
say about your plan, but Isope to Isear of your suc- ______________________________________________ rank in
ADVERTISEMENTS.
P. C., of St. LouisIf you will send on a drawing
and description of your invention we will give our
opinion on it; it should be called an improvement Terms of Advertising.
you not being the original inventor of the machine. One square of 8 lines, 50 cents for each insertion.
B. E. W., of CtThere is nothing new, that we 12 lines, 75 ets.,
16 lines, $100
can discern, in the sketels you have sent us, of the
water wised: the water hss a rotary motion in the Advertisements should not exceed 16 lines, and cuts
oldest of our re-action wheels, before entering, and cannot be inserted in connection with them at any
the apertures of discharge are like many we have pruce. noansa, ~ ....~
seen: it is not easy to hit upon anything new in this
field; we have no doubt but it is original with you. American and Foreign Patent
A. E., of N. VYou are probably aware that a TMPORTANT Agency
use in si ned TO INVENTORS.---Tlse under-
steam excavating machine has long been l15 ..a.g having for several years been extensively
our country, and has been introduced into England, engaged in procuring Letters Patent for new mecha-
for excavating on the railroads: it is somewhat dif- nical and chemical inventions, offer tiseir services
ferent from yours, but we have a drawing of it, and to inventors upon the most reasonable terms. All
could furnish you with it, if remunerated for the business entrusted to their charge is strictly confi-
dential. Private consultations sire held with inven-
labor, but perhaps tisis information is sufficient, and tore at their office from 9 A. 151., until 4 P. H. In-
if so, we shall be glad to have rendered the service. ventors, however, need not incur the expense of at-
J tending in person, as the preliminaries can all be ar-
P. 151., of N. Y.No; you cannot expect to de- ranged by letter. Models can be sent with safety by
rive more power from your fountain head than it pus- express or any other convenient medium. They
5055C5 you can raise the water the ram should not be over 1 foot square in size, if possible.
by hydraulic having Agents located in the chief cities of Eu-
above the fountain head, but you will not be able to rope, our facilities for obtaissing Foreign Patents are
discharge the same quantityno mechanical arrange- unequalled. This branch of our business receives the
ment can Overcome a law of especial attention of one of the members of the firm
nature, who is prepared to advise with inventors and mann-
W. B., of La.To make the pipes, if pure Roman facturers at all times, relating to Foreign Patents.
cement is used sand it not and makes In the item of charges alone, parties having business
with will crack, to transact abroad, will find it for their interest to
good pipes: cores of round wood, thoroughl,y dried consult with us, in preference to any other concern.
and slightly oiled, should be used, but lead pipe, we 15IUNN & CO., Scientific American Office,
believe, would suit you best, if your spring freely 128 Fulton street, New York.
snoustruous ma~
runs all the time A little plaster of Paris is useful D RACTiCAL AND SCIENTIFIC BOOKS...
along witis tIes ceusent, to harden fast, but it is liable-I. 3-listory of Propellers and Steam Navigation,
to crack: if you grind up the eased in water, and ~ with Biograpleical Sketches of Early Inventors ; by
ply it in paste to the outside, it ~vill cover nis the Robert 15iacfarlaneEditor of tise Scientific Ameri-
can : 1 Vol., l2mo.75 cents. Practical Siodel Cal-
pores, and svlsen dry will be quite hard. culator, by Oliver Byrne: parts 1, 2, and 3price
P. L. S.~ of Tro3.We do not see patents 25 cts. Practical 15Ietal Workers Assistant, by
anytising lIoltzappfel & Byrne Sine., illustrated$4. Prac-
ble in the cutting knife you sessd: a shape is not pa- tical Cotton Spinner, by Scott & Byrne, with large
tenta4ele, but for a similar device ~ cutting kisives workin~ drawings, Smo.$3,50. Norris on the Lo-
Z, employed in Hutclsimssons Barrel Siachinery, page emotive Engine, l2mo.$1,50: together witis oth-
er important scientific books. HENRY CAREY
121, Vol. 6, Sd. Am. BAIRD, (successor to .L. Carey), publisher, Phila-
E. L., of VtIt is difficult to establish a patents- deiphia. 42* -
ble claim upon your press. Wehave never noticed ROFESSOR ALEX. C. BARRYS TRiCO-
the employment of a swinging incline plane, bn in PHEROUS OR ISIEBICATEB CO15IPOUNB.
flicks Patent the rotating incline is employed,and one Professor Barry does not hesitate to put his Trico-
gleerous, for the two grand requisites of efficacy and
mi5let be considered analogous to the other, unless a dseapness. against any preparation for cleansing, re-
difierent combination could be established, wisich stewing, preserving, and strengthening the Hair, that
does not appear in your drawing. We think you had hiss ever been advertised or offered for sale. He chal-
lenges tise associated skill and science of the medical
better not make an application, world to produce, at any price, an embrocation that
A. C. I., of N. Y.The mean ultimate resistance of will reduce external irritation, cure ordinary cuta-
wrougist-iron to a force of eseous diseases and severe cuts, sprains, pains, & c.
compression, as useful in Price 25 cents per bottle. To be obtained, wholesale
practice, is 12 tons per square inch, while the crush- or retail, of 151r. A. C. BARRY, 137 Broadway. 4 3m*
Foreign Patent Office.
M ESSRS.MUNN & CO. transact business con-
nected with Patents in all European countries,
where this species of property is recognized. They
take pleasure in referring parties to Smith Dunning,
Jr., N. Y.; Ebenezer Barrows, N. Y.; Charles Starr,
Bible House; William Van Anden, Poughkeepsie;
15iortimer & Gardiner, Charleston, S. C.; William
Bushnell. N. V.; J. S. Prouty, Geneva, N. Y.; Gail
Borden, Jr., Galveston, Texas, and to all others for
whom they have done business.
KELLY & CO., New ~rnnswick, N. J., Foundry
and Machine shop, manufacturers of stationary
Engines, India Rubber Machinery, Mill Gearing, and
stove castings & c. Articles made in the machinery
line to order with dispatch and in the most work-
manlike manner. Parties wanting machinery or
castin,,s made will be waited on within any reasona-
ble distance. Orders solicited. 47 12*
]~ fARSHAL, BEMENT, & COLBY---Manu-
IJi f cturers of Slachinists Tools, Callowhill street,
west of Schuylkill 3d, Philadelphia, are ready to ex-
ecute orders for Slide and hand Lathes, Planing Ma-
chines, Upright Brills, Upright Boring 15lachines,
Screw Cutting and Tapping Machines with Gates
Patent Dies and Taps, Gear Cutting Engines, Shaft-
Pulleys, Hangers, & c. Orders for Machinery, Iron
and Brass Castings and Patterns, promptly executed.
E. D. Marshall, Win. B. Bement, G. A. Colby. 1 4*
TTIJTCHINS CRANK INDICATOR.--The
IL subscriber haying purchased the entire right of
hutchins Patent Crank Indicator, would respectful-
ly inform the public that he is ready to supply or-
ders or sell territory. The Indicator has been used
aboard the Northerner, Bay State, Cataract,
~Niagara,~m Ontario, and Lady of the Lake,
the Captains and Engineers of which have all given
their testimonials of approbation. Address G. S.
WORMER, Steamboat Office, Oswego, N. Y. 51 6*
~/[ACHINISTS TOOLS FOR SALEThe Ma-
LVI ryland Machine Manufacturing Co., havissg sus-
pended operations, offer all their Machinery and
Tools for sale. The assortment is large, has been
in use but a short time, and is of the most improv-
ed kinds. For particulars apply to the undersigned.
GEORGE POE, Agt.,
Ellicott Mills P. 0.
Maryland.
WE HAVE FOR SALE, a bound set of the
London Patent Journal; consisting of the first
10 volumes. It is a valuable work for the Inventor
Slechanic, or manufacturer. The last Volume comes
up to near March 29, 1851. Price $30.
MUNN & CO.
A LCOTTSLATHES.i would say, in regard
to the Alcott Lathe I purchased of you about a
year ago, that it will perform all that it is represente
ed to, and could I not get another I would not take
$50 for it, so that you need not be afraid to recom-
mend thesm. F. R. BARTLETT.
Galesburg, Ill. 2tf
W OODWORTHS PATENT PLANiNG MA-
CHINE. Some estimate can be formed of the
usefulness of the Woodworth Patent, and its title to
favor, when one machine is computed to perform tess
labor of planing and grooving in one day that would
require fifty days by a man, and which is supposed to
reduce seventeenthe the expense of such work us eve-
ry building where tise improved method is used. as it
ore long will be, by the many millions of our own po-
pulation, and in time over the civilized world. Eve-
ry Isonest social system must shield suds inventions,
used every wise one seeks, undoubtedly, to encourage
them; and to ~.. ~
rights and defeat piracies of thseir usefssl labors, is cal-
culated,in the emsd. to better the condition of every
assd introduce, wider and faster, all
the benefits of a superior state of civihizatioss and tlse
artsJudge Woodbury, Supreme Court of the Uni-
~.A States, Becembef, 1845. 3 2*
8 5 TO 1556.----WOODWORTHS PA-
I entPl aniseg Slacisines in New York and
Northsern Penusylvassia Ninety-seine hundredths of
all the planed lumber used in our large cities and
towns continues to be dressed with Woodworths Pa-
teset Machine. Price of a complete machine for pla-
ning, $150: for planing, tougneing and grooving,
$700. For machines and rights to use them at 15lor-
(~hs..+ee.. d..e. Hs.-h~..., Yonkers. Poughkeepsie.
Whitehall, Plattsburg, Rouses Point, 15lalone, Potts-
dam, Norwicls. Ithaca, Attica, Tonawanda, Sleads-
yule, New Castle. Warren, Towannda, Wililainsport
Lock Haven, Wilkesbarre, Scranton, Carbondale
Honeedale, and tIes other unoccupied towns and coun-
ties of New York and Northern Pennsylvania, apply
to JOHN GIBSON, Planing 15lills, Albany, N. Y. 3 3*
T ILTONs Patent Violin.The undersigned ha-
visug patented his Violin Improvement, is pre-
pared to exhibit it to the public. Being now in New
York, hse neay be found at No. 18 Park Place (Sir. J.
Wileys), where ho will be pleased to see suds gentle-
usems as take an interest in his invention. All com-
,,esseications addressed Win. B. Tilton & ~ as
above, or at Carrolton, Pickens Co., Ala.
312* WM. B. TILTON.
L EROW & BLODGETTS PATENT ROTA-
RY SEWING SiACHINEThe undersigned,
having purchsased the right to use, sell, and manu-
facture these machines for the States of Alabama and
Mississippi, and their other business engagements
preventing them from giving it their personal atten-
tion, they are disposed to sell out their right to the
above-mentioned States, or counties in them, if pre-
ferred, upon favorable terms. To an energetic and
we will sell upon such terms as will
insure a large and handsome profit. Apply to Sir.
W. SCRUGGS, of the firm of Sleesre. Scrugge, Drake
& Co., Charleston, S. C., or to WM. SLAILLER De-
catur, Ala. 48*
IMPORTANT TO INVENTORS.Inventors re-
siding in the West, requiring models for their in-
ventions to be deposited in thee Patent Office, will find
it to their advantage to call at PLATT EVENS, Jr.,
187 Walnut street, Cincinnati, Ohelo. Philosophical
instruments, light machinery, and fine jobbing,
promptly attended to. Orders received with designs
by snail, post-paid. 4 2
BROOM MACHINERY.The most improved
and durable machinery for the enanufacturo of
Brooms, for sale by JACOB GRAY, Scotia, Schenec-
tady Co., N. V. Address post-paid. 4 8*
STEAM ENGINES FOR SALE.One 8 horse-
power engine, boiler, heater, and apparatus com-
pleteprice $750 ; one 5 horse two cylinder engine,
with governor, pump, and band wheelprice $200;
one 6 horse ditto (new) price $225. Also, now finish-
ing on hand, slide and hand lathes, upright drills,
mortising machines, & c. Inquire of CARPENTER
& PLASS, corner of Hester and Elizabeth streets
New York. 4 4*
CRANTON & PARSHLEY,~ To~uilders,
New Haven, Coun., have on hand six 12 ft. slide
lathes, 28 in. swing; also four 8 ft. do.; 21 in. swing,
with back and screw gearing, with all the fixtures;
one 5 ft. power planer; 12 drill presses, 4 bolt cutting
machines, 30 small slide rests; 5 back geared hand
lathes, 21 in. swing; 15 do. not geared; 8 do. 17 in.
swing on shears 5 1-2 feet; 25 ditto with and without
shears, 13 in. swing; counter shafts, all hung if want-
ed suitable to the lathes. Scroll chucks on hand; al-
so index plates for gear cutting. Cuts of the above
can be had by addressing as above, poet-paid. 47tf
B EARDSLEES PATENT PLANING MA-
chine, for Planing,- Tonguing and Grooving
Boards and PlankThis recently patented machine
is now in successful operation at the Slachine shop
and Foundry of Siesers. F. & T. Towmesend, Albany
N. V.; where it can be seen. It produces work supe-
rior to any mode of planing before known. The
number of plank or boards fed into it is the only
limit to the amount it will plane. For rights to theis
machine apply to the patentee at the asovenamed
foundryor at his residence No. 764 Broadway; Al-
bany. GEO. W. BEARDSLEE. 43tf
TO PAINTERS AND OTHERS.American
Anatomic Drier, Electro Chesnical graining co-
lors, Electro Negative gold size, and Chemical Oil
stove Polish. The Drier improves in quality by
ageis adapted to all kinds of paints and also to
Printers inks and colors. The above articles are
compounded upon known chemical laws and are
submitted to the public without further comment.
Slanufactured and sold wholesale and retail at 114
John et. N. V. and Flushing L. I. N. V.; by
QUARTERMAN & SON
48tf Painters and Chemists.
M ACHINERY.S. C. IIILLS, No. 12 Platt-st. N.
V. dealer in Steam Engines, Boilers, Iron Pla-
ners, Lathes, Universal Chucks, Drills; Kases, Von
Schmidts and other Pumps; Johnsons Shingle Sia-
chines; Woodworths, Daniels and Laws Planing
machines; Dicks Presses, Punches and Sisears; Slor-
ticing and Tennoning machines; Belting; macisinery
Beals patent Cob and Corn mills; Burr mill and
Grindstones; Lead and Iron Pipe & c. Letters to be
noticed must be post-paid. ltf
LAP-WELDED WROUGHT IRON TUBES
for Tubular -Boilersfrom 1 1-4 to 7 inches in di-
ameter. The only Tubes of the same quality and
manufacture as those so extensively used in England
Scotland, France and Germanyfor Locosnotive
Marine and other steam Engine Boilers.
THOS. PROSSER & SON, Patentees,
ltf 28 Platt-st. N. V.
T ATHES FOR BROOM HANDLES, Ete.We
.1.4 continue to sell Alcotts Concentric Lathe ,which
is adapted to turning Windsor Chair Legs, Pillars
Rods and Rounds; Hoe handles, Fork Handles and
Broom Handles.
This Lathe is capable of turning under two inches
diameter with only the trouble of changing the dies
and pattern to the size required. It ~vill turn smooth
over swells or depressions of 3-4 to the inch and
work as smoothly as on a straight lineand does
work. Sold without frames for tlse low
price of $25boxed and shipped with directions for
setting up. Address (post.paid) 15IUNN & CO.
At this Office.
IRON FOUNDERS MATERIALSviz.: fine
ground and Bolted Sea Coal; Charcoal, Lehigh,
Soapstone and Black Lead Facing. Iron and brass
moulding sand; Fire Clay, Fire sand and Kaolin
also English, Scotch and Welsh Fire Bricksplain
arch, circular and tower cupolafor sale by G.
0. ROBERTSON Liberty place, between 57 and 59
Liberty-st. (near the Post Oflice) N. V. 44 12*
lIT 0011S IMPROVED SHINGLE MACHINE
VT Patented January 8ths 1850, is without doubt
the most valuable isuprovemeset ever made iss this
branch of labor-saving machinery. It lsas been
thoroughly tested upon all kinds of timber and so
great was the favor with which this machine was
~ at the last Fair of the American Institute that
an unbought prensium was awarded to it in prefer-
ence to any other on exhibition. Persons wishing
for rights can address (post-paid) JAMES B. JOHN-
SON, Easton Conn.; or WM. WOOD, Westport; Ct.
All letters will be promptly attended to. S7tf
LEONARDS MACHINERY DEPOT, 109
Pearl-st. 60 Beaver N. VThee subscriber is con-
stantly receiving and offers for sale a great variety
of articles connected with the mecheanical and mass-
ufacturing interest, viz.: Machinists Toolsengines
and hand lathes; iron planing and vertical drilling
machines; cutting engines slotting machines; bolt
cutters; slide rests; universal chucks & c. Curpen
ters Toolsmortising and tennonin5 machines; wood
seSsnin _ machines & c. Steam En5ines and Boilers
from 5 to 100 horse power. Mill Gearingwrought
iron shafting; brass and iron castings made to order.
Cotton and Woolen macisinery furnished from the
best makers. Cotton Gins; h- nd and power presses.
Leather Banding of all widths made in a superior
manner; manufacturers Findings of every descrip-
tion. P. A. LEONARD. 48tf
OF PATENT WIRE Ropes
inclined planes, suspension
bridges, standing rigging, snines, cranes, derick, til-
hers & c.; by JOhN A. ROEBLING; Civil Engineer
Trenton N. J. 47 ly*
RAILROAD CAR MANUFACTORY-TRA-
CV & FALES, Grove Works, hartford, Coun.
Passage, Freight and all other descriptions of rail-
road Cars, as well as Locosnotive Tenders, made to
order promptly. The above is the largest Car Fac-
tory in the Union. In quality of material and in
workmanship, beauty, ased good taste, as well as -
strengths and durability, we are detersnined our work
shall not be unsurpassed. JOhN K. TRACY,
39tf. THOMAS J. FALES.
BEST CAST STEEL AXLES AND TYRES, (a
new article,) for Railroad Carriages and Locomo-
tives. The quality of this steel is sufficiemetly attest-
ted in the anseousecement that it heas carried off the
first prizes awarded at the Worlds competition of
1851, in London. Tise axles are ice general use on the
Continent, and are now offered in competition with
any other that can be produced; and to be tested in
y way that may be desired by the engineers of the
United States, either by impact or by torsion. Tlsis
steel is manufactured by Fried Krupp, Esq., of Es-
son, in Rhenish Prussia. represented in the United
States by ThIOS. PROSSER & SON,E28 Platt st., N.lY.
2tf.
ENGINEERS.A new Work on the Marine
oilers of thee United States, prepared from au-
thentic Drawings and Illustrated by 70 Engravings
among whsich are those of the fastest and best
steamers in the countryhas just been published by
B. H. BARTOL, Engineer, and is for sale at the stor
of DAPPLETON & CO.,
1 12* 200 Broadway.
311
j
~dewtific ~uetic~n.
seven, and a grand promenade gallery, seven
feet wide on the sides, and ten feet at each end
of the room, running entirely around it at a
height of fourteen feet from the floor, and sup-
ported by eighty strong and beautiful iron
brackets set into the walls. This obviates the
necessity of obstructing the main floor by pil-
lars or columns, or of using suspension rods.
thus leaving it entirely free and clearthe
largest clear floor in America. This great
room is finished in a simple but really beauti-
ful style: to render it fit for concerts or public
speeches, due care has been taken in the shape
of the cornice, etc , and a beautiful cone is
placed there which it is thought will much im-
prove the acoustic properties of the saloon.
Though no~ containing as much ornament as
many other of our public halls, it is thought,
as a whole, this is the finest Ball or Exhibition
room in the country. Some two thousand per-
sons may promenade the handsome galleries,
while four thousand more may be seated, or
six thousand could easily stand upon the main
THE GREAT MECHANICS HALL, AT BALTIMORE.
At this end of the building two flights of stairs
have been placed, leading to the street, by
which an additional mode of egress is afforded
to the immense audiences that may be expect-
ed to throng the house. We will not under-
take to add an estimate of the capacity of these
various apartments, so numerous and so large,
I to that of the grand saloon, but the reader will
not lose sight of the immense space contained
in the building, after leaving the saloon out of
view altogether. Besides all these apart-
ments, the roof contains a storeroom two hun-
dred and sixty by twenty feet. The whole
building will be brilliantly lighted at night
with gas. The grand saloon alone will con-
tain some two hundred and sixty lights ar-
ranged in twol rows, one around the face of
the galleries, and one above the galleries, pro-
jecting from the walls under the enrni~-~~
six feet below the ceiling. This arrangement
will display the great size of the room to ad-
vantage, and afford a pleasing relief to the eye,
dispensing, as it does, with the glare of light
ment story is a Tuscan Arcade, having seventy floor, making its capacity very great. concentrated by the chandelier plan of light-
pilasters, with capacious archways, affording On a level with the floor of the grand sa- ing.
free access to the market, to which this story is loon there are, in each of the end buildings We have now given a hasty outline of
the
still devoted. These pilasters, at the sides of [see cut] large rooms, and above them are interior, and will add a few words upon
the
the house,are finished with cast-iron imposts and other large rooms on a level with the gallery outside appearance of the building.
archivolts of an appropriate design, co rres- floor, in the grand soloon. There is in the end The style is Italian, of that type
known to
ponding with the finish on Baltimore street, building another floor still, with rooms equal- architects as the Astylar, and
embodies the
where Connecticut brown stone is used for the ly large. novel application or combination of several
first story. This market department is said to The stair hall, on Baltimore street, contains features which may be called American.
be the most complete and capacious in the Uni- a double flight of steps to the second floor (on There is a striking architectural
beauty
ted States, having a twenty feet ceiling, support- a line with the gellery) and the third story, and unityabout it, though the
architect was
ed by one hundred neat cast-iron columns. and by this means an ambulatory of eight hun- much restricted in presenting a complete
The butchers (by whom it will be occupied two dred feet circuit is afforded, (of the galleries structure, by several considerations
that were
mornings in the week) design fitting it up with and two end rooms), being nearly an eighth of forced upon him by peculiar
circumstances.
a grand array of superior white marble stalls, a mile. This second floor, at the front end, is The building on Baltimore street is
75 feet
and other costly fixtures, that will render it divided into three rooms for several classes of high to the top of the cornice, and
the same
more like a palace than a plac~ of business. the School of Design.~~ The third floor con- height at the opposite end on Second
street.
The Halls of the Institute, though over the tains a very large room, (fifty-five by thirty- The main saloon portion, is fifty-four
feet high
market, and supported by the same foundation, three feet) with a twenty-two feet ceiling, de- to the crown moulding, or seventy
feet to the
are entirely separated from it, and so well has signed for the Library, and in which light iron apex of the roof. A beautifully
proportioned
this been done, that a stranger might enter the galleries will be placed at a height of twelve cupola rises from the centre of the
Baltimore
Institute many times without knowing of the feet. Adjoining the library room, on this floor, street end, seventy feet high above
the cor-
markets existence. The main entrance to the and on either side of the stair-head, is a fine nice, making an extire height of 145
feet. The
Institute is by a large archway irs the centre of large room for School of Design classes. The cupola will contain room for an
illuminated
the buildtng on Baltimore street, where you grand stair hall, at this end, will be lighted by clock, and a space for a large city
bell below
ascend a flight of steps, fifteen feet wide, to an appropriate glass dome on the roof. it. The end on Second street has a look-out
the first floor. On a broad platform, halfway At the other end of the building (on Second or a projection from the centre of the
roof in
(ten feet) up this flight, there are ticket offices street) there are three floors also, as already character with the finish at
the other end, and
on either side. A spacious vestibule is reached mentioned, all communicating with the grand the central roof (over the saloon) is
finished
at the head of these stairs, on either side of saloon. These three rooms, each fifty-five by with three small elevations at the
peaks, that
which is a large office or dressing room. The forty feet, are to be used for the display of all break its straight appearance, and
answer the
grand stair hall, on this floor, is twenty-five working machinery, and such heavy articles purpose of assisting the ventilation.
feet square, back of which is a grand meeting as may be deposited at the Institute exhibi- The walls are very heavy and of the best
or reception room fifty-five by thirty-six feet. tions. On the first of these floors is being Baltimore brick, laid flush, it being
designed
Directly in front of the landing, at fifteen feet fitted up a beautiful thirty horse-power steam to give the entire building four
coats of oil
distance, is a doorway twelve feet wide, open- engine and an approved boiler, through which paint to correspond in color with the
brown
ing into the grand saloon: this room in the the motive power will be derived at the Ex- stone of the basement on Baltimore street.
clear, is two hundred and sixty by firty-five hibition. A large hoist-way, with an appara- The ashlering of this stone is of
finely pointed
feet, with a thirty-two and a half foot ceiling; I tus that will raise five tons at a time, has been work, and the mouldings,
capitals, cornice, & c.,
r~ithas twenty windows seventeen and a half by provided here, that will prove highly useful, are rubbed. The numerous windows in
the
building will be surrounded with much fine
work that will add very materially to the
splendor of the outside. The roof is a most
durable one, covered with large and excellent
slate, the best, perhaps, ever quarried in this
country. The very best materials have beers
used throughout the building, and great care
has been observed in insuring strength isr~d du-
rability. The foundation is as somni as a rock,
the house being built upon six hundred and fif-
ty large piles driven home, and firmly braced
on the heads with immense timbers, surmount-
ed again by six feet of solid masonry. The
number of brick used in the building is about
1,750,000. The cost of the whole building was
at first roughly estimated at $55,000, but owing
to the nature of the work (as connected with
the market) and the public encouragement to
put up a finer establishment than at first in-
tended, the amount of $85,000 or $90,000 will
probably be reached, including the necessary
furniture.
The representation at the head of this arti-
cle gives but a meagre outline of this great
building as it is, and really will be when the
outside is finished, and does the building and
architect a palpable injustice. It does not fair-
ly exhibit the finish of the arches, the cornices,
the windows, the roof; or the cupola. We are
indebted for it to the Institute, by whose di-
rection it was made in too short a time to ad-
mit of a more truthful or artistic cut.
For the plan and details of their proud edi-
fice, the Institute is indebted to the practical
skill and fine taste of Mr. Win. H. Reasin, one
of its members, a practical builder who has
undertaken the profession of an architect. Mr.
Reasin is yet a young man, and bids fair to es-
tablish an honorable fame in that beautiful
science to which he has devoted himself.
The superintendence of the erection of the
Hall devolved upon Mr. Josiah Reynolds, one
of Baltimores most popular builders.
The general business management and con-
trol of the work was entrusted to a building
committee of seven managers of the Institute,
who have performed their highly responsible
and delicate duties in a creditable manner, and
deserve great praise for their untiring patience
and their general good management. Their
names are Win. Bayley (chairman), Josiah
Reynolds, Benj. S. Benson, W. Abrahams,
Saml. E. Rice, Edward Needles, and David M.
Adams.
VELNTh3, AND. MA~N~~
FAC~)U~EPSO
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32
We have already noticed in our paper the ra-
pid progress made by the Marylan& Institute
for the Promotion of the Mechanic Arts, and
have alluded also, to the great building just
erected by that flourishing society for its im-
portaiit purposes. As this building is now in
a state of readiness for the approaching exhibi-
tion, (to be begun on the 20th October, inst.),
and as it deserves, from its extent and the lau-
dable object to which it is to be appropriated
more than a passing usotice, we have gathered
through our Baltimore correspondent, and the
officers of the Institute, the following particu-
lars The site of the Hall is a very eligible
one, fronting as it does on Baltimore street
(the Broadway of the Monumental City) ,with-
in two or three hundred yards of the Mer-
chants Exchange, Post Office, and City Hotel,
an(l, in short, at the most frequented part of the
street. The lot is that on which the tread sec-
tion of the old Centre Market stood, and has a
sixty feet front, with a depth of three hundred
and fifty-five feet to Second street. The base-