Volume 11 (1865) (424 pages)

The Mining and Scientific Press, Mechanical, MOLEQULAR CHANGES IN METALS. . Ia our last issue we fave some tnportaut . mets with regard to the molecular chnngesfected in metals, generally, by heating. rolling, ; sammering aud onaealing. We now propose o note a few fucts with especial relereace to he alloy known ag brass. The term brass is applied to any yellow alloy pf copper. with zinc, tia, lead, antimony, ete. Brass intended for smelting should be en. irely {vee from autimony,as the slightest presbuce af that metal reuders it brittle, and liable o erack. Bras intended for turning, ia addition to copper nnd zine, should also contain from 2 to 2.15 per cent. of lead in its composition. ‘The diitiun of the lexd eauses the turnings to leave he tool easily. It should be introduced into he crucible which cantains the melted brass after it has been taken from the furuace. Brass for engraving upon, as for door-plales, fe. should contain a very little tin, us that netal gives a crispness to brass, and causes it o break up short under the graving-tool. brass fur braziers should not contain less than bG!s per cent. af capper. Molecular Chang s. — Brass wire becomes kery brittle, if subjected to vibration in a state bf tensivu, aad sometimes when subjected to ong continued tension alone. TH subjected to treat tension and rupid vibration, it will someimes become almost as britile as glass, in the Fonrse of a few weeks, Brass chains uud rods used for supporting objects, such as chandeliers, Pie. have aften bucn kuown to break without un assignable cause other than a loss of their tenacity. In such cases, on cxaminatioa, the brass will be found tu be very brittle, much nore so than when first put im place. ‘his ;cndeuey to loss of tenacity is also comnion, but in a inach less degree, to most or all of the metals aud their alloys. Brass, when used as bolts, sometimes underoes a very singular molecular chanye, known ns exfoliation—the metal, on the exterior, becoining more aor less separated into concentric ayers or lamine, leaving a solid, cylindrical mucleus within. Brass wire, when composed of 75 per cengy of copper, and 25 of ziue, if wire-drawn, and taken directly from the dram ou which it has eeu wound in that process, aud immediately buhjected to the process of annealing, will be almost as brittle as gluss; but if, previous to annealing, the coil, as taken from the drum, is sulijecled to strong and repeated concussion, it villretain its primitive condition of tenacity, This conensston may be applied by taking hold of one part of the coil with the hands, and ising and striking the other heavily upon a ich or other firm object. This, perhaps, is % of the most siagular molecular chauges of metal known. “ Spuey Metal.”—Brass castings, after being tarned olf smoothly, and subsequeutly lacquered, are often noticed to be soon after covered with little green sputs of efflorescence, his is produced in the following manner: In eastiug, minute, microscopical cavities will sometimes occur immediately below the smface, and which may not be entirely removed by the turning tool. ‘hese cavities are probably ‘caused hy minute bubbles ol air. In dipping the eastiny into the acid, previous to the lacquering, it is easy to conceive that a small aiaount of the acid may penetrate these cavities in such a manner as-not to be removed by the subsequent washing in water; so that aitrates of zine and copner would thus be formed, by the acid contiauing there.aad soon atter the lacquering process, their effloresceuce wonld break through the film of lacquer, and show ‘itself on the surface, tnus producing what is techuically known as" spuey metal.” . Stream Jears.—Dhe use of steam jets to in‘crease fireor furnace drafts is uothing new. Their use can be traced as far back as the time of the ancient Romaas, who are known to have employed jets of steam, both directly into the fire, and also above the fire into the flue or chimney, to increase the draught. Very likely the first application of the priuciple might have been employed even auterior to the Romans. Tesastex (Wourrau) Anvoys wir Inox, Some six or eight years ngn inuch interest wae excited with regard to the use of tungsten or . wolfrum ns an alloy for hardening and improv ing steel. It was first introduced by au Austrian Steel Maunfactaring Company. 1b was thought by some that it would revolutionize tho . working of cust steel. Mr. Mushet, of England, obtained nine patents in one vear for forming steel alloys with this metal; and the opinion Was quite prevaleut that the new steel alloy would last three or four tines ns loug as the best Bnelish steel. Now well iuformed persons believes in tungsten steel. But there is ground for the idea that the addition of tungsten to cast-iron improves tho quality of that metal. Some very careful experiinents have quite recently becn made at the French marine foundry at Nevers, which Appeur to show pretty conclusively that castiron hasits tenacity increased abont one-sixth by tho addition of abont two per cent. of tnngsten. ‘The tungsten is added to the iron in its mineralized condition of wellran ; metullic tungsten not being available. Tor sone lacts with regurd to the mineral “ wolfram,” see article in another evluinn. no Tue Sroxes or tue Veneny.—The murble stones which composed Svlomon’s Temple were said tu be forty cubies long. twelve thick dnd eight high. Supposing » cubic to be eighteen inches, which is the lowest estimate, they would be sixty: leet lone, eighteen feet thick, and twelve feet high. And supposing u cubic foot of marble to weigh 2,707 ounces one of theso stunes weighed 2,752,038 pounds and 12 ounces. And supposing one man to b2 able to raise 200 pounds, it will require 13,760 men tu raise one of these, and also a little boy who conld raise 38 pounds 12 ounces. Aud suppose one man to require a square yard to stand upon, it would require two acres, three rods, eleven perches und twelve yards for thein to stand upon while raising it, besides a place for the little boy to stand. What floats must have been weeessary to carry them across the seato Joppa! And what kind of tenins, as well as wagons, do you suppose they had to carry these stones from Joppa to Jerusalem ? And what skill was necessary to square and dress these immense stunes, so that when they were brought together they fitted so exactly that they had the appearance of being solid stone. a New Styte or Dritu.—Mr. Jennings, Su. perintendent of the Jeuning's Petroleum Uom-_ pany, who came up on the steamer, brought with hiny some additional machinery for that company's well, among which, we noticed a new style drill, recently patented, if we remeinber correctly by C. A. Fargo. It represents two ordinary drills so placed as to present the faces crossiug each other at right angles—or, in other words, tos main drill are secured two pieces or flanges laterally by a screw or screws passing edzewise eutirely through these pieces and through the main drill, making in reality two drills, arranged as before stated. This is made to couple with» sand-pump of heavy, strong material, from which projects near tbe bottom a steel jaw intended to do the work of the reamer. When the drill and pump descend, this jaw, resting firmly in its position does its work, and when they are raised it yields to the pressure of the walls of the well, and offers no tmnpediment to that operation ; during the process of drilling and reaming, the sand-pump is performing its allotted duty by cleaning up after the drill and the reamer. When tbis is full the whole is raised and the pump relieved of its load by means of a “door” opening just above the valve. It remains to be proved with what efficiency this will perform the work for which it is tatended.— Humboldt Times. Armospuenic Pressure as A Source or Meemantean Powsns.—The Journnl of the Pranklin Institute has a series of articles under this title, supposed to have been written by Mr. Ewbaak, formerly Commissioner of Patents, advocating the combination of a high-pressure . engine with a very low pressure engine. the same steam to go through both engines. It is also proposed to drain the condenser by a pipe desceading thirty-six feet below the bottom of the condenser, and dipping intoa vessel, 30 that the water should not run entirely out of it. A small air-pump would theu serve to keep a vacuum. ‘the use ol’ ice is recomended for condensation because “the advantage of ice for internal condensation arises from the fact that air combined with ordinary water is discharged in the act of freezing, hence there would be little air to pump ont.” Tue use of the term “ horse-power” is very common, yet few, execpt good mechaaies and eagineers, attach a definite meaniug to it. It ineans the power required to lift 33,000 ponuds avoirdupois one foot high in one minute. ‘ Crrovs Facts Asart Crrtixe ‘Tasner. . Cut tinber from September to December, and you camnot get a worm into it. Qetober and November ale perhaps the best muaths, and sure tu avoid Wworn:s. \ You ent Irom Mareh to June, and you vannot save tho timber from worms or borers. . May used ta be called * peeling time,” in my . boyhood ; and inuch was then done ia procur. ing hark for tanneries, when the cup is up in the trank and all the pores are tnll of sap; whereas inthe lull and early in the winter these pores nre empty—then itis time to ent, and there will be no worms, When you see an ox-bow with the bark tight there are ny worms, no powder frost, and you cannot separate it from the wooed, wad what is true in ono kind is tre in all kinds of, timber, and every kind has its peculiar kind of worm. ‘The pine has. I believe, the largest) worns; and these worms work many yeurs. Lhuve found them alive and nt work in white! ouk spokes that { knew had been in ny earret over twelve yeurs, and they were much larger thnn nt first; they do nat stop in the sap, but continue in the solil part. Ido uot think of buying timber unless it is cut iu the time above niInded to. I lave wondered that there has not been more guid on tlus subject, and it is one of great importance, even lor tirewood aud especially lor building, ete.— Exchange. ~Pronuction or Stee, py Means or Gases. M. Aristide Berard brought be ore the Academy of Sciences, at its sitting of Inne 26th, his wethod ol forming steel by means of gases. It consists in alternately oxidizing and reducing cast-iron in a lurnace suited to the purpose. ‘he oxidation is produced on one portion of the cast-iron, by the introduction of atmosphevic air. and the redaction on another by a inixtnre of hydrogen and carbonic oxide, previously freed from sulphur. After twelve or fifteen minutes the processes are reversed, tie portion sulijected to oxidation heing submi ted to reduction, and rice versa. Any oxyyzen evolved is absorbed by burning coke placed in a suitable position, When this alternate aelion is found by trial to have been coutinued long enough, the operation is stopped, decarbonation heing the terminating proeess. During oxidution the bases ol the metals proper and of the earths are oxidated—the sulphur, phosphorus, etc., forin acids, and cscape. During reduction, the iron is brought to the netallie state, aud the eartlis separate as scoria, any remaining sulphur, phosphorus. etc., being climinated as acids, and some carbon is restored to the iron. <A high temperature is produced during oxidation, a low during reduction. Ten or twelve tons are manipulated at each operation in the establishment which has been formed by the inventor—and the steel produced is said to have all the properties of the ordinary kind. Srrenetu or Marretars.—lt isa reinarkable fuct, that one of the niost abundant matetials in naturo—iron—is the strongest of all known substances made. Made inlo the best steel, a rod one-fourth of an inch in diameter will sustain 6,000 pounds .belore breaking ; soft steel, 7,000 pounds; iron wire, 6,000 pouads ; bar-iron, 4,000 pounds ; inferior bariron, 2.000; east iron, 1,000 to 3,000 pounds; copper wire, 3,000 pounds; silver, 2,000 ; wold, 2.500 ; tin, 300 pounds ; cast zine, 160 pounds ; . sheet zine, 1,000 pounds; cast lead, 55 pounds ; . milled lead, 200 pounds. Ol wood, box and locust, the same size, will hold 1,200 pounds; the toughest ash, 1,000 ; elm, 800 ; beech, ecdar, white oak, pitch pine. 600%pounds; chestnut and soft inaple, 650 . pounds; poplar, 400 pounds. Wood which . will bear a very heavy weight fora minute or . two will break with two-thirds the force actiug } a long tine. A-rod of iron is about ten times as strong as a heinpen cord. A rope of an inch in diameter will bear 21¢ tons, but in practice it is not safe to subject it toa strain of more than about one ton. Llalf ou inch in diameter, the strength will be onequarter of au inch, one-sixteenth, and so on. New Fire Annigtaror.aA number of scientific gentlemen in Mngland, have been witnessing experiments at Mr. Willing's premises, King's Cross, with a new fire-extinguisher, the patent of Dr. Carlier & Mr. Vignon. A huge fire was lighted three times, euch more powerful than its predecessor, and a ian with one of the machines, it is said, completely mastered the conflasration ina few seconds. ‘he machine is portable, and costs from £4 to £6. lt is always charged ; may be eluug upon a person’s shoulders; aifd can be used by a child. he charge simply consists of a large seidlitz compound ; and, the vessel being air31h Copper Sme'ting in Flumas, — _ fligh up in the mountains, to the northeast ja tle npper purt of Plomas county, there seems tu be a largo region bidding fair to: ecome remarkable for copper and perhaps gold, There are many copper veins, of which only om:is being successfully worked, culled tLe Cosmopolitan, in Genesee Valley, where a good set of smelting works, costing thirty thousand dullars, hus been completed under the control of Mr. 1. OC. Clapman, where, oa the nverage, abaut six hundied pounds of pure copper are smelted daily. Ilere the welted copper is nat drawn off into moulds ns at Capperopolis, but, us it runs from the furmee into uvat kept hot by a surface of burning coals, it aceummulates till the vatis full, ‘Then the eoals ure removed, and the worthless slage soon cools ina crust andis then thrown away 5 hext successive crusts of matt, of abont filty per cent. of copperare thrown off atthe rato of three for cach minute. ‘This is kept for a second refining process. Neat the pure copper appears at the bottom, and is known by tle luct that no crust will form on the snrtace when the whele is lelt to coolin a mass of pure nietal. ‘I'he freight upon pure metal to Snn Francisco, is comparatively light. where it is sold at a good prolit to all engaged ia the work. About four miles above this anuther set of works is also being jpnt up, aud fine copper mining times, during thocomiug year, ure anticipated. The scenery of this region here. in upper Plumas county, is indeed grand, magnibeent ; vast granite ridves rise two, three, or even four thousand feet high, exceedingly steep, olten impossible lor a loree to aseeud straight, and even very difficult for a man; generally covered with a good growth of pino timber, from the bottom to the top. ‘I'he suminit of these ridges may bea mere back-bone, of arod ora fewrods across, with cach side alike precipitous, though at times this highest and will widen out to acres in extent. In the deep cufions below, a little pure stream of water for miles in a rocky channel destitnte of any level land upon its bauk; then again these steep inountain sides recede back a little from ule streaus and leave a beautiful, smcoth, even, grassy valley,a very few rods or a few hundred rods across, and two, three or six miles in leagth, crooking and winding with the stream, among the towering heights hanging over them, the moat lovely imaginable in contrast with the rugged mountains, shutting them in. All these valleys aie now taken up in famns or dairy ranches, aud are held ata high price by their owners.— Pacific. Tae Ipano ‘Lin Discovery.—The editor of the Owyhee Avalanche, who took atour throuzh the mines of that region, writes to his paper as follows of the late report of the discovery of tic ore in Iudian creek : ‘ This discovery isuo humbng gotten up for the purpose of speculation or excitement, but isa lact. All the miuers that have worked the placer claims within certain limits recotlect the presence of the peculiarly shapel pebbles in their claims, and it is believed that it may be found in paying quantities. It is not alittle singulur that these mines have been worked for two years without any one of the ininers knowing that they were valuable. ‘I'he different degrees of abundauce in which the ore is fonnd in different places along the creek indicates that a inine of the stulF may be fouud somewhere about the north end of Gold Mountain. Vhe ore is very rich, yieldiug about seventy-five per ccnt. of pure metal. Col. Fogus produced a little tin brick this alter hoon, about the size of a five lrane piece, Irom two ounces of the ore. Muneh ol the metal was lost as he succeeded in reducing tho ore after trying two processes in vain. Dirt Crusinxa.—Messrs. Depew & Co., says the Calaveras Chronicle, have just fiuisled their 10-stamp will, to crush tho dirt froin their tunnel. Experience, says the Chronicle, has proved that the clayey dirt taken from soaic of the tunnel claims 1a that neighborhood pays far better by being worked in a mill thoa by any other process. .A hundred mills or more may be employed, in the various parts of the State, to work gravel that is now being washed, and ata vastly increased profit over the mode of simply washing with sluices. Experiments iu Nevada connty Tully proved this years ago. fur Dalles Mountaineer says a couple of miners caine down from the Jobu Day mines some days since with thirty-seven pounds of gold, the result of their industry during the tightand capable of bearing a pressure of 150 ibs. to the inch, the liquid containing the gas can be projected toa considerable distance. ‘he experiments were deemed satisfactory. Tue Marysville Appeal urges the establish-. ment of a woolen factory in that city. past summer. =_Smoxer from buraing woodsin Caaada has heen so dense as to preveut navigation ou the . St. Lawreuce river. ‘

The Mining and Scientific Press, Mechanical, MOLEQULAR CHANGES IN METALS. . Ia our last issue we fave some tnportaut . mets with regard to the molecular chnngesfected in metals, generally, by heating. rolling, ; sammering aud onaealing. We now propose o note a few fucts with especial relereace to he alloy known ag brass. The term brass is applied to any yellow alloy pf copper. with zinc, tia, lead, antimony, ete. Brass intended for smelting should be en. irely {vee from autimony,as the slightest presbuce af that metal reuders it brittle, and liable o erack. Bras intended for turning, ia addition to copper nnd zine, should also contain from 2 to 2.15 per cent. of lead in its composition. ‘The diitiun of the lexd eauses the turnings to leave he tool easily. It should be introduced into he crucible which cantains the melted brass after it has been taken from the furuace. Brass for engraving upon, as for door-plales, fe. should contain a very little tin, us that netal gives a crispness to brass, and causes it o break up short under the graving-tool. brass fur braziers should not contain less than bG!s per cent. af capper. Molecular Chang s. — Brass wire becomes kery brittle, if subjected to vibration in a state bf tensivu, aad sometimes when subjected to ong continued tension alone. TH subjected to treat tension and rupid vibration, it will someimes become almost as britile as glass, in the Fonrse of a few weeks, Brass chains uud rods used for supporting objects, such as chandeliers, Pie. have aften bucn kuown to break without un assignable cause other than a loss of their tenacity. In such cases, on cxaminatioa, the brass will be found tu be very brittle, much nore so than when first put im place. ‘his ;cndeuey to loss of tenacity is also comnion, but in a inach less degree, to most or all of the metals aud their alloys. Brass, when used as bolts, sometimes underoes a very singular molecular chanye, known ns exfoliation—the metal, on the exterior, becoining more aor less separated into concentric ayers or lamine, leaving a solid, cylindrical mucleus within. Brass wire, when composed of 75 per cengy of copper, and 25 of ziue, if wire-drawn, and taken directly from the dram ou which it has eeu wound in that process, aud immediately buhjected to the process of annealing, will be almost as brittle as gluss; but if, previous to annealing, the coil, as taken from the drum, is sulijecled to strong and repeated concussion, it villretain its primitive condition of tenacity, This conensston may be applied by taking hold of one part of the coil with the hands, and ising and striking the other heavily upon a ich or other firm object. This, perhaps, is % of the most siagular molecular chauges of metal known. “ Spuey Metal.”—Brass castings, after being tarned olf smoothly, and subsequeutly lacquered, are often noticed to be soon after covered with little green sputs of efflorescence, his is produced in the following manner: In eastiug, minute, microscopical cavities will sometimes occur immediately below the smface, and which may not be entirely removed by the turning tool. ‘hese cavities are probably ‘caused hy minute bubbles ol air. In dipping the eastiny into the acid, previous to the lacquering, it is easy to conceive that a small aiaount of the acid may penetrate these cavities in such a manner as-not to be removed by the subsequent washing in water; so that aitrates of zine and copner would thus be formed, by the acid contiauing there.aad soon atter the lacquering process, their effloresceuce wonld break through the film of lacquer, and show ‘itself on the surface, tnus producing what is techuically known as" spuey metal.” . Stream Jears.—Dhe use of steam jets to in‘crease fireor furnace drafts is uothing new. Their use can be traced as far back as the time of the ancient Romaas, who are known to have employed jets of steam, both directly into the fire, and also above the fire into the flue or chimney, to increase the draught. Very likely the first application of the priuciple might have been employed even auterior to the Romans. Tesastex (Wourrau) Anvoys wir Inox, Some six or eight years ngn inuch interest wae excited with regard to the use of tungsten or . wolfrum ns an alloy for hardening and improv ing steel. It was first introduced by au Austrian Steel Maunfactaring Company. 1b was thought by some that it would revolutionize tho . working of cust steel. Mr. Mushet, of England, obtained nine patents in one vear for forming steel alloys with this metal; and the opinion Was quite prevaleut that the new steel alloy would last three or four tines ns loug as the best Bnelish steel. Now well iuformed persons believes in tungsten steel. But there is ground for the idea that the addition of tungsten to cast-iron improves tho quality of that metal. Some very careful experiinents have quite recently becn made at the French marine foundry at Nevers, which Appeur to show pretty conclusively that castiron hasits tenacity increased abont one-sixth by tho addition of abont two per cent. of tnngsten. ‘The tungsten is added to the iron in its mineralized condition of wellran ; metullic tungsten not being available. Tor sone lacts with regurd to the mineral “ wolfram,” see article in another evluinn. no Tue Sroxes or tue Veneny.—The murble stones which composed Svlomon’s Temple were said tu be forty cubies long. twelve thick dnd eight high. Supposing » cubic to be eighteen inches, which is the lowest estimate, they would be sixty: leet lone, eighteen feet thick, and twelve feet high. And supposing u cubic foot of marble to weigh 2,707 ounces one of theso stunes weighed 2,752,038 pounds and 12 ounces. And supposing one man to b2 able to raise 200 pounds, it will require 13,760 men tu raise one of these, and also a little boy who conld raise 38 pounds 12 ounces. Aud suppose one man to require a square yard to stand upon, it would require two acres, three rods, eleven perches und twelve yards for thein to stand upon while raising it, besides a place for the little boy to stand. What floats must have been weeessary to carry them across the seato Joppa! And what kind of tenins, as well as wagons, do you suppose they had to carry these stones from Joppa to Jerusalem ? And what skill was necessary to square and dress these immense stunes, so that when they were brought together they fitted so exactly that they had the appearance of being solid stone. a New Styte or Dritu.—Mr. Jennings, Su. perintendent of the Jeuning's Petroleum Uom-_ pany, who came up on the steamer, brought with hiny some additional machinery for that company's well, among which, we noticed a new style drill, recently patented, if we remeinber correctly by C. A. Fargo. It represents two ordinary drills so placed as to present the faces crossiug each other at right angles—or, in other words, tos main drill are secured two pieces or flanges laterally by a screw or screws passing edzewise eutirely through these pieces and through the main drill, making in reality two drills, arranged as before stated. This is made to couple with» sand-pump of heavy, strong material, from which projects near tbe bottom a steel jaw intended to do the work of the reamer. When the drill and pump descend, this jaw, resting firmly in its position does its work, and when they are raised it yields to the pressure of the walls of the well, and offers no tmnpediment to that operation ; during the process of drilling and reaming, the sand-pump is performing its allotted duty by cleaning up after the drill and the reamer. When tbis is full the whole is raised and the pump relieved of its load by means of a “door” opening just above the valve. It remains to be proved with what efficiency this will perform the work for which it is tatended.— Humboldt Times. Armospuenic Pressure as A Source or Meemantean Powsns.—The Journnl of the Pranklin Institute has a series of articles under this title, supposed to have been written by Mr. Ewbaak, formerly Commissioner of Patents, advocating the combination of a high-pressure . engine with a very low pressure engine. the same steam to go through both engines. It is also proposed to drain the condenser by a pipe desceading thirty-six feet below the bottom of the condenser, and dipping intoa vessel, 30 that the water should not run entirely out of it. A small air-pump would theu serve to keep a vacuum. ‘the use ol’ ice is recomended for condensation because “the advantage of ice for internal condensation arises from the fact that air combined with ordinary water is discharged in the act of freezing, hence there would be little air to pump ont.” Tue use of the term “ horse-power” is very common, yet few, execpt good mechaaies and eagineers, attach a definite meaniug to it. It ineans the power required to lift 33,000 ponuds avoirdupois one foot high in one minute. ‘ Crrovs Facts Asart Crrtixe ‘Tasner. . Cut tinber from September to December, and you camnot get a worm into it. Qetober and November ale perhaps the best muaths, and sure tu avoid Wworn:s. \ You ent Irom Mareh to June, and you vannot save tho timber from worms or borers. . May used ta be called * peeling time,” in my .

boyhood ; and inuch was then done ia procur. ing hark for tanneries, when the cup is up in the trank and all the pores are tnll of sap; whereas inthe lull and early in the winter these pores nre empty—then itis time to ent, and there will be no worms, When you see an ox-bow with the bark tight there are ny worms, no powder frost, and you cannot separate it from the wooed, wad what is true in ono kind is tre in all kinds of, timber, and every kind has its peculiar kind of worm. ‘The pine has. I believe, the largest) worns; and these worms work many yeurs. Lhuve found them alive and nt work in white! ouk spokes that { knew had been in ny earret over twelve yeurs, and they were much larger thnn nt first; they do nat stop in the sap, but continue in the solil part. Ido uot think of buying timber unless it is cut iu the time above niInded to. I lave wondered that there has not been more guid on tlus subject, and it is one of great importance, even lor tirewood aud especially lor building, ete.— Exchange. ~Pronuction or Stee, py Means or Gases. M. Aristide Berard brought be ore the Academy of Sciences, at its sitting of Inne 26th, his wethod ol forming steel by means of gases. It consists in alternately oxidizing and reducing cast-iron in a lurnace suited to the purpose. ‘he oxidation is produced on one portion of the cast-iron, by the introduction of atmosphevic air. and the redaction on another by a inixtnre of hydrogen and carbonic oxide, previously freed from sulphur. After twelve or fifteen minutes the processes are reversed, tie portion sulijected to oxidation heing submi ted to reduction, and rice versa. Any oxyyzen evolved is absorbed by burning coke placed in a suitable position, When this alternate aelion is found by trial to have been coutinued long enough, the operation is stopped, decarbonation heing the terminating proeess. During oxidution the bases ol the metals proper and of the earths are oxidated—the sulphur, phosphorus, etc., forin acids, and cscape. During reduction, the iron is brought to the netallie state, aud the eartlis separate as scoria, any remaining sulphur, phosphorus. etc., being climinated as acids, and some carbon is restored to the iron. <A high temperature is produced during oxidation, a low during reduction. Ten or twelve tons are manipulated at each operation in the establishment which has been formed by the inventor—and the steel produced is said to have all the properties of the ordinary kind. Srrenetu or Marretars.—lt isa reinarkable fuct, that one of the niost abundant matetials in naturo—iron—is the strongest of all known substances made. Made inlo the best steel, a rod one-fourth of an inch in diameter will sustain 6,000 pounds .belore breaking ; soft steel, 7,000 pounds; iron wire, 6,000 pouads ; bar-iron, 4,000 pounds ; inferior bariron, 2.000; east iron, 1,000 to 3,000 pounds; copper wire, 3,000 pounds; silver, 2,000 ; wold, 2.500 ; tin, 300 pounds ; cast zine, 160 pounds ; . sheet zine, 1,000 pounds; cast lead, 55 pounds ; . milled lead, 200 pounds. Ol wood, box and locust, the same size, will hold 1,200 pounds; the toughest ash, 1,000 ; elm, 800 ; beech, ecdar, white oak, pitch pine. 600%pounds; chestnut and soft inaple, 650 . pounds; poplar, 400 pounds. Wood which . will bear a very heavy weight fora minute or . two will break with two-thirds the force actiug } a long tine. A-rod of iron is about ten times as strong as a heinpen cord. A rope of an inch in diameter will bear 21¢ tons, but in practice it is not safe to subject it toa strain of more than about one ton. Llalf ou inch in diameter, the strength will be onequarter of au inch, one-sixteenth, and so on. New Fire Annigtaror.aA number of scientific gentlemen in Mngland, have been witnessing experiments at Mr. Willing's premises, King's Cross, with a new fire-extinguisher, the patent of Dr. Carlier & Mr. Vignon. A huge fire was lighted three times, euch more powerful than its predecessor, and a ian with one of the machines, it is said, completely mastered the conflasration ina few seconds. ‘he machine is portable, and costs from £4 to £6. lt is always charged ; may be eluug upon a person’s shoulders; aifd can be used by a child. he charge simply consists of a large seidlitz compound ; and, the vessel being air31h Copper Sme'ting in Flumas, — _ fligh up in the mountains, to the northeast ja tle npper purt of Plomas county, there seems tu be a largo region bidding fair to: ecome remarkable for copper and perhaps gold, There are many copper veins, of which only om:is being successfully worked, culled tLe Cosmopolitan, in Genesee Valley, where a good set of smelting works, costing thirty thousand dullars, hus been completed under the control of Mr. 1. OC. Clapman, where, oa the nverage, abaut six hundied pounds of pure copper are smelted daily. Ilere the welted copper is nat drawn off into moulds ns at Capperopolis, but, us it runs from the furmee into uvat kept hot by a surface of burning coals, it aceummulates till the vatis full, ‘Then the eoals ure removed, and the worthless slage soon cools ina crust andis then thrown away 5 hext successive crusts of matt, of abont filty per cent. of copperare thrown off atthe rato of three for cach minute. ‘This is kept for a second refining process. Neat the pure copper appears at the bottom, and is known by tle luct that no crust will form on the snrtace when the whele is lelt to coolin a mass of pure nietal. ‘I'he freight upon pure metal to Snn Francisco, is comparatively light. where it is sold at a good prolit to all engaged ia the work. About four miles above this anuther set of works is also being jpnt up, aud fine copper mining times, during thocomiug year, ure anticipated. The scenery of this region here. in upper Plumas county, is indeed grand, magnibeent ; vast granite ridves rise two, three, or even four thousand feet high, exceedingly steep, olten impossible lor a loree to aseeud straight, and even very difficult for a man; generally covered with a good growth of pino timber, from the bottom to the top. ‘I'he suminit of these ridges may bea mere back-bone, of arod ora fewrods across, with cach side alike precipitous, though at times this highest and will widen out to acres in extent. In the deep cufions below, a little pure stream of water for miles in a rocky channel destitnte of any level land upon its bauk; then again these steep inountain sides recede back a little from ule streaus and leave a beautiful, smcoth, even, grassy valley,a very few rods or a few hundred rods across, and two, three or six miles in leagth, crooking and winding with the stream, among the towering heights hanging over them, the moat lovely imaginable in contrast with the rugged mountains, shutting them in. All these valleys aie now taken up in famns or dairy ranches, aud are held ata high price by their owners.— Pacific. Tae Ipano ‘Lin Discovery.—The editor of the Owyhee Avalanche, who took atour throuzh the mines of that region, writes to his paper as follows of the late report of the discovery of tic ore in Iudian creek : ‘ This discovery isuo humbng gotten up for the purpose of speculation or excitement, but isa lact. All the miuers that have worked the placer claims within certain limits recotlect the presence of the peculiarly shapel pebbles in their claims, and it is believed that it may be found in paying quantities. It is not alittle singulur that these mines have been worked for two years without any one of the ininers knowing that they were valuable. ‘I'he different degrees of abundauce in which the ore is fonnd in different places along the creek indicates that a inine of the stulF may be fouud somewhere about the north end of Gold Mountain. Vhe ore is very rich, yieldiug about seventy-five per ccnt. of pure metal. Col. Fogus produced a little tin brick this alter hoon, about the size of a five lrane piece, Irom two ounces of the ore. Muneh ol the metal was lost as he succeeded in reducing tho ore after trying two processes in vain. Dirt Crusinxa.—Messrs. Depew & Co., says the Calaveras Chronicle, have just fiuisled their 10-stamp will, to crush tho dirt froin their tunnel. Experience, says the Chronicle, has proved that the clayey dirt taken from soaic of the tunnel claims 1a that neighborhood pays far better by being worked in a mill thoa by any other process. .A hundred mills or more may be employed, in the various parts of the State, to work gravel that is now being washed, and ata vastly increased profit over the mode of simply washing with sluices. Experiments iu Nevada connty Tully proved this years ago. fur Dalles Mountaineer says a couple of miners caine down from the Jobu Day mines some days since with thirty-seven pounds of gold, the result of their industry during the tightand capable of bearing a pressure of 150 ibs. to the inch, the liquid containing the gas can be projected toa considerable distance. ‘he experiments were deemed satisfactory. Tue Marysville Appeal urges the establish-. ment of a woolen factory in that city. past summer. =_Smoxer from buraing woodsin Caaada has heen so dense as to preveut navigation ou the . St. Lawreuce river. ‘