Volume 14 (1867) (436 pages)

Ber Siugle Coples, Fifteen Cents, (eas y RY © Terma: One Yenr, $5; Six Months, $3. — & Yournat ot Useful Arts, Science, and Mining and Rechanical Progress. DEWEY & CO., PUBLISITERS and Patent Solleltors, SAN FRANCISCO, SATURDAY, JUNE 29, 1867. VOLUME XTV. Number 2g. gay~-For Tahle of Contents, see last page. Ovr FovrreentH Vouuxe cioses with to-day’s issue, and next week will present a favorahle opportunity to commeuco suhscriptions and advertising fora new volume. Those who dese to give their husiness a wide circulation among reading and intelligent people, and especially among miners and mill men, will do well to secure the advantage of the advertising columns of the Mrytxo anv Screntiric Press. This paper finds its way into our principal hotels, reading rooms, in all college and other schools, etc., and hound volumes and monthly parts aro fouud in the saloons of all the river and ocean steamers. The paper is also received by large numhers of scientific persons and societies, and mining men in all parts of the world More volumes of this paper are bound for preservation and future reference than of all the other periodicals on the Pacificcoast put together. Now is the time to suhseribe and advertise. A glance at our voluminous index for the past six months, will afford the stranger to our columns a very good idea of the character and variety of the subjects discussed in this paper. It will he ohserved that our attention is de-. voted to tho useful rather than ornamental— a feature which we helieve is rapidly growing in favor with California readers gener-. ally. Santa Ciara Conzecre.—The sixteenth annual commencement of this institution took place on Tuesday and Wednesday last. The exercises were unusually spirited and interesting. The various addresses hore high testimouy to the excellency and thoroughness of the system of instruction pursued at this institution. The first literary exercise was a critical essay, by J. T. Rogers, entitled ‘‘ History,” which evinced a marked degree of talent and research. ‘* The Carhoniferous Epoch,” by Jos. Wiley, was the title of another suhject, which was handled in a manner which would have donc credit to even a professor in the difficult science under consideration. “ The Patriot’s Cry,” hy Joseph McQuade, was a heart-stirring and well written poem. “Mother,” an elegy, hy R. Gray; ‘“‘The Equilibrium of the Three Kingdoms of Nature,” by A. L. Sage; ‘The Chinese in California,” by T. A. Sutherland, spoken hy James Hermann ; “‘'The Tax on Education,” by W. B. Murphy; “‘ Regicides,” by A. Swecb, aud ‘ Our Martial Progress,” hy C. ©. Arqucs, were each excelleut in their way. The exercises contiuued three days, and were interspersed with musi¢ and domestic entertainments. The degree of A. M. was conferred upon 8S. A. Lyon, A. B. Kirkup’s Patent Spike. “We herewith present our readers with an illustrated description of a newly inveuted spike, to which we made a short reference some four months siuce. The advantage of such a means of securing rails to thet supports, especially on the dry plains of California, and the arid deserts botween the Sierra Nevada aud Rocky mountains, must be apparent to the most casnal ohserver. Great difficulty is found in keeping the ordinary snake-headed spike in place in all dry climates; but with a spike constructed after Kirkup’s patent, it would seem that this difficulty must be pretty effectually obviated. In the illustration, Fig. 1 represents a ‘‘snake-headed,” and Fig. 2 a ‘‘roundheaded” spike, of this description. The spike is split from its poiuted end in the direction of its length, and the two prongs are beveled in alternate directions. When the splke is driven into the sleeper the two prongs diverge in opposite directions, the chisel edge cutting the way for each prong, aud the hevel edge throwing it outward. With a 4% inch spike the prongs diverge about 134 inches. It can be very readily understood that a spike having the position in the sleeper shown in Fig. 3 will retain its hold against any casual displacement iucident to the jarring or tremhling of the rails occasioned hy passiug trains, and the expansion and contraction occasioued by heat and cold. The American Artisan, in which this spike was first deserihed and illustrated, says of it: “We are informed that the saying in weight of metal per mile over the ordinary The degree of 8. B. was conferred ou L. Sage and Jos. Wiley. The numher of students connected with this institution is 216, which is one of the most flourishing and thorough institutions of learning in the State. We regret that our inability to be present prevents a more extended uotice of the exercises, We shall endeavor to remedy this defect another year. spike amounts to 1,750 pounds, and that the power or weight required to draw a ‘‘snake-headed” spike of the above coustruction which is driven outside the rail, is about 5,986 ponnds, andthe ‘‘roundheaded” spike, which is driveu through an eye in the flange of the rail, ahout 7,656 pounds ; whereas experiment shows thatthe . power or weight required to draw a spike of . ordiuary construction is 1,960 pounds, thus ' showing that it requires about three times . the power to draw the split spike that it. does tho ordinary spike. The spike, however, can be readily drawn, and it requires hut a hlow of a hammer to straighteu the prongs, when it will be ready for use again.” This invention was patented on January 2, 1866, by Launcelot Kirkup, of Brooklyn, N. Y., and it has also been pateuted in the principal European countries. The entire invention has heen assigned to ‘‘The International Patent Bolt Machino and Split Spike Company,” and any further information concerning if may be ohtained of the President of tho company, H. A. R. Moénat, 71 Broadway, New York City. Trae Hosmorpt Rrver.—Some considerable attention is being paid to the utilization of our interior rivers. If woare not mistaken, a steamboat is already in process } of coustruction for the navigation of the . upper waters of the Columhia river. It is also thought that the Humboldt river, KIREUP’S PATENT 8PIKE. which has its course altogether in Nevada, may, at small cost, be made navigable for nearly the eutire year; thus bringing into cheap steam communication the eastern aud western portions of Nevada. According to alate number of the Owyhee Avalanche, a party, desirous of testing its navigahle qualities, recently constructed a small boat near the upper portiou of the river, and proceeded downward along its course. For many miles the river was found to be two and a half to six feet iu depth, but very crooked and ahout sixty feet in width. The character of the river is very uniform from near its source to its mouth, with only ocsional rapids and shallows. To render it navigable, two or three dams would have to he removed, and a number of wing-dams constructed to deepen the channel. On approaching its mouth, the party could not find a passage into the lake, owing to the rank growth of the tules; yet it is said that an outlet forty fect in breadth, opening into the lake or sink is known to exist, and has becu passed through hy settlers and Indians. Tue Merchants’ Floating Dry Dock was lannched in our harhor on Thursday. Tsar Manacumenr or Srexu; by George Ede, employed at the Royal Guu Factory Department, Woolwich Arsenal, (Eng.) Revised and enlarged from tho fourth edition, by D. Appleton & Co., New York, 1867. For salo by A. Roman & Co., San Francisco. The above publication shows the work of a practical mind. Myr. Ede is no mere theorist ; but is one who has a thorough practical knowledge of what he writes. The title, ‘‘The Management of Steel,” does not at all comprehend the full scope of the work. The writer treats upon both iron and steel, in nearly all their forms, conditious and manipulation. Thongh not ex. haustive, it nevertheless emhraces about everything that is essential to he known to the practical iron worker. It treats upon the manufacture of iron and steel, the choosing of steel for tools, annealing castiron and steel, hardening and tempering of the same, oxpansion and contraction of steel, shrinking of cast iron and steel, the case-hardening of wrought iron, toughening of steel for guns, shot, railway hars, etc. This little work, of only 220 duodecimo pages, will be found an inestimable treasure to young mechanics who wish to make themselves better acquainted with the materials upou which they work, and out of which their tools are made. The importance of such information, hoth to young apprentices themselves and the world at large, can scarcely be estimated. Science and the arts would thereby he advanced, while the power of the head to contrive, and the hand to execute, would be greatly enlarged. YValuahle inventions would multiply, while those which perish at their hirth, and see the light only to impoverish instead of increase the wealth of the inventors, would be few indeed. = Erect or Execrricrry on Mouten Tron. Of all the remarkahle applications of electro-magnetism, which have recently heen made, perhaps the most extraordinary is that of its introduction intoa mass of molten iron ! It is said that this experiment was recently tested at one of the leading iron work estahlishments in Sheffield, with most unexpected results and success. The effect is descrihed as surprising; the metal appears to hubble and boil, while the perfect fusion is much expedited, and the quality of the iron greatly improved in toughness and hardness. It appears that much of the impurity that remains after the ordinary process, is driven out by the action of the magnetic current; hence it is inferred that this new application of electro-magnetism, may be regarded as full of promise in this direction. It is to be hoped that further particulars may soon be made public; and in the meantime it is suggested that it is a ease for the application of Wilde’s electromagnetic machine. If there is anything in the alleged discovery, it would scem that with the powerful currents therehy gencrated, the results must he proportionally important. The accounts do not describe the manner in which the current is introduced into the molteumass. Theinferenac, however, would seem to be that the furnace is isolated, and kept fully charged by a powerful battery. Smee’s battery was used . in the instance referred to.

Ber Siugle Coples, Fifteen Cents, (eas y RY © Terma: One Yenr, $5; Six Months, $3. — & Yournat ot Useful Arts, Science, and Mining and Rechanical Progress. DEWEY & CO., PUBLISITERS and Patent Solleltors, SAN FRANCISCO, SATURDAY, JUNE 29, 1867. VOLUME XTV. Number 2g. gay~-For Tahle of Contents, see last page. Ovr FovrreentH Vouuxe cioses with to-day’s issue, and next week will present a favorahle opportunity to commeuco suhscriptions and advertising fora new volume. Those who dese to give their husiness a wide circulation among reading and intelligent people, and especially among miners and mill men, will do well to secure the advantage of the advertising columns of the Mrytxo anv Screntiric Press. This paper finds its way into our principal hotels, reading rooms, in all college and other schools, etc., and hound volumes and monthly parts aro fouud in the saloons of all the river and ocean steamers. The paper is also received by large numhers of scientific persons and societies, and mining men in all parts of the world More volumes of this paper are bound for preservation and future reference than of all the other periodicals on the Pacificcoast put together. Now is the time to suhseribe and advertise. A glance at our voluminous index for the past six months, will afford the stranger to our columns a very good idea of the character and variety of the subjects discussed in this paper. It will he ohserved that our attention is de-. voted to tho useful rather than ornamental— a feature which we helieve is rapidly growing in favor with California readers gener-. ally. Santa Ciara Conzecre.—The sixteenth annual commencement of this institution took place on Tuesday and Wednesday last. The exercises were unusually spirited and interesting. The various addresses hore high testimouy to the excellency and thoroughness of the system of instruction pursued at this institution. The first literary exercise was a critical essay, by J. T. Rogers, entitled ‘‘ History,” which evinced a marked degree of talent and research. ‘* The Carhoniferous Epoch,” by Jos. Wiley, was the title of another suhject, which was handled in a manner which would have donc credit to even a professor in the difficult science under consideration. “ The Patriot’s Cry,” hy Joseph McQuade, was a heart-stirring and well written poem. “Mother,” an elegy, hy R. Gray; ‘“‘The Equilibrium of the Three Kingdoms of Nature,” by A. L. Sage; ‘The Chinese in California,” by T. A. Sutherland, spoken hy James Hermann ; “‘'The Tax on Education,” by W. B. Murphy; “‘ Regicides,” by A. Swecb, aud ‘ Our Martial Progress,” hy C. ©. Arqucs, were each excelleut in their way. The exercises contiuued three days, and were interspersed with musi¢ and domestic entertainments. The degree of A. M. was conferred upon 8S. A. Lyon, A. B. Kirkup’s Patent Spike. “We herewith present our readers with an illustrated description of a newly inveuted spike, to which we made a short reference some four months siuce. The advantage of such a means of securing rails to thet supports, especially on the dry plains of California, and the arid deserts botween the Sierra Nevada aud Rocky mountains, must be apparent to the most casnal ohserver. Great difficulty is found in keeping the ordinary snake-headed spike in place in all dry climates; but with a spike constructed after Kirkup’s patent, it would seem that this difficulty must be pretty effectually obviated. In the illustration, Fig. 1 represents a ‘‘snake-headed,” and Fig. 2 a ‘‘roundheaded” spike, of this description. The spike is split from its poiuted end in the direction of its length, and the two prongs are beveled in alternate directions. When the splke is driven into the sleeper the two prongs diverge in opposite directions, the chisel edge cutting the way for each prong, aud the hevel edge throwing it outward. With a 4% inch spike the prongs diverge about 134 inches. It can be very readily understood that a spike having the position in the sleeper shown in Fig. 3 will retain its hold against any casual displacement iucident to the jarring or tremhling of the rails occasioned hy passiug trains, and the expansion and contraction occasioued by heat and cold. The American Artisan, in which this spike was first deserihed and illustrated, says of it: “We are informed that the saying in weight of metal per mile over the ordinary The degree of 8. B. was conferred ou L. Sage and Jos. Wiley. The numher of students connected with this institution is 216, which is one of the most flourishing and thorough institutions of learning in the State. We regret that our inability to be present prevents a more extended uotice of the exercises, We shall endeavor to remedy this defect another year. spike amounts to 1,750 pounds, and that the power or weight required to draw a ‘‘snake-headed” spike of the above coustruction which is driven outside the rail, is about 5,986 ponnds, andthe ‘‘roundheaded” spike, which is driveu through an eye in the flange of the rail, ahout 7,656 pounds ; whereas experiment shows thatthe . power or weight required to draw a spike of . ordiuary construction is 1,960 pounds, thus

' showing that it requires about three times . the power to draw the split spike that it. does tho ordinary spike. The spike, however, can be readily drawn, and it requires hut a hlow of a hammer to straighteu the prongs, when it will be ready for use again.” This invention was patented on January 2, 1866, by Launcelot Kirkup, of Brooklyn, N. Y., and it has also been pateuted in the principal European countries. The entire invention has heen assigned to ‘‘The International Patent Bolt Machino and Split Spike Company,” and any further information concerning if may be ohtained of the President of tho company, H. A. R. Moénat, 71 Broadway, New York City. Trae Hosmorpt Rrver.—Some considerable attention is being paid to the utilization of our interior rivers. If woare not mistaken, a steamboat is already in process } of coustruction for the navigation of the . upper waters of the Columhia river. It is also thought that the Humboldt river, KIREUP’S PATENT 8PIKE. which has its course altogether in Nevada, may, at small cost, be made navigable for nearly the eutire year; thus bringing into cheap steam communication the eastern aud western portions of Nevada. According to alate number of the Owyhee Avalanche, a party, desirous of testing its navigahle qualities, recently constructed a small boat near the upper portiou of the river, and proceeded downward along its course. For many miles the river was found to be two and a half to six feet iu depth, but very crooked and ahout sixty feet in width. The character of the river is very uniform from near its source to its mouth, with only ocsional rapids and shallows. To render it navigable, two or three dams would have to he removed, and a number of wing-dams constructed to deepen the channel. On approaching its mouth, the party could not find a passage into the lake, owing to the rank growth of the tules; yet it is said that an outlet forty fect in breadth, opening into the lake or sink is known to exist, and has becu passed through hy settlers and Indians. Tue Merchants’ Floating Dry Dock was lannched in our harhor on Thursday. Tsar Manacumenr or Srexu; by George Ede, employed at the Royal Guu Factory Department, Woolwich Arsenal, (Eng.) Revised and enlarged from tho fourth edition, by D. Appleton & Co., New York, 1867. For salo by A. Roman & Co., San Francisco. The above publication shows the work of a practical mind. Myr. Ede is no mere theorist ; but is one who has a thorough practical knowledge of what he writes. The title, ‘‘The Management of Steel,” does not at all comprehend the full scope of the work. The writer treats upon both iron and steel, in nearly all their forms, conditious and manipulation. Thongh not ex. haustive, it nevertheless emhraces about everything that is essential to he known to the practical iron worker. It treats upon the manufacture of iron and steel, the choosing of steel for tools, annealing castiron and steel, hardening and tempering of the same, oxpansion and contraction of steel, shrinking of cast iron and steel, the case-hardening of wrought iron, toughening of steel for guns, shot, railway hars, etc. This little work, of only 220 duodecimo pages, will be found an inestimable treasure to young mechanics who wish to make themselves better acquainted with the materials upou which they work, and out of which their tools are made. The importance of such information, hoth to young apprentices themselves and the world at large, can scarcely be estimated. Science and the arts would thereby he advanced, while the power of the head to contrive, and the hand to execute, would be greatly enlarged. YValuahle inventions would multiply, while those which perish at their hirth, and see the light only to impoverish instead of increase the wealth of the inventors, would be few indeed. = Erect or Execrricrry on Mouten Tron. Of all the remarkahle applications of electro-magnetism, which have recently heen made, perhaps the most extraordinary is that of its introduction intoa mass of molten iron ! It is said that this experiment was recently tested at one of the leading iron work estahlishments in Sheffield, with most unexpected results and success. The effect is descrihed as surprising; the metal appears to hubble and boil, while the perfect fusion is much expedited, and the quality of the iron greatly improved in toughness and hardness. It appears that much of the impurity that remains after the ordinary process, is driven out by the action of the magnetic current; hence it is inferred that this new application of electro-magnetism, may be regarded as full of promise in this direction. It is to be hoped that further particulars may soon be made public; and in the meantime it is suggested that it is a ease for the application of Wilde’s electromagnetic machine. If there is anything in the alleged discovery, it would scem that with the powerful currents therehy gencrated, the results must he proportionally important. The accounts do not describe the manner in which the current is introduced into the molteumass. Theinferenac, however, would seem to be that the furnace is isolated, and kept fully charged by a powerful battery. Smee’s battery was used . in the instance referred to.