Popular Mechanics 1920-04: Vol 33 Iss 4

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29 Uents POPULAR MECHANICS MAGAZINE WRITTEN SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND IT a ~ <a

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Learn Auto ero Tractor Business Earn $150 to $400 a Month Opportunities Everywhere Never before were there so many opportunities for earning big money or starting a business of your own as exist today in theautomobileand tractorindustry. Factories are in full production, yet far behind on orders. It is estimated 1,000,000 new cars will be sold to users this year. Competent Motor Mechanics are needed everywhere — opportunities unlimited. Rahe Trained men are in demand. Learn i in S to 8. Weeks Any man, 16 years and older, who will come here and apply himself, can learn easily and quickly, under guidance of numerous Master Mechanic Instructors who help you make rapid progress. The most complete equipment ever used—up-to-date Autos, Tractors, block-mounted Motors, Electric Apparatus and all equipment necessary to train you quickly and thoroughly in all branches of the business. We refer you to thousands of Rahe graduates who are earning up to $400 a month, many from your own section—those owning garages make much more. Rahe Auto = Tractor School No previous experience or special talent required You learn by the same method we usea to train thousands of Soldier Mechanics in 60 days’ time. Only additional cost to be trained here is difference in carfare. Pleasant living quarters in reputable private home close to school, under daily supervision of the Rahe Welfare Department. Plenty of opportunities to earn part living expenses while here. Special Tuition Rate Now! eT To help meet the unprecedented demand for Rahe Trained Motor Mechanics, we are . . making special inducement to those who come ig 68 page, illus- = ag is gt few weeks. No limited scholar- Fer, ¢” trated — ships here—you get complete training. (No 5° colored applications). WRITE AT ONCE. SF Nem iVG DF 66h 0 H00000.0 066 65056056 0606046 0008 ° Rahe Auto and Tractor School’ ~,’ Dept. 2895 KANSAS CiTY, MO. ,¢ WW Jona -* Mail This Coupon Today for our Special Sn. Offer, wonderful story of opportunities and > >P>>>> >>r > PPPPrr?>Y =o5e* res ret as et bees es ee rt es ey ee ed

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Popular Mechanics Magazine 6 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, U. S.A. H. H. WINDSOR, EDITOR London: Hachette & Cie, ib, King William Street, Charing Cross, W.C.2 Paris: Hachette & Cie, 111 Rue Reaumur Melbourne, Australia The Australosian News Co. {SSUED MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION: In United States, and its possessions, Cuba, Mexico, and Canada, per year, anaes To all other countries in the Postal Union All subscriptions are discontinued at expiration. Please examine the ion a on your wrapper. $3.00 3.50 Entered as Second Class Matter Sept. 15, 1903, at the Post Office at Chicago, Illinois, under Act of March 3rd, 1879 Entered as Second Class Matter at the Post Office Department, Canada. Published monthly by POPULAR MECHANICS CO. Copyright, 1920, by H. H. WInDsor Copyright in Australia SINGLE COPY, 25 CENTS = en Vol. 33 Accident—Ice on Lake Catches Falling Coach. Advertising Campaign, Automobile, Free Rides Pre eer? PE \eronautics—Mid-Air Transfer Made without Rope Li ac .dder ‘ Aeroplane Carries Four Engines in Central Cabin. Aeroplane Engine, Low Exhaust Pressure Makes Sileme «incon ses tines lish badexaaeas wens so Aeroplane Funeral, Dead Aviator’s Request Aeroplane Propeller, Thrust Meter for. Aeroplane Skids on Downtown Street... Air Circuit of Atlantic Ocean, Rules for Air Hose Rack Made from Old Crankshaft Alli gators, Baby, Sent by Parcel Post....... P Apples, Spraying Eliminates Worms from Crop of. Arches, Wooden, Canvas Held over Concrete Road DY ccccvevcccescssescecevesssrsegsses > Army, " Bols hevist, Nondescript Garb of..... Artist, Armless Dutch, Uses Feet for Painting Asphalt Heater for Repair of Rural Roads Automobile, Automobile Automobile Feather Weight, Starter, Trailer Built like Airplane Spark Plug and Gas Valve as.. Built of Air Craft Material.. Automobile, Well sedteeay Canning Club Leader Has TTtTrrer er. rte ‘ Automobile Wheel Rim, Demountable, ‘One Nut Holds Automobiles, Automobiles, Closed, Window Device for. . 10 Million may Be in Use by 1921 Axle Shaft, Broken, Appliance Holds Wheel. Baby Carrier Hangs from Mother's Shoulder. Baggage, Army, Unclaimed, at Hoboken, N. ] Batntub Hammock for Hospital fk tad Wen ae ee Beer Emptied into Zion City Sewer..... ; Bees Moved to Pasture on Motor Truck Blind Girls Make Books for Blind Soldiers. . Blizzard, Record Breaking, Hits Atlantic Coast Blotter Attached to Wrist of Writer..... Boats, Six, Western Shipyard Launches in Day Bolt, Threadless, for Ships Has Wedge Boot Chains, Nonskid, Fireman Makes... Bridge, Suspension, to Cross Detroit River. Building, Apartment, Split and Relocated. Bus, Motor, Rain Shields on Seats of..... Cabinet, Dentist’s, Has Swinging Drawers Cable, Submerged Induction, Steers Ships to Harbor Calliope, Automatic, Made from Player Piano Canal, Panama, Dedication Planned for 1920 . Canal Zone, Panama, Good Roads to seuiees and Protect Candy and Incidental Foods, Power of. Canoe Course on Charles River, Thousands ‘Use... Cast Iron Ware, Enameled, Method of Manufacture Revealed Cellulose, uldren’s Ci ty, It ivic Content of Fiber, New Solvent for MP eee Hibbing, Minnesota, Moved for Riches beneath C ‘Denver's, Greek Theater Is Part of Civic Features ae Clothes Hanger Suspended from Ceiling Color Study, New, Measures Exact Values Comment and Review, by H. Windsor Community House, Given to Town * - Concrete I-Beams Used in Retainin c ton Road Handled on Big on Me: by ‘alien . 1M Center, Contents for April, 1920 . 537 554 No. 4 Construction Troops, Important Service of 535 Cruiser, Japanese, Visits California Coast.. 548 Dam, Highest, to Cross Gorge in North India 526 Dentist Has Traveling Office and Laboratory 564 Dentist Tools, Handy Apparatus for...... 520 Dock, Dry, Big Ships Built and Launched in 563 Dock, Floating Salvage, Germany Launches 493 Drain Tile, Tool for Laying in Narrow Trenches 560 Drain Tiles Buried with Scraper and Tractor 561 Drainage Ditches, Blasted with Dynamite 596 Drinks, Soft, Vending Device for Bottles of... 599 Economy, Political, Essays on, Awarded Prizes 639 Educators, Colombian, U. S. School Plan Guides.. 534 Electric Car Service, Railless, Shanghai to Have 531 Electric Power, Use Natural Fall of River for 573 Electricity, Not Explosives, to Win Next War 502 Electrolyte, Agitation of, Speeds up Chemical Analy- sis 504 Elevator through Cliff, Yosemite Park to Have 482 Envelope Sealer for Offices oe 554 Exerciser and Vapor Bath, New Device Is 598 Expedition, Antarctic, British amperes, bed Paul A. ns oooh eh eee uae we Ka ‘ 485 Fan Blades, Hinges ‘Permit Folding of. 520 Faucet, Packingless, Sweden Manu actures. 584 Figs. Capris Orchard Increases Production of 572 Films, ovie, Chemical Fire Extinguisher for 536 Fire Alarm in Mines, Odor Spreads............ 595 Fire, Cincinnati, Firemen Killed and Injured in 574 Flood Covers American Auto Park at Coblenz 500 Flood, Unborn, Obtaining Secrets of, by J. Cecil MEE. wceke biwand cae anadess : : 557 Footbridge, Railroad, Two Stairways in 579 Fountain, Drinking, Germ Proof 598 Fungus, White Pine, Common Bushes Spread 574 Furnace, Annealing, Water Seals Keep Air Out of.. 505 Garage, Cave under Residence Lawn Serves as 582 Gasoline Filling Station, Coin Operated 565 “Gilsonite,”” Found in Uintah Basin. 551 Golf Ball Painting Outfit, Quick Drying 541 Gun Mounts, Railway, Navy Transfers to Army 550 Harbor Isthmus Swept Away When Grass Is De- stroyed 582 Helium, Proposed Law to Prevent. Exportation of 558 Herring Smokers, Primitive Methods Employed by 514 Highway, Lincoln, Large Sum Exnended for 530 Highway Rules, British Columbia Considers Chang- whee ago te 599 Horseshoe, Resilient ‘Heels for... 596 Hospital, Army, Flock of Tractors Moves 577 Hospital, Modern, Panama City to Have 556 Hotels, French Battle Field, to Open to Tourists §11 Household Devices ‘ 592 Ice Pyramid, Illuminated, for Carnival 516 Income Tax Payers, Items of Outgo to be Reported by , : 639 Incubator, Electric Lighting Current Heats 540 Inhaler, Medicated, for Nose k 501 Inventions, British, Past Year’s Announced 594 Ladles, Foundry, Device for Drying Refractory TE, wiaa'e ch nen 555 Lamp Post, Novel, Drinking Fountains on 544 Launchings, Guillotines Used for 547 Lemon, ew Variety, Grows Large as Grapefruit 530 Letter, Pictured, Brings News of Lost Comrades.. 639 Letters, Business, Ringlike Accessory Creases 546 Life Lines on Beach Effectively Secured 550 [Continued on Page 4]

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(4) [Contents—Continued ] Light Fixture, Electric, Serves Two Purposes..... Locomotive, Instrument Records Movements of.... Locomotive, Midget, High Platform for Operator of Mail Route, Rural, on Oregon River AS Manicure Case as Five Comoartments........... Map Makers, Aerial, London's Fog may Hinder.. Maps, United States, Two New, Use Different Pro- jection Systems EEC SEE te RE RO 639 Memorial, California's, to Resemble Famous Palace 514 Memorial Hall Arranged for Many Uses........... * 640 Memorial to Norsemen, Rough Stone Tower Is.... 560 Meter, Gas, Electric Current Operates............ 565 Metric System Units Explained in Minute Lecture 639 ine Sweeping, Sidewheel Boats Used for........ 580 Mines, Magnesia Stucco on Timbers Protects from PR, ae Sie wack Bence aime kee a ee ; 560 Mosaic, Old, Turkish Shell Unearths.............. 572 Motor “Scooters,” New Features of... 494 Motor Vehicle for Delivery of Packages. aes 492 Motorb2at Lowered into Lake from Precipice. . 536 Motorcycle Equipped for Fresh Egg Delivery.. 505 Motorcycle, Simple Body Makes Roadster of...... 589 Motorists, Railroad’s Name on Viaducts Assists. 572 Mouse, Inquisitive, Caught by Live Oyster...... 639 Moving Picture Show in Salt Mine Cavern........ 492 Moving Picture Studios, Two Biggest, East to Have 602 Moving Pictures, Cylindrical Scenery Gives Speed Ee USS ere reer rns ee 554 Moving Pictures—Triple Framework as Theater for 578 Mucilage Bottle, Push Valve in Top of 535 Navy, Cash Reward for Inventive Ideas for. 639 Oil Burners Make Good in Chicago Schools. 540 Operation, Painless, on Conscious Patient. . 500 Package Fastener Takes Place of Twine........... 598 Parcel Post Computing Machine, Keys Operate 574 Pen, Stippling, Runs by Clockwork. . ee 504 Phonograph Turntable Illuminator................ 568 Photograph, Night, of German Air Raider..... 537 Photographer, Motor in Stool Base Helps... 599 Platform, Movable, for Unloading Ships............ 554 Platinum Wire, American Factory Produces....... 536 Police Wagon, Bolivian, Has Office for Chief...... 524 Porpoises, Fishermen Want Seaplanes to Bomb. 542 Prizes, Cash, Young Republicans Offered.. 639 Propeller, Aeroplane, Unusual Type of....... 544 Propeller, Hand Driven, for Small Boats.... 595 Pump, Sand, Has Interchangeable Parts.......... 494 Pyramid, Mexican, Archzologists Unearth Third.. 598 Raccoons, Motorcyclists Get with Tennis Net.... 543 Races, Aerial, Two Planned for Year............. 582 Radio Compass, Lighthouses Experiment with...... 484 Radio, Tracking Submarines by, by Samuel W. SE, ci'ea-6 40 4> 6636 0k weeds els 4008eae ne 527 Rafts, Fox Hunters Cross Stream on....... oo + on Railroad Bridge, Ponderous, Moved Eighteen Feet 532 Railroad Cars, Bearing Cooler for................ 585 Railroads, French, Planned for Africa.......... . 520 Railway Link from Bagdad to Busrah.............. 502 Railways, Island of Mauritius to Electrify......... 484 Reflector, Multicolored, for “Daylight” Lamp..... 597 Rifle, New Sporting, Resembles Army Gun........ 504 Read Cleaned by Compressed Air................. 584 Rodents Classed as Vermin Replant Forests....... 500 Ruins, Ancient, Camera Discovers, by Frederick Ee i Lad he bos SOUEK s kash ie. gisceddegerses 502 Safe, Floating, Signals Sent by, if Shipwrecked.... 481 Sagebrush Reinforces Banks of Irrigation Canal... 566 School for Foreign Employes, Factory Has........ 525 Screw Threads, Gauging by Projection Method ee EP ay teat ape I: ioe emir anlar a Searchlight Gives Intensity with Small Arc........ 492 Seaweed, Ancient Fossilized, like Modern Plant. 598 Seeds for the World, by R. P. Crawford.......... 575 Shaft, 12 Mile, English Scientist Proposes........ 494 Shales will Supply Oil When Wells Go Dry, by W. Sp OS: ee err ea eaiaiel Coane i A, Cn Shell, German, Message Replaces Explosive in.... 530 Shell, Nonshattering, English Steel Mill Makes.. 547 Shell, Shoot through Coil to Gauge Velocity of.... 568 Ship, Oil Carrying, England Launches Largest. 572 Signs, Warning, Gatemen Replaced by............. 594 Skater, Ice, One-Legged Veteran Becomes........ 536 Ski Mounted Alaskan, Eskimo Dog Pulls.......... 589 Sound Register, Automatic, Measures Ocean Depth 541 Spark Plug, New, Short Circuits Impossible in.... 602 Spindle File, Arm on, Guards Paper............... 602 Sprinkler on Bridge Replaces Watering Cart........ 511 Steam Heat, Electric Meter for Patrons of........ 542 Steam Shovel, The (Poem), by Lydia M. D. O'Neil 602 Steamship Drifts Eight Days on Lake........... .. 584 Stockings, Lace, Worth Small Fortune............ 538 Stool, Tilting, for Surgeons..... 7 594 [Contents Continued on Page 6) Storage Battery, Outfit Reduces Care of Street, One Way, Fifth Avenue may Be........_. Submarine, *‘S-16,"” United States Navy Launches Suburb of Ottawa to Be Garden Spot...... Sugar Mill, Florida, Nears 150th Birthday.... Tank like Vacuum Bottle, Truck Carries Milk in Telegraph Office, Alternating Current Used in Telephone, Desk, Has Double Receiver... Telephone Directory Holder for Offices.... Theater Drop Curtain, Great Mirror to Be... Theater, Mexico’s New Steel Modern Type of.. Theater, Smallest, Ypsilanti, Mich., Has, by Robert H. Moulton Tornado Records of Kansas Studied......... Torpedo Plane, Navy’s First, Makes Trial Flight Town, Oregon, Offers Many Inducements to Manv- facturers Toy, Aeroplane, Flown like Kite.............. Toy, Electrical, Modern City Represented by Tractor, Instrument on Measures Drawbar Pull Tractors, Tests Required in Nebraska for. . Trail, Bright Angel, Federal Government to Buy Train, Armored, to Foil Mexican Bandits. . Bream Taste TrmetetBie cs <'s oss cee es “ —_ Bark, Eucalyptus, Valuable Fiber Obtained rom Trees, Dwarf Apple, Planted in Eastern Orchard Truck, Endless Tread Attachment on Frame of Truck, Odd, Large Shells Handled by.... Truck Turns Tractor to Save Wheat Crop Typewriter Ribbons, New Device Prepares Warehouse Collapse, How Averted......... Water Famine at Naval Station, Barges Used D5 i's bn deed, Wil 4? ace nhienen eed ane ; Water Heater, Electric, on Faucet...... Wheat Smut, Rotating Drum Removes... Wheelbarrow Tray Tilts to Dump Load........ Windmill, Weight Raised by, Operates Dynamo Window Display, Forest Scene Represented by Wireless, Government Returns to Private Owners Wireless, Interplanetary, Discussion Revived, Sm er rrr Wireless (Poem), b Wireless Receiver Takes All Wave Lengths. Wool, Artificial, New German Process for X-Ray Inspection, Air Craft Factory Adopts

SHOP NOTES Bee, Tow 06 TO, 3 ose nccsscdescave Acid Container, Nonspilling............. Aluminum Castings Tested by Weight Anvil, Small, Made from Steel Rai Automobile Drivirg, Fast, Cinder Banks Discourage Automobile Engine Manifolds, Replacing. Automobile Low Gear, Repair for...... “A Automobile Operates Tank Pump............ Automobile, Secret —- Switch for.... Automobile Trouble mp, Adjustable. Automobiles, Front Axle Stand for....... oh ii Automobiles, Teleohone Generator for Testing Barrel Chute Made of T-Rails................ Bees, Providing Pure Water for........... Buggy Tire, Homemade Puller for... Cement, Driving Nails in............... Check Raising, Typewriter Prevents Chimney, House, Invisible................ Chimney Pipe Hole, OD Ree e vel Chimney Stack Cleaned with Light Globe.... Chimney, Wire Netting NIN aos tiie ple Wiaatin wera, 6 Compression, Lost, Restoring............. +? Corral, Live Stock, Modern Construction of.. Crankshaft Bearings, Boring Machine for. . Delivery, Toy Wagons Used for Door Hanging, How to Test............. Engine, Exhaust Assists in Cooling.... Eye, How to Drop Medicine in......... Files, Old, Handy Tools Made from.... Fire Extinguisher, Ash Can as........ mens Furnace Cleaner, Bellows as............... Garden Tools, Homemade............ Gauge and Safety Valve, Combined...... Goggles, Carbon Tetrachloride Cleans... Grain Bag Holder Protects Bag......... Holes, Round, Made with Cold Chisel...... Home Builders, Hints for.........<4+:...--:: House, Portable Summer, How to Build... lig Makes Drill Self-Oiling..............--- athe Dogs, Driver for............. Lathe Tools, Rack for

590 583 556 597 529 558 579 582 525 502 . 595 by around Broom Handle 536 585 499 495 495 538 546 542

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Popular Mechanics Magazine REGISTERED IN U. &. PATENT OFFICE WRITTEN SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND IT Vol. 33 APRIL, 1920 No. 4 Floating Safe Sends Signals if Lost at Sea S ‘DING up a signal rocket every hour, flashing a light once in four 1utes, and sounding a loud horn every ne minutes, is the remarkable automatic erformance of a new floating ship's safe - registered mail, just adopted by the therlands postal service. All these proceed to happen as soon as the fe, by any misfortune, is lost at sea. ing apparatus begins to work a half hour later, or after any interval for which it has been set. Besides its ability to call for help, this curious seagoing vault is protected from unauthorized tampering, both on board ship and in the water. In its cradle, it is connected to the ship's dynamos, and a touch either starts a bell ringing or gives (he rockets go up periodically only for the meddler a severe shock. Afloat, its he first 12 hours, but the horn, sounding innermost door may be opened only with -a minute at a time, continues to op- a secret combination, and in special cases rate for three months. a small compartment may be so arranged The safe consists of a steel cylinder that if improperly opened its contents will ith hemispherical ends, buoyancy and ecurit y being ob- . ined by nesting \ ther cylinders within the outer casing. Normally it is carried n a cradle on the hip’s deck, always visible from the bridge. The cradle utomatically releases the safe if the ship inks, and the signal- The Safe Nested in Its Cradle on Shipboard, Visible from the Bridge and Protected from Interference by Connection to the Ship’s Dynamos PROTOS BY GILLIAMS SERVICE At the Left the Safe is Seen Afloat, Just as It Appears When Its Carrying Ship is Sinking, and the Cradle Automatically Releases Its Hold. At the Right, the Safe’s Interior Is Visible through Its One Round Door 4S1

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# iy MECHANICS be instantly destroyed and the rifler thus thwarted. Several sizes are made, a_ represen- tative model already in us being 13 ft. long and 61% ft. diameter, with a single roun opening of 28 in., having two or more covers. It carries a bras name plate for identification, and ] fixtures for hoisting it aboard ship. Because of its ingenious signaling equipment, the new safe, once afloat after shipwreck, is expected to prove a valuabk adjunct to life-saving. Its vari ous appeals by light and sound

a —— — ——— =“ A Close-Up

View at 2 are certain to attract the atten- ae the Safe in Its Cradle: jj i assing ips, < a oh i tion of passing ships, and th:

Across Long and 614 Feet in Diameter, and Has an Opening 28 Inches lifeboat crews have only to re- main in its vicinity ‘to be as- sured of ultimate rescue.

PHOTOS BY GILLIAMB SERVICE The Signaling Mechanism is Mounted on Top of the Safe, and Works Automatically When the Big Cylinder Is Afloat In its elemental capacity as a buoyant container discharged from a ship, the device bears an interesting relation to the on: described in this -magazine in January, 1917. The earlie: model, however, performed no spectacular signaling feats, but merely floated until it . was picked up or washed ashore Shipment of valuable.mail.in the new safe-keeping float has been marked by the issue-of a new ——= series of special. stamps. Th: safe is now used only between th« Netherlands and the. East Indies

YOSEMITE PARK ELEVATOR WILL HOIST VISITORS TO GLACIER HOTEL ISITORS to the Yosemite National Park in the mear future will not be compelled to Tremam on the floor of Yo- senrite Valley because of the dangerous roundabout trip to the summits of the cliffs-abeve. Instead they will enter an elevator, to be quickly hoisted through 3,164 ft. of solid granite, and step out on Glacier Point at an elevation of 7,214 ft. above sea level, according to an announce- ment recently made by the Federal di- rector of the national park service at Washington. In spite of the fact that Glacier Point is oné of the most majestic high places in all the world, very few of the countless thousands of visitors to*the national park have ever stood thereon. This is for the reason that the trip to it necessitates a climb up the face of the cliff over a stair- way cut in the rock, or a motor trip of 65 miles over a dangerous mountain road with grades up to 34 per cent that prac- tically wear out a complete set of tires. Because of fhe high elevation of this road it is blocked with snow during a large part of the year, making it possible to operate the Glacier Point hotel only dur- ing the summer months. The elevator service through the cliff will enable trav elers to reach Glacier Point quickly and easily, and at any time of the year. According to the director, this elevator was planned several years ago, but the actual construction was regarded as an almost impossible feat of engineering. The government, however, refused to abandon the idea, and recently closed a contract with a mining engineer for the construction of the shaft. Work is to be-

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TI > aa eer | 4 “GLACIER POINT HOTEL ' ELEVATION 7,214 FT. . ae .. || HALF DOME, j@j ABOVE SEA LEVEL) de || ELEVATION Ay Ks gehe || 8,857 FT.,OPPOSITE TRANCE T ae 3 GLACIER POINT ~-M ENTRANCE TO SHAFT en A j sues; Ne ‘ md oS I ———— ; LEN, € = | | wer SS \ 2 i i ; Ad ' q ELEVATOR | =~ 3,164-FT. HOTEL SHAFT THROUGH wer : SOLID GRANITE y | POWER HOUSE DEVELOPING HYDROELECTRIC | ENERGY FOR | ELEVATORS FROM MERCED RIVER | = Sea, 4 ee new | _ TUNNEL ENTRANCE TO SHAFT | ||MERCED RIVER lk J TUNNE L ENTRANCE ? of ‘ The Photograph Gives Some Conception of the Magnificent View of Yosemite Valley Obtained from the Cliff Top. Glacier Point Is a Half Mile to the Left, and is to be Made Accessible to All Visitors by Means of an Elevator Running in a Shaft Bored Vertically through 3,164 Feet of Solid Granite. The Upper Arrow Marks the Summit Entrance, and the Lower Arrow the Tunnel to the Bottom of the Shaft. The Diagram in the Corner Indicates the Work Involved, and Shows How the Elevator will be Operated by Power from the Merced River

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484 POPULAR gin at once, and it is expected that the elevator will be in actual operation within a year. The plan also calls for the erection of a power house near the foot of the shaft, where hydroelectric power will be developed from the Merced River for the operation of the lifts.

RADIO “BEACONS” MAY REPLACE LAMPS OF LIGHTHOUSES Gradual improvement of the radio com- , since it pass was described in this maga-

| , —- to ae * ~~

Smith’s Pcint Lighthouse, on Chesapeake Bay, One of the Stations Experimentally Equipped for Sending Guiding Signals to Ships by Wireless zine in January, 1912, has now brought it to the point where it threatens to dis- place the familiar guiding beacon of the lighthouse lamp. Kecent experiments in

On Shipboard: The Operator in the Center is Attend- ing the Rectangular Pivoted Coil of the Radio Com- pass, the Nearer Object Being the Usual Magnetic Compass MECHANICS Chesapeake Bay by government author ities have demonstrated that a ship equipped with the rotating receiving coil of the wireless direction finder can tak: its own bearings, and determine its prope: course, practically with as great accuracy as when guided by visible rays. Th signals are sent out from three shore sta tions, the transmitting apparatus working automatically every 30 seconds. The equipnient used very simple the ship’s receiving aerial consistin; merely of a coil on a rectangular frame which rotates on a vertical axle and ca: ries a pointer for laying off on a chart t! direction of the lighthouse from whic! the signal received. <A _ special fou: stage amplifier was used, and after mak ing corrections for interference by othe: objects on deck, the error was less tha: 14 mile in 50. The experiments wer so satisfactory that practical adoption o the system is regarded as a foregone con clusion. 1S 1S FOG AND CLOUDS MAY HINDER AERIAL MAP MAKERS London’s murky atmosphere is_ thx chief obstacle foreseen by airmen who propose to make a photographic map oi the world’s largest city in the near future The scheme involves the use of numerou airplanes, equipped with automatic cam eras. A series of pictures, taken while th: machines fly over the metropolis, will b fitted together to form the map. In mo localities, this idea could be put into effect without trouble on clear days, but in London there is seldom a time when thx air is entirely free from fog and cloud For this reason, it is expected that a larg: number of flights will be required to ob tain a complete collection of photographs MAURITIUS IN INDIAN OCEAN TO ELECTRIFY RAILWAYS Showing on most maps an incon spicuous dot in the Indian Ocean, just east of Madagascar, the island of Mau ritius nevertheless has 11. electrically lighted towns, some 120 miles of railway of standard gauge, and a plentiful supply of water power. The island’s prosperity has made practical the project of electrify ing its railroad system, and the power oi the Tamarin River alone is sufficient, it is estimated, to operate the lines and supply all the current needed for other purposes Materialization of the plan now awaits only a supply of the necessary equipment. as

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— «Ss ““=" GASOLINE DEPOT TO ROSS BARRIER YWSCOV ERY aby ~ Y . GLACIER / « LAID BY AIRPLANE MINNA BLUFF HUT POINT -ONTOUR FROM BAY OF WHALES TO SOUTH POLE SOUTH HEIGHTS SHOWN IN FEET ~ ~~ 1,070 ~~ ~~~ POLE 10,920 --~ 10,100 10,970 ~~~—@ {9475 07 . = poo ee GASOLINE -~ 8.250 0,260 SEA align de ie Ee ite DEPOT -~ R000 VELE 90-100 ISO 150 50 150 ~-. 150, 85 795 s0°S 6S 82°5 83°S 84°S 85°S 86°S 87S BBS aS 0S PHERE, LONDON OP YRIGHT BY THE NEW YORK HERALO The Largest Hut will be Erected at New Harbour, and Here the Land Party will Pass Five Sunless Winters the The Airplane will be Carried by the ‘‘Terra Nova’’ to the Bay of Whales, Whence It will Fly to Pole. The Sectional Diagram, below the Picture, Gives an Excellent Idea of the Climb Necessary if the Plane is to Gain the Level of the Vast Polar Plateau. Heights above Sea Level Are in Feet SOUTHWARD, HO! Airplane, Ship, and Sledges to Carry Explorers on Completest Survey of the Polar Continent By PAUL A. JENKINS Oe Antarctica, roof of the world, for Six years’ work, is shortly to sail the st completely outfitted polar expedi- on ever assembled. Alas for romance, \wever, its aim is not glory, but a com plete commercial survey of the white con- tinent and the encircling seas. The british Imperial Antarctic Expedition, as is called, is backed by great govern- mental, scientific, and financial interests, hich have raised $750,000 to insure its complete They believe that it will extend appreciably the commercial houndaries of Great Britain. Meeting, a ago, in London's historic House, representatives of the governments of Australia and New Zea- land, the British Air Ministry, the Royal Society of Great Britain, and other emi- nent scientific bodies, agreed that the em- pire stands to profit enormously from the capital invested in this expedition. To know why these sober statesmen and scientists are lending every support success. rew weeks Mansion to what may seem ture, one must know something of arctica, the seventh continent, wait the expedition’s tasks. Existing knowledge is meager, though a century and a half have been spent in its accu- mulation. First to circumnavigate the “Southern Ocean,” at any rate, was Cap- tain James Cook, whose cruise just before the American Revolution proved the nonexistence of the enormous, mythical land that long was thought to a mere Quixotic ven \nt- W here famous stretch northward from the pole, sur- passing in area all known lands com- bined. Following Cook's vovages came a century of fragmentary discoveries by whaling captains and adventuring ma- riners, and the recent exploits of Scott, Amundsen, Mawson, and Shackleton. As revealed to us, chiefly by these later explorers, the continent of Antarctica lies within a vast circle, with the South Pole as its center and a radius of about 1.400 miles. From the shore of this frigid 4X5

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486 POPULAR MECHANICS continent to Africa is about 2,400 miles; studded ice packs; in summer the relent- to Australia about 1,950; while the island ing barrier drops an innumerable litte: of Tierra del Fuego, below the tip of of bergs or “calves,” to use the whalers’ South America, is but 650 miles from the racy idiom, into the encircling seas, peninsula called West Antarctica. Cut- In Ross Sea, strangely enough, the bar- ting deep into opposite sides of Antarc-_ rier floats like a raft, its seaward edge tica, like the impressions of a pinchers, 400 miles long, and as many miles from lie Weddell Sea and, notably, Ross Sea, shore. In general, it is this omnipresent of which much will be read later. Blan- barrier that has made coastal explora keting Antarctica, except where pierced tion so difficult and inconclusive that to by rugged mountain ranges, lie endless day the map makers can indicate with glaciers, built up by unmelting snowfall certainty only 15 per cent of Antarctica’s through immemorial centuries. coast line. As if to repel the invading explorer, This brief description of Antarctica these sullen glaciers crawl in every direc- makes more intelligible the very prac- tion from the vast central plateau, easily tical problems which face this most elab the highest in the world, to the seas, where orate polar expedition. First of all, they form a precipitous barrier, some- cartographers want the coast line charted, times 10, oftener 150 ft. in height. and limits found for the great plateau on Against this ice wall, in win- which the South Pole is ter, grind the _ berg- 0 found. Then,they ask,does i. ws e— — = ———~ 7 —— —-+—____— The Magnitude of the Task That : Cenfronts the Expedition is Emphasized by Comparison of the Antarctic’s Known (Shaded) Areas with Its Unknown (Unshaded) Areas. The Broken Line from Wellington to New Harbour and Return Indicates the Terra Nova’s First Cruise. The Continuous Line Shows the Route of the Second Four Years’ Voyage for the Purpose of Establishing the Coastal Boundaries

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POPULAR MECHANICS 487 the mountain chain along the west coast of Ross Sea stretch unbroken across the continent, forming a continuation, except for 650 miles, of the South American Andes? Here, obviously, is work ir the expedition’s air- plane, of which, again, later. With the pocketbook in Britain wants to the extent of the manganese, gran- ite, marble, and ruby de- posits already located. Where, again, are the breeding places, the se- cret rendezvous of the whales, 12,000 of whom in a recent year yielded $10,000,000 worth of oil, glycerin, soap, margar- ine, fertilizer, and other by-products? Australia, New Zealand, and South \frica want Antarc- tica’s climate charted, that the meteorologists at home may trace the cyclones of the southern hemisphere from their inception. Scientists throughout the world, finally, are demanding informa- tion of electrical conditions near the pole, that they may found on established fact their intricate studies in terrestrial mag- netism. Some imagine the pole as hold- ing a clue to the origin of the mysterious “messages from Mars” that have lately been the subject of world-wide contro- versy. The leader of the expedition that is to make this most comprehensive survey of \ntarctica, is Mr. John L. Cope, a vet- eran of many campaigns beneath the Southern Cross. He was a member of Shackle- ton’s ill-fated expedition Oo! more 1 ation’s mind, know ( oal, 1914-17, serving as surgeon and biologist to the Ross Sea party, which laid food depots along the Ross Bar- rier in prepara- tion for the ex- pected transcontinental dash from Wed- dell Sea. For chief of his scientific staff, Mr. Cope has selected Capt. G. H. Wil- kins, second in command of the Steffans- son arctic expedition of 1913-17, and PHOTO BY CENTRAL NEWS SERVICE FROM THE SPHERE, LONDON, COPYRIGHT BY THE NEW YORK HERALT The Leader of the Expedition Is Mr. john L. Cope, Who Served as Biologist and Sur- geon on the Ill-Fated Venture of 1914-17 The Plane Pictured is Now Flying from England to Australia, ; at but Is Essentially Similar to the Polar Machine lately prominent as a contestant in the Kngland-Australia airplane contest. »ht as Captain Wilkins who will pilot the ex- pedition’s plane on the mapping flights and the flight to the pole. Sledg- ing operations of the largest shore party will be under the direction of Mr. Ernest whose name has, lik« wise, long been linked with polar enterprise. The ship chosen to bear the party to Ant arctica is the “Terra Nova,” a seasoned whaler whose wooden sides have withstood th¢ battering of many voy- ages within the circle. The vessel was first heard of when it went to Captain Scott's rescue in 1904. Admit ing then its strength and general layout, the captain later chose it to bear him southward in 1910 on the trip that won the pole but cost his life. But the “Terra Nova” of 1920 is to be even better adapted to her work than the ship of 1910. The coal-burn ing boiler and the compound engines that formerly turned the single propeller, in the absence of a sailing wind, are now replaced by an oil engine of 320 hp. Smaller oil engines will drive winches, bilge pumps, and lighting and wireless generators. The fuel, 275 tons of it, will be a nonfreezing kerosene, and will be carried in large tanks along the keelson. As the engines will often operate in temper- atures down to—45° F.,it has been decided to use the Joy ce, polar non freezing fuel in the cvlindet 1 jackets also. The liquid fuel + . will, of course, b« used f 00 k i n vg ind heating But est gain from this substitution of oil for coal, will be the in- crease in cruising radius by [ and a half times. The fitters are now busy, installation of two some tour ’ } also, with the telescoping wireless

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POPULAR MECHANICS GYRO COMPASS 5 k SEMAPHORE & CHART HOUSE “Y\MORSE LAMP (| SCIENTISTS’ Jitters’ baat ABORATORY \ OFFICERS CABINS SHOP

: <paemertyey || -ommanvdeR’s ae | \CABIN RUDDER can “ff RS 3 BE PARTIALLY {iim — ee WRN LIFTED

{ WATER-TIGHT WELL THROUGH BULKHEAD WHICH PROPELLER WAT ER- TIGHT WIRELESS, LIGHTING & MAY BE HAULED UP BULKHEAD EMERGENCY PUMPING ENGINES FROM THE SPHERE, LONDON coryric Shown in Sectional View, Above, Is the ‘‘Terra Nova,’’ Chosen to Bear the Expedition through the adeaeame Deck, Amidships. Four Water-Tight Bulkheads are being Built, Also, as It Is Certain That the Wrenching of the masts, which, when extended, will en- without an accident to persons or planes. able the expedition to keep in constant Each is propelled by two Rolls-Royce en touch with the stations of Australia and gines, measures 75 ft. in span, and makes the southern islands. Incidentally it will a top speed of about 100 miles an hour. ‘be possible to set these up at a shore The expedition’s plane has already been station. A smaller, but equally important purchased by Mr. Cope, and is now be addition to the “Terra Nova’s” equipment, ing remodeled to take a crew of four, in is the gyroscopic compass, which will be addition to provisions for a month, fuel valuable because unaffected by the ab- for 1,500 miles, and a sledge to which is normal magnetic conditions near the pole. strapped a tent, shovels, stoves, and other Finally, the carpenters are busy with the camping and photographic gear. Broad construction of a top deck over the skids or skis are being built to permit present well deck, making the “Terra landing and taking off from the snow Nova” a flush-deck craft, and hence bet- of the barrier and the inland plateau. ter fitted to shake off the mountainous Thus, splendidly equipped, the British seas that will often break over her. Imperial Antarctic Expedition will sail Beneath this new top deck will be from England in June of this year. Wel stored the mortised sections of the three’ lington, New Zealand, will be the last small huts and the one large hut. This port of call, and will be left behind in larger structure is to be a real home October. A thousand miles through the for the shore party at New Harbour, af- mingled waters of the Indian and Pacifx fording comforting contrast to the oceans will then bring the adventurers cramped hovel, measuring only 15 by 15 to the limit of the floating ice, and a day ft. in which Borschgrevink’s party of or two later, to Macquarie Island which ten in 1899-1900 passed the first winter will be surveyed in short order. Another ever spent by man on the seventh con- southward journey of the same length, tinent. Beneath this top deck, too, will through constantly thickening ice floes be carried the parts and spares of the’ will bring them to Scott Island, where airplane. This plane is to be one of the’ three scientists, with their hut, will be familiar “Kangaroos,” which have car- marooned for a year’s investigation. The ried thousands of passengers and parcels’ ship will now be in the midst of the between English cities in the last year, pack, ceaselessly dodging icebergs, and

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POPULAR MECHANICS ADDITIONAL DECK 7; NEWLY CONSTRUCTED ( CARPENTERS’ SHOP COOK'S GALLEY CAPSTAN ay oe et w= Tne _ TANKS CARRYING 275 WATER TANKS CHAIN LOCKER “TONS OF OIL FOR MAIN ENGINES, HEATING & COOKING WATER-TIGHT BULKHEAD x PLANE ii SEGUON aii eee — KITS, ETC mf RE Nice sla: &. A. BY THE NEW YORK HERALO SERVICE he tarctic Ice. It is being Converted into a Flush-Deck Vessel by the Addition of a New Deck over the Former Well Ice will Occasionally Open a Seam or Two. An Oil — will be Substituted for the Old Coal-Burning Boiler qa _——$$ — — — ee The “Terra Nova” Is a Small Ship, but a —_ would Often Find It ‘Impossible to Pick Its Way through the Pack, Which Oddly Resemblcs an Unsolved Jig-Saw Puzzle

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gudHds BHL WOUS A AONE ET ‘ SUaLvnd SASILN3I9S "8, SUIOI4 40 ONS 14100 9 SGNIM ino ONIid3a3»> YO4 JINGILSSA ASNOHLAN3d SYIANYNWOO -u09 INH 243 N3349S InoH ue SeIW OOT JO AWIOTIA & uleiY saw “2WOS JEU sSpsezzy_q eu Zulnp ny 3yy soYyIUy Oo} PAIIS IYSIY 343 3B Safqey sUL ‘Ing Wwopleag [TIM Aasyy ‘siaUIMA Buoy 324} Zulinp ‘ydIyYAA Wor pue ‘SIBSA BAY IOZ¥ BAIT [IM siss0[d “XQ 942 YIIYM UI Si9dzIeENH [eneled Ajaayeieducyd assay, jo uondes pooh eB 3UO SPAIN UOHeIISNII] siyy. ‘“peeds [ly WIM palquiessy aq [im JO SUOT}D9S 94} OS ‘1dAaMOP ‘APmMY syyUuOW Moy & A[UGC Aq []!M JOR}UIMPIPY S82] “ung ‘JOWWNSPI I}I1eJUY ayy Jo IUBIozy 243 18 ‘OSE6T ‘Jequis29q ul epeyw oq Alqe -qolid [[!® InoqieyMaNQ ie Burpue7y sy 490

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POPULAR often ramming the scattered floes which in a few months will cement themselves into a continuous mass. Antarctica’s “summer” months, it must be remem- bered, are November, December, January, and February. During this time the un- setting sun brings the mercury very near- ly to 30° F. This the explorers call “hot weather.” In the comparatively open waters of Ross Sea good speed will be made to New Harbour at the northern hmit of Ross Barrier. On this>historic ground, just a few miles from the huts built by Captain Scott -m 1902, by Lieutenant Shackleton in 1908, and by Captain Scott, again, in 1911, the expedition will land its largest shore party, with supplies for a year’s stay. These men will assemble the large hut, and.-establish themselves comfortably, anticipating the sunless win- ter soon to come, while the ship crosses McMurdo Sound, to Ross Island. Here, in the shelter of Mount Erebus, an active volcano towering 13,300 ft. above the sea, six men will be landed with supplies for a year. Three of these will study weather conditions and the breeding habits of the penguin, while: three ‘make their way to a central point on Ross Barrier, where they will attempt to spend the winter. Meanwhile, the “Terra’Nova” will have sailed atong the barrier’s 400-mile front to the Bay of Whates, where the air- plane. will be put together, and a start made, about Christnras Day, 1920, for the pale, 800 miles ‘to the south. A nonstop flight unfortunately will be impossible, as the tevel expanse of the barrier is terminated, 400 nnles to the south, by the mountainous escarpments of the central 2 6233% FT. MECHANICS 491 plateau. So, at the foot of Axel Heiberg Glacier, discovered and named by Amund- sen during his rush to the pole in 1911, will be established a depot of food and gasoline. Lightened in every possible way, the big plane will then rise from the barrier surface, make its spiral climb for altitude, and finally dart southward at 11,000 ft. If the plane comes to grief on the polar plateau, the crew of three, under Captain Wilkins, will attempt to draw their sledge back to the depot. On their return to the Bay of Whales the “Terra Nova” will pick them up, then cruise north at full speed, for the days will be growing short and the pack will be showing a desire to catch and hold the ship for the winter. Left at last to their own resources, the shore parties about the Ross Sea will busy themselves with the killing of seals for food and fuel, with the furnishing of their huts, with the installation of the scientific apparatus, and, in general, with the establishment of the winter routine. During the months of May to August the sun will not be seen, and the thermome- ter will hover regularly around —20°, —40°, and —60° F. But the scientists will have much to do. Air temperature, pres- sure, and relative humidity, wind velocity and direction, and all electrical phenome- na will be observed every other hour. Through cracks in the floe, the thickness of the sea ice will be measured daily, after a net has been lowered for a catch of the plant and animal life with which antarctic waters abound. Within each hut, all members of the party will take their turns at cooking, scrubbing, and standing guard. ANTARCTICA Antarctica is Justly Called the Roof of the World. This Diagram Pictures the Relative Average Heights of All the Great Land Masses except Australia, Which Is About the Same as Europe. The Height of Antarctica, at the Extreme Right, is Given as over 6,233 Feet: in Reality the Central Plateau Uniformly Exceeds 10,000 Feet . ery COPYRIGHT, MLUSTRATED LONDON NEWS

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492 POPULAR So the dark months will pass, until the returning sun permits sledging operations to start, in the middle of October. Then the geologists and biologists will fill their cases with specimens from the shore and the interior. About New Year's Day, this being the height of summer, the “Terra Nova” will reappear; the scat- tered parties will be returned to the cen- tral hut at New Harbour, and provisions for four years will be carried ashore. The “Terra Nova’ will then sail away again, this time on a four-year’s cruise around Antarctica, for the purpose of fixing the coast line, observing whale life, and col- lecting all possible information. The air- plane will be much used during these years for long flights into the mainland, HYBRID MOTOR VEHICLE BUILT FOR DELIVERY OF PACKAGES One of the most unusual automotive commercial vehicles to appear in recent MECHANICS the aerial camera being carried on such occasions for quick and accurate map making. The plane is expected to prove valuable, too, for the transportation of supplies to parties sent inland from the ship. The “Terra Nova” will, of course be locked in the pack ice every winter but probably far enough from shore to escape the annihilation which overtook Shackleton’s “Endurance” in 1915, In the early summer of 1925, if everything goes well, the “Terra Nova” will reach New Harbour once more, take aboard the long-exiled scientists with their precious reports and specimen cases, and sail north for Wellington, which should be reached in February, the year. following IMPROVED SEARCHLIGHT GIVES INTENSITY WITH SMALL ARC Recent refinements in the arc system of the 60-in. searchiight used by the U. S Army make it possible to PYR The Proximity of the Rear Wheels, and the Single Tubular Connection between Power Unit and Package Box, Are Two Noteworthy Features of This Peculiar Commercial Car, Recently Exhibited in London years is a British light-weight model lately exhibited at London. The load is car- ried in a box placed between two wheels. Pushing the box, and connected to it by a single tubular frame member, is a single- cylinder power unit. On either side of the cylinder are the driving wheels, scarcely a foot apart. The chauffeur’s saddle, starting pedals, and steering wheel are fixed to the intermediate the tubular frame member. section of @Striking farm hands in the Argentine Republic have to their discredit a new form of sabotage. They have been burn- ing the wheat stacks of the proprietors by means of sun glasses placed at night. GHT, WE obtain a compact beam of high intensity with trodes only “Ae and % in in diameter. The amper age used is 150 to 160, at 80 volts. The special com position electrodes are coated to reduce oxida tion, and the larger posi tive is rotated to maintain an unbroken crater. The arc is inserted in the searchlight through a rear window, and the operator observes it by means of a ground-glass screen marked to indicate the proper crater position the image being formed by a tiny lens system, a prism, and a mirror. A copper apron above the crater shields the projection mirror from the tongue of the are. To assure the lowest possible resistance, the connectors are of silver. elec ERN NEWSPAPER UNION SALT-MINE CAVERN IS SCENE OF MOTION-PICTURE SHOW Appreciating the educational value of the motion-picture screen, the owner of a Michigan salt mine recently arranged in collaboration with a local accident- prevention bureau, a thoroughly novel “movie” show. The reels, screen pro- jector, and operator, were lowered on a “skip” to a central cavern, a quarter ot

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POPULAR MECHANICS Instruction in Accident Prevention Was the Purpose of This Motion-Picture Performance, Held in the Heart of a Michigan Salt Mine mile below the surface. Here, while lie miners gathered from the distant workings, the operator raised his screen on a crude frame, and connected his pro- jector to the mine’s electric circuit. When the entire force had assembled, the pro- jector unreeled the warning gospel of ‘Safety First.” No music accompanied the performance; instead was heard the whirring of the projecting machine, curi ously magnified to a roar by the encircling walls of salt. +1 nd nr SS = es _— BIG FLOATING SALVAGE DOCK LAUNCHED AT GERMAN YARD Having mined and torpedoed a large percentage of the world’s ships, it now seems that Germany is preparing to sal vage as many as possible, at the u rates. As evidence we have the photo- graph of a floating dock that recently left the ways at Kiel. The structure con- sists, in general, of two groups of ho like pontoons, whose tops are | held in Germany’s Newest Floating Salvage Dock: Harging from the Pulleys along the Inner Edges of the Upright Pontoons are Seen the Heavy Cables Which are Passed beneath the Sunken Vessel

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494 POPULAR rigid connection by lattice girders lo salvage a sunken ship, the dock is towed to the spot, and the filled and lowered on either side of the vessel. Chains are then passed beneath the ship, pontoons the pontoons are emptied, and the vessel brought to the surface. MOTOR “SCOOTERS” IMPROVED AS CAR’S POPULARITY GROWS England’s growing interest in the mo- tor “scooter” has resulted in the develop- ment of several models affording all the Accessibility of Controls and All Engine Accessories, and Physical Comfort for the Rider have been Provided in the Design of This Newest “Scooter” motor- scooters 1S conveniences of the light-weight cycle. One of the latest notable for a number of features, among them a horizontal engine, with the mag- neto in line with the single cylinder, direct chain drive to the rear wheel, a strong tubular frame, and a motorcycle saddle. Having this saddle to sit upon, the rider can cover long distances in comfort. The rider stood continuously, it will be remem- bered, on the first scooters, which appeared only a few months ago. USE ALTERNATING CURRENT FOR TELEGRAPH OFFICE For ordinary working a French tele- graph office has managed to dispense with the troublesome battery cells commonly used, by substituting a three-cathode mer- cury rectifier, taking current through star-connected transformers from a three- phase alternating-current line. A storage battery is connected between the trans- former neutral and the rectifier cathode and is slowly charged, becoming available for emergency use. Any voltage drop, or reversal at the rectifier, actuates an automatic cut-out and flashes a red lamp, enabling the attendant to prepare an auxiliary battery if necessitated by long- continued trouble. MECHANICS TWELVE-MILE SHAFT PROPOSED BY ENGLISH SCIENTIST What earth’s surface is a explained by solved so lies a few miles underneath the mystery, indefinitel various theories, but un far as actual subterranean ex ploration is concerned, for the deepest shaft in existence is only slightly mor than a mile and a half in depth. Seek ing an answer to this puzzling question an eminent English engineer proposes to obtain practical information by digging 12-mile shaft, for which he has draw complete plans. In the latter, provisior is made for regulating atmospheric pre sure in the lower portions of the exca vation by the installation of locks at in tervals of two or three miles, and there is described a somewhat complicated d vice for removing heated air from thi same sections. It is believed possible that such a shaft would tap a reservoir of high pressure steam, or lead to the of valuable mineral deposits. discove ry ADJUSTABLE SAND PUMP HAS INTERCHANGEABLE PARTS Contractors working ona seawall along the Gulf coast have developed a type o1 rotary pump for sand and gravel in which are incorporated a number of improve ments. By,turning the drum between th side plates, the direction of discharge may be set at any angle desired. A renewabl portion inside the casing takes all the wear of the discharge, which becomes ex- cessive when working with semisolid ma- terials. The sides and drum are readily removed and interchanged or renewed New Form of Rotary Pump for Sand and Gravel, with Parts Interchangeable and Renewable for Wear and the shaft is made the same at both ends, so that it can be reversed to reduce wear. Ball bearings take up end thrust.

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PERHAPS MARS IS SIGNALING EARTH Receipt of Strange Wireless Waves Revives Interest in Interplanetary Communication By PAUL H. 1) RING the latter part of January, \larconi commercial-wireless stations New York and London reported the eceipt of certain strange and undecipher- The only character at al! cognizable was a three-dot unit re- bling the Morse letter “S.” Compari- records established the fact that vo’ Stations, though thousands of part, heard the signals simultane- ly, and with equal power, and that the ves, if such they were, had a regu- of form that dismissed at once the iral explanation of a static or meteorik origin. Further- signals. i WOODRUFF of the astrophysical observatory of the Smithsonian Institution. His criticism of Mars 1s that its temperature is as much as 100° lower than earth's, making it dificult to believe that creatures of the universal carbon-and-water constituency could move and have their being there Venus’ thermometer, on the contrary, stands at about 180°, because of its neat ness to the sun, but this condition is tem- pered by a perpetual cloak of clouds fending off the hot rays and making hab tation possible. Chis same cloud screen, how r, prevents accurate knowledge of more, the queer pulses were haracterized by extraordinary By JOSEPHINE the planet’s sut face Venus at WIRELESS times ap- proaches to P *"EABOD c L. PEABODY within 25,000,000 ive length Reprinted from Popular Mechanics Magazine for miles of earth, 100,000 =meters a while Mars nd were heard This is a marvel of the universe: never comes ll onlv be- To fling a thought across a stretch of sky closer than 335. cause the receiv a Some weighty message, or a yearning cry, (i 10,0 ) miles. stations hap pene d to be tuned to. that ength at the time The wave ength ordinarily sed tor com- mercial work does not exceed ) 24,000 meters. stone \fter pains- ] taking study of It matters not; the elements rehearse Man’s urgent utterance, The spacious heav’ns like homing birds that fly Unswervingly, until, upreached on high, A quickened hand plucks off the message terse. Toward this man moved since first with whetted He carved strange symbols on the cavern wall, And proudly turned unto his watching mate Through this in travail do his offspring groai Toward an ideal’s love-fraught, imperious call That bids the spheres become articulat astronomer ind will not b so near as that until 1924, Without Cx pressing prefe1 ence for either of earth's celes- and his words travers tial neighbors, Sir Frank W. Dyson, British roy al, sees noth hese conditions (ughelmo Marconi, unquestionably an uthority on wireless, gave. it as his pinion that the signals originated at me point outside the earth, and might gnify attempts by the inhabitants of other planets to communicate with this me.“ At once the scientists of all coun- tries became involved in a _ discussion illy more astronomical than electrical ir few questioned the power of wireless ives to cross the void of space between his world and others. The inevitable di- vision of opinion took triangular form its three points represented by a consider- able group who believe the planet. Mars inhabited; by some who prefer to center their hopes upon Venus, and by a few who deny the existence of life on any world but this. \mong the supporters of the Venus theory is Dr. Charles G. Abbot, director ing incongruous in the report of possible signals from out- side regions, and says, indeed, that it is quite conceivable such signals are re- ceived here. Just what form the signs might take, and how they would be re ceived, is naturally a matter more for the consideration of wireless experts than of astronomers. The secretary of the Roval \stronomical Society of Great Britain, W. H. Wesley, on the other hand, giv« it as the view of many contemporaneous istronomers that there are no intelligent beings on other planets. Prof. Albert Einstein, famous for his theories, views the occasion from a still different angle. Though quoted as be lieving in life on other stations of the solar system, he thinks any serious at- tempt of the Martians or Venusians to signal earth would utilize light rays rather than electric waves, because of the greater 495

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496 ease of control. Therefore the Marconi signals, in his estimation, have some other explanation. Two of Italy’s scientists express ex- actly opposite views, not only about the strange signals, but on the whole subject of interplanetary communication. Father Alfani of Florence, director of the Xi1- menian observatory, professes an attitude of scorn for the entire controversy. Prof. Domenico Argentieri of Rome, on the contrary, urges careful and persistent ob- servation for further phenomena. He considers the character of the signals received strong evidence of their intelli- gent source. So much for the astronomers and physicists. Electrical engineers and ex- perts present a similarly divided front in the discussion. Thomas A. Edison, al- POPULAR MECHANICS probable to be fairly reckoned with Comment on the subject by Dr. Charles P. Steinmetz takes quite a practical turn That messages could be sent to Mars du; ing its closest approach he holds assur and though the idea is highly speculatiy. : it is no more so than many of the mode: utilities were 50 years ago. Application intense as that which won the war woul " sf at any rate, settle the controversy on way or the other. Concentration of al the electric power in the country at o1 point, the construction of a power ho covering hundreds of acres and of tower: 1,000 ft. high, and the stringing of heavy antenna cables halfway across the conti nent might accomplish it, at a cost of pe: haps $1,000,000,000. The 100,000-met wave length of the received signals would be quite sufficient, he says, to cross t — intervening space, and about what might be ex ' pected in interplaneta: communication. Signal either way would have be by dot and dash, b cause no other system | ' possible in telegraphy so the three dots receiv by Marconi might some unknown Marti character. A careful record of all such sign received in the unusu wave length, noting t! relative strength at di ferent positions of th: planet, would soon « tablish a certainty as their source. And ol! , course a_ repetition ol similar signals or chat acters would prove an intelligent origin. A few years of observatio One of the Huge Searchlights, with 60-Inch Reflector, Suggested as Suit- able for Signaling to Mars: The Proposal Is to Form a Compact Bank of 120 or More of These 1,000,000,000-Candlepower Lamps, Throwing a Practically Parallel Beam of 120,000,000,000 Candlepower would be adequate to di cide these points. The wireless chief o! ways among the first to be consulted on such matters, asserts that the sending power available on earth could easily transmit messages to Mars, and assuming the Martians to be at least of equal in- telligence, their messages would reach earth with equal ease. But the idea that an advanced state of culture prevails on that island of space is purely fanciful, built upon, the fact that the planet is older than earth. The language and habit of thought used, if any, would have been developed in ways so different from those terrestrial that success in communication would depend upon coincidences, too im- the French army at Paris, General Ferri: reports that no unusual sounds have been > heard at the Eiffel Tower station. HH: doubts the ability of earth stations to transmit to Mars, or indeed beyond th: : upper strata of atmosphere, but does not deny that Martian stations might accom , plish what earth stations cannot, at pres ent. When all the important station: here receive simultaneously a _ definite group of signals, then all, even the skep tics, will bend their energies to solving the mystery. And Commander R. L. Mc Connell, U. S. radio-supply officer at the New York Navy Yard, takes a similar

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POPULAR MECHANICS 197 ttitude. To signal _ lights, of the kind e earth, with wire- 3 used by the U. S ss apparatus such army, sending forth ; ours, Mars would a combined ray of have to build a sta- at least 120,000,000,- tion as large as the 000 cp. These lamps one described by have a candlepower Doctor Steinmetz. of 1,000,000,000 each, Vhether that has and the beam they heen done is, of throw has a diver course, a matter gence of 1°, due to only of conjecture. the arc crater. At The next develop- the distance of ment of earth-sta- Mars, the be am ending may be from 120 lamps terplanetary, but would be about paratus is not 1,000,000 miles wide. ready for it. Allowing for 20 per But a number of . cent absorption of ientific workers light by earth’s at- re not. satisfied 4 mosphere, and five ith the policy of 5 per cent for the iting evolution. scantier air of Mars, hey want to at- 1 the light reaching mpt at once to an- F the planet would be wer the strange equal to one candle ignals, or at least a if? &, That » send some test 2 should be sufficient igns of their own. cy for reception by in lor this project a telligent Martian number of interest- observers. It is as- ing suggestions are ; serted that the heing put forth. ; requisite number of One proposed by ; lamps is already in iImer \. Sperry es : government storage, ind Preston R. Bas- 2 } ge and in four to six ett has the double £ | months’ work could merit of requiring > | ¢ 4 ht be set up, occupying : he least time and about one city ; t wane =e — Thee, MONA Rc j ’ : expense, and agree- ii ' ih} block. At the aver- ing with the com- i ; ; j age rate of five cents ment of Professor ; : i } 1 kw.-hr., the entire Einstein. Briefly, ; H current necessary the plan is to group "| 4 | | ; 2,000 kw., would together a total of fe ft : cost but $100 an 120 or more high- aT i hour. It might even intensity search- \ Be % | ' ; be possible, by a ag a AMGEN oo peo ere oe sae t 2 9 RR no rhe Proposed Arrangement of at Least 120 Searchlights in Bank would Project a Beam of Light Which would Be 1,000,000 Miles j;Wide at the Distance of Mars, and Have the Power of One Candle at 130 Feet, Sufficient for Observation by the Martians

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498 POPULAR MECHANICS Sir Oliver Lodge’s Simple Suggestion Is to Form a Gigantic Geometrical Figure on the Surface of the Sahara Desert, Which would Be Visible to a Martian Observer through a Telescope as Powerful as Those Used on Earth. magnification of the system described in this magazine last December, to send actual conversation over the beam; but there would be no reason to suppose the Martians could interpret it. Another investigator, however, Prof. Clarence E. Ferree of Bryn Mawr, has other figures for the necessary strength of the light beam. By comparing the point of most distant visibility of a candle with the distance to Mars, he arrives at .the enormous sum of 766,000,000,000,000 cp., allowing for various errors and losses. This computation would necessitate some hundreds of thousands of searchlights. Sir Oliver Lodge contributes to the discussion a proposal of remarkable sim- plicity and logic. Geometry, he declares, is a Science of the universe. A geometri- cal figure of gigantic size, inscribed upon the surface of the Sahara Desert, would be both visible and intelligible to the Mar- tians, and would doubtless induce them to attempt an answering sign of some kind. Whether it would be possible by this means ultimately to work out a code for actual communication is a complex problem, upon which no suggestions have been made. Since earth is presumably observed from other planets when the sun is shitting upon it, and therefore appears as a bright star in the Martian heavens, the figure on the desert might be made of a dead black or light-absorbent sub- stance, appearing then as an “earth spot” of definite character. It would be Understood as a Sign Because Geometry Is a Science of the Universe Perhaps the most extraordinary sugges- tion of all is that of Dr. George De Bothezat, Russian scientist and member of the advisory committee on military aeronautics, now conducting air tests near Dayton, Ohio. He proposes to build a plane with a double-walled body, like a gigantic vacuum bottle. In this snug con- tainer the passengers would be insulated from the cold of interplanetary space and the heat of atmospheric friction, and could enjoy their oxygen in comfort. In- stead of a screw propeller, useless in space, the queer plane would be driven by a jet of gas through a scientifically de- signed nozzle at the rear, as recently de- signed in France. Once beyond the at- mosphere, the speed would increase enor- mously, and the trip to Mars or Venus would take but a few days. Within this generation, the inventor believes, inter- planetary travel will become a fact—and the people of the most highly developed planet will make the journey first. And even now a volunteer passenger is ready: Capt. Claude R. Collins of Philadelphia offers to make the trip, after communica- tion has actually been established, and an empty plane or rocket has been landed on the other planet, as a preliminary. The initial communication with another world, if that event ever occurs, is likely to be of the most primitive type; merely a sign and an answering sign. But even that achievement would virtually open an entirely new science, and give the solar

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POPULAR MECHANICS 499 ystem a completely different aspect. “hat the possibility of such a result is ot regarded as wholly fantastic is dem- mstrated by the standing offer of the rench Academy of Sciences, of a prize $20,000 for the most suitable means of i sign to a heavenly body and ing an answer Mean hile, (G;ughelmo Marconi is juietly searching for the source of the trange sounds that startled the world. f the previous failure of his stations, nd others, to hear the signals been due to their un- isual wave length, it ill be a relatively mple matter to rrange tor the detection A Vacuum-Bottle Airplane, Propelled bya Jet of Gas like a Rocket, and with a Double Walled Fuselage to Insulate the Occupants from the Cold of Space, is Proposed by a Russian Scientist, Who Says It would Reach Mars in a Few Days of any further disturbances of similar character, by day or night So confident is the wireless man of further developments that he ha already innounced the probability of a further report in a short time. WIRELESS CONTROL RETURNED TO PRIVATE OWNERS All the wireless stations and systems that were taken over by the government in April, 1917, and have remained under military control during the war, were re turned to their owners at midnight February 29, by executive order. Phe wartime restrictions are now removed, and private radio installations of all kinds are subject only to the regulations in force before the United States entered the great conflict.

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500 POPULAR MECHANICS CAN NOW OPERATE PAINLESSLY ON CONSCIOUS PATIENT The development of an anesthetic which produces total and general insensi- COPYRIGHT, UNDERWOOD & UNDERWOOD As the New Ether Compound is Inhaled, the Cat Loses All Sensibility to Pain, Though Retaining Full Consciousness Otherwise bility to pain without loss of conscious- ness, even without nausea, is the claim made by a large eastern concern. The new gas is said to be so decidedly harm- less that a sufferer may now walk into an operating room, himself apply the mask to his face, observe the amputation of a finger, for instance, and shortly walk out again, little shaken by his experience. As a matter of fact, this thing already has been done, with the exception that the gas was administered by a_ professional. Teeth are filled, nerves killed, wounds sewed, abscesses treated, etc., in this way with even greater facility. The new gas is said to be ordinary ether, which has been highly refined, and to which has been added certain gases whose nature jis not revealed. RODENTS CLASSED AS VERMIN HELP REPLANT FORESTS Indiscriminate and immoderate killing of the small animals classed as rodents and regarded as vermin is condemned by the director of a western forestry-experi- ment station. Observation gives evidence, he declares, that these little creatures, while responsible for a certain amount of destruction, are really helpful in the work of reforestation. A large percentage of the regrowth on burned areas sprouts from the seeds and nuts carefully hidden away by squirrels, mice, and chipmunks. FLOOD COVERS BIG AMERICAN AUTO PARK AT COBLENZ To the miseries man has lately con- trived for himself, ironic nature recently added in France and Germany the hard- ship of widespread midwinter floods. Hundreds of small streams, and many of the larger, including the Seine, the Rhone, and the Rhine, left their banks and inun- dated the countryside. Among the towns to suffer was Coblenz, of American memo- ries. And of particular interest to Amer- icans was the flooding of Lutzel auto park, not far from the heart of the city. Here were parked hundreds of American motor trucks. The flood covered them all. These American Army Trucks were Submerged When the River Rhine Rose Recently and Flooded Many Parts of Coblenz, Including the Great Auto Park. All of the Trucks were Damaged, and Some Made Worthless by the Immersion a

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{ POPULAR MECHANICS 501 ¢ ~ aa oe cel ee | ae eed Se a ——_ emnenniiatt aie eat awl on — seine en | = cy: | When the Fortunes of the Chase Necessitate the Crossing of This Broad Stream, the Members of a Well- Known Virginia Fox-Hunting Club Make Use of Rafts, Reserved for the Purpose. Above are Seen the *‘Huntsman,” as He is Properly Styled, with His Two ‘‘Whippers-In,”’ and a Part of the Pack. The Hounds’ Anticipatory Eagerness Makes an Amusing Study for the Dog Fancier FOX HUNTERS AND PACK CROSS STREAM ON RAFTS ew regions of Europe and the Amer- have proved congenial for the old and jorful English sport of fox hunting. ‘nly in the southern and eastern United states has fox hunting flourished, outside the British Isles, in anything like the tra- itional style. Here, in southern Penn- ylvania, Maryland, and Virginia, the na- ire of the country has favored the es- tablishment of many clubs, several of hem organized in colonial days. And rom Virginia comes the interesting pho- tograph on this page. With regard to the zroup's seemingly incongruous setting, it explained that the fox was to be found” this day on land separated from the clubhouse by a broad, sluggish stream. Xaits were necessary, in consequence, to rear the pack and the members of the hunt to the chosen spot. In the picture shown the vanguard, consisting of the ‘arlet-coated “huntsman,” with his two whippers-in,” and a few of the hounds. € To reduce fire danger, by making quick ommunication possible between patrol stations, 400 miles of telephone lines will he installed in Canadian timber lands. GERM-KILLING AIR INJECTED INTO NOSE BY NEW DEVICE Self-administered remedial or preven- tive treatment for diseases of the nose and throat is made possible by a simple instrument now available. A nickelplated cylinder, containing a roll of cotton gauze, and having attached to it three short tubes, composes the device. By pouring a few drops of a specially pre- pared germicidal oil on the gauze, insert- ing two of the tubes in the nostrils, and the third in the mouth, medicated air can be blown into the nasal cavity by the user of the contrivance. A New Medicated Inhaler: Seen in Use at the Left, and in Detail with Its Case at the Right. Two Tubes Are for the Nostrils, One for the Mouth

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502 POPULAR DRUM ROTATED IN HOT WATER TAKES SMUT OUT OF WHEAT Wheat smut may be eradicated by hot- water treatment, and the only difficulty is At the Left, Emptying the Treated Wheat Out of the Drum into a agon; at the Right, Filling the Drum from Bags before Hoisting It into the Tanks in the Background the labor of bathing the grain. An In- diana county agent has greatly simplified the process by arranging a galvanized-iron drum of 5-bu. capacity, on a horizontal shaft, so that it can be lowered into a water tank. After soaking for five hours in cold water, the wheat is placed in the drum and bathed for one minute in wa- ter at 120° F. Then it is lifted out, the water heated to 129,° and the bath re- sumed for 10 minutes. After partial dry- ing, the swollen grain is planted with an oat drill. Farms using wheat so treated show a crop improvement of 11.1 per cent. @ Installation of libraries on all ships of the United States merchant marine, and in all coast-guard stations and lighthouses, is an item of the comprehensive plan re- cently announced by the American Li- brary Association. MECHANICS MESOPOTAMIAN RAILWAY LINK FROM BAGDAD TO BUSRAH Completion of the last link of 164 miles between Hilla and Ur Junction, on the Eu- phrates River in Mesopo- tamia, gives a through railroad route of 352 miles between Bagdad and Busrah. Work: on this link has progressed at the rate of 1% miles aday. The new line is of 3934 in., or meter gauge, necessitating the conver sion of the 58-mile link from Hilla to Bagdad, which was standard gauge, by moving one rail. At first one train a day will run over the route, with a passenger schedule of 28 hours and a freight schedule of about 48. After the installation of modern rolling stock, a 12-hour running time may become possible. The line taps a particularly fertile and pro- ductive region south of Bagdad. ELECTRICITY, NOT EXPLOSIVES. LIKELY TO WIN NEXT WAR That the use of high explosives in mod ern warfare has about reached the end of its development, is the opinion of a French inventor of one powerful com- pound of that nature. Neither can poi- sonous gases, it is indicated, be made much more dangerous than were those contrived in the World War. Flying mechanisms of various types promise much greater menace, and it is probable that any new developments in scientific warfare visible in the next international disagreement will be electrical in their na- ture. Electricity’s use in the last war was relatively small. CAMERA’S EYE DISCOVERS ANCIENT RUINS By FREDERICK KINNEY TRANGE secrets of antiquity, tucked away in a cavern high up on the face of an unscalable precipice, and only sur- mised even with the aid of powerful glasses, have just been discovered and re- corded for study by an extraordinary use of modern photographic methods. The find, which has delighted archzologists, consists of an entire community of pre- historic dwellings, preserved from injury by their very inaccessibility. The cliff in whose unexplored caverns these an- cient troglodytes had their homes rises a sheer 3,000 ft. from the floor of Zion Cafion, in southern Utah. To add to the interest of the event, the

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The Ruins as They Ap- ired in the Photo- phic Enlargement 4 covery was ractically acci- ntal. Distances long in the nountain parks, nd the photog- rapher, seeking cenic leatures, rmed himself with a telephoto camera of the type developed by war. needs. rom another cliff, three quar- ters of a_ mile way, the mys- terious cave re- vealed to the eye nly a faint out- line of possible i An ex- posure was made, but when it was ce veloped, it was found that even the great mag- nifying power of the telescopic lens left the image mall for analysis. So an enlargement was made, and from that another, and so on until the final print represented four successive steps to greater size. On this, the city of prehistoric days became dis- tinctly visible in all its detail. Arche- ologists viewed it, found in it new knowl- edge of forgotten ages, and proceeded to construct, with its guidance, complete clay models of the original troglodyte ruins, ¢ at the Right. The Arrow the View Indicates the too Above Is the Picture Taken by the Telephoto Camera Seen POPULAR MECHANICS: a in Ruins 903 - - - ag F's With This as a Guide, the Archzologists Con- structed Clay Models dwellings in the isolated cavern. Attempts to reach it have taken the _ ex plorers within 200 ft. of the en trance, by way ol a huge shale slide at the foot of th cliff. Beyond that point no one has yet found way to go, for whatever paths the cliff dwell- ers used have disap. peared. Scientists, however, hope to contrive a way.

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504 POPULAR STIPPLING PEN FOR ARTISTS RUNS BY CLOCKWORK The stippling process, by which artists laboriously produce delightful half-tone effects, has been “labor-saved.” <A Lon-

With This Machine the Artist’s Pen Automatically Produces Stipple Effects. The Pen is Operated through a Flexible Shaft by a Spring-Driven Mech- anism in the Box don inventor has devised a stippling pen operated by a flexible shaft from clock- work in a box, and so long as the spring is kept wound the stipple action is wholly mechanical. Any desired grade of pen point may be inserted. ROTATION OF CELL SPEEDS UP ELECTROCHEMICAL ANALYSIS Electrical deposition, as used for chem- ical analysis, is rather a slow process, but may be speeded up considerably by con- stant agitation of the electrolyte. In a new form of apparatus this is accom- plished by rotating the containing cells, using a 4e-hp. electric motor for that

MECHANICS

purpose. Little power is required, and the tiny motor is adequate for several units. Special methods of wiring, and of fastening the electrodes are employed, and the speed of rotation is about 500 r.p.m. With this equipment, four amperes of current for 30 to 40 minutes, in tests, gave a total deposit of .035 oz. of copper or brass alloy. NEW SPORTING RIFLE RESEMBLES ARMY GUN \ new .22-caliber bolt-action magazine rifle, with which remarkable records have already been made at Sea Girt and Cald- well, is to be placed on the market, ac- cording to announcement, some time thig spring. The gun’s characteristic most talked of at these national competitions was its resemblance to the regulation U. S. Army service rifle. As the proportions are similar, and the action essentially the same, the military rifleman or cadet is able to practice at reduced ranges, yet under conditions that simulate regular work with the army weapon. To the well-known army model, how- ever, have been added a number of inter- esting features. The magazine, for either five or 10 shots, is thrust into the bottom of the receiver, as in an army pistol. To eject the magazine, one presses a con venient button. The rear sight is worth remark, also. It is of the aperture-peep type, and is placed as far as possible to the rear of the receiver, thus promoting accuracy by increasing the distance .be- tween sights. The rear sight may be ad- justed in total darkness, finally, as each turn of the thumbscrew is announced by a sharp clicking noise. Otherwise, the sight resembles that of the army rifle.

The Detailed View, at This PhotographwasSnavped at the Competition in Which the New Rifle Made Its Rec- ord, Scoring 36 Consecutive S| the Right, Shows How + the Rear Sight has been Placed as Far to the Rear as Possible

Bull’s-Eyes at 200 Yards

The Similarity of the New Rifle and the Regulation Army Gun is Suggested Above. The Rifle Fires Either the .22 Short or the .22 Long Cartridge, from Either a Five or Ten-Shot Magazine

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POPULAR The Discharge End of the Water-Sealed Annealing Furnace is Seen Above. ‘oils of Copper Wire through the Gas-Heated Furnace, from Left to Right. Vhich the Coils are Seen Emerging, Exclude Outside Air, and So Prevent Oxidation or A} Wi AIR KEPT OUT OF ANNEALING FURNACE BY WATER SEALS For the “bright annealing” of copper wire has been developed an interesting gas-heated muffle furnace from which all \ir is excluded by a clever use of water ils. The function of the furnace 1s clear when it is explained that the process of drawing wire hardens the copper, in- creases its tensile strength, and lowers conductivity. After drawing is com- pleted, in consequence, copper wire which to have the highest conductivity is nnealed, or softened by heating. And, if a workmanlike job is to be done, the heating must be effected without the presence of air, which would oxidize, or discolor, the metal. So the new furnace is made air-tight by immersing the en- trance and discharge ends in several feet of water. When a batch of wire is to be bright annealed” the coils are laid on a conveyor belt which carries them into and out of the first water seal, through the gas-heated chambers of the furnace, and finally through the second seal, whence they emerge as bright as new pennies. @ The color cards of American dyes, is- ued by an association of textile interests, have now been adopted as standard by a number of domestic industries, schools, libraries, and institutions, indicating a constantly increasing strength of position for the American art. MECHANICS The Conveyor Belt Carries the The Water Seals, from One of Discoloration MOTORCYCLE IS EQUIPPED FOR FRESH-EGG DELIVERY As a delivery vehicle the sidecar- equipped motorcycle has been employed in the cities for many years and has proved highly efficient in this capacity, but its adoption by the farmer for the same purpose is a comparatively recent development. An English poultryman was among the first to recognize the util ity of the machine in his business. With it, he transports fresh eggs to market, quickly and safely, carrying the product in divided trays, which slide into the front of a specially designed sidecar body. Pro- tective mats, placed on top of the trays, prevent breakage when rough roads are traversed. ————EE BY COURTESY OF THE MOTOR CYCLE, LONDON Transporting Eggs to Market by Motorcycle: An English Poultryman Employs the Machine, Which is Designed Especially for the Purpose

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+ —— ST COMMENT «4»? REVIEW. } [These pages were printed February 24, 1920] Y i | > | AS’ a winter sun was beginning to relent with the approach of spring, there | passed away in Washington an American who had written our Nation's name in letters of eternal frost on tablets of crystal ice; and having thus achieved a world’s ambition of centuries, he left the Stars and Siripes roudly floating in the unutterable solitude of the North | The Power ole. Almost a thousand years before Admiral Peary made | of his first venture into the northern polar field, other '| | Purpose adventurous spirits had answered to that same resistless . call to come and learn what the great white waste had to tell. For 500 years after the first settlement in Iceland, exploration ceased, and then it awoke courageous men of many countries, who tried each to carry the light of civilization into the long night. The heritage was ||| handed down through 300 years of active exploration in which each new effort sought to advance the line if only a few miles. Of their trials, sufferings, and disappointments these fearless men said but little; often it remained for rescue parties to bring back the account of how’they bravely died for a great hope which still lived. As a young -civil engineer in the Navy, Peary had joined in making the || survey and plans for the Nicaragua Canal, and revealed his mechanical ability through the invention of a rolling lock gate. It was in 1886, at the age of 31, that he made his first venture into the great snow empire, and there he found a determination to continue the search until the goal was reached. Eight expedi- tions there were in all; with each came added experience of how to reach the ||| pole, and the greater intensity of purpose to do it. It was the last trip, that of 1908, that crowned his efforts, and on April 6, 1909, with his negro servant and four Esquimos who had accompanied him on the last section of the journey, he '|| reached the pole, and the quest of centuries was ended. His is an inspiring example, that of undaunted courage and continued effort after repeated hardships and many narrow escapes from death. In years agone others had started out with hopes as high as his, some with even greater confi- dence in their success. As each expedition left the ship, and perhaps escape behind, he could not have been unmindful of the fate of the more than 700 valiant men who in years past had perished in the same attempt. If departed spirits have influence over mortal mind, one can well picture this noble army of 700 pointing relentlessly toward the North whenever the obstacles were so gréat as to tempt a looking backward, even in the moment of greatest physical weakness. His ambition was to win a great honor for his country, and to maintain that wonderful tradition of heroism and self-sacrifice which will shine throughout the longest, darkest polar nights of all time. ; The discovery of the North Pole was never a thing to be capitalized; for years men had ceased to expect to find there mines of gold or mountains of | jewels; it was rather an adventure sacred to science, and a monument to the indomitable spirit of a conqueror and his country. Fatherless at the age of three, he was a worker all his life; he fought his way up step by step; he did not seek the easy path; he earned each promotion which came to him. Not all our young men need go to a north pole to be of service to country or science, but the same kind of effort which he displayed will bring them also great success even though their names do not shine, as will his, in the Hall of Fame. == DURING the latter part of the past winter New England suffered from an almost unprecedented series of snowstorms, of which three followed in quick succession. Before it was possible to recover from one storm the next appeared until, at the end of the third, city streets were impass- able in the greater part of five states. Among the blockaded Get the cities was Worcester, Mass., where traffic of any kind was WwW unable to move. Even the fire department was confined to its ; orcester stations; and if it had succeeded in turning out, the hydrants Spirit were lost in drifts which had frozen into hills of ice with the cold wave which followed a short rain. No such condition had existed in the memory of the oldest citizen. With the labor available to be employed it would have taken weeks to get relief. + — -— —— i+)

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508 POPULAR MECHANICS

Then the mayor called for 10,000 volunteers, men and boys, to offer their ) services without pay, and dig the city out from this avalanche from the skies. The response was prompt; he not only got his 10,000, but other thousands. Dignified bankers, professional men, merchants, employes in stores, offices, and factories, the university students, and the high-school boys; in fact every able- bodied male turned out. Every truck and team in town—miles of them— appeared in a great snow-fighting army. The endeavor of each seemed to be, not how little, but how much he could do. The organization had been quickly but well planned. There was no lost motion; there were no jealousies as to who was getting the most credit. At frequent intervals the hot-coffee wagons made their rounds, while the snow and ice steadily disappeared like a young wheat field before a cloud of grasshoppers. It was a weary army when the task was completed at sundown; there were thousands of lame backs and arms; hands more accustomed to the pen than the pick, were blistered and bleeding, but the Worcester spirit was undaunted. No need for curfew to ring that night; the theaters and streets were deserted; the “early to bed” was universally observed, but it was a glorious day. Aside from all advantages of restoring the commercial activities of a great city there was the immeasurably gréater advantage which comes from the indi- vidual consciousness of having done one’s part toward the common good, and the satisfaction of sharing and demonstrating civic duty and civic pride. By the time these lines can be read the grass will be getting green in the Worcester parks, and the event will almost be forgotten, but through months and years will the lesson taught and learned by this event continue to live in the minds of its citizens, with a new-born public spirit and pride in their city; an asset worth many times the cost in mere dollars of removing the work of twenty snowstorms. 1) O[c)

W It the exception of some politicians and a minority of the railway em- ployes, few desire the continued operation of our railroads by the Govern- ment. Before these pages reach our readers the railroads will undoubtedly have been turned back to their owners. The experiment, which | has been both costly and very unsatisfactory, may ulti- The mately, however, be worth the cost, as a demonstration Government of how not to do it. It is to be hoped the country at large : , may receive at least this much benefit. Looking back, it is in Business dificult to see in what single respect the taking over of . the railroads, which was done under the excuse of a war ' mecessity, has accomplished any advantage over what the railroads would themselves have furnished if left alone. Our railroad system was the most perfect in the world, and had been so for years. To this country came the railroad builders and managers of every country that had a railroad, or wanted one, to learn. Our traffic service, both freight and passenger, was the marvel of shippers and travelers in all lands. All the Government has ever had to do since the Civil War was to name its requirements to a railroad manager and nothing was permitted to have precedence. In fact, on the day the roads were taken over, the railroads had so filled the docks and switch yards of our Atlantic ports there was scarcely room for another freight car. At no time since has the Government been able to do as much for itself, in the same number of days. There is only one thing the Government was able to accomplish which the roads had not done, and that was the pooling system, which the roads did not do because Federal restrictions had imposed the most drastic penalties against pooling. From the first day, business and travel suffered inexpressible losses. While we were in the war the public uttered no complaint; it was supposed to be neces- sary and therefore patriotic, and the public endured cheerfully. With the actual ending of the war 15 months ago, relief was promised, but even today both freight and passenger service is incomparably inferior to pre-war conditions. Freight takes from two to three times as long in transit; it is almost impossible to trace a lost car: nobody knows and nobody seems to care much. The alleged “public be.damned” of 30 years ago was a de-luxe service to what we have had the past year. The polite and painstaking employe of former days has for the most part absorbed a general spirit of ind‘fference into which the Government employe so easily drifts. You and I both know pronounced exceptions to this rule, but in the

oo - — —<4)41

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POPULAR MECHANICS 509 ee | main the indictment is correct. It is the inevitable result of employes having no immediate “boss” to hold them true to form. The same would soon be true of any corporation or factory, if its chief management were a thousand miles away and no one on the job with authority to act. As soon as Government takes control of anything, it immediately becomes enmeshed in red tape, and red tape is un- speakably expensive. The direct, short cut to results, the act of initiative which doés the necessary thing, without waiting days for the O. K. of some far-away official whose desk pigeonholes are already bulging, is impossible. No matter what the importance, it must wait official sanction from some bureau which works short hours and has numerous holidays and sick leaves. As an example of former railroad efficiency, I remember making a business call on the late George B. Harris, then president of the C., B. & Q. R. R. He sat very straight in a low- backed chair at a plain table, on the other side of which were three similar chairs. Upon the table was a plain inkstand, a pen, and a blotter. This was his entire office equipment, but he did things, and did them “‘now.”’ The traveling public probably never rode in as.many cold sleepers and filthy day coaches, nor rode as many miles standing in the aisles, in all the past 20 years as it has the past 12 months. Never were so many worn-out locomotives in service, or out of repair; never so many bad-order freight cars; and never so great a demand with a corresponding short supply. The morale has not suffered to quite the same extent, thanks to long years of training, but that is on the down grade, too. And for all this inefficiency, in peace time, the Government admits a loss of something like $700,000,000 for the past 12 months. If necessary repairs had been made, this amount would be several times the amount stated. There are some things, admittedly, which the Federal Government can alone do, effectively. But enforcement of national law, and operation or even direction, of national business, is quite another. The National Defense, the National Health, and similar functions will have to be administered by the Government. These will be expensive but are unavoid- able. But it should stop there and let Business run itself with only the fewest and absolutely necessary restrictions. The demonstration of the Government trying to run the railroads should be sufficient to satisfy and convince the most radical exponent of the Government in business, and if we are willing to learn, once for all, from the costly lesson of the Railroad Administration, the billions it has cost may, in the end, prove to have been not a total loss. H. H. WINDSOR ) | = ~~ +» — THIRTY-MILE RIVER ROUTE USED BY RURAL MAIL The most picturesque rural : mail route in Oregon is a 30-mile stretch of the Rogue River, which empties into the Pacific near the Sstate’s southern boundary. A motorboat is the carrier’s “mail wagon,” and in it he makes the f0-mile journey every other day. Wooden uprights at the river's edge hold the mail boxes, into which the carrier can often throw the letter or paper without stop- ping his craft. To make this nonstop delivery possible the year around, the carrier’s clientele obligingly move the posts farther into the stream during summer- The Motorboat, Seen Above on the Waters of the Rogue River, time’s low water, and back again Oregon, Is in the Service of the Post Office Department. Every : ss , ° Other Day the Aquatic Postman Delivers the Mail n th during the floods of spring. River's Mouth to a Point 30 ‘Miles — a

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510 POPULAR ONE NUT HOLDS IN PLACE NEW DEMOUNTABLE RIM A demountable rim that is fixed to the automobile wheel single by the adjustment of a is a recent invention shortly to be promoted by in eastern organ ization. Lo obtain this facile but cer- nut tain binding ac- tion, the inventor has slotted the wheel felloes, and provided the in- ner circumference of the rim with -orrespond- ing projections. lo put on a tire, the motorist places the rim on the wheel, and simply moves one upon the other, to right or left. In this engaged position he locks the two by means of a clip which slips over a bolt projecting from the held by a single nut wheel. The clip is MOTOR TRUCK TURNS TRACTOR TO SAVE WHEAT CROP Cooperation dealer of Topeka, Kan., and a perplexed farmer of a near-by township last au- tumn saved, at the eleventh hour, 66 acres of wheat that had been given up for lost. Storms had badly tangled the now ma- ture crop. Worst of all, tractors were unprocurable, horses were scarce, and the few available animals could work in the between a motor-truck MECHANICS intense heat but a few hours at a time. As the farmer, with circumstances thus against him, was preparing to write the crop off as a dead loss, the truck dealer made his generous offer. It was accepted. The dealer’s two-ton truck was hitched to the farmer’s nine-foot binder, and the matted wheat was harvested in time. record AERIAL CIRCUIT OF ATLANTIC GAINS ATTENTION OF AIRMEN To approximately 400 aeronautical clubs of the Americas, Europe, and the British Isles, has been referred for their approval a plan for an aerial circuit of the Atlantic Ocean. Tentative’ rules drawn up by the Contest Committee of the Aero Club of America are rather similar to the rules governing the pre- posed race around the world, providing that either airplanes or dirigibles may be used, that a competitor will be penalized if he travels by other than air craft for more than 15 per cent of the total dis tance, etc. The itinerary calls for a start from New York or Atlantic City, and stops at Cuba, Venezuela, Brazil, Africa Portugal, France, England, Sweden, Nor way, Greenland, and Newfoundland. @ Aboard the ocean liner “Imperator,” on its recent departure from Southampton, England, for New York City, was a small branch of a London-city bank. This first experiment in transatlantic banking was made necessary by present complications of intérnational exchange. It is proving itself a great convenience to passengers aS. Be SPD TS i. Te Aase * = we i : ‘ oe ( = ov The Improvised Tractor is Starting, Above, on Its Unusual Task. The Two-Ton Truck was Offered by a City Dealer, as, with Tractors and Horses Unavailable, the Farmer was Reconciling Himself to the Loss of With Skid Chains on the Rear Wheels the Truck Pulled the Binder Easily 66 Acres of Fine Kansas Wheat.

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POPULAR MECHANICS ; rhe Bottles were Decapped, Then Placed Upside Down in the Rack. Gurgling from the Containers, the Beer Flowed wed down the Troughs to the Sewer Manhole at the Extreme Right. The 86,000 Bottles Emptied on This Day Represented Only a Fraction of the Number Confiscated by the Unsleeping Police Force of Zion City INTERCEPTED BEER RUNS DOWN SUBURBAN SEWER Xtymologists suggest that the word comes from the Hebrew syllable wing “to be dry.” This derivation will robably recéive popular approval when becomes known that 86,000 bottles of eer, a fluid of considerable antiquarian lue, were recently emptied into a sewer Zion City, Ill. The bottles were the ruit of a vigorous campaign waged by cal sleuths against the many smugglers 10 attempted to carry the forbidden irgo, in auto trucks and by night, from imid Milwaukee to arid FRENCH BATTLE-FIELD HOTELS SOON TO OPEN FOR TOURISTS he tourist who contemplates a trip to french battle fields will soon be able to ret all needful information at New York, london, Paris, and almost every other cap- tal city, if present plans of the French yvernment are carried out. Arriving at llavre, Bordeaux, Chicago. Marseilles, or other rench port, the tourist will be supplied vith more detailed information concern- ng trains and excursions. Some of these trips will carry him to prominent resorts most will take him to large hotels, now building, in the hearts of the various bat- tle areas. Radiating from these hotels as centers will run well organized bus and iuto lines. PIPE SPRINKLER ON BRIDGE ELIMINATES WATERING CART That the wooden floor of the bridge over the Mississippi between St. Louis and Venice, Ill., may be kept wet during the summer, without the use of a traffic- blocking water cart, there has been in stalled a novel sprinkler system. A four inch pipe has been laid behind and above the outer guard timber of each roadway Along the 7,000-ft. length of each of these mains have been inserted 14 valves, each 1dmitting water to 500 ft. of 1%-in. sprin- kler pipe. Jets from the nozzles in these This View along the Roadway of the Long Bridge between St. Louis and Venice, Illinois, Shows the Wooden Floor, and the New Sprinkler System In- stalled to Flush It during the Summer pipes are so crossed that every bit of the floor surface is covered.

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rf, From the Dome of the State Capitol, One Sees the Open-Air ‘Theater nd the City Library, as Above. Adjoining the Theater and Facing the Library, is Soon to Stand an Art Museum. \t the Spot Indicated y the Tip of the Flag- le:s Some Day to Rise Denver’sGreat City Hall Greek Theater. Benches. Pageants, or may be Filled with Chairs to Accommodate an Au ience. The Acoustic Properties of the Stage have been Found to Be Excellent, Making Band Concerts Particularly Enjoyable -_— Ls : y — «Zz > _| -—eeee ——— CLS oe cate The Rear of the Col- onnade of Civic Bene- factors is Pictured at the Teft. Glancing Thus across the Stzge, in the Fall of 1920, One will See in the Distance the Civic Center’s Monumental Gateway, Similar in Design and Dimensions to tke Pres- ent Colonnade The Colonnade of Civic Benefactors Furnishes a Classic Background for the Around the Theater’s Circular Sides Rise Tiers of Concrete The Central Space before and below the Stage Is Suitable for

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o14 POPULAR MECHANICS This Classic Edifice will be Remembered as the French Building, by Those Who Visited the International Exposition of 1915. CALIFORNIA’S WAR MEMORIAL TO RESEMBLE FAMOUS PALACE A magnificent memorial to California men who fought in the World War is shortly to be the gift of a family prom- inent in the affairs of the state. It is to take the form of a classic temple, 256 ft. wide and 349 ft. long, costing $500,000, and located on an elevation that commands a splendid view of San Francisco and the contiguous waters. The building will serve as the city’s largest museum of the fine arts. In design, the structure will be an exact duplicate of the French build- ing of the Panama-Pacific Exposition, i : a ge ee 7 Panama-Pacifi An Exact Duplicate of Tnis Structure will be Erected in San Francisco as California’s Memorial to Its Soldiers and Sailors of the World War which, in turn, was a replica of the his toric headquarters of the Legion of Honor. Incidentally, this choice of de sign appears to have pleased the French government, as it has announced its inten tion of donating 80 paintings as a nucleu for a French exhibit. PRIMITIVE METHODS EMPLOYED BY HERRING SMOKERS . Born over a century ago, the smoked herring industry is now one of the most importanc on the northeastern coast, though the methods used in preparing the product for market have undergon« > ore * a Oe ee = - “ pe 7 a Neveres, af ater ore MOL Gs cot rere . h x 4 ~ : be Go gsd ee taht PO Ee Preparation of Smoked Herring: In the Picture, the Fish are being Dried; Later the Wooden Horses will be M oved into the Smokeheuse, Which can be Seen on the Left, and Cured over a Damp-Wood Fire

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POPULAR few changes since the first plant began: operations. Men, women, and boys are employed in the smokehouses, which are large frame buildings, located on the wharves where fishing boats discharge their cargoes. Immediately after the her- ring are unloaded, they are strung on long, pointed sticks, each one of which holds from 25 to 35 fish. Approximately 1.000 of these skewers can be filled in a lav by the average worker. The loaded SUBMERGED INDUCTION CABLE STEERS SHIPS TO HARBOR ringing a ship into harbor in a heavy yy is a risky undertaking, even with the sest of helmsmen Ordinary caution yunsels delay, and the am mount of time habitual- lost by this cause ts ormous. Sound waves (a--- iwht in the air are 4 holly unreliable guides, inyone knows who has n for a train going the way. But sound ives registered by sen- ive and adjustable one 4 GENERATORS itl- iments have quite e——— ‘ther character. \ ly devised induc- on system now makes possible for a pilot to ick his ship’s way into [nr ; ort in perfect safety ‘\I Berrven. en though blindfolded. Che secret of the novel mprovement just. dis- losed in the two submarine cables, or n some cases only one laid along the bottom of the channel traversed by i| 1\ \- coIL lies use ot he ships. Through this thle system flows con- tinuously an alternating current of a frequency within the range of audi- bility—say, 500 to 1,000 cy cles a second. Each vessel is fitted with two coils of wire, one at each side, their windings par- lel with the keel. As long as the vessel is reasonably near the sub- merged cable, tiny currents are induced in the coils, pass through an ampli- her, and then go to the pilot's telephone. When two cables are used, different fre- quencies are employed, the higher tone for » «* SOO-CYCLE NOTE FOR OUTBOUND VESSELS + | ’ ED — nc00n0 LEFT-HAND Outgoing Ships, Guided by Induction from the Cables on In the Center Is the Wiring Diagram of Coils and Switch. the Cable Cross Section Shows MECHANICS 515 sticks: are dipped into brine, and: then placed on wooden horses, where they are allowed to remain in the open air until the fish are dry enough to be placed in the smokehouse. Damp _ wood 1s burned in the latter. When the curing process has been completed, the herring are pack ‘ld in boxes. In some cases, the skins, heads, tails, and bones are removed before the commodity is considered ready for shipment. incoming and the lower for outgoing ships. A switch enables the coils to be connected alternately in circuit, that the pilot knows exactly whether he is on the right, the left, or directly the cable. In the c of cable, he SO over ase a single DOUBLE CABLE —_— 1O00-CYCLE NOTE FOR INCOMING VESSELS GROUNDED SINGLE CABLE ES a ee OVTBOUND = c ~———-_> + 2 TO RECEIVING . > APPARATUS ee f 1” . J } RIGHT - HAND com -*\) The Plan Diagram at the Top Indicates the Course of Incoming and the Bottom At the Bottom, adiating Waves Affecting the Ship’s Coils simply keeps to the right coming in, and to the left going out, by comparing the induced sounds of the two coils. Guide | by these characteristic tones, his cou: along the proper channel is assured.

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516 TWO PURPOSES SERVED BY NEW LIGHTING FIXTURE Ingeniously combined in a single at- tractive lighting fixture, now being manu- western electrical-supply factured by a Cor bination Chandelier and Reading Lamp: A Con- ceal.d Reel, Operaied by a Spring, Hoids the Cord of the Adjustable Center Light company, are a chandelier, suitable for illuminating a room, and a convenient reading lamp. Four shaded lights are ar- ranged underneath an ornamental plate, which is suspended by chains. A long cord, wound on a concealed spring-operated reel, is attached to the central light, which can be drawn down to a point directly over a desk or table. POPULAR MECHANICS CELLULOSE CONTENT OF FIBER FOUND WITH NEW SOLVENT A new solvent for cellulose, discovered in a western-university laboratory, opens an unexplored avenue of investigation, by making it possible to gauge the amount of cellulose contained in various fibers. Great quantities of this material are now lost in wood waste and straw. Studies of the complex chemistry of this widely distributed substance are now being made, and a hydrocellulose has been tormed, by treating cellulose to a process of de- composition, which is found to be mor sensitive to chemical reaction than ordi nary forms. The great value of many present combinations of cellulose, as in explosives, films, alcohols, and artificial leathers and _ silks, interesting possibilities in the new work. suggests ILLUMINATED PYRAMID OF ICE BUILT FOR CARNIVAL Patterned after Egypt’s famous tombs, but constructed with the building ma- terial of the Eskimo, a pyramid of ice, erected at Saranac Lake, N. Y., as a decoration for this year’s Adirondack Midwinter Carnival, was a beautiful sight at night, when a collection of electric bulbs, inclosed by its crystal walls, were put into operation. Shining through the translucent sides of the novel structure, the lamps illuminated it from base to apex, producing an effect both pleasing and unusual. The blocks of ice utilized by the builders of the pyramid were lifted into place with an improvised hoist, operated by a team of horses, and laid in the same manner as brick or stone. Ice Pyramid at Saranac Lake, New York: Inside the Structure were Placed Electric Lamps, with Which It was Illuminated at Night. The Hoist Used by the Builders is Shown at the Left. On the Right the Pyramid is Shown as It Appeared after a Snowstorm

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TRACTOR TESTING REQUIRED IN NEBRASKA a = ” e Tractor at the Right is Undergoing ot Field Tests at the Nebraska Rating Station. e Chassis at the Left Mounts a Big Electric Generator cts, not promises, will be studied tractor can stand up under a continuous after by the Nebraska farmer who load The maximum drawbar-horse- preparing to buy a tractor. For the power test consists of a series of 50-ft. te has decreed that all tractor types runs, the load being increased each time } » be sold within its boundaries must until the engine is palpably overloaded. undergo official tests to determine For the performance of these and the ir actual ratings. Reports of these other tests, the state has laid out a test- ts will be at the disposal of the pros- ing field, with a cinder track, and on one ctive purchaser, » will thus be bled to make an ligent choice. cessary buildings machinery have | side, the brick test building. In the building is located the 150-hp. dyna mometer to which the tractor engine been com- is connected by a ed by the state, belt for the brake few prelim- horsepower tests ry tests run last Drawbar tests on nter. With the the field are given ng of spring, ypes and makes tractors in local e will be rated. n all, nine tests given in. the ourse of the rching examina- of these a pical few will be entioned., The ral by means of a tra tor chassis upon which is mounted in electric genera- tor, which replaces the engine and is driven by the chas- sis wheels. Chassis and tractor are con nected by a trac- tion dynamometer which recor¢ drawbar pull, dis- tance, and time elapsed. Much time ; ce horsepower, rated speed and th corresponding tuel consumption, is determined in ee and thought has the test building The Dynamometer, Shown with Its Switchboard and been spent by ex- fas oe £ 7 Other Instruments, is Used in Tests of the Tractor ‘rte of » tate’ iter a run of two Engines Submitted for Examination pert of the tates urs. The draw- experiment station “ae 5 PF , ar-horsepower test, at rated load, will on the design of this chassis and dyna- run for 10 hours over a half-mile cin- mometer, as fully half of the many tests der track; this will show whether the’ are given on the field with this equipment 517

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HURRICANE BRINGS PARALYZING SNOW BLOCKADES TOF TMGNT UNDERWOSE © UNDERW OSE Pictured on This Page ny Three of the Methods Em. ployed for the Removal of Snowdrifts from the Streets of New York City after Feb- rwary’s Disastrous Three-Day Blizzard. The Snow Melter at the Left, Carrying 1,800 Gallons of Crude Oil, Washed the Streets with Streams of Flame. Oil is Forced from the Nozzles in Front of the \ Shield by Compressed Air } SS he ’ rr Q ~=* : a a Terrible in War, the Army Flame Throwers Sent from Edgewood Arsenal, Maryland, Made Not the Slightest Impression on the Snow. An Officer and Two Men of the Detail are Shown, Above, in Central Park at the Start of the Experiment —_ — $$ Here, below the Operator’s Seat, are Seen the Two Conveyor Belts. Pushing into the Snowdrifts at 7 death mene Five to Ten Miles an Hour, the Ma- __, This Machine Did the Work of Hundreds of _ chine Delivered 10 Cubic Yards Men. Picked Up by Conveyor Belts, the Snow Every 30 Seconds. A Single Engine Passes to a Bin, Whence It is Dumped into Supplies Power for All Operations Auto Trucks, a Load at a Time

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AND UNEXPECTED DISASTERS TO ATLANTIC COAST + ape ag Fk Sant fey? 3 : , “J Damage to Fishing Piers and Boat Houses Was General along the At- | lantic Coast. A Surprise, However, Was the Partial Destruction, I! us- — trated Above, of the New Sea Wall ‘tn Longport, a Suburb of Atlantic City — on — — This Photograph, Taken a Few Days before the Tempest, Pictures a Com- pleted Portion of the Wall. The Con- cave Front Is Noteworthy. The Total Cost was to have Been in the Neighborhood of $350,000 ae. a wo a e > Though, in the Main, the Reinforced Concrete Withstood Successfully the Assaults of the Waves, Destruction of Some Sections Was Complete. The Section Pictured was Torn into Fragments Averaging 10 to 15 Feet in Length

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520 TOOLS GROUPED CONVENIENTLY IN NEW DENTAL APPARATUS Use of a new and rather elaborate piece of dental apparatus, now on the market, — enables the den- The New Dental Ap a Wall Panel, Above. Side of the Box, in Are the Mouth Lamp . Pneumatic Syringe, } paratus is Screwed to @ Hanging from the ed} Readiness for Use and Mirror, the and the Drill ‘thing fans purposes Winter storage of the big commonly used for ventil POPULAR MECHANICS tist to. work quickly and with a minimum of lost motion. The apparatus consists of a wall bracket, and a double-hinged arm that swings over the recumbent patient At the arm’s end is borne a small box in which are mounted heating coils and the drill motor, and from which hang the drill, the electric mouth lamp and mirror and a hot or cold-air syringe. These in struments are controlled by switches and HINGES PERMIT FOLDING OF FAN BLADES levers beneath the box. On top of the box rest a tumbler, and two atomize: which may be connected to the com pressed-air hose of the pneumatic syring: iq FRENCH RAILROADS IN AFRICA PLANNED ON LARGE SCALE Irench plans for new railroad lines in \frica call for an expenditure of $800,000, 000 in the next 15 years on 18,000 miles of track. Algerian and Moroccan lines will first be extended, followed by a line across the desert to Lake Chad and the Niger River. The system will be completed by lines between Marrakesh and Dakar on the west coast, from Abeshr to El Obeid connecting with the Egyptian Sudan sys tem, and from Zemio to Stanleyville, the Belgian Congo, and to Port Flo: ence, connecting with the Cape-to-Cairo lines All these will be fed by variou branch lines. presents a problem that annoys annual the engineers of the larger hotels. 1 a problem no long bothers one of these met however He has ha the long blades of eac! fan sawed through neat the hub, then had th parts reunited by mean f hinges of his own in ention. FEach hinge ha 1 thumbscrew adjust ment that permits tl blade to extend in not inal, horizontal position to be tilted at a slight . horizontal folded the finally, to be ingle to By Sawing through the Oe Then Uniting the Parts OF, i with the Newly Invented Hinges the Ceiling Fan is Made hack vertically. With all Quickly Adjustable to Any of the Positions Shown. The +] blades i hi last Normal Position is Seen at the Upper Left. At the Upper the plaaes m Chis tas Right the Thumbscrews are be ing Tightened for the position and with an or- Second Blade Position, Which Distributes the Air over al bbs Ir: a Larger Area The Blades have been Folded Back, namenta yak drawn at the Lower Left, and the Lower Right. The Kept during the Summer Vertical Shaft, as Seen ered for the Winter, at Proof Cover, or Bag, is Small Box, Fixed to the the Two Upper Pictures neatly over them, the fan is neither unsightly nor exposed to the dust in cold weather.

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eal eee w on the Main Street of Hibbing, Minnesota, the Substantial Brildings of Which are to be Moved toa New Main Street in a New Hibbing, South of the Present Site, to Make Way for a Huge Open- Pit Iron Mine: The City’s Present Site Overlies an Immensely Rich Ore Bed | MMOBILITY, as the word is ordi- the most powerful of all levers, the force narily understood, is only relative after of gold. Archimedes, in the exuberance of The city of Hibbing, Minn., stands di- ; discovery of the lever, offered to move rectly upon one of the richest deposits of he world if only a fulcrum were pro-_ iron ore in the whole Mesaba region. On led. When a city has reached the dig-_ three sides of it, east, west and north, the ty of more than 10,000 population, with huge open-pit mines of red hematite ibstantial brick buildings and a street- creep closer and closer, as their great 360- ir line, and all the other customary ap- ton steam shovels, biting off 16 tons of irtenances of municipal enterprise, it is ore at each sweep, nibble away at the habit to regard it as a fixture, without earth. Now impatient industry will wait itting any further thought on the matter. no longer for the good steel-mill food t even a solid city can be moved by _ that lies under the main street, and under Ceneral View of a Part of the New Hibbing, South of the Old City, Which is Constantly Growing Larger as the Structures of the.Old Town are Moved Piecemeal to the New Locations Prepared for Them

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| One of the Big Iron Mines That has ) j = TOTS Te SIN EF © - P ~~ oe ee ans . Part of the Work of Pre. \ goes New Hibbing for the eception of Its Exiled Neighbor Consisted of Re- moving a Huge Dump of Strippings from the Open- Pit Mines Which Bisected the Site and Separated Two Sections of the Town been Creeping Up on the City, Which Now Fuirly Stands on the Brink of the Pit: The Ore That Lies in the Direction of the City Is Partjcularly | Rich in Iron \ } re New Hibbing has been Getting Ready for Its Guest for Some Time, and ha Already Provided This Big El-ctric-Power and Cen- tral-Heating Plant to Take Care of the Enlarged Com- munity, at a Cost of Some $900,000 The Future Main Street of New Hibbing, for All Its Frontier Appearance, Begins to Show Signs of Establishment. Some Permanent Structures Are Already in Place, and Contracts have been Let for a Number of Office Buildings, Mine Headquarters, and Other Civic Features

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One of the Enormous Steam Shovels That will be Used to lear Away the Last Vestige the City of Hibbing, to ret at the Ore Underneath. rhe Shovel Weighs 360 Tons. ; Dipper Has a Capacity f Eight Cubic Yards, and lakes Up 16 Tons of Ore 1 Single Dip. It Cuts to Depth of 40 Feet below Its k, and Its Width of Ac- without Changing Its Position, Is 165 Feet Two-Story Structures Moving Steadily South- vard Are No Novelty n the Hibbing District, ind Not Much ofa Burden for the Big Steam Trac- rs Used, Practically Road Locomotives with Endless-Chain Treads rhe Pretty | Little Park in the. Center of Hibbing is Laid Out on a Rich Bed of Iron Ore, Which Lies Just under the Sur- face. Since the Park cannot be Moved, It is Doomed to De- struction When the Shovels Start pasion lll a The Movement of Houses and Other Buildings over the Highway from Hib- bing to New Hibbing has Become Almost a Pro- cession. The General Exodus is Scheduled for Next Summer, but the Forehanded Members of the Population are Get ting Away before the Rush

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ov POPULAR the city hall, the hotels, other buildings. So Hibbing is going south, the only line of retreat left open. It has been promised sanctuary by its little neighbor, South Hibbing, and already many of its goods and chattels have been moved to the new home. House moving has be- come so familiar a sight that two and three-story structures advancing majesti- dwellings, and cally along the highway between the towns arouse little comment. Even the city hall, a three-story brick edifice of considerable pretension, has undergone the calculating scrutiny of a Chicago con- tractor, who offered to transfer it by the NEW BOLIVIAN POLICE WAGON HAS OFFICE FOR CHIEF An American motor-truck maker has been called upon to build, for a city in Luxurious New Police-Patrol Auto Constructed for a City in Bolivia In the Interior View, at the Left, the Rings for Chaining Prisoners At the Right Is the Compartment may be Seen. . Reserved for the Chief Bolivia, S. A.,, ers seat 18S a a police-patrol wagon of remarkable design. Just behind the driv- i compartment, extending MECHANICS simple process of. cutting it in three parts, to be fitted together again on the new site. All the land in the main part of Hibbing itself already has passed into the hands of the miners, and they are eager to dig into its depths and tear away the last vestige of civic establishment. South Hibbing is rapidly being prepared to re ceive its big neighbor, and to give it all the conveniences to which it is accus tomed. By next summer the hegira wil be in full swing, and in a few years Hib bing, busy on its new location, will almo have forgotten to identify the great pi to the north as its former site. across the car, which is fitted up as a private office, with blue carpet and cur- tains, and swivel chairs upholstered in blue leather. ‘This, of course, is for th chief of police. The compartment fo prisoners, carefully separated from the chief's office, is peculiar for a series of metal rings fixed to the seat which the handcuffed captives chained. All parts of the car are elec trically lighted. ‘The driver’s seat, also inclosed, makes a third compartment. The exterior is finished in the conventional dark blue, and is distinguished by a radi ator of burnished aluminum. backs, to may b NAVY’S FIRST TORPEDO PLANE MAKES TRIAL FLIGHT The first of the U. S. Navy’s 10 torpedo airplanes, described and pictured in Pop ular Mechanics Magazin for February, a few day ago underwent official trial at Cleveland, Ohio. A reg ulation navy torpedo wa filled with dummy explosiv: to bring its weight up to 2,087 lb., and was. thet strapped to the fuselage b tween the units of the dou ble undercarriage. Load: thus, and with the naval of ficials as passengers, the big plane exhibited a speea ot 114 miles an hour, and climbed 4,000 ft. in six min utes. The naval inspectors had reason to be satisfied as the specifications called for only 105 miles an hour and a climb of 4,000 ft. in Work is now proceeding at 10 minutes. Cleveland on the nine additional plane called for by the navy contract.

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POPULAR MECHANICS FACTORY ESTABEISHES SCHOOL switch, the current may be automatically FOR FOREIGN EMPLOYES turned off when the water is hot. The device is also made for applying to lhe transformation of several hundred individual faucets, which then have hot n employes, many of them unable to water always on tap. In this form, the id or write any language, into English- iking American citizens, is the task re- » ntly undertaken by the management of / y ree eastern manufacturing plant. As A initial step toward’ this end the com- has established a school, in which foreigners are-taught the language of country, and urged_to become natu- |. The institution is in charge of idustrial-service ex- who devotes all of time to instructing assisting foreign- worke Ts. interesting feature project is the novel od employed in ching English. - The tor selects several sim- words, and requests class to repeat them ter him. When the pu- ls are able to do this thout his leadership, he fines the words by pan- tomime, and finally com- poses sentences contain- ge the words. .By this cans, 50 men, previous without knowledge of the language, were ight to speak and un- rstand five English sen- ences in 20 minutes. \mong 18,000 persons employed in the factory, ‘ there are 2,100 aliens, in- At the Left, Below, Is the Electric Faucet Water Heater, and Above, the Details of Its Graphite Cylinder and Tube, Valve and Swi tding 1,000 Italians and Casing. At the Right Is the Tank-Heating Unit, and ) . . Installed 0 Poles. The remain- ch, and a Tank with One 500 foreigners are of yarious nationali- graphite electrodes occupy a cylindrical casing just above the faucet, and the cut rent is switched on by the act of turning TINY ELECTRIC UNIT HEATS on the water. So extremely rapi HOUSEHOLD WATER SUPPLY heating action that the water flow from the tap in any quantity desit lhe water in a household supply tank current is consumed only during vy be automatically kept as hot as de- terval. Cold water may be obt ed, or, by turning a switch, heated as from an ordinary faucet mer passes into the tank by attaching a_ ting off the current. mall electrical unit just placed on the ~——- iarket. The water flows through an @Telephone wires in the U annular space between a tube and a cy! have reached the enormou inder of graphite which are connected to of 22,827,188 miles, the -~— > ‘ 1 if t new wg rTniment e regular house ‘circuit and form the census reveals. There are 11,716,520 tel cleectrodes. The high-resistance heating phones, connected through 53,234 g clement is the water itself, which inci- ized systems or lines. The total number dentally is completely sterilized in the of messages in 1917 was 21,845,722,335, or process. By means of a thermostatic 211i per capita. organ

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926 POPULAR MECHANICS AIRMAN’S FINAL FLIGHT MADE GOOD ROADS TO PROTECT CANAL IN COFFIN STRAPPED TO PLANE AND DEVELOP PANAMA Mourntully appropriate were the obse- The jungle trails of Panama are soon quies of an American airman who re- to make way for modern highways. The nd L ee — __:~C—*é«U/nntted States Army has — already started work on a system that is to ‘gridi ron the Isthmus for 40 miles on either side oj the canal. The army strategists once consid ered the jungle on east and west sufficient dk fense against an invading army, but the recent campaigns of the British and Germans in simila regions of East Africa have demonstrated th: flimsiness of such a bat rier. Consequently the army men are pushing the construction of road over which the Zone’s be = ss . mobile garrison, with ae Above, the Coffin is being Strapped Supply trains, may bh a to the Fuselage, as the Dead Air- marched quickly to any a man’s Friend Prepares to Take His : - Place in the Pilot’s Cockpit. The landing place along thx Plane Carried the Coffin to the Very ae ae ae Coats coast. Supplementing Ibe this purely military pro gram is the building cam F Ly = paign shortly to be 4 —s waged by the Republic of Panama, at present with outa single modern road In the interests of eco nomic-.and political unity, the republic is to link, in this way, its isolated provinces, towns and vil lages. Central trunk highways of concrete will probably extend east and west with branches leading to thy The Airplane’s Wing Tips Are Noticeable in This Scene at the Grave. The Plane Carried the Coffin to the Grave Side coast towns on north cently died in army service at San Jose, and south. According to estimate, such Calif. In compliance with his dying wish, a system will total 350 miles in length his fellows strapped his coffin to the fuse- - . J lage top of an army plane. In this posi- HIGHEST DAM TO CROSS GORGE tion it was borne to the cemetery, where IN NORTHERN INDIA the plane taxied to the very edge of the grave. Piloting the winged hearse on this The highest dam in the world is planned last flight was an officer who had accom- for the Sutlej River in northern India panied the dead man on many night- Here, some 40 miles above Rupar, and bombing raids on the western front near the head of an existing canal, the wall will be thrown across a deep gorg: @ Horseshoes and attachments of various more than 1,000 ft. wide. The dam will designs calculated to prevent slipping on be 395 ft. high, and as good foundation icy pavements are being studied by an rock has-been found near the surface, the eastern society devoted to the welfare of water impounded during the ‘August the horse. floods will be very nearly as deep.

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TRACKING SUBMARINES BY RADIO By SAMUEL W. BEACH \ UCH was accomplished during the A great war toward perfecting the art communicating through space with- wires. The radio went still farther, rned_ sleuth-hound, pussyfooting with canny acuteness of perception over the m, gray alleys of the seas in ceaseless rch of submarines and other marauders the enemy. It spoke not, it warned t, our ethereal ally; but with keen ears ever listened. henever a prowl- U-boat poked whaleback to urface to sput- forth a curt rd to Berlin, it is coquetting with lire disaster, for on the instant, ir wireless detect- perhaps hun- miles dis- nt, heard, deftly Iculated, and re- irted the exact pot upon the ocean hence came the unds. Within a w minutes allied varships would be icing thither to comb the vicinity ith deadly depth ombs. Even hough the subma- ne succeeded in es- iping, it could ype for no further ort close about, because certain of he great radio lants ashore had promptly broadcast irnings to all pass- ng merchant steamers, which immedi ely turned in their tracks and scampered way to satety. Located at opportune points along the llied coasts were little inoffensive-look- ng shacks. Had it not been for a spider- h framework supporting a thin web of wires, which rotated weirdly like a weath- ercock upon a slender pole protruding trom the. slatted roofs, these buildings would have looked more at home in the barnyard. The mystifying shelters were radio-goniometer stations, the most pit- iless of our spies. Some warships, also, were thus equipped, and in certain in- stances the antennz were concealed with- ls of Antenna, Which Goniometer Station to A Wireless Spy: The Picture Shows the Weblike Made It Assist in Locating German Submarines in the buildings both ashore and afloat so that no prying alien eye might detect their presence. The operation of a radio-goniometer of this type is very simple. It is based upon a phenomenon which occurs when the antenna is slowly rotated, the incoming signals being audible with greater or less intensity as the plane of the rotated framework presents its wires at varying 2 angles to the direc- tion from which the sounds emanate. Within the build- ing is an ordinary wireless receiving set supplied with particularly keen de- tectors. The an- tenna pole contin- ues through the roof downward, passing through a circular, metallic plate permanently fixed at a conven- ient height for the operator. Around the circumference of this plate are marked the 360 de- grees of the pass, with the zero mark due north. At- tached to the an- tenna pole is an ar- row-shaped pointer which, moving just above the fixed », indicates at all times the compass position of the over- head antenna. When the opera- tor hears a_ suspi- cious radio signal, he slowly turns the frame until the sounds are at their min- upon the com- Possible for the Radio- imum. The degree marked fixed plate and now pointed to by the arrow is noted, after which the frame is rotated about 180° and the minimum again noted. From this second reading is subtracted 180, and the two numbers found. compass sounds. For average of the That average direction of the is the incoming example, “Station B” in the ac- companying diagram, obtained 38° at its first reading, and 222 at the second. De- ducting 180 from the latter and taking the mean of the remainder, 42, and the for- 527

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mer reading of 38, the compass reading is found to be 40°,.. Uniortunately, the op- erator at B has no means of knowing whether the sédund comes in. from. the east or west;.but he. does knew that one end of a line drawn at a 40° slant.through the center of his station points. toward the culprit being sought. He ends respon- sibility by telegraphing. the ' numerals “40,” to a designated central station. Stations of this type must work at least in pairs. While Station B is busy at it, Station A, some miles up the coast, is doing the.'same POPULAR MECHANICS easy, too. To rectify this, the sum of 360 is added to the 30, making: the first read- ing 348 and the second. 390:°'An_average of these gives the impossible degree of 369,, impossible because there are: only 360° to the circumference of a circle. - By deducting the 360. previously. added, how- ever, a balance-of §: is,obtained, which is the compass average betweencthe readings 348-and 30. f = This explains with reasonable simplicity a type of radio apparatus. that thoroughly deserves—cold, silent, obscure though it was—a hearing, thing. Assuming that this latter of- fice finds that the signals have dropped out entirely as the antenna revolves, a slightly more com- plex procedure is encountered. Rotat- ing the antenna at a snail’s pace a point is reached where sound ceases. That degree is noted. The frame is again moved slowly until the tiniest ripple of sound is again heard, and that de- gree is noted. The figures in this case were 45 and 89°, the mean of which is 67. when that much mooted: question as to who and what really won the late war is firially laid be- fore the jury of th world. Nor did the goniometer confin its activities to enc- mies at sea. It quit often detected a choice morsel in the form of a Teuton spy station artfully concealed in a gar- ret, but artlessly at tempting to slip a spasm of sparks to W.ilhelmstrasse. The Spaniard in th How Two Radio-Goni- ometer Stations Codp. erate in Finding the Position of an Undersea Boat: The Direction of the Craft from Each Station is Indicated on the Map by Heav By PELE pay: Lines, Where the Lines kaiser’s pay », Whos Cross Is the Subma- } secret . radio. outfit rine’s Location was. discovered near The antenna is ad- vanced around half the -circle, and the zone of utter extinction is found to be between 225 and 271°, from the mean of which 180 is deducted, giving the second mean reading, 68. The average of the first and second readings is 67.5; and A’s message to headquarters is. a laconic a The central office, having received the reports from both A and B, turns to a chart, and draws thereon two lines. One of these lines passes through, the center of Station A at an angle of 67.5° east from north, while the other passes through Station B at.40°; and right, where those two lines cross each .other is the .spot., where that foolish U-boat. poked its whaleback to the surface to.sputter a word to Berlin. It sometimes happens that there is .a zone of. extinction, containing, the, zero degree. The sound. may,,ceme,,fxom. al- most due north, and be host.when, the ar-. row. points.. to...348;. continue absent. through zero, and reappear at 30°. That’s Saint Nazaire in the spring of 1918, owes his debt of hatred to the gonio that discovered him. TOY GLIDER FLOWN LIKE KITE, THEN RELEASED IN MID-AIR A toy biplane glider now manufacture: is flown like a kite to a desired altitucd: where it is released by a jerk on th: string. It then glides, or spirals, to earth in accordance with the previous setting of the rudder. As taken from the packing carton, the toy consists of a rudder, a boatlike fuselage, and wings of wire and cloth construction. . The three are easily fitted together; the controlling cord is attached to a patented hook which snaps into .an: eye beneath the fuselage, and the.little airplanesis ready for flight. ~To. get the toy into the air, an assistant holds .it. loosely, while ‘the flier pays out about 50 yd. of cord. The flfér> of op- 1 erator,.then runs..into the. wind, and the planessoars aloft. .When-.it.is high enough the operator pulls the cord free, thus

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POPULAR MECHANICS Gliding Unaided toward the Camera, One of the Kite Airplanes with Which Such Remarkable Resui:s are Attained is Seen at the Left. The Fuselage, Rudder, and Wings have been Joined, at the Right, to. Show How the Airplane Appears When Ready for Flight irting the plane upon a long glide to With experience comes ability to the plane at will. i ired, for example, the operator sets the ilder straight, gets the plane up about 50 ft., then gives the cord a long, steady This tilts the nose and stalls the ine. The releasing jerk then throws over into the desired maneuver. NEW METHOD OF COLOR STUDY MEASURES EXACT VALUES \n English scientist has worked out a hod of taking exact measurements of or. Black, white, and gray are photo- metrically compared with standard white, d their composition expressed in per- entage of black or white. A color, such s red, is compared with a white surface in a pure red light. If the red appears larker, it is matched with a gray surface nder red light, the percentage of black then being the same in both. Lighter red compared with gray under a comple- mentary light of blue-green, and matching the two surfaces gives the percentage of white. Assigning the number 25 to red, such a composition as cinnabar would be ignified by the figures 25 .04 18, meaning red with 4 per cent of white and 18 per cent of black. Yellow is called 00, ultra- marine blue 50, and green 75. net Cl 1 € Parasitic fungi annually destroy 80 per cent of the sweet-potato crop in the United States, according to experts. Ex- periments are being conducted for the purpose of discovering a means of eradi- cating the pests. If a loop is. ODD ELECTRIC TRUCK HANDLES SHELLS OF LARGE CALIBER For carrying shells of large caliber about a munition factory, or arsenal, a manufacturer of industrial equipment is now producing an interesting sterage- battery truck. To the front of the truck are fixed two uprights of channel steel. Over pulleys at their steel cables run, from a powerful electric motor to a leather-lined clamp. When a shell is to be moved, the truck is run up to it; then the clamp is lowered, and locked about the shell. Started by the truck operator, the hoist motor slowly raises tops, The Truck Above has Bicked Up a Great Shell and Is Ready to Carry It to Any Part of the Munition Plant. The Truck Proves Itself Particularly Valuable in Loading Freight Cars

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530 POPULAR the shell to a vertical position, its bottom several inches from the ground, then auto- matically stops. The uprights are tilted back to take the strain off the lifting gear, and t')> truck rolls with its load to warehouse or freight car. NEW LEMON VARIETY GROWS LARGE AS GRAPEFRUIT To the half a hundred known lemon varieties must now be added the so-called Ponderosa lemon, latest product of horti- The Fruit of This Tree is Called, Appropriately, the Ponderosa Lemon. It Is About the Size of the Grape- fruit, and may be Substituted in Every Process for the Ordinary Commercial Lemon cultural wizardry. The fruit grows to about the size of the grapefruit, and is so heavy that the slender branches of the .tree must be carefully supported by a trellis. In flavor, the Ponderosa lemon is rather mild, but it may be used in all ways like the ordinary commercial lemon. The tree may be cultivated imdoors. @ Assignment of an army officer to Paris, France, with the duty of helping visiting Americans to obtain historical and geo- graphic information about the war, ts contemplated by the War Department. The officer would be an asststant to the military attaché at that city MECHANICS EXPEND RECORD-BREAKING SUM FOR LINCOLN HIGHWAY Reviewing the history of the Lincoln Highway during 1919 reveals some inter- esting facts and figures relating to the famous transcontinental road. Construc tion and maintenance cost an estimated total of $9,386,800, more than doubk the largest previous annual expenditure $4,198,165, in 1916. Eleven states con tributed $8,886,800 of this enormous sum while the remainder was spent by variou counties and cities. Over 377 miles were improved in different ways, leaving only 785 out of 3,323 miles, the total length of the highway, without improvement. In cluded in the new mileage are 121.14 milk of concrete roadway; 21.28 miles of brick pavement; 46.36 miles of bituminous and ordinary macadam, and 69.25 miles of gravel. According to statisticians, b: tween 5,000 and 10,000 motor cars, carry ing between 25,000 and 50,000 persons used the highway last year for trips of 1,500 miles or more. MESSAGE REPLACES EXPLOSIVE IN ODD GERMAN SHELL A German message shell was recently brought to this country by a major gen eral of the U. S. Army as one of hi souvenirs of the World War. These shells, used only in the last months of the war, were fired from a German “77” near headquarters when all other liaison with the front lines had been broken. The shell, on alighting in the supposed vicinity of German troops, announced its presence by emitting a dense cloud of smoke. Attracted thus to the spot, and protected by the — miniature smoke screen, the Ger- man soldier identified the shell by its bril- hant coloring, COPYRIGHT, UNDERWOOD & UNDERWOOD Disassemblied and with a Message Protruding from the Container, is Seen a German Message Shell, Sometimes Used during the Last Months of the War picked it up, removed the bottom, and puliced out the message container which replaces the ordinary explosive charge.

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POPULAR MECHANICS NEW SUBMARINE LAUNCHED FOR UNITED STATES NAVY EARLY submarines were lacking in many respects. Not only were the craft undependable and dangerous, but they were deficient in cruising ability, when compared with other fighting ships. For these reasons, particularly the latter, many naval experts refused to give the underwater boat merited consideration. Today, owever, the submersible is regarded in a different light, due to the fact that modern vessels cf this type embody trustworthiness, safety, and efficiency in the highest degree. A notable example of what has been complished along these lines is the submarine ‘*S-16,’"’ which was recently launched for the United States Navy at an eastern shipyard. The new vessel is equipped with every known device for protecting the lives f the crew, and has a cruising radius of 5,000 miles. Novel deck guns are included in the armament. Instead of being lowered into hatches when the craft submerges, these weapons remain in position, and are eady for instant use when the boat comes to the surface. The ‘*S-16"’ is 231 ft. long, and has a submerged isplacement of 1,500 tons. RAILLESS FREIGHT SERVICE DRAWBAR PULL IS MEASURED PLANNED FOR SHANGHAI BY INSTRUMENT ON TRACTOR \ railless electric-car service is soon to The drawbar pull of a tractor, which link the important industrial areas and is its real measure of efficiency, may be freight-handling centers of Shanghai, China, if present plans of the local street-railway company ire carried through. The railless freight cars, or trucks, will take their power normally from the overhead trolley cables; but for travel up side treets, to warehouse doors, ete., current will be drawn from the stor- age batteries carried on each car. The installa- At the Left, a Tractor Equipped with the Drawbar Instrument: The Dial is Seen in Front of the Driver, While the Spring Is below Him. At the Right Is a Close-Up View of the Dial tion of such a system will mean the end of the coolies’ picturesque wheelbarrows and_ read directly in pounds on a di handearts, which for centuries have car- the operator, with the aid of an instru ried the city’s packages, large and small. ment now available. The gauging member ——_ is virtually a Spring scale, its coils made | Hitting the bull’s-eye of a target nine of special steel. A heavy flexible cable, times in 36 shots, the battleship “Idaho” protected by an armored conduit, trans- recently established a new record for the mits the movement of the spring to the Pacific fleet. The “Mississippi” made the dial, which may be located in any con- former high record, five bull’s-eves in the venient position on the tractor, and gives same number of shots. a continuous record of the work done.

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532 POPULAR MECHANICS SEATS ON BUS TOP HAVE FOLDING RAIN SHIELDS Individual rain shields, or curtains, for the seats of uncovered passenger vehicles, or motor-bus tops, have made their appearance in Eng- land. The curtain proper is a strip of waterproof fabric just the width of the seat. In clear weather the strip is carried on a spring roller fixed to the back of the seat ahead, and is thus held out of the way. When the passen ger desires protection, he pulls toward him an arm which lies along the vehicle’s handrail. This action moves a rather complicated series of lev ers, which in turn unroll the curtain and hold it before and above the pas senger. A side curtain is also provided, so shelter ing the passenger in a lit COPYRIGHT, DAILY MIRROR, LONDON In Clear Weather the Rain Shield is Folded along the Handrail and Seat When Its Protection Passenger Elevates the Curtains into Position by a Single Movement Back as Shown at the Right. tle booth, which, though open on two sides, offers considerable protection is Desired, the : — , against a driving rain. PONDEROUS BRIDGE MOVED EIGHTEEN FEET Preparations for the new Union Station in Chicago call for a tremendous amount of work. One of the most important operations has been the moving of the Harrison Street viaduct. This ponderous structure, more than 500 ft. in length, with its three 146-ft. truss spans, and its plate-girder span, 78 ft. long, had to be moved bodily 18 ft. to the north and raised two feet. Weeks of preliminary work were re- quired before the real operation could be performed. For one thing it was neces- sary to construct very substantial bents on which the bridge was to rest in its new position. These bents were made of 12 by 12-in. timbers, solidly framed and bolted together. Four crosspieces were placed on top of these, supporting in turn a layer of 12-in. timbers. In some in- stances cribbing was built to furnish ad- ditional support for the bridge, the crib- bing being supported by 14-in. I-beams. In addition, many precautions: were taken to insure rigidity while the bridge was being moved. It was thoroughly braced by the use of 24-in. steel I-beams extend- ing from one span to another. Above these I-beams were angle plates, to bear the load that might be imposed when the bridge was moved. Furthermore, stout timbers were used for posts wherever ad- ditional strength and rigidity were re- quired. Between the bracings heavy tim- bers were placed crosswise to counteract the thrust of the jacks in action. After all the fastenings of the bridge had been loosened, the bridge was jacked up 2 ft. so as to bring it to the level of the new location and in line with th bents. Then old rails were placed unde each end to serve as skids. On top of these rails were placed smooth hardwood timbers, bolted together, and between th« rails and the timbers 2-in. solid-steel roll ers on which the bridge was moved. Unusually large jacks were then set and braced. When the workmen were all at their assigned places and everything was in readiness, the command was given, the men applied the screws, and the bridg: slowly began its movement northward Within less than 12 hours the bridge had reached its new position, being none the worse apparently for its trip. Here it will remain in daily service until the south half of a new viaduct has been com- pleted, whereupon it will be torn down to make room for the north half. While preparations were being made for moving the bridge, work was in prog- ress on the caissons for the new bridge. These were sunk 60 ft. below city datum, with the exception of one which was sunk down to rock. These caissons are 4 ft. 6 in. in diameter, the concrete extending to 12 or 14 ft. below city datum. Girders, 10 ft. deep, 5 ft. 6 in. wide, and 48 ft. long, were each reinforced with 8 tons of steel, and placed over the caissons. They will support the columns on which the new viaduct will rest.

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° = Se ‘ i = : Bridge, More Than 5600 Feet in Length, as It Ap- peared a Few Duys Befere It was Cut Loose, Raised Two Feet, and Pushed 18 Feet to the North. Prepar- atory Timber Work is Seen in the Foreground and in =| the Middle Distance. The Moving of the Bridge was ¢ Made Necessary by the Plans for Chicago’s New Union Depot This Is the Big ~_ As the Bridge is to Serve in Its New Position for Only a Few Months, Massive Timber Frames, like the One at the Left, were Built to Receive Its Weirht. This Photograph was Snapped Just before the Movement North, or to the Left, as Seen Here Above, the Bridge has been Elevated to Its New Level, and is Now being Pushed Northward. The Picture Shows the Rails, the Steel Rollers, and One of the Heavy Jacks _— The Distance through Which the Bridge was Moved in Less Than 12 urs Is EvidentWhen This is Compared with the Top . tograph. In Its | n the Bridge will Do Daily Service Until Torn Down to Make Way for the Northern Half ofa Great New Viaduct

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534 NOVEL DESK-TELEPHONE SET HAS DOUBLE RECEIVER A desk-telephone set of peculiar form has been designed by a member of the Bae ee se a ee A Two-Receiver Telephone, Designed by a Hotel Operator: The Method of Using Itis Seen at the Left, with a Close-Up View at the Right staff of an Illinois hotel, and a number of advantages are being claimed for it. The transmitter and two receivers, one for each ear, are fastened together by POPULAR MECHANICS a light frame, and for use are lifted out of their stand, which resembles a can- dlestick. The double receiver excludes outside sounds, and the user is compelled to keep the transmitter at the proper dis- tance from his lips, assuring clearer trans- mission. U. S. SCHOOL PLAN TO GUIDE COLOMBIAN EDUCATORS The public-school system of the United States is to be the model for the reorgan ized system of Colombia, South America, according to a statement from the min- ister of finance, recently en tour through- out our eastern states. School buildings of the American type are to be erected in all the cities of Colombia, in accordance with the educational program under his charge. Teachers for these schools will be trained in two large institutes at Bogo ta, the capital. The statesman anticipates, too, the founding of 50 scholarships which will enable graduate teachers to travel in the United States and Europe. COPYRIGHT UNDERWOOD 4 UNDERWOOL PROVIDE REGULAR ARMORED TRAIN TO FOIL MEXICAN BANDITS IF any impression exists that Mexican banditry is an opéra-bouffe affair, conducted only to annoy the author- ities at Washington, it will be dispelled by a glance at the armored train recently turned over to the main railroad system o Mexico by an American manufacturer, for use in the bandit-infested regions. The heavy boiler-plate cars are lighted hy small rourd portholes up near the roof, and entrance is effected by ladder through a hatchway in the top. The steel ends are rounded in such a way that the whole body resembles the inverted hull of a ship, and the nautical suggestion is still further emphasized by a pair of ship’s ventilators on the roof. against these substantial rolling fortresses. It may well be imagined that the small arms used in guerilla warfare would be wholly ineffectual

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POPULAR MECHANICS A Few Seconds After This Photograph was Snapped, the Airplane Skidded on the Slippery Pavement and Headed for the Crowded Curb. Luckily, It Came to a Stop before Doing Any Serious Damage. Decided, However, That the Exhibition Held More Peril for the Spectators Than for the Airman, It was So the Scheduled Take-Off from the Street was Forbidden CROWDS LINE CURBS AS PLANE LANDS ON DOWN-TOWN STREET Thousands of spectators lined the curbs of a business thoroughfare in Oakland, Calif., some weeks ago, as a result .of the announcement that an airplane was to land and take off from the street. On chedule time the plane appeared over- head, glided down between the walls of the man-made canon, and touched the pavement. Skidding, here, on the slip- pery asphalt, the plane grazed a lamp ost, swerved to the curb, and damaged its tail skid. The accident was trivial, but served as a warning to the authorities, who promptly forbade the take-off. IMPORTANT SERVICE RENDERED BY CONSTRUCTION TROOPS Behind the western-front firing line during the World War a highly efficient organization, the Construction and For- estry Division of the United States Army, unostentatiously performed service that made it possible for combatant troops to achieve victory. Among the division’s especially noteworthy accomplishments were the construction of 15,039 barracks, which would extend 285 miles, if placed end to end; the completion of about 947 miles of railroad track; the erection of storage houses ‘with a combined - floor space of 21,972,000 sq. ft., and the estab- lishment of a mechanical bakery, capable of producing 500,000 Ib. of bread daily. In addition to these, the organization built several completely equipped docks; put into operation several refrigeration and electric-power plants, and installed many miles of transmission lines and water pipes, besides doing other highly important work CONVENIENT MUCILAGE BOTTLE HAS PUSH VALVE IN TOP Applying mucilage becomes quite a dainty operation when the newest form of container is used. In the center of the top is a tiny ball valve. When, after inverting the bottle, this is pressed upon ak Bi Se ee Te TBS ee Po A Convenient Mucilage Bottle: The Ball Valve in the Top is Pressed on the Work, as at the Left, and Then the Spreader is Used as at the Right the work, just the desired amount of ‘stickum” oozes forth. A spreader on the side aids in distributing it.

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ur Ce perpendicular cliff, height, j ib. Crater Lake’s First Motorboat: To Launch the Craft, Four Men Lowerei It into the Water from the Edge of a 1,500-Foot i Strangely, No Damage was Done during the Descent a small motorboat was launched without mishap recently in placid Crater Lake, a body of water located far above sea level in Crater Lake National Park, southern Oregon. Four men performed the difficult task. During the descent, the boat was lashed, upside down, to a heavy timber sled, which was let down the precipice with ropes. The craft was transported overland to the scene from Klamath Falls, a town about 30 miles away. ONE-LEGGED VETERAN BECOMES EXPERT ICE SKATER The unconquerable spirit of the crip- pled veteran has seldom manifested it- self so strikingly as in the case of a mechanical drafts- man of Toronto, Can., who before the war was an accomplished ice skater. When, as a British soldier, he lost a leg in France, his skating days seemed past. Returning to Can- ada, however, he applied himself patiently to his old 5 art, and eventually learned to skate once more. Now he has become so skill- ful with his one skate that public exhibi- tions take up much of his spare time. His performance always elicits wondering applause. long. POPULAR MECHANICS LOWER MOTORBOAT INTO LAKE FROM HIGH PRECIPICE’ Lowered from the brink of a nearly 1,500 ft. in CHEMICAL FIRE EXTINGUISHER PROTECTS MOVIE FILMS The pictures celluloid ignite films used for motion easily and burn rapidly, necessitating the installa- tion of special protective equipment.’ A European inventor has combined a new chemical with an in- genious method of apply- ing it, which saves, it is asserted, all of the film except the portion first ignited. The film in the projecting machine is surrounded ‘Sy a ring of tubing with inner perfo- rations, connected with an iron tank containing the chemical, a colorless liquid. A valve near the operator's hand enables the flow to be started instantly. Precipice. WEIGHT RAISED BY WINDMILL OPERATES DYNAMO Irregular winds do not affect the pro- duction of electrical energy by a decided- ly novel windmill, now in operation near Stockholm, Sweden, according to the in- ventor. Instead of being directly con- nected to the dynamo in the usual man- ner, the mill-wheel shaft is geared to a hoisting device, which serves to elevate a two-ton weight to the top of a 53-ft. steel-and-wood tower. When the weight reaches the maximum height, it is re- leased, and, as it falls, actuates the dyna- mo, which is mounted on a bracket at the apex of the tower with the mill wheel. A storage battery and switchboard are housed in the lower portion of the tower. When the battery is fully charged, the mill stops automatically. AMERICAN FACTORY PRODUCES FINE PLATINUM WIRE Invading a field monopolized in pre- war times by German manufacturers, an American company is now producing the extremely fine platinum wire used as cross lines in telescopes, and for other purposes. The material is prepared by imbedding a platinum core in a silver wire, and draw- ing the latter to a small size. By this treatment, the core is reduced to .00006 in. in diameter. The silver is later re- moved with acid, exposing the slender platinum filament.

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POPULAR MECHANICS REMARKABLE NIGHT PHOTOGRAPH COMES TO LIGHT MEMORIES of sleepless nights in the crowded bombproofs of Paris will come to many at sight of this photograph, showing a German raider over the French capital. Exposed by a lieutenant in the U. S$ Air Service, and brought by him to this country, the plate is reproduced here as one of the most remarkable night photographs taken during the war. The subject isa thrilling one. Feeling their way across the tumblin cloud patches, the rays from the giant searchlights have at last seized upon a Hun bomber, and now hok him fast for the attention of the anti-aircraft batteries. Though its fate is not a matter of record, the invader probably sought the protection of the clouds, and escaped. Magi Ehpe oe. Be a%. nee TS cae COPYRIGHT, UNDERWOOD & UNDERWOOD ICE ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN CATCHES FALLING RAILWAY COACH NLY the heavy ice saved the passengers in one of the sleeping cars when a section of the New York-Montreal Express tumbled down the embankment while crossing a small bay on upper Lake Champlain. Though a score were hurt, the ice prevented the complete submergence of the car, and later permitted the rescue of the trapped passengers. Pulled out of the car’s flooded interior, the half-clad travelers were met and almost frozen by a temperature considerably lower than —30° F. The wrecking crane seen on the bridge is setting a second car back upon the rails.

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538 POPULAR PAIR OF LACE STOCKINGS WORTH SMALL FORTUNE The man who makes it his boast that he never spends more than 50 cents for his socks will be interested in a pair of ‘ A Serviceable Automobile could be Bought with the Price of These Lace Stockings, Recently Shown at a French Exhibition lace stockings which were shown at a recent exhibition in Strassbourg, France. They are priced at $350. Reason for the high valuation is apparent when it is explained that the inserts, clearly seen in the illustration, are of rare Chantilly lace, and were almost eight months in the mak- ing. Though the flowerlike design seems a thing of fragile beauty, it is said that the material resists ordinary wear sur- prisingly well. @ Putting oil paintings under the X-ray forces them to reveal any counterfeit ad- ditions that may have been made to the work of the original artist, according to a Dutch scientist. It is also declared pos- sible by this means to bring out the erased writings on ancient palimpsest manu- scripts. MECHANICS MOTOR-CONTROLLED RECEIVER TAKES ALL WAVE LENGTHS Wireless receivers are now made which automatically search up and down a long range of different wave lengths, seeking either a definite call or a vacant region that can be used for transmitting a Switches, geared together motor, gradually change the inductance and capacity of the receiving circuit in such a manner that messages in all of the 48 wave lengths between 300 and 3,000 meters are successively heard. When the desired call or vacant length is found the motor is stopped. The method makes available the whole range of wave lengths, and reduces interference to a minimum. message. and driven by a DEDICATION OF PANAMA CANAL PLANNED FOR THIS YEAR Almost six years have elapsed since the first vessel passéd through the Panama Canal, but the great waterway has neve been formally dedicated. Plans for such a ceremony are being made, however, and the event is expected to take place some time this year, according to a recent an nouncement. While details are not avail able, it has been revealed that the affair will be international in character, and that a naval parade, comprising warships of all the powers, will be a spectacular fea ture. BIG HOME ON WHEELS BUILT OF AIR-CRAFT MATERIALS Drawing on his knowledge of air- cral ft construction, a famous American airp! ane manufacturer has designed and had con structed for his personal use a motor trailer that resembles a private yacht in the completeness of its appointments, yet is so light, thanks to the use of wood veneer and other air-craft materials, that it is easily pulled along country roads at high speed by an ordinary automobile. The. big trailer is about 20 ft. long, is supported by two wheels in rear, and ‘n front rests upon a fifth wheel in rear of the touring car. Windows are provided at front and rear, and doors at either side. When a halt is made for the night, the sides are swung out, screens are put in p lace, and berths for six are let down as in a Pullman car. Meals are cooked in a locker on the port side, where are found all necessary kitchen utensils; they are served on a table set between the berths.

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( By Economizin Space as Carefully as in gS? Large Airplanes, the Manufac- turer has Produced a Camping Trailer with Furnishings of Remark- able Completeness. Above, a Stop has been | The Front End of the | Trailer Rests, En Route, upon the Fifth Wheel of the Automobile, as Shown atthe Left. Traveling in This Way, the Owner and His Friends have Already Proved the Sturdiness of Made for the Night; the 4 Raised. § I the Airplane-Built Trailer Sides Raised, Screens in- by Trips, Totaling Many serted,andtheBerthsSwung Hundred Miles, into the into Place. The Cot at the Mountains of New York \ Left Is for the Chauffeur State and New I a Looking Forward from the Rear, at the Left, the Trailer is Seen to be Divided by the Curtained Entrance Vesti- bule into Two Rooms. The Wide Beds in the Foreground will Accommodate Two Each, Those in the Forward Room, One Apiece. The Interior of the Itinerant Bungalow is Seen to Be Unbelievably During Inclement Weather Meals are Served in the Rearward Room, on the Table Seen at the Right. A Locker, Not Seen in the Pho- tograph, Contains the Oil Stove and a Complete Cooking Outfit. Food is Kept in an Icebox, and in a Miniature Pantry. Roomy Lockers Hold Bedding, Clothes, and Tools

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540 ELECTRIC LIGHTING CURRENT HEATS NEW INCUBATOR The farmer’s increased use of electricity, often supplied by his own little gener- ating plant, has resulted in the produc- ———._ oi ee Resistance Elements in the Top of This New Electric Incubator Supply Heat to the 75 Eggs Below. Tem- perature and Ventilation are Regulated Automatically tion of an incubator that is heated by electricity. In structure, the electric incu- bator resembles the familiar boxlike, oil- heated type; the heater, however, is re- placed by an ordinary lamp socket. Cur- rent entering the incubator here, passes through resistance elements in the top of the box; these are arranged to distribute the heat evenly over the 75 eggs below. Double insulating walls prevent the escape of heat, while a thermostat keeps tempera- ture constant. Ventilation is likewise au- tomatic. @A machine for electrocuting insects in packages of cereals has been installed in a large factory in this country, and has given satisfactory results. POPULAR MECHANICS LOW EXHAUST PRESSURE MAKES AIRPLANE ENGINE SILENT Reduction of the pressure of exhaust gases to as low as 1% Ib. to the square inch is the result reported to have been achieved in a new airplane engine de- signed by two British naval officers. With the noise of the exhaust thus eliminated, the engine operates silently, and no flame remains in the discharged gases to cause fire risk. It is asserted that heavy fuels, such as crude oil, may be used, and that there is no diminution of power at alti- tudes of 20,000 ft. The same principle is to be applied to the construction of pow- erful gasoline engines for a new type of railroad locomotive now being built in England. OIL BURNERS MAKE GOOD IN CHICAGO SCHOOLS The fuel-oil equipment installed in many of the public-school buildings of Chicago during the recent coal shortage has proved so satisfactory that it will be retained, the use of coal being discon- tinued in these cases. The Board of Edu- cation has found that these buildings are easily kept clean because of the absence of dust and soot. Labor bills are cut, as there are no ashes to haul away, and as one engineer can attend to two or three boilers, replacing the three or four men formerly employed. The first cost of the oil-burning equipment was low, also, as the old fireboxes were used with but little change. The doors were simply removed, and the burners set in place. Then the openings were bricked up, leaving small ports for observation. The oil tanks are kept at a safe distance from the buildings. COPYRIGHT, PRESS I LUSTRATIVG SERVICE Above. COPYRIGHT, UNDERWOOD 4 UNDERWOOD Oil-Burning Equipment Installed in Many cf Chicago’s Public-School Buildings during the Recent Coal Shortage: The Simple Conversion of the Coal-Burning Boilers to the Use of the New Fuel is Illustrated The Fire Doors are being Bricked Up at the Left; at the Right Is a Detailed View

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POPULAR MECHANICS 541 A Huge Glass-Lined Steel Tank, Built like a Vacuum Bottle and Mounted on a Powerful Truck, is Used by an Eastern Dairy Company for Transporting Milk from a Collection Station to an Evaporating and Canning Plant TRUCK CARRIES MILK IN TANK BUILT LIKE VACUUM BOTTLE During’ its journey from rural pro ducer to city consumer, or to a condens- ‘ing plant, milk must be kept at a low temperature, in order to insure its fresh- ness on delivery. To accomplish this result, a large eastern dairy company em ploys a 900-gal. glass-lined steel tank, in construction similar to a vacuum bottle, mounted on a_ five-ton motor-truck chassis. Around the tank is a rack for holding milk cans. With this unusual conveyance, milk is hauled from a col lection station to an evaporating and can ning factory, 10 miles distant. Two, and sometimes three, round trips are made daily. The contents of the can remain cool, even in the hottest weather. , AUTOMATIC SOUND REGISTER MEASURES OCEAN DEPTH Sounding the depth of water is a phrase now doubly significant, since sound waves actually are used in the process. The method of measuring the time between an underwater explosion and its echo from the bottom, as described in this magazine last November, has been im- proved by a Swedish engineer, who makes its operation automatic. A sudden sound of definite pitch is produced by the ap paratus, and simultaneously registered. When the echo sound is returned, that also is registered, and the time interval gives the exact depth. Othe ound do not affect it. GOLF-BALL PAINTING OUTFIT INCLUDES HANDY DEVICES \n outfit supplied for use with a ney quick-drying golf-ball paint makes the recoating of the spheres an easily accon plished task. Several wire clips, designed to serve as handles when the balls are dipped into the preparation, are included in the equipment, which is packed in a wooden box During the drving rocess, these clips are employed to hang the balls on metal strips, which act ports when inserted in a horizontal posi tion between the box lid and the box it self, Less than an hour ts required ror the paint to dry thoroughly, according ) the manufacturers Recoating Golf Balls: Held by Wire Clips, the Spheres are Dipped into a Can of Paint, and Then Hung on Metal Strips to Dry

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542 POPULAR AIR-CRAFT FACTORY ADOPTS X-RAY INSPECTION The experimental use of the X-ray for the inspection of air-craft materials was

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This Inspector with His X-Ray Equipment, Examines Every Vital Part Used in the Construction of Airplanes at One of Britain’s La gest Plants. He is Seen Searching for Possible Flaws in a Laminated Wooden Strut described in Popular Mechanics Magazine for August, 1919. Now it is learned that those experiments proved so successful that the service has become an essential part of production routine in one great air-craft center, with factories near Lon- don, England. With his eyes to the fluoro- scope, the X-ray inspector gives each vital part direct visual examination. Most of his time he spends in passing upon lami- nated wooden structures pro- pellers and struts. Certain soldering and repair jobs must also get his approval. such as ELECTRIC METER FOR PATRONS OF CENTRAL STEAM HEAT Central steam heat is generally sold at a flat rate, because of the difficulty of metering the amount used. <A_ system lately adopted in Denmark, however, is re- ported to be quite satisfactory, showing error of less than five per cent. Two thermoelectric couples are installed on the customer’s radiator, and a third on his wall. The feeble current set up by the temperature difference between’ these points is registered, and corresponds to the amount of heat used. MECHANICS FIFTH AVENUE SOON MAY BE A “ONE-WAY” STREET \ city ordivance making Fifth Avenue a “one-way s,. et” is declared by the Police Department of New York City to be the only solution of the traffic problem which has lately grown so perplex- ing. Whether the on way regulation will pre- vail throughout the en tire day has not yet been decided; it is probable, rather, that the ordi nance will give the morn ing and early afternoon to south-bound | traffic, then reverse the flow to accommodate the home goers from matinées and offices. Traffic will be allowed to move in both directions, probably, after 7:30 p. m. A re sult expected from the anticipated ordinance is an actual increase in the avenue’s capacity. Whiie only six lines of vehicles can move at present, it is believed that one, and possibly two, will be add- ed when all the traffic moves in the same direction. The experiment will be ob- served with interest by other cities. FISHERMEN WANT SEAPLANES TO BOMB PORPOISES Fresh opportunity to acquire proficiency in bombing submarines, this time of a living variety, may be afforded a number of French airmen. The sardine fisher- men of the coast of Brittany are being harassed by great schools of piratical por poises, whose attacks have so reduced the ranks of the small market fish as to threaten the industry. The ministry of marine has been petitioned to assign sea planes to the fishing ports, armed wit bombs of 300-yd. destructive area, for the purpose of exterminating the trespassers. @ The portraits on paper currency printed by the Treasury Department in the future will be distinctive for each denomination, in order to make more difficult the altera- tion or counterfeiting of the certificates. For example, all two-dollar bills will bear a picture of Jefferson, and all five-dollar bills one of Lincoln.

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a Here Is the Raccoon-Hunting Expedition as It Started Patrolling the 75-Mile Strip of Tide Land The Tennis Net was Tied Tightly to the Leading Motorcycle, but was Secured to the Rear Machine by Snap Hooks that Permitted Quick Removal A 7 -mile strip of tide land along F the California coast ioe j. ‘ was recently the |e : / scene of a strange | : nocturnal hunting sti expedition, occa- sioned byafilmcom- iii pany’s offer of $150 = for six live raccoons. At low tide one eve- ning, two motor- cyclists appeared at one end of the beach their machines linked by an old tennis net. Lights out, and with as little noise as pos- sible, they stole down the wet sand, | one behind the other. | A Short, Breathless Skirmish | with the Little Animal Usu- | ally Resulted in His Com- ——{ plete Entanglement in the | Tennis Net, as Shown Above | From the Tennis Net the At length the leader Raccoon was Transferred: to | a Burlap Bag, Then Dumped into the Sidecar, as the Hunters Resumed the Patrol | | | i | As the Frightened Animal Made for His Home among the Pine Trees of the Shore, the Second Motorcyclist Unsnapped His End of the Net, and Carried It at Double Time across the Fugitive’s Path The Efficiency of the Odd Hunting Scheme is Proved by the Fact that Six Raccoons were Snared, of 15 during the Two Nights Seen

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POPULAR MECHANICS The New Aerial Propeller is Shown Above in Front and Side View. Inspection of the Hub Shows How the Blades are So Held in the Sleeves That a Wide Range of Mutual Adjustment Is Possible. 8-Foot Propeller Is of the Type Said to have been Used in sighted a raccoon at the water's edge, in- tent upon his evening meal of succulent shell-fish. The net grew taut as both ma- chines darted forward at full speed. Alarmed, the raccoon made for the safety of the pine forest, but halfway, found his path blocked by the net. The second hunt- er leaped from his motorcycle with an end of the net in his hand, and soon had the quarry nicely entangled. So the hunt went on for two nights. Of 15 raccoons sighted, seven escaped, two were shot, and six were caught thus, to be sold later to the motion-picture people. DRINKING FOUNTAINS ON BASE OF NOVEL PARK LAMP-POST Three purposes are served by an artis- tic new public-park fixture, which com- prises. sanitary drinking fountains, watering troughs fordogs,anda lamp-post. The lat- ter is a fluted iron column, set on a four-sided con- crete base, and sur- mounted by a frosted-glass globe. For canine use, there are two met- al basins, located nearthe bot- tom of the base, * opposite each _ aa} Other, while for humans there are four porcelain-enameled fountains, one on - each side of the base at such a height as to be convenient for both adults and chil- dren, This overnment Tests UNUSUAL AIRPLANE PROPELLER DEFIES CURRENT PRACTICE In view of the admitted inefficiency of the conventional airplane propelle: serious consideration must be granted an altogether unusual type, which, in actual! flying tests at a governmental field, is said to have given increased climb and speed The experimental air screw, with whic! these tests were made, consists of fou: blades of laminated ash and mahogany Two of these blades are long, two short each is bolted to an arm of metal, which fits into a sleeve in the hub, and is held there by a locking nut. This particular propeller measures 8 ft. 6 in., measuring, from tip to tip of the longer blades As the hub sleeves are cast in pairs and as the blades may be locked at any pitch angle, it is seen that a wide range of adjustments is possible. Whatever th: relative position of the blades, however, the functioning of the new propeller is the same, the shorter blades exerting a thrust where the ordinary propeller comparatively impotent. It is wort! noting, incidentally, that this strange an screw is a development of a marine pr peller which is said to have increased th: speed of many motorboats used on the waters about New York City. @ Efficiency methods were the rule when a group of 75 electrical engineers recentl) moved with their families, and all their house furnishings, from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia. Blueprints of the new houses, showing the arrangement of all furniture, etc., were given to the movers at Philadelphia, who were thus enabled to prepare the houses for actual occu- pancy.

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A decal sthiow oa — Ae ow Port POPULAR MECHANICS 545 INSTRUMENT RECORDS MOVEMENTS OF LOCOMOTIVE Ov \ graphic chart that tells at a glance minutes to the trip. By laying the finished fast a locomotive ran at each point tape on a keyboard at its course, where it stopped and how with the fea the office, marked tures of ng, and where it reversed, the product of a ew railroad instru- fF nent. The record ts drawn on a tape driven om the engine axle, vhich moves '% in. for ich mile of track, for- rd or backward, and tops when the engine oes. Crosslines gradu- te the tape in miles, and mngitudinal lines in iles per hour. A pen- il which starts from zero on the upper edge of the tape makes the curve hich tells the story. An- other clock-driven pencil keeps track of time by moving continu- s back and forth across the tape, ten CANVAS HELD OVER CONCRETE ROAD BY WOODEN ARCHES Light wooden arches were employed cently to support canvas over unset ortions of a concrete highway in Penn- yivania, and saved the contractor who ised them considerable expense for labor. Each device was 25 ft. long, and as wide s the pavement. Scantlings along the ides were joined by small curved strips Left, the Cam Mechanism That Operates the Time Pencil; Right, the Governor heel , for Moving the Speed Pencil; Above, the En- gineer’s Speedor g cterin the Cat —$——— the division, an account of the locomo- tive’s pe rformance is read. ind held together with wires. Nine men shifted eight of the contrivances in 15 minutes, covering 200 ft. of road. To accomplish the same result without arches would have required an hour. SUSPENSION BRIDGE PLANNED TO CROSS DETROIT RIVER Construction of a $28,000,000 interna- bridge, this one to connect Detroit, Mich., with Windsor, Ont., is be- ing promoted by a group of \merican and Canadian capital- ists. Asa matter of fact, the step s made almost imperative by the unprecedented industrial growth of these and near-by cities. If plans carry through, the bridge vill cross the Detroit River at its tional narrowest point, bringing the \merican terminal into the very heart of the larger citv. rhe structure will be double-decked, of the suspension type, and will handle railroad, street-car, auto- mobile. and pedestrian traffic, One span will clear the water by 110 ft.. permitting the passage of the largest lake vessels. \s soon as the promoters obtain necessary How a Pennsylvania Contractor Employed Light Wooden Arches, information from local railroads, Which can be Shifted Easily, to Support Canvas over a Newly the matter will be taken up at Made Concrete Road, is Shown in the Picture. Each Section Is 25 Feet Long Washineton and Ottawa

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546 POPULAR MECHANICS DENTIST’S CABINET EQUIPPED WITH SWINGING DRAWERS Swinging drawers make a new dentist’s cabinet an unusually convenient piece of furniture. The compartments are pivoted Intended for Use in a Dentist’s Office, This Novel Cabinet is Provided with Swinging Drawers, Which Are More Convenient Than the Sliding Type at the sides of the case, and can be opened much more easily than those of the common sliding type. Another ad- vantage possessed by the novel utility is that the contents of all the trays can be made available at one time, which is not possible with the ordinary device of this kind. Both the interior and the exterior of the cabinet are finished in white enamel. BABY ALLIGATORS NOW TRAVEL THROUGH THE MAILS Queer packages are common in the parcel-post service, but few are more COPYSIGHT, BY KADEL & HERBERT Packed in Special Boxes, Live Baby Alligators are Sent Long Distances by Parcel Post curious than the cartons of baby alligators that now come out of Florida. So many of the winter resorters evince a desire to send one or more of the tiny saurians home, that one dealer has devised a sys- tem for packing them in a grass-lined box with a screen front, properly labeled and stamped. FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO BUY BRIGHT ANGEL TRAIL Negotiations now in progress are ex- pected to lead to the purchase of the famous Bright Angel Trail, the main way into the Grand Cafion, by the Federal government. Constructed originally by Indians, who had been using it for years before the arrival of the white man in th: region, the trail at present is owned by Coconino County, Ariz., and leased t private interests, which operate it as a toll road. Several attempts have bee: made by Federal authorities to disposses the county by legal action, but in every case the latter litigant’s claim to the trail was upheld by the court. Two govern mental offers are being considered by the county officials. RINGLIKE OFFICE ACCESSORY CREASES BUSINESS LETTERS The overgrown signet ring pictured to the right is a new office accessory made of polished metal, and meant to help fold busi- ness letters. Slip- ping it upon her finger, as shown, the stenographer finds that a slight pressure creases a page neatly, and without the dirty streak sometimes made, unavoidably, by perspiring hand when many letters are written daily. WOOL SCRAP AND CELLULOSE MAKE ARTIFICIAL WOOL By adding a small amount of glue to a solution of cellulose, and using the vis- cous bath for soaking all manner of wool scrap, waste, and short fibers, an effective substitute for new wool is made by a new German process. Chromium treat ment, supplemented by formaldehyde and tannin, makes it waterprooi, and glycerin contributes flexibility.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 54Y The Success of the Recent Launching, Pictured at the Right, is Ascribed to the Use of Guillotines, Instead f Axmen, to Sever the Retaining Cables. The Workmen at the Left are Placing One of the Guillotines in ‘reparation for the Event. It is Held at the Top of the Frame by the Attraction of an Electromagnet GUILLOTINES REPLACE AXMEN COMPRESSED-AIR CALLIOPE IN SIDEWISE LAUNCHINGS MADE FROM PLAYER PIANO big steel cargo boat was launched First cousin to the well-remembered essfully, some weeks ago, by the steam calliope of the old-fashioned cir- : »w of a single electric switch. Side- cus parade is a compressed-air instrument launchings have been precipitated of recent construction. This last word in to by skilled axmen who chopped calliopes has been built around an ordi- sugh the launching cables at a given nary player piano. Instead of depressing Inattention on the part of one the keys. however, the fingers actuated by h this old method, sometimes re- the perforated roll open and close the air an uneven progress down the inlets to the 49 whistles. These metal or even in disaster. With the new- tubes are blown by compressed air from nted electric system, heavy woode1 llotines—four in this case—take the the axmen. The weighted blades ield at the tops of the frames by the ion of electromagnets; when the irrent is broken, all the blades descend nultaneously, and the vessel strikes the ite? rT an even keel. : NONSHATTERING SHELL MADE . BY ENGLISH STEEL MILL Ordnance experts regard as highly im yrtant the recent announcement that a : irge-caliber rifle shell, which will pierce he heaviest warship armor plate without hattering, has been produced by an Eng lish steel mill. While no official state " nent has been issued on the subject. it generally supposed that the new pro ‘tile will be made for the British navy yr obvious reasons, details of the manu- : turing process have not been revealed. This Autcmatic Calliope is Operated by Compressed a Air To a Player Piano have been Added 49 ‘ During the year 1919 traffic through Whistles, an Air Tank, end a Rotary Air Pump t Panama Canal exceeded that of any a tank fed by a rotary air pump. Syn- revious year. Nearly 2,400 ships, not copated tunes from the player calliope sunting naval vessels, passed from ocean have proved tremendously popular for ocean. open-air dancing and ice skating.

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DETAILS OF VISITING JAPANESE CRUISER 2 ; Ee eggs dese? i een eS ea The Photographs on This | eae and the Following Page were Snapped during the | Recent Visit of the Jap- anese First-Class Cruiser *““Yakumo’’ to Los Angeles | Harbor, California, Where >| the Vessel Filled Her ' | Empty Coal Bunkers. This Picture Shows the Officers’ Lounging Deck. A Sight Strange to Amer- ican Eyes Is the Pot of Burning Incense between the Two Chairs ‘ aie of the Big Bow An- chors is Secured in the Rather Unusual Fashion Pictured at the Left. When Released It Slides down the Rails and into the Water. It was Learned That the Keel of the “Yakumo” was Laid at a German Yard in 1897, the Vessel being Com- pleted in 1901. During the Russo-Japanese War It Doubtless Participated in the Scattering ofthe Russian Fleet before Port Arthur — am we Beneath the Interested Sailors at the Right is Seen a Casemate, or Ar- mored “Bay Window,” Which Breaks the Ex. panse of the 314-Inch Armor near the Bow. The ‘“‘Yakumo’s” Arma- ment Consists of Four 8-Inch Guns, Twelve 6-Inch, Twelve 12-Pound- ers, and Seven 2%%- Pounders. All Guns Have Electric Ammunition Hoists a\ —_— ail H8

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AROUSE INTEREST ON CALIFORNIA COAST The Stern of the “Yakumo” is Given an Odd Appearance by This “Back Porch” Which Curves Away in a Semicircle. It is Reached from the Deck by Means of the Ladder, and from Within, by Means of Steel Doors, One of Which is ) Seon in the Photograph The Little Platform in the Upper Left is Seen Again in This Photograph, beneath the Great Naval Ensign. The *“* Yakumo” Is 434 Feet Long, 6544 Feet Wide, and Draws 2334 Feet of Water. The Displace- ment Is 9,850 Tons. Developing a Maxi- — mum of 15,000 merespewes. the Two Vv Speed o iles an our The Blunted Section of the eee ee oF . = **Yakumo’s” Bow, Seen j; Above, Is the End of an 18. Inch Torpedo Tube. Below | the Water Line Are Four Others of Equal Size. The Device Placed above the Vis- ible Tube Is the Sun Emblem, Which Appears, Also, on the Little-Seen Imperial Standard Usually This Little 12-Pounder is Kept Out of the Weather, being Pushed through the Port in the : Hinged Armor Plate Only When * Desired for Use. The Other i: Plates have been Swung Down "a Here for Purposes of Ventilation. Satan The “Yakumo” is Manned bya Crew of Approximately Half a Thousand Men } 4 fal

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550 POPULAR LIFE LINES ON OCEAN BEACH SECURED IN EFFECTIVE WAY The long life lines along one ocean bathing beach were formerly tied immov- z _ Tied to the Top, the Life Line Formerly Tended to Upset the Pole. By Passing It over the Length of Pipe, Then Tying It to an Anchoring Post, the Trouble was Eliminated ably to the tops of tall uprights at the water's edge. The weight of the bathers MECHANICS and the continuous pull of the undertow were thus given a leverage that frequent- ly toppled over the poles, much to the annoyance of the life guards. They have now remedied the condition, however, by a simple bit of engineering. A life line is no longer tied to an upright; instead, it is passed over a piece of pipe, held horizontally between two vertical sup- ports. Then it is carried up the beach and tied to the base of an anchoring post The pulling action of the line serves only to push the pole more firmly into the sand. NAVY TRANSFERS RAILWAY-GUN MOUNTS TO ARMY Deciding that in future wars the navy will confine its operations entirely to th water, the joint Army and Navy Board at a recent meeting recommended th: transfer to the army of seven railway mounts for 14-in. rifles, which wer manufactured for the navy during th: World War. Favorable action was take: on the recommendation. Some of t! transferred mounts were im actual servi on the western front. COPYRIGHT, UNDERWOOD 4 UNDER WK UNCLAIMED ARMY BAGGAGE PILED MOUNTAIN-HIGH SEVERAL million American soldiers will testify that the only task comparable with getting a drink of water at a French café was that of keeping an eye on barrack bags, bedding rolls, and truck lockers. Inevitable confusion at ports of embarkation and debarkation, and the inexplicable French system of checking baggage over the railroads, combined to separate thousands of Yanks from their worldly goods. In the photograph above are seen a few of the 170,000 pieces that, in consequence, are now accumulated at Hoboken, N. J., waiting for claimants to appear.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 551 Sn aad 2 atest 4 - gota Es Ne es ey *~ ‘ . Ss es + “ f, 4 7 e. £ " =! ae ih EE: watt The Trench Traversing This Field was Dug by a Big Ditching Machine, and the Drain Tile Laid along the Smooth Bottom. Then a Road Scraper was Hitched to a Tractor, the Scraper Blade was Set at a Sharp Angle, and the Dirt Pushed Back into the Trench TILE DRAINS QUICKLY BURIED WITH SCRAPER AND TRACTOR Digging trenches for drain tiles with a ditching machine is now common prac- tice, but filling them in again with the ame mechanical celerity is more unusual, An Ohio farmer effected an enormous improvement over the hand-labor method by hitching a road scraper to a tractor, and driving along the ditch. The scraper blade was set at an angle that shoved practically all the dirt back into the ditch, and the only limit to its capacity was the speed of the tractor. NATURE PACKS TARRY MINERAL INTO CRACKS IN UTAH DESERT Lining the floor of the desolate Uintah Basin in eastern Utah is a most remark- able series of vertical cracks varying in width from %e in. to 18 ft., and in length from 100 yd. to 10 miles. In these fissures, as in the vaults of a treasure house, na- ture has stored many hydrocarbon prod- ucts, and chief among them, a substance called “gilsonite” or “uintahite.” The mineral is a variety of asphalt, is black in appearance, and of brilliant luster ex- cept when exposed to the weather. Though the substance is comparatively little known, it has proved its worth in many industries. One company mixes it with asphaltic limestone to produce a paving material. Another substitutes it for rubber in the manufacture of a so- called rubberized fabric. Because of its ability to resist acids, it is used to paint smokestacks and battery boxes. On the waterfront, it is applied as a coating to wooden piles, and to sea walls of masonry and concrete. As might be imagined from the above description of its occurrence, gilsonite is easily mined with a pick. Blasting is un- necessary, as the brittle material falls cleanly away from the smooth walls of the cracks. The shafts and tunnels of a gilsonite mine must be well ventilated, however, as the brown dust penetrates =, ie } — Into a Broad Fissure between the Rock Masses of the Dreary Uintah Basin has been Sunk This Shaft, for the Extraction of One of America’s Least Known Minerals and irritates skin and lungs. Insoluble in water, and quickly softened by body heat, the dust is removed from the body only with annoying difficulty. The miners usually wear respirators and wash with prepared chemical solutions. Transporta- tion, too, usually offers difficulties, as good roads are few and railroads fewer.

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This, the World’s Smallest Theater, Was Once a Prosaic Barn. Purchased by Local Lovers of the Drama, the Barn was Remodeled for Its Present Use. Most Attention was Paid to the Interior; That the Exterior was Not Neglected, However, Is Evident from This Photograph of the Main Entrance THE SMALLEST THEATER IN THE WORLD By ROBERT H. MOULTON HE smallest theater in the world is ings,” “aesthetic explosions, and dilet to be found in Ypsilanti, Mich. Be- tantism extraordinary,” by a simple sys cause it is of the species known as “the tem of logic we arrive at the point, o1 little theater,” and the performances are points, that Ypsilanti has the highest of looked on variously as “highbrow rant- highbrows and the loudest of aesthetic explosions. \s usual, the protes sional “smarty” who ex ists in the lair of the newspaper paragraph and iudeville stage, and who evolves bevo-epigrams at the expense of something he or she cannot under- stand, is all wrong. The little theater has long gone past the joke stage Day by day it is becom ing more surely a fixture in theatrical history, and its mission more sharply defined: its yeasting function on the mass more evident, and_ its power of entertainment more insistent. \ business man is the moving spirit in the “lit tlest theater.” By day he The Auditorium of the Littlest Theater Measured Only 12 by 18 Feet; So is president of a bank a Tiny Balcony was Built, Bringing the Capacity up to 50 Seats nd not long ago was a 552

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POPULAR major in the American, Red Cross organ- ization on active duty in France. Asso- ciated with him are men and women of Ypsilanti whose oceupa- MECHANICS 553 two large dressing rooms, a green room, and a furnace room. The green room can be quickly converted into a kitchen- tions are as drab as that of banking, but whose dream hours are as color- ful as the wand-waving minds of the world’s vreatest dramatic writers can make them. The players were for- merly a club that met and read without attempt to ortray lines dramatical- \mbition called for that red-headed stepchild if the drama, elocution; and from elocution to stumes and make-up was but a step. The play- ers began to have a most uproarious time among themselves. Their friends and neighbors expressed more and more insistent- ly a desire to observe. \nd thus came the littlest theater. A barn behind the public library was pur- chased and remade into a playhouse. The exterior was painted, decorated, and lan- tern-hung after the manner of the Eliza- Also, hethan period. The interior was trans- formed. The building is 18 by 36 ft.; the auditorium, constructed with a bal- cony, although only 12 by 18 ft. in size, comfortably seats 50 people. From cur- tain to sky dome, the stage has a depth of about 23 feet. ‘rom the middle of the stage one de- scends to a basement where are located This Scene, from a Recent Production on the Stage of the Smallest Theater, Shows One of the Many Artistic Sets. Is Complete. The Electrical Equipment, Beneath the Stage Are the Dressing Rooms, a Kitchenette, and the Furnace Room ette, and has running water, an electric stove, tables, he players have their own dishes, and after every program they serve a supper. The Ypsilanti players do not plan to exploit their playhouse as an art theater, yet in their work they have gone a long way in this direction. A _ suitable play, suitably staged, is always a prime con- sideration. The theater has all possible properties and three regular interiors, and with draperies, screens, pylons, special windows, and a sky dome, many decidedly artistic settings have been achieved. etc. FEATHER-WEIGHT AUTO BUILT LIKE AIRPLANE Many innovations in English automo- bile design for 1920 show how consider- the influence of war-time has been airplane manufacture. One little able wheel behind. The cylinders, normally stationary, may be rotated easily for in- spection and repair. car, in particular, exemplifies this use of aeronautical practice to improve and simplify the chassis. he frame is composed of two fan trusses which carry the gear box at their apexes, light weight heing gained in this way without any sacrifice of strength or rigid- ity. On a vertical bulkhead be- tween the front wheels is mount- ed a five-cylinder radial engine, which is air-cooled by the suction of fan blades built into the fly- The Rotary Engine, on Its Vertical Bulkhead, and the Fan Trusses Carrying the Transmission Box, Show How the English Manufacturer Borrows the Practices of Airplane Construction

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or ou —_ POPULAR MOVABLE PLATFORM ON WHARF FOR UNLOADING SHIPS Unloading passengers from vessels that dock beside the municipal wharf at San Diego, Calif., is expedited by a movable On the Municipal Wharf at San Diego, California, This Movable Platform Serves to Hasten the Unloading of Boat Passengers on Upper Decks wooden platform. The device is mounted on casters, and provided with a stair- way. When pushed against the side of a ship, the platform permits persons on the upper deck to debark simultaneously with those on the lower deck. An ordinary gangplank is employed to connect the plattorm with a boat. CYLINDRICAL SCENERY GIVES SPEED ILLUSION IN MOVIES The dazzling speed shown by the cus- tard-pie movie comedian after a typical encounter with a policeman, is effected in one motion-picture studio by the use of a great cylindrical “back drop.” Re- sembling a gas tank pivoted at the center, apparatus the carries around its lower This Side View of the Outdoor Studio Shows the Cylindrical “Back Drop,’”’ with Its Circular Track Which Revolves beneath the Feet of the Actor, on the Stage at the Right MECHANICS circumference a wide track. Here the comedian runs at top speed, while the big cylinder revolves in the*opposite di- rection, and at the same speed, thus keep- ing him continuously in front of the camera. THOUSANDS OF FREE RIDES FOR POPULARIZING AUTOS Free rides for everybody were the feature of an advertising campaign con- ducted for one week recently by an auto agency in an lowatown. Cars for public use were posted at all prominent street corners, and the drivers carrying the greatest total number of passengers re- ceived prizes. Altogether, 2,337 free rides were given, the passengers being invited to record their opinions of the cars. ENVELOPE-SEALING APPLIANCE DESIGNED FOR OFFICES Another convenience for the now on the market in the form of a self-feeding envelope sealer. In_ this device, a revolving cylinder, operated by a crank, is arranged to draw the envelopes one by one, from the feed table, and to office is The Picture Shows the Feed and Envelope Sealer: Discharge Tables, and the Revolving Drum discharge them, ready to be stamped and mailed, at the opposite end of the machine. The flaps are moistened by a metal arm, to which water is supplied by a small tube, connected with a glass container. SIMPLIFY PROJECTION METHOD OF SCREW-THREAD GAUGING Gauging screw threads by projecting a magnified picture of them has been con- siderably simplified by an instrument now offered. Instead of throwing its image on a ceiling mirror, as described in this magazine last June, the new apparatus projects the outline of the thread under

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POPULAR MECHANICS At the Left is Shown a Front View of a Screen for a 5g-Inch Screw, with 11 Threads to the Inch. The Edge of an Accurate Thread, When Projected, will Appear in the Space between the Dotted Lines Projection Lantern for Gauging Screw Threads: The Device Throws a Highly Magnified Image of the Threads on a Screen, Thus Disclosing the Smallest Irregularities. At the Right, Below, an perator is Placing a Screw in the Cradle between the Lenses test, magnified as much as 200 times, on an accurate chart fixed a short distance in front of the lens. The chart, adjustable for position, rests on a rigid iron frame, while the projecting lantern is mounted on a substantial iron pedestal. The screw to be tested is held between the lenses by an accurately machined cradle. Not only are the most minute irregularities immediately revealed by this method, but wear on gauges or samples is completely eliminated. LADLE-LINING DRIER MOUNTED ON TWO-WHEELED TRUCK A mobile device for drying the refrac- tory lining of large foundry ladles is the product of an eastern factory. Various oils can be used for operating the heater, which comprises a two-wheeled hand truck, bearing a 20-gal. tank and a burner, the latter suspended from a_ swinging arm in such a way that it can be lowered or raised by turning a crank. A deflect- ing plate, attached to the burner, is de- signed to direct heat toward the bottom of a ladle. Fuel and compressed air are Refractory Linings in Foundry Ladles are Dried ina Few Minutes with This Oil-Burning Device, the Burner of Which Hangs on a Swinging Arm conducted from the tank to the burner pipes by means of hose.

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556 POPULAR MECHANICS DWARF APPLE TREES PLANTED orchards begin to yield. Specimens of IN EASTERN ORCHARDS the small variety, which bears three years after it is planted, and continues to do so Quick-bearing dwarf apple trees are for seven years thereafter, are set between being planted by some eastern horticul- the larger trees, which sometimes do not 2 produce a crop until seven years afte: they have been placed in the ground. HOSPITAL IN PANAMA CITY TO BE MODERN INSTITUTION The finest hospital in the western hemi sphere, outside the United States and Canada, is being constructed near Pan ama City, and, when completed, will pro vide accommodations for 600 patients Eleven reinforced-concrete buildings will! be occupied by the institution, which wil! be located on a 14-acre tract overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Separate structures will be used to house infectious cases. A post-graduate school for the study of tropical diseases, and a nurses’ school, will be conducted by the hospital. Other features will be a modern laboratory, and X-ray and radium departments. @ The largest radio station in the world, the Lafayette, built for the French gov ernment at Bordeaux by the United Dwarf Apple Tree: This Diminutive Variety Yields States Navy, is practically finished, and a Crop of Fruit Three Years After It the electrical equipment is being installed ee oe ee It is declared that any receiving outfit ir turists as a means for shortening the time the world will be able to pick up the mes that ordinarily must elapse before new sages from this powerful station. BOLSHEVIST ARMY CLOTHED IN NONDESCRIPT GARB A photograph snapped at a recent’ cers to arrange for the exchange of pris meeting of American and Bolshevist off- oners gives opportunity for an interesting — study in costumes. The Americans, first and fourth from the right are clothed unpreten tiously in the army’ regular winter equip ment. The Russians, on the other hand, present a nondescript appear ance. The commancer wears a curious leather outfit; his aide-de-camp second from the right, displays French breeches and boots, an_ Italian tunic and cap, and a Ger man pistol belt. It 1s probable that the ante = cedents of the two out This Photograph was Taken during a Recent Meeting of American and fits at the left would make Bolshevist Officers for the Arrangement of an Exchange of Prisoners. | t_eurdling ding The Makeshift Uniforms of the Russians Are Characteristic blood-curdling rea g-

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OBTAINING THE SECRETS OF THE UNBORN FLOOD ™~ ~ ~™ By J. CECIL ALTER HE American River in cen- tral California, dis- charging into the sluggish Sacra- mento near the capital city, is sus- tained almost ex- clusively by the melting snows of the high sierras where its principal feeders are born. The precipitation of winter in this region usually maintains a satu- rated watershed until late springtime, and builds a snow supply upon which the stream feeds through the droughty sum- mer. With the first important springtime, especially if attended by downpours of rain—as is frequently the case—the softening snow rushes from the mountain slopes into the minor streams, and the erstwhile _ slumber- ing American, like many another pan-climatic stream, heading in the frigid zone and ending in a warm temperate climate, goes on a ram- page. More or less dis- aster attends these floods, depending partly upon the degree of warmth and the amount of rainfall that starts them, but principally upon the amount of snow that has accumu- lated over the mountain- ous portion of the wa- tershed. The damage by flood- ing along the American extends to the Sacra- mento River, whose low, level banks are easily overflowed: below the mouth of the American, by the excess of water received, and above, by the re- tarded flow and the accumulation of wa- ters from the upper Sacramento. Thus a relatively large population is keenly con- cerned as to the probable proportions and pet gt ae Snow Surveyor on His Way to Work: In the Distance Is One of the Peaks of the Sierras warmth of Included eter. in the Surveyor’s Outfit Are a Sampling Tube, a Scale, and a Thermom- In the Picture, the Latter can be Seen at the Left, Hanging on a Tree characteristics of } the forthcoming | floods every spring. If these floods are to be light and unimpor- tant, there is the opposite con- cern lest irrigation and hydroelectric supplies be seri- ously curtailed; and if the flood or spring run-off is to be heavy, the ques- tions whether ex- cessive damage can be averted or some of the precious caught and conserved use, are equally grave. It is announced Formidable Difficulties are Encountered by the Sur- veyors after a Few Hours of Sunshine Soften the Snow mitigated, whether can be Summer and moisture for late that these are to be somewhat questions answered exactly for the first time beginning this spring, by a codp- erative snow survey un- dertaken by of California and Ne- vada, and the United States Weather Bureau. Since the agricultural, hydroelectric, and other interests in both have a very important and increasing interest in the prospective sum mer flow and _ spring flood volume, the new arrangement pro- vides for 18 surveying parties, who will meas ure the depth, density, water equivalent, and general extent of the snow fields in all the important water- shed basins on both sides of the Sierra Ne- vada Mountains, from Tehachapi in south-cen- tral California, to the Oregon boundary. This amounts to an extension of the snow surveys that have been made for a few years in the Tahoe- Truckee, Walker, Carson, and Humboldt basins. The general scheme is practically the same as that carried out for some years by the Salt Lake City engineering depart the states states

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558 POPULAR MECHANICS ment, the United States Reclamation off for the individual streams. The ap- Service, and some private corporations, paratus consists of a cutting or sampling for anticipating summer stream flo, from tube of moderate diameter, but of suffi- limited but impor- cient length to penetrate the entire snow tant watersheds of layer. A core or sample of the snow is the West. thus withdrawn, and weighed in the tube, It is stated by on scales graduated to show the water the surveyors that equivalent of the sample. the knowledge The surveyors are equipped with an- gained will not’ eroid barometer, thermometer, compass, only be of increas- and such other equipment and supplies ing usefulness in as may be necessary to enable them to the study of flood find their route and elevation over the control and utili- mountains, and subsist away from settle- zation, and enable ments for some weeks at a time. Meas- water users to es- urements are seldom made in the local timate some _ drifts or blow-overs of unusual depth months in advance and density, for these will vary, not so the approximate much with the general snowfall as with character of the _ the winds that cause them. Principal at- =e : stream discharge _ tention is given, however, to the broader Sometimes; the Snow Is_ . . and A ae ative areas Deeper than the Lengthof in spring and sum- basins and more representative areas the Tube, and a Little mer, but will ulti- where the deposits are more comparable xc s > ‘ avating is Necessary mately be helpful from year to year, and where the meas- in planning and installing storage reser- urements obtained will be more represent- voirs to restrain the floods and conserve’ ative of the general snow deposits. the waters of all the streams affected. After the snow stores and accumula- The surveys will be made in March, tions of the winter have in this manner April, or May, depending upon the eleva- been opened and inventoried, the forth- tion above sea level of the watershed and coming flood has given up its greatest on e average time of spring-flood run- secret, and uncertainty 1s eliminated. \ nied OFFICE DEVICE PREPARES container, and then rewound on an or- inary ting-machine spool. The ma- TYPEWRITER RIBBONS din ary : wri Ing machine poo ; € chine is equipped with a measuring de- In large offices, where many stenog- vice, which includes a bell that rings raphers are employed, a crank-operated when the proper amount of prepared typewriter-ribbon inker, recently placed fabric has been accumulated on the spool. on the market, may prove to be a valu- able appliance. White tape is drawn PAW TO PREVENT EXPORTATION from a large reel, passed through an ink OF HELIUM IS PROPOSED So small is this country’s supply of helium, a noninflammable gas used for fill- ing balloons and dirigibles, that certain government officials advocate a law to pre- vent its exportation. Foreign demand for the substance is declared to be great enough to exhaust the domestic stock in a very short time, unless restrictive legis- lation is put into effect. It has been suggested that a $5,000 fine and five years’ imprisonment be imposed on violators of the proposed regulation @ The country roads being impassable, a Kansas real-estate dealer recently carried a prospective purchaser to a remote farm property by airplane. The customer in- spected the land from a low altitude and Typewriter-Ribbon Inker: The Device is Intended for Use in Large Offices, Where Many Stenographic Supplies are Required on the return closed the deal

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POPULAR MECHANICS i tt a ie ae ; ‘ eer Ue ant? Rescued Canoeists are Given First-Aid Treatment, and Allowed to Bathe, While Their Clothes are Washed and Ironed by E.ectricity, in the Building at the Right THOUSANDS USE CHARLES RIVER CANOE COURSE Probably nowhere else in the world are there to be seen so many canoes, water rea considered, as on the Charles River, ear Auburndale, Mass., during the sum- mer months. On some occasions, nearly 5,000 of the light craft have floated on the popular course at one time. An amuse- ment park, maintained by the state on the land adjacent to the stream, is pro- vided with several dance halls, a museum, id a zoological exhibition, besides nu- nerous pavilions, where band concerts Pe et = ; 6 —— na ? 4 iN a - — a aa 7 ge are given at frequent intervals in warm weather. Among the buildings is one used as headquarters for policemen and life-savers, and as a station for the treat- ment of accident victims: Rescued canoe- ists are supplied with bathrobes and towels in this structure, and permitted to bathe, while their wet clothing is washed and ironed by electrically operated ma- chinery. No charge is made for this service. Attendants never reveal the names of persons assisted in this manner. Typical Holiday Crowd on the Charles River, near Auburndale, Massachusetts: When the Picture was Taken a Band Concert was being Given in the Amusement Park Adjacent to the Water. The Course Sometimes Accommodates Nearly 5,000 Canoes

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560 POPULAR ROUGH STONE TOWER ERECTED AS MEMORIAL TO NORSEMEN Nearly five centuries before Columbus sailed to America, according to some his- torians, a party of Norsemen landed on To Mark the Supposed Site of the First European Settlement in North America, This Tower was Built at Auburndale, Massachusetts the northeastern coast of the continent, and a few years later established a colony. As a memorial to these early explorers, a rough stone tower has been erected at Auburndale, Mass., a town that is believed to occupy the same site as the legendary settlement. Investigation has failed to reveal any traces of building ruins in the vicinity, but has resulted in the finding of several old stone walks, which are thought to have been constructed by the inhab- itants of the ancient village. MAGNESIA STUCCO ON TIMBERS PROTECTS MINES FROM FIRE A coating of magnesia cement on the timbers of mines is declared to be an economical and efficient assurance against fire, especially in the arid regions where timber becomes highly inflammable and is difficult to replace. The magnesite stucco, which is abundantly available on the Pa- cific coast, is applied in two coats, each \ in. thick, putting the second on before the first has set. When dry, it is elastic, adheres firmly to almost any surface, and is stable and durable. It is an insulator, and resists fire, water, and climatic changes. MECHANICS PREDICT TEN MILLION AUTOS IN USE BY END OF YEAR If the use of autos increases this year at no more than the rate of gain of the tw past years, more than 10,000,000 cars an trucks will be in service by next January This means, roughly, a vehicle for ever third family in the country. The tot: registration for 1919, recently compiled was 7,555,269, an increase of 26 per cen! over 1918. The previous year’s gain wa 23 per cent. The state of Washingto made the greatest gain of 1919 with 48.1 r per cent, and North Dakota the smalles: with 1.7 per cent. New York State led the list with 600,000 cars, while Nevada was the tail ender with 9,305. New Yor! Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, and Cali fornia combined had 2,445,536 cars, near! a third of the country’s total listing, ar more than all of Europe. TOOL FOR LAYING DRAIN TILE IN NARROW TRENCHES Farmers in some parts of the country are employing an ingenious labor-saving implement for laying drain tile in th: deep, narrow trenches cut by ditch-dig ging machines. The tool is composed of an 8-in. strip of iron, bent at right angle: near the middle, and fastened to the end of a long wooden handle. By inserting the protruding portion of the metal in a tile, the latter can be lowered into plac by a person standing beside the excava- tion without stooping. Drain Tile can be Laid in a Trench That Is Not Large Enough to Accommodate a Man, with the Tool Shown in the Picture

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SHALES WILL SUPPLY OIL WHEN WELLS GO DRY By W. F. WILCOX S' [ENTIFIC estimates Y indicate that the oil yurces of this country ty be exhausted before ; end o! 1930. What the millions of auto- biles, trucks, tractors, |! aeroplanes do for iel when oils and gaso- ne are gone? In 1916, America’s oil were placed at bbl. Since hen about one _ billion rrels have been pro- Small discoveries e been made and ided to the known serves 600 O00 OOO reserves, but their ‘tal has been but a small percentage of he amount withdrawn. To keep pace ith this depletion, discoveries of new ‘ols would have to be 100,000 bbl. a day, while, ct, the estimate of the ital discoveries tor the st three years is not iore than 20 per cent ot amount. On the other hand, the lemand for petroleum and troleum products is in- reasing at an wunprece- ented rate, and there is very reason to believe iat it will grow even iore rapidly in the fu- ire. But even if, in the ext decade, new oil fields ill be found to an ex- tent proportional to the coveries of the past three years, and the de- ind increase at no high- er rate than in the last ten years, so that it can e met by production from the reserves ind from the new fields, the total il resources will be exhaust- ed before the nd of 1930. The only stitute source known at pres- ent, upon which The Oil Shale 1ope can De sub- This Little Plant is Said to Be the First Continuous-Process shale oil should equivalent to as a matter ol is Fed In at Bottom as built, is It Is to Shale Masses, like This One in Utah, That the World will Turn for Its Oil When the Subterranean Petroleum Reservoirs Are Dry oil. Colorado has 2,000 square miles of lands underlaid by im- mense deposits of such rock. Millions upon millions of tons of these shales will yield from 40 to 50 gal. of oil per ton. Extracting oil from shales is not a new Retort of Commercial Size Ever Operated in the United States. the Top and Drops Out at the “Spent Shale”’ industry. It has been practiced in France and Scotland for many years, and, before the discovery of oil in Pennsylvania, also in this country. \s now conducted, the shale-oil industry requires large capital and is an enterprise which must enlist the aid of the high- est engineering, chemical, and scientific skill for its technical and commercial success. The quality of the oil produced depends upon many conditions, such as the temperature of retorting; the admis- sion and control of air during the process; the presence and quantity of moisture the movement of the " charge through ps the retort: the # method of ap- plying heat, and other things. Normally, and “ under proper “—". conditions, the Vy i S ] d gasoline, light kerosene, S61

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This Glimpse of the Plant Shows the Ccndenser Pipes Where the Gases Liberated from the Shale Cool, and Change into Oils of Various Character and lubricating oils, paraffin wax, tars, cokes, and ammonium sulphate in com- mercial quantities. After the oil is extracted it is a com- plex problem to refine it. Shale oil is quite distinct from ordinary petroleum, and is composed of hydrocarbons physi- cally and chemically different, and re- quiring different treatment. Numerous processes are being tried out. Some small plants are being installed in the shale fields, and two or three are in opera- tion. In addition to the staple products named above, there are— as in the petroleum in- dustry — many possible by-products, such as dye- stuffs, medicines, mate- rials for high explosives, and a long list of chemi- cals. Whether these can be obtained in commer- cial quantities, and at such cost as to be profit- able, is still undetermined. Besides Colorado, Utah has 5,000, and Wyoming 8,000 square miles of oil- shale lands, altogether some 15,000 square miles, while actual oil territory in the United States to- day is less than 4,500 : square miles. Nevada, §& S California, Arizona, and é- Com «’ a tea POPULAR MECHANICS sands. The oil shale is a material out of which oil can be obtained by dis- tillation by the applica- tion of heat. The Colorado - shales are said to contain re- serves from which it will be possible to extract 20,000,000.000 bbl. o} crude oil, 2,000,000,001 bbl. of gasoline, and 300 000,000 tons of ammo nium sulphate, a com pound especially valuabk as fertilizer. A plant that recently has been installed in western Colorado pro duces oil by continuot operation, and is the fir commercial-size installa tion of its type in the United States. A crusher beside the retort, discharges its product through a chute into a bucket elevator, which in turn carries it to a hopper at the top. As the shale feeds into the insid cylindrical chamber of the retort, it i gradually lowered by a scroll, turned by gears and pulleys in the pit at the bottom The heat is best applied gradually, and in bringing the shale in at the top or cooler end, where the temperature is about 400) F., and gradually dropping it to the bot- tom, where the heat~reaches 1,000°, th Oregon also have small areas. Oil shales must not be confused with oil This Is Oil Shale as Usually Found. Such Deposits Are Common over Some 15,000 Square Miles of Territory in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming According to the Latest Surveys,

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POPULAR MECHANICS maximum economy of operation is at- ined. After the shale has passed down through the retort, it drops into a tank f water, and is known as spent shale. it must be kept in mind that the oil does not exist in the shale as oil; only the various elements are there, and when they re brought to a gaseous state, they re- ymbine to form oil; leaving, however, a rtain percentage of permanent gases hich yield no oil, as well as some prod- cts that require other equipment for their separation, but contribute their frac- tion to the total value. When the driven out of the ale through the application of heat from gas is furnace, the gases are drawn off hrough pipes, the draft necessary to ry them away resulting from the con were Towed into the Harbor [wo big ammunition ships and two target rafts, all built simultaneously in one of this country’s largest dry docks, which was completed recently at the Puget Sound Navy Yard, were launched when the great structure was flooded and dedicated a short time-ago by govern- ment officials. The basin is 950 ft. long, 130 ft. wide, and 30 ft. deep, and is the only dry dock on the western coast of sufficient size to accommodate the largest war craft in the Pacific fleet. Each one of the ammunition carriers, floated when the enormous tank was filled with water, 1 has a displacement of 10,600 tons, and is : | After the Great Dry Dock was Flooded, the Vessels | tinual condensation. These pipes pass through the stack portion of the plant, and are connected to gas rings on the retort, which extend all the way around the retort so that they cannot become completely stopped if any shale should work into them. As the gas passes out into the condenser it is cooled gradually, the heavier oils being condensed first. In order to hasten this process, water-spray pipes are used, especially at the end where the lighter oils will condense. The fixed gases continue through the condenser, and may be used for furnishing all or part of the fuel needed by the retort. The plant stands 42 ft. above and extends 8 ft. below the ground, and has a capacity of 50 tons daily, or about 50 bbl. of crude oil BUILD AND LAUNCH BIG SHIPS IN NEW DRY DOCK 5 482 ft. 9 in. long, with | 6l-ft. beam, and 21-ft. draft. About three hours were required to flood the dock. When the lat- ter was filled, the gates were opened, and the ships towed out into the harbor. Mineral water was used, instead of the customary wine, in the christening ceremony. —aal The Prow of One Ammunition Ship Extended Past the Stern of the Other in the Big Basin

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564 HAMMOCK HANGS IN BATHTUB FOR HOSPITAL PATIENTS A hammocklike couch that hangs in a bathtub, a few inches from the bottom, supported by straps over the edge, is the Prolonged Immersion is Made Less of a Trial for the Patient When the Hospital Uses This Bathtub Ham- mock. The Straps are Made Fast to the Legs of the Tub, Seen Here in Outline latest appliance for increasing the com- fort of hospital patients. The raised head portion, of rubber, allows the water to flow from the tap over the occupant’s shoulder, while his forehead is kept cool with a compress. With these contriv- ances, army-hospital patients are kept in flowing baths for hours at a time. PLANE CARRIES FOUR ENGINES IN CENTRAL CABIN Though America’s one attempt to pro- duce a multimotored airplane, with en- gines inside the fuselage, ended in dismal failure, Ger- many has evolved a success- ful machine of this type that | is well worth description. One of these big biplanes, POPULAR MECHANICS typical of the rest, and now being re modeled for the passenger trade, measure: 115 ft. in span, and is driven by four pro pellers. Two of these are tractors and ar: mounted just below the upper wing; th others are pushers and are mounted just above the lower wings. Each is turned through bevel gears and inclined shafts by a 260-hp. engine placed in the engin compartment of the roomy fuselage. Her: the engines are arranged in pairs, on above the other, on either side of a cen tral passageway. In the commercial ma chine, this passageway connects the for ward cabin, seating 12, with a rear cabin of the same capacity. MOTORIZED DENTAL SURGERY SERVES FOREST CAMPS That he might carry his services to logging camps, mill, and mining towns and remote sections of the Pacific North west, a prominent dental surgeon has had built, on a strong motor-car chassis, a complete dental operating room. From the latest-model sanitary dental chair to the most delicate drill, filed away in th cabinets, the equipment is complete, and enables persons living in primitive places to obtain the same service as city dwellers The body is mounted on a specially strengthened chassis, with a powerful motor. Below the floor, in hidden com- partments, are generator and storage bat- _— } Above, Side and Three-Quarter Views of the Big German Bombing Plane Now being Made Over for the Passenger It Has Four Propellers, Each Turned, through Bevel Gears and an Inclosed Shaft, by One of the Engines Seen in the Background at the Lower Right Trade:

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POPULAR MECHANICS Everything Seed by ¢ the a as to-Date Dental Surgeon is Included in the Equipment of the Truck Pictured t. on the Le eries for driving the equipment motors nd water and air pumps. The large ater, oil, and fuel tanks, and other spe- ial features, were designed by the owner. In the body proper is everything to elight the heart of a dental specialist. [In cold weather. the compartment is heated by small stoves, and in the sum- mer cooled by electric fans. Electricity ‘ares for the pumping of water, and the vibration of the heavy propelling motor is eliminated by the use of smaller elec- tric motors for every purpose inside the office.” Even the water for sterilizing instruments is treated by _ electricity. Into the tops of the low cabinets have been built sinks equipped with running water, faucets, and drains. A small sky- light in the top adds to the effectiveness of the large windows. ELECTRIC CURRENT OPERATES NOVEL GAS METER Iklectric current is employed to operate in unusual gas meter now being manu- factured in Europe for-use where large quantities of gas are consumed, instead of the common type, which must be of great size to serve in such cases. The con- trivance includes a short tube, in which ire inclosed a heating coil, located near the center, and two temperature-measur- ing coils, one at each end. The tempera- ture-measuring coils are designed to indi- cate the intake and outlet temperatures of gas passing through the tube, while the heat-producing element is intended to keep constant the difference between these temperatures. A watt-meter, by showing the amount of power used by the heat- ing coil, indicates the quantity of gas that has passed through the device. An Interior View of the Body, at the Right, Shows the Arrangement of the Numerous odern Devices GASOLINE-VENDING MACHINES OPERATED BY COINS Slot machines for selling gasoline have made their appearance in certain parts of the West, where they are installed along the roadside as conveniences for motor- ists. In appearance they are like the or- dinary filling stations, comprising a crank- operated pump and a reservoir, both lo- cated inside a small frame shelter. To open the doors of the latter, it is neces- sary to deposit coins in a slot in the lock pa Coin-Operated Filling § Station: One Gallon of Gasoline can be Pumped Out of the Reservoir After oney has been Deposited in a Slot Swinging the doors outward releases the pump crank, making it possible to trans fer 1 gal. of gasoline into an automobile tank. Closing the doors locks the mechanism. If more gasoline is wanted the operation has to be repeated

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566 CLOTHES HELD NEAR CEILING BY INGENIOUS HANGER garments doffed employes at the Perspiration-soaked by miners or factory conclusion of a day’s work are suspended — Clothes Hanger for Industrial Plants and Mines: The Contrivance is Designed to Replace Insanitary Washroom Lockers near the ceiling, where they dry quickly, on a novel clothes hanger, recently placed on the market as a substitute for wash- room lockers. The device consists of a four-pronged hook and a wire basket, both attached to one end of a small chain, which runs on an overhead pulley. A padlock is provided for fastening the opposite end of the chain to a wall cleat, when the hook and basket are in an ele- vated position. SAGEBRUSH REINFORCES BANKS OF IRRIGATION CANAL Utilizing a material commonly con- sidered useless, an irrigating company that operates in the vicinity of Twin Falls, Idaho, reinforced the banks of the ele- vated canals under its control at a very low cost. Large quantities of sagebrush, which abounds in the region, were gath- ered and piled along the sides of the streams. Over this accumulation was stretched heavy woven wire to prevent the plants from being carried away by the water. The mattresses formed in this POPULAR MECHANICS manner greatly strengthened the banks, and floods, caused by washouts, have not occurred since their construction. ELECTRIC POWER BY THE YEAR FEATURE OF NEW TOWN SITE Klectric power is to be sold by the year, at a nominal figure per horsepower to industrial plants that locate at a new town site in Oregon. As an additional inducement, ground space for factories is to be-rented at one dollar a year. This enterprise is made possible by the recent completion of a 40,000-hp. hydroelectric plant on the Columbia River, which will later be developed to 120,000 hp. or mor The markets available to the region, it excellent transportation facilities, and its attractive climate, are expected to draw many business interests from other parts of the country. MIDGET LOCOMOTIVE OPERATED FROM HIGH PLATFORM The gasoline locomotive that hauls freight cars between an eastern factory and the railroad station, two miles away, is so small and squat that the operator has found it impossible, hitherto, to see the track ahead when pushing a car. A platform with duplicate controls, there- fore, has been built on the roof of his cabin. Standing here he has a clear view over the top of the average box car. ° It was Found Necessary to Add an Elevated Platform to this Diminutive Locomotive, So That the Opera- tor’s Field of View would be Unobstructed

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POPULAR MECHANICS SLIDING PROPELLER MOUNTING MEASURES THRUST IN FLIGHT lor measuring and recording the thrust, pull, of an airplane propeller under ual flight conditions, — 567 actuates a pencil which presses against a clockwork-driven drum, and so records the varying thrust at every moment of the flight. To make this record intelligible, a second, electrically operated pencil is U.S. Army Air Serv- has contrived an in- iment which it calls thrast meter. ughly, the mechanism sists of a slidable pro- r mounting which, turned by a positive nection with the en- haft, is yet free to to a limited extent yng the shaft, against he pressure of a power- coil spring. Thus, as engine speeds up and propeller thrust increases, propeller moves away ym the engine. To record this slight longi- tudinal motion, a roller plunger is kept, by a small spring, in con- int contact with the rear face of the ropeller hub. Moving back and forth, in this way, with the propeller, the plunger ee 4 The Action of the Thrust Meter is Understood from the Side View of the Propeller, Above. 3 Below, the Parts Which Carry the Propeller provided, by which the observer can make a mark each time he notes altitude, en- gine speed, etc. Drum chart and note- book are later compared in the laboratory. CANNING-CLUB LEADER USES REMARKABLY EQUIPPED CAR An unusually successful and popular leader of a canning club, and other organ- izations of similar nature, in a sparsely ettled district of Colo- — much of her proficiency to the in- ious outfitting of her sht auto. The demon- trating supplies are car- ried in a cupboard on the running board, and door on that side, with adjustable ground leg, is quickly transformed into a table. The can- iing kit, in a special case, roped to the opposite» ide of the car, and one of the front fenders sup- ports a sheet-iron stove that will burn any fuel, the other side being re- erved for personal lug- rage. Along the left side of the top is rolled a 12-ft. canvas awning, its poles hung at the opposite side. The front seat has been arranged to be let down and form the emergency bed, the lo, owes bedding for which is carried under the rear seat in a waterproof cover. There still is room in the tonneau for other members of the demonstration team, or for a lantern fit for giving screen lectures. With this very complete arrangement, more than 50 The Automobile in Which the Demonstrator Makes Her Rounds Is at Once a Comfortable Home and a Convenient Table, Sheet-Iron Stove, Canning Paraphernalia, and Wide Canvas Awning Kitchen-Laboratory, with car demonstrations were made in one season, and over 100 indoors. The little car averaged about 1,000 miles a month while in use for this helpful work.

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POPULAR MECHANICS A Partially Completed Retaining Wall, being Constructed with Concrete I-Beams, is Shown at the Right. The Flat Car, Pictured on the Left, is Loaded with Beams of Various Lengths TALKING-MACHINE ATTACHMENT LIGHTS TURNTABLE Phonograph-turntable illuminators are among the unusual devices now on the A Beam of Light is Cast on the Record Turntable and the Reprcducer of a Phonograph by This Ingenious Device market. This modern contrivance con- sists of a small electric lamp, mounted on a base, in which are combined a socket, a reflector, and a switch. The accessory is intended to be attached to the inside of a talking-machine cabinet. Current is supplied by a three-cell dry battery. CONSTRUCT RETAINING WALLS WITH CONCRETE I-BEAMS Molded into interlocking I-beams, con- crete was used in the construction of some unusual retaining walls on an east- ern railroad right of way. Short lengths of this material are imbedded in the earth fill at regular intervals, with one end protruding in a horizontal position. On these rest longer pieces, laid parallel with the embankment. Each beam is pro- vided .with lugs, which serve to hold the members of the wall together. Structures of this description are far less costly than _ solid concrete walls, it is declared, as they require no expensive foundation. In ad- dition, they are flexible, and for that reason are not damaged when settling occurs after their erection. The beams are cast in 6, 9, and 12-ft. lengths, and weigh about 30 lb. to the foot. SHOOT SHELL THROUGH TO GAUGE VELOCITY The odd idea of causing a projectile fired from a gun to act as the armature of an electrical generator, for the purpose of measuring the velocity of the projectile is engaging the attention of the U. S. Bureau of Standards. The shell is fired through a coil of wire, and the magnetic disturbances set up by its rapid flight generate currents in the coil, which may be recorded and measured. The effects produced are rather complex, and will re- quire considerable study before they are reduced to practical application. COIL FIREMAN MAKES NONSKID CHAINS FOR HIS BOOTS Nonskid chains for rubber boots, shown in the illustration, are the useful and un- usual products of a New York fire- man’s leisure hours. The spiked plate, held in the center of each sole by chain and strap, would be an annoying im- pediment to the ordinary _ pedes- trian. The fire fighter, however, is often forced to y ; work in veritable grottoes of ice, formed by congealing water from his hose. The chains are very easily slipped on and off. COPYRIGHT, KADEL & HERBERT

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CONCRETE-ROAD JOB HANDLED ON By ALLEN P. CHILD

+ HE contractor for a stretch of state high- ay in Michigan recently canized some special d highly efficient equip- ent for his work. The itfit allowed him to ild roads by the mile tead of by the foot, its pacity being from 800 » 1,000 ft. of concrete id every workable day, » that every week saw least a mile of high- completed. In designing the me- inical plant, the first quirement was a mixer ith at least twice the ipacity of any paving — ixer in use. Then came This Crane at the Central Proportioning Plant was Bolted to a Flat Car, : . and Made Self-Propulsive by Means of Chains from the surrounding of this Hoist Drum to the Car Axle nit with the prop- hauling and han- lling equipment to

ti0ons was main- tained by the con- : tractor, and _ here keep the mixer “? all materials were 1] upplied with mate- . .— rat ten “a \ received. The cars als ; were unloaded by The paving of the ! “ sinks ef .. - ——* ie oC, the use of a hom« oad involved the a > : . ; made locomotive construction of a Pe i pee ae, gs ; : ' . crane which con- 16-ft. pavement, 6 le Gen . ¢ : . Ne ae? - sisted of a shovel in. thick at the eo | . ‘ 5 > > - : cene ) pera Mtoe 400 ft. one of which the material wer while the sand hoppers, on railroa occupied the othe with the crane between them. very advan place the stora; flat cars so that they could be moved with thi locomotive crane to

The ty Coment Hopper, Seen in the Central Photograph, is Here Pictured points Ww here the aggre from the Side, with a Train of Cars About to be Filled gate was unloaded. A

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POPULAR MECHANICS open gondola cars covered with a tar- paulin. The clamshell bucket used for unloading the aggregate picked up the cement and dumped it into the cement- loading hopper, which was stationary be- tween the two standard-gauge tracks over the industrial cars. Two teams were used at the unloading yards to switch the industrial cars. Gas- oline locomotives pulled the cars with the batch boxes to the mixer. Each car carried one batch box with a capacity of approximately 55 cu. ft. When the loco- motives double-headed, the boxes were handled in 15-car trains. At the loading plant the proper quantity of stone was first put into the boxes, then the cement was measured by being passed through a cylinder holding 5 cu. ft. A 12-in. sheet- metal pipe, placed at the mouth of the hopper when cement was to be dis- charged, had gates at the top and bot- tom, which were opened and closed alter- nately to allow the cylinder to fill and dump its content, until the necessary amount of cement had been added to The Mixer Crane has Here Picked Up the Self-Dumping Box from One of the Little In- dustrial Cars 2-ft. industrial rail- road connected the unloading yard with the mixer and its track ran _ be- tween the stand- ard-gauge tracks. A stock pile paral- leled the latter, and if not unloaded in to the industrial cars, the material was piled so that would always be sufficient stock case of delays in materials, hand in receipt of Cement was deliv ered by the railroad in the stone in the batch box. A piece of canvas attached to the bottom of the cylindrical chute and toa hoop at the other end, which could be low- ered into a car or raised in order to let it pass, prevent- ed loss of cement by wind. The car was then shunted to the sand hopper, where the proper amount of sand was drawn from the grav- itv chute, with its single-lever control. “At the mixer, the boxes, which were fitted with two bottom dump doors, were picked up by a_ two-drum power crane. A steel bridle, of channels and I-beams, Here is Seen One of the Self-Dumping Material Boxes, and the Steel Bridle of the Mixer Crane there on The Mixer Stands 16 Feet High, | and Rolls on Wheels Four Feet in | Diameter. The Drum Is Almost Six Feet High, is Turned by a 35- Horsepower Engine, and Delivers 28 Cubic Feet of Mixed Concrete to the Batch

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POPULAR MECHANICS 571 ade it possible to pick up the boxes by be had when it is said that the height of ons attached to the doors and swing’ the machine was 16 ft. It was equipped m into place. A pull on a line at- with 4-ft. wheels. having a 20-in. tread. ched to the side of the box thendumped The drum was 5 ft. 8 in. in diameter, and e contents into the charging hopper of 4 ft. 10 in. long. The height of discharge he mixer. This crane, which operated above the ground was 6 ft. It was rated caterpillars moving under its own at 28 cu. ft. of mixed concrete to the wwer, furnished the traction for the batch. A 35-hp. motor furnished the <er. By attaching the mixer rigidly to power for mixing the concrete. The ag- crane, a constant distance between gregate alone in one of these batches two was maintained and the necessity weighed over two tons. The advantage raising or lowering the boom elimi- of handling the material only once in- ‘ted. stead of dumping it into a charging skip some idea of the size of the mixer may and then elevating proved considerable. BLIND GIRLS MAKE BOOKS FOR BLIND SOLDIERS

Queerly enough, one the cheeriest places in Cincinnati is the “Clover- ook Home for the lind.” The girls of the sme have no time for reflection on their own sfortunes; they are too busy at present with the production of books or British and American oldiers blinded in the war. Every operation is performed in the home.

Three of the Blind Girls are Here “Printing” the Pages of the Books Which were Presented to Hundreds of American and British Soldiers Blinded in the War. The Braille System is Used Throughout 1 paper to size, and binds he pages into book form. During the pas season, the irls concentrated printing of two joll umes by famous ts. One copy went to every one 1.200 British ve St. Dunstan’s, As the Text is Dictated by the Phonograph at the Right, the Blind Girl Operates the Embossing Machine, Whence Come the Matrices Seen in the Photograph Above. The Books are Made from Start to Finish in the Another lot of Workrooms of the Home ; ‘ to American soldie Some of the blind girls operate the ma- Baltimore. All the books were embos chines which impress the metal matrices; according to what is known as the Braill others, clamping these matrices to rollers, system, with which the soldier blind ar emboss the paper. A last group cuts the generally familiar.

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5Y2 POPULAR MECHANICS TURKISH SHELL UNEARTHS OLD HEBREW MOSAIC PAVEMENT During a battle in Palestine between British and Turkish forces, many months Buried for Centuries, This Mosaic Pavement was Exhumed b Shell during the Last Campaign in Palestine. This Photograph, Taken by a British Major, ago, the explosion of a Turkish shell laid bare a bit of ancient Hebrew mosaic pavement. This caught the eye of a sritish major, who photographed it, and eventually carried the picture home to England. Recently, he mailed it across the Channel to an eminent French orien- talist, who, with his knowledge of old Syrian dialects, was able to translate every word of the inscription. Interest attaches in particular to the last words, “Be not backward in giving to this Holy Place.” They have led the scholar to make the suggestion that excavation upon the site of the find might disclose an underground chamber of some long-forgotten Hebrew synagogue. CAPRIFIG ORCHARD INCREASES PRODUCTION OF FIGS Domestic fig growers until recently were handicapped by their inability to obtain an adequate supply of caprifigs, a wild variety of the fruit, on which lives an insect that fertilizes the cultivated type, known as the Smyrna fig, thus ren- dering the latter edible. To meet this demand, the Bureau of Plant Industry leased a California caprifig orchard, and distributed the crop to owners of Smyrna fig trees in different parts of the country. By this means, the production of figs in the United States will soon be large enough to supply the entire nation. has Now been Translated by a French Scholar. of Symbolic Designs are Seen at Right and Left LARGEST OIL-CARRYING SHIP LAUNCHED IN ENGLAND The largest oil-carrying steamer afloat. the “San Fernando,” which was launched recentiy at an English shipyard, is notable be- cause of its equipment, as well as for its size. Among the modern de- vices installed on the ves- sel are four powerful pumps, each capable of transferring 300 tons of oil an hour. With all of the pumps in operation, from 18 to 20 hours suf- fices to discharge a full cargo. The main hold is divided into 14 tanks. In addition to these, there are compartments, known as wing tanks, on either side. To facilitate the handling of heavy oils, the tanks are fitted with a complete system of heat ing pipes. The craft is 547 ft. long, has a beam of 69 ft., and a dead weight of 18,500 tons. Superheated steam is sup- plied to the ship’s turbines, which are of the latest type, by five oil-burning cylin- drical boilers. a Turkish Traces RAILROAD’S NAME ON BRIDGES ASSISTS MOTORISTS Automobile tourists often are guided to their destinations by following as close- ly as possible some railroad that approxi- mately parallels the motor route. Rec- ognizing this fact, an eastern railroad company has painted the name of the system on the side of every main-line — ERIE One of the Labeled Bridges on an Eastern Railroad: The Sign Imparts Valuable Information to Motorists Who Pass under the Structure bridge across a highway. The signs not only inform motorists, but also serve to advertise the railroad.

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POPULAR MECHANICS Electricity Operates the Utilities of This Miniature City Which Is an American-Made Toy. Stores of Various Descriptions, a Railroad Station, and a Theater Are Features of the Plaything ELECTRICAL TOY REPRESENTS MODERN METROPOLIS Realistically representing the business district of a large city, a toy manufactured by an eastern concern includes minia- ture railroad trains, a subway, several utomobiles, a complete lighting system, in illuminated fountain, and other fea- tures, all operated by electricity, in addi- tion to numerous buildings, among which are a passenger station, a church, and a theater. The elaborate plaything is 11 ft. 9 in. long, 11 ft. 4 in. wide, and 5 ft. high, and is controlled by means of a compli- cated switchboard, on which can be made more than 100 connections. A tiny hill serves as a background, while a canopy typifies the sky. Sunset and sunrise ef- fects can be produced by a device pro- vided for that purpose. USE NATURAL FALL OF RIVER FOR POWER WITHOUT DAM Taking power from the river with- out interfering in the slightest degree with its navigability is the project of engineers who have surveyed certain stretches of the Mississippi. The plan is to utilize the natural fall of the river, about 8 ft. to the mile, by constructing alongside of it a concrete canal with a drop of only one foot to the mile, and diverting water into it by means of a short wing dam. A canal five miles long would thus have a 5-ft. total drop, just enough to maintain flow, while the river drop in the same distance would be 40 ft. This would make available a head of 35 ft from the canal to the river for the opera- tion of a hydroelectric plant. MEXICO’S NEW STEEL THEATER IS OF MOST MODERN TYPE In many conditions of life, Old Mexico seems easily satisfied, but in the item of entertainment it demands the best. The most modern steel construction is ex- t Modern and Well-Designed Steel Skeleton of a New Theater Now being Erected in Mexico City: Inciden- tally, Grace has Not been Sacrificed to Strength emplified in a large theater now nearing completion in Mexico City, and examina- tion of the skeleton of balconies and

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574 POPULAR MECHANICS boxes makes it clear that grace of design has been accomphshed without any sacri- fice of strength. POSTAGE-COMPUTING MACHINE OPERATED BY KEYS Much time and labor can be saved by "sing a new parcel-postage computing machine, it is declared by the manufac Tedious Figuring to Compute Parcel-Postage is Ren- dered Unnecessary by This Device, Which is Oper- ated by Keys, Numbered for Different Zones turers of the device, which is essentially a combined scale and indicator. The lat- ter is operated by keys, numbered for dif- ferent zones. When a package is placed on the weighing platform, and one of the keys depressed, the required postage is shown in figures that appear in a glass- covered aperture near the top of the con- trivance. FALLING WALLS AND PEPPER STORM MARK TRAGIC BLAZE Fire-alarm box “Number 13,” long known to the fire fighters of Cincinnati as the “hoodoo box,” recently confirmed its reputation by calling them to the most disastrous local blaze in years. The fire originated in a great tea and spice ware- house, and was coming under control, despite the freezing .weather, when the dusty contents of the building exploded, and rocked the structure. Firemen, la- boring under a steel bridge that paral- leled one side of the warehouse, were caught like rats in a trap as the high brick wall collapsed and fell. Four were crushed to death and 18 injured. Com- rades dashed immediately to their rescue, but were met, blinded, and choked by dense showers of pepper, tons of which had been released by the explosion and scattered by the wind. Friends of the firemen suggest renumbering “Box 13.” DESTRUCTIVE FUNGUS SPREAD BY COMMON BUSHES Blame for the spread of white-pine blister rust, a pernicious fungus, is placed on currant and gooseberry bushes by forestry experts, who recommend the destruction of all shrubs of these varieties in areas within 600 to 900 ft. of white- pine trees. Investigation has disclosed the fact that the spores of the parasitical plant develop rapidly on the bushes, from which they are transferred to uninfested trees by the wind. Fighting the pest in several eastern states last year, foresters rid 248,000 acres of white-pine forest land of the noxious fungus at an average cost of 54 cents an acre. @An American oil-birning freighter was submarined in the Panama Canal a few weeks ago, when it burst into flames that could not be subdued. The ship was towed to an outer harbor, and there sunk by 54 three-inch shells from the navy craft. An Ice-Coated Wall of the Tea and Spice Warehouse is Seen at the Left. The Other Photographs Picture the Results of the Explosion, the Cross in the Middle Showing Where the Fire- men Met Their Death

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{EEDING THE WORLD Py R.P Crawford a Se ym This Extensive Field will be Harvested a Large Crop of Onion Seed. Before the War, Practically All the Bermuda-Onion Seed Planted in This Country, About 75,000 Pounds Annually, Came from the Canary Islands [)'? you ever stop to think what would seed from Turkestan, despite the fact happen if the entire seed supply of that it is inferior to seed produced here. the world should be exhausted? There Our radish seed before the war came ould simply be nothing from which to largely from Germany, England, and e further crops, and the world would France. About three-quarters of our ive to start all over again securing seed supply of turnip seed came from the coun om and bringing wild plants into cul- tries named above, and from Denmark, tivation. Everyone has taken it asa mat- MHolland, and Sweden. Denmark and Hol- ter of course to go to the corner store’ land have supplied us with most of our ch spring, and buy his packet of vege- cabbage seed. Spinach seed came from table seeds without for an instant think- Holland, Italy, and France. Seed for ug that there might not be enough to go Bermuda onions usually come from the suund. Most of us would never think of Canary Islands. ' iving seed from the plants we raise, and Perhaps the most apprehension during everybody in the world thought the the war was felt in regard to a supply same, it would not take long for a world- of sugar-beet seed, and many of the big vide shortage t » develop. ——— — nities The last few years ig - probably have witnessed the nearest approach to anything of the kind in recent time, and, per- haps quite fortunately for the United States, it has resulted in extending greatly the seed-growing industry in this country. Probably most people do not even know where their seeds come from. Not only have the seeds for American gardens and farms been brought together from the four Bluegrass Stripper: In This Machine, a Revolving Brush Divests the Stalks corners of America. but of Their Seed-Filled Heads. Other Types Are Hand-Operated ‘ - ’ Devices, and Homemade Horse-Drawn Contrivances even from the four cor- ners of the world. For instance, there sugar companies arranged for the grow- have been large importations of alfalfa ing of crops of seed near their factories. 5

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576 POPULAR MECHANICS Threshing Machines and Hullers are Employed in Preparing Clover Seed for the Market. One of the Former is Shown at Work in the Illustration. Almost ever since sugar beets have been grown in this country we have been de- pendent on Europe for seed. Germany and Russia produced seed cheaper than it could be produced here. During the first few years of the war, seed was brought out of Europe by way of Siberia, or at least until the United States could get on its feet in the matter of produc- ing it. Even now the Department of Agriculture is warning of a _ possible shortage of beet seed in 1921. It is be- lieved there is plenty in this country for the 1920 crop. However, there will be little or none available from Europe. This is because those countries will try to enlarge their crop area as much as pos- At the Present Time Clover Seed Is Extremely High in Price beet seed in this country, it is necessary to select the beet roots in the fall, keep them from freezing over winter, and set them out as early as possible in the spring. To show that this country is making con- siderable progress, the fact may be cited that in 1919 nearly 10,000 acres were planted to beet roots for seed. It takes about 2,000 bags of seed, however, to plant enough beets to keep one of the factories in this country running. Some idea of the enormous quantities of seed of all sorts consumed in this country may be gained from the fact that, according to the Department of Agricul- ture, it takes around 70,000,000 bu. of seed wheat to plant the country’s crop; nearly 100,000,000 bu. of oats; 20,000,000 bu. of corn and even 1,000,000 bu. of buckwheat for seed. Of course the supplies of grain for seed are often taken care of by farmers, or dealers in their respec tive communities. lo take care of the produc- tion of Bermuda onions requires about 75,000 Ib. of seed each year. Even the peanut crop requires between one and a half and two million bushels of shelled f Scene in a yo Field, Showing a Harvester in Operation: The Seed emoved from the Stalks Gathered in This Manner is Later sible and will probably use up all avail- able supplies. The same thing might apply to other seeds as well, at least to some extent. In order to produce sugar- peanuts for seed. As early as 1916, many European nations began placing orders for seed in the United States, and thereafter things began to pick up rapidly. Imports in most lines dropped off early in the war. Radish seed fell from

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POPULAR MECHANICS 577 an average of 491,097 lb. before the war to only 102,735 lb. in 1918. Mushroom spawn dropped from 279,064 to 16,923 Ib. Carrot seed in the same time fell from 149,724 to 32,500 Ib., and alfalfa seed from 7 301,712 to 87,244 lb.. A few seeds, due to special conditions, showed increases in imports. But for the year ended July 1, 1919, the United States had progressed so far that it had supplies in many lines sufficient to quadruple any exports that it had made in the past. For the most part seed growing is a very specialized business, and most farmers do not save a few seeds for the next year, as did our forefathers. When comes to raising vegetable seed, Cali- fornia probably takes the prize. Radish seed is now produced there in enormous quantities, easily making up for the de- cline in European supply. Turnip seed comes from the Northwest, except what imported. Cabbage seed is produced in the Puget Sound country and on Long Island. Lettuce seed comes from Cali- rnia. Alfalfa seed is grown in favored localities over the western United States, mainly from Kansas, Nebraska, and the Dakotas westward. One might go on al- most indefinitely naming the various sec- tions of the United States that are noted for one or more kinds of seed. Thus, for instance, Toledo is generally regarded as the greatest red-clover seed market. There is probably no other agricultural article whose sale has been connected with more humbug and fraud than seed. One may imagine the consternation of a farmer who would plant one thing, sup- posedly, and raise another. Only a couple of years ago farmers in new bean-growing sections were persuaded into buying a small Lima bean from the Orient which they planted in quantities. This bean, more commonly known as the Burma bean, had the unfortunate disadvantage of sometimes generating hydrocyanic acid in the digestive tracts of people who ate them. Weed seeds mixed with other seeds have been the bane of more than one farmer. Scores have had the alfalfa dodder pest established in their fields through a few dodder seeds mixed in the alfalfa. Fortunately there are state laws that make it an offense to sell seeds with more than a certain number of offensive weed seeds per thousand. For instance, in Nebraska alfalfa dodder seed is not per- mitted in alfalfa seed in greater quantities than one seed in 10,000. It may seem quite a task to pick out such seeds. but there are experts in every state who do nothing but count out such seeds with the aid of microscopes, having first sep- arated most of them by various mechan- ical means. Seed corn is usually grown in the com- munities where it is to be sown, since, with many crops, it is a decided advantage to have seed from plants which have been grown successfully there before. Many farmers have been known to pay a big premium for alfalfa seed which has with- stood a severe winter, or season, in a par- ticular community, when other plants have given out. THE strangest formation that ever crossed a parade ground was seen not long ago at Fort Bliss, Tex., when the wooden buildings of the base hospital were moved toa more convenient location. Over the level ground the smaller units were moved with ease. The largest structure, with base measuring well over 50 ft. square, was a harder proposition. It moved, however, though slowly enough, when nine army tractors were hitched in three tandem columns, to the frame of the building. The tractors, several of which had seen service in France, were of the small, endless-tread type.

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8 POPULAR MECHANICS When the Scenario Calls for a Scene in a Theater Auditorium, the Motion-Picture Company Erects This Triple Framework. The Staging at the Left ae the Cameras, the Next Serves as a Balcony, and the Larger GARAGE AIR-HOSE RACK MADE FROM OLD CRANKSHAFT Before a public garage in a Pennsyl- vania town stands a peculiar rack, on - which is draped the air hose for blowing up cus- tomers’ tires. A crankshaft from an old four-cyl- inder engine, sup- ported vertically, constitutes the frame, and the reel consists of two discarded steering wheels on a cross spindle. The easily recognized parts make the rack at advertisement, too SIMPLE SCAFFOLDING BECOMES “THEATER” FOR MOVIE STUDIO \ formula that explains most motion- picture effects, from the unnoticed to the astounding, is that “things are not what they seem.” When the scenario calls for a theater scene, for example, one large producing company erects a conventional stage, and places a few theater chairs be- fore it. A 20-ft. scaffold for the cameras is built, about a hundred feet from the stage. A second scaffold, a little lower olds the *‘ Stage”’ than the first, is then put up between the cameras and the stage. Here are placed half a dozen chairs and a balcony rail. [t is easy to see how the resulting picture gives the illusion of a crowded auditorium. SPRAYING ELIMINATES WORMS FROM CROP OF APPLES Properly sprayed apple trees will pro- duce practically worm-free fruit. This was proved by an experiment conducted last year in the orchard of the Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station, at Wooster. Insecticide was applied to a tree soon after it blossomed, and again in midsummer. As a result, less than one per cent of the crop was attacked by worms. The mixture employed was pre- pared especially for the eradication of the destructive codling-moth larve. Crop of a Sprayed Apple Tree: The Fruit in the Large Pile, at the Left, Is Free from Worms, While That in the Two Small Piles Is Wormy . aiken

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ee POPULAR WAREHOUSE COLLAPSE AVERTED BY UNUSUAL MEASURES Decayed piling underneath an eight- tory warehouse, located beside a river in a middle-western city, was on the verge of al- owing the structure to topple into the stream recently, when uncom- on measures were iken to prevent the threatened disaster. Danger was forecast by well-defined crack, ch appeared in the ill next to the water. ceplates and anchor rods were installed to trengthen the unstable ill, after which the bricks at the bottom of the first-floor doorways were removed, exposing ome of the piles and cross timbers supporting the storage house. The itten piles, rendered ac- cessible in this way, were cut off below the surface MECHANICS 579 ARMLESS DUTCH ARTIST USES FEET TO PAINT PICTURES Picture painting is among the accom- plishments of an armless Hollander, who of the water, and on the remaining portion were constructed lumber cribs, which served to uphoid long steel beams, laid parallel with the wall. Other beams of the same material were inserted in holes in the wall, at such a height that they rested on the parallel beams. The entire lower part of the wall was then removed, and for it was substituted one consisting of concrete and brick. Before the new foundation was built, the wall was alined by means of jacks. Skillful Feet Serve Instead of Hands for This Armless Dutch Artist, Who is Shown Here Sketching with a Stick of Charcoal. He Also Shaves Himself has trained his feet to perform practically every task ordinarily executed with the hands. Holding a brush between two of his toes, the handicapped artist works while seated before an easel. The dex- terous-footed painter also shaves him- self, using his feet to manipulate the various utensils required for the opera tion. He obtains a living through the sale of his pictures. TWO STAIRWAYS IN NOVEL RAILROAD FOOTBRIDGE In crossing an odd F , wooden footbridge over a railroad cut in Cincin- nati, Ohio, pedestrians | climb or descend two flights of stairs. One side wet of the excavation is con- siderably higher than the other, and so it was nec- essary to build the ap- proaches of the structure at different levels. To « = — ae, “ s 4 : - s 4 i - 1 [ — - . \———}- —} SS SSS ES, ii ; ] ae 5 ty “4 ‘ ae é — make this possible, steps were installed at either end of the main floor. Three-Level Footbridge: Stairs were Placed in This Unusual Structure to Connect the Main Floor with the Approaches, One of Which Is Higher than the Other

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80 POPULAR MECHANICS tion Project Ever Attempted in North America. till to be Seen about the Modern Town; the Visitor's The Walls and Machinery Beds Are of Coquina iza st Colon Revolution, is § Landmark Pictured Above. However, by the Ancient d, on the Eastern Coast of Florida, Is a Relic of the Then Large d Irrigation System, Dug before the American Engineere y Most Attracte« if ar Mill at New Smyrna, ny’s Admirab] Interest is Usua “* This Old Su The C FLORIDA SUGAR MILL NEARS 150TH BIRTHDAY The Old Sugar Mill at New Smyrna, Fla., about 12 miles down the coast from Daytona, stands amid moss-hung trees, as a picturesque and legend-haunted relic of the ill-fated colonizing enterprise that in 1769 brought 1,500 Minorcans, Greeks, and Italians to this region, and for a few brief years thereafter transformed seven miles of vine-tangled swamp land, along the coast, into orderly little plantations where grew Indian corn, cotton, rice, indigo plants, and sugar cane. And it was prob- ably for the crushing of this cane, a plant no longer grown in the vicinity, that the colonists built the old mill. The walls and machinery beds they made of co- quina, a soft, whitish stone formed of broken shells and corals, cemented to- gether by nature. The iron crushing ma- chinery itself, probably erected at a later period to replace the colonists’ cruder ap- paratus, is nevertheless remarkable for its century-long resistance to the fierce cor- rosion of the tropic damp, which quickly consumes unpainted ironwork. The iron- masters of those days seem to have been quite familiar with the so-called modern formulas for making rust-proof iron. SIDE-WHEEL BOATS EMPLOYED FOR MINE SWEEPING Thirty - two shallow - draft side - wheel steamers of special design: were con- structed for the British navy during the war, and used as mine sweepers, it became known recently. Vessels of this type were considered safer than trawlers for the work, cost less to build than screw-pro- pelled craft, and required comparatively small crews. An ingenious device was employed to prevent the boats from heel- ing when pulling mine-sweeping wires, or running broadside to the wind. The con- trivance includes two tanks, each capable of holding 10 tons of water, one fastened on either side of the ship near the paddle boxes. To counteract a list, it is necessary only to fill the tank on the side opposite the direction of inclination. The paddlers are 245 ft.9 in. long: have a displacement of 810 tons, and draw 6 ft. 9 in. of water. @The first pygmy hippopotamus born in captivity, now only a few months old, is on exhibition in a New York City zo- ological garden, its birthplace. On _ its natal day, the animal weighed 5 Ib. It is being raised by the bottle method.

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TRANSFER MADE WITHOUT ROPE LADDER A Mid-Air Transfer Is Hazardous Even Nhen a Rope Ladder is Used; but as Done by the Airman on the Wing Tip, Above, the Feat Takes On New Danger With One Foot Braced against the Aileron Pylon, as in the Upper and Central Photographs, He Waits the Coming of the Pursuing Plane es sw sgl gh Te ST ee . i “ e . a as the Planes Seem About to Crash, the Airman Grasps, Not a Dangling ope Ladder, but the Wing and Strut of the Upper Plane. A Drop into an Air Pocket at This Instant would Mean Disaster to Both Planes

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POPULAR MECHANICS Fighting a Water Famine: At the Right can be Seen One of the Water Barges Used to Relieve the Situation at the Naval Training Station on Hampton Roads. Fire Engines Pumped Out the Water, as Shown on the Left CAVE UNDER RESIDENCE LAWN SERVES AS GARAGE Though located in front of a beautiful Los Angeles home, a private garage does not mar the appearance of the residence, A Cave under the Front Yard of a Los Angeles Resi- dence Serves asa Private Garage for Two Automobiles as might be supposed. The explanation is simple. Instead of erecting a building on the terrace lawn, the owner of the property tunneled under it, forming a cave, in which two motor cars can be stored. Doors next to the sidewalk give access to the underground storage room. BARGES TAKE WATER TO NAVAL STATION DURING FAMINE During a long-continued drought last winter, the shallow lakes which serve as reservoirs for Norfolk, Va., were com- pletely emptied, with the result that the municipality, as well as the large naval training station, located a short distance away on Hampton Roads, was confronted with a serious fresh-water famine. Un- usual methods were employed in combat- ing the situation, while drastic conserva- tion rules were observed in both places. Water was brought to the city in tank cars, and distributed in small quantities for drinking and bathing purposes. At the government school, water barges were used to relieve the shortage. The craft were filled at various points, and towed to the station, where their contents were pumped into water mains by fire engines. PLAN TWO LONG AERIAL RACES FOR CURRENT YEAR Encouraged by last year’s remarkable accomplishments, which included the ini- tial crossing of oceans and continents by airplanes, airmen are planning further fly- ing contests, and at least two aerial races of importance will be held during 1920, unless prevented by unforeseen events The course selected for one is from New York to Alaska; for the other, across the southern border of the United States. The races will be held under the auspices of a well-known flying club. HARBOR ISTHMUS SWEPT AWAY WHEN GRASS IS DESTROYED Maritime engineers have long recog- nized the value of shore grasses as a means for preventing the sea from chang ing the formation of sandy coasts, and for stopping the movement of dunes. An example of what may result when such plants are destroyed may be seen at Port Hood, Nova Scotia, where formerly there was a fine harbor, protected by a narrow, grass-covered isthmus of sand. Cattle were allowed to graze on the strip, with the consequence that in time it was en- tirely denuded of vegetation. Without the anchoring grass roots, the sand be- came easy prey for the wintl and waves, which soon swept away the isthmus, transforming the harbor into a worthless open roadstead.

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Ene Sas POPULAR MECHANICS 583. TOWN GETS COMMUNITY HOUSE AS MEMORIAL With appropriate ceremony, there was dedicated, a few weeks ago, Pennsyl vania’s first community house. The place was Marietta, a little town of 3,000, in the south- istern part of the state; th donors were the mother, father, and ther of a young air- man killed in the service f his country. The house, a thing of archi- tectural refinement, is framed by tall pine trees, nked by broad porches, ind, within, is in perfect harmony with its intended use. A reception hall, two rooms for Red Cross work, a dining room, a , bk rooms, a sun parlor, quarters for the care- taker, and a well-stocked library. The . kitchen, and a men’s lav- itory are found on the first floor. On the second, is the office of the “community secre- tary,” a women’s rest room, more work- This House was Given to the Town of Marietta, Pennsylvania, by a Local a. in Memory of a Son Killed in the Service of His Country. he Home is Beautifully Equipped for Its New Service third floor is equipped with pool and billiard tables. THREADLESS BOLT FOR SHIPS HAS WEDGE INSTEAD OF NUT For holding ship plates in place for riveting, a new kind of bolt, without nut or thread, has been found entirely satis- factory by a west-coast shipyard. The end of the bolt is grooved across to form a pair of shoulders, and when as many common washers as are needed have been strung on, a washer with a keyhole slot slipped into the grooves. Then a wedge vith an open slot is driven between the Threadless Bolts: These Devices, Which can be Installed with- out Nuts, are Used for Holding Ship Plate Together for Riveting ship plate and the lower washer, and the whole tightened as firmly as would be pos- sible with a screw. After the riveting, a few taps of the hammer remove the wedge, and the bolt is withdrawn, ready for another hole. The new bolt saves a great deal of time and expense. BARK OF EUCALYPTUS TREES YIELDS VALUABLE FIBER Articles usually made from flax or jute, such as twine, rope, and bagging, are pro- duced at a very low cost in a recently established Australian factory which utilizes a fiber ob- tained from the bark of certain eucalyptus trees. While com- plete information on the subject is not available, it has been re- vealed that a mechanical device is used for softeni1 g the bark and separating the fiber from the material in which it is imbedded. Special carding and spinning ma- chines are emploved to transform the product into thread. The supply of raw material which is declared to be inexhaustible, is obtained in the vicinity of the novel plant. Its collection re- quires only a small amount of labor.

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584 IN NEW YORK PARK When the main drive in a public park, Point, N. Y., was resurfaced recently, a novel method was employed near West Cleaning a Road with Compressed Air: Every Particle of Dust was Removed by This Method, Which was Employed After the Highway had been Carefully Swept with Wire Brooms to clean the road, before the new coat was applied, in order to insure a good bond between the fresh and the old ma- terial. The highway was first swept with wire brooms. As these devices failed to remove all the dust, an air compressor, mounted on a horse-drawn conveyance and provided with two hose, was used to finish the task. With this apparatus, the remaining loose particles were blown from the thoroughfare. A gasoline en- gine furnished power to operate the com- pressor. PACKINGLESS WATER FAUCET MANUFACTURED IN SWEDEN Discouraging news for the plumber comes from Sweden, where a factory re- cently started the production of packing- less water faucets. The troublesome ma- terial is rendered unnecessary by grinding the valve seats and faces so accurately that these parts fit closely enough to pre- vent leakage. At present, 200 faucets are being manufactured daily, but plans have been made for increasing the output to 100,000 annually, by enlarging the plant. @A stone statue of enormous size, one of the largest sculptures in the world, is to be erected by Americans on the banks of the Marne, near Meaux, France, in com- memoration of the French victory of 1914. Its estimated cost of $250,000 will be met by popular subscription. POPULAR MECHANICS COMPRESSED AIR CLEANS ROAD STEAMSHIP DRIFTS EIGHT DAYS ON FLOE IN LAKE MICHIGAN Stranded on an enormous floe, the steamer “Sidney O. Neff” drifted about near the southwestern shore of Lake _ Michigan last winter for s eight ‘days before being released from the im- prisoning ice. The vessel met misfortune during a voyage from Milwaukee to Chicago, when it en countered a vast field of floating ice about 11 miles from the latter city. Indeavoring to force its way through this ob stacle, the ship became fast near the center of a frozen island, six miles square. Several futile at- tempts were made to res- cue the boat with tugs. Twice airplanes went in search of the craft, on one occasion carrying food for the crew Finally, the freighter “Alabama” suc ceeded in breaking a passage through the floe to the helpless vessel, which then pro ceeded to Chicago under its own power. BLOTTER ATTACHED TO WRIST SAVES TIME OF WRITER To save the time wasted by pen users in picking up and laying aside ordinary blotters, a western inventor has devised a means for attaching the absorbent paper to the wrist, where it is available for instant use, but does not interfere with the movement of the writer’s hand. The Blotting Paper is Held in a Convenient Position by This Simple Contrivance, Which is Designed to be Strapped to the Wrist contrivance includes a curved leather holder, into which a small blotter can be fitted, and a strap for fastening the de- vice in_ place.

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POPULAR MECHANICS FOREST SCENE REPRESENTED BY WINDOW DISPLAY Remarkably beautiful-window displays re employed by the Denver branch of ie United States Forest Service to ad- ertise the national forests of Colorado d to point out to the public the advan- ges of these reservations as summer- imping grounds. Composition board, which are painted snow-capped moun- ns, and a canvas curtain, representing clouded sky, form the background of ne of the exhibits. In front of these is ranged a miniature sylvan scene, which ncludes a tiny lake, stocked with small sh, a running stream, cabins, and tents. esides these, there are diminutive grow- g¢ trees and animals, the latter embrac- : ng deer, squirrels, and rabbits. A placard, iring information regarding the forests, lso included in the display NEW DEVICE COOLS HOT BOXES WHILE TRAIN IS IN MOTION Hot boxes no longer seriously delay trains on a western railroad, as was the case before the adoption of a novel bear- ing cooler, which operates while cars are in motion. A cylindrical 5-gal. tank and a length of hose, the latter connected to the former, are the principal parts of the contrivance, which is designed to be hung One of the Window Displays Used by the Forest Service to Advertise the National Forests of Colorado: The Miniature Scene Includes a Lake, a Running Stream, Growing Trees, and Wild Animals on the side of a car above an overheated journal box by chains, attached to the ends of the reservoir. When the device is installed in this position, the hose eet 7 ——. a ee ae , 2" Bearing Cooler for Railroad Cars: Water is Conducted to a Hot Box by the Hcse, Which is Connected to a Five-Gallon Reservoir \ - - ’ = serves to convey water, which acts as a cooling agent, from the tank to the af- fected bearing. @A glass bottle stopper that incloses the neck like an inverted cup, and so keeps dust and other contamination from the lips of the medical flask, is the recent invention of a French physician.

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Sat CIVIC FEATURES THAT PROMOTE THE COMFORT A Street-Corner Grape Arbor in Pasadena, California, Not Only Beautifies the Neighborhood, but Provides Iis Owner with Fruit. The Vine is Trained on a Wire, Which is Supported About 10 Feet above the Ground - On That Momentous Night in April, 1775, When Paul Revere Dashed into Lexington, Massachusetts, Heralding the Approach of British Troops, the Bell in This Belfry Aroused the Vil- lagers. The Structure Now Stands on the Town Common & + ax Especially Popular with Enamored Couples Is This Octagonal Concrete Seat, Known as “The Spoonholder,” Located on the Campus ofaCollege at Stillwater, Oklahoma 4. | Several Hundred Conveniently Located Hose When a Conflagration Starts on the Wharves at San Pedro, California, the Contents of Boxes Are Ready for Fighting the Flames, Pending the Arrival of the Fire Department

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AND ENJOYMENT OF VISITORS AND RESIDENTS Marking the Entrance to a 66-Acre Public Park, Recently Dedicated at Bar Harbor, Maine, Is a Huge Bowlder, Weighing More Than 50 Tons. It Bears a Suitably In- scribed Tablet \) Carefully Selected. Rocks, Gathered }t in the Desert near Twin Falls, Idaho, were Used in Constructing This At- tractive Rustic ——s Fountain in ha Soomang Ss Face of a Precipitous = = : a Public Park of That City Bluff in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Is a Remarkable Concrete Stairway, 400 Feet Long, and Comprising 215 Steps in 13 Flights Vehicle Drivers in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Have No Excuse for Colli- Carved from a Huge Block of Granite, This Unusual sions Since the City Authorities In- Monument Marks the Spot in Lexington, Massachusetts, stalled 12-Foot Figures, Representing Where, during the Revolutionary War, a British Com- Traffic Policemen, at Busy Street mander, Attempting to Save His Troops from Utter Intersections \ Defeat, Fired on the American Patriots with a Fieldpiece

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AR8 APARTMENT BUILDING SPLIT, WHIRLED, AND RELOCATED “Cut and shuffled like a deck of cards” was the expression used to describe a re- markable house-moving feat recently per- POPULAR MECHANICS So the “cut and shuffle” was decided upon The rear section of the building, contain ing six of the 12 apartments, was cut cleanly away, turned through 180°, and then rolled across the street to the new location. The section facing on the boul vard was then turned through 90°, and moved backward, similarly, to its ney position. Now the two new building both face the old location. CANDY AND INCIDENTAL FOODS HAVE UNSUSPECTED POWER Nibbling candies and other supposedly “light” foods at odd moments, for th: sake of the flavor rather than for nourish ihe Ariow at the Upper Left Indicates the Cut + Which has been Made in § the Original Building F —" The Portion to the Left of the Cut in the Upper Picture has Now been Turned through 180°, and Moved Backward to the New Foundation ment, is a common habit and one that appears to be on the increase. cent scientific study reveals the fact that these _ incidental in dulgences, regarded in so casual a way, really con tribute astonishingly to the total food energy of the consumer’s diet. Thx eating of less than half a doughnut, for exampl supplies something lik 80 calories, or units of! heat energy, enough to replace that used up. by the average man i Re- SS climbing the Washingto1 Monument. Four pret zels, five large olives, o1 six walnuts, would serv: as. effective substitutes for the half doughnut. Three regular meals a day supply 2,000 to 3,000 calories, but a one-cent portion of candy may contribute 50 or more and ice cream with trim mings may yield as high as 500 calories. The energy used in walking a As the Last Step in the Complicated House-Moving Ope to the Right of formed in the city of Chicago. The house was an L-shaped, three-and-a-half story apartment building, with one entrance on a boulevard and one on a side street. The site requisitioned some months ago by the Soard of Education, the owner found that the corner lot across the side street was the only possible site for relocation. And this lot was too short by some 50 ft. the Arrow in the Uppermost Picture was Turned through 90°, and Then Moved Backward to Its New Position mile may be replacea by eating one caramel. It is evident that a consider able stroll would be needed to dissipate the effects of some candy revels. ration, the Portion Due to the lack of soap, the population of Russia is declared to be infested with lice, which are instrumental in spreading typhus and other diseases. A poor sub- stitute for soap, made from clay, is now used in the turbulent country.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 589 SINGLE HUSKY PULLS SKI-MOUNTED ALASKANS i skimo dogs render invaluable service power. Exceedingly swift trips are made } the population of Alaska. Without the’ in this way over snow-covered routes. urdy animals, winter vel would be almost possible in the north- n territory. Harnessed low sleds, husky teams ke long journeys to herwise inaccessible ints. A newer and generally known thod of utilizing the ry beasts involves the of skis. The wooden nners are strapped to feet of a person, and single canine, hitched a belt around the ist of the traveler by eans fz 0-ft. rope, Ready for a Ski Trip: The Dog is Hitched to a Belt around the Waist : — of h 10-ft opty of the Man with a 10-Foot Rope. Swiftness_Characterizes furnishes the motive Journeys Made in This Manner K SGP man, SIMPLE BODY MAKES ROADSTER chair seats and wheel steer, many of them OUT OF MOTORCYCLE are glad to enter the regular auto class when opportunity offers. A Chicagoan has [hough motorcyclists may affect dis- made the shift easy by designing a simple lain toward such luxuries as upholstered body which, attached by a few bolts to a motorcycle and side- car frame, literally changes it to a good roadster. The ap- plied body has a com- fortable t w 0 - passenger seat, a dash with spark and gas _ connections, conventional pedals for clutch and brake, and a regular steering wheel that connects with the head of the motorcycle through bevel gears. An Transforming a Motorcycle into a Roadster: The Special Body, Which »] cate ‘ ad” « a Makes This Possible, is Pictured on the Right. A Close View ‘ ongate d “hood” covers of the Steering Wheel is Shown at the Left the front portion SPARK PLUG WITH GAS VALVE ACTS AS AUTO STARTER \n automobile spark plug that acts ilso as a priming valve, and so serves iS an engine starter when battery cur- rent is used for ignition, is the novel invention of a Massachusetts man. A gasoline line from a priming pump on the dash connects with each plug by insu- lated piping, and check valves in the plugs prevent return pressure. After priming, the ignition switch alone starts ‘orrmer™ reanarions : r “ ot Combined Spark Plug and Priming Valve: A Dash the cylinder then in sparking position. Pump Forces Gasoline through the Devices

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590 POPULAR TREADMILL TESTS TRACTORS BY DRIVING DYNAMOMETER While performance tests in the field give much information about a tractor, truly scientific tests must be made in- doors. A mid-west university has recently installed very complete equipment for this work. A movable track, constituting vir- MECHANICS ously. The track treads, 26 in. wide, are adjustable for the heaviest tractors up to 84 in. wide and 96 in. wheelbase. TORNADO RECORDS OF KANSAS ARE SUBJECT OF STUDY Tornado records of the Topeka office, U. S. Weather Bureau, show that the Twin Treadmills, Level with the Floor, on Which the Drivewheels of the Tractor Rest: The One at the Left Is Adjustable Laterally state of Kansas has been visited by 302 of these peculiar wind storms in the last 33 years, Me- teorologist S. D. Flora. in making the findings public, not only verifies the old stories of straws blown into timbers, and feathers removed fro m chickens, but adds other still more strange. In one curious case report ed, a window sash wa blown from a railroad station, and deposited o a distant lawn, with heavy scale weight rest ing on its unbroken glass. A fragi filled with , , le coal shed retugees was unharmed, while large trees all about it were uprooted, and the sub stantial schoolhouse to which it belonged was destroyed. Usually the typical whirling cloud pendant is formed whe) two clouds meet, and it is the vacuum in this so called “funnel” that i Wheels, Driven by the Endless Treads, are Diagram of the Ar- responsible for so much rangement of the (jestruction. The dis- Tractor-Testing Treadmills: The turbances are not, ot course, peculiar to Kan- | L a | SD Load Electrically. At the Left Is the Drum-Operated Pendulum Which Records the Drawbar Pull on the Plate tually a double treadmill on which rest the wheels or treads of a tractor under test, is supported at the floor level by idler wheels. It is geared to an electric dyna- mometer, operable as dynamo or motor, with indicating instruments that measure directly the brake power of the tractor. At the same time the tractor’s drawbar is connected to a 5-in. ball-bearing drum operating a heavy pendulum, with a re- cording arm at its upper end bearing on a vertical brass plate, adjustable to posi- tion according to the load. The time ele- ment is electrically recorded simultane- Geared to the Dyna- sas, and records of its mometeratthe Right, neighbors to the east Which Registers Its - : might show an even at the Top greater prevalence. It is interesting to note that only nine per cent of the recorded tornadoes visited the western part of the state, the majority cf them being well east of the center line. @ The hospital at the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Wash., wanted a green- house, but there were no funds available and glass cost money. A _ resourceful doctor cut the Gordian knot by remem- bering a stock of old X-ray plates. Now the western sunhght shines through the shadows of sailor diseases upon flowers that all winter long brighten the wards.

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POPULAR MECHANICS The Town Planner has Divided Lindenlea, as Shown Above, into Small Lots, Which have been Sold to Civil Servants, and Others of Moderate Incomes, at Very Low Prices. All Eyesores are Excluded from This Garden Spot, Just as Every Provision is being Made for the Health, Comfort, and Convenience of the Lot Owners NEW SUBURB OF OTTAWA TO BE GARDEN SPOT On a wooded tract of 20 acres near the residence of the governor-general of Canada, the Ottawa Housing Commis- sion is fostering “Lindenlea,” a garden- suburb project that deserves the interest of all who believe that better homes make better citizens. The commission recently bought the land outright, and divided it into modest lots, which were sold at prices ranging from $400 to $600. The commission’s one aim is to make Linden- lea a pleasant place to live in. For this reason, noisy motor trucks and other heavy traffic will be confined to one thor- oughfare. On the other streets, laid out in graceful curves that give character to the lots abutting on them, mothers may consequently let their children play with- out fear of accidents. Grounds for a community center, athletic field, wading pool, and garage, form a tenth of the total area. Every existing shade tree will be conserved, so far as_ possible. Electric wires will be laid underground; billboards and unsightly fences will be prohibited. As an assurance of general architectural harmony, the commission has ordained thet every house shall be designed in the >ffice of the town-plan- ning adviser.

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SOME NOVEL AND LITTLE-KNOWN ACCESSORIES The Ingenious Per- fume Bottle Seen at the Right is Safely Carried in the Purse or Shopping Bag, as the Contents will Not Spill Even with the Corks Removed sin Red ae Pressure on the But- ton Separates the Aluminum Pocket Case, at the Right, into the Hairbrush and Mirror Seen The Lightweight In- sole Below is Designed to Throw the Weight of the Body on the Outer Edge of the Foot,and SoRestore a ; : j “Flat” FoottoNormal = / The Cast-Iron Kettle Above is Covered with a Perforated Lid through Which Liquid may be Poured The Baby Soon Learns to Walk When Assisted by This Steel Frame, Which Rolls Easily on Its Four Casters. The Fabric Which Sup- orts the Baby and Forms the Tray p The Waterless “‘ Hot- s of Washable Duck. The Entire . Water Bottle’ Above Apparatus can be Folded to a Small is Made of Metal, and Compass is Filled with a Chem- ical Compound That Holds Heat for Eight to Twelve Hours This Patented Baby - Car- riage Screen Protects the Small Occupant from An- noyd@nce by Insect Pests. It is Made of Three Hinged Sections Which are Held in Place bya Spring around arpening the Lower Edge. It is sharpening When Dull Rolled Up When Not in Use =~ . —s ceed Acetate vata oe = = —4 Fingers are Saved An- noying Abrasion When This Lnexpensive String Cutter is Screwed to Sewing Machine, Shop Counter, or Wrapping Desk. The Blade is Easily Removed for Re- 512 .

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we aE signe ov Hades

INTENDED FOR THE HOME

AND ITS MEMBERS

The Curtain “Rod,” Shown Above in Cut- Away View, Is ed a Coil Spring Whic may be Stretched and Secured, by Its Ornamental Claws, to Any Window of Or. dinary Size

Closet Space Ordi- narily asted is Occupied . 2 This Hat Box, hich Hangs, Normally, ‘Close to the Ceiling. A Pull on the String ‘Brings It within Reach

COPYRIGHT, PRESS ILLUS, SERVICE No Matter How Often the Awkward Partner Steps on This Dancing Pump, It is Held Firmly to the Foot by the Strap Which Enciicles the An Even Pull on the Cord Raises the Window Shade Carried on This Springless Roller. A Quick Release Drops the Squared Axle into the Lock Socket. Gravity Lowers the Shade

The Modern Housewife’s Dislike for the Untidy Wax Candle Generally Prevents Use of Ornamental Candle- sticks. So This Little Elec- trical Attachment is Now Made to Replace the Candle

The Two-Pointed Prong Set into the Ash Tray at the Right Enables a Smoker to Empty His Pipe Bowl with Little Effort

Food is Brought to a Brisk Boil on This Fire- less- Cooker Range; Then the Gas is Shut Off, and the Insulated Hood Dropped over the Pan. tinues to Cook

~<— This Kitchen Utensil of Nonrusting Metal is Pushed through an Apple Core. As It Nears the End, the Coil Spring Ejects the Core

The Food Con-

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594 POPULAR ABSENT GATEMEN REPLACED BY WARNING SIGNS Investigation of many grade-crossing accidents along the route of an extensive | - railroad system disclosed that a large proportion occurred at night. In almost every case the driver claimed ignorance of the fact that gatemen are com- monly on duty only during the daytime. In con- sequence, signs of the type illustrat- ed have been supplied to these gatemen. Leaving his post at quit- ting time, each man sets. his metal deputy by the roadside, and so robs the motorist of his last excuse for in- caution. MANICURE-SUPPLY RECEPTACLE HAS FIVE COMPARTMENTS To obviate the necessity of incon- venient and unsightly assortments of bottles and jars on the manicure’s work table, a de- vice is being man- ufactured for holding all the preparations em- ployed in treating the nails and hands. A five- ' vee * sided block of glass is provided with five depressions, or wells, in which can be kept different pol- ishes and solutions. The contents of the divided receptacle are protected, when not being used, by a revolving cover as shown in the illustration. BRITISH INVENTORS ANNOUNCE CREATIONS OF PAST YEAR Announcement was made at the annual meeting of the Inventors Union, con- vened recently at London, of several in- ventions that may prove revolutionary. One British inventor has originated a method for producing fluorescent dyes from inorganic matter. Another exhibited MECHANICS an almost frictionless gear which prom- ises to make present mechanisms obso- lete. The science of aeronautics was af- fected by the reported discovery that easiest flight is along an undulating course like that taken by birds and fishes. De- scription of a “cinematograph stereo- scope” suggests that the morning paper of the future may carry a “movie” supple- ment which will be enjoyed at the break- fast table. TILTING STOOL FOR SURGEONS HAS JOINTED BASE AND LEG When performing operations, surgeons frequently find it necessary to change , . their positions, in ee order to. obtain : different views of ~} the work in hand. A new hospital stool is designed to make these shifts less diffi- cult. The single leg of the device is attached to a heavy metal base by means of a ball-and- socket joint, which allows the seat to be tilted in the desired direction without in any way changing the position of the base. | | | , WINDOW-REGULATING DEVICE FOR CLOSED AUTOMOBILES Closed motor-car windows are lowered, raised, or locked in any position by a simple mechanical device that ap- peared on the market recently as a substitute for the straps com- monly used _ for this purpose. The _ contrivance includes two sprocket wheels, one equipped with an operating crank, and_ the other with a counterbalancing spring. An end- less block chain runs over the wheels, and is attached to the lower edge of a window sash. All the parts, excepting the crank, which pro- trudes, are designed to be concealed under the window.

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er z POPULAR MECHANICS 55 ODOR SPREADS ALARM IN MINE’S FIRE DRILL lhe miner who is unable to smell ba- nana oil or garlic may be refused work in ‘he underground mine of the future. For he federal Bureau of Mines, after years ff experiment, has found that these dors, not electric bells or lights, are the best possible means for spreading an ilarm, and bringing men to the surface. In a recent test in a Montana mine, em- ploying hundreds of men in miles of drifts ind tunnels, the new alarm system worked so perfectly that every man was out in 15 minutes. Spreading the odor was easy, thanks to the compressed-air system, in- stalled, incidentally, in every large mine to yperate drills, and ventilate headings. The il was stored in a container at the com- pressing station. At a signal from the superintendent, the watchman turned a ilve, the volatile oil was sucked into the main pipe, and in an instant had reached very nose in the mine. Even more ef- fective than banana oil, would have been . horribly repulsive chemical of concen- trated garlic odor. TRAY OF NOVEL WHEELBARROW TILTS TO DUMP LOAD Recently issued patents include one for an unusual wheelbarrow, which is ‘quipped with a tilting tray that dumps 1 load in front of the conveyance, and a levice for returning the tray to its nor- mal position after the performance of this yperation. The tray is hinged to the side vars of the vehicle near the wheel. To unload the barrow, the tray is swung up- ward and forward to a nearly vertical position, in which it is supported by a Front-Dumping Wheelbarrow: The Empty Tray i: Returned to the Side Bars by a Spring- Operated Winding Drum triple-jointed rod. A_ spring-operated winding drum, located underneath the tray, serves to pull the latter back into piace by means of cables. @ Five diyisions of the German army, it has just been learned, were held east of Verdun, from Oct. 22 to Nov. 11, 1918, by the supposed concentration in that sector of the American “X Army.” The “X Army,” composed of members of the Intelligence Section, First Army, A. E. F., convinced the Germans during these days, by apparently careless use of the telephone and wireless, that they were confronted by a considerable American force, and so held them, while Pershing busied himself elsewhere HAND-DRIVEN PROPELLER FOR SMALL BOATS Manually turned screw propellers for small water craft are provided in the re- ently patented device of it western inventor, who recommends them as a substitute for oars. Es- sentially, the mechanism onsists of a shaft, de- igned to be revolved by two pairs of cranks, to which it is connected by gears, and fitted with a screw. Seats for two op- erators are located in convenient positions near the cranks. Pedals, at- tached to the tiller with -—- —_ - | | be installed in any rowboat, and is capa- ble of producing a fair rate of speed. q cables, are used for The Arrangement of the Hand-Operated Screw for Small Boats can be steering. The device can Seen in This Illustration, Which Also Shows the Pedal- Controlled Steering Apparatus

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oYO POPULAR ODD BABY CARRIER HANGS FROM MOTHER’S SHOULDER The impracticability of loading a baby carriage on surface or subway car has abolished for city mothers the good old custom of “taking baby along.” With a view to the revival of the = ancient practice, however, a Londoner has created a bulkless baby carrier that is slung from the shoulder, as _ pic- tured. In its sim- plest form, the carrier consists of a shoulder strap, a veneered board about the length of the baby, anda belt which holds the squirmer in place. The broad shoulder strap is adjustable. HORSES’ HOOFS BENEFITED BY RESILIENT HEELS Intended, like the familiar rubber heel, to absorb the jars of contact with city pavements, a resil- r Py aah 1 ient, steel heelplate BEND aoe frocks . wocKs | is now manufac- OVER | tured for attach- TO FIT CAULK —~ | ment to the ordi- | nary horseshoe. The heel is sup- plied in a flat form to the horse- shoer, who at- taches it by bending and welding two locking bars to the sides of the shoe. As only the fore part of the heel makes con- tact with the shoe in this way, the rear of the shoe becomes a shock absorber for the quarters of the hoof. a DRAINAGE DITCHES IN SWAMPS BLASTED WITH DYNAMITE Dynamite performs the tasks of many men, quickly and economically, in the swamps of southern Florida, where the explosive is utilized as a substitute for expensive human labor im the construc- MECHANICS tion of drainage ditches. A -_ simple methed is employed in the work. Holes are made at 3-ft. intervals along the sur- veyed line of the excavatign by thrusting an iron rod into the ground to a depth of 3 or 4 ft. In each of these cavities is placed one-fourth of a dynamite stick and a percussion cap. About one-half mile is prepared in this manner before the charges are exploded. The latter opera- tion is performed by lighting a fuse, which is attached to the piece of dynamite in the last hole of the series. Concussion serves to set off the other charges. TELEPHONE-DIRECTORY HOLDER DESIGNED FOR OFFICES Among the latest office appliances is a novel telephone-directory holder, which is suitable for at- tachment to a desk with a screw clamp, or to the wall with a brack- et. The device comprises a swing- ing arm, on the free end of which is pivoted a fold- ing rack, When not in use, the book can be closed, and moved to.a position that is out of the way, and at the same time convenient. The rack opens automat- ically when the contrivance is extended, and provides a substantial support. APPLIANCE HOLDS WHEEL WHEN AXLE SHAFT IS BROKEN When the rear-axle shaft of a certain type of small automobile is broken, it is usually impos- sible to move the machine, because the wheel lost in the accident can- not be replaced until after the in- stallation of a new shaft. For use in such cases, there is now on the market a _ device that can be at- tached with ordi- nary tools. It con- sists of a tubular sleeve that fits the —_ shaft end and has a spindle for receiving the wheel.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 597 Endless-Tread Attachment for Motor Trucks: The Device, Hung ‘by Toggle Joints to the Frame of the Truck, is Seen in Side Elevation at the Bottom and in Plan at the Top. The Small Views Give Details of the Controlling and Driving Mechanisms ENDLESS-TREAD ATTACHMENT IS HUNG ON TRUCK FRAME To give the advantages of endless-tread traction to motor trucks of ordinary form, an Ohio inventor suspends an independ- ent tread mechanism from the _ truck frame, just ahead of the rear wheels. The device thus serves either as an attach- ment for complete vehicles, or as a built- in portion of a new form of truck or tractor. The auxiliary tread is thrown into or out of engagement with the ground by a control arm at the driver’s hand. Bevel and worm gears from the main axle drive the endless chains of the tread. The idlers on which the chain runs are mounted in pairs pivoted to a spring suspension, so that uneven sur faces are traversed with unusual facility. LIGHT FOR VIEWING COLORS HAS PATCHWORK REFLECTOR An electric-lighting unit which renders color values practically as well as day- light has been devised by an English artist, aided by an engineer and an army camoufleur. Below the powerful incan- descent lamp is an opaque, polished re- flector cup. Above is a large reflector screen covered with varicolored patches of small size, worked out by mathematical formula. The result is reflected illumina- tion closely approximating daylight, and giving excellent visibility to all colored articles. Though much light is absorbed by the reflector, necessitating lamps of 60 cp., or more, the invention may prove aluable to many industries in which color-blending processes are used, and promises to find a place in color photog- raphy, where its reliable chromatic quali- ties would be of service. SMALL ASPHALT HEATER MADE FOR REPAIR OF RURAL ROADS lor the routine maintenance and emer- gency repair of asphalt roads beyond city limits, there is now made a little heater that is easily drawn behind the road pa- trolman’s wagon or automobile. It is made of steel in the conventional pro- portions, but stands only about three feet This Diminutive Asphalt Heater is Intended for th Use of the Road Patrolman Whose ‘Beat’ Takes Him into the Isolated Rural Districts high. Eight gallons of repair material are held, at the top of the furnace, in a kettle welded to the shell.

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598 POPULAR EXERCISER AND VAPOR BATH COMBINED IN NEW DEVICE Exercise and vapor baths are recog- nized means for reducing flesh. Both aici __ ss methods can SLIT FOR HANT | be employed at the same time by using a recently in- vented device. A nearly air- tight cabinet incloses a bi- cyclelike con- trivance, de- signed to be operated with pedals, and equipped with an adjustable brake, besides anelectric THERMOMETER 4 co . heater and a ; - water con- 4€ E —— a _| tainer. I h e apparatus also includes a thermometer for indicating the temperature inside the case. SIX BOATS LAUNCHED IN ONE DAY BY WESTERN SHIPYARD American shipbuilding companies al- most daily astonish the world with some record-breaking accomplishment. Recent examples include the achievement of a western coast concern, which established a precedent by launching six vessels in one day at the same yard. The craft were constructed for the United States Ship- ping Board. An official of this organiza- tion released the first boat from the ways by pressing a button at Washington, D.C. PACKAGE FASTENER DESIGNED TO TAKE PLACE OF TWINE An easily attached clasp for packages, intended to supplant twine, is now on the market. Two short paper tapes, gummed at one end, compose the device. At the op- posite end, one of these strips is equipped with an eyelet,‘and the other with a metal hook. To apply the contrivance, the tapes are moistened, stuck on the wrapper, and fastened together by inserting the hook in the eyelet. MECHANICS FIND THIRD MEXICAN PYRAMID IN “CITY OF THE GODS” At Teotihuacan, “City of the Gods,” 27 miles northeast of Mexico City, has been unearthed a third pyramid, even larger than the famous pyramids of the Sun and Moon, near by. The discovery in itself means little. Archeologist: are hopeful, however, that continued excavation will disclose underground chambers, etc., con- taining significant relics, and so dissolve the obscurity that shrouds the origin and cultures of the races that once thrived about the Gulf of Mexico. The pyramids of the Sun and Moon at Teotihuacan, it may be remembered, are huge adobe mounds, with sides oriented to the quar- ters of the compass, and with small sum- mit platforms where were performed horrible sacrificial butcherings. DOCTOR INVENTS GERM-PROOF DRINKING FOUNTAIN Myriad drinking fountains have been devised, but, so far as can be ascertained, none employs ex- actly the same means for prevent- ing the accumula- tion of germs as that used in the recently invented contrivance of a western physician. The new device consists of a brass cup, in the center of which is placed a vertical nozzle. Water thrown from the latter reaches a considerable height, and makes it unnec- essary for the lips of a drinker to touch the fountain. Further protection is pro- vided by smaller streams, some projected upward from the edge of the cup, and others forced across the edge of the vessel. 4 7 ANCIENT FOSSILIZED SEAWEED RESEMBLES MODERN PLANTS Examining rock samples obtained in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, a promi- nent scientist has discovered what is de- clared to be positive proof that the sea- weeds of 25,000,000 or 30,000,000 years ago were very similar to those of the present time. The evidence is in the form of fossils, which are believed to have been living plants during the Middle Cam-

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pe eH-) ba Sas wat + ly ha POPULAR MECHANICS 599 brian geologic period, when the north- western coast of today was covered with ‘water. The stone in which the ancient remains were found is a hard, dark-col- ored shale. On the surface of this ma- terial, the fossils appeared as a shiny black film. Some of the specimens have been cut into thin sections for study and comparison with modern ocean plants. URGE CHANGE IN ROAD RULES TO ENCOURAGE MOTORISTS Changes in the highway regulations now in force in British Columbia are being urged by local automobile and trade associations as a means of inducing motorists from other parts of Canada, and from the United States, to travel in the province. The present rules, which differ considerably from those followed else- where on the continent, are declared to deter tourists from including the region in their itineraries. Legislation intended to remedy this condition is being considered by provincial government officials. STORAGE-BATTERY CARE MADE EASY BY COMPACT OUTFIT The automobile owner finds it easy to give his storage battery proper attention ——_____- when his garage is equipped with a main- tenance outfit now on the market. It con- sists of a half-gallon glass jar for distilled water, the fiber cap bearing a dial with movable _ indicator, which shows when the battery was last filled. Through a central hole in the cap hangs a glass syringe, with which the distilled water is transferred from bottle to battery. Within the syringe, again, lies a small _ hydrometer, which registers the strength of the bat- tery by indicating specific gravity, when some of the sulphuric-acid solution is sucked up by the syringe. @ The first recorded professional use of the airplane by an insurance adjuster was the flight of 215 miles and return re- cently made in a single day from San Francisco to the scene of a distant con- flagration. VENDING DEVICE SELLS SOFT DRINKS IN BOTTLES Soft drinks are dispensed in a novel ‘manner by a new vending machine. A wooden case contains the mechanism, which is operated by a crank that can be turned only after a coin has been placed in a slot. The crank rotates a circular holder, designed to drop the neck of a filled bottle through a hole in the case, and sup- port the recep- tacle in such a po- sition that its con- tents can be drained into a paper cup, which | is released simul- — taneously with the bottle. A tool for opening bottles is chained to the device. In the upper portion of the contrivance is an ice chest, while in the base there is a water tank, into which empty bottles are dropped. ; | | | } | | MOTOR IN STOOL BASE HELPS PHOTOGRAPHER POSE SUBJECT The cylindrical stool pictured herewith is meant to aid the portrait photographer in posing his sub- jects. From a PF | glides iad switch mounted | - “0 her on the rear of tle , the camera, wires lead to an elec- tric motor con- cealed in the base of the stool. With his hand on the switch, the pho- tographer is con- sequently able to turn his. subject until the desired view, profile, full face, etc., 18 scen. The apparatus is found most. use- ful in posing chil- dren, though by lifting out the wicker seat, it is made comfortable for adults. The stool body is painted in any desired finish.

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CHILDREN’S PICTURE-STORY DEPARTMENT Gluing Together Hun- dreds of Ordinary Matches the 15-Year Old Seattle Boy in the Picture Com- pleted a Sweet-Toned Ukulele after Eight Weeks of Patient Labor Constructing Model Ocean Liners and Air Craft Is the Hobby of an Ingenious Western Ycuth, Who is Shown Here with Two Ex- amples of His Handi- work. The Ship, Which Is Accurate in Every Detail, is Equipped witha Wire- less Set. A Rubber Band Propels the Biplane These Obviously Happy Children are Riding in ne of the Sidewheel os Boats Provided for Their Amusement by the Au- thorities of a Town on the Isle of Wight | A Domestic-Science Kindergarten: | In a Certain London Nursery, Children from Two to Five Years Old are Taught the Duties of a | Housekeeper. The Juvenile Pupils | to be Seen Here have Finished Their Work, and are Busy Wash- ing Their Hands and Faces |

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OF MODERN ACTIVITIES AND INTERESTS A Likenessof ‘‘Princess,”’ One of the Two Known White Kangaroos in the World, Appears on the Left. The Animal was tex i ea res Sent to England Recently COPYRIGHT, INTERNATIONAL FILM SERVICE | from Australia The Funeral of “‘Rags,’’ Dog Mascot of a Chicago Fire Department Hook and Ladder Company, Was a Solemn Ceremony. Boy and Girl Friends of the Canine Acted as Pallbearers. ‘‘Rags,”’ Who Never Failed to Respond to an Alarm, was Killed by being Run Over by a Fire Truck While Hurrying to a Conflagration | Educators are Taking Lead- | | ing Parts in the Reconstruction of Belgium. The Illustration Shows an Outdoor Class in Lace Making, in Session near Brussels SSS ¥e ONE VIEW CO l

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602 POPULAR MECHANICS GROOVED PORCELAIN PREVENTS SHORT CIRCUITS IN PLUG Short circuits in a new spark plug are declared by the inventor to be impossible. The secret of the device lies in the porcelain, the in- side of which is grooved, not smooth, as in the case of an ordi- nary plug. More resistance is of- fered to current by carbon that forms on the un- even surface than by the gap be- tween the points, due to the fact that the distance through the ma- terial is much greater than if the porcelain were smooth. As a result, a spark is produced by the contrivance, even when the porcelain is coated with carbon. MOTOR TRUCK HELPS MAKE BEES WORK OVERTIME The motor truck is proving a: valuable ally to many beekeepers of the western states, enabling them to prolong the gath- ering season and thus increase the yearly harvest of honey. During the past sum- mer, for example, an apiarist in California me ‘ed his colonies, at the end of the local _se vn, from his home, to a great orange gro 64 miles away. Several weeks later he guided his motor-truck caravan to fresh pasture in a foothill cafon, and later still to a lowland bean-blossom patch. In Utah, the triple recurrence of the alfalfa crop lengthens the season to the beekeepers’ profit, but even here the motor truck is often used to carry the hives to isolated tracts of alfalfa or clover. TWO BIGGEST MOVIE STUDIOS BEING ERECTED IN EAST A whole city block is occupied by the glass studios and open-air stages of a giant new motion-picture plant now in process of erection on Long Island. The ground area of the site is more than 140,- 000 sq. ft., and the building cost alone will reach $2,000,000. At the same time, and not very far away, another mammoth studio building, four stories high, has been started, its dimensions being 332 by 200 ft. Movie producers who are estab- lishing these permanent factories in th East assert that every variety of scenery desired for picture making can be found within a few miles of their location, ARM ON NEW SPINDLE FILE GUARD FOR PAPER Papers ally from file. A nearthe a spring, placed on cannot be removed accident- a recently patented spindle small arm is held extended top of the hollow spike by and when material is the device, the arm is pushed down into a recess, where it re mains until the paper is past its position. By pushing a lever on the base of the file, the arm is depressed so that papers can be taken from the spike. The move ment of the lever is trans mitted to the arm by means of a tiny rod, which > slides inside the spike, ee and is attached to a D both of these parts THE STEAM SHOVEL By LYDIA M. D. O’NEIL After the bidding is over and done, After the fight for the contract is won, And the chief engineer to the starting point comes With all the details at the ends of his thumbs, And the big Irish bosses arrive on the scene, Lips lovingly locked on the faithful dudeen, And the navvies assemble, their wages to win, It is time for the steam shovel’s work to begin! From Culebra Cut to the far Simplon, I have groped in the depths of earth; From the Jersey flats to the steep Cajon, I ave proven my lasting worth! Railr@ad, tunnel, canal, or mine— When all is completed at length, It stands as a proof of the genius of man, And proof of the steam shovel’s strength! The dust of the desert or swamp soil moist, Alike shall I gather, alike shall I hoist; I shall move a mountain or change the course Of the river that taunts you with furious force. I shall deepen the harbors and widen the fills, And gouge you a path through the heart of the hills; Extend you the margins of whimpering seas, And laugh in the matching of power with these! From Port Sudan to the far Cascades, I shall go where the blueprints lead; From Ningpo-fu to the Everglades, As the contract’s terms may read. Railroad, harbor, canal, or mine— When all is completed at length, Let it stand as a proof of the cunning of man And a proof of the steam shovel’s strength!

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yi i re ce 7 Pik yess te Information as to where to obtain any —— materials or parts for making objects described in the following pages may be had, on request, 4 from our Bureau of Information. —Editor How to Build a Portable Summer House By EDWARD H. PRENTICE A COMFORTABLE place in the coun- try, for the hot summer days, is easily provided by devoting a few hours to the construction of a portable house. A barn, cellar, or garage will be large enough to work in, and when the time comes to get into the country, a load or two on a motor truck, and a day’s work etting it up, will find the owner fully prepared for a summer’s enjoyment. he following directions are for a one- room house, 12 by 18 ft. in size, but the plans are capable of infinite variations which the builder’s fancy or needs may dictate. lhe first step in the construction is to build the side-wall panels. For the fram- ing, 2 by 4-in. pieces are dressed on four sides, and cut and fitted as shown in Fig. 1. For the sake of clearness, the dimen- sions are given on the assumption that the frame pieces are exactly 2 by 4 in. in size, but the dressing will reduce them about 144 in. on each side, and the work- ing dimensions must be modified accord- ingly. Allowance must also be made for window and door frames. It will be found just as cheap, and more gen- The Greatest Part of the Labor of ~~)! 2 ens aw wo can . — in the Home Shop, e Set Up Complete in a Few Hours House can Then erally satisfactory, to buy these window and door frames from a lumber mill than to attempt to make them. The frames are set in the openings provided for them, and nailed in place. The next step is to cover the sections with siding. Before it is nailed on, care- fully test each section for squareness. [his can best be done by measuring the diagonals. If both diagonals of each sec- tion are of the same length, the sections will be square, assuming that all pieces are of correct length; if not found square, the framing must be sprung into proper shape, and kept so by a temporary brace, until the siding is placed. All four sides of the framing must now be drilled for bolt holes, which are carefully laid out so as to come into perfect alinement when the sections are erected. Consider- able time can be saved and a better job done by making two templates, one for the sides and one for the tops and bot- toms, and drilling the holes through them. The frames for the roof may next made. am shown in Fig. 2, #2 ® r Pe Pr hse ey oy and the 3

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604 POPULAR MECHANICS NOVELTY SIDING — \ \ ) 6"y 4 24-—4— 24 +— 24 — 6" THESE t DIMENSIONS DEPENDENT ON SIZE OF WINDOW i) FRAME DETAIL ATA . ‘1 BcaRRisce weg - & \ Fic.}: SIDE CONSTRUCTION OMIT FOR DOOR = % MATCHED FLOORING ) 7 VL hh ZZ Wy cca 2x4 PLATE Cie 24 RAFTERS 2°x 5" RIDGES _ASPHALT COMPOSITION ROOFING — | Ss “= TURNBUCKLE ) BATTENS 3x3 4 2x6'yoists FLOOR SECTION ———™._> FiG.3:FLOOR CONSTRUCTION Fie.2: ROOF CONSTRUCTION notched to fit the planks forming the sills, which support the floor and walls. Upon the completion of these sections, the walls and floor may be re sh painted. In painting panes anne the walls, all knots and sappy spots. should The Walls of the Portable House are Made of 10 Rectangular Panels, and the first be touched up Roof of Six Panels; Two Triangular Frames Go under the Eaves at the Ends with shellac to prevent two pairs will be required for the ends. The one pair required for the center is similar in detail, except that all four rafters are placed on edge, instead of laying the outside ones flat. To form the ends of the walls between the roof and side-wall sections, two trian- gular sections must be made, as detailed. These are covered with siding, to match the side walls. To tie the roof when erected, a pair of iron rods fitted with turnbuckles will be required. The ends of these rods are formed into hooks, or eyes, and are slipped over the ends of two pairs of bolts nearest the joints between the center and end sections. The floor is made up, as detailed in Fig. 3, in three sections. Each section is composed of five beams with ends their showing through the paint. Two coats will be sufficient. In the erection of the building, 10 sup- porting posts are set firmly into the ground, where the corners of the floor sec- tions are tocome. Then the sills are placed, care being taken to have them perfectly level and square. Set up the side walls, be- ginning at any corner, and bolting each section in turnin its place. After the wal’ are set, lag their bottoms to the sills. Next, place the upper end sections of the walls, then the end sections of the roof, and lastly the center sections of the roof. As soon as the roof is in place, fasten the tie rods as previously directed, and screw up the turnbuckles until the rods are at proper tension. Composition roof- ing of asphalt and felt will be found very satisfactory for the roof covering.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 605 Finally, place batten strips on all cor- ners, and over the joints in the sections, and the summer house is ready for oc- cupancy. Sandpaper Prevents Slipping of Level When a level is used on polished sur- faces, a great deal of trouble is experi- enced in preventing the instrument from slipping. A simple remedy is to glue two squares of sandpaper, with the rough side out, on the sides of the level, near the ends. It is then easy to hold the level on any surface by applying only slight pressure. Flush Soldering for Leaks I recently had occasion to solder a coffeepot which had four or five pinholes in the bottom—a job that a near-by shop had refused with the statement that it could not be soldered satisfactorily. As the holes were very small, and it was necessary to have the bottom of the pot nearly level, to stand properly, I pro- ceeded as follows: After brightening or cleaning a small spot around each hole, I placed the point of a small center punch in the hole from the outside, and gave a sharp blow with the hammer. This made a slight depression all around the hole; after applying the acid it is a simple mat- ter to fill the depression with solder, mak- ing a neat job.—Frederic M. Wood, Rochester, N. Y. Barrel Skids Made of T-Rails On a river wharf where many thou- sands of barrels are handled, a chute made of light steel rails has been found very effective. The rails are of 10 to 30 Ib. | per yard weight. They are bolted to cleats made of 14- in. iron, so. that the two rails are about 16 in. apart. By bending them

LIGHT “( STEEL RAIL ; JN slightly. as in the Ge< op cut, the barrel Yiwon sJlae 2} 7 slows up before it aa Teaches the ground, thus les- sening danger of injury to it. Projec- tions may be welded at the underside of the rail at one end, so that it will be held from slipping off the wagon bed, or plat- form.—J]. B. Woods, West Burke, Vt.

Handy Tools Made from Old Files For the workman who has spare time and a forge fire, a bunch of old worn- out files form the raw material from SCREWDRIVER

AWL METAL CUTTER When Old Files of Various Shapes Are Handy, These Shapes may be Utilized in Forging Them into Various Other Metal-Working Tools which many useful tools can be made. Six of these are illustrated in the draw- ing; the kind of file from which each is made will be apparent from the illustra- tion. Almost every style and shape of file in common use can be taken advan- tage of in the construction of some other cutting tool—Frank H. Sahlmann, Man- hattan, Kan. Pipe-Bending Post In small shops whese pipe bending must be done occasionally, a post fast- ened permanently in some part of the shop and bored with holes of various sizes, will be found a _ very convenient acces- sory. Iron pipe must ordinarily be heated for bending, and often filled with sand in order to avoid buckling. It is then thrust into whichever hole it fits, and the bend is quickly made without the use of a vise. In time, the edges nu of the holes will be burned ~ uy” away by the hot pipes, but ~— roundness at the edges is not objection-

able, and, besides, the making of a new block is not a matter of a great deal of labor. @ When using an electric iron, if tne cord is run through a ring around the arm just below the elbow, or a bicycle trousers’ guard attached there, the cord will be kept away from the board.

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606 POPULAR MECHANICS Auto Operates Tank Pump It is becoming quite common to use automobiles as a source of power, but it is not always possible to do this err |

Without the Use of Pulley or Belt, the Automobile is Used to Drive a Water Pump on a Farm without the use of a transmission belt The photograph shows how a connect- ing rod was bolted directly to one ot the rear wheels of the car, jacked up off the ground for the occasion. The rod was a 2 by 4-in. timber, and the other end was connected to the plun- ger arm of the cylinder water pump. As the pump requires a slow operating speed, and not a great deal of power, the automobile engine handled it successfully. —T, A, Leadley, Lincoln, Neb Veneering Large Round Columns Our shop had an order for three wooden columns, 8 in. in diameter and 8 ft. long, to be covered with 4g-in. quarter-sawed, red-oak veneer, after being built up and turned. Having no special equip- ment for this job, nor any round-cut veneer, I cut six piece s of 1%-Iin. flat veneer, wide | enough so. that

| two pieces would nearls cover the sTRies TO ‘ FILL CRACKS \¥g VENEER surface of one col- END VIEW OF COLUMN umn, leaving a space of 4% in., or a little more, between the two pieces. These wide pieces were softened in hot water, and tied around the columns with small cords. The columns were then put into a kiln for 10 hours. At the end of this time the veneer was pretty well formed to shape, and ready to be glued. Each column was swung on centers, so it could be turned with a crank. The veneer was glued to it, and while one man turned the column, cheap sash cord was wound over it like thread on a spool. When the veneer was all covered, the cord was wet with hot water. This caused it to shrink, and hold the veneer very tightly to the column. After an- other 24 hours in the kiln, the columns came out perfectly hard and solid. Nar- row strips of the same veneer were cut to fit the cracks between the wide pieces, and glued in. The columns were then fin- ished with sandpaper on the lathe, and a beautiful job was the result—E. K. Wehry, Cedar Rapids, Ia. Rack for Lathe Tools When lathe tools are thrown into a box or tray indiscriminately, the cutting edges are fre- TOOL RACK quently damaged, <gf so that regrinding ASS SSS is necessary. Also, AE YY Ee where a variety of So S \} 'B tools are used, SosMs ies valuable time is as A~ lost in hunting up ~: Pd the right one. The a ros drawing shows a simple and effect- ive arrangement, by which each cutter is kept separately, and in a place where it may be found without loss of time.—J. H. Moore, Toronto, Ont. Secret Ignition Switch for Car If an automobile thief knows just where to look for a locked break in the ignition circuit, he will quickly accom- plish his end and get away with the car. If there is a break that cannot be lo- __ . cat e d, however, lo “ WP 5 i : he will be delayed, 4 oe SPRING BRASS and the more dif- ia ficult the finding of the break, the greater the delay. The following is a scheme that is very hard to de- tect. Make a lit tle cleat of wood or fiber, or use an

ordinary ready-made cleat such as is used to hold wiring in position. Instead of running the wire straight through, how- ever, as is usual, cut the wire and bare the ends. Drill small holes so that the ends of the wire can be run to the screws used for holding down the cleat, putting cop-

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JRA Y i Vage’y van athe POPULAR MECHANICS 607 yer washers under the screws. Do this work so that there is nothing to indicate how the wire is run. Use flat-head screws with heads large enough to project above the copper washers. When the cleat is screwed down there will be nothing what- ever to indicate that it is anything but the ordinary arrangement. There will be a perfect break in the circuit, however. To complete the circuit, use a little piece of spring brass or copper with the ends notched out, a little longer than the dis- tance between the two screw heads. Spring the brass until the notched ends will catch under the projecting, screw heads, and the circuit is completed. Re- move the strip, and it is broken, though nothing shows it. Such a lock is so easily made that it is very little trouble to put two or three in the circuit in different places, and it will take a clever thief to untangle the puzzle—Howard Greene, New York, N. Y. Round Holes Made with Cold Chisel Having a number of round holes to cut in a thin sheet-iron box, I tried to cut them out with the chisels we had—cape, square-point, etc.,—but could not make a clean-cut round hole. Finally, by taking a ROUND square-edge cold chisel, and grinding a round cutting edge on it, I was able to cut a round hole nearly as clean as one which had _ been punched. The chisel must, of course, be held at an angle to the work, but in the case ot very thin metal this is no great objec- tion—R. B. Miller, San Pedro, Calif. COLO CHISEL ~, Potato for Keeping Metal Cool sroken tools, such as scissors, plane irons, and chisels, will not lose their tem- per when being repaired by brazing, if inserted in a potato. A dovetail notch is cut in each part, and a piece of steel, cut to fit, is driven tightly into the notches. The tool is then thrust into a potato, until the smallest possible portion protrudes. The moisture in the potato keeps the metal cool during the brazing process, and prevents it from losing its temper—Réné J. Rousseau, Suresnes, France. Sign Printing without a Press Fence posters, sidewalk signs, and other forms of printed announcements, may be made without a printing press and at WME WHT Wau HAT } Ait) | WY WI Hit ; HA MLE tlt hit i lad Wt | J Ail | i | NH i=] SHEET OF GLASS COMPOSITION WOOD FRAME LAYER OF PUTTY By Cutting Letters in Putty, and Making a Rotary Stamp with Printers’ Roller Compound, the Printing of Signs is Easily Accomplished slight expense, as follows: Obtain a piece of glass and lay it on a flat surfac Moisten the face of the glass with water before it dries, cover with a %4-in. layer of putty and smooth off level. With a sharp-pointed knife, cut the letters through the entire thickness of putty. Moistening the glass before laying on the putty makes it possible to remove the body of the letters without their sticking to the glass. A wooden frame, ™ in. high, exactly fitting the glass, is applied, as shown in the drawing, and filled level with printers’ roller compound. To make this substance, soak 8 Ib. of glue in about 4 pt. of water, and heat gently until dis- solved. To the glue solution add 3 Ib. of brown sugar; when both glue and sugar have been thoroughly dissolved, pour in 15 pt. of glycerin. Allow this compound to stand on the mold from 12 to 24 hours. Care should be taken that the composi- tion is not torn in removing it from thie mold. The cast thus obtained is glued to a wooden cylinder, making a rotary stam». A nail is driven into the center of each end of the wooden cylinder, and a strong wire handle is attached. Printers’ ink, or thick paint, is then di-- tributed over a piece of glass or slate, and the rotary stamp passed over it until the raised letters are thoroughly inked After inking the stamp, it is rolled over the surface to be printed, and a clear-cut impression of the letters results.—J. (. Allshouse, Vandergrift, Pa. @Bits of uncured rubber, dissolved in gasoline, make a good rubber cement.

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608 POPULAR Paddle-Chain Water Motor Where a steady, slow current of water is available for power purposes, a large motor of the type illustrated may form a ral JNIVERSAL C SOUPLIN 2 SMALL SPROCKET

pe -\_ LARGE 1 SPROCKET ' DRIVE CHAIN OOD wesiies phe . SHEET IRON Rea ‘ cw o - DRUM ta 7g pn a | » - - b> PADDLE CHAIN P od P * "a When Only a Slow Current of Water Is Available ee Power, a Motor Having Many Paddles Becomes a Solution of the Problem suitable means of developing a_ small amount of power. The slow speed is com- pensated by the heavy torque which it is possible to obtain, due to the large number of paddles. When geared up to a suitable speed, the power may be used to run small machines. ~The motor may be anchored in place by chains and stakes. Toy models of this type can readily be made, using tin cans for rollers, and triangles of tin metal to link the wooden paddles together—Edward R. Smith, Walla Walla, Wash. Exhaust Assists in Cooling Engine The exhaust of an automobile engine, elthough consisting of hot gases, may be -BRAKE OR CLUTCH PEDAL

- — FUNNEL “x MUPFLER nt eninmannenaicnm nce eee, ty RADIATOR \ ; “a \ > EXHAUST VACUUM } 6. SLEEVE < FUNNEL we MUFFLER hi 4 1—— sy LW VW Se: aoe Se erenemerennens Si oe The Hot Exhaust Gases of an Engine can be Made to Assist in Cooling, by Proper Connection made to assist in engine cooling by mak- ing connections in either of the two ways illustrated. In the upper diagram, the force of the exhaust gas exerts a suction which carries warm air out from the rear of the engine, thus making room for cooler air thrown in by the:fan. In the MECHANICS lower diagram, the exhaust suction is shown as taking the place of the fan. The large funnel back of the radiator catches the air as it is heated, and it is sucked out through the exhaust pipe— J. F. Dwiggins, Detroit, Mich. Light Globe for Cleaning Stack For cleaning out large chimneys or smokestacks, an explosion of gunpowder or dynamite is often employed. A method which is handier and cheaper, in many cases, is to explode an old burnt-out in- candescent-lamp bulb. Break off the tip of the lamp, under water, and admit a small amount of water; the rest of the globe will of course fill up with air. Then close up the hole by directing a blowpipe flame against the tip. When this globe is placed in the stack, the heat from a fire at the bottom vaporizes the water, and finally breaks the bulb with an explosion that clears the stack. The size of the globe to use depends upon the size of the stack.—Hobart M. Kraner, Columbus, Ohio. Small Anvil Made from Steel Rail For the small shop, where a large anvil is not required, a thoroughly serviceable tool may be made from a short length of steel rail. The web and base of the rail are cut away, and the horn formed by forging. If suitable holes, or slots, are not already in the base of the rail, they should be cut or drilled, as shown, so the anvil may be fastened to its base—R. L. Ogden, Denver, Colo. Typewriter Prevents Check Raising A very simple method of discouraging the “raising” of a check, without the use of any other machine than the typewriter, is to write the check entirely with the machine, except for the signature; then to typewrite across the space where the signature is to be a line such as “not over ten dollars.” When the signature is written directly upon this typewritten line, both the signature and the typewriting can be plainlv read in most cases, but any attempt to erase by chemical means the line limiting the amount of the check will necessarily injure the signature also. —Edwin R. Mason, Indianapolis, Ind.

- 4 Secale e tual as 4

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ee 2 a eal athe! oe Salas

POPULAR MECHANICS 609 Chimney Cleaner Made from Wire Netting and Broom Handle To make a useful device for cleaning chimneys and flues, get a broom handle and a piece of wire netting, 2 by 3 ft. in size. With staples, fasten this netting in a roll around the broom handle. The soft wire may be bent around in any de- sired shape, so that it will enter into nar- row openings. The tool has been found to be more effective than ordinary brushes, in getting rid of hard incrusta- tions. Providing Water for Bees Jees require an abundance of moisture during the honey season. If pure water is not available, they will drink from sewers, or other foul places. When hees are compelled to depend on the farm watering trough, they become a menace to stock, and, besides, large numbers fall in and drown. A safe and sanitary drinking place is easily made, by covering a shallow pan with wire screening. If the pan is kept filled with water, the bees will be able to drink without difficulty, and with no dan- ger of drowning.—Bessie L. Putnam, Conneaut Lake, Pa. Replacing Auto Engine Manifolds In making engine repairs on a popular make of light automobile, it is often necessary to remove both intake and ex- haust manifolds, emust ‘ion the replacement MANIFOLD) ae of which usually calls for an addi- tional pair of hands. However, it is possible for one man to re- place both mani- folds, without dif- ficulty by proceeding as directed below. Two of the regular manifold-retaining stirrups are obtained, and one end, ‘or arm, “is removed from each, as shown. The intake manifold is put in place and tightened up, using the sing!e-armed stir- rups, or clamps, which are put on the two inside studs. The exhaust manifold is now applied, using the regular stirrups, which are tightened up on the two end studs. The one-armed stirrups are re- moved one at a time and replaced with the regular parts—Graeme B. Baker, Deer Lodge, Mont.

STUD INTAKE MANIFOLD HELD IN PLACE BY SINGLE-ENDED STIRRUP Fender Turns Under Weeds While Plowing A rainy spell at plowing time gives the weeds a good start and prevents the

IRON-ROO BRACE U-BOLT 7 . a COULTER y —— 4 eo j STRAP IRON “FENDER nes ~- 2 = =_ | a = > a eS = —

When Weeds Get a Good Start, Plowing Them Under Is Difficult. Part of an Old Auto Fender Turns the Weeds under the Coulter, Where They Are Cut and Turned under the Soil farmer from plowing. By the time the work can begin, the weeds, in conse- quence, are usually more or less difficult to plow under. A simple arrangement, such as shown, solved the problem for one farmer. Part of an old automobile fender was bolted to the beam of the plow, just ahead of the rolling coulter, with a long U-bolt. A piece of strap iron, riveted to the end of the fender and drilled for the U-bolt, as shown, takes up the strain when the bolt is tightened, About one-third of the way back, a brace of stiff iron rod, from the plow beam to the fender, was pro- vided. The rest of the fender was left free, and was springy enough to allow for unevenness of the surface and yet force under all the weeds. When the weeds were green and tender, no difficulty was experienced in turning them under in a very satisfactory manner.—Dale R. Van Horn, Lincoln, Neb. An Effective Line Guard Any farmer who has been annoyed by the tangling of his lines with the draft rigging, while plowing, will appreciate a simple preventive. A piece of %4-in. iron rod is bent, as shown, and provided with » an eye at each end. The rod is bolted to the double- tree with short bolts. Care should be taken to have the rod long enough to allow ample clearance for the singletrees.—H. F. Grinstead, Colum- bia, Mo.

—< {ome

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A Boring Machine for Crankshaft Bearings By EDGAR GARDNER ODERN high-class automobile en- gines are for the most part designed to use the pressure oil-feed system. Oil is conducted to each point which requires lubrication by means of pipe leads and oil passages, under pressure from a pump. The splash system is thus eliminated, and the amount of oil supplied to meet the requirements of varying engine speeds is automatically controlled, resulting in in- creased efficiency and economy. The main crankshaft and connecting- rod bearings in engines of this type must be fitted practically oil-tight. Any oil that can leak through the bearings will follow the. crank- ~— leak out of the sides of the bearing, causing an excess supply of oil at points that have been specially provided with oil leads to furnish the required amount. On bearings designed for the pressure sys- tem, the oil pocket is formed with a special tool, making a series of narrow grooves, with a strip of metal between each groove. These strips retain the bear- ing fit, forming a serrated oil pocket. The factory, with special tools and jigs, meets the requirements of the system without difficulty. To the repair shop, however, the rebuilding and overhauling of this type of engine presents quite a problem, as more shaft to the crank throw, and will be thrown up into the HOLE FOR cylinders. The ne- HANDLE cessity of having oil-tight bearings presents a condi- FRANKCASE tion very difficult to meet with bearings designed to use shims. To prevent leaks, it is neces- sary that the two parts of the bearing be fitted solidly, metal to metal, and the caps_ bolted down solid, making an oil-tight joint where the halves of the bearing meet. Besides preventing oil leaks, this con- struction makes a more _ solid and rigid unit than is 5 | ——- | different sizes are FEED _} encountered. The MECHANISM | hand - scraping method of fitting bearings is a tedi- ous job, and is seldom successful where the pressure system is_ used, since the scraper marks, extending through the end of the bearing, are apt to form a passage for oil to leak through. The boring bar illustrated was built for repair-shop service, and is in constant use on a leading make of six-cylinder engine, having a seven- bearing crankshaft. It is found to pro- BEARING-CAP NUTS possible where the oil-pressure system, helps produce a very durable engine. The oil being under pressure, the crankshaft is practically floated in the bearings. The approved practice in high-class en- gines is to make the bearing of bronze, bored large enough to allow facing with babbitt metal to form the bearing surface. The main and connecting-rod bearings must be fitted with an equal clearance around the entire circumference. The old practice of relieving them at the sides, so successfully followed with the splash system, cannot be followed with the pres- sure feed, as it would allow the oil to C Assembly View of the Boring Apparatus: The Bar, “duce work which shims are used, and, Working in Steady Rests, and Fed by a Lead Screw, ; wr ith Bores Out Each Bearing with a Tool Adjusted to in connection wit Give It a Proper Finish Diameter meets the exacting requirements of the pressure system, retaining the original high efficiency of the engine. It works on the old boring- bar principle, so familiar to mechanics, and can be operated either by hand or by power. One cutting tool is provided for each bearing. The method of adjusting the tools to bore out the bearing to exactly the proper size is illustrated in the insert of the second photograph. The tools are fitted into round holes made in the bar; these should be blind, so that an exact measurement can be made with a mi- crometer from the cutting edge of the tool to the opposite side of the bar. From 610 (Copyright, All Rights Reserved.)

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POPULAR MECHANICS 611 TOOL ADJ USTMENT METHOD OF a Exploded View of the Sevegesees Above Is the Boring Bar Itself, and in the Insert a View of the Tool t Adjustment. To the Le » Below, Is the Train of “‘Back Gears’’ through Which the Lead Screw is Driven. In the Center is Seen the Built-Up Nut in Which the Lead Screw Works. To the Right Is One of the Steady Rests his measured distance is subtracted the nown radius of the bar, and the differ- nee is the radius to which the bearing vill be bored. If this is too large or small, the tool is adjusted by turning one if the two setscrews. Both of these work igainst beveled surfaces formed on the tool, and the desired adjustment is made by loosening one of the screws, and tightening the other. [he bar is fed through the cut with a mechanical feed of special design, which enables a fine-pointed tool to leave that highly burnished finish, so much desired in high-class work. A lead screw is cut mn a sleeve, which fits over the bar, as éen in the third photograph. This sleeve makes a sliding feed on the bar, and turns in the same direction, at a reduced speed imparted to it by a train of gears. The nternal thread in which the lead screw vorks is cut on the ends of three steel fingers, which project from a_ frame, hown in the center of the second photo- graph. This frame is fastened rigidly to the nearest one of the several steady rests, mentioned below. The pitch of the lead screw is 16 threads to the inch, and the train of gears gives a reduction of 9 to l, so that the bar is fed 1 in. for every 144 revolutions. Before boring out the bearings, the en- gine crankshaft must be carefully straightened and calipered with the mi- crometer; if it is found to be out of true, it must be reground, and the final diameters recorded for use in machining the bearings. To prepare the bearings for the reboring process, the bronze shell is rebabbitted, and the two parts are care- fully matched and chucked in the lathe; they are rough-bored to a size that will leave sufficient metal for the finish-boring process. The oil pockets and grooves are cut, and the bearings fitted into the crankcase. Since the crankcase, being made of aluminum, is very easily sprung out of shape, it is advisable to turn up the BORING TOOLS. TIMING GEAR —- : BACK-GEAR SPINDLE = i / ] ' / =| LEAD SCREW ~ | . es j The Bar, the Steady Rests, and the Feed Mechanism in Position: The Spindle of the Back Gears is Extended, and is Held from Turning by a Dog, Attached to the Built-Up Nut. Four Steady Rests are Used in Working on the Six-Cylinder Engine

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612 POPULAR MECHANICS bearing-cap nuts to the proper tightness, and to mark them so that they can be brought back to the same point in the final assembly. It has been found that drawing up the bearing-cap nut the small distance of one cotter-pin notch, after the bearing has been finished, may spring the case and throw the bearing out of true. As seen in the first photograph, the boring bar is supported on brackets hav- ing adjustable steady rests, as in ordinary lathe practice. The front end of the bar is fitted with a standard timing gear, simi- lar to the one on the end of the crank- shaft. The boring bar is located, by means of the steady-rest adjustment, so that this gear meshes, with just the right amount of play, with the two large timing gears on the crankcase. The rear end of the bar is located by means of a slip ring, or sleeve, bored out to a sliding fit on the bar. The outside diameter of the sleeve is to fit the bearing, as rough-bored in the lathe; in practice, this end bearing will be roughed out to fit the sleeve which is to be used. The bearing is centered for rough-boring by reference to the bronze shell; this is located by the factory with sufficient accuracy to enable it to be used to find the correct center. Before starting the finish-boring, however, measurements should be taken with a depth gauge from the boring bar to the faces of the crank- case to which the cylinders are bolted. If Nut Which will Not Come Loose The sketch shows a-simple means of producing a good free-acting tension on a knurled or other type of nut. It will stay put, and yet not be too tight to be removed with- out the use of a wrench. The wire has a spring tem- per, and fits into a groove in the nut. The groove must be a little wider than the diameter of the wire, to al- low it freedom of action to locate itself in the groove of NS the thread. With such a wire, almost any tension desired may be had, by bending the wire before springing it into place. GROOVE iS WIRE FILE SLOT GA preventive of carbon troubles, which has been found successful, is to insert in each cylinder of the engine, about once a week, one tablespoonful of so-called solidified alcohol, while the motor is hot. the boring bar is found to be parallel with these faces, then it is correctly placed. The tools have already been set to pro- duce the correct diameter, and the bar is now fed through, giving the finished bear- ing surface to the babbitt. After this boring operation has been completed, the only hand work necessary in fitting the crankshaft into place is that of relieving the ends of the bearings to fit the fillets of the crankshaft. After the crankshaft has been finally assembled, the connecting-rod bearings, which have been accurately bored out in the lathe, are fitted to the shaft. An oil- pressure test, running up to a pressure of 50 Ib. per square inch, is then applied. This figure is selected as compared with 35 Ib., which represents the usual maxi- mum working pressure. If no leak ap- pears at the test pressure, the engine is ready for final assembly. Besides the great advantage of elimi- nating the tedious process of hand scrap- ing, the boring process has the advantage of alining all of the bearings very accu- rately with each other, resulting in a re- markably . free-running engine. The boring method is found in practice to give a surface not inferior to that produced by reaming, and the equipment required is within the reach of any shop which does any considerable quantity of engine over- hauling, Restoring Lost Compression When the thread in a cylinder head, into which the spark plug screws, is so badly worn that the plug can no longer be held gas-tight, the proper method of repair is by electric or oxyacetylene weld- ing. When such facilities are not at hand, a practical repair can often be made by wrapping a piece of “paper brass,” about 003 in. thick, about the spark plugs, and then screwing each in place. The brass should be cut accurately, so that the ends just touch but do not overlap, and should be coated with graphite and grease before screwing in. This repair has been known to give months of service. Ash Can as Fire Extinguisher The average individual is decidedly at a loss how to dispose of an oil stove when the oil becomes ignited. It is a question whether to risk a serious fire in the house, or to pick up the stove and throw it out of the house, perhaps getting ree * i.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 613 serious body burns in the process. In such an emergency one quick-witted per- son thought of a large, empty ash can in the cellar, and fetching it with all pos- sible speed, turned it, upside down, over the stove. A few puffs of black smoke issued from under the can, but the blaze was effectually choked. The stove was permitted to cool before removing the ash can.—L. Halmer, Walton, N. Y. How to Make Abrasive Stones A mixture of cement and emery, car- borundum, or other abrasive, is easily molded into sharpening stones of any de- sired shape. By varying the proportions of the ingredients and using abrasive material of different fineness, almost any grade of sharpening stone is produced.

Nonspilling Acid Container \ container for soldering acid, or other liquids, that will not break or spill its contents when up- oe: set, will be found "ee a decidedly con- we, a decidedly con -~ yenient addition to the shop. Such acontainer is sae = =made from a short piece of 1% or ll i 1'4-in. lead pipe, which is expanded EARS FOR BAIL

end, as shown by the dotted lines. \ The bottom is ‘ then drawn to- gether, and the \ SoLvER openings filled ony —_ with solder. \ gyi: piece of %4-in lead pipe is similarly expanded at one end, and soldered into the top of the large: pipe, as shown, Small ears for a bail, or handle, are soldered to the side, which completes the container. Such a con- tainer is unaffected by acids, and can be turned or upset at any angle without its contents spilling. ‘ o¢ ‘.<- Worn Rubber Converted into Foothold It is usually the case that a woman's rubber wears through at the heel while the rest of it is still in good condition. By cutting off the heel, so that a strap is formed to fit over the back of the shoe, the overshoe can be converted into toe rubbers, or footholds—R. H. Metzelfeld, Milwaukee, Wis. broadly at one™ A Band and Wire Stretcher for Packers In tightening up the steel plates around packing boxes, much hard labor can be

BAND TO FiT ‘ FREELY WHEN “A 1S IN THIS POSITION) a“ , SECTION —~ Qa Ne —)) |

ABOUT ae —__—__— 7 —* , ABouT 9% wine * * “TEETH TO SLIGHTLY OVER HALF oF } PREVENT SUPPING THE LOWER DIMENSION ~ She Hard Hand Work of Stretching Steel Bands around Packing Boxes is Eliminated by the Use of This Tool saved by using a tool such as illustrated. The band is wedged between the handle and the part A. This piece is pivoted on the main piece or lever, at a point to the right of the center, and has such a curva- ture that when the lever is brought down, the band is tightly clamped. Pressing the lever still farther down tightens the band around the box, and it can be nailed while held in this position. Teeth may be formed on the end of the lever, as shown, to prevent slipping, but if the surface of the lever is fairly rough, they are not really necessary.— Henry G. Appleblad, West Haven, Conn. Tool for Cleaning T-Slots The time wasted in cleaning out T-slots of a planing or milling machine will be saved by the use tkp"stocK aa coe of the tool illus- A = trated, which can be made from a scrap of iron in a few minutes. The end that fits into | the slot should be made about M42 in.

Srscot emailer than the dimensions of the "3? = = y slot, so that it can ){ J be pulled freely Li a, 4 along the table of the machine. ly turning the tool at right angles, it can be removed or inserted at any point in the slot—Harvey Mead, Scranton, Pa.

@ When filing solder, a little machine oil will prevent the teeth from clogging.

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614 POPULAR Repair for Auto Low Gear When the low-gear friction band, on a popular light automobile, burns out after a long pull, it will be found prac- STRIP OF LEATHER LEATHER ROLL LEATHER ») ROLL Oo). LEATHER ROLL -. = STRIP OF LEATHER Strips of Leather, or Heavy Canvas, Make It Possi- ble to Get the Light Automobile into “High” When the Low-Gear Friction Band Burns Out tically impossible to get the clutch into high gear. When such an emergency occurs, a temporary repair, that will hold for several days, or until permanent re- pairs can be made, is easily effected. The cover of the transmission case is removed with care, so that the gasket will not be broken. The band-adjusting screw, .on the outside of the transmission case, is unscrewed until the low-gear friction band is released from friction. A _ strip of leather, from a heavy shoe, or a piece of thick, tough canvas, is inserted be- tween the low-gear band and the drum, as shown in the drawing. Another strip of leather, or heavy cloth, 2 or 3 in long, is rolled up and inserted between the coil spring and the flat leather band, in the manner indicated. Tightening the ad- justing screw, until the low-gear friction band is nearly tight, and replacing the transmission cover completes the repair. —Leo C. Shinn, Portland, Ore. Mixture for Cleaning Windshield Equal parts of alcohol and glycerin form a fairly well-known compound to keep the windshield and glass of an automobile free from moisture and water during rainy weather. However, few take the trouble to purchase and mix the ingre- dients in preparation for rain. Small tins of “solidified alcohol” afford MECHANICS a very Satisiactory means of combating the blurred windshield. Simply apply i: with a piece of rag over the surface of the glass. The material contains a littk paraffin or waxy oil, perfectly transparent, that sheds the water as well as the above- mentioned alcohol and glycerin —G. A Luers, Washington, D. C. Splicing Heavy Wire Smoothly In splicing a stiff wire with the type of splice illustrated, difficulty is often expe- rienced in getting the ends of the coils to lie tight against the straight wire, BS eee thus making a . smooth splice. paprauy cur wire One method oft getting such a “e = splice is to leave the ends of the wire long, notch- ing them, as illus- trated, at a point which represents the proper length for splicing. The wire is then wrapped a half turn past the notches, and when the extra ends are broken off at the notches, the rest of the wire will not be disturbed.—Thos. L. Parker, Wi- baux, Mont. HEAVY WIRE J Show-Card Drying Rack Freshly lettered show cards can be dried in a rack made from a few clothespins and a small board. Slanting holes are ~\ CuT OFF DOTTED PORTIONS ———————— eoces corse eesens Rack for Drying Show Cards: Clothespins, Cut as Indicated, are Inserted in Slanting Holes in a Board bored near the ends of the latter at reg¢- ular intervals. One prong of each pin cut off at a point % in. from its attache: end, and the heads are trimmed with sharp knife. The pins are inserted in the board as shown in the drawing. Two of them serve to hold a card—Arthur |. Kelly, Brooklyn, N. Y. ee | ar

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POPULAR MECHANICS 615 Triangle with Irregular Curves The artist, or draftsman, who is handy with a jackknife or a file can turn an ordinary solid triangle into one which is useful also for drawing irregular curves. If a scroll saw is available, the work can be simplified, but a jackknife for the wooden triangle, or a drill and file for a transparent composition triangle, will make the work possible without the scroll saw. The form of the outlines to be cut in the triangle should be governed by the nature of the curves which the work- man ordinarily encounters. Driver for Small Lathe Dogs In doing small lathe work held on the centers, the tail of the dog is often too short to reach the slot in the driving blade. In such a case it is possible to put a stud in the driving plate, or to put another dog on the lathe center, but both these methods are objectionable as being likely to throw the lathe out of balance at high speeds. Also, there is lost motion 24THeE =6amounting to one complete _revolu- tion whenever the lathe is reversed— unless the tail of the dog is fastened to the stud, or tail, of the other dog. This can be done with a piece of “——priven String, or wire, but considerable time may be lost by such methods. The driver, shown clamped on the lathe center in the illustration, was designed to handle a big job of this kind of work. It is made of two pieces of mild steel put together with screws, and bored through the joint to a diameter .005 in. smaller than the center, so that it can be clamped on tightly by turning the screws. The two slots in the end, which should pref- erably be of different sizes to accommo- date various dogs, are milled, after drilling out part of the steel. The driver does not mar the lathe cen- ter as would the setscrew of a dog. It is neater and more satisfactory in every way. CAP SCREWS _— 006 @A mixture of four parts sodium fluor- ide and one part pulverized sugar is very effective in destroying ants. Aluminum Castings Tested by Weight A difficulty in the use of small alumi- num castings is that air bubbles, which may have formed on the inside, greatly Perfect Aluminum Castings are Distinguished from Those Having Air Holes by Testing for Weight with a Special Balance reduce the strength of the finished part. A factory which uses a great many such castings employs the balance illustrated for determining whether a casting is free from air bubbles or not. The balance is first adjusted so that the weight of a perfect casting is just sufficient to tip the beam, while a defective casting con- taining an air hole is too light to do so. The method is quite rapid, and sufficiently accurate to give reliable results—John Edwin Hogg, Los Angeles, Calif. Tight Rivets in Blind Holes The riveting of a plate to a body is often a tedious job. The sketch shows how a rivet can be fas- RIVET tened securely in a blind hole. Before the rivet is inserted, a hole is bored in its end, and a steel ball dropped into the blind hole. When the rivet head is hammered, the ball is forced into the f hole in the rivet, ex- panding the latter and 4) seating it firmly. STEEL BALL Compressed Air Cleans Tobacco Pipe An easy way to clean a pipe is to hold the end of the pipe stem against the valve of a compressed-air tube, such as is to be found in nearly every garage. When one is on the road in a car, the valve of one of the tires may be used for the same purpose.—Robert C. Knox, Rogers, Ark.

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616 POPULAR Worn Shirts Made “Good as New” Many a fine shirt is discarded when the usual method of careful patching has failed to mend the holes worn by the edges of the collar, without euP HERE showing the patch too MECHANICS A Shirt Which Torn by the} Collar can be Made Almost as Good as New by a Little Alteration on the Bosom Edges of the plainly. To avoid this waste, lay the shirt out flat on a board, bosom up, and smooth out the front. Using a rule, mark a line with a pencil, or marking chalk, thus: Starting from the shoulder strap, mark straight down the front of the shirt, about 1 in. in from the armhole seam, on both sides of the shirt, following the stripe of the cloth, if any. If the cloth is plain, follow the weave. Then make a mark on the bosom, on both sides, parallel with the front of the collar band and the front edge of the shoulder strap; this mark should be about 4 in. below the worn places in the bosom, to allow for hem- ming. Next rip the front seam of the shoulder strap and the front seam of the collar band. Cut along the lines made on both sides of the shirt front, from the lower end of the shirt up to the shoulder strap. Also cut across the bosom, about % in. above the mark, leaving this % in. for seaming in. The torn part of the gar- ment has now been entirely removed. Move up the whole front of the garment, until the lines across the front come to the collar band and the shoulder straps; with the sewing machine run up the long seams on either side of the garment, tak- ing care that the button holes match the buttons down the front. Then baste the upper ends of the bosom into the collar band and shoulder straps. If desired for the sake of appearance, the lower ends of the garment may be evened off, so that | hasbeen Badly there will be no difference in the length of the front and sides. The long seams at the sides, being under the vest, do not show, and the garment has all the ap- pearance of being new—M. V. Tessier, Nyack, N. Y. Pail Forms Chimney-Pipe Hole A metal-lined stovepipe inlet for a brick chimney is provided by placing an ordi- nary straight-sided tin pail of the proper diameter in the flue wall at a convenient point. After the bottom and bail have been removed, the pail is set in the chim- ney with its top flush with the outside surface of the wall. When the inlet is not occupied by a stovepipe, as often is the case in warm weather, it can be closed with the lid of the pail—L. M. Jordan, Wallace, Ala. Splice for Surveyors’ Tape To repair temporarily a surveyor’s chain, or a tape broken during the prog- ress of work in the field, cut from a soft- wood sapling, a piece about 6 in. long and 54 in. in diameter. Split this piece on a diameter, place the two broken ends in the split, and wrap the whole tightly in tough, small cord. Then place the splice in water for about 15 minutes. It will take much more than the usual pull on a chain to cause the broken ends to part.—Richard F. Lufkin, Charleston, W. Va. Homemade Buggy-Tire Puller A tire puller, useful for removing steel tires from buggy wheels, can be made from an old buggy axle. Cut the axle off 16 in. from the ends; square the end and split with a hacksaw for 5 in. Cut off part of one of the sides thus formed: forge the other one over, and cut it entirely off as shown. Drill holes and run in a sta- ple made of stout iron rod; rivet the ends on the opposite side. The tool will work well on either buggy or wagon tires. The tire is of course gripped between the forged tip and the sawed-off end, and the other end of the tool forms a lever for working off the tire. Roo OLD BUGGY AXLE

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Some Modern Methcds in Live-Stock Corral Construction By H. A. SHEARER | ©E ALE CEN PEN ALLEY e%e SWINGING BLOCK NGE 7” SUPPORT é a 9 fie. 3:-———— + PEN-GATE HINGE & SUPPORT ni” —1e; —— Fic.2: DETAIL OF FENCE & POSTS axa". 1x6" BOARDS a éxa\ ; ARE Fic.5.TORP PEN-GATE HINGE JENS and lanes to control hogs, cattle, and horses must conform to the old specifications, “hog-tight, horse-high, and bull-strong.” Modern requirements also demand convenience and _ labor-saving features as well as safety for man and beast. The drawing shows some of the latest and most epproved methods of laying out the corrals, lanes, and cross lanes; also methods of constructing the fences and gates to hold the animals in their respective pens, and to facilitate their removal to or from the loading chutes, or other places of transfer. Valuable animals must be securely con- trolled, but they must also be gently handled. The present high value of domestic animals fully warrants the nec- essary outlay, and a satisfactory profit is \ A Number of Construction Kinks, for the \‘o Farmer Who Contemplates Building Stock \, Pens and Corrals, are Illustrated in These S— eq. cat Sketches of a Well-Designed Corral System === Fig. 7: PEN GATE os Fia.6 i, almost certain if the construction cost is proportional to the amount of business transacted. Referring to the illustrations, Fig. 1 gives suggestions in regard to layout of the pens and alleys, together with the system whereby one pair of gates is made to control the animals both in the pens and in the alleys. The detail drawing, Fig. 2, shows how the corral fences are built of heavy posts with boards running horizontally. Figure 3 shows a heel-strap hinge, with the eye at the corner. This hinge is used on lane gates that open back against the fence. Fig. 4 is the same kind of box- strap hinge, except that the eye is made opposite the center line so the gate will swing both ways, to open or close either a pen or lane as illustrated in Fig. 1. Figs. 617

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618 5 and 6 show the upper and lower gate hinges, the former made of two heavy eyebolts linked together. Fig. 7 shows the construction of the heavy gates, and the way they are hung and fastened— also a very satisfactory type of fastener. Fig. 8 is a safety button that prevents POPULAR MECHANICS snoopy cattle or mischievous colts from lifting the hook with their noses or tongues. The button hangs from a bolt directly over the staple, as shown. It is easily pushed aside when the attendant wants to open the gate, but cannot be operated by the animals. Front-Axle Stand for Automobiles The front axle of a car may often be supported more satisfacto- tily than on an ordinary jack, by the use of a prop made from a sec- tion of an old rear-axle housing, cut off to include half of the en- larged, or central, part. To Drop Medicine into the Eye When it is necessary to drop medicine into the eyes unaided, this method has been found satisfactory: Slipping a cord through the supporting prop of a stand mirror, fasten the cord from one end of the bedstead to the other, so that the mirror hangs face down over the bed. By lying on the bed underneath the mir- ror, it is possible to drop the medicine into the eyes without difficulty. Keeping Electric Soldering Irons Ready for Use To prevent an electric soldering iron from overheating while not in use, and at the same time keep it at the right temper- ature for work whenever needed, a resistance coil and a switch should be in- stalled, as indi- cated in_ the sketch. When the iron is being used, the switch is closed, cutting re out the coil, and WW permitting a full SESTANCE S/S supply of current to reach the tool. As the irons vary considerably in size and current consumption, no fixed rule can be po SOURCE OF CURRENT SOLDERING iRON~ SWITCH 4 given as to the amount of resistance nec- essary, but this can be easily ascertained by experiment. Iron or nickel-silver wire is suitable for the coil—Van Allen Ly- man, Balboa, C. Z. Combined Gauge and Safety Valve The sketch shows a combined pressure indicator and safety valve, suitable for in- stallation, on steam boilers, air tanks, and water systems. Strong metal should be used for the cylinder, but the upper shell can be made from wood, iron, or any other material that is available. The interior of the cylinder should be smoothed in a lathe, so that the piston will fit per- fectly in all posi- tions. If the area of the lower end PISTON weight of 75 Ib., it will require a pressure of 75 tb. under the piston to raise the rod to a point where the arrow wil! rest on the 75-lb. mark of the scale When the pressure reaches 90-lb., the 15-Ib. weight will be lifted by the rod, while the 30-lb. weight will be added to the load when the pressure reaches 120 Ib. In case the pressure exceeds 120 Ib., the piston will be forced past the escape holes, and held there until the pressure falls below that point. If the area of the end of the piston is doubled, the weights should be twice as heavy to indicate the ATTACHED of the piston is 1 .' sq. in., and if the Meescape nores 40 TOU «=and its $at- i tached weight i Crier have a combined Z tl ALO AASED AOR BD Vir = 1 1 SQ.1N, AREA Le Same pressure. The device can be constructed to show larger or smaller increases in pressure by varying the size of the piston and weights. The cover should hold the rod firmly in an upright position, as otherwise the piston may stick in the cylinder.— James E. Noble, Portsmouth, Ont., Can.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 619 Delivery by Toy Wagon Discovering that patrons were buying bulky articles, such as potatoes and flour, from stores having delivery systems, the Spring Lock Used on Sliding Door Usually applied only to swinging doors, a spring lock may be fitted to rolling or sliding doors, such as used on barns and proprietor of a “cash- and-carry” grocery pur- chased a number of toy wagons, and placed them at the disposal of his customers, who use them in taking home heavy and unwieldy packages. The wagons are placed near the door of the store, and on each is painted this informa- tion: “Use me when ‘you need me, but bring me back.” A small charge is made when the , vehicles are not fre- ee turned promptly, but none under other cir- cumstances. The plan has proved quite popu- lar with customers. Sliding Doors Fitted with Type Lock Provide Additional Security to Either Garage or Barn Canvas Shoes for the Farmer In wet weather, when a farmer, or any other outside worker, finds it necessary to make a short visit into the house—for instance, to answer the telephone—a pair of canvas sacks will be found very con- venient. These can be made to go easily over the shoes, with rubber bands at the top to prevent their slipping down. The sacks can be kept clean, outside the house, and will prevent dirt from be- ing left in the house. Jig Makes Drill Self-Oiling Having a number of pieces to be drilled, similar to the one illustrated, I made a jig of such design that the point of the drill, on lubri- cating one piece of work, takes up oil, to be used in drilling the next piece, from a cup built in the jig. It takes no longer to remove and in- sert the work than when using an ordinary jig of this type, and the work of oiling the drill is saved, besides insuring that the drill will always be lubricated as long as the cup holds oil. PIECE BEING DRILLED his Spring- ‘brass wire around the square metal. garages. This is accomplished by means of a lever, somewhat like a common latch. In locking, the latch is operated from the outside by a wing nut, on a pivot bolt at about the center of the lever. When the latch end is lowered so as to catch, the other end rises, permitting the bolt of the lock to engage in the notch provided for it, and locking the door. A coil spring pulls the lock end of the lever down the instant the key turns back the bolt of the lock, thus freeing the latch and per- mitting the door to be opened —Alva H. Pulver, Sodus, N. Y. Holding Square Wire in Chuck When a small square shank, or piece of square wire, is to be gripped in a lathe chuck for turning, and it is necessary to use a three-jaw universal chuck, a very handy kink is to wind some copper or The three-jaw chuck will take a grip around the wire which, although it may not hold the square section absolutely concentric, will center it with sufficient accuracy for most purposes.—J. F. Brennan, Kingston, Jamaica.

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620 POPULAR Movable Pen Makes Available Fresh Feeding Ground for: Young Stock By providing a light runway with an axle and two wheels from a discarded MECHANICS

! ma «ci EI SONI PIMIN Nt) By a on the Handles and Pushing the Pen Ahead lowly, the Pigs are Moved to a Fresh Feeding Ground buggy or wagon, fresh portions of pas- ture ground may be utilized for pigs, or other animals, with little inconvenience. The top members of the runway frame are extended at one end to form handles, by which that end may be easily lifted. They are shaped to fit the hands comfortably. Straps of light-gauge iron may be used to hold the axle to the opposite end of the frame, it being fastened just high enough to keep the bottom of the frame off the ground. The runway itself may be cov- ered with wire netting, or may be made in any way to suit the owner. It is a matter of only a few minutes to lift the runway by the handles and push it ahead to some fresh place, without disturbing the animals while the move is being made.

Invisible House Chimney

The drawing | shows how a \ chimney may be placed in a house, —. so that it does not “<= protrude in any of iN the rooms, thus CHIMNEY sg oe : \ eliminating objec- | tionable extra cor- ners.

To Test a Job of Door Hanging A good test to apply to a door after it is hung is to close all doors and windows in the room on the other side, and then try to slam shut the door to be tested. If the door refuses to close with a bang, owing to the cushion of air, but can then be closed easily by a slow, gentle pres-

sure of the hand, it is a fairly sure indi- cation that it has been hung in a skillfu! manner.—Willis E. Berg, Berkeley, Calif. Carbon Tetrachloride Cleans Goggles Machinists, mechanics, airmen, and others who wear goggles, are often both ered by grease collecting on the lenses. Gasoline does not clean it off perfectly, because this liquid itself has a tendency to leave a greasy residue on glass. Car- bon tetrachloride, a grease solvent, re- moves every trace instantly. Clothespin as Insulating Pliers An ordinary wooden clothespin wil! serve as insulating pliers when automo bile spark plugs are tested. A detached spark-plug wire is pushed into the slot i the pin. The end of the wire can the: be held close to the spark-plug binding post without danger of shock—A. D. Bonfils, New York City. Broken-Tap Extractor A simple device for removing taps from material in which they have been broken off is made by bending a _ piece -of drill rod into a “U.” The ends of the rod are placed in opposite flutes of the tap, and a monkey wrench fitted on the pro jecting portion -of the “U,” is em- ploved to turn

the imbedded tool. To facilitate the operation, small cuttings should be removed with an air blast or a magnetized rod, and oil should be squirted around the tap.

Hints for Home Builders The following pointers are offered to enthusiastic but uninitiated home build ers by an architect of many years’ expe- rience: Warm walls save coal. A bungalow costs more than a house of the same cubic contents. It isn’t the nickel on the plumbing that denotes good fixtures. A cold house is not a matter of chance, but of bad building. It isn’t the size of the furnace that

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Bein, PS ewe emi POPULAR MECHANICS 621 makes heat, but the size of its heating chamber. If your purse is slim, remember that every cubic foot you build costs just so much to build, clean, and heat. [he cost of a servant’s wage and keep for one year will buy many labor-saving devices for the home. Figure out what the spare room costs to build, heat, and clean—to furnish, to insure, and to pay taxes on; then figure how often it will be used—you may build it! Keep something in hand for the grounds around the house; the setting has a lot to do with the appearance of a house—H. E. Lloyd Owen, Port Arthur, Ontario. Paper Plate under Paint Can A paper plate, of the sort used for pic- nics and for holding small pies, can be put under a paint can to prevent the drip- pings from soiling the floor. What paint does escape down the sides of the can, serves to keep the plate in place when the can is picked up. This use of paper plates has been found especially handy with paint pots used for “touching up” automobile bodies—Jas. W. Cottrell, Hammonton, N. J. Bellows for Cleaning Furnace To clean out the furnace, between the inside walls, I used a 3-ft. piece of garden hose, placing it on the end of a small bellows. The hose can be pushed into all the nooks and corners while an assistant operates the bellows. The idea may help the many who know no other way of doing this work than with wires and brushes.— Geo. Veldman, Grand Rapids, Mich. i Enforcing Careful Driving at Corners To discourage fast automobile driving around dangerous curves in the vicinity of country towns, the following method may be found effective: Pile cinders, about 1 ft. high, all the way across the road. This pile should be about 15 ft. from the curve, so that in slowing down for the bumps the driver slackens the speed at which he takes the turn.—Edwin Dick, Ocean Springs, Miss. Telephone Generator for Electrical Testing on Automobiles In locating grounds, shorts, and open have circuits, I found the instrument _— TELEPHONE GENERATOR (eR, =) a a: | QO — evo.Tts -4 ¢ ? 100 ani wf — 4 A Small Testing Set, Made Up of a Bell-Ringing Transformer and a Telephone Generator, Is Useful to the Mechanician shown very cheap and useful. of a telephone generator, or magneto, which develops alternating current at about 100 volts, connected to a bell-ring- ing transformer, which transforms the 100-volt current to three, five, and eight volts. I have thus four different ten- sions which can be used when required. For testing insulation and locating short circuits, I use the 100 volts direct, com- pleting the circuit with the fingers. That is, instead of connecting both wires to the leads of the instrument, I hold one wire in the hand and press the finger on the lead; a very slight current can thus be felt. For testing bells, low-tension coils, etc., either the three, five, or eight-volt current is used. The magneto is fastened inside of a wooden box, and the transformer on the cover. Connections between the magneto and transformer are made on the inside, all terminals having a lead outside for connection. A leather strap is fastened to the box for carrying.—Jos. Magis, Ouf- fet, Belgium. It consists Sawdust for Plugging Holes When it is found desirable to use an old board, the following method may be employed to fill up nail holes in its sur- face: Saw a small piece off the end to get a supply of sawdust from the same board. Mix the sawdust with a little glue, and fill in the holes with the mix- ture. When dry, sandpaper the board down even, and it will be almost impos- sible to find where the holes were. —John Madlena, Standard, III.

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622 Homemade Garden Tocls From odds and ends readily available to almost anyone, substantial and satis- factory garden tools are easily made. A Clothespins, a Spring Leaf, and an Old Horse- shoe, Contribute toward Making an Inexpensive Set of Garden Tools That Answer Their Purpose Admirably When Regular Tools Are Unobtainable leaf from an old spring, attached to a handle, as shown, makes a good grub hoe or a pickax, when the ends have been sharpened by filing or grinding. An old horseshoe, sharpened at the heels and at- tached to a handle, makes a good culti- vator. The row marker illustrated is made from a lath, nailed to a broom handle, and a few clothespins—C,. A. Black, Jr., Hightstown, N. J. . Adjustable Auto Trouble Lamp A handy detachable trouble lamp tor automobiles can be made from a dis- carded electric headlight and a clamp of SPRING CLIP By Combining an Old Electric Headlight and a Clamp, as Shown Here, a Handy Trouble Lamp for Automobiles can be Made the type illustrated. The headlight bracket is attached to the clamp by a small bolt that is passed through holes of suitable size in both pieces. This provides a joint which permits the position of the lamp to be changed when the device is fastened to a fender, or some other part of a car. lf the car has a grounded electric system, one of the wires leading to the light bulb is grounded on the lamp, while the sec- ond is fitted with a metal clip for attach- POPULAR MECHANICS ing it to a “live” point on the wiring sys- tem. With a double-wire system, clips should be fastened to the ends of both wires. This lamp is very convenient when it is necessary to make repairs at night, as it can be attached in an _ instant wherever it is needed. Driving Nails in Cement Cement would be used in many places, were it not for the difficulty of driving nails into it so that they will hold. If clean cinders are mixed with the sand and cement, the surface will hold a nail almost as solidly as wood. It is suitable tor fence posts and places for driving nails in basements—A. Handelman, Montreal, Que., Can. Grain-Bag Holder Protects Bag A means for attaching a grain bag toa chute without the use of hooks, which tear the bag, is shown in the ac- companying draw- ing. A channel, 1 in. wide and % in. deep, is cut near the bottom of the CHANNEL R FO DH WN\\ wre HHI) \ chute. When the bag is bound to SACK HELD ° IN PLACE the chute with a_ ey srear” heavy strap, which fits in the channe! and is buckled tightly, it can be filled. To remove the bag, simply unbuckle the strap. If it is desired to use a stand holder, a section of a chute, provided with a channel, can be mounted on legs. Street Signs Cheaply Obtained Street signs made from old automobilc- license tags, donated by local car owners, are serving satisfactorily in a small mid- dle-western town. The reverse sides of the tags are painted white, and lettered in black. The inexpensive guides are nailed to telephone poles at street inter- sections. — Mrs. George. Katzenmeyer, Bowling Green, Ohio. @A large spring cotter may be converted into a serviceable pair of tweezers by grinding the open end to a point. Before grinding, wrap the cotter with a string near the eye, tight enough to close the open end.

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intor mation as tv wnere to obtain any specifieu materials or parts for making objects described in H} Ml the following pages may be had, on request, from our Bureau of Information.—Editor. WWM 2 La e| c7TAM y V4 é I (Bay Small How to Make Rag Rugs at Low Cost By BESSIE L. PUTNAM \NDMADE rugs find place in some of the finest metropolitan homes, yet ny woman with a little spare time and everal worn-out dresses can have one qually good at a trifling cash outlay. The materials necessary are four light trips of wood for a frame—lath will an- wer the purpose; some half-worn cash- mere, serge, or other wool or half-wool dress goods; a piece of good burlap, 2 in. larger each way than the finished rug; a trong, sharp-pointed wooden hook, anda ire brush with sharp points. Nail the strips together to form a frame of the same size, measured inside, as the rug to be made. Baste a hem, 1 in. wide, around the edge of the burlap, which is to form the base of the rug. If a conven- tional design or landscape outline is de- ired, sketch this on the burlap with ink or colored crayon. If not artistically in- clined, one may still have a handsome rug marking a straight border of one or two colors, and filling in the main part f the rug with mixed colors, or mixed shades of brown, or some other soft color harmonizing with the border. Fasten the burlap into the frame with trong wrapping twine, after the man- ner that our grandmothers fastened quilts ito the frame for quilting. Cut the - strips of cloth *%4 in. wide, making them crosswise of the cloth if the warp is cot- ton, so that the cotton threads can be removed, as explained later. They may be of any convenient length, from 3 in. up. Do not bother to sew them, The burlap, in its frame, may be sup- ported, for convenience, upon the backs of two chairs. Commence at any desired point, though the border is most com- monly worked first. Hold the end of a strip between the thumb and forefinger of the left hand, under the burlap. Put the hook through from the upper side at the desired point. Draw up through the meshes of burlap the end of the strip of cloth, leaving it a little less than 1 in. in length. Again press the hook down through the burlap, about two or three threads in advance, and draw up the working strip, leaving a loop, about 34 in high, on the upper side. Continue hook ing down through to the strip of cloth carried underneath in the left hand, unti! it is entirely worked up into loops, lea\ ing the last end on the upper side. About two—and never more than three—threads are left between each loop, this making the loops so close together that they rarely pull out. Continue with other strips in th At the Left is Shown the Wooden Frame, or Loom, to Which the Burlap Base is Attached, and the Manner of Using It; to the Right Is a Sample of the Work, with Some of the Loops Still Uncut 623

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624 POPULAR MECHANICS manner, and when the row is finished, cut the loops. Make other parallel rows in the same way, two threads from the last made. Outline any conventional de- sign in some pronounced color, and fill in with the chosen ground color. When the entire piece of burlap is filled in and the loops cut, even off the work with shears if necessary, and then Cream Gauge Made from Bottle sy keeping a record of each cow’s pro- duction of cream, the farmer is enabled accurately to ascertain the productive animals of his herd. In the absence of other means of testing, a sat- isfactory cream gauge _can be made from a sa CORD IN i" CORK Le cream _ tall bottle, or test tube, Leif which should be 7 or |e a 8 in. long. A strip of % || Ficures paper is cut, about 1 Jgiie)) Percenr in. wi de and long || so] sof | creAaM enough to reach the I |e i shoulder of the bottle. 3045-70 | An open slot, ¥ or 44 4 | i | in. wide, is cut in the eifoop| MIEN center of the strip, as ral wy shown. Beginning at the top on one side, the open space is divided into 100 equal parts, marking them 5, 10, etc. On the opposite side of the slot, the same number of graduations is made, but beginning at the bottom. To use the tester, the milk—as fresh as possible from the cow to be tested—is thoroughly stirred, and the bottle filled with it level with the top marks. The bottle is then tightly corked, placed up- right in a jar of cold water, and allowed to stand in a cool place for about 10 hours, when the proportion of cream to milk is easily read off. The scale begin- ning at the top gives the percentage of cream and the opposite graduations the amount of milk. An average cow will give from 10 to 15 per cent of cream and a good cow, 20 per cent or more.—N. P. Lewchuk, Canora, Sask, Can. Portable Reflector for Camera Work One of the first elements of photog- raphy. is to get detail into the shadows, and without a suitable reflector on the “dark” side of the subject to be photo- graphed, most, if not all, of the detail is lost in excessively dark shadow. To make such a reflecting screen, it is comb with a sharp wire brush; or better, make a comb by sticking pins into a strip of firm duck, just as they are fastened in the paper by the factory, but a little closer together. Clamp the heads between two strips of leather, and use as a comb to remove any cotton threads in the warp, and obtain the plushlike effect. Well made, these rugs will last for years. only necessary to provide an ordinary window shade of the desired size and coat it with aluminum paint. It will or- dinarily give an increase of about 25 per cent in photographic efficiency, and has, besides, the advantage of being easily rolled up for carrying. Hinge Forms Adjustable Bench Stop A bench stop that will not be so much in the way as the ordinary stop, when a clear bench is desired, is easily made. A hole, about 1 GPRING ATTACHED TO 8 _— HINGE in. in diame- HINGE AND PLATE ~ / . , ter, is drilled pO mo, om may at the desired point, and a y 4 | t square hinge d } sS , is screwed ‘ar Pam: i, zs —soover it, allow- = ine ic i a fi) ing Po _— rs , “NUT SOLDERED ” e nge pour~ - TO PLATE to come a short distance away from the edge of the hole. Solder a 1-in. nut to a metal plate, or large washer, and fasten it to the underside of the bench, directly under the hole, so that the bolt projects through the center. By turn- ing up on the bolt, the hinge is raised above the surface of the bench and acts as a stop. Unscrewing the bolt, the hinge is pulled back into place by a light spiral spring, which is attached to the hinge and the metal plate, and through which the bolt passes.—L. B. Robbins, Harwich, Massachusetts. Carbon Paper Makes Blueprints Small blueprints may be made without a tracing, by placing an unused sheet of carbon paper between two sheets of fairly thin paper, and the whole on some smooth, flat surface. The drawing is made on the top sheet, with a sharp, hard pencil, and should any lettering or ex- planation be necessary, the three sheets may be placed in the typewriter. When the sheets are separated, and the carbon

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ee oh POPULAR paper held to the light, the drawing and lettering show up as white lines against an opaque background. The coated side of the carbon paper is placed on the blue- print paper, in a printing frame, and ex- posed to light, and the blueprint is de- veloped in the usual manner. Made in this way, the prints show blue lines on a white background, instead of white lines on a blue background.—A. Svenson, Ok- mulgee, Okla. Paper Die Embossing Process Patented On page 312 of our issue for February, there appeared a description of how to do embossing on paper. This article was purchased from one of our contributors in good standing. We find that the process is patented by Walter J. Ellis, and that the patent rights are being worked by the Ellis “New Method” Embossing Co., of 140 West 38th St., New York City. Any use of the process as described, with- out consent of the patentee, would there- fore constitute an infringement of the patent. High-Speed Potato Digging \n amateur gardener has discovered an easy way to dig potatoes. In the spring, when the vegetables are planted, he places an old chain in each furrow, plants the potatoes over this, and covers them in the usual way. When the pota- toes are ready to be harvested, one end of the chain is attached to the hub of in old cable drum, and the latter is rolled over the row. As the drum moves, = ie Labor-Saving Method of Harvesting Potatoes with a Buried Chain and a Cable Drum it pulls the chain out of the ground, wind- ing it on the hub. Practically all the po- tatoes are brought to the surface with the chain. It is then easy to collect them in baskets —Frank W. Roth, Neosho, Mo. MECHANICS 625 Spring Water as Motive Power The transportation of supplies up an embankment, about 175 ft. high, being a Harnessing a Near-By Spring Saves Many Trips Back and Forth to Transport Supplies to the Top of a High Cliff tiresome and tedious job, a simple inclined railway was rigged up te do the work. As shown, two skidways were made from long poles, alders being used in this in- stance. Two small cars were also made, one to carry the supplies, and the other a water tank. Eighty feet above the house was a spring, the water of which was piped to the cliff's edge. The empty car will slide to the bottom by gravity, as it is slightly heavier than the car con- taining the tank. After the car is loaded, the tank is filled with water, and when the clutch is released, the load is drawn to the top of the incline to be unloaded —F., O. Sheldon, Seattle, Wash. Novel Method of Watering Animals To give a dog or horse a drink when the only available water is contained in a canteen or water bag, scoop a hole in the ground and line it with a piece of paper or water-resistant cloth, or even a big leaf, if available. Then pour in the water, and not a bit will be wasted. Water in which meat has been cooked can be given to dogs in this way, whil in camp, if both water and dishes are scarce.—Van Allen Lyman, Balboa, C. Z.

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626 POPULAR MECHANICS Stretching Fly Screens It is always difficult to get wire screen- ing uniformly and tightly stretched over a window or door-screen frame. Here is a way to overcome the difficulty. When the frame is made, lay it on a table or on the floor, with a %-in. board under @RAME CLAMPED TIGHT SCREEN TACKED TO FLOOR ——_ ~~ — TO FRAME =) y ¥y OR 1 BOARD cette — BLOCK The Exasperating Job of patting New Wire Cloth in e Screen Frames is Much Simplified by This Method each end. If the frame is a long one, a l-in. board will not be too thick. Draw down both sidepieces by a nailed clamp, as shown, until they touch the floor. Tack on the screen cloth at each end, drawing it only moderately tight. When the clamps holding the frame down in the middle are removed, the frame will spring back to its original position, and the screen will be tight and ready to be tacked at the sides—H. F. Grinstead, Columbia, Mo. Electrical-Test Connector A handy device for making electrical tests of, or temporary connections to, existing wiring, without the necessity of removing the insulation, is shown in the test connector illustrated. aati The body may INSERT WIRE LEAD be of a round, Looxnut—) | square, or hexa- ; gon brass_ rod. The opening ex- - tends through the ' & “ center of the rod, and is made in the shape illustrated, to accommodate wires of different dimen- sions, and also to allow the pointed steel screw to engage the wire after piercing the insulation. The hole is for attach- ment of the test lead, and the setscrew is to clamp it. The handle is made of round fiber rod; and the pointed steel screw is set tightly into the threaded hole and kept in position by the locknut. This connector can be applied with one hand; the steel screw can be easily re- moved and sharpened; a fairly heavy cur- BODY - POINTED STEEL screw) rent can be carried, and if a heavier cur- rent is met with, the wire can be bared so that contact is established with the face of the slot—Adapted from Electrical Review. Tray Made from Picture Frame An attractive tray for household use can be made from a picture frame, two sheets of glass, cut to fit in the frame, and a piece of figured cloth. The cloth is placed between the glass sheets, which are fastened in the frame with small nails. The right side of the cloth is turned to- ward the front of the frame. Door bumpers, attached to the back of the frame, at the corners, serve as legs for the tray—S. Leonard Bastin, Bourne- mouth, England. Child’s Telegraphic Device A 2-ft. stick of wood, pointed at one end and pivoted at its center to the wall of a garage, formed a dial for indicating the letters of the alpha- LMNOp lh : AY Sr, , _ bet. This stick + ae was connected at S = top and bottom, as shown, by fine spool wire, to a similar arrange- ment about 200 ft. distant. By push- ing the pointer back and forth to the letters, as desired, the duplicate de- vice at the other end of the line is made to register the same letters indicated on the garage wall——Frank E. Brown, Pasa- dena, Calif. \ i % \! ec Xi Emergency Substitute for Rosette In a temporary wiring job a shortage of rosettes was experienced, and the method illustrated was successfully used for suspending cross leading to a socket. An or- dinary porcelain cleat was screwed to the ceiling be- PORCELAIN CLEATS tween the mains > ttl in the position “™® shown, and the flexible wires leading to the socket were gripped in. The joints were made by soldering the flexible wire to the line, and winding with tape. While the meth- od would of course not be approved for WIRES TO SOCKET

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qe POPULAR MECHANICS 627 permanent wiring, it is a useful expedient to be familiar with in the case of tem- porary or emergency installation—C. M. \dams, Milford, Ohio. Stop on Dog Trolley The only drawback to some dog trol- leys is that, when the dog gets to the posts he winds himself around the post and gets tangled up. The result is that some one has to extricate him from the tangle. By fastening a large iron washer on the wire trolley, at the required dis- tance from the posts, the animal is pre- vented from getting too close to the latter. Before attaching the washer to the trol- ley wire, slip on a 4 or 5-in. spring, to serve as a shock absorber for both dog and post—Chas. W. Magnat, Jr., Pater- on, N. J. Tool for Making Garden Trenches For making trenches in which seeds, uch as cabbage, turnips, and collards, are to be planted, the tool shown will be found a desirable addition to the farm tools. The wheel is composed of two disks from an old disk har- row, placed to- gether to form a convex wheel. The disks are held together by a bolt passed through the center holes. Both ends of the bolt are provided with long threads, and a nut is screwed on each side of the disks, jamming them together tightly. A pair of ordinary plow handles, drilled at the ends to receive the shaft, are attached by spreading the lower ends ipart and fitting the shaft in the holes. A nut on each end of the shaft completes the tool. When the seed bed has been prepared and the rows located, the trenching tool is rolled along the mark, and a neat trench, of about the proper depth for the seeds, is obtained. The trench is V- shaped and has a sharp bottom and steep sides; the seeds settle into the bottom in a narrow line that will vary hardly more than an inch, which greatly facilitates cultivating —L. M. Jordan, Wallace, Ala. “PLOW HANDLES Folding Theater Seat- for Children Parents would attend the movies more frequently with their children were it not for the inconvenience of supporting My) ’xi'k9" WooD CLOTH CASE A Folding Seat Enables the Children and Their Elders to Enjoy the Theater Performance the child in a position to see the per- formance. To overcome this difficulty, a simple folding stool was constructed that is placed on the regular theater chair and makes a comfortable seat for the child. The seat is constructed of two wooden frames, suitably reinforced at the corners. One of the frames is made small enough to fit inside the other when the chair is folded. A strip of canvas, or carpet, is tacked over the top of the frames, as shown, to form the seat. A cloth case, or bag, is provided for ease in carrying, and this may be placed under the feet of the child when the seat is in use. Milk-Ticket Signal Circuit At times it is desirable that the house- wife should have notice of the milkman’s arrival, without having to neglect other household duties. A device for this purpose can be installed as follows: Two brass springs are made, mounted on a block, and con- nected to the cir- cuit, as shown in the drawing. The milk ticket is placed between the brass springs, which come together, closing the circuit and ringing a buzzer, when the ticket is re- moved. A suitable switch is provided in the circuit, for turning off the buzzer after the ticket has been removed— George Simonson, Springfield, Mass. WOODEN SWITCH BUZZER

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How to Make and Use Water Skis By CARL S. BATES NYONE can easily make a pair of bolts and wing nuts, which make them water skis, or shoes, that will enable adjustable for any position or width. The foot openings may b« braced with corner blocks or thin strips, as shown. The completed frames are painted with oil paint, before covering with canvas. The canvas should be tacked to the top, bottom, and rear, be- fore the sides are cov- ered. It must be tightly stretched across the frame and lapped over the edges, the tacks being driven into the lapped portions. When the sides are covered in the same manner, the canvas is waterproofed with two The Completed Framework of the Water Skis is Shown at the Left. To coats of a mixture com- Prevent the Skis from Spreading, Cords are Attached at Stem and Stern. The Paddle Aids in Maneuvering posed of 80 per cent boiled linseed oil and 20 him to promenade around on water as_ per cent japan drier, well worked into the confidently as on land. fabric. A coat of oil paint may be ap- In assembling the framework of the plied for durability and appearance. The skis, the sides should be built first. The pine skids are attached after covering and work should begin at the rear, and the painting. lower longerons should Each side frame should be clamped to a bench in true position, while being trussed, as the tin strips give the frames their permanent boat-shaped form. When the sides have been trussed up, the lower longerons are bent, after soaking in hot water, or steaming, for a few minutes. Bending is simplified by slitting the longerons as far as the first vertical struts. The light diagonal struts hold and strengthen the bends. After the side structures are completed, they are assembled into complete floats, by nailing on the horizontal struts, in the positions shown. The -V-blocks, at the rear of the heels, are permanently attached to the footboards. The blocks at the sides of the soles are provided with 628 be bent last. To prevent back-slipping, heavy galvan- ——— = i “B n° et ea - 2* x9 ' - ——— 9"———i : [ga > L. | Ue BRACES UGHT HORIZONTAL STRUTS . xSLONGERONS TIN BRACES FOOTBOARD “KEEL PS 7 69 STRIP i | ° aa . . -“ = = - = = % SAW SLIT Plt : =z ia re 16 fe bg 83" 1 i LIGHT DIAGONAL " 10 mi s TRUTS HEAVY HORIZONTAL STRUTS GALVANIZED-IRON F ~ ge “ — $xf'sxios BOTTOM VIEW SHOWING FLAPS Complete Working Drawings for Constructing a Pair of Water Skis: These Skis will Support a Weight of 150 Pounds with an Ample Margin of Safety

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POPULAR ized-iron flaps, having ears bent back and drilled for the attaching screws, are fixed to the skids. When the float is moving forward, these flaps will be parallel with the float, but will drop into a vertical posi- tion when at rest. Strong cords, attached to screw eyes it bow and stern corners, prevent the floats from spreading more than 18 or 20 in apart. A two-bladed paddle, about 8 t. long, is carried for safety and con- enience in maneuvering. The skis de- cribed will support a 150-lb. person. By making the floats 12 in. square and about 5 ft. long, heavier weights may be borne. To Restore Polish to Steel fo restore the brightness of polished steel, or iron, that has become badly tar- nished but not badly rusted, apply am- monia soapsuds with a stiff brush, wash fi with clean water, and dry by heat. Coat liberally with olive oil, and dust on powdered quicklime. Allow the oil and ime to stay on for about two days; then clean it off with a stiff brush and rub the steel with a soft cloth until it shines again. Trap Catches Flashlight Smoke \Vhen a flashlight powder is exploded n the usual manner, a large volume of disagreeable smoke is liberated. The de- vice illustrated was constructed SLIDING i DOOR by a photographer to confine the = smoke when in- | =, door flashlight rr) pictures are taken. I A wooden box, 6 if in. long, 4 in. MW wide, and 4 in. “| deep, is equipped 1 with a sliding Uk door, and _ at- Ry tached to a on & wooden handle. A oem? U small tin pan its HANOLE fastened inside, to hold the powder. The door held open by a thread, which passes through screw eyes, as indicated, and is stretched across the powder pan. The thread burned in two when the powder explodes. his releases the door, which drops, clos- ing the box. Before the door is opened, is is the contrivance is carried outdoors. MECHANICS 629 Water skis, built according to these directions, are used similar to Alpine skis, but the user must pay more attention to balance, and accustom himself to the peculiar rising and sinking of the floats. Material Required Footboards, 2 pieces, % by 7 by 13 in Keel strip, 2 pieces, 4% by % by 54 in. Upper longerons, 4 pieces, % by % by 56 in. Lower longerons, 4 pieces, % by % by 62 in. Horizontal struts, 4 pieces, 4% by 1% by 10 in. Skids, 4 pieces, % by % by 62 in. Braces, 4 pieces, %4 by 1% by 10 in. Horizontal struts, 20 pieces, % by % by 10 in. Vertical struts, 20 pieces, % by % by & in, Miscellaneous: 5 yd. 8-oz. canvas or duck; four %-in. bolts with washers and wing nuts; four screw eyes; %-in. flat-head brads; 1-in. flat- head brads; %-in. tin strips. Ornamental Design of Arrow Heads In many localities, Indian arrow heads are quite common, and enthusiastic col- lectors of these interest- ing bits of flint are usual- ly to be found. Propetly to display such specimens, which vary greatly in size and color, is rather difficult, as they all look pretty much alike to the “outsider.” By arranging his collection into ornamental and inclosing designs these in frames, as shown in the photo- graph, one collector has made his collec- tion of Indian flints of interest to all who see it, whether sharing the owner's hobby or not —Felix J. Koch, Cincinnati, Ohio. Clamp for Electric-Light Cord A device for adjusting the height of an electric droplight can be made from a piece of fiber board, about 3 in. long, and 2 in. wide. In this cut a diamond shaped hole, approximately 214 in. long, and 1% in. wide. When the light cord is folded, and the loop formed in this way is passed through the hole, the cord is held at the ends of the hole. By enlarg ing the loop, the light is raised. The contrivance can be applied or removed in a few seconds.—E. A. Peterson, Victor, Colorado. is

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630 Children’s Play Monorail System At comparatively small expense an overhead monorail system can be con- structed in a back yard which will afford A Back-Yard Monorail System Provides Diversion to Youngsters and Grown-Ups at Slight Expense great enjoyment to children. The track is made of l-in. pipe supported by iron brackets, extending 18-in. from cedar posts. The sections of the pipe are joined by inner metal or broomstick con- nections, and the track may be oblong or circular, sloping from a raised starting point. A platform beneath the raised portion enables the young passengers to enter and leave the car easily, while a rope is provided to pull the conveyance back to the starting point. The car, the size of which may be made to suit the builder, is suspended from two ball-bearing grooved pulleys, 4 in. in di- nm 4° ROLLER rn "¢ PIPE TRACK 7 —}— ion \ / 17 +> =—= me RP — ' oes —s). »| * 24"—4 LL Suggested Dimensions and Details of Construction or the Back-Yard Monorail System ameter. The posts should be located on the inner curve of the track instead of on the outside, as shown, as the centrifugal force would throw the car against the POPULAR MECHANICS supports in making the curve. This track is 280 ft. long and, together with the car. cost $55 for the material—F. Schulte, Remsen, lowa. Worn-Out Forceps Useful in Shops In almost every physician’s office, there are to be found small surgical for- ceps that have been laid aside as unde- pendable because of slight wear. These instruments are great conveniences in shops, and they usually may be purchased for an insignificant sum, or obtained without cost. They can be employed i: work that is too delicate for ordinary pliers or the fingers, such as picking up and setting small brads, screws, and rivets; placing bits of solder on seams; twisting fine wire, or assembling small pieces of machinery—Dr. J. S. Moore, Portland,. Ore. Engine-Exhaust Water Heater On motorboats and around shops using gas engines, the lack of hot water is read- ily overcome by utilizing the waste heat of the exhaust, without detracting =: INLET from the efficiency Joh 7 of the engine. The att REDUCER UNION | drawing shows a FoR =: water heater that THe cons is directly attached to the exhaust Ba pipe. The heating coil is made of %4- in. soft-copper tub- ing. When in- . stalled on motor- | co,s FAQ ROUTER boats, aosmall} (fC — i pump, driven from / the flywheel or propeller shaft, pumps the water into an insulated tank, or supply line. The pres- sure should not be too high, or the water will be forced through the coil too fast to become heated. For shop use, with- out a pump, a barrel may be placed on a shelf, as a reservoir, and a pipe rua from the bottom into the heater. A valve is provided underneath the barrel for regulating the flow of water. To ob- tain the full heating effect of the hot gases, the heater should be placed as close to the engine as possible. Increased efficiency is obtained if both heater and delivery line are covered with asbestos, or other insulating material. The jacket is made of standard pipe and fittings.—B. Francis Dashiell, Dunkirk, Md

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POPULAR MECHANICS Tack Prevents Pencil from Rolling To prevent a pencil from rolling, stick an ordinary thumb tack into the wood near the unsharpened end. This will not interfere with the free use of the pencil, but will keep it in position on slanting desks or tables—Hugh Scott, Toronto, Canada. Hanging Fork on Side of Pickle Jar ~ In stores and restaurants where pickles are dispensed, the fork is very apt not to be found where it is needed. The illus- tration shows the idea of an ingenious grocer. An ordinary table fork is used for the purpose, one of the side tines being bent over to form a hook which is caught over the side of the container. Easter Eggs Decorated with Photos An interesting novelty in the decoration of Easter eggs is to print on the shell scenes or portraits from film negatives. Smooth, white eggs are selected and boiled. After removing them from the water and drying, the — eggs are coated, while nk PAPER still warm, with blue- 1) print-sensitizing solu- att tion, obtainable at photo-supply _ stores. The solution will dry almost immediately. The negatives are folded, or rolled, around the egg so that close contact is made with the sensi- tized spot. Then a piece of stiff paper, having an oval open- ing cut into it, is placed over the film-wrapped egg. The portion of the negative left uncovered by the oval opening in the paper is exposed to the light long enough to make a print. After removing the paper and film, the egg is washed in cold water, and the pho- tograph comes out, printed in blue. Flo- ral wreaths or borders may be painted around the finished print with ordinary water colors—Cora Hamilton, Bingham- ton, N. Y. NEGATIVE PLACED UNDER OVAL CUT IN PAPER 631 Surface Gauge Built onto Square Amateur workers who have need for a surface gauge, but cannot spare the price of the usual instrument, may be interested r= COUNTERSINK q RIVET HERE b } | | | i | + With an Extra Head Which can be Made with Hand Tools, the Combination Square is Converted into a Surface Gauge in the possibility of building an extra head for a combination square, which will serve quite nicely the purposes of a surface gauge. A block of steel, or brass, is sawed out to the shape illustrated, and three screws with knurled heads are fit- ted into tapped holes. One of these is merely a setscrew to hold the gauge block at the proper position on the scale of the combination square. The other two pro- vide the fine adjustment for the position of the scriber point. The scriber passes through two cylindrical metal pieces, be- ing a tight sliding fit in both. The one at the right, in the side view, has cupped sides into which the points of the two knurled screws fit, and the one at the left is turned down to a smaller diameter at the end, so as to project through the gauge block. It is riveted on the other side to fit the countersunk hole, but this riveting must not be so tight that it is prevented from rotating slightly, as the adjustment is made with the two knurled screws. CA mixture of one part alcohol, three parts fusel oil (poison), and four parts of benzol, applied with a piece of cotton waste, will remove road tar from auto- mobiles. Use sparingly, and wipe off in 5 or 10 minutes, to prevent injury to the paint. The mixture will not injure up- holstery or metal parts.

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332 POPULAR Small Drawing Board for Use without T-Square A convenient type of small drawing board, for use without a T-square, is ——— The T-Square . _22> is Rendered Unnec- essary in Making : =” Small Drawings, by the Use of Strips \“ Sides of the Nailed around Three Drawing Board shown in the picture. It is characterized by strips of wood nailed around it on three sides, projecting slightly above the surface of the board, so that triangles can he held against them. A board of this kind will save time on many small jobs. —C. B. Smith, Indianapolis, Ind. Sling Shot Aimed like a Gun Here is a cross between a crossbow and a sling shot; in other words, a sling shot that can be aimed like a gun. It is assumed that every boy knows —sscaew tveq ROW to make a crossbow. If not, either his dad or his chum will know. «The gun is made much like a crossbow, rub- \ ber strips being VQ used instead of a —— bow. Heavy rub- ber bands may be purchased at the druggist’s, and cut so as to form is one long strip ee Then tie one of these to. either side of the gun as in the illustration. Each rubber band is tied to a screw eye at the front end, and the other ends ere tied together by stout string. Now the rubber strips can be stretched until the string will go into the notch at the back end of the barrel, being thus stretched like a bowstring. To the left is illustrated what would correspond to the lock of a gun, two methods of making this being shown. The parts are fastened loosely with nails —— RUBBER SANDS BARREL A is 2 i a m _ ° ie) x My 2-PIECE LOCK MECHANICS in a slot cut from top to bottom through the rear end of the barrel, and they re- lease the string from the notch. While the one-piece form of lock is easier to make, it pushes the cord against the notch, and wears the cord out much faster than the two-piece kind, which lifts it out—Loyal R. jones, Lansing Michigan. To Steady Camera in a Wind To prevent a camera on a tripod fron being moved by a strong wind, suspend a heavy weight, such as a stone or piece of metal, from the center of the tripod with a strong cord. Combination Measure and Funnel Equipped with a cork, to which is at- tached a wire handle, a funnel will serve as a measure, as well as in its original capacity The handle passes through a tin guide, which is riveted, or sold ered, inside the funnel. A coil spring holds the Rs cork in place ——, Measured liquid VW oe? is poured into the corked funnel, and marks are made on the latter to in dicate different quantities. To empty the funnel, the handle is pulled upward. GUIDE OF TIN wiIReE iN 4ANDLE i Ne 4 \ rN 4 oY WEA iW ~~ epeapsecee irs? A, Pe Snaps Hold Light Clothes on Hanger The ordinary coat hanger holds heavy garments quite satisfactorily, while light clothing has a dis- agreeable ten- Nau To . ° COAT dency to slide off. ancer This shortcoming of the hanger is easily overcome without interfer- Z ing with its use- /“-, fulness for heav- {( ier clothing. Two spring-snap _—pic- ture hooks are ob- tained, and the curved ends are straightened out, a5 shown. Two small holes are drilled, o punched, in this flat piece of metal. The hooks are attached to the hanger by small nails or screws. SNAP HOO# Tr

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ba ne a Measures Made of Stovepipe \ handy measure for small quantities of feed, grain, or other materials, can be made from a section of stovepipe, by fastening a circular piece of wood into one end, for a bottom. A strap-iron handle may be riveted on, if desired. Liquid measures may be made in the same manner, but it will then be neces- sary to use a metal bottom and solder it in place. If a pipe 6 in. in diameter is used, the inside depth of the measure should be 9% in. for a Yg-peck or dry- gallon measure, or 8% in. for a liquid gallon. With 5-in. pipe, the depth should be 1354 in. for 4% peck, or 11%4 in. for the wet gallon. .When a wooden bottom is used in such measures, the pipe will need to be somewhat longer, in order to allow for the thickness of the bottom. A Self-Winding Garden Line In laying out rows in a kitchen garden, much time is saved if a self-winding line is used. Such a line is easily made by removing the spring from an old clock and at- taching it to a shaft carrying a wooden pulley, or 3) drum, for the line. The inner end of the spring is se- curely attached to the shaft, and the | outside end is held PULLEY CLOCK SPRING by slipping the eye over a small stud. The shaft rests on metal bearings, hich are fastened to the sides. Light metal plates are used for spacing and holding the sides. The handle should have a pointed end, which is thrust into the ground, enabling one person to do the work alone—James P. Lewis, Golden, Col rado. Razor Blade for Cleaning Glass A tool which is useful in removing posters from windows and windshields is made by combining an old safety-razor blade with a piece of wood, shaped like the handle of a shaving brush, and of about the same size. The blade is set in a groove in the end of the handle. Both paper and paste can be scraped off glass with this easily made implement. POPULAR MECHANICS 633 Motorboat Side Ladder An 8-ft. ladder, having rope sides’ and iron rungs, such as the one shown, will be found a particularly valuable piece of STRONG IRON HOOKS ee |. jv f A Short Length of Rope Ladder, Hung on the Gun- wale, Adds Greatly to the Pleasure and Convenience of Motorboating motorboat equipment. The hooks should be large, strong, and long enough to pre- vent their working off. To prevent mar- ring the gunwales, the hooks should be neatly wrapped with tape or canvas. The cork floats serve to prevent marring of the hull, to give finger room between the ladder and boat, and to keep the ladder from sinking, should it fall overboard. The sides are %4-in. four-strand rope, and the rungs are inserted so that two strands will be on each side. _To take the rope, shallow grooves are made in the rungs, about 1 in. from their ends—Wm. F. Crowell, Providence, R. I. Jig Holds Small Screws in Vise A simple jig for holding small machine or wood screws in a vise, for threading or filing, is made from two blocks of (on Brass f fiber, which are \ sawed to the size tte. \ desired. The ss te, “all blocks are placed Hi in the vise with the Hine screw head be- NU tween them, and Rvet—— pressure, sufficient . ow ean to leave an impres- IMPRESSION } sion of the screw BLocns/ head, is applied. The holding force of the apparatus will be increased if the screw slots leave small projections in the fiber, as shown. The blocks are slotted and riveted to a U- shaped piece of sheet iron for a handle —H. H. Parker, Oakland, Calif.

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634 Magazine Rack in Porch Swing When building a porch swing, a space under the seat for holding magazines and MAGAZINE ANDO NEWSPAPER SHELVES POPULAR MECHANICS A Magazine Rack, Built into the Seat of the Porch Swing, Prevents Scat- tering of Read- ing aterial over the Porch ., 3 zy \ Nae 2x2 DETAIL OF CONSTRUCTION other reading matter, will be found quite a convenience, as the reading material is handy for the occupants, and is pre- vented from being scattered over the porch. The swing is made with a double bot- tom. The space between the two bottoms is divided into two or three compart- ments, according to the width of the swing, to prevent the seat proper from sagging. An old swing may be thus altered, by placing a new seat above the original one or, if the back is not high enough, underneath—FEdward R. Smith, Walla Walla, Wash. Clothes Hanger as Necktie Rack For the man who desires to keep his collection of neckties in orderly array, some sort of rack is necessary, and the _ illustration shows such a hanger, made at a minimum of ex- pense and effort. The wire hook of an_ ordinary wooden clothes hanger is straight- ened, withdrawn, and inserted from the opposite side, as shown. The hanger is completed by again forming the wire into a hook. The upward curve prevents the ties from slipping off. Novel Footstool A novel footstool can be made by an amateur carpenter from one end of a nail keg. The staves are sawed in half. with the exception of three, which are cut 1 in. longer than the others, to serve as legs. Hoops and cross braces are nailed inside, to make the stool stronger. A pad filled with excelsior, or hair, is fas- tened to the head, and heavy paper is tacked to the sides, to provide a smooth surface. Denim, or imitation leather, secured with large-headed upholstering tacks, is used to cover the stool.—G. L. Furse, St. Louis, Mo. Tool Slits Paper for Attaching Stamps or Photo When inclosing a postage stamp with a letter, many people follow the bad prac- tice of moistening the gum on one cor- ner of the stamp to hold it to the let- ter. This makes it impossible to attach the stamp properly to the envelope on which it is to be used. A much bet- ter method of sending stamps is to cut two slits in one corner of the sheet of letter pa- per, of such size that two corners of the stamp will fit into them. This cannot be done very quick- ly by the use of the ordinary knife or scissors, as the slits have to be very accurately spaced. A _ con- venient tool by which the slits can be cut instantly is shown in the drawing. It is made of blocks of wood, and an old safety-razor blade. Two pieces are cut, or broken, from the blade, each carrying a portion of the edge, %4 in. long. ‘ With a small drill and a scroll saw, two slits are made in a block of wood, 3% in. long and “4s in, apart. The pieces CUTTING BLADES of razor blade are set into these slits, and the block is mounted with nails, or screws, on a larger block, which serves as a handle. In using the tool, the sheet to be’ cut is placed on a soft board, a piece of pasteboard, or several thicknesses of newspaper, and the tool is brought down onto it in just the posi- tion the stamp is to occupy. The slits

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POPULA are thus cut, in which the stamp can readily be placed. A stamp can be held somewhat more securely, if four such slits are made, one for each corner, and a little additional work will adapt the tool to cut all four slits at once. This is not necessary, how- ever, as the two slits will hold the stamp with sufficient firmness. \ similar punch, somewhat larger, 1ay be found quite useful in making slits to hold unmounted photographic prints albums. Nasal Spray Forms Blast Lamp The usual type of nasal spray may be put to good use where a blast lamp is desired. Oil pro- duces a very hot flame, and if air pressure is avail- able, an old spray forms a conven- ient source of heat. With this type of spray, a good combustion mixture is ob- tained, as it op- erates partly by pressure and partly by suction. Pressure forces the oil up the tube, and the vacuum formed by air rush- ing past the nozzle of the inner tube draws the oil out through it—Hobert M. Kraner, Columbus, Ohio. Making Postcard Projector Views Owners of quently come which are too size carrier of culty is postcard projectors fre- across interesting views small to fit the postcard- the projector. This diff- remedied by cutting pieces of light cardboard to postcard size (3% by 5'% in.) and pasting the pictures in the center of them Original photographic prints may be mounted on cards with gummed art cor- ners, without damaging the print, and in this way borrowed photographs may be shown without fear of injury—Chas. A. Goddard, Los Angeles, Calif. Flour as Substitute for Putty If putty is not available when a bearing box is to be babbitted, a substitute may be made by mixing flour with sufficient water to make a dough stiff enough to be rolled and handled easily by the hands. The dough should be thoroughly mixed to avoid leaving lumps of flour. R MECHANICS o> co Gt Level-Body Wheelbarrow \ wheelbarrow, the body of always level, in whatever position handles are elevated, which is the is something of an BODY IN DUMPING POSITION SHAFT 24” LONG LEVEL stitial YA ~— WHEEL 12” RADIUS A Wheelbarrow Body Swung on Trunnions is Always Level, No Matter How the Handles are Elevated improvement on the conventional type. Such a barrow is shown in the drawing, and may be made to any desired dimen- sions; those given being merely suggested as useful. The box is swung between the handles by means of two bolts, 2 in. long, which act as pivots. This wheelbarrow is quickly constructed, and will carry the load level, without spilling. A handle may be attached to the front end of the box, for dumping the load—F. E. Brimmer, Syracuse, N. Y Umbrella Cover Contained in Handle An umbrella handle, which effectively solves the problem of mislaid covers, may be made artistic as well as conven- ient. A piece of ma- hogany, or other suitable wood, is hollowed out as shown in _ the drawing, and an internal thread provided for the screw cap. A metal cap is turned and threaded external- ly. The wooden and metal parts may be finished and plated to meet individual requirements of taste. A neatly engraved monogram on the metal cap makes identification simple and adds to the attractiveness.—C. Breder, Jr., Washington, D. C. PLATED METAL +—-CAP SCREWED INTO HANDLE MAHOGANY HANDLE SHAFT CA small nut, or other piece of metal, placed in a can of liquid metal polish, facilitates breaking up the sediment.

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Self- Propelling Toy Locomotive Made from Scraps By F. E. LEITCH HILDREN prize a toy of their own construction more than a similar and PASTEBOARD CARTON 8} LONG BY 35 DIAM.

Fig. 3. chests, boiler supports, drivewheel-bear- To this frame, the bumper, steam ing blocks, boards, ete., tached with glue. The running are at- nails or steam CARDBOARD

chests, each with an extension arm which forms the upper cross- head guide, are made from a single piece of

i SBC BEBE RS S wood. The spool cyl- 1S) inders are glued to the I \o a steam chest, and a

Fig. 2:FRONT VIEW more finished arti- cle from the store. A few pieces of cardboard and wood, some spools, and the works of an old alarm clock combined as de- scribed, make the serviceable and workable toy loco- motive, shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of thie

illustration. The engine Fia.4:POWER PLANT | » k . K—5§ ry i * one WOODEN CAB 7 7 FORM 2% TIN-CAN ~-% B 271 aie SPOOL - . = . CARDBOARD CAB 9 ze a\ \ ot FORM a 0) s ONE-PIECE WOODEN | LY) Apt GROSSHEAD AND FRONT WHEELS: PISTON ROD | .% TWO SILK THREAD “-. _-F DRIVE WHEELS, he a MAKE 4 Te, WASHERS ee ll, *t sive roo a i Fia.5 ve Taits #*4 wooo RAL — JO (rm sont a ) —— / RAIL STEAMED AND sf | \ ty BENT 13 3 keene - } LS eed) TIN JOINT

JOINT - Fia.6 racks frame, having a slot cut at the rear, for the belt, is first provided, as shown in 636

similar _ extension

should be attached to them, to form the lower crosshead guide:

Fig.3:ENGINE FRAME Spools, Can Covers, Some Odds and Ends of Wood and Cardboard, and the Works from an Old Alarm Clock are Cleverly Combined to Make the Workable and Serviceable Toy Locomotive Shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The Wooden Engine Frame, the Power Plant, and the Method of Power Transmission to the Rear Drive- wheels, are Shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The Alarm Set of the Clockworks is Used as a Throttle to Start and Stop the Engine. Details of the Principal Parts of the Engine and Its Track are Shown in Figs. 5 and 6 The ends of the crosshead guides are held in position by a piece of tin, or wood, cut to the shape desired. The piston rods and crossheads, to which the connecting rods are attached, are cut from single pieces of wood, as indicated in Fig. 5. The drivewheels are made of four cai covers, having half-spool hubs nailed to their centers, for attaching to straight, round wooden axles. The rear axle should have a small spool tightly attached in the center, as shown in Fig. 4, for the belt. The front truck, in Fig. 3, is at- tached to the engine frame by a small bolt passing through the center of the half-spool pivot. Small spools, cut in half, make the “pony” wheels for the front truck. The clockwork driving mechanism of the engine is installed in the cab, as shown in Fig. 4. All parts

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POPULAR having no connection with the alarm system are removed, and a wooden pulley is attached to the alarm-winding key, as shown, A heavy rubber band transmits the power from the clockworks to the spool on the rear axle. The boiler is made from a cardboard carton of the de- sired size. If such a carton is not avail- able, a piece of heavy cardboard may be dampened and rolled into the shape re- quired. The boiler is glued to the engine frame. After the boiler has been placed, the hinged wooden cab form, in Fig. 5, is put in place, and to this the cardboard cab is attached with glue and tacks. A coweatcher is made from a piece of tin, cut to the shape shown in the detail, and tacked to the bumper. The smokestack is made from a spool, and the steam dome MECHANICS LON Doi is cut from a piece of wood, both being glued to the boiler. To imitate the smoke door of a locomotive, a large but- ton is attached to the front end of the boiler, as shown in Fig. 1, and a scarf pin, stuck into the top of the boiler, makes a convenient headlight. A track for the engine is made of light wooden strips, nailed to wooden cross ties, as shown in Fig. 6. Curves in the line are made by steaming the rails to be bent, and tying them into the form de- sired until dry. The rail joints are made by bending small pieces of tin into the shape shown. The alarm set of the clockworks serves as a throttle to start and stop the engine, which will run for about 20 ft. with one winding. Staining Wood with Dyes In the absence of specially prepared wood stains satisfactory substitutes are made by using package dyes, which are readily obtainable. A package of dye, of the desired color, is dissolved in 1 pt. of warm water. The color is tested by applying a stroke or two, with a clean brush, to a piece of wood. If the color is too light, more dye should be added or the solution “boiled down.” 1f the color is too strong, more water is added. After the first coat has been ap- plied, if the desired shade is obtained, the work is allowed to dry thoroughly, and a light coat of shellac is applied. If a darker shade is wanted, another coat of stain may be added after the first appli- cation has dried. The shellac coating gives a glossy and waterproof finish, and prevents soiling of the surface. Star-Forming Toothpick Trick As a part of an evening’s entertainment of tricks and games, a simple perform- ance which merely requires five tooth- picks will mystify | — the onlookers. = i JN The toothpicks ‘ are bent, as evenly | as possible, in the { center, and = ar- " — ranged as shown y), \ in the drawing. niacin Then place a drop | of water in the center of the. fig- ure, and in a few minutes the toothpicks - will expand sufficiently to form a larger star—D. Geo. Logan, Jr., Pittsburgh, Pa. Quickly Made Windshield Cleaner Various preparations applied to the windshield surface are more or less sat- isfactory, as the greasy coating allows the rain to run off rap idly, but wiping is perhaps the most effective method against snow. A simple cleaner, or scraper, is easily made from %-in. steel or brass wire, which is formed as eee shown. Two short WIRE. i lengths of rubber sian “acini. tubing over the free ends form the wiper To prevent the tubing from working loose, the ends of the wire are first coated with rubber cement before the tubing is slipped on. Care should be taken to have the middle of the wire loop, which bears on the inside of the glass, at a point about opposite the middle of the rubber tubes, for in this way an even pressure is applied by the rubber tubes over their whole length—Ronald L. Prindle, N. Abington, Mass. Tire Chain Holds Boat An old tire chain can be made into a rowboat painter by removing the cross links, and fastening the sidepieces to- gether with wire, leaving the clasps on the ends. One end of the chain is attached to the boat. The free end is passed around a tree or post, and the boat i fastened by hooking the clasp into a con- venient link,

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638 POPULAR MECHANICS Solitaire Board Aids Invalid It is not particularly difficult to play card games when sitting at a table, but let the solitaire enthusiast be forced to EAVY PASTEBOARD

BUILDING - CARD POCKETS POCKETS FOR erecanne—/ ° = ae TAPE Invalids Who are Compelied to Remain in Bed are Enabled to Play Solitaire Quite Comfortably with This Easily Made Game Board remain in a reclining position and “can- field” becomes impossible. The card table in the drawing is made from a piece of heavy pasteboard, or corrugated board, and is covered with cloth, which is securely held with strips of adhesive tape around the edge. Pockets to hold the various cards are formed of strips of gauze and adhesive plaster, or tape. With such a table resting lightly across one or both knees, the game may be played al- most as comfortably as at a table—Tru- man R, Hart, Ashtabula, Ohio.

Clothes Drier for Small Articles An arrangement for drying baby’s cloth- ing, or various other small items of the family laundry, is made from an old window frame. Screw eves are screwed into the sides, and wire lines strung across the frame, as shown. Two screw hooks in the top permit it to be suspended from the clothesline. The use of this de- vice does away with cold fingers in the winter, and on stormy days the frame may be hung near the stove—Mrs. Grace E. Willey, Con- cord, N. H.

Photographing High-Speed Airplanes In photographing swiftly moving ob- jects, such as airplanes in flight, or run- ning automobiles and trains, it is almost impossible to employ the view finder on an ordinary camera for locating the sub- ject. By placing the camera so that the image of some stationary object can be seen in the finder, and then sighting over the top of the machine at the object, a method can be discovered for pointing the lens in the proper direction without consulting the view finder. The thumb of the operator may be used as a rear sight, and some projection near the front of the camera, like the finder or the leg, will serve as a front sight; or pins may be stuck in the machine as_ sights. When the proper positions for them have been determined, the camera can _ be aimed in the same manner as a gun in the hands of a trapshooter.—R. J. Hoff- man, New York, N. Y. Making Hollow Bullets Hollow-point bullets are much more effective at short range than solid ones, and are easily made. Two 14-in. boards, each as wide as BULLETS % the cartridge case > oRue §=is long, are placed «oo together in a vise : x va and drilled on the <= van: line where they join. Inse:t the cartridges in the holes thus pro- vided, and clamp them firmly in the vise, bullet end up. Mark the center of each bullet with a punch, and drill with a %-in. bit, to a depth of from %e6 to Y% in. In making the wooden cartridge clamp, use %e-in. holes for .32-caliber, 3% in. for .38-caliber, and %6 in. for .44 and .45-caliber cartridges. Rifle bullets should not be hollowed out.—J. F. Ford, Port- land, Ore. VISE

Staples Mend Cracks in Shoe Soles Quite often shoe soles break in the in- step, and to repair them neatly is difficult. The cracked leather can be joined satis- factorily with carpet staples, the points of which are driven on either side of the break, and clinched inside the shoe.—John Edison Englert, Mill Hall, Pa.

a

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ae Ti... POPULAR PICTURED LETTER BRINGS NEWS OF LOST COMRADES tifying letter reached the oftice of Vopula lagazine some time ago trom the e€x- ose travel-worn letter was pictured in the November, 1919 He writes that he was s old company and sent to a hospital i nee: later he was returned to this cou! ged, ('nfortunately, during these ivel as a casual, he lost all tou witl s old organization ven he settled in Indianapolis he could nd em, as the company had been recruited trom t'nited States. hen the pi P ittered envelope, showing his name and ppeared in this magazine It caught the 1 friend fo date he has received than 0 of them EXPLAINS METRIC-SYSTEM UNITS IN ONE-MINUTE LECTURE simplicity of the metric syst asthe ease with ‘ i tally adjusted to those now i ise, Wer nonstrated recéntly by a member of lub, who gave all the explanatio i o1 minute lecture. His brief b on | of the system was this: } , e inl dollar, meter, liter, gram, ire of value; meter, the me ol . easure of bulk; gram tor ve ht yww all about the American dollar. The mett liter, gram, are just like dollar, divided ind multiplied decimally. If you want to ric its with present units, the meter is wy cent more than the vard: 0) grams 1 bout ' nt more than the pound avoirdupois; tl per cent Ie than the U. 5S. liquid quart 1 ent le than the British liquid quart). That WO 1 ent 1 1 te the metric standards.” TWO NEW UNITED STATES MAPS USE DIFFERENT PROJECTION SYSTEMS projection which gives correct area is the feature of the smaller of two line base maps of the United States, just I ed by the IT S. Coast and Geodetic Survey Pp laid out on the zenithal system, working i geographical center, which is an imaginary near TLehanor Kan The northern part of » is included As it is intended mainly for t 1 work, to which this projection is especially 1, only the tate boundaries, large rivers, and [ t t ties are shown Its scale is 1 to 7,544),000, i sheet 25% by 104, in., with a maximum erre f only 1% per cent The other map scale of 1 to 5,000,000, measuring 39 by 25 in., ‘ t conformal conic projection, wl represents the shape of any unit of sur t tl extreme southern points gives a m scale error of 2% per cent, and a maximum rror of 5'4 per cent REVEALS METHOD OF MANUFACTURE OF ENAMELED CAST-IRON WARE Enameled cast-iron ware is made by painting the ur asting with a water paste of powdered glass, clay, and other ingredients, fusing the coating it e furnace, and then applying finishing coats of powdered white glass ‘arious formulas for the enamel, and methods of preparing and conducting the entire process, are described in Technolog Paper No. 142 of the U. S. Bureau of Standards. recently issued Copies of the paper, which is i form of a 158 page book, are available to any interested, o1 ipplic ition to the bureau @ Unable to back out of a new baking oven, beneat! cl burned a bright fire, a large-dimensioned baker of Tacoma, Wash recently suffered acute mental agony while rescuers pulled vainly at his projecting leet Emerging at kast through a breach in the bricl ‘ lll he explained that he had wriggled through the aoor to see how the interior looked The heat seems to have had an expansive effect, as he found himself nable to wriggle back MECHANICS 635 YOUNG REPUBLICANS HAVE CHANCE TO WIN BIG CASH PRIZES A first prize of $6,000, and second and_ third prizes of $5,000 and $1,000, respectively, are offered throug! the Republica National Committe to American men or women, not more than 25 yea old, who write the best campaign platform for that party the purpose of the offe¢ s to encourage political thought among young voters, and to bri to platform preparation a more deliberate and seri ous consideration than it 1 illy accorded The lono is Truxto Leale, forme { S. muiniste to 1’ i, whose so lost in the service, is memorialized b the competition the Walke laine Beale ontes Manu p ire to be addressed in that F ent irters at 9.23 Wood i Ave., Washington, D. ¢ Writers are limited to 6,000 words, four typewritten copies to be sub t ed but onl one gned March 3 the time limit for receipt mat p IDEAS FOR NAVAL IMPROVEMENT MAY DRAW CASH REWARD ( ins ill i of life i vel is naval € I es ine led t prov oO ot a act ot wress pproved ne me Oo rizit i eward i cepted lea Arti to | epted I ess novelt vell value I 1 necessa appl ints suc re\ 1 cor pi caretully w I if ‘ echvio I epared t N Depa i | 1 tror sending stue hicl fall t! lass d d, o cl \ ture Model f inve tions lesi | nd the department f she he sketches l o be filled t i t, al 1 the secre ot t Ir ESSAYS ON ECONOMIC SUBJECTS ARE AWARDED PRIZES A treatise on the subject of “The Position of the Laborer i i System of Nationalism wo it tho sa of $1,000 an eastern university professor, a cash pri the other day The occasion was a contest cor ducted by a large clothing manufacturer in the middle West, for essays on economic conditions A second prize of £500 was won b 1 sout estern universit writer, who selected the topic “The Guarantee of Bank Deposits,’ while an easte undergraduate did so well with the subject of “The American Street Railway Problem” that he was awarded the $300 third prize INCOME-TAX PAYERS TO REPORT ITEMS OF OUTGO ALSO So much information has been published about the listing of taxable incomes that the « illy important matter of reporting items of outgo has beet some al Reve s a record of eacl total payment of vhat obscured. The U. S. Bureau of Internal nue require $1,000 or more, mad dur € r ing the year to any other person or organization, in the shape of rent, inter wages, bonuses, commissior r fees Sucl Ss, O eports, called “information returns, ire made or separate forms furnished by the bureau. They necessary to the work of checking up the mmcome-tax returt INQUISITIVE MOUSE CAUGHT BY LIVE OYSTER Inquisitive or hungry, a_ mouse poked its head an England between the open shells of a live oyster in fish market one night not long ago, and paid for the foolhardy experiment with it ] te, as the mollu k clamped down the sharp edges ot its shells on the rodent’s kull and throat, killing the ani mal The mouse was found in the unusual trap by the proprietor of the store on the fol lowing morning

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ARRANGE NEW MEMORIAL HALL FOR MANY USES XHIBITIONS and sales of live | stock, poultry, and farm_ crops, athletic events, dances, and all the entertainments of a lively agricultural community, are provided for in the Liberty Me- morial Hall just built at Welling- ton, Kan. The building, for which $140,000 100 by 50 ft., concrete-floored with a maple false floor for dancing. Under the con- crete seats which accommodate 2,500, are live-stock quarters. At one end is a stage, 85 by 30 ft. with dressing rooms, and over the lobby a mu- seum room, 60 by 24 ft., holding the bronze tab- lets of the town’s Chedubedebeded is vite in city bonds R.. em. war record. In was subscribed, ° ue = this room, also, is Of Stone, Front Elevation of the New Memorial Hall at Wellington, Kansas, W 11 1 be k ept brick, and con- Showing the Main Entrance, Office Towers, and those local relics crete on steel, Museum-Room Windows trophies, and and harmonizes with the city hall and other educational objects, in which every public library in the same block. Its floor well regulated community takes justifiable measures 196 by 118 ft., with an arena pride. fl Plan of Ground Floor, Plan of Auditorium Floor, ; “et = Indicating Arrangement of Oo ah 2 alent | Weoner Room Concrete Seats, CONCRETE DOCK EE Coan Arena, and Stage uP and Arena Entrances es — DOWN | eee: —e : Ws DRESSING “s DRESSING x noone ROOMS z DOWN STAGE OFN80 DOWN Ri SWITCH> iH uP H OARD - { DDD DDD Fooweet reli 4 ARENA FLOOR SEATS 750 ARENA BALCONY °° 1,750 TOTAL 2,500 Byi)) TCC “a EXIT oe own L ICTURE 4 — ~ CARL BOLLER 4 BRO., ARCHITECTS \ $$$ et IN accordance with the editorial policy of this magazine never to accept compensation in any form for what appears in our reading pages, and also to avoid all appearance of doing so, we are obliged to omit the name of the maker or the seller of any article described. This information, however, is kept ’ on file and will be furnished free, by addressing Bureau of Information, Popular Mechanics Magazine, Chicago. [Editor.] * {THRs ak ti