Popular Mechanics 1923-10: Vol 40 Iss 4

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Popular Mechanics Magazine REGISTERED IN U

WRITTEN SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND IT PATENT OFFICE Vol. 40 OCTOBER, 1923 No. 4

lL ve of Fifti frenue wt Ne Y ori Taken ‘? 1923 Horses lnereasing in Numbers Despite Automobiles Wi! lH! more than 13,000,000 automo- biles now in use throughout the ountry, a recent census has shown that horse, instead of becoming a museum uriosity, has increased greatly in num- ‘ < e etter horses, and more of them, it is eported, are being bred now than at any ve during the past quarter of a cen- ury, a gain in numbers of 2,750,000 be- ng shown in the 25 years since motorized ehicles began to appear. While more horses than ever before re being used on farms, they are gradu- lly disappearing from city streets, many unicipalities having laws forbidding eir use on certain thoroughfares and 1 congested districts, in order to expedite e flow ot trathc. With the change, new problems in city anning have arisen. As the speed of insportation increases, square street orners are being changed to long, sweep- ng curves. It has been found by ex- erience that the short turns slow up, hile the long ones hasten, traffic. Fronts buildings also have been cut away, the sidewalks being placed under the over hanging second stories to permit the widening of the streets. Another problem has been the grow- ing number of accidents. Approximately 14,000 persons were killed by motor cars last year, it is estimated. Based on fig- ures, furnished by surveys of 60 cities with populations numbering 25,000 and over, during the past eight years, the following table has been prepared: Year Deaths per 10,000 Cars Total Deaths 1915 24.0 5,800 1916 20.8 7.300 1917 18.2 9,000 1918 15.5 9,300 1919 13.0 9.700 1920 12.0 11,000 1921 11.9 12,500 1922 11.6 14,000 To meet these condition double decked streets have been proposed New York and Chicago. Subways and creat underground parking spaces also ire seen as a means to relieve the crowd ing. One-way streets already are in u in many cities with rood results ivl

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492 In a letter to Popular Mechanics Maga- zine, D. J. O’Brien, chief of police of San Francisco, says that the trafic prob- lem must be met by opening up other avenues, as he declares, “we have reached a stage in our city life where it appears that regulations, from a police standpoint, are no longer effective to cope with the increasing automobile traffic.” Califoraia leads all other states in the number of its automobiles per capita, having a car to every 49 inhabitants. \fter pointing to this fact, Chief O’Brien suggests the following relief measures: One-way streets; sub- ways under principal thoroughfares; changing ve } POPULAR MECHANICS streets paved with cobblestones to bitun nous surfaces; reduction of the width sidewalks to allow more space for vehi: lar traffic; establishment of new ro ways, and the building of undergrou parking spaces beneath skyscrapers in public parks and squares. Similar plans have been advocated other traffic experts and some of th: already have been put into effect several of the larger cities throughout t! country. Horse-Drawn Cabs Filling Thoroughfare in New York City in 1900 Before They were Crowded Off + Streets by the Growing Popularity of the Automobile PECULIAR, MISSOURI, GOT ITS NAME IN PECULIAR FASHION Connected with the naming of Peculiar, Mo., is a queer story. This small town decided that it had reached a_ stage where it was entitled to a place in the post-office directory, and its citizens sug- gested several names, all of which were rejected by postal authorities, as they had already been taken by other cities in the state. One official wrote “that it was very peculiar they could not find a name for their town.” He received this reply: “Acting on your suggestion, we select the ame of Peculiar.” Thus, Peculiar was given its place in the postal guide book. \lthough the government does not name towns, it prohibits duplication within the borders of any one state. The same o 3 vania, 13 communities begin with Gree | a name, however, may occur 1n_ seve! states. For instance, there are 45 prope nouns used more than 20 times to desi: nate cities and towns in the United Stat: There are 2 Chicagos, 6 Philadelphias, Detroits, and 14 Denvers. In Penn @ Typewriter keyboards arranged lil i that of the linotype machines have aj peared on the market, to enable appre: tices on slug-casting machines to fing: the “board” more easily. This displa the old-fashioned method of practicing « a paper chart. Publishers of small p pers, who set their own type, can use t! typewriter with greater ease on accou of the duplicate keyboard

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POPULAR MECHANICS 1933 umi- BEES NOT SO BUSY DESPITE FIRE LADDER FOLDS INTO POLE, h of POEMS OF ENDLESS TOIL SERVES AS BATTERING RAM lic oa Is the “busy bee” not so efficient as Armed at the ends with yur it is believed to be? Experiments by | steel ferrules, a fire laddet a “overnment experts now indicate that 5 that folds up to resemble a tories of the ceaseless toil of the honey pole, can be used as a bat 1 | vatherers have been due more to the he umber of bees than to individual effort. in By means of a very delicate apparatus nd quick-drying paints of many colors, they made a check of the insects’ activi- ties and found that each worker makes on he average of five or six trips a day to he fields. The length of these depends upon the plenteousness of pollen and nectar, ranging upward from 15 minutes. \iter a bee deposits his load, he enters his cell and remains at rest for a halt hour or so, before taking to the wing again. His actual work is performed in about a half day, while the remainder of he 24 hours is his rest period. While pparently disproving the accepted idea of the insects’ capacities for work, the nvestigators also learned that the harder bees labor, the shorter their lives. Some, ho seemed more industrious” than thers, died within three weeks, while those who moved slower lived as long as five months. USES TRACTOR EXHAUST GAS TO KILL RODENT PESTS Poisonous gases passing out of the ex- , haust of a tractor engine are used by a =] tt nen a Wisconsin farmer to kill gophers, wood- . Left, Ladder Collapsed into Pole ” a tering ram. Built of strong, light wood and occupying no more space than the ordinary pike, it may be easily carried ver: through small windows and narrow pas Ope sageways by one man. Only a few sec esig onds are required to open or close it, vate an automatic lock preventing its collapse Be, 4 while in use ns) — ree! SILKY TISSUE, CLEAR AS GLASS, IS PROOF AGAINST ACID Piping Deadly Exhaust Gas from Tractor Motor to _ Underground Home of Rodent Pest By a secret process, a product as flexi lil ble as silk and as transparent as glass > af hucks, and other burrowing pests A has been developed This discovery, pret ose, attached to a piece of pipe, is in coming after years of experimentation, ing serted into one of the holes leading to is said to open a new field in the pape lace the animal's home, after the other en industry. Manufactured in various thick ig Oo! trances have been plugged up with earth nesses, it can be wound in rolls so con lp The pipe is screwed to the exhaust out- sumers can cut it into desired lengths > th let. and the engine started. The deadly Acid, alkali, or oxidizing agents of ordi oul fumes filling the underground chamber, nary concentration do not affect it, and mother the rodents in a short time. it burns less readily than other pape

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POPULAR MECHANICS DEPOTS ON WHEELS ARE MOVED BY LOCOMOTIVES SO A NR te til a pp a ~ aad —). Railroad Station from Abandoned Town Being Transported to New Location, Where It Will Remain until Another Shift of Population may Cause It to be Moved Again In a sparsely settled section of the country, where populations of small towns find it necessary to change locations from time to time, because of various condi- tions, a railroad has adopted the novel plan of moving its stations. Instead ot putting up others, where towns spring up almost overnight, they load stations oi some deserted villages onto flat cars and transport them to the new communitie LID HOLDER PROTECTS HANDS FROM SCALDING STEAM To protect the housewife’s hands from scalding or burning, a kettle lid holder has been invented. Slots riveted to the upper rim of the kettle hold the lid firmly in place when the utensil is tilted to drain hot water from vegetables or meat, thus pre- venting the escape ot burning steam. The cover slides easily in and out of the holder and permits more freedom of ma- possible injury than without nipulation the old-sty le pot. BELLS OF CHIMES ARE TUNED BY CUTTING IN A LATHE By turning bells in a lathe, their proper tone can be restored. To lower the tone, the bell tuner reams it out from the point at which the swell begins, nearly down to the rim, frequently test- ing it with a tuning fork. The moment the proper pitch is produced. he stops his work. In raising the tone, he shaves off the lower side, shortening the bell, for of two of equal diameter and thicknes the shorter will give the higher note. A notable instance of bell tuning occurred at Lausanne, where twelve bells, in thre« neighboring church steeples, had only seven notes, and caused a curious discord KEYLESS TOOL BOX FOR AUTO HAS COMBINATION LOCK As a safe repository for automobile tools, a keyless box that is opened by a simple combination lock has been mar- keted. It is intended for use by owners Keyless Automobile Tool Box with Combination Lock Prevents Careless Borrowing in Public Garages who keep their cars in public places. The receptacle, made of heavy material, I large enough to hold a complete repair kit, yet is so compact that it may be placed out of the way under the cushion or in the running-board container. There is no key to be lost or misplaced

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air FF ntil ec ee ly ock he is 1ir be ns POPULAR EARTH’S AGE IS “SET” AT TWO OR THREE BILLION YEARS \fter long investigation, scientists have innounced that the earth has been in ibout its present state for two or three billion years. Geological measurements previously made were all lost in a maze if time before they had traced the his- tory of the planet beyond 100,000,000 vears. The present discovery rests on the rate by which radioactive substances hange form. These materials are not permanent, but in time turn into lead. POCKET CUP FOLDS IN TUBE SIZE OF FOUNTAIN PEN Sanitary, compact, and easily carried, patented drinking cup made of water- root tabric on a thin wire frame folds nto a tube the size of a fountain pen. It s specially designed for travelers and persons who live in states where indi- vidual cups are required. Placed in the pocket, and secured* by a metal *, At Left: Tube Drinking Cup Opened. At Right: Closed and Placed in Vest Pocket clip on the top of the tube, it takes no more space than a pencil. The two-piece container keeps the cup clean. DISCOVERY OF AMERICA COST SEVEN THOUSAND DOLLARS \fter a searching inquiry, it has been estimated that it cost $7,250 for Chris topher Columbus to discover America lhe explorer was paid about $320. Luis Santangel, a nobleman, and not Queen Isabella, of Spain, provided most of the money to outfit the three ships and pay the sailors, who were seeking a new route to Asia, says the investigator... The Pin- zons, who commanded two of the ships, were paid $130 each, and a common sea- man got $29 for the voyage. MECHANICS 195 “SILENT MINISTER” ON STREET BROADCASTS DAILY SERMON As a supplement to his regular Sunday sermons, an eastern pastor has erected on the principal street intersection of his city, a structure termed the “silent “Silent Preacher’ at Busy Street Intersection, Giving Out Its Daily Sermon to Hurrying Crowds preacher,” lessons to passet s-by which gives daily scripture The building is a small, glass-inclosed kiosk, containing Bible and fresh-cut flowers to catch the eyes of pedestrians. Each day the Bibl is opened to a new page. Protected fron the wind and weather, it broadcasts its message to passers-by without interrup tion. In this way the minister reache more persons than would be through his Sunday services alone INDIAN GEMS LIKE JEWELRY FADS OF PRESENT DAY Relics of the early American aborigines resembling the “novelty jewelry” of to day, have been found in excavations no in Progress at Burton Mound, Santa Bat bara, California. Among the adornment unearthed are hairpins of bone tippe with asphaltum and studded with tiny crystals: | ants and be unlike anything ever before found o1 the continent are thought to have been highly skille in the art of carving ornaments gems ot abalone shell: pend similar decorations, said possible The tribes that made them |

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POPULAR MECHANICS - JEWELS OF ROM NCE™ ethene hE = Ani SA) ae

a Ss a. — + = S i ~ i = = = = = 4 1) Report No. 170 from Popular Mechanics Magazine's Japanese Correspondent, N. SAKATA OF TOKYO I herewith wish to explain something of the cultured pearl which is only made in this country, except few other places in the world. There may be some who does not know name of the Mr. Mikimoto, a noted maker of the cultivated pearl in this country, but there must not be such persons in your and especially in European land. In Eng- land and France, you cannot pick out of people a man who does not know name of Mikimoto. To such a extent, name of him is known. Mr. Miki- moto, when I met him yesterday in his shop at Ginza, Tokyo, told the following story. He once was a owner of the small tea-house near the beach of Yise-Bay where is numbers of pearls are being cultivated. That was about 30 or 40 years ago. From such time a youth who became — a noted business man in the world, was trying =| to find out a field where he could find his true success. ; The said Yise-Bay has very beautiful range of scene and inasmuch as that bay is sarounded by three land, with only one outlet to the outer ocean, consequently there. is not comparratively Oyster Basket or Cage wild waves. Calm sea with beautiful landscape attracts very many cit people for their trip or one day pleasure. One day a gentleman who ha returned from the foreign country after deep investigations of the cultur ing of the pearl, came there and stopped his pleasure at Mr. Mikimoto small tea-house. That is the first chance on which Mr. Mikimoto and th: gentleman made a touch. Since that time, both of them became intimate for friendship, though one of them is a noted gentleman and other is mere owner of the poor tea-house. From that time, that gentleman paid major part of his life in investigatio: of the pearl cultivating and stepped to such a extent that more one year or half investigation would be enough for pro- ducing the perfect true circle pearls. At this time Mr. Mikimoto was a best assistant for the gentleman. He closed his poor tea-house and aided the gentleman as if he was a hand or leg of the gentleman. Mr. Miki- moto had no other inten- tion except he wished the gentleman could make out true circle pearls. About two months after, the gentle man got ill, though it

ee

Inserting Glass into the Oysters

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POPULAR MECHANICS was very slight one, and put him on the bed, from which he directed Mr. Li ikimoto, rhe ill which considered to be slight one became very serious and after only one month sick, he went to the heaven, leaving very precious material, in Mr. Mikimoto’s hand, which would be changed into enormous amount if wealth. Consequently Mr. Mikimoto had to continue the left enter- prise of pearl cultivating. Since he worked and worked, from dawn to iall, in investigations and labour. Sometime he immerged in the water for several hours in handling the pearl oyster. His story continues to the interesting part, while my keen interest grow. He presented me a coffee and I| accepted it with thanks He continued. It is by no means easy task, working in the water in coldest season in the yéar though he had set such a thing as cold, or poverty at nought. Yet he sometime determined to give up the enter- prise, but he could never give up the job if he thought of the died gentle- an to whom he debited very much. \iter three or four years after the gentleman died, he first picked up he bascket from the water. That was the first time on which he picked up the bascket in which many oysters were put. In the oyster a glass ball vas put on which oyster will cover with it’s flesh. If oyster cover the glass ball in true circle, that is success. But when Mr. Mikimoto picked out them, he found that his efforts was in vain. Such effort which spent in vain continued several times. He after ten days deleverations, he thought it would be better shut up his enterprise and commence again his poor tea- ouse. And he stepped to ending the enterprise. One day when he picked up, expecting again fault work, the bascket, he found that his effort was not in vain. He wondered whether it was rue or a mere dream. But it was not dream but a real success. He hanked and thanked to God for success. This was the first time he could vet true circle pearl, and found a key to success. Mr. Mikimoto gazed at me with passionate eyes and told me that he could not write down or speak how he was glad at a true circle pearl. You may not know how a cultivated pearl is being made I will tell vou, as it is very simple to do. If you can get blessed place from our (;od, your success is on your foot How Mr. Mikimoto succeeded Js due to the tact that he 1s blessed by the God First make a glass ball about 4%” diameter and insert it in the body of the oyster and immerge that oyster in the water ibout trom one to five vears, depending upon the desired size of pearl During that period, as oyster itself can not bear the pain, will glass ball with his own flesh. In this five or so handling should be paid and ac- cording to degree of period, special Frame from Which Cages are Hung

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19s POPULAR carefulness of handling, success or failure is determined. The pearls made by Mr. Mikimoto’s shop have fixed value or estimation among the world’s jewellers. You can- not by any way or test determine wether it is natured pearl or cultivated pearl Many severe test were made in finding whether it is cultivated one or not, but such all attempt ended in vain. On front of me there are shown very many kind of jewels and Mr. Mikimoto showed me one of pearl and explained. He also showed me one of natural pearl and asked me could I distinguish both of them. You had better go home jewel store in your city and ask them to show you both Japanese cultivated pearl and natural pearl. That test will con- vince you better than I try explain you here. Of famousness of Mr. Mikimoto, I must put women diver in my consideration. Mr. Mikimoto told that that is only his place where women divers are employed. Beginning stage of his enterprise he im-

MECHANICS merged his bascket containing oyster o: the bed of the sea water, so, in taking up again, he had to use divers. He foun that women in the territory are suitabl: for the diving work. But increasing wag: and defficult to gather the women dive caused him to use other method whic] will overcome the above defficulties. So he constructed a frame work an hanged very many basckets from th: wood frame by the steel wire to about two feet depth from the sea bed. Thi will go into about twenty or 30 feet i: the water. This story must be very inte: esting one of your readers, especial], women and I hope you accept my labou paid for this. This Mr. Mikimoto’s pearl is not imi tated one to natural pearl as “Roma: Pearl” or “Venetian” pearl.” Hopping to be favoured with you prompt -— eT ‘ours Very Truly, Unphaba Ln

AIR SCRUBBER BARS DUST FROM AUTO ENGINES Entrance of dust into a gasoline engine is claimed to be prevented by a recently invented attachment that clears the air

t Rotating Air at Great Speed, This Device Prevents Dust from Entering Automobile Engines before it reaches the carburetor. As the air passes through a spiral channel, it is rotated at great speed, the gritty matter being thrown outward and held by the walls of the tube, instead of being carried into the motor, where it forms carbon, and grinds down pistons and cylinders.

HOW TO TIME PHOTOS IS TOLD BY EXPOSURE METER DOT

By uncovering a piece of sensitized paper on a camera meter, recently pat ented, the photographer can tell at glance how long to time his exposure. If the paper has darkened in four sec-

DARKEN 4668C FOR NO!

onds, a snap- | STOP, SINGLE LENS. shot would a be wasting \ 2 the film. For >< &

compari- son, a normal tint appears on the meter dial, eliminating much of the guesswor! of amateur camera owners. The idea h: been adapted for use with various lense speeds, and conditions of light Whe the meter shows the light to be too wea! for a snapshot, the length of time exp: sure is indicated. Disks of photo pape may be replaced at small cost.

@In the country east of the great plai and north of Maryland, a little mor: than a pair of birds is the average to acre of farm land as shown by a rece1 survey.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 499 SCIENCE ANSWERS CRY FOR GREATER SPEED Land transportation had its origin in the prehistoric age, according to scie.- tists. First, the woman was the burden carrier, and, to make her more efficient, trails were created through forests and across plains. These marked the course of the future highways of civilization. Just when primitive man transferred the load to the back of an animal is a matter of conjecture, but the change was final, and the first step in solving the problem of land carriage. Next came the roughly hewn plank, drawn by a beast. This was transtormed into a sled. Then came rollers, wheels, the cart, and, finally, SHRINE OF STONE AGE YIELDS MANY HEATHEN RELICS Relics, estimated to be about 4,000 years old, have been found by scientists in a tomb and shrine of heathen worship built during the Stone Age. Located in the outhern part of Sweden, it lay buried beneath ten different strata of earth Constructed of large rock slabs, it has a central chamber, 10 by 5 feet. Around — = Every Sort of Vehicle from an Electric Lawn Mower to a Small “Tank,” and Others Including Motorcycles and a Truck Drawn by a Baby Elephant, Shown in the South Recently four-wheeled vehicles. These served un til the seventeenth century, when the necessity for increasing capacity led t the adoption of wooden rails over whic! coal, in England, was hauled to river and sea for supplying boats. With the use of steam, a new era progress set in that has almost annihi lated distance. Gas engines brought the motor car and tractor, and made the ai plane possible. Answering the ceasele cry for more speed, every device kn to science has been applied to transport tion problems, resulting in the saving time and increase in human efficiency this is a circular pavement, from radiate a number of curious walks mark« by stones. A considerable quantit human and animal bones, together flint daggers and spearheads, were wu earthed Also, there were about 7,00 fragments of ornamented vases, v had been thickly strewn outside the t Che shattering ot these containers ably took place in connecti yn with he religious ceremonie

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POPULAR MECHANICS BIG CAMERA IN AIR “SHOOTS’’ TOWARD FLOOR For making photographs of large displays that cannot be | mounted on an upright wall, a | Middle Western man uses a large camera that slides up and down in a frame 18 feet high, and focuses on a big table below, on which objects are placed for re | production. The operator climb | a stepladder to the platforn under the camera, which he moves by turning wheels. A white background is provided by lights under the “ground” glass [lwo big lamps placed at the sides bring out detail in the dis play. Photographs.to replac« blueprints, and pictures of sam ple exhibits for salesmen, are made with this equipment. | “CATERPILLARS” HELP TO TILL WESTERN PEAT LANDS By the use of “caterpillar tractors, peat lands of Minnesota, long regarded as unfit for any kind of cultivation, are being re claimed. Because of the soil's looseness, it is almost impossible Operating Camera on Platform That Moves in Frame to Make ; Pictures of Large Displays Below plows drawn by horses. 1 to work in these sections with “DEAD-AIR” SPACE IN COOKER bottom, which eliminates the possibility PREVENTS FOOD BURNING of a scorched dinner without the usual watching. When the roast is partly done lo prevent food from burning, a pan the sidewall and cover can be easily re it a double bottom has been made moved to allow it to be turned over for ich may be used for frying, roasting, browning both sides. seli-basting, or steam cooking. The out- a ae arcane WHERE THE MEN ARE VEILED While the women of the warlike, Tua reg tribe, residing on a mountainou plateau well within the great Sahara desert, FO about with bared faces, cus tom forces the men to appear in publi heavily veiled.- Only a-narrow slit is left for the eyes in the turban wrapped about their heads. The territory where these people live was almost unknown until 1850, when one of three explorers escaped death at the hands of-the desert savages : : ny and returned to report his experiences Combination Cooker with ‘‘Dead Air’’ Space at Bot- After a 30-vear nepte t] a; othe tom to Prevent Burning of Food iter a w-vyear struggte with this tribe the French government found it neces side is of steel and the inner part of sary to compromise, so relentlessly did inum, with a “dead-air” space at the these hooded warriors keep to the fray. *7

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ity aal ne re Pot Tie ett ut se til Does a Curse Fall Upon Those Who Touch Mummies and Idols of Mystic East? Sinister Influences Attributed to Relics and Jewels That Are Believed to Result in Disaster and Ill-Fortune for Those Who Possess Them ITH the completion of preparations for the re- opening of the tomb of Tutankhamen, interest has revived in the curious superstition that ‘a curse falls upon those who dis- turb the ancient dead of Egypt, bringing calamity to them and their families, even extending to their close friends. The death of Lord Carnarvon soon after he had penetrated into the burial chamber, where the ancient ruler slept among all the splendors of his vanished empire and recent dispatches telling of the illness of the leader of an American expedition to “The Valley of the Kings,’ again has brought up the question: “Is the curse of an Egyptian priest, in- voked more than 3,000 years ago at the entombment of a king, operating over the centuries upon those who have dis- turbed his slumbers ?” Investigation shows that few authenti- cated cases of disaster following upon the disturbance of a mummy are so utterly bewildering as that of No. 22,542, which is the British Mu- seum number for a certain relic of an Egyptian priestess of the temple of Ra, in the great city of Thebes. According to Egyptologists, the priestess lived about 1600 B. C. The only remaining thing belonging to her is the lid of her coffin on which is painted in crude colors the face of the dead woman. The first heard of this sinister relic was its pur- chase by an Englishman from an Arab at Thebes. Before he reached Cairo, his gun exploded, and his arm was shattered. One week later he received word that he had lost the whole of his fortune, and shortly afterward, with the picture of the mummy relic, which then came into pos- session of a woman living in London She lost health and seemed to be dogged by some malign and unaccountable in- fluence. One day a famous Russian mys- tic visited her. Immediately she com- plained of a sinister presence. Before she left, she had seen the coffin lid. “There is the evil influence which | felt on entering the house!” she ex- claimed, and implored its owner to get rid of it as soon as possible. The next owner sent the painted face to a photographer. Although it was just a piece of primitive art, partly destroyed by the ravages of time, the photograph is said to have shown a living face with an expression of intense hate. Those who hold that the explanation of such a history as this is an occult one, say that it was no less than a _ photo- graph of the spirit of the priestess. However that may be, the last owner of No. 22,542 sent it to the British Museum where, it is only fair to say, the priestess has been behaving, and, while there are many stories of her evil doing since then, none of them are credited by the authorities. Somewhat similar stories are told about a figure of the Gau tama Buddha which came into the hands of another London museum in 1911. This idol had : been bought by a sea captair } during a voyage to India. B« fore his ship reached Eng land, it caught fire in a my terious way. The crew many of whom were Las cars, were afraid of the great teak figure, and 11 — sisted upon casting it overboard. Ultimately the vessel was towe- into Liverpool, and some time later the Buddl was washed up off the coast of Wales, an: claimed by th« captain whet he heard of it ae priestess in his posses- sion, he died, poor and Figure on _ Prow of Folloy, . . Boat to Drive Off ae © leat miserable. His compan Evil Spirits of Sea ing ms Geatl ion passed away soon and Protect Sailors —which tor afterward. place he Misfortunes fol- liter the lowed hard upon the covery of t

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MECHANICS POPULAR

Protected by Ancient Curse That Brings Evil F

- LLL LLL LL LLL LIL LLL LL LLL LTA TL Ne\wee/eNeehoeehe/ee/ee/ee\eee\o\ AA Aad \o\woo\e/o\o o A cs ae ne a ar ° 7) a bo kK 7 y .

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POPULAR MECHANICS 503 (am (aie) rs Dl en A db A Ae . » t ‘ @ ‘ i 0 0 0 ( sa aa a a aa = = Sa) Ow & -, [=m Sere SS SS = = aw] YV IVC SIV OV rn (me ad a ) - Sa jan), A Sn Aa ROA ACAD AC AC AD ACAD ACAD ACA, SRI INGNG NISSAN? EO ew ew aw ew ewewsaw 4 tl tll Mtl Ml. Wraith’ owes a 1 Entrance to the Tomb of Cleopatra, and Mummies of Ancient Rulers, before Whose Frowns All Egypt Once Trembled: Their Remains Are Now Only Museum Relics

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POPULAR

MECHANICS

idol—his daugh-

fe tures the ston ter set it up in came into the er house. Then Grotesque Masks and Elaborate Costumes Worn by Devil PpOSses - oO! evan the trou- Dancers in Asia to Terrorize Evil Spirits of one Fals, le. The servants Frenchman omplained of it. One asserted that it who, fearful of being accused of theft ii oved, another that it frightened her. he disposed of it, died of starvation. he children were scared by it, and said horrible dreams in which Buddha peered at them. were frightened away, and figure was given to the museum, where has remained under close observation ithout any peculiar manifestations. Another story of strange influence concerns the Hope diamond Every- this gem has gone since it stolen from the head of figure Hindu temple, it is said to have trail of death and desolation. It first brought to t | e tace isitors SO a < here a in a left

In 1830, it fell under the ownership « Henry Thomas Hope, a collector, and then, after two generations of quiet, went to his grandson, Lord Francis Hope, who was the victim of many misfortunes. So long is the list of tragedies con- nected with the Hope diamond that it would require a full volume to relate its entire history. From the time it w released by Lord Francis Hope, it passe through the hands of men who met wit sudden death, lunacy, and bankruptcy. ‘ It was owned b American million aires, by Frenc!}! Europe by the dealers, by the French traveler, Russian Prince Pavernier, in the Kanitovski, by b eventeenth dul the Damned entury. Ruin over- To each it is cred took him in a fev ited with bringin vears. He sold the death and disastet ond to Louis Its last possessor XIV, of France, was the wife of an gave it to his American mil- eautiful favorite, lionaire whose son ‘lk me. Montespan was killed. She wore the stone Mummy, sacred nd quickly fell idol, precious ston rom royal favor. stolen from some Princess de Lam- Oriental temple, helle was the next what power do victim to wear the these inanimate jewel, and met things possess? I: leath at the hands there any real ex ia Paris mob i planation of tl luring the days of = 4 . Feet, tragic historic e revolution Mt Alaskan Medicine Man Praying Before Totem Pole pss ’ h te many adven Carved and Painted with Symbols of His Tribe re connecte

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of nd nt ho n- o1 an ie on POPULAR MECHANICS 505° BRIDES OF NILE,IN OLD DAYS COST FOUR DOLLARS Marriage contracts were. in vogue among , early. Egyptians, according to tablets found-in the Nile region by ex- plorers. The-earliest-known nuptial con- tract there dates from 590 B. C., the terms of which were drawn by the -hus- band, It has been translated as follows: “Since God willeth that we should unite one with the other in righteous wedlock, after the manner of every. free man and every wise woman, therefore I have given thee.four dollars in gold as a bridal gift. And for my part I will-not neglect thee. Neither shall I put thee forth without a cause, having legal ground. But should I wish to put thee forth, I will pay 17 dollars for the matter.” SPEED WRENCH CANNOT SLIP AND IS SELF-ADJUSTING Taking a lightning grip upon any nut withtn its wide range, a recently patented wrench adjusts itself without a thumb Jaws of Automatic Speed Wrench Extended and Gripping Nut for “Ratcheting” screw, and the harder the pull, the tighter it holds. The mechanism for opening and closing the jaws allows it to be ‘ratcheted” rapidly, bolts being either loosened or tightened with surprising quickness. There is no possibility of the wrench slipping, or of working loose on the nut faces, and, as all parts are made of high-grade steel, it is practically im- possible to bend the jaws. A spring aids in keeping its grip in constant adjustment. @So far as is known to scientists, no insect has a fatal bite although deaths have resulted from blood poisoning in- duced by scratching the irritations. EVIL SPIRITS ARE CAST OUT BY BLOWING IN EARS In Zululand, South Africa, native doc- tors collect fich fees by blowing into the ears of their patients to cast out evil Native Doctor of South Africa Casting Out Evil Spirits by Blowing in Patient’s Ear spirits. The medicine man seats the vic tim on the blanketed floor of the outdoor surgery, after announcing that he is to dispel the wicked demons causing sick ness. He places a horn to the patient's ear and blows. The ill one generally makes a bad face, cries “enough,” and, being convinced that he has been cured, is troubled no more. In severe cases herbs are used as a remedy, when the horn-is not effective. LEAD PENCIL FOR SPARK-PLUG TESTING AIDS AUTOISTS With a metal tip at the eraser end through which electric current passes, pencil to test spark plugs has recently been placed on the market. Because the lead is insulat ed, it isa good ~~ conductor *™*™gK ewe of electricity as it passes from the cyl inder to the tip of plug Thetest i CYLINDER made by touching the cylinder with the point the brass cap of the plug with the oth end of the device @In one year, it is estimated, smol causes a damage ot $500,000,000 to proj ertv in the United States

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POPULAR MECHANICS SIX-POUND VACUUM CLEANER it are called “Spanish hair.” Harvesting STRAPPED TO SHOULDER the moss requires little labor, since it falls from the trees when it ripens. Sey So'small that it is supported from the eral methods are used to cure it for the shoulder by straps, a vacuum cleaner, market, the most popular being to pile hat weighs only 6 pounds, can be car- it on the ground, wetting it, and allow ing it to remain for three or four months i ns during which time it changes its color from green to black. Preparing the plant for dealers already has become a thriving industry TEN-DEGREE CHANGE IN SUN WOULD END ALL LIFE Were the sun’s heat to vary ten de grees, all life would perish from the earth, according to a scientist, who says that life here will continue indefinitely as it has existed for hundreds of million of years. From the color of rays given off, the temperature at the sun-is said to be about twice that of an electric arc [If the earth were a ball of ice, this solar heat would melt it in little more thar 15 minutes TWO ROWS OF TEETH ON RAKE PREVENT DRAGGING OF SOIL With two rows of teeth placed so that stones and rubbish cannot become wedged between them, a rake that make a smooth, level surface, has been devised —- & , tis by an eastern inventor. Pulling of. the loam and dragging of small plants are also prevented by the extra teeth, which Renovating Upholstering of an Automobile with Vacuum Cleaner That Straps to Shoulder ried about without any discomfort, yet verforms as many tasks as a larger instru- ment For removing dirt and dust from crevices, where heavier tools cannot be ianipulated, blower and suction attach ments are provided, making it possible to clean inaccessible corners, telephone- vitchboard equipment, motors, and radi- tors. It is also handy for drying hair } te? mMpoo SPANISH MOSS BECOMES “HAIR” FOR STUFFING FURNITURE Spanish moss, that grows so abun- dantly on the hardwood trees in the swamps of southern Louisiana, has been found of value as stuffing for mattresses and furniture. Although not yet a staple on the market, the product is said to have a growing demand. Dry, resilient, and are set behind, and between, the front nonadhesive, it is especially serviceable ones. The prongs, all separated by an upholstering. Owing to its resem- inch of space, thus permit the soil to pass nee to coarse hair, certain grades of freely through them Two Rows of Teeth that Prevent Stones and Rubbish from Clogging the Rake

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4 POPULAR MECHANICS 507 ROLLING DICE BY AIRPLANE LATEST OF SPORTS ©? | With giant dice made of light ma- aviators now play the game of dice their airplanes as one of, the latest erican sports. Placed in front of the machine, the propeller is twirled, and the rush of air sends the dice rolling down the field with the plane in pursuit. The cubes are then placed in position again. aying the Game of Dice by Airplane: Huge Cubes cf Light Weight are Rolled down the Field by a Blast of Air from the Machine’s Spinning Propeller HUSBAND DOES COOKING, WIFE HUNTING, IN AFRICA Husbands are the cooks and wives the ers and hunters in Barotse, a prov- e of northern Africa. Though there a well-organized modern government, e natives still observe some curious istoms. It is no unusual sight to see woman wading in a stream and carry- g¢ a big fish basket. When she returns me, the husband does the cooking hen the wife sits down alone to dine, ecause, owing to his superior strength, man might be tempted to take the ricest pieces before the woman gets her re. Another unwritten law is that hen triplets are born, two of the babies ust be killed for good luck. “GAT” SHOOTS OIL INTO AUTO UNDER HIGH PRESSURE Shaped like a pistol, a device is being arketed that is designed to make the iling of an automobile chassis a clean Oiling an Automobile Chassis Made an Easy and Clean Task by Oil “Gat” ; nd easy job. With its 16-inch long arrel, the most inaccessible parts of the ir may be handily reached. Operated ith only one hand, the instrument shoots out the oil at a pressure sufficient to force it into tiny crevices. It may be refilled by removing a cap at the big end. CHRISTMAS TREE KEPT FRESH BY WATER IN HOLDER By supply- ing moisture to the stem, a stand re- cently in- vented for Christmas trees keeps the branches fresh for a long time Screws in the side of the holder can be set for any size, gripping the tree firm- ly after it has been pushed down to reach water in the basin Filling is done through an opening covered by a threaded cap @To hasten the handling of large amounts of cotton from the Orient pass- ing through San Francisco for further shipment eastward, a fumigating plant is to be built at that port. It will be so located that moving of goods will be made with the least possible delay

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When Banditry and Mechanics Conspired

How a Homemade Cannon Served the Purpose of an “Excellency’’ of Old Mexico By SIDNEY MCNEILL SUTHERLAND

| [This is the first of a series of articles by Mr. Sutherland, relating his experiences e land Mexican bandit. Particularly capable of portraying the native character and its fascinating bach ground, his stories will be found frequently amusing, often strange, sometimes thrilling, and alway nteresting and informative. Mr. Sutherland has had rare opportunities to become acquainted wit neighbors below the Rio Grande Born in Monterey, Nuevo Leon, on April 13, 1888, the s f an American missionary and his wife traveling in Mexico, Mr. Sutherland learned Spanish*in infan¢ Altogether he lived in Mexico and other Latin-American lands more than fifteen years Later, his know edge the country, the language, and the people, led t his employ at various times as a news} i respondent in the revolutions whi have ravished that great country.—Edit N January of 1912, I occupied the sourcetulness, and utter shamelessne dual role of news editor of a Mexican vould arouse the envy of the most « newspaper, and special correspondent — scienceless politician. To Gustavo of a New York daily. For the latter I his coterie of knaves may be attribut made many trips into the states of Puebla, the Felix Diaz revolt and the ensun Plaxcala, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Oaxaca, and collapse of that country. A “chance” b Morelos, where scores of rebel leaders’ let fired in front of the Felicista he vere indulging ’ qaoor The best “COpy for \merican read- ers, aside from incidents affect- ing American citizens, was furnished by the Zapata Dt.OotR ers, Emiliano and Eufemio,whose bands often raided the = in- credibly rich sugar, coffee, and tobacco plantations of Morelos. There is.an “inside” story con- nected with the Zapatista forays against the Castillians, which‘ has never seen print in» this country, and which helps ex- platn.the strangely %S uc~ cessful career 17) iil [—

Mexico’s favorite out- sport—uprising

dawn oft Feb buccaneering quarters at Gustavo’'s

The Famous Cannon Mr. Sutherland Made for Eufemio Zapata: The Tragedy-Comedy That Followed the Attempt to Fire of the Zapatistas. (;sustavo Madero, brother of the presi- as a grafter whose sagacity, re- dent, W 508 It is Described in the Accompanying Narrative 1913, e1 exploits Now, | ano Zapata his follows might ste commit stocks, ) 2U, SSatl steel horses, saddle and clothing and he mig ravage cane *< burn toba barns, and stroy coftte mills and dence he could tain s i1 quantities the two article indispensa ble to Mext banditry—ar1 and mone The laster ha been tran ferred by tl] Spaniards t Mexico Cit’ and the forn were kept ou of Morelo Emiliano cot fined his activities to the state of Mor los; but Eufemio and his cutthroat sometimes wandered farther afield

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509 ICS CHAN ~ ME ULAR A. © Pu SE ee EE eo tet etl lel tlt a a a a el tping hi - yelled with laughter... “Zapaia .

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510 POPULAR About the middle of January, a reporter from the Mexican newspaper succeeded in interviewing Emiliano in his mountain lair—no insignificant feat—and on his re- turn told me he had heard that Eufemio was preparing to plunder an American mining camp in Guerrero sometime before February 1. I at once proceeded over- land into the Sierra Madre range on horseback, after leaving the train at Iguala, and reached the camp of the brigands three days later about dusk After responding as warily as I could to the outer sentry, who challenged me was blind- Pro- at the foot of the mountain, | folded and conducted to Eufemio. MECHANICS keeping his ing in men armed N strong enouglt to attack a garrison, | didn't know what he was going to d for carbines and ammunition “If I only had a machine gun, or cannon, or some bombs,” he. said, could surprise a cuartel and supply n valiant soldiers.” A whimsical thought came to me “T can't get you a machine gun,” I told him. “But I can make you a cannon ar all the bombs you want.” “What!” he exclaimed. “You can? O senor, if would do that I would— would do anything you might ask.’ “Anything ?” you Above: What a Few Three-Inch Shells Did to a Stone Building in the Busi- ness Section of the City of Mexico, When Diaz Overthrew Madero. Mr. Suther- land, Who was Shot Twice by Machine- Gun -Bullets, can be Seen Peering above the Corrugated Iron. Right: Cannon Set Up in Capital during Uprising longed and searching questions finally persuaded him that, although a gringo, I had only a newspaperman’s interest in the forthcoming raid. He assured me that my “paisanos” (countrymen) would not be injured, but that he intended to take anything and everything he could carry away. After we had eaten a modest supper of beans, goat meat, and tortillas, Eufemio complained of the difficulty he was hav- “Anything. Si sefior, if you will make a cannon for me I'll agree to do anything Have you an enemy you would like to have—disposed of permanently?” “No, thank you,” I laughed. “But if you will not molest the gringo mining camp, I'll make the weapons you need.” “Agreed!” he replied. The next morning, accompanied by twenty rufhans, we rode down the moun tain, crossed the valley and ascended the

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to the mining POPULAR 1er slopes amp I went iead and explained to he superintendent; and hen fired a shot to notify & ufemio to come on. The aie, \mericans effusively welcomed \: he outlaws, who, not to be sur- passed in politeness, swept the ground ith their sombreros, embraced the ehor Americanos, and kissed the hands f the reluctant ladies. After luncheon, I made the bombs Chey consisted of Vienna-sausage tins, mato cans, and heavy stone jugs filled ith black powder and bits of dynamite, of which the Americans had a large tock, and buckshot, bolts, nuts, and broken glass. A small piece of woolen underwear was torn and twisted into fuses, and lengths of rope were looped about the “bombs,” furnishing at once means of carrying the things and a sort of “slingshot” so that_ they could be lighted, swung rapidly about the head, and thrown 50 yards or so. I hadn't the remotest idea whether they would explode; but Eufemio, who had MECHANICS 511 drank much warm beer, was in ecstasies, rubbing his hands and proclaiming loudly that Americanos were the smartest people in all the world The next morning I made the cannon. I obtained a length of iron pipe, three inches in diameter. In the blacksmith shop, we cut off a piece eight teet long and closed one end by heating it red hot and hammering it down. About two teet up the heated pipe I drove in a ten-penny nail, leaving a hole for the fuse. Back of t h e farrier’s

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POPULAR dated, homemade buckboard which had tormerly run on two discarded, wire-spoked motor- cycle wheels. I took these wheels, made an axle of a three-foot piece of nailed the cannon to a heavy d, and bolted board to the ron ; boar the [There’s your cannon, general,” | iid to LKufemio, ho had hovered sut me all morn- ful! Su- he ex- ‘Now, borces ibertv and 1 “Wonder agg rh laimed eee ‘edi, the t righteousness pre vail throughout our country.’ He picked up the rope and stalked contrivance elorious Left: Eufemio “traces” to and pulling the atter lim, the of the plank bouncing over the “Immediately foll the shall fire a to the fro, end rocks owing salute siesta new we salvo bri- Zapata. MECHANICS Right Mr. Sutherland you a real cannon it may be more thing than to “Verv well,” lowed patriot dangerous be fired rejoined “We'll gade,’' nounced see, we must a target tor tice this at noon.” “| have st” 1 continued, leanin to me an whispering. “There area couple of colo nels and a with me greatly distrust at dislike. They sha be placed a hur dred yards and when not aware accidentally close m that ajo AW: they ar: we sl] fire weapon ari If | had better terials and _ tacil ties, I could make \s a matter of fact to fire tl at alcohol-m«e the the have colons What a Street Barricade Looks Like in the Ludicrous “Wars of Independence” in Mexico Waged from Time to Time

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POPULAR MECHANICS and the major shoot the cannon. I can find a couple of other members of my staff to use as targets.” The salute of honor was a_ solemn affair. The cannon was wheeled out into the vard, the rebels ordered to fall in— at a safe distance; and Eufemio, quite drunk, and I proceeded to load it. We poured black powder into the muzzle until tor three feet the pipe was packed tight. Then we filled it nearly to the upper end with scrap iron, worn ball bearings, and broken cogwheel teeth. | got a piece of cloth, rolled it into a short fuse, and thrust it into the nail hole. While the Americans, the ladies, and 1] retreated to a doorway about a hundred vards away, Zapata commanded the two colonels and the major to~ advance ’roud of having been selected for the st of honor, they strutted forward and wheel, the other erect in the position of gunner. They aimed the “cannon” at a wind mill on a near-by eminence, and Zapata sent two other haughty officer to stand at its base to observe and report on the effect of the charge Chen t general joined our party The three artillervmen = stood poised, Wal r orders “Lastet” ied Eufemio; and ready. “Al blanco!” he shouted parade ground; and the middl “sighted” the cannon match. The outlaw chieftain until he could control women clenching their ing their faces Phen “Fuego!” The colonel leaned over and ct spark, blowing vigorously on alive. Suddenly there ing roar and that completely « the cloud, we sa\ ipped his hands dals, a cartridge wheels and pipe When we a deep hole in the ground, a and three shattered bodies. Z his hat into the air and laughter, pounding the America backs, and kissing me heartil cheeks.

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old POPULAR “Dios de mi vida!” he gasped, wiping his eyes. “Gringito, | ought to make you a general in my army. This is the most remarkable hour in my life. O, what ex- quisite comedy! ‘Too bad my noble offi- died; but thus it is, there must always be sacrifices in the development of science. Well, well! That was an cellent cannon you made, but | cers ex- forgive MODEL POWER BOAT SPEEDS SEVENTY MILES AN HOUR Fashioned by hand, a model power boat, barely outside the realm of toys, been made that at- tains a speed of 70 miles an hour fora brief period With the same grace and smooth- ness of a 30- foot craft, it skims over the water by power gen- erated bya tiny steam boiler, heated by a gasoline torch. Build- ing these miniature speedsters has developed into .a small industry. Racing them has become so popular that an eastern city has set apart a pond in one of its parks for that purpose. ras VISITING CARD, RELIC OF OLD CUSTOM, PASSING OUT Visiting cards, originated about 1706 years ago when messages and names were scribbled on common playing cards and handed to a servant, are said to be pass- ing out of use. This custom, which arose in Paris, became later to be con- sidered crude, and was replaced by cards, engraved with pictures of landscapes, towers, and ruins, with space for written matter. The next development was to MECHANICS you, amigo; and I shall live pledge to spare this mine. up to my l suppose your bombs will be as big a failure as the can non. But never mind—I have other offi- cers on my staff who shall become bomb throwers in our first battle!” After effusive adieus the outlaws rode away, Eufemio’s laughter echoing along the mountainside have the name printed on the card wit! some special design instead of writing it, one sculptor using a drawing of a rough hewn block of marble. A nobleman of the 18th century displayed his name it the midst of an Egyptian picture of pyra mids and sphinxes, while a duchess an nounced herself by a card bearing an illustration of a Chinaman with pigtail, leaning over a ing to her name. Nowadays, the callings card is not so important as it was in thi latter part of the last century, when eac] visitor to a person's home dropped Nighly engraved pasteboard on a palished metal plate as a social requirement stream fence, point ing FOLDING CEILING FAN IS PART OF LIGHTING FIXTURE Ceiling fan and lighting fixture are combined in a recent invention. Wher not in use, the four large blades of the Electric-Light Fixture That Combines Ceiling Fan, Showing Blades Out and When Not in Use fan fold away out of sight in the orna mental metal part from which the tric lights hang. Starting of the motor swings them out into position. The fan was made to save ceiling space and pro vide a comfort for home or place of busi ness that is artistic, and that must not be moved twice yearly. elec @In the mines of India, 50,000 women are employed.

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POPULAR NONSINKABLE BATHING SUIT HAS POCKETS FOR AIR Made of rubberized silk, a bathing suit made with air pockets so it will float a person in the water, has been patented by a middle-western man. Because the air pockets are not filled until the swim- mer gets into water above the knees, the suit looks like any other when worn on the beach. Lowering of the skirt into the water fills the upper part of the suit with air that remains until the leaves the water. wearer EGG COUNTER ON HEN’S BACK KEEPS LAYING RECORD To make an individual record of the number of eggs each hen lays is the ob- ject of a recording nest patented by a middle-western man. The egg counter is carried on the hen’s back, held firmly by leather straps fastened around the wings. very time she leaves the nest, after lay- a setting flap, ing, an egg rolls against Nest That Makes Separate Record of Eggs Laid: The Counter is Worn on Hen’s Back turning the dial to the next number. It no egg is laid, the flap does not move and the dial on the back remains un- changed. A shield prevents the counter from recording by contact with bushes and shrubbery. BOOTS MADE OF SHARK HIDE USED BY FISHERMEN By fashioning the hides of sharks into hip-high boots, finished for use in the mountains or along the trout streams, a northwestern shoemaker has developed a flourishing business. Because the foot- wear gives such satisfactory service, its popularity is increasing rapidly, and there is a steadily growing demand for the raw product, not only for that industry but for furniture upholstering. MECHANICS d15 ROLLING BARREL IN FRAME HELPS IN KEEPING FIT To aid persons in keeping fit, an exer- cising machine made of a rolling cylinder mounted on a metal frame has been pat- Exerciser That is Made to Cure Ailments and to Keep the Body Fi ented. With the back on the cask, t] feet firmly placed under straps on board, the body is twisted left to right and up and down. This is aimed to de velop the entire physique. An to reduce weight is moving on while grasping the frame. exercise the barrel parallel bars of the ENGINE IS CARRIED ON TRUCKS, AS TRACK IS TOO WIDE In South America, where the railro are built to more than one width, it often a problem to transport equipment from the seaports to the inland lines Recently a road in the interior received new locomotives, which had to be shipped } Narrow-Gauge Locomotive Riding a Specially Built Truck for Shipment over Standard Track to it over a On specially built trucks, fitted the wider rails, the engines were hauled 40 miles and set up on the narrow gauge. standard, wide-gauge track whose wheels

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POPULAR MECHANICS How High Pressure Steam from Boilers is Used to Smother a Burning Oil Gusher, about Which a Wall of Sand Has Been Built to Dam the Flaming Flood

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POPULAR MECHANICS 513 SECRET OF SUBMARINE REVEALED BY CAMERA Interest in England’s large submarine, the K-26, said to be able to cruise across the Atlantic without a stop, is revived ( Ss ., by the first pictures of the gigantic craft Although great secrecy attended the launching, a newspaper photographer, by evading the guards, managed to take a snapshot of the event. Government agents failed to arrest him and then un successfully searched his office for the plates. Within a few hours after the undersea boat had slid from the ways, the newspaper appeared with the photograph spread across the front page. ° England’s Latest and Largest Submarine Craft Undergoing Trials: Cruising on the Surface the Vessel Is Reported as Capable of Attaining a Speed Equal to That of the Average Ocean Liner FIGHTING FIRE WITH STEAM SAVES MANY OIL WELLS In the great oil fields of the West, where To PHONE NUMBERS ON A WHEEL ARE QUICKLY FOUND save time, a revolving telephone the ever-present danger of fire haunts the drillers, steam has been found to be one of the most effective means of com- hating the flames. As a flash of light- ning, a spark from a piece of metal, or a lighted match, may start a blaze that will result in the destruction of millions of dollars’ worth of property, ceaseless guard is maintained over the wells. Nevertheless, fires are frequent, and bat- teries of steam boilers are kept in readi- ness to fight them, as water would only aid their spread. When a gusher turns into a volcano of liquid fire, it is sur- rounded by a sand embankment to catch the blazing oil; then huge boilers are brought up, and jets of live steam are turned into the heart of the flames, slowly smothering them @A section of inner tube makes an emer- gency substitute for a radiator hose. directory has been devised by COPYRIGHT, HARRIS & EWING contrivance also can be ord of departmental numbers. used for a western rer:irtoad for attaching to the upright post of a tele phone. The numbers are written on a S ] i p of papel and pasted on the surfac« asmall, ro tating Light and compact, for large estab lishments with pri vate tele phones, this W heel a re

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POPULAR MECHANICS COPYRIGHT THE STRATE ~ 6’ NEW Spectacular Scene in Tableau at Paris Opera Ball in Which Beautiful Flower Fairies, Golden-Hued Birds, and Awe-Inspiring Dragons Sprang to Life at Summons from “Magician”

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POPULAR MECHANICS 519 IRON-ORE ISLAND TARGET FOR AIRPLANE BOMBS In the Pacific Ocean, near the coast of Panama, the island of Tortola, about 5 acres in size and composed almost entirely of iron ore, has been set aside by the United States government as a bombing target for army airplanes. The rocks, virtually lumps of pure metal, keep — iat it from being destroyed by powerful es plosions of the aerial bombs. Boats are prohibited from landing on the island o1 traveling within two miles of it. Launches patrolling the waters warn all craft, and a red flag, visible for miles, flies as danger signal from the highest point Coast of Island Picked as Target for United States Airplane Bombers Because Explosix to the Five Acres Composed Almost FLOWER FAIRIES AND GOLDEN BIRD APPEAR AT BALL With a dazzling costume ball that com- bined the mysticism of the Orient and the grace, the richness, the splendor of the French court before the Revolution, this season’s social activities in Paris re- cently were brought to a close. Against a background of black, a stately King Louis XV and his court marched with royal dignity, a Pompadour was borne in aloft by slaves, sailors of an early period swaggered by with backs laden with treasures from India, and the court and theaters of China, with a quaint dis- play of finery, ended the procession. Posing as a Chinese sorcerer, a noted painter suddenly waved a magic wand and summoned flower fairies steps of a gigantic staircase. golden bird, with iridescent plumage, leaped high into the air, and a great dragon swirled down to devour it from the A fantastic @ At the reported price’ of 3,300,000 francs (about $350,000), the Italian government recently purchased, for patriotic reasons, the famous D’Este Bible, an illuminated manuscript in two volumes. It erly among the possessions of the late I;:mperor Charles of Austria was tor ns do Little Damage Iron Ore Entirely of AUTO GROUND BETWEEN CARS, BUT SIX ESCAPE DEATH W edged two auto was crushed to pieces recently in between street Cars, in accident in the East, yet no one was killed outright and one of the front headlights vas not broken The tires, front tendet radiator, one wheel, Auto That had been Crushed between Two Cars, Showing One Headlight Unbroken the only parts not destroyed bent out of shape, the engine Was wrecked, and body ground up, but the glass of one light was not even icked Six persons in the machine ¢ iped deatl but were severely injured Phe ec] auto was an object lesson in fety first

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POPULAR MECHANICS “Fire Diver’’ Leaping into Water in Blazing, Gasoline-Soaked Suit, and, Below, How the Plunge Appeared to the Camera’s Eye: He was Protected from the Flames by the Speed of the Leap

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POPULAR “FIRE DIVE” AT NIGHT THRILLS CROWDS OF WATCHERS To thrill crowds, an expert swimmer in a western city, wearing a burning casoline-soaked canvas suit, dives through the darkness at night from a great height into the deep waters of a bay. The swiit plunge of the flaming body in the so- called “fire dive” is somewhat comparable to the sight of the passing of a meteor. Photographers made some _ remarkable pictures by exposing the camera through the entire dive, from the applying of a match to sinking of the body. ICE KEEPS FRUITS WARM IN WINTER SHIPPING Ice is used not only to keep fruits and vegetables cold, but also to prevent them from freezing while being shipped in cold climates. This is because ice is a poor conductor of either heat or cold and thus prevents the escape of heat that is furnished in railway refrigerator cars. Plain ice in large metal cylinders serves in winter, while a mixture of ice and salt is needed during the hot months to help cool the air. FRYING PAN WITH GROOVES TO IMPROVE COOKING Designed to prevent the burning of food, a frying pan has been invented, the bottom of which has a series of circular grooves so that surplus fat, instead of being partly absorbed by the meat while it is cooking, runs into them. Thus fatty meats fry to a nice brown and are better Cooking Surface of Frying Pan with Its Small Grooves That Catch Surplus Fat prepared. The channels are easily cleaned, as the grease prevents anything from sticking to them, MECHANICS 21 AERIALS OF DE LUXE RADIO PLACED IN BALLROOM Radio is not so widely used in France as it is in the United States. Expense of the devices is one reason. There, sets are Listening to Message from French Radio, the Sound Intensified by Plate on Pedestal at Right made for use of the wealthy, who plac: them in the drawing room or ballroom where they harmonize with costly turn ture. One type is made to be placed on a table, the aerial being a ten-sided f1 on top of the set. Close by, the ma fier is mounted on a 6-foot, ornate carved pedestal. This particula: tus employs no outside wires FLYING FUR-BEARING ANIMAL REPORTED FOUND Without wings and heavier than a newly discovered type of fur-be animal, or bird that can fly, was reported recently to the French Zoological Society from the wilds of French Cochin Chin About the size of a cat, the creatures are said to rise to a height of several yard by distending their stomachs until they appear like small balloons. Off the ground, they remain either motionless 01 slowly paddle themselves along with their webbed feet, not unlike the flight of dragon fly, but lacking in its speed he creatures have bills like ducks

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POPULAR OYSTERS ATTACHED TO GUN ARE FOUND ON BEACH Oysters attached to the butt of a rusty revolver were found recently on a beach the South. They had taken several Oysters Clinging to the Handle of a Loaded Revolver hrown from Ship Years Ag: years to develop a firm grip on the weapon that probably had been ‘thrown from a ship long ago. Although it con tained cartridges, they could not be re- moved because of rust on the cylinder and in the chambers. The weapon is be- ing shown in a museum. BOOK COVER HIDES A VANITY CASE AND MANICURE SET Manicure sets and vanity cases are now being combined in holders resembling books When the cover is opened, the tools fitted in a folding roll, may be spread before the user. It can be kept on the dressing table or taken as a con- venience when traveling about. The cover, decorated in the same way as ordi- nary volumes, can be fastened when +] ; closed, PATENT GIVEN TO THE PEOPLE lor the benefit of the public, the gov- ernment has patented a_ water-resisting glue developed by one of its research de- partments. Any person may obtain the directions for its manufacture by apply ing to the bureau. It is an improvement on a glue made during the war by add ing certain copper salts to the old for- mula, giving it more strength, resistance to moisture, and better working qualities. MECHANICS SOVIET PICTURE CARS DRAW INTEREST OF PEASANTS Throughout Russia, the Soviet govern ment’s picture trains, designed to teach communism to great masses of illiterat: farmers, have attracted much attention Huge crowds greet the cars and show great interest in the drawings that cove: the coaches inside and out. Lecturer and government officers use the illustra tions to show that the workers fare bet ter than they did under the czars. Thes« trains have been placed on all railroad so that most isolated sections are reached by them RACK KEEPS TOOLS OR CLOTHES WITHIN EASY REACH Tools that are easily mislaid or dam aged by rough handling, can be protected when not in use, by a rack with hooks curved to the side, making it convenient to take down or replace articles quickly The holder becomes a handy space-savet when attached to walls of garages and dwellings, or within reach of. work benches. By substituting it for nails and screws around bathrooms, and _ ove: kitchen sinks and tables, regularly needed Space-Saving Rack That Keeps Tools within Reach and Protects Them against Damage household utensils can be kept clean and safe from damage. Fastened to ceilings the undersides of shelves, or in stnall closets, the rack offers a neat arrange ment for hanging up clothing without danger of wrinkling @ Found recently in the Tonga Island of the South Pacific Ocean was a turtle sup posed to have been left there in 1773 by Capt. James Cook, the English mar iner. Its finder reported that it wa blind and creaked like an oxcart when it moved. xc RESKEAEASARESE ALES ISTIATIIE = SRST Seen ene eMeme nen CXEXEKREEEETUSEUIT 108 @ 108 @ 01 rx D440 @ 18048) © 008 © H48 w 108 © 141 D044 © 408 @ 848 | 141 | 18S 009 S 108 0 188 S ree; jana KXXEEEEX 3 =

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POPULAR MECHANICS CITY-LOT FARM PAYS $2,500 PROFIT YEARLY Vegetables in this City-Lot Farm Grow in such Profusion That There Is Hardly Room to Move About without Stepping on Flowers or Plants With almost wizardlikée touches of the hoe and spade, combined with inventive ability, a retired business man of the West has turned his back yard into a fairylike garden producing more than 160 varieties of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and flowers, bringing him a return of about $2,500 yearly. By an unusual arrangement of planting it is practically two gardens, one for small crops close to the ground, and another, elevated, for rambling plants. Racks ranging from 10 to 40 feet in height support the vines of climbing plants. When one of these begins to form fruit, frames are erected to hold them well up in the air, where they re- ceive plenty of sunlight. A profitable section of the garden is that devoted to savory herbs, such as thyme, sage, caraway, dill, anis, worm- wood, mint, and others, whose dried leaves and seeds are sold to druggists. Crowded into this small space are 12 fruit trees, all bearing. Strawberries are grown in barrels to save space, while cas- tor beans are planted in out-of-way cor- ners, their stalks serving as climbing racks for beans and other vining vege- tables. Twenty-five grapevines produce fine table grapes, for which the grower receives the highest market prices. Last year he sold 300 pounds of walnuts, 300 pounds of almonds, 350 pounds of peaches, 150 pounds of apricots, 140 la: navel oranges, which brought 10 cer each; cut 28 pumpkins and squash picked as high as 50 pounds of bean day, gathered hundreds of melons, then donated specially developed see bulbs, cuttings, and roots to farmers’ « ganizations and civic clubs. Accurate crop rotation makes possib this heavy and varied yield. Before crop has ceased to produce, another planted between the rows of the fi: Every summer the soil is treated wit fertilizer and the upper crust removed. MINING THE AIR FOR GAS “ORE IS PROFITABLE INDUSTRY From sinking shafts in the earth, eng neers have advanced to “mining” the for gases important in the commer world. After liquefying the air by su jecting it to heavy pressure, the vario1 elements are separated. Oxygen obiain in this manner is used in oxyacetylet torches for welding and cutting steel iron. Nitrogen and argon are emplo in filling incandescent lamps. Neon, of the rare gases, which is very sensi! to electricity, is used for testing s] plugs and in the manufacture of elect: signs. It is said that $30,000,000 is vested in air-products plants in Amer

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POPULAR MECHANICS U. S. ENLISTS SQUIRRELS’ AID TO REFOREST TIMBERLAND Wit! ‘he aid of squirrels, great areas if timberland in the Far West, lately burned over, are to be reforested by the sovernment. At one time a price was set on the little animals’ heads because they destroyed birds’ eggs, but when the government offered to pay for green-pine ones, it was found that these could be obtained only with their help. The squir- rels climb to the tops of the trees while the cones are still green, bite them off ind carry them to nests from which they ire taken by the forest rangers. When the government first obtained all the cones wanted, they were stored in a large varehouse that was destroyed by a fire originated by spontaneous combustion. \gain the rangers went to the squirrels for help, and it was found that the ani- mals stored the cones end to end to allow the passage of air. This arrangement was copied and no further trouble with fire was experienced. As a reward for their aid, the forestry service has ordered that only a few of the cones be taken and that others be left for the needs of the animal that gathered them. PLANES RUN BY MUSIC ROLL WITHOUT AID OF PILOT Without passenger or pilot, airplanes have been made to operate by means of an electrically controlled roll of paper perforated in the same manner as a music roll. With this device a plane has been started on a lone 20-mile flight, attained a height of almost a mile and a half at the end of the third mile, released a lummy bomb, circled for several miles, descended to 1,500 feet above the ground, snapped a photograph, and finally re- turned to its home station and negotiated a safe landing. MAILS BAR IMPORTED BEES BECAUSE OF DISEASE Because adult male honeybees are now subjected to a strange plague in many foreign lands, importing of bees through United States mails was forbidden by re cent order. They may be sent in from Canada, though, because the government believes careful efforts are being made there to prevent spread of the plague If for scientific purposes, special orders may be obtained, to permit sending them by mail. co ca) or ELECTRIC SCRAPER FOR SHIPS CLEANS SCALE AND RUST For removing barnacles and rust from steel hulls of ships, an English inventor has designed a scraper driven by electric- Sunsion Rust- Coated Steel Plates of Ship’s Hull with Machine Operated by Electricity ity. Light in weight, it is easily held against the metal plates without exhaust- ing the operator. Goggles must be worn for protecting the eyes from the fine par- ticles it throws off. BABY CRIB FOR TRAVELERS IS EASILY CARRIED To overcome the difficulty of putting a baby to sleep in a strange bed, a col- lapsible crib that can be carried or shipped easily as part of the luggage, has been patented for travelers. When not in service, it folds into a compact pack- age, 4 inches square and 40 inches long weighing 40 mage To set it up or dis- mantle it, four Mun on ews in upt ig] posts re rent or ehtened As tl sheets covering the ili sate are easily removed, and clean ones substituted, sanitary bed may be provided for the baby at all times. Either of the long sides may be lowered, thus enabling the mothe to place the crib against the side of he bed so that the child may sleep near her. @ Once reckoned one of the fastest ves- sels of its type in the world, the “Glory of the Seas,” a famous clipper ship, was burned on the beach near Seattle recently, after efforts to have it preserved as an historic relic had failed.

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26 POPULAR MECHANICS FIVE HUNDRED DUCKS KILLED BY ONE SHOT Gun, Nine Feet Long with Inch and a Half Bore, That Kills Five Hundred Ducks at a Single Shot, Was Fowling Piece of Hunters More than 500 ducks were killed by one shot from a nine-foot gun, similar in appearance to a muzzle-loading rifle, used illegally by poachers on an eastern river. It has an inch and a half bore and is discharged by a percussion cap. Under cover of darkness, the poachers would slip up on a flock of ducks feed- Arresied by Federal Officers ing along the river edge and blind them with a powerful searchlight. As _ the birds fluttered aimlessly about in the strong glare, the piece would be trained on them, a single shot bringing down hundreds. Government officials finally captured the law breakers after hiding for five nights in succession. CALENDAR FOR CLOCK TELLS DATE, DAY, AND MONTH Although all months of the year do not contain the same number of days, a Accurate Date Attachment Fitted to Clock to Give It Useful Features of a Calendar date attachment for clocks, recently pat- ented, overcomes that difficulty and makes it possible for a timepiece to automat- ically give not only the date, but the day of the week and the month. Any clock may be equipped with it. The device needs no regulating. POUND OF SUGAR COSTS MORE THAN SOME JEWELS ~ Sugars that cost from $75 to $375 per pound, because of the excessive care re- quired to make them, are used in scien- tific laboratories. One is useful in de- tecting typhoid germs, as these tiny or- ganisms multiply rapidly when. feeding on it. A sugar, made from corn cobs, brings $120 per pound, while another, manufactured from scraps left over in making vegetable buttons, sells for $140. SOAP IN NOZZLE SPRAY AIDS IN WASHING DISHES For quick and easy dishwashing, a nozzle that sprays either soapy or clear water, has been invented to connect with any faucet. Pressing a trigger above the handle causes a strong stream of soapy water to flow against a wire tray. Re- leasing it brings a spray of clean, hot Pressing a Trigger at the Nozzle Causes this Dish- washer to Spray Soapy Water water. It has no delicate mechanism to get out of order, needs no power, and does not require cleaning. The washer also may be used to cleanse vegetables.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 527 CHURCHES ON WHEELS CARRY RELIGION TO THOUSANDS At Left: Pews of Traveling Church; Center: Missionaries Preaching to Crowd from Observation Platform At Right: Altar and Sanctuary, Behind Which are the Living Quarters Miniature churches on wheels are be- ing used by a missionary society to carry forward its work in the sparsely settled sections of the United States. Already three railroad cars have been put in service in the South and West, visiting small towns that are churchless. One of these cars is 86 feet long and is equipped with pews for 75 persons as well as an organ and other fixtures of a church. It is lighted by electricity, and running water is supplied by overhead tanks. The same organization is experimenting with a motor chapel, which, unlike those that have appeared in several foreign coun- tries, is built on a trailer instead of be- ing fastened directly to the frame, simi- lar to the ordinary touring car. SAIL HITCHED TO WINDMILL FIRST BY MISSIONARY As a result of a missionary’s observa- tions nearly three quarters of a century igo, the manufacture of windmills has leveloped into a large industry. He yriginated the device that makes it pos- sible to automatically regulate the speed of those machines Stationed at the Bad River Indian reservation in north- ern Wisconsin, the clergyman needed a wind-driven pump to supply water for the post. Windmills of that day could not be kept into the wind, or the speed regulated. Noticing that the sail of a hoat would swing -into a position with the wind if unrestrained, he reasoned that a perpendicular saillike rudder fixed to the wheel, and mounted on a pivot, would keep it broadside to the air cur rents. Irom that idea came the modern windmill that often furnishes enough power to run several pieces of farm ma- chinery, besides pumping the necessary Vater. NUTS ON DOUBLE LOCK BOLT CANNOT WORK LOOSE Unique in design, a recently patented bolt has two nuts, both of which turn in the same dire tion, but while one moves up vard, the other goes downward until the two lock at the desired point. This move ment is the result of the positions of the thread Any pressure « erted on the nut either from above or belo only tends to lock ther more firmly to- gether. They afford the maximum at of security when adjusted and are 1 affected by jars or vibration such as they would be subjected to on automobile

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POPULAR MECHANICS Facing Death in Wilds of Peru By J.T. EDWARDS JONES Bloodsucking ‘*Vampire"’ and **Whisky-Faced” Monkey TUNTED forests, S cathedral-like caves, a jungle wilderness of beauty and of death far from the beaten paths of civilization, are de- scribed by explorers for Field Museum, Chi- cago, who recently re- turned from a 7,000- mile trip through the wilds of Peru. Outlaw bands, strange Indian races that are said to eat their grandpar- ents, bloodsu cking bats known as “vam- pires,” “whisky-faced” monkeys, “oil birds,” Edmund Heller and Rare “Rucupi” Made into a Pet month trip through one of the least-known and almost uninhabited re- gions of South America. In his search for rare specimens for a middle- western museum, the two covered thousands of miles of trackless jungle, infested with numberless wild ani- mals, and traversed countries where epi- demics of terrible, nameless diseases had swept away almost the entire population. Slug- gish tropical streams were forded in long, unwieldy dugouts un- and a curious rodent called the “dinomys,” der canopies of rank vegetation through of which there is said to have been only one previous specimen on exhibition in the world, were encountered. With the rec- which the sunlight dripped like sewage through a filter. Sometimes cutting a trail afoot through > almost impene ord of the hardships of his expedi- tion written in the deep lines on his face and sling, slowly ing after four opera- tions, Edmund Heller, com- panion of | h eod oF e€ Roosevelt in the latter’s explorations in Africa, told of the adventures trable forests, then riding pack mules down into sizzlin hot jung and on into cold moor lands where civilizas tion ends, they made thei1 way to a pl es teau elevated 1727000 feet above the sea level, where they found a tribe of Inca Indians who he and his wife could not live met with dur- Tapir Killed in Forest Stream by Party of Explorers during in lower alti- ing their 14- Expedition in British Honduras tudes. Before ———

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POPULAR MECHANICS 529 Rare Rodent Known as the *“Rucupi”’ Following the Ex- Who Made a Pet of Below, a Camp Pitched on the Edge of a Swamp near the Huallaga River. A Few Miles Away Is the Cave of the “Oil Birds,” with High-Vaulted Ceilings as Beautiful as Those Described in Fairy Stories. It Was There That the Explorer and His Party were Charged by an Oce- lot. Firing into the Dark at the Gleaming Eyes, the Nat- uralist Wounded the Ani- mal and Finally Killed It Snowcapped Peak of Lofty Andes Whose Slopes are Covered by Dense Forest, Inhabited by Descendan the Incas, Who Cultivate Coca, from Which Cocaine is Extracted

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DDB0 surmounting the Andes, laws was encountered. There were no laws and no taxes and most of the inhabi- tants were fugitive murderers. “Their leader was quite a nice chap,” declares Heller. “He had killed a few men, I understand, but he treated me very kindly.” In company visited a cave a group of out- with the bandit chief, he inhabited by “oil birds “As beautiful as those in fairy tales, the explorer said, “the cave looked like a great cathedral inside. _Birds—thou- sands of them—lived there. In the darkest corner of the cavern, two flaming eyes stared out at the in- truders. With a gasp, Heller raised his gun, which was loaded only with bird shot, and fired. Before the thunderous echoes and the noise of invisible wings subsided, a furry shape rolled to the feet of the party. As they stared down, it moved and a native, armed only with a knife, jumped on it, slashing wildly. When finally the animal was killed, proved to be a large ocelot. Some of the birds that fell at the shot were seized by the guides and later squeezed to obtain something resembling olive oil. This was used for everything from rheumatism to food. Then the march was continued through uninhabited wilds where it rains every day. Here was found an anteater that has a tail which it uses for an umbrella; a vampire bat that comes by night and sucks the blood from horses and other animals, and of human beings if it can find an arm or a nose sticking out from under the bedclothes. Strange pets were encountered that ate and slept with the explorers. There were LP vi ™ —< — CRS SR ager

POPULAR MECHANICS opossums that lived among the luggage a small weasel that made its home in stocking while traveling, the young “dinomys” which was called by the native name of “rucupi.” Weighing 10 pounds the latter was carried by the explore: but, as it grew, a porter was provided and later a horse, for its convenience. In Para, Brazil, where the journey ended, one of the pets bit the explore: severely on the left forearm. Blood po son set in and for a time he was ir danger of losing his arm. Another scientist attached to the sam: museum, Karl P. Schmidt, who recent returned from a lengthy trip in the wile of Honduras, tells of capturing a 5-io crocodile with his bare hands. After a long journey through dens« tropical swamps, the scientist’s party a1 rived at a small lake. Peering through the undergrowth t surrounded the shore, the naturalist sighted a crocodile, and, armed only wit a small-caliber rifle, hastily clamber« into a clumsy dugout and paddled furi ously after his quarry. The anim: silently lowered itself from its log in thx sun, bubbles of marsh gas on the slimy surface marking its tracks. “Here he is!” shouted the hunter to companions on shore. And the chase v on. Paddling rapidly, the lone canoem kept within a few feet of the mons prodding it continually with a long pole Suddenly, the vegetation parted at th bow of the canoe, a yawning snout w: thrust forward, with its rows of hideou teeth. A hastily aimed shot missed—an the “croc” again slowly started to sin! Throwing aside his light rifle, the e. plorer leaped into the shallow lake gcrasped the creature and waded ashore 1 <a ee ll ae MEL — 0x0 a a

Museum Scientists Examining the Gorgeous and Glittering Display of Two Trays Filled with Specimens of Many-Hued Humming Birds Gathered by Explorers during Trip to Central Peru

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POPULAR MECHANICS Great Ant Bear and Native Boy Fording and, Bek Party and c Llamas Traversing Col: Moorlands in Snowcapped Mountain Region Le aa | ‘wl eae? ? ’ ni a _

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POPULAR STEPS ON THROTTLE INSTEAD OF PULLING IT OPEN lo replace locomotives on runs, a railroad in the central had constructed a_ specially gasoline engine, similar to short-line West has designed that of an PYRIGHT, UNDERWOOD & UNDERWOOCL Gasoline Motor Train Designed to Replace Steam Equipment on a Railroad's Branch Lines automobile, that is capable of pulling two steel coaches at a speed of 70 miles an hour. One of the cars is entirely for passengers while the other is divided into the engineer's cab, a baggage room, and a smoking compartment. Officials of the road assert that this equipment provides better service to patrons off the main line CITY BURIED BY DESERT SAND YIELDS ANCIENT CULTURE In search of additional traces of an an- cient civilization, a Russian explorer who discovered the city of Kara-Khoto in the shifting sands of the Mongolian desert, recently announced his intention to lead a second expedition through that section and Tibet. While outlining the plans of this venture, the scientist related the dif- ficulties encountered on his first trip. 1 there had been rumors of a dead city, abandoned by its inhabitants centuries ago. Nomadic tribes were sus- picious and declined to help. Working patiently, however, the explorers ployed a Mongolian to travel that region in the guise of a merchant in an effort to obtain information. The natives shunned this representative of the foreigners until a storm one night com- pelled him to camp near the buried city, although he was unaware of the fact. After that, no more trouble was expe- rienced, as the natives regarded that in- cident as an indication of the favorable lor years em- about in MECHANICS attitude of their gods. Although the ruins of streets and houses had been worn down by wave after wave of travel- ing sand hills, many remains of Buddhist temples, Mohammedan mosques, pack- ages of Chinese paper money, inscribed with threats of death for counterfeiters, silver ornaments and coins, all apparently caretully hidden by the original owners, were found. Outside the walls was a cone-shaped monument containing a library of 2,000 books, written in seven Eastern languages. Other relics helped to substantiate legends about the fate of the inhabitants. In the thirteenth or fourteenth century, the Chinese sent an army to capture Kara-Khoto. The siege waged for years until a Chinese engineer conceived the scheme of blocking the river that flowed through the city and gave the inhabitants their water supply. Bags of sand were thrown across its channel and the course diverted. The be- sieged, frantic from thirst, sought water by digging a well within the walls. But that failed." Then in desperation, the chief ordered the populace to bury their treasures and killed his wife and daughter with his own hand. In the battle that followed all the inhabitants were merci- lessly slain by their foes HURDLE RACING FOR DOGS IS POPULAR SPORT Matching greyhounds, the speed kings of dogdom, in hurdle races has become a popular sport. Throughout the United States there are many kennels devoted almost exclusively to the raising of these racetrack. At fleet creatures for the Racing Greyhounds Taking a Hurdle in Their Swift Flight Around Racetrack recent meeting in an eastern city, grey- hounds from all parts of the country participated in what was termed a world’s championship contest.

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POPULAR SHIP FOUND ON BIG ICEBERG REVEALS MYSTERY OF SEA For centuries mystery ships have sailed the seas, guided only by the winds of chance. One of them was found by a steamer captain rounding the Horn re- cently. While groping his way into the open, a gigantic mass of ice carrying a large three masted schooner, with its boats still in the clefts, was sighted. Ef- rts were made to find the survivors but no trace of them was discovered. Another ea tragedy was added to the already long list of those as yet unsolved when a (;sreenland whaler came upon a strange oking derelict, battered and weather- vorn, apparently built in the last century ind ice bound for years. A _ boarding rew found in the cabin the body of a young woman, preserved by the arctic frosts. Near a long dead fire was the remains of a young man, still holding a flint and steel. PETRIFIED FOREST, MILLIONS OF YEARS OLD, FOUND Millions of years old, petrified trees, presumably the remains of a forest of 2,000 acres or more, have been excavated in the vicinity of Pikes Peak, Colorado, at an altitude of 8,000 feet above sea level. The trees are covered with a strata of volcanic ashes and lava and appear similar to the redwoods of California, which flourish at an altitude of 2,000 feet. he theory has been advanced that when the Rocky Mountain range was formed by expansion of the earth's crust, the ex- COURTESY C. P. WHITNEY Shattered, Petrified Stump of One of Giant Trees Which Flourished Ages Ago isting mountains in this locality were ele- vated another 6,000 feet, and that Pikes Peak, then a crater, turned loose a de- structive flow of fiery liquid which ieveled the forest. MECHANICS , 533 TALKING THROUGH SEA EASY WITH WIRELESS PHONE Talking through solid stone walls from submerged submarines or from below the earth's surface, is said to be possible That Carries Voice Radiotelephone Water, or Stone without Use of Aerial through Earth, by means of a radiophone invented re- cently. Use of the instrument, it is be- lieved, will reduce the hazards of under- ground and undersea work that have caused the loss of hundreds of lives in the past. Entombed miners or laborers entrapped in fallen caissons, men engaged in the building of tubes under water, and crews of disabled submersibles, will be able to direct the work of rescue with the device. Simply constructed, it re- quires no aerial or ground and 1s so com pact that it may be carried easily. Power is supplied by small dry batteries which operate novel transformets, these ating the electric waves. It has a of 200 feet under ground. gener- range SO OIL TRUCKS CAN’T EXPLODE To carry away static electricity from oil trucks and thus lessen the possibility of explosions, iron chains that dangle to the ground are fastened to the frames The same principle is applied to oil pumps. @A crutch tip on the head of a hammet serves as a rubber mallet.

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534 POPULAR ONE-MAN ADJUSTABLE SAW WEIGHS BUT SIX POUNDS Folding into a small space and weigh- ing only 6 pounds, a one-man saw re- cently invented is provided with a handle adjustable to almost any angle. It per-

Woodman Using One-Man Saw Constructed So He Can Work in Upright Position mits the worker to stand erect, thus do- ing away with tiring strains. Hand grips attached to the frame may be moved back and forth to meet requirements. When not in use, the saw may be folded up and carried easily. WEIRD DRUG CULT IS DYING OUT IN THE FAR WEST Chewing peyote, found in the top of the spineless cactus, is said to make members of an Indian cult confess their sins. For 20 years the cult, known as Peyotism, now passing out of existence, hds been a picturesque religion in the West. Their rites are conducted while the members are under the influence of the drug. <A_ ne’er-do-well of the Indians, who became a victim of the peyote habit, introduced the religion to his people after weird visions had come to him while under the influence of the drug WORLD’S OLDEST LIVING THING SAVED BY HIGHWAY Construction of a highway is preserv- ing for future generations the oldest living things on earth—the big trees of California. The Redwood Highway, the first links of which have been opened to travel, is to pass through the forests and groves of redwood that still dot the Coast Range mountain country, where it is be- lieved the giants began to grow before the dawn of Christianity.

MECHANICS By reserving some in national parks and forest preserves, the government has saved many of the groves from the lumberman’s ax, and at the same time provided places of interest for the tourist Protective organizations that turn over each grove as rapidly as funds can be raised to buy it, to the state, have found most of their aid coming from the motor ists who see and admire the big redwood trees while traveling over the roads pass- ing through them. This about 30 feet in its first 10 years, and thereafter very slowly, until at the age of 60 years it is only about 60 feet high and not more than 14 inches in diameter. They are believed to have required from 10 to 20 centuries to reach the present tree FrTOWs size ARROW POISON TO KILL BUGS IN PLACE OF NICOTINE From the tuba root, formerly the source of a death-dealing poison with which the “wild men of Borneo” coated their spear heads, and which is still used in the Malay states for killing fish, scien tists have developed an insecticide re ported to be a substitute for nicotine. Al though the plant is poisonous to man as well as insects and animals, the experts hope to extend its use to relieve the short age of bug-destroying drugs. The fatal fluid is crushed from the green stems, o1 drawn from the dry roots with chemicals WIRELESS RAY CONTROLS BOMB TO BLOW UP BATTLESHIPS Touched off by a radio ray, a bomb has been invented that is powerful enough to blow up a battleship. It is said to be so small that one could be

Blowing Up a Miniature Battleship with a Bomb Fired by a Special Wireless Wave carried aboard without detection, and, after concealment, exploded by a special wireless wave released many miles away.

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Hundreds of Radios Are Used to Broadcast Weather for Millions of Persons Farmers, Sailors, and Shippers Are Protected by Government Service That Sends Out Warnings of Approaching Storms ~O vast has been the progress of radio \Y development that now its. swift energy is being harnessed to broadcast weather reports, resulting in untold sav- ings for farmers and shippers, and add- ing to the safety of navigation. - Govern- nent experts were quick to see the im- portance of a recent report that: 573 broadcasting stations had sprung up throughout the country, and that be- tween 2,000,000 and 3,000,000 people “listened in” daily. Only one state, Mis- sissippi, is without a broadcasting station. As a result, it has been planned to extend perhaps the weather- broadcast- ing service in the world. Already more greatest PHOTOS COPYRIGHT, UNDERWOOD 4 UNDERWOOD Sending Standard Time by Radio from Naval Observatory: than 150 stations are sending out weather news, and the number is being in- creased daily in response to demands from both rural communities and cities. Besides the larger stations, there are many smaller ones that pick up the re- ports and pass them along. From the great naval plant at Arling- ton, the wireless telephone sends out forecasts three times every day. Fro: others there are two reports daily, one in the morning and another at night. So interested are the farmers in the service, that they have sent in many demands for it to be speeded uy “Can't you folks get the weather here before I have to go to bed?” one rural citizen in Minnesota wrote to his con- gressman. Investigation disclosed that he had been receiving the reports every night at 10:05 o’clock on a homemade radio “set” Above, One of the from Many Stations to Chart the Upper Air for Weather Forecasters Balloons Sent Up Daily

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POPULAR 536 built and operated by his young son. To help those who retire early, efforts are being made to get the forecasts out before bedtime, but, because of the large amount of work required to make them up, it has proven quite difficult. Surrounded by many strange instru- ments, the government scientists watch the progress of storms, cyclones, cold waves, and hurricanes moving across the country or approaching it from the sea. As a result, they are now able to predict floods as much as ten days or two weeks before they happen. * One of the latest developments has been the charting daily of the upper-air currents thousands of feet above the earth’s surface. i: This is done with toy bal- Waeee: loons that sometimes reach ened: a height of several miles. tH Besides being of value in et making general forecasts, Tite the results of these experi- = ments have proved of great aid to aviators, enabling them to pick air levels where winds are favorable to their journeys. Weather maps made up every morning and night show the results of hun- dreds of reports sent into five forecasting centers by telegraph. Information from ships received by wireless also is used in charting the course of storms before they reach the Experts re- card the wind’s force and direction as the principal factor in making their pre- dictions By charting the high and co low pressure areas as they exist in all parts of the country at a given time, and knowing the cloud movements, changes that will take place in any section within 36 hours can be told with the greatest accuracy. “Will next be good h iying weather ?” the farmer wants to know, and the answer is sent to him, wherever he may be, by radiophone twice a day. “Will orchard heaters be needed to- night?” the vineyard owner inquires be- fore retiring, and looks at the map he has received by rural delivery that day to find out. “What degree of cold must I protect this citrous fruit against?’ the western shipper wonders, and the reply comes in seacoast. wee k > aa | AV WYr PYRIGHT, UNDERWOOD & UNDERW Record of Earthquake in Rome Made on Instrument in Chicago MECHANICS an instant over the telephone he uses to connect him with the nearest weather man. These are but a few of the ceaseless activities of the weather bureau in pro- tecting the lives and property of the citi- zens of every community. Warnings have been sounded by the weather man from 12 to 24 hours in ad- vance of every big storm on the Great Lakes or ocean coasts of the United States for many years. Eighty-eight and four-tenths per cent of the daily forecasts are accurate predic- tions of conditions 36 hours later, and scientists are seeking, by use of new methods, to make them more exact. Delicate instruments re- cord the duration of sun- shine, and whirling ther- mometers, with wet and dry tubes, measure humidity of the air. Anometers show velocity of the wind, and gauges register the amount of rainfall. The barometer and a de- vice, called an aneroid baro- graph, indicate air pres- sure. Sitting in his office, the scientist can read the outdoor temperature on a telethermograph t hat rests on his desk. Some of the stations use a triple regis- ter to record sunshine, rain- fall, and speed and direc- tion of wind. Areas of high and low air pressure are foretold when the scientists know at what speed and in what direction winds are moving. This in- formation is received from hundreds of observers and charted on the weather maps and in the records. Study of cloud movements and careful comparisons of maps showing weather for several days past, are used as a basis for the forecast Most of the weather in the United States, according to government servers, comes from Canada. Because ot its central location on the continent, Medicine Hat is noted for the storms which have had their origin there. As far back as the records go, however, it is declared that there has been no per- ceptible change in the weather of the STAT ih bitet \| My } fie} 1 | =f , | | ob- nation, either in the heat of the summers generally, or the severity of the winters.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 537 MAKING THE WEATHER FOR NATION’S MILLIONS POSEN NIN ot it a! a a ae, i aS, LLOQ re rh © 9 i) D | i | Ta € I c 4 i ‘| a iP > 0; ral 0

Left to Right: Barometer to Record Air Pressure; Inventor

Ey VT rs nd a ad ed

; with Machine That Predicts Tides; Measuring Rain and Snowfall ; « q fall S| it) , U ) 4 | ‘ QD 0 p 4 ‘ © ir) 0} Making Air Tests for Air- t Q| planes in aGovernment > | s Bureau: Speed of Wind is U ) Recorded on Delicate Instru- 1 y j ments to Guide Fliers ; SS 1) © 5 i : > » Y ‘ @ D . C i f | ss , ? v Ss ¥ i pen tly Hindypnd daly y > SlecelySad Wether v) . . > ( 2 >| Kx S wo . PI y Sy Pe 0) 10 S L | L y q is > Where Radio Reports on Weather Conditions Aloft at Various Flying Fields and Airplane Routcs in h, ; are Recorded with Chart, Showing Location of All United States Army Fliers i 0 "9 S od KS = PIPPI PSPAP SS ahh PSII rte te a, Se TTT, rh T, UNDERW & UNDERW

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-CROSS IS MADE WITH PINS TO REPRESENT JEWELS Although 92 years old and an inmate of a home for the aged, a western man Reproduction of a a Famous Jeweled Holy Cross Studded with Thousands of Pins recently completed a reproduction of a famous jeweled cross, using colored pin- heads to represent the precious stones inlaid in the original. More than 15,000 pins were required in its making, each carefully placed to follow the design of the original. Weeks of painstaking effort were necessary, yet the finished article was exact in every detail, even to the in- tricate patterns formed by the priceless gems. Brooches set with clear and col- ored glass were used to represent dia- monds, rubies, and amethysts, while opaque-headed pins served as pearls. ELECTRICITY TO AID IN WAR AGAINST BOLL WEEVIL Electricity is the latest weapon of science to be used in the effort to exter- minate the boll weevil in the cotton states. With its aid, cheaper methods have been devised for producing a poison that has proved deadly to the insects. Heretofore, it is reported, the supply has been short and the product expensive, since nitric acid, one of the principal chemicals in the old mixtures, has fluc- tuated considerably in price. With these two drawbacks eliminated, the experts expect the insecticide to become more POPULAR MECHANICS popular, resulting in larger yields and fewer losses. It is estimated that 700,000,- 000 pounds are needed annually, yet anly 30,000,000 pounds are now used. The boll weevil first came to the United States from Mexico, and within 15 years has spread throughout the South. Authori- ties figure that the annual damage caused by its ravages amounts to almost 400,- 000,000 dollars. ONE MAN’S INVENTIONS KEEP MILLION PERSONS BUSY Through the inventive ability of Thomas A. Edison, nearly 1,000,000 men and women in America alone, it is estimated, are furnished steady employ- ment. For the most part, the work is clean and wholesome and the employes well paid. Thousands are engaged in the manufacture of electric-light bulbs, one of his greatest discoveries, and in making phonographs and other devices. DIG NEW BED FOR ISAR RIVER By changing the course of the Middle Isar River, Bavaria expects to make pos- sible the development of an electric cur- rent totaling 480,000,000 watt hours a year, an output that will put the plant among the largest of the world. It is estimated that this use :of “water; power will result-in a-saving of-500,000 tons of coal annually. In digging the river’s new channel, 7,000 men were employed. CRANKLESS FREEZER FOR ICE CREAM SAVES LABOR In a crankless ice-cream freezer now on the market, ice and salt are packed around the cream can : = and also in a —— metal tube that extends through the mixture. In this way cold comes from allangles, making the double freez- ing even. Be- cause of its lightness, the freezer can be carried on autos and te picnics. Freezing takes place in about an hour and 15 minutes for cream.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 539 FORTY SEARCHLIGHTS EQUAL MILLIONS OF CANDLES luring a celebration in a midwest city, Around the bases of these minarets, a big searchlights throwing 450 million forest of water jets seemed to spurt epower of light, were used to illumi- liquid light into the air, and sparkled the place at night. Towers 90 under the spangled hues cast upon them high, each festooned with 50,000 from the jeweled draperies above, while tals, shed floods of dazzling splendor, electrical displays were used to strengthen iling the rainbow in gorgeousness. the effect of the crystal desi Jeweled Minaret Draped with 50,000 Crystals That Reflect Floods of Rainb w Tints Water Jets Serve to ive It an Appearance of a Fountain of I SOFT CORAL ROCK HARDENS 6 feet square and several feet deep, and WHEN USED IN HOUSES a So, eee SS See eee Stee wit 1g Sa ( these pit \ Houses in the Bermuda Islands with ous sizes for buildin When expose lls of coral rock are cool and fireproof air thev become hardened t he substance is a poor conductor of with weather tor me time ‘at. Slabs for roofing are made water breaks into piece but when us« roof by being covered with a coat of terior walls, it 1 1 to be ide t halt or tar and then whitewashed keeps out heat and is firepros Jecause under the surface the rock ost as soft as cheese, though it lool @it is a generally accept: ke a chalky limestone, it can be cut with 1 re brilliant the itive tool [t is quarried in blocks _ less tragrant its pertume

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Passing of the Lumberjack Recalls Heroic Drama of the Woods Days of Rawhide for Leather, Buckskin for Cloth, and Venison for Beef, Ar: Followed by Chugging Switch Engines, Portable Sawmills, Electric Lights, and the Radio A* heroic and romantic a figure as the scout, trapper, or Indian of frontier lays, the lumberjack is fast fading from he screen of American life. Wars, raids, and feuds of one camp against another, where iron fists, backed vith 190 pounds of muscle. took part knock-down-and-drag-out, kicking, and gouging battles, have passed into memories of an age that is rapidly passing away In the vast solemn forests of the North ind West, the ring of -the ax is still 1, flexible ribbons of steel sing as they under the graceful ng of powerful shoul and the Hi! vup!” cry of the teamsters 1rough the thickets of birch and balsam in free-for-all, ea4rt ] P cy ] > 7 » e through the pine ders, echoes But above it all comes the shriek of a switch engine, the shrill whine of a cir- cular saw tearing apart the logs, and in the clearings are ugly frame buildings covered with tar paper and equipped with electric lights, phonographs, the latest magazines, and radio sets, that have re- placed the picturesque log camps of for- mer days. Although the twentieth-century lum- berjack is pretty much the same kind of a man that he was thirty or forty years 540 ago, when logging was at its zenith, has been surrounded by the comforts civilization, and, as a type, is rapidly di appearing, like the forests he loved, fore a machine-made civilization. Stalwart, powerful, self-reliant, bold is the same masterful man of the wv old, juggli ‘ ing with death a d times a day, tugging and his peavey under a tangled wall of t ber, behind which presses the full pov [ spring freshet, jumping agility of a cat from one bit of unstal timber to another when the first sl! crack warns him that the mass is abs to break down on him the shore. With quiet, humorous eyes that a challenge, and movements quicl certain as a panther’s, he st rice down rapids where loss of ba injury or death under some following tering ram, and pries at key logs in t rollways on the banks of a stream, unt the whole pile begins to rattle down a cascade, forcing him to jump, ride ven dive, to safety. But as forests are turned into miles dreary stubble, the ranks of the old-tir woodsmen are thinning and the da as of! Straining ot a with tft 7 | Ke a Wave as - ill lance me

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SPLITTING FALLEN MONARCH OF THE FORESTS . ea ‘ . $ “4 ie. \ ’ ¢ te = : 4 \ 4 ‘ ee) Is Down, the Hemlock Giant is to Transport t he Railroad Siding for Shipping Divided by the Spreader and Cut into Smalle:

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542 POPULAR when the ‘‘gang’’ boiled into some little lumber town on a Le ww “jamboree” are gone Af \ forever. ( . . . f Having proved his \& ability to work untir- ¢ ES ingly in great ex- tremes of tempera- = ture, to master the science of “felling” trees so they will not damage those still stand- ing, or shoot down mountain the man who bears the proud, but ugly, name of “hick,” looks with scorn on the clumsy alien laborers who follow him and cut out the small “paper” wood after the hemlock, birch, maple, beech, and poplar trees have been disposed of. While cutting methods have changed greatly in the past score of years, the lumberjack must still be able and willing to find his place in the forests on dark winter mornings when the ther- mometer is down to 30 degrees below zero. Two of the oldest of hand tools, the wedge and the ax, are still leading devices in his art. It is true that the cross- cut saw has taken over some of the duties of the ax, but, never- theless, the latter is quite as nec- | y as it ever w There are two methods of fell- ing trees—with the ax alone, or sides, as. essaTy with the ax and crosscut saw. Power-driven machines for fell- ing trees have been invented, but while these are more or less suc- cessful in the actual cutting, the 4 trouble lies in transporting them to the spot where the work is to be done, which is often in the - midst of heavy underbrush or at reat distances over uneven vund, making it difficult, if not impossible, to move a power- driven device. at One of the most interesting > operations is always the felling | of trees. Ifa saw is to be used, the first step is to make awedge- shaped notch with the ax on that side of the tree looking : , : “Topping the Mast’’: in the direc- MECHANICS Master Woodsman Bringing Down the Top of ‘a Giant Tree—a Perilous Task Requiring Nerves of Steel tion in which it ji desired to have it fa the lower cut bei: horizontal and the u; per at an angle of degrees. This not on directs the fell of tl tree, but also prevent the trunk from split- ting. After the notch has been mad: the cutting with the saw started on the opposite side ar a few inches higher. Swayi: rhythmically, with sleek muscl rippling under their woolen shirt two lumberjacks direct the blad« “Wedge it!” comes the ¢: from one of them a few minut¢ later, and a wedge is driven behind the saw to keep it fre: from the weight of the tree “Z-z-z!" the song of the sa continues Then there comes a warning “crack,” followed by the sh: cry of: “Tim-BER!” and the swat ers withdraw to safety. With a shiver, the great t: leans slowly and then falls w a rush, tearing through surrout ing branches with a tremend swish. When it drops it may c1 through the limbs of anothe tree, leaving one of its own har ing in the latter’s branches, f: where it is easily dislodged by t wind, imperiling all whose wor might take them in its vicinit Men with axes leap on t fallen giant and trim away branches. Others, with « hooks, roll it to the skidv sleds, or cars, where the logs piled in a high triangular pe If weight causes the pyramid break down, the rolling logs crush anything in their pat! Besides felling trees, the 1 ern lumberjacks take a han building railroads throu7z! fores as well as ting path the teamst¢ “Swat ers” clear t roads and t way tot logs as the lie int woods.

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SLEDDING LOGS BENEATH SNOW-LADEN TREES “Hi! Yup!" Echoes the Cry of the Teamsters on Frosty Mornings through Thickets of Birch and Balsam, While the Ring of Axes Makes Merry Music in the Clearing

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POPULAR MECHANICS Toil is Often Made a Pleasure for Laborers of Korea Who have Tasks Lightened and Hearts Gladdened by the Performances of the Hired Musician, Who Tempts Them to Speed with Rhythmic Throbs Created by y His Drum and a Stick o | - iH. F Paid Street to Ease the Dull Monoton # Summer Days in Stiflis in Other Countries Wandering Minstrels ar « Found in Upper India, Of Harmony to Beguile Coin through Which They Pass . 4 1 ). t - Sal 2 Dual Parts Bands and Organs have Long Helped Cities of Civilization As fering Programs of Weird and Morsels of Food from the People in Villages Festooned with Jangling Bells, the Bows, Used to Coax Quaint S:rains from Their Crude Violins, Play

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een pow erless th ‘rom Lom-Toms to Jazz, Music's Magic Lure Is Traced T hrough Ages ientists Follow Its Evolution Before the Dawn of History to Explain Fascination Rhythm Has Held for the People of All Races Since the Beginning of Time | S the voodoo!” ; \s the words were uttered, the sob violin, the cry of a clarinet, and the re of a saxophone echoed through the eat hall—paused an instant—and then, h a crash of cymbals, rushed togethe: the latest jazz dance. Kubbing his eyes, the speaker, a scien recently returned from abroad, gazed ut him at the swaying figures, while mory took him back to the mysterious ests surrounding Port au Prince in itt where the murmuring night wind uught the sound of a drum, beating e a great, tireless heart. Sometimes fast, and then again, more wly. the rhythm rose and fell like the unding of an visible pulse elling of range rites eing per- rmed by rk shadows tting about e embers of ving fires — he dread voo- oo trom hose shackles ivilization has free the na- ves Strangely ke the jazz sic found in e dance halls nd centers of ulture today perfect hyvthm with- ut much mel- the note the tom- s has been ced back to he ages be- re the dawn f history by ientists seek- ng to explain e magical ure it has held or the peoples Popular Melodies of Hindu races Minstrels to the Twang of Banjolike Instruments Icros the First of all musical instruments, the drum is believed to have been the result of early man’s effort to imitate the pounding of his own pulses by beating on a hollow log with clubs. In the wilds. however, great gorillas challenge their enemies to combat by standing erect and striking on their chests In nearly all primitive lands the drum is to be found in some form. Often it is an empty gourd tapped with a stick or a hollow log, over the ends of which dried skins have been stretched In Africa, parchment placed over wooden kettles and struck with clubs serve to arouse various tribes. Hollow poles ot varying lengths that are hammered with bamboo rods also are used With the beat of the drumasthe underlying mo- tive, other sounds are pro d a ¢ ¢ d by wind instru ments and by Stee tc ing cords of dried skins to poles ot vari ous torms One of the earliest of such devices is a flute made of a bone of a giant elk and found in a pre historic cave in France In the East Indies, musi- cians periorm on c¢1 ude tvpes give fort soft, dronin notes, accom- panied by the jangling of bells festoon- ing the rough ” ' bow drawn Boatmen are Sung by Native :

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5 16 POPULAR strings. There also is found a sort of banjo, having a fingering board marked with ridges by which various notes and tones are produced, well many other instruments. In Korea, land of the hermits, native laborers are often inspired to greater efforts by the music of a drum beaten by a hired player who stands in their midst they toil. Chinese celebrations are usually attended by bands equipped with grotesque hofns, cymbals, and stringed boxes. In whatever form it is found, primitive music seems to hold its hearers under hypnotic spells, arousing within them strange responses to its weird harmony. so-called “jazz” strains lately writ- ten into the popular songs of the western world, by many supposed to have been copied from the jungle orchestras of Africa, where native dances done to the rattle of pot drums and shrill pipes, mark barbaric tribal feasts and councils. as as as The are Digging into ruins of ancient cities, scientists have tound many queer musical instruments, re- MECHANICS

ore rg hands of ancient peoples. Grind at now played about the streets larg cities are believed to have found thei: origin in the hurdy-gurdy, a_ stringed affair, played by having a small wheel pins turned against rosined threads of Not long ago it was discovered th stringed musical devices, believed have originated in Europe during tl middle ages, really came from the lute an instrument of the Egyptians, made b stretching silken across a hollo pear-shaped vessel, and picked with piece of shell or quill. In Japan eastern Asia many forms of flutes known to have existed centuries betor Christianity. South Sea islanders, by inserting wooden mouthpieces into the ends of sea cords dal wer rue shells, cause them to give forth shary sounds that often are heard for mile across the waters, while guitars have been familiar for years to the natives « Hawaii, their softly thrummed notes pi turing the languorous lassitude of t tropics. Although many of these instri ments are

sembling some [== of those in use today. The gong was em- ployed by early Romans in their house- holds and to mark time for the feet of marchias: legions. The a harp- ce instru- ‘nt, to ive first ap Pp ‘ed in old Babylon, later vas used by reeks to onpany songs and reci- itions of poets. | While the familiar piano || devel- lvre, said t e Ui S <

strange cL Vestas tion, they lend soun harmony, a means of e) pression to t people w wrought the

Aided every advan of scienc: . making modern mu cal devices reached notable de: of p <¢Ff f tion. One 1 tory al tetas ou t | 3.500 bat strame of the fine quality eve!

ia: 2 |} month. opment of re- | These are cent years, its | the result t ’ sounding | the combine board received — | skill of thou its beginning | sands of wot in-the earlier l | ers, long ve forms of the er ——— = a 6lo6fl labor ° COPYRIGHT, UNDERW & UNDERW : harp which - , ‘ tory researc eS 3 illage Musicians of Northern India lay on Crude Fiddles ‘ * { tile ie Mh, Ww ell Whose Notes Resemble Those of the Modern Violin. The a nd P lan known in the Strings are Twisted Cords, Heavily Rosined. filled with

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POPULAR MECHANICS Serenaded by Blatant Horns Played to the Accomp: of Gong Racks ani B'anketei in the Hands of Native Chinese Marriage Ceremonies brated . with a Akin to . That Shown V Parties Notes ‘ Entertain Appreciative Audiences with National Airs Performed on Unique Types of Flutes. Ins*ead of the Conductor's Baton Used by Leaders of Modern Orchestras, Beats Sounded on a Small Drum Carried by the Director Guide the Youthful Artists through Various Measures of Time oN air . rn = oe = Java Has Its Bands of Juvenile Musicians | to \DERV & UNDERW

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POPULAR MECHANICS Great Press That Shapes Metal Band Tubes = Above and Below: Put- ting Brass Horns To- gether. Later They Are Plated, Engraved, and Fitted into Cases: At Right, Below, Polishing Finished French Horns \\ - a

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POPULAR MECHANICS Saxophones, Popular Dis- pensers of “Jazz’’ Melo- dies, Receiving Their Fin- ishing Touches at the Hands of Skilled Workmen ne ‘a ‘ mn why he — Brass Bands in the Making are to Se Seen in the € full Ci j Awaitir 1g Fi inal Ass mt Placing Pedals in the Bases of Harps to Give Them Power to Vary the Keys and Chords

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Strange Indian Rites Recall Glory of the Old Frontier Days RADITIONS of frontier-days’ glory the first time in history, the Indians had were recalled and the centuries-old gathered to bless the opening of a white rites of a vanishing race were revived at man’s dwelling with the same solemn a Navajo Indian ceremony in rites attached to the dedica- the West recently. tion of their own “hogan.” For a few brief hours the Fifteen medicine men, the barriers of civilization were high priests, physicians, swept aside as thousands of singers, painters, and dancer moccasined feet beat time to of their race, were the lead the plaintive chants of the ing actors in the services medicine men. that marked the opening ot Moving about the smok the structure, a railway ing camp fires like grotesque hotel. shadows, painted braves in Old men these priest: with grizzled hair, bent wit] years, but active in the weird dance. Like the bards ot old, they depend upon the memory for details and tezc!l the cult in turn to their fol lowers. Their paintings, many of them made wit! sand, are said to rank wit! the best decorative art ol 1 t feathered headdresses min- eled peacefully with a little group of scouts of the Santa Fe trail, companions of “Kit” Carson and Buffalo Bill One, limping on crutches under the weight of 90 years, bore the scar of a scalping knife all the way around be- neath his long hair, and was pointed out by his compan any people, and are remi ions as Dan Du Bois, the niscent of Assyria and hero ot untold frontier ad Egypt, of Greece and Japan ventures Sand Painting of Arrow | } “very line is a religious sym Man Has Religious : “ . For hat was said to be Meaning iol, having a significance

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POPULAR MECHANICS 51 While scientists have written of these works of art, novelists have woven them into stories, and every student of Indian lore knows more or less about them, few ‘palefaces” have ever actually beheld them, because they are serious records of the Navajo’s religious faith, and the se- rets of their design and composition ive been carefully preserved. Durittg the “blessing - of - the - house” ceremony, many of these sand paintings were made. After the evil spirits had been expelled from the home, there were no refer- ences to any evil spirit or thing. Instead, ill that is good and beautiful and per- . : Nat-Sil-Id-Iy-Ishi, the Rainbow, Whose Design was fect was invited to take possession of Carried through Ages in Minds of Medicine Men the dwelling and its occupants, leav- ust be eted ing no room for et een u e the evil spirits to Hash-kay Yashi, Oldest ind sunset ledi- return. a aa mee Nap ine en, depend In the opening Frontier Scout ng entire n chant, which is emorv. dire e sung during a pro- ( \s 1S cession by the the paint e medicine men, erved the ir- there is a prayer to ose, thi le the “Unnamed troved \ g (;o0d”’ — the “one r »e€ r Spirit,” of whom e no one the numerous gods ed to of the Navajo are eure merely various \ pe manifestations g In the sand i ed painting, a field of 1 white is first , e pread. Then the t coloring and draw- ¢ ing are done with 9 marvelou dexter- { ity by spreading : tient colored ands out- treatment lined with almost the medicine penciled delicacy must re and great accuracy. One of the tradi O1It to ¢ ( n ve tional requirements is that the painting ng sicl or petitior bless ngs \ ou ( es e 1 ( It pall \\ ¢ the practicable ting bt skit the hg here ¢ I ¢ of ¢ M nearly ever n “ill and ( senting | blessing, 1 charity, protest, and many other element Authentic copies of the monly used ere placed in thi hite man's home, a flattering tribute t the friendship that has developed he Indian an neighbor One Design of the Rainbow Made by Spreading Colored , Sands on a Field of White “The Day Is used in the bull

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» \ POPULAI almost has MECHANICS y that it ieve that everything is some person, alive, ded from the memory of the oldest thinking, and willful. Fish, birds, beasts p ests. A and inani- c etitein, mate object: 110 ve s old, they regard described this as possessing to the visitors. spirits. To \ throng them,all 9 t ered things are of for the event : the same na because it was ; ture and are Oo unusual for : accorded re ( ans : spect and to stage the honor inthe sacred house pictures, min g¢g How they for members callonthe of nother Reais ite c ¢ Some through iid t at it sand paint oule ever ings to bring ag occur better c rops because, is typical. though the riots of tribe numbers ground are 32,000. the old burned, trees medicine men girdled, are dying off, and seeds and these an- planted by cient cere- pointed monies may sticks. The pass away with first year the the: crop is free At the bless- from weeds ing two old The second met who, vear the yield years ago were is small, and engaged for Aged Chieftains Examining a Painting Called ‘““‘The Day,’’ Used the third yeal Mmanv months in a Chant So Old It Has Almost Faded from Memory it is aban in persist- doned after a ent eftorts to shoot each other, sat futile appeal to the spirits by the farmer quietly together while they were photo as he kneels on a sand painting. Instead graphed. They were Du Bois, the last of using his own resources in properly of the frontier scouts, and cultivating the land, he the oldest living medicine moves to a new field. The n of the Navajos, Has! Indians believe that spirit kay Yashi, who was wat bring rich or lean crops chi t his people in thei according to their whims final outbreak during the © in when addressed through Civil Wat ic U , medicine men and paint Du Bi and Carson ings, ounded up the rebelling Ceremonies on varicus Indians an corralled then \ t occasions are held for cne in a military stockade unt ‘ purpose—to impress their the final peace pipe t } old friends in the othe: beet oked Phen the t world, which is the reaso1 Nav ent to | rest ( the medicine men were so iti anxious that the white ) pe ge of the w te sponsors at the housewarn in ome with the pi ing correctly repeated turesque ceremony recall Me chants word for word. An e curious religi us de “Eagle Trap,” Sand Painting imperfect ceremony might f ndians They be for an Indian Ceremony give evil a chance to entet '

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f Valletta, the capital of Malta. \ t] ter? POPULAR MECHANICS 553 GRAIN CAVERNS IN OLD FORT USED AS MARKET Built centuries ago as a storing place or grains during sieges, great caverns till exist beneath the fortifications of The place vhere they are located is now used as he city’s marketing place. Standing in ie central channel that connects the stern and western basins of the Medi- anean, the island, even before the Romans attained their pinnacle of power, was a much prized possession. For hun- dreds of years it w the battleground of many races, and, as a matter of course, came the grain pits for protection famine during war, since the is] always depended upon other countries for grain. Within these wells can be stored an enormous amount of cereal. as against ind has

—* » + Me AGA E EF

Removing Grain from Deep Pits Built Centuries Ago in Now Used Times of Famine, but Which are DREAM OF A RADIO EMPIRE TO LINK WHOLE WORLD months, a chain of power- Within a few | ful wireless stations circling the globe is pected to be in operation, enabling a person in London, for instance, to com- municate daily with individuals in Peking, China. Necessary licenses have been ob tained by Marconi, the famous radio engi- neer, who has linked London with New York, a distance of 2,920 miles, and is in daily touch with Glace Bay, 1,906 miles away, and Montreal, 2,700 miles distant The link is being extended to Winnipeg, Edmonton, and Vancouver, thehce to Peking (4,630 miles), and Melbourne (7,300 miles). Another route planned is by way of the Azores, Madeira, and Cape Verde to Buenos Aires, and from there CA

Courtyard of Fi for Stor » Pur \ f ( e Horn. | (sreat Bi t 1 there t joining South Atrica \ ‘eeding to Madras, Rangoor Burt ind Hongkong When the last of t reless lines completed, it said tl every portior the brit r é r ble to co unicate € < “ipsa : Lumps of sugar may be converted in diamonds, ording to those interested in the experiments, by first separating the carbon from other substances they cor tain. The gems thus produced are said 1] to be too small for commercial purposes, but will withstand all tests usuall lied VY al p 1eqd to detect the real article.

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Overth rown by lron pD' OVERIES made by scientists elving in the ruins of ancient Babylon have drawn attention to little-considéered fact that an empire — then a world power — flourished more than 4,000 years ago without iron enough to build a modern battleship. 7 When the treasures found in the { tomb of King Tutankhamen were brought to light, after lying un- touched for 300 decades, many articles of bronze were found, re- calling the claim by many histori ans that iron in the form of weap- the \\\ ons in the hands of enemies, \\\ caused the downfall of the Egvp- tian civilization And yet, 1,000 years before King “Tut” was born, iron was fast coming into use in other, and \ in some cases, less civilized \ parts of the world. China and \ India were employing it for + tools and weapons. First it was | used in warfare. The rise and }\) expansion of the Assyrian em- pire came on the crest of the Na | first wave to mark the begin- i NQIM\) ning of the iron age. iia “\ Te or : | " Through contact with the Hittites, iron was in- troduced among the Assyrians, and their armies were the first to be equipped with the metal that proved it- self far superior to the bronze and copper wedpons em- | ployed by | enemies and re- sulted in their Hlow Ancient Empires Built of Bronze Were Aée utter defeat. 1 i wg That the 1D gyptians obtained iron from the Hit tites is re cordedona clay tablet written about 1250 B. C. by one of the barbarian rul- ers who men tions that he was about to end a shipment of “pure iron” t Rameses II, who had asked for it, and that in the meantime an iron sword was being sent to the Egyptian king While the Hittite civilization than that of the Egyptians, the nation made up for its lack of culture by serv- ing as the world’s ironmonger. It is a tribute to the labor and skill of the early iron men, that there remain to- day a few samples of prehistoric weapons and Be- cause ofthe slow methods of manu fac- ture—the re- peated heat- ing and work- ing of the metal—the impurities were removed and an almost pure iron was produced to resist the cor- rosive influences of the ages. What is thought to be the oldest piece of wrought iron in existence is a sickle blade found under the base of a sphinx LEVT epee reap tree ge ee eegtreres asa giitt ~ Was low eC! tools. near Karnak, Thebes, Egypt. But none of the metal has been found in any of the tombs of many later dynasties. With the appearance of the new weap- ons in the hands of barbarous enemies, the older civilizations melted like j before the sun away snow

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POPULAR PRESSURE ON BULB SPREADS SHAVING LATHER By pressing the rubber bulb of a lather- soapy toam tor shaving is forced through a flat spread without need to fit the hand, of light, nonbreak 1 on 1 able materials device, iking } forms, it and of a ] \lade it may be used in the home or bar ber shop, ‘ried by the Hav parts Cal traveler ing few to gather dirt and it sanitary and does not require sterilizing in

germs, Soap 1s supplied to it small tablets CLOTH IS MADE MOTH PROOF WITH ODORLESS LIQUID (sarments of moth-proof cloth are now manufactured, guaranteed to re- ene sist the ravages of the insects during the ife ot the fabric, as a result of the dis overy of a liquid disinfectant that not the pests but destroys thei: well. For household hemical is dispensed in bottles equipped ith plunger that works like an atom- use,

Household Dispenser for Spraying Clothing with Moth Destroying Liquid il noninflam Stainless, odorless, a1 be applied to the most deli ithout myury eT inable, it may ite fabrics \ causing

the

MECHANICS 55 FIFTY THOUSAND PHOTOS A DAY WORK OF TWO MEN Doing more work than 50 expert p! oO tographers can accomplish, two ichine recently importe oe from Europe make

Actual Photographs on Back of Letterhead Use to Carry Writer’s Message more than 50,000 completed photogray in a day. Blank paper is fed into on end and finished pictures are delivere trom the other. Prints are made direct from the negatives and then e devel oped, wasl ed and cut into de red 5] ape Photos of various sizes can be le the same time Che machine ) print typed inscriptions on’ the The devices, each of which can be oe ; ' erated Dy ne pe on e user } room so the ht nnot rea panastive nth aie THOUSANDS OF GEESE KILLED FOR HOTEL’S PILLOWS in turn In ern erected, 37 ¢ Ir ¢ pet ere ‘ « | n wruest I é SOOO ru ere used te uff the bed ttresse it “OOO pounds of feathe t hie pillo Ss, YUOUOO geese < M t ‘ 1 bet Tt ivin ] nto colut ru r t { ne ( uid he I ) ¢ nN I O e step i nort eC t st ould be 3 ou 1] ven po

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— vIbD POPULAR MECHANICS HUNDREDS OF ODD REMEDIES FOUND IN OLD BOOK Cataloguing the Almost Priceless Collection of Books and Manu- scripts, Regarded as the Greatest Jewish Library Ever Assembled NCLUDED in a library of 40,000 books and 4,200 manuscripts recently as- sembled at a Jewish theological insti- tute and termed the most complete col- lection of early Jewish literary efforts, is a volume of notes of a physician who practiced about 1400 A. D., listing 1,300 prescriptions popular at that time Just how much medical science has ad- vanced since then can be determined by the then accepted cure for a scorpion’s bite: “If a man who is riding a donkey is bitten by a scorpion, turns around and faces the donkey’s tail, the pain will leave him and go to the donkey.” The author, known only as “Abram,” also noted that “Arabic women were used to cleaning their teeth by using the bark of a young nut tree upon which no fruit had been borne. They rubbed their teeth to pre- vent pain, and to keep them white.” The cure for earache in those days was to “take the fine roots of an olive tree and cook them in water and keep your ear over the steam that issues forth.” Depilatories, however effective, were not unknown, for the book lists the fol- “To stop hair from growing: lowing: Take the fat of a hare and the marrow of its bones and anoint the shaven place For safety in traveling, the physician recommended the carrying of the right eyes of 20 geese, a sure protection against robbers. The remedy for sleeping sick ness was to place the tooth of a black dog under the sufferer’s pillow. Written in Hebrew and on thin parch- ment, the notes can hardly be read even with a strong glass. Other volumes, som: of them dating back to 640 A. D., are of great worth because of their historical value. Writers of volumes during th inquisition period, at the peril of their lives, set down royal decrees signed by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella ot Spain, and by the Grand Inquisitor of the Ancient Emperors of Austria. @ Difficulties of carrying on a conversa tion in a moving train or in a subway can be eliminated partly if the person be ing addressed will close his ears with th: finger tips. Without pitching his voic: above the ordinary tone, the speaker the: may be heard plainly, despite the conflict ing noises,

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POPULAR PEARLS “PLANTED” IN OYSTERS DETECTED BY LIGHT RAYS Pearls formed by inserting particles of ird matter into the shells of living oys- ters can now be detected by holding them before strong light, according to reports of investigators. Those built round a piece of mother-of-pearl are rotated on a string before a window or in the sunlight, when the sheen cast by the core can be plainly seen in certain positions. Another test is to place it over hole bored in a thin sheet of metal, and held to the light. The shadow of any foreign substance on the inside of the gem will be outlined. Sometimes a mall pearl of inferior value is used as he center of one “grown” in the oyster’s shell. To recognize these, a gold wire is melted to create a tiny ball at its end, forming a small mirror, which is thrust into the beading hole of the jewel. The reflection of the dividing line between the two materials can then be seen with the iid of a magnifying glass. CONQUEST OF MOUNT EVEREST SOUGHT WITH OXYGEN In a new effort to conquer Mt. Everest, ritish and American explorers have com- hined, and will employ an oxygen ap- paratus in an attempt to reach the top of the peak next year, it is announced. The device, which will be depended upon to supply proper air to the climbers, is now heing tested in the Alps. The extreme altitudes make breathing difficult. ADJUSTABLE CHAIR LEGS ADD TO WORKER’S COMFORT Chairs with adjustable metal legs have been designed to add to comfort and in crease efficiency of ere . the worker. Any change in height from an inch to a foot is made sible by sliding the legs and bolting them to the frame By altering to suit the individual worker, the chairs relieve the strain resulting from _ be- ing seated too high or too low ata table or desk pos- MECHANICS 554 PEAKS OF SPAIN CONQUERED BY ELECTRIC RAILWAY Steep, forest-covered slopes of the mountains near Madrid, in Spain, can now be reached by electric railway, built First Electric Train Operated over Picturesque Road in Mountain Range of Central Spain along a picturesque right of way. The first train was run over the new road re cently. Specially designed, bow trolleys. with which the cars are equipped, hold firmly against the feed wires, while pass ing at great speed around the sharpest curves. ELECTRIC XMAS-TREE LIGHTS CLAMP ON THE BOUGHS Tiny electric lamps that clamp on Christmas-tree branches are being made to eliminate danger of fire. They are made in various colors and are scarcely larger than match head, giving the light of about a single candle. Only a small amount of current is re quired to light them, and this is supplied either by a storage battery or from a lighting fixture. As the time without burt bulbs last for a long ing out, they may be stored away @In a little more than two years tightly sealed bottle floated westward across the whole width of the Pacifx Ocean, a distance of 8400 miles in direct line from Central America to Ney Guinea It is estimated that the bottle would have had to travel 11 miles eve day, if it took the shortest route

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66 Marvels of Science’ Twenty Years Ago ad “The Automobile’s Successor Ago had Won “Societies Smile ee Is Here,’ Asserted a Writer in Describing a “New Electrical Vehicle,” That Twenty Years Approving and Pre- sages the Reign of a New Wheeled Favorite.”’ “Sky-Cycle,”’ or Gas Kite, Built in 1902 by Carl E. Meyers on His Balloon Farm at Frankfort, N. Y. Described as First Ve- hicle Ever Built to Run Either on a Track or Public Highway, This Automobile is De- clared to Be Equally at Home in the Boule- vards of a City or Mountainous Flights of a Railroad. Seating Seven Persons, It was Designed by W. &. Rogers, Keene, N. H. the Wireless,”’ Popular Me- chanics Printed a Picture of Marconi and Said: “It may Link All the World So Close- ly That the People will Be Like Those of One City.” 7 In Discussing the “Future of ma ae Hailed as the ““Oddest Hotel in the World” the Construc- tion of a Multi-Sided Hostelry was in Progress at West Baden, Ind. It Had an Oval Interior and was to be Crowned 7 a Huge Glass ° § &, nm ———— 558

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Irom the Pages of Popular Mechanics “Horses are Giving Way to the Tractor and Its Influence is to be Felt Even More in the Future” FROM POPULAR MECHANICS Ear of Corn, Seven Feet Long, Shown at the Cincinnati Vehicle and Implement Show in 1902 It was Not Grown, However, but was Made by Pasting 49,- 462 Grains in a Wooden Cob Motor Car Put into Service by the Cana- dian Pacific Railway Two Decades Ago to Give Tourists a Bet- ter View of the Moun- tainous District about Banff Hot Springs in the Heart of the Cana- dian Rockies “‘Now the Scorcher will Have No Excuse, for He can Carry It with Him All the Time,” Said Popular Mechanics of a Bicycle Canopy That Had Holes for Air and View “Great Steel Structures on State Street, Chicago,”’ in 1902 Resulted in Arguments as to Whether They should be Allowed Because of Dan- ger of Earthquakes and Cor- rosion of Steel Frames ot

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560 POPULAR HOLLOW LOG IS WIRELESS SET OF WILD JUNGLE TRIBES Long before the first modern radio set came into being the wild South Ameri- South American Indian Sending a Wireless Code Message from a Primitive Broadcasting Station can tribes that live in dense forests and grass-covered plains near the equator, had “wireless” outfits made from the trunks of hollow trees. For years the jungle and tundra have echoed the boom- ing of these huge drums. By means of code systems, each tribal chieftain keeps in touch with his people, calling his war- riors, ordering raids against enemies, warning of marauders, or announcing the approach of strangers. The-sound emitted by one of these instruments which, it is said, can be heard for many miles, is like the dull, distant boom of a cannon. BIBLE CITY’S FATE IS BARED BY LINES ON CLAY BLOCK Dug up after 2,600 years, a clay tablet, covered with the writing of some ancient scribe, paints a graphic picture of the fall of Nineveh, famed city of the Old Testa- ment. “Whoso loveth Nabu and Mar- duke, let him preserve this, and not suffer it to leave his hands,” is the charge on the record, which goes on to tell of MECHANICS an attack on the city and of how a band of its defenders broke through the enemy lines and established a new kingdom on the banks of the Euphrates River. Since the two gods mentioned are associated with Babylon, it is believed that the text of the tablet refers to the actions of a Babylonian king. The writings also place the destruction of the city as having taken place in 612 B. C. CHARIOT IN FLAMES IS INDIAN LEGEND OF METEORITE What is a meteorite? Is it a treasur: house of diamonds, or is it just a chun! of fused stone? To answer these que tions, scientists have been studying for years one of the largest of these celestial visitors, which, they believe, fell durin; prehistoric times into Canon Diablo, in Arizona. According to Indian tradition it was a flaming chariot bearing three gods, who, enveloped in a sheet of flame, extending as far as the eye could reac! rode from the stars to the earth in search of eternal rest. Small diamonds hav: been found in the mass, together with many metals. The fragment is now in fested with rattlesnakes and houses thou sands of rabbits, which attract birds and animals of prey. LEFT-HANDED FOUNTAIN PEN HAS TURNED-UP POINT To fit the needs of left-handed writers a fountain pen has been placed on the market with a turned-up point, designed to prevent catching and spluttering. It is furnished in fine, coarse, or medium stroke. Asa result of numerous ex- periments, it has been found that different individuals have varying styles of holding pens and that an instrument which may be suit- able for one is not satisfactory to an- other. Based on these tests, one company has developed nine different styles of points. There is the flexible nib for the stenographer, the medium for cor respondence and general work, the fine stiff point for the bookkeeper, the spe cial fine point for the accountant, and the nib for clerks and salesmen who desire to make manifold copies.

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POPULAR ANCIENT CITY OF DAVID’S SECRETS TO BE DUG UP Within sight of historical Jerusalem, on a spot believed to mark the location of the ancient City of David, scientists have started excavations with the ex- pectation of unearthing important relics of Biblical times. Whether the tomb of King David, from whom the early me- tropolis received its name, is located in the area to be explored is a question re not yet settled. However, even though the sepulcher is not found, the experts are confident of digging up traces of the city’s inhabitants. Early historians, although failing to mention the exact place of burial of the long-dead ruler, have recorded two robberies of his grave, one directed by Herod the (reat, who had rich furniture, gold, and other articles removed from it. search has VEST-POCKET RANGE FINDER AID TO PHOTOGRAPHERS For amateur photographers, a device has been marketed, small enough to fit in the vest pocket, which correctly gives the distance of any object to be photo- lt | — bE = = SSS SS =: = Small Range Finder That Is Aid to Amateur Photog- raphers in Correctly Focusing Objects graphed within a few seconds, thus re- ducing the possibility of bad exposures. Pointed at the subject, the end is pulled outward until the image shows sharp on its “ground” glass. A scale on one side of the instrument indicates the number of feet. It can be used in focusing for any kind of pictures. RAY TO OVERCOME GRAVITY IS SOUGHT IN SECRET Hidden away in laboratories in the heart of Russia, German scientists are engaged in a secret search for a new ray to overcome the law of gravity, accord- ing to recent reports. Air experts are quoted as saying that they would not be surprised if this quest has resulted in discoveries which may revolutionize avia- tion. With abundant money and years of practical experience, the searchers are well equipped to carry on their work. MECHANICS ty | HOUSES BUILT OF PLATE GLASS AS STRONG AS CONCRETE Glass houses are declared to have been made possible as the result of the recent discovery of certain chemical processes, glass-making together with a machine. Model House Built of Glass with the Exception of Window and Door Casings As strong and sturdy as the present resi- dences of stone, concrete, or wood, it is said that homes of opaque glass will be much cheaper and yet will be warm in winter and cool in summer. Plastering, painting, and papering will be made un- necessary by artistic colorings added to the glass during its manufacture. The upkeep expense will be snfall, for there is no danger of decay from the effects of the weather. Plans call for the erection of five and six-room cottages, which, with the exception of the frame, will be built entirely of glass, in both plate and block form. GAS-TANK COVER FOR AUTO CANNOT BE LOST To prevent its loss, an automo- bile gas-tank cap is being made that is perma- nently fixed to the car. Once at- tached, there is no need for re- moving it, as a spring cover, lined with lifts up to permit filling. A quarter turn of its bar handles fastens or unlocks the lid, which also radiators. cork, may be used for @ In an attempt to rid Russia of rats that are threatening the nation's health, the government recently sent a commission to Poland to buy 10,000 cats.

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Oe POPULAR HATCHER FOR CHICKS SPROUTS OATS FOR THEIR FEED By adding a runway made of a dry- goods box, a chicken hatcher that weighs 14 pounds, can be easily converted into Incubator that Serves as Brooder for Newly Hatched Chicks; Above, Crop of Oats Growing in Hatcher a brooder. The incubator, which has a capacity of sixty eggs, may also be used for sprouting oats for feed, requiring three days in winter and two during summer, to start growth of the grain. RIVER REVERSES ITS FLOW WHEN SWELLED BY RAIN So heavy was the rainfall during a recent storm over Chicago, that the Chicago River, normally draining from Lake Michi- gan through a canal, and thence to the Mississippi River, was reported to have changed its course, and flowed into the lake for nearly an hour. The deluge raised the water level at the locks, al- most 40 miles away, until the height there was greater than that at the source. The stream emptied into the lake until 23 years ago, when it was reversed by en- gineers. so that it would carry away the city’s sewage. MECHANICS INSECT PARASITES TO BATTLE PRICKLY-PEAR PEST With approximately 40,000,000 acres i: Queensland and about 6,000,000 in Ne South Wales invaded by the prickly-pea pest, cochineal insects have been im ported from Ceylon and northern Indi to check the plague. Various method have been adopted to control the plant spread, including its use for cattle fodde: and as material for paper-pulp makin; and alcohol production. For many yea bonuses of $29 an acre have been offere: by the government to assist in clearin the land. IRON CHAIR ON WHEELS USED TO PUNISH TRAMPS Used 25 years ago as punishment fo: tramps, a queer-looking cage, shape like a chair and set on wheels, was foun recently on a scrap pile in the East. Mads of iron straps, it completely inclosed prisoner, giving him no opportunity t move. A shelf on the front served a table. Regarded torture, the pra: tice was stopped. as BERTH FOR POOREST TRAVELER PROVIDED IN JAPAN Sleeping cars for third-class passenge1 said to be the first of their kind in th: world, are operated by a railroad i: Japan. Overnight travelers, heretofor: unable to provide themselves with sleep ing quarters at higher rates, are quick t take advantage of the accommodation that offer a clean, comfortable berth t Like the the poorest patron at low cost. Interior of Third-Class Sleeping Car on Japanese Railroad: Note Bamboo and Wire Construction ordinary railroad sleeper, the beds are built to fold up into seats for use daylight riders. ol

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POPULAR MECHANICS CAMERA CATCHES TARPON IN BATTLE FOR LIFE After two months of constant effort, remarkable photograph of a _ giant tarpon, the silver king of the deep, valiantly fight- 563 the sport it affords the fisherman. Hav- ing seized the baited hook, a struggle begins that taxes skill and tackle to the utmost. ing for his life, vas obtained. Maddened by fear and pain, the huge fish broke water on a taut line, and, en- veloped in spray, hurled tself with ter- rific force high into the air, trying to cast the cruel barb from its mouth. Eventothe end, the gasp- ing monster battled vainly to regain its freedom. The picture is re- garded as amongthe most unusual ever taken of a leaping fish. While the tar- pon is prized as food, it is The fish, the moment it feels the point of the hook, jumps from the water again and again, and, with gills dis- tended, shake: itself violently Then is dis- played the marvelous strength whicl this giant of the herring family puts forth in its daily search for the smaller fishes upon which it feeds Its scales, of beautiful silver tint, as large or larger than a dollar, are often used in making orna- ments by resi- dents along the more sought after because of In Last Game Fight for Life, This Giant Tarpon Hurled Itself High above Water to Throw Barb from Mouth southeast- ern coast SAFETY EGG-HOLDER SAVES FINGER BURNS As an addition to kitchen equipment, a lifter has been marketed that safely picks eggs from boiling water without crack- ing the shells ] or scalding the cook’s fingers. It is also useful in handling vegetables w hile cook- ing, holding them firmly when taking them from steaming pans, and is of especial service in lift- ing corn-on-the-cob from containers in which it is boiled. ANCIENT BIBLE IS DUG UP FROM EGYPTIAN TOMB Excavating in an early Egyptian ceme tery, explorers recently discovered what is regarded to be the earliest Egyptian version of the Gospel of St. John, be- lieved to have been written about 400 A.D. Seventy-five papyrus leaves, three fourths of the complete work, wrapped in a rag, were taken from a pot unearthed in one of the cliff tombs. When trans- lated, the find is expected to shed light on the accepted idea of the Greek text in ancient Egypt. One of the’oldest pre vious records of the gospel dates back to A. D. 200 @ What is believed to be one of the first pleasure power cruisers built with fis! “wells” launched Under way, water flows tanks. recently through the Was

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POPULAR MECHANICS ELECTRIC RAILWAY SOLVES SPACE PROBLEM gehen oage aba problems of no little difficulty have been solved by an electric interurban railroad running be- tween Chicago and Milwaukee in putting nto service a new chair car and diner on utensils, tableware, refrigeration, worl tables, sinks, coffee urns, a steam table clothes lockers, and many other storage The little roo1 has been thought out scientifically to pet mit the to have spaces have been provided cool ever one of its spe- cial RB Xpress fflildllillidiiddddli ddd trains. The y problen con- va fronting § the company Y was to create Y cars having all the necessary A irety features nd comfort of steam rail- service, yet so com- built as practica- ble on its line Special framework construc- ti8e88 was worked out, after several months’ study, which assured safety, for the train travels often at a speed of 75 miles an hour. The diner represents unusually efhcient building. In the tiny kitchen no space, | small, has been neglected or remained unused. With a working space only 24% feet wide and 9 feet long, WAY Pp ictly ‘ » be SS iowever stoves, WM LEA In This Tiny but Remarkably Complete Kitchen All Necessities Have a Place : convenienc-. “right undes his hand when needed Odd - shaped YY, spaces. have been give J doors so tha they may be u ed Notche Y had to be cut here and there to allow door j j ij slide back and j Leorth. 8, clever arrange ment, watel both hot and cold, has beet piped from MEL place to place tanks be ing on the root of the car details have been worked out For instance, it has been found most practical to make the coffee in the urn with water boiled elsewhere in t! kitchen and then kept hot with a pat ented heating appliance burning alcohol —the Many cleverly. a ——— I SAN me & Chair Car and Observation Platform Offering Added Passenger Comforts on Intercity Electric Line

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POPULAR FINGER MOISTENER IN PALM OF HAND SPEEDS UP WORK For convenience and speed in handling papers in such tasks as bookkeeping, ma- chine posting, and feeding printing press- es, a finger moistener that fits in the palm of the hand is being marketed. It eliminates reaching to a pad. The fingers are kept damp by touching them against a piece of felt, mounted on a small metal water reservoir, without hampering free- dom of movement. As there is little wear on any of the parts, the device will last for a considerable time. CLAMPS SERVE AS TRIPOD FOR HOLDING CAMERA To serve the purpose of a tripod, small clamps that attach a camera with a firm grip to a tree trunk, fence, post, table top, or almost any other solid object, are Small Clamps That Act as Tripods by Clamping to Trees or Other Solid Objects being made in two types. One has felt pads to prevent marring the surface to which it fastens; the other has sharp sawlike edges pressed together by a strong spring. The clamps fit the ordinary tripod hole, and can be carried in the vest pocket. (Graphite, from which lead pencils are made, was first discovered in 1842. Siberia in MECHANICS 65 “TALKING” LIBRARY OF VOICES TO PRESERVE LANGUAGES To keep the words of all languages alive, a “talking” library has been estab lished in Germany. Efforts are being Radio Device Used for Carrying Voices in Germany in Long-Distance Concerts made to collect the actual sounds of all languages and dialects of the earth, and to record and reproduce them with the aid of a special type of phonograph. At present, specimens of the languages of 217 nationalities have been recorded for study. SCARCITY OF WILD ANIMALS SENDS THEIR PRICE UP Prices paid for wild animals are going up. Post-war conditions have so inter fered with the industry of providing wild beasts for circuses and zoos, that few can be bought in the world market, the center of which is Hamburg, Germany A giraffe brings $5,000; a hippopotamus, $2,500 to $5,000; and good lions are sold at $1,250. To replenish depléted stocks in captivity, hunters are planning a trip to a province in India, where, in previous vears, many tigers were obtained. That territory now abounds with lions. Eight shipped there several years ago, have so increased the terror of the country. as to become

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POPULAR MECHANICS || Merry-Go-Round and | Water Golf Game De- vised to Lend Variety to Beach Sports Pad Both Exercise and Amusement are Provided for Bathers by Great ‘Medicine’ Balls, Tossed About in the Water

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Life-Giving Rays of Summer Sun Are Found to Be a Cure for Many Ills Science Reveals Why People Instinctively Seek the Sunlight; Beams, Invisible to the Eye, Are Stored in Coats of Tan for Making of Red Blood; Solar Energy Contains Power to Operate Devices of Man HY do human beings instinctively seek the sunlight? Because of an instinct as old as man- kind, science answers, and turns to the iboratory to study the effect of the un’s rays on the body. In a long series of tests made recently in the East, it was found that these beams, many of them invisible to the naked eye, timulate the production of red blood corpuscles. Two litters of rats were fed upon a diet that was weak in vital ele- ments, one set being kept in a dark place and the other in the sunlight. While the latter thrived, despite the lack in their food, the former contracted diseases, and died. In the experiments, some of the rats were kept under glass, and much the same thing happened to them as to the ones that had been placed in the dark, which was taken as proof that the direct rays of the sun, in some mysterious way, made up for the deficiency in diet. Attention was then given to the study of sunburn, to find out its place in the general health of the body. It was found that this layer of bronze not only acts as a protection to the skin, but also ab- sorbs and stores up for future use the life-giving rays in proportion to the light- ness or the heaviness of the coat of tan. As a result, it was found by actual count that the red blood corpuscles increased, while the muscles were stimulated and deeper breathing was set up. Like all other human organs, the sense of sight is limited, the experimenters ex- plained. It is sensitive to only a certain range of light waves in its reactions, waves of greater or shorter length being invisible but producing dull pains in the eyes. Artificial light is declared to contain a greater amount of these invisible rays than does natural light. As a result, the eye tires more quickly under artificial glares. And so, in fleeing from crowded tene- ments, hot offices, and secluded homes, to lakes, fields, and streams each summer, mankind is only obeying an instinct as old as the race, the demand of tired bodies for something essential to their welfare. This also is shown by the ex- perience of a sun school in Switzerland Built high up on the Alps, it was first thought that the wonderful results ob-

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Summer Skies and Blue Waves Prove an Irresistible Magnet in Pulling Toilers from Work Benches and Desks in All Parts of the Country to the Cool Bathing Beaches

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lis ie i] ||... it~... = ae aT a a ——F —s le Rafts in Tropical Wilds and: Spec Modern Cities Testify Lc

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\\ POPULAR tained in treating ailing children were due entirely to the effects of the sunlight on cerms. But it has also been proved that germs can be killed, or at least ren- dered inactive, in very cold climates, without helping the MECHANICS 569 of sun worship appear in the oldest rec- ords of the human race. They are pres ent in the old theology of Egypt where it was believed that “Ra,” who traveled the upper and lower regions of the uni verse in his boat, patient as much as the sunlight does. The new discover- ies are said to show thateven more than the germ-kill- ing qualities of the sunlight, is the cre- ation of new vital red blood, which is itself one of the most potent de- troyers of germs, and the restoring of chemic: al: : Swiss Sun School in Alps Where Ailing Children Are hemical balance, eens a Lilpdiaia Bis without which no body can work properly. Since earliest days, the sun has been regarded with awe by mankind. Traces was the sun him self. Modern Hindu ism is full of sun worship and it exists among the Kol tribes, the Khonds, and the Tartars, and is still found among the native races oi Central America Now scien tists are looking to the sun to provide a practically limit less amount of power. Harnessing sola energy, it is pointed out, offers a great field for inventors. ICE HAULS NATURE’S FREIGHT WITH WIND AS LOCOMOTIVE Although man has covered the world with railroad systems and steamship lines, Mother Nature is the pioneer in transpor- tation service. Fof ages she has been moving her own products from point to point by many different methods. One of the most unusual of these transfers occurs in the formation of bottom ice which freezes at the bottom of fresh and salt-water bodies. Stones, rocks, and other débris become imbedded in these cakes, which, after a time, move upward toward the surface, often with sufficient force to shoot high into the air. Then these pieces of ice, sometimes as large ‘as a house, become huge “freight- ers,” traveling considerable distances with the winds and current. As they melt, the stones and other fragments sink to the bottom again. That parts of sunken ships have been carried many miles in this manner has been proved by deep-sea divers, who have found them literally covered with stones that came from other localities. Near Copenhagen, a block of granite weighing more than 400 tons was lifted from the ocean bed and moved to a place miles distant. In the same neigh- borhood hurricanes drove far up on the shore sheets of ice that, when melted. left piles of ocean-bed rocks, chains, and parts of sunken vessels. SAFETY BATH TUB FOR BABY HAS DRESSING-TABLE TOP With a movable cover that acts as a dressing table, a safety bath tub for babies has been invented by a western man. Made of canvas, and hung from a wooden frame, it fits across the ordi nary bath tub, so that the child is almost Baby’s Bath Tub with Cover Down, Serving as Dress ing Table; Below, Infant Safely Held in Water on a level with the top. When the bath is completed, the cover can be used as a table, providing space for clothes and toilet articles. Thus the person bathing the child need not bend over the tub

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POPULAR VACUUM CLEANER FOR HORSE REPLACES HAND COMB With a currycomb attached to a vacuum leaner, members of the fire department ot a Middle Western city clean and dress Cleaning and Dressing the Hair of a Horse With Currycomb Attached to Vacuum Cleaner he hair of several horses in the same time as required by hand for one animal. The scrubbing is more thorough, too, it has been found, and requires much less physi- cal effort. The comb can be applied to stationary types of suction cleaners by a hose long enough to enable the around the animal. using operator to pass EYE SHADES SNAP ON GLASSES TO MELLOW LIGHT GLARE For heir tasks under strong lights, eve shades have been devised that Snap to the frames of spec- workers who perform tacles of any size or style Attached or detached in an instant, the shades, made oO f colored transparent material, soften the rays from overhead lighting fixtures, thus lessen- ing the probability of strain, fatigue, or headaches resulting from glares MECHANICS FIFTEEN YEARS ADDED TO SPAN OF LIFE IN PAST FIFTY Figures have that the average habitants of the United States has in creased almost 15 years in the past 53 In 1870, the average was 41 years, whil now it is almost 56. By 1950, the span will have reached the biblical threescore and ten, provided the present high stand- ards of civilization and correct living are maintained, a scientist has predicted. In the 16th century the ordinary term of life was between 18 and 20 years, and about 1800, it was still less than 25 years At the end of the 19th century, it ranged between 45 and 48 years showing life for in- been compiled length of TRENCH HELMETS IN MINES PROTECT WORKERS’ HEADS Heavy trench shoes and tin hats, that served to stop shrapnel on war-swept fields of France, are being used by mam miners in the West as protection against falling ore and large company was so with the value of these war implements that it officers provided all their miners with them. The safety idea spread. Men who left the mines for war and were there convinced of the worth of the helmets, have induced others to use them. rock. Recently a impressed SPOTLIGHT WITH SIDE RAY FOR NIGHT DRIVING Not only is the dark road ahead illumi- nated, but also that at the side of the car, by an automobile spotlight patented re cently, having two lights: within one sliell. Front and Side of Road Illuminated by Spotlight to Lessen Danger of Accident ihus, the danger of collision or running off narrow highways at night is avoided By moving the bracket, the side light can be made to throw its rays rearward.

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POPULAR MECHANICS O71 TRUTH IS SOUGHT BY DRUG IN “TWILIGHT SLEEP’’ K VER since the time of Diogenes, philosopher of ancient Greece, who is iid to have carried a lighted lantern with im night and day in a quest for truth, en have been seeking a means to accu- rately distinguish between the false and the true, a method that would unerringly udge a person’s honesty. Within recent science has brought forward in- ventions to aid in that century-old search. One of the latest that has been called to sist criminologists is scopolamin, a drug hat produces what is termed “twilight leep.” For years it was used in a western penal institution as a treatment for drug ad- licts. The first an- ea®&rs, sentence of ten years to life on convic- tion of the murder of a Chinese at Sacra- mento. He was anxious to undergo the test, and, placed in the semic condition, he was asked: “Did you ever kill a Chinese?” His reply came not.” “Who killed the Chinese ?” “My partner, ——— ——, “What did you do?” “T robbed him and my overcoat pocket u “What kind of mone, “Coin.” It is said onscious did immediately, shot him.” put the money deadens a reasoning that the nouncement of its power aS a pro- lucer of truth from those even unwill- ng to give exact nformation came recently, after more tests are id to have shown ts worth Since hen it has been tested publicly on men convicted of rime and serving prison sentences. As a result of the tests conducted in the prison, it is re- ported that a convict suffering from loss of memory revealed his correct identity, ind another inmate cleared up seven rob- beries that had puzzled the police. The police department of one western coast city already has adopted the scopolamin test as part of its regular method in ex- amining persons suspected of crimes. One ot the men given the twilight- sleep treatment was under indeterminate han 500 FREAKS OF CLIMATE SHOWN IN WATER-BOTTLE TEST Through underground observation sta- tions, scientists have recently completed a series of experiments that indicate Mt Desert Island, a few miles off the coast of Maine, has a higher average tempera ture and greater evaporation than Long Island, more than 200 miles to the south [he recording instruments consist of thermometers that register maximum and minimum temperatures and specially de signed bottles, filled with distilled water “Lie Detector’ being Tried Out on Man Who was Freed of Murder Charge and his control over the ae 9 . | Iministere ug, the imagina- tion is dormant and I replies are of fact ents unaltered the peal It is cl a person light sleep an untruth, to to evade the trut! The “lie de and fitted trude strikes th containers olass gla moisture is ex Measurements of intervals and the differences noté i t amou evaporation and plants the lands of ’ vers, naracteristic of nore the southern climes thrive, w arctic and the southland ‘ommon home during tl er months,

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oO POPULAR MECHANICS TENNIS-NET HOLDER SERVES FOR MANY PURPOSES Camp and playground are both pro- vided for by a convertible apparatus that may be changed in a few minutes from 1 support for volley-ball or tennis nets, to a swing for hammocks, or a tent frame. . It may also be changed to a turning pol for gymnasium work, or used as a sur shade. For parks and large playground any number may be set up to meet th: demand for various games os. Convertible Apparatus That can be Easily Changed for Camp Comfort or Playground Pastime VARIETY IN MENUS GIVEN BY TURN OF A DIAL Variety in meals is suggested by a turn of the dial on a card recently made to hang in the kitchen. It is designed to relieve cooks of the task of planning well-balanced menus that differ. from day to day. Twenty-four kinds of break- luncheons, and dinners are given a number. A meat is selected and, by turning the dial, side dishes are sug- gested. There are five kinds of break- fasts and special menus fasts, BATHER’S HAIR IS KEPT DRY BY GUARD UNDER CAP lo take the place of a tight- fitting div- ing cap, a water guard, made of rubber, has been patented. It is in two pieces, a heavy rim fitting around the ears and the hollows at the back of the neck so that when the cap, just tight enough to press against the rim, is worn over it; there is no»possibil- ity of getting water into ears. By relieving the head it contributes to the comfort the hair or of pressure, of swimmers and bathers. PAPERS FOR PIPE TOBACCO KEEP THE BOWL CLEAN To save cleaning a pipe, smokers Europe wrap tobacco in small pieces of tissue paper. This makes a pellet shaped Tobacco Wrapped in Tissue-Paper Pellets, Shaped Like Torpedoes, to Save Cleaning Bowl like a torpedo. *After tearing a hole in the base, so smoke will draw through the stem, the tobacco is placed in the pipe bowl and a light applied to the tis- sue at the top. Packages of circula: pieces of tissue were recently place] on the tobacco market in the United States for this purpose. @ Through an agreement of airplane com- panies with continental railways, it is nov possible to travel from London Europe to Constantinople in less than 30 hours. Passengers, leaving London in the late afternoon, arrive in Constantinople the following night, part of the trip being acTOss made by rail and part by the air route

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NO LIMIT NOW IN SIGHT “ tall and OW large can lding be? Just tly an eastern itect conceived ucture SU sto- high. he th build- 1 orti Ui eration nave ted in tit €1¢ ts o Ys in ¢ ( aie e ¢t t thy . 1 \ 1.237 ,000 ’ e teet ot tio | the | uitable ‘ c 17) \ € l tili the , ‘ tT Oo r peeeel | | in the United te Che Union com pan \ is Se\ ond with 73.000. and the \T ’ 11 1 i e WV OO] th building, a ugh not the rest has t St tenants- \ st 14.000 hie 1 table | 12 ( the Genera tors about 6.000) ble building is juipped with 63 evators, the oolworth buile 1

FOR SKYSCRAPERS (;eneral ‘lot & \\ + |} vy a 1 { n , in ; eat ’ K crape con ble t e juitable Té f 1 11.000 ' es ; , ] | cr ¢ n hes ; ru en ( } t In the ( tructure YO O00 pe 1 ise ft e€ el Vat +S tN) é é oO} | © Fe a in StH) ( t < r ( in gen ¢ t t ‘Even in bu + ‘ et tT? to the ¢ ‘ ‘ a r ¢ : ; ( 1 t t | t é ‘ ‘ f "n ¢ . | | é ‘ ( t ( ‘ ’ T r { ¢ ( (wy) a ns {)} t 1 14 PPT e 1, Bert ( ’ ’ (; ‘ Wee f l ¢ ¢ ‘ ‘ rote Proposed Eighty-Story Skyscraper to H se Ch “He ” vik etn as ZY ind the Activities in New Y rk City

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A POPULAI

ROSES ARE MADE FROM GOLD IN COLORS OF NATURE Fashioned of jewels and beaten gold, a vase of roses in natural colors was recently made for the queen ot Spain lo make the flowers and leaves the proper ci 1 variou hades ot ed vellow, lemon, green, nd white gold leat were used. Working with a metal so malleable that more than 1,000 three- inch squares can be beaten from one ounce, an exact model of b! 1 OS- 1 lag muaGs “re soming the stem “«] Leave given a greenish tint by u oft gold leaf about the 150,000th part of an r . ‘ roses ane Oo! Wi iS > Werte se ingh in thickness. AIl- loys of silver and cop- per were mixed with gold to produce the de- sired colors and then the metal was melted in a crucible. After this it Was cast in an ingot, flattened into long, nar- row strips, and beaten with a 1/-pound | 1e | i Ss nam- mer for 20 minutes Chen it was cut into sec tions 1 put | skins of a “shoder,” where it was pounded again. Artists of family that for generations has been skilled in this ancient craft spent months in perfecting the queen's gift. Golden Roses Made ane That Show Skill o retween OX a < i BUG IS SOUGHT IN THE ORIENT TO KILL PLANT BEETLE In an attempt to stamp out the Japa- nese beetle, a beautiful copper-colored in- that has infected plant life over an area ot almost 1,000 square miles in two eastern since 1916, when it was accidentally introduced into this country, scientists have been sent to China, Japan, Korea, and Hawaii to find a bug that may prey upon it and eventually wipe it out. Unrestrained by attacks of parasites that feed upon it in its native home, where it is called the bean beetle, the insect has multiplied rapidly despite strenuous ef forts to exterminate it. Its ravages have become destructive that the federal cect ect states el- SO

MECHANICS BATTLE SEA IN OPEN BOATS ADRIFT THREE WEEKS For more than three weeks memb of the crew of the Australian ship “T: ve a hipwrecked cently in the Ind Ocean, rivaled tale fiction when they b tled against deat iny, open boats as steered their sun and stars to island harbors. O boat traveled 1/7 miles in 25 days. De claimed nine sai for a Queen in Europe f Artists in the Craft in up courage th almost certain d the triumph of landed on the isla

rovernment and t and Pennsylvania Che other boat reache safety in 22 day experiencing high and very heavy weat most of the 1,450-1 journey. Tw fireme! died from exposure the 10th day. When 1,800 miles off the mait land, a heavy storm |! come up and the shi captain ordered boats launched. For five days the captain an the chief officer kept their boats together a vain hope that they would be rescued, but they were separated | storm. Though fre quently blown off then the men kept Oo courses, e face of what seemed eath, and finally cam the brave when the) nd of Rodriguez. he states of New Jerse have been forced quarantine a number of farms in an et deavor to check it. Despite the inventio: of death-dealing sprays, the march of t pest every year increases about five squa miles on each migrated to the roots of azaleas i side. The first specit United States on mported from Japan. ie ? SERUM HAILED AS ABSOLUTE PREVENTIVE OF MEASLES After years of search, a preventive ( measles is said to have been found re cently by French scientists. Althous experimental work still continues, it said that the results already obtained

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POPULAR MECHANICS 575 great value in stamping out epi- OIL STOVE LIKE PHONOGRAPH In tests at the Pasteur Institute BOTH HEATS AND COOKS is, France, in 1911, a small amount erum \.aS taken from a person \n oil stove that looks like a cabinet ted with the illness and injected into phonograph, with mahogany or oak fin Ithy individual to produce immu . Subsequent trials are declared to brought out the fact that by follow e initial vaccination with a second ne, consisting of a small quantity od fro.a a person suffering from ntagion, and repeated several times rvals of a month, complete im- ; tion would occur D MIRROR ON AUTO SERVES AS WARNING TAIL LIGHT a lens and a conical-shaped re- of spun glass placed on the reat e plate of an auto, rays of the head- e! of a car at the rear are picked up 01 ist back in a red glow. There are en res, battery, globes, or oil lamps cht fail. With a metal nameplate ———— —— = the lens, some types are being Oil Stove for Heating and Cooking That Lo ks Like 7 to carrv an advertising messace a Cabinet Phonograph and Takes No More Space fe nciple is the same as that of some ' to the metal. is made for heating and — —— cooking. Opening the top doors reveals not a sound box but the plate for boiling | nd frving The heat that warms the om does the cooking There is no = costly mctor, the flame being made on u a small burnet \bsence of coal dust, ashes, dirt. or bother about renewing fuel . are features that are imed to attract © women users of the stove. One. filling P will last for several hours, it is said 1€ a FIRE IN FORBIDDEN CITY RAZES 2 SON OF HEAVEN’S PALACES Mystery surrounds the fire that re cently destroved several of the beautiful 7 nd historic buildings of the Forbidden Citv at Peking, the “Holy of Holies” of ’ the Celestial Ei pire and the proudest ' — ——OO product of Chinese genius and culture al That Picks Up Light from Autos at Rear In its exquisite gardens, its delicate halls and Sends Back a Red Glow filled bv the pietv and industry of 300, “ : 000,000 subjects with the noblest art of a ning signals that are placed on dan- pa ‘ivilization lived the S of us curves to pick up lights from eet aggee hg a aciaidiad react oaching autos Heaven, the emperor. ihe very names ~ - ; of the buildings he inhabited are poems ¥ cor eer es “Palace of Earthly Bliss,” aa rone R On ( lo aid the farmer with reports of mar- of Perfect Peace,” “Palace of Cloudless service, the government has recently Heaven’—such were the designations of mpleted a 7,000-mile leased-wire tele- the wonderful structures within its wall: phic circuit. It extends from Boston While a disinherited Son of Heaven sti San Francisco and connects the lead- lives in these fairylike surroundings, | live-stock and market centers of the power has vanished, apparently beyond intr recall

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Deluge of Paper Money Leaves Trail of Ruin, Famine and Death in Kurepe Beggars Are Turned into Millionaires and Princes into Paupers in a Day, while Poor: Lack Even the Necessities of Life TT NDERMIN- Dee 4 ING the very foundations Of once powerful’ nations, turning beggars into millionaires ind princés into paupers- while the children of the poor ‘TY for the bare ‘essities of life he tlood of cheap paper money con- tinues to rise in lSurope. Like a ghost city, vith its population diminished and its glories departed, once merry Petro- grad stands as a symbol of the tragedy that has engulfed so many former centers of civilization in the past few years. Even the main road- ways, like the Nevsky Prospect, seem to be caving in. Stranded vessels rot at their docks along the quays. Long thoroughfares present grim pictures of desolation such as can be furnished only by empty, fallen, and stripped houses. Among the tar- nished splendors of the Winter Palace and the Tarskoye-Selo, sit bearded bolshevist officials. In Moscow, now the seat of the govern- ment, there is more activity, but here, too, are found strange contrasts. Within the shadow of the walls of the Kremlin, a relative of the late czar is found driving a street car. Near by is a former general in the tattered remnants of a uniform, selling newspapers. Along the Unter den Linden in Berlin, and the Ring Strasse in Vienna, similar incidents are to be observed as the poorly nourished inhabitants struggle to obtain the barest necessities of life. Small apri- cots sell at 60 cents each. At the dairy, a quart of milk commands a price that would have purchased three first-class cows before the war. Next door the baker smilingly asks as much for a loaf of bread as would have bought a richly furnished automobile in the old days. The bottle of beer, that the innkeeper places before the tourist, has the same value as a truckload of it a decade ago. od Ten Years Ago This German Horse’s Value Equaled that of One of Its Shoes at Present German post othces will not ac- cept a piece ot until at least 50 marks in” stam have been attached to: it. Asking genial stranger i a match is equiva- lent to seeking -the vift of the hun- dredth part vi wagonload of eord wood, as the bi of matches no costs as much the wood wou! have brought former times. Money is so plenti- ful and so easil\ produced that its value has almost van- ished. In the Balkan countries and farthe: east, similar conditions prevail. Almost all of Europe is overburdened with floods of paper currency. Germany alone ha 41 plants working 24 hours a day and turning out 17,563,819,142 marks’ wort! of notes every hour. During July the total paper currency circulating in that country was 20,241,782.- 966,000 marks. In addition there was 21.- 200,000,000 marks in aluminum coinage At that time it was officially stated tl no .note under the face value of 1,000 marks will be printed in the future, it costs more than the note itself actual! is worth to print any of the smaller d nominations. One curio collector is said to be pa‘ ing from five to ten times the face valu of certain old 100-mark and 1,000-mar'! notes, declaring that those printed fro: copper plates are the only ones acceptab abroad, as the later ones, printed fro: type, are refused because they are t easily counterfeited. This is discredit in some quarters on the belief that t! counterfeiters would lose money by p1 ducing false notes of such low denomin tions. In July for a single Americ dollar, the tourist received nearly 1,00) 000 marks that formerly were worth m than 20 cents each. In general, this flood of money has creased wages to amounts that wou! cmon

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in, lal POPULAR MECHANICS

Even of Central Euro, Feel the Postal Systems the Downward Slide | < t Money Values Ten Years Ago press a Carload of Ex- Matter could be Carried for Less than the Postage Charge Now Re Ordinary

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578 POPULAR have represented comfortable fortunes a few years ago, but the burden has fallen heaviest on those dependent upon in- comes from investments made betore the value of the money reached the vanishing point. Those who borrowed funds, in other days, now find it easy to pay their debts, but the creditors receive practically noth- ing. Less than a decade ago, the family or man with an income of 25,000 marks a year was considered wealthy. Today this sum would not buy a good meal. In Russia the whir of the printing presses has almost ceased. Replacing the almost worthless paper rubles, there is gold-guaranteed currency. In July the new 10-ruble notes fetched more in both Russia and abroad than the English pound sterling. A 10-ruble gold note is worth just 825.000 paper rubles in Moscow, and the pound ster- ling is worth a new iad 815,000 pa- per rubles. Austria has gone through asomewhat similar re- generation as the result of financial assist- ance given by other nations, but in some of the other coun- tries little or no improve- ment has been shown. Meanwhile, it is estimated that approxi- mately 2,000,000 members of the former Russian aristocracy have fled to foreign lands. Stripped of their possessions, they are to be found in scattered groups in Constantinople, Paris, London and New Y ork. One of the largest bodies of these exiles is said to have been aboard a strange squadron which thé Russian Admiral Stark led into Manila harbor early this year. From there they journeyed west- ward in an effort to eke out a scanty liveli- hood. In Paris lives the Grand Duke Dimitri, first cousin of the late czar and one of those accused of having slain the monk, Rasputin. In circles he recog- nized as the hope of Russian imperialism. After the collapse of the imperial army, he wandered about Europe for some German Banknote, Bust’s Throat, Is some with Concealed Vampire Visible When It is Turned Lengthwise MECHANICS time, finally arriving in France with than 100 frances in his pocket With his brother-in-law, Prince P: tine, and the latter's wife, the G: Duchess Marie Pavlovna, he starte little embroidery factory in a m house in the section of Paris in servants dwell. The princess, sixty years old, sad-eyed, tired and thin, forewoman and saleswoman establishment. Bent over a dozen embroidery mach their eyes hardly ever leaving their w as ot may be seen a dozen members of Russian nobility, glad to work for wage of 2 francs an hour. Eight ly of this labor was worth about $1.5 just enough to keep the young woma: a widow's veil, the Countess Apraci from starvation. In a Paris dressmaking establishment over the cd of which pears the sin word, is the Baron Wrang-« sister-in-law the Genet failed in campai against the b shevik art the Prince Koug cheffwh through courage 0 Face Biting the devotion, sav: her mother, her old governess, and two young children during the dark d of the revolution. srought up in luxury with no idea ever working for a living, the lot of th: refugees has been hard. For the middle classes, physici lawyers, doctors, college professors others living on fixed salaries and comes, who were unable to flee from t! countries, conditions have beea aln equally trying, as the decrease in purchasing power of their money olt reduced them to a condition of act want. Sometimes they entered the ser of their governments without hope of | On the other hand, the wages of ski! laborers generally have kept pace w the increasing cost of necessities and farmers, except in times of famine, h been able to provide for their own wat “V tel Wrangel w! Inanothe:

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PAST AND PRESENT VALUES CONTRASTED IN EUROPE — ——- — — | | When Money Figures are Considered, Buying a Bottle of Beer in Germany Is Equal to the Purchase of a Pre-War Truckload } wi Today’s Pitcher of Milk Bought h Three Head of Cattle Before e | Did Cheap Money Came Save | tl In n oft act Prior to the Decline of Currency in Europe, the Cheap Rye Loaf Was Peasants’ Fare. Its Present Price w have Bought an Automobile in Those Days

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SSO) POPULAR MECHANICS FISHES SWIM IN GLASS TUBE JOINING BOWLS a novelty in aquariums, a middle- has joined two fish bowls As western inventor with a two-inch glass tube shaped like the letter ‘‘l Fish swim from one jar to the others through this tube which is filled with wa- ter before the bowls are con- nected As many bowls as desired may be joined in this way For his home the in has con nected ten, makin unique display Moss and othe: plants placed in he jars make le setting re alistic. On the bottoms are lel r tur and fre \round t 1 nd up throug! vento! fond panied 3owls That are Connected by JUNK HEA? FOR OLD “DOLPHIN” MAKER OF NAVAL HISTORY Sold tor junk, historic thie “Dolphin,” present United States Navy ship of the famed White Squadron, has passed into oblivion after pioneer of the and once the first a long and proud career.under the Stars and Stripes. The launching of the “Dol- phin,” more than 30 years ago, marked the beginning of the growth of American sea Built as a “steam cruising vessel” and fitted with American armor plate in- stead of the European product that had been used exclusively prior to that time, the craft was greeted by a storm of ridi cule that found an echo even in Europe Admiral Meade, then a commander, termed it “a marine crazy quilt, with not enough strength to attack an enemy, and pow er Rear not enough speed to run from one.” The government at first rejected it, but later relented and consented to a trial Commander Meade was ordered to He headed into the “Atlantic Port trip trv it Swim High above Level of Water in Jars the tubes the fish swim, their bright colo: creating pleasing contrasts \ person hand thrust into a bow] forces the wa ter to move through the tubes. Some oi the goldfis| have learned t remain motion less when thi is done an seem to enjoy the ride as they 1S are carried along in the current. Meta clamps resting on the jar top support the tubes. For re filling, a rubber cap 1s put one end of thi tube and water is poured int the other end \\ hen full, bi t ends are closed the tube is set in the bo w | and the c taken off a 1) Glass Tube through Which Fish of Storms” and waited for a hurricane It came, and the old “Dolphin,” althoug! it rolled, tossed, and stood on it be ends, came through with colors flvi At the outbreak of the Spanish-Ameri War, it was ordered into active Service and throughout the hostilities performe duty along the Cuban coa trouble with Mexico thre ened in 1913, it was sent to Vera Cru and then to Tampico, where it becat a center of storm when party of sailors were arrested by Mexican author blockade When a ties. Almost the oldest ship in the nav the coming of the World War saw again in active duty, overhauling and e amining outward-bound and steamers. In 1916, it performed its conspicuous service, carrying Secreta of Navy Daniels and his party when the ncomil reviewed the Atlantic fleet. After 37 yea of continuous service, the “Dolphi was put out of commission in 1921 later it was sold, and now has been towe to its last harbor—the junk heap.

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POPULAR SIR WALTER RALEIGH’S FIRST PIPE SHOWN IN LONDON Sir Walter ee ae ich he is Raleigh’s first pipe with believed to have introduced smoking in England, has recently pacco Sir Walter Raleigh’s First Pipe, Now on Exhibition in a London Cigar Store been found in London. Made by Ameri- can Indians, and decorated with carved heads of people and animals, it is said that he smoked it on the eve of his execu- tion. In the three centuries that have elapsed since, the spread of the habit has covered the civilized world. In _ the United States, a million and a half acres of land are given over yearly to cultiva- tion of many varieties of the plant, pro- ducing a crop which occupies a leading place in the country’s agricultural output Government reports show the annual to yield to be far above a billion pounds, with a value of over $250,000,000 While the industry gives employment to more than 158,000 people in this country, the manufacture of pipes and smokers’ articles requires many thousands of work- ers to supply the demand for them that exists wherever tobacco is used. bacco @ For the dog living in an apartment, costly baskets are being made in color designs to match the decorations. These sleeping cribs are furnished with mat- + tresses and covers. MECHANICS 581 TRACE OF LOST RACE IS FOUND ON ISLANDS OF PACIFIC What may be re nants of a ci that existed 2,000 or more vears ago have been found by explorers on the smal) islands of Necker Hawaiian group now set apart reservation. For centuries past, it is be vilization lieved that those _ isolated pots have sheltered the secrets of once powerful colonies that may have flourished hun dreds of years ago, prior to the Poly- nesian migration which resulted in the settlement of the Hawaiian chain. In the parts of temples, houses, and traces of system of agriculture, which have resisted the fury of the elements for an unknown period, the experts believe may be found the solution to the mystery ounding the origin and travels of the ancient Poly nesian tribes. The scientists brought back with them bowls hewed from solid rock, a headless idol, and ot relic and told of ruins they regard as evi- dence that the two islands were the homes of~peoples skilled in navigatio thousands of years ago ICE MACHINE SMALL ENOUGH TO CARRY IN HANDS So small that it mav be carried easily. an ice-making machine that is operated 7 by an electric motor has been Germany. Frigid air is produced by the alternate evaporation and condensation ~} 1 of a chemical contained in the of the Since all the s tightly calked, there pra device tically 1 no oO ot the Ice-Making Machine Easily Carried, That Makes Own Ice and Freezes Cream are pans that may be filled re water or ice-cream mixtures Within a short time the contents are turned into ice or ice cream

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582 POPULAR CAKE IS MIXED BY MOTOR QUICKER THAN BY HAND To make mixing a cake easy, an attach- ment has been invented to be run by a motor, household electric such as are Attachment for Small Electric Motor That Replaces Hands in Mixing Cake Dough used to operate sewing machines. The device stirs the dough just as thoroughly as if done by hand, and in a fraction of the time. Quickly adjusted, it may be set up on the bread board, kitchen table, or cabinet within any bowl deep enough to hold the ingredients. ELECTRIC CELL RIVALS EYE’S SENSITIVENESS TO LIGHT So sensitive that rays from the flame of a match held 4 feet away will affect it, an electric cell, undergoing a_ series of tests by eastern experts, can be op- erated by having beams of light thrown upon it. In appearance, it resembles an ordinary electric-light bulb, except that its inner surface is coated with a silver- colored chemical that offers less resist ance to the flow of electricity as the amount of light showing upon it is in- creased. When light rays strike this deli cate substance, they cause the cell to open an electric circuit that carries cur- rent to four large lamps. With the aid of this cell it is believed that daylight and darkness can be used to do the work of men in starting and stopping machin- ery, operating powerful beacon lights in lighthouses, and for setting off alarms. It could be made to turn street-lighting systems on and off, and control the flow of water in reservoirs. Weather experts would be helped in recording the number MECHANICS and length of sunny days, or cloudy periods for different places, while the cell could be made to show the presence of storm clouds in the skies between distant points for the purpose of timing their speeds of travel. FORTY-MILE RIVER DAMMED TO PREVENT FLOODS After seven years of building, a dam that stops a 40-mile river in South Africa was recently completed. A barrage type was chosen to prevent collecting of mud and earth in the reservoir and to avoid flooding of private property on the river banks. In the average year enough dirt is carried down this river to cover 720 acres a depth of 6 inches. Passing through tanks and filters and _ being treated with chemicals clears the water Thirty-six sluice gates control the huge barrage, 1,400 feet long. When full, the depth of the water will be 25 feet. At the formal opening a British prince officiated VANISHING CHAIR FOR BABIES FOLDS UNDERNEATH TABLE Folding up and sliding on a rod be- neath the table top when not in use, a baby chair has been designed to meet the needs of small rooms and apartment At mealtime it can be drawn out from its place and opened up for the occupant unnecessary. It making an extra chair Folding Chair for Small Children That Disappears beneath Table Top When Not Needed can be attached to any dining table with- out taking up space usually occupied bv larger persons on ordinary chairs

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El eS POPULAR MATCHES USED FOR MONEY WHERE COPPER IS RARE Where copper coins are scarce in some parts of Manchuria, matches and postage tamps are used for small purchases. In one city, a bank has granted loans of S200 to $500 worth of coppers to each of 50) small shops. They are worth about 160 to the American dollar. GRAFTING COTTON TO TREE MAKES CROPS RICHER Grafting a single cotton plant to the root of a mulberry tree has produced 900 bolls, or pods, where formerly 40 was good crop. The process, an invention of a southern plant breeder, is being idely watched because of the possibili- ties it offers in reducing the cost of cot- ton. Some of these grafted plants are nearly 8 feet tall and have well-developed bers, called staples. The production Inventor Examining Cotton Plant That was Grafted to Mulberry-Tree Root, Increasing Production rate is greatly increased, three mother plants giving about 60 pounds of seed cotton, or four bales per acre. FLAME THROWER TO FIGHT GRASSHOPPERS IN WEST To combat plagues of grasshoppers, a flame thrower has been devised in the West. By means of an air compressor, gasoline and air are projected through a long rubber hose, lighted at the nozzle and the blaze sprayed over the ground, killing the grasshoppers instantly. The insects usually travel in ranks with a front from 100 yards to one quarter of a mile and with a depth of perhaps 50 to 100 feet. When bunched in that manner, the instrument has been found effective MECHANICS Ds KITCHEN IS RUN FOR GERMS BY GOVERNMENT EXPERTS In a kitchen where test tubes, flasks funnels, and jars replace pots and pans where stoves are single-flame gas burners R CLINEOINST ST WASHINGTON, C Preparing Food for Large Family of Germs Used in Study of Plant Diseases where the cookbook is a scientific jour nal, government experts prepare food for millions of germs used in research worl to determine the causes of plant disease For this large family, the most precise care must be taken by the chefs, as each group of the germs demands a different dish, specially treated. While the kitche: contains some foodstuffs that do not dit fer greatly from those cooked by the housewife, it resembles more the work shop of a chemist, with its rows of smal glass containers and instruments. lubes of cornmeal mixture correspond to the potatoes and other vegetables Every day almost 6 pounds of beef ar: turned into an extract by a most intricate process to please the taste of the germs Instead of by the spoon, the food is meas ured by drops, and every step taken is carefully recorded for future reference Even dishwashing is a task that de mands very careful attention Empt tubes are first immersed in acid to cut away the particles of food that may cling to the sides, then comes an alcohol bat! a rinsing in distilled water, and finally baking for an hour and a half in an ove heated to 150 degrees centigrade, nearl\ 240 degrees Fahrenheit. More than 40,000 test tubes are in constant use @It takes 61 days’ work a year to pa the taxes of every producer in the United States, it is estimated. In 1921 taxes consumed 16.7 of all value pr 1 duced in this country

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POPULAR MECHANICS Accustomed to the Movements of Their Human Protector, Buck and Doe Await Daily Portions of. Fodder Born on the Island, Fawns Grow Up to Regard It as Their Haven of Peace and Plenty Board Tables Laden with Bowis of Feed are Frequently Visited by Arrivals from the Mainland PHOTOS COPYRIGHT, FRANC

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POPULAR MECHANICS 8+) WILD DEER FRIENDS OF EXILE ON LONELY ISLAND IVING alone on a tiny island on the i British Columbia coast, a wilderness weller, fond of animals, has succeeded in inning the friendship of a herd of wild | In doing this, he first laid out corn- talks on the paths near his house. (;radually one deer came to accept him a friend. In a few weeks’ time this nimal brought another. By the end ot vear the two had persuaded five more t here at least was one of the man- eings who could be trusted The seven on got quite tame and would come up » the man. Neat the little island is a larger one, hich, in turn, is close to the mainland hat animals can communicate with each other is evident, for by the middle of the econd year the number of the deer on he island had increased to thirty. The only explanation of this is that the first o make friends must have passed on the ord to other wild ones. Finally, the man decided to build a INDIANS, BEASTS OF BURDEN, CHEAPER THAN TRUCKS Because labor is so cheap, Indians in Bolivia, South America, are beasts of bur- den, trudging along with huge loads at less cost than motor trucks few cars even in the capital, where tiny burros and queer-looking llam with packs pass up and down tne streets, guided by natives, also heavily laden. In this city, founded almost 400 years ago by Spaniards, labor-saving ideas are al- most unknown. In digging for a store in the capital, recently, Indian men and women carried away all the dirt in small baskets on their backs. There are HOTTEST FLAME KNOWN TO AID IN STUDY OF PLANETS What is declared to be the hottest flame known to man has been produced by arti- ficial means in experiments held to study the form of atoms. An electric blast, lasting for only a small part of a second, occurring on a charged wire, seemed to explode, creating heat so intense that it could not be measured, although esti- mates put it at 30,000 to 80,000 degrees. Pictures taken as the explosions occur are expected to aid astronomers in solv ing the causes for different kinds of light hrown off by many of the thy | lanets piane " table with bowls for his visitors The deer kept increasing, however, in ‘stich numbers that he had to build several others, and thus came into existence tl} first and only “wild-deer the world. Today, six restaurant” in years after beginning the experiment, there are hundreds of deer upon his island. They come and go they please, as they have the whole oj British Columbia i deer now ary, and here the in great numbers Some of the the food at the tables alone, come to tl] house and knock on the door with thei heads and horns, or rattle the door knob with their teeth, in this way begging for extra delicacies. In the springtime the front yard is an interesting sight, for nearly always thers are a number of deer hanging a few on tl] to roam in But the recognize the place as a sanctu little fawns are born deer, not satisfied with around, o1 lawns playing about, or leepi 1e doorstep TOY SHOWS REAL MOVIE FILM WITHOUT USE OF SCREEN Cut-outs and _ strips from movie films appear lifelike through a toy standare when viewed invented \t one recently Tube through Which Cut- Outs of Movie Fi'm nm Av>ear T felike | without Use of j S« ] a ) end of a tin tube is a thin piece ot for a lens. At the other end is a pl across which the movie film passe Motion is by hand and the scenes are inserted one at a time so that, althoug the films are duplicates of those thro on the screen, the figures shown do ove. A large variety of cut-outs 1 ith each eyepiece rhev are taken once shown 1n the movies

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5 S6 POPULAR PLANE IS PROPELLED BY FEET IN SEVEN-YARD FLIGHT Propelling an airplane with his feet, an field re- yards. He inventor at a middle-western cently flew almost 7 rose 3 Seven-Winged Airplane That Made Seven-Yard Flight Propelled Only by Foot Power inches from the ground. The flight was said to be the first of any craft moved by foot power. The plane, which is con- structed of light materials, was not made for sky trips, but merely to prove that it is possible to fly by pedal power alone, the engineer said. SUGAR ALCOHOL RUNS ENGINES ON HAWAIIAN PLANTATIONS Molasses, a waste by-product of the sugar industry in Hawaii, sometimes used as fertilizer and stock feed, is being turned into alcohol to run machinery, automobiles, and tractors on Hawatian plantations. As a fuel for heating pur- poses, it is said to leave no sooty deposit, burning with a clear flame, and easily affected by water in case of accidental fire. Most of this sugar alcohol is pro- duced by the plantations in their own distilleries, one of which furnishes enough to run its 32 trucks, 20 passenger cars, and two tractors, aside from supplying the kitchen stoves of hundreds of field laborers. Sugar being the chief crop, gasoline shortage holds no terrors for automobile owners on the islands, as they are not only able to supply all local needs for fuel alcohol, but can make a surplus for exporting. Ether can also be manu- factured from the molasses. MECHANICS VEST-POCKET PHONOGRAPH IS BUILT LIKE WATCH No larger than an ordinary watch, a gramophone has been invented by a Hun- garian engineer that is said to be capable of producing jazz, waltzes, and one-steps. The instrument is wound like a timepiece and fits conveniently in a _ waistcoat pocket. An inside compartment holds 10 pl: tes that may be played on both sides In England a midget machine that is only 6 inches high and weighs 4 pound is being marketed. It has a collapsible horn, takes full-size records, and folds to- gether like a camera. SCORER FOR CARD GAME AIDS IN AVOIDING MISTAKES With a device for scoring card games that recently has been invented, there is less chance of making an error in figuring the standing of the players. Made to rest upon the table, the progress of the game can be determined from it at a glance. Although especially intended for auction bridge, it may be used for registering points in other games. Two lines cross- ing the board at right angles divide it into “we” and “they” sides, the part above Mechanical Card-Game Scorer Designed to Avoid Errors and to Add Interest to Game the horizontal line is fitted with two series of numerals on disks, ranging from 0 to 9, that count the honors. Below that line is a similar arrangement for tabulating tricks, with markers to show the first and second, or rubber, games. AUTO FOR EVERY NINE PERSONS Registration of trucks and automobiles as reported recently indicates that there are now more than 13,048,128 motor vehicles in the United States, an average of one machine for every 8.5 persons Between July 1, 1922, and July 1, 1923 there was a gain of 2,440,000, almost 23 per cent,

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POPULAR MECHANICS 587 LONGEST ROUTE IS CHEAPEST VIA PANAMA CANAL \lthough the longest way may not be he quickest, it has often proved the heapest since the building of the Panama anal. Recently a ‘vessel sailed 5,770 iles via the canal to deliver a_ ship- ent from one city in South America to nother only 650 miles away by air line. Jespite the length of the voyage, the harges were less than they would have een if the merchandise had been trans- rted directly overland, because of the 10st impassable jungles separating the o points. In another instance it was und less costly to ship lumber more in 8,000 miles by steamer through the ial than to send it to the same destina- 2,500 miles by railway. The trip m the west coast, through the canal, the east coast, and to a middle-west- rn city by rivers and lakes, took more in two months. It even has been und cheaper to send products 1,000 iles by rail to the east and thence by at through the canal to the west coast, total distance of approximately 7,000 iles, than to ship them 2,500 miles over- ind. MODEL SHIP IS CUT FROM LOG WITH A JACKKNIFE With a jackknife as his only tool, a iechanic has carved from a single log f cedar, a model of the United States’ Oriental liner, “President Grant.” AlI- though it is built on a small scale, every Putting Finishing Touches on Model Ship Whittled with Jackknife from Block of Wood detail down to the rows of portholes and ventilator shafts, is correctly repro- duced. It took thirteen months of whit- tling to complete the miniature. q@ Our Bureau of Information will answer all questions regarding articles appearing in this magazine. TRUE PIANO TONES BROADCAST BY IMPROVED MICROPHONE Radio transmission of exact qualities of piano music is said to have been made possible by means of a microphone re Piano Equipped with Lately Devised Microphone Designed to Correctly Transmit Its Varying Tones cently developed and now being used in one of the large wireless stations in the East. The device consists of a magnetic system with a coil. The magnet is firmly attached to the frame of the piano while the coil is fixed to the sounding board In this manner, the tones are correctly converted into electric waves COLD GREATER THAN ARCTIC’S TURNS OUT HELIUM GAS Cold, many times lower than any temperature found existing naturally on the face of the earth, is used in making helium for the government’s balloons and dirigibles. By a secret process, natural gas subjected to tremendous pressure turns to liquid at 317 degrees below zero and the helium is drawn off. To change nitrogen gas into a solid would require a temperature of 353 degrees below zero A piece of raw meat subjected to such freezing would shatter to bits, if dropped on a hard floor, while a pencil would burst into splinters QUICK-CHANGE SCREW DRIVE HAS BLADES IN HANDLE For use in the shop or home, a scre driver is being made that has three diffe: ent blades in its handle. Any one desired may be set in working position when the tool is tipped up \ turn of the handle locks it in place. By reversing the opera tion, the blades are retracted

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Left: Bed Folded-for Use With .Caxhping Qatfit; Center: Metal Frame on Which It Rolls Through Window; R Maw Testiig Strength of Chains Holding Bed ight: For outdoor sleepers, a screened bed that can-be suspended out of a window and held safely in position by heavy chains, has been invented. When not in use, it rolls back over a metal frame equipped with casters that permit it to be nSs POPULAR MECHANICS FOLDING BED PROJECTS OUT OF THE WINDOW moved with ease to any part of the roo In the house the bed can be used as a davenport, or it can be detached fror the frame, folded up, and carried wit! a camping outfit, short legs being pro vided to support it. AERIAL TORPEDO IS CALLED BLOODHOUND OF THE SKY Because it actually trails the sound of an airplane motor and explodes on reach- ing the craft, a torpedo recently in- vented is called “the bloodhound of the sky.” Shaped like those fired from vessels, it is driven by liquid air. The operator, locating the noise of an airplane’s engine by radio, launches the torpedo by pulling a trigger to release the turbine in the missile. With a roaring swish it takes to the air, pointing upward at first, and then turning straight toward the target. When the device strikes, an explosion of terrific force results. During a test one tuned to a motorcycle engine demolished the machine. MOUNTED “DUMMY BOY” KEEPS RAILWAY TRACKS CLEAR Flagmen, mounted on horses, still ride ahead of trains on Tenth Avenue in New York to warn ‘walkers and automobile drivers of the approach, of locomotives. When required, they halt a train at a crossing by stationing themselves in front of the engine. In these days of electric- signal systems and other similar inven- tions, people stop and look when a rider, known as a “dummy boy,” passes down the track. This yf signaling which was employed to announce the approach of the first steam train, passed out of general use about svstem 100 years ago. FOLDING JELLY-BAG STRAINER SAVES MANY STEPS that it will being marketed Fashioned from wire so fold, a jelly-bag strainer rests on any flat surface, and may be placed near the stove within easy reach of the cook. thus elimi- nating many steps. As all parts are access- ible, it can be quickly cleaned. The bag may be replaced when worn, making the device serv- iceable through several canning seasons While in use, the receptacle is kept from tipping by a wide base @ Before mummies came to be regarded as objects of value for museums, many were pulverized and turned into a brown paint

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vill ted ns on) las ere int. More than a Million Loaves for Every One that Grandmother Used to Make How Science of Baking Bread Has Progressed Since Days of the Log Cabin, Lifting Burden of Toil from Women ROM the log cabin, with ts great, open replace, to the 1odern steam- eated, electri- ily lighted irtment seems long journey, ut it was made much less than N) years. Until 15 years ro, bread Was iked by hand na way that il been passed lown from pre- istoric days in Imost un- hanged form. \t that time, vith few excep- tions, none of L—_— forced to walk miles through snowdrifts to the nearest neighbor for live coals to re- kindle a fire that had gone out during the night Matches, of course, were un known, and steel and flint were rare. Unce lighted, the fire on the hearth was constantly watched, as it oiten spelled tragedy for the settlers when al- lowed to die out Such a thing as an 8-hour day the machines ow used in the baking industry had een invented. hat is why bakers themselves like to all their industry “The newest-born babe i Mrs. Machinery.” In one middle-west- ern city alone, they make approximately 1,000,000 pounds of bread and rolls weekly, upplying more than 60 per cent of the total amount consumed. For every loaf that mother used to make, great machines now turn out a million, and, according to food experts, the product is more uniform and better n every way. When thin lines of pioneers from the New England states first turned their ‘reaking, ox-drawn wagons toward the forests that covered all of the territory west of the Appalachian Mountains, bread-making was an art involving al- most endless toil. All of the cooking for the families, vhich usually were large, was done over ypen fireplaces, servants were unknown, ind the housewife not only prepared the food, but carded the wool and wove all of the clothes used in her household. The usual workday began with dawn and ended with darkness, which found the fire banked and all of the household in bed. Pioneers still living tell of having been was unknown for anyone, the men toiling as long as there was light, while the women molded candles and musket balls for hunting, and worked in their gardens, after their other tasks were finished Meat was cooked on spits turned be fore the open fire, and vegetables stewed in pots swung over it. Bread was baked in pans placed in the glowing coals or in ovens built into the sides of the fireplaces, and flour was usually ground from wheat on crude hand mills, as it was needed Today large wholesale baking plants supply entire cities, their forces ot white capped workmen beginning in the early evening and working through the night so that their product can be delivered fresh for the breakfast tables bv fleet of motor trucks. In the development of great bakeries some of which do the work formerly pet formed by 200,000 women in the homes, research laboratories have been estab lished to reveal the secrets of transforma tion in the baking process. Here chem ists grow colonies of yeast germs and seek cures for all the troubles to which flour and bread are prey Machines used in the industry do away with handwork almost: entirely They mix the dough automatically, send it

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MAKING BREAD FOR MILLIONS AS CITY SLEEPS Finished Loaves Coming Down from Ovens on Automatic Con- veyors to be Stored in Steel Racks for Cooling before They are Wrapped TE | Dough Di- vider and R ounder Which Cuts the Mass i into Chunks i and Shapes | them: Scales Test the Accu- racy of the Machine | One Section of the Baking Room Which is ‘Equipped : ————— with Long Rows of White-Tiled Ovens SS — rial a : —— 590

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WOMAN’S WORKSHOP OF YESTERDAY AND OF TODAY J

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592 Ue POPULAR spinning along through loaf cutters, rounders, and proofers, and carry it through traveling ovens where the loaves ride until thoroughly baked, and when cooled are shunted through automatic wrappers to the delivery baskeis. A trip through a large bakery is a revelation of modern, scientific methods of cleanliness, wholesomeness, and quality in food products. Large machines may be seen that operate with so little out- side direction, and with such precision and thoroughness, that they seem almost human. An automatic flour elevator delivers the flour in its original sacks to a room at the top of the building, where it is MECHANICS blended and mixed. It then goes to thx bolting reels and is sifted through large revolving screens of the finest silk mesh. | In the m «ing room, compressed air drives the flour dust out of every crevice before the next dough enters the mixer. Each piece of machinery is kept absolutely clean. Even the air is washed by being passed through sprays of water be- fore entering the mix- ing room, SAFETY GAUGE GIVES WARNING OF WEAKENED BRIDGES Bridges of the future may be supplied with recently invented strain detectors as permanent equipment, to guard against excessive stresses and danger of collapse. Strain Gauge for Detecting Weak Braces, Clamped in Position on Girder for Airship On metal rods, braces, and beams regu- larly exposed to heavy loads, the re- corder will give warning of weakened parts in time for inspection and repair Clamped on the strains by accidents. device to prevent girders, the records means of two sets of carbon blocks whos« resistance to electricity is raised and low ered by pressure. If the strain is in on direction, pressure on one set of block is increased, and if the pull is reversed it affects the other set, causing corre sponding variations in dial readings. MAN AN ELECTRIC MACHINE, IS THEORY OF DOCTOR Likening the brain and liver to pos! tive and negative poles of an electric bat tery, a scientist recently advanced the theory that the human body is a machine without a soul, driven by electricity and controlled by the strong emotions, which act as levers. Nerves are regarded as connecting wires. The supporter of the idea asserts there is much evidence to show that men and animals are con structed of component cells, each 0! which is an important “electrochemical! part. Sleep is explained by this theory as the period when the voltage used in driving the battery is being restored. @So keen are the organs of smell in a vulture and a carrion crow that they can scent their food for 40 miles.

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i i ee 4 1 vacuum clip has been vides a neat and clean way of holding posters, POPULAR MECHANICS 593 WOLVERINES IN FINAL STAND IN WILDS OF SIERRAS Driven from other parts of the country, iny wolverines inhabiting t e wilds of e Sierras, whose appetites cause them eat porcupines, are being killed off by e quills of their victims. These strong, eavy beasts often follow the lines of fur- ippers, eating and _ destroying the itches WOOD IS TURNED INTO MILK THROUGH CATTLE FODDER Old paper, cardboard, and sawdust are ng made to yield milk and beefsteak Ikurope as a result of a discovery of scientist by which those articles are irned into a_ substitute for fodder reated with chemicals, a quantity of iper is passed through a machine and merges as varicolored flakes or strings esembling macaroni. This, mixed with he usual foodstuff, not only supplements but the cattle like it, and, seemingly, rive on it. Reports state that the milk improved both in quality and quan- ty Thousands of tons of sawdust are urned into animal fodder also. VACUUM CLIP FOR WINDOWS HOLDS DISPLAY CARDS As a stickers, a made that pro- substitute for gum announcements, advertisements, ind price tags on store windows or show- ases. By moistening the face of the rubber cup and pressing it firmly against any smooth, non-por- ous substance, it will cling so tight- ly that it will sup- port a weight of 10 pounds. Insert- ing the finger nail under the cup re- leases it. Thus it is possible to dis- play cards or posters on sur- faces where it would be impos sible to drive tacks, or where glue would leave an unsightly mark. It also may be used in suspending glass shelves for ex- hibiting jewelry or novelties. In the home it is handy for holding curtains, ice cards, ind rent and “for sale” signs. glass or RUBBER vacyvum cur GRASSHOPPER TRAP IS HAULED OVER FIELDS BY MULE To rid his farm of plant-destroying grasshoppers, a man in the middle West has designed a moving trap. On either Moving Trap with Pitch-Covered Wings that Catch Grasshoppers as They Jump from Its Path side of a frame, |} which e placed wings, he paints with a thick coat of soft pitch A mule hauls the fields, disturbing the insects which jump into the air, and are caught as they strike the sticky substance. The wings are scraped off, when they become covered with the pests, and more tar put on device over the EGG IS CUT INTO NINE PIECES WITH STROKE OF SLICER With one stroke, a slicer, recently pat ented, cuts a hard-boiled egg into nine thin lavers for sal ads, sandwiches and other uses, by drawing fine wires through it. To protect the deli cate wires from damage they may be lowered be neath the frame when the device is not in use Another similar d « Vit € being manufactured for the cutting of bread into thin slices @ To encourage the adoption ot thre 1 American national game, the government printing office of the state of Yucatan Mexico, has translated baseball rules int: Spanish.

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POPULAR GIANT FIRE ENGINE FEEDS MANY MECHANICS PIPE LINES Right, Fire Engine That Feeds Twenty-four Lines of Hose With a powerful en- gine that feeds 24 lines of hose, a giant fire truck has been tried in France. Congest- ing of streets with fire- fighting apparatus will not be necessary when this monster is used. wo intake pipes con- nected at the bottom of the engine supply Above, Making Flood Big Enough to Cover Ordinary Building hose, lined up on river bank, created curtain of water 100 feet long and almo as wide. By using e» tending intake lines the truck can be sta tioned far from the water plug and de velop pressure enoug! to cover an ordinary sized building with hose attached at the front and back of the truck. Ina recent test, 24 men with fire ANCIENT, FIRE-SWEPT CITY FOUND IN RIVER BED Charred remains of a beautiful Indian city, believed to have been destroyed by the fire of enemies long before the advent of the white man in America, were dis- covered recently in a river bed in the South. Temples and terraced hills bore mute testimony to the splendor of a long- forgotten people. Charred woven reed tapestry was found under an overturned wall. In the center of the city, the orig- inal summit of a great hill had been cut away to form a level plaza 1,000 feet in length and 500 feet in width. Around the flood of water. The machine’s heavy base extension ladder. Supports an edge of mounds clay. this space were built small and earth lodges of sun-baked It is believed that several thousand persons once lived in this forgotten cit BEETLE’S GLOW LIGHTS ROOM In the wilds of Costa Rica, large beetl have been found recently that emit ai almost continuous light so brilliant that one or two of them, imprisoned in a glass will illuminate a large room sufficiently to make print readable. Although the color of the glow is mostly yellow, it differs with individuals, some castins green or ruby shades,

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t= — +c} he s¢ POPULAR MECHANICS 595 ALL WOMEN ARE BARRED OUT OF MONASTIC REPUBLIC It is unlawful for a woman to set foot on Athos peninsula, in Greece, where monks of the Greek church live. Eggs, milk, and other farm products, are brought from across the border for the 20 walled-in monasteries built on the steep slopes of Mt. Athos. Outside the inclosures are olive groves, fruit or- chards. and vineyards, worked by the monks and lay brothers, who maintain a republican form of government. TEN-THOUSAND-YEAR-OLD BONE HARPOONS ARE FOUND Belonging to the time of prehistoric man, two bone harpoons, one four and a half inches long and the other 10 inches, have been dug from a peat bed in York- shire, England. The peculiar markings on the weapons show them to be the work of Maglemose men, people sup- posed to have lived 10,000 to 20,000 years ago in a place in Denmark called Magle- mose, where many relics of the ancients have been discovered. HOUSEHOLD REMINDER KEEPS TAB ON SUPPLIES When groceries should be ordered, red ——————,:,:—__; (rows are pointed at the required items named on a household re- minder recently patented. On a metal frame that hangsinthe kitchen are listed 52 kinds of sup- plies, from al- monds to wax. Beside each name is a white arrow. When things are needed, the proper arrow is turned over so that the red side appears — ; as a warning. Thus the busy woman is saved time in preparing her marketing list. @ Flood lights that flash out part of the name of the landing field in the tele- graphic code are being used at an east- ern air station to guide airplane and dirigible pilots at night. COLOR MUSIC RIVALS HUES OF SUNSET OR RAINBOW Color music, or the production of con- stantly changing hues like the shades of a rainbow, is the feature of an invention of an Australian. Organ or piano keys Piano Equipped with Device That Flashes Brilliant Colors on Screen When Played are connected by electric wires with series of incandescent lights that are illu minated when the instrument is played 3ass notes control darker tints than those produced by the treble notes. Pneumati control is used for varying the intensity of the lighting in accordance with the force or lightness with which the keys are depressed. The globes are inclosed in reflectors, in front of which are placed screens of varying hues. To produce pleasing shades, there are interposed palms, flowers, rocks, and figures betwee: the lamps arfd a white screen. Alte nately, the bulbs may be made to pro ject their rays on a semiopaque glass. FOLDING HANGER FOR CLOTHES KEEPS SUITS IN ORDER Designed to comserve space in a crowded wardrobe and to store garment in an orderly fashion, a clothes hange that may easily be installed in a wardrobe or closet has been patented recently in England. The device attaches vertically to the wall or door of the receptacle and holds suits, coats, and dresses flat and free from creases. To put clothing away, an arm with notches, each receiving an outfit’s individual hanger, may be swung outward and then returned to its normal position and locked in place.

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596 POPULAR MECHANICS In Shaping the Core to Form the Inside of the Bell, the Curved Board is Drawn overa plied the Be Grease is Ap- | Plaster Cast of That the Clay LMolds can ™ be Easily Removed Layer of When Soft Hard- Clay ened to the ll, So ———— SSS Above: Placing Orna- menta! Designs of Wax on the Surface of the Plaster Cast. Below: Casting Pit Where a Dozen Large Bells are Made at the Same Time

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POPULAR MECHANICS ~oQrw 597 Ancient Art of Bell Making Records the Progress of Mankind INCE the first dawn of civilization all of the terror, sorrow, and joy of man- kind have been voiced through the brazen throats of bells. For more than 1,500 years they have heralded the crash of falling empires, the birth of new nations, wars, revolutions, catastrophes. Sometimes clamoring in wild alarms and then again pealing out messages of good will, their notes have marked every page in history. Evolved slowly through the ages from the great gongs used to call together’ members of a tribe, bells have been made of many metals and their construction has taxed the skill of artisans for count- less generations. They also have in- fluenced architecture, lofty towers and steeples being built to house them as they increased in size. Like many other things which have - come down through long years of change, bells have been made in many shapes. Long, narrow ones, square and low, preceded the gracefully curved, trumpet-mouthed type designed about the 16th century, many of which still ex- ist to charm the ear with their soft, sweet tones, carried from afar. Some of the earliest bell makers trav- eled about, setting up their foundries and casting bells wherever they were desired. Later, as the size increased and the means of transportation were improved, central manufacturing plants were estab lished where large molds could be built In making a bell, it is first drawn on paper. Then two wooden legs are made, the underside of one curving to the shape of the bell’s inner shape, while the other leg conforms to its outside surface These legs are pivoted to the top of a stake driven into the ground, around which is built a brick cone. This is cov- ered with soft clay and the first leg run around it, shaping it to the inside of the bell. Grease is smeared over the form, an- other coat ay added, and the second leg drawn over it, forming a complete plaster cast of the bell. This greased and the entire mass covered with another layer of clay. When this is dry it is lifted off and the inner shell removed After the cover is replaced, the melted metal is poured into the mold to form the bell. First used singly, bells of many sizes were combined later in groups to produce various effects, from the faint, musical tinkle of the clock to the deep-toned, cathedral chime As years passed, the number was in- creased so that the playing upon them of complicated musical compositions be- came possible. A variety of tones was made possible by changing the composi- tion of the metal of which they were cast of cl also is

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598 POPULAR In the early days the chimes were played by hand, the bell-ringer swinging the tongues by means of long ropes. Then the ropes were attached to a series MECHANICS of pedals for the operators’ convenience. Now, however, the bells are played by an electrical device giving the greatest possible range of tone effects. STEAM OF NATURE’S BOILER HARNESSED FOR POWER In a quest for cheaper power, engi- neers have long been engaged in attempts to shackle the earth’s internal’ energy. Experiments are being conducted in a region called the “hot belt” of northern California and Nevada, to learn the pos- sibility of harnessing the steam that is there gencrated. By drilling into the ground a pressure of from 30 to 70 pounds has been received at the surface. Already one engine is using underground power and experts expect to pipe this low-cost energy over a large radius. Electrification of railroads in that terri- tory and extraction of carbonic gas from the steam for preserving shipments of fruit are regarded as future steps. Since 1904, northern Italy has been supplied with electricity produced by engines driven by such underground steam power SMUTLESS WHEAT NOW GROWN TO INCREASE YIELD After ten years of experimenting, scien- tists in a western college have found a way to grow smutless wheat. Tests on an acre of grain showed less than one- tenth of 1 per cent of smut. Farmers who visited the field declare it will pro- vide 40 bushels to the acre. The dis- covery, it is believed, will result in a larger production and less loss by dam- age to threshing machines. By various processes, the scientists destroyed the tex- ture from which smut grows. WRINGER FEEDER CUTS RISK OF CRUSHED FINGERS To remove the risk of crushing fingers in a clothes wringer, a handle with rounded ends for placing material be- i How Clothes are Placed in Wringer, and, Below, Handle That Lifts Pieces to Rollers tween the rollers has been invented. It is unnecessary to have the hands near moving parts of the machine when this feeder is used.

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POPULAR MILLION WASPS ARE FREED TO WAR ON CROP PESTS One million wasps, the size of pin- heads, have been imported by the govern- ment and are now distributed in the East to destroy the corn borer. The wasps vill save millions of dollars in crops for the farmer, if they serve as well as they ive in Europe. Whether they can flourish in this climate has not been de- termined. The borer, resembling a cater- pillar, attacks corn, beets, celery, beans, rhubarb, potatoes, buckwheat, clover, and many other products. By laying eggs on it, the female wasp kills the borer U. S. DYE INDUSTRY’S GROWTH BREAKS ALL RECORDS Since 1914 the dye industry in the United States has increased its produc- tion almost ten times. Now American dyes supply 93.5 per cent of the color used in this country for cloth, paper, leather, hats, inks, polish, food, and many other things. The number of makers has increased from seven in 1914 to 87. The amount made in this country in 1914 was more than 6,000,000 pounds. Last year it was 64,032,187 pounds. Dye experts on a research staff of chemists are constantly engaged in bringing out new colors and new processes. FOLDING CHAIR FOR BABY SAVES NURSERY SPACE Space in a crowded home is conserved by a baby chair that is made to be folded up and placed out of the way when not entertainment of the in use. For the When Not Needed This Baby Chair May Be Folded Up and Put Away child, a row of colored beads is fastened to a rack that locks it in the seat. MECHANICS 599 GRIM FIGURE OF UNDERTAKER IS WARNING TO CARELESS To warn pedestrians of the danger of crossing a street against traffic, has tried the experi- ment of erecting queer signs, fashioned after the figure of a giant man. These are put on corners where fa talities or juries have occurred. The striking Detroit serious in- hgures, MAN SAVED || '" almost ten feet high, ye hold in their hands a cet ars wieaw 99 Ame CAR card that calls atten tion to an accident that has happened at the locations where they are placed. Black crepe cloth is fastened to their hats and swings in every pas sing breeze as a grim reminder to “jay- walkers.” It is saic that very good re- sults have been obtained by their use, as the quaint figures never fail to attract the eves of the passers-by INDOOR GOLF COURSE OF FELT TEACHES HOW TO PUTT For entertainment as well as instruc- tion, a golf course for playing indoors has - been placed on the market It teaches beginners correct stance, grip, and putting stroke, and permits the acc inplished golfer to practice at home lhe hole similar to that of an outdoor putting green, while the “course” is of smooth felt, so that the ball will r direction. As there is a trap behind the cup, a natural may be used with- out danger. Grown-ups play with regular clubs, while children use lin the proper stroke smaller one OVER FOUR BILLION DOLLARS IN GOLD IN AMERICA Believed to be the largest gold the world has ever known in the United States, now, $4,025,000,000 worth of the yellow metal This is $300,000,000 more than the had a vedar ago mount Oj there is country @ Mine explosions are said to be pre vented and foul air purified by spraying the shafts with a liquid recently ered by an English miner. liscov

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600 POPULAR INVALID CHAIR FROM ROCKER PLACED ON WHEELS Any rocker can be made into an in- valid’s chair by placing it on a patented metal frame fitted with wheels ( hair iL : 2 =. _ |= 4 es Invalid heel

with a Chair by Clamping to Rocker Made into Metal Frame legs or rockers are firmly clamped to the base without marring the wood. Steer- ing is made possible by small wheels at the back, which turn at any angle. As it requires little space, it can be carried Casily CITY OF BURIED PAST REVIVED FOR VISIT OF KING \fter being buried for many centuries on the lower slopes of Mt. Vesuvius, Pompeii again has taken on the glory of its past. Water still plays through pipes 2,000 years old. Fish swim in the original marble bowls. Vines and shrubs decorate the pergolas, just as they did in the days when Julius Caesar landed in Britain and London forest. Fresh roots recently replaced the ancient ones For 12 years have been clear- ing débris covering one narrow the buried city. After digging inches at a time, they picked off the ashes and dirt by hand. When the slightest trace of a building appeared, they summoned experts who delicately removed material, strengthening’ the arches or pillars with cement, inch by inch. In one house the smoke of a lamp Was a scientists away street in a few MECHANICS is still seen and the roof is covered with the same tiles that sheltered the long dead owner. Advertisements, painted in red and white, election notices, and othet posters still remain on the walls. Every- thing has been restored, as nearly as pos- sible, to its original form in anticipation of a visit from the king of Italy. WOOD CARVING REVEALED AS DYING ART Flowers, goblets, and cups, vases, turned and carved in wood by hand, are fashioned with realistic effect by a Euro- a lost art be have largely Krom remotest age wood has His is almost machine methods replaced handwork. carving of been a most craft, believed to be of pean artist. cause f< Te- greater antiquity than working of ivory It reached its zenith in glories of the 15th- century cathedrals. To carve in wood is marble and and ailure to said to be even more difficult than sculpture, cracks with changes in is often injured by insects. Ff fashion the more delicate parts of a de sign with the vein may result in dam- aged work. Fragile petals and thin stems | because wood expands temperature

Wood Carving of Delicate Parts and Thin Stems That are Turned by European Master of a Dying Art arranged across the grain in reproducing a flower may break, owing to expansion of the wood fibers caused by moisture @Scientists are contemplating experi ments to determine whether seeds re moved from the tomb of King Tutank! amen, in Luxor, Egypt, still retain life after their long burial. Powerful elec- tric lights will be used in the tests.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 601 FIRE VICTIMS TO SLIDE THROUGH SILK TUBES Bee Eee i RR Tes 57; At Left: Start of Plunge Through Silk Tube from Window; Center: Right : Grip on the Net Cover; For saving the lives of persons trapped in burning buildings, a long, silk tube, inclosed in strong netting, has been de- signed. Attached to a window, the vic- tims may dive through it to safety. Fire- men in the street control speed of the falling body by holding taut or loosening the bag at the bottom of the net. In a Men at Bottom Controlling Speed by A Slide to Safety recent test, firemen leaped from a third- story window, and a young woman plunged head-first through a forty-foot tube. Invented by a middle-western man, it is made in various lengths to be fastened to any window in a building sev- eral stories high, after hooks have been placed in the frame. FOUNTAIN OF ETERNAL LIFE DESCRIBED IN LEGENDS Indian carvings signifying perpetual life, found on the rocks through which flow the hot springs of the Rio Grande Cafion, have caused much speculation re- cently as to whether the site is that de- scribed in legends of the extinct Aztec race which told of spouting waters that brought never-ending youth. Natives have named the place Wa-pu-me, mean- ing the Spring of Life, and for years have bathed there. Near by are ruins believed to be the remains of the ancient city of Mecitil, founded by Aztecs who marched northward from their former home and settled near springs reported to possess the power of preventing old age. His- tory records the efforts of the early Span- ish explorers to confirm these stories which resulted finally in the occupation of what is now New Mexico. @ Of all the states, Florida has the most water within its boundaries, totaling 4,440 square miles. METAL FRAME PROTECTS AUTO RADIATORS FROM DAMAGE To prevent damage to automobile radia- tors, a metal frame that may be attache to any car in a tev mo- ments, has been keted. Heavy bars Vi i¢ thev cannot interfere with radiation, re- ceive the heaviest part of anv shocks occurring in head on Cc ¢ lision. The device, constructed, is enameled with the color of the body id adds to its neat appearance. It requires no attention after once being placed in position. strongly respond

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§02 POPULAR: MECHANICS SPLIT STACK TIED TOGETHER WITH IRON BANDS Cracked by the expansion of acid vapors, a 50-foot chimney at an eastern powder plant recently was tied together with iron bands. The stack served to carry off waste gases from the chamber of an oil-heated furnace. Breaking of pans in which material used for the recovery of sulphuric acid is heated, allowed the gas to flow into the crevices of the bricks, and, because of its enormous spreading and lifting power, caused the. chimney to split into halves. A slight earth tremor completed the process, leaving the right half of the chimney separated from the left by a foot, and in such bad condition PHOTOS FROM HERCULES POWDER CO, Crack as It First Appeared; the Wider Gap Produced by a Slight Earth Tremor; and the Chimney after the Halves Were Drawn Together by Iron Bands that a heavy wind would have toppled it, probably resulting in damage to near- by apparatus. To quickly and econom- ically draw the parts together again, workmen placed metal bands at each cor- ner and welded them in place with iron rods. Starting at the bottom, they gradu ally drew the halves together again, the right swinging into position as_ bolts in the rods were slowly tightened, while the left remained stationary. The work was accomplished without accident, and the stack now is expected to last at least the life of its iron bands. BRACELETS FOR HORSES KEEP THEM SAFELY “HITCHED” As few of the larger cities still have the once familiar hitching racks for horses, teamsters and drivers must find “*Footcuffs’’ Placed on a Horse’s Feet to Keep Him from Running Away Leather other means to meet the need. One of the methods now employed to prevent a horse from wandering or running away, is to shackle him with “footcuffs,” o1 leather bracelets. With the device fitted snugly around his forefeet, the animal cannot move far without throwing him self. Fastened with a snap, it is quickly removed, and can be kept under the seat of the vehicle. LOCUSTS EATEN BY ISLANDERS Although they destroy crops, locusts are highly regarded as food by natives in the Philippine Islands. When the swarms fill the air, looking like snow- flakes, all sorts of nets are used to gather in the harvest. To prepare for a meal, they are put in a sack and soaked in hot water. Then they are cooked or fried, the legs and wings being pulled off. In one province recently, 1,500 sacks of the pests were caught during one swarm. Men, women, and children joined together in a small army to catch the insects.

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POPULAR MECHANICS These Articles Are for Everyday Use But— Can You Name Them? SS MAMAN SSS 603 UST to help you, the use for which the articles are intended is as follows: ~ No. 17, in the home. No. 18, in the home. No. 19, for man’s use. No. 20, in the country. No. 21, in the home or restaurant. No 22, in the wilds. No. 23, in the home or office. No. 24, in the home. No. 25, in the home. No. 26, for man’s or woman’s use. No. 27, on the farm. No. 28, anywhere. No. 29, in the home. No. 30, on the farm. No. 31, in a sport or business. No. 32, in the home or in a profession. Popular Mechanics Magazine offers no prizes for correct answers to these problems, but presents them for the interest it believes its readers will find in attempting to determine the nature of the various articles shown. If you think you have the right answers you can find out by comparing them with the correct list which will appear in Popular Mechanics Magazine for November. In September the following articles were shown. No. 1, dentist’s drill. No. 2, corncob curry-comb. No. 3, collapsible oven. No. 4, umbrella. No. 5, cigarette case. No. 6, book rest. No. 7, vacuum sweeper. No. 8, hook and eye. No. 9, hot-lid lifter. No. 10, necktie holder. No. 11, fly-swatter. No. 12, insect- proof cup for furniture. No. 13, spool holder to be attached to waist of seam- stress. No. 14, milk-bottle carrier. No. 15, safety-pin. No. 16, clothes wringer.

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604 POPULAR WATER TAKES PLACE OF ICE IN COOLER FOR FOOD For farmers and others who find it dif- ficult to obtain ice, a cooler is being made Iceless Cooler Installed in Deep Well to Keep Food Fresh at Little Cost that is suspended by a windlass in a well, or which may be placed in the house or cellar. When used indoors, the container is covered with woven burlap which is MECHANICS kept saturated by water from a pan at its top. Rapid evaporation of the mois- ture from the cloth draws the heat from the interior and reduces the temperature to a point sufficiently low to prevent food from spoiling. A _ single filling of the basin usually lasts 24 hours. Light in weight, it may be moved about easily When hung in a well, the evaporation system is not required. Suspended just above the top of the water, the pro- vision chamber may be easily raised or lowered. A ratchet holds it firmly at any desired point. Built of steel and cylin- drical in shape, both types are easily cleaned and sanitary. BEES KILL LIZARD AND TURN IT INTO A MUMMY Evidence that bees stung a lizard to death and then embalmed the body was found recently in the South, when small boys pulled the reptile from a _ hive. Scientists agreed that it* had wandered into the home of the bees about a year ago, squeezing under the opening, and was killed. There were signs that the bees had tried to cast out the intruder. When they failed, a thick coating of wax was applied to the body. This mummified it perfectly. TIDE MACHINE DOES WORK OF SIXTY EXPERTS Equipped with a machine, recently de- signed, government officials have been able to predict the heights of tides and the exact hours at which they will occur in all the harbors of the world during the year 1924. In order to prepare such a chart of infor- mation, it would require the services of at least 60 experts through a long period of figuring, with a less accurate result Predicting Time and Heights of Tides in the World’s Principal Ports Far in Advance of Their Occurrence, Is the Work of This Remarkable Piece of Machinery

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POPULAR POISON CUPS TO DRIVE AWAY EVIL SPIRITS IN KONGO When natives of the Kongo find one of their number acting queerly, he is thought to be filled with evil spirits, and a meeting of the tribe council is held, deciding that the demons must be driven from the victim’s body. To do this a poisonous root is boiled and the patient asked to drink it. If he refuses, he is charged with being a coward and claimed to be in the possession of devils. The natives placed in this position do not like to have their courage questioned, and swallow the liquid, which frequently re- sults in death. The Belgian government, it is said, has passed a law against the practice, but it is still carried out in secret X-RAY SHOWS WHY GOLFERS MISS HOLE IN PUTTING Why golfers sometimes miss the hole in putting was shown by a western scien tist recently when he made X-ray pic tures of 20 kinds of golf balls. They showed that in only a few were the hard X-Ray Views of Golf Balls That Show Imperfect Cores, Which Pull or Slice the Drives cores of gutta-percha exactly round. As a straight course through the air or along the green depends on a properly balanced ball, it was said that an imperfect core might pull or slice the drives, no matter how skillful the player resilient. @Sieves woven of bronze wire and used in the testing of the fineness of cement have 40,000 holes to the square inch MECHANICS GOD AIR JACKET AIDS SWIMMERS BY FLOATING THE BODY ro aid in teaching persons to swim, an air jacket that is worn either under or Inflated Life That can be Worn Ei-her Preserver under or over Suit and will Float Heavy Body over the clothing has been invented re cently. It is strapped about the waist and the chest and when not filled with air lies flat against the body. Sides and bottom of this jacket, made of rubberized fabric, are filled with air blown through valves at the top. The section over the lungs is not inflated. The life preserve: which will roll into a small bundle and weighs only a few ounces, will support a weight of over 200 pounds ALLIGATOR BOAT ABLE TO PULL ITSELF UP ON BANKS For use in hauling logs on small lake there has been made in the East a 40-foot boat that moves on land or water. When on land the rudder is raised, the propeller shaft lifted, and the engine moves rotary drum that works by tackle an fall to pull the boat ahead, the rope be ing hitched to some firm place. The boilers are set so that they are in an upright position no matter how roug! the road. When the vessel reached tly loggers, it pulled itself out of the rail way car down to the water, sailed acros a lake, moved across land, and at last still under its own power, reached thie river, where it is used in hauling log floated down from a lumber camp. be cause of the ability to move on both land and water, it is called an “alligator” boat

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606 POPULAR MECHANICS MAKING MUSIC WITH CHISEL, SAW, AND HAMMER With the application of modern meth- in the building of a piano, such as mak- ods that have developed since the 10th ing the case. stringing the wires, putting century, the piano no longer is the in the keyboard and action, or glu- work of a single artisan but is the product of the combined ability ci a number of skilled workers. Working with saw, hammer, chisel, and glue they make a musi- cal instrument that rivals and even surpasses any crea- tion of the old masters of the trad e, who took ing wood parts to- gether. Glue is one of the most neces- Sary products in the making of an instrument as it is used to replace screws in so far as practicable to pre- vent rattling. Hardly a single screw is used in forming the case, all the many pieces ot wood being heldto- OPYRIGHT, UNDERWOOD 4 UNDERWK Above, Experts Placing Strings and Putting Finishing Touches on Piano; Left, Workmen Installing the Keyboard and Action; Right, Fashioning and Gluing Together Parts of the Case weeks and even months to turn out one’ gether by glue. Formerly the piano was piano. Each man, an expert in his par- an instrument that could be purchased ticular trade, is assigned to a certain part only by the wealthy. SPRINGS IN RUBBER HEELS step and are said to absorb more of the MAKE WALKING EASIER shock than rubber alone. To prevent slipping on wet surfaces, the heel bottom Rubber heels have been patented with _ is ribbed. teel springs tightly locked inside to add U.S. MONEY TAKES PLACE OF PANAMA CURRENCY Panama's money, first made in 1904, has passed out of use in that country, and today practically the only kind in circulation is American banknotes and coins This was brought about, it is claimed, by high prices of silver in 1917, resulting in natives secretly selling their " coinage to outside buyers for more than it was worth in their own country. The X-Ray View of Rubber Heels That Have Steel Springs ities wr acts as the hasis for all kinds in Them to Help Absorb the Shock dollar now acts as the basis for all kind of business dealings, and is considered to to the wearer’s comfort by cushioning be of great value to the people in gen the jar in walking. They contract at every eral, who have shown a preference for it

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POPULAR WHITE WOMAN RULES ISLAND OF RICH PEARL DIVERS Badu, one of the most prosperous islands off Australia, is ruled by a white woman. She is the governor, teacher, preacher, judge, and prohibition officer for dark-skinned pearl divers, who have found rich rewards in disposing of the shells under her management. The women, also under her control, make a lace, fine in texture and beautiful in pat tern. When their day’s work is done the “sovernor’ meets them on the green, where they practice English folk dances Liquor is forbidden and the island is reputed to be a model of cleanliness WALL BRACKET FOR LIGHTS MOVABLE ABOUT ROOM Rearrangement or exchange of electric- lighting fixtures is now | by a movable bracket that is being made with a special wall or ceiling receptacle. Thus any number or styles of lights may be tried out for the desired lighting effect without employing an electrician. By in- stalling several of the receptacles, the location of bulbs may be changed as possible Lighting Fixtures may be Changed When Desired by Use of Movable Bracket often as desired to harmonize with re- groupings of furniture. When a socket is not in use, any other household elec- trical appliance may be attached @ Blotting paper is being made from wood pulp. Heretofore it was made only from rags, as it was believed that saw- dust would not prove sufficiently ab- sorbent. A large proportion of the pulp used is from wood that has not been considered of much value. MECHANICS 607 BALLOONS KILL GYPSY MOTHS WITH SPRAY OF POISON For spraying crops with poison pow- der to destroy experts gypsy have hung moths, government army balloons on a 7 . , f Army Balloons are Suspended from Mooring Frame for Spraying Crops to Kill Destructive Pests cable stretched between two tall poles supported on a ground framework that moves on wheels. A large supply of in- sect chemical is carried near the gas bags which furnish the force to scatter it. CHAIN CARVED FROM MATCH WITHOUT SINGLE BREAK With all the links joined to- gether, a wo od- carver has _ fash- ioned an ordinary match into a small chain than 3 inches in length, it is an ex- Less act reproduction of a large cable As the splinter of wood with its in- flammable tip ts about an eighth of an inch wide, extreme care was cut out the tiny units, one carved from necessary to within the other Each circlet is about the size of was made the link ofa fine watch chain. It by Henry L. Brown, of Seattle, Wa

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POPULAR Noises that interfere with wireless com- munication are said to be done away with by a machine being tested by the gov- ernment. The apparatus has eight tubes that carry the sounds to the interior, 4 ‘in ‘ ¥ ‘ j ‘ - a + wit Operators Using the Radio Clarifier, an Instrument Devised to Extract Static Noises and Other Disturbing Sounds from Wireless Messages Before They Pass into the Receiving Apparatus where the disturbing noises are filtered out before reaching the receiving device During the summer months the atmos- pheric sounds are more numerous than at other times. Equipped with the new Japanese Planting Ceremonies Held to Celebrate the Beginning of the Rice-Growing Season MECHANICS RADIO NOISES STOPPED BEFORE REACHING EARS instrument, the operator finding it diffi- cult to hear distant stations can put the clarifier in the circuit by means of a switch. The tubes then receive the mes- sage, convey it to an eliminator, where it COPYRIGHT, HARRIS & EWIN is separated from disturbing sounds. It is believed the instrument will prove suitable for use during communication between airplanes for barring out noises from the engines. RICE PLANTED TO DANCE MUSIC IN JAPANESE FIELDS Near Osaka, Japan, each year when the rainy season begins, important cere- monies are held by the native farmers to celebrate the planting time for _ rice Shrines close to the field where the event takes place are devoted to a kind of re is festival, marked by gay and olemn performances. In the center of a raised platform, a canopy is held by a girl in costume dress, while nine others go through strange dances Five girls garbed as rice-field workers wade into the marsh and plant the grain in time to music.

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POPULAR MECHANICS WOMEN INVENTORS ARE BUSY ON INDUSTRIAL PROBLEMS To learn just what part women were taking in inventions, government officials recently undertook a survey that showed, over 5,000 patents had been granted to them in 10 years, more than the total for 105 years previous. The first patent granted an American woman was given by the British government to the wife of a Pennsylvania planter, for a device to clean and cure corn. Labor-saving ma- chines are said to make up the majority of women’s inventions, one making an apparatus for scattering fertilizer, another an article to strip sugar cane, while an adjustable horse collar was made by a Montana woman. For the kitchen, a pie pan was brought out that prevented juices from overflowing the rim, and a wooden mixing bowl was invented that would not split. . Almost every line of business was included, but 1.385 patents were for articles of housekeeping RUBBER COVER FOR PIPE KEEPS POCKET CLEAN To keep tobacco ashes from spilling into the smoker's pocket, a rubber pipe cover has been made, having an asbestos top for the bowl. It can be put on while the pipe is hot without danger of sparks etting fire t» the clothing. and also Rubber Pipe Cover to Protect Smoker's Pockets from Ashes and Danger of Fire serves to protect the stem from filling up with small particles of dirt when the pipe is not in use @ Mica is now being obtained from crys- talline rocks that once were at least 5,000 feet below the surface of the earth. 609 BABY CRIB IN WINDOW CAGE FOR FRESH AIR AND LIGHT In a wire cage attached to a third-story window of an apartment in London a baby crib is placed so that the infant will COPYRIGHT, PACIFIC AND ATLANTIC SN | Wire Cage an Apartment Dweller Built for Window So Baby could Have Fresh Air and Light have fresh air and light Because the building was dark and unhealthy for the child, the father built a compartment of heavy wire netting, placing it on the win- dow sill and bolting it to the brick walls with steel strips. By raising the window the crib is taken from the cage. Cloth or netting protects the baby from dust or insects. LIGHT RAY TO HOLD WEIGHTS AFLOAT IN THE AIR To resist the attraction of the earth on heavy bodies, experiments are being made by a western man with a process which, it is claimed, will the laws of gravity and cause the most solid-metal objects to rise without any other aid This strange force, it is said, will come from a light ray capable of reducing the hardest material to dust thinner than air and of printing a photograph through a steel plate 5'2 inches thick in five seconds When developed, this power is expected to make wings on airplanes unnecessary, and to do the work of the airship’s gas bag by creating an energy that will act overcome against the strongest downward pull, raising and lowering the craft by the amount of current allowed to pa nt it, while small propellers will move it

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610 POPULAR TWO TONS OF COPPER IN PAN FOR BREWING PLANT More than two tons of copper were used in making a pan for an English Moie than Two Tons of Copper were Required in the Making of This Brewing Pan brewery. The big dish is over 13 feet in diameter and acts as a sort of mixing basin when brews are first started. To transport it, the dish would have to be set on edge. FLASHLIGHT FOR SCREWDRIVER With a hollow handle holding a flash- eht, a screwdriver is being marketed to MECHANICS eliminate some ot the trouble of working in the dark. The bulb throws a bright light upon the end of the tool. As only one hand is needed to operate it, greater freedom of movement is permitted. FLOUR SIFTER RUN BY THUMB OVER THE HANDLE So constructed that it may be operated by one hand, a flour sifter has been in- vented. Although simply made, it has all the dura- bility and eth- ciency of the old type and is easier to use. Instead of the usual crank at the side, a spring lever is fixed to the handle of the utensil so that agitating bars within the recep- tacle are swung toward and away from each other by an up-and-down motion of the thumb. Thus the flour is_ sifted quickly, leaving one hand free. ANCIENT CHERRY TREE HELD UP BY PROPS To support the limbs of a cherry tree two centuries old, growing in a Japanese park, crosspieces at the tops of long pine poles stuck in the ground, are bound to the branches by straw ropes. Lattice- work arbors built close under the lower part of the tree, keep it from droop- ing. The natives are watchful of their favorite cherry trees, preserving them in various ways as they become aged. Supported by Props, This Japanese Cherry Tree, Two Centuries Old, Still Bears Fruit , A ng phr stat the wo! acc wil a re few in t oth gra Evi me ally SO Al the mi

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POPULAR MECHANICS 611 “COLLEGE” TEACHES PARROTS HOW TO TALK For teaching parrots how to speak English, that is, 10 to 20 commonplace phrases, a resident of a southwestern state has established what is said to be the largest school of its kind in the world. Only birds 6 to 8 weeks old are accepted. Most of them come from the wilds of Mexico. Standing in front of a row of cages, an instructor repeats the few words that constitute a lesson. Those in the class that show more aptitude than others are quickly promoted. Thousands graduate each year from the “college.” Even while the birds are awaiting ship- ment to new owners, they are occasion- ally made to go over their little speeches so that they won't forget how to talk. ANT HILLS MADE INTO HOUSES POPULAR IN AFRICA From material used by ants to make their hills, the natives of South Africa mix a plaster which is said to be stronger than burned brick, to build their houses. Sometimes a single mound thrown up by the insects will furnish enough for everal good-sized buildings. The sub- ie ; 7 Rg Hills Furnished Plaster to Build This South African Home Material Found in Ant stance when hardened is so tough that only an experienced person can succeed in driving a nail through it. RAIN HEAVIER IN AFTERNOONS Along the Gulf coast and in south- eastern states, records have been made showing rainfall to be more frequent in afternoons than in mornings. This rea- son is given for cool nights which are said to prevail throughout those sections of the country, the sun being hottest from noon until nightfall, having its heat off- set by moist atmosphere created by such downpours. TANKLIKE AUTO WINS RACE IN A FOREIGN MEET First place among the French entries in a recent meet in Europe was won by a racing auto that looks like a tank. The Low Metal Body on Foreign Racing Car That Makes It Look Somewhat Like a Tank on Wheels low metal body, almost reaching the track at front, back, and sides, covered all of the car excepting the wheels. A shell-like specially built front was over the radiator. Low hung, the center of gravity close to the ground gave the car an advantage in making quick turns. CARRIER FOR FREIGHT TRUCK SAVES SPACE AND MONEY With a carrier for a two-wheeled freight truck, the amount of handling of separate pieces is cut down, three men can do the work of four, and damage, loss claims, and other ex- penser are thus lessened. A type made of wood and steel has re cently been invented and is in use on an eastern raiiway While being loaded it stands uy right. A truck is slipped beneath, and is moved to the de sired spot where it is left, still loaded Thirty to 70 per cent of handling oi package freight now necessary is elimi nated by use of the carrier, it is said

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POPULAR Packaging and weighing of flour, cereals, chocolate, coffee, sugar, and many similar products, are greatly simplified by MECHANICS OUTPUT OF CARTON PACKER 18,000 PER DAY an automatic machine now on the market This machine feeds the cartons, seals th: bottoms, lines the insides, fills and weig] the cartons, and seals tl] tops, the flat cartons en tering at one end, an emerging, ready for the market, at the other. |] output is from 15,000 t 18,000 packages per day depending upon the ma terial handled, and thi type of carton employed One machine of this type can do the work of about 35 hand Operators, in a completely sanitary man ner, and with a Saving An Automatic Machine That Fills, Weighs, and Seals Cereal and Other in material, owin g to Packages at the Rate of 18,000 pe: PORTABLE DERRICK HAS WIDE RANGE OF USES Wherever loads are to be _ hoisted, whether a few feet or several hundred, a a —_ One-Man Portable Derrick Unloading Heavy Beams from Gondola one-man portable derrick lately marketed will prove of value. The derrick is made in two major parts the beam, including the hoisting mecha- nism, and the base, each of which can easily be carried by one man. The hoist Day prevention oO: waste ing mechanism enables one man, with three-strand cable, to lift a load of 1.000 pounds easily, and two men to hoist 2,000 pounds. Two types are manufactured: one fo general use, and one for attachment to a gondola car. The general derrick has a very wide range of uses, as perma nent equipment on a loading platform mounted on a factory tractor, as a shop utility crane, installed on a motor truck or for construction work. The block has a ball-bearing swivel shackle. SQUARE MEASURES ANGLES FOR WOODWORKERS It is a rather tedious process to get the proper length, pitch, and bevels for a rafter if it must be fig ured out; figuring of this character, however, | K“W/ is rendered unnecessary by the use of a new pro- UZ. tractor square for é woodworkers The , / iY square enables the Ay worker to lay out problems of this kind accu- rately and quickly, and, after the tool [{¥ has been set, Brena a vase the length, yaaa — pitch, ete., can be read off at once, and the tool used to mark off the bevels. It will be found

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POPULAR MECHANICS 613 exceedingly useful to anyone whose work requires the laying out of rafters of every description, stairway stringers, tank work, columns, silos—in fact, all work where calculations for length, pitch, or bevels are necessary. MACHINE MEASURES UNBALANCE OF ROTATING PARTS Static and dynamic balance of the rota- tive parts of high-speed machinery may be obtained at the same time by means of a recently developed machine. The machine measures how much, and just where, a part is out of balance, and will accommodate a wide variety of work, including crankshafts, motor and gen- erator rotors, flywheels and spindles, and it is stated that the operation of deter- mining the unbalance is as simple as using a pair of scales. The process of balancing parts is a rapid, exact, and economical one, owing to the simplicity Machine That Determines Accurately How Much and Where Parts of High-Speed Machinery are Unbalanced of operation, and the elimination of a preliminary static-balancing operation on separate shears. The machine will re- ceive parts up to 25-in. swing, and 48 in. long, weighing up to 1,000 pounds. UNDERGROUND SHOVEL CUTS MINING COSTS Hand shoveling constitutes one of the greatest cost factors in underground min- ing; not only is it hard to obtain efficient help, but, in the crowded “breast” of a vein, there is often not room enough for more than three or four men to work, and, after a blast, it is some time before the men can return to work, thus adding the idle time of many men to the cost of production. For these reasons, and for many others, an efficient underground loader now on the market will prove valuable. The ma- chine is air-driven, and is made in three sizes; the smallest can pass through a space 42 by 48 in. in size, with seat and View of Underground Shovel Swinging in Drift, Showing Small Clearance Required bucket arm removed, and can be pushed anywhere by one man. It is claimed that one of the machines, in driving a rock drift, 15 ft. wide and 9 ft. high, saved $1,700 in 25 days, over the cost of hand shoveling. STRAIGHT-LINE GANG DRILL SPEEDS UP PRODUCTION Designed to meet the requirements of work where the holes are all in straight line, and at varying d apart, a gang — drill now on the market should meet with instant favor. Each head is in a gear case by itself, and the heads one istances , ee Gb can be set any distance apart trom 134 in. to any required dis- tance with- in the range of the tool. -———— The setting operation is very simple, as it is only necessary to screws and slide the heads to the required positions. The machine may be furnished with a foot, hand, or automatic table feed, depending upon the work for which it is to be used, and the adjusted to suit either wood or metal loosen 1 fev speed may be

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614 POPULAR SIFTING MACHINE EFFECTS RIDDLING ECONOMY While designed especially for foundry work, a sifting machine now on the mar- ket will prove of great value wherever Riddling Sand in the Foundry with the Sifting Machine sand or other granular material must be riddled in quantity. The machine is self- contained, and may be suspended from a crane hook, bracket, beam, or any other convenient place. There are no legs or tripods underneath to impede the operation, and it can be hung at any height to suit the workers. In ordinary foundry work, it will riddle 1 ton of oil- core sand in 344 minutes, or 1 ton of foundry sand in 4 minutes. SUBMERSIBLE DYNAMO USED IN WATER METER Ordinary water-flow meters, using a cup-and-vane mechanism, indicate only average rates of flow, as marked by a counter that operates after a_ certain number of revolutions; an electric water- flow meter, recently invented in Switzer- land, on the contrary, registers the rate of flow at any moment. The instrument is like a small torpedo, about 20 in. long, and is suspended in the water by means of an encircling strap. The nose of the torpedo carries a two-bladed propeller and shaft, which drives a simple dynamo MECHANICS contained in the body. The current gen- erated is recorded or indicated by a gal- vanometer, which is calibrated to show the rate of current flow. The meter is said to be equally satis- factory in open water and in pipe sys- tems, and for recording the flow of gases. It is very little influenced by temperature changes, and responds to flow in either direction. BOILER-TUBE TOOL CLEANS TEN A MINUTE Ten tubes cleaned a minute is the record claimed by the inventor of a re- cently patented boiler-tube cleaner. The “gun” is mounted on trestles in front of the boiler, and an air hose, with a nozzle onthe outer end to fit the 7 tubes, is at- tached to it. One man op- —= erates the gun, another the hose. The gun may be operated and the tubes cleaned as fast as the man with the hose can move. ALL-STEEL ROAD SCRAPER HAS LONG LIFE Built of materials that insure great strength and long life under hard wear, and reinforced wherever extra strain de- velops in operation, road-maintenance engineers will appreciate an _ all-steel spring scraper now on the market. The float or plane will go to the side or shoul- der of the road, gather the loose gravel Road Scraper of All-Steel Construction Attached ‘o Truck and move it to the center of the road in one operation. The scraper can be mounted on a truck, and can be raised and the truck backed up to perfect a bad piece of road without having to turn. In winter, the scraper can be used as a snow plane, and will handle 6 to 8 in. of snow at a speed of 15 to 25 miles per hour

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f . > a : om ‘ie > oo rif mr } ion ~—@ a | 2A S i fo } : ei ‘\E nom De “ ~. : ., |= All Shop Notes published in 1922, in book form Fifty Cents—from our Book Department. Building Concrete Retaining Walls By A. C. COLE HERE is nothing at all difficult about the building of retaining walls in concrete, the cost of the work is low, and the finished wall adds greatly to the ap- pearance of the inclosed grounds. The excavation for the wall footings must be carried below the frost line, and, to cut away the bank so that forms can be used on both sides and the wide foot- ings poured. This, however, is not a disadvantage, as it allows a layer of loose stones, gravel, or cinders to be laid along the back of the wall before filling back the earth, and this helps the drainage. >Il2r 3 ” Yi t “Pp i : pe | bind t,"} es ~~ : }. sel - t 3 © | v 6 ~,}.-| DRAIN f re) ce bk .-} € | i a _.-4 SO Ta pT 4 e » 2a | i Reale { } } o ~ 33+ ~-33~ * 33 33 | WALL WITH | an & STRAIGHT CAPPING AND 26-> GUTTER TYPES OF MOLDED- ee, ar TOP WALLS OY ae - ee Wr : ees } ~~ YOR TYPE OF RETAINING > 0 } i 4 WALL WITH MOLDED TOP \ ad : : L — TT TK ie OT, ' 4 \ \\ IF ; ~ Pi 4 | ] - Lee 1 > "> 2 7’ TEMPLATE FOR | > nen OE thy FORMING TOP t TWE | 2= SECTION SHOWING BANK USED AS ONE =_ | SIDE OF FORM EXPAN WITH CAPPING, 1ON FINISHED WALL FORM MOVED FORWARD Various Forms of Easily Made Retaining Walls in Concrete T Given ops are where the earth is firm enough, the bank itself may be used one side of the form, undercuts being made in the bank to form the projecting lower portions of the footings. Where the earth is not self-supporting, it is, of course, necessary as SECTION OF INLAID- STONE TOP | FINISHED WALL FORMS AND EXCAVATION STONE WALL WITH INLAID-STONE TOP Details of Molded, Capped, and Inlaid-Stone in the Inserts As may be noted in the drawings, the forms are very simple; l-in. siding 1 used for the sides, with 2 by 3 or 2 1 4-in. uprights and braces. Enough up rights, braces, and struts must be used to prevent the forms from bulging, and 615

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616 POPULAR the walls held the proper by short pieces of the material used fo the uprights. The walls are held by twisted-wire ties in the usual manner, and by cross braces at.the top; the spacing pieces are moved upward as the concrete is placed. As soon as the footings have been placed, and the forms erected, a number of concrete drain tiles are placed in the forms, as indicated in the sectional draw- ings, to carry off water, and the re- mainder of the concrete is then placed The concrete used should be mixed in the proportion of 1 part cement, 2 parts sand, and 4 of clean, broken stone, and, when pouring the concrete, a flat, sharp- ened stick or a spade should be used to cut down between the form and the mixture, to work the stone back from the tf the wall, rendering the sur- distance apart face of face dense and smooth. If the wall is at all should be done in 20-ft. work moving long, the sections, Novel Fence-Wire Stretcher The fence-wire stretcher shown in the

illustration consists of a short length of HOLE FOR WIRE) ‘ - : : stan O=—=sES [7 Veal } | t X ‘ \ \ \\ 71 en \ \) cal a | 2r° OPERATION eee y PLIERS — iia JOINT COMPLETED 1ST OPERATION

1 Lower Illustration Shows Method of Tightening Wire, and Insert, Method of Fastening Free End 14-in. iron rod with a hole drilled through it as indicated, and the end formed to a ring large enough to accommodate the handle of a pair of pliers. When the wire is to be tightened, it is not cut near a post, but midway between two posts. One end of the cut wire is formed into a loop, and the other end passed through the loop and through the hole in the tool. The tool is turned by means of the plier handle, as indicated, so that the wire is wound around it until sufficiently tight. The tool is then revolved around the wire MECHANICS the forms along as soon as the concrete in one section has set, and expansion joints, of the type shown, filled with asphaltic felt, provided between sections Various forms of coping are shown in the drawing. The molded top presents a very neat appearance, and is easily formed by means of a wooden template drawn along the top of the wall while the concrete is still “green.” With a little more trouble, a neat gutter may be formed on the back of the wall, the trough being shaped with a trowel. A particularly attractive top is formed by inlaying stone blocks, as shown in the lower right-hand view, although this is rather more expensive. The forms can be removed as soon as the concrete has set enough to sustain its own weight, and the surfaces may be finished by simply rubbing with a wooden — dipped in water and sand; in this vay the form marks are rubbed off, and a smooth, permanent surface obtained

several times, as shown in the upper de- tail, and the surplus wire clipped off. Increasing Diameter of Small V-Pulleys When it is desired to increase the diam eter of a V-pulley, such as often found on the side of a small flywheel, a “rim” of habbitt can be cast around it, providing the increase in size is not too great. Small anchor holes are first

CAVITY TOBE FILLED WITH _ T

drilled in the BABBIT sideofthe .-NEWDIAM. 4 wheel, as / 0 DIAM. | = ~~ . <4 shown. A Re, +o yg wooden mold rt Loy is ge gene ee eo Se out oft goo¢ ee a—\ VA x eget AM — dry pine to the new diam- FUYWHEEL. EAL eter The ~y |}. mold is placed * ; ; _— ' around the — N —— fj} Nth Hi/ ' pulley, con- aw centric with J ae WOOD MOLD --------- the bore, and —_—_————_—_—— — clamped in place, after which babbitt is the open space between the mold and the old pulley. If it is desired to use the old pulley again, it is only necessary to cut off or melt the babbitt. When melting the babbitt, whittle a clean surface on the poured into end of a pine stick and dip it repeatedly in the metal. the babbitt. When the stick chars, pour

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POPULAR An Efficient Paste Spreader In wrapped by hand for mailing, spreader illustrated will be very It eliminates the paste brush, and speeds up the work considerably. offices where many papers are the paste useful. The base is made from an ordinary l-in. board. An upright piece of the same material is screwed to one side of the base to keep the edges of the pile of wrappers even. Heavy spikes will serve for the paste container guides, although 14-in. iron rods are better. The containet is a triangular trough with a flat bottom, in which a number of small holes are drilled to distribute the paste along the wrapper edges. Ears are left at each end of the container, and holes drilled to fit the guides, so that the container can move up and down easily. Medium- weight galvanized sheet metal is a suit- able material for the container. To use the spreader, the papers are first placed in a pile under the paste con- tainer, which is then filled with paste, mucilage, or glue, whichever is necessary. When a wrapper is drawn out from under the con- tainer, it is auto- coated If it is matically with paste. CONTAINER GUIDE - PaPER GUIDE Device for Ap tying? Paste to the Ends of 5 iiaieiidi That Speeds Up the Wrapping Process Considerably found that too much paste is applied to the wrappers, the container may be weighted down so that less paste will escape through the holes-—Lowell R. Butcher, Des Moines, Ia. ° Novel Mounting for Instruction Manual In garages and service stations where drawings and wiring diagrams are re- quired for reference while working on cars, it is almost impossible to keep them from being soiled, as they are continually being handled with greasy hands. To prevent this, in one station, the sheets were glued to the inside of an ordinary roller shade, which was mounted the wall in front of the foreman’s on MECHANICS 617 desk. Whenever the reference © prints were to be used, the shade was simply unrolled, and when the job was finished, ie Novel Method of Mounting Seteseien Prints on the Inside of an Ordinary Roller Shade rolled up agajn. Besides keeping the prints clean, this prevented them from being creased, torn, or lost Cutting Glass Tubing The illustration shows an method of cutting glass tubing. of wood with a V-groove attached to the bench; a is arranged across this, file having an eve formed in it, which swings on a pin driven through an- other block at- tached to the bench, as shown The other end of the file is slipped through = end of a coil sprin which is fa ; to. 2&2 screwerve re driven into the bench, and draws excellent A block cut in it is triangular file the tang of the stene the file downward against the tubing. The tubing is placed in the V-block, between the block and the file. Turning the tube will then cause the file to score the glass, after which a few light taps will break it cleanly @ Information as to where materials and parts mentioned in these pages may be obtained will be by the Bureau of furnished, on 1 Information

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POPULAR . Curing a Broody Hen

There are hundreds of ways advocated for curing broody hens, but most of these are not entirely effective. Simply con- fining the hen in a coop without nests

“ J, ' 2 - Dyauite ‘| -- va SOL on chia ‘ I Midis a by wl Nes AL rAd, healt) vy 6 ca li ult" DiS eingt Ss

An Elevated Coop with Wire-Mesh Bottom Effects a Cure for Broody Hens in Five or Six Days will not cure her, unless she is kept there until completely exhausted. A _ positive cure, which requires only 5 or 6 days, is shown in the drawing. An ordinary ele- vated coop will not do the work, as the idea is to prevent warmth under the hen when she sits down, and therefore the floor should not be made of wood, but of l-in. wire mesh. The air from under- neath soon effects a cure; it has done so with the most persistent hatchers. The coop should be elevated about 3 ft. above the ground, and it should be large enough to accommodate 6 or 8 hens Pans or narrow troughs, on which the fowls cannot sit, are used for food and water. The top of the coop should be covered to protect the hens from the hot sun and from showers. Machinists’ Hook Gauge Nothing is so hard to measure in the machining of work on the lathe as the thickness of hubs of wheels, gears, and pulleys. This is due to the fact that many holes are too small to allow the use of a regular hook rule, and even if one could be used, it is often too short to reach through the bore. A very serv- iceable hook gauge that eliminates these difficulties can be made as shown in the illustration.

MECHANICS The main part of the gauge consists of a suitable length of %4-in. drill rod provided with a hook at one end. The hook is made by forging a sharp bend in the rod, and filing it to the shape shown The straight edge of the hook is filed perfectly square with the axis of the rod, and the corner is filed out with a small round file, to prevent the accumulation ot dirt, which would result in incorrect measurements. The notching out of the corner also prevents a burr on the edge of the bore from showing a false reading on the gauge. The head of the gauge consists of two parts; an inner sleeve, bored out of cen ter as shown, which is necessary to allow sufficient metal for the thumbscrew, and an outer sleeve, bored to a neat sliding fit over the inner one, and having a flange at one end, which is turned perfectly square with the rod. The outer sleeve moves over the inner within the limits of the thumbscrew slot. This always holds the outer sleeve square to the gradua- tion line on the inner sleeve, and as a flat is filed on the rod, against which the screw bears, the whole gauge is kept in line. Across the face of the outer sleeve is filed an opening, as shown, to expose thé surface of the inner sleeve. Midway be- --- CHUCK _--WORK : GRADUATIONS

VIEW SHOWING GAUGE IN USE

/OPENING —ja fos,

SET.TO SIZE _} a ; \ tourer INNER SLEEVE | SLEEVE <& THUMBSCREW ---—-* | . SLOT -----~ GAUGE ___ SECTIONAL VIEW _ ASSEMBLED _ A Handy Hook Gauge for —e the Thickness

of Hubs of Wheels, Gears, and Pulleys tween the limits of travei of the outer sleeve, a graduation line is scribed on the inner one as shown, and a similar line scribed across the center of the flats on the outer sleeve. The gauge is set by keeping both graduations in alinement

while sleeve the tl apply the h hub < the o off is the ; indic: is CO! or UW A gene in. fr used of 4 thro D con: is 1 gree diti

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POPULAR while measuring between hook and outer sleeve with the scale. When set to size, the thumbscrew is tightened, and, upon applying the gauge to the work, holding the hook against the inner face of the hub and sliding the outer sleeve against the outer face, the amount to be turned off is indicated by the distance between the graduations. This gauge not. only indicates when the thickness of the hub is correct, but how much it may be over or under. size. A gauge of this kind, when used for general purposes, should be made of 4- in. rod; smaller or larger sizes can be used to suit the work. With the gauge of \Y-in. steel, holes can be measured through %4-in. bores. Lubricating Wristpins During winter the tractor requires considerable care, as the heavy oil that is used in tractors becomes almost a grease in zero weather, and in this con- dition does not lubricate the wristpin bearings properly, so that there is danger of burning out the bearings or “freezing” them. To offset this danger, I provided the auxiliary oiling de- vice illus- trated, which consists of a piece of No. 20 sheet steel, hammered to the shape shown in the detail and screwed to the underside of the piston head, so that the spout ter- minates directly over the oil hole in the top of the wristpin bearing. The point where the device is bolted must be opposite the point where the splash from the crank reaches the inside of the pis- ton, so that the spout will catch some of the oil. This oil will then drop on the bearing where it is needed. The addition of this device has been found to eliminate much trouble previously experienced.— G. G. McVicker, North Bend, Neb. - * .- YY TS mena WLASLIELLIS @A tap should never be used to clean a hole in hardened work, even if the work is soft enough to be scratched with a file. MECHANICS 619 Holder for Side-Planing Tool The illustration shows a useful side- cutting planer-tool holder, which does work that at times cannot be done with STuD P TENSION SPRING/ COLLAR i SETSCREW -~ ADJUSTING COLLARS & |WASHER +——~ TOOL- ee Nip” 5 IZ SPINDLE ay DETAIL OF TOOL BOX a} p=. ANE. i | , a 4 e ee WORK TOOL BOx-——” als An Improved Holder for Side Planing That can be Used on Right or Left-Hand Work the regular planer heads. It can be used on either right or left-hand work. The tool box is machined on the lower end of the spindle, and fits against the shoulder at the rear of the body. The upper end of the spindle is threaded and fitted with a washer and two adjusting collars; over the latter is placed a collar, which is fastened to the spindle with a setscrew. A stud in the top of the collat and a post in the body of the holder, are connected by a tension spring, which pulls the tool box back against the shoul der at the end of the return stroke. Cut ters, forged with an offset large enoug! to allow the lowest edge of the tool to project below the heads of the setscrews in the tool box, allow cutting to the bot- tom of slots, as in the drawing.—R. W. Laing, Fergus, Can Absorbing Excess Oil on Dirt Streets When a dirt street is oiled, the oil { usually tracked all over where it is not wanted. This was prevented, in an li town, by spreading powdered stone—ret use from a stone crusher—over the road The stone dust absorbed the nd it packed down at once excess

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620 POPULAR Cement and Cloth Repair for Radiator The soldering of a honeycomb radiator is difficult work and can be accomplished satisfactorily by an experienced repair- man only. An H owever, - ¥ arepair for sm: aks, y eens small leak SOO} «~~~. OR CELLULAR tcnat ¢ca2n SOOSDHG> TYPE OF readily OOEEOOL RADIATOR C OOsee -LEAKING CELLS be ma d Ss by

SOOO

boa SATURATED an y one, i S aot he" Sree shownin the illustra- tion. It con- sists of pack- ing strips of cloth, sat- urated with a thin mixture oft Foertt-« land cement and water, intothe small spaces where the leaks are found. The cement hardens and binds the cloth into a solid mass. It is not necessary to re- move the radiator when making this re- pair, but the water should be drained out so that the cement particles in the cloth will not be washed away, and the cement should be permitted to set before refill- ing the radiator. ya

<x. FLUID MIXTURE OF CEMENT AND WATER

Setting Compound Rest for Tapers For certain kinds of taper work, when the compound slide is used, swiveled ‘around, and fed by hand or power, the taper is best found by the trial scribing of a_ surface plate and clamping the slide in posi- tion when the scribed angle is found to be correct. A small surface plate, or any smooth metal plate, is clamped _ to the lathe bed, while a_sur- face-gauge scriber is attached to a holder clamped in the tool block, the plate being either chalked or blued, according to the accu- racy required. Then the lathe carriage is SURFACE - GAUGE ScRIBER

™ LATHE CHALKED PLATE BED MECHANICS run along by hand, far enough to allow the surface-gauge pointer to scribe a line along the plate; this line, of course, being parallel to the lathe bed. It is assumed that a template showing the correct taper is at hand, and that the exact reading of the taper angle, in de- grees, is unknown, as is often the case. If the angle is known and the compound rest graduated, it can be set off at once without the necessity of the scribing proc- ess described. Using the template, an- other line is scribed on the surface plate to make the required angle to the line al- ready made; then, the compound rest is swung around to approximately the right position, clamped, and the compound slide traversed. The surface-gauge pointer, being still in place, will indicate how closely the rest has been set, and the rest is swung and reset until the scriber follows accurately the line scribed from the template. Drilling Holes through Round Stock Every mechanic has more or less diffi- culty in drilling holes centrally in shaft- ing and other round stock, the degree of trouble encountered depending upon the skill of the person doing the work. Even with an accurate layout and great care, the holes are frequently drilled off center. The method il- lustrated makes [ cGupe it possible to bore ee one hole ora succession of / holes in cylin- drical work with the certainty that all of them will / be at right angles rime s. i to the axis of the SHAFT BEING a work. Also, no PARALLEL layout is required unless a hole has to be a certain distance from the ai) end of the work, | = ° ——

oe

in which case a scale can be used, or, where accuracy is required, a depth micrometer, by merely subtracting half the diameter of the bushing from the re- quired dimension. The bushing is turned to exactly the same diameter as the work it is to be used with, and the central hole should be the same size as the one to be drilled in the work. The bushing and the job are then clamped in a vise, or, in cases where the work is too large, be- tween parallels.

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POPULAR Straightening Damaged Clincher Rims Clincher rims sometimes become dented and must be straightened to prevent in- jury to the tires. The rims can be straightened at == moron. by means of a large pipe wrench. The rim or wheel is removed and placed on the floor and the pipe wrench ap- plied to the dented spot so that the head of the wrench bears against the center of the rim, and the upper jaw presses outward against the dented portion as shown. The end of the wrench handle and the side of the rim farthest away from the wrench will then rest on the floor. By standing on the rim as indicated in the drawing the dent can readily be removed.—E, T. Gunderson, Jr., Humboldt, Iowa. LARGE PIPE WRENCH ---~-" Ferrotyping Made Easy Many commercial photographers fer- rotype a great number of their prints to give them a glossy finish. This is usually done by lay- ing the prints face down- ward upon the ferrotype plate and ap- plying pres- sure with a hand roller, which is hard work and re- quires time and patience. A better method of doing this is shown in the photograph. An ordinary hand wringer, adjusted to give a slight pressure be- tween the rollers, is used to do the work, the prints being laid face downward on the ferrotype plate and both run through the wringer. Buckling can be prevented by keeping the prints at least ¥ in. from the edge of the plate—J. G. Pratt, Wash- ington, D. C. @When storing cement, never pile it directly on the ground, which always con- tains some moisture. MECHANICS 621 Simple and Useful Clamp for Stepladder A simple and useful clamp for the stepladder, that serves as a rest for hold- ing windows while setting the panes or \ y WINGNUT \.23°K23" Holding Windows orking on Them Handy Clamp on Stepladder for While painting, can be made from two pieces of oak about 21% ft. long, with a bolt passing through the center of both as shown; a wingnut is provided on the bolt. It is not necessary to remove the wingnut to attach the clamp. Merely push the clamp over one leg of the stepladder from the inside, and then over the other leg, after which the wingnut is_ tightened. This tool can be used equally well on a common ladder—Edgar Wright, Brook- field, Mass. Filling the Auto Vacuum Tank If a funnel and small gasoline can are at hand, the simplest way to fill the auto- mobile vacuum tank is to remove the plug at the top of the tank and pour in the gasoline. If no funnel is available, the best method of filling the tank quickly is as follows: Close the throttle and shut off the ignition, then press the starter switch. It may be necessary, with some starters, to switch on the ignition for a moment, in that the starter may mesh. The action of the motor will then cause enough suction to draw the gasoline from the rear tank into the vacuum tank. The throttle must be kept closed, as otherwise the engine simply draws most of the air through the carbu retor, and not enough through the vac uum tank, order gears

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NE of the handiest pieces of equip- ment for the small machine shop, ga- rage, Or service station is a portable floor crane, which can be rolled to any part of the shop to take the heavy lifts, and, when not in use, can be shoved out of the way. A strong and serviceable floor crane can be made in any small shop or garage, at small cost for labor and material, and it will prove a paying investment. With this crane, heavy work may be raised from the floor to the bench or the tables of the various machines, shafts can quickly and easily be placed between the centers of the lathe, and, in the garage, engines can be lifted out of chassis, and run over to the repair bench or stand; in fact, the uses that can be found for the crane are “too numerous to mention.” The lower frame or base of the crane is made from two pieces of 5-in. channel iron, upon which are mounted two col- umns made of pipe. On top of the columns is the hoist arm, also of channel iron, and fitted with pulleys over which runs the hoisting chain or cable. A drum and a set of winch gears, with their shafts and bearings, are bolted to the columns. The base members are cut to a-length of 62 in., laid out, and bent to the shape shown in the detail drawing; the bends are made at an angle of 45°, with the webs of the channels on the outside. The frame members are spaced apart by a piece of 3@-in. boiler plate on the under- side, and by the 4-in. pipe flanges used for the columns on top. The standard diameter of 4-in. extra-heavy pipe flanges is 10 in., so this will be the width of the length of boiler plate; the plate is cut long enough to project beyond the chan- nels, to form a bearing for the back- caster pivot. Ball-bearing caster wheels are fitted to the three ends of the base as indicated, the caster at the back being provided with a forked handle or tongue, to enable the crane to be pulled about easily. The width of the front end of the base is 48 in., which enables it to be pushed between the wheels of an auto- mobile of the standard 56-in. tread. The columns are made of 4-in. extra- heavy pipe, and are fitted with flanges at both ends as shown. Both pipes should be cut and threaded so that, when the flanges are screwed home, the over-all length of the columns will be the same; they ate bolted to the lower frame and hoist arm with 1%4-in. bolts, and must be perfectly square and parallel. The arm or boom of the crane is also 622 Building a Floor Crane BY J. V. ROMIG made of 5-in. channel irons, 48 in. long. [hey are spaced apart by pieces of pipe, faced on the ends perfectly square and to the same length, and held with %-in. or %-in. bolts. Two cable pulleys are placed within the arm at the points shown, before the arm is assembled. The pulleys run freely on plain 34-in. pins, held in place by heavy cotter pins, and they should be provided with oil cups, and be kept properly lubricated. The hoisting mechanism consists of a cast-iron drum, mounted on a shaft car- ried in small pillow blocks on the col- umns. The bases of the pillow blocks should be machined to fit the curvature of the columns, or, if there is not metal enough in them for this, small plates, curved on one side to fit the columns, and flat on the other, should be used between the blocks and columns. The drum shaft carries a 12 or 14-in. gear at one end, meshing with a 3 or 4-in. gear carried on a shaft above the drum. This shaft is also carried in pillow blocks, fitted as before, and is provided with a strong crank handle. The assembly is bolted to the columns, with %-in. through bolts, at a convenient operating height, the pillow blocks being spaced so that the gears will mesh with the minimum of backlash, while still running free. A bent bracket, made of %-in. steel plate, is bolted to the back of one of the columns, and carries a pawl which engages with the large gear, and holds the load when hoisted. Either a cable or chain may be used: if a cable, it should be of plow steel, not less than %& in. in diameter, and if a chain is used, it should be strong enough to sustain a load of at least 800 pounds. Most of the material for this exceed- ingly useful tool can be picked up at a junk dealer’s for a few cents a pound; the work of cutting and assembling is quite simple, and may be done in the men’s spare time, if necessary. Cement for Auto-Top Repairs Many autoists repair a torn top with a piece of rubberized fabric and tube ce- ment; it is found, however, that the cement deteriorates in time under expo- sure to weather. By substituting shellac for the cement, the repair can be made practically permanent. The portion of the top to be covered should be cleaned thoroughly, and the shellac should be spread so that there will be no spaces under the edges.

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eee f S"CHANNEL IRONZ DETAIL OF ARM LL 4 a ‘ \ S- / { q - a ~N / \§% BOILER Ih J | PLATE f “ 4 PIPE FLANGE / “~~ ' SECTION ___..| ihe S CHANNEL IRON THROUGH A-B DETAIL OF LOWER FRAME 3 BOILER PLATE A Floor Crane That may be Constructed of Material Found in Any Junk Yard, and That will Very Quickly Pay for the Time Spent in Making It, by the Time Saved When Heavy Work must be Lifted

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Turning Hard Rubber Anyone who has had experience in turning hard rubber, ebonite, and bake-

FRAGMENT OF ‘>> PLATE GLASS ---=—~<— HOLDER ----—» BENCH-

Method of Cutting and Facing Hard Rubber Pieces of Pla.e Glass with lite, knows how difficult it is to keep the edges on the steel tools, and to produce a finely burnished surface. The _ tool dulls rapidly, and drags the surface of the material, so that the work presents a ragged appearance. The difficulty can be avoided to a great extent by using a small piece of plate glass as a cutting tool; this has been found to give excellent results, both in cutting and in surfacing the work. The piece of glass is clamped in a toolholder of the design illustrated in the upper detail. The cutting edge is obtained by fracturing the glass; when this is dull a new break is made. Pieces of heavy glass broken from bottles can also be used but cannot be held so easily in the tool- holder. Convenient Arrangement for Test Leads There usually two pairs of test leads on the workbench of an electric re- pair shop; one pair is connected in se- ries with a lamp, and the pair tapped directly to the line, to obtain full- alae line voltage when test- ' ing small motors and heating appliances. A very simple method of obtaining the same re- sult with one pair of test leads is shown in the illustration. \ double-pole dou- ble-throw knife switch is used. One of the center terminals is connected to the positive line, and the are other

A 2 TEST-LEAD TIPS a

DOUBLE - POLE DOUBLE - THROW SWITCH Ll NEGATIVE LEAD

POPULAR MECHANICS other to the test lead. The two terminals on one side of the switch are connected to a lamp, and those on the other side are short-circuited. The other test lead is tapped directly to the negative line. By throwing in the switch on one side, the lamp is put in series with the test leads; by throwing it in on the other side, as shown in the illustration, the full-line voltage is obtained. When the switch is open, the positive lead is dead. Marking Celluloid A simple and effective method of m urk- ing one’s name on any celluloid article, such as a draftsman’s triangle, is to letter the name neatly on the surface of the celluloid with black drawing ink, and then, after inverting the triangle, to focus the sun rays with a reading glass on the written portion. After this is done the ink is washed off and a neat replica of the writing will be left on the celluloid surface —QO. S. Sawn, Worcester, Mass Corner Studs for Frame Houses The large cracks appearing in the plaster at the corners of the walls of frame houses are very often due to the fact that the corners are not well made, properly braced, or strong enough For the sake of econ-

WEATHER 2x4 STUDS smante “ BOARDING

omy it is com- - i y it : tr pinteatneiiiiia mon. practice — to use two 2 : LATH

by 4-in. studs, arranged as oP LATHING STRIPS

shown in Fig. Fic.1 : with two a ta io SA OR. small lathing |/7 Va °°» °°» strips nailed | at the inside Le ae corner of the (|qAqK inner stud. Fic.2 Another poor + aeration : method is rh aa shown in Fig. 2, in which the corner studs are placed so that the edges butt together with a 4 by 4-in

— r Fic.3

space in the corner between the studs ; he sheathing. Fig. 3 sl] a good and the sheathing. ig. 3 shows a good construction of a corner, using thre 2 by 4-in. studs. The center stud, spiked firmly between the other two, projects about 1 of its width so that the lath can be nailed to it, or a 2 by 6-in. piece of

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POPULAR MECHANICS 625 timber may be used for the center mem- ber. This construction is about twice as strong as either of the two shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and only one extra stud for -ach corner is required. Strength should always be insisted upon in the details of frame houses, especially when the addi tional cost is slight—John N. Washington, D. C. Sioussa, Adjustable Universal Chuck The illustration shows how a universal chuck may be fitted to act as an independ- ent chuck, and, within limits, as an ec- centric chuck; this method may also be used as a means of adjustment for a chuck out of true. A plain cast-iron faceplate, with a heavy flange, is screwed to the spindle nose and trued in the usual man- ner. Holes are drilled, or, better, slots cut through it for the studs that hold the chuck; if holes are used, they are made a little larg- er in diameter than the bolts, to allow the chuck to be moved across the face- plate. An auxil- iary faceplate is then made up, as shown, and re- cessed to fit the smaller one; 3 or 4 holes are drilled and tapped in the periphery, to fit safety setscrews tightening against the smaller plate. The auxiliary faceplate is also provided with a shallow boss, which is made a push fit in the chuck counterbore. To center the work held in the chuck, or to set it eccentrically, the nuts on the studs holding the chuck and auxiliary faceplate are loosened slightly, and the setscrews adjusted until the work runs true; the nuts are then tightened. In case the lathe nose becomes inaccurate, the auxiliary plate and chuck are removed, and the smaller plate faced true; the chuck is then replaced and adjusted by means of an indicator.

SW r/ a ' 4 AUXILIARY \ FACEPLATE ’ *~ ADJUSTING SLOT “SAFETY SETSCREW @ A good liquid tire paint is made by ing 5 lb. whiting in 1 qt. gasoline, when thoroughly mixed, adding 1 qt. rub- ber cement. It is applied to the tire with a brush, and will not crack or chip, due to the elasticity of the rubber cement. mix- and,

Working on Side of Building The method of working on the wall of a building as shown in the illustration is used by circus-bill posters to put up their

A Practical Application of the Lever for on the Side of a Building Working signs in places that are otherwise nearly inaccessible. Two ladders are used; one is laid on the roof, and projects a few feet beyond the edge; the other is lashed to the projecting end, and hangs ver- tically. One man remains on the extreme inner end of the horizontal ladder, while another climbs down the vertical ladder, the weight of the first man keeping the whole arrangement in position. The horizontal ladder should not project over the edge of the roof more than 14 or } of the entire length of this ladder and the man holding it down must apply his weight at the extreme inner end; he must be about equal to the other man in weight. In this way he will be able to hold the man on the ladder securely Painting Inside of Conductor Piping Conductor piping rusts much more rapidly than the gutters, and for this reason it should be painted on the inside, which will protect it for a long time The painting can conveniently be done by means of a sponge drawn up through the piping on a length of rope or heavy twine. The rope should be long enough to extend up through the inside of the piping and down to the ground on the outside, so that, when the rope has once been passed through the pipe, the re mainder of the work can be done from below. <A large sponge is tied to the rope and a weight tied under the sponge

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POPULAR Carrying Sheet Metal Where pieces of sheet metal have to be carried for short distances by hand, the device shown in the illustration will be found useful. For a handle, a short FLAT STOCK A Simple Holder That Enables Sheet Metal to be Carried with Ease piece of round stock is used; this is slotted at one end to take a piece of flat steel with a slot sawed in it to take the work. Both parts of the tool are held together by means of a pin. The end of the handle projecting over the slot in the flat piece is filed to the shape shown to form a cam. The handle will, when pulled upward, hold the sheet securely in the slot, and the weight of the material will also tend to tighten the grip of the holder. In use, the sheet is gripped so that the handle projects away from the workman. When carried in this manner the sheet swings slightly away from the worker's feet and clears the floor much better than if carried straight. Lubricating Automobile Springs Authorities on automobile maintenance agree that graphite is by far the best spring lubricant. Many motorists, how- ever, refrain from using graphite because of the difficulty of getting it between the springs without taking the springs apart. A very simple and easy method of effi- ciently lubricating automobile springs with graphite is as follows: Take about 2 oz. of powdered graphite and mix it in 4 oz. of ordinary commer- cial ether. Put the mixture into an oil- can and apply it to the springs; it will be found to flow readily between the tightest leaves. The ether evaporates quickly and MECHANICS leaves behind a deposit of graphite. The graphite left on the outside of the springs may be wiped off with a cloth. Since ether is poisonous if taken in- ternally, it should be mixed and applied to the springs out in the fresh air where there is not the slightest danger of in- haling it. It is also highly inflammable, and care should be taken to keep it away from fire. One-Piece Chimney-Extension Cap The drawing shows a one-piece chim- ney-extension cap that may be cut with little or no waste from a sheet of gal- vanized iron. The method of cutting is shown in the upper left-hand detail. The cylindrical part is first formed and the edges carefully seamed. The top flaps are then bent over, seamed and soldered, which completes the cap. If it is not thought necessary to have both sides ex- actly symmetrical, the extra allowance on the sides of the body for seaming may be omitted, and the sheet cut straight as in- dicated by the dotted lines. When the body is seamed, the upper curve on one side will be a little smaller than that on the other, but this is hardly noticeable, and allows the sheet to be cut with no , ‘ - DETAIL OF CUTS TOP LUG BEFORE BENDING AND SEAMING A One-Piece Chimney Extension Cap That may be Cut without Any Waste waste at all. The cap not only forms a protection over the chimney, but also tends to increase the draft—Francis T. Griffin, North Bend, Neb. @ When broaching, see that all chips are removed before placing a new piece of work on the broach. r fe

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A Heavy-Duty Bench Band Saw By FRANK N. COAKLEY fam: band saw shown in the ac-_ this keeps the bearing in alinement. A fea) Companying drawing is built 5-in. circular adjusting nut, tapped to fit up mainly from the most eas-_ the bar, is run on between tee and cross ily obtained of materials— pipe before the bearing is assembled; this nut and fittings; it will be found a_ has eight %¢-in. holes drilled around its most practical tool for the small shop, circumference for a spanner wrench. If and one capable of heavy wotk. a bar of the proper size is not available, The method of assembling the 2%-in. the sliding piece may be made of double pipe frame is quite apparent from the extra-heavy pipe, turned to size. Care drawing, so nothing need be said about must be taken, when assembling the this. The bearing for the bottom-pulley frame, to get the upper and lower bear- shaft is a babbitted cross, reamed to fit ings in line, and square with each other a 1%%-in. cold-rolled steel shaft; an oil The thrust plate is made from 2-in. hole is drilled and tapped in the side of | cold-rolled steel, turned to shape, bored the cross, at the top, and an oil cup fitted to fit a %34-in. pin, and casehardened. ---- 12" WHEEL ) Q P SET- = SCREW, _f , . * f : : - ‘ : i: i }---1SQ. BAR : THRUST PLATE : : 1 HARDWOOD Lo SY / TABLE g - mm i A . ” -4- { = = ANGLE . 2] iQ ; _S Oo =” ai , % y : = 2! & ADJUSTING NUT --~" Ones ng if o ‘ ow o Fe: | 8 -gPIN. SLOT a ae ad i i ~_ TAPPED FOR = i." ¥ (zfs _| ¢k- WINGNUT | wy | ey Mitta WZ ky : , ; cv | — 6D PIN PIPE SE yp ol! MIN SZ iy 3 «apr | = = = V/ / ix 2? a «2's LJ | x a" ol | PULLEY --~ DETAIL OF THRUST PLATE DETAIL OF BAND SAW wonseat BEARING Pipe and Fittings, About the Most Easily Obtained of Materials, are Used Exclusively for the Frame of This Sturdy Bench Band Saw for the Small Shop to lubricate the shaft. The top-pulley The pin has a groove turned in it neat shaft bearing is a tee, babbitted and its end, and a %-in. pin, driven through reamed, in the same manner as the lower holes bored in the thrust plate, runs in bearing, for a 1'4-in. pin. This bearing the groove and keeps the plate in place is made adjustable, as shown in the sec- The pin is carried by a l-in. square bar, tional drawing, by screwing a 3-in. bar, which runs through a babbitted hole in with a long thread, into the tee outlet. the end tee of the frame, and is held by The bar slides in one pair of the out- a %%-in. setscrew with a large knurled lets of a 2%4-in. cross, the outlets being head; the %4-in. thrust-plate pin is held machined to a good fit on the bar. A_ by a '4-in. thumbscrew. 15-in. pin is riveted through the cross, The table is made of i-in. hardwood; and fits in a slot cut through the bar; it rests, at the front, on a pipe flange 627

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625 POPULAR screwed on the frame member, and, at the rear, is screwed to a 2 by 2-in. angle iron, which is fastened to the frame by a U-bolt. The saw pulleys should be *%4-in. face by 12-in. diameter, and should be turned and balanced to insure vibrationless run- ning. It is advisable to cement endless rubber bands to the pulleys, to prevent the saw from slipping and heating. The MECHANICS driving pulley should have a 24-in. face, and be of such a diameter that the saw pulleys will run at 500 to 600 r. p. m. Saw pulleys up to 15 in. in diameter can be used by proportioning the frame to suit. A %-in. saw will be found to be the best size for all-around wood- working. The feet of the machine are pipe flanges, and lag screws, or bolts, are used to fasten it to the bench. Assembly Stand for Automobile Axles To allow the workman full use of both hands in assembling the front axles of automobiles, the simple stand shown in Stand Used for Assembling Front Axles of Automo- biles That Facilitates the Work Considerably the photograph was devised. The spring- perch holes in the axle slip over two studs on two separate stands; then the workman can perform the necessary op- erations, knowing that the axle is just as rigid as if it were actually fastened to the automobile —J. H. Moore, Toronto, Canada Protecting Drawings Ordinary transparent lacquer used for coating brass and other metals can also be applied to paper reference sheets, tables, drawings, etc., to protect them from being soiled by handling. The lac- quer is poured into a shallow tray, and the sheets are dipped so that both sides are thoroughly coated, then hung up to dry. If desired, another coating can be applied after the first has dried. The lacquer covers the paper without affect- ing the printed matter, and it toughens and glazes the surface so that it will not collect dirt so quickly. It also prevents the paper from being stained or torn easily. A Lathe Test Piece When mounting a lathe job that is to run perfectly straight and true the aline- ment of the centers should be carefully checked. This is often done by running the centers together, or by using a thread gauge with male and female 60° angles, but these methods are not very accurate; it is better to use a test piece of the type illustrated. This consists of a 10-in length of 1-in. tubing, fitting snugly into two steel end- pieces, as 10” shown. These ie _.\ endpieces are i = = i a driving fit GROUND over the tub- ing and are ground down after being assembled, the centers being care- fully ma- chined with a single-edge tool while running the test piece in the chuck and steady rest. The sides of the endpieces are also trued. As the head center rotates, it is always well to run the lathe, and to hold the test piece by hand in order to keep it from rotating A dial indicator is brought to bear on the side of one endpiece, as shown, and after registering the position of the needle, the dial is moved over to the other end, which is similarly checked; the dial needle will check alike at both ends if the centers are in perfect line. By using a test piece of this kind, considerable guesswork will be eliminated, and the accuracy of the job assured —J. V. Romig, Allentown, Pa TUBING TEST PIECE ‘ DIAL INDICATOR ~~ \ \ I

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POPULAR MECHANICS Locking Door-Knob Screws The small setscrew used to hold a door knob in place on the lock shank often works loose and is lost. Although re- placement of a few screws is not ex- pensive, it is troublesome, and in large buildings, where this trouble happens often, it is advisable to prevent frequent recurrence by placing small lock washers under the heads of the screws. Safety Gauge for Punch Press It frequently happens that a punch- press operator places two blanks into the forming die instead of one, the result being that either the die or the press is broken. This accident usually occurs when blanks are stuck together with a layer of oil, and the double thickness is not readily noticed. Furthermore, piece- work rates, which are usually paid for press work, are not generally conducive to giving the work close inspection. To avoid the danger of breaking dies and presses in this way, I designed an ad- justable safety gauge that is bolted on the punch-press table in a position con- venient to the operator, who passes each blank between the measuring anvils before placing it in the forming die. Theanvils are spaced to allow the pas- sage of only one blank. Al- though the use of the “s--- MEASURING ANVILS pa gauge slows up production somewhat, not so much time is lost as when dies and presses are laid up for re- pairs. The elimination of repair costs also enables the firm to raise piecework rates. The gauge has a flat cast-iron base, with lugs for bolts. Both measuring an- vils have round faces to permit the easy passage of the blanks. The anvils are made of tool steel, hardened, and the upper one is threaded and provided with a locknut.—Chas. Homewood, Ontario, California @ Wood that has been thoroughly soaked in an almost saturated solution of salt and water, and then dried, will not warp. 629 Tool for Handling Light Work _A_ piece of wire bent to a U-shape is often used to hold light tubular work Lf | | SPRING WIRE 4 | th ‘ bs y/ : A Simple Hol“er for Handling Light Tubula- Work for Such Operations as Dipping and Tinning for minor operations, such tinning, etc., where the full outside sui face must be exposed. The illustration shows an improvement on this type of holder. The improvement consists in the addition of two disks, each flattened on the edge and drilled in the center to fit the wire; the ends of the wire are bent, pushed through the holes, and bent again, so that the disks are free to re- volve, but cannot come off. The flattened sides of the disks make a much better con- tact with the work than wire alone, and one tool of this kind will serve for many sizes of work, while, when using the U- shaped wire only, several different sizes must be made to handle any riety —Harry Moore, as dipping large va- Montreal, Can. Removing Large Scrap Casings from Rims sing To remove a scrap 40 by 8-in. ca from the rim in a short time, cut into the tire from the outer side, about 2 in above the bead. Cut at an angle through cords and around the the rubber and through the keep on cutting all the way tire. The outer sidewall can then easily be pulled out to remove the inner tube and the flap, after which the casing can be taken off the rim without much trouble. This process takes about 30 mit utes, while the ordinary method often takes from 2 to 5 hours—Harold L. Fox Atlantic City, N. J.

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Tapping Round Work It is usually more difficult to keep a tap straight and square on round work than on flat work, as there is nothing to SLIDING az PIECE TOP PIECE SSS i i} } SIDING = PIECE A Simple Guide Used for Tapping Round Work Square and Straight guide the eye. The illustration shows a tap guide, made of flat stock, that aids in tapping holes straight in such work. One piece is bent at right angles on two sides, drilled with a clearance hole for the tap in the center, and a slot is sawed up each side. The second piece is made to slide up and down in the slots; the center is cut to a V-shape, and the ends are turned over to bear against the sides of the first piece so that both parts are held in line. by the spring effect. To use the device as a guide it is slipped over the work and the sliding piece pushed up until the V-shaped point enters the bottom of the hole to be tapped. This movement centers the clearance hole in the top over the hole in the work, and brings the upper surface to a square posi- tion so that the tap can be guided straight with the eye. If greater accuracy is de- sired, a square can be used, with the stock resting on the flat upper surface of the guide. Testing Silk Silk fabrics are often “loaded” to give them the appearance and feel of heavy fabric, because a loaded silk is cheaper to produce than a piece of goods that is made entirely of silk and is of the same weight. The loading process generally consists in impregnating the silk with metallic salts, such as tin and lead. A chemical action is set up in the fiber by this process which weakens the goods to POPULAR MECHANICS some extent; furthermore, when the loading materials have been removed from the fabric by washing, the garment is in many cases practically ruined. Load ing also causes the silks to crack and split at folds and creases. A simple method of detecting silks that have been treated with metallic salts is a burning test. A piece of pure silk, when burned, will shrivel up into a buncl in the same way as wool. If metallic salts are used, the silk will not shrivel up, but the ash will retain its original shape and pattern, and can often be handled with- out breaking, depending on the amount of loading that has been done. Handy Fish-Wire Puller It is a very tiresome job to pull fish wire through conduit by means of pliers, and it is not advisable to wrap it around a stick, as this is liable to ruin it. A puller of the type illustrated has there fore been found of considerable conven ience; the harder one pulls on it the tighter it will grip the wire without inju: ing it, whether the wire is flat or round The handles are cut from pieces of wood about 2 in. square and 12 in. long Part of each handle is rounded off to make a comfort- able grip for the hand, and the square ends of the handles are slotted to re- ceive a strip of flat iron, which acts as Pieces of angle iron with slots “+ ANGLE IRON IRON STRIP - STOVE BOLTS -a a hinge. cut across them to correspond with those cut in the handles, are fastened to the ends by means of flat-head wood screws, the sharp corners or edges of the angles being slightly rounded with a file, so that they will not cut the fish wire. A sraall piece of flat iron is screwed to each side of the handles to take the strain off the hinge, which is held by two stove bolts passing through the handles as shown.—W. W. Parker, Lead, S. D. @ All open, flames should be kept away from any place where there is any possi bility of acetylene escaping.

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A Good Wire-Fence Straightener BY J. R. KOONTZ VERY farm and ranch owner, in fact anyone who has occasion to use wire fencing, knows how soon it is bent and forced out of shape by horses, hogs, and cattle tramping or crowding it down in order to get grass, etc., that may be on the opposite side. In a short time the fence becomes unsightly, and if al- lowed to stay without straightening will become more of a nuisance than anything else. The wires can be straightened with the hands, but, with heavy wire it is a diffi- cult job, and heap. Two handles, taken from an old plow or cultivator, are used, or, if only a single-hook tool is desired, the handle of a discarded lawn mower will serve. The handles are cut to 30 in. long; two round braces or struts, 10 in. long, which may be taken from an old chair; two pieces of flat tire iron, 20 in. long, and two pieces of tire iron 10 in. long, are also necessary, in addition to eight wood screws and one iron rivet. A hook is bent on one end of each of the 10-in. irons, and two screw holes are drilledin painful to the hands, and, when much of it must be done, the en- forced bend- ing posture causes a pain in the back. Withawire straight- enerthese aches and pains may be avoided, and wi FLAT IRON each, so that they can be fastened to the lower ends of the handles as shown. Screw holes are also drilled at the ends of the 20-in. pieces, and a hole for the rivet in the center of each. Holes are bored in the the fence iE te ate ae - * handles for the © a t % eft, Parts for the ire-Fence Straightener; Center, Tool in : P . Straig¢g ht Use; Right, Assembled Fence Straightener en ds o1 t he ened much chair rails, easier, thus transforming a difficult job, and one that is put off as long as pos- sible, into an easy one. A straightener of the type shown in the illustration can be made at practically no cost, beyond that of the labor, from materials usually to be found in the junk which are then glued in place between the handles. The 20-in. cross braces may then be attached, and riveted together. In using the tool, the hooks are placed over the line wires, the foot placed against the stay wire, and the line wire pulled back into shape without stooping. Coloring Copper Brown and Black Different shades on copper, ranging from a light brown to a deep black, may be obtained by using a weak solution of liver of sulphur. A half ounce of the liver of sulphur to a gallon of water is sufficient to make a _ solution. strong enough for the brown colors. By in- creasing the quantity of the chemical, us- ing the same amount of water, and bring- ing it to the boiling point, the same colors can be produced on brass. To obtain the popular verd-antique finish, the work is stippled with a solu- tion made from 4 oz. copper nitrate, 4 oz. calcium chloride, and 1 oz. bichromate of soda in 1 gal. of water. After coating the work with this solution, the high lights are rubbed down with a cloth and stone, aiter applied as finely v hich desired. pow dered lacquer ot pumice wax iS Drilling Hardened Steel I have found the following method for drilling hardened steel very satisfactory. The usual pointed end of the drill its ground to a half-round shape, then made as hard as possible. The surface to be drilled is etched with dilute muriatic acid Instead of oil, turpentine or kerosene in which a little gum camphor has been di: solved is used as a lubricant. Should the bottom of the hole become polished, so that the drill rides over it, remove thie drill, etch the bottom of the hole with the acid, to roughen it, and proceed as before. —Wm. J. Edmonds, Rutland, Vt. 631

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POPULAR Auto Upholsterer’s Stuffing Tool It is common practice among automo- bile upholsterers, when filling pleated seat backs, to lay in a roll of wadding and ‘- FLANGE : BENT IN ” 7 “SHEET |RON Auto Upholsterer’s Stuffing Tool Permits Pleats to be Sewed First and Stuffed Afterward sew the covering over it as they go. The process, which is a slow one, may be greatly facilitated by the simple stuffing tool illustrated, which permits the pleats to be sewed first and stuffed afterward. The tool consists of two strips of sheet iron 31 in. in length; the width at one end is 5 in., for a length of about 2 in., and the remainder of the strip is 4 in. wide. The edges are bent over as shown to form flanges, then the flanges are cut off at one end of each piece, and the strips bent over to form handles, which are stiffened with ridges of solder. At the wide end of the tool, the flanges of one section are bent outward and those of the other section inward so that one may slide within the other. In use, the roll of stuffing is placed in the tool and slipped inside the pleat. By pulling the outer section back 2 in. the locking por- tions of the flanges slide clear, and the tool can be removed without difficulty — Edwin M. Love, Alhambra, Calif Instructions Cast on Machines On many machines it is necessary to attach a plate of instructions or warning so that they can be operated safely. Enameled plates are often used, but are not satisfactory because the enamel splinters. Etched and engraved brass plates give satisfactory service, but, as they are detachable, are often lost. The most permanent method of providing in- structions is to cast the lettering on the frame. This is done by embossing the desired lettering on narrow aluminum MECHANICS strips and nailing these to the surface of the pattern. The location is determined simply by reference to the parting of the mold, so that the lettering will not be obliterated in the molding process. The finished casting is ground to even up the tops of the letters and make them con- spicuous. Identifying Scaffold Lumber Many contractors, and others having use for scaffolds at regular intervals, use special lumber for the purpose, particu- larly for the footboards. The material is generally 2-in. lumber and is selected for its freedom from knots and other de- fects. The ends of these boards are painted a conspicuous color so that they can readily be identified in a pile of lumber, should they get misplaced, but they are usually kept in a separate pile. Smokestack Made from Old Kitchen Boilers When installing a new furnace it was learned that the 40-ft. smokestack which was required would cost approximately $40.00. Instead of paying this price, eight old kitchen boilers were bought for 50 cents each at a scrap yard. The ends were cut off with an acetylene torch in an hour’s time and the small openings in the sides were plugged. One end of each Left, Boiler with Ends Cut Off; Right, Erectirg the Smokestack tube was hammered down so that it would fit into the end of another section, and the sections riveted and welded to each other. The smokestack made of these boilers was heavier than one made of the usual material, not to speak of the saving in cost effected in this way.—J. E. Holstrom, Knoxville, Tenn.

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POPULAR Making a Beam Micrometer The cost of a complete set of microm- eter calipers prohibits the average tool- maker or machinist from owning one; a beam micrometer also, while not so ex- pensive as a complete set, is beyond the reach of many. With the exercise of a little skill, however, accurate beam micrometers may readily be made by the workman himself. The toolmaker, and others whose work demands an accurate tool, will find the micrometer shown in the larger draw- ing well worth making, as it can be made just as accurate as any of the high-priced tools on the mar- MECHANICS 6353 fastened to the bottom piece by a round- head screw. The shape of the notches in which the tooth rests should be particu- larly noticed. This form of notch divides the work of locating the standard and of drawing it to position. When the screw is turned upward to press the tooth home, the inclined side of the notch, engaging with the corresponding side of the tooth, slides the standard until the straight sides of notch and tooth are in contact. It is only necessary to make the straight sides of the notches accu- ket. BALL SHAPE, TIGHT FIT The beam or ANVIL frame is made of f ‘ %4-in. steel, 914 \ in. long and 5 or 6 . ; h FOOT SPINDLE” in. wide, depending : FACE GROUND upon how high it SQUARE. is desired to make vs the spindle and an- vil. This height J should be either 3 or 4 in., and the width of the beam 14% in. The inner edges of the foot » U rate as to location, and, as all of the wear comes on the inclined side, this accuracy is retained indefinitely. When the screw is re- leased, the tooth will spring out of the notch with a little end pressure STANDARD The micrometer head is lightly pressed into the eye in the standard in the usual manner, and the contact surfaces of the an- vil and spindle lapped true. Where extreme accuracy is not es- and beam must be J il JeTFF sential, a microm- absolutely true and “- . he eter head, attached Ss z vi +: \ ; ne , sans of a sim- quare with each | a curarancef---}-e by means of a sim other, if the tool is el BEAM-—- 1 2’ ple bracket, or to be accurate, and great care must be taken with this part of the work. da *- NOTCH SPRING TOOTH - af’ 4 n~ —e SLOT auxiliary head, to the scale of a com- The foot is drilled for the anvil, which is of tool steel, Beam Micrometer, made, as shown in the sectional detail, with a ball-shaped end and a_ shank smaller in diameter than the hole. This allows the inner face of the anvil to seat squarely against the surface of the foot; the ball must be a tight press fit. The micrometer-head standard is built up of flat steel, the upper part, carrying the head, being shaped from '%-in. stock, « leaving the diameter of the eye 1% in., and the body %4 in. thick. This is con- nected to the bottom piece by '%-in. side plates, the whole being assembled tightly by perfect-fitting rivets, neatly headed. A clearance slot is filed in the bottom sur- face of the upper part of the standard, so that it has a two-point bearing on the beam. The locating spring tooth is made of tool steel, hardened and tempered, and is Measuring from 0 That may be Made by Any Skilled Workman al bination square, SCREW - +b will serve the pur- to 6 Inches, pose, the head of the square being used as the an- vil. It is preferable to use a square with a hardened, drop-forged steel head. The auxiliary head is made from a piece of cast iron or steel, 4% by 1 by 4 in. in dimensions, machined all over by the size given in the smaller drawing. A hole to fit a standard micrometer head is then drilled through it, and, at right angles to this, a hole is drilled and tapped for a binding screw, the head slotted as shown, and one side of the binding-screw hole drilled out to fit the body of the screw: the screw used has a knurled head. The bottom of the head is now slotted to fit nicely on the scale, holes for two small setscrews are drilled and tapped in one side, in line with the scale groove, and the screws fitted. To use the tool, the square head is set on a scale division, and, with the microm

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POPULAR

eter reading at zero, the auxiliary head is moved up, until the end of the spindle just touches the square head, and locked in position. The square head is_ then moved the desired number of divisions, locked, and the microm- eter used usual. When setting the head on the scale divi- sions, a mag- nifying glass should be used. A better way to set the tool is to use a set of ee the microm- FS ane eter stand- AUXILIARY HEAD ards sold by various tool companies, but where these are not avail- able, the magnifying glass will enable the workman to set the tool as closely as the ordinary vernier caliper may be adjusted. A tool of this kind has been used for a long time, and has given splendid service.

COMBINATION SQUARE ~-

Wire Gauge Attachment for Plates Steel and iron plates are very seldom accurate as to thickness at their edges. Sometimes this is caused by the shear turning up the edges, by a saw, which leaves a burr, or perhaps the edges are just badly knocked. For this reason a wire gauge, when used to measure plates, is often unreliable, and the cause of many mistakes, because the actual thickness of the plate may be less than that shown by the gauge. -DRILLROD To measure plates accu- rately they i should be Ss \ 2 gauged at a <2 short distance a( ) from their “5 edges. The at- a {Nyss tachment SPRING? shown in the Yeo FLAT PLATE

illustration accomplishes this ta «4 handy manner when used in conjunction with a wire gauge A collar, about 3¢ in. thick, makes a good body for the device. A hole, about 1, in. in diameter, is drilled through it, and it is then cut+in two as shown. A ' (WIRE GAUGE MECHANICS piece of drill rod is driven tightly into the hole in one part, and made a sliding fit in the hole in the other. The faces of both halves are then brought together and filed and lapped true to each other. Two pieces of \42-in. sheet steel are bent over to fit the two pieces at one side, and are riveted in place by a couple of pins in each, the faces of the collar pieces at this side being cut away to clear the gauge. To keep the two parts together a small pin is driven through the drill rod, and a shallow groove is filed in the top of the collar in line with the pin, so that the pressure of a light spring around the rod keeps the pin in the groove and pre- vents the two parts from coming apart when not in use. Any size of plate, from Ms in. thick, can be measured with this device, as shown in the drawing; it is recommended that the gauge and attach- ment be fastened together by means of a short chain, if constantly in use. Economizing on Cropping Blocks

CROPPING BLOCK

It is a general practice in steel manu- facturing plants to crop bars of steel be- fore straightening them. This is done on a cast-steel cropping block, and when the édge of the block becomes roundéd or chipped, which is caused by heavy BLADE cropping,the ee block is machined pss, Wy down to forma new edge. An improve- ment on the ordi-- iS nary block is made by rabbet- [ ing the edge of the block as, shown, to a depth of 2% in. and a width of 34 in., to form a seat for a removable tool-steel blade which is bolted to the block. The four edges of this blade can be used, and, when the last edge is worn, a new blade can be substituted for the old one. The holes in the blades and the block are drilled 2 in. from each end, and exactiy on the center, so that the blade will fit the block and holes exactly in either posi tion. The steel used for the blade should be 80-point carbon tool steel, with a Brin- nell hardness of 477. @._ To evaporate 1 cu. ft. of water requires the consumption of 71% lb. of coal, or about 1 Ib. of coal to 1 gal. of water

em

[ES EES SESS

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9

= = = ae Zc

AN I An Electrically Driven Hedge Trimmer By A. E. SHAW

MACHINE that will interest the extended at the front as shown, to form man who prides himself on his well- a bearing for the front wheel. The rear- kept grounds is the electric hedge.trim- wheel axle is strapped to the underside ier shown in the illustration. There is of the base; the wheels are 12 in. in no great amount of skill required to build diameter, rubber-tired. the machine beyond that possessed by the ©. The supporting frame for the motor iverage amateur mechanic, and, besides is made up from %4-in. pipe and fittings, trimming the hedge very accurately and the vertical arms being attached to the

F OR MO TOR —

SUPPORTING ARM FOR MOTOR °

NIPPLE o \ SETSCREW CROSS ‘ ‘ —— 4 14 & ; ELBOW

BLADE r 5E CREW any pe 2S. se ie pee sae & (7 OO Tf Gf starr , < FLANGE LY

This Electrically "Driven Hedge- liming Machine will Delight the Amateur Mechanic Who Prides Himself on the Appearance of His Grounds. It is Easily Made, and Quite Efficient uniformly, the machine does the work in base by means of floor flanges. The cross a much shorter time than it can be done arm is fitted with a cross and a tee, from by hand. which the threads have been filed so that The base of the machine is made of they will slide easily on the vertical pipes, l-in. lumber, which is faced on the edges and they are fitted with setscrews so that with % by 1-in. flat iron. The iron is the arm can be locked in position 635

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636 A coupling, tapped for a setscrew, is screwed on the outer end of the arm, and a smaller pipe is telescoped within it. This pipe is threaded at the outer end, or fitted with a reducing coupling and nipple, to screw into the base of the motor. The size of this pipe and the thread used will depend on the motor available. For trimming the top of the hedge, the motor is mounted at right angles to the cross arm, the elbow shown being used for this purpose. The motor is a small battery motor, which develops about \%s5 hp. at 1,800 r. p. m., on 6 volts, and it is fitted with a tool-steel blade, ground to the shape and dimensions given in the drawings, and carried on the motor shaft by means of Improvements for a Fishing Boat A tackle box fitted in the seat of a row- boat has many advantages over an ordi- nary tackle box, as it has not only much knocked more room and cannot be Left, Making a Slat Floor for the Fishing Boat; Right, Tackle Box Built under Seat around, but is kept completely out of the way. As shown in the drawing, the tackle box is made in the form of a drawer under the center seat, the one that is usually used the most. The drawer is about 30 in. long, 6'% in. deep, and 12 in. wide, which gives plenty of room for two or three rods, and com- partments. for hooks and lures, so that these will not become mixed, as is gen- erally the case in the ordinary tackle box. The box is protected from rain by the seat, and as it does not touch the bottom it is also free from water in the boat. A hasp and padlock should be provided on the box. Another improvement for the boat is a slat flooring to prevent getting the feet POPULAR MECHANICS a machine-steel flange, drilled and tapped for two round-head screws and a set- screw. It has been found convenient to drive the outfit by a storage battery mounted on the base, but it is perfectly feasible to use a 110-volt motor, provided a connec- tion can conveniently be made. When the motor is not in use it is removed, with its supporting pipe, and carried in the bracket screwed to the front of the battery box. The handle of the machine is made of 34-in. pipe and fittings, the lower end of each leg being flattened and screwed to the base, and each leg is attached also to thé side of the battery box with pipe straps. wet. For convenience the flooring can be arranged in three sections. The con- struction is simple, all that is necessary being a quantity of slats and a few cross members. The best wood to use is fir, and the flooring should never be painted, but should be given a liberal application of linseed oil. The slats, so protected, will last a long time. In addition to keep- ing the feet dry, the slat flooring protects the bottom boards of the boat. Simple Homemade Leaf Spreader To lubricate the springs of an automo- bile properly it is necessary to loosen the clips and spread the leaves apart for the insertion of the lubri- cant. [There are many methods of doing this, but the tool shown in the sketch will do the work with a minimum of effort. It is made from two pieces of a broken spring, bent as shown. The ends are ground to a knife-edge for wedging between the leaves; by tightening up the nut in the bolt the knife-edges are drawn together, sep- arating the spring leaves. The bolt holes must be elongated to prevent the bolt from binding. SS SSS @ By fixing an 18 or 20-in. extension to his cane, a blind man has greatly in- creased its usefulness. Because of the increased length he is able to notice ob- stacles within a much greater radius.

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POPULAR Inexpensive Book Ends A neat pair of ornamental book ends, which are just as presentable in appear- ance as many of the expensive ones on the market, can easily be made at home for a fraction of the cost of the manu- factured article. The wooden base and vertical part of each end are cut from 1 by 5-in. finished lumber, to the shape shown in the details of the photograph. The two parts are joined with 2-in. wood screws, small holes being drilled to prevent the screws from splitting the wood. Two small celluloid statuettes, such as elephants, which cost only 10 or 25 cents each, are obtained. The statuettes are attached by cutting off the bottom of the feet and gluing wooden plugs inside. Screws are driven up through the base into the plugs to hold the statuettes in place, the screw- holes in the base being counterbored to receive the screw heads. The underside of the base is covered with a piece of felt, which is glued on. The felt should project about 1% in. beyond the vertical part of the book end; the outer book rests on this, and prevents the book end from moving. The wooden part of the book end is enameled to match the ROUNDED , MECHANICS Ornamental as Good as Expensive Purchased Ones Book Ends, Made at Home, but Just statuette, or both base and statuette may be finished in any other desirable way.— Glen McWilliams, Detroit, Mich. @The Bureau of Information will tell readers where materials mentioned in the Shop Notes and Amateur Mechanics de- partments may be obtained. “~*~ 63; Time Exposure with Hand Camera Tripods are more or less of an annoy- ance to the camera enthusiast, and few use them. However, it is sometimes nec- —— Simple Methods of Making Time Exposures without Using a Tripod essary to make a time exposure to get the desired picture, but the camera can- not be held steadily enough with the hands to avoid doubling the image. It is, however, a simple matter to hold the camera steady if a cane is carried along. Just below the crook of the cane two holes are drilled from opposite sides to meet in the center, both slanting down from the point of junction. Another hole is drilled through the crook to take a tripod screw, on which the camera is mounted. A cord is run through the angular hole, the ends of the cord are stepped on, and pulled taut by pulling back on the cane, which has the end planted on the ground in the position in- dicated, thereby holding the cane firmly in position. The arrangement thus im- provised is steady enough for long-time exposures. Another method of steadying the cam era is to cut a length of tape into three pieces, and to tie or sew these pieces to- gether at the central point as shown, making a form of the letter Y. Loops are made at the ends that the foot can be placed in one loop, and each wrist in another. Then, with the camera clasped between both hands, an upward pull will enable the user to hold the cam- era steadily enough for a time exposure of four or five minutes—George Parke, Chicago, III. sO

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POPULAR “Anchoring” the Cow’s Tail Anyone who has milked cows has suf- fered from the annoyance caused by the animal switching its tail around to chase uy az | : =— = = h/ po — a SS ST a = SS SZ a SSS = Simple and Effective Method of Preventing Cows from Switching Their Tails away the flies. This trouble can be pre- vented very easily if there is an old bicycle tire lying around the yard. The tire is simply thrown over the cow’s back as shown. This idea has been tried and found very effective—F. H. Chick & Co., Strong, Me. Novel Mounting for Spider-Web Coil A simple and effective method of tap- ping a spider-web coil is shown in the drawing. The coil is wound on a wooden or fiber disk, 4% in. thick. Each section is tapped as usual, and the taps are con- nected to small round-head brass screws, driven into holes, drilled and tapped in the edge of the disk. The coil is then SMALL BRASS © AERIAL->| || Ar BRACE ee i COPPER OR ™ BRASS SPRING --- = GROUND-- > Rotating Spider-Web Coil That Permits the Use of a Greater Number of Taps than Usual mounted on a long screw, to which is attached the knob and dial used for re- volving the coil. A nut is run onto the screw, on each side of the disk, to hold it MECHANICS securely in place, and the end is filed down to fit a bearing made of sheet brass. The aerial end of the coil is fastened under one of the nuts, and the lead-in wire from the aerial is connected to the bearing. A flat copper or brass spring, connected to the ground, is fastened underneath the disk, so that the brass screws all come in contact with it in turn as the coil is revolved. This ar- rangement permits the use of a greater number of switch points than with the usual spider-web coil——C. Wright Richell, Columbus, Ohio. “The Kettle’s Boiling” A warning signal for a water kettle, in- dicating that the water is boiling, can be made from an ordinary flat tin whis- tle, soldered into a hole cut in the kettle lid. A little steam or vapor passing through the whistle will not cause it to sound, but when the boiling point is reached, so much steam is generated that the whistle is blown loudly. The house- wife can put the kettle on and go about her work, confident that she will not for- get it—Wnm. E. King, Monessen, Pa. Ornamenting Cement Tile Designs on the face of cement tiles, or other cement work, such as panels, can easily be made without the necessity of making wooden forms. Frequently, when wooden forms are used, and the cavities later filled with colored cement, the design ap- ---CEMENT pears very awk- _— ward, owing to the difficulty of ; STENCIL forming the de- sign in wood smoothly. The idea illus- trated involves the use of a piece of a heavy water- proof-paper or sheet-metal stencil. In use the stencil is placed on the soft cement and the colored aggregate is pressed through it. A similar effect can also be obtained by dusting on dry ce- ment color, but this is not so satisfactory, as it is not permanent. If the stencil is built up of several thicknesses of paper, a colored cement mixture can be used that will stand out in slight relief beyond the surface of the work when the stencil has been removed.

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POPULAR Saving Theater-Sign Lamps Many theaters are closed for the sum- mer months, and during this time the electric signs are not used. The lamps left on the signs accumulate dust and dirt, and some are usually broken, which gives the sign a very dilapidated appear- ance. To prevent this, it is advisable to remove the lamps as soon as the season is over. Removing the lamps leaves the receptacles open to catch dirt, but this can be overcome by screwing corks of the proper size into the receptacles in place of the lamps. The appearance of the corks is improved by painting them with a contrasting color. Using a Gas Heater as a Stove The cooking arrangement shown in the illustration has been found of consider- able convenience in a room where a regular stove cannot be used, but only a gas heater is available. The device consists of a piece of rus- sia iron, near- ly as wide as the opening of the heater, with the edges bent upward as shown. Two shelf brack- ets are at- tached to the bottom to serve as legs on one side. The other side is supported by the lower part of the heater. When the gas is turned on, sufficient heat is radiated to heat water and food quickly. BLACK RUSSIA IRON “SHELF BRACKET Poultry Feeder and Rat Trap A combination rat trap and dry-mash feeder is a rather novel addition to the poultry house. The feeder is a long box, 1 ft. high and 1 ft. wide, with a sloped and slatted top, through which the hens put their heads to eat during the day. To convert this into a rat trap, a 4-in. hole was bored in the end of the hopper, a short length of 4-in. stovepipe fastened in the hole, and a bag tied over the other end of the pipe and spread out on the ground. A heavy board cover was hinged to the feed box; this was kept open by MECHANICS 639 means of a hook during the day, but the hook was released, and a small prop with a string attached to it used at night. The string led away to a distant window Combination Poultry Feeder and Rat Trap That Is Simple to Make and Very Effective so that the poultryman could pull it without entering the poultry house and disturbing the rats. A yank at the string let the cover drop and trapped the rats inside. Then, by beating on the cover with a stick, the rats were made to run through the hole, down the pipe, and into the bag, where a few blows killed them. As long as the hens ate from the feeder the rats never seemed suspicious. —L. Harris Hiscock, Skaneateles, N. Y. Jack Used as Rim Tool Automobile owners and drivers gener- ally have trouble in bringing the ends of a split rim together when replacing a tire. Various tools are made for this work, but unfor- tunately they are not usually car- ried in the car. The drawing shows a simple method of using a jack and a block of wood for spreading the rim. The pressure is exerted equally on the rim at the three points of con- tact, thus spreading the rim evenly and without the danger of bending it out of shape. JACK,

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Handy Washtub Stand The illustration washtub stand that save much heavy shows a _ convenient has been found to lifting on wash days.

PLAN OF STAND GAS BURNER

' ' SCREEN WIRE’ “TRUCK CASTERS

Movable Tub Stand and Burner Combined That Saves Much Lifting on Wash Days The stand is triangular in shape and has a leg at each corner, casters being pro- vided on the legs so that the stand can easily be moved about. The legs are joined by 1 by 3-in. pieces of wood at the top, and 1 by 10-in. pieces at the bottom. The stand may be equipped with a gas burner, as shown in the upper detail. If a gas burner is provided, it should, of course, be of large size, suit- able for heating a considerable quantity of water. Protection for the clothes of the user should be provided bv tacking -heavy screen or similar material to the sides —Ward H. Snook, Columbus, Ohio. Inexpensive Emergency Gas-Tank Cap The cap of the gasoline tank is one de- tachable part of the car that will loosen and become lost unless care is used to screw it tight after each filling ‘with gaso- line. One motorist discovered that the tank cap had been lost at a place where no service station could provide a re- placement part. A hardware store, how- ever, provided a good substitute cap, and one that is worth noting, in case the reader should be caught in the same pre- dicament. A close pipe nipple and a pipe cap, of the same pipe-thread size as the opening in the tank, which was of a standard size, provided a substitute equal, except in point of appearance, to a regular cap. A

POPULAR MECHANICS small vent hole was drilled into the cap. The cost of the two fittings approximated that of a single gallon of gasoline, and, as much gasoline waste was prevented, the improvised cap saved its cost several times over. Color Screen for the Camera The illustration shows an easily made color screen for the camera. It consists of a short length of cardboard tube that fits the lens; a cardboard ring is glued in the end of the tube at the point indicated and two circular glass disks are cut to fit the inside

GLASS ISKS-- YELLOW -STAINED “<- LLVULOID

“\ CARDBOARD! |

of the tube. | These disks must <CARDBOARD TUBE- be free from scratches and bubbles. Disks cut from old glass negatives are ideal for this pur- pose. A piece of celluloid, stained yel- low, and cut to the same size as the glass disks, is placed between them. The assembly is then placed in the tube against the cardboard ring, and a second ring is glued in the tube against the other side of the assembly, to hold it in place. —Wnm. J. Edmonds, Rutland, Vt. Rubber Remover The device illustrated has been found useful for removing tight rubbers, which are not easy or agreeable to remove with the hands when muddy. It is made of sheet metal, cut and bent to the shape indicated and screwed to the floor or the edge of a step. In using the de- vice, the hee! of the rubber is first pulled off by insert- ing it in the U-shaped slot and pulling the foot. “The foot is then pulled back so that the tongue comes be tween the rubber and the sole of the shoe. after which a slight jerk of the foot will release the rubber.

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we | TIRE REPAIRS IN THE |, HOME GARAGE fai) Lowell R Butcher fog Part I—Tire Damages and Their Prevention HERE are but two kinds of tire dam- age: that caused by carelessness or inattention, and that resulting from un- avoidable accidents or wear. The car owner is particularly interested in the first variety, the kind that can. be pre- vented with proper knowledge of the causes. In addition, he will want to know what kind of ber of this has little strength as far as retaining air pressure is concerned, but it is designed to combat wear and to pro- tect the carcass from dirt, moisture, and direct contact with the road. The side- wall of the tire has much the same duties as the tread. It is not nearly as thick as the tread, for there should be little wear on the sidewall tire damages can be re- paired with economy, and what injuries are so severe that it is best to discard the tire in favor of a new casing. To under- stand the com- mon abuses and damages, something must be known about the parts of the tire. Each individ- ual part of the tire has a duty to perform, and that duty can- not be done if the part is damaged or destroyed. Principal among the tire parts is the carcass. This unless the tire is abused. A strip of loosely woven fabric is placed between the tread and the carcass; this is known as the breaker strip, and serves to distribute the road shoc ks more evenly over the car- cass. Acush- ion of rubber, known as the cushion of the tire, is placed between the breaker strip and the car- Insome cases there isa layer of the cushion stock between the breaker and the tread as well. ‘T his Cass is the frame- work of fabric, fabric cords, or cable cords that gives the tire its strength and serves to. hold the air pres- sure. It is not designed to stand road wear; that function is left to the tread of the tire. The tread of the tire is made of a com- pounded gum that resists wear. The rub- Above, Car-Track Wear; Left, Fabric Break from Stone Bruise; Right, Fabric Break Due to Running in Car Tracks ey ESS cushion serves to sottenthe road blows SO that the carcass does not take the shocks directly. The bead of the tire simply serves to hold the tire in place on the rim. Its shape will vary with the type of rim used. The types used are two in number: the straight side and the regular clincher. 641

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642 Most of the larger tires have beads to suit straight-side rims while a great many of the 30-in. tires still use the regular clincher type. Without question, the greatest and most common abuse of tires is under- inflation. With all the warnings that have been given, car owners still persist in running tires without sufficient air pres- sure. A multitude of damages is possible from underinflation. The carcass of the tire is constantly bent and “hinged,” the gum that binds the layers of fabric or cords together is destroyed, and the plies rub together. Friction soon develops and the tire wears itself out. It can be seen that the cushion of the tire will be put under great strain in an underinflated tire. The constant bend- ing wears the cushion, which soon breaks down and rolls into tiny balls of rubber. Then the road shocks are taken more directly on the carcass, giving it punish- ing abuse. The binding gum between the tread and carcass gives way causing a condition known as a “separated” tread. Rim cuts, as shown in Fig. 1, are a common ailment on tires that have been run soft or flat. The tire bends over the rim, which cuts the rubber of the side- wall and breaks the carcass of the tire. A blowout, which may be so severe that repair is impossible, soon follows. Other injuries of this character are due to bent or battered rims. Rusty rims will also help in making rim cuts. The rims should be straight, kept free from rust, and given frequent coats of rim paint. The tread of the tire is often worn down through careless driving. Spinning the wheels to make a start, or in an effort to climb out of a mud hole, may grind several hundred miles from the life of the tire. Bad skids on rough pavement will wear the treads excessively, and slid- ing the wheels by locking the brakes will grind off the tread in patches, as shown in Fig. 2. A wobbly wheel or a bent axle will also wear the tread down un- evenly, and if the front wheels are out of alinement the tread will wear off on one side. Nearly all these causes of pre- mature tread wear can be avoided by a little care in driving. It is often necessary to use tire chains when driving in the mud or on slippery pavements, but chains should be used no longer than absolutely necessary. A good chain, if applied correctly, will cause little wear, but an old chain or one applied incorrectly will grind the tread of the tire badly. Cheap chains should be avoided, as they are apt to be soft, and POPULAR MECHANICS will wear rapidly, presenting innumerable sharp cutting edges to the tire; old chains also are undesirable, for the same reason. Whenever used, tire chains should be applied with enough slack to allow them to creep slightly, thus distrib- uting the wear more evenly around the tire. Chains should always be applied with the same side next the tire, as the road side of the chains wears, and, if placed next to the tire, will cause rapid destruction. A typical example of chain damage is shown in Fig. 3. Most motorists know that grease and oil are not good for rubber, but a peep into their garages would not make one credit them with such knowledge. Tires should never be allowed to stand in grease or oil, and if a smear gets on the tire, it should be washed off with a little warm water. The rubber will rot quickly if the grease is allowed to remain. The neglect of the tires frequently ex- tends to the spare tire. Nearly every car nowadays is equipped with a spare tire at the rear, yet fully 50 per cent of these spares are unprotected. A tire cover is cheap insurance against the effects of heat, sun, and moisture. Most of the life of a tire may be destroyed by carrying it as a spare without any protection, Loose inside shoes are another cause of tire damage, often unsuspected. Shoes must be used in emergencies, of course, but they should not be kept in the casing any longer than necessary, and, if they must be used, they should be cemented in place. A loose shoe will shift slightly, and will rub or chafe the fabric as it shifts, until the inside of the casing pre- sents the appearance shown in Fig. 4. Aside from the liability of chafing, the shifting shoe may pinch or injure the inner tube. To get the most out of his tires, every car owner should inspect them at frequent intervals. Many small damages, if found in time, may be repaired at a small cost, but their neglect may mean a more costly repair, or a damage that makes the tire worthless. Many of the small repairs may be made at home if the motorist finds the injury in time. In going over the tires for damages, some systematic method should be fol- lowed. MHit-and-miss metheds will not do, as one may pass up several injuries that a more methodical examination will disclose. Possibly the inspection is best started at the inside of the tire. Open the tire and prop the beads apart with short sticks, so that the inside of the tire is brought into plain view. Go over the

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STONE AND CURB BRUISES These Illustrations Show Some Other Common Types of Damages to Tires, and What Causes Them Best and Costliest Tires will Not Give the Service Expected of Them If Neglected

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644 POPULAR inside of the tire carefully, feeling for fabric breaks or chafed spots. Bend the outside of the tire just above the bead channel, opening any rim cuts or side- wall damages. Flex the tread surface by pressing the tire together and opening any tread cuts. Place one thumb at the center of the tread and the other at the union of the sidewall with the tread and press the thumbs together. This will usually detect any tread separation. The inspection of the inside of the tire will disclose any fabric breaks or chafes. A good light is essential in making the inside examination, as the inside of a tire is covered with a light layer of gum and a coat of tire paint, and small cracks in the fabric may escape detection if the inspection is not carefully made. A good sense of touch is necessary in finding any separated plies of the fabric. lf the plies are separated, the friction— the light layer of gum between them— will be rolled up into tiny balls. These can be felt between the layers of the car- cass by running the fingers over the in- side of the tire. Neglect of this injury usually results in a blowout, as the plies of the carcass rub together and wear themselves out. Separated plies of the carcass are usually the result of running a tire soft or flat. The bending of the sidewall near the bead will open up any rim cuts. The rim cuts in a clincher tire will be close to the bead channel and may pass unnoticed if the examination is not carefully made. Those on straight-side tires will be far- ther up on the sidewall. While looking for rim cuts, it is a good plan to check over the condition of the bead. A broken bead core or a chafed bead cover are the two most common bead damages. Cuts on the tread can be found by bending, although they may not be no- ticed when the tire is mounted and in- flated. Any tread cut, however small, should be repaired at once. In them- selves, tread cuts may not be serious damages, but their neglect invites dirt and moisture to enter the tire and rot the carcass. Severe cuts and damages will often extend through the tread and open one or more plies of the carcass. Tread separations are most often found at the hinge point of the tire. This is the point at which the sidewall and the tread meet. As explained, this damage can be detected by pressing together the hinge section with the thumbs. In aggra- vated cases, where sand and dirt have been allowed to enter through a small cut or hole, the separation may bulge out MECHANICS and take the form of a sand blister, such as shown in Fig. 5. Sometimes the tread separation is caused directly by a small cut or hole. The dirt and moisture destroy the friction between the carcass and the tread, causing the separation to appear. Most_often, however, tread sep- aration is caused by underinflation. Stone bruises, caused by bumping against curbs, or striking heavy stones in the road at high speed, are often hard to find. Usually they can be found at points in the carcass that seem to have lost their “life.” More serious cases mani- fest themselves in a break in the fabric, which is plainly seen when the inside of the tire is inspected. A stone bruise is the direct forerunner of a blowout. The blowout may not occur at the time the tire is bruised, for the fabric break does not always extend through all plies, but pinched tubes often result from bruises that break inside plies of the tire. The frequent inspection of the tires will help to get the most from them. This inspection or examination may be of the nature of looking over the tire for tread cuts or may be an elaborate examination of both the inside and the outside of the tire. The inspection should be made once every two months or oftener. Many of the minor tire damages can be repaired at home, but the more serious ones are best taken to a competent tire repairman. If there is any doubt as to whether a tire can be repaired with econ- omy, take the doubtful casing to the tire man. Sometimes a few dollars spent in making a small repair will add thousands of miles to the life of the tire. In general, a tire with a badly separated tread cannot be repaired with economy. This tire ailment usually results from underinflation, and there are apt to be many other things besides. the tread at fault. Sometimes a badly separated tread is repaired by retreading the tire. This repair is rather costly and should never be made unless the carcass of the tire is worth another tread. Blowouts from stone bruises are usu- ally repaired. Sometimes this damage happens to tires that are almost new. However, the permanent repair should not be postponed by using an emergency inside boot. If this is done for any length of time, the casing may be damaged to such an extent that its repair is doubt- ful economy. There have been many tires ruined by using blowout boots for some time after the blowout has hap- pened. One such tire is shown in Fig. 6; the carcass was rotted by the dirt and

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POPULAR MECHANICS moisture which had easy access to the inside of the tire. Rim cuts are hard to repair. In many cases this damage extends around the entire tire, and, when such is the case, no attempt should be made to repair it. lo repair it properly would mean con- siderable expense, and after the job was done it is doubtful if the repair would hold. A short rim cut, however, can be repaired effectively. Nail holes and small cuts are easily re- paired at home, and they should not be neglected, as ignoring them may mean a serious damage later on. The sidewalls of the tire are not as frequently injured as some other parts, but they can be almost destroyed by careless driving. Running in deep ruts or in street-car tracks will impose a great deal of wear on this part of the tire, which is not built for it. Very often the tire sidewalls are scuffed and bruised, as 645 in Fig. 7, by attempting to place the car too close to the curb when parking. The remedy for these troubles is obvioux keep out of ruts and street-car tracks, and don't allow the tires to scrape against the curb. Careful inspection of tires followed by the. necessary repairs means dollars saved for the car owner. Many of the minor injuries can be repaircd at home; in fact, if the tires are cared for as they should be, trips to the tire man will be few and far between. It is the neglect of tires that causes the more important and seri- ous damages. Much of the dissatisfac- tion toward the service the car owner gets from his tires will be done away with if he will take care of his tires as he should. Repair the little damages before they become big ones and the tire mile- age will correspondingly increase. The next article will describe the repair of tire casings. Homemade Side and Tail Lamps Electric side and tail lamps for use on a light car can be constructed from nickeled hub caps, and will look just as neat as the manufactured ones. A block of wood, cut to fit inside of the hub cap, is drilled to take a standard automobile- lamp socket, then counterbored for the lamp. The block is inserted into the hub cap in the positidn shown, and fastened in place by means of small wood screws, driven in from the out- side. The lens is held be- tweenthe block anda brass ring, which is sol- dered at two points tothe inside of the hub cap. An- other method of holding the lensin place isto insert a sin- gle coil of spring wire inside the hub cap, so that it will spring outward against the cap when released, in the same manner as a common tail- lamp lens is locked, the threads keeping the wire from slipping out. A small hole is punched in the end of the cap to re- ceive a bolt for fastening the lamp. Ma To, il, ———— SOCKET %, Appropriate Camp Ash Tray In harmony with the atmosphere of the camp and forests is the ash tray shown in the photograph, which is made torepre- sent a black bear, stand- ing erect with its paw in the crotch of a small maple branch that supports the ash tray at a conven- ient height. The bear fig- ureiscut from a very thin hemlock board with a jig saw, and appropriately finished in glossy black paint, with a bit of buff on the muzzle. Segregating Nonproductive Hens In order to pick out’ nonproductive hens, we placed a piece of woolen cloth, saturated with glycerin and colored with a dye, above the entrance of each nest, so that the hens would strike against it when entering the nest. The result was that the laying hens bore marks on their heads, backs, or tails, while the nonpro- ductive ones remained unmarked. After a second and third test the latter were segregated —Abe Sair, Brandon, Can

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POPULAR Skirt Used as Grass Bag An old wide dress skirt, with the belt cut off, and the bottom stitched across, makes an excellent bag for carfying lawn Large Bag Made from an Old Dress Skirt, and Used for Carrying Grass and Leaves Raked from the Lawn rakings. Several bushels of mown grass can be carried in it conveniently, as it is short and wide, and does not weigh as much as a basket. Emergency Headlights When the headlights of an automobile are “out of commission,” owing to a ground or a short, one or both of them can still be used, providing there is a trouble lamp in the car. The trouble- cord lamp TROUBLE -LIGHT | 4 socket is re- ORD -, 1) moved, and the wires at- tached to the headlight plug, replac- ing the usual wires. The cord is then run from the dash-lamp socket to one of the headlights, as shown, or better still, by means of an extra length of cord, it can be connected to both headlamps, in parallel. It is a good idea to be prepared to mreet emergencies of this nature by carrying an extra trouble cord, fitted with a plug at each end. MECHANICS Fishing in Center of Swift River How to fish a rushing river in mid stream successfully has been a mystery to many who have wanted to try thei: luck in the far-out pools, which are diffi cult, if not impossible, to reach from shore. For such fishing, the board o: trolling guide shown serves excellently The device is made from light pine and is 1'% ft. long, 6 in. wide, and 34 in thick. Both ends are pointed, as shown the better to cut the water. Four screw- eyes are driven into one side of the board, and wires that are stiff enough to prevent bending easily are attached to the eyes, as shown, by making a ring or eye at the ends. A _ horizontal wire with an eye at each end is run between the end wires and is attached to eyes made in the outer ends of the first wires The line that runs to the boat or fisher- man’s rod has a ring fastened to it that slides freely along the crosswire. The line with the lure on it is connected to the main line, and with it one can reach the deep spots that cannot other- wise be successfully fished. To make the block ride the water properly the bot tom edge must be ballasted with lead ~~ MAIN LINE --- IRON RING STIFF WIRE --- LEAD IN BOTTOM EDGE---- SECTIONAL VIEW --- Fishing Block or Trolling Guide for Fishing in the Middle of a Swift Channel Holes are drilled into the edge of the board with an auger bit, a staple or nail driven into the center of each hole, and melted lead is poured in. Enough holes are made and filled in this manner so that the block will be pulled down in the water to a depth of 3 inches. Also, as there is a pull on the line side this must be balanced by weighing down the op posite side, which can be done by cut ting a dovetailed groove along the back of the board, and filling it with melted lea bo: the th: lin ap

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POPULAR MECHANICS lead, or by fastening a weight to the board, above the center. This will make the device swim at the proper angle, so that when there is a pull on the line, the device will not turn over toward the line side—Robt. Page Lincoln, Minne- apolis, Minn. ; Upholstery Nails Improve Steering Wheel The steering wheel of a light car, which has straight pinion gearing from the wheel to the steering knuckle, is deflected very easily by stones and ruts on the road, so that it is nec- essary to grip the wheel firmly on rough roads. To prevent the wheel from slipping in the hand, due to its smooth surface, ordinary round-head upholstery nails should be driven into the steering wheel on the inside. The nails used for this purpose have a large fiber head, about 1% in. in diameter. UPHOLSTERING _ -NAILS,DRIVEN { INTO THE RIM . Cooking Lunch with a Blowtorch The writer once worked at steam fitting and learned, among other things, a handy way to heat a lunch with a blowtorch. A piece of flat steel is cut to form a portion, 4 in. wide and 7 in. long, which nar- rows down to a section, about % in. wide and 5 in. long, tapering to a sharp point. The wide portion is bent at right angles 4 in. from the end, and forms a table 4 in. square. The nar- row part is stuck into the ground or floor when used, and a blowtorch-is placed in the position indicated, with the flame directed under the table. A lunch can be heated in a surprisingly short time in this manner—L. B. Robbins, Harwich, Massachusetts. 647 Simple and Effective Burglar Alarm A village storekeeper, who did not wish to become a victim of robbery, of which a number had occurred in his vicinity, rel | | Ml Simple Burglar Alarm Improvised by a Country Store- keeper: t Actually Aided in Catching a Burglar improvised the simple burglar alarm shown in the photograph, and, with its use, succeeded in capturing one of the night marauders. The alarm consists of a trip arrange- ment, which, when released, presses the telephone push-button switch, thereby ringing the call bell at the telephone ex- change. The operator then notifies the sheriff, the owner of the store, and other interested parties. The trip is merely a springy stick, with the lower end securely screwed to the wall below the button, the upper end being loose and fitted with a short peg. The push-button switch is located directly under the peg, as shown, so that the button will be pushed down when the stick is released. A short piece of wood is set between the edge of the stick and the wall, and is connected to a long stout cord, passed through a few screweyes, and stretched in the position most likely to be passed by one attempt- ing burglary. When this cord is pulled the piece of wood is dislodged and the peg presses the push button, which rings the bell at the telephone office continu- ously until a switch is released by the operator. As no alarm is sounded within the store, the intruder is unaware that he has “given himself away’—until the ar- rival of the officers. This idea can only be used, of course, where a push-button ringer is used on the telephone,

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Salvaging Submerged Objects While idling along close to shore in a rowboat one day the writer happened to “spot” an object lying in the mud about in Shallow Water 7 ft. under water. After ascertaining that this was a steel fishing rod, prepara- tions were made to salvage it.- Several attempts to hook it with a large fishhook proved futile, so in the end the writer had to don a bathing suit and go after it. This little incident suggested a bet- ter method ot salvaging submerged ob- jects, which was later tried out and found successful. A piece of pipe about a foot long, and a length of hay-baling wire, were picked up around the barn. The wire was doubled and twisted to make it stiffer, then formed into a loop and inserted in the pipe so that it projected out of both ends as shown. These parts, and a coil of the baling wire, were kept in the bot- tom of the boat, to be assembled as shown in the sketch when an _ object worth salvaging was located. When using the device, the length of pipe is wired to the handle of an oar, with the wire loop inside, and the lower end of the loop projecting enough so that it can be passed over the object to be sal- vaged. A wire attached to the upper end of the loop and running up to the user is then pulled, so that the loop holds the object securely. By lifting the oar the object is easily brought to the surface. When trying to ascertain the nature of a submerged object, a powerful flash- light is of aid—C. M. Wilcox, Torring- ton, Conn. A Handy Device for Salvaging Objects Submerged POPULAR MECHANICS A Cheap Glue-Pot Heater A small tin can filled with sawdust makes a glue-pot heater that will keep the glue hot all day; a %4-gal. can is large enough. Set a round piece of wood ver- tically in the center of the can and fill the space around it with sawdust. Then remove the piece of wood and drop a lighted match into the hole; this will cause the sawdust to start burning, giving heat enough to keep the glue soft. Two short iron bars are placed on top of the heater to provide an air space between it and the glue pot. --PiIECE OF WOOD Back-Yard “Hen Pastures” Green feed is necessary to the health and productivity of hens, and the farm- yard has no end of green things, bugs, worms, seeds, and grit, which may be had for a little desultory hunting. The commercial poultryman also takes special pains to supply free range if possible, or provides some kind of. green feed in sufficient quantities to keep the birds flourishing, but the back-yard hen fre quently has a hard time of it, and the owner often decides that there is something wrong with the breed or with the grain com bination, when there is nothing more the matter than lack of green feed. One of the principal things this back- yard hen needs is a “magic green carpet.” That carpet, says the U. S. Department of Agriculture, can be made of oats grown in a small part of the yard. Instead of putting a fence around this tinv field to keep the fowl from destroying it be- fore it has a chance to develop, some fine- mesh fencing wire is placed over it, the wire being tacked to a frame made from pieces of 2 by 4in. wood. The oats will grow up through the mesh where the hens can pick them off, but they will be unable to reach in far enough to do any

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D POPULAR serious damage to the plants. Such a patch of oats, if watered regularly, will last for a long time. The hens will walk over the wire and graze off the tops, but if the wire has been stretched tightly it will not sag down far enough to permit the hens to reach the ground. “Solo” Batting Practice The young baseball enthusiast often finds himself handicapped in _ batting practice because there is no one to pitch the ball. The device shown, while hardly taking the place of a pitcher, nevertheless affords the batter consider- able practice. On the top of a post, 12 ft. high, a bicycle wheel is mounted. A stout cord or light rope, about 10 ft. long, is tied to the rim, and a baseball is attached to the lower end by means of a screweye. The batter gives the ball a swing and the momentum carries it around the post, causing the bicycle wheel to rotate in the same direction. When the ball crosses MECHANICS 649 Rim Spreader for Changing Tires A common 8-in. barn-door hinge can be used to good advantage for spreading automobile rims when changing tires. H VIEW OF TOOL IN OPERATION ee -~ ~~ Mechanica! Baseball Pitcher That Provides Continual Batting Practice When No Pitcher Is Present the imaginary plate, the batter strikes it, sending it in the opposite direction. If the hit has been square, the ball will make several revolutions before it has dropped far enough to enable the batter to strike it again. The batter strikes first in one direction and then in the other, which, with practice, will enable the player to use either hand—Dale R. Van Horn, Walton, Neb. An Effective Automobile-Rim Spreader Made from a Barn-Door Hinge the rims are perfectly plain at the split it will be necessary to drill two %e-in. holes about 4 in. from the ends. Two pins are riveted or welded to the end of the hinge and each end is then bent as shown. The pins are inserted into the holes drilled in the rim and the hinge is pushed down with the foot, thus spread- ing the rim. If there are studs on the rim, the hinge can be used without pins, by simply butting the ends against the studs, notching the ends if necessary to prevent the hinge from slipping.—Frank N. Coakley, Buffalo, N. Y. Hanger for Oars Boats are usually not provided with means for keeping the oars outside of the boat and above the water when they are not in use, and this necessi- tates lifting the oars into the boat, with the re- sult that the seats are bespat- tered with water from the wet blades. To over- come this, simple hangers of the kind shown in STRAP-!IRON HOOK the illustration can easily be made from short lengths of strap iron, bent as indi- cated and fastened firmly to the gunwales by long screws.

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650 POPULAR MECHANICS Seat on Cripple’s Crutch A cripple, one of whose legs is ampu- tated above the knee, uses a crutch to which a support of the type illustrated is Convenient Crutch Seat or Support That Lessens the Pressure of the Crutch under the Arm attached. The seat is located at the point most convenient for the user, and takes part of his weight, thus relieving the pressure of the crutch under the arm. It may also be used as shown in the draw- ing. The support is made of % or 1-in. wood, comfortably padded on top, and braced by means of 4-in. iron rods, flat- tened at each end, drilled, and bolted to support and crutch—aA. C. Cole, Chicago, Illinois. Making a Lock Jimmy-Proof An ordinary door lock can be made jimmy-proof by drilling a “6 or %%4-in. hole through the lock casing, the end of the bolt, and the door casing, as shown in the drawing, so that a nail or a pin can be pushed in. When the door is locked and the pin pushed into place, it will be a hard matter for anyone to jimmy the door from the outside. This idea has been tried and found thoroughly practical —L. E. Fetter, Portsmouth, N. H. Homemade Radio Dials Substantial radio dials of neat appear ance, can be cut from old rubber storage battery jars. To facilitate cutting, the rubber is softened by heat. After the dial, cut roughly to shape, has hardened, which can be hastened by immersing it in cold water, it is trimmed down and bey eled upon a lathe. If a lathe is not avail able, one can easily be improvised by mounting the dial concentrically on any wheel that can be revolved at a speed sufficient for cutting. A sharp chisel is then used in the ordinary way. To graduate the dial, it is again heated, to enable neat impressions to be stamped upon it. The lines are pressed in with a knife edge, and the numbers with type obtained from a printing shop. After the impressions have been made, and the dial has cooled off, white paint is dabbed over the impressions. The dial is then carefully rubbed with a dry cloth, so that all the paint but that in the graduations and numbers is removed. Simple Holder Makes Inner-Tube Repairing Easy The fixture shown in the illustration is very convenient for holding inner tubes securely while making repairs. It con Sists of a length of %4- in. pipe, bent and flattened as shown, and drilled at each end to receive the wood screws with which it is pivoted to one end of a 9-in. length of 1 by 4- in. wood. a The b ase is screwed 4 down to the ° bench se- curely, s%? that it pro jects about 6 in. over the edge, as indi cated. In use, the tube to be repaired is placed in the position shown, and the pipe is pulled down, flattening the tube and holding it securely while the surface is cleaned and the patch applied. A space is left between the sides of the pipe and the base, so that the tube will not be chafed. ZPire 7 FLATTENED ee > ——E a

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ee POPULAR Reconstructing a Small Wagon An ordinary coaster wagon with flat steel-rimmed wheels was rubber-tired with lengths of ordinary garden hose, split open on the inside with a knife and stretched around the wheels as shown. A few holes were punched along the edges of the slit to permit the hose to be laced to the rim with shoestrings. The lengths of hose were made to fit together snugly at the ends. The handle of the wagon was also changed to make it easier for the ride to steer. The tongue was cut near the end attached to the axle, and two iron plates, which, in this case, were taken from the legs of an old army cot, were attached so that the upper end of the tongue could be swung back over the cart. It is not essential to have the plates of the shape shown; straight pieces will do just as well if a little space is left be- tween the cut ends of the tongue. To make it an easy task for an older person to push the small cart, a short piece of strap iron, with a hole drilled in the end, was attached to the rear end of the cart as shown. A_ screwhook, screwed into the end of a broom handle, was hooked into the hole of the strip of strap iron, and the handle used to push the cart; this allows the rider to steer, BROOM HANDLE ——- cuT ‘RON PLATE In Reconstructing a Small Cart, the Wheels were Rubber-Tired with Lengths of Ordinary Garden Hose GARDEN HOSE while giving the “motive power” com- plete control of the wagon at street cross- ings—Mrs. Ruth D. Shultis, Albion, Michigan. Portable Sand Stand for Golf Course The drawing shows a portable home- made sand stand for the golf course. | It can be made for a small sum in compari- son with that asked for similar manu- factured stands, and it gives just as much satisfaction. The sand box is made from a 16-in. MECHANICS 651 dishpan, and the upright parts from lengths of ordinary galvanized-iron pipe and fittings. The base is a 2-ft. length ———F> Ps Wi) SLATE 9°x12” ~d Par3 t iw a ; \ruA DISH- ("Pip PAN 4 Ee | REDUCER } || | i } | ™ , 13, PIPE -- Homemade Sand Stand for the Golf Course That Is Just as Satisfactory as a Manufactured One of 1'4-in. pipe, driven into the ground The stand is simply set into the base The lower length of pipe, which is 1% in. in size, is 4 ft. long, and a reducer is screwed onto the upper end. On the shoulder of the reducer the dishpan is placed, a hole being, of course, cut in the bottom of the dishpan, and part of a funnel is soldered to it, as shown; the funnel prevents the pan from tipping, but allows it to be rotated if desired. The l-in. pipe above the reducing nipple is about 18 in. long. A reducing tee is fit- ted on this, a 1-ft. length of %4-in. pipe, notched to hold the water pail, is screwed into the tee horizontally, and a 3-it length vertically An elbow is onto the top, and a 1-ft. length of pipe is extended as a support for a sign, giv ing the number of the hole on one side and ground rules relative to the indi vidual hole on the other side. Ordinary school slates, with screweyes driven into the edge, have proved satisfactory a screyv ed signs During the winter these stands are taken from the golf course, painted, and stored away. A_ seamless dishpan 1 used, the handles being left on to pro vide places to attach a towel—Dr. Fran! B. Swartzlander, Doylestown, Pa

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652 POPULAR A Ratchet Post Puller The ratchet post puller illustrated is operated by means of an ordinary pump handle. The ratchet wheel is shrunk on an axle which is mounted in the vertical members of a strong wooden frame as shown. The pawl that engages with the ratchet wheel is attached to the handle, which pivots on the axle as indicated, and a strong chain, with a hook on one end, is securely pinned to the shaft. In use, the chain is hooked around the post to be pulled, and the handle is operated like a pump. Simple Droplight Shade Adjuster An ordinary droplight, fitted with a shade, is often used above desks and drawing boards, but when the light is adjusted high enough to enable one to work under it, it 1s impossible to keep it from shining directly in the eyes without using an eyeshade, which some people dislike to wear. The trouble can, how- ever, be prevented by adjusting the lamp so that the light is not thrown directly down- ward. This is done by means of a string. tied around the lamp cord above the shade, and looped over the point of the lamp as shown in the drawing. Obviously, the shade can be set at any angle to syit the user, so that the direct light is cut off from the eyes—C. L. Hendrickson, Mil- waukee, Wis. STRING MECHANICS Replacing an Auto Engine In replacing an engine of a light car, it is sometimes difficult to slip the rear end of the engine into position without displacing the gasket on the front half of the universal case. If a jack is set against the rear end of one running board and against a block on the rear hub, the torque tube can be shoved back, and the universal case and gasket can be pushed or tapped far enough back to slip in easily—A. O. Bosshard, East Moline, Illinois. Preventing Gummed Tape from Unrolling To prevent a large roll of gummed tape from unrolling, a simple attachment of the kind shown has been found effective. A small aluminum tube, used for holding extra leads fora metal pencil, was used, and two wire paper clips, straightened to form hooks of the kind illustrated. One of these was run through the center of the roll of tape and the other through the tube. Two short rub- ber bands were then used to connect the hooks on each side of the roll. When the tape is pulled, the tube rolls back, but the tension of the rubbers prevents the roll from loosening SMALL TUBE RUBBER J \ BAND : 7 WIRE, Z y = = ROLL OF GUMMED PAPER Extension for Wrench Every tractor or other piece of farm machinery has some nuts in locations that are difficult to reach; this necessitates the use of some ex- tension on the wrench when these nuts must be loosened or tight- ened. A good exten sion for this purpose is shown in the draw- ing. It consists of a steel bar, with a slot at one end to fit the wrench head, and having a rivet or pin driven through the slot. With this extension wrench it is possible to grip a nut from the top or side as indicated, in whatever way is most convenient—G. G. McVicker, North Bend, Neb.

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PRIZE OFFERS 4Np PRIZE OFFERED FOR WORLD-PEACE PLAN OPEN TO EVERY AMERICAN One hundred thousand dollars is offered by VW Bo of Philadelphia, as a practic ab le plan by which the perate with other nations to achieve and preserve world peace.”’ The prize, which is to be called the American Peace Award, is open to “every Ameri can,’ and according to preliminary announcements, the “plans will have to be in probably not later than the middle of November, next. , The exact conditions will, however, not be made por lic for some time A jury of award, whose membership has not yet been selected, will judge the plans, and the prize will be given in two parts, viz., $50,000 for the plan itself, ind $50,000 after the practicability of the idea has heen demonstrated, “either through its adoption by the United States Senate, or by a sufficient popular endorsement of it.” Edward prize for “the most United States may ESSAYS ON PLUMBING AWARDED PRIZES BY CARNEGIE TECHNICAL INSTITUTE Recent announcements from the Carnegie of Technology, at Institute Pittsburgh, Pa., state that the vard of two prizes donated by the Eastern Clay Products Company, of $100 and $50, respectively, has taken place The subject of the prize competition s the “Use of Vitrified Clay Pipe in Plumbing Systems,” the contest was nation-wide, and the qual { the papers submitted, exceptionally high The t-prize winner is a student of the nstitute, and iste plumber won the second prize TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR ONE WORD ACCEPTABLE AS MOVIE-PLAY TITLE fen thousand dollars for a word, $20,000 for two and $25,000 for a three-word combination that can be used as a title for a movie play will be paid 1 producing company in the West The word ust be a motion-picture title that will $10,000 for the company earn more producing a picture wit! it title, it is announced As many titles as have ise and prove available will be bought and it eved the number of good titles to be sub 1 teal he ¢ iew rather t ul to numerous PAY TEN DOLLARS FOR HARDWARE IDEAS OF VALUE TO OWNERS AND CLERKS rdware men are wanted by the editor a trade magazine who will pay $10 for the best received each month and $2 for all others ac pted Short letters on how deliveries are handled, unique window displays, how trade is increased, ot inyvthing else of particular interest to hardware clerks and merchants are asked OFFER PRIZE FOR NAME FOR NEW TRAIN RUNNING NORTH FROM NEW ORLEANS The person who suggests a name for a new tran passing between Washington, D. C., and New Orlean will receive $200 from the operating company, if the ime is accepted There will be through sleeping car service vetweet New Orleans, Montgomery, At lanta, Washingtor Philadelphia, and New Yor Cit t imnourice RADIO MEN TO GET $5,000 A YEAR FROM UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT One hundred dollars a week is the highest salary ttered —_ engineers who take i test with the | S Civil Service Commission t vacancies w existing Positions paving from S200 ¢ » $5,000 - ANNOUNCEMENTS yearly ire ¢t he filled examinations, pplications for which close October 30 Che duties are to supet intend development of apparatus for land stations, airplanes, ships, and perform similar lines of work De ill ; } Competitors will mn ve required to report for ex place but will be judged on edi tion, experience and general tr ! amination at any ine GOVERNMENT SEEKS JUNIOR ENGINEER FOR BRANCH OF GEOLOGICAL SURVEY To fill vacancy it the water resources bran f the I S. Geological Survey the U. S. Civil Sery ice Commission will select 4 jumor engineer fron applications received before September 25 Phe entrance salary is $1,620 a year, plus the increase of $20 a month granted by Congress The field of activity may be in any part of the United State GIVE $5,000 IN PRIZES FOR BEST RADIO STORE WINDOWS Five thousand dollars in prizes ire ffered rad lealers who prepare the best window lispl show ng Cunningham vacuum tubes, fro September 4 to October 1 CONTESTS PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED Medals, Diplomas, and Money Awards Announced August issue, 1921; awards ittered | the Fra Institute The Franklin medal is for 2 cad in tec nology; the Elhott-Cresson is for rigina ese work and invention; the Howard N. Potts is f portant development of previous discoveries and inve tions Each award consists of a gold medal wit diploma There are als a silver med ind a Ce tificate of Merit awarded for meritoriou liscover and cash premiun r certain w t pti Best Treatise Regarding Immortality : Prize $1,040") announced Januar 12:5 De L, 392 ane to Further Sciesice of Electric: y Meda ind prizes, t unting wm t S200 ul nounced Febr c ise > For Best Work wa American Chemist An annua wward of $2540: ans ced Fe ‘ 199255 Names for Great Laben Sesamese: I S50 each: announced February issue, 1925 grestes umes must be submitted before the pet gation season in 1924 Essay on Economic Subjec t: Prize $1,500 nounced March issue, 12 Pulitzer Prizes, Columbia University I work in various literary ind pour ne nounced April tissue, 1925; nomination i 1 must be made before Feb. 1, 1924 Scholarships for War Nurses and Ex-Service Mer Numerous s« ars | versities throughout the country under the w t late La Verne N announced April sue, 1925 Most Practicable Device for Recording Mine-Shaft Signals: Prize of £250, or about $1,100 ne coal May issue, 1925 Prizes for Essays Three yearly prize $2,500 So ul svn r inced ] ‘ P 125; f articles ! inject relating t u le und—sthe le trust company ‘ \us t icl € ' Boys’ and Girls’ Short-Story Contes wards S100 nd ther prive 11 , M issue, 125 Greatest Benefit t« en's Club Prize, ) Rees Community Render ed by Wom SL A(MM): \I Endurance Prize for Aerial wry Prize 1.000 OM) fram (normally ibout “Md OM) unced Tune ‘ 1} ipplications to compete ild be in before Ds 1, 1923 Device for Recording Shaft Signals Prize eum ! ysunced iy issue, 1925 Prizes for Essays on Purchasing Power I rizves i Stow SS00 und SoM ant ¢ | sue, 125 Our Bureau of Information will furnish addresses and further details

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654 POPULAR MECHANICS Students’ Essays on Municipal Government: Prizes $250 and $100 for postgraduates; $100 for under- graduates; announced May issue, 1923. Prize Offered by New York Academy of Science: The A. Cressy Morrison Prize for 1923, for paper on any subject covered by the academy; announced August issue, 1923; papers must be submitted on or before Nov. 1, 1923. Preventive of “Klieg Eyes’: Award of $50,000; an- nounced August issue, 1923 Electric Storage-Battery Mine Locomotive: Prize, £1,000; announced August issue, 1923. Working trials of machines selected will be announced later. Vertical Ajirplane Flights: Prizes aggregating £50,000; announced August issue, 1923; entries must be received before April 30, 1924.

SCIENCE NOTES For DAILY USE

MODERN LIGHTS, RIVALING SUN, STUDIED TO AVOID HARM TO EYES Cave dwellers of 50,000 years ago, lighting their ways with firebrands, suffered little from eye troubles, according to experts studying ways to prevent the strong glare of modern lighting systems, that are so injurious to the eyes of those working and living under their rays. When candles and oil wicks were replaced by bright gas lamps and electric bulbs, no great efforts were made to care for the increased brilliancy. This resulted in poor distribution of light, and had the same effect as looking into the sun on a bright day. Attention is to be turned to factory and school lighting for the purpose of devising rules by which such illumination will be governed. AUTOMOBILE RIDING INCREASES LIFE AN AVERAGE OF ELEVEN YEARS Figures compiled recently by three .physicians in- dicate that the universal adoption of the automo- in as many minutes, keeping a flatiron hot for three hours, or for 20 mornings warming the curling iron. The dairyman could employ it to chop half a ton of hay, separate 350 gallons of milk, or churn 440 pounds of butter. EGG INCUBATOR USED TO TEST MILK IN THE MAKING OF CHEESE Long used to hatch chickens, the incubator now has an important part in cheese making, having been adapted to the testing of milk. As the device sup- plies an even heat at the required temperature, it may be used in any one of the several curd tests In addition to being simple and easy to operate, it adds accuracy to the experiments. Already a modi- fied egg incubator has been placed on the market for cheese mvkers. Instead of trays, it is fitted with racks and glass tubes for the milk samples. Formerly it was a common custom in the iolasiey to hang the specimens in the boiler room, but because of the uneven heat poor results were obtained and

bile as a means of indi- vidual transportation has added 11 years to the average life of an Ameri- can citizen. In 1903, O when only 10,850 cars were made, the average length of life was placed at 37.64 years. Ten years later, when the produc- pa tion of autos had in- Th creased to 461,500, the life expectancy had ad- vanced to 41.01 years. In 1922, when 2,287,000 auto- miles. extracted from coal. pound of coal. COAL FACTS For each scoop of coal one full passenger fare for one mile is required to pay for it. Combined revenue from a train in which one passenger is riding in each coach will not é : for the coal required to pull them. In experimenting with ere are more than 225 commercial articles Coal has not been in general use more than often undesirable milk went into the curdling vats. NE pound will pull one ton of freight 16 — CLAYS WASHED TO MAKE PORCE- LAIN Georgia clays, govern- ment experts have de- It takes -150 cubic feet of air to burn a _ vised a new method of washing that has proved successful in the separa- mobiles were turned out 100 years. _ — < desirable a by the factories, the aver- A locomotive uses one pound of coal for ae sae , ph ecqgeeeng — age life had increased to every eight gallons of water. a result, they are being 48.66 years. Sunshine,

commercially tested in the manufacture of refractor-

open air and freedom from worry that results from driving on the open road, the doctors stated, caused the noticeable lengthening of life in the last twenty years. ENERGY FOR MANY TASKS SUPPLIED BY SINGLE ELECTRIC UNIT It has been shown by recent tests that one kilowatt- hour of electricity suffice to perform numerous tasks requiring heat and power. By it enough energy can be supplied to drive a sewing machine for 20 hours; clean 15 steel tableknives for a year; clip five horses or 25 sheep, or milk 20 cows. A man could heat his shaving water for a month with its help, or for five years light three cigars a day. In the house- hold it becomes a busy little servant, frying 15 chops ies, floor tile, wall tile, face brick, and electrical porcelains. Other clays also are to be given com- mercial trials. TELEPHONING OVER POWER LINES WITH TWO COMPLETE SETS With two sending and two receiving sets working through single telephone instruments on a_ power transmission line, both parties may now talk and listen at the same time, as a result of a recent ex- periment in the middle West. On the lines of a power company a high-frequency automatic telephone system was installed, said to be a long step in ad- vance of anything before attempted with so-called wired wireless. Previous tests made possible only one-way communication.

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 Maga- zine, Chicago. [Editor.]

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