St. Louis Post-Dispatch from St. Louis, Missouri • Page 45

SUNDAY MORNING ST LOUIS rOST-DISPATCII-SErTEMDEn 22, 1001 OIL WELLS THICK AS FOREST TREES ON SPINDLE TOP MAKING SMYRNA RUGS VERY interesting la the manner In n'hlnh carpets are woven In Persia PISTOL SEES AT NIGHT, THE adaptation of eWtrlcltjr to th purpose of a searchlight for a piatot appear to be a new Idea in firearm. Th English Mechanic, however, describes as follows a weapon equipped In this way: A pistol has been Invented with a searchlight attachment, which will enable the owner to fire with accuracy In ths dark. Naturally It is rather larger than an or. India, Asia Minrr and other Oriental I iilrtes. In this work modern machinery the only tools used being human fingers, primitive looms, wooden combs, blocks of wood.

In which spikes or nails have been fixed, and a few other Pimple Instruments. The method of manufacture Is not exactly the same In al places, but In all the work is done almost entirely by hand. The process of making a Smyrna carpet will serve as an Illustration. At th begin nlng of each spring merchants buy the wool of sheep ami goats which have be -n phorn a s-eond time and at once see that It is carefully wash (J In runn'ng water The wool Is then stripped from the hide unrl assorted. Next it Is cleansed a second TJT" rps frj ll 1 i Jfcti JIM' Ifi mB' U6 time, after which it is passed over a block fir and drawn slowly through a sort of network of nails, the object being to separate the various strands so that they will be Jit for the loom.

The wool is then stained, and the process of weaving begins. The loom used Is strong 'md substantial, and the accompanying picture shows how square after square of a carpet Is woven on U. In connection with the loom a sharp knife and a wooden Search Light Pistol. binary pistol. The principle of the apparatus Is much the same as other electrical appliances, such as scarf-pins, hair ornaments, studs, brooches, etc.

A slight pressure of the trigger, which acts In the sam way as a switch, lights a small electrlo lamp placed on a tube Just beneath th barrel. The weapon has the battery placed away In the handle. comb are used, the former to cut off projecting threads and the latter to remove each strip or row as it Is completed. These carpets are made by women. AI) the daughters of a family assist the mother 1 c--1 1 1 I I s- lift Jii iHJl liiiiiilUpg llll -trp).

V' la thorltles placed It In Its present location and used It as a shelter house. Observing that a large number of atn-dents of botany, entomology, bird life anil kindred subjects frequented the park, Mr. Clausen recently determined that the city should aid them as far as possible. The park presented good field of study, but a library and reading room were needed. He therefore decided to use thl picturesque, little building for the purpose, and wrote to the publishers of books on various natural history subjects asking them If they would contribute to the proposed library.

Th THERE are 40 oil well derricks within an area of less than five acres on Spindle Top, at Beaumont, Tex. Clustered together like so many trees in a grove, and rising 50 and average holding on the Top is not more than half an acrf. The largest holding is that of the Hogg-Swain syndicate, being 15 acres. Property has sold there for from $1 to 200,000 an acre. The thickest cluster of wells is on less than five acres of the Top.

These are the wells whoso derricks may be seen in the photograph. There arc now three pipe lines which carry the oil from Spindle Top to Port Arthur. These pipes are inches in diameter and 20 miles long. By M. T.

BROWN. SriN'DLE TOP has an area of 50 acres. The Top is not a hill, as I believe is generally understood. It is a very slight elevation, being but four feet above the prairie and but 24 feet above sea level. There are 100 oil wells on Spindle Top.

All of these have derricks, an 1 44 of them are flowing wells at this time. Twenty-five companies have property there. The 60 feet from the ground, they give Spindle Top from a distance the appearance of being a hill full of churches lifting up many spires. M. T.

Brown told the Sunday Post-Dispatch of the oil wells on Spindle Top. FLIES TURN OUT THE LIGHTS APPARATUS TO LIQUEFY GAS a a I rn, as I IX view of the great Interest there Is now-being taken In the subject of liquefying gase3 a description of a laboratory apparatus for the purpose published is most opportune. After giving a brief history of the subject, in which great credit is accorded to Prof. Edwin J. Houston for having suggested the nitthod described, he says: THE SMALLEST OF CITY LIBRARIES.

ENTERING Central Tark. New York, from the west side, at Seventy-ninth street, and turning north after crossing the driveway, a few minutes' walk brings one to the little new Natural History Library. It nestles close to the walk, and Is well surrounded by trees. The building Is painted brown, and is of quaint architecture. It was built by the Swedish government for the Centennial exposition at Philadelphia in 1S76.

and afterward was presented to the United States. The federal government In turn presented it to the city of New York, whose park au- By PROF. EDWIN. J. HOUSTON.

Weave cf Smyrna Rugs. In weaving, but receive no pay until they have worked for two years. Then they receive a trifling amount each week, and this money they carefully hoard until they have enough to buy some long coveted or nament for the arm or neck. In Persia there are two classes of weaversthose who have a fixed abode and those who wander from place to place. The former work at the loom during winter In their houses and during summer in open courtyards.

The nomads use a different kind of loom4 and work wherever they happen to be. Though the women do most of the work, the looms are the property of their husbands. Of the carpets that are sent to the American markets, most are made in the frovlnce of Iraz, the laest statistics showing that there are about five thousand looms at work there and that four thu-fand carpets are woven there every year. It takes six months to weave a carpet of moderate size, and for this work the weaver receives less than 50 cents a week. In Asia Minor most of the weaving Is done In the province of Aidln.

There art-one thousand looms In the city of Uschak. at which 9ikX women are constantly at work, and the value of the carpets woven there each year is estimated at $701,000. Moreover. In the town of Gyordes carpets worth are woven each year. Transmission Sh-r'-Cfrcutted by Flies.

feet, and no Increase of cooling Is brought about by compelling the expanding air to do work. This could hardly be expected in so small a machine. The Joule effect Is. however, inversely proportional to the square of the absolute temperature; a fact which accelerates the action as the air grows colder. Thus expansion of air from 4'2 atmospheres to 1 will cool the air frcm 0 degree C.

to 1 degree below 0 degree C. that is, from 273 degrees to 272 degrees absolute temperature. Iiut at two-thirds of that absolute temperature, at 1S2 degrees below 0 degree or which Is at 91 de-gr absolute an equal drop of pressure will produce a cooling represented by two-thirds squared and invtrtsd. or nine-fourths as much, which is L'1 degrees. The points of merit claimed for the apparatus are a largo surface of exposure between the compressed inllowing and the expanded outgoing air, as little separation as possible between these streams, and this of as high a conducting value as possible having a small quantity of air in action at once.

To attain these ends the pipes ere of copper l'l close contact with each other, of small bore and of little thickness. CHARLES Xj. FITCH gives the following interesting account of an experience that befell the city St. WK present at this time an account of a form of Dr. Hampsons lique-fier, designed so that it should be available for use in any laboratory, and also of moderate cost.

It Is claimed for it that it will begin to deliver liquid air -in from six to ten minutes after the admission of at from 1V to atmospheres pressure, and will mike over a liter of liquid per hour. The liqueiier seen on the. which they hold a nightly carnival. Incidentally dropping on the back and neck of the passerby, about eh they crawl to his infinite annoyance. Their presence In the undoubtedly due to the attraction of the electric lights, as their -pecial Paul recently: Nw York's Little Library.

responses were encouraging. The necessary alterations were made In the little building, and it is now open for the use of rtn dnts, having, besldos a mall reading room, about two hundred volumes on b'rd and Inact life. By CHARLES L. FITCH. DUKING the months of June and July of each year tha section is visited by numbers of a pale-green lipterous insect fam 'Marly known as the HOLLAND'S PLAN TO DRAIN ZUIDERZEE 'shad possibly because of its resem breeding ground is found in swampy ne gh-borhoods and on the tanks of rivers and lakes, where they appear in great numbers.

The power of the St. Paul 1'ghts is supplied from Apple KJver FaKs. seme 27 miles away. In the state of Wlscmsln, and the electric transm ssion line, which was built under the supervision of the writer and is operated at volts, cross the St. Croix bridge.

The wires, six in number, are lu re supporud on eight-inch by eight-inch oak beams, as Illustrated extending cut 10 feet from the south blance to the variety which appears in more easterly localities about the time the shad are running. These little pests are most In evidence after dark in the neighborhood of the electric street lamps, about 1 Th-se thermal advantages have been so carefullv attended to that this is consid ered one of the most efficient hitherto de signed. PROPOSED tRAINACB ffl of lha HJfJCIL ETCTX- 2UIDER ZEE vw- TEST REMARKABLE CALIFORNIA SWORD FISH With supl. mentary arrangements even hydrogen has been liquefied by It. Numbers of these are in use in university laboratories in various countries, and some have been brought to the Un'ted ates.

1 PERPETUAL MOTION. WILLIAM DEBUS, a Rochester. N. iron pattern maker, says he has "overcome the center of gravity." The few who have been permitted to see the curious contrivance, which he guards with Jealous care, and on which he has based high hopes of fame and fortune, are Inclined to believe that the man has stumbled on the secret of perpetual motion. Its inventor claims that the machine has run 21 days without a stop, and then was persuaded to stand still only by strapping tr ij fTPiru Tur r- 'a mam I COPPER JMEATHIHG- btwut 2 i iCTT it ianIIo tty.U M.Hfeyy IP Mill mam i.

TtrrE Inch hf uipr, side of the structure at the 1-v. 1 3f the track, each wire being IS inches from its litiijhbor, and over 1Z inches above the supporting arm below. A large jortion of the power transmitted is utilized as direct current, through the medium of six-phas-5 rotary conve ters, and when one even ng. about 8 o'clock, the converters went "out of step," thereby paralyzing the whole system the atten Ion of the operators at the generating station was at onca directed to the St. Croix brldg', some five miles away, by a series cf brilliant electric discharges, which Illuminated the whole heavens.

The lin? was at once cut out, and an emei ncy crew dispatched to repair the supposed breakdown. They were much puzzled upon their arrival to find everything In perfect order, no evidence any short clrtult being on either wires, Insulators or crossarms. After some lielay the current was again turned on, and the cause of the trouble then became apparent for the Hies soon gathered in such numbers cn some of the arms that they formed a solid bridge from wire to wire, and the flash of each discharge, while It destroyed thousands, only added fuel to the flames by attracting additional thousands to the spot. The shutdown lasted about an hour, and It was found necessary to station an attendant upon the bridge, who was provided with a wooden hoe attached to a long pole, with which from time to time, he dislodged the instcts from tha cross-arms, as soon as they collected in dangerous numbers. This incident Is uniqua and probably unprecedene.td.

SOLIDIFYING AIR. IT IS reported that recently Prof. A. L. Metz of Tulane University.

Montreal, succeeded in solidifying air by fiiling a test is inches long with the exception of about six inches with liquid air. cork- i Twnvi wches solid white oak." 5. TYJO ANO ONE KLfJNCH JfARD CAKSEAUUS 6. AO OF ASRL OF 7. Where Swcpd bpoxt.

Tlin proposition to drain the Zulder Zee Is not a new one to the people of the Netherlands. It was advocated ti -d The SworJ Fish's Remirkible Frat. as long ago as 1M9 by the engineer. Van Diggelln, who publlrhed a plan for cutting off the waters of the Zulder Zee from Sectional View of Apparatus stand is a cylinder 17 inches high and e'ght Inches in diameter. With a compressor which can deliver air at or above atmospheres it will work continuously day partial draining that is, the conversion of a portion of the Inclosed wuter Into land, while leaving a large central area at lake.

Work Is to lc first commenced on what Is known as the Wierlriger polder, which Is to be Inclosed by a dyke, extending from Medembllk to Wlerlngt-n, and lxt upon a similar area south of the peninsula of North Holland, which will be shut In by a dyke running from Iilookerxhock down tc the northern shore of the Monr.b kend.m C3at. For later drainage there will be served two much larger areas. Indicated oa the accompanying map by dotted lines. Tho central part t.f tho present Zuider Zee Is to be left undralncd. and, as the Yrsel river flows Into It.

It will be converted Into a fresh water lake, which I to be named Yssel Lake, and then the historic Zuider Zco will be a thing of the pat. In connection with the undertaking It I proposed to build the summit of the main dyke wide enough to admit of a line of rails being laid upon It. thereby bringing North llviland Into direct communication with Friet-land nnd shortening the land Journey from Amsterdam to Leewwsrdeo about fifty kilometers. The financial part of the enterprise Is, howsvtr, rather more serious than the part. It is estimated thri the cost of constructing the dyke will amount to i gulden, to wblch rmit addej 17.Ouc.Ou0 gulden for waterworks, fortrejses and compensation of nhertnen.

auJ gulden Xr the cost of laying out lh polders, making a grand total outlay te.Ou.OuO gulden for which. In the first two pul.iers. about acres o( lanJ will be reclaimed. The necessary funds are to be raised by a ee-year loan, and It le eapected that II wlU ukf jtr to complete work. DURING the summer months the region off the coast of Los Angeles, is frequented by swordflsh of large size.

Kr some reason these swordsmen of the sea are particularly pugnacious, and are sometimes observed engaged In duels literally to the death. Two of th.m were recently observed hurl.ng v-ater aloft near Sphinx Hook. Panta Catalina. Harry a boatman, drew near, to tlnd that tluy re of a largo size and In a tierce tight. 11 lay by and the entire duel.

The fish followed each other in a circle about 8'i feet in width, being on opposite rides Suddenly they would turn and dash at each other like furies, tossing the water high In the air and coming fgether with a shock which could be distinctly heard. For a few moments the fish would struggle like wrestlers clinched in a d-uthhke em-Vrace. probably held together by their swords, which had penetrated their bodies; then they would separate and retire to the given distai.re and follow each other around in a dogged and vindictive manner until they became sufficiently enraged again, when, as though at the word, they turned and came together like cannon balls, the shock forcing one fi.sh half out of the Water. The ef'ect of these lunges was Illustrated when the shlo Fortune was huuled upon the ways and a sword found running completely through her hull. The rish had truck the vessel, running at full speed, oudlnu the weapon through lUs copper sheathir.g, an inch board under the sheathing, a three-inch plank of hard wood, the solid white timber oak.

12 inches thick, then through another two and a half incli hard oak celling, then entering the head of an oil cask, retaining position so that nut a drop escaped. It is inconceivable that such battering rams did not destroy each other In a short time, but the recent contest was carried on for half an hour, the fierce creatures ramming, striking and cutting with persistence unequaled by bulldogs. Finally they came together with a saock so terrific that for a few seconds they remained comparatively quiet, then one swordfisn struggled convulsively backward, evidently unsheathing Its sword from the body of Its adversary, and twam slowly off. leaving a trail of blood, while the other fish lay faintly struggling on the surface, to be easily picked up by the boatman. The fish was about nine feet in length and had been completely pierce.

I in several places by Its opponent. Ther w. re b. Uy blows where the sword had penetrated completely, tomii out at the opposite side, but the wound that killed struck the fish about two inches back of the right eye as the fishes were charging, cut through the opercub.ii entering the gills and throat, literals cutting the fish's throat and bringing the contest to an end. Therr were several other wounds in the head of this fish, showing that It had b-et repeatedly struck glancing blows.

About this lime another swordilgh drifted ashore, which may have been tu other duelist. these of the North Sea and then pumping the Inclosed space dry. At tha; time, however, the project was looked upon as a practical Impossibility, and the matter slumbered until 18i, when Kngincer liey-crinch submitted t. the government another plan. In ls77 M.

van Stleltjes was commissioned to make the necessary drawings for carrying this into execution, but owing to a change in the government It was allowed to lapse until when an association. "Zuiilerzeevereeniglng," was established with the object of eventually accomplishing the draining of the Zuider Zee. The organization appears to have received both government support and the hearty co-operation of the leading citizens of the five provinces that encircle the Zulder Zee, at.d It has been mainly due to its endeavors and exertions that the present bill for doing the work has been introduced into the chambers, in accordance with hlch the society is to conduct the operations under the supervision of th.j tate. The present plan for carrying out the great work, according to a recent number of IJe Jngenleur, is to frit build a dyke ((om the northeastern point of the province of North Holland, through the Amstel eps to the Island of Wieringen, and thence in a northeasterly direction to a point near the village of Piaam In tha province of Krlesland. After this Is completed the Zulder Zee will bo cut off from the North Sea and converted Into a lake.

The actual work of reclaiming will Ahu begin. deli' this the ntf cat Ing it and through the cork Inserting a bent glass tubo which was connected with a apparatus, the whole power of which was then applied in order to get the greatest evaporation possible. As a result. It is said," the liquid air boiled and bubbled as though it was being Intensely heated, and that the sudden drop in temperature caused the external air surrounding the tube to liquefy and drop from Its end, where it was caught in a Pewar test tube, and upon examination was found to ton-tain all the properties of liquid air. While these collateral experiments were being made.

It Is further ttate.l. the liquid air solidified in the tube into a lump about an Inch square. It was necessary to break the tube to get If out, and as soon as It was exposed to the air It began to liquefy; but before It had entirely disappeared the experimenters laid it upon an nnvll and struck It with a hammer, which bounded off as though it had been a piece of rubber It is described as being so Intensely coll that no one could think of touching it with the lingers, and as having lasted 15 minutes In a fully exposed condition, during which time it vaultiheJ into mist. after day. When a compressor is employed the purifiers are used.

Th' large one, standing on the floor to the right Is of low pressure; the small one under the lique-fier to the left of the stand is of high pressure. Without a compressor the gas Is delivered to the liqueiier from cylinders, similar to our cylinders for containing oxgtn and hydrogen for tho stereopticon, and in such use no purifiers are needed. In this case the coils tf the llquetler are first cooled by the expansion of liquid carbon oxide. In the return pipes, surrounding the air under pressure previous to Its expansion. The essential feature In this, as In all machines of Its class, is seen in the factional view.

The air under pressure flows in at the top on the left and traverses one system of pipes, whose numerous convolutions occupy most of the space within the packing, returning by the reverse system o-pipes to go out Into the open air. With a compressor there Is no reason why this expanded and dry air may not be taken in and compressed again, thus saving some work for the purifying apparatus. The expansion valve Is stvn at the bottom of the liquetler. The efficacy of the machine depends wholly upon the Joule et- smti Perpetual Motion. down.

Remove the strap and the motion begins again, without a breath to start it. It stands 11 inches high, brass standard, with an upright pot 9 'riches high. lx inches wide. On one end with case hardened bail-bearings, are two cones, holding 12 3-32-inch steel talis each. The main shaft is 1H lnchs long, 3-1S ir.ch diameter, with four brass tubing arms and two gravity weights aro not at any time at the same pi Int.

making" a continuous revolution of ti0 per minute when the governor or air axillary Is not connected, and hen properly connected will make 130 revolutions per minute, which means slow speed and more p. wer. The two air chambers are lj Inch in diameter l5 Inches high, and there Is about one jound of compressed air to each chsmber. This air Is compressed by the movement tlx gravity weights and trma, 4.