October.
THE WEST SH ORE.
19
TrjE Wesj Srov,
A Sixteen rage Monthly Illustrated POpsr, published
NnUl, Ukkoo. by
L BAMDKL .r. WeaUnksaa M.
TKllMS OF SUBSCRIPTION,
(lueludlng PtaMaf, l,. al,y part of the United 8Utes):
me enpy, one year f ,
Single Number JDoeiita
rMtage to foreign countries, S5 cents additivnsl
t& 8uhcriptirii nuist (e aid in dvance. and all
wr. willnuwmd, be stoj.M the e.,d ol the tiu.o
U.-J fr.
JMIUWUUM can t marie by registered letter or hi
ider on my nf the Portland business house.
OBTAINING COLORING MATTER FROM
COAL
Dnring the past few years the coal-tar colors
have been in much favor, and various chemists
have given great, attention to their production.
Dr. Meuscl, of Hreslau, says the London Mining
JuUUmt, iia uurt UlVeuted a UroOOSS according
to winch fossil coal, camiel, anthracite, or bog
head coal are treated advantageously in line
powder with oxidizing chemical compounds by
ordinary or higher temperatures In suitable
vessels. The most advantageous method of
carrying out these improvements is to heat the
different coals, finely powdered with nitric acid
or with potassic or sodie nitrate, and sulphuric
acid. Also potassic chlorate or potassic chro
mate, or hypochloride of lime, or compounds of
manganese, may be used for the reaction, with
or without an acid. By the acti.m of nitric
acid, or nitrates with acids, compounds of nitre
gen with oxygen are doveloiied, which are to be
used in the manufacture of sulphuric acid or
Balto, containing nitrogen bound to oxygen.
Coala treated in this manner undergo a great
change; a great part of the coal cau now be
extracted by caustic alkalies, and by ammonia,
or by the carlionates of Boda, or potassium,
advantageously. By heating the solution of
alkalies with the product of the above treat
ment, a deep brown-colored solution and a
black residue is obtained. The black residue
is a deep black covering color, which may be
used for lime color (glue color) or oil color, or
with bono black, or, instead of bona black, soot
or graphite. It may also be applied for the
black for printing, or for blacking, and washing,
painting, besprinkling, or other like purpose.
The brown solution of the alkali salts may be
used directly for coloring, for instance, by fluids,
by soap, or otherwise. The solutions give, by
evaporating the alkali salt, and by decomposi
tion with metallic salts, new salts of metals,
which are to be used as colors.
By the method of decomposition the salts of
stroutian, of barium, of magnesia, of aluminium,
of manganese, of iron, of cobalt, of nickel, of
zinc, of cadmium, of load, of tin, of copper, and
chromic oxide are obtained, All these Ixxlies
are black, black brown or brown colors, which
may lw mixed with other coloring matters.
They can Ihj used for painting, printing and
coloring. These colors aro obtained as precipi
tates and can In; purified by water. The alkali
solution can also be decomposed by the soluble
metallic salts abort (cotton or wool), and may
so be used by the .Iyer. The alkali solution
can also be decomposed by acids; a black brown
precipitate is obtained, which may be washed in
water, and which may also be used as a coloring
matter. This black precipitate is the acid in
which the coals are partly converted by the
treatment with oxidizing compounds. By these
means fossil coal is oxidised, and the black
residue obtained by the decomposition of the
oxidized fossil Ooai may le applied as a coloring
matter to various useful purposes. The product
of the oxidation of fossil coals is soluble in
alkalies, and the comiwmnds of t Lis im I ;. nt
oxidation may be applied as a coloring matter
w T&rious oeenu purposes.
burnivuuH or Naval AtOHmon. This
institution is a favorable instance of the rapid
growth of societies with a clearly-defined object
Since it was launched, in 1(W0, it has increased
greatly in importance, and has done excellent
service in directing the attention of naval
architects to the scientific side of their profes
sion. There is ample evidence that good shuts
were built in the olden time by rule of thumb,
as people spoke intelligibly before grammar was
invented; but there can l no doubt that the
reduction or elevation of any kind of human
effort to scientific rule is invariably a gain.
Now that sliipbu tiding, especially as applied to
warlike purposes, is passing through a period
of transition, the delilwrations of scientific
marine architects are wculiarly valuable, inas
much as, until a groat sea-tight actually occurs,
scientific theories must regulate the construc
tion of our fleet. It was a happy idea to inau
gurate a series of autumnal meetings by a visit
to Glasgow, the great stronghold of the iron
shipbuilding trade since that branch of industry
has been driven from the Thames. The figures
quoted by I - i i Hampton show, indeed, a serious
falling off in the building trade of the Clyde;
but while 174,000 tons of shipping per annum
are turned out there is no need for despondency.
We must confess that we do not follow Lord
Hampton in what apiears to us his inordinate
admiration for sailing vessels. More partic
ularly calling for remark is his observation
that "in our men-of-war he would rather see
auiiliaiyscrewsthansalelyscrews.'' We thought
we had enough of sailing ironclads when the
('njtlain went down. Iron.
PmmrATloN or Wool The process, pat
ented some time ago, for the removal of straw,
burrs, etc , from wool, by treatment to sulphuric
acid, has been modified by Use, as follows: The
stuff is worked for one or two hours in a bath
consisting of about SO gallons of sulphuric acid,
nf three to six degrees, one pound alum, half
pound salt and 1M grains borax. It is then
treated in a centrifugal machine, and aftewards
subjected to a temperature of I ' to 248.
ror removal of the acid it is first washed with
pure water for an hour and a half, then treated
tor two hours with fuller's earth, soda and lime,
and tinaily washed for two hours with fresh
water. As sulphuric acid can only leniployed
with oncolored cloths, or such as have been
dyed with indigo, chloride of tine aod chloride
of manganese dduted to six degrees ore snb
titated with fabrics otherwise dyed.
LETTERS TO BOYS AND C.lliLS.
HEAR OnilDIUM t I behave I mar) .!!
j little ones, what I can see as I sit in the sitting
room u a tarm-iiouse and look out aiSong the
uwtninn ton veramia. It is something that
looks like a small camel with a lady on its back.
mi wnen one looks closely they discover that
it is a crook-necked suiiaah uifh .;!.
stuck in for legs, and a rusty nail for a tail. A
part oi the hump on its kick is taken out, so
that a little doll dressed in pink silk can have a
seat there and take a ride. There the little
ladysita. Wit upright, while the long neck of
her beast rises before her anil he really has
quite a resemblance to that "ship of thede'sert."
a camel This animal was manufactured br
ittle Miss Winnie, and she is a sister of the
boy who washed dishes SO uicelv for bis mamma,
whom 1 told yon about some time apo.
Now, mimie wants me to go up m the cham
ber over the woodshed, and see her play-house
1 have to 1 sure to ring the belL This is done
by pulling a string which is hanging down he
the stairs. A "really, truly" door-bell is tied to
a Btick, which is stuck into a crack at the head
of the stairs. To that stick is tied the string
which every one who goes there must pull. In
this chamber there are various things, such as
benches, stoves, dried Wans, peas, com, etc.,
but one is not expected to see them at all. The
place where they are is supposed to be the door
yard. I enter Winnie's kitchen, where there
is, of course, a stove. If it is little parlor
stove instead of a cmtk-atove it makes no dif
ference, for one can play cook just as well, SOU
know. The OOTQer of a wool-press answers for
data, Perhaps 1 will tell roe In my next letter
of the playthings 1 used to have, ami how I
made them. W. .'. J., i ,WW
A Qjwrrons Cattli Dnun ts Ohio. A
dispan h from Cleveland. Ohio, says: A terrible
cattle plague has broken out in the suburbs
and the country surround nig this citv. The
veterinary surgeons of the vicinity have care
fully investigated it. and pronounce it a iptefei.
of Texas fever. It originated probably by the
Importation ol Texas cattle. This rear these
annuals arv covered with ticks of two varieties,
whose bite is a deadly pois.ui. The blood im
pregnated with the virus of these ticks Hows
to the liver, where it destroys the delicate
seeretionarv membrane, and Aran there to (he
kidneys, whence it is pasted to the bladder,
lie disease was at first thought to lw ml
water. Cattle aro dying daily. The milk and
beef are impregnated, and the animals are often
o far cne wore they are known to lie ailing
tkat no help remains for them. Several eases
of children Wing (K.isoued in the city from jiar
taking of the milk have already come to notice,
and the people are thoroughly alarmed. The
Leader will publish, to morrow, a long state
ment from a surgeon who has treated more
than 40 cases, and made a careful post-mortem
examination of the bodies. Re savs that it can
be cured if taken in time. Ktl plan is to wash
the animal with a lotion, which actsasa disinfect
ant for the ticks and an antidote for the poison.
The affected lccf is quite readily detected by a
skilled eve. The fatty portion is brownish
yellow and the lean quite red. When excised
to the air for a short period, this meat becomes
putrid and ef a dark brown color. The disease
is very infectious. Cattle bsoMM infected by
THE PEARL BUPPLY,
The results of the Ceylon pearl fishing ear
ried on during the months of March and April
of the present year, says the tlritUfi I
JowwU, an reported to" have been very satis
factory, the yield of oysters having lecn larger
than in any season since I860. The hanks
known as the South-Kast and KostChcval 1'aars
and tho Modregam IWwere selected, after ex
amination, as bsUU in the beat condition for
fishing, and nearly 7,000,1X10 oysters were
brought up m the SO days on which' diving was
c.irncd on. Active oiortioiis were interrupted
by bad weather on two days only, ami, al
though the government bad given notice of only
IS days' fishing, tho oysters were found to bs
so plentiful that the diving was continued for
twice that length of time. Over 1,000 Kts
were engaged " the fishery, of which, however,
only 130 were "diving ' loats, and of these 100
were selected for the fishing, and sent out in
two divisions 'of SO ou alternate .!.
The anticipations of a )oor season had restricted
the attendance of divers, and as only alout oO
of these appeared, they had SO work every day.
instead of, as usual, on alternate days. Only
one-fourth of the oysters brought up 0 to the
divers' share, the remaining three fourths go
ing to tho government, and bring sold .lav by
day to the dealers and traders who attend the
auctions from all parts of India, and even from
China sad other Donatories, The average rate
realized was 30 rupees, or 88 Ufa )ht 1,01st oys
ters, and tho Iota produce of the government
share was shoal IMMMM rupees, or t'llMXH), or
nearly double the estimated yield. Ths result
of the fishery in is;i was only 1,700,000 oye
ters. Silavaturai is the headquarters of the
fishery, ami 4,000 or 5,000 persons were brought
Ksf ef '' '''fflJiiah,
atable, even for a dining-ublo; except when com
pony comes ; then they can eat in the iiarlor.
i ne potior wme m niaile of tioartis laul DpOB
bliKrks, and when it has a good large table-cloth
upon it no one would know that the top was
rough lioards and the legs only Mm-ks. The
floor is carpeted with a piece of inc. The walls
(a door oti one snic makes a goo( wall, as It has
been put up here until it is wanted below, and
boanls are used for partitions are highly orna
mental with pictures which have txn thrown
aside by the "big folks.' A looking-glass in a
iHirr lnwne nangs so nign mat v mm. ean just
see whether her very curly hair is "all right"
before she receives her visitors. The dollies
bed stands in one corner. This is carefully
covered with moaqnito bar, so that none of the
doll family need be troubled with rlies. What
if there are holes in the netting, the dollies nerer
mind it, so I must not. Winnie's nicking chair
stands near the bed, and that or some old stools
do for seats for company.
Now, 1 have had an object in view while tell
ing you about Winnie's playthings. I know
that some children take as naturally to amusing
tbcmselvee as "ducks to the mud,' while others
are sighing from one week's end to another for
"something to do," or "something to play
with." Bleos you, my children, there arcqiun
tities of plaything lying around if you only
knew how to fix them up a little, so that they
will be real nice to play with. Perhaps you
nave no summer squashes to make into camels,
but, if you can do no better, you can take a
little block of wood and have four nails for legs,
and a fifth for a tail, and two tacka for horns.
I have seen whole droves of cattle gotten up in
that style. If there is no shed chamber in
which you can have a play-house, and no room
inside the bouse or sbed, why, the world is
wide, and there is almost always room out of
tOTTINi; STALLION "AHMIMSTKATOIt.
contact with the vims dtMtajM upon the grass
by I - i cattle while fwding, and by drink
ing from a stream which has flowed through a
mature containing diseased cuttle. The plague
will prove very disastrous in this dairy section
if it is not immediately chocked. The symp
toms are a heavy falling off in milk, end bMody
urine. Ieath folb.ws in a few hours.
A F'AMOl'S TROTTtNa STALLION.
The accompening engraving shows a thor
oughbred trotting horse, whah is a type of a
race of animals largely used for the improve
ment of the common horses of tho coiiutry.
This is the interest we have in trotting aaimals.
Speed is a very valuable characteristic in the
horaea which aru hrod for general purpow',
aid from the thoroughbred trotting stallions
this element of sjioed must come. The nobili
ties of the horse are not hedimmed by the
abuses of the race track. The horse is "Ad
ministrator," and is owned by Col. Stevens, of
I'oughkeepsie, one of the leading New York
horse breeders. We have never seen thu siiimo,
but the likeness is nronounceit faithful and lifo.
like. "Administrator" was sired by Itysdyk's
"Hamls ltoiiian," his first dam. a fast trotliou
mare, by "Memliriiin Chief," his second dam
bv "Arabian Tartar." third dam by "Durco
Vfeesengrr," and, in addition, nothing more
need he said of his breeding as an impressive
trotting sire than U refer t the fact that ne is the
nearest jmaeihle combination of the Mood of the
two great trotting families of Kyarlyk's "Ham
MbHiien" and "Mambrino Chief," that have
produced themselvei, and through their sons
and daughters, over I performer that have
ma.ie a reocnt r.i ",p or better.
fa) tho village in connection with the fishery.
The prod nee of pearls was very good, many Urge,
ami valuablu fmoefoMU having boafl found.
The method adopu-d for obtaining the Harls is
to place the oysters in a large vessel called a
MUM, and allow them to remain there till
the fUh beoomos putrid, when the shells are
easily separated, and, the mass being washed in
water, the pearls fall out and are picked up.
The excellent results of the lateseasou'a fishiug
are attributed t the measures adopted by the
Ceylon government for eriodically injecting
tho Wds or hanks of oysters, and arranging
for the fishing of thwe only which are found U
boine"npe state for fishing. A pearl hank
may bs either too young ortooold to product;
gnd pearls, and it is only by careful examina
tion id the ground and a erimlical selection of
samples that the pr' r time for flihing can tie
ascertained. At present it is tho custom for a
hid ti le fished v once in three years, and
the ('hnval Paar and Mcslregsm l'aar, the sc ene
nt this year's nneratmim. wdl . . rr.n.t. k1 i...
fiahml again till IKHO.
noble Indian is fast failing away. Step by' step
be has been driven toward the netting sun. I
find it extremely diftieiilt to find him even now
Soon the last mirvivor will .,....( LI.L It.
"... ill uign UM0 in.
western horizon and, jiausiug to wipe a tear
! " t'iewa nsrs: .tletlimks I
bear Chief J.wepb at work stcalinu hone.
again." 1
Cowmrrii n don't like to be behind and
don t want to brag on nutmegs and hams, e
she eggs on Willimanticto brag about pigweed
seven feet high. Our alfalfa roots are 20 feet
high, down in, aod we onon saw an oat root sit
feet loog.