Scientific American Supplement, No. 530, February 27, 1886

Scientific American Supplement, No. 530, February 27, 1886

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February 27, 1886, by Various This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net
Title: Scientific American Supplement, No. 530, February 27, 1886
Author: Various
Release Date: September 8, 2004 [EBook #13399]
Language: English
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SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN SUPPLEMENT NO. 530

NEW YORK, FEBRUARY 27, 1886
Scientific American Supplement. Vol. XXI, No. 530.
Scientific American established 1845
Scientific American Supplement, $5 a year.
Scientific American and Supplement, $7 a year.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS.
I. CHEMISTRY ETC.--Decomposition and Fermentation of Milk.
II. ENGINEERING AND MECHANICS.--The Ethics of Engineering Practice.--An address by Mr. JAS. C. BAYLES, before the American Institute of Mining Engineers.
Lifting a 40-inch Water Main.--With engraving.
The Inter-oceanic Canal Question.
The Mersey Tunnel.
Improved Revolver.--With 4 figures.
Motors for Street Railways.--Results of experiments on mechanical motors for tramways made by the jury on railway appliances at the Antwerp Exhibition.--By Capt. DOUGLAS GALTON.
III. TECHNOLOGY.--Alizarine Dyes.--Process of dyeing.--Recipes for various colors.
Cement Paving.--Composition made by the Wilkes' Metallic Flooring Company.--Other compositions.
A New Bleaching Process.--The "Mather-Thompson" system.
Instruments for Drawing Curves.--By Prof. C.W. MACCORD--1. The Hyperbola--2 figures.
Experiments with Fibers.--By Dr. THOS. TAYLOR.--Detection of Fraud.--Method employed.--Cotton mixed with linen.--Experiments with flax.--Wool tested with acid.--Tests of dyed black silk.
Orthochromatic Plates.--By CH. SCOLIK.
A New Photographic Apparatus.--With engraving.
IV. ELECTRICITY, PHYSICS, ETC.--On the Theory of the Electro-magnetic Telephone Transmitter.--By E. MERCADIER.
On the Theory of the Receiver of the Electro-magnetic Telephone.--By E. MERCADIER.
Frew's Improved Pyrometer.--With engraving.
Dew.--Abstract of a paper read before the Royal Society of Edinburgh.--By Mr. AITKEN.--Source of dew.--Observations of the temperature of the ground.--Experiments.--Effects of wind.--Excretion of drops of liquid by plants.--Radiating power of different surfaces at night.
V. ASTRONOMY.--Meteorites.--The Dhurmsala Meteorite.
Telescopic Search for the Trans-Neptunian Planet.--By DAVID P. TODD.
VI. ARCHITECTURE.--The New "Burgtheater" in Vienna.--With full page engraving.
The New German Bookdealers' Exchange in Leipzig.--With engraving.
VII. MISCELLANEOUS.--Notes on Manual Spelling.--By JAS. C. GORDON.--Origin of Finger Spelling.--Finger alphabets.--With engraving of American alphabet.
Fruits and Seeds for Dress Trimming.--Origin of the use of Fruits and Seeds.--Preparation by MR. COLLIN.
VIII. BIOGRAPHY.--Hon. Hiram Sibley.--The founder of the Sibley College of Mechanic Arts of Cornell University.--With portrait.
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HON. HIRAM SIBLEY.
Hon. Hiram Sibley, of the city of Rochester, a man of national reputation as the originator of great enterprises, and as the most extensive farmer and seedsman in this country, was born at North Adams, Berkshire County, Mass., February 6, 1807, and is the second son of Benjamin and Zilpha Davis Sibley. Benjamin was the son of Timothy Sibley, of Sutton, Mass., who was the father of fifteen children--twelve sons and three daughters; eight of these, including Benjamin, lived to the aggregate age of 677 years, an average of about seventy-five years and three months. From the most unpromising beginnings, without education, Hiram Sibley has risen to a postion of usefulness and influence. His youth was passed among his native hills. He was a mechanical genius by nature. Banter with a neighboring shoemaker led to his attempt to make a shoe on the spot, and he was at once placed on the shoemaker's bench.
At the age of sixteen he migrated to the Genesee Valley, where he was employed in a machine shop, and subsequently in wool carding. Before he was of age he had mastered five different trades. Three of these years were passed in Livingston County. His first occupation on his own account was as a shoemaker at North Adams; then he did business successfully as a machinist and wool carder in Livingston County, N.Y.; after which he established himself at Mendon, fourteen miles south of Rochester, a manufacturing village, now known as Sibleyville, where he had a foundry and machine shop. When in the wool carding business at Sparta and Mount Morris, in Livingston County, he worked in the same shop, located near the line of the two towns, where Millard Filmore had been employed and learned his trade; beginning just after a farewell ball was given to Mr. Filmore by his fellow workmen.
Increase of reputation and influence brought Mr. Sibley opportunities for office. He was elected by the Democrats Sheriff of Monroe County in 1843 when he removed to Rochester; but his political career was short, for a more important matter was occupying his mind. From the moment of the first success of Professor Morse with his experiments in telegraphy, Mr. Sibley had been quick to discern the vast promise of the invention; and in 1840 he went to Washington to assist Professor Morse and Ezra Cornell in procuring an appropriation of $40,000 from Congress to build a line from Washington to Baltimore,