'iSKaepr?" THE PITTSBURG DISPATCH, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1890. IB BEATSCOALAND GAS Electricity Likely to be the Fuel of the Fntnre Sot Only in Street Cars bat in Homes. THE WALLS WILL BE BADIATORS And Perhaps Ceilings Can bs Hade to Gire Out 111 the Liirht Seeded for Ordinary Purposes. FOEXACES Mil BSE THE CDEEEXT. Lite DtTtlcpntnU ia the SciesUSo World Tilt Are Eoti Useful tr4 Ictertstiig. rrnErAKED fob Tn dispatch. Xow and ajrain one bears of electric heat In in a vacuo kind of way that would hardly lead anybody to suppose practical results had been obtained. But the fact is that the electric heating apparatus is al ready iu quite general use, and that several companies have been termed for its intro duction. One of the earlier torms of elec tric heater;, which was specially designed for street car uve, is not unlike an ordinary radiator, and has also been given a shape resembling that of the familiar metal foot warmer. The rapid increase in the number of elec tric street cars in our Northern latitudes has cjiven a stimulus to incenuity in this field, and a new heater hag been brought out, which for simplicity and for economy of space seems hard to excel. It consists of a narrow strip of ribbon of asbestos, in closed in sheet iron, about three inches in width.andone-quarterinchin thickness. This strip is placed under the seats, extending from one end o! the car to the other, and is protected by a wire screen. A second strip of the came dimensions is attached to the first as a kind of compressing plate, and the wires are embedded in the asbestos. These strips are given a zig-zijr form, so as to in crease the leD"tU of radiating surface ex posed la a given area. The current being turned on, the wires, by means of the re sistance they are i.urposeiy made to offer to the current, become very hot, and this heat is raaiated, therefore, steadily and equably throughout the car. A more agreeable means of heating it would be hard to imacine. No space is taken up by the stove, nor are any of the seats rendered unpleasant by proximity to the heating apparatus. One part of a car is justas warm as the other, and by means of various methods of arranging the strips, the decree of heat enn be regulated to a nicety. There is no need to get the car ready for the approach of winter, nor to make any special arrangement whatever, other than the simple attachment of the strips under the seats. All that is necessary when heat is wanted is that either the driver of the electric car or the conductor shall switch or turn on the current through the heatinc appiratus, and thus tne same agency which propels the car and lights it also provides it with warmth. The question which comes into one's mind on riding in one of the many electric cars now equipped in this excellent manner is, why something of the same kind cannot be rendered available lor office or household use. The probability is that it soon will be. In speaking 01 electric car heating at a re rent street railway meeting at Columbus, O., one of the members stated that he had a little heater in his house which the laundress at any time connected up vith one of the incandescent lamp sockets, and by means of which she ironed all dav. the iron irettiin- only m hot and never any hotter. Cooking is very otten done in this way also now,-aud with the general extension ot lighting cir cuits we mav look tor an enormous number 01 inventions in apparatus for using electric heat in the taraily. The change will go even further than this, for if heat can be brought into an office or a house through the agency of a small wire there is certainly no need to convert the cellar of every house into -a miniature coal mine, with all the at xendant nuisance of running n furnace or open fires and then getting rid of the asbes, or ot filling it up with natural gas meters. It is quite within the bounds of possibility that at no distant day our heat will be radiated gently for us from the wall paper, and light supplied to us from a luminescent celling. The Preservation of Timber. In the history of attempts at prolonging the life of timber some very carious expedi ents are met with. In 1836 Dr. Boucherie, a "ench chemist, tried to impregnate tim ber by vital suction, that is, by tapping the tree and allowing the ascending sap to carry up a preserving solution. This, how ever, did not give sitisfactory results, and in place o it a cap was supplied to the end os a newly-cut log, and the solution forced along the sap ducts by hydraulic pressure. Sulphate of copper was the cnemical used, and when it was applied to newlv felled timber it gave good results. Lime water has been tried, and also salt, but the effects have not been such as to encourage the repetition of the treatment. There is 3 strip of road in the Union Pacific Railroad, iu "Wyoming, where the sleepers do not decav at all. Tne anahsisof the soil shows that it contains sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium and iron, which act as preserving agents. An inventor named Foreman btought out a pro cess bv which dry arsenic and corrosive su-blimate were inserted iu holes in sleepers, and cuvered with plugs. The materials be come dissolved and effloresced on the surface, wheu the cattle licked them and died by scores. The farmers rose in arms and lorced the railroad company to burn all the sleepers. Oue of the best of recently devised methods of preserving timber con sists simply in soauing the timber in melted naphthaline lor a period varying from 2 to 12 hours, depending upon the bulk of the piece. A temperature ol 180 to 200 Fahrenheit is all that is required for the process, and is most easily obtained bv plac ing steam pipes in the bottom of the tank which contains the material. Simple as the process is it possesses a still more valuable feature. It can be applied to green timber, thus obviating the necessity of a long and expensive process of seasoning. The naph thaline penetrates the pores of the wood, de composing the albumenoid compounds and displacing botn sap and water. It then be comes fixed and the whole substance is per meated with solid antiseptic of ,a permanent character. This process has lor some time been employed iu England, trom which come excellent accounts oi its effectiveness, bnt there seems no reason why it should not be" adopted in this country, where the gigau tic drain of recent years is telling on the timber supply, and where, at last, serious at tention is being given to preservative pro cesses. "Winter on the Street Kallwav. A provident street railway superintendent tells how upon the approach of winter he makes sure that his company's property is equal to all possibilities of rough weather aud hard usage. Armed with a note book and pencil he goes over the entire line, not ing all broken aud impaired raiis or fish plates and all places where the track has sunk and water and ice may soon cause trouble. In one place it is likely that a paving stone may be so high as to be in the way of the snow plough, and in other places the roadbed has been so laid that when frost conies it will hit the motor pan. These notes are given to the foreman and attended to in QUCWUlsB. Aut. D.ki wo.vu vi tun uircr- head line involves the loosening for cold weather of strain guys that hive been kept taut all summer, the resoldering of ears, the putting ou of new insu lators, the painting of arms, etc Sind and salt boxes- and. track scrapers must be got ready, and m overliauling the trucks a special eye must he kept on a wheel that has been worn a uumber of seasons and is getting light. To try to get more wear out of it is poor economy, as some morning, when it is fall of frost and goes -into a curve it may break aud create damage.-the cost of which to the company will be greater than that of the equipment of the entire cars of the line with new wheels, Make a personal inspection of every brake chain and rod on the line, and bc'sure that every link is strong. Gears and pinions must he taken off when they have worn down to a certain thickness, whether they look,"Hke wearing a few daya more" or not, and thus provision is made against a break which will ruin a rear that might have been good for a month or two. "When all these precautions are taken, and the salt, coal and sand bios are filled, the superintendent feels that the blizzard has no particular terrors for him, and he can regard with complacency the worst that tbe weather bureau can do in the way of daily bulletins. Give the Central a Chance. It is not generally borne in mind by the irate telephone subscriber, when complain ing of bad service, that the telephone, more than any other electrical appliance in daily use, requires a certain knowledge, on the part of tbe user, of its construction, and the elementary principles oi the production and reception of 'sound by the human voice and ear. "When we send a telegram or turn on the electric light, or call a message, no spe cial knowledge of the means employed is necessary. "We write out a message, hand it in and pay the charge, and we kpow that a written copy will be handed out at the other end. With the electric light we turn a switch, and the light appears or disappear, as the case may be. According to tbe bye word of the day, we press tbe button and tbe company does the rest. With the telephone it is different. Every man who uses the instrument becomes iu a certain sense a telephone operator, aud in order to get the best results he nught to know something about the machine he is using, and how it works, and also about hii own voice and ear. Some people stand away from the transmitter and waste the air vibrations they set up when speaking on the surroundiug air. Others bellow into the mouthpiece and (literary) "rattle" the trans mitter. Others ring the bell after the con nection is made, because their correspondent stops to think a moment, and thereby give" "central" the signal to take the connection donn; central is then roundly abused for cutting off the connection. Many people think that telephone wires pick up noises going on round about them, and that they kept away from railways to avoid being af fected by the trains. In reality, they are only disturbed by heavy currents ou neigh boring wires, and not at all by mere me chanical interruptions; the presence of tele graph wires on all railroads explains the absence of the telephone lines, which would be rendered unworkable by the mysterious "induced" currents that the busy telegraph lines would produce in them. Xaval Electrical Corps. The idea recently advanced by Lieuten ant Bradley A. Fiske that the exigencies of any luture war would demand a supply of skilled and specially trained electricians to supplement the work of the regular army and navy of this conntry, has been adverted to by Secretary Tracy in bis report of the new American navv. In alluding to the advantage of providing a place iu tbe ranks of the naval militia Jor persons of rpecial requirements demanded by the service, but of a character somewhat outside of the ordi nary scope of professional training, he dtaws attention to the growing use of electricity ou shipboard, and shows how necessary it is that naval officers should acquire a certain familiarity with tbe principles of electrical applications. The fact remains, however, that it is quite impossible that the greater pirt of them can become expert electricians without sacrificing efficiency in other branches ot their profession ot even more pressing importance. Secretary Tracy says that this want wonld "be met by the formation; 'of -corps ot naval electricians in the diuerent States having naval militias, thTaafaotagVor the special training of which such corps would thus be able to vail themselves of. By this means a large, enthusiastic, and highly intelligent body would be established, familiar with all the ueeds of modern wartare, and able to handle naval vessels effectively in time of war. Iu time of peace such corps would be of the utmost service "in fitting out new vessels with electrical apparatus and in tak ing charge of the electrical plant on board ships in commission. The number of officers avkilalde in an emergency wonld thus be increased as those now detailed to electrical wort could be assigned to other duties. Squeaking Sand. There has of late been considerable dis cussion on the subject of sonorous sand, which is found iu numerous places in this country and elsewhere. The old theory that the sounds are produced by rubbing to gether of millions of clean sand grains very uuiiorm in size, appears to exphin very feasibly musical sand, but tbe explanation does not so well apply to squeaking sand, which is known to exist. These two classes of sounds produced by disturbing sand are both undoubtedly due to vibrations. One sound is caused by the attrition of the particles, and has a harsh character by no means musical, which, in rare cases, becomes a loud squeak. The second is caused by oscillations of the par ticles themselves protected from actual con tact by elastic air-cusbions, and this is de cidedly musical in tone. Musical sand yields notes by friction only when dry; squeaking sand yields aharsh.shrlllsqueak (reminding one of the cry of a guinea fowl) best when moist This latter is very rare. Out of 500 specimensof sand from all round tbe world, while musical sand seemed to bs comparatively common, only two samples of squeaking sand were found to have been taken from places in this country; they were both so-called boiling sprincs, one was in Maine and the other in Kansas. A very small quantity of squeaking sand pressed between tbe thumb and forefinger produces when wet a peculiar shrill squeak a phe nomenon which is well explained by the at trition theory. The Episcope. The episcope is a new device for utilizing the electric light iu connectiouwith a stere opticon for projecting pictures on a screen. Tbe great advantage of this mode of pre sentation is that the object can be shown without any previous preparation of slides or other auxiliary appurtenances. The views are merely the enlargement of pictures on glass, and the reflection of a solid mass can, by means of the new device, be readily throwu ou tbe screen magnified many hun dred times. The advantages of such an ap paratus as this in physiological lectures, where the closest intimacy with the various organs and parts of thehtmian body is im perative, can well be understood, and Prof. Strieker has for some time used the episcope in his lectures at the University ot Vienna. The apparatus is, in many 'respects, a micro scope ou a large scale, as 'it eanreeeire an object weighing as much as, and of the same size as, a dog of 12 pounds. It is used tor showing the pulsations of the heart and the functions of other vital organs, aud tbe student can now derive tbe fullest benefit from bis course of lectures trom tbe fact that the minutest details, which formerly could bs only described, can now be made the objects ot closest scrutiny and accurate observation. The Cola Nut. The Kew Bulletin for November contains an excellent account of the cola nut Iu early times this nut was supposed to be used merely as a means for rendering water sweet and palatable when drunk before or after meals. But it was soon found that it possessed other properties, among which was that of supplying a necessary stimulus to those who have to endure an occasional or prolonged deficiency of animal food; for in "West Africa, as in o ther-parts of-the tropic s the flesh of animal is often scarce and diffi cult to procure. The use of cola nuts to ren der water palatable may be compared to those of olives in many countries, olives," in js well known, being used to enhance the flavor ot whatever is eaten after them. On the other hand the power said to be pos sessed by cola nuts of staving the cravings of hunger, and of enabling those who eat them to endure prolonged labor without fatigue, is similar to that ascribed to the leaves of the coca plant ot Ecuador and Peru, which seems to play in those coun tries tbe same part that the cola nut does in South America. New Decorative Process. A new process by which artistic designs can be photographed on paper, cotton cloth, velvet and other fabrics, is becoming the "craze" in England, as any lady can, by its means, take any white fabric and print upon it designs to suit her own taste, and in which pressed leaves will serve instead of a transparency for the production of many effects. At a recent meeting ot the Photo graphics Society (England) a well-known photographer printed different leaf patterns upon different parts of a piece of white cot ton cloth. He then developed the different patterns with various developers by apply ing each of the latter locally with a brush; the result was a pretty series of designs in variegated colors upon one piece ot cloth. The colors at present obtainable bv the use of developers in the process are red, orange, purple and maroon; by mixing the purple and orange developers an unsatisfactory kind of an approach to green is said to have been obtained. Developers to yield bines and gr;ens with this process have yet to be discovered. Electrical Furnaces. It seems not unlikely that electricity will be applied to smelting furnaces, in the near future. An electrical furnace has been patented in England which is said to have given excellent results in the series of tests to which it has been subjected. The elec trodes are blocks of a carbon secured in metal cases, and placed opposite to each other in the walls of tbe furnace. The metal cases containing the carbons are kept cool by circulating water around them, and the carbons themselves are capable of auto matic adjustment to compensate for wear. Provision is made in the furnace tor tbe escape of gas and for the introduction of the charge, and the electromotive force of the current can be varied according to the varying resistance of tbe charge. The Path of Storms. A method is now on trial at the meteoro logical office at Stockholm, which seems likely to throw some light on a subject which hitherto has been attended with much un certainty, namely, tbe determination of the path taken by storms. From the telegraphic weather reports, tables of tbe density oi tbe atmosphere have been constructed, and other data been collected which have been embodied in special charts. These charts are found to give much more reliable clue to the movements and origin of cyclones than the usual method of tbe comparison o: the isobars and isotnerms alone. The latest investigations show that storms move iu tbe direction of the warmest and dampest air, parallel to the linesof equal density, leaving the purer air to the right hand. Prices of Incandescent Lampi. The recent reduction in this country of the prices of the Edison incandescent lamp to 44 cents excited a great deal of comment from the fact that it affected many issues of the greatest interest and importance to the public as well as to electricians. The prin cipal of an electrical supply firm in England writing to a London electrical paper, says: "I notice in your last issue a note on the present low prices of incandescent lamps in the State (i.e., 44 cents each.) I thought it might interest you to hear that I am myself supplying lamps (made within 300 miles of London,) of a quality and durability second to none including tbe 'Edison-Swan' at the still lower price of 38 cents each, fitted and delivered free, and there is every pros pect oHowering this price in the near fu ture." How to Get Sound Views. The well-known electrician Nikola Tesla, iu taking part in a discussion on alternating moters in the columns of an English paper, made some remarks well worth the attention of young electricians. He says: "You state that I have misinterpreted my results, and it looks as though you believe my views to be unsound. Your arguments are those ot an eminent scholar. I was myself a fair scholar. For years I pondered, so to speak, day and night over books, and filled my head with sound views very sound ones, indeed those of others. But I could not get to practical results. I then began to work and think independently. Gradually my views became unsound, but tbey con ducted me to sound results." Lagging for Steam Pipes. A cheap and efficient lagging for steam pipes can be made out of some of the waste products of paper manufacture. The waste products in question are chiefly those com ing from the different cleaning and sorting machiues, which are of a fibrous nature. "When dry they are mixed with potter's earth in the proportion of four to one, enough water being added to mate a plastic compound. This is spread by hand over the surface to be protected in thin successive layers. "When dry the coating is said to adhere firmly, and it has the additional recommendation of entailing no greater cost than that of mixing and applying it - Floating Disinfectant, A patent floating disinfectant, which has recently come into use, appears to possess the three very essential advantages of efficiency, simplicity ot application and uniform solution. A mixture of carbolic acid and other disinfectants in a solid form is so prepared that it will float in water. This melts slowly in tbe water, and is always visible and accessible. The uni form rate of solution adapts it specially lor use iu closets. All that is necessary is to place a block of it in the water cistern sup plying tbe closets. All danger of blocking Up the pipes is avoided, as the disinfectant is always on the top of the water. Building Materials in Vogue. The investigations of fire ruins show that porous terra cotta bricks best resist fire, as well as water apd frost; after these in fire re sisting qualities come the various concretes and burned clay work. In the most ap proved building work now in vogue the iron part is encased 'in terra cotta, tile or brick work in roof, floor and tile construction, and tbe hollow tiles are faced with vitreous tile, slate or any good weather-proof coating, or with a single thickness of brick. Iron and steel work, incased in fire-proof materials, is just now very much in favor. Preventing Incrustation In Boilers. Attempts are now being made to perfect a system of preventing incrustation in boilers by means of electrical action. Fairly good results are said to have been secured by the use of a small alternating current dynamo, having one plate connected to tbe 'shell of the boiler and tbe other to plates suspended in tbe water. The theory involved is that the passage of the current deposits alternate ly hydrogen and oxygen on the submerged surfaces, and the union of these two gases forms.a film of chemically pure water, which protects the metal. Clip for Babber Shoes. A new idea which seems capable of de velopment into a valuable Invention is a clip, which when affixed to rubber shoes fa cilitates their drawing on and taking off, lessening the injury to their edges and in suring a better grip on the foot for them. Tbe clip, which is of steel, Is inserted in the top ot the rubber shoe at a point aronnd the heel; it opens and closes as may be re quired, and the ring which manipulates it serves to pull the shoe on or off with the utmost ease. THE SPIDER'S WEB. It ia a Cable Made Up of Strand3 Finer Than Can be Seen. HOW THE LITTLE ANIMAL W0KKS. A Meteoric Bombardment of the Earth That Doesn't Hurt Us. THE HE ACTS AS AH AEH0E PLATE 1 WRITTEN FOB THE DISPATCH. "As fine as silk" is a common phrase to typify extreme fineness or delicacy of text ure. Bnt if you want a simile that will dis count that one say, "As fine as a spider's web." There is nothing of textile kind so fine as that The strand spun by a spider is as much smaller than a thread of silk as tbe latter is smaller than a telegraph pole. This seems like exaggeration when you casually look at the spider's workmanship and then at the silk worm. But you never saw a single strand in the spider's thread. The strands are so fine that yon couldn't see them with the naked eye. What you really see when you look at the spider's delicate thread is a cable composed of thousands of strands, and the way the little animal makes this cable is one of nature's greatest wonders. If you look closely at a spider during its business hours you will see that its thread comes from a circular spot near the extremity. In this spot are from lour to six knobs, the number depending upon the kind of spider. If you happen to have a particularly good pair of eyes you can distinguish these knobs. Each of the knobs is full of minute holes, so small that a good microscope is necessary in order to see them. Through these holes tb: delicate strands are spun. About an eighth of an inch from the holes the strands are joined together, and the result is the spider's thread, with which all of us are so familiar. MAKING THE CABLE. And the little spinner attends to business as closely and as carefully as does tbe weaver of the finest silk fabric It has on each foot three claws, one of which is a sort of thumb, while the others are toothed like a comb. These claws arc constantly used to help to keep tbe strands from tangling be fore they are joined in tbe thread. The ma terial from which the thread is made is secreted in the animal's body. It is a glutinous substance, and the strands dry while they are passing from the little aper tures to the point where they are joined to gether. One authority on this subject, Beaumur, calculated that it would take 1,000 spider strands to occupy a space equal to the point of a needle, while anotner, Leuwenweck, estimated that it would take 4,000,000 ot them to make a thread as large as a hair. But while the spider's work is the more delicate that of the silkworm is the more useful. Nearly half of all the people in the world live iu China aud India, and all of them, except the very poorest, wear silky goods as commonly as we wear cotton. As it takes the labor ot nearly a thousand silk worms to make one pound of silk, you can see what an enormous industry results from thistiny thread spinning. Unlike the spi der, whose spinning works are at the lower extremity, the silkworm's factory is near its mouth. The crude material is seemingly much alike in the two classes of spinners a gummy or glutinous pulp. The spinning appurtenances, however, are entirely differ ent, the silkworm making only two strands for its thread, while the spider makes thou sands. ADVENTURES OF A SILKWORM. The life and adventures of a silkworm make an interesting storv. The first stage is an egg laid by a butterfly. This egg pro duces what we call a grub or maggot The animal is quite small in infancy, bnt its growth is so rapid that its clothes ure con 4 tinually getting too small. When it is a few days old its growth makes tbe skin too tight, this covering splits open on tbe back, tbe animal comes out like the outgrown trousers of a boy. This change occurs four or five times before the maggot becomes a full-grown caterpillar. Then, after a short stace of maturity, the caterpillar finds tbe infirmities of age coming on, and it makes arrangements to literally "shuffle off this mortal coil." By this time it has secreted in its body the raw material from which it spins its silk. After selecting some scaffold-like" place the caterpillar first spins some flossy silk which attaches to whatever is convenient. Then it begins to wind its threads round and round until it has enveloped itself, as the carpet moth grub does, in what is called a cocoon, generally a little larger than a pigeon's egg. "When the cocoon is com pleted the worm sheds its last suit of clothes and carefully tucks them down at the lower end of its house. Then it goes to sleep. "While it sleeps a new and verv thin skin forms, wonderful changes take place in the animal's appearance, soon the head end ol the cocoon breaks open, and out conies not the caterpillar but & beautiful butterflyl BOMBARDMENT OF THE EARTH. All the common shots that have been fired since the first cannon 'was cast do not equal lu point of number tbe bombardment that our earth undergoes every 24 hours. If you will look at the sky oue of these clear De cember nights you will soon see one or more of the' familiar "shooting stars," so called, darting through a portion of the heavens. They are not stars, but small particles of the material out of which stars and worlds are made. They are composed of the same ele ments that exist in the stars, in tbe comets, and in all the nebulous matter that is dis tributed throughout the universe. Meteors and aereolites, which are the cor rect names of these luminous little bodies, are fired into tbe earth's atmosphere at the computed rate of 400,000,000 in 24 hours. The bombardment is perpetual, though we can see the missiles only at night But the earth's defensive worts are perfect They are not made of stone or of earth embank ments, but of air. Yes, the earth's .atmos phere is a perfect defense from ail the shots fired at us from outer space, lor it not only stops the missiles, bnt burns them up. Of all the meteors shot at the earth, not one reaches the ground, the friction produced by their great velocity through the upper air acting on them like a blast furnace on a sheet of paper, and only minute remains fall harmlessly. THOSE THAT DO NOT BUBS'. Occasionally one of these missiles is so large that it escapes total destruction by tbe atmosphere. That is, the terrible heat gen crated by tbe friction does not reach the center of tbe missile, and therefore tbe heart of it, so to speak, reaches the earth. This class of bodies are called aereolites. Not one in a million or the fiery little bodies sarely runs the gauntlet of the atmosphere, reaches the earth, and thns earns tbe name ot aereolite, meaning air-stone. There are a few, but .very few well au thenticated cases of large aereolites reaching the earth. One was found in Siberia, a mass of iron and nickle, which' weighed nearly a ton. There is one in-Buenos Ayres -partly buried in the ground, whose weight is esti mated at 16 tons; and another in Brazil weighing about half as much. But there is no case ou record of a person being strnck by an aereolite, and with the practically in vulnerable defense that even atmosphere rffords we needn't care if thrice four hun dred million meteors be fired at us every day. THE AEEIAL OCEAN. Thus It seems, that oa the surface of the earth we are living at the bottom of an ocean more .than 100 miles deep. It is tbe aerial ocean, and in some respects it is simi lar to the Atlantio or tbe Facifio ocean. It Is thought by some of our foremost scientists that there is a well defined surface to this ocean, on wbioh are great aerial waves, ex aggerated forms of what we see on the sur face of water. Other scientists, however, V-1S .1.-. .!-- J ! ., ,1 J-11 ucjicvo mai too uensiiyoi tne sir graausiiy diminishes in proportion to the distance J from the 'earth's surface, and that the ex treme upper limit is indistinguishable. However this may be, we know that the air is a fluid body, that it has weight and elasticity, and that every square inch of it weighs 15 pounds. This means the weight of one square inch at the bottom, reaching up to tbe top of the aerial ocean. There is, consequently, an immense air pressure, in every person, but we don't feel it tecause the pressure is equal on all sides of us. If it were only downward it would fasten nsto the earth as tightly as a flv caught in n clue pot ' I. H. "Webb. GOSSIP- OF JHE GUARDS. The non-commissioned officers' school of the Eighteenth Kcchnent, met last night in tbe headquarters of the regiment Lieutenants Lowry and Drake were the Instructors. Captain George Welshons. of the Eight eenth staff, spent a few days in the East last week, and while away took dinner with Governor-elect Fattison. George Is strictly In It this trip. Is the election In Company H, Tenth Regi ment located at Washington, Pa., caused by the promotion of Captain Mowry as Major, James Harnett was elected Captain. Simon Biker, First Lieutenant and George Braden, Second Lieutenant Captain Henky Schmidt, of Company A, Fourteenth Begliuent, has been lying seriously ill at his home on Seventh avenue, tbe resultof aparalytic'strokeabouta ween ago. Captain Schmidt has won the reputation ot being quite a hustler in tho Fourteenth, and his friends will be sorry to learn ot his illness. Captain J. A. A. Brown has been drilling squads of policemen in tbe armory of the Eighteenth Itegiment tor the past two or thrco weeks, and. while the "bobbies" march in a pretty fair manner, they might get a few points If they went around on an oil night and watched some of tbe companies tread tbe boards. The Secretary of War has ordered a board of officers to assemble In New York City on December 16, for thn purpose of considering and recommending a suitable magazine system for rifles and carbines for the military service. No rifles will be examined of a caliber over .30. This shons that tbe day of the large bore guns In the regular service is about past The number of desertions In tbe regular army for tbe year ending September SO, were 2.086, against 2,751 in tbe previous year. Of ttyo 400 officers now on the retired list, 53 were re tirea by reason ot the loss of a limb, and 93 others were retired for wounds. Only 87 of the 100 are West Point graduates, and all but 23 of tbe whole number served in the late war. Quartermaster John Hubbard, of tbe Fourteenth Regiment, purchased a big black bear last week, which was represented to be as tame and gentle as a baby. As soon as Mr. Hubbard can bribe some reckless citizen to go into the stall where tbe bear is chained and take him away tbe people of Sharpsburg will once more breathe tbe pure Allegheny liver air in a contented manner. Adjutant General Hastings has com pleted bis report as to the condition and work ings of the National Guard for 1&90. A number of interesting recommendations and sugges tions are made, the general tenor of tbe report showing a big Improvement in tbe militia dur ing tne General's term of office. No mention n mads of tbe report for 1S89, wnich the soldier boys have been looking for since last January, and it is to be presumed it is still lying iu Har risburg printed but unbound. Captain R. V. A. Bimmons, of Company H, Eighteenth Regiment has preferredcbariies against two of the members of his company for Insubordination. The charges are now in the hands of Colonel Smith, and It is probable a court-martial will be ordered, as Captain Sim mons asserts bis determination of poshing tbe matter to a result It will probably be a good thing for the discipline of tbe local regiments if a court was ordered now and then, and some of tbe men who continually refuse to act in a soldierly manner placed in.their proper posi tions. The State warrants for the annual allow ances to tbe various companies of $500 each ar rived in the city last week and will be issued to the company commanders at once. Tboso Cap tains in the Eighteenth Regiment who had filed their proper bonds were given their warrants last night by Col. Smith. Those in tbe Four teenth Regiment will be presented with theirs by Col. Pjerchment at the regular monthly meeting to-morrow nighr. Tbe warrants for tbe armory rents and rifle practice commuta tion will not be sent down until later in tbe month. The big fair Jof Battery B opens to-morrow night in the armory, on Fifth avenue. Tbe boys have been working bard, and the interior ot tbobulldins presents a very pretty and in- "riling appearance. A number of booths have been erected and placed in positton, and these will be in charge of a number of young ladies, who bare volunteered their services. Special features will be on tbe programme for each night Mayor Gouiiey will be present to-morrow evening to make tbe opening address. The fair should be well patronized by both members of tbe Guard and the public Generally, as the object is for tbe purpose of new uniforms. Owing to tbe efforts during tbe past week of several of tho officers interested in tbe gym nasium of the Eighteenth Regiment tbe scheme is now an assured success, and the boys will shortly have a chance to limber up their muscles in the new room to be fitted np. The idea is certainly a good one and will lend to draw the members of tho regiment around the armory during the winter months, and make thing pleasant for them while there. The an nual indoor sports of some of the Eastern regi ments are looked forward to with great eager ness by the members of the organizatinns.tbose of the Third Regiment last week attracting considerable attention. Governor Beaver is making an effort to have Governor-Elect Fattison consent to hav ing tbe National Guard attend the inaugural ceremonies in January, and tbe probabilities a.e that bis efforts will be successful. If tbe new Governor wishes to start out by winning tne approbation of the militia boys down tbe 1 ne, be will decide to step into his new position without their presence. Tbey have painful recollections of tho list inaugural parade at Harrlsburg, and it is scarcely probable tbey want tbe dose repeated. It is well enouch for individuals who occupy carriages or view tbe proceedings from a window to desire the turn out, but tbe feelings of the men who stand out in tbe freezing fair for hours sbonld be taken into consideration. Tbe trip is a ridiculous one considering tbe short time tbe men are In Har rlsburg, and the long distances many of them are compelled to come in crowded cars, and should be relegated to tbe rear with several other back number ideas now in vogue in the Guard. American Institute Fanner's Club. Report the wines of Alfred Speer, Pas saic, New Jersey, the most reliable, and his Oporto grape wine as equal to any in the world. For sale by druggists. Sinner Sets. We have now a complete stock in all the medium and fine grades of china, porcelain, etc. Over 250 patterns to select from. Most of our new strlish patterns we sell in open stock; 100 pieces decorated dinner sets as low as $8 75. Store open till 9 o'clock at C. Reizenstein's, 152, 154, 15S Federal street, Allegheny. Miss Flora Batson, the colored Jenny Lind, assisted by local talent, will sing at "Wylie Avenue A. II. E. Church, December 8, and in Allegheny, at Brown's Chapel, December 9; Avery Mission, December 10; Sandusky Street Baptist, December 11, and in Pittsburg, at St. James', East End, De cember 12; John Wesley, December 17; Ebenezer Baptist, December 18. Tickets, 50 cents; children, 25 cents. Cream Ale Rack Ale Are genuine winter drinks. Our makes are most appetizing and beneficial. . Ieon City Brewing Compaht. Telephone 1180. Cabinet photos $1 00 per dozen; good work; prompt delivery. Lies' Populae Galleby, 10, 12 Sixth si TTSU Gold and silver-mounted walking sticks at Hauch's, No. 295 Filth av. "ffFsu 24. Louvre. 24. Come to this popular glove emporium; grandest Christmas display now going on. Kid gloves in many new shades not to be found at any other store. 24 Sixth st, di tectly opposite Bijou Theater. No connec tion with any store of same name. A Furs selection ot the celebrated Henry IT. Miller Pianos at W. C. 'WhltebUl's Musio Parlor, 152 Third avenue, Pittsburg. Money Saved by Those Who Attend tbe great speolsl sale of men's over coats ana inlti f K K n fl fl PlttTin Combination Clothing Company, corner "'"" buu uiamona streets, opposite me Court House. KILLED BY A SAW. An Indiana 31111 Owner Meets "With a Hor rible Death. rSFXCIAZ, TXBAK To TUX DtSPATCH.1 Columbus, Lvb., Dec. 6. Ten miles north of this city, Uriah Howe, who owns a sawmill at Geneva, met his death to day in a horrible manner. About 4 o'clock he was at work in the mill, and in some manner was caught by a belt, which threw him upon a circularsaw. His arms, legs and body were frightfully cut and mangled. Death was almost instantaneous. He was 44 vears old, and leaves a wife and several children. Howe was quite wealthy and bad recently expressed a desire to quit the milling busi ness, having grown suspicions, it is said, of a fatal accident, and had disposed of bis property. He met his death on the last day he was to operate it Be on Time! Excellent advice always. Adopt It in the treatment of kidney and bladder inactivity and you will avoid danger. Health! ull r. but mod erately, impel these organs, if slucgish, to act by the early use of Hnstetter's btomach Bit ters, no less a dinretlc than a tonic and general alterative- Don't forget also, tbe timely aid it atfurds when malarial. liver and rneumatic complaints manifest themselves. Henry F. Miller Pianos. The Henry F. Miller Pianos have gained a pre-eminent nrtistio reputation, the result of years of brilliant successes in the great orchestral concerts of America, as also the concerts of the world's most distinguished pianists and vocalists, who have, from time to time, selected as their first choice tbe Henry F. filler Grands to accompany them on their concert tours throughout the United States. The Heury F. Miller Upright Pianos are artistic and correct in design. They should be seen by all interested in high-grade pianos. A fine selection of these famous instru ments at W. C. "Whitehill's Musio Parlor, 152 Third avenue. CPBIGHT PIANO 8SOO. Upright Piano 8150 Square Piano 8140. An excellent 7 1-3 octave upright piano with latest improvements, splendid tone and handsomely' carved case will be sold, fully warranted, - for $200, including cover and stool; also an upright piano in perfect order for $150, aud several first-class square pianos oi tbe most celebrated makers at $140, $175 and $200, etc For a great bar gain call at the music store of J. M. Hoffman- & Co., 537 Smithfield street The celebrated Sohmer pianos, the snperb Colby and Schubert pianos at rare bargains. UPRIGHT PIANO AT A SACRIFICE. Great Bargain for Cash Buyer. An extra fine toned .and beautiful cased upright piano oi a lea'ding make and used only a short time, will be sold for $250 cash, worth new $500. The owner is moving away and wishes cash for instrument, hence the great reduction to make quick: sale. Can ba seen at Henricks' Music Co., Lim., 79 Filth av. Be Sore and Come To the Rustic when you want a nice, clean lunch. Many business men do not care lor a heavy dinner at noon, but prefer a light lunch. If you are one of those you should not fail to call and see us. "Ve serve the best and purest food in a novel way, which you will appreciate. Our coffee is delicious a trial will convince you. Bemember, we serve bam and tongue sandwiches, milk, coffee, piei, etc. Be sure and call; you will be pleased. "The Rustic," 35 Diamond street, back of J. R. "Weldin & Co. Zefhyb ginghams, best French and Scotch makes, 40c and 50c qualities and de signs, reduced to 15c a yard during our clearing sale. Hugus & Hacks. ttssu Notice 1,300 acres valuable mineral and timber lands, solid body, near Chatta nooga, Tenn., for sale. W. L. -Salvage, Chattanooga, Tenn. Dhihtbo op Confipince. There Is no arti cle wblcb so richly deserves the entire confidence of the community as Ubown's Kro.ncuial Trochis. Those suffering from asthmatic and bronchial dlse-ises, coughs aud colds should try then. Price IS cents. Stylish Suitings, Overcoat aud trouser material, of the best quality at Anderson's, 700 Smithfield street Cutting and fitting the very best Su Genuine Alaska seal capes, newest shapes and very best qualities, now $50, were $70 and $75. HUGUS & Hacke. TTSSU Fubnitube packed, hauled, and stored. Haugh & Keen ah, 33 Water street au Fob a bargain attend our grand holiday and clearing sale. Hugus & Hacke, TTSSU PREPARE It's poor policy to put off purchasing holiday goods until the eleventh hour. Experienced buyers In variably make their selection as early as possible. By so doing they get first choice of the many novelties" that always make their appearance at this season of the year. We are positively showing the largest stock of goods suitable for holiday gifts ever seen in Pittsburg. r Printers' Ink fails to do it justice. Our beautiful display of things, useful and ornamental, must, Indeed, ba' seen to be appreciated. A FEW OF THE Derby Silverware, Fine Vases and Ornaments, Beal Trent and Hungarian Ware, Oxidized Silver Boxes, Looking Glasses, Jewelry and Work Boxes, Manicure Sets, Shaving Sets, H'k'ch'f Boxes and Fin Cushions, Glove Boxes, Moucholr Oases, Silk Pillows, Fine Glass Bottles, Fancy Baskets of all kinds, Beautiful Screens, CLOAKS! JACKETS! WRAPS! Boreas and Jack Frost have at last conspired to make heavy winter garments a necessity, and ladles . cannot longer prudently dispense with them. Our stock of these goods is second to none, and the prices ,' are lower than the cost of material. Below are some of the special bargains which we knovr cannot be matched elsewhere. We promise you a big saving on every purchase made in our Cloak Rooms. Recollect there are hundreds of styles here to select from. All garments are new, stylish, substantial and perfect fitting. Seal Plush Jackets,87 85, $9 75 and 812. Seal Plush Jackets, extra long, 812 to 819 76. Seal Plush Sacques, 810, 814 85 to 829 75.. Ladies' Cloth Newmarkets, 84, 85, 86, 88 to 812. OUR UMBRELLA DISPLAY! Needs no commendation from us. jn ew x oric uver a xnousana styles or nanaies, many or tnem worss or of from 20 to 40 per cent on every Umbrella Durchased at these stores. cent collection and if you Invest you'll be a gainer to the extent mentioned. Come this week before the assortment Is broken. Names or lnl-Hals aneraved frflB of nhnrcru nn nil TTrnVirolliw nnrnlinjind hnrn frrrrrV' now unui aiter mo nouaays. ROSENBATJM 510-514: NEW ADYERTISEMESfrs. FREE GUESS CONTEST. NOTICE. It Is desirable to hav&all tickets handed In for record, with the guess, in the prizes to be awarded at HIMMEI.RICH'S SHOE HOUSE, 916 Braddock avenue, BRADDOCK, as early as practicable, as the award is to be announced JANUARY I, 1891. In the meantime, all those who have not availed themselves of an opportunity of buying? Shoes at lowest rates should do so at once. Free Guess Tickets with every purohase. HIMIVIELRICH'S, 916 Braddock Avenue, BRADDOCK. CHRISTMAS GIFTS Of Genuine Diamonds are tne most agreeable and satisfactory.. We herewith qnote you a few prices from our immense assortment, consisting of Rings. Studs, Ear Drops. Broodies and Scarf Pins: Misses and children's r:nss, set witli genuine diamonds, from S3 to J8 50: ladies and gents' gennine diamond rinzs from $10 to S125; ear drops, mounted with genuine diamonds, from S1I SO to 1300: gems' genuine diamond xtnds trom 7 50 to $150; ladies' brooches ar.d lace pins, set with genuine diamonds, from S15 to 5110. With a collection of $75,000 worth of tbe above goods to select from. IKI. SjVCIT, FIVJ3 STORES I2T OJTE. 932 and 034 Liberty St and 703, 705 and 707 Smlthfleld. We in-rite yon to call and examine our goods netnro pnrcbaslng elsewhere. de7-Than fW-ftfore of "Laird's Shoes" are worru in- and aboutK Pittsburg than any other make. This statement we can. prove. And why? LAIRD'S SHOES ARE THE BEST! LAIRD'S STYLES ARE THE LATEST! LAIRD'S PRICES ARE THE LOWEST! Laird's Shoes are perfect fitting, neat and tastily constructed, always flexible and comfortable. These points not only apply to finer grades, but are carried out in our medium and heavy goods a well. Jf you wish a handsome pair of HOLIDAY SLIPPERS At 50c, 65c, 75c, $1, $1 25, $1 50, $2 or $2 50 we can show you . all the newest patterns. LADIES' OR GENTS' FINE SHOES At $2, $3, $4, $5 and $6. We have an immense stock in all grades. OUR BOYS', YOUTHS' AND MESSES' SHOES At $1, $1 25, $1 50, $2 and $2 50 are celebrated for style and good wear. OUR BOSTOIT AND BAT STATE RUBBERS ANH QUil BOOTS are absolutely the best. WE BUY FOR CASH. WE SELL FOR CASH. OZCsTIE PEIOE 03STXj5r W . 406-408,-410 Market Street. il M WHOLESALE STORE 515 WOOD STREET. Dealers stipplied promptly at Eastern wholesale prices. No advance in prices Jewelry of all kinds, Whisk Holders, Musio Rolls, Wall Pockets, Evening Fans, Kid Gloves, Fur Top Gloves, Hemstitched Handkerohiela, Initial Silk Handkerohiefs, Silk Mufflers, Lace and Embroidered Fichus, Fine Feather Ruohings, Knit Woolen 'Skirts, Knit,Woolen Shawls, Fine Cashmere Shawls, Ladies' Fine Cloth Wraps, with elegant trimming) 89 to 822 50. Misses' Short Coats, 8150 to 89 75. - Misses' Long Gretchens, 83 to 815. It is on a grander scale than was ever MARKET STI?EEi,: "? de7-75 LA Stores New Retail, 433 Wood St. from December z. deS-irwTSU 9' Mufs, 50c to 316. Fur Capes, 83 to 825. Fancy Silk Scarfs, Ladies' Underwear, Gents' Underwear, Infants' Underwear, Misses' Underwear, Boy's Underwear, Silk, Lisle and Woolen Hosiery, Silk Booties, Babies' Kid Shoes, Babies' Silk Shirts, Babies' Fine Dresses, Baby Sets and Wrappers, Babies' Shawla Ladies' Tailor-made Jackets, 83 to 815; best values ever offered. Ladies' Fine Fur Trimmed Jackets, 36 75, 89 95 to 820. Infants' Long Cloaks, 82 to 815; beauties, every ono of them. attempted by any house west of? art. we BuABANTBE A SA VZNC It costs nothincr to see the maffnin1 & CO. m IRD, AOti' i - "f,l
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers