Volume 29 (1874) (428 pages)

Vave Ve Ve v An Illustrated Journal of M 4 ti Popular Science and General News. BY DEWEY & co., Patent Sollcitora, SAN FRANCISCO, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1874. VOLUME XXIX WNumber 16. A Curious Experiment. ——— 1e An old Trick Again Coming iato Vogue. Every now and then an old wonder, which has heen sleeping in the unused comers of a few memories for years, is revived aud excites & momentary surprise, makes a new draft upon our credulity, and again subsides, It appears to have no counection with the acts of *‘epiritualists,’’ although such people and the practitionera of nstural magic have a general inonopoly of latter-day miracles. This ancient worder—sometimes called ‘body liftiag,” sometimes ‘‘ buzzing up,” it is said is just now being revivod again in Evst Norwich, Long Island, where it is making quite a sensation, aad is said to be regarded as an innocent smusement quite apart from the so-called spiritual demonstratioas of the present day and times In order that the description which follows may be morereadily understood, we have intro-, duced the following illustration which appeared for a similar purpose, several yesra sgo in an eaetern publication. This is what a newspaper correspondent eays ahout it as now practiced on Long Island :— “The young people collect together in compsniee and lift each other by the tip ends of the index fingers. The snhject to be lifted lies down upon the carpet, face upward. He is instructed to assume a stiff or rigid state, approaching the condition of a etick of wood as much as possible. “*The liftere, six in number, etand three on each side. Then ata eignal, the snapping of a finger by the leader, the lifters and euhject inhale the atmosphere, filling their lungs to their utmost capacity. When this is done the lifters e’oop and try to lift the subject. If they fail they again assume an erect attitude, and egaia inbale ;-then try again, aad thue repeat the operation till at last, geaerally the second, third or fourth trial, up goes the subject like a festher, heiag frequently horne to the ceiling on the tip ends of the fingers of the lifters. They claim that the heaviest person lifts ae easily as the lightest. Subjects weighing two hundred pounds have heen thus lifted by four persons. Some declare that the operation produces an exhilerating sensation; otbers that it causes depression. “The writer of this article was thus lifted, and experienced no unusual sensation more than he went up without any apparent physical effort on the part of those who lifted bim. It ie said that if one of the actors laughs or does anything to oause him or others to exhale while the snbject is going up, the latter willimmediately come down unless he is caught by main etrength. The cause of all this the opera. tore claim to know nothing ahout.” This writer thus speaks of his own experience with apparent candor. It is true he doee not give his name, but he doubtlese had his own good reason for remaining concealed—probahly for fear of ridicule. Itis a very eimple experiment to try. The only materials reqaired are about five able-hodied men, immeasurable faith, ond a securely locked and ehuttered room for a laboratory, with a lone tallow dip for witness. The operators ought to he sworn to keep each other’s seoret, and in case they fail, of course they will say nothing about it. If they eucceed, the hond of secrecy to be annulled hy success, It ie possible that this story may be ofa piece with such ge are often honestly told by school boys who heve done eome wonders, or think they have, and they recollect heaing that their fathere did the same things when they were hoys; and thue the traditions desceud through the generations, and now and then the uewspspers record them in more durible shape. Still, after all, it may not bo ‘a school-hoy’e tale—the wonder of an hour;” and if it be indeed true, it doubtless hae a philosophy which may be penetrated. Who knows —this toy of time, this youth’s plaything, which age dimly remembers yet feele obliged to laugh at, may evolve a true principle of uatural law, which it is said to suspend or set at defiance? There have heen many childish blundere upon truths, and this may be one of them, continually thrusting itself upon the atSir David Brewster in hia ‘letters on Natural Magic,” speaks apparently somewhat s-rionsly of the matter as follows :— One of the most remarkable and inexplicahle experiments réelativo to the strength of the human frame, which you have youreelf seen and admired, is that in which a heavy man is raised with the greatest facility, when he is lifted up at the instant that his own lungs and thoee of the persons who raise him are inflated with air, This experiment was, I belicve, first shown in Eagland a few yeare ago by Major H., who saw it performed in a large party in Veuice under the direction of an officer of the American nevy. As Major H. performed it more than once in my presence, I shall deserihe, as nearly as possible, the method which he prescrihed. The hesviest person in the party lies down on two chairs, his legs heiag supported by the one and his hack hy the other. Four persons, one at each leg and one at each shoulder, thon try to raise him, and they fiud his dead weight very great, from the difficuty they experience in supporting him. When he is replaced in the chair, each of the four persons takes bold of the body as before, and tho person to be lifted pives two sigaals by clappiag his bands. At the first signal he himself and tho four lifters hegin to draw a long and fall hreath, and when the inhalation is completed, o* the langs filled, the sevond signal is given forrais™ ing the person from thechair. To hie owa surprise and that of his hearers, he rises with the greatest facility ae if he were no heavier thau a feather. On several occasions I have observed that when one of the bearers performs his part Schiffer’e Faucet for Beer Cacke. ill by makiag the iuhalition out of time, the part of the body which he tries to raise is lefc, es it were, hehind. As you have repeatedly seen this experiment, and have performed the part of hoth load and bearcr, you can testify how remarkable the effects appesr to all parties, and how complete ie the conviction either that the load hae been lightened or the bearer strengthened by the prescribed process. At Venice the experiment wae performed in a much more imposing manner. e heaviest man in the party wasraised and suetained upon the points of the forefingere of eix persous. Major H. declared that the experiment would not succeed if the person lifted were placed on aboard, and the strength of the individuals applied to the board. He conceived it neceseary that the bearers should communicate directly with the body to he raised. I have not had an opportunity of making any experiments relative to these curioue facts; but whether the genteral effect is an illusion or the result of known or of new principles, the eubject morits a careful investigation. A TEN-sTAMP mill will be put up to orush ore from the Leopard mine, in the Cornucopia . tention of mankind for recognition. district, Academy of Sciences. The regular semi-montbly meeting of the Culifornia Academy of Sciences was held on Monday evening last. William J. Fisher presented a collection of Japanese specimens, includiug two pair of shoes and a hat; a sample-hook containing several hundred specimens of fabrics, a water-proof coat, manufactured of paper, sponges, etc. W. G. Harford presented 13 species of cruetaceans from the island of Santa Rosa. W. J. Fisher resented 23 species of crustaceans from the iain Islands and Japan, J. L. Bray presented several specimens of iron ore from the northern part of Coos county, Oregon; two hottles of gold-bearing sand, from the ocean heach of same county, and a hottle of platinum, found iu black sand on tbe same beach. Dr. Kellogg presenled a very exteasive collection of plants. Mr. Hoffman presented {he msp of California, issued by the State Geologieal Survey. Dr. Cooper made some interesting remarks on California in the pliooene epoch, referrod to more at Icngth in another column of this iseue, A paper by Stepheu Powers, **The Ahorigines of California,” was read by the Corresponding Sec’y, Professor Hilgard, who is now delivering a course of lecturee on agricultural eubjects at the University of California, wae introduced. After congratulating the membors on the flourishiag condition of their organization, the numher present, greatly surpassing the ordinary meetinge of scientific hodiee of the East, the gentleman delivered an interesting discourse on the geology of the country uorth of the Gulf of Mexico, which had engaged his constant study for the past 18 years. Henry Edwarde presented the report of a special committee appointed to inventory the library and herharium of the late H. G. Bloomer, Cnrator of the museum, with the view of purchase by the Academy. The committee reported 119 volumes in the library, many of which were valuahle works not frequently met with, and there were 66 packages of plants, embracing rare species. The fair value of all was estimated at $700. The oommittee, however, oontidered the great services the deceased had rendered the Academy, dnring a membership of 20 years, and his} death was an irreparable loes, and therefore recommended that $1,000 ho paid for the hooke and herbarinm in quarterly installments of $250 each. The report wae unanimously adopted. Dr. Coopor presented a specimen of a fungoid growth with the following remarks. A fire paesing through a grove of willows scorched Many without kiling them. On the hark of these the sap afterwards exuded of a ‘deep red color and dried where exposed to the sun in transpaient drope, resembling cherry gum, bot not gummy, bitter like salicine, and of a beautiful blood-red color. Where kept moist hy the 'dews and fogs, this sap-like exudation soon began to vegetate into an orange-red fangus, which grew about two or three inches long, covering the hark which had become dead with a mossy growth. Thongh it would he eupposed according to scientific belief, that the spores of this lichen or fungus merely found a suitable place to grow in the scorched sap, it looked very much like a case of ‘spontaneous generation’’ of fungus from the sap itaclf. Joun M, Ecxretnt, melter and refiner in the Mint, in thie city, committed suicide on Thursday lest. Hewae also superintendent of machinery in the new Mint building. Itis thought that he took hie life in a fit of temporary insanity, induced by overwork. Tap and Faucet for Beer Casks. Jobn G. Schiffer, of this city, has recently patented through the Sczenririo Press Patent Agenoy, an improved tap and faucot for heer casks, an illustration of which is shown ou this page. The iavention is a device for msking the connection betweon the interior of tbe beer eask and the faucet, and consists in the use of a plunger or rod, which passes through the faucot, beiag packed so as not to lesk. Tho socket into which the faucet screwe is screwed tightly into the harrel, and its central opening is stopped hy © plug. After the faucet is screwed down to its seat, a hlow upon the slidiag rod or plunger forces it against the plug, thus driving it into the barrel, and lesvlag the conaection open to the faucet. The construction of the faucet is easily seen by means of the engraviag. When itis to be used tbe faucct is screwed into its place, and the head of the rod is struck so as to force its inner end against the plug, and thus drive it into the cask. This allows the liquid in the cask to fill the faucet, in readiness to he drawn hy turning the cock, and there will be no waste hy making the connection with the faucet, as the whole is made tight before the plug is driven out. Parent Surr.—Some time sinco the Giant Powder Co. commenced a suit in the United Circuit Court, in this city, against the Herenles Powder Co. for allogod iafriagemente of tbe Giant Powder Co.’e (Nohcl’s) patents. The partienlar patents upon which thie suit was based were the original patents of Nebel, in which he claimed au cxploeive compound, composed of nitro-glycerine as the explosive agent. The defendants (the Califoruin Powder Co.) entered a demarrer to the complaint, which demuirer wes sustained hy the court and confeseed by the plaintiff, and leave was granted to the defendants to amend their complaint within thirty days. A new complaint will he prepared and filed. Boor Hzers.— If we were to examine the heels of a hundred persons, chosen indisoriminately, we would find out of that number at least 90 pairs of hoot heels that are worn off on one side, or “run down,” as it ig oalled. This running down of the heel ie attribnted to various causes, such as: imperfection in the structure of the hecl, crooked walking, bow logs, etc.; hut the usual and almoet universal cause is a wealmess of the ankle-joint, which tends to give the heel a grinding action upon one eide as the person walks. Strengthen the ankle and you cure the hoot heel. Tue Cloverdale Quicksilver Mining Company, whose claim is located at the junction of Squaw and Sulphur creeks, Sonoma county, is taking out remarkably rich ore. It has twenty men employed, who have already taken out 250 tons of ore, which will he ready for the furnace to he completed in about four weeks. Noyes 10-stamp mill, Yavapai county, Arizona is now ready to reduce ore. A new 10stamp mill is to he put up on Kirkland oreek to crueh from the Vesuvius mine, same county. Still another 10-stamp mill is to he erected by Sexton & Co. in Weaver district, eame county. Bouxutron shipmente from Belmont for Sep~ tembor, wore $11,970; trom Austin, in the same mouth, $113,000; from the Twin River (formerly the Murphy), in Ophir Cajion, . Tue Prussian Silver Mining Company, st Jefferson, have completed their new mill, and the stamps will drop in a few days. The hoisting works over the Prussian south shaft started on Tuesdey. Furu.—Large quantities of wood are being brought up from the Carson river by rail and teams for consumption in Virginia and Gold Hill. All of the companies are laying in large supplios of fuel for winter. . Tae Yellow Jacket Mining Co, sre building a new ore hones,

Vave Ve Ve v An Illustrated Journal of M 4 ti Popular Science and General News. BY DEWEY & co., Patent Sollcitora, SAN FRANCISCO, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1874. VOLUME XXIX WNumber 16. A Curious Experiment. ——— 1e An old Trick Again Coming iato Vogue. Every now and then an old wonder, which has heen sleeping in the unused comers of a few memories for years, is revived aud excites & momentary surprise, makes a new draft upon our credulity, and again subsides, It appears to have no counection with the acts of *‘epiritualists,’’ although such people and the practitionera of nstural magic have a general inonopoly of latter-day miracles. This ancient worder—sometimes called ‘body liftiag,” sometimes ‘‘ buzzing up,” it is said is just now being revivod again in Evst Norwich, Long Island, where it is making quite a sensation, aad is said to be regarded as an innocent smusement quite apart from the so-called spiritual demonstratioas of the present day and times In order that the description which follows may be morereadily understood, we have intro-, duced the following illustration which appeared for a similar purpose, several yesra sgo in an eaetern publication. This is what a newspaper correspondent eays ahout it as now practiced on Long Island :— “The young people collect together in compsniee and lift each other by the tip ends of the index fingers. The snhject to be lifted lies down upon the carpet, face upward. He is instructed to assume a stiff or rigid state, approaching the condition of a etick of wood as much as possible. “*The liftere, six in number, etand three on each side. Then ata eignal, the snapping of a finger by the leader, the lifters and euhject inhale the atmosphere, filling their lungs to their utmost capacity. When this is done the lifters e’oop and try to lift the subject. If they fail they again assume an erect attitude, and egaia inbale ;-then try again, aad thue repeat the operation till at last, geaerally the second, third or fourth trial, up goes the subject like a festher, heiag frequently horne to the ceiling on the tip ends of the fingers of the lifters. They claim that the heaviest person lifts ae easily as the lightest. Subjects weighing two hundred pounds have heen thus lifted by four persons. Some declare that the operation produces an exhilerating sensation; otbers that it causes depression. “The writer of this article was thus lifted, and experienced no unusual sensation more than he went up without any apparent physical effort on the part of those who lifted bim. It ie said that if one of the actors laughs or does anything to oause him or others to exhale while the snbject is going up, the latter willimmediately come down unless he is caught by main etrength. The cause of all this the opera. tore claim to know nothing ahout.” This writer thus speaks of his own experience with apparent candor. It is true he doee not give his name, but he doubtlese had his own good reason for remaining concealed—probahly for fear of ridicule. Itis a very eimple experiment to try. The only materials reqaired are about five able-hodied men, immeasurable faith, ond a securely locked and ehuttered room for a laboratory, with a lone tallow dip for witness. The operators ought to he sworn to keep each other’s seoret, and in case they fail, of course they will say nothing about it. If they eucceed, the hond of secrecy to be annulled hy success, It ie possible that this story may be ofa piece with such ge are often honestly told by school boys who heve done eome wonders, or think they have, and they recollect heaing that their fathere did the same things when they were hoys; and thue the traditions desceud through the generations, and now and then the uewspspers record them in more durible shape. Still, after all, it may not bo ‘a school-hoy’e tale—the wonder of an hour;” and if it be indeed true, it doubtless hae a philosophy which may be penetrated. Who knows —this toy of time, this youth’s plaything, which age dimly remembers yet feele obliged to laugh at, may evolve a true principle of uatural law, which it is said to suspend or set at defiance? There have heen many childish blundere upon truths, and this may be one of them, continually thrusting itself upon the atSir David Brewster in hia ‘letters on Natural Magic,” speaks apparently somewhat s-rionsly of the matter as follows :— One of the most remarkable and inexplicahle experiments réelativo to the strength of the human frame, which you have youreelf seen and admired, is that in which a heavy man is raised with the greatest facility, when he is lifted up at the instant that his own lungs and thoee of the persons who raise him are inflated with air, This experiment was, I belicve, first shown in Eagland a few yeare ago by Major H., who saw it performed in a large party in Veuice under the direction of an officer of the American nevy. As Major H. performed it more than once in my presence, I shall deserihe, as nearly as possible, the method which he prescrihed. The hesviest person in the party lies down on two chairs, his legs heiag supported by the one and his hack hy the other. Four persons, one at each leg and one at each shoulder, thon try to raise him, and they fiud his dead weight very great, from the difficuty they experience in supporting him. When he is replaced in the chair, each of the four persons takes bold of the body as before, and tho person to be lifted pives two sigaals by clappiag his bands. At the first signal he himself and tho four lifters hegin to draw a long and fall hreath, and when the inhalation is completed, o* the langs filled, the sevond signal is given forrais™ ing the person from thechair. To hie owa surprise and that of his hearers, he rises with the greatest facility ae if he were no heavier thau a feather. On several occasions I have observed that when one of the bearers performs his part Schiffer’e Faucet for Beer Cacke. ill by makiag the iuhalition out of time, the part of the body which he tries to raise is lefc, es it were, hehind. As you have repeatedly seen this experiment, and have performed the part of hoth load and bearcr, you can testify how remarkable the effects appesr to all parties, and how complete ie the conviction either that the load hae been lightened or the bearer strengthened by the prescribed process. At Venice the experiment wae performed in a much more imposing manner. e heaviest man in the party wasraised and suetained upon the points of the forefingere of eix persous. Major H. declared that the experiment would not succeed if the person lifted were placed on aboard, and the strength of the individuals applied to the board. He conceived it neceseary that the bearers should communicate directly with the body to he raised. I have not had an opportunity of making any experiments relative to these curioue facts; but whether the genteral effect is an illusion or the result of known or of new principles, the eubject morits a careful investigation. A TEN-sTAMP mill will be put up to orush ore

from the Leopard mine, in the Cornucopia . tention of mankind for recognition. district, Academy of Sciences. The regular semi-montbly meeting of the Culifornia Academy of Sciences was held on Monday evening last. William J. Fisher presented a collection of Japanese specimens, includiug two pair of shoes and a hat; a sample-hook containing several hundred specimens of fabrics, a water-proof coat, manufactured of paper, sponges, etc. W. G. Harford presented 13 species of cruetaceans from the island of Santa Rosa. W. J. Fisher resented 23 species of crustaceans from the iain Islands and Japan, J. L. Bray presented several specimens of iron ore from the northern part of Coos county, Oregon; two hottles of gold-bearing sand, from the ocean heach of same county, and a hottle of platinum, found iu black sand on tbe same beach. Dr. Kellogg presenled a very exteasive collection of plants. Mr. Hoffman presented {he msp of California, issued by the State Geologieal Survey. Dr. Cooper made some interesting remarks on California in the pliooene epoch, referrod to more at Icngth in another column of this iseue, A paper by Stepheu Powers, **The Ahorigines of California,” was read by the Corresponding Sec’y, Professor Hilgard, who is now delivering a course of lecturee on agricultural eubjects at the University of California, wae introduced. After congratulating the membors on the flourishiag condition of their organization, the numher present, greatly surpassing the ordinary meetinge of scientific hodiee of the East, the gentleman delivered an interesting discourse on the geology of the country uorth of the Gulf of Mexico, which had engaged his constant study for the past 18 years. Henry Edwarde presented the report of a special committee appointed to inventory the library and herharium of the late H. G. Bloomer, Cnrator of the museum, with the view of purchase by the Academy. The committee reported 119 volumes in the library, many of which were valuahle works not frequently met with, and there were 66 packages of plants, embracing rare species. The fair value of all was estimated at $700. The oommittee, however, oontidered the great services the deceased had rendered the Academy, dnring a membership of 20 years, and his} death was an irreparable loes, and therefore recommended that $1,000 ho paid for the hooke and herbarinm in quarterly installments of $250 each. The report wae unanimously adopted. Dr. Coopor presented a specimen of a fungoid growth with the following remarks. A fire paesing through a grove of willows scorched Many without kiling them. On the hark of these the sap afterwards exuded of a ‘deep red color and dried where exposed to the sun in transpaient drope, resembling cherry gum, bot not gummy, bitter like salicine, and of a beautiful blood-red color. Where kept moist hy the 'dews and fogs, this sap-like exudation soon began to vegetate into an orange-red fangus, which grew about two or three inches long, covering the hark which had become dead with a mossy growth. Thongh it would he eupposed according to scientific belief, that the spores of this lichen or fungus merely found a suitable place to grow in the scorched sap, it looked very much like a case of ‘spontaneous generation’’ of fungus from the sap itaclf. Joun M, Ecxretnt, melter and refiner in the Mint, in thie city, committed suicide on Thursday lest. Hewae also superintendent of machinery in the new Mint building. Itis thought that he took hie life in a fit of temporary insanity, induced by overwork. Tap and Faucet for Beer Casks. Jobn G. Schiffer, of this city, has recently patented through the Sczenririo Press Patent Agenoy, an improved tap and faucot for heer casks, an illustration of which is shown ou this page. The iavention is a device for msking the connection betweon the interior of tbe beer eask and the faucet, and consists in the use of a plunger or rod, which passes through the faucot, beiag packed so as not to lesk. Tho socket into which the faucet screwe is screwed tightly into the harrel, and its central opening is stopped hy © plug. After the faucet is screwed down to its seat, a hlow upon the slidiag rod or plunger forces it against the plug, thus driving it into the barrel, and lesvlag the conaection open to the faucet. The construction of the faucet is easily seen by means of the engraviag. When itis to be used tbe faucct is screwed into its place, and the head of the rod is struck so as to force its inner end against the plug, and thus drive it into the cask. This allows the liquid in the cask to fill the faucet, in readiness to he drawn hy turning the cock, and there will be no waste hy making the connection with the faucet, as the whole is made tight before the plug is driven out. Parent Surr.—Some time sinco the Giant Powder Co. commenced a suit in the United Circuit Court, in this city, against the Herenles Powder Co. for allogod iafriagemente of tbe Giant Powder Co.’e (Nohcl’s) patents. The partienlar patents upon which thie suit was based were the original patents of Nebel, in which he claimed au cxploeive compound, composed of nitro-glycerine as the explosive agent. The defendants (the Califoruin Powder Co.) entered a demarrer to the complaint, which demuirer wes sustained hy the court and confeseed by the plaintiff, and leave was granted to the defendants to amend their complaint within thirty days. A new complaint will he prepared and filed. Boor Hzers.— If we were to examine the heels of a hundred persons, chosen indisoriminately, we would find out of that number at least 90 pairs of hoot heels that are worn off on one side, or “run down,” as it ig oalled. This running down of the heel ie attribnted to various causes, such as: imperfection in the structure of the hecl, crooked walking, bow logs, etc.; hut the usual and almoet universal cause is a wealmess of the ankle-joint, which tends to give the heel a grinding action upon one eide as the person walks. Strengthen the ankle and you cure the hoot heel. Tue Cloverdale Quicksilver Mining Company, whose claim is located at the junction of Squaw and Sulphur creeks, Sonoma county, is taking out remarkably rich ore. It has twenty men employed, who have already taken out 250 tons of ore, which will he ready for the furnace to he completed in about four weeks. Noyes 10-stamp mill, Yavapai county, Arizona is now ready to reduce ore. A new 10stamp mill is to he put up on Kirkland oreek to crueh from the Vesuvius mine, same county. Still another 10-stamp mill is to he erected by Sexton & Co. in Weaver district, eame county. Bouxutron shipmente from Belmont for Sep~ tembor, wore $11,970; trom Austin, in the same mouth, $113,000; from the Twin River (formerly the Murphy), in Ophir Cajion, . Tue Prussian Silver Mining Company, st Jefferson, have completed their new mill, and the stamps will drop in a few days. The hoisting works over the Prussian south shaft started on Tuesdey. Furu.—Large quantities of wood are being brought up from the Carson river by rail and teams for consumption in Virginia and Gold Hill. All of the companies are laying in large supplios of fuel for winter. . Tae Yellow Jacket Mining Co, sre building a new ore hones,