Volume 24 (1872) (424 pages)

January 13, 1872.] SCIENTIFIC PRESS: 23 Usefur Information. Goon Heath. AbDVANTAOES OF Cuyinc.—A French physician is eut in a long disscrtation on tho advantages of crying and groaning in general, and especially during surgical operations. He eontonds that groaning and erying are two grand operations by which nature allays angnish; and those patients who give way to their natural feelings niore specilily recover from accidents and operations than those who suppose it unworthy a oan to betray such symptoms of cowardice as either to groan or cry. He} tells of aiuan who reduved his pulso from one hundred and twenty-six to sixty, in the courso of a few hours, by giving full yont to his emotions, If peaple uro at all uphappy about anything, let them go into their rooms and comfort themselves with n loud boo hoo, and they will feel a hnnudred per ceut. better stterward. In accordance with the nhove, the crying of ehildren should not be too greatly discouraged. If it is systematically repressed, the resnlt may be St. Vitus‘ dance, epileptic fits, or some other disease of the nervous system, Whatis natural is useful; and nothing can bo more uatural than the ¢rying of children when anything occurs to give them either physical or mental pain. Eatixno Wirnovur an Apretire.—It is wrong to eat without an appetite, for it shows that there is no gastrie juico in the stomach, and that nature does not need food; and not needing it, there heing no fluid to reccive and act upon it, it remains thero only to putrify, the very thonght of which should he sufficient to deter any man from eating without an appetite for the remainder of his life. If a tonic is taken to whet the appetite, itis a mistaken course, for its only result is to canse one to cat more when already on amouut has been eaten beyond what the gastric juice supply is able to prepare. The object to be attained is a larger supply of gastric jnice, not a larger snpply of food, aud whatever fails to accomplish that essential ohject, fails to have any efficieucy toward the cure of dyspeptic diseases. The formation of gastric juice is directly proportioned to the wear and tear of the system, which is to be the means of supplying, and this wear and tear can only take place as the result of exercise. The efficient remedy for dyspepsia is work —outdoor work—beneficial and snecessful in direct proportion as it is agreeable, interesting and profitahle.—Hall's Journal of Health. i Bap Errsecr or Hair Restorers.—A correspoudent of the Country Gentleman says that he has under his care two invalid ladies. ‘‘One has been paralyzed on the right side for nearly three years, and has heen utterly helpless most of that: time. Her vision has been very imperfect; ler knowledge of past events has utterly departed from her; recently she appears to be recovering her recollection, and can count with tolerable accuracy as high as twenty.” He attributes her prostration entirely to the use of a popular hair restorer. ‘“The other ease is not so bad, but bad enough. For the past year her cyes have been an occasion of constant torture, The retina has become so sensitive to the light as to make a dark room indispensable. Wheels of burning flame revolve coustantly before her eyes, attended by lightning-like flashes, which are terrible to hear. She is another victim to the poisonous lead contained in the same popular hair-restorer.” CHemioaL EXpERIMENTS.—Most persons have an idea that it requires a great deal of exoensive apparatus to show or perform chemical experiments. Such, however, is not the case; a great many pleasing and instructive experiments can be shown without any more appuratus than can generally be found in every dwelling. And with the addition of a few glass tubes of varions diameters, a dozen or two test-tubes, a pint flask or two, and an assortment of ordinary glass bottles and corks, there is scarcely an experiment that may not be attempted with fair prospect of success, Tn order to make bell glasses it is only necessary to cut the bottom out of hottles, and grind the surface of the incision. . Curious Facrs.—A curious observer has discovered that men and boys invariably run the heels of their boots and shoes over: outwardly, while women and girls always run theirs over iuwardly. Out of one hundyed and forty-seven men and boys that passed the observer at 2 given point, this. fact was true in every instance; out of sixty-seven women that passed, it was true in every instauce but one. DerenionaATION 28 MOLK IN FEEDINO Borries.—Vref. Gunning, the Government Analyst at Amsterdam, writcs: I ebject to the infants’ bottles in all instances where any part of thom is composed of caontchoue or iudia-rubber, or any like material. ‘Tere is uothing so ill suited to the constitntion of tho human body as the matorial in qnostion. When, in consequence of suction, the pores of the caontchone are cularged, some portion of the nilk always remains behind in them, which cannot, or at least cannot without great ditliculty, bo moved. This milk quickly becomes had, and spoils the fresh inilk with which it comes in contact. ‘The caoutchouo inaterial in question is mado up of several ingredients. White zine, or white lead, is very commonly employed, which is very poisonous. My objcctions aro not founded exchisively upon @ priori conclusions. Inthis country many fatal eases have happeued among infants, whieh on solid grounds may he asvribed to tho use of these bottles.” If some enterprising inventor will give the world a substitute for rubber, he will confer a great favor and make money beside. Taroat DIsEAsEs are so prevalent at this time that we commend to our friends a new remedy which is fully described in a late numher of the Pacific Medical Journal. It is bisulphite of soda, in large and continuous doses. Diptheria, inflammation of the tonsils, and quinsy through local exhibitions, have their source in poisonous fermentations of the blood, the same as scarlet fever and other zymotic diseases. It is beld that the salt prescribed enters into the circulation and retards putrefactive fermentation. Dr. Tyrell failed of success when he administered it in small doses and in threehour intervals; but when he gave thirtygrain doses every hour, day and night, so as to saturate tho system with the salt, he was almost invariably successful in removing all the severe symptoms in twentyfour hours. The object of publication is to induce pbysicians to give this medicine a trial, that the curative effects may have more extended proofs. Keeping Fruit in our Rooms.— We should be chary of keeping ripe fruit in our sitting-rooms, and especially beware of laying it about a sick chamber for any Jength of time. That complaint which some people make abont a faint sensation in the presence of fruit, is not fanciful— they may be really affected hy it; for two continental chemists have shown that from the moment of plucking, apples, cherries, currants, and other fruits, are snbject to incessaut transformation. At first, they ahsorh oxygen, thus robbing the surrounding air of its vital element. Then they evolve carbonic acid, and this ‘in far greater volume thau the purer gas is absorbed, so that we have poison ‘given usin the place of pure air, with compound interest. Temperature affects the rate of changes, warmth acceleratiug it.— Good Health. Pumpxins For Inrpammatory RaEevwaTism.—At a recent meeting of the New York Farmer’s Club, a correspondent wrote of the virtues of pumpkin, giving the following instance of its value for inflammatory rhenmatism: A woman’s arm was swelled to an enormous size and painfully inflamed, A poultice was made of stewed pumpkins, which was renewed every fifteen minutes, and in a short time produced a perfect cure. The fever drawn out by the poultice made them extremely offensive, as they were taken off. I know a man cnred of inflammation of the bowels by the same kind of application. How to Treat a4 Sty.—The sty is a small boil protruding from the eyelid. It will usnally pass away of itself, but its cure may be hastened by applying a warm poultice of bread and water in a small linen bag. Apply three or four times a day, and each time foment the eye with warm milk and water. Drinking at Meraus.—In the use of liquids as of solid food, desire is the bést guide. We should drink wheu we are thirsty, and as we are usually thirsty at meals, especially when our food contains little water, we,should drink with freedom, and usually to the full extent of the desire. 9 ~~ RAILROAD ITEMS. > é © ae Pacifi The Northo Railway Company has heen incorporated. Its purpose.is to build a railroad from Sanéelitor Mein county, throngh said connty and Sonoma connty, to a point on the Walhalla river, a distanco of 90 miles. Trains npon the California and Oregon Railroad aro running into Red Bluff. Grading upon the Virginia and Truckeo Railroad is being puslicd ahead virorously hetween Washoe and Carson. An extra force has been put to work on tho two tunnels near the head of Washioo valley. Tho Central Pacific has taken possession of the Stoekton and Visalia and Stockton and Copporopolis railroads. The tracklayers ou tho road sonth of the Merced river are making satisfactory progress. Tho cars are now running to a point but a few miies from aud withiu sight of Bear creek. The Hood surveying party, which has been laying out the line of tho Culifornia and Oregon Railroad near the line dividing the two States, have roturned, being forced by the suow storms to cease operations. Wheu they quit operations thoy had advanced a distance of ahont 20 miles iuto Oregon. Althongh the surveys havo been made for a railroad from Napa Junction to Petaluma, to eonnect witb the Sonoma Railroad, and work was actually commenced, the change of ownership of the California Pacifie stopped movements in that direction. There are assnrances for stating that the Sonoma connection will be made in time for moving the next year’scrops. Recently the engineers of the Central Pacific railroad company havo heen running lines from the Summit, two or three miles above the Junction, across the tules toward Petaluma, with the purpose, it is stated, of looking a route through to Sancelito. At the meeting of the Board of Directors of the San Diego & Los Angeles Railroad Company, it was resolved that a survey bo made with a view to the permanent location of the ronte from San Diego to Los Angelos. ‘Mr. Chas. J. Fox will act as Chief Engiueer of the surveying expedition. The party will commence the survey at Old Towu and working toward Pawn, from thence toward San Luis Rey and Santa Margareta to San Jnan Capistrauo and Anaheim, finally terminating at Los Angeles. The ronte for a hranch from Anaheim to San Beruardino will also be surveyed. From all we can gather thoSan Diego & Los Angelos Railroad Company mcans husiness. The Bakersville Cozier rejoices in anticipation of the early connection of Kern county with the balauce of the State by rail, It has information of a character which leads it to believe ‘‘that the extension of the San Joaqnin Villey Road to that place early in the Spring is a certainty. ‘ ; The Supervisors of Marin county have passed an order calling for an election, to be held on January 24th next, at which time the people will vote whether or not the connty shall issne bonds to the amount of $160,000 in aid of huilding a railroad from San Rafael to Tomales. Tho North Pacific Coast Railroad Company who design to construct a road from Saucelito to the Walhalla river, by the way of Sau Rafael and Tomales, have siguified a desire to accept of such a subsidy, and will huild the road if the County Supervisors can agree with them on the route to be followed. The object of the road is mainly to open up to the San Francisco market greater facilities in obtaining lumber from the Northern Coast counties. L Tur Central and Southern Pacifie Railroad Companies are about to commence very exteusive improvements in the southeru part of San Francisco and on Mission Bay. -The Central Company has a grant . of sixty acres of laud in Mission Bay, which, itis said, can be made available at a cost of about 700,000. It is further reported that a contract for filling in that part of Mission Bay covered by the grant has been entered into already. By the terms of the grant, the Company will be obliged to expend the snm of $200,000 on the work before March 21st, 1873. Tue new track now being built between San Leandroaud Melrose (Simpson’s, Alameda county), is progressing rapidly—a train of construction cars has beeu lately employed in transportating large quantities of railroad iron. ° The road is completed abont half the distance. When finished the old track betweeu these two places will be removed. Tue San Joaquin Republican says a large number of (four or five hundred) men are employed in grading the track for the brancb road the Central Pacifie Company are building from the main trunk on the west side of the river down the ‘valley. Tho branch will leave the main road about three anda half miles west of Banta’s, and follow the most direct route down the valley. The town of Autioch will not bo the water terminus. The road will pass some three miles tothe west of that place and reach deep water at wpoint helow. Vazlett’s surveying party, of the Southern Pacific Narrow-gauge Railroad, returning frem the survey of the route to Necdles, helow Hardyville, on the Colorado, the present terminus of the round, havo arrived at Camp Cody, all well. They find a good, practicahle route to the Colorado. Tho surveying and locating of the Walla Walla and Columbia River Railroad has heen completed. A considerahle amount of the grading will be done this winter. Tt is expected that tho road will be in running-order within.a year. ___ . Tho snvveying party under Capt. Maxwell has been ordered to Pend‘Oreilee Lake, ‘to mhke survoys during the winter. ~Gen. Spragne, T.B. Morris and E. S. Smith have gone to Puget Sound, and the Kalama Beacon says their visit is supposed to be connected with the location of tho terminus, between Olympia and Stcilacoom. : The track is laid and construction trains are runuing on the line nearly eighteen mniles, extending five miles and a half be-, yond Kidder’s Camp, up the Cowlitz. A side track has been pnt down opposite Freoport. The material for the Toutlo river hridge is being transported up the Cowlitz by steamer; and as every part of the bridge is ready to he put together, its completion is but the work of a few days. The Oregon and California Railroad has beon graded to a point 60 miles above Eugene City, in the Umpqua Valley, The track is laid but 14 miles ahove Eugene, and cannot beextended furthor until‘a new supply of iron arrives. Col. Martin, Engineer Northern Pacifie Railroad, has just completed a survey np Fish creek,in Montana. The line, as run, has a grade of 105 feet t2 the mile, This route is ‘said to be 50 miles shorter than the Lou Lon Fork route. The Burgess party, who have been surveying a route for the Northern Pacific Railroad through the Pipestone Pass, state that this route will besome 50 miles shorter than that by the Deer Lodge Pass. A snit is in progress at Omaha between the Union Pacific Company and T. C. Durant, to,compel the latter to deliver to the railroad company about one million dollars’ worth of property deeded to him by individuals in trust for the railroad company in 1863 and 1864. Work on the western division of the Colorado Central is progressing rapidly. The road-bed is graded ready for the iron to station 275, at Huntsman’s Ranch, aud it is in a forward state of completion to station 375. The large force nowemployed between station 335 and Elk Meadow, at Elk creek, brings the working parties within four and a half miles of the Forks, where they will commence operations on or about the first of February. The work of pusbing the Atlantic and Pacifie Railroad westward is progressing at a rate hardly surpassed by the operations which characterized the, building of the Union Pacific, a few years ago. Already the line is completed to Vinite, 35 miles west of the Missouri line. The final survey has been made on the Towa Pacific Railroad, and the route is better in all respects than that surveyed before. The.work will prohahly be completed ou the road in Ida county this yeav, and east of Fort Dodge it is progressing so brapidly that the whole line from Wells to Fort Dodge will be graded hy spring. At a recent special election, Gonzales county, Texas, voted to take $200,000, and Caldwell county, $159,000, in bonds of the Western Texas and Pacific Railroad. Tar Manuraeture oF Puarinum.—As an item worthy of record amongst our mechanical néws, we would notice the establishment in our country of a new manufacturing industry, namely, that of tho manufacture from the raw material of platinum vessels, wire, etc., for the use of tbe chemist, and of those engaged in technical pursnits. For our supply of these materials we have been, until the establishment of this enterprise, entirely dependent on European makers. The estahlishment is uow snecessfully conducted in New York by Mr. H. M. Raynor, and we wish the undertaking all success.—Franklin Institute Journal,

January 13, 1872.] SCIENTIFIC PRESS: 23 Usefur Information. Goon Heath. AbDVANTAOES OF Cuyinc.—A French physician is eut in a long disscrtation on tho advantages of crying and groaning in general, and especially during surgical operations. He eontonds that groaning and erying are two grand operations by which nature allays angnish; and those patients who give way to their natural feelings niore specilily recover from accidents and operations than those who suppose it unworthy a oan to betray such symptoms of cowardice as either to groan or cry. He} tells of aiuan who reduved his pulso from one hundred and twenty-six to sixty, in the courso of a few hours, by giving full yont to his emotions, If peaple uro at all uphappy about anything, let them go into their rooms and comfort themselves with n loud boo hoo, and they will feel a hnnudred per ceut. better stterward. In accordance with the nhove, the crying of ehildren should not be too greatly discouraged. If it is systematically repressed, the resnlt may be St. Vitus‘ dance, epileptic fits, or some other disease of the nervous system, Whatis natural is useful; and nothing can bo more uatural than the ¢rying of children when anything occurs to give them either physical or mental pain. Eatixno Wirnovur an Apretire.—It is wrong to eat without an appetite, for it shows that there is no gastrie juico in the stomach, and that nature does not need food; and not needing it, there heing no fluid to reccive and act upon it, it remains thero only to putrify, the very thonght of which should he sufficient to deter any man from eating without an appetite for the remainder of his life. If a tonic is taken to whet the appetite, itis a mistaken course, for its only result is to canse one to cat more when already on amouut has been eaten beyond what the gastric juice supply is able to prepare. The object to be attained is a larger supply of gastric jnice, not a larger snpply of food, aud whatever fails to accomplish that essential ohject, fails to have any efficieucy toward the cure of dyspeptic diseases. The formation of gastric juice is directly proportioned to the wear and tear of the system, which is to be the means of supplying, and this wear and tear can only take place as the result of exercise. The efficient remedy for dyspepsia is work —outdoor work—beneficial and snecessful in direct proportion as it is agreeable, interesting and profitahle.—Hall's Journal of Health. i Bap Errsecr or Hair Restorers.—A correspoudent of the Country Gentleman says that he has under his care two invalid ladies. ‘‘One has been paralyzed on the right side for nearly three years, and has heen utterly helpless most of that: time. Her vision has been very imperfect; ler knowledge of past events has utterly departed from her; recently she appears to be recovering her recollection, and can count with tolerable accuracy as high as twenty.” He attributes her prostration entirely to the use of a popular hair restorer. ‘“The other ease is not so bad, but bad enough. For the past year her cyes have been an occasion of constant torture, The retina has become so sensitive to the light as to make a dark room indispensable. Wheels of burning flame revolve coustantly before her eyes, attended by lightning-like flashes, which are terrible to hear. She is another victim to the poisonous lead contained in the same popular hair-restorer.” CHemioaL EXpERIMENTS.—Most persons have an idea that it requires a great deal of exoensive apparatus to show or perform chemical experiments. Such, however, is not the case; a great many pleasing and instructive experiments can be shown without any more appuratus than can generally be found in every dwelling. And with the addition of a few glass tubes of varions diameters, a dozen or two test-tubes, a pint flask or two, and an assortment of ordinary glass bottles and corks, there is scarcely an experiment that may not be attempted with fair prospect of success, Tn order to make bell glasses it is only necessary to cut the bottom out of hottles, and grind the surface of the incision. . Curious Facrs.—A curious observer has discovered that men and boys invariably run the heels of their boots and shoes over: outwardly, while women and girls always run theirs over iuwardly. Out of one hundyed and forty-seven men and boys that passed the observer at 2 given point, this. fact was true in every instance; out of sixty-seven women that passed, it was true in every instauce but one. DerenionaATION 28 MOLK IN FEEDINO Borries.—Vref. Gunning, the Government Analyst at Amsterdam, writcs: I ebject to the infants’ bottles in all instances where any part of thom is composed of caontchoue or iudia-rubber, or any like material. ‘Tere is uothing so ill suited to the constitntion of tho human body as the matorial in qnostion. When, in consequence of suction, the pores of the caontchone are cularged, some portion of the nilk always remains behind in them, which cannot, or at least cannot without great ditliculty, bo moved. This milk quickly becomes had, and spoils the fresh inilk with which it comes in contact. ‘The caoutchouo inaterial in question is mado up of several ingredients. White zine, or white lead, is very commonly employed, which is very poisonous. My objcctions aro not founded exchisively upon @ priori conclusions. Inthis country many fatal eases have happeued among infants, whieh on solid grounds may he asvribed to tho use of these bottles.” If some enterprising inventor will give the world a substitute for rubber, he will confer a great favor and make money beside. Taroat DIsEAsEs are so prevalent at this time that we commend to our friends a new remedy which is fully described in a late numher of the Pacific Medical Journal. It is bisulphite of soda, in large and continuous doses. Diptheria, inflammation of the tonsils, and quinsy through local exhibitions, have their source in poisonous fermentations of the blood, the same as scarlet fever and other zymotic diseases. It is beld that the salt prescribed enters into the circulation and retards putrefactive fermentation. Dr. Tyrell failed of success when he administered it in small doses and in threehour intervals; but when he gave thirtygrain doses every hour, day and night, so as to saturate tho system with the salt, he was almost invariably successful in removing all the severe symptoms in twentyfour hours. The object of publication is to induce pbysicians to give this medicine a trial, that the curative effects may have more extended proofs. Keeping Fruit in our Rooms.— We should be chary of keeping ripe fruit in our sitting-rooms, and especially beware of laying it about a sick chamber for any Jength of time. That complaint which some people make abont a faint sensation in the presence of fruit, is not fanciful— they may be really affected hy it; for two continental chemists have shown that from the moment of plucking, apples, cherries, currants, and other fruits, are snbject to incessaut transformation. At first, they ahsorh oxygen, thus robbing the surrounding air of its vital element. Then they evolve carbonic acid, and this ‘in far greater volume thau the purer gas is absorbed, so that we have poison ‘given usin the place of pure air, with compound interest. Temperature affects the rate of changes, warmth acceleratiug it.— Good Health. Pumpxins For Inrpammatory RaEevwaTism.—At a recent meeting of the New York Farmer’s Club, a correspondent wrote of the virtues of pumpkin, giving the following instance of its value for inflammatory rhenmatism: A woman’s arm was swelled to an enormous size and painfully inflamed, A poultice was made of stewed pumpkins, which was renewed every fifteen minutes, and in a short time produced a perfect cure. The fever drawn out by the poultice made them extremely offensive, as they were taken off. I know a man cnred of inflammation of the bowels by the same kind of application. How to Treat a4 Sty.—The sty is a small boil protruding from the eyelid. It will usnally pass away of itself, but its cure may be hastened by applying a warm poultice of bread and water in a small linen bag. Apply three or four times a day, and each time foment the eye with warm milk and water. Drinking at Meraus.—In the use of liquids as of solid food, desire is the bést guide. We should drink wheu we are thirsty, and as we are usually thirsty at meals, especially when our food contains little water, we,should drink with freedom, and usually to the full extent of the desire. 9 ~~ RAILROAD ITEMS. > é © ae Pacifi The Northo Railway Company has heen incorporated. Its purpose.is to build a railroad from Sanéelitor Mein county,

throngh said connty and Sonoma connty, to a point on the Walhalla river, a distanco of 90 miles. Trains npon the California and Oregon Railroad aro running into Red Bluff. Grading upon the Virginia and Truckeo Railroad is being puslicd ahead virorously hetween Washoe and Carson. An extra force has been put to work on tho two tunnels near the head of Washioo valley. Tho Central Pacific has taken possession of the Stoekton and Visalia and Stockton and Copporopolis railroads. The tracklayers ou tho road sonth of the Merced river are making satisfactory progress. Tho cars are now running to a point but a few miies from aud withiu sight of Bear creek. The Hood surveying party, which has been laying out the line of tho Culifornia and Oregon Railroad near the line dividing the two States, have roturned, being forced by the suow storms to cease operations. Wheu they quit operations thoy had advanced a distance of ahont 20 miles iuto Oregon. Althongh the surveys havo been made for a railroad from Napa Junction to Petaluma, to eonnect witb the Sonoma Railroad, and work was actually commenced, the change of ownership of the California Pacifie stopped movements in that direction. There are assnrances for stating that the Sonoma connection will be made in time for moving the next year’scrops. Recently the engineers of the Central Pacific railroad company havo heen running lines from the Summit, two or three miles above the Junction, across the tules toward Petaluma, with the purpose, it is stated, of looking a route through to Sancelito. At the meeting of the Board of Directors of the San Diego & Los Angeles Railroad Company, it was resolved that a survey bo made with a view to the permanent location of the ronte from San Diego to Los Angelos. ‘Mr. Chas. J. Fox will act as Chief Engiueer of the surveying expedition. The party will commence the survey at Old Towu and working toward Pawn, from thence toward San Luis Rey and Santa Margareta to San Jnan Capistrauo and Anaheim, finally terminating at Los Angeles. The ronte for a hranch from Anaheim to San Beruardino will also be surveyed. From all we can gather thoSan Diego & Los Angelos Railroad Company mcans husiness. The Bakersville Cozier rejoices in anticipation of the early connection of Kern county with the balauce of the State by rail, It has information of a character which leads it to believe ‘‘that the extension of the San Joaqnin Villey Road to that place early in the Spring is a certainty. ‘ ; The Supervisors of Marin county have passed an order calling for an election, to be held on January 24th next, at which time the people will vote whether or not the connty shall issne bonds to the amount of $160,000 in aid of huilding a railroad from San Rafael to Tomales. Tho North Pacific Coast Railroad Company who design to construct a road from Saucelito to the Walhalla river, by the way of Sau Rafael and Tomales, have siguified a desire to accept of such a subsidy, and will huild the road if the County Supervisors can agree with them on the route to be followed. The object of the road is mainly to open up to the San Francisco market greater facilities in obtaining lumber from the Northern Coast counties. L Tur Central and Southern Pacifie Railroad Companies are about to commence very exteusive improvements in the southeru part of San Francisco and on Mission Bay. -The Central Company has a grant . of sixty acres of laud in Mission Bay, which, itis said, can be made available at a cost of about 700,000. It is further reported that a contract for filling in that part of Mission Bay covered by the grant has been entered into already. By the terms of the grant, the Company will be obliged to expend the snm of $200,000 on the work before March 21st, 1873. Tue new track now being built between San Leandroaud Melrose (Simpson’s, Alameda county), is progressing rapidly—a train of construction cars has beeu lately employed in transportating large quantities of railroad iron. ° The road is completed abont half the distance. When finished the old track betweeu these two places will be removed. Tue San Joaquin Republican says a large number of (four or five hundred) men are employed in grading the track for the brancb road the Central Pacifie Company are building from the main trunk on the west side of the river down the ‘valley. Tho branch will leave the main road about three anda half miles west of Banta’s, and follow the most direct route down the valley. The town of Autioch will not bo the water terminus. The road will pass some three miles tothe west of that place and reach deep water at wpoint helow. Vazlett’s surveying party, of the Southern Pacific Narrow-gauge Railroad, returning frem the survey of the route to Necdles, helow Hardyville, on the Colorado, the present terminus of the round, havo arrived at Camp Cody, all well. They find a good, practicahle route to the Colorado. Tho surveying and locating of the Walla Walla and Columbia River Railroad has heen completed. A considerahle amount of the grading will be done this winter. Tt is expected that tho road will be in running-order within.a year. ___ . Tho snvveying party under Capt. Maxwell has been ordered to Pend‘Oreilee Lake, ‘to mhke survoys during the winter. ~Gen. Spragne, T.B. Morris and E. S. Smith have gone to Puget Sound, and the Kalama Beacon says their visit is supposed to be connected with the location of tho terminus, between Olympia and Stcilacoom. : The track is laid and construction trains are runuing on the line nearly eighteen mniles, extending five miles and a half be-, yond Kidder’s Camp, up the Cowlitz. A side track has been pnt down opposite Freoport. The material for the Toutlo river hridge is being transported up the Cowlitz by steamer; and as every part of the bridge is ready to he put together, its completion is but the work of a few days. The Oregon and California Railroad has beon graded to a point 60 miles above Eugene City, in the Umpqua Valley, The track is laid but 14 miles ahove Eugene, and cannot beextended furthor until‘a new supply of iron arrives. Col. Martin, Engineer Northern Pacifie Railroad, has just completed a survey np Fish creek,in Montana. The line, as run, has a grade of 105 feet t2 the mile, This route is ‘said to be 50 miles shorter than the Lou Lon Fork route. The Burgess party, who have been surveying a route for the Northern Pacific Railroad through the Pipestone Pass, state that this route will besome 50 miles shorter than that by the Deer Lodge Pass. A snit is in progress at Omaha between the Union Pacific Company and T. C. Durant, to,compel the latter to deliver to the railroad company about one million dollars’ worth of property deeded to him by individuals in trust for the railroad company in 1863 and 1864. Work on the western division of the Colorado Central is progressing rapidly. The road-bed is graded ready for the iron to station 275, at Huntsman’s Ranch, aud it is in a forward state of completion to station 375. The large force nowemployed between station 335 and Elk Meadow, at Elk creek, brings the working parties within four and a half miles of the Forks, where they will commence operations on or about the first of February. The work of pusbing the Atlantic and Pacifie Railroad westward is progressing at a rate hardly surpassed by the operations which characterized the, building of the Union Pacific, a few years ago. Already the line is completed to Vinite, 35 miles west of the Missouri line. The final survey has been made on the Towa Pacific Railroad, and the route is better in all respects than that surveyed before. The.work will prohahly be completed ou the road in Ida county this yeav, and east of Fort Dodge it is progressing so brapidly that the whole line from Wells to Fort Dodge will be graded hy spring. At a recent special election, Gonzales county, Texas, voted to take $200,000, and Caldwell county, $159,000, in bonds of the Western Texas and Pacific Railroad. Tar Manuraeture oF Puarinum.—As an item worthy of record amongst our mechanical néws, we would notice the establishment in our country of a new manufacturing industry, namely, that of tho manufacture from the raw material of platinum vessels, wire, etc., for the use of tbe chemist, and of those engaged in technical pursnits. For our supply of these materials we have been, until the establishment of this enterprise, entirely dependent on European makers. The estahlishment is uow snecessfully conducted in New York by Mr. H. M. Raynor, and we wish the undertaking all success.—Franklin Institute Journal,