Chapter III: Part 3

There is no firing up, or blowing up; all that is necessary, when wishing to commence a journey, is to start, and when tired of going, all that is to be done is to stop the mules; in giving a lick ahead, they are all made to bounce at once, and in giving a lick back, they are turned around and made to pull the other way: and should the wind prove favorable, by means of a mast, with which they are all provided, sails can be hoisted, and the the double power of mules and wind be put in requisition. This description of boat is getting to be quite fashionable on the Illinois and tributaries, and some two or three extend their trips to this city. They are a great benefit in low water, as they are of exceeding light draught, and the running of them is attended with but trifling expense. We learn that several new ones are in a state of completion, on the line of the Illinois, intended as regular traders up the Sangamon river, and from the head of navigation on the Illinois to this city. There is nothing like enterprise, or a mule boat on the Illinois, in a low stage of water, to get along.--[St. Louis New Era.

=Discovery of Glass.=

'As some merchants,' says Pliny, 'were carrying nitre, they stopped near a river which issues from Mount Carmel. As they could not readily find stones to rest their kettles on, they used for this purpose some of these pieces of nitre. The fire, which gradually dissolved the nitre, and mixed it with the sand, occasioned a transparent matter to flow, which in fact was nothing less than glass.'

=Pumping the water out of Lake Michigan.=

It is well known to our readers that, by an arrangement with the English bond holders, the State of Illinois has given over to them the unfinished canal, from the waters of Lake Michigan, at Chicago, to the Illinois river.--They are about completing it, but the principal difficulty now is, to supply it with water, owing to the level of the lake being _eight_ feet below the bottom of the canal. To overcome this, the present company, after various propositions, finally bethought themselves of raising the water of the lake, so as to supply the canal. They went to Messrs. Knapp & Totten, of this city, and furnished them with a data to calculate whether it could be done, and what force and what machinery would accomplish it. These gentlemen soon furnished an answer to build some powerful machinery for that purpose,--a steam engine and _eight_ pumps of four and a half bore and six feet stroke. We are glad to hear that this eminently scientific firm have been selected to execute this order. Their shop and mechanical force are not excelled by any establishment in the United States.--[Pittsburg Gaz.

=The Self-Regulating Ventilator.=

Explanation:--This is a cheap and simple but scientific apparatus for regulating the air-vent of a common, cheap stove, according to the temperature of the atmosphere in the room in which it is located. The draught door is a plain iron door, hung by a common hinge joint at the upper end; and to the front of the hinge is attached a piece of brass wire, which extends vertically nearly to the top of the room, and is connected at B to a horizontal brass wire C D. This is the only apparatus required, but must be so adjusted as to allow the door to be closed, or nearly so, when the temperature is about right. If the temperature rises above that point, the horizontal wire will immediately expand so as to allow the door to close. But as soon as the temperature begins to fail, the wire contracts and opens the vent. On this principle the apparatus will readily find a medium, and there remain, varying only occasionally to accommodate itself to the variations of the quantity of fuel in the stove. The entire expense of this apparatus, exclusive of the stove, will not exceed 50 cents. It is generally conceded that a large portion of cases of colds, coughs, &c. are occasioned by irregularities of the temperature of sitting-rooms but with this plan of regulation this evil may be avoided without any material expense.

=New Paper Mill.=

Mr. C. C. P. Moses has erected a line brick building, 75 by 38 feet, three stories high, on the site of the old foundry, at Dover, N. H., $12,000 to $15,000. The rooms are constructed and furnished in a complete manner for carrying on the paper making business in all its departments. The works are nearly completed, and will be in operation in five or six weeks.

=New Mill at Lowell.=

The Merrimack Company have in progress of erection the largest mill in Lowell, and which is calculated to employ from 300 to 400 operatives. The building is nearly finished, and the machinery is to embrace the latest improvements in this or any other country.

=Machine Shop.=

A new machine shop is about commencing operation in Norwich: about half a mile northeast from the railroad depot. The building is 100 by 40 feet, and is calculated to employ 60 hands in the manufacture of steam engines and manufacturing machinery. The work at this shop will be finished in the best style and at moderate prices.

=Ornamental Kites.=

This month being considered as one of the best for flying kites, we may indulge our young friends with an article on that subject. The principle on which kites are made to ascend by the action of the wind, is too well understood, even by children, to require explanation. We shall merely introduce and describe some fancy models of kites, which are not often seen. The pattern, fig. 1, which is the figure called a star, is very easily made. The frame consists simply of the strips, or rods of light wood; spruce timber, willow twig's--and interlocked, as shown in the cut; so that each rod shall pass alternately over and under the other rods at each intersection. These rods being lashed together at the points, the whole frame is covered with white or yellow paper, and the twine is attached to three of the angles of the star.

The eagle, fig. 2, is but little more difficult; a rod extends from the beak to the tail, and is crossed by another which extends from tip to tip of the wings. The rods being lashed together, a small thread is drawn from the place of the head of the eagle, to the two extremities of the wings, and thence to the leeward end of the centre rod. This thread should be white or light blue, and will not be visible when aloft; but the form of the eagle should be made of black, dark or brown paper. The paper eagle must be sewed to the several threads, and two or more threads may extend from the wings to the centre rod to support the feathers of the wings. The eagle kite appears curious, but is not so elegant as

The Rose, fig. 3. To construct this figure there must be four light rods of wood, made to cross each other in the centre, being there lashed together, and thus constituting eight arms. From the end of each arm, a thin strip of light wood or reed, is bent in a curved form to the next arm on either side: the bow being lashed to the arms. This frame is covered with white paper, which is to be afterward colored with rose color, with the yellow centre. The twine must be fastened to four of the arms, and the tail of the kite should be covered with green paper, which by the contrast, will have a pleasing effect.

=Rochester Edge Tools in England.=

Some time since, a Mr. Ash, an extensive manufacturer of Mechanics' Tools at Sheffield, England, sent to this country for patterns of the latest improvements, and amongst the rest, ordered a variety from Messrs. Barton & Belden of Rochester, which were promptly forwarded. On their arrival there, it seems that their make gave such universal satisfaction, that they were immediately copied, and the fact that they came from this country made prominent, by stamping upon them 'Rochester Pattern.'

=An Animal Curiosity.=

Travellers state that there is on the island of St. Luce a cavern, in which is a large basin twelve or fifteen feet deep, at the bottom of which are rocks. From these rocks proceed certain substances that present at first, sight beautiful flowers, but on the approach of a hand or instrument, retire like a snail, out of sight! On examination, there appears in the middle of a disk, filaments resembling spiders' legs, which moved briskly round a kind of petal. The filaments, or legs, have pincers to seize their prey, when the petals close, so that it cannot escape. Under this flower is the body of an animal, and it is probable he lives on the marine insects thrown by the sea into his basin.

* * * * *

The first clock that ever measured time was made for the Caliph of Bagdad. This art was afterwards lost for several centuries.

=Skate Runners.=

At Drontheim, in Norway, they have a regiment of soldiers, called Skate Runners. They wear leg gaiters for travelling in deep snow, and green uniform. They carry a short sword, a rifle fastened by a broad strap passing over the shoulder, and a climbing staff seven feet long, with a spike in the end. They move so fast in the snow that no cavalry can overtake them, and it does little good to fire cannon balls at them, as they go two or three hundred feet apart. They are very useful soldiers in following an enemy on a march. They go over marshes, rivers and lakes at a great rate.

=A Receipt to make Peach Wine.=

Take four or five bushels of ripe juicy peaches, mash or bruise them in a tub, and pour them into a barrel, large enough to contain them, and place it in a cool place. At the bottom of the barrel, before putting in the peaches, some clean straw must be placed to prevent the pumice from filling up the spigot. The head of the barrel must be covered. In about three days the Peach Wine is ready for use. Draw it off, from the spigot, and if care and attention have been adopted, a delicious beverage will be produced.

=A Novel Enterprise.=

An expedition, which promises the most important results both to science and commerce is at this moment fitting out in England, for the purpose of navigating some of the more important unexplored rivers in South America It is to be under the command of Lord Ranelagh. Several noblemen and gentlemen have already volunteered to accompany his lordship, and the enterprising and scientific band, it is said, will sail as soon as the necessary arrangements shall be completed.

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