Volume 17 (1868) (428 pages)

oa) The Mining and Scientific Press. Mining and > cientific press. W. B. EWER,..2--0++0-00-+00-0+00+0-re00+SENIOR EDITOR. O. W. M. SMITH. W. B, EWER. A. T, DEWEY. DEWEY «& COoO., Publishers. Orricx—No.505 Clay street. corner of Sansome, 24 floor. Terma of Subscription: One copy, per annum, In advance,.------20.-se022One copy, six months, in advance. ag For sale by Carrlers and N Canvassing Agents, Mr. A.C. Knox, is onr city sollelting and coliccting Avent, aud all subscriptions, or other favors extended to him, will be duly acknowledged at thls office. Jan. 11, 1866 r. C. T. nney Is our duly autborized agent fur Sacramento County. Nov. 29, 1867. we da. . ¥utes 1s our duly anthorized traveling e v6, 186; . 2 erent ul he duly authorized traveling 1867. v. A, I. Butler Is a agent for this paper. July 15, San Francisco: Siturday Morning, July 4, 1868. Notices to Correspondenis. Sunesur.—The employment of pyrites of iron for the production of snlphuric acid in place of sulphur, is not hy any means a novelty on this coast, as yon seem to infer from the remarks on the subject inserted ina San Francisco daily paper. Pyrites, for the purpose alluded to, have been employed, on pressing occasions, at the Mission Chemical Works, when sulpbur could not readily be procnred. The reason why the mineral pyrites ceased to be employed hy the conductors of the establishment named, when the scarcity of sulphur passed away, we are not able to give; but if called upon, we have no douht the proprietors of those works can give a satisfactory reason for returning to the use of sulphur, when that mineral could he procured with facility. We are informed that Mr. Reynolds, whose works are near Islais Creek, employed pyrites, and still does so, for the mannfacture of snlphnrie acid. Weare told hy the same informant, that Mr. R., on stating that he was ahout to visit Washoe with the object of erecting an acid mannfactory, declared that it was his intention to employ pyrites for the purpose described by you. Whether this mineral or sulphur has been, or is still employed at Washoe for this pnrpose, we are not able to afford any information. P. W., Stockton.—The most popnlar mode of illustrating the divisihility of matter, is usually exemplified by instancing the ease of gold leaf. In the ordinary process of forming gold leaf, a single grain of itis hammered out until it covers a sqnare space measuring seven inches on each side. Every square inch of such leaf can he cut into 100 strips, and each strip into 100 cross sections, each of which is distinctly visible to the unaided eye. Asingle grain of gold may in this way he subdivided into 49X100X100— 490,000 yisihle pieces. If such gold leaf, however, is attached to a piece of glass, 10,000 lines can be ruled in the space of a single inch, in which way a square inch of gold only weighing 1-49 grain, may be segregated 10,000 times 10,000, or into 100,000,000 pieces; or an entiro graiuinto 4,900, 000,000 fragments, each of which can be rendered visible hy means of the microscope ! Notwithstanding this enormous tenuity, we know that it is practically carried mnch ‘farther, for the coating of gold employed for the purpose of forming gilt wire, is much thinner than that of the silver to which it is attached; as in drawing out the wire the gold coating continues to hecome thinner and thinner at each drawing. TupasL.—The fusihility of metals possesses a most exteusive range, commencing with mercury at 39° helow zero or 71° below the freezing point; potassium at 186°, sodium 190°, while cast iron, according to Daniell, does not melt until a temperature eqnal to 2,786° is ohtained. Malleable iron and manganese reqnire the most intense heat of a smith’s forge in order to fuse them. This high temperatnre has been variously estimated,—but never accurately fixed,—at from 3,200 to 3,500°. The highest beat of a wind furnaco is required to fuse soft nails into a button, from which datum Daniell estimated that the temperature could not he helow 3,300° Fah. Norz.—In our reference, last week, to the potash and soda contained in alhite and . feldspar, the relative amount was transposed. Feldspar, instead of albite, contains an excess of potash. J. F. C., Tahle Rock.—Your communication has heen received and will appear, with comments, next week. The Past and Present. Before the days of steam and the advent of the printing press forced upon mankiud tho importance and necessity of a more general distribution of scientific and me chanical knowledge, the experience gained by any one individual was considered his own personal property, and was transmitted from father to son as an heir-loom in the family, until it was finally lost to the world, as was too often the case, hy the sudden death of its only possessor. There were secrets in every trade and profession, gained, in the first instance, hy hard-earned experience—the result of too many years of toil to allow them to he freely communicated to the world. There was no such thing as a patent office in those days, hy which a man could secure for his personal advantage the first fruits of his ingenuity, so as to he afterwards content to allow the world at large to be benefited by his invention or discovery. Even the walks of science were hedged around with a wall which the vulgar tread was not allowed to pass. But mystery in mechanics has had its day ; the cabalistic formale of the chemist have heen interpreted, and knowledgeis now free and readily attainable hy all. The patent office has become the great storehouse of the ingenuity of nations, so that nothing in the way of invention once known is lost. The magazine and the newspaper have hecome vehicles for the record aud transmission of information, so that all who choose may read and learn. Tho valne of a journal, like the Mme anp Screnrrric Press, to the mechanic, the lover of science, and to every one who would store his mind with nseful and valuahle information—gathered up from the four quarters of the earth—can scarcely he estimated. Upon its ample pages is spread, from week to week, a large amount of information carefully gathered and sifted out from the great massof facts and ideas which are constantly being cast forth upon the great ocean of truth and knowledge. The lahor of collecting this information and placing it before the reader in a condensed and classified form, is no small task. By this service the seeker after knowledge is saved much dreary labor in searching over cumhrous records for the little that is new or valuable to the general reader. To the scientific student, to the heginner in mechanies, to the seeker after wisdom in any of her hidden ways—a jonrnal like this is of inestimable value. It is a lahor-saving machine, indeed, hy the aid of which the hands and hrains of two or three persons are ahle to accomplish the work of thousands. With the present issue we commence onr scyenteenth volume. Each one of the series has presented a passing record of whatever was new or of especial interest that may have transpired during its allotted period; and each reader must judge for himself whether or nothe has been profited by its perusal; whether it has assisted him iu his attempt atdiscovery; whether he has gained any hints which have heen valuahle in his especial calling; whether he has heen aided in unraveling the hard knots, so often proposed in our special columns; whether he has been iuformed, from time totime, of what is being dcne in his specjalty,—and thus been able to ayoid wasting his time and energies on labors already consummated; or, in short, whether or not he has been enabled to utilize, to any extent, the brains and labors of others as spread hefore him in the columns of the PREss. The past has spoken for itself; each succeeding volume forms a link in the great chain of progress,—connecting the past with the present,—and records, for the benefit, of each, the accumulated knowledge attained . hy all. What we have done in tho past , must he our guarantee for the future. We shall keep niGuT on in our lahors, doing our hest to make the Prxss a journal richly worth all that it costs. We present, to-day, some new features in style, which we trust will please our readers. It is our aim to produce a comely, as well as a useful journal—one that shall be no less creditahle to the ‘‘art preservative,” than faithful as a record of all art. Onr uew head has heen designed and engraved by one of the most skillful artists in the Union; and the paper we are now using is manufactured at the Pacific Mills, Winsdsor Locks, Conn., especially for us,—an establishment noted for the uniform superiority of its prodnets. The paper we are now using is of a better quality than is used by any other newspaper establishment on tlie Pacific Coast. In conclusion, dear reader, we hope we shall be as weleome to you, as the task of serving you is to us; and that our labors will continue to satisfy your thirst for scieptific and useful information. As we continne our voyage, we shall endeavor to make it pleasant and profitahle to hoth you and us. > The Interior Press and the Exhibition. The interior press, which has already heen quite liheral in its notices and advocacy of the Exhihition, would do well to more especially urge upou the mechanics aud others of the interior the advantages which would accrne to them, as a body, from a full exhihition of their own skill and ingenuity. It is tho desire of the managers to make the exhihition one for all the people of the Pacific Coast, and not ebiefly for those inSan Francisco. . Let our interior cotemporaries stir up their friends a little, and note particularly such articles asare intended for exhihition from their several localities, as an encouragement for others to go and do likewise. In this connection, it moy not he out of place to record the fact that the interior press has very generally forwarded their several journals to he placed on file in the reading room of the Institute. Some fifty papers from various sections of the State have quite recently heen added to the files of the redding room; but we think there are others which would find it to their advantage to follow suit. This reading room is well attended, and both the publishers who contribute their journals and the readers here will be henefited by the arrangement. The library of the Institntc is now heing increased by the monthly addition of from 100 to 150 volumes. : oo ae Mechanics Fair-—Rules and Regulations. The following is the substance of a portion of the rules and regulations adopted by the managers for the approaching Industrial Exbihition : The Pavilion will be opened for the reception of goods July 27th; the Exhibition will open August 8th. AI] persons presenting articies must have them registered hy the receiving clerk at the Pavilion. The name of every article must be distinctly attached to it. Articles for sale must be labelled accordingly. Steam power will he furnished free. Perishable articles will be received and may be removed at any time. The managers are particularly desirous that articles entered for exhihitiou should he presented as soon as possible after July 27th. Responsible keepers and an efficient police will preserve everything safe, which may come in hefore the day of opening. All goods intended for exhibition should he forwarded to the care of W. J. Stoddart, Industrial Fair Building, San Francisco. Bank Vauuts anp Sarety Locks.—Mr. ,Jonathau Kittredgo, manufacturer of fireThe Forthcoming Exhibition. Work upon the Pavilion still progresses with most commendable celerity. Over $32,000 has already been obtained to the loan fnnd, aud subscriptions are still coming in; so that there is no lack of fnndsfor pushing ou the work. No such snbstantial interest has ever before been manifested hy our citizens in behalf of such an exhibition. We have already noted the rapidity with which applications are being made for space; should more space than is afforded hy tho present floor he called for, it cau readily ho provided by additions, so that there need be no holding hack on the part of those desiring to exhibit. Still all who intend to exhihit would do well to notify the proper committee (elsewhere designated) at the earliest moment, in order to secure a favorable position. There will he a great numher of interesting novelties presented for exhibition. Mezzara, the artist, willexhibhit some works of sculptnre of rare merit. The display of oil paintings will be very superior. Thero isa gencral disposition among onr local artists to exhihit. Jacob Zeck is building a piano of California laurel, which will be a superh thing, and set off to good advantage the heanty of that native wood. There will he an interesting and snggestive display of California hnilding stone, au interest which has heen altogether qnite too much neglected in this State. Garratt will make a fine display of his manufactures; among the uovelties he will exhibit are several hrass cannon of his own manufacture. We understand that there isa machine now on its way to this coast for making wood paper-hangings, which it is expected will arrive in season for the Exhibition. Mr. F. G. Edwards, Clay street, near Kearny, will make an imposing and uuique display. Several mammoth mirrors willbe exhibited, from 8x13 to 10x13 feet in size. Anovel and patented process for cleaning wool and woolen goods will be exhibited. A uewly invented gas generating machine, will he exhihited, hy which it is claimed that gas of a snperior quality can be manufactured for half what that illuminating agentis uow sold for in this city. We would refer the reader to another colnmu for some important extracts from the rnles and regulations which have heen established for the Exhibition, which exhibitors will do well to consult. : oe i oe Tue CHINESE SEEKING arreR KnownEDGE.—The Chinese government has employed Dr. J. McGowan, who visited this city somo tayo years ago, to write a hook on mining and metallurgy. A Mr. Martin has also been called npon to prepare a work on natural philosophy, and a Mr. Fryer to make translations of several scientific treatises. This act on the part of the Chinese government gives evidence that tho pernicious error of supposing that learning and civilization has its chief seat in the Celestial Empire, is rapidly fading out, and giving place to more correct and enlightened views. The traditional prejudiceand execlusiveness of China and Japan, is fast giving way to the inexorible logic of events. a Wink GRowWERS axp THE Exuipition.— Cireulars have been issued to the wine growers throughout tho State by the Managers of the forthcoming Exhihition, calling their especial attention to the advantages which may be derived from a general display of the various qualities and kinds of wine made in this State. Any wine or grape grower who may not receive such a cirenlar withiu a few days after this notice reaches them, will do well to write to H. D. Dunn, Corresponding Secretary of proof doors, wrought iron girders, bank . the Mechanics’ Institute, for a cirenlar, vaults and Monitor safes, is the agent for! which will explain the design of the exhithe celchrated Isham Key Register Bank) bition, the object sought for, and other parand Safe Lock. See his advertisement. ticulars,

oa) The Mining and Scientific Press. Mining and > cientific press. W. B. EWER,...2--0++0-00-+00-0+00+0-re00+SENIOR EDITOR. O. W. M. SMITH. W. B, EWER. A. T, DEWEY. DEWEY «& COoO., Publishers. Orricx—No.505 Clay street. corner of Sansome, 24 floor. Terma of Subscription: One copy, per annum, In advance,..------20.-se022One copy, six months, in advance. ag For sale by Carrlers and N Canvassing Agents, Mr. A.C. Knox, is onr city sollelting and coliccting Avent, aud all subscriptions, or other favors extended to him, will be duly acknowledged at thls office. Jan. 11, 1866 r. C. T. nney Is our duly autborized agent fur Sacramento County. Nov. 29, 1867. we da. . ¥utes 1s our duly anthorized traveling e v6, 186; . 2 erent ul he duly authorized traveling 1867. v. A, I. Butler Is a agent for this paper. July 15, San Francisco: Siturday Morning, July 4, 1868. Notices to Correspondenis. Sunesur.—The employment of pyrites of iron for the production of snlphuric acid in place of sulphur, is not hy any means a novelty on this coast, as yon seem to infer from the remarks on the subject inserted ina San Francisco daily paper. Pyrites, for the purpose alluded to, have been employed, on pressing occasions, at the Mission Chemical Works, when sulpbur could not readily be procnred. The reason why the mineral pyrites ceased to be employed hy the conductors of the establishment named, when the scarcity of sulphur passed away, we are not able to give; but if called upon, we have no douht the proprietors of those works can give a satisfactory reason for returning to the use of sulphur, when that mineral could he procured with facility. We are informed that Mr. Reynolds, whose works are near Islais Creek, employed pyrites, and still does so, for the mannfacture of snlphnrie acid. Weare told hy the same informant, that Mr. R., on stating that he was ahout to visit Washoe with the object of erecting an acid mannfactory, declared that it was his intention to employ pyrites for the purpose described by you. Whether this mineral or sulphur has been, or is still employed at Washoe for this pnrpose, we are not able to afford any information. P. W., Stockton.—The most popnlar mode of illustrating the divisihility of matter, is usually exemplified by instancing the ease of gold leaf. In the ordinary process of forming gold leaf, a single grain of itis hammered out until it covers a sqnare space measuring seven inches on each side. Every square inch of such leaf can he cut into 100 strips, and each strip into 100 cross sections, each of which is distinctly visible to the unaided eye. Asingle grain of gold may in this way he subdivided into 49X100X100— 490,000 yisihle pieces. If such gold leaf, however, is attached to a piece of glass, 10,000 lines can be ruled in the space of a single inch, in which way a square inch of gold only weighing 1-49 grain, may be segregated 10,000 times 10,000, or into 100,000,000 pieces; or an entiro graiuinto 4,900, 000,000 fragments, each of which can be rendered visible hy means of the microscope ! Notwithstanding this enormous tenuity, we know that it is practically carried mnch ‘farther, for the coating of gold employed for the purpose of forming gilt wire, is much thinner than that of the silver to which it is attached; as in drawing out the wire the gold coating continues to hecome thinner and thinner at each drawing. TupasL.—The fusihility of metals possesses a most exteusive range, commencing with mercury at 39° helow zero or 71° below the freezing point; potassium at 186°, sodium 190°, while cast iron, according to Daniell, does not melt until a temperature eqnal to 2,786° is ohtained. Malleable iron and manganese reqnire the most intense heat of a smith’s forge in order to fuse them. This high temperatnre has been variously estimated,—but never accurately fixed,—at from 3,200 to 3,500°. The highest beat of a wind furnaco is required to fuse soft nails into a button, from which datum Daniell estimated that the temperature could not he helow 3,300° Fah. Norz.—In our reference, last week, to the potash and soda contained in alhite and . feldspar, the relative amount was transposed. Feldspar, instead of albite, contains an excess of potash. J. F. C., Tahle Rock.—Your communication has heen received and will appear, with comments, next week. The Past and Present. Before the days of steam and the advent of the printing press forced upon mankiud tho importance and necessity of a more general distribution of scientific and me chanical knowledge, the experience gained by any one individual was considered his own personal property, and was transmitted from father to son as an heir-loom in the family, until it was finally lost to the world, as was too often the case, hy the sudden death of its only possessor. There were secrets in every trade and profession, gained, in the first instance, hy hard-earned experience—the result of too many years of toil to allow them to he freely communicated to the world. There was no such thing as a patent office in those days, hy which a man could secure for his personal advantage the first fruits of his ingenuity, so as to he afterwards content to allow the world at large to be benefited by his invention or discovery. Even the walks of science were hedged around with a wall which the vulgar tread was not allowed to pass. But mystery in mechanics has had its day ; the cabalistic formale of the chemist have heen interpreted, and knowledgeis now free and readily attainable hy all. The patent office has become the great storehouse of the ingenuity of nations, so that nothing in the way of invention once known is lost. The magazine and the newspaper have hecome vehicles for the record aud transmission of information, so that all who choose may read and learn. Tho valne of a journal, like the Mme anp Screnrrric Press, to the mechanic, the lover of science, and to every one who would store his mind with nseful and valuahle information—gathered up from the four quarters of the earth—can scarcely he estimated. Upon its ample pages is spread, from week to week, a large amount of information carefully gathered and sifted out from the great massof facts and ideas which are constantly being cast forth upon the great ocean of truth and knowledge. The lahor of collecting this information and placing it before the reader in a condensed and classified form, is no small task. By this service the seeker after knowledge is saved much dreary labor in searching over cumhrous records for the little that is new or valuable to the general reader. To the scientific student, to the heginner in mechanies, to the seeker after wisdom in any of her hidden ways—a jonrnal like this is of inestimable value. It is a lahor-saving machine, indeed, hy the aid of which the hands and hrains of two or three persons are ahle to accomplish the work of thousands. With the present issue we commence onr scyenteenth volume. Each one of the series has presented a passing record of whatever was new or of especial interest that may have transpired during its allotted period; and each reader must judge for himself whether or nothe has been profited by its perusal; whether it has assisted him iu his attempt atdiscovery; whether he has gained any hints which have heen valuahle in his especial calling; whether he has heen aided in unraveling the hard knots, so often proposed in our special columns; whether he has been iuformed, from time

totime, of what is being dcne in his specjalty,—and thus been able to ayoid wasting his time and energies on labors already consummated; or, in short, whether or not he has been enabled to utilize, to any extent, the brains and labors of others as spread hefore him in the columns of the PREss. The past has spoken for itself; each succeeding volume forms a link in the great chain of progress,—connecting the past with the present,—and records, for the benefit, of each, the accumulated knowledge attained . hy all. What we have done in tho past , must he our guarantee for the future. We shall keep niGuT on in our lahors, doing our hest to make the Prxss a journal richly worth all that it costs. We present, to-day, some new features in style, which we trust will please our readers. It is our aim to produce a comely, as well as a useful journal—one that shall be no less creditahle to the ‘‘art preservative,” than faithful as a record of all art. Onr uew head has heen designed and engraved by one of the most skillful artists in the Union; and the paper we are now using is manufactured at the Pacific Mills, Winsdsor Locks, Conn., especially for us,—an establishment noted for the uniform superiority of its prodnets. The paper we are now using is of a better quality than is used by any other newspaper establishment on tlie Pacific Coast. In conclusion, dear reader, we hope we shall be as weleome to you, as the task of serving you is to us; and that our labors will continue to satisfy your thirst for scieptific and useful information. As we continne our voyage, we shall endeavor to make it pleasant and profitahle to hoth you and us. > The Interior Press and the Exhibition. The interior press, which has already heen quite liheral in its notices and advocacy of the Exhihition, would do well to more especially urge upou the mechanics aud others of the interior the advantages which would accrne to them, as a body, from a full exhihition of their own skill and ingenuity. It is tho desire of the managers to make the exhihition one for all the people of the Pacific Coast, and not ebiefly for those inSan Francisco. . Let our interior cotemporaries stir up their friends a little, and note particularly such articles asare intended for exhihition from their several localities, as an encouragement for others to go and do likewise. In this connection, it moy not he out of place to record the fact that the interior press has very generally forwarded their several journals to he placed on file in the reading room of the Institute. Some fifty papers from various sections of the State have quite recently heen added to the files of the redding room; but we think there are others which would find it to their advantage to follow suit. This reading room is well attended, and both the publishers who contribute their journals and the readers here will be henefited by the arrangement. The library of the Institntc is now heing increased by the monthly addition of from 100 to 150 volumes. : oo ae Mechanics Fair-—Rules and Regulations. The following is the substance of a portion of the rules and regulations adopted by the managers for the approaching Industrial Exbihition : The Pavilion will be opened for the reception of goods July 27th; the Exhibition will open August 8th. AI] persons presenting articies must have them registered hy the receiving clerk at the Pavilion. The name of every article must be distinctly attached to it. Articles for sale must be labelled accordingly. Steam power will he furnished free. Perishable articles will be received and may be removed at any time. The managers are particularly desirous that articles entered for exhihitiou should he presented as soon as possible after July 27th. Responsible keepers and an efficient police will preserve everything safe, which may come in hefore the day of opening. All goods intended for exhibition should he forwarded to the care of W. J. Stoddart, Industrial Fair Building, San Francisco. Bank Vauuts anp Sarety Locks.—Mr. ,Jonathau Kittredgo, manufacturer of fireThe Forthcoming Exhibition. Work upon the Pavilion still progresses with most commendable celerity. Over $32,000 has already been obtained to the loan fnnd, aud subscriptions are still coming in; so that there is no lack of fnndsfor pushing ou the work. No such snbstantial interest has ever before been manifested hy our citizens in behalf of such an exhibition. We have already noted the rapidity with which applications are being made for space; should more space than is afforded hy tho present floor he called for, it cau readily ho provided by additions, so that there need be no holding hack on the part of those desiring to exhibit. Still all who intend to exhihit would do well to notify the proper committee (elsewhere designated) at the earliest moment, in order to secure a favorable position. There will he a great numher of interesting novelties presented for exhibition. Mezzara, the artist, willexhibhit some works of sculptnre of rare merit. The display of oil paintings will be very superior. Thero isa gencral disposition among onr local artists to exhihit. Jacob Zeck is building a piano of California laurel, which will be a superh thing, and set off to good advantage the heanty of that native wood. There will he an interesting and snggestive display of California hnilding stone, au interest which has heen altogether qnite too much neglected in this State. Garratt will make a fine display of his manufactures; among the uovelties he will exhibit are several hrass cannon of his own manufacture. We understand that there isa machine now on its way to this coast for making wood paper-hangings, which it is expected will arrive in season for the Exhibition. Mr. F. G. Edwards, Clay street, near Kearny, will make an imposing and uuique display. Several mammoth mirrors willbe exhibited, from 8x13 to 10x13 feet in size. Anovel and patented process for cleaning wool and woolen goods will be exhibited. A uewly invented gas generating machine, will he exhihited, hy which it is claimed that gas of a snperior quality can be manufactured for half what that illuminating agentis uow sold for in this city. We would refer the reader to another colnmu for some important extracts from the rnles and regulations which have heen established for the Exhibition, which exhibitors will do well to consult. : oe i oe Tue CHINESE SEEKING arreR KnownEDGE.—The Chinese government has employed Dr. J. McGowan, who visited this city somo tayo years ago, to write a hook on mining and metallurgy. A Mr. Martin has also been called npon to prepare a work on natural philosophy, and a Mr. Fryer to make translations of several scientific treatises. This act on the part of the Chinese government gives evidence that tho pernicious error of supposing that learning and civilization has its chief seat in the Celestial Empire, is rapidly fading out, and giving place to more correct and enlightened views. The traditional prejudiceand execlusiveness of China and Japan, is fast giving way to the inexorible logic of events. a Wink GRowWERS axp THE Exuipition.— Cireulars have been issued to the wine growers throughout tho State by the Managers of the forthcoming Exhihition, calling their especial attention to the advantages which may be derived from a general display of the various qualities and kinds of wine made in this State. Any wine or grape grower who may not receive such a cirenlar withiu a few days after this notice reaches them, will do well to write to H. D. Dunn, Corresponding Secretary of proof doors, wrought iron girders, bank . the Mechanics’ Institute, for a cirenlar, vaults and Monitor safes, is the agent for! which will explain the design of the exhithe celchrated Isham Key Register Bank) bition, the object sought for, and other parand Safe Lock. See his advertisement. ticulars,