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Popular  Mechanics 
Magazine 


INDEX  TO  VOL.  XXXI 


19  19 


Edited  by  H.  H.  WINDSOR 


January  to  June  Inclusive 


Popular  Mechanics  Company 

CHICAGO 


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WRITTEN  SO  YOU   CAN   UNDERSTAND  IT 


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Index  to  Volume  XXXI,  1919 


Abbreviation  for  California  Is  "Calif." 656 

Academy.   French,  Awards  Medal   to  Ameri- 
can   Red    Cross    236 

Accident — Aeroplane    and    Locomotive    Col- 
lide         814 

Accident — Aeroplane      Crashes      into      Steel 

Crane     814 

Accident — Aeroplane  Drives  throuKh  Roof  of 

House    815 

Accident — Aeroplane    Kills    Bull    in    Making? 

landing    815 

Accident — Aeroplane  Lands  in  Muddy  Field.  747 

Accident — Aeroplane  Lands  on   Auto 815 

Accident — Aeroplane  Lands  on  Front  Porch.  672 
Accident — Aeroplane,    Runaway,   Stopped    by 

Motorcyclist    335 

Accident — Airman   Breaks   Neck   but  Recov- 
ers         432 

Accident — Airman  Loses  En^^ine,   but  Lands 

Safely 324 

Accident — Airmen    in   Stranded    Flying   Boat 

Rescued   by   DlrlKible   643 

Accident — Army    Balloonist   Carried   Toward 

Sea    In    Storm    248 

Accident — Army     Balloonist     Entangled     in 

I*arachute    419 

Accident — Auto  Plunges  into  Concrete- Tank.  432 
Accident — Automobile  and  Train  Collide...  602 
Accident — Automobile   Burned   in    Forest   by 

Unextinguished    Cigarette    81 

Accident — Automobile    Wrecks    Bridge 192 

Accident — Boiler    ISxplosion    Tears    OfT    Fire 

liox     687 

Accident — Brooklyn   Train    Wrecked    94 

Accident — Burning     Oil     Tank     Sets     River 

Ablaze     567 

Accident — Depot  Slides  Down  Steep  Hill...  80 
Accident — Falling    Truck    Caught     by     IMpe 

Line     852 

Accident — Farm    Tractor     Plunges    through 

Bridge     15 

Accident— Flier   Killed   When   I'lane   Strikes 

Flagstaff    200 

Accident — Flood  Wipes  Out  Pigeon  Ranch..  185 
Accident — Flywheel      Bursts      and      Wrecks 

Plant     23 

Accident — Freight  Car  Lands  on  Top  of  Gon- 
dola   Car    808 

Accident — Girl   Falls  from  High  7'ower 802 

Accident — Girl    Revives    After    10    Hours    in 

Water    918 

Accident — Cilaring    Headlights    Cause    Auto 

Wreck     842 

Accident — Live     Wire     Charges     Fence     and 

<\iU8es    Death    192 

.\ccident — Molasses    Tank    Explodes    363 

Accident — Officers    Dive    from    Balloon    Car- 
ried  Out    to   Sea 542 

Accident — Oil,    Cars    Laden    with,    Roll    into 

( >cean     190 

Accident — Racing  Auto  Leaps  over  Sandbag 

Barricade     861 

Accident — Seaplane  Crashes  into  Clubhouse.  224 
Accident — Sewer  Caves  In  and  Engulfs  Auto  416 
A<-cident — Steam  Turbine  Wreck  Caused   by 

(Vntrifugal     Force     741 

Accident — Toy    Balloon   Chokes   Child 588 

Accident — Train    is    Wrecked    When    Holland 

Dike    Collapses    695 

Accident — Warehouse    Collapses    and    Spills 

Groceries    872 

Accident — Wood  and  Steel  Cars  Collide 8.'')2 

Accidents,   Reduction  in  at  Shipyards 86 

Aci'tic    Acid,   Make   from  Vinegar 107 

Afetone  Made  from  Carbide  and  Kelp 53 

Adf»be,  Houses  for  Mexican  Laborers  Made  of  495 

Advertising — Adjustable  Sales  Sign 764 

Advertising — Auto  Truck   is  Traveling  Bill- 
board          92 

Advert Islnar    Device — Key    Ring    Holds    Two 
Sets  of   Keys 914 


Advertising — Electric      Bulletin      Board      Is 

Typewriter    Controlled    105 

Advertising — Electrical  Model  Demonstrates 

P'arm  Lighting  Plant 135 

Advertising — Making      Raised      Letters      on 

Show  Cards    139 

Advertising     Novelty — Weekly     "Reminder** 

Replaces    Pocket   Notebook    577 

Advertising — Sign   Gives   Street  Car   Routes 

to  Hotels   879 

Advertising — Transparent    Sign    Illuminated 

by   Reflected   Light 606 

Advertising — Traveling    Motor    Truck    Used 

for  Sales  Promotions    736 

Advertising — Window  Display  Shows  Na- 
tion's   Resources    64 

Aerials,    Wireless,   under   Ground  and   under 

Water,    by    R.    H.    Langley 349 

Aeroplane — Aeromarlne    Flying    Boat 680 

Aeroplane — A  m  e  r  i  c  a  n    Monoplane    Makes 

Speed    Record    212 

Aeroplane  and  Locomotive  Collide 814 

Aeroplane,  Big,  Germans  Build  for  Transat- 
lantic  Flight    253 

Aeroplane,   British   Torpedo  Carrying 360 

Aeroplane,  Camera  Gun  Catches  in  Tail  Spin       4 
Aeroplane,    Caproni,    to    Have    18,000    Horse- 
power       263 

Aeroplane    Carries    Doctor    to    Coast    Guard 

Stations     874 

Aeroplane — Caudron  Bomber   ITsed  by  Lieu- 
tenant   Fontan   In  Africa-Brazil    Flight...   821 
Aeroplane — Christmas   "Bullet"   Is  Strutless.  551 

Aeroplane  Control  Stick,  Duplex 170 

Aeroplane   Crashes   into  Steel  Crane 814 

Aeroplane — Curtlss      Triplane      Makes      160 

Miles   an   Hour    519 

Aeroplane,  De  Haviland,  Duchess  of  Suther- 
land Is  Passenger  In 511 

Aeroplane.  De  Haviland,  Model  of  for  Radi- 
ator Cap    837 

Aeroplane,  Dirigible  Launches  In  Mid-Air  487 
Aeroplane  Drives  through  Roof  of  House...  815 
Aeroplane — Dual   Motored    "F-5-L"   Used   by 

Navy    680 

Aeroplane,  Eat  Thanksgiving  Dinner  In....   238 

Aeroplane,  Eclipse  Observed   from 60 

Aeroplane  Engine,  Air  Compressor  for 
Makes  Possible  (ireat  Speed  at  High  Al- 
titudes         668 

Aeroplane  Engines,  Discarded,  Use  for  Mo- 
tor  Cars    84 

Aeroplane  Equipped  as  Ambulance 900 

Aeroplane  Fabric,  Needle  for  Sewing 752 

Aeroplane  Falls  in  Irish  Sea  in  First  Trans- 
atlantic    Attempt     821 

Aeroplane,   Farman   12-Passenger. 510 

Aeroplane — Fast      Flying      Boat     Developed 

from   Mail-Carrying  Machine    875 

Aeroplane,    French    Bombing,    Built   to    Raid 

Berlin    717 

Aeroplane,   French,   Carries   35   Passengers..    279 
Aeroplane — Hawker's    Biplane    for   Transat- 
lantic   Crossing    820 

Aeroplane,    Helen    Keller    Files    In 272 

Aeroplane,  Ignition  Circuit  Breaker  for 897 

Aeroplane — "Jn-4D-2"     Curtlss     Training 

Plane     681 

Aeroplane  Kills  Bull  In  Making  Landing....   815 

Aeroplane  Lands  in  Muddy  Field 747 

Aeroplane  Lands  on  Automobile 815 

Aeroplane  Lands  on  Front  Porch 672 

Aeroplane — I.^    Pere    Biplane 680 

Aertiplane  Makes  Fast  Trip  from  Dayton  to 

New    York     169 

Aeroplane— Martin    Gun    Machine    Sets    New 

Speed    Record,   by  H.   A.   Mount 358 

Aeroplane,    Mechanics    Assemble   Quickly   at 

Texas    Field    587 

Aeroplane.  Miniature,  Made  from  Trench 
Souvenirs    73 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS  INDEX.  VOLUME  XXXI.   1919 


Aeroplane,    Model,    Employs    Unusual    Prin- 
ciple      • 889 

Aeroplane  Motor  Built  into  Propeller 201 

Aeroplane   Motors,   Convertible  Magnets   for  201 

Aeroplane,  Mud   Scraper  for 271 

Aeroplane — C)riginal    De   Haviland    "4"    with 
Liberty   Motor   to  be   Preserved  at  Wash- 

ing:ton    681 

Aeroplane   Parachute,  Double 236 

Aeroplane  Parachute,  l*rize  Oflfered  for 598 

Aeroplane,  Pllotless,  Is  Flyings  Destroyer...    841 
Aeroplane   Propellers,  Aluminum,  Method  of 

Waterproofing,  by  B.  T.   Bronsdon 721 

Aeroplane     I'ropellers,     Automatic     Carving 

Machine   for    150 

Aeroplane  Reproduced   in   Flower  Bed 333 

Aeroplane,     Runaway,     Stopped     by     Motor- 
cyclist      335 

Aeroplane — Seaplane  Crashes  into  Clubhouse  224 
Aeroplane — Seaplane    Designed    by    Capt. 

Hugo  Sundstedt  for  Transatlantic  Flight.   523 
Aeroplane — Seaplane  Rescues  Men  from  Bal- 
loon Carried  Out  to  Sea 542 

Aeroplane — "Spad"  Biplane  Has  Nose  Ahead 

of  Propeller   577 

Aeroplane  Spruce  Machinery  Assembled   for 

DLsposal     536 

Aeroplane  Towed  by  Field  Tractor 50 

Aeroplane,  Toy,  Like  Sling  Shot 760 

Aeroplane — Training    Plane    "E-l"    681 

Aeroplane — Triplane    "Felixstowe"    Is    Eng- 
land's   Largest    519 

Aeroplane    Used  by   Lloyd   CJeorge  for  I'eaee 

Conference    Trips    511 

Aeroplanes  and  Flying  Boats,  American....   680 
Aeroplanes,  Army  Training,  to  be  Stored...    678 

Aeroplanes  at  Ellington   Field,  Texas 368 

Aeroplanes,  Enemy,  Parrots  in  Eiffel  Tower 

Warn    of  Approach   of 336 

Aeroplanes,   Equip  Mail  Liners  with 410 

Aeroplanes.   Foreign    Passenger  Carrying...    510 
Aeroplanes,   Formation   of   350    In    Bombard- 
ment          74 

Aeroplanes,   French,   Force   Feed  System  on.    202 
Aeroplanes,  German,  Had  Five  and  Six  En- 
gines        426 

Aeroplanes,  German,  Time  Bombs  Make  Self- 
Destructive    107 

Aeroplanes,    Imported,    Customs    Officers 

Watch    for    654 

Aeroplanes,    Monster,     for     Transatlantic 

Flight    263 

Aeroplanes,  Navy,  of  NC  Type  for  Transat- 
lantic Crossing   820 

Aeroplanes — Seaplanes   for    Forest  Fire    Pa- 
trols         676 

Aeroplanes — Seaplanes,   Method   of  Carrying 

on  British  and  Italian  Ships '.  .    846 

Aeroplanes,  Sign  Warns  Motorists  to  Watch 

for    868 

Aeroplanes,    Swarm    of    Aids    Liberty    Loan 

Campaign   in  Los  Angeles 58 

Aeroplanes     to     be     Used     in     Transatlantic 

Flight    820 

Aeroplanes  to  Carry  Radio  Outfits  to  China.  566 

Aeroplanes,  Truck  for  Carrying 439 

Aeroplanes,  212  Fly  above  San  Diego 379 

Aeoplanes,    Why    They    Fall,    by    Rogers    D. 

Rusk    743 

Aeroplanes,  Wireless  Outfits  for 561 

Agricultural  Implements: 

Bean   Planter  Saves  Stooping 639 

Cultivator  Attachment  for  Hoe 571 

Farm  Tractor  Has  Broad  Driving  Drum..    415 
Garden  Cultivator  Has  Two  Hinged  Shov- 
els         842 

Garden  Tools,  Improved 763 

Harrow,   Homemade    944 

Header  Is  Driven  by  Small  Engine 729 

Hoe  and  Spade,  Combination 782 

Hoe,  Combination  Tool  Made  of 637 

Lawn    Scraper   Made    of  Rake   and   Barrel 

Stave     793 

Machine  Cleans,  Dries,  and  Loads  Grain..    430 
Machine  Does  Work  of  Four  Implements.    592 

Machine   for    Harvesting   Beans 687 

Motorcycle,  Use  as  Tractor  for  Plowing.  .    902 
Mower      with      Attachment      for      Cutting 

Tangled    Grain    421 

Planter  Attached   to  Cultivator 834 

Plow,   Pulverizing  Attachment  for 5.^»9 

Plow,  Small,   for  Garden   Furrows 940 


Potato  Planter  Attaches  to  Plow 416 

Separator    and    Tractor    Shipment    Breaks 

Records    849 

Spade,  Five  Men  Operate  In  Chosen 588 

Sprayer    and    Whitewasher 757 

Straw  Spreader  Operates  Automatically..  569 
Tank,  French  Baby,  Use  as  Farm  Tractor.  726 
Tanks    to    be    Used    as   Farm    Tractors  by- 
British 227 

Tractor   and    Harvester  Operated   by   Two 

Men    411 

Tractor,  Carry  on  Truck  to  Demonstrate..  539 
Tractor,  Farm,  Raised  by  Its  Own  l»ower.  522 
Tractor,    One-Wheel,    Makes    Right   Angle 

Turns    442 

Tractor,    Three-Wheel,    for    General    Farm 

Use     254 

Tractor    Tires    Equipped    with    Extensions 

for  Soft  Soil   374 

Tractor   with    Creeper   Treads  Made   from 

Auto    427 

Trowel,  Garden   957 

Weed   Cutter  Attachment   for  Cultivator..   496 
Weeder,    Cultivator,   and   Pulverizer   Com- 
bined     245 

Agriculture: 

Boys  Help  Plow  Big  Tract  in  Record  Time.  759 

Burning  Soil   to  Release  I'lant  Foods 766 

Chicago    Boys    Become    Farmers,    by   John 

Anson  Ford    34 

Corn,   Fro.st  Proof,  by  Robert  H.  Moulton.   907 

Date  Orchards  in  Arizona 222 

Farm    Information,    Electric    Sorting   Ma- 
chine   for    403 

Farm    Instruction    (Tamps,   Canada    to   Use 

Aviation    Fields    for 757 

Farm    Products,   Narrow    Gauge   Railroads 

for  Hauling  in   England 536 

Farmers,   Italian,   Government  will  Aid...   749 

Farms  for  Canadian  Soldiers 12 

Farms,    France   Gives    to  Soldiers 598 

F'ertlllzer  Made  from  Lime  and  Coal  Dust.    32.f> 

Fertilizers,  Liquid.  Feeding 7K0 

Grass,  Spading  with  Garden  Fork 620 

Hay.   Curing  by  Truck   Method 904 

Irrigation     System     for     Garden 613 

Land  Allotment  Is  England's  Plan 496 

Limestone     Dust     Is     Fertilizer     for     Red 

Clover    Fields    384 

Mountain    Farms,    Campaign    to    Increase 

Yield    on    266 

Potatoes  Gathered  While  Vines  Are  Green.  778 
Potatoes     Saved     from     Frost     by     Smoke 

Screen   492 

Prize    Winning    Cabbage    Fills    Wheelbar- 
row          84 

Saving   Wheat   Wasted  by  Threshing  Ma- 
chines        899 

Science  Vindicates  Farmers'  Signs H94 

Seed  Corn,  Electric  Tester  for 843 

Seed   CTorn,  Testing  for  Germination 446 

Seed,  Test  by  Placing  in  W^ater 618 

Subsoil     Moisture    Conserved    by    Manure, 

for  Drought  Protection 568 

Wheat    Fields,    Recovered,    Harvested     by 

French    236 

Air  and  Gas  Mixing  Outfit 1  6S 

Air  Brakes  for  Truck  and  Trailer  Train.  .  .  .    504 

Air  Brush  Has  Multiple  Color  Cup 747 

Air  Cannon,  Toy 467 

Air  Compressor  for  Aeroplane  Engine  MakOH 

Possible   (Sreat  Speed  at  High  Altitudes..    668 
Air     Compressor      Made      from     Street     Car 

Tanks    24S 

Air  Cushion  Made  from  Inner  Tube 47  9 

Air  Defense  System  ITsed  by  London 32r. 

Air  Filter,  German,  Made  of  Iron 31M) 

Air,    Getting    Into    Stateroom 134 

Air  Hose.  Weight  and  Pulley  Mounting   for.    2S4 
Air  Raid,   Sounds  of  Reproduced   in  MuHic.  .     2 If. 

Air  Sounding  Set  on  British  Ship SGli 

Air  Tank  Carried  on  Auto HM\ 

Air  Washer  and  Ventilator  for  Home  or  Of- 
fice       r»«9 

Airdrome,  Mowing  Machines  for 27 n 

Airman   Aloft  Uses  Voice  Magnifier  in   Mak- 
ing Speech   to  Crowds   Below S2'J 

Airman  and  T»arachute,   Explosion  to  Expel.     91  y 

jMrman   Breaks  Neck   but  Recovers 4'Ml 

Airman  Changes  Planes  In  Mid-Air 321 

Airman  Dives  from  I^alloon  and  "Swims"    to 
Ground     81  < 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS  INDEX.  VOLUME  XXXI.  1919 


Airman,    French,    Lands    on    Roof    of    Paris 

Store ^ 

Airman  Goes  Gunning  for  Whales. 481 

Airman    in    Height    Record    Breaks    Oxygen 

Pipe     "^* 

Airman    Killed    When    Plane    Strikes    Flag- 

st&tl  » ^"^ 

Airman    Lands    Plane    after   Losing    Engine 

in  Sky  3*4 

Airman  Makes  Successful  Parachute  Jump.     62 

Airman  R*nfe  Fonck  Is  Ace  of  Aces 160 

Airman,  Talk  with  through  Office  Phone. ...  689 
Airman,  Yankee,  Looks  down   Blaxlng  Can- 

non  Barrel   • • mVA'o/.  ^® 

Airmen  Adrift  at  Sea.  Pigeons  Bear  "SOS 

Calls    of     a 

Airmen — ^American  Aces  64  in  Number.. 642 

Airmen,    American,    Used    Radio.  Telephones 

in  Battle    • 195 

Airmen.  Dirigible.'  Rescues  from  Flying  Boat  643 
Airmen,  German.  Use  Parachutes...........   Z70 

Airmen    Hold    Carnival    at    Belmont    Park.     ^^ 

Alrm'en,  Japanese,*  French  Fliers" to' ins^^  704 
Airmen.  Novice.  Device  Gives  Aerial  Sensa- 

tions      

Airmen  Preparing  for  Bombing  Expedition.   368 

Airmen,  Safety  Goggle^  for J 

Airmen,  Sea  Sled  Is  Life  Saver  for. ...  .•.•••  43 
Airmen  Stop   Runaway   Balloon   with   Sand- 

bags    1x2 

Airmen,   Telephone   Apparatus  for. . .. . .   337 

Airmen,   "Wild"    French,   to   Patrol   Algeria, 

by    Douglass    Reid    ;  v  A ^®^ 

Airmen.    Tankee,     Equipped     with    Oxygen     ^^ 

Airmen,    Yankee^  Outfought    Hun*  Four    to 

One II* 

Alarm,  Automobile  Thief   283 

Alarm.  Burglar,  for  Autos    . ••••••• SSI 

Alarm.   Burglar,   Made   of   Electric   Bulb 793 

Alarm  Clock  Acta  as  Private  Secretary 746 

Alarm.  Electric,  Warns  of  Belt  Stoppage...   462 

Alaskans  Show  Desire  for  Progress 64 

Alcohol,  Renewing  Paintings  with. .  .;••••••   805 

Alfalfa.     Baled,    Many    Tons     Piled    in    the 

Open     ^* 

Alfalfa,  Mill  Furnishes  Tractor  to  Haul  for 

Fftriners  ,,,««.«.....•....»•.••■•••••*      *''' 

Aliens,  Movie 'Flims  Show  Opportunities  to. .  390 
Almanach  de  Qotha,  Keeping  Up  to  Date..  686 
Alter,  J.  Ce<5il: 

Rubber  from  Rabbit  Brush . . ;  •  i  •  • ; ?f ? 

Aluminum.  Beryllium  Is  Substitute  for.....  410 
Aluminum.   Norway   Obtains   from  Labrador 

^tOfie     873 

Aluminumi    Use   Care   in    Preheating   It   for 

Welding     ^-  •    •  Al-  •  • ;; iVu    ^^^ 

Aluminum.    Waterproofing    Propellers    with. 

by  B.  T.  Bronsdon .••;•,;••;•■    ^* 

Ambulance.  Aerial.  Carries  Hospital  Equip- 

jnent    ^^^ 

Ambulance.  British.  Improved  Type  of 669 

Ambulance.      Motorcycle.      Australian      City 

Uses     679 

Ambulance.     Three     Tier,     Used     by     Dutch 

Army    •   371 

Amerlcanlsation  Society,   Work   of.  by  Paul 

Jenkins     A*  •  •  •^;  •  V   ^^^ 

Ammonia    Fumes,    Government    Gas    Masks 

Fail    to    Counteract    840 

Ammonia    Leaks,    Sulphur    Taper    for    Test- 

Ing     606 

Ammunition — Annealing  Furnace  for  Shells  555 
Amperes  Needed  by  Motor  Told  by  Electric 

Scale     397 

Anchor    with    Folding    Arms 22 

Anchors,    Concrete,    Prove    Serviceable 642 

Anesthetic — ^Nlkalgln  Invented  by  American 

Engineer     •••   804 

Angles    and    Curves,    Special,    Making    for 

Drafting    Jobs     123 

Animal — Monkey   from  Enemy's   Lines   Cap- 
tured in  "No  Man's  Land" 52 

Animal.  Pet.    Carrier    for    956 

Animals: 

Beavers  may  be  Killed  in  Colorado  on  Ac- 
count of  Damage  Done  by  Dams 719 

Bird  Fed  from  Medicine  Dropper 600 

Bull   Killed   by   Aeroplane 815 

Carabao  Is  Draft  Animal  of  Filipinos....   250 


Carabao,  Riding  "Horseback"  on  in  Philip- 
pines        717 

Cat  Captures  Snake   281 

Cats  Root  in  Mud  for  Clams 441 

Cattle,  Allies',  Ship  More  Meat  to   Europe 

to    Save     433 

Cattle.  Auto  Trailer   for.   Carries  Hay....   678 

Cattle  Carried  in  Auto  Trailer 263 

Cattle  Freed  from  Tick  in  Southern  States  216 
Cattle,  New  Brands  Wanted  for,  by  W.  F. 

Wilcox    715 

Cattle,  Ship  to  California  for  Winter 482 

Chickens.    Food    for    Kept    Out    of    Hens' 

Reach   114 

Chimpanzee  Shoots  Trainer  with  Revolver  593 

Cow   Nurses   Pig    281 

Cows.  Milch,  Feed  Barley  to 906 

Coyotes,   Poison  and   Market  Pelts  of 880 

Coyotes,    Wolves,    etc.,    to    be    Eradicated 

from  Wyoming .- : .   361 

Crow,    Carrion,    Farmers  to   Exterminate.   672 

Dairy  Herd,  Special,  Sent  to  France 849 

Deer,   Open   Season   for   In   Colorado 214 

Dog,  Small  Door  within  Large  One  for. . . .   953 

Fowl,  Wild,  Preserve  for  In  Louisiana 407 

Goats  Graze  Fire  Breaks  to  Reduce  Forest 

Fires     922* 

Goats,    Portland    School    Children    Raise. .   920 

Ground  Hog,  Boy  Makes  Pet  of 281 

Hogs.   Double  Decked  Car  for  Shipping..   493 

Hogs,    Portable    House    for 774 

Horse,   Circus,   Now   Pulls   Wagon. .......    441 

Horses,   British  Army   Plans  to  Sell 368 

Leopard.    Electrocute    to    Save    Pelt .696' 

Live    Stock,    Saved    by    Weather    Bureau- 

Warnings     40f 

Mice,    Stop   Cracks  with   Plaster   of   Paris       •* 

to  Keep   Away ;   B53 

Mice.  Traps  for  Made  of  Bowls  and  Tutn"      ' 

biers     '.310 

Mole  Runways  Used  as  Irrigation  Tunnels  414 

Mouse  Trap,  Using  Barrel  as 121 

Musk  Ox,  Get   Wool,  Milk,  and  Beef  from  746 

Muskrats,    Raising    Is    Profitable 400 

Muskrats,   Trap   for   Catching   Alive 465 

Ostrich    Chicks,    Two    Hatched    from    One 

Egg     920 

Pig,    Cow    Nurses 281 

Poultry    Plucked    with    Vacuum    Machine  571 

Rabbits,  French  Soldiers  Raise 399 

Rabbits.    Practical    Trap    for 471 

Rat    Trap    for    Poultry    Houses 926 

Rattlesnake,     Horsehair    Rope     Is     Guard 

against   12 

Reindeer  Meat   Sold   In   United   States 432 

Sheep.  Concrete  Sheds  for  In  Denver 712 

Sheep  Driven  Into  Pen  with  Aid  of  Mirror  279 
Sheep,  Fenced  Grazing  Lands  for,  by  Rob- 
ert   H.   Moulton 737 

Skunks,  Bird  Records  on  Phonograph  At- 
tract         644 

Snake   Captured   by  Cat 281 

Snake    Charmer,    Boy    Displays   Skill   as..   585 
Squirrel  Takes  Milk   from  Nursing  Bottle  109 
Survey   of  Wild  Life  In   Palisades   Park..    172 
Vaca  Used  in  Place  of  Carabao  In  Philip- 
pines        717 

Animals    on    French    Cavern    Walls    Reveal 

Prehistoric    Art    374 

Animals,    Predatory.    Tax    on    Cattle    to    be 

Used    to    Eradicate     361 

Animals,  Wild,  Census  of,  by  W.  F.   Wilcox  896 

Anode,  Double,  for  Electroplating 925 

Anodes  for  Electroplating,  Use  Scrap  Metal 

^pr    778 

Antenna,    Radio,    Cures    Static    Trouble....   892 
Anthracite  Coal,    Alaska    Begins    to    Ship..   272 

Anthracite  Dust.    Use    Like    Peat 14 

Anthracite.  Using  with  Soft  Coal  Screenings  121 

Anthrax  Germs  In  Brush  Bristles 752 

Apiary  on  Terraced  Mountain  Side 26 

Apple  Barrels  Have  Glass  Tops 282 

Apple  Tree,    Cage    and    Burglar    Alarm    for  894 
Apples,  Double,  in  Orchards  of  Northwest..   757 

Apples,  Ripe,  Why  They  Are  Sweet 724 

Apricot     Pits,     By-Products    of 509 

Arbor   Made   of   Eucalyptus   Boughs 751 

Arbor  of  Wire  Fencing  for  Pole  Beans 799 

Arbors   for   Shell    Reamers,    Inserting  Drive 

Pins    In    619 

Arc,  Electric  Projection,  of  Peculiar  Form..   522 


Digitized  by 


Google 


POPULAR  MECHANICS  INDEX,  VOLUME  XXXI,  1919 


Arc,  Electric,  Solderlnar  Iron  Heated  by..  704 
Arc    Lamp,    Portable,    for    Motion    Picture 

Work    686 

Arc  Light  Carbons,  Use  Graphite  to  Reduce 

Resistance   of    556 

Arc      Weldiner      Tool,      Electrode      Quickly 

Changed   in    858 

Arcade,  Balconied.  Concrete  Skyscraper  Has  784 
Arch,    Memorial,    in   Buffalo    for    Returning 

Soldiers     * 789 

Arch,  New  York  to  Erect  as  War  Memorial.  278 
Arch,  Ornamental,  Waeron  Wheel  Tires  Form  466 

Arches,   Fallen,  Massaare  Device  for 265 

Argron,  Plant  to  Produce  for  Balloons 352 

Armistice,    British   Soldiers    Celebrate 206 

Army,  American,  University  for  at  Beaune, 

France     694 

Army,    Dutch,    Motor    Kitchens    for..; 411 

Army  Food  in  Care  of  Scientists 89 

Army  Hospitals,    Reconstruction    Work    of 

Permanentjly    Recorded     823 

Army,  Salvation.  Oives  Mile  of  Pennies  to. .  480 
Army.  World.   Dissolving,   by   E.   T.   Brons- 

don    44 

Arrester.  Liffhtniner,  Is  Self-Mendinff 107 

Arrow    Indicators    on    Submarine    Chasers 

-    Spotted   U- Boats    828 

Art  and  Artillery,  by  E.  T.  Bronsdon. .. . .  484 
Art,  Prehistoric,  Cavern  in  France  Reveals.  874 
Artillery  Adjustment,  Aero  Radiophone  for.   666 

Artillery  Barrage  Stops  Forest  Fire 887 

Artillery  Batteries,      American,      at      Close 

Rangre   206 

Artillery  Mount,  Mass  of  Pitch   Used   for..  816 
Asbestos  Cement,  Plaster  of  Paris  and  Pul- 
verised Asbestos  Make  116 

Asbestos  Hood  for  Soldering  Iron 450 

Asbestos  Paper,    Wrap    Hot    Water    Tank 

with    782 

Asbestos,  Sheet    Metal    Backing    Helps    in 

Sawinff    117 

"Ash  Can,*'  Submarines  Beaten  by 828 

Ash  Tray,  "Frog  Shaped 99 

Ashes,    Save   Coal    by    Burningr 119 

Asparasrus,   Horseshoes  Make  Buncher   for.   458 

Assemblingr.    Revolviner    Table    for 240 

Astronomer  Advocates  One  Time  for  United 

States    886 

Astronomy — Mount       Wilson       Observatory 

Drops    "Solar**    from    Its    Name 858 

Athletics,  Plan  to  Classify  Scientifically..  438 
Audience  Sprayed  with  Disinfectant  during 

Influenza  Epidemic   860 

Auffer,  Post  Hole,  Made  from  Two  Shovels.  798 

Automobile,    Aeroplane    Lands    on 816 

Automobile — ^Air    Intake    Resembles    Ship's 

Funnel    582 

Automobile,  Air  Tank  Carried  on. . : 766 

Automobile  and  Hand  Truck,  Haul  Lumber 

with 462 

Automobile  and   Train   Collide 602 

Automobile  Bearing:    Races,    Tlgrhten    with 

Solder     942 

Automobile  Bed  Made  of  Canvas   595 

Automobile,  Bed  Spring  Htngred  to  Rear  of.  288 
Automobile — British  Carburetor  Permits  Use 

of    Kerosene    .*     80 

Automobile — ^Building:      an      Air      Propelled 

Speedster    927 

Automobile   Burned   in   Forest   by   Unextin- 

gruished  Cigarette 81 

Automobile  Camping^  Outfit 923 

Automobile      Carries      and       Demonstrates 

Grinding-  Machine   78 

Autoraobtle,   Chamois   Skin   Filter   for   Gas- 
oline Line   of    r f 24 

Automobile  Chassis,  Loading  Truck  for. .  127 
Automobile  Club,  Chinese.  Recently  Formed  160 
Automobile  Clutch      Springs,      Compressing 

with    Woodworkers*    Clamp    128 

Automobile,  Combination    Lock    for    541 

Automobile,  Compressed    Air    Starter    for..   175 

Automobile,  Double    Bed    for    435 

Automobile  Driver    Enabled    to    Sig^ial    in 

Winter  by  Slit  In  Curtain 140 

Automobile,     Driving     with     Sheared     Hub 

Key     9S6 

Automobile— Electromagnet    Picks    Wrench 

from    Crankcase    294 

Automobile  Engine,    Oil    Pump    for 476 

Automobile  Engine  Primer  Made  Like  Car- 
buretor       268 


Automobile   Engines,    "Running    In**    after 
Overhauling   926 

Automobile  Engulfed    When    Sewer    Caves 
In   41« 

Automobile  Exhaust     Heater     Mounted     in 
Floor  Register 116 

Automobile   "Fixed   Up**   on   Side   of   Build- 
ing   as    Halloween    Prank 58 

Automobile  Headlights,    Ribbed    Glass    for.  316 

Automobile  Highway,    Coast    to    Coast,    in 
Canada     734 

Automobile.  Hoisting  Drum  for  Rear  Wheel 
of   621 

Automobile  Hood,  Make  Waterproof  to  Pro- 
tect Colls    924 

Automobile  in  Parade  Has  Locomotive  Body.  364 

Automobile — ^Locking   Device   for   Demount- 
able   Rim     215 

Automobile,  Locksmith  Lives  and  Works  in.  876 

Automobile — Lubricating       System      Elimi- 
nates Grease  Cups 23 

Automobile  Mechanic,  Headrest  for  Strapped 
to    Head    454 

Automobile    Muffler    of    Helical    Shape    Re- 
duces Back  Pressure  908 

Automobile,  Oil  and  Grease  Gun  for 428 

Automobile  Oil,    Used,    Makes    Good   Fuel..  297 

Automobile  Owners,    Chests    for    in    Repair 
Station 740 

Automobile  Parts.  Model  Cannon  Formed  of.  436 

Automobile  Parts,     Study     Motion     of     on 
Photographic    Record    741 

Automobile  Parts    Used    in    Building   Loco- 
motive     422 

Automobile  Piston,  Enlarge  by   Peeling  to 
Eliminate    "Slap" 290 

Automobile  Plunges   into  Concrete  Tank...  432 

Automobile,  Pulley  Clamped  to  Frame  of..  892 

Automobile.    Racing,      Sandbags      Fall      to 
Stop    861 

Automobile  Radiator,  Adjustable  Cover  for.  918 

Automobile  Radiator     Cap,     Model     of     De 
Havlland    Plane    Is    837 

Automobile  Radiator,     Prevent     Fan     from 
Striking     955 

Automobile  Radiators,  Safety  Valve  for 639 

Automobile — Radius     Rod     Holds     Axle     In 
Allnement   599 

Automobile  Repair  Men,  Training  for  Army, 
by    Grant    M.    Hyde 7 76 

Automobile  Rim,  Segmented,  Permits  Quick 
Change  of  Tires 584 

Automobile  Road   on  Sky  Line  of  America, 
by    J.    E.    Murphy 231 

Automobile.   Rotary      Pump      for      Cooling 
System   of    189 

Automobile,  Rubber  Bound  Foot  Rest  for. . .      27 

Automobile  Salesman    Uses    Field    Glass    In 
Selling  Car   9ie 

Automobile  Service  Station,  Burned  Market 
Is     149 

Automobile  Service      Station,      Car      Repair 
Bulletin  Board  in   714 

Automobile,  Small,    Climbs    Boston    Capitol 
Steps    33 

Automobile,  Spare  Headlight  Bulb  for  Used 
under  Hood 775. 

Automobile,  Spiral   Propellers   Convert   Into 
Sled     40^ 

Automobile  Springs  Adjustable  to  Weight  of 
Load    34S 

Automobile,  Starting  in  Deep  Sand 44S 

Automobile   Steering   Wheel,   Electric  Hand 
Warmer    for     300 

Automobile  Stop  Block  Has  Handle  of   aas 
Pipe     464 

Automobile,  Thermometer  Mounted  on 474^ 

Automobile  Thief  Alarm    28^ 

Automobile  Timers,    Chuck    Holds    for    Re- 
flnlshing    i2e 

Automobile  Tire  Chains,  Springs  on  Prevent 

Flapping     89^ 

Automobile  Tire   Gauge    520- 

Automobile  Tire  Is  Punctureless 699 

Automobile  Tire,  Tool  for  Spreading  Beads 
Apart    62X 

Automobile,  Title    or    Deed    for    to    Prevent 
Stealing    806 

Automobile    Top,    Combination,     Open     and 
Closed    *....    85S 

Automobile  Top,  Removable,  Folds  Up. 9€ 

Automobile.  Tractor    with    Creeper    TreadB 
Made    from    421 


Digitized  by 


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POPUULR  MECHANICS  INDKX,  VOLUME  XXXI,  1919 


AutomobU«  TraU«r.  Cattle  Carried  in 368 

Automobile  Trailer  for  Cattle  Carries  Hay.  678 
Automobile  Trailer  Is  Tire  Repair  Shop..  396 
Automobile  TruclLS,    Track    for    Testing    at 

Factory 197 

Automobile  Valve  Cages,  Removing 935 

Automobile — Warning       Signal       Displayed 

When  Brakes  are  Applied 873 

Automobile   Windshield*    Storm    and    Glare 

Screen   for   100 

Automobile  with      Airplane      Motor      Beats 

Speed    Record     608 

Automobile      Wreck,      Glaring      Headlights 

Cause     842 

Automobile  Wrecks    Bridge    192 

Automobiles— <7ounterboring         Drill         for 

Brake   Lining    936 

Automobiles,  Disabled,     Emergency     Wheel 

for    606 

Automobiles,  Electric  Antitheft  Device  for.   693 

Automobiles,  "Free  Water"   Sign  for 618 

Automobiles,  Indians  Beg  Rides  on 27 

Automobiles,  Leather  Covered  Bodies  for..  628 
Automobiles,  Perpetual  License  Numbers  for 

In    Colorado    439 

Automobiles,    Pipes    Carry    Exhaust    Gases 

from  Outdoors   496 

Automobiles,  Plank  Road  for  across  Desert.  676 
Automobiles — Scored  Cylinders  Repaired  by 

Soldering     443 

Automobiles,  Shower  Bath  for  in  Repair  Shop  641 
Automobiles.  Side   Lights   for   Made   of   Tin 

Cans    142 

Automobiles,  Soldiers     Signal     with     Sema- 
phores       92 

Automobiles,  Stolen,  Markings  on  in  Bulletin 

to  Dealers  Help  Recover 802 

Automobiles.  Use  Discarded  Aeroplane   En- 
gines   for    ; .     84 

Automobiles  Used    as    Traveling    Shops    in 

France    872 

Automobiles,  Used,  Frauds  Practiced  in  Sell- 
ing     ^82 

Automobiles— Wick  Oiler  for  Small  Shafts.  620 
Automobiles— Wrap  Rubber  around  Gasoline 

Lines    of    794 

Aviation — Aerial   MaiL   Delivery,   First,   be- 
tween Seattle  and  Vancouver 804 

Aviation — Aerial   Mail    Service   for   Brazil..  192 
Aviation — ^Aerial  Mail  Service  In  New  Zea- 
land       704 

Aviation — ^Aerial  Police  for  New  York 864 

Aviation — ^Aerial    Police    for    Venice,    Cali- 
fornia       847 

Aviation — Aeroplane    Line     to     St.     Moritz, 

Switaerland    887 

Aviation — Air  Fight  is  Staged  for  Movies. .  700 
Aviation — ^Air  Route  from  London  to  Sydney  899 
Aviation — ^Airman    Makes    Ocean    to    Ocean 

Flight    in    Canal    Zone 78 

Aviation — ^American  Holds  Altitude  Record.  916 
Aviation — America's   Future  in   the  Air,   by 

Searle  Hendee    497,  667 

Aviation — ^AtlanUc   City    Air    Port    First   in 

World    812 

Aviation — ^Bombing    Seaplane   Carries    Fifty 

Persons     182 

Aviation — ^Britlsh    Battleship    and    Weather 
Bureau    will    Cooperate    in    Transatlantic 

Flight     874 

Aviation— <:hain     of     Landing     Fields     for 

America    16 

Aviation — Chart    Shows    Air    Routes    over 

Oceans  and   Continents    818 

Aviation — Civilians  may  Now  Fly 644 

Aviation   Costumes   for   Women 862 

Aviation — ^Device  Gives  Fliers  Aerial  Sensa- 
tions       838 

Aviation — European  Aerial  Routes  in  Oper- 
ation      748 

Aviation    Field.   Mowing  Machines   for 270 

Aviation    Fields,    Canada   to    Use    as    Farm 

Instruction    Camps     767 

Aviation — ^Flrst  Flight,  The,  by  Searle  Hen- 
dee  882 

Aviation — ^Flying    Hospital    Last    War    In- 
novation         24 

Aviation — ^High  Altitude  Plane,  Flying  West, 
Carried    200   Miles    East,    by   Maj.    R.    W. 

Schroeder    809 

Aviation — London    to    Paris    Trip    Made    in 
75    lilnute*    860 


Aviation — ^Motorcycle  Party  to  Survey  Lon- 
don-Sydney Air  Route  828 

Aviation — Pioneer  Flights  over  Oceans  and 

Continents     819 

Aviation — Prize    Offered    for    Transatlantic 

Flight     194 

Aviation — Quest  of  the  Cloudland  Fleece,  by 

Sophie  E.   Redford   (Poem) 664 

Aviation  Station,  Naval,  United  States  Had 

in  Ireland 368 

Aviation — Submarine  Spotting  from  the  Air, 

by  Henry  A.   Bruno 28 

Aviation — Woman  Carried  in  Mail  Bag. . . .  640 
Aviation — ^Zeppelin  may  Cross  Atlantic...  364 
Awning    Screens    Movements    of    Derrick..   693 

Axle,    Buggy,    Pinch    Bar   Made    from 121 

Axle,   Radius    Rod   Holds   in   Alinement 699 

Babbitt,  Emergency  Nut  Cast  of 467 

Babbitt  Metal,  Templates  for  Irregular  Cast- 
ings Made  of 767 

Baby,  Cries  of  Transmitted  through  Dicta- 
phone       696 

Baby,  Four  Months  Old,  Stands  Alone 185 

Baby  Picked    Up    on    Battle    Field   Is   First 

Foundling    to    Leave    France 760 

Back    Rest   for   Invalids   Made    of    Kitchen 

Chair     130 

Badges,  Service,  for  Red  Cross  Workers..  682 
Bag,  Cotton,  in  Public  Square,  Pin  Money  to.     79 

Bag,   Hand,   Is  Tank   Shaped 696 

Bag,   Laundry,   for   Nursery 766 

Bag*  Shopping,  Cradle  Folds  into 766 

Bait,  Spinner,  Made  from  Clothespin....  967 
Bakery,    Electric,    In  Minneapolis,    Open    to 

Public 806 

Bales,  Burlap,  Army  Saves  Lumber  by  Using  687 
Ball  Bearing,  Old,  Door  Guide  Made  of. .  477 
Ball  Bearings,   Use   in  Sweden  to   Conserve 

OH     171 

Ball  Game.    Players    and    Spectators    Wear 

"Flu"    Masks    at    730 

Balloon,  Airman   Dives    from   and    **Swims" 

to    Ground    816 

Balloon,  Italian.    Immune   to   Lightning....   422 

Balloon,  Naval,   in  Long  Flight 246 

Balloon  Observer   Lands   on   Mule   in   Para- 
chute   Jump    746 

Balloon  Observers  Change  at  Sea 716 

•Balloon    Observers    to    Watoh    for    Forest 

Fires     828 

Balloon  Observers.  Train  on  Mountain  Peak.   867 

Balloon,  Officers  Dive  from  at  Sea 642 

Balloon  Parachute,  New,  Saves  Basket 909 

Balloon,  Runaway,  Airmen  Stop  with  Sand- 
bags      700 

Balloon,  Toy,  Chokes  Child 688 

Balloonist.  Army,  Carried  Toward  Sea  Es- 
capes  with   Parachute    248 

Balloonist,  Army,  Entangled  in  Parachute.  419 
Balloonists,  Roof  Guards  from  Falling  into 

Sludge  Pit 863 

Balloons,    American    Army    Uses    in    Rhine 

Territory   556 

Balloons,  Army,  Portable  Gas  Plants  for..  881 
Balloons,  Army,  Use  Motorcycles  in  Testing.   849 

Balloons,  Gas.  Carry  Propaganda  with 906 

Balloons,   Plant  to  Produce   Argon   for 352 

Balloons,    Small.    Used   in   Determining   Ve- 
locity of  Wind    756 

Balloons,    Water    Valve    Prevents    Overin- 

flatlon    874 

Balloons,    Wires    Suspended    from    Protect 

London  from  German  Airmen 326 

Bamboo,  Make  Paper  Pulp  from  in  Indih. .  807 

Bamboo,   Organ    Has   Pipes   of 86 

Bamboo,   Use   for  Telephone   Poles 267 

Bananas.  Ripe,  Why  They  Are  Sweet 724 

Banca  is  Used  on  Philippine  Waterways....  717 
Band.  Brass.  Indians  Use  at  Tribal  Festivals  864 
Bandage  Cutter  for  Red  Cross  Workers....     74 

Bank.  Coin.  Warns  of  "Rainy  Day" 489 

Bank  Window.   Garden  Exhibit  in  to  Boost 

Food   Production    092 

Banners  for  All  Investors  in  Victory  Loan.  728 

Barber  Shops.  Paper  Rolling  Device  for 753 

Barge.    Derrick,    Claimed    Best    on    Pacific  ^^^ 

Coast    724 

Barge,  Rlvetless.  Built  in  England 147 

Barges,  French  Tank  Pulls  on  Marne  Canal.  163 
Barley.  Experimenters  Feed  to  Milch  Cows.  906 
Barn,  Canadian,   One  of  World's  Largest..  184 


Digitized  by 


Google 


8 


POPULAR  MECHANICS  INDEX,  VOLUME  XXXI.  1019 


!Barnacles,    Use    for    Food 399 

Barragre,  Artillery,  Stops  Forest  Fire 337 

Barrel  Heads,  Grooved  Pulley  Made  of....  126 
Barrel  Heads,  Wires  across  Give  Protection.   455 

Barrel   Hoop    Redriver    256 

Barrel,  Knockdown  Steel 80 

Barrel   Staves,   Sled   Made   from 139 

Barrel  Support  Made  of  Wagon  Wheel  Fel- 
lies        617 

Barrel  Tumbler  for  Punch  Shop 450 

Barrel,   Using  as  Mouse  Trap 121 

Barrels,    Apple,    Have   Glass   Tops 282 

Barrels,    Handle    for    Rolling 614 

Barricade  of  Concrete  Posts  and  Steel  Cable 

Used    by    Germans    to    Stop   Tanks 726 

Base  Knobs  Put  to  Various  Uses 116 

Baseball    Batting    Machine     303 

Basket,    Balloon     Parachute    Saves 909 

Basket,  Clothes,  Mount  on  Wheels 136 

Bath  Outfit,   Shower,   for  Campers  and  Sol- 
diers         426 

Bathers,  Optical  Illusion  Is  Menace   to 582 

Bathing  Cap,  Rubber,  Like  Airman's  Helmet  915 

Bathing   Pool   on   California   Estate 896 

Bathing  Suit,   Unsinkable    322 

Bathtub  Movie  Shows  for  Wounded  Soldiers.  323 
Batteries,    Dry,    Produce    Colored    Flame    in 

Fireplace 625 

Batteries,  Navy  Railway,  Used  in  France,  by 

Stanley  W.  Todd   624 

Batteries,  Storage,  Cloth  Made  of  Spun  Glass 

Used  in  Insulation  of 728 

Battery  Cells,  Keeping  Salts  In  from  Creep- 
ing      ■ 616 

Battery,  Dry  Cell,  Is  Rechargeable 442 

Battery,    Storage,    Remote   Control    for   End 

Cell    Switch     614 

Battle    Fields,    French,    British    to    Rid    of 

Shells    574 

Battle  Front,  Panoramic  Picture  of 870 

Battle    of    Chateau-Thierry,    Marines   at,   by 

E.     T.     Bronsdon     259 

Battleship  "New  York,"  Boys  Are  Guests  on.   600 

Bayonets,    Make   by   Rolling 153 

Bean     Planter    Saves    Stooping 639 

Beans,    Machine    for    Harvesting 687 

Beans,  Pole,  Wire  Fencing  Is  Support  for. .  799 
Bearing  Metal,   Lead   Electrically  Hardened 

Is    902 

Bearing    Races,    Tighten    with    Solder 942 

Bearings,  Connecting  Rod.  for  V-Type  Motor  378 
Beaver    Dams    in    Irrigating    Ditches    Cause 

Disastrous    Floods     719 

Bed,     Canvas,     for    Auto 595 

Bed,  Child's  Folding,  Make  Cot  into 475 

Bed,   Disappearing,    Has   Rollers 434 

Bed,  Double,  for  Automobile. 435 

Bed,  Hook  for  Keeping  Covers  on 594 

Bed    Spring   Hinged    to    Rear    of   Auto 238 

Beds,  Sanitary,  for  Merchant  Marine  Sailors.  272 
Bee,  China,  Decorated  in  Patriotic  Colors.  274 
Bees,  Hives  for  on  Terraced  Mountain  Side.     26 

Bees,   Man    Fills    Hat   with 509 

Belfry,  Separate,  for  Philippine  Church..  257 
Bell,  Alarm  Clock,  Solder  Ladle  Made  from.   617 

Bell,  Electric,  Rural  Mail  Box  Has 634 

Bell,  Goblet  Made  into 945 

Bell,   Shop,  Made  from  Circular  Saw 114 

Bellows.  Force  Air  down  Mine  Shaft  with.  227 
Bells,    Liberty,    War   Stamp   Booths    Have..   374 

Belt   Loop.    Wire,   for   Carrying   Tools 314 

Belt,  Men's,  Made  Elastic  by  Coiled  Springs.  274 
Belt.  Stoppage,  Electric  Alarm  Warns  of . . .   462 

Belts,  Germans  Make  of  Woven  Paper 24 

Bench    and    Table,    Combination 935 

Bench  Hoist  or  Crane 779 

Bench,    Portable,    for    Plumbers 942 

Bench  Saw  Cuts  at  Angle  on  Level  Table. .  720 

Bench     Snips    or    Shears 289 

Bench   Stop    Which   Clamps   Work 289 

Bench    Vise,    Parallel    Motion    for 765 

"Beryllium,  Use  in  Preference  to  Aluminum.   410 
Beverages,    Device    Charges    and    Serves...   599 
Beverages,    Soft,    Tank    Truck    Carries....    868 
Bible  Reference  in  Cars  Promotes  Truthful- 
ness        696 

Bicycle    Converted    into    Ice    Cycle 366 

Bicycle    Ice    Speeder    ,... 129 

Bicycle   Rider  Makes   Daring  Leap   In  New 

York   "Drive" 263 

Bicycles,    Metal    Mirrors    for 186 

Bill,  Combination  Five  and  Ten  Dollar 194 


Billboards,    Bits    of    Local    History    on    for 

Motorists     694 

Bin,  Sugar,  Homemade   612 

Bird  Cages    Made    from    Wire    Fencing 810 

Bird    Flying    through    Trees,    Optical    Illu- 
sion   of    947 

Bird    House    at    Belle    Isle    Park    Made    of 

Logs     268 

Bird  House   of   Concrete    and   Glass 750 

Bird  House,  Stovepipe  Makes  Cat  Proof. .  638 
Bird,  Humming,  Fed  from  Medicine  Dropper  600 
Bird  Records  on  Phonograph  Attract  Skunks  644 

Birds,  Nesting   Station    for    754 

Birds,  Sailor    Carves    Models    of 61 

Bit  Brace,  Drill  Hole  through  Metal  with..  289 
Blackboard,    Use  old   Window   Shade  as....   796 

Blades,    Safety    Razor,    Handle    for 319 

Blades,  Scraper,  Clamping  Block  for  Filing.   122 

Blades,  Scraper,  Handle  for 299 

Blankets,  Army,  Vacuum   Washing  Machine 

for    655 

Blast   Furnace   Blower,   Electric   and   Steam 

Power    for    420 

Blind,  Ear  Reading  Device  for 48S 

Blind,  Knob  on  Stairway  Rail  Aids 766 

Blind    Men,    Trolley    Wire    for    at    Soldiers* 

Home    654 

Blind,  Novel   Thermometer   for    544 

Block,    Cross    Slide,    Use    In    Cutting    Rings 

from  Tubing   614 

Block,  Filing,  for  Scraper  Blades 122 

Blocks,  "A  B  C*  with  Rounded  Edges 921 

Blocks,  Wooden,  Keep  Shoes  Dry  on  Damp 

Floor    461 

Blocks,  Wooden.  Make  Interesting  Puaszle..    138 

Blood,  "Canned,"  Now  Used  in  Surgery 758 

Blotter  on  Bottom  of  Desk  Telephone 615 

Blower,   Blast  Furnace,   Electric  and  Steam 

Power    for    420 

Blowtorch,    Improvised     688 

Blowtorch,  Renewing  Enlarged  Burner  Ori- 
fice on    125 

Blowtorch,   Soldering  Paste  Carried  on 291 

Blueprint  Holder   for   Machinists 780 

Blueprints,  Changing  to  Imitation  of  Sepia.  185 
Board,  Bulletin,   for  Motorists  at  Cheyenne, 

Wyoming     268 

Board,  Bulletin,  for  Visitors  at  Venice,  Cali- 
fornia        269 

Board,    -Chopping,     Made     with     Knife     and 

Staple 460 

Board.  Drawing,  Support  Adjusts  to  Desired 

Angle    134 

Boards,   Long,    Device   Applies   Glue   or  Ce- 
ment to   780 

Boat — Banca  is  Used   on  Philippine  Water- 
ways        717 

Boat,    Buoyant   Composition  Makes  Unsink- 
able    362 

Boat — Casco  Is  Philippine  Houseboat 717 

Boat — Family  Cruiser  Makes  Unusual  Speed.  723 

Boat,  House,  Making 948 

Boat,    Mooring    and    Locking    Away     from 

Shore    791 

Boat — Stabilizer   for   Canoe 787 

Boat,  Torpedoed,  Towed  to  Port  Bottom  Up.     38 

Boat — Tug  Raised  by  Floating  Crane 2 

Boat  with  Air  Filled  Floats  Is  Unsinkable.   174 

Boathouse,  Glass,  for  Yacht 5 

Boats.     Combination     Sail     and     Motor,     for 

Copra  Trading   745 

Boats,  Device  for  Lifting  Out  of  Water 626 

Boats,  New,  for  Coast  Survey 36 

Boats,  Rhine  River,  French  Pilots  on 572 

Boats    Used    In    Coast    Patrol    Returned    to 

Owners     158 

Boats — Yachts,  Converted,  Assigned  to  Coast 

Service     234 

Boiler  Explosion  Tears  Off  Fire  Box 687 

Boiler  Feed  Work,  Turbine  Driven  Pump  for  906 
Boiler    Head,    13    Foot,    Made    from    Single 

Plate     264 

Boiler  Heads  Measure  More  than  15  Feet...   740 

Boiler  Pitting  Caused  by  Electrolysis 622 

Boiler  Scale,  Boil  Potatoes  to  Loosen 295 

Boiler  Scale,  Save  Fuel  by  Dissolving 117 

Boilers.  Shipping  Board  Authorised  to  Com- 
mandeer          83 

Bollworm  Stamped  Out  in  Texas..... 172 

Bolt,  Expansion,  Made  from  Ordinary  Bolt.  946 
Bolt,  Nut  Locks  on,  but  is  Easily  Removed.  894 
Bolt,  Round  Head,  Preventing  from  Turning  126 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS  INDEX,  VOLUME  XXXI,  1919 


Bomb.   Oepth,    Defeats   U-Boats 828 

Bombs.  Time.  Make  German  Planes  Self-De- 
structive       107 

Bonds,  Ltiberty,  Amount  Purchased  by  Great 

Lakes   Sailors    110 

Bonds,  Liberty,  Million  Dollars  in  Gold  Coin 

for    65 

Bonds.  Liberty,  Steel  Box  for 436 

Bonds,    Victory    Liberty,    Emblems    for    In- 
vestors in   728 

Book,  Protector  for  Made  of  Envelopes 951 

Books   and   Pamphlets    Available    to    Public 

throuRh  Department  of  Commerce 875 

Books,  Old  Vellum,  in  California  Mission...  57 

Boom,  Extra  Longr  Derrick,  for  Special  Jobs  200 

Boss  Plates  Made  in  Record  Time 554 

Bottle.   Crown  Top,  Opener  for 933 

Bottle,   Forks  for  Removing  Pickles  from..  143 

Bottle  Holder.  Ink,  Made  from  Grease  Cups.  319 

Bottle,  Hot  Water,  Made  of  Two  Pans 469 

Bottle,    Milk.    Cover    for 458 

Bottle,    Puttingr   Ship    in 471 

Bottles.  Labelingr  with  Dab  of  Paint 318 

Bottles.  Milk,  Collect  Money  for  Relief  Fund 

in    476 

Bottles.  "Passports"  Carried  in  Admit  Sailors 

to    Hospitals    388 

Box  for  Shipping:  Baby  Chickens 362 

Box,  Steel,  for  Liberty  Bonds 436 

Box  Strap  Cutter,  Nail  Puller  Has 86 

Boxes,  British  Save  Lumber  by  Reusing-. . . .  110 
Boy   Scouts  of  Portland,  Oregon,  Build  Log 

Cabin    280 

Boy   Uses  12-Foot  Stilts 441 

Boyd.  Lieutenant  Gordon 146 

Boys,    Chicago,    Become    Farmers,    by    John 

Anson  Ford   34 

Boys,  High  School,  Help  Plow  Big  Tract  of 

Land  in  Record  Time 759 

Brace  and  Bit,  Breastplate  for 121 

Brace.    Bit,    Made    More    Effective    by    "Old 

Man"    479 

Brake  Linings,  Counterborizig  Drill  for 936 

Brakes,  Air,  for  Truck  and  Trailer  Train...  504 
Brands.   New,   Wanted  for  Cattle,  by  W.   F. 

Wilcox    715 

Brass.   Removing  Steel  Screws  from 777 

Bread  Board  with  Wheat  Decorations 99 

Bread.  Gaug-e  for  Slicing 959 

Breastplate  for  Brace  and  Bit 121 

Breath  Tester   792 

Breweries,  Converting  to  Other  Industries..  688 

Brick  Machine  Shapes  Tamping  Clay 913 

Brick.   Sample.   Wall    Built   of  by   City   Em- 
ployes      420 

Bridj^e.    American-Canadian,    for    War    Me- 
morial      / 170 

Bridige,   Army  Engineers  Build  Speedily....  238 

Bridgre  at  Worcester.  Mass.,  Built  in  Halves.  552 

Bridg-e  Blown  into  Air  by  Explosion 51 

Bridgre.   British  Build  over  Tigris  as  Memo- 
rial to  Gen.   Stanley  Maude 540 

Bridge.   Century  Old.  at  Eastport,  Maine...  245 

Bridgre.  Concrete.  Built  on  Reverse  Curve...  149 

Bridi^e,  Concrete  Piers  for  Are  Hollow 561 

Bridge,  Military.   British  Troops  Support. .  .  402 
Bridi^e   near  Tama,  Iowa,  Lincoln  Highway 

Slicn    on    268 

Bridi^e.     New,     over    Mississippi    at    Minne- 
apolis      16 

Bridge    Pier,   Steel   Plate  on  Buckled  by  Ice 

GorRe    759 

Bridge  Span  Ferried  Across  River 703 

BHdi?-e  Span.    100   Foot.  Hauled  by  Truck...  866 

Bridite   Wrecked   by  Automobile 192 

Bride-es.  Stone,  in  France,  Rebuild  with  Con- 
crete   642 

Brine.  Impurities  in  Affect  Salt  Fish 152 

Briquettes.  Fuel.  Made  from  Heather 184 

Bronsdon.   E.   T.: 

Art    and    Artillery.... 484 

Dissolvlngr  a  World  Army « •,••;••  Ai 

How  the   Propeller  Problem  was  Solved..  721 

Keepinf?  Peace  for  the  Sake  of  War 689 

Making^  the  Panama  Canal  Pay 856 

Marines  at  Battle  of  Chateau-Thierry....  259 

Mysterious  Case  of  "K.  of  K.'* 381 

Phonograph    Detects   Wireless  Leak 198 

Submarine   Ffirhter.  The 6 

\       Broom.  Attachment  Fastens  CHoth  on 941 

Broom  Makinsr,  Re:r*val  of  in  South 249 

I       Broom,  Stiffen  with  Piece  of  Inner  Tube 795 


Brooms  Made  from  Pine  Needles 191 

Bruno,  Henry  A.: 

Submarine   Spotting  from  the  Air 28 

Brush  Bristles,  Anthrax  Germs  in 752 

Brush,  Dish  Washing,  Has  Soap  Container.   595 

Brush,  Scrubbing,  with  Flexible  Handle 791 

Brushes,   Keeping  Soft  with  Paraffin 286 

Brushes  Made  from  Pine  Needles 191 

Bubbler  Fountains,  Drinking  Tube  for  Use 

at    141 

Bucket,  Insulated  Wire  Handle  for 313 

Bucket,  Mop  Wringer  Built  in 476 

Buffalo,  Water,  Is  Draft  Animal  of  Filipinos  250 
Buffer,  Bench,  Made  from  Shafting  Hangers  295 

Buffs,  Worn,  Make  New  BufHng  Wheel 347 

Building — Acrobat  Climbs  Skyscraper  to  Ad- 
vertise War  Fund 86 

Building — Barn,    Canadian,    One   of    World's 

Largest    184 

Building — Bird  House  at  Belle  Isle  Made  of 

Logs    268 

Building — Boys  Have  Clubhouse   in   Tree...   109 
Building — Buddhist     Temple     on     American 

Soil    26 

Building — Cabin,     Settler's,     Replica    of     in 

Burlington,  Iowa,  Park 269 

Building — Cathedral,     Washington,    Services 

Held  in  Completed  Portion 859 

Building — Cellarless  Houses,  Heating  Plant 

for    901 

Building — Concrete  '  Greenhouse     Uses     No 

Fuel    960 

Building — Concrete      Houses      Have       Steel 

Shelves   813 

Building — Concrete     Skyscraper     Has     Bal- 
conied Arcade   734 

Building — Dead    Heroes'    Names    on    Court- 
house       373 

Building — Depot  Slides  down  Steep  Hill 80 

Building— Flour    Mill,    Work    on    Night    and 

Day    216 

Building    for    Bachelors   Has   Unusual    Fea- 
tures       348 

Building — Garage  and  House  Combined 420 

Building — Garage  for  Town  or  Country 320 

Building — Garage,   Four   Floors   of  Open  on 

Street     878 

Building — Grain   Elevator  Has   Artistic  Ex- 
terior       196 

Building — Home  for  Danish  Women  Work- 
ers          92 

Building — Honolulu    Hotel    Is    Army    T.    M. 

C.    A 81 

Building — ^Hotel,      American      Operated,      at 

Lima,    Peru    852 

Building — Hotel    in    Washington,    D.    C,    on 

Unusual  Site    656 

Building — "Log"    Bungalow    Made    of    Con- 
crete        729 

Building — Log   Cabin,   Boy    Scouts    of   Port- 
land.  Oregon,   Build    280. 

Building — ^Lumber    Warehouse,    Model 800 

Building — Memorial  to  Heroes  of  '17  and  '76  749 
Building — Pershing       Stadium       Given       to 

France    888 

Building— Portable  Hog  House 774 

Building — Roosevelt's  Birthplace  Bought  as 

Memorial     868 

Building — St.     Paul's    Cathedral,     Restoring 

Dome    of    912 

Building — Shanty  Occupied  by  French  Coun- 
tess on  Site  of  Former  Chateau 208 

Building — Shelter  House  Built  around   Tree 

Trunk     787 

Building,  Shortage  of  In  United  States 583 

Building,   Special,  for  Tractor  Exhibit 865 

Building — Studio    Built    from   Driftwood 863 

Building— Thatched  Shelters  for  Park 82 

Building — Two   Story  Concrete  Sheep  Sheds 

in  Denver   712 

Building — "Vorwaerts"   Plant  Wrecked  dur- 
ing Berlin   Revolution    521 

Building — Warehouse    Collapses    and    Spills 

Groceries     872 

Building— Week    End   Cottage  with   Garage.  640 
Building— World's   Largest   Hotel   for   Ship- 
builders          89 

Buildings.    Concrete,    for   Red   Cross   Village 

near  Pisa,  Italy    397 

Buildings    Erected   of   Wooden   "Netting"   in 
Norway    869 


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10 


POPULAR  MECHANICS  INDEX.  VOLUME  XXXI,  1919 


Buildingrs»  Hig-h,   Elevators  in  to  Serve  Al- 
ternate   Floors 704 

Buildingrs — ^Homes    to    be    Built    for    Dublin 

Workers    11 

Buildingrs — Houses     for     Mexican     Laborers 

Made  of  Adobe  i 495 

Buildings — ^Londoners  Discard  Town  Houses  919 
Buildings — Miners,    Montana,    Build    Homes 

under  Cliffs   879 

Buildings,  Small,  Misplacing  Doors  in 139 

Bulb,  Electric,  Burglar  Alarm  Made  of 793 

Bulb.  Spare  Headlight,  Used  Under  Hood...  775 
Bulbs,  Electric,  Used  as  Fire  Extinguishers  797 
Bull,  Aeroplane  Kills  in  Making  Landing...  815 
Bulletin  Board,  Car  Repair,  in  Auto  Service 

Station    714 

Bulletin  Board,  Electric,  Is  Typewriter  Con- 
trolled       105 

Bulletin    Board    for   Motorists  at   Cheyenne, 

Wyoming     268 

Bulletin  Board  for  Visitors  at  Venice,  Cali- 
fornia       269 

Bulletin  Board  Qives  Street  Car  Routes  to 

Hotels     879 

Bundle  Carrier,  Slotted  Stick  Used  for 595 

Bundles.  Laundry.  Frame  Aids  in  Wrapping  278 

Bungalow.  "Log,"  Made  of  Concrete 729 

Bunsen  Burner,  Light  Fire  with 143 

Buoy,   ObservSetion,  Geodetic  Survey  Impro- 
vises       244 

Burglar  Alarm,  Electric,  foi'  Autos 693 

Burglar  Alarm  for  Automobile 283 

Burgrlar  Alarm  Made  of  Electric  Bulb 793 

Burlap  Bales,  Army  Saves  Lumber  by  Using.  587 
Burner     Orifice     on     Blowtorch,     Renewing 

Enlarged    125 

Burners,   Gas,   Instrument  Tests 317 

Bushings,    Adjustable   Puller    for 454 

Bushings,    Tight,    Driving    Out    with    Fluid 

Pressure    934 

Busses.    London,    New    System    for    Tickets 

Saves  Paper  149 

Button,  Call.  Made  from  Spool 954 

Buzzer  Signaling  Practice  Set,  Small  Trans- 
former   for    816 

Cabbage,  Prize  Winning.  Fills  Wheelbarrow     84 

Cabin,  Log,   Boy  Scouts  Build 280 

Cabin,    Settler's,    Replica   of,    in   Burlington, 

Iowa,    Park    269 

Cabinet  for  Collector   311 

Cabinet  for  Phonograph  Records 160 

Cabinetwork.  Use  Corrugated  Paper  in 468 

Cable,  Cut  with  Three  Cornered  File 958 

Cable   Fastenings,  Emergency 468 

Cable.  New  Transpacific,  Is  Proposed 176 

Cables,  European.  Relieved  by  Radio 373 

Cables,  Government  Takes  Possession  of...     27 

Cables.  South  American  to  be  Extended 400 

Cables.  Steel,  Germans  Use  to  Stop  Tanks..  726 

Cactus  Plant.  Pincushion  Resembles 485 

Cafeteria  Plan,  Women's  Clothes  Sold  on...   684 

Cage,  Rescue,  on  Fire  Truck 803 

Cages,  Bird.  Made  from  Wire  Fencing 310 

Cake,  Manchurian  Soy  Bean,  Shipped  to  Eu- 
rope          60 

California,  Abbreviation  for  Is  "Calif."  ....   656 

Caliper,   Self -Indicating   527 

Calipers,  Friction  Joint,  Use  as  Gauge. 475 

Call  Bell  System.  Emergency,  with  Perma- 
nent   Wiring    452 

Camera,  Finger  Print   72 

Camera  Gun  Catches  Plane  in  Tail  Spin....       4 

Camera,  Hand,  Holding  at  Eye  Level 138 

Camera,  Make  Many  Pictures  on  One  Film 

with     817 

Camera,  Moving  Picture,  Rapid  Motion  Made 

Visible   with    489 

Camera,   Scale   Helps   Focus 866 

Camera,  Sculptor  Uses  to  Verify  Work 698 

Camera  Shutter  Operated  by  Electric  Fuse.   633 

Camera,  Upright   Enlarging 788 

Camera,  Using  Upside  Down 950 

Cameras,  Small,  Tripod  for 638 

Camouflage  Art,  New.  by  Brandon  Tracy...  366 
Camouflage  Coats  Disappearing  from  Ships.  235 
Camouflage,    How    the    Camera    Conquered, 

by  Douglass  Reld    705 

Camouflage,  Naval.  Change  System  of 571 

Camouflage,  Navy,  Masterpieces  of,  by  Lloyd 

Seaman    217 

Camouflage,   Photographs   Show 318 


Camouflage,  Reverse  for  Peace  Time  Use...   380 

Camper,  Pack  Frame  for 172 

Campers,  Shower  Bath  Outfit  for 426 

Campers,    Sign    for,    in    Shoshone    National 

Forest     269 

Camping  Grounds,  Public,  in  Oregon  National 

Forest    909 

Camping_  Outfit,   Auto 923 

Camps,  Trainingr.  Troops  at  Mustered  Out..  154 
Can  Opener,  Needle  for  Coarse  Sewing  Made 

of 140 

Can,  Tin,  Trouble  Lamp  Reflector  Made  of..  942 
Canal.  Cape  Cod,  Government  will  Take  Over  841 
Canal,  China's  Ancient,  to  be  Modernized...  419 
Canal.    Construct    from    Paris    to     English 

Channel , 54 

Canal.  Marne,  French  Tank  Pulls  Barges  on  163 
Canal,    Panama,    Making   It    Pay,   by    E.    T. 

Bronsdon    855 

Canal,  Suez.  Kept  Open  by  British  Strategy.  250 
Canal  to  Connect  Antwerp  and  Marseilles..  700 
Canal,   Welland,  Turn  Ship  on  Side  to  Pass 

through    164 

Canals.  Sheffield.  England,  will  Improve. ...  582 
Candles,  American  Army  Has  Millions  of. . .    577 

Candlestick  with  Service  Star 274 

Candy,  Stick,  Machine  for  Making 221 

Candy — Tons  of  Lemon  Drops  for  Army....  107 
Canning,  American  Methods  of  Used  in  India  429 

Canning  Kettle  with  Inner  Tray 914 

Cannon,  Model.  Formed  of  Auto  Parts 436 

Cannon,  Toy  Air   467 

Canoe,  Adjustable  Stabilizer  for 787 

Canoe  Paddles,   Repairing    478 

Canoes.  Device  for  Lifting  Out  of  Water...    626 

Cans,  Electrical  Soldering  Iron  for 572 

Cans,  Lids  of  Made  into  Muflfln  Pan 319 

Cans,    Ration,    Overstock    of    Used    to    Ship 

Cereals 599 

Cans.  Tin.  Cups  Made  from 313 

Car.  Box,  School  Housed  in 66 

Car,  Concrete  Freight.  Now  in  Service 667 

Car,  Double  Decked  for  Shipping  Hogs 493 

Car  Ferry  for  Adriatic  Sea 699 

Car,  Freight,  Lands  on  Top  of  Gondola  Car.  808 
Car.  Interurban.  Equipped  to  Carry  Insane.  62 
Car,  Trackless  Trolley,  Use  in  New  England   834 

Carabao  Is  Draft  Animal  of  Filipinos 250 

Carabao,   Riding  "Horseback"   on  in  Philip- 
pines        717 

Carbide,  Acetone  Made  from 53 

Carbon    Black    Plants,   Change   Location   of 

to    Save    Gas 560 

Carbons.    Arc   Lamp,   Metal  Coat   Is  Thick- 
ened  by   Electroplating    394 

Carbons,  Arc  Lamp,  with  Metal  Sheaths....  384 
Carbons.  Arc  Light,  Use  Graphite  to  Reduce 

Resistance  of  556 

Carburetor,  Auto  Primer  Made  Like 258 

Carburetor,    British,    Permits   Use  of   Kero- 
sene          80 

Card.  Business,  with  Flap  for  Message 278 

Card  Cabinet  File  Prints  and  Negatives  in.    132 

Card  Case  with  Spring  Clamp 275 

Card  File,  Desk  Drawer  Converted  into 315 

Card   Sorter,   Electric,   Furnishes   Farm  In- 
formation         403 

Cardboard,  Spectacles  Made  of 639 

Cardboard.  Use  Sawdust  in  Making 602 

Cards,  Playing-,  Owl  Holder  for 754 

Cargo.  Oil.  Copra,  and  Sand  Mixed  Up  in^.    674 
Carnotite  Supply  Still  Adequate  for  Produc- 
ing Radium    644 

Carpenter,  Portable  Tool  Drawer  for SOO 

Carpenters,  Folding  Sauare  for 843 

Carpenter's    Squares.    Hardware    Store    Has 

Special   Drawer   for    447 

Carpet  Beaters,  Old  Tennis  Rackets  Used  as.  624 

Carpet  Cleaner,   Suction 781 

Carrier.  Overhead,  Saves  Labor  at  Flour  Mill  653 
Carromatta  Is  Vehicle  Used  in  Philippines.   717 
Cars.  Railroad,  Have  Grain  Unloading  Equip- 
ment       199 

Cars,  Tank,  Roll  Downhill  into  Ocean 190 

Cars,    Van    Carrying,    for    Small    Lots    of 

Freight    78 

Cars.  Wood  and  Steel,  in  Collision 852 

Cartoons  of  Soldiers  on  Envelopes 576 

Cartridge  Shells,  Annealingr  Furnace  for...   555 

Cartridges  Make   Simple   Switchboard 785 

Carvers,  India's,  Screen  Shows  Skill  of 55 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS  INDEX,  VOLUME  XXXI,  1919 


11 


Casco  Is  Philippine  Houseboat 717 

Casters,  Movlngr  Heavy  Machines  on 777 

Castiners,  Concrete,  Made  with  Ice  Cores 32 

Castingrs,  Irregrular,  Templates  for  Made  of 

Babbitt  Metal    767 

Castingrs,   Making  under   Pressure 224 

Cast  Iron.  Malleable,  Phosporus  in  Has  De- 

terioratingr  Effect    38 

Casualties,  British  Sea,  during  War 258 

Casualties,  War,  of  New  Zealand 347 

Casualties,  War,  Russia  Has  8,000,000 256 

Cat   Captures    Snake 281 

Caterpillar    Destroys    Corn 224 

Cathedral,  St.  Paul's,  Restoring  Dome  of . . .   912 
Cathedral,    Washington,    Services    Held    in 

Completed    Portion    859 

Cats  Root  in  Mud  for  Clams 441 

Cattle,  Auto  Trailer  for  Carries  Hay 678 

Cattle  Carried  in  Auto  Trailer 263 

Cattle,  Dairy,  Special  Herd  Sent  to  Prance.   849 
Cattle,  New   Brands  Wanted  for,  by   W.   F. 

Wilcox     715 

Cattle,   Ship  to  California  for  Winter 482 

Cattle   Tick,   Southern   States   Eradicate 216 

Cave,  New,  in  Yosemite  for  Hermit 566 

Cavern  In  France  Reveals  Prehistoric  Art..   374 
Caves.   The   Campaign   of   the,    by    Brandon 

Tracy    68 

Cellar,   Gardening  in 765 

Celluloid,    Substitute    for    Used    in    Making 

Artiflcial  Limbs    361 

Cement,  Asbestos,  Plaster  of  Paris  and  Pul- 
verised  Asbestos  Make   115 

Cement,  Chalk  Used  as  Substitute  for 432 

Cement  Fireplace  Mad«  to  Imitate  Wood...   922 
Cement    or    Glue,    Device    Applies    to    Long 

Boards    780 

Cement,  Repair  Leaks  in  Galvanized  Vessels 

with     613 

Cement,   Repairing   Porch   Pillar  with 118 

Cement,   Repairing  Water  Jacket  with 302 

Cement,  Roofing,  Staining  Wood  with 288 

Cement,  Rubber,  Repair  Tire  Valve  with...   453 
Cement,    Rubber,    Use    for    Patching    Cloth- 
ing     292 

Cement,   Sulphur  Used   as 633 

Cemetery,   Military,  in  France  to  be  Called 

"American  Field  of  Honor" 557 

Censors   Use   Chemical   Tests  on   Suspicious 

Letters    736 

Cent  Pieces,  New,  for  Canada 229 

Centipede  Race  Rivals  Tug  of  War 394 

Chafing  Dish,  Alcohol,  Has  Damper 914 

Chain.  Heavy,  Made  Rigid  by  Strain 54 

Chain  Used  as  Wire  Grip 947 

Chains,  Lubricating  with  Graphite  and  Tal- 
low    768 

Chains,  Motorcycle,  Device  for  Cleaning. . . .  776 
Chains.  Tire,  Springs  on  Prevent  Flapping.   893 

Chair,  Amn,  with  Two  Extra  Seats 435 

Chair.  Folding,  Made  of  Wood  and  Canvas.   434 

Chair  Hol0t,  Invalid  Soldiers  Treated  In 97 

Chair,  Kitchen,  as  Back  Rest  for  Invalids...  130 

Chair  Legs,  Cork  Tips  for 631 

Chair,    Swivel,    Made    from    Wagon    Wheel 

Fellies    120 

Chair.  Wheel.  Is  Motor  Driven 87 

Chair  with  Hinged  Legs  Serves  as  Rocker.   694 

Chairs,  Theater,  That  Raise  and  Lower 414 

Chalk.  Sharpening  to  Chisel  Edge 143 

Chalk  Used  as  Cement  Substitute 432 

Chamois   Skin   Filter   for  Gasoline  Line   of 

Auto    124 

Channel.  English,  Ferry  for 846 

Channel,    English,  Tunnel   for 887 

Chart.  Wiring,  for  Farm  Lighting 752 

Chassis.  Auto,  Loading  Truck  for 127 

Chateau-Thierry,    Battle    of.    Confusion    in 

Stories  Concerning,  by  Paul  Jenkins 832 

Chateau -Thierry,     Marines     at,     by     E.     T. 

Bronsdon   269 

Check  Protector,  Pocket  Slse 99 

Checker,  "Bungalow"  Hat  Protects  Records 

of    407 

Checks,  Canceled,  Replace  In  Checkbook . . .   955 

Checks,  Protecting  with  Typewriter 306 

Checks,  Tool.  Carry  on  Safety  Pin , .   286 

Cheese  Box,  Flytrap  Made  from 955 

Chemical   "Garden.**  Silicates  Form 959 

Chemical   Tests,  Censors  Use  on  Suspicious 

Letters     ; 736 

Chemicals,  Make  at  Powder  Plant 42 


Chest  Burglar  Proof , 194 

Chest,  Cooling,  Like  Dumb-Waiter 775 

Chest,  Large,  Advertises  War  Fund  Drive..  11 
Chest,  Tool,  Tray  Rises  When  Lid  Is  Opened  296 
Chest  under  Lathe  Holds  Tools  and  Gears. «  291 
Chests    for    Automobile    Owners    in    Repair 

Station    740 

Chevron,    Silver,   for   Soldiers   Not   in   Over- 
seas   Service    244 

Chevrons.  Service,  Made  of  Gold  and  Silver  848 

Chicken   Coop,  Movable    622,  798 

Chicken    Hatcheries,    Eggshells    Are    Valu- 
able By-product  of 70S 

Chicken   Roosts,   Labor   Saving 934 

Chickens,  Baby,  Box  for  Shipping 362 

Chickens.  Box  for  Shipping  Provides  Air...  616 
Chickens'  Food,  Feeder  Keeps  Out  of  Hens' 

Reach     114 

Chickens,   Green   Food   for,   Frame  Protects 

While    Growing    474 

Chickens,  Protecting  Drinking  Water  for..  608 
Children,  French,   in   Outdoor  Kindergarten 

Work    109 

Children,  Homeless,  to  Live  in  French  Cha- 
teau        108 

Children    In    France   Picking   Up   Lumps    of 

Coal  That  Pall  from  Wagon 440 

Children's  Pages 108,  280,  440,  600.  760,  920 

ChimAey  Cap,  Concrete 612 

Chimney,   Double  Flower  Box  in 751 

Chimney,  Tallest,  at  Anaconda,  Montana...  264 
Chimneys.  Device  Measures  Heat  Lost  in...  26 
Chimpanzee  Shoots  Trainer  with   Revolver.   593 

Chisel.   Hand  Guard  for 477 

Chopping  Board  with  Knife  and  Staple 460 

Chuck   Holds  Auto  Timers  for  Refinishing.   126 

Chuck  Jobs.  Centering  in  Lathe 932 

Chuck.  Lathe,  Used  as  Vise 289 

Chuck  Motor   933 

Chuck,  Screw,  with  Removable  Screw 617 

Chuck,  Special,  Countersinking  Center  Drills 

Held   in    451 

Chucks,  Lathe,   Grinding  Jaws  of ^ 934 

Church,  Philippine,  Has  Senarate  Belfry...  257 
Churches,  Modern,  Use  Up  to  Date  Devices.   697 

Churn  with  Ice  Cream  Freeser  Gearing 776 

Chute,  Adjustable,  for  Coal  Wagon 449 

Chute,  Use  When  Hardening  Thin  Steel....   458 

Cicada,  Periodical,  Due  This  Tear 489 

Cigar   Box.   Humidor   for 765 

Cigar  Stand  Made  of  Gun  Shells 795 

Cistern,  Float  in  Provides  Cleaner  Water...   767 
Cities — Schenectady    Gives    Medals    to    Sol- 
diers       919 

City,     Americanization     Campaign     for,    by 

Paul    Jenkins    913 

Civic   Features 268 

Clamp  for  Picture  Framing 797 

Clamp,  Rope.  Quick  Acting 938 

Clamp,  Saw  Sharpening 937 

Clamp.       Woodworkers ,       Compress      Auto 

Clutch    Springs   with 128 

Clamshells,  Rise  In  Price  of 81 

Clay  'Boxes  for  Potters,  Electric  Press  Makes  888 
Clay   Jars,   Porous,  Are  Self -Cooling  Water 

Holders    > 150 

Clay,  Leaky  Bottom  of  Lake  Covered  with.   860 

Clay,  Tamping,  Brick  Machine  Shapes 918 

Clay,  Valuable  Deposits  of  in  California 738 

Cleaner,   Suction,   Homemade 781 

Clinkers  Broken  with  Water  Jet 848 

Clip,  Paper,  Is  Handle  for  Razor  Blade 633 

Clip.  Testing,  Make  of  Clothespin 937 

Clock,  Alarm,  Acts  as  Private  Secretary...  745 

Clock,  Alarm,  Hung  on  Costumer 953 

Clock   and   Registering  Thermometer   Com- 
bined    176 

Clock,  Cuckoo,  Jeweler  "Naturalizes" 612 

Clock    in    New    York    Harbor    Strikes    Ship 

Time    726 

Clock,    iPedestal.    In    Los    Angeles    Market 

Place    63 

Clock,   Reduce  Friction  in  by  Use  of  Mag- 
netic Gears 784 

Closet  Door  Rack,  Folding 694 

Closet,  Swinging  Clothes  Hanger  for 305 

Cloth  Examiners,  New  Machine  Aids 385 

Cloth  Made  from  Pineapple  Fiber  In  China.   520 

Cloth,  Spun  Glass  Woven  into 728 

Cloth   Substitute,  Germans  Make  of  Paper.   282 
Cloth   Woven   by   Disabled   Soldiers   Marked 
with   Their  Names    430 


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12 


POPULAR  MECHANICS  INDEX.  VOLUME  XXXI,  1919 


Clothes  Basket,  Mount  on  Wheels 136 

Clothes  Drier  Made  from  Umbrella 799 

Clothes  Hanerer,   Swingrlngr.   for  Closet 305 

Clothes.  Mechanic's,   Laundered   by   Exhaust 

Steam    297 

Clothes  Rack,  Folding,  for  Closet  Door 594 

Clothes    Sprinkler 755 

Clothespin,  Eraser  Holder  Made  of 933 

Clothespin,  Make  Testing  Clip  of 937 

Clothespin.  Spinner  Bait  Made  from 957 

Clothespins,  Tool  Rack  Made  from 633 

Clothing:   Principles   Taugrht   in   Government 

Course    863 

Clothing,     Rainy    Weather,     for    Nurses    in 

France    110 

Clothing,  Winter,  for  Soldiers  in  Siberia 100 

Clothing.  Women's,  Sold  on  Cafeteria  Plan.   684 

Clown,  Face  of  Is  Entrance  to  Show 860 

Club,  "Amputation,"  Qrippled  Canadian  Sol- 
diers   Form    816 

Club,   North  China  Motor.  Recently  Formed  160 

Clubs,  Golf,  with  Steel  Shafts 419 

Coal  and  Lignite  Fields,  Ireland's,  to  be  Ex- 
ploited           5 

Coal,  Anthracite,  Alaska  Begins  to  Ship 272 

Coal.  Bituminous,  Equivalent  for  Hard  Coal 

Made  from    193 

Coal,  Children  in  France  Picking  Up  Lumps 

That  Fall  from  Wagon 440 

Coal  Deposits  Found  near  Lyon.  France 11 

Coal  Dust  and  Lime.  Fertilizer  Made  from.   325 
Coal  Dust  and  Oil  Make  New  Liquid  Fuel..   878 

Coal.  Keeping  Wet  Prevents  Oxidation 113 

Coal,   Million   Tons  Saved   by   "Extra"   Day- 
light         16 

Coal  Mines.  Recover  Sulphur  in 85 

Coal.   Partition   Room  to  Save 122 

Coal  Pile,  Extinguishing  Fire  in 116 

Coal,   Poor,   Coke   Made   from 4 

Coal,  Save  by  Burning  Ashes 119 

Coal,  Save  by  Dissolving  Boiler  Scale 117 

Coal.  Save  by  Lighting  Fire  at  Top 302 

Coal,    Save   by    Using   Inverted   Kettle   over 

Fire     285 

Coal   Screenings,   Soft.   Using   with    Anthra- 
cite       121 

Coal.   Soft,   Device  Fits  Hard  Coal  Stove  to 

Burn    698 

Coal,  Soft,  Fire  Box  Wall  In  Furnace  Helps 

Burn    876 

Coal,  Thermometers  Help  Save 114 

Coal  Wagon,  Adjustable  Chute  for 449 

Coast      Defense     Mortars     Camouflaged     in 

Private    Gardens    .'.    916 

Coast  Guard  Service,  Converted  Tachts  As- 
signed   to    234 

Coast  Patrol.  Yankee  Dirigible  Used   in....   236 

Coast   Survey.   New   Boats  for 36 

Coat  RA6k  Made  of  Pipe  and  Wire  Netting.   456 

Coffee  in  Soluble  Sticks  for  Soldiers 104 

Cofferdam,  Use  to  Raise  Steamer 67 

Cohort  of  the  Damned,  by  Douglass  Reid..   165 
Coin    Bank,     Umbrella     Shaped,     Warns     of 

"Rainy  Day" 489 

Coins — Give    Mile    of    Pennies    to    Salvation 

Army     430 

Coins — Italy  Makes  Thaler  in  Old  Press..,.   389 

Coins — New  Cent  Pieces  for  Canada 229 

Coins,  Outfit  for  Wrapping  and  Counting...   174 
Coins.  Output  of  by  United  States  Mints...    389 

Coins,  Reduce  Number  of  Designs 520 

Coins  Turned  Black  by  Poison  Gas  Refused 

by   French   Shopkeepers    248 

Coins.   Using  as  Weights 797 

Coke.  British  Truck   Burns 654 

Coke  Dust,  New  Fuel  Made  of 918 

Coke  Made  from  Coal  Considered  Unfit 4 

Collars,  Linen.  Marking  Tags  Made  of 445 

Collector,  Cabinet  for    : 311 

College  of  Fisheries  at  University  of  Wash- 
ington         898 

Color  Cup.  Multiple,  Air  Brush  Has 747 

Comment  and  Review,  by  H.  H.  Windsor... 

17,   177.   249.   353.   513,  673 

Commissary,  Portable,  Takes  Food  to  Work-' 

ers     494 

Common,  Boston,   to  Remain  War  Garden..   748 

Compass,   Wrist  Watch   Has 275 

Compressor,     Air,     Made     from     Street     Car 

Tanks 248 

Concrete    Anchors    Prove   Serviceable 642 

Concrete  Bridge  Built  on  Reverse  Curve...   149 


Concrete    Buildings   for    Red   Cross    Village 

near  Pisa,  Italy    397 

Concrete  Castings  Made  with  Ice  Cores 32 

Concrete  Chimney  Cap   612 

Concrete,    Compress     in     Mold     to     Increase 

Strength   713 

Concrete     Dam,    Material     for    Handled    by 

Gravity     401 

Concrete  Dome,  Use  Odd  Scaffold  to  Repair.  727 
Concrete   Engineer  Records   Results  of  Ex- 
periments on  Moving  Picture  Films 672 

Concrete,  Fill  Cracks  In  with  Paper 618 

Concrete    Flour    Mill,    Work    on    Night    and 

Day 216 

Concrete    Forms    Moved    by  '  Portable'  Stag- 
ing     255 

Concrete  Freight  Car  Now  In  Service 667 

Concrete  Garden  at  Havana,  Cuba 552 

Concrete  Grain  Elevator  Sinks  13  Inche.<)...  824 
Concrete   Grain   Elevator  with  Artistic   EiC- 

terlor    196 

Concrete  Greenhouse  Uses  No  Fuel 960 

Concrete  Houses.  Steel  Shelves  for 813 

Concrete,  "Log,"  Bungalow  Made  Into 729 

Concrete  Merchant  Ships,  by  Searle  Hendee.  645 
Concrete   Mixer,    Labor    Saving   Attachment 

for     433 

Concrete     Mold,     Rotating,     Forms    Hollow 

Poles    325 

Concrete,  Oil  Reservoir  Made  of 550 

Concrete  Piers  for  Bridge  Are  Hollow 561 

Concrete  Piling,  Air  Pressure  Prepares  Mold 

for    906 

Concrete  Pipe.  Apparatus  for  Testing 439 

Concrete  Pipes,  Long,  Cast  In  Simple  Mold.  398 
Concrete  Railroad  Sleepers  Are  Resilient...  541 
Concrete,    Rebuild    France's    Stone    Bridges 

with     642 

Concrete,    Repair   Wooden   Ship   with 639 

Concrete  Rowing  Machine  for  Sailors 489 

Concrete  Sewer  Runs  above  Ground 352 

Concrete    Sheep    Sheds,    Two    Story,   Denver 

Has    712 

Concrete  Ship,  Imitation,  Is  Parade  Float..  700 
Concrete  Ships,   Spain  Building  Largest....  150 

Concrete  Ships,  Test  with  X-Rays 898 

Concrete  Skyscraper  Has  Balconied  Arcade.  734 
Concrete  Staves,  Gas  Producer's  Outer  Shell 

Made    of    266 

Concrete  Telegraph   Poles  Made  In  Upright 

Mold 694 

Concrete  Ties  Show  Trend  of  Inventors 13 

Concrete    Tombstone,    Homemade 299 

Concrete  Track   Base  without  Ballast 549 

Concrete,  Use  Lawn  Sprinkler  for  Curing. .  473 
Concrete  Used  for  Water  Softening  Tanks.  878 
Concrete  Wall,  Use  Traveling  Steel  Forms  to 

Construct     176 

Concrete   Walls,   One   Piece,   with   Dead   Air 

Chamber    880 

Condensers,    Ignition,    Testing 77* 

Conduit  Ruptured  by  High  Voltage 56 

Contest,  Motorcyclists   Ride  Circles  In  Sand 

in    583 

Control  Stick.  Duplex,  for  Aeroplane 170 

Controller    Contacts   Saved    by   Interrupting 

Current     916 

Convalescents,  Walking  Device  for 436 

Conveyor,  Road  Making,  Has  Car  Track  on 

Top    736 

Cooker,  Potato,  for  Hogs 292 

Cooking  Class  for  Cincinnati  Schoolboys...  921 
Coolies    Carry    Passengers   up    Mountain    In 

India    431 

Coop,   Chicken,  Is  Movable 627,  798 

Copal  Varnish,  Use  on  Shoe  Soles 794 

Copper,    Diving    for    Oft    Alaska    Coast,    by 

William   Fleming  French 480 

Copper  Oxide  Deposits  Located  in  Sweden.  686 
Copper.      Salvage     from      European      Battle 

Fields    641 

Copra.  Oil.  and  Sand  Mixed  Up  In  Cargo 574 

Copra    Trading.    Motorboats 745 

Coqulto  Nuts.   Machine   for   Cracking 406 

Cord   Adjuster,  Knot  and  Loop 93.S 

Cord.  Telephone.  Adjuster  for 937 

Cork  Buffers  for  Medicine  Cabinets  Protect 

Wall     ^ ; 472 

Cork.   Drllllner   Holes   throusrh 924 

Cork,   Funel    Serve  as  Substitute   for 184 

Cork  Tips  for  Chair  Legs. . . ; 681 

Corn.    Frost    Proof,    Grown    by    Indians,    by 
Robert  H.  Moulton   907 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS  INDEX,  VOLUME  XXXI,  1919 


13 


Corn  Pest  Appears  in  Massachusetts 225 

Corn,  Seed,   Electric  Tester  for 843 

Corn,  Seed,   Testlngr   tor  Germination 446 

Corncobs,  Glue,  Cellulose,  and  Glucose  Made 

from    236 

Costume,  Convertible,  for  Women 11 

Costumer,  Alarm  Clock  Hung:  on 953 

Costumes,    Flying,    for    Women 862 

Costumes,      Theatrical,     Used     by     Richard 

Mansfleld   Now   in   Museum 348 

Cot.  Wire  Sprlngr.  Make  Child's  Folding  Bed 

of     475 

Cottage.   Week   End,   with  Garage 640 

Cotter  Ptn  Used  as  Electrical  Clip 620 

Cotton,   Big  Lioads  of  Prove  Value  of  Good 

Roads    735 

Cotton  Pest  Stamped  Out  in  Texas 172 

Cotton  Substitute,  Japanese  Make  from  Sea- 
weed       739 

Counterbore,  Saw  Tooth,  for  Irregular  Work  461 

Countersink  Gauge  on  Key  Ring 937 

Courthouse,   Dead  Heroes'   Names  on 373 

Cow    Nurses    Pig 281 

Cows.  Milch,   Feed   Barley   to 906 

Coyotes,  Poison  and  Market  Pelts  of 880 

Coyotes,  Tax  on  Cattle  Used  to  Eradicate..   361 

Cradle   Folds  into   Shopping  Bag 755 

Cranberry.    Roselle  Is  Rival  of 418 

Crane,    Bench    779 

Crane,  Floating,  Raises  Tug. . . ; 2 

Crane    Mounted'    on    Truck,    Marine    Corps 

Uses     278 

Crane  or«  Rear  of  Truck 456 

Crane,   Steel,  Aeroplane  Crashes   into 814 

Crane,     Street     Railway,     Unloads    Cars     of 

Dirt     235 

Crankshaft,  Big,  Cast  in  Three  Sections 488 

Crankshaft  with  Cracked  Web,  Repair   for.    127 

Crate,  Sgg.  Resembles  Suit  Case 434 

Crawford,  R.  P.: 

Quarrying   Fossils   on  a  Nebraska  Farm.   404 
Cream,   Motor  Truck  Equipped  for  Testing.   587 

Cr§pe  on  Semaphore  for  Traffic  Officer 5 

Crib.     Waterworks,     Righted     with     House 

Mover's    Jacks    713 

Crockery.  Small  Output  and  Breakage  Make 

Shortage    550 

Crow,    Carrion.   Farmers   and   Sportsmen   in 

Contest    to    Destroy 672 

Crowbar  Made  from  Buggy  Axle 121 

Crucible.  Gas  Furnace  Melts  Metal  without.  428 
Crusher,  Limestone,  Owned  by  County  Aids 

Farmers     S84 

Crutch,    Resilient.  Has  Two  Springs 255 

Crutches.  Cushion  Springs  for 908 

Crutches,  Walking  Machine  Takes  Place  of.  254 
Cue.  Use  Gun  in  Place  of  in  Playing  Pool...   876 

Cultivator  Attachment  for  Hoe 571 

Cultivator.  Garden,  Has  Two  Hinged  Shovels  842 

Cultivator.   Planter   Attached  to 834 

Cultivator,   Weed  Cutter  Attachment  for...   496 

Cup,  Force,  with  Spiral  Spring 694 

Cup.   Rubber  Drinking,  with  Khaki  Colored 

Case 98 

Cupboard.  Cooling,  Built  Like  Dumb-Waiter  779 
Cupboard.   Corner,   with   Revolving  Shelves.  635 

Cupola   of  Building.   Pushcart  in 851 

Cups  Made  from  Tin  Cans 318 

Curfew    in    East   St.   Louis,   111.,   Announced 

on   Movie   Screens    571 

Curling  Iron,  Electric,  Heat  Hot  Water  Bot- 
tle   with     696 

Currency — Combination  Five  and  Ten   Dol- 
lar   BUI    194 

Current  Leakage,  Apparatus  for  Detecting.  153 
Curtain  Stretcher  with  Clamping  Sleeves..  594 
Curtains.  Partition  Room  with  to  Save  Heat  122 
Cushion    for    Pins    and    Needles    Resembles 

Cactus    Plant    435 

Cushion   for   Scrubbing. 137 

Cushion,  Invalid's,  of  Felt  and  Springes 98 

Cushions,   Knee,   for   Tile   Workers 622 

Cuspidor,  Holder  for  in  Sick  Room 955 

Customs    Officers    on    Watch    for    Imported 

Aeroplanes    654 

Customs,  Old.  Belgians  on  Staten  Island  Re-' 

tain     265 

Cutter  for  Plow  Plane,  Nail  Used  as 460 

Cutter  for  Railroad  Rails,  Portable 696 

Cutter,  Milling   462 

Cylinders,  Scored,  Repaired  by  Soldering...   443 


Dairy  Products  Dealer  Has  Truck  Equipped 

for  Testing  Cream 587 

Dam,  Automatic  Tilting 864 

Dam,    Concrete,    Material    for    Handled    by 

Gravity    401 

Dam.  Storage,  Quebec  Has  Largest  in  North 

America,  by  W.  E.  Hopper 490 

Dams,    Beaver,   in   Irrigation   Ditches   Cause 

Disastrous  Floods   719 

Dance.  Victory,  Sioux  Indians  Have  as  Peace 

Celebration     267 

"Dandies"    Used    to    Convey    Passengers    up 

Mountain    in    India 431 

Date  Orchards  in  Arizona 222 

Daylight  Reproduced  by  Polarizing  Device.  683 
Daylight  Saving.  Amount  of  Coal  Saved  by.      16 

Daylight  Saving,  Time  for  Beginning 505 

Deaf -Mutes,   Employ  in  Rubber  Tire  Indus- 
try     : 399 

Deer,  Open  Season  for  in  Colorado 214 

Depot,  Railroad,  Overturned  by  Spruce  Logs     16 

Depot  Slides  down   Steep  Hill 80 

Derrick,  Awning  Screens  Movement  of 693 

Derrick  Barge  Claimed  Best  on  Pacific  Coast  724 
Derrick  Boom,  Extra  Long,  for  Special  Jobs  200 
Derrick,  Floating,  for  New  York  Harbor...  556 
Desert,   Alkali,   Plank   Road  across  for  Mo-  ^ 

torists     V  •  ;.*  •  •   ® ' ® 

Designing,      Decorative,      Disabled      Italian  ^ 

Soldiers   Learn    • »93 

Desk,  Writing.  Kit  Box  Converted  into.....  136 
Diamond  Cutting,   Disabled   British  Soldiers 

Learn        ^^" 

Diamonds.New  Method  of  Making. .. .  •  ■  •  •  ■  •  264 
Dictaphone  Warns  Mother  When  Baby  Cries.  695 
Dictaphones,  Telephones  Serve  as  in  Moving 

Picture    Theater     .^ 237 

Die  Casting  Machine,  Homemade ^»  < 

Dies,  50,000  Rivets  Made  from... •••••••   2°2 

Digger,  Post  Hole,  Made  from  Two  Shovels  <98 
Dike,  Holland.  Collapses  and  Wrecks  Train  695 
Diphtheria  Serum,  Germans  Deprive  Lille  of  184 
Dirigible,    American,    Descending    to    Ta«k 

with   Submarine    Commander 590 

Dirigible,    America's    Largest,    Makes    Long 

Flight     ^^l 

Dirigible  Launches  Aeroplane   in  Mid-Air..   487 

Dirigible,  Naval,   in  Long  Flight. 245 

Dirigible,   Officers   Dive   from  at   Sea 542 

Dirigible  Rescues  Airmen  from  Flying  Boat  643 

Dirigible — Zeppelin   may   Cross  Atlantic 364 

Dirigible — Zeppelin  Starts  to  Africa 257 

Dirigibles.   British   Navy,    Ready   for   Postal 

and   Passenger  Service    •^-  ••;•••;••;  *   ®^" 

Dirigibles,     British,     Women     Employed     in 

Making    u-' '  ;•  *  v.*   ^^^ 

Dirigibles— "R33"   and  "R34"   Are  England  s 

TjgLYOC^St,  ,,....••.•.••••• oiu 

Dirigibles,  Yankee,  Used  in  Guarding  Coasts  236 

Dish  Drier  Made  of  Racks  in  Pan •■••••   ^38 

Dish  Pan  with  Faucet  Connections  and  Per- 

forations  in  Rim ;••- A"  l"r  •  "   l\i 

Dish  Washing  Brush   with   Soap  Container.   595 

Dishes,  Bent  Tube  for  Rinsing 469 

Dishes,    Small    Output   and   Breakage   Make 

Shortage    • "^" 

Ditch,   Blast  through  Rock  to  Drain  Farm.    364 
Diver  Works  in  Reservoir  on  Pikes  Peak..     38 
Dock.  Burning,  Breasting  Pole  Pushes  Ships 
A^iray   from    ,.,..........•••»••••••••••••   633 

Dock,  Dry,  at  Kingston,  Jamaica 266 

Dock,  Dry,  at  Quebec  Nearly  Complete 56 

Dock,   Dry.   for   Naples Jl 

Dock,  Dry.  to  be  Built  at  Naples 738 

Dock,  Flood  Lights  on  for  Night  Loading..   682 

Dock,  Municipal,  at  St.  Louis 866 

Dock  with  Adjustable  Runway 944 

Docks,  Forty- Five,  Used  by  American  Army 

on  French  Water  Front 150 

Dog,  Small  Door  within  Large  One  for 9o3 

Dog  Teams,  Belgians  on  Staten  Island  Use.  265 
Doll,  Rubber  "Muscles"  Enable  to  Walk...  838 
Dolls,  Japanese  Children  Hold  Funeral  for.   280 

Dolls,   Kewpie,  Hold  Talcum  Powder 789 

Dome,  Concrete,  Use  Odd  Scaffold  to  Repair  727 

Door  Bumpers  Put  to  Various  Uses 116 

Door.  Cupboard,   Holder   Keeps   in  Any   Po- 
sition         766 

Door,  Glass,  Sign  Holder  for 799 

Door  Guide,  Old  Ball  Bearing  Forms .    477 

Door    Latch    Operated    by    "No    Admittance" 
Sign    459 


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14 


POPULAR  MECHANICS  INDBX,  VOLUMB  XXXI.  1919 


Door  Latch,  Springr,  Made  of  Wire 621 

Door  Lock  Permits  Hurried  Exit 684 

Door,  Proper  Placing  of  Three  Hing^es  on. .   800 

Door,   Sag^sing:,   Remedying 942 

Door,   Screen,   Cushion   Prevents   Slamming.   951 

Door,   Screen,   Renewing   Wire  on 611 

Door,  Shrunken,  Staple  Prevents  Manipula- 
tion of  Lock  on 460 

Door,  Small,  within  Large  One  for  Dog 953 

Door,   Wood  Block  Keeps   from  Rattling...   946 
Doors,   Building  in   Place   Saves  Trouble  in 

Hanging    118 

Doors,  Misplacing  in  Small  Buildings.. 139 

Doors,  Screen,  Put  Eye  on  instead  of  Hook.   134 
Drafting  Jobs,   Making  Special  Angles  aod 

Curves  for    123 

Drafting  Room,  Inkstand  for  Prevents  Color 

Mistakes     752 

Draftsman,  Improving  Triangle*  for 295 

Draftsman,  Ink  Bottle  Holder  for  Made  from 

Grease  Cups '. . . .  819 

Draftsman,  Pen  Wiper  for 301 

Draftsman,  Rack  Molds  Tools  for 118 

Draftsman,  Triangle  for  with  Raised  Feet.   454 

Draftsman,  Watch  Charm  for 635 

Draftsmen,  Bolt  and  Nut  Ruler  for 941 

Drains,    Clogged,    Cleaning   Out   with    Fluid 

Pressure    292 

Drawer,  Desk,  Converted  into  Card  File...   315 
Drawer,  Special,  for  Carpenters'  Squares...   447 

Drawer,    Tool.    Portable 300 

Drawers,    Combination    Lock    for 182 

Drawers,  Desk,  Made  of  Bread  Pans 125 

Drawers,   Sliding,   Lubricated   Varnish  for..' 124 
Drawing  Board,  Support  Adjusts  to  Desired 

Angle    134 

Drawing  Paper,  Fastening  Tightly  to  Board  296 
Drawings,   Make   on   Reverse  Side  of  Cross 

Section  Paper    619 

Drawings,  Making  without  T-Square 449 

Drawings,    Working,    Long    Hand    Writing 

Preferred   to  Lettering 940 

Drawings,  Working,  Save  Time  in  Making.   777 

Drawknif e  Made  from  Old  Saw 319 

Dredging,    Discharge   Pipe   Used  in   Floated 

on  Wood,  Pontoons 835 

Dress,  Convertible,  for  Women 11 

Drift  Pins,  Use  Tallow  in  Driving 469 

Driftwood,    New    Zealand    Windmill    Saws..   192 
Drill,  Counterboring,  for  Clutch  Leather  and 

Brake   Lining    986 

Drill  Holes,  Punch  for  Laying  Out 299 

Drill  Holes  with  Bit  Brace 289 

Drill,     Inverted,    Qreat    Efflciency    Claimed 

for   418 

Drill  Made  More  Effective  by  "Old  Man"...   479 

Drill,  Multiple  High   Speed 332 

Drill  Press,  Small,  Fishing  Reel  Forms 784 

Drill   Press   with  Adjustable  Table 954 

Drill,  Twist,  Ream  Large  Holes  with 455 

Drills,  Countersinking  Center,  Held  in  Spe- 
cial  Chuck 451 

Drills,   Taper  Shank  Twist,  Making  Sockets 

for   932 

Drills,  Twist.  Investigators  Study 374 

Drinking  Fountains,  Old  Well  Used  to  Cool.   926 
Drinking    Tube    for   Use   at   Bubbler   Foun- 
tains       141 

Drinks,  Soft,  Device  Charges  and  Serves...   599 
Drought   Protection,    Subsoil   Moisture  Is...   568 

Drum,  Broad,  Farm  Tractor  Has 415 

Drum,  Hoisting,  for  Rear  Wheel  of  Auto...   621 

Drummer,   Practice   Pad   for 633 

Dry   Dock  at   Kingston,  Jamaica 266 

Dry  Dock  at  Quebec  Nearly  Complete 56 

Dry  Dock  for  Naples 71,  738 

Drying  Process,  Hot  Air,  for  Pood  Products  684 

Dumb- Waiter.  Cooling  Chest  Built  Like 776 

Dust,  Anthracite.  Use  Like  Peat 14 

Dust  Cap  from  Tire  Valve,  Screwdriver  Han- 
dle Made  from 122 

Dust,  Coal  and  Shale,   Effect  on  Miners  by 

Inhaling    439 

Dye,    European,    America   Now    Independent 

of    864 

Dyes,  American  and  German,  Traveling  Ex- 
hibit   Compares    67 

Dyes.  Make  at  Powder  Plant 42 

Dynamite,   Burning  Tons  of 224 

Eclipse  Observed  front- i Aeroplane 60 

Education — Americanising       Foreigners       a 
Great   Task    220 


Education — Chinese  School  in  Victoria,  B.  C.  888 
Education — Classes    in    Tractor    Driving    in 

California    851 

Education — College  of  Fisheries  at  Univer- 
sity  of    Washington 898 

Education — ^Factory    Has    Training   Depart- 
ment       252 

Education — Farm    School    in    Motor    Truck 

Visits  Negroes    887 

Education — Farmers,  Mountain,  Seek  to  Im- 
prove Life   of 266 

Educailon — Mining  School  Conducted   14,000 

Feet   Underground    817 

Education — School  for  Movie  Children 601 

Education — Three  Term  School  Year  Adopted  337 
Education — Traveling  Exhibit  Teaches  For- 
est  Protection    881 

Education — Yale  University  Drops  Latin  Re- 
quirement       842 

Edwards,  Harlan  H: 

Highways  of  Today  and  Tomorrow 562 

Egbert,  Howard: 

Reservoirs    to     Protect    Miami    Valley 

against  Floods   545 

Egg  Beater,  Holder  for 952 

Egg  Crate  Resembles  Suit  Case 434 

Egg  Production  Increased  by  Electric  Light.  508 
Eggshells     Are     Valuable      By-Product     of 

Chicken   Hatcheries    708 

Electric  Alarm  Warns  of  Belt  Stoppage 462 

Electric   and   Steam   Power   for   Blast   Fur- 
nace   Blower    420 

Electric  Apparatus  for  Filtering  Water....      99 

Electric  Arc,  Soldering  Iron  Heated  by 704 

Electric  Arc,  Use  for  Metal  Spraying 862 

Electric  Battery,  Dry  Cell,  Is  Rechargeable  442 
Electric     Batteries,     Keeping     Salts     from 

Creeping   in    616 

Electric  Bell,  Rural  Mail  Box  Has 634 

Electric   Bell  Signaling  System,   Emergency  452 

Electric  Bulb  Is  Oil  Container 809 

Electric   Bulb   Rivals  X-Ray   in   Bone   Pho- 
tography       853 

Electric  Bulbs  Used  as  Fire  Extinguishers.  797 
Electric  Bulletin  Board  Is  Typewriter  Con- 
trolled     ; 105 

Electric  Burglar  Alarm  for  Autos 693 

Electric   Conductors,   Stranded,   Splicing....  298 
Electric  Curling  Iron,  Heat  Hot  Water  Bot- 
tle with   695 

Electric  Fixtures,  Wax  for  Melted  with  Sol- 
dering Iron    256 

Electric  Flash  Light,  Support  for 436 

Electric    Focusing    System    for    Movie    Pro- 
jector       279 

Electric  Foot  Warmer 309 

Electric  Hand  Warmer  for  Steering  Wheel.  300 
Electric  Heat,  Oil  Well  Flow  Increased  by.  385 
Electric  Heaters  for  Railroad  Switches. . . .  538 
Electric   Instrument   Insulators,    Use   Tacks 

with   Rubber  Heads   for -.   768 

Electric    Iron,    Device    for    Prevents    Over- 
heating          98 

Electric   Iron,    Spring   in    Plug   Disconnects 

Current     .* 595 

Electric  Lamps,  Tool  for  Replacing  in  Ceil- 
ings        297 

Electric  Lantern  for  Camper 435 

Electric    Lawn    Mower 282 

Electric  Light  Cord  Shortener 795 

Electric  Light,  Pendant  Switch  for 479 

Electric    Light,    Portable,    Split    Handle    on 

Guard  Makes  Wiring  Easy 758 

Electric  Light  Socket  Has  Range  of  12  In- 
tensities        594 

Electric  Lighting  for  Farm,  Chart  for 762 

Electric  Lights,  Shock  Absorber  for 776 

Electric  Meter,   Substitute   for  Saves  Read- 
ing     494 

Electric  Motor,  Bench  Plane  Run  by 494 

Electric  Motor,  Chuck   933 

Electric  Night  Lamp  Made  of  Wire 130 

Electric  Power  Plants,  Sawmill  Waste  Used 

in    429 

Electric    Power,    Shortage    of   In    California 

Prevented    by    Consolidation 643 

Electric  Power  Stations,  Build  in  Morocco. .   482 
Electric    Press    Makes    "Seggars"    for    Pot- 
ters        888 

Electric  Projection  Arc  of  Peculiar  Form..   522 
Electric  Push  Button,  Lock  to  Prevent  In- 
terference        120 

Electric  Radiator   Is  Self -Adjusting 415 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS  INDEX.  VOLUME  XXXI,  1919 


15 


Electric    Readlnfir   Lamp,    Device    Holds    on 

Wall    962 

Electric    Scale,    Amperes    Needed    by    Motor 

Told    by    897 

Electric   Sipn.   Transparent,  Illuminated  by 

Reflected  LIgrht 606 

Electric  Snap  Switches,  Guard  for 619 

Electric  Solderinir  Iron,  Protectingr  Tips  of.  777 

Electric  Solderingr  Tongs , 290 

Electric    Sorting:    Machine    Furnishes    Farm 

Information    408 

Electric  Stove,  Submarine  Galley  Has 396 

Electric  Tractor,  Use  In  Hospital 898 

Electric  Transmission  Lines,  Anchor  Towers 

Carry  across  River 58 

Electric  Vibrator  Locates  Shell  in  Wounds.  649 
Electric    Water    Heater    Attaches    to    Any 

Faucet    274 

Electric    Water    Heater   can    be    Packed    in 

Travelingr  Bagr   824 

Electric    Wire    Charges    Fence    and    Causes 

Death    192 

Electrical   Apparatus  for   Measuringr  Water 

Resources    98 

Electrical   Clip,  Cotter  Pin  Used  as 620 

Electrical    Control,    Single,    for    Two    Loco- 
motive   Train    879 

Electrical    Device    Measures    Heat    Lost    in 

Chimneys    26 

Electrical  Device,  Pocket,  Tells  Kind  of  Cur- 
rent        807 

Electrical    Equipment — Chain  Rheostat    793 

Electrical      Equipment — Tungsten      Contact 

Points    Are    Platinuni    Rival 402 

Electrical      Induction,     Apparatus     Demon- 
strates       148 

Electrical  Model  Demonstrates  Farm  Light- 

ing  Plant   185 

Electrical   Soldering  Iron  for  Cans 672 

Electrical   Terminals  Formed  by  Soldering.   473 
Electrical    Tools,    Insulating   Handles   for. .  301 

Electricians*  Tape,  Old,  Renewing 120 

Electricity — Apparatus    for    Detecting    Cur- 
rent Leakage    . . . ". 153 

Electricity — ^Attachment  Plug  Used  as  Fuse 

Plug    611 

Electricity,    Camera   Shutter   Operated   by..   633 
Electricity — Conduit      Ruptured      by     High 

Voltage    66 

Electricity — Controller    Contacts    Saved    by 

Interrupting   Current    916 

Electricity — Connection    for    Reading    Volt- 
age   of    Three-phase    Circuit 777 

Electricity — Lamp  Bank  Rheostat   478 

Electricity — Lightning     Arrester     Is      Self- 
Mending     107 

Electricity — Protective  Devices  against  Volt- 
age Surges   522 

Electricity,  Static,  Paper  and  String  Demon- 
strate        477 

Electricity — storage      Battery      End      Cell 

Switch,     Remote    Control    for 614 

Electricity — ^Telegraph  Sounder  Uses  Alter- 
nating   Current    73 

Electricity — Testing  Ignition   Cbndensers. . .   779 
Electrode  Quickly  Changed  in  Arc  Welding 

Tool 858 

Electrodes  for  Arc  Lamps,  Chemical  Mixtures 

Applied    on   Outside    * 384 

Electrolysis,  Boiler  Pitting  Caused  by 622 

Electrolysis,  Hydraulic  Pressures  Increased 

by    ; 256 

Electromagnet   Picks   Wrench   from   Crank- 
case     294 

Electroplating,    Double    Anode    for 925 

Electroplating   Outfit   for   Small   Shop 603 

Eilectroplating,    Scrap    Metal    Makes    Satis- 
factory Anodes  for   778 

Elevator,   Concrete  Grain.  Sinks  18  Inches.   824 

Elevator,  Grain,  with  Artistic  Exterior 196 

Elevator,  Light  Warns  When  Overcrowded.   918 

Elevator,    Swinging    Hand    Power 451 

Elevators  in  High  Bulldin«rs  to  Serve  Alter- 
nate  Floors    704 

Emblem   Patriotic,  with  Place  for  Soldier's 

Picture   275 

Emblems  for  All  Investors  in  Victory  Loan«  728 

Emery  Stick  Useful  at  Forge 777 

Emery    Wheel   Motors,    Pedal    Switch   for..   128 
Emplacements     for     Coast     Defense     Guns 
Camouflaged  In  Private  Gardens 916 


Employment   Bureaus,   Use   Post   Ofllces   as. 

for    Discharged    Soldiers    ;.  *  419 

Employment    Office    in    Street    During  "inl 

fluenaa  Epidemic   *  74 

Employment  Office.  Truck  Equippedas! '.;;'. '.     54 
Employment  Service,   U.    S.   Extends   to  In- 
sular Possessions 593 

Enamel,    Removing   from   Magnet    Wire'.*.'.'  940 
Engine  Crankshaft,  Repair  for  Cracked  Web 

of    j^27 

Engine,  Gas,  Hopper  Cooled,  Provided  with 

Circulating    System     782 

Engine.     Gasoline— Testing     Ignition     Con- 
densers     , ,  779 

Engine   on   Header   Saves   Horses....'!!!!*.!  729 
Engine.    Repairing   Water    Jacket    of    with 

Cement    , 302 

Engine.    Sight   Flow    and   Electric   Circula- 
tion Indicator  for   688 

Engine,  Toy,  Boy  Builds  of  Wood  and  Tin..   600 
Engineering,  Turbine,  School  for  Trains  Men 

for  Merchant  Marine   333 

Engineers,   American,   to  Study  French   Re- 
construction Problems 258 

Engineers.    Army,    Build    Bridge    Speedily..  238 
Engines,  Auto,    "Running    In"    after    Over- 
hauling       926 

Engines,  Overhead  Valve,   Tool   for  Lifting 

Rocker    Arms    on    124 

Engines,  V-Type,    Lubricating    Piston    Pins 

on   112 

Envelope,   Mailing  and   Reply   in   One......   757 

Envelopes,    Book    Protector    Made    of 951 

Envelopes,   Cartoons   of   Soldiers  on 576 

Envelopes    Used   Over   Again 310 

Epidemic,      Yellow      Fever,      Renew      Fight 

against     872 

Eraser  Holder  Made  of  Clothespin 933 

Ergograph     Tests     Incapacity     of    Crippled 

Soldiers    . .  .^ 860 

Essay  on   Workers  and   Wages.   Prize  for,.   544 
Etching  Machine,   Suction  Holds   Glassware 

on     854 

Eucalyptus  Boughs  Form  Arbor 751 

Evergreen  Trees,   Big   Shipment  of  for  De- 
pleted Forests   838 

Exerciser,  Foot  for  Fallen  Arches 265 

Exerciser  for  Paralytics 438 

Exhibit,  Traveling,   Teaches  Forest  Protec- 
tion       881 

Exhibition     of     American     and     Norwegian 

Products  to  be  Held  in  Norway 602 

Exhibition,  Tractor,  Special  Building  for...   865 
Expedition,    Arctic,   Explorers   Drift    on    Ice 

Cake    168 

Explorers,    Arctic,   Voyage   of   on   Ice    Pack 

Upsets  Arctic  Current  Theory 718 

Explorers   Drift   through  Arctic  Sea  on  Ice 

Cake    168 

Explosion,  Boiler,  Tears  Off  Fire  Box 687 

Explosion,    Powder,    Narrowly   Averted 564 

Explosives,  Quantities  of  Sunk  at  Sea 400 

Export    Licenses,    New    Ruling    on 214 

Export    Trade.    Japanese    Establish    Stand- 
ards   for    41 

Exports,  Swiss,  "S.  P.  E.  S."  Is  Trade-Mark 

for    729 

Express    Company,    Trunks   of  New   Design 

for 589 

Express   Handling,   New    System    Adopted. .   253 
Express  Offices,  Package  Repair  Outflt  for. .   399 
Eye    Behind    the    Lines,    The,    by    Douglass 
Reld   338,  629,  706 

Faces,  Copper,  Woman  Models  for  Mutilated 

Soldiers,   by   Grace   Goulder 844 

Factories,    French.    Wrecked   by   Germans..   683 

Factory,  Steel   Truss,   Sent   to  Italy 740 

Factory,    Training    Department   Helps   Out- 
put of    252 

Fair,  Lyons,  American  Exhibits  at 900 

Falls,  Shoshone,  Stairway  to  Base  of 867 

Fan,  Celling,  Made  of  Pipe  Fittings 941 

Fan,    Electric,   Dispels   Kitchen   Odors 957 

Fan,  To  Prevent  from  Striking  Radiator 965 

Farm  Information,  Electric  Sorting  Machine 

for   408 

Farm    Instruction    Camps,    Canada    to    Use 

Aviation  Fields  for 767 

Farm,   Nebraska,   Quarrying   Fossils  on,   by 
R.    P.    Crawford    404 


Digitized  by 


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16 


POPULAR  MECHANICS  INDEX.  VOLUME  XXXI,  1919 


Farm  School  in  Motor  Truck  Visits  Negrroes.  887 
Farmers,    Chicago    Boys    Become,    by    John 

Anson  Ford 34 

Farmers,    Italian,   Government   will   Aid 749 

Farmer's  Si^ns,  Science  Vindicates 894 

Farmers,   Soldiers  May  Teach  How  to  Pack 

Perishable    Goods    714 

Farmers,    Truck    Line    Operated    by 850 

Farms — Allotment    Plan    in    England 496 

Farms,    France    Gives    to    Soldiers 698 

Farms  in  Ontario  for  Returned  Soldiers....  12 
Farms,  Mountain,  Seek  to  Improve  Life  on.  266 
Fastener  Keeps  Garments  oi>  Hangers......   754 

Faucet    Screw,    Lost,    Recovering 781 

Faucet,   Stop   on   Avoids    Oil   Leakage 449 

Faucets,  Individual,  for  Factory  Wash  Room  613 

Faucets,  Washbasin,  Foot  Control  for 12S 

Feed  Bag,  Shield  for  Prevents  Loss  of  Grain  110 
Feed  Dealer's  Supplies,  Circus  Tents  Shelter.  33 
Fellies    from    Wagon    Wheels    Make    Barrel 

Support    617 

Fellies,   Wagon    Wheel,    Swivel   Chair   Made 

from    120 

Fence,  Barb  Wire,  Has  Steel  Ralls  for  Posts     89 
Fence,  Portable,  Has  Panels  with  Interlock- 
ing    Ends     453 

Fence,    Removable,    for    Use    Along    Parade 

Routes    270 

Fence,  Striped,  for  Highway  Curve 554 

Ferries,  Car,  for  English  Channel  Service..    212 

Ferry,    Car,    for    Adriatic    Sea 699 

Ferry  for  English  Channel   846 

Fertilizer,    Cheap,    Marl    Deposits    on    East 

Coast  Are   715 

Fertilizer  Made  from  Lime  and  Coal  Dust..   325 

Fertilizers.    Liquid.    Feeding    780 

Fiber  in  Rope,  Kind  of  Detected  by  Test..  110 
Field    Glass,    Automobile    Salesman   Uses    in 

Selling    Car    916 

Fields,  Landing,  Chain  of  for  America 15 

File,    Card,    Desk    Drawer    Converted    into..    315 

File,  Reaming   Pulley   Hole    with 139 

File,  Three  Cornered,   Cut  Cable  with 958 

File,  Three  Cornered,  Use  as  Glass  Cutter..   310 

File,  Vertical,   Simple  Follower  for 318 

Files,  Average  Life  of 14 

Films,  Quick  Method  of  Hanging  Up  to  Dry.  479 
Films  Replace  Plates  in  Army  X-Ray  Work.   538 

Filter,  Air,    Germans   Make    of    Iron 390 

Filter,  Chamois   Skin,   for   Gasoline   Line   of 

Auto    124 

Filter  for     River    Water    Made    of    Rubber 

Tubing   479 

Filter  Press    for    Laboratory    Tests 918 

Filter,  Water,    Operates    Electrically    99 

Finger  Print  Camera 72 

Fire   at   Tuskegee   Institute    Destroys   Tools     22 

Fire,  Camp,  Building  in  Snow 134 

Fire,  Clouds  o*f  Smoke  at.  Deceive  Firemen.   171 

Fire,  Coal,  Lighting  at  Top  Saves  Fuel 302 

Fire  Extinguishers,  Electric  Bulbs  Used  as.   797 

Fire,  Forest,   Artillery   Barrage   Stops 337 

Fire,  Forest,    Started    by    Cigarette,    Burns 

Auto    81 

Fire,  Gasoline,  Extinguish  with  Soapstone.  606 
Fire,  Honolulu,  Smoke  Rises  Mile  High  from  866 
Fire  Hydrants,  Pressure  Reducing  Valve  for 

Used    at    San    Francisco 538 

Fire  in  Coal   Pile,   Extinguishing 116 

Fire,  Light   with   Bunsen   Burner 143 

Fire  Scenes,  Photographing 791 

Fire,  Timber  Wall  Keeps  from  Lumber  Tard  864 

Fire  Truck,     Rescue    Cage    on 803 

Fireman    Saves    Flag   from    Burning   Build- 
ing      493 

Firemen,  War  Time  Volunteer,  in  New  Tork.  560 
Fireplace,    Dry    Batteries    Produce    Colored 

Flame    in    625 

Fireplace  of  Cement  Made  to  Imitate  Wood  922 

Fires  for    Glass    Blowers     762 

Fires,  Forest,    Balloon    Observers   to   Watch 

for    828 

Fires.  Forest,   Goats    Graze   Fire   Breaks   to 

Reduce   922 

Fires,  Forest,  Radio  Telephone  to  Report..  641 
Fires,  Forest,      Warnings      from      Weather 

Bureau    to   Include   Crop   Protection 390 

Fires,  Insulating,  Gas  Used  to  Extinguish.  507 
Firewood.     Million     Cubic     Meters     Cut     by 

American    Foresters   in   France 56 

First  Aid  W'ork,  Front  Line,  Became  Auto- 
matic    Routine     145 


Fish  Catching,  Moving  Pictures  of 385 

Fish,  Cut  Holes  in  Ice  to  Give  Air  to 567 

Fish  Jigger,    Self-Actlng    ,.  952 

Fish   Oils,    Experiments   Test   Edibility   of..  486 

Fish,  Salt,   Impurities  in  Brine  Affect 152 

Fish — Sharks   Bring  Increased   Profits 246 

Fish  Stringer,  Use  Key  Ring  at  End  of 951 

Fisheries,  College  of  at  University  of  Wash- 
ington    898 

Fishhooks,  Ironing  Board  Cover  Held  with.  477 
Fishing    in    the    U-Boats*    Wake,    by    Lloyd 

Seaman     242 

Fishing  Reel  Forms  Small  Drill  Press 784 

Fishline,     Horsehair     634 

Fishline    Reel   Has   New   Features 556 

Flag,    Cincinnati    Presented    with    to    Com- 
memorate Peace  Day   22 

Flag,  Drawing  with  Graceful  Waves 133 

Flag,    Fireman    Saves   from   Burning  Build- 
ing   493 

Flag   for   Returned    Soldier    Employes 390 

Flag   Is   Mesh   of   Wooden   Links 75 

Flag,  New,  for  Canada's  Merchant  Fleet 902 

Flag,    Regimental,    French    Soldiers    Dip    In 

Rhine  River 367 

Flag,   Service,   for  Methodist  Boys   of  Ohio.  561 
Flag,  Service,  Shows  Returned  Soldiers  Em- 
ployed       522 

Flag,  Service,  Tablet  on  Church  Wall  Takes 

Place   of    62 

Flag,  Special,  Welcomes  Pasadena  Soldiers.  396 

Flag,  Stars  on  for  Submarines  Sunk 653 

Flag,     Warning,    for    Ships    Accompanying 

Submarines   840 

Flagpole    Made    of    Iron    Pipe 450 

Flagpole    Pulley,    Lubricating    936 

Flags,  Semaphore,  Signaling  Machine  Takes 

Place   of    493 

Flags,  Shipyards',  Stars  in  Number  Launch- 

ings 96 

Flagstaff,  Airman  Killed  When  Plane  Strikes  200 

Flash  Light,  Electric,  Support  for 436 

Flash  Light  for  Threading  Sewing  Machine 

Needles     141 

Flash  Ranging  Apparatus  Determined  Posi- 
tions    of    Enemy    Guns 732 

Flat,    Seed.    wItt    Removable   Sides 773 

Flatiron,  Electric,  Device  for  Prevents  Over- 
heating       98 

Flax  Handling  Machines  Aid  Irish  Industry  596 

Fleet,  Atlantic,  Makes  Speed  Test '  838 

Fleet,  Canada's  Merchant,  Flag  for 902 

Fleet,    German,   Surrender  of 186 

Fleet,  Merchant,  Training  Thousands  to  Man  189 

Fleet,   Overseas.   Given   Ovation  on  Return.  386 

Flies,    Electrical   Trap  for 945 

Flies,  Paper  Streamers  on  Wire  Drive  Away  618 

Float,   Parade,   Imitation   Concrete   Ship   Is.  700 
Floats,    Air   Filled.    Make   Lifeboat   Unslnk- 

able 174 

Floods,    Dry    Reservoirs    to    Protect    Miami 

Valley   against,   by   Howard   Egbert 545 

Floor,  Pane  of  Glass  In,  Lights  Furnace...  616 

Flour   Mill    for   Household   Use 278 

Flour  Mill,  Overtiead  Carrier  for 653 

Flower  Bed,  Aeroplane  and   Railroad  Train 

Reproduced  In 333 

Flower  Box  Built  In  Chimney 751 

Flower  Box,  Plant  Vines  In  Qldes  of 793 

Flower  Box,  Nonrottlng,  for  Porch  Post....  638 

Flower,  National.  Urge  Mountain  Laurel  as  153 

Flowerpot.   Self- Watering    915 

Flowers,   Artificial,   Forecast  Weather 817 

Flowers,    Keep    from    Wilting 635 

Flowers,    Many,    on    Edith   Cavell's   Grave..  528 
Flude,  Alfred  L.: 

From  a  German  Prison  to  the  Arctic 276 

Flume.    Irrigation,    over    Big    Horn    River, 

Wyoming,    Twice    Destroyed     250 

Fly  Catcher,   Vacuum    93^ 

Fly    Paper,    Hanging    Out    of    Way 951 

Fly  Swatter  Made  of  Inner  Tube 625 

Fly   Swatter   with   Perforated   Plates 914 

Flytrap  Made  from  Cheese  Box 955 

Flywheel  Bursts  and  Wrecks  Plant 23 

Food.  Army   In  Care  of  Scientists 89 

Pood.  Keeping  Cool  without  Ice..i 92B 

Food,  Keeping  Hot  for  Picnic 954 

Food  Products,  Hot  Air  Drving  Process  for.  584 
Foodstuff  Reserves.  Army,  Reduce  by  Selling 

to    France    and    Belgium 677 

Foodstuffs    Compressed    Into    Bricks 94 


Digitized  by 


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PQHaJLR  XBCHANICS  INDBX,  VOLUME  XXXI,  1919 


17 


Foot  Control  for  Washbasin  Faucets 128 

Foot  Massagre  Device  for  Fallen  Arches....  265 
Foot  Muscles,  Concealed  Spring:  Does  Work 

of  421 

Foot    Rest    for    Motorist 27 

Foot  Rest,  Iron,  for  Shoe  Polishing. 639 

Foot,  Strap  Bound  around  Lessens  Fatigrue .   174 

Foot  Warmer,  Electric   309 

Foot  Warmer  for  Motorcycle  Sidecar 470 

Football  Players,  Shoulder  and  Head  Guards 

for   482 

Football.  Signal  for   194 

Football    Team    Fed    on    Salt   Ham 273 

Footstool  Made  from  Harness  Hooks 465 

Footstool  Made  of  Chair  and  Tabouret 635 

Force    Cup    with    Spiral    Spring 594 

Ford.  John  Anson: 

Chicago  Boys  Become  Farmers 34 

Foreigners    Americanizing    a    Great    Task..   220 

Forest  Fire  Patrols.  Seaplanes  for 676 

Forest   Fires,    Balloon   Observers  to   Watch 

for 828 

Forest   Fires,    Goats    Graze    Fire   Breaks   to 

Reduce   922 

Forest  Lookouts,    Women    Serve   as 216 

Forest,    Oregon    National.    Public    Camping 

Grounds    in     909 

Forest      Protection,        Traveling        Exhibit 

Teaches    881 

Forest  Rangers,  Radio  Telephones  for....  641 
Forest,  Shoshone  National,  Sign  for  Campers 

in   269 

Forests,    Communal,    Source   of   Revenue   in 

Europe     389 

Forests,  French,   Norway  to  Furnish   Trees 

for   528 

Forests,  National,  Pigeon  to  Aid  in  Patrol- 
ling       832 

Forests,  National,  Preparing  Trail  Signs  for  746 
Forests,    War,    Replanting,    by    Robert    H. 

Moulton    89 

Forge  and  Automatic  Coke  Feeder  Invented 

by    Shipyard    Foreman     731 

Foree.  Emery  Stick  Useful  for 777 

Fork,   Garden,    Spading   Grass   with 620 

Fork,  Serving,  with  Pusher  Attachment. . . .  274 
Forks  for  Removing  Pickles  from  Bottle. .  143 
Forms.  Concrete,  Moved  by  Portable  Staging  255 
Forms,    Traveling    Steel,    Use   to    Construct 

Concrete    Wall     176 

Fort.  Ruins   of  at  Eastport,  Maine 240 

Fossils,  Quarrying  on  a  Nebraska  Farm,  by 

R.   P.    Crawford 404 

Fountain    Made    of    Lava    Fragments 163 

Fountain,    Nonfreezing    Poultry     137 

Fountain    Pen,    Filling   by    Suction 959 

Fountain  Pen,   Filling  with  Match 798 

Fountain  Pen,  Old  Style,  Filling 466 

Fountain  Pen.   Upright  Holder  for 98 

Fountain,   Trolley   Post   Becomes 60 

Fountains,  Drinking,  Old  Well  Used  to  Cool.   926 

Fowl,  Wild,  Find  Refuge  in  Louisiana 407 

Fowls  Plucked  with  Vacuum  Machine 571 

Frame  Aids  in  Wrapping  Laundry  Bundles.  278 
Frame  Helps  Convalescents  Learn  to  Walk.  436 

Frame  Makes  Pack  Carrying  Easier 172 

Frame.    Picture,    Clamp    for 797 

Frame,  Suspended,  for  Drying  Clothes...  624 
Frame,  Wire  Covered,  Protects  Green  Food 

for  Chickens  While  Growing 474 

Frames,  Distinctive,  for  Soldiers'  Photos.  324 
Freezer  Gearing,  Ice  Cream,  Used  for  ChurA  776 
Freight  Car,  Concrete.  Now  in  Service....  667 
Freight   Rates   from   Buenos   Aires   to   New 

York    71 

Freight,  Van  Carrying  Cars  for  Small  Lots 

of    78 

French,  William  Fleming: 

Diving  for  Dollars  Off  Alaska 480 

Wood   Waste   and   Gold   Dollars 101 

Fruit    Jar    Rings.    Preserving 638 

Fruit   Packers.   Portable    Stand    for 426 

Fruit,  Ripe,  Why  It  Is  Sweet 724 

Fruits  and   Vegetables  Dried  in  Laundry..   660 

Fruits    Compressed    into    Bricks 94 

Fuel,  Liberty,   Superior  to  Gasoline 436 

Fuel,  Lighting  Coal  Fire  at  Top  Saves 302 

Fuel.  Liquid,  Oil  and  Coal  Dust  Make 878 

Fuel,  New.  Made  of  Coke  Dust 918 

Fuel,  Save  by  Dissolving  Boiler  Scale 117 

Fuel,  Save   by   Using  Inverted  Kettle   over 

Fi^e : 7 285 


Fuel,  Saving  in  Oil  Burning  Plant ^  . . .   112 

Fuel   Saving  Kinks   for    the   Home 128 

Fuel,  Sheet  Iron  Plate  for  Gas  Stove  Saves.   300 

Fuel  Shortage,  Italy  Bears  Brunt  of 768 

Fuel,  Smokeless,  Made  from  Soft  Coal....  193 
Funeral,  Japanese  Children  Hold  for  Dolls.   280 

Fungi,   Use   as   Substitute   for   Cork 184 

Fungus   Razor   Hone    936 

Funnel,    Safety   Valve   for 318 

Funnel,    Ship's,    Air    I^itake    for    Radiator 

Resembles  682 

Funnels.     Horizontal,    on    Seaplane     Carry- 
ing   Ship 620 

Fur   Beating   Machine,    Motor    Driven 696 

Fur  Dealers,  Siberian,  Seek  New  Markets..   360 

Furnace,    Annealing,    for    Shells 655 

Furnace,  Cooking    in     816 

Furnace,  Fire    Box    Wall    for    Helps    Burn 

Soft   Coal    :. 876 

Furnace,  Hot  Air,  Auxiliary  Oil  Burners  for  111 

Furnace  Lighted  from  Room  Above 616 

Furnace,  Oil  Burning  Attachment  for 156 

Furnace,  Salamander    Cut    by    Oxyhydrogen 

Flame     720 

Furnaces,  Gas,  Melt  Metal  without  Crucible  428 
Furniture: 

Bed.    Child's   Folding,    Make    Cot    into 475 

Bed,  Disappearing,  Has  Rollers 434 

Bench   and    Table,   Combination 935 

Cabinet    for    Collector    3II 

Chair,  Arm.   with  Two  Extra  Seats 435 

Chair,  Folding,  Made  of  Wood  and  Canvas  434 

Chair  Legs,  Cork  Tips  for 631 

Chair,   Swivel,   Made   from  Wagon   Wheel 

Fellies    120 

Chair    Wheel    Is    Motor    Driven 37 

Chair    with    Hinged    Legs 594 

Cupboard,  Corner,  with  Revolving  Shelves  635 
Footstool  Made  of  Chair  and   Tabouret..   635 

Magazine    Stand,    Mahogany    754 

Rack    for    Office    Papers    Takes    Place    of 

Baskets     137 

Stool   Made  of  Scraps   of  Lumber 958 

Stool,   Portable  Folding   319 

Table  for  Invalid   Rests   on   Bed 457 

Table,    Kitchen,   Hinged  to   Wall 461 

Table    with    Clotheis    Rack    and    Ironing 

Board    434 

Furniture,   Iodine   for   Scratches   on 941 

Fuse  Plug,  Attachment  Plug  Used  as 611 

Galvanized  Iron,  Improved  Process  for  Mak- 
ing     873 

Game,  Outdoor,  Peggy  Is  Exciting 943 

Gangplank,    Steam    Winch    Lifts 808 

Garage  and    House    Combined    420 

Garage,  Car   Repair  Bulletin   Board   for 714 

Garage,  Chests  for  Automobile  Owners  in..   740 

Garage  for   Town   or  Country 320 

Garage,  Four  Floors  of  Open  on  Street 878 

Garbage,    Army    Camp's,    Hog    Ranch    Dis- 
poses of  . . , , 96 

Garden  Ailments,   Woman  Doctor  Treats...  700 

Garden,  Cuban,    Is   Made    of   Concrete 552 

Garden  Implement,  Weeder,  Cultivator,  and 

Pulverizer    Combined    in    245 

Garden,  Improved    Tools    for    763 

Garden  Plow  Has  Two  Hinged  Shovels....   842 

Garden,  Simple  Irrigation  System  for 613 

Garden,  War,    Boston    Common    to    Remain.   748 

Gardening    in    the    Cellar 765 

Gardens,  War,  Filipino  Children  Make 761 

Garlic,    Useful    Paste    Made    from 184 

Gas    and    Air    Mixing    Outfit 168 

Gas  Burners,  Instrument  Tests 317 

Gas,    Coins   Turned    Black    by.    Refused   by 

French    Shopkeepers    248 

Otas     Device    Saves  99 

Gas  Furnaces  Melt  Metal*  without  Crucibie  428 

Gas  Heater  Has  Safety  Features 97 

Gas  Line,    40   Inch,    near   Pittsburgh,    Penn- 
sylvania        847 

Gas  Mantle  Is  Inexpensive  and  Economical.  915 
Gas  Mantles,  Old,  Use  for  Jewelry  Polish..  625 
Gas,  Marsh,      Furnishes      Illumination      for 

Lamp I . .   268 

Gas  Masks,    Army,    Not    Suitable    for    In- 
dustrial   Purposes     679 

Gas  Masks,    Military,    Fall     to    Counteract 

Ammonia    Fumes     840 

Gas   Masks,    Woman    Instructs    British    Re- 
cruits in  Use  of 50 


Digitized  by 


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18 


POPUULR  MBCHANICS  IMBHSC,  V^JmOi  XKXl.  1919 


Gas,  Natural,     Leakage     from     Pipe     Lines 

Wastes 382 

Gas,  Phosgrene,    Is   Bleach    for   Sand 576 

Gas  Plants,  Portable,  for  Army  Balloons...   881 

Gas,  Poison,   Vast  Plant  at  Baltimore 264 

Gas   Producer's   Outer    Shell   Made   of   Con- 
crete   Staves     266 

Gas  Rangre,    Hotel,    with    Triple   Walls 251 

Gas  Range,    Swinging:    Arm   Pilot   for 754 

Gas,  Save  by  Changringr  Location  of  Carbon 

Black    Plants    560 

Gas,  Save  by  Using  Pan  with  Inverted  Fun- 
nel        445 

Gas,  Sheet  Iron  Plate  for  Range  Saves....  SOO 
Gas  Shells,    Poison,    Dumped    into    Atlantic 

Ocean    808 

Gas  Torch,    Lighter    for   Made    from    Spark 

Plug    453 

Gas  Used  to  Extinguish  Insulating  Oil  Fires  507 

Gas  Victims,    Oxygen   Apparatus   for 89 

Gas  Welding    OutAt,     Portable     616 

Gases.    Exhaust,    from    Autos,    Pipes    Carry 

Outdoors    496 

Gaskets,   Cup   Grease   Keeps   Soft 939 

Gaskets,  Rubber,  Tin  Foil  Is  Substitute  for.   302 
Gasoline,  Allied  Forces  Used  500,000  Gallons 

per    Day    23 

Gasoline  Fire,  Extinguish  with  Soapstone..  606 
Gasoline  Fumes   in   Sewers.   Lamp   Detects.   598 

Gasoline,  Liberty  Fuel  Superior  to 436 

Gasoline  Lines     of     Auto,     Wrap     Rubber 

around    794 

Gasoline  Torch,  Piston  Leathers  for 445 

Gasworks,   Downflow  of  Steam  in  Quickens 

Production    897 

Gate   Braced   to   Prevent   Sagging 924 

Gate    Hinge,    Self -Closing     301 

Gate,   Hingeless  Field    126 

Gauge,    Countersink,    on    Key    Ring. 937 

Gauge  for  Ladies'  Skirts   625 

Gauge   for   Power  Hacksaw 459 

Gauge  for  Slicing  Bread    959 

Gauge,  Indicating,    Has    New    Features 390 

Gauge,  Make    of    Friction    Joint    Calipers..   475 

Gauge,    Tire,    Pocket   Size 520 

Gears,  Magnetic,  Use  to  Reduce  Clockwork 

Friction    734 

Generating  Plant,  Emergency,  on  Top  Deck 

of    Transport    804 

Generator,    Hydrogen    Sulphide    . .      637 

Generators,  Turbine,  Rings  for  Forged  from 

Solid    Steel     768 

Geophone  Used  for  Underground  Listening.  733 

Germs,   Anthrax,   In   Brush  Bristles 752 

Gilford,  Harry  B.: 

How  Mediums  Fake  Messages  from  Dead.   106 
Girders,  80  Ton,  Hauled  through  New  York 

Streets    61 

Girl  Falls   from  High  Tower 802 

Girl  Revives  after  10  Hours  in  Water 918 

Glacier  Climbing  at  Home,  by  Fred  Telford.  412 
Glass  Blower    Fires    for    Bench    Work....   762 

Glass  Boathouse   for   Yacht    6 

Glass,  Broken,   Removed   from  Los   Angeles 

Streets  by  Motor  Club .'. .  257 

Glass,  Coloring  by  X-Rays 731 

Glass  Containers    for    Kitchen,    Wall    Rack 

Holds     : 275 

Glass  Cutter.  Use  File  as 810 

Glass,  Europe's    Broken,    Many    Substitutes 

for   672 

Glass  Horn    for    Phonograph    326 

Glass  Industry,  Lime  and  Quartz  in  Philip- 
pines  Encouraged    704 

Glass,  Nonshatterable  Substitute  for   42 

Glass  or  Metal,  Etching  on  with  Sandblast.  284 
Glass,  Pane  of  in  Floor  Lights  Furnace..  616 
Glass,  Pane  of.  Wire  Hook  for  Carrying..  123 
Glass,  Piece  of  Is  Useful  in  Tool  Grinding.  118 
Glass  Plate  over  Butz  Saw  Protects  Eyes..   299 

Glass,  Ribbed,  for  Auto  Headlights 316 

Glass,  Spun.    Woven    Into    Cloth 728 

Glass  Substitutes    Made    by   French 171 

Glass  Tool  for  Scratching 795 

Glass  Tops,   Apple  Barrels   Have 282 

Glass  Tube   Cutter ^26 

Glasses,    Drinking,   Machine   Rounds   Edges 

of    992 

Glassware,    Suction   Holds   on   Etching 'Ma- 
chine  864 

Gloves,   Interchangeable,    for   Soldiers 169 

Gloves.  Make  from  Whales'  Intestines....'.     65 


Glue   or    Cement,    Device    Applies    to   Long 

Boards     780 

Glycerin,    Making    from    Sugar 201 

Goats  Graze  Fire  Breaks  to  Reduce  Forest 

Fires     922 

Goats,   Portland  School   Children  Raise 920 

Goblet    Made    into    Dinner    Bell 945 

Goggle,   Safety,  for  Airmen 1 

Goggles,  Airmen's,  Nonshatterable  Material 

for 42 

Goggles,  Night,  for  Autoists 549 

Gold  and  Gem  Mining  on  Coney  Island....  169 
Gold   Coin,    Million   Dollars    in    for   Liberty 

Bonds    65 

Gold  in  Rings,  Standard  System  of  Marking  358 

Golf  Clubs    with    Steel    Shafts 419 

Golf  Courses,  Adjustable  Hole  Rims  for. .  225 
Golf  Grounds,    Mower    for   Has    Corrugated 

Blades     893 

Golf  Machine  for  Indoor  Practice 228 

Golf  Score,  Wrist  Strap  with  Cardboard  In- 
sert   for    Recording     435 

Goodwin,  W.  D.: 

Reviving  Handicrafts   in  America 408 

Goulder,  Grace: 

Woman   Models   Copper    Faces    for   Muti- 
lated Soldiers 844 

Grain    Bag  Holder,    Milk   Can   Used   for 925 

Grain  Elevator,  Concrete,   Sinks   13   Inches.   824 
Grain  Elevator,  Concrete,  with  Artistic  Ex- 
terior        196 

Grain,  Machine   Cleans,   Dries,   and   Loads. .   430 
Grain,  Scale  Weighs  and  Dumps  Automatic- 
ally        249 

Grain  Tester,  Device  for  Filling  Uniformly.   234 

Grain,  Truck  Loads  into  Freight  Car 327 

Grain  Unloading  Equipment,   Railroad  Cars 

Have     199 

Grand  Canyon,  Improved  Gateway  for....  917 
Graphite  and  Tallow,  Lubricate  Chains  with  768 
Graphite  Beds  Found  in  Northern  Siberia.  692 
Graphite,  Use  to  Reduce  Resistance  of  Arc 

Light   Carbons    556 

Grass,    Spading   with    Garden    Fork 620 

Grasses,  Make  Paper  Pulp  from  in  India. .   807 

Grating,    Wooden,   for    Sink 472 

Grave,  Edith  Cavell's,  Flowers  Placed  on..  528 
Graves,  American,    in   France,   Photographs 

of    Sent    to    Families    of    Soldiers 786 

Graves,  Use  Steam  Shovels  to  Dig 60 

Grease  Cups,  Ink  Bottle  Holder  Made  from.  319 
Grease    Cups,    Lubricating    System    Elimi- 
nates          23 

Grease   Gun,   Crank   Operated,  for  Autos...   428 

Greenhouse,    Carrier    System    for 615 

Greenhouse,  Concrete,  Uses  No  Fuel 960 

Grimes,  O.  J.: 

Mining   Oil   from   Sand   Reefs 87 

Grinder,  Bench,   Made  from  Old  Piston....   113 

Grinder,   Dust  Catcher   for 937 

Grinding,    Tool,    Piece    of    Glass    Is    Useful 

in    118 

Grip    Carrying    Device    435 

Groove  Plane  Made  from  Rip  Saw 289 

Ground   Hog,   Lame   Boy   Makes   Pet  of 281 

Guard,    Detachable,    for    Sink 666 

Guard  for  Portable  Light,  Split  Handle  on 

Makesi    Wiring    Easy     758 

Guard,    Striped,    for    Highway    Curve    ....  554 

Guards,  Leather,  for  Football  Players 483 

Guide    for    Drilling    Holes    through    Large 

Timbers    774 

Gulls,  Sea,  Follow  Tractor  Plows  for  Worms  699 
Gun,  American,  with  Hundred  Mile  Range.   14B 

Gun,  Big  German,  Exhibited  in  Paris 241 

Gun,  Camera,  Catches  Plane  in  Tail  Spin..        4 

Gun   Carriage,    Mass   of   Pitch   Used   as 816 

Gun,  Oil  and  Grease,  Is  Crank  Operated....   428 

Gun    Shells,    Cigar    Stand    Made    of 795 

Gun,  Trench,  Is  Shot  Gun  Fitted  with  Bay- 
onet     229 

Gun,    "Y"    Defeats    U- Boats 328 

Gunners,   American,   Use   U-Boat   Targets..   173 
Guns,  American   Artillery,  at  Close  Range.   206 

Guns,  Anti-Aircraft,  Carried  on  Trailer 380 

Guns,  Big.  Liong  Lathes  Required   to  Bore,   584 
Guns.   Coast   Defense,   Camouflaged   in    Pri- 
vate   Gardens    916 

Guns,  Lewis.    Loading    Device    for 805 

Guns,  Line  Throwing,  for  Ocean  Going  Ships  781 
Guns.   Machine,   Taken   from  Hun   in   Final 
Drive : 52 


Digitized  by 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS  INDEX.  VOLUME  XXXI,  1919 


19 


Guns.    Naval.    Mounted    on    Railway    Cars. 

Used  in  France,  by  Stanley  W.  Todd 624 

Gymnaaium,  Use  Sandbaers  for  Indian  Clubs 

in    86 

Gypsies  Use  Electric  Waahlne:  Machine....   697 

Haclcsaw  Blade.  Pittlngr  into  Smaller  Frame.  780 

Hacksaw   Frames   for   Tiffht   Places 924 

Hacksaw.  Power.  Measuring*  Gauge  for....   469 

Hacksaw.  Shaper  Used  as 779 

Hall  Rods.   Report  on   Not  Favorable 488 

Hair,    Frame    for    Drying 766 

Hair  Waver,  Wireless   136 

Halation,  Ice  Water  Used  to  Prevent 798 

Hall.  Memorial,  for  Heroes  of  '17  and  '76...   749 

Ham,  Salt,  Football  Team  Fed  on 273 

Hammer  Handle,   Nail    Set   Kept   in 774 

Hammer,  Inspector's    Stamp    Built    into....  466 

Hammer.  Lead.  Mold  for  Making 693 

Hammer.  Steam.  Spy  Uses  to  Send  Message.   380 

Hand.    Remarkable    Mechanical     161 

Hand  Warmer,  Electric,  for  Steering  Wheel.   300 

Handbag.  Leather.  Is  Tank  Shaped 696 

Handicrafts,  Reviving  in  America,  by  W.  D. 

Goodwin     408 

Handkerchief,  German,  War  Zone  Map  on..  873 

Handle  for  Scraper  Blades 299 

Handle,  Pail,  of  Insulated  Wire 313 

Handle,  Split,  on  Guard  for  Portable  Light 

Makes  Wiring  Easy  758 

Handles  for  Electrician's  Tools,  Insulating.   301 
Hands,    Plastic    Artificial,    Quickly    Shaped 

for  Use    878 

Handsaw  Fitted  for  Use  as  Square 116 

Handsaw  Has  Hinged  Handle 847 

Hangrers,  Fastener  Keeps  Garments  on 764 

Hangers,  Shafting.  Bench  Buffer  Made  from  296 
Harbor  for  Island  of  Sumatra  to  Facilitate 

Rubber  Importations   769 

Harbor,    Memphis,    Turn    Mississippi    River 

to  Save    512 

Harbor,  Vast,  for  Shanghai 100 

Harness  Hooks,  Footstool  Made  from 466 

Harrow,  Homemade  Garden    944 

Harvester  and  Tractor  Operated  by  Two  Men  411 

Hat,  Army,  Vanity  Box  Made  Like 755 

Hat,   "Bungralow."   Protects   Checker's   Rec- 
ords       407 

Hat,  Straw,  Protects  Garden  Plants 937 

Hay,  Many  Tons  Piled  in  the  Open *     64 

Hay.  Truck  Method  of  Curlngr  Saves  Losses.  904 

Haystack.  Roof  for    364 

Header,  Engine  on  Saves  Horses 729 

Headlights,  Auto,  Ribbed  Glass  for 316 

Headrest   for   Auto   Mechanics    Strapped   to 

Head    454 

Heat  and  Cold  Alternate  in  Testing  Device.   409 
Heat  Lost  in   Chimneys.  Device  Measur.es. .     26 

Heat,  Partition  Room  to  Save 122 

Heater,    Auto    Exhaust.    Mounted    in    Floor 

^Register    115 

Heater,    Electric    Water,    Attaches    to    Any 

Faucet 274 

Heater,   Electric   Water,   can  be   Packed   in 

^Traveling  Bag   824 

Heater,  Electric  Water.  Uses  Water  as  Re- 
sistor    307 

Heater,  Exhaust,  for  Motorcycle  Sidecar...   470 

Heater  for  Engine  Oil 782 

Heater.  Gas,  Has  Safety  Features 97 

Heather.  Fuel  Briquettes  Made  from 184 

Heating   Plant,    Hot   Water,    for    Cellarless 

Houses    901 

Hedge.  Evergreen,  Porch  Has 760 

Heels,  Skeleton,  of  Rubber^ 870 

Helmets.    Hun.    on    Sandbag    Protection    in 

^Paris 271 

Helmets,  Steel,  French  Soldiers  to  Keep...  649 
Hendee,  Searle: 

America's  Future  In  the  Air 497,  657 

Concrete    Merchant    Ships    646 

First  FllRht,  The    882 

Hescue  Troopship's  Wounded  In  Storm...   375 
Hens,  Electric  Daylight  for  Increases  Egg 

Production 608 

•Hens,  Tethering  Breaks  of  Sitting 938 

Hermit,  Make  New  Cave  for  in  Yosemite...   566 

Highway,  Coast  to  Coast,  in  Canada 734 

Highway  Curve,  Striped  Fence  for 554 

Hiichway,    Lincoln,    Bridge    on    near    Tama, 
Iowa    268 


Highway,  Lincoln,  Last  Gap  in  Completed  by 

Gift    861 

Highway,  Lincoln.  Tents  Mounted  on  Skids 

Speed    Work    on    415 

Highway,   Pershing,   to   Connect   New   York 

and  San  Francisco    694 

Highways,   Mexican,    American   Motor   Club 

Posts   Signs   on    727 

Highways  of  Today  and  Tomorrow,  by  Har- 
lan H.  Edwards   562 

Hill  Marker  for  Garden 763 

Hinge,  Gate.  Self-Closing 301 

Hinge  Made  of  Stiff  Wire 317 

Hinge  Makes  Key  Vise 767 

Hinges.  Three,  Placing  Properly  on  Door. . .   300 

Hoe  and  Spade,  Combination 782 

Hoe,  Combination  Tool  Made  of 637 

Hoe,   Cultivator  Attachment  for 571 

Hog  House,    Portable    774 

Hog  Ranch  Disposes  of  Army  Camp's  Gar- 
bage         96 

Hogs,  Double  Decked  Car  for  Shipping. . . .   493 

Hogs,    Potato    Cooker    for 292 

Hoist.    Bench,    or    Crane 779 

Hoist,  Truck,   Is  Hand  Operated 582 

Hoisting  Drum  for  Rear  Wheel  of  Auto...   621 

Hoists,  Pontoon,  for  Ship  Salvaging 437 

Hole  Rim,  Adjustable,  for  Golf  Courses 225 

Holes.  Drilling  through  Metal  with  Bit  Brace  289 
Holes,    Guide    for    Drillingr    through    Large 

Timbers    ,  774 

Holes,  Hand  Tool  Cuts  through  Steel  Plate.  728  , 
Home,   Australian   Soldiers   Given   1 3,000    to 

Purchase    747  ' 

Home  Surroundings,  'Beautify  with  Outdoor 

Art    760 

Hood,  Asbestos,  for  Soldering  Iron 450 

Hook,  Picture,  with  Grooved  Pulleys 914 

Hook.  Wire,  for  Carrying  Window  Panes...  123 
Hooks,  Screen  Door,  Put  on  Jamb  instead  of 

Door    134 

Hoop  Redrlvlng  Machine   256 

Hopper,  W.  E.: 

Quebec  Has  Largest  Storage  Dam  in  North 

America!    490 

Horn,  Conch  Shell,  for  Phonograph 365 

Horn,  Glass,  for  Phonograph   326 

Horse.   Circus,   Now  Pulls   Wagon 441 

Horseback     Party,     First,     Ascends     Mount 

Adams 229 

Horsehair,   Fishline  Made  of 634 

Horses.  British  Army  Plans  to  Sell 362 

Horseshoe,  Nonskid,  for  Quoit  Throwers...  874 
Horticulture — ^Woman  Doctor  Treats  Garden 

Ailments    700 

Hose,  Air,  Weight  and  Pulley  Mounting. for.  284 
Hose  Attachment  Permits  Slow  Irrigation..   607 

Hose,  Boys  Use  for  Play  Telephoning 921 

Hose,   Clean   Cookstove   with 634 

Hose,  Keeping  Washers  in 947 

Hospital,   Army,  at   Denver  for   Tubercular 

Soldiers    730 

Hospiial  Call  Sends  Signal  Until  Nurse  Ar- 
rives       762 

Hospital,  Cubicle,  for  Fighting  Influenza...  228 

Hospital,  Flying,  Last  War  Innovation 24 

Hospital,  Use  Electric  Tractor  In 898 

Hospitals,   Army,    Reconstruction   Work    of. 

Permanently   Recorded   823 

Hospitals,    Marine,    "Passports"    In    Bottles 

Admit  Sailors  to    388 

Hot  Water  Bottle,  Heat  with  Curling  Iron.  595 
Hotel.. American  Operated,  at  Lima,  Peru...  862 

Hotel.  Honolulu,  Is  Army  Y.  M.  C.  A 81 

Hotel  in  Washington,  D.  C,  on  Unusual  Site  666 
Hotel  Telephone  Service,  Overcharge  Ends.  279 
Hotel.  World's  Largest,  for  Shipbuilders...  89 
Hotels,  Sign  Gives  Street  Car  Routes  to....   879 

House  and  Garage  Combined  \ 420 

House.    Bird,    at   Belle   Isle    Park    Made    of 

Lofirs 268 

House  Boat,  Making    948 

House  Boat,  Philippine,  is  Called  "Casco"...   717 

House.  Boys  Build  in  Tree ., 109 

House  Moving-  Outfit.  Rescue  Marooned  Train 

With,  by  J.  E.  Murphy 892 

Houses.  Fireproof,  Steel  Shelves  for 818 

Houses.     Miners     Build     under     Projecting 

Rocks    879 

Houses,  Town,  Londoners  Discard   919 

Housing,  Cooperative,  for  Danish  Women..  92 
Housing  Plans  for  Dublin  Workers 11 


Digitized  by 


Google 


20 


POPULAR  MECHANICS  INDEX,  VOLUME  XXXI,  1919 


Humidifier  Incorporated  Into   Radiator 110 

Humidor  for  Cigar  Box 755 

Hunter,  Seal,  Uses  Phonograph 361 

Hunting,  Deer,  Open  Season  tor  in  Colorado  214 
Hurricane,  Terrific,  on  Hawaiian  Islands...  197 
Hyde,  Grant  M.: 

Training  Repair  Men  for  the  Army 76 

Hydrants,     Pressure     Reducing     Valve     for 

Used  by  San  Francisco  Fire  Department.  538 
Hydraulic  Pressures  Increased  by  Elec- 
trolysis        255 

Hydroelectric    Plant    on    Danube    River    Is 

First  in  Austria   540 

Hydroelectric  Plants  Planned  for  Iceland...  326 
Hydroelectric  Power,  Consolidation  Prevents 

Shortage  of  in  California   548 

Hydroelectric    Power    Station,    Wood    Stave 

Pipe  Line  for  Has  Unusual  Tests 808 

Hydroelectric  Project  at  Niagara  Falls 261 

Hydrogen  Sulphide  Generator   637 

Hydrophones    on    Ship    Detect    Presence    of 

Enemy    Craft    677 

Hydroplane,  Air  Propelled,  Building 769 

Hygrometer,    Homemade    796 

Hypodermic  Syringe,  Twenty  Shot 147 

Ice  Cake,  Arctic  Explorers  Drift  on 168 

Ice  Cores.  Concrete  Castings  Made  with....  32 
Ice  Cream  Freezer  Gearing  Used  for  Churn.  776 
Ice,    Cut   Holes   in    to   Give   Air   to    Fish   In 

Mississipt    River     667 

Ice  Cycle,  Bicycle  Made  into 365 

Ice     Gorge,     Steel     Plate     on     Bridge     Pier 

Buckled   by    759 

Ice»  Making  from  Snow 308 

Ice   on   Sidewalks,   Scratcher   for   Roughen- 
ing       748 

Ice   Pack,   Voyage   of   Explorers   on   Upsets 

Arctic  Current  Theory    718 

Ice  Speeder  Made  from  Bicycle 129 

Ignition   Circuit   Breaker  for  Aeroplane....   897 

Ipnition  Condensers,  Testing   779 

Ignition  Terminals  Formed  by  Soldering. . .   473 
Immigrants,  Americanizing  a  Great  Task..   220 
Infimigrants,  Movie   Films  Show   Opportuni- 
ties to 890 

Implement,  Farm,  Does  Work  of  Four  Ma- 
chines       692 

Inch,  The  Thousandth  of  an,  by  Thos.  A.  Mc- 

Mahon   (Poem)    299 

Index  Tab  for  Sheet  Music 227 

India,   War  Awakens  Industries  in 94 

Indian  Clubs,   Sandbags  Substituted  for 86 

Indian  Log  Riders  Become  Real  Acrobats. .     67 

Indians  Beg  Rides  from  Motorists 27 

Indians.  Sioux,  Have  Victory  Dance  as  Peace 

Celebration   267 

Indians  Use  Brass  Band  at  Tribal  Festivals.  864 
Indicator,  Sight  Flow  and  Electric  Circula- 
tion, for  Motor   688 

Indicator,  Tension,  for  Relay  950 

Indicators    on    Submarine    Chasers    Spotted 

U-Boats    828 

Induction,     Electrical,     Apparatus     Demon- 
strates       143 

Industries  in  India,  War  Awakens 94 

Industries.  War,  of  France,  Change  to  Peace 

Pursuits     586 

Influenza,  Cubicle  Hospital  for  Fighting 228 

Influenza  Epidemic,  Audience   Sprayed  dur- 
ing   : 860 

Influenza    Epidemic,    Employment    Offlce    in 

Street   during    74 

Influenza  Masks,  Players  Wear  at  Ball  Game  73a 
Influenza  Serum.  Send  to  Yukon  Territory. .  664 
Influenza,    Use    Strips   of   Oilcloth    in    Aripy 

Mess  Halls  to  Stop  Spread  of 889 

Influenza.  Wire  Gauze  Mask  Protects  from.  263 
Ink  Bottle  Holder  Made  from  Grease  Cups.   319 

Ink,  Make  from  Indelible  Pencil  Stubs 608 

Inkstand  for  Drafting  Room  Prevents  Color 

Mistkkes    762 

Insane,  Interurban  Car  Equipped  to  Carry.     62 
Insect  Powder,  Perforated  Pail  Sprinkles...  781 
Insigne,  Machine  Gun  Corps,  Formed  by  Sol- 
diers       204 

Insomnia.  Device  Cures  by  Supplying  Warm, 

Dry    Air    824 

Instruments,  Stringed,  Homemade   463 

Insurance,  Government,  for  Soldiers 144 

Insurance.  War  Risk,  Amount  Written 72 

Invalid.  Cushion  for  of  Felt  and  Springs...     98 


Invalid,  Tray  for  Rests  on  Bed 457 

Iodine  for  Scratches  on  Furniture 941 

Iodine,  Surgeon  Uses  Many  Times .'.'  843 

Iron  Center,  Chicago  may  Become 147 

Iron,   Electric,   Spring   in   Plug   Disconnects 

Current    595 

Iron,  Galvanized,  Improved  Process  for  Mak- 
ing       573 

Iron,  Haul  14  Tons  of  on  Truck ',[',  728 

Iron,  Malleable,  Phosphorus  in  Has  Deterio- 
rating Effect   38 

Iron  Ore  Found  in  Dutch  East  India.'  ...';!.*.*     24 

Iron  Pipe  Cast  in  Centrifugal  Molds 851 

Iron  Rest,  Tacks  Driven  into  Ironing  Board 

Form   j^j^ 

Iron,   Rotating   Scraper  Removes   Rust' and 

Paint  from   739 

Iron,    Rustproofing    .*!.!!"!""  379 

Iron.  Soldering,  Heated  by  Electric  Arc.'.*.'!  704 

Ironing  Board  Cover,  Hooks  for 477 

Ironing  Board,  Folding  Rack  for *  274 

Irrigation   Ditches.    Beaver   Dams    in   Cause 

Disastrous    Floods    .  719 

Irrigation    Flume    over    Big    Horn'   Rrv'eV, 

Wyoming,  Twice  Destroyed    .250 

Irrigation,  Simple  System  of  for  Garden...  613 
Irrigation,  Slow,  Hose  Attachment  Permits.  607 

Irrlgat  on.  Store  Flood  Water  for !    575 

Irr  gatlon.  Tank  Used  for  Is  Portable 384 

Irrigation  Tunnels,  Mole  Runways  Used  as.  414 

Irrigation,  Turbine  and  Pump  Used  for 581 

Irrigation,  Water  for  Cools  Roof  of  House.  925 

Island,  Playhouse  on,  for  Pasadena  Boy 760 

Island  Possessions,  United  States  to  Extend 

Employment  Service   to    693 

Islands,  Hawaiian,  Suffer  Terrible  Storm.*..*  197 

Jacks,     House    Mover's,     Waterworks     Crib 

Righted    with    713 

Jar,  Glass,  Seed  Germinated  in !'.'/.',','  785 

'J?rf'  S^y-  ^I^  S,^*.'-?<><^"n?  Water  Holders.  150 

ToL?;^l"f'  'or  Kitchen    Wall  Rack  Holds.  275 
Jaws.    Swivel,    for    Holding    Wood    In    Iron 

Vise    Q9Q 

Jenkins.  Paul:                              *^  • 

Progressive  City  will  Be  All  American...  913 

Tangled    War   Stories   Confuse   Public 832 

Surgery's  Triumphs  over  Death  In  World 

W^ar    550 

Jet,  Wat^.  Break   Clinkers  with '.'/.','.'.',   848 

Jewelry.  Dig  for  on  Coney  Island  Beach....    169 

TfJl!}yir^''i**i'  ,V^?  ^}^  ^*s  Mantles  for...   625 

Jigger    Fish.  Self -Acting 059 

Joint,  Invisible,  Holds  Wood  without  Glue  J  309 
Joints,     Instrument     Measures     Extent    -S 

Movements    of    599 

Jo|ntj^^^Tongue    and    Groove,     Makl'ng  "oi 

Journey— Coupje*  to*  Walk  'iroii'n'd  Qlohe 'l'.'.  90 1 

tJJ?L  Xf^J^?*®^  from  Bottom  of  Lake  with  131 
Junk    for   Red   Cross   Gleaned    from   Desert 

Roads    97 

Kaiser  Is  Central  Figure  In  Victory  Float. .  38 
Kelp,  Paciflc,  Acetone  Made  from. ....?.: .  53 
Kerosene,    British    Carburetor    Permits    Use 

of  gQ 

^2wI>1«^K^?r^®&  ?J®i9^*'  FlVe's'avis'Heat.  285 

Kewi^e  Dolls  Hold  Talcum  Powder 789 

Key  Ring,  Countersink  Gauge  on. .    .  iS? 

Key  Ring  Holds  Two  Sets  opKeys         ! ! .'  .* '  914 

^tl  V  rf'iJ^!?  *^^J?  <>'  ^*8h  StHnger.  .  951 
Key  Vise  Made  of  Hinge 7. .  7fi7 

^il?^*^^'?'^®''  Drying,  Air  Automatically  *Adl 

jusiea  m   , ; qak 

Kng  and  Queen  of  Belgium  Enter  iSrug^i!  155 

^  tVSi?  Converted  into  Writing  Desk.::!  136 

kIJSSIS'  #L*SS!fs?  compartment  in sVs 

l^SSUJ'  ^♦^^^^'"®.!?I  Fastens  Cloth  on....  941 

Broom,  Stiffen  with  Piece  of  Inner  Tube  795 

Canning  Kettle   with   Inner  Tray:....  914 

Chaflng  Dish,   Alcohol,  with  Damper  914 

c\'ol]^tl  l»SJ?^"!^.^f^  -  Wheels.. 'l^^::  III 

n^i^^^  stretcher  with  Clampl'ng * sieeVii *    594 

Cushion  for  Scrubbing i?? 

S  «!!  ^T*®*"  Made  of  Racks  in  Pan  ! '. ! !  "  "    HI 

Pprf?^o^l^**^  ^aV^^^   connection    and 
Perforations  in  Rim ."^  754 


Digitized  by 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS  INDEX.  VOLUME  XXXI,  1»1S 


21 


Dish  Washingr  Brush  Has  Soap  Container.   595 

Dishes,  Bent  Tube  for  Rinsinsr 469 

Egg  Beater.  Holder  for   952 

Electric  Iron,  Sprin^r  on  Plugr  Disconnects  595 

Electric  Water  Heater    274 

Flour  Mill  for  Household  Use 278 

Fork.  Serving:,  with  Pusher  Attachment. .   274 
Frame,   Suspended,  for  Drying:  Clothes...   624 

Gas  Rang:e,  Hotel,  with  Triple  Walls 251 

Iron    Rest   Made    by    Drivingr    Tacks    into 

Ironing:   Board    141 

Ironing:  Board  Cover,  Hooks  for 477 

Ironing  Board  with  Folding  Rack 274 

Lid,   Saucepan,  Drains  into  Vessel 99 

Mop  Made  from  Stringrs   308 

Mop   Made   of  Sheep's   Pelt 695 

Mop  Wring:er  Built  in  Bucket 476 

Munln  Pan  Made  of  Can  Lids 319 

Nut  Cracker  with  Double  Hammer 435 

Oven  Fitted   in  Furnace  Door 275 

Pan   with  Inverted   Funnel.   Save   Gas   by 

Using    445 

Potato  Peeler,  Motor  Driven    104 

Refrigrerator  Has  Shelf  Attached  to  Door. .  274 
Scrubbing  Brush  with  Flexible  Handle...   791 

Sink,  Detachable  Guard  for 666 

Sink,    Wooden   Grating  for 472 

Sugar  Bin,  Homemade 612 

Swinging  Arm  Pilot  for  Gas  Range 754 

Table    with    Clothes    Rack    and    Ironing 

Board    484 

Tray,   Electrically  Heated 914 

Thermometer  for  Oven   914 

Wall  Racks  with  Glass  Containers 275 

Washboard  Made  of  Spools 134 

Washboard  with  Wood  Rollers , 434 

Heater    915 

Washing     Machine,     Electric,     with     Gas 
Washing    Machine,    Extension    Plug    Pro- 
vides  Running   water    for 694 

Washing  Machine.  Homemade   792 

Washing  Machine  with  Glazed  Ports  and 

Electric    Light    755 

Kitchener    of    Khartoum,     The    Mysterious 

Case  of,  by  E.  T.  Bronsdon 881 

Kitchens,  Motor  Field,  for  Dutch  Army 411 

Knee   Guards  for  Tile   Workers 622 

Knife,   How  to  Open  Easily 953 

Knitting  Bag  with  Silver  Bracelet 98 

Knitting  Needles,   Unique  Holder   for 99 

Labels,  Gummed,  How  to  Make 954 

Labels,  Marking,  Making  from  Linen  Collars  445 
Labrador  Stone,  Norway  Obtains  Aluminum 

from     872 

Ladder,   Central  Beam  Doubles  Safety  of . . .   131 

Ladders.-  Portable  Scaffold  Made  of 869 

Ladle,  Babbitt.  Improved  Handle  for 291 

Ladle,  Solder,  Made  from  Alarm  Clock  Bell.   617 
Lake.  Lieaky  Bottom  of  Covered  with  Clay.   860 

Lake  Nyasa.  Level  of  is  Rising 191 

Lake,   Runaway  Well  Makes  on  North'  Da- 
kota   Farm    893 

Lakes,    Artificial,    Purify    by    Draining    and 

Sunning    686 

Lakes,      Large,     Discovered     by     Canadian 

Mounted   Police    53 

Lambs,  Weather  Bureau  Warnings  Save....  407 
Lamp    Carbons,    Arc.   Metal   Coat   Is   Thick- 
ened by  Electroplating 394 

Lamp  Cord  Shortener    795 

Lamp  Detects  Gasoline   Fumes  in  Sewers..   598 
Lamp.    Eight    Panel    Street,    Preferable    to 

Globe     230 

Lamp,  Electric  Night.  Made  of  Wire 130 

Lamp,    Electric    Reading,    Device    Holds    on 

Wa\l 952 

Lamp  Globes,  Keep  Clean 286 

Lamp,   Incandescent,  Is  Oil   Container 309 

Lamp,  Marsh  Gas  from  Mill  Pond  Furnishes 

Illumination    for    268 

Lamp,  Oil,  Made  into  Stove 318 

Lamp,  Pedestal,  Made  from  Projectile 80 

Lamp,    Portable    Arc,    for    Motion    Picture 

Work     686 

Lamp,   Trouble,   Reflector   for   Made   of   Tin 

^  Can    942 

Lamps,    Arc,      Carbons      for      Have      Metal 

,  Sheaths    884 

Lamps,   Arc,   Electrodes  for  Have  Chemical 

Mixtures  Applied  on  Outside 384 

Lamps,   Electric   Flash,  Support  for 436 


Lamps,  Electric,  Tool  for  Replacing  in  Ceil- 
ings       297 

Lamps,    Miners',    Substitutes   for    Petroleum 

in    200 

Land,  Boys  Help  Plow  in  Record  Time 759 

Land.  Drain  by  Blasting  Ditch  through  Rock  364 
Land.    Swamp,    Amount    That    can    be    Re- 
claimed        865 

Langley.   R.  H.: 

Wireless  Aerials  under  Ground  and  under 

Water     349 

Lantern,  Electric,  for  Camper 435 

Lard   Dispensing  Machine   230 

Latch.  Door,  Made  of  Wire 621 

Lathe,  Centering  Chuck  Jobs  in 982 

Lathe,  Chest  under  Holds  Tools  and  Gears.   291 

Lathe  Chuck  Used  as  Vise 289 

Lathe  Chucks,  Grinding  Jaws  of 934 

Lathe,    Holding   Split   Patterns   in 298 

Lathe.   Wrench   for   Setscrews   in   Dogs  At- 
tached  to    117 

Lathes,  Long,  Required  to  Bore  Big  Guns..  584 
Launchings,  Stars  in  Shipyards'  Flags  Num- 
ber         96 

Laundry    Bag   for   Nursery 755 

Laundry  Bundles,  Frame  Aids  in  Wrapping.  278 

Laundry — Clothes  Sprinkler    755 

Laundry,  Dry  Fruits  and  Vegetables  in..,.  560 
Laundry,  Steam,  Follows  Marching  Troops.  679 
Laundry,    Steam,    Mechanic    Uses    Exhaust 

Steam    for 297 

Laundry,  Suspended  Frame  for  Drying 624 

Laurel,  Mountain,  for  National  Flower 153 

Lava  Fragments,  Fountain  Made  of 153 

Lawn   Mower,    Electric    282 

Lawn   Mower  Has  Corrugated  Blades 893 

Lawn  Mower  Sharpener 396 

Lawn  Scraper  Made  from  Rake  and  Barrel 

Stave    793 

Lathe,  Foot  Power,  Improving 794 

Lead  Cutter  for  Composing  Room 890 

Lead  Electrically  Hardened  Is  New  Bearing 

Metal 902 

Lead  Hammer,  Mold  for  Making 693 

Leaks,  Ammonia,  Sulphur  Taper  for  Testing  606 
Leaks  in  Galvanized  Vessels,  Repairing  with 

Cement     613 

Leaks,  Roof,  Locate  with  Tobacco  Smoke...   951 

Leather,   Use  .to  Cover  Auto   Bodies 528 

Leg,  Table.  Adjuster  for    617 

Lemon  Drops,  Tons  of  for  Army 107 

Lens,   Drying   Properly    298 

Lenses,  Nonshatterable  Material  for 42 

Lenses,  Overcome  Effect  of  Moisture  on....   703 

Leopard,  Electrocute  to  Save 'Pelt 696 

Letter,  Weighing  on  Platform  Scale 148 

Lettering    on   Metal,    Painting   Makes    Easy    . 

to  Read   764 

Letters,  Raised,  Making  on  Show  Cards....  139 
Letters,    Suspicious,    Censors    Try    Chemical 

Tests  on    736 

Level,  Carpenters',  Takes  Place  of  Survey- 
or's        620 

Level,  Use  Carpenter's  Square  as 939 

Lever,  Long.  Eases  Action  of  Force  Pump. .  460 
Liberty  Bonds.  Million  Dollars  in  Gold  Coin 

for    65 

Liberty  Fuel  Superior  to  Gasoline 436 

Liberty    Loan    Campaign.    Swarm    of    Aet-'o- 

E lanes  Aid  in  Los  Angeles 68 
erty  Loan,  Fifth,  to  Aid  Disabled  Sol- 
diers     / 170 

Liberty    Loan,    Fourth.    Amount   Subscribed 

by  Great  Lakes   Sailors   110 

Liberty  Motor,  Original  to  be  Preserved  in 

Washington     681 

Liberty  Motor,   Pictures  Show  Development 

of    898 

License,    Fisherman's,    Leather    Armlet    for 

Carrying   914 

License    Number,    Perpetual,    for    Colorado 

Autos    439 

Licenses,  Export,  New  Ruling  on 214 

Lid,   Saucepan,   Drains   into   Vessel 99 

Lifeboat,  Buoyant  Blocks  Make  Unsinkable  362 
Lifeboat    Made    Unsinkable    by    Air    Filled 

Floats     174 

Light,  Portable,  Split  Handle  on  Guard  for 

Makes    Wiring   Easy    758 

Light  Pull  Out  in  Going  to  Sleep 819 

Light,   Red.  Aids  in  X-Ray  Operation 670 

Light  Variations,   Photometer  Measures 540 


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22 


POPULAR  MECHANICS  INDEX,  VOLUME  XXXI,  1919 


Lighter  for  Welding  Torch  Made  from  Spark 

Plug    453 

Lighting,   Farm,   Chart  for   Wiring 762 

Lighting     Plants     Farm,     Electrical     Model 

Demonstrates    136 

Lightning  Arrester  Is  Self -Mending 107 

Lightning,  Italian  Balloon  Immune  to 422 

Lightning,  Length  of  Flash  of 140 

Lightning,    Photograph    of    Flash    at    Close 

Range 880 

Lights,    Electric,    Shock    Absorber   for 776 

Lights,  Flood,  on  Dock  for  Night  Loading. .   682 
Lights,  Side,  for  Autos  Made  of  Tin  Cans. . .   142 
Lignite  and  Coal  Fields,  Ireland's,  to  be  Ex- 
ploited           6 

Limbs,  Artificial.  Seasoning  Willow  for 742 

Limbs,    Artificial,    Substitute    for    Celluloid 

Used   In   Making    361 

Lime  and  Coal  Dust,  Fertiliser  Made  from..  325 
Lime  and  Quartz  in  Philippines  Encourage 

Glass    Industry     704 

Limestone  Crusher  Owned  by  County   Aids 

Farmers    384 

Line  Throwing  Guns  for  Ocean  Going  Ships.  731 
Linemen,  Rotted  Poles  Braced  to  Safeguard.  190 
Lines,  Keep  from  Catching  on  Wagon  Pole  613 

Linoleum,   Machine   for   Making 403 

Linoleum,   Stamps  Made  from 306 

Live  Stock  Carried  in  Auto  Trailer 263 

Loading  Device  for  Lewis  Guns 806 

Loan,  Victory,  Emblems  for  All  Investors  In  728 
Locator,   Magnetic,   for  Use  in   Wiring  Fin- 
ished   Houses    .,..', 468 

Lock,  Combination,  and  Multiple  Switch  for 

Auto    641 

Lock,  Combination,  for  Chests  and  Drawers.  132 

Lock.  Door,  Permits  Hurried  Exit 684 

I.K>ck,  Staple  Prevents  Manipulation  of 460 

Lock   Washers,   Three   Types  of 127 

Locks,  Model  of  Columbia  River  Aids  Plea 

for 736 

Locksmith  Lives  and  Works  in  Auto 876 

Locomotive  and  Aeroplane  Collide 814 

Locomotive  Body,  Auto  in  Parade  Has 364 

Locomotive,  Converted  Motor  Truck  Used  as  742 
Locomotive.  Industrial,  Auto  Parts  Used  in 

Building    422 

Locomotive,   Toy,  Boy  Builds  of  Wood  and 

Tin 600 

Locomotive  Train,  Two,  Single  Control  for.  879 
Locomotives,  Enormous,  for  Heavy  Trains.  81 
Locomotives,  Output  of  Doubled  during  War     28 

Locust  Catching  in  the  Philippines 223 

Locust,  17  Year.  Due  This  Tear 489 

Log  Riders,  Indian,'  Become  Real  Acrobats.  67 
Log  Train,  Tractor  Pulls  on  Snow  Road....  169 
Logs,   Spruce.  Overturn  Railroad  Station ...     16 

Lookouts,   Forest,   Women   Serve  as 216 

Lumber,  American.  Foreign  Markets  Want..  876 
Lumber,  British  Save  by  Reusing  Boxes. . .  110 
Lumber,   Haul   with   Light   Auto   and   Hand 

Truck     452 

LumMber  Kiln,  Air  Automatically  Adjusted  in  905 

Lumber,  Pattern.  Knots  in 939 

Lumber,  Prevent  Warping  of 609 

Lumber,  Save  in  Making  Circular  Split  Pat- 
terns       116 

Lumber  Sold  in  Model  Store 190 

Lumber,  Swedish,  Raft  of  Makes  Long  Jour- 
ney        427 

Lumber  Yard,  Model    800 

Lumber  Yard,  Timber  Wall  Keep9  Fire  from  864 

Lungs  Repaired  by  Delicate  Operation 22 

Lupine,  Germans  Make  Many  Products  from  486 

Machine,  Grinding,   Auto  Carries  and  Dem- 
onstrates         73 

Machine,  Heavy,  Unloading  from  Truck....   116 

Machine,  Newspaper  Stuffing   27 

Machine,  Rewinding,  for  Paper  Mills 15 

Machine,     Vending,     Dispenses     Sandwiches 

and  Cold  Drinks    66 

Machinery,     Bearing     Surfaces     should     be 

Large    299 

Machinery,   Need   of   at   Tuskegee    Institute 

on  Account  of  Fire 22 

Machinery,  Spruce,  Assembled  for  Disposal.   636 

Machinery,  Tool  for  Turning  by  Hand 933 

Machines.  Heavy,  Casters  for  Moving 777 

Magazine   Stand,   Mahogany    764 

Magazines,  Shortage  of,  in  Camps  and  Hos* 
pltals    676 


Magazines  Used  for  Shingles 968 

Magnetic   Locator   for   Use   in   Wiring   Fin- 
ished Houses   468 

Magneto,  Convertible,  for  Aeroplane  Motors  201 
Mail,    Aerial,    First    international    Delivery 

between  Seattle  and  Vancouver   804 

Mail  Bag,  Woman  in  Makes  Aerial  Trip. . .   640 

Mall  Box,  Convenient,  for  Home 474 

Mail  Box,  Rural.  Rings  Bell  when  Opened..   634 

Mail  Carrier,  Rural,  Motor  Sled  for 922 

Mail,  Equip  Ships  Carrying  with  Aeroplanes  410 

Mail  Route,  Alaska,  Gasoflne  Sled  for 702 

Mail  Service,  Aerial,  for  Brazil 192 

Mail  Service,  Aerial,  in  New  Zealand 704 

Mail  Service.  Efficient,  for  Men  at  Front. . . .  105 
Mail,  Warships  to  Carry,  Is  Swedish  Idea. .  365 
Mantle,  Gas,  is  Inexpensive  and  Economical  915 

Mantles,  Gas,  Use  for  Jewelry  Polish 625 

Manure,  Conserve  Subsoil  Moisture  by  Using  668 
Map   Contour,   of   North   America,   Colorado 

School  Children  Make 760 

Map  of  War  Zone  on  German  Handkerchief  378 

Marble,  Stained,   Cleaning   784 

Marines   at    Battle    of  Chateau-Thierry,    by 

E.   T.    Bronsdon    269 

Marines  Make  High  Scores  with  New   Rifle 

Sights     902 

Mark  of  Origin~-"Made  in  the  U.  S.  A."  for 

A  merican  Made  Goods    85 

Marker  for  Ladies'  Skirts    625 

Market,  Burned,  Made  into  Auto  Service  Sta- 
tion       149 

Marl  Deposits,  East  Coast,  Offer  Cheap  Fer- 
tilizer    715 

Marsh  Gas  Furnishes  Illumination  for  Lamp  268 
Mask,   "Flu,"    Smoke   Cigarettes   through . . .   577 

Mask,  Influenza,  of  Wire  Gauze 253 

Masks,  "Flu,"  Players  and  Spectators  Wear 

at  Ball  Game 730 

Masks,  Gas,  Approved  by  Government  Fall  to 

Counteract   Ammonia   Fumes    840 

Masks,  Gas,  Used  by  Army  Not  Suitable  for 

Industrial   Purposes    679 

Massage  Device  for  Fallen  Arches 265 

Mat,  Porch,  of  Metal  and  Fiber 754 

Match  Safe  Made  from  Nutmeg  Grater 631 

Match  Scratcher  for  Shop  Exit 786 

Match  Scratcher  on  Bottom  of  Pipe 954 

Mattress,  Hospital,  Made  in  Square  Sections  407 
Maul,    Rawhide,    Substitute    for   Made   from 

Shoe    Heels    462 

McMahon,  Thos.  A.: 

The  Thousandth  of  an  Inch  (Poem) 299 

Meat,  Reindeer,  Sold  In  United  States 432 

Meat.  Ship  More  to  Europe  to  Save  Allies' 

Animals    483 

Medal,  French  Academy  Awards  to  American 

Red    Cross    236 

Medal,  Victory,  for  All  Allied  Soldiers 860 

Medals  Identify  Members  of  French  Parlia- 
ment      92 

Medals,  Schenectady  Gives  to  Soldiers 919 

Medicine  Cabinets,  Cork  Buffers  on  Protect 

Wall    472 

Medicine  Dropper,  Make  from  Lamp  Globe.  956 
Mediums,   How    They    Fake   Messages   from 

Dead,  by  Harry  E.  Gifford 106 

Meller,  C.  L.: 

Park  for  a  Town  of  Five  Thousand 579 

Memorial  Arch  in  Buffalo  for  Returning  Sol- 
diers      739 

Memorial,  National,  to  Heroes  of  '17  and  *76.  749 
Memorial  of  Bolivar  to  be  Erected  in  New 

Tork    24 

Memorial,  Roosevelt's  Birthplace  Bought  as.  868 
Memorial — Statue   of  Texas   Ranchman   and 

Horse    806 

Memorial    to    Gen.    Stanley    Maude.    British 

Build   Bridge   over  Tigris  as 640 

Memorial,   War,  American-Canadian   Bridge 

for    170 

Memorial.  War,  New  Tork  to  Erect  Arch  as  278 
Memorials    for    Soldiers.     Children's    Play- 
grounds  to   Be u.,'--'i ??? 

Merchant  Marine.  Canada's.  Flag  for 902 

Merchant     Marine.      Turbine      Engineering 

School  to  Train  Men  for   333 

Merry -Go -Round.    German.    Americans   Cap- 
ture        880 

Messages   from  Dead.   How  Medium*   Fake, 
by  Harry  E.  Gifford 106 


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POPUI*AR  MBGHANICS  INDEX  VOLUME  XXXI,  1919 


^S 


Metal,  Gas  Furnace  Melts  without  Crucible.  428 
Metal  Spraying^  Process  Uses  Electric  Arc.  862 

Meter  Box  Built  in  House  Wall 482 

Meter,  Electric,  Substitute  for  Saves  Read- 

ingr     494 

Meter  on  Dash  Tells  Load  Carried  by  Truck  762 

Meters,  Water,  Frame  for  Holdinar 160 

Mice,   Stop  Cracks  with  Plaster  of  Paris  to 

Keep   Away    953 

Microphone  Sets  Used  in  Trenches 732 

Milk    Bottle   Cover 468 

Milk  Can  Used  as  Grain  Bag:  Holder 925 

Milk,    Sell   to   French   and   Belgrian   Govern* 

ments  to   Reduce  Supply 677 

Mill,  Alfalfa,  Furnishes  Tractor  for  Farmers     8b 

Mill.  Flour,  for  Household  Use 27S 

Mill.  Flour,  Overhead  Carrier  for 653 

Mill,  Flour,  Work  on  Nlfipht  and  Day 216 

Mill.  New  Zealand,  Saws  Driftwood 192 

Milliner  Cutter,  Small,  Making 462 

Mine  Field,  North  Sea,  Largest  in  History..  162 
Mine  Shaft,  Force  Air  down  with  Bellows..  22*2 
Mine  Sweepers,  Dutch,  Scour  North  Sea....  869 
Mineral  Products  of  United  States,  Value  of.   552 

Miners,   Effect  on  by  Dust  Inhaled 439 

Miners  Find  Oil  Field  in  Drilllnfir  for  Water  181 
Miners,  Montana,  Build  Homes  under  Cliffs.  879 
Miners    Use    Substitutes    for    Petroleum    in 

Lamps    200 

Mines,     Accident     Proof,    Large    Quantities 

Made    60 

Mines,  Paravene  Cuts  Mooring  Ropes  of . . . .  852 
Mines,    Stray,    in    North    Sea    and    Atlantic 

Ocean    896 

Mints.  Largest  British,  Are  In  India 480 

Mints,   United  States,  Output  of 389 

Mirror,   Auxiliary,  Aids  in  Shaving 795 

Mirror.  Pocket,  is  Useful  In  Shop 296 

Mirror,  Sheep  Driven  int6  Pen  with  Aid  of.   279 

Mirror,   Using  Window  as   306 

Mirrors,  Metal,  for  Cyclist 136 

Mission,  California,  Old  Vellum  Books  in...     67 

Missionaries  in  India,  Modes  of  Travel 91 

Mixer,    Concrete,   Labor   Saving   Attachment 

for    433 

Mixer,   Paint    438 

Model  of  Columbia  River  Aids  Plea  for  Locks  735 
Mold,    Compress    Concrete    in    to    Increase 

Strength    713 

Mold.  Simple,  for  Long  Concrete  Pipes 398 

Moldings,  Cabinet,  Formed  by  Scraper  Blades  316 

Molds,  Centrifugal,  Iron  Pipe  Cast  in 861 

Molds  for  Concrete  Piling,  Air  Pressure  Pre- 
pares    906 

Mole  Runways  Used  as  Irrigation  Tunnels.   414 
Money  for  Relief  Fund,  Collect  in  Milk  Bot- 
tles    476 

Monkey  is  Made  Prisoner  of  War  by  French  52 
Monkey  Wrench  Works  at  Several  Angles.  881 
Monoplane,  American,  Makes  Record  Speed.  214 
Monument  Greets  Returned  Soldiers  at  San 

Francisco    619 

Monument,  Stone,  Texas  Ranchmen  Erect  for 

War    Heroes    837 

Mop,  Dust,  Made  of  Sheep's  Pelt 595 

Mop   Made  from   Package  Strings 308 

Mop  Wringer  Built  in  Bucket 47.6 

Mosquitoes,  American  Rids  Jerusalem  of. . .   240 

Mosquitoes,  Specimens  of  for  Museum 898 

Motion,   Intermittent,   Apparatus  Provides..   474 

Motor,   Aeroplane,   Built  into  Propeller 201 

Motor,  Amperes  Needed  by.  Told  by  Electric 

Scale 397 

Motor,    Chuck    938 

Motor  Club,  American,  Posts  Signs  on  Mex- 
ican Highways   727 

Motor,   Heavy   Duty,   Starter  for  Uses   Car- 

buretion    Principle    348 

Motor,  Liberty,  Original  to  be  Preserved  in 

Washington    681 

Motor,  Liberty,  Pictures  Show  Developihent 

of 898 

Motor,  Sight  Flow  and  Electric  Circulation 

Indicator  for   588 

Motor,  Toy,  Synchronous 790 

Motor,  Vaiveless,  Cup  Shaped  Piston  for...  575 
Motor,  V-Type,  Adjustable  Connecting  Rod 

Bearings  for    378 

Motorboats  for  Copra  Trading 745 

Motorcycle  Ambulance,  Australian  City  Uses  679 
Motorcycle  Chains,  Device  for  Cleaning....  776 
Motorcycle  Made  Into  Sled 758 


Motorcycle  Party  to  Survey  London-Sydney 

Air    Route     823 

Motorcycle  Sidecar,  Exhaust  Heater  for....   470 

Motorcycle  Tires.  Rack  on  Casters  for 567 

Motorcycle,  Use  as  Tractor  for  Plowing. . . .  902 
Motorcycles,    Handle    Brazed    to    Frame    of 

Aids  in  Lifting 843 

Motorcycles,  Metal  Mirrors  for   186 

Motorcycles,  Use  in  Testing  Army  Balloons.  849 
Motorcycles  Used  as  Industrial  Tractors....     84 

Motorcyclist  Rides  in  His  Sidecar 668 

Motorcyclist    Stops    Runaway   Plane 335 

Motorcyclists  Ride  Circles  in  Sand   in  Con- 
test       583 

Motorists,  Night  Goggles  for   549 

Motorists,  Sign  Warns  to  Watch  for  Planes.  868 
Motors,  Aeroplane,  Convertible  Magneto  for  201 
Motors,  Plug  Protects  against  Overload....  560 
Moulton,   Robert  H.: 

Frost  Proof  Corn  Grown  by  Indians 907 

Increasing  the  Efficiency  of  Grazing  Lands  737 

Replanting  the  War  Forests 89 

Mount,  H.  A.: 

Martin  Gun  Machine  Sets  New  Speed  Rec- 
ord        358 

Mountain.   Coolies   Carry   Passengers   up   in 

India    431 

Mountain — First   Horseback   Party    Ascends 

Mount  Adams   229 

Mountain  Peak.  Train  Balloon  Observers  on  867 
Mountain — Tank  Tries  Trip  up  Pikes  Peak.   839 

Mouse  Trap,  Using  Barrel   as 121 

Mouse  Traps,  Make  of  Bowls  and  Tumblers.  310 

Mouse  Traps,  Renewing   614 

Moving  Picture — "America's  Answer"   66 

Moving  Picture  Camera,  Rapid  Motion  Made 

Visible  with 489 

Moving    Picture    Company    Has    School    for 

Children     601 

Moving  Picture  Films,  Experiments  in  Con- 
crete Recorded   on    672 

Moving  Picture  Films  for  Aliens  Show  Op- 
portunities       390 

Moving  Picture  Films,  Stereopticon  Uses...  740 
Moving  Picture  Films,  War  Scenes  Recorded 

on     271 

Moving  Picture  Outfit,  Toy 920 

Moving    Picture    Projector,    Focusing    from 

Body  of  Theater    279 

Moving    Picture    Screen    Soaked    to    Make 

Translucent 862 

Moving  Picture  Screens,  Curfew  Announced 

on    671 

Moving    Picture    Shows,    Wounded    Soldiers 

Enjoy  in  Bathtubs   323 

Moving   Picture   Theater,   Telephones   Serve 

as  Dictaphones  in   237 

Moving   Picture   Work,   Portable   Arc  Lamp 

for    686 

Moving  Pictures,  Air  Fight  is  Staged  for. . . .  700 
Moving  Pictures,  Company  Uses  to  Present 

Annual  Report  to  Stockholders 566 

Moving  Pictures  Have  Right  of  Way  in  Los 

Angeles    416 

Moving    Pictures,    Noted    Paintings    Repro- 
duced in 492 

Moving  Pictures  of  Fish  Catching 385 

Moving    Pictures.    Portable    Plant    Supplies 

Steam  Effects  for   644 

Mower,  Electric  Lawn   282 

Mower    for    Golf    Grounds    Has    Corrugated 

Blades    893 

Mower,  Lawn,  Sharpener  for 396 

Mower  with  Attachment  for  Cutting  Tangled 

Grain     421 

Mowing  Machines  for  Airdrome 270 

Mud   Scraper   for  Aeroplane 271 

Muffin  Pan  Made  of  Tin  Can  Lids 319 

Muffler,    Auto,    of    Helical    Shape    Reduces 

Back    Pressure    908 

Mule;   Balloon  Observer  Lands  on  in   Para- 
chute   Jump     746 

Munitions   Plant,    Department   Store   Estab- 
lishes Branch  at    77 

Munitions   Works,   Krupp,   Dutch   Workmen 

Return  to   200 

Murphy,  J.  E.: 

.Motor  Road  on  Sky  Line  of  America 231 

Rescuing  a  Marooned  Train  with  Capstan 

and    Cable    ,.   892 

Museum.  National,  War  Relics  at 148 

Music,  Sheet,  Index  Tab  for 227 


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24 


POPUUUa  MaC3EiANICS  INOBX,  YOIAJUK  XJCXl,  1«19 


Music,   Sounds  of  London  Air  Raid   Repro- 
duced   in     216 

Musical  Instruments:  ^  ^^^ 

Drummer,   Practice   Pad   for 633 

Homemade     Stringed     Orchestra     Inatru- 

ments     • ••••   JS* 

Mute    for    Phonograph    Reproducer 666 

Organ   Has    Pipes   of   Bamboo 86 

Piano,    Handles    for    Carrying...... 460 

Musk  Ox,  Get  Wool,  Milk,  and  Beef  from..  746 
Muskrat  Farms  Make  Money  for  Owners...   400 

Muskrats,   Trap   for   Catching  Alive 465 

Mussels,  Meal  Made  from  Is  Danish  Poultry 

Food    126 

Mute    for    Phonograph    Reproducer 666 

Nail  Puller  Has  Box  Strap  Cutter ^86 

Nail  Set  Kept  in  Hammer  Handle 774 

Nail    Used   as   Cutter   for   Plow   Plane 460 

Nails    Made    with    Chisel    Point    to    Prevent 

Strutting   of   Wood    I'A'll/ }?? 

Nails,  Teeth  on  Back  of  Saw  for  Cutting. . .  131 
Navy  Again  Accepts  Voluntary  Enlistments  762 
Navy  Builds  More  Radio  Compass  Stations..  884 
Navy  Camouflage,  Masterpieces  of,  by  Lloyd 

Seaman 217 

Navy,  Change  Camouflage  System  of 571 

Navv    Department    Settles    Obligations     to 
Railroad    Administration    with    $10,000,000  ^^^ 

Check       ^08 

Navy    Recruits    Get    Outfits    When    Found 

Mentally  Fit    894 

Necktie,    Pressing    without    an    Iron 959 

Necktie   with   Rubber   Fabric  Lining 435 

Needle    for    Coarse    Sewing    Mad,e    of    Can 

Opener     1*" 

Needle  for  Sewing  Aeroplane  Fabric 752 

Needle  for  Threading  Typewriter  Ribbon 396 

Needles,    Sewing   Machine,   Flash   Light   for 

Threading   *^* 

Negatives  and  Prints,  Drying  Quickly.....  465 
Negatives    and    Prints,    File    in    Cartf  Cab- 

ing^    ,,, 132 

Negatives,  Cracked,  Photographing   959 

Negatives,   Preventing  Frayed.......... 636 

Negroes,  Farm  School  In  Motor  Truck  for..   887 

Nesting  Supply   Station  for  Birds 754 

Net   for  Catching  Poultry 785 

Netting,  Wooden.  Use  to  Erect  Buildings  In 

Norway    •"9 

Newspaper,  Miniature  Edition  of  for  Soldiers       2 

Newspaper   Stuffing  Machine 27 

Newspapers,  Collapsible  Stand  for  Selling.  512 
Newspapers,  Frencn,  English,  and  American, 

Not  Allowed  In  Germany 110 

Newspapers  Used  as  Barricade  In  Berlin  dur- 
ing Revolution   &21 

Nlkalgln  Is  Anesthetic  Invented  by  American 

Engineer     •.*  v  •  :.•  '^^  *   ^®* 

Notebook,   Pocket,   Weekly   "Reminder"   Re- 
places      ^  • ' 

Novelties  for  the  Home.. 98,  274,  434,  594.  754,  914 
Numerals,  System  of  Came  from  Europe,  Is 

New    Theory    • 716 

Nurses  In  France,  Rain  Proof  Clothing  for..   110 

Nut   Cracker   with   Double   Hammer 435 

Nut,   Emergency,   Cast  of  Babbitt 457 

Nut  Locks  on  Bolt  but  Is  Easily  Removed. .   894 

Nutmeg  Grater,  Match  Safe  Made  from 631 

Nuts,  Machine  Cracks  by  Centrifugal  Force  406 

Observers,  Balloon.  Change  at  Sea  .........   716 

Oil  and  Coal  Dust  Make  New  Liquid  Fuel. . .  878 
Oil    and    Grease    Gun,    Crank    Operated,    for 

^Utog       428 

on  BurneVs,  Auxiliary,  In  Hot  Air  Furnace  111 

Oil  Burning  Attachment  for  Furnace 156 

Oil  Container,  Incandescent  Lamp  Is 809 

on,  Copra,  and  Sand  Mixed  Up  in  Cargo 574 

on.  Drill  for  In  England „60 

Oil,  Engine,  Heater  for .•  •  •  \;  •  •  •^- :  ' '  7?? 

Oil  Field.  Miners  Find  in  DriUlng  for  Water  181 

on  Fields,  Extensive,   Found  in  Persia 687 

on  Fires,  Use  Gas  to  Extinguish 507 

on,  Fuel,  Ships  Carry  In  Ballast  Space....  688 
on.  Heavy,  Screw  Punip  Hastens  Flow  of. . .   622 

on  Leakage,  Stop  on  Faucet  Avoids 44i> 

Oil.  Lubricating,  Sweden  Conserves  by  Using 

Ball    Bearings 171 

on.    Mining    from    Sand    Reefs,    by    O.    J. 

Grimes    •  •  •  • : ^5J 

on  Pump  for  Automobile  Engine 475 


on  Reservoir,  Concreted  Earthen  Basin  Is.   550 

on.  Saving  in  Plant  That  Burns 112 

on   Separator  Operates  by  Gravity 273 

on  Tank,  Burning,  Sets  River  Ablaze 567 

on.  Tank  Cars  Laden  with.  Roll  Into  Ocean.   190 

on   Tanks  Floated  to  New   Position. 853 

on  Tanks,  Huge,   Hauled   by  Trucks 719 

Oil,  Thousands  of  Barrels  for  Packing  Sar- 
dines        442 

Oil,   Used,   from  Auto   Engines  Makes   Good 

I^uel 297 

on.  Vegetable,  Tanks  for  Storing 222 

on  Well  Flow  Increased  by  Electric  Heat. .   386 

•Oilcan,  Square,  Frame  for  Tilts 125 

Oilcan    with    Bellowslike    Reservoir 639 

Oilcloth.  Use  Strips  of  In  Army  Mess  Halls 

to    Stop    Spread    of    Influenza 889 

Oiler   for   Overhead   Shafting 607 

Oiler,  Wick,  for  SmaU  Shafts 620 

Oiler  with  Long  Spout  for  Overhead  Bear- 
ings         428 

Ons,  Fish,  Experiments  Test  Edlbnity  of..  486 
Operation,  "Anchored"  Surgeons  Perform  In 

Storm  at  Sea 702 

Opium,   Chinese  Officials  Burn 644 

Optical  Illusion — Bird  Flying  through  Trees  947 
Optical     Instruments,    Overcome    Effect    of 

Moisture  on 703 

Optophone,  Improved,  Is  Ear  Reading  Device 

for    BHnd    488 

Orchards.  Date,  In  Arizona   222 

Orchestra  Leader  Uses  Periscope 518 

Orders,    Mexicans    Complain    Manufacturers 

do  Not  Acknowledge   322 

Ordnance  Department's  Cars,  Compact  Tool 

Box    for     822 

Ore,  Iron,  Found  In  Dutch  East  India 24 

Organ   Has   Pipes   of   Bamboo 86 

Ostrich  Chicks.  Two,  H&tched  from  One  Egg  920 

Oven  Fitted  In  Furnace  Door 276 

Owl  Holder  for  Playing  Cards 754 

Oxyacetylene    Welding,    Portable   Outfit   for  616 

Oxygen   Apparatus   for   Gas  Victims 89 

Oxygen    Outfits,    Yankee    Airmen    Equipped 

with    79 

Oxygen  Pipe,  Airman  Breaks  in  Height  Rec- 
ord     528 

Oxy hydrogen    Flame,    Furnace    Salamander ^ 

Cut  by   720 

Pack,   Frame  Makes  Carrying  Easier 172 

Package  Carrier,  Slotted  Stick  Used  for....  595 

Package  Repair  Outfit  for  Express  Offices..  899 
Packages,    Better.    How    the    War    Brought 

Them  Out,  by  Brandon  Tracy 825 

Packers,  Fruit,  Portable  Stand  for 426 

Packing,  Metallic,  Held  by  Rubber  Rings...  100 
Packing     Perishable    Goods,     Soldiers     may 

Teach  Farmers 714 

Paddles,    Canoe,    Repairing    478 

Padlock.  Combination 908 

Padlock,  Screw  Eyes  Carry 445 

Pads.  Leather,  for  Football  Players 482 

Pall,  Insulated  Wire  Handle  for 313 

Pail    Made    from    Inner    Tube 952 

Pall,  Perforated,  Sprinkles  Insect  Powder..  781 

Paint,  Clean  with  Whiting  804 

Paint,   Device   for  Mixing    438 

Paint,  Labeling  Bottles  with   318 

Paint,  Removing  with  Vinegar.... 774 

Paint.  Rotating  Scraper  Removes  from  Iron  739 

Paintbrush,    Guard   for    :  '-  ••'•"^"•'  2SS 

Paintbrushes,  Keeping  Soft  with  Paraffin...  286 

Painting,  Panoramic,  of  Battle  Front. 870 

Paintings,  Noted,  Reproduce  for  Movies....  492 

Paintings,    Renewing   with    Alcohol 305 

Paintings     Show    Protective    Coloration    of  .^^ 

Animals,  by  Brandon  Tracy... 866 

Pan,  Muflfin,  Made  of  Tin  Can  Lids.  ..•..•••  '^^ 
Pan    with    Inverted    Funnel,    Save    Gas    by 

Using    . : 446 

Pans.  Bread!  Desk  Drawers  Made  from....  125 

Pans,  Pie,  Hot  Water  Bottle  Made  of 469 

Paper.  Blotting,  Pen  Tray  Made  of 808 

Paper,   Corrugated,   Use  in  Cabinetwork....  468 

Paper.  Germans  Mfake  Cloth  Substitute  of . .  282 
Paper.  Metal  Finger  Aids  In  Removing  from 

Ron 768 

Paper  Mills,   Rewlnder  for 15 

Paper.  Photographic.  Save  by  Buying  Large 

Sizes    798 


Digitized  by 


Google 


POPULAR  MECHANICS  INDEX.  VOLUME  XXXI.  1919 


25 


Paper  Pulp,  Amount  Made  from  Bamboo  and 

Grasses  In  India 807 

Paper  Rollins  Device  for  Barber  Shops....  753 
Paper,  Save  on  London  Bus  Tickets  by  New- 
System    149 

Paper  Streamers  on  Wire  Drive  Flies  Away  618 

Paper,     Wall.    Remove    with    Steam 449 

Paper.  Woven,  Germans  Use  for  Belts 24 

Paper   Yarn   Industry,   Discovery   Gives  Im- 
petus   to 748 

Parachute,  Aeroplane,   Prize  Offered  for 598 

Parachute   and  Airman,   Explosion  to  Expel  919 
Parachute,  Army   Balloonist  Entangled  in..   419 

Parachute.    Balloon.    Saves    Basket 909 

Parachute.    Balloonist    Uses    When    Carried 

toward  Sea  in  Storm   248 

Parachute.   Double,   for  Aeroplane 236 

Parachute  Drop,  Airman  Dives  from  Balloon 

in    816 

Parachute   Jump,   Airman  Makes    62 

Parachute  Jump,  Balloon  Observer  Lands  on 

Mule    In    746 

Parachutes  Used  by  German  Airmen 270 

Parade,   New  York  Has  for  27th  Division...    890 

Parade    Routes.    Removable    Pence    for 270 

Paraffin.   Keeping  Brushes  Soft  with 286 

Paralytics,    Exerciser    for 438 

Paravene,  Mined  Waters  Made  Safe  by 352 

Parcel  Post,  Motor  Routes  for  in  New  Eng- 
land      432 

Park  for  a  Town  of  Five  Thousand,  by  C.  L. 

Meller     579 

Park,    Palisades,   Survey   of   Wild    Life   in..   172 
Park,    Recreation,   Entrance   of   Classic   De- 
sign   for    901 

Park.  Thatched  Shelters  for   82 

Parks,  National,  Travel  to  May  Break  Rec- 
ords         394 

Parliament,    French,    Medals   Identify   Mem- 
bers of 92 

Parrots   in  Eiffel  Tower  Warn  of  Approach 

of    Enemy    Aeroplanes    336 

Paste  Made   from  Garlic    184 

Paste,    Soldering,    Carried   on   Torch ^.   291 

Patterns.     Circular     Split,     Lumber     Saving 

Kink    for  Making    116 

Patterns,   Split,   Holding  in  Lathe    298 

Paupers.   Property   of   Sold  at   Auction 588 

Pavement,   PYesh   Painted,   Safety   Zones  on 

Protected  by  Frames 84 

Paving.  Asphalt,  Scoop  Tears  Up  and  Loads  148 
Peace    Celebration    in    Yokohama,    Japan...   573 
Peace  Celebration — Sioux  Indians  Have  Vic- 
tory   Dance 267 

Peace.     Coming    of     Heralded    by    Chicago 

Crowds     32 

Peggy,  an   Exciting  Outdoor  Game 943 

Pen  and  Brush  Tray  Made  of  Blotting  Paper-  308 

Pen,  Fountain,  Filling  by  Suction 959 

Pen.  Fountain,  Filling  with  Match 798 

Pen,    Fountain,    Upright   Holder   for 98 

Pen.    Inkless    132 

Pen.  Lettering.  Made  from  Ruling  Pen 953 

Pen,    Old    Style    Fountain.    Filling 466 

Pen.  Ruling.  Spring  Opening  Lock  Fitted  on  454 

Pen  Wiper  for  Draftsman   301 

Pencil  Holder  Made  of  Old  Fountain  Pen. ...   132 

Pencil  Points^  Wooden  Cap  Protects 755 

Pencil   Stubs.  Indelible.  Make  Ink  from 608 

Pennies.   Give  Mile  of  to  Salvation  Army. . .   430 
Perforator,    Keep   Punch! ngs   from   Sticking 

to   294 

Periscope.   Collapsible,  for  Use  in  Crowds..   486 

Periscope,   Orchestra  Leader  Uses 518 

Pershing.  New  York   Square  Named  for....   226 

Petroleum,   Amount  Marketed  in   1918 699 

Petroleum,  Increase  in  Shipment  from  Mex- 
ico         37 

Petroleum.  Substitutes  for  In  Miners'  Lamps  200 
Phonograph  Accessory   Like   Violin    Mute..   666 

Phonograph.  Conch  Shell  Horn  for 365 

Phono«rraph  Detects    Wireless    Leak,   by   B. 

T.    Bronsdon    198 

Phonograph.  Glass   Horn   for    326 

Phonograph  Made  Like  Log  Cabin 908 

Phonograph.  Photographer  Aided  by    249 

Phonograph  Record     Cabinet     160 

Phonograph  Records,  ,  Bird,     Lure     Skunks     • 

from    Woods    644 

Phonograph  Records,  Folders  for 476 

Phonograph  Records.    Old,    Uses    for 632 

Phonograph,  Seal  Hunter  Uses   361 


Phonograph,  Toy     623 

Phosgene    Gas   Is   Bleach   for   Sand 576 

Photograph,    Amateur,    Reveals    Submarine 

Nest     422 

Photograph  of    First    American    Soldier    on 

German    Soil    644 

Photograph    of    Lightning    Flash    at    Close 

Range   880 

Photograph  Printed    on    Glass    and    Electric 

Lighted     536 

Photographer  Aided  by  Phonograph 249 

Photographers,   American,    Make    Record   in 

Europe    427 

Photographs,  Official,    Bring    War    Home    to 

People     72 

Photographs  Show  Camouflage   313 

Photographs,  Silhouette    315 

Photographs,  Soldiers,'  Frames  for    324 

Photographs.  Submarine,    Taking    with    an 

Ordinary     Camera     628 

Photographs  Taken    In    the    Shade 316 

Photographs,  Taking    Miniature    470 

Photographs,  Tinting  without  Special  Color- 
ing   Matter    305 

Photographs,  Use  Vinegar  to  Remove  Stains 

on   477 

Photography,  Aerial,  by  Douglass  Reld 338 

Photography,  Aerial — How  the  Camera  Con- 
quered Camouflage,  by  Douglass  Reid....   705 
Photography,  Army    X-Ray,    Films    Replace 

Plates  in   538 

Photography,    Bone,     Electric    Bulb    Rivals 

X-Ray    In    853 

Photography — Camera    Gun    Catches-  Plane 

In    Tall    Spin    4 

Photography — Camera   Shutter   Operated   by 

Electric  Fuse 633 

Photography — Drying    Films    Quickly 479 

Photography — Drying  Prints  and  Negatives 

Quickly    465 

Photography — Filing   Prints    and   Negatives 

In    Card    Cabinet    132 

Photography,    Finger   Print    72 

Photography — Holding  Hand  Camera  at  Eye 

Level   133 

Photography,    How    to    Make    Double    Ex- 
posures         786 

Photography — Ice    Water    Used    to    Prevent 

Halation     798 

Photography — ^Make   Many  Pictures   on   One 

Film  with  New  Camera 817 

Photography — Pocket     Scale     Helps     Focus 

Camera    866 

Photography — Preventing      Frayed      Nega- 
tives        636 

Photography — Save  Printing  Paper  by  Buy- 
ing  Large    Sizes    798 

Photography,  Sculptor  Uses  to  Verify  Work  698 
Photography — Straightening       Out       Prints 

That  Have  Curled  Up 307 

Photography — Study   Motion    of   Auto   Parts 

on   Photographic   Record    741 

Photography — Taking   Fire   Scenes    791 

Photography — Tripod    for    Small    Cameras.   638 
Photography — Upright   Enlarging  Camera..   783 
Photography — Use    Mark    on    Bottle    to    In- 
dicate  Amount  of  Hypo  Used 128 

Photography — ^Uslng  Camera  Upside  Down.  950 
Photography — Using  Cracked  Negatives  . .  959 
Photometer,  New,  Measures  Light  Variations  540 
Physician,  Aeroplane  Carries  to  Coast  Guard 

Stations    874 

Piano,  Handles  for  Carrying 460 

Pickles.   Forks   for   Removing  from   Bottle.   143 

Picnic,  Keeping  Food  Hot  for 954 

Picture  Frame,   Strong  Joint   for 957 

Picture  Framing,    Clamp    for    797 

Picture  Hook  with  Grooved  Pulleys 914 

Picture,  Living,  of  Wilson,  Soldiers  Form...   241 

Picture,  Panoramic,  of  Battle  Front 870 

Picture,  Soldier's,     Patriotic     Emblem     Has 

Place     for     275 

Pictures,  Keeping  Straight  on  Wall 947 

Pictures,  Magnified.    Project    oh    Screen    to 

Test    Screw    Thread    Accuracy 823 

Pier,  Stone,  Keeps  Tree  from  Falling 2 

Piers,    Concrete,    for   Bridge    Are    Hollow..   r»<;i 

Pig,   Cow  Nurses    281 

Pigeon    Loft,     Gas     Proof,    CaptAired     from 

Germans     52 

Pigeon   Ranch,  Largest,   Flood  Wipes  Out..   185 


Digitized  by 


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26 


POPULAR  MECHANICS  INDEX.  VOLUME  XXXI.  1919 


Plsreons    Bear    "S    O    8*'    Calls    of    Airmen 

Adrift  at  Sea * 572 

Pigeons  to  Aid  in  Patrolling  National  For- 
ests       832 

Piling.  Concrete.  Air  Pressure  Prepares  Mold 

for    906 

Pillar.   Porch,    Repairing   with   Cement 118 

Pilot.  Swinging  Arm.  for  Oas  Range 754 

Pilots,    French,    on    Rhine    River    Boats....  572 

Pinch  Bar.  Hand  Truck  Made  Like 282 

Pinch  Bar  Made  from  Buggy  Axle 121 

Pincushion    Resembles   Cactus   Plant 485 

Pine    Needles,    Brooms    and    Brushes    Made 

from     191 

Pine  Sticks  and  Holder  for  Burning. , 484 

Pineapple  Fiber.  Cloth  Made  from  in  China.   520 

Pins.  Push,  Novel  Uses  for 468 

Pipe.    Concrete.    Apparatus    for   Testing 489 

Pipe,  Discharge.  Used  in  Dredging.  Floated 

on    Wood    Pontoons    835 

Pipe  Ends.  Cast  Iron,  Closing  without  Plug.  124 

Pipe.    Iron.    Cast    in    Centrifugal    Molds 851 

Pipe    Line.    Falling    Truck    Caught    by....   852 
Pipe  Line,  Wood  Stave,  Floods  Put  to  Un- 
usual   Tests     808 

Pipe  Lines,   Leakage   from   Wastes   Natural 

Gas    . . . ; 332 

Pipe.  Match  Scratcher  on  Bottom  of 954 

Pipe,  Six  Foot,  for  St.  Louis  Water  Supply.  652 
Pipe,   Steel.  Posts  Made  of  Useful  in  Stock 

Rooms    302 

Pipes  Carry  Exhaust  Gasles  from  Autos  Out- 
doors        495 

Pipes.  Long  Concrete.  Cast  in  Simple  Mold.  898 
Piston,   Cup   Shaped,   for  Valveless  Motor. .   575 

Piston    Leathers    for    Qasoline    Torches 445 

Piston,  Old,  Bench  Grinder  Made  from....  113 
Piston  Pins,  Lubricating  on  V-Type  Engines  112 
Pistons,    Enlarge   by    Peening   to   Eliminate 

"Slap*'     290 

Pitch,  Mass  of  Used  as  Artillery  Mount...  ^  816 
Pitchblende   Containing   Radium   Discovered 

in    England    868 

Plane,   Bench,  Electrically  Operated 494 

Plane,    Electrically   Operated    747 

Plane,  Groove,  Made  from  Rip  Saw 289 

Plane,  Plow,  Nail  Used  as  Bit  for 460 

Planer,  Ship,  for  Beveling  Planks 861 

Plank,    Nonsag,    for    Scaffold 618 

Plant   Growth,    Removing   from    Stone 605 

Planter,  Automatic.  Attached  to  Cultivator.   834 

Planter,    Bean,    Saves    Stooping 639 

Plants,    Garden,    Straw    Hat    Protects 937 

Plants,  Growing,  Spacer  for 618 

Plaster,  Adhesive,  Use  for  Shoestring  Ends.  785 
Plaster    of   Paris    and    Pulverized    Asbestos, 

Asbestos    Cement    Made    from 115 

Plaster  of  Paris,  Stop  Cracks  with  to  Keep 

Away  Mice   953 

Plaster    Walls,    Sawing    through 295 

Plates,   Boss,    Made    in    Record   Time 554 

Platform,  Wire  Netting,  Has  Many  Uses 142 

Platinum,     American     Buyer     Brings     from 

Russia    887 

Platinum,  Geologists  Locate  in  Alaska....  249 
Platinum.  Tungsten  Used  as  Substitute  for 

Contact    Points     402 

Playground,  Entrance  of  Classic  Design  for  901 

Playground,  Sloping,  Made  Level 252 

Playgrounds   for  Children   to   Be  Memorials 

to  Soldiers  Killed  in  War 892 

Playhouse  on  Island,  Pasadena  Boy  Has....  760 

Pliers    Converted    into    Saw    Set 956 

Pliers,  Electrician's.  Insulating  Handles  for.   301 

Pliers,  Old,  Punch  Made  from 935 

Plow    for    Garden    Furrows 940 

Plow,  Garden,  Has  Two  Hinged  Shovels 842 

Plow,    Motor,    Clears    Highway    of    Snow..   678 

Plow,  Potato  Planter  Attaches   to 416 

Plows,  Pulverising  Attachment  for 559 

Plug,    Extension,    Provides    Running    Water 

for  Washing  Machine   594 

Plug,  Fuse,  Attachment  Plug  Used  as....  611 
Plug  Protects  Motors  against  Overload...,  560 
Plug,  Rubber,  Use  instead  of  Threaded  Plug 

for    Washbasin     611 

Plumb  Bob  Made  of  Sinker  and  Nail 461 

Plumbers,    Portable   Bench   for 942 

Pocketknife,   How   to   Open   Easily 953 

Polarising  Device  Reproduces  Daylight 688 

Pole,    Breasting,   Pushes   Ships   from   Burn- 
ing   Dock    698 


Pole.   Telephone,    Suspended    by   Contracted 

Wires    885 

Poles,  Concrete  Telegraph,  Made  In  Upright 

Mold    694 

Poles,  Hollow      Concrete.      Rotating      Mold 

Forms     825 

Poles,  Rotted.  Braced  to  Safeguard  Line- 
men      190 

Poles.  Telephone.   Use  Bamboo  for 267 

Poles.  Trolley.  Stripes  on  Warn  MotorisU..   688 

Police,  Aerial,  for  New  York 854 

Police.  Aerial,  for  Venice,  California 847 

Police,    Canada's    Mounted,    Reorganize    on 

Pre-war  Basis 544 

Police,    New    York.    Traveling    Restaurant 

for     813 

Police,  New  York,  Use  Wireless  Telegraphy  256 
Police,  Northwest  Mounted,  Discover  Lakes 

and   Rivers   in   Canada.. 53 

Policemen,   Handles   Brazed   to   Motorcycles 

of.  Aids  in  Lifting 843 

Polish,  Jewelry,  Use  Old  Gas  Mantles  for. .  625 
Ponds,    Artificial,    Purify    by    Draining   and 

Sunning    686 

Ponds,  Storage,  for  Flood  Water 575 

Pontoon   Hoists  for  Ship   Salvaging 437 

Pontoons,    Wood,    Discharge    Pipe    Used    in 

Dredging  Floated  on   835 

Pool,  Play  with  Gun  Instead  of  Cue 876 

Porch    Has    Evergrreen    Hedge. 750 

Porch  Pillar,   Repairing  with   Cement 118 

Port-  Japan  Plans  at  Ominato 278 

Portidre   Hanger   Eliminates   Pole 98 

Post  Hole  Digger  Made  from  Two  Shovels..   798 

Post  Offices  in  France  for  Soldiers'  Mail 105 

Post  Offices   to  Be  Information  Centers  for 

Discharged  Soldiers 419 

Post,    Trolley,    Becomes    Fountain 60 

Postal   Service,   Aerial,   in  New  Zealand 704 

Posts  for  Barb  Wire  Fence,  Railroad  Rails 

Are     89 

Posts,  Movable  Steel,  Useful  in  Stock  Rooms  302 
Potash,  Alsace,  Use  as  Ballast  for  Returning 

American   Ships    324 

Potash  Deposits.  Soldiers  in  Race  to  Win..     36 

Potato   Cooker   for  Hogs 292 

Potato    Peeler,    Motor    Driven 104 

Potato   Planter  Attaches     to  Plow 416 

Potatoes,  Baked,  Sold  in  London  Streets...  509 
Potatoes  Gathered  While  Vines  Are  Green.   778 

Potatoes,  Loosen  Boiler  Scale  with 295 

Potatoes  Saved  from  Frost  by  Smoke  Screen  492 

Potatoes,    Toy    Soldiers    Made    from ;.....   761 

Potters,    Electric    Press    Makes    "Seggars" 

for   888 

Poultry — Box  for   Shipping  Chicks  Provides 

Air     616 

Poultry — Box  for  Shipping  Baby  Chickens..  862 
Poultry,    Danish,    Meal   Made   from   Mussels 

Is    Food    for    726 

Poultry    Drinking    Water    Protector 608 

Poultry — Egg  Production  Increased  by  Elec- 
tric Light   508 

Poultry   Feeder   Keeps   Chickens'   Food  Out 

of  Hens*  Reach  114 

Poultry.  Feeding  Tray  for  Enforces  Clean- 
liness       307 

Poultry    Fountain,   Nonfreezlng    1S7 

Poultry,    Green    Food-  for.    Frame    Protects 

While    Growing     474 

Poultry    Houses,    Rat    Trap    for 926 

Poultry,   Net   for   Catching 785 

Poultry  Plucked  with  Vacuum  Machine 571 

Poultry      Raising     Taught      in      Cincinnati 

Schools    761 

Poultry    Roosts,    Labor    Saving 934 

Poultry,  Shelter  Roofs  for 778 

Powder  Magazine  Explosion  Averted 554 

Powder  Plant,  Make  Dyes  and  Chemicals  at     42 

Powder,  Talcum,  Kewpie  Dolls  Hold 789 

Power,    Electric,   Shortage   of   in   California 

Prevented  by   Consolidation    , 543 

Power  Plants,  Electric,  Sawmill  Waste  Used 

in     429 

Power    Project,    Hydroelectric,    at    Niagara 

Falls    251 

Power  Stations,  Electric,  Build  in  Morocco.   482 

Preserve  for  Wild  Fowl  in  Louisiana 407 

Press,    Drill,    with    Adjustable    Table 954 

Press,  Electric,  Makes  "Seggars"  for  Potters  888 
Press,   Filter,   for  Laboratory   Tests 918 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS  INDEX.  VOLUME  XXXI,  1919 


27 


Press.  Punch,  Keep  Punchings  from  Stlcking- 

to  Perforator  of   294 

'Presser  for  Trousers  Is  Collapsible 99 

Pressures,    Hydraulic,    Increased    by    Elec- 
trolysis     255 

Primer,  Auto,  Made  Like  Carburetor 258 

Printingr  Machine  for  Gummed  Tape 485 

Prints  and  Nesratives,  Drying  Quickly 465 

Prison,   German,   Escaping   from,   by   Alfred 

U  Fiude 276 

Prize  for  Essay  on  Workers  and  Wages..  544 
Prize   Offered   for  Aeroplane   Parachute....   598 

Prize  Offered  for  Transatlantic  Flight 194 

Prize  Offered  for  Walnut  Branding  Machine  866 
Products,    Mercantile,    Hold    Exhibition    of 

American  in  Norway   602 

Programs,    Theater,    Cleaned    and    Pressed.  852 

Projectile,  Pedestal  Lamp  Made  from 80 

Projector,    Moving    Picture,    Focusing    from 

Body   of  Theater    279 

Propaganda,  Printed.   Gas  Balloons  Release  906 

Propeller,  Aeroplane  Motor  Built  into 201 

Propeller,  Air,  for  Motor  Truck 586 

Propellers,  Aeroplane,  Aluminum  Method  of 

Waterproofing,   by   £1   T.   Bronsdon 721 

Propellers,    Aeroplane,    Automatic    Carving 

Machine    for    150 

Propellers,    Machine    for    Cutting 248 

Propellers,  Spiral,  Convert  Auto  into  Sled.  402 
Properties,   Theatrical,     Used     by     Richard 

Mansfield,  Now  in  Museum S48 

Psychology — ^Tests   Show    High   Intelligence 

of    American    Soldier    196 

Psycholoery*  Use  to  Place  Jobless  Soldiers.   714 

Pulley    Clamps    to    Frame    of   Auto 892 

Pulley,  Grooved,  Made  of  Barrel  Heads 126 

Pulley   Hole.  Reaming  with  File 139 

Pulley,  Puzzle  469 

Pulley,   Shock   Absorbing,   for   Cream  Sepa- 
rator      588 

Pump  and  Turbine  Used  for  Irrigation....  681 
Pump  for  Feed  System  of  French  Planes..  202 
Pump,  Force.  Long  Lever  Eases  Action  of..   460 

Pump,   Force,  One  Man  Sprayer  Uses 945 

Pump  Mounted  on  Auto  Cleans  Sewers  and 

Sprays    Trees     666 

Pump,    Oil,    for    Automobile    Engine 475 

Pump,  Rotary,  for  Cooling  System  of  Auto.   189 
Pump,  Screw.  Hastens  Flow  of  Heavy  Oil..   622 
Pump,  Turbine  Driven,  for  Boiler  Feed  Work  906 
Pumps,    Centrifugal   and   Screw,    Work   To- 
gether       288 

Pumps,   Waterworks',   Steam   Tractor   Oper- 
ates        388 

Punch  for  Laying  Out  Drill  Holes 299 

Punch   Made  from   Old   Pliers 935 

Punch  Press — Keep  Punchings  from  Sticking 

to   Perforator    294 

Punch   Shop,   Barrel    Tumbler   for 450 

Push  Button.  Locking  against  Interference  120 

Push  Pins.  Novel  Uses  for 468 

Pushcart  In  Cupola  of  Building 851 

Putty,  Hard,  Put  through  Meat  Grinder 141 

Puzzle,  Jig  Saw,  Helps  Child  Learn  to  Tell 

Time    281 

Puzzle,    Pulley    469 

Puzzle,  Wooden  Block  188 

<luest    of    the    Cloudland    Fleece,    The,    by 

Sophie  E.  Bedford   (Poem)    664 

Quoit    Throwers,    Nonskid    Horseshoe    for. .   874 

Rabbit  Brush,  Rubber  from,  by  J.  Cecil  Alter  848 

Rabbit   Trap    471 

Rabbits,   French   Soldiers   Raise 399 

Race,    Centipede,    Rivals   Tug   of    War 394 

Rack,  Clothes,    Made    from    Umbrella 799 

Rack,  Clothes,  Made  of  Wire  Netting 456 

Rack,  Folding,  for  Closet  Door 594 

Rack  for   Bunching   Asparagus   Made   from 

Horseshoes     458 

Rack  for   Draftsman's   Tools    118 

Rack  for     Ofllce     Papers     Takes     Place     of 

BaskeU    137 

Rack  for  Rubber  Gum  and  Fabric 122 

Rack  for    Washers    290 

Rack  in   Furnace   Door   for   Cooking 316 

RAck,  Tire,  on  Casters  for  Small  Dealers..  567 

Rack.  Tool,    Made    from    Clothespins 633 

Rack,  Towel  on  Hot  Water  Tank 476 

Rack,  Wall,  for  Kitchen  Holds  Glass  Con- 
tainers       276 


Racks,  Tool,    with    Index    Marks 756 

Radiator.  Air  Intake   for.  Resembles   Ship's 

Funnel     582 

Radiator,  Auto,  Adjustable  Cover  for 918 

Radiator,  Auto,  Prevent  Fan  from  Striking.  955 
Radiator  Cap,  Model  of  De  Haviland  Plane 

Is 837 

Radiator,   Electric.  Is   Self -Adjusting 416 

Radiator,  Sectional,  Aids  Tractor  Repairs..  324 
Radiator,  Steam,  Section  of  Is  Humidifier..   110 

Radiators,  Auto,  Safety  Valve  for 639 

Radio  Antenna,  New.  Cures  Static  Trouble..  892 
Radio  Apparatus,  Best  Known,  for  Pres- 
ident's  Ship    216 

Radio  Communication,  Static  Interference  in, 

Eliminated    230 

Radio  Compass  Stations,  Navy  Builds 834 

Radio  Outfits,  Carry  to  China  by  Aeroplane.  566 

Radio  Outfits    for   Aeroplanes    561 

Radio  Receiving    Stations,    Restrictions    on 

Removed    839 

Radio  Station,  Holland  will  Install  on  Island 

of  Java    ; .  •   550 

Radio    Talk.    Ireland-America.    May    Evolve 

World    System    from    840 

Radio  Telephone,  Carry  in  Handbag 807 

Radio  Telephone  to  Report  Forest  Fires..  641 
Radio  Telephones    Used    by    American   Air-     ^^ 

men   in    Battle    1?5 

Radio,  Use  to  Relieve  European  Cables..  373 
Radiophone.  Aerial,  for  Artllery  Adjustment  666 

Radium  Bearing  Ore  Still  Adequate 644 

Radium.   Lost.   Use   Odd   Tools   to   Find,   by 

Paul  H.  Woodruff   685 

Radium,  Pitchblende  Containing.  Discovered 

in    England    §63 

Radius   Rod   Holds   Axles   in   Alinement 599 

Raft     of     Swedish     Lumber     Makes     Long 

Journey     J27 

Rafters,   Combination   Square  for   Making. .   742 

Rail   Cutter   on   Turntable §02 

Rail    Cutter,    Portable     696 

Railroad  Administration.  Navy  Gives  Check 

for    110,000.000 ?08 

Railroad.   Amerca's   First,   in  Massachusetts  688 

Railroad.    Bagdad,    in    Poor    Condition 223 

Railroad  Bridge,  Concrete.  Built  on  Reverse 

Curve    14* 

Railroad   Car.    Steel.    Crumples    in    Collision 

with    Wooden    Car    851 

Railroad  Cars  Have  Grain  Unloading  Equip- 

ment    1»» 

Railroad  Equipment,  Standardization  of  Un- 
wise     ;••   X?5 

Railroad  Exhibit  Teaches  Forest  Protection  881 

Railroad.  New.  from  Paris  to  Athens 401 

Railroad.  Projected,  for  Northern  Canada.  919 
Railroad  Rails    Are    Posts    for    Barb    Wire 

Fence    ^?J 

Railroad  Reorganization   In  Chile    902 

Rifie  Sights,  New,  Marines  Make  High  Scores 

with     »02 

Railroad  Sleepers.  Concrete.  Are  Resilient..  641 
Railroad  Station  Overturned  by  Spruce  Logs  16 
Railroad  Station   Slides    Down    Steep   Hlll^ .   ^80 

Railroad  Switches.  Electric  Heaters  for 638 

Railroad    Ties,    Concrete,    Show    Trend    of      • 

Inventors     •  •     13 

Railroad  Track  Base.  Concrete,  without  Bal- 

last    64* 

Railroad    Train    and    Snowplow    Buried    In 

Snow     *32 

Railroad  Train  Reproduced  in  Flower  Bed . .  333 
Railroad  Train,  Rescuing  with  Capstan  and  ^ 

Cable,   by  J.   E.  Murphy 392 

Railroad  Traln^     Two     Locomotive,     Single 

Control    for     ..879 

Railroad  Trains.  Supply,  at  Front  Are  Unl- 

form    27 

Railroad  Trestle    Filled    In    to    Ease    Pas- 

sengers    v  •  ij  ••:.•••  •^- "  •   ^^* 

Railroads.  Narrow  Gauge,  for  Hauling  Farm 

Produce    In    England    536 

Rain  Proof  Clothing  for  Nurses  In  France.  110 
Rake  and  Barrel  Stave,  Lawn  Scraper  Made 

from    793 

Rake.  Snow   Scraper  Made  from 117 

Range  Finding  Sets  That  Helped  Win  War.   733 

Range.  Hotel,  with  Triple  Walls    251 

Rangers.   Forest.  Prepare  Trail  Signs 746 

Rat    Trap    for    Poultry    Houses 926 


Digitized  by 


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28 


POPULAR  MECHANICS  INDEX,  VOLUME  XXXI.  1919 


Ration    Cans,    Overstock    of    Used    to    Ship 

Cereals     599 

Rattlesnakes,       Horsehair       Rope       Guards 

agrainst     12 

Razor  Blade,   Paper   Clip  Is   Handle   for 633 

Razor  Blades,    Safety,    Handle    for 319 

Razor  Hone,    Fungus     936 

Razor   Sharpener   Attached    to    Sewing:   Ma- 
chine      ^.   953 

Reamer    for    Cleanini?    Taper    Holes 940 

Reamer,  Use  Twist  Drill  as 455 

Reamers^    Shell,    Inserting    Drive     Pins    in 

Arbors    for 619 

Reconstruction   Problems   In   France,  Amer- 
ican   Engineers    to    Study 258 

Reconstruction    Work     of    Army    Hospitals 

Permanently   Recorded    823 

Records,   Phonograph,  Folders  for 476 

Records,    Phonograph,    Uses   for 632 

Red    Cross    Blanket,    Schoolgirls    Knit 109 

Red    Cross,    British,    Benefits    by    Reuse    of 

Packing  Boxes   110 

Red  Cross,   French  Academy  Awards  Medal 

to    236 

Red   Cross,   Junk    for.   Gleaned   from   Desert 

Roads 97 

Red  Cross,    Money    for    Pinned    to    Bag    in 

Public  Square    79 

Red  Cross    Village   Built    near   Pisa,    Italy..   397 

Red  Cross  will   Fight  Disease 688 

Red  Cross  Workers,  Bandage  Cutter  for..  74 
Red  Cross  Workers  Receive  Service  Badges  682 
Bedford,  Sophie  E.: 

Quest   of   the   Cloudland   Fleece    (Poem) . .    664 

Reel.    Fishllne,    Has    New    Features 556 

Reflector    for    Trouble    Lamp    Made    of    Tin 

Can    942 

Refrigerator  Has  Shelf  Attached  to  Door..  274 
Refrigerator    Motor    Trucks'    in    Interstate 

Service 151 

Refrigerator  Underground  Keeps  Food  Cool 

without   Ice    926 

Reld,  Douglass: 

Cohort    of    the    Damned 165 

Eye   Behind   the  Lines.   The 338 

Eye  Behind  the  Lines,  The :  529 

Eye  Behind   the  Lines,  The 705 

Reindeer  Meat  Sold   In   United   States 432 

Reins,  Keep  from  Catching  on  Wagon  Pole.    613 

Relay,    Tension    Indicator    for 950 

Relics,  War,  at  National  Museum  in  Wash- 
ington        148 

Report,  Annual,  Use  Moving  Pictures  to  Pre- 

■  sent  to  Stockholders 566 

Republics,  More  in  World  Than  Monarchies  875 
Reservoir,  Oil,  Concreted  Earthen  Basin  Is.  550 
Reservoir  on  Pikes  Peak,  Diver  Works  in.  88 
Reservoirs,    Drjr^    to    Protect    Miami    Valley 

against    Floods,    by    Howard    Egbert 545 

Restaurant   on  Motor  Truck  for  New  York 

Police     813 

Restaurants,  Government  Owned  In  London  258 
Resuscitator,    Oxygen,    for    Gas    Victims....      89 

Revolution,  German,  in  Berlin 370 

Revolution,   German,   Scenes   at  Berlin  Dur- 
ing        621 

Revolver    Spitfire,    Curing    616 

Rewlnder    for    Paper    Mills 15 

Rheostat,    Chain     793 

Rheostat.    Lamp    Bank    473 

Ribbon.  Typewriter,  Needle  for  Threading. .   396 
Rifle,  Cellular  Target  for.  Scores  Automatic- 
ally        753 

Rim,   Demountable.   Locking  Device   for 215 

Rim,   Segmented,  Permits   Quick  Change   of 

Tires     •. 584 

Rings    for    Turbine     Engine    Forged    from 

Solid    Steel     758 

Rings,    Fruit    Jar,    Preserving 633 

Rings,  Gold,  Standard  System  of  Marking. .  358 
Rings,  Holder  for  Cutting  from  Tubing. . . .   614 

Rink,    Skating,    Making    in    Yard 136 

River,    Columbia,    Model    of    Aids    Plea    for 

Locks    735 

River,    Danube,    Hydroelectric    Plant    on    Is 

First    In    Austria 540 

River,  Iceland,  Power  from  to  be  Developed  325 
River,    Little    Miami,    Signs    Warn    against 

Drinking   from    812 

River,  Mississippi,  New  Bridge  over  at  Min- 
neapolis          16 


River,  MlssUsippi.  Turn  to  Save  Harbor  at 

Memphis     512 

River,  Rhine,  French  Pilots  on 572 

Rver,  Rhine,  French  Soldiers  Dip  Flag  In..  367 
River,  Rhdne,  Make  Navigable  for  Swiss. .  65 
River  Set  on  Fire  by  Burning  Oil  Tank..  567 
Rivers,  Canadian  Mounted  Police  Discover.  53 
Rivet  Heater  Invented  by  Shipyard  Foreman. 731 
Rivets,  Rose  Head,  50,000  Made  from  Dies..  380 
Road  Making  Conveyor  Has  Track  on  Top.  736 
Road,   Motor,    on    Sky   Line   of   America,   by 

J.    E.    Murphy    231 

Road,   Pershing,   to  Connect  New   York  and 

San  Francisco 694 

Road,    Plank,    across    Alkali    Desert 576 

Roads,    California,    Steam    Roller    Scarifier 

for     66 

Roads,  Desert,  Junk  Salvaged  from  for  Red 

Cross     97 

Roads,    Good,    Big    Loads    of    Cotton    Prove 

Value    of 735 

Roads,  Good,  Government  Backs  Plan  for..  684 
Roads,   Types   of   Pavement   for,    by   Harlan 

H.  Edwards    562 

Rock,  Blast  Ditch  through   to  Drain  Farm.   364 

Rod,   Connecting,    for  V-Type  Motor 378 

Rod,  Swinging   Clothes  Hanger,   for  Closet.    305 

Rods,  Hall,   Report  on  Not  Favorable 438 

Roll   of  Honor,   Detroit's,   Statue  of  Liberty 

Is   Feature   of    221 

Roll  of  Honor,  Novel,  Takes  Place  of  Service 

Flag  in  Columbus,  Ohio 410 

Roll    of    Honor    on    Brick    Wall    In    Helena. 

Montana 75 

Roller    Skates,    Make    Wear    Evenly 765 

Roof  for  Haystack   364 

Roof  Leaks,  Locate  with  Tobacco  Smoke...    951 

Roof  of  House,  Irrigation  Water  Cools 925 

Roof  Top,  Speedway  on  for  Testing  Tires.. .    873 

Roofing  Cement,  Stain  Wood  with 288 

Rope    Clamp,    Quick    Acting 938 

Rope,    Horsehair.    Guards    against    Rattle- 

Rope,  Kind'  of  Fiber  In   Detected  by  Test..    110 

Ropes,  Tent,  Loosen  at  Night 779 

Roselle    Is    Rival    of    Cranberry 418 

Row    Marker    for    Garden 763 

Rowing  Machine,  Concrete,  for  Sailors 489 

Rubber  Cement,  Repair  Tire  Valve  with..  453 
Rubber  Cement.  Use  for  Patching  Clothing.  292 
Rubber  Fly  Swatter  Made  of  Inner  Tube...  625 
Rubber  from  Rabbit  Brush,  by  J.  Cecil  Alter  848 

Rubber  Gum  and  Fabric,  Rack  for 122 

Rubber  Importations,  Harbor  for  Island  of 

Sumatra  to  Facilitate    759 

Rubber  Rings  for  Fruit  Jars,  Preserving. .  633 
Rubber  Rings,  Metallic  Packing  Held  by..  100 
Rubber  Scarcity,  German  Trucks  Show....  906 
Rubber  Sheeting.  Sheet  Metal  Backing  Helps 

in    Sawing    117 

Rubber,  Skeletonized  Heels  and   Soles  of . . .   270 

Rubber  Sole   with  Mechanical  Clamp 274 

Rubber   Stamp   Made   in  Two   Parts 478 

Rubber    Stamps    Cut    from    Squeegees 636 

Rubber  Tube  Holds  Screw  on  Screwdriver. .  139 
Rubber  Tube,  Wire  Prevents  Breaking  When' 

Bent    942 

Rudder    of    Different   Type    for   Hog    Island 

Ships   322 

Ruler,    Bolt   and   Nut.    for   Draftsmen 941 

Rusk,    Rogers  D.: 

Why   Airplanes   Fall    743 

Rust.  Rotating  Scraper  Removes  from  Iron.   739 

Safe,    Burglar    Proof    194 

Safety    Pin.    Carry    Tool    Checks    on 285 

Safety  Zone  Boundaries.  Fresh  Painted,  Pro- 
tected   by    Frames    84 

Salloiifl,  Concrete  Rowing  Machine  for 489 

Sailors'  Day  Celebration  at  Sydney,  Australia  175 
Sailors   in   Merchant   Fleet   Have   Own   Uni- 
form           676 

Sailors,  Merchant  Marine,  Sanitary  Beds  for  272 
Sailors,    "Passports"    in    Bottles    Admit    to 

Hospitals   388 

Sailors,  Shipwrecked,  Crude  Still  Saves  Lives 

of 872 

Sailors,   Training   to    "Spot"    Submarines   on 

Dry  Land    335 

Salamander,   Furnace,   Cut   by   Oxyhydrogen 
Flame 720 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS  INDEX,  VOLUME  XXXI.  1919 


29 


Salesman's  Sample  Grinding:  Machine,  Auto 

Carries   and    Demonstrates    73 

Salt  in  Whitewash  Makes  Removal  Easy. . . .   445 

Salt    Storm    Maroons    Workmen 835 

Salts  in  Battery  Cells,  Keep  from  Creeping*  616 
Salvagre  of  War  Material  Is  Enormous  Task  903 
Salvage,     Soldiers     Carry     Rearward     from 

Lines     96 

Sand  Bars  at  Fire  Island  Shift 684 

Sand  Blast  Operator,  Steel  Room  Protects..   839 

Sand,    Deep.    Starting    Auto    in 448 

Sand   Hoist   Toy,   Automatic 636 

Sand.    Phosgene    Gas    Is    Bleach    for 576 

Sand  Reefs,  Mining  Oil  from,  by  O.  J.  Grimes  87 
Sandbags,  Airmen  Stop  Runaway  Balloons.  700 
Sandbags  Substituted  for  Indian  Clubs....  85 
Sandblast,  Etching  on  Glass  or  Metal  with.  284 
Sandglass,  Three  Minute.  Measures  Tele- 
phone Toll   Calls   275 

Sandpaper  Held  on  Block  by  Tapered  Shape  121 
Sandwiches,  Vending  Machine  Dispenses..  65 
Sardines,    Thousands    of    Barrels   of   Oil    for 

Packing    442 

Saw,  Bench,  Cuts  at  Angle  on  Level  Table.  720 
Saw,  Buzz,  Glass  Plate  over  Protects  Eyes.   299 

Saw,  Circular  Electric 888 

Saw.  Circular,  on  Rollers.  Cuts  at  All  Angles  886 

Saw.   Circular,   Shop  Bell  Made  from 114 

Saw,   Easy  Method  of  Filing 466 

Saw   Handle,   Hinged    847 

Saw,    Old,    Drawknife    Made    from 319 

Saw,  Rail  Cutting,  on  Turntable 602 

Saw,  Portable,  for  Cutting  Railroad  Rails..   696 

Saw,  Power,  Chain  Links  Operator  to 699 

Saw,    Rip,    Groove    Plane    Made    from 289 

Saw,  Scroll.  Attachment  for  Aids  Children..   956 

Saw,    Scroll.   Foot   Power 472 

Saw    Set,    Pliers    Converted    into 956 

Saw    Sharpening    Clamp    937 

Saw,   Spring,   One  Man   Does   Work   of  Two 

with     184 

Saw,  Teeth  on  Back  of  for  Cutting  Nails 131 

Saw.    Worn    Out,    Sharpening 444 

Sawdust,   Stove  Burns    448 

Sawdust,  Use  in  Making  Cardboard e02 

Sawhorse.    Folding    781 

Sawmill    Waste    Used    in    Power    Plants 429 

Scaffold  Built  Like  Staircase  Used  to  Repair 

Concrete    Dome    727 

Scaffold,   Nonsag   Plank    for 618 

Scaffold,  Portable,  Made  of  Ladders 869 

Scaffolding  without  Nails    286 

Scale.    Electric,    Amperes   Needed    by   Motor 

Told    by     397 

Scale.    Platform,    Weighing   Letter   on 143 

Scale,    Pocket,    Helps    Focus    Camera 866 

Scale,   Weighing  Object   Too   Heavy   for 314 

Scale  Weighs  and  Dumps  Grain  Automatic- 
ally        249 

Scales,    Homemade    306 

Scarecrow  with  Moving  Hands 457 

Scarifier,  Steam  Roller,  for  California  Roads     66 

School.  Chinese,  in  Victoria.  B.  C 888 

School,  Farm,  in  Motor  Truck  Visits  Negroes  887 

School  for  Movie  Children 601 

School  in  Death  Valley  Housed  In  Box  Car.      66 
School,  Mining,  Conducted  14,000  Feet  Under- 
ground       817 

School,   Turbine  Engineering,   to  Train  Men 

for  Merchant  Marine 833 

School  Yard,  Sloping  Made  Level 252 

School   Year,   Three  Term,   Adopted 337 

Schoolboys,  Cooking  Class  for  in  Cincinnati  921 

Schoolgirls  Knit  Red  Cross  Blanket 109 

Schools.  Monthly  Weight  Cards  Used  in 518 

Schooner    "Sir    Francis"     Starts    on    Home 

Voyage     90 

Schroeder,  MaJ.  R.   W.: 
High  Altitude  Plane,  Flying  West,  Carried 

200  Miles  East    809 

Science  Vindicates   Farmer's   Signs 894 

Scientists,'  Army  Food  in  Care  of 89 

Scissors  with  Thimble  Holder  and  Marker..  434 
Scoop  Tears  Up  and  Loads  Car  Track  Paving  148 
Scrapbook.  100  Pound,  Holds  History  of  War  864 
Scraper  Blades,  Clamping  Block  for  Filing. .    122 

Scraper    Blades,    Handle    for 299 

Scraper   Blades.   Make   Moldings   with 316 

Scraper,  Lawn,  Made  from  Rake  and  Barrel 

Stave     793 

Scraper.  Putting  Working  Edge  on 458 


Scraper,  Rotating,  Removes  Rust  and  Paint 

from    Iron     739 

Scratcher  for  Roughening  Ice  on  Sidewalks.   748 

Scratcher.  Match,  for  Shop  Exit 786 

Screen  Door.  Renewing  Wire  on 611 

Screen,    Moving    Picture.    Soaked    to    Make 

Translucent     862 

Screen   RoHs  Up  Like  Window  Shade 275 

Screen,    Separator,    Vibrated    by    Harmonic 

Impulses    575 

Screen  Shows  Skill  of  India's  Carvers 55 

Screw   Chuck   with   Removable   Screw 617 

Screw    Eyes   Carry    Padlock 445 

Screw.   Faucet,   Recovering    781 

Screw  Pump  Hastens  Flow  of  Heavy  Oil..  622 
Screw,  Rubber  Tube  Holds  on  Screwdriver.  139 
Screw    Stand,    Surgeon's,    Used    in    Plating 

Bones    656 

Screw    Thread    Accuracy.    Project    Pictures 

to    Test     823 

Screw,    Wood,    Nonremovable    461 

Screwdriver  Attachment  Holds  Small  Screws 

While    Starting    619 

Screwdriver  Handle  Made  of  Dust  Cap  from 

Tire  Valve   122 

Screwdriver,  Making  Magnetic    459 

Screwdrivers,  Powerful.  How  to  Make 933 

Screwdrivlng  Machine  Mounted  on  Wheels..  738 
Screws.  Holding  While  Turning  or  Thread- 

ing     285 

Screws,    Rusted.    Moving    285 

Screws,    Start    in    Inacessible    Places    with 

Wooden    Stick     638 

Screws,    Steel,    Removing    from    Brass 777 

Screws,   Wall   Stud   Made   from 798 

Screws,  Wood,  Making  Hold  When  Parallel 

to   Grain    291 

Scroll   Saw   Attachment  Aids  Young  Work- 

man    ?S2 

Scroll  Saw,  Foot  Power 472 

Scrubbing,  Knee  Cushion  for   13J 

Sculptor  Models  Copper  Faces  for  Mutilated 

Soldiers,  by  Grace  Goulder 844 

Sculptbr    uses    Camera    to   Verify   Work 698 

Sculpture — Group   Commemorates    Battle    at 

Princeton,  New   Jersey    676 

Scythes,  Heroes  of  Two  Wars  Hang  in  Tree.  518 
Sea  Gulls  Follow  Tractor  Plows  for  Worms  699 
Sea  Gulls,  How  They  Betrayed  U-Boats,  by 

Lloyd    Seaman    242 

Sea  Sled   Is   Life   Saver   for   Airmen 43 

Seals,    Hunter   Lures    with    Phonograph 361 

Seaman,   Lloyd: 

Fishing  in  the  U-Boats*  Wake 242 

How    Sailors   Learned    to    "Spot"    U-Boats 

on    Dry   Land    335 

Masterpieces  of  Navy  Camouflage 217 

Seaplane,  American,  Carries  Fifty  Persons.  182 
Seaplane  Ships,  British  and  Italian  Types...   846 

Seaplanes  for  Forest  Fire  Patrols 676 

Seaport,  Atlantic,  for  Inland  European  Coun- 

tries     695 

Searchlights,    Shields    for    on    British    War- 

ships     535 

Seats,  Theater,  That  Raise  and  Lower 414 

Seaweed,    Japanese   Make   Cotton   Substitute 

from    739 

Seed  Corn,  Electric  Tester  for 843 

Seed  Corn,  Testing  for  Germination 446 

Seed  Flat  with   Removable  Sides 773 

Seed,  Germinate   in   Glass  Jar 785 

Seed.  Test  by  Placing  in  Water 618 

Seedlings  Watched  While  Growing 785 

Semaphore,  Cr$pe  on  for  Traffic  Officer 5 

Semaphores,   Soldiers  Signal  Autos  with 92 

Separator     and     Tractor     Shipment     Breaks 

Records    849 

Separator,  Oil,  Operates  by  Gravity 273 

Separator  Screen  Vibrated  by  Harmonic  Im- 
pulses       575 

Separators,   Cream,  Shock  Absorbing  Pulley 

for     583 

Sepia,  Changing  Blueprints  to  Imitation  of.    135 
Serum,    Diphtheric,    Germans    Deprive    Lille 

of    184 

Serum,  Influenza,  Send  to  Yukon  Territory.   5r)4 

Service  Badges  for  Red  Cross  Workers 682 

Service  Flag.  Roll  of  Honor  Takes  Place  of 

In  Columbus.  Ohio 410 

Setscrews.  Setting  Tightly  against  Shaft...    620 
Sewer  Caves  In  and  Engulfs  Auto 416 


Digitized  by 


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30 


POPULAR  MECHANICS  INDEX.  VOLUME  XXXI.  1919 


Sewer  Runs  above  Ground  on  Concrete  Tres- 
tle       352 

Sewers,  Lamp  Detects  Gasoline  Fumes  in..   598 
Sewlngr  Machine  Needles.  Li^ht  for  Thread- 
ing   141 

Sewlngr  Machine,  Razor  Sharpener  Attached 

to    968 

Sewing:  Machine.  Running:  Backward 768 

Shades,   Window.   Prevent  Flapping  of 465 

Shades.  Window,  Use  Two  to  Permit  Adjust- 
ment of  Llg:ht 125 

Shafting:  Hansrers.  Bench  BufTer  Made  from.  295 
Shafting:.  Making:  Tong:ue  and  Groove  Joints 

on     462 

Shafting:,  Overhead,  Oiler  for   607 

Shaper  Used  as  Hacksaw 779 

Shark  Fishers  Enjoy  Increased  Profits 246 

Sharpener,  Homemade,  for  Skates 142 

Sharpener,   Lawn   Mower 396 

Shaving,   Auxiliary  Mirror   Aids   in 795 

Shears,    Bench    289 

Sheds,    Sheep,   Two   Story   Concrete,   Denver 

Has    712 

Sheep  Driven  into  Pen  with  Aid  of  Mirror.  279 
Sheep,  Fenced  Grazing:  Lands  for,  by  Robert 

H.    Moulton    737 

Sheep,  Mop  Made  of  Pelt  of 595 

Sheep   Sheds,   Denver   Has  Two   Story   Con- 
crete       712 

Sheep,  Ship  to  California  for  Winter 482 

Sheet  Metal  Backing  Useful  in  Sawing-  As- 
bestos and  Rubber    117 

Shelf,   Folding,   Supported   by   Sliding  Bar..   141 

Shell,   Conoh,   for  Phonog:ranh  Horn 365 

Shells,  Burled,  British  to  Rid  French  Soil  of  574 
Shells,    Poison    Gas,    Dumped    into    Atlantic 

Ocean    808 

Shelter  House  Built  around  Tree  Trunk 787 

Shelter  Roofs  for  Poultry 778 

Shelters,  Thatched,  for  Park 82 

Shield  for  Feed  Bag  Prevents  Loss  of  Grain.  110 
Shield.  Glass,  over  Buzz  Saw  Protects  Eyes.  299 

Shingles,   Use  Magazines  for 968 

Ship — American  Flagship  "New  Tork,"  King 

George  and  Admiral  Beatty  Visit 205 

Ship  "Beaumont,"  Methods  Used  in  Launch- 
ing           43 

Ship — Boys  Are  Guests  on  Battleship  "New 

York"    600 

Ship,  British,  Air  Sounding  Set  on 862 

Ship  "Charles  R.  Van  Hise,*'  Turned  on  Side 

to  Pass  through  Canal   164 

Shin     "Deucalion,"     Five     Tears     Overdue, 

Makes    Port    876 

Ship  "Dornfontein,"  Charred  Hull  of  Bought 

for  Small  Sum    223 

Ship — Dreadnaught  "Idaho"  Added  to  Fleet.  801 
Ship,  Gangplank  of  Lifted  by  Steam  Winch.  808 
Ship-— Generating    Plant    on     Top    Deck    of 

Transport    804 

Ship  "George  Washington"  Has  Best  Radio 

Apparatus  Known  for  President's  Trip...  215 
Ship  "Henry  Cort,"  Use  Cofferdam  to  Raise.  67 
Shin    "Henry    Stelnbrenner"    Released    from 

Mud  Bar  by  Tug's  Screws 266 

Ship,    Hydrophones   on    Detect    Presence    of 

Enemy    Craft    677 

Ship.   Imitation  Concrete.   Is   Parade   Float.   700 
Ship  Launchlngrs.  ISnub  for  Checks  Momen- 
tum       432 

Ship   Line,    Iceland -American,   Sale    of   Ves- 
sel Ends  Plan  for 333 

Ship  "Mauretania"  Bringrs  First  Troops  from 

Europe    211 

Ship   "Mauretania."   Loaded   with   American 

Troops,  Aerial  Photo  of 483 

Ship — Mine  Layer  "Quinnebaug"   Has   Stars 

on  Flag  for  Submarines  Sunk 653 

Ship— Miniature   Ocean   Liner   Presented    to 

President  by  Greek  Miner 840 

Ship,  Miniature,  Shipbuilders  Give  Employer  361 
Ship    "Netherton,"    Buckled,    Is    Braced    for 

Voyage    78 

Ship    "Northern    Pacific,"    Rescue    Wounded 

Soldiers   from,  by   Searle  Hendee 375 

Ship,    Oil.    Copra,    and    Sand    Mixed    Up    in 

Careo    of    574 

Ship  Planer  for  Beveling  Planks   861 

Ship  Plates,  Apparatus  Bends  Cold 152 

Ship.  Putting  in  Bottle 471 

Ship— RIvetl ess  Barge  Built  In  England...  147 
Ship  Salvaging,  Pontoon  Hoists  for   487 


Ship — Schooner  "Sir  Francis"  on  Homeward 

voyage    ' 90 

Ship.    Seaplane    Carrying,    Horizontal    Fun- 
nels   on    520 

Ship,    Torpedoed.    Photographs    Show    Sink- 
ing          42 

Ship,  Torpedoed,  Towed  to  Port  Bottom  Up.     38 
Ship — Transport   "Northern   Pacific"    in   Dry 

Dock    665 

Ship,  Wooden,  Completed  in  Record  Time. .      57 

Ship.  Wooden,  Repair  with  Concrete 539 

Shipbuilders,  World's  Largest  Hotel  for 89 

Shipbuilding   in    America    Reaches    Peak    in 

1918     400 

Shipments,     Freight.     Rate     from     Buenos 

Aires   to  New   Tork 71 

Ships      Accompanying      Submarines      Carry 

Warning  Flag 840 

Ships — American     Destroyer     Covered     with 

Ice    591 

Ships — Battle    Cruisers,    Use   to    Carry   Mall 

on    365 

Ships,  Boilers  for  May  be  Commandeered...      33 
Ships,    Breasting    Pole    Pushes    Away    from 

Burning  Docks   693 

Ships,  British, -Number  Sunk  during  War...   258 
Ships — British    Warships   Have    Shields    for 

Searchlights 535 

Ships,  Camouflage  Coats  Disappearing  from  235 
Ships,  Carry  Fuel  Oil  in  Ballast  Space  of...   683 

Ships,  Change  Camouflage  System  of 571 

Ships,  Concrete  Merchant,  by  Searle  Hendee  645 
Ships,  Concrete.  Spain  Building  Largest....   150 

Ships,  Concrete,  Test  with  X-Rays 898 

Ships — Dutch    Mine    Sweepers    Scour    North 

Sea    869 

Ships — Equip  Mail  Liners  with  Aeroplanes.   410 
Ships — French  Pilots  on  Rhine  River  Steam- 
ers        572 

Ships — Great   Britain's   Sixty-Mile   an   Hour 

Warships     202 

Ships,  Hog  Island,  Rudder  of  Different  Type 

for    322 

Ships.       Merchant.       Americans       Replacing 

Aliens  in  Firerooms  of 666 

Ships,    Merchant,   Models    of   for    Toys   and 

Games     568 

Shins,  Merchant,  Observers  Report  Approach 

of     388 

Shins.     Merchant.     Training    Thousands    to 

Man     189 

Ships.  New,  for  Coast  Survey 36 

Ships,  Ocean  Going.  Equip  with  Line  Throw- 
ing Guns   731 

Ships  of  Atlantic  Fleet  Make  Speed  Test...   838 
Ships — Old  Warships  Made  into  Cargo  Car- 
riers          26 

Ships — Overseas  Fleet  Given  Ovation  on  Re- 
turn        386 

Ships— Q -Boats  Used  to  Decoy  Submarines.   423 
Ships,  Returning  American.  Use  Potash  from 

Alsace  as  Ballast  for 324 

Ships,  Seaplane.  British  and  Italian  Types. .   846 

Shins,   Steel.  Are  Nonsinkable    191 

Snips.  Toy,  Children  Construct   108 

Shins.    Wooden,    India   Builds   for  Merchant 

Marine    571 

Ships,  World's  Output  of 152 

Shipwreck — Crude  Still  Saves  Lives  of  Sail- 
ors        872 

Shipyard  Saw  on  Rollers  Cuts  at  All  Angles  886 
Shipvards'  Flags,  Stars  in  Number  Launch- 

Ings   96 

Shipyards,  Reduction  In  Accidents  at 86 

Shock  Absorber  for  Electric  Light 776 

Shoe  Heels,   Substitute   for  Rawhide.  Mallet 

Made  from   462 

Shoe  Shining,  Iron  Foot  Rest  for 639 

Shoe  Shining  Outfit   294 

Shoe    Soles    and    Heels,    Economise    Rubber 

in   Making    270 

Shoe  Soles,  Use  Copal  Varnish  on 794 

Shoe  Stores.  Stool  with  Adjustable  Rule  for.  557 

Shoes,  American.  Popular  in  China 496 

Shoes,  Wooden  Blocks  on  for  Use  on  Damp 

Floor     461 

Shoestring  Ends.  Adhesive  Plaster  Used  for  785 
Shooting   Gallery,   "German  •  Soldiers"    Used 

as  Targets  in   300 

Shops,    American    Girls    Run    on   -Autos    In 

France    372 

Shovel.  Power,  for  Motor  Truck 159 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS  INDEX.  VOLUME  XXXI.  1919 


81 


Shovel.  Snow,  Mounted  on  Fulcrum 120 

Shovels.  Post  Hole  Digger  Made  from 798 

Shovels.  Steam.  Use  to  Dig  Graves 60 

Show  Cards.  Raised  Letter :  •  ^  •,  •  ^'^ 

Shower   Bath   Outfit   for  Campers   and   Sol- 

diers **6 

Shrimps.    Dried,    Chinese    Control    Mexico's 

Trade  in 157 

Shuttle.  Elastic,  Prevents  Breakagre 850 

Sidecar.  Motorcycle.  Exhaust  Heater  for...  470 
Sights,    Rifle.    Marines    Make    High    Scores 

^ith     ^02 

Sigrn.   Adjustable  Sales    '^rVr,-  "^^^ 

Sigrn,     Bench     Attachment    Protects     While 

Painting r^"^'  ^^^ 

Sign,  Crossroads.  Advertises  Farmers*  Prod- 

ucts      >•    ..•..•. • •••  478 

Sign  forCampers  In  National  Forest.......  269 

Sign  for  Motorists  at  Cheyenne,  Wyoming.  268 

Sign,  "Free  Water."  Gets  Auto  Trade 518 

Sign  Gives  Street  Car  Routes  to  Hotels 879 

Sign  Holder  for  Glass  Store  Door 799 

Sign,  "Keep  Off  the  Grass,  Please" 754 

Sign,  "No  Admittance,"  Door  Latch  Operated 

by ^"^ 

Sign,   Transparent   Electric.    Illuminated   by 

Reflected   Light    i"^: S2! 

Sign  Warns  Motorists  to  Watch  for  Planes.  868 
Signal.  Bucxer,  Small  Transformer  for  Prac- 

tlce  Set    816 

Signal   for  Football    194 

Signal.  Hospital,  Continues  Until  Nurse  Ar- 

rives    752 

Signal  System  for  Controlling  Traffic  in  San 

Francisco    •  •  •  568 

Signal.    Warning.    Displayed    When    Brakes 

are  Applied    878 

Signaling  Device  Used  by  Italian  Alpini 410 

Signaling  Machine  Takes  Place  of  Flags...  498 
Signaling  System,  Emergency,  with  Perma- 
nent   wiring     452 

Signals,   Military,  Colored  Smoke   Used   for.  428 

Signals.    Storm.    New    System    of    Used    on 

Coast 597 

Signboard  Shows  Where  Workman  Is 128 

Signs.  American  Motor  Club  Posts  on  Mex- 
ican   Highways    727 

Signs,  Farmers',  Science  Vindicates   894 

Signs,  "Keep  to  the  Right,"  for  Los  Angeles  372 

Signs,   Trail.   Forest  Rangers  Prepare 746 

Signs  Warn  against  Drinking  Little  Miami 

Klver    Water    812 

Silhouette  Photographs   315 

Silicates  Form  Chemical  "Garden" 959 

Silver  Bars.  Magnetizing  222 

Sink,  Detachable  Guard  for 666 

Sink,  Wooden  Grating  for   472 

Sinker.  Lead,  and  Nail  Make  Plumb  Bob...  461 

Skate  Sharpener,  Homemade   142 

Skates.   Roller.  Made  Like  Tanks 400 

Skating  Rink,  Making  in  Yard 136 

Skirts,  Marker  for  Length  of 625 

Skunks.   Bird   Records   on   Phonograph   At- 
tract       644 

Skyscraper,    Acrobat    Climbs    to    Advertise 

War   Fund    86 

Skyscraper,  Concrete.  Has  Balconied  Arcade  734 

Sled.  Gasoline,  for  Alaska  Mail  Route 702 

Sled  Made  from  Barrel  Staves 189 

Sled,  Motor.  Crosses  Cascades 830 

Sled,  Motor,  for  Rural  Mall  Carrier 922 

Sled.  Motorcycle  Made  Into  758 

Sled.  Spiral  Propellers  Convert  Auto  Into..  402 

Sled,  Three  Runner  Steering 180 

Sleepers,  Concrete  Railroad,  Are  Resilient..  541 
Sludge  Pit,  Roof  on.  Guards  Balloonlsts  from 

Falling   Into    868 

Slug  Cutter  for  Composing  Room 890 

Smoke,  Clouds  of  at  Fire  Deceive  Firemen..  171 
Smoke,  Colored.  Used  for  Military  Signals.  428 
Smoke  Discharged  through  Horisontal  Fun- 
nels on  Seaplane  Carrying  Shin 520 

Smoke  Rises  Mile  High  from  Honolulu  Fire  866 

Smoke  Screen,  Potatoes  Saved  from  Frost  by  492 

Snake.  Cat  Captures    281 

Snake  Charmer.  Amateur  Displays  Skill  as.  585 

Snow.  Building  Camp  Fire  in 134 

Snow    In   Vacuum   Bottles   for  People   Who 

Never  See  It   747 

Snow.  Making  Ice  from 808 

Snow  Road.  Tractor  Pulls  Log  Train  on....  159 

Snow  Scraper  Made  from  Rake  117 


Snow  Shovel,  Lever  and  Fulcrum 120 

Snow,  Train  and  Snowplow  Buried  In 682 

Snowplow  and  Train  Burled  in  Snow 682 

Snowplow.  Motor  Driven   678  . 

Snowplow.    Motor    Driven.    Clears    Montana 

Road    189 

Snub   for  Ship  Launchings   Checks  Momen- 
tum       432 

Soapstone,  Extinguish  Gasoline  Fire  with..  606 
Socket,  Light.  Has  Range  of  12  Intensities.  594 
Sockets.    Making    for    Taper    Shank    Twist 

Drills     932 

Socks.  Knitted  Stump,  for  War  Cripples....   852 

Socks,  Preventing  Holes  In   314 

Soil,  Boys  Help  Plow  in  Record  Time 759 

Soil.  Burning  to  Release  Plant  Foods 766 

Solder  Ladle  Made  from  Alarm  Clock  Bell.  617 
Solder,  Tighten  Auto  Bearing  Races  with..   942 

Soldering  Copper  with  Jointed  Handle 988 

Soldering  Iron,  Asbestos  Hood  for... 450 

Soldering  Iron,  Electric,  Protecting  Tips  of  777 

Soldering  Iron,  Electrical,  for  Cans 572 

Soldering  Irons,   Wax  for  Electric  Fixtures 

Melted  with   256 

Soldering  Paste  Carried  on  Torch 291 

Soldering,  Repairing  Scored  Cylinders  by...   443 

Soldering  Tongs,    Electric    290 

Soldering  Tool   Heated  by   Electric  Arc  In- 
side        704 

Soldier,  American.  First  to  Reach  Germany  644 
Soldier,  American.  Tests  Show  High  Intelli- 

flrence   of    196 

Soldier  Employes.  Service  Flag  for 390 

Soldier,    Picture    of.    Patriotic   Emblem   Has 

Place   for    275 

Soldier,  Wrist  Watch  Set  for 275 

Soldiers.  Allied,  Victory  Medal  for 860 

Soldiers.  American.  Buried  In  France,  Pho- 
tographs of  Graves  Sent  to  Families 736 

Soldiers.    Australian,    Given    |3,000    to    Pur- 
chase Home  747 

Soldiers,  British,  Celebrate  Armistice 205 

Soldiers,  British,  Friction  Between,  by  E.  T. 

Bronsdon    689 

Soldiers,  Canadian.  Farms  for 12 

Soldiers.  Canadian.  In  Race  for  Potash  De- 
posits         86 

Soldiers.  Cartoons  of  on  Envelopes 576 

Soldiers.  Combination  Kit  Box  and  Writing 

Desk  for   186 

Soldiers,  Crippled  Canadian,  Form  Amputa- 
tion  Club    816 

Soldiers.  Crippled,  Knitted  Stump  Socks  for  852 
Soldiers,  Crippled.  Machine  Tests  Degree  of 

Incapacity    of    ^.   860 

Soldiers,    Disabled    British,   Learn    Diamond 

Cutting    416 

Soldiers.  Disabled.  Cloth  Woven  by  Marked 

with  Their  Names 480 

Soldiers,    Disabled,    Fifth    Liberty    Loan    to 

Aid     170 

l^oldiers.  Disabled  Italian,  Learn  Decorative 

Designing    598 

Soldiers,  Discharged.  Generous  Aid  for 220 

Soldiers,  Discharged,  Post  Offices  to  be  In- 
formation Centers  for   419 

Soldiers,  Fifty  Thousand  Naturalized  Abroad  588 
Soldiers  Form  Living  Picture  of  Wilson....   241 

Soldiers  Form  Machine  Gun  Inslgne 204 

Soldiers,  Frames  for  Photographs  of 324 

Soldiers,  France  Gives  Farms  to 698 

Soldiers.  French,  are  Given  Old  Positions...  654 
Soldiers,   French.   Bind   Foot   with  Strap   to 

Lessen    Fatigue    174 

Soldiers,  French,  Learn  to  Raise  Rabbits...  899 
Soldiers.  French,  to  Keep  Steel  Helmets....   549 

Soldiers,  Government  Insurance  for   144 

Soldiers  In  Siberia.  Winter  Clothing  for 100 

Soldiers,  Invalid,  Treated  in  Chair  Hoist...     97 

Soldiers.  Invalid,  Walking  Machine  for 254 

Soldiers,  Jobless.  Use  Psychology  to  Place.  714 
Soldiers  Lug  Salvage  Rearward  from  Lines.  96 
Soldiers  may  Teach  Farmers  How  to  Pack 

Perishable   Goods    714 

Soldiers.  Memorial  Arch  in  Buffalo  for 739 

Soldiers.  Mustering  Out  at  Training  Camps.  154 
Soldiers.   Mutilated,   Woman   Models   Copper 

Faces  for,  by  Grace  Goulder 844 

Soldiers    Not    in    Overseas    Service,    Silver 

Chevron   for 244 

Soldiers,  Pasadena,  Special  Flag  Welcomes.   396 
Soldiers.  Returned,  Monument  at  San  Fran- 
cisco Greets   519 


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32 


POPULAR  MECHANICS  INDEX.  VOLUME  XXXI,  1919 


Soldiers,  Returning,  Cheer  Statue  of  Liberty  210 

Soldiers,  Schenectady  Gives  Medals  to 919 

Soldiers,   Shower   Bath   Outfit  for 426 

Soldiers  Signal  Autos  with  Semaphores....  92 
Soldiers,   Texas  Ranchmen  Erect  Monument 

of   Stones   for    837 

Soldiers,  27th  Division,  New  York  Parade  for  890 
Soldiers,    Wounded,    Enjoy    Bathtub    Movie 

Shows   323 

Soldiers,  Wounded,  Hospital  Train  for 919 

Soldiers,  Wounded,  Rescue   from  Troopship, 

by   Searle  Hendee    375 

Sole,  Rubber,  with  Mechanical  Clamp 274 

Soles,  Shoe,  Use  Copal  Varnish  on 794 

Sorting  Machine,   Electric,    Furnishes   Farm 

Information    403 

Sound  Detector  and  Searchlight  for  Discov- 
ering Approach  of  Aeroplanes 733 

Sound  Magnifier,  Airman  Aloft  Uses  In  Mak- 
ing Speeches   829 

Sound    Ranging    Sets    That    Helped    Locate 

German   Guns    732 

Sound  Receiver  for  Anti-Alrcraft  Listening 

Post     733 

Sound,  Velocity  of  Wind  Determined  by....   756 
Sound  Waves,  Beautiful  Patterns  Made  by.   627 
Sounder,    Telegraph,   Uses  Alternating  Cur- 
rent        73 

Sounding,    Air,    Apparatus    for    on    British 

Ship    862 

Souvenir,  War,  Italian  Artist  Makes  of  Cop- 
per        762 

Soy  Bean  Cake,  Manchurlan,  Shipped  to  Eu- 
rope           60 

Spacer  for  Growing  Plants   618 

Spade  and  Hoe,  Combination 782 

Spade,  Five  Men  Operate  In  Chosen 588 

Span,  Bridge,  Ferried  Across  River 703 

Spark  Plug,  Lighter  for  Welding  Torch  Made 

from    453 

Speaking  Tube,  Street  Flusher  Has 877 

Spectacles,   Clip  Prevents  Losing 799 

Spectacles  Made  of  Cardboard   639 

Speeches,      Crowd      Hears      Airman      Make 

through  Voice  Magnifier 829 

Speedway  on  Roof  Top  for  Testing  Tires...   873 

Spinner   Bait  Made   from  Clothespin 957 

Sponge,  Rubber,  Clean  Wall  Paper  with 938 

Spool,    Call    Button   Made   from 954 

Spools,  Washboard  Made  of   134 

Sprayer  and  Whltewasher.  Portable 757 

Sprayer,   One  Man.  Uses  Force  Pump 945 

Spreader,   Straw,   Operates   Automatically...   569 

Spring,  Bed,  Hinged  to  Rear  of  Auto "238 

Spring,  Concealed,  Does  Work  of  Foot  Mus- 
cles         421 

Springs,     Auto.     Adjustable     to     Weight     of 

Load    348 

Springs,     Auto     Clutch,     Compressing     with 

Woodworkers*    Clamp    128 

Springs,   Cushion,  for  Crutches    908 

Springs  on  Tire  Chains  Prevent  Flapping..    895 

Sprinkler,    Clothes    755 

Sprinkler,  Lawn.  Use  in  Curing  Concrete..  473 
Spruce  Machinery  Assembled  for  Disposal..  536 
Spy,  German,   Uses  Steam  Hammer  to   Send 

Message 380 

Square,  Carpenter's,  Use  as  Level 939 

Square,  Combination,  for  Cutting  Rafters. . .   742 

Square,  Folding,  for  Carpenters    843 

Square.  Handsaw  Fitted  for  Use  as 115 

Square,  New  York,  Named  for  Pershing 226 

Squares,    Carpenters',    Hardware    Store    Has 

Special    Drawer   for    »^ .    447 

Squeegees.   Rubber  Stamp  Cut  from    636 

Squirrel,    Baby.    Takes    Milk    from    Nursing 

Bottle     109 

Stack.    Grain,  Roof  for    364 

Stadium,   Pershing,   Given   to   France. 888 

Staging,     Portable,     for     Moving     Concrete 

Forms     255 

Stairway,    Disappearing    293 

Stairway.  Giant,  to  Base  of  Shoshone  Falls.   867 

Stairwav.  Knob  on  Aids  Blind 766 

Stamn   Booths,   War   Savings.   Have  Liberty 

Bells     374 

Stamp,  Inspector's.   Built  Into  Hammer 455 

Stamp.  Pubher.  Made  In  Two  Parts 478 

Stamps    Made    from    Linoleum 305 

Stamps.  Rubber.  Cut  from  Saueegees   636 

Stamps,  Thrift  and  W^ar  Savings,  Facilitate 
Saving    97 


Stand,  Copper,  Is  War  Souvenir   762 

Stand,  Portable,  for  Fruit  Packers 426 

Standards   for   Export   Trade,  Japanese   Es- 
tablish          41 

Staple   Prevents   Manipulation  of  Lock 460 

Starter,  Compressed  Air,  for  Auto 175 

Starter  for  Heavy  Duty  Motor  Utilises  Car- 

buretion  Principle   348 

Stateroom.  Getting  Fresh  Air  into 134 

Static  Trouble,  Radio  Antenna  Cures 892 

Station,     Railroad,     Overturned     by     Spruce 

Logs    16 

Stations,  Radio  Compass,  Navy  Builds 834 

Statue,    Bronze,    of    Charles    H.    Noyes    and 

Horse    806 

Statue,  Gold,  Rome  Presents  to  Mrs.  Wilson.  586 
Statue  of  Bolivar  to  be  Erected  In  New  York  24 
Statue  of  Liberty,  Aerial  Photograph  of....   395 

Statue  of  Liberty,  Bordeaux  Has 421 

Statue    of   Liberty    Is    Feature   of    Detroit's 

Roll  of  Honor   221 

Statue  of  Liberty,  Returning  Soldiers  Cheer  210 
Statue  of  Lincoln,  Boy  Whittles  from  Wood  921 
Statue  of  Lincoln.  St.  Gaudens',  for  London.   587 
Statues,  French,  Hun  Helmets  Adorn  Sand- 
bag Protection  on  271 

Staves,  Concrete,  Gas  Producer's  Outer  Shell 

Made  of 266 

Steam,  Downfiow   of  In  Gasworks  Quickens 

Production    897 

Steam    Effects    for    Moving    Pictures,    Port- 
able  Plant  Supplies    644 

Steam,  Exhaust,  Launder  Mechanic's  Clothes 

with    297 

Steam  Plant,  Economize  in  Handling  of  Ex- 
haust   Steam    862 

Steam,  Remove  Wall  Paper  with   449 

Steam  Whistle  Made  from  Pipe  Fittings 297 

Steel    Fragments    in   Wounds,   Vibrator   Lo- 
cates       549 

Steel,    Low    Temperature    Process    of    Rust- 
proofing    379 

Steel,    New.    Tools    Cast    from    Need    Little 

Machining    863 

Steel  Plant,  Build  in  Manchuria 53 

Steel  Plate,  Hand  Tool  Cuts  Holes  through.  728 
Steel  Room  Protects  Sand  Blast  Operator. .   839 

Steel  Shelves  for  Fireproof  Houses 813 

Steel.     Solid,     Rings    for    Turbine     Engines 

Forged  from    758 

Steel,   Thin,  Hardening  Without  Warping..   458 

Steel  Truss  Factory  Sent  to  Italy 740 

Steering  Wheel,  Electric  Hand  Warmer  for.  800 

Stepladder  and  Hand  Truck  Combined 279 

Steps,  Nonsllpplng  Tread  for   916 

Stereopticon,  Carrying  Case  for   394 

Stereoptlcon  Has  Automatic  Slide  Projector.  698 
Stereopticon  Uses  "Slides"  Made  on  Moving 

Picture  Films   740 

Stereoscope,   Deadliest  Weapon  of  the  War, 

by  Douglass  Reld    529 

Stick,  Slotted,  Used  for  Bundle  Carrier 595 

Stickers,  Gummed,  How  to  Make   954 

Still,    Crude,    Saves    Lives    of    Shipwrecked        ♦ 

Sailors    872 

Stilts,   12-Foot,  Boy  Uses   441 

Stock    Feed,    Manchurlan    Soy    Bean    Cake 

Used    for    60 

Stock,     Live,     Saved     by     Weather     Bureau 

Warnings    407 

Stock  Rooms,  Movable  Steel  Posts  Useful  in  302 

Stoker,  Automatic,  Is   Self-Cleaning   592 

Stone,  Removing  Plant  Growth  from 605 

Stones,  Heavy.  Moving  Into  Place  on  Wall.    113 

Stool  Made  of  Scraps  of  Lumber 958 

Stool,   Portable   Folding    319 

Stool,  with  Adjustable  Rule  for  Shoe  Stores  557 
Store,    Department,    Establishes    Branch    at 

Munitions    Plant    77 

Store,  Model,   Lumber  Sold   In IdD 

Storm,  Salt,  Maroons  Workmen 835 

Storm  Signals,  New  System  of  Used  on  Coast  697 

Storm,  Terrific,  on  Hawaiian  Islands 197 

Stove,   Clean  Out  with  Hose 634 

Stove,   Electric,   Submarine  Galley  Has 396 

Stove,  Gas,  Sheet  Iron  Plate  for  Saves  Fuel.  800 
Stove,  Hard  Coal,  Device  Fits  to  Burn  Soft 

Coal     598 

Stove,  Inverted  Kettle  in  Saves  Heat 285 

Stove,  Oil  Lamp  Made  into   318 

Stove,  Sheet  Iron,  Burns  Sawdust 448 

Stove,  Stump,  for  Clearing  Land   41 


Digitized  by 


Google 


POPULJLR  MECHANICS  INDEX,  VOLUME  XXXI.  1919 


S3 


Stovepipe  Makes  Btrd  House  Cat-Proof....  638 

Stoves,  Truck  for  MovinK 286 

Straiffhtedgre  and  Trlan^e,   Use   Instead   of 

T-Square    449 

Straw  Spreader  Operates  Automatically....  569 
Street  Car  Routes  to  Hotels,  Sisn  Gives....  879 
Street    Car    Tanks,    Air    Compressor    Made 

from    248 

Street  Flusher,   Speaking  Tube  for 877 

Street,    Ornamental    Hedges    Where    Width 

Changres     268 

Street  Railway  Crane  Unloads  Cars  of  Dirt  235 

Stretcher  Divides  in  Half  Liengrthwise 145 

Stretcher,  One  Man,  Has  Spring  Suspension  268 

Strings,  Mop  Made  from 308 

Stud,  Wall,  Made  from  Two  Screws 798 

Studio  Built  from  Driftwood    863 

Stump,  Seat  with  Pergola  Top  Made  from.  750 

Stump  Stove  for  Clearing  Land   41 

Submarine    Chasers,    Arrow    Indicators    on 

Spotted   U- Boats .* 828 

Submarine,  Cramped  Sleeping  Quarters  on.  151 
Submarine,    Dirigible    Descending    to    Talk 

with  Commander  of   590 

Submarine  Fighter,  The,  by  E.  T.  Bronsdon       6 

Submarine,  French    569 

Submarine  Galley   Has   Electric  Stove 396 

Submarine  Nest  Revealed  by  Amateur  Snap- 
shot        422 

Submarine  on  Marine  Railway    590 

Submarine   Patrol,   Boats  Used   in  Returned 

to    Owners     158 

Submarine    Photographs.    Taking    with    an 

Ordinary  Camera  628 

Submarines,  Q-Boats  Used  to  Decoy 423 

Submarine,  Silver,  Is  Tea  Ball 874 

Submarine  Spotting  from  the  Air,  by  Henry 

A.    Bruno    28 

Submarine  Targets  Used  by  American  Gun- 
ners      173 

Submarines,  American,  In  Winter  Ice 590 

Submarines  Beaten  by  T-Gun  and  "Ash  Can"  328 
Submarines,  English,  Bigger  Than  German.  506 
Submarines,   German,   Sea  Gulls  Betray,   by 

Lloyd    Seaman    242  . 

Submarines,      Ships      Accompanying      Carry 

Warning    Flags    840 

Submarines  Sunk,  Flag  Has  Stars  on  for. . ,  653 
Submarines,   Training   Sailors   to    "Spot"    on 

Dry   Land    835 

Subway,  New  York,  Special  Cars  for 897 

Sugar    Bin.    Timesaving    612 

Sugar.  Making  Glycerin  from   201 

Sulphur  as   a   Cement    633 

Sulphur  in  Coal  Mines,  Recovering 85 

Sulphur  Taper  for  Testing  Ammonia  Leaks.  606 
Surgeons,  "Anchored,"  Operate  in   Storm  at 

Sea    702 

Surgeon's  Screw  Stand  for  Plating  Bones...   556 

Surgery,  "Canned"  Blood  Now  Used  in 758 

Surgery,     Front     Line,     Became     Automatic 

Routine     145 

Surgery — Iodine  Used   in  Operations   is   Re- 
covered and  Used  Again 848 

Surgery — Lungs  Cleaned  and  Repaired 22 

Surgery — Marvelous    Operations    Performed 

during  War,  bv  Lewis  T.  Jester 658 

Surgery — Red  Light  Aids  in  X-Ray  Opera- 
tion       570 

Surges,  Electric.  Devices  Protect  against. .  522 
Surveyor's       Instruments — Drying       Lenses 

Properly     298 

Surveyor's   Level,    Carpenter's   Takes    Place 

of    620 

Swamp    Land,    Amount    That    can    be    Re- 
claimed        865 

Swimmers.  Optical  Illusion  Is  Menace  to...   582 

Switch,  End  Cell.  Remote  Control  for 614 

Switch,  Multiple.  Designed  as  Keyless  Auto 

Lock    541 

Switch,  Pedal^  for  Emery  Wheel  Motors 128 

Switch,  Pendant,  for  Electric  Light 479 

Switchboard.      Automatic,      for      Generating 

Plant  on  Top  Deck  of  Transport 804 

Switchboard,  Simple,  Cartridges  Make 785 

Switches,   Railroad,   Electric  Heaters   for...   538 

Switches.  Snap,  Guard  for   619 

Sword,     Japanese,     Presented    to     President 

Wilson   86 

Syringe,  Twenty  Shot  Hypodermic    147 

Table  and  Bench,  Combination 935 


Table,  Invalid's,  Rests  on  Bed 457 

Table,  Kitchen.  Hinged  to  Wall 461 

Table,  Laundry,  with  Folding  Clothes  Rack 

and  Ironing  Board   434 

Table  Leg  Adjuster   617 

Table,      Revolving,      for      Assembling      and 

Welding     240 

Tablet  on  Church  Wall  Takes  Place  of  Serv- 
ice  Flag    62 

Tacks  Driven  into  Ironing  Board  Form  Iron 

Rest     141 

Tacks,  Thumb,  Tool  for  Sharpening 777 

Tacks  with  Rubber  Heads,   Use  for  Electric 

Instrument    Insulators    768 

Tallow.  Use  for  Oil  in  Driving  Drift  Pins..   469 

Tamping  Clay,   Brick  Machine  Shapes 913 

Tank,    Baby,    with    Two    Engines    Steers    by 

Shifting   Gears    912 

Tank,  Concrete,  Auto  Plunges  Into 432 

Tank   Corps   Members.   Organization   for....   380 

Tank,   Electroplating,   for   Small   Shop 603 

Tank,  French  Baby,  Used  as  Farm  Tractor.   726 

Tank,   French  "Char  d'Assaut"    369 

Tank,     French,     Pulls     Barges     on     Marne 

Canal     i63 

Tank,  Handbag  Is  Shaped  Like 595 

Tank,   Hot  Water,   Towel   Rack  on 476 

Tank,  Hot  Water,  Wrap  with  Asbestos  Pa- 
per to  Keep  Contents  Hot 782 

Tank,  Imitation,   for  Use  in   Parades 131 

Tank,   Million    Gallon   Molasses,    Explodes..   363 

Tank,   Portable,   for  Irrigating  Fields 384 

Tank,  Toy,  Has  Gun 920 

Tank  Truck  Carries  Soft  Drinks 868 

Tank,  War,   Tries  Trip  \ip  Pikes  Peak 839 

Tanks,  British  Order  4n  This  Country  to  be 

Used  as  Farm  Tractors    227 

Tanks  Carrying  "Mats"   to  Use  on  Slippery 

Roads 51 

Tanks.    French    Baby,    Pull    Trucks    Out    of 

^Mud     720 

Tanks,    Germans    Try    to    Stop    with    Steel 

Cables     726 

Tanks,  Oil,  Floated  to  New  Position!...".!;;    853 

Tanks,  Oil,  Hauled  by  Trucks 719 

Tanks,  Oil   Pumped   to  Steamer  from 222 

Tanks,  Roller  Skates  Made  Like 400 

Tanks.   Small   American    369 

Tanks,  Tractor  Hauls  in  Army  Drive 372 

Tanks,  Water  Softening,  Concrete  Used  for.   878 
Tap,  Trolley  Wire,  Permits  Street  Car  Traf- 
fic       572 

Tape,  Gummed,  Machine  Prints  as  Used 485 

Tape,    Old    Electricians',    Renewing 120 

Taper,  Sulphur,  for  Testing  Ammonia  Leaks  606 
Tapestry,    Gobelin.    France   Gives    to    Phila- 
delphia       90 

Target,   Cellular,   Scores  Automatically    ; ! ; ;   753 
Target,  Triangulation,  Geodetic  Survey  Im- 
provises       244 

Targets,  Lead  "German  Soldiers"  Used  as . .   300 
Targets,  U-Boat,  Used  by  American  Gunners  173 
Tax  on  Cattle  to  be  Used  to  Eradicate  Coy- 
otes and  Wolves   361 

Tea  Ball,  Silver  Submarine  Is   874 

Telegraph   Instrument,   Practice    .* . .   140 

Telegraph  Poles,  Concrete,  Made  in  Upright 

Mold    694 

Telegraph  Sounder  Uses  Alternating  Current     73 
Telegraphy,  Wireless,  New  York  Police  Use  256 

Telephone  Apparatus  for  Airmen   337 

Telephone,    Brazilian,    Three    Conversations 

at  One  Time  on   676 

Telephone  Cord  Adjuster   937 

Telephone.  Desk,  Blotter  on  Bottom  of 615 

Telephone    Exchange,    Portable,    for    Emer- 
gency   Use    ; 225 

Telephone,    German   Trench,   Has   Telegraph 

Button    874 

Telephone  Line  for  Use  in  the  Woods 794 

Telephone,   Office,   Talk  Through  to  Airman 

Aloft    589 

Telephone    Pole    Suspended    by    Contracted 

Wires    385 

Telephone  Poles.  Use  Bamboo  for 267- 

Telephone,  Radio,  for  Artillery  Adjustment.  666 

Telephone.   Radio.  Is  Portable    807 

Telephone.  Radio.  May  Establish  World  Sys- 
tem         840 

Telephone   Receiver,  Holder  for    642 

Telephone  Service,  Hotel.  Overcharge  Ends.   279 


Digitized  by 


Google 


34 


POPULJUl  MECHANICS  INDBIX,  VOLUMIQ  XXXI.  1M» 


Telephone   Toll   Call^   Three  Minute   Sand- 

Klass   Measures    276 

Telephone,   Underground,   for  Montevideo...   194 

Telephone,   Wire  and   Wireless.   Linked 684 

Telephone   Wires,   Invention   Multiplies   Ca- 

Sacity    of    J26 
ephones  Are  at  a  Premium  in  Japan....   724 
Telephones.    Radio,   American   Airmen   Used 

in  Battle   1»5 

Telephones.  Radio,  to  Report  Forest  Fires.  641 
Telephones   Serve   as  Dictaphones   in  Movie 

Theater    287 

Telford,  Fred: 

Glacier  Climbing:  at  Home 412 

Temperature.   Testing:  Device   Produces  Pe- 
riodical Variation  of   409 

Templates   for   Irregrular   Castingrs   Made   of 

Babbitt  Metal    767 

Temple,  Buddhist,  on  American  Soil 26 

Tennis  Court,  LAvin?  Out   788 

Tennis  Rackets,  Old,  Use  as  Carpet  Beaters  624 

Tension  Indicator  for  Relay 960 

Tents,    Circus,    Shelter    Feed    Dealer's   Sup- 
plies         8J 

Tents,  Lfoosen  Ropes  on  at  Night 779 

Tents,  Prevent  Sparks  from  Setting  Fire  to.  681 
Tents  Mounted  on  Skids  Used  in  Road  Con- 
struction  Work    416 

Tents    Used   as    Orchard   Covering,    Repair- 
ing    827 

Terminals,  Igrnition,  Formed  by  Soldering. .  473 

Tester,    Breath    792 

Tester,  Grain,  Device  for  FlUingr  Uniformly  284 
Tests,  Mentality,  Show  High  Intelligence  of 

American   Soldier    196 

Textiles,  Government  Bulletin  on   863 

Thaler,  New,  Italy  Coins  in  Antique  Press.   889 

Theater  Chairs  That  Raise  and  Lower 414 

Theater  Programs  Cleaned  and  Pressed....  862 

Thermometer,   Fever,   Shaking  Down 308 

Thermometer   for   Oven    914 

Thermometer  Mounted   on   Auto 474 

Thermometer,  Novel,  for  the  Blind 644 

Thermometer,  Registering,  and  Clock  Com- 
bined       176 

Thermometers  Help  Save  Coal  in  Plant. ...  114 
Thimble  Holder,  Scissors  Supplied  with. . . .  434 
Thousandth  of  an  Inch,  The,  by  Thos.  A.  Mc- 

Mahon   (Poem)    299 

Thread  Holder    916 

Thumb  Tacks,  Tool  for  Sharpening 777 

Tick,  Cattle,  Southern  States  Eradicate....  216 
Tickets,  London  Bus.  New  System  Saves  Pa- 
per       149 

Tides,   Voltage   of   Earth  Currents   Affected 

by 896 

Ties,  Concrete,  Show  Trend  of  Inventors....     13 

Tile,  Hollow,  for  Walls 675 

Tile  Workers,  Knee  Guards  for 622 

Time.   Detroit   Adopts   Eastern   In   Place   of 

Central    64 

Time,  One,  Astronomer  Advocates  for  United 

States   886 

Time  Zones  Established  by  Law 643 

Timers.  Auto,  Chuck  Holds  for  Reflnishing.  126 
Tin  Foil,  Use  in  Place  of  Rubber  Gaskets. .   302 

Tire,  Auto,  Is  Punctureless 699 

Tire   Beads,   Tool  for   Spreading  Apart 621 

Tire  Chains,  Springs  on  Prevent  Flapping. .  893 
Tire  Fabrics  and  Repair  Gums,  Thaw  before 

Using    464 

Tire  Gauge,  Vest  Pocket 620 

Tire  Manufactories,  Employ  Deaf -Mutes  in.  399 
Tire  Rack  on  Casters  for  Small  Dealers....  667 

Tire  Repair  Shop,  Army  Auto  Trailer  Is 396 

Tire   Valve   Dust   Cap,   Screwdriver   Handle 

Made  from   122 

Tire  Valve.  Repair  with  Rubber  Cement 468 

Tires,  Segmented  Rim  Permits  Quick  Change 

_of    684 

Tires,  Speedway  on  Roof  for  Testing 878 

Tires,   Tractor,    Equip   with   Extensfons   for 

Soft   Soil    874 

Tires,     Wagon     Wheel,     Form     Ornamental 

Arch    466 

Tobacco  Pouch  for  Soldiers  and  Sailors....  98 
Tobacco  Smoke,  Locate  Roof  Leaks  with..  951 
Todd,  Stanley  W.: 

Giant    Navy    Railway    Batteries    Used    In 

France  684 

Tombstone.  Homemade  Concrete 299 

Tongs.   Electric   Soldering 290 


Tool   Box  for   Ordnance   DeiimrtmMit  Trac- 
tors     822 

Tool  Checks,  Carry  on  Safety  Pin 285 

Tool  Chest  Tray,  Rises  When  Lid  is  Opened  296 

Tool  Drawer,   Portable    300 

Tool  for  Lifting  Rocker  Arms  on  Overhead 

Valve   Engines    124 

Tool  Grinding,  Piece  of  Glass  Is  Useful  in. .  118 

Tool   Racks  with   Index  Marks 766 

Tool  Record  File  for  Shops 36 

Tools,  Electrician's,  Insulating  Handles  for. .   801 
Tools,  Need  of  at  Tuskegee  Institute  on  Ac- 
count of  Fire   22 

Tools,  Wire  Loop  on  Belt  for  Carrying 814 

Torch,  Gasoline,  Piston  Leathers  for 445 

Torch,  Hydrogen,  Detects  Gasoline  Fumes  in 

Sewers    698 

Torch,   Soldering,   Paste  Carried  on 291 

Torch,    Welding,    Lighter    for    Made    from 

Spark   Plug 458 

Torpedo,  Brttlsh  Aeroplane  Carries 860 

Torpedo,  Greatest,  Has  20-Mile  Range 282 

Torpedo  Made  Like  Small  Aeroplane 841 

Totem  Pole  Carved  from  Tree 761 

Towel  Rack  on  Hot  Water  Tank 478 

Tower,  Eiffel,  Made  with  Scroll  Saw 668 

Tower,  Eiffel,-  Parrots  in  Warn  of  Approach 

of  Enemy  Aeroplanes 838 

Tower,  High,  Girl  Falls  from 802 

Towers,  Anchor,  Carry  Six  Three-Phase  Cir- 
cuits Across  River 68 

Town,    American    Red    Cross     Builds    Near 

Pisa.   Italy    887 

Toy  Air  Cannon 467 

Toy  Motor 780 

Toy,  Sand  Hoist 688 

Toy,  Trench  Digger  681 

Toys,  School  Children  in  Cincinnati  Blake. .   440 

Track  Base,  Concrete,  without  Ballast 649 

Track,  Truck  Testing,  at  Detroit  Plant 187 

Tractor    and    Harve&ter    Operated    by    Two 

Men 411 

Tractor  and  Separator  Shipment  Breaks  Rec- 
ords       848 

tractor.  Artillery,  Testing  on  Rough  Ground  383 
Tractor,  British  Military,  Has  Cargo  Space.  758 
Tractor  Built  Like  Truck  Has  Pressed  Steel 

Treads    840 

Tractor,  Creeper  Tread.  Makes  Long  Trip..  407 
Tractor.   Creeper   Tread,   Pulls  Trailer   over 

Marsh  and  Mud   347 

Tractor,  Double  Reduction  Principle  Used  on  652 
Tractor  Driving,  Classes  for  in  California.  851 
Tractor,  Electric,  with  Trailer,  Used  in  Hos- 
pital       89S 

Tractor,    Equip   Tires   with   Extensions   for 

Soft  Soil   374 

Tractor    ExhibilL    Special    Building    for....   865 
Tractor,  Farm,  Carry  on  Truck  to  Demon- 
strate       639 

Tractor,  Farm,  Has  Broad  Driving  Drum..  415 
Tractor,  Farm,  Plunges  through  Bridge....  15 
Tractor.  Farm,  Raised  by  Its  Own  Power..  522 
Tractor,  Farm,  Use  French  Baby  Tank  as  726 
Tratstor,   Farm,  with   Creeper  Treads,  Made 

from  Auto    427 

Tractor,    Field,    Tows    Aeroplane 60 

Tractor.  Mill  Furnishes  to  Haul  Alfalfa  for 

Farmers 88 

Tractor,    One    Wheel,    Makes    Right    Angle 

Turns    442 

Tractor  Pulls  Log  Train  on  Snow  Road....  169 
Tractor,  Sectional  Radiator  for  Aids  Repairs  824 
Tractor,       Steam,       Operates      Waterworks 

Pumps    888 

Tractor,  Three  Wheel,  for  Farm  Use 264 

Tractor,  Use  Motorcycle  as,  for  Plowing....   902 

Tractors   Haul    Tanks    In   Army   Drive 872 

Tractors,  Industrial,  Use  Motorcycles  as. . . .  84 
Tractors,    Ordnance    Department,    Compact 

Tool    Box    for     328 

Tracy,  Brandon: 

Better    Packages     and     How     the     War 

Brought    Them    Out    825 

Campaign  of  the  Caves ^68 

New  Camouflage  Art.  A 868 

Trade,  After  War,  Australia  Seeks  American  249 

Trade-Mark  for  Swiss  ExporU,  "S.  P.  B.  a- 

Is   729 

Trade-Mark— "Made    in    the    U.    S.    A-"    for 
American  Made  Goods    85 


Digitized  by 


Google 


POPULJ^R  MBCHANICS  INDEX,  YOJAJMB  XXXI,  1919 


35 


Traffic,    Signal    System    for    Controllingr    In 

San     Francisco    668 

Trailer  and  Electric  Tractor,   Use  in  Hos- 
pital      898 

Trailer,  Auto,  for  Cattle  Carries  Hay 768 

Trailer,  Auto,  Is  Tire  Repair  Shop 395 

Trailer,  Spring.  An ti -Aircraft  Guns  Carried 

on    380 

Train  and  Snowplow  Buried  in  Snow 682 

Train,    Hospital    for    Wounded    Soldiers....  919 
Train  is  Wreicked  When  Holland  Dikb  Col- 
lapses   695 

Trains.  Supply,  at  Front  Are  Uniform 27 

Transformer,  Small,  for  Buzzer  Signal  Prac- 
tice Set  816 

Transplanter   for   Garden    763 

Trap,    Electrical,    for    Flies 945 

Trap  for  Catching  Muskrats  Alive 465 

Trap    for    Rabbits    471 

Traps,  Mouse,  Make  of  Bowls  and  Tumblers  310 

Traps,  Mouse,  Renewing   614 

Travel,   Methods  of  in   Philippines 717 

Travel,  Primitive  Methods  of  In  India 481 

Tray,    Electrically    Heated    914 

Tray,   Invalid's.   Rests   on   Bed 457 

Tray,  Pen,  Made  of  Blotting  Paper 308 

Tread,   Nonslipping,   for  Steps 916 

Tree,  Apple,  Cage  and  Burglar  Alarm  for. .  894 

Tree.  Boys  Have  Clubhouse  in 109 

Tree,  Hollow,  Hang  Announcements   in....  750 

Tree,  Large,  Moving   448 

Tree    Limb,    Bracing    ' 790 

Tree,    Roots   of   Protected   by   Boxes   Filled 

with  Earth 751 

Tree,    "Scythe,"    at    Waterloo,    New    York..  518 

Tree,  Stone  Pier  Keeps  from  Falling 2 

Tree,   Totem   Pole  Carved  from 751 

Tree  Trunk,   Shelter  House   Built  around..  787 

Trees.  Dwarf.  Grown  by  Japanese 836 

Trees,   Evergreen,  Big  Shipment  of  for  De- 
pleted  Forests    838 

Trees.   Norway   Furnishes   for   French   For- 
ests      628 

Trees,  Special  Protection  for  in  New  Tork..  588 

Trellis  Made  of  Twisted  Wire 950 

Trench  Digger  Toy 631 

Trestle,  River.  Filled  In  to  Ease  Passengers  557 
Triangle,    Celluloid.    Is    Watch    Charm    for 

Draftsman    686 

Triangle,  Draftsman's,  Improving  the 295 

Triangle,  Draftsman's,  with  Raised  Feet 454 

Trick  Breath  Tester    792 

Tripod  for  Small  Cameras 638 

Trolley   Car,   Trackless,   Use   in   New    Eng- 
land       834 

Trolley   Pole.  Stripes  on   Warn  Motorists..   688 
Trolley    Wire    for    Blind    Men    at    Soldiers' 

Home 654 

Trolley  Wire  Tap  Permits  Car  Traffic 572 

Trough,    Water,    Keepinjg    from    Freezing. .  112, 

Trousers    Presser,    Collapsible    99 

Trowel,    Garden,    One    Piece 957 

Truck,  Air  Propeller   and   Motor   Drive. «..  586 
Truck  and  Trailer  Train,  Air  Brakes  for..  504 

Truck,    Auto.    Is    Traveling    Billboard 92 

Truck,    British,    Burns    Coke 654 

Truck,  Carry  Tractor  on  to  Demonstrate..  539 

Truck,  Crane  Hoist  Mounted  on 273 

Truck,  Crane  on  Rear  of 456 

Truck,  Falling,  Caught  by  Pipe  Line 852 

Truck,  Fifth  Wheel  under  Is  Turntable. ...   156 

Truck,    Fire.    Rescue    Cage    on 803 

Truck    for    Carrying   Aeroplanes 439 

Truck  for  Curing  Hay 904 

Truck  for  Moving  Stoves 286 

Truck,  Hand  and  Auto,  Haul  Lumber  with.   452 

Truck,  Hand,  and  Stepladder  Combined 279 

Truck,    Hand,   Made   Like    Pinch    Bar 282 

Truck,    Haul    14    Tons    of    Iron    on    across 

Desert     728 

Truck  Hoist,  Hand  Operated 682 

Truck  Is  Traveling  Commissary  at  Factory.  494 

Truck    Line    Operated    by    Farmers 850 

Truck.  Loading,  for  Auto  Chassis 127 

Truck,    Motor,    Equipped    as    Employment 

Office 54 

Truck,  Motor,  Equipped  for  Testing  Cream  587 

Truck,  Motor,  Equipped  with  Winch 684 

Truck,  Motor,  Farm  School  for  Negroes  In.  887 
Truck,  Motor,  Meter  Tells  Load  Carried  by.  762 

Truck,   Motor,    Power   Shovel   for 169 

Track,    Motor,    Used    as   Locomotive 742 


Truck,  Municipal,  with  Pumping  Apparatus 

Serves   Many    Purposes    666 

Truck.  100  Foot  Bridge  Span  Hauled  by..  865 
Truck.  Refrigerator,  in  Interstate  Service..  151 
Truck.  Restaurant  on  for  New  York  Police.  813 

Truck,   Tank.   Carries   Soft  Drinks 868 

Truck.    Traveling.    Used    for    Sales    Promo- 
tion      736 

Truck,  Unloading  Heavy  Machine  from 116 

Truck  Wheel  Floats  on  Rubber  Cushions..  543 

Truck    Wheel    Is    Spring    Floated 889 

Truck  with  Side  Dumping  Body  Loads  Grain 

into    Freight    Car    327 

Trucks,    French    Baby    Tanks    Pull    Out    of 

Mud  ^720 

Trucks,  German.  Show  Rubber  Scarcity....  d06 

Trucks,    Motor,    Dump    Bottom    for 655 

Trucks.  Motor.  Huge  Oil  Tanks  Hauled  by. .  719 
Trucks  of  New  Design  for  Express  Company  589 
Trucks.  Motor.  New  Method  of  Crating....  391 
Trucks,  Motor.  Track  for  Testing  at  Factory  197 
Trucks,  Use  for  Parcel  Post  in  New  Eng- 
land     432 

Truss  Factory,  Steel,   Sent  to  Italy 74w 

T-Square,   Making   Drawings   without 449 

Tube.  Bent,  for  Rinsing  Dishes ^.   469 

Tube,  Drinking,   for  Use  at  Bubbler  Foun- 
tains        141 

Tube.  Inner.  Air  Cushion  Made   from 479 

Tube,   Inner,   Fly   Swatter   Made   of 625 

Tube,    Inner,    Pail    Made    from 952 

Tube.     Rubber,     Wire     Prevents     Breaking 

When    Bent ^.   942 

Tuberculosis,  Army  Hospital  at  Denver  for 

Treatment   of    730 

Tubes,  Collapsible.  Invert  to  Keep  Contents 

from  Drying  Out ^ .  123 

Tubes,    Glass,    Cutter    for 626 

Tug,    Floating    Crane    Raises 2 

Tug  Propellers  Release  Ship  from  Mud  Bar  266 

Tumbler,  Barrel,  for  Punch  Shop 450 

Tumblers.  Machine  Rounds  Edges  of 892 

Tungsten     Contact     Points     Are     Platinum 

Rival    .' 402 

Tunnel  for  English  Channel 837 

Tunnel,  Simplon,  Change  Ventilation  System 

of    896 

Tunnel  through  Pyrenees  Joins  French  and 

Spanish  Railways    696 

Turbine  and  Pump  Used  for  Irrigation....  581 
Turbine.  Double  Action  Water,  Designed  by 

Hungarian    Engineer    917 

Turbine  Engineering  School  Established  to 

Train  Men  for  Merchant  Marine 333 

Turbine    Engines,    Rings    for    Forged   from 

Solid  Steel    758 

Turbine  Wreck  Caused  by  Centrifugal  Force  741 
Turntable,  Fifth  Wheel  under  Truck  Is....  156 
Tweeds  Woven  by  Disabled  Soldiers  Marked 

with    Their    Names    430 

Twine,   Holder  and  Cutter   for 302 

Typewriter,  Protecting  Checks  with 306 

Typewriter  Ribbon,  Needle  for  Threading. .   396 

Umbrella,  Clothes  Drier  Made  from 799 

Uniform,    Special,   for   Sailors   in    Merchant 

Fleet     676 

University  for  American  Army  at  Beaune, 

France    694 

University,  Yale,  Drops  Latin  Requirement.  842 
Unsung  Heroes — The  Submarine  Fighter,  by 

E.  T.  Bronsdon 6 

Uranium  Oxide  Lode  Discovered  In  England  863 

Taca  Is  Used  in  Place  of  Carabao  In  Philip- 
pines    717 

Vacuum  Bottles,  Bring  Snow  In,  to   People 

Who    Never   See    It 747 

Valve    Cages,    Auto.    Removing 935 

Valve   Grinder   Made   from   Washer 455 

Valve,    Pressure    Reducing,    for    Fire    Hy- 
drants Used  at  San  Francisco 538 

Valve.    Safety,    for    Auto    Radiators 639 

Valve.  Tire,  Repair  with  Rubber  Cement. .   453 

Valve,   Water.   Prevents   Overlnflation 874 

Van  Carrying  Cars  for  Small  Lots  of  Freight  78 
Vandalism,   German,   In   Northern   France. .   683 

Vane,    Tall    Weather,    in   Iowa   Hills 269 

Vanity   Box  Made   Like   Army  Hat 755 

Vanity   Case   and   Workbox,    with    Opening 

for   Tarn    or   Thread 915 

Varnish,   Copal,   Use   on  Shoe  Soles 794 

Varnish,  Lubricated,  for  Sliding  Drawers..   124 


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36 


POPULAR  MECHANICS  INDEX,  VOLUME  XXXl.  1919 


Vases,    Broken,   Mending 625 

Vegetables  and   Fruits   Dried  In  Laundry..  560 

Vegetables  Compressed  Into    Bricks. 94 

Vegetables.    Display   of   in   Bank    Window..   692 
Vegetables,   Horseshoes  Make   Buncher   for.   458 

Vegetation,    Removing   from   Stone 605 

Vessels,   Galvanized,    Repair  Leaks    in   with 

Cement     613 

Vibrator,  Electric,  Locates  Shell  in  Wounds  549 

Vinegar,  Make  Acetic  Acid  from 107 

Vinegar,     Remove    Stains     on    Photographs 

with    477 

Vinegar,    Removing    Paint   with.  . , 774 

Vise,    All    Metal,    for    Variety    of   Carpenter 

Work     172 

Vise,    Bench,    Parallel   Motion    for 765 

Vise,   Iron,  Swivel  Jaws  for  Holding  Wood 

in    J39 

Vise,    Key,    Made    of    Hinge 767 

Vise,  Lathe  Chuck  Used  as 289 

Voice  Magnifier,  Airman  Aloft  Uses  in  Mak- 
ing   Speeches    ->.    829 

Voltage  of  Earth  Currents  AfTected  by  Tides  396 
Voltage  of  Three  Phase  Circuit,  Connection 

for    Reading    777 

Vulcanizers,  Convenient  Rack  for 122 

\l"agon,  Coal,  Adjustable  Chute  for 449 

Walking  Device  for  Convalescents 436 

Walking  Machine  Takes  Place  of  Crutches.   254 
Wall    Built    of   Sample    Brick   by   City    Em- 
ployes         420 

Wall,  Concrete.  Use  Traveling  Steel  Forms 

to    Construct     176 

Wall,    Kitchen,    Wood    Box    Built    into 113 

Wall,  Moving  Stones  into  Place  on 113 

Wall  Paper,  Clean  with  Rubber  Sponge....   938 

Wall  Paper.  Remove  with  Steam 449 

Wall,    Timber,    Keeps    Fire    from    Lumber 

Yard    864 

Wall.    Well   Designed    Retaining,    for    Play- 
ground       ?2i 

Walls,  Concrete,  with  Dead  Air  Chamber..   880 

Walls,  Plaster.  Sawing  througl) 295 

Walnut  Branding  Machine,  Prize  Offered  for  866 
War: 

Aeroplanes,  Formation  of  350  In  Bombard- 
ment         74 

Airmen,  Yankee.  .Outfought  Hun  Four  to  ^^^ 

One   284 

Belgian  King  and  Queen  Enter  Bruges..   155 
Berlin  Crowds  before  Reichstag  Building 

Hear  Proclamation  of  Republic 209 

Bridge   Blown   into  Air   by   Explosion 51 

British  Brigade  Swims  Canal  Under  Fire. .     47 

British   Loss   on    Seas 258 

British  Soldiers  Drilling  for  Water 60 

British  Troops  Enter  Lille 48 

French   Artillery  Battery  In  Action 51 

French  Countess  Occupies  Shanty  on  Site 

of  Demolished  Chateau 208 

French  Department  of  Munitions  Replaced 

by    Industrial    Construction     735 

French    Troops    Enter    Alsace 209 

Gasoline,  500,000  Gallons  per  Day  Used  by 

Allies   in    Drive    23 

German     Soldiers    In    Custody    of    Dutch 

Frontier   Guards    208 

Germans  Cut  Holes  for  Bombs  In  Pillars 

of    Basilica     52 

"Jock,  the  Hun"  Captured  by  French 52 

Machine  Guns  Taken  from  Hun   in  Final 

Drive    52 

New    Zealand    Casualties    347 

Russian  Casualties  Total  8.000.000 256 

Suez  Canal  Kept  Open  by  British  Strategy  250 
Tanks  Carrying  "Mats"  to  Use  on  Slippery 

Roads    51 

Tractors  Haul   Tanks  to  Speed   Drive....   372 

Villages  Devastated  by  Germans 49 

Wire  Entanglements  Erected  Along  Ostend 

Water    Front    by    Germans 208 

Woman  Instructs  British  Recruits  in  Use 

of    Gas    Mask    50 

War  Fund  Drive,  Large  Chest  Advertises...     11 
War,  History  of  In   100   Pound  Scrapbook..   864 
'V\'ar  Material,  Salvage  of  Is  Enormous  Task.   903 
War   Materials,   Waste,   Soldiers  Lug  Rear- 
ward         96 

War,  Photographs  Bring  Home  to  People..     72 
War   Relics   at  National  Museum   in  Wash- 
ington    148 

War  Risk  Insurance,  Amount  Written 72 


War  Savings  Movement  on  Permanent  Basis     37 
War    Scenes    Recorded    on    Moving    Picture 

Films 271 

War  Souvenir,  Italian  Artist  Makes  of  Cop- 
per     762 

War   Stories,    Tangled,    Confuse   Public,    by 

Paul    Jenkins    832 

War  Sufferers,  Italian  Government  will  Aid  746 
War  Work  Campaign,  Acrobat  Climbs  Sky- 
scraper to  Advertise   36 

War,   World,  Cost  of 227 

War   Scenes: 
Bombproof  Screen  at  Crown  Prince's  Head- 
quarters      370 

Door    of    Kaiser's    Bombproof    Dugout    at 

^  Spa    370 

German   Army   Wagons   Retiring   through 

Holland     371 

Revolutionary  Procession   in  Berlin 370 

Warping    of    Wood,    Preventing 609 

Warships,   British,   Shields  for  Searchlights 

on     535 

Warships.  Carry  Mail  with,  Sweden  Suggests  365 

Warships,  Great  Britain's  "Mystery" 202 

Warships,    Old,    Made   Into    Cargo   Carriers.     26 
Wash  Room.  Factory,  Individual  Faucets  ^or  613 

Washbasin  Faucets,  Foot  Control  for 128 

Washbasin,    Use    Rubber    Plug    Instead    of 

Threaded   Plug  for   611 

Washboard  Made  of  Spools 134 

Washboard    with    Wood    Rollers 434 

Washer,   Air,  for  Home  or  Office 669 

Washer.  Valve  Grinder  Made  from 455 

Washers.    Keeping    in    Hose 947 

Washers.    Lock,    Three    Types    of 127 

Washers,    Rack    for    290 

Washing   Machine,    Electric.    Gypsies   Use..   597 
Washing  Machine,  Electric,  with  Gas  Heater 

and  Motor  Driven  Wringer 915 

Washing  Machine,  Extension  Plug  Provides 

Running    Water    for    594 

Washing    Machine.    Homemade    792 

Washing     Machine,      Vacuum,      for      Army 

Blankets    555 

Washing    Machine    with    Glazed    Ports    and 

Electric   Light    • 755 

Watch  Charm  for  Draftsman 635 

Watch,  German,  with  Gas  Proof  Case 322 

Watch,  Set  with  Extra  Strap  and  Crystals..   275 

Watch,  Wrist,  with  Compass 275 

Water.  Apparatus  for  Distilling 473 

Water.  British  Soldiers  Drilling  for 50 

Water,   Carrying  without   Spilling   795 

Water,  Cold,  Drawing  from  Bottom  of  Lake 

with  Jug    131 

Water  Container,  Self-Cooling,  Like  Mexican 

Jars     150 

Water,   Drinking,  for  Chickens,   Protecting.   608 
Water,    Flood,    Store   for   Dry   Time   Irriga- 
tion         575 

Water  Front,  French,  Americans  Use  Three 

Miles    of     150 

Water    Heater,    Electric,    Attaches    to    Any 

Faucet    274 

Water   Heater.    Electric,   can   be   Packed   in 

Traveling   Bag    824 

Water  Heater,  Electric.  Uses  Water  as  Re- 
sistor       307 

Water,  Irrigation,  Cools  Roof  of  House 925 

Water  Jacket.  Repairing  with  Cement 302 

Water  Jet,  Break  Clinkers  with 848 

Water   Resources,    Measuring   Electrically..     93 

Water,    River.    Filtering 479 

Water  Softening  Tanks.  Concrete  Used  for. .   878 
Water  Supply  System  of  St.  Louis,  Six  Foot 

Pipe    for    652 

Water  Trough,  Keeping  from  Freezing 112 

Water    Wheel    Devised    by    Indian 759 

Water   Wheel,   Double   Action,   Designed  by 

Hungarian    Engineer     917 

Waterway,  Construct  from  Paris  to  English 

Channel 54 

Waterworks     Crib     Righted     with     House 

Itf over's    Jacks  713 

Waterworks*    Pumps,    Steam    Tractor'  Oper- 

ates  ^8 ft 
Wax  for  Electric  Fixtures"  Meited  with'  Sol- 
dering  Iron 256 

Weather.  Artificial  Flowers  Forecast 317 

Weather  Bureau,  Warnings  from  Save  Live 

Stock     407 

Weather   Indicator    796 

Weather  Vane,   Tall,   In  Iowa  Hills 269 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS  INDEX.  VOLUME  XXXI,  1919 


37 


Weed    Cutter    Attachment    for    Cultivator..   496 

Weight  Cards  for  School  Children 518 

UViKhts,    Usin^   Coins   as 797 

WeldinK.   Oxyacetylene,   Portable  Outfit  for.    616 

Weldlngr,     Revolving    Table    for 240 

WVldinj?    Tool,    Electrode    Quickly    Changed 

In     358 

WVIl.  Old,  Use  to  Cool  Drinking  Fountain.  926 
Well,  Runaway,  Makes  Lake  on  North   Da- 

Itota  Farm    893 

Well   with    Cobblestone  Curb 750 

Whales,    Airman    Goes   Gunning   for 481 

Whales,  Make  Gloves  from  Intestines  of 65 

Wheat      Melds,     Recovered,     Harvested     by 

French      236 

Wheat  Wasted  by  Threshing  Machines,  Sav- 
ing         899 

Wheel.  Buffing,  Made  from  Stubs 347 

Wheel,     Emergency,    for    Disabled    Automo- 
biles         606 

Whee-1,  Fifth,  under  Truck  Is  Turntable..  156 
Wheel,   Truck,  Floats  on   Rubber  Cushlon»s.   543 

Wheel,     Truck.     Spring     Floated 889 

Wheel,    Water,    Devised    by    Indian 759 

Wheelbarrow,  Automatic  Brake   for 768 

Wheelbarrow,    Convert    into    Garden   Truck.    627 

Wheelbarrow,  Convertible    608 

Wheelbarrow,  Prize  Winning  Cabbage  Fills.  84 
Wheels.  Fellies  from  Make  Barrel  Support.  617 
Whistle.  Steam,  Made  from  Pipe  Fittings.  297 
Whistle,  Wrist,  for  Soldiers  and  Policemen.  486 
Whistles  of  Different  Tones  for  Referee...  908 
Whitewash,   Salt  in  Makes  Removal   Easy..'   445 

Whitewasher  and  Sprayer,  Portable 757 

Whiting,   Clean    Paint  with 304 

Wigwag  Machine  Used  Instead  of  Flags...  493 
Wilcox,    W.    F.: 

Onsus   of    Wild   Animals 895 

Wanted:  New   Brands  for  Cattle 715 

Willow  for  Artificial  Limbs,  Hasten  Season-     - 

irig    of    742 

Winch.    Motor    Truck    Equipped    with 684 

Winch,    Steam,    Makes    Work    of    Stevedore 

Kasy    by    Lifting    Gangplank 808 

Wind,  Velocity  of  Determined  by  Sound....  756 
Windmill,  New  Zealand.  Saws  Driftwqod...  192 
Window   Display  in  Bank  Boosts  Food   Pro.- 

duction 692 

Window  Display  Shows  Nation's  Resources.      64 
Window    J'anes.    Wire   Hook    for   Carrying..    123 
Window    Shade,    Old,    Use   as    Blackboard...   796 
Window     Shades,     Divided.    Permit    Adjust- 
ment    of     Light     125 

Window   Shades.  Prevent  Flapping  of 465 

Window.     Shield    for    Eliminates    Sunbeams 

from    Workroom    793 

Window,    Using    as    Mirror 306- 

Windshield,  Storm  and  Glare  Screen  for. . .  100 
Windsor.  H.  H.: 

A    Real     Mayor     517 

An   Encouraging    Prospect 673 

Kolshevinm 355 

Do   We   Want   Prosperity? 513 

I>oes  Army  Life  Make  for  Inefflclencj'?. . .    356 

Feeding    the   Huns    21 

Fires  on    Farms    20 

<ias  Masks  for  Miners 517 

<;reat   Britain's  War  Record 17 

Have  a   Motive    516 

I.    W.    W.    and  .Bolsheviki 515 

Keep  on  Saving 517 

Normal      Prices    Returning     674 

Revival    of   Learning    19 

Sinking    the   Fleet    178 

The    Aeroplane    Mail     177 

The    Future    of    Wireless 353 

The    Government    in     Business 354 

The    LiKht    That    Failed 180 

The  Seattle  Strike 514 

The  Transatlantic   Air   Voyage 673 

The  Victory  Loan    357 

The  War  Ends 17 

Throttling     the    Cables     20 

rndue    Credit    to    Germany 674 

Waiting    for    the    Treaty 179 

What  of  Future  Wars? 18 

Wireless  to  Other  Planets 353 

Wire  Apron  Protected  London  from  German 

Airmen      326 

Wire  Fielt  Loop  for  Carrying  Tools 314 

Wire   Entanglements   Erected   Along   Ostenjl 
Water  Front  by  Germans 208 


Wire   Fencing,   Bird   Cages  Made   from 310 

Wire    Fencing    Supports    Pole    Beams......    799 

Wire   Grip,   Chain    Used   as 947 

Wire,     Live,     Charges     Fence     and     Causes 

Death     192 

Wire,    Magnet,    Removing    Enamel    from...   940 

Wire  Netting,   Clothes   Rack    Made   of 466 

Wire   Netting    Platform    Has   Many    Uses...    142 
Wire,    Spring,    Compressing    While    Bending 

Preserves  Strength    124 

Wire,    Stiff,    Hinge    Made    of 317 

Wire,   Stranded,   Splicing    298 

Wire   Stretching   Tool   Has   No    Frame 496 

Wire,  Twisted,   Trellis  Made  of 950 

Wire,  Trolley,  Tap  on  Permits  Car  Traffic. .    572 
Wireless    Aerials    under    Ground    and    under 

Water,  by  R.  H.  Langley 349 

Wireless  Apparatus,  Best  Known,  for  Pres- 
ident's  Ship    215 

Wireless  Antenna,  New,  Cures  Static  Trouble  892 
Wireless  Leak,  Phonograph  Detects,  by  E.  T. 

Bronsdon     198 

Wireless  Outfits,  to  China  by  Aeroplane....    566 

Wireless  Outfits   for  Aeroplanes 561 

Wireless  Receiving  Stations,  Restrictions  on 

Removed    839 

Wireless,  Static  Interference  in  Eliminated.    230 
Wireless    Station,    Holland    will    Install    on 

Island   of  Java    550 

Wireless  Telegraphy,  New  York  F*olice  Use.    256 
"Wireless    Telephone,    Carry    in    Handbag...    807 
Wireless  Telephone  Linked  with   Wire   Sys- 
tem        684 

Wireless    Telephones    for    Forest    Rangers. .    641 
Wireless.  Use  to  Relieve  European  Cables..    373 
Wires,  Contracted,  Telephone  Pole  Suspend- 
ed    by     385 

Wires,   Telephone,    Invention   Multiplies   Ca- 
pacity of 326 

Wiring  Chart  for   Farm  Lighting 752 

Wiring   Finished   Houses,   Magnetic  Locator 

for    458 

Woman  Doctor  Treats  Garden  Ailments 70() 

Woman    in    Mall    Bag   Makes   Aerial    Trip...    540 
Women,     Clothing    for     Sold     on     Cafeteria 

Plan     684 

Women,    Convertible    Costume    for 11 

Women,   Danish,  Cooperative  Housing  for. .     92 

Women.    Flying    Costumes    for 862 

Women     Serve    as     Forest    Lookouts 215 

Wood    Box    Built    Into    Kitchen    Wall 113 

Wood,   Buy  by   Weight    Instead   of   Bulk 807 

Wood,    Fir^,    Million    Cubic    Meters    Cut    by 

American    F'oresters    in     France 66 

Wood,   Invisible  Joint  Holds  without  Glue.  .    309 

Wood,    Prevent    Warping   of 609 

Wood,  Removing  Dents  from 956 

Wood,    Stain    Dark    Color    with    Roofing   Ce- 
ment         288 

Wood    Stave    Pipe   Line,    Floods   Put    to   Un- 
usual   Test    808 

Wood,  Thin.  Use  Chisel  Point  Nails  to  Pre- 
vent  Splitting    125 

Wood   Waste   and   Gold   Dollars,   by   William 

Fleming    French     101 

Woodruff,    Paul    H.: 

Hunters  of  Lost  Radium  Use  Odd  Tools..    685 
Workbox   and   Vanity   Case   Combined,    with 

Opening    for    Yarn    or    Thread §15 

Workmen,  Dutch,   Return  to  Krupp  Plant..    200 
Wreck,    Auto.    Glaring   Headlights   Cause...    842 
Wreck,  Brooklyn  Transit,  Many  Killed  in...      94 
Wreck,     Steam     Turbine,     Caused     ixy     Cen- 
trifugal  Force    741 

Wreck,     Train,     Collapse    of    Holland     Dike 

Causes     695 

Wrecking    Crew,    German,    in    French    Fac- 
tories        683 

Wrench,   Electromagnet   Picks   from   Crank- 
case     294 

Wrench   for  Setscrews  In   Dogs  Attached   to 

Lathe    117 

Wrench     Made     of    Sheet    Iron 9r.S 

Wrench,  Monkey.  Works  at  Several  Angles.    KSl 

Wrench,    I'ipe     Flange    and    Coupling 619 

Wr'st  Brace  with  Hook  for  Carrying  Grips.    435 
Wrist   Stran  with   Cardboard   Insert   for   Re- 

cordlno:   Golf   .Score    4.'^5 

Wrist   Whistle   for   Soldiers   and   Policemen.    486 

X-Ray,    Electric   Bulb    Rivals   in    Bone    Pho- 
tography        853 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS  INDEX,  VOLUME  XXXI,  1919 


X-Ray   Operation,   Red   Llsrht   Aids  In 570 

X-Ray.    Test    Concrete    Ships    with 898 

X-Ray   Work,   Army   Uses  Films  Instead  of 

Plates     538 

X-Rays,  Coloring  Glass  by 731 

Yacht,   Glass   Boathouse   for 5 

Yachts,  Converted,  Assigned  to  Coast  Service  234 


Tarn   Holder,    Bracelet    98 

Tarn,    Paper,   New  Method  of  Making 748 

Tarn  Winder  Opens  Like  Umbrella 98 

T.  M.  C.  A.,  Army,  Honolulu  Hotel  Is 81 

Tellow  Fever,  Renew   Fight  against 872 

Zones.  Time,   Established   by  Law 543 


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Popular  Mechanics  Magazine 

WRITTEN    SO   YOU    CAN    UNDERSTAND   IT 


Vol.  31  JANUARY,  1919  No.  1 


Remarkable  Safety  Goggle  for  Flying   Men 

/^F  much  interest  and  considerable  im-  shield  made  of  a  secret  material  that  has 

^^  portance  in  the  aeronautic  world  is  great  strength  and  resilience.    The  former 

the  invention  of  a  distinctly  new  type  of  is  only  .081  in.  thick  and  the  latter  .021  in. 

safety   goggle  that   possesses   remarkable  Between  the  two  is  an  air  space.  Here  lies 

qualities  of  great  advantage  to  airmen.  the   spectacular   phase   of   the   invention. 

One  of  the  outstanding  features  is  that  While  the  goggle  is  being  worn,  either  of 

each  of  the  two  lenses  is  formed  of  one  the  lenses  may  be  struck  a   heavy   blow 

optically  plane  piece  of  glass  which  has  with  a  wrench  or  cold  chisel.     The  lens 


of    inestimable     value    to    a    flier,  and   also    stops    the    progress   of 

especially  when  landing  and  in  scouting,      the  instrument.    In  this  connection  it  is 

Each  lens  is  backed  by  a  transparent      interesting  to  note  that  the  shield  has  a 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


tensile  strength  of  from  8,000  to  12,000 
lb.  to  the  square  inch.  The  air  space  be- 
tween the  lens  and  the  shield  prevents  the 
clouding  of  the  glass  at  high  altitudes. 

The  lenses  are  mounted  in  angular  posi- 
tions in  holders  and  made  fast  by  spring 
locks  similar  in  principle  to  those  used 
on  motor-car  wheels.  This  arrangement 
makes  the  goggle  streamline,  so  that  air 
resistance  is  reduced  and  rain  drops  are 
prevented  from  accumulating  on  the 
outer  surface.  Ventilation  is  obtained 
through  adjustable  openings  provided  at 
the  top  and  bottom  of  each  eye  compart- 
ment. The  air  enters  in  such  a  manner 
that  no  direct  current  can  strike  either  of 
the  eyes.     Furthermore,  the  edges  of  the 


goggle  are  beveled,  shaped  to  fit  the  face, 
and  trimmed  with  fur  so  that  air  cannot 
enter  except  through  the  ports. 

Shocks  and  jolts  received  in  landing 
frequently  throw  a  pilot  against  the  cowl 
of  his  machine  and  on  many  occasions 
have  resulted  thereby  in  broken  goggles. 
For  this  and  other  apparent  reasons,  an 
ordinary    goggle    is    dangerous. 

Other  nonbreakable  goggle  lenses,  con- 
sisting of  alternate  layers  of  glass,  cement, 
and  celluloid,  have  been  made.  Obvi- 
ously, however,  such  a  combination  not 
only  keeps  out  much  light,  but  may  have  a 
distorting  effect.  The  value  of  the  new 
goggle  therefore  must  be  patent  even  to 
a  layman. 


STONE  PIER  KEEPS  BIG  OAK 

FROM  FALLING 

In  a  beautiful  park  in  Orange  County, 
Calif.,  special  precautions  have  been  tal^en 
to  preserve  an  immense  live  oak  which 
was  threatened  with  destruction  by  falling. 
The  tree,  with  branches  having  a  spread 
of  fully  125  ft.,  leans  far  to  one  side,  and 
because  of  its  great  weight  was  likely  to 


Huge  Live  Oak  in    Orange  County,  California  Park, 

Which  is  Kept  from  Palling  by  a  Stone  Pier 

Built  under  the  Inclined  Trunk 

be  uprooted  until  the  park  authorities 
built  a  strong  pier  of  masonry  to  support 
the  inclined  trunk.  Upheld  by  the  pier, 
the  tree  promises  to  continue  to  thrive  for 
many  years.  The  support  is  about  7  ft. 
high  and  nearly  as  broad  at  the  base. 


MINIATURE  EDITION  IN  PAPER 

HAS  NEWS  FOR  SOLDIERS 

A  Denver  daily  paper  has  been  furnish- 
ing its  readers  with  an  original  and  attrac- 
tive means  of  supplying  news  items  to 
friends  and  relatives  overseas.  In  each 
issue  a  space  about  four  inches  square  is 
set  aside  as  a  miniature  overseas  edition 
of  the  paper,  with  its  own  date  line,  vol- 
ume, number,  etc.  Here  are  printed  brev- 
ities which  give  the  reader  a  summary 
of  the  day's  most  interesting  happenings, 
at  a  glance.  It  is  intended  that  this  sec- 
tion be  cut  out  and  inclosed  with  letters 
sent  to  men  in  the  service* 


BIG  FLOATING  CRANE  RAISES 
TUG  FROM  HARBOR  BOTTOM 

One  of  the  tasks  recently  assigned  to 
a  giant  floating  crane  that  bears  the  rep- 
utation of  being  the  largest  of  its  kind 
in  the  country,  was  the  raising  of  the 
navy  tug  "Massasoit,"  which  -sank  in  one 
of  our  harbors  not  long  ago.  The  feat, 
of  little  importance  in  itself,  illustrates 
most  strikingly  the  capacity  of  the  crane, 
which  is  mounted  on  a  pontoon,  140  ft. 
long  and  85  ft.  wide.  Cables  were  passed 
beneath  the  hull  of  the  sunken  vessel  by 
divers  and  then  attached  to  the  hoist 
hooks.  With  almost  as  much  ease  as  if 
it  had  been  raising  a  foundered  rowboat, 
the  crane  lifted  the  heavy  submerged 
tug  from  the  harbor.  Incidentally  it  is 
interesting  to  note  that  when  the  crane's 
jib  is  raised  to  its  full  height,  it  reaches 
a  point  200  ft.  above  the  level  of  the 
water.  The  crane  is  driven  electrically 
by  current  generated  aboard,  and  is  con- 
trolled by  one  man.  It  automatically 
locks  if  the  current  is  interrupted. 


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Sling,  Ready  for  the  Water  to  be  Pumped  from  Its  Hull  ^Xr 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


CAMERA  GUN  CATCHES  BIPLANE 

IN  DREADED  TAIL  SPIN 

Two  things  about  which  questions  are 
often  asked  by  those  interested  in,  but  un- 


position.    In  a  tail  spin  proper,  however, 
the  nose  descends  in  a  very  tight,  steep 
spiral,   while   the   tail  whips   about   in   a 
wide   circle,   thus   presenting  an   appear- 
ance somewhat  like  that  of  a  maple  seed 
5   .  falling  through  the  air.    The  tar- 
getlike  rings   and   bisection   lines 
visible  in  the  picture  are  produced 
by  a   screen  in  the  camera  gun 
and  are  for  the  purpose  of  check- 
ing hits.     In  this  particular  case, 
to  have  registered  a  hit,  the  plane 
should    be    shown    entering    the 
outer  circle  at  the  top,  with  its 
axis   cutting  the   intersection    of 
the  two  straight  lines.    Th^  posi- 
tion of  the  image  in  relation  to 
the   rings   indicates   the   gunner's 
judgment  in  "leading"  his  target. 


I  COKE  CAN  BE  MADE  FROM 

j  COAL  FORMERLY 

The  Camera  Gun.  Shown  in  Use  Above,  Enables  a  Student  in  THOUGHT  UNFIT 

^£y'in?t?uT.7.,*fn.^t^f  =o?  S'j;PiS,"BuK¥,k2'."l&'';  At  a  recent  meeting  of  French 

That  Check  the  Gunner's  Marksmanship  scientists  it  was  pointed  OUt  that 


familiar  with,  mili- 
tary  aeronautics, 
are  the  famous 
tail  spin — the  cause 
of  many  fatalities — 
and  the  ring-sight 
camera  gun  used 
in  training  aerial 
fighters.  Quite  sin- 
gularly, both  of 
these  subjects  are 
treated  in  one  of 
the  illustrations 
herewith.  The  pic- 
ture, taken  with  a 
camera  gun,  shows 
a  training  plane 
falling  in  a  tail 
spin,  or,  more  cor- 
rectly, out   of  one 


Within  the  Center  Ring  Is  the  Image  of  the  Palling 
Aeroplane.  The  Craft  is  Taking  Its  Pinal  Plunge 
after  Slipping  into  the  Fatal  Tail  Spin.  The  Picture 
"     -  "—  "^-- a  Hit 


does  Not  Register 

It  ended  in  a  crash 
that  seriously  injured,  although  it  did  not 
kill,  the  pilot.  The  machine  was  serving 
as  a  target  for  a  student  gunner  stationed 
on  the  roof  of  a  hangar,  when,  swerving 
to  avoid  a  water  tank,  it  slipped  into  a 
tail  spin.  The  gunner  shifted  his  sight 
to  take  a  direct  picture,  rather  than  to 
register  a  hit,  and  caught  the  craft  just 
before  it  took  its  final  plunge.  Had  the 
exposure  been  made  an  instant  sooner  it 
would  have  shown  the  plane  side  to  and 
nosed  down  at  an  angle  of  about  60°.  It 
also  would  have  been  to  the  left  and 
slightly  above  the  position  in  which  it  is 
shown.  The  photograph  pictures  the  tail 
of    the    machine    in    an    almost    vertical 


coke  could  be  pro- 
duced from  kinds 
of  coal  which  hith- 
erto has  been  con- 
sidered unsuited 
for  such  use.  As  a 
rule,  coke  is  made 
by  mixing  two 
kinds  of  coal,  or.o 
rather  poor  in  vola- 
tile matters  and  the 
other  over-rich. 
Now  the  claim  is 
made  that  coal  too 
rich  in  volatile  mat- 
ters to  be  useful  in 
making  coke  can  be 
utilized  for  that 
purpose    if   a    pro- 


/ 


The  Picture  at  the  Left  Registers  a  Hit.  and  the  One 
at  the  Right  a  Miss.  This  Is  Due  to  the  Pacts  That 
a  Gunner  must  "Lead"  His  Target,  and  That  Speed. 
Direction,  and  Poreshortening  must  be   Considered 


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Glass  Boathottses  Are  Sufficiently  Unusual  to  be  Termed  Rare.    Anyway,  This  One»  being  Built 
at  Miami,  Florida,  has  Attracted  Considerable  Local  Comment 


portion  of  the  volatile  substances  is  first 
removed  by  subjecting  it  to  predistillation 
at  a  certain  temperature. 


IRELAND'S  COAL  AND  LIGNITE 
FIELDS  TO  BE  EXPLOITED 

Great  Britain's  fuel  shortage  has  caused 
attention  to  be  directed  to  certain  of  the 
potential  coal  resources  of  Ireland  with  a 
view  to  their  immediate  commercial  ex- 
ploitation. Operations  are  about  to  be 
commenced  in  County  Tyrone  and  bor- 
ings will  be  made  at  Coalisland  and  in  the 
district  between  there  and  Lough  Neagh. 
It  is  said  that  some  of  the  Coalisland 
seams  are  known  to  be  of  good  quality, 
but  the  present  operations  in  the  countr>' 
along  the  way  to  Lough  Neagh  are  to  be 
for  the  purpose  of  determining  the  exist- 
ence of  coal  in  paying  quantities.  Lignite 
abounds  in  the  region  and  its  utilization 
is  to  be  undertaken  at  once.  It  is  to  bo 
stripped  from  its  bed  by  rotary  cutters, 
processed,  and  pressed  into  briquettes. 
The  secret  treatment  to  be  emoloyed  is 
said  to  make  lignite  a  good  coal  substi- 
tute. The  machinery  now  being  installed 
will  be  capable  of  producing  perhaps 
15,000  tons  of  briquettes  weekly. 


GLASS  BOATHOUSE  IS  DESIGNED. 
FOR  NEW  YORKER'S  YACHT 

Lace  curtains,  wall  decorations,  and 
phonographs  are  among  the  properties 
classed  as  essential  for  well-equipped 
modem  cow  sheds,  but  an  aquatic  con- 
servatory for  a  full-grown  yacht  is  quite 
another  thing.  Such  a  structure,  how- 
ever, is  being  built  adjacent  to  a  New 
Yorker^s  winter  home  at  Miami,  Fla.  It 
is  constructed  throughout  of  steel  and 
glass  and  rests  on  a  concrete  foundation. 


Lattice  doors  at  the  ends  assure  proper 
ventilation,  while  the  abundant  light  ad- 
mitted largely  obviates  the  chances  of 
mildew  forming.  In  designing  the  glass 
boathouse,  the  architects  attempted,  while 
providing  a  shelter,  to  approximate  con- 
ditions that  obtain  when  a  boat  normally 
rides  at  anchor. 


CREPE  ON  SEMAPHORE  HONORS 
DEAD  TRAFFIC  OFFICER 

The  hanging  of  crepe  and  a  spray  of 
flowers  on  a  crossing  semaphore  in  Port- 

lonrl     Or«»      tsroo  fVi<»  iimiciial       tn^kane 


Traffic  Semaphore  in  Portland,  Oregon,  Hung  with 
Crtpe  Out  of  Respect  for  the  Police  Officer,  For- 
merly Stationed  at  This  (.Crossing,  Who  had   Died 

of  regard  for  the  man  who  died,  traffic 
paused  an  instant  as  it  came  to  the  street 
intersection  where  the  crepe  hung. 


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PNOM   IHiTEflNATIONAI.  FILM  aMVMI 

Submarine  against  Submarine  in  the  North  Sea  has  been  a  Gambling  Game  with  Greater  Odds  against  the 

Waters  Where,  until  the  Conclusion  of  Hostilities,  They 

UNSUNG   HEROES 

VII— The   Submarine  Fighter 


By  E.  T 

The  text  of  this  article  and  the  photographs 

"AT  4:12  p.  m.,  sighted  a  small  cargo  carrier 
•**•  near  lightship.  Shortly  after  we  passed  her, 
sounds  of  shelling  attracted  our  attention.  A 
German  submarine  had  engaged  her.  While  send- 
ing wireless  calls  for  help,  the  gunner  of  the 
cargo  ship  was  replying  energetically.  We  crept 
up  unobserved  to  000-yd.  range,  and  released  the 
bow  torpedo.  This  struck  the  German  submarine 
amidships,  and  she  sank.  Wreckage  was  scat- 
tered over   a  large  radius." 

This  laconic  report  was  a  summary  of 
the  first  naval  encounter  between  the 
Hnn  sea  pirates  and  the  United  States 
submarine  flotilla  in  foreign  waters.  In 
the  six  months  following,  at  least  14  more 
of  the  enemy  were  accounted  for;  this 
is  the  conservative  estimate,  based  on 
over  40  successful  sea  duels  in  which  the 
enemy  was  known  to  have  been  damaged. 

On  paper,  in  the  terse  official  language, 
this  sort  of  success  is  robbed  of  its  high 
dramatic  quality.  We  can  picture  easily 
the  slim,  graceful  destroyer,  plowing 
through  the  rollers  like  the  torpedo  it 
fires — or  dodges.  We  can  see  the  chase. 
At  30  knots  or  better,  the  white  foam 
curling  over  her  bow  like  whiskers  over 
the  chin  of  a  Mormon  patriarch,  the  de- 
stroyer plunges  at  the  spot  where  a 
U-boat  was  seen  to  submerge.  As  she 
passes,  daring  the  torpedo  certainly  aimed 
to  head  her  off,  she  drops  depth  charges 
from  the  stern.  White  geysers  rise  be- 
hind her.     Perhaps  she  got  her  quarry; 


BRONSDON 

ha?e  been  passed  by  the  Chief  Military  Censor. 

one  rarely  knows.  The  point  is  that  wc 
can  visualize  this  engagement.  The  dan- 
gers are  yery  real.  On  the  other  hand, 
we  see  one  submarine  rise  suddenly  from 
the  depths,  discharge  a  torpedo  or  two  at 
another  submarine,  and  then  sink  out  of 
sight  again.  There  is  nothing  spectacular 
— unless  one  of  the  torpedoes  finds  its 
mark. 

The  answer  to  this  is  simple.  Up  to 
the  signing  of  the  armistice  all  the  young 
men  to  whom  adventure  in  its  most  haz- 
ardous form  appeals  overwhelmingly, 
were  applying  for  the  submarine  service. 
Until  the  government  put  a  stop  to  it,  ap- 
plications for  transfer  from  the  destroyer 
to  the  submarine  service  flooded  the  navy 
department.  After  the  pioneers  had  shown 
what  could  be  accomplished,  chasing  Fritz 
around  the  North  Sea  became  one  of  the 
most  popular  of  the  grim  war  sports. 

For  it  is  a  sport ;  submarine  versus  sub- 
marine in  the  North  Sea  is  a  gambling 
game,  with  greater  odds  against  the 
player  than  he  faces  in  roulette,  faro,  or 
even  fan-tan  in  a  Chinese  joint.  Davy 
Jones  is  "house,"  and  this  cynical  propri- 
etoj  demands  a  percentage  that  would 
have  made  the  crookedest  booky  of  the 
old  days  blush  for  shame.  For  the  crew 
of  the   submarine,   victory   means  escape 


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COTTMOHT,  WMITAKia 


Player  Than  He  Paces  in  Roulette.'    The  Picture  Above  Gives  a  Glimpse  of  American  Submarines  in  British 
Sought  German  U-Boats,  and  on  Occasions  Sank  Them 


with  a  whole  skin^  and  perhaps  a  ribbon 
or  medal  to  show  for  a  hard-won  success. 
The  forfeit,  in  case  of  accident  or  defeat, 
is  a  watery  grave  and  -»-»---"  ^—  -" 
hands.     "Cushy"  wou 
are   not   for  them; 
they  either  win,  or 
lose  all. 

The  reason  for 
this  lies  in  the  fact 
that  many  dangers 
menace  a  subma- 
rine besides  the 
craft  it  is  seeking. 
New  mine  fields  are 
planted  daily  by 
the  Hun  "tgg  lay- 
ers" —  submarines 
equipped  to  drop 
five  huge  mines 
through  circular 
wells  in  the  floor. 
Old  and  well-known 
mine  fields  are 
breaking  up  daily, 
scattering  their  dia-  ' 
bolical.  destructive 
machines  through- 
out supposedly  safe 
waters.  In  addition 
to  these  perils, 
there  is  the  omni- 
present G  e  r  m  a  n 
**dud"  torpedo — the 
missile    that     has 


CoeyWOMT,  WHITAKtU 


_  If,  WF    

Deck    View    of    an   American    Submarine,  Surface- 
Cruising    on    Patrol    Duty   in    the   North    Sea:  The 
Hazards  Taken  by  These   Craft  for  the  Slim  Chance 
of  Bagging  a  U-Boat  were  Inspiring 


gone  wide  of  its  mark,  and  which  floats, 
when    its    propelling    force    is    expended, 


either  on  the  surface  or  just  below.  Civ- 
ilized countries  manufacture  their  torpe- 
does so  that  they  sink  if  they  miss,  and 
*i,«o  «^««4.;«...*^  «^  menace  to  innocent 
ith  Fritz's  "perfectos," 
however.  With 
him  every  ship  is 
an  enemy  ship,  so 
he  allows  his  torpe- 
does to  stay  where 
they  will  have  the 
best  chance  of  do- 
ing damage  later. 
German  U-boats 
released  upward  of 
600  torpedoes  a 
week  in  the  North 
Sea  and  adjacent 
waters,  and  as  less 
than  one  in  ten 
finds  a  mark,  it  can 
be  seen  how  real 
this  menace  was. 

Even  this  is  not 
a  full  catalog  of  the 
perils  faced  by  the 
intrepid  undersea 
fighters.  Nothing 
much  is  made  of 
the  incessant  cold 
which  pervades 
every  submarine — 
the  temperature  of 
the  ocean  depths  is 
rarely    much     over 


40°  F.,  and  in  winter  even  lower.    Because 
there  is  no  room  in  a  submarine  for  men 


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to  exercise,  the  death  rate  from  pneu- 
monia and  kindred  troubles  is  high. 

Last  winter  an  odd  accident  accounted 
for  the  whole  crew  of  one  German  sub- 
marine. The  boat  was  found  floating  up- 
side down !  When  towed  in  and  righted 
it  was  found  that  the  conning  tower, 
hatch,  and  platform  had  become  incased 
in  a  block  of  ice  so  thick  that  it  evidently 
had  overweighted  the  U-boat  in  a  heavy 
sea.  The  crew,  suddenly  finding  them- 
selves upside  down,  had  probably  been 
unable  to  break  through  this  ice  in  order 
to  open  the  hatch,  before  they  had  been 
suffocated  by  chlorine.  As  the  U-boat 
itself  was  unharmed,  it  was  immediately 
put  into  service  in  thjs  British  navy. 

Another  risky  part  of  the  business  is 
involved  in  the  matter  of  identification. 
In  the  North  Sea  there  were  perhaps  five 
(jerman  submarines  for  each  one  of  the 
allied  boats  chasing  them.  Every  allied 
destroyer  operated  under  instructions  to 
"shoot  first  and  ask  questions  afterward." 
Because  when  attempting  to  stalk  another 
submarine  it  is  necessary  to  have  as  lit- 
tle showing  above  the  surface  of  the  water 
as  possible,  no  allied  undersea  fighter  car- 
ried an  ensign  on  these  occasions.  As  a 
result,  it  quite  often  happened  that  a 
British,  French,  or  American  destroyer 
made  a  swift  attack  on  a  friendly  sub- 
marine. 

All  the  latter  can  do  is  "duck  and  hope 
for  the  best,"  unless  the  attack  has  been 
perceived  some  time  in  advance.  If  15- 
ft.  depth  is  attained,  the  attempted  ram 
is  avoided,  but  this  is  just  the  beginning. 


wire  drags.  Because  of  serious  accidents 
of  this  kind  in  the  British  navy,  where 
boats  were  damaged  or  sunk  by  friendly 
destroyers  before  identity  could  be  es- 
tablished, a  new  torpedo-buoy  apparatus 
has  been  invented.  The  mechanism  is 
simply  a  bobber  buoy,  shaped  like  an  or- 
dinary torpedo,  and  carrying  an  ensign 
that  unfolds  when  the  surface  is  reached. 
When  a  submarine  is  compelled  to  seek 
the  depths  to  get  out  of  the  way  of  a 
friend,  one  or  two  of  these  buoys  are  im- 
mediately shot  through  the  torpedo 
tubes.  Because  the  crew  of  the  destroyer 
is  intently  watching  the  surface  of  the 
water  at  this  time,  the  boat  below  is  given 
a  chance  to  rise. 

The  sensations  incident  to  running  into 
an  unexpected  mine  field  while  in  pur- 
suit of  the  enemy  are  told  succinctly  by 
the  report  of  a  British  submarine  com- 
mander. "While  running  submerged  we 
felt  a  succession  of  light  taps  on  the  steel. 
Then  our  propeller  tangled  and  the  hy- 
droplane could  not  be  moved.  I  gave  the 
signal  to  stop  instantly,  but  in  the  next 
second  I  heard  the  -scraping  of  some 
metallic  object  along  the  side.  It  could 
be  only  one  thing,  and  while  we  sat  wait- 
ing for  that  mine  to  explode  all  of  us 
trembled.  As  quickly  as  possible  I  sent 
out  a  diver.  He  reported  that  the  anchor 
lines  of  two  mines  were  wrapped  about 
our  propeller  and  hydroplane.  In  15 
minutes  we  were  free." 
"All  of  us  trembled!"  It  must 
be  borne  in  niind  that  this  - 
was  an  official 


'*The  boat  was  found /hating  upside  doum!    When  towed  in  and  righted  it  was  found  that  the  conning  tower,  hatch, 
and  platform  had  become  incased  in  a  Nock  of  ice  so  thick  that  it  etriaefiily  had  overweighted  the  U-boat  m  a  heavy  sea, " 


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and  the  side  of  the  ship  had  been 
so  gentle  that  none  of  the  contact  fingers 
had  been  broken. 

Actual  combats  between  undersea  foes 
are  usually  unexpected,  sharp,  and  de- 
cisive. Of  course,  an  incident  like  the 
first-mentioned  in  which  a  German  sub- 
marine is  surprised  while  actively  en- 
gaged, happens  occasionally,  but  the  bulk 
of  the  conflicts  occur  at  places  and  at 
moments  hard  to  foresee.  Dozens  of 
spats  have  taken  place  at  ranges  so  short 
that  for  a  time  neither  combatant  dared 
to  use  torpedoes,  as  an  explosion  so  near 
at  hand  must  certainly  shatter  both  ves- 
sels. 

On  one  occasion  a  British  submarine 
rose  to  the  surface  to  find  herself  imme- 
diately between  two  U-boats,  neither  of 
which  was  more  than  40  yd.  distant.  The 
German  craft  were  awash,  and  several  of 


the  crew  of  each  were  out,  exchanging 
gossip  and  gulping  in  the  fresh  air,  which 
to  men  who  have  been  shut  up  for  many 
hours  while  their  craft  threaded  the  peril- 
ous passage  from  the  German  base,  is  the 
greatest  luxur>'  in  the  world.  It  was  a 
surprise  to  all  parties,  but  the  British 
craft  got  into  action  first.  Wheeling  in 
as  sharp  a  circle  as  she  could  manage,  she 
trained  her  guns  on  the  farthest  subma- 
rine. The  Germans  vanished  below  as  if 
by  magic,  and  both  enemy  craft  started 
to  submerge.  Two  shells  were  seen  to 
make  direct  hits,  however,  on  one  of  the 
U-boats. 

No  time  for  examination  Avas  given, 
though.  While  the  second  U-boat  was 
going  down  it  launched  a  pair  of  torpe- 
does from  the  bow.  Both  of  these  missed 
by  a  narrow  margin,  and  it  was  doubtless 
lucky  for  all  concerned  that  they  did,  else 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


which  was  mort  than  40  yards  distant.    ,    .    .    It  was  a  surprise  to  all  parties,  but  the  British  craft  got  into  action  first 
Wheeling  in  as  sharp  a  circle  as  she  could  manage,  she  trained  her  guns  on  the  farthest  submarine. " 


all  three  fighters  probably  would  have 
been  sunk.  The  British  submarine,  after 
completing  its  circle,  bore  down  on  the 
spot  where  the  second  Hun  craft  had 
been  just  a  few  seconds  previously.  The 
intention  was  to  ram — a  desperate  expe- 
dient that  as  often  as  not  sends  both  at- 
tacker and  attacked  to  the  bottom,  locked 
together  in  a  death  grip. 

As  luck  would  have  it  this  time,  however, 
the  Hun  attained  sufficient  depth  to  escape. 
Immediately,  then,  the  British  craft  sub- 
merged also,  seeking  cover.  Then  en- 
sued a  game  of  hide  and  seek  that  lasted 
two  full  hours,  and  which  exhausted  the 
entire  stock  of  torpedoes  carried  by  the 
British  craft.  Most  of  these  missiles  were 
released  "on  suspicion" — directed  at  a 
mark  thought  to  be  seen,  but  which  was 
not  certain.  AH  missed,  but  afterw^ard, 
while  cruising  about,  the  sea  contained 
great  blobs  of  oil,  presumably  from  the 
first  U-boat  that  had  been  attacked  by 
shell  fire.  Because  German,  submarines 
in  tight  positions  were  in  the  habit  of 
releasing  great  quantities  of  oil  like  this 
as  protective  camouflage — the  idea  being 
to  convince  the  pursuer  of  his  success, 
and  thus  win  a  chance  to  escape — the 
British  craft  let  go  her  depth  charges  be- 
fore departing  for  the  home  port. 


At  best  the  work  of  these  allied  sub- 
marines only  could  supplement  the  work 
of  the  trawlers  and  the  destroyers.  Even 
where  they  discovered  Fritz  at  work,  they 
had  only  a  "slim  sporting  chance" — as  an 
American  officer  on  the  North  Sea  patrol 
phrased  it — of  accounting  for  his  elusive 
craft. 

The  important  thing  is,  however,  that 
some  submarines  have  been  sunk  in  this 
way,  and  at  a  time  when  every  straw  flung 
on  the .  scales  counted  heavily.  Next  to 
this  what  mattered  most  was  the  fact 
that  Fritz  never  had  a  moment  on  the 
surface  of  the  sea  in  which  he  felt  per- 
fectly safe.  The  motor  of  a  seaplane 
w^arns,  a  trawler  or  destroyer  can  be 
seen  at  a  great  distance,  but  the  hostile 
periscope  may  steal  up  behind  any  wave. 
The  effect  of  this  strange  warfare  upon 
the  morale  of  German  submarine  crews 
was  bad  in  the  extreme. 

And  the  men  who  spend  their  hours 
down  under  the  chilly  sea,  searching  for 
the  piratical  foe?  The  navy  scoffs  no 
longer;  this  is  a  respected  service,  and 
one  which  demands  the  utmost  in  man- 
hood and  daring.  Though  he  may  not 
be  a  "civvy  hero,"  the  submarine  fighter 
has  won  for  himself  a  niche  in  our  hall  of 
fame. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS  n 

NEW  COAL  DEPOSITS  FOUND  CLEVER  CONVERTIBLE  COSTUME 

NEAR  LYON,  FRANCE  FOR  WOMEN 

The  fact  that  in  normal  times  France         An      attractive     convertible     costume, 
consumes  approximately  one-third   more      which  marks  a  desirable  simplification  in 
coal  than   it  produces — or  a  total 
consumption    of  66,000,000 
has  led  various  interests  t 
search  for  additional  coal 
the  republic.    Several  surve: 
gave  promise  of  success  i 
terrupted  bv  the  war.     Ho 
investigations  in  the  Rhon 
sin,    in    the    vicinity    of    I 
have  been  in  progress  for 

time,  and  reports  regarding  I 

same  have  been  recently  n 
public.  It  has  been  found  1 
there  are  three  thin  laye 
of  coal  about  1,000  ft.  belc 
the  surface,  each  layer  be- 
ing less  than  3  ft.  thick, 
while  at  lower  levels  are 
veins  5  to  10  ft.  thick, 
extent  of  these  deposits  is 
known,  but  it  is  thought  t 
they  will  be  of  considerable 
local  importance  because  o 
the  large  manufacturing  in 
terests  at  Lyon.  The  coal  ii 
particularly  suited  to  ga: 
production,  it  is  said. 


PROPOSE     TO     SPENE 

MILLIONS  TO  HOUSE  ^j^^^^  ^.^^^  ^^  ^  ^^^  Convertible  Costume  for  Women:  The  Bodice 

DUBLIN    WORKERS  and   Bloomers   Are   of   Black    Satin   and   the   Outer   Garment, 

Which  can  be  Quickly  Put  On  or  Off,  Is  of  Blue  Serge 

Providing  $43,000,000 
worth  of  dwellings  for  Dublin  workers  is  woman's  dress  and  doubtless  is  a  result  of 
one  of  the  big  after-the-war  projects  rec-  the  trend  started  by  women  war  workers, 
ommended  to  the  British  government  by  consists  of  a  jaunty  bodice  and  bloomer^ 
an  official  ordered  to  investigate  housing  of  black  satin  and  an  apron  of  fine  blue 
conditions  in  the  Irish  metropolis.  The  serge.  For  various  indoor  duties  the  bod- 
proposal  draws  attention  to  the  fact  that  ice  and  bloomers  meet  all  requirements, 
while  the  wealthy  in  this  city  have  built  but  when  the  occasion  demands,  the 
themselves  unusually  fine  homes,  the  apron  can  be  quickly  slipped  on,  giving 
working  classes  are  badly  off.  The  project  the  whole  outfit  the  appearance  of  an 
includes  the  erecting  of  16,500  houses  at  ordinary  street  dress.  The  apron  buttons 
a  cost  of  $2,000  each,  and  the  purchase  over  one  shoulder  and  part  or  all  the  way 
and  reconstruction  of  3,600  old  dwellings  down  one  side,  as  the  wearer  prefers. 

capable  of  accommodating  13,000  persons.  

The  cost  of  the  latter  phase  of  the  work  big  CHEST  ON  FLAT  CAR 

is  estimated  at  $10,200,000.    Many  of  these  ADVERTISES  WAR  FUND 
old  houses  were  once  the  homes  of  the 

rich,  but  have  long  since  been  abandoned  A    particularly    effective    advertisement 

by  them  and  divided  up  into  tenements  for  Cincinnati's  general  war  fund  appeared 

unsuited  to  large  families  and  ill  cared  for  on   that   city's   streets   in   the   form    of  a 

by  the  absent  landlords.  huge  war  chest  mounted  on  an  electrically 

Large    as    the    proposed    expenditure  driven  flat  car.     The  **war  chest"  meas- 

seems,    advocates    of    the    improvement  ured  8  ft.  high,  15  ft.  long,  and  6  ft.  wide, 

point  oitt  that  it  is  small  compared  with  and   had   the   appearance   of   being   very 

many  war  items.  strongly   built,   though   it   was    made    of 


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Cincinnati's  War  Chest,  Eight  Feet  High  and   16  Feet  Long,  Which  was 

Carried  through  the  Streets  to  Advertise  the  Drive  for  War  Funds: 

It  was  Made  of  Pasteboard,  Painted  Steel-Gray 

made  of  tin,  pasteboard,  and  wood,  fin- 
ished to  look  like  heavy  metal. 


thick    pasteboard    painted    a    steel    gray.      been   inaugurated   for  handling  the  men 
Hanging  on   the  front  was  a  huge  lock      before    actually    turning    farms    over    to 

them.  They  are  paid  $3 
a  day  and  given  living  ac- 
commodations and  work 
at  the  government  farm 
for  a  certain  length  of 
time.  During  this  proba- 
tion period  they  not  only 
have  the  advantage  of 
gaining  practical  experi- 
ence in  farming,  but  also 
have  the  opportunity  of 
attending  classes  in  agri- 
culture and  of  testing 
their  qualifications  for 
pioneering.  Later,  the 
men's  desire  for  a  farm 
still  obtaining,  places  are 
provided  for  them.  The 
general  working  plan 
from  then  on,  including 
the  construction  of 
houses  and  the  extension 
of  financial  aid,  has  pre- 
viously been  outlined  and 
is  undoubtedly  well  known.  The  main 
point  is  that  the  plan  has  been  put  in  ac- 
tual  operation  and  is  working  out  ad- 
vantageously for  the  soldiers,  their 
ONTARIO  SOLDIER-SETTLEMENT  families,  and  the  Dominion  government. 
PLAN  IN  OPERATION  

In  a  few  months  interesting  results  have 
been  accomplished  in  furthering  the  in- 
terests of  some  of  Canada's  returned  sol- 
diers who  have  made  application  for  100- 
acre  farms  in  northern  Ontario.  Two 
fertile  townships  on  the  Kapuskasing 
River,  not  far  by  rail  from  the  town  of 
Cochrane,  have  been  set  aside  for  soldier 
settlers.  Allotments  have  already  been 
made  to  60  veterans.  Forty-four  of  them 
are  now  residing  with  their  families  in 
their  own  homes,  while  houses  for  the 
16  others  are  under  construction. 
Much  of  their  land  has  been 
cleared  and  some  of  it  planted  to 
winter  wheat. 

The  Ontario  government  has 
established  an  experimental  farm 
on  the  east  bank  of  the  river. 
This,  in  charge  of  agricultural 
experts,  forms  the  community  and 
cooperative  center.  Across  the 
water,  on  the  opposite  bank  of 
the  broad  stream,  is  the  Dominion 
Experimental  Farm,  where  800 
enemy  aliens  have  been  interned 


ROPE  SERVES  AS  MAGIC  GUARD 
AGAINST  RATTLESNAKES 

One  unaccustomed  to  outdoor  life  in 
the  West,  on  examining  the  accompany- 
ing photograph,  would  not  believe  that 
the  two  persons  in  the  bed  are  protected 
absolutely  against  rattlesnakes.  The  se- 
cret of  this  seemingly  magic  security,  as 
every  plainsman  knows,  is  the  rope  on  the 
sand  encircling  the  campers.  It  is  made 
of    horsehair    and,    for    some    reason    or 


COPVRIOHT,  MHN  lOWM  HOOQ 

To   the   Tenderfoot    It    Is   Almost    Unbelievable   That   These 

Campers  in  Their  Bed  Made  on  the  Sand  Are  Fully  Protected 

from  the  Rattlesnakes  Infesting  the  Region.    The   Secret  Lies 

in  the  Rope  Encircling  Them 


and   kept   at   work   clearing   and 
planting  about  1,000  acres  of  land. 

Some    800    soldiers    have    applied    for      other,  the  snakes  have  an  inconquerable 
farms,  and  a  most  excellent  scheme  has      aversion  for  crawling  over  it. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS  13 

CONCRBTE  TIES  SHOW  TREND  OF  INVENTORS 


The  Picture  Above  Gives  «  Clear  Idea  of  the  Tie's 
Steel  Skeleton,  Consisting  of  Two  Connected  Cast- 
ings Readv  to  be  Pilled  with  Concrete  and  Used  as 
Shown  in  the  Other  Photographs 

For  some  time  it  has  seemed  almost 
patent  to  many  persons  that  eventually 
a  substitute,  not  to  say  improvement, 
must  be  found  for  the  wooden  railway 
tie.  Many  things  contribute  to  this  feel- 
ing, among  them  our  diminishing  timber 
resources,  the  increasing  size  and  weight 
of  rolling  stock,  and  the  advancing  costs 
of  material  and  labor.  These  elements 
and  many  others  admittedly  accentuate 
the  desirability  of  a  more  or  less  perma- 
nent and  easily  available  type  of  sleeper. 
Steel  ties  and  concrete  ones  are  neither 
new  nor  untried.  Both  have  been  advo- 
cated and  tested  for  several  years,  but 
the  fact  remains  that  so  far  they  have  not 
been  adapted.  It  is  interesting,  never- 
theless, to  observe  two  concrete  and  steel 
tits  that  represent  the  trend  of  inventors 
who  are  devoting  their  attention  to  this 
problem. 


by  a  T-bar.  The  bearings  extend  length- 
wise with  the  rails,  which  are  secured  to 
them  by  bolts.  The  arrangement  requires 
a  considerably  less  number  of  tics  per 
mile  than  the  standard  wood  tie,  yet.  on 
account  of  the  longer  bearing  surface  of 
the  new  tie,  a  greater  percentage  of  the 
rail  is  supported  than  when  wooden  ties 
are  used.  It  is  claimed  that  the  new  type 
of  tie  can  be  furnished  at  an  initial  cost 
per  mile  that  is  nearly  as  low  as  that  of 
the  wooden  tie.  The  design  purports  to 
obviate  the  possibility  of  center  binding, 
which  is  one  of  the  difficulties  which  pre- 
vents steel  and  concrete  ties  of  the  con- 
ventional beam  type  from  being  success- 
fully employed. 

A  second  tie  worthy  of  notice  is  sim- 
ilarly made  of  two  rail  bearings  connected 
by  a  pair  of  crossbars,  obviously  so  de- 
signed for  the  purpose  of  escaping  center 
binding.  The  end  pieces  are  reinforced 
concrete  and  shaped  like  an  ordinary  tie. 
Inserted  in  each  is  a  wooden  block  on 
which  the  rail  rests.    This  permits  the  use 


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The  Drawing  Shows  the  Structural  Features  of  the  Concrete  Tie  Which  is  Illustrated   in   the  Photographs 

Reproduced  Above.    The  One  at  the  Left  Shows  a  Section  of  Ballasted  Track  with 

the  Ties  in  Place;  the  Other,  a  Similar  Unballasted   Section 


of  spikes  for  fastening  the  rails,  and  pro- 
vides a  cushioning  effect.  The  inlaid 
block  may  be  renewed.  , 

Each  of  these  ties  has  been  given  try- 
outs  on  sections  of  different  railways 
where  the  traffic  is  heavy. 


CHEMIST  URGES  ANTHRACITE 
DUST  BE  USED  LIKE  PEAT 

Methods  are  continually  being  formu- 
lated for  enabling  commercial  utilization 
of  the  immense  deposits  of  anthracite 
culm  to  be  found  at  the  coal  fields  of 
Pennsylvania.  The  potential  fuel  value  of 
this  coal  dust  is  disputed,  and  according 
to  some  authorities  all  schemes  for  its 
salvage  are  worthless  because  the  mate- 
rial itself  is  worthless.    Be  this  as  it  may, 


a  Japanese  chemist  in  the  Wilkes-Barre 
region  claims  to  have  found  that  "coal* 
balls"  made  of  culm  taken  from  creek 
bottoms  in  that  district  burn  satisfacto- 
rily. The  clay  that  is  already  mixed  with 
the  coal  dust  serves  as  the  only  binder 
that  is  needed.  The  chemist's  proposal  is 
that  creeks  in  the  anthracite  region  be 
dredged  and  the  material  cut  into  cubes 
and  handled  like  peat.  The  question  that 
naturally  arises,  of  course,  is  the  effect 
that  the  noncombustible  clay  would  have. 


([Efficiency  experts  have  been  studying 
files  and  find  that  the  life  of  one  of  these 
tools,  on  the  average,  is  25,000  strokes. 
To  employ  a  file  for  more  than  its  normal 
period  of  usefulness,  it  is  claimed,  more 
than  doubles  the  cost  of  the  work. 


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15 


CHAIN  OF  LANDING  FIELDS 

FOR  FLIERS  IN  AMERICA 

Just  as  mariners  need  harbors,  and 
motorists  service  stations,  so  airmen  must 
be  provided  with  landing  fields  if  aviation 
is  to  be  properly  devel- 
oped. To  meet  this  need 
a  chain  of  fields  extend- 
ing across  the  continent 
are  being  laid  out  and 
equipped.  They  will  be 
made  easily  distinguish- 
able and,  like  light- 
houses, will  help  pilots 
to  follow  a  definite 
course.  On  these  fields, 
the  sites  for  several  of 
which  have  already  been 
selected,  will  be  supplies 
of  fuel  and  oil,  maps, 
charts,  and  barometer 
and  thermometer  ratings. 
It  is  proposed  also  to 
provide  shops  where  a 
limited  amount  of  repair 

work  can  be  done.    Many       Farm  Tractor  Whi 

American      communities  *"  ^*°*' 

have  been  quick  to  real- 
ize the  future  value  of  providing  proper 
landing  fields  and  there  has  been  keen 
rivalry  among  neighboring  cities  to  fur- 
nish facilities  that  will  be  apt  to  attract 
passing  airmen. 


FARM  TRACTOR  PLUNGES 

THROUGH  BRIDGE 

While  a  heavy  farm  tractor  was  cross- 
ing a  highway  bridge  in  central  Illinois 
recently,  the  planking  gave  way  and  the 


I  Plunged,Rear  End  First,  through  a  Highway  Bridge 
1  Illinois:  The  Engineer  and  Fireman  Fell 
ith  the  Engine  but  were  Uninjured 

big  machine  crashed  through  the  struc- 
ture to  the  earth  beneath.  Fortunately 
the  engineer  and  fireman,  who  were  oper- 
ating the  engine,  were  practically  unin- 
jured by  the  crash. 


NEW  MODEL  OF  REWINDER 

FOR  PAPER  MILLS 

A  new  rewinding    machip^    ^'^^  ^'^'^ 
work   in    paper    mills    repre! 
progress    toward    greater    si 
eflBciency  in  operation  as  C( 
with  other  rewinders.    The 
paper  is  drawn  past  or  aroui 
six     idlers     and     spreaders 
finally      reaching      the      rol 
which   it  is   wound.     To     _. 
insure  even  travel,  in  case     ^ 
the  sheet  may  be  of  ir- 
regular g^uge,  one  of  the     . 
shafts  can   be  canted  by 
means    of   a    handwheel.     , 
At  both  ends  of  the  ma-     j 
chine   are  control   levers     * 
which  enable  the  opera- 
tor to  start  it  slowly  and 
set  it  at  a  desired  speed. 
A  quick  stop,  which  is  a 
matter  of  prime   impor- 
tance with  a  machine  of 
this  sort,  can  be  made  by 


means  of  a  friction  brake.  The 
cutters,  of  which  there  are  six, 
cated  on  a  shaft  at  the  base   of 

^»rit1/1«3r      in     -frnnt       anrl     ran      bo 


circular 
are  lo- 
the   re- 


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Heavy  Spruce  Logt  Rolled  from  a  Passing  Train  and  Rammed  the  Box-Car  Depot  at  Clatsop,  Oregon, 
Knocking  It  into  a  Ditch,  as  the  Two  Views  Above  Show 


CLATSOP  DEPOT  IS  BOMBARDED 

BY  LOGS  ON  WAY  TO  BERLIN 

When  one  considers  the  importance 
with  which  railway  stations  were  rated  by 
airmen  on  bombing  expeditions  during 
the  war,  it  seems  fair  to  assume  that 
Berlin  would  have  rejoiced  some  weeks 
ago  before  hostilities  ceased,  had  it  heard 
of  the  damage  suffered  by  the  depot  at 
Clatsop.  Ore.  Three  spruce  logs  rolled 
off  a  flat  car  passing  the  station.  They 
struck  the  converted  box  car  and  knocked 
it  into  a  ditch.  They  were  later  re- 
covered, however,  and  delivered  at  a  mill, 
there  to  be  cut  into  aeroplane  material, 
while  the  station  was  soon  righted  and 
repaired. 


NEW  SPAN  OVER  MISSISSIPPI 
AT  MINNEAPOLIS 

After  some  years  of  delay  the  ninth 
and  largest  bridge  across  the  Mississippi 
River,  at  Minneapolis,  open  to  general 
traffic,  has  been  completed,  at  a  cost  of 
$850,000.     The  structure  is  a  magnificent 


specimen  of  reinforced-concrete  bridge 
building.  It  is  2,162  ft.  long  and  has  seven 
arched  spans.  In  addition  to  a  broad 
roadway  for  vehicle  traffic  there  are  two 
12-ft.  sidewalks  and  a  double  street-car 
track.  An  unusual  feature  is  the  slight 
curve  at  the  eastern  end  which  was  pro- 
vided so  that  water-power  rights  of  cer- 
tain flour  mills  might  not  be  interfered 
with.  At  one  time,  when  the  project  was 
in  its  preliminary  stages,  the  plans  were 
changed  by  the  Federal  authorities  on 
account  of  certain  geological  formations 
in   the   river  bed. 


OVER  MILLION  TONS  OF  COAL 
SAVED  BY  "EXTRA"  DAYLIGHT 

Careful  investigation  shows  that  in  the 
seven  months  of  "daylight  saving"  ap- 
proximately 1,250,000  tons  of  coal  was 
saved  in  this  country.  Calculations  made 
of  the  coal  consumption  in  a  community 
of  1,000,000  people  indicated  that  tlfe  sav- 
ing was  17^  tons  per  1,000  persons  for 
the  period.  Figures  from  other  districts 
showed  a  similar  saving. 


New  1860,000  Reinforced-Concrete  Bridge  across  the  Mississippi  at  Minneapolis:  The  Structure  it  2,16t 

Peet  Long  and  the  Eastern  End  it  Slightly  Curved  to  Avoid  Interference 

with  the  Water  Rights  of  Certain  Flour  Mills 


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War 
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r>F  all  people  the  English  are  least  concerned  with  praise  for  having  done 
v^  what  the  conscience  of  the  nation  understood  to  be  the  right  thing  to  do. 
They  never  seek  applause,  nor  are  they  swerved  from  a  course,  deemed  right,  for 
lack  of  it.  It  is  a  sterling  quality,  which  has  often  been  mis- 
taken for  mere  stubbornness.  Among  some  other  things  we 
have  discovered  during  the  war,  one  is  that  the  -Huns  have  in- 
sidiously and  persistently,  for  years,  sowed  seeds  of  suspicion 
and  hate  of  the  English  throughout  the  world.  Because  Ger- 
many was  jealous  of  England  she  hated  her;  and  hating  her 
wanted  all  other  countries  to  hate  England  also.  And  so 
around  the  world  went  an  army  of  German  spies  whose  mission 
was  to  spread  a  propaganda  of  hatred.  Germany,  ungrateful,  had  no  cause  for 
this.  English  ports  the  world  over  were  open  freely  to  German  ships  to  come 
and  go  and  trade  at  will.  England  herself  bought  from  Germaxiy  annually  mil- 
lions of  dollars'  worth  of  German-made  goods  in  excess  of  what  Germany  bought 
from  England.  Germans  in  England  were  ?s  free  to  work,  travel,  sell  goods  as 
an^  Englishman,  while  the  Englishman  in  Germany  was  subject  to  constant  sur- 
veillance and  in  arriving  at  a  German  city  must  first  of  all  tile  a  lengthy  report 
containing  a  personal  history,  the  nature  of  his  errand  there,  and  how  many 
days  he  intended  to  remain  in  that  place. 

As  we  all  know,  it  was  a  Question  of  honor  and  not  necessity  which  brought 
England  into  the  war  immeoiately.  She,  too,  with  the  exception  of  a  strong 
navy  was  entirelv  unprepared,  and  the  world  will  never  cease  to  owe  a  debt 
of  gratitude  to  those  brave  men,  who  with  only  scanty  supplies  and  scantier 
ammunition,  held,  actually  by  a  thread,  and  at  awful  cost  of  life,  the  Hun 
line,  while  an  army  was  gathered  and  munition  works  were  being  built.  But  for 
the  English  navy,  the  war  woidd  have  ended  very  differently.  But  for  English 
ships,  also,  only  30  per  cent  of  our  Jtroops  could  have  reached  France. 

Of  all  the  great  things  of  the  war,  none  is  greater  than  the  magnificent 
loyalty  of  the  English  colonies  to  the  mother  country.  While  they  might  have 
remained  aloof,  without  a  moment's  hesitation  they  unitedly  and  heartily  rallied 
to  her  aid.  Of  their  best  of  life  and  treasure  they  sent  from  far-distant  lands  and 
climes,  freely,  voluntarily,  uncomplainingly.  It  was  a  grand  spectacle;  a  mighty 
tribute. 

Because  no  press  bureau  was  maintained  to  keep  us  constantly  reminded, 
there  are  few  of  us  who  as  yet  begin  to  realize  our  debt  to  Great  Britain  in  this 
war;  but  time,  which  adjusts  all  these  things,  will  write  the  story  of  our  debt, 
and  with  that  understanding  will  come  a  truer  sense  of  our  obligation. 

WITH  a  silence  like  that  which  follows  the  mighty  crash  of  a  great  organ, 
the  Great  War  came  suddenly  to  an  end.  No  longer  do  the  weary  soldiers 
at  listening  posts  strain  their  ears  through  long  night  watches;  star  shells  have 
ceased  to  burst  and  flame  over  No  Man's  Land;  cannons  have 
cooled;  machine  guns  utter  no  sound;  the  exchange  of  all  man- 
ner of  deadly  missiles  has  stopped.  At  last  Peace,  which  for 
four  slow,  dreadful  years  has  seemed  afar  off  like  a  mirage, 
has  come.  The  thousand  and  one  activities  of  battle,  intense 
to  the  last  ounce  of  possible  human  effort,  are  relaxed.  Ships 
now  cross  the  ocean  in  safety;  smoke  from  thousands  of  am- 
munition plants  no  longer  darkens  the  sky;  tired  workers  return 
once  more  to  their  homes;  armies  are  demobilizing;  reconstruction  of  devastated 
homes,  and  farms  and  factories  is  contemplated;  the  dreadful  military  debauch 
has  consumed  itself;  the  world  draws  a  great  sigh  of  exhaustion  and  relief; 
the  conflict  is  ended. 

In  all  history  no  message  ever  sped  so  gladly  nor  so  fast,  as  the  few  words 
Hashed  through  the  air,  and  under  oceans,  and  over  land  wires,  until  around  the 
whole  world  and  to  its  uttermost  accessible  parts  the  news  was  carried.  What 
wonder  that  all  civilization  gave  vent  to  a  frenzy  of  joy  almost  barbaric;  that 
men  shouted  and  women  wept;  and  little  children  witnessed  an  event  which 
threescore  years  and  ten  hence,  they  will  relate  to  other  wide-ey^d  children.    In 


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oar  joy  let  us  not  forget  those  millions  of  fathers  whose  voices  refused  to  cheer, 
and  those  mothers  and  wives  and  sweethearts  whose  eyes  were  dry,  because  their 
hearts  were  bowed  down  with  a  sorrow  no  victory  can  ever  compensate. 

The  Huns  ceased  only  when  physically  exhausted;  when  their  ammunition 
was  spent;  when  the  war  had  reach^  their  own  borders;  when  they  no  longer 
possessed  the  ability  to  murder  the  defenseless;  to  gas  the  brave.  Their  regret 
is  that  they  failed,  but  not  one  single  word  of  penitence  for  the  harm  they  have 
done,  the  sorrow  they  have  caused.  Instead  they  think  only  of  their  bellies,  tod 
demand,  not  supplicate,  the  food  they  have  so  wantonly  destroyed  for  years;  they 
whine  lest  the  very  cars  they  stole  from  France  and  Belgium  be  returned  to 
their  rightful  owners.  They  have  been  beaten  in  what  was  for  nearly  four  years 
an  unequal  struggle,  but  for  any  word  which  has  yet  come  out  of  Germany  they 
are  the  same  unregenerate  Huns  who,  casting  aside  all  the  obligations  of  a  avilized 
nation,  marched  into  Belgium  in  August,  1914. 

And  what  of  that  archconspirator  and  his  associates  in  power,  who  with 
bags  of  gold  have  sought  hiding  in  near-by,  and  so-called  neutral  countries?  Is 
there  no  justice  in  the  world?  Are  these  who  through  long  years  planned,  and 
spied,  and  gathered  war  supplies,  and  made  numitions  and  trained  millions  of 
fighting  men;  are  these— after  all  their  deliberations  and  crimes  against  the 
world — are  these  to  live?  Is  there  any  crime  in  all  the  annals  of  evil  of  which 
these  men  are  not  guilty?  Is  there  anywhere  in  all  the  dark,  bloody  chapter,  one 
single  redeeming  act,  which  they  can  plead  for  mercy?  Were  there  the  slightest 
spark  of  remorse,  did  they  possess  one  element  of  true  manhood,  they  would 
long  ago  have  taken,  their  own  lives,  and  cheated  justice  of  her  dues.  But  no; 
even  at  this  writing  there  lacks  any  reliable  evidence  that  the  kaiser  is  not  even 
now  still  the  kaiser  of  the  Huns,  waiting  only  a  turn  of  the  wheel  of  fortune  to 
return  to  his  throne  and  insult  the  nations  of  the  world  by  demanding  recognition 
as  one  of  its  rulers. 

As  merely  so  many  pounds  of  living,  breadiing  tissue,  the  life  or  death  of 
these  beinn  means  little;  in  a  few  years  at  most  nature  will  demand  her  due;  but 
as  a  principle  of  right,  as  an  act  due  those  loyal  millions  who  have  suffered  and 
died  to  perpetuate  freedom  for  the  world,  the  allies  cannot,  must  not,  hesitate 
to  try,  convict,  and  execute  the  kaiser  and  his  guilty  associates. 

AND  what  of  future  wars?*    Will  nation  war  afainet  nation  in  the  days  to 
come,  and  will  the  refinement  of  cruelty  in  killmg  be  still  furdier  developed 
from  its  present  advanced  stage?    Just  now,  with  the  smoke  and  smell  of  batde 
still  hovering  in  the  air;  with  all  its  dead  and  injured  and  sick 
fresh  in  mind,  we  find  it  hard  to  imagine  that  another  war 
could  be. 

It  is  difficult  to  believe  that  any  nation  is  likely  to  delib- 
erately make  war  upon  another  nation  so  strong  and  powerful 
as  to  almost  insure  the  defeat  of  the  aggressor.  Germany  was 
positive  in  her  belief  of  her  superstrength  to  win,  otherwise 
she  would  have  postponed  the  day  until  the  was  sure. 
We  preserve  order  in  our  cities  largely  by  prevention;  there  are  people 
aplenty  who  dislike  other  people  to  the  extent  of  willing  to  assault  or  even  kill 
them,  who  nevertheless  refrain  from  doine  so  because  of  the  presence  of  p<^ce 
and  Uie  fear  of  punishment.  Except  for  those  temporarily  unbalanced,  the  great 
majori^  are  peaceably  inclined,  fiven  were  the  pc^ce  madequate,  there  is  the 
State  MilitiaL,  and  even  the  National  Army. 

Theoretically,  a  S3rstem  which  suffices  to  maintain  order,  and  administer 
justice  and  punishment,  between  the  citizens  of  any  one  country  ought  to  be 
capable  of  expansion  to  maintain  order  between  countries.  Probably  the  one 
thing  which  most  stands  in  the  way  is  their  lack  of  acquaintance^  one  country 
with  another.  It  is  much  less  easy  to  understand  what  a  man  whom  you  have 
never  met  says  and  does,  than  after  you  come  to  know^  him.  A  remark  which 
sounds  offensive  may  prove  on  acquaintance  to  be  intended  as  a  compliment.  In 
other  words  if  an  international  board  to  maintain  order  and  admimster  justice 
between  nations  is  to  succeed,  its  member  nations  will  have  to  know  one  another 
better,  and  practice  the  golden  rule.  A  good  start  has  been  made;  the  English, 
French,  Belgians,  Italians,  Portuguese,  and  Americans,  with  representatives  of  all ' 
their  several  dependencies,  have  been  thrown  together  as  never  before. 

American  tourists  bent  on  a  holiday  formerly  returned  to  talk  chiefly  about 


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the  gavety  of  Paris  until  we  thought  all  France  frivolous;  the  English  were  con- 
sidered a  bit  distant  and  haughty,  and  so  on.  In  the  great  melting  pot  of  the 
fitting  trenches,  the  furbelows  were  all  cast  aside  and  the  splendid  manhood 
and  ideal  spirit  in  each  has  stood  revealed.  Preconceived  ideas  each  of  the  other 
have  been  reversed.  Even  the  Hun  has  little  to  say  about  the  American  being  a 
dollar  chaser  since  the  marines  chased  him  out  of  Chateau  Thierry. 

It  is  well  that  our  President  should  disregard  precedents  and  attend  the 
Peace  Conference.  In  days  to  come  the  heads  of  our  allied  countries,  and  other 
countries,  may  likewise  well  forget  precedent  and  visit  us.  We  might  with 
advanta^^e  revise  the  histories  and  teach  our  children  the  best  and  grand  things 
in  the  hfe  of  other  nations  rather  than  so  much  of  the  worst. 

People  are  apt  to  base  judgment  on  their  personal  experiences.  One  voir 
scrupulous  exporter  can  poison  a  well  of  foreign  sentiment  from  which  hundreds 
will  drink.  Never  was  a  time  when  high  moral  standards  of  business  meant  so 
much  for  the  future  as  now.  The  man  who  for  selfbh  ends  abuses  the  confidence 
of  a  buyer  in  another  country,  thereby  betrays  his  own  country  and  is  a  traitor. 

Such  an  opportunity  for  mutual  understanding  and  universal  good  will  has 
never  occurred.  The  time  calls  for  the  exercise  of  uie  highest  impulses  and  sound 
judgment,  and  that  same  generous,  farsighted  vision  through  coming  years  which 
the  framers  of  our  own  Declaration  of  Independence  displayed.  A  spirit  almost 
of  inspiration  is  needed  if  the  union  of  nations  shall  be  so  framed  as  to  prdvide 
a  bulwark  which  the  avarice  and  cupidity  of  any  and  all  nations  shall  be  power- 
less to  destroy. 


AS  flowers  spring  up  from  unpromising  battle-scarred  lands;  as  storms  clear 
the  air;  and  the  conflagration  which  seemed  only  a  great  calamity  is  found  to 
provide  the  long-dreamed-of  opportunity  for  a  city  beautiful,  so  too,  war  with 
all   its   awful  penalties   is   not   without   some   compensations. 
One  of  these  will  be  a  literal  ^revival  of  learning"  when  our 
boys  reach  home  from  camps  here  and  across  the  ocean. 

In  the  period  immediately  following  the  Civil  War,  there 
was  a  great  demand  for  books;  following  this  war  there  will  be 
a  frreat  demand  for  both  books  and  teachers.    With  character- 
istic impatience  the  average  American  boy  has  looked  on  his 
school  work  as  almost  wasted  years,  and  longs  to  enter  some 
occi^Mition  which  at  the  time  seems  more  constructive,  and  nearer  a  man's  work. 
Many  are  obliged  to  leave  school  and  go  to  work. for  economic  reasons;  others 
do  so  who  might  have  continued  their  studies. 

The  organization  of  our  Army  and  Navy  has  been  a  f^reat  object  lesson  to 
the  enlisted  men.  Not  that  the  one  with  the  educated,  tramed  mind  was  a  whit 
braver  or  had  better  courage  than  the  other,  but  the  essentials  to  become  an 
officer  required  a  mind  trained  to  think  clearly  and  accurately,  and  this  condition 
depended  on  previous  study.  The  ability  to  accomplish  the  unusually  severe 
mental  task  of  mastering  tiie  course  of  intensive  training  in  the  limited  time 
allowed  in  the  officers'  training  camps  depended  very  largely  on  the  kind  and 
amount  of  study  which  the  young  man  had  behind  him.  Obviously,  the  man  who 
is  tiiorouf^hly  experienced  in  the  operation  of  a  certain  intricate  machine  could 
more  easily  and  <^uickly  master  some  other  intricate  machine  than  he  whose 
training  and  experience  had  been  confined  to  the  operation  of  the  wheelbarrow 
in  which  the  raw  material  was  brought  and  the  finished  parts  were  removed. 
The  demonstration  was  unavoidable;  &e  object  lesson  was  plain  to  all. 

Hundreds  of  thousands  who  formerly  regarded  technical  training  with  indif- 
ference realized  what  a  distinct  advantage  it  provided,  and  the  desire  and  ambition 
to  study  and  master  at  least  some  one  branch  became  a  fixed  purpose.  This  was 
evidenced  in  the  call  for  technical  instruction  books  which  by  tens  of  thousands 
were  sent  to  camp  reading  rooms.  And  one  of  the  best  things  which  our  boys 
will  bring  back  with  them  to  civilian  life  will  be  this  determination  to  study  and 
learn.  A  small  percentage  will  return  to  colleges  and  technical  schools,  where 
there  is  likely  to  be  a  wholesome  revision  of  the  various  courses  which  have 
long  been  cumbersome.  There  will  be  a  discarding  of  many  nonessentials,  and 
a  greater  specialization  in  the  thin|^  desired.  There  will  be  less  chemistry  in  an 
electrical  course,  and  less  electricity  in  the  chemical  course;  Latin  and  Greek 
will  continue  the  entrance  to  a  classical  course,  but  should  be  eliminated  as 

L essential  to  a  course  in  cement  engineering  or  irrigation.  HM 

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For  that  great  army  of  boys  who  cannot  return  to  colleges  and  schools,  tmt 
who  are  determined  to  learn,  there  are  fortunately  the  correspondence  schools 
with  a  choice  of  studies  coyering  a  wide  range  of  practical  subjects.  There  is  a 
certain  stimulus  to  study  which  comes  from  the  team  work  of  classes,  which  the 
solitary  student,  working  alone,  lacks;  on  the  other  hand,  this  can  be  larvely 
compensated  in  the  determination  of  the  individual  whose  study  is  purHy  volun- 
tary. As  between  the  final  results  of  the  boy  in  a  class  of  100  who  does  not  care 
lo  learn,  and  the  one  who,  working  bg  himself,  is  bound  to  master  has  chosen, 
subject,  the  latter  will  be  the  winner.  In  no  country  in  the  world  are  the  oppor- 
tumties  for  study  so  generous  as  here;  in  no  other  country  are  the  rewards  so 
sure  and  splendid.  In  this  revival  of  learning  the  correspondence  schools  are 
destined  to  come  into  their  own,  and  render  an  individual  and  national  service 
of  untold  value. 


\X7HEN  a  fire  occurs  in  a  farm  house,  or  bam,  about  all  the  owners  and  near 
V  V  neighbors  can  do  is  to  save  as  much  of  the  furniture  or  live  stock  as  possible, 
and  try  to  prevent  its  spread  to  other  buildings  on  the  place.  One  of  these  days, 
when  good  roads  are  universal,  there  will  be  one  or  more  motor 
fire  engines  in  each  township  which  can  be  summoned  by  tele- 
I^one.  This  will  result  in  a  considerable  reduction  of  the 
present  annual  loss  from  fires  on  farms,  which  amounts  to  mil- 
lions of  dollars.  The  better  plan  of  course  would  be  for  each 
farmer  to  have  his  own  fire  protection,  and  this  is  much  less 
expensive  or  difficult  than  many  might  suppose. 

It  is  not  so  long  ago  when  a  farmer  would  doubt  your  san- 
ity if  you  suggested  his  having  an  electric-light  plant  of  his  own  on  the  place. 
Today  there  are  thousands  of  such  plants,  and  increasing  in  number  ra|iidly.  A 
fire-protection  system  is  just  as  practical,  and  before  long  will  be  as  numerous. 
The  details  are  simple. 

In  occasional  instances  a  reservoir  on  a  hill  near  by,  with  underground  pipe 
and  a  few  len^^ths  of  hose,  solve  the  problenL  In  most  cases  it  means  a  large 
underground  astern  whose  contents  should  be  sacred  and  never  drawn  upon 
except  for  fire  purposes.  A  force  pump  is  not  expensive  and  lasts  for  years. 
These  are  already  on  the  market,  with  gas  en^e  either  attached  or  without,  as 
desired.  Practically  every  farmer  now  has  his  gas  engine  which  could  be  in- 
stantly connected  to  the  pump.  In  a  pinch  he  could  make  his  automobile  fumiih 
the  power.  In  peace  times  the  expenditure  for  dstem,  piunp,  pipe,  power,  and 
hose  would  be  easily  within  the  reach  of  every  well-established  farmer,  and  the 
first  fire  checked  at  the  start  would  pay  for  the  entire  outfit  several  times  over. 
Bventuallv  fire-insurance  companies  would  reduce  their  rates  on  buildings  so  pro- 
tected. With  so  many  power  implements  already  in  use  on  a  farm,  the  starting 
of  the  fire  pump  involves  nothing  which  could  not  be  done  by  a  farnHNfs  vHfe, 
boy  or  girl,  and  anybody  with  one  arm  can  hold  a  hose.  Taken  in  time  prolMibly 
three-fourths  of  all  fires  on  farms  could  be  extinguished  with  a  few  barrels  of 
water  if  poured  continuously.  The  trouble  with  the  pail-and-carry  system  is,  the 
supply  is  too  slow,  where  a  steady  stream,  even  if  not  very  large,  gains  on  a 
fire. 


IT  cannot  be  denied  that  the  action  of  the  President  in  taking  over  die  ocean 
cables  five  days  after  the  war  had  ceased  is  received  with  great  uncertainty 
regardless  of  political  party.  Through  the  entire  period  of  the  war  the  calces 
were  open  to  business  and  the  news  agencies,  Inibject,  of  course, 
to  censorship.  Now,  after  the  war  is  ended,  and  the  most  im- 
portant work  of  statecraft  ever  attempted  is  about  to  be  under- 
taken, does  the  administration  reach  out  to  grasp  the  ocean 
lines  of  communication.  The  performance  and  history  of  the 
Creel  Bureau  of  Information  does  not  inspire  the  utmost  con- 
fidence in  the  coming  reports  of  the  Peace  Conference,  which 
apparently  are  to  reach  us  exclusively  through  that  agency.  To 
all  ai^earances  the  very  first  of  the  14  principles  of  international  agreement 
proposed  by  the  President,  viz.,  "No  secret  diplomacy,"  is  about  to  be  disre- 


the 
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It  is  an  undertaking  of  the  most  vital  consequences,  when  any  one  man,  or 
set  of  men,  undertakes  to  decide,  on  the  binding  conditions  by  which  this  nation 
shall  be  held  in  its  future  relations  with  other  nations.  The  Peace  Conference 
discussions  and  proceedings,  of  all  congresses  ever  held,  should  be  the  most 
open  and  above  board,  and  for  this  country,  of  all  countries,  to  start  out  with 
all  cables  and  wireless  under  the  absolute  command  of  one  person,  cannot  fail 
to  arouse  a  question  as  to  why  the  American  people  should  not  be  allowed  not 
only  full  and  free  reports  of  acts  of  the  congress,  but  also  of  expressions  of 
opinion  of  our  allies  and  others.  The  step  is  an  exercise  of  an  autocratic  power 
conferred  to  be  used  as  an  emergency  of  war,  and  was  never  intended  to  be 
carried  over  beyond  the  moment  of  the  cessation  of  hostilities.  The  country 
would  never  have  given  its  approval  of  such  an  action  in  peace  times,  and  resents 
it  now. 

"Lay  all  the  cards  on  the  table"  is  a  somewhat  common,  but  very  expressive 
phrase,  which  represents  the  feeling  of  the  American  people  at  this  time. 


A  LMOST  the  first  utterance  from  surrendered  Germany  was  a  demand  on  the 
^^  allies  for  food,  and  as  this  demand  was  Hashing  across  the  ocean,  Hun 
armies,  in  anything  but  a  famished  condition,  were  marching  home.  At  the  same 
tune  reluctant  prison  doors  in  Germany  opened,  and  through 
these  doors  came,  by  thousands,  such  wrecks  of  manhood  as  the 
world  has  seldom  seen — ^walking  skeletons  who  could  barely 
walk,  thrust  out  in  rags  and  shoeless,  to  make  their  way,  as  best 
they  could  and  if  they  could,  to  the  allied  line.  Many  never 
reached  that  long  prayed-for  haven,  but  exhausted  with  cold  and 
hunger  died  by  the  wayside.  And  it  is  the  people  responsible 
for  such  fienoish  wickedness  that  reach  out  their  hands  and 
demand  the  allies  feed  them! 

It  would  be  unchristian,  though  a  just  retribution,  if  the  allies  could  be 
given  the  feeding  of  the  Huns  for  a  time,  with  food  of  the  same  nourishing  value, 
and  served  in  the  same  way  as  the  Huns  fed  the  prisoners  of  the  allies.  These, 
same  prisoners  would  know  how  to  serve — those  who  were  tied  to  stakes 
without  food  or  water  for  two  or  three  days  at  a  time,  with  food  in  plain  sight 
but  just  beyond  reach.  There  are  many  yet  alive  who  have  witnessed  diis  refined 
cruelty  of  the  middle  aees^  and  some  who  even  survived  the  torture.  These 
would  know  how  Huns  should  be  fed. 

And  those  others  who  had  choice  of  putrid  fish  or  nothing;  and  those  in 
whose  bowl  of  thin  soup  the  Hun  women  spat  as  thev  handed  it  over  to  French 
and  Belgian  and  English  "dogs."  These  victims,  too,  know  how  Huns  fed  others. 
The  starved  millions  in  Belgium,  and  Poland,  and  Armenia,  whose  Red 
Cross  supplies  were  intercepted  and  used  by  Huns;  these  skeletons  would  gladly 
rise  from  their  unmarked  graves  and  help  feed  the  Huns.  And  innocent  children 
who  trustingly  smiled  as  they  ate  the  poisoned  sweets,  they  could  tell  in  lisping 
words  what  ^ould  flavor  the  food  for  Huns.  And  those  who  died  in  torture 
fi-om  drinking  at  poisoned  wells,  these  also  would  serve  as  cup  bearers  while 
Huns  are  fed. 

The  wicked  prosper — ^for  a  time.  With  our  narrow  span  of  life  we  grow 
impatient  because  justice  delayed  seems  to  us  as  justice  forgotten;  but  in  days 
to  come,  retribution  is  inevitable,  and  children's  children  will  pay  the  penalty  for 
the  sins  of  the  fathers. 

The  Huns  will  be  fed;  and  they  will  eat  the  husks  of  bitter  punishment;  as 
they  have  sowed  so  shall  they  reap,  and  the  harvest  will  be  one  of  sorrow,  all  in 
due  time. 

H.  H.  WINDSOR 
November  26th 


QSE 


^sB 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


CINCINNATI  GETS  HUGE  FLAG 
ON  VICTORY  DAY 

A  notable  Victory  Day  gift,  designed 
as  an  expression  of  patriotism  and  thank- 
fulness on  the  part  of  the  donor,  was  an 


Immense  Flag  Hanging  in  Front  of  the  Cincinnati 
City  Hall  on  Victory  JJay :  The  Emblem  Was  a  Gift 
to  the  City  in  Commemoration  of  the  Dawa  of  Peace 

immense  American  flag  presented  to  the 
city  of  Cincinnati  by  one  of  its  citizens. 
The  emblem  measures  101  by  52  ft.  and, 
when  unfurled  in  the  midst  of  rejoicing 
on  November  11,  completely  covered  the 
main  faqade  of  the  city  hall. 


LUNGS  REPAIRED  AND  CLEANED 
BY  DELICATE  OPERATION 

International  attention  is  being  directed  ^ 
to  remarkable  lung  operations  that  have 
been  successfully  performed  by  Col. 
Pierre  Duval  of  the  French  Reserve  Medi- 
cal Corps.  In  describing  some  of  his 
work  to  American  army  medical  officers 
at  one  of  the  southern  camps  a  short  time 
ago,  he  explained  that  he  enters  the  chest 
cavity  by  making  a  six-inch  opening 
through  the  ribs.  With  the  aid  of  forceps 
he  then  lifts  the  lung  through  the  aperture 
.and  lays  it  on  the  chest  wall.  The  bleed- 
ling  blood  vessels  are  tied,  the  outer  sur- 


face of  the  organ  cleaned,  and  the  tracts 
swabbed  out  with  gauze.  During  this 
procedure  the  member  is  manipulated, 
like  a  sponge,  with  one  hand.  Continuing 
the  work,  the  colonel  has  felt  his  way 
along  the  walls  of  the  lung  and  removed 
shell  fragments  and  bullets.  Torn  pieces 
of  the  organ  have  been  excised  and  the 
wound  sutured.  After  this  the  lung  has 
been  replaced  in  its  normal  position  and 
the  aperture  closed.  Two-thirds  of  the 
patients  who  have  been  subjected  to 
operations  of  this  kind  have  fully  recov- 
ered. It  should  be  understood,  however, 
that  the  lung  is  not  separated  from  the 
body,  but  that  part  of  it  is  lifted  from  the 
chest  cavity. 


NEED  FOR  TOOLS  AT  TUSKEGEE 
ON  ACCOUNT  OF  FIRE 

A  fire  which  recently  destroyed  the 
Trades  Building  at  Tuskegee  Institute  in 
Alabama  has  so  seriously  handicapped 
that  school  that  the  management  is  mak- 
ing an  urgent  appeal  for  donations  of 
tools  and  machinery.  Among  the  trades  for 
which  equipment  is  especially  needed  are 
tin  smithing,  carpentry,  wood  turning, 
printing,  tailoring,  harness  making,  plumb- 
ing, electric  lighting,  and  painting. 


ANCHOR  WITH  FOLDING  ARMS 
STOWS  INTO  SMALL  SPACE 

A  feature  of  a  recently  patented  anchor, 
for  use  on  land  or  in  the  water,  is  its  fold- 
ing arms,  or  flukes,   y^  which  permit  it  to 


be  stored  in  small 
is  made  of  rolled 
and  one  or  more 
pivoted  to  the 
anchor  is  dropped 
body  of  water,  or 


space.  The  device 
metal,  cut  to  size, 
pairs  of  flukes  are 
shanTc.  When  the 
to  the  bed  of  a 
placed    in    the 


gr  o  u  nd  to  >^i  hold    a    pole 
or  post,       land  is  sub-    ^ 


IL 


ject    to    tension, 

to  spread  apart. 

stop  them  when 

right    angles    to 

ing  the  anchor  a 

i  n  g   power. 

than  one  pair  of 

vided,  the  shank  is  twisted  so  that  they 

point  in  various  directions  when  extended. 


An 

Anchor 
with  Folding 
Flukes  Which 
Permit  It  to  Be 
Stored  in  Small 
Space:  It  can  be 
Used  for  Nautical 
Purposes  or  to  Stab- 
ilize Poles  or  Posts 

the  arms  tend 
Stops  or  studs 
they  arrive  at 
the  shank,  giv- 
maximum  hold- 
Where  more 
flukes  are  pro- 


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In  the  Lower  View,  at  the  Left,  a  Fragment  of  the  Wheel  is  Imbedded  in  the  Cement  Walk,  500  Peet  from 
the  Power  House  Shown  in  the  Background.    The  Wreckage  in  the  Engine  Room  is  Shown  at  the  Right 


RACING  FLYWHEEL  BURSTS 
AND  WRECKS  PLANT 

The  destruction  wrought  by  the  burst- 
ing of  a  flywheel  in  an  electric-light  plant 
in  New  Rockford,  N.  D.,  recently,  indi- 
cates vividly  the  disastrous  results  which 
may  follow  failure  to  control  the  speed 
of  an  engine.  The  engine  in  question 
was  of  the  Corliss  type,  and  for  some  un- 
discovered reason  the  governor  failed  to 
work.  The  speed  of  the  flywheel,  which 
normally  was  100  revolutions  per  min- 
ute, was  increased  to  many  times  that 
number.  Eventually  the  big  casting 
burst,  and  fragments  were  hurled  many 
hundred  feet  in  all  directions.  The  en- 
gine room  and  the  machinery  it  contained 
were  completely  wrecked,  except  a  small 
generator  which,  almost  miraculously, 
was  unharmed.  A  great  hole  was  torn 
in  one  of  the  brick  walls,  and  a  piece  of 
the  wheel,  weighing  about  450  pounds, 
was  thrown  high  in  the  air.  It  landed  in 
front  of  a  furniture  store  500  ft.  from  the 
power  plant,  burying  itself  deep  in  the 
concrete  sidewalk.  The  enterprising  fur- 
niture merchant  hastened  to  paint  an  ad- 
vertisement on  the  side  of  the  fragment. 


Clt  is  stated  that  during  one  of  the- last 
great  offensives  of  the  allied  forces  the 
consumption  of  gasoline  by  the  army  and 
the  air  forces  amounted  to  about  500,000 
gallons  per  day. 


NOVEL  LUBRICATING  SYSTEM 
ELIMINATES  GREASE  CUPS 

Of  possible  interest  to  motorists  is  a 
lubricating  system  of  late  development 
that  provides  for  the  elimination  of  g^rease 
cups  from  a  car.  Their  place  is  taken  by 
ball-valve  nipples,  and  periodical  lubrica- 
tion is  accomplished  with  the  aid  of  a 
cylindrical  compressor  supplied  with  a 
flexible-steel  hose  and  bayonet  coupling. 
The  latter  enables  connection  to  be  made 
with  one  of  the  nipples  without  prolonged 
screwing.  Grease  is  forced  into  the  bear- 
ings un^er  high  pressure  so  that  the  used 
lubricant    is    discharged    simultaneously. 


The  Indicator  Hands  on  the  Dial  at  the  Side  Show  the 

Difference  in  the  Pressure  Exerted  by  the  Average 

Grease  Cup  and  the   New  Lubricator 

When  grease  cups  on  a  car  are  integral 
whh  shackle  bolts,  a  special  cap  with  a 
ball-valve  nipple  attSiched,  is  used. 


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THIRD  MEMORIAL  TO  BOLIVAR 

ACCEPTABLE  TO  NEW  YORK 

After  two  previous  tinsuccessful  at- 
tempts on  the  part  of  the  Venezuelan 
government  to  present  the  city  of  New 


monument  is  the  work  of  a  New  York 
sculptress  and  has  won  the  praise  alike 
of  the  Venezuelans  and  of  American  art 
societies.  It  is  of  bronze  and  represents 
the  popular  hero  mounted  on  a  spirited 
horse.  In  1883,  a  statue  of  Bolivar  was 
erected  in  New  York,  but  was  so  severely 
criticised  by  artists  that  the  Venezuelan 
authorities  finally  ordered  its  removal.  In 
1897,  another  sculptor  was  commissioned 
to  make  a  statue  of  the  same  Subject  for 
New  York,  but  his  work  was  rejected  and 
so  was  never  erected. 


Sutue  of  BoUvar«  tJi«  Venezuelan  Hero,  a  Gift  from 

Venesncla  to  New  York  City :  Two  Previous  Statues 

of  the   Ocneral,    Intended  for   New   York,    Prored 

Unsatisfactory 

York  with  a  permanent  memorial  of 
Simon  Bolivar,  a  satisfactory  equestrian 
statue  of  the  famous  South  American 
general  a»d  statesman  has  been  executed 
and  will  be  erected  in  Central  Park.    The 


GERMANS  RESORT  TO  BELTS 

OF  WOyEN  PAPER 

An  indication  of  the  straits  to  which 
the  war  brought  the  Germans  with  re- 
spect to  certain  materials  is  found  in  the 
fact  that  they  resorted  to  making  ma- 
chmery  belts  of  woven  and  braided  paper. 
The  paper  fabric  was  cut  into  lengths  of 
perhaps  100  feet  and  was  subsequently 
used  in  making  belts  of  the  desired  width 
and  thickness.  A  core  of  cotton,  sheet 
metal,  or  of  interwoven  thread  and  wires, 
was  surrounded  with  paper  strips  and  the 
whole  was  sewn  with  strong  thread,  mak- 
ing a  belt  both  strong  and  flexible,  it  i3 
said. 


CMuch  excitement  has  been  created  in 
Dutch  East  India  by  the  discovery  of  rich 
iron-ore  fields  on  the  Island  of  Celebes. 
It  is  estimated  that  there  are  1,000,000,000 
tons  of  ore  in  the  district  in  question. 


FLYING  HOSPITAL  WAS  LAST  GREAT  WAR  INNOVATION 


One  of  the  most  interesting  of  the  in- 
novations in  military  aeronautics  intro- 
duced before  the  war's  collapse,  was  the 
flying  hospital.  The  marked  success  that 
attended  the  development  and  use  of 
aerial  ambulances,  employed  for  quickly 
conveying  seriously  wounded  soldiers  to 
surgical  stations,  suggested  the  feasibil- 
ity of  reversing  the  scheme  by  conveying 
surgeons  to  patients  in  the  field. 

Like  the  first  aerial  ambulance,  the  fly- 
ing hospital  was  a  French  invention.  It 
is  not  known  whether  or  not  a  complete 
squadron  of  machines,  as  planned,  had 
actually  been  commissioned  before  the 
truce  was  signed.  One  of  the  specially 
outfitted  units,  however,  is  described  as 
carrying,  in  addition  to  the  pilot,  a  sur- 
geon and  an  X-ray  operator.  Its  equip- 
Inent  consisted  in  part  of  a  folding  X-ray 


table,  supplied  with  the  Mondain  cap  for 
daylight  work  and  the  Nemirovsky  com- 
pass for  locating  shell  fragments  and  bul- 
lets; a  folding  combination  lavatory  and 
instrument  stand,  and  an  electric  sterilizer. 
When  the  plan  was  first  broached,  it 
was  thought  that  one  or  possibly  two  of 
the  flying  hospitals  could  serve  a  front  of 
approximately  125  miles.  It  was  reasoned 
that  at  periods  of  emergency,  when  ad- 
vance posts  without  X-ray  and  operating 
equipment  were  overwhelmed,  a  flying 
hospital  could  be  dispatched  in  response 
to  a  telephone  call  for  assistance.  If  need 
be,  its  equipment  and  staff  could  be  de- 
livered at  the  post  and  the  machine  re- 
turned to  headquarters  to  pick  up  an- 
other outfit  and  its  operators.  How  the 
scheme  actually  worked  out  in  practice 
yet  remains  to  be  told. 


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to  the  Patient  Instead  of  the  Patient  being  Carried  to  tne   aurgcon 


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CpSTLY  BUDDHIST  TEMPLE 
ON  AMERICAN  SOIL 

A  Buddhist  temple  in  Honolulu,  cost- 
ing $90,000,  frequently  excites  the  interest 


This  190,000  Buddhitt  Temple,  at  Honolulu,  Is  an  Object  of  Unusual 
Interest  Because  It  Is  One  of  the  Pew  Houses  of  Worship  of  This  Sort 
under   the  American   Flag,   and  is   Said   to   Be   the   Only   One   Built  of 

Concrete 


of  vifiitors,  for  it  is  one  of  the  very  few 
houses  of  worship  of  this  sort  to  be  found 
under  the  American  flag.  It  is  said  to  be 
the  only  Buddhist  temple  which  is  built 
of  reinforced  concrete.  Local  Japanese 
contributed  the  funds  for  its  construc- 
tion. 


ELECTRIC  DEVICE  MEASURES 

HEAT  LOST  VIA  CHIMNEYS 

An  ingenious  device  has  been  invented 
for  measuring  the  heat  that  passes  up  a 
chimney  and  so  is  lost. 
In  working  out  the  prob- 
lem, it  was  assumed  that 
the  heat  carried  off  is  di- 
rectly proportional  to  the 
difference  between  the 
temperature  of  the  out- 
side air  and  of  the  flue, 
and  inversely  propor- 
tional to  the  percentage 
of  carbon  dioxide,  meas- 
ured by  volume,  in  the 
escaping  gases.  The  dif- 
ference in  temperature 
is  measured  by  an  elec- 
tric device  known  as  a 
thermocouple,  while  the 
amount  of  carbon  diox- 
ide is  ascertained  by  the 
change  in  the  electrical 
resistance  of  a  solution 
of  caustic  soda  occa- 
sioned by  the  absorp- 
tion of  the  carbon  dioxide  and  the  pro- 
duction of  sodium  carbonate. 


C Certain  old  warships  owned  by  Venezu- 
ela, Colombia,  Argentina,  as  well  as  one 
owned  by  the  British,  have  been  success- 
fully transformed  into  cargo  carriers. 


BIG  APIARY  ON  TERRACED  MOUNTAIN  SIDE 


Beekeepers  in  mountainous  regions  in 
the  West  have  learned  that  while  many 
steep  slopes  are  almost 
inaccessible,  they  offer 
ideal  locations  for 
apiaries.  An  excellent 
example  of  a  precipitous 
mountain  side  utilized  in 
this  way  is  shown  here- 
with. The  slope  has  been 
cut  into  terraces  12  to 
15  ft.  high,  on  which 
more  than  300  swarms  of 
bees  are  housed,  each 
hive  being  placed  on  a 
concrete  foundation.  The. 
land  put  to  this  profitable 
use  would  be  worth  little 
for  any  other  purpose. 
The  hives,  being  high  up, 
are  finned  by  the  sum- 
mer breezes  and  are 
warmed    bv    the    sun    in 


winter,  the  slope  having  a  favorable  as- 
pect and  being  sheltered  by  adjoining  hills. 


Slope  Too  Steep  for  Ordinary  Cultivation,  Which  Makes  an  Ideal  Location 

for  an  Apiary:  Each  Hive  Rests  on  a  Concrete  Foundation, 

and  There  Are  Some  800  of  Them  in  This  Colony 


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27' 


SUPPLY  TRAINS  AT  FRONT 
MADE  UP  UNIFORMLY 


NEWSPAPER-STUFFING  MACHINE 
ELIMINATES  HANDWORK 


In    providing    transportation    for    the  Considerable    interest    is    being    mani- 

enormous  amount  of  supplies  needed  by      fested    in    a   newspaper-stuffing   machine 
American  forces  at  the  fron 
necessary  for  the  military  n 
authorities  to  work  out  a  sys 
making  up  trains  which  reqi 
minimum  of  supervision  and 
be  absolutely  uniform  day  a 
day.   At  the  time  when  fight 
was  still  in  progress  15  of  th 
"automatic    trains,"    as    the] 
were    called,    were    started 
each   day   for  their  respec- 
tive destinations.    Each  was 
made   up  of  50  cars.     Un- 
doubtedly a  sinjilar  system 
of  operation  has  been  empl 
more  recently  in  supplying  o 
of    occupation    with    food, 
fuel,   and   so   on.     The   vill; 
served  as  the  railway   head( 
to    be    provided    with    72   m 
tracking  to  take  care   of  th 
The  population  has  increase 


FOOT  REST  FOR  MOI 
MAKES  CONTROL  E«.v,x^xx 

An  automobile  accessory  which  will  be 
appreciated  particularly  by  motorists  who 
sit  Inner  at  the  steering 
is    a    rubber-bound 
t  intended  to  be 
to  the  car  floor  just 
the  accelerator.    It 
can  be  adjusted  to 
hold    the    driver's 
foot  at  the  proper 
height   with    re- 
spect to  the  accel- 
erator, and  in  c^se 
the   car  strikes   a 
bump,  it  prevents 
accidental    li  r  e  s- 
sure  on  the  con- 
trol.      It    also 
relieves  the  muscles  of  the  leg  from  ten- 
sion due  to  holding  the  ball  of  the  foot 
continually  in  an  upraised  |iositipn. 


(TThe  government  has  taken  possession 
of  and  now  controls  all  marine-cable  sys- 
tems owned  or  operated  by  American 
concerns.  This  includes  several  trans- 
atlantic cables,  one  10,000  miles  long 
extending  to  China,  one  extending  from 
New  York  through  the  Panama  Canal 
and  down  the  west  coast  of  South 
America,  and  several  others. 


the  Capacity  of  the  Apparatus  is  Increased  to 
Accommodate  as  Many  Sections  as  may  be  Desired 

that  is  reported  to  accomplish  the  work 
of  a  dozen  or  more  persons.  The  task  of 
assembling  the  several  sections  of  the 
bulky  Sunday  morning  and  special  edi- 
tions of  metropolitan  newspapers  has  al- 
ways been  a  manual  operation  that  has 
called  for  the  weekly  employment  of  much 
extra  help.  The  new  machine  consists  of 
a  series  of  connected  units.  A  four-head 
apparatus,  intended  for  handling  a  four- 
section  paper,  assembles  28,000  sections 
into  7,000  complete  newspapers  in  one 
hour.  By  adding  two  more  units  of  the 
apparatus,  for  instance,  provision  is  made 
for  stuffing  six  sections  in  a  single  opera- 
tion. In  practical  use,  it  has  been  demon- 
strated that  the  machine  soils  or  tears 
less  than  one  newspaper  in  a  thousand. 
In  the  event  that  the  mechanism  feeds 
two  sections  at  once,  or  fails  to  insert  a 
section,  the  machine  stops  automatically. 


INDIANS,  BOYLIKE,  BEG  RIDES 
FROM  MOTORISTS 

One  of  the  typical  outcroppings  of  the 
boyishness  in  the  character  of  the  average 
primitive  Indian,  in  New  Mexico  and  else- 
where in  the  Southwest,  is  his  fondness 
for  taking  short  rides  in  passing  automo- 


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bile$.  Many  drivers  obtain  quite  as  much 
pleasure  in  taking  on  one  of  these  silent, 
dark-skinned  passengers  as  the  latter  does 
in  riding  at  good  speed.    Having  ridden  as 


Motorist  in  the  Southwest  and  One  of  the  Indians 
Who  Asked  for  a  Ride  for  Himself  and  Hit  Dog 

far  as  his  fancy  dictates,  the  Indian  will 
get  off  the  running  board,  if  that  is  where 
he  has  been  riding,  utter  his  thanks  in 
gutturals,  and  wait  until  he  can  flag  a  car 
that   will   take   him   back. 


LOCOMOTIVE  OUTPUT  DOUBLED 

UNDER  STRESS  OF  WAR 

One  of  the  most  remarkable  achieve- 
ments in  speeding  up  industry  to  meet  the 
war's  demands  is  to  be  found  in  the  record 
of  manufacturers  of  standard-gauge  loco- 
motives in  this  country,  made  under  the 
direction  of  the  War  Industries  Board. 
For  a  period  of  several  months  the  output 
was  increased  approximately  100  per  cent. 
Even  more  striking  is  the  fact  that  this 
was  done  without  spending  a  single  dol- 
lar to  increase  manufacturing  facilities. 
Orders  were  redistributed  among  the 
various  plants  in  a  way  which  permitted 
each  concern  to  concentrate  on  particular 
types  of  locomotives.  Furthermore  the 
"Pershing^*  engine,  as  it,  is  called,  was  a 
standardized  machine  which  was  the  sole 
type  employed  by  the  American  forces  in 
France.  It  was  also  adopted  by  the 
French  and  British  with  a  consequent 
saving  in  time  and  money. 


SUBMARINE  SPOTTING  FROM  THE  AIR 

By  henry  a.   BRUNO,  Late  of  R.  F.  C. 


CUBMARINE  hunting  was  a  fascinat- 
'^  ing  war  sport  if  one  was  on  a  patrol 
boat  or  fast  torpedo-boat  destroyer,  but 
it  was  doubly  so  if  the  hunt  took  place 
in  the  air  in  a  big  naval  seaplane.  In 
order  successfully  to  discover  the  under- 
water boats  a  definite  campaign  must  be 
carried  out  with  all  units  cooperating. 

The  planes  used  in  this  kind  of  work 
differ  a  great  deal  from  those  used  on 
land  and  also  from  the  ordinary  naval 
hydroplanes.  The  H.  P.  B.  800  hp.  was 
the  favorite  type.  This  is  a  large  five-man 
seaplane,  equipped  with  two  ^400-hp.  mo- 
tors. It  is  well  armed  with  six  machine 
guns,  coupled  two  together.  Four  of 
these  guns  are  American  Lewis,  one  set 
of  two  being  placed  in  the  front  of  the 
plane  on  the  projecting  nacelle  and  the 
others  in  the  rear  of  the  main  planes,  al- 
lowing an  arc  of  fire  over  and  above  the 
tail.  The  remaining  two  are  British 
Vickers,  pointing  downward  through  the 
floor  of  the  front  part  of  the  nacelle  or 
fuselage,  thus  enabling  the  gunner  to 
sweep  the  sea  below  with  a  hail  of  fire. 
Six  or  more  H.  E.  depth  bombs  operated 
by  an  accurate  trigger  and  bomb  sight 
complete  the  armament.  A  pilot,  second 
pilot,  two  gunners,  and  a  first-class 
mechanician  composed  the  crew.  Being 
a    pusher,    there    are    no    whirling    pro- 


peller blades  to  interfere  with  quick  ma- 
neuvering of  the  guns,  and  a  clear  view 
ahead  is  always  obtained. 

To  understand  just  how  exciting  sub- 
marine spotting  really  was,  it  will  be 
necessary  for  me  to  transport  you  to  an 
isolated  spot  on  the  coast  of  Northumber- 
land, in  the  north  of  England.  Hidden 
in  a  small  bay,  and  cleverly  camouflaged, 
are  several  large  hangar-s  with  runways 
leading  into  the  water.  It  is  almost  day- 
light and  one  of  the  seaplanes  is  pushed 
out  of  its  hangar  and  is  soon  resting  on 
the  water. 

While  the  mechanicians  are  busy  re- 
moving the  covers  of  the  huge  twin 
motors,  other  willing  assistants  are  fas- 
tening the  machine  guns  to  their  supports 
on  the  nacelle.  Guns  are  never  left  on  a 
plane  while  it  is  off  duty.  Each  one  is 
taken  to  the  gunnery  shed  and  thoroughly 
cleaned  and  oiled.  The  two  pilots  appear, 
both  sleepily  rubbing  their  eyes,  and  are 
soon  joined  by  the  rest  of  the  crew.  But 
the  plane  is  not  yet  ready.  The  wireless 
transmitter  does  not  give  out  a  fat  enough 
spark,  so  a  new  apparatus  is  installed. 
Wireless  played  an  important  part  in  this 
work  and  a  badly  operating  instrument 
might  allow  a  submarine  to  get  away. 
The  bombs  and  containers  of  ammunition 
for  the  guns  were  placed  aboard  before 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS  89 

the  plane  left  the  hangar,  and  as  the  chief  air,  and  seaplane  pilots  would  attack  any 

mechanician     signals     O.  K.,     the     crew  strange  boat  in  the  area  of  patrol.    Sev- 

climbs    aboard.      The    chief    pilot    has    a  eral  submarine  mother  ships  were  discov- 

map  which  shows  the  area  over  which  he  ered   by  this  plan   and,   needless   to  say, 

is  to  fly,  also  at  what  points  he  will  find  they  never  returned  to  their  base, 

patrol  and  other  allied  boats,  all  ready  to  The  seaplane's  powerful   motors  come 

cooperate  in  catching  a  submarine.  to    life    with    a    roar,    which    is    quickly 

Each  section  of  the  North  Sea  was  di-  silenced  as  the  new  muffling  attachment 

vided  into  areas,  and  had  a  certain  number  is  thrown  on.     While  no  means  have  as 

of  allied  boats  operating  in  it,  all  of  which  yet  been  found  to  make  aeroplane  motors 

were  known  to  the  pilot  before  he  started.  absolutely  noiseless,  the  Royal  Naval  Air 

These    boats    had    distinguishing    marks  Service  planes  have  a  device  which  cuts 

easily  visible  from  a  great  height  in  the  down    the    noise    almost    three-quarters. 


"Then  it  is!    A  dark  shadow  not  even  showing  a  periscope.    Again  the  wireless  call  flashes  out,  this  time  with  news 
ikat  the  enemy  has  been  located  at  stich  and  such  a  point.   From  five  different  courses  the  patrol  boats  turn  and  speed 
toward  the  spot.    The  pilot  of  the  seaplane  is  not  idle;  down  he  swoops  nearer  and  nearer  to  the  water. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


The  first  rays  of  the  rising  sun  catch  the 
weird  coloring  on  the  plane's  wings, 
which  are  camouflaged  so  as  to  make  the 
machine  almost  invisible  at  a  certain 
height.  Obedient  to  a  wave  of  the  pilot's 
hand,  the  mechanicians  stand  clear  and 
the  plane  glides  out  over  the  smooth 
waters  of  the  bay,  rising  into  the  air  in  an 
incredibly  short  time.  Although  very 
large,  these  planes  will  make  120  miles  an 
hour,  are  very  stable,  and  easily  handled 
both  on  sea  and  in  their  natural  element, 
the  air.  The  pilot  climbs  slowly  until  he 
is  about  1,800  feet,  then  circles  twice  over 
the  bay  in  order  to  see  that  everything  is 
working  right. 

Satisfied  at  last,  he  turns  and  heads  the 
plane  out  to  sea,  signaling  at  the  same 
time  for  the  wireless  aerial  to  be  released. 
Even  in  midsummer  it  is  cold  over  the 
water,  and  every  man  is  muffled  like  an 
Eskimo.  Both  the  second  pilot  and  a 
gunner  act  as  observers  and  eagerly  watch 
the  sea  below  through  glasses  of  won- 
derful power.  Should  you  look  through 
those  same  glasses,  you  would  see  nothing 
but  the  surface  of  the  water,  which  is  be- 
coming a  little  choppy  under  a  stiff  breeze, 
but  the  observers  in  the  plane  are  seeing 
beneath  the  surface  with  eyes  trained  to 
see  the  slinking  cigarlike  shadow  which 
means  that  they  are  on  the  right  trail. 

Far  below,  and  near  the  horizon,  is  a 
smudge  of  smoke.  A  ship!  The  pilot 
climbs  a  little  higher,  then  turns  the  nose 


of  the  plane  straight  for  the  distant  ob- 
ject. A  few  minutes  later.  H.  M.  torpedo- 
boat  destroyer  **87,"  seeing  the  circling 
plane,  breaks  out  the  agreed  signal  and 
immediately  the  wireless  on  the  seaplane 
is  flashing  down  the  "all  clear"  message. 
Banking  steeply,  the  pilot  heads  off  in  an- 
other direction,  and  four  times  in  the  next 
half  hour  picks  up  the  patrol  boats  as- 
signed to  his  area.  Each  boat  has  a  cer- 
tain course  to  patrol  and  the  seaplane 
keeps  in  touch  with  each  one,  ready  to 
signal  when  the  prey  is  found. 

The  plane  is  well  out  of  sight  of  land 
now.  Are  there  any  submarines  in  the 
vicinity?  All  five  of  the  crew  are  eagerly 
scanning  the  sea,  each  hoping  to  be  the 
first  to  spot  the  hidden  enemy.  Down 
glides  the  plane,  800,  600,  400  feet,  then 
up  again  to  over  a  thousand.  The  second 
pilot  suddenly  poiats  downward.  Has  he 
discovered  a  submarine?  He  must  make 
sure.  There  it  is!  A  dark  shadow,  not 
even  showing  a  periscope.  Again  the 
wireless  call  flashes  out,  this  time  with 
news  that  the  enemy  has  been  located  at 
such  and  such  a  point.  From  five  differ- 
ent courses  the  patrol  boats  turn  and 
speed  toward  the  spot.  The  pilot  of  the 
seaplane  is  not  idle;  down  he  swoops 
nearer  and  nearer  to  the  water.  He  waits 
until  he  is  a  little  ahead  of  the  submarine, 
then  dives  like  a  hawk  toward  the  surface 
of  the  sea.  The  second  pilot  and  one 
gunner,  each  at  a  bomb  release,  pull  back 


NO. 

N 


5#o- 


NO.  a 


<2}  » 


No.e 


•    SEA^      'C<>A  8  T 


CAMOUFLAGED  AIRDROME 


Plan  View  of  Coast  and  North  Sea  Showing  How  an  Area^ia  Patrolled  by  Ships  and  Seaplanes:    Once 
inside  This  Area  a  Submarine  Is  Almost  Sure  to  be  Discovered  and  Sunk 


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POPULAR    MECHANICS 


31 


the    levers    and    two    depth 
bombs  drop  like  plummets.     A 
quick  bank  and  the  plane  rocks 
from   the   explosion;    then,   with 
the  motor  throttled,  the  machine 
dashes  down  in  a  nose  dive.    No, 
the  pilot  is  not  hit  by  his  own  bombs; 
he  wants  to  observe  the  damage  done. 
Up  from  the  depths  comes  the  sub- 
marine, a  big  one,  rolling  like  a  log 
and  evidently  badly  holed.     Men  ap- 
pear on   its  deck,   hastily  manning 
two  guns  which  have  appeared  out 
of  the  hull.     Despite  the  fact  that 
they  are  having  a  hard  time  to  keep 
their  footing,  they  commence  firing 
at  the  huge  bird  which  has  routed 
them  from  the  very  depths  of  the 
sea,    A  shell  bursts  near  the  plane; 
then    another.      The    pilot    climbs 
swiftly,  banks  almost  vertically,  then 
dives     again,     and    this     time     the 
machine     guns     begin     to     add 


t 


their    staccato    re- 
ports to  the  noise  of 
the  larger  guns  on  the 
submarine.    Our  gunners 
are    good   shots,   and   the 
men  of  the  forward  enemy 
gun     are     soon  wiped     out. 
Over  its  prey  speeds  the  sea- 
plane   and    prepares    to    drop 
more  bombs.     Luck  is  against 
the    pilot    this    time;    a    shell 
bursts    too    close,    the    right 
motor  sputters,  and  stops  de- 
spite the  efforts  of  the  mecha- 
nician.    The  plane  wavers,  then 
starts  to  glide   down.     A  wobbly 
plide  indeed,  reminding  one  of  a 
wounded  duck.     With  a  splash  it 
pancakes  into  the  water  and  hardly 
has  it  settled  before  shells  from 
the  sinking  submarine's  remain- 
ing gtin  commence  dropping  near 
by.     Help   is  at   hand,   however. 

PrkufAffiil    cVkAiic    ...u:^^    ^ 1 1 


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32  POPULAR  MECHANICS 


find  their  mark,  and  the  water  closes  over 
S  the  remains  o£  the  submarine.  The  pa- 
«  trol  boats  have  come  in  time  and  Germany 
.5  has  lost  another  U-boat.  An  hour  later 
^  watchers  at  the  Northumberland  coast 
£^  aerodrome  see  the  seaplane  flying  low 
g  i  under  the  power  of  its  undamaged  motor 
•^S    and  the   feeble  help  of  its  injured  twin, 

and  shortly  after  it  settles  on  the  water. 

The  chief  pilot  fills  out  his  report,  turns 

it  in  at  headquarters,  and  in  company 
V>  with  his  brother  pilot  tramps  oflf  up  the 
5«  beach  in  search  of  a  well-earned  rest, 
^i-g    The  submarine  spotting  trip  is  over. 


^^    Si 


O  V 


COMING  OF  PEACE  HERALDED 
BY  UNPRECEDENTED  SCENES 

For  giving  expression  to  the  wijd  joy 

_^  and  the  deep   thankfulness   which   swept 

"^H  over  America  on  November  11  at  the  an- 

gS  nouncement    "Germany    surrenders!"   no 

•-J^  formal   demonstrations   could   have   been 

-*^  adequate.      In    the   enthusiasm    of   those 

S«  first   hours   of  peace,   men,   women,   and 

isl*  children     rushed     into    the    streets    and 

^i  mingled    their    shouts    in    a    delirium    of 

0  «  exultation  that  no  participant  will  forget. 
2^  In  New  York,  Chicago,  and  other  large 
2:5  cities  the  celebrations  were  of  unprec- 
«»5j  edented  magnitude,  all  the  streets  in 
£v  the  business  districts  for  many  blocks 
Z^  being  filled  with  the  surging  multitudes, 
a  g  But  in  every  smaller  city,  village,  and  ham- 
*2>,  let  the  same  high  pitch  of  enthusiasm 
M^  was  reached.  Bands  played,  and  were 
?•§  drowned  out  by  the  shrill  horns  of  those 
S*  about  them.  Automobiles,  trucks,  and 
.§1  street  cars  were  crowded  with  uninvited, 
go  but  welcome  passengers,  and  passed  at 
<£  a.  snail's  pace  through  the  throngs.  As 
M^  in  the  case  of  the  smaller,  premature  cele- 
•|  o  bration  of  a  few  days  before,  the  air  was 
g  §  filled  with  confetti  improvised  from  waste 
w'5  paper.  Ever>^where  signs  and  effigies  pro- 
gg  claimed  the  people's  scorn  of  militarism 
a^  and  its  leaders. 

^s  

1 1  HOLLOW  CONCRETE  CASTINGS 

1  g  MADE  WITH  ICE  CORES 

a 

1*2  An  inventor  in  Munich  is  said  to  have 

I  ^^  overcome    certain    difficulties    heretofore 

I  gjs  met  with  in  casting  hollow  concrete  ob- 

I  .fij  jects,   completely   inclosed,    by   using   ice 

§  ^  cores.     The   ice   is   cut   into   the   desired 

I  £  shape  and  size,  and  after  the  concrete  has 

5  "g  set  about  it,  the  core  is  allowed  to  melt 

5f  ♦;  and    run    out    through    small    openings. 

I  2  Large  and  small  objects  can  be  cast  in 

I  this  way. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS  33 

INFANT  MOTOR  CAR  CLIMBS  BOSTON  CAPITOL  STEPS 


oopvniOMT,  uNocawooo  a  unmrwooo 


The  Motor  Car  of  Itself  Is   Large  Enough  to   Accommodate   Only  the 

Driver,  but  an  Outboard  Seat  on  the  Right  Side 

Enables  One  Passenger  to  be  Carried 


vti**x.i.)        wis^        %,M.nj        vai         lO 

fitted  on  the  right  side 
with  an  outboard  seat 
for  a  passenger. 


BIG  CIRCUS  TENTS  SHELTER 

FEED  DEALER'S  SURPLUS 

The  shortage  of  freight  cars,  prevalent 
some  time  ago,  placed  a  large  western 
dealer  in  feeds  in  a  serious  predicament 
because  his  storage  facilities  were  insuffi- 
cient to  care  for  the  quantities  of  ma- 
terial which  accumulated  because  of  in- 
adequate shipping  facilities.    The  difficulty 


was  solved  by  procuring  five  large  tents 
from  a  circus  which  was  wintering  near 
by.  In  these  big,  white  shelters  about 
20,000  tons  of  feed  were  protected  from 
the  weather. 


CThe  shipping  board  has  been  authorized 
to  commandeer  boilers  or  other  machin-' 
ery  th^t  may  be  needed  to  quickly  outfit 
a  vessel  just  launched. 


View  of  Peed  Dealer's  Establishment.  Showing  One  of  Five  Circus  Tents  Which   He   Procured  to  Shelter 
Accumulated  Hay.  and  the  Like.  Until  Cars  could  be  Obtained  for  Its  Shipment 


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A  N  agricultural  high  school  for  several 
^^  hundred  city  boys,  on  a  real  farm  of 
640  acres  within  city  limits,  is  the  edu- 
cational innovation  which  has  been  de- 
termined upon  by  Chicago's  school  au- 
thorities. The  movement,  of  which  this 
is  an  outstanding  feature,  has  already  re- 
sulted in  supplying  hundreds  of  farm 
hands  from  the  ranks  of  flat  and  tene- 
ment dwellers  and  in  training  boys  in  sci- 


CHICAGO    BOYS 

Schools  Make  Vacant  Tracts 
Farms  and  Send  Eager  Lads 

By  JOHN 

ing  an  80--acre  "farm"  near  the  northwest- 
ern limits  of  the  city.    One  group  devoted 
mornings    and    the    other    afternoons    to 
plowing  and  planting 

:       this   land     a    farm    frartnr 


ises  to  be  one 
of  the  biggest  boosts 
ever  given  the  back-to- 
the  -  land  movement. 
While  others  have 
sought  to  induce  mature 
workers  to  give  up  city 
life  for  the  country,  by 
this  plan  the  city  boy  is 
taught  the  ways  of  the 
farm  before  his  habits 
are  fixed  and  before  his 
trade  or  profession  is  se- 
lected. 

Boys  from  two  Chica- 
go high  schools  spent 
the  past  summer  operat- 

34 


HOW    to    Harness    a    ream    ot 


BY   COURTtSr  OF  HINOCHSON  riLMS,   INC 

Every  Boy  is  Learning  to  "Hoe  His  Own  Row"  in  a  Literal  Sense  and 
He  may  Some  Day  Find  His  Knowledge  of  Much  Value 


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BECOME  FARMERS 

within  City  Limits  into  Real 
to    Work    in    the    Country 

ANSON  FORD 

provement  possible,  Chicago  south-side 
schools  near  the  tract  will  undertake  its 
cultivation,  fol- 
lowing the  plan 
already  indicated. 
If  practicable, 
barracks  may  be 
erected  here 
where  boys  can 
live  at  certain 
times  of  the  year 
under  a  system  of 
instruction  which 
w^ill  include  mili- 
tary training  as 
well  as  farming. 
Fall  plowing  has 
already  been  done 
on  a  150  -  acre 
tract  in  another 
section  of  the 
city,  and  some 
twoscore  boys 
on  the  city's  west 
side  are  becoming 
embryo    farmers. 

Another  phase 
of  the  Chicago 
schools*  new  in- 
terest in  agricul- 
ture, supplement- 
ing the  instruc- 
tion  on  city 
utTGUn.Ti^i^^ir^o     f""'^-    has    been 

Boys  Learning  Pence  t  n  e      Sendmg      01 

Building  hundreds  of  bovs 


into  the  country  as  farm  hands,  under 
the  supervision  of  the  school  authorities. 
In  the  spring  of  1917,  700,  out  of  1,500 
boys  who  made  applications,  were  sent 
to  the  country  and  earned  a  total  of  $42,- 
583.  The  lads  made  good,  though  some  of 
them  were  "so  green  that  the  cows  almost 
ate  them,"  to  use  one  boy's  expression. 

Each  boy,  on  returning  to  school, 
brought  an  affida- 
vit from  his  farm- 
e  r  employer  i  n 
which  the  latter 
stated  the  charac- 
ter of  his  helper's 
work.  Less  than 
a  dozen  classed 
the  labor  as  un- 
satisfactory. 
Many  of  those 
who  went  last 
year  were 
coached  before 
leaving  so  that 
they  knew  some- 
thing about  hitch- 
i  n  g  up  horses, 
handling  planters, 
cultivators,  etc. 
The  amount 
earned  by  the 
boys  the  second 
summer  was  ap- 
proximately $150,- 
000.  This  second 
group  was  asked 
bv  Dudley  Grant 
Hays,  who  was 
the  director  in 
charge    of    the 

work  to  renort  •*  coui»tmv  or  HCNoemon  MUM.  wc. 
WOrK,  lo  report  ^ads  Raised  in  Plats  and 
on     the     character  Tenements  Studying 

of   the    treatment  ^*****  ^°"» 


High-School  Boys  Breaking  Ground  on  the  80-Acre  *'Parm"  in  the  Northwest  Part  of  the  City: 
Groups  from  Two  Schools  Planted,  Cultivated,  and  Harvested  Crops  Here 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


given  them  by  the  farmers.  With  very 
few  exceptions  the  comment  of  the  boys 
v^as,  *'Fine!"  and  some  of  them  took  pains 
to  add  other  words  of  appreciation  that 
would  have  done  their  new  country 
friends  good. 

A  large  number  of  these  city-bred  farm 
hands  and  workers  on  the  schools'  own 
farming  tracts  are  determined  to  take  up 
farming  as  a  livelihood.  The  farm-em- 
ployment  service   has   been   incorporated 


into  the  United  States  Boys*  Working 
Reserve,  a  movement  national  in  its  scope, 
which  has  profited  immensely  by  the  pio- 
neering which  Chicago  has  done  in  this 
field.  Within  a  short  time  farming  will 
be  brought  to  many  cities,  as  it  has  been 
to  Chicago,  and  thousands  of  lads  from 
various  cities  will  be  sent  to  farms.  In 
this  way  a  great  new  impulse  of  a  most 
practical  character  is  being  given  to  the 
back-to-the-land   movement. 


CLIMBS  TO  SKYSCRAPER  ROOF 
TO  ADVERTISE  WAR  FUND 

Of  the  many  spectacular  feats  employed 
to  advertise  the  United  War  Work  cam- 
paign, none  caused  more  spectators  to 
gasp  with  astonishment  than  that  of  an 


COrvmMIT,   WTERNATIOMAL  riLM  8CRVICE 


Acrobat  Equipped  with  Special  Climbing  Apparatus, 

Ascending  to  the  Roof  of   a  New  York  Skyscraper: 

This  View  Shows  Him  Passing  the  «8th  Story 

acrobat  who  climbed  a  rope  stretched 
from  the  ground  to  the  top  of  one  of 
New  York's  tallest  skyscrapers.  By  means 
of  a  clamp  with  horizontal  foot  rests,  to 
which  his  feet  were  strapped,  and  a  grip- 
ping member  fastened  to  a  belt  about  his 
chest,  the  performer  was  able  to  draw 
himself  up  with  apparent  ease. 


SOLDIERS  IN  OVERLAND  RACE 

WIN  RICH   CANADIAN  PRIZE 

The  prize  for  an  overland  race  which 
was  recently  won  by  16  Canadian  re- 
turned soldiers,  in  competition  with  sev- 
eral representatives  of  moneyed  interests 
and  a  railway,  was  certain  newly  discov- 
ered deposits  of  sulphate  of  potash  in  the 
dry  bed  of  Inglebright  Lake,  Saskatche- 
wan. These  deposits  may  prove  to  be 
worth  millions  of  dollars.  Their  discov- 
ery came  to  the  attention  of  several 
persons,  including  the  soldiers,  at  about 
the  same  time,  and  immediately  a  rush 
was  made  to  see  who  could  reach  them 
first.  The  former  fighters  hastened  across 
the  plains  by  automobile  and,  arriving  on 
the  scene  before  all  others,  staked  out 
their  claims.  Their  competitors  were 
only  a  few  minutes  behind  them,  but  it  is 
not  thought  the  winners'  claims  will  be 
contested. 


COAST  SURVEY  TO  HAVE 

TWO  NEW  BOATS 

.So  many  wrecks  have  taken  place  in 
uncharted  Alaskan  waters  in  recent  years 
that  soundings  are  to  be  made  by  the 
Coast  and  Gepdetic  Survey  in  these  re- 
gions in  order  that  mariners  may  have 
more  reliable  information  in  selecting 
routes.  For  use  in  performing  this  task 
and  similar  work  on  the  southern  Pacific 
coast,  it  is  announced  that  two  ships 
costing  $400,000  each  will  be  built  by  the 
Shipping  Board. 


TOOL-RECORD  FILE  FOR  SHOPS 
PREVENTS  CARELESSNESS 

With  a  view  to  preventing  losses  due  to 
careless  handling  of  tools  in  machine 
shops,  etc.,  a  tool-record  system  has  been 
devised  which,  provides  complete  informa- 
tion at  all  times  as  to  the  tools  in  use 
and  those  in  the  stock  room.    The  equip- 


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Outfit  for  Keeping  Track  of  Shop   Tools:    At  the  Left  Is  the  Alphabetical    Index  of  Employes'  Names 

Showing  Their  Respective  Numbers.    The  Cabinet  in  Which  the  Memorandum  Slips  are  Kept  is  Shown 

in  the  Center,  and  One  of  the  Spring  Clips,  with  a  Slip  beneath  It,*is  Pictured  at  the  Right 


ment  used  consists  of  a  cabinet  having 
a  series  of  hinged  leaves  to  which  spring 
clips  are  attached.  One  set  of  these  clips 
is  numbered  to  correspond  with  numbers 
assigned  to  the  workmen,  and  the  other 
is  numbered  according  to  the  numbers 
assigned  to  the  tools.  When  a  workman 
procures  a  tool  a  triplicate  record  is  made 
showing  his  name  and  number,  the  num- 
ber of  the  tool,  and  the  department  in 
which  it  is  to  be  used.  One  slip  is 
placed  under  the  clip  assigned  to  the  em- 
ploye, another  under  that  assigned  to  the 
tool,  and  the  third  is  given  to  the  work- 
man, to  be  kept  in  a  holder  until  it  and 
the  tool  are  returned.  The  file  shows  at 
a  glance  just  where  each  tool  is  and  fur- 
nishes a  record  which  reduces  errors  to 
a  minimum. 


WAR-SAVINGS  MOVEMENT 
ON  PERMANENT  BASIS 

The  war-savings  campaign  has  attained 
such  great  success  in  teaching  thrift  to 
many  persons  who  were  extravagant  and 
wasteful,  that  the  government  has  de- 
cided to  put  the  war-savings  movement 
on  a  permanent  basis.  In  Illinois,  for 
example,  the  campaign  for  1919  will  be 
under  the  supervision  of  the  Federal  Re- 
serve Bank  of  the  seventh  district.  What 
is  known  as  a  war-loan  board  will  offer 
war-savings  stamps,  together  with  Liberty 
bonds  and  treasury  certificates.  The 
stamps  for  the  current  year  will  be  blue 
so  that  they  can  be  distinguished  from 
previous  issues,  and  in  size  they  will  be 
slightly  smaller.  Thrift  stamps  and 
thrift  cards  will  continue  in  use  as  hereto- 
fore. 


NEW  TYPE  OF  WHEEL  CHAIR 

IS  MOTOR-DRIVEN 

An  electrically  driven  wheel  chair  is  a 
recent  invention  designed  to  make  in- 
valids more  independent  of  attendants. 
In  a  case  beneath  the  seat  is  a  storage 
battery  which  drives  a  motor  connected 
by  gearing  with  the  axle,  while  a  lever 
attached  to  the  left  arm  gives  the  occu- 
pant full  control  of  the  speed.  The  three 
wheels  in  size  and  design  resemble  bi- 
cvcle  wheels.    The  reason  for  making  the 


Wheel  Chair   Driven  by  Storage    Battery  Installed 

below  the  Seat:   The  Front  Wheel  Is  Large  in  Order 

That  It  may  Easily  Pass  over  Low  Obstructions 

tions    more    easily    than    one    of    small 
diameter. 


([Because  of  the  scarcity  of  shipping  fa- 
cilities for  carrying  petroleum  from  cer- 
tain oil-producing  districts  in  Mexico,  an 
effort  is  being  made  to  have  it  shipped 
to  the  United  States  by  rail  in  muchj 
greater  quantities  than  heretofore. 


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"KAISER"  CENTRAL  FIGURE 

IN  VICTORY  FLOi^T 

Inspired  by  victory,  many  an  American 
early  in  November  found  himself  sud- 
denly possessed  of  ability  in  the  plastic 
art — at  least  ability  sufficient  to  permit 
the  fashioning  of  unmistakable  effigies  of 
the  allied  world's  archenemy.  One  such 
product  of  the  amateur  figure  makers, 
shown  herewith,  depicted  the  former  Ger- 


man war  lord  holding  parts  of  a  broken 
sword  in  hands  upraised  kamerad-fashion. 
The  effigy  was  made  of  plaster  of  Paris, 
sticks,  excelsior,  and  an  improvised  uni- 
form, and  was  completed  in  five  hours. 


How  Enthusiastic  Patriots  in  Mitchell,  South  Dakota,    . 

over  the  Huns:    The  Figure  was  Fashioned  in  Five  Hours 


DAMAGED  BOAT,  WELL  LOADED, 
TOWED  TO  PORT,  BOTTOM  UP 

To  the  list  of  strange  happenings  at 
sea  during  the  war  may  now  be  added  an 
account  of  a  schooner, 
loaded  with  salt  herring, 
which  was  torpedoed  not 
long  since  by  a  German 
submarine.  The  owners 
assumed  that  the  vessel 
and  its  valuable  cargo 
were  lost.  It  developed, 
however,  that  though  the 
craft  was  capsized  by  the 
torpedo  both  it  and  the 
barrels  of  fish  which  it 
contained  were  saved 
and  damaged  but  little. 
Instead  of  sinking,  the 
schooner  remained  afloat 
upside  down,  and  in  that 
position  w^as  towed  into 
a  Canadian  port.  Even- 
tually 80  per  cent  of  the 
fish  were  recovered  in 
Celebrated  Victory      Pf  ^^Ct      condition        and 

"•     "  placed  on  the  market. 


DIVER  WORKS  IN  RESERVOIR 

ON  PIKES  PEAK 

Some  time  ago  a  valve  stem  in  one  of 
Colorado    Springs'    reservoirs    on    Pikes 


Peak  broke  off  and,  as  it  was  40  ft.  under 
water,  it  proved  impracticable  to  repair 
it  on  account  of  the  high  price  of  divers' 
services.  Recently,  however,  the  city  pur- 
chased a  diving  suit  in  which  the  super- 

intendent    of    the    water 

system  descended  into 
the  ice-cold  water  and 
made  the  repair  in  seven 
minutes.  Other  owners 
of  reservoirs  in  the  re- 
gion are  now  making  re- 
quests for  use  of  the  suit 
to  do  similar  repair  work. 
Probably  nowhere  else  in 
America  is  a  diver's  suit 
used  at  such  altitude. 


PluBjee  at  High  Altitude:     Superintendent  of  Colorado  Springs'  Water 

System  Descending  in  a  Diving  Suit  into  an  Ice-Cold  Reservoir 

on  Pikes  Peak  to  Repair  a  Valve  Stem 


CA  Steel  expert,  follow- 
ing an  investigation,  has 
come  to  the  conclusion 
that  where  the  phos- 
phorus in  malleable  cast 
iron  reaches  .2  per  cent, 
or  more,  it  has  a  deteri- 
orating effect. 


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One  of  the    Pew    "Blowholes/'   or  Regions  of  Shifting    Sand,  That   Still   Remain  on  an   Illinois    Farm: 

Numerous  Similar  Tracts  have  been  Forested,  as  for  Example  the  Land  in  the  Background,  and 

in  That  Way  Adjoining  Fields  have  been  Saved  from  Inundation   by   the  Sand 


p^XGLAND  and  Scotland  are  preparing 
^  to  replant  forests  which  have  been 
cut  to  provide  v^'ar  supplies.  They  are 
not  waiting  until  peace  is  concluded,  but 
are  doing  it  now. 
Never  before  have 
those  countries 
been  so  bare  of 
timber.  Hunting 
ranges  and  sport- 
ing grounds  have 
been  sacrificed  to 
supply  munition 
factories  at  home 
and  armies  abroad. 
These  forests  were 
neither  large  nor 
many,  but  they 
were  sufficient  to 
tide  over  the  time 
of  peril.  The  re- 
planting will  in- 
volve certain 
changes. 

The  cutting  is 
not  yet  all  done, 
but  plans  for  plant- 
ing new  forests  artf 
under  way.  The 
old  forests  were 
primarily  ornamen- 
tal and  incidentally 
useful,  but  those 
Vvhich  are  now  be- 
i  n  g  deliberately 
provided  for  will  be 
primarily  useful 
and  incidentally 
ornamental.  This  will  conform  to  the 
spirit  of  the  times  after  the  war.  Forests 
will  no  longer  be  planted  and  protected 
for  the  benefit  of  a  few  hunters  and  gen- 


The  Giant  Cottonwood  Tree,  Self- Sown  Decades 
Ago,  Which  Suggested  to  the  Owner  of  the  Steadily 
Enlarging  Sand*Covered  Tract,  That  a  Large  Num- 
ber of  Trees  could  be  Made  to  Grow  in  This  Soil 
and  So  Add  to  the  Value  of  the  Whole  Farm 


tlemen  of  leisure,  but  will  be  made  and 
maintained  for  the  profit  of  the  people  as 
a  whole  and  as  delightful  places  of  retreat 
from  the  dirt  and  noise  of  cities. 

In  the  United 
States  we  are  not 
in  so  much  need  of 
tree  planting  as 
they  are  in  the 
British  Isles.  We 
have  so  much  tim- 
ber left  that  in  most 
cases  we  cannot 
miss  what  the  war 
has  taken.  We 
could  fight  on  for 
20  years  and  still 
have  plenty  of  most 
kinds.  But  there 
are  two  kinds  of 
timber  which  the 
war  demand  has 
greatly  depleted, 
and  they  are  kinds 
of  much  impor- 
tance: locust  and 
black  walnut. 

These  were  not 
abundant  when  the 
war  began,  and  the 
demand     has     been 
extraordin  a  rily 
heavy.     The  supply 
is  now  smaller  than 
it   ever   was   in   the 
past.       It     would 
seem.       therefore, 
that     it     would     be 
good  policy  to  do  as  they  are  now  doing 
across  the  sea  and  take  immediate  meas- 
ures for  planting  walnut  and  black  locust. 
If  these  woods  will  never  again  be  needed 


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in  war,  as  we  all  hope,  they  can  be  used 
in  the  industries  of  peace. 

There  is  another  point  to  be  consid- 
ered in  the  planting  of  these  trees :  They 
can  be  grown  on  sandy  tracts  of  land 
which  are  now  considered  of  no  value, 
and  thus  reclaim  this  land.  Still  another 
point,  and  one  of  great  importance,  is 
the  intimate  relation  that  exists  between 
forests  and  farms.  As  a  matter  of  fact, 
the  value  of  trees  on  a  farm  can  hardly 
be  overestimated. 

A  principle  that  has  been  laid  down 
by  the  wisest  observers  is  that  five  per 
cent  of  the  whole  area  of  plains  and 
prairie  states  should  be  put  into  trees. 
The  forest  waters  the  farm.  This  is  a 
patent  fact  in  all  regions  where  irrigation 
is  practiced;  it  is  not  less  true  in  all  the 
rest  of  the  country,  although  it  takes  a 
little  investigation  to  reveal  the  fact. 

An  excellent  illustration  of  what  can  be 
accomplished  in  the  way  of  reclaiming 
useless  land  through  the  planting  of  trees 
has  been  carried  out  during  the  last  six  or 
eight  years  by  a  resident  of  Whiteside 
County,  III.  In  these  years  he  has  ac- 
complished the  seemingly  impossible  task 
of  turning  some  70  acres  of  sand,  formerly 
as  barren  as  the  desert  of  Sahara,  into  a 
flourishing  forest.  Nor  is  that  all;  for 
this  forest,  acting  as  a  sand  binder,  has 
been  the  means  of  saving  other  fertile 
acres   from    the    inroads   of   the    drifting 


sand,  the  total  result  being  that  the  farm 
has  increased  several  times  in  value.  The 
sandy  tracts,  which,  before  being  planted 
to  trees,  were  practically  worthless,  are 
now  worth  anywhere  from  $50  to  $100 
an  acre. 

This  farm  lies  on  the  edge  of  the  so- 
called  "bottoms,"  three  or  four  miles  east 
of  the  Mississippi  River.  When  in  geo- 
logical ages,  the  channel  of  the  Mississippi 
was  changed,  the  sand  in  the  old  river  bed 
was  blown  up  on  the  east  side  of  the 
river,  forming  many  sandy  tracts.  In 
time  these  tracts  became  covered  with  a 
sparse  growth  of  grass.  Then  in  a  dry 
season  the  grass  was  killed,  and  the  sand 
began  to  blow  about,  covering  everything 
in  its  course.  Such  was  the  situation 
when  the  present  owner  came  into  pos- 
session of  his  farm. 

Being  something  of  an  enthusiast  in  af- 
forestation, he  determined  to  attempt  the 
reclamation  of  the  sand  tracts  on  his  farm. 
He  was  encouraged  in  the  belief  that  trees 
could  be  made  to  grow  there  by  the  pres- 
ence of  one  huge  cottonwood  tree  stand- 
ing almost  in  the  middle  of  the  tract.  This 
tree  also  suggested  certain  species,  such 
as  black  locust  and  walnut,  which  would 
most  likely  thrive  in  the  sand. 

The  first  year  5,000  yearling  trees  were 
planted  and  in  a  little  over  a  year  they 
were  three  or  four  feet  high,  and  grass 
began  to  creep  in  between.  In  another 
year    they    had    successfullv    checked   the 


This  Pine  Corn  Field  has  been  Saved  from  Drifting  Sand  by  Planting  the  Adjoining  Tract  to  Trees, 

as  Shown  at  the  Left 


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A  Thriving  Forest  of  Walnuts  and  Black    Locusts  in  the   Midst  of  What  Was  Once  a   "Blowhole,"  Where 
the  Temperature  Reached  ISO^  in  Summer:    Now,  in  Hot  Weather,  the  Air  Is  Cool   ' 
and  Moist  Because  of  the  Evaporation  from  the  Trees 


price  of  $5  per  thousand,  and  the  cost  of 
planting  them  was  relatively  small,  since 
two  men  could  easily  plant  3,000  trees  a 
day. 

The  rapidity  with  which  the  sand 
drifted  in  many  places  is  well  illustrated 
by  some  of  the  accompanying  photo- 
graphs which  show  the  original  fence 
posts,  set  before  the  tree  planting  began, 
almost  entirely  covered. 

One  blowhole  was  left  unplanted, 
merely  for  the  purpose  of  showing  other 
farmers  what  can  be  accomplished  in  the 
way  of  reclaiming  sandy  tracts  of  land. 
This  blowhole  also  shows,  in  a  manner 
most  unmistakable,  how  the  trees  serve 
to  lower  the  temperature.  On  the  day 
these  photographs  were  taken,  in  mid- 
July,  a  test  of  the  temperature  in  the 
blowhole  indicated  115°  F.  (it  has  been 
known  to  go  as  high  as  150°),  while 
among  the  trees  it  was  only  95°.  This 
difference  was  due,  in  part,  to  the  fact 
that  trees  drink  in  and  transpire  an  enor- 
mous quantity  of  water,  and  this  giving- 
off  tempers  the  dr>'ness  of  the  near-by 
atmosphere. 


CThe  Japanese  government  has  estab- 
lished certain  standards  of  quality  which 
must  be  met  by  all  articles  in  certain 
lines  meant  for  the  export  trade. 
Matches,  glassware,  enameled  ware,  ho- 
siery, and  braid  are  now  included  in 
these  regulations. 


STUMP  STOVE  CLEARS  LAND 

AT  SMALL  COST 

Stumps    on    a   large    plantation    in   the 
South  have   been   gotten   rid   of  at  small 


One  of  the  Sheet-Metal  Stur::p  Stoves  Used  in  Clecr- 
ing  a  Southern  Plantation 


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COPYRIGHT      INTCRNAnONAL    FILM    MRVICC 


Reading  from  Top  to  Bottom,  the  Pictures  Show: 
1.  the  Torpedoed  Ship  being  Towed  in  the  Hope 
of  Reaching  Port;  2,  Clouds  of  Steam  Rising  from 
the  Engine  Room,  Indicating  That  the  Inrushing 
Water  has  Reached  the  Fires;  8,  The  Tow  Line 
having  been  Severed  and  Smoke  Belching  Forth; 
4,  Bound  for  "Davy  Tones'  Locker"  With  Bow 
High  in  Air 


cost  by  using  stump  stoves  of  simple  de- 
sign. Each  consists  of  a  cylindrical 
jacket,  3  to  6  ft.  in  diameter,  of  heavy 
sheet  metal,  with  a  conical  hood  termi- 
nating in  several  feet  of  stovepipe.  One 
of  the  stoves  is  placed  over  a  stump  to  be 
removed  and  a  fire  lighted  within,  access 
to  the  interior  being  had  through  a  door 
in  the  side.  One  stove  can  be  used  to 
burn  out  three  stumps  in  a  day.  Since 
an  attendant  can  care  for  a  dozen  or  more 
fires,  the  cost  of  clearing  the  land  is  not 
large. 


FOUNDERING  VICTIM  OF  U-BOAT 
SHOWN  IN  PHOTOGRAPHS 

Another  interesting  pictorial  story  of 
the  sinking  of  a  torpedoed  merchantman 
under  allied  convoy  in  the  Mediterranean 
Sea,  is  told  by  the  accompanying  photo- 
graphs. The  pictures  were  taken  by  a 
witness  aboard  another  vessel,  and  give 
different  glimpses  of  the  ill-fated  ship  in 
its  last  minutes  afloat.  On  occasions  dur- 
ing the  past  four  eventful  years  somewhat 
similar  serial  photographs  have  come  to 
attention,  but  no  doubt  this  is  one  of  the 
last  series  of  the  kind  that  will  be  pub- 
lished in  many  days  to  come.  The  pic- 
tures show  the  torpedoed  craft  from  the 
time  it  began  to  settle  by  the  stern,  until, 
with  its  bow  high  in  the  air,  it  began  its 
final  downward  plunge. 


TO   USE  GREAT  POWDER  PLANT 
IN  MAKING  CHEMICALS 

Officials  in  charge  of  constructing  the 
great  smokeless-powder  plant  at  Nitro, 
W.  V^a.,  on  which  the  government  has 
been  spending  $51,000,000,  announce  that 
the  end  of  the  war  does  not  mean  this 
money  has  been  wasted.  The  plant  has 
been  planned  with  a  view  to  such  a  turn 
of  events,  so  that  in  times  of  peace  it  can 
be  devoted  to  the  making  of  dyes  and 
chemicals,  a  field  in  which  the  United 
States  is  to  make  a  strong  bid  for  su- 
premacy. A  force  of  about  24.000  men 
is  required  to  operate  the  establishment 
at  full  capacity,  which  is  625,000  lb.  of 
powder  per  day. 

CAnnouncement  has  been  made  by  the 
Medical  Reserve  Board  of  the  Division  of 
Military  Aeronautics  of  the  perfection  of 
a  practically  nonshatterable  substitute  for 
glass,  intended  to  be  used  in  making 
lenses  for  airmen's  goggles.  The  material 
is  hard,  noninflammable,  and  may  he 
polished. 


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POPULAR    MECHANICS  43 

HIGH-SPEED  SEA  SLED  IS  them  about  or  lies  ready  to  come  to  the 

FLIERS'  LIFE-SAVER  ["^"^"^  ^"  f  ^"^  Pj  accident     Its  high  speed 

fx^j.c.<vw9    x^xxui^  j^^g    enabled    it    to    reach    a    numbqr    of 

A  sea  sled,  capable  of  traveling  60  miles      fallen  fliers  in   time  to  drag  them  ^rom 
an  hour,  has  been  placed  at  the  service  of      the  water. 

the  government   and  al- 

ready  has  done  invklu-  • 
uable  work  in  rescuing 
fliers  who  have  fallen 
into  Lake  Worth,  a 
body  of  water  in  Texas 
on  which  the  craft  is  lo- 
cated. Airmen  training 
in  the  vicinity  of  Fort 
Worth,  are  required  to 
do  their  difficult  ma- 
neuvering, or  **stunting" 
as  it  is  called,  above  this 
lake,  30  miles  long,  and  — 

the     sled,     manned     bv     a      ^  Life-Savins  Craft  for  Airmen:  The  Crew  of  This  High-Speed  Sea  Sled 
«•«,„      ^^     4.U— ,^       i   If  Watch  Pliers  Practicing  ••Stunting'*  above  Lake  Worth,  Texas, 

crew     Ot     three,     follows  and  Hasten  to  Their  Rescue  in  Case  They  Pall 


INGENIOUS  METHODS  USED  IN  LAUNCHING  SHIP 

Serious    difficulties    consoired    to    make       itnatent  thatthp  vr^ssel  wniil^l 


'  ne^  f70-Poot  Wooden  Steamship  ''Beaumont"  Immediately  after  Its  Successful  but  Difficult 
Launching  in  the  River  at  Beaumont,  Texas 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


ways  were  built  with  a  12-in.  crown.  A 
large  live-oak  friction  brake,  with  two 
6-ft.  wheels  controlled  by  .heavy  steel 
bands,  was  made  fast  to  the  ship  with  a 
2-in.  steel  cable.  It  was  designed  to  be 
operated  through  a  triple  block  by  10  men, 
and  intended  to  slow  the  ship  to  a  gradual 
standstill  at  the  end  of  the  ways.  A 
bulkhead  was  built  at  the  stern  to  retard 
motion  once  the  ship  was  in  the  water. 
A  pair  of  two-ton  anchors  was  buried  8  ft. 
in  the  ground  and  the  chains  connected  to 
a  windlass  aboard  the  ship.  Two  3-in. 
hawsers  were  fastened  to  the  shore,  and 
an  extra  pair  of  anchors,  to  be  dropped 
the  instant  the  boat  struck  the  water,  was 


provided.  When  the  launching  was  made 
the  boat  was  stopped  at  the  point  previ- 
ously contemplated.  This  was  not  done, 
however,  without  some  of  the  plans  going 
amiss  in  practice.  The  boat  gained  the 
undesired  speed  of  12  ft.  a  second  in  the 
first  150  ft.,  and  when  the  brake  was  ap- 
plied the  2-in.  steel  cable  snapped,  al- 
though not  before  the  speed  had  been 
materially  reduced.  The  stem  bulkhead 
slowed  the  vessel  still  more,  and  when  the 
anchor  chains  became  taut  and  were 
payed  out  skillfully  by  the  men  at  the 
windlass,  the  stop  was  made  at  the  desired 
spot  without  the  necessity  of  bringing  the 
hawsers  into  use. 


DISSOLVING  A   WORLD  ARMY 


By  E.  T.  BRONSDON 


TO  return  hundreds  of  thousands  of 
honorably  discharged  combatants  to 
peace-time  occupations  and  conditions 
cannot  fail  to  present  a  problem  to  any 
nation,  no  matter  how  prosperous.  De- 
mobilization, however,  can  hardly  aflfect 
the  United  States,  with  her  newly  acquired 
merchant  marine,  her  extended  commer- 
cial interests,  and  her  brand-new  indus- 
trial pursuits,  in  the  same  degree  as  it 
must  those  countries  which  have  been 
ravished  and  scourged  by  years  of  war- 
fare. France  and  England  have  their 
plans  well  enough  in  hand  so  that  prelimi- 
nary rehearsals  of  the  demobilization  have 
taken  place.  It  is  too  early  at  this  writing 
to  state  what  will  be  done  in  the  United 
States,  but  it  is  probable  that  an  adapta- 
tion of  the  same  scheme  which  takes  care 
of  Tommy  and  the  "poilu"  will  be  used. 
With  the  Yankees  there  first  is  the  prob- 
lem of  transportation  across  the  Atlantic 
to  be  faced;  it  is  probable  that  units  of 
armies  from  this  side  will  be  carried  back 
slowly  so  that  the  situation  in  America 
never  will  become  acute. 

In  England  the  work  is  in  the  hands  of 
Doctor  Addison,  the  new  minister  of  re- 
construction, while  cooperating  closely 
with  him  is  the  French  Bureau  of  Recon- 
struction, headed  by  Clemenceau.  As  far 
as  is  possible,  the  two  countries  are  work- 
ing together,  as  the  problem  is  much  the 
same  in  both. 

First  and  foremost,  these  countries  are 
considering  the  case  of  the  scores  of 
thousands  of  workers  in  munition  facto- 
ries. Over  nine-tenths  of  these  will  be 
released  during  the  next  18  months.     In 


France,  war  contracts  are  being  rear- 
ranged, curtailed,  and  amended  so  that 
some  establishments  will  close  each  fort- 
night. The  change  is  to  be  as  gradual  as 
possible,  and  each  set  of  workers  is  noti- 
fied a  month  in  advance  to  enable  them  to 
make  whatever  provisions  they  desire  in 
regard  to  new  employment  that  may  be 
most  congenial  or  fitting  for  them. 

In  England,  where  more  men  and 
women  in  proportion  to  population  are 
employed  in  this  field  than  anywhere  else 
in  the  world,  a  board  has  been  appointed 
to  care  for  the  placing  of  the  released  em- 
ployes in  the  civil  branches  of  industr>^ 
While  it  is  not  expected  that  all  the  wom- 
en now  working  making  shells  can  be 
given  jobs  anywhere  near  as  lucrative,  the 
ideal  held  up  before  this  new  board  is 
the  placing  of  every  patriotic  worker  in 
an  advantageous  position.  All  the  peace- 
time mechanical  industries  have  been 
urged  to  increase  production  to  care  for 
the  growing  labor  supply,  and  it  is  pos- 
sible even  that  government  subsidy  will 
be  granted  certain  manufacturing  indus- 
tries which  have  thrown  every  resource 
into  munition  making.  It  will  be  all- 
important  that  these  get  back  to  the  man- 
ufacture of  looms,  farm  machinery,  auto- 
mobiles, tractors,  presses,  and  the  like, 
just  as  quickly  as  they  got  into  shell 
making  in  1914  and  1915. 

But  what  about  the  soldiers  them- 
selves ?  The  munition  workers,  of  course, 
were  patriotic  and  deserve  consideration, 
but  how  much  more  deserving  are  the 
men  who  went  out  to  give  their  lives,  if 
need   be!      The   present   article   will   not 


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consider  the  case  of  wounded  or  crippled 
men,  as  theirs  is  a  problem  entirely  sepa- 
rate. Vocational  retraining  has  to  be 
given  them,  partial-wage  agreements  with 
employers  have  to  be  reached  for  them, 
and  many  safeguards  and  privileges  pro^ 
vided  that  are  not  necessary  for  the  ordi- 
nary workman-soldier. 

France  is  planning  to  divide  the  units 
to  be  demobilized  in  several  groupings. 
For  the  sake  of  clearness,  let  us  suppose 
for  a  moment  that  the  demobilization  unit 
will  be  a  division,  approximately  12,000 
men. 

Of  these  there  will  be  about  3,000  who 
will  want  nothing  from  the  government 
except  honorable-discharge  papers.  That 
is,  they  will  be  professional  men,  actors, 
itorekeepers  whose  wives  or  families 
have  kept  up  the  business  more  or  less 
well  during  their  absence,  independent 
farmers,  sons  of  wealthy  families  who  had 
no  occupation  before  the  war  and  expect 
none  after  hostilities  are  ended,  and  men 
for  whose  services  there  is  a  never-failing 
demand.  These  will  be  mustered  out  as 
quickly  as  the  necessar\'  formalities  of 
equipment,  check,  and  physical  examina- 
tion are  ended. 

Second,  there  is  a  large  class  of  men, 
probably  4,000  in  number,  impoverished 
by  the  war.  These  are  cobblers,  store- 
keepers who  sacrificed  their  shops  when 
the  call  to  the  colors  came,  farmers  whose 
dependents  have  had  to  use  up  their  little 
property  in  order  to  eke  out  a  living,  and 
other  men  from  similar  occupations. 
Suddenly  cast  adrift,  these  men  might  be 
able  to  make  some  sort  of  bargain  with 
the  world,  but  it  is  almost  a  certainty  that 
the  vast  majority  would  be  unable  to 
attain  the  same  standard  of  life  which 
they  left. 

The  government  owes  them  a  certain 
amount  of  equiprtient.  France  herself 
cannot  afford  to  lose  these  useful  mem- 
bers of  her  communities,  or  even  to  have 
them  drop  hopelessly  in  the  scale  during 
the  difficult  period  of  readjustment  and 
reconstruction.  What  France  plans  to 
do  with  these  men  simply  is  this:  sup- 
ply each  man  with  the  tools  of  the  trade, 
the  tiny  store,  the  small  farm,  or  what- 
ever it  was  that  he  used  in  making  a 
living.  Wherever  it  is  possible,  the  same 
shop,  store,  farm,  or  what  not,  is  to  be 
restored,  together  with  an  amount  of 
capital  sufficient  to  meet  immediate  ex- 
penses. In  most  cases,  so  thrifty  and 
businesslike  are  these  bourgeois,  that  at 
a  cost  to  the  government  of  only  six  or 
seven  hundred  francs  they  feel  themselves 


wholly  rehabilitated.  Considering  the 
fact  that  France  will  have  several  hun- 
dred thousand  men  in  this  class,  it  is  plain 
that  the  bill  for  reconstruction  will  be 
huge.  It  will  be  worth  while,  however. 
The  strength  of  France  is  in  her  solid, 
thrifty,  honest  bourgeois  class. 

Third  and  last  is  a  class  comprising 
roughly  5,000  men.  Here  are  the  clerks, 
the  skilled  mechanics,  the  plumbers*  help- 
ers, the  salesmen,  the  vineyard  hands,  the 
taxi  drivers,  and  all  sorts  and  kinds  from 
various  types  of  employment.  Before  the 
war,  these  men  worked  for  wages.  After 
the  war,  most  of  them  will  do  the  same. 
If  they  are  released  in  one  great  body, 
they  will  act  upon  the  labor  supply  and 
the  wage  scale  just  as  the  released  print- 
ers might  have  acted  in  the  New  York 
City  instance.  Not  only  will  many  of 
them  be  forced  to  work  at  low  wages,  but 
hundreds  and  thousands  will  not  find  the 
j«ort  of  employment  to  which  they  are 
best  adapted.  Many  will  find  no  employ- 
ment at  all  for  months.  Starvation  and 
want  will  ensue,  and  France  has  had 
burden  enough  in  this  war  without  load- 
ing herself  with  a  nonproductive  element 
of  enforced  beggars.  This  says  nothing 
of  the  rights  of  the  men  themselves. 

This  is  the  way  France  is  going  to  pro- 
vide for  them.  From  Pyrenees-Orientales 
to  Pas  de  Calais,  from  Finistere  to  Haute 
Saone,  are  34  French  provinces.  Each 
has  its  several  departments.*  Each  prov- 
ince is  to  have  its  director  of  employ- 
ment. Below  him  in  each  department  is 
to  be  a  subdirector  with  his  staff.  The 
business  of  these  officials  is  to  be  the 
cataloguing  of  the  needs  of  commerce, 
industry,  and  the  trades  in  respect  to 
men.  Also  they  have  the  task,  acting  as 
agents  of  the  government,  of  urging  for- 
ward production  in  all  centers,  so  that  a 
greater  number  of  men  can  be  absorbed. 

These  5.000  men  of  the  division  will  be 
catalogued  according  to  the  jobs  they  de- 
sire. Then  they  will  be  split  into  34  sec- 
tions, corresponding  to  the  sections  frori 
which  they  come  or  to  which  they  wish 
to  go  at  the  end  of  their  military  service. 

Suppose,  then,  that  a  call  comes  from 
Gascogne  for  620  clerks,  stenographers, 
and  bookkeepers. 

The  406  (from  our  hypothetical  divi- 
sion) from  this  province  who  had  signified 
their  desire  of  accepting  these  positions 
would  be  sent  on  immediately.  The  214 
vacant  jobs  thereupon  would  be  offered 
to  men  wishing  similar  places  who  other* 
wise  would  have  to  wait  the  call  from 
their  provinces.     Many   single   men  with 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


an  adventurous  spirit  would  accept,  thus 
getting  back  into  civil  life  weeks  ahead  of 
the  time,  perhaps,  for  which  they  were 
scheduled.  Also  the  labor  demand  would 
be  equalized  all  over  the  nation. 

The  same  scheme  is  to  be  followed  in 
respect  to  all  forms  of  employment. 
Wh'^re  men  have  experience  in  more  than 
one  line,  or  have  no  experience  whatever, 
considerable  latitude  will  be  allowed  them 
in  their  choice.  The  main  point  is  that 
all  will  be  taken  care  of;  every  French 
soldier  who  wants  it  will  have  his  job 
waiting  for  him  at  the  time  he  secures  his 
discharge  from  the  army.  This  means 
that  France  is  going  to  merge  gradually 
from  being  the  most  warlike  of  nations 
to  being  the  same  peaceful,  prosperous, 
and  thrifty  country  she  was  before  the 
Germans  broke  through  Belgium. 

England's  ground  plan  of  demobiliza- 
tion is  similar,  though  it  does  not  go  so 
deeply  into  the  job-getting  feature.  With 
the  English,  however,  the  same  thorough- 
ness that  characterized  the  retaking  of 
Kenimel  Hill — of  which  it  is  said  that  five 
**full  dress"  rehearsals  were  given  behind 
the  lines  before  the  actual  attack — creeps 
into  the  details  of  demobilization.  Eng- 
land already  has  actually  rehearsed  the 
processes  of  returning  her  troops  to  their 
homes,  and  knows  positively  that  every- 
thing will  run  smoothly. 

At  a  time  when  the  United  States  was 
not  even  thinking  seriously  of  the  end  of 
the  conflict—Sept.  20,  1918— the  War 
Office,  in  conjunction  with  the  Labor  and 
Reconstruction  ministries,  "demobilized" 
a  Cornwall  (English),  a  Radnor  (Welsh), 
and  an  Aberdeen  (Scottish)  regiment  just 
for  practice ! 

Of  the  men  who  took  part  in  the  mum- 
mery, one-half  had  **come  direct  from 
France,"  while  the  other  half  was  sup- 
posed to  have  been  transported  from 
camps  in  England.  Those  who  were 
tagged  **from  the  train — hungry"  were 
fed,  and  housing  accommodations  were 
provided  at  the  dispersal  stations. 

The  men,  naturally,  were  in  full  equip- 
ment. First  they  were  assembled  in 
parade  formation,  and  were  inspected 
generally  by  the  king  and  queen.  Next 
they  were  marched  to  the  Q.  M.  store, 
where  a  sand  bag  was  doled  out  to  each. 
In  this  he  put  all  his  private  belongings, 
and  the  bags  were  officially  inspected. 

Then  he  turned  in  his  rifle,  and  those 
who  had  "come  from  France"  added  their 
steel  helmets  and  gas  masks.  Whatever 
was  missing  had  to  be  accounted  for  then 
and  there.     If  the  missing  article  was  im- 


portant, as  a  rifle,  for  instance,  the  pla- 
toon officer  was  called  in  to  corroborate 
the  soldier's  story.  In  case  this  corrobo- 
ration was  lacking,  or  unsatisfactory,  the 
man's  dispersal  certificate  was  debited 
with  an  amount  to  correspond. 

The  men  left  the  Q.  M.  store  with  only 
their  uniforms,  overcoats,  greatcoats,  and 
sand  bags.  Each  man  was  told  that  he 
might  keep  his  uniform  and  light  over- 
coat, but  that  his  greatcoat  must  be  re- 
turned at  the  conclusion  of  his  furlough. 
He  was  told  also  that  for  28  days  he 
would  be  allowed  to  wear  the  uniform  day 
and  night  if  he  wished.  After  that  time 
it  was  permissible  for  him  to  don  it  only 
on  special  occasions. 

Then  each  soldier  was  "documented" — 
as  the  English  have  it.  He  passed  through 
a  number  of  fearfully  thorough  offices. 
Here  he  obtained  his  out-of-work  certifi- 
cate which  is  in  reality  an  insurance 
policy,  granting  him  an  income  each  week 
for  four  weeks.  In  addition  to  this,  he 
received  in  exchange  for  his  dispersal  cer- 
tificate another  paper,  called  a  protection 
certificate,  which  he  took  with  him  on 
his  "four-week  furlough."  This  entitled 
him  to  a  sum  in  advance  immediately,  the 
remainder  of  his  deferred  pay,  and  what- 
ever additional  bonuses  the  government 
might  vote  him.  These  sums  were  made 
payable  at  any  English,  Scottish,  or 
W^elsh  post  office  on  presentation  of  the 
certificate. 

He  received  a  label  for  the  return  of 
his  greatcoat  at  the  conclusion  of  his  fur- 
lough, papers  giving  a  description  of  his 
military  service,  and  a  railway  warrant 
for  his  return  journey,  together  with  his 
employment-agency  certificate  to  be  used 
on  reaching  his  home  community.  The 
railway  warrant  was  put  in  a  plainly 
marked  envelope,  which  told  him  exactly 
where  and  when  to  catch  his  train  home, 
in  order  to  be  in  company  of  comrades 
going  the  same  way. 

There  the  "demobilization"  ended.  Ex- 
cept for  the  business  of  job  getting,  the 
machinery  for  which  had  not  been  organ- 
ized fully  at  that  time,  the  man  was  a 
civilian  again.  The  moment  each  of  the 
men  in  the  three  regiments  reported  to 
the  station  master  at  each  of  the  railway 
depots,  he  was  told  to  report  again  to  his 
regiment.  Then,  presumably,  he  went 
back  to  the  western  front. 

Now  it  is  all  over.  The  plans  of  France 
and  England  soon  will  be  in  full  working 
order.  ]NIay  everything  go  off  as  smooth- 
ly in  actual  practice  as  it  did  in  the 
dummy  demobilization ! 


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BRITISH  BRIGADE  SWIMS  CANAL  UNDER  FIRE 


UTttM  Orf  ICiM.  »MOTO,   CNOWK  C0»YNt6HT  RCMNVCO 

47 


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^ 


0 


4S 


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SOME  VILLAGES  WHIPPED  HUN  MUST  REBUILD 


PHOTOS  PHOH  FMEMCM  PICTOWAL  UKVICt  49 

Digitized  by  LjOOQIC 


WITH  FRENCH,   BRITISH,  AND  AMERICANS 


50 

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DURING  LAST  DAYS  OF  THE  GREAT  WAR 


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MEMENTOS  OF  WAR   "MADE  IN  GERMANY' 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


63 


LARGE  PEDESTAL  TIMEPIECE 
ORNAMENTS  MARKET  PLACE 

A  handsome  pedestal  clock.  35  ft.  high, 
constructed    of   reinforced    concrete,    has 
been   erected   in    the    ----'-   -^  ^^' 
Los  Angeles   Termina 
The  four  6-ft.  dials  c 
timepiece  are  illumin; 
within  at  night,  and  a 
is  a  panel  containing  a 
ment    space    for   the 
tion  which   provided 
maintain    it.      The   w 
wound     by    electrical 
and  any  variation  in 
cration    is    automatic; 
rected.     The   turning 
off   of  the   lights   at 
hours     is     also     auto 

The  single  column 
the  clock  proper  is 
sculptured  fruits,  an 
sides  of  it  hang  orna 


BUILD  GREAT  STl 
PLANT     IN 
MANCHURIA 

A  big  industrial 
project,  indicative 
of  the  awakening 
in  the  Orient  in 
which  the  Japanese 
are  taking  a  lead- 
ing part,  is  a  steel 
mill  which  is  being 
built  in  Manchuria 
by  the  South  Man- 
c  h  u  r  i  a  Railway. 
The  undertaking 
has  been  hindered 
to  a  degree  by  the 
great  rise  in  price 
of  materials,  but 
nevertheless  t  w  o 
smelting    furnaces, 


having  an  annual  output  of  150,000  tons  of 
pig  iron,  are  being«constructed.  In  the  ex- 
tensive regions  from  which  the  iron  ore  is 
to  be  procured,  whole  hills,  it  is  said,  are 
made  up  of  the  raw  material  and  the  m'in- 
: .: ^^  1^  carried  on  with 

)r  some  time  the  work 
;ist  of  digging  away 
i,  beginning  at  the  top. 
J  preparations  are  un- 

for  housing  officials 
oyes.  Quarters  with  a 

for  250  single  men 
n  constructed,  and  a 
ent  company  has 
everal  hundred  houses 
with  families.  In  lay- 
the  site  for  the  new 
e  p  a  r  a  t  e  residential 
rs  have  been  provided 
the  Japanese  and  Chi- 
nese. 


A    86- Foot    Pedestal    Clock    of    Distinctive.  Design 

Which  has  been  Erected  in  the  Center  of  the 

Los  Angeles  Terminal  Market 


C Officers  of  the 
North  West 
Mounted  Police 
report  the  discov- 
ery of  several  fairly 
large  lakes  and  a 
number  of  rivers  in 
northern  Canada 
during  a  circuit  pa- 
trol journey  lasting 
nearly  a  year.  Their 
route  extended 
from  Baker  Lake, 
at  the  head  of 
Chesterfield  Inlet 
of  Hudson  Bay, 
northwest  to  Kent 
Peninsula  and  re- 
turn via  Gordon 
Bay  and  Aberdeen 
Lake.  Lake  Perry, 
named  for  a  com- 
missioner of  the 
force,  is  the  largest 
of  the  lakes  found. 


ACETONE  MADE  FROM   CARBIDE 

AND  PACIFIC  KELP 

As  one  result  of  the  war.  two  interest- 
ing' sources  of  acetone  and  acetic  acid 
have  been  brought  to  attention.  A  Ca- 
nadian firm  was  requested  by  the  British 
government  to  experiment  with  calcium 
carbide  as  a  raw  material  for  the  pro- 
duction of  acetone.  Within  a  short  time 
a  process  was  developed  that  ended  in 
the  plant  manufacturing  more  acetic  acid, 
it    is   said,    than    any   other    firm    in    the 


world.  The  method,  briefly,  consists  in 
the  production  of  acetylene  from  calcium 
carbide,  and  acetaldehyde  from  acety- 
lene. Then  by  oxidizing  the  aldehyde, 
acetic  acid  is  provided. 

On  the  other,  hand,  a  large  powder 
company  established  a  plant  near  San 
Diego  for  the  extraction  of  acetone  and 
potash  from  kelp.  The  establishment  is 
the  largest  of  its  kind  ever  developed.  It 
covers  30  acres  of  ground  and  employs 
1.000  men.  In  1917  about  24,000  tons  of 
kelp  were  harvested  monthly. 


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HEAVY  CHAIN  IS  UADE  RIGID 

BY  TERRIFIC  STRAIN 

After  a  heavy  chain  had  been  used  as  a 
tow  line,  in  pulling  a  large  artillery  tractor 
from  a  quagm  mire  into  which  it  had 
slipped,  it  was 
found  to  be  rigid. 
The  terrific  strain 
to  which  it  had 
been   subjected, 


a  linked  bar.  When  placed  on  end,  it  was 
able  to  support  itself.  Gripped  at  the 
middle  and  held  overhead,  it  bent  only 
slightly. 


PARIS-TO-CHANNEL  WATERWAY 
MAY  BE  CONSTRUCTED 

Construction  of  a  canal  to  give  Paris 
direct  communication  with  the  English 
Channel  at  Dieppe  is  receiving  serious 
consideration.  The  plan  is  by  no  means 
a  new  one.  It  was  originally  suggested 
in  1694  and  has  since  been  reproposed  on 
several  occasions.  The  congestion 
of  traffic  on  the  Seine  makes 
the  project  one  of  consid- 
erable importance  at  this 
tiine.  According  to  the  plans  that  have 
been  prepared,  the  waterway  will  accom- 
niodate  vessels  of  about  1,400-ton  cargo 
capacity.  It  will  be  approximately  102 
miles  in  length,  as  compared  with  the 
Seine's  devious  route  of  some  219  miles. 
Tracks  will  be  laid  parallel  with  it  so  that 
barges  may  be  towed  by  electric  locomo- 
tives. 


Two  Views  Which  Clearly  Show  the  Rigidity  of  the 

Chain  After  It  had  been  Used  in  Pulltflic  aa 

Artillery  Tractor  Out  of  the  Mud 

stretched   it  that   its   links   gripped  each 
other  firmly  and  ^ave  it  the  character  of 


CEOn  October  27  when  the  rest  of  the 
country  moved  the  clocks  ahead  one 
hour,  the  timepieces  in  Detroiti  Mich., 
with  the  exception  of  those  in  the  post 
office  and  railway  stations,  were  not 
changed.  Instead  it  was  announced  that 
on  that  day  the  city  would  adopt  eastern 
time  in  place  of   central  time. 


MOTOR  TRUCK  IS  EQUIPPED  AS  EMPLOYMENT  OFFICE 

AS  one  means  of  obtaining  a  sufficient  number  of  workers  in  spite  of  the  scarcity  of  men,  a  large  automobile- 
•'^  manufacturing  concern  has  eauipped  a  large  truck  as  a  branch  emplovment  office.  .  This  car  frequents  the 
districts  where  workmen  are  to  be  found  and  enables  them  to  learn  all  about  prospective  jobs,  and  to  hire  out 
if  they  desire,  without  journeying  to  the  plant.  It  is  entered  by  a  removable  set  of  steps  installed  at  the  rear 
and  is  furnished  with  a  regular  office  desk,  chair,  and  beaches  for  eight.  Pipes  supplied  with  water  heated  by 
the  engine  keep  the  interior  at  a  comfortable  temperature  in  winter. 


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»noTM  ar  cOiMRisr  op  tmc  jonh  mcmion  art  nwrtrxm,  indianapoub 

General  ^ 
The  Panels, 
of   Indii 


al  View  of  a  Magnificent  Screen  Recently  Acquired  by  the  John 
^anels.  Cornice,  Door,  and  Windows  Composing  This  Collection 
dia.    Not  a   Little  of  It  is  Done  by  Young   Children  Whose 


Herron  Art  Institute  at  Indianapolis: 
Are  Specimens  of  the  Finest  Carving 
Training   Begins   before   Their   Teens 


SCREEN  SHOWS  AMAZING  SKILL  OF  INDIA'S  CARVERS 


A  magnificent  screen,  consisting  of  sev- 
eral hundred  square  feet  of  carving  typ- 
ical of  the  finest  work  in  wood,  metal, 
stone,  and  ivory,  to  be  found  in  India, 
has  recently 
become  the 
property  of  the 
I  o  h  n  Herron 
\rt  Institute 
at  Indianapolis, 
after  having 
been  o  n  ex- 
hibit there  for 
some  time. 
The  various 
panels,  of 
which  many 
are  originals 
and  others 
copies  made  by 
native  work- 
men, are  won- 
derful evidence 
of  skill  which 
occidental 
craftsmen  have 
not  attempted 
to  equal. 

In  the  center 
of  the  screen 
i^  a  large  door 
with  windows 
on  either  side, 
brought  from 
A  d  o  k  i  Prov- 
ince. India. 
Extending  the 
full  length  of  the  display,  near  the  top,  is 
a  delicately  adorned  cornice  supported  by 


Detail  of  the  Cornice,  Which  is  Supported  by  Carved  Figures 
of  Elephants:  This  Costly  Piece  of  Ornamentation  was 
Secured  from  a  House  in  India  That  was  being  Dismantled 


carved  elephants.  This  was  taken  from 
a  house  in  India  which  was  in  the  proc- 
ess of  being  dismantled.  To  the  left  of 
the  door  and  windows  are  two  panels  in- 
laid with  ivory, 
which  at  first 
glance  have  the 
appearance  of 
being  open- 
work carving. 
A  t  intervals 
along  the  bot- 
tom, in  frames 
containing  six 
panels  each, 
are  exquisite 
examples  of 
pierced  -  brass 
work. 

The  carvers 
begin  learning 
their  trade 
when  as  young 
as  three  years 
old,  and  when 
from  eight  to 
twelve  years 
old  are  often 
as  skilled  as 
adults.  The 
most  elaborate 
designs  are 
wrought  with- 
out any  pat- 
terns other 
than  rough 
sketches.  The 
woodworkers  sit  on  the  ground  and  hold 
the  wood  with  their  feet.     This  enables 


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A  Close  View  of  a  Portion  of  the  Screen,  Which  Oivet  Some  Idea  of  the  Extraordinary   Delicacy 

of  the  Designa:    The  Six  Small   Panels  in  the  Center  of  the  Bottom  Row  Are  of 

Pierced  Brats.    Most  of  the  Others  Are  of  Wood 


them  to  use  both  hands  and  often  both 
feet  in  guiding  their  tools,  and  to  put  their 
whole  weight  on  them  where  needed.  The 
bringing  of  every  muscle  into  play  re- 
sults in  a  cleanness  and  directness  in  cut- 
ting impossible  in  bench  work. 


EXTENSIVE    RUPTURE    CAUSED 
BY  HIGH  INDUCED  VOLTAGE 

Extensive  damage  was  done  recently 
when  a  500-volt  elevator  circuit  was 
''shorted"  because  a  100-ampere  switch 
was  opened  while  under  heavy  load.  The 
high   voltage   induced   entirely   destroyed 


LARGE  DRY  DOCK  AT  QUEBEC 

NEARLY  READY  FOR  USE 

Quebec's  new  dry  dock,  which  is  one 
of  the  largest  in  the  world,  is  practically 
complete.  It  has  been  under  construction 
for  the  past  four  years.  The  structure 
is  situated  on  the  south  bank  of  the  St. 
Lawrence  River  and  has  a  length  of  1,150 
ft.  and  a  breadth  of  120  ft.  It  is  divided 
into  two  compartments,  the  inner  of 
which  is  650  ft.  long.  A  floating  caisson 
closes  the  interior  entrance,  while  a  roll- 
ing caisson  has  been  provided  for  the 
outer  one.  Although  four  hours  may  be 
required  for  filling  the  dock,  its  pumping 
equipment,  designed  to  deliver  6,300  gal. 
a  minute,  is  expected  to  empty  it  in  about 
two  and  a  half  hours. 


Th«»  High  Voltage  Induced  by  the  "Shorting"  of  a 

600-Volt    Elevator    Circuit,    When    a    Switch    was 

Opened  under  Load.   Ruptured  Six   Feet  of  Conduit 

as  Shown  Herewith 

the  switch,  its  metal  cabinet,  and  the  cut- 
outs, and  ruptured  six  feet  of  conduit, 
shown  in  the  accompanying  illustration, 
and  insulation  on  140  ft.  of  wire. 


CThe  soldiers  who  remain  on  duty  in 
France  and  Belgium  this  winter  should 
have  no  difficulty  in  keeping  warm,  for 
the  forestry  section  of  the  American 
forces  has  promised  to  have  ready  for 
delivery  1,000,000  cubic  meters  of  fire- 
wood. This  is  sufficient  to  make  a  wood- 
pile 1  yd.  wide  and  1  yd.  high  extending 
from  Paris  to  Berlin. 


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WOODEN  SHIP  COMPLETED 

IN  RECORD  TIME 

By  completing  a  wooden  ship  of  4,000 
tons,  dead  weight,  from  keel  to  water  in 
I7y2  working  days,  in  a  shipyard  in  Aber- 
deen, Wash.,  the  Builders  claim  that  a 
world's  record  has  been  established  for 
both  wooden  and  steel  ships  of  this  type 
and  tonnage.  The  concern  has  its  own 
sawmill  in  the  yard,  so  that  considerable 
time  is  saved  by  cutting  the  timbers  on 
the  premises.  More  than  2,000  men  have 
been  employed  in  three  shifts  in  the  yard, 
and  for  a  time,  in  response  to  an  appeal 
for  more  help,  over  100  local  business  and 
professional  men  went  to  work  at  ship- 
building after  business  hours. 


INDIAN  LOG  RIDERS  BECOME 
REAL  ACROBATS 

To  one  unfamiliar  with  life  in  logging 
regions  the  skill  of  the  lumbermen  who 
handle  logs  in  the  water  is  truly  aston- 
ishing. Something  of  the  dexterity  re- 
quired of  them  is  indicated  by  the  accom- 
panying photograph  of  two  Indian  river 
men  standing  upright  on  a  log  and  pad- 
dling their  way  across  a  wide  expanse  of 
water.  It  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  the 
slightest  impulse  will  spin  a  **craft"  of 
this  sort  at  high  speed,  and  extraordinary 
agility  is  needed  if  the  riders  are  to  keep 
out  of  the  water. 


PRECIOUS  OLD  VELLUM  BOOKS 

IN  CALIFORNIA  MISSION 

Many  travelers  to  the  Pacific  coast  are 
surprised  to  find  in  that  region,  commonly 
considered     "new,"     several     Franciscan 


Priceless  Records  qI  the  Early  Years  of  the  California 

Missions,  and  the    Old   Iron- Bound   Case  in  Which 

They  are  Kept :  This  Picture  was  Taken  at  San  Juan 

Capistrano   Mission 

monasteries  dating  back  to  prerevolu- 
tionary  days,  and  preserving  with  the 
greatest  fidelity  the  atmosphere  of  me- 
dieval times.    Within  their  walls  are  vine- 


A  Balancinf  Act  Which  Rivals  the  Peats  of  Circus  Performers:  These  Indian  Logging   Men   are  Paddling 

Their  Way  across  a  Wide  Stream  on  a  Log  Which  will  Spin  at  High  Speed  the  Instant  Either  of  . 

the  iSfro  Places  His  Weight  Unevenly.     Spikes  in  the  Shoes  Give   the  Men  Sure  Footing 


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cov€ired  cloisters,  secluded  walks,  and 
musty  libraries  containing  manuscripts  of 
time-yellowed  vellum.  Some  of  the  most 
interesting  of  the  latter  are  shown  here- 
with, being  the  early  history  of  the  Cali- 
fornia missions.  They  were  written  by 
the  hand  of  the  mission's  founder. 


ANCHOR  TOWERS  CARRY  SIX 
THREE-PHASE  CIRCUITS 

Two  anchor  towers  recently  erected 
either  side  of  the  Miami  River  at  Day- 
ton, Ohio,  to  carry  transmission  lines 
across,  that    stream,    combine    a    number 


AEROPLANES  SWARM  LIKE  BEES 

OVER  CALIFORNIA  CITY 

During  the  fourth  Liberty-loan  cam- 
paign Los  Angeles  witnessed  one  of  the 
most  spectacular  aerijil  demonstrations  so 
far  enacted  in  America.  A  remarkable 
fleet  of  115  military  aeroplanes  soared 
above  the  city,  dropping  Liberty-bond 
"literature"  and  executing  graceful  evo- 
lutions high  above  the  central  section  of 
the  city.  The  craft  approached  from  the 
flying  field  at  Riverside  at  an  elevation  of 
about  5,000  feet  and  suddenly  bore  down 
on  the  city  like  a  swarm  of  bees,  the  dron- 
ing of  their  unmufiied  motors  roaring  like 
the  surf  on  a  rocky  coast.  Only  one  of 
the  planes  had  to  make  a  forced  landing. 
At  an  altitude  of  about  3,700  feet  above 
the  business  district,  it  developed  engine 
trouble.  It  glided  easily  to  a  suburban 
district  and  landed  safely  in  an  open 
field.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  in  fly- 
ing approximately  94  miles,  the  115  ma- 
chines consumed  3,000  gal.  of  gasoline. 


CAR  LITERALLY  "FIXED  UP" 
ON  SIDE  OF  BUILDING 

Workmen  for  an  auto-sales  concern 
who  are  on  good  terms  with  their  em- 
ployer, recently  took  literally  the  latter's 
instruction  regarding  his  car.  to  the  ef- 
fect that  they  should  ''fix  it  up,"  and 
hung  the  automobile  well  up  on  the  out- 
side of  the  building.  In  view  6i  the  fact 
that  it  was  a  Halloween  prank,  the  owner 
took  the  joke  good-naturedly  and  agreed 
to  pay  the  penalty  demanded  for  bring- 
ing the  car  down,  namely  a  turkey  din- 
ner on  Thanksgiving  Day. 


Anchor  Tower  at  One  End  of  an  850 -Foot  Span  of 

Transmission    Lines    Extending    across  ;the    Miami 

River  at  Dayton,  Ohio:    The    Structure   Carries  Six 

Three- Phase  Circuits  of  6,600  Volts 

of  features  of  interest  alike  to  the  ama- 
teur and  the  expert  electrician.  The  span 
which  the  towers  support  is  850  ft.  long. 
The  structures  carry  six  three-phase  cir- 
cuits of  6,600  volts,  and  above  them,  at- 
tached to  the  tops  of  the  steel  frames, 
are  four  grounded  conductors  of  copper- 
clad  wire.  The  wires  of  each  three-phase 
circuit  are  strung  one  above  the  other, 
and  each  circuit  is  protected  by  choke 
coils,  and  electrolytic  lightning  arresters. 
The  latter  are  said  to  be  the  first  three- 
phase  arresters  of  this  outdoor  type  which 
have  been  produced.  A  steel  stairway  and 
a  substantial  platform  are  provided  for 
the  safety  and  convenience  of  the  man 
charging  the  arresters. 


The  Position  in  Which  an  Automobile  Dealer  Pound 
His  Own  Car  After  He  had  Instructed  His  Employes 
to  "Fix  It  Up"  for  Him :  The  Order  was  Given  Juat 


before  Halloween 


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THOUSANDS   SEE   AIRMEN   FROLIC  ON  LONG  ISLAND 


r 


A 


^~7^ — ^ 


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MANCHURIAN  SOY-BEAN  CAKE 

SHIPPED  TO  EUROPE 

With  the  production  of  many  commodi- 
ties far  below  normal  in  Europe,  the  allies 


The  Objects  Piled   on   the   Wharf  in  This   Port  of   Darien,   Manchuria, 

Porinerfy  the  Russian  Dalny,  Are  Not  Automobile  Tires,   as  One  Might 

Suppose,  but  Soy-Bean  Cakes 

in  some  cases  have  gone  to  the  corners 
of  the  earth  to  replenish  their  stores.  The 
demand  for  soy-bean  cake  is  a  case  in 
Doint.  Soy  beans  are  a  principal  product 
of  Manchuria,  and  in  recent  months  tons 
of  the  big  round  cakes  made  from  these 
beans  have  been  shipped  frorn  that  re- 
mote land  to  Europe,  for  use  as  stock 
feed. 


ACCIDENT-PROOF  MINES  MADE 

IN  LARGE  QUANTITIES 

Wonderful  progress  in  the  production 
of  mines  has  been  made  by  the  Navy 
Bureau  of  Ordnance  since 
the  beginning  of  the  war, 
the  present  daily  output 
being  approximately  1,000 
mines.  Equally  marked 
improvement  has  been 
made  in  the  design  of 
these  instruments  of  de- 
struction which  have 
proven  a  terror  to  the 
submarines.  They  are 
regarded  as  among  the 
safest  mines  in  the  world 
to  handle,  as  is  demon- 
strated by  the  fact  that 
there  has  not  been  an 
accident  in  transporting 
or  placing  them.  They 
are  provided  with  an  in- 
ternal apparatus  which 
renders  them  harmless,  if  they  break  away 
from  their  moorings,  and  causes  them  to 
rise  to  the  surface  so  that  they  can  be 
easily  disposed  of. 


COMMENCE    DRILLING    FOR    OIL 

AT  CHESTERFIELD,  ENGLAND 

It  may  be  surprising:  to  manv  persons 
to  learn  that  the  first  organized  attempt 
to  establish  oil  wells  in  the  United  King- 
dom was  launched  only  three  weeks  be- 
fore the  cessation  of  hostilities.  In  mid- 
October  d-rilling  was  begun  on  the  estate 
of  Lord  Hartington  near  the  village  of 
Hardstoft,  six  miles  from  Chesterfield. 
Other  operations  were  expected  to  be 
started  early  in  Xovember  in  the  same  lo- 
cality. It  was  reported  that  40  American 
drillers  with  machinery  were  ready  to  be- 
gin work  at  seven  different  sites  selected 
near  Chesterfield,  and  that  three  addi- 
tional locations  were  being  sought. 


TROLLEY    POST   BECOMES 
A  REAL  FOUNTAIN 

Persons  passing  a  certain  point  on  one 
of  Chicago's  much-frequented  streets 
were  astonished 
recently  to  see 
two  streams  of. 
water  issuing 
from  near  the  top 
of  an  iron  pole 
which  £ -I, sported 
a  trolley  wire.  Ap- 
parently a  water 
main  beneath  the 
hollow  pole  had 
burst  and  the  wa- 
ter from  it  rose  in 
the  upright  sup- 
port until  it  over- 
flowed near  the 
top. 


(FWhat  was  perhaps  the  strangest  task 
for  which  steam  shovels  ever  were  used 
was  the  digging  of  graves  in  certain  cem- 
eteries in  the  East  for  victims  of  Spanish 
influenza,  who  were  so  numerous  that 
there  were  not  enough  shovelers  available 
to  make  the  graves. 


CThe  eclipse  of 
a  few  weeks  ago 
w^as  in  all  proba- 
bility the  first 
event   of  the   sort 

which  has  been  observed  from  an  aero- 
plane. At  that  time  a  flight  and  an  ob- 
servation— the  latter  not  strictly  scientific 
of  course — were  made  at  I^)rt  Sill,  Okla. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS  61 


LONG,   HEAVY   PLATE  GIRDERS        of  over  200  models,  each  painted  in  colors 

HAULED  IN  GOTHAM  STREETS         ^^  ^'^^^^'^^  ^h^}-  ^^  ^J^J^^}  distance  they 
xxrkwx^c.x^  xi^  vjvFxnrxxu  oxx^x:.i:.xo         cannot  be  distinguished  from  real  birds^ 

Two  80-ton  plate  girders,  each  136  ft. 
in  length,  were  recently  hauled  through 
the  streets  of  New  York  to  the  site  of  a 
viaduct,  now  under  construction,  which, 
when  completed,  will  carry  Park  Avenue 
across  Forty-Second  Street.  The  mas- 
sive structural  members  were  removed 
from  a  barge  and  separately  loaded  on 
heavy  trucks.  They  were  moved,  one  at 
a  time,  to  the  building  site  by  52  horses 
under  the  control  of  ^  drivers. 


CARVING   MODELS    OF    BIRDS 
IS  SAILOR'S  HOBBY 

The    hobby    of   a    widely    traveled    sailor  a  Retired  Sailor  and  a  Few  of  His  200  Hand-Carved 
who    has    now    given    up    life    on    the    sea  Models  of  Birds  Which  He  has  Seen  in 

.•  ,  .  ^  1-  S  J  J   1  Varioua  Parts  of  the  World 

is  the  making  of  realistic  wooden  models 

of  birds   which   he    has   seen   in    various  The  carver  has  also  developed  great  skill 

parts  of  the  world.     He  has  a  collection  in  imitating  the  songs  of  these  birds* 

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PANEL  WITH  PRAYER  TAKES  PLACE  OF  SERVICE  FLAG 

A  large  Cincinnati  congregation,  in- 
stead of  displaying  the  conventional  serv- 
ice flag  in  honor  of  its  members  in  the 
service,  has  placed  a  tablet  on  an  outer 
wall  of  the  church.  It  consists  of  a  prayer 
surmounted  by  crossed  flags  painted  on 
canvas  and  inclosed  in  a  frame.  One  of 
the  flags  is  a  national  ensign  and  the 
other  is  covered  with  stars.  The  whole 
is  protected  by  heavy  plate  glass.  In- 
stead of  adding  more  painted  stars  as 
occasion  required,  the  total  number  of 
men  in  the  service  is  painted  on  the  out- 
side of  the  glass  and  can  be  easily  kept 
up  to  date.  Space  was  left  either  side 
of  the   number   for  gold   stars. 


Glass-Covered  Inscription  on  Church  Wall  Takes 
Place  of  Service  Flag.  The  Figures  Given  Indicate 
the  Number  of  Men  in  Uniform  and  are  Painted  on 
the  Outside  of  the  Glass  So  That  They  can  be 
Changed  Easily  if  Need  Be 


G  While  at  an  altitude  of  4,800  ft.  an  aero- 
plane passenger  at  one  of  the  southern 
aviation  camps  recently  made  a  suc- 
cessful parachute  jump.  Just  as  the  leap 
was  about  to  be  made,  the  pilot  stalled 
the  engine  slightly  and  banked  sharply  to 
the  right  so  as  to  throw  the  tail  of  the 
plane  out  of  the  way  of  the  parachute. 
The  success*  of  the  experiment  may  lead 
to  a  general  equipment  of  military  air- 
planes with  parachutes. 


INTERURBAN  CAR  EQUIPPED  TO  CARRY  INSANE 


For  the  purpose  of  transferring  insane 
patients  from  Cook  County's  psychopathic 
hospital,  in  Chicago,  to  various  state  insti- 
tutions with  the  least  inconvenience  and 
publicity,  the  county  authorities  have  had 
built  an  interurban  car  of  special  design 
\vhich  travels  from  the  hospital  yard  di- 
rect to  the  asylums.  Outwardly  the  car 
resembles  those  in  service  on  Chicago's 
surface  lines  except  that  the  windows  are 
of  wire-reinforced  glass  and  are  protected 
on  the  inside  by  heavy  screens. 

The  interior  is  divided  into  two  com- 
partments, one  for  men  and  the  other  for 


women.  Each  is  furnished  with  several 
ordinary  reversible  seats  and  upper  and 
lower  berths,  of  a  folding  type,  for  invalid 
patients.  Cloth  curtains  can  be  drawn  in 
front  of  the  berths  to  give  the  occupants 
privacy.  Toilet  facilities  are  provided  for 
each  compartment.  In  the  women's  sec- 
tion two  of  the  seats  are  of  the  reclining- 
chair  type.  The  marker  lights  and  an 
emergency  light  in  each  section  automat- 
ically connect  with  storage  batteries  in 
case  the  trolley  pole  leaves  the  wire,  so 
that  the  car  is  not  plunged  into  darkness 
when  connections  are  broken  at  night. 


H-- 


-43-9' OwA//- 


•:.V*I 


Floor  Plan  of  Hospital  Car  for  Use  on  Chicago  Surface  Lines  and    Connecting   Interurban  Lines,  Showing 
the  Relative  Size  of  the  Two  Compartments  and  the  Number  and   Arrangement  of  Seats  and  Berths 


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While  the  Car  Has  the  Appearance,  Externally,  of  Other  Chicago  Cars, 
the  Double  Bumper  Is  a  Special  Feature.  This  Permits  Coupling  to  Either 
a  City  or  an  Interurban  Car,  Which  Have  Bumpers  at  Different  Height 


■~^ 


63 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


Patriotic  Window  Pisplavin  Jewelry  Store,  Depicting  Nation's  Spirit  and  Resources:  In  the  Foreground  Is 

a  Map  of  the  United  States  Made  of  Red.  White,  and  Blue  Velvet.    The   Statue  of  Liberty 

and  the  Cornucopia  Overflowing  with  Grain  Bach  Tells  Its  Own  Story 


STORE   WINDOW   SHOWS    SPIRIT 

AND  RESOURCES  OF  NATION 

A  window  display  in  a  large  Chicago 
jewelry  store  recently  expressed  with  ex- 
ceptional artistic  skill  the  spirit  of  Amer- 
ica and  its  readiness  to  draw  on  its  abun- 
dant resources  in  meeting  the  demands  of 
war  and  the  reconstruction  period.  The 
central  feature  was  a  large  map  of  the 


United  States,  tufted  red,  white,  and  blue 
velvet  being  used  to  represent  the  various 
states.  At  the  upper  edge  of  the  map. 
which  was  tilted  toward  the  window,  lay  a 
large  cornucopia  overflowing  with  grains, 
while  beside  it  rose  a  white  miniature  of 
the  Statue  of  Liberty.  On  pedestals  at 
either  side  were  busts  of  famous  presi- 
dents and  military  leaders  of  the  present 
day.  •  Silk  flags  were  used  as  draperies. 


MANY  TONS  OF  HAY  PILED 

IN  THE  OPEN 

In  these  times  of  food  and  feed  short- 
age, a  large  accumulation  of  unsheltered, 
baled   alfalfa,  such   as  is  shown   here,   is 


A  Pile  of  600  Tons  of  Alfalfa  Worth  Many  Thousands  of   Dollars:  This 

Big  Pyramid  of  Bales  Is  the  Result  of  a  Week's  Haymaking 

in   a  Fertile   Irrigated   District  in   Colorado 

unusual.  The  hay  w-as  in  an  irrigated 
section  of  Colorado  and  was  in  little 
danger  of  being  damaged  by  rain.  There 
are  600  tons,  or  more»  in  this  pile,  accumu- 
lated in  a  single  week  pending  the  arrival 
of  freight  cars  for  shipment. 


NATIVE  ALASKANS  SHOW 

DESIRE  TO  PROGRESS 

In  many  w^ays,  some  of  them  ver>-  sim- 
ple in  character  but  significant,  natives  of 
Alaska  are  showing  thair  desire  and  capac- 

ity  for  advancement.    In 

one  region,  for  example, 
where  practically  all  the 
traveling  is  done  by 
water  and  an  unneces- 
sary number  of  dogs  are 
kept,  the  natives  them- 
selves have  been  advo- 
cating the  killing  off  of 
many  of  these  animals 
because  of  the  much- 
needed  food  that  they 
consume.  This  indicates 
the  development  of  a 
real  community  spirit.  It 
is  noteworthy,  also,  that 
every  native  who  can 
read  is  a  subscriber  to 
one  or  more  newspapers,  which  are  read 
slowly  and  carefully.  In  many  cases  il- 
literate parents  have  their  children  jread 
to  tliem  that  they  may  keep  informed  of 
world  ^  events.  They  show  special  in- 
terest in  items  gathered  from  the  school. 


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65 


MAY  MAKE  RHONE  NAVIGABLE 

FOR  BENEFIT  OF  SWISS 

French  engineers  have  evolved  a  plan 
for  making  •  the  Rhone  River  navigable 
from  the  Swiss  border  ■  to  Marseille. 
When  peace  comes  the  question  will  be 
raised  as  to  what  water  route  to  the  sea, 
other  than  the  Rhine,  can  be  offered  the 
Alpine  republic.  Though  by  international 
agreement  the  Rhine  is  a  free  river,  it  has 
been  closed  to  Switzerland  since  the  be- 
ginning of  the  war.  The  opening  up  of 
the  Rhone  to  navigation  is  the  proposed 
means  of  relieving  the  Swiss  of  their  pres- 
ent dependency  on  Germany.  It  is  said 
that  it  will  only  be  necessary  to  make  20 
additional  miles  of  the  Rhone  navigable, 
and  that  this  can  be  accomplished  for  the 
most  part  by  building  a  lock  at  a  point 
which  has  been  selected.  This  lock  would 
make  available  an  immense  amount  of 
hydroelectric  power  which  would  largely 
pay  for  the  investment. 


MILLION  DOLLARS  IN  GOLD 
FOR  LIBERTY  BONDS 

The  popular  phrase,  "It  looks  like  a 
million  dollars,"  could  be  applied  without 
exaggeration  to  a  pile  of  gold  coin  which 
was  recently  exhibited  in  San  Francisco. 
That  municipality  bought  $1,000,000 
worth  of  Liberty  bonds  and  paid  for 
them  in  gold  specie.  The  exchange  of  the 
coin  for  the  government  certificates  was 
made  a  formal  affair  and  the  money  paid 
was  arranged  in  neat  piles  on  a  long  in- 
clined table  decorated  with  the  Stars  and 
Stripes,  and  with  a  number  of  pennants. 


One  Million  DolUra  in  Gold  Coin  Paid  by  the  City 
of  San  Francisco  for  Liberty  Bond* . 


SOFT  DI^INKS  AND  SANDWICHES 

ARE  SOLD  BY  MACHINE 

One  of  the  interesting  developments  in 
the  vending-machine  field  is  a  large  ap- 
paratus that  dispenses  bottled  beverages, 


The  Big  Vending  Machine  Dispenses  Cold  Bottled 

Beverages*  Sandwiches,  and  Chewing  Gum,  Rejects 

Counterfeit  Coins,  and  Keeps  a  Complete  Record  of 

All  Transactions 

sandwiches,  and  chewing  gum.  The  de- 
vice operates  much  the  same  as  smaller 
machines  of  similar  purpose  with  which 
the  public  is  familiar.  Its  cooling  cham-. 
ber  has  space  for  the  accommodation  of 
96  bottles,  while  a  precooling  compart- 
ment, in  which  bottles  are  chilled  by  im- 
mersion in  the  water  that  drains  from  the. 
ice,  has  an  equal  capacity.  In  order  to 
encourage  patrons  to  return  empty  bot- 
tles to  the  machine,  a  stick  of  gum  is  dis- 
charged when  a  bottle  is  placed  in  the 
receiver  provided  for  it.  A  counterfeit 
detector  rejects  spurious  coins.  A  com- 
plete record  of  all  transactions  is  kept  by 
a  sales-registering  mechanism.  The  only 
attention  the  machine  requires  is  that  in- 
volved in  stocking  and  icing  it  daily. 

Clln  Norway  whales*  intestines  are  being 
prepared  for  use  in  making  gloves. 


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66  POPULAR    MECHANICS 

USE  STEAM-ROLLER  SCARIFIER       and   hundreds  more   of  the   constructive 
ON  CALIFORNIA  ROADS  achievements  of  our  government,  are  to 

be  seen  m  that  remarkable  U.  S.  official 

For  road-repair  work  the  street  depart-      war  picture,  "America's  Answer,"  issued 

ment  of  San   Francisco   makes  use  of  a      by  the  Division  of  Films,  Committee  on 

' Public  Information.  This 

is  not  a  battle  movie, 
though  it  shows  how  the 
boys  live,  and  scores  of 
interesting  things  con- 
nected with  army  life. 
Every  person  in  this 
country  should  see 
"America's  Answer."  If 
your  favorite  movie  the- 
ater has  not  yet  had  tfiis 
film,  ask  the  manager  to 
secure  it,  and  witness 
one  of  the  biggest  sur- 
prises you  ever  had. 

SCHOOL    IN    DEATH 

VALLEY  HOUSED 

IN  BOX  CAR 

The  Road   Scarifier  at  Work.  Preparinff  the  Way  for  the  Grader:    It  it  At     Tecopa,     Calif.,     in 

Operated  by  the  Cylinder  Visible  at  the  Rear,  Which  is  the    heart   of    Death    Val- 

Supplied  with  Steam  from  the  Boiler  ,  ^  .  t.       it. 

ley,     the    schoolhouse 

steam-operated  scarifier  that  is  attached  where  16  children  of  the  mining  camp  as- 

at  the  rear  of  a  steam  roller.     It  breaks  semble  daily  is  a  box  car.     The  housing 

up  the  hard  isurface  dirt  so  that  a  grader,  facilities  in  this  desert  spot  are  so  limited 

that  follows  behind,  can  perform  its  func-  that   there   seems   to   be   no   other   place 

tion  effectively.  where    the    children     can    gather.     The 

woman  teacher  for  these  little  folks,  three 

"AMERICA'S  ANSWER,"  A  WON-  of  whom  are  Piute  Indians,  has  divided 

DERFUL  MOVING  PICTURE  {^Inf  ^ Jrerf  and'^  ^other   S?   fhl 

What  would  we  all  not  give  to  be  set     schoolroom.    The  car  has  a  door  at  one 
down  for  a  couple  of  hou'"  "'-^  **--**  —"  '^"^    ^"^     q  m  a  11 

vast  seaport  of  France  whi< 
States  created  in  a  few  sh( 
To  see  the  convoys  arrive 
with    thousands    of   our    b 
barking,  along  the  miles 
of  w^harves,  and  transfer 
to  American  cars  drawn 
by  huge  American  loco- 
motives on  the  hundreds 
of    miles    of    American- 
built    railroads?     Would 
you  not  enjoy  a  sight  of 
how   all   manner  of  war 
machinery    and    supplies 
are  transferred  from  ship 
to  train,   and  watch   the 
magic   assembling  of  lo- 
comotives    from    parts 


made      here  ;      and      the  Sixteen  Pupils  and  Their  Teacher,  at  the  Left,  Standing  in  Front  of  the 

p-reat    machine    shons  ^^^  ^^^  ^^   Tecopa,  California,  Which    Seryes  as  Their  Schoolhouse, 

ij      "» 'I  c  "  1  "  e  />nVl^^'  Protecting  Them  from   the  Hot   Sun  and   Sand  of  the   Desert 
cold-storage     and     ice 

plants,  and  a  city  of  warehouses  filled  with      out    the   driving   sand  during   the   sand- 
all   kinds  of  supplies?    All   these   things      storms. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS  67 

USE  BIG  COFFERDAM  TO  RAISE  FOUNDERED  STEAMER 


The   Picture  Above,  at  the   Left,  was  Taken  When  the   Pinal   Pumping  Operations    were   Begun.      The 
Other  Photograph  Shows  ths  Whaleback  Freighter  at  the  Surface,  the  Cofferdam  Still  in  Place 


Several  weeks  ago,  before  the  close  of 
navigation,  salvagers  succeeded  in  raising 
the  sunken  whaleback  freighter,  "Henry 
Cort,"  from  the  bottom  of  Lake  Erie, 
where  it  had  spent  nearly  a  year.  Late 
in  the  season  of  19J7,  while  battling  in 
the  ice  floes,  the  ship  collided  with  an- 
other steamer  and  sank  near  the  west 
shore  of  the  lake.  In  the  spring,  after 
some  difficulty,  it  was  sighted  in  30  ft.  of 
water  about  six  miles  from  its  original 
location,  whence  it  had  been  carried  by 
the  ice  during  the  winter  months.  The 
hull  was  imbedded  in  the  mud  so  that 
the  deck  was  from  12  to  16  ft.  beneath 
the  lake's  surface.  Because  the  ship  was 
well  out  in  the  open  lake,  the  difficulties 
of  raising  it  were  multiplied.  The  first 
attempt  was  a  complete  failure,  for  the 
deck  collapsed  under  the  strain  of  pump- 
ing.   A  cofferdam,  240  ft.  long,  was  then 


made  fast  to  the  hull  by  divers,  but  was 
almost  immediately  wrecked  during  a 
storm.  A  similar  accident  occurred  sub- 
sequently. Late  last  September,  however, 
a  final  and  successful  effort  was  made. 
The  cofferdam  was  reinforced  and  pro- 
tected from  the  sea  by  barges  placed 
alongside,  and  a  steamer  was  anchored 
across  the  end  exposed  to  the  weather. 
By  pumping  rapidly  the  hull  was  raised 
to  the  swface  and,  upon  inspection,  was 
found  to  be  in  need  of  only  a  reasonable 
amount  of  overhauling.  The  vessel  has  a 
cargo  capacity  of  3,600  tons. 


(LA  chemical  concern  has  prepared  a 
traveling  exhibit  giving  a  comparison  be- 
tween American  and  German  dyestuffs, 
which  has  aroused  much  Interest  because 
of  the  manifest  excellence  of  the  Amer- 
ican products  shown. 


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THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  CAVES 


By  BRANDON  TRACY 
The  text  of  thin  4rtlcle  hu  been  pftssed  by  the  Chief  Military  Censor. 


"^ITIES  on  fire!  Germans  evacuating!" 
^^  cry  the  newspaper  headlines.  "We'll 
be .  in  Brussels  next  week  sure!"  com- 
ments my  neighbor.  "Why  not,  if  they're 
getting  out?" 

Next  week's  papers  do  record  a  con- 
siderable advance.  The  allies  occupy 
nearly  five  miles  of  territory  that  has  been 
contested  stubbornly  on  a  twenty-mile 
front.  But  Brussels?  Probably  the  Hun 
tenants  are  just  contemplating  signing  up 
another  year's  cutthroat  lease.  They 
know  the  allied  ranks,  although  advanc- 
ing rapidly,  will  not  be  able  to  oust  them 
for  a  long  time — and  they  know  why. 
With  the  cunning  of  scientists,  driven  in- 
sane by  the  maniacal  demands  of  German 
warfare,  they  have  prepared  every  foot  of 
evacuated  territory  so  that  the  victorious 
allies  and  the  returning  peasantry  will 
find  it  a  constant  nuisance,  threat,  and 
menace.  Each  spring  has  been  doctored 
so  that  the  clear  water,  bubbling  up, 
passes  through  a  one-foot  laj^er  of  sand 
intermingled  with  crystals  of  poisonous 
substances.  For  weeks  it  offers  satiation 
of  thirst — ^and  death.  The  wells  are  fixed 
in  like  manner,  or  are  crammed  with  the 
putrefying  bodies  of  horses.  Each  knoll, 
each  probable  site  for  a  hospital,  ammu- 
nition dump,  battery  emplacement,  or 
battalion  headquarters  has  been  mined. 
Deep  in  the  ground  somewhere  a  terrific 
charge  is  waiting,  finally  to  be  detonated 
by  a  time  fuse  that  may  take  ten  days  to 
reach  the  high  explosive.  The  trenches 
and  dugouts  abandoned  often  are  mined 
in  such  fashion  that  the  entry  of  hostile 
troops  will  cause  an  explosion  that  caves 
in  the  walls.  There  is  a  quality  about 
such  a  catastrophe  which  tickles  Fritz's 
instinct  for  schrecklichkeit.  It  is  the  same 
instinct,  perhaps,  which  prompts  lawless 
urchins  of  ten  op  twelve  to  place  a  bucket 
of  water  at  the  top  of  a  half-opened  door, 
so  that  anyone  entering  will.be  drenched. 
The  urchins  get  this  whipped  out  of  them 
— and  so  will  Germany. 

Before  the  infantry  and  artHlery  can 
take  possession  of  the  regained  territory, 
or  the  happy  French  or  Belgian  peasant 
start  tilling  the  war-corroded  soil,  the 
allied  engineers  must  examine  it  pains- 
takingly. All  the  swampy  regions  from 
which  poison  gases  are  emanating  must 
be  neutralized,  all  wells  and  springs  must 
be  cleansed,  and  all  mines  either  exploded 
or  rendered  impotent.  This  is  the  ideal; 
in  actual  practice  often  it  is  advisable  for 

68 


troops  to  pursue  a  fleeing  enemy  even  at 
the  risk  of  many  casualties  from  his 
devilish  devices,  but  wherever  ordinary 
conditions  prevail  the  advance  awaits  the 
O.  K.  of  the  engineering  sections. 

The  mechanical  and  scientific  death 
traps  are  not  always  all  that  Fritz  leaves 
behind  when  planning  the  victorious  en- 
emy's destruction.  Sometimes  the  retreat 
is  not  sincere;  it  merely  masks  a  terrible 
ambush,  calculated  to  cut  off  and  >yipe 
out  a  battalion  or  more  of  allied  troops. 
What  was  perhaps  the  greatest  large-scale 
example  of  this  sinister  strategy  occurred 
during  the  allied  advance  in  the  Mount 
St.  Eloi  sector  during  which  the  great 
caves  of  Zivy  were  captured. 

Canadians  and  French  had  been  co- 
operating on  this  front,  which  in  peace 
times  had  been  the  limestone  quarry  of 
western  Europe.  Great  holes  lay  every- 
where, some  one  thousand  feet  in  width 
and  a  hundred  feet  deep.  At  the  bottoms 
of  many,  passages  led  to  underground 
chambers,  and  out  to  other  excavations. 
Here  and  there,  in  the  uncut  brush  on 
the  surface,  unsuspected  air  holes  waited 
the  feet  of  the  incautious  explorer. 

Because  of  the  rock  hoists  and  the  nar- 
row-gauge tracks  the  Germans  found  in 
these  caves  and  excavations,  they  had 
been  able  to  set  up  quarters  of  compara- 
tive luxury.  The  dugouts  were  carved 
holes  reaching  into  the  solid  rock,  shell- 
proof  and  easily  warmed  in  winter.  The 
officers  all  had  subterranean  chambers, 
and  in  many  of  these  were  complete  wine 
cellars  and* stocks  of  provisions  taken  from 
the  civilian  homes  in  the  towns  they  had 
pillaged.  Naturally  the  Germans  hated 
to  give  up  this  position  for  the  open 
trenches  in  the  plain  to  the  east.    ■ 

A  concerted  attack  by  the  French  and 
Canadians,  however,  drove  them  from  a 
ridge  which  commanded  many  of  the  ex- 
cavations. From  the  top  the  allied  guns 
poured  projectiles  of  all  kinds  to  the 
depths  of  the  open  quarries.  In  spite  of 
frantic  counterattacks  the  Huns  found 
themselves  compelled  to  give  way.  It 
even  looked  as  though,  because  of  the . 
difficulties  of  transporting  their  materiel, 
some  prisoners  and  a  great  deal  of  booty 
would  have  to  fall  into  allied  hands.  The 
appetites  of  the  Canadians,  in  particular, 
had  been  whetted  by  tales  recited  by  Ger- 
man prisoners.  These  men  had  described 
some  of  the  luxurious  caves  occupied  by 
the  officers,  and  as  a  result  every  Cana- 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


69 


dian  promised  himself  a  treat  when  the 
enemy  was  driven  out  and  the  process  of 
consolidating  the  new  position  began. 
Everyone  looked  for  a  stubborn  fight, 
however. 

Then  one  morning  the  Germans  had  de- 
parted.    Their    new    line    was    in    rapid 
process  of  construction  nearly  two  miles 
to    the    east.      Not    a    German    remained 
visible  in  the  region  of  Zivy  Caves !     The 
allied   officers    rubbed    their   eyes.      This 
was  almost  too  good  to  be  true !     With- 
out even  a  bayonet  charge  they  had  won 
this  coveted  position !     As  they  advanced 
slowly  and  cautiously,  all  speculated  on 
how    the    Germans    could    have 
accomplished    the 
withdrawing    so 
At  this  time,  how< 
the    allies    still 
learning  much  of 
military  science  fr 
the  enemy,  and  tl 
perfection    of   Ge 
man      methods 
still  was  undis- 
puted.      One 
rather  expected 
the     Huns     to 
ace  o  m  pi  i  sh 
near  -  miracles 
in  making  war; 
hadn't       they 
been     studying 
it    all    out    for 
half  a  century? 
It   would    have 
taken   little  ar- 
gument then  to 
convince  all  of 
the  men  and 
most      of      the 
officers     that 
this  very  move 
had      been 
planned     years 
before  in  Pots- 
dam— as    perhaps   it 
least,     were     willing 
accomplish    all    the 


'*On  reaching  th§  dressing  station, 
time,  and  told  a  startling  story, 
of  heavy  grass  and  weeds  on 
lines,  the  earth  had  given  tvay 


had.  The  men,  at 
to  let  the  Huns 
retreating  miracles 
they  wished,  so  long  as  each  time  they 
left  their  champagne  cellars  and  kilo- 
meters of  fresh  sausage  behind. 

They  had  left  a  great  deal  of  this  be- 
hind on  this  occasion.  Perhaps  it  was  too 
much  to  ask  that  they  save  all  of  their  war 
materiel  and  their  sausage  in  one  night, 
but  knowing  Fritz,  one  could  scarcely  im- 
agine him  leaving  the  sausage.  The  Ca- 
nadians and  a  small  body  of  French 
moved  in  and  occupied  the  intricate  sys- 
tem.    The  moment  danger  of  immediate 


enemy  attack  seemed  to  have  passed,  and 
consolidation  of  the  new  positions  was 
well  under  way,  something  like  a  barbecue 
started.  The  Canadians  in  particular, 
though  "fed  up"  on  bully  beef  and  hard- 
tack, still  had  appetite  for  all  of  Fritz's 
stolen  comforts.  Many  lean  men  from  the 
plains  of  Saskatchewan  made  a  good  start 
in  two  days  toward  corpulency.  • 

In  the  light  of  after  events,  this  must 
have  been  just  about  as  the  German  com- 
mand had  figured.  Had  nothing  oc-' 
curred  to  prevent,  the  feasting  men 
would  have  paid  a  high  price  for  their 
two  days  in  the  German  quarters. 

On    the    evening    of    the    second 
capture,  however, 
party     stumbled 
body  of  a  French 
orporal   who   had 
been     sent     on 
patrol       duty 
early      in      the 
day.    The   man 
was     u  n  c  o  n  - 
scious,    with    a 
badly    smashed 
shoulder       and 
arm,      and      a 
bayonet   thrust 
in     the     abdo- 
men. On  reach- 
ing   the    dress- 
ing station,  the 
poilu     regained 
his    senses    for 
a     time,     and 
told  a  startling 
story.     He  and 
the        private 
with      him,      it 
seems,     had 
started    to    re- 
connoiter    just 
before       dawn. 
As    they    were 
crossing  a  space  of  heavy  grass  and  weeds 
on  apparently  solid  ground,  the  earth  gave 
way  and   they   fell  many  feet.     The  pri- 
vate was   killed,   but   the  lance  corporal, 
though  badly  injured,  was  still  conscious. 
He  had  fallen  in  the  midst  of  a  huge  Ger- 
man encampment ! 

While  he  was  lying  there  he  attempted 
to  lift  himself,  and  a  German  had  run  him 
through  with  a  bayonet.  Then  he  had  been 
thrown  into  a  corner  for  dead.  During 
flitting  periods  of  consciousness  he  man- 
aged to  make  out  that  the  force  was  sta- 
tioned in  one  of  the  largest  of  the  caves. 
Without  mistake  it  was  waiting  for  some- 


the  poibi  regained  his  sens^/ora 

I  space 

of  the 

-     ,  .  ^    feet 

and  landed  in  the  midst  of  a  huge  German  encampment. 


.  .  .  ,As  they  were  crossing  a  si 
apparently  solid  ground  baai  of 
beneath  them.      They  fell  many 


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thing.     A  few  of  the  phrases  he  caught  tions.     They  had  cut  off  the  caves  they 

led  him  to  believe  that  it  was  an  attack  occupied  by  blocking  up  the  old  entrance 

upon    the    Canadians.     That   evening   he  with  stones  and  camouflaging  it  well  with 

had  managed  to  crawl  away  without  being  branches  and  dirt.    The  allied  soldiers  had 

observed,   and.  had   mounted   one   of  the  not  suspected  that  any  more  of  the  caves 

rude  ladders  painfully,  step  by  step,  until  existed.   That  night  a  force  of  Canadians 

he  fell  in  the  grass  outside  on  the  surface,  and  French  surrounded  the  air  holes  and 

The    astonishing   story    was    taken    se-  the  old  entrance.    A  message  was  dropped 


out,  and  came  back  with  the  tremendous  were     slaughtered    as    ma- 
news  that   fully   half  a   German   division  chine  guns  played  across  the  entrance, 
was  hidden  down  in  a  series  of  adjoining          Then  the  defenders  drew  back,  evident- 
caves,  evidently  preparing  for  an  attack  ly    to    try    new    ways     of    egress.       The 
in  force  upon  the  rear  of  their  old  posi-  few  that  came  up  the  ladders  to  the  air 


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over  three  thousand  stumbled  blind- 
ly out  of  the  old  entrance,  crying 
''Kamerad!"  Every  particle  of  the  war 
materiel  taken  with  them  into  the  caves 
for  the  destruction  of  the  Canadians  fell 
into  the  hands  of  the  allies. 

From  cross-questioning  of  prisoners  it 
was  found  out  that  at  4  a.  m.  a  concerted 
attack  was  to  have  been  made  by  this 
force  and  by  the  German  troops  in  the 
new  positions,  the  object  being  to  wipe 
out  the  hated  Canadians,  regain  the  old 
position,  and  perhaps  create  a  dangerous 
break  in  the  allied  lines  before  reserves 
could  be  brought  up. 

Promptly  at  four  a  tremendous  explo- 
sion took  place  near  the  new  German 
lines,  and  their  ranks  came  over  in  the 
expected  attack.  They  had  learned  noth- 
ing of  the  disaster  which  had  befallen 
their  comrades.  They  met  a  solid  wall  of 
resistance,  and  in  twenty  minutes  had 
piled  their  dead  as  high  as  a  breastwork 
on  the  strip  of  ground  above  the  caves. 


hart  saved  them  trom  probable  annihila- 
tion at  a  dreadful  cost  to  himself.  His 
name,  Hemin  Gouraud,  will  go  down  in 
the  annals  of  two  great  nations  as  one 
of  the  greatest  of  military  heroes. 


PLANS  OF  LARGEST  DRY  DOCK 
FOR  NAPLES  APPROVED 

Evidence  of  the  great  industrial  awak- 
ening which  is  taking  place  in  Italy  is  to 
be  found  in  the  proposed  great  dry  dock 
for  Naples,  plans  for  which  have  been  ap- 
proved by  the  government.  It  is  said  that 
this  will  be  the  greatest  dry  dock  on  the 
Mediterranean.  The  projected  improve- 
ments also  include  the  construction  of  an 
industrial  port. 


([Among  the  high  rates  recently  paid  for 
freight  shipments  from  Buenos  Aires  to 
New  York  and  Boston  are  $90  per  40 
cu.  ft.  of  space  for  wool,  $120  per  ton  for 
tallow,  and  $80  per  50  cu.  ft.  for  cheese. 


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FINGER-PRINT  PHOTOGRAPHY 
AIDED  BY  SPECIAL  CAMERA 

Of  considerable  importance  in  criminal 
detection  is  a  new  finger-print  camera 
that  is  coming  into  use.  The  instrument 
is  of  compact  size  and  of  such  simple  op- 
eration that  its  successful  use  does  not  de- 
pend upon  expert  knowledge  of  photog- 
raphy. It  accommodates  either  plates  or 
films,  and  makes  full-sized  reproductions 
of  details  included  in  an  area  2%  by  3% 
in.  The  instrument  is  equipped  with  four 
small  incandescent  lamps  operated  by 
batteries  contained  in  the  camera  housing. 
They  are  mounted  in  an  accessible  posi- 
tion back  of  the  front  aperture  and  are 
automatically  switched  on,  supplying  bril- 
liant illumination,  as  the  shutter  is  ac- 
tuated. No  thought  has  to  be  given  to 
focusing,  for  all  pictures  are  taken  with 
the  front  opening  of  the  camera  pressed 
firmly  against  the  surface  on  which  the 
finger  print,  or  other  subject,  is  located. 
Incidentally  the  instrument  is  also  adapted 
for  making  photographic  reproductions  of 
signatures  and  certain  other  things. 


PICTURES  BRING  WAR  HOME 
TO  THE  PEOPLE 

That  photography  has  played  a  larger 
part  in  the  great  war  than  in  any  previous 
conflict  is  strikingly  illustrated  by  the 
extensive  work  of  our  government  in  pro- 
curing and  exhibiting  official  photographs. 
Still  and  motion  pictures  have  been  taken 
in  great  numbers,  chiefly  by  Signal  Corps 
units,  to  be  used  as  historical  records  and 
as  propaganda.  All  negatives  and  prints 
received  from  overseas  have  been  de- 
livered to  the  general  staff  at  Washing- 
ton, and  duplicate  negatives,  of  no  value 
to  the  enemy,  have  been  released  for 
various  forms  of  publicity.  Official  war 
films,  such  as  private  concerns  would 
have  had  much  difficulty  in  procuring, 
have  been  exhibited  in  thousands  of  mo- 
tion-picture houses  and  all  rental  fees 
paid  therefor  have  been  used  to  exhibit 
pictures  gratis  in  cantonments  and  at  the 
front.  They  have  also  been  shown  with 
good  effect  in  foreign  lands  where  Amer- 
ican and  allied  propaganda  was  needed. 
In  many  respects  the  pictures  have  had 
greater  force  than  printed  matter  in 
keeping  up  the  morale  of  the  people 
"back  home,"  and  in  counteracting  the 
German  lies_ which  were  spread  with  such 
pernicious  vigor  before  the  Teutonic  de- 
cline set  in. 


din  one  year  $35,000,000,000  of  war-risk 
insurance  has  been  written  by  the  gov- 
ernment for  its  fighting  men.  This  is 
practically  equal  to  the  amount  of  or- 
dinary life  insurance  outstanding  with  all 
the  life-insurance  companies  in  the  world 
at  the  beginning  of  the  war.  Further- 
more the  sum  represents  policy  holders 
embracing  more  than  90  per  cent  of  the 
personnel  of  the  army  and  navy. 


1 


Left :  Finger  Prints  Left  by  Yeggmen  on  Top  of  Looted  Safe  are  being  Photographed.    In  the  Lower  Left- 
Hand   Comer   Is  a   Reproduction   of  a   Finger   Print.    At   the    Right  is  Shown  the   Interior  Arrangement 
of  the  Camera:  L,  Plate  Holder;  T,  Registering  Line;  E,  Exposure  Lever;  D,  Anastigmat  Lens;  H.  Inde- 
pendent Light  Switch;  B,  Batteries;  C,  Contact  Points,        •   *    -      ••      -*- 


and  A,  Locking  Button 


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ARMY  AIRMAN  MAKES  NONSTOP 
OCEAN-TO-OCEAN  FLIGHT 

Major  W.  W.  Wynne,  of  the  79th  Aero 
Squadron,  holds  the  distinction  of  having 
made  a  nonstop  transcontinental  flight  in 
34  minutes.  Carrying  U.  S.  mail  and  Lib- 
erty-bond applications,  he  left  the  Atlantic 
seaboard  at  9:31  a.  m.  and  reached  the 
Pacific  side  at  10:05  a.  m.  The  ocean-to- 
ocean  flight,  the  first  that  has  been  ac- 
complished by  an  aeroplane  carrying  mail, 
was  made  October  19  at  the  Canal  Zone. 
The  distance  traversed  is  approximately 
38  miles. 


TELEGRAPH  SOUNDER  USES 
ALTERNATING  CURRENT 

A  sounder  now  being  introduced  in  tele- 
graph stations,  particularly  in  towns  and 
villages  where  direct  current  is  not  avail- 
able, can  be  used  on  any  110-volt,  60- 
cycle,  alternating-current  circuit,  thereby 
eliminating  the  trouble  and  expense  oc- 
casioned by  the  use  of  batteries.  The 
amount  of  current  required  is  so  small 
that  the  cost  of  maintenance  is  very  low. 
While  in   general   design  the   instrument 


Sounder  for  Telegraph  Office,  Which  can  be  Used 
on  110-VoIt  Alternating-Current  Circuits,  Thereby 
Eliminating  the  Trouble  and  Expense  Due  to  Batteries 

resembles  standard  sounders  now  in  use, 
a  special  feature  of  this  instrument  is  the 
abbreviated  armature  which  moves  be- 
tween extensions  of  the  magnetic-spool 
cores  which  point  toward  one  another. 


AUTO  CARRIES  AND  DRIVES 
SALESMAN'S  SAMPLE 

An  interesting  example  of  the  manifold 
serviceability  of  an  inexpensive  runabout 
is  furnishfed  by  a  salesman  who  sells 
grinding  machines  to  farmers.  He  car- 
ries one  of  his  machines  on  a  platform  at 


the  rear  of  his  car  and,  by  means  of  skids 
which  he  takes  with  him,  quickly  lowers 
the  grinder  to  the  ground  when  there  is 


Rear  View  of  Salesman's  Automobile  Carrying  Sample 

Grinding  Machine,  Which  is  Placed  on  the  Ground 

for  Demonstration  Purposes  and   Driven  by  the  Car 

£ngine 

prospect  of  a  sale.  The  rear  of  the  car  is 
then  jacked  up,  and  a  belt,  running  over  a 
special  pulley  on  the  rear  axle,  transmits 
power  from  the  car  to  the  grinder. 


MINIATURE  METAL  AEROPLANE 
RELIC  FROM   FLANDERS 

Among  the  mementos  of  the  war  that 
are  constantly  finding  their  way  to 
America  is  one  from  /'Flanders'  fields" 
that     is     oddly 

representative     of  " 

three  arms  of  the 
military  service.  It 
is  a  model  aero- 
plane constructed 
of  trench  souve- 
nirs by  a  British 
Tommy.  A  shrap- 
nel head  sur- 
mounted by  a 
Mauser  rifle  car- 
tridge   forms    the 

base   and   support      . 

for  the  tiny  craft, 

the  body  of  which  consists  of  a  second 

cartridge  fitted  with  wings  made  of  brass, 

probably  taken  from  a  shell  casing,    The 

propeller  and  running  gear  are  made  of 

aluminum. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


OFFICE  MOVED  INTO  STREET 

TO  ESCAPE  INFLUENZA 

When   the   Spanish   influenza  epidemic 
broke  out  in  Seattle  the  officials  conduct- 


Booths  Sheltering  Employment-Office  Clerks  in  Seattle,  Washington,  Who, 

during  the  Influenza  Epidemic,  Moved  Their  Desks  into  the 

Street  and  Transacted  Business  in  the  Open  Air 

ing  the  government's  employment  office 
for  shipbuilders  decided,  as  precaution 
against  contagion,  to  move  their  desks 
into  the  street.  Booths  consisting  of 
wooden  frames  covered  with  canvas  were 
used  to  shelter  the  employes  and  the  office 
furniture  necessary  for  carrying  on  work 
with  the  men  who  gathered  on  the  pave- 
ment seeking  jobs. 


by  a  fleet  of  350  machines.  It  is  doubtful 
if  on  any  previous  occasion  during  the 
four  years  of  aerial  warfare  so  large  and 
impressive  a  group  of  aeroplanes  has 
flown  in  formation.  Two  hundred  and 
fifty  bombing  planes 
protected  by  100  pursuit 
machines  dropped  32 
tons  of  bombs  on 
German  cantonments 
between  Wavrille  and 
Damvillers,  a  few  miles 
north  of  Verdun.  Only 
one  of  the  vessels  failed 
to  return  to  its  base. 
The  cheering  news  of 
this  great  feat,  which  it 
it  is  safe  to  say  might  at 
any  time  have  been  sur- 
passed, had  not  Germany 
begged  for  an  armistice, 
was  followed  by  the  an- 
nouncement at  Washing- 
ton of  an  agreement  to 
group  the  aerial  navies 
of  the  allies  so  as  to 
effect  unified  command  as  well  as  co- 
operative production  of  all  the  various 
kinds  of  air  craft. 


AERIAL  WAR  ENTERS  NEW  PHASE 
AS  HUN  BEGINS  TO  WEAKEN 

Since  that  eventful  night  in  1914  v/hen 
a  German  Zeppelin,  shrouded  in  darkness, 
slipped  above  the  fortifi- 
cations at  Antwerp  and 
began  the  first  aerial 
bombardment  of  a  sleep- 
ing city,  Tennyson's  pro- 
phetic lines,  "Heard  the 
heavens  filled  with  shout- 
ing, and  there  rained  a 
ghastly  dew  from  the  na- 
tions* airy  navies,  grap- 
pling in  the  central 
blue,"  have  been  quoted 
and  requoted.  No  single 
incident,  however,  has 
served  so  fittingly  to  re- 
call their  significance  as 
that  of  a  few  weeks  ago 
when  ^n  American  bomb- 
ing program  was  exe- 
cuted with  amazing  dash 


NEW  TIMESAVING  MACHINE 
FOR  RED  CROSS  WORKERS 

The  effectiveness  of  Red  Cross  work- 
ers* services  is  multiplied  many  times  by 
the  use  of  a  machine,  designed  par- 
ticularly for  Red  Cross  headquarters  and 
other  of  its  large  centers,  which  slits  full- 
width  goods  suitable  for  surgeons*  ban- 
dages and  rewinds  it  into  lar^e  rolls  at  the 
rate  of  50  to  100  yd.  per  minute.  These 
rolls  are  intended  for  distribution  among 


A  Machine  That  Saves  Time  and  Labor  for  Red  Cross  Volunteers:  With 

It  a   Bolt  of  Cloth   can   be   Cut  into   Bandage  Widths  and 

Rewound  at  the  Rate  of  60  to  100  Yards  per  Minute 


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This  Honor  Roll,  Littins;  the  Men  and  Women  from  Lewis  and  Clark  County,  Montana,  Who  Are  in  Their 

Country's  Service,  can  be  Expanded  as  Required  and  the  Names  Kept  in  Alphabetical  Order.    The  Names 

are  Printed  on  Pieces  of  Cardboard  and  Held  in  Place  by  Vertical  Wooden  Strips  with  Grooved  Edges 


volunteer  workers,  who  make  them  into 
smaller  rolls  of  regulation  size.  The  ma- 
chine is  belt-driven,  and  the  bolt  goods 
is  fed  through  a  set  of  small  rollers,  cut 
into  strips  of  desired  width,  and  wound 
onto  a  rod  without  any  waste  of  material. 
No  special  skill  is  required  to  operate  the 
machine.  A  measuring  attachment  re- 
cords the  number  of  yards  passing 
through  the  cutter. 


DISTINCTIVE   HONOR   ROLL 
IN  HELENA,  MONTANA 

The  problem  of  providing  an  attractive 
honor  roll  at  not  too  great  cost,  on  which 
names  can  be  listed  alphabetically  regard- 
less of  additions  made  from  time  to  time, 
has  been  solved  by  Helena,  Mont.  The 
roll  occupies  part  of  a  wall  of  a  brick 
building  and  measures  20  by  36  ft.  The 
lower  half  of  the  space  is  devoted  to  the 
names  which  are  arranged  in  columns 
against  composition  board  backed  with 
horizontal  strips.  The  names  are  printed 
on  weatherproof  pieces  of  cardboard  and 
are  held  in  place  by  vertical  wooden  strips 
having  grooved  edges.  On  the  upper 
half  of  the  wall  space  are  painted  four 
uniformed  figures,  one  of  which  is  a  Red 
Gross  nurse,  standing  against  a  back- 
ground representing  troops  going  into 
action.  A  red,  white,  and  blue  border  in- 
closes the  whole  board.  The  cost  was 
$500,  approximately.  The  adding  of  new 
names  to  this  big  roll  is  made  a  formal 
occasion    at   which   relatives   of  the   de- 


parting soldiers  place  the  names  in  their 
proper  places  in  the  presence  of  a  large 
audience. 


HAND-CARVEP  FLAG  A  MESH 
OF  WOODEN  LINKS 

One  of  the  most  curious  American  flags 
in  existence  has  been  carved  from  a  %-in. 
board  by  a  cabinetmaker  in  Alaska.  This 
single  piece  of  wood  was  fashioned  into 
a  mesh  consisting  of  IVi-in.  links  and 
stars — 771  parts  in  all — which  have  never 
been  apart.  More  than  1,500  hours  were 
spent  on  the  task.  The  flag  measures 
10%  by  22%  in.  and  is  kept  in  a  suitable 
wooden  case.  The  red  and  white  stripes 
are.  painted  on  alternate  rows  of  links 
and  a  blue  background  is  provided  for  the 
stars,  which  are  white. 


American  Flag  Consisting  of  771  Interlocking  Pieces 
Carved  from  a  Single  Board  One -Fourth  Inch 
Thick:    Over  1,600  Hours  were  Spent  on  This  Task 


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TRAINING  REPAIR  MEN  FOR  THE  ARMY 

By  GRANT  M.  HYDE 


"\X7H0  fixed  your  car?" 

VV^   "The  soldiers." 

"The  soldiers?" 

"Sure — student  soldiers  at  the  univer- 
sity. Never  cost  me  a  cent.  Overhauled 
it  completely — for  practice.  And  the  boy 
who  did  the  job  should  be  marked  100— 
she  runs  like  new." 

Common  enough  auto  talk  in  Madi- 
son, Wis.,  the  home  of  the  University  of 
Wisconsin,  in  whose  shops  380  skilled  gas- 
engine  repairmen  have  been  trained  for 
the  army  in  the  past  six  months,  and  about 
280  more  are  now  acquiring  skill  as  army- 
truck  specialists,  auto  mechanics,  tractor 
operators,  and  motorcycle  repairmen.  All 
are  members  of  the  army  vocational  de- 
tachment which  the  War  Department 
established  at  the  university  last  spring. 

Many  cars  are  needed  for  the  men  to 
work  on,  and  citizens  were  invited  to 
bring  in  their  autos  for  overhauling.  The 
first  to  respond  did  so  hesitatingly  and 
only  in  a  patriotic  spirit.  When  they 
drove  out  their  cars,  after  the  practice 
overhauling,  they  thought  they  had  new 
ones.  Each  had  been  taken  to  pieces 
from  radiator  to  tail  light  and  carefully 
rebuilt. 


Auto  repairing  is  only  one  of  a  dozen, 
or  so,  army  trades  that  soldiers  learn  in 
an  eight  weeks'  course  at  the  university. 
At  present  those  in  training  include  150 
radio  operators,  70  truck  specialists,  10 
concrete  foremen,  130  auto  mechanics, 
30  tractor  operators,  50  motorcycle-re- 
pair men,  20  blacksmiths,  70  carpenters, 
30  surveyors,  60  topographical  draftsmen, 
40  gunsmiths,  and  40  general  machinists. 

In  the  past  six  months,  besides  the  380 
gas-engine  specialists,  the  university's 
vocational  unit  has  trained  292  elec- 
tricians, 60  sheet-metal  workers,  226 
woodworkers,  112  carpenters,  160  gun- 
smiths, 160  machinists,  40  radio  oper- 
ators, 40  radio  constructors,  50  cement 
foremen,  and  80  blacksmiths,  prior  to  the 
present  detachment. 

Practical  problems  are  a  feature  of  the 
work.  The  carpenters  of  the  third  de- 
tachment, for  example,  did  practically  all 
the  work  of  erecting  seven  barracks  in 
which  the  fourth  detachment  is  quar- 
tered. Mechanics  in  other  lines  did  other 
work  on  the  buildings,  including  practi- 
cally everything  except  plumbing,  making 
them  ready  for  the  uses  to  which  they 
have  since  been  put. 


The  Stock  Exposition  Pavilion  of  the  College  of  Agriculture,  Where  as  Many  as  880  Student  Soldiers  at 
the  University  of  Wisconsin  have  Taken  the  Course  in  Motor-Car  Repair  at  One  Time 


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On*  of  the  fiadio  Laboratories  in  the  Physics  Building  at  the  University       within    paqv    rea.rh   of   all 
of  Wisconsin,  Where  Men  are  Trained  for  the  SigniTl  Corps:  There  Wlinm    easy    reacn   oi   au 

Are  Two  Long-Range  Receiving  Stations  for  Practice  Work  the  workers. 


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^  VAN-CARRYING  CARS  PLANNED. 

I  FOR  SMALL  LOTS  OF  FREIGHT 

1^  Quite  an  interesting  method,  the  prac- 

8*2  ticability  of  which  yet  remains  to  be  dem- 

<*  pnstrated,   has   been   suggested   for  facil- 

o  itating  the  handling  of  less-than-carload 


g      freight.    Despite  the  fact  that  the  system 


Oft 


Ig  depends  upon  the  adoption  of  a  radically 

1 1  new    type    of   rolling   stock,   the    plan    is 

-a  credited  with  having  attracted  the  serious 

OS  consideration  of  engineers  representing 
certain  transportation  and  car-building 
companies.     The  purpose  of  the  scheme 

*^rS  is  to   eliminate   the   rehandling  of  small 

5  J  shipments  of  freight,  by  providing  means 

o'g  for  their  dispatch  direct  from  consignor 

Sjg  to  consignee.    It  is  proposed  that  this  be 

b"U  accomplished  by  constructing  and  operat- 

^^  ing  what  might  be  termed  segmented  cars. 

^  One  of  these  would  consist  of  a  specially 
designed  chassis  adapted  to  carry  several 

S{2  horse-drawn   or    motor-trailer  van    units 

^•o  of  approximately  five-ton  capacity.    These 

^S  members  would  be  substantially  built  of 

^•3  steel  and  so  arranged  and  vestibuled  that, 

^.5  when     loaded    astride    the    chassis    and 

gS  locked  end   to  end,   they   would  present 

sH  an    unbroken    car-body    alinement.      Ob- 

^m  viously    any    of    several    methods    might 

""  readily  be  employed  for  loading  the  vans 
on  a  carrier  car  and  subsequently  remov- 
ing them   upon  arrival  at  their  destina- 

gj  tions.     It  is  considered  that  it  would  be 

•^a  possible,  for  instance,  'to  line  a  number 

£<  of  the  units  astride  a  railway  track,  move 

Z^  carrier  cars  beneath  them,  and  accomplish 

gg  the  loading  and  centering  with  pneumatic 

,.9  aid.     Unloading   might   be   accomplished 

*2'S  t)y    reversal    of    the    procedure.     When 

«*^  placed  on  the  ground  in  a  terminal  yard, 

^8  a  van  unit  would  be  drawn  by  horses  or 

•g&  trailed  by  a  motor  truck  to  its  final  desti- 

•gS  nation    and    there    unloaded.      The    plan 

•u  contemplates  the  construction  of  carrier 

§•§  cars  of  types  adapted  for  various  condi- 

g*  tions.    For  interurban  use  some  would  be 

fc  •  self-propelling. 

bAft 


II 


«l 


*3 


BUCKLED  STEAMSHIP  IS  BRACED 
FOR  VOYAGE  TO  HOME  PORT 

Unusual  measures  were  taken  to  en- 
able the  British  steamship  "Netherton" 
3|  to  put  to  sea  from  Singapore  for  a  home 
'2S  port  where  repairs  could  be  made,  after 
&^  it  had  been  seriously  damaged  by  a  ben- 
£^  zine  explosion  and  fire  in  its  hold.  The 
Z**  upper  part  of  the  steel  hull  on  both  sides 
2*  of  the  ship  collapsed  forward  of  amid- 
«  ships.  To  prevent  further  buckling,  a 
long   steel    beam   was   placed   along   the 


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exterior  of  both  sides.  They  spanned  the 
sunken  portions  and  were  held  firmly  by 
right-angle  bra.ckets  that  were  riveted  to 
the  hull.  Reinforced  in  this  manner,  the 
freighter  was  able  to  limp  home  without 
being  battered  to  pieces  at  sea. 


YANKEE  AIRMEN  ARE  EQUIPPED 
WITH  NEW  OXYGEN  OUTFITS 

Prior  to  the  signing  of  the  armistice  the 
War  Department  had  announced  that  all 
American  airmen  using  combat,  recon- 
naissance, and  bombing  planes  would  be 
supplied  immediately  with  oxygen-breath- 
ing apparatus  for  use  at  high  elevations 
in  the  war  zone.  The  devices,  recently 
adopted  as  standard  equipment,  are  being 
manufactured  in  sufficient  quantity  to 
meet  all  requirements.  The  tanks  carry 
enough  gas  to  last  six  or  eight  hours,  and 
enable  fliers  to  remain  at  great  altitudes 
for  long  periods  without  suffering  from 
the  effects  of  the  rarefied  atmosphere. 


GIVERS  PIN  MONEY  TO  BAG 
HUNG  IN  PUBLIC  SQUARE 

When  a  resourceful  member  of  the 
Red  Cross  at  Anderson,  S.  C,  suggested 
that  a  bag  be  hung  in  the  public  square 
to  receive  discarded  samples  of  cotton 
from  dealers  and  small  gifts  of  the  same 
product  from  farmers,  the  idea  proved 
unexpectedly  profitable.  One  day  some 
one,  hi  lieu  of  a  cotton  gift,  pinned  a  $5 
note  to  the  bag.    It  was  decided  to  allow 


the  bill  to  remain  as  a  suggestion  to 
others.  In  less  than  10  days  $600  in  cash, 
besides  many  pounds  of  cotton,  had  been 


This  Bag,  Placed  in  the  Public  Square  in  Anderson, 

South  Carolina,  to  Receive  Gifts  ol  Cotton,  was  Soon 

Covered  with   Bank   Notes,  as  Well  as   Pilled   with 

Cotton — All  for  the  Red  Cross 

collected  by  the  bag.  The  idea  was  soon 
copied  in  neighboring  towns  with  good 
results  accruing  in  each  instance,  accord- 
ing to  information  at  hand. 


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NOVEL  PEDESTAL  LAMP  MADE 

FROM  PROJECTILE 

Several  months  were  devoted  to  fashion- 
ing, the  unusual  pedestal  lamp  shown 
herewith,  the 
standard  for 
which  is  made  of 
a  large  projectile. 
The  lamp  stands 
34  in.  high  and  the 
lower  portion  of 
the  upright  is 
elaborately  em- 
bossed with  a 
twining  vine  and 
other  figures.  This 
work  was  done 
with  a  cold  chisel, 
punch,  and  ham- 
mer. Three  deer 
heads,  of  cast 
brass,  are  mount- 
ed on  three  sides 
of  the  projectile 
at  the  upper  end, 
and  from  each  hangs  an  ornamental  lamp. 
At  the  top  of  the  standard  is  a  time  fuse. 


BRITISH  CARBURETOR  PERMITS 
MQTOR  TO  BURN  KEROSENE 

Astonishing  claims  are  made  for  an 
automatic  carburetor  that  has  been  devel- 
oped of  late  in  England.  The  details  of 
its  construction  are  withheld,  but  its  per- 
formance is  said  on  good  authority  to  be 
remarkable.  During  a  demonstration  test 
it  was  used  on  a  2-cyl.,  6-hp.  motorcycle. 
The  start  was  made  with  the  engine  cold 


ence  in  the  performance  of  the  engine. 
There  was  no  knocking  on  grades,  no 
smoke,  no  odor.  The  cylinders  fired 
crisply,  the  pick-up  was  quick,  the  firing 
regular  at  all  speeds,  and  the  power  all 
that  could  be  desired.  It  is  even  claimed 
that,  with  the  new  carburetor,  a  gallon  of 
kerosene  will  drive  the  motorcycle  and 
sidecar  the  unheard-of  distance  of  98 
miles.  It  is  not  understood,  however, 
that  an  official  test  has  been  made  as  yet 
in  support  of  this  statement. 


i 


KNOCKDOWN   STEEL  BARREL 
SAVES  STORAGE  SPACE 

Of  special  interest  to  shippers  of  va- 
rious commodities  is  a  patented  knock- 
down steel  barrel,  the  parts  of  which  can 
be  nested  into  relatively  small  space  when 
not  in  use.    It  is  composed  of  two  semi- 

c  y  1  i  n  d  r  i-    . ~ — -- 

cal  sections,  to 
one  of  which 
the  round 
bottom  is  per- 
m  a  n  e  n  1 1  y 
fastened.  This 
bottom    piece 

Knockdown    Steel 

Barrel,  the  Two  Prin- 
cipal Parts  of  Which 
Have    Edges  That 
are   Tongued    and 
Grooved*  Making  It 
Easy  to  Assemble 
Them  without  the  Aid 
'. — '■ •  of  Tools 

is  divided  into  hinged  halves  which  can  be 
folded  together  for  packing.  One  edge  of 
each  semicylindrical  section  is  tongued 
and  the  other  is  grooved  so  that  to  as- 
semble the  barrel  it  is  only  necessary  to 
fit  the  halves  together  and  unfold  the 
bottom.  .  No  tools  are  required  for  this 
task.    .  .  " 


and  the  float  chamber  half  filled  with 
gasoline.  The  change  to  kerosene,  while 
under  way,  produced  no  noticeable  differ- 


DEPOT  UNDAMAGED  BY  SLIDE 
DOWN  STEEP  HILL 

In  changing  the  position  of  a  large 
wooden  railway  station  near  Moncton, 
New  Brunswick,  engineers  found  it  nec- 
essary to  move  the  building  several  hun- 
dred feet  down  a  steep  incline.  In  the 
midst  of  the  operation  the  cables  gave 
way  and  the  structure  tobogganed  swift- 
ly downhill.  The  spectators  expected  to 
see  the  building  completely  demolished.* 
But  to  their  utter  astonishment  it  was 
practically  uninjured  by  its  sudden  de- 
scent. It  stopped  within  seven  feet  of  the 
foundations  prepared  for  it  and  stood  fac- 
ing in  the  proper  direction. 


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GATHERERS  OF  CLAMSHELLS 

ENJOY  RISE  IN  PRICES 

Along  certain  rivers  in  the  United 
States  the  gathering  of  clamshells  to  be 
used  in  making  buttons 
has  become  several  times 
more  profitable  than  it 
was  a  few  seasons  ago, 
when  the  price  was  as 
low  as  $16  per  ton.  This 
season,  on  the  Cedar 
River  in  Iowa,  for  exam- 
ple, the  price  at  the  out- 
set was  $37.50  per  ton, 
and  in  the  autumn  it  had 
advanced  to  $60  per  ton. 
This  was  for  unsorted 
shells,  while  in  former 
years  the  shells  were 
sorted.  Two  men  with  a 
motorboat  can  easily 
gather  half  a  ton  in  a 
day,  it  is  said.  Fully  100 
tons  were  collected  in 
one  locality,  where  vats  were  provided  on 
shore  to  free  them  of  clams  by  steaming. 


FINE  HONOLULU  HOTEL 

NOW  ARMY  Y.  M.  C.  A. 

Not  alone  in  America  and  Europe,  but 
in  far-away  Hawaii,  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  has 


MOTORISTS  PAY  WITH  AUTO 

FOR  NEGLECT  IN  FOREST 

Appalling  forest  fires  often  follow  the 
thoughtless  handling  of  matches  or  cigar- 
ettes, but  it  is  seldom  that  the  careless 
ones  alone. suffer  so  severely  as  did  a 
party  of  motorists  in  a  national  forest  re- 
cently. On  leaving  their  six-cylinder  car, 
within  sight  of  a  sign  urging  precaution 
in  handling  fire,  one  of  the  party  threw 
away  a  cigarette  unextinguished.  Return- 
ing some  time  later,  they  found  their  car 


One  of  Honolulu's  Finest  Hotels,  Set  in  the  Midst  of  Luxurious  Tropical 

Verdure,  Which  at  an  Expenditure  of  f50,000  has   been   Converted   into 

an  Army  and  Navy  Y.  M.  C.  A.  Headquarters 

sought  to  provide  abundantly  for  the  com- 
fort and  entertainment  of  the  American 
soldiers  and  sailors.  Recently  $50,000  was 
spent  by  Honolulu  in  converting  one  of 
its  finest  hotels,  set  amid  tropical  verdure, 
into  a  soldiers'  and  sailors'  Y.  M.  C.  A. 
The  fittings  are  complete  in  every  detail, 
and  the  men  in  uniform  eagerly  throng 
to  this  headquarters  daily. 


Charred  Remains  of  a  Touring  Car  Burned  in  Fire 
Started    by    Throwing    Away    an     Unextinguished 
Cigarette:  A  Pew  Feet  from  the  Spot  Was  a  Fire- 
Warning  Sign  Erected  by  Forest  Rangers 

a  heap  of  smoking  ruins.  Fortunately 
little  damage  was  done  to  the  surround- 
ing forest. 


ENORMOUS  LOCOMOTIVES  BUILT 
FOR  HANDLING  HEAVY  TRAINS 

Ten  remarkable  Mallet  locomotives 
have  been  built  for,  and  are  now  being 
delivered  to,  the  Virginian  Railway  by  the 
American  Locomotive  Company.  Each 
has  a  tractive  power  of  147,200  lb.  when 
working  compound.  Working  simple,"  as; 
in  starting,  when  live  steam  is  carried  to 
the  low-pressure  cylinders,  a  maximum' 
tractive  effort  of  176.600  lb.  is  obtained,    j 

The  construction  and  use  of  these 
enormous  engines  has  been  made  neces- 
sary by  increasing  traffic  and  conditions 
peculiar  to  a  14-mile  stretch  on  the  com- 
pany's main  line.  It  is  the  crucial  point 
in  the  whole  system,  over  which  all  ton- 
nage must  pass.  There  is  but  a  single 
track,  with  five  tunnels  and  a  2.07-per- 
cent grade  for  11^/^  miles  of  the  distance. 
At  present  60-car,  4,500-ton  trains  are 
taken  over  the  section  by  one  2-6-6-0-type 
road  engine,  with  tractive  power  of  90.- 
000  lb.,  at  the  head,  and  two  2-8-8-2  Mallet 
pushers,  each  of  115,000-lb.  tractive  effort, 


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behind.  These  engines  give  a  combined 
maximum  tractive  power  of  320,000 
pounds. 

Hereafter,  with  the  new  engines  in  use, 
78-car,  5,850-ton  trains  will  be  handled. 
One  of  the  2-8-8-2  locomotives  now  used 
as  a  pusher,  will  be  placed  at  the  head. 
Two  of  the  big  Mallets,  with  20  drivers 
each,  will  be  put  behind  as  pushers.  This 
arrangement  will  give  a  total  tractive 
power  of  409,400  pounds. 

The  new  locomotives  show  an  increase 
of  26.6  per  cent  in  weight,  24.5  in  heating 
surface,  61.7  in  superheating  surface,  and 
28  in  tractive  effort,  over  the  2-8-8-2  type 
pushers  which  they  succeed  and  which, 
in  1912-13,  when  built,  were  the  world's 
most  powerful  engines, 
i  B  Delivery  of  the  big  Mallets  from  Sche- 

•g  I  nectady,  N.  Y.,  to  Princeton.  W.  V^a.,  pre- 
g<  sented  a  difficult  problem.  It  was  impos- 
5^  sible  to  ship  them  completely  assembled 
«•  and  moving  dead  on  their  wheels.  The 
^g-  boiler  of  each  locomotive  was  left  on  the 
33  frames,  but  trimmed  of  all  outside  parts 
igg  and  projections.  The  cab,  low-pressure 
5s  cylinders,  and  other  parts  were  removed, 
ciP  leaving  a  skeleton  engine  wjth  its  tejider 
5;  ^  attached.  For  each  locomotive  a  flat  car, 
o?  gondola,  and  box  car  were  neipded  to  carry 
gft      the  parts  detached  from-it. 


S2 


^1  THATCHED  SHELTERS  ENHANCE 

?5  PARK'S  ATTRACTIVENESS 

uCk 

^5  Thatched-roof    structures     of    various 

5  3  types    now   add    greatly    to ,  the    public's 

jgJ  enjoyment  of  a  park  in  Pasadena,  Calif., 

^  where    many    months    of    sunshine    each 

Its  year  make  very  desirable  some  form  of 

Sh  shelter  for  those  seeking  outdoor  recrea- 

^  g  tion.    These  protectors  from  the  sun  have 

5  8  been  designed  with  regard  to  their  artis- 

j^-S  tic  appearance  as  well  as  their  utility, 

nl  Because  the  scorching  rays  of  the  sun 

•  will  soon  harm  the  finish  of  an  automo- 

>  bile  body  and  ruin  the  tires,  two  sheds 

o  have  been  erected,  one  with  stalls  for  800 

o  cars  and  the  other  with  200  stalls.  Racks 

0  have    also    been    provided    for    bicycles. 
Adjoining,  eight  tennis  courts,  there  are 

S  long     rustic     seats     for    spectators     and 

j  '  players,  each  sheltered  by  a  wide-spread- 

^  ing  thatch  roof,  the  thatch  being  made  of 

m  palm  l^ves.    There  are  16  of  these  shel- 

g  ters  in   all,  and  on   the   roofs  are  lights 

H  with  reflectors  pointing  toward  the  courts, 

1  which  permit  playing  at  night.    Thatched 
structures  of  different  design,  but  equally 

I  artistic,    have    been    erected    above    the 

§  benches  and  tables  where  p^icrtickers  eat, 
while  near  by  are  stone  stoves. 


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PRIZE- WINNING  CABBAGE 

FILLS  WHEELBARROW 

A  cabbage  which  would  satisfy  the  de- 
sire of  the  most  ardent  advocate  of  in- 
tensive gardening  was  recently  exhibited 


Remarkable  Cabbaf  e  Recently  ExhibiUd  at  a  Com- 
munity  Pair  in  Wlaconain:    It  Weighed  S5  Ponnds 

at  a  community  fair  in  Wisconsin.  With 
its  immense  outer  leaves  this  prize  pin- 
ner more  than  filled  a  wheelbarrow.  That 
it  was  a  first-class,  compact  head  is  in- 
dicated by  the  fact  that  it  weighed  25 
pounds. 


FRESH  MARKS  ON  PAVEMENT 
PROTECTED  BY  FRAMES 

When  it  was  decided  to  outline  safety 
zones  in  the  streets  of  a  large  city  with 


Street  Pavement  Marked  with  Preahly  Painted  Safety>- 
Zone  Boundariea,  Which  are  Protected  from  the 
Traffic  by  Wooden  Framea  and  Temporary  Railings 


white  lines  painted  on  the  pavement,  the 
problem  of  how  to  do  the  work  without 
shutting  off  traffic  presented  itself.  The 
difficulty  was  met  by  using  4-ft.  slat-cov- 
ered frames  having  cleats  placed  on  the 
underside  so  that  only  the  edges  touched 
the  pavement.  These  were  laid  wherever 
freshly  painted  lines  needed  protection, 
except  in  the  case  of  liiics  paralleling  the 
tracks,  which  were  guarded  by  temporary 
railings. 


DISCARDED  AEROPLANE  ENGINES 
FOR  MOTOR  CARS  AND  TRUCKS 

Thousands  of  high-grade  aeroplane  en- 
gines have  outlived  their  usefulness  for 
flying  and  been  retired.  Thousands  more 
will  likewise  be  discarded  when  their  war 
use  is  over.  What  disposition  is  to  be 
made  of  them  ?  This  question,  one  that  is 
not  infrequently  asked,  has  caused  the 
principal  of  a  Y.  M.  C.  A.  school  for  aero- 
plane mechanics  to  suggest  that  the  gov- 
ernment may  become  an  important  dealer 
in  engines  for  motor  cars.  The  life  of 
an  aeroplane  engine  is  commonly  stated 
to  be  100  hours.  This  docs  not  mean, 
however,  that  it  is  utterly  useless  after 
100  hours  of  operation.  What  is  meant 
is  that  in  that  period  an  aeroplane  engine 
gives  the  "cream"  of  its  service  and  be- 
comes from  20  to  30  per  cent  less  efficient 
than  when  new.  It  is  therefore  unsuited 
for  further  flying — ^at  least  for  military 
flying.  But  upon  being  rejuvenated  by 
overhauling,  it  is  valuable  in  other  ca- 
pacities and  capable  of  use  for  an  in- 
definite period.  It  is  not  surprising, 
therefore,  that  the  proposal  should  be 
made  that  America's  discarded  aeroplane 
motors  be  salvaged  and  utilized  as  auto- 
mobile and  truck  motors.  There  is  ap- 
parently nothing  impracticable  in  the  sug- 
gestion, providing  the  engines  could  be 
successfully  reassembled  into  units  of 
fewer  cylinders  and  less  horsepower.  It 
goes  without  saying  that  motorists  in 
general  would  not  want  to  buy  gasoline 
for  450-hp.  Liberty  motors  installed  in 
their  family  touring  cars. 


HIGH  .  POWER     MOTORCYCLES 
USED  AS  INDUSTRIAL  TRACTORS 

New  duties  have  been  found  for  motor- 
cycles in  Honolulu.  Three  18-hp.,  twin- 
cylinder  machines  are  being  used  as  in- 
dustrial tractors  in  a  large  pineapple  can- 
nery. This  peculiar  adaption  of  the 
motorcycle  was  inspired  by  labor  short- 


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And  now  that  the 
scheme  has  been  given  a  thorough  try- 
out,  some  interesting  discoveries  have 
been  made.  The  fnotorcycle  trio  accom- 
plishes work  formerly  demanding  the 
services  of  24  men.  The  machines  do  the 
work  at  less  than  one-tenth  the  previous 
cost,  and  with  twice  the  speed  and  effi- 
ciency. They  are  used  for  pulling  trains 
of  loaded  trucks  from  the  factory's  cool- 
ing floor  to  the  warehouse,  a  distance  of  a 
fifth  of  a  mile.  They  have  been  geared  to 
a  ratio  of  25  to  1  in  low,  and  10^  to  1  in 
high.  Each  has  a  hauling  capacity  of  4y2 
tons. 


RECOVERING  SULPHUR  FOUND 
IN  COAL  MINES 

The  present  scarcity  of  sulphur,  a  much- 
needed  war  material,  is  being  relieved  by 
concentrating  the  pyrite  which  is  to  be 
found  in  coal  mines  in  Illinois,  Ohio, 
West  Virginia,  and  other  states.  In  some 
instances  the  sulphur  in  this  mineral  has 
assayed  more  than  42  per  cent.  Besides 
relieving  the  present  shortage,  the  recov- 
ery of  sulphur  in  this  manner  promises  to 
add  materially  to  the  income  of  the  coal 
mines  and  make  the  importation  of  sul- 
phur unnecessar\'. 


CA  resolution  has  been  adopted  by  the 
Merchants  Association  of  New  York  rec- 
ommending that  all  goods  manufactured 
by  its  members  in  this  country  be  marked 
"Made  in  the  U.  S.  A."  in  plain  type,  and 
that  all  other  marks  intended  to  identify 
the  country  of  origin  be  discontinued. 


FOR  INDIAN  CLUBS 

New  exercisers  for  home  and  gymnasi- 
um use  which  can  be  employed  in  place  of 
either  dumb-bells  or  Indian  clubs  con- 
sist of  long,  slender  sandbags  of  any 
desired  weight,  which  are  made 
of  durable  fabric  and  provided 
with  rope  handles  at  either 
end.      On    the    sides 
of  webbing  into  which 


are 
the 
be 


feet  can 
inserted 
leg  exercises.  Be- 
sides serving  the 
purpose  of  several 
types  of  exercisers,  it 
is  pointed  out  that  the 
sandbags  are  prefer- 
able to  Indian  clubs 
and  dumb-bells  in  / 
that  they  can  be  used  ^ 
noiselessly. 


JAPANESE 
SWORD    PRE-        I 

SENTED  TO  ' 

PRESIDENT 

As  a  token  of  re- 
spect   and    good    w 
the      Japanese      gover 
ment  has  presented  Pr< 
ident  Wilson  with  an  a 
tique    Nipponese    sword. 
The  ancient  weapon,  quaintly  ornamented, 
is  one  of  a  number  of  historical  swords 
selected    as    gifts  for  President    Wilson, 
King     George,     King    Albert,    President 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


Poincare,  and  King  Emmanuel.  The 
presentation  was  made  in  October  at  the 
White  House  by  one  of  Japan's  foremost 
editors  on  an  official  visit  at  Washington. 


IMPROVED  NAIL  PULLER  HAS 
BOX-STRAP  CUTTER 

A  nail  puller  for  opening  boxes  and 
crates  has  been  improved  by  the  addition 
of   a    metal-band    cutter   which   projects 


The   Special  Feature  of  This  Nail  PuUer  Is 
the  Metal-Band  Cutter,  Shown  to  the  Left  of    !  I 
the  Claws.     It  Makes  Unnecessary  the  Use  of 
an  Extra  Tool  in  Opening  Meul-Bound  Boxes 

from  the  side  just  above  the  claws  at  the 
lower  end.  Because  of  the  low  grade  of 
lumber  now  much  used  in  box  making, 
strap  iron  is  used  as  reinforcing  much 
more  than  formerly,  and  the  cutting 
member  referred  to  is  a  great  aid  in 
opening  boxed  or  crated  shipments. 


MILL'S  TRACTOR  HAULS  LOADS 
FOR  SEVERAL  FARMERS 

In  southwestern  Colorado,  where  alfalfa 
is  grown  in  large  quantities  and  shipped 
to  mills  which  use  it  in  preparing  an 
alfalfa  meal  for  commercial  purposes,  a 
new  plan  of  doing  hauling  with  tractors 
has  been  developed.  When  a  farmer  has 
a  load  of  alfalfa  ready  to  be  made  into 
meal,  he  hauls  it  to  the  nearest  road  or 
lane,  leaves  it  there,  and  notifies  the  mill. 
When  four  or  five  loads  are  ready  in  the 
same  neighborhood,  a  tractor  is  sent  out 
which  picks  up  the  loads  one  at  a  time, 
forming  a  train  that  is  hauled  to  the  mill 
with  far  less  labor  than  if  each  farmer 
hauled  his  own. 


BIG  REDUCTION  IN  ACCIDENTS 

AT  WESTERN  SHIPYARDS 

Adoption  of  an  interesting  safety-first 
system  in  the  steel  shipyards  of  the  Pacific 
coast  has  decreased  personal  accidents  75 
per  cent  and  effected  a  40-per-cent  reduc- 
tion in  insurance  rates.  The  plan  virtu- 
ally makes  every  workman  an  inspector. 
On  jeach  tier  of  scaffolds  are  blackboards. 
When  an  employe  sees  a  loose  bolt,  a  mis- 
placed tool,  a  weak  plank,  or  anything 
else  that  might  subsequently  cause  the  in- 
jury of  some  fellow  workman,  he  writes 
a  memorandum  of  it  on  the  nearest  black- 
board. It  then  comes  to  the  attention  of 
a  safety-first  man  who  investigates  the 
condition  and  has  it  remedied  immediate- 
ly. When  an  inspector  finds  a  tool  that 
has  been  left  in  a  dangerous  position,  he 
marks  it  with  a  white  cross,  finds  the 
workman  who  mislaid  it  and  explains  to 
him  how  the  safety  of  his  fellows  has  been 
jeopardized.  Receptacles  have  been  pro- 
vided for  extra  bolts  and  rivets  so  that 
there  is  no  excuse  for  leaving  them  where 
they  might  fall  and  strike  some  one  below. 
When  a  workman  climbs  a  tall  ladder, 
his  tools  are  hoisted  for  him  so  that  his 
hands  are  left  free.  Lastly,  the  whole 
plan  has  the  indorsement  of  the  labor 
unions,  and  members  who  fail  to  follow 
its  rules  may  be  suspended. 


GA  pipe  organ  in  Shanghai,  China,  which 
has  long  been  an  object  of  interest  be- 
cause it  has  pipes  of  bamboo,  after  having 
been  in  use  50  years,  is  about  to  undergo 
alterations.  Metal  pipes  will  be.  substi- 
tuted for  the  bamboo.  It  is  said  that  this 
instrument,  while  not  in  perfect  tune,  pro- 
duces surprisingly  sweet,  soft  notes.  It 
is  considered  remarkable  that  the  build- 
ers could  have  produced  such  fine  results 
with  such  unsatisfactory  material. 


Tractor  Train  Composed  of  Several  Loads  of  Alfalfa  to  be  Made  into  Meal  at  the  MUl:    Tlie  Tractor  U 

Furnished  b^  the  Mill  and  Makes  Trips  into  Surrounding  Country  Periodically  to 

Pick  Up  the  Loads  Which  the  Farmers  Leave  at  the  Roadside 


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MINING  OIL  FROM  SAND  REEFS 


By  O.  J. 

'T^HE  urgent  appeal  of  the  government 
for  a  greater  production  of  petroleum 
to  meet  the  demands  of  war  has  stimulated 
activity  in  all  oil 
fields  of  the  coun- 
try, but  probably  in 
no  other  district 
have  such  unusual 
methods  been  em- 
ployed to  gain  pro- 
duction as  in  the 
Uintah  basin.  This 
basin  is  situated 
partly  in  Utah  and 
partly  in  Colorado, 
is  isolated  from  the 
outside  world  in  so 
far  as  transporta- 
tion is  concerned, 
and  is  the  home  of 
the  remnants  of  the 
once  powerful  Ute 
Indian  tribes. 

Men  of  Utah  and 
Colorado  are  not 
wont  to  boast  of 
any  special  training 
in  the  oil  industry, 
but  they  are  proud 
of  the  achievements 
of  their  states  in  the 
mining  world,  and  it 
was  no  more  than 
natural,  probably, 
that  they  sought  to 
obtain  oil  produc- 
tion by  the  application  of  mining  methods 
— by  driving  tunnels  instead  of  wells.    The 


CRIMES 

Uintah  basin  now  can  boast  of  two  oil 
mines.  One,  situated  near  the  headwaters 
of  Whiskey  Creek,  in  Colorado,  a  few  miles 
from  the  Utah  line, 
already  is  producing 
oil  by  the  tunnel 
method.  The  other 
oil  mine  is  near  the 
Whiterocks  Indian 
school,  in  Utah,  and 
is  rushing  work  as 
rapidly  as  possible 
to  get  on  a  produc- 
ing basis. 

In  driving  the 
tunnel  to  tap  the 
oil  sands  in  the 
Whiskey  Creek 
country  the  owners 
of  the  property  were 
guided  to  some  ex- 
tent by  the  knowl- 
edge gained  in  the 
driving  of  a  well 
farther  up  on  the 
mountain.  Four 
strata  of  oil  sands 
were  penetrated. 
Then,  too,  there  was 
an  oil  spring  in  a 
canon  on  the  prop- 
erty. 

The  original  tun- 
nel was  driven  into 
the  mountain  a  dis- 
tance of  about  200 
ft.  before  the  better-producing  sand  was 
tapped.    The  oil  flows  from  the  sand  into  a 


Tunnel  in  the  Side  of  a  Mountain  So  Saturated  with 

Oil  That  It  Dripa  from  the  Roof  and  Ooxet 

from  the  Sides  of  the  Bore 


The  Refinery  in  Whiskey  Creek  CaHon,  Erected  to  Take  Care  of  the  Oil  Which  Plows  from  a  Vein  of  Sand 
Tapped  by  a  Tunnel:    The  Crude  Oil  is  Conveyed  by  Gravity  through  a  Pipe  Line  to  This  Plant 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


sump  in  the  mine,  from  which  it  is  pumped 
into  a  pipe  line  and  conveyed  by  gravity  to 
the  little  refinery  erected  at  the  base  of  the 
mountain.      The    average   production    from 


Mouth  of  the  Tunnel  in  Which  OU  it  Collected  in  a  Sump  and  Pumped  into 

Pipes  That  Lead  Down  to  the  Refinery :  The  ATerage 

Production  It  10  Barrels  per  Day 

this  tunnel  is  about  10  bbl.  a  day  and  the 
capacity  of  the  refinery  is  about  30  bbl. 
of  crude  oil  a  day,  but  can  be  doubled  with 
but  little  effort  and  expense.  A  second  tun- 
nel, lower  down  on  the  mountain,  has  been 
started  and  is  now  in  about  150  ft,  and  a 
much  heavier  production  has  been  obtained, 
which  will  furnish  enough  crude  oil  to 
work  the  refinery  to  capacity. 

The  oil  is  as  unusual  as  the  method  em- 
ployed in  procuring  it.  It  is  of  an  extreme- 
ly heavy  paraffin  base  and  is  without  any  of 
the  lighter  volatiles,  such  as  'gasoline  and 
kerosene,  making  it  adapted  only  to  the 
production  of  the  highest  grades  of  lubri- 
cants. 

The  oil  mine  at  Whiterocks  is  an  entirely 
different  proposition;  it  is  a  mountain  of  oil 
sands,  forced  upward  in  the  upheavals 
which  formed  the  Uintah  Mountains,'  and 
no  effort  is  being  made  to  obtain  produc- 
tion by  flow.  Short  tunnels  have  been  put 
into  the  mountain  at  different  places  to 
prove  up  the  body  of  sand,  just  the  same 
as  miners  prove  up  the  ore  bodies  in  a 
mine.  That  the  sand  is  saturated  with  pe- 
troleum is  indicated  by  the  fact  that  oil 
seeps  from  the  roof  and  sides,  and  oozes - 
from  the  bottom  of  the  tunnels  steadily. 

The  Whiterocks  enterprise  includes  the 
erection  of  a  plant  to  extract  the  oil  from 
the  sands,  or  rather  to  wash  the  oil  from 
the  sands.  A  process  has  been  devised  and 
given  exhaustive  tests  at  the  University  of 
Utah  and  is  to  be  employed  in  the  White- 


rocks plant.  The  sand  is  to  be  crushed, 
washed  with  gasoline  and  hot  crude  oil, 
and  then  run  through  a  drying  room  where 
the  remaining  oil  in  the  sand  is  vaporized 
and  recovered  by*  con- 
densation. The  oil  thus 
recovered  is  the  same  as 
the  crude  obtained  from 
wells  except  that  some  of 
the  free  gasoline  has  been 
taken  off  during  the  treat- 
ment. Tests  made  to  date 
indicate  that  the  sand 
mountain  will  yield  from 
25  to  30  gal.  of  crude  oil  to 
the  ton  of  sand,  and  it  is 
possible  that  the  yield  will 
increase,  as  the  farther 
the  mountain  is  pene- 
trated, the  more  heavily 
charged  the  sands  ap- 
pear to  be.  The  oil  tests 
about  29.5^  Baume^  and 
analyses  indicate  that  its 
base  contain^  about  54  per 
cent  paraffin  and  about  36 
per  cent  asphaltum. 
The  mountain  of  sand  which  is  to  be 
mined  is  the  same  as  the  sands  which  are 
sought  by  drills  throughout  the  country. 
In  this  instance,  however,  nature  has 
brought  the  sands  to  the  surface.  While 
some  loss  may  have  been  suffered  by 
evaporation  in  the  case  of  the  lighter  vola- 
tiles, still  the  greater  part  of  the  oil  supply 
has  been  preserved  by  nature's  own  pe- 
culiar processes.  When  the  hot  summer 
days  reduce  the  viscosity  of  the  oil  and  it 
seeps  to  the  surface  it  is  immediately  coated 
with  fine  dust  and  the  pores  of  the  sand 
exposed  to  the  air  are  hermetically  sealed. 
The  West  is  especially  fortunate  in  the 
matter  of  oil  sands.  Besides  several  big 
deposits  in  the  Uintah  basin,  probably  the 
largest  deposit  of  saturated  oil  sands  on  the 
continent,  if  not  in  the  world,  which  has 
been  brought  to  the  surface  by  nature,  has 
been  discovered  in  the  San  Rafael  country, 
in  southeastern  Utah.  The  great  oil-sand 
reefs  are  exposed  there  for  many  miles,  but 
as  yet  very  little  has  been  done  to  develop 
this  resource  because  of  its  isolation  from 
the  outside  world.  The  region  where  the 
sands  are  situated  is  approximately  125 
miles  from  a  railroad,  by  the  roads  now  in 
use,  and  is  reached  only  by  crossing  a 
desert.  However,  interest  in  the  proposi- 
tion has  been  aroused  recently;  new  high- 
ways are  being  constructed,  water  wells  put 
down  along  the  highways,  and  plans  are 
being  formulated  for  active  development  of 
the  oil-sand  deposits. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


89 


WORLD'S  LARGEST  HOTEL 

FOR  SHIP  WORKERS 

To  the  "world's-largest"  list,  which  has 
grown  rapidly,  since  the  beginning  of  the 
great  war,  may  now  be  added  what .  is 
said  to  be  the  world's  largest  hotel.  This 
institution  was  established  in  Philadelphia 
for  the  benefit  of  Hog  Island  ship  work- 
ers and  their  friends,  and  contains  2,175 
rooms,  all  of  which  have  an  outside  ex- 
posure. The  furnishings,  while  not  ele- 
gant, are  substantial  and  attractive. 
There  are  a  number  of  recreation  rooms 
in  which  are  mission  rockers,  writing 
desks,  and  reading  tables  supplied  with 
a  variety  of  magazines.  In  each  dining 
room  are  60  tables,  each  seating  eight  per- 
sons. The  linen,  silverware,  and  glass- 
ware are  of  good  quality,  and  a  staff  of 
experienced  hotel  men  are  in  charge. 


NEW  OXYGEN  APPARATUS 
FOR  GAS  VICTIMS 

Since  the  invention  of  special  ap*paratus 
for  resuscitating  persons  overcome  by  gas, 
equipment  of  this  sort  has  made  possible 
so  many  remarkable  rescues  that  its  use 
has  become  widespread  and  improvements 
in  design  have  been  frequent.  One  of  the 
latest  outfits  is  shown  herewith.    A  two- 


HIGH  BARB-WIRE  FENCE  HAS 

STEEL  RAILS  FOR  POSTS 

A  barb-wire  fence  so  strong  that  it 
would  check  the  progress  of  a  fighting 
tank,  were  one  to  attempt  to  push  through 


Fifteen -Strand  Barb -Wire   Pence,  with  Steel  Rails 

for  Potts,  Erected  about  a  Reservoir  of  a 

Western  Water  Company 

it,  has  been  erected  about  a  large  reser- 
voir of  a  western  water  company.  The 
fence  is  10  ft.  high,  and  railroad  rails  set 
in  concrete  bases  serve  as  posts.  These 
are  bent  outward  at  an  angle  at  the  top. 
Fifteen  strands  of  barb  wire  are  fastened 
to  the  posts,  holes  being  drilled  in  the 
"^  ^  '*     latter  to  provide  means  for 

wires  in  place. 


Revmnf  a  Man  Overcome  by  Gas:  The  Pump,  Which  Resembles  an 
Automobile-Tire  Pump,  is  Used  in  Supplying  the  Victim  with  Pure  Oxygen 
Obtained  from  the  Small  Cylindrical  Container  on  the  Floor  at  the  Left 


cylinder  pump  is  employed  in  forcing  pure 
oxygen,  obtained  from  a  small  steel  cylin- 
der, through  rubber  tubes  into  the  lungs 
of  the  victim,  a  mask  being  fastened  over 
the  face  of  the  stricken  person  to  insure 
the  proper  delivery  of  the  oxygen  into  his 
system. 


>  HERE  AND  ABROAD 
B  OF  SCIENTISTS 

ton's  time  military  experts 
ed  the  importance  of  keep- 
ing an  army  well  fed,  but 
in  the  present  war,  ra- 
tioning has  been  reduced 
to  a  science.  In  the 
American  army,  the  sur- 
geon-general's office  has 
what  is  known  as  the 
Nutrition  Section,  which 
determines  the  nutritive 
quality  of  army  rations 
and  devises  means  for 
preserving  army  food 
scientifically.  Several  of 
these  officers  are  as- 
signed to  the  camps  in 
this  country,  while  29  have  recently  been 
sent  abroad  to  undertake  similar  work. 
Being  familiar  with  Americans*  tastes,  it 
is  often  possible  for  them  to  suggest 
changes  that  add  to  the  attractiveness  of 
the  rations,  while  at  the  same  time  proper 
balance  in  food  values  is  maintained. 


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90  POPULAR   MECHANICS 

REMOVABLE  MOTOR  CAR  TOP  Straps  extending  from  the  frame  to  the 

FOLDS  UP  COMPACTLY  windshield    help    support    the    covering. 

Each    bow    is   composed   of   overlapping 

An    automobile    top    has    been   devised  parts,  making  it  adjustable  to  the  desired 

which  can  be  quickly  removed  and  folded  size,  and  is  also  hinged  in  at  least  two 

into    small    space    for    carrying.     It    is  places,    in    order   that    it    may   be   folded 

covered   with    suitable   waterproof   mate-  compactly. 

rial  and  the  frame  is  composed  of  a  main  

bow  to  which  auxiliary  bows  are  hinged.  FRANCE  GIVES  TAPESTRY 

_  TO  PHILADELPHIA 

the  famous  Gobelin  factory 
e  begun  fashioning  a  piece 
easuring  15  by  21  ft.,  which 
the  museum  in  Philadelphia 
— a  gift  from  France  to 
the  Quaker  City.  The 
prized  fabric  will  depict 
with  color  and  animation 
the  departure  of  Ameri- 
can troops  from  Phila- 
delphia for  Europe. 
Three  panels  will  con- 
tain these  phrases  from 
President  Wilson's  mes- 
sages: "Right  is  more 
precious  than  peace/' 
"We  have  no  sel6!sh  end 
to   serve   and   desire    no 

Automobile  Equipped  with  a  New  Removable  Top  of  Simple  Construction       COnquest  and  nO  domina- 

Which  can  Easily  be   Folded  into   Small  Space  for  tion  "      and      "We      shall 

Storage  uider  the  Seat,  or  Esewhere  "°"»    ,    ^"j^         ^^      ?,"*" 

fight  for  democracy. 


ROVING  SCHOONER  STARTS  LONG  HOMEWARD  VOYAGE 

In  mid-October  the  two-mast  auxiliary      that   created  some  little  sensation   down 
schooner  "Sir  Francis"  put  out  from  East-      East  last  summer  when  it  slipped  into  the 

harbor  at  Elastport,  con- 
cluding its  voyage  of  25,- 
000  or  more  miles  from 
Seattle,  Wash.  The  "Sir 
Francis"  is  a  32-ft.,  5-ton 
boat  that  carries  750  yd. 
of  canvas.  Its  English 
owner,  a  seafaring  man 
for  most  of  his  55  years, 
is  out  sight-seeing.  He 
expects  to  winter  on  the 
Florida  coast  and  early 
in  the  spring  sail  into 
South  American  waters 
on  his  way  back  to  Seat- 
tle via  the  Horn.  He  left 
the  latter  port  for  the 
east  coast  July  28,  1915. 
After  visiting  many  ports 

Captain  D^ake  on  the  Deck  of  the  **Sir  Francis"  before  Setting  Sail  for      from      Washington      tO 
Florida:  The  S2-Poot  Schooner  Has  a  Cabin,  10  by  12  Feet  Ppnfral  Amerira    he  went 

in  Size,  and  Carries  a  Small  Dinghy  at  the  Stern  ll  u     ?u      ^' 

through  the  Panama 
port,  Maine,  for  southern  waters.  The  Canal,  visited  the  West  Indies,  touched 
vessel,  manned  solely  by  its  owner,  whose  Florida,  called  at  the  Bahamas,  and  then 
name  oddly  enough  is  Drake,  is  the  one      headed  for  the  Maine  coast. 

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SOME  TRAVELS  OF  MISSIONARIES  IN  INDIA 


of    tii«    P^ts^Viaited             '  In  the   Interior  of  India  a  Motor  i;ar  it  wot  so  • 

dtaiuM  a  itt-M ile  Over-             A  ComnionpUce  at   in   New   York    or    Chicago    and  1 

land  Trip                         A  Therefore    It    an    Object   of    Great   Wonder    and  J^ 

•A*                                    Admiration  among  Villagert  y 

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92 


POPULAR   MECHANICS 


SOLDIERS  SIGNAL  AUTOISTS 

WITH  NEW  SEMAPHORES 

Semaphores  having  several  arms  bear- 
ing such  inscriptions  as  "Down  Town," 
'To   Camp,"   are   being  in- 
by  a  public- 
spirited  busi- 
ness  organi- 
z  a  t  i  o  n    on 
iifares   in    and 
Ds  Angeles  for 
jfit  of  soldiers 
lors    stationed 
icinity.     They 
:e     what     is 
the  "Soldiers' 
Sailors'    Auto 
esy    Signal 
m"  and  afford 
:h  appreciated 
ns    by    which 
in     uniform 
ask  for  a  lift 
I  passing  mo- 
lts. 


DPERATIVE 
USING  FOR 
DANISH 
WOMEN 

ans  are  being 
e  for  an  inter- 
ig      undertak- 

One  of   the    Semaphores  i"?  >"  cooperative 

Erected  in  and  around  Lot  houSing        for 

Angeles  with  Which  Soldiers  ,„rt«,«„    :„   rr^nt^ry 

and  Sailors  can  Ask  Passing  WOmen,  m  Lopen- 

Autoists  for  a  Lift:  Differ-  hagen.      It  is   prO- 

ent  Arm^J^ndUaU^Different  ^^^^^    ^^    ^^ect    a 

large  house  con- 
taining 135  separate  rooms,  five  two-room 
apartments,   and  10  studios  for  artists — 


all  of  these  to  be  placed  at  the  disposal  of 
women  earning  their  own  living.  Each 
resident  would  own  a  share  in  the  under- 
taking, according  to  the  plan,  and  would 
have  access  to  the  common  dining  room 
or  could  have  meals  delivered  to  her 
apartment  by  means  of  a  lift. 


MEDALS  IDENTIFY  MEMBERS 
OF  FRENCH  PARLIAMENT 

The  designs  of  medals  for  members  of 
the  latest  French  parliament  which  have 
recently  been  made  public  call  attention 
to  an  interesting  practice  by  that  legis- 
lative body.  It  appears  that  each  mem- 
ber is  presented  with  a  medal  which 
serves  both  as  an  identifying  piece  and  as 
a  souvenir.  On  one  face  of  these  new 
medals  is  a  striking  medallion  of  a  female 
figure  representing  France  and  on  the 
other  side  is  engraved  the  name  .of  the 
holder  and  of  the  department  which  he 
represents.  .      ;  *    -      • 


SPECIAL  TRUCK  DISPLAYS 
ADVERTISING  POSTERS 

A  new  idea  in  outdoor  advertising  is 
what  might  be  called  a  traveling  billboard, 
consisting  of  an  auto  truck  provided  witl> 
a  body  having  glass  sides  through  which 
changing  posters,  displayed  within,  can 
be  seen.  The  advertisements  are  mounted 
on  a  revolving  curtain  which  brings  dif- 
ferent displays  into  view  at  frequent  in- 
tervals. The  curtain  is  driven  by  a  %-hp. 
motor  connected  with  storage  batteries 
which  also  supply  current  to  lamps  that 
illuminate  the  posters  at  night.  The  un- 
usual character  of  the  truck  and  the  fact 
that  the  posters  revolve,  naturally  attract 
much  attention  to  the  advertisements. 


Auto  Truck  Equipped  to  Serve  as  a  TraTeling  Billboard:  The  Poster  Shown  Here  Is  One 
of  Several  Mounted  on  a  Revolving  Curtain 


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MEASURING   WATER  RESOURCES  ELECTRICALLY 

More  or  less  interest  is  attached  to  a  When  the  electrolyte  in  its  maximum 
method  lately  demonstrated  by  the  strength  reaches  the  lower  well,  or  wells, 
United     States     Geological     Survey     for      a   short   circuit   is   effected   between,  the 

measuring  the  flow  of  an  under- ' 

ground  watercourse.    The  plan  is     ^  — — — 

worthy  of  notice  because  of  its 
practical  value,  rather  than  on 
account  of  any  new  discoveries 
it  involves.  Essentially  it  con- 
sists of  the  application  of  known 
electrical  principles  and  the  use 
of  simple  apparatus.  The  advan- 
tage of  the  scheme  is  that  it  en- 
ables a  fairly  accurate  estimate 
to  be  made  of  the  potential  ca- 
pacities of  wells  before  they  are 

actually    established    and     expen-      The  Perforated  TubuUr  Buckets  in  Which  the   Electrolyte   it 

J,«^l,;«^«,      :*,ofoll^r1       4l,,,e  Placed  are  Shown  at  the  Top,  While  Below,  with  Wire 

Sive      machinery      installed,      thus  Connected,  Ii  One  of  the  Pour.Poot  Electrodei 

obviating    guesswork     and    the 

likelihood  of  very  costly  disappointment,      casing  and  the  internal  electrode  of  the 
Two  or  more  test  wells  are  driven  close      latter,  thereby  causing  an  abrupt  rise  in 

"'^'*— e.  The  time  that  clapSes 
ween  the  charging  of  the 
irst  well  and  the  arrival  of 
the  electrolyte  at  the 
lower  one,  indicates  the 
velocity  of  the  water  cur- 
rent. This,  obviously, 
forms  a  basis  for  other 
calculations. 

By  employing  a  re- 
cording ammeter  and  a 
commutator  clock,  a  se- 
ries of  wells  may  be 
tested  and  the  readings 
registered  automatically. 
Otherwise  it  is  necessary 

Left:  The  Commutator  Clock  is   Set  to  Make  an  Electric  Contact  Every       for  Operators  tO  be  in  at- 


PiveSecondt  and.  When  Uaed  in   Connection  with  the   Recordm^  tendance  throughout  the 

meter.    Obviates  the  Necessity  of  Personal   Supervision  of    the  Tests.  ^^„^^^       ^r       «.i,^ 

Richt:  One  of  the  Disk-Shaped  Charts  on  Which  the  Ammeter  Readings       whoJe       COUrse       Ot       ttlC 


meter, 

are  AutomaticaUy  Recorded  by  a  Stylus  observations. 

together  in  line  in  a  place  known  to  pos-  One  plan,  however,  gives  as  accurate  re- 

sess  water  resources.  Electric  connec-  suits  as  the  other.  The  only  difference  is 
tions  are  made  with  the 
well  casings.  The  down- 
stream bore  is  fitted  with 
an  electrode  four  feet 
long  and  insulated  from 
the  tubing  by  means  of 
wooden  spools.  An  in- 
sulated wire  connected 
with  it  communicates 
with  the  surface.  An 
electrolyte,  such  as  sal 
ammoniac,  is  placed  in 
the  upstream,  or  No.  1, 
well.  As  it  is  absorbed 
by  the  water  and  carried 
downstream,  an  excel- 
lent conductive  medium 
is    gradually    established 

so  that   the  current   flow      ^^^  cabinet  in  the  Background  Holds  a  Recording  Ammeter,  a  Cpmmu- 
between    the    wells    nses.  utor  Clock,  and  the  Batteries.    In  the  Foreground  Are  Test  WeUs 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


the  convenience  of  the  automatic-record- 
ing outfit  as  contrasted  with  the  compara- 
tive    cheapness     of     the     direct-reading 


The  Direct-Reading  Apparatus,  Here  Shown,  Requirea 

the   Presence  of  an   Operator   Once   Every 

Hour  during  the  Course  of  the  Tests 

apparatus.  The  scheme  has  been  em- 
ployed successfully  both  in  this  country 
and  Canada. 


British  armies.  Marked  progress  is  being 
made  in  tanning,  vegetable  tanning 
materials  being  supplanted  in  many  places 
by  chromium  compounds  such  as  Ameri- 
can tanners  use.  Before  the  war  there 
were  60  jute  mills,  while  in  1918  the  num- 
ber had  increased  to  74,  and  the  export  of 
gunny  sacks  had  more  than  doubled. 
Similar  activity  was  present  in  cotton 
weaving  and  is  destined  to  continue.  Pro- 
duction rose  by  more  than  500,000,000  yd., 
or  nearly  50  per  cent  above  the  pre-war 
average. 

In  the  matter  of  electrical  development 
India  has  been  exceedingly  slow.  This  is 
illustrated  by  the  fact  that  there  are  only 
a  few  miles  of  single-track  electric  road  * 
in  the  country.  Nevertheless  there  are 
many  projects  for  greater  use  of  electric- 
ity under  consideration.  These  include 
power  plants  in  spinning  mills,  'and 
greater  use  of  electric  fans  and  electric 
lights.  Thirty-four  mills  in  Bombay  are 
now  under  contract  to  use  electric  power 
from  a  certain  large  hydroelectric-power 
company.  The  war  has  brought  about  the 
manufacture  of  shells,  rivets,  nuts,  etc., 
on  an  extensive  scale.  Keeping  pace  with 
all  this  development  are  proposed  im- 
provements  in   the  banking  facilities. 


WAR  AWAKENS  INDUSTRIES 
IN  INDIA 

One  of  the  countries  to  experience  a 
great  industrial  awakening  during  the  war 
is  India,  which  suddenly  found  itself 
thrown  on  its  own  resources  for  many 
things  formerly  imported,  and  confronted 
with   .the    task    of    sending    supplies    to 


CA  new  form  in  which  foodstuffs  are 
about  to  be  placed  on  the  market  by  a 
concern  in  the  state  of  Washington  con- 
sists of  bricks  of  compressed  fruit  or  veg- 
etables. It  is  said  that  laboratory  tests 
have  proven  that  food  put  up  in  this  way 
retains  its  flavor  and  food  properties  and 
can  be  shipped  to  any  part  of  the  world. 


SCORES  KILLED  IN  BROOKLYN  RAPID  TRANSIT  WRECK 


Eighty-nine  passengers  vere  killed  and 
more  than  100  others  injured  recently 
when  a  crowded  five-car  train  on  the 
Brighton  Beach  line  of  the  Brooklyn 
Rapid  Transit  Company  was  wrecked. 
Running  at  terrific  speed,  reported  to 
have  been  as  great  as  60  or  70  miles  an 
hour,  the  train  left  the  track  on  a  curve 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Melbone  Street  tunnel 
in  Brooklyn.  The  lead  car  smashed 
against  the  concrete  wall  that  separates 
the  north-bound  from  the  south-bound 
tracks  and  was  thrown  across  the  tunnel 
entrance.  The  following  cars  battered 
through  it  and  smashed  their  way  into 
the  underground  passage,  scraping  and 
lunging  against  a  series  of  steel  pillars. 
The  passengers  jammed  in  the  first  car 
were  slaughtered.    Many  of  those  in  the 


second  and  third  cars  who  escaped  death 
were  imprisoned  beneath  a  mass  of 
wreckage.  Persons  in  the  last  two  cars 
met  with  good  fortune,  for,  although 
shaken,  their  escape  was  comparatively 
easy.  Rescue  work  was  long  delayed  for 
unapparent  reasons.  Fully  a  half  hour 
elapsed  before  police  and  firemen  reached 
the  scene.  Their  work  was  seriously 
hampered  because  the  wreckage  practic- 
ally sealed  the  tunnel  and  made  access 
extremely  diflScult.  The  derailment  oc- 
curred shortly  before  seven  o'clock  in  the 
evening,  but  it  was  midnight  before  the 
bodies  of  all  of  the  dead  had  been  re- 
covered. The  tragedy  crowned  the  events 
of  the  first  day  of  a  strike  called  by  local 
trainmen.  Piloting  the  ill-fated  express 
was  a  substitute  motormaiu 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


CO^TRIOHT,   INTMNATlOtUI.  nUI  aUVKM 


View  of  the  Hog  Farm  Established  near  One  of  Our  Army  Camps  for  the  Utilization  of  Garbage 

and  Waste  from  the  Kitchens 


SOLDIERS  LUG  HEAVY  SALVAGE 

REARWARD  FROM  LINES 

As  might  be  imagined,  the  task  of  sal- 
vaging the  waste  war  materials  that  litter 
the  battle  fields  is  an  immense  one  that 
entails  much  effort.  It  is  being  consid- 
erably facilitated,  however,  by  a  practice 
that  has  been  in  force  for  some  time. 
Orders  have  been  issued  and  conspicu- 
ous signs  erected  at  the  front  directing 
men  to  bring  salvage  with  them  when 
returning  from   the  lines.     And  they  do 


COPYRIOHT,  WUTMN  NtWSrAPCII  UMON,    MITISH  OmCiAL  PHOTO 

A  Heavy  Piece  of   Salvage,  Apparently  a   Sheet  of 

Corrugated   Iron,  being   Carried   Rearward   by 

Two  Tommies  Returning  from  the   Lines 

SO.  All  of  which  goes  to  show  that  those 
of  MS  who  stay  at  home  have  no  patent 
on  the  war-time  slogan,    **Save." 


HOG  RANCH  IS  ARMY  CAMFS 

GARBAGE -DISPOSAL  PLANT 

Perhaps  never  before  in  the  history  of 
America,  not  to  say  the  world,  has  the 
conservation  of  material,  and  the  salvage 
of  unavoidable  waste,  been  practiced  so 
consistently  and  generally  as  during  the 
war  period.  Consider,  for  instance,  the 
action  of  the  commandant  of  one  of  our 
training  camps  who  realized  that  the  true 
spirit  of  conservation  is  utilization.  He 
established  a  well-planned  hog  farm  near 
the  camp  so  that  the  waste  from  the  army 
kitchens  might  be  profitably  utilized.  It 
is  hardly  necessary  to  mention  that  a  plan 
of  this  kind  represents  a  twofold  saving, 
for  in  addition  to  changing  loss  to  profit, 
it  eliminates  most  of  the  trouble  and  ex- 
pense otherwise  involved  in  garbage  dis- 
posal. 


STARS   IN  SHIPYARDS'  FLAGS 
TO  NUMBER  LAUNCHINGS 

Each  time  a  shipyard  flying  an  official 
flag  of  the  United  States  Shipping  Board 
launches  a  vessel,  it  is  entitled  to  add  a 
star  to  its  banner,  according  to  a  recent 
ruling.  The  stars  must  be  five-pointed, 
of  red  bunting,  and  one-half  the  size  of 
the  lettering  used  in  the  words  "U.  S. 
Shipping  Board."  The  manner  in  which 
the  stars  are  to  be  arranged  is  also  speci- 
fied. The  addition  of  stars  is  left  entirely 
optional  with  each  yard. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


97 


DESERT  HIGHWAYS. GLEANED 
FOR  RED  CROSS  JUNK 

The  Los  Angeles  chapter  of  the  Red 
Cross  recently  carried  out  a  most  prof- 
itable idea  in  the  form  of  a  junk-salvaging 
expedition  along  the  motor  highways  of 
the  Mojave  Desert.  Motorists  have  been 
making  use  of  these  roads  for  years,  and 
because  of  their  exceedingly  rough  na- 
ture, they  are  unusually  hard  on  tires. 
Bumpy  roads  and  desert  heat  are  con- 
ducive to  blow-outs,  and  as  a  result  the 
desert  became  strewn  with  old  casings 
and  tubes  that  were  past  redemption  by 
means  of  repair.  Then  came  the  shortage 
of  rubber  with  the  resultant  high  market 
price  paid  for  old  rubber  in  any  form. 

Taking  advantage  of  these  conditions, 
the  local  chapter  of  the  Red  Cross  sent 
two  patriotic  citizens,  who  donated  their 
services  and  the  use  of  a  motor  truck,  into 
the  desert.  Going  east  over  the  Santa  Fe 
Motor  Trail  they  picked  up  127  old  tires 
in  the  305  miles  between  Los  Angeles 
and  Needles.  They  also  picked  up  1,321 
beer  bottles  and  nearly  half  a  ton  of  old 
motor  parts  that  had  been  abandoned 
along  the  highway.  By  arrangement  with 
the  Santa  Fe  Railway,  all  of  this  junk  was 
loaded  into  a  box  car  at  Needles  and 
shipped  to  Los  Angeles  free  of  charge. 
The  truck  then  returned  to  the  city  via 
Yuma  and  the  Borderland  Trail,  gather- 
ing up  176  more  tires,  1,200  bottles,  two 
wrecked  automobiles,  and  a  capacity  load 
of  miscellaneous  salable  junk.  The  pro- 
ceeds of  the  expedition  turned  nearly  a 
thousand  dollars  into  the  till  of  the  Red 
Cross. 


EFFICIENT  GAS  HEATER  HAS 
SAFETY  FEATURES 

A  gas  heater  for  which  exceptional  heat- 
ing powers  arc  claimed  has  a  perforated 
cast-iron  core  in  which 
flames    are    con- 
d,  the  burner  with 
lerous    raised    tips 
ning    the    base    of 
the  hollow  core. 
.This  whole  heat- 
ing    element     is 
:ed    in    the    center 
I  perforated  sheet- 
al   guard,   through 
wiiich     heat     radiates 
when  the  core  becomes  red-hot.    A  draft 
will  not  blow  out  the  flames,  it  is  said, 
and  articles  cannot  come  in  contact  with 
them. 


INVALID    SOLDIERS   TREATED 

IN  CHAIR  HOISTS  AT  BATH 

Many  sick  and  wounded  soldiers  are 
sent  to  Bath,  the  English  health  resort  in 
Somersetshire,  renowned  for  centuries  be- 


Chair  Hoist  Used   to   Facilitate   HandlinE   Invalid 

Soldien  under  Treatment  at  Bath,  the  Famed 

Engliih  Health  Reaort  in  Somerteuhire 

cause  of  the  curative  properties  of  its  min- 
eral springs.  To  facilitate  the  treatment 
of  those  who  are  very  weak  or  badly 
crippled,  and  therefore  difficult  to  handle, 
a  chair  hoist,  which  enables  a  patient  to 
be  lowered  into  the  water  and  withdrawn 
from  it  readily,  is  employed.  It  will  be 
recalled  that  the  origin  of  Bath  antedates 
the  birth  of  Christ  by  863  years,  and  that 
the  value  of  the  waters  there  was  later 
recognized  by  the  Romans  during  their 
period  of  occupation.  Traces  of  radium 
have  been  found  in  the  springs,  and  the 
gases  are  said  to  contain  argon  and 
helium. 


CA  saving  of  unnecessary  consumption 
amounting  to  15  cents  a  day  by  one  hun- 
dred million  Americans  would  mean  a 
saving  of  $5,475,000,000  a  year.  A  saving 
of  15  cents  a  day  per  family  would  mean 
roughly  one  billion  dollars  a  year.  The 
Thrift  and  War  Savings  stamps  give  us 
the  facilities  for  transferring  these  little 
savings  to  the  government  without  incon* 
venience  or  trouble. 


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SOME  NOVEL  AND  LITTLE-KNOWN  ACCESSORIES 


«w.y  -"";"". -^i^vy  -'- "  The  Block-Shaped  Device  in  the  Navy  Blue 

on  the  Spine  Cut-Away  Section  Is  •  Fusible 

Controlling  Bridge  Which  Pre- 
vents the  Platiron  from  Over- 
heating. If  the  Coil  Radiates 
Excessive  Heat,  the  Controller 
Melts  and  Shots  Off  the  Current 

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INTENDED    FOR  THE   HOME   AND  ITS   MEMBERS 


Tbit  G«»-CoaMrYinc  Device  it  Detiffned  to  Hold  Heat 
around  the  Sides  of  a  Cooking  Receptacle  and  Prevent 
Neediest  Watte.  It  it  Claimed,  for  Instance,  That  by 
Using  the  Contrivance,  8  1/16  Cubic  Feet  of  Gas  are 
Saved  in  Heating  a  Gallon  of  Water  to  the  Boiling  Point 


As  This  Cover  is  Raised,  It 
Tilts  to  One  Side,  Draining 
into  the  Vessel,  and  Then 
Turns  Completely  Over  So 
That  When  Laid  on  a  Table 
Its  Moist  Side  Is  Up 


Pocket -Size  Check 
Protector  with  Rollers 
Placed  Longitudi- 
nally, Enabling  Pull 
Length  of  Check  to 
be  Perforated  in  One 
Operation 


Distinctive  Holder  for 
Knitting  Needles:  An 
Elastic  Cord  Connects 
the  Shoes  and  the  Head- 
piece 


For  Purif]ring  and  Filtering  Drinking 
Water,  This  Electric  Apparatus  is  Said 
to  be  Proficient.  The  Water  is  Chlorin- 
ated, but  without  .Leaving  a  Chlorine 
Taste  or  Odor.  The  Receptacle  Is  of 
Two-Gallon  Capacity  and  Operates  at 
Nominal  Cost 


One  of  the  Good  Fea- 
tures of  This  Novel 
Ash  Tray  Is  That 
Its  Contents  Are  Not 
Liable  to  be  Scattered 
by  a  Draft  of  Air 


The  Painted  Decorations  on 
This  War-Time  Bread  Board 
and  the  Knife  Are,  Quite  Iron- 
ically, of  Golden-Colored  Wheat 


This  Collapsible  Trouser-Pressing  Frame  Occupies 
Little  Space  in  a  Trunk  and  is  Intended  to  Enable 
a  Traveler,  or  Other  Person,  to  Keep  Such  Garments 
in  Good  Condition  without  the  Services  of  a  Tailor. 
The  Pressing  is  Accomplished  by  Pressure,  and  No 
Heat  is    Required 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


WINTER  WEAR  FOR  AMERICAN 

SOLDIERS  IN  SIBERIA 

In  addition  to  their  regular  heavy  over- 
seas equipment,  the  American  soldiers 
now  in   Siberia  have  been  given   special 

outfits     of     clothing 

which  make  them 
look  like  explorers 
bound  for  the  north 
pole.  Each  outfit  in- 
cludes a  cap  of  musk- 
rat  fur,  costing  $12, 
and  a  coat  of  heavy 
moleskin  cloth  lined 
with  fur  and  having 
enormous  pockets. 
The  shoes  are  made 
of  cowhide  like 
Canadian  moccasins, 
and  are  .  worn  with 
heavy  lumberman's 
socks,  while  the  fur 
gauntlet  mittens  are 
lined  with  blanket 
cloth  and  cost  $16.50 
a   pair.      Like   chil- 

coPr.«Hr.co-.o.Pu....r.  ^j.^^,^     ^littCnS     thcy 

are  connected  with  a  stout  cord,  which 
prevents  their  being  lost  when  removed 
for  shooting. 


METALLIC  PACKING  IS  HELD 

BY   RUBBER  RINGS 

Interesting  claims  are  made  for  a  me- 
tallic packing  that  is  composed  of  a  series 
of  frictionless  babbitt  and  composition- 
rubber  rings.  The  former  members  are 
segmented  and  held  together  by  a  light 

: copper  wire.    This 

1  leaves    a    small 

I  space         between 

each  of  the  sec- 
tions so  that  pro- 
vision is  made  for 
wear.  Also,  the 
metal  rings  are 
made  flat  on  one 

side  and  rounded 

on  the  other.  The 
flat  sides  are  placed  together.  The  rubber 
rings  are  tapered  on  the  inside  so  as  to  fit 
the  metal  ones  snugly.  Slight  pressure 
upon  the  glands  causes  the  rubber  rings 
to  force  the  metallic  ones  firmly  against 
a  rod  or  piston.  The  rubber,  however, 
docs  not  come  in  contact  with  the  latter. 
The  packing  is  made  to  fit  any  stuffing 
box  and  is  claimed  to  serve  for  long 
periods  without  leaking  or  requiring  any 
attention  whatever. 


VAST  HARBOR  IMPROVEMENTS 
PLANNED  FOR  SHANGHAI 

A  body  appointed  to  make  an  exhaus- 
tive study  of  the  best  means  of  enlarging:: 
the  harbor  facilities  of  Shanghai,  China. 
has  recently  reported,  recommending  that 
$40,000,000  to  $45,000,000  be  spent  in  mak- 
ing the  Whangpoo  River  into  a  lake,  the 
shores  of  which  will  be  one  continuous 
line  of  docks.  Emphasis  is  laid  on  the 
fact  that  China  is  destined  to  share  in- 
creasingly in  international  commerce 
after  the  war.  To  meet  the  new  demands, 
there  must  be  harbor  facilities  sufficient 
to  accommodate  the  largest  boats  that 
will  come  through  the  Panama  Canal.  It 
is  pointed  out  that  if  some  one  port  in 
China  does  not  make  adequate  provision 
for  the  great  ships  from  America  and 
Europe,  a  Japanese  port  will  undoubtedly 
be  made  the  terminal  for  the  bulk  of  the 
transpacific  traffic,  and  only  second-rate 
vessels  would  come  to  China. 

In  urging  the  making  of  the  artificial 
lake  and  other  improvements  involved  in 
the  change,  including  the  building  of 
quays  along  some  38  miles  of  shore,  at- 
tention is  called  to  Hamburg,  Germany, 
and  the  expenditures  made  there  to  pro- 
vide a  world  harbor.  It  is  said  that  a 
whole  district  of  the  German  town,  with 
1,000  houses  inhabited  by  24,000  persons, 
was  sacrificed  in  order  that  the  harbor 
improvements  might  be  made.  It  is  main- 
tained that  Shanghai's  advantageous  po- 
sition as  compared  with  other  Chinese 
harbors,  and  its  location  at  the  mouth  of 
the  great  Yangtse  River,  make  it  the 
logical  port  for  the  vast  improvements 
described. 


STORM  AND  GLARE  SCREEN  MADE 
FOR  WINDSHIELD  OF  CAR 

Among    the    late    accessories    for    the 
motor  car,  there  is  a  combination  storm 
and    glare    shield 
that  is  designed  to 
be  clamped  to  the 
outside     of     the 
windshield   imme- 
diately in  front  of 
the    driver's    seat. 
It  forms  an  awn- 
inglike  protection 
of   orange-colored 
celluloid        that 
screens  a  small  part  of  the  shield  from 
rain  and  sleet  in  stormy  weather,  and  dif- 
fuses the  direct  rays  of  the  sun,  or  of  the 
headlights  of  approaching  cars,  at  other 
times. 


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WCX)D  WASTE  AND  GOLD  DOLLARS 

Expert  Teaches  New  Ideas  in  Wood  Utilization  and  Cuts 
Manufacturers'  Wood  Bill  in  Half 

By  WILLIAM  FLEMING  FRENCH 


OUT  here  on  the  west  coast,  if  you  men- 
tion wood  you*re  almost  sure  to  learn 
of  Sackett.  Somehow  or  other  he  seems 
to  be  correlated  with  timber,  logging,  and 
the  like.  Even  up  in  the  heart  of  the 
spruce  country,  where  the  government  is 
pulling  out  millions  of  dollars'  worth  of 
airplane  wood  a  month  and  where  every 
thought  is  of  war,  I  ran  into  an  anecdote 
of  this  busy  woodman. 

The  foreman  of  a  spruce-felling  camp 
told  it  to  me. 

"What    do    I    know    of    Sackett?"    he 
answered.      "Well,    one    thing,    anyhow. 
It   was   out   in   the   California   redwoods, 
about  ten  years  ago,  that  I  first  saw  him. 
He  blew  into  camp  one  day ;  an  inquisitive 
snip  of  a  kid  with  a  curiosity  lump  as  big 
>  as  a  pu^  ball.     Back  in  civilization  you 
wouldn't  notice  him  in  a  thousand  years, 
but   out   here   in   his   lumber- 
jack outfit  he'd  open  your  eyes 
for  sure.    He  snooped  around 
our  camps  for  a  couple  of  days 
and  then  dropped  into  head- 
quarters right  in  the  middle  of 
the    fireworks.     Some    simple- 
ton  had   fouled   our  booming 
crane  and  the  whole  thing  had 
gone  over  into  the  float.    Our 
superintendent  was  Irish  and 
literally  boiled  over. 

"That  didn't  faze  the  mild- 
mannered  Sackett  in  the  least, 
though.  He  edged  through  us 
to  the  superintendent,  and 
then  let  drive  at  him.  "^ 

**'Do  you  know  your  men  are  burning 
hundreds     of    acres    of    fine    white-oak 
timber?'     he     de- 
manded. 

"'Who'n  'ell  er 
you  ?'  Murphy 
wasn't  feeling  like 
answering  damn- 
fool  questions 
about  then. 

^*Slap !  Down 
went  a  neat  little 
white  card.  I 
caught  the  name 
Sackett,  with 
about  half  the  al- 
phabet tacked  on 
behind.  And  way 
down  in  the  left-hand  comer  was  some- 
thing about  the  U.  S.  Forest  Service. 


**H€  succteded  in  gtttmg  the 
mine  operators  to  use  fire- 
kiUed  ttmber  in  their  mines." 


"Slap!  Down  went  a  neat 
white  card,  I  caught  the 
name  Sachett,  with  about 
half  the  aMiabet  tached  on 


"There  he  was  shown  hun- 
dreds i^thousands  cf  acres  if 
cut-overland  .    .    .   covered 
with  pine  stumps.*' 


"Murphy  was  still  sore,  but  he  changed 
his  tune  after  he  drank  in  that  card. 

"*We  burn  all 
fallen  timber  and 
undergrowth  pre- 
paratory to  tak- 
ing out  the  red- 
wood.. The  red- 
wood won't  burn, 
you  know.' 

"'And  how 
about  all  the  fine 
white  oak  that  has 
been  felled?' 

"Murphy  grunt- 
ed, and  gave  a 
snort. 

"'Huh;      that's 

no  good.     We  don't  use  white  oak  for 

anything  but  its  bark.     Tan-bark  oak,  we 

call   it.     The    bark's   all   been 

peeled     from     that     stuff — so 

those  old  logs  are  worthless.' 

"Well;  that  little  fellow  just 

laughed,   right   in   the  face  of 

our  fire-eating  boss.    Then  he 

came    back    at    him,    kind    of 

pityinglike. 

"  That's  your  guess,  Mr. 
Murphy.  You  people  here  on 
the  coast  are  importing  white 
oak  from  Japan  and  then  tell- 
ing us  it's  worthless  except  for 
its  bark.  I've  an  idea  on  this 
subject  myself,  however,  and 
intend  to  stop  the  burning  of 
this  wood — if  I  have  to  get 
out  an  injunction  against  every  logging 
outfit  in  the  woods.'" 

The  big  foreman  grinned  reflectively 
for  an  instant,  then  added: 

"We  quit  burning  peeled  white  oak 
that  season.  You  know  the  rest  of  the 
story." 

I  did,  for  Sackett's  work  is  now  known 
throughout  the  whole  country. 

Immediately  following  his  investigations 
regarding  the  burning  of  white  oak, 
Sackett  started  a  campaign  of  education 
among  the  lumbermen  of  the  coast,  and 
taught  them  something  of  the  value  of 
the  wood  that  they  had  so  long  despised. 
As  a  result  of  his  work  millions  of  dol- 
lars' worth  of  white  oak  is  now  being 
used  on  the  west  coast,  especially  in  Cal- 
ifornia, in  the  manufacture  of  furniture 
and  wagons,  and  for  cooperage  stock  and 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


the  like.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  value 
of  this  wood  for  such  purposes  now 
greatly  exceeds  the  value  of  the  bark  that 
is  taken  from  it. 

H.  S.  Sackett  is  a  wood-utilization  ex- 
pert to  whom  wood  waste  is  a  personal 
injury,  and  for  years  he  has  fought  this 
great  American  evil.  In  fact,  he  has 
solved  so  many  problems  in  waste-wood 
utilization  that  he  is  convinced  that  there 
is  a  use  for  even  the  tiniest  sliver — and 
he'll  undertake  to  find  that- use,  too. 

So,  just  before  the  start  of  the  big  war, 
he  was  invited  down  to  look  over  the  pine 
lands  of  Louisiana,  and  the  South  gen- 
erally. There  he  was  shown  hundreds  of 
thousands  of  acres  of  cut-over  land;  land 
that  was  covered  with  pine  stumps  and 
considered  practically  worthless  on  ac- 
count of  the  cost  of  clearing  it. 

Here  was  a  chance  to  demonstrate  his 
ability  in  utilizing  waste  wood.  Find  a 
use  and  a  market  for  these  stumps  and  he 
would  have  the  everlasting  gratitude  of 
the  South. 

That  looked  like  a  real  job  to  him,  so  he 
buckled  in,  and  within  a  few  weeks  was 
heading  a  campaign  to  make  turpentine, 
tar,  pine  oil,  flotation  oil,  and  charcoal 
from  yellow-pine  stumps.  At  Slidell,  La., 
he  built  a  plant  and  demonstrated  to  the 
lumbermen  that  more  money  could  be 
made  from  an  acre  of  pine  stumps  than 
they  were  in  the  habit  of  making  from  an 
acre  of  choice  timber. 

But  perhaps  this  man  is  best  known  for 
his  work  as  Chief  of  the  U.  S.  Office  of 
Wood  Utilization,  for  as  such  he  devel- 
oped and  prepared  the  now  famous  series 
of  studies  and  reports  on  "Wood  Using 
Industries  of  the  United  States" — the  re- 
sults of  which  have  changed  the  whole 
trend  of  American  wood  uses.  He  was 
also  well  known  as  Chief  of  the  Section 
of  Lumber  Trade,  and  later  as  Chief  of 
Wood  Utilization  of  the  Forest  Service, 
in  Chicago,  when  he  developed  the  elab- 
orate Bureau  of  Information  on  wood. 
This  work  brought  him  thousands  of  in- 
quiries from  all  parts  of  the  world. 

Sackett  specialized  in  wood  from  the 
instant  he  entered  high  school  and  carried 
his  studies  through  the  universities,  at- 
tending both  Cornell  and  the  University 
of  Michigan,  from  which  he  graduated  in 
1906  with  the  degrees  A.  B.  and  M.  S.  F. 
(Mlister  of  Science  in  Forestry),  complet- 
ing a  five-years  course  in  four  years. 

Then  began  his  real  studies  in  wood  utili- 
'zation,  and  soon  he  became  the  pioneer  in 
this  field,  continually  broadening  his  edu- 
cation with  the  problems  that  came  to  him. 


Just  out  of  college,  he  succeeded  in  get- 
ting the  mine  operators  to  use  fire-killed 
timber  in  their  mines,  instead  of  cutting 
live  wood,  thereby  saving  the  country  mil- 
lions of  dollars  by  utilizing  the  abandoned 
fire-swept  forests  and  at  the  same  time  ef- 
fecting tremendous  savings  for  the  mine 
owners. 

From  then  on  he  solved  one  wood-utili- 
zation problem  after  another,  and  inci- 
dentally turned  many  a  scrap  pile  into  a 
substantial  bank  account.  Apparently  no 
stumper  for  him  could  be  found,  and  he 
proved  that  the  trained  wood  expert  had 
as  sure  a  place  in  industry,  commerce,  and 
national  development  as  has  the  metal- 
lurgist or  the  chemist. 

He  discovered,  at  the  very  start,  that  the 
average  wood  user  hasn't  the  slightest 
idea  of  correct  wood  utilization,  and  next, 
that  about  75  per  cent  of  the  practices  of 
the  wood  users  could  be  accounted  for 
only  by  precedent. 

A  few  examples  of  the  problems  he  has 
solved  will  best  illustrate  his  method  Of 
working,  and  also  drop  a  hint  to  the  -av- 
erage wood  user. 

Once  he  visited  a  sawmill  sawing -per- 
simmon lumber  and  made  a  few  notes  in 
his  ever-handy  notebook — and  then  hied 
oflF  again  with  a  satisfied  smile.  He  re- 
turned a  few  days  later  and  sought  an 
interview  with  the  mill  owner. 

**Why  are  your  men  so  carefully  sort- 
ing out  the  different-colored  woods?"  in- 
quired the  inquisitive  visitor. 

"Because  we  can  use  the  light-colored 
sapwood  for  the  making  of  shuttle  blocks 
and  golf-head  blocks.  But  the  dark, 
brittle  heartwood  won't  do  for  this  at 
all,  and  so  we  have  to  sort  it  out." 

"What  do  you  do* with  the  heartwood?" 

"Burn  it.  There  is  no  market  for  that 
sort  of  stuff." 

"Are  you  sure  about  that?" 

"Sure?     Why,   we've    been    burning  it 
for  15  years.    I  tell  you  there's  no  market  . 
for  that  sort  of  stuff.     Little  blocks  of 
brittle  black  wood — who  wants  the  likes 
of  that?" 

"Try  these  people,"  suggested  the  U.  S. 
wood  expert,  dropping  a  card  on  the  desk. 
"They  make  parquetry  floors.  They  are 
up  against  it  for  a  good,  hard,  black  wood 
to  match  up  with  white  maple  in  their 
fancy  checkerboard  floors.  You  two 
ought  to  get  together." 

They  did,  and  today  the  parquetry-floor 
makers  have  all  the  black  wood  they  need, 
while  the  persimmon  sawmill  men  are  able 
to  sell  their  former  waste. 

Again,  he  found  a  large  wood-manufac- 


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turing  plant  cutting  into  strips  6  in.  wide, 
fine  full-length  oak  lumber.    These  strips 
were  next  cut  into  lengths  varying  from 
two  to  three  and  a  half  feet. 
"What's  that  for?"  inquired  Sackett. 
"Ladders,"  came  the  laconic  reply. 
"But  why  cut  up  that  fine  lumber  for 
such  small  pieces?" 

"Doesn't  grow  any  smaller.  We  got  to 
buy  the  lumber  from  the  mill  and  that's 
the  way  it  comes  in." 

Out  came  Sackett's  notebook  again. 
Two  days  later  he  called  the  ladder  man- 
ufacturer on  the  phone  and  informed  him 
that  a  neighboring  furniture  manufacturer 
had  a  world  of  those  strips  that  he  would 
be  glad  to  sell  at  a  low  figure,  as  he  had 
been  using  them  for  crating  lumber  and 
for  firewood. 

"Tradition  and  habit  are  responsible  for 
a  great  deal  of  misutilization  and  waste 
of  wood,"  says  Sackett.  "If  our  great- 
grandfathers used  one  kind  of 
wood  we  insist  upon  using  the 
same,  though  it  has  grown  ex- 
pensive and  scarce,  and  even  if 
another  kind,  which  is  easily 
accessible,  is  really  its  superior. 
In  the  use  of  iron  and  steel  we 
always  consult  the  metallurgist, 
but  we  go  on  our  own  in  the 
selection  of  wood.  And  we 
follow  the  common  practice 
without  investigation  or  ques- 
tion." 

An  examination  of  a  plant, 
manufacturing    hickory     han- 
dles  for  tools,   axes,   sledges, 
hatchets,    hammers,    etc.,    dis- 
closed the  fact  that  only  the 
sapwood,    or   white   hickory,    was    being 
used,  the  darker-colored  heartwood  being 
discarded  as  unusable.  Questions  brought 
out  the  fact  that  it  was  considered  too 
brittle  and  weak  for  tool  handles. 

"Why,"  asked 
Sackett  of  the 
manager  of  the 
plant,  "do  you  say 
that  you  can't  use 
the  heartwood  for 
this  purpose? 
Have  you  ever 
tested  the  relative 
strengths  of  the 
woods  ?" 

"Certainly  not!" 
came  the  prompt 
reply.  "I  don't 
have  to.  There 
isn't  a  manufacturer  in  the  country  using 
this  stuff,  and  that's  reason  enough  for 


us.     Besides,  the  specifications  we  receive 
from  the   big  users  all  prohibit  the  use 
of  the   heartwood.     It's  too   brittle  and 
weak." 
That, 


"PracHcaOy  any  wood-usifig 

amcem  am  cut  Us  wood  but 

mkajf." 


"'Whatdoyomdowiikthtmr 
vtguind  Sackett    15^  tkem 

fft     JtftWOOOm 


however, 
did  not  convince 
Sackett,  and  he 
made  a  few  tests 
on  his  own  ac- 
count. He  quickly 
proved  that  there 
was  practically  no 
difference  in  the 
strength  of  the 
two  woods,  and  so 
started  to  educate 
the  public  accord- 
ingly. This  took 
several  months, 

but  with  the  final  result  that  the  ban  was 
lifted  from  the  dark,  heartwood  hickory, 
and  that  at  present  all  the  tree  is  used 
for  this  purpose  instead  of  only 
half,  as  heretofore.  This  means 
a  straight  50-per-cent  saving  in 
raw  materials  to  the  manufac- 
turers of  hickory  goods. 

A  few  months  later  he  was 
called  upon  to  find  a  market  for 
the  dark  or  heartwood  that 
was  being  scrapped  by  the 
manufacturers  of  birch  spools. 
These  manufacturers  of  thread 
and  ribbon  spools  were  com- 
pelled to  make  their  product 
from  the  white  birch,  or  sap- 
"TwodaytlattrhecaOtdtka  wood— Owing  to  tradition.  The 
kMern^m^fa^  yarket  simply  would  not  buy 

world  ^  thoea  strips."        dark-colored    spools,    and    the 
manufacturers  were  in  a  quan- 
dary as  to  what  could  be  done  with  the 
other  half  of  the  wood  they  purchased. 

It  happened  that  Sackett  had  recently 
had  a  rather  strenuous  session  with  the 
owner  of  a  plant  that  turned  the  dark- 
colored  birch  into  imitation-mahogany 
hairbrush  backs,  and  other  toilet  articles. 
This  individual  was  burning  his  light 
wood,  stoutly  maintaining  that  it  was 
simply  folly  to  attempt  to  find  a  market 
for  the  small  and  odd-shaped  waste  from 
his  workshop. 

By  bringing  these  two  woodworkers  to- 
gether, Sackett  accomplished  a  triple  sav- 
ing: first,  the  dark  wood  that  was  being 
burned;  second,  the  light  wood  that  was 
being  burned,  and  third,  half  the  cost  of 
raw  materials  to  each  manufacturer. 

On  another  occasion  he  found  an  in- 
teresting problem  in  a  rotary  veneer  plant. 
There  he  saw  machines  peeling  endless 
sheets  of  veneer  from  four-foot  logs  of 


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various  "precious"  hard  woods — mahog- 
any, etc.  These  veneer  sheets  varied  from 
Mq  to  y^  inch  in  thickness,  and  conse- 
quently were  of  necessity  taken  from  only 
the  soundest  wood.  Because  the  center 
or  heart  of  the  hard  woods  is  generally 
defective  or  rotten,  the  process  of  peeling 
is  stopped  about  five  or  six  inches  from 
the  heart  of  the  wood.  As  a  result  this 
plant  had  an  enormous  pile  of  hardwood 
cores  in  its  yard. 

"What  do  you  do  with  them?"  inquired 
Sackett. 

"Sell  them  to  our  employes  for  fire- 
wood, or  to  anybody  that  wants  to  use 
them  for  crating.  Lots  of  them  we  bum. 
There  is  no  market  for  them,  though." 

But  Sackett  already  had  the  answer  to 
this.  Not  long  before,  a  large  coal-mine 
operator  had  appealed  to  him  to  help 
solve  their  mine-roller  problem.  These 
mine  rollers  are  placed  m  the  mines  for 
the  cables  to  roll  back  on  and  were  made 
from  small,  lathe-turned  trees,  the  supply 
of  which  was  rapidly  being  exhausted. 
Besides,  it  had  seemed  a  shame  to  the 
mine  operator  to  have  thousands  of 
straight  young  trees  cut  down  for  this 
purpose  every  year. 

"I'll  tell  you  what — just  get  in  touch 
with  this  mining  company,"  scribbling  the 
name  and  address  on  the  back  of  the  en- 
velope, "and  offer  them  your  hardwood 
cores,  after  you  have  bored  an  inch  hole 
through  their  centers." 

This  was  done,  with  the  result  that  the 
veneer  manufacturer  is  receiving  a  sub- 


stantial income  from  his  scrap  cores, 
while  the  mine  operator  is  buying  a  bet- 
ter grade  of  mine  roller  at  less  than  half 
the  former  cost,  and  thousands  of  young 
trees  are  saved  each  year. 

A  hundred  such  examples  of  how  Sack- 
ett solves  wood-utilization  and  scrap- 
saving  problems  could  be  cited,  but  the 
foregoing  are  sufficient  to  illustrate  his 
general  method  of  procedure. 

This  wood-utilization  expert's  claim  is 
that  by  proper  methods  practically  any 
wood-using  concern  in  the  country  can 
cut  its  wood  bill  in  half,  and  as  a  proof 
of  this  he  saved  for  the  Chicago,  Milwau- 
kee, and  St.  Paut  Railway  Company  a  half 
million  dollars  on  a  single  year's  wood 
bill.  This  was  accomplished  by  the  use 
of  a  score  of  different  methods  of  scrap 
utilization  and  by  the  proper  selection  of 
wood,  based  upon  the  specific  require- 
ments of  each  class  of  work. 

Here  is  a  man  who  has  proved  abso- 
lutely that  anyone  willing  to  specialize 
and  dig  to  the  very  bottom  of  any  subject 
can  blaze  a  new  trail  for  industry — for 
Sackett's  methods  of  wood  saving  and 
wood  utilization  have  introduced  a  new 
science  to  the  work-a-day  world.  He  is  a 
pioneer  in  his  line  and  is  recognized  as 
such  in  every  wood-using  community  in 
America,  and  in  foreign  countries  as  well. 

He  has  been  appointed  chairman  of  the 
Committee  of  Reclamation  for  the  Mil- 
waukee road,  under  the  order  of  the 
United  States  Railway  Administration, 
and  he  is  not  yet  35  years  of  age. 


MOTOR-DRIVEN  POTATO  PEELER 

FOR  CAMPS  AND  HOTELS 

A   machine   which  will   peel  40  lb.   of 
potatoes    in    three    or   four   minutes    has 


been  invented  for  hotels,  army  camps,  etc., 
the  peeling  being  done  by  a  revolving 
drum  driven  by  a  %-hp.  motor.  The  in- 
ner surface  of  the  drum  has  been  rough- 
ened by  making  numerous  perforations  in 
the  metal.  When  filled  it  is  lowered  into 
a  wooden  container  and  set  to  running, 
while  a  stream  of  water  from  a  hose,  in- 
serted at  one  end,  washes  off  the  particles 
of  skin  that  are  loosened  by  contact  with 
the  drum. 


Left,  Motor -Driven  Potato  Peeler  with  Drum  Low- 
ered :  The  Hose  at  the  Right  Injects  Water  into  the 
Drum  as  the  Potatoes  are  Tossed  About.  Right,  the 
Drum  Raised  and  Emptied  of  Potatoes:  Current  for 
Driving  the  Motor  can  be  Obtained  from  Any  Light 
Socket 


COFFEE  IN  SOLUBLE  STICKS 
FOR  MEN  AT  FRONT 

The  government  has  taken  over  the 
country's  supply  of  soluble  coffee  for  the 
benefit  of  the  soldiers.  The  coffee  is  of 
good  quality  and  is  being  put  up  in  stick 
form,  like  chewing  gum,  with  wateFproof 
wrappers.  If  for  military  reasons  it  is 
undesirable  to  light  fires  in  or  near  the 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


105 


At  the  Left  It  m  View  of  the  Operator's  Room,  Showing  the  Tjrpewriter  Controller,  and  above  It  the  Pilot 
Board.    At  the  Right  is  Pictured  the  Display  Frame  Installed  atop  the  Newspaper  Building 


trenches,  these  sticks  can  be  dissolved  in 
cold  water,  making  a  beverage  that  is 
quite  acceptable  in  the  emergency.  New 
companies  have  been  organized  to  help 
supply  the  growing  demand  for  this 
product. 


ELECTRIC  BULLETIN   BOARD 
TYPEWRITER-CONTROLLED 

News  dispatches  and  advertising  matter 
are  luminously  displayed  at  night  on  a 
large  double-faced  electric  bulletin  board 
that  is  operated  by  a  local  paper  in  one 
of  the  mid-western  cities.  The  board  is 
installed  atop  the  newspaper  building, 
where  it  may  be  plainly  seen  by  the  street 
crowds.  It  is  equipped  with  typewriter 
control,  and  therefore  in  method  of  op- 
eration reminds  one  to  a  degree  of  certain 
printing-telegraphy  systems.  The  display 
frame  is  supplied  with  three  rows  of  20 
squares  each,  fitted  on  opposite  sides  with 
incandescent  bulbs  so  grouped  and  wired 
that  any  letter  or  numeral  may  be  formed. 
The  keys  of  a  modified  typewriter,  in- 
cluded in  the  circuit,  form  the  necessary 
contacts,  when  struck,  to  outline  in  the 
successive  squares  the  various  characters 
they  represent.  Thus,  to  flash  a  bulletin, 
the  operator  has  only  to  write  it  on  the 


typewriter  controller,  making  at  the  same 
time  a  typewritten  record  on  paper.  A 
pilot  board  before  him,  arranged  with  60 
green  lamps  corresponding  to  the  several 
squares  in  the  display  frame,  informs  him 
whether  or  not  the  various  characters  are 
being  illuminated  as  he  writes  them.  The 
capacity  of  each  side  of  the  board,  obvi- 
ously, is  60  letters  and  spaces.  A  bulletin 
may  be  flashed  in  about  10  seconds.  It 
will  remain  illuminated  until  a  "kill"  key 
is  struck,  extinguishing  it. 


EFFICIENT  MAIL  SERVICE 
FOR  MEN  AT  FRONT 

The  mail  service  of  our  soldiers  abroad, 
formerly  in  charge  of  the  civil  authorities, 
has  been  taken  over  by  the  army,  which 
is  now  handling  with  dispatch  the  1,000,000 
or  more  letters  per  day  which  are  received 
in  France  from  this  country,  as  well  as 
300,000  letters  per  day  mailed  in  France 
for  American  soldiers  in  that  country.  In 
addition  to  a  big  central  post  office  and 
permanent  post  offices  at  various  points, 
there  are  large  warehouses  at  French  ports 
for  sorting  the  mail,  and  mobile  post  of- 
fices that  move  right  up  to  the  firing  line. 
Each  company  has  orderlies  taking  care 
of  the  mail  for  their  respective  units. 


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HOW  MEDIUMS  FAKE  MESSAGES  FROM  THE  DEAD 


By  harry  E.  GIFFORD 


The  Pad  with  Which  the 
Trick  it  Done:  The  Under 
Surface  of  the  First  Sheet 
Has  a  Thin  Coating  of  Wax 


ONE  of  the  common  and  very  mystify- 
ing tricks  performed  by  persons  trav- 
eling about  as  spirit  mediums  involves  the 
use  of  a  memo- 
randum pad  on 
which  the  sitter  is 
requested  to  write 
the  names  of  sev- 
eral, usually  three, 
departed  dear 
ones  from  whom 
a  message  of  con- 
solation or  advice 
is  desired.  In  ad- 
dition, the  inquirer 
is  asked  to  write  one  question,  the  answer 
to  which  is  wanted  particularly.  With  a 
little  practice  one  can  successfully  perform 
this  trick  by  fol- 
lowing the  proce- 
dure described  be- 
low. 

The  medium 
places  the  sitter  at 
the  opposite  side 
of  a  table  or  desk 
to  himself  and  of- 
fers him  a  pencil 
and  pad  of  paper 
on  which  the  data 
mentioned  above 
are  to  be  written. 
Apparently  there 
is  nothing  unusual 
about  the  pad.  Nev- 
ertheless it  is  one 
which  has  been  es- 
pecially prepared  in 
advance,  the  under- 
side of  the  top 
sheet  and  of  one  or 
more  alternate 
sheets    below    hav- 


While  Peignins  Communication  with  the  Spirits  Re- 

Sarding  the  Polded  Note  Held  against    His  Head. 
ic  Medium  is  Dusting  the  Waxed  Sheet  So  That 


ing  been  given  a  coating  of  white  wax. 
Preferably  this  is  done  before  the  sheets 
are  assembled  and  glued  into  a  pad. 
The  sitter  writes  the-  names  of  three 
friends  and  the 
important  ques- 
tion, as  requested. 
In  so  doing  wax 
on  the  underside 
of  the  top  sheet  is 
transferred  to  the 
second  sheet 
through  the  pres- 
sure of  the  pencil. 
The  sitter  is  then 
directed  to  tear  off  the  top  sheet,  without 
allowing  the  medium  to  look  at  the  writ- 

106 


ing,  and  fold  it  into  a  small  pellet.  This 
done,  the  pad  is  casually  picked  up  by  the 
medium  and  placed  on  a  projecting  drawer 
or  shelf,  out  of 
sight  of  the  sit- 
ter but  in  full  view 
of  the  medium. 

The  medium 
then  takes  the  pel- 
let of  paper  from 
the  sitter  and,  al- 
ways keeping  it  in 
view  of  the  latter, 
places  it  against 
his  own  forehead, 
at  the  same  time 
dropping  his  gaze 

and  scowling  in  a  thoughtful  manner.  By 
placing  one  elbow 
on  the  desk  and 
resting  his  head  in 
his  hand  the  me- 
dium is  able  to  ob- 
tain a  full  view  of 
the  pad.  While  pon- 
dering in  this  pos- 
ture, the  medium 
with  his  free  hand 
takes  a  long,  cylin- 
drical powdering 
utensil  from  a  con- 
venient place.  This 
article  is  covered 
with  black  powder 
and  he  deftly  passes 
it  over  the  top  of 
the  pad.  The  black 
powder  will  adhere 
to  the  wax,  reveal- 
ing the  names  and 
question. 

Having   thus    se- 
cured the  informa- 


Thc  Sitter  Writes  the  Re- 
quired Data  on  the  Pad 
with   an   Ordinary   Pencil 


tion  written  on  the  folded  pellet,  he  hands 
the  latter  back  to  the  sitter  and  pretends 
that  through  his  power  as  a  clairvoyant  he 
has  read  the  names  and  the  question  and 
recites  the  con- 
tents of  the  fold- 
ed sheet  as  proof 
of  his  claim.  The 
medium  then  en- 
gages the  sitter 
in  conversation, 
drawing  him  out 
in  ways  which  will 
enable  the  trick- 
ster to  frame  a 
'^message"     from 


The  Result  of  Passing  the 
Dusted  Roller,  Shown  in 
the  View  Above,  across 
the  Page  Containing  the 
Transfer 


one    of    the    departed 
friends   which   will  appear  plausible   and 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


107 


give  satisfaction.  With  a  little  experience 
one  can  thoroughly  astonish  those  who 
act  as  sitters.  It  is  easy  to  understand 
why  credulous  people  on  leaving  a  clever 
medium  will  tell  their  friends  how  the 
clairvoyant  "read  names  from  a  folded 
sheet  which  had  not  been  out  of  sight  or 
opened." 

Should  the  first  attempt  at  having  the 
sitter  write  on  the  pad  result  in  an  in- 
distinct transfer  to  the  second  sheet,  com- 
plaint can  be  made  that  "the  spirit  con- 
ditions were  not  perfect"  or  that  "the 
sitter  was  not  in  harmony  with  the  occa- 
sion." In  the  meantime  the  waxed  sheet 
is  deftly  torn  from  the  pad  and  the  latter 
handed  to  the  sitter  for  a  second  attempt. 


TIME    BOMBS    MAKE    GERMAN 
PLANES  SELF-DESTRUCTIVE 

To  enable  airmen  to  destroy  their  ma- 
chines after  making  forced  landings  within 
the  allied  lines,  nearly  all  German  biplanes 
for  more  than  a  year  past  have  been 
equipped  with  time  bombs.  One  of  these 
is  installed  near  an  aeroplane's  fuel  tank. 
It  consists  essentially  of  a  detonating 
mechanism  controlled  by  clockwork  and 
incorporated  in  a  rectangular  casting  that 
holds  a  chamber  filled  with  explosive.  A 
handle  at  the  top  of  the  device,  when 
raised,  starts  the  clockwork,  which  drives 
a   wheel    one    revolution    in    10   minutes. 


•T  eowrrtar  or  la  matum,  fum 

Showing  Arrtngemcnt  of  AeropUiM-Dvstroyuig 
Bomb  Adopted  by  Hun  to  Prevent  Capture  of  Planes 
Forced  to  Land  within  Allied  Lines:  A,  Handle; 
B.  Pin  That  Sets  Clockwork  in  Motion;  C,  Clock- 
work; D,  Slotted  Wheel;  E.  Firing  Plunger;  F, 
Detonating  Charge 

reaches  a  certain  position,  a  spring 
plunger  forces  through  it,  striking  a  de- 
tonating cap  that  sets  off  the  explosive. 


NEW  TYPE  LIGHTNING  ARRESTER 
IS  SELF-MENDING 

Of  interest  and  possible  importance  in 
the  electrical  world  is  a  new  type  of  light- 
ning arrester  that  has  recently  been  de- 
veloped. It  consist's  of  a  series  of  cells,  one 
of  which  is  comprised  of  two  sheet-metal 


electrodes  covered  with  a  thin  film  of  insu- 
lating varnish.  They  are  placed  about  a 
half  inch   apart   and   the  space   between 


ltZ4S6 

>.  I'l'i'i'l'l'l 


BY  oouMTitr  or  TMC  ttsermoAL  mviiw,  London 
One  of  the  Arrester   Cells,  With  m 
Linear  Rule  at  Its  Side»  is  Shown 
AboTe    at    the    Left.      Its    Parts, 
Disassembled,   are   Pictured   at   the   Top.    Beneath 
Them  are  Shown   an  Unused   Electrode  and,   at  Its 
Right,  One  through  Which  Seieral  Thousand  Dis- 
charges  have    Passed.     The    Spots   Visible   on   the 
Latter  Are  Inaulating  Litharge  Plugs 

them  is  filled  with  a  conducting  powder, 
lead  peroxide,  which  upon  the  application 
of  heat  is  converted  into  nonconducting 
litharge.  In  the  event  of  the  voltage  ris- 
ing'above  normal,  the  film  is  punctured 
in  miscroscopic  points.  Meeting  with 
practically  no  resistance,  the  lightning 
charge  grounds.  The  intensity  of  the  or- 
dinary current  then  becomes  great  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  punctured  points,  resulting 
in  localized  heating  that  changes  the  con- 
ducting lead  peroxide  in  these  minute 
paths  of  current  flow  to  insulating  lith- 
arge. Thus  the  punctured  film  is  resealed. 
The  important  phase  is  that  this  reinsulat- 
ing  action  is  accomplished  so  quickly  that 
an  oscillograph  of  2,000  cycles  per  second 
fails  to  register  its  duration. 


TONS  OF  PURE  LEMON  DROPS 
MADE  MONTHLY  FOR  ARMY 

Having  found  that  the  favorite  candy 
of  a  majority  of  our  soldiers  is  lemon 
drops,  and  that  most  of  those  on  the  mar- 
ket were  made  of  glucose  with  artificial 
flavoring,  the  War  Department  undertook 
to  remedy  the  situation.  It  obtained  the 
formula  for  a  make  of  lemon  drops  which 
chemical  examination  showed  to  be  the 
purest,  and  now  has  candy  factories  turn- 
ing them  out  at  the  rate  of  200,000  lb.  per 
month  for  the  soldiers. 


([Because  the  acetic  acid  which  formerly 
went  into  Paris  green  for  garden  use,  etc., 
is  being  used  in  waterproofing  the  cloth 
of  aeroplane  wings,  new  sources  of  this 
acid  had  to  be  found.  Fortunately  Paris- 
green  manufacturers  are  now  able  to  se- 
cure adequate  quantities  from  vinegar 
supplied  them  by  yeast  manufacturers. 


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HOW  WAR  HAS  TOUCHED  LIVES  OF  CHILDREN, 


•«  Digitized  by  VjOOgTe 


AND   VARIED    SCENES    OF    INTEREST    TO    THEM 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


SI^ECIAL  RADIATOR  SECTION 
A  HUMIDIFIER 

To   overcome   the  unhealthful  dryness 
of  the  air  in  steam-heated  rooms,  a  special 
section  is  being  manufac- 
for     incorporation 
earn  radiators.    Out- 
r  it  resembles  other 
is,  but  in   reality  it 
r   conts^iner   with   a 
for  convenience  in 
;lot  in  the  top  per- 
moisture   to   escape 
the     room,     while 
jam  from  adjoining 
sections        passes 
through     its    hub 
only.      An    auto- 
matic valve,  which 
is      intended     t  o 
keep  the  steam  in 
circulation        and 
make  an  air  valve 
unnecessary,     can 
be  installed  in  this 
section  if  desired. 
This  valve  is  provided  with  a  condensing 
coil    to    which    live    steam    is    constantly 
drawn  from  various  parts  of  the  radiator. 
By  this  means  the  section  is  supplied  with 
water  for  evaporation. 


BAD  WEATHER  HAS  NO  TERROR 
FOR  THE  YANKEE  NURSE 

For  rainy-weather  wear  in  France,  the 
American  nurse  is  supplied  with  water- 

proof    togs    such    as 

are  worn  by  the 
young  woman  pic- 
tured in  the  accom- 
panying illustration. 
Warmly  dressed  in 
this  weatherproof  ap- 
parel, she  is  protect- 
ed against  cold  and 
dampness  wherever 
duty  sends  her. 


CTSplendid  evidence 
of  patriotic  spirit, 
with  a  lesson  which 
is  obvious  to  every 
civilian,  is  found  fn 
the  fact  that  the  men 
at  the  Great  Lakes 
Naval  Training  Sta- 
tion, out  of  their  pay 
of  $32.50  per  month, 

subscribed  for  $2,500,000  worth  of  bonds 

of  the  fourth  Liberty  loan. 


BRITISH   SAVE  LUMBER 

BY  REUSING  BOXES 

Substantial  gifts  to  the  British  Red 
Cross,  and  a  correspondingly  large  saving 
of  lumber,  have  resulted  from  the  request 
of  a  British  firm  dealing  in  foodstuffs  that 
retailers  promptly  return  the  cases  in 
which  they  receive  their  goods.  It  was 
agreed  that  whatever  saving  resulted  from 
using  the  old  packing  boxes  would  be 
turned  over  to  the  Red  Cross  in  the  name 
of  the  grocers.  The  first  contribution  was 
made  at  the  end  of  three  months  and 
amounted  to  $4,700. 


FEED-BAG  SHIELD  PREVENTS 
LOSS  OF  GRAIN 

A  shield  has  been  designed  for  horses' 
feed  bags  which  prevents  all  spilling  of 
grain  while  an  animal 
is  eating — a  loss  which 
sometimes  amounts  to 
25  per  cent.    The  de- 
vice consists  of  a  fun- 
nel-shaped   apron    of 
cloth,    with    a    suffi- 
ciently large   opening 
at  the  bottom,  which 
fits  inside  the  bag,  be- 
ing   attached    to    the 
uoper    edge    and    ex- 
tending about  halfway 
down    into    the    con- 
tainer. The  lower  end 
is  gathered  by  means  of  a  coiled  spring 
and  fits  snugly  about  the  horse's  nose  so 
that   no    matter   how   much    the   animal 
tosses  its  head,  no  grain  is  lost. 


KINDS  OF  FIBER  IN  ROPE 
DETECTED  BY  NEW  TEST 

The  Bureau  of  Standards  has  adopted 
a  method  of  testing  Manila  rope,  the  es- 
sential features  of  which  include  freeing 
the  fiber  of  oil  and  soaking  it  for  a  brief 
period  in  a  bleaching  solution,  to  which 
acetic  acid  has  been  added.  Following 
this,  the  rope  is  rinsed  in  water  and  then 
in  alcohol,  after  which  the  fibers  are  ex- 
posed to  ammonia  fumes.  This  turns 
Manila  fibers  russet-brown,  while  others 
turn  cherry-red. 


([Distribution  in  Germany  of  French, 
English,  and  American  newspapers  con- 
taining accounts  of  allied  successes,  has 
been    verboten." 


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In  conformity  with  the  wishes  of  the  Fuel  Administration  that  all  possible  means  of  saving 
fud  be  employed  this  winter,  we  are  presenting  in  this  issue  a  number  of  articles  giving  the 
methods  used  dv  some  of  our  readers.  It  is  hoped  that  they  will  be  of  assistance  as  regards  this 
vital  factor  in  '^winning  the  war."— Editor. 


Auxiliary  Oil  Burners  in  a  Hot- Air  Furnace 


By  H.  E.  GIFFORD 


l^f  Y  furnace  heated  four  rooms  on  the 
^^^  first   floor    and    five    rooms    on    the 
second  floor.     Coal  was  scarce,  and  had 
to  be  obtained  in  100-lb.  lots,  on  the  go- 
get-it  plan,  and  drawn  on  a  sled.    When  the 
furnace  was  banked,  or  kept  low,  it  was  im- 
possible to  heat  all  the  house.    One  room 
on  the  second  floor  was  rented  to  a  couple, 
and     the     wife 
did    not    leave 
her  room  until 
noon.    It  must 
be     without 
chill  from  eight 
o'clock    in    the 
morning     until 
then ;     in    the 
evening      the 
room    must   be 
comfortable 
from    6:30     to 
9:30.    To  place 
an  oil  stove  in 
this       room 
meant    the 
burning  of  un- 
necessary    oil 

by  the  occupant  of  the  room,  and  much 
running  up  and  downstairs  with  oil  or 
oil  stove;  so  a  plan  was  contrived  to  take 
the  chill  from  fhe  room  without  building 
a  large  furnace  fire,  or  going  to  the  sec- 
ond floor.  The  same  plan  remedied  the 
difficulty  experienced  in  heating  the  par- 
lor on  the  first  floor  when  the  wind  was 
blowing  in  such  a  way  as  to  produce  this 
trouble. 

A  drop  pipe  was  added  to  each  service 
pipe  of  the  furnace,  with  attachments 
for  hooking  the  oil  stove  in  the  bottom  of 
the  vertical  pipe.  A  damper  was  placed 
in  the  upper  end  of  this  pipe  section,  to 
be  closed  when  the  oil  stove  was  not  burn- 
ing. In  the  morning,  at  the  required 
time,  we  went  to  the  basement,  and,  turn- 


ing the  damper,  lighted  the  stove;  with 
the  damper  in  the  supply  pipe  from  the 
furnace  closed,  the  heat  from  the  oil  stove 
heated  the  room  occupied  by  the  couple 
in  a  short  time.  The  stove  was  extin- 
guished at  the  proper  time,  and  the  same 
plan  was  followed  in  the  afternoon,  and 
for  the   parlor   when    occasion    required. 

With  a  low  or 
banked  furnace 
fire,     there     is 
very  little  aux- 
iliary   heat    re- 
quired.     There 
is  thus  an   ad- 
vantage,    even 
in    very    cold 
weather,    in 
having    a 
IS     of    regulating 
heat    of    each 
1,     separately, 
the    basement, 
aves    running    to 
rooms     to     look 
•    the    stove    and 
annoying     the     occu- 
pants.    Besides,  it  is  much  nicer  to  have 
the  heater  removed  from  sight,  instead  of 
in  the  room  where  one  is  sitting. 

However,  the  seasons  when  no  fire  is 
kept  in  the  furnace  are  the  best  times  to 
feel  the  great  advantage  of  this  plan.  One 
can  take  the  chill  from  a  room  at  any 
time,  just  as  though  the  furnace  were 
working.  One  may  warm  any  single 
room,  or  several,  one  after  another,  with 
the  same  oil  stove;  if  two  or  more  must 
be  heated  at  the  same  time,  the  same  num- 
ber of  oil  stoves  will  be  required.  Even 
where  there  are  a  number  of  such  rooms, 
several  stoves  in  the  basement  will  be 
found  more  economical  than  burning 
coal,  as  they  can  be  turned  off  any  time. 
Where  gas  is  available,  especially  natu- 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


ral  gas,  it  is,  of  course,  more  convenient 
to  place  permanent  downward  pipes  in 
every  hot-air  pipe,  and  have  a  gas  burner 
in  each  like  those  used  in  gas  stoves.  If 
gas  is  not  obtainable,  one  may  still  have 
a  permanent  oil  burner,  such  as  are  used 
in  some  oil  stoves,  but  the  style  used  by 
the  writer  was  the  ordinary  small  oil 
stove,  with  a  handle  to  carry  it  around. 


Keeping  a  Water  Trough 
from  Freezing 

The    arrangement    illustrated    will    be 
found  to  have  considerable  eflfect  in  keep- 


The  Water  in  the  Trough  it  Heated  by  a  Pipe  or 

CoU  Imbedded  in  a  Box  of  Manure,  ana 

is  Thus  Kept  from  Preeaing 

ing  from  freezing  the  water  in  a  trough 
on  the  farm.  The  part  of  the  pipe  which 
is  covered  with  manure  is  heated,  and  the 
water  flows  upward,  cold  water  being  then 
drawn  in  through  the  lower  pipe.  The 
effect  will,  of  course,  be  much  greater  if 
a  coil  of  pipe  is  imbedded  in  the  manure. 
It  should  be  placed  rather  above  the  cen- 
ter of  the  manure  box,  in  order  to  have 
the  greatest  heating  effect. — R.  M.  Mag- 
nus, International  Falls,  Minn. 


Saving  Fuel  in  the  Plant 
Which  Bums  Oil 

The  oil-burning  steam-heating  plant  of 
which  I  have  charge  was  supposed  to  be 
running  as  economically  as  was  possible 
in  practice.  However,  when  the  price  of 
fuel  oil  began  to  go  up,  I  saw  that  it  was 
up  to  me  to  do  better.  Knowing  that 
there  was  no  big  waste  anywhere,  it  was 
obvious  that  if  any  saving  was  to  be 
effected,  it  must  be  in  little  things.  Con- 
sequently, beginning  at  the  fires,  I  re- 
lined  and  refloored  the  furnaces,  or  fire 
boxes,  under  each  boiler  with  fire  brick, 
taking  great  care  to  give  just  the  proper 
amount  of  air  vents  in  each  floor.  The 
water  and  oil  pumps  were  then  thoroughly 
overhauled;  quite  a  saving  was  made 
here,  as  the  pumps  could  run  more  slowly 


when  they  were  in  perfect  condition.  All 
steam  traps  were  also  put  in  good  working 
order.  A  coil  of  pipe  was  put  in  the 
smokestack,  to  superheat  the  feed  water 
just  before  it  entered  the  boilers.  I  also 
had  the  boilers  cleaned  each  week,  in- 
stead of  every  two  weeks,  as  formerly. 

The  big  saving,  however,  was  made  in 
the  management  of  the  fire  itself.  In 
burning  fuel  oil,  it  is  necessary  to  have 
the  mixture  of  steam,  oil,  and  air  exactly 
right  to  get  perfect  combustion.  If  too 
much  oil  is  admitted,  it  not  only  wastes 
oil  at  that  time,  but  it  also  deposits  soot 
in  the  boiler  tubes,  so  that  even  with  a 
perfect  fire,  after  the  soot  has  been  de- 
posited, there  is  a  great  loss  of  heat  until 
the  tubes  are  cleaned.  The  plan  by  which 
a  nearly  perfect  fire  was  secured  is  this: 
Each  evening,  when  the  fires  are  put  out 
for  the  night,  I  personally  inspect  each 
boiler,  and  whenever  soot  is  found  in  the 
tubes  I  have  the  fireman  brush  them.  As 
everyone  dislikes  this  job,  it  being  so  hot, 
dirty,  and  disagreeable,  the  firemen  soon 
got  to  watching  the  fires  much  more 
closely,  and,  seeing  the  benefits  in  per- 
sonal comfort  derived  from  clean  fires, 
they  have  now  entered  into  the  spirit  of 
the  thing,  and  vie  with  each  other  in 
getting  as  perfect  combustion  as  possible. 

Summing  up,  as  we  have  reliable  data 
showing  our  evaporation  of  water,  I  can 
state  positively  that  our  saving  is  at  least 
4%  per  cent,  and  am  quite  sure  that 
similar  attention  to  minor  things  will 
effect  a  considerable  saving  in  all  steam 
plants.  While  apparently  the  percentage 
is  small,  the  actual  amount  of  fuel  saved 
is  quite  large. — M.  L.  Lowrey,  Liver- 
more,  Calif. 


Lubricating  Piston  Pins 
on  V-T)rpe  Engines 

In  the  modem  V-type  high-speed  en- 
gines, where  the  cylinders  are  very  small, 
the  proper  lubri- 
cation of  the  pis- 
ton pin  is  a  difli- 
cult  matter  and 
has  given  consid- 
erable  trouble, 
especially  with 
aluminum  pistons. 
Because  the  cyl- 
inders are  placed 
at  an  angle,  the 
oil    is   drained    to 

the  lower  side,  and  the  pin  bearing  re- 
ceives less  oil  than  in  the  vertical  types. 
The  bearings  are  also  small,  due  to  the 


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small  cylinders,  which  tends  to  increase 
the  difficulty  of  proper  lubrication. 

This  trouble  has  been  overcome,  in  one 
of  the  famous  foreign  aeroplane  engines, 
in  a  very  simple  manner.  The  same 
method  has  since  been  used  on  several 
automobile  engines  with  entire  success. 
A  groove  is  cut  from  bearing  to  bearing 
on  the  top  side  of  the  piston,  as  shown  in 
the  illustration.  The  oil  collects  in  the 
groove,  and  drains  into  the  piston-pin 
bearings.  The  depth  of  the  groove  in 
the  piston  depends  upon  the  thickness  of 
the  piston  at  that  point,  and  care  must  be 
taken  that  the  wall  is  not  weakened  too 
much. — S.  E.  Gibbs,  Urbana,  111. 


Bench  Grinder  or  Polishing  Head 
Made  from  Old  Piston 

A  badly  worn  piston  from  an  old  gas 
or  automobile  engine  can  easily  be  made 
into  a   bench   grinder  or  polisher.     The 
piston-pin  bearings  are  best  fitted  with  a 
brass    or    bronze 
bushing,    or    a 
bearing     can     be 
poured  with  bab- 
bitt    around     the 
shaft.      The    belt 
pulley,      being 
placed    inside   the 
piston,     is     s  u  r  - 
rounded     by     the 
piston  wall,  form- 
i  n  g     a     splendid 
belt    guard.     The 
grease       cup, 
mounted  as  shown,  furnishes  lubrication, 
and  the  oil  or  grease  should  be  distrib- 
uted by  means  of  grooves  cut  in  the  shaft. 
Emery     or     polishing    wheels     may     be 
mounted  on  one  or  both  ends  of  the  shaft, 
which  is  held  in  place  by  collars  with  set- 
screws.    The  piston  may  be  bolted  either 
to  the  bench,  or  to  a  special  stand  made 
for  it.     The   stand   should,   however,   be 
very  stiff  to  withstand  the   high   speeds 
at  which  these  tools  are  run. 


Keep  the  Coal  Wet 

One  way  of  saving  coal,  which  is  widely 
known  but  not  so  widely  practiced,  is  by 
keeping  it  wet.  It  is  found  by  tests,  that 
coal  which  is  kept  exposed  to  the  air, 
loses  a  considerable  percentage  of  its  fuel 
value  by  gradual  oxidation.  This  can  be 
eliminated  by  keeping  the  coal  under 
water,  or  it  can  be  reduced  very  largely 
by  keeping  the  coal  wet. — John  J.  Spauld- 
ing,  Zanesville,  Ohio. 


Moving  Heavy  Stones  into  Place 

on  a  Wall 

In  moving  heavy  stones  to  the  top  of 
a  wall,  a  low  truck  or  barrow  was  used 
on  a  broad  plank,  which  formed  an  in- 
cline  and   had   at 
its    upper    end    a 
groove,    in    which 
the  upper  wheels 
could  rest.     The 
truck,    carrying   a 
heavy   stone,   was 
pushed     up     the 
plank,     until     the 
wheels     fell     into 
the    groove ;     the 
handles    could 

then  be  lifted  so  as  to  slide  the  stone  off 
onto  the  wall,  without  danger  of  sliding 
back  down  the  incline,  and  without  the 
necessity  of  placing  any  blocks  back  of 
the  truck  wheels.  As  the  placing  of  such 
blocks  would  require  the  labor  of  an 
extra  man  or  boy,  considerable  expense 
was  saved  by  this  arrangement. — J.  G. 
Allshouse,   Vandergrift,   Pa. 


Wood  Box  Built  into  Wall 
of  Kitchen 

Carrying  wood  into  the  kitchen  for  use 
in  the  range  is  one  of  the  chores  which 
nearly  every 
farmer's  boy 
dislikes.  It  is 
trouble'some 
because  doors 
must  be 
opened  and 
closed  while 
the  arms  are 
full ,  and  be- 
cause  it  is 
difficult  to 
keep  the 
wood  from 
striking 
against 

objects  in  the  kitchen.  A  better  and 
cleaner  way  is  shown  in  the  sketch. 
The  wood  box  is  built  into  the  wall;  the 
wood  is  thrown  in  from  the  outside,  and 
can  be  lifted  out  by  opening  another  door 
on  the  inside.  The  outer  door  should 
be  fitted  quite  closely,  and  may  be  packed 
with  felt,  or  several  thicknesses  of  cloth, 
in  order  to  keep  out  the  cold  air.  The 
"dead  air"  in  the  wood  box  will  then  form 
a  good  heat  insulator. — P.  T.  Hines,  Ra- 
leigh, N.  C. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


Poultry  Feeder  Places  Food  for  Chicks 

Out  of  Hens'  Reach 

The  chicken  feeder  here  shown  is  de- 
signed to  place  the  proper  amount  of 
grain  within  reach  of  the  young  chicks, 


The  Edre  of  the  Box  In  Tust  High  Enough   to  Give 

Access  lor  the  Small  Chicks,  While   Excluding  the 

Hen.    Shifting  the  Board  Drops  a  Supply  of   Grain 

to  the  Ground 

but  out  of  reach  of  the  hens.  A  box,  in 
the  bottom  of  which  a  slot,  several  inches 
wide,  has  been  niade,  is  inverted  and  fas- 
tened to  stakes  driven  in  the  ground,  so 
that  one  edge  stands  just  high  enough 
to  permit  the  chicks  to  pass  underneath. 
The  bin  placed  on  top  is  made  from  an- 
other box,  and  may  have  one  edge  flared 
out  as  shown,  so  that  the  grain  can  be 
dumped  in  with  less  danger  of  spilling. 
The  slot  in  the  roof  of  the  lower  box  is 
covered  by  a  board  twice  as  long  as  the 
box,  with  a  round  hole  at  its  center. 
This  board  slides  back  and  forth  endways, 
the  ends  of  the  bin  being  cut  out  to  fit 
it.  Each  time  it  is  shifted  over,  some 
grain  is  permitted  to  fall  through  onto 
the  ground.  This  amount  can  be  adjusted 
after  some  experience  by  changing  the 
speed  at  which  the  board  is  shifted. 

The  bin  is  provided  with  a  hinged  cover, 
so  that  a'l  grain  except  that  which  has 
been  dropped  on  the  ground  is  protected 
from  the  weather.  At  night,  or  in  rainy 
weather,  if  the  pegs  are  removed  from  the 
stakes  and  the  box  dropped  to  the  ground, 
the  grain  remaining  will  be  protected 
from  getting  wet  or  from  the  ravages  of 
small  prowlers.— F.  W.  Vroom,  East 
Lynn,  Mass. 


Thermometers  Save  Coal 

in  Small  Plant 

In  a  small  manufacturing  plant  it  was 
the  night  watchman's  duty  to  fire  the 
boiler  and  keep  the  place  heated ;  in  order 
to  be  sure  not  to  have  any  freeze-ups,  he 
kept  up  more  steam  than  was  actually 
needed.  To  overcome  this  we  placed  a 
thermometer  at  each  station  where  the 
watchman  had  to  stop  when  making  his 
rounds,  so  that  he  could  see  the  actual 
temperatures,  and  keep  the  various  de- 
partments properly  heated  without  waste. 
This  eliminated  guesswork,  and  as  he  did 
not  have  to  fire  his  boiler  so  often,  he 
saved  time,  labor,  and  an  amount  of  coal 
that  paid,  many  times  over,  the  cost  of 
the  thermometers.  In  many  small  plants, 
the  only  places  where  a  thermometer  can 
be  found  are  the  boiler  and  engine  room, 
and  possibly  the  office.  In  the  home  also, 
a  small  investment  in  thermometers  will 
pay  good  dividends  in  coal  saved. — M. 
Bush,  Bloomfield,  N.  J. 


Discarded  Circular  Saw  Forms  Loud 
Bell  for  Use  in  Shop 

A  shop,  which  needed  a  loud  bell  for 
signaling,  and  possessed  some  old  worn- 
out  circular  saws,  made  use  of  the  com- 
bination of  circumstances  by  rigging  up 
the  bell  illustrated.  A  rather  powerful 
electric  bell  furnished  the  tapper  and  the 
magnet,  while  one  of  the  saws  was 
mounted  on  a  bolt  through  the  center  hole, 
to  be  struck  by  the  tapper.     The  result 


rmc  BELL 


A  Circular  Saw  Which  had  Outlived   Its  Usefulnesa 

as  a   Cutting  Tool  was  Made  to   Do   Service  as  a 

Powerful   Noise  Maker  by   Combining    It  with   the 

Mechanism  of  an  Electric  fiell 

was  a  sound  which  could  be  heard  above 
the  noise  of  the  shop  machinery.- 


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Automobile-Exhaust  Heater  Mounted  in  Floor  Register 

By  C.  C.  SPREEN 


ILJEATERS  for  automobiles  are  made 
■■■  ^  in  various  ways,  most  of  them  utiliz- 
ing the  heat  of  the  exhaust,  since  this 
heat  is  otherwise  wasted,  and  can  readily 
be  piped  to  some  form  of  radiator.  Not- 
withstanding the  apparent  simplicity  of 
such  systems,  the  manufactured  ones  are 
often  fairly  expensive,  and  their  installa- 
tion is  none  too  simple. 

On  most  cars  it  is  possible  to  cut  a  rec- 
tangular hole  in  the  floor  boards  and  in- 
stall a  small  register,  such  as  is  used  with 
hot-air  furnaces.  A  radiator  can  be  built 
into  the  register,  as  illustrated.  The  ex- 
haust end  of  the  radiator  is  plugged  with 
a  nipple  and  pipe  cap,  a  number  of  small 
holes  being  drilled  in  the  cap  to  enable  the 
gas  to  escape  after  having  done  its  work. 
At  the  intake  end  of  the  radiator,  some 
form  of  low-pressure  valve  should  be 
placed.  In'  the  one  illustrated,  a  %-in. 
steel  rod  is  bent  to  form  a  lever  at  the 
upper  end,  the  lower  end  projecting 
through  the  pipe  and  carrying  a  nut  and 
a  spring  to  keep  the  proper  tension.  The 
valve  consists  of  two  thin  steel  disks  with 
an  asbestos  disk  between  them,  and  is 
fastened  with  a  cotter  pin  in  a  slot  sawed 
in  the  %-in.  rod.  The  asbestos  disk  is 
slightly  larger  than  the  steel  disk.  While 
such  a  valve,  of  course,  is  not  able  to 
withstand  any  considerable  pressure,  it 
will  close  the  pipe  nicely  in  an  installa- 
tion such  as  this  one. 

A  cotter  pin  is  placed  through  the  rod, 
just  above  the  pipe,  to  take  the  thrust  of 
the  spring  and  hold  the  valve  in  proper 
position.  The  bent  upper  end  of  the  rod 
may  be  sunk  into  the  floor,  where  it  will 
be  out  of  the  way  but  easily  turned  by  a 
touch  of  the  driver's  heel. 

The  exhaust  gas  is  taken  from  the  main 
exhaust  pipe  through  a  flexible  metal 
conduit,  one  end  of  which  is  fastened 
into  the  radiator  pipe  with  a  cotter  pin, 
and  the  other  similarly  fastened  into  a 
lateral,  or  "Y,"  pipe  fitting.  This  fitting 
may  be  bolted  around  the  exhaust  pipe, 
one  side  of  it  being  cut  out  so  that  it  can 
be  slipped  over  the  pipe,  in  case  the  ex- 
haust pipe  is  so  arranged  that  the  fitting 
cannot  be  readily  slipped  over  its  end. 
A  hole  is  made  in  one  side  of  the  exhaust 
pipe  where  the  "Y"  is  to  come. 

The  heating  efficiency  will  undoubtedly 
be  higher  if  the  exhaust  pipe  is  tapped  be- 
tween the  engine  and  the  muffler;  this 
may,  however,  involve  some  possibility  of 
a  noisy  exhaust  through  the  radiator.  In- 
stalling the  Y-fitting  beyond  the  muffler 
has   the   additional   advantage    that   less 


dirt  will  enter  the  radiator,  and  that  the 
possibility    of    its    becoming    overheated 


SCCTlONAl.  VltW 


A  Radiator  BuUt  of  Iron  Pipe,  Pitted  into  a  Ploor 
Register  and  Heated  by  the  Exhaust  from  the  Engine, 
OTcrcomes  Largely  the  Discomforts  of  Winter  Auto- 
mobile Driving 

from  badly  timed  engine  valves  is  almost 
eliminated. 


Handsaw  Fitted  with  Attachment  for  Use 
as  Square 

A  small  fitting  for  a  handsaw,  that  will 
not  affect  its  use  for  ordinary  purposes, 
but  will  add  to 
the  general  utility 
of  the  tool,  espe- 
cially for  quick, 
or  rough  work,  is 
a  square  fitted  to 
the  handle.  The 
attachment  is 
made  of  sheet 
steel,  shaped  as 
shown,  and 
drilled  for  fasten- 
ing to  the  wooden 
handle.  The  ad- 
justment     should 

be  made  very  carefully  to  90®,  to  insure 
that  the  square  will  be  useful  for  the  pur- 
pose intended.  The  practical  features  of 
this  kink  will  be  readily  appreciated  by 
mechanics. 


CT Pulverized  asbestos  and  plaster  of  Paris 
in  equal  parts  by  weight,  and  water  suffi- 
cient to  make  a  soft  paste,  make  an  effec- 
tive asbestos  cement. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


Base  Knobs  or  Door  Bumpers  Put 

to  Various  Uses 

Base  knobs,  which  may  be  purchased 
for  from  2  to  10  cents  each,  may  be  used 
for  many  purposes  besides  acting  as  door 


Base  Knobs,  Such   as  are  Placed  behind  Doors  to 

Keep  Them  from  Marring  Woodwork,  Are 

Useful  for  Purposes  Such  as  These 

Stops.  An  ordinary  chair  may  be  made 
higher  for  a  child's  use  by  simply  screw- 
ing a  knob  into  the  leg  of  each  chair.  A 
novel  footrest  may  be  made  from  the  top 
of  a  discarded  organ  stool  by  screwing 
four  of  these  knobs  into  the  underside. 
Small  tables  may  also  be  made  higher  by 
this  means. — Mrs.  Grace  E.  Willey,  Con- 
cord, N.  H. 


Unloading  a  Heavy  Machine 
from  a  Truck 

A  man  who  had  the  job  of  unloading 
heavy  machines  from  a  truck  was  con- 
frontecl  by  the  shortage  of  labor,  and  em- 
ployed a  method  which  made  use  of  the 
power  of  the  truck  for  moving  machines. 
On  backing  the  truck  up  against  the  load- 
ing platform,  the  machine  was  moved  by 
means  of  levers,  so  that  the  base  of  it 
projected  about  10  in.  from  the  rear  end 
of  the  truck.     It  was  raised  slightly,  so 


By  MoTing  a  Truck   Porwaid  and  Back  under  Its 

Own  Power,  Heavy  Machines  are  Unloaded  from 

It  on   Rollers,   and    Pushed    onto    Plat   Cars 

that   a   roller  could   be   placed   under   it. 
While   a   rope   and    hook  then   held   the 


machine  from  moving,  the  truck  was 
moved  forward  a  short  distance,  under 
its  own  power.  It  was  then  gently  backed 
against  the  platform  again,  the  machine 
thus  moving  farther  onto  the  platform, 
and  enabling  more  rollers  to  be  placed 
under  it.  With  the  rope  shortened,  the 
operation  was  repeated,  until  the  ma- 
chine rested  entirely  on  rollers  on  the 
platform.  By  means  of  a  pole,  the  ma- 
chine was  then  pushed,  a  short  distance 
at  a  time,  onto  the  flat  car  beyond  the 
loading  platform.  The  process  should 
be  attempted  only  by  a  truck  driver  who 
is  thoroughly  familiar  with  the  clutch  ac- 
tion of  his  truck,  as  too  great  a  movement 
of  the  truck  might  easily  prove  disastrous 
to  the  load. 


Lumber-Saving  Kink  for  Making 
Split  Patterns  - 

To  make  a  circular,  split  pattern,  it  was 
necessary  to  cut  two  semicircular  pieces 
of  wood.    A  piece  of  material  was  found 
which     was    suit- 
able,   except    that 
it   was    not    quite 
twice   as   long  as 
the     diameter     of 
the  circle.    The 
diagram    shows, 
how    this    stick 
was  nevertheless 
used,  by  sawing  it 
at  an  angle.    The 

dotted  line  shows  how  much  too  short 
the  stick  would  have  been  if  it  had  been 
cut  at  right  angles. — C.  W.  Thunen,  Beni- 
cia,  Calif. 


Extinguishing  Spontaneous  Fire 
in  a  Coal  Pile 

A  large  pile  of  coal  was  found  to  be 
on  fire,  due  to  spontaneous  combustion. 
A  hose  and  water  pressure  were  avail- 
able, but  it  was  found  difficult  to  make 
the  water  penetrate  deeply  into  the  burn- 
ing coal.  The  difficulty  was  overcome  by 
attaching  to  the  end  of  the  hose  a  10-ft. 
length  of  1-in.  iron  pipe.  The  other  end 
of  the  pipe  was  thrust  into  the  pile  as  far 
as  possible,  and  the  water  turned  on.  As 
the  coal  directly  in  front  of  the  pipe  was 
gradually  forced  away  by  the  water  pres- 
sure, the  pipe  was  thrust  farther  in.  Oc- 
casionally a  large  lump  was  ancountere'd, 
which  would  have  to  be  broken  by  blows 
of  the  pipe  itself  acting  as  a  hammer,  or 
of  a  heavy  hammer  applied  to  it.  After 
driving  several  holes  into  the  interior  of 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


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the  coal  pile  in  this  way,  the  fire  was  found 
to  be  extinguished. — Maury  Robinson, 
Paris,  Tex. 


the  rake  by  some  such  means  as  is  shown 
in  the  photograph.   Strips  should  be  nailed 


Sheet-Metal  Sacking  Helps  When 
Sawing  Softer  Materials 

When  attempting  to  cut  a  very  brittle 
piece  of  hard  rubber,  fiber,  or  asbestos 
sheeting  with  a  hacksaw,  especially  if  only 
a  small  vise  is  available  for  holding  the 
work,  it  is  well  to  clamp  the  material  be- 
tween two  sheets  of  tin  or  other  thin  ma- 
terial. The  resulting  cut  will  be  true, 
smooth,  and  firm-edged.  This  is  particu- 
larly helpful  in  the  case  of  cutting  ma- 
terials such  as  asbestos. 


Dissolving  Boiler   Scale   Saves  Fuel 
and  Provides  More  Heat 

One  means  of  saving  coal,  which  is  ap- 

Elicable  to  any  hot-water  heater  or  steam 
oiler  where  hard  water  is  used,  is  that 
of  keeping  the  boiler  clear  of  scale  so 
that  the  heat  can  reach  the  water,  instead 
of  being  wasted  to  a  large  extent  in  the 
chimney  gases.  When  starting  a  fire,  if 
a  small  can  of  potash,  dissolved  in  about 
a  gallon  of  water,  is  poured  into  the  boiler, 
it  will  help  greatly  to  loosen  the  scale 
as  the  fire  starts  to  burn.  After  the 
system  has  become  thoroughly  heated  up, 
the  fire  should  be  allowed  to  die  out  and 
the  boiler  to  cool  down.  The  water  is 
then  drawn  off,  carrying  with  it  the  scale 
which  has  been  removed,  and  the  boiler 
is  filled  with  fresh  water  and  is  then 
ready  for  service.  It  should  be  remem- 
bered, however,  that  there  are  many  kinds 
of  boiler  scale,  depending  on  the  compo- 
sition of  the  water  used,  so  that  the 
efficacy  of  this  method  in  any  particular 
boiler  can  only  be  ascertained  by  trial. 

Other  kinks  which  should  be  remem- 
bered are  to  keep  the  flues  clean  by  fre- 
quent attention  to  them,  and  not  to  shake 
the  fire  too  hard,  as  this  often  causes 
coals  which  are  only  partly  burned  to  fall 
through  into  the  ashes. — F.  H.  Sidney, 
Wakefield,  Mass. 


Snow  Scraper  Made  from  Rake 

A  rake  in  wintertime  is  almost  as  use- 
less as  a  snow  scraper  in  summer;  there- 
fore a  device  which  enables  the  rake  to  be 
converted  into  a  snow  scraper  will  prac- 
tically make  two  tools  out  of  one.  This  is 
easily  done  by  getting  a  1-in.  board,  about 
9  by  18  in.  in  size,  and  fastening  it  onto 


across  the  ends  of  the  board  to  strengthen 
it.  For  light  snowfalls  especially,  the 
tool  will  be  found  even  more  useful  than 
the  ordinary  snow  shovel. — ^J.  H.  Shadek, 
Oradell,  N.  J. 


Wrench  for  Setscrews  in  Dogs 
Attached  to  Lathe 

A  simple  addition  to  the  bed  of  a  lathe 
will  save  time  for  workers  who  have  fre- 
quent use  for  dogs  of  various  sizes.  In 
using  this  form  of  wrench,  instead  of 
holding  the  work  in  one  hand  with  the 
dog  attached,  and  tightening  or  loosen- 
ing the  screws  with  a  wrench  held  in  the 
other  hand,  the  work  itself  forms  the 
wrench,  and  the  setscrew  head  is  inserted 
in  the  tapered  slot  which  grips  it  like 
a  vise. 

The  advantages  of  this  form  of  wrench 
are,  of  course,  that  it  is  always  handy 
and  never  gets  lost,  that  it  takes  all  ordi- 
nary sizes  of  setscrew  heads  used  on  lathe 


A  Sheet- Iron  Wrench  Attached  to  the    Lathe  Bed 

Saves  Time  in  Loosening  and  Tightening 

Setscrews  in  Lathe  Dogs 

dogs,  and  that  the  operation  of  tightening 
or  loosening  the  dog  requires  fewer  opera- 
tions, and  therefore  less  time  when  this 
form  of  wrench  is  provided. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


Handy  Rack  Holds  Draftsman's 

Tools 

A  rack,  which  will  keep  most  of  the 
draftsman's  tools  safe  from  being  pushed 
off  the  table,  is  easily  made  from  a  single 


The  Draftsman  Who  Keeps  His  Tools  in  a  Rack  will 

Have  Less  Trouble  in  Finding  Them  and 

More  Room  on  His  Table 

block  of  wood.  The  work  will,  however, 
be  much  easier  if  a  buzz  saw  and  some 
large  auger  bits,  or  an  expansion  bit,  are 
available.  The  size  of  the  block  can  be 
varied  to  take  different  combinations  of 
triangles,  ink  bottles,  etc.  In  the  rack 
shown,  the  three  circular  holes  are  suit- 
able either  for  a  bottle  of  ink,  or  for 
holding  such  small  objects  as  erasers, 
extra  leads,  or  thumb  tacks.  Small  holes 
beside  these  are  made  to  hold  the  ink- 
bottle  stoppers.  Any  number  of  semi- 
circular grooves  can  be  made  in  front; 
if  red  and  black  ink,  for  instance,  are  both 
used,  one  groove  may  be  painted  black 
and  the  black  penholder  used  in  black 
ink  may  be  kept  in  it,  another  groove  be- 
ing similarly  painted  red  for  the  red  pen. 
— D.  D.  Symmes,  West  Haven,  Conn. 


Bnilding  Heavy  Doors  in  Place 
Saves  Trouble  of  Hanging 

When  heavy  barn  or  outbuilding  doors 
are  to  be  hung,  many  farmers  build  the 
doors  complete  and  then  hang  them.  It 
is  thus  often  difficult  to  prevent  sagging 
while  mounting  the  hinges.  A  better  way 
is  to  nail  in  place  the  frame  for  the  door, 
the  nails  being  driven  in  only  part  way. 
The  door  planks  are  then  cut  and  fitted 
in  place,  as  though  they  were  to  be  a  sta- 
tionary part  of  the  structure.  Sufficient 
space  must,  of  course,  be  left  around  the 
door  openings  so  that  it  will  swing  freely. 
When  all  the  door  planks  are  in  place,  the 
hinges  are  attached,  and  the  nails  holding 


the  frame  in  place  are  drawn  out,  allow- 
ing the  door  to  swing  free.  Double  doors 
may  be  built  in  one  piece,  and  sawed  in 
two  in  the  middle  after  the  whole  door  is 
completed. 


Small  Piece  of  Glass  Is  Useful 
in  Tool  Grinding 

When  grinding  a  tool  to  a  master 
gauge  or  template,  or  to  cut  a  standard 
thread,  lay  on  the  tool  a  small  piece  of 
window  glass,  and  place  the  gauge  flat 
against  the  other  side  of  the  glass.  A 
piece  of  glass,  1  by  2  in.,  is  a  great  con- 
venience in  a  mechanic's  tool  box.  To 
prevent  cutting  of  the  fingers,  the  edges 
may  be  smoothed  down  with  a  whetstone. 


Repairing  a  Pillar  with  Cement 

A  wooden  porch  pillar,  which  has 
rotted  out  at  one  point,  may  be  repaired 
at  a  very  slight  cost,  as  shown  in  the 
sketch.  First  cut  out  the  rotted  portion, 
leaving  projections  on  both  ends  at  the 
center  of  the  pillar,  as  shown.  Cut  a 
piece  of  iron  pipe,  just  long  enough  to 
drive  in  between  the  two  pieces,  and  wind 
some  stout  wire  around  to  act  as  rein- 
forcement. Then  bind  a  piece  of  sheet 
iron  around  the  lower  segment,  extend- 
ing up  to  within  about  2  in.  of  the  upper 
segment,  leaving  enough  space  for  pour- 
ing cement.  Line  up  the  top  of  the  sheet 
iron  with  the  surface  of  the  upper  part 
of  the  pillar,  and  pour  full  of  cement. 
After  the  cement  has  dried  for  about 
three  days,  remove  the  sheet  iron,  fill  the 


n!. 


A  Wooden  Pillar  Which  has  Begun  to  Rot  can  be 

Repaired  Quite  Satisfactorily  by  Means  of  a 

Piece  of  Pipe,  Covered  with  Cement 

gap  with  cement,  and  trim  up  defects.  If 
the  repaired  post  is  repainted,  the  joints 
will  be  scarcely  noticeable. — E.  Stumpf, 
Jersey  City,  N.  J. 


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Save  Coal  by  Burning  Ashes 

By  p.  p.  AVERY 


f  T  is  quite  well  known  that  when  fresh 
*    coal  exclusively  is  burned  in  a  large 
stove   or  furnace,   the   ashes   which    are 
shaken  down  nearly  always  contain  a  con- 
siderable proportion  of  unburned  coal  or 
coke.      Anyone    who    is    careful    of    the 
amount  of  coal  he  uses  must  take  some 
means  of  recovering  the  good  coal  from    • 
the  ashes,  and  burning  it 
over  again.     To  do  this, 
it   must    be    mixed    with 
fresh  coal,  and  mixing  it 
in  the  proper  proportion 
with   a   shovel,    or  with 
several     coal     hods,     is 
sometimes  a  job  which  is 
so  tedious  as  to  be  fre- 
quently neglected,  some- 
times  to    the    extent   of 
even  wasting  the  partly 
burned   coal. 

With  this  in  view,  a 
mixing  hopper  was  con- 
structed  in  an  old 
wooden  box.  The  bot- 
tom of  the  hopper  is 
made  to  come  about  13 
in.  from  the  floor,  so  that 
a   coal  hod   can    be   set  •'^^ 

under  it ;  this  bottom  consists  of  a  valve, 
or  slide,  made  of  heavy  galvanized  iron. 
In  it  are  two  rectangular  holes,  one  for 
each  of  the  two  halves  into  which  the 
hopper  is  divided  by  a  wooden  parti- 
tion. One  of  these  openings  is  made  50 
per  cent  larger  than  the  other  one,  be- 
cause it  is  necessary  for  best  results  to 
have  a  rather  greater  volume  of  fresh 
coal  than  of  the  partly  burned  coke.  The 
back  end  of  the  iron  slide  is  bent  down 
slightly,  in  order  to  prevent  it  from  slip- 
ping out  from  the  two  guides  which  sup- 
port it  at  the  sides,  and  the  front  end  is 
shaped  to  form  a  handle,  either  by  bend- 
ing it  over,  as  shown,  or  by  cutting  out 
a  hole  to  fit  the  hand.  Underneath  this 
part,  the  front  side  of  the  box  is  cut  out 
large  enough  to  permit  the  coal  hod  to 
be  pushed  in.  It  is  better  not  to  have 
any  more  of  the  box  open  than  just  what 
is  necessary  in  order  to  insert  the  coal 
hod,  because  the  sides  of  the  box  are 
effective  in  keeping  the  dust  confined. 

In  using  the  hopper,  the  coal  is  dumped 
or  shoveled  into  one  side,  and  the  ashes, 
thoroughly  sifted  and  cleared  of  clinkers, 
arc  thrown  into  the  other  side.  With  the 
empty  coal  hod  standing  underneath,  the 
valve  is  pulled  out  and  pushed  back  sev- 
eral times,  or  until  the  coal  hod  is  full. 
The  fuel  will  be  thoroughly  mixed,  in  the 


proportion  which  is  fixed  approximately 
by  the  relative  size  of  the  two  openings 
in  the  slide.  The  exact  size  of  these  open- 
ings will,  of  course,  depend  somewhat  on 
the  kind  of  fuel  burned.  It  will  there- 
fore be  advisable  at  first  to  cut  the  larger 
of  these  openings  slightly  smaller  than 
the  half  of  the  hopper  bottom,  so  that 


OALVANIZCO-IRON  SLIOC 


IRON  8Uc£^  GOIOC-' 

METHOD  OP  eUPPORTMa  8U0C 

Fresh  Coal  and  Partly  Bomed 
Athct  are  Dttmoed  into  the 
Two  Sides  of  Thia  Mixing 
Hopper,  and  the  Valve  Mixes 
Them  in  Proper  Proportion 
As  the  Slide  is  Shaken  Back 
view  and  Forth 

either  opening  can  be  enlarged  if  the 
mixture  is  not  just  right.  If  still  more 
accurate  results  are  wanted,  it  is  entirely 
possible  to  attach  to  the  bottom  of  the 
slide  a  strip  of  iron  which  swings  on  a 
pin,  as  shown  in  the  detail,  so  that  a 
slight  change  in  its  position  increases  the 
size  of  one  opening  and  decreases  the 
size  of  the  other. 

A  good  deal  will  depend,  of  course,  on 
the  skill  developed-  in  using  the  mixing 
hopper,  as>  for  instance,  the  handling  of 
the  slide.  The  mixing  will  be  much  more 
thorough  if  the  slide  is  kept  in  motion, 
by  shaking  it  back  and  forth  while  the 
fuel  is  falling  .through.  Better  results 
will  often  be  obtained  by  sprinkling  the 
ashes  with  water;  a  5-gal.  oil  or  gasoline 
can  filled  with  water  can  be  mounted  on 
a  shelf  near  the  hopper,  and  a  rubber  hose 
then  makes  this  sprinkling  very  easy. 
The  partition  should  be  built  a  few  inches 
higher  than  the  sides  of  the  box,  so  as 
to  make  it  less  likely  that  stray  lumps  of 
fuel  will  fall  into  the  wrong  side  of  the 
hopper.  By  this  thorough  mixing,  in 
the  proper  proportion,  of  fresh  coal  and 
partly  burned  ashes,  the  weekly  coal  con- 
sumption of  an  ordinary  kitchen  range, 
carefully  measured,  was  reduced  from 
14%  hods  a  week  to  10  hods,  the  amount 
of  cooking  and  heating  being  the  same. 

119 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


The  mixture  is  especially  useful  for 
banked  fires  in  cold  weather,  which  need 
not  be  very  hot,  but  must  last  through 
the  night. 


Swivel  Chair  Made  from  Wagon- 
Wheel  Fellies 

A    useful    and    not    ungraceful    swivel, 
chair  was  made  by  removing  the  broken 


After  Having  a  Leg  Broken,  This   Chair  was  Con- 
verted into  a  Swivel  Chair  by  Mounting  It  on 
Two  Pieces  of  the  Pelly  of  a  Wagon  Wheel 

legs  of  an  old  chair  and  mounting  the 
good  portion  on  a  base  made  from  two 
pieces  of  wagon-wheel  fellies.  An  iron 
bar,  1  in.  in  diameter,  was  threaded  and 
made  to  work  easily  through  a  threaded 
hole  in  the  fellies,  strengthened  by  the 
addition  of  a  metal  blade  on  top.  On  the 
bottom  of  the  chair  seat,  two  wooden 
strips  were  fastened  with  screws,  at  right 
angles  to  each  other,  crossing  in  the  cen- 
ter. The  end  of  the  iron  rod,  sharpened 
to  a  square  point,  was  driven  into  a  ta- 
pered hole  in  this  center,  and  was  braced 
by  two  iron  strips,  tapped  out  to  take  the 
thread  on  the  bar,  screwed  into  position 
as  shown,  and  fastened  with  screws. — 
Charles  Black,  Jr.,  Hightstown,  N.  J. 


Lever-and-Fulcrum  Snow  Shovel  Makes 
Heavy  Shoveling  Easy 

For    heavy    snowfalls    a    hand-derrick 
shovel  gives  the  user  a  great  advantage 


The  Lifting  of  Heavy  Shovelfuls  of  Snow  it  Avoided 
by  Mounting  the  Shovel  on  a  Pulcntm 


over  the  old-style  shoveK  Simply  mount 
on  a  sled  an  upright  frame  made  of  2  by 
4-in.  lumber;  upon  this  as  a  pivot,  a  pair 
of  handles  is  bolted,  to  which  is  attached 
an  ordinary  shovel.  The  upright  frame 
is  24  in.  high,  and  it  also  swings,  on  the 
two  bolts  at  the  bottom.  The  width  of 
the  sled  is  12  in.  The  sled  is  made  of 
two  pieces  of  2  by  4-in.  timber,  with 
lighter  pieces  nailed  across.  The  handles 
are  5  ft.  long,  or  more;  three  braces 
hold  them  secure  for  heavy  lifting.  Large 
screws  fasten  the  handles  to  the  triangu- 
lar-shaped pieces,  and  bolts  hold  the 
shovel  to  the  handles.  At  the  rear  the 
handles  are  2  ft.  apart  and  taper  to  3  in. 
apart  in  front. — F.  E.  Brimmer,  Dalton, 
New    York. 


Push  Button  Locked  against  Interference 
by  Children 

Many  small  boys  take  pleasure  in  un- 
screwing covers  from  electric  push  but- 
tons, often  losing  or  disconnecting  parts 
of  them.  The  illustration  shows  how  they 
may  be  protected  against  interference  by 
anyone  who  does 
not  understand 
the  method  of 
opening  them. 
Unscrew  the  cov- 
er or  cap,  and  de- 
termine the  thick- 
ness of  the  base, 
which  carries  the 
thread ;  then  re- 
place the  cap  and 
bore  a  hole,  just 
large  enough  to 
take  an  ordinary  brass  pin,  through  the 
cover  and  the  base.  Unscrew  the  cover, 
and  enlarge  the  inner  part  of  the  hole,  in 
both  base  and  cover,  so  as  to  take  a  lock 
pin  made  of  wire,  about  %  in.  in  diameter. 
The  lock  pin  should  work  quite  freely  in 
this  hole.  Now  insert  the  lock  pin  in  the 
base  and  hold  it  in  place  with  a  piece  of 
paper  or  a  key,  until  the  cover  is  screwed 
on.  After  the  cover  is  screwed  clear  into 
place,  the  lock  pin  will  drop,  preventing 
the  cover  from  again  being  removed  until 
the  lock  pin  is  released  by  upward  pres- 
sure of  a  common  pin  through  the  small 
hole. 


CHTING  PIN 


Renewing  Old  Electricians*  Tape 

Electricians'  tape  which  has  been  used, 
or  has  drie5,  can  have  its  stickiness  re- 
stored by  immersing  in  strong  hot  soap- 
suds, and  leaving  until  the  solution  has 
penetrated.     It    is    then   taken    out    and 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


121 


hung  up  to  dry,  being  rolled  up  as  soon 
as  it  reaches  the  required  stage  of  "sticki- 
ness."— Fred   C.   David,   St.  JosepI\   Mo. 


Using  Soft-Coal  Screenings 
with  Anthracite 

The  following  idea  may  be  of  benefit  to 
many  householders  who  have  only  a 
small  amount  of  anthracite  on  hand : 

First,  secure  a  load  or  two  of  soft- 
coal  screenings.  No.  1  grade  if  possible. 
Second,  sift  all  the  refuse  from  cooking 
stove  and  furnace,  and  after  picking  out 
the  slate  and  clinkers,  mix  an  equal 
amount  of  the  screenings  with  the  sifted 
cinders  (not  the  fine  ash),  and  use  the 
mixture  in  the  furnace.  If  the  soft  coal 
is  a  noncaking  fuel,  it  will  neither  harden 
over  nor  clinker,  and  practically  all  the 
anthracite  as  well  as  the  screenings  will 
be  consumed;  furthermore  it  will  give  a 
lasting  fire. 

Using  cinders  alone  with  anthracite 
makes  a  dirty  fire  with  lots  of  clinkers, 
and  I  have  found  from  experience  that 
when  cinders  are  used  with  anthracite 
alone,  it  requires  quite  a  few  siftings  to 
consume  even  the  first  cinders  used.  No 
doubt  this  is  the  reason  for  the  great 
waste  of  cinders  in  private  houses.  The 
mixture  of  cinders  and  screenings  make^ 
a  great  deal  less  smoke  than  the  b^st  grade 
of  soft-coal  lump.  This  is  no  doubt  due 
to  the  fact  that  the  anthracite  cinders 
are  of  practically  the  same  composition 
as  coke;  that  is  to  say,  nearly  pure  car- 
bon.— ^James  E.  Noble,  Portsmouth,  Ont. 


Breas^late  for  Brace  and  Bit 

When  using  a  brace  and  bit,  or  a  hand 
drill,  on  a  job  which  requires  consider- 
a  b  1  e  pressure,  a 
large    surface    by 
which     the    pres- 
sure   can    be    ap- 
plied   will    make 
the    job    much 
easier.      The    end 
of  a  common  tin 
can,    nailed    to    a 
round     wooden 
disk  about   10  in. 
in  diameter,  forms 
a  handy  device 
for   this   purpose.     By   placing   the   end 
of  the  brace  inside  of  the  can  and  the 
disk  against  the  operator's  body,  consid- 
erable pressure  is  applied  quite  easily. — 
A.  M.  FairfifiJrfrSt.  Marys,  Kan. 


Sandpaper  Held  Firmly  on  Block 

by  Its  Tapered  Shape 

A  neat  form  of  sandpaper  block  has  its 
two  sides  slightly  out  of  parallel,  one  of 
them  having  a 
slot  into  which 
the  edges  of  the 
piece  of  sandpa- 
per are  folded. 
The  paper  will  be 
clamped  quite 
tightly  by  pushing 
it  toward  the 
larger  end  of  the 
block,  or  instantly 

released  by  pulling  it  toward  the  small 
end.  In  using  the  block,  if  it  is  held  with 
the  small  end  toward  the  workman,  the 
index  finger  resting  on  the  large  end, 
there  will  be  no  tendency  of  the  paper  to 
slip  out  of  place.  Blocks  embodying  this 
principle  can,  of  course,  be  made  of 
various  shapes,  and  with  comers  curved 
off  to  any  radius  to  fit  fillets  in  the  wood 
to  be  sanded. — Henry  •  Wedde,  Chicago, 
Illinois. 


Using  a  Barrel  as  a  Mouse  Trap 

When  difficulty  is  encountered  in  rid- 
ding a  place  of  mice  by  the  ordinary  meth- 
ods, try  this  one :  Get  a  fairly  tight  bar- 
rel and  bore  a  hole  near  the  bottom  to 
serve  as  an  entrance.  Throw  into  the 
barrel  a  quantity  of  shavings,  or  any  ma- 
terial that  would  be  useful  to  the  mice  in 
forming  nests.  'Add  some  grain  to  serve 
as  an  additional  attraction,  and  then  cover 
with  a  piece  of  wood.  Let  the  barrel  re- 
main in  a  place  infested  with  mice  for  a 
week  or  ten  days.  At  the  end  of  this 
time  numbers  of  the  creatures  will  have 
taken  up  their  abode  in  the  barrel,  and 
be  busy  nest  making.  Then  stop  up  the 
hole  in  the  bottom  with  a  cork  or  wood 
plug  of  proper  size,  lift  up  the  cover  of 
the  barrel  a  little,  and  pour  in  water  yntil 
there  is  sufficient  to  drown  the  occupants. 
The  trap  may  be  emptied  and,  after  dry- 
ing, set  up  again.  In  this  way  a  locality 
is  soon  cleared  of  mice. — S.  Leonard  Bas- 
tin,  Bournemouth,  Eng. 


'airfipWrlJt. 


Pinch  Bar  Made  from  Buggy  Axle 

When  an  old  buggy  is  thrown  on  the 
scrap  heap,  its  axle  can  be  made  by  any 
blacksmith  into  a  handy  and  durable  pinch 
bar  or  crowbar.  The  size  and  weight"  of 
the  axle  make  it  well  adapted  to  this  pur- 
pose. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


Convenient  Rack  for  Rubber 

Gum  and  Fabric 

Vulcanizers  will  find  this  rack  conven- 
ient and  practical.     It   keeps   the  repair 
stock  clean,  and  permits  several  men  to 
work  at  the  same 
table   without   in- 
terfering  with 
each   other.     The 
wooden    frame, 
'  made  to  hold  sev- 
eral rolls  of  gum 
and    fabric,     re- 
volves on  a  stand 
fastened    to    the 
table.     It  can  be 
turned  in  any  di- 
rection, to  accom- 
modate   workmen 
at    the    opposite 
ends  of  the  table. 
The  frame  is  of 
lumber,   4   in.    wide,    with    holes    bored 
through  the  sides  to  hold  the  rolls.    The 
rack  revolves  on  a  piece  of  half-inch  pipe, 
threaded  on  one  end  to  fit  a  flange,  which 
is  screwed  to  the  center  of  the  table.    On 
the  bottom  of  the  rack  another  flange  is 
screwed,  in  which  the  pipe  should  turn 
easily. 

On  the  ends  of  the  rack  may  be  hung 
knives,  rollers,  stitchers,  scissors,  etc., 
thus  keeping  the  table  clear  of  working 
tools  and  allowing  more  table  space.  The 
entire  contrivance  is  so  simple  that  any 
vulcanizer  can  easily  construct  one. 


TIRC-VALVe 
DUST  CAP 


Screwdriyer  Handle  Made  of  Dust  Cap 
from  Tire  Valve 

An  ideal  screwdriver  handle  is  made 
from  an  old  dust  cap,  such  as  used  on 
automobile  tire  valves.  A  piece  of  hard 
wood  is  driven  into  the  cap  as  tightly  as 
possible,  a  rivet  is  then  driven  through, 
near  the  upper 
end,  to  prevent 
the  wood  from 
turning  in  the 
cap,  and  a  hole 
is  drilled  in 
the  wood  at  the 
open  end,  some- 
what smaller  than 
the  round  rod 
which  forms  the 
blade.  The  latter,  which  may  be  a  piece 
of  drill  rod  %  to  946  in.  in  diam- 
eter, should  be  beveled  off  to  a  chisel 
edge,  driven  into  the  handle,  and  then 
ground  to  the  proper  shape  for  use  as 


SCPEWORIVCR 


a  screwdriver.  The  dust  cap  forms  a 
durable  handle  and  ferrule  in  one  piece, 
and  has  the  additional  advantage  that  it 
is  of  distinctive  appearance,  and  is  so 
made  that  a  very  firm  grip  can  be  taken 
upon  it  with  the  hand. 


Partitioning  Off  a  Room 
to  Save  Heat  and  Coal 

In  very  cold  weather,  it  may  help 
greatly  to  save  coal  if  the  expedient  is 
adopted  of  hanging  curtains  across  a  large 
room,  so  as  to  confine  the  heat  of  the  stove 
or  radiator  to  the  part  of  the  room  actu- 
ally required  for  use.  The  curtains  may 
consist  of  blankets  hung  on  a  wire.  A 
space  of,  say,  two  feet  may  be  left  be- 
tween them  and  the  ceiling  for  ventilation, 
without  impairing  greatly  the  efficiency  as 
a  coal  saver. — Eric  Warren,  Corpus 
Christ i,  Tex. 


Clamping  Block  for  Filing 
Scraper  Blades 

Scraper    blades    are    awkward    to    file, 
unless   a  special   vise   adapted  for  such 
work  is  at  hand.    If  merely  put  into  the 
ordinary  vise  it  is  necessary  to  let  the 
blade  stick  out  so  far,  in  order  to  permit 
the    file    to    be 
worked   at   the 
proper  angle,  that 
the  blade  bends  at 
every  stroke.  This 
is  not  much  bet- 
tered    even     by 
supporting    it    by 
one  or  two  pieces 
of    board,    for 
though  the  blade 
then  does  not 
bend,    the    opera-  ^ 

tion  of  clamping  is  made  awkward,  and 
the  blade  is  still  in  a  vertical  position, 
which  lends  itself  badly  to  the  filing  of  a 
bevel. 

The  filing  block  shown  in  the  illustra- 
tion, made  in  a  few  minutes  from  scraps, 
grasps  the  blade  firmly  just  back  of  the 
cutting  edge  and  holds  it  in  an  inclined 
position,  which  makes  it  possible  to  hold 
the  file  level.  It  is  made  by  simply  rip- 
ping diagonally  a  block  of  3  by  4-in. 
stock,  beveling  off  the  upper  portion  of 
the  front  piece,  as  shown,  and  connect- 
ing the  two  by  countersunk  screws,  placed 
near  the  bottom  end,  which  are  screwed 
in  tight  enough  to  hold  the  scraper  blade 
while  filing.  —  Henry  Simon,  Laguna 
Beach,  Calif. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


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Keeping  Collapsible  Tubes  Inverted 

Prevents  Contents  Drying  Out 

Paint,  tooth  paste,  or  other  materials 
kept  in  collapsible  tubes,  will  sometimes 
separate,  and  the  oil  will  squeeze  from 
the  tube  first,  leaving  the  remaining  sub- 
stance dry.  After  each  time  of  using, 
it  will  be  more  dry  than  before,  and  the 
last  of  it  may  be  too  dry  to  be  squeezed 
from  the  tube.  This  occurs  because  the 
solid  matter  sinks  to  the  bottom,  and  may 
be  remedied  by  keeping  the  tube  in  an 
inverted  position.  To  facilitate  this,  make 
a  small  hole  in  a  wooden  block,  into  which 
the  cap  of  the  tube  can  be  pressed,  the 
block  serving  as  a  base  or  holder  for  the 
tube.  If  the  cap  is  sufficiently  tight  in  the 
block,  the  latter  will  also  be  of  use  in 
unscrewing  the  cap. 

Making  Special  Angles  and  Curves 
for  Drafting  Jobs 

Draftsmen  who  often  have  occasion  to 
draw  certain  curves  or  angles  will  save 
time  and  work  by  cutting  their  own  ir- 
regular curves  and  angles  out  of  sheet 
celluloid,  fiber,  or  hard  rubber,  using  a 
pattern  of  heavy  paper  pasted  to  the  ma- 
terial as  a  guide,  cutting  with  a  scroll  saw, 
and  smoothing  the  edges  with  a  fine  file. 
Often  a  standard  angle  or  curve  can  be 
altered  very  easily  to  the  required  pattern. 
^.  Horace  Van  Nice,  Chicago,  111. 

A  Handy  Wire  Hook  for  Carrying 
Window  Panes 

Carrying  a  pane  of  glass  is  a  job  which, 
although  apparently  easy,  causes  much 
loss  of  temper.  If  the  pane  is  wrapped 
with  paper,  there 
is  often  danger 
that  it  will  slip 
out  of  the  hand 
and  fall.  If  it  is 
not  wrapped,  the 
edges  are  likely  to 
cut  the  hand.  One 
who  provides 
himself  with  an 
old  glove,  and  a 
piece  of  st  i  f  f 
wire  inside  of  a 
long,  heavy  cloth- 
covered  rubber  tubing,  will  find  the 
difficulty  practically  solved.  The  wire 
is  used  as  shown  in  the  illustration,  and 
the  glass  is  held  from  tipping  out  by  a 
slight  pressure  of  the  thumb. — Henry  W. 
Kingston,   Milwaukee,   Wis. 


sJCIjOTH  QAS 
TUBING 
M-IEAVV  WIRE 


Signboard  Shows  Where  Workman 
is  to  be  Found 

An  electrician  in  a  large  mill  installed 
on  the  door  of  his  shop  a  signboard 
which  saved 
much  time 
for  his  fellow 
employ  e  s. 
When  out 
working  i  n 
the  mill,  his 
shop  door  was 
always  left 
closed,  and 
when  electric 
trouble  devel-- 
oped  in  a  dis- 
tant part  of 
the  mill, 
much  time 
was  often 
wasted  in 
finding  h  i  m. 
The  device 
consisted  sim- 
ply of  a  wide 
b  o  a  r  d  at- 
tached outside  the  shop  door,  having 
painted  upon  it  the  names  of  the  various 
departments  in  the  mill  where  electrical 
work  .frequently  had  to  be  done.  In  front 
of  each  was  drilled  a  small  hole  in  which 
could  be  inserted  a  plue  hanging  by  a 
string  from  a  nail  in  the  door  casing. 
When  the  electrician  left  his  shop,  he 
simply  inserted  the  plug  in  the  proper 
hole,  which  notified  4:allers  immediately 
of  his  whereabouts.  Parties  calling  him 
by  telephone  and  receiving  no  answer 
could  call  the  department  opposite  his 
shop  and  inquire  where  the  electrician 
was,  the  question  being  answered  by  a 
glance  at  the  board  on  the  door. 

A  small  piece  of  slate  was  inserted  in 
the  board  below  the  painted  letters,  and  a 
plug  hole  was  also  made  beside  this  slate. 
When  going  to  a  place  not  covered  by  the 
painted  signs,  the  electrician  noted  this  on 
the  slate  with  a  piece  of  chalk,  and  in- 
serted the  plug  opposite  it.  The  plug  was 
provided  with  a  conspicuous  white  head 
made  of  an  old  porcelain  insulator,  and 
was  hung  by  a  cord  from  a  nail  in  the 
casing,,  near  the  door  knob.  Thus  the 
door  could  not  be  opened  without  remov- 
ing the  plug  from  the  hole,  and  there  was 
no  danger  of  the  electrician  returning 
without  indicating  it  by  removing  the 
plug.  This  idea  could  be  made  use  of  by 
many  tradesmen.  —  Frederic  Doremus, 
Passaic,  N.  J. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


Closing  Cast-iron  Pipe  'Ends 

without  a  Plug 

When  making  some  changes  to  a  water 
system  in  a  country  town,  it  became  nec- 
essary to  cut  out  several  lengths  of  12- 
in.  cast-iron  pipe. 
The  pipe  ends  on 
the      remaining 
pipes    therefore 
had  to  be  plugged 
at  once,  and  it  de- 
veloped that  there 
were  no  plugs  of 
proper    size    on 
hand.     The   fore- 
man hunted  up  a  piece  of  %-in.  sheet- 
iron  plate,  and  cut  out  several  circles  on 
a  lathe;  he  also  cut  an  equal  number  of 
short  pieces  from  one  end  of  the  removed 
pipe.     Placing   the   iron   disk   and   short 
piece  of  pipe  in  a  pipe   hub,  he  calked 
in  several  strands  of  oakum,  soaked  in 
one   of  the  iron-cement  mixtures  which 
are  for  sale,  and  on  top  of  this  he  poured 
in   melted  lead  to   the   top   of  the   hub. 
When  the  lead  cooled,  it  was  well  calked 
in.    All  the  joints  so  made  were  found  to 
be  water-tight,  and  nearly  as  easy  to  re- 
move as  the  regular  plugs.   This  was  done 
by  cutting  out  the  short  pipe  ends  with  a 
hammer  and  cold  chisel.    No  trouble  was 
experienced  with  ends  splitting  from  the 
pressure  caused  by  the  lead  calking,  nor 
did  the  joint  leak  through  the  oakum. 


Compressing  Spring  Wire  While  Bending 
Preserves  Strength 

In  making  forming  dies  for  bending 
spring  brass  wire,  it  is  usually  found  im- 
practical to  bend  the  wire  to  a  very  short 
radius,  because  the  wire  either  breaks  at 
this  point  during  the  forming,  or  is  so 
weakened  that  it 
breaks  afterward, 
while  in  use.  Very 
successful  results  in 
the  way  of  bending 
wire  to  a  short  radius 
have  been  obtained  by 
compressing  the  bend 
at  the  time  it  is  being 
made,  so  that  the  wire  is  shortened,  rather 
than  lengthened,  and  the  metal  is  made 
more  compact.  In  the  example  illus- 
trated, brass  wire  is  being  formed  into  a 
garter,  and  the  bend  is  compressed  by  the 
jaws  A,  and  forced  with  considerable 
pressure  against  the  fixed  pin  B.  The 
work  is  prevented  from  slipping  away 
from  B  by  being  bent  around  the  square 


form  C.  A  wire  garter  formed  in  this 
way  was  used  steadily  for  two  years, 
without  breaking,  showing  that  the  wire 
at  the  sharp  bend  had  not  been  appre- 
ciably weakened. 


Chamois-Skin  Gasoline  Filter 
Avoids  Carburetor  Troubles 

A  permanent  filter  in  the  gasoline  line 
of  an  automobile  will  tend  to  minimize 
sediment  and  water  in  the  gasoline  sup- 
ply.   Two  brass  disks,  a  circular  piece  of 
chamois,  and  two 
brass    screws    are 
all  that  is  needed. 
The  disks  are  cut 
to  31/4-in.  outside 
diameter,  and  re- 
cessed out  on  the 
inside     to     about 
2V^    in.    in    diam- 
eter.     The    depth 
of  the  recess  need 

not  be  more  than  Ys  in.  in  each  disk.  This 
filter,  if  kept  clean  and  tight,  is  a  posi- 
tive assurance  against  water  and  dirt  get- 
ting in  the  carburetor. — Peter  J.  M.  Clutc, 
Schenectady,  N.  Y. 


Lubricated  Varnish  Eliminates  Trouble 
with  Sliding  Drawers 

To  make  bureau  drawers  and  other 
wood  surfaces  slide  easier,  add  a  table- 
spoonful  of  powdered  graphite  to  a  pint 
of  shellac  varnish ;  stir  well  to  mix  it,  and 
apply  with  a  brush ;  dry  4  to  10  hours  be- 
fore using.  One  coat  is  usually  enough. 
— E.  L.  Howard,  Springfield,  Ohio. 


Tool  for  Lifting  Rocker  Arms 
on  Overhead- Valve  Engines 

A  very  convenient  tool  for  releasing 
the  push  rods  on  overhead-valve  engines 
is  shown  in  the 
sketch.  The  tool  is 
made  from  a  piece 
of  hard  wood,  or 
metal,  with  a 
round  rod  riveted 
securely  and  bent 
as  shown.  By  pull- 
ing upon  the  lever, 
the  valve  is  moved  downward,  compress- 
ing the  spring  until  the  rear  end  of  the 
rocker  is  clear  of  the  push  rod,  which  is 
then  removed. — Charles  Stuart,  Dallas, 
Texas. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


126 


Renewing  Enlarged  Orifice 
in  Burner 

The  burner  orifice  on  a  blowtorch  be- 
came so  enlarged  that  it  would  not  bum 
with  a  hot  blue  flame,  but  with  a  sooty 
yellow  flame,  with  raw  gasoline  spurting 
out  at  times.  It  was  impossible  to  obtain 
another  burner.  As  a  temporary  repair, 
the  needle  valve  was  removed,  and  the 
flame  tube  turned  off  with  a  pipe  wrench. 
With  a  ball-peen  machinists'  hammer,  sev- 
eral light  blows  were  struck  on  the  soft 
bronze  burner,  which  completely  closed 
the  orifice.  The  needle  valve  was  turned 
back  in  place  just  tight  enough  to  pierce 
through  the  bronze,  making  a  new  orifice 
much  smaller  than  before.  After  reas- 
sembling the  torch  it  burned  perfectly. 
It  has  been  in  daily  use  for  a  month  since 
and  continues  to  work  well.  When 
the  burner  becomes  enlarged  again,  the 
repairing  process  can  be  repeated, — ^John 
P.  Robinson,  Hillsdale,  Mich. 


Preventing  Nails  from  Splitting  Wood 

When  nails  have  to  be  driven  into  a 
piece  of  wood  which  is  so  thin  or  narrow 
that  there  is  danger 
of  splitting,  this 
danger  may  be 
much  reduced  by 
providing  nails 
with  a  chisel  point 
such  as  is  used  on 
railroad  spikes.  To 
avoid  splitting  ties, 
a  railroad  spike  al- 
ways has  a  chisel  edge  and  is  used  with 
this  chisel  edge  laid  parallel  to  the  rails, 
or  across  the  grain  of  the  tie.  Small 
nails  may  be  sharpened  this  way  by 
laying  them  on  the  sharp  edge  of  an 
anvil,  or  other  heavy  steel  block,  and 
striking  a  heavy  blow  with  a  hammer, 
which  will  cut  off  the  old  point  of  the  nail, 
and  flatten  the  end  to  the  shape  desired. 
If  the  flattened  end  is  too  wide,  it  may  be 
dressed  off  with  a  file.— Walter  L.  Morri- 
son, Crozier,  N.  Mex. 


Desk  Drawers  Made  of  Bread  Pans 

In  remodeling  an  office  desk,  new 
drawers  were  made  of  ordinary  bread 
pans.  One  end  was  finished  off  flush  by 
means  of  a  wooden  wedge,  to  which  a 
face-board  and  handle  were  attached. 
Such  drawers  slide  easily,  being  supported 
by  the  rim  of  the  pan,  and  are  not  difficult 
to  keep  clean.— E.  O.  Tetzlaff,  Cicero,  111. 


Frame  Holds  Oilcan  and  Tilts 
for  Pouring 

Anyone  who  has  tried  to  pour  oil  from 
a  square  can,  especially  when  the  can  is 
full,  will  recognize  at 
ness  of  the  frame  sho^ 
panying  photograph. 

The  picture  was  t 
frame  tilted,  but  the  c< 
its  center  of  gravit; 
slightly  back  of  th( 
fulcrum,  so  that  a: 
soon  as  the  handl 
is  released,  the  fram* 
swings  back  into  ai 
upright  position.  Th( 
piece  across  the  fron 
prevents  the  frame 
from  swinging  be- 
yond the  perpen- 
dicular  position. 

By  the  use  of  •* 
this  arrangement,  one  may  hold  a  recep- 
tacle in  the  left  hand  close  to  the  spout, 
tilt  the  frame  with  the  right  hand,  and 
pour  as  fast  or  slowly  as  desired  without 
danger  of  spilling  oil  on  the  floor.  Vari- 
ous methods  of  clamping  the  can  will  oc- 
cur to  the  maker,  to  prevent  it  from  slip- 
ping out  when  nearly  empty  and  turned 
almost  upside  down.  —  Harvey  Mead, 
Scranton,  Pa. 


Divided  Window  Shades  Permit 
Fine  Adjustment  of  Light 

The  device  of  using  two  shades,  side 
by  side,  on  a  wide  window,  instead  of 
one,  is  useful  in 
a  number  of 
places ;  especially 
in  the  sick  room 
it  will  often  allow 
sunlight  to  enter 
a  room  from 
which  it  would 
otherwise  be  ex- 
cluded because  it 
might  shine  too 
directly  on  the 
patient's  eyes.  In 
many  shops  and 
drafting  rooms, 
also,     the     device 

will  pay  for  itself  ^^i^^^^^^^^-r-..^ 
in  the  conven- 
ience which  it  brings.  When  both  shades 
are  to  be  raised  or  lowered  at  once,  no 
extra  time  is  required,  as  one  hand  can 
be  used  on  each  shade. — R.  Lee  Sharpe, 
Carrollton,  Ga, 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


A  Durable  Hingeless  Field  Gate 

All  field  gates  should  be  made  higher 
than  the  fence,  because  restless  animals 
try  the  gate  in  preference  to  the  fence. 


A  Gate  Which  Requires  No  Hinges,  cannot  Sag, 
and  is  Easily  Swung  Open  or  Closed 

Where  the  gate  does  not  have  to  be 
opened  very  often,  the  sketch  shows  a 
construction  which  is  more  durable  and 
often  more  convenient  than  hinges.  To 
open  this  gate,  the  end  at  the  right  is 
lifted  from  the  bar  between  the  two  posts, 
on  which  it  rests,  and  is  slid  along,  rest- 
ing on  the  cross  bar  at  the  other  end  of 
the  gate,  until  the  cleat  across  the  center 
of  the  gate  touches  this  cross  bar.  The 
gate  is  then  almost  balanced  or  supported 
at  its  center  and  can  be  swung  around  at 
right  angles  with  very  little  exertion. 
This  cross  bar,  on  which  it  is  swung,  is 
securely  fastened  to  two  posts  set  at  an 
angle  of  45°,  as  shown. 

Any  shocks  which  may  come  to  the 
gate  structure,  such  as  by  animals  run- 
ning against  it,  are  taken  by  these  up- 
right posts  direct,  instead  of  through 
hinges.  The  posts  should  therefore  be 
set  firmly  in  concrete.  A  gate  with  four 
bars  will  be  sufficient  for  dairy  cows; 
where  hogs  or  horses  are  pastured,  the 
gate  should  have  five  bars.  For  hogs, 
there  should  be  a  pole  or  bar  of  some 
kind  under  the  gate,  partly  buried  in  the 
ground,  or  better,  a  sill  of  cement.  A 
good  width  for  such  a  gate  is  14  ft.  clear, 
or  15  ft.  total  length  of  gate.  A  block,  at 
the  extreme  right  end  of  the  gate  bar 
which  rests  on  the  bar  between  the  posts, 
will  eliminate  any  danger  of  the  gate  be- 
ing pushed  open  by  animals. — Herbert  A. 
Shearer,  Chicago,  111. 


CETo  prevent  a  round-head  bolt  from 
turning  in  wood  or  metal,  drive  a  prick 
punch,  close  to  the  edge,  through  the 
head  and  hold  the  punch  while  turning 
the  nut. 


Grooved  Pulley  Made  of  Barrel  Heads 

It  was  desired  to  drive  a  small  emery 
wheel  by  a  round  belt  from  the  flywheel 
of  a  gasoline  engine,  whose  speed  was 
only  about  one-eighth  of  the  speed  de- 
sired for  the  emery  wheel.  A  large  sheave 
was,  therefore,  required  for  attachment 
to  the  flywheel.  To  make  this  sheave,  two 
16-in.  barrel  heads  were  used,  placing 
them  together  so  that  the  beveled  edges 
flared  outward,  and  the  grain-  of  the  two 
pieces  was  at  right  angles  to  each  other. 
The  two  barrel  heads  were  fastened  to- 
gether firmly  with  glue  and  screws,  and 
were  clipped  to  the  arms  of  the  flywheel, 
a  large  hole  being  made  in  the  center  of 
the  sheave  for  the  engine  shaft  and  gov- 
ernor. The  sheave  was  centered  by 
measuring,  and  making  equal,  distances 
from  several  points  on  the  edge  of  the 
sheave  to  the  outer  circumference  of  the 
flywheel. 


Chuck  Holds  Auto  Timers 
for  Refinishing 

The  inner  surface  on  automobile  timers 
wears  quite  rapidly,  and  after  the  car 
has  run  3,000  or  4,000  miles,  it  is  often 
so  uneven  that  the  roller  does  not  make 
good  contact,  but  jumps  from  one  high 
spot  to  the  next,  causing  the  engine  to 
miss  fire.  These  timers  are  not  expen- 
sive, and  are  often  thrown  away  without 
any  attempt  to  resurface  the  part,  largely 
because  the  terminal  screws  on  the  timer 
case  make  H  a  difficult  object  to  hold  in 
the  lathe  chuck.  Confronted,  however, 
with  the  present  scarcity  of  materials 
and  parts,  one  shop  has  made  from  cast 
iron  a  jig,  or  special  chuck,  into  which  the 
timer  fits,  the  jig  being  then  held  in  the 
lathe  chuck.    The  slot  in  the  piece  of  iron 


Rather  Than  Throw  Away  a  Number  of  Worn  Auto- 
mobile Timers,  It  will   Conserve  Material  if  They 
are  Placed  in  a  Jig,  Such  as  This  One,  and  Resur- 
faced in  the  Latha 

gives  it  sufficient  elasticity  to  grip  the 
timer  firmly  when  screwed  up  in  the 
chuck.     A  universal  chuck  must  not  be 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


187 


used,  because  the  outer  surface  of  the 
timer  varies  considerably;  the  part  must 
be  centered  with  reference  to  the  metal 
contact  surface  under  the  terminal  screws. 


the  chassis  from  slipping  sideways.    The 
third  support  engages  the  differential  of 


Emergency  Repair  for  a  Crankshaft 
with  a  Cracked  Web 

The  crankshaft  of  one  of  the  pumping 
engines  on  a  ship  was  found  to  have  de- 
veloped a  crack  in  its  web,  which  pre- 
vented proper  working  of  the  engine,  and 
threatened  to  put  it  out  of  service  al- 
together. As  it  was  hardly  possible  to 
get  a  new  crankshaft  at  the  time,  a  repair 
was  made  by  this  method:  A  template 
was  cut,  the  exact  shape  of  the  web  of 
the  crankshaft,  except  that  it  was  %4  in. 
shorter.  By  means  of  this  template,  three, 
bands  were  cut, 
out  of  %-in.  boiler 
plate,  of  the  shape 
shown.  The  in- 
side surfaces  of 
these  bands  were 
fitted  closely  to 
the  template  by 
filing.  The  crank- 
shaft was  then 
placed  in  a  verti- 
c  a  1  position,  a 
hole  being  drilled 
through  the  web 
at  the  end  of  the  crack  to  prevent  it 
from  extending  farther,  and  the  bands, 
heated  red-hot,  were  slipped  over  the 
web.  When  cool,  they  bound  the  defec- 
tive web  together  with  tremendous  pres- 
sure, and  enabled  the  crankshaft  to  be 
put  back  into  service.  The  crack  was 
found  to  have  been  caused  by  the  bear- 
ings being  somewhat  out  of  line,  and 
after  this  condition  was  corrected,  the 
engine  ran  satisfactorily,  in  spite  of  the 
extra  weight  on  the  crankshaft. 


Loading  Truck  Facilitates  Handling 
of  Auto  Chassis 

When  loading  automobile  chassis  on 
freight  cars  considerable  twisting  and 
prying  is  usually  necessary  to  get  them  in 
through  the  narrow  doors.  To  simplify 
this  operation,  a  truck,  as  shown  in  the 
sketch,  was  devised.  It  consists  of  two 
heavy  metal  wheels  attached  to  a  sub- 
stantial axle,  and  a  tubular  extension 
carrying  three  supports.  The  supports 
are  so  arranged  that  they  fit  onto  a  con- 
venient part  of  the  front  axle  and  hold 


IPIPE  AND   flPC  riTTlNOS 


Auto  Chassis,  Which  Are  Heaviest  at  the  Front  End, 
are  Readily  Handled  with  This  Truck 

the  car.  In  operation,  the  truck  is  wheeled 
about  by  means  of  the  extension  handle. 


Easily  Made  Lock  Washers 

These  three  types  of  lock  washers  are 
the  invention  of  a  practical  mechanic; 
each  of  them  has  been  tested  and  found 
efficient.  They  have  the  advantage  of 
being  both  cheap  and  easy  to  make.  In 
Fig,  1,  the  washer  is  cut  oblong,  the  hole 
is  drilled  in  the  center,  and  one  end  is 
split  and  spread*  This  washer  is  slipped 
on,  and  the  two  tabs  are  bent  up  against 
the  flat  sides  of  the  nut,  while  the  other 
end  is  bent  downward  over  the  edge  of 
the  part  held.  Fig.  2  shows  a  common 
square  washer,  made  of  Me-in.  sheet  iron. 
When  washer  and  nut  have  been  tight- 
ened down,  a  prick  punch  is  driven  into 
two  comers,  and  the  other  two  corners 
are  bent  up  against  the  flats.  Fig.  3  is^a 
common  round  washer,  slotted  as  shown 
with  a  hacksaw.  A  small  hole  is  drilled 
in  the  work  in  any  place  at  the  edge  of 
the  washer,  and  a  section  of  the  washer 


Three  Tjpes  of  Lock  Washer  Which  are  Easily  Made 

and  Useful  in  Machinery  Which  is 

Subject  to  Vibration 

is  drifted  into  this  hole.  The  larger  lug 
is  turned  up  at  right  angles,  so  that  it 
bears  against  the  nut. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


Compressing  SdfiF  Clutch  Springs 

with  Woodworkers'  Clamp 

A  woodworking  clamp  is  a  good  tool 
for  removing  and  replacing  the  clutch 
springs  on  automobiles.    The  clamp  jaws 


A  -Woodworkers'  Clamp,  Driven  On  with  a  Hammer, 

Comprctact  the  Clutch  Spring,  So  as  to 

Extract  or  Replace  the  Pin 

are  simply  tightened  on  the  shaft,  with 
the  ends  bearing  against  the  ring,  or  col- 
lar, which  retains  the  spring  in  position. 
The  clamp  is  driven  on  with  a  hammer, 
compressing  the  spring  until  the  retaining 
pin  can  be  removed  or  replaced,^  as  de- 
sired. The  advantage  of  the '  clamp 
method  is  its  adaptability  to  different 
sizes  of  shafts.  Often,  too,  awkward 
places,  in  which  springs  are  difficult  to 
compress,  can  be  easily  reached  by  the 
protruding  ends  of  the  clamp  jaws. — G.  A, 
Luers,  Washington,  D.  C. 


Fuel-Saving  Kinks  Valuable 
in  the  Home 

If  the  fire  box  of  the  stove  is  partly 
filled  with  bricks  or  stone,  leaving  the 
center  for  the  coal,  a  fire  can  be  made 
with  less  coal,  which  will  have  more  heat- 
ing ability  than  it  would  have  without 
the  bricks  or  stone  to  absorb  the  heat. 

Too  much  heat  in  a  home,  that  is  to 
say,  any  temperature  above  68°,  the  point 
which  has  been  set  by  the  Fuel  Adminis- 
tration as  a  proper  room  temperature, 
tends  to  produce  something  which  dan- 
gerously approaches  laziness.  This  is  felt 
plainly  when  the  temperature  runs  up  to 
/5  or  80°,  but  is  present  even  at  72  de- 
grees. 

Fires  in  bedrooms  are  unnecessaiy.  A 
bed  can  be  warmed  before  retiring,  if  ab- 
solutely necessary,  by  hot  water  in  a  bottle 
or  jug,  or  by  an  electric-light  bed  warmer, 
and  this  will  be  found  after  use  to  be 
even  more  luxurious  than  a  heated  bed- 
room, and  decidedly  more  sanitary  and 
economical. 

When  the  fire  has   died   out  and  the 


room  is  beginning  to  get  chilly,  if  one 
must  still  sit  in  it,  place  a  kerosene  lamp 
under  the  chair  and  it  will  save  the  neces- 
sity of  firing  up  again.—B.  W.  Rice,  Cald- 
well, Idaho. 


Pedal  Switch  for  Emery- 
Wheel  Motors 

Emery  wheels  do  not  take  a  great  deal 
of  power,  but  when  it  is  considered  that 
they  often  run  all  day,  while  the  total 
time  during  which  they  are  actually  used 
does  not  amount  to  more  than  perhaps 
half  an  hour,  it  will  be  seen  that  a  con- 
siderable waste  of  energy  is  involved. 
One  way  to  reduce  this  is  to  install  a 
pedal  control  for  the  switch  or  belt 
shifter,  together  with  a  spring,  so  that 
the  switch  will  be  opened  or  the  band 
shifted  back  to  the  loose  pulley  by  the 
action  of  the  spring,  as  soon  as  the  ten- 
sion on  the  pedal  is  released.  It  may,  of 
course,  be  objected  that  a  workman  would 
have  to  wait  a  few  seconds  while  the 
wheel  was  reaching  its  full  speed,  thus 
losing  time,  but  in  many  cases,  this  time 
can  be  fully  occupied  in  examining  the 
tool  to  be  ground,  and  determining  the 
exact  angle  at  which  it  is  to  be  held. 

Foot  Control  Handy  for  Faucets 
in  Washbowls 

Foot  control  for  the  wash  basin  is  rec- 
ognized as  the  most  convenient  and  san- 
itary method,  and  its  adoption  would  be 
much  wider  than 
it  is,  if  its  advan- 
tages were  better 
known.  It  will 
contribute  w  o  n  - 
derf  ully  to  the 
cleanliness  and 
convenience  of 
the  shop  wash- 
bowl, if  a  pedal  is 
installed  so  that 
pressure,  applied 
to  it  with  the 
foot,  turns  on  the  water,  it  being  turned 
off  by  a  spring,  when  the  foot  is  removed. 
In  this  way,  the  convenience  of  a  steady 
stream  of  water  is  secured,  while  at  the 
same  time  all  danger  of  the  water  being 
left  turned  on  by  a  careless  person  is 
eliminated. 


([Time  can  be  saved  in  photographic 
work  by  making  a  mark  on  the  bottle,  to 
indicate  the  amount  of  hypo,  or  other  ma- 
terial, usually  weighed  out  in  making  so- 
lutions. 


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A  Bicycle  Ice  Speeder 

By  F.  E.  brimmer 


AN  ordinary  bicycle,  with  the  front 
wheel  removed  and  a  purposely  built 
sled  attached  in  its  place  to  the  front 
forks,  makes  a  combination  that  will  com- 
pete in  speed  with  anything  that  travels 
on  ice.  It  must,  of  course,  be  carefully 
constructed  and  used  with  due  regard  to 
its  limitations.  When  these  are  learned, 
however,  a  great  deal  of  fun  can  be  ob- 
tained where  a  large  ice  surface  is  avail- 
able. 

The  sled  need 
n»t  be  heavy  if 
properly  built.  The 
fork  is  fastened  di- 
rectly by  two  bolts 
to  wooden  blocks, 
which  are  in  turn 
firmly  attached  by 
screws  to  a  hori- 
zontal board,  18  in. 
long  and  about  7 
in.  wide.    The  ends  — 

of  this  board  are 
screwed  to  two 
shorter  pieces  of  1- 
in.  hard  wood, 
whose  height  de- 
pends on  the  diam- 
eter of  the  bicycle 
wheels.  If  the  or- 
dinary bicycle  with 
28-in.  wheels  i  s 
used,  these  boards 
will  be  about  12  in. 
long,  so  that  the 
runners  and  the  top 
of  the  board  will  make  the  height  of  the 
front  hub  the  same  as  that  of  the  rear 
one,  or  nearly  14  in.  The  runners  are 
simply  two  ofd  skates,  with  the  tops  re- 
moved. The  runners  are  sunk  into  slots 
in  the  wood,  and  fastened  with  nails  pass- 
ing through  the  wood.  Care  should  be 
taken  to  see  that  the  skate  runners  are 
accurately  placed,  with  their  edges  ex- 
actly parallel  with  each  other  and  with 
the  edge  of  the  board  in  which  they  are 
fastened. 


LCATHCR  STRAP* 


Two  Old  Skates  snd  Some  Scraps  of  Lumber,  with 
s  Pew  Screws  and  Boards,  wiU  Conyert  Any  Bicycle 
into  an  Ice  Speeder  Which  will  Travel  with  Aston- 
ishing Velocity  across  a  Prosen  Lake  or  along  a  River 


Two    braces,    of    sticks    about    1^/^    in. 
square,  are  run  from  the  top  of  the  forks 
to  the  vertical  boards  which  form  the  sides 
of  the  sled.    By  arranging  them  as  shown 
in  the  sketch,  they  will  act  not  only  to 
brace  the  sled  against  swinging  back  if  a 
stone  or  rough  place  on  the  ice  should  be 
encountered,   which    is,   of   course,    their 
main  purpose,  but  also  to  strengthen  the 
sled    itself    against    collapse.-    At    their 
upper    ends,    these 
braces     are     firmly 
attached     to     the 
forks  by  a  piece  of 
iron   rod,   which  is 
bent  to  a  U-shape, 
threaded    on    both 
ends  and  sunk  into 
the    braces,    and    a 
small    block   which 
is    placed    between 
t  h  e     forks.       The 
metal  forks  should 
be  protected 
against  damage  by 
inserting  two  small 
pieces     of    leather, 
as  indicated ;  noth- 
ing but  this  leather 
will   then   come   in 
contact     with     the 
finished  metal.   The 
size    of   the    block 
should  be  made  so 
that  the  forks  will 
be    gripped    firmly 
but    not    tightly 


enough  to  injure  them;  the  thrust  from 
the  sled  is  not  taken  by  the  friction  of 
these  straps,  but  by  the  pressure  of  the 
small   block   between    the  forks. 

The  speeder  is  propelled,  of  course,  like 
an  ordinary  bicycle.  If  the  rear  tire  slips 
too  badly,  it  will  be  necessary  to  wind 
the  tire  and  rim  with  wire,  in  order  to 
provide  traction.  This  will  not  be  neces- 
sary, however,  if  the  tire  is  nearly  new 
and  has  a  nonskid-type  tread  with  pro- 
jections on  the  rubber.    One  characteristic 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


of  the  construction  may  cause  a  fall  un- 
less it  is  understood  at  the  start;  namely, 
that,  on  account  of  the  ang^le  at  which  the 
front  steering  spindle  of  a  bicycle  is  set, 
the  speeder  will  have  a  tendency  to  lean 
outward,  instead  of  inward,  when  round- 
ing a  curve.  This  tendency  can  be  cor- 
rected, of  course,  by  the  rider  leaning 
strongly  toward  the  inside  of  the  curve, 
as  he  does  to  some  extent  when  riding 
an  ordinary  bicycle.  The  question  will 
occur  as  to  why  two  runners  are  neces- 
sary instead  of  one,  corresponding  to  the 
front  wheel.  It  is  indeed  possible  to 
build  a  machine  in  this  way,  and  it  will 
be  in  some  respects  more  satisfactory  than 
when   built  with  the  two  runners   18  in. 


apart;  it  will  be  found  to  steer  somewhat 
easier  at  high  speeds  and  will,  in  fact,  be 
safer  when  traveling  at  high  speeds.  For 
the  beginner,  however,  who  should  con- 
fine his  efforts  at  first  to  mastering  the 
peculiarities  of  this  novel  vehicle  at  low 
speeds,  it  is  better  to  start  out  with  a 
double-runner  sled  in  front. 

It  should  be  noted,  in  conclusion,  that, 
unlike  many  freak  devices  made  for  bi- 
cycles, this  does  not  prevent,  in  any  way, 
its  usefulness  for  ordinary  purposes.  By 
removing  two  nuts,  loosening  the  two 
wing  nuts,  and  sliding  the  forks  out  from 
the  U-bolt,  the  front  wheel  may  be  re- 
placed in  a  few  minutes,  and  the  bicycle 
is   ready   to   ride. 


Handy  Electric  Night  Lamp 

for  Emergencies 

A  handy  bracket  for  an  electric  light 
on  the  bed  may  be  made  from  heavy  wire, 
twisted  together  for  a  length  of  about  15 
in.    At  one  .end  a 
hook  is  made,  to  fit 
over  the   top   rail 
of  the  bed.   At  the 
other  end,  the  two 
wires    are  .  spread 
out  each  way  and 
bent    back    at    an 
angle,  so  that  the 
two  free  ends  will 
span  two  or  more 
of     the     upright 
rods   in   the   head 
of  the  bed.    The  two  ends  of  these  curved 
pieces   of  wire  are  bent  to  form  hooks. 
A  wire  loop  is  soldered  at  the  place  where 
the  three  legs  of  the  holder  come  together, 
this  loop  serving  to  pass  the  lamp  cord 
through,  and  hold  the  light.     The  hooks 
are  padded  so   they  will  not  injure  the 
finish  on  the  bed,  and  the  whole  appara- 
tus is  hung  on  the  head  of  the  bed,  as 
shown,    providing    a    handy    night    light 
within  convenient  reach. — G.  I.  Mitchell, 
Ruston,  La. 


An  Error  Corrected 

On  page  628  of  our  October  issue  ap- 
peared an  article  entitled  "Converting  a 
Safe-Cabinet  into  a  Safe."  The  use  of 
the  words  "Safe-Cabinet"  here  was  an 
error,  as  the  process  was  intended  to 
refer  rather  to  the  ordinary  steel  filing 
cabinets  than  to  the  particular  product 
known  as  the  "Safe-Cabinet,"  which  is 
primarily  a  safe  and  not  a  filing  cabinet. 


Kitchen  Chair  as  a  Back 

Rest  for  Invalids 

Many  persons  confined  to  their  beds 
are  able  to  sit  up  in  bed,  but  refrain 
from  doing  so  owing  to  the  strain  the 
back  must  bear.  This  can  be  relieved 
by  the  use  of  an  old  kitchen  chair,,  with 
the  legs  cut  off  close  to  the  seat.  The 
seat  and  the  back  can  be  covered  with 
some  kind  of  padding.  When  the  patient 
wishes  to  sit  up,  the  seat  can  then  be 
slipped  under  him. — Gustave  Schoeffler, 
Rahway,  N.  J. 


Steering:  Sled  for  the  SmaU 
Boy  or  Girl 

For  the  youngster  who  is  not  quite  old 
enough  to  enjoy  safely  coasting  on  an 
ordinary  sled,  the  three-runner  affair  il- 
lustrated   will    be 
a   welcome    toy. 
The  sled  is  hardly 
suitable  for  coast- 
ing on    hills,    un- 
less they  are  very 
gradual,    but    can 
be  propelled  nice- 
ly over  hard  snow 
on   t  h  e    sidewalk 
by  the  little  one's 
feet.     The    length 

of  the  sled  illustrated  is  18  in.  and  the 
width  5  in.  The  seat  is  made  of  1-in. 
pine,  and  the  posts  are  pieces  of  old 
broom  handle ;  the  height  should  be  such 
that  the  child's  feet  reach  comfortably  to 
the  ground.  A  large  nail  through  the 
steering  post  carries  the  weight  in  front, 
bearing  against  a  large  washer  on  the 
underside  of  the  seat.  The  runners  are 
of  1-in.  ash,  with  steel  shoes. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


131 


Teeth  on  Back  of  Saw 

for  Cutting  Nails 

On  the  back  of  the  saw,  at  the  end 
away  from  the  handle,  file  a  row  of  teeth 
about  6  in.  long.  They  will  be  found  very 
convenient  for  cutting  off  nails,  espe- 
cially   while    removing    old    casings. 


Central  Beam  Doubles 

Safety  of  Ladder 

A  ladder  combining  to  an  unusual  de- 
gree the  factors  of  strength,  safety,  and 
light  weight  can  be  made  by  interposing 
a  central  upright  between  the  two  side- 
pieces.  This  neither  complicates  the  con- 
struction, nor  does  it  add  much  to  the 
cost,  since  relatively  smaller  timbers  can 
be  used.  That  is. to  say,  a  three-beam 
ladder  is  lighter  than  an  equally  strong 
ladder  of  the  ordinary  type. 

In   constructing 

the    ladder,    it    is 

well  to  make  the 

bottom     rung    of 

fiat  stock,  and  to 

mortise  it  into  the 

end  of  the  central 

beam.     The  three 

uprights    can    be 

clamped    together 

and  bored  for  the 

rungs  all  at  once, 

since  in  this  form 

of  ladder  it  is  not 

necessary  to  make 

the  rungs  thicker 

in  the  middle  than 

at  the  ends.    All  the  holes  should  make 

a    tight    fit.      The    third    piece    can    be 

driven  into  place  by  greasing  the  rungs 

with  paraffin,  which,  however,  should  be 

carefully    removed    later    on,    with    sand 

paper. 

The  third  piece  binds  all  rungs  together 
at  exactly  the  point  where  the  strain  is 
greatest  and  rungs  most  often  break; 
even  if  one-half  of  a  rung  should  give  way 
under  one  foot,  the  other  foot  would  stiU 
be  safe  on  the  other  half. 

It  will  be  found  also  that,  far  from 
being  a  hindrance  in  working,  the  central 
upright  will  rather  prove  an  added  con- 
venience. It  does  not  interfere  at  all  with 
either  hands  or  feet  in  climbing,  but  in- 
stead prevents  sidewise  slipping  of  the 
feet.  A  pail  can  be  hung  quite  handily, 
without  slipping,  between  the  center  beam 
and  either  of  the  side  beams. — Henry 
Simon,  Laguna  Beach,  Calif. 


Building   an   Iniitation   Battle   Tank 

for  Use  in  Parades 

In  many  Liberty-loan  parades  the  fea- 
ture  of  interest   has   been   an   imitation 


A  Tmnk,  Made  of  a  Light  Wooden  Prmmework  Covered 

with  Roofinif  Paper,  Presents  a  Formidable 

Appearance  in  Any  Patriotic  Parade 

battle  tank.  These  are  inexpensive,  and 
simple  of  construction.  The  tank  which 
is  here  illustrated  was  made  of  ordinary 
roofing  paper,  over  a  frame  of  1  by  4-in. 
and  2  by  4-in.  boards,  the«iatter  used  as 
braces.  The  whole  was  mounted  on  an 
ordinary  light  roadster,  which  furnished 
the  motive  power.  One  brace  in  the  back 
was  removable  for  driving  the  car  inside 
the  framework,  a  few  simple  knots  were 
then  tied,  and  the  imitation  battle  mon- 
ster was  ready  to  go.  The  entire  cost, 
exclusive  of  gasoline  and  wear  and  tear 
on  the  car,  need  not  exceed  $20. 


Cold  Water  Drawn  from  Bottom 
of  Lake  or  Stream 

Recognizing  the  fact  that  the  water  at 
the  bottom  of  a  lake  or  river  is  colder 
and     cleaner    than 
the    surface    water, 
a   camper    recently 
used  the  following 
device :      Fasten   a 
piece  of  cord  to  the 
handle    of    an    old 
jug,  and  also  to  the 
cork,  as  in  the  illus- 
tration.    Then  fas- 
ten    a     stone     o  r 
weight    of    s  o  m  e  ^ 
kind,    so    that    the  ' 
jug  will  sink  easily. 
Lower   the   jug   to 
the   bottom   of  the 

lake;     w  h  e  n     it  .  "^ 

touches  the  bottom  give  the  cord  a  quick 
jerk,  thus  pulling  out  the  cork.  When  air 
bubbles  cease  coming  to  the  surface,  it 
will  show  that  the  jug  is  full,  and  it' is 
then  raised  by  the  cord. — Clay  Hewes, 
Albany,  N.  Y. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


Filing  Prints  and  Negatives 

in  Card  Cabinet 

Amateur  photographers,  who  take  any 
considerable  quantity  of  pictures,  usually 
find  that  the  job  of  keeping  the  negatives 


A  Standard  Card  Cabinet  with  Guides  and  Follow 
Blocka  can  be  Put  to  Good  Use  in  Piling  Photo- 
graph  Ncgatiyca  and   Prints  for    Ready    Reference 

and  prints  in  •Such  shape  that  they  can 
be  found  when  wanted,  is  one  which  is 
decidedly  worthy  of  attention.  Probably 
no  better  way  of  keeping  the  negatives 
and  prints  can  be  found  than  to  use  a 
standard  card  cabinet  with  guides  be- 
tween different  lots  of  prints  or  negatives. 
Cabinets,  or  trays,  made  of  heavy  paste- 
board, are  obtainable  at  very  moderate 
prices;  a  certain  number  of  guides  are 
usually  furnished  with  them,  and  others 
can  be'  readily  purchased  or  cut  from 
pasteboard.  The  negatives  may  be  filed 
by  date  or  by  subject,  or  both;  in  any 
case,  the  wording  written  on  the  guides 
should  be  such  as  to  identify  instantly 
the  pictures  filed  behind  it.  One  of  three 
sizes  of  card  cabinets  in  general  use, 
namely,  3  by  5  in.,  4  by  6  in.,  and  5  by  8 
in.,  will  be  found  suitable  for  any  size 
of  photograph  in  common  use  among  am- 
ateurs.— E.  C.  Blomeyer,  Waco,  Tex. 


A  Novel  Pencil  Holder 

An  old  fountain  pen  makes  a  novel  pen- 
cil holder,  and  uses  up  small  pieces  of 
pencil  which  might  otherwise  be  wasted. 
Remove  the  cap  in  which  the  pen  is  held, 
and  screw  the  pencil  stub  in  its  place.  The 
threads  will  hold  the  pencil  firmly. 


An  Inkless  Pen 

To  make  a  pen  that  will  write  without 
ink,  get  a  small  quantity  of  violet  ani- 
line from  a  drug  store,  and  some  gum 
arabic.  Dissolve  a  little  of  the  gum  in 
warm  water,  and  mix  with  the  violet  ani- 


line until  a  paste  is  formed.  Apply  it  to 
the  inside  hollow  of  a  new  pen,  just  above 
the  split.  To  write  with  the  inkless  pen 
it  is  only  necessary  to  dip  it  in  water. 
Shake  away  the  drops,  but  do  not  wipe 
the  pen.  After  a  few  moments  it  will 
be  possible  to  write  quite  well.  Such 
inkless  pens  last  for  a  considerable  time, 
and  may  always  be  renewed. 


Simple  Combination  Lock  for 
Chests  and  Drawers 

There  are  in  this  lock  three  cylinders, 
each  of  which  engage  the  catch,  and  the 
three  must  release  simultaneously  to  en- 
able the  box  to  be  opened.  Each  cylinder 
is  made  of  a  piece  of  V^-in.  tubing,  %  in. 
longer  than  the  thickness  of  the  box.  A 
metal  disk,  or  button,  1  in.  in  diameter, 
is  soldered  or  brazed  to  one  end.  The 
wall  of  the  tubing  is  slotted  for  ^  in. 
at  the  other  end,  the  slot  being  just 
wide  enough  to  accommodate  the  pro- 
jections on  the  catch.  Three  %-in.  holes 
are  then  bored  in  the  box,  and  the  cyl- 
inders are  inserted;  metal  washers  are 
fitted  over  the  tubing  inside  the  box,  and 
soldered,  to  hold  the  cylinders  in  place. 

The  catch  is  cut  out  of  sheet  metal,  and 
bent  to  the  shape  shown  in  the  diagram. 
Care  should  be  taken  to  have  the  pro- 
jections correctly  spaced,  so  that  all  three 
will  enter  the  slots  in  the  cylinders  at  the 
same  time.  £efore  attaching  the  catch 
permanently,  it  is  well  to  decide  on  the 
combination  to  be  used.  Stamp  the 
figures  on  the  disks,  and  see  that  the  lock 
works  well  when  the  correct  figures  are 
set  at  the  marking  pins.    The  catch  may 


^-auyrii 


^SKCCT- METAL  CATCH 

While  Thia  Combi- 
nation Lock  ia  Not 
Recommended  for 
Keeping  Valuablea 
Safe  from  Burglara, 
It  will  Conatitute 


-4- 


•» — • — •«— ^ 

DCTAIU  or  CATCH 

Serious  Hint  That  the  Box  it  Not  Intended  to  be 
Opened  by  Anyone   Not  Knowing  the   Combination 

then  be  screwed  tight  to  the  lid,  and  the 
lock  is  complete. — Kenneth  E.  Ernst,  New 
York  City. 


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Drawings  a  Flag  with  Graceful  Waves 


By  R.  J.  STEPHENS 


JTEEPING  the  flag  constantly  before 
•^^^  us  may  serve  as  a  reminder  of  the 
fact  that  our  country  is  now  engaged  in 
a  struggle,  which  calls  for  each  one  to  do 
his  part,  not  only  at  special  times,  such 
as  when  Liberty  bonds  are  issued,  but 
every  day,  when  we  eat,  when  we  buy 
clothes,  and  when  we  have  leisure  time. 
The  American  flag,  while  undoubtedly 
one  of  the  most  beautiful  and  significant, 
is  more  difficult  to  draw  than  most  other 
important  national  flags.  It  can,  how- 
ever, be  drawn  quite  easily  and  quickly 

by    means    of    the     

ruling  pen  illus- 
trated. This  con- 
sists of  a  strip  of 
tin,  such  as  can  be 
cut  from  a  tin  can, 
with  six  rectangu- 
lar slots  cut  in  each 
side,  the  piece  being 
then  folded  over  to 
the  shape  shown. 
By  filling  the  space 
between  the  pro- 
jections with  red 
ink,  the  seven  red 
stripes  of  the  flag 
may  be  drawn, 
either  straight  or 
with  curves  to  rep- 
resent a  .  waving 
flag.  In  using  it, 
the  paper  should 
be  placed  on  several 


The  Stripes  in  the  Flag  are   Drawn  with  a  Special 

Riuing  Pen  Made  of  Tin,  and  the  Stan 

are  Made  by  Stenciling 


thicknesses  of  soft  blotting  paper,  to  com- 
pensate for  inaccuracy  in  cutting  the  tin. 
Another  piece  of  paper  should  be  placed 
over  the  space  which  is  to  contain  the 
field  of  stars',  and  the  stripes  are  then 
drawn  directly  over  this  piece,  and  over 
the  striped  portion  of  the  flag. 

For  making  the  stars,  a  stencil  is  re- 
quired; the  stars  should  be  cut  in  a  piece 
of  strong  paper  of  the  proper  size.  If  a 
ticket  punch  made  to  punch  five-pointed 


stars  is  available,  the  job  can  be  done 
very  quickly,  and  stencils  of  various  sizes 
and  with  different  forms  of  "wave"  can 
be    readily    produced.      Otherwise,    some 
careful  work  with  a  pocketknife  will  be 
required.     Having  made  the  stencil,  lay 
it  in  place  on  the  flag,  and  rub  over  it 
with  a  lump  of  paraffin,  such  as  is  used  in 
canning  fruit.     The   paraffin  works   best 
when  warmed  very  slightly;    if  the  job 
is   well   done,   each   star  will  be   clearly 
"printed"  in  paraffin  on  the  paper.    Now 
dip  a  paintbrush  in  blue  ink,  and  paint 
over  the  whole  field 
of  stars.    When  the 
ink  has  become  en- 
tirely   dry,    scrape 
off  the  paraffin  with 
a  sharp  knife,  bear- 
ing very  gently  in 
order  not  to  scratch 
the    ink,    and    the 
star    field     is     fin- 
ished.     A   flagstaff 
is  easily  added  with 
a  pen  or  pencil  and 
ruler. 

Another  method 
of  making  the  stars 
is  by  the  use  of 
white  ink  on  a 
brush,  working 
with  the  stencil,  on 
a  field  which  has 
been  colored  solid 
blue.     A  white  ink 


of  good  quality,  pr<jferably  the  kind  sold 
in  solid  form,  will  be  required  in  order  to 
obtain  the  best  success  in  making  the 
stars  with  this  method. 

Unless  star  stencils  are  made  which  sug- 
gest waves  in  the  flag,  the  waves  in  the 
rest  of  the  flag  will  of  course  have  to  be 
almost  entirely  confined  to  the  portion 
having  the  full  13  stripes.  If  the  ruling 
pen  is  tastefully  used,  however,  this  limi- 
tation will  be  scarcely  noticeable. 


Holding  a  Hand  Camera 

at  Eye  Level 

It  is  a  common  complaint  against  hand- 
camera  work  that,  in  so  many  cases,  the 
viewpoint  is  too  low,  the  lens  being  at 
about  waist  level.  Hence,  all  sorts  of 
trouble — patches  of  sky  coming  down  into 
the  picture,  heads  coinciding  with  the  sky 
line,  and  so  on.  Many  hand  cameras  can- 
not be  used  at  eye  level  without  some 
alteration,  owing  to  the  position  of  the 


finder.  But  it  is  often  possible  to  fix  a 
little  cap  over  the  finder,  containing  a 
scrap  of  looking-glass  at  an  angle  of  45°, 
so  that,  on  looking  along  the  top  of  the 
camera,  the  view  in  the  finder  can  be  seen 
reflected  in  the  mirror.  The  device  should 
be  removable,  to  permit  ordinary  use  of 
the  camera,  and  the  hood  may  be  pro- 
longed for,  say,  an  inch  behind  the  finder. 
This  cuts  off  a  great  deal  of  extraneous 
light,  so  that  tne  image  can  be  seen 
clearly. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


How  to  Build  a  Camp  Fire 

in  Deep  Snow 

The  illustration  shows  a  quick  and  effi- 
cient way  to  make  a  fireplace  in  the  snow, 


Baildinf  a  Camp  Fire  in  a  Snowdrift  It  Kaiy  Bnough 

if  Oae  Knows  How  to   Do  It    Tha  Long 

Sticka  Keep  the  Fire  from  Sinking 

that  is  more  convenient  in  some  ways  than 
a  camp  fire  on  the  ground.  First  a  trench, 
5  ft.  long  and  16  in.  wide,  is  made  by 
scooping  up  the  snow,  with  snowshoe  or 
shovel.  The  bottom  can  be  secured 
against  sinking  when  the  snow  melts  by 
laying  green  poles,  10  ft.  long,  length- 
wise in  the  trench.  A  stick  extends  across 
the  trench,  upon  which  the  kettle  hangs 
for  boiling.  A  stick  supported  on  two 
others  thrust  into  the  snow  will  support 
meat,  corn,  etc.,  for  broiling  crver  the  fire. 
If  possible,  the  trench  in  the  snow  should 
be  made  along  the  side  of  a  cabin,  fence, 
row  of  trees,  or  other  object,  for  breaking 
the  wind.— F.  E.  Brimmer,  Dalton,  N.  Y. 


Simple  Support  Adjusts  Drawing 
Board  on  Table 

Piling  books,   or  other  articles,  under 
a  drawing  board  on  a  table  is,  at  best, 
an    unsatisfactory 
DRAWING  BOAfio^ method    of    hold- 
ing it  at  the  angle 
desired.      Ten 
minutes'  work  ap- 
plied to  two  sticks 
of       wood       will 
make  the  support 
shown     in     the 
sketch.        Two 
pieces   are   nailed 
together,      two 
natls  driven  in  the  vertical  one,  and  the 
heads  of  these  nails  cut  oflF;  the  nails  arc 


then  filed  to  a  very  sharp  point,  so  as  to 
keep  the  drawing  board  from  slipping. 
The  angle  at  which  the  board  rests  can 
be  varied  by  shifting  the  support  back- 
ward and  forward  underneath  it. — James 
E.  Noble,  Portsmouth,  Ontario,  Can. 


Getting  Fresh  Air  into  a  Stateroom 

When  riding  in  a  hot,  stuflFy  stateroom 
on  a  boat,  the  porthole  of  which  dops  not 
admit  much  air,  attach  to  the  hinge  of 
the  porthole  door,  by  means  of  a  piece 
of  string,  a  card  or  folded  newspaper,  so 
that  it  will  deflect  into  the  window  the 
current  of  air  formed  by  the  ship's  motion. 
A  considerable  "breeze"  may  be  produced 
in  this  way. — Benjamin  La  Pish,  South 
Bethlehem,  Pa. 


Small  Washboard  for  Handkerchiefs 
Made  of  Spools 

A  small  washboard  suitable  for  wash- 
ing handkerchiefs,  or  small  pieces  of  lace 
or  ribbon,  is  made 
by  mounting  a 
number  of  spools 
of  the  same  size, 
on  stiff  steel  wire 
or  rods,  in  a  suit- 
able wooden 
'  frame.  The  spools 
on  which  silk 
thread  is  wound, 
having  small 
flanges,  are  more 
suitable      than 

those  used  for  cotton  thread.  In  laying 
out  the  frame,  care  must  be  taken  that 
plenty  of  room  is  left  for  the  expansion  of 
the  wooden  spools,  which  occurs  when 
they  become  soaked  with  water;  other- 
wise, they  will  not  work  freely.  This  form 
of  washboard  will  be  found  to  entail  a  less 
amount  of  wear  than  the  ordinary  one, 
which  involves  rubbing  against  a  rough 
surface. — A.  S.  Thomas,  Amherstburg, 
Ontario,  Can. 


Screen  and  Storm-Door  Hooks 

To  prevent  furrows  and  holes  in  screen 
and  storm  doors  caused  by  battering  with 
the  screw  hooks,  put  the  hook  on  the 
jamb  and  the  eye  on  the  door.  Then  the 
screw  hook  can  do  no  damage.  This  will 
prevent  the  marring  of  the  casing,  which 
is  due  to  the  hook  swinging  outward  as 
the  door  is  closing.  The  changed  posi- 
tion will  not  be  found  inconvenient. — 
W.  J.  Parks,  LaSalle,  111. 


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Electrical  Model  Shows  Possibilities 

of  Farm-Lighting  Plant 

A  neat  and  effective  demonstrating  out- 
fit to  show  the  possibility  of  a  farm- 
lighting  system  was  recently  com- 


these,  there  were  six  switches  in  a  handy 
board,  within  reach  of  the  salesman,  as 
he  stood  in  front  of  the  canvas.  The  man- 
ner in  which  the  different  objects  were 
successively  lighted  up  as   the   salesman 


Demomtratiiig  a  Farm- Lighting  Outfit:  The  Painted  Windows  Are  All  Transparent,  with  Lights  behind 

the  Canvas*  So  That  the  Salesman,  by  Touching  a  Button,  can  Illuminate 

Any  of  the  Windows  visible  in  the  Picture 

was  in  reality  a  hole  in  the  canvas,  cov- 
ered with  thin  tissue  paper,  behind  which 
the  light  from  a  certain  lamp  could  be 
seen.  There  were  in  all  six  lighting  cir- 
cuits, each  one  to  illuminate  a  certain 
object  in  the  picture;    corresponding  to 


emphasized  the  particular  advantages  of 
lighting  in  this  particular  spot,  formed  a 
vivid  impression  in  the  minds  of  the  lis- 
teners, and  may  furnish  a  valuable  sug- 
gestion to  salesmen  with  similar  problems. 
— H.  S.  Rich,  Cromwell,  Conn. 


Changing  Blueprints  to  Imitation 

of  Sepia 

By  washing  blueprints  in  a  solution  of 
one  part  tannic  acid  to  10  parts  of  dis- 
tilled water,  they  are  changed  to  a  beau- 
tiful imitation-sepia  tone  which  is  per- 
manent. 


Wireless  Hair  Crimper  or  Waver 

This  instrument  may  be  made  of  wood 
or  metal  in  the  shape  of  an  elongated  "U," 
with  the  two  ends  slit  as  shown.  Ordi- 
nary twine  is  passed  through  the  slits, 
a  loop  being  made  long  enough  to  be  held 
in  the  hand  with  the  crimper,  as  well  as 
the  two  ends  of  the  string.  The  strand 
of  hair  is  carried  first  around  one  end  and 
then  another  in  figure-eight  fashion. 
Then  the  two  free  ends  of  string  are 
drawn  through  the  hair  and  removed 
from  the  slits,  and  the  free  ends  tied  in 


a  bow  knot.  The  crimper  is  then  re- 
moved. The  feature  of  this  method  is 
that  there  is  no 
metal  remaining 
in  the  hair,  and 
only  the  soft  tufts 
of  hair  to  lie 
upon  instead  of 
metal.  Moistening 
the  hair  slightly 
before  curling  will 
make  the  curl  or 
wave  remain  in 
for  a  longer  time 
after  the  string  is 
removed  and  the 
hair  combed  out. 
There  are  no  fu- 
t  u  r  e    fittings    to 

buy,  as  the  strings  necessary  are  always  to 
be  had  in  the  home.  Ribbon  may  be  sub- 
stituted for  string,  if  preferred. — Harry  E. 
Gifford,  Medford,  Mass. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


Makinif  a  Skating  Rink 

in  the  Back  Yard 

In  making  a  rink  of  this  kind,  the  first 
thing  necessary  is  to  have  the  ground 
well  frozen,  and  plenty  of  snow  covering 


It  It  Not  Dificalt  to  Make  a  Good  Skatias  Rink 

in  the  Back  Yard*  if  the  DirectioBe  are  Followed 

CarefttUy,  and  tlie  Weather  It  Mot  Too  Warm 

it.  With  scrapers  or  shovels,  scrape  all 
the  snow  off  the  area  to  be  iced,  piling 
it  up  in  good-sized  banks  all  around  the 
space,  to  a  height  of  15  in.  or  2  ft.,  finish- 
ing off  with  an  old  broom.  The  bases  of 
the  snow  banks  should  be  about  18  in. 
through,  gradually  tapering  toward  the 
top.  Before  packing,  throw  enough  water 
on  them  to  make  the  snow  very  moist. 
Then  pat  it  well  down  with  shovels  or 
boards,  and  let  it  freeze.  The  first  cold 
night  will  so  firmly  set  the  banks  that 
they  will  be  more  like  ice  than  snow.  In 
the  same  manner,  wet  down  the  scraped 
"floor"  of  the  rink,  and  let  this  also  freeze 
well.  If  most  of  the  water  seems  to  be 
absorbed  the  following  morning,  and  little 
ice  shows,  wet  the  ground  thoroughly 
again  and  again. 

Some  cold  day  which  promises  a  hard- 
freezing  night,  flood  the  basin  with  water; 
this  can  be  done  most  handily  with  a  hose, 
but  if  none  is  at  hand,  a  number  of  boys 
with  pails  can  soon  accomplish  the  ob- 
ject. Cover  the  ground  with  water  to  a 
depth  of  about  6  in.  After  a  few  nights 
and  days  of  cold  weather,  the  rink  will 
be  covered  with  ice  of  suflicient  thickness 
for  good  skating,  and  then  all  that  is  nec- 
essary is  to  keep  it  in  as  good  condition 
as  possible.  Scrape  off  and  sweep  off 
all  light  snows  that  may  fall,  and  if  a 
thaw  comes,  or  the  surface  becomes  too 
badly  cut,  flood  the  rink  again,  bringing 
the  water  line  above  the  slush  or  rough 
sp6ts,  so  that  the  first  freezing  weather 
will  give  you  a  new  and  smooth  surface 
of  ice. — ^J.  G.  Allshouse,  Vandergrift,  Pa. 


Mount  the  Oothes  Baaket 

on  Wheeb 

Mounting  the  clothes  basket  on  a 
wooden  frame  provided  with  small  wheels, 
lightens  considerably  the  labor  of  wash 
day.  The  basket  and  table  may  be 
painted  with  white  enamel  to  make  them 
easy  to  keep  clean,  and  the  basket  can 
be  filled  with  a  much  heavier  load  than 
would  be  practicable  if  it  were  to  be  car- 
ried. It  can  then  be  rolled  out  to  the 
clothesline,  so  that  the  clothes  can  be 
lifted  directly  from  it  and  hung  on  the 
line. — Edna  Goodman,  Glencoe,  Okla. 


Metal  Mirrors  for  Cyclists 

Riders  of  bicycles  and  motorcycles  have 
found  that  metal  mirrors,  originally  in- 
tended for  soldiers'  use,  give  excellent 
service  as  mirrors  for  observing  the  street 
to  the  rear.  They  are  easily  attached  to 
the  handlebars  of  the  machine^  in  the  same 
manner  as  the  now  common  glass  mirror 
used  for  the  same  purpose.  While  the 
mirror  may  also  be  used  on  automobiles, 
bicyclists  have  found  it  of  especial  value, 
in  that  it  is  not  subject  to  breakage,  de- 
spite the  frequent  spills  that  often  prove 
disastrous  to  the  glass  mirrors. — ^J.  R. 
Elliott,  Rofchester,  N.  Y. 


Kit  Box  and  Writing  Desk  for  Soldiers 
and  Campers 

After  losing  a  lot  of  time  hunting 
around  in  a  kit  bag  every  time  an  article 
was  wanted,  a  handy  kit  box,  as  shown 
in  the  sketches,  was  designed  and  made  by 
a  soldier  for  use  in  his  permanent  bar- 


A  Handy  Kit  Box  for  Soldiore  in  Barracks-  or  lor 
Campen:  It  ia  Easily  Converted  into  a  Novel 
Wrranff  Desk,  by  Adjustinc  the  Length  of  the  Braces 

racks.  When  closed,  the  box  measures 
12  in.  deep  by  14  in.  wide  by  28  in.  high, 
which  corresponds  with  local  camp  regu- 


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lations.  Opened  up  to  its  full  height,  it 
becomes  a  very  handy  dresser,  with  toilet 
articles  conveniently  arranged  in  elastic 
loops  about  a  mirror.  Below  are  a  shelf, 
two  drawers,  and  a  handy  catch-all  space. 
When  the  top  is  lowered  to  the  halfway 
position,  the  box  becomes  a  writing  desk, 
with  writing  material  conveniently  held 
in  the  double  top. 

The  two  folding  braces  are  made  of  a 
peculiar  form  to  permit  this.  Each  con- 
sists of  two  pieces  of  %-in.  pipe,  hinged 
together,  with  a  piece  of  %,-in.  rod  pro- 
jecting into  the  lower  one.  The  hinge 
comes  into  use  only  when  it  is  desired 
to  close  the  box  entirely. — Pvt.  C.  M. 
Vaiden,  Edgewood,  Md. 


Nonfreezing  Poidtry  Fountain 

In    my    poultry    yard    I    am    using   a 
homemade  nonfreezing  drinking  fountain, 
which         supplies 
water    for     the 
chickens    on     the 
c&ldest  days.   The 
method  of  its  con- 
struction is  as  fol- 
lows:    In  the  top 
and  bottom   of  a 
5-g^l.    paint    can, 
cut  holes,  3  in.  in 
diameter,      and 
solder  in   a  piece 
of  galvanized-iron 
rain-water    spout- 
ing.    About  1  in. 
from   the    bottom 
of  the  paint  can,  drill  a  %-in.  hole.    The 
drinking  pan,  15^  in.  in  diameter  and  IVi 
in.  deep,  may  be  made  or  purchased.    Cut 
a   circular   hole    in   the   bottom   of   it,   a 
little   smaller  than    the    diameter   of  the 
can,  and  solder  the  pan  to  the  bottom  of 
the  can.    The  lower  pan  is  13  in.  in  diam- 
eter, 6  in.  high,  and  has  no  top.     Bore 
several  holes,  y2  in.  in  diameter,  around 
this,  near  the  bottom,  to  admit  air.    Place 
a  cheap  kerosene  lamp  in  the  center  of  the 
lower  pan,  and  set  the  can  and  drinking 
pan  on  top  of  this,  getting  the  flue  in  the 
center. 

Remove  the  stopper  at  the  top  of  the 
can,  and  cork  the  ^^-in.  hole.  Fill  the 
can  full  of  water,  and  replace  the  stopper 
tightly;  then  remove  the  cork  from  the 
%-in.  hole.  This  allows  about  1  in.  of 
water  to  flow  into  the  drinking  pan.  On 
cold  days  the  lamp  is  kept  lighted,  and  the 
water  wilt  not  freeze  as  with  an  ordinary 
fountain. — R.  S.  Matzen,  Fort  Collins, 
Colorado. 


Rack  for  OfiBce  Papers 
Makes,  for  Neatness 

The  manager  of  an  office  became  tired 
of    having   his    table    and    desk    covered 
with     various 
baskets       for 
papers,  which 
were  to  be  de- 
livered   by    a 
messenger    to 
various      per- 
sons       desig- 
nated  on    the 
baskets.       He 
then  designed 
and      ordered 
made       the 
rack  shown  in 
the      illustra- 
tion.     It    has 
six     compart- 
ments, in  which  the  manager  places  papers 
destined  for   six   different   assistants,   or 
departments.    The  end  holes  make  it  easy 
to  put  in  and  take  out  papers  from  these 
compartments,  which  are  labeled  at  both 
ends.     One  end  is  within  arm's  reach  of 
the  manager's  chair;  from  the  other  end, 
the  messenger  lifts  the  papers  and  dis- 
tributes them,  as  directed  by  means  of  the 
labels    on    the    compartments. — Fred    C. 
Gallagher,  Augusta,  Ga. 


Cushion  for  Knees  Gives  Comfort 
Whfle  Scrubbing 

Housewives  have.^lways  found  scrub- 
bing their  most  dreaded  task.    It  is  hard 
and    tiresome,    inasmuch    as   it    is   often 
painful  to  kneel 
for  any  length  of 
time.  It's  a  messy 
job    as    well,    as 
water   will  splash  , 
on    the    clothing. 
The       scrubbing 
box  shown  in  the 
sketch    affords    a 
cushion    to    kneel 
on,  and  keeps  the 

waste  water  from  splashing  on  the  cloth- 
ing. The  box  can  be  made  from  an  ordi- 
nary soap  box  cut  in  two  longitudinally. 
The  cushion  can  be  padded  with  an  old 
sofa  pillow,  or  excelsior  or  straw,  cov- 
ered with  burlap. — R.  O.  Helwig,  Chicago, 
Illinois. 


GAluminum  is  a  more  rapid  conductor  of 
heat  than  cast  iron,  and  great  care  in  pre- 
heating it  for  welding  is  necessary. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


Dish  Drier  Made  of  Racks 

in  a  Biscuit  Pan 

Drying  the  dishes  after  washing,  with 
a  towel,  is  one  of  the  ancient  customs 
largely  discredited  by  modern  sanitation. 


The  Diihei  are  Drained  by  Setting  Them  on  a  Rack 

Made  of  No.  18  or  14  Gauge  Steel  Wire,  Bent  to 

Pit  the   Edges   of   the   Diihei   and    Mounted   in  a. 

Biicuit  Pan 

Even  if  the  towel  is  clean,  it  is  a  waste 
of  time,  as  the  dishes  will  be  cleaner 
if  thoroughly  rinsed  off  with  boiling  water 
and  left  to  dry.  The  dish  drainer  for 
this  purpose,  shown  in  the  photograph, 
was  made  by  bending  stiff  wire  over  nails 
in  a  vise,  and  soldering  them  together 
to  form  a  shape  which  fits  into  an  ordi- 
nary bread  or  biscuit  pan.  A  compart- 
ment for  silverware  is  also  shown,  which 
was  made  of  wire  net.  It  will  be  noted 
that  wire  supports  are  provided,  which 
hold  the  rack  for  tlie  dishes  some  dis- 
tance above  the  bottom  of  the  pan,  so 
as  to  leave  space  for  any  water  which 
may  fall  from  the  dishes.  If  this  space 
is  made  an  inch  or  more  deep,  the  dishes 
can  be  rinsed  by  a  stream  of  hot  water 
from  a  small  rubber  hose. — S.  R.  Winters, 
Washington,  D.  C. 


A  Wooden-Block  Puzzle 

An  interesting  and  somewhat  baffling 
puzzle  is  to  put  together  six  wooden 
blocks,  cut  to  the  shapes  detailed  at  the 
left  of  the  illustration,  so  as  to  form 
the  cross  shown  at  the  right.  It  can  be 
done  in  half  a  minute  after  one  has 
learned  how,  but  one  might  easily  spend 
an  hour  or  more  in  trying  if  the  method 
is  not  known. 

The  six  pieces  are  blocks  of  some  hard 
wood,  all  cut  at  first  to  the  size  of  ^/^  in. 
square,  and  about  4  in.  long.  The  ^/^-in. 
dimensions,  on  all  the  pieces,  must  be 
quite  accurate,  if  the  puzzle  is  to  work 


well.  Slots  are  then  cut  in  all  but  one 
of  the  blocks,  there  being  one  slot  in 
block  D,  two  intersecting  slots  in  blocks 
B,  C,  and  £,  and  three  slots  in  block  A. 
The  depth  of  all  slots  is  %  in.,  or  half 
the  thickness  of  the  block.  Their  width 
is  either  1,  2,  3,  or  4  times  the  depth 
(%,  to  1  in.),  as  shown  in  the  dimen- 
sions in  the  details.  The  slots  should  of 
course  be  smoothed  up  nicely  and  made 
just  slightly  larger  than  the  dimensions 
given,  so  that  the  blocks  will  fit  into 
them. 

While  learning  to  put  the  blocks  to- 
gether, it  will  be  helpful  to  place  on  each 
the  letter  distinguishing  it,  being  careful 
to  place  it  in  exactly  the  same  position  on 
the  block  as  shown.  Then  assemble  the 
blocks  so  that  the  letters  come  at  the 
positions  shown  at  the  right,  starting 
with  block  A,  fitting  B  into  it,  then  fitting 
C  into  its  place,  and  so  on  until  block  F 
is  slid  into  place,  locking  the  cross  to- 
gether until  it  is  removed.  Even  with 
these  directions,  the  task  may  be  difficult 
unless  the  following  precautions  are  ob- 
served: First,  hold  block  A  constantly 
in  the  same  position,  with  the  left  hand, 
until  the  last  block  is  inserted,  so  as  not 
to  alter  the  position  of  the  letter,  as  seen 
by  the  eye.  Second,  remember  that  block 
F  goes  directly  over  A,  and  has  no  slots, 
so  that  its  path  must  be  kept  clear  while 
assembling. 

After  the  device  is  assembled,  and  the 
method  is  familiar,  the  ends  should  be 
sawed  off  even,  so  that  each  end  is  at  the 
same  distance  from  the  nearest  crossing 
block.  Since  this  is  not  always  the 
same  as  the  distance  to  the  nearest  slot, 
the  ends  should  be  finished  off  while  as- 


To  Put  the  Blocki  Together,  Begin  with  Block  A, 

and  Place  Bach  So  That  the  Letter  Comei 

into   the   Poiition   Shown 

sembled.     The    figures    are   then   erased 
from  the  blocks,  and  the  puzzle  is  ready 
for  placing  before  the  novice. 
The  effectiveness  of  the  puzzle  depends 


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189 


largely  on  the  fact  that  one  may  exhibit 
the  structure  all  assembled,  pull  it  to 
pieces  with  two  quick  motions  (removing 
F  and  £)  and  defy  anyone  to  put  it  back 
together  again. — Tod  Masters,  Ft.  Atkin- 
son, Wis. 


Rubber  Tube  Holds  Screw 
on  Screwdriver 

To  start  screws  in  inaccessible  places, 
slip  one  ^nd  of  a  piece  of  rubber  tubing, 
such  as  is  used  for  gas  lighting,  over  the 
end  of  the  screwdriver,  and  the  other  end 
over  the  head  of  the  screw.  The  tubing 
will  keep  the  screwdriver  in  the  slot  of 
the  screw  while  starting  it.  If  a  rubber 
tube  is  not  at  hand,  a  piece  of  paper  may 
be  rolled  to  a  conical  shape,  and  will  do 
nearly  as  well. — ^James  L.  Brown,  Seattle, 
Washington. 


Reaming  a  Pulley  Hole  with  a  File 

A  pulley  with  a  ^-in.  hole  was  to  be 
placed  on  a  shaft  which  was  %»  in.  in  di- 
ameter. No  reamer  was  handy,  and  filing 
out    the    hole    in 


TO  DRIV^IO  PUULCY 
OF  aeWINO  MACHMC   ~ 


the  usual  way 
would  have  been 
quite  a  job.  It 
was  done,  how- 
ever, by  slipping 
the  pulley  on  the 
handle  of  the  file, 
and  connecting 
the  p  u  1 1  e  y  by  a 
sewing  -  machine 
belt  to  a  driving 
wheel  of  the  machine.  The  ends  of  the 
file  were  then. held  in  the  hands,  while  the 
pulley  was  revolved  by  the  belt.  If  care- 
fully done,  the  hole  will  be  found  fairly 
true,  and  can  be  trued  up  slightly  by  hand 
afterward,  if  found  necessary.  Oil  should 
be  used  on  the  file,  if  it  begins  to  feel  hot 
to  the  fingers. — E.  Standiford,  Youngs- 
town,  Ohio. 


Doors  Often  Carelessly  Misplaced  in 
Small  Buildings 

Many  a  farmer  and  carpenter,  when 
building  a  shed,  coal  house,  or  other  out- 
building, fails  to  consider,  in  locating  the 
door,  whether  it  is  in  the  right  place  for 
rainy  weather.  If  the  door  is  placed  under 
the  eaves,  rain  drips  constantly  in  front 
of  the  door,  and  entering  it  is  far  from 
a  dry  process.  If  the  door  is  placed  under 
the  gable,  this  annoyance  does  not  occur. 
— T.  J.  Hubbard,  Mendota,  III. 


Inexpensive  Sled  Made  from  Old 

Barrel  Staves 

This  sled  can  be  made  by  anyone  who 
can    handle   a    hammer.     The    materials 


SOAPBOX^ 

i 

I 

^ 

A  Soap  Box  Mounted  on  Pour  Barrel  Staves  Pormi 

a  Sled  Which  Contributei  toward  Relief 

from  the  High  Coat  of  Toys 

needed  are  four  barrel  staves,  two  strips 
of  triangular  section,  and  a  soap  box. 
The  staves,  which  g^ve  the  sled  a  springy 
motion,  are  nailed  as  shown  in  the  sketch, 
with  the  strips  fitted  snugly  in  the  ends. 
This  gives  it  strength,  and  provides  a 
place  for  attaching  a  rope.  The  box  is 
then  nailed  on,  forming  a  sled  that  will 
go  over  bumps  like  an  auto.  The  sled 
can  be  used  either  for  pulling  along  level 
ground  or  for  coasting. — Nelson  Bums^ 
Buffalo,  N.  Y. 


How  to  Make  Raised-Letter 
Show  Cards 

A  simple  method  of  making  raised  let- 
ters on  signs  and  show  cards,  which  is 
perhaps  well  known  to  most  artists  in  this 
line,  but  might  be 
of  interest  to  a 
large  number  of 
amateurs,  in- 
volves the  use  of 
a  rubber  bulb,  to 
which  are  fitted  a 
number  of  spouts 
of  different 
shapes.  The  let- 
ters are  made  by 
pressing  through  one  of  these  spouts  a 
ribbon  of  some  suitable  substance,  follow- 
ing the  lines  which  have  been  laid  out  as 
a  pattern  for  the  letters  desired.  The 
paint  or  paste  can  be  made  of  whiting,  dis- 
solved in  mucilage,  thick  glue,  or  a  solu- 
tion of  gum  arabic.  Pigments  can  be 
added  to  color  the  paste  any  shade,  and  if 
work  is  to  be  done  in  several  colors,  a 
bulb  can  be  filled  with  material  of  each 
color,  the  spouts  being  interchangeable 
on  any  of  them. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


^  IRON  ROD 
-TACK 


A  Very  Simple  Telegraph  Instrument 

for  Fun  or  Practice 

The  greatest  simplicity  is  attained  by 
this  sounder.  A  key  may  be  made  of  any 
piece  of  spring  brass  pressed  down  to 
contact  on  the 
head  of  a  tack,  or 
a  manufactured 
key  can  be 
mounted,  if  one  is 
available.  The 
sounder  itself 
consists  oi  k 
wooden  spool 
with  an  electromagnet  coil  set  on  top  of  it. 
The  coil  may  be  taken  from  an  old  electric 
bell,  or  made  by  winding  fine  insulated 
wire  on  a  spool  like  the  lower  one.  Inside 
.of  the  lower  spool  is  placed  a  short  piece 
of  iron  rod,  which  works  loosely  up  and 
down  over  a  distance  of  about  Y^  in., 
being  drawn  up  when  the  current  flows 
through  the  coil,  and  falling  of  its  own 
weight  when  the  current  stops.  As  it 
falls,  it  strikes  the  head  of  a  common 
carpet  tack,  thus  making  quite  a  per- 
ceptible click.  If  an  old  bell  coil  is  used, 
it  will  have  an  iron  core  against  which 
the  piece  of  rod  strikes  when  it  is  drawn 
upward;  if  the  magnet  is  made  on  a 
wooden  spool,  a  piece  of  iron  rod  or  screw 
should  be  set  into  it  to  act  as  a  core. 
The  Morse  telegraph  code  can  be  learned 
on  such  an  instrument  as  well  as  on  any 
standard  instrument. — Wm.  Warnecke, 
Jr.,  New  York,  N.  Y. 


How  Long  Is  a  Flash 
of  Lightning? 

This  photograph  of  a  flash  of  lightning 
was  taken  at  night,  with  a  thin  double- 
convex  lens  of  12- 
in.  focal  length. 
The  sound  of  the 
thunder  accom- 
panying the  bolt 
reached  the  pho- 
tographer 38  sec- 
onds after  the 
flash  was  o  b  - 
served.  The  tem- 
perature at  the 
time  was  72°,  and 
in  still  air  at  this 
temperature  the 
speed  of  sound  is 
1,130  ft.  per  sec- 
ond. As  there 
was  no  appreciable  wind,  the  bolt  was 
thus  about  38  times  1,130,  or  42,940  ft., 


distant.  As  will  be  seen  in  the  diagram, 
the  rays  of  light  coming  from  the  extreme 
ends  of  the  flash  form  two  similar  tri- 
angles. The  image  on  the  photographic 
plate  was  at  a  distance  of  1  ft.  from  the 
lens.  Careful  measurement  on  the  origi- 
nal negative  showed  that  the  image  of 
the  flash  was  1  in.  in  length,  or  one- 
twelfth  of  a  foot.  Since  the  large  triangle 
is  of  the  same  shape,  its  base  will  also  be 
one-twelfth  of  its  height,  and  the  length 
of  the  flash  is  thus  shown  to  be  one- 
twelfth  of  42,940  ft.,  or  about  3,600  ft.— 
over  two-thirds  of  a  mile.  If  the  flash 
is  not  parallel  with  the  camera  plate,  it 
is  even  longer  than  this.  Further,  the 
actual  ends  of  the  discharge  may  not  be 
visible,  so  that  the  computed  value  is 
quite  conservative.  One  may  give  his 
imagination  full  play  in  contemplating  the 


With  Proportioni  Much  Ezagserated,  the  Diagram 

Shows  the  Relations  by  which  the  Length 

of  the   Plash  is   Calculated 

voltage  necessary  to  produce  a  spark  dis- 
charge across  a  3,600-ft.  gap. — L.  Pyle,  St. 
Louis,  Mo. 


Can  Opener  Made  into  a  Needle 
for  Coarse  Sewing 

Many  cans  used  for  packing  meat,  and 
other  food  products,  are  opened  by  means 
of  a  small  handle  or  key,  which  has  an  eye 
for  receiving  a  strip  of  tin  and  winding 
it  up.  These  keys  are  always  furnished 
with  the  can,  and  usually  thrown  away 
as  the  can  is  opened.  Should  a  large 
needle  for  sewing  blankets  or  burlap  be 
required,  a  splendid  one  may  be  made  by 
straightening  out  one  of  these  keys  and 
filing  the  end  down  to  a  point. — W.  W. 
Snyder,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 


Enabling  Automobile  Driver  to  Signal 
Comfortably  in  Winter 

In  spite  of  the  hundreds  of  mechanical 
signaling  devices  invented  and  advertised 
for  automobiles,  the  old  method  of  thrust- 
ing out  the  driver's  hand  at  the  side  of 
the  car,  whenever  a  turn  or  stop  is  to  be 
made,  still  remains  the  favorite.  This 
is,  however,  very  inconvenient  when  the 
side  curtains  are  in  place,  as  the  curtain 
must  be  left  open  for  the  purpose,  thus 
letting  in  cold  air  or  rain.  One  driver  cut 
a  slit  in  his  side  curtain,  large  enough  for 


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141 


his  hand  to  go  through,  and  sewed  the 
edges  with  heavy  thread  like  a  button- 
hole. It  was  found  that  very  little  wind 
or  rain  came  in  through  the  slit,  and  sig- 
naling was  easy  in  the  ordinary  way.  This 
method  of  signaling,  while  crude,  has  the 
great  advantage  of  not  depending  on  me^ 
chanism  which  may  get  out  of  order. 


Tacks  Driven  into  Ironing  Board 
Form  Iron  Rest 

An  iron  rest  which  will  never  get  lost 
or  separated  from  the  ironing  board  con- 
sists merely  of  a  large  number  of  tacks, 
driven     into     one 
end  of  the  board. 
The  tacks  should 
not     be     driven 
clear      in,      but 
should         project 
about  Vs  in.,  so  as 
to    allow    an    air 
space      below 
which     will     pre- 
vent   a    hot    iron 
from  burning  the 

board.  A  row  of  tacks  around  the  edge 
can  be  left  projecting  a  little  farther  than 
the  others,  and  will  then  keep  the  iron 
from  slipping  off.  If  trouble  is  experi- 
enced by  clothes  tearing  on  the  tacks, 
wind  some  wire  around  under  the  heads 
of  the  outer  row  of  tacks,  as  shown  in 
the  illustration. 


Folding  Shelf  Supported 
by  Sliding  Bar 

By  means  of  a  metal  slide,  which  fits  in 

a  slot  cut  into  the  wall,  a  shelf  may  be 

firmly  supported  without  brackets  below 

it,    and    may    be 

quickly  folded  up 

on  hinges  to  get 

it  out  of  the  way. 

The  slotted  piece 

on  the  end  slides 

on    two    screws ; 

when    pulled    out 

from   the   slot   in 

the  wall,  the  shelf. 

is    folded   upward 

and  the  slide  dropped  down  to  prevent  the 

shelf  from  falling.    The  slot  in  the  wall 

is  readily  made  by  drilling  several  holes  in 

line,  and  cutting  out  the  wood  between 

them    with   a   chisel.     The   metal   slides 

should  be  of  exactly  the  same  width  as 

the  thickness  of  the  shelf,  so  as  to  hold 

it  nicely  when  folded  up. — Elmer  O.  Tetz- 

laff,  Cicero.  111. 


Light  for  Threading  Sewing-Machine 

Needles 

Threading  the  needles  of  a  sewing  ma- 
chine is  a  job  which  requires  a  good  light. 
A   light   strong   enough    to    furnish    the 
proper      illumina- 
tion for  this  pur- 
pose might  be  too 
expensive,        and 
too    brilliant    for 
constant    use.     A 
good  way  for  any- 
one   who   does    a 
great     deal     of 
work  on  a  sewing 
machine  is  to  at^ 
tach  a  flash  light 

by  a  good-sized  rubber  band,  slipping  the 
band  over  the  end  of  the  machine,  and 
tying  it  so  as  to  hold  the  flash  light  in 
a  small  loop  at  its  lower  end.  When  a 
needle  has  to  be  threaded,  the  flash  light 
can  be  pulled  down  so  as  to  illuminate 
the  exact  position  desired,  and  as  soon  as 
the  needle  is  threaded,  it  will  be  pulled 
back  and  be  out  of  the  way. — L.  A.  Col- 
lins, Louisville,   Ky. 


Drinking  Tube  for  Use  at  Bubbler 
Fountains  or  Springs 

Many  persons  object  to  drinking  from 
the  bubbler  fountains  which  are  now  in- 
stalled    in     many 
public     places. 
Some     o  f     these 
may   find   that    a 
tube,  such  as  the 
one      illustrated, 
makes  the  use  of 
the  fountains  less 
objectionable. 
The  tube  is  bent 
in     slightly     near 
one  end,  to  fit  the 
teeth,    so    that    it 
will  not  slip  from 
the  mouth.      Un- 
less made  of  alu- 
minum tubing,   it  should  be  plated  with 
nickel  or  silver.    It  should,  of  course,  be 
kept  clean  by  being  wrapped  in  a  paper 
or  placed  in  a  clean  case. — H.  F.  Griswold, 
Indianapolis,  Ind. 


CHard  putty  can  be  made  as  good  as  new 
by  simply  putting  it  through  a  common 
household-size  food  or  meat  grinder, 
using  a  fine  cutter,  and  then  mixing  it 
with  the  proper  proportion  of  oil  to  make 
it  pliable. 


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142 


POPULAR  MECHANICS 


Wire-Netting  Platform  Useful 

in  the  Back  Yard 

A  platform  built  in  a  back  yard,  con- 
sisting of  wire  netting,  mounted  on  a 
frame  of  2  by  6-in.  planks,  and  resting 


A    Stoutly   Conitructed  Wire- Netting  Platform  It 

Useful  for  Drying  Anything  from  a  Blanket  to  a  Lot 

of  Vegetables,  Bcsidea  Simplifying  the  Job  of  Carpet 

Beating 

on  six  4  by  4-in.  legs,  was  found  useful 
for  a  variety  of  purposes.  For  beating 
large  rugs,  the  advantage  over  hanging 
them  vertically  will  be  appreciated  by  any 
boy  who  has  ever  been  given  the  task 
of  carpet  beating.  Lace  curtains  can  be 
stretched  and  dried  on  the  platform,  with 
no  extra  apparatus  estcept  a  few  pins,  as 
the  platform  is  set  in  a  sunny  part  of  the 
yard.  Blankets,  sweaters,  and  other  ar- 
ticles which  are  very  heavy  after  washing, 
may  be  dried  by  simply  laying  them  on 
the  netting,  and  this  avoids  the  tendency 
which  such  articles  have  to  stretch  and 
become  distorted,  when  hung  on  a  line. 
For  drying  fruit  and  vegetables,  the  plat- 
form also  comes  in  handy,  although  one 
must  look  out  for  rain,  unless  a  cover  is 
provided.  To  complete  the  list  of  uses, 
such  a  structure  has  been  used  tempo- 
rarily by  fastening  another  strip  of  netting 
around  the  sides  to  confine  some  young 
chickens. — C.  J.  Brickett,  Scranton,  Pa. 


Homemade  Skate  Sharpener  Produces 
a  Concave  Edge 

This  tool  is  constructed  from  a  cylin- 
drical emery  or  carborundum  stone,  about 
3  or  4  in,  long,  and  %  to  1  in.  in  diam- 


eter. Around  the  stone  is  placed  a  piece 
of  sheet  brass  or  iron,  held  from  slipping 
off  endways  by  lugs  bent  over  the  ends 
of  the  stone.  The  edges  of  this  metal 
cover  are  bent  up  so  that  the  skate  blade 
just  fits  between  them.  By  running  the 
tool  back  and  forth,  with  considerable 
pressure  and  plenty  of  water  to  keep  the 
stone  from  getting  clogged,  the  Skate  will 
be  sharpened  with  a  form  of  edge  which 
will  reduce  considerably  the  possibility  of 
slipping  while  skating. — W.  F.  Saunders, 
Boston,  Mass. 


Side  Lights  for  Automobiles 

Very  useful  as  well  as  neat-appearing 
electric  side  lights  for  an  old  automobile 
can  be  made  from  two  small  tin  cans, 
W?    o  2Vi  in.  in 
diameter      The 
bottom  is  cut  out 
of  the  can,  leaving 
a  narrow  rim  suf- 
ficient to  hold  in 
place    a    circular 
piece   of  window 
glass,    which    can 
be  cut  out  with  a 
glass     cutter,     or 
can    be    obtained 
from    any    hard- 
ware  or  automo- 
bile-supply   store. 
The     glass     is 
held     from     slipping 
washer  of   rubber,   1 
board.     A  standard 


g  ""-  0 


Y'^BATTCFY 


lOrRAMC 


^ 


An  Abrasive  Stone  is  Pitted  with  a  Simple  Sheet- 
Metal   Guide   Which   Makes   Skate    Sharpening 
Easy,  and  Gives  a  Concave  Bottom  Surface 


[  backward  by  a 
iber,  or  stiff  paste- 
two-wire  socket  is 
mounted  in  a  washer  consisting  of  sev- 
eral thicknesses  of  pasteboard  or  thin 
fiber,  cut  to  fit  the  can.  The  reflector  is 
formed  from  tin,  cut  from  another  tin 
can;  its  edges  should  be  soldered  to- 
gether, and  may  be  soldered  to  the  metal 
socket.  The  wires  leading  to  the  socket 
are  carried  through  a  hole  in  the  under- 
side of  the  can,  and  may  be  inclosed  in 
conduit  or  "circular  loom,"  or  they  can* 
be  fastened  quite  neatly  to  the  dashboard 
with  insulated  staples.  The  lamp  is 
mounted  in  a  large  hole  cut  in  the  dash ; 
if  the  car  has  a  sloping  cowl  of  sheet 
metal,  the  hole  will,  of  course,  be  extended 
also  through  this.  To  renew  the  bulb, 
or  clean  the  reflector  or  glass,  it  is  only 
necessary  to  remove  the  lid  of  the  can 
at  the  rear  and  pull  out  the  socket.  To 
make  this  possible,  some  extra  length  of 
cord  must  be  left  in  the  back  of  the  lamp, 
and  a  notch  must  be  cut  in  the  washer 
which  holds  the  socket. 
The  lamp  may,  of  course,  be  wired  up 


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143 


in  any  way  preferred,  depending  on  the 
kind  and  voltage  of  the  battery  used. 
Bulbs  of  suitable  size  are  readily  obtain- 
able, for  three  or  six  volts.  The  diagram 
shows  the  ordinary  wiring  placing  the  two 
lamps  in  •parallel.  A  tail  lamp  similarly 
constructed  can  also  be  made. 


Simple  Apparatus  Demonstrates 
Electrical  Induction 

The  presence  of  the  momentary  induced 
current,  when  a  steady  current  is  inter- 
rupted, is  shown 
very  clearly  by 
means  of  the  ar- 
rangement shown 
in  the  accompany- 
ing figure.  A  coil, 
which  consists  of 
a  large  number  of 
turns  of  insulated 
wire,    is    wound  .^....„. 

around     an     iron 

core,  and  is  connected  in  circuit  with  a 
make-ahd-break  key  and  a  battery  of  cells. 
An  incandescent  lamp  is  also  connected 
in  parallel  with  the  coil;  it  should  be  a 
lamp  designed  for  a  voltage  considerably 
higher  than  that  of  the  battery.  Although 
the  battery  may  not  be  of  sufficiently  high 
voltage  to  cause  the  lamp  to  glow  when 
the  current  is  passing  through  the  circuit, 
yet,  when  the  key  is  opened,  the  induced 
electromotive  force,  due  to  the  self-induc- 
tion of  the  coil,  will  be  so  great  that  suf- 
ficient current  will  flow  through  the  coil 
and  the  lamp  circuit  to  cause  the  lamp  to 
^low  brightly  for  an  instant. — Peter  J.  M. 
"lute,  Schenectady,  N.  Y. 


Forks  for  Removing  Pickles 
or  Olives  from  Bottle 

The   simple  wire  tools  shown   will   be 

found  very  useful  in  removing  pickles  and 

olives     from     tall 

bottles.      The 

method    of    using 

them     is     evident 

from  the  drawing. 

They     may     be 

made    slightly 

'  more     convenient 

to    use,    if    found 

desirable,  by  sold- 

I  ering  small  pieces 

of  sheet  brass  at 

the   places   where 

the  fingers   grasp   the  wire.     The  forks 

should  be  heavily  plated  with  nickel,  or 

preferably  silver. 


How  to  Sharpen  Chalk  Quickly 

to  a  Chisel  E<^e 

Artists,  sign  writers,  and  shop  men,  who 
use  chalk  sharpened  to  a  chisel  edge  in 
order  to  make  fine  , 

lines,    know    how  I 

difficult  it  is  to 
sharpen  the  chalk 
in  this  way  with  a 
knife.  It  is  also 
difficult  on  sand- 
paper, because 
this  immediately 
becomes  filled 
with  chalk  and 
ceases  to  cut.  The 
best     thing     for 

grinding  off  chalk  — ^ — 

is  screen  wire.  If  a  piece  of  this  material 
is  tacked  tightly  over  a  small  box,  it  is 
very  handy  for  sharpening  the  chalk,  and 
the  box  catches  the  chalk  dust,  prevent- 
ing it  from  escaping  into  the  air. 

^    Weighing  a  Letter  on  a  Heavy 
Platform  Scale 

"I    wish    I    knew    whether   that   letter 

weighed   more   than  one   ounce,"  said  a 

grocer's  clerk.     "You  have  a  scale,  why 

don't    you    weigh 

it?"     replied     a 

traveling   man    in 

the  store.     "Can't 

do  it  on  that  scale 

because  the  finest 

graduations        on 

the    beam   are   %, 

lb.     each."       The 

stranger       picked 

up     one     of     the 

weights         which 

hang  from  the  top    I 

of  the  beam.    "See 
the  figures  on  that 

weight,  1  lb.  =  100?  That  means  that  1  lb. 
placed  on  the  counterpoise  equals  100  lb. 
on  the  platform  of  the  scale,  or,  in  other 
words,  1  oz.  will  exactly  balance  100  oz. 
on  the  scale  platform.  Now  100  oz.  are 
equal  to  6%  lb.  Weigh  out  6%  lb.  of 
anything  you  please  and  leave  it  on  the 
scale  platform.  Run  the  poise  back  to 
zero  and  place  your  letter  at  the  end  of 
the  scale  beam;  if  the  beam  rises  the 
letter  is  less  than  1  oz. ;  if  it  goes  down 
it  is  overweight." — W.  H.  Sargent,  Rut- 
land, Vt. 


CA    Bunsen    burner,    lighted    under    the 
grate,  will  start  a  fire  quickly. 


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GOVERNMENT  INSUBiANCE  HELPS  YANKEE  TROOPS 

DEFEAT  HUN 


COME  time  ago  it  was  said  that  more 
*^  than  90  per  cent  of  our  soldiers  had 
availed  themselves  of  government  insur- 
ance. At  that  time  the  average  fighting 
man's  policy  was  written  for  $8,000.  Never 
before  in  the  world's  history  have  armies, 
so  protected  as  America's,  taken  to  the 
field.  Our  fighting  men  now  realize  that 
should  they  fall,  grief,  but  not  the  misery 
of  want,  would  be  the  heritage  of  those 
left  at  home. 

Much  has  been  written  about  the  war- 
risk  insurance  law.  It  is  doubtful,  how- 
ever, if  many  men  in  the  18-45  draft  fully 
understand  to  what  extent  the  govern- 
ment offers  to  protect  their  interests  in 
the  event  of  their  call  to  arms.  There- 
fore a  brief  summary  of  some  of  the  pro- 
visions that  have  been  made  may  not  be 
amiss  at  this  time. 

There  arc  in  reality  four  separate,  but 
correlated,  acts  in  force.  The  first  deals 
with  a  system  of  "allotments  and  allow* 
ances,"  by  which  the  government  and  the 
fighting  man  share  responsibility  for  the 
care  of  dependents.  The  second  bill  in- 
volves the  payment  by  the  government  of 
compensation  in  the  event  a  soldier  is 
killed  or  disabled  in  line  of  duty.  The 
third  measure  is  government  insurance, 
to  the  maximum  extent  of  $10,000,  against 
death  or  total,  permanent  disability.  The 
fourth  provision  involves  a  program  of 
reeducation  and  rehabilitation  of  dis- 
abled men. 

In  accordance  with  the  first  measure,  a 
soldier  is  compelled  to  allot  a  minimum 
of  $15,  but  not  more  than  half,  of  his 
monthly  pay  for  the  support  of  his  de- 
pendents. In  turn,  the  government  pays 
an  additional  $15  to  a  dependent  wife 
without  children.  If  there  is  a  wife  and 
one  child,  the  government  pays  $25;  a 
wife  and  two  children,  $32.50,  with  $5 
monthly  for  each  additional  child.  When 
there  is  one  child,  but  no  wife,  the  gov- 
ernment allows  $5;  for  two  children, 
$12.50,  and  for  three  children,  $20.  Other 
allowances  are  made  when  the  dependents 
are  parents,  brothers,  sisters,  etc.  The 
government's  maximum  liability  in  the 
matter  of  family  allowances  is  $50,  added 
to  which,  of  course,  is  the  soldier's  com- 
pulsory allotment. 

In    the    event    of    a    soldier's    death. 


monthly  compensation  is  paid  depend- 
ents. A  widow  with  no  child  receives 
$25 ;  if  there  is  one  child,  the  payment  is 
$35;  two  children,  $42.50.  An  orphan  re- 
ceives $20,  two  orphans  $30,  three  $40. 
Other  allowances  are  made  for  dependent 
parents. 

Under  the  provisions  of  this  same 
measure,  a  disabled  soldier  without  de- 
pendents receives  a  monthly  allowance 
of  $30.  If  there  is  a  wife,  $45  is  paid.  In 
the  event  of  there  also  being  a  child,  $55 
is  awarded;  two  children  $65,  and  three 
children  $75.  In  addition  he  receives  gov- 
ernment medical,  surgical,  and  hospital 
services,  including  artificial  limbs  and 
other  appliances   if  needed. 

The  insurance  act  was  passed  in  order 
that  protection  in  addition  to  that  already 
explained,  might  be  afforded  every  person, 
man  or  woman,  engaged  in  recognized 
war  service.  By  its  provisions  a  soldier 
is  able  to  take  out  from  $1,000  to  $10,000 
insurance  at  less  than  ordinary  rates. 
Each  $1,000  of  insurance  is  payable  in 
monthly  installments  of  $5.75  for  240 
months.  Thus,  in  the  event  of  the 
death  or  disability  of  the  average  soldier, 
who  has  $8,000  of  insurance,  the  monthly 
payment  from  this  source  would  amount 
to  $46.  Were  the  man  disabled,  married, 
and  the  father  of  two  children,  for  in- 
stance, his  total  monthly  allowance  from 
the  government  would  thus  be  $111.  From 
this  it  must  be  evident  that  no  disabled 
soldier  nor  his  family  ever  need  be  in 
want.  A  further  safeguard  has  also  been 
made.  Should,  for  example,  a  disabled 
soldier  live  longer  than  240  months,  the 
payments  would  be  continued  as  long  as 
he  lived  and  was  so  disabled;  or  as  long 
as  his  dependents  survived. 

The  cost  of  government  insurance  is 
remarkably  reasonable.  A  soldier  26  years 
old  pays  $80.40  per  annum  for  a  $10,000 
policy,  which,  obtained  from  a  private  in- 
surance company,  would  cost  him  $580. 

There  is  another  important  provision. 
The  insurance  may  be  kept  in  force  after 
the  expiration  of  the  war  and  changed  to 
ordinary  forms,  including  ordinary  life, 
20-payment  life,  and  endowment.  The  in- 
surance will  remain  government  insurance 
and  be  nonsubject  to  attachment  by  cred- 
itors. 


TN  accordance  with  the  editorial  policy  of  thii  magasine  never  to  accept 


-"-    for  what  appear!  in  our  reading  paset,  and  also  to  avoid  all  appearance 
to  omit  the  name  of  the  maker  or  the  leller  of  any  article  described.    This  '  ' 
on  file  and  will  be  furnished  free,  by  addressing  Bureau  of  Informationi  ' 
Chicago.     [Editor.] 


144 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS  145 

NEW  STRETCHER  DIVIDES   IN   HALF  LENGTHWISE 


paiieni:     lo     a     ucu 

with    the   minimum 

of  discomfort,  is  its 

division    lengthwise 

into     detachable 

halves.     The  center  coupling  consists  of 

two  small  steel  rods,  each  3  ft.  long,  which 

are  inserted,  one  at  either  end,  through 

canvas  loops  in  such  a  manner  that  the 

two  parts  of  the  stretcher  are  interlocked. 


The  Upper   Stretcher  has  been   Divided  in  Half  by 

Removing  the  Rods,  While  the  Rods  Are  in  Place  in 

the  Lower  Stretcher,  Interlocking  the  Loops  Forming 

the  Edges  of  the  Canvas  Halves 


wooaen  sioepieces, 
and  the  handles  are 
hinged  so  that  they 
can  be  folded  un- 
der,    reducing    the 


length  of  the  stretcher  to  6  ft.,  which  is 
less  than  the  length  of  a  bed.  When  a 
stretcher  and  patient  hive  been  placed 
on  a  bed,  the  rods  mentioned  above  are 
removed  and  the  halves  withdrawn. 


FRONT-LINE  FIRST-AID  WORK 

BECAME  AUTOMATIC  ROUTINE 

It  is  somewhat  astonishing  to  find  that 
some  of  the  work  of  the  Royal  Army 
Medical  Corps  in  the  front-line  areas  was 
so  systematized,  before  the  close  of  the 
war,  that  automatic  action  supplanted 
thought.  In  all  cases  of  fractures  of  the 
lower  limbs  and  extensive  wounds  of  the 
thighs,  for  instance,  it  was  made  a  prac- 
tice to  secure  immediate  immobilization 
of  the  patient.  This  was  done  before 
evacuation  from  an  advanced  dressing 
station  or  even  a  regimental  aid  post. 
The  entire  procedure,  involving  the  warm- 
ing of  the  patient  with  blankets  and  a 
special  stove,  the  attachment  of  the  splint 
to  a  suspension  bar  on  the  stretcher,  and 
the  arrangement  of  hot-water  bottles  and 


blankets  for  the  journey,  was  reduced  in 
training  schools  to  a  drill  in  which  the 
various  movements  were  represented  by 
numbers.  The  result  was  that  after  an 
operator  had  become  thoroughly  familiar 
with  the  drill,  he  not  only  could  execute 
the  work  in  darkness,,  but,  with  two  as- 
sistants, could  put  up  a  limb  in  2  minutes 
45  seconds.  The  principle  was  actually 
taught  that  in  applying  a  splint  under 
such  circumstances,  thought  should  be 
unnecessary  and  every  action  absolutely 
automatic. 


([Reports  among  ordnance  circles  have  it 
that,  had  the  war  continued,  the  United 
States  would  have  possessed  a  gun  which 
could  shoot  100  miles,  thereby  consider-, 
ably  surpassing  thr  big  guns  with  which 
the  Germans  shelled  Paris. 


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mUh  in  Artton  m  Mxmtt,  (&ttohn  5, 191B 


LIEUTENANT  BOYD  was  bom  in  To- 
ronto, Canada,  in  1883:  his  father  was 
-^  one  of  the  editors  of  the  Toronto  Qofae. 
Upon  the  death  of  his  father  the  family  came  to 
Chicago,  where  Lieutenant  Boyd  was  educated. 


1918.  During  his  training  in  France,  his  lettns 
frequendy  expressed  the  great  responsibility  he 
felt  for  the  men  under  him.  He  was  repeat- 
edly in  action. 

His  sense  of  humor,  so  much  enjoyed  by 


LIEUTENANT  GORDON  BOYD 

AN  HONORCO  MKMBKN  OP    OUR  STAFT 


He  also  spent  considerable  time  in  study  and 
travel  abroad.  Returning  to  Chicago,  he  took 
the  law  course  at  the  Nortnwestern  Law  School, 
but  preferring  newspaper  work,  connected  with 
the  Record -Herald.  In  1909  he  joined  the 
staff  of  this  magazine  and  for  eight  years  was 
one  of  its  eastern  managers,  being  located  in 
New  York.  In  19 17  he  took  the  Plattsburg 
course  and  was  commissioned  first  lieutenant. 
:Although  not  in  the  draft  age  at  the  time,  he 
Volunteered,  and  was  sent  overseas  in  January, 

146 


his  friends,  could  not  be  restrained  even  in 
describing  one  of  the  early  eng^ements  in 
which  he  took  part,  for  he  wrote,  afttr  giving  a 
picture  of  the  awful  gun  fire,  **In  fact  I  think  I 
was  shot  at  with  everything  known  to  warfare 
except  bows  and  arrows." 

His  last  letter,  written  September  loth, 
reads:  *'We  are  back  in  a  rest  area  again  and 
in  a  fine  part  of  France.  My  billet  is  in  the 
home  of  die  mayor  of  the  village  around  which 
the  troops  are  stationed.     It's  a  great  treat  to 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


147 


be  able  to  take  one's  clothes  off  at  night.  We 
%vete  in  the  front  area  three  weeks,  and  dnrins 
that  time  had  my  clothes  off  only  once,  and 
during  ten  days  did  not  even  have  mv  boots 
off.  It's  remarkable  how  well  we  all  keep  in 
spite  of  this  sort  of  life,  but  we  are  as  jiara  as 
nails.  I  was  placed  in  command  of  a  Lewis 
gun  section  to  act  as  a  contact  patrol.  On  the 
afternoon  of  August  31st,  with  nine  other 
patrols,  we  went  over  the  top.  Soon  after,  the 
other  patrols  went  back,  but  we  kept  on,  and 
after  crossing  three  belts  of  Boche  wire  we  ran 
into  the  Boche  himself — sl  whole  nest  of  dug- 
outs. We  were  lucky  enough  to  captute  and 
bring  back  fourteen  prisoners,  after  fierce  resist- 
ance by  the  Heinies,  in  which  some  of  my  men 
were  killed.  The  affur  lasted  2%  hours.  I 
am  putting  in  for  leave  to  Paris  today,  and  if 


it  goes  through  you  will  hear  from  me  there. 
The  news  is  very  good  these  days;  it  will  be  a 
wonderfiil  day  when  peace  does  come,  won't  it?" 

The  leave  was  not  granted;  instead  he  re- 
turned to  the  front.  &yond  the  official  con- 
firmation of  his  death  no  details  have  been 
received. 

His  was  one  of  those  genial,  refined,  sensitive 
natures,  beloved  by  all  who  knew  him.  As  he 
said  on  leaving,  he  deemed  it  a  ''grand  and 
sacred  privilege"  to  do  his  part.  That  he  acquit- 
ted himself  with  fearless  courage  on  the  battle 
field  befi:>re  that  last,  fatal  combat,  we  have 
abundant  evidence.  That  he  was  the  same 
undaunted  soldier  to  the  last,  we  know.  His 
passing  is  a  part  of  the  great  cost  of  freedom 
for  the  world,  and  is  a  personal  loss  to  all  who 
ever  knew  him. 


TWENTY-SHOT  HYPODERMIC 

SYRINGE  IS  INVENTED 

Among  the  war  inventions  that  prob- 
ably will  prove  valuable  in  peace  time  is 
a  magazine  hypodermic  syringe  that  may 
be  used  20  times  without  refilling.  Obvi- 
ously its  chief  merit  is  that  of  convenience 
when  physicians  and  surgeons  are  work- 
ing under  fire  and  in  dark  dugouts  where 
continual  recharging  of  syringes  entails 
difficulty  and  retards  operations.  The  in- 
strument is  supplied  with  a  platinum 
needle  which  permits  sterilization  in  a 
flame.  The  cap  that  protects  it,  when 
not  in  use,  is  kept  filled  with  iodine  or 
alcohol.  When  large  numbers  of  persons 
are  being  inoculated  with  typhoid  serum, 
for  instance,  an  instrument  such  as  the 
magazine  syringe  evidently  saves  much 
time. 


CHICAGO  SEEN  AS  IRON  CENTER 

BY  INDUSTRIAL  EXPERT 

According  to  an  analysis  made  by  a 
professor  of  industry  at  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania,  the  Chicago  district  is  des- 
tined to  supersede  Pittsburgh  as  the  iron 
and  steel  center  in  America.  Several  im- 
portant factors,  he  points  out,  are  con- 
tributing to  the  gradual  decline  of  the 
latter*s  supremacy.  Among  them  are  the 
facts  that  Chicago  is  now  virtually  the 
center  of  population,  one  of  the  greatest 
railway  centers  in  the  world,  an  important 
lake  port,  and  the  site  of  many  of  the 
nation's  largest  iron-using  industrial 
plants.  The  main  trade  routes  no  longer 
pass     through     Pittsburgh;     by-product 


coal  made  from  soft  coal  has  begun  to 
replace  Connellsville  coke,  wastefully 
manufactured,  and  low  freight  rates  for 
west-bound  coal  and  coke,  shipped  in  ore 
cars  that  otherwise  would  be  empty,  are 
factors  that  conspire  to  work  to  the  dis- 
advantage of  Pittsburgh.  In  summing 
up  the  situation,  he  calls  attention  to  the 
well-known  and  significant  fact  that  the 
world's  largest  steel  mill  is  situated  at 
Gary,  Ind.,  within  an  hour's  ride  of 
Chicago's  business  center,  which  adds  con- 
siderable strength  to  his  argument. 


RIVETLESS  BARGE  IS  BUILT 
IN  GREAT  BRITAIN 

There  has  been  much  discussion  of  late 
about  the  feasibility  of  building  electric- 
ally welded  steamships  and  thereby  avoid- 
ing the  time  and  expense  consumed  in 
riveting.  From  England  comes  word  of 
the  completion  of  a  rivetless  275-ton 
barge,  supposedly  the  largest  electrically 
welded  craft  so  far  produced.  It  is  125 
ft.  over  all,  and  16  ft.  of  beam.  The  hull 
is  rectangular  in  section  amidships — only 
the  bilge  plates  being  curved.  All  water- 
tight joints  as  far  up  as  the  latter  are 
continuously  welded  on  both  sides,  while 
those  thereafter  are  tack-welded  on  one 
side.  The  process  permitted  an  estimated 
saving  of  from  25  to  40  per  cent  in  time 
and  10  per  cent  in  material.  The  expense 
of  welding  amounted  to  $1,500,  $890  of 
which  went  for  electrodes.  In  normal 
times  this  item  would  be  less  by  about 
60  per  cent.  Another  experimental  barge, 
-with  certain  parts  riveted  and  others 
welded,  is  to  be  built. 


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H8  POPULAR   MECHANICS 

SCOOP  TEARS  UP  AND  LOADS  pace  and  the  asphalt  is  forced  up  the  in- 

r*Ai?  TTPAnv  'DAMiKsn  cline  into  the  car.    Under  the  supervision 

CAK-lKACK.  rAVllMU  ^^  ^  ^^^  workmen  a  car  can   be  loaded 

An  immense  amount  of  labor  has  been  with  strips  of  paving  in  about  45  minutes, 

saved   in   removing  asphalt   paving  from  The   scheme  practically   does   away   with 

between  the  rails  of  certain  car  tracks  in  the  use  of  shovels  and  picks. 

San    Francisco    by    mounting   a    sort    of  *  

scoop  in  an  inclined  position  in  front  of  «^^,,»^,«»    .  «»  ^,  « rv^-r^*.*  « -r    «»ytm^*t«» 

a  work  car  and  using  that  means  to  tear  EXHIBIT  AT  NATIONAL  MUSEUM 

up  the  paving  and  load  it.    The  forward  TELLS  STORY  OF  WAR 

end  of  the   scoop   is   supported   on   two  _,                          i            n      •          r      i- 

small   wheels  and   extends   almost   down  J^.«  "^^^t  complete  collection  of  relics 

to  the' paving,  while  the  rear  end  rests  rektrng  to  the  great  war  to  be  seen   in 

on    the   end    of   the    car.     The   work    is  t^»s  country  is  being  installed  in  the  Na- 

started  by  prying  up  a  section  of  the  as-  ^lonal  Museum  in  Washmgton.    Together 

phalt  so  that  the  nose  of  the  scoop  can  with  priceless  material  having  to  do  with 

be   inserted    under   it.     Then    the   scoop  Previous    wars    m    which    this    country 

and   car   are   moved   forward   at   a  slow  ^^J^lf^^'  I*  T^^  1?™  ^  wonderful  record 

of  America  s  achievement.    The  new  col- 


How  the  Self-Loading  Outfit  Operates:    As  the  Car  Moves  Forward  the  Paving  is  Forced  to  the  Top  of 

the  Incline,  Where  It  is  Broken  into  Sections  and  Piled  by  the  Workmen.     A  Load 

can  be  Obtained  in  About  46  Minutes  by  This  Means 


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149 


X 


■T  oou«TUT  or  I 


amCtllMO  A   CIMCNT  WOULD 


The  New  Reioforced-Concrete  Arch  Railway  Bridge  across  the  Schuylkill  River  at  Manayunk,  Pennsylvaniat 
before  Completion,  and  the  Old  Structure  That  It  Replaces 


CONCRETE  RAILROAD  BRIDGE 

BUILT  ON  REVERSE  CURVE 

Although  reinforced-concrete  arch  rail- 
way bridges  have  ceased  to  be  uncommon, 
it  is  rare  that  one  is  built  on  a  curve. 
More  than  ordinary  interest  therefore  is 
to  be  found  in  a  heavy  structure  recently 
completed  at  Manayunk,  Pa.,  by  the 
Pennsylvania  lines.  It  is  a  double-track 
concrete  arch  bridge  that  spans  the 
Schuylkill  River  on  a  reverse  curve.  The 
bridge  is  1,800  ft.  long.  It  consists  of  15 
spans  and  represents  an  investment  of 
about  $700,000.  The  opposite  ends  of  the 
structure  are  built  on  six-degree  spiraled 
curves,  between  which  three  arch  spans 
carry  a  463-ft.  tangent.  The  longest  of 
the  spans  are  three  that  cross  the  river 
proper.  Each  of  these  has  a  reach  of  150 
ft.  and  rises  to  a  height  of  50  feet. 


CTBy  simplifying  the  system  of  tickets 
given  to  the  passengers  on  busses  in  Lon- 
don, a  saving  of  100  tons  of  paper  pulp 
was  effected  in  the  course  of  a  year. 


REMAINS  OF  BURNED  MARKET 

MADE  INTO  AUTO  STATION 

The  concrete  floor  and  piers  for  several 
stalls,  which  were  all  that  remained  when 
a  market  in  a  western  city  was  destroyed 
by  fire  some  time  since,  have  been  utilized 
for  a  particularly  efficient  service  station 
for  automobilists.  On  the  long,  narrow 
concrete  foundations  which  project  above 


Service  Station  for  Motorists  on  the  Site  of  a  Market 

Which  Burned:  The  Piers  of   the    Stalls  have   been 

Utilized  as  Foundations  for  Oil  and  Gasoline  Pumps 

and  for  Air  Pipes 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


the  floor  like  isles  of  safety  in  a  street, 
oil  and  gasoline  pumps  and  air  tubes  have 
been  installed.  All  told,  there  are  six 
stalls  at  which  as  many  cars  can  receive 
service  simultaneously,  so  that  there  is 
practically  no   delay  for  customers. 


SELF-COOLING   WATER    HOLDER 
MADE  LIKE  MEXICAN  JARS 

In    several    San    Francisco   offices   clay 
jars,  patterned  after  the  clay  water  con- 

tainers  cpmmonly 

used  in  Mexico, 
are  being  era- 
ployed  in  drink- 
ing-water stands 
in  place  of  ice- 
cooled  coils.  The 
water  is  delivered 
into  the  clay  hold- 
er f  r  o  ra  an  in- 
verted 6-gal.  bot- 
j  tie  set  in  the  top. 

The  clay  is  some- 
what porous  and 
the  evaporation 
that;  takes  place 
keeps  the  water 
within  quite  cool. 


^      CES  pain    is   now 
building  the  larg- 
est  concrete   ships    in    the   world.      One 
vessel  of  6,000  tons  was  launched  a  short 
time    ago    at    Barcelona, 


AMERICANS  USE  THREE  MILES 

OF  FRENCH  WATER  FRONT 

It  is  estimated  that  the  material  of  all 
sorts  handled  for  our  soldiers  in  France, 
including  military  supplies,  food,  clothing, 
guns,  and  all  other  army  requirements, 
amounts  to  50  lb.  per  day  per  man.  For 
an  army  of  2,000,000  men  this  means 
handling  50,000  tons  of  goods  daily.  It 
is  said  that  some  three  miles  of  French 
water  front  and  45  docks  in  five  main 
ports  have  been  occupied  by  United 
States  forces  for  the  purpose  of  handling 
this  vast  amount  of  freight. 


AUTOMATIC  CARVING  MACHINE 
SHAPES  AERIAL  PROPELLERS 

Probably  no  one  machine  has  done 
more  to  aid  the  production  of  aeroplane 
propellers  than  an  automatic  apparatus, 
electrically  driven  and  manually  con- 
trolled, that  carves  from  three  to  six  lam- 
inated blocks  at  one  time.  The  contriv- 
ance is  somewhat  similar  to  certain  mani- 
fold sculpture-reproducing  machines,  and 
is  moved  along  a  track  in  front  of  the 
embryo  propellers,  which  are  arranged 
vertically  in  tiers.  After  the  blocks,  which 
are  built  up  of  carefully  balanced  one- 
inch,  straight-grained,  kiln-dried  Selected 
wood,  are  carved  to  about  one-fourth  inch 
of  their  finished  size  and  shape,  they  arc 
placed  in  a  conditioning  room  for  a  fort- 
night before  being  worked  down  and  fin- 
ished. 


•  V  COURTUY  OF  LA  NATURI 


Showing  One  of  the  Electrically  Driven  Automatic  Carving  Machines  Shaping  Three  Aerial  Propellers 

at  a  Single  Operation 


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151 


Loading  One  of  the  Big  Refrigerator  Motor  Trucks  with  Meat  for  Transportation  to  Toledo  from  Detroit:  On 

the  Road  the  Heavy  Machine  Pulls  a  Trailer 


REFRIGERATOR  MOTOR  TRUCKS 

IN  INTERSTATE  SERVICE 

Some  time  ago  mention  was  made  that 
one  of  the  large  Chicago  packing  com- 
panies was  successfully  employing  refrig- 
erator motor-car  trailers  for  distributing 
fresh  meats  between  its  local  plants  and 
branch  houses.  It  is  interesting  therefore 
to  note  that  the  idea  has  been  adopted  and 
expanded  by  a  Detroit  company.  It  re- 
quires two  and  a  half  days  to  ship  a  car- 
load of  fresh  meat  from  Detroit  to  Toledo 
by  rail.  The  trip  is  now  being  made  in 
six  hours  by  refrigerator  trucks  with  trail- 
ers attached.  The  cargo  carried  by  one 
of  these  combination  units  is  surprisingly 
large,  18,000  lb.  of  meat  constituting  a 
load.  The  service  has  been  placed  on  a 
paying  basis  by  accepting  express  on  the 
return  trips. 


exhausted  children,  despite  the  dampness 
of  the  atmosphere,  the  elevation  of  their 


SLEEPING    QUARTERS    ABOARD 

SUBMARINE  CRAMPED 

It  may  well  be  reasoned  that  few  Amer- 
ican travelers,  averse  to  sleeping  in  upper 
berths,  enlisted  for  submarine  service  dur- 
ing the  war.  Space  aboard  an  undersea 
vessel  is  limited,  and  not  the  less  so  in 
the  sleeping  quarters.  Therefore  an  over- 
whelming majority  of  the  bunks  are 
"upper  berths"  that  are  reached  only  by 
the  exercise  of  some  gymnastic  skill. 
They  are  placed  one  above  the  other  in 
tiers  and  are  held  by  heavy  chains  at  head 
and  foot.  It  follows,  nevertheless,  that 
men  who  have  been  in  the  service  a  short 
time  learn  to  sleep  as  unbrokenly  as  play- 


COPVRIQHT.   WHITAKEII 

This  Picture  of  Restful  Repose  would  Not  Lead  One 

to  Believe  the  Sleeping  Quarters  aboard  a  Submarine 

to  Be  Unpopular.   The  Photograph  was  Taken  When 

the  Vessel  was  Submerged  100  Feet 

bunks,  and  the  depth  to  which  their  boat 
may  be  submerged. 


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HOW  IMPURITIES  IN  BRINE 
AFFECT  SALTED  FISH 

An  investigator  for  the  Bureau  of  Fish- 
eries, who  has  been  giving  special  study 
to  the  salting  of  fish,  finds  a  number  of 
interesting  conditions  resulting  from  the 
use  of  impure  salt.  Calcium  chloride, 
magnesium  chloride,  and  sodium  sulphate 
are  impurities  commonly  found  in  salt, 
which  cause  the  latter,  when  made  into 
brine,  to  penetrate  the  flesh  more  slowly 
than  if  pure  salt  is  used.  Consequently, 
in  hot  weather,  fish  may  partly  spoil 
through   the   use  of  impure   brine.     The 


investigator  points  out  that  where  pure 
salt  is  used  the  fish  is  soft,  with  brownish 
or  grayish  meat.  Magnesium  chloride 
keeps  the  skin  bright,  and  a  small  amount 
of  calcium  chloride  makes  the  fish  hard. 
Both  the  latter  and  magnesium  chloride 
give  the  flesh  a  white  appearance. 


CEIn  the  third  quarter  of  1918  the  con- 
struction of  merchant  vessels  in  allied 
and  neutral  countries,  exclusive  of  Great 
Britain,  reached  972,735  tons.  Adding 
the  British  output  of  411,395  tons,  the 
world's  output  during  the  period  exceeded 
all  losses  by  nearly  500,000  gross  tons. 


PNEUMATIC   APPARATUS    BENDS    SHIP    PLATES   COLD 


At   one  of  the   southern  shipyards  an 
interesting    apparatus    for    cold-bending 


framework  and  are  accurately  controlled 
by  water  valves.     When  all  is  ready  for 


The  latter  extend  be- 
neath   the   structural 


The  Picture  Above  Indicates  How  a  Plate  is  Bent  by  being  Pulled 
against  the  Curved  Formers.  In  the  Foreground,  between  the  Beams,  may 
be  Seen  Some  of  the  Horizontal  Pneumatic  Cylinders  That  Do  the  Work 


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15.T 


An  Unusual  Fountain  Made  Chiefty  of  Jagged   Fragments  of  Lava,  from  Which   Numberless  Streams  of 
Water  Pour:  At  Night,  Concealed  Electric  Lights  Illuminate  the  Scene  with  Constantly  Changing  Hues 


plate  is  to  be  bent  more  than  another, 
however,  individual  water  valves  are 
opened.  This  arrangement  obviously 
gives  positive  control,  for  water  is  not 
elastic  and  when  its  discharge  from  a 
cylinder  is  prevented,  the  piston,  regard- 
less of  the  air  pressure  behind  it,  cannot 
advance. 


APPARATUS  FOR  DETECTING 
CURRENT  LEAKAGE 

An  ingenious  outfit  has  been  designed 
for  detecting  current  leakage  in  the 
ground  near  electric  lines.  It  consists  of 
two  metal  plates  of  special  design,  which 
are  strapped  to  the  shoes  of  the  person 
making  the  investigation,  a  battery  and 
controlling  switch  carried  at  the  waist, 
and  a  telephone  receiver.  When  the 
observer  walks  about  where  there  are 
earth  currents  they  are  detected  by  sound 
in  the  receiver.  If  the  observer's  feet 
stand  parallel  with  the  flow  of  the  current 
the  sound  is  the  clearest,  while  if  he 
stands  with  his  feet  at  right  angles  to  the 
direction  of  the  current,  the  instrument  is 
silent.  This  is  an  aid  in  finding  the  source 
of  the  current. 


CThe  making  of  bayonets  by  rolling  has 
recently  been  proved  satisfactory,  thereby 
saving  about  70  operations,  it  is  said. 
The  Ordnance  Department  has  placed  an 
order  for  300,000  bayonets  made  in  this 
manner. 


FOUNTAIN  OF  UNUSUAL  BEAUTY 

MADE  OF  LAVA  FRAGMENTS 

A  fountain  of  extraordinary  beauty,  the 
sides  of  which  are  composed  of  jagged 
pieces  of  lava  cemented  in  place,  has 
recently  been  completed  in  a  western 
city.  Hundreds  of  concealed  water  pipes 
lead  to  these  rocks,  their  ends  being  im- 
bedded in  the  porous  substance  so  that 
water  flows  from  the  lava  in  numberless 
tiny  streams  that  discharge  in  all  direc- 
tions. With  the  aid  of  ferns  and  palms, 
the  place  has  been  given  the  appearance 
of  a  grotto.  At  night,  hidden  electric 
lights  illuminate  the  fountain  with  con- 
stantly changing  hues. 


URGE  MOUNTAIN  LAUREL 
AS   NATIONAL  FLOWER 

Efforts  are  being  made  by  officers  of  the 
National  Federation  of  Women's  Clubs 
to  secure  congressional  indorsement  of 
the  mountain  laurel  as  the  national 
flower.  Those  favoring  this  action  point 
out  that  the  laurel  has  always  been  a 
symbol  of  victory,  that  it  is  evergreen 
and  so  can  be  used  for  decoration  in  sum- 
mer and  winter,  that  it  blooms  on 
Memorial  Day,  Independence  Day,  and 
Flag  Day,  and  that  it  is  grown  in  a  ma- 
jority of  the  states  and  can  be  trans- 
planted. Its  clusters  of  starlike  blossoms 
on  one  stem  are  pointed  to  as  emblematic 
of  the  union  of  the  states. 


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TRAINING  TROOPS  AT  ARMY  CAMPS  MUSTERED  OUT 


1^0^  ~-    T'TT'^'i^*'    "*    ^****t"    **—***     ▼'«»"»"  16 '•W"    l*»  lOBil' 


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BELGIAN  KING  AND  QUEEN  ENTER  BRUGES 


KflSf  RKvBk^TiT'fiiiKa.oii.^Vl*.    C«"lV-l-i'"u-.'*rJm!'  KJ^^rJ 


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POPULAR    MECHANICS 


OIL-BURNING  ATTACHMENT 

FOR  ANY  FURNACE 

An  outfit  has  been  placed  on  the  market 
with  which  any  type  of  coal-burning  fur- 


Outfit  with  Which  a   Coal   Puraace  has   been   Equipped  to  Burn  Oil: 

The  Liquid  Fuel  is  Forced  into  the   Furnace   from  the  Tank  at  the  Left 

by  Means  of  the  Motor-Driven  Pump   Set  against  the  Wall.    The  Only 

Change  Made  in  the  Furnace  Is  the  Substitution  of  a  New  Door 


nace  can  be  changed  over  to  an  oil  burner 
with  practically  no  alterations  of  the  ex- 
isting plant.  It  is  said  that  the  cost  of 
burning  kerosene  or  fuel  oil,  such  as  this 
system  uses,  is  about  the  same  as  that  of 
coal.  The  advantages 
claimed  for  it  are  that  all 
ashes,  clinkers,  soot,  etc., 
are  eliminated,  and  that 
the  system  is  instantly 
responsive  t  o  varying 
temperature  needs.  The 
oil  burner  is  attached  to 
a  new  furnace  door 
which  is  substituted  for 
the  old  door,  and  the  oil 
is  discharged  from  the 
nozzle  under  pressure 
and  mingled  w4th  air.  A 
motor  connected  with  a 
light  socket  drives  a 
triple  concentric  air 
pump,  which  serves  not 
only  to  draw  the  oil  from 
the  50-gal.  fuel  container 
but  also  helps  to  convert 
it  into  a  spray  at  the 
nozzle. 


FIFTH  WHEEL  UNDER  TRUCK 

SERVES  AS  TURNTABLE 

An    automobile  truck,  equipped   to   be 
driven   on   a   mountain-railroad   track,   is 


pieces  of  heavy  angle  iron  are  attached. 

The  car,  when  lifted  from  its  wheels  by 

jacks  placed  beneath  these  bars,  can  be 

swung  about  until  it  faces  in  the  opposite 

direction.    Chains  are  used  to  prevent  too 

^^===^==      great    expansion    of    the 

springs  when  the  weight 

is  removed  from  the 

wheels.     Four   small 

wheels    with    special 

brakes    are    provided   at 

the  front.   Sand  to  aid  in 

quick  stopping  is  carried 

in  a  cylinder  at  one  side, 

and    is    forced    out    by 

compressed  air. 


Truck  Blocked  Up  and  Turned 
at  Right  Angles  to  the  Track 
by  Means  of  the  Fifth  Wheel: 
Chains  Prevent  Expansion  of 
Front  Springs 

provided  with  special 
apparatus  for  turning 
it  around  within  its 
own  length,  making  a 
turntable  unnecessary. 
This  device  consists  of 
a  fifth  wheel,  mounted 
under  the  center  of  the 
truck,     to     which     two 


Automobile  Truck  Built  for  Use  on   a    Mountain    Railroad:    In    Order 

That  It  may  be  Turned  About  without  the  Use  of  a  Turntable,  a  Fifth 

Wheel,   beneath   Which  Jacks   can   be  Set  to  Raise  the   Car,   has   been 

Installed  under  the  Center 


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Indians  Employed    by  Chinese  on  the  West  Coast  of  Mexico*   Displaying  a  Yield  of  Shrimps:    In  These 
Waters  the  Shrimps  Breed  in  Great  Abundance  and  Commonly  Measure  from  Pour  to  Six  Inches  Long 


CHINESE  CXJNTROL  MEXICO'S  BIG  BRIED-SHRIMP  TRADE 


AMONG  the  little-known  but  never- 
^^  theless  exceedingly  profitable  indus- 
tries in  Mexico  is  the  traffic  in  dried 
shrimps,  a  trade  in  which  successful  pio- 
neering was  done  15  years  ago  by  a  poor 
Chinaman  at  a  point  a  few  miles  south  of 
Mazatlan  on  the  western  coast  of  Mexico. 
Today  this  man  owns  a  large  fleet  of  fish- 
ing boats,  has  a  working  capital  of  over  a 
third  of  a  million  dollars,  and  does  a 
yearly  business  of  nearly  $200,000,  about 
two-thirds  of  which  is  from  dried  shrimps. 
The  market  for  this  product  exists  chiefly 
among  the  Chinese  of  the  Orient  and  the 
North  American  Pacific  coast,  and  among 
the  Mexicans. 

Much  of  the  western  Mexican  coast  is 
marked  by  lagoons  and  the  mouths  of 
numerous  fresh-water  streams.    It  is  near 


the  meeting  point  of  the  salt  and  fresh 
water  that  the  shrimps  are  caught  in  great 
abundance.  In  fact,  the  number  of 
shrimps  is  so  great  that  the  Chinese,  who 
still  practically  monopolize  the  industry, 
utilize  only  a  small  fraction  of  the  avail- 
able supply.  The  process  employed  by 
these  orientals  in  catching  and  preparing 
the  shrimps,  they  learned  in  their  native 
land.  The  breeding  place  of  these  crea- 
tures is  in  shallow  fresh-water  lak^s. 
After  breeding  they  rush  down  to  the  salt 
water,  and  it  is  then  that  they  are  caught 
in  nets  and  traps.  About  eight  miles  in- 
land from  one  of  the  west-coast  ports  is 
one  of  these  breeding  lakes,  near  the  out- 
let of  which  has  been  built  a  dam  1,800 
ft.  long.  Along  this  barrier  traps  are 
stationed  every  300  ft.    These  are  emptied 


t 


Ptshemen  on  the  West  Coast  of  Mexico  Starting  to  Make  Their  Daily  Round  of  the  Shrimp  Traps:    A 
Morning's  Harrest  Often  Amounts  to  Many  Tons 

167 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


Beneath  the  Thatched  Roofs  Are  Crude  Oven-Heated 

Boilers  in    Which  the    Shrimps  are    Cooked    before 

being  Dried 

by  boatmen,  many  of  them  hired  Indians, 
and  the  daily  harvest  amounts  to  many 
tons,  sometimes  three  or  four  tons  per 
trap. 

The  shrimps,  many  of  which  are  6  in. 
long,  are  carried  in  dugouts  to  a  drying 
wharf,  where  they  are  cooked  in  water 
and  then  dried.  The  cooking  apparatus 
consists  of  large  brick  ovens,  arranged  in 
a  row  under  a  thatched  roof,  and  on  each 
oven  is  set  a  sort  of  brick  boiler  in  which 
the  shrimps  are  boiled  until  they  assume 
a  dark  reddish  color.  After  being  boiled 
they  are  spread  on  the  ground,  for  the 
most  part  with  their  shells  still  on.  In 
fair  weather  they  dry  in  the  sun  in  three 
or  four  days,  but  in  rainy  weather  they 
are  dried  under  cover.  Long  sticks  or 
rakes  are  used  to  stir  them  up  from  time 
to  time.  Naturally,  little  regard  for  clean- 
liness is  shown.  In  the  same  waters  in 
which  the  shrimps  are  caught  there  is  a 
great  variety  of  fish,  the  catching  of  which 
is  largely  conducted  by  the  Chinese  living 
on  the  coast.  Shark  fishing  is  carried  on 
extensively,  as  shark  fins  are  regarded 
as  a  great  delicacy  by  these  orientals. 
Neither  the  fish  industry  nor  the  shrimp 
industry  has  been  seriously  interfered 
with  by  the  successive  revolutionary  dis- 
turbances in  Mexico. 


tery  a  few  yards  below.  The  pilot's  ex- 
perience was  most  unusual,  not  to  say 
harrowing.  Seeking  a  headquarters  post 
where  he  might  drop  a  message,  the  air- 
man inadvertently  drove  over  the  yawning 
muzzle  of  a  cannon  at  the  instant  it 
belched  flame  and  projectile.  Not  only 
did  the  shell  miss  the  aeroplane  by  a 
hairbreadth,  but  the  terrific  force  of  the 
expanding  gases  tossed  the  aeroplane 
about  like  a  floating  piece  of  paper. 
The  machine  passed  through  the  curling 
smoke  ring  out  of  control  and  the  pilot 
lasted  the  hot  fumes  of  burned  powder. 
Luckily,  however,  he  regained  control  of 
the  craft  in  time  to  prevent  a  crash,  and 
came  out  of  the  situation  none  the  worse 
for  his  unenviable  experience. 


CRAFT  USED  IN  COAST  PATROL 
RETURNED  TO  OWNERS 

With  the  coming  of  peace  the  secretary 
of  the  navy  ordered  that  yachts  and  mo- 
torboats  which  were  operated  by  private 
individuals  before  the  war  and  served  as 
a  part  of  the  submarine  patrol,  be  re- 
turned to  their  owners.  Many  of  these 
were  luxuriously  appointed  craft  which 
were  rented  to  the  government  for  $1  per 
year.  The  order  specifies  that  boats 
which  have  been  injured  in  war  service 
shall  be  put  in  good  repair  or  compensa- 
tion paid  the  owners. 


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POPULAR    MECHANICS  1^9 


TRACTOR  PULLS  LOG  TRAIN  ON  BOULEVARD  OP  SNOW 

P^XT^NDING  through  Aroostook  County  in  the  Maine  woods,  there  is  a  broad  roadway,  46  miles  in  length, 
'^  oyer  which  log  trains  on  runners  are  pulled  by  tractors  as  long  as  the  winter  snows  remain  on  the  ground. 
This  magnificent  frozen  avenue  of  white  is  160  ft.  in  width  and  passes  through  forest  land  of  perpetual  green 
in  one  of  America's  most  picturesque  ('regions.  The  photograph  reproduced  herewith  well  portrays  the 
*>lemn  tnajesty  of  the  woods  and  gives  an  interesting  glimpse  of  on«  of  the  tractor-drawn  trains. 


DETACHABLE  POWER  SHOVEL  FOR  ANY  AUTO  TRUCK 

A  power  shovel  which  can  be  attached      at  the  front  of  the  car,  and  thence  back 
to  any  motor  truck  is  a  new  invention  that      to   the  drums,   which   are  driven   by  the 

gT*»aflv     lrf»«Qf»nc      fh#»     liiKnr  fnirlr      ftycrknt^  J\\r 

0 

1 

n 
a 

a 

0 

P 
a 
b 
s 
Ic 

0 
0 


4 


lett  gloves,  eacn  article  oeing 
knitted  so  that   the  front  and 


The  Shovel  is  Raised  and  Lowered  by  Two  Steel  Cables  Which  ,       .  .  ,         .      , 

Pass  around  Drums  Located  behind  the  Driver's  Seat  back    are    identical 


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IGO 


POPULAR   MECHANICS 


NEW  METER-HOLDING  FRAME 

FOR  USE  IN  BASEMENTS 

The  advantages  claimed  for  a  yoke  to 
hold  water  meters,  installed  in  basements 
on  vertical  pipes, 
are  that  it  is  easy 
to  put  in  place 
and  it  relieves  the 
meter  frame  of 
strain.  It  consists 
of  two  hollow 
curved  arms 
through  which 
the  water  flows  to 
and  from  the 
meter,  which  is 
held  between 
them  by  connect- 
ing joints.  One 
arm  is  also  con- 
nected to  the  low- 

•"*— ■^- — er  section   of  the 

vertical  pipe 
while  the  other  one,  through  which  the 
water  passes  after  it  has  been  measured, 
is  connected  to  the  upper  section  of  the 
pipe. 


causes  it  to  swing  outward  on  its  pivot, 
bringing  the  disk  into  a  position  where  it 
can  be  easily  removed. 


PHONOGRAPH-RECORD  CABINET 

HAS  HANDY  NEW  FEATURE 

A  phonograph-record  filing  cabinet  of 
new  design  is  equipped  with  elbow- 
shaped  holders  which  support  the  disks 
side  by  side  in  small  space.  Projecting 
from  the  side  of  each  of  these  members  is 
a  pin  on  which  a  disk  can  be  hung.  The 
lower  arm    of  each   is   pivoted   near   the 


CroBS  Section  of  New  Phonograph-Record  Cabinet, 

Showing  Two  of  the  Elbow-Shaped  Holders,  One  in 

Its  Normal  Position,  and  the  Other  Swung  Forward 

So- That  the  Disk  can  be  Easily  Removed 

bottom  of  the  cabinet,  while  the  other  arm 
projects  in  front  and  bears  an  index  num- 
ber or, name.    A  slight  pull  on  the  holder 


UNDEFEATED  FRENCH  BOY  ENDS 
WAR  ACE  OF  ALL  ACES 

To  Lieutenant  Rene  Fonck,  of  the 
French  aviation  service,  have  fallen  the 
palms  of  supreme  victory  in  the  air.  This 
much-decorated  young  officer — he  is  bare- 
ly 21  and  wears  the  Croix  de  Guerre  with 
19  palms,  the  M^daille  Militaire,  the  Order 
of  the  Belgian  Crown,  the  Order  of  Leo- 
pold, the  British  Distinguished  Service 
Medal,  and  is  an  officer  of  the  Legion  of 
Honor — ended  the  war  with  75  official 
and  40  unofficial  victories  to  his  credit. 
Thia  remarkable  record,  made  even  more 
remarkable  by  the  fact  that  he  survived 
four  years  of  intense  warfare  without  re- 
ceiving so  much  as  a  scratch,  wins  for  him 
the  title  of  Ace  of  All  Aces,  allied  and 
enemy. 

If  one-half  of  the  stories  told  about 
Lieutenant  Fonck  are  true,  he  is  without 
questittii  one  of  the  most  romantic  figures 
in  the  history  of  the  world's  warriors. 
Military  aeronautics  at  least  has  brought 
forth  no  personality  more  interesting  or 
remarkable  than  this  killer  of  flying  Huns. 

Fonck  at  16  was  a  pupil  of  the  famous 
Pegoud.  He  entered  the  service  at  the 
outset  of  the  war  as  an  observer.  In  1916 
he  became  a  fighting  pilot.  When  the 
illustrious  Guynemer  fell  during  an  en- 
counter with  the  Hun  Wisseman,  it  was 
Fonck  who  climbed  aloft  and  avenged  his 
death. 

No  airman  comes  to  mind  with  whom 
Lieutenant  Fonck  can  properly  be  com- 
pared. He  won  his  laurels  by  cool,  de- 
liberate, methodical  fighting.  A  master 
with  the  "joy  stick,"  a  dead  shot  with  the 
machine  gun,  a  veritable  Foch  in  strategy, 
and  a  second  Hawkeye  in  fearlessness,  he 
battled  with  such  unemotional  finesse  and 
system  that  he  never  once  suffered  defeat. 
He  was  not  the  reckless  daredevil  that 
Guynemer  was,  nor  a  brilliant  performer 
like  the  late  Lufbep'.  hut  a  fellow  who 
made  little  display,  judged  his  cards  well, 
and  never  bluffed. 

Lieutenant  Fonck's  tactics  netted  him 
six  Hun  planes  in  one  illustrious  day's 
work  at  an  expense  of  only  56  bullets.  In 
his  fastest  fight,  on  another  occasion,  he 
downed  three  enemy  planes  in  20  seconds. 


([Announcement  was  made  recently  of 
the  formation  of  the  North  China  Motor 
Club  with  headquarters  at  Tientsin. 


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;c     [i  s 

MAGAZINE 

WRITTEN  SO  YOU   CAN   UNDERSTAND  IT 

A 


■m 

i 


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and  use  of  Automobiles,  Trucks 
and  Tractors  now  that  war 
is  over,  coupled  with  the  most 
urgent  demand  for  sales  agents  and 
motor  mechanics,  makes  this  your 
greatest  opportunity  to  qualify  easily 
and  quickly  to  make  big  money. 

Inter-community  Truck  hauling, 
establishment  of  thousands  of 
Rural  Motor  and  Aviation  Mail 

Routes,  universal  expansion  of  State  and  National  Highways,  general  use  of  farm  tractors  for  inten- 
sive cultivation  and  large  acreages,  combine  to  make  greatly  increased  maintenance  and  repair 

shop  facilities  needed  at  once.  Only  small  investment  necessary 
to  get  into  business  for  yourself  and  make  big  money.  Thousands 
of  towns  and  rural  communities  need  Garages  and  Repair  Shops. 


Start  a  Repair  Shop 


Immense   Equipment 

Mor«  than  douUecl  equipment 
in  every  deiMurtment  by  huge 
additional  quantity  of  equipment 
from  our  former  Military  Division 
—up-to-date  Autoe,  Trucks,  Trac- 
tors,Block-Mounted  Motors,£lec- 
tric  Apparatus  and  every  other 
equipment.  Acres  of  floor  space 
of  modem  fire-proof  construction. 
Fine  heatinv,  ventilation  and 
flood   daylight    on   all    floors. 


Learn  Here  in  6  to  8  Weeks 
Earn  $100  to  $400  a  Month 

Any  man  16  years  of  age  and  over,  who  will  apply  himself,  can 
learn  here.  We  refer  you  to  thousands  of  successful  graduates — 
many  of  them  right  in  your  own  section 
of  tiie  country — who  have  made 
good  from  the  day  they  left  here. 


Easy  to  Learn  by  the  Rahe  Practical  Method 

Daily  work  on  this  enormous,  up-to-date  equipment  under  super- 
vision of  numerous  Master  Mechanic  Instructors.  Same  training 
at  used  to  qualify  soldier  mechanics  in  60day  courses.  Only 
additional  cost  to  take  your  training  at  "World's  Great- 
est" Auto  and  Tractor  School  is  difference  in  carfare.  Nobooks 
used.    No  "Extras"  to  buy.    Only  Life  Scholarships  issued. 
Plenty  of  opportunity  to  earn  part  living  expenses  while  here. 

Special  Tuition 
Rate  Now! 

To  help  meet  the  in- 
cessant demand  for  Rahe 
trained  men,  we  are  mak- 
ing a  special  offer  to  those 
who    come   in    the    next 
thirty   days.     Send    in    the 
attached    coupon    at    once. 

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(Oldtst  and  Greatest  in  the  World) 
2895  Oak  St.      KANSAS  CITY.  MO. 


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MAIL  THIS    COUPON  TODAY 

for  7-Da7  Trial  Oier,  wMidcHiI  story  tf  tpftr- 
lunHies    and    big    64- page    inntratd  catalog 


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AddretB. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


Ti/tU 


SALT  HAM  HELPS  NAVY  ELEVEN 

WIN  ON  GRIDIRON 

To  very  salt  ham,  served  once  a  week, 
sailors  in  training  on  Chicago's  municipal 
pier  give  a  large  share  of  credit  for  their 
football  team's  phenomenal  success  the 
past  season.  Football  experts,  who  know 
the  rigid  discipline  under  which  the  navy 
men  live  and  their  rather  monotonous 
diet,  on  hearing  that  the  navy  eleven  was 
to  have  a  season  a  month  longer  than  is 
usual,  predicted  that  the  team  would  "go 
stale."  But  the  commissary  steward, 
once  a  player  himself,  believed  he  could 
keep  the  men  in  good  fettle  despite  this 
handicap.  His  plan  was  to  serve  very  salt 
h^m  once  a  week,  causing  the  players  to 
dnnk  quantities  of  water.  In  the  opinion 
of  those  who  ventured  thus  to  disregard 
conventional  training  rules,  this  kept  the 
men  from  "going  stale"  by  relieving  their 
systems  of  congestion.  The  team's  vic- 
tories are  pointed  to  as  a  vindication  of 
the   diet. 


CRANE  IS  MOUNTED  ON  tliUCK 
USED  BY  MARINE  CORPS 

Included  in  the  motor  equipment  6i  the 
United  States  Marine  Corps  is  a  specially 
outfitted  truck  that  mounts  a  craiie  hoist 
with  a  10-ft.  boom.  Jacks  are  provided  at 
opposite  sides  of  the  chassis  to  relieve  the 
frame  of  undue  strains.  Working  at  a 
radius  of  about  seven  and  a  half  feet,  the 
hoist  has  a  lifting  capacity  of  two  tons. 
It  is  operated  by  a  power  take-off  which 
i«5  controlled  bv  a  lever  within 


COMPACT  OIL  SEPARATOR 

OPERATES  BY  GRAVITY 

A  new  separator  for   removing  water 
and  foreign  matter  from  oil  operates  with- 
out power,  requires  little  attention,  and 
occupies    small   space. 
It  consists  of  a  verti- 
cal  cylinder    con-      j 
taining    especially 
arranged  baffles.  The 
oil    enters    near   the 
bottom     and     flows 
into  a  circular  guide 
designed  to  allow  the 
solid   matter  to   set- 
tle   to    the    bottom, 
whence     it     can     be 
drawn    off.     As   the 
cylinder  fills,  the  oil 
and   water   pass    up 
through  an   opening 
in  the  top  of  a  coni- 
cal   cover    over    the 
guide.     The  oil,   be- 
ing  the   lighter,   ac- 
cumulates in   a  sec- 
ond    conical     baffle, 

suspended  above  the  one  just  mentioned, 
and,  as  the  level  of  the  water  rises,  passes 
off  through  a  pipe  which  is  an  extension 
of  the  cone.  ^  second  outlet,  for  the 
water,  is  connected  at  the  bottom  of  the 
separator  and  rises  to  the  level  at  which 
it  is  desired  to  maintain  the  water  within. 
If  further  cleansing  of  oil  which  has 
passed  through  the  separator  is  desired,  a 
series  of  filter  pads  is  used. 


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SOME  NOVEL  AND  LITTLE-KNOWN  ACCESSORIES 


That    Plenty  of   Open    Space   is    Pro- 


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INTENDED  FOR   THE  HOME  AND  ITS  MEMBERS 


Rolled  Like  a  Window  Shade, 
a  Feature  That  Meets  the  Stor- 
age Problem  in  Winter  and  Also 
Simplifies  Window  Washing  in 
Summer 


This  Case  is  Supplied  with  a  Spring  Clamp  That  Holds  One's 
Unbound   Business   and    Visiting    Cards    in    Book    Form   and 
Permits  Them   to  be   Removed   One   at  a  Time,  without  Dis- 
turbing the  Pack 


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FROM  A  GERMAN  PRISON  TO  THE  ARCTIC 


By  ALFRED  L.  FLUDE 


T   AST  summer,  in  Mourmansk,  Russian 
'^  Lapland,  I  met  Harry  Drope,  of  Bran- 
don, Manitoba,  formerly  a  member  of  the 
Psincess  Pat  Regiment.    He  had  escaped 
from  a  Cierman  prison  camp  into  Russia, 
and  at  last  into  the  Arctic  on   his  way 
back  to  England,  where  he  once  more  re- 
ported for  duty.    This  is  the  way  he  told 
his   story   while  we  wi»rp  «;ittincr 
on   a   lifebo^    on   th( 
.deck  of  H.  M.  T.  "' 
Czar,"    carrying    1,30( 
refugees,  wno  had  es 
caped  from  all  over 
Russia,  down  to 
England. 

"I  was  captured 
in  1915  and  sent  to 
a  German  prison 
camp  where  the 
-food  was  very  bad 
-and  the  work  was 
very  hard.  The 
-worst  time  in  the 
life  of  a  prisoner 
under  the  Germans 
is  those  first  weeks 
tbefore  the  Red 
Cross  locates  him 
and  sends  him 
enough  food  to 
keep  body  and  soul 
together.  We  were 
given  a  few  ounces 
of  black  bread 
daily  and  a  bowl  of 
soup  with  no  food 
value,  and  which  smel 
badly  that  it  was  sii 
possible  to  eat  it. 

"Within  a  few  wee _    


light  we  hid  in  a  field  of  barley  and  re- 
mained  there  for  the  entire  day.     This 
was  our  procedure  during  the  entire  trip. 
"At  the  end  of  two  weeks  our  food  was 
exhausted,  but  wc  were  far  from  the  Rus- 
sian lines.     We  went  to  the  home  of  a 
Polish  peasant,  waked  him,  and  told  him 
we  must  haVe  food.    He  gave  us  potatoes 
and  black  bread,  and  promised  not  to  tell 
ver,  we  made  it  a  rule 
visits  before  midnight 
bave  a  good  start  be- 
fore   we    could    be 
reported  to  the  mil- 
itary.     We    were 
never   refused,   and 
many   of   the.  poor 
people   gave   gladly 
and  wished  us  suc- 
cess. 

"Just  as  we  were 
congratulating  our- 
selves that  the  jour- 
ney would  soon  be 
over,    we    walked 
right  into  the  arms 
of  a  German  sentry 
and  were  promptly 
arrested    by    him. 
However,    three 
prisoners    at     one 
time    were    more 
than  he  could  mas- 
ter, and   before  he 
realized    what    had 
happened,      there 
^as  a   mix-up   in   the 
irk,    and    two    of    us 
•e     running     through 
underbrush    into    the 
He  kept  firm  hold  on 


'transferred  to  a  camp  in  Ger-  "itoas  captured  in  19 15  and  one  of  the  Russians,  however, 
man    Poland,   where   we   were  sent  to  a  German  prison  camp,  and  that  was  the  last  we  ever 
employed     in      rebuilding     the  mhere  the /6od  was  very  bad  and  saw  of  him. 
villages    which    had    been    de-       the  work  was  very  hard."  "Twenty-six   aays   from   the 


-stroyed  by  the  Russians.  It 
was  good  outdoor  work,  and  as  soon  as 
my  food  packages  came  regularly,  I 
thrived  on  it.  I  determined  to  escape  into 
Russia,  however,  and  planned  with  two 
Russian  soldiers  for  the  attempt.  For 
several  weeks  we  saved  a  portion  of  our 
food  each  day  until  we  had  sufficient  for 
two  weeks,  which  we  thought  would  give 
us  time  enough  for  the  trip.  When  the 
time  came,  we  managed  to  hide  behind 
tlie  huge  oven  in  the  bakery,  when  the 
others  returned  to  the  barracks.  At  10 
o'clock  we  started,  depending  on  the  stars 
to  guide  our  course  due  east.    Before  day- 

276 


time  we  started,  we  reached 
the  trenches.  The  Germans  were  on  one 
side  of  a  river  and  the  Russians  on  the 
other.  The  German  lines  were  well 
guarded  and  were  further  protected  by 
barbed-wire  entanglements,  heavily 
charged  with  electricity.  As  we  crawled 
along  the  line,  we  could  see  in  the  moon- 
light the  bodies  of  Russians  who  had  at- 
tempted to  go  through.  We  were  hiding 
in  a  huge  shell  hole  close  by  the  bridge, 
upon  which  we  could  see  a  German 
sentry  walking.  Suddenly  we  heard  the 
clatter  of  a  pony  and  cart  crossing  from 
the  Russian  side.     We  heard  a  man  call 


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to  the  sentry  in  Yiddish  and  finally  come 
on  toward  the  German  side.  My  com- 
panion, who  was  a  Russian  Jew,  called  to 
the  driver  cautiously,  in  Yiddish.  The 
pony  was  stopped  and  the  man  came  to- 
ward us.  He  listened  to  the  story,  gave 
us  some  black  bread  from  his  cart,  and 
asked  us  if  we  *had  any  money.  We 
offered  him  all  we  had,  about  14  marks. 
*That  is  too  much,*  he  said.  *Give  me 
seven  marks.'  He  signed  for  us  to  follow 
and  walked  boldly  back  across  the  bridge, 
calling  to  the  guard  that  he  had  forgotten 
to  give  him  some  cigarettes.  As  we  drew 
near  he  told  the  guard  that  he  had  met 
two  Yiddish  friends  who  wished  to  go 
back  to  the  Russian  side,  at  the  same  time 
handing  him  the  cigarettes  and  the  money. 
The  sentry  waved  us  on  and  we  walked 
slowly  past  him  toward  freedom.  Up  and 
down  my  back  the  chills  were  running, 
and  I  wondered  how  soon  and  where  his 
bullet  would  strike,  for  I  could  hardly  be- 
lieve that  he  would  be  so  easy.  At  last 
we  reached  the  other  side,  and  took  to  our 
heels  into  the  shadows  and  were  safe. 

"After  that  it  was  simply  a  question  of 
getting  through  the  Bolshevik  lines  and 
into  the  North.  Here  my  Russian  com- 
panion was  of  inestimable  help.  At  last 
I  reached  the  Petrograd-Mourmansk  Rail- 
road and  followed  it  until  at  last  I 
reached  the  English-Serbian  lines  and 
went  into  Mourmansk  on  a  real  freight 
train.  Why  speak  now  of  the  hardships 
of  the  whole  trip  ?  I  forget  thefti  and  re- 
gard myself  as  unusually  fortunate  in 
having  escaped. 
"I  am  going  back  to  London  to  report 


than  a  month.  I  hope  the  war  will 
not  end  until  I  have  had  my  chance  to 
repay  the  Hun  for  what  he  made  me  and 
others  suffer  as  prisoners.  I  wish  I  knew 
how  that  other  Russian  fared!" 


same  time  hamUng  him  the  cigarettes  and  the  money.    The  sentry  waved  us  on  and  we 
waikea  slowly  past  him  totvard  freedom. " 


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FRAME  AIDS  LAUNDRY  WORKERS 

IN  WRAPPING  BUNDLES 

A  convenient  accessory  for  commercial 
laundries  is  a  wooden  frame  used  in  mak- 
ing   bundles     of  rough-dry     arti- 


divided  into  halves  which  are  held  to- 
gether by  simple  clamps,  dowel  pins  help- 
ing to  keep  them  in  alinement.  The 
frame  is  placed  on  the  wrapping  paper 
and  the  laundered  material  is  packed  into 
it,   after  which   the   halves  are   removed. 


BUSINESS  CARD  WITH  FLAP 

FOR  BRIEF  MESSAGE 

Convention  has  been  departed  from  in 
designing  a  business  card  which  is  pro- 
vided with  a  flap  intended  to  be  folded 


Business    Card  with  a  Detachable   Flap  on  Which 

can  be  Written  a  Brief  Message  to  tne  Person 

with  Whom  an  Interview  is  Sought 


either  against  the  back  or  the  front  of 
the  main  portion  of  the  card.  At  the  top 
of  the  flap  is  the  word  "subject,"  beneath 
which  the  one  seeking  an  interview  can 
indicate  in  a  few  words  the  nature  of  his 
errand  and  thereby  can  often  save  time 
for  himself  and  others  concerned. 


NEW  YORK  TO  ERECT  ARCH 
AS  WAR  MEMORIAL 

Very  soon  after  the  coming  of  peace 
New  York  City  ofiicials  began  making 
plans  for  a  victory  arch  in  honor  of  the 
Americans  who  fought  in  the  great  war. 
The  proposal  is  to  determine  as  soon  as 
possible  the  general  character  of  the 
structure  and  then  erect  a  temporary  arch 
in  conformity  with  those  ideas,  before  the 
majority  of  the  troops  return  home.  A 
numEer  of  prominent  artists  and  archi- 
tects have  been  selected  to  draw  up  plans 
and  specifications.  The  board  of  alder- 
men has  authorized  the  issuance  of  $80,000 
in  special  revenue  bonds  with  which  the 
memorial  will  be  erected  on  Fifth  Ave- 
nue, at  Madison  Square. 

EASILY. OPERATED  FLOUR  MILL 
FOR  HOUSEHOLD  USE 


It  is  believed 
that  the  war  has 
created  a  demand 
for  home-ground 
flours  of  various 
degrees  of  coarse- 
ness, which  will 
be  permanent 
among  house- 
wives. To  meet 
this  demand  a 
small  hand-oper- 
ated mill,  moder- 
ately priced,  has 
been  placed  on 
the     market.       It 


fastens  to  the  edge  of'  a  table  and  stands 
19  in.  high.  A  crank  handle  and  a  small 
flywheel  make  its  rapid  operation  easy. 
The  two  grinding  burrs  are  easily  ad- 
justed by  a  thumbscrew  for  grinding  corn, 
wheat,  barley,  rice,  rye,  etc.,  to  the  desired 
degree  of  fineness. 


CI  Business  interests  in  Tokyo,  Japan,  are 
planning  extensive  development  of  the 
port  at  Ominato,  which  is  now  only  a 
small  naval  center  at  the  northern  end  of ' 
the  largest  of  the  empire's  islands,  but 
promises  to  become  an  important  trans- 
shipment point  between  the  United  States 
and  northern  Asia. 


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OVERCHARGING  FOR  HOTEL- 
PHONE  SERVICE  ENDS 

One  of  the  petty  overcharges  which 
have  annoyed  hotel  guests  in  many  large 
cities  has  been  abolished  by  an  ordec  from 
the  postmaster-general,  who  has  control 
of  the  telephone  systems  of  the  country. 
This  order  provides  that  hereafter  hotels, 
apartment  houses,  clubs,  and  similar  in- 
stitutions, shall  not  charge  any  guest  or 
member  more  for  the  use  of  the  tele- 
phone than  is  charged  in  public  pay  sta- 
tions. The  managements  of  these  places 
are  also  forbidden  to  charge  more  for  pri- 
vate-branch exchange  stations  than  they, 
in  turn,  are  required  to  pay. 


FOCUSING  MOVIE  PROJECTOR 
FROM  BODY  OF  THEATER 

Among  the  recent  inventions  intended 
to  improve  the  projection  of  moving  pic- 
tures, there  is  an  electric  focusing  system 
that  may  be  controlled  from  any  part  of 
a  theater.  Usually  the  lens  of  a  projector 
is  focused  manually,  but  in  large  houses 
this  is  not  always  a  satisfactory  meth- 
>e  the  distance  be- 


tween the  projection  booth  and  the  screen 
makes  it  difficult  for  an  operator  to  deter- 
mine the  sharpness  of  a  picture.  The 
latest  plan  for  obviating  this  trouble  con- 
sists in  fitting  a  ring  gear  over  the  milled 
bead  that  rotates  the  lens  barrel,  and  actu- 
ating the  former  by  means  of  two  sole- 
noids connected  in  a  three-wire  circuit 
controlled  by  a  pair  of  push  buttons, 
preferably  installed  in  the  middle  of  the 
theater  about  14  ft.  from  the  screen.  An 
operator  stationed  at  this  point  is  able 
to  watch  the  screen  and  refocus  the  lens 
when  needed,  by  pressing  one  or  the  other 
of  the  push  buttons.  The  latter  control 
separate  solenoids,  one  causing  the  lens 
barrel  to  be  moved  forward,  and  the  other 
backward. 


SHEEP  DRIVEN  INTO  PEN 
WITH  AID  OF  MIRROR 

By  placing  a  mirror,  3  ft.  square,  op- 
posite the  opening  through  which  sheep 
were  to  be  driven,  an  Australian  grower 


A  Mirror  Installed  Opposite  the  Entrance  to  a  Sheep 
Pen  Makes  the  Animals  More  Ready  to  Enter  the 
Gate,  Because  Each  Takes  His  Reflection  to  Be  An- 
other Sheep  Already  in  the  Inclosure 

has  been  able  to  get  the  animals  to  pass 
into  pens  where  they  were  wanted,  with- 
out difficulty.  True  to  its  well-known 
habit  of  following  the  lead  of  its  fellows, 
each  sheep  on  seeing  its  own  likeness  in 
the  mirror  thought  it  was  another  of  the 
flock  and  passed  through  the  opening  at 
once.  While  the  device  has  been  em- 
ployed only  as  indicated  and  by  but  one 
ranchman,  so  tar  as  is  known,  doubtless 
there  are  many  places  where  it  could  be 
used. 


STEPLADDER  AND  HAND  TRUCK 
ARE  COMBINED  BY  INVENTOR 

A  hand  truck  that  also  serves  as  a  step- 
ladder  has  recently  been  invented.  The 
device  is  fitted 
with  four  treads 
and  at  the  rear 
side  has  a  hinged 
support  that  fits 
in  front  of  the 
axle,  out  of  the 
way,  when  not  in 
use.  An  addition- 
al advantage  of 
the  combination  is 
that  the  support 
will  hold  the  truck 
in  loading  position  ! 

and    thereby    give 

the  operator  complete  freedom  when  tip- 
ping or  moving  a  heavy  crate  or  barrel. 


(TA  few  weeks  ago  a  huge  aeroplane  car- 
r>Mng  35  passengers  flew  to  Paris  and 
return  from  a  point  40  miles  distant. 


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VARIOUS  ACTIVITIES   OF   BOYS  AND  GIRLS, 


About  60  Miles  from  Their  Home  City,  the  Boy  Scouts  of  Portland,  Oregon,  have  Built  This  Splendid 
Log  Cabin  near  Wahtum  Lake,  on  Leased  Land  In  the  Oregon  National  Forest.  The  Building  Measures 
100  by  60  Feet  and  is  Made  of  Peeled  Silver-Fir  Logs.  As  can  be  Easily  Iniagine-i,  It  Is  the  Goal  of 
Many  a  Memorable  Hike  Taken  over  One  of  Two  Beautiful  Trails,  Which  are  Maintained  by  Forest  Rangers 


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AND  UNUSUAL  SCENES  OF  INTEREST  TO  THEM 


Dauffhter.  Millv.    Tommv's  Master  Believes  Taste,  and  So.  after  Givins  Him  an 

1 


NaoBCly,  Milk  from  a  Cow  Which  Nursed  Him  His   Ground    Hog,  is   Shown  with   Him 

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GERMAN  WAR-TIME  CLOTH 

MADE  OF  PAPER 

A  war-time  product  of  German  weavers, 
reports  of  which  excited  not  a  little  inter- 
est, was  the  so-called  cloth  made  of  pa- 


COPrmOHT,   NrriRNATIONAL  FILM  tlNVICt 

Specimen  of  a  Substitute  for  Cloth  Made  by  German 
Weavert  during  the  War 

per.  Photographs  recently  secured  of 
specimens  of  this  fabric  show  that  it  is 
very  coarsely  woven,  the  threads  appear- 
ing to  be  as  large  as  coarse  wrapping 
twine.  In  some  cases  a  pattern  was 
printed  or  stenciled  on  the  material.  Un- 
doubtedly a  great  deal  of  experimenting 
was  necessary  to  make  possible  the  pro- 
duction of  even  this  rather  crude  cloth. 


NEW  ALL-METAL  HAND  TRUCK 
A  PINCH  BAR  ON  WHEELS 

A  new  hand  truck  for  moving  light  or 
heavy  loads  with  comparative  ease  re- 
sembles a  large-size  pinch  bar,  mounted 
on  three  wheels.  The  truck  is  made  en- 
tirely of  malleable  cast  iron,  and  there 
are  no  bolts  or  other  parts  apt  to  need 
replacing.  The  lower  end,  which  is  in- 
serted under  the  article  to  be  lifted,  is 
hroad   and    slic^htlv   curved.      The 


AIl-Metal  Hand  Truck  Made  Like  a  Pinch  Bar;    It 
will    Stand    Alone   Vertically   or   at   an    Incline 

have  21,4-in.  treads  and  are  3V2  in.  in  diam- 
eter, while  the  third  wheel,  a  few  inches 


to  the  rear,  is  5  in.  in  diameter  and  has 
a  1-in.  tread.  The  leverage  ratio  is  13M: 
to  1,  and  the  weight  of  the  truck  is  34 
pounds. 


GREATEST  TORPEDO  REPORTED 
TO  HAVE  20-MILE  RANGE 

America  of  late  has  been  given  credit 
for  the  d*evelopment  of  the  world's  great- 
est torpedo,  a  missile  with  a  range  of  20 
miles.  The  report  has  been  widely  circu- 
lated and  quite  possibly  is  based  on  fact, 
although  so  far  as  is  known  official  con- 
firmation of  its  existence  is  lacking.  The 
effective,  ranges  of  torpedoes  in  the  past 
have  been  popularly  known  as  approjti- 
mately  five  miles  for  the  largest  size,  and 
about  three  miles  for  others.  The  use 
of  a  torpedo  against  a  target  beyond  the 
range  of  vision  obviously  would  eriteiil 
serious  difficulties.  Therefore,  grantiiig 
that  a  20-mile  torpedo  has  been  placed'ln 
service,  the  details  of  its  construction 
could  be  no  more  interesting  than  the 
means  employed  for  its  effective  use. 

ELECTRIC  LAWN  MOWER  MAKES 
GRASS  CUTTING  EASY 

One  of  the  newest  applications  of  elec- 
tric   motive    power  to    machinery    is  -a 
motor-driven     lawn     mower 
is    as    easy    to    push 
as  an  empty  baby  car- 
A    %-hp.    motor    is 
-r;      mounted    on    the 
implement       and 
drives   the   blades 
by     means     of    a 
belt,  but  does  not 
propel  the  mower. 
Current      is      ob- 
_:     tained  through  an 
extra  long  flexible 
cord  connected  with  the  nearest  socket. 
The  motor  drives  the  cutting  machinery 
while  the  operator  pushes  the  implement 
about. 


) 


APPLE  BARRELS  PROVIDED 
WITH  GLASS  TOPS 

An  innovation  at  a  recent  apple  display 
held  under  the  auspices  of  the  Illinois 
State  Horticultural  Society  was  the  glass 
tops  in  the  apple  barrels.  The  glass  used 
was  thick  and  was  held  in  place  by  nails 
in  the  usual  way.  These  transparent  tops 
made  it  very  convenient  to  inspect  the 
fruit  whether  the  barrels  were  placed  on 
end  on  the  floor  or  piled  in  rows  on  their 
sides. 


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Automobile-Thief  Alarm 

By  E.  W.  RANSTON 


^^ANY    good  and  efficient   automobile 
-^^^  locks  have  been  called  into  existence 
by  the  epidemic  of  automobile  thefts,  and 
there  is  now  no  excuse  for  leaving  a  car 
unprotected.     The   locks   in   general  ,use 
are     of    several     classes, 
each  presenting  its  own 
advantages  and   open  to 
its  own  objections.  Elec- 
trical   locks    for    merely 
breaking  the  ignition  cir- 
cuit were  the  first  on  the 
scene,  and  are  still  used 
to  some  extent,  although 
no      expert      automobile 
thief  would  be  delayed  by 
them    for   more   than    a 
few  seconds,  as  he  would 
simply    connect    around 
the    "lock"   with   a   wire 
leading  directly  from  the 
battery    to    the    igniter. 
Gasoline-line     locks     are 
useful,      but      somewhat 
complicated  in  their  instal 
troduce  the  questionable  el 
tional   opportunity   for  ga 
Probably  the  favorite  metl 
mechanical  lock,  on  the  ste 
starting   crank,   or   some 
part  of  the  mechanism. 

While  all  of  these  locks 
upon  to  prevent  or  at  leas 
crably  the  work  of  the  thi 
of  them  are  of  any  assistant 
in  capturing  the  would-be  tniei.     i  ne  ae- 
vice  here  described  is  intended  to  accom- 
plish this  purpose,  and  at  the  same  time 
furnish   a  protective  device  with  all   the 
convenience  of  the  ignition  lock. 

The  effect  of  the  contrivance  is  that, 
when  a  thief  enters  the  car  and  takes  his 
place  in  the  driver's  seat,  an  invisible 
alarm  bell  under  the  car  starts  ringing, 
and  continues  to  ring  even  after  the  thief 
leaves  his  seat  and  seeks  safety  from  the 
police  or  citizens  who  are  sure  to  be 
attracted  by  the  noise  of  the  bell.  The 
bell  will  continue  to  ring  until  the  own- 
er returns  to  the  car,  or  until  somebody 


finds  the  hidden  control  switch  and  turns 
it  off.  Of  course,  if  the  thief  is  ingenious 
enough  to  find  this  switch  at  once,  he  can 
turn  off  the  alarm  himself,  but  there  is 
small  chance  of  a  thief  working  very  long 


A8  the  Thief  Takes  His  Seat  at  the  Steerins  Wheel, 
He  Sets  Going  an  Invisible  Alarm  Bell,  Which  Con- 
tinues to  Rine  Until   Switched  Off  by  a  Concealed 
Switch  in  Another  Part  of  the  Car 

around  a  car  to  the  accompaniment  of  a 
loudly  clanging  bell. 

The  various  parts  of  the  circuit  and 
their  connection  are  shown  in  the  dia- 
gram. The  materials  needed  are:  one  or 
more  small  switches  to  be  concealed  as 
well  as  possible  within  reach  of  the 
driver ;  a  good,  loud  electric  bell ;  a  relay, 
or  circuit  breaker,  such  as  is  used  on 
nearly  all  modern  automobiles  to  connect 
the   generator  to   the   battery   when   the 

^289- 


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proper  speed  is  reached;  some  resistance 
wire,  large  enough  to  carry  several  am- 
peres of  current,  and  some  pieces  of  wood 
and  spring  brass  to  make  the  seat  switch. 
As  will  be  noted  in  the  circuit  diagram, 
when  the  concealed  switch  is  closed  and 
the  seat  switch  is  afterward  closed,  the 
circuit  through  the  bell  is  established, 
and,  at  the  same  time,  the  current  flowing 
through  the  circuit  breaker  closes  a  cir- 
cuit which  connects  around  the  seat 
switch  so  that,  even  though  the  latter  is 
open,  the  bell  continues  to  ring.  The  re- 
sistance coil  would  not  be  necessary  if  the 
circuit  through  the  bell  was  continuous. 
Since,  however,  it  is  interrupted  at  each 
tap  of  the  bell,  the  coil  is  necessary,  in 
order  to  maintain  a  sufficient  current 
through  the  circuit  breaker  to  keep  it 
from  permitting  the  shunt  circuit  across 
the  seat  switch  to  open,  thus  stopping  the 
alarm.  The  only  way  in  which  the  alarm 
can  be  stopped  is  by  breaking  the  main 
circuit,  either  at  the  concealed  switch  or 
at  some  other  point.  If  properly  wired, 
this  cannot  be  done  by  a  stranger  with- 
out spending  considerable  time,  which, 
under  the  circumstances,  is  out  of  the 
question  for  a  thief,  at  least  in  a  city  or 
town. 

The  making  of  the  seat  switch  will  not 
be  difficult  for  any  electrical  experimenter, 
and  its  successful  working  must,  of 
course,  be  tested  by  experiment.  The 
sketch  may  give  a  suggestion.  It  will  be 
advisable  to  carry  the  two  wires  from  the 
seat  switch  directly  down  below  the  car, 
where  the  circuit  breaker,  bell,  and  resist- 
ance coil  can  readily  be  mounted  in  one 
removable  unit.  As  the  current  first 
comes  through  the  seat  switch,  it  will 
close  the  contact  points;  as  the  seat 
switch  is  opened,  the  current  flows 
through  the  shunt  circuit,  including  the 
contact  points,  and  keeps  the  points  closed 
until  the  main  circuit  is  broken. 

The  unit  under  the  car,  consisting  of 
the  bell,  circuit  breaker,  and  resistance 
coil,  will  have  two  wires  leading  from  it: 
one  to  the  seat  switch  and  one  to  the  con- 
cealed switch.  If  the  car  is  wired  on  the 
double-wire  system,  there  will  also  have 
to  be  a  return  wire  to  the  battery.  With 
the  grounded-battery  system,  there  is 
simply  a  connection  fro;n  the  unit  under 
the  car  to  some  screw  or  nut  on  the  frame 
of  the  car. 

The  concealed  switch  may  be  located  in 
a  pocket  on  the  door,  just  behind  the  dash 
board,  under  a  corner  of  the  floor  mat,  or 
any  other  place  where  it  will  be  out  of 
sight ;  or  it  may  be  built  into  a  combina- 
tion, or  key,  lock.    Ignition  locks  designed 


for  use  with  magnetos,  which  have  a 
closed  circuit  when  locked,  are  readily 
used  for  this  purpose.  One  advantage  to 
be  gained  by  the  concealed-switch  idea, 
however,  is  that  there  is  no  visible  indi- 
cation that  the  car  is  locked,  thus  encour- 
aging the  thief  to  get  himself  trapped. 
Car  owners  who  regard  this  as  a  dis- 
advantage, preferring  to  notify  the  thief 
in  advance  that  the  car  is  protected,  may 
use  a  lock  switch.  If  the  thief  then  con- 
nects across  the  two  wires  leading  to  it 
before  taking  his  seat  at  the  wheel,  he  will 
not  have  prevented  the  gong  from  giving 
the  alarm.  Using  two  or  more  concealed 
switches  presents  an  additional  advantage, 
as  closing  any  one  of  them  throws  on  the 
alarm,  and  all  must  be  open  to  throw 
it  off. 


Etching  on  Glass  and  Metal 

with  a  Sandblast 

A  sandblast  may  be  made  use  of  in 
many  novel  ways.  Any  part  of  an  elec- 
tric-light bulb  may  be  frosted  by  covering 
the  other  part  of  the  glass  with  a  piece 
of  heavy  paper,  and  exposing  to  the  sand- 
blast. A  similar  process  will  serve  to  etch 
any  lettering  or  design  on  any  glass  or 
polished-metal  article,  and  a  finish  may  be 
given  to  soft  wood  which  gives  it  the  ap- 
pearance of  being  hand-engraved. 


Weight  and  Pulleys  Keep  Air  Hose 

Convenient  and  Reduce  Wear 

The  usual  air-hose  arrangement  about 
garages  and  service  stations  is  frequently 
a  source  of  an- 
noyance to  both 
motorists  and  at- 
tendants alike, 
and  when  the 
hose  is  dragged 
about  on  the 
ground,  it  is  very 
short-lived.  The 
weight-and-pulley 
mounting,  illus- 
trated in  the  ac- 
companying pho- 
tograph, keeps 
the  hose  up  out 
of  the  dirt  at  all 
times.  Its  posi- 
tion is  convenient 

I  for  getting  at  all 

four  wheels  of  a 
car;  it  is  in  the  shade,  and  is  not  need- 
lessly worn  by  being  dragged  out  over  the 


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ground  or  left  in  aipoatton  to  be  run 
over.l)y  machines.  This  type  of  hose  sup- 
.^rt  costs  little  to  install,  and  will  pay  for 
itself  many  times  by  the  convenient  serv- 
ice it  renders  and  the  reduced  wear  on 
the  hose. — John  Edwin  Hogg,  Alhambra, 
California. 


Moving  **Ru8tcd-In^  Screws 

Skeel  screws  which  have  rusted  into 
place  are  difficult  to  remove.  They  can 
often  be  loosened  by  tapping  the  screw- 
driver with  a  hammer,  or  by  heating,  but 
a  better  way  is  to  treat  them  before  set- 
ting them  in  place  with  a  rust  prevent- 
ive. Common  oil  will  do  this  to  a  slight 
extent,  but  a  mixture  of  graphite  and  tal- 
low rubbed  onto  the  screw,  will  be  effec- 
tive for  a  much  longer  time. — S.  Leonard 
Bastin,  Booirnemouth,  Eng. 


Holding  Screws  While  Threading 

or  Turning  Them 

When  small  screws  must  be  turned  or 
threaded  in  the  lathe,  time  is  often  lost 
because  no  chuck  is  at  hand  which  fits 
the  screw.  A  collet,  to  be  held  in  the 
chuck,  and  to  hold  securely  the  size  of 

screw  for  which  it 

is  designed,  is 
made  from  a  piece 
of  round  steel.  It 
should  be  about 
1%  in.  in  diam- 
eter,  and  its 
length  should  be 
somewhat  greater. 
Drill  a  hole  clear 
through  it,  the 
size  of  the  screw 
to  be  held;  then, 
from  one  end, 
ream  this  with  a  %-in.  drill,  to  within 
^/4  in.  of  the  other  end.  Turn  down 
slightly  the  half  of  the  piece  from  which 
the  %-in.  hole  was  started,  so  as  to  pro- 
vide clearance.  With  a  hacksaw,  saw 
three  or  four  slots,  as  shown,  so  as  to 
form  a  spring  collet.  The  number  of 
slots  should  be  the  same  as  the  number 
of  jaws  in  the  lathe  chuck.  The  collet 
may  be  hardened,  or  casehardened  if  con- 
venient, and  its  life  will  then  be  mnch 
longer.  If  the  collet  is  accurately  made, 
a  universal  chuck  will  be  satisfactory  to 
use  with  it ;  for  extreme  accuracy,  how- 
ever, which  is  often  necessary  in  small 
work,  the  chuck  with  independent  jaws 
•is  to  be  preferred. — ^E.  L.  Howard,  Spring- 
field, Ohio. 


Large  Kettle  Inverted  over  Soft-^ 

Coal  Fire  Saves  Heat 

On  putting  fresh  soft  coal  into  a  stove, 
an  intense  smoke  is  given  off,  which  fouls 
the  pipes  and 
spreads  soot  over 
the  room,  besides 
wasting  coal.  A 
means  for  dimin- 
i  s  h  i  n  g  this  was 
found  in  a  large 
iron  pot.  The  pot 
was  provided  with 
a  ring  on  the  .bot- 
tom, by  means  of 
which  it  could  be 
carried  on  the  end 
of  the  poker.  Im- 
mediately after 
putting  on  fresh 
coal,  the  inverted 
pot  was  set  on  top 

of  the  fire  and  was  found  to  have  the  ef- 
fect of  causing  the  smoke  and  coal  dust 
either  to  collect  inside  the  pot  or  to  es- 
cape around  the  edge,  where  the  gas 
would  burst  into  a  ring  of  flame,  consum- 
ing much  of  the  coal  dust,  which  would 
otherwise  be  wasted.  The  kettle  is  left 
on  until  the  fresh  coal  becomes  hot  and 
is  reduced  to  coke  by  having  the  gas 
roasted  out  of  it ;  the  pot  is  then  removed, 
leaving  a  coke  fire,  which  burns  and  lasts 
very  well. — A.  S.  Thomas,  Amherstburg, 
Ontario,  Can. 


Carry  Tool  Checks  on  a 

Safety  Pin 

In  shops  where  each  workman  has  a 
number  of  tool  checks  bearing  a  number, 
one  of  which  he 
deposits  in  the 
tool  room  as  a  re- 
ceipt for  a  t  o  o  1 
taken  out,  the  loss 
of  these  checks 
may  sometimes  in- 
volve unpleasant- 
ness. A  safer 
way  of  carrying 
them  than  in  the 
pocket  is  to  sew  a 
large,  strong  safe- 
ty pin  to  the  over- 
a  1 1  s     or     shop 

clothes  and  hang  the  checks  upon  it.  The 
-checks  can  be  removed  or  replaced  with 
either  hand,  so  that  the  other  one  is  left 
free  for  carrying  the  tools. — C.  C.  Sprreen, 
Detroit,  Mkh. 


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Scaffolding  without  Nails 

On  a  repair  job  where  the  scaffolding 
could  not  be  attached  to  the  side  of  the 


Brackets  for  Scaffolding  Supported  by  Long  Braces 

Reaching  to  the  Ground  are  Pound 

Useful  on  Repair  Jobs 

house,  and  it  was  not  desired  to  build  up 
a  whole  structure  from  the  ground,  a 
contractor  designed  a  number  of  brackets, 
whieh  enabled  him  to  get  at  the  work 
conveniently  and  safely  after  very  little 
preparation.  The  brackets  were  made  of 
2  by  4-in.  scantlings,  each  brace  consist- 
ing of  two  pieces  nailed  together  so  that 
the  central  portion,  where  the  greatest 
stiffness  is  required,  is  full  4  by  4  in.  The 
braces  fit  snugly  into  the  brackets,  and 
the  whole  scaffolding  can  be  removed  in  a 
few  minutes  and  carried  to  another  job. — 
W.  K.  Crosson,  Detroit,  Mich. 


Keeping  Brushes  Soft  with  Paraffin 

Keeping  paintbrushes  soft  by  placing 
them  under  alcohol,  turpentine,  or  other 
such  liquids,  is  a  somewhat  expensive 
method,  especially  when  the  brushes  are 
to  be  out  of  use  for  long  periods.  If  a 
brush  which  is  still  moist  with  paint  or 
shellac  is  dipped  in  melted  paraffin  sev- 
eral times,  so  that  a  heavy  coat  of  the 
paraffin  adheres  to  it,  the  brush  will  re- 
tain its  softness  indefinitely,  the  paraffin 
preventing  any  evaporation.  To  remove 
the  paraffin,  merely  pull  it  off;  it  will 
come  easily,  leaving  the  brush  as  fresh  as 
when  the  paraffin  w^as  applied  to  it. 


Keep  the  Lami>s  Clean 

A  simple  explanation  of  a  gradually 
failing  light  in  many  shops  is  to  be  found 
in  that  lamp  globes  and  shades  are  not 
kept  clean  and,  therefore,  do  not  transmit 
or  reflect  the  light  properly.  A  little  at- 
tention to  keeping  the  lamps  clean  will 
often  enable  a  shop  to  avoid  the  necessity 
of  installing  more  lights  or  to  have  much 
better  illumination  with  those  already  in- 
stalled.—William  Philip,  Bloomfield,  N.  J, 


Small  Truck  Aids  in  Moving  Stove 

Here  is  a  device  that  is  cheap  and  easily 
made,  and  will  enable  one  grown  person, 
with  the  help  of  a  child,  to  move  quite  a 
large  stove.  The  frame,  of  strips,  1  by  3 
in.,  is  bolted  at  three  corners  with  %-in. 
stove  bolts,  and  casters  are  fastened  be- 
neath with  screws.  In  the  fourth  comer 
the  bolt  is  first  put  through  the  upper 
board  only,  and  the  nut  put  on  to  hoid>rt 
firmly  in  place.  The  platform  should  be 
made  the  proper  size  so  that  the  stoVe 
legs  may  rest  on  the  comers  right  over, 
or  slightly  to  the  inside  of,  the  bolts.  li 
this  is  not  done  there  will  be  some  trouble 
in  putting  the  stove  in  place. 

To  use,  have  the  loose  corner  open,  and 
place  the  frame  near  the  stove  legs.*  Tip 
the  stove  forward  so  that  the  strip  A  may 
be  put  into  place  beneath  the  bac4c  legs. 
Then,  lifting  the  front,  draw  the  frame 
together  and  into  position.  The  bolt  in 
the  top  strip  should  drop  into  the  hole  in 
the  lower  one,  and  be  fastened  with  a  nut. 
Now  the  stove  may  be  wheeled  into  the 
exact  position  desired,  and  by  reversing 
the  directions  given  above  may  be  quickly 
unloaded.  It  is  better  to  load  the  heavy 
end  first  and  unload  it  last.  Through  the 
summer  it  will  do  no  harm  to  let  the  stove 


With  a  Collapsible  Platform 
on  Casters,  a  Heavy  Stove 
mav  be  Readily  Moved  by 
Only  One  Man,  with  Slight 
Assistance 


Stand  on  this  truck.  The  casters  should 
turn  readily  in  any  direction.  Good  ones 
can  be  purchased  at  five  cents  each. 


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A  Homemade  Die-Casting  Machine 

By  C.  M.  MAHOOD 


/^NE  of  the  interesting  processes  which 
^^  ha\c  been  introduced  recently  in 
qaantity-production  factories  ts  that  of 
making  quite  accurate  finished  castings 
without  machining,  by  the  process  known 
as  die-casting.  In  this  process,  the  melted 
metal  is  forced  into  dies  under  pressure, 
and  after  it  has  cooled,  the  dies  are  opened 
and  'the  finished  castings  removed.  It  is 
thus  possible  to  cast  parts  which  have  the 
••particular"  dimensions  accurate  to  the 
thousandth  of  an  inch,  or  even  less.  The 
metals  used  are  alloys  of  fairly  low  melt- 
ing points,  as  it  has  not  been  found  prac- 
ticable to  make  dies  which  would  stand 
tip  under  the  temperatures  necessary  for 
casting  iron  or  steel. 

While  die-casting  is  more  particularly  a 
factory  process, 
yet,  for  certain 
jobs,  it  is  en- 
tirely possible 
to  use  to  ad- 
vantage some 
methods  of  die- 
casting  in  the 
small  shop. 
Whenever  a 
considerable 
number  of 
small  parts 
have  to  be 
made  which  do 
not  have  to  be 
of  great 
strength,  but 
should  be  ac- 
-curate,  the 
method  of  cast- 
ing the  parts 
directly  to  the 
finished  shape 
should    at    least   be   carefully   considered. 

The  apparatus  herewith  illustrated, 
which  is  almost  entirely  homemade,  en- 
ables anyone  to  apply,  in  a  somewhat 
crude  way,  the  die-casting  process.  An 
ordinary  iron  kettle  forms  the  pot  in 
which  the  metal  is  melted,  while  two 
pieces  of  %-in.  iron  pipe,  with  two  caps 
and  two  floor  flanges,  form  the  uprights 
which  support  it.  These  are  set  up  and 
given  a  coat  of  stovepipe  enamel.  If  the 
metal  used  is  one  having  a  fairly  high 
melting  point,  so  that  the  pot  becomes  ex- 
cessively hot,  a  sheet-iron  jacket  may  be 
placed  around  it,  extending  to  the  floor 
and  inclosing  the  gas  burner,  gasoline 
torch,  or  other  means  of  heating. 

To  the  bottom  of  the  pot  is  riveted  a 
steel  cylinder,  which  has  an  inner  surface 


A  Die-Casting  Apparatus  for  the  Home  Shop:    To  the  Left  is 
Shown  the  Method  of  Making  the  Castings.    The  Smaller  Pho- 
tograph Shows  a  Typt  of  Die  for  Casting  Disks,  and  the  Sketch 
Shows  the  Construction  of  the  Apparatus 


quite  accurately  machined.  An  old  auto- 
mobile cylinder,  if  not  too  badly  worn, 
will  serve,  and  the  plunger  may  be  made 
from  the  automobile  piston,  or  machined 
from  a  very  simple  iron  casting.  The 
plunger  is  suspended  by  a  wire  loop 
tapped  into  it  just  beside  the  stem,  and  a 
cord  runs  from  this  loop  to  a  lever,  at  the 
other  end  of  which  is  a  spring  for  the 
purpose  of  counterbalancing  the  plunger 
and  automatically  raising  it,  so  as  to  clear 
the  upper  porthole.  This  hole,  or  slot,  is 
about  V/z  in.  wide  and  ^  in.  high,  and 
forms  the  main  entrance  for  the  metal 
from  the  surrounding  pot.  The  level  of 
the  metal  should  be  kept  just  above  this 
porthole.  A  small  porthole,  about  Ys  in. 
in  diameter,  is  also  made  near  the  bottom 

of  the  cylinder. 
Up  through  the 
stem  of  the 
plunger  runs  a 
^-in.  hole,  and 
the  top  of  the 
stem  is  turned 
off  to  fit  any 
standard  coun- 
tersink, which 
will  be  used  in 
countersinking 
the  sprue  hole 
in   the   dies. 

The  dies  are 
made  in  any  of 
several       ways. 
If    one    wishes 
to  go  to  the  ex- 
pense   of    get- 
ting    a     high- 
quality   die   for 
long  service,  it 
can  be  ordered 
from  a  commercial  die  sinker.     For  cer- 
tain types  of  parts,  the  die  can  be  made 
by  pouring  out  two  pieces  of  cast  iron 
and  fitting  them  with  dowels  and  wooden 
handles,  and  finishing  the  die  inside  with 
plaster  of   Paris.     Such   a   die   is   readily 
made  and  is  useful  for  short,  rough  runs. 
The  operation  of  such  an  apparatus  is 
as  follows:      Fill  the  pot  with  metal  to 
a   height   slightly  above  the   upper  port- 
hole, and  heat  the  metal  to  100°  or  200°  F. 
above  its  melting  point,  in  order  to  off- 
set cooling  in  the  stem   of  the  plunger. 
Heat  the  die  with  a  blowpipe  flame  before 
making  the  first  casting;  after  the  run  is 
started,  the  die  will  be  sufficiently  heated 
by  the  hot  metal,  and  in  the  case  of  large 
parts  may  even  have  to  be  cooled  some- 
what between  operations.     Lubricate  the 


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die  with  beeswax;  then  close  it,  place  it 
on  top  of  the  stem,  with  the  end  of  the 
stem  in  the  sprue  hole,  and  press  down 
upon  the  handles  of  the  die.  The  metal 
will  be  forced  into  the  die  by  pressure  suf- 
ficient to  form  it  for  fairly  accurate  work. 
Remove  the  die  at  once,  and  as  soon  as 
the  metal  has  had  time  to  cool,  open  the 
die,  throw  out  the  part  and  proceed  to 
make  the  next  one  in  the  same  way.  For 
small,  thin  parts,  the  time  required  for 
solidifying  the  castings  will  be  found  al- 
most negligible,  and  the  parts  can  be  made 
as  fast  as  the  die  can  be  closed,  opened, 
and  pressed  down  on  the  stem  of  the 
plunger. 

As  the  plunger  comes  down,  it  at  first 
forces  metal  out  through  the  upper  port- 
hole; when  the  lower  end  of  this  is 
reached,  the  metal  is  forced  upward 
through  the  stem.  To  prevent  too  great 
a  shock  when  the  main  porthole  is  sud- 
denly   closed,    the  %-in.    hole    is     drilled 


farther  down,  which  has  the  effect  of  di- 
minishing the  suddenness  of  closing  the 
main  porthole.  The  slight  amount  of 
metal  which  will  flow  out  through  this 
lower  porthole  will  not  prevent  the  flow 
to  the  die,  as  the  action  must  be  rapid. 

Metals  for  this  process  are  of  various 
composition.  Tables  of  alloys,  having 
various  properties,  can  be  found  in  me- 
chanical handbooks;  the  cheaper  metals 
are  those  having  a  lead  base,  and  have 
very  little  strength,  though  they  are  en- 
tirely practical  for  some  purposes.  The 
metal  known  as  stereotyper's  metal,  com- 
posed of  lead,  tin,  and  antimony,  melt? 
at  about  550**  F.,  and  is  a  useful  metal  for 
this  class  of  castings.  Where  a  harder 
product  is  desired,  alloys  with  a  zinc  base 
and  from  10  to  30  per  cent  each  of  copper 
and  tin  may  be  used.  Shrinkage  also 
varies  for  these  diflFerent  metals;  that  of 
the  alloy  used  should  be  carefully  ascer- 
tained  before   making  any   accurate   die. 


Pumps  of  Centrifugal  and  Screw 
Type  Work  Together 

Tests  of  a  well  showed  that  it  would 
furnish  a  large  amount  of  water,  but  that 


The  Screw  Pump  Raises  the  Water  to  the  Surface,  and 

the  Centrifugal  Pump  Then  Takes  Hold  and 

Throws  It  Up  to  the  Storage  Tank 

a  heavy  lift  would  have  to  be  overcome 
to  get  the  water  to  the  surface,  when  it 
would  have  to  be  lifted  an  additional  50  ft. 
into  a  large  storage  tank. 

It  was  clear  that  for  such  a  heavy  head, 
a  centrifugal  pump  would  be  best.  On 
account  of  the  limited  suction  capacity  of 
such  pumps,  however,  it  was  also  evident 
that  a  deep  and  expensive  pit  would  have 
had  to  be  built. 

On  the  other  hand,  one  of  the  new  type 
of  screw  pumps,  made  to  fit  the  casing  of 
the  well  and  sunk  below  the  suction  limit. 


would  plainly  have  been  indicated  but  for 
the  fact  that  the  efiiciency  of  such  pumps 
is  greatly  decreased  by  a  heavy  head  of 
water.  The  expense  of  the  pit,  with  all 
its  attendant  troubles  aad  annoyances, 
would  have  been  avoided,  but  the  cost  of 
pumping  would  have  been  greatly  in- 
creased. 

The  owner  finally  solved  the  difiiculty 
by  installing  the  screw  pump  in  the  well 
and  directly  connecting  it  at  the  surface 
with  a  horizontal  centrifugal  pump,  plac- 
ing the  two  side  by  side  and  running  both 
off  the  two  pulleys  of  his  engine. 

The  outcome  proved  him  right.  The 
load  on  the  screw  pump  is  relieved,  be- 
fore the  water  reaches  the  surface,  by  the 
centrifugal  pump,  which  lifts  it  from  there 
on  the  additional  50  ft.  into  the  tank,  and 
the  centrifugal  pump  does  not  have  to 
exert  its  limit  of  suction  to  take  in  the 
water. — Henry  Simon,  Laguna  Beach, 
California. 


Staining  Wood  a  Dark  Color 
with  Roofing  Cement 

When  a  dark-walnut  flat  finish  is  de- 
sired on  woodwork,  one  may  use  the  ce- 
ment which  is  furnished  with  rolls  of 
composition-roofing  material.  To  use  this 
cement  for  a  stain,  work  it  sparingly  into 
the  wood  with  a  lintless  cloth,  or  small 
varnish  brush ;  if  any  surplus  cement  re- 
mains, take  it  off  with  the  cloth.  The 
results  obtained  with  this  novel  staining 
material  are  declared  to  be  very  satisfac- 
tory.— H.  K.  Capps,  Stahl,  Mo. 


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I 


The 

Aeroplane 

MaU 


[These  paeea  were  printed  December  20th. -Editor] 

A  LOT  of  progress  has  admittedly  been  made  in  the  world  in  other  than  post- 
office  affairs,  since  the  day  when  the  old  stage  and  its  six-in-hand  lumbered 
up  to  the  tavern  with  its  passengers  and — important  event — the  mail.  The  mail 
is  the  one  big  lottery  approved  alike  by  church  and  state,  and 
in  a  way,  mildly  satisfies  that  spirit  of  gambling  which  seems 
inert  in  even  the  most  correct,  for  one  never  knows  what  may 
come  next — a  bequest  or  a  bill. 

The  history  of  letter  carrying  has  always  been  an  inter- 
esting picture.  It  starts  with  the  solitary  messenger,  on  foot, 
braving  the  dangers  of  wild  animals  and  wild  men.  Then  the 
mounted  courier,  first  a  plodding  horseman  on  an  indifferent 
beast,  and  later  a  regular  Paul  Revere  with  frequent  relays  of  fresh,  fleet  horses. 
Next  the  stage  with  its  impressive  function,  whose  arrival  was  really  an  event.* 
From  stage  we  diverge  to  steamboat  and  railroad  train,  and  some  look  forward 
to  a  near  future,  in  which  even  these  two  shall  converge  in  those  swift  vehicles 
of  the  air  which  are  hoped  to  leave  behind  all  previous  carrying  aeencies  as  a 
mere  speck  on  the  horizon.  Ever  since  that  British  airman  carried  a  piano  as 
ballast  from  somewhere  in  England  to  another  somewhere  in  France,  anything 
short  of  moving  a  house  via  the  air  route  seems  possible. 

The  service  is  so  new  and  inexperienced,  however,  we  should  not  be  too 
impatient  of  immediate  results,  for  obviously  a  general's  important  orders  which 
must  reach  a  distant  point  regardless  of  danger  to  life  or  loss  of  machine,  if  only 
minutes  can  be  saved,  is  quite  a  different  proposition  from  the  great  bulk  of 
business  and  personal  correspondence  which  can  already  be  transmitted  be- 
tween points  a  thousand  miles  apart  in  as  many  minutes  by  telephone  or  telegraph 
as  an  aeroplane  would  require  hours  to  accomplish. 

Mere  business  documents  will  never  warrant  the  peril  to  life  and  limb  which 
is  an  accepted  risk  in  warfare. 

The  few  attempts  with  long-distance  mail  planes  which  have  been  made 
during  the  past  30  days  suggest  the  need  of  considerable  perfecting  of  air  cra^t 
before  a  regular,  dependable  air  service  is  possible.  The  attempted  flight  from 
the  Pacific  coast  to  Washington  with  only  two  scheduled  stops  got  no  farther 
than  Arizona,  while  the  attempt  to  start  daily  planes  simultaneously  from  New 
York  and  Chicago  was  a  complete  fizzle:  In  each  case  the  mail  eventually  was 
brought  by  railroad  the  second  half  of  its  journey,  and  consumed  from  twice 
to  three  times  the  time  it  would  have  made  on  a  fast  mail  train.  To  accomplish 
even  this,  Carl  Smith,  a  balloonist  and  aviator  of  11  years'  experience,  was  kill'^d, 
and  his  machine  wrecked.  Other  aviators  were  injured,  and  machines  damaged. 
In  our  impatience  of  results  we  are  apt  to  lose  sight  of  the  fact  that  a'r 
travel  will  always  be  handicapped  by  storms  and  air  conditions  which  do  n^t 
seriously  interfere  with  either  a  railroad  train  or  a  steamship,  both  of  which 
have  a  substantial  body  on  which  to  travel.  An  express  train  can  reduce  its 
speed  and  still  proceed,  a  ship  can  reef  its  sails,  or  lessen  its  speed,  and  yet  make 
headway;  but  an  air  vehicle  cannot  drop  below  a  certain  minimum  speed  and 
remain  afloat.  In  the  present  stage  of  the  art,  the  high-speed  gas  engine,  the 
only  present  available  power  for  planes,  is  not  only  a  delicate  machine,  but 
very  sensitive  to  atmospheric  changes,  and  the  present  type  of  the  strongest 
planes  requires  favorable  conditions  for  rising  and  landing,  and  even  for  flying. 
Only  a  day  or  two  ago  a  naval  hydroplane  rising  in  a  fog  collided  with  the  top 
of  a  clubhouse.  However,  all  these  are  incidents  usual  to  development  of  a  new 
idea,  and  already  several  successful  flights  have  been  made  by  compass — one 
of  407  miles— and  long-distance  flights  would  probably  be  made  at  high  eleva- 
tions to  avoid  clouds  and  treacherous  earth  currents. 

Until  a  dependable  night  service  is  possible,  there  would  seem  little  present 
advantage  to  business  interests  in  an  air  ma:l  service  which  requires  nine  day- 
light hours,  for  at  present  air  mail  between  New  York  and  Chicago  must  be 
posted  either  long  before,  or  received  after,  business  hours.  Both  the  18-hour 
trains,  in  service  for  years  up  to  the  war.  and  the  present  20-hour  trains,  are  far 
more  serviceable,  for  a  letter  leaving  New  York  at  noon  reaches  Chicago  at 


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9:15  a.  m.  the  next  day.  Allowing  one  hour  in  which  to  ddtver  and  two  hours 
reply,  the  answer  leaves  Chicago  at  12:20  p.  m.  and  reaches  New  York  at  9:45 
the  following  morning:  a  total  of  less  than  46  hours,  against  72  hours  business 
time  required  by  air  service — ^unless  letters  are  to  be  written  and  posted  before 
six  o'clock  in  the  morning. 

With  the  return  of  peace  and  the  opportunity  to  develop  the  plane  under 
conditions  of  deliberate  experiment,  the  same  spuit  of  inventive  genius  which 
evolved  a  heavier-than-air  machine,  can  be  counted  on  to  perfect  it.  There  will 
naturally  be  some  days  in  every  year  in  which  no  plane  can  navigate,  just  as 
there  are  now  some  days  in  which  trains  are  stalled  by  snow  or  water,  but  a 
few  unusual  storms  do  not  constitute  the  average  weather,  although  there  prob- 
ably would  be  more  such  days  for  planes  than  railroads. 

The  perfection  of  planes  in  the  next  few  years  will  be  one  of  the  most 
interesting  features  of  a  lifetime.  In  the  meantime  we  must  not  demand  nor 
expect  too  much. 


for    M 

h4S     '' 


There  are  those  amon^  the  British  aviators  who  predict  that  air  travel  will 
broaden  and  soften  the  minds  of  men  as  no  other  form  of  travel  has,  or  can 
ever  accomplish.  Seen  from  ^e  sky,  the  rapidly  passing  panorama  below  reveals 
great  cities  as  mere  spots,  and  vast  railway  systems  as  the  faint  lines  of  a  spi- 
der's web.  Large  lakes  become  ponds,  and  one  country  blends  into  anotiier  in 
that  harmonious  whole  which  the  Creator  intended.  Under  these  impressions 
the  ego  of  the  individual,  and  the  petty  selfishnesses  of  the  human  mind,  fade  into 
insignificance  before  the  grandness  of  it  all,  while  a  vision  of  the  millenium 
steals  upon  one's  consciousness. 

THE    daily   papers    have   made   some    quite   readable    copy    of   late    out   of 
the  rumor  that  to  avoid  jealousies  and  heartburnings  among  the  allies* 
it  was  urged  that  the  surrendered  German  fleet  be  conducted  to  the  location  of 
some  mile-deep  hole  in  the  ocean,  and  be  inducted  thereto  as 
the  safest  means  of  avoiding  disrupting  disputes.    It  may  be  a 
very  pretty  piece  of  sentiment  which  would  consign  a  huge 
navy  at  one  swoop  into  honorable  oblivion — ^it  savors  some- 
what of  the  long-c^Merved  tradition,  wherein  honor  demanded 
a  perfectly  capable  and  able-bodied  captain  to  go  down  with 
his  ship.    Such  a  brave  burial  would  be  verv  pleasing — to  the 
Huns,  to  whom  the  whole  scheme  may  be  fairly  credited.    If 
they  had  to  lose  their  navy,  naturally  they  would  "despise"  to  see  their  victors 
adding  it  to  their  already  large  fleets. 

The  conduct  of  the  German  navy  throughout  the  war  has  been  one  huge 
joke.  Its  stage  entrance  had  been  so  brilliantly  worked  up,  the  world  was  pre- 
pared to  witness  something  really  formidable.  In  the  first  few  weeks,  owins 
to  advance  information  of  when  the  fatherland  would  be  called  on  to  defend 
itself  against  invasion,  a  few  German  cruisers  and  armed  merchantmen  did  maka 
some  havoc  among  unarmed  freishters.  'Twas  a  noble,  brave  conquest,  inasmuch 
as  the  first  intimation  the  helpless  victim  had  that  a  war  was  on,  was  when  it 
found  itself  all  shot  up  and  sinking.  The  English  and  French  saw  to  it  that 
this  performance  didn't  last  long.  For  two  or  three  years  the  Bernstorff  grape- 
vine brought  at  intervals  the  news  that  the  German  grand  fleet  was  getting  up 
steam  to  come  out  and  annihilate  everybody.  But  the  British  were  too  many, 
and  the  one  time  a  few  German  war  craft  stayed  out  late  at  ni^ht,  tiie  alert 
Britannia  licked  them  so  hard  the  escapade  was  never  repeated.  Still  the  rumors 
were  kept  up.  It  is  doubtful  if  the  British  had  any  real  hopes  of  a  naval  combat 
the  last  18  months  of  the  war. 

Never  was  there  such  a  complete  naval  surrender  since  Noah  abandoned  die 
world's  entire  merchant  marine.  Pompey  lost  a  lot  of  galleys  and  Anthony  his 
fleet,  and  the  loss  of  the  Spanish  Armada  was  ^e  sensation  of  the  century,  but 
never  anyihing  like  the  surrender  of  the  German  fleet.  They  were  so  peeved 
over  the  outcome  the  surrendered  vessels  were  turned  over  in  a  shockingly  dirty 
condition,  than  which  no  greater  crime  is  possible  in  the  eves  of  Jack  Tar. 

And  now  they  would  like  to  see  a  grand  sinkine.  Of  course  they  woold, 
and  of  course  they  won't.    The  allies  can  be  trusted  for  a  perfectly  satisfactory 

L division;  in  fact,  the  truth  is,  probably  none  of  them  would  feel  very  bad  if  the     1 
entire  fleet  were  to  be  turned  over  to  the  British  as  trustee  for  civilization,  to    n 

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maintain  and  administer  in  the  cause  of  righteousness.  The  other  allies  would 
still  have  the  benefit  of  its  protection  without  the  cost  of  its  upkeep. 

The  sinking  of  the  German  fleet  is  a  fairy  tale  like  the  Holy  War,  and  the 
Revolt  in  India,  and  a  few  other  things  which  are  almost  forgotten.  The  inci- 
dent has  its  value,  however,  in  reminding  us  the  Hun  is  still  running  true  to 
form  as  the  same  sly,  intriguing  old  trouble  maker  as  of  yore. 

Disarmament,  partial,  or  by  the  slow  process  of  depreciation  without  replace- 
ment, may  not  be  seriously  considered  at  the  treaty  making.  It  would  be  too 
much  a  case  of  dismissing  the  shepherd  before  the  wolves  were  toothless.  The 
allies,  as  comrades  in  arms,  have  found  and  proved  how  successfully,  and  agree- 
ably, they  can  work  together.  H,  henceforth,  diplomacy  by  this  combination 
of  powers,  can  onlv  be  conducted  in  the  open  and  with  the  joint  knowledge  and 
advice  of  each  of  the  others,  no  other  combination  can  stand  against  them. 


In  the  interests  of  universal  peace  it  may  be  safe  to  discontinue  further 
increase  in  the  navies  of  the  allies,  as  long  as  no  other  nation  builds  new  war- 
8hq>8.    In  15  years  the  navies  of  the  world  would  thus  become  obsolete. 


TO  the  world  at  large  the  cessation  of  hostilities  was  almost  as  great  a  sur- 
prise as  was  the  breaking  out  of  the  war.    In  official  circles,  tne  end  was 
confidently  counted  on  for  several  weeks  before  it  was  accomplished.    So  engag- 
ing of  every  effort  of  mind  and  hand  was  the  prosecution  of  the 
war.  there  seemed  little  haste  for  thought  of  what  the  final 
settlement  shall  include. 

No  problem  which  has  ever  engaged  a  congress  of  nations 
compares  with  the  responsibilitv  and  magnitude  of  the  work 
before  the  Peace  Commission.    Like  all  great  bodies  it  appears 
to  move  slowly,  but  in  due  time,  like  a  huge  ship,  it  will  cast 
loose,  get  under  way,  and  start  on  its  voyage.    What  its  des- 
tination will  prove  to  be  is  of  momentous  importance  to  everv  human  beinf  on 
this  earth,  and  to  millions  yet  unborn.    Its  importance  politically  and  socially 
is  so  far  beyond  anything  in  the  past,  that  historically  it  may  almost  rank  with 
those  great  upheavals  of  Nature  m  which  our  Earth  was  bom. 

That  the  men,  upon  whose  shoulders  rests  the  formation  of  a  right  and  last- 
ing settlement,  realize  their  responsibility,  may  be  accepted. 

The  countercurrents  of  wind  and  wave  of  suggestion  which  reach  us,  indi- 
cate the  careful  approach  of  the  actual  negotiations^  and  give  hopeful  promise 
of  sane  and  safe  decision. 

The  whole  affair  is  so  vast,  and  its  interests  and  dependent  interests  so 
many  and  far-reachin||^,  the  undertakinf^  is  somediing  like  the  ministrations  of 
relief  and  reorganization  which  immediately  follow  a  great  flood  or  conflagra- 
tion. However,  as  in  those  disasters,  each  day  tends  to  bring  order  out  of  chaos, 
although  at  first  progress  may  seem  slow. 

In  this  effort  the  best  minds  of  the  world  are  enlisted  for  its  solution,  and,  it 
seems,  with  generous  harmony  of  purpose.  The  effort  of  the  Huns  to  throw 
monkey  wrenches  in  the  gears  has  uius  far  only  bruised  their  own  hands. 

To  those  of  us  who  oemand  the  personal  punishment  in  the  persons  of  the 
chief  offenders— which  should  include  all  of  us— the  sheriff  seems  a  bit  slow  in 
arresting  the  criminals  who  have  already  been  indicted  in  the  court  of  world 
opinion. 

In  the  meantime  it  behooves  us  to  keep  the  faith,  and,  because  the  gas  and 
liquid  fires  are  no  longer  being  hurled  at  ourselves  and  the  allies,  not  forget 
the  spirit  of  arrogance  and  hate  which  conceived  them.  Not  one  single  repentant 
word  has  come  out  of  Hundom.  On  the  contrary,  the  spirit  of  defiance  bums 
as  brightly  as  ever.  Ever  and  anon  appear  allusions  to  ''the  next  war,**  while  in 
an  appeal  to  the  allied,  Eisner  says: 

**We  do  not  come  to  you  in  sackcloth  and  ashes,  doins  penance.  We  come  as 
men,  conscious  of  haying  cleared  away  the  old  svstem.  We  come  Vrith  pure  hearts. 
That  is  why  we  remind  you  that  we  are  70,000,000  human  beings  who  want  to  live* 
and  that  it  is  your  duty  to  forget  and  to  help  us  reconstruct  the  new  world." 

We  may  be  more  forgetful  as  a  nation  than  we  should,  but  with  our  wounded 
and  dying  reaching  our  shores  by  the  shipload,  with  thousands  more  to  come 
M    for  months,  we  resent  being  told  it  is  our  "duty  to  forget** — and  it  will  be  noticed    u 
flj    we  are  not  asked  to  ^forgive.**  flH 

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What  we  need  to  guard  ourselves  against  is  the  danger  of  relapsing;  into 
indifference  to  the  crimes  and  horrors  which  the  Huns  inflicted  on  humanity. 

Even  now  the  Hun  in  our  midst  is  rapidly  resuming  his  attitude  of  arrogance 
and  insult  to  our  flag;  cautiously,  but  none  the  less  deliberatdy.  Ships  already 
are  afloat  headed  this  way  witii  cargoes  of  German-made  goods>  stored  for 
years  in  neutral  (I)  European  countries,  whose  value  runs  into  the  millions  of 
dollars  in  a  single  carf:o.  German  agents  already  here  are  taking  orders  from 
merchants,  who  are  either  pro-German  or  whose  lust  for  gain  absorbs  their 
honor.  Tne  moment  the  gates  are  open  Hun  salesmen  will  swarm  over  here, 
prepared  to  sell  goods  at  a  price  at  which  no  American  workman  could  produce 
them  and  live.  Merely  for  their  own  protection,  the  American  workmen,  of  all 
citizens^  should  refuse  to  buy  goods  made  in  Germany. 

Having  time  and  again  proved  themselves  intriguers;  deceptive,  barbarous, 
liars,  defilers,  why  should  we  open  our  gates  to  such  a  people?  Of  course, 
there  must  be  some  there  who  are  0iot  so  black,  but  it's  dangerous  to  empty  a 
bag  of  snakes  in  the  room  because  a  few  are  probably  harmless.  It  would  be  a 
rignteous  expression  of  our  abhorrence  of  Ilunism.  not  to  admit  for  residence 
here,  for  the  period  of  at  least  five  years,  any  emigrant  from  what  was  Germany 
or  Austria.  It  would  be  more  convincing  of  our  opinion  of  Kultur  than  the 
exacting  of  any  possible  indemnity  in  money— which  they  would  proceed  to  make 
out  of  us  and  pay  us  with  our  own  gold.  Nor  must  we  relax  in  our  attitude 
toward  those  flagrant  offenders—those  already  interned.  They  must  be  tried 
and,  if  guiltv,  convicted,  and  no  foolish  sentiment  should  plead  for  them  "the 
war  is  over/' 

The  war  is  NOT  OVER  in  this  country  as  long  as  one  single  voice  is  raised 
against  our  flag,  our  institutions,  and  our  high  ideals  of  right  and  wrong.  These 
offenders  cannot  understand  these  ideals  because  the  noise  of  Kultur  has  been 
dinned  into  their  ears  in  the  cradle,  in  the  school,  in  the  home,  and  in  the  church, 
until  they  simply  cannot  hear  the  clanging  of  the  Liberty  bells. 

We  should  abolish  in  this  country  every  school,  private^  public,  or  Sabbath, 
conducted  in  any  language  but  English.  When  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  landed  they 
thanked  God  for  freedom  in  the  English  tongue.  When  the  nrinutemen  fought 
for  liberty,  thev  spoke  English.  When  that  greatest  of  all  human  documents,  the 
Declaration  of  Independence,  was  framed,  it  was  written  in  Ens^sh.  The 
''Star-Spangled  Banner"  and  me  "Battle  Hymn  of  the  Republic''  were  written  in 
English.  The  English  language  has  been  the  language  of  freedimi,  and  opportu- 
nity, and  self-respect,  and  deliverance  from  oppression,  throughout  this  broad 
land  all  these  years.  If  this  country  is  good  enough  for  foreigners  to  leave  their 
homes  across  the  sea  to  make  their  home  here,  our  language  must  be  good  enough 
for  them  to  speak,  and  we  should  insist  on  it  I  would  make  it  a  condi- 
tion for  an  emigrant  to  land  here,  that  every  member  of  the  family  over  eight 
vears  of  age  must  be  able  to  speak'  English  "so  you  can  understand  it"  unless 
he  was  dumb  or  tongue-tied.  I  would  decree  that  after  the  year  1920  no  an« 
nouncement,  pamphlet,  or  periodical,  should  be  in  any  language  but  English. 

Our  boys  in  Prance,  with  utter  devotion  to  their  countrv,  have  carved  for 
themselves  such  a  hi^h  place  in  history,  the  very  least  we  who  remained  safely 
here  at  home  can  do  in  their  honor,  is  to  humbly  and  unceasingly  maintain  their 
standard  of  loyalty  and  patriotism,  and  never  let  it  fall  from  that  exalted  height 
to  which  they  raised  it. 

ABOUT  five  years  a^o  tons  of  medals  were  struck  off  to  commemoirate  the 
expected  entrance  mto  Paris  of  a  German  "war  lord."  The  plana  for  tfa« 
grand  induction  were  complete  to  the  most  minute  detail,  and  called  for  a  show 
of  splendor  and  armed  power  second  only  to  the  pomp  and  glory 
of  tne  days  of  the  Caesars.  The  pink  of  the  German  army  wim 
glittering  arms  and  helmets,  thousands  upon  thousands  of  them, 
were  to  grace  and  guard  the  boulevards  for  miles.  All  the  equip- 
ment and  panoplies  of  war  had  each  its  appointed  place  in  the 
procession  of  division  after  division,  which  were  to  march  to  Hun- 
nish  music  while  dejected  Parisians  wept  in  an  agony  ol  fear 
and  disgrace.  At  the  head  of  this  vast  multitude  4>t  conquerors 
was  to  ride  the  war  lord  himself*  surrounded  by  hundreds  of  staff  officers  lio 
magnificent  uniforms,  while  from  public  buildings  and  housetops  floated  defiantly 


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the  flag  of  two  eagles,  and  the  bells  of  Notre  Dame  led  the  wild  clamor  of  spire 
on  spire. 

And  after  the  ceremony  of  occupation 

All  this  was  planned  with  the  most  careful  detail  and  confident  assurance. 

The  grand  entrance  to  the  city  of  Paris  was  made  a  few  days  ago.  Soldiers 
by  thousands  lined  the  boulevards,  as  planned,  but  they  were  French  and  allied 
soldiers. 

Fla^s  waved  from  every  public  building  and  housetop,  as  planned,  but  they 
were  chiefly  the  flags  of  France  nestling  close  to  a  simple  flag  composed  of  stars 
and  stripes. 

The  head  of  a  Great  Nation  was  being  conducted  with  simple  honor  to 
receive  the  Freedom  of  the  City.  He  wore  no  uniform;  he  was  dressed  in  the 
somber  garments  of  the  civilian.  He  did  not  ride  a  bespangled  steed,  he  had  no 
dazzling  retinue  of  staff  officers.  He  rode  in  a  modest  open  carriage,  drawn  by 
a  single  team  of  horses. 

All  Paris  and  some  of  France  was  there.  The  people  lifted  up  their  voice, 
but  it  was  the  spontaneous  voice  of  gratitude;  tears  fell  from  many  eyes,  but 
they  were  tears  of  gladness;  and  the  bells  of  Notre  Dame  rang  out,  and  the 
other  bells,  but  they  were  eloquent  with  joy. 

The  children  threw  missiles  at  the  stranger,  but  they  were  garlands  and 
bouquets  of  fragrant  flowers. 

^'Der  Tag"  had  at  last  come,  but  NOT  as  planned. 

And  at  that  moment,  in  far-away  Holland,  to  a  voluntary  prisoner  in  a  re- 
luctant sanctuary,  the  wires  brought  the  tidings  of  thcf  Grand  Entrance,  and  as 
he  who  was  once  the  haughty,  heartless  war  lord,  read  the  news,  there  came  a 
far-away  look  into  his  eyes  as  he  murmured,  "It  might  have  been." 

H.  H.  WINDSOR 


BC^E 


^^t 


^ 


MINERS  BY  STRANGE  CHANCE 

FIND  RICH  OIL  FIELD 

■  Two  prospectors,  operating  a  placer 
mine  in  California,  were  dismayed  one 
day  not  long  ago  to  find 
the  spring  dried  up  from 
which  they  obtained 
water.  However,  holes 
drilled  near  by  started 
the  water  flowing  again, 
and  to  increase  the  flow 
they  bored  into  the  hill- 
side 20  ft.  This  gave 
them  enough  water  to 
resume  operations.  On 
returning  to  work  the 
next  morning,  what  was 
their  astonishment  to  find 
a  2-in.  stream  of  crude 
oil  flowing  from  the 
bore.  A  dam  was  has- 
tily built  to  conserve  the 
oil  until  pipes  could  be 
laid  to  a  near-by  town. 
Later,  bores  were  driven 
60   and    150   ft.   into   the 


hill,  and  now  the  flow  is  100  bbl.  per  day. 
The  oil  is  light,  with  very  little  water.  In 
the  temporary  reservoir  which  the  miners 
constructed,  about  2,000  bbl.  of  oil  ac- 
cumulated. 


Temporary  Reservoir  Containing  About  8,000  Barrels  of  Oil.  Whi  .-h  Is 
^  .     «         -  ...        .  -j^ 

lly  I 

Water  to  Resume  Their  Mining  Operations 


Only  Part  of  What  had  Plowed 

Day  When  Two  Prospectors  Accidentallj 


rom  the  Neighboring  Hillside  Since  the 
"     Struck   Oil  While  Drilling  for 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


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AMERICAN  BOlftBING  SEAPLANE 
CARRIES  FIFTY  PERSONS 

All  existing  passenger-carrxmg  records 
for  heavier-than-aif  flying  craft  were  shat- 
tered late  in  November  when  the  navy's 
new  giant  seaplane  "NC-l"  went  aloft  at 
Rockaway,  N.  Y.,  with  50  persons  aboard. 
This  remarkable  performance  served  to 
center  international  attention  on  the  latest 
type  of  ail-American  plane,  a  machine,  in- 
cidentally, that  is  the  largest  of  its  kind  in 
the  world  and  apparently  preeminent  in 
its  field  for  the  time  being. 

The  **NC-r'  was  constructed  from  plans 
prepared  by  the  Aircraft  Division,  Bureau 
of  Construction  and  Repair.  In  many  re- 
spects it  is  original  in  design,  although  it 
embodies  standard  ideas.  In  an  official 
statement  authorized  by  Secretary  Dan- 
iels, it  is  asserted  that  while  the  craft  is 
not  specifically  a  flying  boat,  neither  is  it 
a  seaplane  of  the  pontoon  variety.  On  the 
other  hand,  it  is  described  as  embodying 
the  most  valuable  advantages  of  both 
types.  Contrary  to  this,  however,  the  ves- 
sel bears  all  of  the  characteristics  of  the 
flying  boat,  if  its  appearance,  as  shown  by 
photographs,  may  safely  be  relied  upon. 

With  a  spread  of  126  ft.,  of  12.ft.  chord, 
and  a  boat  body  as  large  as  a  fair-sized 
launch,  the  new  craft  makes  a  most  im- 
posing appearance.  It  is  a  biplane  with 
a  12-ft.  gap,  and  mounts  three  12-cylinder 
Liberty  motors  that  drive  separate  four- 
blade  propellers  and  generate  a  total  of 
1,200  hp.  When  unloaded  and  without 
its  crew,  it  weighs  13,000  lb.  Its  flying 
weight  is  placed  at  22,000  lb.  Its  fuel  ca- 
pacity is  300  gal.  In  official  flights  a  speed 
of  about  80  miles  an  hour  has  been 
developed. 

The  pilot's  seat  is  understood  to  be  sit- 
uated between  the  two  planes  in  the  cen- 
tral "power  egg."  On  top  of  the  upper 
plane  is  a  modified  conning  tower  in  which 
an  observer  is  stationed.  From  this  posi- 
tion he  has  a  commanding  view  in  all  di- 
rections. Seats  are  provided  beneath  the 
bottom  plane  for  four  other  observation 
officers.  Other  members  of  the  crew  are 
accommodated  in  the  boat  body.  The 
machine  is  termed  a  bomb-carrying  sea- 
plane and  is  being  used  for  coast  patrol. 
Others  of  the  same  type  are  understood 
to  be  in  the  course  of  construction. 

It  ts  intimated  that  the  preeminence  of 
this  remarkable  ship  may  be  of  only  short 
life,  since  Caproni  is  reported  to  be  build- 
ing two  great  planes  designed  to  be 
capable  of  carrying  75  and  100  persons, 
respectively. 


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Great  New  Seaplane  is  Presented  Above.  The 
Picture  Well  Illustrates  the  Placement  of  the 
Struts  That  Support  the  Three  Motor  Nacelles, 
Shows  the  Big  Triangular  Frame  That  Braces 


t 


Another  Side  View  of  the  Big  Seaplane  Which  in  a  Recent  Flight,  /. 

=rv,     at   Rockaway,   New  York,  Attracted   International   Attention   by    I,,  =^^ 

N^     Carrying  50  Persons  Aloft:    It  Is  This  Remarkable  Machine  That  ^  a 

Glenn  Curtiss  has  Proclaimed  as  Undoubtedly  Capable  of  Success-  Ctp 

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fully  Flying  across  the  Atlantic  Ocean 
•^^-v . 


184 


POPULAR  MECHANICS 


ONE  MAN   DOES  WORK  OF  TWO 

WITH  NEW  SPRING  SAW 

With  the  aid  of  a  new  sa>v  that  has 
lately  besn  introduced,  it  is  claimed  that 


CANADIAN 
ONE    OF 


Showing  the  Spring  Saw.  Which  Enables  One  Person  to  Do  as  Much  Work 

at  Two  Ordinarily  Accomplish  with  a  Standard  Crosscut  Blade, 

in  Use.    The  Top  Blade,  It  will  be  Observed,  Is  Toothless 

a  Strong  boy  or  woman  is  able  to  cut  more 
wood  than  two  experienced  lumbermen 
equipped  with  a  standard  crosscut  saw. 
In  support  of  his  claim  is  the  record  made 
during  a  contest  conducted  a  short  time 
ago. 

Two  men  with  a  crosscut  saw  mas- 
tered an  11-in.  chestnut  log  in  92  strokes, 
while  one  man,  with  the  new  machine 
saw,  accomplished  the  same  work  in  70 
strokes.  The  implement  consists  of  two 
steel  arms  actuated  by  a  powerful  con- 
necting spring.  A  bracket  is  attached  at 
the  fore  end  of  each  of  the  members,  and 
to  these  the  blades  are  clamped.  To  oper- 
ate, the  saw  is  merely  drawn  back  and 
forth  in  the  usual  manner,  all  of  the  neces- 
sary pressure  being  exerted  by  the  spring. 
The  entire  contrivance  weighs  only  12  lb. 
It  is  especially  suited  for  the  farmer  who 
does  not  wish  to  incur  the  expense  of  pur- 
chasing a  power  outfit  for  cutting  fuel 
wood.  In  addition  to  cutting  logs,  it  may 
be  employed  for  felling  trees  of  medium 
size. 


GERMANS  DEPRIVED  LILLE 

OF  MUCH-NEEDED  SERUM 

Another  German  atrocity  bespeaking 
the  same  incomprehensible  inhumanity 
that  characterized  s  o 
many  Teutonic  acts,  has 
been  made  public  by  the 
head  of  the  Pasteur  In- 
stitute at  Lille,  who  re- 
mained fearlessly  at  his 
post  during  the  period  of 
German  occupation.  He 
reports  that  despite  his 
appeals  and  protests,  the 
Germans  took  away  the 
last  three  horses  at  the  in- 
stitute, which  were  used 
in  the  production  of  anti- 
diphtheric  serum.  The 
fiendishness  of  the  Ger- 
mans' act  is  emphasized 
by  the  fact  that  the  ani- 
mals had  been  declared 
unfit  for  any  ser\-ice. 
The  loss  of  the  horses 
deprived  the  civil  popu- 
lation of  sorely  needed 
serum  at  a  time  of  year 
when  the  disease  is  of  common  occurrence 
among  children.  The  Germans*  act  was 
a  direct  violation  of  international  law  as 
laid  down  at  The  Hague. 


ROUNDROOF    BARN 
WORLD'S    LARGEST 


One  of  the  largest  barns  in  the  world, 
located  at  Leader,  Sask.,  is  conspicuous 
for  its  shape  as  well  as  its  size,  the  roof 
being  rounded  and  forming  a  great  bar- 
rel-vaulted loft  in  which  to  store  produce. 
The  structure  is  400  ft.  long,  128  ft.  wide, 
*and  62  ft.  high.  The  material  used  in  its 
construction  included  875,000  board  feet 


CAmong  the  novel  uses  of  raw  products 
to  which  the  war  has  given  rise  in  Europe, 

,  is  the  making  of  a  useful  paste  from  gar- 
lic, the  preparation  of  certain  fungi  to 
serve  as  a  substitute  for  cork,  and   the 

.production  from  heather  of  briquettes  of 

(high  heat  value. 


Bam  at  Leader,  Saskatchewan,  Which  is  Said  to  Be 

the  Second  Larcest  in  the  World :    It  Is  400  Feet 

Long,  128  Feet  Wide,  and  OS  Feet  High 

of  lumber,  30,000  sacks  of  cement,  60.434 
sq.  ft.  of  corrugated-iron  roofing,  and 
three  tons  of  nails  and  other  hardware. 


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185 


A  California  Pigeon   Ranch,  the  Home  of  100,000  Mature  Birds,  Which  was  Wiped  Out  in  a  Night  by  a 
Flood  from  a  Near-By  Mountain  Stream:    The  Feeding  Ground  Is  Now  Part  of  the  Bed  of  a  Stream 


HOME  OF  HUNDRED  THOUSAND 

PIGEONS  WIPED  OUT 

Formerly  California  boasted  that  it  had 
the  largest  pigeon  ranch  in  the  world,  no 
less  than  100,000  birds  having  been  taken 
care  of  on  a  tract  not  far  from  Los 
Angeles.  But  by  a  peculiar  accident, 
which  perhaps  has  no  parallel,  the  entire 
establishment  was  wiped  out,  the  very 
ground  it  occupied  disappearing  from 
sight.  The  cause  of  this  misfortune  was 
a  sudden  flood  in  a  near-by  mountain 
stream  which  swept  all  the  buildings 
away,  drowned  many  of  the  birds,  and  cut 
a  new  channel  across  what  was  the  feed- 
ing ground.  The  pigeons  which  survived 
hovered  around  the  spot  for  a  few  weeks 
or  months,  but  finally  scattered  in  all 
directions. 


POUR-MONTHS-OLD  BABY 

STANDS  ALONE 

A  Chicago  family  boasts  of  a  baby 
nrhich,  at  four  months  of  age,  was  a  grad- 
uate. That  is  to  say,  at  that  age  it  had 
progressed  sufficiently  in  a  special  course 
of  physical  training  to  be  able  to  stand 
alone  and  therefore  was  considered  fitted 
to  take  tip  more  advanced  work.  The 
training  of  the  little  youngster,  enabling 
it   to  stand  at  loar  months  while  most 


babies  cannot  do  this  before  they  are  nine 
months  old,  was  begun  in  its  third  week. 
One  of  the  first  lessons  consisted  in  teach- 
ing it  to  sit  up  by  putting  a  hand  at  its 


Photograph  of  a  Chicago  Baby  Girl  Standing  Alone 
When  Four  Months  Old:  Most  Babies  cannot  Do 
This  Before  They  Are  Nine  Months  Old.  An 
Interesting  Course  of  Physical  Training  Is  Respon- 
sible for  the  Remarkable  Feat 

back  and  bracing  the  tiny  feet.  At  four 
months  it  was  23Vi  in.  tall  and  weighed 
11%  pounds. 


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■RITIIM  OrFIClAU  PHOTO,   COPTRIOHT,  WUTtRN  NtWAPAPCR  UM*0« 

The  Striking  Photograph  Reproduced  Above  Shows  Some  of  the  German  U-Boats  That  Surrendered  at  the 

Rendezvous  off  Harwich.    They  Are  Now  in  the  Hands  of  Responsible  Nations 

and  No  Longer  a  Menace  to  Humanity 

SURRENDER  OF  GERMAN  FLEET  GREATEST 
NAVAL  EVENT  IN  HISTORY 


p^OUR  salient  points  stand  out  in  the 
•■•  surrender  of  the  flower  of  the  Ger- 
man navy  to  the  allied  armada  in  the 
North  Sea,  off  Firth  of  Forth,  November 
21,  last. 

Naval  tradition  holds  no  parallel  of  a 
great  sea  force  ingloriously  handing  it- 
self over  to  an  enemy  without  so  much  as 
firing  a  shot.  Even  the  Spaniards,  with 
full  knowledge  that  defeat  awaited  them, 
had  the  spunk  to  make  Sampson  win  his 
honors  at  Santiago. 

The  German  surrender  was  marked  by 
the  most  titanic  assemblage  of  fighting 
vessels  ever  congregated  for  any  purpose 
whatever. 

By  meekly  turning  over  her  warships, 
Germany  reduced  herself  to  a  sixth-rate 
naval  power. 

The  United  States  Navy,  without  being 
put  to  any  inconvenience  whatever,  auto- 
matically became  the  world's  second  sea 
power. 

Actual  surrender  of  her  fighting  ships, 
in  compliance  with  the  terms  of  the  armi- 
stice, was  begun  by  Germany  on  Novem- 
ber 20,  when  at  dawn  a  fleet  of  20  U-boats 


was  turned  over  to  five  British  light 
cruisers  at  a  rendezvous  35  miles  off  Har- 
wich in  the  North  Sea.  On  the  morrow 
the  Hun  witnessed  **Der  Tag,"  for  then  it 
was  that  the  first  and  major  installment 
of  the  German  High  Seas  Fleet  surren- 
dered to  Admiral  Sir  David  Beatty,  com- 
mander of  the  Grand  Fleet.  On  that 
same  memorable  day,  the  second  group  of 
submarines  was  surrendered  off  Harwich. 
From  then  on,  delivery  of  U-boats  con- 
tinued for  some  days  until  the  terms  of 
the  armistice,  which  called  for  six 
battle  cruisers,  10  battleships,  eight  light 
cruisers,  50  destroyers,  and  150  sub- 
marines, were  complied  with. 

How  the  German  navy  ignobly  struck 
its  flag,  once  and  for  all  admitting  su- 
preme cowardliness  to  the  inexpressible 
disgust  of  every  red-blooded  jack  afloat, 
is  known  to  the  whole  world.  As  a  matter 
of  record  it  is  briefly  sketched  herewith. 

The  conquering  allied  armada,  to  which 
the  surrender  was  made,  was  composed  of 
about  400  vessels.  America  was  repre- 
sented by  the  "New  York,"  flying  the  flag 
of  Admiral   Rodman,   with   Admiral  Sims 


J 

At  the  Rendezvous:  Close  View  of  Three  of  the  Hun  Submarines  after  the  Surrender.    The  Crews  are  Lined 
on  Deck,  and  an  Escort  is  being  Awaited  to  Convoy  the  Cowed  Murderers  to  Harwich 

186 


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188 


POPULAR   MECHANICS 


and  his  staff  aboard,  and  the  "Florida," 
"Wyoming,"  and  "Arkansas."  The  French 
navy  was  represented  by  the  armored 
cruiser  "Admiral  Aube,"  flying  the  flag  of 
Rear  Admiral  Grasset,  and  two  de- 
stroyers. 

Early  in  the  morning  of  the  appointed 
day,  the  Grand  Fleet  began  to  weigh 
anchor  at  its  moorings  in  the  Firth  of 
Forth  and  form  the  double  line  that  it 
maintained  throughout  the  day.  Battle 
cruisers,  followed  by  dreadnaughts,  led 
the  way  toward  the  rendezvous  some  50 
miles  distant.  The  squadron  in  the  north- 
ern column  was  led  by  the  "Queen  Eliza- 
beth," Admiral  Beatty's  flagship,  abaft  of 
which  the  United  States  vessels  took  up 
their  positions. 

Shortly  after  dawn  the  "Cardiff,"  trail- 
ing a  kite  balloon,  was  sighted.  Follow- 
ing doggedly  behind  it  came  the  cruiser 
"Seydlitz,"  the  first  of  the  Hun  ships,  and 
four  others  of  the  same  type  in  single 
file  nearly  a  half  a  mile  apart.  Then  came 
nine  dreadnaughts,  led  by  the  "Friedrick 
der  Grosse."  The  "Grosser  Kurgurst" 
brought  up  the  rear,  and  three  miles  aft 
of  it  steamed  seven  light  cruisers.  The 
tail  of  the  shameless  procession  was 
brought  up  by  50  destroyers  sailing  five 
columns  abreast. 

The  escorting  "Cardiff"  led  the  Ger- 
mans between  the  formidable  gauntlet  of 
allied  ships,  extending  unbrokenly  for 
nearly  20  miles  in  columns  six  miles  apart. 
The  oncoming  array  of  subdued  fighters 


steamed  at  the  prescribed  rate  of  11 V^ 
miles  an  hour.  Their  guns  pointed 
straight  fore  and  aft,  they  carried  no  am- 
munition and  they  were  manned  only  by 
navigating  crews.  The  big  guns  of  the 
allied  ships  were  trained  on  the  enemy, 
ready  to  blow  her  disgraceful  navy  out 
of  the  water  if  it  made  a  miss  move. 
Every  man  jack  was  at  his  battle  posi- 
tion ready  for  action.  Air  craft  circled 
overhead,  and  scores  of  binoculars  scru- 
tinized every  inch  of  each  German  ship 
as  it  came  into  sight.  Men  at  finders  con- 
tinually corrected  the  range  of  the  enemy 
advance.  But  the  Hun  was  through 
with  his  "overt  acts,"  and  nothing  oc- 
curred to  mar  the  complete  ignominy  of 
his  "place  in  the  sun." 

The  allied  ships  put  about  and  formed 
in  squadrons  when  the  far-western  end  of 
the  flanking  lines  had  been  reached  by  the 
headmost  of  the  surrendering  men-of-war. 
Steaming  westward,  the  Grand  Fleet  then 
began  to  accompany  the  Hun  to  his  place 
of  internment,  the  Firth  of  Forth.  Early 
in  the  afternoon  the  enemy  was  shown  his 
anchorage. 

When  the  mooring  was  completed,  Ad- 
miral Beatty  issued  the  following  laconic 
order,  the  like  of  which  never  before  in 
the  world's  history  was  obeyed  by  a  real 
naval  force  without  a  fight: 

"The  German  flag  is  to  be  hauled  down 
at  3:57  and  is  not  to  be  hoisted  again 
without  permission."  Thus  passed  the  Ger- 
man High  Seas  Fleet  to  its  ignoble  end. 


COPYMtOMT,  NfW  rOWC  MtRALO 

In  View  of  the  Surrender  of  the  German  High  Seat  Fleet,  a  Certain  Amount  of  Credit  Is  Due  This  Gang 
of  Murderers.     Most  of  Them,  Surrounding  the  Chief  Thug»  Are  Former  U-Boat  Com- 
manders Who  Fought  Defenseless  Ships,  but  Who  at  Least  "Fought" 


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189 


Tlie  Truck,  in  Front  of  Which  the  Snowplow  is  Mounted,  is  Equipped  with  Runners  in  Place  of  the  Front 

Wheels.    The  Clearance  of  the  Plow  is  Regulated  by  Means  of  the  Block  and  Tackle 

Attached  to  the  Tall  Beam  at  the  Front  of  the  Plow 


MOTOR-DRIVEN  SNOWPLOW 

CLEARS  MONTANA  ROADS 

A  Montana  county  engineer  has  built 
a  snowplow,  designed  to  be  driven  by  a 
motor  truck,  with  which  he  believes  it  is 
possible  to  keep  the  highways  open  in 
spite  of  the  heaviest  snowfall.  The  plow 
is  V-shaped  and  is  mounted  in  front  of 
the  truck,  which  is  provided  with  runners 
in  place  of  its  front  wheels.  The  proper 
amount  of  clearance  is  obtained  by  means 
of  block  and  tackle  connecting  a  heavy 
upright  mounted  at  the,  apex  of  the  plow, 
with  braces  placed  back  of  the  driver's 
seat.  Being  attached  to  the  truck  the 
plow  cannot  easily  shift  sideways. 


TRAINING   THOUSANDS   TO   MAN 

BIG  MERCHANT  FLEET 

Because  the  United  States  Shipping 
Board  expects  to  bring  the  total  number 
of  vessels  in  its  merchant  fleet  up  to  nearly 
2,000  by  the  end  of  1919,  it  is  most  impor- 
tant that  a  sufficient  number  of  men — ap- 
proximately 220,000— be  available  to  run 
these  vessels.  The  permanent  facilities 
for  giving  instruction  along  the  necessary 
lines  will  now  accommodate  110,000  men. 
The  institutions  are:  the  Great  Lakes  sta- 
tion with  a  capacity  for  45,000,  Newport 
and  Hampton  Roads,  25,000  each,  and  Pel- 
ham  Bay,  N.  Y.,  15,000.  The  first  prin- 
ciples of  seamanship  are  also  taught  on 
some  hundreds  of  ships  which  serve  as 
floating  schools.  A  number  of  institu- 
tions are  giving  courses  for  training  naval 
officers. 


ROTARY  PUMP  FOR  COOLING 

SYSTEM  OF  LIGHT  CAR 

Another  accessory  for  a  certain  light 
motor  car  in  universal  use,  consists  of  an 
eccentric  centrifugal  pump  for  the  cool- 
ing system.  The  device  is  of  current  in- 
troduction and  is  especially  suited  for  in- 
stallation when  the  car  has  been  converted 
to  a  truck  or  tractor,  an^  is  therefore  par- 
ticularly in  need  of  some  auxiliary  appli- 
ance to  prevent  the  motor  from  overheat- 
ing. The  new  pump,  which  may  be  at- 
tached in  20  minutes  without  drilling  a 
hole,  is  complete  with  stuffing  box,  grease 
cups,  and  fittings.  It  is  driven  by  the  fan 
belt  through  a  slender  shaft  with  universal 
joint  that  compensates  for  any  misaline- 
ment  that  may  occur.  As  an  index  to  its 
apparent  merit,  it  circulates  water  at  the 
rate  of  five  gallons  a  minute,  which  is 
rapid  enough  to  prevent  freezing,  it  is 
claimed,  in  the  coldest  weather.  The  out- 
fit is  neatly  arranged  and  takes  up  but  lit- 
tle space  beneath  the  hood. 


The  Interior  Arrangenient  of  the  Centrifufal  Pump 

it  Clearly  Shown  at  the  Left.    The  Other 

Illustration  Pictures  Its  Installation 


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190  POPULAR   MECHANICS 

TANK  CARS  DUMP  CRUDE  OIL  LUMBER  AND  SUPPLIES  SOLD 

INTO  PACIFIC  OCEAN  IN  MODEL  STORE 

Ten  tank  cars  laden  with  crude  oil  On  the  theory  that  system,  convenience, 
rolled  downhill  at  El  Segundo,  Calif.,  not  and  attractiveness  can  count  as  much  in 
long  ago,  with         disastrous  results      the  lumber  business  as  they  do  in  a  vvell- 

iartment    store,    a    concern 
iber,  builders'  supplies,  etc., 
ih,  has  opened  what  is  ac- 
del   **Iumber  store."     It   is 
business  district  and  not 
leighborhood,  as  are  many 
yards.     The    large    plate- 
glass    windows    are    at- 
tractively decorated  with 
supplies,     and    are    well 
lighted    at    night.      The 
floors     within     are    well 
polished.        Comfortable 
chairs    and    a    table    are 
provided   for  those  who 
wish   to   inspect  a   large 
collection    of    house 
plans.       Samples    of    all 
ware    stock   are    displayed 
esigns  in  wall  cabinets,  and 
so  arranged  that  one  can 
e  the  available  shades.     A 
is  provided  for  inspecting 
ront  doors.     Much  of  the 
rear  is  under  cover,  and 
ncaiiy  arriiiigcd.    The  management  of  the 
sand.     Oil  covered  the  water  for  a  dis-      store    seeks   to    emphasize   the   fact    that 
tance  of  several  miles  out  from  the  shore      they  are  not  merely  lumber  dealers  but 
line.  home  builders. 


ROTTED  POLES  BRACED  TO  SAFEGUARD  CLIMBERS 

In  the  work  of  electric  linemen,  as  in      braced   pole  which  is  rotted  at  its  base, 
many   other  trades,   each  year   witnesses      now  provides  that  in  such  cases  four  men 

'2  rotted  member  with  pike 
is  not  done,  the  detaching 
•es,  or  the  conductors,  may 
:all,    seriously   injuring   the 
enever  it   is   impossible  to 
cessary  men  in  cases  of  this 
doing  the  climbing  is  cau- 
tioned not  to  use  his  safe- 
ty  belt,   so   that   he   can 
leap  free  of  the  pole  in 
case  it  falls. 


(TThe  level  of  Lake 
Nyasa,  in  southeastern 
Africa,  after  falling  for 
several  years  has  now 
begun  to  rise.  Reports 
show  that  in  1917  it  was 

Bracing  a   Pole,  Rotted   at   the   Base»  So  that   It  can  be  Climbed  with       more    than    3    ft.     hieher 
Safety.    An  Instance  of  the  Increased  Care  being  Taken  by  ^1.  ^  t.    e 

Electric  Linemen  to  Prevent  Accidents  than     tWO     years     before. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS  191 

STRANGE   NEW   STEEL   VESSELS   ARE    NONSINKABLE 


Afloat,   the   New    Nonsinkable    Ship    Bears    Close    Similarity  in  External    Appearance   to   the    Whaleback 
Steamer,  Which  Is  Well  Known  to  Those  Familiar  with  Shipping  on  the  Great  Lakss 


Within  a  few  weeks,  it  is  expected,  the 
first  of  a  series  of  five  supposedly  unsink- 
able  steel  cargo  steamers  of  an  altogether 
new  type,  under  construction  at  New 
Orleans  for  the  French  government,  will 
be  launched.  According  to  the  present 
schedule,  the  initial  vessel  will  be  com- 
pletely equipped  and  ready  for  service  the 
latter  part  of  April. 

Although  the  submarine  menace  for- 
tunately has  been  overcome,  the  neces- 
sity for  a  nonsinkable  ocean-going  ship 
still  obtains.  It  is  therefore  interesting  to 
observe  some  of  the  details  in  the  design 
of  the  new  type  of  steamer  in  question, 
which  represents  a  radical  departure  from 
standard  practice. 

The  boat  is  the  invention  of  the  naval 
architect  who  heads  the  technical  service 
of  the  French  merchant  marine.  In  ex- 
ternal appearance  the  carrier  resembles  a 
whaleback  steamer.  The  likeness  is  only 
skin-deep,  however,  for  the  cross  section 
of  the  ship,  instead  of  being  of  the  usual 
U-shape,  is  in  the  fo^rm  of  two  circles 
placed  side  by  side  and  connected  above 
and  below  by  curved  segments. 

Two  parallel  cylinders,  20  ft.  in  diam- 
eter, laid  horizontally  side  by  side,  and 
connected  by  transverse  water-tight  bot- 
tom and  deck  plates,  compose  the  unusual 


hull.  The  latter  is  stiffened  and  given 
protection  from  flooding  by  a  series  of 
seven  water-tight  bulkheads,  each  of 
which  extends  continuously  from  one 
side  of  the  vessel  to  the  other.  Thus  a 
system  of  24  separate  water-tight  com- 
partments is  formed,  eight  in  each  of  the 
cylinders,  and  a  like  number  in  the  "re- 
serve-buoyancy" space  between  them. 

The  new  ship  has  an  over-all  length  of 
328  ft.,  is  approximately  .46  ft.  of  beam, 
and  has  a  draft  of  16  ft.  Its  dead-weight 
carrying  capacity  is  4,250  tons.  The  pro- 
pelling machinery  consists  of  vwin  ♦riple- 
expansion,  700-hp.  engines,  designed  to 
drive  the  vessel  about  nine  and  a  quarter 
miles  an  hour  when  it  is  fully  loaded. 
Scotch  marine  boilers  fired  with  fuel  oil 
will  be  used.  Particularly  interesting  is 
the  fact  that  one  complete  power  plant  is 
to  be  installed  in  each  half  of  the  divided 
hull.  This  arrangement  will  enable  the 
ship  to  make  port  under  its  own  steam, 
it  is  believed,  even  though  one  side  has 
been  completely  flooded. 


CI  Dry  pine  needles  have  been  used  suc- 
cessfully in  making  brooms  and  brushes, 
tests  having  shown  that  because  of  their 
hardness  they  wear  very  well. 


The  Diasrams  GtTe  a  Crots-Sectional  View  of  tiie  Ship  and  Also  Illustrate  Its  Buoyancy.    Prom  Left  to 

«»i_i-^-      —  ^ . «._-  «,^-    •«-.--^    *- -le  Three  and  One-Half  Degrees;    Four  Compartments, 

Compartmenta,  One  Side,  Flooded,  Angle  16  Degrees 


Right:  Two  Comnartments,  One  Side,  Flooded,  Angle  Ttiree  and  One-Half  Degrees;    Four  Compartments, 
One  Side,  Flooded,  Angle  ItH  Degrees;    Six  Main  Compart  ^  ~      .-> 


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NEW  ZEALANDER'S  QUAINT  MILL 

SAWS  DRIFTWOOD 

A  salvage  station  as  distinctive  as  it  is 
picturesque  has  been  erected  by  a  man 
71  years  old,  on  the  beach  about  four 


Odd  Windmill,  near  Gisborne,  New  Zealand,  Made 

from  Waste  Materials:  It  Drives  a  Saw  with  Which 

the  Aged   Owner  Cuts  Up   Driftwood   Gathered  on 

the  Shore 

miles  from  Gisborne,  New  Zealand.  It 
consists  of  a  crude  windmill  of  the  Dutch 
type,  which,  furnishes  power  for  a  saw 
used  by  the  old  man  in  cutting  up  drift- 
wood. The  little  mill  is  covered  with 
squares  of  tin  which  once  were  old  oil- 
cans, while  the  wooden  portions  were  ob- 
tained from  a  wrecked  boat.  The  gearing, 
assemliln'i  -^"om  old  machinery,  drives  the 
■^avv  at  300  revolutions  per  minute. 


MOTOR  CAR  "BOMBARDS"  BRIDGE, 

COMPLETELY  WRECKING  IT 

While  speeding  along  the  Dixie  High- 
way, near  West  Alexandria,  Ohio,  a  few 
weeks  ago,  a  motorist  accidentally  drove 
his  car  with  great  force  against  one  cor- 
ner of  a  steel  bridge,  snapping  one  of  the 
girders.     Instantly   the   whole   structure, 


which  was  112  ft.  long,  collapsed  as  if  it 
had  been  struck  by  a  well-aimed  shell 
from  a  big  gun.  Though  the  auto  landed 
on  the  steep  river  bank  amid  the  wreck- 
age, the  occupant  suffered  only  a  few 
scratches. 


LIVE  WIRE  CAUSES  DEATH 

IN  STRANGE  MANNER 

Shortly  after  a  rainstorm  not  long  since 
a  13,200-volt  transmission  line  in  Wiscon- 
sin broke  and  fell  on  a  wire  fence.  Three 
barefoot  boys,  w  'king  along  the  road 
near  by,  felt  an  electric  shock  in  their  feet 
and  two  of  them  ran  to  a  fence  which 
was  60  feet  from  the  one  in  contact  with 
the  transmissia  line  and  had  no  connec- 
tion with  it.  One  of  the  lads  endeavored 
to  crawl  through  the  fence  and  was  killed 
instantly,  while  the  other,  on  starting  to 
crawl  beneath  the  lowest  wire,  was  badly 
burned.  The  accident  occurred  three 
miles  from  the  power  plant,  the  boys  be- 
ing between  it  and  the  broken  wire. 


PLAN  AERIAL-MAIL  SERVICE 

FOR  BRAZIL 

Steps  have  been  taken  to  institute  an 
aerial-mail  service  between  the  various 
state  capitals  of  Brazil,  a  concession  hav- 
ing recently  been  granted  to  a  private 
concern  to  undertake  the  work.  Two 
years  is  the  time  allowed  to  get  the  serv- 
ice in  operation,  though  the  government 
may  extend  the  period  two  years  longer, 
if  deemed  advisable.  At  the  outset,  only 
the  delivery  of  mail  and  small  parcels  will 
be  attempted,  but  later  passengers  may  be 
carried,  and  the  number  of  cities  served 
may  be  increased.  The  persons  holding 
the  concession  agree  to  permit  the  gov- 
ernment's student  airmen  to  use  their 
hangars  and  machines. 


The  Overturned  Automobile  at  the  Left  Lies  amid  the  Wreckage  of  a  Bridfe,  near  West  Alexandria.  Ohio, 

Which  Completely  Collapsed  When  the  Car  Struck  CTne  Comer  of  the  Structure.    The 

Extent  of  the  Damage  is  Clearly  Shown  in  the  Right-Hand  View 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS  193 

BIG  CHANGES  MAY  RESULT  FROM  NEW-MADE  FUEL 


Part  of  the  Demonstration  Plant  at  Which  the  Production  of  the  New  Smokeless  Fuel  has  been  Undertaken 
on  a  Large  Scale  is  Shown  at  the  Left.  In  the  New  Process  a  Very  Large  Part  of  the  By-Productt  is 
Conserved,  Materially  Reducing  the  Cost  of  the  Made  Coal.     The  Discharge  End  of  One  of  the  Furnaces 

Appears  at  the  Right 

The  raw  coal  is  subjected  to  a  distilla- 
tion   process    at    low    temperatures,    the 


Little  short  of  a  complete  revolution 
in  the  coal  business  and,  consequently, 
far-reaching  changes  in  American  in- 
dustry, are  the  results  which,  it  is  pre- 
dicted, will  follow  from  the  invention  of 
a  new  commercial  process  of  converting 
bituminous  coal  into  an  equivalent  of 
hard  coal.  The  new  fuel  is  entirely 
smokeless,  and  under  the  new  process  by- 
products now  wasted,  are  recovered. 
These  largely  compensate  for  the  cost  of 
conversion.  A  plant  has  been  in  opera- 
tion in  the  East  for  some  time,  perfecting 
the  process  and  making  tests  of  a  prac- 
tical character. 


residue  being  pressed  into  hard,  durable 
bricks  that  are  again  subjected  to  distilla- 
tion and  produce  an  intense  heat.  If  the 
claims  of  the  large  interests  already  iden- 
tified with  the  process  prove  true,  it 
means  that  future  problems  arising  from 
hard-coal  shortage  have  been  solved,  that 
in  many  cases,  power  can  'be  produced 
near  the  coal  fields  and  transported  at  low 
cost  to  large  industrial  centers,  and  that 
cities  remote  from  anthracite  regions  can 
procure  a  smokeless  fuel  for  domestic  and 
other  uses,  which  can  be  sold  at  a  moder- 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


ate  price.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that 
the  government  is  preparing  to  establish 
a  plant  for  producing  this  fuel  in  an  east- 
ern coal  region. 


NEW  BURGLAR-PROOF  CHEST 
BAFFLES  CRACKSMEN 

A  product  of  the  safe  builder's  cease- 
less efforts  to  baffle  the  most  skilled  bur- 


The  New  Burglar- 
Proof  Chest,  and  a 
Safe*  Containing  Such 
a  Chest,  on  Which  Bur- 
alars  Worked  Pour 
Hours,    UnsuccessfuUy 

glar  is  a  chest,  de- 
signed  to   be   an- 
chored   within    a 
larger       fireproof 
safe,   which   it   is 
claimed    is    really 
burglar-proof.  To 
substantiate     this 
assertion,    one   of 
these    chests    is    mentioned,    on    which 
cracksmen  worked  four  liours,  exploding 
six  charges  of  nitroglycerin  on  its  door 
without  results.    The  chest  consists  of  a 
hollow  cubical  casting  that  is  drill-proof, 
with  a   round  door.     The  latter  fits  so 
tightly  that  no  liquid  can  be  forced  be- 
tween it  and  the  jamb. 


COMBINATION  FIVE-DOLLAR 
AND  TEN-DOLLAR  BILL 

A  druggist  in  Waukegan,  111.,  while 
counting  his  money  recently,  chanced  to 
turn  over  one  of  the  five-dollar  bills  and 
was  astonished  to  find  that  on  the  other 
side  it  was  a  ten-dollar  bill.  Treasury- 
department  men  explain  the  anomaly  on 
the  theory  that  one  side  of  a  sheet  which 
had  been  printed  for  five-dollar  notes  was 
accidentally  backed  up  on  the  press  with 
ten-dollar  note  form. 


CAn  American  company  has  been  au- 
thc^zed  to  make  studies  for  an  under- 
ground telephone  system  in  Montevideo, 
Uruguay. 


CROSS-ATLANTIC  FLIGHT  PRIZJS 

AGAIN  OFFERED  SPORTSMEN 

Announcement  has  been  made  by  the 
Royal  Aero  Club  of  Great  Britain  of  the 
reposting  of  the  Daily  Mail's  $50,000 
transatlantic-flight  prize.  The  terms  of 
the  contest  remain  the  same  as  in  the 
past.  The  award  will  be  made  to  the 
first  airman  who  completes,  within  72 
hours  or  less,  a  flight  between  any  point 
in  the  United  States,  Canada,  or  New 
Foundland,  and  any  point  in  Great  Britain 
or  Ireland.  A  machine  may  not  alight 
on  land  en  route,  but  it  may  do  so  on 
water  and  likewise  halt  for  repairs.  There 
are  a  number  of  machines  now  under 
construction  in  America  and  elsewhere 
for  the  purpose  of  crossing  the  Atlantic. 
There  is  good  reason  to  assume  that  be- 
fore many  months  have  elapsed,  an  at- 
tempt will  have  been  made  to  accomplish 
this  feat,  which  would  have  been  under- 
taken in  1914,  except  for  the  outbreak  of 
the  war. 


FOOTBALL  SIGNALS   SHOW 
DOWNS  AT  A  GLANCE 

coach  has  patented 
use  on  the  gridiron 
ses  to  be  much  ap- 
preciated     by 
players,      officials, 
and        spectators, 
for     it     enables 
them  to  ascertain 
the    downs    at    a 
glance.      It    con- 
sists    of     a     rod 
usually  carried  by 
the  lineman,  near 
either     end     of 
which     are     four 
panels        forming 
four    sides    of    a 
cube.    At  one  end 
two     opposite 
panels    are    num- 
bered "1"  and  the 
other     pair     "2." 
On  the  other  end 
are  panels  "3"  and 
"4."      During   the 
period  of  the  first  down  the  end  of  the 
pole  bearing  the  "I's"  is  held  uppermost, 
with  the  proper  panels  facing  the  players 
and    spectators.      With    each    successive 
down  the  signal  is  changed  accordingly. 
The  rod  is  collapsible  and  the  numbered 
panels  fold  flat,  so  that  the  signal  can  be 
carried  in  a  small  case. 


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195 


AMERICAN  FLIERS  USED  RADIO- 
TELEPHONES IN  BATTLE 

One  of  the  highly  important  American 
military  secrets  that  was  disclosed  upon 
the    conclusion    of   hostilities,    concerned 
the  use  of  radio-telephony  by  our  airmen 
in  battle.     The  United  Staf^i  '^f  all  fh*» 
nations  at  war,  was  the  onl 
air   fleets    were   maneuvered 
pilots    and    observers    were 
communication     with     head 
means  of  the  spoken  word. 

Credit  for  adapting  the  ' 
phone  for  aeronautical  use  b< 
C.  C.  Culver,  who  spent  10 
fecting    the    invention.      T\ 
was  publicly  known  of  the  < 
was  contained  in  an  announ 
at    San    Diego,    Feb.    7,    191 
Colonel    Culver    had    super 
a    successful    test    of   a    wii 
less      telephonic      apparatus 
and     that     a     conversation 
had  been  held  between  a 
land   post   and   an   army 
aeroplane  in  flight.    Fol- 
lowing that,  little  or  no 
information     was     given 
circulation.     In    Decem- 
ber   following,    however, 
the  first  successful  dem- 
onstration     was      con- 
ducted   before    the    Air- 
craft Board,  and  the  joint 
Army  and   Navy  Technical 
Board  at  Dayton,  Ohio.     Ai 
that     time     two     planes     w^.^ 
used.    Those  aboard  them  communicated 
with    each    other    freely,    and    also    con- 
versed with   operators  at  a   ground  sta- 
tion.      Members     of    the     boards     were 
supplied    with    receiving    apparatus    and 
"listened  in"  on  the  conversations,  which 
they  heard  as  distinctly  as  if  the  words 
had  been  transmitted  by  wire. 

In  October,  previous  to  the  Dayton  test, 
Colonel  Culver  sailed  to  France  with  ex- 
perimental sets  of  the  apparatus,  and  sub- 
sequently conducted  demonstrations  for 
the  benefit  of  our  air  forces  overseas. 
Early  in  the  summer  of  last  year  several 
thousand  sets  of  apparatus  were  distrib- 
uted among  training  camps  in  the  United 
States  and  dealt  out  to  the  expeditionary 
air  forces.  Use  of  the  equipment  was 
made  chiefly  in  bombing  operations. 
There  is  reason  to  believe  that  the  ex- 
istence of  the  system  remained  a  mystery 
to  the  Germans  until  the  last,  although 
reports  have  been  circulated  that  the 
enemy's    aeronautic    department    did    get 


an  inkling  of  the  secret  just  before  the 
armistice  was  signed.  There  is,  however, 
no  documentary  evidence  to  support  this 
claim. 

Since  the  conclusion  of  fighting  two  in- 
teresting demonstrations  have  been  made 
in  this  country^    One  of  these  took  place 


at  Roosevelt  Field,  November  15  and  19. 
De  Haviland  planes  were  put  through 
evolutions  by  verbal  command.  In  this 
connection  it  is  interesting  to  note  that 
use  of  the  radio-telephone  makes  it  un- 
necessary for  the  commander  of  an  aerial 
squadron  to  fly  at  the  head  of  the  forma- 
tion where  he  can  be  in  plain  view. 

The  second  demonstration  was  con- 
ducted November  22,  for  the  benefit  of 
President  Wilson  and  others.  Several 
machines  flew  above  the  Potomac  and 
were  maneuvered  by  telephone.  Appa- 
ratus installed  at  the  White  House  en- 
abled the  president  and  his  party  to  hear 
the  exchange  of  messages  and'  issuance 
of  orders  while  watching  the  planes  go 
through  their  evolutions  with  perfect  mili- 
tary  precision. 

It  is  understood  that  before  the  war 
endqd-/the  apparatus  had  been  tried  out 
by  British  and  French  air  squadrons,  but 
it  had  not  been  placed  in  regular  use  by 
them. 


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Technical  details  of  the  invention  are 
yet  to  be  made  public.  It  is  permissible, 
however,  to  mention  a  few  general  fea- 
tures vrhich  do  not  disclose  intimate 
phases  of  its  construction.  Perhaps  the 
most  interesting  point  concerns  the 
method    employed    to    prevent    foreign 


noises  from  interfering  with  the  trans- 
mission of  messages.  Briefly,  the  secret 
is  this:  The  apparatus  is  so  tuned  as  to 
be  affected  only  by  sounds  that  exceed 
200  vibrations  a  second.  This  provides 
for  the  human  voice,  but  excludes  motor, 
machine  gun,  and  shell  noises. 


ARTISTIC  GRAIN  ELEVATOR 

HAS  SPECIAL  FEATURES 

Lines  as  pleasing  as  those  of  an  old- 
world  castle  have  been  incorporated  into 


1 i_- 


J     : fl 


New  14M.000-Bu8hel  Grain  Elevator  at  looe,  Oregon 
Which  It  Distinctive  on  Account  of  Its  Unusually 
Artistic    Exterior,   Its   Conveniently    Arranged   In- 
terior, and  Its  Up-to-Date  Squipmcnt 

trasts  sharply  with  the  white  finish  of  the 
walls.  The  ground  dimensions  are  62  by 
33%  ft.,  and  iti  height  is  124  ft.,  over  all. 
It  contains  a  total  of  20  bins  with  a  capac- 
ity of  100,000  bu.  A  special  feature  is  the 
arrangement  of  these  bins  so  as  to  allow 
an  unobstructed  floor  space  of  12  by  33 


ft.  on  the  same  level  as  the  car  floors. 
The  construction  is  such  that  the  weight 
of  the  overhanging  bins  is  transferred  to 
points  of  contact  in  the  solid  slab  of  con- 
crete beneath  the  building. 


TESTS  SHOW  AMERICAN  SOLDIER 
TO  BE  HIGHLY  INTELLIGENT 

Mentality  tests  conducted  hy  the  Divi- 
sion of  Psychology  of  the  Medical  Depart- 
ment and  taken  by  approximately  1,500,- 
000  of  our  soldiers,  have  disclosed  some 
significant  information.  More  than  26  per 
cent  of  the  enlisted  men  who  were  ex- 
amined were  found  to  be  considerably 
above  the  average  in  intelligence.  About 
48  per  cent  of  the  officers  tested  were 
graded  as  having  "very  superior  intelli- 
gence." From  eight  to  10  soldiers  out  of 
every  100  received  **B"  classification, 
which  b  "superior  intelligence."  From  15 
to  18  per  cent  of  the  men  showed  them- 
selves to  have  "high  average  intelligence," 
and  58  per  cent  of  the  noncommissioned 
ofiicers  fell  into  the  same  group.  Only 
about  11  per  cent  of  the  noncoms  re- 
ceived as  low  a  rating  as  "C,"  which 
stands  for  "average  intelligence,"  the  rat- 
ing given  25  per  cent  of  the  soldiers. 
About  a  fifth  of  those  who  were  examined 
received  the  marking  of  "C  minus,"  which 
is  the  grade  for  "low  average  intelli- 
gence." Such  men,  although  unfit  for  lead- 
ing others,  usually  make  good  privates 
and  do  satisfactory  routine  work.  Most 
of  the  15  ptr  cent  who  fell  into  "D" 
group,  meaning  "inferior  intelligence,"  are 
illiterate  or  foreign.  Slightly  over  one 
per  cent  of  the  soldiers  were  found  to  be 
of  "very  inferior  intelligence."  Most  of 
these  have  intelligence  equal  to  that  of 
a  normal  10-year-old  child.  Some  of 
them  were  recommended  for  discharge 
and  others  assigned  to  the  "development 
battalion.  The  tests  provided  a  reasonably 
dependable  classification  of  the  men  ac- 
cording to  their  general  intelligence.  In 
this  manner  men  of  superior  intelligence, 
many  of  them  deservmg  of  promotion, 
were  discovered  immediately.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  formation  of  special  or- 
ganizations for  work  of  a  nature  demand- 
ing superior  mental  strength,  was  ma- 
terially aided. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS  197 

HAWAIIAN  ISLANDS  SUFFER  FROM  TERRIBLE  STORM 


Schoolhouse  in  Hono- 
lulu.  Hawaii.  Wrecked 
by  Immense  Tree  Over- 
turned during  Tornado 


While  enthusi- 
astic* residents  of 
Hawaii  contend 
that  the  islands 
have  the  finest 
climate  in  the 
world,  none  de- 
nies that  the  sea- 
sons are  occasionally  punctuated  by  ter 
rific  hurricanes.    The  accompanying  pho 


One  of  the  Streets  of  Honolulu.  Photographed   after 
the  Recent  Storm,  Strewn  with  Telephone  Poles. 
Electric  Wires,  and  Uprooted  Trees 


of    thousands    of 
dollars.    It  is  said 
to  have  been  one 
of  the  worst  storms  in  the  history  of  the 
islands.  A  schoolhouse,  fortunately  empty, 


tographs  show  some  of  the  results  of  a      was  one  of  the  buildings  wrecked. 


MOTOR-TRUCK  TESTING  TRACK 

BUILT  AT  DETROIT  PLANT 

Adjacent  to  one  of  the  motor-truck  fac- 
tories at  Detroit,  a  1,760-ft.  concrete  track 
has  been  constructed  to  facilitate  mechan- 
ics in  putting  new  machines  through  the 
usual  road  tests.  By  having  a  private, 
paved  course  of  this  kind,  the  drivers  are 


able  to  watch  the  performance  of  their 
cars  more  closely  than  when  constantly 
contending  with  heavy  traffic  in  city 
streets,  and  furthermore  are  always  in 
reach  of  assistance  when  it  is  needed.  It 
has  been  found  that  the  track  relieves 
trucks  of  much  of  the  wear  and  tear  here- 
tofore suffered  during  tests,  and  that  it 
also  enables  them  to  be  kept  cleaner. 


The  Paved  Course.  Free  from  Public  Traffic,  Materially  Simplifies  the  Work  of  Testing  New  Motor  Trucks, 

Besides  EUminatinc  Much  of  the  Wear  and- Tear  to  Which  the  Vehicles  are 

Subjected  When  Tested  on  Ordinary  Roads 


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Phonograph  Detects  Wireless  Leak 

By  E.  T.  BRONSDON 


**  l>  -z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z ! " 

•*-'  Buzzing  and  sputtering,  the  spark 
was  acting  up.  The  French  Intelligence 
Department,  with  receivers  all  tuned  up 
for  Nauen  and  Madrid,  could  make  noth- 
ing out  of  the  supposed  message. 

"Nothing  there!"  was  the  verdict  of 
the  wireless  expert. 

Headquarters  thought  differently.  The 
Germans  had  known  far  too  much  con- 
cerning allied  troop  disposal  in  the 
Somme  advance.  News  was  getting 
across  constantly;  some  of  it  was  acted 
upon  by  the  boches  before  ever  allied 
troops  in  advanced  positions  could  know 
of  the  changes  made.  Careful  siftine  had 
made  a  practical  certainty  of  the  theory 
that  a  neutral  country  was  sending  the 
news  by  powerful  wireless.  Further  in- 
vestigation had  disclosed  that  in  Madrid, 
Spain,  an  instrument  was  using  the  same 
wave  length  used  habitually  by  Nauen, 
the  great  official  station  of  the  German 
empire.  A  little  observation  showed  fur- 
ther that,  at  irregular  times,  both  of  these 
stations  sent  out  these  queer  buzzings.  It 
looked  suspicious,  to  say  the  least. 

For  weeks  afterward  the  allies  kept  ex- 
perts busy  on  the  strange  problem. 
Every-  sort  of  instrument  was  tried,  the 
theory  being  that  perhaps  some  special 
receiving  apparatus  had  been  invented 
which  made  the  buzzing  jumble  in- 
telligible. The  British  who  were  called 
in  to  wrestle  with  the  problem  were 
unanimous  in  the  opinion  that  the  noise, 
which  never  lasted  more  than  a  fraction 
of  a  minute,  was  due  purely  to  some 
imperfections  in  the  sending  stations. 
No  message  of  any  kind,  except  possibly 
some  code  word  agreed  upon  before  the 
war,  could  be  sent  in  this  manner — surely 
no  data  concerning  the  movements  of 
divisions  or  army  corps,  for  the  names  of 
these  alone  would  take  more  spark  than 
was  wasted  on  the  whole  of  each  of  these 
"mystery  messages."  The  French  were 
polite,  but  unconvinced. 

Still  the  buzzing  continued  from  Nauen 
and  from  Madrid,  though  more  often 
from  the  latter.  The  leak,  also,  was 
growing  worse.  It  had  become  so  bad 
that  the  French  organized  a  phantom  at- 
tack under  General  Debeneau.  With 
oiily  that  general  and  headquarters  staff 
in  "on  the  know,"  three  divisions  were 
scheduled  to  hammer  the  German  front 
on  a  certain  August  morning.  Two  days 
previous  to  the  imaginary  attack  the  Ger- 
mans on  this  front  abandoned  three 
moderately    dangerous    positions    which 

1% 


they  had  held  stubbornly  to  that  time! 
Patrols  sent  out  to  reconnoiter  reported 
a  huge  force  of  stosstruppen  grimly  wait- 
ing to  annihilate  the  three  divisions, 
which  naturally  never  went  over  the  top. 

Positive  orders  went  out  to  "tune  up" 
on  Madrid.  Obeying  this  mandate,  the 
Intelligence  Department  finally  discov- 
ered the  trick.  A  certain  investigator,  at 
his  wit's  end,  attached  a  phonograph  with 
a  blank  record  to  the  receiving  station 
which  was  investigating  Madrid.  When 
the  buzzing  came  it  was  inscribed  on  the 
soft  wax  of  a  record.  This  first  attempt 
yielded  no  specific  result,  but  it  furnished 
a  hint.  Running  the  record  at  two  or 
three  revolutions  to  the  minute,  several 
experts  thought  they  detected  certain 
letters. 

Immediately  another  trial  was  made. 
This  time  the  blank  record  was  run  300 
revolutions  to  the  minute. 

The  buzzing  was  caught.  When  the 
record  was  re-run  at  lower  speed  the 
code  message  was  obtained!  Then,  of 
course,  the  problem  was  simplicity  itself; 
no  German  ever  yet  has  been  able  to 
evolve  a  code  which  the  French  Intelli- 
p:ence  Department  could  not  decipher  in 
Its  sleep.  The  message,  as  expected,  gave 
a  wealth  of  details  that  no  German  was 
supposed  to  know.  Soon  after,  Nauen 
came  through  with  questions  which  Mad- 
rid would  answer  as  soon  as  possible. 

The  scheme  really  was  simple.  In  each 
of  these  stations  reels  for  holding  a  per- 
forated-tape message  had  been  attached 
to  the  wireless  sending  apparatus.  A 
mechanism  essentially  like  that  which  re- 
produces from  music  rolls  on  a  player- 
piano  took  the  message  from  the  per- 
forated roll  and  sent  it  out  in  ether  waves 
at  from  300  to  400  words  a  minute!  At 
either  end  a  phonograph  picked  up  the 
seemingly  meaningless  jumble,  and  ordi- 
nary steel  needles  reproduced  it. 

It  is  doubtful  if  the  Germans  ever 
found  out  that  the  French  were  on  to 
their  scheme,  for  on  occasion,  until 
nearly  the  end  of  the  war,  the  device 
was  used.  Needless  to  say  there  always 
was  a  third  party  "on  the  line" — ^and  it  is 
certain  that  none  of  the  information  that 
subsequently  went  through  ever  bothered 
the  allied  armies.  Through  various  ruses, 
and  through  the  leading  questions  asked 
by  Nauen,  the  French  were  able  to  pick 
up  many  spies  that  they  never  would 
have  suspected  under  ordinary  circum- 
stances, thus  closing  up  most  of  Fritz's 
reliable  sources  of  information. 


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199 


RAILWAY    CARS    MOUNT    GRAIN- 
UNLOADING  EQUIPMENT 

Because  of  the  necessity,  during  the 
war,  of  unloading  ships  at  whatever  port 
they  might  enter,  a  novel,  portable,  pneu- 
matic grain-unloading  equipment  was  de- 
veloped in  England,  and  placed  in  use 
shortly  before  the  conclusion  of  fighting. 
In  principle  the  appliance  is  quite  famil- 
iar, but  its  arrangement  is  another  thing. 
The  plant  is  mounted  on  two  typical  Eng- 
lish railway  carriages  and  is  designed  to 
be  dispatched  from  point  to  point  by  rail, 
as  needed.  Its  purpose  is  to  facilitate 
the  unloading  of  grain  at  ports  that  lack 
suitable  facilities.  Grain  is  sucked  from 
a  ship  through  an  adjustable  nozzle  into 
the  transport  line,  which  consists  of  12- 
ft.  lengths  of  pipe  joined  together  by 
special  couplings.  A  series  of  trestles 
supports  the  artery  between  the  cars  and 
the  edge  of  the  dock,  while  at  different 
points  it  is  fitted  with  ball  joints  to  per- 
mit changes  in  position  and  alinement. 

One  of  the  cars  is  known  as  the  filter 
truck.  It  mounts  the  receiving  chamber, 
into  the  bottom  of  which  the  grain  first 
falls.  There  the  grain  enters  a  discharger, 
consisting  of  a  bucket  wheel  rotating 
within  a  close-fitting  casing,  and  is  fed 
to  a  chute  that  drops  it  on  a  band  con- 
veyor delivering  into  the  hopper  of  an 
elevator  at  one  end  of  the  car.  The 
latter  carries  it  to  the  dock's  weighing 
truck,  which  weighs  and  sacks  it.  Triple 
filters,  consisting  of  nests  of  closely 
woven  canvas  tubes,  are  also  mounted  on 
this  car.  Air  in  passing  to  the  blower 
must  traverse  these  strainers  and  be  freed 
of  all  dust  and  foreign  particles.  The  ac- 
cumulated dirt  is  trapped  within  the 
tubes,  from  which  it  is  readily  removed 


for  weighing,  when  this  is  necessary  in 
order  to  check  the  weights  given  in  in- 
voices. 

The  second  car  mounts  the  rotary 
blower,  which  is  driven  by  an  85-hp. 
motor  that  also  actuates  the  machinery 
on  the  first  truck.  The  maximum  ca- 
pacity of  the  plant  is  about  33  tons  an 
hour  when  conveying  from  a  distance  of 
about  100  ft.  The  fuel  consumption  is 
stated  to  be  seven  gallons  of  gasoline  an 
hour. 


Unloading  a   Small   Grain  Boat  with  the  PorUbl« 
Pn«amatic-Conveyor  Plant:  The  Adjust- 
able Nozzle  is  Clearly  Shown 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


FLIER  KILLED  WHEN  PLANE 

STRIKES  FLAGSTAFF 

WMBpTejojcing  in  the  signing,  of  the 
armistice/^vtlfousai^d^  ..of.  Detroit  citizens 
filling  :tte  streets  of  their  city  were  thrilled 


/ 


\ 


4^1 


SUBSTITUTES  FOR  PETROLEUM 

IN  MINERS'  LAMPS  TRIED 

Extensive       investigations,       including 
practical  tests  by  miners,  have  been  made 
in  Spain  of  substitutes  for  petroleum  as  a 
ftfe^-  for    miners'    lamps.      One    mixture 
which  has  found  a  degree  of  favor  among 
.  underground   workers   contains   77.5    per 
c^nt  of  96°  alcohol,  and  22.5  per  cent  ben- 
zol.    A   principal   objection  to   this   fuel 
-is  that  the  illuminating  power  of  a  lamp 
'•burning  it  is  but  77  per  cent  of  a  standard 
T>etroleum  lamp.    To  remedy  this,  a  mix- 
ture has  been  tried  consisting  of  62  per 
cent,  by  volume,  of  the  alcohol  mentioned 
above,  16  per  cent  of  benzol,  7.5  per  cent 
of  rectified  turpentine,  and  14.5  per  cent 
of  fusel  oil. 


EXTRA-LONG  DERRICK  BOOM 
FOR  SPECIAL  JOB 

To  erect  galleries  for  a  belt  conveyor  in 
a  Minneapolis  plants  the  engineers  found 
that  hoisting  apparatus  of  unusual  dimen- 
sions was  necessary,  and  accordingly  in- 
creased the  length  of  a  derrick  boom  to 
132  ft.,  which  is  exceptional  for  equip- 
ment used  in  factory  construction.     The 


PUgtuff  on  a   Detroit  Buildinff  Which    Cavtcd   a 

Plier'i    Oe«th:     Dotted    Line    Shows   Path   of   the 

Machine,  One  Wing  of  Which  Caught  on  the  Tip 

of  the  Pole 

by  the  daring  feats  of  an  airman  above 
them.  Several  times  he  looped  so  low 
that  the  throng  held  its  breath  until  he 
rose  again  in  safety.  But  just  when  the 
tension  was  somewhat  relieved  the  flier 
made  another  dip  close  to  the  trees,  and 
in  rising  to  pass  over  a  near-by  building, 
missed  calculations  by  a  few  inches.  One 
wing  of  the  aeroplane  struck  and  WcJS  torn 
by  the  tip  of  the  building's  tall  flkgstaTit 
from  which  had  flown  many  ^time^  tke 
emblem  that  was  being  honored  by  ^he 
celebration  in  the  street  below.  The  tear 
left  the  wing  useless  and,  turning  sharply, 
the  machine  plunged  its  pose  into  the 
roof  of  a  structure  not  isk\  Siway.  The 
flier,  badly  crushed,  died  shortly  after, 
and  his  companion  suffered  a  broken  leg. 

CA  iarge^  number  of  Dutch  waiitiaen 
formerly  employed  at  the  Krupp  ^q^S  In 
Germany  have  recently  returned  to  that 
plant  and  are  now  said  to  be  engaged  in 
constructing  railway  material. 


Derrick  with  Boom  Lengthened  to  US  Feet,  Used 

in  Ruising  the  Steel  Frame  of  a  Belt>Conveyor 

GaUery  to  the  Lofty  Potition  Shown  Here 

giant  arm  was  placed  almost  perpendicu- 
larly, and  with  it  the  steel  frames  of  the 
galleries  were  raised  onto  their  supports 
in  the  ordinary  manner.  - 


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301 


DISTRIBUTOR  .BLOCKS 


3  to  i  Gears    Distributor  Brush 


2?0  lo  1  Gears 


6  Point  Cam 
Firw  180" 


M&Kneio  (Standard^ 


6  Polp 

FivJd  Structure  f 


For  4  CjrI.  Engines 

1  Block 
14  Com 


For  6  Cyl. 
2  Block 
8  Gears 

14  Cam 


For  12  Cyl. 
3  Block 
8  Qears 
7  Otst.  Brush 


For  16  Cyl. 
4  Block 

10  Gears 
13  Cam 

7  Dis.  Brush 

1 1  Rotor 

12  Field  Structure 


For  8  CyJ. 
S  Block 
9  Gears 
16  Cam 
7  Dist.  Brush 


For  12  CyL 

6  Block 
8  Gears 

IS  Cam 

7  Dist.  Brush 

11  Rotor 

12  Field  Structure 


CONVERTIBLE  MAGMBTO  SUITED  FOR  ALL  AEROPLANE  MOTORS 

AMONG  the  war-isspired  American  hrrcntioiis  of  importance  that  may  now  be  discussed  freelv,  there  is  a 
^^  standardised  masn^to  that  is  capable  of  conversion  to  seven  different  models.  These  assemolies  accom- 
modate all  aeroplan«^  engines  in  general  use.  Obviously  this  eliminates  the  necessity  of  keepihg  a  large 
assortment  of  different  types  of  magnetos  and  hundreds  of  spare  parts  at  supply  depots.  The  new  instru- 
ment has  been  adopted  by  the  United  States  government  as  the  standard  aeropUne  magneto,  and  praised 
highly  by  England*  Prance,  and  Italy.  Sixteen  extra  parts  enable  the  various  changes  necessary  for  four, 
six,  eight,  18,  and  16-«ylinder  motors,  and  eight,  18,  and  46^.  cylinders,  to  be  made.  Six  of  these  parts  are 
distributor  blocks,  and  three  of  them  gear  combinations.     ^  , 


AEiUAL  MOTOR  BUILT  INTO  PROPELLER 


Of  interest  because  of  its  radical  de- 
parture from  standard  practice  is  a  four- 
cylinder,   two-stroke    ro- 

'tary  aeroplane  engine,  of 
recent  development  in 
England,  that  is  ar- 

.  tahgcd  to  form  an  inte- 
gral part  of  a  four-blade 
propeller.  Those  who  have 
followed  closely  the  trend 
in  other  fields  will  recog- 
nize    the     self-contained 
unit  as  an  aeronautic  ap- 
plication  of  similar  ideas 
already  utilized  in  motor- 
cycle,    automobile,     and 
tractor    designing    of 
late.  While  in  most  of 
i  t  s    particulars    the 
present      invention      de- 
mands   no    detailed    ex- 
planation,   it    might    be 
mentioned  that  the  pro- 

-peller  blades  aje  constructed  of  metal  and 
utilized  as   exhaust-expansion   chambers. 


Owing  to  centrifugal  force,  this  plan  in- 
sures excellent  scavenging  of  the  spent 
gases,  it  is  asserted.   The 
merits   of   the   invention 
Lare    yet    to    be    demon- 
^strated,  but  regardless  of 
,  this  the  features  are  in- 
teresting. 


•V  cotMrriSY  c  ths  Moroa  cvclc,  lonoon 
Phantom  Drawing,  Showing  How  the 
Pour  Cylinders  of  tl«Blm«l    Rotary 
Motor    are    IncorporMi^.  19  a  Pour- 
Blade  Proptllei 


(Tit     was     recently    an- 
nounced that  a  new  syn- 
thetic process  of  making 
glycerin    in    quantity    by 
fermentation  of  sugar,  at 
-low   cost,   was   perfected 
^      for    our    government 
and    kept    secret,    for 
use  in  explosive  making. 
The  process,  which  prob- 
ably    will     revolutionize 
glycerin  production,  ¥(as 
.  ,  . ,  found    following   reports 

roptiler  ^j^^^    Germany    hadt  dis- 

covered   a    like    method.      America    also 
gave  the  allies  the  benefit  of  its  secret. 


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NEW  FORCE-FEED  SYSTEM  USED  ON  FRENCH  PLANES 


T> a1_  _     r 1     A i_ 


'a  worm  and  gear,  the  screw 

II   pneumatic   pump   that   is 

means  of  a  reinforced-rub- 

ber   tube,   with   a   pulsa- 

tor.    The  latter  is  joined 

to  a  two-way  valve  fitted 

in   the   line  between  the 

fuel     tank     and     motor. 

Gasoline       is      drawn 

through    the    first    valve 

and  into  the  pulsator  on 

the    suction    stroke,    anH 

ugh    the   second   valve   into 

on  the  compression  stroke. 

matic    device    of    this    character,    de-       i  ne  smaii  air  motor  is  geared  so  as  to 

signed  to  be  operated  by  a  miniature  air      operate      uniformly,      making     one     full 

propeller,  is  used  on  certain  French  craft,      stroke  a  second. 


FASTEST   AND  MOST   MYSTERIOUS   WARSHIP  AFLOAT 


Of   the   many   sensational   stories   that 
have  come  out  of  the  war,  none  is  more 
fascinating  than   that   of  Great   Britain's 
so-called  "mystery"  ships.    Three  of  these 
astonishing  vessels  are  said  to  be  afloat, 
and  photographs  are  now  at  hand  to  take 
the  place  of  the  of- 
ficial    confirmation 
that  has  been  lack- 
ing.     Pictures,     of 
course,  prove  noth- 
ing concerning  the 
amazing     perform- 
ance   accredited   to 
the    craft,    but    at 
least  they  strength- 
en   conviction    that 
there   is   something 
remarkably     u  n  u  - 
sual   about   these 
ships     over     which 
an    almost    impen- 
etrable  veil    of   se- 
crecy   has    been 
thrown. 

Briefly,  it  is  as- 
serted that  one  of 
these  mysterious 
ships  carried  For- 
eign Minister  Bal- 
four across  the  At- 
lantic in  three  days, 
when  the  Siberian 
situation  made  his 
presence  in  Wash- 
ington highly  necessary  in  the  interest  of 
the  allied  cause.  Also  it  is  claimed  that  a 
group   of   British   army   officers   was   en- 


COPVRIGMT,   INT.  FILM  8KRVICL 

Bow   View   6£   tb«   "Renown/*  One   of   the  British 

Navjr't  60-Mile  an  Hour  Warships,  Showing  Its 

Watch  To^gretnimthe  Clock  It  Carries  Atop 


abled  to  reach  Vancouver  eight  days  after 
leaving  London  and  there  join  the  Si- 
berian expedition.  One  of  the  fast  vessels 
is  understood  to  have  carried  the  officers 
to  Halifax,  where  special  railway  accom- 
modations awaited  them. 

.  Sixty-two  miles 
an  hour  is  the  re- 
markable '  speed 
that  the  astonish- 
i  n  g  ships  are 
claimed  to  have 
shown  in  official 
tests.  Fifty-six 
miles  .  an  hour  is 
the  equally  -aston- 
i  s  ii  i  n  g  ''average 
daily  speed"  they 
are  .supposed  to 
have  niaintained  in 
all  kinds  of  seas. 
For  a  great  ship  to 
journey  1,341  miles 
in  a  single  day  is 
something  new  un- 
der the  sun. 

A  c  c  o  r  d  i  n  g 
to    reports    that 
seem    to    be    borne 
out      by      photo- 
graphs,     the 
ships     are     of    tl^e 
cruiser  type  so  far 
as     appearance     is 
concerned.     They 
are   described   as   being   larger   than    de- 
stroyers,   and    armed    with     l5-in.    rifles 
mounted  in  fore  and  aft  turrets. 


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SOME  OF  AMERICA'S  BIG  ARTILLERY  BATTEMES 


^ 


Modified  Somewhat  for  Use  on  a  -Railway  Carriage,  Tbis  4  «u^ 

8ueer-Looking  Weapon  Is  a  Standard  18-Inch  Coast-  r  ^^  , 

efense  Mortar.    The  Recuperator  Is   Hydropneumatic  ■  \NS 

and  of  Special  Design.    There  Are   Two   Recoil  ^Brakes  li^\ 

""       ■  I 


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ON  MOBILE  MOUNTINGS  SEEN  AT  CLOSE  RANGE  . 


Our  Long-R«nge  14-Inch    Naval  uuns  Mounted  on  a 


=^s        Its  Proiectile  Weight  l,10f  Povade  and  ia  Hurled  a  Distance  ot 
^        About  €•,«••  Tarda.     The  Weight   of  the    Gun    and    the    Car 
Complete  Amounts  to  €••,•••  Pounda 


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RANDOM  CAMERA  SHOTS  FROM  DEVASTATED  EUROPE 


208 

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'MAURETANIA"  BRINGS  FIRST  TROOPS  FROM   EUROPE 


f 

OOrTMOMT,  mitllNATIOllAL  HLM  MRVICt 


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CAR  FERRIES   PERMITTED    ENGLAND   TO    SHIP  WAR 


K>-t^iH  i  M_^"  ^i-VrviT.i"rrr  A_"it-r^j  ^jrvrr*.  m'-tiii"  ^■^'#■^■9 


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SUPPLIES  ABROAD  WITHOUT  RELOADING  AT  PORTS 


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814  POPULAR   MECHANICS 

TEST  FLIGHT  SHOWS  NEW  PLANE       NEW  RULING  AIDS  EXPORTERS 

TO  BE  AMERICAN  TRIUMPH  AND  FOUR  ALLIED  NATIONS 

Remarkable  performance  was  shown  by  Exporters  in  this  country  have  been 
a  new  American-designed  and  built  two-  relieved  of  a  great  amount  of  hamper- 
ing routing,  as  well 
as  not  infrequent  delays, 
by  a  new  ruling  of  the 
War  Trade  Board  which 
went  into  effect  Decem- 
ber 16  last.  This  pro- 
vides that  individual  ex- 
port licenses  are  no  long- 
er required  for  any  com- 
modity destined  for  the 
United  Kingdom,  France, 
Italy,  or  Japan,  or  their 
possessions,  except  those 
commodities  found  in  the 
board's  conservation  list. 
The  ruling  will  benefit 
producers  and  also  our 
allies,  who  are  in  imme- 

Axnerica's  New  Monoplane  Occupies  the  Center  of  the  International  diate  need  of  much  mate- 
Aeronautical  Stage.  It  Carries  Almost  Twice  as  Great  a  Load  as  a  Spad  riol  Tf  ;^  fiQf  neces<;arv 
or  Sopwith  Single  Seater,  and  Climbs  and  Flies  Paster  Than  Either  of  Them      '  '^  *      ^\ '*     '^^   "tj       xxr^ 

to    apply    to    the    War 

seater  monoplane  that  was  put  through  Trade    Board   to  make   shipments   under 

its  trials  at  Dayton,  Ohio,  recently.    Car-  the  new  ruling,  and  no  special  documents 

rying  two  persons  and  full  military  equip-  irom  the  board  are  needed.     It  is  stipu- 

ment,   including  four  machine  guns  and  lated,   however,  that  .on  the  package  or 

^,000  rounds  of  ammunition,  it  developed  export  declaration  should  appear  certain 

the  record  speed  of  145  miles  an  hour.  information,  including  a  list  of  contents. 
Also,  it  reached  an  altitude  of  25,000  ft. 


Of  further  significance  is  the  fact  that  it        BRIEF  OPEN  SEASON  FOR  DEER 
climbed   10,000  ft.  in  eight  minutes.     In  TnaTrhVirn  uv  TurfcTTCAMnc 

accomplishing  these  feaTs,  it  showed  its  ENJOYED  BY  THOUSANDS 

superiority  over  existing  European  single  Colorado  had  its  first  open  season  for 

seaters.  The  monoplane  is  of  32-ft.  span  deer  since  1913  last  fall  and  it  lasted  but 
and  7-ft,  chord.  It  weighs 
only  1,300  lb.,  and  be- 
cause of  this,  is  said  to 
be  able  to  carry  a  live 
load  almost  as  great.  It 
mounts  a  300-hp.  Ameri- 
can-built Hispano-Suiza 
motor  that  gives  it  a 
speed  range  of  more  than 
100  miles  an  hour.  Ob- 
viously this  means  an  un- 
usually low  landing 
speed,  a  most  valuable 
asset.  The  design  of  the 
plane  is  noticeably  origi- 
nal. It  has  only  one- 
tenth  as  many  parts  as 
the  average  European 
single    seater.     All    wire 

cfavc  hav^  h^pn  ^limi.  ^^^^  ^^  ^^  Hundreds  of  Deer  Which  Hunters  Killed  in  Colorado  dminK 
Slays     nave     oeen     ciimi  ^  Three-Day  Hunting  Season— the  First  in  Five  Yeara 

nated,  and  the  wmgs  are 

braced  by  metal  struts.  For  the  first  time  three  days,  yet  for  that  brief  period  ap- 
a  monoplane  with  the  strength  of  a  bi-  proximately  17,000  person^  took  out  li- 
plane  has  been  constructed.  censes,  showing  their  fondness  for  deer 

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215 


hunting  by  spending  thousands  of  dol- 
lars on  guns,  ammunition,  transportation, 
etc.  Many  days  before  the  season  opened 
the  supply  of  licenses  was  exhausted.  The 
number  of  animals  shot  by  these  sports- 
men is  estimated  at  500.  Calculating 
each  hunter's  expense  for  three  days  at 
$50,  it  seems  safe  to  say  that  the  venison 
from  no  other  equal  number  of  deer  ever 
proved  so  expensive. 


BEST  RADIO  APPARATUS  KNOWN 
ON  PRESIDENT'S  SHIP 

The  most  modern  radio  apparatus 
known  was  provided  to  keep  President 
Wilson  in  touch  with  Washington  and 
the  rest  of  the  world  while  crossing  the 
Atlantic.  The  battleship  "Pennsylvania," 
one  of  the  fleet  accompanying  the  presi- 
dent's boat,  the  "George  Washington," 
was  equipped  with  the  most  powerful 
transmitting  set  on  any  American  naval 
ship.  Both  the  "George  Washington"  and 
the  big  battleship  had  apparatus  for  re- 
ceiving messages  from  high-power  sta- 
tions. Radio  telephones  and  low-power 
radio  sets  were  utilized  when  one  ship 
communicated  with  the  other.  Messages 
from  the  president  were  relayed  to  the 
"Pennsylvania,"  w^hich  sent  them  to  three 
radio  stations  located  at  various :  points 
in  the  East.  Each  of  these  stations  trans- 
mitted the  messages  to  an  office  in  the 
Navy  Department,  where  comparisons  of 
text  were  made  before  delivery  to  the 
persons  addressed.  All  messages  to  the 
president  passed  through  this  same  office. 


WOMEN  IN  LONELY  LOOKOUTS 

WATCH  FOR  FOREST  FIRES 

To  the  creditable  list  of  occupations 
in  which  the  war  showed  women  to  be 
efficient  and  faithful,  may  be  added  that 
of  serving  as  observers  in  lookout  posts 
on  the  peaks  of  western  mountains  and 
hills.  From  these  lonely  points  of  vantage 
watch  is  constantly  kept  for  forest  fires 
in  the  region  roundabout.  Because  of 
the  scarcity  of  available  men  during  the 
war,  this  work  was  performed  largely  by 
women  and  girls,  many  of  the  latter  be- 
ing of  high-school  age  who  were  glad  of 
an  opportunity  to  spend  a  summer  vaca- 
tion in  the  open.  Usually  the  girls 
"manned"  the  posts  in  pairs,  but  in  one 
instance  a  lone  girl  and  her  faithful  dog 
were  on  duty.  Whenever  smoke  was  seen 
rising  among  the  trees  it  was  the  task 
of  the  watcher  to  calculate  the  location  of 
the  fire  by  means  of  special  apparatus  pro-# 
vided  for  the  purpose,  and  then  communi- 
cate at  once  by  telephone  to  the  forest 
rangers,  who  would  hurry  out  prepared  to 
fight  the  flames. 


NOVEL  LOCKING  MEANS  FOR 
DEMOUNTABLE  RIM 

.  Among  the  new  quickly  demountable 
rims  that  have  been  invented  for  a  com- 
mon light  motor  car,  there  is  one  of  par- 
ticularly unusual  design.  It  consists  of 
a  retaining  rim  and  locking  ring.  Spaced 
equidistantly  about  the  circ-umference  of 
the  former  is  a  series  of  holes  that  fit  over 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


pins  in  the  felty.  When  the  rim  has  been 
slipped  in  place,  the  locking  rim,  which 
is  supplied  with  a  sequence  of  open  slots, 
is  attached  with  the  aid  of  a  special 
wrench.  It  is  asserted  that  with  the  rim 
in  use,  an  eight-year-old  boy  has  been  able 


to  remove  and  replace  a  tire  in  less  than 
one  minute. 


WORK  ON   KANSAS  FLOUR  MILL 

NIGHT  AND  DAY 

Realizing  that  there  will  be  a  great  de- 
mand for  food,  particularly  flour,  for 
European  nations  during  many  months  to 
come,  the  builders  of  a  concrete  flour  mill 
at  Hutchinson,  Kan.,  the  center  of  the 
wheat  belt,  exerted  every  effort  to  com- 


SOUTHERN  STATES-REJOICE 

AT  VICTORY  OVER  TICKS 

A  good   portion   of  the   South   is   this 
winter  rejoicing  at  the  big  advance  which 
the  government  has  made  in  eradicating 
the  cattle-fever  tick  from 
its  territory.    A  campaign 
has  been  on   since   1906, 
and  each  year  the  quar- 
antine   has    been    lifted 
from   considerable    terri- 
tory   in    which    the    in- 
spectors   have    been    at 
work,   but  last  year  the 
best    record    of   all    was 
made,   more  than  79,000 
square       miles       having 
been     officially    declared 
"tickless,"    December    1, 
last.      The  fight  against 
this     pest,     which      has 
caused    an    annual    loss 
of  $40,000,000  by  reason 
of  its  attacks  on  the  live 
stock  of  the  South,  con- 
sists in  dipping  all  cattle 
in  a  community  at  regular  intervals  in  an 
arsenical  solution.    Last  year's  endeavors 
bring  the  total  area  freed  of  the  pest  up 
to  458,000  square  miles,  or  63  per  cent  of 
the  entire   region   which  was  put   under 
quarantine  12  years  ago. 


Night  View  of  Flour  Mill  under  Construction  at  Hutchinson,  Kansas: 

Twenty-Five  600-Watt  Tungsten  Liehts  Made  Night  Work  Possible, 

So  That  the  Structure  was  Completed  in  Quick  Time 

plete  their  work  as  soon  as  possible.  The 
walls  rose  higher  by  night  as  well  as  by 
day,  the  work  at  night  being  done  with 
the  aid  of  twenty-five  500-watt  tungsten 
lights. 


NOISES  OF  AEROPLANE  MOTORS 

AND  BOMBS  IN  MUSIC 

As  might  be  expected,  the  war's  influ- 
ence is  evincing  itself  in  some  of  the 
program  music  of  British 
composers  that  is  now 
being  produced.  One  of 
the  selections  rendered 
recently  at  a  London 
concert  was  the  caco- 
phonic  story  of  a  Zeppe- 
lin raid.  The  audience, 
being  painfully  familiar 
with  the  theme,  experi- 
enced no  difficulty  in  in- 
terpreting the  music.  The 
droning  of  aeroplane  mo- 
tors, the  muffled  purring 
of  Zeppelin  engines,  the 
staccato  ripping  of  ma- 
chine guns,  and  the 
bursting  roar  of  bombs, 
all  were  developed  realistically  with  snare 
drums,  kettledrums,  and  large  bass  drums, 
aided  by  other  instruments,  which  pro- 
duced the  human  and  colorful  elements 
of  the  song. 


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A  False  Bow  at  the  Stern,  False  Stack  Lines,  and  Skillfully  Deceptive  Painting  Make  This  Ship  Appear  to 

be  Moving  toward  the  Left  instead  of  the  Right,  as  Is  Actually  the  Case.    A  Torpedo 

Fired  at  the  Ship  would  Probably  Harmlessly  Cross  Its  Wake 

MASTERPIECES    OF    NAVY    CAMOUFLAGE 

Ships    Appear   to  •  Run    Backward,   Gunboats    Look    Like    Yachts,    Painted 
Destroyers  Protect  Leviathans 

By  LLOYD  SEAMAN 


WITH  the  lifting  of  the  censorship 
curtain,  camouflage  on  the  high 
seas,  as  it  was  practiced  throughout  the 
war,  comes  for  the  first  time  into  its  own. 
Mystery,  as  deep  and  gray  as  sea  fog,  has 
hidden  the  tricks  and  systems  of  the  navy 
camoufleurs.  This  was  necessary  because 
Germany  herself  did  not  know  these  ma- 
rine  arts.  Her  submarines  could  never  es- 
tablish contact  strong  enough  to  unravel 
the  secrets  of  the  ships  that  were  made  by 
paint  and  brush  to  disappear,  to  take 
strange  forms,  to  sail  backward,  and  to 
perform  the  weirdest  tricks  of  legerde- 
main. 

Long  ago  the  public  learned  of  camou- 
flage on  land,  how  towns  and  roads  and 
trenches  were  "painted  out" ;  how  snipers 
masqueraded  as  trees;  how  batteries 
palmed  themselves  off  as  garbage  heaps, 
etc.  These  fascinating  army  "stunts"  of 
this  newest  of  war  arts  were  allowed  to 
be  told,  because  Germany  knew  them  and 
in  large  part  practiced  them  herself.  The 
land  opponents  were  in  such  intimate  con- 
tact that  neither  could  preserve  secrets 
k)ng  from  the  other. 

On  the  water,  however,  Germany  was 
puzzled.  And  she  never  did  fathom  the 
plans  and  schemes  of  the  navy  camou- 
fleurs. While  the  increasing  inefficiency 
of  the  U-boats,  as  the  war  progressed, 
was,  of  course,  largely  due  to  the  growing 
number  of  destroyers  and  seaphines,  full 


credit  must  be  given  the  development  of 
amazingly  clever  camouflage  artifices. 

For  instance,  it  may  now  be  told  that 
scores  of  ships  evaded  torpedoes  because, 
to  the  periscope  eye,  they  were  apparently 
steaming  in  one  direction  while  actually 
progressing  in  the  opposite  way.  This 
■  uncanny  evolution  was  due  wholly  to 
brush  and  paint,  and  a  few  boards.  It 
was  accomplished  by  making  the  steam- 
er's bow  look  like  her  stern,  and  her  stern 
like  her  bow.  At  the  rear,  a  steamer 
curves  in  below  the  deck  line  down  to  the 
water  line.  At  her  bow,  she  drops  in  a 
straight,  sharp  line  from  nose  to  the  waves. 
So  the  camoufleurs  nailed  a  scaflfolding, 
sharp  and  straight,  over  her  stern,  painted 
upon  it  white  waves  breaking  as  from  the 
slicing  impact  of  a  prow,  and  then  pro- 
ceeding to  the  real  bow,  painted  upon 
either  side  a  heavy  curving  line  that 
swung  inward  below  the  deck  line.  Sea- 
color  paint  and  broken  lines  of  darker 
hues  made  the  lower  half  of  the  bow  line 
invisible. 

The  smokestacks,  which  always  slant 
aft,  were  with  paint  and  boards  made  to 
slant  forward ;  that  is,  the  real  lines  of  the 
stacks  were  painted  out  and  false  lines 
and  false  angles  substituted.  Smoke  con- 
sumers prevented  the  telltale  clouds  Irom 
giving  the  whole  reversal  policy  away  to 
the  U-boats. 

A  periscope,  cutting  the  surface  for  two 


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213 


POPULAR   MECHANICS 


/ 


OOPYKIOHT,   INTCRNATIONAL  FILM  BCRVlCe 

The  **  Balmoral  Castle,"  the  British  Vessel  That  Took  a  Leading  Part  in  Blocking  Zeebrugge  Harbor:  She 
Steamed  into  New  York  Recently,  Still  Wearing  Her  Confusing  Camouflage  Armor 


seconds,  then  submerging  to  "plop"  up 
again  for  another  peep,  saw  this  steamer 
clearly,  noted  her  apparent  direction,  and 
dived  hastily  to  intercept  her.  When  in 
a  position  advantageous  for  murder,  the 
submersible  rose.  Lo  and  behold,  the 
steamer  was  far  astern,  still  steaming  for- 


drunk  or  crazy,  and  either  gave  up  or 
made  a  desperate  attempt  to  reach  the 
steamer  that  was  now  too  far  away  to 
catch.  This  subterfuge  was  the  logical 
outcome  of  the  first  methods,  which  were 
simpler,  consisting  mainly  of  fundamental 
color  studies,  broken  lines,  calculated  to 

Vi«rlA    fViA    /MifliriAC    rk-f    ftno    cViin      Klf^nrlincr    oil 


copvmaHT,  iNTCNNAnonAL  riLM  scRvicc 
The  British   Aerodrome   Ship   "Furious,"  with   Her  Crew   Lined   Up  for  a  Review:   The  Vessers  Broad 
Length  would  haye  Been  an  Admirable  Torpedo  Target,  Were  It  Not  for  the  Curves  of  Her 
Camouflage,  Which  Sometimes  Caused  Her  to  Look  Like  Several  Ships,  Bow  On 


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219 


r 


't 


How  the  Old  "Eastland"  Atoned  for  the  Disaster  in  the  Chicago  Riyer  in  the  Summer  of  1916:    She  Is 

Now  the  Biggest  and  Fastest  Gunboat  of  the  American  Nayy.    Her  Camouflage  Coat.  Which  Gave 

Her,  from  «-Distance,  the  Lines  of  a  Yacht,  Afforded  Her  Effective  Protection 


paint  served  to  blur  the  U-boat  gunners' 
eyes.  Gradually,  better  and  more  definite 
methods  were  worked  out.  Soon  great 
liners  put  out  to  sea  so  camouflaged  that 
at  a  distance  they  appeared  to  be  small 
white  yachts.  Upon  their  sides,  forward 
or  aft,  white  paint  was  so  placed  that  it 
drew  the  eye,  while  the  vaster  outlines 
above  and  behind  it  were  concealed  in 
neutral  lines. 

From  this  developed  the  still  more  ef- 
fective system  of  painting  destroyers 
on  each  side  of  the  steamer — black  real- 
istic pictures  of  the  small  vessels  drawn 
against  the  white  flanks  of  the  great  ships. 
Smoke  would  be  painted  issuing  from  the 
destroyer's  stacks,  waves  breaking  at  her 


prow,  and  guns  looming  fore  and  aft. 
What  U-boat  commander,  peeping  has- 
tily, would  not  submerge  and  depart,  for 
the  destroyers  meant  death?  A  greater 
means  of  terrorizing  submarines  next  ap- 
peared. Two  or  three  destroyers  were 
painted  on  the  steamer's  sides,  with  their 
noses  pointed  at  right  angles  to  the  length 
of  the  steamer.  When  a  periscope 
snatched  a  hasty  glance,  it  saw  these  sea 
terriers  bearing  down  right  upon  it. 

This  scheme  worked  especially  well 
where  the  steamer  bearing  the  picture 
protectors  was  in  the  same  part  of  the 
sea  with  steamers  surrounded  with  actual 
destroyers,  and  it  served  to  free  the  real 
destroyers  for  more  aggressive  work. 


r 


The  Mastcr^ece  of  Navy  Camouflage:   DesUoyers  are  Painted  u|>on_the  Sides  of  the   Ocean  Leviathans. 
No  Hon   SttboMuiae  Commander  Cared  to  Face 


Bombs. 


_        ._ the  Redoubtable  Destroyers  with  Their  Deadly  Depth 

Ordinarily,    No  Time  was   Spent  in    Investigation  —  the    U-Boats    Dived    and    Fled    the    Spot 


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GENEROUS  AID  OFFERED  TO  DISCHARGED  MEN 


That  more  generous  and  intelligent  pro- 
vision has  been  made  for  the  American 
soldiers  and  sailors  who  fought  in  this 
war  than  for  those  engaged  in  any  pre- 
vious conflict  is  shown  by  the  contents 
of  a  booklet  entitled  **When  You  Get 
Home,"  a  copy  of  which  is  given  to  each 
discharged  man.  It  contains  facts  which 
every  man  who  wears,  or  has  worn,  a 
uniform  should  know  regarding  arrears 
in  pay,  legal  matters,  insurance,  voca- 
tional training,  etc.  It  is  issued  by  the 
department  of  civilian  relief  of  the  Ameri- 
can Red  Cross. 

If  a  soldier,  on  being  discharged,  re- 
ceives what  he  believes  is  less  than  his 
full  pay,  the  Home  Service  Section  of  the 
Red  Cross  stands  ready  to  help  him,  mak- 
ing it  unnecessary  to  hire  an  attorney  or 
claim  agent.  With  the  assistance  of  local 
committees  of  lawyers,  it  is  also  ready  to 
give  legal  advice  free  on  other  matters, 
to  those  who  cannot  aflford  to  pay  for  it. 

It  is  to  a  soldier's  and  sailor's  advan- 
tage to  know  that  if  a  court  has  rendered 
judgment  against  him  by  default,  either 
while  in  the  army  or  within  30  days  after 
his  discharge,  he  still  has  his  chance  in 
court  if  he  applies  in  person,  or  through 
an  attorney,  within  90  days  after  his  dis- 
charge. If  payments  by  a  soldier  on  a 
mortgage  on  property  have  become  over- 
due while  he  was  in  the  army,  the  Civil 
Relief  Act  forbids  the  selling  of  the  prop- 
erty to  meet  the  obligation,  except  by 
special  court  order,  until  three  months 
after  a  soldier  has  been  discharged.  This 
applies  only  to  a  mortgage  executed  be- 
fore March  8,  1918,  on  property  owned 
before  joining  the  army.  Special  pro- 
vision of  a  somewhat  similar  character  is 
made  for  the  soldier  whose  taxes  or  as- 
sessments have  become  overdue. 

If  a  man  in  the  service  took  advantage 
of  a  provision  in  the  Civil  Relief  Act  and 
applied  to  the  Bureau  of  War  Risk  In- 
surance to  protect  his  private  insurance 
policy  or  fraternal-benefit  membership 
from  lapsing  for  nonpayment,  he  should 
remember  that  he  must  pay  back  pre- 
miums, with  agreed  interest,  within  one 
year  after  discharge,  or  if  discharged  af- 
ter the  proclamation  of  peace,  within  one 
year  after  that  event. 

To  any  soldier  who  wears  a  wound 
chevron,  or  has  been  discharged  because 
of  disease  or  disability,  the  army  hospitals 
will  give  special  medical  care,  including 
treatment  designed  to  restore  his  health 
and  improve  his  chances  of  success  in  a 


chosen  line  of  work.  Men  who  have  lost 
an  arm  or  a  leg  are  entitled  to  receive 
free,  first  a  temporary,  and  then  a  perma- 
nent, artificial  limb  of  the  most  modern 
type.  This  will  be  repaired  and  replaced 
as  needed,  without  charge.  If  a  man  is 
permanently  disabled,  the  government  will 
pay  for  the  rest  of  his  life  a  disability  com- 
pensation which  will  not  be  reduced,  no 
matter  how. successful  he  may  be  in  over- 
coming his  handicap  and  increasing  his 
income. 

If  a  man  is  entitled  to  compensation  for 
even  partial  disability,  the  government  of- 
fers him  free  training  designed  to  fit  him 
for  a  good  job,  and  while  taking  the 
training,  he  is  guaranteed  a  total  income 
from  all  sources  of  at  least  $65  a  month. 
The  taking  of  this"  training  is  optional 
with  the  individual,  but  it  is  strongly  rec- 
ommended by  the  Red  Cross.  In  addition 
to  advice  on  legal  matters,  as  indicated 
above,  the  Home  Service  Section  stands 
ready  to  aid  the  soldiers  and  their  fam- 
ilies in  many  other  ways,  which  only  help 
to  prove  that  the  Red  Cross  is  "the  great- 
est mother  in  the  world."  The  govern- 
ment is  also  making  extensive  plans  de- 
signed to  aid  the  soldiers  in  quickly  return- 
ing to  complete  economic  independence. 


/AMERICANIZING  FOREIGNERS 
A  GREAT  PATRIOTIC  TASK 

To  the  Bureau  of  Naturalization,  of 
the  Department  of  Labor,  has  been  as- 
signed the  big  task  of  leadership  in 
Americanizing  the  foreign  elements  in 
the  United  States.  There  are  no  less 
than  17,500,000  foreign-born  residents  in 
this  country.  In  New  York  City,  alone, 
there  are  500,000  foreigners  who  cannot 
read,  write,  or  speak  English.  The  bu- 
reau, through  its  naturalization  examin- 
ers, has  gained  acquaintance  with  about 
3,000,000  immigrants,  but  this  is  only  a 
beginning.  In  the  past  four  years  the 
public  schools  in  2,000  communities  have 
furthered  the  work  by  teaching  English 
and  the  principles  of  our  government. 
How  much  real  assimilation  remains  to 
be  done  is  shown  by  the  fact  that,  thus 
far,  only  two  per  cent  of  the  aliens  in 
this  country  have  applied  for  citizenship 
instruction.  The  bureau  aims  to  foster 
keener  interest  in  this  great  (question 
among  employers,  school  authorities,  and 
the  public  in  general.  Wisely  conducted 
classes  in-  factories  and  schools  are  a 
principal  means  of  forwarding  the  work. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS  221 


STATUE  OF  LIBERTY  FEATURE  vases  and  in  Liberty's  torch,  and  as  the 

OF  DETROIT'S  HONOR  ROLL  ^^P^^  ^^^^^  ^"  ^^^  ^"^  ^^  .^^^  ^^"^P^'  *^^ 

effect  produced  is  very  striking. 

Of  the  many  memorials  erected  in  honor  

of  the  men  who  have  died  in  the  war,  none 

is  more    appropriate   than    that   recently  NEW  STICK-CANDY  APPARATUS 

dedicated  in  Detroit,  the  central  feature  HAS  LARGE  CAPACITY 

of  which   is  a  replica   of  the  Statue  of 

Liberty.     On   the  pedestal  of  the  white  Broad  claims  are  made  for  the  efficiency 

figure,  which  rises  above  a  large  outdoor  of  a  new  stick-candy  making  machine  that 

rostrum,  are  inscribed  the  names  of  De-  has  a  daily  capacity  of  3,000  lb.    The  ap- 

troit's  heroes.    At  each  comer  of  the  plat-  paratus  is  supposed  to  eflfect  a  50  per  cent 

form    are    ornamental    vases    containing  reduction  in  labor  costs,   in  addition  to 

colored  lights.     At  night  steam  is  made  producing  candy  that  is  of  superior  ap- 

to  issue  from  pipes,  also  concealed  in  the  pearance,  and  of  uniform  size,  shape,  and 


T««  View*  of  lb*  If  cw  Stick-Candy  Machint  are  Preaented  Above.    The  Rack  la  the  Cooling  Device. 
The  Outfit  Haa  a  Dailj  Capacity  of  8,0M  Pounda  and  ia  Suppoaed  to  Reduce  the  Labor  Coat  by  Half 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


weight.  The  machine  occupies  only 
about  a  tenth  the  amount  of  floor  space 
that  is  ordinarily  required  for  accomplish- 
ing the  same  work  by  hand.  Every  stick 
is  thoroughly  cooled  before  being  dis- 
charged. 

THRIVING  DATE  ORCHARDS 
IN  ARIZONA 

That  dates  can  be  made  to  thrive  in 
Arizona  is  being  demonstrated  by  the 
agricultural  experiment  station  of  the 
University  of  Arizona,  whose  orchards 
contain  508  trees,  representing  125  differ- 
ent varieties.  The  fruit  is  ripened  artifi- 
cially and  marketed  in  the  East.  Alkaline 
soil  and  the  available  water  of  the  region 
appear  to  be  well  suited  to  the  needs  of 
the  date  trees,  which,  it  is  declared,  will 
bear  fruit  for  100  years. 

CTt  was  found  recently  that  bars  of  pure 
silver,  heated  to  a  certain  temperature  and 
left  for  a  time  in  a  strong  magnetic  field, 
become  weakly  but  permanently  mag- 
netized. 


MODEL  PLANT  FOR  STORING 
VEGETABLE  OIL 

At  San  Francisco  special  facilities  have 
been  provided  for  handling  vegetable  oil, 
which  is  now  being  shipped  in  great  quan- 
tities from  the  Orient  for  use  in  a  variety 
of  food  products,  in  soap,  etc.  In  tho 
past  year,  it  is  estimated,  200,000  to  250,00 ) 
tons  of  this  material — much  of  it  coconut 
oil — have  passed  through  the  Golden  Gate. 
One  of  the  new  plants  for  receiving  this 
oil  is  equipped  with  a  number  of  immense 
steel  tanks  into  which  the  product,  after 
being  heated,  is  pumped  direct  from  tho 
ocean  vessels  through  an  1,800-ft.  pipe  line. 
When  practically  all  the  cargo  has  been 
forced  through  the  pipe,  water  is  injected 
to  clean  it  out  before  the  oil  hardens.  The 
mixture  of  oil  and  'water  is  discharged 
into  a  special  tank,  from  which  the  water, 
on  settling  to  the  bottom,  is  drawn  off, 
while  the  oil  is  transferred  to  another 
tank.  A  special  telephone  line  enables  a 
watcher  to  notify  the  ship  when  the 
pumping  should  stop. 

In  each  of  the  storage  tanks  are  1,900 

ft-    r»f    Qf-P9m-nin#»    /«  rk  i  I  c 


The  Tank  into  Which  the  Mixed  Oil  and  Water  ii  Diicharged  ii  Shown  at  the  Left.  .The  Watcher  la 

Telephoning   to   the    Ship.    At  the  Right.  Tank    Cars   are   being    Pilled  for'J'ranicontinetttal^hipment. 

The  Bicaping  Steam  It  from  Pipes  Used  to  Heat  the  Oil  to  Keep  It  in  a  Pluid  Sute  for  Loading 


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223 


ity  of  service,  even  on  the  western  por- 
tion of  the  line,  was  shortage  of  coal.  It 
is  thought  the  allies  could  not  build 
the  necessary  track  and  run  trains  to  the 
Persian  Gulf  in  less  than  two  years. 


Charred  Hull,  Which  I«  All  That  wai  Left  of  the  1110,000   Auxiliary   Schooner  **  Dornfontein,"   Launched 

Only  a  Pew  Weeki  Before  It  was  Torpedoed  and  Set  on  Fire  by  the  Germani:    In  the 

Condition  Shown  Here  It  was  Purchased  for  |o.600 

CHARRED  HULL  OF  SCHOONER 

BOUGHT  FOR  SMALL  SUM 

A  fine  auxiliary  schooner,  speedily  over- 
taken by  war's  destruction  after  its 
launching  at  St.  John,  N.  B.,  was  the 
"Domfontein,"  a  fourrmasted  vessel,  185 
ft.  long,  which  cost  $110,000.  A  few 
weeks  ago  it  was  towed  into  a  Maine  port 
— a  charred  hull  which  had  been  purchased 
for  $5,500.  The  vessel  was  launched  early 
in  June,  and  three  weeks  later,  while  on 
its  maiden  voyage  to  Africa  with  900,000 
ft.  of  lumber,  was  torpedoed  by  a  U-boat 
in  the  Bay  of  Fundy.  The  enemy,  after 
removing  all  valuable  supplies,  set  fire  to 
it.  Half  of  the  cargo  was  consumed  and 
the  craft  burned  to  the  water's  edge.  The 
vessel  is  being  rebuilt  and  should  be  ready 
for  rechristening  and  relaunching  early  in 
the  summer. 


LOCUST  CATCHING  A  TASK 

FILIPINOS  ENJOY 

At  a  certain  season  of  the  year  locust 

catching  is  a  task  in  which  the  natives  of 

the   Philiooines  delie^ht  to  eneracrp 


BAGDAD  RAILWAY  IN  POOR 

CONDITION 

The  allies,  particularly  the  British,  have 
been  much  interested  in  learning  some- 
thing of  the  condition  of  that  portion  of 
the  Berlin-to- Bagdad  Railway  which  lies 
in  Asia  Minor.  Information  obtained 
since  the  signing  of  the  armistice  shows 
that  the  tunnels  through  the  Taurus 
Mountains,  in  southern  Asia  Minor,  were 
opened  to  broad-gauge  traffic  last  Octo- 
ber, and  that  trains  can  now  run  to  Nei- 
sibin,  a  point  about  100  miles  west  of 
Mosul,  in  Mesopotamia.  These  tunnels, 
it  is  interesting  to  note,  presented  un- 
usual, difficulties  to  those  constructing 
them  and  require  inspection  daily.  While 
the  track  for  the  most  part  is  said  to  be 
in  good  condition,  the  rolling  stock,  par- 
tic^ilarly  the  engines,  was  ba<)ly  in  need 
of  repair  long  before  hostilities  ceased. 
Another  factor  contributing  to  irregular- 


Men  In  the  Philipplnee  Equipped  with  Neu  for  Catch- 
ing Locuitt,  Which  are  Collected  in  Great  Quantities 
by  the  Nativee   during    the    «*Locnet    Season/'  and 
Eaten  as  a  Delicacy 

having  handles,  in  some  cases  10  ft.  long. 
With  the  return  of  the  locust  catchers  to 
lown  a  great  fiesta,  or  feast,  is  held,  at 
which  the  insects  are  eaten. 

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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


PATENTED  PROCESS  OF  MAKING 
CASTINGS  UNDER  PRESSURE 

A  process  has  been  patented  for  pro- 
ducing castings  of  nonterrous  and  other 
alloys  under  pressure  which  are  said  to 
be  more  dense,  freer  from  blowholes,  and 
to  possess  greater  tensile  strength  than 
castings  made  in  sand.  One  result  of  the 
process  has  been  the  making  of  an  alloy 
of  aluminum,  copper,  and  iron  which  has 
a  low  coefficient  of  expansion  and,  it  is 
believed,  will  prove  particularly  valuable 
for  certain  aeroplane  parts.  Larger  pis- 
tons than  any  yet  produced  now  appear  to 
be  a  possibility.  By  the  new  method  the 
molten  alloys  are  poured  into  metal  molds 
and  the  castings  are  formed  or  congealed 
under  pressure.  They  are  described  as 
being,  in  reality,  die  castings  formed  under 
high  pressure.  Their  structure,  it  is  said, 
is  made  up  of  unusually  fine  crystals  and 
the  material  possesses  exceptional  machin- 
ing qualities.  An  automatic  machine 
has  been  built  which  turns  out  several 
hundred  castings  per  hour. 

With  reference  to  the  making  of  cast- 


ings for  aeroplane  machinery  it  is  interest- 
ing to  note  that  analysis  of  metal  taken 
from  a  captured  Zeppelin  some  time  ago 
shows  that  substance  to  be  an  allo^  con- 
taining practically  the  same  proportions  oL 
aluminum,  copper,  and  iron  as  has  been 
recommended  for  aeroplane  pistons  by  the 
inventor  of  the  new  process.  The  tensile 
strength  of  the  German  metal  was  esti- 
mated at  about  40,000  lb.  per  square  inch. 


SEAPLANE,  LOST  IN  DENSE  FOG, 

CRASHES  INTO  CLUBHOUSE 

During  a  recent  flight  from  Baltimore 
toward  Hampton  Roads,  the  pilot  of  one 
of  the  largest  flying  boats  in  use  by  the 
navy  lost  his  way  on  account  of  dense 
mist  and  fog,  and  was  compelled  to  de- 
scend near  Norfolk,  Va.,  to  learn  his 
whereabouts.  On  starting  to  ascend  a 
little  later,  the  big  machine  crashed  into 
a  clubhouse  near  by  which,  apparently, 
the  fog  had  hidden  completely  from  view. 
Two  of  the  five  men  in  the  plane  were 
killed  and  two  injured. 


BURNING  TONS  OF  DYNAMITE  AN  UNPOPULAR  TASK 


Few  persons  were  desirous  of  qualify- 
ing for  the  task  of  destroying  24,000  lb.  of 


wedge  and  mallet  and  examined  the  con- 
tents.    In  most  cases  he  found  that  the 


cently  in  an  abandoned 
magazine  near  Sharpsburg, 
•  Pa.  '  The  •  unpopularity  •  of 
the  job  was  increased  by 
the  fact  that  a  previous  attempt  to  burn 
the  ,ejcplosive  had  resulted  in  detonations 
so  violent  that  the  experimenters  fled. 
Finally  an  expert  was  employed  who  care- 
fully  opened  each   box  with   a   wooden 


It'i  All  in  Knowing  How.    This 

Expert,   with    Wooden    Mallet 

and  Wedge,  Wai  Not  Afraid  to 

Open  the  Dynamite  Boxes 


ground,  saturating  it  with 
oil,  and  then  lighting  it 
with  a  fuse  that  pei-mitted 
withdrawal  before  explo- 
sions took  place.  In  other  cases  the  dyna- 
mite was  so  badly  decomposed  that  burn- 
ing was  not  advisable,  and  chemical  treat- 
ment had  to  be  used  in  order  to  dispose 
of  it. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


225 


ephone  exchange  equal  to  the  needs  ot 
a  community  of  25,000.  When  a  fire,  or 
other  catastrophe,  puts  a  local  exchange 
out  of  commission,  one  or  more  of  these 
trucks  is  rushed  to  the  scene  and  tele- 
phone service  is  quickly  restored,  it  being 
only  necessary  to  connect  up  with  the 
trunk  lines.  In  cases  where  a  fire  has  de- 
stroyed an  entire  town,  outfits  of  this 
character  have  been  invaluable  in  putting 
the  distressed  community  in  touch  with 
the  outside  world.  Portable  exchanges  in 
use  in  France  are  said  to  have  suggested 
the  idea  to  American  telephone  engineers. 


SERIOUS  CORN  PEST  APPEARS 

IN  EASTERN  STATE 

Because  of  a  pest  which  has  appeared 
in  the  corn  in  a  certain  section  of  eastern 
Massachusetts,  the  secretary  of  agricul- 
ture has  placed  that  region  under  quar- 
antine, forbidding  the  interstate  shipment 
of  cornstalks,  corn  on  the  cob,  corn  fod- 
der, etc.,  from  the  section,  if  it  is  infected. 
The  pest  is  known  as  the  European  corn 
borer,  and  is  regarded  as  more  to  be 
dreaded  than  the  army  worm.  It  is  de- 
scribed as  a  slender,  dirty-white  or  pink- 
ish, naked  caterpillar  which  burrows  into 
the  stalks.  The  only  practical  way  of  de- 
stroying these  creatures  is  said  to  be  by 
burning  the  cornstalks,  garden  vegetables, 
prass,  etc.,  where  they  seek  refuge  in  the 
fall. 


FOR  GOLF  COURSES 

A  'pressed-steel  hole  rim  for  golf 
courses  is- so  designed  that  it  keeps  the 
balls  from  falling  into  mud  that  may  ac- 
cumulate at  the  bottom,  and  can  be  read- 
ily adjusted  to  the  desired  height  by 
turning  a  removable  key,  furnished  with 
the  outfit.  Within  the  cup,  which  forms 
the  rim  proper,  is  a  small  cylinder,  with 
threaded  surface  which  fits  into  a  hole 
in  the  bottom  of  the  cup,  and  into  the 
upper  end  of  which  the  ball  falls.  The 
threads  referred  to  cause  the  cup  to  rise 
or  descend  when  it  is  turned.   Steel  shoes 


Three  Views  of  Adjustable  Hole  Rim:  One  nt  Teft 
is  Holding  a  Marker,  and  Centr  One  a  Golf  Pall. 
While  the  One  at  Right  is  Pitted  with  Adjusting  Key 

are  provided  which  can  be  attached  to 
the  iron  or  bamboo  markers  so  that  they 
fit  snugly  in  this  inner  cylinder.  In  this 
way  pointed  rods  that  cut  up  the  putting 
greens  are  eliminated. 


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COST  OF  WORLD  WAR  PLACED 

AT  TWO  HUNDRED  BILLION 

According  to  estimates  prepared  by  the 
Federal  Reserve  Board  and  believed  to  be 
substantially  correct,  the  aggregate  direct 
expense  incurred  by  the 
several     belligerents     in 
conducting   the   war,   up 
to  May  1,  last,  amounted 
to  about  $175,000,000,000. 
It    is    thought    that    the 
total  sum  spent  up  to  the 
first  of  this  year  approxi- 
mates    $200,000,000,000. 
The   public   debt   of   the 
chief  allied  nations,  May 
1,    is    placed     at    about 
$105,000,000,000.      The 
conduct  of  the   war  ap- 
parently   cost    the    allies 
more  than  twice  as  much 
as     it     did     the     central 
powers,  for  the  aggregate 
debt  assumed  by  the  lat- 
ter up  to  the  date  men- 
tioned   is    computed    at 
$45,000,000,000.      In    this 
connection  it  is  interest- 
ing to  note  that  the  ante- 
bellum debt  of  the  seven 
chief     belligerents     amounted     to     only 
$25,000,000,000.     The  annual  cost  of  sup- 
porting this  was  about  $1,000,000,000,  but 
the  yearly  burden  hereafter,  embracing  in- 
terest and  sinking  fund,  will  probably  be 
in  excess   of  $10,000,000,000.     Germany's 
per-capita  burden  is  approximately  three 
times    greater  than    that   of   the    United 
States  for  funds   already   expended,   and 
obviously  will  be  greater  than  that  when 
the    reconstruction    obligation    is    shoul- 
dered.    For  instance,  the  United  States, 
with   a   population   of   110,000,000,   has   a 
national   wealth    of  $250,000,000,000   with 
which  to  pay  the  $18,000,000,000  war  debt 
already   contracted.  '  Germany,    however, 
has  66,000,000  population  and  $80,000,000,- 
000  wealth  with  which  to  meet  its  $35.- 
000,000,000  war  debt,  represented  chiefly 
by  bonds  held  within  its  own  country.    In 
conclusion,   it    is  worth   noting  that   the 
cost  of  "putting  on"  a  modern  four-year 
world  war  is  about   equal   to   the  entire 
national  wealth  of  the  United  States. 


FORCE  AIR  DOWN  MINE  SHAFT 

WITH  BLACKSMITH  BELLOWS 

Fresh  air  being  urgently  needed  in  a 
coal  mine  in  British  Columbia,  and  there 
being   no    suitable   ventilating   apparatus 


Bellowi  Installed  at  the  Mouth  of  a  Mine  Shaft  in  Britiih  Columbia, 

with  Which  Preth  Air  wai  Forced  Down  to  the  Miners:   The  Man 

at  the  Right  is  Taking  His  Turn  Operating  the  Bellows 

available,  a  bellows  was  obtained  from  a 
blacksmith  shop  and  rigged  up  for  use 
in  the  emergency.  A  framework  of  poles 
supported  it  and  furnished  a  leverage  for 
operating  it.  The  miners  worked  the  big 
bellows  in  shifts,  sending  fresh  air  to 
their  fellows  down  the  shaft  by  pipe  line. 


CTThe  British  have  ordered  the  construc- 
tion in  this  country  of  20,000  tanks  of 
moderate  size,  regardless  of  the  return  of 
peace.  The  machines  are  so  designed 
that  they  can  be  used  as  farm  tractors,  if 
desired. 


HANDY  INDEX  ATTACHMENT 
FOR  SHEET  MUSIC 

An  index  tab  on  which  a  title  and  a 
composer's  name  can  be  written  has  been 
devised  for  the  convenience  of 
users  of  sheet  music.  It  can 
be  attached  to  a  single  sheet 
or  used  in  helping  to  bind  sev- 
eral sheets  together. 
Between  the  space 
for  the  title  and 
the  space  for  the 
composer  is  a  cir- 
cle for  the  index 
letter  or  number. 
The  tabs  are  sup- 
plied in  three  col- 
ors— a  further  aid 
making  it  easy  to  find  any  selection,  by 
permitting  classification  according  to 
whether  the  music  is  vocal,  orchestral,  or 
a  band  selection. 


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228 


POPULAR  MECHANICS 


MACHINE  FOR  PRACTICING 

GOLF  INDOORS 

Golf  practice  which  is  genuinely  helpful 
in  developing  the  player's  skill  can  be  ob- 


tained at  home,  on  shipboard,  on  the  roof  of 
an  office  building,  or  elsewhere,  by  using  a 


5 


n_ji_jiJ^Ji_rurD' 


[in 


LJ"LJi_rL_rL-n_rL]" 


i,-|pn_JLJi_rLJi_ji_rD' 


new  golf  machine.  The  ball  is  placed  on  a 
mat,  or  pad,  and  when  struck,  slides  up  a 
taut,  inclined  wire,  to  which  it  is  fastened 
by  a  suitable  eyelet.  At  the  far  end  of 
the  wire  it  strikes  a  padded  head,  or 
buflFer,  which  is  connected  by  levers  with 
a  swinging  foot  suspended  at  one  side  of 
the  machine.  The  impact  of  the  ball 
against  the  head  causes  the  foot  to  strike 
a  second  ball,  sending  it  up  an  inclined 
trough,  graduated  in  terms  of  yards.  The 
distance  this  second  ball  travels  indicates 
quite  accurately  the  distance  the  same 
stroke  would  have  sent  the  ball  on  a  regu- 
lar course. 


"CUBICLE"  HOSPITAL  EMPLOYED 

IN  FIGHTING  INFLUENZA 

In  combating  the  influenza  among  sev- 
eral thousand  apprentices  training  for  the 
merchant  marine,  medical  officers  of  the 
United  States  Shipping  Board  evolved  a 
system  of  treatment  that  effectively 
checked  the  disease  and  reduced  mor- 
tality. Fresh,  cool  air  and  sunshine  were 
the  chief  healing  elements  employed.  A 
special  hospital  of  unusual  design  was 
constructed  on  an  elevation.  Its  arrange- 
ment was  governed  by  the  desire  to  iso- 
late the  patients  and  give  them  abundant 
sunlight  and  air.  Stretching  at  right 
angles  from  the  administration  building, 
a  series  of  long  pavilions  was  built.  Each 
of  these  consisted  of  a  steam-heated  cor- 
Hdor  giving  access  to  a  succession  of 
"cubicles,"  or  "bays,"  facing  south.  The 
separate  compartments  were  made  large 
enough  to  accommodate  two  beds  and 
leave  an  aisle  between  them.  To  prevent 
transmission  of  germs  from  one  patient 
to  another,  a  sterilized  sheet  was  sus- 
pended so  as  to  divide  the  room.  The 
roof  of  each  cubicle  was  hinged  so  that 
one-half  of  it  could  be  tilted  back,  open- 
ing the  interior  to  air  and  sun.  One  of 
the  walls  consisted  of  a  glazed  sash, 
hinged  so  as  to  be  swung  outwardly.    An 


General  Plan  of  laolation  Hospital  for 
Influenxa  Patients,  Designed  and  Con- 
structed by  the  United  States  Shipping 
Board 


i. 


a  o 

Ul  ■! 

to  A 

3. 


CORRIDOR 


Detail  of  One  Wing  of  the  Isolatioa  Hospital,  Showing  the  Bays,  or  ''Cubicles/'  All  Having  South  Exposure, 
and  the  Arrangement  of  Attendants'  and  Utility  Rooms  on  the  Other  Side  of  the  Corridor 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS  229 

air  space,  a  foot  in  depth,  was  also  left-  recently   a    forest    ranger   and   his   wife, 

around  the  top  of  each  cubicle  between  mounted  on  sharp-shod  horses,  began  the 

its  walls  and  the  roof.    The  plan  worked  ascent    at    seven    in    the    morning    and 

so  well  that  it  received  the  indorsement  reached  the  top  at  three  in  the  afternoon, 

of     Massachusetts     medical     authorities,  their  animals  negotiating  the  snow  fields 
who  adopted  it  in  checking  the  epidemic 
among  the  civilian  population. 

CANADA'S  HUGE  CENT  PIECES 

TO  BE  DISPLACED 

The  big  Canadian  cent,  which  has  been 
as  much  of  a  joke  to  Americans  as  the 
latter's  huge  silver  dollars  have  been  to 
their  northern  neighbors,  promises  to  dis- 
appear in  the  course  of  time.  It  is  an- 
nounced that  the  Dominion  is  about  to 

mint  a  one-cent  piece  which  will  be  slight-  This  Man  and  His  Wife,  Riding  These  Horses, 
Iv  larcr^r  fVian  fht*  ronorli'on  Aim^  'TUlc-  Recently  Ascended  to  the  Summit  of  Mount  Adams. 
ly  larger  tnan  tne  L^anadian  dime.  1  his  They  are  Believed  to  Be  the  First  to  have  Ridden 
would    indicate  that    it   will   be   about    the  on  Horseback  to  the  Top 

size  of  the  cents  used  in  this  country.  without   serious   difficulty.     Special  local 

interest   attaches   to   the   feat    because  a 

FIRST  HORSEBACK  PARTY  club  in  Portland,  Ore.,  is  composed  ex- 

ASCENDS  MOUNT  ADAMS  m^/'^TIT   ""^  ^^''''Ilf  '^I'l?  ^^^\^^^"?^^^ 

Mt.  Adams   or  some  other  peak  whose 

Formerly  it  was  thought  the  summit  of  summit  is  considered  accessible  only  on 

Mt.    Adams,    in    the    Columbia    National  foot.      Thus,    technically,    the    status    of 

Forest,  which  rises  to  a  height  of  12,307  some  members  has  been  brought  in  ques- 

ft.,  could  be  reached  only  on  foot.     But  tion. 


TRENCH  GUN  IS  RIOT  PIECE  FITTED  WITH  BAYONET 

America  s  su 
the    sawed-off 
such  a  chorus 
"sportsmanlike' 
doubt    receive 
when  the  histo 
tary  efforts  is  ( 
Therefore,  a  lit 
story  of  its  ad( 
be  amiss  even 
The   idea  was 
gested  to  the 
War  Depart-  ■ 
ment      by    a  I 
Georgia     en-  | 
gincer.     It  imn 
met  with  Genei 
ing^s   approval, 
in  the  adoptioi 
ard    12-gauge, 
gun. 

A  perforated 
designed  to  fit 
and    carry    the 

added    to    the    pic^c        xnc    ctm-  pn^vc^u      even       muic      ciicciivc 

munition  used  consisted  of  ull*n*TTench*Gun*oSer-  ^^^"  ^^^  ^^^'^  expected.  It 
cartridges  containing  three  and  wise  «  i2.GauKe  Riot  was  found  that  by  firing  from 
a     half    drams    of    smokeless      SJ*A*/e!fi'fl*^^^  the  hip.  holding  back  the  trig- 

-  J       .  , ,    ^  t_        lorated  Steel  Jacket  and  ^  ,  v  • .    •  « 

powder  and  nine  pellets,  each        Hun-Hating  Bayonet       ger,  and  pumpmg,  a  veritable 


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230 


POPULAR   MECHANICS 


barraga  effective  for  100  yards  or  more, 
could  be  laid  down.  Also  it  was  found 
that  soldiers  who  had  shot  clay  pigeons 
in  peace  time  could  play  pranks  with  gren- 
ades hurled  from  the  Hun's  trenches. 
That  is,  their  weU-aimed  shots  freqaently 
checked  grenades,  causing  them  to  fall 
and  explode  on  the  German  side  of  "No 
Man's  Land" 


LARD-DISPENSING  MACHINE 

SAVES  TIME  AND  MONEY   . 

Guesswork  and  waste  resulting  from  re- 
tailing lard  in  small  quantities  are  done 
away  with  by  using  a  new 
-dispensing   machine. 
A  50-lb.  pail  of  lard 
is  placed,   inverted, 
,    in  a  chamber  sup- 
[   ported  by  a  stand- 
I  ard,  and  by  turning 
f  a  crank,  a  plate  is 
forced   up   through 
the  lard  to  the  bot- 
tom    of     the      can. 
iversing   the    crank 
ises    the    lard    down- 
d  int6  a  conveyor  and 
ence    into    a    cup    at 
e  upper  end  of  an  el- 
low-shaped      passage, 
iere     it     actuates     a 
>lunger,    causing    the 
imount  of  lard  in  the 
cup  to  be  accurately 
indicated    on   a   dial. 
The     cup      can     be 
emptied  by  swinging 
it  to  one  side  and   forcing  the   plunger 
back  to  its  former  position. 


STATIC  INTERFERENCE  IN  RADIO 
COMMUNICATION  ELIMINATED 

What  is  considered  to  be  one  of  the 
most  important  scientific  discoveries  of 
recent  years  has  been  announced  by  the 
Marconi  Wireless  Telegraph  Company. 
Static  interference,  the  perplexing  condi- 
tion that  has  been  encountered  in  radio 
communication,  has  been  overcome  after 
years  of  effort  on  the  part  of  the  chief 
engineer  of  the  Marconi  company.  Wire- 
less equipment  can  now  be  used  24  hours 
a  day,  365  days  in  the  year,  instead  of 
only  during  periods  of  favorable  atmos- 
pheric conditions. 

By  static  is  usually  meant  the  uncon- 
trolled electricity  present  in  the  atmos- 
phere. At  times  it  produces  so  much 
noise  in  the  receivers  that  it  renders  radio 


signals  indistinguishable,  and  thereby 
prostrates  service. 

The  new  invention,  the  out|:rowth  oi 
discoveries  made  by  the  engmeer,  not 
only  protects  receiving  apparatus  from 
the  effects  of  transient  electricity,  but  also 
prevents  waves  sent  out  by  one  station 
from  interfering  with  those  of  another. 
Furthermore,  it  makes  unnecessary  the 
erection  of  enormous  towers  for  the  re- 
ceiving antenna.  Aerials  need  be  strung 
no  higher  than  ordinary  telegraph  wires. 

All  was  ready  for  announcement  of  the 
invention  when  the  United  States  entered 
the  war.  Instead  of  being  made  known, 
however,  it  was  placed  at  the  disposal  of 
the  government.  The  Navy  Department 
put  it  in  use  immediately  and  caused  its 
adoption  by  the  allies.  During  the  war 
it  did  valuable  service. 

Technical  details  of  the  invention  are 
still  withheld.  The  inventor,  however,  has 
remarked  that  he  worked  on  the  theory 
that  static  electricity,  contrary  to  the  be- 
lief of  many  engineers,  followed  definite 
laws.  His  invention,  it  is  contended,  has 
removed  the  chief  obstacle  that  has  stood 
in  the  way  of  universal  commercial  ex- 
tension of  wireless  telegraphy.  Also,  it 
will  no  doubt  hasten  the  development  of 
wireless  telephony. 


EIGHT-PANEL  STREET  LAMP 

PREFERABLE  TO  A  GLOBE 

The  especially  attractive  street  lamp 
shown  herewith  is  preferable,  it  is 
claimed,  to  various 
types  of  globes,  for 
when  one  of  the 
latter  is  broken,  to 
replace  it  costs  sev- 
eral dollars,  in  ad- 
dition perhaps  to 
the  cost  of  another 
light  bulb,  while  in- 
jury to  this  lamp 
usually  involves  but 
one  or  possibly  two 
of  the  eight  panels, 
which  can  be  re- 
placed for  about  50 
cents  each.  The 
top,  which  slopes 
slightly  toward  the 
sides  from  the  cen- 
ter, serves  to  reflect 
the  light  down- 
ward, while  many 
globes  tend  to 
throw  more  light 
upward  than  down. 


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This  Magnificent  View  is  Obtained  from  the  Lower  Hairpin  Turn  on  Lookout  Mountain,  in  Colorado*  Where 

the  Road  to  Mount  Evans  Begins  to  Wind  among  the  Mountains.    In  tne  Middle 

Distance  Is  the  City  of  Golden,  "the  Portal  of  the  Plains" 

A  MOTOR  ROAD  ON  THE  SKY  LINE  OF  AMERICA 

By  J.  E.  MURPHY 

\/f  AKING  easily  accessible  fastnesses 
^^^  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  that  can 
now  be  reached  only  by  persons  hardened 
to  mountain  travel,  the  automobile  road 
planned  and  already  partly  built  by  the 
city  of  Denver,  Colo.,  to  connect  the  heart 
of  that  city  with  the  summit  of  Mount 
Evans,  will  be  one  of  the  most  remarkable 
mountain  highways  in  the  world.  With 
a  mile-high  start  at  Denver,  the  road  will 


wind  over  titanic  peaks  and  through 
chasms  of  the  roughest  and  most  pictur- 
esque part  of  the  Colorado  Rockies,  mak- 
ing a  clear  rise  of  9,000  ft.  in  65  miles,  and 
terminating  on  a  summit  that  is  higher 
than  Pikes  Peak.  Over  the  westerly  10 
miles  of  its  course  it  will  follow  the  sky 
line  of  mountains  that  rank  in  height  with 
the  peaks  of  the  continental  divide.  From 
end  to  end  it  will  be  a  thoroughly  prac- 


The  Route  of  the  Motor  Road  Which  Is  to  Be  in  Effect  an  Extension  of  Denver's  Mountain  Park  System: 

The  Highway  will  Wind  over  Titanic   Peaks  and  through   Picturesoue   Chasms,   Making  a   Rise   of 

9,000  Feet  in  65  Miles,  with  Grades  That  Nowhere  Exceed  Six  Feet  in  One  Hundred  Feet 


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232  POPULAR   MECHANICS 

tical  automobile  road,  20  ft.  in  width,  with      serve  for  the  wild  animals  of  the  zoo,  con- 
grades  that  nowhere  exceed  6  ft.  in  100  ft.      ducting  an  experiment  that  is  attracting 
The  entire  project  is  estimated  to  cost     nation-wide  attention.    In  a  400-acre  tract, 

■  ~~  ■ inclosed  by  a  woven-wire 

fence  10  ft.  high,  are 
small  herds  of  deer,  an- 
telope, elk,  and  buffalo, 
all  living  in  a  wild  state 
and  thriving  because  of 
this  return  to  their  nat- 
ural environment.  The 
experiment  which  has 
proven  so  successful  was 
described  in  Popular  Me- 
chanics Magazine  for 
December,  1917.  The 
tract  is  located  on  the 
slope  of  Genesee  Moun- 
tain, and  can  be  reached 
over  three  automobile 
roads. 

A  nine-mile  section  of 
the  Mount  Evans  road 
extends  from  Bergen 
Park    to    Soda    Pass    on 

An  Example  of  the  Grotesque  *<EIfin  Wood"  Pound  at  the  Timber  Line:        Squaw      Mountain.       The 
These  Trees  Show  the  Effect  of  Mountain  Storms  ^^^^^^    ^^   ^^^   ^^^^   ^^^^ 

about   $750,000.     Although   a   big   under-      Soda  Pass  to  the  summit  of  Mount  Evans 
taking  in  itself,  the  construction  of  this      is   about   19   miles.     The   entire  line   has 
road  is  in  effect  an  extenision  of  the  Den-      been    surveyed    and    located,    and    it     is 
ver  mountain-park  system,  which  has  been      planned  to  build  additional  sections  from 
developed  in  the  past  five  years.     These      year    to    year    as     funds    are    available, 
mountain  parks,  seven  in  number,  are  con-      From  Soda  Pass  the  main  road  will  swing 
nected  with  the  city  by  a  65-mile  circle      around  the  north  slope  of  Squaw  Moun- 
drive,  27  miles  of  which  is  in  the  moun-      tain,  while  one  of  the  two  scenic  detours 
tains.    They  have  a  total  area  of  about  five      that  form  part  of  the  project  will  branch 
square   miles  and   are   scattered   over   an      off  the  main  road  on  the  northeast  slope 
area  of  approximately   100  square  miles,      of  Squaw  and  will  follow  the  precipitous 
The   Mount    Evans   road 
proper  begins  at  Bergen 
Park,  33  miles  from  the 
city.     The  mountain-park 
district      lies     east     and 
southeast    of    Bergen 
Park,    while    the    Mount 
Evans    road    strikes 
straight    west    from    this 
point    into    the    heart    of 
the   Rockies.     Two  gate- 
ways give  access  to  the 
mountain  parks  as  well  as 
to  the  Mount  Evans  road. 
One  of  these  is  at  Golden 
and  the  other  at   Morri- 
son, the  latter  being  the 
entrance   to    Bear   Creek 
Valley.    The   northern 

route,  passing  throueh  ''**L^*?^""*fi  ^iJ**^*  ''■®?  GoK*th  Peak,  as  indicated  by  "View  I," 
r^^Al^    •    Vu     J-  '"'""^"  ^'"'i^?  o?  t?«  Map  on  the  Preceding  Page:    In  the  Foreground  Is 

GoIden,.lS  the  direct  road  Echo  Lake,  while  the  Slope  of  Devil's  Noge  Is  at  the  Right 

to  Mount  Evans.  It  is  on  the  road  from  south  slope  of  the  mountain.  Over  a  pan 
Golden  to  Bergen  Park  that  the  city  of  of  this  detour  the  road  will  be  tunneled 
Denver  has  established  a  mountain  pr^-      through  the  solid  rock,  and  will  be  lighted 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


283 


Sky-Line  Drive  tloag  Mount  Evans  Range  as  Seen  from  Squaw  Mountain,  around  Which  the  Road  Pastes 
The  Sector  Marked  **View   S,"  of  the  Map  on  Page  281,   Shows  the   Scope  of  This  Marvelous  Panorama. 


The  Su 


it  of  Mount  Srans.  the  Terminus  of  the  Drive,  Rises  to  an  Altitude  of  14,840  Feet— Higher  Than 

Pikes  Peak 


by  Gothic  windows 
cut  in  the  face  of 
the  cliff,  a  feature 
that  is  unusual  in 
this  country,  al- 
though it  has  been 
used  to  a  limited 
extent  in  Europe. 
This  detour  will 
be  a  trifle  more 
than  a  mile  in 
length. 

After  leaving 
Squaw  Mountain, 
the  route  lies  along 
the  slopes  of  Chief 
Mountain,  Warrior 
Mountain,  and  Dev- 
il's Nose,  passing 
along  the  shore  of 
Echo  Lake,  which 
is  two  miles  above 
sea  level,  and  climb- 
ing to  timber  line 
just  below  the  sum- 
mit of  the  rounded 
dome  of  Goliath 
Peak.  From  Echo 
Lake  the  second 
scenic     detour 


A  Cliff  on  the  South  Side  of  Squaw  Mountain  Which 
will  be  Tunneled  for  the  Scenic  Detour:    The  Tunnel 
will  have  Arched  Windows,  through  Which  the  Val- 
ley Below  can  be  Viewed 


branches  off  the  main  road,  following  four 
miles  up  Chicago  Creek  to  the  two  Chi- 
cago lakes.  Timber  line  in  Colorado  is 
at  an  elevation  of  11,500  ft.,  and  from 
Goliath  Peak  to  the  end  the  road  is  no- 
where below  this  altitude.    A  curious  fea- 


ture of  tree  life, 
found  only  at  tim- 
ber line,  is  the  so- 
called  elfin  wood. 
These  trees,  which 
seem  more  dead 
than  alive,  are  main- 
ly Engelmann 
spruce  and  flexible 
pine,  and  their  gro- 
tesque shapes  and 
attitudes  are  due  to 
the  hard  conditions 
under  which  they 
grow  —  particularly 
to  the  high  winds 
that  prevail  at  this 
altitude. 

Beyond  the  sum- 
m  i  t  of  Mount 
Rogers  the  road 
emerges  suddenly 
on  the  brink  of  a 
2,000-ft.  precipice, 
from  which  the 
traveler  looks 
straight  down 
into  the  depths  of 
the  Frying  Pan  Ba- 
sin, a  gigantic  nat- 
ural amphitheater  inclosed  on  three  sides  ' 
by  cliffs  from  1,200  to  2,000  ft.  high. 
In  the  bottom  of  the  Frying  Pan  lie  the 
two  Chicago  lakes,  which  are  reached  by 
the  detour  that  starts  at  Echo  Lake. 
These  lakes  are  at  about  12,000  ft.  eleva- 


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234 


POPULAR  MECHANICS 


tion,  and  are  of  such  enormous  depths 
that  all  attempts  to  sound  them  have 
failed.  From  this  point  the  road  de- 
scends to  Summit  Lake,  which  lies  nearly 
13,000  ft.  above  sea  level,  and  then  swings 


How  the  Comfort  of  Traveler!  is  Provided  for  in  the 
Connected  with  Bach  Shelter  Is  an  Open- 
with  a  Double   Fireplace 

to  the  east  side  of  Mount  Evans,  climb- 
ing to  the  summit  of  this  peak  by  a 
series  of  hairpin  turns. 


With  an  elevation  of  14,340  ft.  Mount 
Evans  towers  above  the  surrounding 
country  and  furnishes  a  magnificent  view 
of  the  ranges  in  the  heart  of  the  Rockies. 
Close  at  hand  to  the  west  is  Mount  Bier- 
stadt,  294  ft.  lower  than 
Mount  Evans,  but  some- 
times called  the  Matter- 
horn  of  the  Rockies  be- 
cause lO.f  its  inaccessibil- 
ity. Between  these  giants 
of  the  mountains  is  an 
impassable  chasm  2,000  ft. 
deep,  in  the  bottom  of 
which  lies  Lake  Abyss. 
There  are  more  than  50 
lakes  in  the  Mount  Ev- 
ans district,  and  many  of 
these  are  visible  from  the 
summit  of  the  mountain. 
To  reach  the  peak  now 
requires  an  arduous  trip, 
mainly  by  horseback, 
over  difficult  and  danger- 
ous trails,  with  the  neces- 
sity of  a  camp  over  night 
on  the  way.  With  the 
automobile  road  completed,  it  will  be  pos- 
sible to  make  the  trip  from  Denver  in 
comfort  in  barely  more  than  two  hours. 


Bear  Creek  Valley 
-Air  Oven 


DEVICE  FOR  FILLING  GRAIN 
TESTER  UNIFORMLY 

For  ascertaining  the  weight  per  bushel 
of  grain,  dealers. commonly  weigh  a  pint, 
or  more,  and  make  computations  from  the 
result  obtained. 
But  the  manner  of 
filling  the  measure 
often  produces 
varying  results 
because  the  grain 
.is  not  always  uni- 
formly packed.  To 
secure  uniformity 
in  weighing,  an 
outfit  for  weight- 
per-bushel  testers 
has  been  put  on 
the  market.  It 
provides  a  funnel 
of  a  certain  size, 
suspended  2^^  in.  above  the  measure  by 
means  of  a  swinging  arm,  and  through  it 
.the  grain  is  poured,  whereupon  the  fun- 
nel is  swung  to  one  side,  and  a  second 
support,  to  which  a  scale  beam  is  fastened, 
is  brought  into  position.  The  weighing 
is  done  after  all  grain  heaped  above  the 
brim  has  been  struck  off.  Surrounding 
the  measure  is  a  wooden  base  with  a  cir- 


cular metal  guard  which  catches  the  sur- 
plus grain  and  discharges  it  into  the  pan 
in  which  the  measure  stands. 


YANKEE  AIRMEN  OUTFOUGHT 

HUN  NEARLY  FOUR  TO  ONE 

Nine  hundred  and  twenty-six  German 
aeroplanes  and  73  balloons  were  de- 
stroyed by  American  airmen  during  their 
brief  participation  in  hostilities.  Yankee 
losses  totaled  265  planes  and  38  balloons. 
Between  September  12  and  the  final  day 
of  fighting,  our  air  forces  dropped  120 
tons  of  high-explosive  bombs  on  and  be- 
hind the  enemy  lines.  When  the  armi- 
stice was  signed,  America  had  740  planes, 
744  pilots,  457  observers,  and  23  aerial 
gunners  in  action.  Three  hundred  and 
twenty-nine  of  the  planes  were  of  the 
pursuit  type,  296  were  for  aerial  observa- 
tion, and  the  remainder  consisted  of 
bombing   machines. 


([Several  of  the  converted  yachts  pur- 
chased by  the  government  to  fight  the 
U-boats  have  recently  been  allotted  to  the 
Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey,  the  Light- 
house Bureau,  the  Bureau  of  Fisheries, 
and  the  Coast  Guard. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS  235 

STREET-RAILWAY    CRANE    UNLOADS    CARS    OF    DIRT 


%Mr\tU    »h«     RnAin     T.Awer»(l    At    Riffht     Anffles 


This  Shows  How  the  Equipment  may  be  Uied  to  Diitribute  a  Pile  of  Dirt,  or  Refuse,  on  an  Embankment 

After  Several  Cars  have  been  Unloaded.    In  This  Way  the  Work  is  Accomplished  Quickly 

and  with  a  Considerable  Saving  of  Labor 


run  alongside.  As  a  car  is  brought  up, 
its  hinged  sides  are  dropped  and  the  boom 
is  lowered  across  it  at  right  angles.  The 
pusher  is*then  drawn  forward  and  back- 
ward across  the  car,  discharging  a  sixth 
of  the  load  with  each  complete  operation. 
After  several  carloads  of  dirt  have  been 
dumped  in  this  manner^  the  boom  may  be 


work  executed.     Obviously   the   machine 
saves  considerable  time  and  much  labor. 


CCamouflage  coats  are  disappearing  from 
ocean  vessels,  each  craft  now  coming 
from  the  ways  being  painted  a  color  des- 
ignated by  the  government. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


YANKEE  DIRIGIBLES  DID  PART 
IN  GUARDING  COASTS 

Much  of  the  burden  of  patrolling  our 
harbbrs  and  coast  lines  during  the  war 
fell  to  the  lot  of  American-built  dirigibles. 
This  is  made  particularly  interesting  be- 


An  American-Built  **Bliinp"  Photographed  While  on  Coaat-Patrol  Duty 
off  Belmar,  New  Jersey 

cause  of  the  fact  that  before  our  par- 
ticipation in  the  hostilities,  our  navy  pos- 
sessed exceedingly  few  lighter-than-air 
ships.  It  was  only  slightly  more  than  a 
year  ago  that  government  requirements 
were  exceeded  by  a  comfortable  margin 
in  the  official  tests  of  the  first  group  of 
flexible  dirigibles  under  construction  for 
the  Navy  Department.  The  vessels,  which 
have  proved  satisfactory  in  service,  are 
of  the  same  type  that  has  been  used  al- 
most exclusively  in  England  and  France, 
and  are  popularly  known  in  the  former 
country  as  "blimps." 


RECOVERED  WHEAT  FIELDS 
HARVESTED  BY  FRENCH 

That  a  successful  offensive  in  modern 
warfare  often  means  much  besides  fighting 
is  shown  by  the  fact  that  during  the 
months  of  July  and  August  allied  forces 

recovered    137,000    acres 

of  wheat  from  the  en- 
emy, the  greater  part  of 
which  was  harvested 
under  the  direction  of 
the  department  in  charge 
of  French  agricultural 
reconstruction.  In  the 
zones  of  16,555  acres  held 
by  the  Fourth  French 
Army  and  18,217  acres 
held  by  the  Sixth  French 
Army  the  work  was  par- 
ticularly rapid  and  well 
managed.  To  gather  the 
wheat  from  the  entire 
area  required  16,900  men, 
3,300  horses,  823  binding 
machines,  and  9,8  00 
scythes  or  sickles.  The 
binders  were  furnished 
by  the  French  authori- 
ties, which  also  supplied  over  100  new 
threshing  machines.  When  the  harvest- 
ing and  threshing  was  completed,  all  this 
equipment  was  sold  at  reduced  prices  to 
the  farmers  or  groups  of  farmers  who 
have  been  victims  of  the  war.  The  res- 
cue of  this  wheat  shows  that  the  Ger- 
mans retreated  so  hastily  that  they  had 
not  time  to  destroy  all  in  their  path. 


CORNCOBS  MAY  BECOME  SOURCE 
OF  REVENUE  FOR  FARMER 

A  possible  new  source  of  revenue  for 
the  farmer  is  brought  to  light  by  the  dis- 
covery of  Department  of  Agriculture 
chemists  that  glue,  cellulose,  and  glucose 
can  be  obtained  from  corncobs — one  of 
the  great  waste  products  of  the  corn  belt. 
The  investigators  believe  that  here  is  a 
chance  for  the  development  of  a  profitable 
industry,  but  point  out  that  to  put  it  on 
a  commercial  basis  will  require  a  large 
and  costly  plant. 


CThe  French  Academy  has  awarded  a 
gold  medal  to  the  American  Red  Cross 
for  "admirable  work." 


AEROPLANE   PARACHUTE   HAS 
NOVEL  FEATURES 

Aeroplane  parachutes  received  consid- 
erable thought  in  America  during  the  war, 
and  several  interesting  inventions  re- 
sulted. Among  these  there  is  one  that 
seems  sufficiently  novel  to  warrant  notice, 
even  though  it  apparently  failed  to  gain 
the  approval  necessary  for  its  adoption. 
A  double  parachute  is  carried  in  a  con- 
tainer beneath  the  fuselage  and  connected 
to  the  pilot's  seat,  which  is  so  arranged 
that  it  is  drawn  rearward  and  downward 
through  the  body,  carrying  the  airman 
with  it,  when  the  parachute  is  released 
and  allowed  to  open.  The  parachute 
proper  has  connected  to  it  a  small  para- 
chute of  the  umbrella  type  which  is 
opened  by  spring  action.  When  it  is 
ejected,  it  catches  the  air  instantly  and 
draws  the  large  one  after  it.    As  the  lat- 


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CONTAINER 
FOR  PARACHUTES 


ter  bellies,  and  the  hinged  container 
swings  forward  out  of  the  way,  the  seat, 
in  which  the  pilot  is  strapped  is  drawn 
out.  Although  the  invention  embodies 
features  of  questionable  merit,  the  general 
scheme,  at  least,  is  interesting. 


LOUD-SPEAKING  TELEPHONES 

USED  IN  MOVIE  THEATER 

One  large  moving-picture  theater  in 
Chicago  is  equipped  with  loud-speaking 
elephones  connected  with  the  manager's 


When  the  Container  is  Released,  > 
the  Small  Parachute,  Which  is 
Opened  by  a  Spring,  Pulls  Out 
the  Larger  One,  and  the  Airman, 
Strapped  to  His  Seat,  is  Drawn 
Free  of  the  Plane 

the  bill  can  be  changed  immediately  and 
the  house  filled  on  the  following  eve- 
ning. The  loud-speaking  telephone  scheme 
was  adopted  to  make  this  possible,  and 
according  to  the  claims  of  the  manage- 
ment, it  has  saved  thousands  of  dollars. 
Transmitters  are  concealed  in  the  aisles 
of  the  theater  and  in  the  lobby.  A  switch- 
board at  the  manager's  desk  enables  him 
to  "plug  in"  on  any  part  of  the  house 
and  listen  to  what  is  said.  As  a  rule 
moving-picture  goers  will  express  their 
opinions  of  the  show  when  departing. 


I^bbv  of  Moving.Pictnre  Theater  with  Telephone  Transmitters  Concealed  in  Convenient  Places.  Which 

Bnable  the  Manager  of  the  Show  to  Overhear  Any  Expressions  of  Criticism  or  Praise  of  the  Pe^»f/»«»£« 

from  the  Patrons:    Similar  Transmitters  are  Also  Insulled  in  the  Aisles  of  the  Auditorium.    At  the  Right 

Are  Shown  the  Switchboard  and  Telephone  Used  in  the  Manager's  Office 


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AUTO  TOURIST  HINGES  BED 

TO  REAR  OF  CAR 

By   hinging  a   bed   spring  to  the  rear 
of  a 'touring   car   and   supplying    means 


yided  himaelf  with  a  comfortable  sleep- 
ing place  which  has  proved  satisfactory 
during  more  than  10,000  miles  of  auto 
travel.  When  the  springs  are  held  up- 
right, spare  tires  are  fastened  to  them. 


Rather  Than  be  Troubled  with  Folding  or  Collapsible 

Beds    for     Overland    Touring,    This    Motorist    has 

Hinged  a  Bed  Spring  to  the  Rear  of  His  Car 

for  holding  it  in  a  vertical  position  when 
not  in  use,  a  western  motorist  has  pro- 


NINE   DINE  THANKSGIVING  DAY 

HIGH  UP  IN  AEROPLANE 

A  Thanksgiving  dinner  which  is  unique 
in  the  history  of  that  national  holiday  was 
enjoyed  by  nine  men  while  in  an  aeroplane 
2,800  ft.  above  the  earth.  The  memorable 
flight  began  from  the  new  landing  field 
of  the  aerial-mail  service  at  Elizabeth. 
N.  J.,  and  the, machine  used  was  one  built 
for  the  New  York-Chicago  mail  delivery. 
Owing  to  bad  weather  conditions  the  meal 
lasted  only  22  minutes,  but  that  was  suf- 
ficient time  for  serving  roast  turkey  with 
dressing,  a  variety  of  vegetables,  and 
dessert. 


ARMY  ENGINEERS  LEARN  SPEED  IN  BRIDGE  BUILDING 


That  nothing  which  can  possibly  be 
foreseen  is  left  to  guesswork  in  modern 
warfare,  is  demonstrated  by  the  work 
which  was  done  in  our  army  engineering 
school  in  France.  The  instruction  cov- 
ered the  building  of  bridges,  construction 
of  dugouts,  the  placing  of  wire  entangle- 
ments, camouflage  work,  sound  ranging, 
interpretation  of  aerial  photographs,  etc. 
Time  was  a  vital  factor  in  all  this  train- 
ing, and  to  get  results  most  quickly,  much 
of  it  waj  given  in  the  field  under  condi- 


tions closely  resembling  actual  warfare. 
As  far  as  possible,  operations  were  stand- 
ardized, and  each  man  learned  to  do  cer- 
tain tasks  almost  automatically.  A  well- 
trained  company  was  able,  for  example,  to 
assemble  a  steel  footbridge  and  place  it 
over  a  50-ft.  stream  in  less  than  eight  min- 
utes. In  building  trenches,  the  pupils 
solved  all  the  problems  met  with  at  the 
front,  such  as  providing  proper  drainage, 
the  placing  of  concealed  observation 
posts,  and  many  other  difficult  tasks. 


■  T  COUNTItr  Of  ThI  CNOINlimNO  NtWS  MOONO 


Heavy  Bridge  Which  American  Boys  in  the  Army  Engineer  School  in  Prance  Learned  to  Conitruct  in  Quick 
Time:    The  Wheels  in  the  Center  are  Employed  in  Rolling  It  into  Position 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS  239 


^«    T*.    nanV 


The  Structure  Launched  and  in  Position  on  Its  Abutments:  The  Thne  That  Elapsed  between  Taking  This 
Picture  and  the  One  in  the  Upper  Left-Hand  Comer  Was  Eleven  and  One-Half  Minutes.  Later  the  Peat 
was  Performed  in  Even  Less  Time.  Because  of  the  Manner  of  Launching.  It  Was  Necessary  to  Mate  This 
Structure  104  Peet  Long  to  Give  a  Useful  Span  of  66  Peet.    The  Extra  Bays  have  Already  been  Removed 


PHOroa  ■▼  oovrruv  or  iNomctNiM  Niwt.Mtcoiio 


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POPULAR    MECHANICS 


ASSEMBLING  TABLE  HAS  - 

REVOLVING  TOP 

A  new  article  of  shop  equipment,  suited 
to  a  large  number  of  uses,  is  an  assem- 
h  I  i  n  p-  anfl        _       iveldins"    table.    32    in. 


weighing  425  lb.  The  base  measures 
16  by  20  in.  Vises  or  clamps  can  be  fas- 
tened to  the  edge  of  the  top,  and  the  lat- 
ter can  be  turned  to  bring  tfie  work  into 
the  most  favorable  light.  A  locking  de- 
vice, operated  by  a  Toot  lever,  holds  the 
top  securely  in  any  one  of  36  positions. 
If  desired,  a  second  top,  24  in.  in  diameter, 
can  be  used  interchangeably  with  the 
larger  one. 


AMERICAN  RIDS  JERUSALEM 

OF  MOSQUITOES 

To  an  American  belongs  the  honor  of 
having  freed  Jerusalem  ironr  the  mosqui- 
to pest  which  has  been  eL  source  of  epi- 
demics in  the  city  far  generations.  A 
crusade,  which  included  putting  oil  on 
the  water  in  some  1,350  cisterns,  was  in 
charge^ of  a  sanitarian  from  Rochester. 
N.  Y.,  whose  work  of  a  similar  nature  in 
the  Panama  Canal  Zone  won  such  wide- 
spread praise.  The  extermination  of  the 
mosquitoes  is  but  one  of  many  beneficial 
changes  which  have  been  wrought  since 
the  British  took  possession  of  the  Holy 
City. 


RUINS  OF  CENTURY-OLD  FORT 

IN  EASTERNMOST  MAINE 

The  quaint  old  town  of  Eastport,  Me., 
which  is  but  a  little  way  from  the  eastern- 
most point  in  the  United  States,  is  of 
interest  because  during  the  War  of  ldl2 
a  British  fleet  sailed  into  the  harbor  ami 
took  possession  of  the  town  and  fort 
without  firing  a  shot.  Here  British 
troops  remained  until  the  exact  boundary 
between  the  United  States  and  Canada 
had  been  determined.  In  the  accompany- 
ing photograph  arc  shown  buildings  con- 
stituting part  of  the  old  fort.  The  struc- 
ture at  the  left  is  the  crumbling  ruins  oi 
the  powder  magazine.  With  the  excep- 
tion of  the  interval  indicated  above,  Amer- 
ican troops  occupied  the  fart  from  1808 
until  1875.  In  the  latter  year,  it  was 
abandoned  and  later  the  property  was 
sold  to  private  individuals,  who  turned 
the  buildings  into  dwellings. 


Buildings  Forming  Part  of  the  Port  «t  Eastport.  Maine,  with  Remains  of  the  Old  Powder  Magaxme  at  the 

Left:    With  the  Exception  of  a  Period  during  and  Following  the  War  of  181S, 

American  Troops  Occupied  the  Port  from  1808  until  1876 


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An  Unuiual  Trophy  of  the  W«r:    A  Big  German  Gun  on  a  CamouHaged  Railway  Carriage,  Exhibited 

in  Champ  de  Mars,  Paris 

BIG  German  gun  exhibited 

IN  SQUARE  AT  PARIS 

One  of  the  latest  and  most  interesting 


of  the  war  relics  to  find  its  way  to  Paris 
is  a  powerful  11.2-in.  German  gun  mount- 
ed on  a  large  railway  carriage.  The 
piece,  elaborately  camouflaged,  was  cap- 
tured by  Australian  troops  and  inspected 
at  the  front  by  Premier  Clemenceau  and 
Marshal  Foch  before  it  was  removed  to 
the  capital  and  placed  on  exhibition  in 
Champ  de  Mars.  The  capture  of  big 
guns  of  this  type  was  not  common  dur- 
ing the  war,  and  the  prize  therefore  has 
received  especial  notice.  In  this  connec- 
tion it  is  interesting  to  know  that  a  sec- 
ond gun  of  the  same  pattern  was  taken 
from  the  Hun  a  short  time  after  the  first 
one  fell  to  the  allies,  which  was  not  long 
before  the  conclusion  of  fighting. 


wore  no  coats  or  hats,  while  in  the  darker 
sections  the  men  were  in  full  uniform. 
Nearly  50  men  were  required  to  repre- 
sent one  lens  of  the  president's  eyeglasses. 
There  were  21,000  men  in  the  picture. 


THOUSANDS  OF  SOLDIERS  MAKE 

LIVING  PICTURE  OF  WILSON 

Of  the  many  **Iiving"  pictures  for  which 
great  masses  of  soldiers  have  posed,  none 
has  required  greater  skill  in  arranging  the 
men  than  the  one  taken  at  Camp  Sher- 
man, Chillicothe,  Ohio,  representing  the 
profile  of  President  Wilson.  Considering 
the  difficulties  of  using  human  figures  to 
produce  all  the  lines  and  shading  in  a 
likeness  of  a  face,  the  result  obtained  is 
truly  remarkable.  The  lighter  portions 
of  the  picture  were  made  by  soldiers  who 


COPrmOHT,  MOCI  amo  tnomas 

One  of  the  Most  Difficult  to  Pose  of  the  Many. 
**Living'*  Pictures  in  Which  Our  Soldiers  have  Ap- 
peared :  This  Lilceness  of  the  President  Was  Made  Up 
of  81,000  Men,  at  Camp  Sherman,  Chillicothe,  Ohio 

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FISHING  IN  THE  U-BOATS'  WAKE 

How  the  Sea  Grills  Betrayed  Hundreds  of  Grerman  U-Boats  to  the 
Advantage  of  Allies  and  Fishermen 

By  LLOYD  SEAMAN 


JN  the  wealth  of  strange  secrets  that  the 
•■■  sea  is  giving  up  now  when  the  finger 
is  off  the  lips  of  sailing  men,  none  is  more 
strange  and  grewsome  than  the  "Sea-Gull 
Mystery,"  another  "Ancient  Mariner  and 
the  Albatross"  theme,  fit  to  rival  in  prose- 
fact  the  epic  poem  of  Coleridge. 

British  and  American  sailors,  engaged 
in  antisubmarine  warfare,  were  puzzled 
for  months  by  the  strange  actions  of 
great  flocks  of  white  sea  gulls  coursing 
in  definite  and  queer  paths  over  the  water 
a  few  feet  above  the  surface.  Old  salts 
knew  that  sea  gulls  invariably  follow 
sharks,  hoping  to  pick  from  their  murder- 
ous attacks  pieces  of  carrion,  slivers  of 
mangled  fish,  and  neglected  bits  of  the 
sharks'  victims.  But  all  sailors  knew  that 
no  sharks  came  so  far  north  as  the  Eng- 
lish Channel,  the  Irish  Sea,  not  to  speak 
of  the  cold  North  Sea. 

r  ^^  Every  day  the  men 

*  '"^•i**^  on  the  destroyers  saw 


inspiration.  He  steamed  close  to  the  head 
of  the  flock,  cut  across  its  path  and  loosed 
a  half  dozen  depth  bombs,  timed  to  ex- 
plode at  different  depths.  There  was  a 
wild  frothing  of  the  waves,  and  a  few 
minutes  later  oil,  bubbles,  and  finally 
wreckage  and  corpses  .from  a  U-boat  came 
to  the  surface. 

The  secret  was  out.  The  sea  gulls, 
after  two  years  of  experience,  had  learned 
that  the  long,  dark  shadow  in  the  green 
depths  meant  food,  that  they  had  only 
to  follow  it,  and  sooner  or  later  human 
bodies  would  fall  to  their  carrion  appe- 
tites. So  frequent  were  the  sinkings  of 
steamers,  the  loss  of  lives,  and  the  scat- 
tering of  the  ships'  larders  over  the  waves, 
that  it  is  not  at  all  wonderful  that  birds 
of  the  peculiar,  shrewdness  that  charac- 
terize all  carrion  species  should  have 
learned  to  associate  the  idea  of  food  with 
the  U-boat's  appearance. 

Everything   about    the   U-boat   spelled 


"E^^  tk.me.onik.  ^^Ig^^j^^l^j!^^:^ 


M2 


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their  depth,  exactly  as  British  and  Ameri- 
can naval  airmen  could  detect  them  by 
virtue  of  the  special  clearness  which  the 
water  assumes  when  seen  from  an  eleva- 
tion directly  above  the  submerged  object. 

The  depth  bombs, 
which  the  seaplane 
fighters  and  the  allied 
destroyers  dropped, 
served  to  furnish  the 
gulls  with  a  still  larger 
source  of  food,  namely 
stunned  fish.  Whenever 
a  seaplane  saw  a  long, 
dark  shadow,  fathoms 
down,  it  wirelessed  the 
"greyhounds  of  the 
sea,"  and  within  a  few 
minutes  the  long,  lean 
destroyers  were  on  the 
job,  raining  depth 
bombs,  or  "ash  cans," 
as  the  sailors  call  them, 
around  the  suspected 
area.  These  highly 
charged  bombs  were 
timed  to  explode  at  dif- 
ferent depths,  and 
scores  of  them  were 
sent  down  in  an  efTort 
to  get  the  U-boat  at  all 
costs.  The  terrific  ex- 
plosions tore  up  the  water  furiously  and 
brought  tons  of  stunned  fish  to  the  sur- 
face, where  they  floated,  belly  up,  at  times 
making  the  top  of  the  water,  for  a  space 


Close 
Can," 
to   Be 


View    of    a   Depth 
as  the  Sailors  Call  It. 
the   U-Boats' 


a    half    mile    in    radius,    snow-white    and 

shimmering. 

Upon  such  a  feast  the  sea  gulls  fell  with 

wild  shrieks,  as  they  had,  in  the  majority 

of  instances,  seen   the  U-boat  and   been 
following  its  course. 

In  waters  close  to  the 
British  Isles,  however, 
the  fishermen,  ventur- 
ing out  in  steam  trawl- 
ers, gave  the  birds  battle 
for  the  fish.  This  easy 
method  of  obtaining  a 
gigantic  haul  of  fish  was 
highly  profitable  to  the 
English,  Welsh,  and 
Scottish  fishermen,  and 
caused  them  to  haunt 
the  danger  zones,  where 
they  could,  after  a 
depth-bomb  attack,  get 
all  the  herring,  macker- 
el, haddock,  and  cod 
their  boats  would  hold, 
in  one-tenth  the  time 
taken  for  trawling  a  like 
number,  and  incidental- 
,  ly,  at  only  a  fraction  of 
the  cost  of  using  nets. 
Giant  dippers  were 
made  by  these  adven- 
turous    fishermen;     and 

the  stunned  fish  lifted  in  as  rapidly  as  the 

men  could  dip. 
The  British  records  show  an  extremely 

high  rate  of  sinkings  among  the  trawlers, 


Bomb»  or  **Ash 

These  Proved 

Most    EfiFective    Foe 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


and  this  is,  for  the  most  part,  due  to  the 
fact  that  the  fishermen  haunted  the  dan- 
ger zones,  following  the  destroyers  in 
order  to  be  in  at  the  death  of  the  fish. 
U-boats,  suddenly  rising,  had  these  small 
craft  at  their  mercy,  and  unless  a  protect- 
ing destroyer  arrived  quickly,  the  trawlers 
and  their  crews  were  blown  to  oblivion. 

The  fact  that  the  depth  bombs  exploded 
at  various  distances  under  the  surface 
made  the  trawlers'  booty  much  larger, 
since  surface  explosions  only  stunned 
herring  and  mackerel,  fish  that  swim  near 
the  top,  while  deeper  concussions  brought 
cod  and  haddock  and  flat  fish  to  the  sur- 
face. 

Sailors  from  destroyers  tell  of  seeing 
gulls  ravenously  descending  upon  the 
boats  of  the  fishermen,  screaming  and 
"cursing"  the  men  who  were  robbing 
them  of  their  rightful  prey — sea  carrion. 
At  times  a  trawler's  crew  would  be  forced 
to  beat  off  the  cloud  of  gulls  that,  em- 
boldened by  hunger,  flew  within  a  few 
feet  of  the  deck. 

All  through  the  last  two  years  of  the 
sea  war,  the  allied  forces  have  made  high- 
ly profitable  use  of  the  gulls,  setting  "look- 
outs" to  make  a  special  study  of  their 
flights  since  the  birds'  betrayal  of  the 
"devilfish"  became  increasingly  frequent. 


There  was  no  way  that  the  Germans  could 
avoid  the  birds.  The  "foul"  droves  clung 
to  them,  like  the  dead  albatross  about  the 
neck  of  the  helpless  Ancient  Mariner, 
a  punishment  for  their  sins,  a  sentence 
passed  upon  them  for  murder.  The  super- 
stitious fishing  folk  of  the  British  shores, 
it  is  interesting  to  note,  firmly  believe  that 
there  was  some  supernatural  connection 
between  the  carrion  birds  and  the  mur- 
derous submarines,  and  no  amount  of 
scientific  explanation  as  to  the  ability  of 
the  birds  to  see  into  the  depths  will  make 
the  really  simple  phenomenon  seem  to 
them  a  natural  thing. 

In  connection  with  this  picturesque 
thing,  comes  the  news  that  the  fishing 
companies  of  Great  Britain  are  preparing 
a  bill  for  presentation  in  parliament  to 
legalize  the  dynamiting  of  fish  on  the  high 
seas,  and  which  would  employ  all  of  the 
thousands  of  depth  bombs,  now  useless, 
for  this  purpose.  These  ash  cans  kill 
or  stun  all  fish  within  200  feet,  and  would, 
the  trawling  firms  say,  bring  down  the 
".ost  of  fish  in  the  Isles  materially,  increase 
their  number  in  the  markets,  and  devote 
war  material  to  a  useful  purpose.  The 
number  of  fish  in  the  sea  is  too  great  to 
be  seriously  lessened  by  this  wholesale 
slaughter,  they  insist. 


GEODETIC  SURVEY  IMPROVISES 

NOVEL  OBSERVATION  BUOY 

During  the  summer  of  last  year  the 
United  States  Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey, 
in  executing  some  work  near  the  westerly 


Florida  reefs,  had  occasion  to  improvise 

and  employ  a  novel  type  of  target  buoy 

to  facilitate  triangulation  in  open  waters. 

A  four-vaned  latticed  target  was  placed 

at  the  top  of  a  stout  25-ft.  pole  and  a 

counterweight  made  fast  at  the  opposite 

AYfr«>mi'tv     Three  sealed  barrels  were  se- 

to  the  mast,  at  a  point  about 

m  its  lower  end,  and  braced 

The  signal  proved  satisfac- 

It  was  easily  handled  from 

was  visible  at  long  range, 

I  accurate  work  to  be  done 

of  land.     The  lattice  target 

he  top  of  the  mast  apparent- 

rpose  of  lessening  wind  re- 

lat  the  signal  would  reflect 

t  position. 


FloatinE  Trianffulation  Target  Uied  by  Geodetic  Survey:   Extreme  Left, 
being  Launched  from  Schooner;   Middle,  in  Service;   Below, 
Showing  Details  of  Construction 


CTAccording  to  a  new 
ruling,  officers  and  men  of 
the  army  who  were  not 
fortunate  enough  to  get  to 
France  or  other  fighting 
fronts  are  entitled  to  wear 
a  service  chevron  of  silver, 
similar  to  the  gold  one 
authorized  for  oversea 
service. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


245 


NEW  NAVAL   DIRIGIBLE 
IN  LONG  FLIGHT 


THREE   GARDEN   IMPLEMENTS 
COMBINED  IN  ONE 


A   few   weeks   ago   one   of  the  United         A  new  hand  implement  for  truck  gar- 
States   Navy's   new   twin-engine   dirigible      deners  combines  the  functions  of  a  weeder, 
balloons    made    a   journey    of   315 
without  mishap,  in  13  hr.  13  min.  of  f 
thereby  indicating  the  splendid  adv 
ment  which  has   been  made   by   ou 
forces  in  this  important  line  of  act 

The  dirigible  is  known  as  the  "D-J 
and  traveled  from  Akron,  Ohio, 
where  it  was  built,  to  the  naval  air 
station  at  Rockaway,  N.  Y.,  with  a  ' 
crew  of  six  men.  The  flight  was  t 
at  1 :10  a.  m.  and  concluded  the  same 
ning  at  6:30,  a  stop  of  a  few  hours 
made  at  Washington,  D.  C.  The  pa 
of  the  big  craft  through  the  air  attr 
more  than  usual  interest. 


CENTURY-OLD  MAINE  BRID 

STILL  IN  USE 

A  structure,  well  illustrating  bridge 
building  as  it  was  carried  on  a  hundred 
years  ago,  is  the  1,800- ft.  wooden  bridge 
connecting  Eastport,  Me.,  the  eastern- 
most city  in  the  United  States,  with  the 
mainland.  Though  more  than  a  century 
old,  the  bridge  is  still  in  service,  and,  un- 
til about  two  years  ago,  a  toll  was  ex- 
acted of  its  users,  it  being  one  of  the  last 
Maine  bridges  to  be  opened  to  the  free 
use  of  all.  Because  the  tide  at  this  point 
rises  22  ft.  or  more,  the  floor  is  supported 
on  high  piers  and  piles.  In  recent  years 
the  cost  of  repairing  the  old  structure 
has  been  heavy.  Last  winter,  when  the 
cold  was  unusually  severe,  ice  tore  away  a 
75-ft.  section,  and  the  principal  highway 
to  Eastport  was  closed  for  a  period  of 
several  days. 


Pulverizer:  Upper  Left-Hand  View  Shows  Leaf 

Guards  in  Position :  Center  View  Shows  Tines  Uprais- 
ed, with  Horizontal  Blade  in  Position,  While  Below 
Tines  Are  Ready  for  Cultivating 

in  general  appearance,  though  it  operates 
differently.  Extending  from  one  rim  to* 
the  other  of  its  two  solid  wheels  is  a  se- 
ries of  blades  that  break  up  the  soil  as 
they  revolve,  while  immediately  back  of 
the  wheels  is  a  horizontal  blade,  which 
cuts  off  the  roots  just  below  the  surface. 
By  swinging  the  handle  on  its  pivots  so 
that  it  is  in  a  position  for  pushing  the 
wheels  in  the  opposite  direction,  a  set  of 
tines  is  brought  into  position  for  deeper 
cultivating.  On  either  side,  projecting 
forward,  is  a  wire  guard  which  slides 
along  the  ground,  pushing  the  leaves  of 
the  plants  back,  or  lifting  them  up,  so  that 
they  are  unharmed  by  the  implement. 


Bridge  More  Tbaa  a  Century  Old.  Connecting  Eastport.  Maine,  with  the  Mainland :  This  Picture  was  Takem 
Shortly  alter  an  Accumulatioii  of  Ice  had  Tom  Away  a  Section  Adjoining  the  Covered  Portion 


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A  Pme  Cateb  of  Sharks  Made  near  Havana,  Cuba:    On  the  Boards  Which  Three  of  the  Men  are  Roldinf 

are  Displayed  the  Yovng  Pound  in  the  Bic  Fishes.     The  Cubans  are  Leaminc  Th«t  Valuable 

Hides,  Steaks,  and  Oil  can  be  Obuiacd  freas  Theae  Sea  Monsters 

SHARK  FISHERS  ENJOY  INCREASED  PROFITS 

The  iww  values  which  the  war  has  given 
to  various  products  obtained  from  sharks, 
have  produced  unusual  activity  among 
shark  fishers,  while  many  who  once  en- 
gaged in  catching  *' — '^ — 

only    for   sport,    r 
making  it  a  busini 
scarcity  of  leather, 
ent  a  large  demar 
hides,  properly  pn 
The  whole  skin, 
minus   that    on    < 
the     head    and    ^ 
tail,   is   removed   i 
one     piece    with 
fewest     possible    < 
holes.    After  all  th( 
cut    off,    the   skin 
rolled,  or  several 
laid  fiat,  one  on  an 


are  put  in  a  sling  and  hung  for  four  houm 
above  a  low  fire,  and  then  for  about  tw6 
hours  in  the  smoke  of  a  smothered  fire, 
for  coloring.  For  cold  smoking,  the  strips 
^  -.u: — ^^  after  proper  cur- 
cold  smoke  for  48 

extracted  from  the 
barks.  A  common 
is  to  chop  the  or- 
gans into  small 
B  pieces,  place 
^  t  h  e  m  in  a 
water-jacketed  ket- 
)ver  a  low  fire,  and 
bout  half  an  hour, 
is  of  the  best  grade, 
off  and  allowed  to 
:s.  The  residue  is 
etumed  to  the  ket- 
cline,  to  allow  the  brine  to  drain  ^^^  ^^  ^  Fmmiij  Re-  *^^  ^^^  ^  second  rendering,  while 
off.  After  proper  curing,  they  lated  to  Sharks  and  the  refuse  obtained  from  this 
are  packed  in  boxes  or  barrels  De^ilSiVlea^DlSAi  process  is  dried  and  sold  as  fer- 
for  shipment.  and  Kagie  Rays       tilizer.     For  some  time  material 

'     There  is  a  good  market  also  for  of  this  sort  has  been  widely  used 

smoked  shark  meat,  the  raw  meat  being  in  many  European  countries  and  is  now 
first  cut  in  suitable  strips.  For  hot  smok-  beginning  to  find  a  growing  market  in 
ing,  after  treatment  in  brine,  the  pieces      the  United  States. 

^  Digitized  by  Google 


A  Partly  Dressed  Shark  Carcata  from   Which  the  Viscera  have  been  Withdrawn:    Portions  of  the  Latter, 

Including  the  Liver,  are  Chopped  into  Small  Pieces  and  an  Oil  of  Good  Quality 

is  Obtained  by  Proper  Heating 


^^t 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


PROPELLER-CUTTING    MACHINE 

IS  LIKE  COPYING  LATHE 

Excellent  work  is  said  to  be  accom- 
plished by  a  propeller-shaping  machine 
that   was   develooed  in    Enerland 


Propellers  turned  out  by  it  are  so  well 

finished  that  they  need  only  to  be  touched 

up  with   sandpaper,   it   is  claimed.     The 

centers  that  hold  the  blank  and  the  model 

are  geared  so  as  to  rotate  at  like  speeds. 

A    wheel-shaped    roller    travels    on    the 

el,  following  its  lines,  while  a  cutter 

k  of  corresponding  size  operates  on 

blank,  shaping  it.    The  two  members 

to  are  mounted  on  a  swinging  angle 

bracket.      The    driving    headstock 

ists  of  a  large  bearing  within  which 

e  is  a  rotating  flanged  disk  with  an 

ture  through  which  one-half  of  the 

leller  projects.    When  one  blade  has 

i  shaped,  the  bJank  is  removed  and  its 

tion  reversed. 


•V    COUHTUY  OP   liWHWCIIM*,    UMIOOII 

The   Movement   of  the  Cutter  Block  is  Guided    by 

the  Roller,  Visible  at  the  Side,  Which  Travels  on 

the  Mjodel 

fore  the  end  of  the  war.    Essentially  the 
apparatus    is    a    modified    copying   lathe. 


1  unexpected  and  rather  amusing  re- 
»».,.  of  the  use  of  gas  at  the  front  is  the 
fact  that  coins  carried  by  those  in  gassed 
regions  were  turned  black  by  the  fumes, 
and  later  many  shopkeepers  in  the  smaller 
French  villages  steadfastly  refused  to  ac- 
cept them. 


USE  STREET  CARS'  AIR  TANKS 

IN    BUILDING   COMPRESSOR 

In  one  of  the  western  cities  a  surface- 
traction  company  is  using  a  portable  air 
compressor  that  is  of  rather  novel  con- 
struction. Instead  of  having  one  large 
tank,  it  has  a  series  of  five  small  ones, 
salvaged  from  old  street  cars.  The  cylin- 
ders are  con- 


This  Mobile  Compressor,  with  Tanks  Salvaged  from 
Supplies  Air  for  Pneumatic  Tools  used  by 
and  Construction  Gangs 

A  large  motor,  mounted  at  one  end  of 
the  all-steel  truck  that  carries  the  equip- 
ment, drives  the  compressor. 


BALLOONIST  HAS  THRILLING 
RACE  TOWARD  THE  SEA 

Caught  in  the  teeth  of  a  violent  gale,  a 
lieutenant  in  an  army  balloon  school  in 
California  not  long  ago  had  the  thrilling 
experience    of    being    hurried    over    the 
mountains  toward  the  Pacific  at  altitudes 
ranging  as  high  as  10,000  ft.    The  balloon 
was  anchored  for  observation  work  2,500 
the  air  when  the  lieuten- 
aw  a  storm  approaching, 
ignaled  the  ground  crew  to 
the  bag  down.    Before  this 
be  done,  the  wind  had  in- 
ed   alarmingly,    and    when 
basket    and    its    occupant 
B  within  about  100  feet  of 
ground,  the  cable  snapped. 
Instantly  the  balloon 
shot  upward,  and  was  soon 
9,000  or  10,000  ft.   high, 
and  at  the  same  time  was 
racing  toward  the  sea.  A 
few  moments  later,  too 
much  gas  having  es- 
caped,  the   bag  dropped 
4,000    ft.    in    about    two 
minutes.    Still  in  danger 
of    drifting    to    sea,    the 
balloonist     leaped    over- 
board with  his  parachute, 
dropping,  unharmed,  into 
a  tomato  patch,  while  the  balloon,  in  which 
he  had  ripped  a  gash,  landed  at  the  op- 
posite end  of  the  field. 


Old  Street  Cars, 
Repair 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS  ^9 

REVIVAL  OF  BROOM  MAKING  SCALE  WEIGHS  AND  DUMPS 

IN  THE  SOUTH  GRAIN  AUTOMATICALLY 

In  many  parts  of  the  South  where  crop  With  a  view  ta  providing  millers,  grain 
rotation  is  being  tried,  the  raising  of  dealers,  etc.,  with  means  for  automatically 
broom  com  is  being  in- 
troduced. It  has  been 
found  that  in  Florida,  Al- 
abama, Mississippi,  Lou- 
isiana, and  Tennessee 
both  the  soil  and  climate 
are  suited  to  it.  The  at- 
tention of  planters  is  be- 
ing called  to  the  fact  that 
no  great  skill  is  required 
to  work  up  the  raw  ma- 
terial into  bro-oms  —  a 
task  to  which  boys  and 
girls  as  well  as  adults  can 
devote  their  leisure 
hours.  It  is  claimed  that 
a  broom-corn  crop  handli 
way  is  more  profitable  to  t 
than  cotton,  even  at  the  pi 
prices  which  the  latter  < 
now  commands. 


y 

PHOTOGRAPHER  IS  g: 

BY  PHONOGRAI  ^ 

A  photographer  has  fotm 
graph  a  valuable  aid  in  obt 
desired   facial    expression 

ject.     After  studying  the  f  e 

person  whose  likeness  he  is  to  oD-  ^^j^  g^  ^.^^  ^^^,  ^^  has  been  de- 
tain he  decides  whether  he  wishes  an  Dumps  Aatomaticaiiy:  Here  the  vised  which 
animated,  reserved,  sad,  or  pensive  Bucket  hu  ^ott^Dtscharged  its  has  a  number 
expression.    He  then  places  a  record  of   interesting 

in  the  phonograph  likely  to  stimulate  the  features.  The  grain  flows  from  the  chute 
expression  desired.  For  animation  he  will  into  the  metal  bucket,  which  is  hung  from 
play  such  a  tune  as  "Dixie,"  while  to  pro-  a  scale  beam  mounted  in  a  suitable  metal 
duce  a  sad  or  thoughtful  expression  "My  frame.  The  bucket  is  balanced  with  a 
Old  Kentucky  Home"  may  be  played,  weight     equivalent     to    the    number    of 


bushels  of  grain   which   the  former  will 

AUSTRALIA  SEEKS  AMERICAN  hold,   and  when   it  is   full,  it  is   tripped 

AFTER-WAR  TRADE  ?lll?"Ju*'^ v ^'  r/"^'  ""T."  fu-^  discharges 

into  the    bin    below.     At  this   pomt   the 

Australia  has  recently  sent  a  commer-  flow   of   grain    is   shut   off.     A    movable 

cial  envoy  to  the  United  States  thereby  weight,    on    an    auxiliary   scale    beam,    is 

establishing  a  new  precedent,  the  custom  provided,  by  which  allowance  is  made  for 

in  the  past  having  been  for  the  mother  grain   that   reaches  the   bucket  after  the 

country  to  look  after  international  inter-  chute  has  been  closed.     On  emptying  it- 

ests  of  the  British  empire.    But  the  com-  self,  the  bucket  returns  to  an  upright  po- 

monwealth  on  the  far  side  of  the  world  sition  and  the  operation  is  repeated. 

has   large   stores   of  wool,    wheat,    meat,  

etc,  for  much  of  which  new  customers 

must  be  found.    In  the  past  Germany  has  CTwo  years  of  prospecting  by  a  geolo- 

been  a  large  purchaser  of  these  materials  gist  and  explorer  has  established  rather 

but  Australians  are  averse  to  patronage  definitely  the  location  of  extensive  lands, 

from   that   country   hereafter.     The  new  tributary  to  the  new  Alaska  railroad,  from 

representative  has  made  his  headquarters  which  it  is  expected  that  platinum  can  be 

in  New  York.  mined  profitably. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


Irrigation  Plume  over  the  Big  Horn  River,  Wyoming:  When  the  Stream  Undermined  the  Original 
Aqueduct,  Engineers  Hurriedly  Replaced  It  with  a  Four-Foot  Iron  Pipe,  but  This  Fell  intoTthe  River  Just  as  It 
was  being  Completed.     The  Work  Then  had  to  be  Done  All  Over  Again,  a  Wooden  Flume  being  Substituted 


CARABAO  THE  DRAFT  ANIMAL 

OF  FILIPINOS 

In  the  United  States  the  carabao,  or 
water  buffalo,  is  an  object  seldom  found 
outside  zoos  and  circus  exhibits,  but  in 
the  Philippine  Islands  it  is  nearly  as  com- 
mon as  horses  are  here.  In  fact,  it  is  the 
draft  animal  of  the  natives.  But  it  dif- 
fers from  horses,  and  even  oxen,  which 
it  slightly  resembles,  in  that  it  is  very  fond 
of  the  water  and  is  most  unhappy  if  not 


Stream  in    the   Philippines   Showing   Three    Water 
Buffalo  Enjoying  Their  Daily  Swim 

allowed    to    spend    some    time    each    day 
in  a  pool  or  stream. 


IRRIGATED  TRACT  THREATENED 

BY  TWOFOLD  MISFORTUNE 

One  misfortune  following  on  the  heels 
of  another  threatened  the  destruction  of 
crops  on  12,000  acres  of  Wyoming  land 
last  summer,  and  twice  destroyed  a  vital 
part  of  a  large  irrigation  system.  The 
first  mishap  occurred  when  the  swollen 
Big  Horn   River  undermined  one  of  the 


piers  carrying  a  250-ft.  irrigation  pipe  over 
the  stream.  To  save  the  fields  from 
drought,  engineers  hastily  assembled  ca- 
JDles,  4-ft.  iron  pipe,  etc.,  and  after  throw- 
ing a  structure  like  a  suspension  bridge 
across  the  channel,  laid  the  pipe  on  it.  In 
a  month,  the  work  was  practically  finished, 
and  then  the  second  misfortune  came. 
One  of  the  supporting  towers  toppled 
over,  hurling  the  whole  aqueduct  into  the 
stream.  Then  a  48-in.  wood-stave  flume 
was  built  and  suspended  from  the  cables, 
and  soon  water  was  flowing  onto  the 
fields. 


HOW  BRITISH  STRATEGY  KEPT 
SUEZ  CANAL  OPEN 

That  there  are  some  things  in  the  sci- 
ence of  strategy  not  taught  in  the  war 
colleges,  is  illustrated  by  Great  Britain's 
defense  of  the  Suez  Canal,  the  facts  of 
which  have  recently  been  made  public. 
When  the  allies  in  Flanders  were  hard 
pressed,  it  was  necessary  to  summon  the 
two  strong  divisions  stationed  at  the 
canal,  and  their  place  wars  taken*  by  three 
hastily  mobilized  brigades  from  India. 
This  small  force  faced  the  whole  Turkish 
Syrian  army,  staffed  by  Germans,  while 
behind  it  was  the  Egyptian  population 
threatening  trouble. 

In  an  article  in  the  Philadelphia  North 
American,  Maj.  Gen.  Sir  George  Young- 
husband  tells  how  small  redoubts  were 
built  every  two  or  three  miles  on  the 
east  bank,  while  covering  the  intervals, 
on  the  west  bank,  were  trenches.  The 
British  officer  in  command,  though  not 
deeply  learned  in  higher  strategy,  per- 
formed his  task  with  rare  skill.  The  in- 
genious, if  unconventional,  means  used 
to  detect  the  approach  of  enemy  scout- 


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ing  parties  to  the  canal,  consisted  in  daily 
making  a  broad,  smooth  mark  beside  it, 
in  the  sand,  by  drawing  a  timber  along, 
wrapped  in  sacking.  This  mark  was  kept 
intact  the  whole  length  of  the  waterway, 
and  repeatedly  it  enabled  the  watchful 
guards  to  discover  tracks  made  at  night 
by  would-be  mine  layers.  All  told,  16  mines 
designed  to  blow  up  passing  boats,  and 
so  block  traffic,  were  found  and  rendered 
harmless.  By  such  means  the  small  force 
kept  the  waterway  open  for  a  whole  year, 
without  serious  mishap. 


TRIPLE-WALL  HOTEL  RANGE 
HEATED  ECONOMICALLY 

A  new  hotel  gas  range,  it  is  claimed,  re- 
quires a  relatively  small  amount  of  fuel 
because  of  its  special  design,  which  causes 
much  of  the  heat  from  the  upper,  as  well 
as  the  lower,  burners  to  pass  around  the 
oven  before  reaching  the  flue.  In  addi- 
tion to  an  outer  casing  inclosing  the  oven, 
there  is  an  intermediate  wall  with  vents 
leading  from  it  to  the  interior  of  the 
ovent  The  burners  above  the  baking 
chamber,  employed  to  heat  the  top  of  the 
stove,  are  so  spaced  that  air  heated  by 


them  passes  down  the  sides  of  the  oven, 
between    it    and    the    intermediate    wall, 


Sectional  View  of  New  Hotel  Gas  Range:  Black 
Arrows  Show  How  Heat  from  Upper  Burners  Circa- 
lates  aroand  the  Oven,  While  the  White  Arrows 
Indicate  How  the  Heat  from  the  Lower  Burners 
Eaters  the  Oven 

while  heated  air  from  the  burners  below 
passes  upward  between  the  outer  and  in- 
termediate walls,  entering  the  baking 
chamber  through  the  vents. 


GREAT  NIAGARA  POWER  PROJECT  UNDER  WAY 


Quietly     and     without     formality     the 
Hydro-Electric     Power    Commission     of 

^n«-9n/\    hoc    KAcrtm    -urrkrlr    mn    i\n^ 


new  canal  is  being  dug  will  produce  300,- 
000  hp.,  or  nearly  half,  it  is  said,  of  the 


The  Beginaiag  of  a  It-Mile  Canal  Sztending   around  Niaaara 

Palls.  WMch  Is  Part  of  a   Project  to  Derelop  SOO.OOO 

Horsepower  at  a  New  Plant  below  the  Cataract 


UKH.ll    aiUCS    Ul     LIIC     IlVC:i,    V.\/I>i«^iia^««* 

Eventually      the     new      project, 
which    will    be   completed    about 


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1921>  may  be  expanded  to  produce  1,060;- 
000  horsepower. 

What  is  here  being  undertaken  for  the 
first  time  by  any  Canadian  agency  is  the 
utilization  of  almost  the  whole  of  the  fall 
between  Lake  Ontario  and  Lake  Erie. 
Two  of  the  existing  Canadian  plants  are 
working  under  net  effective  heads  of  less 
than  135  ft.,  while  the  proposed  plant  will 
use  a  head  of  305  ft.  out  of  a  total  fall 
between  the  lakes  of  330  ft.  The  tremen- 
dous advantage  of  this  increase  is  shown 
by  the  fact  that  about  30  hp.  will  be  ob- 
tained from  each  second-foot  of  water  as 
compared  with  14  hp.  obtained  by  exist- 
ing plants. 

The  canal  will  be  12%  miles  long,  four 
and  one-fourth  miles  of  which  will  be  an 
enlargement  of  a  section  of  the  Welland 
River.  The  current  of  the  latter  will  be 
reversed.  About  15,000,000  cu.  yd.  of  dirt 
and  rock  will  be  excavated.  The  cliffs 
are  nearly  vertical  at  the  power-house 
site,  so  that  the  penstocks  will  lie  at  a 
very  steep  angle,  and  will  be  only  450  ft. 
long — a  fact  that  reduces  the  cost  of  con- 
struction. The  turbines,  the  engineers 
state,  will  have  the  greatest  capacity  of 
any  water  turbines  yet  designed. 


-erection  o£infiM&  buildings,  however,  the 
ground  was. terraced  and  graded  at  three 
different  levels.    Concrete  steps  now  con- 

.nect .  the   three,  aceas,   and    between   the 

>  highest  ^and  the-»adjoining  level  the  re- 
taining wall    has   been   so   made   that   it 

.-can  be  used  as  bleachers  when  the  lower 
area  serves  as  an  athletic  field. 


SLOPING  SCHOOL  YARD  MADE 

LEVEL  IN  NOVEL  MANNER 

The  location  of  the  Fairmont  school, 
in  San  Francisco,  on  a  steep  hillside, 
made  it  particularly  difficult  to  provide  a 
satisfactory  playground.  Formerly  the 
entire  slope  was  boarded  over.    With  the 


TRAINING  DEPARTMENT  HELPS 

FACTORY'S  OUTPUT 

A  concern  which  has  been  engaged  in 
an  essential  war  industry  has  given  a 
demonstration  of  the  value  of  a  well- 
conducted  training  department  for  its 
employes,  its  experience  proving  that 
such  a  department  increases  the  output 
and  reduces  the  annual  labor  turnover. 
In  many  respects,  what  was  done  in  this 
plant  would  serve  as  a  model  for  other 
factories.  The- training  section  occupies 
a  separate  room  and  is  in  charge  of  com- 
petent instructors,  taken  for  the  most  part 
from  the  production  departments.  The 
hours  are  the  same  as  in  the  rest  of  the 
plant,  the  raw  material  worked  on  ts  the 
same,  but  the  wages  are  lower,  with  thie 
understanding  that  as  soon  as  the  pupil 
is  worthy  of  promotion  the  wage  will  be 
increased.  Most  of  the  employes  in  thfs 
plant  are  women,  and  they  are  all  re- 
quired to  wear  a  two-piece  uniform. 
High-heel  shoes  and  silk  stockings  are 
condemned,  and  .wjearing  of  jewelry  is 
not  permitted.  On  the  average,  learners 
stay  with  the  training  department  about  a 
week. 


A  Portion  of  the  Playground  of  the  Fairmont  School,   in   San   Francisco:    Between  the.  Highest  Area,  a^ 

the  Rear,  and  the  One  in  the  Foreground  Are  Concrete  Bleachers.    Steps  Leading  to  a 

Third  and  Still  Lower  Level  can  be  Seen  at  the  Extreme  Right 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS  »53 

EFFICIENT   EXPRESS -HANDLING  SYSTEM  ADOPTED 


Confusion  is   Eliminated  and   Bfficienc; 


1» 


ities  of  cars  avail- 
a  b  1  e  on  different 
routes  have  been 
tabulated  and  each  carrier  given  a  num- 
ber. When  a  package,  for  instance,  is 
delivered  at  a  terminal  for  billing,  the 
number  of  the  car  in  which  it  is  to  be 
placed  is  marked  on  it.     Subsequently  it 


>n  IS   isiiminated  and   Efficiency   Pi 

for  Car  89  is  Not  Visited  by  a  Half 

Dozen  Di£Ferent  Wagons 


Promoted,  The  method  ob- 
viates inefficiency 
by  abolishing  a 
condition  that  formerly  resulted  in  sev- 
eral wagons  making  trips  to  the  same  car. 
Likewise  it  lessens  the  difficulty  of  break- 
ing in  new  men  who  might  cause  mis- 
routing  or  loss  of  shipments. 


GERMANS  BUILDING  BIG  PLANE 

FOR  TRANSATLANTIC  FLIGHT 

While  Americans,  Britishers,  and  Ital- 
ians have  been  making  plans  for  big 
aeroplanes  of  5,000  and,  in  one  instance, 
18,000  hp.,  with  which  to  cross  the  At- 
lantic, the  Germans  have  not  been  idle. 
It  is  reported  that  even  before  the  sign- 
ing of  the  armistice  they  had  begun  the 
construction  of  a  mammoth  plane  of 
3,000  hp.  and  a  wing  spread  of  198  ft. 
According  to  the  same  authority,  an  air- 
ship is  also  being  built  for  transatlantic 
flying,  which  will  be  equipped  with  nine 
engines  driving  eight  propellers,  and  will 
be  able  to  carry  iQO  passengers.  A  flight 
in  this  machine  is  contemplated  for  some 
time  in  July. 


PATENT  FACE  MASK  PROTECTS 
WEARER  AGAINST  DISEASE 

Of  special  interest  because  of  the  preva- 
lence of  influenza  this  winter,  is  a  recently 
patented  face  mask.  The 
mask  proper  consists  of  a 
wire  frame,  bent  to  fit  snug- 
ly to  the  face  and  covered 
with  extremely  fine-mesh 
wire  gauze.  This  protector 
is  held  in  front  of  the  nose 
and  mouth  by  being  at- 
tached to  the  bows  of  a  pair 
of  spectacles,  the  lenses  of 
which  are  extra  large  in 
order  that  the  eyes  may  be  well  shielded. 
The  device  is  one  that  can  be  put  on  or 
removed  easily. 


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WHEELED  OUTFIT  HELPS- 
INVALIDS  TO  WALK 

A  walking  machine  for  persons  recov- 
ering from  illness,  or  wounds,  is  a  piece 
^^    iir^spital    equipment 
^lish  make  in  use 
valid     soldiers 
)thers,     enabling 

0  walk  about  at 
e   when  they 

y   have   strength 

1  to  use  crutches, 
is  provided  with 
o  uprights,  fash- 
led  somewhat  like 
Itches,  on  which 
t  patient  rests,  at 

the  same  time 
grasping  han- 
dles at  either 
j^   side.    These 
3  supports     are 
f  attached  to  a 
U-shaped 
steel   frame   mounted    on    three    wheels, 
similar  in  size  and  arrangement  to  those 
of  a  child's  velocipede  with  a  small  front 
wheel.  

NEW  THREE-WHEEL  TRACTOR 

FOR  GENERAL  FARM  USE 

In  recent  severe  tests  excellent  results 
have  been  obtained  with  a  new  three-wheel 
general  -  utility    farm  tractor, 


soil  kt  the^  unusual  depth  of  9  in.  in  less 
than  six  hours,  using  11  gal.  of  fuel.  It 
also  furnished  power  for  filling  a  60-ton 
silo,  with  a  fuel  consumption  of  only  10 
gallons.  

AMERICA  PREPARED  FOR  GAS 
WARFARE  ON  VAST  SCALE 

A  phase  of  America's  war  preparation, 
more  appalling  in  its  possibilities  than 
anything  which  the  fighting  nations  ex- 
perienced, is  revealed  in  the  story  of  this 
country's  manufacture  of  poison  gas,  now 
made  public.  When  "at  last  America,  with 
great  reluctance,  adopted  gas  as  a  war 
weapon,  that  it  might  defeat  the  Huns 
who  had  instituted  the  fiendish  practice,  it 
set  out  to  produce  the  deadly  substances 
on  a  greater  scale  than  Germany,  Eng- 
land, and  France  combined.  The  maxi- 
mum pfoduction  of  the  first  two  coun- 
tries has  been  estimated  at  30  tons  daily, 
each,  and  of  France  at  a  less  amount.  But 
with  the  $60,000,000  the  United  States  in- 
vested in  a  vast  poison  gas  plant  near 
Baltimore,  and  $12,000,000  in  subsidiary 
plants,  our  government  was  turningf  out 
200  tons  a  day  in  the  weeks  preceding  the 
signing  of  the  armistice. 

The  human  mind  cannot  grasp  the  pos- 
sible destructive  power  of  this  output,  for 
one  drop  of  the  gas,  properly  placed,  is  suf- 
ficient to  kill  a  person.  Much  of  the  ma- 
chinery used  had  to  be  invented  while  the 
plant  was  being  constructed.    At  the  timt 


New    Three- Wheel   Farm  Tractor  Suited  for  a  Variety  of  Uses:    It  is   Intended  to  Handle  Two  14-Inch 
Plows  under  Any  Conditions.    It  Has  a  Wheel  Base  of  86  Inches  and  Weighs  8,200  Pounds 


and  25  hp.  for  driving  a  belt.  It  has  a 
turning  radius  of  8  ft.  and  travels  at  a 
rate  of  from  one  and  three-fourths  to  five 
mi!e5  per  hour,  depending  on  whether 
high  or  low  speed  is  used.  Recently  the 
machine,  drawing  two  14-in.  plows, 
plowed  four  and  one-half  acres  of  clay 


equipment  was  built  and  tested  for  car- 
rying one-ton  consignments  of  the  most 
deadly  gas  by  aeroplane  over  such  cities 
as  Metz  and  dropping  it  on  the  fortifica- 
tions. One  such  charge,  it  is  said,  would 
have  been  sufficient  to  kill  every  living 
thing  in   an  acre  tract. 


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PORTABLE  STAGING  TRANSFERS  STEEL  TUNNEL  FORMS 


the    concrete,    The  Lower  Photograph  Gives  a  View  of  the  Staging  After  the   borne      by 
Forms  have  been  Raised  and  Bolted  in  Flace, 


forced  behind 
the  steel  sup- 
porting structure  by  compressed  air,  has 
set,  a  large,  heavy  timber  staging,  mounted 
on  wheels,  is  moved  into  position.     The 


for  the  Concrete  to  be  Poured 


the 
Staging.  The  lat- 
ter is  moved  for- 
ward to  the  next  section  to  be  concreted. 
The  forms  are  raised  and  bolted.  All  is 
then  ready  for  pouring  the  concrete. 


PRESSURES  INCREASED 
BY  ELECTROLYSIS 

By  utilizing  the  well-known  ability  of 
electricity  to  cause  water  to  decompose, 
engineers  have  been  able  to  obtain  hy- 
draulic pressures  that  are  remarkable. 
One  ampere  of  current  in  one  hour  will 
decompose  sufficient  water  to  produce 
something  like  a  pint  of  hydrogen  and 
half  a  pint  of  oxygen.  That  the  presence 
of  these  gases,  confined,  would  produce 
greatly  increased  pressures,  is  not  difficult 
to  imagine.  One  man  claims  to  have  pro- 
duced pressures  as  high  as  1,860  atmos- 
pheres by  this  process  which  possesses 
many  interesting  engineering  possibilities. 


RESILIENT  CRUTCH  ADDS 

TO  USER'S  COMFORT 

A  simple  improvement  in  a  crutch,  de- 
signed to  give  added  comfort  to  the  user, 
consists     of    two 
springs   placed  imme- 
d  i  a  t  e  1  y    below    the 
curved   portion   on 
which    the   armpit 
rests.     This  gives  the 
crutch  a  resiliency  not 
possessed    by    others, 
and  also  tends  to 
lengthen  the  stride  of 
the  user  without  additional  effort  on  his 
part. 


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NEW  BARREL-HOOP  REDRLVER 

WITH  GOOD  CAPACITY 

Of  possible  interest,  to  coopers  is  a 
high-speed  trussing-  and  hoop-redriving- 
machine  of  heavy    _      construction    that 


USE  &F  POLICE  WIRELESS 

SAVES  MANY  LIVES 

The  imiM)rtant  part  wireless  telegraphy 
is  playing  in  the  activities  of  the  New 
York  City  police  is  shown  in  a  recent  re- 
port covering  the  past  two  years.  As  a 
result  of  messages  sent  from  the  roof  of 
the  police  headquarters  to  the  police  pa- 
trol, 25  lives  were  saved  and  $400,000 
worth  of  merchandise  was  rescued,  when 
river  craft,  on  account  of  accident,  drifted 
helplessly  in  the  lower  bay  and  in  Long 
Island  Sound.  The  police-radio  outfit, 
which  handled  2,000  messages  in  the  pe- 
riod indicated,  is  able  to  receive  dis- 
patches from  a  distance  of  1,500  miles  and 
has  a  sending  radius  of  300  miles. 


WAX  FOR  ELECTRIC  FIXTURES 

MELTED  WITH  SOLDER  IRON 

For  covering  countersunk  screws  with 
sealing  wax  and  filling  other  depressions 
in  the  bases  of  small  wiring  devices,  a 
manufacturer  uses  a  number  of  electric 
soldering  irons  mounted  at  an  incline  on 
brackets.  Leading  down  to  the  tip  of 
each  iron  is  a  groove  into  which  the 
worker  places  the  end  of  a  stick  of  sealing 
wax,  holding  it  just  long  enough  to  melt 
the  amount  of  wax  needed.  The  article 
having  a  depression  to  be  filled  is  held 
under  the  tip  so  that  the  melted  wax  drips 
into  place.  The  irons  used  are  of  the  type 
having  removable  tips.  A  metal  hood  is 
provided  to  carry  off  the  fumes  from  the 
melted  wax. 


The   Broad   Base  of  the  Machine   Provides    Ample 
Support  without  the  Usual  Foundation 

which  amounts  to  4,600  lb.,  are  such  as 
to  resist  strains  and  practically  eliminate 
vibrations.  The  bottom-bilge  hoop-drivers 
are  carried  on  curved  arms  that  open  au- 
tomatically to  receive  a  barrel.  The  mem- 
bers are  closed  by  a  foot  lever,  which  re- 
leases the  supporting  ring  and  causes  the 
barrel  to  be  raised  so  that  the  drivers  en- 
gage properly.  When  used  for  trussing,  a 
special  set  of  cones  is  needed  for  each 
size  of  barrel.  The  double-end  machine 
has  a  capacity  of  from  1 ,500  to  2,000  barrels. 

CTA  reminder  of  the  great  part  which 
Russia  played  in  the  war  despite  final  mis- 
fortune, ia  found  in  the  statement  that  its 
casualties  totaled  8,000,000  men,  of  whom 
3,000,000  were  killed. 


Electric  Soldering  Iron  with  Grooved  Tip,  Melting 

Sealing  Wax,  Which  is  Used  to  Pill  Depr«tsions  in 

Blectnc  Fixtures.    The  Metal  Hood  is  Provided  t9* 

Carry  Off  the  Fumes 


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In  One  Week»  186  Pounds  of  Broken  Glass  were  Removed  from  Los  Angeles  Thoroughfares. 

Shows  How  It  was  Done 


The  Picture 


MOTOR-CAR  CLUB  CAMPAIGNS 

AGAINST  BROKEN  GLASS 

One  hundred  and  eighty  six  pounds  of 
broken  glass  were  removed  from  the 
streets  of  Los  Angeles  in  one  week  by  a 
two-man  crew  assigned  to  a  truck  owned 
by  the  Automobile  Club  of  Southern 
California.  The  machine,  conspicuously 
placarded,  was  sent  out  largely  for  the 
purpose  of  calling  public  attention  to  a 
condition  that  menaces  motorists  the 
world  over.  It  traveled  815  miles  in  col- 
lecting its  by  no  means  small  cargo.  Al- 
though this  activity  was  merely  a  tem- 
porary* one.  the  club  makes  a  practice  of 
removing  glass,  day  or  night,  from  the 
city  streets  in  response  to  reports  made 
by  telephone. 


FLIGHT  TO  EAST  AFRICA 

STARTED  BY  ZEPPELIN 

Information     regarding    a     remarkable 
flight  of  a  German  Zeppelin  has  recently 
been  reported  by  a  British  correspondent, 
who  learned  the  facts  since  the  coming  of 
peace.     A  German  airship,  it  is  said,  left 
Bulgaria    carrying    a    crew    of    22    men, 
tons  of  munitions,  and  medical  supplies, 
bound  for  German  East  Africa,  w^hich  is 
approximately  3,000  miles  from  Bulgaria. 
According  to  the  account,  while  the  ship 
was   flying   over   Khartum,   it   received  a 
wireless    message    ordering   it    to    return, 
the  Germans  having  learned  that  the  ma- 
jority   of    their    troops    in    their   African 
territory  had  surrendered. 


PHILIPPINE   CHURCH    HAS 

SEPARATE  BELFRY 

In  the  Philippines  a  belfry  is  usually 
built  separate  from  the  church,  as  shown 
in  the  accompanying  photograph.    Earth- 


near    Manila,    Philippine 
Islands,   with  a    Separate    Structure    for  a  Belfry: 


Picturesque     Church 
ith  a 


This  Arrangement  Is  Not  Uncommon  as  a  Safeguard 
against  Accidents  Due  to  Earthquakes 


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quakes  are  not  infrequent  in  the  islands, 
and  this  precaution  is  taken  in  order  that 
a  tremor  may  not  send  the  bell  crashing 
down  through  the  roof. 


AUTOMOBILE-ENGINE  PRIMER 
MADE  LIKE  CARBURETOR 

Among  the  several  primers  introduced 
for  the  use  of  motorists  who  experience 
difficulty    in    starting    cold    engines    with 


condensation.  Gasoline  enters  the  air 
passage  at  the  choke  point  and  is  drawn 
into  the  engine  at  high  velocity,  aerated 
and  atomized.  The  priming  charge  flows 
steadily  in  sufficient  volume  to  turn  the 
engine  without  gas  being  drawn  through 
the  carburetor.  Among  the  broad  claims 
of  merit  made  for  the  device  is  the  con- 
tention that  a  stone-cold  motor  can  ordi- 
narily be  started  in  two  or  three  turns. 


low-grade  fuel,  there  is  one  that  is  con- 
structed on  the  carburetor  principle.  It 
is  attached  to  the  intake  pipe,  connected 
with  the  gasoline  line  back  of  the  car- 
buretor, and  operates  only  when  the  mo- 
tor is  being  "turned  over,"  thereby  obviat- 
ing, it  is  asserted,  the  common  danger  of 


FIGURES  TELL  BRITISH  LOSS 
ON  THE  SEAS 

In  a  few  figures  which  were  recently 
given  out  by  the  British  Admiralty  are 
summarized  the  sea  tragedies  which  have 
saddened  tens  of  thousands  of  British 
homes — tragedies  which  are  eloquent  of 
this  ally's  fortitude  and  service  on  the 
sea.  During  the  war  2,475  British  ships 
were  sunk  with  their  crews,  and  3,147 
ships  were  sunk  with  their  crews  set 
adrift.  A  total  of  670  fishing  vessels  were 
lost  also,  and  the  merchant-marine  serv- 
ice suffered  over  15,000  casualties. 


(TOn  invitation  from  the  French  Society 
of  Civil  Engineers,  eight  American  engi- 
neers have  gone  to  France  to  share  in 
studying  reconstruction  problems  in  that 
count  rv. 


SPRING  SUSPENSION   FOR  ONE-MAN    STRETCHER 


One  of  the  outstanding 
features   of  a   new  two- 
wheeled  running  gear  for 
a    standard     military 
stretcher     is     its     spring 
ision  which  enables  the  bed 
[lain  level  at  all  times.    The 
;  is  the  invention  of  an  east- 
irgeon  who  apparently  has 
apparatus   that   will    permit 
Lish  or  pull  a  stretcher  over 
i  without  material  difficulty 
ting    of   the    patient.      The 
iderslung,  being  suspended 
t  is  pivoted  to  a  semielliptic 
the   axle.      Another   point 
ntion   is  called  is   that  the 
tretcher  is  lower  than  the 
I  not  in  use,  which  in  most 
dered  advantageous. 


The    Stretcher    Remains    Level   When   the    Wheels 

Pass  over  Obstructions,  as  is  Shown  Here.    Above. 

at  the   Right,  the  Spring  Suspension  is  Illustrated 

Alone 


announced  that  one  of  the 
._.„__,  ^_  _  Jiment-operated  restaurants 
in  London  is  making  a  profit  of  $500  per 
week  and  that  soon  several  others  are  to 
be  opened  in  various  parts  of  England. 


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CHATEAU-THIERRY 

How  Marines  Triumphed  With  Hun  Eyes  As  Long-Range  Targets 

By  E.  T.  BRONSDON 


TT  was  the  FriedensUirm,  the  last  and 
•■■  greatest  of  German  offensives.  Orders 
and  proclamations  captured  on  the  per- 
sons of  prisoners  told  frankly  that  the 
German  high  command  was  throwing 
every  resource  into  the  attack.  From  a 
Junker  point  of  view  the  wedge  was  going 
through  to  Paris  and  Orleans.  Foch's 
defensive  legions  were  to  be  destroyed. 
The  British  were  to  be  flanked  and  driven 
into  the  sea.  The  Americans  were  to  be 
chased  from  their  sectors,  captured  or 
forced  to  flee  from  their  port  of  entry, 
St.  Nazaire.  Later,  when  a  dismayed  Brit- 
ain had  withdrawn  and  France  had  been 
cut  to  pieces,  the  interlopers  from  over- 
seas could  be  dealt  with  at  leisure. 

The  storm  broke  at  midnight  on  July 
sl4,  1918.  "Never  since  the  second  attack 
on  Verdun  has  such  artillery  concentra- 
tion been  seen,"  stated  the  communique 
of  General  Meurthier  next  day.  During 
two  months  of  that  former  desperate  de- 
fense he  had  commanded  the  thin  line  of 
France's  Third  Army;  he  commanded  on 
the  Somme  in  the  Champagne  sector,  ad- 
joining the  American  forces,  on  that 
memorable  summer  day. 

With  a  number  of  rifles  and  mortars, 
that  would  have  locked  wheels  had  they 
been  placed  in  a  double  line  on  the 
Somme,  the  boches  placed  a  box-barrage 
fire  about  the  allied  trenches  from  Vaux 
to  St.  Menehould.  Long-distance  cannon 
dropped  projectiles  in  Meaux,  Vertus, 
Chalons,  and  in  every  railhead  and  con- 
centration point  within  20  miles.  The 
plan  was  simply  to  keep  worn-out  allied 
divisions  from  retiring,  new  divisions  from 
coming  forward  for  relief,  and  to  preclude 
the  possibility  of  ammunition  or  supplies 
of  any  kind  being  transported  to  the  first- 
line  trenches.  The  long-distance  bom- 
bardment was  for  the  purpose  of  intro- 
ducing confusion.  When  the  boche  wedge 
broke  through,  the  German  commander 
planned  to  refresh  his  waning  stores  from 
the  wealth  that  would  await. 

The  Huns  were  confident  of  success. 
They  knew  that  their  drives  of  March  and 
April  had  gained  much  territory  with  no- 
where near  the  same  concentration  or 
.desperation.  In  addition  to  this,  another 
factor  lay  uppermost  in  their  calculations. 
The  new  drive  was  against  green,  largely 
untried  troops — Americans !  Of  course 
the    French    would    aid,    but    with    the 


Yankees  in  full  flight,  a  hole  would  ap- 
pear in  the  line  through  which  an  irre- 
sistible stream  of  Prussians  would  pour. 
It  may  have  been  that  a  few  of  the  wiser 
military  leaders  in  Germany  doubted  the 
entire  futility  of  the  defense  these 
Yankees  would  put  up,  but  the  whole 
morale  of  the  German  attack  was  built 
upon  this  philosophy. 

At  the  time  of  the  first  German  oc- 
cupation, Chateau-Thierry  was  a  thriving 
French  city  of  7,000  people.  It  occupied 
the  side  of  a  steep  hill  sloping  northward 
•from  the  right  bank  of  the  Marne.  On 
the  rocky  summit  of  this  hill  stood  the 
ruins  of  the  ancient  castle  of  Thierry, 
built  as  a  place  of  refuge  by  Charles  Mar- 
tel,  in  730  A.  D.  It  possessed  many  fine 
buildings  for  a  place  of  its  size,  chief 
among  these  being  the  two  courthouses, 
the  communal  college,  three  large  facto- 
ries making  linen  and  cotton  twist,  and 
the  communal  cattle  market.  Most  of  the 
homes  were  of  stone,  and  while  a  few  of 
the  poorer  folk  lived  on  the  south  bank 
of  the  river,  the  town  proper  lay  north. 
This  topography  is  important  to  us  only 
because  every  yard  of  the  town  hill,  every 
corner,  every  basement  of  a  stone  house> 
was  drenched  in  American  blood  before 
the  Friedensturm  was  definitely  stopped. 

From  Vaux  to  Fossoy,  opposite  the 
Hun  salient  which  had  Chateau-Thierry 
as  its  apex,  were  the  Prairie  divisions 
from  the  American  Third  Army  Corps. 
These  included  troops  from  Illinois,  In-' 
diana,  Iowa,  Wisconsin,  and  Minnesota. 
Field  artillery  of  the  132d,  136th,  141st, 
and  149th  also  was  engaged.  On  the  right 
of  the  Americans  was  a  wing  of  the 
French  Third  Army  under  Meurthier.  On 
the  left,  part  of  Petain's  Fifth  Army  held 
the  line  north  to  Soissons.  At  Ablois,  19 
miles  from  Chateau-Thierry,  8,000  Ameri- 
can marines  were  held  in  reserve. 

At  12:24  p.  m.,  on  July  15th;  alter  12 
hours  of  furious  bombardment,"  Ger- 
man engineers  made  their  first  attempt  to 
throw  a  pontoon  bridge  across  the  Marne. 
•Though  protected  by  a  standing  barrage, 
laid  down  with  precision  on  the  Ameri- 
can firing  bays,  and  by  a  continuous 
strafing  of  the  American  batteries,  every 
German  on  the  pontoon  company  was 
wounded  or  killed,  and  the  materiel 
brought  forward  for  use  completely  de- 
molished. 


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Less  than  20  minutes  after  this  catas- 
trophe, three  more  bridges  were  started 
between  Vaux  and  Jaulgonne.  At  the  lat- 
ter town  one  bridge  was  maintained,  and 
a  few  German  troops  managed  to  cross 
and  gain  a  footing  in  the  outskirts  of  the 
town.  The  other  two  bridges  were 
smashed.  Six  more  disastrous  attempts 
were  made  to  build  pontoon  bridges  in 
the  neighborhood  of  Chateau-Thierry,  be- 
fore finally  the  Germans  secured  sufficient 
accommodation  for  their  troops  in  cross- 
ing. The  allies  here  were  favored  by  pre- 
vious weather  conditions;  it  had  rained 
steadily  from  the  fourth  to  the  twelfth  of 
July,  and  the  Marne  had  deepened  to  a 
torrent.  Had  no  rain  fallen,  the  pontoons 
would  not  have  been  necessary,  as  the 
normal  depth  of  the  Marne  at  Chateau- 
Thierry  is  three  feet,  which  is  fair  fording. 

A  continuous  attack  upon  the  Ameri- 
can and  French  positions  began  at  four 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  While  daylight 
lasted,  the  Huns  were  repulsed  with  great 
slaughter,  but  with  the  night  they  crossed 
in  hordes.  During  the  conflict  which  took 
place  on  the  south   bank  of  the   Marne, 


33  Bavarian  and  Saxon  divisions  and 
eight  Prussian  divisions  were  identified, 
making  a  total  of  over  550,000  German 
troops  who  actually  crossed  the  Marne. 

Outnumbered  six  to  one,  the  Americans 
were  pressed  back  gradually  from  their 
lines.  Morning  found  the  Huns  in  pos- 
session of  the  fire  trench  all  along  the 
Marne  from  Vaux  to  Gannat,  and  fight- 
ing in  the  boyaus  and  support  trenches. 
The  line  was  bending  slowly,  steadily,  but 
it  had  not  broken.  Conscious  that  the 
eyes  of  the  civilized  world  were  focused 
on  them  that  morning,  the  Yankees 
fought  on  even  while  messages  were  being 
brought  from  Foch  at  headquarters  ad- 
vising a  retreat.  History  has  recorded 
how  one  American  battalion  commander, 
frenzied  by  what  he  considered  the  dis- 
grace of  being  forced  to  give  way,  led  his 
men  in  a  gallant  but  hopeless  attempt  at 
a  flank  attack.  Of  the  whole  battalion, 
only  sixty-odd  escaped  unwounded  back 
to  the  lines. 

At  noon  on  July  16th,  the  Huns  had 
gained  a  substantial  foothold  across  the 
river  from  Ville  Tourbe  in  Champagne  to 


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2(JI 


slaughter  was  sickening,  but  in  pursuance 
of  the  Prussian  plan  of  success  at  any 
sacrifice  of  men,  the  Americans  were 
forced  back,  side  by  side  with  their 
French  brothers  in  arms.  Headquarters 
manifested  no  uneasiness,  but  the  fact 
that,  30  miles  back,  a  sizable  French  re- 
serve was  forming  was  eloquent  enough. 

Then,  with  the  last  of  the  American  re- 
serves, came  the  marines  from  Ablois. 
These  men,  who  had  been  chafing  under 
the  restraint  which  held  them  back  from  a 
battle  in  which  their  comrades  were  dying, 
attacked  like  famished  wolves.  Within  30 
minutes  after  their  first  appearance  they 
had  rounded  up  a  Saxon  regiment  entire. 

When  the  kaiser  and  his  cohorts  had 
been  figuring  the  point  of  least  resistance, 
and-  in  doing  so  had  chosen  the  line  de- 
fended   by  untried  Yankee    fighters,   they 


"When  we  fight,  the      enemy 

does  all  the  surrendering,"  is  more  than 
their  slogan ;  it  is  their  tradition,  and 
every  man  lives  up  to  it  proudly. 

The  marines  had  no  machine  guns,  no 
hand  grenades.  The  rifle  and  the  bayonet 
sufficed  them.  Pouring  into  Etampes  and 
Fossoy,  they  recaptured  the  two  towns  by 
the  sheer  impetuosity :  oi.  .their  -^  rush. 
Leaving  these  points  to  be  taken  care  of 
by  advancing  lines  of  infantry,  the  ma- 
rines rushed  the  bridges.  Less  than  two 
hours  from  the  moment  of  attack  they 
had  driven  the  Hun  out  of  a  swath  two 
and  three-eighths  miles  in  width,  crossed 
the  Marne,  and  had  thrown  themselves 
flat  in  the  mud  of  the  outskirts  of  Cha- 
teau-Thierry. 

Then  ensued  what  probably  was  the 
most  remarkable  battle  of  the  whole  great 


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war.  It  was  a  battle  that  must  live,  not 
only  in  American  history  but  in  the  an- 
nals of  every  civilized  nation.  Because 
of  that  one  exhibition  alone  it  would  be 
safe  to  say  that  no  world  power  ever  again 
will  underrate  the  ability  of  Yankees  to 
fight. 

To  understand  this  battle  it  is  neces- 
sary to  look  again  at  the  conditions.  The 
steep  hill,  sloping  up  from  the  river,  con- 
fronted the  marines.  On  this  hill  was 
Chateau-Thierry.  In  Chateau-Thierry 
every  street  crossing,  every  basement  of 
a  house,  every  tower  of  a  building  or 
church  concealed  a  machine-gun  emplace- 
ment. It  is  not  known  exactly  how  many 
machine  guns  were  placed  in  position 
here ;  the  marines  captured  over  600,  how- 
ever, when  they  took  the  town.  The 
battle  was  a  conflict  of  men  against  ma- 
chine-gun emplacements — ^and  the  men 
won !  No  one  in  the  world  ever  imag- 
ined before  that  this  could  be  done,  but 
done  it  was.  With  no  barrage  to  help 
them,  with  no  explosives  of  any  kind  for 
demolition,  the  soldiers  of  the  sea  con- 
quered the  death-spitting  pill  boxes  and 
nests  supposed  to  be  impregnable  to  any- 
thing short  of  T.  N.  T. 

How  could  they  do  it?  Marksmanship! 
In  that  one  word  lies  the  answer. 

Before  ever  the  marines  saw  a  battle 
field,  each  man  received  a  training  with 
the  rifle  such  as  never  before  was  given 
to  any  soldier.  It  may  not  be  wise  quite 
yet  to  describe  this  training.  Suffice  it 
to  say  that  at  the  conclusion  of  this  train- 
ing each  man  was  tried  out  on  six  ranges. 
He  shot  ten  cartridges  at  a  target  200  yd. 
distant,  and  the  same  number  at  each  of 
five  additional  ranges,  namely,  300,  400, 
500,  600,  and  700  yd.  At  each  range  a 
bull's-eye  counted  five;  a  bull's-eye  was 
of  18-in.  diameter  at  200  yd.  At  700  yd. 
it  was  one  yard  in  diameter. 

If,  on  his  60  shots,  he  made  a  perfect 
score  of  bulls,  each  marine  could  total 
300.  Eighteen  of  the  men  who  attacked 
at  Chateau-Thierry  had  equaled  or  bet- 
tered 295! 

If  a  man,  on  his  try-out,  made  a  total 
of  202,  he  was  considered  an  excellent 
shot  (the  average  trained  private  will 
shoot  about  45  under  the  same  condi- 
tions) and  was  given  a  grade  as  "marks- 
man." If  he  made  238,  he  attained  the 
grade  of  "sharpshooter."  If  it  mounted 
to  252,  he  was  graded  "expert  rifleman," 
which  was  the  highest  honor. 

At  Chateau-Thierry  only  ninety-odd  out 
of  8;000— and  most  of  these  recruits — had 
not   reached  the  grade  of  marksman,   so 


thorough  had  the  training  proved.  Nearly 
6,000  were  marksmen,  1,200  were  sharp- 
shooters, while  the  remainder  were  expert 
riflemen.  A  handful  of  these  topnotchers 
were  men  who  each  year  had  shot  well  in 
the  national  championships. 

The  task  that  faced  them  as  they  lay 
in  the  mud  at  Chateau-Thierry  can  be 
stated  simply:  They  had  to  pick  off  the 
machine  gunners  in  the  nests  and  em- 
placements by  rifle  fire!  At  ranges  vary- 
ing from  50  to  500  yd.  they  picked  the 
slits  in  pill  boxes,  the  face  that  peered 
over  an  automatic  Mauser  barrel,  through 
a  basement  window,  the  eyes  that  leered 
down  at  them  from  roofs,  chimneys,  tow- 
ers, and  steeples.  It  was  life  or  death, 
victory  or  defeat.  While  the  boche  "type- 
writers" chattered  down  ominously  at 
them,  they  squirmed  along,  picking  off 
gunners  by  the  dozen. 

When  the  first  cover  was  reached — a 
line  of  sheds  running  parallel  with  the 
river — ^hundreds  of  the  gallant  division 
%  that  had  crossed  the  Marne  lay  wounded 
behind  them.  There  was  no  time  to  tend 
to  them,  no  place  to  take  them.  The  ma- 
rines faced  forward  sternly,  taking  ad- 
vantage of  every  angle  and  the  side  of 
every  house.  It  was  straight  Apache  war- 
fare. A  marine  would  crawl  around  a 
corner,  "Br-r-r,"  would  go  a  Hun  type- 
writer from  an  unexpected  point  and  he 
would  fall.  His  comrades,  making  a  de- 
tour, would  locate  the  emplacement,  and 
then  they  would  proceed  to  get  revenge 
for  the  death  of  their  comrade.  While 
one  of  their  number  decoyed  the  gunner 
by  holding  out  a  helmet  on  a  stick,  the 
others  would  wait  with  leveled  rifles.  The 
second  his  face  showed,  a  half-dozen  bul- 
lets would  hit  him,  and  the  gun  would  be 
out  of  action  temporarily.  Before  an- 
other gunner  could  take  his  place,  a  short 
.charge  and  sharp  work  with  the  bayonet 
would  finish  the  rest  of  the  gun  crew. 

At  noon  next  day  infantry  moved 
forward  to  relieve  the  marines.  The  de- 
tachment found  Chateau-Thierry  fully 
occupied  by  the  remnant  of  the  gallant 
division.  As  the  word  was  flashed  back 
to  headquarters  scores  of  stretcher  bear- 
ers started  for  the  town.  The  wonder  of 
the  tremendous  achievement  was  in  the 
mind  of  everyone.  The  sad  part  of  it  was 
yet  to  be  counted.  In  dead  and  wounded 
in  this  battle,  the  marines  lost  4,700  men 
out  of  8,000. 

It  is  necessary  to  look  only  at  the  events 
of  tlie  next  few  days  to  see  how  far-reach- 
ing were  the  results  of  this  engagement. 
Foch,  finding  that  after  all   his  final  re- 


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263 


serves  would  not  be  needed  to  block  the 
road  to  Paris,  threw  them  on  the  line 
from  Vaux  to  Soissons.  How  badly  the 
German  morale  had  been  crushed  by  the 
reverse  was  shown  by  the  rapid  advance 


made  by  this  detachment.  In  three  days 
they  had  pushed  the  disheartened  boches 
back  from  five  to  nine  miles,  and  the  re- 
treat had  just  begun.  JAll  the  world 
knows  how  the  Friedensturm  ended. 


Left:   A  Modern*  Efficient  Way  of  Transporting  Live  Stock:  The  Trailer  Is  Strong  but  Not  Heavily  Built 

te  Attached  Quickly.    Right:   The  Rear-Bnd  Gate,  When  Let  Down,  Sr 

Gangplank.    The  Running  Gear  Is  Similar  to  That  of  a  Light  Truck 

CYCLIST  MAKES  DARING  LEAP 
TO  AID  CHRISTMAS  FUND 

While  there  is  no  apparent 
connection     between     circus 
"stunts'*  and  contributing  to 
good  causes,  the  former  has 
proven  a  decided  help  to  the 
latter  in  many  "drives"  for 
funds.    Recently,  in  a  cam- 
paign in  New  York,  a  daring 
bicycle  rider  was  engaged  to 
make  a  185-ft.  leap  across 
a  street,  as  shown,  landing 
safciv  in  a  tank 


L  Modem*  Efficient  Way  of  Transporting  Live  Stock:  The  Trailer  Is  Strong  but  Not  Heavi 

and  can  be  Attached  Quickly.    Right:   The  Rear-Bnd  Gate,  When  Let  Down,  Serves  as  a 

Gangplank.    The  Running  Gear  '"  «-—-•--  --  '^*—^  -*  -  i  :-t..  ^ — i. 

RANCH  LIVE  STOCK  CARRIED 
IN  AUTO  TRAILER 

A  western  cattle  rancher  has  found  that 
he  can  make  quick  deliveries  of  live  ani- 
mals by  the  use  of  a  live-stock  trailer 
which  attaches  to  the  rear  of  his  auto- 
mobile. It  has  but  two  wheels,  which  are 
of  the  size  used  on  auto  trucks  and  are 
equipped  with  hard-rubber  tires.  A 
stanchion  is  incorporated  in  the  front  end 
of  the  carrier,  while  the  end  gate  is  made 
extra  strong  so  that  it  can  be  let  down 
for  use  as  a  gangplank. 


NEW  PLANES  TO  FAR  SURPASS 
ANYTHING  YET  ATTEMPTED 

That  the  world  has  seen  but  the  be- 
ginning of  the  building  of  monster  aero- 
planes is  indicated  by  plans  for  new  air 
craft,  some  features  of  which  have  re- 
cently been  made  public.  It  is  learned 
that  in  both  America  and  Great  Britain 
plans  are  being  made  for  the  manufacture 
of  5,000-hp.  machines,  with  which  it  is 
hoped  to  fly  across  the  Atlantic.  But  far 
surpassing  these  bold  undertakings  is  the 
plane  projected  by  Caproni,  the  famous 
Italian  aeroplane  constructor,  which  will 
be  equipped  with  motors  aggregating  18,- 
000  horsepower. 


COPVRIGHr    INTtRMATlONAU  riLM  BtRVICE 

Famous    Circus    Cyclist    Advertising    a    Christmas 

Charity  by  Making  a  186-Poot  Leap  from  an 

Incline  into  a  Tank  of  Water 


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THIRTEEN-FOOT  BOILER  HEAD 

MADE  FROM  SINGLE  PLATE 

One   of  the   largest   boiler   heads   ever 
constructed  from  a  single  plate  was  made 


One  of  the  Largest  Boiler  Heads  Ever  Made  from 
a  Single  Plate:   It  Measures  IS  Feet  in  Diam- 
eter and  Is  More  Than  One  Inch  Thick 

recently  for  a  shipbuilding  company  in 
Portland,  Me.  It  measured  13  ft.  in 
diameter  and  !%«  in.  thick.  A  car  had  to 
be  built  according  to  sf)ecial  design  to 
carry  it  to  its  destination. 


ever,  after  years  of  quiet  experimenting, 
a  well-known  British  inventor  and  scien- 
tist is  inclined  to  the  belief  that  fair- 
sized  gems  can  be  produced  on  a  commer- 
cial basis.  The  method  which  he  suggests 
is  that  a  large  mass  of  iron,  alloyed  with 
other  elements,  be  submitted  to  suitable 
heat  treatment,  and  after  setting,  but  when 
still  at  a  temperature  permeable  to  gas, 
be  subjected  to  carbon  monoxide  at  a 
pressure  of  about  1,000  atmospheres  for 
a  long  time.  It  is  thought  that  diamonds 
in  payable  size  and  quantity  might  be 
obtained  in  this  manner.  The  long  list 
of  experiments  performed  includes  heat- 
ing carbons  and  carbon  compounds  when 
under  great  pressure,  by  means  of  a  cen- 
tral conducting  core  through  which  an 
electric  current  was  passed.  But  it  is 
interesting  to  note  the  inventor's  conclu- 
sion that  on  the  whole  there  was  no  evi- 
dence that  diamonds  had  been  produced 
by  any  of  the  chemical  reactions  brought 
about  by  these  means.  The  apparatus 
used  by  \^m  in  this  work  involved  a  heavy 
outlay. 


POSSIBLE  METHOD  OF  MAKING 


NEW  CHIMNEY  AT  ANACONDA 
SURPASSES  ALL  OTHERS 

The  world's  record  for  the  tallest  chim- 
ney is  one  which  has  not  remained  long 
with  any  one  structure  in  the  last  few  years. 
For  a  time  the  stack,  570  ft.  high,  at 
Sagonoseki,  Japan,  overtopped  all  others. 
Then  there  was  built  a  571-ft.  chimney 
for  a  large  smelting  company  at  Ta- 
coma,     Wash.       Now 


Left:  Foundation  of  the  Great  Suck,  Containing  6.000  Cubic  Yards  of  Concrete.    Right:  The  Tallest  Chiraaey 
in  the  World,  686  Feet  High,  with  a  Smoke  Passage  76  Feet  in  Diameter  at  the  Base,  Capable  of  Trans- 
mitting 4,000,000  Cubic  Feet  of  Air  and  Gas  per  Minute,  at  a  Velocity  of  84  Feet  per  Second 


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POPULAR    MECHANICS 


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the  base  and  60  ft.  at  the  top,  while  the 
corresponding  dimensions  of  the  Tacoma 
stack  are  39  ft.  and  23  ft.  11  in.  A  chim- 
ney at  Great  Falls,  Mont,  is  506  ft.  high 
and  50  ft.  in  diameter  at  the  top.  The 
Washington  monument. is  55  ft.  square 
at  its  base  and  555  ft.  high,  and  by  cut- 
ting off  a  very  little  of  its  corners  it 
could  be  set  in  the  smoke  passage  of 
the   enormous  Anaconda  structure. 

The  stack  will  transmit  3,000,000  cu. 
ft.  of  gas  plus  1,000,000  cu.  ft.  of  cooling 
air  per  minute,  at  a  velocity  of  24  ft. 
per  second.  It  contains  2,300,000  radia! 
bricks,  equal  to  7,000.000  common  brick, 
and  is  part  of  a  $2,000,000  smoke-treat- 
ment plant  connected  with  a  smelter. 
This  plant  is  designed  to  catch  no  less 
than  240  tons  of  solids  per  day.  or  88 
per  cent  of  that  now  going  to  waste 
through  smaller  chimneys.  There  is  a 
complete  recovery  of  the  arsenic,  or  about 
35  tons  per  day. 


BELGIANS  ON  STATEN  ISLAND 
RETAIN  OLD  CUSTOMS 

When  the  Huns  invaded  Belgium,  sev- 
eral of  the  fleeing  families  sought  refuge 
in  Staten  Island,  New  York,  where  they 
have  settled  permanently,  adopting  many 
American  ways,  of  course,  but  clinging 
to  certain  home-land  customs  which  are 
of  much  interest  to  their  neighbors.  One 
of  these  is  the  use  of  do^s  as  draft  ani- 
mals. Dog  teams  are  hitched  to  two- 
wheel  carts,  loaded  with  milk  or  vegeta- 
bles, which  are  made  like  hundreds  of 
others  to  be  found  in  Belgium.  As  the 
accompanying  picture  shows,  the  animals 


wear  muzzles  of  special  design,  which  do 
not  interfere  with  eating  and  drinking. 
A  special  collar,  made  in  part  of  pronged 
egg-shaped  units,  is  used  in  training  the 
dogs  to  work. 


NEW  FOOT-MASSAGE   DEVICE 
FOR  FALLEN  ARCHES 

Seeking  relief  from  fallen  arches,  an 
engineer  has  invented  a  muscle  strength- 
ener  with  which  the  benefits  of  massage 
and  exercise  can  be  applied  to  the  bot- 
tom of.  the  foot.  It  consists  of  a  series 
of  wooden  disks  of  varying  diameters, 
mounted  on  a  rod  in  such  an  order  that 
they  thoroughly  massage  the  entire  sole 
when  the  foot  is  moved  back  and  forth 
over  them,  causing  them  to  revolve.     It 


Foot  Exerciser  Designed  to  Strengthen  the  Muscles 
of  the  Arch,  Stimulate  Circulation,  and  Relieve 
Strain  When  the  Feet  are  Tired  from  Much  Walking 

is  claimed  that  this  treatment  not  only 
tends  to  strengthen  the  muscles,  but  also 
stimulates  circulation  and  gives  relief 
after  hard  walking.  It  is  designed  for 
home  or  gymnasium  use. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


GAS  PRODUCER'S  OUTER  SHELL 

MADE  OF  CONCRETE  STAVES 

Reinforced  concrete  has  been  used  in- 
stead of  steel  in  the  construction  of  a 
200-hp.    gas-producing   plant.     Durability 


The  Outside  Shells  of  This  SOO-Horsepower  Gas  Producer  «nd  Scrubber 

are  Made  of  Tongue-and-Groove    Reinforced-Concrete  Staves, 

and  are  Insulated  against  Heat  on  the  Inside 


is  one  of  the  chief  advantages  said  to  re- 
sult from  this  radical  departure  from 
standard  practice.  Deterioration  of  steel 
;it  the  bottom  of  the  gas  producer,  where 
wet  ashes  come  in  contact  with  it,  fre- 
quently destroys  the  shell  long  before  the 
rest  of  the  apparatus  has  outlived  its  use- 
fulness, The  same  thing  holds  true  of 
the  scrubber  shell,  the  life  of  which  is  also 
shortened  by  corrosion.  By  the  new  plan 
the  shells  are  built  of  tongue-and-groovc 
reinforced  -  concrete  staves.  The  joints 
are  filled  with  a  fireproof  cement  to  pro- 
vide for  expansion  and  contraction,  and 
the  concrete  is  protected  from  heat  by 
insulating  powder  placed  between  it  and 
the  fire  brick.  The  staves  used  in  the 
scrubber  are  made  with  waterproof  ce- 
ment and  treated  with  asphaltum  paint. 
The  top  of  the  gas  producer  is  made  of 
cast  iron,  and  the  top  of  the  scrubber  is 
of  sheet  steel.  By  arrangement  with  the 
builders  of  these  shells  local  contractors 
may  use  their  molds  for  making  staves, 
thus  saving  freight  charges. 


SEEK  TO  IMPROVE  LIFE 

ON  MOUNTAIN  FARMS 

The  little  semiarid  farms,  giving  scant 
subsistence  to  more  than  3,5(X),000  people 
in  remote  mountainous  sections  of  West 
Virginia,  Kentucky,  Ten- 
nessee,    Virginia,     and 
North    Carolina,    are    to 
be  made  truly  profitable 
if   the   campaign    started 
by    the    Department    of 
Agriculture  produces  the 
results     sought.       There 
are    approximately    500,- 
000    of    these    mountain 
farms,     10    to    35     miles 
from  any  railway,  which 
give  the  tillers  an   aver- 
age income  of  $100,  the 
rest   of  a   meager  liveli- 
hood  being   obtained   by 
working    in     mines    and 
lumber  camps.     The  de- 
partment has  had  its  rep- 
resentatives     living      on 
farms  of  this  sort,  and  by 
practical  tests  they  have 
found  ways  by  which  the 
annual  receipts  from  the 
average    mountain    tract 
can  be  increased  to  $650. 
being    widely    distributed 
among  these  mountain  folk  telling  them 
how  to  apply  simple  scientific  principles 
to  their  efforts.    For  example,  instead  of 
allowing  the  land  to  "rest"  and  grow  up 
to  weeds   periodically,   rotation   of  crops 
is  urged.     The  value  of  using  more  fer- 
tilizer and  keeping  more  stock  is  pointed 
out,  and  just  how  cooperative  creameries 
can    be    started    is    explained.      Women 
demonstrators     have     given     lessons     in 
household  management,  cooking,  canning, 
sewing,  making  butter,  and  so  on. 


Literature    is 


CThe  coming  of  peace  has  caused  a  re- 
vival of  the  proposal  to  establish  a  large 
floating  dry  dock  at  Kingston,  Jamaica, 
in  anticipation  of  increased  shipping  via 
the  Panama  Canal. 


CURRENTS   FROM   TUGS'   SCREWS 

DIG  MUD  FROM  UNDER  SHIP 

Powerful  currents  set  up  by  the  churn- 
ing propellers  of  three  tugs,  made  fast 
alongside,  freed  the  steamship  *'Henr>* 
Steinbrenner*'  from  a  bar  in  Lake  Erie,  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Detroit  River,  some  time 
ago.  Inbound  and  loaded  with  2,000  tons 
of  coal,  the  vessel  ventured  from  the 
marked  channel  to  save  time,  and  met 
with  grief.  It  struck  at  right  angles  a 
ridge,  some  15  ft.  wide  and  19  ft.  below 
the  surface.  The  ship,  drawing  20  ft., 
mired  in  a  foot  of  mud  and  came  to  a 
dead   stop,   from   a   speed  of  10^^   miles. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


267 


Stack  oo  a  Mud  Bar  in.  Lake  Erie,  the  Steamer  **Heiiry  Steinbrenner**  was  Released  by  Directing  the  Cur- 
rent from  the  Propellen  of  Three  Powerful  Tugs  against  the  Bar,  Which  was  Gradually  Removed.  The  Dia- 
gram at  the  Right  Shows  the  Relative  Positions  of  the  Steamer,  the  Tugs,  and  the  Mud  Bar  When  Work  Began 


in  half  of  its  500-ft.  length.  When  tugs 
failed  to  swing  it  off  the  bar,  dredging  was 
begun.  One  of  the  tugs  took  up  its  posi- 
tion on  the  starboard  side,  and  the  other 
two  on  the  port  side.  Fast  with  three- 
inch  hawsers,  they  pulled  forward  and 
outward  so  that  the  strong  currents 
of  water  set  in  motion  by  their  screws 
shot  against  and  ran  abaft  and  down- 
ward along  the  sides  of  the  freighter. 
The  operation  was  continued  for  three 
hours,  the  tugs  being  slowly  swung  from 
side  to  side  about  30  ft.  forward  of  the 
bar.  When  soundings  were  made  it  was 
found  that  a  foot  of  mud  had  been 
dredged.  The  vessel's  own  screw  was  then 
started  in  reverse,  so  as  to  throw  a  strong 
current  of  water  forward  along  the  keel. 
This,  wedging  between  the  opposing  cur- 
rents from  the  tugs,  swept  out  much  of 
the  mud  that  remained  at  either  side.  An 
hour  later,  after  a  total  of  four  hours' 
work,  the  freighter  responded  to  the  pull 
of  the  port  tugs,  and  the  engineer  put  full 
steam  ahead.  The  combined  energy  of 
the  three  tugs  and  the  steamer  did  the 
trick,  and  the  latter,  unharmed,  was 
floated. 


MAY  USE  BAMBOO  STALKS 
AS  TELEPHONE  POLES 

This  spring  tests  are  to  be  made  of 
bamboo  telephone  poles  cut  from  a  bam- 
boo forest  of  several  acres  which  was 
started  six  or  seven  years  ago  in  the  San 
Joaquin    Valley,    California.     The    canes 


have  attained  a  height  of  40  to  60  ft.,  and 
in  some  cases  are  8  in.  in  diameter.  Those 
interested  in  the  project  are  hopeful  that, 
with  proper  protection  against  decay  un- 
derground, the  stalks  will  prove  satisfac- 


Bamboo   Forest  in  San  Joaquin  Valley,   California, 
from  Which  Canes  are  to  be  Cut  for  Use   as  Tel- 
ephone Poles:   The  Canes,  being  Light,  can  be  Han- 
dled Easily,  and  Their  First  Cost  Is  Low 

tory  for  use  on  certain  lines.    Their  first 
cost  would  be  far  less  than  wood. 


(LA  peace  celebration,  different  from  any 
other  rejoicing  over  the  signing  of  the 
armistice,  was  the  restaging  for  the  first 
time  in  a  generation  of  the  Sioux  In- 
dians' "victory  dance"  on  one  of  the  res- 
ervations in  the  Northwest.  The  last 
time  this  primitive  ceremonial  was  par- 
ticipated in,  it  is  said,  was  on  the  eve- 
ning of  the  massacre  of  General  Custer's 
band  by  Sitting  Bull's  braves. 


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CIVIC  FEATURES  THAT  PROMOTE  THE  COMFORT 


Mre  reatures  mat  J^eiignt   j&vcry  user  or  mc   a  nuiuuKuiarc 


2(8 


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AND  ENJOYMENT  OF  VISITORS  AND  RESIDENTS 


Fires  an  Started     As  V  Re.  JtVl  rnere  Are  at  All  Times  Many  People  in  Town  Kvw 

mSde'TOTsiiii   hl.\fta  W         iJ?^*?i"*Ji '""^  ^^^f  *?  "^  J**""  of  Intere.t.  ^ 
Erected  in  Shoshone  Nali-nal              T           That  the  Neces.ai^  Information  may  Be  Avail-  T 

Forest,  on  the  Route  toYellow-  A  ^b*«  for  Visitors,  This  Large.  Ornamental  Bulletin  JA 

stone  Park  f  »  Board  has  been  Set  Up  on  the  Pier  Y 

r^^'iw— W^  *>> r-^ 

269 

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POPULAR    MECHANICS 


ECONOMIZE  RUBBER  IN  MAKING 

NOVEL  HEELS  AND  SOLES 

The  scarcity  of  rubber  has  caused  man- 
ufacturers, wherever  possible,  to  reduce 
the  amount  of  thai 
material  used  in  vari- 
ous articles.  An  ex- 
ample of  this  is  to 
be  found  in  skeleton- 
ized rubber  soles  and 
heels  of  European 
make/  Considerable 
rubber,  has    been 

U     saved  by  making  them  without 
centers.    The  edges  are  beveled 
and    holes    are    provided    for 
small    screws    or   nails,    while 
the  wearing  surface   is  corru- 
gated transversely.    The  same  makers  also 
produce  *a  full  sole  of  rubber  with  bev- 
eled edges. 


GRASSHOPPERLIKE  MACHINES 

KEEP  AIRDROME  MOWED 

"Everman  scouts"  are  peculiarly  de- 
signed and  constructed  machines,  but  at 
the  Everman  flying  field,  where  they  are 
in  use,  they  are  giving  splendid  service. 
Contrary  to  what  one  would  expect,  Ev- 
erman scouts  are  not  in  the  least  aero- 
nautically  inclined.  They  are  motor-pro- 
pelled hybrids  that  have  contributed  to 
America's  aerial  preparations  by  keeping 
the  turf  closely  cropped  and  well  raked  at 
Everman  field,  thereby  facilitating  the 
work  of  the  student  pilots.  A  whole 
squadron  of  the  machines  has  been  built 
of  discarded  farm  machinery  and  aero- 
plane parts  by  mechanics  at  the  post, 
who  describe  them  as  being  grasshopper- 
like both  in  design  and  speed. 


EFFICIENT  PARACHUTES   USED 

BY  HUN  FLIERS 

There  is  good  reason  to  believe  that 
had  the  war  continued  a  few  months 
longer,  airmen. generally  would  have  been 
equipped  with  parachutes.  A  strong  basis 
for  this  contention  is  the  fact  that  para- 
chutes were  already  in  use  by  the  enemy. 
During  the  last  few  days  of  fighting,  sev- 
eral flying  Huns  saved  themselves  by  leap- 
ing from  flaming  aeroplanes  and  floating 
gently  to  the  ground  beneath  bellied  para- 
chutes. One  of  these  airmen  landed  a 
couple  of  miles  behind  the  American  lines 
after  jumping  from  his  plane,  which  had 
been  fired  by  incendiary  bullets  from  a 
Yankee's  machine  gun.  After  being  taken 
prisoner  he  explained  how  the  life-saving 
device  was  used.  Strapped  to  his  body,  it 
was  folded  and  placed  like  a  cushion  on 
the  seat  of  the  plane.  When  it  was  neces- 
sary to  abandon  the  plane,  it  was  turned, 
nose  up,  at  a  sharp  angle.  At  the  instant 
the  machine,  nearly  perpendicular,  was 
about  to  stall,  the  flier  leaped  free  from 
it,  the  parachute  opening  in  a  second  or 
two  and  carrying  him  safely  to  the  ground. 
American  airmen  who  inspected  the  para- 
chute were  loud  in  their  praise  and  strong 
in  their  approval  of  it. 


REMOVABLE  FENCE  FOR  USE 

ALONG  PARADE  KOUTES 

The  authorities  of  a  large  city  have  pro- 
vided the  police  with  a  special  fence,  whidi 
can  be  quickly  erected  along  the  curbs  of 
streets  through  which  parades  are  to  pass, 
and  as  quickly  taken  down  when  no 
longer  needed  to  keep  back  the  crowds. 
The  posts  are  of  turned  wood  with  sharp 


Built  with  a  Triangular  Frame,  High  at  the  Front  End  and  Mounted  on  Three  Wheels,  the  "Scouti"  Mow 
and  Rake  the  Airdrome  Efficiently.    Three  of  the  Machinea  are  Shown  Above 


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collar  IS  fitted  into  the    top 

of  each  hole.  A  stout  cable  fastened  to 
the  top  of  the  posts  is  stretched  the  length 
of  the  parade  route  except  at  street  inter- 
sections. There  lengths  of  cable  are  laid 
one  side,  to  be  strung  just  before  the 
parade  passes.  The  parades  are  followed 
by  wagons,  into  which  the  .posts  and  col- 
lars are  gathered,  while  the  cable  is  wound 
on  drums. 


SCENES  AND  EVENTS  OF  WAR 

RECORDED  ON  FILMS 

For  the  first  time  motion  pictures  are 
being  made  an  important  adjunct  to 
printed  pages  of  history.  Officials  at 
Washington  in  charge  of  compiling  a 
pictorial  history  of  the  war  have  taken, 
and  will  continue  to  take,  many  movie 
scenes  which  undoubtedly  will  tell  stories 
that  no  descriptions  or  still  pictures  could 
ever  convey.  Not  only  on  the  western 
front  have  the  camera  men  been  turning 
their  cranks,  but  in  remote  Palestine,  as 
well.  It  is  said  some  very  fine  films  have 
been  made  of  the  British  forces  at  Da- 
mascus, by  the  Sea  of  Galilee,  and  else- 
where. 


gnm  lasnion  sometning  oi  tne  greai  loii 
the  French  exacted  from  the  enemy,  was 


CTMore  than  once  mud  from  airmen's 
boots  has  caused  serious  trouble  by  in- 
terfering with  the  operation  of  control 
levers  in  an  aeroplane,  so  a  flier  has  de- 
vised a  mud  scraper  conveniently  attached 
to  the  side  of  his  machine,  which  he  uses 
before  entering  the  cockpit. 


COPTRIONT,  INTCBNATIONAL  FILM  tlNVICS 


A  Grim  Reminder  of  War's  Toll:    Hundreds  of  Ger- 
man Helmets  Adorning  the  Sandbag  Pro- 
tection Built  about  a  Paris  Statue 

to  be  found  at  the  entrance  of  the  Tuile- 
ries  Gardens,  in  Paris,  during  the  closing 
weeks  of  the  war.  At  this  point  stand 
two  large  statues  which  were  shielded  by 
walls  of  sandbags.  Arranged  in  geomet- 
ric lines  on  all  sides  of  these  coverings, 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


A   Mattress  and   Pillow,    Filled  with   Soft   Tropical 

Fiber,  and  Provided  with  Denim  Covers,  Which 

can  be  Removed  for  Cleaning 

like  great  rounded  beads,  were  hundreds 
of  helmets  that  had  been  captured  from 
the  Germans. 


MODERN  BEDS  FOR  SAILORS 
OF  MERCHANT  MARINE 

The  United  States  Shipping  Board  has 
banished  the  **donkey*s  breakfast."  as 
sailors  call  the  bag  of  hay  or  straw  which 
served  as  a  mattress  for  members  of  a 
ship's  crew,  and  is  supplying  sanitary, 
comfortable  beds  in  its  stead.  The  springs 
are  of  the  latest  mesh  type,  attached  to 
pipe  frames  having  closed  joints  which 
prevent  vermin  from  being  harbored 
within.  Tne  whole  bed  can  be  removed 
from  its  metal  supports  for  washing, 
painting,  or  inspection.  With  each  set  of 
springs  is  a  mattress  and  pillow  filled  with 
a  soft,  resilient  tropical  fiber,  known  as 
kapok,  which  will  remain  buoyant  in  the 


What  is  said  to  have  been  the  first  flight 
made  by  a  blind  and  deaf  person  was  that 
undertaken  by  Miss  Helen  Keller,  who 
is  known  throughout  the  world  for  her 
remarkable  achievements  in  spite  of  being 
deaf,  blind,  and  formerly  dumb.  The  flight 
took  place  near  Los  Angeles,  with  a  well- 
known  airman  at  the  wheel,  and  lasted 
nearly  an  hour.  Miss  Keller  was  enthused 
by  the  experience. 


ALASKA  BEGINS  SHIPPING 
ANTHRACITE  XJOAL 

The  new  Alaska  Anthracite  Railroad, 
which  is  22  miles  in  length,  has  been  com- 
pleted, it  is  announced,  and  the  first  train- 
load  of  coal,  consisting  of  100  tons  of 
anthracite,  has  arrived  at  tidewater.  This 
event  is  of  much  significance  to  the  Pa- 
cific coast  region,  which  has  scant  coal 
resources  of  its  own,  for  it  marks  the  re- 
leasing of  vast  fuel  reserves  which  here- 
tofore have  remained  inaccessible. 


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SALT  HAM  HELPS  NAVY  ELEVEN 

WIN  ON  GRIDIRON 

To  very  salt  ham,  served  once  a  week, 
sailors  in  training  on  Chicago's  municipal 
pier  give  a  large  share  of  credit  for  their 
football  team's  phenomenal  success  the 
past  season.  Football  experts,  who  know 
the  rigid  discipline  under  which  the  navy 
men  live  and  their  rather  monotonous 
diet,  on  hearing  that  the  navy  eleven  was 
to  have  a  season  a  month  longer  than  is 
usual,  predicted  that  the  team  would  "go 
stale."  But  the  commissary  steward, 
once  a  player  himself,  believed  he  could 
keep  the  men  in  good  fettle  despite  this 
handicap.  His  plan  was  to  serve  very  salt 
ham  once  a  week,  causing  the  players  to 
drink  quantities  of  water.  In  the  opinion 
of  those  who  ventured  thus  to  disregard 
conventional  training  ruleSj  this  kept  the 
men  from  "going  stale"  by  relieving  their 
systems  of  congestion.  The  team's  vic- 
tories are  pointed  to  as  a  vindication  of 
the   diet. 


CRANE  IS  MOUNTED  ON  TRUCK 
USED  BY  MARINE  CORPS 

Included  in  the  motor  equipment  of  the 
United  States  Marine  Corps  is  a  specially 
outfitted  truck  that  mounts  a  crane  hoist 
with  a  10-ft.  boom.  Jacks  are  provided  at 
opposite  sides  of  the  chassis  to  relieve  the 
frame  of  undue  strains.  Working  at  a 
radius  of  about  seven  and  a  half  feet,  the 
hoist  has  a  lifting  capacity  of  two  tons. 
It  is  operated  by  a  power  take-off  which 
15?  controlled  hv  a  lever  within 


COMPACT  OIL  SEPARATOR 

OPERATES  BY  GRAVITY 

A  new   separator  for   removing  water 
and  foreign  matter  from  oil  operates  with- 
out power,   requires  little  attention,  and 
occupies    small   space. 
It  consists  of  a  verti- 
cal  cylinder   con-      m 
taining    especially 
arranged  baffles.  The 
oil    enters    near    the  • 
bottom      and     flows 
into  a  circular  guide 
designed  to  allow  the 
solid   matter  to   set- 
tle   to    the    bottom, 
whence     it    can     be 
drawn    off.     As    the 
cylinder  fills,  the  oil 
and    water    pass    up 
through   an   opening 
in  the  top  of  a  coni- 
cal   cover    over    the 
l^uide.     The  oil,   be- 
ing  the   lighter,   ac- 
cumulates in   a  sec- 
ond    conical     baffle, 
suspended  above  the  one  just  mentioned, 
and,  as  the  level  of  the  water  rises,  passes 
off  through  a  pipe  which  is  an  extension 
of  the  cone.     A   second   outlet,   for  the 
water,  is  connected  at  the  bottom  of  the 
separator  and  rises  to  the  level  at  which 
it  is  desired  to  maintain  the  water  within. 
If    further    cleansing    of    oil    which    has 
passed  through  the  separator  is  desired,  a 
series  of  filter  pads  is  used. 


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SOME  NOVEL  AND  LITTLE-KNOWN  ACCESSORIES 


That^  Plenty^  of^  Ojpen   Space   is  ^Pro- 


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\ 


INTENDED  FOR   THE  HOME  AND  ITS  MEMBERS 


For  the  Man  in  the  Service:  A 

Wrist- Watch  Set  with  an  Extr- 

Strap,  Two  Extra  Crystals,  an 

a  Crystal  Guard 


Pits   in    the   Doorway   of  a 


Patriotic  Emblem  for 
Coat  Lapel,  Framing 
Miniature  Portrait  ot 
Soldier:  The  Eagle  Is 
Gold  Plated  and  the  Flag 
Enameled  in  Colors 


Suburbanites  Whose 
Telephone  Calls  Are 
Frequently  Lon^- 
Distance  Ones  will 
Find  This  Three- 
Minute  Sandglass  a 
Most  Convenient 
Accessory 


Here  Is  a  Screen  That  may  be 
Rolled  Like  a  Window  Shade, 
a  Feature  That  Meets  the  Stor- 
age Problem  in  Winter  and  Also 
Simplifies  Window  Washing  in 
Summer 


This  Case  is  Supplied  with  a  Spring  Clamp  That  Holds  One's 
Unbound   Business   and   Visiting    Cards    in    Book    Form    and 
Permits  Them    to  be   Removed   One   at  a  Time,  without  Dis- 
turbing the  Pack 


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275 


FROM  A  GERMAN  PRISON  TO  THE  ARCTIC 

By  ALFRED  L.   FLUDE 

T   AST  summer,  in  Mourmansk,  Russian  light  we  hid  in  a  field  of  barley  and  re- 

-*-*  Lapland,  I  met  Harry  Drope,  of  Bran-  mained    there   for  the   entire   day.     This 

don,  Manitoba,  formerly  a  member  of  the  was  our  procedure  during  the  entire  trip. 

Princess  Pat  Regiment.     He  had  escaped  "At  the  end  of  two  weeks  our  food  was 

from  a  German  prison  camp  into  Russia,  exhausted,  but  we  were  far  from  the  Rus- 

and   at   last   into  the  Arctic   on   his  way  sian   lines.     We  went  to  the  home  of  a 

back  fo  England,  where  he  once  more  re-  Polish  peasant,  waked  him,  and  told  him 

ported  for  duty.    This  is  the  way  he  told  we  must  have  food.    He  gave  us  potatoes 

his   story   while   we   w**-**   cJffinty  and  black  br^ad.  and  promised  not  to  tell 

on    a   lifeboat    on   th(  ver,  we  made  it  a  rule 

deck  of  H.   M.   T.   "'!  isits   before   midnight 

Czar,"    carrying    1,30(  iave  a  good  start  be- 

refugees,  wno  had  es  fore    we    could    be 

caped  from  all  over  reported  to  the  mil- 

Russia,  down   to  itary.      We    were 

England.  never   refused,   and 

"I  was  captured  many  of  the  poor 
in  1915  awd  sent  to  people  gave  gladly 
a  German  prison  and  wished  us  suc- 
camp  where  the  cess, 
food  was  very  bad  "Just  as  we  were 
and  the  work  was  congratulating  our- 
V  e  r  y  hard.  The  selves  that  the  jour- 
worst  time  in  the  ney  would  soon  be 
life  of  a  prisoner  over,  we  walked 
under  the  Germans  right  into  the  arms 
is  those  first  weeks  of  a  German  sentry 
before  the  Red  and  were  promptly 
Cross  locates  him  arrested  by  him. 
and  sends  him  However,  three 
enough  food  to  prisoners  at  one 
keep  body  and  soul  time  were  more 
together.  We  were  than  he  could  mas- 
given  a  few  ounces  ter,  and  before  he 
of  black  bread  realized  what  had 
daily  and  a  bowl  of  happened,  there 
soup  with  no  food  ivas  a  mix-up  in  the 
value,  and  which  smel  irk,  and  two  of  us 
badly  that  it  was  sir  e  running  through 
possible  to  eat  it.  underbrush    into    the 

"Within  a  few  wee«^  *  „ —  .^.^^c.  He  kept  firm  hold  on 
transferred  to  a  camp  in  Ger-  '*iwas  captured  in  1915  and  one  of  the  Russians,  however, 
man  Poland,  where  we  were  sent  to  a  German  prison  camp,  and  that  was  the  last  we  ever 
employed  in  rebuilding  the  where  the  food  uhis  very  bad  and  saw  of  him. 
villages  which  had  been  de-  the  work  was  very  hard."  "Twenty-six  days  from  the 
stroyed  by  the  Russians.  It  time  we  started,  we  reached 
was  good  outdoor  work,  and  as  soon  as  the  trenches.  The  Germans  were  on  one 
my  food  packages  came  regularly,  I  side  of  a  river  and  the  Russians  on  the 
thrived  on  it.  I  determined  to  escape  into  other.  The  German  lines  were  well 
Russia,  however,  and  planned  with  two  guarded  and  were  further  protected  by 
Russian  soldiers  for  the  attempt.  For  barbed-wire  entanglements,  heavily 
several  weeks  we  saved  a  portion  of  our  charged  with  electricity.  As  we  crawled 
food  each  day  until  we  had  sufficient  for  along  the  line,  we  could  see  in  the  moon- 
two  weeks,  which  we  thought  would  give  light  the  bodies  of  Russians  who  had  at- 
us  time  enough  for  the  trip.  When  the  tempted  to  go  through.  We  were  hiding 
time  came,  we  managed  to  hide  behind  in  a  huge  shell  hole  close  by  the  bridge, 
the  huge  oven  in  the  bakery,  when  tho  upon  which  we  could  see  a  German 
others  returned  to  the  barracks.  At  10  sentry  walking.  Suddenly  we  heard  the 
o'clock  we  started,  depending  on  the  stars  clatter  of  a  pony  and  cart  crossing  from 
to  guide  our  course  due  east.    Before  day-  the  Russian  side.     We  heard  a  man  call 

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277 


to  the  sentry  in  Yiddish  and  finally  come 
on  toward  the  German  side.  My  com- 
panion, who  was  a  Russian  Jew,  called  to 
the  driver  cautiously,  in  Yiddish.  The 
pony  was  stopped  and  the  man  came  to- 
ward us.  He  listened  to  the  story,  gave 
us  some  black  bread  from  his  cart,  and 
asked  us  if  we  had  any  money.  We 
offered  him  all  we  had,  about  14  marks. 
*That  is  too  much,'  he  said.  'Give  me 
seven  marks.'  He  signed  for  us  to  follow 
and  walked  boldly  back  across  the  bridge, 
calling  to  the  guard  that  he  had  forgotten 
to  give  him  some  cigarettes.  As  we  drew 
near  he  told  the  guard  that  he  had  met 
two  Yiddish  friends  who  wished  to  go 
back  to  the  Russian  side,  at  the  same  time 
handing  him  the  cigarettes  and  the  money. 
The  sentry  waved  us  on  and  we  walked 
slowly  past  him  toward  freedom.  Up  and 
down  my  back  the  chills  were  running, 
and  I  wondered  how  soon  and  where  his 
bullet  would  strike,  for  I  could  hardly  be- 
lieve that  he  would  be  so  easy.  At  last 
we  reached  the  other  side,  and  took  to  our 
heels  into  the  shadows  and  were  safe. 

"After  that  it  was  simply  a  question  of 
getting  through  the  Bolshevik  lines  and 
into  the  North.  Here  my  Russian  com- 
panion was  of  inestimable  help.  At  last 
I  reached  the  Petrograd-Mourmansk  Rail- 
road and  followed  it  until  at  last  I 
reached  the  English-Serbian  lines  and 
went  into  Mourmansk  on  a  real  freight 
train.  Why  speak  now  of  the  hardships 
of  the  whole  trip  ?  1  forget  them  and  re- 
gard myself  as  unusually  fortunate  in 
having  escaped. 

"I  am  going  back  to  London  to  report 


than  a  month.  I  hope  the  war  will 
not  end  until  I  have  had  my  chance  to 
repay  the  Hun  for  what  he  made  me  and 
others  suffer  as  prisoners.  I  wish  I  knew 
how  that  other  Russian  fared!" 


As  ice  drew  near  he  told  the^gmard  that  he  had  met  two  Yiddish  friends  who  wished  to  go  back  to  the  Russian  side,  at  the 

same  time  handing  htm  the  aearettes  and  the  money.    The  sentry  waved  us  on  and  we 

walked  slowly  past  him  toward  freedom, " 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


FRAME  AIDS  LAUNDRY  WORKERS 

IN  WRAPPING  BUNDLES 

A  convenient  accessory  for.  commercial 
laundries  is  a  wooden  frame  used  in  mak- 
ing   bundles     of  rough-dry     arti- 


divided  into  halves  which  are  held  to- 
gether by  simple  clamps,  dowel  pins  help- 
ing to  keep  them  in  alineraent.  The 
frame  is  placed  on  the  wrapping  paper 
and  the  laundered  material  is  packed  into 
it,  after  wFych   the   halves  are  removed. 


BUSINESS  CARD  WITH  FLAP 

FOR  BRIEF  MESSAGE 

Convention  has  been  departed  from  in 
designing  a  business  card  which  is  pro- 
vided with  a  flap  intended  to  be  folded 


Business    Card  with  a  Detachable    Flap  on  Which 

can  be  Written  a  Brief  Message  to  the  Person 

with  Whom  an  Interview  is  Sought 


either  against  the  back  or  the  front  of 
the  main  portion  of  the  card.  At  the  top 
of  the  flap  is  the  word  "subject,"  beneath 
which  the  one  seeking  an  interview  can 
indicate  in  a  few  words  the  nature  of  his 
errand  and  thereby  can  often  save  time 
for  himself  and  others  concerned. 


NEW  YORK  TO  ERECT  ARCH 
AS  WAR  MEMORIAL 

Very  soon  after  the  coming  of  peace 
New  York  City  officials  began  making 
plans  for  a  victory  arch  in  honor  of  the 
Americans  who  fought  in  the  great  war. 
The  proposal  is  to  determine  as  soon  as 
possible  the  general  character  of  the 
structure  and  then  erect  a  temporary  arch 
in  conformity  with  those  ideas,  before  the 
majority  of  the  troops  return  home.  A 
number  of  prominent  artists  and  archi- 
tects have  been  selected  to  draw  up  plans 
and  specifications.  The  board  of  alder- 
men has  authorized  the  issuance  of  $80,000 
in  special  revenue  bonds  with  which  the 
memorial  will  be  erected  on  Fifth  Ave- 
nue, at  Madison  Square. 


EASILY  OPERATED  FLOUR  MILL 
FOR  HOUSEHOLD  USE 

It  is  believed 
that  the  war  has 
created  a  demand 
for  home-ground 
flours  of  various 
degrees  of  coarse- 
ness, which  will 
be  permanent 
among  house- 
wives. To  meet 
this  demand  a 
small  hand-oper- 
ated mill,  moder- 
ately priced,  has 
been  placed  on 
the     market.       It 

fastens  to  the  edge  of  a  table  and  stands 
19  in.  high.  A  crank  handle  and  a  small 
flywheel  make  its  rapid  operation  easy. 
The  two  grinding  burrs  are  easily  ad- 
justed by  a  thumbscrew  for  grinding  corn, 
wheat,  barley,  rice,  rye,  etc.,  to  the  desired 
degree  of  fineness. 


CI  Business  interests  in  Tokyo,  Japan,  are 
planning  extensive  development  of  the 
port  at  Ominato,  which  is  now  only  a 
small  naval  center  at  the  northern  end  of 
the  largest  of  the  empire's  islands,  but 
promises  to  become  an  important  trans- 
shipment point  between  the  United  States 
and  northern  Asia. 


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OVERCHARGING  FOR  HOTEL- 
PHONE  SERVICE  ENDS 

One  of  the  petty  overcharges  which 
have  annoyed  hotel  guests  in  many  large 
cities  has  been  abolished  by  an  order  from 
the  postmaster-general,  who  has  control 
of  the  telephone  systems  of  the  country. 
This  order  provides  that  hereafter  hotels, 
apartment  houses,  clubs,  and  similar  in- 
stitutions, shall  not  charge  any  guest  or 
member  more  for  the  use  ot  the  tele- 
phone than  is  charged  in  public  pay  sta- 
tions. The  managements  of  these  places 
are  also  forbidden  to  charge  more  for  pri- 
vate-branch exchange  stations  than  they, 
in  turn,  are  required  to  pay. 


FOCUSING  MOVIE  PROJECTOR 
FROM  BODY  OF  THEATER 

Among  the  recent  inventions  intended 
to  improve  the  projection  of  moving  pic- 
tures, there  is  an  electric  focusing  system 
that  may  be  controlled  from  any  part  of 
a  theater.  Usually  the  lens  of  a  projector 
is  focused  manually,  but  in  large  houses 
this  is  not  always  a  satisfactory  meth- 
;e  the  distance  be- 


tween the  projection  booth  and  the  screen 
makes  it  difficult  for  an  operator  to  deter- 
mine the  sharpness  of  a  picture.  The 
latest  plan  for  obviating  this  trouble  con- 
sists in  fitting  a  ring  gear  over  the  milled 
bead  that  rotates  the  lens  barrel,  and  actu- 
ating the  former  by  means  of  two  sole- 
noids connected  in  a  three-wire  circuit 
controlled  by  a  pair  of  push  buttons, 
preferably  installed  in  the  middle  of  the 
theater  about  14  ft.  from  the  screen.  An 
operator  stationed  at  this  point  is  able 
to  watch  the  screen  and  refocus  the  lens 
when  needed,  by  pressing  one  or  the  other 
of  the  push  buttons.  The  latter  control 
separate  solenoids,  one  causing  the  lens 
barrel  to  be  moved  forward,  and  the  other 
backward. 


SHEEP  DRIVEN  INTO  PEN 
WITH  AID  OF  MIRROR 

By  placing  a  mirror,  3  ft.  square,  op- 
posite the  opening  through  which  sheep 
were  to  be  driven,  an  Australian  grower 


A  Mirror  Instmlled  Opposite  the  Entraitce  to  a  Sheep 

Pen  Makes  the  Animals  More  Ready  to  Enter  the 

Gate,  Because  Each  Takes  His  Reflection  to  Be  An« 

other  Sheep  Already  in  the  Inclosure 

has  been  able  to  get  the  animals  to  pass 
into  pens  where  they  were  wanted,  with- 
out difficulty.  True  to  its  well-known 
habit  of  following  the  lead  of  its  fellows, 
each  sheep  on  seeing  its  own  likeness  in 
the  mirror  thought  it  was  another  of  the 
flock  and  passed  through  the  opening  at 
once.  While  the  device  has  been  em- 
ployed only  as  indicated  and  by  but  one 
ranchman,  so  far  as  is  known,  doubtless 
there  are  many  places  where  it  could  be 
used. 


STEPLADDER  AND  HAND  TRUCK 
ARE  COMBINED  BY  INVENTOR 

A  hand  truck  that  also  serves  as  a  step- 
ladder  has  recently  been  invented.     The 

device      is      fitted     

with  four  treads 
and  at  the  rear 
side  has  a  hinged 
support  that  fits 
in  front  of  the 
axle,  out  of  the 
way,  when  not  in 
use.  An  addition- 
al advantage  of 
the  combination  is 
that  the  support 
wmII  hold  the  truck 
in  loading  position 
and    thereby    give 

the  operator  complete  freedom  when  tip- 
ping or  moving  a  heavy  crate  or  barrel. 


CTA  few  weeks  ago  a  huge  aeroplane  car- 
rying 35  passengers  flew  to  Paris  and 
return  from  a  pomt  40  miles  distant. 


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VARIOUS  ACTIVITIES   OF   BOYS  AND  GIRLS, 


About  60  Miles  from  Their  Home  City,  the  Boy  Scouts  of  Portland,  Oregon,  have  Built  This  Splendid 
Log  Cabin  near  Wahtum  Lake,  on  Leased  Land  in  the  Oregon  National  Forest.  The  Building  Measures 
100  by  50  Feet  and  is  Made  of  Peeled  Silver-Fir  Logs.  As  can  be  Easily  Imagined,  It  Is  the  Goal  of 
Many  a  Memorable  Hike  Taken  over  One  of  Two  Beautiful  Trails,  Which  are  Maintained  by  Forest  Rangers 


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AND  UNUSUAL  SCENES  OF  INTEREST  TO  THEM 


Daughter.  Milly.    Tommv'a  Master  Believes  Taste,  and  So',  after  Givina  Him  an 

1 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


GERMAN  WAR-TIME  CLOTH 
MADE  OF  PAPER 

A  war-time  product  of  German  weavers, 
reports  of  which  excited  not  a  little  inter- 
est, was  the  so-called  cloth  made  of  pa- 


OOPYRIOHT,  NfTCimATlONAL  RLM  MRVIce 


Specimen  of  «  Substitute  for  Cloth  Made  by  German 
Weavers  during  the  War 

per.  Photographs  recently  secured  of 
specimens  of  this  fabric  show  that  it  is 
very  coarsely  woven,  the  threads  appear- 
ing to  be  as  large  as  coarse  wrapping 
twine.  In  some  cases  a  pattern  was 
printed  or  stenciled  on  the  material.  Un- 
doubtedly a  great  deal  of  experimenting 
was  necessary  to  make  possible  the  pro- 
duction of  even  this  rather  crude  cloth. 


NEW  ALL-METAL  HAND  TRUCK 
A  PINCH  BAR  ON  WHEELS 

A  new  hand  truck  for  moving  light  or 
heavy  loads  with  comparative  ease  re- 
sembles a  large-size  pinch  bar,  mounted 
on  three  wheels.  The  truck  is  made  en- 
tirely of  malleable  cast  iron,  and  there 
are  no  bolts  or  other  parts  apt  to  need 
replacing.  The  lower  end,  which  is  in- 
serted under  the  article  to  be  lifted,  is 
broad  and  slie^htlv  curved.     The 


All-Metal  Hand  Truck  Made  Like  a  Pinch  Bar:    It 
will    Stand   Alone    Vertically   or   at   an    Incline 

have  21/^-in.  treads  and  are  3%  in.  in  diam- 
eter, while  the  third  wheel,  a  few  inches 


to  the  rear,  is  5  in.  in  diameter  and  has 
a  1-in.  tread.  The  leverage  ratio  is  13^^ 
to  1,  and  the  weight  of  the  truck  is  34 
pounds. 


GREATEST  TORPEDO  REPORTED 
TO  HAVE  20-MILE  RANGE 

America  of  late  has  been  given  credit 
for  the  development  of  the  world's  great- 
est torpedo,  a  missile  with  a  range  of  20 
miles.  The  report  has  been  widely  circu- 
lated and  quite  possibly  is  based  on  fact, 
although  so  far  as  is  known  official  con- 
firmation of  its  existence  is  lacking.  The 
effective  ranges  of  torpedoes  in  the  past 
have  been  popularly  known  as  approxi- 
mately five  miles  for  the  largest  size,  and 
about  three  miles  for  others.  The  use 
of  a  torpedo  against  a  target  beyond  the 
range  of  vision  obviously  would  entail 
serious  difficulties.  Therefore,  granting 
that  a  20-mile  torpedo  has  been  placed  in 
service,  the  details  of  its  construction 
could  be  no  more  interesting  than  the 
means  employed  for  its  effective  use. 

ELECTRIC  LAWN  MOWER  MAKES 
GRASS  CUTTING  EASY 

One  of  the  newest  applications  of  elec- 
tric   motive    power   to    machinery    is    a 
motor-driven     lawn     mower 
is    as    easy    to    push 
is  an  empty  baby  car- 
A    %-hp.    motor    is 

—  mounted  on  the 
implement  and 
drives  the  blades 
by     means     of     a 

^  belt,  but  does  net 

j1  propel  the  mower. 

-  Current      is      ob- 
_j  tained  through  an 

extra  long  flexible 
cord  connected  with  the  nearest  socket. 
The  motor  drives  the  cutting  machinery 
while  the  operator  pushes  the  implement 
about. 


APPLE  BARRELS  PROVIDED 
WITH  GLASS  TOPS 

An  innovation  at  a  recent  apple  display 
held  under  the  auspices  of  the  Illinois 
State  Horticultural  Society  was  the  glass 
tops  in  the  apple  barrels.  The  glass  used 
was  thick  and  was  held  in  place  by  nails 
in  the  usual  way.  These  transparent  tops 
made  it  very  convenient  to  inspect  the 
fruit  whether  the  barrels  were  placed  on 
end  on  the  floor  or  piled  in  rows  on  their 
sides. 


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Automobile-Thief  Alarm 

By  E.  W.  RANSTON 


"V/f  ANY    good  and  efficient   automobile 
^^^  locks  have  been  called  into  existence 
by  the  epidemic  of  automobile  thefts,  and 
there  is  now  no  excuse  for  leaving  a  car 
unprotected.     The   locks   in    general    use 
are     of    several     classes, 
each  presenting  its  own 
advantages  and   open   to 
its  own  objections.   Elec- 
trical   locks    for    merely 
breaking  the  ignition  cir- 
cuit were  the  first  on  the 
scene,  and  are  still  used 
to  some  extent,  although 
no      expert      automobile 
thief  would  be  delayed  by 
them    for   more    than    a 
few  seconds,  as  he  would 
simply    connect    around 
the   "lock"    with   a    wire 
leading  directly  from  the 
battery    to    the     igniter. 
Gasoline-line     locks     are 
useful,      but      somewhat 
complicated  in  their  instal 
troduce  the  questionable  el 
tional    opportunity   for  ga 
Probably  the  favorite  metl 
mechanical  lock,  on  the  ste 
starting   crank,    or   some 
part  of  the  mechanism. 

While  all  of  these  locks 
upon  to  prevent  or  at  leas 
crably  the  work  of  the  thi 
of  them  are  of  any  assistan 
in  capturing  the  would-be  miei.     i  ne  ae- 
vice  here  described  is  intended  to  accom- 
plish this  purpose,  and  at  the  same  time 
furnish   a  protective  device   with  all   the 
convenience  of  the  ignition  lock. 

The  cflfect  of  the  contrivance  is  that, 
when  a  thief  enters  the  car  and  takes  his 
place  in  the  driver's  seat,  an  invisible 
alarm  bell  under  the  car  starts  ringing, 
and  continues  to  ring  even  after  the  thief 
leaves  his  seat  and  seeks  safety  from  the 
police  or  citizens  who  are  sure  to  be 
attracted  by  the  noise  of  the  bell.  The 
bell  will  continue  to  ring  until  the  own- 
er returns  to  the  car,  or  until  somebody 


finds  the  hidden  control  switch  and  turns 
it  oflf.  Of  course,  if  the  thief  is  ingenious 
enough  to  find  this  switch  at  once,  he  can 
turn  off  the  alarm  himself,  but  there  is 
small  chance  of  a  thief  working  very  long 


As  the  Thief  Takes  His  Seat  at  the  Steering  Wheel, 
He  Seu  Going  an  Invisible  Alarm  Bell,  Which  Con- 
tinues to  Ring  Until  Switched  Off  by  a  Concealed 
Switch  in  Another  Part  of  the  Car 

around  a  car  to  the  accompaniment  of  a 
loudly  clanging  bell. 

The  various  parts  of  the  circuit  and 
their  connection  are  shown  in  the  dia- 
gram. The  materials  needed  are:  one  or 
mare  small  switches  to  be  concealed  as 
well  as  possible  within  reach  of  the 
driver;  a  good,  loud  electric  bell;  a  relay, 
or  circuit  breaker,  such  as  is  used  on 
nearly  all  modern  automobiles  to  connect 
the   generator   to   the   battery   when   the 

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proper  speed  is  reached;  some  resistance 
wire,  large  enough  to  carry  several  am- 
peres of  current,  and  some  pieces  of  wood 
and  spring  brass  to  make  the  seat  switch. 
As  will  be  noted  in  the  circuit  diagram, 
when  the  concealed  switch  is  closed  and 
the  seat  switch  is  afterward  closed,  the 
circuit  through  the  bell  is  established, 
and,  at  the  same  time,  the  current  flowing 
through  the  circuit  breaker  closes  a  cir- 
cuit which  connects  around  the  seat 
switch  so  that,  even  though  the  latter  is 
open,  the  bell  continues  to  ring.  The  re- 
sistance coil  would  not  be  necessary  if  the 
circuit  through  the  bell  was  continuous. 
Since,  however,  it  is  interrupted  at  each 
tap  of  the  bell,  the  coil  is  necessary,  in 
order  to  maintain  a  sufficient  current 
through  the  circuit  breaker  to  keep  it 
from  permitting  the  shunt  circuit  across 
the  seat  switch  to  open,  thus  stopping  the 
alarm.  The  only  way  in  which  the  alarm 
can  be  stopped  is  by  breaking  the  main 
circuit,  eitner  at  the  concealed  switch  or 
at  some  other  point.  If  properly  wired, 
this  cannot  be  done  by  a  stranger  with- 
out spending  considerable  time,  which, 
under  the  circumstances,  is  out  of  the 
question  for  a  thief,  at  least  in  a  city  or 
town. 

The  making  of  the  seat  switch  will  not 
be  difficult  for  any  electrical  experimenter, 
and  its  successful  working  must,  of 
course,  be  tested  by  experiment.  The 
sketch  may  give  a  suggestion.  It  will  be 
advisable  to  carry  the  two  wires  from  the 
seat  switch  directly  down  below  the  car, 
where  the  circuit  breaker,  bell,  and  resist- 
ance coil  can  readily  be  mounted  in  one 
removable  unit.  As  the  current  first 
comes  through  the  seat  switch,  it  will 
close  the  contact  points;  as  the  seat 
switch  is  opened,  the  current  flows 
through  the  shunt  circuit,  including  the 
contact  points,  and  keeps  the  points  closed 
until  the  main  circuit  is  broken. 

The  unit  under  the  car,  consisting  of 
the  bell,  circuit  breaker,  and  resistance 
coil,  will  have  two  wires  leading  from  it : 
one  to  the  seat  switch  and  one  to  the  con- 
cealed switch.  If  the  car  is  wired  on  the 
double-wire  system,  there  will  also  have 
to  be  a  return  wire  to  the  battery.  With 
the  grounded-battery  system,  there  is 
simply  a  connection  from  the  unit  under 
the  car  to  some  screw  or  nut  on  the  frame 
of  the  car. 

The  concealed  switch  may  be  located  in 
a  pocket  on  the  door,  just  behind  the  dash 
board,  under  a  corner  of  the  floor  mat,  or 
any  other  place  where  it  will  be  out  of 
sight;  or  it  may  be  built  into  a  combina- 
tion, or  key,  lock.    Ignition  locks  designed 


for  use  with  magnetos,  which  have  a 
closed  circuit  when  locked,  are  readily 
used  for  this  purpose.  One  advantage  to 
be  gained  by  the  concealed-switch  idea, 
however,  is  that  there  is  no  visible  indi- 
cation that  the  car  is  locked,  thus  encour- 
aging the  thief  to  get  himself  trapped. 
Car  owners  who  regard  this  as  a  dis- 
advantage, preferring  to  notify  the  thief 
in  advance  that  the  car  is  protected,  may 
use  a  lock  switch.  If  the  thief  then  con- 
nects across  the  two  wires  leading  to  it 
before  taking  his  seat  at  the  wheel,  he  will 
not  have  prevented  the  gong  from  giving 
the  alarm.  Using  two  or  more  concealed 
switches  presents  an  additional  advantage, 
as  closing  any  one  of  them  throws  on  .the 
alarm,  and  all  must  be  open  to  throw 
it  off. 


Etching  on  Glass  and  Metal 

with  a  Sandblast 

A  sandblast  may  be  made  use  of  in 
many  novel  ways.  Any  part  of  an  elec- 
tric-light bulb  may  be  frosted  by  covering 
the  other  part  of  the  glass  with  a  piece 
of  heavy  paper,  and  exposing  to  the  sand- 
blast. A  similar  process  will  serve  to  etch 
any  lettering  or  design  on  any  glass  or 
polished-metal  article,  and  a  finish  may  be 
given  to  soft  wood  which  gives  it  the  ap- 
pearance of  being  hand-engraved. 


Weight  and  Pulle3rs  Keep  Air  Hose 

Convenient  and  Reduce  Wear 

The  usual  air-hose  arrangement  about 
garages  and  service  stations  is  frequently 
a  source  of  an- 
noyance to  both 
motorists  and  at- 
tendants alike, 
and  when  the 
hose  is  dragged 
about  on  the 
ground,  it  is  very 
short-lived.  The 
weight-and-pulley 
mounting,  illus- 
trated in  the  ac- 
companying pho- 
tograph, keeps 
the  hose  up  out 
of  the  dirt  at  all 
times.  Its  posi- 
tion is  convenient 
for  getting  at  all 
four  wheels  of  a 
car ;  it  is  in  the  shade,  and  is  not  need- 
lessly worn  by  being  dragged  out  over  the 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


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ground  or  left  in  a  position  to  be  run 
over  by  machines.  This  type  of  hose  sup- 
port costs  little  to  install,  and  will  pay  for 
itself  many  times  by  the  convenient  serv- 
ice it  renders  and  the  reduced  wear  on 
the  hose. — John  Edwin  Ho^^,  Alhambra, 
California. 


Moving  "Rusted-In"  Screws 

Steel  screws  which  have  rusted  into 
place  are  difficult  to  remove.  They  can 
often  be  loosened  by  tapping  the  screw- 
driver with  a  hammer,  or  by  heating,  but 
a  better  way  is  to  treat  them  before  set- 
ting them  in  place  with  a  rust  prevent- 
ive. Common  oil  will  do  this  to  a  slight 
extent,  but  a  mixture  of  graphite  and  tal- 
low rubbed  onto  the  screw,  will  be  effec- 
tive for  a  much  longer  time. — S.  Leonard 
Bastin,  Bournemouth,  Eng. 


Holding  Screws  While  Threading 

or  Turning  Them 

When  small  screws  must  be  turned  or 
threaded  in  the  lathe,  time  is  often  lost 
because  no  chuck  is  at  hand  which  fits 
the  screw.  A  collet,  to  be  held  in  the 
chuck,  and  to  hold  securely  the  size  of 
screw  for  which  it 
is  designed,  is 
made  from  a  piece 
of  round  steel.  It 
should  be  about 
lYs  in.  in  diam- 
eter,  and  its 
length  should  be 
somewhat  greater. 
Drill  a  hole  clear 
through  it,  the 
size  of  the  screw 
to  be  held;  then, 
from  one  end, 
%-in.   drill,   to   within 


ream   this  with  a 


slightly  the  half  of  the  piece  from  which 
the  %-in.  hole  was  started,  so  as  to  pro- 
vide clearance.  With  a  hacksaw,  saw 
three  or  four  slots,  as  shown,  so  as  to 
form  a  spring  collet.  The  number  of 
slots  should  be  the  same  as  the  number 
of  jaws  in  the  lathe  chuck.  The  collet 
may  be  hardened,  or  casehardened  if  con- 
venient, and  its  life  will  then  be  much 
longer.  If  the  collet  is  accurately  made, 
a  universal  chuck  will  be  satisfactory  to 
use  with  it;  for  extreme  accuracy,  how- 
ever, which  is  often  necessary  in  small 
work,  the  chuck  with  independent  jaws 
is  to  be  preferred. — E.  L.  Howard,  Spring- 
field, Ohio. 


Large  Kettle  Inverted  over  Softr 

Coal  Fire  Saves  Heat 

On  putting  fresh  soft  coal  into  a  stove, 
an  intense  smoke  is  given  off,  which  fouls 
the  pipes  and 
spreads  soot  over 
the  room,  besides 
wasting  coal.  A 
means  for  dimin- 
i  s  h  i  n  g  this  was 
found  in  a  large 
iron  pot.  The  pot 
was  provided  with 
a  ring  on  the  bot- 
tom, by  means  of 
which  it  could  be 
carried  on  the  end 
of  the  poker.  Im- 
mediately after 
putting  on  fresh 
coal,  the  inverted 
pot  was  set  on  top 

of  the  fire  and  was  found  to  have  the  ef- 
fect of  causing  the  smoke  and  coal  dust 
either  to  collect  inside  the  pot  or  to  es- 
cape around  the  edge,  where  the  gas 
would  burst  into  a  ring  of  flame,  consum- 
ing much  of  the  coal  dust,  which  would 
otherwise  be  wasted.  The  kettle  is  left 
on  until  the  fresh  coal  becomes  hot  and 
is  reduced  to  coke  by  having  the  gas 
roasted  out  of  it ;  the  pot  is  then  removed, 
leaving  a  coke  fire,  which  burns  and  lasts 
very  well. — A.  S.  Thomas,  Amherstburg, 
Ontario,  Can. 


Carry  Tool  Checks  on  a 

Safety  Pin 

In  shops  where  each  workman  has  a 
number  of  tool  checks  bearing  a  number, 
one  of  which  he 
deposits  in  the 
tool  room  as  a  re- 
ceipt for  a  t  o  o  1 
taken  out,  the  loss 
of  these  checks 
may  sometimes  in- 
volve unpleasant- 
ness. A  safer 
way  of  carrying 
them  than  in  the 
pocket  is  to  sew  a 
large,  strong  safe- 
ty pin  to  the  over- 
a  1 1  s     or     shop 

clothes  and  hang  the  checks  upon  it.  The 
checks  can  be  removed  or  replaced  with 
either  hand,  so  that  the  other  one  is  left 
free  for  carrying  the  tools. — C.  C.  Spreen, 
Detroit,  Mich. 


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ScafFolding  without  Nails 

On  a  repair  job  where  the  scaffolding 
could  not  be  attached  to  the  side  of  the 


Brackets  for  Scaffolding  Supported  by  Long  Braces 

Reaching  to  the  Ground  are  Pound 

Uaeful  on  Repair  Jobs 

house,  and  it  was  not  desired  to  build  up 
a  whole  structure  from  the  ground,  a 
contractor  designed  a  number  of  brackets, 
which  enabled  him  to  get  at  the  work 
conveniently  and  safely  after  very  little 
preparation.  The  brackets  were  made  qf 
2  by  4-in.  scantlings,  each  brace  consist- 
ing of  two  pieces  nailed  together  so  that 
the  central  portion,  where  the  greatest 
stiffness  is  required,  is  full  4  by  4  in.  The 
braces  fit  snugly  into  the  brackets,  and 
the  whole  scaffolding  can  be  removed  in  a 
few  minutes  and  carried  to  another  job. — 
W.  K.  Crosson,  Detroit,  Mich. 


Keeping  Brushes  Soft  with  Paraffin 

Keeping  paintbrushes  soft  by  placing 
them  under  alcohol,  turpentine,  or  other 
such  liquids,  is  a  somewhat  expensive 
method,  especially  when  the  brushes  are 
to  be  out  of  use  for  long  periods.  If  a 
brush  which  is  still  moist  with  paint  or 
shellac  is  dipped  in  melted  paraffin  sev- 
eral times,  so  that  a  heavy  coat  of  the 
paraffin  adheres  to  it,  the  brush  will  re- 
tain its  softness  indefinitely,  the  paraffin 
preventing  any  evaporation.  To  remove 
the  paraffin,  merely  pull  it  off;  it  will 
come  easily,  leaving  the  brush  as  fresh  as 
when  the  paraffin  was  applied  to  it. 


Keep  the  Lamps  Clean 

A  simole  explanation  of  a  gradually 
failing  light  in  many  shops  is  to  be  found 
in  that  lamp  globes  and  shades  are  not 
kept  clean  and,  therefore,  do  not  transmit 
or  reflect  the  light  properly.  A  little  at- 
tention to  keeping  the  lamps  clean  will 
often  enable  a  shop  to  avoid  the  necessity 
of  installing  more  lights  or  to  have  much 
better  illumination  with  those  already  in- 
stalled.—William  Philip,  Bloomfield,  N.  J. 


Small  Truck  Aids  in  Moving  Stove 

Here  is  a  device  that  is  cheap  and  easily 
made,  and  will  enable  one  grown  person, 
with  the  help  of  a  child,  to  move  quite  a 
large  stove.  The  frame,  of  strips,  1  by  3 
in.,  is  bolted  at  three  corners  with  %-in. 
stove  bolts,  and  casters  are  fastened  be- 
neath with  screws.  In  the  fourth  corner 
the  bolt  is  first  put  through  the  upper 
board  only,  and  the  nut  put  on  to  hold  it 
firmly  in  place.  The  platform  should  be 
made  the  proper  size  so  that  the  stove 
legs  may  rest  on  the  corners  right  over, 
or  slightly  to  the  inside  of,  the  bolts.  If 
this  is  not  done  there  will  be  some  trouble 
in  putting  the  stove  in  place. 

To  use,  have  the  loose  corner  open,  and 
place  the  frame  near  the  stove  legs.  Tip 
the  stove  forward  so  that  the  strip  A  may 
be  put  into  place  beneath  the  back  legs. 
Then,  lifting  the  front,  draw  the  frame 
together  and  into  position.  The  bolt  in 
the  top  strip  should  drop  into  the  hole  in 
the  lower  one,  and  be  fastened  with  a  nut.' 
Now  the  stove  may  be  wheeled  into  the 
exact  position  desired,  and  by  reversing 
the  directions  given  above  may  be  quickly 
unloaded.  It  is  better  to  load  the  heavy 
end  first  and  unload  it  last.  Through  the 
summer  it  will  do  no  harm  to  let  the  stove 


With  a  Collapsible  Platform 
on  Casters,  a  Heavy  Stove 
may  be  Readily  Moved  by 
Only  One  Man,  with  Slight 
Assistance 


Stand  on  this  truck.  The  casters  should 
turn  readily  in  any  direction.  Good  ones 
can  be  purchased  at  five  cents  each. 


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A  Homemade  Die-Casting  Machine 

By  C.  M.  MAHOOD 


/^NE  of  the  interesting  processes  which 
^^  have  been  introduced  recently  in 
.quantity-production  factories  is  that  of 
making  quite  accurate  finished  castings 
without  machining,  by  the  process  known 
as  die-casting.  In  this  process,  the  melted 
metal  is  forced  into  dies  under  pressure, 
and  after  it  has  cooled,  the  dies  are  opened 
and  the  finished  castings  removed.  It  is 
thus  possible  to  cast  parts  which  have  the 
"particular"  dimensions  accurate  to  the 
thousandth  of  an  inch,  or  even  less.  The 
metals  used  are  alloys  of  fairly  low  melt- 
ing points,  as  it  has  not  been  found  prac- 
ticable to  make  dies  which  would  stand 
up  under  the  temperatures  necessary  for 
casting  iron  or  steel. 

While  die-casting  is  more  particularly  a 
factory  process, 
yet,  for  certain 
jobs,  it  is  en- 
tirely possible 
to  use  to  ad- 
vantage some 
methods  of  die- 
casting  in  the 
small  shop. 
Whenever  a 
considerable 
number  of 
small  parts 
have  to  be 
made  which  do 
not  have  to  be 
of  great 
strength,  but 
should  be  ac- 
c  u  rate,  the 
method  of  cast- 
ing the  parts 
directly  to  the 
finished  shape 
should   at   least 


A  Die-Casting  Apparatus  for  the  Home  Shop:    To  the  Left  is 
Shown  the  Method  of  Making  the  Castings.    The  Smaller  Pho- 
tograph Shows  a  Tsrpe  of  Die  for  Casting  Disks,  and  the  Sketch 
Shows  the  Construction  of  the  Apparatus 

from 


be   carefully   considered. 

The  apparatus  herewith  illustrated, 
which  is  almost  entirely  homemade,  en- 
ables anyone  to  apply,  in  a  somewhat 
crude  way,  the  die-casting  process.  An 
ordinary  iron  kettle  forms  the  pot  in 
which  the  metal  is  melted,  while  two 
pieces  of  %-in.  iron  pipe,  with  two  caps 
and  two  floor  flanges,  form  the  uprights 
which  support  it.  These  are  set  up  and 
given  a  coat  of  stovepipe  enamel.  If  the 
metal  used  is  one  having  a  fairly  high 
melting  point,  so  that  the  pot  becomes  ex- 
cessively hot,  a  sheet-iron  jacket  may  be 
placed  around  it,  extending  to  the  floor 
and  inclosing  the  gas  burner,  gasoline 
torch,  or  other  means  of  heating. 

To  the  bottom  of  the  pot  is  riveted  a 
steel  cylinder,  which  has  an  inner  surface 


quite  accurately  machined.  An  old  auto- 
mobile cylinder,  if  not  too  badly  worn, 
will  serve,  and  the  plunger  may  be  made 
from  the  automobile  piston,  or  machined 
from  a  very  simple  iron  casting.  The 
plunger  is  suspended  by  a  wire  loop 
tapped  into  it  just  beside  the  stem,  and  a 
cord  runs  from  this  loop  to  a  lever,  at  the 
other  end  of  which  is  a  spring  for  the 
purpose  of  counterbalancing  the  plunger 
and  automatically  raising  it,  so  as  to  clear 
the  upper  porthole.  This  hole,  or  slot,  is 
about  IVi  in.  wide  and  %  in.  high,  and 
forms  tbe  main  entrance  for  the  metal 
from  the  surrounding  pot.  The  level  of 
the  metal  should  be  kept  just  above  this 
porthole.  A  small  porthole,  about  Vs  in. 
in  diameter,  is  also  made  near  the  bottom 

of  the  cylinder. 
Up  through  the 
stem  of  the 
plunger  runs  a 
^^-in.  hole,  and 
the  top  of  the 
stem  is  turned 
oflf  to  fit  any 
standard  coun- 
tersink, which 
will  be  used  in 
countersinking 
the  sprue  hole 
in   the   dies. 

The  dies  are 
made  in  any  of 
several      ways. 
If    one    wishes 
to  go  to  the  ex- 
pense   of    get- 
ting    a     high- 
quality   die   for 
long  service,  it 
can  be  ordered 
a  commercial  die  sinker.     For  cer- 
tain types  of  parts,  the  die  can  be  made 
by   pouring  out  two  pieces  of  cast  iron 
and  fitting  them  with  dowels  and  wooden 
handles,  and  finishing  the  die  inside  with 
plaster  of   Paris.     Such   a   die   is   readily 
made  and  is  useful  for  short,  rough  runs. 
The  operation  of  such  an  apparatus  is 
as  follows:      Fill  the  pot  with  metal  to 
a   height   slightly  above   the  upper  port- 
hole, and  heat  the  metal  to  100°  or  200°  F. 
above  its  melting  point,  in  order  to  off- 
set cooling  in   the  stem   of  the   plunger. 
Heat  the  die  with  a  blowpipe  flame  before 
making  the  first  casting;  after  the. run  is 
started,  the  die  will  be  sufficiently  heated 
by  the  hot  metal,  and  in  the  case  of  large 
parts  may  even  have  to  be  cooled  some- 
what between  operations.     Lubricate  the 


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die  with  beeswax;"  then  close  it,  place  it 
on  top  of  the  stem,  with  the  end  of  the 
stem  in  the  sprue  hole,  and  press  down 
upon  the  handles  of  the  die.  The  metal 
will  be  forced  into  the  die  by  pressure  suf- 
ficient to  form  it  for  fairly  accurate  work. 
Remove  the  die  at  once,  and  as  soon  as 
the  metal  has  had  time  to  cool,  open  the 
die,  throw  out  the  part  and  proceed  to 
make  the  next  one  in  the  same  way.  For 
small,  thin  parts,  the  time  required  for 
solidifying  the  castings  will  be  found  al- 
most negligible,  and  the  parts  can  be  made 
as  fast  as  the  die  can  be  closed,  opened, 
and  pressed  down  on  the  stem  of  the 
plunger. 

As  the  plunger  comes  down,  it  at  first 
forces  metal  out  through  the  upper  port- 
hole; when  the  lower  end  of  this  is 
reached,  the  metal  is  forced  upward 
through  the  stem.  To  prevent  too  great 
a  shock  when  the  main  porthole  is  sud- 
denly   closed,    the  %-»"•    hole    is     drilled 


farther  down,  which  has  the  effect  of  di- 
minishing the  suddenness  of  closing  the 
main  porthole.  The  slight  amount  of 
metal  which  will  flow  out  through  this 
lower  porthole  will  not  prevent  the  flow 
to  the  die,  as  the  action  must  be  rapid. 

Metals  for  this  process  are  of  various 
composition.  Tables  of  alloys,  having 
various  properties,  can  be  found  in  me- 
chanical handbooks;  the  cheaper  metals 
are  those  having  a  lead  base,  and  have 
very  little  strength,  though  they  are  en- 
tirely practical  for  some  purposes.  The 
metal  known  as  stereotyper's  metal,  com- 
posed of  lead,  tin,  -and  antimony,  melts 
at  about  550"*  F.,  and  is  a  useful  metal  for 
this  class  of  castings.  Where  a  harder 
product  is  desired,  alloys  with  a  zinc  base 
and  from  10  to  50  per  cent  each  of  copper 
and  tin  may  be  used.  Shrinkage  also 
varies  for  these  different  metals;  that  of 
the  alloy  used  should  be  carefully  ascer- 
tained  before   making  any  accurate   die. 


Pumps  of  Centrifugal  and  Screw 
Type  Work  Together 

Tests  of  a  well  showed  that  it  would 
furnish  a  large  amount  of  water,  but  that 


The  Screw  Pump  Raises  the  Water  to  the  Surface,  and 

the  Centrifugal  Pump  Then  Takes  Hold  and 

Throwa  it  Up  to  the  Storage  Tank 

a  heavy  lift  would  have  to  be  overcome 
to  get  the  water  to  the  surface,  when  it 
would  have  to  be  lifted  an  additional  50  ft. 
into  a  large  storage  tank. 

It  was  clear  that  for  such  a  heavy  head, 
a  centrifugal  pump  would  be  best.  On 
account  of  the  limited  suction  capacity  of 
such  pumps,  however,  it  was  also  evident 
that  a'  deep  and  expensive  pit  would  have 
had  to  be  built. 

On  the  other  hand,  one  of  the  ne>y  type 
of  screw  pumps,  made  to  fit  the  casing  of 
the  well  and  sunk  below  the  suction  limit. 


would  plainly  have  been  indicated  but  for 
the  fact  that  the  efficiency  of  such  pumps 
is  greatly  decreased  by  a  heavy  head  of 
water.  The  expense  of  the  pit,  with  all 
its  attendant  troubles  and  annoyances, 
would  have  been  avoided,  but  the  cost  of 
pumping  would  have  been  greatly  in- 
creased. 

The  owner  finally  solved  the  difficulty 
by  installing  the  screw  pump  in  the  well 
and  directly  connecting  it  at  the  surface 
with  a  horizontal  centrifugal  pump,  plac- 
ing the  two  side  by  side  and  running  both 
off  the  two  pulleys  of  his  engine. 

The  outcome  proved  him  right.  The 
load  on  the  screw  pump  is  relieved,  be- 
fore the  water  reaches  the  surface,  by  the 
centrifugal  pump,  which  lifts  it  from  there 
on  the  additional  50  ft.  into  the  tank,  and 
the  centrifugal  pump  does  not  have  to 
exert  its  limit  of  suction  to  take  in  the 
water. — Henry  Simon,  Laguna  Beach, 
California. 


Staining  Wood  a  Dark  Color 
with  Roofing  Cement 

When  a  dark-walnut  flat  finish  is  de- 
sired on  woodwork,  one  may  use  the  ce- 
ment which  is  furnished  with  rolls  of 
composition-roofing  material.  To  use  this 
cement  for  a  stain,  work  it  sparingly  into 
the  wood  with  a  lintless  cloth,  or  small 
varnish  brush ;  if  any  surplus  cement  re- 
mains, take  it  off  with  the  cloth.  The 
results  obtained  with  this  novel  staining 
material  are  declared  to  be  very  satisfac- 
tory.— H.  K.  Capps,  Stahl,  Mo. 


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Groove  Plane  Made  from  Rip  Saw 

It  will  often  be  found  on  an  old  rip  saw 
that  the  teeth  near  the  handle  remain 
quite  sharp,  although  the  teeth  near  the 
center  of  the  saw  are  entirely  worn  out. 
If  the  saw  is  cut  or  broken  off  8  or  10  in. 
from  the  handle,  the  short  saw  thus 
formed  can  readily  be  mounted  with  a 
few  wooden  blocks  to  form  a  groove 
plane.  By  giving  the  teeth  a  pronounced 
set,  the  groove  cut  may  be  made  some- 
what wider,  if  desirable. 


A  Bench  Stop  Which  Clamps  the  Work 

Ideas  without  number  have  been 
brought  forth  for  bench  stops  and  simi- 
lar devices  to  hold  work  on  the  bench 
while  planing  or  chiseling.  All  of  them 
have  their  own  virtues,  but  few  have  the 
property  of  clamping  the  work  tightly 
when  it  is  pushed  into  or  against  them. 

A  stop  which  has  this  property  to  an 
excellent  degree  and  yet  is  simple  of  con- 
struction, is  here  illustrated.  It  consists 
of  a  sliding  block,  A,  with  one  edge  cut 
to  a  bevel,  as  shown;  a  fixed  block,  B, 
which  also  has  one  edge  cut  to  a  similar 
bevel,  so  that  the  edges  of  A  fit  against 
it  and  the  straight  block  C.  Blocks  B  and 
C  can  be  fastened  to  the  bench  directly, 
or  to  a  block  on  top  of  the  bench.  The 
notch  opposite  the  bevel  edge  of  block  A 
is  made  of  such  size  that  it  will  take  a  cer- 
tain range  of  jobs.  Any  number  of  blocks 
A  can  be  made,  each  having  a  different 
shape  and  notch,  and  each  taking  a  cer- 
tain range  of  work.  The  work  is  inserted 
in  the  bench  stop  by  simply  laying  the 
end  of  it  in  the  notch  in  the  block  A  and 
pushing  it  forward,  so  that  the  work  is 


A  Simple  but  Efficient  Bench  Stop:    As  the  Work  is 

Pushed  Forward  into  the  Stop,  the  End  of  It 

is  Firmly  Clamped  without  Marring 

wedged  in  between  A  and  C.  It  is  loos- 
ened by  merely  striking  a  blow  on  the 
small  end  of  block  A. — E.  K.  Wehry, 
Cedar  Rapids,  la. 


Bench  Snips  or  Shears 

Very  handy  and  cheap  bench  shears  for 
cutting  tin,  or  other  sheet  metal,  which 


A  Handy  Shearing  Ma- 
chine for  the  Bench  is 
Made  from  a  File  and 
a  Piece  of  Scrap  Iron 


is    too    heavy   for 

the    hand    snips, 

can    be   made    for 

the   home-shop   wbrkbench,   as   indicated 

in  the  drawing. 

A  14-in.  flat  file,  with  one  side  ground 
smooth,  and  a  portion  of  the  tip  and  one 
edge  sharpened,  makes  the  movable  shear 
knife.  The  fixed  cutter  can  be  forged 
from  a  part  of  an  61d  plowshare,  or  other 
suitable  scrap  steel.  The  bolt  hole  in  the 
file  is  punched  while  the  file  is  at  a  cherry- 
red  heat.  A  locknut  must  be  used  on  the 
bolt,  or  else  the  end  must  be  riveted. — 
Chas.  H.  Willey,  Concord,  N.  H. 


Drilling  Holes  through  Heavy  Metal 

with  a  Bit  Brace 

When  holes  of  a  diameter  greater  than 
about  y^  in.  must  be  drilled  through  iron 
of  considerable  thickness  with  a  bit  brace, 
the  big  part  of  the  job  is  to  maintain  the 
proper  pressure  on  the  drill.  It  will  be 
much  easier  if  a  small  hole  is  first  drilled 
by  means  of  a  hand  drill,  of,  say,  %  in. 
diameter,  the  hole  being  reamed  to  size 
with  the  large  drill  in  the  brace,  which 
will  then  require  much  less  pressure  than 
without  the  small  hole. — Chas.  A.  Black, 
Jr.,  Hightstown,  N.  J. 


Universal  Lathe  Chuck 

Used  as  a  Vise 

A  universal  chuck  mounted  face  up- 
ward on  a  heavy  wooden  block  is  a  useful 
type  of  vise  for  many  purposes  in  the 
shop.  Any  job  that  would  be  held  in  the 
chuck  for  lathe  work  can  be  held  simi- 
larly in  this  vise,  and  is  then  ready  for 
any  handwork,  such  as  laying  out,  filing, 
or  scraping. — H.  S.  Hart,  Shreveport,  La. 


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A  Rack  for  Washers 

Workmen   who   have  frequent  use  for 
plain  washers  of  various  sizes,  and  who 


rings,  will  often  give  satisfactory  service 
where  oversize  pistons  would  otherwise 
have  to  be  fitted. 


Tbc  Washers  Are  Ahvasrs  in  Sight,  and  cannot  Rattle 

Loose.  The  Rack  is  Easily  Pilled,  and  One  or  More 

Washers  are  Easily  Removed  with  the  Fingers 

like  to  keep  them  handy  so  that  they  can 
be  picked  up  and  put  into  place  as  quickly 
as  possible,  may  find  it  convenient  to  make 
a  rack  like  the  one  shown  in  the  sketch. 
H  is  made  from  a  single  block  of  wood, 
hy  boring  holes  slightly  larger  than  the 
respective  diameters  of  the  washer  to  be 
used.  The  line  on  which  the  center  for 
these  holes  is  laid  out  should  be  slightly 
out  of  parallel  with  the  edge  of  the  block, 
and  should  be  located  so  that  the  largest 
hole  to  be  made  will  not  meet  either  edge 
of  the  block.  Then,  after  all  the  holes 
are  drilled  and  a  piece  of  cigar-box,  or 
other  thin,  wood  is  attached  to  form  a 
bottom,  plane  off  the  block,  so  as  to  ex- 
pose the  holes  from  the  side.  The  wash- 
ers can  be  stacked  in  the  rack  by  simply 
dumping  them  in  and  shaking  the  rack 
about. 


Enlarging  Pistons  by  Peening 
to  Eliminate  Slap 

When  an  automobile  piston  is  found  to 
be  "slapping,"  due  to  the  skirt  being  too 
small,  one  way  to  remedy  the  trouble  is 
to  remove  the  piston  from  the  connecting 
rod,  lay  it  upon  its  side  on  an  anvil,  and 
strike  a  succession  of  blows  with  a  ball- 
peen  hammer  on  the  inside  of  the  skirt. 
The  blows  should  be  light  and  very  even, 
and  uniformly  distributed.  The  piston 
should  be  accurately  calipered  to  see  that 
tbe  enlargement  is  proceeding  properly 
and  that  the  peening  is  not  bending  the 
skirt  slightly  out  of  round.  A  piston  thus 
treated,    fitted    with    good-quality    piston 


Electric-Soldering  Tongs 

Simple  soldering  jobs,  such  as  splicing 
wires,  fastening  cable  leads  to  terminal 
clips,  or  sweating  metal  plates  together, 
may  be  quickly  and  neatly  done  with  elec- 
tric-soldering tongs.  The  parts  to  be 
soldered  are  brought  almost  instantly  to 
the  correct  heat,  which  is  not  possible 
with  the  ordinary  soldering  copper. 

Two  spring-brass  strips,  10  in.  long, 
P/i  in.  wide,  and  at  least  W«  in.  thick,  are 
used  to  carry  the  electric  current  to  the 
carbon  electrodes  as  well  as  to  form  the 
tong  handles.  Form  two  brass  clips  of 
such  dimensions  that  they  will  each  hold 
a  piece  of  carbon,  1  by  1  in.,  by  ^/4  in. 
thick.  Rivet  them  to  the  end  of  the  brass 
strips;  a  good  job  of  riveting  must  be 
done,  and  the  clips  must  seat  snugly 
against  the  strips  so  that  a  good  electrical 
connection  is  assured.  Saw  a  block  of 
fiber  IV2  by  2  in.,  by  IVi  in.  thick.  Drill 
small  holes  in  the  free  ends  of  the  strips 
so  that  the  latter  may  be  screwed  to  the 
fiber  block,  parallel  and  insulated  from 
each  other.  Provide  electric  wire  con- 
nections to  the  brass  strips. 

The  tongs  must  be  operated  from  a  low- 
voltage  circuit,  and  for  most  shops  the 
storage  battery  will  best  meet  this  re- 
quirement. For  temperature  regulation 
during  soldering,  a  variable  resistance  or 
rheostat  should  be  used  to  decrease  or  in- 
crease the  flow  of  current.  To  solder,  it  is 
only  necessary  to  grasp  the  piece  or  pieces 
to  be  worked  on  between  the  carbon  elec- 
trodes by  using  the  device  like  a  pair  of 
tongs.  The  instant  an  electric  circuit  is 
established  between  the  carbons  the  latter 


The  Blectrtc-SolderiBC  Tones  Operate  on  a  Principle 
Similar  to  That  of  Electric  Weldinc,  the  Heat  bemg 
Due  to  Passage  of  Heavy  Current  through  the  Work 

should  come  to  a  red  heat,  and  soldering 
is  the  work  of  but  a  few  moments. 

If    desired,    the    brass    strips    may    be 


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wrapped  with  friction  tape  for  conveni- 
ence and  safety  in  laying  the  tongs  down  ; 
it  is  not  necessary  for  protecting  the 
hands,  if  the  rheostat  is  wound  nonin- 
ductively. — Kenneth  Coggeshall,  Webster 
Groves,  Mo. 


Soldering  Paste  Carried  on  Torch 

A  handy  way  to  carry  soldering  paste, 
when  working  on  poles  or  ladders,  is  to 
solder  a  piece  of  H^-in.  square  brass  tub- 
ing, about  3  in.  long,  with  a  bottom  sol- 
dered in  it,  to  the  side  of  the  blowtorch. 
Fill  it  with  paste,  and  it  will  always  be 
handy  when  wanted. — E.  C.  Galbreath, 
Denver,  Colo. 


Making   Wood   Screws  Hold  When 
Parallel  to  Grain 

Wood  screws  inserted  into  the  end  of 
the  grain,  especially  of  soft  wood,  do  not 
take  a  very  strong 
hold.  The  hold  may 
be  improved  by  back- 
ing out  the  screw 
after  it  is  inserted, 
placing  a  small 
amount  of  glue  in  the 
hole  and  then  reinsert- 
ing the  screw.  When 
screws  are  to  be  taken 
out  repeatedly  and  reinserted  into  the  end 
of  the  grain,  as  is  often  necessary  where 
work  is  required  to  be  taken  apart  in  the 
foundry,  simply  screwing  them  into  the 
end  of  the  grain  should  not  be  depended 
upon.  In  such  cases,  insert  at  right  angles 
a  hardwood  plug,  as  shown,  and  allow  the 
screw  to  pass  through  it.  When  the 
screw  will  no  longer  hold  in  consequence 
of  its  repeated  withdrawals,  the  worn-out 
plug  may  be  taken  out  and  a  new  plug 
inserted. — Ernest  Schwartz,  Brooklyn, 
New    York. 


Improving  an  Old  Ladle 

Small  ladles  for  pouring  babbitt  or  lead 
can  often  be  improved  as  shown  in  the 
sketch.  A  piece  of  tubing,  about  5  in. 
long  and  flared  out  at  both  ends,  is  slipped 
over  the  handle.  A  piece  of  steel,  bent  to 
a  right  angle,  is  then  riveted  onto  the 
handle,  back  of  the  tube,  serving  the 
double  purpose  of  holding  the  tube  on 
and  of  forming  a  leg  so  that  the  ladle  can 
be  set  down,  if  required,  without  tipping 
over.  In  order  to  serve  its  purpose  well 
as  a  leg,  this  piece  of  steel  should  be  at 
least   1   or  2  in.  wide.     By  gripping  the 


tube  handle  with  the  left  hand  and  tilting 
the  ladle  by  gripping  the  end  of  the  long 
handle,   with   the   right   hand,   the   metal 


A  Steel  Lee,  and  a  Grip  of  MeUl  Tubing  over  the 

Handle,    Make   the    Old    Ladle    More 

Convenient  in   Use 

can  be  poured  quite  readily.  Hold  a 
piece  of  folded  cloth,  or  soft  asbestos, 
under  the  left  hand  around  the  grip,  so  as 
to  protect  the  hand  from  the  hot  metal 
surface. 


Neat  Chest  under  Lathe  Holds 
Tools  and  Gears 

The  chuck  and  faceplates  of  a  lathe  in 
many  shops  will  be  found  either  on  the 
floor  or  hanging  somewhere  about  the 
legs  of  the  lathe.  The  drawing  suggests 
a  means  of  keeping  the  chuck,  faceplates, 
dogs,  and  gears  neatly  where  they  can 
always  be  found,  and  of  having  the  drip 
pan  in  a  proper  position  at  the  same  time. 
The  tray  may  be  removed  from  the  box 


WRENCHES  AND  OTHER  TCXHfi 


LATHE  TOOLS 
TRAY  TO  CATCH 


CHANGE 

ON  WOODEN    PEGS 


A  Chest  Placed  under  the  Lathe  Carries  the  Drip  Pan 

on  Top,  and  Has  Shelves  and  Hooks  for 

the  Lathe  Tools  and  Accessories 

to  dump  out  the  oil  and  chips  from  the 
lathe,  and  the  entire  box  can  be  rolled  out 
on  its  casters  when  sweeping  the  floor. 


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Vessel  for  Cooking  Potatoes  for  Hogs 
on  the  Farm 

It  is  not  necessary  to  feed  raw  cull  po- 
tatoes  to  hogs  just   because  there  is  no 


A  Large  Cooking  Pan  for 
Use  on  the  Farm  may  Con- 
sitt  Partly  of  Wood.  It  is 
Used  in  Such  a  Way  That 
the  Wood  is  Protected  from 
the  Fire 


cooker  on  the  farm.  One  16-ft.  plank  and 
a  sheet  of  galvanized  iron,  together  with 
a  few  nails,  will  make  a  good,  serviceable 
cooking  pan  that  will  last  all  winter  if  it  is 
used  carefully. 

The  plank  should  be  2  by  12  in.,  and 
long  enough  to  be  cut  in  two  pieces,  7  ft. 
6  in.  long.  The  two  pieces  are  rounded 
at  both  ends,  sled-runner  fashion,  and 
made  square  and  smooth  on  the  edges 
with  the  plane  and  drawshave. 

The  galvanized  iron  should  be  No.  24 
gauge,  or  thicker.  It  should  be  3  ft.  wide 
and  8  ft.  long.  It  is  thoroughly  nailed  to 
the  edges  of  the  planks  with  eight-penny 
wire  nails.  The  cooker  is  finished  at  the 
ends  by  crosspieces  of  wood  to  protect 
the  edges  of  the  galvanized  iron  and 
stiffen  the  frame. 

To  use  the  cooker,  it  should  be  placed 
on  two  ridges  of  clay,  made  level  and 
plastic  with  water  so  the  cooker  fits  down 
tight  all  along  both  sides.  The  fire  is 
made  near  the  windward  end,  so  the  draft 
will  carry  the  heat  under  the  whole  length 
of  the  cooker  to  get  the  full  benefit  of  the 
fuel. 

There  should  be  enough  water  in  the 
cooker  to  boil  the  potatoes  soft  without 
burning.  Just  before  the  cooking  is  fin- 
ished, let  the  fire  die  down,  and  dip  all 
surplus  water  out  so  the  mass  of  potatoes 
will  steam  dry,  just  as  in  cooking  potatoes 
for  household  use. 

This  heating  pan  may  also  be  used  to 
heat  w^ater  for  scalding  pigs  at  killing 
time. 


CI  Rubber  cement  is  good  for  patching 
clothing.  Use  according  to  directions 
given  for  rubber;  pressure  with  a  hot  iron 
will  vulcanize  the  job  if  desired. 


Cleaning  Out  Clogged  Drains 
with  Fluid  Pressure 

In  many  cases  the  handiest  way  to 
clean  out  drain  pipes  which  have  become 
clogged  with  dirt,  is  by  means  of  ^water 
or  air  pressure.  It  is,  of  course,*  quite 
common  to  use  the  nozzle  of  a  hose, 
thrusting  it  down  through  the  drain  and 
turning  on  the  water  under  high  pressure, 
this  method  being  used  often  in  cleaning 
out  sewer  outlets  in  city  streets.  The  ob- 
jection to  such  procedure  is  that  the  water 
backs  up  into  the  sink  or  washbowl.  This 
can  be  prevented  by  making  a  taper  plug 
of  wood,  as  shown  in  Fig.  1,  which  can 
be  fastened  on  the  hose  nozzle  and  thrust 
into  the  drain  inlet  so  as  to  prevent  the 
possibility  of  the  water  backing  up. 

Another  way  to  prevent  the  backing  up 
of  water,  which  is  useful  in  places  where 
the  above  method  would  not  be  practi- 
cable, is  to  make,  on  the  end  of  a  piece  of 
%-in.  pipe,  a  piston  of  proper  size,  as  in 
Fig.  2,  to  be  pushed  into  a  large  drain 
pipe  which  has  become  clogged.  To  the 
other  end  of  the  piece  of  pipe  the  hose  is 
attached,  and  water  is  then  forced  in  with- 
out danger  of  backing  up. 

Where  water  pressure  is  not  available, 
it  is  possible  to  use  air  pressure  as  fur- 
nished by  an  automobile-tire  pump,  as 
shown  and  detailed  in  Fig.  3.  One  way 
to  do  this  is  to  unscrew  the  plug  at  the 
bottom  of  the  water  trap  below  the  wash- 
bowl, and  solder  into  this  plug  an  auto- 
mobile or  bicycle-tire  valve.    Then,  if  the 


DC  TAIL  AT  C 


One  of  These  Devices  for  Forcing   Fluid   Pressure 

into  Stopped-Up  Drain  Pipes  may   Often 

Save  Mucn  Time  and  Expense 

bowl  outlet  is  tightly  plugged,  air  can  be 
forced  in  at  a  pressure  high  enough  to  dis- 
lodge the  dirt  which  causes  the  congestion. 


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A  Disappearing  Stairway 


By  L.  B.  ROBBINS 


A  STAIRWAY  which  can  be  quickly 
•^^  and  easily  disposed  of  so  as  to  give 
needed  floor  space  in  the  bungalow,  or 
small  cottage,  is  a  thing  generally  much 
desired.  Such  stairs  are  not  at  all  difficult 
to  construct. 

As  will  be  seen  in  the  sketches  at  the 
left,  the  stairs  are  hung  in  an  opening, 
or  well.  This  should  be  cut  6  ft.  long, 
between  two  adjacent  rafters.  It  is  then 
boarded  in  on  the  sides  and  ends,  the 
boards  coming  flush  with  the  ceiling  of 
the  room.  A  casing  of  6-in.  boards  should 
be  laid  around  the  edge  of  the  well,  so 
that  the  edges  of  these  boards  will  just 


-sTxe" 


with  inclined  ways,  as  illustrated  to  the 
right.  Cut  two  boards  to  the  shape  shown 
for  the  guard  rails,  of  %-in.  stock,  9  in. 
high  at  one  end,  and  3  in.  high  at  the 
other.  Then  make  another  pair  for  the 
ways,  8  in.  high  at  one  end  and  2  in.  at 
the  other.  Match  each  pair  and  screw 
them  solidly  to  each  other,  the  ways  in- 
side of  the  guard  rails.  Along  the  top 
edge  of  the  latter,  screw  strips  of  band 
iron,  iy2  in.  wide.  See  that  this  iron  has 
straight  and  parallel  edges,  and  that  the 
outside  edges  are  flush  with  the  guard 
rails.  The  ends  of  these  boards  should 
come  at  least  2  in.  from  each  end  of  the 


PULL  CHAIN   TO  OPEN  PANEL 


Slot   VIEW 

DETAIL  OF  PANEL 


END  VIEW 


A  Stairway  Which  is  Lifted  Out  of  the  Wav  in  a  Pew  Seconds^    It  Is  Only  Necessary  to  Slide  the  Stairs 

Upward  on  the  Ways  Until  They  Catch  on  the  Spring  Hook,  and  Let  the  Panel  Rise  Plush  with 

the    Ceiling.    A    Corresponding    Operation    Brings   the    Stairway    Down,    Ready  for    Use 


meet  the  edges  of  those  inside  the  well. 

The  swinging  panel  is  constructed  in 
such  a  way  as  to  make  a  presentable  ap- 
pearance to  the  occupants  of  the  room 
when  it  is  swung  up  in  place.  It  is  6 
ft.  long  and  2  ft.  6  in.  wide,  supposing  the 
rafters  to  be  30  in.  apart.  If  the  ceiling 
timbers  are  spaced  any  other  distance  be- 
tween centers,  make  the  panel  of  a  width 
to  correspond,  so  it  will  lap  over  the  edge 
of  the  sides  of  the  opening  about  1  in. 
When  the  well  is  ready  for  the  panel 
it  should  measure  5  ft.  10  in.  by  2  ft.  4  in. ; 
the  panel  then  sets  into,  and  flush  with, 
the  casing. 

The  upper  face  of  the  panel  is  provided 


panel.  Fasten  the  guard  rails  to  the  panel 
with  angle  irons.  Hinge  the  panel  at 
the  heavy  end  to  the  casing  of  the  well 
with  solid  hinges,  and  provide  the  free 
end  with  a  chain  by  which  it  can  be  pulled 
down  to  put  the  stairs  in  service. 

The  stairs  illustrated  are  for  a  room 
8  ft.  high ;  the  length  can  be  easily  varied 
to  suit  the  height  of  any  room  more  or 
less  than  8  ft.  Cut  the  sides  from  two 
8-in.  pine  boards  of  %-in.  stock.  The 
longest  edge,  as  indicated,  should  be  10  ft. 
4  in.  long  to  obtain  a  good  angle  for  such 
a  stairway.  The  bevel  at  the  lower  end 
is  6  in.  wide,  and  the  top  bevel  can  be  cut 
parallel   with   the   upper  floor  by  setting 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


the  sides  in  place  temporarily  and  mark- 
ing with  a  straightedge.  The  width  of 
the  steps  should  be  such  that  the  sides 
will  fit  fairly  snugly  down  on  to  the  ways, 
yet  not  so  tight  as  to  bind  in  the  least. 
Then  a  groove  should  be  cut  along  the 
outside  of  the  sides,  into  which  will  slide 
the  edge  of  the  iron  straps,  or  guards. 
These  prevent  the  stairs  from  being 
pulled  away  from  the  ways.  Set  in  the 
treads,  parallel  with  the  floor,  and  the 
same  distance  apart  all  the  way  up.  It 
is  well  to  mortise  them  into  the  sides 
about  %  in.  to  stiffen  the  structure.  Angle 
irons  at  the  top  and  bottom  steps  will 
further  prevent  it  from  pulling  out  of 
shape.  A  little  paraffin  on  the  ways  will 
improve  the  sliding  qualities. 

The  stairway  disappears  by  sliding  it 
up  the  ways  until  the  bottom  is  some 
distance  above  the  lower  end  of  the  panel. 
Somewhat  more  than  half  of  the  stair- 
way should  project  into  the  air  and 
should  be  slightly  more  than  sufficient  to 
counterbalance   the   weight  of  the   panel 


and  bottom  of  the  steps.  To  fasten  the 
stairway  when  it  is  pushed  to  the  proper 
height,  and  keep  it  from  falling,  a  spring 
hook  is  provided,  as  shown  in  the  detail. 
It  works  automatically  when  the  stair- 
way is  being  put  away,  but  must  be  re- 
leased by  hand  when  the  stairs  are  being 
lowered  for  use.  When  they  are  fastened 
by  this  hook,  the  panel  tends  to  rise,  be- 
ing pulled  upward  by  the  weight  of  the 
upper  end  of  the  stairs.  By  means  of 
the  chain,  which  should  have  some  sort 
of  knob  at  its  end,  the  panel  is  held  as  it 
moves  into  place.  No  catch  or  fastening 
is  necessary  to  hold  it  there,  as  the  coun- 
terbalancing weight  of  the  stairs  accom- 
plishes this  purpose. 

Being  a  stairway  which  is  as  easy  to 
ascend  as  an  ordinary  one,  and  yet  taking 
up  no  more  space  than  the  trapdoor  and 
ladder  so  frequently  found,  the  construc- 
tion may  be  very  useful  for  reaching  al- 
most any  upper  story  if  access  is  not  nec- 
essary in  the  daytime,  but  only  at  night 
for  sleeping  purposes. 


Shoe  Shining  at  Home  Made  Easy 

by  Handy  Outfit 

One  of  the  needless  luxuries  for  which 
Americans      spend    enormous    sums    of 
money   is  that   of 
having  their  shoes 
shined  at  a  public 
shoe-shining    par- 
lor.    It  is  well  to 
remember      that 
shining  one's  own 
shoes  means  no 
loss   of   time,   but 
rather  a  saving  of 
time,    as    there    is 
no  waiting  and  no 
delay    if    every- 
thing is  handy.    A 
rack,    such    as   il- 
lustrated, makes 
this    surprisingly    easy.      Either    foot    is 
placed  on  the  outer  rail  and  all  brushes 
and  material  are  then  within  handy  reach. 
The  posture  can  be  shifted  as  found  con- 
venient, to  give  access  to  the  rack,  and 
clearance  for  the  polishing  cloth. 


easily  in  this  way:  A  %-in.  bolt,  15  in. 
long,  was  wound  with  about  15  ft.  of  in- 
sulated copper  wire,  and  four  dry  cells, 
in  multiple,  were  connected  to  this  coil. 
At  the  cost  of  a  few  seconds  of  ruinous 
service  on  the  cells,  an  electromagnet  was 
formed,  so  powerful  that  it  lifted  the 
wTench  from  the  transmission  case  and 
saved  a  big  job  of  tearing  down  and  re- 
assembling.— John  H.  Thies,  Cedar  Falls, 
Iowa. 


Improvised  Electromagnet  Picks  Wrench 
from  Crankcase 

A  wrench  which  had  been  accidentally 
dropped  into  the  transmission  case  of  a 
car,  seemed  to  be  almost  impossible  to 
recover  without  tearing  down  part  of  the 
transmission.      It    was     recovered    quite 


Keeping  Small  Punchings  from  Sticking 

to  the  Perforator 

In  perforating,  on  the  punch  press, 
holes  in  very  thin  stock  or  of  very  small 
diameter,  one  important  source  of  trouble 
is  that  the  punchings  have  a  tendency  to 
stick  to  the  end  of  the  perforator,  and  be 
carried   along  the 

stock     to     the  ^' ^  ^j^^Sr-^ 

next  hole  to  be  Tt"^^i      \ 

punched,  where 
they  do  much 
damage*  The  trou- 
ble can  be  obvi- 
ated by  the  use  of 
the  compound 
type  of  punch  and 

die,  but  these  are  expensive.  A  cheaper 
method  is  to  ream  out  the  hole  in  the  die 
to  a  slight  taper  at  the  top,  so  that  it  is 
about  .002  in.  oversize  at  the  cutting  edge. 
The  perforator  is  made  just  long  enough 


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295 


to  reach  down  beyond  the  end  of  the 
taper.  The  punching  will  then  be  wedged 
tightly  in  the  die  hole,  and  will  not  ad- 
here to  the  perforator.  There  will,  of 
course,  be  a  slight  burr  turned  up  around 
the  punched  hole,  but  this  will  be  re- 
moved in  the  tumbling  operation  com- 
monly performed  on  this  class  of  parts. — 
S.  B.  Royal,  Reading,  Pa. 


Useful  Kinks  for  Improving 
the  Draftsman's  Triangle 

The  ingenious  draftsman  can  make  on 
his  triangle  many  little  improvements 
which  will  facilitate  his  particular  line  of 

work.  Two 
such  kinks 
are  shown  in 
the  illustra- 
tion. Each 
shop  usually 
has  its  o  w  n 
rule  as  to 
draft  angles 
in  castings, 
these  being 
usually  from 
5  to  10°.  One 
of  the  inside 
edges  of  the 
triangle  may 
be  dressed  off 
with  a  knife, 
chisel  or  file 
to  this  angle; 
and  by  turning  the  triangle  to  a  suitable 
position,  one  can  then  readily  draw  these 
lines  with  the  proper  slant. 

Another  useful  kink  is  to  dress  off  an- 
other of  the  interior  edges  to  a  some- 
what steeper  angle,  and  file  notches  of 
uniform  depth  at  equal  intervals  along 
the  edge.  These  are  quite  useful  in  sec- 
tion-lining and  in  drawing  lines  for  letter- 
ing, as  the  lines  are  easily  spaced  the 
same  distance  apart.  In  determining  the 
position  of  the  notches,  the  triangle 
should  be  placed  over  two  lines,  which 
are  drawn  ^  or  Vi  in.  apart,  and  the  part 
of  the  slanted  edge  which  comes  between 
the  two  lines  should  then  be  divided  into 
8.  16,  25  or  50  equal  spaces,  as  preferred. 
If  notches  of  equal  depth  are  made  at 
these  points,  then,  by  setting  the  pencil 
in  the  notches  and  sliding  the  triangle 
along,  lines  can  be  readily  drawn  at  a 
distance  from  each  other  of  any  desired 
number  of  thirty-seconds  or  hundredths. 
Figures  can  be  scratched  onto  the  tri- 
angle, making  an  enlarged  scale  along  this 
edge  of  the  triangle. 


Shafting  Hangers  Converted  into  Neat 
Bench  Buffer 

Many  shops  where  the  position  of  over- 
head shafting  has  been  changed,  can  find 
use  for  a  pair  of 
shaft    hangers, 
which    may    have 
been  left  over,  to 
fit  up  a  bench  buf-    i 
fer.    A  short  piece    | 
of   shafting   is 
mounted,  as  illus- 
trated,   with    col- 
lars and  setscrews 
to  keep  it  in  place 
lengthwise,    and 

buffing  or  polishing  wheels  are  mounted 
on  the  two  ends.  ^It  is  not  desirable  to 
run  a  heavy  emery  wheel  at  high  speed  on 
ordinary  shaft  hangers,  as  they  are  not 
built  for  such  service,  but  for  buffing  and 
polishing  of  various  kinds  the  arrange- 
ment does  very  well.  The  cost  of  con- 
struction is  practically  nothing,  as  no 
material  need  be  purchased.  —  Ernest 
Schwartz,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 


Boiling  Potatoes  to  Loosen 
Boiler  Scale 

A  40-hp.  steam  boiler  was  kept  clear 
of  scale  for  over  20  years  by  the  simple 
process  of  placing  in  it  at  intervals  a 
bushel  of  potatoes.  It  was  found  that 
after  these  were  boiled  for  a  time,  the 
scale  loosened  and  collected  in  the  bot- 
tom of  the  boiler,  where  it  could  be  easily 
removed. — T.  J.   Hubbard,   Mendota,   111. 


Sawing  through  Plaster  Walls 

When  cutting  an  opening  for  a  door- 
way through  a  plastered  wall,  the  usual 
result  is  a  number 
of  cracks  in  the 
plaster,  some  of 
them  projecting 
beyond  the  part  to 
be  covered  by  the 
door  casing. 
Owing  to  the  hair 
used  in  the  plaster 
to  make  it  stick 
together,   the  saw 

mutilates  it  badly,     *■ 

sometimes  tearing  out  large  pieces.  This 
can  be  diminished  by  nailing  two  stiff 
boards  to  the  plaster,  with  room  between 
them  for  the  saw,  and  working  the  saw 
between  those  two  boards. — W.  Hr  Sar- 
gent, Rutland,  Vt. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


Tool-Chest  Tray  Rises  When 
Lid  is  Opened 

A  tray  built  in  the  lid  of  a  tool  chest, 
which  remains  level  at  all  positions  of  the 


lid,  is  a  very  convenient  place  to  keep 
small  tools  or  articles  which  are  used 
quite  frequently.  The  tray  should  not  be 
much  wider  than  half  the  width  of  the 
chest,  or  it  will  be  more  difficult  to  get  at 
the  tools  in  the  main  part  of  the  chest. 

In  order  that  the  tray  remain  level,  the 
four  hinge  points.  A,  B,  C,  and  D,  must 
form  a  parallelogram ;  that  is,  the  distance 
AB  must  be  equal  to  CD,  and  AC  to  BD. 
Since  D  must  be  below  C,  in  order  to  give 
the  screw  at  D  a  firm  hold  in  the  side  of 
the  chest,  B  must  be  set  the  same  distance 
below  the  level  of  A ;  and  because  D  can 
be  only  a  short  distance  below  the  level 
of  the  edge  of  the  chest,  the  links  which 
support  the  tray  should  not  be  used  to 
keep  the  lid  from  falling  back;  a  chain 
or  separate  sliding  link  should  be  used 
for  this  purpose. 

Readers  w^ho  are  interested  in  geomet- 
rical puzzles  may  find  it  interesting  to 
figure  out  the  conditions  under  which  A 
and  B  could  be  placed  in  the  same  hori- 
zontal plane,  with  D  lower  than  C,  and 
still  have  the  tray  level  in  both  open  and 
closed  positions. — Eino  E.  Lakso,  Fitch- 
burg,  ^lass. 


Pocket   Mirror   Is   Useful 
in  the  Shop 

A  small  pocket  mirror  is  a  very  handy 
thing  in  the  shop.  Either  daylight  or 
artificial  light  is  thus  easily  reflected  into 
a  dark  corner  or  into  a  blind  hole.  When 
the  lamp  attached  to  a  lathe  or  other  ma- 
chine   cannot    be    adjusted    to   a    proper 


place  for  seeing  the  work,  'the  mirror  may 
often  help  out.  Similarly,  if  a  deep  flask 
in  the  foundry  is  to  be  examined,  a  mirror 
is  much  handier  than  a  torch. — Edwin  J. 
Bachman,  Fullerton,  Pa. 


Fastening  Drawing  Paper  Tightly 
to  the  Board 

When  a  sheet  of  heavy  drawing  paper 
must  be  held  very  tightly  to  the  drawing 
board,  a  common  method  is  to  wet  it 
thoroughly  and  paste  the  edges  to  the 
board.  Then,  when  the  paper  dries,  it 
will  contract  slightly  and  will  be  stretched 
very  tightly  on  the  board.  This  tension 
is  so  great,  however,  that  unless  the  paste 
holds  very  firmly,  the  paper  will  be  torn 
away  from  the  board,  and  the  process 
must  be  repeated. 

The  sketch  shows  a  board  arranged 
with  the  idea  of  avoiding  this  trouble. 
Four  bars  of  half-round  iron  are  laid  into 
grooves,  cut  to  fit  them,  around  the  edge 
of  the  drawing  board.  The  sheet  of  draw- 
ing paper  should  be  large  enough  to  pro- 
ject an  inch,  or  more,  in  all  directions  be- 
yond these  grooves.  The  corners  of  the 
sheet  are  then  cut  off  diagonally,  and  the 
four  edges  of  the  sheet  are  forced  into 
the  grooves  under  pressure  of  the  half- 
round  bars.  The  bars  are  held  down  by 
screws,  soldered  into  them  at  intervals  of 
a  few  inches,  which  project  through  holes 
made  in  the  board.  On  the  lower  ends  are 
fitted  brass  thumb  nuts,  such  as  are  used 
extensively  in  electrical  work. 

With  this  arrangement,  the  paper  can 
be  clamped  very  tightly  even  without  wet- 
ting it ;  there  is  no  reason,  however,  why 
the  paper  may  not   be  wetted  and  then 


By  Means  off  Pour  Bars  of  Halff-Roond  Steel,  with 
Iffacliise  Screws  Soldered  In.  the  Drawins  Paper 
is  Clamped  Very  Pirmly  to  the  Board  in  a  Pew  Seconds 

clamped  with  the  rods,  if  this  is  found  to 
give  better  results  with  the  particular 
quality  of  paper  used. 


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Used  Oil  from  Auto  Engines 

Makes  Good  Fuel 

When  the  lubricating  oil  in  the  auto- 
mobile engine  is  changed,  the  old  oil,  al- 
though it  has  lost  its  usefulness  as  a 
lubricant,  still  makes  an  excellent  fuel. 
A  good  way  to  utilize  it  is  by  soaking  it 
up  into  paper  or  shavings,  and  pressing 
these,  if  possible,  into  compact  shapes. 
Care  must  be  taken  to  guard  against 
spontaneous  combustion,  and  to  protect 
the  oil-soaked  material  in  every  way  pos- 
sible from  fire  danger. — Parke  L.  Shee, 
Oak  Park,  111. 


clothes  are  thrown  into  the  box,  and  the 
steam  is  turned  on.    A  small  pipe  was  pro- 


Steam  Whistle  Made  from  Pipe  Fittings 

A  small  shop,  which  does  not  require 
the   daily   use   of  a   steam   whistle,   may 

nevertheless    desire 

it  greatly  on  special 
occasions,    such    as 
for  celebration  pur- 
poses.       Even 
though  steam  pres- 
sure   may    not    be 
available,   com- 
pressed    air,    as 
maintained    for   in- 
'  f  I  a  t  i  n  g    tires,    is 
equally    useful.      A 
whistle    can    be 
made  almost  entire- 
ly from  pipe  fittings 
and  scraps  of  iron. 
Only  one  part  need 
be    turned    in    t  he 
lathe,    namely,    the 
irregular  part,  con- 
tained   within    the 
I  reducing    coupling. 
It  should  be  turned 
to  allow  an  opening 
of  not  much  more  than  .01  in.  between  it 
and  the  short  piece  of  pipe  by  which  it  is 
surrounded.    The  tone  of  the  whistle  de- 
pends on   the  length  of  the  upper  pipe, 
and   3   or  4  in.   will   be   found   a   useful 
length.     The  whistle  valve  may  be  pur- 
chased, or,  for  occasional  use,  some  other 
form  of  valve  may  take  its  place. — Charles 
Springer,  Detroit,  Mich. 


Mechanic's  Clothes  Laundered 

by  Elxhaust  Steam 

In  a  shop  where  exhaust  steam  was 
plentiful,  a  mechanic  built  a  box,  with  a 
lid  for  closing  it  tightly,  connected  to  a 
pipe  which  led  through  a  valve  to  the  ex- 
haust-steam line.    Soiled  overalls  or  shop 


A  Mechanic  Built  His  Own  Steam  Laundrv  for  Clean- 
ing His  Overalls,  Making  Use  of  the  Exhaust 
Steam  from  the  Shop  Engines 

vided  as  a  steam  outlet,  and  another  to 
carry  off  the  condensed  steam  from  the 
bottom.  It  was  found  that,  after  remain- 
ing in  the  box  for  a  few  minutes,  the 
overalls  were  quite  well  cleaned.  After 
removal  from  the  box,  they  were  rinsed 
in  cold  water,  and  the  box  was  ready  for 
the  next  batch. — Roy  H.  Poston,  St.  Fran- 
cois, Mo. 


Replacing  Incandescent  Lamps 

in  Lofty  Ceiling  Fixtures 

A  usefu4  tool,  for  removing  blown-out 
electric  lamps  from  high  ceiling  fixtures 
and  replacing  them  with  new  ones,  was 
made  from  a  long 
pole    with    wire 
loops  firmly  at- 
tached to  the  end. 
The    loops    of 
spring   wire    were 
so    shaped    as    to 
slip  over  the  end 
of  a  lamp  of  the 
size  used  and  hold 
it   firmly.     Each 
loop  was  wrapped, 
at  the  point  where 
the  lamp  diameter 
was   largest,   with 
insulating  tape,  which  created  friction  be- 
tween the  tool  and  the  glass,  so  that  the 
lamps  could  be  loosened  even  if  screwed 
in  quite  tightly.    A  tool  of  this  character 
can  readily  be  made  jointed,  to  reach  fix- 
tures of  various  heights,  and  will  save  a 
great   deal   of   the  time   otherwise   spent 
in    bringing   ladders   and   climbing  upon 
them  to  reach  the  lamps. — Dale  R.  Van 
Horn,  North  Loup,  Neb. 


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Splicing  Stranded  Wire 

Almost  any  practical  man  can  make  a 
splice,  between  the  ends  of  two  stranded 
electric  conductors,  which  will  carry  the 


The  strands  are  First  Bent  Back,  So  That  the  Core 
may  be  Cut  Off*  and  Arc  Then  Interlaced 

current,  but  comparatively  few  know  how 
to  make  quickly  a  strong  splice  which  will 
have  a  neat,  businesslike  appearance. 
The  successive  steps  of  the  process  are 
shown  in  the  sketches.  The  first  step  is 
to  "skin"  the  wire,  and  sandpaper  it  until 
it  is  bright,  removing  all  the  rubber  and 
other  insulation  from  the  conductor. 
Next  the  ends  of  the  outer  strands  should 
be  bent  back  to  expose  the  core,  which 
should  then  be  cut  off.  The  outer 
strands  are  now  forced  back  almost  to 
their  normal  position.  The  two  ends  to 
be  connected  are  laced  together,  so  that 
the  end  of  each  strand  comes  between  two 
ends  from  the  other  conductor.  Pro- 
ceeding, each  one  of  the  free  ends  is 
wrapped  around  the  main  conductor, 
taking  all  strands  of  each  conductor  in 
their  order,  going  around  the  joint,  and 


The  Strands  arc  Wound  Around,  One  after  the  Other, 
Forminc  «  Joint  of  Great  Strength 

wrapping  each  one  around  as  many  times 
as  it  will  go.  Each  strand  should  be  cut 
off  where  it  meets  the  next  strand  to  be 


wrapped,  as  indicated  in  the  lower  sketch, 
so  that  there  will  be  no  incomplete  turns 
of  wire. 

To  solder  the  joint,  the  molten  metal 
should  be  poured  with  a  ladle,  so  that  it 
will  drain  into  the  solder  pot  through  and 
around  the  joint,  until  the  joint  becomes 
hot  enough  so  that  the  solder  will  perme- 
ate it  and  stick  to  it  effectively.  After 
the  joint  has  thus  been  uniformly  heated, 
and  appears  to  be  "tinned"  over  its  whole 
surface,  a  wet  piece  of  waste  can  be  held 
on  it  to  cool  it  quickly.  Tape  servings 
around  the  joint,  to  the  thickness  of  the 
insulation  of  the  original  wire,  complete 
the  splice. — E,  D.  Hunt,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 


Holding  Split  Patterns  in  the  Lathe 

When  a  pattern  maker  wishes  to  do  a 
quick  job  of  turning  up  either  one  or  both 
halves  of  a  split  pattern,  he  often  makes 
use    of    small    "pinch    dogs,"    which    are 
driven   into  the  pieces  to  hold  them  to- 
gether.  These 
dogs   are    not    al- 
ways, very    satis- 
factory,   and    are 
dangerous,  as  they 
may    fly    out    at  I 
high   speed.     One 
pattern    maker 
uses  circular  dogs 
of  the  type  illus- 
trated on  both  live  and  dead  centers  of 
the  lathe.    One  of  the  dogs  is  driven  into 
each  end  of  the  wood;   the  one  at  the 
dead-center  end  revolves  on  the  dead  cen- 
ter, while  the  other  revolves  with  the  live 
center.     The  flange  around  the  dog  aids 
in  withdrawing  it  after  the  work  is  com- 
pleted.   It  is  well  to  caseharden  the  sharp 
edge. 


To  Dry  a  Lens  Properly 

Surveyors  often  find  their  instrument 
lenses  fogged  in  cold  weather,  due  to 
moisture  condensing  upon  the  cold  crys- 
tals. It  should  not  be  wiped  off,  as  this 
in  time  injures  the  polished  surfaces,  but 
should  be  evaporated  by  gently  warming 
the  lens.  Especially  is  this  necessary  when 
the  inner  surfaces  become  fogged;  they 
will  soon  clear  if  the  instrument  is  set  in 
a  warm  room.  This  is  seldom  practicable, 
however,  but  if  the  objective  end  of  the 
tube  is  grasped  in  the  bare  hand,  in  a  few 
minutes  the  lenses  will  be  dry  and  clear. 
Never  put  any  lens  near  a  stove  to  dry, 
as  even  a  moderate  temperature  may  in- 
jure the  cemented  joint  and  ruin  the  lens. 


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Punch  for  Laying  Out  Drill  Holes 

When  laying  out  a  row  of  holes  for 
cutting  out  a  piece  of  metal,  as  in  die 
work,  it  often  requires  a  great  deal  of 
practice  to  be 
able  to  space  the 
holes  accurately. 
A  special  punch 
which  makes  this 
work  much  easier 
can  be  made  from 
a  piece  of  drill  rod 
the  size  of  the 
drill  to  be  used.  Shape  the  end,  as  shown 
in  the  illustration;  then  harden  and 
temper  the  piece  for  use  as  a  punch. 
The  manner  of  using  it  is  evident  from 
the  illustration;  the  small  center  marks 
can  be  deepened  with  an  ordinary  center 
punch  before  drilling,  if  found  convenient. 
—J.  H.  Beebee,  Rochester,  N.  Y. 


THE  THOUSANDTH  OP  AN   INCH 
By  Thot.  A.  Iffclffahon 

At  night  I  sit  and  ponder 
On  the  thousandth  of  an  inch; 

I  knit  my  brow,  and  scratch  my  head* 
And  then  my  fists  I  clinch. 

0  show  to  mc  the  man,  sez  I — 
If  Irish,  Dutch,  or  Frinch — 

The  man  who  first  invented 
The  thousandth  of  an  inch ! 

When  finally  I  crawl  in  bed, 
So  thankful  for  a  snooze, 

1  drive  my  sorrows  all  away 
V\^ithout  the  aid  of  booze — 

I  dream  that  they  have  caught  the  man, 
And  him  they  now  will  lynch. 

By  links !     The  man  who  did  invent 
The  thousandth  of  an  inch ! 


iT^  tt'OLASS  PL  AT  E  -• 
WING  NUT  - 


Glass  Plate  over  Buzz  Saw  Protects  Eyes 

When  a  buzz  saw  begins  to  get  dull,,  it 
usually  throws  sawdust  quite  badly  into 
the  face  of  the  operator.  One  user  of  a 
buzz  saw  found  it 
convenient  to 
have  handy  a 
pane  of  glass 
mounted  on  a 
frame,  as  illus- 
trated, so  that  the 
glass  could  be 
placed  directly 
over  the  saw, 
to  shield  the 
operator's  face. 
The  utmost  care  must,  of  course,  be 
taken  to  make  the  frame  solid  and  steady, 
so  as  to  prevent  the  glass  from  coming 
into  contact  with  the  saw.  —  Frederic 
Doremus,  Passaic,  N.  J. 


BUZZ    SAW-' 
-WOOD  RACK 


Homemade  Concrete  Tombstone 

The  photograph  shows  the  splendid  re- 
sults obtained  in  making  a  tombstone  of 
concrete   with    no 
special  equipment. 
A  mold  was  made 
out  of  %-in.  lum- 
ber, in  four  parts, 
for  the   four  sec- 
tions of  the  tomb- 
stone.  The  letters 
were  cut  from 
cardboard,     and 
fastened    to    the 
side  of  the  mold, 
reading  in  reverse 
so  that  they  would 
be  in   the  correct 
order    on     the 
stone.     The   con- 
crete was  mixed,  using  one  part  cement 
and  three  of  sand,  and  was  poured  in  from 
the  top.     It  takes  about  three  weeks  for 
such  a  stone  to  dry,  but  if  well  made,  it  is 
scarcely  less  durable  than  a  marble  stone, 
and  makes  an  appearance  which  is  not  at 
all  unpleasing. — James  F.  Welliner,  Dan- 
ville, Pa. 


*-8CPAPCR 


i  BOLT  AND 
WINO  NOT 


A  Handle  for  Scraper  Blades 

Scrapers  for  wood  are  widely  used 
without  handles,  the  blade  being  held  di- 
rectly in  the  hands.  While  this  is  hard  on 
the  fingers,  espe- 
cially of  an  inex- 
perienced man,  it 
is  necessary,  chief- 
ly in  order  to  get 
into  corners 
where  a  handle 
would  be  in  the 
way,  or  would  in- 
terfere with  hold- 
ing the  scraper  at  the  proper  angle.  A 
carpenter,  who  uses  on  his  scrapers  the 
handle  here  illustrated,  finds  that  it  gives 
very  little  trouble  in  this  respect,  and 
saves  soreness  of  the  fingers  when  there 
is  much  of  this  kind  of  work  to  do. 
The  handle  is  cut  from  hard  wood,  %  in. 
thick,  and  the  backing  block  is  rounded 
oflF  smooth  at  the  top  to  allow  a  firm  hold 
by  the  left  hand,  giving  plenty  of  pressure 
against  the  work. — Benj.  W.  Bush,  Key- 
port,  N.  J. 


CTAll  bearing  surfaces  in  machinery 
should  be  as  large  as  is  practicable,  insur- 
ing against  undue  wear.  Compensation 
for  wear  should  also  be  provided  for. 


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A  Portable  Tool  Drawer 

A  carpenter  who  works  in  a  plant  where 
he  has  to  carry  his  tools  around  frequent- 
ly to  various  locations  in  the  shop,  fitted 


Transfer  of  Toolt  from  the  Drawer  to  a  Poruble  Tray 

is  Avoided  by  Combining  the  Two  {Receptacles 

into  One,  Which  Serves  the  Purpose  of  Both 

up  a  box  which  serves  either  as  a  drawer 
for  his  workbench  or  for  a  tray  to  be 
carried.  When  in  its  place  under  the 
bench,  the  drawer  is  readily  locked  with 
a  padlock  over  the  hasp  shown.  When 
the  carpenter  starts  out  to  work  in  an- 
other part  of  the  plant,  he  merely  takes 
out  the  drawer,  catches  it  by  the  handle 
in  the  middle  partition  and  carries  it  with 
him. — Chas.  H.  Willey,  Concord,  N.  H. 


Proper  Placing  of  Three  Hinges 
on  a  Door 

When  three  hinges  are  used  on  a  barn 
or  garage  door,  they  are  usually  placed 
equidistant;  the  third  hinge,  being  mid- 
way between  the  other  two,  is  then  of 
little  use  except  in  restraining  any  tend- 
ency of  the  door  to  warp.  It  does  very 
little  good  toward  supporting  the  weight 
of  the  door,  and  on  doors  where  warping 
is  not  to  be  feared,  it  will  make  a  better 
job  if  the  third  hinge  is  placed  directly 
underneath  the  upper  hinge,  as  this  is 
where  its  strength  will  count  the  most. 
The  appearance  may  not  be  quite  so  sym- 
metrical, but  the  door  will  work  longer 
without  attention. 


Lead  "German  Soldiers''  Used 
as  Targets 

The  enterprising  owner  of  a  public 
shooting  gallery  set  up  for  targets,  in- 
stead of  the  ordfnary  figures  of  birds  or 
fowl,  a  line  of  small  German  soldiers 
made  of  lead.  Every  successful  shot 
broke  up  one  of  these  soldiers,  but  the 
pieces  of  lead  were  caught  up  In  a  net 
and  were  readily  recast. — Philip  A.  Wall, 
Bedford,  Mass. 


Saving  Fuel  on  the  Gas  Range 

A  kink  which  will  save  gas  in  the 
kitchen  is  the  use  of  a  large  piece  of  sheet 
iron,  to  be  placed  directly  on  top  of  the 
stove  when  there  are  several  utensils  to 
be  kept  warm.  The  sheet-iron  plate  con- 
ducts the  heat  from  one  burner  and  dis- 
tributes it  to  the  others  so  that  only  the 
one  burner  need  be  kept  lighted.  The 
sheet-iron  slide  which  many  stoves  have 
under  the  burners  to  catch  dirt,  if  easily 
removed,  will  be  quite  satisfactory  for 
this  purpose.  No  great  amount  of  heat 
will  be  conducted  to  the  vessels  indirectly 
over  the  fire,  but  there  will  be  sufficient 
to  keep  the  contents  warm  enough  for 
eating. — G,  A.  Luers,  Washington,  D.  C. 


Electric  Hand  Warmer  for  Automobile 
Steering  Wheel 

One  of  the  simplest  electrical  conven- 
iences to  make  for  the  automobile  is  an 
electric  hand  warmer.  On  the  half  of  the 
steering  w^heel  that  comes  toward  the 
driver's  body,  or  where  he  will  grasp  the 
wheel,  wind  a  layer  of  heavy  silk  cloth. 
Mica  will  do  just  as  well,  and  if  one  is 
sure  the  wheel  will  never  become  wet,  no 
silk  layer  is  necessary.  Next,  cut  some 
asbestos  in  strips,  and  wind  it  over  the 
silk.  Then  wind  some  resistance  wire 
carefully  upon  the  asbestos,  with  each 
turn  y^  in.  from  the  next,  being  careful 
that  no  two  turns  touch.  Over  this  wind 
tire  tape,  extending  it  also  over  the  other 
half  of  the  wheel,  for  the  sake  of  uniform 
appearance.  To  the  ends  of  the  resistance 
wire  connect  insulated,  stranded  copper 
wires,  that  reach  down  the  steering  post 
to  a  connection  with  the  storage  battery 


IN&ULATEO    COPPER_ 
V^RE   TO    BATTERY      ^ 

^ 

i 

« 

^ 

III  UAVCR  OF 
^^     SICK  OR  MICA 

\ 

^m 

^^J\ 

etfLAVER  OF 
ASBESTOS 

U'^y> 

jk      ^ 

^3»LAVER  OF  RESISTANCE  WIRE  1 

^^-*T=UAVER  OF  TIRE  TAPE 

A  Little  Electric  Current  from  the  Storage  Battery 

on  the  Car*  PatsinE  through  Resistance  Wire  Wound 

on  the  Steering   wheel*   Keeps  the  Driver's  Hands 

Warm  on  the  Coldest  Days 

of  the  car.  Place  a  switch  in  the  line  so 
that  the  circuit  can  be  broken.  A  good 
enough  resistance  material  for  this  pur- 
pose is  bare  iron  wire.     For  six-volt  bat- 


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teries,  30  ft.  of  No.  20  gauge  iron  wire 
will  do;  for  12  volts,  about  No.  23  should 
be  used.  The  wire  should  become  only 
moderatelj^  hot ;  this  can  be  determined  in 
each  particular  case  before  the  tire  tape 
is  permanently  wound  in  place. — F.  E. 
Brimmer,  Dalton,  N.  Y. 


Insulating  Handles  for  Pliers 
and  Other  Tools 

In  order  that  the  electrician  may  work 
with  safety  on  wires  carrying  high  volt- 
age, the  handles  of  his  pliers,  and  other 
tools,  are  often  insulated  with  tape  or 
wood.  These  materials  do  not  form  a 
satisfactory  insulation  against  any  con- 
siderable voltage,  except  when  dry  and  in 
good  condition.  Those  who  wish  a  better 
quality  of  insulation  may  use  this  method: 
Give  the  handle  a  coat  of  shellac,  and 
wind  around  it  strips  of  mica;  over  this 
give  a  coat  of  rubber  cement,  such  as  is 
used  for  repairing  automobile  tires.    Be- 


Rnbber  Tubinc  Cemented   on   the   Handles  of   the 

Pliers,  with  a  La/er  of  Mica  Between,  Gives 

a  Real  Insulating  Handle 

fore  the  cement  gets  too  hard,  slip  over 
it  a  piece  of  red-rubber  tubing  (not  fabric 
hose)  with  walls  about  %  in.  thick. 
When  the  cement  has  hardened,  it  will 
hold  the  rubber  tubing  firmly  in  place. 
One  reason  for  selecting  red-rubber  tub- 
ing rather  than  white  is  that  it  makes  the 
tool  much  easier  to  distinguish  on  a 
bench,  which  may  be  full  of  other  tools 
and  white-porcelain  articles.  The  outer 
ends  of  the  pieces  of  rubber  tubing  should 
be  vulcanized  together,  or  stitched  with 
stout  thread,  in  order  to  protect  the 
hands.- 


Pen  Wiper  for  Draftsmen 

Much  time  can  be  saved  in  the  drafting 
room  by  providing  means  for  wiping  out 
the  pen  with  one  hand,  while  lifting  the 
cork  from  the  ink  bottle  with  the  other. 
Filling   the   pen   is   an    operation   which 


must  be  performed  so  often  that  this 
slight  saving  is  of  considerable  value.  A 
convenient  arrangement  for  this  purpose 


IRON   lh4K- 

BOTTLE 

HOLOEP 


Much  off  the  Tracer's  Time  can  be  Saved  if  He  can 
Clean  Out  and  Pill  His  Rnlinc  Pen  with  One  Hand, 
Leaving  the  Other  Prcc  to  Uncover  the  Ink  Bottle 

consists  of  a  band  of  sheet  brass  around 
the  bottle  holder,  fastened  with  a  small 
screw.  The  projecting  end  is  wrapped 
with  absorbent  linen,  such  as  may  be  pro- 
duced by  washing  out  scraps  of  tracing 
cloth  in  hot  water.  A  pin  is  clamped  in 
near  the  screw,  so  that  the  end  of  the 
strip  of  linen  will  catch  on  its  point  and 
be  prevented  from  unraveling.  The  pen 
is  wiped  with  a  movement  of  one  hand,  as 
illustrated,  the  weight  of  the  bottle  holder 
preventing  its  being  lifted  off  the  table: — 
Q.  J.  Workman,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 


Springless   Self-Closing   Gate  Hinge 

A  very  simple  hinge  for  the  farm  gate, 
which  possesses  great  strength  and  dura- 
bility, consists  of  two  pieces  of  pipe  and 
a  piece  of  round  bar  bent  to  a  right  angle. 
The    short    piece 
of  pipe  should  be 
driven    into    the 
larger    piece,    the 
lower    end    of 
which  is  flattened 
and  fastened  with 
screws  to  the  post. 
The  upper  end  of 
this  piece  of  pipe 
should  be  beveled 
off  at  an  angle  of 
about  30®,  so  that, 
as    the    gate    is 
opened,  it  will  be  ^ 

lifted  slightly  and  its  weight  will  tend  to 
close  it  without  the  use  of  any  spring. 
It  is  not  always  necessary  to  have  the  two 
pieces  of  pipe,  but  it  makes  a  much 
stronger  and  more  durable  hinge,  as  the 
rod  does  not  need  to  be  bent  at  such  a 
sharp  angle,  and  the  larger  pipe  will  cause 
less  strain  on  the  screws  which  hold  the 
flattened  pipe  in  place. 


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Movable  Posts  Made  of  Pipe  Useful 

in  Stock  Rooms 

The  sacKs  in  the  picture  are  held  be- 
tween movable  posts,  each  made  of  two 


Movable  Steel  Posts,  between  Which  Stock  can  be 

Piled  Up»  will  be  Pound  Useful  in  Many 

Tftctory    Stock    Rooms 

pieces  of  pipe,  two  flanges,  and  a  coupling. 
At  the  coupling,  both  pieces  of  pipe  are 
threaded  with  a  straight  thread,  not  a  pipe 
thread,  one  being  right-hand  and  the 
other  left-hand.  The  coupling  is  threaded 
internally,  to  correspond  with  these,  and 
is  adjusted  like  a  turnbuckle,  a  hole  being 
drilled  through  the  center  of  it,  to  take 
an  iron  rod,  as  a  wrench.  To  move  the 
posts  from  one  place  to  another,  it  is 
only  necessary  to  loosen  this  coupling, 
move  the  posts,  and  again  tighten  it  up. 


Repairing  a   Cracked   Water  Jacket 
with  Cement 

A  10-hp.  gasoline  engine  suddenly  de- 
veloped a  crack  in  the  water  jacket,  and 
was  put  out  of  commission.  As  the  loca- 
tion was  far  from  a  repair  shop,  an  emer- 
gency repair  was  attempted  with  cement. 
It  was  found  that  by  having  a  rough 
boxing  built  around  the  cylinder  and  a 
few  inches  above  it,  and  pouring  in  a 
mixture  of  1  part  Portland  cement  and 
3  parts  sand,  with  a  few  iron  bars  laid 
across  it  to  prevent  cracking,  the  crack 
was  plugged  so  that  no  water  leaked. 
After  the  cement  had  dried,  the  engine 
ran  as  well  as  ever. — H.  S.  Rich,  Crom- 
well, Conn. 


Lighting  a  Fire  at  the  Top 

Saves  Fuel 

Although  a  coal  fire  always  burns  bet- 
ter, especially  at  the  start,  when  lighted 
from  the  bottom,  it  has  been  found  to 
be  much  more  enonomical  of  coal  if  the 
paper  and  kindling  wood  are  placed  above 
the  coal.  A  few  small  coals  and  cinders 
are  spread  over  the  top  of  the  kindling 
wood  to  enable  a  coal  fire  to  be  started. 
After  the  top  layer  begins  to  burn  prop- 
erly, the  fire  will  spread  slowly  down- 
ward, if  the  air  draft  is  right.  This 
method  secures  the  most  complete  com- 
bustion, because  the  gases  from  the  un- 
burned  coal  at  the  bottom  must  pass 
through  the  burning  layer  at  the  top,  and 
thus  become  completely  burned.  It  is  ad- 
mittedly harder  to  build  and  control  this 
kind  of  a  fire,  but  the  saving  in  fuel  often 
justifies  the  extra  trouble. 


Handy  Twine  Holder  and  Cutter 

To  make  a  very  convenient  holder  and 
cutter  for  twine,  place  the  ball  of  twine 
in  a  wooden  box,  with  the  end  coming  out 
through  a  hole  in  the  lid,  over  which  a 
flat  spring  is  fastened  so  as  to  hold  it 
from  slipping  back  into  the  box.  From 
this  spring  the  twine  comes  out  under  the 
knife,  which  may  be  made  from  a  piece 
of  a  saw  or  a  safety-razor  blade.  The 
knife  is  mounted  on  a  block  which  works 
on  a  hinge,  as  shown.  Another  fiat 
spring  is  mounted  under  the  block,  to 
keep  it  away  from  the  twine  while  it  is 
being  drawn  out.  To  cut  off  the  twine, 
simply  strike  the  knob  on  top  with  the 


C Where  rubber  gaskets  might  be  objec- 
tionable, as  on  cooking  utensils,  tin  foil 
is  very  useful  for  the  purpose. 


DETAIL    OF 
TWINC    HOUDCR 


A  Great  Convenience    in    Tying  IJp  Packages  la  a 

Twine  Cutter,  Which  Never  Gets  Lost  and  can  b« 

Operated  by  Striking  the  Hand  against  a  Knob 

h<tnd,  bringing  the  knife  down  on  the 
twine.  The  knife  should  be  removed  and 
sharpened  when  necessary. — Chandler  H. 
Montgomery,  Piqua,  Ohio. 


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A  Baseball    Batting    Machine 

By  a.  D.  GOODRICH 


TIIZHEN  winter  snows  and  spring  rains 
^^    keep  the  baseball  fan  indoors,  his  in- 
terest in  the  game  by  no  means  dies  out. 
If  he  has  a  gymnasium  large  enough  for 
a  good  game  of  indoor  baseball,  he  may 
find  in  this  way  consolation  for  the  im- 
possible condition  of  the  diamond.     For 
those  who  have  no  access  to  such  a  gym- 
nasium, a  great  deal  of  fun  can  be  ob- 
tained from  a  batting  machine,  with  which 
a    complete    imitation   game    of   baseball 
can   be   played   by  any  number  of  boys. 
The    materials    can 
usually     be     found 
in   a  wood   pile   or 
about  the  house,  or 
can  be  obtained  at 
the  cost  of  only  a 
few  cents. 

The    upright,    or 
score  board,  of  the 
machine  should  be 
of  good  clear  lum- 
ber %   in.  thick,  4 
to  6  in.  wide,  and  12 
or   14  ft.  long.      It 
should       b  e      sup- 
ported   on    a    base 
and    firmly    braced 
to    take    the   shock 
from  the  bat.  If  this 
base  is  boarded  over 
on    the    bottom,    it 
will    be   much   stif- 
fened and  then  can 
be  weighted  down  with  sandbags,  or  any 
other  heavy  object  which  can  be  thrown 
onto  the  floor  of  the  base.    The  upright 
should  be  strengthened  by  two  rails  of  the 
same  length,  nailed  to  its  sides.    It  is  not 
absolutely  necessary  that  these  reach  the 
wh<^e  length  of  the  upright,  but  if  they 
do,  the  job  will  look  much  neater.     At 
the  top  a  block  of  wood  projects  out  a 
few  inches   in   front  of  the  score  board, 
being  set  with  the  grain  at  right  angles 
to  the  face  of  the  score  board,  so  as  to 
avoid  sphtting.    To  this  block  is  attached 
a  pulley.      This  completes  the  stationary 
part  oi  the  machine. 


The  ball  which  is  struck  with  the  bat 
may  be  an  old  croquet  ball,  cut  down,  if 
desired,  and  covered  with  some  form  of 
padding  to  a  depth  of  %  or  ^  in.     It  is 
mounted  on  one  end  of  a  piece  of  %-in. 
wood,   3y2    in.    wide   at   the   center,    and 
tapering  down  to  1  in.  at  the  ends.     At 
the  other  end  of  this  arm  is  mounted  an- 
other wooden  ball  which  serves  merely  to 
counterbalance  the  weight  of  the  batted 
ball,  and  therefore  need  not  be  padded. 
The  two  balls  should  be  painted  different 
colors,  so  that  one 
may  be  sure  at  all 
times     that     he     is 
striking  the  padded 
ball     and     not    the 
counterbalancing 
one.     Holes,  about 
%  in.  in   diameter, 
are    bored     in    the 
balls  and  they  are 
set  on  the  ends  of 
the    tapered    piece, 
which  are  rounded 
off  with  a  knife  or 
chisel     to     fit     the 
holes.      Nails    are 
driven    through    to 
hold  them  on,  aqd 
a     long     nail     also 
serves  to   hold   the 
taper  piece  or  strik- 
ing arm  tightly  on 
t  h  e     shaft.       This 
shaft  may  be  made  of  %  or  ^/^-in.  round 
iron,  if  convenient;  otherwise,  a  piece  of 
broomstick   will   serve.     If  the   diameter 
of  the  shaft  is  less  than  1  in.  or  2  in.,  de- 
pending on  the  size  of  the  cord  and  the 
weight   used,    it   should    be   enlarged   by 
winding  hard  paper  around  it,  in  order  to 
get  the  necessary  diameter  for  winding  up 
the  cord.    This  cord  should  be  strong  but 
very  flexible,  so  as  to  run  freely  over  the 
pulleys;    a   good   quality   of   fishline  will 
do  very  well,  but  if  this  is  not  at  hand, 
common  hemp  twine  will  give  good  re- 
sults.    The   line   should   be   tied   around 
the  shaft  and  tacked  at  the  proper  iide  of 

903 


Plajring  BatebaH  in  the  Barn  or  ixk  a  Small  Back  Yard 

m  Made  Entirely  Possible  with  this  Machine,  Which 

ImtUtes  Cloaely  the  Actual  Game.    The  Players  Score 

Hits  and  Runs  as  in  an  Actual  Game  of  Baseball 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


it,  so  that  the  striking  arm  will  rest  with 
the  padded  ball  downward. 

The  bracket  in  which  the  shaft  is 
mounted  is  made  to  swing  on  the  bolts  by 
which  it  is  fastened  to  the  upright  rails 
beside  the  score  board.  The  horizontal 
pieces  of  the  bracket  are  22  in.  long  and 
4  in.  high,  and  are  bolted  to  the  upright 
rails  at  a  distance  of  42  in.  from  the 
ground.  A  long  lever  extends  back  from 
one  of  these  horizontals,  by  which  the 
position  of  the  ball  can  be  shifted  up 
and  down.  The  two  hooks  which  fit  over 
pins  on  the  upright  rails  are  for  use 
when  it  is  desired  to  hold  the  ball  in  a 
stationary  position.    " 

The  cord  passes  around  the  two  pul- 
leys shown,  down  to  a  weight,  which  may 
be  a  piece  of  pipe  or  other  scrap  of  metal 
of  the  proper  weight,  which  can  best  be 
determined  by  experiment.  Near  the  top 
of  the  score  board,  at  the  mark  repre- 
senting "home  run,"  a  bell  may  be  located, 
so  that  the  powerful  batsman  who  knocks 
a  "home  run"  is  notified  of  the  fact  by 
a  tap  on  the  bell.  An  old  doorbell, 
bicycle  bell,  or  a  bell  from  an  alarm  clock, 
can  readily  be  rigged  up  to  ring  as  the 
weight  reaches  the  proper  height.  To 
avoid  breaking  the  cord  when  the  weight 
falls  to  the  bottom  of  its  travel  after  the 
ball  has  been  struck,  it  may  be  well  to 
build  a  platform,  on  which  it  will  come 
to  rest  at  the  same  time  that  the  cord 
becomes  entirely  unwound  from  the  shaft. 

In  marking  the  different  points  on  the 
score  board,  the  suggestions  given  on  the 
sketch  may  be  followed  or  not,  according 
to  the  preference  of  the  players.  It  will 
be  seen  that  the  success  which  a  batsman 
has  in  making  progress  toward  a  run  is 
largely  a  matter  of  chance,  just  as  it  is 
in  a  real  game.  He  may,  for  instance, 
hit  the  ball  hard  enough  so  that  in  the 
real  game  it  would  represent  a  three-base 
hit,  unless  it  was  caught  by  one  of  the 
opposing  team.  This  is  represented  on 
the  machine  by  having  a  mark  to  repre- 
sent "out"  at  various  intervals  along  the 
scale,  as  all  that  the  batsman  can  do  either 
in  the  game  or  on  the  machine  is  to  strike 
the  ball  as  hard  and  straight  as  he  can, 
and  trust  to  the  inability  of  the  fielders 
to  get  under  it,  in  the  case  of  the  actual 
game,  or  to  the  chance  of  the  weight 
rising  to  one  of  the  lucky  marks  rather 
than  the  unlucky  ones,  in  the  case  of  the 
.  machine.  While  the  imitation  is  not  so 
perfect  in  the  case  of  fouls  and  "balls." 
the  game  as  played  on  the  machine  will  be 
found  sufficiently  interesting. 

To    start    the    game,    any    number    of 


players  may  choose  sides,  and  toss  up  for 
the  choice  of  "ins"  or  "outs."  Each  side 
then  chooses  one  or  more  "pitchers."  The 
"pitcher"  of  the  "out"  team  takes  his  place 
at  the  long  handle,  while  the  members  of 
the  "in"  team  take  their  turn  at  the  bat. 
They  are  called  in  the  proper  batting 
order,  until  three  of  them  have  been  re- 
tired, as  in  the  actual  game.  It  is  well 
to  have  certain  places  nfear  the  machine 
designated  as  bases;  as  a  player  scores 
a  "single,"  he  then  takes  his  place  on 
first  base.  If  the  next  man  scores  a  two- 
base  hit,  the  first  moves  to  third  base,  and 
so  on.  The  pitchers  should  manipulate 
the  lever  so  that  the  ball  rises  and  falls 
slightly  as  is  the  case  with  a  pitched  ball. 
The  reason  for  having  the  lever  quite 
long  is  to  prevent  the  ball  being  moved 
too  quickly  to  represent  the  pitched  balls 
which  the  batsman  should-  have  to  con- 
tend with.  If  the  pitcher  really  tries,  he 
can  imitate  closely  various  types  of  pitch- 
ing, and  this  will  add  greatly  to  the  in- 
terest of  the  game. 

It  will  be  the  duty  of  the  umpire  to 
watch  closely  the  height  to  which  the 
weight  rises  at  each  stroke,  and  call  off 
the  strikes,  balls,  .etc.  If  there  is  noth- 
ing to  prevent  the  weight  from  falling 
back  as  soon  as  the  energy  of  the  bat 
stroke  is  used  up,  it  will  take  careful  ob- 
servation to  determine  the  mark  reached 
each  time.  A  little  device  built  on  the 
top  of  the  machine  will  remedy  this,  and 
remove  most  of  the  opportunity  for 
wrangling  over  the  umpire's  decisions. 
This  device  is  a  check  t)r  friction  clamp 
for  the  cord,  as  shown  in  the  detail  at  the 
center  of  the  illustration.  When  the 
padded  ball  is  struck  and  the  cord  begins 
to  wind  up,  the  eccentric  block  of  the 
check  device  loosens  and  lets  the  cord 
pass  through  with  but  little  friction. 
When  the  cord  has  reached  the  limit  of 
its  travel  and  begins  to  unwind,  the  ec- 
centric surface  of  the  block,  forced 
against  the  cord  by  the  pull  of  a  small 
weight  at  the  left  end  of  it,  clamps  the 
cord  tightly,  and  prevents  it  from  falling 
until  the  umpire  has  had  plenty  of  time 
to  "see  the  play."  He  then  pulls  the 
string,  which  passes  through  a  screw  eye 
to  the  eccentric  block,  releasing  the  main 
cord,  and  restoring  the  ball  for  the  next 
stroke  of  the  bat. 


Cr  Paint  is»  readily  cleaned  with  a  damp 
rag  dipped  in  the  best  quality  of  whiting. 
A  little  rubbing  will  remove  dirt  and 
grease. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


3e5 


Tinting  Photos  without  Special 
Coloring  Matter 

Seashore  scenes,  sunsets,  etc.,  show  up 
well  in  a  photograph  which  is  tinted  to  an 
even  pink.     Yellow  gives 
a  pleasing  effect  for  some   ] 
prints,  as  do  also  purple   j 
and   red.     The   latter   is 
especially  appropriate  for 
fireside     interior    scenes,   i 
To  obtain  these  tints,  ex- 
pose   gaslight    paper    in   ; 
the    usual    way,    develop 
and  wash  off  the  devel- 
oper   completely,    then 
dry  the  prints  in  the  dark 
room    without    fixing. 
When  they  are  dry,  ex- 
pose  them    to    the   sun*s 
rays   until   a  tint   is   ob- 
tained considerably  deep- 
er   than    that    which    is 
wanted.      Then    fix    the 
print   in    the   usual  way. 
Such   prints  are  as  per- 
manent as  those  made  in 
the  ordinary  way. 

Another  method  is  to  use  gaslight  pa- 
per and  print  in  the  sun.  Expose  until 
the  whole  image  is  a  dark  purple.  Im- 
merse it  in  an  ordinary  fixing  bath,  which 
will  at  once  tone  and  fix  it.  The  color 
of  prints  made  in  this  way  is  yellow, 
orange,  pink,  red,  or  purple,  according  to 
how  long  the  print  was  exposed  to  the 
sun.  In  both  these  methods,  good  results 
can  only  be  obtained  after  some  experi- 
menting.— Fred  C.  Davis,  St.  Joseph,  Mo. 


Renewing  Old  Paintings 

with  Alcohol 

The  photographs  show  an  oil  painting 
before  and  after  the  application   of  the 


Swinging  Clothes-Hanger  Rod 
for  Crowded  Closet 

The  bracket  illustrated  enables  clothes, 
which  are  hung  in  a  dark  closet,  to  be 
swung  out  where 
they  can  be  exam- 
ined  in   the  light. 
A   piece   of   brass 
I     rod  is  bent  to  the 
shape  shown,  and 
is    hung    in    two 
stout   screw   eyes. 
On    this    rod    the 
clothes  h  a  n  g  e  rs 
—  are  hung.  The  size 

of  the  materials  used  will  depend  upon  the 
weight  of  the  clothes  to  be  accommo- 
dated. For  heavy  suits  or  overcoats  it 
may  be  advisable  to  use  heavy  U-bolts 
with  a  piece  of  iron  pipe  forming  the 
swinging  bracket. — Mrs.  Grace  E.  Willey, 
Concord,  N.  H.* 


A  Painting  with  Numerous  Cracks  waa  Expoaed  to  Alcohol  Fumes,  and  the 
Photograph  at  the  Right  Showa  the  Wonderful  Change  Made 


following  method  of  removing  cracks  and 
blemishes  in  it:  Fill  a  shallow  dish  with 
alcohol,  and  place  the  picture  downward 
over  it,  taking  care  that  it  does  not  actu- 
ally touch  the  liquid.  The  fumes  from 
the  alcohol  rise  to  the  paint,  and  in  a  few 
minutes  the  cracks  fill  up  and  the  colors 
appear  bright  and  new.  It  is  necessary 
to  watch  the  process  closely,  for  if  the 
painting  is  exposed  to  the  fumes  too  long, 
the  colors  will  run  together  and  the  pic- 
ture will  be  spoiled.  With  reasonable 
care,  this  should  never  happen,  and  old 
paintings,  which  would  otherwise  have  to 
be  thrown  away,  can  be  made  as  good  as 
new. — S.  Leonard  Bastin,  Bournemouth, 
England. 


Linoleum  Stamps 
Handy  stamps  to  supplement,  or  take 
the  place  of  rubber  stamps  can  easily  be 
made  from  ordinary  linoleum.  First, 
draw  the  design  on  paper,  under  which 
has  been  placed  a  piece  of  carbon  paper, 
coated  side  up.  After  the  design  has  been 
finished,  it  will  appear  on  the  reverse  side 
of  the  paper  as  it  should  on  the  stamp. 
Then  transfer  the  design  to  the  linoleum 
with  carbon  paper,  or  paste  the  paper 
itself  on  the  linoleum.  With  a  knife  cut 
away  the  surface  of  the  linoleum  to  the 
depth  of  about  Ma  in.,  everywhere  except 
where  the  impression  is  to  be  made.  C\x% 
out  the  portion  of  the  linoleum  contain- 
ing the  stamp  from  the  remainder  of  the 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


piece  selected,  mount  it  with  glue  on  a 
small  block  of  wood,  and  the  stamp  is 
completed. — D.  G.  Humm,  Torrance,  Calif, 

The  Window  as  a  Mirror 

Everyone  has  noticed  that  under  cer- 
tain conditions  he  can  see  his  image  with 


When  the  Light  it  Properly  Directed  So  ae  to  Make 

the  Imase  Distinct,  a  Window  Maket 

a  Very  Satisfactory  Mirror 

tolerable  distinctness  in  a  window  pan«. 
By  proper  arrangement  of  the  electric 
light  in  a  dark  room,  the  image  can  be 
made  quite  plain,  enabling  one  to  use  the 
window  as  a  mirror..  The  illustration 
shows  the  proper  position  of  the  light  for 
the  purpose.  The  effect  will  be  best  when 
there  is  no  light  entering  the  window 
from,  the  outside. — M.  Tomasulo,  Easton, 
Pennsylvania. 


Protecting  Checks  with  a  T3T)ewriter 

For  those  who  occasionally  write  a 
check,  but  whose  bank  account  does  not 
warrant  the  purchase  of  a  check-protect- 
ing machine,  it  may  be  interesting  to  know 
that  a  check  may  be  written  on  a  standard 
typewriter  which  will  put  considerable 
obstacles  in  the  way  of  anyone  who  might 
try  to  raise  the  amount  for  which  it  is 
written.  This  is  done  by  rolling  up  on 
the  typewriter  platen  an  ordinary  thick 
blotter,  so  that  two  or  three  thicknesses 
act  as  a  cushion  for  the  type;  the  check 
is  then  inserted  and  is  written  with  a 
heavy  touch  on  the  typewriter.  Unless 
the  type  is  worn  very  smooth,  the  letters 
can  be  pressed  into  the  paper  so  that 
an  effect  similar  to  embossing  is  obtained. 
This  would,  of  course,  not  be  a  formidable 


obstacle  to  a  professional  check  raiser, 
but  a  somewhat  more  effective  one  is 
found  in  punching  holes  directly  in  front 
of  and  after  the  amount  of  tbe  check,  by 
means  of  the  hyphen  or  period.  On  most 
typewriters,  these  characters  will  so  tear- 
the  paper  that  it  would  be  next  to  im- 
possible to  conceal  effectively  any  tam- 
pering witli  the  check. 


Homemade  Scales 

Toy  scales  of  this  type  can  be  made 
from  berry  boxeSy  butter  trays,  or  paste- 
board cartons,  but  more  substantial,  prac- 
tical scales  should  have  pans  made  of 
bread  tins,  or  stout  flat  boxes  oi  wood, 
or  other  durable  material.  For  removable 
scoops,  four  pans  can  be  used  instead  oif 
two,  or  a  frame  of  wood  or  iron  may  be 
made  to  fit  and  hold  the  pans.  The 
beams  are  two  uniform,  straight  strips  of 
wood,  fastened  together  with  two  braces, 
which  are  somewhat  longer  than  the  pans, 
uniform  and  equidistant  from  the  center 
so  as  to  balance  well.  Two  rather  heavy 
bolts  or  screws,  run  through  holes  in  the 
crosspieces,  take  up  little  inequalities  in 
weight,  and  enable  one  ta  adjust  the 
scales  to  an  exact  balance. 

The  base  is  a  board  somewhat  longer 
than  the  beams,  and  carries  an  upright 
support,  or  fulcrum,  high  enough  to  keep 
the  pans  from  touching  when  in  balance, 
even  when  the  load  is  on  one  side  of  the 
pan,  tilting  it  out  of  level.  A  stout  cord, 
or  wire,  from  both  comers  of  the  pan,  <m 
each  end,  runs  over  a  tack  near  the  end 
of  each  of  the  two  beams.  A  supporting 
strand  of  wire  connects  the  centers  of  the 
two  beams.  Screw  eyes  in  the  upright, 
as  far  apart  as  convenient,  hold  the  wire 
support.     It    is    important    to    remember 


Made   Chiefly  of  a   Few  Sticks,  Tbia  Scale    Is  of 

Much   Practical  Usefulnesa,  Besides 

Being  an  Instructive  Toy 

that  the  holes  for  the  wire  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  beam  must  not  be  lower 
than     the    tacks    at     the    end,     or    the 


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scales  will  never  come  to  rest  in  a  hori- 
zontal position.  Also,  the  greatest  care 
must  be  used  to  get  the  end  tacks  equi- 
distant from  the  center  holes,  or  the 
scales,  even  though  they  can  be  made  to 
balance,  will  not  weigh  correctly.  For 
greater  sensitiveness,  a  triangular  strip 
of  wood  or  metal,  sharp  edge  down,  can 
be  substituted  for  the  string  or  wire  sup- 
port in  the  center,  thus  making  the  sup- 
port somewhat  firmer  and  the  balance 
more  delicate.  For  weights,  bags  of  sand 
will  serve,  or  tin  boxes  filled  with  sand 
or  other  heavy  material,  carefully  weighed 
from  accurate  standards. —  Frank  M. 
Rich,  Paterson,  N.  J. 


Electric  Water  Heater  Uses 
Water  as  Resistor 

Probably  the  simplest  form  of  electric 
heater  for  use  in  heating  small  quantities 
of  water  consists 
of  two  conducting 
surfaces  placed  at 
a    fixed     distance 
from    each    other 
in   the  water,  the 
current  then  flow- 
ing  directly 
through  the  water 
from  one  plate  to 
the    other.     The 
water  is  heated  by 
I    its  own  resistance 
'    to  the  passage  of 
the  current.    This 
method    will    not 
work     with     dis- 
tilled water,  as  practically  no  current  will 
flow  through  pure  water;  ordinary  drink- 
ing   water,    however,    contains    enough 
mineral  matter  in  solution  to  permit  the 
use  of  this  principle  in  a  heater.    A  con- 
venient form  consists  of  two  brass  tubes, 
one  inside  of  the  other,  separated  by  two 
rubber  washers,  which   have  notches  or 
holes  made  in  them,  to  permit  the  water 
to  circulate   freely   between   them.     One 
wire  is  soldered  to  one  end  of  the  inner 
tube  and  the  other  wire  to  the  opposite 
end  of  the  outer  tube. 

The  heater  of  dimensions  given  in  the 
illustration  will  not  take  more  than  a 
few  amperes  at  110  volts  in  ordinary 
water.  It  should  not,  of  course,  be  used 
with  sea  water  or  other  water  containing 
much  mineral  matter,  except  on  a  much 
lower  voltage.  In  any  case,  care  should 
be  taken  that  the  circuit  is  properly  pro- 
tected by  a  fuse  before  inserting  the 
heater  in  the  vessel  of  water. — D.  J.  Mc- 
Kean,  Alameda,  Calif. 


Feeding  Tray  for  Chickens 

Enforces  Cleanliness 

The  illustration   shows   a  feeding  tray 
for  use  in  feeding  corn  or  other  fattening 


The   Tray   Keeps   the  Chicken  Peed   Clean.     Hens 

Which  Jump  into  It  are  Quickly   Frightened  by  Its 

Movement  and  Soon  Learn  to  Peed  without  Venturing 

beyond  the  Outer  Rail 

foods  to  chickens.  It  is  often  troublesome 
to  induce  the  fowls  to  keep  this  kind  of 
food  reasonably  clean,  as  they  like  to  step 
into  it  and  scratch,  wasting  and  soiling 
the  food.  By  placing  the  grain  in  a  tray, 
which  hangs  from  two  nails  above  and 
swings  freely  upon  them,  the  hens  are 
prevented  from  jumping  into  the  tray, 
as  the  movement  due  to  their  weight  will 
frighten  them  so  that  they  will  prefer  to 
stay  outside.  With  the  addition  of  a 
sharp  edge  on  the  upper  brace,  the  tray 
almost  entirely  prevents  the  soiling  of 
food  by  the  chickens. — William  Schlawitz, 
Arlington,   N.  J. 


Straightening  Out  Photographic  Prints 
Which  have  Curled  Up 

The  amateur  photographer  who  finishes 
his  own  work  is  often  puzzled  as  to  how 
to  make  his  prints 
lie  flat.  By  using 
the  following  sim- 
ple device,  prints 
can  be  straight- 
ened in  batches  in 
a  few  moments, 
and  will  retain 
their  shape. 

Glue  a  piece  of 
heavy  wrapping 
paper  to  a  wooden 

cylinder,  or  a  mailing  tube,  so  the  paper 
will  extend  about  2  ft.  Then,  when  the 
prints  are  dry,  lay  a  batch  of  them,  face 
down,  on  the  inside  of  the  paper,  roll 
them  up  tightly,  and  slip  on  an  elastic 
band  to  hold  them  in  place.  Set  away  for 
about  five  minutes,  and  when  unrolled, 
the  prints  will  be  perfectly  flat. — L.  B. 
Robbins,  Daytona,  Florida. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


Making  Ice  from  Snow 

A  farmer  has  tried,  with  considerable 
success,  the  method  of  making  ice  in  win- 
ter by  compressing  snow  into  blocks: and 


Damp  Snowi  Compreswd  into  Blocks  md  Stored* 
It  Nearlj  m  Lasting  as  Natural  Ice 

Storing  it  like  ordinary  ice.  A  wooden 
box  or  frame  is  made  without  top  or  bot- 
tom, but  with  a  handle  at  each  end,  by 
which  it  is  lifted.  When  plenty  of  snow 
is  on  the  ground^  damp  enough  to  stick 
together,  a  large  pile  of  it  is  collected 
by  means  of  a  horse-drawn  drag.  The 
snow  is  then  shoveled  into  the  frame,  or 
mold,  and  packed  down  tightly.  If  the 
snow,  is  not  wet  enough  to  pack  well,  a 
little  water  can  be  thrown  into  it,  but  no 
more  water  should  be  added  than  is  neces- 
sary to  produce  a  compact,  heavy  cake. 
The  frame  is  then  removed  by  its  han- 
dles ;  the  snow  block  is  taken  away  to  be 
stored,  and  the  mold  is  ready  to  be  filled 
again.  It  is  found  that  while  the  blocks 
are  in  storage,  the  snow  consolidates.  The 
two  chief  advantages  are  that  the  blocks 
are  in  more  convenient  shape,  being  as 
thick  as  desired,  and  that  they  are  much 
cheaper  to  obtain. — John  B.  Smyth,  Pitts- 
burgh, Pa. 


Mop  Made  from  Package  Strings 

A  collection  of  strings  taken  from  packr 
ages,  instead  of  being  thrown  away,  can 
be  made  into  a  mop.  Cut  the  strings  to 
a  length  of  about  3  ft.  each,  and  hang 
them  over  a  horizontal  wire  so  that  the 


ends  are  about  even.  When  a  sufficient! 
number  is  thus  collected,  wind  the  wire,, 
with  strings  hanging  from  it,  around  the* 
end  of  a  piece  of  broomstick,  fitting  the- 
wire  into  a  groove  cut  around  the  broomr-. 
stick  for  the  purpose.  Wrap  with  heavy 
cord  or  smaller  wire,  and  the  mop  is  ready 
for  use.  A  mop  so  made  has  beeii  in  serv- 
ice for  over  three  years. 


Shaking  Down  a  Fever 

Thermometer 

Many  people  have  difficulty  in  shaking 
down  fever  thermometers.  Best  results 
are  often  secured  by  not  shaking  the  ther- 
mometer at  all,  but  holding  the  upper  end 
of  the  thermometer  in  the  fingers  and 
swinging  the  arm  around  repeatedly.  If 
this  is  not  found  convenient  or  effective, 
or  if  one  wishes  to  avoid  the  danger  of 
swinging  the  thermometer  against  some 
object  and  breaking  it,  place  it  in  its  case 
and  tie  a  string  to  the  case,  so  that  it 
hangs  from  the  string  with  the  ther- 
mometer right  side  up.  Then  catch  the 
string  a  foot  or  two  from  the  thermometer 
case  and  whirl  the  instrument  around 
rapidly.  The  centrifugal  force  brings  the 
mercury  column  down  with  very  little 
effort  on  the  part  of  the  operator.  This 
method  is  used  effectively  in  scientific 
instruments,  and  should  be  better  known 
among  users  of  fever  thermometers. 


Handy  Pen-and-Brush  Tray 

Made  of  Blotting  Paper 

A  very  handy  article  on  the  desk  or 
drawing   table    is    a   pen-andrbrush   tray: 
made    of    blotting    paper,    formed    into 
grooves  or  corru- 
gations   just    the 
right  size  to  take 
a    pencil    or  pen- 
holder.   The  blot- 
ting   paper,    after 
being    formed    to 
the  proper  shapje, 
must    be    held    in 
shape  while  being 
glued    to    the 
pasteboard,     and 
until     the     glue 
hardens  sufficient- 
ly to  hold  it.     If  one  wishes  to  make  a 
number  of  such  trays,  a  frame,  such  as 
shown  in  the  sketch,  will  make  the  work 
of  forming  the  blotting  paper  very  easy^ 
A  number  of  round  sticks,  about  the  size 
of   the    penholders    or   brushes,    are   oIk 
tained;   lead  pencils  may  be  used,  espet* 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


309 


cially  if  they  are  of  an  extra-large  diam- 
eter. They  are  mounted  in  the  frame, 
which  may  be  made  of  wood  or  paste- 
board, so  that  they  slide  freely  up  and 
down.  The  blotting  paper,  preferably  of 
two  or  three  thicknesses,  is  threaded  in 
and  out  over  the  round  sticks  or  lead  pen- 
cils, and  when  it  is  all  in  place,  two  small 
nails  over  the  ends  of  the  bars  or  lead 
pencils  will  hold  the  blotting  paper  tight. 
While  still  in  this  frame,  glue  may  be  laid 
in  narrow  lines  between  the  lead  pencils 
on  one  side,  and  the  pasteboard  may  be 
pressed  on  and  the  glue  permitted  to 
harden.  The  alternate  lead  pencils,  con- 
fined under  the  blotting  paper,  are  then 
pushed  out  at  the  end,  and  the  pen  con- 
tainer is  ready  for  use.  It  may  be  trimmed 
off,  mounted  with  thumb  tacks  on  a 
wooden  block,  and  painted  or  ornamented 
to  suit  the  maker's  taste. 


Invisible  Joint  Holds  Wood 
Firmly  without  Glue 

It  is  possible,  by  the  method  shown,  to 
fasten    together   securely   two    pieces    of 
wood,  1^  in.  thick  or  more,  so  as  to  leave 
absolutely  no  ex- 
ternal   mark    to 
show    the    nature 
of    the    fastening. 
The  dowel  pin  is 
slotted    and    pro- 
vided    with     two 
wedges,     whose 
length   must    be 
carefully       deter- 
mined by  experi- 
ence    in     making 
such  joints,  as  it 
depends  la  rgely 
on  the  kind  of  wood  and  tightness  of  the 
fit.    For  a  firm  joint,  each  hole  should  be 
recessed  out  with  a  gouge,  so  as  to  be 
larger  at  the  bottom  than  the  pin,  and 
make  room  for  a  wedge  of  appreciable 
thickness. 

To  prevent  turning,  two  or  more  such 
pins  may  be  inserted  side  by  side.  The 
chief  problem  in  such  cases  is  to  line 
the  several  holes  exactly  with  those  oppo- 
site; this  may  be  done  quite  accurately 
by  fitting  into  the  finished  holes  in  one 
of  the  pieces  to  be  joined,  short  pieces  of 
iron  rod  with  sharp  edges,  so  that  they  all 
stand  out  a  short  distance  above  the  sur- 
face. The  other  piece  of  wood  is  then 
laid  in  place  and  struck  a  blow  with  the 
mallet,  thus  marking  exactly  the  position 
of  the  holes  to  be  bored  in  it. — Chas.  A. 
Black,  Jr.,  Hightstown,  N.  J. 


Electric  Foot  Warmer  is  Cheap 
Luxury 

Nothing  is  more  comfortable  when 
coming  into  the  house  on  a  cold  night 
than  an  electric 
foot  warmer.  A 
very  cheap  and 
efficient  form  con- 
sists of  a  wooden 
box,  about  10  in. 
square  and  6  in. 
high.  The  cover 
of  the  box  should 
preferably    be    of 

metal,  with  holes  drilled  to  facilitate  the 
passage  of  heat  in  an  upward  direction. 
There  should  also  be  one  or  two  holes  in 
the  lower  part  of  the  box  for  entry  of 
air.  The  heating  unit  is  an  ordinary  car- 
bon-filament electric  lamp,  which  can  be 
mounted  in  a  keyless  socket  with  a  cord 
leading  out  through  the  end  of  the  box 
to  an  attachment  plug.  If  it  is  preferred 
to  have  a  top  surface  which  dOes  not  heat 
up  so  rapidly,  but  eliminates  the  .possi- 
bility of  getting  too  hot  for  comfort,  a 
wooden  top  may  be  used,  but  it  should  be 
lined  with  asbestos.  Either  the  top  or 
bottom  should  be  attached  with  screws, 
so  as  to  be  removable  for  renewing  the 
lamp.  If  the  lamp  comes  close  to  any  of 
the  wooden  surfaces,  an  asbestos  lining 
is  advisable,  as  a  lamp  inclosed  this  way 
may  become  very  hot.  A  16-cp.  carbon 
lamp  will  furnish  more  than  enough  heat. 


Electric  Lamp  as  an  Oil 
Container 

An    incandescent    lamp    which    had    a 
broken  filament  was  used  as  a  can  to  hold 

kerosene    for    an  

oil  stone.  It  was 
filled  in  this  way: 
The  large  end  was 
inserted  in  a  ves- 
sel of  kerosene, 
and  the  tip 
knocked  off  with 
a  file  or  knife. 
The  vacuum  in- 
side the  globe 
caused  the  oil  to 
rush   in   until   the 

globe  was  nearly  full.  To  throw  oil  on 
the  stone,  the  globe  is  inverted  and  a 
few  drops  are  shaken  out  from  the  hole 
where  the  tip  was.  The  lamp  can  be  kept 
very  handy  in  a  hole  drilled  in  the  bench, 
or  in  a  block  large  enough  to  take  its 
threaded  base. — Gus  H.  Klinck,  Jr.,  Sum- 
merville,  S.  C. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


Mouse  Traps  Made  from  Familiar 

Household  Objects 

Two  ways  of  capturing-  mice  are  sho^n 
in  the  illustration.  In  the  small  picture^ 
a.  glass  tumbler  or  bowl  is  inverted  and 
rests  on  a  thim«- 


board.  The  bottle  trap  need  only « be  set 
on,'  end,  and  water  poured  in  through-  the 
open  end  of  the  inner  bottle. 


By  the  Use  of  PamiUsr  GIms  Objectt,  Mice  are 

Caught  Alive  without-  Injury*  and  may 

be  Sailed  in  Any  Way  Preferred 

rim  of  the  bowl,  drawn  by  the  smelLof  the 
bait,  and  in  endeavoring  to  extract  it 
from  the  thimble,  is  sure  to  shake  oflF  the 
bowl,  in  which  the  mouse  then  finds  it-* 
self  imprisoned.  • 

In  the  lat^e  picture,  two  glass  bottles 
are  used,  the  larger  one  having  a  wide 
mouth,  somewhat  larger  in:  diameter  than 
the  body  of  the  smaller  bottle.  The  small 
bottle  should  have  a  neck  about  %  in.  in 
diameter,  and  its  bottom  should  be  cut 
off,  by  means  of  a  hot  iron  wire  stretched 
around  it,  or  by  some  other  method*  It 
is  fitted  into  the  larger  bottle,  with  a  strip 
of  felt,  or  other  packing,  to  fill  the  space 
between  it  and  the  mouth  of  the  larger 
bottle.  Its  neck  should  extend  to  within 
1  or  1%  in.  of  the  bottom  of  the  larger 
bottle.  The  bait  is  placed  in  the  larger 
bottle,  where  it  is  in  full  view  of  the  mice. 
They  will  ultimately  find  their  way  to  it, 
through  the  neck  of  the  inner  bottle,  but 
will  have  much;  greater  difficulty  in  mak- 
ing their  way  out  again,  if  the  neck  of  the 
bottle  is  placed  the  proper  distance  from, 
the  bottom. 

After  the  mouse  caught  in  the  trap  is 
examined,  it  can  be  killed  by  pouring  in 
water.  In  the  case  of  the  bowl  trap, 
slide  under  the  bowl  a  piece  of  paste- 
board with  a  hole  too  small  for  the  mouse 
to  escape  through;  then  turn  the  bowl 
right  side  up,  keeping  the  pasteboard 
over  it,  and  pour  in  water  through  the 
hole,  setting  a  weight  on  top  of  the  paste- 


Using-  a  Three-Comered:  File* 

as  a  Glass  CuUer 

When  no  glass  cutter  is  at  hand»  and  a 
t)iece  of  window  glass  must  be  cut,  use^a 
three-cornered  file.  Break  off  the  tip,  so 
as  to  get  sharp  points  of  contact,  and 
scratch  the  glass  in  the  same  manner  as 
with  an  ordinary  glass  cutter.  A  littlii 
mone  pressure  and  care  are  required,  but 
good  results  can  be  obtained.— R.  J. 
Stephens,  Kansas  City,  Mo; 


Use  Envelopes  Over  Again . 

A  good  way  to  save  money  spent  in 
buying  envelopes  is  to  save  all  the  en- 
velopes received  by  third-class  mail,  until 
a  number,  have  accumulated,  and,  after 
soaking  them  in.  water  for  a  few  minutes 
to  soften  the  mucilage,  turn  them  inside 
out,  and  stick  them  together  again.  They 
are  then  as  good  as'  new  blank  envel-" 
opes,  and  with  the  present  high  price 
of  paper,  this  method  will  save  a  good 
many  pennies. — Victor  H.  Todd,  Orange, 
New  Jersey. 


Bird  Cages  Made  from  Wire  Fendngi 

A  large  cage  for  a  parrot  can  readilyi 
be  made  of  wire  fencing.  The  bottom  of 
the  cage  is  made  from  a  galvanizedMron< 
pan,  or  from  the 
bottom^  of  an  oldi 
gasoline  can,  and' 
at  the  top  of  the 
cage  the  wires  are- 
bent  over,  form- 
ing a  conical  top^ 
The  I  ends  of  the 
wires  are  fitted 
into,  a  piece  of 
sheet  iron  bent  to 
the  shape  of  a 
cone,  or  better,  to 
an     old     lubricat- 

ingKjil  can  which-  

has  the  stem  and; 

bottom  removed.  An  iron  ring-  through* 
the  top  serves  to  hang  up  the  cage,-  andt 
any  other  fittings  desired  can  be.mountedii 
The  bottom  of  the  cage  may  easily  be*, 
made  removable  and  may  take:  the  place 
of  a  door,  or  a  hole  can  be  cut  in  the- 
fencing^  and  a  door  of  sheet  iron,  or 
woven  wire,  fitted.— Chas.  A.  Black,  Jr., 
Hightstown,  N.  J. 


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A  CJollector's  Cabinet 

By  CHARLES  A.  KING 


A  MOST  useful  object  to  the  collector 
■^^  of  insects,  coins,  minerals,  or  small 
specimens  of  any  sort,  is  a  conveniently 
arranged  case  or  container,  which  will  be 
dust  and  moth-proof,  and  permit  the  col- 
lection to  be  examined  without  handling 
the  specimens.  The  cabinet  here  de- 
scribed was  built  and  used  for  a  collec- 
tion of  insects,  but  it  is  suitable  without 
,  any  change  of  dimensions  for  various 
other  purposes,  and  it  is  not  difficult  to 
make  the  drawers  a  different  height,  if 
required  for  the  purpose  in  view. 

The   size   of  the  glass  is   12  by  20  in. 


ni  r>nn  nrr^TMrn  strip 


cabinet,  which  are  a  working  fit  in  these 
grooves.  The  drawer  runs  are  securely 
nailed  and  glued  to  the  sides  of  the  cabi- 
net and  permit  each  drawer  to  be  removed 
and  replaced  independently  of  the  others. 
The  height  of  the  cabinet  as  mounted  on 
the  legs,  shown  in  the  sketch,  makes  it 
convenient  to  take  out  any  one  of  the 
drawers  and  set  it  on  top  of  the  cabinet. 
The  drawers  are  each  3  in.  high,  less 
the  amount  necessary  for  clearance  be- 
tween them,  which  will  be  about  He  in.  or 
less,  depending  on  the  accuracy  of  the 
work.    There  should  be  a  space  of  1%  in. 


METHOD  or  REMO>/IN6  BLABS 


DRASVER  FRONT 


DRAWER  BACK 


DRAWER    8 IDE 


A  Cabinet  for  Preserving  Specimens:    Each  Drawer  Has  a  Cork  Bottom  to  Which   the   Insects  or  Other 
Specimens  may  be  Fastened,  and  a  Glass  Top  Which  is  Readily  Removed*  When  the  Drawer  is 
Out   of  the  Cabinet,  by  Lifting  the  Retainer  Strip  at  the  Back  of  the  Drawer 


This  glass  top  fits  into  grooves  in  the 
drawer  sides  and  front,  and  is  held  at 
the  back  by  a  strip  of  wood,  which  is  eas- 
ily lifted  out,  permitting  the  glass  to  be 
slid  out  through  the  back  of  the  drawer. 
E^ch  drawer  has  a  groove  in  each  side 
on  which  the  drawer  slides  to  position  in 
the  cabinet,  there  being  eight  wooden 
strips,  or  drawer  runs,  on  each  side  of  the 


between  the  bottom  and  the  glass,  in  or- 
der to  permit  an  insect  pin,  1%  in.  long,  to 
be  used.  The  drawer  front  is  grooved 
near  the  top  for  the  glass,  and  near  the 
bottom  to  take  the  drawer  bottom.  The 
sides  are  grooved  correspondingly,  and 
have  the  additional  groove  to  rest  on  the 
drawer  runs.  The  drawer  back  is  made 
the  same  height  as  the  distance  from  the 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


drawer  bottom  to  the  glass,  which,  in  the 
cabinet  illustrated,  is  1%  icf-  In  the  top 
of  the  drawer  back  is  cut  a  deep  groove, 
and  the  glass^-retainer  strip  is  planed  o£E 
to  fit  into  it,  bringing  the  height  of  the 
drawer  back  to  the  same  height  as  the 
sides.  The  various  grooves  may  all  be 
made  with  a  groove  6r  plow  plane,  but 
more  exact  work  will  be  obtained  by  pre- 
paring the  material  at  a  mill,'  where  there 
is  a  fitting  saw.  The  drawers  must  all 
have  the  same  horizontal  dimensions,  and 
these  must  be  quite  accurate,  as  otherwise 
they  will  not  fit  the  case.  The  dimensions 
in  the  sketch  are  worked  out  on  a  12  by 
20-in.  piece  of  glass  as  a  basis ;  this  should 
be  kept  in  mind,  if  it  is  desired  to  change 
the  dimensions  and  use  some  other  size 
of  glass.  The  bottom  of  each  drawer 
should  be  covered  with  some  material  into 
which  pins  can  easily  be  stuck,  to  hold  the 
specimens.  Sheets  of  cork,  about  %  in. 
thick,  are  best  suited  for  this  purpose,  but 
soft  wood  or  corrugated  paK:king  paper 
will  be  entirely  satisfactory. 

In  nailing  the  drawers  together,  the  im- 
portant things  to  be  considered  are  the 
grooves  to  take  the  glass,  which  must  co- 
incide all  around,  and  the  grooves  for  the 
bottom,  which  should  coincide  quite 
closely  for  a  neat  job.  The  bottom  of 
the  drawer  back  should  be  flush  with  the 
top  edge  of  the  bottom  grooves  in  the 
sides,  and  the  top  of  the  drawer  back  must 
be  flush  with  the  upper  edge  of  the  glass 
grooves  in  the  drawer  sides,  to  insure  that 
the  glass  will  slide  into  its  place  easily. 
Glue  and  nail  the  corners,  but  do  not  glue 
the  bottom,  or  it  may  shrink  and  split, 
thus  offering  access  to  pests;  instead, 
fasten  it  in  place  by  hailing  to  the  bottom 
the  lower  edge  of  the  drawer  back.  The 
glass  retainer  should  fit  quite  snugly,  but 
not  so  tight  that  it  cannot  be  removed 
easily.  Note  that  the  upper  front  edge  of 
the  glass  retainer  is  beveled  slightly  to 
avoid  danger  of  its  catching  on  the  bot- 
tom of  the  drawer  above,  when  its  own 
drawer  is  removed  from  the  case.  The 
bottoms  of  the  drawers  should  be  planed 
smooth  all  around,  front  and  sides. 

If  it  is  desired  to  have  all  dtawers  inter- 
changeable, which  is  very  convenient 
sometimes  when  rearranging  the  speci- 
mens, it  will  be  necessary  to  make  the 
vertical  dimensions  of  the  drawers  also 
very  accurate.  The  sides  of  the  cabinet 
can  then  be  cut  easily  to  dimensions,  and 
the  drawer  runs  set  in  place  by  measuring 
with  a  rule.  Any  drawer  which  does  not 
fit  in  all  eight  places  must  then  be  dressed 
off  until  it  does.  If  one  does  not  care 
for  the  feature  of  interchangeable  draw- 


ers, it  is  easier  to  follow  this  method: 
To  find  the  leneth  of  the  sides  of  the 
cabinet,  stack  the  completed  drawers,  one 
upon  the  other,  with  a  piece  of  cardboard 
between  them  to  allow  for  clearance,  and 
measure  the  extreme  height  of  the  pile, 
which  will  then  be  the  length  of  the  sides 
of  the  case.  If  it  is  found  that  there  is 
much  difference  in  the  height  measured 
at  the  four  corners  of  the  stack  of  draw-* 
ers,  some  of  them  must  be  dressed  off  ta 
bring  the  height  at  all  four  corners  to 
the  same  figure.  This  height  is  then 
measured,  and  the  sides  are  cut  to  it 
easily.  Then,  when  the  cabinet  sides,  top, 
and  bottom  are  fastened  together,  pile 
the  drawers  in  the  case  with  the  card- 
boards between  them,  numbering  them 
from  one  to  eight,  so  that  they  may  always 
be  put  in  the  place  where  they  are  fitted. 
With  a  sharp  pencil,  or  knife  point,  mark 
upon  the  back  and  front  edges  of  the  sides 
the  exact  location  of  the  top  of  the  draw- 
er-run grooves  in  each  drawer.  The 
drawers  are  then  removed,  and  the  draw- 
er runs  are  set  by  these  marks,  each 
drawer  thus  taking  the  exact  position  it 
occupied  when  the  marks  for  the  runs 
were  made.  The  runs  should  be  planed 
a  little  smaller  than  the  grooves  in  which 
they  are  to  fit,  and  should  be  securely 
nailed  into  place  with  1-in.  No.  16  brads. 
They  should  be  glued  for  not  more  than 
2  or  3  in.  from  the  front*  edge,  or  there 
may  be  trouble,  due  to  warping  of  the 
cabinet  sides. 

The  width  of  the  cabinet  sides  depends 
upon  the  depth  of  the  drawer;  the  sides 
should  be  %  in.  wider  than  the  drawers 
are  deep,  as  a  ^-in.  back  is  used,  and  the 
drawers  should  rest  %  in.  back  from  the 
front  edges  of  the  cabinet  sides.  Thor- 
oughly dried  quarter-sawed  stock  should 
be  used  for  the  cabinet  sides,  to  insure 
against  warping.  Rabbet  the  back  edges 
of  the  sides  %  by  %  in.,  to  receive  the 
back  of  the  cabinet.  Fit  the  back  in  place 
with  its  grain  running  horizontally,  be- 
ing careful  that  the  sides  are  not  sprung; 
or- the  drawers  will  not  fit  astliey  should. 

Cut  the  top  and  bottom  to  the  size  indi- 
cated, and  round  the  comers,  as  shown; 
they  may,  of  course,  be  left  square,  but 
a  good  appearance  will  result  if  they  are 
rounded,  and  care  is  taken  that  the  round- 
ed-off  portion  is  confined  to  the  part  of 
the  top  and  bottom  which  projects  be- 
yond the  cabinet  sides  and  drawers.  The 
cabinet  sides  may  be  set  in  place  on  the 
bottom,  and  the  top  fitted  to  them,  while 
the  drawers  are  piled  up  inside.  This  will 
permit  a  good  fit  between  the  drawers  and 
the  sides  of  the  cabinet,  which  is  very  im- 


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portant  for  easy  working  of  the  drawers. 
The  top  and  bottom  can  be  nailed  with 
8  or  10-penny  finishing  nails.  If  a  finer 
piece  of  work  is  desired,  the  top  may  be 
doweled  on,  and  the  bottom  fastened  with 
1%-in.  No.  10  screws. 

If  the  case  is  to  be  set  upon  a  table, 
the  legs  may  be  omitted;  otherwise,  they 
may  be  made  as  shown  in  the  sketch, 
mitered  and  nailed  at  the  corners,  or 
glued  together,  as  indicated.  In  this  case, 
four  of  the  pieces  must  be  cut  a  little 
wider  than  the  others,  and  they  should 
be  fitted  so  that  the  joint  does  not  appear 
at  the  front.     The  legs  may  be  fastened. 


to  the  bottom  of  the  cabinet  by  screws,  as 
shown,  but  if  a  stronger  fastening  is 
deemed  advisable,  a  block  can  be  set  in- 
side the  angle  formed  by  the  legs,  and 
screws  run  from  this  block  into  the  bot- 
tom and  into  the  legs. 

When  all  the  drawers  are  fitted  in  their 
places,  if  they  do  not  run  easily,  they 
should  be  dressed  oflF  until  they  do.  Rub- 
bing the  drawer  sides  with  paraffin  will 
make  them  work  more  easily. 

The  stock  list,  giving  finished  dimen- 
sions of  material  required  to  make  the 
cabinet  shown  in  the  drawing,  is  as  fol- 
lows: 


8  Glass- retainer  strips,  %  by  %  by  19  %•  in. 
16  Drawer  sides,  ^  bv  3  by  13  in. 
.  'by  "*"    • 


8  Drawer  bottoms,  %  by  12%  by  20%  in. 
16  Drawer  runs.  %  by  %  by  12%  in. 
"    •      3  by  6  ■ 


8  Legs.  %  by  6  by  I 

8  Panes  of  glass  (''Single  Strength").  12  by  20  in. 


2  Cabinet  sides, 
1  Topi  ~ 
1  Bottom^    _      . 
1  Cabinet    back. 
8  Drawer  fronts, 
8  Drawer  backs. 


24  in. 


inet  sides,  %  by  14  by  ; 
.  %  by  15%   bv  23%  i 
torn.    %   by  15%   by  23%   in. 
'      •      *'    by  24  by  21%  in. 
by  3  by  20%  in. 
by  1%  by    19%6  in. 


Tin  Cans  Made  into  Tin  Cups 

An  old  tin  can,  especially  of  the  smaller 
size  much  used  for  evaporated  milk,  can 
easily  be  converted  into  a  useful 
drinking  cup.  This  is  especially 
a  practical  idea  since  the  price  of 
tin  cups  has  gone  up  so  greatly 
on  account  of  the  scarcity  of  tin, 
and  because  of  the  fact  that  the 
conservation  program  has  found 
no  important  commercial  use  for 
old  tin  cans  on  account  of  the 
thin  coating  of  tin  which  they  are 
given. 

To  make  a  tin  cup  of  one  of 
these  old  cans  in  this  manner, 
it  is  best  to  use,  if  possible,  an 
emery  wheel,  which  is  mounted  so 
that  the  shaft  does  not  project 
very  far  beyond  it.  Then,  holding 
the  can  over  the  shaft,  the  top  or 
cover  sheet  is  ground  so  thin  that 
it  can  be  removed  from  the  can. 
A  smooth  edge  is  left  all  around, 
which  can  be  smoothed  up  fur- 
ther with  a  fine  half-round  file. 
A  handle  may  be  formed  from  a 
piece  of  another  tin  can,  cut  and 
bent  to  the  proper  shape,  and 
soldered  to  the  cup. — E.  L.  Howard, 
Spring^eld,  Ohio. 


Photographs  Illustrate  Camouflage 

Practical     examples     of     "camouflage" 
are   shown  in    these   three   photographs. 


Insulated- Wire  Handle  for  a  PaU 

A  handle  which  is  as  good  as  a  v/ooden 
handle  for  the  bail  of  a  bucket  consists  of 
some  large  insulated  copper  wire  wrapped 
around  the  bail  and  covered,  if  desired, 
with  a  layer  of  tape. 


Three  Photographs  Which  Prove  That  Camouflage  can  be  Ap- 
plied to  P«miUar  Objects  in  Very  Peaceful  Surroundingt 

In  the  upper  left-hand  comer  the  man 
has  adopted  an  effective,  if  somewhat 
strenuous  means  of  making  his  appear- 
ance blend  with  his  surroundings.  To 
the  right,  the  small  rider  on  the  horse's 
back  is  almost  indistinguishable  against 
the  background  of  sky  and  trees,  while 
the  lower  picture  shows  how  difficult  it 
may  be  to  distinguish  such  a  striking  ob- 
ject as  a  goat. — A.  J.  Viken,  Waterloo,  la. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


Weighing  an  Object  Too  Heavy 
for  the  Scale 

Figures  1  and  2  illustrate  how  one  may 
readily  weigh  upon  scales  an  object  whose 
weight  is  beyond  the  limit  of  the  scales. 


Fig.  I 


How  to  Weigh  an  Object  Piecemeal,  Whose  Weight 
Exceeds  the  Capacity  of  the  Scale 

The  secret  is  to  weigh  it  a  part  at  a  time. 
The  illustrations  are  made  with  a  loarded 
i^'on  rod  whose  weight  is  intentionally 
within  the  limit  of  the  scale.  The  pro- 
cedure is  very  simple.  Support  the  ob- 
ject in  a  horizontal  position,  one  end  rest- 
ing upon  the  seale  pan,  the  other  on  any 
fixed  support.  It  is  necessary  that  the 
object  be  supported  at  definite  points. 
Thus,  in  Fig.  1,  the  left  end  of  the  loaded 
rod  rests  upon  a  cork  trimmed  to  a  sharp 
supporting  edge,  which  is  used  because 
its  weight  is  negligible;  the  other  end 
rests  upon  a  lead  pencil  laid  upon  the  sup- 
porting body.  The  dial  in  Fig.  1  registers 
6  lb.  Next,  interchange  the  positions  of 
the  scale  and  the  fixed  support.  The  dial 
now  registers  5  lb.  The  true  weight  of  the 
body  is  the  sum  of  the  two  readings  (6 
plus  5)  or  11  lb.,  as  verified  by  the  dial 
reading  in  Fig.  3.  If  a  spring  balance  is 
used,  the  operation  is  even  simpler,  since 


the  object  may  be  hung  by  loops  of  cord 
from  the  points  in  the  two  chosen  posi- 
tions. 

An  interesting  application  of  this  prin- 
ciple appears  in  the  use  of  platform 
scales  in  weighing  a  loaded  vehicle,  where 
the  front  and  rear  wheels  are  too  far 
apart  to  permit  both  sets  of  wheels  to 
rest  upon  the  platform  at  once.  Driving 
first  the  front  wheels  and  then  the  rear 
wheels  upon  the  platform  and  weighing, 
the  two  readings  are  added  to  obtain 
the  true  and  total  weight.  This  method 
is  accurate  only  when  the  driveway  is 
level  with  the  platform.  The  axles  repre- 
sent the  two  definite  lines  of  support. 
Similarly  an  animal  may  be  weighed 
piecemeal  on  platform  scales,  placing  first 
the  front  feet  upon  the  platform,  and  then 
the  hind  feet.  The  posture  of  the  animal 
must  be  the  same  in  each  trial. — L.  Pyle, 
St.  Louis,  Mo. 


Simple  Way  of  Preventing 
Holes  in  Socks 

A  man  who  had  to  look  after  his  own 
clothes  repairs  devised  a  simple  way  of 
preventing  holes  in  his  hose.  When 
the  heels  or  toes  showed  signs  of  getting 
thin,  he  employed  small  pieces  of  chamois, 
or  any  other  thin,  soft  leather,  to  stop  the 
wear.  The  leather  was  placed  over  the 
worn  part  and  attached  all  around  by  a 
few  stitches  to  the  material  where  it  was 
still  strong.  The  leather  wore  well  and 
was  very  comfortable,  and  much  darning 
was  avoided. 


Wire  Loop  on  Belt  for  Carrying  Tools 

Mechanics  using  many  small  tools  find 
belt  loops  very  handy  to  carry  them.  The 
utility  of  the  loops  can  be  increased  by 
making  them  so 
they  may  be 
moved  along  on 
the  belt,  or  re- 
moved entirely. 
A  simple  tool  loop 
with  these  advan- 
t  a  g  e  s  may  be 
made  from  heavy 
brass  or  copper 
wire.  No.  4  or  5 
being  suitable. 
The  wire  is  bent 
into  the  shape 
shown,  and  the  ends  soldered.  The  loops 
should  be  made  in  different  sizes  to  take 
the  various  tools  used.  Spring  clips,  per- 
manently attached  to  the  belt  loops,  will 
be  useful  for  holding  many  small  tools. 


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The  Photographic  Silhouette 

The  silhouette  is  returning  to  favor. 
The  reason,  perhaps,  is  that  in  the  sil- 
houette we  have  a  type  of*  por-» 
traiture  which  is  so  free  from 
details  that  the  imagination  is 
stimulated  to  supply  them.  In 
viewing  the  silhouette  of  a 
friend  one  recalls  vividly  all 
those  details  of  feature  that  do 
not  appear  in  the  outline  rep- 
resentation. It  is  this  power- 
ful appeal  to  the  imagination 
that  vitalizes  the  silhouette. 
The  cutting  out  of  a  silhouette 
by  use  of  scissors  is  a  most 
difficult  and  exacting  art;  but  \ 
with  a  camera  one  may  pro- 
duce a  silhouette  that  excels 
in  both  accuracy  and  effect  the 
scissors-made  type.  No  appa- 
ratus is  required  other  than  that  possessed 
by  every  amateur  photographer. 

Choose  a  room  that  is  lighted  by  a 
single  window,  or  a  room  in  which  all 
windows  but  one  can  be  perfectly  shaded. 
Drape  the  upper  half  of  the  window  with 
a  light-proof  cloth,  and  hang  outside  the 
lower  half  of  the  window  a  large  mirror, 
say,  2  it.  square,  in  such  a  way  that  light 
from  the  overhead  sky  is  thrown  straight 
across  the  room.  An  ideal  way  is  to  have 
the  bottom  edge  of  the  mirror  rest  upon 
the  window  ledge,  the  top  of  the  mirror 
leaning  outward  at  an  angle  of  45**,  sup^ 
ported  by  strings  or  wires  extending 
from  the  two  upper  corners  back  to  the 
window  frame.  To  make  a  silhouette  of 
a  friewd;  seat  him-  close  to  the  window, 
with  the  profile  outlined  against  the  patch 
of  sky  as  seen  in  the  mirror.  Mount  the 
camera  back  in  the  room  at  the  desired 
distance  from  the  subject,  focus,  and  make 
an  instantaneous  exposure,  or  snapshot. 
Develop  the  negative  until  a  very  black 
sky  surrounds  the  much  underexposed 
head  of  the  subject.  Fix,  wash»  and  dry 
the  negative.  Using  any  contrastive  type 
of  paper  that  gives  a  pronounced  white 
and  black  effect,  make  a  print  of  the  nega- 
tive in  the  ordinary  way,  obtaining  a  jet- 
black  silhouette.  In  order  that  all  the 
rest  of  the  print  may  be  a  pure  white, 
slip  a  piece  of  black,  paper  between  the 
negative  and  the  photographic  paper  be- 
fore the  exposure  and  the  development  of 
the  latter.  The  black  paper  should  .have 
a  hole  cut  out  of  it  so  as  to  expose  that 
region  of  the  negative  containing  the 
sitter  and  the  patcht  of  sky.  The  head 
then  prints  out  black;  with  an  expanse  oi 
white  background.     The:  only  precaution 


is  to  keep  that  side  of  the- sitter  toward 
the  camera  as  dark  as  possible.  It  will 
be  found  that  the  process  can  be  used 
somewhat    more   successfully   with   films 


proiessionai!  ro  oe  nnisnea,  tne 
above  directions  should  accompany  them, 
as  the  silhouette  effect  will  be  entirely 
lost  unless  the  directions  are  followed: 
closely. — L.  Pyle,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 


Converting  an-  Or-dinaxy  Deak  Drawer 
into  a  Card  File 

It  is  sometimes  desired  to  use  an  ordi- 
nary desk  drawer  as  a  card  file,  the  cards- 
being- arranged -so  as  to  face  forward  as 
in  standard  card 
files.  Such  draw- 
ers are  often 
slightly  more  than 
twice  the  width  of 
the  card,  making 
it  convenient  to 
arrange*  two 
stacks  of  cards 
side  by  side  in  the 
drawer.  The  re- 
maining* require- 
ment is,  then, 
some  handy  de- 
vice to  keep  the  cards  from  sliding  out 
of  place  or  falling  over.  This  can  be 
readily  done  by  the  use  of  a  roll  of  paste- 
board, suoh  as  a  mailing  tube,  or  made,  i£ 
necessary,  by  splicing  together  two  paste-^ 
board  tubes,  in  order  to  obtain  the  neces- 
sary length:  The  roll  should  be  of  such  a> 
size  that;  when  slightly  flattened;  it  fits* 
in  between  the  two  stacks  of  cards.  This 
forms  a  convenient  separator,  and  the* 
cards  are  prevented  from  falling  back*- 
ward  .by  inserting;  through  holes  in  the 
pasteboard  roll,  a  round  stick,  or  a  full- 
length  lead  pencil.  The  holes  can  be  cut 
with  a  pocketknife  at  equal  intervals  along* 
the  roll*    As  new  cards  are  then  added,  to 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


the  file,  the  stick  or  lead  pencil  can  be 
removed  from  one  hole  and  placed  in  the 
next  one,  so  as  to  give  sufficient  room  for 
the  new  cards. 


Cooking  in  the  Furnace 

In  many  houses  the  furnace  furnishes 
surplus  heat  which  can  be  utilized  for 
cooking  by  a  method  such  as  this:     By 


With  a  Low  Fire  in  the  Furnace  Some  of  Its  Heat 

may  be  Utilised  in  Baking  a   Kettle  of  Beans, 

Set  upon  an  Iron  Rack  at  the  Furnace  Door 

bending  some  old  iron  wire  to  the  shape 
shown,  a  rack  or  shelf  is  built  onto  tne 
furnace  door,  on  which  a  piece  of  sheet 
iron  is  placed  to  hold  a  large  kettle. 
The  device  is  especially  useful  for  baking 
beans,  as  they  require  long  hours  of  steady 
and  intense  cookmg,  which  makes  it  quite 
expensive  to  bake  them  in  a  gas  oven. 
Potatoes  placed  on  the  platform  also  bake 
very  nicely.  This  method  of  cooking 
should  not  be  attempted  when  there  is  a 
hot  fire  in  the  furnace,  being  suitable  only 
when  the  fire  is  quite  low  and  covered 
with  plenty  of  fresh  coal. — Mrs.  C.  F. 
Stoddard,  Washington,  D.  C. 


Ribbed  Glass  for  Auto  Headlights 

Probably  the  most  widely  adopted  of 
the  devices  for  reducing  the  glare  of  auto- 
mobile headlights  is  the  use  of  some  form 
of  rough-glass  lens,  so  that  the  rays  are 
diffused  instead  of  being  concentrated 
into  a  single  beam.  Such  lenses  can  be 
bought  in  many  different  styles,  but  the 
cheaper  way  is  to  buy  at  a  hardware  store 
some  ribbed  or  figured  glass  which  is 
manufactured  for  use  in  windows.  While 
this  glass  is  usually  not  of  so  high  a  qual- 
ity as  the  manufactured  lenses,  and  may 
not  give  quite  so  good  a  light,  the  differ- 
ence  will    not    be   great    in    most   cases. 


Photographs  Taken  in  the  Shade 

If  one  has  a  camera  which  does  not  take 
good  pictures  except  when  the  sun  is 
shining  brightly,  try  the  following  experi- 
ment: Take  an  ordinary  subject  in  the 
sun,  and  then  take  another  in  the  shade, 
using  the  same  shutter  speed  and  lens 
opening.  Then,  in  developing,  make  the 
developer  half  strength;  that  is,  dissolve 
the  chemicals  in  twice  as  much  water  as 
the  directions  call  for.  This  will  necessi- 
tate developing  the  film  or  plate  twice  as 
long.  Theoretically,  the  results  obtained 
would  be  exactly  the  same,  but  when  de- 
veloped in  this  way,  the  subject  taken  in 
the  shade  will  often  be  as  clear  and  bright 
as  the  one  taken  in  the  sunshine. 


Cabinet  Moldings  Made  by  Formed 
Scraper  Blades 

An  amateur  wood  worker  who  occa- 
sionally liked  to  make  moldings,  but  did 
not  like  to  go  to  the  expense  of  buying 
an  expensive  plane  for  the  purpose,  made 
a  tool  like  the  one  here  illustrated.  The 
blades  are  simply  pieces  of  sheet  steel 
which  may  be  made  from  an  old  scraper 
or  saw.  They  may  be  clamped  in  the  block 
and  used  in  combinations  of  one,  two,  or 
three  blades  at  a  time,  depending  on  the 
width  of  molding  to  be  made.  Various 
blades  of  different  patterns  can  be  made  in 
a  few  minutes  with  round  and.  three-cor- 
nered files,  and  when  dull  they  can  be 
sharpened  with  a  few  strokes  of  a  file. 
While  the  method  is  not  practical  for 
making  any  large  number  of  moldings,  it 


A  Pew   Scraps  of  an    Old   Saw  or  Scraper  Blade* 
Clamped  in  a  Wooden  Block,  will  Enable  the  Ama- 
teur to  Make  Moldings  of  Various  Designs 

is  simple  and  cheap  and  makes  it  possible 
to  turn  out  some  beautiful  work. — Chas. 
Illingworth,  Mission  City,  B.  C,  Canada. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


317. 


Instniment  Tests  Gas  Burners 

When  a  gas  burner  is  lighted  and 
placed  inside  a  tube  or  chimney,  open  at 
bath  ends,  the  speed  with  which  the  air 
inside  the  tube  maves  upward  depends 
on  the  amount  of  heat  developed  in  the 
flame.  This  fact  is  made  use  of  in  the 
simple  instrument  illustrated,  to  test  the 
completeness  of  combustion  produced  by 
various  forms  of  gas  burners, 

A  2%-in.  brass  tube,  10  in.  long,  was 
used,  and  near  its  top  was  suspended  a 
fan,  cut  from  a  piece  of  tin  can,  and 
shaped  somewhat  as  shown.  It  was 
mounted  on  a  six-penny  finishing  nail,  the 
head  of  which  had  been  removed.  The 
ends  were  ground 
carefully  to  a  con- 
ical point,  and  the 
fan  was  balanced 
accurately  so  that 
it  would  revolve 
very  freely,  when 
mounted.  This 
balancing  was 
done  by  mounting 
the  fan  first  be- 
tween centers, 
with  the  shaft 
horizontal,  and 
cutting  away  met- 
al from  whichever 
side  proved  to  be 
the  heavier. 
Two  bolts, 
made  from  brass  rod,  were  passed 
through,  the  tube,  and  small  bearings 
for  the  ends  of  the  fan  shaft  were  made 
at  the  centers  of  these  bolts.  The  bolts 
were  set  the  proper  distance  apart  to 
take  the  fan  shaft  between  them,  one  be- 
ing directly  over  the  other. 

When  the  fan  is  mounted  in  place,  it  is 
ready  to  use  for  testing  burners.  These 
should  be  supplied  with  gas  through  a 
valve,  so  adjusted  that  each  burner  con- 
sumes the  same  amount  of  gas  per  min- 
utCj  this  being  measured  by  some  suitable 
means.  Each  burner  should  be  placed' 
successively  at  the  same  point  in  the  lower- 
part  of  the  tube,  and  left  there  long 
enough  for  the  tube  to  heat  up  and  reach 
a  uniform  temperature.  The  speed  at 
which  the  air  current  causes  the  fan  to 
revolve  can  then  be  counted,  using  an 
ordinary  watch  or  a  stop  watch,  and  this 
speed  is  then  a  measure  of  the  efficiency 
of  the  gas  burner.  Counting  the  speed  of 
rotation  of  the  fan  will  be  much  easier  if 
one  blade  is  painted  with  a  white  or  red 
spot  before  balancing  the  fan,  and  greater 
accuracy  is  thus  secured. — Dale  R.  Van 
Horn,  North  Loup,  Neb. 


Artificial  Flowers  Forecast  Weather 

Paper  flowers  can  be  made  to  tell  if  it 
is  groing  to  rain  or  not.  The  petals  are 
paiated  with  a-  solution  of  cobalt  chloride; 
a  chemical  which 
turns  blue  when 
the  air  is  very 
dry,  and  is  pink 
in  damp  air.  By 
using  different- 
colored  papers, 
one  can  make  a 
curious  bouquet 
of  flowers  and 
leaves  that  will  be 
the  proper  color 
only    when    fine 

weather  is  coming.  White,  pink,  and 
yellow  sheets  are  needed. 

Use  the  white  and  the  pink  sheets  for 
making  up  any  kind  of  flowers  desired*. 
These  can  be  mounted  on  wire  or  woodea 
stems.  Then,  out  of  the  yellow  paper„ 
cut  the  leaves.  Finally  the  flowers  and 
the  leaves  are  all  painted  or  dipped  in  the 
cobalt  solution,  which  can  be  made  up 
as  follows  by  any  druggist:  Cobalt  chlo- 
ride, 1  part;  gelatin,  10  parts;  water,  lOQ 
parts. 

This  is  how  the  bouquet  works :    When 
rain  is  coming,  and  the  air  is  damp,  the 
flowers  made  of  the  white  paper  are  pink; 
those   made   of  the  pink  paper  are  also 
pink,  while  the  leaves,  which  were  made 
of   yellow   paper,    are    an    odd   shade    of 
orange.    This  looks,  of  course,  altogether 
"wrong."      But    when    the    air    becomes 
drier — a   sure   sign   of   fine  weather — thei 
flowers    made    of    white    paper    become* 
bright  blue ;  those  made  of  pink  paper  arei 
a  fine  violet  shade,  while  the  leaves  are 
bright  green. 

A  Hinge  Made  of  Stiff  Wire 

A    hinge    for   a    light    door,    which    is 
readily  made  of  two  pieces  of  stiflF  wire 
and  a  number  of  staples,  is  shown  in  the* 
illustration.      The 
two     pieces     are 
alike,  except  that 
one   has   its   ends 
bent  to   form  the 
pins  of  the  hinge, 
while  the  ends  of 
the     other     form 
the  eyes  in  which 
they  work.     Each 

half  of  the  hinge  should  be  mounted  in- 
place,  leaving  one  staple  off  until  the  door 
is  hung,  when  the  staple  is  driven  which 
locks  the  two  parts  together. — P.  T. 
Hines,  Raleigh,  N.  C. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


Oil  Lamp  Made  into  a  Stove 

An  ordinary  kerosene  lamp  can  be  con- 
verted into  an  oil  stove,  for  heating  water 
or  cooking  in  small  vessels,  by  substitut- 
ing for  the  glass 
chimney    a    metal 


\M^ 


m^^^mm^ 


chimney,  built  as 
shown  in  the 
sketch.  It  con- 
sists of  a  piece  of 
sheet  metal  rolled 
up  and  riveted,  or 
a  piece  of  small- 
sized  stovepipe,  or 
other  thin  tubing, 
may  be  used  if 
handy.  Over  the  top  of  the  chimney  two 
crosspieces  of  heavier  sheet  metal  are  set, 
as  shown.  The  vessel  rests  on  these 
crosspieces,  enough  space  being  left  un- 
derneath for  the  escape  of  hot  gases  from 
the  flame.  The  cross  bars  can  readily  be 
taken  off  and  packed  inside  of  the  chim- 
ney for  carrying,  and  this  feature  makes 
the  device  attractive  for  camp  use.  The 
convenience  of  changing  the  lamp  in- 
stantly into  a  small  heater  will  be  clearly 
seen. — J.  G.  Allshouse,  Vandergrift,  Pa. 


Safety  Valve  for  a  Funnel 

With  a  funnel  fitted  up  as  shown  in  the 
sketch,  it  is  possible  to  fill  rapidly  with 
liquid,  a  number  of  bottles,  without  close 
observation  to  see 
when  the  bottles 
become  full.  As 
the  liquid  in  the 
bottle  being  filled 
reaches  a  certain 
level,  the  flow  into 
it  is  stopped  by 
the  cork  valve 
dropping  into  the 
mouth  of  the 
funnel,  which  can 
then  be  lifted  out 
and  inserted  in 
the  next  bottle.  When  lifting  the  funnel 
from  the  full  bottle,  the  finger  is  placed 
on  the  cord  at  the  top,  where  it  goes 
over  the  wire  bracket  attached  to  the 
side  of  the  funnel ;  this  keeps  the  float 
from  dropping  while  the  funnel  is  being 
removed  to  the  next  bottle.  When  the 
finger  pressure  is  released  the  float  drops, 
raising  the  cork,  and  the  liquid  begins 
to  flow. 

In  order  to  have  this  device  work  satis- 
factorily, the  principal  requirement  is 
that  the  float  and  the  valve  shall  bear  the 


proper  relations  of  volume  and  weight  to 
each  other  and  to  the  liquid  with  which 
they  are  to  be  used.  It  is  necessary  that 
the  float  shall  be  heavier  than  the  valve, 
and  that  the  weight  of  the  float  in  liquid 
shall  be  less  than  the  weight  of  the  valve 
in  either  the  liquid  or  air.  Besides  these 
conditions,  the  valve  must  be  of  the  right 
size  to  fit  in  the  funnel.  The  float  must  be 
small  enough  to  work  freely  in  the  neck  of 
the  bottle  and  heavy  enough  to  overcome 
any  friction  of  the  cord.  A  good  way  is 
to  make  the  float  of  varnished  wood  and 
the  valve  of  a  small  cork  with  a  metal 
screw  in  the  center  of  its  lower  face.  This 
screw  is  used  merely  as  a  weight,  and  its 
size  should  be  such  as  to  bring  about  the 
proper  relation  of  weight  as  stated  above. 
— Violet  Johnson,  Rockford,  111. 


Simple  Follower  for  Vertical 
Letter  File 

A    factory    clerk,    wishing   to    preserve 
records  in  a  vertical  file  in  a  deep  drawer 
of   his    desk,    was 
unable     to     get, 
through   the   pur- 
chasing depart- 
ment  of   his    fac- 
tory,   a     follower 
or  support  for  his 
file.    Going  to  the 
pattern    shop,    he 
had  made  a  device 
like  the  one  illus- 
trated, which  was 
found    to    work 
very  well.    The  follower  itself  consists  of 
three  blocks  nailed  together;   to  hold  it 
in    place,   there   are    two   round   wooden 
rods,  which  extend  back  to  the  rear  end 
of    the    drawer.     They    were    originally 
made  long  enough  to  hold  the  follower 
at  its  farthest  forward  position.    At  inter- 
vals of  about  1  in.  along  the  rods,  slots 
were  sawed  deep  enough  so  that  a  piece 
could    be    broken    off   with    the    fingers; 
then,  as  the  file  expanded,  the  pieces  were 
broken  off  one  at  a  time,  thus  allowing 
additional  room  for  papers. 


Labeling  Bottles  with  a  Dab  of  Paint 

Bottles  containing  chemicals  are  readily 
marked  in  a  durable  way  by  painting  a 
neat  2-in.  square  on  the  bottle  in  green 
paint,  allowing  the  paint  to  dry,  and 
scratching  in  the  words  or  chemical  for- 
mulas with  a  nail. — Abel  Greenstein,  New 
York,  N.  Y. 


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A  Folding  Portable  Stool 

The  sketch  shows  a  collapsible  stool 
which  is  readily  made  from  some  scraps 
of  lumber.  The  four  legs  are  mortised 
into  the  top  of  the 
stool,  which 
should  be  of 
wood,  about  1% 
in.  thick.  These 
sockets  should 
be  sunk  about  y% 
in.,  and  the  legs 
should  fit  them 
quite  accurately. 
When  the  stool  is 
to  be  carried,  the 
four  legs  are  sim- 
ply pulled  out  and 
thrust  into  four 
loops  of  canvas, 
which  are  formed  as  shown.  The  exces- 
sive thickness  of  the  block  can  be  cut 
away  around  the  corners  in  order  to  make 
the  stool  lighter  for  carrying. — Pvt.  Elmer 
Tetzlaff,  Camp  Alfred  Vail,  N.  J. 


Put  Out  Light  in  Going 
to  Sleep 

Many  persons  find  that  thfe  easiest  and 
quickest  way  to  get  to  sleep  at  night  is  to 
start  reading  a  book  or  magazine  and 
gradually  "doze  off."  One  objection  to 
this  habit  is  that  the  electric  light  often 
burns  all  night  and  wastes  much  current. 
To  prevent  this  waste,  use  a  pull  socket, 
and  tie  a  string  to  the  end  of  the  chain; 
tie  the  other  end  of  the  string  to  the  book, 
so  that  as  it  drops  from  the  hands  the 
light  will  go  out. 


A  Handle  for  Safety-Razor 
Blades 

A  very  useful  handle  for  holding  safety- 
razor  blades  while  they  are  being  sharp- 
ened can  be  made 
as  shown  in  the 
sketch.  An  old 
spoke  from  a  bi- 
cycle, carrying  the 
nut  which  fits  in 
the  bicycle  rim,  is 
^  bent  double,  and  a 

piece  of  tubing  is 
slipped  on,  which  is 
closed  at  one  end,  except  for  a  hole  big 
enough  to  take  the  spoke.  This  part  of 
the  device  may  be  obtained  from  an  old 
fountain  pen  or  penholder.  The  blade  is 
clamped  quite  tightly  by  screwing  up  the 
nut.— F.  M.  Viall,  Vandalia,  Mich. 


Mufiin  Pan  Made  of  Lids 

from  Tin  Cans 

A  muffin  pan  which  gives  good  service 
is  shown  in  the  illustration.  It  was  made 
from  a  number  of 
lids  taken  from 
baking-  powder 
cans,  fastened 
into  an  old  shal- 
low pan  which 
was  no  longer 
useful  for  its 
original     purpose. 

The  can  lids  are  held  by  an  aluminum  or 
copper  rivet  through  the  center  of  each ; 
solder  must  not  be  used,  as  it  might  melt 
if  the  pan  became  overheated. 


Flexible  Drawknife  Made  from  Piece 

of  an  Old  Saw 

A  useful  tool  in  woodworking  is  a 
flexible  spokeshave,  or  drawknife,  made 
from  the  blade  of  an  old  saw.  A  strip,  1 
or  2  in.  wide,  is  fitted  into  handles  at  the 
ends  and  is  ground  to  a  sharp  edge.  The 
tool  makes  a  good  substitute  for  a  more 
expensive  drawknife,  and  will  handle 
some  jobs  even  more  effectively,  as  the 
cutting  edge  can  be  sprung  to  fit  curved 
surfaces. — G.  A.  Vogel,  Baltimore,  Md. 


Novel  Ink-Bottle  Holder  Made 

from  Grease  Cups 

Of  the  many  types  of  ink-bottle  holders 
for  draftsmen  which  can  be  purchased  or 
made,    few    excel 
for  cheapness  and 
convenience    the 
one    here    illus- 
trated.  The  bottle 
holder  is  simply  a 
grease  cup  such  as 
used     on     auto- 
mobiles, with  the 
bottom    cut    off; 
the  cup  is  inverted 
and  fastened  with 
screws  to  the  un- 
derside    of     the 
drawing  table.    A 
hole  is  made  to  take  the  stem  of  the  bot- 
tle, anfd  the  top  of  the  cork  can  be  sawed 
off  so  that  it  is  flush  with  the  surface  of 
the  board  or  table.    A  No.  2  grease  cup 
is  the   right  size  to  take  the  ink  bottle. 
The  kink  is  equally   useful   for  drawing 
boards,  if  the  farther  ^%^  is  elevated  so 
that  the  cup  can  be  inserted  underneath. 
— Frank  Ziebell,  Jr.,  May  wood.  111. 


CUT  OFP  STEM 


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WELL-PLANNED    GARAGE    FOR    TOWN    OR    COUNTRY 


Floor  Plan  Describing  General  Interior  Arrangement 
of  the  Garage,  Which  Is  Large  Enough  to  Accom- 


modate Two   Seven-Passenger  Motor  Cars,  or  One 
Car  and  a  Tractor 


'^'OW  that  motor-car  production  is 
^^  once  more  on  the  upgrade  and  there 
is  no  restriction  on  building  operations, 
ideas  for  the  private  garage  may  be  dis- 
cussed appropriately.  Illustrated  here- 
with are  plans  for  a  two-car  structure  o^ 
moderate  cost  and  convenient  arrange- 
ment that  should  meet  the  needs  of  many 
prospective  urban  and  rural  builders 
equally  well.  It  will  comfortably  accom- 
modate two  large  cars,  or  one  seven-pas- 
senger machine  and  an  average-sized 
farm  tractor  with  broad  creeper  treads. 

It  is  a  frame  structure,  well  lighted  and 
ventilated,  with  concrete  foundation,  floor, 
and  pit.  The  floor  drains  toward  the  mid- 
dle, and  the  pit  is  4  ft.  wide,  4  ft.  deep, 
and  5  ft.  long.  Shingles  being  botn  dura- 
ble and,  in  comparison  with  other  mate- 
rial, reasonable  in  price,  serve  excellently 
for  siding  as  well  as  roofing.     They  may 


be  stained,  painted,  or  left  in  their  nat- 
ural state,  as  desired. 

Cost 'obviously  depends  considerably 
on  locality.  Under  normal  conditions 
the  garage  should  be  erected  at  a  total 
«  expense  ranging  from  $650  to  $750.  If 
the  owner  assists  in  the  construction 
work,  the  labor  charge  could  be  re- 
duced. The  materials  used  ought  not 
cost  in  excess  of  $450  this  spring. 

Reference  to  the  accompanying  plans 
will  show*  that  an  ample  workbench 
with  conveniently  situated  drawers  and 
inclosed  shelves  is  provided  at  the  rear 
of  the  room,  and  that  double  windows 
immediately  above  it  give  ample  light.  At 
either  end  of  the  bench  places  are  de- 
signed for  fuel  tanks  which  are  so  ar- 
ranged that  in  districts  where  it  is  cus- 
tomary to  distribute  fuel  in  drums,  the 
latter  may  be  loaded  into  place  from  a 
wagon  at  the  rear  without  having  to  bft 
•  ted. 

The  doors  are  mounted  on  sliding  hang>-^ 
ers  and  may  be  pushed  out  of  the  way, 
leaving  the  entire  entrance  space  unob-» 
structed.  The  eaves  overhang  sufficient^ 
to  protect  the  interior  of  the  garage  oa 
rainy  days  when  the  doors  happen  to  be 
left  open.  Ventilators  are  built  in  the 
opposite  ends  of  the  gable. 

Sightliness,  no  less  desirable  on  the 
farm  than  in  town  or  suburb,  is  one  of 
the  attributes  of  the  building.  Further- 
more, the  exterior  architecture  is  of  a 
neutral  type  that  lends  itself  to  almost  any 
site,  regardless  of  the  style  of  surrounding 
buildings. 


the  editorial  policy  of  this  magaxine  never  to  accept  compensation  in  sn^ 
in  our  reading  pases,  and  also  to  avoid  all  appearance  of  doing  so,  we  are 
the  maker  or  the  seller  of  any  article  described.    This  information,  however, 
famished  free,  by  addressing  Bureau  of  Information,  Popular  Mechanics  Magaxine, 


ay  form  i 

obliged  I 

is  kept  I 

igaxine,  I 


320 


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Popular  Mechanics  Magazine 

WRITTEN    SO   YOU    CAN    UNDERSTAND    IT 


Vol.  31  MARCH,  1919    .  No.  3 


Daring  Flier  Changes  Planes  in  Mid-Air 

PEW   persons  probably  would   care   to      in  which  he  had  left  the  ground  as  a  pas- 
■*•     emulate  the  aerial   flip-flopping   of   a      senger,  he  reached  the  horizontal  bar  of 
young  lieutenant  of  aviation  who  recently      the  landing  chassis.    Hanging  to  this,  and 
accomplished    the    daring    maneuver    of     executing  acrobatic  evolutions,  he  awaited 
changing  planes  while  in  full  flight  a  mile      the  approach  of  a  second  ship  flying  at  a 
above   a   Texas  training  field.     Climbing      lower  level.     As  it  came  beneath  him,  he 
down  to  the  undercarriage  of  the  machine      released  his  hold  and  dropped  onto  its  top 
^________________________^^  plane,  landing  at  a  point 

I  near   the    middle    of    the 

right  wing.  While  he  had 

estimated     the     relative 

,  speeds    of    the    two    ma- 

I  chines     correctly     and 

judged  his  distance  with- 
out error,  it  still  remained 
for  him  to  obtain  a  firm 
,  hold,    or    possibly    suflfer 

the  inconvenience  of  fall- 
ing 5,000  ft.  through  the 
Texas  atmosphere.  He 
gripped  the  wing  tightly 
and  was  safe — in  a  man- 
ner of  speaking.  After 
/  enjoying  a  brief  ride  on 

/  to*     he  further  appeased 


COrvmOMT,   KAOKL  A  tWRSIirr 


Accompanying  the  Pictures  Above,  Which  Illustrate  How  the  Maneuver  was  Accomplished,  Comes  a  Note 

from  the  Photograph  Agency  to  the  Editor,  Asserting:  '*The  Photographs  are  Vouched  tor  by  Him 

(the  Officer)   as  Being  Authentic.     We  Have  a  Written   Sutement  to  This  Effect" 

?21 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


ORDNANCE  CAR'S  "FIRST  AID" 

IS  COMPACT  TOOL  BOX 

Tool  boxes  provided  for  use  on  all  cars, 
trucks,  and  tractors  of  the  Ordnance  De- 
partment are  not  only  complete  in  their 
equipment  but  are  designed  to  give  each 


There  Is  Little  Waste  Space  in  This  Tool  Box  When 

It  is  Completely  Equipped  for  the  Cars,  Trucks,  and 

Tractors  of  the   Ordnance    Department,  and   Every 

Item  Has  Its  Own  Compartment 

tool  or  supply  its  own  compartment.  Be- 
sides the  usual  wrenches,  screwdrivers, 
hammers,  and  pliers,  each  box  carries  a 
heavy  jack,  towMng  chains,  a  box  of  w^aste, 
scrapers  for  carbon  removal,  extra  oil- 
cans, electric  flash  lights  with  extra  bulbs 
and  batteries,  friction  tape,  extra  magneto 
parts  and  generator  brushes,  head-laipp 
bulbs,  and  a  small  drawer  of  duplicate 
nuts  and  lock  washers  for  all  parts  of  the 
vehicle,  each  in  its  own  little  cell. 


BATHING  SUIT  OF  NEW  DESIGN 

KEEPS  WEARER  AFLOAT 

Of  special  interest  to  timid  bathers  is 
an  unsinkable  bathing  suit  outwardly  re- 
sembling  an  ordi- 
nary swimming  suit, 
but  equipped  with 
an  inflatable  portion 
on  the  inside  of  the 
frgnt.  This  bladder 
is  made  of  rubber- 
ized material  w^hich 
becomes  waterproof 
on  being  wet.  The 
bather,  after  im- 
mersing his  body 
enough  to  wet  the 
garment,  inflates  the 
bladder  by  blowing 
through  a  valve  in 
^_  its  upper  end.  It  is 
then  capable  of  sup- 
porting persons  weighing  up  to  300  lb.  in 
the  water,  it  is  claimed. 


RUDDER  OF  DIFFERENT  TYPE 

ON  HOG  ISLAND  SHIPS 

Congestion  of  forges  and  foundries  in 
the  Hog  Island  shipyard  led  to  an  emer- 
gency design  of  rudder  that  proved  to 
have  some  permanent  advantages.  Cast- 
steel  and  forged  rudder  frames  being  im- 
possible of  delivery  in  adequate  quantity, 
a  semibalanced  type  of  rudder  was  laid 
out  to  use  plates  and  standard  sections. 
It  is  23  ft.  10%  in.  from  the  coupling  to 
the  bottom  of  the  rudder,  6  ft.  10  in.  from 
the  stock  to  the  rear  or  after  end,  3  ft.  5 
in.  to  the  forward  edge  of  the  balancing 
end,  and  18  in.  wide  near  the  sternpost, 
tapering  to  8  in.  at  the  rear  end.  The 
only  casting  is  used  where  the  side  plates 
are  riveted  at  the  top,  serving  as  a  cou- 
pling for  the  rudder  stock.  This  form  of 
rudder,  being  hollow,  has  a  certain  degree 
of  buoyancy,  relieving  the  strain  on  the 
bearings  so  that  only  two  are  used.  A 
stern  was  also  built  up  with  a  minimum 
use  of  castings  by  the"substit«tion  of  steel 
plates  wherever  they  could  be  used. 


WATCH  WITH  GAS-PROOF  CASE 

FOUND  ON  HUN  CAPTIVE 

Paralleling  the  famous  "two  sets  of 
suspender  buttons"  of  the  German  array 
equipment  i  s  a 
watch  provided 
with  a  gas  mask 
taken  from  a  cap- 
tured German  sol- 
dier. A  false  case 
with  a  glass  front 
is  so  constructed 
that  when  it  is 
closed,  with  the 
watch  inside,  no 
corrosive  enemy 
gas  can  enter  the 
works  and  injure 
the  delicate  mech- 
anism. The  ob- 
served action  of  such  gases  on  exposed 
articles  indicates  some  reason  in  the  Ger- 
man idea. 


corrmoNT,  kaocl  «  HmscRT 


([Mexican  business  houses  are  complain- 
ing that  orders  they  send  to  manufac- 
turers in  the  United  States  frequently  are 
not  acknowledged,  and  even  their  sub- 
sequent telegrams  are  ignored.  American 
consular  officers  point  to  the  importance 
to  buyers  in  foreign  countries  of  prompt 
information  as  to  the  receipt  of  orders 
and  probable  date  of  shipment. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


FRAMES  FOR  SOLDIERS'  PHOTOS 

HAVE  DISTINCTIVE  FEATURES 

A  maker  of  artistic  bric-a-brac  has  dis- 
played unusual  skill  in  fashioning  frames 
of   special    designs    for   pictures    of   men 


Handmade  Frames  for  Soldiers*  Pictures:    The  One 

at  the  Left   Is  of   Dark  Wood,  the  Other  Is   Carved 

and  Gilded.    The'Stars  are  Embellished  with  Mother- 

of-Pearl 

in  the  serv^ice.  One  of  the  rectangular 
frames  is  of  gilded  wood  appropriately 
carved  with  stars  and  bars.  The  picture 
occupies  an  oval  in  the  lower  half  of  a 
dark-purple  field,  and  above  it  is  a  blue 
service  star  with  a  gold  border  and  em- 
bellished in  the  center  with  mother-of- 
pearl,  or  a  plain  gold  star.  Other  frames, 
equally  attractive,  are  oval  and  of  dark 
wood,  while  the  mat  is  of  any  shade 
suited  to  the  color  of  the  wall.  In  one 
frame,  a  red  border  just  inside  the  frame 
surrounds  the  field,  which  is  white. 


FLIER  LANDS  BIPLANE  SAFELY 
AFTER  LOSING  MOTOR  IN  SKY 

To  an  American  lieutenant  of  aviation, 
in  advanced  training  at  an  overseas  flying 
field,  belongs  credit  for  making  a  forced 
landing  in  safety  after  wrecking  his  plane 
at  an  altitude  of  one  mile.  Collision  with 
another  machine  tore  the  engine  from 
the  officer's  craft,  thereby  destroying  its 
balance.  But  for  an  exceptional  display 
of  coolness  and  ingenuity,  the  pilot's 
flying  days  would  have  been  over.  He 
grasped  the  one  opportunity  that  offered 
itself,  however,  and  lives  to  tell  the  tale. 

At  a  moment  when  the  plane  was  glid- 
ing on  an  even  keel,  he  climbed  onto  the 
top  of  the  fuselage  at  full  length  and  in 
some  manner  managed,  by  continually 
shifting  his  weight,  to  restore  balance  suf- 
ficiently to  prevent  the  craft  from  flutter- 
ing into  a  direct  fall.  The  airman  realized 
that  the  odds  were  all  against  him,  but  he 
kept  his  head  as  coolly  as  if  he  had  been 
in  no  danger  at  all.  While  maintaining 
balance  with  his  body,  he  also  manipu- 


lated the  controls  and  guided  the  machine 
earthward.  At  the  conclusion  of  his  long, 
harrowing  descent,  he  negotiated  a  land- 
ing that  is  described  as  having  been 
worthy  of  a  finished  pilot  working  under 
normal  conditions. 


SECTIONAL  RADIATOR  AIDS 

TRACTOR  REPAIRS 

Radiators  of  artillery  tractors,  besides 
being  protected  by  armor  plate,  are  made 
in  sections  for  quick  removal  and  repair. 
Each  sectional  unit  has  cast-iron  headers 
top  and  bottom,  with  posts  which  connect 
with  the  circulation  system  when  the 
sections  are  bolted  in  place.  Vertical 
steel  channels  connecting  the  iron  headers 
give  rigidity  and  strength  to  the  sections. 
The  cooling  capacity  of  the  whole  radi- 
ator is  sufficient  to  handle  its  duty  with 
one  section  cut  out.  The  damaged  sec- 
tion may  be  removed,  solid  gaskets  sub- 
stituted for  the  pierced  ones  to  stop  the 
.flow. of  water,  and  the  dead  section  re- 
placed. This  is  done  to  prevent  the  fan 
from  pulling  an  excess  of  air  through  the 
vacant  spot  in  the  radiator.    The  change 


A  Radiator  Constructed  in   Sectional   Units  Makes 

It  Possible  to  Repair  the  Cooling  Sirstem  of 

This  Artillery  Tractor  in  10  Minutes 

from  an  injured  section  to  a  new  one, 
however,  takes  only  about  10  minutes. 

Cr  Potash  from  the  extensive  deposits  of 
Alsace  is  suggested  as  a  valuable  ballast 
cargo  for  returning  American  ships.  The 
supply  is  estinrated  to  be  adequate  for 
America's  annual  need  .of  500,000  to 
600,000  tons. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


325 


The  Hollow  Concrete 

Pole    may   be    Made 

Omamtntal  as  Easily 

as  Plain 


The  Reinforcing  Cage  is  Made  of  Long  Steel  Rods  Bound  Here  Is  Another  E 
with  Wire  and  Tied  at  the  Intersections.  When  It  Is  in  the  ample  of  Siniple,  Y 
Rotating  Mold  the   Centrifugal  Force  Drives  the  Concrete       Ornamental,  Lighti 


Centrifugal 

into  Every  Crevice 


Ex. 
Vet 
ghting 
Standards 


ICELAND  RIVER  TO  OPERATE 

BIG  POWER  STATIONS 

Six  power  stations  planned  for  early 
construction  in  Iceland  will  take  from  the 
Thjorsa,  the  island's  largest  river,  a  total 
of  1,114,000  hp.  This  stream,  from  5,000 
to  8,000  feet  wide,  has  three  important 
tributaries  that  drain  the  southern  part 
of  the  country.  The  slopes  here  are  gen- 
tle and  development  possibilities  favor- 
able. Climatic  conditions  are  not  severe, 
and  the  absence  of  ice  difficulties,  rafting 
of  timber,  and  organized  fisheries  sim- 
plify the  power  company's  problems.  The 
production  of  chemical  fertilizers  and  the 
nitrates  and  sulphites  of  ammonium  is 
suggested  as  one  use  for  the  power  de- 
veloped, as  the  country  abounds  in  sul- 
phur deposits.  For  commercial  and 
lighting  purposes,  electric  current  can  be 
delivered  at  Reykjavik,  less  than  a  hun- 
dred miles  distant,  at  a  reasonable  cost. 


([Mixtures  of  lime  and  coal  dust  are  found 
to  form  excellent  plant  fertilizers.  The 
lime  accelerates  the  normally  slow  process 
of  the  soil  in  extracting  carbon  dioxide. 
The  coal  dust  may  be  had  as  a  colliery 
waste. 


ROTATING  CONCRETE  MOLD 

FORMS  HOLLOW  POLES 

Molding  concrete  shapes  to  meet  special 
requirements  is  a  problem  more  commer- 
cial than  mechanical.  By  its  very  nature 
concrete  finds  no  difficulty  in  filling  any 
mold.  Hollow  concrete  poles  have  been 
previously  used  in  a  limited  way,  but  a 
commercially  practical  and  economical 
production  method  is  a  recent  develop- 
ment. The  long  horizontal  mold  is  split 
longitudinally  into  two  parts.  In  this, 
mold  is  placed  the  reinforcement,  a  cage 
of  longitudinal  steel  rods  bound  with  wire 
and  tied  at  the  intersections.  The  wet- 
mixed  concrete  is  poured  in  after  the 
halves  of  the  mold  have  been  bolted  to- 
gether. The  mold  is  clamped  in  a  ma- 
chine consisting  of  a  tube  that  is  rotated 
at  a  gradually  increasing  speed,  and  the 
centrifugal  force  compacts  the  concrete 
against  the  wall  of  the  mold  so  strongly 
that  all  interstices  of  the  reinforcement  are 
filled  and  close  cohesion  attained.  The 
action  also  separates  the  surplus  water 
from  the  mixture  and  it  escapes  at  the 
large  end  of  the  mold,  leaving  a  concrete 
so  compact  that  the  pole,  after  having  been 
given  a  special  steam  treatment,  may  be 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


safely  removed  in  a  short  time.  On  a 
30-ft.  pole,  with  7-in.  top  and'  14V2-in.  butt, 
weighing  1,900  lb.,  tests  made  by  applying 
pulling  stress  two  feet  from  the  top  indi- 
cated a  safe  load  of  4,050  lb.  The  pole 
broke  at  4,550  lb.,  bending  more  than  13 
in.  before  failure.  The  process  is  ap- 
plicable to  poles  of  practically  any  size, 
ornamental  or  plain.  It  is  therefore  use- 
ful for  making  telegraph,  telephone,  and 
signal  poles,  and  electric-light  standar<ls, 
which  may  be  as  elaborate  as  desired. 


NEW  INVENTION  MULTIPLIES 
CAPACITY  OF  PHONE  WIRES 

An  achievement  more  extraordinary'  by 
far  than  making  two  blades  of  grass  grow 
where  one  grew  before,  is  the  sending  of 
five  telephone  conversations  simultane- 
ously over  one  pair  of  wires  where  but 
one  conversation  could  travel  before. 
The  new  apparatus,  or  system,  which 
makes  this  feat  possible  is  known  as  the 
multiplex  telephone,  a  report  on  which 
has  recently  been  given  to  the  govern- 
ment and  which  marks  a  new  epoch  in 
the  histor>'  of  communication  by  wire. 
The  new  invention  also  makes  it  possible 
t6  send  40  telegraph  messages  simultane- 
ously over  one  pair  of  wires,  or  they  can 
be  used  in  part  for  telephoning  and  in 
part  for  telegraphing.  Ten  conversations 
can  be  carried  on  over  two  pairs  of  wires 
which  formerly  could  be  used  for  a  max- 
imum of  three  conversations  by  means  of 
the  so-called  "phantom  circuit."  Tests 
covering  several  weeks  have  been  made 
of  the  system  on  a  Baltimore-Pittsburgh 
line  and  have  been  pronounced  success- 
ful in  every  way. 

To  carry  five  conversations  over  a 
single  pair  of  wires  it  is  necessary  to  send 
over  the  latter  five  different  electric  cur- 
rents at  the  same  time,  and  to  provide 
means  so  that  at  the  ends  of  the  wires 
these  currents  shall  be  completely  sep- 
arated and  go  to  their  respective  instru- 
ments. This  is  done  by  adding  to  each 
ordinary  telephone  current  a  carrier  cur- 
rent of  definitely  higher  frequency,  the 
differences  in  wave  lengths  being  adjusted 
to  the  separating  devices  at  the  receiving 
end.  An  improvement  of  the  audion  forms 
an  important  part  in  this  remarkable  ap- 
paratus, which  will  be  installed  on  all  long- 
distance lines.  The  cost  and  other  factors 
make  its  application  to  short,  local  lines 
impractical.  The  invention  will  enor- 
mously increase  the  capacity  of  existing 
lines  for  telephone  and  telegraph  service. 


WIRE  APRONS  OF  SKY  INJURED 
MORALE  OF  GERBftAN  FLIERS 

Sky  aprons,  consisting  of  fine  steel 
wires  suspended  from  horizontal  cables 
supported  between  kite  balloons,  consti- 
tuted an  important  part  of  the  aerial  de- 
fense system  of  London  in  the  latter 
months  of  the  war.  It  will  be  recalled 
that  in  April  last  year  Popular  Me- 
chanics briefly  described  the  anti-aircraft 
nets  protecting  Venice  from  Austrian 
bombers.  At  that  time  censorship  with- 
held many  details  of  the  plan.  It  is  now 
permissible  to  state  that  aerial  aprons 
owe  their  invention  to  the  British,  who 
were  the  first  to  use  them. 

Balloons  were  sent  up  in  groups  of 
three  or  more  to  different  elevations.  The 
apron  of  wires  they  supported  might  be 
likened  to  certain  Japanese  beaded  por- 
tieres, except,  of  course,  that  the  indi- 
vidual strands  were  spaced  several  yards 
apart  and  weighted  with  plumb  bobs. 

One  of  the  most  beneficial  eflFects  of  the 
scheme  was  its  pronounced  influence  on 
the  morale  of  German  airmen,  who  knew 
not  where  they  might  encounter  the  men- 
acing wires.  Striking  one  of  them  while 
flying  at  high  speed  might  have  serious 
consequences.  It  might  cripple  one  of 
the  controls,  wrap  around  the  propeller, 
saw  through  a  spar,  or,  if  it  happened  to 
be  one  of  the  main  anchor  cables,  shear 
off  a  wing.  The  aprons  are  said  to  have 
spelled  the  doom  of  a  number  of  night 
bombers  and  to  have  caused  others  to 
make  forced  landings. 

In  guarding  London,  the  atmosphere 
was  divided  into  three  defense  strata.  Be- 
tween the  ground  and  a  certain  elevation 
the  aprons  gave  protection.  The  artil- 
lery barrage  formed  a  curtain  of  dead- 
liness  across  the  middle  area.  Above  that 
were  the  night-duty  fighting  planes  of 
the  Royal  Flying  Corps,  waiting  the 
chance  to  attack. 


PHONOGRAPH  WITH  GLASS  HORN 
HAS  BETTER  TONE,  IS  CLAIM 

An  innovation  in  phonographs  is  an  in- 
strument equipped  with  a  horn  of  beveled 
mirror  glass.  The  claim  of  the  makers  is 
that  the  horn  of  a  talking  machine  best 
amplifies  the  tone  when  its  surface  is 
smooth  and  rigid,  hence  one  of  heavy 
glass  is  preferable  to  one  of  wood  or 
metal.  Furthermore,  the  glass  amplifier 
adds  much  to  the  attractive  appearance 
of  the  instrument  when  the  front  is  open. 


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Tent  Menders.  Employed  by  a  Fruit  Growers'  Association  in  California,  Repairing  Tents  Which  are  Used 

as  Covering  While  Fumigating  Fruit  Trees  :    This  Association  Has  Enough  Canvas 

to  Cover  All  the  Trees  in  a  lO-Acre  Orchard  at  Once 


TRUCK  DUMPS  GRAIN  LOAD 

IN  FREIGHT-CAR  DOOR 

An  electric  truck,  used  for  hauiing 
grains  and  feed,  has  a  side-dumping  body 
so  designed  that  each  of  the  three  inde- 
pendent sections  fits  a  standard  freight- 
car  doorway.  As  the  driver  pulls  up 
alongside  a  freight  car,  he  tips  the  first 
section  of  the  body  directly  into  the  car 
door,  and  it  deposits  its  load  on  the  floor 
of  the  car.  The  first  section  is  righted, 
the  truck  moved  slightly  forward,  and 
the  second  section  dumped,  followed  by 
the  third.  Two-thirds  of  a  section  load 
is  emptied  automatically,  the  rest  being 
shoveled  out  by  a  man  in  the  freight  car. 
A  considerable  labor-saving  results  over 
the  methods  of  shoveling  a  full  load  from 
horse-drawn  wagons 
and  the  idle  period  ( 
is  greatly  reduced. 


TENT  REPAIRING  A  BIG  TASK 

IN  WESTERN  FRUIT  LANDS 

Tent  repairing  which  has  nothing  to  do 
with  circuses,  camping,  or  army  life,  is  an 
industry  conducted  on  a  large  scale  in 
southern  California.  The  tents  in  question 
are  used  in  covering  fruit  trees  while  they 
are  being  fumigated.  One  cooperative  as- 
sociation of  fruit  growers  has  enough  can- 
vas to  cover  all  the  trees  in  a  10-acre  or- 
chard at  once — much  more,  it  is  said,  than 
is*  owned  by  any  circus  company.  With 
so  many  tents  in  use  there  is  much  mend- 
ing to  be  done  of  tears,  and  holes  eaten  by 
the  acid  fumes.  This  association  employs 
three  to  five  tent  menders  from  four  to 
six  months  each  year.  They  are  provided- 
with  sewing  machines  which  are  of  heavy 


As  the  Sketch  at  the  Left  Indicates.  This  Truck  Dumps  Its  Load  of  Grain  Directly  upon  a  Preight-Car 

Floor,  the  Body  Sections  Tilting  into  the  Car  Door.    The  Driver  Does  the  Tilting 

from  His  Seat,  Emptying  the  Truck  in  a  Hurry 


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COPVRIGHI,   rREBS  ILLUoTHAIING  SCItVICC 

Visible  on  the  Quarter  Deck  of  This  United  States  Pightingl^Vessel  Are  "Ash  Cans"  Leashed  to  a  Launching 
Rack,  a  Mortar  Loaded  with  a  Depth  Bomb,  and  a  Pour-Inch  Oun — All  Deadly  Enemies  of  the  U-Boat 


U-BOAT  BEATEN  BY  Y-GUN  AND  "ASH  CAN 


'>» 


AS  is  known  to  the  whole  world,  the 
"^^  submarine  menace  was  not  a  mere 
bugaboo.  For  a  disheartening  period  it 
threatened  to  bleed  the  allies  and  throw 
the  balance  of  power  in  favor  of  the  Hun. 
The  defeat  of  the  U-boat  was,  therefore, 
a  triumph  of  utmost  importance.  And 
for  making  this  possible,  credit  is  due  in 
great  measure  to  the  depth  bomb,  or  the 


This  Gives  a  Close-Up  View  of  One  of  the  Depth-Bomb  MorUrs  a  Split. 

Second  Following  Its  Discharge.    The  Tiring  Chamber,  It  will  be 

Observed,  is  Attached  to  the  Top  Side  of  the  Barrel 

328 


"ash  .can,"  as  it  is  known  in  naval  ver- 
nacular. 

Those  skilled  in  the  genealogy  of  ord- 
nance   might    trace    the    history    of    this 
deadly  weapon  back  to  the  early  days  of 
fishing,   but   so   far  as   the   landlubber  is 
concerned,  the  depth  bomb  as  now  con- 
stituted is  peculiar  to  the  great  war.     Es- 
sentially it  is  a  steel  drum  loaded  with  a 
350-lb.  charge  of  T.  N.  T. 
_^j,jip  - — — ::      At  one  end   is  a  timing 
dial,  and  at  the  other  a 
safety  fork.     The  former 
consists   of   an   indicator 
'  .^  hand  and  a  metal  ring  on 

which  various  depths 
from  40  to  150  ft.  are 
stamped.  By  turning  the 
pointer  to  one  of  these 
numbers,  adjustment  is 
made  of  a  delicate  spring 
which  affects  an  internal 
diaphragm  that  is  acted 
upon  by  the  pressure  of 
the  water.  When  the 
bomb  reaches  the  prede- 
termined depth,  the  de- 
tonator is  released,  caus- 
ing it  to  explode.  Before 
it  is  launched,  however, 
the  so-called  safety  fork, 
which  normally  prevents 


COFYNIGMT,   ffieSB   ILLUaTIIATINO  8CRVICI 


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accidental  discharge,  is  drawn  out,  so  that      dropped,  the  ropes  holding  the  sternmost 
the  interior  mechanism  is  free  to  operate,      one  Were  cut.  allowing  it  to  roll  off  the 

The  effective  radius  of  a  depth  bomb  is      1 ; 

about    150    ft.     In    other 
cripple  if  not  crush  a  su 
within  that  distance  at  th< 
charge.     When  once  rele; 
a  plummet  to  the  desirei 
plodes.     For  that  reason 
be  dropped  from  the  stei 
a  fast-moving  vessel,  and 
is  frequently  lifted  half  c 
by   the   terrific   force   of 
In  the  early  months  wh 
first  began  to  be  used 
by     our     sailors,     the 
sterns     of     the     lazy- 
moving     craft  •  some- 
times were  blown  off. 
Not    a    few    bobtailed 
boats    were    towed    to 
dry  docks  in  1917. 

In  action,  three 
methods  were  com- 
monly  used  for 
launching  depth 
bombs.  In  the  begin- 
ning they  were  merely 
thrown  over  the  stern. 
Then  an  inclined  rack, 
on  which  eight  or  ten 
of  them  could  be 
leashed  securely,  .was 
adopted.  When  an 
ash    can    was    to    be 


COPYHIGMT,   PfltM  ILLUSTRATING  MHVICC 

A  Mountain  Peak  of  Water  Rises  into  the  Air 

Following  the  Terrific  Explosion  of  a   Depth 

Bomb  beneath  the  Surface 


ated.  The  merit  of 
this  arrangement, 
however,    was    chiefly 


00»vm«MT,  MICM  IktIMTMTMa  tumci 

Showing  the  Condition  of  the  United  States  Torpedo  Boat   "Manley,**  Whose  Stern  was  Demohshed  by 

the  Explosion  of  Depth  Bombs  That  Were  Aboard  When  It  and  a  Merchant  Vessel  Collided: 

The  Accident  Was  a  Tragedy,  for  Many  Lives  were  Lost  on  Both  Ships 


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Sacrificing  Little  in  Realism  and  Detail  for  the  Sake  of  Action,  the  Artist  Depicts  a  Thrilling  Moment  dur 
After  Approaching  from  the  Port  Side  of  the  Three-Master,  Two  American  Submarine  Chasers  are  Getting 
Has  a  Machine  Gtui  Trained  on  the  U- Boat's  Deck.  In  Studsring  the  Arrangement  of  the  Near  Chaser 
of  the  Quarter.Deck.    Leashed  beneath  It  to  the  Deck  Are  ^xtra  Arbors,  While  Immediately  Forward  Is  the 

the  Inclined  Rack  from  Which  Depth 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


one  of  convenience,  for  depth  bombs  can- 
not be  dropped  at  too  frequent  intervals 
without  countermining. 

The  second  device  employed  consisted 
of  the  so-called  Y-gun,  an  instrument 
shaped  like  the  letter  "Y,"  having  two 
barrels  placed  at  about  right  angles.  This 
was  ordinarily  mounted  crosswise  in  the 
middle  of  the  after  gun  deck  of  a  **sub" 
chaser  and  used  for  its  firing  charge  a 
blank  3-in.  cartridge.  It  hurled  two 
bombs,  one  to  starboard  and  the  other  to 
port,  a  distance  of  about  150  ft.  Lastly, 
there  was  a  squatty  mortar  that  was  em- 
ployed usually  on  vessels  other  than 
chasers.  Guns  of  its  type  were  mounted 
on  deck,  at  each  side  of  a  boat,  and  were 
of  greater  range  than  those  of  the  afore- 
mentioned kind.  The  firing  chamber  con- 
sisted of  a  cylinder  attached  to  the  top 
side  of  the  mortar's  barrel.  In  each  in- 
stance arbors  were  clamped  to  the  depth 
bombs  for  gun  use.  Thus  the  scheme 
was  essentially  the  same  as  with  the  bet- 
ter-known trench  mortars,  which  also 
fired  bombs  with  arbors  attached. 

The  stern  rack  and  the  Y-gun  enabled 


our  chasers  to  employ  an  effective  form 
of  attack.  Pursuing  a  U-boat,  one  of 
these  craft  raced  to  the  point  where  the 
periscope  was  seen  to  disappear  beneath 
the  surface.  In  as  rapid  succession  as 
safety  permitted,  ash  cans  timed  for  dif- 
ferent depths  were  released  at  the  stern. 
At  short  intervals  the  Y-gun  hurled 
bombs  to  each  side.  As  far  as  possible, 
the  course  of  the  U-boat  was  followed. 
This  not  availing,  the  chaser  circled  the 
area  under  suspicion. 

It  is  not  difficult  to  understand  the  logic 
of  the  system  when  the  effective  radius 
of  the  depth  bomb  and  the  range  of  the 
Y-gun  are  considered.  A  missile  was 
dropped  astern,  for  instance,  and  a  mo- 
ment later  the  Y-gun  hurled  two  others 
150  ft.  from  each  side  of  the  ship.  Thus 
a  triangle,  with  the  first-launched  "can" 
as  its  apex,  was  described.  The  effective 
area  of  each  bomb  slightly  overlapped 
that  of  the  other  two.  Therefore  the 
force  of  the  three  explosions  covered  a 
triangular  area  that,  roughly  considered, 
was  600  ft.  across  at  its  widest  part  and 
of  nearly  equal  height. 


DRILLS  FIFTY  HOLES  AT  ONCE 

AT  THREE  ANGLES 

A  multiple-spindle  drilling  machine, 
cutting  50  holes  at  a  time  from  three  di- 
rections, is  used  in  drilling  cast-iron 
bodies  for  gas  meters.  The  machine  drills 
at  high  speed  36  holes  horizontally,  from 
opposite  directions,  and  14  vertically  from 
above.  This  application  illustrates  thq 
versatility  and  flexibility  of  the  properly 


designed  gang  drill,  whose  limit  of  mul- 
tiple performance  probably  has  not  yet 
been  reached.  Drilling  all  the  holes  in  a 
part  at  one  operation  is  now  common 
practice. 


Multiple  High-Speed   Drill  Bores  60  Holes  in  One   Operttion 
from  Three  Sides.    -"•--"  --  '"  •  —     • 


This  Super-Gang  Drill  is  Used 
on  Cast-iron  Oas-BAeter  Bodies 


LEAKAGE  FROM  PIPE  LINES 
WASTES  NATURAL  GAS 

Poor  construction  of  pipe  lines  is  the 
cause  assigned  for  the  loss  in  one  vear  of 
natural  gas  valued  at  $9,000,000, 
in  two  states  alone.  Fuel-admin- 
istration figures  for  a  group  of 
Kansas  and  Missouri  cities  afld 
towns  show  a  waste  of  27  to  7^ 
per  cent  of  the  gas  delivered  to 
the  city  gates.  From  September 
1917  to  August  1918,  a  total  of 
9,557,143,000  cu.  ft.  of  gas  was  de- 
livered, and  only  5,679,256,000  re- 
ported as  sold,  a  discrepancy  of 
3,877,887,000  cu.  ft.,  or  40.58  per 
cent.  While  the  wholesale  com- 
panies and  the  distributing  com- 
panies, which  buy  from  them  on 
a  percentage  basis,  blame  each 
other  for  the  waste,  checking  of 
all  wholesale  meters  in  the  dis- 
trict by  the  Bureau  of  Standards 
is  relied  upon  to  locate  the  re- 
sponsibility and  lead  to  elimina- 
tion of  the  big  loss. 


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Thii  PivC'Ton  Artillery  Tractor  has  Emerged  from  the  Swamp  and  U  Ascending  a  lOO-Per-Cent  Grade 

to  the  Road,  Merely  as  a  Test 


SWAMPS,  BUMPS,  AND  GRADES 

USED  IN  TRACTOR  TEST 

Running  over  a  stretch  of  rugged 
ground  called  by  courtesy  a  road,  down  a 
lOO-per-cent  declivity,  across  a  swamp, 
and  up  an  equally  stiff  grade  on  the  other 
side,  is  a  sample  of  the  tests  to  which 
military  tractors  were  subjected  before 
delivery.  A  manufacturer  of  five-ton  ar- 
tillery tractors  put  every  new  machine 
over  this  route.  Sometimes  a  tractor  was 
tipped  aver  by  tackling  the  grades  at  too 
oblique  an  angle,  and  had  to  be  pulled 
right  side  up  by  another  machine,  usually 
in  undamaged  condition.  Severe  as  the 
test  seems,  conditions  of  military  use  cer- 
tainly were  no  easier. 

5ALE  OF  ICELANDER'S  VESSEL 
ENDS  PLANS  FOR  SHIP  LINE 

An  unexpected  turn  of  events  prevented 
the  establishment  of  the  Iceland-Ameri- 
can steamship  line  proposed  some  time 
ago.  •  It  will  be  recalled  that  a  voyage 
from  Iceland  direct  to  New  York  was 
made  by  an  Icelandic  vessel,  and  that 
there  was  much  popular  interest  in  the 
event  because  it  was  said  to  have  been 
the. first  ship  to  make  this  trip  since  the 
days  of  the  Norsemen.  At  the  time  the 
boat  arrived,  ships  of  all  sorts  were  at 
a  premium,  and  while  here  the  captain 
and  owner  received  such  a  flattering  offer 
for  his  craft  that  he  abandoned  his  for- 
mer plans  and  sold  out.  It  is  said  that 
his  profits  exceeded  what  he  could  have 
made  in  many  trips. 


AEROPLANE  REPRODUCED 

IN  FLOWER  BED 

A  florist  and'  landscape  artist  has  at- 
tracted considerable  attention  to  his 
establishment  by  reproducing  the  design 
of  an  aeroplane  in  a  flower  bed  on  the 
slope  adjoining  his  greenhouse.  The  fig- 
ure is  18  ft.  long  and  6  ft.  wide,  and  sev- 
eral hundred  plants  of  various  colors  have 


Novelties  in  Deaijg^ns  for  Formal  Flower  Beds:   The 

Representation  of  the  Aeroplane  Measures 

18  Feet  Long  and  6  Feet  Wide 

entered  into  its  composition.  Surround- 
ing it  is  a  background  of  darker  hue. 
Another  bed  represents  a"  passenger  train. 


(TThe  United  States  Naval  School  of 
Turbine  Engineering  has  been  established 
at  Carnegie  Institute,  Pittsburgh,  and  is 
now  training  men  in  anticipation  of  the 
needs  of  our  merchant  marine. 


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MOTORCYCLIST'S  DARING  LEAP  SAVES 
MANY  LIVES 


A  dispatch  rider's  daring  leap  from  a 
motorcycle  into  the  fuselage  of  a  runaway 
airplane  going  60  miles  an  hour  averted, 
by  a  few  -feet,  an  appalling  disaster  at  a 
Pacific-coast  flying  field.  The  motor- 
cyclist was  cleaning  his  machine  near  the 
hangars  when  the  riderless  plane  flashed 
by.  It  was  headed  straight  toward  a  com- 
pany of  soldiers  drilling  with  their  backs 
toward  the  onrushing  destruction.  Jump- 
ing into  his  saddle  and  throwing  on  the 
last  ounce  of  energy,  the  dispatch   rider 


succeeded  in  swinging  in  behind,  the 
plunging,  bounding  plane,  and  leaped  for 
a  hold.  The  desperate  chance  won.  Draw- 
ing himself  up  and  into  the  fuselage  he 
brought  the  runaway  plane  to  a  stop  not 
50  ft.  from  the  backs  of  the  drilling  men, 
through  whose  ranks  it  \yould  have  torn 
to  its  own  destruction  beyond.  The  miss- 
ing pilot  of  the  derelict  plane  was  found 
on  the  field  with  his  head  crushed,  evi- 
dently by  a  blow  from  the  propeller  as 
he  started  his  engine. 


HOW  SAILORS  LEARNED  TO  "SPOT^ 

ON  DRY  LAND 


U-BOATS 


By  LLOYD-  SEAMAN 


DRITISH  seamen  are  never  done  mar- 
^^  veling  at  the  marksmanship  of  the 
American  sailors  who  manned  the  guns 
of  the  merchant  ships  and  the  destroyers 
on  the  Atlantic  Ocean  in  the  submarine 
war.  Their  record  is  indeed  remarkable, 
for  Yankee  jack  tars,  green  to  the  sea 
and  new  to  their  guns,  did,  in  their  first 
months  at  the  new  game  of  spotting  U- 
boats,  show  accuracy  that  broke  all 
precedents. 

That  the  back  of  the  submarine  of- 
fensive was  broken  so  soon  after  America 
got  into  the  war  full  swing,  is  due  to  the 
fact  that  the  United  States  Navy,  in  its. 
vast  training  stations  on  land,  instructed 
its  recruits  fully  and  expertly,  in  this  most 
difficult  and  the  newest  of  all  gunnery 
problems— the  hitting  of  bobbin^:,  fleeting, 
diving  conning  towers. 

Xo  precedents  were  there  for  this  task. 
Submarine  warfare  was  new.  England 
had  learned  the  science  of  catching  the 
lange  of  tlie  will-of-the-wisp  periscopes 
only  by  hard  experience,  by  training  its 
men  in  actual  practice. 

America  could  not  do  this.  It  had  to 
train  its  men  far  inland,  and  at  all  events 
on  terra  firma. 

But  it  mastered  the  science  by  inventing 
a  "submarine  game,"  a  miniature  range 
which  could  be  put  up  on  any  level  floor 
and  used  to  give  the  new  men  adequate 
and  realistic  education  in  shooting  peri- 
scopes, "shooting"  with  a  pair  of  binoc- 
ulars ! 

The  game  was  played  in  this  way: 
Upon  a  low  platform  the  sailor  lay  prone, 
resting  his  griasses  on  a  board  upended  be- 
fore him.  Ahead  stretched  the  range,  and 
at  its  other  extreme,  stood  a  large  painted 


canvas  colored  in  imitation  of  the  sky.  The 
sailor  lying  upon  the  platform  -and  peer- 
ing through  glasses  which  he  held,  got 
approximately  the  same  angular  view  that 
a  sailor  had  on  a  40-foot  bridge  at  sea. 
The  range  in  every  particular  is  laid  out 
an  inch  of  imitation  to  a  yard  of  reality. 
That  is,  the  range  being  2,300  in.  long 
represents  2,300  yd.  at  sea — close  to  the 
greatest  distance  at  which  a  submarine 
could  be  sighted.  At  the  platform  where 
the  sailor  studied  the  play  range  this  same 
scale  was  carried  out,  the  top  of  the 
board,  upon  which  the  sailor  rested  his 
glasses,  being  13  to  14  in.  from  .the  floor 
level.  This  of  course  was  relatively  like 
the  13  to  14  yd.  at  which  a  ship's  bridge 
rears  above  the  water  level.  Midway  be- 
tween 'bridge"  and  "sky"  is  a  faint  chalk 
mark  which,  unseen  by  the  peering  sailor, 
runs  to  the  "sky."  On  either  side  of  it 
run  other  lines,  parallel  each  with  the 
other  and  2  in.  apart.  At  every  50  inches 
another  chalk  line  crosses  them  at  right 
angles,  making  this  half  of  the  range 
scientifically  crosshatched.  These  right- 
angle  lines  are  charted  at  certain  distances 
from  the  "bridge." 

Beside  the  prone  sailor  kneels  a  master 
at  arms,  and  somewhere  down  the  range 
stands  an  instructor  who  aids  this  official. 

The  master  at  arms  commands  the 
pupil  to  focus  his  glasses  on  the  "horizon/* 
This  is  the  black  line  made  where  the 
canvas  frame  rests  on  the  floor.  When 
this  has  been  done  the  master  at  arms 
raises  a  wooden  flap  before  the  pupil's 
glasses,  shutting  off  his  view  of  the  range 
and  at  the  same  time  signaling  to  the  in- 
structor to  set  up  the  target  at  a  certain 
range.     The    instructor    places    a    small 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


wooden  replica  of  a  submarine  conning 
tower  on  some  one  of  the  parallel  lines, 
noting  how  far  to  the  right  or  left  of  the 
center  line  it  is  and,  by  the  nearest  cross 
line  how  many  inches  it  is  from  the 
"bridge." 

Then  the  master  at  arms  drops  the 
wooden  flap,  revealing-  for  two  seconds 
the  range  to  the  pupil  before  shutting  off 
his  sight  again.  In  that  time  the  student 
must  determine  how  far' away  the  con- 
ning tower  is,  its  "range."  in  other  words, 


;The  Range  is  Laid  Out  on  the  Scale  of  an  Inch  to  the  Yard.    The  Pupil.  Using  Binoculars,  is  Given  Two 

Seconds  in  Which  to  Determine  the  Position  of  the  Imitation  Conning  Tower,  in  Front  of  Which, 

in  the  Above  Picture,  is  Shown   the  White  Pyramid  That  Serves  as  the  "Splash" 

gunner  waiting,  shell  in  breech,  lanyard 
ready  on  the  deck  below:  *'Submarine 
sighted.  Nineteen  hundred  and  fifty. 
.     .     .     Forty-eight." 

Translated  this  means  that  he  guesses 
the  conning  tower  is  1,950  yd.  away  and 
two  points  to  the  left  of  the  center  line. 
This  center  line  is  represented  on  gun 
range  finders  as  "50,"  points  to  the  left 
descending  in  order,  such  as  one  point, 
"forty-nine";  two  points,  "forty-eight"; 
three  points,  "forty-seven,"  and  so  on, 
while  points  to  the  right  ascend,  "fifty- 
one,"  "fifty-two." 

In  actual  battle  a  gunner  receiving  this 
order  would  turn  his  calibrated  measur- 
ing mechanism  so  that  the  shell  would* 
hit  the  water  at  a  point  1,950  yd.  away 
and  two  points  to  the  left. 

In  the  "game"  the  instructor  down  the 
range  places  on  this  point  of  the  floor,  a 
small  white  pyramid,  called  the  "splash," 
since  it  represents  very  satisfactorily  the 
column  of  water  thrown  up  by  a  shell. 

The  chances  are  the  "splash"  is  short 
or  "over"  the  conning  tower,  and  the  stu- 
dent is  given  another  chance,  and  is 
trained  until  he  learns  to  get  both 
distance  and  deflection  correctly. 

The  Floor  of  the  Range   is  Accurately    Plotted  with  

Chalk  Lines.  Making  the  Exact  Position  of 
the  Target  Apparent  to  the  Instructors 

and  also  how  far  to  the  right  or  left  of 
the  center  line,  or  as  they  term  it,  the  ob- 
ject's  "deflection." 

The  student  calls  out  as  though  to  a 


Cr  It  is  now  stated  on  good  authority  that 
during  the  war  parrots  were  placed  in 
the  Eiffel  Tower  because  they  gave  warn- 
ing, by  their  actions,  of  the  approach  of 
enemy  aeroplanes. 


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337' 


THREE-TERM  SCHOOL  YEAR 

DISPLACES  TWO  TERMS 

The  schoql  authorities  of  Minneapolis, 
following  the  example  set  by  several 
higher     institutions     of     learning,     have 

adopted  the  three-term  plan   for      

grade  and  high  schools  to  take 
the  place  of  the  two-term  system 
commonly  in  vogue.  An  advan- 
tage of  the  new  arrangement  is 
that  it  permits  promotions  three 
times  a  year  and  more  frequent 
reclassification  of  pupils.  Each 
term  now  has  13  weeks  and  the 
vacation  period  is  of  the  same 
length.  Eventually  the  summer- 
school  work  may  be  merged  into 
the  regular  courses  so  that,  if  a 
pupil  desires,  he  or  she  can  at- 
tend school  the  year  round,  doing 
four  years'  work  in  three.  Such 
a  plan,  it  is  believed,  would  result  in  more 
pupils  finishing  their  courses. 


will  be  recalled,  is  so  great  as  to  prohibit 
conversation  by  ordinary  means.  A  sen- 
sitive receiver  and  a  dictograph  transmit- 
ter are  incorporated  in  a  helmet.  Held 
firmly  in  place  before  the  wearer's  lips  by 
elastic  straps  is  the  mouthpiece  of  a  speak- 


PHONE  APPARATUS  FOR  AIRMEN 
IS  OF  MARKED  SIMPLICITY 

Now  that  the  Hun  is  in  restraint,  atten- 
tion may  be  called  to  a  simple  telephonic 
apparatus,  developed  for  airmen,  to  en- 
able pilot  and  observer,  or  passenger,  to 
communicate  freely  with  each  other  while 
aloft.     The  roar  of  an  airplane  motor,  it 


Aeroplane  Observer  and  Pilot  Equipped  with  Telephone 
Outfit  Which  Enables  Them  to  Converse  Despite  the  Noise 
of  the  Motor :    Insert  Shows  Front  View  of  the  Transmitter 

ing  tube.  The  latter  conveys  the  voice 
sound  vibration  to  the  transmitting  in- 
strument, while  cutting  out  and  eliminating 
to  a  large  degree  the  motor  noises.  The 
two  helmets  are  connected  by  wires.  Each 
of  the  helmets  is  provided  with  a  flexible 
cord  which  plugs  into  a  receptacle  in  the 
fuselage.  The  apparatus  is  very  simple.  It 
does  away  with  the  breastplate  transmit- 
ter. Arrangements  also  have  been  made 
to  attach  to  the  mouthpiece  the  oxygen 
apparatus  used  for  high-altitude  flying. 


FOREST  FIRE  EXTINGUISHED  WITH  ARTILLERY  BARRAGE 
'pHIS  western  army  camp  was  in  serious  danger  of  destruction  by  fire,  which  was  charging  down  upon 
*"  it  from  the  blazing  bru^h  and  forest  beyond,  when  reinforcements  arrived  in  the  shape  of  a  company 
of  field  artillery.  The  guns  auickly  laid  down  a  barrage  of  shells  that  utterly  annihilated  the  enemy.  The 
soldiers  of  the  camp  had  used  all  their  fire.fighting  equipment  in  vain  when  the  happy  thou'ght  occurred  to 
bombard  the  conflagration.  Within  five  minutes  alter  the  first  gun  was  fired  the  flames  were  extinguished^ 
smothered  by  the  flying  earth,  and  scattered  in  dying  and  harmless  fragments. 


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THE  EYE  BEHIND  THE  LINES 

How  Pictures  were  Used  to  Win  Battles 
Demonstrated  for  the  First  Time 

By  DOUGLASS  REID 
Part  I — The  Spy  of  Spies  in  Long-Range   Reconnaissance 


OY  the  eternal  fitness  of  things  Sir 
•*^  Arthur  Conan  Doyle  should  write  this 
story,  for  in  the  spellbound  hours  in  which 
laconic  brown  men  in  khaki  and  "horizon 
blue**  gave  it  to  me,  I  visualized  no  one  so 
much  as  S+ierlock  Holmes,  grim,  brooding 
and  penetrating,  riding  in  their  places 
miles  over  the  smoke  of  Flanders;  sitting 
in  their  places  in  the  map-littered  dugouts 
behind  the  lines  of  battle,  untangling  the 
mysteries  of  uncanny  secrets. 

It  is  the  story  of  the  greatest  detective 
system'  ever  devised  by  man,  the  inner 
story  of  how  the  allies  by  aerial  photpg- 
raphy  and  weird  deduction  from  mean- 
ingless prints  of  the  German  lines  solved 
the  riddles  of  the  foe — the  story  of  "the 
camera,  the  best  spy  of  all  time." 

For,  as  much  as  any  other  factor,  the 
camera  won  the  war.  Time  and  again  the 
allies,  in  those  terrible  days  of  suspense 
before  America  flashed  to  the  rescue,  only 
met  and  stopped  Hun  drives  because  the 
camera  had  told  them  where  and  when  to 
prepare.    And  in  the  brief  year  of  Ameri- 

338 


ca*s  fighting,  the  all-seeing  eye  of  the  black 
box  from  our  planes  did  its  share  in  rip- 
ping the  veil  of  secrecy  off  German  plots 
of  bajttle.  Into  this  story  will  come  the 
strange  case  of  the  human  footprint  and 
the  countless  things  of  stealth  it  revealed, 
also  the  curious  "rogues'  gallery"  of  Ger- 
man generals  which  the  allied  detectives 
collected,  kept,  and  used  with  such  sure 
might — also  the  odd  .  .  .  but  a  beginning 
must  be  made. 

In  the  first  place  one  must  understand 
that  the  general  in  warfare  must  always 
see  the  whole  line,  see  his  own  men,  see 
the  enemy,  see  everything.  Caesar  stood 
on  hills  and  saw  his  handfuls  fighting  over 
a  valley.  Napoleon  always  ordered  a  high 
scaffolding  erected  to  view  his  battles; 
Frederick  the  Great  preferred  windmills. 
Foch  sat  in  a  cellar,  30  feet  underground, 
and  saw  a  thousand  times  more  than 
Napoleon  on  his  turret;  saw  infinitely 
more  of  that  line  from  the  Alps  clear  to 
the  sea  than  the  Corsican  saw  of  the  scant 
10  miles  of  his  battle  lines. 


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This  was  because  Foch  had  the  camera, 
while  Napoleon  had  a  spyglass.  Modern 
photographic  science  laid  before  each 
allied  general  a  complete  picture  of  every- 
thing the  enemy'  was  doing  and  almost 
everything  it  was  going  to  do.  It  showed 
him  unmistakably  what  his  own  men  were 
doing  and  what  they  could  do.  It  relieyed 
him  of  conflicting  stories  from  spies,  from 
human  mistakes — for  the  camera  does  not 
lie. 

Napoleon  could  but  guess  what  Welling- 
ton was  planning;  Foch  could  send  up  a 
photographer  and  within  an  hour  know 
what  Ludendorff  was  thinking  of. 

Consider  this:  Once  the  French  were 
planning  to  take  a  certain  hill,  knowing 
that  Bavarian  "Landsturm" — poor  ma- 
chine-gun fighters — held  it  weakly.  At 
dawn  a  photographer  went  up,  came  dash- 
ing back  with  a  picture,  and  15  minutes 
later  the  French  general  called  off  the  at- 
tack and  saved  the  lives  of  thousands  of 
his  men.  And  yet  the  camera  had  caught 
no  remarkable  thing.  It  merely  showed 
that  one  group  of  men  had  gone  out  and 
another  come  into  the  trenches  during 
the  night.  The  footprints  of  the  Germans 
told  that  much.  The  incoming  trail,  fol- 
lowed back,  was  found  to  emerge  from  a 


ture  of  reckless  daredevils  and  cold  master 
minds. 

The  first  was  long-range  reconnaissance, 
performed  by  the  United  States  Division 
of  Aerial  Photography;  the  second,  trench 
photography,  and  the  third,  battery  pho- 
tograj>hy,  both  performed  by  the  United 
States  Army  Section  of  Photography.  The 
men  who  did  the  work  in  the  second  an(| 
third  branches  were  merely  attached  to  a 
certain  sector  to  be  of  immediate  help  in 
solving  the  doughboys*  perplexities. 
Fighting  men  might  be  moved  in  or  re- 
lieved, but  the  photo  section  remained  al- 
ways at  the  same  sector,  thus  becoming 
perfectly  familiar  with  every  hill  and  dale. 

Sherlock  Holmes  would  have  been  in 
long-range  reconnaissance !  For  here  the 
powers  of  human  deduction  were  put  to 
their  greatest  test.  Everything  that  the 
enemy  was  doing,  miles  and  miles  behind 
his  lines;  all  that  he  was  getting  ready  to 
do,  must  be  photographed  and  translated. 

A  photo  section  in  the  American  army — 
and  the  French  and  British  organizations, 
in  the  main,  paralleled  our  formations — 
consisted  of  30  men  under  a  first  lieuten- 
ant and  was  assigned  to  do  sleuthing  over 
a  certain  territory  far  within  the  Hun 
holdings.    Some  15  of  them  are  dark-room 


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-some  arc  lantern-sHde  authorities,  and 
softie  are  file  clerks.  Two  of  them  are 
motorcycle  riders,  who  hurry  the  prints 
to  the  staff  officers.  The  first  lieutenant, 
his  first  sergeant,  and  such  other  men  as 
qualify,  are  photographers,  riding  with  the 
airmen  who  are  assigned  to  take  them 
where  they  want  to  go. 

The  camera  here  is  the  spy  behind  the 
lines,  a  furtive  thing  hanging  stealthily  on 
the  clouds,  miles  high;  slipping  here  and 
there  over  the  enemy  unseen,  yet  seeing 
all.  Contrary  to  the  general  belief,  it  is 
now  known  that  the  long-range  recon- 
naissance men  were 
usually  unprotected 
on  their  trips. 

The  photographer 
is  driven  aloft  in 
a  slow  plane,  one 
that  -an  enemy 
combat  plane 
can  easily  overtake, 
since  the  latter 
holds  but  one  man 
and 


no 
Anyway, 
up.  He 
assigned 


camera, 
he  goes 
may  be 
to     take 


map  pictures,  or  he 
may  be  told  to  take 
special  views  of  a 
certain  suspicious 
spo.t.  He  works 
with  a  map  camera 
in  the  first  instance, 
a  standard  aerial 
camera  in  the  latter, 
or  in  exceptional 
cases  he  may  use  a 
special  "gun"  with 
long  focus  to  bring 
out  a  strip  of 
ground  with  extra 
clearness.  He 
rarely  or  never 
takes  pictures  below  three  and  one-half 
raiJes.  His  task  is  not  hard,  according  to 
himself.  He  is  told  his  objective  when  he 
ascends;  his  camera  is  set  to  be  "shot"  at 
a  certain  altitude,  at  a  certain  plane  speed, 
and  his  shutter  is  corrected  to  meet  the 
atmospheric  conditions.  Science  makes 
his  task  largely  a  formula  to  be  followed — 
all  he  does  is  risk  his  life. 

Every  foot  of  German  ground  assigned 
to  him  he  photographs,  not  once  but  a 
thousand  times,  covering  it  painstakingly, 
then  doing  it  all  again.  His  pictures  the 
photographic  officer  studies  with  a  micro- 
scope, hunting  clues.  He  sees  where  the 
enemy  headquarters  are,  where  their  big 


A  German  Cantonment  behind  the  Lines  in  the 
Verdun  Sector:  The  Numerous  Trails  near  the  In- 
tersection of  the  Roads  Led  the  Allies  to  Suspect 
the  Presence  of  a  Big-Gun  Battery  in  a  Wooded  llill 
Near  By,  and  Later  It  was  Definitely  Located  and 
Destroyed.  Here  Also  were  Found  Practice  Trenches 
Indicating  a  Contemplated  Attack  on  a  French 
Position  10  Miles  Away 


guns  are,  where  they  are  building  rail- 
roads, gun  emplacements,  where  their  sig- 
nal stations  are,  and  in  more  cases  than 
one  can  believe,  what  they  are  thinking! 
He  picks  out  objects  for  his  own  bomb- 
ers and  for  his  own  big  guns.  He  sees 
'where  all  the  Hun  generals  are,  and  where 
they  will  strike  next.  He  is  the  detective 
who  gets  to  know  all  of  his  criminals' 
habits. 

He  can  take  a  flat,  uninteresting  picture 
of  a  landscape,  discover  a  German  canton- 
ment,  a   general's   headquarters,  and  be- 
fore he  is  done  with  it,  tell  that  general's 
name,    how     manv 
men   he  has   under 
him,  where  they  will 
attack     next,     how 
soon,  and  just  what 
sort  of  an  attack  the 
allies  may  expect. 

Footprints  tell 
him  most  of  this, 
for  there  is  no  more 
astonishing  thing  in 
the  whole  marvel 
of  atrial  photog- 
raphy 'than  the 
camera's^  ability  to 
catch  the  trail  of  a 
walking  man.  At 
two  and  a  half 
miles  in  the  air  the 
ordinary  aerial 
camera  will  show 
the  footprints  of  a 
man  going  across 
slightly  shelled 
l^round.  At  a  mile 
It  will  show  them 
on  new-mown 
grass.  At  five 
miles  It  will  reveal 
them  trailing  across 
"No  Man's  Land." 
The  following 
may  be  taken 'as  a  normal  instance: 

In  a  picture  of  a  village,  15  miles  behind 
the  lines,  the  photographic  officer  notes 
buildings  that  instantly  betray  themselves 
as  barracks.  Definite  trails,  that  only  sol- 
diers living  in  them  could  make,  lead  to 
them.  Near  by  is  a  villa,  farther  on  a 
town.  He  sees  that  the  place  is  a  railroad 
center  and  a  division  point.  The  villa  he 
scans  closely.  Hard  by  it  is  a  faint  ir- 
regular circle  on  the  grass.  This  was 
made,  he  reasons,  by  horses  being  led 
about  by  orderlies  so  that  they  may  cool 
oflf  gradually  while  their  riders  are  inside. 
The  riders  have  come  for  mformation. 
The  villa  is  a  headqtiartcrs.    Aside  from 


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341 


One  of  the  Most  Important  Photographs  Taken  in  the  Whole  War:  The  Various  Markings  Mean  Little  or 
Nothing  to  the  Untrained  Eve,  but  the  Staff  Officers,  bv  a  Truly  Marvelous  Process  of  Deduction.  Estab- 
lished the  Fact  That  Here  was  the  Headquarters  of  a  German  Major  General,  in  Command  of  10,000  Men, 
with  a  Certain  Number  of  Machine  Guns  and  a  Troop  of  Lancers,  with  Which  He  was  Preparing  an  Attack 
on  a  French  Position,  80  Miles  Away,  to  Take  Place  in  About  Three  Weeks 


machine-gun  officers,  majors  are  the 
lowest  officers  of  foot  soldiers  that  are 
mounted.  Hence  the  man  to  whom 
majors  come  for  orders  must  be  a  colonel 
or  better. 

Now,  behind  the  villa,  the  detective 
spies  a  larger  and  more  regular  circle  on 
the  grass.  This,  he  deducts,  is  made  by 
orderlies  exercising  horses  daily  according 
to  routine.  The  officer  of  the  villa  has 
a  private  stable  of  horses  for  himself  and 
staff.  Now  he  knows  an  all-important 
fact:  the  German  is  either  a  brigadier  or 
major  general. 

Next  he  discovers  practice  trenches  and 
machine-gun  pits  on  the  outskirts  of  the 
town :  an  infantry  organization.  Then  he 
finds  still  another  circle  made  by  horses, 
a  circle  just  large  enough  for  one  troop  of 
cavalry  to  use  in  practicing. 

This  tells  him  that  the  officer  in  the  villa 
is  a  major  general,  since  no  brigadier  gen- 
eral in  the  Hun  army  boasts  a  troop  of 
cavalry. 

He  scans  this  last  circle  more  closely. 
Its  shape  informs  him  that  the  troop  is 
composed   of   lancers   rather   than   saber 


men,  since  it  is  round,  whereas  the  circles 
of  saber  men  riding  in  practice  are  in  the 
shape  of  a  figure  "8.  Lancers  drill,  thrust- 
ing from  the  right-hand  side  only,  while 
saber  men  practice  striking  to  both  right 
and  left,  their  horses  being  trained  to  step 
so  that  weight  of  both  man  and  beast  will 
be  thrown  into  the  blow,  thus  weaving  in 
and  out  in  a  figure  eight. 

Discovering  this,  the  detective  turns 
over  in  his  mind  the  names  and  organiza- 
tions of  the  various  German  major  gen- 
erals. Only  one  has  a  troop  of  lancers 
attached:  Major  General  von  A. 

This,  then,  is  he. 

What  is  he  planning? 

The  photographic  officer  bends  over  the 
system  of  trenches  which  the  Hun  infan- 
trymen have  created  for  practice.  This  is 
a  replica  of  some  little  sector  of  the  allied 
lines  which  the  Huns  are  going  to  attack. 
They  have  photographed  it,  worked  it  out 
carefully,  and  duplicated  it  exactly,  in  or- 
der that  their  men  in  the  hour  of  attack 
may  be  perfectly  familiar  with  their  ob- 
jective. 

Our  detective  calls  for  a   map   of  the 


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allied  lines  within  a   radius   of  50  miles,      trenches  in  such  and  such  a  sector  of  the' 
Experience  has  told  him  that  the  Germans      French  lines,  30  miles  south,  let  us  say, 

that  he  is  safe  in  concluding  is 
the  particular  sector  the  Huns 
are  going  to  attack. 

Again  he  bends  over  the  pic- 
ture. The  Huns  have  not  com- 
pleted their  work.  He  knows  that 
they  will  practice  two  weeks  after 
their  completion  and  then  occupy 
a  day  and  a  night  transferring  to 
the  place  of  battle.  So  with  a 
final  scrutiny  of  the  number  of 
machine-gun  practice  pits  he 
writes  out  a  report  to  the  army 
commanding  officer  informing 
him  that  Major  General  von  A. 
with  so  many  thousand  infantry- 
men will  attack  such  and  such  a  ' 
sector  on  such  and  such  a  day, 
employing  a  certain  number  of 
machine  gunners,  and  that  in  the 
meantime  bombers  can  find  Major 
General  von  A.  at  this  certain 
spot.  This  report  is  positive — 
the  aerial  detective  can  be  relied 
upon. 

The  following  day  the  photo- 
graphic    officer     sends     another 
camera  man  to  hover  over  Major 
General  von  A.  and  make  another 
picture,  and  each  day  thereafter 
the  same  thing,  so  that  when  at 
last  the  German  officer  leads  his 
men  to  the  objective,  not  only  is 
he  met  and  defeated,  but  his  entire  record 
is  hanging  on  the  wall  where  it  may  be 
used  as  a  key  to  his  way  of  preparing, 
his  habits,  and  his  weak- 
nesses, against   the  next 
time  he  sallies  forth. 

Allied  photographers 
collected  during  the  war 
an  enormous  amount  of 
information  on  Hun  divi- 
sion commanders,  cata- 
loguing their  methods  of 
fighting,  and  filing  away 
absolute  proof  of  how 
they  chose  to  fight,  just 
what  their  pet  theories 
were,  and  how  they  sent 
their  men  into  the  fray. 

A  veritable  rogue's  gal- 
lery. 

Another  instance :  Gen- 
eral von  B.  is  located 
near  Chateau-Thierry,  let 
us  say.  The  photog- 
raphers know  from  other 
days  that  he  commands 
Bavarians*  They  produce 


The  Narrow-Gauge  Railroad  Winding  among  the  Hills  was 
Recently  Laid,  as  Revealed  by  Its  Whiteness.  By  Following 
It  to  Its  Junction  with  a  Standard  Roadman  Ammnnition_Depot 


was  Located  and  a  Point  Identified  Where  a  New  OfFensive 

could  be  Expected.    The   Plate  was  Cracked  When  Dropped 

from  the  Observer's  Plane  in  a  Parachute 


will  not  be  planning  to  attack  farther 
away  than  that.  He  goes  over  this  map 
carefully,     and    finally    finds    a    plan    of 


The    Allies    First    Mistook   the   Tree-Lined    Roadway    for    M archmg   or 
Standing  German  Troops,  and,  after  Shelling  Them  All  Day  Long,  Mi 
veled  at  Their  Discipline,  Until  the  True  Nature  of  the  Mark  on  the  Plate 


_  _ jy    " 

Standing  ^German  TroopV,  and,' after  Shelling  Them  All  Day  Long,  Mar- 
veled  at  Their  Discipline,  Until  the  True  Nature  of  the  Mark  on  the  Plate 
was  Reasoned  Out.  The  Telephone  Line.  However,  Furnished  No  "Pvnzlt, 
for  the  Circles  around  the  Posts  Indicated  the  Path  of  the  Watchman 
Patrolling  It 


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34a 


pictures  which  prove  Bavarians  are  pre- 
paring to  attack  at  Chateau-Thierry.  How 
do  they  know  this?     Their  prac- 
tice trenches  are  duplicates  of  the 
French  lines  at  this  point. 

But  how  do  the  pictures  tell  the 
Germans  are  Bavarians? 

Absurdly  easy,  if  you  have  a 
deductive  mind. 

In  the  cantonment  are  seen  a 
large  number  of  winding  paths. 
Here  goes  a  skein  of  them  made 
by  soldiers  cutting  across  lots  to 
the  back  door  of  their  barracks 
at  night.  Here  go  a  dozen  more 
shooting  across  to  the  canteen. 
All  over  the  field  are  evidences  of 
men  making  their  way  the  short- 
est way,  disobeying  orders,  since 
German  commanders  insist  that 
their  men  keep  to  the  beaten 
paths  for  the  very  reason  that  the 
allied  photographers  learn  much 
by  following  vagrant  trails. 

Now  these  signs  of  carelessness 
are  sure  proof  that  the  men  are 
not    Prussians,    for  the   Prussian 
guardsmen  obey  orders,  are  better 
soldier*.      The     men     are     from 
south   Germany,  where   the  peo- 
ple are  pleasure-loving,  and  they  have  been 
loafing  about  the  canteens  with  the  garru- 
lous sociability  of  their  race,  slipping  back 
late  at  night  to  their  barracks  by  the  for- 
bidden but  quickest,  shortest  way.    They 


probably  evaded  their  own  good-humored 
sentinels,  leaving  trails  unnoticed  from  the 


A  German  Cantonment  Photographed  in  Winter:  Because  of  the  Presence 
of  Snow,  the  Camera  Shows  Up  the  Various  Footpaths  and  Trails  with 
Astounding  Clearness,  but  the  llaae  of  Tracks  Also  Tells  Something  More 
Important,  Namely,  That  the  Barracks  Housed  Easy-Going  Bavarian,  or 
Other  South-German,  Troops,  for  the  Strictly  Disciplined  Prussians  would 
Not  Dare  to  Use  Any  But  Prescribed  Roads.  Note,  Also,  the  Prisoner. 
Dug  Telegraph  Trench  in  the  Upper  Left  Corner 


In  This  Picture  the  Photographer  Caught  a  Newly  Laid 
Emplacement  for  a  Large  Gun.  The  Germans  Built  U  or 
Y-Shaped  Switches  around  the  Big  Pieces  in  Order  to  Enable 
Them  to  be  Fired  in  Any  Direction,  if  Placed  on  a  Railroad 
Car,  or  to  Bring  Urf  the  Heavy  Shells  on  Crane  Trucks  to  a 
Stationary  Gun.  The  Camera  Told,  Also,  the  Kind  of  the 
Latter,  for  the  Emplacements  of  Naval  and  Land  Guns  Were 
of  Different  Shapes 

ground,  but  betraying  everything  to  the  al- 
lies, on  whose  photographs  their  footprints 
showed  like  rabbit  tracks  in  the  snow. 

Allied  photographers  laid  the  whole 
German  railway  and  telegraph  system  open 
to  bombers  and  discov- 
ered clues  whereby  mili- 
tary plans  were  antici- 
pated months  ahead. 

For  the  first  months  of 
the  war — and  here  it  may 
be  said  that  military  men 
at  the  beginning  of  the 
conflict  scouted  the  whole 
efficiency  of  aerial  pho- 
tography, and  the  :  first 
pictures  were  made  with 
ordinary  cameras  —  the 
photographers  were  puz- 
zled by  queer  curving 
lines  in  their  prints,  lazy, 
looping  lines  that  bent 
seemingly  without  rhyme 
or  reason.  Finally  they 
saw  that  they  always 
formed  a  juncture  with  a 
r'andard  railway  sooner 
or  later.  They  might  be 
smaller  railways  they  rea- 
soned, but  why  the  un- 
necessary curves  ? 

Then,     by     deduction, 


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they  perceived  that  the  bends  were  caused 
by  hills  that  were  made  invisible  when 
looked  at  from  above.  The  Huns  could 
not  take  time  to  make  grades  and  cuts  for 
these  temporary  roads,  and  therefore  fol- 


A  Big  German  Ammunitioil  Depot,  Consittinji  of  a 
Large  Number  of  Concrete  Cellars,  Spaced  Widely 
Apart  to  Prevent  Complete  Destruction  of  the 
Depot  if  One  is  Blown  Up :  The  Photograph  was 
Taken  After  Three  of  Them  had  been  Destroyed  in 
a  Raid 

lowed  the  terrain,  whereas  their  main 
lines  were  put  through  on  the  level,  cut- 
ting and  filling  as  required.  Later  on  in 
the  war,  the  Germans  sought  to  confuse 
the  allied  cameras  by  making  these  nar- 
row-gauge roads  appear  as  wide  as  trunk 
lines,  digging  up  the  dirt  on  either  side 
to  give  the  line  the  broad  aspect  of  the 
important  road,  but  it  was  wasted  effi- 
ciency, for  the  photographers  could  note 
the  abrupt  turns  that  would  derail  a 
standard  coach,  and  when  the  road  crossed 
an  exposed  table-land,  where  it  would  be 
unsafe  to  send  the  puffing  **dinky"  engine, 
the  white  trails  of  the  draft  mules  showed 
plainly  between  the  rails. 

The  distinction  between  these  roads 
was  important  because  wherever  a  nar- 
row gauge  joined  a  standard  gauge,  there, 
nine  times  out  of  ten,  was  an  ammunition 
depot,  where  allied  bombers  at  night 
could  work  havoc.    A  new  narrow-gauge 


road  meant  the  moving  of  men  and  am- 
munition at  no  distant  date,  to  some  point 
of  activity.  Whenever  the  allies  found 
these  they  let  the  Germans  finish  their 
construction  work,  watching  the  progress 
steadily;  and  in  time,  notitig  where  the 
road  had  its  terminus  in  the  Hun  trenches, 
warned  their  own  infantry  to  expect  an 
attack  at  this  point. 

Photographs  disclosed  the  location  of 
every  big  railroad  gun  the  Germans 
used.  A  Y  or  a  U-split  in  the  tracks  re- 
vealed each  of  them.  A  "Y"  meant  a  big 
gun,  for  it  gave  the  cannon,  mounted  on 
a  railway  car,  the  opportunity  to  move 
about  and  point  at  any  possible  sector. 
A  "U"  meant  a  big  gun,  because  behind 
many  of  the  giant  cannon,  switches  in  the 
shape  of  this  letter  had  to  be  laid  for  the 
carrying  of  the  heavy  shells  up  to  the  gtm's 
breech  on  a  massive  crane.  When  the 
Germans  made  emplacements  for  their 
great  stationary  guns,  the  camera  caught 
that  too  and  told  whether  the  cannon  was 
a  naval  or  a  land  piece,  for  the  former  had 
round  and  the  latter  crescent-shaped  cm- 
placements. 

The  task  of  spotting  telegraph  wires  was 
more  difficult,  for  the  Huns,  soon  learning 
that  the  allies  had  located  their  ordinary 
overhead-wire  system  like  that  used  along 
American  railways,  took  to  burying  all 
their  wires,  since  the  enemy  bombers  took 
special  delight  in  messing  up  their  poles 
and  wires  at  frequent  and  distressing  in- 
tervals. They  produced  digging  machines 
which  cut  a  narrow  trench  through  the 
earth,  and  they  made  time  by  setting 
batches  of  prisoners  to  work  with  shovel 
and  spade.  But  the  camera  not  only 
caught  both,  but  distinguished  between 
them ;  a  valuable  thing,  since  the  prisoner- 
laid  wires  were  not  nearly  so  deep — ^the 
prisoners  of  course  being  lazy — and  could 
be  reached  better  by  bombs. 

The  distinction  was  made  by  this  fact: 
The  prisoners  threw  dirt  out  of  the  trench 
first  on  one  side  and  then  on  another,  one 
squad  throwing  one  way,  another  squad 
the  other,  while  the  machine  cast  out  all 
the  dirt  on  both  sides  of  the  ditch.  This 
showed  plainly  on  the  prints. 

After  the  bombers  had  foiled  the  Ger- 
man cleverness  here,  the  Huns  bethought 
them  of  a  new  scheme.  They  would  go 
back  to  aerial  wires,  but  use  smaller  iron 
posts  that  would  not  make  the  telltale 
dots,  and  they  would  string  fewer  wires 
in  order  that  nothing  might  be  visible. 
They  worked  this  out,  smoothing  all  dirt 
away  from  the  post  holes,  but  the  allies  a 
day  or  so  later  roared  with  laughter.    The 


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system  was  as  plain  as  ever.  For  this 
reason :  The  German  signal  corps  kept  a 
man  always  patrolling  the  wires,  watching 
them,  mending  them  constantly.  And  his 
footprints  betrayed  everything,  for  they 
were  not  in  the  ordinary  straight  line  made 
by  a  man  walking  a  beat.  At  every  post 
they  turned  out,  went  around,  and  then 
turned  back  into  the  path  again.  Wher- 
ever there  was  a  post,  therefore,  was  a  big 
circle. 

A  more  difficult  feat  was  the  detection 
of  marching  men  on  the  clear  white  roads 
of  France.  In  the  early  stages  of  the  war 
it  was  common  for  a  print  to  disclose  dark 
ranks  of  marching  or  standing  men  all 
along  the  causeways.  Immediately  the 
photographers  informed  their  batteries, 
and  the  big  guns  began  shelling  the  troops 
violently.  A  plane  would  go  up,  shoot  a 
picture  of  the  effects,  and  return.  Gaps 
would  be  torn  in  the  ranks,  but  the  men 
would  be  still  in  formation.  "Marvelous 
discipline,"  the  allied  commanders  would 
say  staring  at  the  picture ;  "what  splendid 
obedience;  poor  fellows!"  and  would  go 
back  to  pounding  them  some  more. 

Photographs  cpming  in  would  show  lit- 
tle or  no  progress  in  routing  these  bands. 
Sometimes  the  black  lines  could  be  seen 
re-formed  over  the  actual  shell  holes. 

Then  the  detectives  took  time  to 
think,  and  discovered  that  the  black  ranks 
were  not  men  at  all  but  the  shadows  of  the 
poplar  trees  that  flank  the  roads  in  Picardy 
and  Flanders! 

Later  on  they  could  tell  at  a  glance 
where  the  road  was  full  of  shade  or  men, 
because  the  shade  would  run  unbroken 
across  the  road  from  the  side  from  which 
the  sunlight  came,  while  no  ranks  of  men 
would  quite  stretch  entirely  across  the 
road  on  both  sides. 

Daily  photographs  of  the  roads  far  be- 
hind the  enemy  lines  told  much  of  his  in- 
tent, for  the  moment  a  big  movement  of 
troops  or  trucks  got  under  way  it  was  im- 
possible to  keep  traffic  on  the  path,  and 
men  and  cars,  turning  out  and  in,  made 
parallel  paths,  widened  and  whitened  the 
way  to  such  an  extent  that,  on  the  picture, 
it  immediately  became  a  glaring  ribbon  or 
hank  of  thread,  unmistakably  transparent. 

In  revealing  light-signal  stations,  too, 
the  camera  accomplished  wonders,  for  it 
was  by  these  carefully  buried  centers  of 
.  information  that  the  Germans  thought  to 
convey  secret  information  to  distant 
points  when  telegraph  systems  were 
crippled  and  dispatch  bearers  too  slow. 
Digging  deep  into  a  hill  they  buried  a 
powerful  acetylene  light,  and  in  lines 
radiating    from    it,    dug    trenches    down 


which  the  light  could  flash  and  flare  di-l 
rectly  at  some  far-distant  station  aUd  h% 
seen  by  no  one  unless  he  happened  into  the 
narrow  path  where  it  played.  But  these 
showed  up  glaringly  on  the  prints  and 
offered  easy  targets  for  bombers. 


Acetylene  Lights  for  Signaling  Purposes  were  Placed 
Deep  in  a  Hill.  The  Germans  Thoi»ght  This  Scheme 
would  Prevent  Discovery,  but  the  Camera  Betrayed 
the  Stations.  That  the  Telegraph  Trench  was  Dug 
by.  Prisoners  is  Proved  by  Its  Irregular  Edges,  the 
Prisoners  Throwing  the  Dirt  Alternately  to  One  and 
the  Other  Side 

It  was  in  map  making,  however,  that  the 
purely  scientific  end  of  aerial  photography 
had  its  innings.  A  special  camera  for  this 
department  of  the  work  was  invented,  an 
automatic  film  affair — all  others  used 
plates — that  could  be  operated  by  a  pilot 
flying  alone. 

Both  French  and  British  claim  to  have 
developed  this  camera,  and  the  truth,  as 
nearly  as  one  can  discover,  is  that  both, 
working  under  the  same  necessity,  brought 
it  to  light  at  about  the  same  time.  The 
American  forces  used  the  French  "Auto- 
matique,  F.24,"  to  best  effect.  The  thou- 
sands of  aerial  photographers  who  trained 
in  the  United  States,  and  who  never  "got 
over,"  swear  by  it,  having  "shot  up"  miles 
of  innocent  Yankee  farm  land  with  it. 

It  was  invented  because  the  ailHes  found 
it  impossible  to  take  enough  pictures  on 
long-range  reconnaissance  in  the  time 
given  them  by  "Old  Sol."  Hundreds  of 
square  miles  had  to  be  studied,  and  the 
fastest  men  could  only  take  a  fraction  of 
the  territory  assigned  to  them.  For  the 
first  two  years  of  the  war,  they  were*forced 
to  work  with  the  "changer"  eun,  the  best 
they  had  at  the  time.  This  held  from  18 
to  24  plates,  which  could  be  changed  by 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


the  mere  touching  of  a  plunger.  Then 
camo  ;^nother  camera,  now  simply  known 
as  the  L-type.  It  was  automatic,  the 
transfer  of  plates  inside  the  camera  being 
accomplished  by  a  plunger,  as  in  its  pred- 


until  he  reaches  the  altitude  and  destina- 
tion for  which  his  camera  has  been  set  by 
his  officer,  reach  out  his  hand  and  touch 
a  button  among  his  controls,  which  sets 
the  camera  working,  and  then  fly  on  a  level 


HEIGHT 


60MJRH.  ♦.—►—» 


INTERVAL        AREA  COVERED      DIS1ANCE  TRAVELLED 
Dctwccn  cxpostire         ro.    yd.  between  exposure 

.42.6  sees. 2063X1666  l?4Q  .  60y»i 


4bOOo' — ; ■■    i 

RjOOO-/- 


A.Cr-H  >- A.C.— H  >-  A.C:->\ 

^^ 1. 


^8X335 


J;^^^^<wSav^.74A.^^ 


A.C.  (AREA  COVERED) 


In  Aerial  Map  Making,  an  Automatic  Film  Camera  is  Used.  The  Diagram  and  Table  Above  Indicate 
the  Areas  Covered  by  Each  Exposure  When  the  Flier  Operates  at  a  Given  Speed  at  Various  Altitudes. 
This  Chart  Shows  the  Intervals  of  Exposure  for  One-Inch  Overlaps  on  a  Five  by  Four  Plate  with  an  6-In£h  ■ 
Lens.  It  Is  Thumb-Tacked  on  a  Board  across  the  Knees  of  an  Aerial  Photographer  Just  abovie  a  Map  of 
the  Section  over  Which  He  Is  to  Fly.  The  Map  Winds  from  Roller  to  Roller.  If  He  is  Flying  60  Miles  an 
Hour,  at  1,000  Feet  Altitude,  the  Chart  Indicates  That  the  Plunger  of  the  Camera  should  be  Set  for  Every 
Four  and  One-Fourth  Seconds  to  Secure  a  Continuous  Overlap  Photograph,  Such  as  Is  Shown  Here 


ecessor,  except  that  no  human  hand  was 
needed  to  touch  it  every  time  the  transfer 
was  to  be  made.  A  worm  screw  holding 
it  in  the  camera  projected  out  to  the  front 
of  the  box,  where  it  was  attached  to  a  tiny 
propeller,  which,  whirling  in  the  wind  of 
the  airplane's  speed,  operated  the  screw 
and  consequently  the  plunger. 

The  map  camera  was  evolved  because 
plates  were  not  completely  satisfactory  for 
the  work,  often  not  getting  all  of  the 
ground  beneath.  This  camera  holds  a  film 
long  enough  for  120  exposures,  and  the 
photographer  carries  quantities  of  extra 
magazines  so  that  he  returns  to  head- 
quarters with  hundreds  and  hundreds  of 
views  of  the  enemy's  fields.  Within  this 
camera  are  cogs  which  carry  the  film  past 
the  shutter  steadily  and  surely.  They  also 
open  the  shutter  at  regular  intervals,  close 
•it,  wait  until  the  stated  time  is  reached, 
then  open  it  again,  taking  a  never-ending 
series  of  pictures  of  the  ground  beneath, 
each  photograph  overlapping  its  predeces- 
sor slightly. 

All  thfc  driver  of  the  machine  does  is  fly 


over  the  territory  which  is  to  be  mapped 
at  that  time. 

He  is  responsible  for  the  map  of  the 
particular  16  square  miles  which  is  as- 
signed to  his  "photo  section."  He  covers 
the  ground,  part  of  it  one  day,  part 
another,  as  the  weather  and  Huns  permit, 
but  it  takes  a  dark,  dark  day  and  a  fierce, 
fierce  cannonade  to  keep  him  down.  The 
moment  he  has  taken  every  foot  of  his 
territory,  he  starts  again  and  does  it  once 
more.  His  work  is  standardized.  He 
knows  just  how  many  square  yards  he  is 
photographing  at  a  certain  height.  For 
instance,  at  10.000  ft.  he  is  getting  a  square 
mile  on  each  picture  at  a  speed  of  a  mile  a 
minute.  Tf  he  is  nearer  the  ground,  or 
traveling  faster  or  slower,  the  amount  of 
surface  in  each  picture  will  vary,  for  the 
camera  is  paying  no  heed,  grinding  off  the 
pictures  at  the  scheduled  rate. 

When  he  returns,  his  films  are  devel- 
oped, prints  taken,  joined  together  by 
means  of  the  overlapping  system,  and  thus 
a  complete  and  enormous  picture  of  his 
section  is  made. 


(In  the  April  number,  the  wonder  €f  the  camera's  spy  accomplishments  on  German  batteries,  and  the  tricks  of  the 
stereoscopic  method  of  aerial  photography  will  be  described) 


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MAKES  NEW  BUFFING  WHEEL 

FROM  SAVED  STUBS 

Buffs  used  in  metal  polishing  are  fre- 
quently discarded  when  worn  down  to  a 
diameter  less  than  six  inches.  With  the 
'aid  of  a  special  steel  hub  now  on  the  mar- 
ket, this  waste  can  be  redeemed,  using 
several  buff  stubs  to  build  up  a  new  buff- 
ing wheel.  The  steel  hub,  in  two  parts, 
carries  eight  pins  parallel  with  the  shaft. 
Worn  buff  sections  punched  with  two 
holes  are  thrust  upon  these  pins,  two 
pins  to  a  section,  four  sections  to  make  a 
complete  circle,  like  the  leaves  of  a  four- 
leaf  clover.  Another  layer  of  sections  is 
then  laid  on  in  the  alternate  position,  cov- 
ering the  spaces  between  the  "leaves"  of 
the  first.  Six  layers  in  alternate  positions, 
or  24  worn  buff  sections,  make  a  14-in. 
buff  wheel  of  good  face.  It  is  balanced,  if 
necessary,  with  lead,  and  the  whole  is 
clamped  with  the  end  ^ of  the  hub,  whose 


perforations  fit  the  pins.    When  this  com-* 
posite  wheel  is  worn  down  to  the  disHarcl^ 


A  Number  of  Worn  Buff  Stubs,  Assembled  on  This 
8teel  Hub,  Make  a  New  Buffing  Wheel 

ing  point,  the  resulting  waste   is  incon- 
siderable. 


([  The  casualties  of  New  Zealand,  accord- 
ing to  report,  totaled  57,932,  of  whom 
16,500  were  killed  and  only  45  taken 
prisoners. 


BIG  TRACTOR  PULLS  TRAILER  OVER  MARSH  AND  MUD 


Ability  of  the  heavy  track-laying  type  of 
tractor  to  cross  soft  ground  "with  a  light 
foot"  is  illustrated  by  the    


of  a  horse  upon  his  supporting  surface  is 
much  greater.    The  tractor,  heavy  as  it  is. 


^^     ^£    «..«u 


This  Tractor,  Weishing  11  Tons  with  Its  Load,  Is  About  to  Descend  a 
100  Per-Cent  Declivity  and  Then  Ascend  It 


of   the    worst    mud    and 
slime.  Tractor  and  trailer 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


together  carry  a  load  of  ten  tons.  For 
mili*||ry  use  such  a  unit  can  keep  up  with 
troops  advancing  over  terrain  of  any  char- 
acter. 


HEAVY-DUTY     MOTOR     STARTER 
IS  QUICK-ACTING  DEVICE 

Intended  especially  for  heavy-duty  work 
such  as  aeroplane,  truck,  and  tractor 
motors  offer,  a  starting  apparatus  that 
utilizes  the  carburetion  principle  seems 
worthy  of  attention  even  though  it  is  not 
a  strictly  new  development.  *'Instantane- 
ous"  starting  is  the  outstanding  advantage 
of  the  equipment,  which,  it  is  claimed,  will 
cause  a  motor  to  fire  in  one  or  two  sec- 
onds even  under  extremely  severe  con- 
ditions. This  is  accomplished  by  filling 
the  cylinders  in  firing  order  with  a  com- 
pressed-gas mixture,  the  explosion  of 
which  gives  life  to  the  engine. 

The  installation  consists  in  part  of  a 
special  carburetor  that  operates  only 
when  the  motor  is  being  started.  Air  from 
a  compression  chamber,  in  passing 
through  it,  is  converted  into  a  volatile 
mixture  and  delivered  by  a  timed  dis- 
tributor to  the  cylinders  on  their  respec- 
tive power  strokes.  Compressed  as  it  is. 
it  first  actuates  the  pistons  and  then,  upon 
ignition,  starts  the  engine.  The  pro- 
cedure continues  until  the  motor  begins 
its  regular  cycle  of  operation.     With  air 


A    Glimpse    beneath   the   Hood    of  a   Motor  Truck, 

Showing  the  Relative  Compactness  of  the  Installation : 

The    Compression    Cylinder   is    Not    Visible    in   the 

Picture  Presented  Herewith 

compressed  to  250  lb.  in  the  tank,  an 
engines  may  be  started  about  15  times 
without  recharging.  A  motor-driven  pump 
refills  the  chamber  in  three  minutes  when 


set  in  motion  by  touching  a  button.  Air 
may  be  taken  from  it  for  inflating  tires. 
The  outfit,  said  to  be  in  use  on  hundreds 
of  military  aeroplanes,  weighs  only  30  lb. 
That  for  tractors  and  trucks  weighs  about 
50  lb.  In  both  instances  the  equipment  is 
of  compact  form.  To  start  a  motor,  the* 
driver  has  only  to  press  a  button. 


AUTO  SPRINGS  ADJUSTABLE 
TO  WEIGHT  OF  LOAD 

Car  springs  adjustable  to  the  weight  of 
the  load  are  the  feature  of  a  French  in- 
vention which  aims  to  secure  equal  com- 
fort for  one  or  the  maximum  number  of 
automobile  riders.  At  each  end  of  the 
rear  springs  is  an  elongated  slot,  in  which 
the  eyebolts  can  be  moved  by  a  lever  or 
wheel  at  the  driver's  seat.  The  effect  of 
altering  the  position  of  the  bolts  is  to 
lengthen  or  shorten  the  springs,  thus  de- 
creasing or  increasing  their  stiffness  and 
resistance.  Definite  positions  or  stopping 
points  are  provided  for  the  sliding  bolts, 
so  that  the  driver  may  adjust  his  springs 
to  a  specific  number  of  passengers. 


BUILDING  FOR  BACHELORS  HAS 
UNUSUAL  FEATURES 

An  unusual  type  of  rooming  house  for 

men  only,  somewhat  resembling  a  hotel  or 

a  club  and  yet  different  from  both,  has 

recently  been  opened  in 

New  York.    The  demand 

for  these  novel  bachelor 

accommodations   was   so 

great    that    every    room 

was    rented    before    the 

building  was  fi  n  i  s  h  e  d . 

Many  features  similar  to 

a  Y.   M.  C.  A.  building 

are  prpvided,  includingf  a 

gymnasium    and    general 

lounge  room.    There  are 

also     three     soundproof 

rooms    where    musicians 

can  practice  on  pianos  or 

:nts.     The  rooms  are  with- 

ition,   and   much   cost   was 

construction    by    omitting 

md  baseboards.     It  is  pro- 

ut  a  covered  garden  on  the 

roof. 


CEAII  the  properties  used  by  the  late 
Richard  Mansfield  in  his  repertoire  of 
historical  characters  have  been  donated 
by  his  widow  to  the  National  Museum 
at  Washington,  and  are  now  on  exhibi- 
tion. 


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A  Wireless  Station,  with  Its  "Aerials"  under  Water,  EsUblished  on  the  Banks  of  the  Potomac  River,  Where 
the  First  Tests  were  Made  to  Prove  the  Utility  of  the  New  Invention :  In  the  Foreground  Is  Doctor  Rogers 
Communicating  with  Submarines  below  the  Surface  of  the  River.     This  Picture  was  Taken  in  the  Winter 

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350 


POPULAR  MECHANICS 


laid  in  a  trench  a  few  feet  below  the  sur- 
face, i  The  depth  to  which  the  wire  is 
buried  depends  upon  the  character  of  the 
ground,  and  whether  it  is  normally  wet  or 
dry.  The  length  of  the  wire  depends  upon 
the  distance  to  the  station  whose  signals 
are  to  be  received,  and  also  upon  tho  sensi- 
tiveness of  the  receiver  that  is  to  be  used. 
The  instruments  themselves  are  the  same 
as  those  used  with  regular  aerials,  and  they 
may  be  located  below  the  surface  or  above 
ground.  Then  the  "earth"  terminal  of  the 
receiver  is  grounded  in  the  usual  way,  and 
the  signals  come  in  as  well,  and  in  many 
cases  better,  than  they  would  from  the 
usual  antenna  high  in  the  air.  In  the 
same  way,  an  insulated  wire  is  run  out 
through  an  insulator  in  the  tail  of  a  sub- 
marine, and  is  allowed  to  trail  out  behind 
when  the  boat  is  submerged.  Here  again 
the  waves  from  some  distant  station, 
which  have  always  been  supposed  not  to 
be  able  to  penetrate  below  the  surface,  are 
picked  up  by  the  wire  and  sent  back  to  the 
receiver  inside  the  submarine. 

Doctor  Rogers  realized  the  military  im- 
portance of  his  discoveries,  and  at  once 
put  them  before  the  Navy  Department. 
Representatives  of  the  navy  were  invited 
to  witness  demonstrations  at  Hyattsville, 
Md.,  and  were  quickly  convinced  of  the 
great  usefulness  and  practicability  of  the 
system.  They  realized  that  the  buried 
wire  was  much  cheaper  to  install  than  the 
overhead  system.  They  also  knew  that  it 
would  be  highly  directional  if  laid  in  the 
general  direction  of  the  station  from 
..rU.vv.    ;f    woe   frt  receive.      This 


A  Wireless  Station  of  the  New  Typt  on  a  Pier  near  the  Mouth  of  the 
Potomac  River:  The  Operators  are  Sending  Messages  to,  and  Receiv- 
ine   Messages    from,    Under-Sea    Craft    Submerged    Some    Distance  of! 

Shore 


great  distance  in  this  direction,  without 
being  disturbed  by  signals,  even  of  the 
same  wave  length,  coming  in  other  direc- 
tions. The  tests  also  showed  that  these 
buried  wires  did  not  pick  up  nearly  so 
much  of  the  static  disturbances  which 
have  always  been  the  greatest  limitation 
on  the  distance  from  which  signals  could, 
be  received. 

It  seems  that  Doctor  Rogers  was  the 
first  one  to  attempt  any  practical  applica- 
tion of  facts  which  were  pointed  out  by 
some  of  the  earliest  wireless  investigators. 
In  1898,  A.  Blondel,  of  the  French  Society 
for  the  Advancement  of  Science,  proposed 
the  theor>'  that  the  waves  of  radio  telegra- 
phy were  "surface"  waves ;  that  is  to  say, 
waves  that  traveled,  to  a  large  extent  at 
least,  in  the  surface  of  the  earth.  In  1902, 
other  scientists  found  that  the  waves 
could  be  considered  as  consirting  of  two 
parts,  a  "space"  wave  and  a  "surface" 
wave.  The  space  wave  spread  out  equally 
in  all  directions,  up  as  well  as  horizontally, 
while  the  surface  wave  spread  out  in  the 
upper  layers  of  the  earth's  surface,  hori- 
zontally only. 

It  was  also  shown  that  depending  upon 
the  nature  of  the  earth's  surface,  and  the 
relative  amounts  of  absorption  in  the  air 
and  in  the  earth,  the  surface  wave  at  great 
distances  from  the  sending  station  might 
be  much  the  larger  of  the  two.    But  since 
the  station  that  sent  out  these  waves  con- 
sisted of  an  antenna  high  in  the  air,  with 
one  end  electrically  connected  to  the  earth 
through   the  transmitting  apparatus,   the 
*»arlv     x»rir*>iAcc     invcstigators,     including 
If,  used  the  same  antenna 
lystem    for    receiving    the 
waves.      It    seemed    rea- 
sonable  to   suppose   that 
the   surface   part   of   the 
wave    was    unimportant, 
and  would  ordinarily  be 
entirely  dissipated  at  only 
a     very     short     distance 
from  the  transmitter. 

The  system  was  used  to 
a  considerable  extent  dur- 
ing the  war.  communica- 
tions from  the  high- 
powered  stations  in  Eu- 
rope being  received  here 
on  underground-antenna 
systems  constructed  at 
Belmar,  N.  J.  The  navy 
station  at  New  Orleans 
was  also  so  equipped  on 
account  of  the  severe 
static  which  is  encount- 
ered     there.      American 


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Interior  View  of  Doctor  Rogers*  Laboratory  in  HvattsviUe,  Maryland,  Where  He  Conducted  Investigations 
and  Experiments  Which  Undoubtedly  will  Result  in  Every  Large  Wireless  Station  being 
Equipped  with  a  Receiving  Antenna  Placed  Underground 


submarines  have  also  been  able  to  keep  in 
touch  with  their  base  of  operations,  even 
when  submerged,  by  using  the  trailing 
wire.  It  has  further  been  found  possible 
to  transmit  from  these  buried  and  sub- 
merged antennae,  but  so  far  only  short 
distances  have  been  attained.  This,  how- 
ever, is  not  nearly  so  important  as  the  fact 
that  signals  may  be  received  from  greater 
distances. 

Those  who  have  been  following  develop- 
ments in  wireless  will  remember  the  re- 
markable results  which  were  obtained,  in 
1912,  by  Edwin  H.  Armstrong,  then  a  stu- 
dent at  Columbia  University.  Armstrong 
used  a  very  long  antenna  consisting  of  a 
single  wire  supported  20  or  30  feet  above 
the  ground  on  a  line  of  telegraph  poles. 
In  the  fall  of  1918,  another  investigator 
announced  that  these  low  antennae,  such 
as  Armstrong  used,  were  quite  as  effective 
as  the  high  ones  for  transmitting  as  well  as 
receiving.  Now  Doctor  Rogers  tells  us 
that  wires  buried  in  the  ground  are,  in 
certain  cases  at  any  rate,  better  than  either 
of  the  two  earlier  forms  for  receiving.  And 
last  of  all  comes  the  statement  by 
Nikola  Tesla  that  wireless  messages  do 
not  travel  in  the  air  at  all,  but  that  the 
wave  that  is  actually  received  has  traveled 
directly    through    the    ground    from    the 


transmitter  to  the  receiver.  When  these  in- 
vestigations have  all  been  concluded,  per- 
haps we  shall  see  all  the  costly  towers  and 
masts  taken  down  and  replaced  by  buried 
wires.  The  navy  experts  do  not  believe 
that  the  high  aerials  can  be  dispensed  with 
for  transmitting.  But  the  radio  world  has 
been  set  to  thinking  along  new  lines,  and 
is  at  the  same  time  going  ahead  with  ex- 
haustive investigations.  It  is  not  too  much 
to  prophesy  that  in  the  very, near  future 
every  large  wireless  station  will  have  a  re- 
ceiving antenna  in  the  ground. 


CLASSES  IN  TRACTOR  DRIVING 
FOR  CALIFORNIA  BOYS 

That  the  state  may  have  a  sufficient 
number  of  tractor  drivers  to  cultivate  the 
maximum  amount  of  land,  and  so  in- 
crease the  food  supply,  the  California 
State  Board  of  Education  has  been  con- 
ducting emergency  classes  in  tractor  op- 
eration in  the  rural  districts.  The  course 
given  lasts  three  weeks  and  costs  only 
$2.50.  The  first  week,  the  students  are 
taught  the  theory  and  principle  of  gas 
engines ;  the  second  week,  the  assepbling 
and  disassembling  of  tractors,  their  opera- 
tion and  repair,  and  the  third  week  they 
drive  tractors  in  the  field. 


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352 


POPULAR   MECHANICS 


MYSTERIOUS  "P.  V."  MADE 
MINED  WATERS  SAFE 


PLANT  TO  PRODUCE  ARGON 
FOR  ARMY  BALLOONS 


The  Germans  were  repeatedly  baffled,  The  important  part  which  balloons  play 
during  the  war,  by  the  fact  that  British  as  an  adjunct  of  both  the  army  and  navy 
ships  were  able  to  move  through  mined      has   caused    those   two    branches   of   our 

government  to  share  the 
expense  of  constructing  a 
plant  at  Fort  Worth, 
Tex.,  for  producing  ar- 
gon from  natural  gas. 
Argon  is  a  noninflam- 
mable  gaseous  element  of 
great  value  in  preventing 
fire  and  explosions  which 
are  apt  to  attend  the  use 
of  hydrogen.  The  lat- 
ter is  much  used  in  in- 
flating lighter-than-air 
craft.  A  line  of  10-in. 
pipe,  capable  of  with- 
standing high  pressure, 
is  to  be  laid  underground 
to  Fort  Worth  from  cer- 
tain natural-gas  wells  sit- 
uated 94  miles  to  the 
north.  Materials  for  this 
undertaking  costing  $L050,000  have  al- 
ready been  purchased.  The  plant  is  not 
being  built  near  the  wells,  because  they 
are  too  remote  from  water,  power,  and 
the  labor  market.  After  the, natural  gas 
has  been  processed  at  the  government 
plant  for  its  contents  of  one  per  cent 
argon,  it  will  be  discharged  into  the  Fort 
Worth  and  Dallas  city  mains. 


COPYMOMT,    INTIRNATIONAL    nUN    seNVICI 


A  Paravene  Used  in  Cutting  the  Mooring  Ropes  of  Mines  So  That  the 

Allies'  Ships  could  Pass  Safely  through  Waters  Which  the 

Germans  Supposed  had  been  Made  Impassable 

waters  with  immunity.  It  now  develops 
that  a  cunningly  devised  machine,  in  use 
since  1916,  and  known  to  British  sailors 
as  a  "P.  v."  or  "paravene,"  was  largely 
responsible  for  this.  The  device,  the 
nature  of  which  was  one  of  the  mysteries 
of  the  war,  is  torpedo-shaped,  with  finlike 
projections  either  side  of  its  head  and  a 
special  rudder  which  regulates  the  depth 
at  which  it  travels  below  the  surface.  A 
cable  connected  with  the  ship  controlling 
it  caused  mooring  ropes  of  mines  to  travel 
toward  the  nose  of  the  "P.  V.,'*  where  a 
saw  quickly  severed  them.  As  the  mines 
rose  to  the  surface  they  were  destroyed 
before  doing  any  harm. 


SEWER  RUNS  ABOVE  GROUND 
ON  CONCRETE  TRESTLE 

A  concrete  -sewer,  made  of  15-in.  and 
18-in.  reinforced-concrete  pipe,  runs  for 
4,000  ft.  above  ground  on  the  outskirts  of 
Columbia,  S.  C.  The  pipe  is  supported  by 
a  reinforced-concrete  beam,  12  by  16  in., 
run  on  a  trestle  of  concrete  bents.  20  ft. 
apart.  Bands  across  the  top  of  the  pipe 
are  bolted  to  the  supporting  beam  to  re- 
sist the  vertical,  lateral,  and  twisting 
strains  of  flood  water,  which  at  times 
covers  the  pipe.  The  exposed  sewer  is 
part  ofia  recently  laid  system  of  6%  miles, 
the  balance  of  which  is  of  the  usual  sub- 
terranean type. 


KNITTED  STUMP  SOCKS 

FOR  WAR  CRIPPLES 

Stump  socks  are  knitted  articles  for- 
which  a  large  need  has  been  created  by 
many    a    soldier's 

loss  of  a  leg  or  an     

arm.  They  are 
knitted  much  like 
ordinary  socks  but 
without  heels  and 
are  straight 
throughout.  The 
article  is  worn 
over  the  bandaged 
stump  to  give  it 
additional  protec- 
tion.  Different     

patriotic  organiza- 
tions, including  the  Service  League  for 
the  Handicapped,  has  undertaken  to  sup- 
ply these  socks.  In  some  cases  they  are 
made  with  a  draw  string  by  which  the  top 
can  be  gathered.  Others  do  not  have 
this  feature. 


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Wireless 
to  Other 
Planets 


COMMENT  AND  REVIEV 


CTheM  pages  were  printed  January  23.  1919] 

FURTHER  development  in  wireless  promises  to  take  first  place  in  scientiiic 
interest.  Experiments  with  steel  tubes  in  place  of  glass  tubes  reveal  possi- 
bilities of  wave  projection  far  beyond  the  most  sanguine  hopes  of  a  few  years 
ago.  Apparatus  already  constructed  yields  a  projecting  force 
sufficient  to  reach  arqund  the  earth  three  and  one-half  times. 
Marconi  in  a  recent  interview  even  suggests  ultimate  commu- 
nication with  other  planets.  Until  recenUy  the  distance  a  wire- 
less message  could  be  sent  was  largely  a  matter  of  power  at 
the  sending  station.  Even  this  will  doubtless  yield  somewhat 
to  improved  apparatus,  for  it  will  be  remembered  when  the  first 
Atlantic  cable  was  completed,  the  operators  failed  to  get  results 
at  first,  due  to  too  much  '*juice."  Cell  after  cell  of  battery  was  added  to  no  avail 
until  some  one  suggested  trying  the  line  with  only  a  few  cells — which  worked. 

The  very  thought  of  communication  with  other  worlds  opens  up  such  endless 
possibilities  of  knowledge  as  to  constitute  the  most  alluring  task  to  which  science 
has  ever  set  its  hand.  Ours  cannot  be  the  only  inhabited  worlds  and  with  all  our 
vaunted  learning  and  mechanical  accomplishment,  we  may  in  fact  be  the  mei^est 
beginners  in  comparison. 

We  cannot  dream  of  the  mysteries  to  be  revealed,  or  the  knowledge  to  be 
unfolded.  In  other  worlds,  have  they  eradicated  sickness  and  pain;  have  they 
thousands  of  years  ago  discarded  our  best  methods  of  transportation,  communi- 
cation,' heating,  cooling,  eating,  clothing,  and  agriculture?  Of  what  shape  and 
size  are  their  bodies;  how  lon^  do  they  live?  Has  Christ  yet  appeared  to  them, 
or  are  they  living  in  a  millennium?  When  we  establish  communication,  will  the 
knowledge  we  obtain  be  all  useful  and  helpful,  or  shall  we  be  made  unhappy  and 
dissatisfied  with  our  own  conditions  >  because  incapable  of  attaining  to  their  high 
degree  of  life?  Questions  and  conjectures  can  be  multiplied  so  indefinitely  as 
to  stagger  the  imagination. 

It  is  entirely  possible  that  other  planets  have  had  intercommunication  for 
centuries,  and  that  we  are  still  in  the  beginners'  class.  Marconi  states  that  waves 
have  been  detected  on  their  receiving  instruments  which  could  not  be  accounted 
for  as  coming:  from  any  station  on  this  earth,  nor  from  natural  sources,  and 
which  are  believed  to  be  signals  from  another  world  trying  to  establish  commu- 
nication with  us. 


The 
Future 

of 
Wireless 


r 


WHEN  Marconi  reached  out  into  the  ether,  and  grasped  the  waiting  secret  of 
sound  waves,  he  unfolded  a  mvstery  destined  to  save  the  lives  of  thousands 
who  "go  down  to  the  sea  in  ships.'*^  Like  most  other  good  things,  wicked  men 
perverted  his  system  to  unholy  purposes,  for  without  wireless 
the  Hun  submarine  would  have  failed  in  much  of  its  cruelty. 
The  war,  however,  gave  a  great  impulse  to  wireless,  which 
recently  found  its  culmination  in  those  wonderful  instruments 
which  enabled  our  ground  officers  to  converse  with  our  airmen, 
while  aloft,  even  at  a  distance  of  five  miles.  That  this  distance 
will  be  extended  under  the  more  favorable  conditions  of  peace, 
may  be  confidently  expected.  With  the  censorship  relaxed  we 
may  count  on  wireless  stories  of  actual  accomplishment  on  water  and  in  the  air, 
more  thrilling  than  Jules  Verne  ever  dreamed  of. 

Before  we  entered  the  war  thousands  of  keen-minded  high-school  boys,  and 
some  girls  also,  had  mastered  the  rudiments  of  wireless  operat.'on,  and  were 
sending  and  receiving  messages  from  points  many  miles  apart.  This  voluntary 
self-instruction  justified  itself,  for  the  sudden  demand  for  thousands  of  wireless 
operators  found  hundreds  already  prepared,  and  thousands  so  nearly  so  that 
their  necessary  instruction  to  qualify  as  radio  operators  was  comparatively  brief. 
With  our  entrance  in  the  war,  the  wireless  outfit  which  in  city  and  country 
towns  was  cvenrwhere  indicated  by  wires  stretched  from  house  to  house,  or 
house  to  bam,  became  a  positive  menace.  It  put  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy 
in  our  midst  a  simple  and  dangerous  weapon;  hence  the  only  recourse  was  to 
abolish  all  wireless  in  civilian  hands.  Its  possession  in  an  operating  condition 
was  like  owning  a  moonshine  still. 

It  may  not  be  expedient  as  yet  to  lift  the  embargo  on  amateur  wireless,  per- 


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354  POPULAR   MECHANICS 


I 


haps  not  before  the  Peace  Conference  has  finished  its  work  and  the  treaty  is 
si^ed,  but  it  is  to  be  hoped  liiat  at  no  distant  day  Young  America  may  again 
rejoice  in  that  most  fascwating  of  all  instructive  amusements  a  boy  ever  had. 
It  may  doubtless  be  desirable  still  to  control  the  use  and  ownership  of  wireless 
outfits,  by  permit  from  the  Government,  but  that  would  not  prevent  its  use  by 
those  who  deserve  to  enjoy  it.  With  one's  loyalty  established,  the  only  further 
objection  would  seem  to  be  in  the  ability  to  read  messages  of  a  business  or  con- 
fidential nature,  but  this  too,  doubtless,  can  be  safeguarded.  If  possible  the  boys 
^ould  have  their  wireless. 


The 

GcPCTtoutnt 

in 

Business 


The  commercial  feature  of  wireless  has  been  somewhat  lost  sight  of  during 
the  war,  but  may  now  be  expected  to  assume  a  greater  importance  than  ever. 
Recent  improvements  of  a  most  important  nature  promise  greater  speed  and 
accuracy  with  greatly  increased-  possibilities  as  to  (Ustance,  by  day  as  well  as 
night.  Marconi  announces  his  expectation  to  reduce  ocean  rates  far  below  the 
present  cable  tolls. 


THERE  are  some  things  which  the  Government  must  necessarily  do,  and 
there  are  other  things  which  it  seeks  to  do.  Outside  of  those  few  things 
which  are  essentially  the  function  of  a  government  to  do,  what  is  there  it  has 
ever  done,  which  has  not  been  or  would  not  be  better  done, 
and  at  less  cost  to  the  people,  by  private  enterprise?  Injorder 
to  make  a  showing  a  government  may  reduce  the  price  of  a 
service,  but  it  so  reduces  the  value  of  the  service,  that  the  ap- 
parent saving  becomes  instead  a  high  ultimate  cost  to  the 
consumer. 

As  a  war  measure  the  country  cheerfully  accepted  the  tak- 
ing over  of  the  telegraph  lines.  Under  the  circumstances  a 
restricted  service  was  to  be  expected.  The  continued  operation  of  the  telegraph 
and  telephone  service  by  the  Government,  m'omises  increasing  inefiiciency.  It  is 
the  logical,  inevitable  result  of  permanent  Federal  operation.  Anyone  who  ever 
attempted  to  use  the  telephones  of  England  and  the  continent  before  the  war 
knows  what  a  fearful  exasperation  they  were.  The  explanation  is  simple.  A 
government  employe  quickly  comes  to  feel  a  certain  sense  of  security  in  his  posi- 
tion, and  a  corresponding  indifiFerence  to  the  loss  of  that  position  through  ineffi- 
ciency. Especially  so  with  us,  where  the  majority  of  government  positions  are 
secured  through  a  "pull.**  The  feeling  is  that  the  pull  which  i)laced  one  there 
can  and  may  be  depended  on  to  keeo  one  there.  We  are  speaking  not  of  cases . 
of  dishonesty  but  simply  of  inefficiency.  Go  into  any  Pedersd  office  where  a  con- 
siderable number  of  clerks  are  employed,  and  compare  the  morale  with  that  of  a 
civilian  enterprise  with  an  equal  number  of  employes.  In  the  first  there  are  lax- 
ness,  deliberateness,  and  usually  some  actually  doing  nothing.  Repeated  visits  will 
prove  the  condition  is  the  usual  one.  On  the  other  hand,  the  employes  in  a  civilian 
establishment  are  active  and  busy,  with  a  minimum  of  lost  motion.  Here  indi- 
vidual effort,  worth,  ambition,  results,  are  the  measure  of  continued  emplojrment 
and  advancement.  Under  Federal  operation  individual  ability  seldom  counts  as 
much  as  the  pull,  hence  little  incentive  to  doing  one's  best. 

This  atmosphere  of  security  together  with  the  endless  red  tape  which  pre- 
vents quick  action  and  a  short  cut  to  results  make  for  expensive  operation.  In 
conducting  a  war,  cost  is  seldom  considered;  the  emergency  is  taken  to  warrant 
any  cost.  Under  peace  conditions  there  are  few  such  emergencies,  but  the  prin- 
ciple of  disregarding  cost  remains.  A  corporation  must  constantly  watch  for 
leaks  and  wastes,  find  them  promptly,  and  stop  them  instantly.  No  such  re- 
quirement exists  in  Federal  operation— in  fact  the  government  treasury  seems 
so  huge  it  is  hardly  worth  one's  while  to  raise  disturbing  questions  whidi,  more 
often  than  not,  instead  of  being  appreciated  turn  out  to  be  an  unpleasant  boom- 
erang. It  is  not  actual  dishonesty,  in  the  terms  of  a  defaulter,  or  even  graft, 
which  makes  government  operation  unprofitable;  it  is  the  loss  which  comes  from 
continuous  low  estimate  of  one's  obligations  as  an  employe.  The  immediate  head 
seldom  has  the  authority,  or  is  permitted,  to  discharge  utterly  inefficient  help, 
for  that  ever-present  pull  restores  them  after  a  few  days  with  more  than  a  hint 
not  to  repeat  the  ''mistake." 


M  This  condition  is  general,  as  anyone  can  easily  determine.     It  may  not  be    M 


nc;£=5*  "  >;^>ja 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS  356 


possible  to  correct  it,  but  there  certainly  is  no  need  or  excuse  to  enlarge  its 
sphere. 

The  ocean  cables  were  recently  taken  over  by  the  Government.  During  the  en- 
tire war  period,  since  1914,  the  cable  companies,  even  with  the  tremendous  burden 
of  war  messages,  managed  to  furnish  a  very  acceptable  business  service.  One  high 
official  stated  a  few  days  ago,  it  had  been  possible  even  to  send  a  message  from 
San  Francisco  to  Japan  and  receive  a  reply  within  an  hour;  now,  under  govern- 
ment operation,  the  same  service  is  a  matter  of  days,  as  many  as  seven  days  in 
some  cases.  To  continue  Federal  operation  of  telephones,  telegraphs,  and  cables 
would  be  little  short  of  calamitous  to  business  interests.  With  reasonable  re- 
strictions, the  corporate  operation  of  these  utilities  will  be  a  better  service  at 
less  cost  than  the  Government  can  ever  hope  to  attain.  Except  as  a  great  pro- 
vider of  jobs  for  political  appointees,  there  is  nothing  the  Government  cannot 
secure  from  the  wire  systems  under  corporate  operation  it  could  hope  for  by  con- 
ducting the  business  itself.  As  for  the  employe,  unless  he  is  a  rank  slacker,  his 
chances  for  recognition  of  meritorious  service  are  all  in  favor  of  corporate  man- 
agement. 

The  fewer  government  employes  consistent  with  actual  necessities,  the  bet- 
ter, and  the  less  the  cost  for  the  people.  All  the  great  business  enterprises  recog- 
nize this.  The  steel  companies  buy  many  things  they  need,  cheaper  than  they 
can  produce  them  in  their  own  plant.  Railroads  do  not  make  their  own  car 
wheels.  A  great  standing  army  of  government  employes  is  as  bad  as  an  un- 
necessarily large  standing  army.  Each  is  a  burden  on  the  country;  consuming 
without  producing. 

To  add  the  wire  systems  would  be  to  increase  their  cost  while  decreasing 
their  efficiency. 

Competition  makes  for  the  best  at  the  lowest  practical  price.  We  had  better 
spellers  in  those  days  when  the  class  used  to  toe  a  crack  in  the  floor  and  ''spell 
down"  than  we  have  ever  had  since.  Under  government  operation  there  is  no 
competition.  The  one  or  two  per  cent  saved  in  interest  charges  on  capital  ac- 
count are  eaten  up  many  times  by  increased  cost  of  operation. 


Bolshevism 


THOSE  who  make  no  pretense  to  a  knowledge  of  political  economy,  and  even 
the  saner  class  of  socialists,  are  gradually  cominp^  to  understand  the  utter 
hopelessness  of  Bolshevism.  To  put  oneself,  and  family,  and  property,  in  their 
keeping  is  to  put  to  sea  in  a  storm  in  a  leaking  boat,  with  an 
insane  pilot.  No  prominent  Bolshevik  has  ever  demonstrated 
his  ability  to  rule  wisely  or  manage  public  affairs.  On  the 
contrary,  Bolshevism  is  essentially  destructive,  both  to  life  and 
property.  It  is  entirely  an  experiment,  with  as  much  promise 
of  desirable  results  as  one  expects  from  a  drunken  man  letting 
o£F  firecrackers,  in  a  powder  magazine. 

Bolshevism'  has  destroyed  hundreds  of  houses  and  bams; 
it  has  not  built  one. 

Bolshevism  has  burned  countless  warehouses  filled  with  supplies;  and  fac- 
tories, and  workshops.    It  has  never  planned,  or  erected,  one  to  take  their  place. 
Bolshevism  has  tortured  and  killed  untold  numbers;  it  has  never  brought 
security,  and  protection,  and  a  steady  income  to  one  workingman. 

Bolshevism  has  drained  no  swamps,  has  irrigated  no  barren  land;  it  has 
no  schools  where  little  children  may  learn,  or  sanctuaries  where  man  may  wor- 
ship. It  recognizes  no  God,  and  no  rights  but  those  of  its  own  brute  strength. 
Like  any  other  ferocious  animal,  it  can,  in  a  moment,  tear  down,  and  in  pieces, 
the  work  of  years;  but  not  in  a  century  can  Bolshevism  build  ud  and  create.  It 
o£Fers  nothing  whatever  to  make  the  world  a  better  place  to  live  in;  it  brings 
only  apprehension,  fear,  famine,  and  despair. 

It  is  an  ignorant  mob  indulging  in  a  wild,  prolonged  debauch,  and  must 
eventually  and  inevitably  perish  from  its  own  lack  of  cohesion. 


If  every  man,  woman,  and  child  in  the  world  was  an  active  Bolshevik  there 
would  shortly  be  none  left  alive,  for  they  would  rend  each  other  in  pieces,  and 
the  survivors  would  die  under  the  tumbling  ruins  of  civilization.  The  avalanche, 
the  earthquake,  the  tidal  wave,  and  the  cyclone  are  all  demonstrations  of  irre- 

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366  POPULAR   MECHANICS 


a  .  U 

Jll    sistible  power;  they  are  awful,  fearsome,  and  sweep  away  everything  in  their     I 

"■    path;  yet  none  of  them  endure.  ^ 
Let  any  who  incline  toward  Bolshevism  think  on  these  things. 


''13.UT  him  in  the  army  and  make  a  man  of  him/'  is  a  quotation 
^    dates  the  recollection  of  the  oldest  inhabitant. 


which  ante- 


Hoes  iinn^ 
Life  Make 

M 
Ineffidenq^? 


The  regular  life,  the  physical  training,  the  respect  for  authority,  the  pompt 
response  in  action  and  word,  the  military  bearmg;  all  these 
and  many  more  attributes  attach  to  our  lifelong  picture  of  the 
soldier  who  was  once  even  a  sluggard.  Army  life  was  sui^)osed 
to  work  wonders,  if  not  almost  miracles. 
The  foregoing  is  true  and  it  isn't. 

What  is  the  general  experience  of  the  business  man  and 
manufacturer  who  is  bending  all  his  energies  to  make  a  place 
for  the  soldier  returning  to  civilian  life?  In  most  cases  he  is 
really  in  need  of  man  power,  either  to  fill  vacancies  or  to  replace  boys  and  young 
women  in  occupations  for  which  the  latter  are  partly  or  entirely  unsuited.  In 
some  cases  the  position  is  more  or  less  a  created  one.  Both  types  of  employer 
are  tryinp;  patriotically  to  codperate  with  the  War  £mplo3rment  boards^  whose 
function  it  is  to  find  work  for  mustered-outmen. 

The  remarks  immediately  to  follow  are  not  intended  to  apply  to  the  boys 
returning  from  overseas,  for  not  enough  of  them  have  at  this  date  been  restored  to 
civilian  occupations  to  afford  any  fair  judgment.  We  refer  instead  to  the  boya  who 
are  daily  being  released  from  camps  and  cantonments  in  this  country.  Some  have 
been  enlisted  only  a  few  months,  others  a  year.  What  is  the  present  efficiency 
of  these  returning  men?  And  what  is  the  reason  for  the  mental  condition  in 
which  tiiey  are  returning?  For  exactness,  let  me  describe  the  few  examples 
within  my  own  personal  knowledge. 

Here  are  three  young  men  around  21  years  of  age,  of  good  families,  with 
high-school  education,  who  left  positions  with  high-class  manufacturing  con- 
cerns, to  enlist.  These  concerns  are  known  to  retain  in  their  employ  only  bright, 
efficient  young  men.  It  is  fair  to  presume  that  they  were  100-per-cent  efficient 
in  their  previous  positions.  What  is  their  efficiency  now?  Physically  they  are 
m  the  pink  of  condition,  but  they  appear  to  take  no  interest  in  their  wonc;  in 
moving  about  they  walk  at  a  funereal  pace,  with  a  lazy  shuffle;  they  display  no 
initiatrve;  they  arrive  late  in  the  mommg:  they  do  their  work  indifferently  and 
carelessly;  their  production  is  about  hsdf  what  normal  production  should  be. 
Not  a  little  of  their  woric  has  to  be  done  over  a  second  time;  they  resent  friendly 
criticism,  and  finally,  after  a  few  days,  they  quit.  Another  employer  tells  me 
that  of  17  men  sent  him,  all  had  quit  before  the  end  of  the  week,  and  the  next 
week,  out  of  11,  only  one  remained  to  draw  pay  Saturday.  During  the  time  they 
worked,  their  efficiency  was  very  poor.  Each  of  the  31  men  mentioned  had  been 
a  private.  Other  employers  state  they  are  having  the  same  experience.  The 
condition  would  appear  to  be  general. 

It  is  doubtless  unfair  to  condemn  the  boys  for  this  unfortunate  condition  in 
which  they  find  themselves^  for  they  are  not  entirely  to  blame.  It  is  probably 
the  result  of  the  reaction  which  will  take  some  time  to  overcome.  Perhaps,  and 
even  probably,  if  the  men  in  this  country  who  had  been  busy  each  da^  with  drills 
and  camp  work  could  have  been  demobilized  on  November  12  and  immediately 
sent  home,  results  would  have  been  different,  or  at  least  modified.  But  there 
has  elapsed  two  months  of  inactivity,  with  the  relaxation  of  morale  which  accom- 
panied the  knowledge  they  were  not  going  across,  and  hence  an  inevitable  loss 
of  interest  in  everything  pertaining  to  camp  life  and  work.  An  old-line  army 
officer  would  have  felt  it  less,  but  the  thousands  of  civilian  officers  naturally 
shared  the  same  feeling  as  their  men.  ''It  is  all  over,  so  what's  the  use!**  explains 
matters.  A  young  sailor  of  my  acquaintance  who  was  in  a  naval  camp  tells  me 
that  for  weeks  prior  to  his  discharge  his  comrades  actually  begged  for  something 
to  do.  What  then,  must  be  the  effect  of  enforced  idleness  on  the  thousands  who 
may  not  be  mustered  out  for  weeks  or  even  months  to  come? 

The  reaction  from  the  superactive  military  life  to  one  almost  purposeless 
naturally  carries  the  pendulum  over  to  the  opposite  extreme,  and  as  with  all 
1^    extremes,  normal  conoitions  are  upset  for  a  time.    Then  gradually  comes  a  return    ^-. 
m    toward  normaL    This  takes  time;  it  simply  cannot  be  accomplished  in  a  moment.    M 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS  367 

in  In  the  case  of  o£Bcers,  who  are  supposedly  better  educated,  a  stronger  mental  |i| 
*"  balance  may  be  expected,  but  even  here  there  will  be  some  disappointments.  ^^ 
To  both  officers  and  privates  the  change  to  civil  life  is  marked.  The  officers  have 
become  accustomed  to  much  order  giving  and  exhibitions  of  respect  from  their 
men;  the  men  have  enjoyed  the  many  favors  and  courtesies  extended  because  of 
the  imiform  they  wore.  To  all  of  them  has  been  offered  a  good  deal  of  hero- 
worship  sentiment.  As  they  get  back  on  their  old  "jobs"  they  are  going  to  miss 
all  this,  and  for  awhile  will  feel  as  if  they  are  not  being  suitably  appreciated. 

The  thought  which  comes  to  me  in  this  connection  is,  first,  that  employers 
having  these  conditions  in  mind  should  exercise  as  much  patience  as  possible, 
and  by  talking  with  the  returning  men  suggest  to  them  the  necessity  for  an 
extra  e£Fort  on  their  part  to  make  good;  that  it  will  come  a  little  hard  at  first, 
just  as  the  first  few  drills  were  hard,  but  by  earnest  effort  they  can  soon  bring 
themselves  back  to  old-time  efficiency.  Second,  that  the  men  themselves  take 
a  mental  inventory  of  their  own  feelmgs,  and  reluctance  to  work,  which  is  not 
unlike  that  of  the  small  boy  in  his  first  week  at  school  after  the  long  vacation. 
The  old  tasks  seem  an  awful  drudge,  but  after  ducking  under  a  few  times  they 
find  the  water  is  fine. 

So,  Soldier  boy  and  Sailor  boy,  if  the  old  job  seems  hard,  or  stale,  or  unin- 
teresting, don't  give  yourself  up  to  careless  indifference,  but  exert  just  a  little 
of  that  splendid  spirit  you  had  built  up  for  use  ''over  there"  and  conquer  your- 
self with  the  same  irresistible  force  with  which  you  would  have  gone  after  the 
Huns;  and  of  the  two  efforts,  I  am  not  at  all  sure  that  bringing  yourself  up  to 
concert  pitch  again  in  the  requirements  of  civil  life  is  by  any  means  the  lesser 
or  easier  task.  You  will  do  it,  for  it's  in  you  even  though  a  bit  rusty;  *and  when 
you  once  realize  what  our  own  country  and  the  world  demand  of  our  man  power 
m  peace,  and  the  wonderful  possibilities  opening  to  us  as  individuals  and  a  nation, 
you  will  be  just  as  keen  to  get  to  the  top  as  you  were  a  few  months  ago  to  "go 
over  the  top." 


DID  you  ever  live  in  a  country  town  whose  fire  department  was  composed  of 
volunteers?    And  did  you  ever  notice  how  keen  everybody  was  to  run  with 
the  cart  and  help  lay  a  line  of  hose,  and  what  a  scramble  to  hold  the  nozzle? 
But  when  the  fire  was  out,  the  crowd  dispersed,  and  few  were 
left  to  be  impressed;  the  most  officious  disappeared  on  one 
excuse    and    another,    leaving   the    few    faithful,    conscientious 
workers  to  clean  up.     Of  course  there  isn't  any  excitement  in 
reeling  up  a  lot  of  wet,  dirty,  cold  hose,  but  it  has  to  be  done 
after  every  fire;  and  those  who  should,  and  don't,  are  slackers. 
Six  months  ago   the  prospect  was  that  the   Government 
would  be  obliged  to  put  out  a  bi^  Liberty  loan  every  three  or 
four  months,  for  an  indefinite  periqd.     Happily  this  has  not  been,  and  will  not 
now  be,  necessary.    The  fire  has  apparently  been  subdued,  the  world  confla^a- 
tion  has  been  checked,  the  gale  which  drove  the  sparks  every  way  is  subsiding, 
and  we  hope  the  danger  is  over.     Now  there  remains  the  hose  *to  gather  up, 
and  some  of  it  to  replace,  with  comparatively  few  ladders  that  were  lost  or 
broken;  but  taken  altogether  our  loss  has  been  small  compared  to  that  of  other 
countries.     In  fact,  it  might  with  propriety  be   called  a  "Thanksgiving"  loan. 
As  the  Victory-Liberty  loan  it  offers  the  double  opportunity  of  celebrating  the 
great  victory,  and  also  as  an  expression  of  thankfidness  that  we  did  not  have 
to  go  on  for  months  and  years  at  an  awful  cost  of  precious  lives.    Any  sacrifice 
of  mere  dollars  in  order  to  put  the  loan  over  promptly  is  so  insignificant  com- 
pared to  the  price  we  might  have  been  called  upon  to  pay,  that  the  nation  should 
cheerfully  shoulder  the  load.     Had  the  war  continued,  even  this  country  with 
all  its  money  and  resources  would  have  soon  felt  its  depressing  effect.    Because 
the  living  of  our  usual  life  has  been  so  slightly  interfered  with,  few  realize  the 
many  sacrifices  that  .would  soon  have  been  necessary.    For  these  reasons  alone 
we  should  put  the  loan  over  quickly,  patriotically,  willingly. 

Picking  up  the  hose  isn't  an  exciting  job,  but  we  must  not  say  to  the  world 
we  are  slackers  by  failing  to  do  so,  even  though  we  lack  the  excitement  of  daily 
combat  to  spur  us  on.  , 

_  H.  H.  WINDSOR 

i  i 


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358 


POPULAR   MECHANICS 


ELECTRODE  QUICKLY   CHANGED 

IN  NEW  ARC- WELDING  TOOL 

A  handy  arc-welding  tool  has  recently 
been  devised,  one  of  the  advantages  of 


( 


which  is  that  the  electrode  can  be  changed 
with  little  loss  of  time.  In  case  the  elec- 
trode adheres  to  the  work  the  necessary 
amount  of  pull  can  be  exerted  on  the 
former  without  dislodging  it  from  the 
grip  of  the  tool.  The  current  enters  a 
shank  inclosed  in  a  handle  of  insulating 
material  and  passes  to  a  broad,  flat  head 
having  a  curved  flange  at  its  outer  end. 
The  electrode  is  clamped  between  this 
flange  and  a  movable  member  controlled 
by  a  small  lever.  When  remote  control 
is  employed  with  a  closed-circuit  system, 
the  tool  is  provided  with  a  trigger  pro- 
jecting from  the  side,  by  which  the  cur- 
rent can  be  turned  on  and  off. 


An  ArcWelding  Tool,  Having  a  Head  So  Designed 

That  the  Electrode  can  be   Changed  Quickly  YSfhen 

Desired,  and  Its  Parts 


([Makers  of  gold-filled,  plated,  and  gold- 
shell  rings  have  agreed  to  adopt  a  standard 
system  of  marking  devised  by  the  Bureau 
of  Standards,  which  will  tell,  by  means  of 
a  fraction  before  the  usual  carat  mark, 
what  part  of  the  entire  weight  of  a  ring 
is  composed  of  gold. 


AMERICAN  BATTLEPLANE  SETS  NEW 
SPEED  RECORD 


By  H.  a.  mount 


"jLIAD  the  war  lasted  until  spring,  Ger- 
■*■  ^  man  pursuit  pilots  probably  would 
have  been  surprised  to  see  a  fleet  of  great 
bombing  machines  sail  unconcernedly  into 
"verboten"  territory  in  broad  daylight. 
And  the  Hun  pilot  who  attacked,  expect- 
ing an  easy  victory  over  his  unwieldy  an- 
tagonist, would  have  received  the  surprise 
of  his  life.  For  the  great  bomber  would 
have  proved  as  fast  and  as  agile  as  his 
own  smaller  machine  and  would  have 
been  protected  by  five  machine  guns  that 
covered  every  possible  angle  of  approach. 
As  it  was,  only  a  few  of  the  great 
figfhters  got  into  the  hands  of  the  army 
fliers,  and  none  of  them  reached  the  firing 
line.  But  official  tests  showed,  in  spite  of 
great  size  and  enormous  carrying  capacity, 
the  plane  was  so  versatile  that  it  could  have 
been  used  to  equal  advantage  as  a  pursuit 
machine  and  as  a  day  or  night  bomber. 
The  great  75-ft.  plane  is  said  to  be  the  first 
of  its  size  successfully  to  perform  all  the 
acrobatic  **stunts"  required  of  a  pur- 
suit machine.  Not  long  ago  it  flew  from 
Dayton  to  Cleveland,  a  distance  of  215 
miles,  in  1  hr.  15  min.,  thereby  establishing 
what  is  believed  to  be  a  new  world's  rec- 
ord. The  average  speed  during  the  flight 
was  172  miles  an  hour.  The  fastest  trip 
previously  made  between  these  two  cities 


occupied  two  hours.  The  tools,  fuel,  and 
baggage  carried  by  the  plane  weighed  2,500 
pounds.  The  machine  is  known  as  the 
Martin  gun  machine  and  was  designed  by 
Glenn  L.  Martin.  It  was  the  first  all- 
American  design  accepted  for  battle  use, 
and  was  just  getting  into  production  when 
the  armistice  was  signed.  The  plane,  how- 
ever, is  easily  adaptable  to  commercial  re- 
quirements; a  passenger  machine  with  a 
capacity  for  12  persons  and  a  freight- 
carrying  machine  with  a  two-ton  capacity 
are  now  building.  They  are  altered  from 
the  military  design  only  as  to  interior 
equipment  of  the  fuselage. 

In  the  passenger  plane,  upholstered 
seats  are  arranged  side  by  side  within  an 
inclosed  cabin,  provided  with  windows. 
Entrance  is  by  a  trapdoor  and  folding 
steps  through  the  cabin  floor,  just  back  of 
the  wings.  The  freighter  will  first  be  used 
in  mail  service. 

As  compared  with  the  English  Handley 
Page,  the  Martin  plane  has  a  75-ft.  wing 
spread,  instead  of  a  100-ft.  The  total 
weight  is  slightly  over  half  that  of  the 
English  design.  Driven  by  two  Liberty 
motors,  it  has  a  guaranteed  speed  of  I2d 
miles  an  hour,  while  a  Handley  Page,  with 
the  same  power  plant,  makes  about  80 
miles  an  hour. 


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-^ 


"Acrobatica"  with  Unuairal 


"^ 


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360 


POPULAR    MECHANICS 


TORPEDO-CARRYING  PLANE 

OF  BRITISH  DESIGN 

Dropping  a  torpedo  of  the  usual  naval 
design  from  a  flying  airship,  instead  of 
shooting  it  from  the  tube  of  a  torpedo 


rHOTO  BY  OMLV  MMmOII 

This    British    Torpedo-Csrrying   AirpUne    has   Just 

Released  Its  Weapon.  Which  the  Camera  Caught 

Before  It  Entered  the  Water 

boat — an  idea  that  the  British  war  depart- 
ment put  into  practical  shape  just  before 
the    signing    of    the    armistice — cheated 


the  Huns  of  a  new  experience.  The  150- 
mile  headway  of  the  plane  provides  the  in- 
itial energy  for  starting  the  torpedo  on 
its  course,  the  plane  flying  straight  toward 
the  enemy  object,  at  a  50-ft.  elevation,  as 
it  lets  go  its  formidable  underwater  pro- 
jectile. The  special  problems  solved  were 
overcoming  the  dangerous  reaction  of  the 
plane,  suddenly  lightened  by  its  loss  of  a 
ton  weight,  and  the  tendency  of  the  tor- 
pedo to  strike  the  water  at  an  angle.  Both 
these  actions  were  disastrous  in  early 
experiments.  Twenty  of  these  torpedo 
planes,  on  a  mother  ship,  guarded  the  sur- 
render of  the  German  fleet. 


SIBERIAN  FUR  DEALERS  SEEK 

AMERICAN  MARKETS 

The  turmoil  in  Russia  having  practically 
closed  the  Trans-Siberian  Railway  for 
trade  purposes,  fur  dealers  in  Siberia  are 
now  endeavoring  to  get  in  direct  touch 
with  American  and  British  markets.  Be- 
fore the  war  they  had  built  up  a  large  busi- 
ness with  firms  in  central  Europe,  which 
is  now  disorganized.  Reports  coming  to 
this  country  from  dealers  in  far-oflF  north- 
ern Asia  tell  of  fur  trapping  by  natives  on 
a  scale  the  magnitude  of  which  few  Ameri- 
cans realize.  Siberia  being  practically  cut 
off  froni  territory  to  the  west,  the  fur  trade 
of  the  whole  region,  it  is  said,  is  now  be- 
ing concentrated  in  Manchuria. 


•V  OOURTESY  Of  THI  Pum  TRAOI  RIVICW 


A  Fur  Trader  and   His  Employes    in  Manchuria,   China,  Inspecting  a   Shipment  of   Goods   Received   from 
Mongolia :    The  Man  Standing  Third  from  the  Right  is  Examining  a  Large  Fox  Skin 


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361 


PHONOGRAPH   LURES   SEALS    WITHIN    RANGE  OP  HUNTER'S  GUN 

'trilling  seals  enticed  within  gun  range  bv  a  phonograph  is  the  unusual  practice  which  a  hunter,  fre- 
''^  quenting  waters  bordering  the  states  of  the  Pacific  Northwest,  has  found  very  profitable.  The  instru- 
ment, which  is  of  a  size  that  can  be  easily  carried  about,  is  set  up  near  the  rendesvou«  of  the  animals, 
and  soon  its  music  attracts  their  attention,  and  they  lift  their  heads  well  above  the  water.  The  hunter 
reports  that  he  has  been  able  to  shoot  large  numbers  of  them  while  they  are  under  the  spell  of  the  sounds 
so  strange  to  their  ears. 


NEW  MATERIAL  FOR  MAKING 

ARTIFICIAL  LIMBS 

Several  advantages,  among  which  is  de- 
cidedly lower  cost,  are  claimed  for  a  cel- 
luloid substitute  used  in 
making  artificial  limbs. 
This  substance  is  pre- 
pared by  mixing  equal 
parts  of  water  with  a 
certain  make  of  glue, 
producing  a  cement 
which  is  applied  to  mus- 
lin in  the  same  manner 
as  when  making  cel- 
luloid arm  and  leg  ap- 
pliances, namely,  while 
winding  it  about  a  plaster 
cast.  The  substitute  is 
said  to  be  light,  strong, 
and  noninflammable. 


SHIPBUILDERS   GIVE   EMPLOYER 
MINIATURE  DESTROYER 

A  much-appreciated  gift   recently  pre- 
sented to  an  official  of  an  eastern  ship- 


CA  tax  of  two  cents  a 
head  on  all  cattle  and 
sheep  in  Natrona  County,  Wyo.,  produc- 
ing a  fund  of  $6,000  to  $8,000,  will  be  used 
for  the  eradication  of  coyotes,  wolves, 
bobcats,  and  other  predatory  animals, 
under  the  supervision  of  the  United  States 
Biological  Survey. 


Model  of  a  Destroyer.  Approximately  40  Inches  Long,  Made  by  Workers 

in  an  Eastern   Shipyard  and  Presented  to  an   OfBcial  of  the  Company: 

Every  External   Feature  of  the  Original  has  been  Faithfully  Reproduced 

on  a  Scale  of  One-Eighth  Inch  to  the  Foot 


building  concern  by  his  employes — a 
memento  made  by  their  own  hands — is  a 
39%-in.  model  of  a  destroyer.  It  was 
built  on  a  scale  of  Vs  in.  to  the  foot, 
and  every  external  detail  of  the  original 
was   reproduced   with   the   greatest   care. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


FULL  OF  WATER  AND  PEOPLE 

BOAT  STILL  FLOATS 

A  lifeboat  which  cannot  be  sunk  by  any 
ordinary  means  is  provided  by  fastening 
blocks    of    buoyant    composition    to    the 


sides  of  a  folding  frame,  making  the  boat 
collapsible  for  storage  or  shipment.  The 
sides,  of  flexible  material,  are  attached  to 


the  keel  and  to  the  stern  and  bowstems, 
which   latter  are   pivoted  at  the  ends  of 
the  keel  to  allow  movement  as  the  sides 
are     expanded     or     collapsed.       Folding 
spreader   members   hold  the  boat   rigidly 
expanded  and  serve  also  as  seats.     They 
are  locked,  and  released, 
by   a   quarter   turn    of   a 
shaft  extending  through 
one  end  of  the  boat.    All 
outside  surfaces  are  cov- 
ered     with      waterproof 
material,  and  the  buoyant 
composition  is  put  on  in 
sections,  for  easy  replace- 
ment or  repair  in  case  of 
damage.     The    whole    is 
covered  with  canvas  for* 
protection.    A  test  model 
with      several      plugged 
holes  in  the  bottom  was 
loaded  with  three  passen- 
gers and  500  lb.  of  lead. 
When    the    plugs    were 
withdrawn       the       boat 
filled  with  water  and  settled  slightly,  but 
a  large  portion  of  its  bulk  remained  above, 
the  water  line. 


SHIP  BABY  CHICKS  SAFELY, 

HUNDRED  IN  A  BOX 

Packing  boxes  for  shipping  baby  chicks 
a  day  old  are  successfully  being  used  by 
a  New  York  State  poultryman.    The  form 


These  Boxea,  with  Muslin  Tacked  on  Top,  are  Used 

for  Shipping  Live  Day-Old  Chicks.    The 

Partitions  Prevent  Crowding 

of  box  used,  devised  after  considerable  ex- 
perimenting, is  divided  by  partitions  into 
four  compartments.  Each  compartment 
carries  25  chicks,  or  100  to  the  box.  Mus- 
lin tops  tacked  on  give  plenty  of  air  and 
protection  from  draft,  the  partitions  pre- 
vent crowding  or  smothering. 


BRITISH   ARMY   PLANS   TO    SELL 

VAST  NUMBER  OF  HORSES 

During  the  war  little  was  said  about  the 
great  numbers  of  horses — many  of  them 
prized  English  mounts — used  by  the  ar- 
mies in  France,  but  now  many  interesting 
facts  are  being  made  public.  Great. Brit- 
ain is  planning  to  dispose  of  750,000  horses, 
700,000  of  which  were  brought  from  North 
and  South  America,  Spain,  northern  Af- 
rica, and  elsewhere.  Just  how  the  sale  of 
so  many  horses  can  be  managed  without 
bringing  prices  below  actual  values  is 
something  of  a  problem.  In  fact  some 
Britishers,  with  characteristic  humane  re- 
gard for  domestic  animals,  would  prefer 
that  all  horses  not  brought  back  be  killed 
rather  than  permitted  to  fall  into  the  hands 
of  persons  who  might  treat  them  brutally. 
It  is  proposed  to  return  at  least  17  per 
cent  of  them  to  England — the  equivalent 
of  the  number  taken  from  that  country. 
Doubtless  many  will  be  disposed  of  in  Bel- 
gium and  France.  The  losses  among  the 
horses  were  heavy,  being  12  per  cent  for 
the  last  four  months  of  1914,  approxi- 
mately 14  per  cent  for  both  1915  and  1916, 
and  28  per  cent  for  1917.  Last  year  the 
losses  were  surprisingly  small,  amounting 
in  the  10  months  of  war  to  only  two  and 
one-half  per  cent. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


AUTO  IN  PATRIOTIC  PARADE 

HAS  LOCOMOTIVE  BODY 

One  of  the  clever  features  in  a  parade 
recently  held  in  Hamilton,  Ont.,  to  pro- 
mote the  Canadian  Victory  loan,  was  an 


An  Out-of-the-Ordinary  Feature  in  a  Patriotic  Parade 

in  Hamilton,  Ontario:   The  Imitation  Locomotive  is 

Made  Largely  of  Sheet    Iron   and  is  Supported  by 

■  «  Wood  and  Iron   Framework  Inclosing  the  Hidden 

Automobile 

automobile  fitted  up  to  look  like  a  rail- 
way locomotive.  The  top  and  windshield 
were  removed,  and  two  heavy  beams, 
bolted  to  the  body,  were  extended  5  ft. 
to  the  rear  to  support  the  tender.  The 
boiler  and  cab  were  of  sheet  iron.  Angle 
irons  were  attached  to  the  front  of  the  car 
frame  to  carry  the  front  end  of  the  boiler, 
and  special  supports  were  placed  beneath 
the  bell  which  had  formerly  seen  actual 
use  on  an  engine.  The  float  was  entered 
by  the  Toronto,  Hamilton,  and  Buffalo 
Railway  Company. 


BLAST  DITCH  THROUGH  ROCK 

TO  DRAIN  FARM 

For  the  purpose  of  draining  an  area  of 
muck  land,  used  for  growing  vegetables, 
a  ditch  half  a  mile  long  was  blasted 
through  solid  limestone  in  Wayne  County, 


New  York.  The  cost  of  the  improvement, 
amounting  to  about  $5,000,  was  met  by  the 
cooperation  of  the  farmers  benefited.  So 
much  limestone  debris  was  produced  by 
the  blasting  that  it  had  to  be  piled  along 
both  banks  of  the  ditch  by  a  derrick.  The 
ditch  lies  along  the  course  of  a  small 
stream,  which,  with  its  capacity  thus  aug- 
mented, is  able  to  keep  freshets  from  flood- 
ing the  peat  soil  of  the  farms,  and  so  adds 
a  considerable  area  of  usable  and  fertile 
land  to  the  local  vegetable-growing  dis- 
trict. 


SUBSTANTIAL  STACK  ROOF 

EASILY  ASSEMBLED 

A  covering  for  grain  or  haystacks,  re- 
cently patented,  can  be  easily  assembled 
without  the  use  of  hooks  or  nails,  and, 
when  not  in  service,  can  be  stored  in  small 
space.  It  is  made  of  boards,  overlapped 
like  clapboards  and  held  in  position  by 
hooks  engaging  wires  stretched  over  the 
top  of  the  stack.    The  hooks  for  one  board 


Roof  for  Peak  of  Hay  and  Grain  Stacks  Which  can  be 
Assembled  without  Employing  Hammer  and  Nails: 
When   Not  in  Use  It  can  be   Stored  in  Small   Space 

are  so  placed  that  the  board  below  sup- 
ports them,  the  bottom  board  on  either 
side  being  held  by  the  wires  looped  about 
it.  Means  can  be  provided  for  tying  the 
roof  down  so  that  the  wind  cannot  lift  it. 


Limestone  Was  No  Barrier  to  the  Vegetable  Farmers 
of  Wayne  County,  New  York,  Who  Blasted  This 
Drainage  Ditch  to  Keep  Floods  Off  Their  Muck  Land 


ZEPPELIN  CAN  CARRY  CARGO 

ACROSS  ATLANTIC,  BELIEF 

In  the  opinion  of  American  aeronaut- 
ical authorities,  there  is  good  reason  to 
have  faith  in  the  ability  of  German  super- 
Zeppelins  to  carry  commercial  cargoes 
between  Hamburg  and  New  York  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  reported  plans  of  cer- 
tain Hun  interests.  Without  discussing 
the  rumored  project  from  other  than  the 
standpoint  of  aviation,  attention  is  called 
to  the  fact  that,  according  to  information 
deemed  authentic,  the-latest  German  rigid 


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dirigibles  are  about  800  ft.  long  and  hold 
some  3,000,000  cu.  ft.  of  gas.  Driven  by 
multiple  engines  of  great  horsepower, 
they  travel,  conditions  being  normal,  at 
a  speed  of  70  or  80  miles  an  hour.  It  is 
asserted  that  Zeppelins  of  this  type  are 
able  to  remain  in  the  air  for  as  long  as 
two  weeks  without  material  loss  of  gas. 
Furthermore,  they  are  understood  to  be 
capable  of  carrying  a  useful  load  of  ap- 
proximately 30  tons.  During  the  war  a 
Zeppelin  with  22  men  and  25  tons  of 
munitions  aboard  is  claimed  to  have  made 
a  1,000-mile  nonstop'flight.  Oh  the  other 
hand,  the  statement  is  made  in  a  commit- 
tee report  of  the  air  board  that  dirigibles 
of  more  than  4,000  mile  range  are  in  ex- 
istence. 


USE  CONCH  SHELLS  AS  HORNS 
FOR  PHONOGRAPHS 

A  feature  which  makes  a  new  phono- 
graph different  from  all  others  is  the  use 
of  a  conch   shell   for  the  horn. 


ICE  CYCLE  HAS  TWO  SKATES 

INSTEAD  OF  FRONT  WHEEL 

An  ingenious  New  York  man  recently 
demonstrated  that  a  speedy  ice  craft  can 


COPrntQHT,   KADCL   AND  HCRBUT 


The  Unusual  Horn  on  This  Phonograph  Is  a  Conch 

Shell.    Which,    the    Makers   Claim.    Gives   the 

Instrument  Exceptional  Tone  Qualities 

of  the  latter  has  been  cut  oflF.  With  a 
small  instrument  having  an  outside  horn, 
the  shell  stands  on  end,  the  sound  issuing 
from  the  opening  in  the  side.  In  the  case 
of  instruments  having  concealed  horns, 
the  shells  are  installed  at  the  back  of  the 
conical  passage  from  which  the  sound 
issues. 


A  Vehicle  for  Winter   Sport   Which  the   Maker  has 

Nicknamed  an  "Icicle" :  It  is  Steered  with 

the  Handlebars  Like  a  Bicycle 

front  of  the  frame.  The  braces  support 
two  small  front  seats,  with  foot  rests,  in 
which  the  rider  carries  two  of  his  little 
friends.  The  owner  calls  his  vehicle  an 
"icicle." 


WARSHIPS  TO  CARRY  MAIL, 

SWEDISH  PEACE  IDEA 

Removing  their  side  armor,  protective 
decks,  barbettes,  and  guns  would  change 
battle  cruisers  into  fine  mail  liners  wit'.i 
plenty  of  room  for  passengers.  That  is 
the  proposal  which  has  the  approval  of 
the  Swedish  minister  of  marine  for  ap- 
plication to  the  Swedish  navy's  two 
largest  warships.  The  vessels  so  pacif- 
icated  would  have  2,000  tons  dead-weight 
capacity  with  a  displacement  of  4,300 
tons  and  a  speed  of  25  to  30  miles  an  hour. 
Sweden's  navy  numbers  69  war  craft  of 
all  kinds,  all  of  which  are  well  designel 
and  constructed,  but  rather  small  for 
actual  war  purposes.  This  appears  to  be 
the  first  serious  indication  of  a  possible 
peaceful  use  for  naval  units. 


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First,  Look  at  the  Picture  at  the  Left.    It  Ib  an  Oil  Sketch  of  a  Male  Wood  Duck  at  the   Border  of  a  Pool 

amid  Vegetation.    Failing  to  Find  the  Fowl,  Look  at  the  Right  Picture,  over  Which  a  Stenciled 

Mat  has  been  Placed  to  Separate  the  Bird  from  Its  Camouflaging  Surroundings 


A  NEW  CAMOUFLAGE  ART 


By  BRANDON  TRACY 


p^OR  many  years  scientists  have  known 
•■•  that  nature  has  endowed  most  wild 
animals  with  deceptive  coloration  for  the 
purpose  of  concealment  from  enemies. 
When  snugly  ensconced  in  a  bed  of  dried 
leaves,  the  copperhead  snake  is  invisible 
at  10  feet.  Zebras,  motionless  in  the  sap- 
ling brakes  of  an  African  jungle",  blend 
with  the  shadow  and  brightness  of  moon- 
light so  perfectly  that  their  only  feared 
enemy — the  lion — cannot  see  them  at  30 
feet.  The  wood  duck,  resting  in  a  baylet 
with  her  tiny  brood,  eludes  the  hawk  be- 
cause her  color  scheme  matches  her  sur- 
roundings perfectly. 

At  the  Art  Institute,  Chicago,  recently 
was  given  an  exhibition  of  paintings  of 
nature   subjects    based   upon   these   facts. 


Of  the  Two  Images  of  Hooded  Warblers  at  the  Left.  One  Ib  a  Water 
Color  and  the  Other  a  Stenciled  Silhouette  That  Makes  Visible  the  Bird 
in  the  Picture  Concealed  beneath  the  Screen.  At  the  Right  the  Screen 
has  been  Opened,  Disclosine  the  Sunlit  Foliage,  amid  Which  the  Little 
Creature  is  Posed 

The  pictures,  done  by  Abbott  H.  Thayer, 
Gladys  Thayer,  Gerald  H.  Thayer,  Louis 
Agassiz  Fuertes,  and  Richard  S.  Mery- 
man,  demonstrate  all  angles  of  nature's 

366 


use  of  camouflage.  The  simplest  form  of 
this  art  showed  a  peacock  standing  on  a 
stone  garden  wall  amid  ivy  and  tree  fo- 
liage. The  head  and  neck  of  the  bird 
is  silhouetted  against  the  sky,  but  the 
gorgeous  plumage — which  in  another  set- 
ting would  make  the  peacock  a  most  re- 
markable target — mingles  with  the  vege- 
tation in  such  manner  that  the  outlines 
are  lost  completely.  It  takes  close  obser- 
vation to  distinguish  that  the  picture  con- 
tains anything  except  ordinary  greenery 
and  foliage  such  as  might  be  met  in  any 
garden. 

The  observer  instantly  raises  the  objec- 
tion, "Oh,   but  the  artist  chose  his  col- 
ors and  arrangement.    No  wonder  the  bird 
is  concealed!"     The  new  school  is  ready 
for  just  that  criticism. 

The  "rebuttal"  is  pre- 
sented in  the  form  of  a 
landscape  in  the  Him.i- 
laya  Mountains,  a  picture 
^showing  the  snow-capped 
peaks  in  the  distance 
against  blue  sky.  In  the 
foreground  is  under- 
brush, a  spiring  ever- 
green tree,  and  other 
vegetation.  The  whole 
picture  is  made,  not  with 
oils  or  water  colors,  but 
from  the  feathers  of  the 
male  monal  pheasant ! 
This  most  brilliant  of 
feathered  creatures  is  the 
animal  above  all  others 
one  would  least  expect  to 
own  protective  coloring,  but  the  artist 
shows  that  the  pigments  its  plumage  fur- 
nishes are  identical  with  those  given  by 
nature  to  the  landscape  it  graces.    When 


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free  in  this  country   of  mountains   it   is 
next  to  indistinguishable  by  the  eye. 

Right  in  line  with  the  same  idea  is  the 
picture  shown  with  this  article,  "Hooded 
Warbler  and  Sunlit 
Foliage."  In  looking  at 
the  unstenciled  picture, 
the  observer  sees  nothing 
but  an  array  of  foliage, 
played  upon  by  sunlight 
and  shadow.  No  warbler 
has  been  painted  in,  al- 
though this  is  exactly  his 
habitat. 

A  cover  fits  over  the 
painting.  In  this  cover  is 
cut  a  stencil  exactly  on 
the  outlines  of  the  war- 
bler. As  the  observer 
closes  the  cover  he  sees 
through  the  stencil  a  per- 
fect likeness  of  the  war- 
bler, which  he  can  com- 
pare, if  he  chooses,  with  a 
sketch  from  life  on  the  outside  of  the 
cover. 

This  is,  naturally,  something  of  a  trick 
picture*  It  simply  reinforces  the  fact 
that  in  the  habitat  of  these  birds  are  all 


of  the  brilliant  colors  of  the  plumage.  The 
artist  has  arranged  the  leaves  and  chiaros- 
curo of  the  painting  so  the  observer  can- 
not mistake  the  lesson  at  first  glance. 


At  the  Left  U  Presented  a   Painting  of  a   Reed- Bordered  Pool  in  the 

Marshes.    It  Includes  No  Image  of  a  Bird,  yet  by  Applving  a  Stenciled 

Mat,  as  at  the  Right,  an  Excellent  Representation  of  a  Swamp-Dwelling 

Railbird  can  be  Seen 

Camouflage,  as  used  by  military  forces 
in  the  war,  was  based  entirely  upon  lessons 
learned  from  these  birds  and  animals. 
Man's  work  in  this  direction  still  lacks 
much,  for  nature  approximates  perfection. 


FRENCH  MOROCCAN  TROOPS  INAUGURATING  THEIR  "WATCH  ON  THE  RHINE*' 

^NE  of  the  many  incidents  of  interest  that  attended  the  advance  of  French  forces  into  Germany,  in  accord- 
^^  ance  with  the  armistice  terms,  is  illustrated  by  the  photograph  reproduced  herewith.  It  shows  a  regimental 
standard  bearer,  surrounded  by  officers  and  men,  dipping  a  banner  in  the  waters  of  the  Rhine,  an  act  sym- 
bolizing the  fact  that  this  particular  part  of  the  mighty  river  is  under  the  control  of  the  victors. 


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CLOSE-UPS  OF  FRENCH  AND  YANK  BABY  TANKS 


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GERMAN  NEWS  PICTURES  OF  TIMELY  INTEREST 


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FAST  TRACTORS  HAUL  TANKS 

TO  SPEED  ARMY  DRIVE 

Tractors  of  the  2V^-ton  type,  equipped 
with  eight-cylinder  engines  of  standard 
make,  were  used  in  the  last  allied-army 


This  SH-Ton  Artilleqr  Tractor  Hm  an  Eiglit- Cylinder  Bncine  and 
Do  U  to  17  Miles  an  Hour  Hauling  a  Trailer  Loaded 
with  a  Small  Tank  or  a  **76"  Gun 

drive  to  reduce  road  congestion  by  virtue 
of  their  relatively  high  speed.  They  were 
able  to  haul  spring  trailers  at  a  steady 
gait  of  14  miles  an  hour,  with  a  maximum 
speed  of  17.  Small  tanks  of  the  "whip- 
pet" type  were  frequently  placed  on  these 
trailers  for  hauling,  facilitating  their 
movement  from  point  to  point.  By  tow- 
ing 75-mm.  field  guns  on  trailers,  these 
useful  little  tractors  aided  the  army  in 
consolidating  its  daily  gains.  Previous 
methods  of  moving  the  tanks  and  artil- 
lery on  their  own  wheels  limited  their 
progress  to  six  miles  an  hour,  or  less. 
The  tractors  are  equipped  with  multiple- 
disk  clutch  and  three-speed  transmission, 
and  the  engine,  radiator,  gasoline  tank, 
and  other  vulnerable  parts  are  inclosed 
in  armor  sufficiently  stout  to  resist  ma- 
chine-gun fire  or  flying  pieces  of  shrapnel. 


AMERICAN  GIRLS  RUN  SHOPS 

ON  CARS  IN  FRANCE 

Peddling  brought  up  to  the  minute  is 
a  feature  of  the  devastated  settlements  of 
northern  France.  American  girls  are 
driving  small  automo- 
biles over  the  almost  im- 
passable roads,  dealing 
out  the  necessities  of  life 
to  the  inhabitants  of 
ruins  and  cellars,  whose 
former  accessibility  by 
railroad  has  gone  the 
way  of  other  ordinary 
conveniences  in  that 
wrecked  district.  The 
cars  are  stocked  with  the 
commodities  that  expe- 
rience dictates,  so  that, 
besides  coffee,  lard, 
cocoa,  canned  meats, 
condensed  milk,  and 
other  groceries,  it  has 
been  found  desirable  to 
carry  blankets,  sheets, 
pots  and  tin  plates, 
knives,  lamps,  brooms, 
pins,  and  soap.  A  driver 
and  saleswoman,  working  from  dawn  to 
dark,  can  satisfy  the  more  urgent  require- 
ments of  50  villages  a  week. 


EIGHTY  TRAFFIC  SIGNS 
TO  PROMOTE  SAFETY 

As  evidence  of  its  desire  to  aid  in  pre- 
venting automobile  accidents,  a  local  club 
of  motorists  has  furnished  the  city  of  Los 
Angeles  with  80  metal  "Keep-to-the- 
Right"  signs  to  be  used  as  markers  of 
safety  zones  in  the  streets,  displacing  ar- 
ticles of  a  similar  character  that  had  be- 
come badly  damaged.  Each  of  these  new 
signs  has  a  heavy  metal  base  into  which 
is  threaded  a  2-in.  pipe.  This  standard  is 
flattened  at  its  upper  end  and  to  it  is  at- 
tached a  red  disk  on  which  the  legend  is 
lettered  in  white. 


'Appeals  to  "Keep   to  the  Right*':    This  Extensive  Consisnnient  of  Substantially  Made   Signs  has 

been  Supplied  to  the  City  of  Los  Angeles  for  Use  in  Marking  Safety  Zones  in  the  Streets.    The  Signs  are 
Not  Intended  to  be  Fastened  to  the  l>avement  but  Possess  the  Necessary  Stability  by  Reason  of  Heavy 

MeUl  Bases 


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A  Pitting  Recognition  of  Departed  Soldiers'  Patriotism:    The   Entrance  to  the  County  Courthouse  at  York, 

Pennsylvania,  Showing  the  Names  of  the  County's  Dead  Heroes  Inscribed 

on  Panels  Attached  to  the  Pillars 


COUNTY  HONORS  DEAD  HEROES 

AT  COURTHOUSE  ENTRANCE 

Signal  honor  has  been  accorded  to  the 
memory  of  approximately  150  men  from 
York  County,  Pa.,  who  died  in  the  great 
war,  by  inscribing  their  names  on  panels 
covering  the  front  of  pillars  at  the  en- 
trance to  the  county  courthouse.  An  ap- 
propriate legend  occupies  the  space  above 
this  list.  The  name  of  each  man,  to- 
gether with  his  former  residence,  is  let- 
tered in  gold  on  an  individual  blackboard, 
which  in  turn  is  mounted  on  one  of  sev- 
eral black  panels.  At  the  time  the  ac- 
companying photograph  was  taken  the 
roll  of  dead  had  not  been  completed,  but 
additional  data  at  hand  showed  that  the 
total  would  exceed  150 — enough  to  cover 
the  fronts  of  all  the  pillars  and  some 
space  on  the  sides.  The  memorial  was 
erected  under  the  auspices  of  the  local 
chamber  of  commerce. 


CROWDED  CABLES  TO  EUROPE 
RELIEVED  BY  RADIO 

Wireless — scientific  wonder  a  few  years 
since — now  takes  its  prosaic  place  as  of- 
ficial aid  to  overburdened  Atlantic  cables. 
Government  cable  messages  addressed  to 
Europe  are  likely  to  be  routed  via  wireless 
by  the  cable  companies  unless  specifically 
marked  "not  to  be  sent  by  radio."  This 
is  particularly  true  of  messages  not  of  a 
confidential  nature.  Our  increasing  in- 
timacy with  the  other  side,  threatening  to 
load  the  cable  lines  beyond  their  capacity, 


led  to  the  service-facilitating  order  by  the 
postmaster-general  to  substitute  radio 
when  the  circumstances  made  it  feasible  to 
do  so. 


MAP  OF  WAR  ZONE  PRINTED 
ON  GERMAN  HANDKERCHIEF 

Among  the  much-prized  mementoes  of 
the  great  war  possessed  by  an  American 
doughboy  is  a  large  silk  handkerchief 
which  was  obtained  from  a  captured  Ger- 
man officer.  On  it  is  printed  a  detailed 
map  of  the  western  front  and  adjoining 


OO^YRIOMT,  KAOCL  A  HIMSCIIT 

A   Dou-ghboy'8    Trophy    Captured    from   a   German 

Officer  :   The  Map  is  Printed,  on  a  Silk  Handker. 

chief  and.  Folded,  Occupies  Very  Little  Space 

territory.  The  texture  of  the  handker- 
chief is  such  that  it  can  be  carried  in  the 
pocket  without  danger  of  cracking  it. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


EXTENSIONS  TO  TIRES  EQUIP 

TRACTOR  FOR  SOFT  SOIL 

That   a   heavy   farm   tractor  might  be 
used  in  cultivating  a  large  field  of  soggy 


Farm  Tractor  with  Extensions  Attached  to  the  Tires  of  the  Drivewheels 

Which  Enabled  It  to  be  Used  in  Preparing  Soggy  Soil  for  Planting:  The 

Track  at  the  Left   Shows  That  the   Machine   has   Scarcely  Sunk  into  the 

Ground  at  All 

land,  extensions  for  the  drivewheel  rims 

were   devised   which   made   the    machine 

practically  as  efficient  on  soft  ground  as 

those    especially    equipped    with    wheels 

having  extra-wide  treads.    The  extensions 

were  fastened  to  the  outer  edge  of  the 

rims   of  the   drivewheels,   doubling  their 

width.     They  consisted  of  a  broad  and  a 

narrow  hoop,  placed  about   12  in.  apart 

and   held   in   place  by  crosspieces  set  at 

intervals  of  five  or  six  inches. 


INVESTIGATORS   STUDY  TWIST 

DRILLS  OF  MANY  TYPES 

An  exhaustive  investigation  conducted 
by  the  engineering  experiment  station  of 

1     the  University  of  Illinois, 

at  Urbana,  has  deter- 
mined more  definitely 
than  has  ever  been  done 
before  the  relative  merits 
of  various  types  of  twist 
drills.  A  report  of  this 
research  work,  fully  il- 
lustrated, has  been  issued 
by  the  university'.  It 
contains  valuable  com- 
ment on  many  important 
aspects  of  the  problem 
under  consideration,  in- 
cluding such  questions 
as  the  power  required  at 
the  drill  point  for  various 
speeds,  and  the  endur- 
ance of  different  drills 
under  a  variety  of  condi- 
tions. Special  apparatus 
had  to  be  designed  for  some  of  the  work. 
This  investigation  is  the  first  of  several  re- 
lating to  metal-cutting  tools  that  have 
been  planned  by  the  experiment  station 


of  the  school. 


CAVERN  IN  FRANCE  REVEALS 
PREHISTORIC  ART 


WAR-STAMP  BOOTHS  EQUIPPED 

WITH  "LIBERTY  BELLS" 

The  privilege  of  ringing  a  miniature 
Liberty  Bell,  which  was  accorded  each 
purchaser  of  war- 
savings  stamps 
during  a  recent 
"drive"  in  Los 
Angeles,  proved  a 
great  stimulus  to 
the  campaign. 
There  were  60  of 
these  bells,  paint- 
ed to  represent  the 
prized  relic 
i  n  Philadelphia, 
which  were 
mounted  above  as 
many  tents  scat- 
tered throughout 
the  business  district.  Each  ringing  of  a 
bell  told  the  crowds  in  the  streets  that  an- 
other purchase  of  stamps  had  been  made. 


Stone  engravings  whose  antiquity  is 
estimated  at  30,000  years  have  been  dis- 
covered in  an  extensive  cavern  at  Montes- 
qui-Avantes,  at  the  foot  of  the  Pyrenees 
in  Ariege,  southern  France.  These 
ancient  pictures  appear  on  the  walls  of 
the  cave  in  great  profusion  and  variety, 
as  though  the  subterranean  galleries  were 
once  an  actual  museum  of  art.  Most  in- 
teresting, perhaps,  is  a  figure  in  silhouette 
with  human  head,  body  and  limbs,  hands 
and  feet,  an  enormous  neck,  and  a  caudal 
appendage  like  that  of  the  apes,  repre- 
sented as  walking  on  all  fours.  Delinea- 
tions of  animals  include  horses,  single 
and  in  groups ;  reindeer,  bisons,  bears, 
elephants,  and  even  a  lion  in  bas-relief — 
an  unusual  subject  in  prehistoric  art. 
Swans,  ducks,  nocturnal  birds  of  prey, 
and  other  fliers  are  also  represented.  The 
explorations  in  the  cavern  which  un- 
earthed this  art  gallery  of  antiquity  were 
conducted  by  a  French  count  and  his 
three  sons  during  the  brief  furloughs  of 
the  latter,  who  were  very  active  at  the 
front  and  frequently  cited  in  army 
.dispatches. 


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Coast-Guard  Lifeboat  Making  for  the  Stricken  Transport:  At  the  Right  the  Hawser  of  the  Breeches 

Buoy  Is  Visible.    Although  the  Storm  was  Subsiding,  the  Camera  Is  Also 

Responsible  for  the  Tame  Appearance  of  the  Sea 

RESCUE  STRANDED  TROOPSHIFS  WOUNDED 

IN  HEAVY  STORM 

By  SEARLE  HENDEE 


DUT  for  a  shifting  wind,  a  tragic  record 
"^  of  disaster  probably  would  have  been 
written  on  the  first  page  of  America's 
register  for  1919. 

It  is  doubtful  if  the  annals  of  United 
States  shippings  contain  an  account  of  oflf- 
shore  rescue  work  that  parallels  that  ac- 
complished after  the  troop  transport 
'Northern  Pacific,"  picking  its  way  to 
New  York  harbor  through  a  dense  fog 
and  furious  sea  before  dawn  New  Year's 
morning,  grounded  on  the  outer  bar 
some  600  yards  off  Fire  Island  beach. 

Aboard    the    palatial    liner    were    some 


2,500  homeward-bound  soldiers,  1,734  of 
whom  were  wounded  veterans  of  the  Ar- 
gonne.  Of  the  latter,  approximately  300 
were  stretcher  cases,  while  a  number  of 
others  were  shell-shock  patients.  One 
gallant  fellow,  with  neither  legs  nor  arms, 
was  aboard.  All  were  removed  without 
loss  of  a  single  life. 

Since  the  days  of  square-rigged  frigates, 
Fire  Island  in  a  storm  has  been  the  dread 
of  mariners  and  the  graveyard  of  ships. 
Its  name  is  derived  from  the  bonfires  that 
in  early  years  were  built  to  warn  seamen 
of   its   danger.     The   "Northern    Pacific" 


Bringing  Wounded   Ashore   from   the   "Northern    Pacific":    Coast   Guards   are    Shown    Carrying    Soldiers 
through  the  Suxf  onto  the  Beach.    In  the  Background,  Boats  Guarding  the  Troopship  are  Silhouetted 

375 


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^^r'lS^  On  the  Third  Day,  Rope  Ladders  were  Lowered  over  the  Starboard   Bow  of  the 

^\p  Stranded  Ship  to  Enable  Able-Bodied  Soldiers  to  Reach  the  Rescue  Craft  Along- 

'  side.     All   but   Some  206  of   the   Seriously  Wotmded   Men  were   Removed  before 

Nightfall.    The  Picture  Above  Shows  Several  Khaki-Clad  Figures  Deacending  the 

.  Ladders  to  Waiting  Boats 


-^^ 


376 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


went  aground  at  a  point  opposite  Lenely- 
ville.  Mountainous  waves  pounded  it 
mercilessly,  lifting  and  tossing  it  inshore 
a  few  yards  at  a  time,  and  hammering  it 
against  the  smooth,  hard  sand  so  that  it 
shook  and  groaned,  while  furniture  was 
bounced  around  dangerously.  In  response 
to  wireless  calls  and  distress  rockets, 
coast  guards  and  naval  craft  rushed  to 
the  scene,  but  the  raging  sea  made  them 
helpless. 

By  noontime  the  ship  had  been  driven 
more  than  250  yards  shoreward.  The  sit- 
uation looked  exceedingly  serious.  Two 
destroyers  approached  the  troopship  and 
fired  lines  across  its  bow.  On  the  beach, 
where  the  coast  guards  had  failed  with  the 
Lyle  gun,  men  volunteered  to  attempt 
passing  a  line  by  boat  to  the  ship.  After 
a  most  heroic  struggle  in  the  breakers, 
they  accomplished  their  seemingly  impos- 
sible task.  The  rope  was  300  yd.  long,  but 
the  shore  station  had  to  be  placed  well 
out  in  the  surf.  It  was  then  that  the  fates 
"lent  a  hand."  The  wind  suddenly  shifted 
and  the  stern  of  the  '^Northern  Pacific" 
began  slowly  to  swing  around,  bringing 
the  ship  parallel  with  the  shore  so  that  it 
rested  on  the  bar  instead  of  across  it,  and 
no  longer  was  in  danger  of  being  broken 
in  two.  This  stroke  of  good  fortune 
made  immediate  use  of  the  breeches  buoy 
unnecessary,  and  no  one  was  taken  from 


the  transport,  which  at  the  close  of  day 
was  guarded  by  a  fleet  of  a  score  or  more 
craft,  including  cruisers,  destroyers,  and 
hospital  ships,  that  stood  by  to  render 
assistance  in  the  event  of  emergency. 

By  the  following  morning  the  wind  and 
sea  had  carried  the  ship  150  yd.  farther 
shoreward — to  within  150  yd.  of  dry 
ground.  During  the  day  237  soldiers  and 
17  nurses  were  taken  from  the  transport 
by  breeches  buoy,  lifeboat,  and  trolley 
boat.  After  three  boats,  one  of  them  a 
launch,  had  been  capsized  in  the  heavy 
breakers,  and  several  wounded  soldiers 
saved  from  drowning  only  by  the  heroic 
work  of  those  ashore,  operations  were 
halted. 

On  Friday,  the  third  day,  the  sea  had 
subsided  considerably,  enabling  2,000  sol- 
diers and  nurses  to  be  taken  off  the  trans- 
port by  light-draft  submarine  chasers 
and  launches  that  worked  between  it  and 
the  vessels  that  stood  by.  Rope  ladders 
were  lowered  over  the  starboard  bow  of 
the  stranded  ship  and  used  by  the  able- 
bodied  men  in  reaching  rescue  craft, 
which  tossed  alongside.  The  wounded 
were  passed  down  in  basket  stretchers. 
The  more  seriously  injured  soldiers  were 
left  aboard  until  the  next  day,  the  fourth, 
when  the  rescue  work  was  completed 
early  in  the  afternoon  and  none  but  navy 
men  remained  aboard  the. ship. 


ADJUSTABLE  CONNECTING-ROD 

BEARINGS  FOR  V-TYPE  MOTOR 

Simple  bearings  permitting  independent 
adjustment,  to  compensate  for  wear,  have 


Top,  lieft,  End  View  Showing  Arrangement  of  Sleeves, 
and  Part  of  Connecting  Rods;  Right,  Cross  Section 
of  Bearings.  Bottom,  Left,  Longitudinal  View,  Partly 
in'ISection,  Showing  Attachment  of  the  Two  Rods  to 
the  Sleeves;  Right,  the  Two  Sleeves  Inclosing  the 
Crank  Pin 


been  devised  of  late  for  connecting  rods 
used  in  V-type  motors.  In  engines  of 
this  character,  the  connecting  rods  are 
arranged  in  pairs,  each  of  which  usually 
consists  of  a  forked  and  a  single-end 
member  used  in  combination.  The  cus- 
tomary bearing  consists  of  a  bronze- 
backed  babbitt-lined  sleeve  clamped 
rigidly  to  the  forked  rod.  It  serves  a  dual 
function,  for  its  outer  surface  forms  the 
bearing  for  the  single-end  rod,  which  fits 
within  the  fork.  The  contention  is  held 
that  this  arrangement  enables  the  adjust- 
^•nent  of  only  the  single-end  rod,  instead  of 
both  members,  therefore  involving  replace- 
ment of  sleeves  to  compensate  for  wear. 

The  new  bearings  aim  to  obviate  diffi- 
culty by  providing  for  the  adjustment  of 
either  or  both  rods  of  an  opposed  pair. 
They  consist  of  two  split,  concentric 
sleeves,  separately  clamped.  The  inner 
of  these  is  considerably  longer  than  the 
one  that  fits  over  it,  and  embraces  the 
crankpin.  It  serves  as  the  bearing  for 
the  forked  rod,  while  the  outer  sleeve 
accommodates  the  other  one,  and  is 
provided  in  the  usual  manner  with  a  bab- 
bitt lining.     Play  between  the  inner,  or 


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OOVTMtOMT,   KCANNV      PHOTO  SMVICC 


Scores  of  Army  Aeroplanes  Skylarking  above  the  Housetops  of  San  Dieeo  in  Celebration  of  the  Armistice : 
For  More  Than  Two  Hours  212  Machines  CloiMed  the  Air 


forked-rod,  bearing,  and  the  crankpin, 
caused  by  wear,  is  taken  up  by  the 
method  usually  employed  in  refitting  the 
bearing  of  a  single-end-  rod,  that  is, 
the  edges  of  each  half  of  the  split  sleeve 
are  faced  off.  In  readjusting  the  other 
rod,  it  is  only  necessary  to  face  off  the 
clamping  cap  of  the  outer  sleeve. 


LOW-TEMPERATURE  PROCESS 
OF  RUSTPROOFING  STEEL 

A  low-temperature  treatment  of  steel 
and  irdn  in  contact  with  zinc  is  being 
used  commercially  by  a  British  concern 
to  give  tools  and  parts  of  machines  a  rust- 
proof finish  which  is  not  injured  by  abra- 
sion or  denting  due  to  usage.  The  parts 
to  be  treated  are  placed  in  a  slowly  re- 
volving drum,  where  they  are  brought  into 
contact  with  zinc  powder.  The  temper- 
ature at  which  the  drum  is  maintained 
causes  the  zinc  to  penetrate  slightly  into 
the  iron,  producing  an  outer  coating  of 
zinc,  beneath  which  is  a  zinc  and  iron 
alloy.  If  continued  usage  bears  out  the 
claims  of  the  concern  employing  this  proc- 
ess, its  adoption  may  become  almost  un- 
limited. 


GREAT  AERIAL  PAGEANT  STAGED 

ABOVE  CALIFORNIA  CITY 

Never  before  has  an  American  city  been 
the  scene  of  an  aerial  spectacle  so  extrav- 
agant as  that  which  army  fliers  staged 
above  San  Diego,  Calif.,  in  celebration  of 
the  armistice  last  November.  For  more 
than  two  hours  an  armada  of  212  aero- 
planes maneuvered  and  flip-flopped  in  the 
sky  while  thousands  of  people  in  the 
streets  and  on  the  housetops  craned  their 
necks  and  watched  the  magnificent  spec- 
tacle in  open-mouthed  wonder.  Machines 
from  three  flying  fields,  Rockwell,  Ream, 
and  East,  took  part  in  the  remarkable 
demonstration.  Various  types  of  craft, 
from  fast-going  scouts  to  the  slower 
training  planes  and  aerial  ambulances, 
were  represented.  The  new  wireless  tele- 
phone was  used  in  directing  the  evolu- 
tions that  constantly  evoked  exclamations 
from  those  who  viewed  them.  It  is  re- 
ported that  the  machines  covered  a  total 
of  34,000  miles  in  424  flying  hours,  and  re- 
turned to  their  respective  fields  without 
a  single  mishap.  A  striking  feature  of  the 
show  was  a  performance  of  aerial  acro- 
batics by  a  picked  team  of  five  pilots. 


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PORTABLE  WALL  OF  BULLETS 

,  FOR  AIR-RAID  DEFENSE 

Light  spring  trailers,  each  carrying 
two  machine  guns  designed  for  the  high- 
angle  fire  of    anti-aircraft    work, 


Two  Machine  Guns  Mounted  for  Anti-Aircraft  Work  are  Concealed  under 
the  Camouflage  Cover  of  This  Light  and  Speedy  Trailer 

to  the  best  point  of  vantage  when  warn- 
ing was  received  of  coming  enemy  air 
craft.  Each  trailer  carried  a  considerable 
amount  of  ammunition  for  its  guns,  the 
whole  being  made  inconspicuous  by  a 
camouflage  cover.  A  train  of  10  trailers, 
each  with  its  two  machine  guns  firing  con- 
tinuously, made  a  formidable  opposition 
to  any  air  craft  flying  low  enough  for 
eflFective  bombing. 


TRIP  HAMMER  SPELLS  WORDS 

AS  SPY  TELEGRAPHS 

Extraordinary  behavior  on  the  part  of 
a  giant  trip  hammer  in  an  eastern  forging 
plant  led  to  the  stopping  of  one  leak  of 
irmation   and   the   capture 
jerman  spy.     A  telegraph 
^  on  his  porch  one  evening, 
when  his  trained  ear  called 
his  attention  to  a  series 
of      dots      and      dashes 
formed   by   the   staccato 
crashes  of  a  steam  ham- 
mer,   one    of    a    battery 
operating     in     a     plant 
just  across  the  Delaware 
I    River  from  his  home.  The 
Brobdingnagian  clicks 
slowly  spelled  out  the  an- 
nouncement, "Troopship 
moving  tomorrow."  Gov- 
ernment operatives  were 
summoned,    and    a    few 
nights    later    deciphered 
another  treasonable  mes- 
sage in  ponderous  Morse 
code.     While   the  "agent 
who  received  the  reports 
was    not    discovered,    it 
was  easy  to  find  which  one  of  the  ham- 
mer operators  had  telegraph  experience. 


CAMOUFLAGE  IN  REVERSE 
FOR  PEACE-TIME  USE 

Reversal  of  the  camouflage  principle, 
greatly  increasing  the  visibility  of  its  sub- 
jects instead  of  concealing  them  by  blend- 
ing them  with  the  background,  is  de- 
clared a  possible  peace  development  by 
the  naval  officer  who  developed  that  par- 
ticular nature-faking  system.  Since  every 
positive  has  its  negative,  color  applica- 
tions opposite  to  those  used  for  confusing 
the  eye  are  being  studied  for  a  possible 
standardized  system  of  making  distant 
objects  conspicuous. 


DIES  MAKE  FIFTY  THOUSAND 

ROSE-HEAD  RIVETS 

The  dies  shown  herewith  were  photo- 
graphed after  they  had  made  50,000 
so-called  rose-head  rivets  from  %-in. 
wrought  iron.  This  excellent  record  was 
possible  on  account'  of  proper  hardening 
and  heat  treating  of  the  carbon  steel 
used.  The  dies  were  used  on  a  heading 
machine  and  formed  1,800  rivets  per  hour. 


CMen  who  have  served  in  the  Tank 
Corps  are  moving  for  permanent  organ- 
ization in  several  communities.  The 
•^Tank  Cats",  of  Chicago  already  is 
formed. 


Dies  Photographed  After  They  had  Formed  60.000 

Rose-Head  Rivets  from  Wrought  Iron:  They 

were  Used  on  a  Heading  Machine 


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%>^  I^.TPronsK 

A  LONG  the  Nile  River  strange  \\ 
^^  were  happening.  On  the  shores 
the  last  of  the  cataracts,  a  region  sa 
to  camel  travel  since  the  time  of  the 
Pharaoh,  two  lines  of  steel  were  dri 
toward  Omdurman.  It  was  Kitche 
railway,  being  constructed  for  the  exj 
purpose  of  transporting  British 
talions  into  the  dread  country  of 
Mahdi. 

As  engineers  have  testified,  the 
handicaps  of  heat,  native  treachery, 
and  lack  of  water  made  the  work 
next  to  impossible.  The  iron  will 
of  Kitchener  alone  kept  it  from  fal- 
tering. 

Every  man  under  *'K.  of  K."  had 
caught  the  spirit  of  success  at  any 
cost.  It  therefore  was  with  fear  and 
trembling  that  a  young  subaltern,  in 
charge  of  a  dynamite  transport,  sent 
in  the  following  message:  "Regret 
to  report  disastrous  explosion.  Nine 
men  killed."  Visions  oi  court-mar- 
tial and  disgrace  doubtless  were  in 
his  mind. 

Kitchener's  reply  was  terse.   "Do 
you  want  more  dynamite  ?"  he  asked. 
This  story  of  Kitchener  was  told 
through  the  length  and  breadth  of 
Great    Britain   at    the   time    of    his 
paign  in  the  Sudan.    It  is  related  here  sim- 
ply to  show  how  the  world  looked  upon 
this  great  soldier  at  the  outbreak  of  the 
war  with  Germany.     England  herself  was 
getting  prosperous,  fat,  and  lazy.    All  the 
faults  that  come  with  wealth  and  security 
were  hers  in  some  degree.     When  one  of 
her  statesmen  would  goad  her  with  taunts, 
telling  her  how  poorly  she  was  prepared  to 
cope  with  a  powerful  foe,  common  folk,  in 
London,  Edinburgh,  Dublin,  would  shake 
their  heads  over  the  columns  in  the  Times 
or  Xews:  then  they  would  smile  reassur- 
ingly at  one  another  and  say,  "Oh,  yes. 
but  we  have   Kitchener!"     By  reason  of 
dozens   of  authentic   stories   such  as  the 
above,  and  because  also  of  the  perfect  rec- 
ord to  his  credit  in  Palestine,  Egypt  (com- 
mander of  the  khedive's  army);  Suakim 
fas  governor-general),  the  Sudan,'  India 
and  Africa,  Great  Britain  looked  upon  him 
as  at  least  a  demigod — a  man  of  sterling 
capabilitv   and  will   of  annealed  steel,  to 
whom  oQthiwg'in  military  accomplishment 


COPYRIGHT,   INTf  RNATIONAL  FILM  8ENV1CC 

HERBERT      KITCHENER 
First  Earl  of  Khartoum,  Viscount  of  Vaal  and  AspaU. 


In  Those  Lazy  Days  before  the  Disillusionizing  War,  Decla- 
rations of  England's  Unpreparedneas  Failed  to  Disturb  the 
Tranquillity  of  the  Public.    To  the  Popular  Mind  All  Talk  of 


cam- 


could  be  impossible.  Britons  attributed 
to  him  every  quality  they  themselves 
lacked.  He  would  "stand  no  nonsense." 
He  was  blunt.  He  sought  no  public  adu- 
lation ;  just  so  the  matter  in  hand  was 
finished  satisfactorily,  was  all  he  asked.  In 
fact,  he  preferred  some  outlandish  post — 
Zanzibar,  Khartum,  the  province  of  the 
Red  Sea — so  he  would  have  to  attend  no 
balls,  banquets,  or  other  social  functions. 
He  was  efficient  to  a  degree  never  reached 
before  in  the  hfstory  of  Britain's  military. 
The  real  chronicle  of  his  successes  and 
failures  has  been  told.  Of  the  former  he 
had  many:  of  the  latter,  a  few.  Suffice  it 
to  say  that  at  the  time  Lord  Haldane  per- 
suaded Sir  Edward  Grey  to  accept  his  res- 
ignation in  favor  of  Kitchener  as  war 
minister.  Britain  drew  a  long  breath  of 
relief.  During  the  long  months  that  fol- 
lowed he  trained  the  great  army  be 
was  building,  carefully  and  methodically. 
Though,  eight  months  later,  Lloyd  Georp^'i 
had  taken  over  the  new  post  as  minister 
of  munitions,  Lord  Derby  had  been  placed 


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in  charge  of  recruiting,  and  a  greater  por- 
tion of  the  strategy  was  delegated  to  Sir 
John  French — with  the  final  supervision 
of  Mstrshal  Joffre — K.  of  K.  went  on  his 
own  wise  course,  building  a  great  military 
machine  for  three  or  more  years  of  war. 
Continually  he  was  at  odds  with  opinion 
in  press  and  cabinet,  which  at  times  men- 
aced his  plans,  but  each  show-down  found 
his  iron  will  triumphant.  Britain  got  her 
army. 

There  existed  in  England  at  the  out- 
break of  the  war  one  of  the  most  efficient 
and  dangerous  spy  systems  in  the  world. 
This  was  all  the  more  sinister  because  it 
was  in  the  employ — in  all  but  certain  ex- 
ceptional cases — of  no  particular  nation. 
It  consisted  of  a  coterie  of  extremely  rich 
international  Jews.  These  men  and  women 
— for  there  were  three  or  four  women  who 
became  especially  obnoxious — had  exten- 
sive investments  in  bonds,  stocks,  and  en- 
terprises in  all  countries.  The  swing  of 
the  pendulum  in  politics  and  military  af- 
fairs gave  these  creatures  opportunity  in- 
cessantly to  add  to  their  wealth — provided 
certain  information  reached  them  before  it 
became  known  in  the  markets. 

Before  Kitchener  arrived  to  keep  se- 
crets, these  Jews  kept  up  a  continuous 
round  of  entertainment  for  cabinet  mem- 
bers. Though  no  accusation  of  treachery 
ever  has  been  brought  against  one  of  the 
latter,  it  is  certain  that  the  Jews  got  what 
they  went  after.  With  the  aid  of  lavish 
hospitality,  •  they  simply  managed  to  de- 
duce knowledge  that  meant  millions 
monthly  to  them.  A  cabinet  minister 
might  have  the  matter  of  the  sale  of  cer- 
tain properties  mentioned  in  his  presence. 
At  another  time  he  might  be  asked  indi- 
rectly whether  he  thought — as  an  individ- 
ual, of  course — whether  a  week  or  a  month 
would  see  a  great  rise  in  the  value  of  the 
properties.  This  was  equivalent  to  asking 
whether  he  knew  of  any  government  ac- 
tion that  would  bear  directly  on  the  mat- 
ter. As  a  man  he  gave  his  idea  concern- 
ing the  possible  rise,  perhaps  vaguely,  per- 
haps with  no  explanation  whatever.  The 
Jews,  however,  knowing  their  guests  as 
gentlemen,  knew  the  whole  situation  im- 
mediately, and  acted  accordingly. 

Though  this  sort  of  thing  was  not  ex- 
actly just  to  Englishmen  themselves,  it 
would  not  have  been  so  bad  had  not  Ger- 
mans kept  close  watch  of  the  Jews.  Know- 
ing them  to  have  the  inside  track  with 
many  men  "in  on  the  know,"  the  Huns 
foun^  themselves  able  to  keep  an  accu- 
rate ^heck  on  the  progress  of  affairs  in  the 
diie/ enemy  camp  simply  by  watching  the 
Jews'  making  their  transactions,  and  figur- 


ing the  reasons  behind.  In  addition  to 
those  Jews  who  had  no  other  motives  than 
mere  money  making,  some  few,  feeling  no 
obligation  of  country  or  race,  helped  the 
Germans  directly.  These  were  stamped 
out  gradually,  but  the  evil  they  did  was 
a  great  handicap  at  first. 

Kitchener  took  one  dinner — ^at  a  Lon- 
don cafe — ^with  a  prominent  member  of 
this  international  coterie.  During  the 
meal  he  discussed  nothing  but  the  super- 
stitions of  the  country  (Ireland)  in  which 
he  had  spent  his  boyhood.  At  the  end  of 
the  meal  he  refused  to  allow  the  bill  to  be 
left  on  the  account  of  the  Jew,  who,  of 
course,  had  unlimited  credit  at  the  place, 
but  asked  and  paid  for  his  own  score.  All 
the  rest  of  the  time  he  was  in  office  he  ^ 
disregarded  or  refused  all  snares  put  in 
his  path  by  these  people,  thereby  earning 
their  most  cordial  enmity.  It  was  useless 
for  them  to  pester  him;  he  turned  his 
gruffest  mien.  During  the  one  year  and 
seven  months  that  followed,  the  Jews 
made  far  less  money,  for  Kitchener  kept 
not  only  his  own  secrets,  but  saw  to  it 
that  the  other  cabinet  members  knew  no 
more  than  the  press  told  concerning  vital 
matters. 

This  would  not  be  of  importance  except 
for  what  followed.  On  a  certain  spring 
day  in  1916 — the  Germans  claim  the  date 
to  have  been  June  5th,  and  the  British  Ad- 
miralty so  far  has  been  silent  on  the  sub- 
ject—  the  transport  "Hampshire"  left 
Queenstown  for  Archangel.  Whatever  the 
date,  or  whatever  the  accident  that  hap- 
pened— the  British  naval  report  said  that 
the  "Hampshire"  struck  a  floating  mine, 
while  the  Germans  stated  definitely  that 
the  submarine  "U-29,"  later  accounted  for 
by  the  allies,  sank  the  vessel — the  "Hamp- 
shire" never  reached  port.  K.  of  K.  had 
been  on  board. 

The  week  following  the  receipt  of  this 
news  was  one  of  mourning,  horror,  and 
uncertainty  in  Great  Britain.  Over  one 
hundred  vessels  scoured  the  sea  in  the 
path  supposed  to  have  been  taken  by  the 
"Hampshire,"  but  not  even  a  single  body 
or  a  piece  of  wreckage  was  recovered.  The 
nation  grieved;  its  greatest  national  hero 
certainly  since  "Chinese"  Gordon,  and 
probably  since  Nelson,  had  been  snatched 
away  without  warning  and  without  expla- 
nation. 

Certainty  concerning  his  death  never 
was  reached,  at  least  as  far  as  the  man 
on  the  street  was  concerned.  Only  a  few 
days  after  the  sad  news,  came  a  whisper 
that  the  Jews  had  furnished  news  of  his 
going,  to  the  Germans,  who  had  lain  in 
wait  for  the  "Hampshire"  and  captured  it 


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It  Wat  aboard  the  ''Hampshire"  That  Lord  Kitchener  Left  Queenstown.    The  Vessel,  Here  Shown, 

Was  an  Armored  Cruiser  of  the  "Devonshire"  Class,  and  was  Completed  in 

1905.    It  Was  460  Feet  Long  and  of  10,850  Tons 


Another  of  the  rumors  said  that  Kitch- 
ener had  reached  an  impasse  with  the 
cabinet,  and  that  rather  than  have  his 
hands  tied,  he  had  retired  to  Khartum  in- 
cognito— **or  to  one  of  those  places,  you 
know."  Because  this  is  precisely  what 
Kitchener  might  well  have  done  if  the 
pacifists  and  the  "no-expeditionary-force- 
to-France"  agitators  had  carried  public 
opinion  with  them,  the  idea  gained  much 
credence  for  a  time.  The  English  press, 
however,  quietly  communicated  with  its 
correspondents  in  all  parts  of  the  empire, 
discovering  by  the  process  of  elimination 
that,  if  Kitchener  had  gone  into  private 
life,  he  had  deserted  all  of  the  haunts  that 
had  known  him  earlier — something  prac- 
tically impossible  for  a  man  of  strong  likes 
and  dislikes,  such  as  he. 

Then  came  a  startling  development.  A 
woman  by  the  name  of  Biddy  Cullogh 
came  forward  with  the  statement  that  she 
had  seen  and  spoken  with  Lord  Kitch- 
ener. He  had  confided  in  her  that  his 
work  in  the  present  war  was  done,  but 
that  if  England's  necessity  ever  demanded, 
he  would  come  back  to  help. 

Immediately  the  British  Isles  were  in  a 
furore.  One  diligent  reporter  discovered 
that  Biddy  Cullogh  was  an  old  hag  who 
lived  in  Ballylongford,  near  the  head  of 
the  Bay  of  Taplee,  Kerry,  Ireland,  and 
that  she  wai^^'known  about  the  country 
there  as  a  witch.  Her  chief  claim  to  fame 
previous  to  her  "interview"  with  the  sup- 


posed dead  man  had  been  the  fact  that,  37 
years  previously,  she  had  told  the  fortunes 
of  Lieut.  Col.  H.  H.  Kitchener — Lord 
Kitchener's  father — and  of  his  three  sons. 
The  prophecy,  uncovered  in  the  father's 
scrapbook,  was  sheer  drivel  so  far  as  all 
but  Herbert  was  concerned.  He  would 
"conquer  many  lands,  but  at  last  come  to 
the  sea  after  years  of  wandering,"  she  had 
said  of  him.  This  career  was  not  so  diffi- 
cult to  guess,  in  spite  of  all  the  importance 
attached  to  Biddy  Cullogh's  foresight, 
since  at  that  time  Lord  Kitchener  had 
been  a  student  at  Woolwich.  The  touch 
concerning  the  sea  might  have  been  en- 
tirely fanciful,  and  borne  out  by  mere  co- 
incidence. 

The  British  saw  to  it  that  she  was 
pinned  down  to  her  statements,  howcvej*, 
and  the  upshot  of  it  all  was  that  she  ad- 
mitted, under  some  pressure,  that  she  had 
seen  Lord  Kitchener  in  a  dream,  and  not 
in  the  flesh.  The  only  permanent  effect 
she  had  created  was  one  of  doubt  in  the 
minds  of  most  people,  who  put  her  down, 
with  probable  exactness,  as  something  of 
a  faker.  A  few  there  were,  however,  who 
professed  to  see  the  dark  hand  of  "in- 
fluence" behind  her  change  of  stand.  They 
claimed  that  the  authorities,  who  were 
only  too  well  satisfied  with  Kitchener's 
sudden  retirement,  had  brought  pressure 
to  bear  on  the  old  woman,  and  persuaded 
her  to  give  herself  the  lie.  The  story,  in 
the  final  version  that  appeared  in  the  Eng- 


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lish:  papers,  rather  ridiculed  the  props  of 
"hair  matted  with  kelp,"  and  what  not, 
that  Biddy  Cullogh  had  used  to  make  her 
dreaiti  realistic. 

This  sensation,  though  it  thrilled  all 
England,  was  mild  in  comparison  with 
what  followed.  In  March,  1917,  the  par- 
ents of  Charles  T.  Latham,  a  noncommis- 
sioned officer  in  the  British  army,  received 
a  letter  from  their  son,  penned  from  the 
German  prison  camp  at  Jadoigne,  Bra- 
bant, Belgium.  The  note,  in  line  with  the 
strict  regulations  enforced  at  the  camp, 
gaye  only  optimistic  details  concerning  the 
young  man's  health,  and  requested  that 
several  articles  of  clothing  be  sent  to  him. 

The  parents  had  known  of  his  passage 
on  the  ill-fated  "Hampshire,"  and  so  had 
given  him  up  for  lost  months  before.  In 
their  joy  they  told  the  news  far  and  wide, 
and  it  spread  like  wildfire.  "My  boy  also 
was  on  the  'Hampshire'!"  "They've  got 
Kitchener  a  prisoner  in  Germany!"  was 
passed  along  from  mouth  to  mouth.  Be- 
fore even  the  papers  could  investigate  the 
story  and  print  it,  a  fair  proportion  of  the 
people  in  England  were  positive  that 
somehow  or  other  the  Germans  had  man- 
aged to  sneak  into  the  fourth  dimension, 
and  had  taken  the  "Hampshire"  past  the 
British  navy  and  into  Wilhelmshafen. 

This  was  the  last  great  rumor.    Unlike 


the  rest,  it  had  some  foundation  that  was 
capable  of  proof.  Sergeant  Latham  had 
been  aboard  the  "Hampshire."  He  had 
been  taken  to  a  German  prison  camp. 
There  the  truth  came  to  an  end,  and  spec- 
ulation began. 

According  to  the  terms  of  the  armistice, 
English  prisoners  at  Jadoigne  were  re- 
leased some  weeks  ago.  Sergeant  Latham 
was  among  them — ^but  not  Lord  Kitch- 
ener, or  even  one  other  soul  who  had 
sailed  on  the  "Hampshire.".  His  stor>' 
added  but  little  to  what  had  been  known. 
He  had  been  asleep.  Two  terrific  explo- 
sions had  racked  the  vessel,  and  she  sank 
in  a  few  minutes.  He  had  been  picked  up, 
after  a  half  hour  of  holding  to  a  life  pre- 
server, by  a  German  U-boat.  They  had 
taljen  him,  he  thought,  mainly  as  a  proof 
of  the  "Hampshire's"  sinking,  which  they 
claimed  to  have  accomplished.  He  had 
seen  nothing  of  Lord  Kitchener,  and 
heard  nothing  all  of  the  time  he  was  in 
the  enemy's  hands. 

There  ends  the  story  of  Herbert  Kitch- 
ener, first  Earl  of  Khartoum,  Viscount  of 
Vaal  and  Aspall.  Because  it  cannot  con- 
clude with  authenticated  records  of  the 
last  action  and  last  words  of  this  greatest 
of  professional  soldiers,  to  many  of  his 
admirers  and  foes  it  may  always  remain 
shrouded  in  mystery. 


BIG  TANK  FOR  IRRIGATING 

FIELDS  IS  PORTABLE 

A  novel  accessory  to  an  irrigation  sys- 
tem  in   Alameda,   Calif.,    is   a  40,000-gal. 


water  tank  whicli  is  moved  a  considerable 
distance  back  and  forth  on  rollers  be- 
tween two  tracts,  as  the  need  arises.  The 
tank  serves  as  a  reservoir  from  which 
pipes  laid  in  the  fields  are  supplied  with 
water  under  pressure,  in  order  that  it 
may  be  discharged  through  sprays  in- 
stead of  in  the  ordinary  fashion. 


COUNTY-OWNED  MACHINERY 

AIDS  LOCAL  FARMERS 

A  limestone  crusher  purchased  by  the 
county  agent  of  Allen  County,  Ky.,  does 
work  for  the  local  farmers  at  cost  during 
eight  months  of  the  year,  being  used  on 
county  road  work  the  other  four  months. 
A  demonstration  rff,  the  remarkable  fer- 
tilizing value  of  limestone  dust  on  red- 
clover  fields  so  impressed  the  fiscal  coin;t 
of  the  county  that  the  unusual  purchase 
order  followed. 


This  40,000.Gallon  Water  Tank  is  Moved  between 

Two  Tracts  to  Serve  as  a   Pressure  Reservoir,  the 

Water  from  Which  is  Discharged  through  Sprays 


(T  Positive  electrodes  for  flaming-arc 
lamps  with  their  chemical  mixtures  ap- 
plied on  the  outside,  and  arc-lamp  carbons 
with  metal  sheaths  are  late  European  de- 
velopments. 


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Left:   Rear  View  of  Machine,  Which  Enables  One  CLoth  Examiner  to  Do  the  Work  of  Pour,  Showing  How 

the  Cloth  is  Unrolled,  Spread   Out  Its  Full  Width,  and  Later  Laid  in   Folds.    Right:    Front  View 

of  the  Machine.    The  Lights  Shown  Are  beneath  the  Plate-Glass  Top  of  the  Inclined  Board 


NEW  MACHINE  LESSENS  WORK 

OF  CLOTH  EXAMINERS 

A  machine  doing  the  work  of  four  men 
has  been  built,  which  unrolls  suiting  for 
inspection,  measures  it,  and  refolds  it — a 
task  heretofore  done  wholly  or  in  part  by 
hand.  The  bolt  is  unrolled  standing  on 
end  on  a  pivot,  and  the  cloth  is  spread  out 
full  width,  after  which  it  is  drawn  over  a 
tilted  inspection  board  having  a  plate- 
glass  top.  It  is  then  piled  in  folds  of  the 
proper  width,  ready  for  sponging  and 
shrinking.  Beneath  the  glass  top  are  sev- 
eral electric  lights  which  make  it  easy  to 
detect  flaws  in  the  cloth  as  it  moves  along. 
Levers  at  either  side  enable  the  inspector 
to  stop  and  start  the  machine  at  will, 
while  a  yardstick  at  the  base  of  the  board 
shows  the  width  of  the  goods  at  all  times. 


OIL-WELL  FLOW  INCREASED 
BY  ELECTRIC  HEAT 

An  electrical  method  of  carrying  warmth 
to  the  bottom  of  oil  wells  has  been  found 
in  many  cases  greatly  to  increase  the  flow 
of  oil.  The  heating  pre  ess  decreases  the 
viscidity  of  the  oil,  usually  occasioned  by 
the  admission  of  air  to  the  well  and  the 
cooling  of  the  rock  bed.  Minute  crevices 
and  capillary  channels  which  afford  easy 
passage  to  warm,  thin  oil  become  quite  im- 
passable if  the  oil  gums.  The  electric  heat- 
ing method  not  only  thins  the  oil  but  often 
generates  gas  whose  pressure  helps  the  oil 
to  the  surface.  The  system  found  military 
use  in  the  abandoned  oil  fields  of  Rou- 
mania  and  Galicia. 


FILMS  OF  FISH  CATCHING 

TO  INTEREST  PUBLIC 

Motion  pictures  which  take  their  ob- 
servers to  the  fishing  grounds  of  the 
swordfish  and  mackerel  catchers  are  cal- 
culated to  increase  the  interest  and  knowl- 
edge of  the  public  on  the  subject  of  fish. 
Two  reels  of  film,  showing  seining  and 
harpooning  operations,  are  arranged  for 
school  and  club  use. 


TELEPHONE  POLE  SUSPENDED 
FROM  CONTRACTED  WIRES 

On  a  telephone  line  in  the  Southwest 
is  to  be  found  a  striking  example  of  con- 
traction of  copper 
wires  due  to  cold. 
One  of  the  poles, 
situated  in  the 
bottom  of  a  gully, 
has  rotted 
through  at  its  base 
and  in  cold 
weather  hangs  in 
mid-air  with  its 
lower  end  3  ft. 
above  the  ground. 
The  poles  either 
side  are  on  some- 
what  higher 
ground.  Evidently 
the  wires  we  re  - 
strung  in  hot 
weather    and 

pulled  rather  tight,  the  contraction  of  the 
copper  strands  accounting  for  the  unusual 
sight. 


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RETURNING  OVERSEAS  FLEET  GIVEN  OVATION 


PHOTOS  COPVmOMT,  UNOCMIOOO  A  UMOI*W0O» 

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into  the  Hudson   on  Time    to  the    Minute   and   Aflutter  with 
Flags  of  Every  Color.    In  the  Procession  Were  the  Flagships 

•<P»nnaolw9nia»   «»;»l«     A/lmiral    IbTavn     <«M*w  Vrki-tr"  an>li    A/lmii-al 


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ing  forts,,  flying  from  their  aftermasts 
long,  homeward-  bound  pennants  that 
trailed  far  astern,  were  fresh  from  active 
service  in  British  waters  where  part  of 
their  number  cooperated  with  the  Grand 
Fleet,  and  others  operated  from  a  base  in 
Bantry  Bay.  The  tenth  vessel  was  the 
"Pennsylvania,"  flagship  of  Admiral  Mayo, 
commander  of  the  Atlantic  fleet,  returnmg 
from  Europe  after  escorting  President 
Wilson  to  France. 

As  the  ships,  aflutter  with  flags  and 
headed  by  the  "Arizona,"  filed  past  the 
"Mayflower,"  they  saluted  the  Secretary  of 
the  Navy.  When  they  reached  their  an- 
chorages, the  Hudson  harbored  one  of  the 


greatest  assemblages  of  American  fighting 
ships  ever  congregated,  for  there  also  rode 
at  anchor  the  fleet  of  Vice  Admiral  Grant 
that  had  stood  guard  in  home  waters. 
Among  the  latter  were  the  **New  Mexico" 
and  its  sister  ship,  the  "Mississippi,"  the 
navy's  new  electrically  propelled  super- 
'  dreadnaughts  which  recognize  no  peers, 
either  in  home  or  foreign  waters. 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  review  of  the 
fleet  under  way,  the  "Mayflower"  circled 
the  ships,  and  Secretary  Daniels  reviewed 
them  at  anchor.  Instead  of  salutes  being 
fired  a  second  time,  the  national  anthem 
was  played  as  the  presidential  yacht  passed 
each  of  the  vessels. 


BIG  STEAM  TRACTOR  OPERATES 
PUMPS  AT  CITY  WATERWORKS 

After"  the  power  plant  of  the  Pierre, 
S.  D.,  waterworks  was  destroyed  by  fire 
early  in  June,  last  year,  a  large  steam 
tractor  was  assigned  the  task  of  oper- 
ating the  pumps.  The  latter  force  water 
through  a  10-in.  main,  against  a  290-ft. 
head,  to  a  reservoir  nearly  two  miles  dis- 
tant. The  tractor  had  seen  three  reason- 
ably busy  years  of  service  before  being 
put  to  the  test  of  supplying  citizens  of 
Pierre  with  water  by  working  24  hours 
a  day,  seven  days  of  the  week.  In  a  short 
time  it  demonstrated  its  capacity  to  the 
city  authorities  and  was  purchased  for  a 
sum  amounting  to  only  $300  less  than  its 
original  market  price.  Recent  advices  in- 
dicate that  the  tractor  is  still  in  contin- 
uous service  and  giving  a  satisfactory  ac- 
count of  itself. 


BOTTLED  HEALTH   PASSPORT 

GUARDS  AMERICAN  SEAMEN 

Little  glass  bottles  now  carried  in  the 
pockets  of  American  sailors  contain 
printed  forms  which,  properly  filled  out  by 
a  ship  captain,  serve  as  "passports  to 
health."  They  admit  their  bearers,  if  ill, 
to  United  States  marine  hospitals  and  in- 
sure the  best  free  medical  care  everywhere. 


OBSERVERS    REPORT    APPROACH 
OF  ALL  MERCHANT  VESSELS 

The  entrance  of  aSl  merchant  vessels  into 
certain  bodies  of  water,  such  as  Puget 
Sound,  the  Columbia  River,  and  Chesa- 
peake Bay,  is  noted  by  an  oflicial  ob- 
server of  the  United  States  Weather  Bu- 
reau. Communicating  with  each  craft  by 
signals,  he  learns  its  name,  the  name  of  its 
captain,  its  destination,  and  the  character 


This  Big  Tractor,  Working  Steadily  84  Hours  a  Day,  Pumps  Water  through  a  10-Inch  Main  to  a  Reservoir 
Nearly  Two  Milea  Distant,  at  an  Elevation  of  890  Feet 


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Left:  The  Vessel-Reporting  Station  at  the  Top  of  Mount  Tamalpais,   to  the  North   of   the   Golden   Gate, 

California.    Right:  The  Observer  at  Cape  Henry.  Virginia,  Who  Reports  All  Vessels  Bound 

for  Norfolk,  Newport  News,  Baltimore,  and  Other  Points  on  Chesapeake  Bay 


of  its  cargo.  This  information  is  at  once 
telephoned  or  telegraphed  to  the  proper 
authorities  so  that  dock  berths  can  be 
made  ready  and  facilities*  provided  for  un- 
loading. Often  it  is  possible  to  have 
freight  cars  spotted  in  advance  to  receive 
a  perishable  cargo. 


ITALY  COINS  NEW  THALER 

IN  ANTIQUE  PRESS 

For  esthetic  reasons  the  Italian  govern- 
ment is  using  the  old  weighted-lever  press 
for  coining  the  new 
thaler,  designed  to  sup- 
plant the  Austrian  thaler 
for  circulation  in  East 
Africa  and  along  the  Red 
Sea.  The  old  press  exerts 
its  pressure  only  on  the 
two  faces  of  the  silver 
disk,  entirely  neglecting 
the  edge.  As  a  result  the 
finished  coin  has  a  free 
margin  and  its  contour  is 
not  exactly  round.  Han- 
dling the  old  press  re- 
quires a  higher  degree  of 
technical  skill  than  oper- 
ating a  modern  coin 
press.  The  revival  of  this 
ancient  method,  long  in 
disuse,  was  demanded  by 
the  free  design  of  the  new 
coin,  its  purpose  being  to 
displace  its  foreign-born  predecessor  with- 
out encountering  popular  resistance  to 
change. 


EUROPEAN  COMMUNAL  FORESTS 

HELP  PAY  CITY  TAXES 

A  source  of  revenue  which  many  Euro- 
pean cities  enjoy,  but  one  which  is  un- 
known to  American  municipalities,  is  the 
communal  forests,  some  of  which  pay  a 
generous  part  of  the  towns*  annual  tax 
bills.  Probably  the  European  record  has 
been  set  by  a  Swiss  town  of  16,000  peo- 
ple which  makes  $66,000  a  year  from  a 
relatively  small  piece  of  timbtrland.  Some 
of  the  French  municipalities  are  close  ri- 


Logs  Taken  from 
Which 


CrUnited  States  mints  worked  24  hours 
a  day  during  1918  to  meet  the  demand  for 
silver  half  dollars,  quarters,  and  dimes,  of 
which  coinage  $35,(XX),000  was  produced. 


a  Communal  Forest  in  the  Jura  Mountains,  in  France, 
Is  an  Important  Source  of  Revenue  for  the 
Municipality  Controlling  It 

vals.  The  forests  being  near  the  market, 
the  communities  are  able  to  sell  not 
only  the  logs  for  lumber,  but  the  small 
branches  for  firewood,  and  the  leaves  and 
twigs  for  animal  bedding.  During  the  war, 
Canadian  and  American  forestry  battal- 
ions were  stationed  in  many  of  these 
forests,  preparing  lumber  for  army  uses. 


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INDICATING  GAUGE 

OF  NEW  DESIGN 

A  new  indicating  gauge,  somewhat  re- 
sembling an  ordinary  caliper  but  hav- 
i  n  g  special  fea- 
t  u  r  e  s  requiring 
that  it  be  used  a 
little  differently, 
has  been  placed 
on  the  market. 
The  tip  of  one  of 
the  legs  of  the  in- 
strument consists 
of  a  pivoted  lever 
connected  with  an 
indicator  attached 
to  the  side  of  the 
leg.  The  latter 
shows  small  frac- 
tions of  an  inch 
much  magnified. 
After  adjusting 
the  gauge  by 
means  of  a  mi- 
c  r  o  m  e  t  e  r,  it  is 
placed  inside  or  outside  the  object  in  work, 
and  any  variation  from  the  size  desired 
will  be  shown  by  the  changed  position  of 
the  indicator  hand. 


FLAG  FOR  EX-SOLDIER 
EMPLOYES 

A  new  sort  of  a  service  flag — one  tell- 
ing how  many  returned  soldiers  are  em- 
ployed in  the  establishment  displaying  it — 
has  been  hung 
up  in  a  Seattle  of- 
fice. The  banner 
has  a  blue  field 
with  a  white  bor- 
der, and  in  its  cen- 
ter is  a  large  six- 
pointed  white  star. 
On  the  latter  are 
small  blue  stars 
surrounding 
a  large  blue  nu- 
meral, indicating 
their  number. 
This  numeral,  to- 
gether with  the  legend  "Returned  Soldiers 
Employed  Here,"  explains  the  meaning  of 
the  flag. 


CT  Warnings  of  forest-fire  danger  resulting 
from  weather  conditions  have  been  ex- 
tended by  the  United  States  Weather  Bu- 
reau to  include  protection  to  crops  and 
stocks  in  districts  of  special  fire  hazard. 


FILMS  FOR  NEW  CITIZENS 

SHOW  OPPORTUNITIES 

When  the  United  States  Bureau  of 
Naturalization  has  exhibited  to  its  alien 
guests  a  movie  record  of  America's  na- 
tional and  industrial  history,  it  will  pro- 
ceed under  its  new  plan  to  present  to 
them  a  still  more  interesting  series  of 
films.  The  pictured  story  of  a  natural- 
ized citizen's  success  with  a  fruit  farm,  in 
all  its  stages  from  the  acquisition  of  the 
land  to  the  completion  of  a  home  for  the 
family,  will  be  followed  by  studies  of  cer- 
tain trades,  revealing  to  the  new  American 
his  possibilities  of  usefulness  in  productive 
labor.  The  shoemaking  trade,  to  mention 
one  example,  will  be  detailed  on  the  screen 
from  "close-ups"  of  the  machinery  to  the 
finished  product.  These  films,  accompa- 
nied by  the  running  comment  of  a  teacher, 
will  soon  acquaint  the  stranger  within  our 
gates  with  the  fundamentals  of  American 
industry. 


NEW  LEAD  AND  SLUG  CUTTER 
A  SMALL  HAND  TOOL 

A  convenient  timesaving  tool  for  use 
in  composing  rooms  is  a  lead  and  slug 
cutter  not 
much  larger 
than  a  pair 
pliers,    which 


erp 
ofU 


i»ii4<t»m«<iitw»<i>^ 


takes  the  place  of  the  larger 

ter  commonly  used  by  make-up 

men.  Projectmgfromthesideof  or 

of  the  jaws  is  a  gauge  graduated  in 

ems,  on  which  is  a  sliding  guide.    A 

compound     lever     system     actuates     the 

blades  so  that  the  tool  is  easy  to  operate. 


AIR-FILTERING   MACHINE 
MADE  WHOLLY  OF  IRON 

An  air  filter  containing  nothing  but 
iron  is  one  development  of  Germany's 
shortage  of  wool,  which  material  was 
formerly  used  to  filter  the  air  for  cooling 
electric  machinery  and  for  operating  com- 
pressors. The  new  filter  cleans  the  air  by 
conducting  it  through  devious  channels 
whose  surface  is  large  in  proportion  to 
their  section.  Particles  of  foreign  matter 
are  thus  removed  both  by  friction  and  by 
the  baffleplate  action  of  the  sudden  turns. 
The  process  is  entirely  a  dry  one,  and 
therefore  not  of  the  type  which  substi- 
tutes washing  for  filtering.  The  device  is 
reported  to  offer  little  resistance  or  back 
pressure. 


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Truck!  are  being  Disassembled  on  the  Platform  Above,  Preparatory  for  Packing.    The  Box  Illustrated  at 

the  Right  Contains  All  the  Parts  of  a  Three-Ton  Truck  and  Is 

Ready  to  be  Covered 

SAVE  TIME,  LABOR,  AND  SPACE  IN  CRATING   TRUCKS 


One  of  the  well-known  motor-truck 
companies  has  materially  reduced  labor 
and  conserved  shipping  space  by  inau- 
gurating a  new  method  of  crating  machines 
for  consignments  overseas.  In  the  past 
the  disassembling  and  boxing  of  a  truck 
has  kept  a  dozen  men  busy  12  hours.  The 
work  IS  now  accomplished  by  {<hir  men  in 
four  hours.  Furthermore,  the  size  of  the 
packing  case  has  been  reduced  about  16 
cu.  ft.,  obviously  an  item  of  importance 
in  view  of  the  prevailing  shortage  of  bot- 
toms. 

The  savings  in  time,  labor,  and  shipping 
space  have  been  effected  by  abandoning 
progressive  disassemblage  and  also  by  de- 
mounting the  front  and  rear  axles,  instead 
of  leaving  them  in  place.  The  merits  of 
progressive  assembling  are  patent.  Pro- 
gressive disassemblage,  however,  is  quite 
another  thing,  for  it  scatters  parts  and 
makes  necessary  their  subsequent  collec- 
tion and  transfer  to  the  last  station,  where 
the  crating  is  done.  On  the  other  hand,  by 
removing  the  axles  and  placing  them  lon- 
gitudinally, it  is  possible  to  reduce  the 
width  of  the  packing  crate  approximately 


a  fourth.  This  arrangement  in  turn  makes 
it  possible  to  pack  all  the  wheels  beneath 
the  frame,  instead  of  above  it,  and  thereby 
reduce  the  height  of  the  crate.  These  sim- 
ple changes  have  enabled  the  various  parts 
to  be  made  fast,  adjacent  to  their  respec- 
tive normal  positions,  in  a  box  that  is  only 
two  inches  higher  than  the  top  of  the 
motor,  which  of  course,  with  the  transmis- 
sion set,  remains  bolted  to  the  frame. 

In  accordance  with  the  present  system,  a 
car  billed  for  foreign  shipment  is  run 
astride  the  bottom  of  its  crate  on  the  pack- 
ing dock  after  the  road  tests  have  been 
completed.  Four  men,  trained  especially 
for  the  work,  disassemble  it  in  reverse  or- 
der to  its  original  progressive  assembling. 
This  means,  for  instance,  that  the  radiator 
core  is  removed  first,  instead  of  last,  and 
other  members  are  demounted  accordingly. 
Throughout  the  procedure,  the  truck  re- 
mains in  position  over  the  floor  of  its  pack- 
ing crate,  which,  incidentally,  may  later  be 
used  as  the  body  platform.  Also  there  are 
enough  20-ft.  hardwood  boards  used  in  the 
crating  to  serve  as  material  for  the  sides  of 
a  finished  body. 


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RESCUING  A  MAROONED  TRAIN  WITH 
CAPSTAN  AND  CABLE 

By  J.  E.  MURPHY 


¥  JSING  a  house-mover's  outfit  for  haul- 
^^  ing  a  train  weighing  more  than  400 
tons,  over  grades  and  curves  that  it  would 
have  been  impossible  for  a  locomotive  to 


decided  to. abandon  this  route  and  build 
through  another  canon  to  Fallbrook.  The 
real  problem  of  this  scheme  was  the 
rescue  of  the  marooned  train,  which  was 
,    valued  at   about  $50,000. 


coaches,  four  refrigerator    Pulling  the  Engine  Backward:  The  Removal  of  the*  Snlall  Wheels  Short- 
cars,      and      four     freight  ened  the  Wheel  Base  So  That  Curve,  could  be  Negotiated  - 


cars,  one  of  which  was  a  flat  car  loaded 
with  a  36-ton  turntable,  was  left  stranded 
in  the  canon.  Obviously,  with  rolling 
stock  at  a  premium,  the  railroad  company 
could  ill  afford  to  abandon  this  isolated 
train.    Since  the  canon  was  subject  to  de 


was  called  in  and  told  to  bring  the  train 
"home" — if  he  could.  A  temporary  track 
was  built,  and  in  this  track  excessive 
grades  and  curvature  were  both  unavoid- 
able. The  steepest  grade  was  14  per  cent, 
or  739  ft.  to  the  mile,  while  the  average 


structive  floods  and  had  given  a  great  deal      was  more  than  half  this.     At  one  point 
of  trouble  in  the  past,  the  railway  officials      the  track  was  built  on  a  curve  having  a 

392 


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The  Steepest  Section  of  the  Grade,  the  Incline  at  This  Point  Being  at  the  Rate  of  789  Peet  to  the  Mile : 
Here  Pout  Horses  were  Required  to  Work  the  Capstan 

radius  of  only  144  ft  Extreme 
care  was  necessary  to  avoid  the 
danger  of  losing  the  train  down 
the  side  of  the  canon.  The  house- 
mover's  capstan  used  on  the  job 
had  a  10-in.  spool  and  an  arm 
with  a  9-ft.  sweep.  The  general 
plan  adopted  for  handling  the 
work  was  to  pull  the  entire  train 
forward  a  short  distance  in 
"cuts"  of  one  or  two  cars,  re- 
peating this  process  until  the 
work  was  finished.  By  using  a 
%-in.  steel  cable  and  six  single- 
sheave  blocks,  the  80-toii  engine 
was  easily  pulled  up  the  14-per- 
cent grade  by  four  horses.  On 
the  lighter  grades  two  cars  were 
taken  at  one  pull,  usually  by  two  horses, 
while  OR  grades  that  were  less  than  10  per 
cent  two  horses  were  easily  able  to  handle 


PullinK   the    Engine    Uphill    Backward: 
Chocks  behind  the  Drivers  to  Prevent  a 


Note    the 

__  t  a  Runaway 

in  Case  the  Chains  or  Cables  should  Break 


The  Framework  of  the  Railroad  Turntable  Which  Occupied  a 

Plat  Car  in  the  Train :  It  is  Here  being  Drawn 

Up  a  Steep  Grade 

hind  each  pair  of  car  wheels,  and  12  by 
12-in.  chocks  behind  each  pair  of  engine, 
drivers,  these  being  dragged  loosely  on  the 
rails  so  that  they  would  block  any  back- 
ward movement.  The  cars  and  engine  were 
chained  to  the  track  when  not  in  motion, 
and  the  added  precaution  was  taken  of  re- 
moving the  track  behind  the  engine,  which 
had  been  switched  to  the  lower  end  of  the 
train  before  the  work  started.  The  engine 
furnished  the  only  real  difficulty  in  con- 
nection with  the  excessive  curvature,  and 
to  reduce  this  difficulty  as  much  as  possi- 
ble the  tender  was  removed  and  the  engine 
was  stripped  down  to  a  15-ft.  wheel  base. 
Even  with  this  precaution  it  was  neces- 
sary to  keep  the  inside  rail  on  the  sharpest 
curves  well  greased  with  crude  oil  and  to 
elevate  the  outer  rail  4  in.  above  the  inner 
rail. 

This  piece  of  salvaging  work,  which  is 
probably  unique  in  the  history  of  rail- 
roading, was  completed  without  mishap  of 
any  kind  in  a  little  less  than  three  months. 
The  cost  of  the  operation  was  but  a  frac- 
tion of  the  value  of  the  rolling  stock 
which  was  rescued. 


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LANTERN,  LENS,  AND  SLIDES 

'       PACK  IN  SMALL  CASE 

A  case,  which  forms  in  itself  the  frame 
for  a   stereopticon   with    its   lamp    house 


and  lenses,  furthermore  finds  room  for  75 
standard  slides  in  a  space  17  by  11  by  6  in. 
The  ventilator  top  and  objective  lens  tele- 
scope into  the  case,  which  then  somewhat 
resembles  a  large  box  camera,  the  outfit 
weighing  but  12  lb.  The  lantern,  connected 
by  its  cord  and  plug  to  any  electric-light 
socket,  may  be  used  for  projecting  pic- 
tures on  a  screen,  10  ft.  square  or  smaller. 

(TArc-lamp  carbons  are  mechanically  cov- 
ered with  a  thin  coat  of  metal,  which  is 
then  thickened  by  electroplating  in  a  new 
Pluropean  process. 


TRAVEL  TO  NATIONAL  PARKS 

MAY  BREAK  ALL  RECORDS 

In  spite  of  war  restrictions  on  travel, 
the  number  of  visitors  to  the  national 
parks  in  1918  was  454,891,  or  about  90  per 
cent  of  the  number  of  the  previous  year, 
according  to  a  recent  government  report. 
In  view  of  the  fact  that  fighting  has  ceased 
and  many  new  park  privileges  will  be  of- 
fered the  public,  more  visitors  than  ever 
before  are  expected  this  year.  The  total 
appropriation  for  these  national  play- 
grounds for  the  year  beginning  June  30, 
1918,  was  $1,012,000,  while  the  revenue  for 
the  previous  year  was  approximately 
$217,000.  With  the  return  of  peace,  it  is 
hoped  by  patrons  of  outdoor  recreation 
centers  that  congress  will  take  favorable 
action  on  the  proposal  to  make  the  Grand 
Canon,  Mammoth  Cave,  the  Indiana 
sand  dunes,  and  the  big-tree  areas,  na- 
tional parks. 


"CENTIPEDE  RACE"  RIVALS 

OLD  TUG  OF  WAR 

Athletically  inclined  men  and  boys  who 
formerly  chose  sides  and  proceeded  to 
gratify  their  competitive  spirit  by  a  vig- 
orous tug  of  war  have  discovered  a  new 
and  rival  form  of  group  sport.  The  "cen- 
tipede race"  is  a  frequent  event  on  the 
athletic  field  of  a  large  rubber-manufac- 
turing plant,  whose  executives  encourage 
manly  sports  of  all  kinds.  The  "centipede" 
is  formed  by  12  or  15  men  who  straddle  a 
long  pole  and  run  down  the  field.  Rival 
"centipedes"  so  made  up  are  able  to  put 
forth  efforts  which,  under  the  spur  of 
competition,  become  quite  exciting  and 
well  worth  watching. 


A  "Centipede  Race*' 


A  Long  Pole  and  12  to  16  Men  Constitute  a  "Centipede,"  and  Two  of  Them 
In  Competition  Make  Quite  a  Spectacle 


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AN  UNUSUAL  VIEW  OP  AMERICA'S  WELCOMING  HAND 
T/IEWED  from  a  different  angle,  this  it  the  most  welcome  tight  in  the  world  to  the  millions  of  men  who 
^  are  beginning  to  trickle  back  home,  in  groupt  of  hundredt  or  thoutandt,  from  the  Old  World  to  the  New. 
The  picture,  becaute  of  its  airy  viewpoint,  revealt  some  things  not  ordinarilv  obterved  in  tuch  pertpective 
bv  the  returning  wanderer.  Particularly  clear  it  the  12-pointed  ttar  form  ot  the  base  of  Prance's  generous 
gift  to  America,  which  holds  its  electric  torch  of  liberty  SOO  ft.  above  the  level  of  Bedloe's  Island.  The 
peculiar  contour  of  the  island  itself  is  a  feature  not  grasped  at  the  normal  altitude  of  vision,  presenting 
an  entirely  new  conception  of  our  most  familiar  landmark. 


ARMY  AUTO  TRAILER  EQUIPPED 

AS  TIRE-REPAIR  SHOP 

An    important    adjunct    of    the    motor 
service  of  the  United  States  Army  consists 

of    motor-truck    trailers     

especially  equipped  to 
serve  as  complete  tire-re- 
pair shops.  A  number  of 
these  outfits  were  shipped 
to  France  for  service 
along:  lanes  of  travel  lead- 
ingtothefront.  That  their 
use  would  eliminate  cost- 
ly delays  in  making  re- 
pairs while  the  armies 
were  moving  forward 
rapidly,  is  obvious.  Each 
conveyance  is  13  ft.  long 
and  of  five  tons- capacity, 
and  mounted  on  each  is 
a  tire  press,  workbench, 
etc.  The  working  plat- 
form is  enlarged  by  let- 
ting down  hineed  side 
leaves  which  can  be  sup- 


ported level  with  the  floor  by  chains.  A 
complete  set  of  tools  necessary  to  do  re- 
pair work  is  carried  with  each  outfit.  The 
trailer  is  built  so  that  either  end  can  be 
drawn  first. 


Pive-Ton  Auto  Trailer  Equipped  as  a  Tire-Repair   Shop  for  Use  by  the 

American    Forces  in  Prance :  A  Workbench,  Tire  Press,  and  a  Complete 

Set  of  Tools  are  Included  in  the  Outfit.      Either  End  of  the   Trailer  can 

be  Coupled  to  the  Truck  Pulling  It 


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LAWN-MOWER  SHARPENER 

HAS  ORIGINAL  FEATURES 

Special  merit  is  claimed  for  a  new  lawn- 
mower  sharpener  on  the  ground  that  the 
blades  sharpened  with  it  are  made  to  con- 


Lawn  Mower   in  Position    for  Use  of  the  Sharpener 

Which  is  Drawn  Back  and  Forth  on  the  Blade, 

with  the  Bed   Knife  Serving  as  a  Guide 

form  to  irregularities,  if  any,  that  exist  in 
the  bed  knife,  so  that  they  cut  clean  the 
full  width  of  the  mower.  The  sharpener 
consists  of  a  steel  bar  with  handles  at  each 
end  and  having  a  V-shaped  bend  near  one 
end.  On  one  side  of  the  "V"  a  file  is  at- 
tached and  near  it  is  a  foot,  or  guide.  The 
mower  to  be  sharpened  is  placed  with  its 
roller  on  the  edge  of  a  bench,  while  the 
handle  rests  on  the  floor.  The  sharpener 
is  then  inserted  under  the  reel  with  the 
file  against  one  blade  and  the  guide  on 
the  bed  knife.  A  keen  edge,  which  will 
fit  closely  to  the  bed  knife  throughout  its 
length,  is  obtained  by  moving  the  sharp- 
ener back  and  forth. 


TYPEWRITER-RIBBON  NEEDLE 

MAKES  THREADING  EASY 

A  handy  office  accessory,  enabling  a 
typewriter  user  to  thread  a  machine  with 
a  ribbon  more 
easily,  consists  of 
a  gummed  strip  of 
I  rather  stiff  paper 
which  is  tapered  at 
one  end.  After 
moistening  the 
gummed  side  of 
the  needle,  the 
wide  end  is  folded 
about  the  end  of 
the  ribbon.  The 
latter  can  then  be 
wound  onto  the 
spool  without  soil- 
ing the  hands,  and 
in  less  time  than 
is  usually  required 
to  thread  a  ma- 
chine. 


TINY  GALLEY  OF  SUBMARINE 

HAS  ELECTRIC  STOVE 

City  flat  dwellers  whose  "collapsible" 
apartments  are  supplied  with  cupboardlike 
kitchenettes  have,  in  the  popular  vernacu- 
lar, nothing  on  seamen  who  man  sub- 
marines. Scarcity  of  space  in  a  submersi- 
ble permits  the  installation  of  only  a  tiny 
galley,  which,  in  turn,  is  equipped  with  an 
undersized  electric  stove.  Among  other 
reasons,  electricity  is  employed  for  cook- 
ing purposes  in  order  that  the  air  in  a 
submerged  craft  may  not  be  needlessly 
vitiated.  In  former  days  when  the  under- 
water boat  was  more  of  a  novelty  than  it 
is  now,  no  means  were  provided  for  the 
preparation  of  meals,  and  it  was  necessary, 
therefore,  that  cold  food  be  eaten. 


SPECIAL  BANNERS  WELCOME 
CITY'S  SOLDIERS  HOME 

Over  street   intersections   on   all   thor- 
oughfares in  Pasadena,  by  which  return- 

ing    soldiers     and 

sailors   might   en- 

_^ \ ,     ter  that  city,  have 

been  hung  special 
^^  - .  -     welcome    banners. 

■  These    resemble 

the  conventional 
service  flag  and 
above  each  are  the 
words,  "Welcome 
Home."  The  flags 
bear  a  star,  a  red 
cross,  the  words 
"Pasadena  Honor 
Roll,"  and  "2,399," 
which  is  the  num- 
ber of  Pasadena 
men  in  the  service. 


VOLTAGE  OF  EARTH  CURRENTS 
AFFECTED  BY  THE  TIDE 

Because  a  difference  of  potential  be- 
tween gas  and  water-service  mains  was 
observed  by  an  experimenter  at  St.  Louis 
Observatory,  on  the  island  of  Jersey,  in 
the  English  Channel,  studies  were  under- 
taken to  prove  the  theory  that  the  elec- 
tric action  moved  in  "tides."  It  was  dis- 
covered that  the  mean  electromotive  force 
of  .1  volt  varied  from  maximum  to  mini- 
mum twice  in  25  hours,  solar  time,  corre- 
sponding with  the  tides  of  the  sea,  and 
therefore,  secondarily,  with  the  action  of 
the  moon.  Maximum  voltage  was  reached 
two  hours  before  low  tide  with  perfect 
regularity. 


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397 


MtoTM  av  couMTtav  or  thi  amuhcam  mo  cnom 

At  the  Left  Are  Loads  of  Building  Material  for  the  Village.  Paaaing  the  Pamoua  Leaning  Tower;  and  at  the 
Right,  Canal  Barges  Used  in  Transporting  Stone 


AMPKRES    NEEDED    FOR    MOTOR 

TOLD  BY  ELECTRIC  SCALE 

The  number  of  amperes  required  by  an 
electric  motor,  when  the  horsepower  and 
voltage  are  known,  is  quickly  indicated  on 
a  calculating  scale  simply  constructed  of 
cardboard  and  celluloid.  On  a  square  pa- 
per table  vertical  ruled  lines  read  in  horse- 
power, horizontal  lines  in  amperes.  A 
straightedge  pivoted  at  one  corner  is  grad- 
uated in  volts.  The  meeting  point  of  the 
known  voltage  and  horsepower  lines,  when 
the  straightedge  is  swung  on  the  scale,  in- 
dicates the  required  amperage.  Separate 
arcs  on  the  scale  measure  alternating  cur- 
rent, and  an  additional  scale  may  show 
the  size  of  conductor  needed. 


AMERICANS  REAR  MODERN  TOWN 

NEAR  PISA  FOR  REFUGEES 

A  suburb  of  90  or  more  concrete  build- 
ings, sanitary  and  up-to-date  in  every  par- 
ticular, has  been  completed  in  quick  time 
by  the  American  Red  Cross,  on  the  out- 
skirts of  the  ancient  city  of  Pisa,  Italy. 
It  stands  as  a  monument  to  America's 
generosity  and  ability  promptly  to  meet  a 
great  emergency.  The  dwellings,  together 
with  the  macadamized  streets,  sewers, 
electric  lights,  and  other  modern  improve- 
ments, occupy  a  site  not  far  from  the  fa- 
mous leaning  tower.  A  few  months  ago 
this  land  was  nothing  but  vineyards  and 
fields  of  corn.  The  village  has  been  built 
to  orovide  homes  for'aftfsans  and  their 


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398  POPULAR  MECHANICS 


PHOTO*  ur  couitTiSY  or  tmc  AMtmcM  MO  OMDM 

families  who  fled  from  Venice  during  the  LONG  CONCRETE  PIPES  CAST 
war  and  since  have  not  been  in  a  position  fmr  criur'DT  i?  "e^i^t  rv 
to  return.     Eighty  of  the  structures  are  ^"  MMF1.I!-  M01.L> 
similar  in   style,  measuring  18  by  72  ft.,  Two  iron  pipes,  one  nested  inside  the 
and  contain  nine  rooms  each.    The  village  other,  form  the  mold  for  a  new  European 
will  accommodate  2,000  persons.     At  its  process  of  maJcing  long,  thin  pipes  of  con- 
center   are    several    public    buildings,    a  crete.     The  prepared  mixture  in  a  cylin- 
square    with    a    drinking    fountain,    play-  drical  stirring  chamber  is  forced  by  corn- 
ground  space,  etc.    The  labor  was  done  by  pressed  air  down  into  the  annular  space 
Italilins  under  the  supervision  of  Amer^  between  the  iron  pipes,  whose  diameter 
fcari|.     Garden  plots  have  been  set  aside  may  be  of  any  size  to  produce  the  desired 
for  the  occupants  of  the  cottages.  thickness  of  wall. 

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399 


LONDON-TO-SYDNEY  AIR  ROUTE 

PLANNED  BY  AUSTRALIANS 

Considerable  interest  has  been  aroused 
by  a  report  that  commercial  and  financial 
interests  in  Australia  are 
giving  serious  study  to 
the  problem  of  linking 
Australia  and  London 
by  an  aerial  transporta- 
tion line.  Although  it  is 
not  known  on  just  what 
basis  service  would  be 
maintained,  it  is  never- 
theless significant  that  a 
company  has  been 
formed  that  will  provide 
the  financial  backing  for 
surveying  an  air  route  to 
London.  This,  as 
planned,  would  proceed 
by  way  of.  Sydney  and 
Port  Said.  The  complete 
plan  contemplates  exten- 
sion of  the  system  to 
various  parts  of  the 
British  empire,  once  it  is  established  and 
demonstrated  as  physically  and  com- 
mercially practicable  for  permanent  main- 
tenance. 


FRENCH  EX-SOLDIERS  LEARN 

TO  RAISE  RABBITS 

An  unusually  interesting  after-the-war 
undertaking  in  France  is  the  work  being 


PACKAGE-REPAIR  OUTFIT 

IN  EXPRESS  OFFICES 

In  certain  express  offices  a  repair  and 
wrapping  kit  has  been  installed  above  the 
scales  which  en- 
ables employes  to 
render  a  much  ap- 
preciated service 
m  cases  where  the 
packages  handled 
have  broken  open. 
The  outfit  is  in-- 
closed  in  a  box 
with  a  hinged 
door  and  includes 
heavy  and  light 
cord,  a  hammer, 
nails,  wrapping 
paper,  etc.  With 
this  material  close 
by  it  is  compara- 
tively easy  to  put 
a  bursting  package  in  shape  for  shipment, 
without,  delaying  its  delivery. 


>v  oouirrMy  or  la  naturi,  i»Am»      ^  ^.  „,.  ^  .    _     ^    ,  .. 

Rabbit  Hutches  on   a  Farm  in    France    where  French  Ex-Soldiers  are 
Learning  to  Raise  Rabbits:   The  Pelts  of  the  Latter  are  Sold 
as  Substitutes  for  Bli»e  Fox,  Angora,  and  Other  Furs 

done  on  a  farm,  under  the  management 
of  the  Union  of  Foreign  Colonies,  to  re- 
educate soldiers  in  agricultural  pursuits. 
Here  considerable  space  is  devoted  to  the 
raising  of  poultry  and  rabbits,  the  latter 
being  valuable  chiefly  for  their  fuf,  which 
is  much  in  demand  as  a  substitute  for  blue 
fox,  chinchilla,  angora,  etc.  The  rabbits 
oh  this  farm  are  housed  in  sanitary 
hutches  of  special  design,  resting  on  sup- 
ports a  few  inches  above  the  ground  and 
arranged  in  long  rows,  with  a  south  ex- 
posure, beneath  a  shed.  The  cages  are 
made  in  groups  of  six  or  nine  and  are 
placed  in  two  or  three  tiers.  Each  com- 
partment measures  approximately  2  by  IV2 
by  3  ft.  artd  is  zinc-lined  to  half  its  height. 
Wire  netting  across  the  front  supplements 
the  light  iron  bars  and  prevents  the  food 
from  being  thrown  on  the  ground.  Rabr- 
bit  and  poultry  raising  is  work  to  which 
many  crippled  and  invalided  soldiers  can 
adapt  themselves. 


C Opportunities  for  deaf-mutes  have  been 
found  in  the  rubber-tire  industry,  and  in 
one  plant  which  employs  a  large  number 
they  are  reported  to  be  among  the  most 
expert  workmen. 


BARNACLES  PROVING  POPULAR 
AS  A  SEA  FOOD 

The  barnacle,  commonly  regarded  as  a 
pest,  is  now  being  converted  into  soup  and 
other  forms  of  food,  having  taken  its  place 
beside  clam  chowder  in  various  cafes  and 
hotels  in  southern  California.  The  piling 
of  the  Pine  Avenue  pier,  at  Long  Beach,  is 
incrusted  with  more  than  100  tons  of  these 
and  other  sea  creatures,  which  are  being 
stripped  off  and  will  be.  utilized  for  food. 
Here  and  at  San  Pedro  canning  plants  are 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


arranging  to  put  up  barnacles  in  large 
quantities.  As  the  demand  for  barnacle 
soup  increases,  canning  plants  propose  to 


Harvestiof  Barnacles  and   Mussels  for  Soup  from 
the  Piling  of  a  Pier  at  Long  Beach,  California 

contract  for  the  creatures  removed  from 
the  bottoms  of  ships. 


INFLUENCE  OF  WAR  REFLECTED 

IN  CHILD'S  ROLLER  SKATES 

It  is  a  far  cry  from  the  world  war  to  a 
child's  roller  skates,  but  the  influence  of 
the  one  has  placed  its  mark  on  the  other, 
the  armistice  season  and  approaching 
peace  notwithstanding.     All  of  which  is 


COPVmaHT,    KAOtL   A    HIKMRT 


Something  New  for  Gladdening  the  Childish  Heart: 
'   Tanklike     Roller     Skates    That    in    Appearance 
Closely  Resemble  Their  Deadly  Prototjrpe 


one  way  of  calling  attention  to  the  fact 
that  roller  skates  of  the  latest  approved 
model  are  fashioned  after  the  style  of 
British  fighting  tanks.  Novelty  always 
being  uppermost  in  the  juvenile  heart,  it 
matters  not  that  the  new  skates  are  a  bit 
snowshoelike  in  size.  Appearance  is  the 
main  consideration,  and  grace  of  no  con- 
sequence. The  new  skates  are  like  all 
others  except  that  they  are  surrounded  by 
tanklike  bodies  made  of  light  sheet  metal. 


SOUTH  AMERICAN  CABLES 
WILL  BE  EXTENDED 

Submarine  cable  communication  be- 
tween Buenos  Aires,  Argentina,  and 
Montevideo,  Uruguay,  and  between  Rio 
de  Janeiro,  Brazil,  and  Cuba  is  provided 
for  by  grants  of  the  South  American  gov- 
ernments to  a  cable  company  which  al- 
ready has  the  necessary  material  on  hand 
or  contracted  for  early  delivery.  The 
Brazil-Cuba  cable  will  touch  at  places  in 
northern  Brazil,  and  possibly  in  the  West 
Indies.  Guantanamo,  Cuba,  is  already 
connected  by  two  cables  with  New  York 
City  and  Colon,  Panama. 


MUSKRAT  FARMS  MAKE  MONEY 
FOR  SWAMP-LAND  OWNERS 

With  every  other  girl  wearing  a  fur 
coat,  and  a  majority  of  the  fur  so  used 
coming  originally  from  the  back  of  the 
humble  muskrat,  it  is  not  surprising  that 
a  steady  market  prevails  for  first-class 
muskrat  pelts  at  $1.00  to  $1.50  each. 
Marshes  favored  by  these  animals  become 
ready-made  fur  farms,  highly  profitable 
when,  as  sometimes  happens,  the  crop  of 
"swamp  rabbits"  runs  from  50  to  100  to 
the  acre  each  season.  Marshland  not  be- 
ing considered  valuable,  the  rat  farmer's 
investment  is  frequently  quite  small  in 
relation  to  his  returns.  A  900-acre  marsh 
on  Chesapeake  Bay,  sold  for  less  than 
$200  a  few  years  ago,  is  now  reported  to 
bring  its  owner  an  annual  gross  income 
of  more  than  $10,000,  requiring  the  serv- 
ices of  several  trappers  to  harvest  its 
crop  of  muskrat  and  mink. 


CrSeveral  hundred  thousand  pounds  of 
high  explosives,  including  T.  N.  T.  and 
picric  acid,  belonging  to  the  French  and 
Italian  governments,  have  been  ordered 
taken  out  to  sea  from  Perth  Amboy.  N.  J., 
and  sunk,  since  practically  none  of  this 
material  can  be'  used  for  any  purpose  other 
than  the  making  of  munitions. 


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SHIPBUILDING  IN  AMERICA 

REACHES  PEAK  IN  1918 

Just  before  the  armistice  cast  its  relax- 
ing influence  upon  war  industry  American 
shipyards  were  approaching  a  monthly 
output  of  400,000  gross  tons.  The  Amer- 
ican shipbuilding  record  for  all  of  1918 
was  1,882  merchant  vessels  of  2,721,281 
gross  tons,  officially  numbered  by  the 
Commerce  Department  of  the  Bureau  of 
Navigation  and  including  a  small  amount 
built  for  the  French.  All  but  124,255  gross 
tons  were  seagoing  ships.  The  total  sea- 
going tonnage  of  2,597,026  was  comprised 
oi  1,861,321  gross  tons  in  steel  ships,  and 
735,705  credited  to  wooden  ships.  While 
December  naturally  showed  a  marked  fall- 
ing off,  the  1918  total  compared  with  1,699 
ships  in  1917;  but  the  1918  tonnage  more 
than  doubled  the  1917  figure  of  1,034,296. 
In  seagoing  ships  1918  produced  a  fleet  of 
821  against  only  279  for  the  previous  year. 
These  figures  include  both  steel  and  wood 
vessels,  with  the  majority  always  of  steel. 


MATERIAL  FOR  CONCRETE  DAM 

HANDLED  BY  GRAVITY 

Two  features  lend  particular  interest  to 

the    new    concrete    dam    of    the    Marin 

municipal   water  district. 


along  the  top  of  the  dam.    The  other  fea- 
ture has  to  do  with  the  economical  han- 


dling of  materials  used  in  construction. 
Advantage  was  taken  of  a  high  hill,  at 
one  end  of  the  dam,  from  near  the  top  of 

-  — — , 


View,   from  the   Dam   Site,   of  the   Hill  Where   the 
Rock  was  Quarried:  On  the  Slope  Are  the  Crusher, 
the  Concrete  Mixer,  and  the  Chute  Leading  to  Bunk- 
era  near  the  Base 

which  rock  was  quarried  for  the  concrete. 
A  crusher  for  breaking  up  the  rock  was 
installed  not  far  below  the  quarry,  and 
from  here  the  stone  was  fed  by  gravity 
to  a  mixer  somewhat  lower  down.  The 
wet  aggregate  was  then  sent  down  to  a 
bunker  on  a  level  with  the  crest  of  the 
dam,  where  dump  cars  were  filled  which 
distributed  the  material  as  needed. 


PARIS  TO   GREECE  BY  NEW 
RAILWAY  LINK 

By  May,  1919,  through  trains  from  Paris 
to  Athens  will  be  running  over  the  railway 
line  completed  two  years  ago  but  denied 
to  international  use  by  the  war.  Trains 
leaving  Paris  Saturday  noon  will  arrive  in 
Athens  the  following  Tuesday  morning, 
passing  through  Milan,  Venice,  Trieste, 
Agram,  Belgrade,  Nish,  Uskup,  and  Lar- 
issa.  Anglo-Indian  and  other  far-eastern 
mails  and  passengers  will  be  carried.  A 
seven-mile  extension  from  Athens  to 
Piraeus  will  greatly  increase  the  impor- 
tance of  that  port. 


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Connections  at  Either  ;End 


SUPPORT  MILITARY  BRIDGE 
BY  HUMAN  PIBRS 

Military  bridges  are  of  all  the  varieties 
suggested  by  the  demands  of  expediency, 
hut  the  one  illustrated  here  is  unusual 
mainly  in  its  supports  or  "piers."  In  one 
of  the  last  battles  of  the  British  troops, 
the  immediate  necessity  of  crossing  a 
stream  under  -Bre  was  met  by  marching  a 


COPYRiaMT,  ILUMTMATtO  LOHOON  NKW« 

British  Troops  Crossing  Stream  under  Enemy  Pire 
on  Plank  Bridge  Upheld  by  Their  Comrades 

rumber  of  men  into  the  water,  where 
they  supported  a  broad  plank  upon  which 
their  company  made   the  crossing. 


SPIRAL  PROPELLERS  MAKE 

ANY  CAR  A  MOTOR  SLED 

An  attachment  recently  patented  in  this 
country  and  Canada,  with  which  any  au- 
tomobile can  be  converted  into  a  motor- 
driven  sled,  represents  a  decided  depar- 
ture from  the  conventional  type  of  pro- 
pelled Vehicle  with  runners.  Ordinary 
runners  are  substituted  for  the  front 
wheels  of  the  converted  car,  while  at  the 
rear  are  two  propellers  resembling  spiral 
conveyors.  The  rapid  revolving  of  these 
members  in  the  snow  gives  the  car  its 
speed.  Power  is  conveyed  through  the 
rear  axle  and  differential,  which  are  in- 
stalled directly  behind  the  transmission 
case.  At  each  end  of  the  axle  is-  bevel- 
gearing  through  which  power  is  trans- 
mitted to  the  propeller  shafts.  The  screws 
are  made  smaller  in  diameter  at  the  ends 
than  in  the  center  so  that  they  will  more 
easily  pass  over  obstructions.  Each  shaft 
is  composed  of  two  sections,  one  tele- 
scoping in  the  other,  permitting  the  pro- 
pellers to  adjust  themselves  to  uneven- 
nesses  in  the  road  without  loss  of  power. 


TUNGSTEN  CONTACT  POINTS 
NEW  PLATINUM  RIVAL 

Among  the  new  uses  for  tungsten 
an  important  one  to  the  electrical  trade 
is  its  effectiveness  for  contact  points. 
Tungsten  contacts  must  be  short  because 
of  their  high  resistance,  and  in  unusual 
cases  need  artificial  cooling.  They  are  fas- 
tened to  their  springs  by  spot  welding. 
The  process  can  be  used  for  the  smallest 
contacts,  and .  is  reported  to  be  entirely 
satisfactory  as  a  substitute  for  platinum. 


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SPECIAL  MACHINES  FOR 
MAKING  LINOLEUM 

Ingenious    machinery    is    required    to 


is  dried,  or  "cured,"  for  two  or  three 
weeks.  In  making  cheaper  grades  of 
linoleum  the  pattern  is  printed  with  a  ma- 
chine resembling  a  printing  press,  the 
make  inlaid  linoleum  so  that  the  sections  functions  of  the  type  being  performed  by 
of  various  colors  are 
united  into  a  single  solid 
mass  and  at  the  same 
time  the  lines  of  the  pat- 
tern are  sharply  defined. 
Linoleum  is  made  with  a 
backing  of  canvas,  or 
burlap,  on  which  colored 
"dough"  is  pressed  and 
dried  in  conformity  with 
the  desired  pattern.  This 
dough  consists  of  oxi- 
dized linseed  oil  mixed 
with  finely  ground  cork. 
The  machine  by  which 
the  dough  is  applied  is 
provided  with  a  metal 
pattern  that  outlines  the 
design  to  be  made,  by 
means  of  thin  vertical 
partitions.  The  backing 
is  drawn  into  place  under 
this  pattern  and  then  the 
latter  descends  on  it. 
Each  section  of  the  pat- 
tern is  connected  with  a  reservoir  con- 
taining thick  dough  of  the  proper  color, 
which  is  forced  through  the  pattern  onto 

the  backing,  after  which  the  pattern  lifts  ELECTRIC  CARD  SORTER 

and    the    backing   passes   on   a    few    feet.  tmtatc  i?Ar>iur  i7Ar»TC 

Then   the  process  is  repeated.     Tremen-  DU-Al^b  tAKNl  tAf^lh 

dous  pressure  and  heat  cause  the  parts  of  Agricultural  information  on  cards  in  the 

the  design  to  fuse.     Finally  the  linoleum      Connecticut  state  librarian's  office  can  be 

quickly  obtained  by 
pressing  the  button  of  an 
electric  sorting  machine, 
such  as  has  long  been 
used  by  railroads,  banks, 
and  the  government. 
Facts  collected  by  farm- 
census  enumerators  in 
five  counties  were  care- 
fully carded  and  the 
electrical  machine  i  n  - 
stalled.  Now  a  farmer 
who  is  interested  in  a 
supply  of  seed  corn  or 
oats,  some  young  pigs,  a 
grain  binder,  or  any  oth- 
er agricultural  necessity, 
need  only  go  to  the  li- 
brary and  throw  a  switch, 
and  all  the  available  in- 
formation will  immedi- 
ately be  laid  before  him. 

Making  Inlaid   Linoleum:   A  Metal  Pattern  is  Pressed   Down  over  the     .   Fnrtv    <spnaratp     ^nhiects 

Canvas  or  Burlap  Backing  and  Then   Doufh  of  Various  Colors  is  roTxy    separate    suujccia 

Forced  into  the   Compartments  That  Compose  the  Pattern  are  covered   by  ttie  data. 


Running  Linoleum,  Not   of  the  Inlaid   Sort,  through  a   Machine   Like   a 

Printing  Press,  in  Which  Wooden  Blocks  Forming  the 

Pattern  Take  the  Place  of  Type 

wooden  blocks  arranged  to  reproduce  the 
desired  pattern. 


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This  View  Well  Illustrates  the  Conditions  under  Which  the  Fossil  Collectors  Work  on   the  Cook  Farm  in 

the  Northwest  Comer  of  Nebraska,  Now  Known  to  Be  Rich  in  Remains  of  Prehistoric  Animals. 

Museum  Men  from  Many   Parts    of   the    Country   have    Made    Excavations    Here 


"IXZHERE  do  the  museums  of  the  coun- 
try    get    their  strange   and   curious 
skeletons  of  prehistoric  animals?     If  the 
skeleton  is  a  "dinohyus"  or  a  "moropus," 
one  may  be  quite  sure  that  it  came  from  the 
farm  of  James  Henry  Cook  in  the  north- 
west corner  of  Nebraska ;  and  the  chances 
are    almost    equally    good    if    the    speci- 
men happens  to  be  a  saber-toothed  cat  or 
a  many-toed  horse,  or  almost  any  of  those 
queer  animals  that  belong  to  the  early  Mi- 
ocene period.    Most  ranchmen  and  farm- 
ers are  quite  content  to  raise  the  ordinary 
sort  of  stock,  but  here  is  a  ranch  that  is 
most  widely  known  because  of  its  output 
of  prehistoric  animals.     For  more  than  a 
decade   paleon- 
tologists from 
the    great    uni- 
versities     and 
museums  of 
this  country, 
have  made  reg- 
ular  trips   to 
thesefossil 
quarries. 

The    Cook 
farm  and  ranch, 
located  close  to 
the   Wyoming 
line,     comprise 
some  15,000 
acres.      On 
the    eastern 
edge  of  the  ranch  the  Niobrara  River  has 
laid  bare  two  hills,  from  both   of  which 
scores  and  scores  of  fossil  skeletons  have 
been   quarried.     In  the  summer  it   is  no 
uncommon  occurrence  for  representatives 
of   half   a    dozen    eastern    institutions   to 
pitch  camp  near  these  hills  and  spend  sev- 
eral months  digging  out  the  fossil  bones 
vvhich,  when  worked  over  in  the  museum, 

404 


form  the  queer-looking  skeletons.  The 
University  of  Nebraska,  under  the  direc- 
tion of  Prof.  E.  H.  Barbour,  early  began 
work    on    the    fossil   deposits,    and    Yale, 


Columbia, 
American 


Museum,  and  the 
of    Natural    History 

larger  institutions 
suit.     One    summer 

at     work     on     the 


This  Slab,  Which  Measured  Only  Four  by  Seven  Feet,  Shows 

What  a  Variety  of  Fossils  are  Foimd  in  Certain  Layers 

of   Rock,   near  the    Bases    of   the    Hills 


Carnegie 
Museum 
are  some  of  the 
that  have  followed 
21  collectors  were 
ranch. 

The   fossil    bones   are   found   in   layers 
near  the  bases  of  the  hills.     If  one  has 
seen  com  stored  in  a  crib,  he  can  visualize 
the  manner  in  which  the  bones  are  piled 
in  the  layer.    A  slab,  about  7  ft.  long  and 
4  ft.  wide,  was  taken  out  bodily  by  inves- 
tigators   from 
the  University 
of  Nebraska.  It 
is    a    piece    of 
rock    literally 
packed    with 
fossil   bones  of 
all  sizes. 

E  X  t  e  n  s  ive 
quarrying  oper- 
ations  have   to 
be    carried    on, 
however,  in  or- 
der   to    get    at 
the  bone   beds. 
Fifteen  or  20  ft. 
of  rock   is  first 
blasted    away 
with   dynamite,  and  horses  and  scrapers 
are  then  used  to  clear  oflf  the  shattered 
rock.    When  the  top  of  the  bone  layer  is 
reached,   the   scientists   begin   work  .with 
pick  and  chisel.     Large  blocks  of  bones 
are  pried  out  and  each  is  marked  so  that 
it  cajiv  be  fitted  into  the  right  plgjce  later 
on    in    the    museum.      These  •  slabs    are 
wrapped  in  strips  of  burlap,  which  have 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


405 


been  dipped  in  plaster  of  Paris.    A  strong 
jacket  around  the  bones  is  thus  secured. 
The    blocks    are    then    packed    in    boxes 
stuffed  with  hay,  and  are 
hauled  overland  by  horse 
and  wagon  to  the  railway 
station.    Very  little  effort 
is  made  to  separate  the 
individual  bones  from  the 
rock  at  the  quarry,  prac- 
tically   all    of   this    more 
difficult    work   being  left 
for  the  museum. 

One  of  the  remarkable 
discoveries  in  these  beds 
was  that  of  the  dinohyus,     I 
or  giant  hog,  but  two     I 
specimens  of  w  h  i  c  h  are 
known  in  the  world,  one     | 
in  the  museum  of  the     j 
University    of    Nebraska 
and  the  cxher  in  an  east- 
em  museum.    The  size  of 
this  prehistoric  porker  may  be  judged  from 
the  skull  and  jaw,  which  together  are  38  in. 
in  length.     The 
fore    leg    in    the 
museum    of    the 
U  n  i  v  e  rsity  of 
Nebraska    meas- 
ures  7    ft.    from 
the  tip  of  the  toes 
to  the  top  of  the 
great  shoulder 
blade.    This  ani- 
m  a  1    resembled, 
on  a  larger  scale, 
the  wild  boar.  

Another  d  i  s  - 
covery  of  inter- 
est is  that  of  the 
moropus,  certainly  a  queer  sort  of  animal, 


rhinoceros.  In  short,  it  appears  to  have 
had  the  body  of  a  rhinoceros  and  the  head 
of  a  horse,  and,  in  addition,  claws  on  its 


The  Skull  and  Taw  of  an  Animal  of  Great 

Size  Resembling  a  Boar:  The  Fossil 

Shown  Measures  88  Inches  Long 


Fossil  Skeleton  of  a  Rhinoceros  Pound  on  the  Cook  Farm,  Showing  the 
Method  of  Mounting  Employed  by  the  University  of  Nebraska 

feet.  Its  skull  is  practically  the  same  size 
as  that  of  a  horse,  and  the  animal  prob- 
ably stood  7  to  8  ft.  high  at  the 
shoulders.  Related  specimens 
of  this  curious  beast  have  been 
found  in  Europe,  but  it  is  be- 
lieved that  this  spot  in  Nebras- 
ka is  the  only  place  in  North 
America  where  complete  skele- 
tons are  found.  Eastern  mu- 
seums have  been  unusually 
eager  to  secure  specimens  of 
the  moropus,  and  practically  all 
those  in  the  metropolitan  insti- 
tutions came  from  this  spot  in 
Nebraska. 

Countless  numbers  of  fossil 
skeletons  of  the  rhinoceros,  to- 
gether with  cats  and  dogs  of  the  Miocene 
T^ofiV.^   t,oir«  Keen  unearthed  on  the  ranch. 
OS    is    the    most    common. 
f     Sometimes  25   skulls  are 
found  in  a  cubic  yard  of 
rock.     A  new  method  of 
mounting     these     speci- 
mens has  been  originated 
by  the  University  of  Ne- 
braska.     It    consists,    as 
shown  in  one  illustration, 
of  making  a  plastic  back- 
ground    of     cement,     in 
front  of  which  the  skele- 
ton   is    mounted.      The 
background  shows  in  low 
relief  the  proportions  of 
the  living  animal. 

Captain  Cook  has  given 
the  scientists  the  freedom 
of   his    ranch   for   many 


r    r  ri    c   c 


A  Scieiitisf  s  Conception  of  a  Prehistoric  Animal  Which  Was  Half  Horse 
and  Half  Rhinoceros 


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406 


POPULAR  MECHANICS 


One  of  the  *'Bone  Hills":  The  Canvas  Indicates  Where  Quarrjrinc  is  Carried  On.    It  is  Believed  That  at 

One  Time  Water  Covered  Part  of  This  Rerion  and  That  the  Place  Where  the  Bones  are 

Pound  Was  Once  a  Cove  into  Which  the  Skeletons  were  Washed 


the  ranch.  The  origin  of  the  fossil  de- 
posits is  explained  by  Professor  Barbour, 
the  state  geologist.  At  the  time  the  bones 
were  laid  down,  river  and  lake  conditions 


skeletons  were  washed.  In  time  they  were 
covered  with  mud  and  sand,  which  later 
formed  rock,  thus  preserving  the  remains 
for  posterity. 


KG  MACHINE  CRACKS  NUTS  BY  CENTRIFUGAL  FORCE 


A  nut-cracking  machine  weighing  5,500 
lb.  has  been  bailt  in  Los  Angeles  for  use 
in  Guatemala,  Central  America,  in  crack- 
ing coquito  nuts,  from  which  a  valuable 
oil  is  extracted.  These  na^s  grow  wild 
on  a  variety  of  coconut  palm  and  are 
about  the  size  of  a  large  black  walnut 
with  its  shell  on.  The  inside  hull  of  the 
coquito  nut  is  about  %  in.  thick  and  so 


hard  that  a  pressure  of  several  hundred 
pounds  is  required  to  crack  it.  The  ma- 
chine, instead  of  crushing  or  grinding  the 
nuts  as  might  be  supposed,  cracks  them 
by  centrifugal  force.  The  nuts  arc  fed 
into  a  drumlike  casting,  6  ft.  in  diameter, 
where  they  strike  a  swiftly  revolving  wheel 
that  hurls,  them  with  terrific  force  against 
breaker  blocks  that  line  the  drum.     This 


Left:    A  Bunch  of  Coquito  Nuts.    A  Tree  will  Bear  froxn^S^ix  to  Twelve  Bunches  of  These  Natt,   Kacli 

Bunch  Weighing  from  60  to  M  Pounds.    Right :   Drum  of  the  Machine  Whicb  has  been 

Built  to  Crack  Coquito  Nuts  by  Centrifugal  Force 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


407 


shatters  the  nuts  and  the  broken  pieces 
fall  into  a  discharge  pipe,  equipped  with 
fans  that  separate  the  kernels  from  the 
hulls.  It  is  estimated  that  the  machine  can 
crack  10  tons  an  hour.  The  region  where 
it  will  be  employed  has  great  numbers  of 
these  coquito  palms.  The  kernels  of  the 
nuts  are  about  70  per  cent  oil — a  product 
used  in  making  soaps,  candles,  cosmetics, 
and  the  like. 


WILD  FOWL  FIND  SANCTUARY 
ON  LOUISIANA  LAKE 

A  stretch  of  water  two  miles  long  and 
a  mile  wide,  with  1,000  acres  surrounding 
it,  constitutes  Louisiana's  first  offering  of 
a  permanent  refuge  for  wild  life  of  all 
kinds.  Lake  Peigneur,  near  New  Iberia, 
'in  Louisiana's  southern  tier  of  counties, 
has  been  turned  over  to  the  state  depart- 
ment of  conservation  by  its  owners,  with 
the  option  of  purchase  after  ten  years. 
Agents  of  the  department  will  fence  and 
guard  the  preserve,  which  will  be  stocked 
with  quail,  grouse,  wild  turkeys,  and  other 
game,  all  of  which  will  be  supplied  with 
food  and  protected  from  hunters  and  nat- 
ural enemies.  Dredging  and  damming  op- 
erations in  the  cypress  swamps  have  pro- 
vided home  sites  for  herons,  egrets,  and 
other  tree-nesting  birds,  while  selected 
shrubs  and  trees  attract  the  migratory 
fliers.  The  department  of  conservation 
holds  contracts  with  riparian-right  hold- 
ers to  allow  no  shooting  or  trapping  on 
their  land  for  ten  years. 


PONDEROUS  ARMY  TRACTOR 
MAKES  LONG  CRAWL 

Though  rated  at  only  three  miles  an 
hour,  an  85-hp.  tractor  of  the  endless- 
tread  type  "ran"  into  Detroit  just  six  days 
after  it  left  its  factory  480  miles  away,  its 
engine  running  continuously  during  that 
time.  From  Detroit  it  was  ordered  to 
proceed  overland  to  the  army  proving 
grounds  at  Aberdeen,  Md.  Varied  road 
conditions  proved  unable  to  stay  the 
steady  progress  of  the  big  crawler.  The 
machine  was  driven  by  a  crew  consisting 
of  a  lieutenant  and  four  enlisted  men. 


C  Warnings  from  the  United  States 
Weather  Bureau  issued  for  the  benefit  of 
live-stock  interests  saved  over  100,000 
new-born  lambs  in  the  San  Francisco  dis- 
trict in  one  month,  and  protected  great 
numbers^  of  sheep  by  causing  postpone- 
ment of  shearing. 


"BUNGALOW  HAT-  KEEPS  RAIN 

OFF  CHECKER'S  RECORDS 

A  wide-spreading  head  covering,  chiefly 
of  wood,  which  his  fellow  workers  have 
nicknamed   a   "buneralow 
hat,"  has  been  bi 
by     a     material 
checker,   e  m  -  ^ 
ployed  mainly 
out  of  doors,  in 
Portland,      O  r  < 
shipyard.   Its  pu 
pose  is  to  shelt( 
the     wearer     an 
his   tally   shee 
from  the  rain.  Tl 
device      ineasun 
351/2    »"•    long,   i 
in.  wide,  and  12  i 
high.      The     su| 
porting      f  r  a  m 
rests    on    t\ 
shoulders  and  tt 
whole    is    held    i 
place     by     straj 
connected   with 
belt    p  a  s  s  i  n 
around  the  ches 
A      perpendicuh 
wooden    strip   ex- 
tending down  the  wearer's  back  also  helps 
to  steady  the  novel  headgear. 


SANITARY  HOSPITAL  MATTRESS 

MADE  IN  SQUARE  SECTIONS 

A  new  type  of  mattress  particularly 
suited  to  hospital  needs  is  made  in  sec- 
tions about  10  in.  square,  which  are  held 
together  by  a  light  framework.  The  two 
principal  advantages  of  this  construction 
are  that  soiled  sections  can  easily  be  re- 
moved for  cleaning  and,  in  case  the  pa- 
tient is  apt  to  develop  bed  sores,  relief 
can  be  given  by  removing  the  squares  im- 
mediately beneath  the  sensitive  portions 
of  the  body.     The  squares   being  inter- 


A  Mattress  Made  in  Square  Sections  and  Especially 

Suited  to  HospiUl  Needs :  Any  Portion  can  be  Easily 

Removed  for  Cleaning,  or  to  Add  to  the  Patient's 

Comfort 

changeable,   they   can    be    rearranged   so 
that  all  get  about  the  same  wear. 


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REVIVING   HANDICRAFTS  IN  AMERICA 


By  W.  D.   GOODWIN 


^^EW  opportunities  are  offered  to  men 
-'•^  and  women  to  become  wage  earners 
in  their  own  homes,  independent  of  fac- 


Xapcstry  Weaving  on  a   Hand  I#oom:    A%  Pzsaent 

There  Are  Only  About  16  Profesaional  Tapestry 

Weavers  in  the  United  Sutes 

tory  and  industrial  conditions,  by  the  es- 
tablishment of  hand-loom  industry  and 
textile  studios,  in  New  York  City. 

There  are  maintained  in  these  studios, 
schoolrooms,  loom  rooms,  and  an  experi- 
mental dyeing  plant.  French,  Swedfshi 
Italian,  and  Russian  looms  are  used,  as 
well  as  a  specially  constructed  loom  for 
home  uses.  Expert  tapestry  weavers  are 
employed,  who  act  both  as  teachers  and 
producers.  When  necessary,  the  home 
looms  are  made  to  meet  the  needs  of  many 
individuals,  thus  enabling  cripples,  or 
those  who  have  been  maimed  in  the  war 
or  in  industrial  pursuits,  to  take  up  pro- 
ductive work  and  become  wage  earners. 
Students  readily  acquire  skill  in  weaving 
simple  designs  and  gradually  progress  to 
the  more  complicated  fabrics,  all  of  which 
possess  artistic  merit  as  well  as  serve 
many  useful  purposes. 

This  is  the  first  attempt  to  establish, 
on  a  large  scale,  such  an  enterprise  in  the 
United  States.  Its  patrons  and  promoters 
feel  confident  that  they  are  laying  the 
foundation  of  what  is  to  become  a  great 
industry. 

The  objects  and  purposes  of  the  under- 

408 


taking  are  to  supply  the  existing  demands 
for  beautiful  handmade  tapestries;  to  re- 
vive and  foster  the  art  of  hand-loom 
weaving  in  American  homes;  to  teach  and 
train  people  who  are  not  wage  earners 
to  become  skillful  in  making  ornamental 
and  serviceable  textile  fabrics;  to  furnish 
employment  to  those  who  desire  to  take 
up  such  work  as  a  profitable  occupation 
and  means  of  livelihood  amid  pleasing 
surroundings. 

There  are  many  men  and  women  in  the 
United  States  who  are  not  wage  earners, 
perhaps  through  no  fault  of  their  own,  but 
who  are  willing,  capable,  and  industrious. 
To  the  crippled  soldiers,  or  those  who 
have  become  more  or  less  incapacitated 
from  any  cause,  as  well  as  to  those  who. 
are  in  good  health  but  whose  time  is  not 
fully  occupied,  opportunity  is  now  pre- 
sented to  engage  in  productive  labor  un- 
der ideal  conditions,  by  turning  their  leis- 
ure hours  to  good  account.  This  employ- 
ment affords  people  an  incentive  to  de- 
velop their  talents,  as,  for  instance,  by 
more  closely  associating  weaving  with  its 
allied  arts  in  connection  with  textile  needs, 
architecture,  decorations,  and  sculpture. 

In  these  studios  instructions  are  g^en 
in  weaving,  designing  of  hand-Toom 
fabrics,  tapestries,  needle-point  •embroid- 
eries, guimpes,  tassels,  and  the  copying  of 
antique  fabrics  of  all  periods ;  the  making 
of  unusually  artistic  costumes  for  private 
or  theatrical  use,  their  fabrication  being 


Swedish  Hand   Loom  for  Making  Cloth  86  Inches 

Wide:      By   Changing  the    Reeds  through   Which 

the  Threads  Pass   Pine   or   Coarse   Material  can   be 

Produced 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS  409 

fully  ^j^lained  and  made  attractive  to  the  should  not  be  produced  here,  which  will 
pupils.  A  course  of  10  lessons  of  two  hours  be  more  keenly  appreciated  by  the  pur- 
each  is  g:iven,  which  may  be  received  chaser  because  "made  in  America." 
either  in  the  morning  or  afternoon.  Be-  By  providing  adjustments  and  addi- 
sides  instruction  in  the  subjects  mentioned  tional  parts  for  the  old  pattern  looms, 
above,  dyeing  of  threads  is  also  taught;  those  for  the  home  are  made  adaptable 
the  free  use  of  looms  and  all  materials  for  using  many  different  fabrics,  such  as 


This  T]rpe  of  Loom  can  be  Pitted  with  Various  parts  demands  a  periodical   variation   or 

Attachment^ jor^W^avmjf  ^^°«f '  su^.  Cotton.  oscillation  o£  temperature.  This  condition 

may  be  produced  by  connecting  two  re- 
become  skillful  in  the  art  of  constructing  lays  in  circuit  with  a  thermometer  col- 
such  fabrics.  umn  at  the  desired  high  and  low  points 
The  wonderful  handicraft  imported  respectively.  The  upper  contact  turns  off 
into  the  United  States  has  been  developed  the  heat,  while  the  lower  contact  turns  it 
in  European  homes,  but  there  is  no  rea-  on.  The  device  is  also  useful  in  testing 
son  why  work  of  equal  merit  and  design  building  materials. 


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410 


POPULAR  MECHANICS 


CURIOUS   SIGNALING   DEVICE 
USED  BY  ITALIAN  ALPINI 

It  seems  safe  to  assert  that  practically 
every  modern  means  of  long-distance 
communication  was  employed  in  spread- 


COeYniOHT,   ILLUSTRATED  LOMOON  NEWS 

Spreading  the   News  of  the  Armistice  from  Peak  to 

Peak:    An  Odd  Method  of  Signaling  Used 

between  Italian  Alpini  Outposts 

ing  the  news  of  the  armistice  to  soldiers 
on  the  various  fronts.  Perhaps  none  of 
the  several  systems  of  signaling  brought 
into  use  on  that  momentous  occasion  is 
more  unfamiliar  to  the  average  American 
civilian  than  that  utilized  at  many  scat- 
tered Italian  outposts  high  in  the  snow- 
covered  mountains.  The  transmitting  de- 
vice is  made  of  stiff  accordion-plaited 
cloth,  bearing  alternate  stripes  of  red  and 
white.  When  held  loosely,  only  red  is 
displayed ;  when  drawn  tautly,  the  white 
is  made  visible.  Handles  at  each  side  en- 
able the  operator  to  manipulate  the  con- 
trivance rapidly  and  signal  by  means  of  a 
code.  Thus  it  was  that  the  news  of  the 
armistice  was  carried  from  peak  to  peak, 
where  little  bands  of  Alpini  maintained 
vigil. 


CTAttention  has  recently  been  called  to 
the  possibilities  of  using  beryllium  in 
preference  to  aluminum  in  certain  kinds 
of  construction,  because  it  is  so  much 
lighter  than  the  latter  metal,  and  because 
its  strength,  it  is  claimed,  is  twice  as  great. 


PROPOSE  LINERS  BE  EQUIPPED 

WITH  MAIL-CARRYING  PLANES 

To  improve  the  transatlantic  postal 
service,  the  suggestion  has  been  made  that 
mail-carrying  liners  be  equipped  with  fast- 
flying  seaplanes.  Execution  of  such  a 
plan,  it  is  contended,  should  hasten  the 
delivery  of  important  correspondence  be- 
tween New  York  and  London,  for  in- 
stance, by  24  hours.  A  ship,  when  a  few 
hundred  miles  from  the  coast,  would  dis- 
patch a  seaplane  with  "express"  mail, 
thereby  enabling  the  latter  to  reach  its 
destination  hours  earlier  than  is  now  pos- 
sible. In  a  similar  manner  service  between 
South  America  and  the  European  conti- 
nent could  be  expedited.  Vessels  crossing 
from  this  side  of  the  Atlantic,  for  exam- 
ple, could  release  planes  when  at  points 
300  or  400  miles  off  Lisbon  or  Gibraltar. 


NOVEL  ROLL  OF  HONOR  TAKES 
PLACE  OF  SERVICE  FLAG 

Having  found  difficulty  in  keeping  its 
service  flag  up-to-date,  a  public-utility 
company  in  Columbus,  Ohio,  has  sub- 
stituted for  it  a  large  red  mat,  suitably 
framed  and  haying  a  white  rectangular 
center.  The  latter  is  divided  into  12  sec- 
tions, 10  of  which  have  been  filled  with 
pictures  of  men  in  the  service,  together 
with  summaries  of  their  military  records. 


The   Central    Portion    of  a    Telephone    Company's 

Honor  Roll :    Surrounding  This  Is  a  Field  of  Red. 

and  the  Whole  is  Inclosed  in  a  SuiUble  Frame 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS  411 

ilOTOR-CAR  FIELD  KITCHENS  U^ED  IN  DUTCH  ARMY 


^HOSB  who  think  chiefly  of  wooden  shoes  when  picturing  Holland  and  its  people,  perhaps  do  not  visualize 
^  it  as  a  coftntry  with  a  well-trained  army  outfitted  with  such  modem  field  equipment  as  motor-car  kitchens. 

the  fact  that  our  own  army  has  been  refularlv 

, , , ort  time.     The  photograph  reproduced   herewith 

typre  of  mobile  kitchen  with  which  the  Dutch  land  forces  are  supplied.    In  passing,  it  is  not 

aHogether  irrelevant  to  mention  that  Holland's  defense  system  consists  of  a  militia  with  strong  cadres  founded 
cm  universal  service  and  that  as  far  back  as  1908  the  war  strength  of  ito  first  line  was  106,000,  and  that  of 
Its  second  line,  or  reserve,  70,000  officers  and  men. 


The  assumption  seems  particularly  plausible  in  view  of  the 
MOpUed  with  such  conveniences  only  a  comparatively  short 
niastrates  the  type  of  mobile  kitchen  with  which  the  Dutch  ] 


TRACTOR  AND  HARVESTER  OPERATED  BY  TWO  MEN 

To  have  labor  shortage  at  the  busiest  manipulated  from  the  forward  seat  of  the 

season  of  the  year  work  to  his  advantage,  harvesting  machine.    Thus  provision  was 

instead  of  against  him,  was  the  paradox-  made  enabling  one  man  to  serve  at  two 

ical  situation  that  marked  a  far-western  posts.     In  addition   to  meeting  the   per- 

grain  farmer's  latest  harvest.     Operation  plexing  situation  in  a  satisfactory  manner, 

of  "                               '                              -  .                                   .                   .    . 

re  i 

th 

th 

T\ 

m( 

tn 


i 


Haa£capped  by  Labor  Shortage,  a  Resourceful  Parmer,  by  lExtendinff  the  Tractor's  Controls  Rearward, 
Rearranged  His  Tractor  and  Harvester  Combination  So  That  One  Man  could  Do  the  Work  of  Two 

Digitized  by  LjOOQIC 


A  Bit  of  Easy  Going;  on  the  Nisqually  Glacier,  Rainier   National  Park,  Washington :    This  Section 

of  the  Trail  Is  So  Good  That  the  Party  has  Dispensed  with  Ropes — Safeguards 

Which  are  Never  Omitted  Where  There  Is  Any  Danger 


"see-America-first" 
the     difficulties     of 


THANKS  to  the 
movement  and 
European  travel 
due  to  the  war, 
many  Americans 
are  finding  out  that 
they  can  have  all 
the  thrills  of  seeing 
and  climbing  gla- 
ciers without  p^- 
ing  the  Swiss  inn- 
keepers and  guides 
a  stiff  toll.  Right 
here  in  the  United 
States  easily  acces- 
sible but  little- 
known  glaciers 
show  the  awe-in- 
spiring crevasses 
and  wonderful 
changing  colors 
that  one  who  has 
ever  had  first-hand 
experience  with 
these  slow-moving 
rivers  of  ice  can 
never  forget. 

Among  the  na- 
tional parks  easily 
accessible  by  rail- 
road, that  furnish 
the  sport  of  glacier 
climbing,  are  Gla- 
cier Park  and  Ra- 
nier  National  Park.  Some  of  the 
obtainable  in  the  latter  are  shown 

412 


On  the  Path — ^if  Such  It  can  be  Called — Leading 
Nisqually  Glacier:   This  Rock -Strewn  Route  Giyes 
Many   Climbers    Quite   as   Much    Pleasure    as   the 
Glacier  Itself 


thrills 
in  the 


photographs.  At  a  distance,  glaciers  have 
a  deceptive  trick  of  looking  smooth  and 
offering  easy  foot- 
ing. Near  at  hand, 
however,  the  im- 
mense crevasses 
with  their  depths 
and  the  extremely 
rough  surface,  due 
to  uneven  melting 
and  inequalities  in 
the  bed,  put  a  dif- 
ferent face  on  af- 
fairs. Where  the 
surface  is  much 
broken  and,  in  ad- 
dition, slopes 
strongly,  even  the 
novice  realizes  the 
need  of  ropes, 
creepers,  and  al- 
penstock. 

It  is  Alaska, 
however,  that  of- 
f  e  r  s  the  de-luxe 
glacier  sight-seeing. 
This  little-known 
land  not  only  has 
the  largest  glaciers 
— big  enough  to 
make  Switzerland's 
pride  look  insignifi- 
cant—  but  also  the 
most  easily  acces- 
In  fact,  during  the  summer  season 
excursion  steamers  run  right  up  to 


sible. 
the 


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POPULAR    MECHANICS 


the  face  of  the  glaciers  that  descend  to 
salt  water,  and  thread  their  way  in  among 
the  bergs  that  have -broken -off.     One  of 


The    Glacier   Climber   can  Find    Rough  or   Smooth 

Going,  as  He  may  Wish,  in  Alaska.    Here  are  Shown 

Some  of  the  More   Adventurous  Sportsmen   Making 

Their  Way  across  Perilous  Crevasses 


the  sights  along  the  seacoast  is  that  of 
the  iceman  hitching  his  gasoline  launch 
to  a  baby  berg  and  towing  it  to  a  con> 
venient  place  to  cut  out  his  supply.  Per- 
haps nothing  else  does  so  much  to  im- 
press the  sight-seer  with  the  futility  of 
man's  efforts  compared  with  nature,  as 
to  note  the  tiny  hole  made  in  even  a 
small  berg  by  taking  out  several  hundred 
tons  of  ice. 

For  the  man — or  woman — who  wishes 
to  do  more  than  sit  at  ease  on  the  deck 
and  view  the  glacier  front  and  broken-off 
bergs,  the  steamers  make  a  stop  of  a  few 
hours  at  one  point  to  allow  a  visit  to  the 
glacier.  A  short  ride  on  the  railroad,  a 
walk  of  three  miles  over  an  easy  trail,  and 
the  sight-seer  is  at  the  foot  of  the  gla- 
cier. 

This  particular  trail  is  also  easy  to 
climb,  as  the  surface  is  little  broken.  The 
ease  with  which  the  trip  is  made  is 
shown  by  the  fact  that  one  summer  re- 
cently an  elderly  couple,  past  60  and  not 
especially  robust,  actually  spent  two 
hours  climbing  over  the  top  of  the  lower 
portions — and  arrived  back  in  time  for 
lunch  before  the  boat  sailed.  At  no  other 
place  in  the  world  is  this  possible. 

Attempting  to  describe  glacier  climbing 
is  like  painting  the  lily.  The  photographs 
give  some  idea  of  the  sport,  but,  of  course, 
fail  completely  in  portraying  the  varied 
and   beautiful  coloring. 


THEATER  CHAIRS  THAT  RAISE 

AND    LOWER   THE   OCCUPANTS 

Chairs  so  mounted  that  they  can  be 
raised  and  lowered  2  ft.  or  more  by  the 
occupants  have  recently  been  patented  for 
use  in  motion-picture  and  other  theaters. 
The  advantage  of  these  seats  is  that  they 


Theater  Seats  with  Teletcopinc  Supports  Which 
can  be  Extended  to  Raise  the  Occupants  So  That 
They  may  Have  an  Unobstructed  View  of  the  Suge 


lift  the  users  high  enough  to  give  them 
a  view  of  the  stage  unobstructed  by 
persons  passing  to  and  fro  immediately 
in  front  of  them — a  frequent  occurrence 
at  the  "movies.'*  Each  chair  is  supported 
by  a  telescoping  tubular  column  and  a 
preferable  means  of  operating  it  is  a  mo- 
tor-driven worm,  within  the  column,  con- 
trolled by  a  push  button  attached  to  the 
chair.  Foot  rests  suspended  from  each 
seat  enable  the  occupant  to  sit  as  com- 
fortably when  the  chair  is  raised  as  when 
it  is  lowered.  Alternative  means  for  oper- 
ating the  chairs  are  worms  driven  from 
a  central  power  plant,  and  hydraulic  ap- 
paratus. 

([Putting  the  subterranean  runways  of  a 
mole  to  use  as  irrigation  tunnels  is  the 
unusual  method  employed  by  a  woman  of 
Bryon  County,  Okla.,  to  get  even  with  the 
pests  that  were  undermining  and  destroy- 
ing her  garden.  By  repeatedly  filling  the 
mole  burrows  with  water,  she  effectually 
turned  damage  into  profit  and  banished 
the  moles. 


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The  Tractor't   Novelty  it  Here   Shown  to  Be  Purely  Incidenul.  Capacity  for  Work  Being  the  Chief 

Attribute  Claimed  for  It.    The  Picture  Above  Explains  How  Implements  are  Handled 

at  the  Sides  by  Attachment  to  the  Frame 


BROAD  DRIVING  DRUM  IS  ONE 
FEATURE  OF  FARM  TRACTOR 

There  are  other  reasons  than  mere  nov- 
elty of  design  that  are  causing  interest  to 
be  manifested  in  a  drum'  tractor  that  has 
been  developed  for  heavy-duty  farm 
work.  By  its  very  nature  it  is  distinctive 
in  appearance,  but  of  greater  importance 
are  some  of  its  mechanical  features. 
Among  these  are  its  driving  system  and 
frame,  the  latter  being  essentially  of  one- 
piece  construction  and  suspended  be- 
neath, instead  of  being  supported  above, 
the  rear  axle. 

No  differential  is  employed.  Power  is 
transmitted  through  a  simple  gear  set  to  a 
jackshaft.  Two  heavy  chains,  working 
in  oil,  engage  sprockets  secured  to  the 
drum  itself,  and  pull  uniformly  at  each 
side.  The  frame  is  the  drawbar,  and  since 
power  is  delivered  in  a  straight  line,  the 
load  may  be  attached  at  whatever  point 
best  suits  conditions.  Furthermore,  the 
simplicity  of  the  frame  construction  per- 
mits arms  to  be  extended  from  the  sides 
and  harrows  to  be  hitched  to  them. 

The  tractor  is  equipped  with  a  four- 
cylinder  engine  and  works  at  a  speed  of 
from  two  to  two  and  a  half  miles  an  hour. 
The  drum  is  54  in.  wide  and  of  equal 
diameter.  The  front  wheels  are  8  in.  in 
width  and  set  outside  of  the  drum's  path, 
so  that,  in  advancing,  the  machine  rolls  a 
70-in.  strip  of  ground.  There  is  direct 
transmission  of  power  to  the  pulley, 
which  drives  a  belt  at  a  speed  of  2,600 
ft.  a  minute.  The  turning  radius  of  the 
tractor  is  10  ft.  and  its  weight  approx- 
imately 5,200  pounds.  The  entire  ma- 
chine is  protected  by  a  corrugated  sheet- 
metal  cover  that  follows  the .  contour  of 
the  drum  at  the  rear. 


TENTS  MOUNTED  ON  SKIDS 

SPEED  HIGHWAY  WORK 

Four  tents,  mounted  upon  skids  for  the 
sake  of  extreme  portability,  were  used  to 
facilitate  construction  work  on  the  section 
of  the  Lincoln  Highway  crossing  the 
Great  Salt  Lake  desert  in  Utah.  The  con- 
struction crews  made  rapid  progress  over 


Tents,    Most   Portable   of  All   Shelters,  were  Made 

Still  More    Mobile  by  Mounting  Them  on  Skids,  to 

Speed   Construction   Work    on    a  |Bad   Stretch    of 

Lincoln  Highway  i , 

this  difficult  ground,  and  the  skidded  tents 
were  moving  forward  a  good  part  of  the 
time.  Two  400-ft.  stretches  of  desert  right 
of  way  were  so  bad  that  a  corduroy  foun- 
dation had  to  be  laid  before  the  grade 
could  be  constructed. 


ELECTRIC-RADIATOR  HEAT 
MADE  SELF-ADJUSTING 

An  electric  current  through  a  thermom- 
eter column,  with  an  upper  ..contact  that 
closes  a  relay,  automatically  -ppens  the 
main  heating  circuit  when  the  tempera- 
ture rises  above  a  desired  point.  A  French 
inventor  provides  this  means  for  making 
the  common  electric  radiator  thermo- 
static, or  self-regulating. 


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MOVIES  HAVE  RIGHT  OF  WAY 

IN  LOS  ANGELES 

On  the  streets  of  Los  Angeles,  the 
premier  movie  city  of  the  world,  the  mo- 
tion-picture photographer  commands  al- 
most as  much  respect  as  the  traffic  officer, 
or  at  any   rate   the   public  yields  to   his 


A  Movie  Drama  in  the  Making  on  a  Business  Street : 

A  Scene  in  Los  Angeles  Showing  Traffic  Interrupted 

While  a  Camera  Man,  at  the  Left,  Takes  Pictures  of 

the  Two  Actors  at  the  Right 

wishes  as  readily,  if  the  needs  of  a  suitable 
setting  can  be  supplied  thereby.  It  is  not 
an  uncommon  sight  in  the  down-town  sec- 
tion to  see  all  traffic  stopped  while  actors 
walk  jauntily  across  a  cleared  area,  acting 
parts  in  a  scene  which  will  later  be  fitted 
into  a  film  drama. 


SIMPLE  POTATO  PLANTER 
ATTACHES  TO  PLOW 

A  comparatively  inexpensive  potato 
planter,  recently  patented,  requires  the 
attention  of  but  one  man  and  can  be 
mounted   on  any  suitable  plow.     It  will 


plant  two  rows  at  once,  the  seed  being 
contained  in  two  troughlike  hoppers,  from 
which  it  flows  into  two  conical  revolv- 
ing drums,  placed  horizontally.  These 
are  situated  with  their  larger,  or  dis- 
charge, ends  at  opposite  sides  of  the 
planter  so  that  they  can  drop  seed  in 
parallel  rows.  The  drums  are  driven  by 
a  chain  connected  with  the  implement's 
gearing  from  a  wheel  running  on  the 
ground.  Scoops  attached  to  the  large 
end  of  each  drum  inside,  pick  up  the  de- 
sired amount  of  seed  and  elevate  it  to  dis- 
charge holes,  through  which  it  drops  into 
the  furrows.  At  the  small  end  of  each 
drum  is  a  small  hopper  equipped  with  a 
simple  discharge  device  operated  by  the 
drum  axle.  These  hoppers  can  be  used 
to  place  fertilizer  in  the  furrow  along 
with  the  seed. 


PoUto  Planter  of  Simple  Design  Which  Plants  Two 
Rows  at  Once :  The  Seed  Passes  from  the  Troughlike 
Hoppers  into  the  Conical  Revolving  Drums,  (rom 
Which  It  is  Dropped  into  the  Furrows  at  Regular 
Intervals 


DISABLED  TOMMIES  LEARNING 
DIAMOND  CUTTING 

A  British  diamond  corporation  has 
established  a  diamond-cutting  factory 
at  Brighton,  England,  and  has  arranged 
for  instruction  centers  in  various  parts 
of  the  country  where  disabled  soldiers 
can  learn  how  to  transform  i-ough  dia- 
monds into  finished  gems.  Before  the 
war  practically  all  of  the  British  diamond 
output,  which  means  practically  all  of  the 
world's  output,  was  shipped  to  the  con- 
tinent of  Europe  to  be  polished.  Pro- 
prietors of  the  new  factory  already  em- 
ploy several  hundred  ex-fighters  and 
claim  to  have  proved  that  they  can  do 
as  good  work  as  the  men  on  the  conti- 
nent who  devoted  their  lives  to  the  dia- 
mond-cutting trade. 

STREET  PAVEMENT  YAWNS 
AND  SWALLOWS  CAR 

During  a  recent  heavy  rain  a  consider- 
able area  of  a  well-paved  Philadelphia 
street  suddenly  caved  in,  swallowing  a 
heavy  touring  car  which  had  just  stopped 
at  the  curb.  The  owner  of  the  car  stepped 
from  it  only  a  few  seconds  before  it 
dropped  into  a  hole  30  ft.  deep.  The  col- 
lapse of  a  14-ft.  brick  sewer,  flooded  be- 
yond its  capacity,  was  the  cause  of  failure 
of  the  pavement.  A  second  heavy  storm 
immediately  following  brought  another 
rush  of  water  through  the  broken  drain. 
Although  a  guard  was  promptly  thrown 
about  the  opening,  the  car,  which  was 
lying  on  its  side  in  the  crushed  sewer,  en- 
tirely disappeared  without  leaving  a  trace 
either  in  the  sewer  or  in  the  creek  which 
receives  its  outflow. 


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This  Picture  was  Taken  a  Short  Time  After  the  Street  Caved  In,  and  the  Automobile  Which  Pell  into  the 

Hole,  80   Feet   Deep,  is  Seen  to  be   Lying  in   the  Debris  of  the   Broken   Sewer.    After  Another  Flood  had 

Swept  Down  the  Sewer  a  Little  Later,  the  Car  Entirely  Disappeared,  and  a  Thorough  Search  of  the  Sewer 

and  Its  Outlet  Failed  to  Discover  Any  Trace  of  It 

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POPULAR    MECHANICS 


^ 


GREAT  EFFICIENCY  CLAIMED 

FOR  INVERTED  DRILL 

Conventional  ideas  have  been  completely 
disregarded    in    designing   a    power   drill 
which  bores  up- 
ward  instead  of 
dow  n  w  a  r  d,  and 
which  the  makers 
claim  effects  a  50- 
per-c  e  n  t  increase 
in  the  speed  of  op- 
eration, owing  to 
the  fact  that  the 
borings  fall  out  as 
fast  as  they  are 
cut.    The  work  is 
forced  down  onto 
the  drill  automat- 
ically by  a  1  e  V  e  r 
placed  almost  hor- 
izontally   above 
the  machine  and  having  weights  at  one 
end.  When  work  has  been  properly  placed 
one    operator   can   look  after  several   of 
these  drills  at  once.    When  the  drill  breaks 
through,  a  spring  cushion  at  the  top  of 
the  spindle  checks  the  force  of  the  blow 
and  so  prevents  breakage.  This  drill  press 
is  built  particularly  for  work  on  articles 
of  steel,  brass,  or  cast-iron  and  has  been 
submitted  to  oractical  tests. 


THE  ROSELLE,  A  NEW  RIVAL 

OF  THE  CRANBERRY 

An  industry  as  yet  little  known  in  this 
country,  but  one  which  seems  destined  to 
attain  considerable  magnitude,  particularly 
in  southern  California  and  Florida,  is  the 
growing  of  the  roselle,  a  tropical  plant 
from  parts  of  which  are  made  jams  and 
jellies  closely  resembling  those  made  from 
cranberries.  The  roselle  is  a  native  of 
the  old  world,  is  an  annual,  and  attains 
an  average  height  of  six  to  eight  feet. 
The  plant  is  ornamental  and  bears  large 
yellow  flowers,  each  with  a  dark  red  eye. 
The  calyxes  of  the  flowers,  which  mature 
about  three  weeks  after  the  latter  open, 
are  the  parts  gathered  for  marketing,  be- 
ing cut  from  the  bushes  with  a  sharp 
knife.  In  California  the  harvest  time  ex- 
tends from  late  August  until  the  coming 
of  frost,  while  in  Florida  it  is  somewhat 
later  in  starting.  If  the  calyxes  are  gath- 
ered at  the  proper  time,  new  flowers  ap- 
pear in  rapid  succession,  so  that  the  av- 
erage yield  from  a  plant  is  five  to  six 
pounds.  In  recent  years  the  roselle  has 
been  extensively  cultivated  in  Australia, 
particularly  Queensland,  and  it  has  long 
been  grown  in  India  for  its  fiber  which 
is  used  a  great    deal  in  making   cordage 


Boxes  of  RoteUe  Calyxes,  Which  are  Made  into  JeUiet  and  Jams  Like  Cranberries,  are  Shown  at  the  Left. 

In  the  Circle,  a  Picker  is  Gathering  This  "Fruit."    A  Typical  Plant  is  Shown  at 

the  Right  with  a  Blossom  About  Midway  up  the  Sulk 


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and  coarse  textiles.  Grovers  are  advised 
to  cultivate  about  680  plants  to  the  acre. 
As  yet  the  market  for  this  product  is  lim- 
ited, but  the  retail  prices  range  from  10 
to  15  cents  per  pound.  The  plants  are 
quite  hardy  and  not  subject  to  many 
pests. 

CHINA'S  ANCIENT  GRAND  CANAL 

TO  BE  MODERNIZED 

Preliminary  work  is  about  to  begin  on 
the  modernizing  of  China's  Grand  Canal, 
an  ancient  waterway  1,000  miles  long,  ex- 
tending from  Hangchow,  on  the  south,  to 
Tientsin,  on  the  north.  One  portion  of 
the  canal  is  2,400  years  old,  and  another 
section  more  than  1,000  years  old.  Some 
of  the  most  primitive  locks  in  the  world 
are  still  in  use  along  this  route.  The  Chi- 
nese government  has  appropriated  $6,000,- 
000  with  which  it  is  proposed  to  modern- 
ize about  100  miles  of  the  canal  and  re- 
claim some  thousands  of  acres  of  fertile 
land,  now  useless  because  ^wampy  or  un- 
der water.  An  American  engineer  will 
have  general  charge  of  the  work,  while 
operating  under  him  and  associated  en- 
gineers will  be  a  number  of  young  Chi- 
nese, many  of  whom  have  obtained  thtir 
technical  training  in  the  United  States.  If 
the  task  now  about  to  be  undertaken  re- 
sults in  all  that  is  promised,  it  is  believed 
that  the  Chinese  government  will  not  hes- 
itate to  make  additional  appropriations 
for  more  extensive  improvements. 


GOLF  CLUBS  WITH  SHAFTS 

OF  STEEL 

Of  special  interest  to  golf  players  is  a 
'"'^  made  with  a  steel  instead  of  a 

hickory  shaft,  which,  it  is 
claimed,  possesses  all  the  flex- 
ibility of  the  wooden  shaft  and  - 
has  additional  desirable  fea- 
tures. The  steel  shaft  is  hol- 
low, tapers  toward  the  lower 
end,  and  is  much  smaller  in 
diameter  than  one  of  hickory. 
This  is  said  to  give  the  player 
additional  driving  power,  be- 
cause of  reduced  friction  when 
the  club  is  swung  through  the 
air.  The  head  is  so  mounted 
as  to  avoid  any  unpleasant 
jarring  of  the  hands  when  the 
ball  is  struck.  All  types  of 
clubs  are  to  be  made  in  this 
manner,  and  at  a  cost  some- 
what lower  than  those  with 
hickory  shafts. 


ACCIDENT  ENDS  BALLOONIST'S 

PARACHUTE  JUMP  ABRUPTLY 

Quite  a  thrilling  mishap  was  expe- 
rienced recently  by  an  army  balloon  ob^ 
server   at    one    of    the    western    training 


Dangling   Helplessly   in    the    Cordage   of  a   Second 

Parachute,  the  Soldier  was  Hauled  Down, 

None  the  Worse  for  His  Experience 

camps,  when  he  attempted  to  make  a* par- 
achute leap  from  an  elevation  of  3,000  ft. 
As  he  dropped  over  the  side  of  the  bas- 
ket, he  became  entangled  in  the  cordage 
of  another  parachute  that  was  folded  in 
a  case  fast  to  the  craft.  A  second  later, 
instead  of  shooting  earthward  through 
the  air,  he  was  dangling,  head  down,  a 
helpless  captive  in  mid-air.  The  fact  that 
the  jump  was  attempted  from  a  captive 
balloon  undoubtedly  saved  the  soldier's 
life,  for  he  was  quickly  hauled  down,  un- 
injured. 


C Hereafter  all  post  offices  will  act  as  in- 
formation centers  for  directing  discharged 
men  to  the  nearest  soldiers'  and  sailors' 
bureau.  These  bureaus  are  being  estab- 
lished throughout  the  country  bv  the 
United  States  Employment  Service,  in 
cooperation  with  various  local  and  na- 
tional organizations. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


COMBINE    HOUSE    AND    GARAGE 

WITH  PLEASING  EFFECT 

Many  attempts  to  incorporate  a  garage 
in  a  modern  house  have  left  much  to  be 


opens,  starting  the  turbine.  As  soon  as  the 
blower  and  turbine  shafts  attain  the  same 
speed,  the  clutch  between  them  engages 
and  that  between  the  motor  and  blower 
disengages.    This  change  from  electric  to 

steam  power  takes  place 

quickly  and  so  smoothly 
that  it  is  said  to  be  near- 
ly impossible  to  detect 
the  moment  of  engage- 
ment. 


A  Lakeside  Cottage  in  Which  a  Garage  hat  been  Incorporated  in  a  Way 

That  Is  Unusually  Pleating:   The  Long  Glass  Doors  Suggest  a 

Conservatory  or  Sun  Parlor,  Rather  Than  a  Oarage 

desired  in  the  way  of  architectural  effect. 
Such  a  dwelling  as  is  shown  in  the  ac- 
companying illustration,  therefore,  at- 
tracts favorable  interest  because  of  the 
architect's  happy  solution  of  his  problem. 
Artistic  doors,  made  like  French  windows, 
afford  ingress  to  the  garage  at  the  left  of 
the  dwelling  entrance,  the  exterior  ap- 
pearance suggesting  a  sun  parlor  rather 
than  a  motor-car  shelter. 


ELECTRIC    AND    STEAM    POWER 
FOR  BLAST-FURNACE  BLOWER 

In  constructing  a  special  blast-furnace 
blower  recently,  provision  was  made 
against  interruption  of  operation  in  the 
event  of  failure  of  the  electric  current 
for  any  reason.  Nor- 
mally, motive  power  is 
supplied  by  a  synchro- 
nous motor,  while  in  an 
emergency  a  steam  tur- 
bine is  employed.  The 
interesting  point  is  that 
the  change  from  the  one 
to  the  other  is  made  au- 
tomatically. Air  pres- 
sure keeps  a  balanced 
valve  in  the  steam-supply 
pipe  closed,  and  the  tur- 
bine idle.  The  instant, 
however,  that  the  electric 
current  fails,  the  air  pres- 
sure from  the  blower 
drops  and  the  steam  valve 


WALL  BUILT  OF 
SAMPLE  BRICK 
COSTS  LITTLE 

Evidence  of  thrift  and 
public  spirit  on  the  part 
of  municipal  employes  is 
found  in  an  artistic  brick 
wall,  erected  at  the  end 
of  a  blind  street  in  Cin- 
cinnati, which  spot  was 
the  scene  of  several  ac- 
cidents before  this  bar- 
rier was  erected  to  mark 
the  end  of  the  thoroughfare.  The  wall  was 
built  by  the  city  engineering  department 
at  a  cost  of  only  $219.  Had  all  the  mate- 
rials and  labor  been  paid  for  at  regular 
rates,  it  would  have  cost  about  $1,200. 
The  saving  was  made  possible  by  using 
samples  of  brick  and  cement  which  had 
been  submitted  to  the  department  for 
tests,  including  the  use  of  a  "rattler"  for 
the  bricks.  The  fact  that  the  rattler  nicked 
off  the  corners  of  the  brick  did  not  detract 
from  their  usefulness.  The  wall  was  built 
largely  by  department  employes  when 
other  work  was  slack.  It  served  as  a 
barrier  between  the  end  of  the  street  and 
a  ditch  skirting  a  railroad  right  of  way. 
At  either  end  were  footbridges  crossing 
this  ditch. 


the  End  of  a  Blind  Street  in  Cincinnati : 
It  was  Built  at   Small  Cost  By  the  City's  Engineering  Department 
with  Samplea  of  Brick  and  Cement  Submitted  for  Teat  Purposes 


Ornamental  Brick  WaU  Marking 


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421 


Left:  A  Mower  with  a  Curved  Extension  Attached  to  Its  Cutting  Bar  for  Use  in  Alfalfa  and  Other  Crops 

That  Become  Badly  Tangled.    The  Manner  in  Which  This  Device  Completely  Separates  the 

Cut  from  the  Unctrt  Material  at  the  Edge  of  a  Swath  is  Shown  at  the  Right 


ATTACHMENT  FOR  MOWER  CUTS 

EDGE  OF  SWATH  CLEAN 

In  using  an  ordinary  mower  to  cut  al- 
falfa, clover,  and  similar  crops,  difficulty 
is  experienced  because  at  the  edge  of  each 
swath  part  of  the  cut  material  remains 
tangled  with  that  which  is  uncut,  render- 
ing it  necessary  to  make  allowance  for 
this  strip.  One  of  the  simplest  devices 
designed  to  remedy  this  condition  con- 
sists of  an  extension  of  the  cutting  mem- 
ber attached  to  the  outer  end  of  the  lat- 
ter. This  attachment  curves  upward  so 
that  it  completely  separates  the  newly  cut 
swath  from  the  uncut  material.  The  blade 
is  of  thin  steel  and  moves  back  and  forth 
in  its  sheath  without  difficulty.  The  ex- 
tension tends  to  throw  the  cut  material 
at  the  edge  of  the  swath  toward  the  ma- 
chine, leaving  a  path  of  clean  stubble  ad- 
joining the  standing  crop,  along  which 
one  of  the  horses  can  walk. 


CONCEALED  SPRING  DOES  WORK 
OF  FOOT  MUSCLES 

For  the  benefit  of  the  patient  who  has 
lost   control    of   the   forward   portion    of 
either     foot,     a     special 
r  *ng,   less   conspicuous 

I  lapparatus  used 

J  jtofore,  has  been  de- 

*  }ed  to  hold  the  mem- 

be  r    up,    automat- 
ically.   It  consists 
►    of  a  piece  of  steel 
shaped  like  an  in- 
terrogation    point 
attached  to  levers 
which  are  in   turn   fastened  to  the  shoe 
and  to  a  band  about  the  calf.    The  appa- 
ratus is  practically  all  concealed  beneath 
the  trouser  leg. 


BORDEAUX  NOW  HAS  STATUE 

OF  LIBERTY 

Probably  no  product  of  the  sculptor's 
art  has  been  reproduced  more  frequently 
since  America  entered  the  war,  than  the 
Statue  of  Liberty  in  New  York  Harbor. 
Certainly  no  other  statue  is  so  symbolical 
of  America's  present  spirit  and  purposes, 
nor  is  there  a  better  token  of  the  friend- 
ship between  the  United  States  and 
France,  the  latter  country  having  been 
the  donor  of  the  original  bronze  figure. 
It  is  particularly  fitting  that  one  of  the 
many  replicas  which  have  been  set  up  in 
various  parts  of  the  world  should  be  con- 


Small  Reproduction  of  the  Statue  of  Liberty,  Unveiled 

Recently   in  Bordeaux,   France:    To  the   Thousands 

of  American  Soldiers  Now  Frequenting  That  Port  It 

Is  a  Happy  Reminder  of  the  Homeland 

spicuously  located  in  Bordeaux.  To  the 
thousands  of  American  soldiers  passing 
through  that  city  it  is  a  happy  reminder  of 
the  homeland. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


LIGHT   MOTOR-CAR   PARTS   USED 

IN  BUILDING  LOCOMOTIVE 

Of  the  numerous  types  of  self-propelled 
vehicles  that  owe  their  existence  to  a  cer- 
tain ever-present  model  of  light  motor 
car,  perhaps  none  is  more  interesting  than 
an  industrial  locomotive  of  current  devel- 
opment. The  latter  is  a  hard-working  lit- 
tle machine  of  30-in.  gauge  and  4,000-lb. 
weight,  that  exerts  a  drawbar  pull  of  500  or 
600  lb.  and  is  especially  adapted  for  mov- 
ing a  train  of  a  dozen  or  more  one-ton 
ore  cars  at  a  mine,  or  pulling  material  or 


about  10  ft.  The  top  of  its  cab  is  six  feet 
above  the  rails.  The  driver  is  provided 
with  a  seat  of  the  farm-implement  type, 
before  which  is  the  motor-car  steering  col- 
umn with  spark  and  gas  levers,  but  minus 
the  unnecessary  wheel.  Other  models  of 
the  locomotive  are  built  with  gauges  of  18 
and  36  inches. 


This  4.000-Poutid  Industrial  Locomotive,  Designed  Especially  for  Moving 

Trains   of   Ore   Cars   at    a    Northern    Mine,    Constitutes    an    Interesting 

Illustration  of  a  Well-Known  Light  Motor  Car  Adapted   for   Rail  Work. 

Its  Gauge  Is  80  Inches  and  Its  Operating  Spee<i  10  Miles  an  Hour 

dump  cars  at  a  construction  site.  The 
front  end,  where  the  familiar  radiator  and 
hood  are  mounted,  is  practically  the  only 
outside  part  suggestive  of  the  automobile. 
Beneath  the  hood  is'  the  small  motor, 
which  gives  the  locomotive  a  speed  of  10 
miles  an  hour.  Its  power  is  transmitted  to 
a  countershaft  connected  by  chains  to  the 
drivers.  The  latter,  two  in  number  instead 
of  the  usual  four,  are  of  12-in.  diameter 
and  bear  2,400  lb.  of  the  weight.  In  addi- 
tion to  the  regular  transmission,  there  is  a 
special  reversing  mechanism  that  gives  the 
locomotive  the  same  speeds  rearward  as  it 
has  forward. 

A  pony  truck  at  the  front  is  held  in  place 
by  a  king-pin,  and  a  seven-foot  radius 
curve  can  be  negotiated  with  ease.  Over 
all,  the  locomotive,  which  is  not  intended 
for     underground     operation,     measures 


SUBMARINE  NEST  REVEALED 
BY  AMATEUR  SNAPSHOT 

Certain  dark  and  mysterious  spots  in  a 
photograph  left  for  development  in  a  shop 
in  a  small  English  coast 
town  led  to  a  reprimand 
and  a  $250  reward  for  the 
lady  whose  amateur  cam- 
era made  the  exposure. 
The  astute  shopkeeper, 
when  he  observed  the 
strange  spots  coming  up 
in  the  developer,  for- 
warded the  plate  to  the 
British  Admiralty.  The 
shadowy  images  turned 
out  to  be  German  Li- 
boats  lying  in  the  creek, 
whost  beauty  had  in- 
duced the  amateur  to 
break  the  English  war 
rule  against  photograph- 
ing. 

The  whole  nest  of 
enemy  submarines  was 
promptly  captured,  be- 
trayed by  one  of  those 
occasional  optical  freaks 
which  record  on  a  plate 
objects  invisible  to  the 
eye.  The  British  Admi- 
ralty had  known  of  the 
U-boat  nest,  but  all  efforts  to  locate  it  had 
been  unsuccessful,  though  the  photo- 
graphic method  had  been  tried  several 
times. 


LIGHTNING  LOSES  TERRORS 
IN  ITALIAN  BALLOON 

So  constructed  that  no  metal  surfaces 
or  parts  whatever  are  exposed,  a  new  type 
of  observation  balloon  used  by  the  Italian 
army  is  enabled  to  stay  up  during  electri- 
cal storms  without  special  danger  to  its 
occupants.  The  observer's  basket  com- 
municates with  the  crew  on  the  ground  by 
wireless  telephone.  Unusual  stability  and 
lifting  power  are  other  characteristics  of 
the  new  type,  one  of  which  rose  to  the 
record  height,  for  an  observation  balloon, 
of  16,000  ft.  above  London. 


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COPiRiOMT.   INTERNATIONAL  FILM  UMVICt 

H.  M.  S.  "Svffolk  Coast/'  One  of  the  Royal  Navy's  Tramplike  Q. Boats  That   Plied   the  Trad^  Routes  and 
Decoyed  Hun  Submarines  to  Encounters  of  a  Type  for  Which  They  Had  Little  Taste 

DARING  Q-BOATS  UPHELD  ROYAL   NAVY'S 

TRADITION 


\/f  ANY  chapters  of  romance  were  added 
^^^  to  the  lore  of  the  British  Navy  dur- 
ing the  grave  days  of  the  world  war,  and 
prominent  among  them  is  one  that  con- 
cerns the  adventurous  exploits  of  the 
heretofore  unmentioned  Q-boats,  as 
strange  craft  as  ever  fought  an  unscru- 
pulous foe. 

Britain's  Q-boats  haunted  the  trade 
routes  and  preyed  upon  the  "hell-divers" 
of  the  Hun.  They  were  conceived,  fash- 
ioned, and  sent  to  sea  when  the  weekly 
reports  of  sinkings  were  as  serious  as  the 

farpR    nnt^    saw    in    Whitehall.      That    was 


funnel  in  the  forecastle  head  covered  a 
periscope  for  the  captain's  use  when  be- 
low. A  hidden  hatchway  communicated 
with  the  bridge. 

From  stem  to  stern  a  Q-boat  was  a  mas- 
terpiece in  camouflage.  Its  crew,  uni- 
formed in  the  indiscriminate  attire  of 
rowdy  "hands,"  was  the  slovenly  crew  of 
a  rat-laden  tramp^to  the  Hun.  In  stricter 
conformity  to  fact,  however,  the  men  were 
"hand-picked"  from  the  personnel  of  the 
Royal  Navy;  as  fearless  and  alert  a  crew 
as  ever  breathed  salt  air.     Their  assign- 


COrvmaMT.   INTIKNATIOMAL  FILM  SIHVIOI 


The  "Panic  Crew"  Played  an  Important  Part  in  the  Q-Boat's  Drama  of  Camouflage.    While  Hidden  Gunners 
Prepared  for  Action.  These  Men  Fought  for  Places  in  the  SmaU  Boats,  Some  Even  Diving  Overboard 

423 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


ment  was  the  daring  one  of  decoying 
"steel  sharks"  and  "harpooning"  them, 
which  often  meant  first  being  a  target  for 
torpedoes.  More  than  unfearing  Jacks 
were  these  men,  for  fully  half  of  their 
number  were  actors  also,  who  performed 
the  most  singular  of  dramas.  These  par- 
ticular seamen  composed  what  was 
known  as  the  "panic  crew."  Their  part 
in  decoying  the  dangerous  prey  was  to 
enact  a  scenario  that  was  rehearsed  many 
times  before  being  staged  for  a  German 
audience. 

One  of  the  many  interesting  expe- 
riences of  the  Q-boats  seryes  well  to  nar- 
rate the  story  of  how  they  fought.  Pic- 
ture a  ship  that  carried  aboard  a  swarthy, 
big-jointed  sailor  togged  in  skirts  and 
lolling  in  a  deck  chair  on  the  poop.  Fancy 
a  green  parrot  tied  in  a  cage  that  hung 
where  its  guardian  might  reach  it  con- 
veniently when  responding  to  his  cue. 
Think  of  a  ship  sailing  the  merchant  lanes 
for  months,  offering  itself .  as  a  target  to 
hidden  foes  in  order  that  it  might  fight, 
even  though  crippled  first.  And  then 
imagine  the  foaming  wake  of  a  torpedo 
suddenly  extended  across  its  path  shortly 
after  dawn  on  a  fine  spring  morning. 

Outwardly  the  tramp  held  to  its  course 
and    observed    nothing.     On    board    the 


man-of-war,  however,  a  long-awaited 
alarm  rang  clearly  and  men  crawled  to 
battle  positions.  Presently  a  submarine 
broke  the  surface  several  hundred  yards 
away  and  fired  across  the  tramp's  bow. 
That  was  the  signal  for  the  curtain  to  be 
run  up  on  the  strangest  of  war  dramas. 
The  engines  were  stopped,  steam  poured 
from  the  exhausts,  and  the  ship  rocked  in 
the  trough  of  the  waves.  The  panic 
crew  became  "hysteric."  On  the  bridge 
the  captain  executed  the  gestures  of  a 
slap-stick  comedian  and  roared  order  after 
order.  In  a  riot  of  apparent  confusion, 
the  panic  crew  raced  to  the  small  boats. 
The  U-boat,  meanwhile,  approached  at 
top  speed  and  fired  another  shell  that 
missed  the  ship's  vitals  by  a  few  yards. 

The  single  blast  of  a  whistle  blown  by 
the  captain  was  the  signal  to  cease  acting 
and  begin  fighting  the  decoyed  submarine, 
which  had  now  come  sufficiently  close  to 
be  a  good  target.  In  immediate  response 
the  white  ensign  of  the  Royal  Navy  was 
run  up.  A  lever  was  jerked  and  the  false 
deckhouses  collapsed,  exposing  heavy  ri- 
fles and  machine  guns  in  charge  of  eager 
and  expert  crews.  In  less  than  three  min- 
utes from  the  time  the  commander  issued 
the  order  to  lie  to  and  fight;  a  hit  was 
registered    that    foundered    the    U-boat. 


eovmoiiT.  NrrimATiOMM.  nut  bmiim 
Not  a  Natty-Looking  Crew  from  the  Standpoint  of  Uniforms,  but   a  Nervy  Lot  of  Seamen,  "Hand-Picked" 
from  the  Ro3rai  Navjr*!  Personnel  for  Q-Boat  Serrice,  Here  Shown  aboard  the  "Suffolk  Coast," 
One  of  Several  Ships  They  Manned  in  Their  Adventurous  Csmpaign  against  U-Boats 


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Dashing  to  the  spot  where  oil  spread  on 
the  water,  the  Britisher  dropped  a  depth 
bomb.  The  underwater  explosion  hurled 
the  enemy  vessel  to  the  surface,  end  up, 
like  a  cork  on  a  fishing  line.  The  stern 
rifle  blazed  again,  mercilessly  perforating 
the  already  helpless  "sub,"  which  pres- 
ently sank  to  Davy  Jones'5  locker  with  all 
hands. 

A  shout  went  up  from  the  victorious 
man-of-war.  A  moment  later  the  ship 
steamed  ahead  in  search  of  further  prey. 


COMPACT  SHOWER  BATH 

FOR  CAMP  USE 

The  luxury  of  a  shower  bath  can  be 
enjoyed  by  a  soldier  or  camper  by  using 


instances  the  machines  were  so  badly 
damaged  that  their  reconstruction  was 
impossible.  One  of  these  planes  mounted 
four  engines,  and  another,  five,  while 
bombers  propelled  by  as  many  as  six 
motors  are  known  to  have  been  in  use. 
One  of  the  four-engine  craft  had  a  wing 
spread  of  approximately  140  ft.  Its  six- 
cylinder  motors,  giving  a  total  of  1,200 
hp.,  were  mounted  in  pairs,  placed  end  to 
end  on  each  side  of  the  fuselage  and  well 
forward,  so  as  to  concentrate  the  weight 
near  the  main  plane's  leading  edge.  The 
two  front  motors  turned  tractor  propel- 
lers, while  those  in  the  rear,  equipped 
with  flywheels  and  driving  through  shafts 
and  reduction  gears,  each  worked  a  pusher 
screw.  A  five-motor  plane  was  similarly 
arranged,  with  its  fifth  engine  placed  in 
the  nose  of  the  body  and  connected  to  a 
tractor  propeller.  Its  combined  horse- 
power amounted  to  1,500.  No  informa- 
tion is  as  yet  available  concerning  the  six- 
motor  planes. 

CONVENIENT  PORTABLE  STAND 

FOR  FRUIT  PACKERS 

A  convenient  wheeled  support  for  boxes 
in  which  fruit  or  other  material  has  been 


Shower-Batb  Outfit  for  Campers  or  Soldiers:  When 

the    Pail    is    Suspended    Overhead,    the    Water    is 

Siphoned  to  the  Spray  Noscle.    One  or  Two  Squeea- 

ings  of  the  Bulb  will  Surt  the  Plow 

a  new  portable  outfit  connected  with  a 
pail  of  water,  suspended  6  or  7  ft.  above 
the  ground.  It  consists  of  a  rubber  tube 
which  serves  as  a  siphon,  and  has  the 
lower  end  fitted  with  a  spray  nozzle, 
while  a  U-shaped  metal  section  fits  over 
the  edge  of  the  pail.  The  siphon  is 
started  by  squeezing  a  collapsible  bulb 
incorporated  in  the  tube.  A  wire  handle 
that  attaches  to  the  spray  end  makes  the 
latter  easy  to  manipulate.  Also  included 
in  the  outfit  are  a  clamp  for  shutting  off 
the  water,  and  a  rubber  sponge. 


BIG  GERMAN  BOMBERS  MOUNTED 

FIVE  AND  SIX  ENGINES" 

Several  new  types  of  giant  multiple- 
motored  bombing  planes  were  placed  in 
service  on  the  western  front  by  the  Hun 
during  the  last  days  of  the  war.  Speci- 
mens of  two  interesting  models  were 
felled  within  the  allied  hues,  but  in   all 


Packer's   WheeUMounted  Truck,   or    Stand.    Which 
Holds  Four  Boxes  at  a  Convenient  Angle 

tally  from  the  sides  of  the  central  column 
at  the  base,  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
supports  already  mentioned,  are  provided 
with  casters  on  which  the  fixture  can  be 
moved  about.  A  tray  for  holding  pack- 
ing paper  is  mounted  on  the  top  of  the 
stand. 


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POPULAR    MECHANICS  427 

AMERICAN   PHOTOGRAPHERS         BIG  RAFT  OF  SWEDISH  LUMBER 

MAKE  RECORD  IN  EUROPE  MAKES  LONG  JOURNEY   . 

Although    they   were    seriously    handi-  An  immense  raft  of  lumber  tied  tip  to 

capped  by  the  lack  of  accommodations,  the  wharf  in  the  harbor  of  Copenhagen, 
the  American  Photographic  Force  dis-  Denmark,  recently,  after  having  journeyed 
tinguished  itself  and  ac- 
complished a  record  task 
when  it  turned  out  9,000 
prints  in  16  hours  during 
the  offensive  in  the  Ar- 
gonne-  district.  Alto- 
gether, over  100,000 
prints  had  to  be  finished  - 
in  four  days,  most  of 
them  having  been  taken 
by  French  airmen.  After 
traveling  all  night  to 
reach  their  head- 
quarters, the  Yank  pho- 
tographers proceeded  to 
convert  a  dilapidated 
brewery  shed  into  a  dark 
room,  and  an  hour  later 
had  started  their  sleep- 
less job.  All  the  water 
for  the  work  had  to  be 

carried   some   distance   in        Raft  of  Lvmber,  898  Feet  Long  and  67  Feet  Wide,  Which  was  Towed 
buckets.  from  the  Upper  End  of  the  Gulf  of  Bothnia  to  Copenhagen  Recently 

While  most  of  the  regular  photographic  the  full  length  of  tlie  Gulf  of  Bothnia  and 

planes  were  employed  in  observing  and  the  Baltic  Sea — approximately  1,000  hiiles. 

directing  artillery  fire,  several  American  Six  months  were  consumed  in  making  the 

planes  "shot*'  the  results  of  heavy-artillery  raft,   which   was   built  at   Harparanda,  a 

fire.     The   photographs   were   of  greater  town  in  northern  Sweden,  on  the  Finnish 

value    than    one    would    realize,   as    they  border.     It  measured  393  ft.  long,  57  ft. 

caught  the  complete  activities  at  the  time  wide,  and  26  ft.  high,  about  three-eighths 

and  the  accurate  number  of  men  and  guns  of    its    height    being    visible    above    the 

on  the  field,  and  indicated  maneuvers  that  water.    A  crew  of  seven  men  accompanied 

were  in  progress.^  it  on  its  long  voyage. 


"BABY  TANK"  USED  AS  TRACTOR  ATTACHMENT 

Tractor  attachments  for  light  motor  signed  experimentally  for  war  purposes 
cars  are  more  or  less  familiar  as  a  class,  and  now  assigned  to  farm  work,  differs 
but  one  such  contrivance,  originally  de-      at  least  from  the  conventional  apparatus. 


AbiUty  to  Go  Almoat  Anjrwhere,  Economy  <  of  Pnel  and  Oil/  Moderate  Initial  Cost^  Saty  Attachment  and 

Operataoa— These  Are  Some  of  the  Advantagea  Claimed  for  tha  Atttomobue- 

Tractor  Combination  Pictured  Abore 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


It  consists  of  a  broad  frame,  supplied  with 
creeper  treads,  on  which  a  car  is  mounted 
after  the  wheels  and  front  axle  have  been 
removed.  Driving  connection  is  made 
through  the  rear  axle.  A  governor,  aux- 
iliary cooling  system,  and  special  oiling 
equipment  fit  the  car  for  heavy  duty. 
With  the  attachment,  a  light  automobile 
is  able  to  handle  three  10-in.  plows  in 
average  soil  with  ease,  and  pull  other  farm 
implements  with  equal  facility.  It  turns 
around  in  its  own  tracks  like  other  creep- 
er-tread machines,  is  able  to  negotiate 
almost  any  kind  of  ground  that  is  likely 
to  be  under  cultivation,  and  maneuvers 
commendably.  Complete,  the  outfit 
weighs  about  3,000  lb.  In  width  the  at- 
tachment measures  12  in.,  while  the  top 
of  the  track  is  26  in.  above  the  ground. 
The  combination  is  said  to  be  econom- 
ical of  fuel  and  oil. 


LONG-SPOUT  OILERS  PROMOTE 
SAFETY  AND  SAVE  TIME 

In  oiling  overhead  bearings,  and  others 
not  easily  accessible,  the  use  of  a  steplad- 
der  and  the  danger 
of  accident  are 
alike  eliminated  by 
employing  an  oiler 
having  a  spout 
several  teet  long. 
Above  the  handle 
projects  a  p  u  m  p 
by  which  the  oil  is 
elevated  in  the 
spout,  the  plunger 
being  operated  by 
pressure  of  the 
thumb.  Since  the 
spout  normally  is 
full  of  oil,  just  the 
amount  desired — a 
drop  or  a  tea- 
spoonful —  can  be 
discharged  by 
actuating  the  plunger.  Oilers  of  this  type 
are  made  with  spouts  up  to  15  ft.  long. 


GAS  FURNACES  MELT  METAL 
WITHOUT  CRUCIBLES 

Gas  furnaces  for  melting  metals  without 
the  use  of  crucibles  are  a  development  of 
the  shortage  of  crucible  graphite  in  Eu- 
rope. The  fuel  is  gas  with  a  preadmix- 
ture  of  air,  which  m  one  plant  is  intro- 
duced at  a  pressure  of  10  to  25  lb.  per 
square  inch.  For  temperatures  higher  than 
1,200*"  C,  the  air  is  preheated.  In  the  ladle 
type  of  furnace,  the  fuel  gas  is  admitted 


tangentially,  usually  to  two  burners,  the 
flow  being  in  a  circular  direction.  In 
the  drum  type,  the  arrangement  of  the 
burners  and  outlets  is  such  that  the  gases 
pass  through  the  axis  of  the  drum.  Air 
heaters  of  gas  piping  receive  the  waste 
gases,  using  them  for  preheating  the  pots 
which  are  prepared  for  the  molten  metal. 
Furnaces  of  this  kind  have  been  operated 
for  more  than  two  years  without  repairs 
other  than  the  maintenance  of  the  ma- 
sonry. 


SMOKE  IN  EIGHT  COLORS 
FOR  MILITARY  SIGNALS 

Smoke  of  eight  distinct  colors,  vivid 
enough  to  be  identifiable  at  night,  is  the 
product  of  experimental  research  work 
undertaken  by  an  American  army  chemist. 
Colored-smoke  signals  are  largely  used  in 
aerial  bombing  operations.  The  smoke- 
producing  chemical  is  ignited  when  the 
bomb  to  which  it  is  attached  leaves  the 
airplane,  fluttering  a  30-ft.  tail  of  smoke  all 
the  way  down  and  continuing  to  emit  vis- 
ible vapors  for  some  time.  In  burning,  it 
gives  off  light  sufficiently  brilliant  to  re- 
veal the  color  of  the  smoke  column  for 
several  miles  at  night  in  clear  weather, 
even  if  dropped  in  water.  This  enables 
the  following  airplanes  to  observe  the  ac- 
curacy of  the  hit  and  judge  the  range. 
Colored  smoke  had  been  previously  pro- 
duced by  European  signalers,  but  the 
American  army  and  navy  wanted  some- 
thing better  and  found  it. 


QUICK-ACTING  CRANK-OPERATED 
OIL  AND  GREASE  GUN 

For  motor-car  use,  a  quick-acting  grease 
and  oil  gun  of  moderate  cost  with  all 
moving  parts  inclosed,  making  it  a  clean 
apparatus  to  handle,  has  been  introduced. 
It  is  a  crank-operated,  gear-action,  rack- 
and-pinion  implement  that  discharges  20 
oz.  of  lubricant  with  each  stroke.  In  over- 
all length  it  measures  31  in.,  while  its 
weight  amounts  to  9  lb.  The  barrel  is 
made  of  seamless  steel  tubing  and  supplied 


The  Gun  is  Stanchly  Constructed  to  WithsUnd 
Rough  Usage 

with  a  self-acting  tension  plunger  that 
will  load  and  discharge  heavy  or  light  lu- 
bricants with  equal  facility. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS  429 

SAWMILL  WASTE  USED  IN  WESTERN  POWER  PLANTS 


View  of  a  Sawmill  Dmnp  Showing  a  Veritable  Foothill  of  "Hog"  Fuel,  as  the  Waste  is  Known  to  Millmen, 
Gradually  Building :  As  a  Coal  Substitute,  This  Material  is  Used  Successfully  by  a  Western  Power  Company 


Practice  has  proved  that  sawmill  refuse 
is  a  satisfactory  and  economical  coal  sub- 
stitute for  power  plants  advantageously 
situated.  During  the  low-water  season 
last  summer  two  auxiliary  steam  plants  of 
a  Street  railway,  light  and  power  company 
in  the  Northwest  were  operated  at  full  ca- 
pacity with  the  so-called  "hog^*  fuel.  One 
of  the  plants,  during  the  three-month  pe- 
riod it  was  in  use,  generated  4,500,000  kw.- 
hr,  of  electricity.  Under  favorable  condi- 
tions, it  is  understood,  200  cu.  ft.  of  the 
material   will  develop  enough  steam  for 


the  generation  of  about  400  kw.-hr.  of  en- 
ergy. In  using  the  waste  for  fuel  purposes, 
chain  conveyors  are  employed  to  carry  it 
from  large  dump  hills  to  chutes,  through 
which  it  is  fed  to  furnaces.  Fires  are 
easily  kept  banked.  By  use  of  forced 
draft,  intense  heat  is  produced  quickly 
in  the  event  of  an-  emergency  requiring 
rapid  generation  of  steam. 

([American  methods  of  canning,  intro- 
duced by  missionaries,  are  now  popular  in 
the  households  of  India. 


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430 


POPULAR   MECHANICS 


GIVE  MILE  OF  PENNIES  TO  SALVATION  ARMY 

The   employes   of  the   customhouse   at      thousand,  recently  started  a  fund  for  the 
Newi  York,   of  whom  there  are  several     Salvation  Army   because  of  its  overseas 

services,  and  set  one  mile 
of  pennies  as  their  goal. 
All  contributions  were 
exchanged  for  pennies  at 
the  subtreasury,  and  the 
copper  coins  were  then 
inserted  in  1-ft.  paper 
strips  prepared  for  the 
purpose,  each  strip  hav- 
ing a  capacity  of  16 
cents.  In  all,  5,280  strips, 
or  $844.80  worth  of  pen- 
nies, were  needed  to 
complete  the  mile,  but  it 
was  expected  $1,000 
worth  would  be  received. 


COPYRIQHT,  AMCmCAN  PNOTO  •BilVICB 

A  Mile  of  Pennies  for  the  Salvation  Army,  the  Gift  of  New  York  Custom- 
house Employes:    The  Coins  were  All  Placed  in  One-Foot 
Strips  Containing  16  Cents  Each 


C An  English  concern 
has  placed  on  the  mar- 
ket a  selection  of  tweeds 
which  are  hand-woven 
by  disabled  soldiers  and 
sailors,  each  piece  being 
marked  with  the  name  of 
the  man  who  wove  it. 


MACHINE  CLEANS,   DRIES,  AND  LOADS  GRAIN 


Among  the  farm  implements  that  nave 
been  developed  lately,  there  is  a  suction 
grain-cleaning   and   conveying   apparatus 
that   has   drawn   the   intere 
who    have    seen    it    demon: 
mounted  on  a  four-wheeled 
to   be   mobile,   and  may  b< 
well  for  loading,  unloading, 
Through  friction  consideral 
crated,  and  this  tends  quit( 
dry  wet  grain.     A  strong 
developed  by  a  rotary  blow< 
the  grain   through  a  flexib 
to    a    revolving   sieve    that 
chaff,    dirt,    wild    oats, 
mustard      and      pigweed 
seeds  from   it.     The  im- 
purities    are     discharged 
through  a  chute  to  a 
sack,   while   the   grain, 
cleaned  and  dried,  is  ele- 
vated to  storage  bins,  or 
loaded   into  a  wagon  or 

car,  as  circumstances  die- .___ 

tate.     As  is  well  known, 
grain  is  purchased  according  to  its  grad- 
ing,   so    that    clean    grain    commands    a 
better    price    than    that    which    contains 
chaflf   and   weed   seeds.     For  this   reason 


the  machine,  which  performs  its  several 
functions    in    one    operation,    enables    a 


grower  to  market  his  grain  advanta- 
geously. The  machine  is  operated  at  mod- 
erate cost,  and  is  supposed  co  pay  the 
large  grower  generous  profit. 


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TO  INDIA'S    SUMMER    RESORT  BY  PRIMITIVE    MEANS 


The  Man  at  the  Left  is  Carrying  a  Tnmk,  Beddins,  and  Other  Baggase  of  a  Traveler  Who  Evidently  has 

Gone  Ahead  on  Horseback.    The  Other  Pour  Hen  Have   Loads  of  Coal,  Which  Is  the  Onlv  Fuel 

Used.    For  Carrying  a  tOO- Pound  Load  to  the  Station  the  Coolies  Collect  16  Cents  a  Trip 


431 
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432 


POPULAR  MECHANICS 


AUTO  UNHARMED  BY  PLUNGE 

INTO  CONCRETE  TANK  ' 

The  grounds  of  a  Cincinnati  residence 
were    the    scene    recently   of   a    peculiar 


Automobile  as  It  Appeared  after  Its  Wild  Plunge  into  This  Empty  Con- 
Crete  Tank  at  the  Rear  of  a  Cincinnati  Residence :    The  Walls  Are  Seven 
Feet  High.    The  Only  Damage  Was  a  Cracked  Windshield.    An  Incline 
was  Installed  and  the  Machine  Taken  Out  on  Its  Own  Power    • 

automobile  accident,  which,  to  the  as- 
tonishment of  all  concerned,  resulted  in 
practically  no  injury  to  the  car.  In  some 
way  the  automobile  was  started  down  a 
steep  slope  back  of  the  residence,  and 
after  running  200  yd.,  plunged  into  an 
empty  concrete  tank,  7  ft.  deep,  stopping 
as  it  struck  the  far  wall.  The  only  dam- 
age was  a  cracked  windshield. 


SNUB  FOR  SHIP  LAUNCHING 

CHECKS  MOMENTUM 

Ships  launched  endwise  into  a  narrow 
river  are  in  danger  of  ramming  the  op- 
posite shore.  The  work- 
ers in  an  American  ship- 
yard operating  under 
such  conditions  devised 
a  simple  method  of 
snubbing  the  momentum 
of  the  ship  as  it  left 
the  ways.  On  each  side 
of  the  ways  a  row  of 
weights  was  placed  along 
the  ground.  These 
weights  ranged  from  two 
tons  near  the  stern  of 
the  ship  to  14  tons  at  the 
bow,  and  were  separately 
attached  to  the  ship  by 
heavy  iron  chains  of  dif- 
ferent lengths.  When  the 
ship  rushed  down  the 
ways  one  pair  of  weights 
after  another  was  takt:n 
up,  as  more  and  more  of 
its  weight  floated,  bring- 
ing it  to  rest  at  the 
desired  spot.  By 
slightly  changing  the  weights  the  system 
was   adapted   to   ships   of   different    size. 


MANY  TONS  OF  REINDEER  MEAT 

SOLD  IN  UNITED  STATES 

The  recent  selling  of  60  tons  of  dressed 
reindeer  meat  in  the  United  States  indi- 
cates a  considerable  demand  for  a  food 
product  which  compares  favorably  with 
beef.  According  to  estimates  of  Alaskans, 
there  are  over  100,000  reindeer  in  our 
northernmost  territory,  and  something 
like  five  per  cent  of  these  are  intended  for 
the  market.  The  business  of  raising  them 
for  butchering,  in  many  respects,  com- 
pares favorably  with  the  raising  of  other 
animals,  for  they  live  on  lichens  and  cost 
practically   nothing  to   keep. 


MAY  EXTEND  MOTORIZED  POST 
UNES  IN  NEW  ENGLAND 

In  the  weeks  preceding  the  holidays, 
postal  officials  in  a  number  of  New  Eng- 
land cities  obtained  the  use  of  army  trucks 
for  carrying  package  mail  between  postal 
stations.  The  experiment  proved  so  suc- 
cessful in  the  matter  of  saving  time  and 
labor  that  further  extension  of  the  sj'stem 
may  be  made.  The  success  of  the  Port- 
land-New York  motorized  parcel-post 
service,  established  late  last  summer,  has 
also  encouraged  postal  officials  to  oper- 
ate more  motor  lines. 


C Ordinary  chalk,  treated  by  a  new  Eu- 
ropean process,  becomes  a  cheap  substi- 
tute for  cement,  strong  enough  for  house- 
building use.  It  sets  in  water  and  resists 
the  action  of  moisture. 


AIRMAN'S  NECK  IS  BROKEN 
BUT  HE  FLIES  AGAIN 

An  American  flight  lieutenant  whose 
plane  fell  800  ft.  suffered  a  broken  neck, 
the  fifth  and  sixth  vertebrae  being  punc- 
tured and  the  fourth  and  fifth  partly 
dislocated.  Treatment  for  several  months 
at  a  military  hospital  and  the  use  of  a 
head-and-neck  harness  so  far  restored 
him  that  he  made  another  flight  as  a 
passenger  in  a  military  plane.  His  ulti- 
mate complete  recovery  is  anticipated. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


433 


from  the  running  gear,  after  which 
it  is  swung  around  and  emptied  into 
the  skip.  As  the  operator  raises  the 
skip,  to  dump  the  load  into  the  drum,  the 
car  body  descends  onto  its  running  gear. 
Thus  much  labor  in  handling  materials  is 


In  the  Second  Operation  the  Derrick  Swings  the  Car  Body 

over  the  Skip  and  a  Latch  on  the  Bail  is  Released, 

Dumping  the  Aggregate  into  the  Skip 

eliminated,  while  by  carrying  them  direct 
from  a  central  loading  place  to  the  skip 
none  is  wasted  on  the  ground. 


SHIP  MORE  MEAT  TO  EUROPE 

TO  SAVE  ALLIES'  ANIMALS 

In  order  that  France,  Italy,  and  the 
United  Kingdom  may  restore  their  sorely 
depleted  stocks  of  native  animals,  the 
United  States  must  greatly  increase  its 
exportations  of  meat  to  those  countries, 
according  to  Food  Administration  offi- 
cials. This  will  save  to  these  peoples 
many  animals  that  otherwise  would  be 
slaughtered  for  food.  France  has  lost  17 
per  cent  of  its  cattle  on  account  of  the 


war,  and  Italy,  14  per  cent.  This  is  seri- 
ous, not  only  because  of  the  meat  in- 
volved but  also  on  account  of  the  lessened 
supply  of  milk  and  the  need  of  the  cattle 
as  draft  animals.  The  United  Kingdom  re- 
ports no  loss  of  cattle.  The  latter  coun- 
try has  lost  10  per  cent  of  its  sheep  and 
goats ;  France,  41  per  cent,  and  Italy,  one 
per  cent.  The  number  of  pigs  in  France 
has  been  reduced  49  per  cent,  in  Italy, 
12^^  per  cent,  and  in  the  United  Kingdom. 
25  per  cent.  These  countries  also  suffered 
heavily  from  other  animal  losses. 


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SOME  NOVEL  AND  LITTLE-KNOWN  ACCESSORIES 


Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


INTENDED  FOR  THE  HOME  AND  ITS  MEMBERS 


to  be  Folded  and  Concemled, 
When  Not  Needed,  in  Com- 
partmentt    ProTided    in    Sides 


ThU  Leather  Wrist  Strap  with  a  caro- 
board  Insert  ProTides  the  Oolfer  with  a 
Convenient  Means  of  Recording  Hia  Score 


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435 


436 


POPULAR  MECHANICS 


AUTOMOBILE  PARTS  ARE  USED 

IN  FORMING  MODEL  CANNON 

One  of  the  most  peacefully  inclined  ar- 
tillery pieces  in  existence  is  nevertheless 


This  Miniature  Model  of  a  Field -Artillery  Piece  Is 
an  Assemblage  of  Motor-Car  Parts 

model  of  what  might  pass  for  a 
French  '75/'  equipped  with  special  treads 
and  a  double  limber.  More  correctly, 
however,  it  is  a  novel  assemblage  of  parts 
taken  from  a  small  motor  car. 


ATTACHMENT  FOR  ELECTRIC 

FLASH  LAMPS 

A  new  attachment  for  an  electric  torch, 
or  flash  lamp,  consists  of  two  metal  legs 
pivoted    to   a   collar  that   fits   about   the 

^^ :-;     lamp     near    the 

i     bulb     end.       For 

such  work  as  re- 

I  I      pairing    an    auto-. 

I  j      mobile    at    night, 

^      the  advantage   of 

a  support  like  this 

•  to  hold  a  torch  in 

I .     a  desired  position, 

is  obvious.  When 
not  in  use  the  legs  are  made  to  lie  close 
to  the  lamp  casing. 

LIBERTY  FUEL  FAR  SUPERIOR 

TO  GASOLINE,  IS  CLAIM 

Of  extraordinary  interest  and  impor- 
tance to  motorists,  and  makers  and  users 
of  internal-combustion  engines  in  general, 
are  the  claims  made  for  the  new  "Liberty" 
fuel,  vouched  for  by  the  Division  of  Re- 
search and  Development  of  the  U.  S. 
Corps  of  Engineers.  By  means  of  a  chem- 
ical process,  perfected  after  seven  years  of 
experimenting,  a  fuel  having  kerosene  as 
its  base  has  been  produced  which  appears 
to  be  superior  to  gasoline  in  every  way. 
Distillation  plays  a  part  in  its  production. 


and  its  quality  can  be  varied  to  meet  the 
requirements.  It  is  tasteless,  colorless,  and 
the  products  of  its  combustion  are  cooler 
than  those  of  gasoline,  hence  a  smaller 
amount  of  lubricant  is  required  where  it 
is  used.  It  is  noncorrosive  and  so  less 
injurious  to  motors  than  gasoline.  Fur- 
thermore, the  fuel  leaves  no  residue,  and 
requires  no  special  apparatus,  and  its  ex- 
plosion effect  is  30  per  cent  greater  than 
gasoline.  A  spark  or  flame  is  required  to 
explode  it  Not  only  can  the  new  fuel  be 
made  more  cheaply  than  gasoline,  but 
more  of  it  is  obtained  from  the  same 
quantity  of  kerosene. 


ATTRACTIVE  STEEL  BOX 

FOR  UBERTY  BONDS 

A  bond  box  has  recently  been  put  on 
the  market,  designed  particularly  for  hold- 
ers of  Liberty,  and  other,  bonds  who  de- 
sire a  degree  of 
protection  against 
fire  for  their  se- 
curities, but  for 
various  reasons 
do  not  care  to  put* 
them  hi  a  vault. 
The  box  is  made  of  heavy  steel,  is  finished 
in  blue,  baked  enamel,  and  is  decorated 
with  a  patriotic  emblem.  It  measures 
IW2  by  5y2  by  21/2  inches. 


DEVICE  HELPS  CONVALESCENTS 
LEARN  TO  WALK  AGAIN 

One  of  the  latest  devices  that  has  been 
brought  out  for  aiding  convalescents  to 
regain  their  ability  to  walk  is  an  upright 
frame   of  steel   tubing  mounted  on   four 

rubber-tired 

wheels.  The  lower 
portion  of  the 
frame  supports  a 
saddle  suspended 
from  straps,  while 
from  the  upper 
portion,  which  is 
adjustable  and 
arches  over  the 
head  of  the  occu- 
pant, hang  three 
slings.  Two  of 
these  are  designed 
to  be  placed 
under  the  arms 
while  the  third 
can  be  used  in 
supporting  the 
chin. 


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Chaiai  Patscd  b«ne*th  the  Hull,  and  Othen  Attached  to  the  Ounwalei.  Hold  the  Sunken  Ship  on  an  Even 
Keel  While  It  is  being  Raited.    Booma  Hold  the  Pontoons  Apart  during  the  Hoisting  Operation 

PONTOON  HOISTS  ARE  PLANNED  FOR  SHIP  SALVAGING 


In  view  of  the  tremendous  losses  sus- 
tained by  merchant  shipping  during  the 
war,  much  interest  attends  the  devel- 
opment of  improved  salvage  equipment. 
Among  apparatus  that  are  claimed  to 
embody  advantageous  features  is  a  hoist- 
ing pontoon  recently  invented  by  a  man 
long  engaged  in  ship-raising  operations. 

Essentially  the  vessel  is  bargelike  in  de- 
sign, broad  of  beam,  and  possessed  of  lib- 
eral depth  of  hull.  It  serves  as  a  lighter, 
affords  quarters  for  the  wrecking  crew, 
and  is  equipped  with  workshops.  Tracks 
for  traveling  derricks  extend  along  both 
its  sides,  while  buoyancy  chambers  are 
provided  beneath  the  lower  deck.  These 
are  air-tight  compartments  which,  when 
flooded,  lower  the  vessel  so  that  it  can 
maintain  the  desired  position  in  a  heavy 
sea,  and,  when  pumped  dry,  enable  the 
buoyancy  of  the  pontoon  to  be  utilized 
for  hoisting  purposes.  Along  one  side  of 


the  craft  is  a  continuous  double  series  of 
tubelike  cableways,  while  arranged  along 
the  deck,  adjacent  to  the  ways,  is  a 
line  of  power  winches.  The  cableways  are 
of  two  types;  one  extending  perpendicu- 
larly through  the  craft,  and  the  other  ar- 
ranged angularly  so  that  its  lower  opening 
is  not  far  below  the  water  line.  The  chains 
accommodated  in  the  first-mentioned 
tubes  pass  beneath  the  hull  of  the  ship  to 
be  raised,  the  others  attaching  to  the  up- 
per part  of  the  hull.  Two  advantages  are 
claimed  for  this  arrangement.  One  is  that 
the  double  hold  keeps  the  submerged  ship 
on  an  even  keel  while  it  is  being  raised. 
On  the  other  hand,  it  is  conceivable  that 
a  ship  might  lie  at  such  a  depth  as  to  pre- 
vent divers  from  passing  cables  beneath 
it,  and  still  not  be  too  far  down  to  pre- 
clude attachments  being  made  at  the  gun- 
wales. 
As  is  quite  obvious,  at  least  two  of  the 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


pontoons  would  be  used  together  in  sal- 
vage work,  one  being  stationed  on  each 
side  of  the  wreck.  Booms  hold  the  pon- 
toons apart  and  away  from  the  sunken 
ship  while  they  are  operating  opposite 
each  other.    In  the  event  of  a  large  ship 


being  in  hand,  two  or -three  of  the  hoist- 
ing vessels  would  be  placed  end  to  end  on 
each  side.  It  is  estimated  that  two  260-ft. 
pontoons  working  in  unison  would  exert 
a  lifting  force  of  from  12,000  to  14,000 
tons. 


BENEFICIAL  EXERCISER 

FOR  PARALYTICS 

An  exerciser  designed  for  a  partly  par- 
alyzed person  is  said  to  have  proved  ben- 


An  Exerciser  for  Partly  Paralyzed  Persona:  The 
Horizonul  Shaft  Shown  Connects  the  Lever  with,  a 
Flywheel  Concealed  under  the  Seat.  When  Once  the 
Wheel  is  Surted,  Little  Effort  is  Needed  to  Keep 
the  Apparatus  Going 

centrically  attached  to  a  flywheel  under 
the  seat.  The  patient  pushes  the  handle 
backward  and  forward,  placing  the  feet 
on  the  foot  rests,  and  after  the  wheel  is 
once  started,  it  is  an  easy  matter  to  keep 
the  apparatus  going. 

REPORT  ON  "HAIL  RODS" 
NOT  FAVORABLE 

In  recent  years  extensive  use  has  been 
made  of  **hail  rods"  in  the  vineyards  in 
the  region  of  the  Gironde,  France,  it 
being  claimed  that  they  furnish  protec- 
tion against  hailstorms.  Recently  an  in- 
vestigation of  their  effectiveness  covering 


several  years  has  been  made  and  it  has 
been  found  that  hailstorms  have  occurred 
in  the  neighborhood  of  many  such  instal- 
lations. Some  persons  contend  that  there 
has  been  an  absence  of  these  storms  since 
they  set  up  the  rods  but  the  investigator 
points  out  that  this  may  be  mere  coinci- 
dence. While  reserving  final  judgment 
as  to  the  rods,  the  report  calls  attention 
to  the  fact  that  in  this  region  only  one 
thunderstorm  in  five  is  accompanied  by 
hail,  and  that  often  there  will  be  an  entire 
absence  of  hail  for  several  seasons,  fol- 
lowing two  or  three  seasons  marked  by 
hailstorms. 


PLAN  TO  CLASSIFY  ATHLETICS 
SCIENTIFICALLY,  PROPOSED 

All  athletics  should  be  reclassified  ac- 
cording to  their  effects  on  tjie  heart,  and 
other  vital  organs,  in  the  opinion  of  a 
naval  officer  who  has  given  the  subject 
much  study.  The  emphasis  given  to  cer- 
tain sports  in  high  school  and  grammar 
school,  because  they  are  the  most  popu- 
lar, he  declares  to  be  most  injurious.  He 
advocates  that  each  child  in  grammar 
school  be  assigned  to  the  physical  activity 
best  suited  to  his  needs,  and  this  should 
be  determined  by  his  family  history,  his 
personal  record  as  to  illness,  his  physical 
type  as  determined  by  height  and  weight 
with  relation  to  age. 


HANDY  DEVICE  FOR  MIXING 
PAINT 

A  handy  paint  mixer  has  recently  been 

patented,  consisting  of  a  handle  to  which 

^••'»     secured     two     metal 

ades,  intersecting  each 

^  other  at  right  angles. 

r  The  lower  portion  of 

w   each    is    of    dovetail 

^  shape,  while  above  it 

is   a    pair   of  wings. 

e  device  is  operated  by 

•sing  the  blades  in  the 

and    then     revolving 

rapidly  by  placing  the 

uanuie  between  the  palms  of 

the   hands   and   moving  them   back    and 

forth,  as  if  rubbing  them  together. 


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A  New  Adjunct  of  the  Air-Craft  Industry:  A  Hotor-Tnick  Outfit  Deiicned  Bepectally  for  Carrying 
Aeroplane!  and  Aeroplane  Parti.    The  Body  Ii  M  Feet  Long 


MOTOR  OUTFIT  FOR  CARRYING 

AEROPLANES  AND  PARTS 

The  recent  appearance  of  a  motor  truck 
and  trailer  for  carrying  aeroplanes  or 
aeroplane  parts  is  one  of  the  evidences  of 
the  growing  importance  of  the  air-craft 
industry.  The  body  of  this  trailer  is  almost 
as  big  as  a  box  car,  measuring  25  by  10 
by  7  ft.  These  dimensions  permit  the 
carrying  of  passenger  planes  of  many  dif- 
ferent types,  unassembled.  Access  to  the 
interior  can  be  had  only  at  the  rear, 
where  a  door  with  a  suitable  lock  is  pro- 
vided. The  frame  of  the  body  is  of  wood 
and  the  walls  are  ceiled  on  the  inside. 


PERPETUAL  LICENSE  NUMBERS 

FOR  COLORADO  AUTOS 

A  license-number  plate  for  automobiles, 
indicating  the  fee  paid  by  the  owner  for 
the  license,  has  been  adopted  in  Colorado, 
which  can  be  used  year  after  year.  At 
the  right-hand  end  of  the  numbered 
metal  plate  are  grooves  for  inserting  a 
metallic  disk,  which  is  changed  annually 
and  bears  the  state  seal  and  year  date. 
Holding  it  in  place  is  a  metal  letter — ^A, 
B,  or  G— the  letter  used  indicating  the  li- 
cense fee  paid,  and  enabling  any  observer 
to  tell  if  the  payment  corresponds  to  the 
size  of  the  car. 


GAn  English  scientist  has  made  investi- 
gations which  indicate,  it  is  said,  that  the 
coal  and  shale  dust  inhaled  by  miners  is 
rapidly  eliminated  from  the  air  passages 
by  special  dust-collecting  cells  which 
break  up  the  dust  particles  and  carry  them 
away  without  causing  serious  injury. 
Quartz  dust,  however,  being  made  up  of 
sharper  particles,  is  not  so  easily  elim- 
inated and  is  more  harmful. 


APPARATUS  FOR  TESTING 

CONCRETE  PIPE 

A  new  machine  for  subjecting  concrete 
pipe,  and  the  like,  to  high  water  pressure, 
for  test  purposes,  consists  of  an  upright 
frame  supporting  a  head  with  a  smooth 
under  surface,  which  is  raised  and  lowered 
by  means  of  a  handwheel.  The  pipe  to  be 
tested  is  placed,  bell-end  up,  beneath  the 
head,  and  in  the  bell  is  placed  a  cast-iron 
ring  with  rubber  packing  on  its  upper 
and    lower    faces.      The    head    is    then 


Apparatut  for  Snbjectinf  Coacretc  Pipe  to  Hydraulic 

Tesu :  Water  under  tiicli  Pressure  is  Forced 

into  the  Pipe  from  Underneath 

pressed  down  onto  the  ring,  making  a 
water-tight  joint.  The  pipe  is  filled  with 
water  through  a  suitable  inlet  at  the  base 
and  the  pressure  made  as  great  as  desired. 
A  gauge  enables  the  operator  to  watch 
the  progress  of  the  test.  An  air  and  a 
water  outlet  are  also  provided. 


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AND    ANIMAL     PICTURES    OF    INTEREST    TO    THEM 


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NEW  ONE-WHEEL  FARM  TRACTOR 

MAKES  RIGHT-ANGLE  TURNS 

Novelty  of  design  is  found  in  a  new 
farm  tractor  that  is  able  to  turn  in  a  four- 
foot  radius.  The  machine  is  mounted  on 
one  large  drive  wheel,  which  carries  al- 
most all  of  the  weight,  and  is  supplied 
with  a  pair  of  small  casters.  A  four-cyl- 
inder, 30-hp.  motor  is  employed.  The 
driving  is  accomplished  by  chains  from  a 
jackshaft.  The  outstanding  feature  of 
the  tractor  is  that  it  can  be  turned  at 
right  angles.    This  enables,  for  instance,  a 


pushed  by  the  machine  and  a  drag  pulled 
at  the  same  time,  so  that  two  operations 
are  accomplished  simultaneously.  Ordi- 
nary horse-drawn  implements  are  suitable 
for  use  with  the  tractor.  The  machine 
weighs  about  5,000  lb.  and  has  a  channel- 
iron  frame  that  is  8  ft.  2  in.  long  and  6 
ft.  10  in.  wide. 


Among  the  Several  Novel  and  Advantageous  Features  Posseiied  bv  the 


New  Tractor  Is  Its  Abilitv   to   Turn   at  Riftht  Angles.     Most 


Weight  of  the  Ifachine  is  Balanced  on  Its  One 

square  cut  to  be  made  when  a  binder  or 
mower  is  used.  Another  interesting  point 
is  that  the  machine  pushes  a  binder,  there- 
by enabling  a  disk  to  be  attached  at  the 
rear  to  furrow  the  soil  as  the  grain  is 
reaped.     Likewise   a   grain   drill   can   be 


Bglei 
Big 


NEW  DRY-CELL  BATTERY 
IS  RECHARGEABLE 

Exceptional  claims  are  made  for  an  en- 
tirely   new   type   of   dry-cell   battery    re- 
cently   put  on   the   mar- 
ket, it  being  the  conten- 
tion of  the  makers  that 
it    will    not    only    retain 
its    maximum    efficiency 
without        deterioration, 
but    can     be     recharged 
from  10  to  12  times.    In- 
stead of  manganese  ore 
being    the    principal    in- 
gredient as  in  other  bat- 
teries, a  special  combina- 
tion   of    chemicals    has 
been  substituted.     In  re- 
charging, it  is  not  neces- 
sary  to  add  any  chem- 
icals or  change  any  elec- 
trodes.     With    a    rated 
capacity  of  12  to  15  am- 
pere-hours, it  is  claimed  that  these  bat- 
teries will  carry  a  four-ampere  load  two 
and  three-tenths  hours,  and  other  loads 
correspondingly  in  excess  of  what  is  the 
common    performance.     For   recharging, 
special  rules  must  be  followed. 


by  I 
of  the 


Drive  Wheel 


THOUSAND  BARRELS  OF  OIL  FOR  PACKING  SARDINES 


In  one  week  during  the  past  season 
there  arrived  at  Eastport,  Me.,  1,000  bbl. 
of  cottonseed  oil  for  use 
in  packing  sardines.  At 
prevailing  rates,  the  oil 
was  worth  $85,000.  When 
it  is  remembered  that 
this  consignment  is  but 
a  fraction  of  the  total 
used  in  Maine  in  the 
course  of  a  year,  the 
magnitude  of  the  sardine 
industry  becomes  appar- 
ent. The  total  Maine 
pack  has  reached 
approximately  2,800,000 
cases  of  100  cans  each. 
Besides  cottonseed  oil, 
quantities     of     mustard, 


peanut  oil,  vinegar,  and  tomato  sauce  are 
used  by  the  packing  concerns. 


1,000  Barrels, 


One  Week's  Shipment  of  Cottonseed  Oil,  Consistins  of  1,0 
Received  at  Eastport.  Maine:  The  OU  Was  Worth  805,000  and  was  Used 
in  Packing  Sardines  of  Which  Maine  Now  Puts  Up  About  800,000,000 
Cans  per  Year 


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Scored  Cylinders   Repaired  by  Soldering 

By  DAVID  BAXTER 


O  EPAIRING  scored  cylinders  in  auto- 
•*^  mobile  engines  is  a  somewhat  difficult 
job,  and  one  which  requires  some  skill,  by 
whatever  method  it  is  attempted.  Until 
recently,  it  was  considered  that  cylinders 
which  were  badly  scored  required  rebor- 
ing  and  fitting  with  oversize  pistons. 
However,  there  are   now  at  least  three 


copper  itself  is  %  by  1%  by  2  in.  in  size. 
It  is  bent  or  curved  to  fit  the  inside  of 
the  cylinder.  The  surface  is  polished 
and  tinned.  Beside  the  soldering  cop- 
per stands  the  stick  of  solder.  This  i^ 
ordinary  half-and-half  tin-lead  solder, 
with  a  little  more  tin  added.  For  this 
purpose  it  should  be  cast  into  the  form  of 


Solder  can  be  Uied  for  Filling  Up  Scored  Places  in  Automobile  Cylinders  and  for  Repairing  Cracked  Water 
Jackets.    The  Apparatus  Required  is  Not  Expensive 


where  the  apparatus  necessary  for  either 
of  the  other  methods  is  not  available. 

The  soldering  method  may,  however, 
make  use  of  some  of  the  same  apparatus 
as  is  used  in  welding,  if  this  is  available. 
The  welding  torch  -may  be  used  for  heat- 
ing the  soldering  copper,  and  the  cylinder 
should  be  heated  preparatory  to  soldering, 
in  the  same  way  as  for  welding,  except 
that  the  temperature  required  is  not  so 
high. 

The  tools  needed  are  shown  in  Fig.  1. 
Leaning  against  the  top  cylinder  cast- 
ing is  the  soldering  copper,  which  con- 
sists of  a  small  piece  of  copper,  fast- 
ened on  the  end  of  a  long  iron  rod,  about 
Me  in.  in  diameter  and  18  in.  long.    The 


old  piston  sawed  off  at  the  solid  end,  with 
a  shank  attached  to  a  pin  in  the  piston- 
pin  holes.  The  other  end  of  the  piston 
is  notched  clear  around,  so  that  it  cuts 
out  the  excess  solder.  The  glass  to  the 
right  contains  the  solution  with  which  the 
surface  of  the  steel  is  cleaned  before  tin- 
ning. A  good  solution  consists  of  equal 
parts  of  blue  vitriol  and  sal  ammoniac, 
dissolved  in  water. 

The  process  is  as  follows:  First  clean 
thoroughly  the  scored  place,,  and  a  strip 
1  in.  or  so  wide  on  each  side  of  it,  with 
emery  cloth  or  steel  wool.  Then  place  the 
scored  cylinder  over  a  gas  burner  or  suit- 
able heater,  until  it  is  warm  enough  to 
fry  the  soldering  solution.     Don't  get  it 


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hot  enough  to  crack  the  casting.  While 
this  is  being  done,  the  special  soldering 
copper  should  be  heated.  Get  it  hot 
enough  to  melt  the  solder,  but  not  so 
hot  as  to  spatter  it.  As  soon  as  the 
copper  and  cylinder  are  ready,  apply  the 
solution  to  the  scored  surface,  making 
sure  that  every  portion  of  it  is  moistened 
with  the  liquid.  When  dry,  fill  the  score 
with  melted  solder  by  inserting  the  stick 
of  solder  into  the  cylinder  and  putting 
the  hot  copper  against  it.  After  the 
score  is  entirely  filled  with  solder,  allow 
the  whole  thing  to  cool;  then  reheat  the 
copper  and  smooth  out  the  solder.  Work 
the  copper  back  and  forth  or  sideways 
like  a  trowel,  until  every  crevice  is  full  of 
solder.  Allow  the  cylinder  casting  to  cool 
again,  and  then  employ  the  hand  borer,  as 
shown  in  Fig.  2.  The  boring  tool  should 
fit  the  cylinder  quite  snugly;  if  it  is  too 
loose,  it  may  be  possible  to  peen  the  inside 
of  the  piston  surface  with  a  ball-peen 
hammer  even  all  around, so  as  to  expand  it. 

The  reliability  of  this  method  depends 
upon  the  thoroughness  with  which  the 
solder  is  applied  to  the  scored  portion. 
Sometimes  it  is  necessary  to  reheat  the 
soldering  copper  several  times  during  the 
process.  Either  a  welding  torch  or  a 
common  tinner's  blowtorch,  will  do,  or 
even  a  common  gas  burner,  though  the 
work  will  then  be  slower.  After  the  cyl- 
inder is  bored  out,  it  is  sometimes  neces- 
sary to  polish  the  solder  with  waste  or 
with  a  scraping  tool.  The  soldering  method 
i^  not  recommended  as  equal  to  the 
welding  process,  but  it  is  particularly 
valuable  on  rush  jobs  where  the  custo- 
mer cannot  wait  for  welding,  or  where 
there  is  no  welding  shop  which  is 
equipped  to  do  the  work.  When  weld- 
ing cylinders,  it  is  sometimes  necessary 
to  put  in  new  pistons,  as  the  cylinder  has 
to  be  bored*  oversize;  with  the  soldered 
cylinder,  the  old  pistons  can  be  used. 

The  question  which  will  occur  to  the 
mechanic  is  whether  a  soft  solder  can  be 
relied  upon  to  remain  solid  under  the 
temperatures  prevailing  in  an  engine  cyl- 
inder. This  is  unquestionably  the  weak 
point  of  the  method,  but  it  should  be  re- 
membered that  the  lower  part  of  the  cyl- 
inder, where  the  worst  scores  often  occur, 
does  not  get  so  hot  as  the  combustion 
chamber  above,  and  that  in  any  case  the 
inner  surface  of  the  cylinder  does  not 
reach  anything  like  the  temperature  found 
at  the  center  of  the  piston  head,  unless  the 
cooling  system  is  allowed  to  run  dry.  But 
in  deciding  whether  to  apply  the  soldering 
method,  the  location  of  the  scores  should 


be  considered,  as  well  as  the  probability  of 
the  engine  being  used  under  conditions 
which  would  cause  it  to  heat  up  greatly. 
Figure  3  shows  another  application  of 
the  soldering  method,  namely,  repairing  a 
crack  in  the  water  jacket  of  a  cylinder 
casting.  This  is  not  recommended  for 
great  reliability,  but  it  is  often  useful  in 
a  pinch.  The  process  is  very  similar  to 
that  described  above,  except  that  the 
common  soldering  copper  is  used.  The 
line  of  the  crack  is  cut  out  to  a  V-shaped 
groove,  as  for  welding.  This  groove  is 
made  with  a  cold  chisel,  almost  to  the 
full  depth  of  the  metal's  thickness,  and 
about  Y4  in.  wide  at  the  top.  The  groove 
is  painted  with  the  acid  solution;  it  is 
then  filled  with  melted  solder  and 
smoothed  down  with  the  soldering  cop- 
per. Again,  the  chief  requirement  is  to 
see  that  the  soldering  powder  is  thor- 
oughly stuck  to  the  iron.  The  appear- 
ance of  such  jobs  is  very  neat,  but  al- 
though they  have  been  known  to  give 
satisfaction  for  months,  the  repairing 
should  not  be  regarded  as  permanent. 
The  upright  casting  in  Fig.  1  shows  such 
a  repair  to  the  water  jacket.  Along  the 
right  and  low^r  edges  of  this  casting  can 
be  seen  the  white  marks  which  are  the 
only  visible  indication  that  the  soldering 
process  has  been  applied. 


Sharpening  a  Wom^Down  Saw 

Many  carpenters,  especially  those  who 
have  been  at  the  trade  for  some  time, 
number  among  their  tools  a  saw  or  two 
which,  through  many  filings,  are  worn  to 
half  their  former  width.  The  handle  is 
thus  in  the  way  of  the  saw-filing  clamp 
and  must  be  removed  for  filing,  or  at  least 
three  or  four  screws  must  be  removed  to 
permit  the  handle 
to  be  turned  back. 
This  consumes 
time,  and,  since 
each  screw  con- 
sists of  two  parts, 
often  results  in 
the  loss  of  a  need- 
ed and  not  easily 
replaced  screw. 
Ah  easy  way  out 
of  the  difficulty, 
and  one  which 
does  not  harm  the 
saw  in  any  way,  consists  in  enlarging  the 
holes  of  all  except  the  uppermost  screw 
to  notches  leading  to  the  edge  of  the 
saw  blade,  these  notches  being  shaped  in 
conformity  with  the  circle  traced  by  each 


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screw  when  the  handle  is  pivoted  on  the 
one  at  the  top.  This  is  easily  done  by 
removing  all  but  the  pivot  screw  and 
swinging  the  handle  about  on  it,  while  a 
pencil  is  held  against  first  one,  and  then 
the  opposite  side  of  each  screw  hole, 
thus  marking  the  path  of  each  over  the 
blade.  The  slots  can  then  be  cut  out,  fol- 
lowing these  marks.  To  get  a  saw  thus 
prepared  ready  for  filing,  it  is  only  neces- 
sary to  give  each  screw  a  half  turn  and 
swing  back  the  handle. — Henry  Simmons, 
Los  Angeles,  Calif. 


Making  Gasoline-Torch  Piston  Leathers 

Piston  leathers  for  gas61ine  torches  can 
be  made  as  indicated  in  the  illustration,  by 
using  a  short  length  of  %-in.  thin  brass 
tubing  as  a  form,  and  then,  driving  a  .piece 
of  oil-soaked  leather  into  it  with  a  section 
of    %-in.    brass 
tubing,  used  as  a 
punch.    Place  the 
piece  of  %-in.  tub- 
ing, which  should 
be    about    ^    in. 
high,   on   the   top 
of  the  bench.  Lay 
a  piece  of  leather, 
the  same  thick- 
ness   as    the    old 
one,  over  the  top 
of  the  ys-in.  tube.    By  forcing  the  %-in. 
tube  down,  as  shown  in  the  picture,  the 
leather  will  be  molded  into  the  form  re- 
quired.   It  can  then  be  trimmed  off  evenly 
around  the  top  of  the  %-in.  tubing  ring. 
The  leather  should  be  permitted  to  re- 
main  in   the   form   for  a  few   hours,  or 
overnight  if  possible,  after  which  it  will 
retain  the  required  shape.    A  hole  should 
be  punched  in  the  middle  of  the  piston 
leather  to  accommodate  the  screw  which 
holds  it  to  the  piston  head.    If,  after  using, 
the    piston    leaks,    soapsuds    should    be 
poured  around  it  rather  than  gasoline.    If 
gasoline  is  used,  it  will  dissolve  the  oil  on 
the   piston    leather   and   spoil   it. — L.    M. 
Dyke,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 


Old  Linen  Collars  Make  Good 
Marking  Tags 

From  discarded  linen  collars,  excellent 
tie-on  labels,  or  tags,  can  be  made.  The 
glazed  surface  which  comes  about  with 
the  repeated  starching  makes  an  excel- 
lent surface  to  write  upon.  A  hole  is 
punched  at  one  end,  through  which  a 
short  length  of  string  is  twisted.  Labels 
made  in  this  way  are  very  durable,  and 
will  not  pull  away  or  tear. 


Saving  Gas  in  Heating  Water  • 

A  vessel  which  will  heat  water  on  a  gas 
stove  more  quickly  than  will  an  ordinary 
pan  or  kettle,  and 
which  will  for  this 
reason  save  gas, 
can  be  made  by 
soldering  an  in- 
verted funnel  into 
the  bottom  of  a 
tin  pan.  Nearly  the 
whole  portion  of 
the  bottom  of  the 
pan  that  is  cov- 
ered by  the  funnel 
should  be  cut 
away,  so  that  the 
hot    gases    from 

the  flame  can  go  up  through  the  funnel 
as  well  as  around  the  sides  of  the  pan.  It 
is  this  double  heating  that  makes  the  ves- 
sel efficient. — Harvey  Mtfad,  Scranton,  Pa.' 


Salt  in  Whitewash 

Where  it  is  customary  in  the  summer 
months  to  whitewash  hothouse  or  green- 
house windows  to  keep  off  some  of  the 
hot  rays,  it  is  necessary  to  clean  the  win- 
dows in  the  winter  time,  and  it  is  usually 
hard  to  remove  the  old  covering.  By  put- 
ting one  gallon  of  common  salt  in  a  barrel 
of  whitewash,  a  mixture  will  be  made 
which  can  be  removed  easily. 


Screw  Eyes  Carry  Padlock 

In  applying  a  padlock  to  a  door,  the 
main  requirement  for  the  hasp  is  that  it 
should  be  fastened  in  such  a  way  that 
no  screws  are  ex- 
posed when  the  t? 
lock  is  on;  other- 
wise the  lock  can 
be  removed  by 
taking  out  the 
screws  with  a 
screwdriver.  An 
equally  effective 
method  of  apply- 
i  n  g  a  padlock, 
which  does  not 
require  the  use  of 
a  regular  hasp,  is 
to  insert  two 
screw  eyes  in  the  position  shown;  one  in 
the  door,  and  the  other  in  the  door  jamb, 
so  that  they  come  close  to  each  other 
when  the  door  is  closed.  When  the  pad- 
lock is  attached  as  shown,  the  screw 
eyes  cannot  be  unscrewed. — ^J.  H.  Nor- 
rell,  Augusta,  Ga. 


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Testing  Seed  Com  for  Germination 

By  H.  a.  franklin 


THE  average  yield  of  corn  through- 
out the  United  States  is  not  far  from 
28  bu.  per  acre.  There  are  4,800  hills  of 
corn  to  the  acre,  planted  3  ft.  apart  each 


NO.ia     WIPE 


Seed-Corn  Ears  are  Kept  in  Racks,  Each  Numbered 

and  Tagged,  While  the  Kernels  from  It  are 

being  Tested  for  Germination 

way.  Three  stalks  to  the  hill  and  one 
ear  on  each  stalk  would  yield  14,400  ears, 
which,  at  half  a  pound  to  the  ear,  would 
make  7,200  lb.  or  130  bu.  of  shelled  corn 
per  acre.  This  is  not  all  theory,  for  corn- 
club  boys  have  produced  such  yields  in 
a  dozen  different  states.  The  difference 
between  this  and  the  average  yield  cor- 
responds to  the  difference  between  the 
old-fashioned  way  of  planting  bv  the  rule 
of  thumb,  and  the  new  way  of  applying 
scientific  knowledge  to  the  growing  of 
crops. 

The  first  step  in  the  production  of  large 
yields  of  corn  is  the  selection  of  seed  with 
strong  vitality  from  the  best-producing 
stalks  in  one  year's  field  for  next  year's 
crop.  The  best-looking  kernels  may  be 
dead.  Some  grains  of  corn  that  germinate 
fairly  well  show  weak  roots  or  sprouts. 
Stalks  grown  from  such  seeds  fail  to  have 
ears.  Leaving  out  the  question  of  poor  soil 
and  a  badly  prepared  seed  bed,  the  two 
principal  causes  of  low  yields  of  corn  are 
vacant  hills  and  barren  stalks,  both  of 
which  may  be  prevented  by  thorough 
ripening,  careful  curing,  and  the  final 
process  of  elimination  by  testing  the  ger- 
minating qualities  of  each  seed  ear  in  the 
incubator.  Growing  three  productive 
stalks  to  the  hill  without  any  skips,  or 
the  same  ratio  when  planted  in  drills,  is 
too  near  perfection  to  expect,  but  intel- 

446 


ligent  effort,  with  the  assistance  of  mod- 
ern machinery  and  laboratory  appliances, 
will  always  increase  the  yield. 

The  seed-curing  rack,  here  shown,  will 
hold  100  ears  of  seed  corn,  each  ear  in  a 
separate  compartment,  from  the  day  the 
ears  are  selected  in  the  field,  through  the 
final  ripening  and  curing  processes  and 
the  testing  of  each  individual  ear  for  ger- 
mination, to  the  final  selection  for  plant- 
ing; and  each  of  the  100  ears  will  retain 
its  identity  throughout  the  test. 

Each  ear  should  have  a  card  fastened 
to  the  butt  end  of  the  cob,  preferably  by 
a  thin,  blind  staple.  On  the  card  is 
marked  the  nuhiber  corresponding  with 
the  wire  pigeonhole  that  the  ear  occu- 
pies. These  numbers  will  read  Al,  A2, 
etc.,  using  the  first  10  letters  of  the  alpha- 
bet with  the  exception  of  letter  "I,"  as 
shown  in  Fig.  1.  The  same  system  of  let- 
ters and  figures  will  identify  the  five 
grains  from  any  ear  while  they  are  being 
tested  for  germination. 

The  incubator  cabinet,  Fig.  2,  com- 
pletes the  equipment  for  the  scientific 
handling  of  seed  com,  which  includes 
also  a  permanent  record  such  as  modem 
farming  demands  for  the  registration  of 
pure-bred  seed.  This  record  is  made  by 
marking  the  date  and  result  of  each  ger- 
mination test  on  the  card  that  is  attached 


The  Tetting   it   Done  in  aa    Incubatinc    Cabiaet, 

Where  Five  Kernels  from   Bach  Bar  are   Kept 

Warm  and  lloitt  by  Steam  Generated  Beloer 

to  the  cob.    The  cabinet  is  used  in  con- 
nection with  the  curing  racks,  to  test  the 


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447 


fitness  of  the  different  ears  for  seed.  Its 
capacity  is  1,000  ears,  or  equal  to  10  seed- 
corn  racks  as  represented  in  Fig.  1.  The 
racks  and  drawers  may  be  numbered  cor- 
respondingly from  1  to  10,  so  that,  for  in- 
stance, 9-J-8  will  indicate  the  eighth  com- 
partment in  row  J  of  the  ninth  drawer, 
containing  grains  from  ear  No.  9-J-8, 
which  is  placed  in  the  ninth  rack,  row  J, 
eighth  space. 

This  testing  cabinet  is  48  in.  high,  28 
in.  wide,  and  21%  in.  deep.  The  four  cor- 
ner posts  are  2  by  2-in.  strips.  The  cab- 
inet is  boxed  in  with  sound  %-in.  ceiling 
lumber  of  the  matched  variety.  The  top 
is  also  of  ceiling  lumber,  with  a  trapdoor 
in  the  center.  The  bottom  pair  of  cleats, 
on  the  corner  posts,  are  nailed  on  15  in. 
from  the  floor.  The  other  cleats  are  3 
in.  apart,  as  shown  in  the  drawing.  These 
cleats  support  the  shelves,  and  should  be 
of  sound  material,  iy2  in.  wide  by  %  in. 
thick.  The  shelves  are  made  of  slats  so 
that  the  temperature  will  be  more  uni- 
form, but  they  must  be  level,  straight, 
and  true. 

The  tin  deflector  is  ^led  with  water  to 
supply  moisture.  It  also  prevents  exces- 
sive heating  of  the  lowest  pan;  it  dis- 
tributes the  heat  in  equal  amounts  on 
either  side  of  the  lamp,  and  starts  it  up 
at  the  sides  of  the  cabinet  to  circulate 
around  each  pan  alike.  The  heating  ar- 
rangement is  more  or  less  automatic  in 
that  each  pan  receives  an  average  amount 
of  heat,  and  the  temperatures  at  various 
heights  are  as  nearly  uniform  as  is  easily 
obtainable.  The  temperature  should  be 
maintained  between  12  and  80**  F.  The 
trapdoor  ventilator  in  the  top  lets  out 
the  superheated  air  when  necessary.  A 
good  lamp  of  the  incubator  style  fur- 
nishes heat,  and  is  not  easily  put  out  of 
service. 

The  pans  should  be  of  No.  24  gauge 
galvanized  iron.  They  should  be  made 
accurately  to  size,  20  by  20  in.,  fitted  with 
nine  tin  partition  strips  running  each 
way,  thus  dividing  the  pan  into  100  divi- 
sions, or  compartments,  each  2  in.  square 
and  1  in.  deep.  The  tin  partitions  are 
1  in.  high,  and  the  tin  strips  are  20  in. 
long.  They  are  cut  to  the  center  at  in- 
tervals of  2  in.,  and  pushed  together  like 
the  paper  strips  in  an  ^%%  carton,  and 
may  be  touched  with  solder  at  the  joints 
to  make  the  racks  hold  together.  They 
can  then  be  lifted  out  of  the  pans  and 
cleaned  with  boiling  water  or  live  steam, 
after  each  test,  to  kill  spores. 

The  sides  of  the  various  cells  are 
marked  on  the  left  with  letters  and  on 
the  front  with  figures,  with  a  waterproof 


crayon,  the  letters  and  figures  corre- 
sponding with  those  on  the  corn-curing 
rack.  This  system  positively  identifies 
the  five  grains  in  the  tester  with  the  ear 
in  the  rack. 

The  front  is  closed  with  two  doors  of 
the  same  material  as  the  sides  and  back; 
the  upper  one  incloses  the  pans,  while 
the  lower  one  covers  the  lamp. 

To  operate,  put  warm  water  in  each 
pan,  about  ^4  in-  deep,  and  put  in  five  ker- 
nels from  every  ear  to  be  tested  in  their 
proper  cell.  Seeds  must  have  air  as  well 
as  moisture,  so  it  is  better  to  sift  a  layer 
of  fine  sawdust  over  the  pans,  then  cover 
the  sawdust  with  a  square  of  cheesecloth, 
place  the  racks  in  position,  and  put  the 
kernels  of  corn  on  top  of  the  cheesecloth. 
This  cabinet,  without  the  tin  racks,  may 
also  be  used  as  a  sprouter  for  grain  in 
the  winter  months,  when  grain  feed  is  so 
greatly  desired  in  the  poultry  yard. 


Hardware  Store  Has  Special  Drawer 
for  Carpenters'  Squares 

One  of  the  problems  of  the  retail  hard- 
ware store  is  to  arrange  the  stock  of  car- 


A  Drawer  Especially  Built  to  Accommodate  Carpen« 

ters'  Squares  Is  a  Neat  Device  in 

Any  Hardware  Store 

penters'  squares  so  they  may  be  easily 
displayed,  and  yet  take  up  as  little  room 
as  possible.  They  are  awkward  articles  to 
arrange,  and  no  little  trouble  to  the  clerks. 
One  store  overcame  the  difficulty  in  the 
following  manner:  A  drawer  was  built 
to  conform  to  the  shape  of  the  squares, 
and  was  so  constructed  that  it  could  be 
easily  rolled  out  of  its  pocket  in  the  wall 
case,  displaying  the  entire  line  of  squares 
at  once.  The  drawing  shows  how  the 
drawer  was  built  and  how  the  otherwise 
dead  space  below  the  horizontal  section  of 
the  drawer  was  used  to  house  a  number  of 
small  drawers,  thus  utilizing  the  entire 
space. — L.  B.  Robbins,  Harwich,  Mass. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


How  a  Big  Tree  Is  Moved 

It  has  been  known  for  a  long  time  that 
even  large  trees  can  be  moved  from  one 
place    to    another   without   injury.     This 


ened  from  the  deep  sand.    After  the  ex- 
perience of  furnishing  to  one  of  his  guests 
a  pair  of  mules  and  a  quantity  of  heavy 
planks,  he  devised  a  much  less  trouble- 
some method  for  the  next  case.     He  got 
I     from  his  barn  an  old  horse  blanket  and 
I     spread  it  on  the  ground  in  front  of  the 
!      drivewheels.     The  difficulty,  of  course,  is 
I     the  tendency  of  a  heavy  machine  to  bury 
I     itself  in  the  sand,  by  constant  efforts  to 
start.    As  soon  as  the  wheels  climb  onto 
'      the  horse   blanket,  even   if  they  drag  it 
part  way  down  into  the  sand  with  them, 
the  burying  tendency  is  checked. — Samuel 
C.  Appleby,  Baltimore,  Md. 


By  Digging  Out  the  Ground  Properly  and  Providing 

Runwayt  of  Lumber  It  Is  Possible  to  Remove 

Large  Trees  Successfully 

must  be  carried  out  during  the  natural 
resting  time  of  the  tree,  that  is,  in  the 
winter.  The  remover  of  big  trees  strives 
at  all  cost  to  avoid  injuring  the  roots 
more  than  is  absolutely  necessary,  and  to 
this  end  a  square  of  soil  is  cut  out  all 
around  the  tree.  On  one  side,  an  opening, 
or  slipway,  is  made,  as  can  be  seen  in  the 
photograph. 

The  most  difficult  part  of  all  is  to  cut 
under  the  tree  so  as  to  sever  the  roots 
that  may  have  penetrated  to  some  depth 
in  the  soil.  Several  small  tunnels  are 
opened  up,  and  from  these  the  separation 
of  the  tree  from  the  subsoil  is  carried  out. 
Planks  of  wood  are  slipped  under  the  tree 
to  act  as  runners  on  a  track  which  is 
prepared.  The  tree  is  then  hauled  by 
horses  or,  in  the  case  of  a  very  large 
specimen,  by  mechanical  power.  The 
ropes  are  placed  round  the  square  of 
earth,  as  it  is  dangerous  to  pull  on  any 
part  of  the  tree  itself.  Before  the  re- 
moval of  the  tree  is  attempted,  the  new 
position  must  be  ready.  Down  toward  the 
excavation,  a  track  is  cut  out  so  that  the 
tree  will  travel  easily  into  the  new  loca- 
tion.— S.  Leonard  Bastin,  Bournemouth, 
England. 


Starting  Auto  in  Deep  Sand 

A  farmer,  located  in  a  very  sandy  coun- 
try, was  sometimes  embarrassed  because 
friends  who  came  to  see  him  found  that, 
upon  leaving,  they  encountered  a  great 
deal  of  trouble  in  getting  their  cars  Toos- 


A  Stove  That  Bums  Sawdust 

A  simple  stove  made  of  sheet  iron, 
using  only  sawdust  for  fuel,  will  burn 
a  long  while  on  one  charge,  giving  suffi-- 
cient  heat  to  cook  a  meal.  The  stove  it- 
self is  an  iron  can,  from  6  to  8  in.  in 
diameter,  and  about  the  same  height. 
The  bottom  must  be  riveted  to  the  sides. 
A  1-in.  hole  is  cut  on  one  side,  1  in.  from 
the  bottom.  Around  the  top  of  the  can, 
a  number  of  notches  are  cut,  %  in.  deep 
and  V2  in.  wide.  To  start  the  fire, 
sprinkle  sawdust  in  the  bottom  of  the  can 
up  to  the  1-in.  opening.  In  this  hole  place 
a  round  piece  of  wood  long  enough  to 
reach  a  little  past  the  center  of  the  can, 
and  to  leave  a  grasping  length  outside. 
Rest  a  similar  piece  vertically  upon  the 
first  one,  in  the  center  of  the  can.  Then 
pack  sawdust  tightly  to  the  level  of  the 
notches  in  the  top.  After  carefully  re- 
moving both  sticks  so  as  not  to  jar  saw- 
'  dust  into  the  holes  left,  stuff  a  bit  of 
crumpled   paper   into   the    1-in.  opening, 


A  Simple  Sheet-Iron  Stove.  Which  Bums  Sawdust, 
Furnishes  Heat  Enough  to  Cook  a  Meal 

and  light.  In  a  few  minutes  the  whole 
mass  of  sawdust  will  glow  with  a  red  heat 
which  will  last  for  a  long  time. 


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Removing  Wall  Paper  with  Steam 

Stripping  wall  paper  from  the  walls  of 
a  room  is  a  tedious  and  unpleasant  task. 
The  following  method  has  been  found  to 
do  this  work  satisfactorily:  Remove  all 
furniture  from  the  room  and  take  up  the 
floor  covering;  place,  in  the  middle  of 
the  room,  some  kind  of  a  portable  stove 
with  a  big  pan  of  water  on  top.  Light 
the  stove  and  close  all  the  windows  and 
doors;  when  the  room  becomes  full  of 
steam,  it  will  soften  the  paste  which  has 
been  used  for  sticking  the  paper  on  the 
wall.  After  an  hour  or  more  of  the 
steaming,  it  will  be  easy  to  remove  the 
paper. 

Small  Drafting  Work  Easily  Done 

without  a  T-Square 

Small  mechanical  drawings,  which  con- 
sist   mostly    of    horizontal    and    vertical 
lines,  are  made  most  quickly  by  using,  in- 
stead of  a  T-square,  a  straightedge  and 
the  45°  triangle.    Clamp  the  straightedge 
to    the    table,    di- 
agonally,   so    that 
it  is  below  and  to 
the    right    of    the 
space    where    the 
drawing  is  to   be 
made.       Lay     the 
triangle   with   the 
long   side   against 
the    straightedge ; 

the     triangle 

should  be  large 
enough  so  that,  as  it  slides  along  the 
straightedge,  it  will  pass  over  the 
whole  space  to  be  covered  by  the  draw- 
ing; that  is,  the  drawing  will  lie  be- 
tween the  straightedge  and  the  line  of  mo- 
tion of  the  vertex  of  the  triangle.  If  these 
conditions  are  fulfilled,  all  vertical  and 
horizontal  lines  can  be  made  with  the  two 
sides  of  the  triangle;  for  lines  at  45°,  60®, 
or  other  angles,  other  triangles  or  a  pro- 
tractor will  be  required,  as  usual. 


it  allows  the  chute  to  be  used  in  a  num- 
ber of  positions,  and  gives  it  a  firmer  hold 


Adjustable   Chute  for  Coal  Wagon 

The  ordinary  chute  used  by  coal  dealers 
does  not  always  make  it  possible  to  fill 
the  customer's  bin  without  carrying.  It 
is  often  supported  by  boxes  and  barrels, 
but  this  is  not  satisfactory.  The  chute 
can  be  made  to  fit  a  greater  number  of 
cases,  and  to  giVe  better  service  where 
used,  by  making  an  adjustable  support  for 
it  on  tne  back  of  the  wagon.  This  sup- 
port is  really  a  part  of  the  wagon  box,  but 


than  is  obtained  by  the  usual  method  of 
hanging  it  over  the  edge  of  the  box.  , 
Changing  the  corner  brace  of  the  wag- 
on box  to  meet  the  requirements  may 
not  be  possible;  a  new  brace  is  more 
practical.  It  should  be  made  of  heavy 
iron,  the  dimensions  depending  on  the 
wagon  and  the  chute.  Two  lugs,  or  ears, 
on  the  brace  support  a  heavy  iron  rod 
which  turns,  hinge-fashion,  on  the  lugs. 
A  collar  on  the  rod  is  provided  with  a  set- 
screw  so  that  the  height  of  the  chute 
with  reference  to  the  wagon  box  may  be 
regulated.  Heavy  hooks  on  the  chute  fit 
over  the  rod,  making  a  steady,  firm  sup- 
port. If  both  back-corner  braces  are 
changed  in  this  manner  such  a  variety 
of  positions  is  possible  that  the  chute 
nearly  always  can  be  used  successfully. — 
M.  E.  Duggan,  Kenosha,  Wis. 


Stop  on  Faucet  Avoids 

Oil  Leakage 

Quite  frequently  the  faucet  on  an  oil- 
supply  can,  such  as  is  used  around  a  ma- 
chine shop  for  storing  lard  and  machine 
oil,     is    not     pro- 
vided with  a  stop, 
with     the     result 
that  in  closing  the 
cock  it  is  pushed 
too     far,     and 
leakage  and  waste 
of   oil    result.     A 
simple   and   easily 
applied    stop, 
which    is    a    suc- 
cessful  cure  for 

this  difficulty,  consists  of  a  strip  of  metal, 
bent  to  the  shape  shown,  and  soldered  in 
place  so  that  the  end  of  the  handle  strikes 
it,  and  is  thus  prevented  from  moving  be- 
yond the  closed  position. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


A  Barrel  Tumbler  for  Punch  Shop 
or  Foundry 

The  usual  method  of  removing  burs 
from  punched  parts  or  sharp  edges,  and 
molding  sand  from  fresh  castings,  is  to 


A  Tumbler  Made  from  an  Ordinair  Barrel  will  Do 
Good  Work  in  the  Small  Shop 

tumble  them  about  in  a  rotating  con- 
tainer. Broken  pieces  of  carborundum 
wheels,  emery  sand,  or  some  other  abra- 
sive, are  usually  placed  in  the  container 
to  hasten  the  burring  process.  The  small 
foundry  or  punch  shop  cannot  well  af- 
ford to  be  without  such  a  tumbler,  par- 
ticularly when  one  may  be  easily  con- 
structed from  a  stout  barrel.  If  the  parts 
to  be  tumbled  are  light  in  weight,  a  drive 
shaft,  1  in.  in  diameter,  may  be  used. 
This  rod  should  be  long  enough  to  pass 
through  the  barrel  and  allow  about  1  ft. 
to  project  from  each  head,  as  shown  in 
the  sketch.  A  heavy  block  of  hard  wood 
strengthens  the  heads  where  the  shaft 
passes  through.  A  steel  pin  is  driven 
through  the  wooden  block,  and  into  a 
hole  drilled  in  the  rod,  so  that  the  barrel 
will  turn  with  the  shaft.  Suitable  stand- 
ards with  bearings  are  provided  to  sup- 
port the  tumbler,  and  a  pulley  is  placed 
on  the  shaft  so  the  device  may  be  driven 
from  some  outside  source.  Bearings  may 
be  made  by  wrapping  the  shaft  with  pa- 
per, and  casting  babbitt  around  it. 

A  hole  should  be  cut  in  the  side  of  the 
barrel,  approximately  2  ft.  long  and  1  ft. 
wide.  It  will  be  necessary  to  sever  the 
steel  hoops  at  the  point  where  the  hole 
is  cut,  but  before  doing  so,  nail  or  screw 
the  hoops  to  the  barrel,  near  the  cut-off 
point.  «^  Thus  these  hoops  will  remain 
to  help  strengthen  the  barrel.  The  cover 
placed  over  the  hole  is  made  of  sheet 
steel,  and  arranged  so  it  can  be  quickly 
placed  in  position  or  removed  at  will.  A 
good  method  is  to  let  one  end  swing  on 
a    heavy    bolt,    while    the    other    end    is 


shaped  so  it  will  hook  over  another  bolt, 
which,  when  tightened,  will  hold  the  cov- 
er rigid. — Kenneth  Coggeshall,  Webster 
Groves,  Mo. 


Asbestos  Hood  for  a  Soldering  Iron 

An  ordinary  soldering  iron  may  be  car- 
ried some  distance  from  the  source  of 
heat,  artd  be  kept  at  working  tempera- 
ture for  15  or  20  minutes,  if  the  point  is 
covered  with  a  thick  asbestos  hood, 
made  from  several  layers  of  sheet  asbes- 
tos.— K.  M.  Anderson,  Temple,  Texas. 


A  Substantial  Flagpole 

A  neat,  substantial  flagstaff  is  made  of 
12  ft.  of  2-in.  galvanized-iron  pipe,  a  2-in. 
to  1^-in.  reducer,  8  ft.  of  l^^-in.  pipe,  a 
1^-in.  to  %-in.  reducer,  6  ft.  of  %-in. 
pipe,  and  a  %-in.  cap,  put  together  in  the 
order  named.  Through  the  center  of  the 
cap  a  %-in.  hole  is  drilled  for  the  bolt 
which  holds  the  small  galvanized  pulley 
to  tbe  top  of  the  pole.  A  galvanized 
hook  for  the  rope  is  clamped  to  the  pole, 
6  ft.  from  the  lower  end,  with  a  strap  of 
galvanized  iron.  A  %-in.  rope  of  the  best 
quality  should  be  threaded  through  the 
pulley.  The  staff  is  set  upon  a  rock  in  the 
bottom  of  a  hole,  2*4  ft.  deep  and  2  ft.  in 
diameter,  and  is  braced  temporarily. 
Around  it  is  poured  a  rather  wet  mixture 
of  1  part  cement,  2  parts  clean  river  sand, 
and  3  parts  crushed  rock.     This  should 


A  Flagpole  Made  of  Iron  Pipe  and  Pktinga.  and  Set 

in  Concrete.  Is  Durable  in  Conatniction  and 

Graceful  in  Appearance 

be  rounded  up  above  the  surface  of  the 
ground.  When  the  base  has  set  firmly, 
the  braces  may  be  removed. 


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A  Swinging  Elevator  for  Trunks  and  Light  Freight 


A  peculiar  form  of  hand-power  eleva- 
tor, consisting  of  a  hinged  platform  used 
in  connection  with  a  rope  and  tackle, 
will  be  found  useful  in  homes  where 
trunks  are  stored  in  the  attic,  and  in 
many  small  shops  where  freight  has  to 
be  moved  by  hand  from  one  story  to  an- 
other. 

The  elevator  is  best  built  in  connection 
with  a  stairway,  although  this  is  not  a 
necessary  feature.  The  platform  proper 
is  made  of  2-in.  material,  or  lengths  of 
1-in.  lumber  very  strongly  braced.  At 
one  end,  it  is  attached  with  good  strong 
hinges,  as  shown,  while  at  the  other  end 
an  end  board  is  placed,  large  enough  so 
that,  when  it  is  swung  down  into  the 
lower  position,  a  trunk  or  box  may  be 
raised  onto  it  and  will  rest  there  securely. 
If  this  end  board  is  braced  on  both  sides, 
as  shown,  it  will  be  necessary  to  detach 
the  pulley  block  when  loading  on  the 
freight.  This  is  the  preferable  method, 
as  it  is  very  little  trouble  to  detach  the 
block,  and  the  braces  on  both  sides  add 
much  to  the  strength  of  the  elevator.  It 
may  be  desirable  to  leave  off  one  of  the 
braces,  since  the  freight  can  then  be 
loaded  from  the  side  without  detaching 
the  pulley  block.  The  upper  pulley  may 
be  fastened  to  the  ceiling  joists,  or  raft- 
ers, of  the  floor  above.  If  sufficient  pow- 
er is  not  obtained  by  pulling  the  rope 
with  the  hands,  it  is,  of  course,  possible 
to  provide  a  windlass,  or  other  means 
of  increasing  the  pull,  but  this  will  not 
be  necessary  for  trunks  and  like  objects. 


If  the  elevator  is  only  to  be  used  occa- 
sionally, it  is  entirely  possible  to  leave 


Tnmkt  are  Lifted  to  the  Upper  Floor  by  Placing 

Them  on  the  Swinging  Platform  and 

Pulling  on  the  Rope 

it  in  the  upper  position  so  that  its  floor 
forms  a  part  of  the  second-story  floor. 
The  rope  end  can  also  be  carried  up  the 
stairway  and  fastened  on  a  hook  above, 
so  that  no  part  of  the  elevator  is  in  evi- 
dence on  the  lower  floor.  For  places 
where  the  elevator  would  be  in  more  fre- 
quent use,  it  would  be  well  to  provide  a 
hook,  such  as  the  one  shown,  on  the  wall, 
where  the  end-pulley  block  can  be  hung, 
out  of  the  way  but  easily  attached  to  the 
elevator  in  a  few  seconds. 

This  type  of  elevator  is  not  adapted 
for  freight  which  must  be  kept  standing 
upright,  but  this  will  not  be  found  to  in- 
terfere seriously  with  its  usefulness. — C. 
H.  Patterson,  Portland,  Ore. 


Countersinking  Center  Drills 

Held  in  Special  Chucks 

Combination  countersink  and  center 
drills  are  in  general  use  in  machine  shops, 
but  many  shops  have  inadequate  means 
of  holding  them.  The  sketch  shows  two 
forms  of  chuck  which  are  readily  made 
for  this  purpose.  '  The  lower  one  is  turned 
from  a  bar  of  machine  steel,  and  has 
merely  a  hole  in  the  end,  with  a  setscrew 
for  holding  the  drill.  The  taper  of  the 
chuck  is  made  to  fit  the  tailstock  of  the 
lathe.  The  upper  sketch  shows  a  chuck 
made  from  a  worn-out  %-in.  twist  drill. 
The  end  is  turned  down  and  threaded 
with  a  taper  thread.  A  %-in.  pipe  thread 
was  used  on  this  chuck,  and  a  nut  was 
then  tapped  out  with  a  standard  %-in. 
pipe  tap.  Slots  were  sawed  in  the  threaded 
portion,  making  spring  jaws,  a  hole  being 


drilled  in  the  end.  of  the  right  size  for  the 
center  drills  used.  The  piece  of  twist 
drill  should  be  retempered  after  it  is  cut 


Two  Handy  Forms  of  Chuck.  ReadUy  Made,  to  Take 

the  Combination  Countersink  and  Center  Drills 

Which  have  Proved  So  Popular 

to  this  shape,  and  the  nut  should  be  case- 
hardened,  or,  if  convenient,  a  nut  may 
be  made  from  carbon  steel  and  tempered. 
— M.  L.  Lowrey,  Livermore,  Calif. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


Load  of  Lumber  Hauled  by  Light 

Car  and  Hand  Truck 

A  load  of  20-ft.  lumber  was  to  be  re- 
moved, and  no  wagon  or  truck  of  the 
necessary  length  was  available.    The  illus- 


How  a  Light  Automobile  and  a  Hand  Truck  were 

Made  to  Do  the  Work  of  a  Long  Wagon 

in  Hauling  a  Load  of  Lumber 

tration  shows  how  the  job  was  done  with 
a  light  automobile  and  a  hand  truck  bor- 
rowed from  a  grocery.  The  rope  from  the 
rear  axle  of  the  car  to  the  hand  truck 
pulled  the  load,  while  the  rope  around 
the  rear  end  of  the  lumber  held  the  truck 
off  the  ground. — Edwin  L.  Camp,  Hunt- 
ington Park,  Calif. 


Emergency  Call-Bell  System 
Has  Permanent  Wiring 

When  a  person  is  taken  sick  in  one 
room  of  a  house,  and  must  have  means  of 
calling  for  assistance  from  a  person  in 
another  room,  an  electric-bell  signaling 
system  always  is  desirable.  In  time  of 
sickness,  however,  there  is  likely  to  be 
small  opportunity  to  rig  up  such  a  system, 


A  Call-Bell  System  Which  Meets  Emergencies  with- 
out  Delay:    Bach  Room  Has  a  Push  Button  Perma- 
nently Installed,  and  the  Bell  can  be  Carried  to  Any 
Room  Desired  and  at  Once  Placed  in  Service 

and  its  absence  may  cause  real  distress. 
An  effective  way  to  be  prepared  for  this 


condition,  at  no  great  expense,  is  to  install 
in  each  bedroom,  within  easy  access  of 
the  bed,  a  push  button,  mounted  on  a 
block,  as  shown  in  the  sketch.  These  but- 
tons are  connected,  in  parallel,  to  a  pair 
of  wires  which  connect  all  the  different 
rooms.  At  the  top  of  the  block  are  two 
screws,  each  of  which  is  connected  to  one 
side  of  the  wiring  system.  One  or  more 
bell  boards,  such  as  shown  in  the  upper 
right-hand  corner,  are  then  made,  so  that 
they  can  be  hung  on  the  two  screws  in 
any  room  where  the  bell  may  be  desired. 
The  bell  is  mounted  in  series  with  one  or 
two  dry  cells  on  this  board,  and  the  wires 
run  underneath  the  board  to  the  two 
sheet-brass  lugs,  which  serve  the  double 
purpose  of  supporting  the  board  on  the 
screws  and  of  conducting  current  into 
the  wires.  The  weight  of  the  bell  board 
will  be  sufficient  to  give  a  firm  contact,  if 
the  two  lugs  are  set  a  good  distance  apart, 
and  the  weight  on  the  board  is  fairly  well 
balanced. 

Should  sickness  occur  in  any  room,  it 
is  then  only  necessary  to  see  that  the  pa- 
tient is  within  reach  of  the  push  button, 
and  to  hang  the  bell  board  in  whatever 
room  the  nurse  or  attendant  will  be.  Two 
or  more  boards  can  be  used,  the  same 
push  button  then  sounding  the  bells 
wherever  they  are  placed.  If  the  at- 
tendant's work  calls  her  to  another  room, 
she  can  lift  the  bell  board  from  the 
screws,  take  it  with  her  to  the  other  room, 
and  hang  it  above  the  push  button  there. 
In  rooms  where  use  may  at  some  time  be 
found  for  one  of  the  bells,  but  which  are 
never  used  as  bedrooms,  it  is  not  neces- 
sary to  install  buttons,  but  merely  the 
two  screws  the  proper  distance  apart,  con- 
nected to  the  two  wires  which  run  from 
room  to  room. 

In  an  ordinary  call-bell  system,  the  ad- 
dition of  extra  bells  to  be  sounded  simul- 
taneously means  extra  strain  on  the  bat- 
teries, which  they  may  not  be  able  to 
stand.  With  this  system  of  wiring,  each 
bell  has  its  own  battery,  so  that  any  num- 
ber of  them  can  be  hung  up  in  different 
places  and  operated  by  any  one  of  the  push 
buttons  without  any  extra  load  on  the 
batteries.  The  bell  board  may  be  rigged 
as  shown,  or,  if  a  louder  alarm  is  wanted, 
two  cells  may  be  used,  one  on  each  side 
of  the  bell,  in  order  to  balance  the  weight 
properly.  In  times  when  there  is  no 
sickness,  the  call  system  may  be  put  to 
various  other  uses,  and  in  any  case,  at 
least  one  bell  board  should  at  all  times  be 
kept  on  hand,  with  a  battery  mounted  on 
it,  which  is  in  serviceable  condition. — 
H.  E.  Gifford,  Medford,  Mass. 


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Lighter  for  the  Gas  Torch 
Made  from  a  Spark  Plug 

It  is  the  practice  in  some  shops  to  leave 
a  welding  torch  burning  with  a  small 
flame  when  it  is  not  in  use,  owing  to  the 
time  required  for  lighting  it.  Aside  from 
the  danger  of  fire  caused  by  this  custom, 
it  always  wastes  more  or  less  gas,  which 
is  not  necessary  if  some  apparatus  such 
as  that  shown  in  the  sketch  is  provided. 
Underneath  the  bench,  in  a  box  mounted 
for  the  purpose,  are  placed  four  or  five 
dry  cells,  connected  in  the  usual  way  to 
a  jump-spark  coil,  such  as  used  on  auto- 
mobiles or  stationary  gas  engines.  The 
high-tension  terminals  of  the  spark  coil 
are  connected  to  a  spark  plug,  mounted 
as  shown  in  the  detail,  so  that  the  points 
are  flush  with  the  bench.  In  the  primary 
circuit  is  connected  a  push  button,  which 
may  be  located  on  the  floor,  preferably 
sunk  into  it,  so  as  to  project  no  farther 
than  the  necessary  distance  for  pushing 
the  button  with  the  foot.  The  torch  is 
lighted  by  turning  on  the  gas.  and  bring- 
ing the  nozzle  near  the  spark  plug,  at  the 
same  time  pressing  the  button  with  the 
foot.  The  time  required  for  this  opera- 
tion is  practically  none,  after  the  work- 
man has  become  familiar  with  the  loca- 
tion of  the  button  and  spark  plug.  In 
the  upper  right-hand  comer  of  the  sketch 
is  shown  a  simple  method  of  making  a 
stand  or  rack  for  the  torch,  which  will 
be  handy  in  connection  with  the  light- 
ing apparatus. 

While  the  gas  saved  is  perhaps  a  small 
item,  the  element  of  safety  is  more  im- 


WELOINQ  TOnCH 
aURTACC  PLATE 


ground) 

WIRE 


A  Spark  Plug.  Sunk  in  the  Bench,  and  Connected  to 

n  Coil  and  Battery  of  Dry  CeUs,  Eliminates  the 

Necessity  of  Leaving  the  Torch  Burning 

portant,  and  since  the  amount  of  current 
used  is  very  small,  the  apparatus  will  be 
advantageous  in  many  shops  where  the 


all-around  usefulness  of  a  welding  torch 
is  appreciated. — C.  C.  Spreen,  Detroit, 
Michigan. 


Portable  Fence  Formed  of  Easily 
Detached  Sections 

Modern  methods  of  raising  live  stock 
on  the  cafeteria  plan  require  the  use  of 


^e-BOARoa 


Universal    Panel    with    Interlocking    Ends    Builds 
Poruble  Pence  to  Confine  Stock  to  Small  Peed  Areas 

a  succession  of  pasture  crops,  planted  in 
rotation  to  mature  at  just  the  time  when 
they  give  the  greatest  food  value,  and  in 
the  amounts  best  calculated  to  furnish 
the  necessary  feed  without  waste.  To 
use  the  plan  with  the  greatest  success  it 
is  necessary  to  confine  the  stock  to  the 
feeding  groiMid  ready  at  the  time,  so  that 
they  will  not  injure  or  waste  the  growing 
crops.  Since  it  is  not  practical  to  cut  a 
farm  permanently  into  small  fields,  some 
system  of  portable  fences  must  be  used. 
Snch  a  fence  is  set  up  very  quickly  by 
using  a  universal  panel  which  may  be 
put  together  in  either  of  two  ways,  and 
which  may  be  made  of  any  size  desired. 
The  panels  are  built  of  boards,  6  in.  wide 
and  1  in.  thick.  At  one  end  of  each  panel 
a  space  is  left  into  which  an  interlocking 
end  of  a  similar  panel  will  fit.  The  pan- 
els are  made  rigid  with  an  inverted-V 
brace.  The  fence  may  be  set  up  with  the 
interlocking  members  forming  a  sort  of 
zigzag,  in  which  case  the  fence  needs  no 
other  support;  or,  if  so  desired,  the  pan- 
els may  be  placed  in  a  strai^^ht  line,  when 
it  will  be  necessary  to  drive  stakes  on 
each  side  of  the  interlocking  joints.— 
Herbert  A.  Shearer,  Chicago,  111. 


Rubber  Cement  for  Repairing 
Tire  Valve 

A  bicycle  rider  found  himself  IS  miles 
.from  the  nearest  village,  with  a  fast-leak- 
ing tire  valve,  due  to  the  rubber  washer 
being  worn  out.  Remembering  that  he 
had  some  rubber  cement  in  a  tube,  he  ap- 
plied a  small  quantity  of  it  to  the  worn 
washer,  and  after  letting  it  dry,  inserted  it 
again  in  the  valve  stem.  It  served  the  pur- 
pose perfectly  until  a  new  valve  stem  could 
be  obtained. — Raymond  Lister,  Winnipeg, 
Manitoba,  Can. 


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Headrest   for   Auto    Mechanic   Strapped 

to  His  Head 

An  automobile  mechanic  who  had  ex- 
perimented with  various  devices  to   rest 
his  head  upon,  while  working  underneath 
a  car,  found  that 
they  were  all  lia- 
ble  to   the   objec- 
tion    that,     when 
moving  around,  it 
was     difficult     to 
move     them     and 
get    them    in    the 
right    place    with- 
out losing  consid- 
erable   time.     He 
then   made  a  pad 
consisting     of     a 
block    of    wood 
lined  with  felt,  to 
fit  the  back  of  his  head,  and  provided  it 
with    a    piece    of    tape    which    was    tied 
around  his  forehead.    He  could  thus  move 
around  under  the  car  without  worry  as  to 
whether  his  head  would  come  down  in  a 
puddle  of  grease  on  the  floor.    Should  the 
headrest  come  in  contact  with  such  a  pud- 
dle, no  other  precaution  is  necessary  than 
to   slip   it   off   the   head   before   standing 
erect. — Glenn  Bron,  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah. 


The  Auto  Stop  Block  Reduced 
to  Efficiency 

To  keep  cars  in  place  on  the  floor  of 
the  garage,  the  usual  method  is  to  set  a 
block  of  wood  against  the  tire,  kicking  it 
into  place  with  the  foot,  which  is  a  very 
easy  and  effective 
process.  The  trou- 
ble comes  in  re- 
moving the  block, 
if  it  is  tightly 
wedged  in.  To 
overcome  this  diffi- 
culty, a  large  east- 
em  garage  uses 
specially  shaped 
blocks,  fitted  with 
pieces  of  gas  pipe 
for  handles.  The 
blocks  can  thus  be 
removed  in  less 
time,  and  quite  easily. — P.  P.  Avery,  Gar- 
field, N.  J. 


([Repair  gums  and  tire  fabrics  received  in 
cold  weather  sometimes  appear  lifeless 
when  they  are  merely  frozen.  Thaw  out 
the  material  in  a  warm  room  before 
using  it. 


Spring-Opening  Lock  Fitted 
on  Ruling  Pen 

A  small,  stiff  piece  of  spring  steel,  drilled 
to  fit  under  the  thumbscrew  on  an  ordi- 
nary ruling  pen,  converts  it  into  a  spring- 
lock  instrument.  A  curve  on  one  end 
holds  the  blades  together  when  the  metal 
is  turned  the  long  way  of  the  blade,  while 
the  other  end  is  made  long,  to  serve  as 
a  lever  for  unlocking.  This  is  done  by 
swinging  the  lever  to  one  side,  thus  re- 
leasing the  spring  of  the  pen,  and  allow- 
ing the  blades  to  open  for  inking;  swing- 
ing it  back  brings  the  blades  together 
again.  Pens  thus  equipped  give  service 
equal  to  that  of  high-priced  instruments. 
—Elmer  O.  Tetzlaff,  Cicero,  111. 


BAR  OR  DISK 
OF  6TCCL  "^ 


An  Adjustable  Bushing  Puller 

Removing  tight  bushings  is  a  subject 
which  has  engaged  the  ingenuity  of  many 
a  mechanic.  The  device  here  illustrated 
may  often  enable 
one  to  extract, 
without  damage,  a 
bushing  which 
would  otherwise 
have  to  be  cut  in 
two  in  order  to 
remove  it.  The 
materials  neces- 
sary are  a  short 
piece  of  pipe,  a 
steel  bar,  or  disk, 
across  the  top,  two 
pieces  of  steel 
rod,  and  two  nuts. 
Both  pieces  of  rod 
should  be  forged 
at  the  lower  end 
to  the  shape  shown ;  at  the  upper  end  one 
piece  is  threaded  and  the  other  is  left 
smooth.  They  are  riveted  or  bolted  to- 
gether, somewhat  like  a  pair  of  heavy  in- 
side calipers.  The  piece  of  pipe  should 
be  cut  out  at  one  side  to  give  access  to  the 
cone  nut  with  the  fingers.  After  it  is  tight- 
ened, the  bushing  is  pulled  up  by  turning 
the  upper  nut  with  a  wrench. 


Draftsman's  Triangle  with  Raised 
Points  or  Feet 

A  draftsman's  triangle,  of  wood  or 
composition  material,  may  be  fitted  with 
three  brass  plugs,  or  rivets,  located  near 
the  three  corners  of  the  triangle,  riveted 
over  to  form  similar  heads  on  both  sides. 
These  will  give  two  advantages  in  use.  The 
tendency  of  the  ruling  pen  to  blur  the  line 


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when  the  mk  comes  in  contact  with  the 
triangle  will  be  eliminated,  and  the  tri- 
angle will  be  much  easier  to  lift  from  the 
table,  as  there  will  be  sufficient  space 
under  it  to  insert  the  finger  nail.  Triangles 
fitted  up  in  this  way  will  save  much  time 
for  the  draftsman  and  tracer. — G.  A. 
Luers,  Washington,  D.  C. 


Inspector's  Stamp  Built  into  Hammer 

Stamping  of  wood,  or  soft-metal,  parts, 
such  as  might  be  required  after  inspection, 
is  most  quickly  accomplished  by  con- 
structing a  stamp- 
ing hammer,  as 
shown  in  the 
sketch.  A  wooden 
head  and  handle 
are  formed  out  of 
pieces  of  fairly 
hard,  heavy  wood, 
and  a  socket  is  cut 
in  the  head  so  that 
the  metal  stamp 
can  be  driven  in 
securely.  To  stamp  an  article,  simply 
strike  a  blow  with  the  tool,  instead  of 
using  the  stamp  with  a  hammer.  Such  a 
device  is  of  use  in  stamping  either  inspec- 
tion marks,  figures,  or  letters  required  in 
processes  of  manufacture. 


HAROWOOO  HEAD 


Valve  Grinder  Made  from  Washer 

A  valve-grinding  tool  such  as  this  will 
be  found  very  handy  for  valves  which  are 
provided  with  two  holes  for  gripping 
them  while  grinding,  rather  than  with  a 
slot.      The    shank 


ft"COI-0-ROlXC0 
••        STCEL.  "« 


J 


-*^-^^ 


may  be  held  in  a 
bit  brace,  or  it 
may  be  made 
longer  and  bent 
to  the  shape  indi- 
cated, so  as  to  be 
used  like  a  bit 
brace  itself.  A 
heavy  iron  washer 
of  the  proper  size 
is  cut  in  half  and 
filed  so  as  to 
leave  the  two  lugs  projecting  the  proper, 
distance  apart  to  fit  the  holes  in  the  valve. 
The  shank  is  then  pinned  to  the  center  of 
this  semicifcular  piece,  and  the  tool  is 
ready  for  use.  It  will  be  seen  that  the  tool 
has  the  advantage  of  equalizing  the  pres- 
sure on  all  sides  of  the  valve,  which  greatly 
assists  the  formation  of  a  good  fit  all 
around  the  valve  seat. — J.  E.  Barkley,  De- 
troit, Mich. 


Footstool  Made  from  Harness  Hooks 

A  novel  and  pretty  footstool  may  be 
made  from  a  board,  about  12  in.  square; 
four    harness 
hooks,  6  in.  long 
or    over,     and    a 
piece  of  brocaded 
velvet,  or  leather, 
for  covering.  Saw 
oflF  the  corners  of 
the    board,    being 
sure    to    get    the 
sides    of    equal 
length,  thus  mak- 
ing an  octagon.    Screw  the  four  harness 
hooks  under  the  stool  where  the  corners 
were  cut  off.     Pad  the  top  of  the  stool, 
and  cover  it  with  the  brocaded  velvet  or 
leather.    Turn  the  edges  of  the  covering 
material  under  at  the  lower  edge,  and  fas- 
ten  with   tacks,  completing  the   stool. — 
Mrs.  Grace  E.  Willey,  Concord,  N.  H. 


'Wires  across  Barrel  Heads 
Give  Protection 

A  concern  which  every  year  ships  many 
tons  of  iron  castings  in  barrels  had  trou- 
ble from  the  heads  of  the  barrels  being 
knocked  out.  It  was  found  to  help  a 
great  deal  in  preventing  this  to  fix  across 
the  end  of  the  edge  of  the  barrel  heads 
stout  steel  wires, 
twisted  together, 
as  shown  in  the 
sketch.  Four 
holes  were  drilled 
under  the  first 
hoop ;  the  wire 
was  passed  from 
one  hole  to  the  op- 
posite one,  dou- 
bled back,  firmly  twisted,  and  spliced.  The 
crossing  wire  was  put  in  in  the  same 
way.  The  barrels  held  together  during 
long  trips  and  much  rough  handling. — 
Irl  R.  Hicks,  Centralia,  Mo. 


Reaming  Large  Holes  with  an  Ordinary 

Twist  Drill 

Large  holes  that  must  be  still  further 
enlarged  can  easily  be  reamed  with  a 
twist  drill,  when  the  desired  size  of 
reamer  cannot  be  had.  By  procuring 
round  oak  plugs,  turned  to  a  driving  fit, 
and  driving  these  plugs  into  the  hole  to 
be  reamed,  the  drill  will  be  less  likely  to 
bind  and  wobble,  and  therefore  less  lia- 
ble to  bjeakage  than  when  trying  to  drill 
the  holes  without  the  plugs. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


An  AU-Metal  Coat  Rack 

A  clothes  rack  for  the  shop,  which  is 
very  strong  and  durable  and  free  from 
dirt-catching  corners,  is  made  as  shown 


A  Stout  Sanitary  Coat  Rack  ia  Readily  Made  in  a 

Pew  Minutes  from  Three  Pieces  of  Pipe,  Some 

Wire  Netting,  and  Scraps  of  Iron  Rod 

in  the  sketch.  On  a  frame,  consisting  of 
three  pieces  of  1^-in.  pipe  screwed  into 
flanges  on  the  floor,  is  hung  a  length  of 
poultry-wire  netting  to  separate  the  gar- 
ments hung  on  one  side  of  the  rack  from 
those  hung  on  the  other.  To  the  hori- 
zontal pipe  are  attached  the  hooks,  which 
may  be  arranged  in  any  of  several  differ- 
ent ways.  The  arrangement  in  the  lower 
right-hand  corner  is  simple,  the  hook 
consisting  merely  of  a  piece  of  ^-in.  iron 
rod,  driven  through  a  hole  drilled  in  the 
pipe,  and  bent  into  shape  with  a  hammer 
and  round  anvil.  The  hook  arrangement 
in  the  left-hand  corner  gives  greater  ca- 
pacity to  the  rack,  but  is  slightly  more 
expensive.  With  either  of  these  types  of 
hooks,  it  is  advisable  to  put  a  pin  through 
the  elbow  at  one  end  of  the  horizontal 
pipe,  so  as  to  keep  it  from  turning,  in  case 
one  side  should  be  overloaded  with  heavy 
clothes. 


the  bottom.  The  first  use  of  the  crane, 
shown  in  the  upper  left-hand  corner  of 
the  sketch,  is  to  raise  the  rear  end  of  the 
truck  from  the  ground  up  to  the  height  of 
the  loading  platform,  whenever  this  is 
necessary.  For  this  purpose,  the  pulley 
blocks,  two  at  each  side,  are  arranged  as 
shown,  and  turning  the  crank  at  the  right 
raises  the  truck  to  any  height  desired. 
Before  this  is  attempted,  the  front  wheels 
must  be  securely  blocked,  front  and  rear, 
since,  with  the  rear  wheels  off  the  ground, 
the  brakes  on  an  ordinary  truck  are  of  no 
use. 

After  the  truck  is  in  position,  it  may  be 
held  there  either  by  the  rope,  and  the 
pawl  acting  against  the  ratchet,  or  by  put- 
ting a  pin  across  through  the  crane  and 
the  frame  members.  If  it  is  held  in  the 
latter  way,  the  upper  pulley  blocks  can 
then  be  detached  from  the  top  of  the 
crane,  and  the  same  tackle  can  be  used 
to  pull  the  load  on  or  off  of  the  truck, 
as  shown  in  the  lower  sketch.  Finally, 
after  the  job  of  loading  or  unloading  is 
done,  the  upper  pulley  block  may  be 
shifted  down  to  a  hook  on  the  bottom 
plate  of  the  crane,  and  it  can  then  be 
raised  by  turning  the  crank  high  enough 
so  that  the  pin  can  be  placed  through  the 
frame  members,  thus  attaching  the  crane 
firmly  to  the  truck  for  carrying.  It  is 
then  swung  down  to  the  position  shown 
dotted  in  the  upperr  sketch,  where  it  rests 


Crane  at  Rear  of  Truck  Helps 

Load  and  Unload 

For  a  truck  man,  or  anyone  engaged  in 
general  hauling,  the  idea  of  a  crane  built 
.onto  the  back  end  of  a  truck  presents 
great  possibilities  in  the  way  of  cutting 
down  the  time  and  number  of  men  re- 
quired for  heavy  jobs  of  loading  and  un- 
loading. The  frame  of  the  crane  may 
consist  of  two  pieces  of  channel  steel, 
long  enough  to  reach  from  the  ground 
up  over  the  top  of  any  load  which  may  be 
expected  to  be  carried  on  the  truck;  a 
shorter  channel  across  the  top  of  the  two 
uprights,  and  a  piece  of  flat  sheet  steel  for 


DETAIL  or 
TRUCK  CRANK 


A  Crane  AtUched  to  the  Rear  of  the  Tmck  Often 
Enables  Two  Men  to  Do  with  Base  What  might 
Otherwise  Be  Slow  and  Difficult  for  Three  or  Pour 

securely  during  the  haul,  or  until  it  is 
next  required.  At  the  right,  the  crane  is 
shown   in   greater  detail,   and   suggested 


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means  of  attachment  are  indicated;  these 
will,  of  course,  vary  for  different  types 
of  trucks.  If  the  U-bolt  illustrated  is 
used  for  attaching  the  lower  pulley 
blocks  to  the  crane,  it  will  be  advisable 
to  attach  a  similar  U-bolt  to  the  middle 
of  the  bottom  plate  of  the  crane,  in  order 
that  the  frame  members  may  not  interfere 
with  the  pulley  blocks  when  the  tackle 
is  arranged  for  raising  the  crane  to 
the  carrying  position.  Dimensions  and 
strengths  of  the  various  parts  will  have  to 
be  worked  out  for  each  case  separately,  as 
they  depend  on  the  size,  weight,  and  char- 
acter of  the  truck,  and  the  nature  of  the 
loads  expected. — F.  F.  Burnstead,  Long 
Beach,  Calif. 


or   screws    directly,    and    some    form    of 
blocks  or  braces  should  be  used  under- 


Emergency  Nut  Cast  of  Babbitt 

When  a  nut,  especially  a  large  one  of  a 
certain  size,  must  be  had  for  repair  work, 
and  is  not  to  be  found,  a  good  way  is  to 
make  one  from  babbitt.  In  the  case  illus- 
trated, a  portion  of  a  tin  can  was  bent  up 

to  a  shape  approx- 
'•"^    imating   that    of 

the    nut    desired. 

A  hole  was  made 
^"^     to   fit   the   thread 

of  the  axle,  and 
t         the  can  was  set  in 

place  to  form  a 

mold.      After 

greasing  the 
threads  and  the  mold  with  an  oily  rag, 
babbitt  metal  was  poured  into  the  mold. 
When  cool,  the  tin  is  torn  away  and  a  nut 
remains,  which,  if  it  has  not  the  strength 
of  a  steel  nut,  will  often  give  good  service. 
The  process  is  especially  useful  when  a 
nut  with  a  left-hand  thread  is  required, 
as  left-hand  taps  of  the  required  size  are 
less  likely  to  be  found  handy  than  right- 
hand  taps,  while  the  babbitt  nut  can  be 
used  in  either  case. — W.  J.  Mahnke, 
Coeur  d'Alenc,  Idaho. 


Invalid's  Table  Rests  on  Bed 

For  the  invalid  who  is  able  to  sit  up  in 
bed,  a  great  convenience  is  a  table,  or 
tray,  made  somewhat  shorter  than  the 
width  of  the  bed,  with  supports,  8  or  10  in. 
high,  at  either  end,  so  that  it  can  be  set 
upon  the  bed  directly  over  and  in  front  of 
the  patient.  Three  sides  of  the  top  are 
furnished  with  a  narrow  molding,  and 
small  brass  handles  attached  at  the  ends. 
The  wood  may  be  stained  and  ornamental 
pockets  made  on  its  ends.  These  end 
pieces  can  be  fastened  to  the  top  with  nails 


A  Tray  of  This  Tjrpe,  Which   Extends  across    the 

Patient's  Knees,  will  Often  be  Pound  Handier 

Than  Those *Ordinarily  Used  in  Hospitals 

neath    to    strengthen    the    joints. — Mrs. 
G.  E.  Wilson,  Boston,  Mass. 


A  Scarecrow  with  Moving  Hands 

A  scarecrow  which,  if  not  very  lifelike, 
proved  effective  in  frightening  away  the 
birds,  was  provided  with  "arms"  to  be  re- 
volved by  the  wind.  On  the  ends  of  the 
crossbar  were  mounted  two  sticks  of  pine, 
1  in.  square.  To  one  end  of  these  sticks 
were  fastened  disks  of  bright  tin,  7  in.  in 
diameter;  the  other  end  was  rounded  off, 
and  a  piece  of  iron  or  lead  pipe  was  driven 
on  as  a  weight.  The  holes  through  these 
arms  were  placed  at  the  points  found  by 
balancing  the  arms  after  the  disks  and 
pipe  weights  were  applied;  thus  the 
slightest  breeze  would  cause  them  to  re- 


The  Scarecrow  Waves  Its  Anns  with  Great  Rapidity 

Whenever  a   Slight  Wind   Blows,   and   Is  Very 

Efficient  in  Keeping  Away  the  Predatory  Birds 

volve.  They  will  move  somewhat  more 
freely  if  washers  are  placed  between  them 
and  the  crossbar. — Sylvanus  Van  Aken, 
Port  Ewen,  N.  Y. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


An  Asparagus  Buncher 

A  handy  rack  for  bunching  and  tying 
up  asparagus,  rhubarb,  and  similar  garden 
produce,   is   made  from   two   horseshoes, 


Vegetables,   Such  as  Asparagus,    are  Laid  in  This 

Rack,  Made  from  Horseshoes,  and  are  Held  with 

a  Leather  Strap  While  being  Tied  for  Market 

mounted  on  blocks  of  wood.  The  base 
should  be  about  8  in.  wide  and  13  in.  long. 
A  block,  about  as  high  as  the  horseshoe, 
should  be  used  as  a  headboard.  The 
horseshoes  are  nailed  to  two  blocks, 
sawed  out  as  shown,  and  a  leather  strap, 
tacked  to  the  baseboard,  will  serve  to  hold 
the  bunch  while  it  is  being  tied.  The  ends 
of  the  horseshoes  shoiild  be  set  out  some- 
what with  a  hammer  before  mounting, 
so  as  not  to  bend  inward  at  the  top. 
String  cut  to  the  right  length  is  placed 
on  the  board  before  starting  work. 


Hardening  Long,  Thin  Pieces 

without  Warping 

It  is  difficult  to  harden  a  long,  thin  piece 
of  steel  without  considerable  warping. 
This  is  due  to  the  cooling  of  different 
parts  at  different 
times,  producing 
internal  s  t  r  a  ins. 
If  the  red-hot 
piece  is  allowed  to 
slide  into  the 
liquid  on  a  chute 
held  at  an  angle  of 
about  45'',  it  will 
strike  the  water, 
end  foremost,  and 
cut  into  it  at  once. 
This  gives  better 
results  than  dropping  it  directly  from  the 
tongs,  as  the  latter  allows  it  to  tilt,  which 
will  keep  it  from  cutting  in  sharply  and 
delay  the  contact  of  the  liquid  with  some 
parts  of  the  surface,  thus  causing  warp- 
ing. The  chute  may  be  a  piece  of  scrap 
iron  or  tin,  about  2  ft.  long,  bent  up  on 
two  sides  as  shown. 


^v 

oiure 

^^^ 

N.     ^^ 

^ 

PIECe  TO  BC, 
HAROENCO 

mfc^^^Cj^*^ 

w^S 

■f^^TTTif^ii* 

A  Milk-Bottle  Cover 

The  thin  tin  boxes  in  which  some  kinds 
of  fancy  crackers  are  packed  may  be 
easily  cut  by  scissors  to  make  an  excel- 
lent milk  -  bottle 
cover.  Cut  a  strip 
a  little  wider  than 
the  top  of  the  bot- 
tle, so  that  both 
sides  may  be  bent 
down  to  engage 
the  neck  of  the 
bottle,  the  tin  be- 
ing bent  inward 
on  an  angle  a  lit- 
tle less  than  that  of  the  wall  of  the  lip. 
In  cutting  the  ends  of  the  tin,  leave  a 
lip  or  point  on  one  end,  to  be  bent  down, 
and  make  an  inward  curve  on  the  other 
end,  to  permit  an  opening  to  be  made 
without  removing  the  cover  from  the 
bottle. 


Magnetic  Locator  Useful  in  Wiring 

Finished  Houses 

A  simple  method  of  locating  positions 
for  openings  in  wiring  old  houses  is  that 
of  using  an  ordinary  magnetic  compass, 
and  a  large,  magnetized  file.  The  file, 
which  should  be  strongly  magnetized,  is 
driven  into  the  ceiling  at  the  point  where 
it  is  desired  to  bore  the  hole.  •By  moving 
the  magnetic  needle  over  the  flooring 
above,  it  is  possible  to  locate  the  desired 
position  by  the  agitation  of  the  compass 
needle. — Peter  J.  M.  Clute,  Schenectady, 
New  York. 


Good  and  Bad  Scraper  Edges 

A  great  many  carpenters  have  constant 
trouble  in  putting  a  good  working  edge 
on  a  scraper.  This  difficulty  is  almost  al- 
ways   due   to    the 


curling  of  the 
honed  edge  while 
"turning"  it,  or,  to 
use  an  inappropri- 
ate though  widely 
employed  term, 
"rolling"  it. 
While  it  is  quite 
difficult  to  learn 
to  turn  the  edge 
of  a  scraper,  any- 
one can  easily  rectify  a  poorly  turned 
edge  by  straightening  out  the  portion  that 
has  curled. 

This  is  easily  accomplished  by  running 
the  sharp  edge  of  a  chisel  along  the  inside 


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of  the  turned  edge  of  the  scraper.  To 
do  this,  the  chisel  must  be  held  at  a  very 
acute  angle  to  the  surface  of  the  scraper 
blade,  and  at  an  angle  of  about  45°  to 
the  turned  edge,  holding  the  under,  or 
flat,  side  of  the  chisel  up  and  going  along 
the  edge  lightly  and  without  the  use  of 
any  force.  The  sharp,  honed,  and  per- 
fectly straight  edge  of  the  chisel  takes 
hold  of  the  finest  curled  scraper  edge.  The 
angle  used  in  the  operation  is  very  similar 
to  that  at  which  a  plane  iron  is  honed  and 
set  in  the  plane.  The  same  scraper  edge 
can  be  brought  back  to  good  working 
condition  repeatedly  by  employing  this 
process,  which  not  only  rectifies  the  edge, 
but  also  removes  from  it  particles  of 
wood,  dust,  and  glue. — Henry  Simon,  La- 
guna  Beach,  Calif. 


Measuring  Gauge  for  Power  Hacksaw 

The  ordinary  forms  of  power  hacksaw 
I  are  not  provided  with  gauges  for  deter- 
mining the   length   of   the   pieces   to   be 
sawed,  and  the  usual  method  is  to  meas- 
ure the  length  required  with  a  scale,  and 
set  the  piece  in  the  vise  so  that  the  saw 
comes  at  the  proper  point.    In  order  that 
the   hacksaw   may   be   provided   with   its 
j  own   measuring  scale,   a   gauge   like   the 
one  illustrated  can  be  readily  built  onto 
'  almost  any  power 

hacksaw.  A  piece 
of  thick  tubing  is 
held  in  metal 
strips,  screwed 
under  the  frame 
of  the  machine, 
and  a  setscrew,  of 
a  form  easily 
turned  with  the 
fingers,  is 
•  threaded  into  this 

tube.  For  strength  and  durability,  it  is 
well  to  reinforce  the  tube  at  the  point 
where  the  setscrew  comes  by  driving  on 
it,  or  soldering  around  it,  a  piece  of 
larger  tubing,  or  an  iron  strap,  so  that 
the  screw  will  have  a  longer  thread  to 
work  against.  Inside  of  this  tube  slides 
a  piece  of  round  iron  rod,  which  is  bent 
to  a  U-shape,  as  shown.  Upon  it  may  be 
marked  graduations  to  indicate  directly 
the  length  of  the  pieces  to  be  sawed  off 
from  the  stock.  It  will  also  be  found 
useful  in  many  shops  to  add  a  spring  and 
some  notches  in  the  rod,  at  a  distance 
from  each  other  of  1  or  V^  in.,  so  that 
the  gauge  may  be  easily  set  to  these  fre- 
quently used  points. — C.  Anderson,  Wor- 
cester, Mass. 


t 


Door  Latch  Operated  by  Sign 

Reading  ''No  Admittance" 

A  factory  made  use  of  a  novel  device  on 
one  of  its  doors,  which  was  intended  for 
the  use  of  employes  only,  although  open- 


The  Door  is   Provided    with   a    Latch    Opened    by 

Pressure  on   the  '*No  Admittance"  Sign,  and    the 

Stranger,  Seeing  No  Means  of  Entrance,  Is  Forced 

to  Obey  the  Sign 

ing  on  a  semipublic  thoroughfare.  There 
was  on  the  outside  of  the  door  no  knob  or 
latch,  and  no  other  visible  indication  of 
how  to  open  the  door.  The  latch  behind 
the  door  was,  in  fact,  worked  by  a  lever 
and  cord,  which  was  operated  by  pres- 
sure at  the  proper  spot  on  the  "No  Ad- 
mittance" sign.  This  was  known  to  em- 
ployes, and  the  secret  can  readily  be  dis- 
covered by  anyone  after  gaining  access, 
but  the  method  by  which  the  employes 
opened  the  door  was  far  from  being  ap- 
parent to  bystanders,  and  did  good  service 
in  keeping  out  intruders. — H.  F.  Blan- 
chard,  Portland,  Me. 


Making  a  Screwdriver  Magnetic 

Magnetized  screwdrivers  are  useful  for 
many  classes  of  work,  the  carbon  steel  of 
which  screwdrivers 
are  made  being  ca- 
pable of  retaining 
considerable  mag- 
netism. A  screw- 
driver which  will 
retain  a  consider- 
ably stronger  mag- 
netism than  an 
ordinary  one,  may  be  made  from  a  round 
piece  of  tool  steel,  or  preferably  of  tung- 
sten steel,  by  simply  grinding  the  end  of 
a  bar  into  the  form  of  a  very  short  screw- 
driver blade. — Maurice  Clement,  Youngs- 
town,  Ohio. 


MAGNtTtZeO 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


LfOng  Liever  Eases  Action 

of  Force  Pump 

A  vertical  force  pump  of  the  common 
kitchen    variety    was    too    hard-working 


^SUPPLY  PIPE 

••  TO  TANK 


v>. 


\ 


for  the  women 
of  the  household 
to  handle,  or  for 
prolonged 
pumping    in    or- 


By  Placing  the  Water  Pump  in  the 

Basement  and  Running  the  Lever 

through    the    Floor,     It    may    be 

Worked  Much  More  Easily 

der  to  fill  the  small  tank  in 
the  attic.  The  owner  con- 
sequently thought  out  the 
following  scheme,  which 
has  greatly  reduced  the 
labor. 

The  pump  was  placed  under  the  kitchen 
floor,  as  shown,  and  the  blacksmith  made 
a  lever  from  an  old  axle,  somewhat  of  the 
shape  illustrated.  At  the  left  end  was 
placed  a  link,  as  in  common  pump  jacks, 
and  to  it  was  fastened  the  upper  end  of  the 
pump  rod.  The  other  end  of  the  lever 
was  riveted  to  a  piece  of  sheet  iron,  and 
the  handle  was  fastened  to  it.  The  lever 
was  pivoted  to  the  underside  of  a  joist 
by  means  of  an  eyeplate  and  bolt.  A 
slot  in  the  floor  allowed  the  handle  to  be 
swung  back  and  forth.  This  slot  was  too 
narrow  to  permit  mice  to  pass  through, 
or  much  cold  air  to  enter.  Where  50 
strokes  of  the  pump  was  formerly  quite 
tiresome,  the  operator  can  now  take  500 
without  undue  exertion. 


Handy  Kitchen  Chopping  Board 

A     handy     chopping     board     may     be 
quickly  and  easily  made  from  a  piece  of 
hard  wood,  a  pointed  kitchen  knife,  and  a 
large  staple.    The 
staple     is     driven 
into   the    edge   of 
the     chopping 
board  far  enough 
to  set  it  firmly  and 
at  the  same  time 
I     to  allow  the  point 
of  the  knife  to  fit 
.  into  it.     To  oper- 
ate,   the    knife    is 
raised  and  lowered  with  one  hand,  while 
the  food  is  passed  under  the  blade  with 


the  other.  Use  of  this  device  makes  it 
easy  to  chop,  slice,  or  mince,  and  there  is 
little  danger  of  the  knife  slipping,  even 
though  great  pressure  is  applied. 


Nail  Makes  Satisfactory 

Plow-Plane  Bit 

When  cutters  of  a  special  size  are  re- 
quired for  plow  planes,  a  quick  and  effi- 
cient way  to  make  them  is  to  dress  down 
a  large  nail  or  spike  to  the  required  shape. 
Although  the  adjustment  of  such  a  cutter 
will  present  somewhat  greater  difficulty 
than  one  of  the  ordinary  type,  its  per- 
formance, if  it  is  carefully  made  and 
sharpened,  will  be  quite  satisfactory  for 
many  purposes.  Cutters  up  to  V^  in.  wide 
can  be  made  from  16,  20,  and  30-penny 
spikes. 


Staple  Prevents  Manipulation 
of  LfOck 

Many  doors  which  have  been  long  in 
use  have  shrunk  to  such  an  extent  that 
there  is  quite  a 


space  between  the 
door  and  frame 
when  the  door  is 
closed.  Manipu- 
lation of  the  locks 
through  this 
space  is  quite  pos- 
s  i  b  1  e,  especially 
where  spring 
locks  are  used.  An 
effective  method 
of  preventing  this 
is  to  make  a  staple 
of  sheet  iron,  long 
enough  to  take,  between  the  two  pointed 
ends,  the  lip  of  the  striking  plate.  If 
this  staple  is  then  firmly  driven  in  the 
position  shown,  it  will  be  impossible  to 
get  at  the  lock  to  manipulate  it. 


DOOR  FRAME. 


? 


t 


Carrying  Piano  Made  Easy 

by  Handles 

When  a  heavy  piano  is  carried  upstairs 
and  down  and  from  one  place  to  an- 
other, injuries  to  the  instrument  and  to 
steps  and  doorways  will  usually  result. 
The  difficult  thing  in  the  transportation 
of  a  piano  is  not  in  the  weight  but  in 
the  placement  of  the  weight.  A  carrier 
which  will  reduce  this  difficulty  is  made 
easily  from  two  10-ft.  pieces  of  2  by  4-in. 
lumber.  These  are  placed,  one  at  the 
front  of  the  piano,  between  the  legs,  and 


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the  other  at  the  back  of  the  instrument. 
Padding  of  paper  or  felt  should  be 
placed  next  to  the  piano  to  avoid  scratch- 
ing, and  the  handles  should  be  bolted 
together  by  y2-in-  iron  bolts  at  either 
end.  With  the  ends  of  the  timbers 
shaved  down  to  suitable  size,  six,  or  even 
four,  men  can  easily  move  the  piano. — 
William  H.  Leach,  Alden,  N.  Y. 


A  Nonremovable  Wood  Screw 


By  filing  off  the  head  of  an  ordinary 
flat-head  wood  screw,  as  shown  in  the 
sketch,  a  screw  is  obtained  which  can  be 
driven  in  with  an  ordinary 
screwdriver,  but  cannot  be 
taken  out  except  with 
great  difficulty.  While 
such  a  screw  would  be  far 
from  desirable  in  ordinary 
use,  it  is  just  the  thing  for 
attaching  strap  hinges, 
hasps,  etc.,  where  one  wishes  to  make  it 
difficult  to  interfere  with  the  fastening. 
In  driving  ordinary  wood  screws,  if  the 
screw  fits  tighter  than  is  anticipated,  it 
is  sometimes  necessary  to  take  it  out  and 
ream  the  hole,  or  use  another  screw.  As 
such  a  procedure  is  not  possible  when 
using  this  nonremovable  screw,  it  is  ad- 
visable first  to  drive  home  an  ordinary 
screw  of  the  same  size,  then  take  it  out 
and  drive  home  the  nonremovable  screw. 
— A.  B.  Nutting,  Boston,  Mass. 


Folding  Table  Handy  in  the  Kitchen 

In  a  small  kitchen,  table  space  is  often 
needed  when  it  is  not  possible  to  keep  a 
table  of  the  desired  size  in  the  room  per- 
manently.    A   ta- 
ble    top     of     the 
most    useful    size 
may  be  hinged  to 
the  wall,  and  sup- 
ported    when     in 
use     by     brackets 
which   also   swing 
from  hinges.    The 
table   top   is    held 
against    the    wall, 
and  therefore  out 
of  the  way,  when 
not  needed,   by  a 
wooden  button.  A 
shelf  may  be  fastened  to  the  underside  of 
the  table,  which  will  be  useful  when  it  is 
folded  up.    If  the  device  is  well  made  it 
will  be  quite  durable,  and  will  not  detract 
from  the  general  appearance  of  the  room. 


Saw-Tooth  Counterbore  Useful 

on  Irregular  Work 

In  repairing  a  broken  casting  \n  nn 
almost  inaccessible  part  of  a  traction  en- 
gine, it  was  necessary  to  drill  a  number 
of  946-in.  holes  by  hand, 
and  as  these  holes  were 
through  a  curved  part  of 
the  casing,  they  had  to  be 
counterbored,  so  that  the 
bolt  heads  would  fit 
squarely.  For  such  cases, 
the  ordinary  two-lipped 
pin  drill  does  not  work 
well  when  held  in  a  brace. 
The  tool  illustrated  was 
therefore  made,  consisting 
of  a  hollow  bit  with  saw  teeth  filed  in 
the  end;  after  this  has  been  hardened 
and  tempered,  the  pilot  is  driven  into 
place  within  the  toothed  circle.  Such  a 
tool  is  particularly  effective  in  cutting 
brass.  An  objection  to  it  is  that  it  is 
difficult  to  sharpen,  this  being  done  by 
pulling  out  the  pilot  and  sharpening  the 
teeth  with  a  stone,  or  with  a  file,  if  the 
tool  is  made  of  steel  which  is  soft  enough 
to  permit  this. 


Wooden  Blocks  Keep  Shoes  Dry 
on  Damp  Floor 

In  order  to  keep  his  feet  off  of  the  floor, 
when  required  to  work  for  a  considerable 
time  on  a  d  a  m  p 
floor  in  a  basement, 
a  workman  nailed 
strips  of  wood  to 
his  shoes,  as  illus- 
trated. The  result 
was  entirely  satis- 
factory, and  his 
feet  remained 
warm  all  through 
the  day.  The  de- 
vice is  lighter  than 
a    good    pair    of 

overshoes  and  keeps  the  dampness  out 
just  as  effectively,  without  injuring  the 
ventilation  and*  freedom  of  the  feet. 
While  wider  blocks  might  provide  slightly 
greater  comfort,  the  advantage  of  the  nar- 
row ones  is  that  very  little  dirt  is  col- 
lected, the  feature  of  greater  lightness 
also  being  of  importance. — W.  S.  Hutton, 
Fornfelt,  Mo. 


(TA  fisherman's  sinker  made  of  lead;  with 
a  nail  set  into  the  bottom,  makes  a  very 
satisfactory  plumb  bob. 


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Making  Tongue-and-Groove  Joints 

on  Shafting 

In  making  tongue-and-groove  joints  on 
shafting,  it  is  difficult  to  set  the  milling 
machine   so   as   to   get   a   very   accurate 


The  Work  of  Making  a   Tongue-and-Groove  Joint 

on  Shafting  it  Easily  Done  by  First  Pitting  a  Flug 

into   a   Central   Hole   on   the    Other   Shaft 

alinement.  The  job  may  be  made  easier 
by  first  setting  up  the  two  shaft  ends  in  a 
lathe,  turning  down  a  plug,  A,  on  one  end, 
and  drilling  a  hole,  B,  to  fit  it  on  the 
other  end.  It  is  possible  to  do  this  work 
quite  accurately.  In  cutting  the  piece  on 
the  milling  machine,  the  circular  work 
is  used  for  gauging  purposes.  The 
groove  is  cut  right  through  the  hole  B, 
and  when  the  tongue  is  cut  to  the  same 
thickness  as  the  round  plug  A,  this  plug 
is  cut'oflF.  This  method  enables  a  man  of 
only  moderate  skill  to  do  a  very  good  job. 
— S.  B.  Royal,  Reading,  Pa. 


Making  a  Small  Milling  Cutter 

Making  a  special,  or  form,  milling  cut- 
ter, the  teeth  of  which  can  be  readily 
sharpened  without  modifying  the  form  of 
the  slot  cut  by  the  tool,  is  quite  a  trick  in 
the  home  workshop,  especially  if  one 
wishes  to  get  the  proper  clearance  angle 
on  the  teeth.  One  way  of  doing  this  is 
as  follows : 

Turn  out  the  blank  from  carefully  an- 
nealed tool  steel,  and  saw  a  number  of 
equidistant  radial  slots,  making  twice  as 
many  of  these  as  the  number  of  teeth  de- 
sired on  the  cutter.  These  slots  should  be 
cut  in  the  milling  machine  with  a  standard 
saw,  or  thin  cutter,  and  should  be  of  the 
same  depth,  within  a  few  thousandths  of 
an  inch.  Now,  with  an  old  table-knife 
blade,  or  a  piece  of  spring  steel  that  will 


BLANK  TURNED 
>KND  BLOTTED 


altcrnate:  teeth 
bent  over 


COMPLETEO 
CUTTER 


Bending  Back  the  Teeth  before  Hardening,  and 
Breaking  Out  the  Intervening  Pieces  before  Tem- 
pering, Provide  a  Milling  Cutter  with  Good  Clearance 

fit  into  these  slots,  bend  every  alternate 
tooth  back  until  it  touches  the  next  tooth. 
Then  harden  the  cutter,  put  it  in  a  vise, 


and  with  a  punch  or  nail  set,  knock  out  all 
the  teeth  that  were  not  bent.  The  cutter 
is  then  ready  for  tempering  to  a  straw 
color,  and  after  this,  for  immediate  use. 
Such  a  cutter  may  be  sharpened  exactly 
like  a  regular  factory-made  cutter.  Some- 
what better-shaped  teeth  will  be  produced 
if  the  slots  are  not  quite  radial,  slanting 
backward  just  enough  so  that  they  will 
be  radial  after  the  teeth  are  bent.  The 
exact  placing  of  the  slots  depends  on  the 
material  to  be  milled. — S.  A.  Asquith, 
Waterloo,  Iowa. 


neces- 


Substitute  for  Rawhide  Maul 
Made  from  Shoe  Heels 

In  view  of  the  present  high  price  of 
rawhide  mallets,  the  kink  illustrated  may 
be  of  use  to  many  machinists.  A  num- 
ber of  heels  from  old  shoes  are  collected, 
the  outer  layers  trimmed  off  if 
sary,  and  a  hole 
is  driPed  through 
them,  large 
enough  for  a  piece 
of  %-in.  pipe.  The 
end  of  the  pipe  is 
threaded  in  the 
lathe  for  a  suffi- 
cient distance,  and 
the  pieces  of 
leather  are  held  clamped  between  two 
nuts.  A  hammer  thus  made  will  not  be 
heavy  enough  for  most  purposes  unless 
lead  is  poured  into  the  end  of  the  pipe, 
but  with  this  addition,  the  mallet,  al- 
though less  durable  than  a  rawhide  mal- 
let, will  serve  well  enough  at  a  much 
lower  cost.- 


Electric  Alarm  Warns 
of  Belt  Stoppage 

A  jackshaft  or  conveyor,  if  driven  by  a 
belt,  may  give  a  warning  of  its  own  stop- 
page by  the  use  of  an  electric-bell  wire 
with  push  button,  and  over  it  a  piece  of 
slat,  held  up  by  a  spring.  Place  these  so 
that  if  the  belt  comes  off,  part  of  its 
weight  comes  onto  the  slat,  thus  depress- 
ing the  push  button  and  closing  the  cir- 
cuit. This  may  be  used  with  either  hor- 
izontal, vertical,  or  inclined  belts,  pro- 
vided the  surroundings  permit  the  instal- 
lation of  wires  and  push-button  support 
at  suitable  points.  More  than  one  bell  may 
be  wired  up,  each  with  its  own  circuit 
and  its  own  push  button  beneath  the  slat, 
or  several  buttons  may  be  connected 
through  the  signal  lights  to  the  same  belL 
— ^J.  E.  McCormack,  Haliburton,  Ont. 


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Homemade  Stringed  Orchestra  Instruments 


By  frank  M.  rich 


A  N  instrument  which  is  similar  to  the 
^^  samisen  of  the  Japanese  can  be 
made  of  a  cigar  box,  or  other  box  of  thin 
wood,  a  narrow  board  of  1-in.  stock,  some 
thumb  tacks  and  screw  eyes,  and  some 
fine  piano  or  mandolin  wire.  The  tools 
required  are  a  plane,  saw,  jackknife,  and 
something  to  start  the  holes  for  the  screw 
eyes.    A  little  glue  will  also  be  needed. 

Saw  the  board  for  the  neck  piece  as 
shown  in  Fig.  1.  The  lower  part  of  this 
board  is  fitted  inside  the  box;  notice  that 
this  portion  is  cut  away  so  that  it  touches 
the  box  at  only  two  points.  This  is  done 
to  allow  the  head  to  vibrate  as  much  as 
possible,  and  so  produce  a  loud,  full  tone. 
A  little  care  will  be  necessary  in  order  to 
get  a  good  fit  everywhere.  Be  sure  to 
make  proper  allowance  for  the  thickness 
of  the  box.  A  square  hole  is  cut  in  one 
end  of  the  box,  the  neck  piece  inserted, 
and  one  end  fastened  with  a  screw  eye, 
which  also  serves  as  a  tailpiece  to  which 


fTiaaic 


the  Strings  are  fastened ;  one  of  the  cigar- 
box  nails  is  driven  through  the  head  of 
the  instrument  into  the  neck  piece,  over 
the  place  where  the  hole  was  cut,  to  make 


everything  firm  and  tight.  If  the  neck 
piece  is  fitted  quite  accurately  into  the 
box,  the  results  will  be  more  satisfactory. 


A  Pew  of  These  Homemade  Inttrumentt  will  Fur- 
nish Amusement  for  a  Long  Time  to  a 
Group  of  Boys  or  Girls 

The  bridges,  one  on  the  box  and  one 
at  the  bend  in  the  neck  piece,  should  be 
whittled  from  hard  wood,  notched  to 
keep  the  strings  about  %  in.  apart.  The 
depth  of  the  notch  in  the  little  bridge 
(the  one  on  the  neck  of  the  instrument) 
should  be  onljr  a  trifle  higher  than  the 
frets,  otherwise  the  strings  will  be 
stretched  too  much  in  playing  the  first 
fret,  requiring  the  frets,  especially  the 
first,  to  be  placed  out  of  position,  or  else 
making  the  tuning  of  the  instrument  very 
bad.  The  big  bridge  is  somewhat  higher 
so  that  the  string  will  not  strike  the  sec- 
ond fret  when  the  first  is  used;  otherwise 
the  tone  will  be  *'rusty."  The  same  effect 
is  produced  unless  the  slots  in  both 
bridges  are  cut  lower  on  the  side  next  to 
the  screw  eye,  so  that  the  vibrating  por- 
tion of  the  string  meets  a  sharp  edge,  and 
therefore  does  not  buzz  against  the  wood. 
The  finger  board  should  be  planed  and 
sandpapered  into  perfect  line;  the  back 
rounded ;  the  bridges  attached  with  glue ; 
the  two  upper  screw  eyes  inserted  far 
enough    from    the    bridge    so    that    the 

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strings  will  be  sure  to  touch  it,  and  the 
strings  attached  as  shown  in  the  diagram. 
The  frets  are  made  by  inserting  thumb 
tacks  at  the  points  found  to  be  the  cor- 


ak4Al_i_  A^^OP\A/A    Akin 


The  One-Fret  Zither,  it  Made  of  a  Somewhat  Larger 
Box,  and  can  be  Played  in  All  Keys 

rect  ones.  Place  the  tacks  in  not  quite 
straight,  so  that  the  string  will  be  sure  to 
touch  the  tack  firmly  at  the  edge  next 
to  its  vibrating  portion.  This  is  to  pre- 
vent rusty  tones,  as  referred  to  above. 

When  played,  the  instrument  is  held 
in  the  lap,  fingered  with  the  left  hand, 
and  plucked  with  the  thumb  and  first 
finger  of  the  right.  The  farther  string 
should  be  tuned  to  C,  the  nearer  to  G 
below  it;  or  to  some  other  two  notes 
having  the  same  interval  so  that  they 
sound  "do-sol." 

The  frets  are  placed  so  that,  if  the  tone 
sounded  by  either  string  when  open  is 
called  "do,"  the  frets  will  give  the  notes 
of  the  scale,  re,  mi,  fa,  etc.,  up  to  the 
next  "do,"  or  even  farther.  The  other 
string  will  then  also  give  tones  which 
make  up  a  similar  scale.  Putting  one 
finger  across  both  strings,  upon  the  same 
fret,  gives  the  fourths,  as  seen  in  Fig.  lA, 
and  the  staff  beside  it.  By  placing  the 
first  finger  on  the  outside  string,  first 
fret,  and  the  second  on  the  inside  string, 
second  fret,  as  in  Fig.  IB,  the  thirds  can 
be  played. 

These  easy  positions,  in  addition  to  the 
G  string  played  open  with  the  various 
frets  of  the  C  string,  enable  one  to  carry 
a  very  plausible  alto  part  with  no  diffi- 
cult fingering.  The  tacks  used  for  frets 
are  placed  on  the  same  level  for  both 
strings.  This  gives  F  sharp  instead  of  F 
on  the  G  string,  and  thus  enables  one  to 
play  minor  passages  on  the  G  string  cor- 
responding to  those  played  before  on  the 


C  string.  Easy  modulations  are  taken 
care  of  quite  well.  Where  a  piano  or 
other  instrument  is  used  for  accompani- 
ment, pieces  in  several  different  keys  can 
be  played  by  tuning  the  samisen  to  those 
keys. 

•  The  zither,  Fig.  2,  can  be  made  of  a 
box  of  thin  wood  of  any  size.  The  sound 
harmonizes  well  with  that  of  the  samisen, 
and  a  few  of  them,  large  and  small,  mixed 
in  with  the  samisens,  make  a  welcome 
addition  to  the  orchestra  of  homemade 
instruments.  The  zither  plays  in  any 
key,  by  pressing  down  the  strings  on  the 
frets  wherever  the  key  calls  for  sharps 
and  flats. 

Since  the  strings  should  be  nearly  of 
the  same  tension,  and  as  it  may  not  be 
practical  to  get  different  sizes  of  wire,  it 
is  necessary  to  pay  some  attention  to  the 
length  of  the  strings.  The  eighth  string 
will  be  half  the  length  of  the  first,  and 
the  fifteenth,  two  octaves  above  the  first, 
will  be  one-fourth.  The  ends  of  the  in- 
tervening strings  will  lie  in  a  curve  be- 
tween. The  curve  need  not  be  ex- 
actly correct,  as  the  error  in  length 
of  strings  can  be  made  up  for  by  pull- 
ing some  of  these  a  little  tighter  than 
others.  Lay  off  the  curve  on  paper, 
then  whittle,  saw,  or  file  out  a  hard- 
wood bridge  of  the  right  size  and 
shape,  so  that  the  ends  of  all  the  strings 
can  be  fastened  to  it  by  means  of  small 
round-head  screws  with  small  washers 
to  match.  This  bridge  will  need  to  be 
beveled  back  a  little,  so  that  the  vibrat- 
ing portion  of  the  string  ends  against  a 
sharp  edge,  and  therefore  cannot  buzz. 
The  screws  should  be  just  long  enough 
to  go  through  the  bridge  and  well  into 
the  wood  without  reaching  the  inside  of 
the  box.  A  little  glue  put  on  the  bottom 
of  the  bridge,  when  the  screws  are  in- 
serted, will  strengthen  the  fastening. 
Holes  should  be  started  with  an  awl  or 
small  drill,  so  as  to  avoid  splitting.  The 
wire  is  made  into  a  loop,  twisted  a  little 
for  security,  then  held  under  the  screw. 

The  finger  board  is  a  narrow  strip  of 
thin  wood,  either  beveled  to-  serve  as  a 
bridge,  or  having  a  strip  of  wood  or 
metal  for  a  bridge  inserted  at  the  edge. 
Another  strip  is  glued  to  the  end  of  the 
box,  where  the  strings  pass  over  the 
edge,  to  ease  the  strain  on  the  strings  in 
tuning,  and  to  prevent  the  wires  from 
cutting  into  the  edge  of  the  box.  A  piece 
piece  of  heavy  wire,  tacked  along  the 
end  of  the  box,  will  serve  the  purpose. 

Thumb  tacks  serve  as  frets,  and  are 
placed  on  the  finger  board,  under  C,  D, 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


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F,  G,  and  A,  one-sixteenth  of  the  length 
of  the  string  from  the  end  bridge,  to  give 
the  half-step  notes,  or  the  notes  that  are 
played  by  black  keys  on  the  piano.  The 
screw  eyes,  used  for  tuning  the  strings,  are 
set  in  a  piece  of  quarter^round  wood, 
glued  inside  the  box,  under  the  finger 
board.  These  tuning  keys  are  placed  in 
two  lines  for  convenience,  as  they  would 


otherwise  be  too  crowded.  The  wires  pass 
from  the  bridge  to  the  screw  eyes  through 
small  holes  in  the  end  of  the  box. 

The  zither  is  especially  valuable  to  the 
student,  as  it  plays  in  any  key  readily, 
and  gives  chords  of  two  and  three  notes 
with  pleasing  effect.  The  fingering  will 
be  easily  acquired,  as  there  is  only  one 
fret  to  a  string. 


Drying  Negatives  and  Prints  Quickly 

A  photographic  print  can  be  dried 
quickly  by  artificial  heat,  but  this  method 
usually  results  in  rolling  up  the  films, 
which  makes  them  inconvenient  to  handle. 
A  method  which  is  not  opei^  to  this  objec- 
tion is  to  immerse  the  print  in  alcohol  un- 
til it  is  saturated,  and  then  allow  the  alco- 
hol to  evaporate.  A  glass  negative  can  be 
dried  in  this  way  very  quickly,  and  as  soon 
as  the  alcohol  has  evaporated,  prints  can 
be  made  from  it.  Care  must  be  taken  to 
wash  the  films  thoroughly  before  immers- 
ing in  alcohol.  Otherwise  the  emulsion 
will  grain. 


To  Prevent  Flapping  of  Shades 

Window  shades  which   are  so  located 
that  in  windy  weather  they  flap  in  and  out 
04  the  window  are  always  injured  by  this 
action  and  speedily  develop  cracks  or  wear 
out.     It  is  possible  to  rig  up  a  guiding 
cord    which    will    prevent    entirely    this 
flapping,  and  at  the  same  time  will  not  be 
so  conspicuous  as  to  injure  in  any  way  the 
appearance  of  the 
window.       The 
method,    which   is 
similar      to      that 
widely     employed 
in  railway  cars,  is 
shown    in    the 
sketch ;  four  small 
screw     eyes,     at- 
tached to  the  top 
and  bottom  of  the 
window  casing, 
have  the  ends  of 
a     cord     tied     to 
them      and      two 
more    screw    eyes 
are  placed  in  the 
ends  of  the  stick 
at  the  bottom  of  the  shade.     The  cords 
pass  through  these  two  screw  eyes,  and 
the  curtain  can  thus  be  raised  and  low- 
ered as  freely  as  before,  the  only  effect  of 
the  cords  being  to  prevent  the  shade  from 
blowing    out    of   place. — Mrs.    Grace    E. 
Willey,  Concord,  N.  H. 


Trap  for  Catching  Muskrats  Alive 

In  the  spring,  when  green  food  is 
scarce,  muskrats  may  be  easily  trapped 
for  their  pelts.     These  little  fur-bearing 


A  Trap  Made  of  a  Floating  Barrel  Baited  with  Green 
Vegetables   Catches   Muskrats  without   Iniuring 
the  Pelts,  Which  Thus  Bring  the  Highest  Price 

animals  abound  in  our  small  streams  and 
marshes,  and  their  hides  find  a  ready  and 
profitable  sale.  They  are  fond  of  green 
food,  and,  as  this  is  scarce  in  the  early 
spring,  the  rats  enjoy  eating  such  vege- 
tables as  carrots,  apples,  turnips,  and 
other  tempting  bait. 

A  homemade  device  for  trapping  these 
animals  alive  can  be  made  from  a  barrel 
by  cutting  out  a  section  of  the  staves, 
about  10  in.  square,  leaving  the  two  barrel 
heads  intact.  Strong  cleats  are  nailed  to 
the  ends  of  the  barrel,  with  the  ends  of 
the  cleats  projecting  about  6  in.  on  each 
side.  On  the  cleats,  boards  6  in.  wide  are 
nailed.  The  barrel  is  then  filled  with  wa- 
ter until  the  boards  on  the  sides  are  float- 
ing on  the  surface  of  the  pond  or  stream, 
leaving  about  one-third  of  the  trap  above 
the  water.  The  vegetables  intended  for 
bait  are  placed  inside  the  barrel,  where 
they  will  float  on  the  water.  The  ani- 
mal, attracted  by  this  food,  will  jump  into 
the  trap  where  it  will  be  imprisoned.  The 
fur  commands  a  much  better  price  when 
the  animal  is  trapped  in  such  a  way  as 
not  to  injure  the  pelt. — H.  V.  Statiley, 
Chicago,  III. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


Wagon- Whed  Tires  Form  Garden  Arch 

An  ornamental  arch  for  the  garden^  on 
which  a  grapevine  or  other  plant  can  be 
trained  to  grow,  is  made  with  the  help  of 


|A  Steel  Wacon -Wheel  Vire    Forms  an  ImporUat 
Part  of  This  Ornamental  Garden  Arch 
or  Grape  Arbor 

the  two  halves  of  an  old  steel  wagon  tire. 
The  tire  is  cut  in  half,  and  a  wooden 
backing  for  it  is  cut  out  of  several  pieces 
of  2  by  4-in.  lumber,  as  indicated  in  the 
sketch.  The  dotted  circles  should  be  laid 
out  with  radii  about  2  in.  and  4  in., 
respectively,  less  than  that  of  the  wagon- 
wheel  tire.  When  the  tire  is  fitted  to  the 
outside  of  this  curved  wooden  piece,  there 
will  then  be  a  few  inches  hanging  over  on 
each  end  by  which  the  tire  is  fastened  to 
the  uprights.  The  rails  are  laid  in  notches 
chiseled  out  of  the  wooden  pieces,  and  the 
upper  ones  are  held  securely  under  the 
tire  so  that  they  cannot  fall  off,  due  to 
nails  rusting  out.  The  steel  tire  furnishes 
the  strength  of  the  arch,  while  the  wooden 
backing  furnishes  stiffness  and  improves 
the  appearance. — C.  L,  Meller,  Fargo, 
North  Dakota. 


Ways  of  Filling  Old-Style  Fountain  Pens 

An  old-style  fountain  pen  may  be  filled 
in  several  ways,  the  regular  medicine- 
dropper  filler  being  handy,  but  not  nec- 
essary. If  a  friend  who  owns  a  self- 
filling  pen  is  near,  his  pen  may  be  used 
in  the  same  manner  as  the  dropper.  A 
good  method  for  students  or  office  peo- 
ple is  to  make  a  small  funnel  by  rolling 
a  piece  of  paper  into  cone-shape.  This 
funnel  must  be  held  so  as  to  leave  room 
for  the  air  to  escape  as  the  ink  fills  the 
pen.  Another  way  is  to  dip  a  soda-foun- 
tain straw  into  ink,  close  the  upper  end. 


to  hold  the  ink  in  the  straw,  place  the 
end  of  the  straw  in  the  pen  barrel,  and 
remove  the  finger,  thus  releasing  the  ink. 
Repeat  this  until  the  pen  is  full. — ^J.  W% 
Rodgers,  Halifax,  N.  S. 


Saw  Filing  Made  Easy  for  the 
Amateur 

Anyone  can  make  an  appliance  that  will 
not  only  be  a  help  to  the  novice  when  filing 
saws,  but  may  often  make  it  easier  for  the 
expert.  A  saw  clamp  of  any  type  is  used 
to  hold  the  saw.  It  is  provided  with  a 
shelf,  extending  from  the  back  and  at 
right  angles  to  the  blade  of  the  saw.  A 
piece  of  glass,  preferably  about  %  in. 
thick,  is  secured  to  the  shelf  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  be  easily  raised.  Three 
sheets  of  paper,  the  size  of  the  glass,  are 
ruled  with  heavy  lines  so  that  they  can  be 
plainly  seen,  when  placed  under  the  glass. 
One  sheet  has  the  lines  at  right  angles  to 
the  saw  blade,  to  be  used  when  filing  rip 
saws.  Two  sheets  have  the  lines  ruled  ' 
at  angles,  those  of  one  sheet  slanting  to 
the  right  and  of  the  other  to  the  left,  ac- 
cording to  the  bevel  it  is  desired  to  have 
the  teeth  for  crosscutting.  The  file  is  pre- 
pared by  driving  its  point  into  a  small 
block,  about  3  by  1  by  %  in.  The  lower 
face  of  the  block  is  to  rest  on  the  glass, 
and  is  slightly  rounded.  The  position  Of 
the  corner  of  the  file,  with  reference  to 
the  curved  edge  of  the  block,  determines 
the  rake  of  the  teeth.  When  ready  for 
use,  the  proper  sheet  is  exposed  under  the 
glass.  The  file,  when  in  use,  should  be 
kept  parallel  with  the  lines  on  the  paper. 
Except  when  the  teeth  are  very  large,  it 


The  Use  of  Guide  Lines  under  a    Sheet    of   GlaM 
Makes  It  Easy  to  File  Saws  Properly 

is  better  not  to  lift  the  block  from  the 
glass,  but  pass  the  file  to  the  next  tooth 
by  raising  the  handle  sufficiently. — ^W.  R. 
Calver,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 


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A  Toy  Air  Cannon 

By  dale  R.  van  HORN 


THE  boy  who  has  never  owned  a  toy 
cannon  that  would  shoot  either  ac- 
curately or  with  any  length  of  range, 
will  be  well  pleased  with  one  which  he 
himself  can  make,  and  which  will  far  out- 
shoot  the  average  cannon  sold  in  the 
stores.  If  the  type  of  blowtorch  used  in 
the  model  described  cannot  be  obtained, 
an  excellent  substitute  may  be  con- 
structed, using  a  bicycle  pump  to  furnish 

the  air  pressure.  

•    For  the  barrel  of  the 
cannon,  a  block  of  soft 
wood,  8  in.  long,  is  re- 
quired.    In  this  a  94e-in. 
hole  is  bored.  To  do  this, 
clamp  the  block  in  a  vise, 
and   place   the    point   of 
the  bit  in  the  center  of 
the  end.     Then  rest  the 
forehead    on    the    hand 
that  holds  the  top  part  of 
the  brace,  so  that  it  can 
4>e  seen  whether  the  hole 
is  bored  straight  or  not. 
Be  sure  to  bore  with  the 
grain  of  the  wood.  After 
the    hole    is   drilled,    the 
block   should   be  turned 
down   in  the  lathe  until     p — ,_,, 
the  barrel  has  a  diameter     wooden  shell  sun 
of  1  in.  at  the  large,  or 
breech,  end,  and  tapers  down  to  V2  in.  at 
the  small,  or  muzzle,  end.    If  no  lathe  is 
handy  thi  barrel  may  be  cut  out  with  a 
knife,    and    smoothed    down    with    sand- 
paper, but  in  either  case  great  care  must 
be  taken  that  the  bore  is  exactly  in  the 
center  of  the  stick.    Since  the  hole  in  the 
barrel  would  be  too  rough  for  accurate 
shooting,  a  piece  of  %-in.  No.  20  gauge 
brass  tubing,  9  in.  long,  is  driven  into  the 
bore  from  the  breech,  leaving  1   in.  ex- 
tending at  this  end.     To  finish  the  bar- 
rel,   two    wooden     blocks,     1     in.    long, 
%  in.  wide,  and  %  in.  thick,  are  cut  to 
fit  the  curved  surface  of  the  barrel,  and 
a  %-in.  hole  is  drilled  in  the  center  of 
each.     They  are  then  glued  to  the  stick, 
ZYi  in.  from  the  large  end,  to  serve  as 
bearings.     All   the   woodwork  should  be 
painted  black. 

Furnishing  a  support  for  the  barrel  is 
the  next  step.  First  the  torch  must  be 
taken  apart  so  that  only  the  pump  and 
the  pipe  projecting  from  the  tank  are 
left  as  they  were.  Then  a  piece  of  brass 
tubing,    large    enough    to    slip    over   the 

Sipe  and  3V^  in.  long,  is  slotted  with  a 
acksaw  for  a  distance  of  2  in.    Be  sure 
that  this  cut  is  exactly  in  the  center  of 


the  tube.  The  metal  on  either  side  of  the 
cut  is  bent  to  a  U-shape,  to  fit  around  the 
bearings  on  the  gun  barrel.  In  each  arm 
a  %-in.  hole  is  drilled,  into  which  a  screw, 
such  as  can  be  taken  from  a  dry  cell,  is 
slipped,  with  the  head  outside.  The  hex- 
agon nut  belonging  to  the  screw  is  tight- 
ened on  the  inside*  of  the  arm.  These 
screws  are  to  fit  into  the  bearings  on  the 
barrel  of  the  cannon,  to  make  a  swivel 


COMPLETED 


turned  up  or  down.  To 
make  the  work  as  neat  as 
possible,  the  edges  should  be  rounded 
with  a  file.  The  support  is  then  slipped 
over  the  pipe  on  the  torch.  It  should  be 
tight  enough  so  that,  while  it  may  be 
turned,  it  will  not  come  off  easily.  In  this 
way  the  gun  may  be  swung  from  side  to 
side,  but  will  not  fall  aparU 

The  remaining  parts  of  the  cannon  are 
the  connections  which  bring  the  air  to 
the  brass  tube  in  the  barrel,  and  an  air 
valve  operated  by  a  trigger.  A  'piece  of 
%-fn.  brass  tubing  is  packed  tightly  with 
sand  to  keep  it  from  crumpling,  and  bent 
to  a  right  angle.  The  sand  may  be  re- 
moved by  tapping  the  tube  against  a 
board.  One  end  is  slipped  into  the  pipe 
on  the  torch,  and  fastened  with  glue  or 
plaster  of  Paris  to  make  it  air-tight.  This 
is  the  air  connection*  from  the  tank  of 
the  torch.  A  piece  of  sheet  metal,  V2  in. 
wide  and  4  in.  long,  is  bent  into  a  square 
"U,"  1  in.  high,  1  in.  wide,  and  with  two 
Vi-in.  projections,  one  from  each  arm, 
which  are  to  serve  as  legs.  The  "U"  is 
turned  upside  down  and  soldered  to  the 
top  of  the  torch,  1%  in.  back  of  the  pipe. 
This  forms  the  upper  member  of  the 
pinch  valve.  The  trigger  is  a  piece  of 
heavy  brass,  4  in. 'long  and  %  in.  wide. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


bent  to  shape.  At  one  end,  a  shingle  nail, 
with  the  head  cut  off,  is  soldered  as  a  pin. 
Two  bearings  are  made  for  the  pin  from 
sheet  metal,  each  piece  %  in.  wide  and 
1%  in.  long,  bent  to  a  right  angle,  %  in. 
on  one  leg  and  %  in.  on  the  other.  A 
hole  is  bored  in  the  long  leg  of  each  bear- 
ing to  hold  the  shingle-nail  shaft.  Slip 
the  bearings  on  the  shaft,  and  solder  them 
to  the  top  of  the  torch,  halfway  between 
the  pipe  and  the  U-piece  already  soldered 
on.  Be  sure  that  the  trigger  moves  freely 
on  the  befaring.  A  piece  of  a  clock  spring 
is  then  bent  to  the  shape  indicated,  and 
its  rear  end  soldered  to  the 'top  of  the 
torch  so  that  it  will  hold  the  trigger  up 
against  the  square  U-piece. 

To  complete  the  cannon  it  is  only  nec- 
essary to  place  the  barrel  of  the  gun  on 
its  support  with  the  screws  in  the  holes 
in  the  bearings,  and  to  connect  the  air 
line  with  a  piece  of  rubber  tubing.    The 


spring  in  the  brass  supports  will  hold  the 
barrel  firmly  in  position.  A  piece  of  rttl>- 
ber  tubing,  about  8  in.  long,  will  be  re- 
quired. This  is  connected  at  one  end  to 
the  brass  tube  on  the  gun  barrel,  then 
threaded  through  the  valve  while  the 
trigger  is  held  down,  and  finally  con- 
nected to  the  brass  tube  in  the  pipe.  To 
hold  the  tubing  firmly  the  brass  tubes 
should  be  given  a.  light  coat  of  glue,  the 
rubber  slipped  on,  and  the  joint  wound 
with  wire.  The  cannon  should  not  be 
used  until  this  glue  has  set  firmly. 

For  ammunition,  wooden  bullets  are 
used.  These  may  be  cut  from  sticks  of 
the  proper  size,  or  made  in  a  lathe.  The 
gun  is  very  easy  to  shoot.  After  pump- 
ing the  tank  full  of  air,  tip  the  barrel  up 
and  slip  in  a  wooden  bullet,  then  aim, 
and  press  the  trigger.  The  bullet  will 
be  shot  from  50  to  100  ft.,  depending  on 
the  air  pressure  and  the  elevation. 


Paper  Ornamentation  in  Amateur 

Cabinetwork 

In  order  to  introduce  some  ornamental 
effects  in  amateur  cabinetwork,  use  may 
be  made  of  some  corrugated  paper  board, 
such  as   used  for 
packing,  and  some 
■  strawboard  which 
has    small    round 
studs  embossed  in 
it.    Both  are  sunk 
well    below    the 
surface   of  the 
wood,  in  order  to 
minimize  the  dan- 
g  e  r    of    marring 
them,    and    are 
firmly     glued     to 
the  wood.     Two  or  three  coats  of  stiff 
shellac  will  do  much  to  increase  the.  firm- 
ness  of  the   paper  material,  and   if  still 
greater   strengrth    is    desired,    the    bosses 
and  corrugations   may   be  entirely   filled 
with   glue.     It   is   not  diflicult  to   match 
the  color  of  the  strawboard  to  that  of 
the  wood,  and  the  effect  is  quite  pleasing. 
— W.  H.  Sargent,  Rutland,  Vt. 


the  wire  once  around  each  glass  head|^ 
taking  care  to  stretch  the  wire  taut  be- 
tween pins.  Two  glass  push  pins,  in- 
serted so  that  they  barely  touch  each 
other,  make  a  toothbrush  holder  that  is 
sanitary  and  individual.  With  a  number 
of  push  pins,  a  holder  for  many  brushes 
can  be  made. — Emile  Parent,  Ottawa, 
Canada. 


Novel  Uses  for  Glass  Push  Pins 

Glass  push  pins  are  particularly  useful 
for  temporary  low-voltage  wiring  or  ama- 
teur battery  work.  With  them,  wires  can 
be  run  about  the  house  without  marring 
the  woodwork  or  walls.  After  attaching 
pins  at  convenient  distances,  simply  loop 


Emergency  Cable  Fastenings 

There  are  times  when  it  is  necessary 
to  improvise  a  splice  or  an  eye  in  wire 
cable,  for  the  mechanic  who  is  doing  the 
work  is  sometimes  not  able  to  do  a  pro- 
fessional job  of  splicing.    Use  of  pipe  in 
making  a  substitute  has  proved  practical, 
and  may  be  adapted  to  the  needs  of  the 
particular    case. 
For  a  line  splice, 
it    is    only   neces- 
sary to  take  a  sec- 
tion out  of  a  piece 
of  pipe;  give  it  a 
bulge    at    this 
point;  cut  a  hole 
in  the  side  of  the 
bulge;  slip  in  the 
ends  of  the  cable ; 
separate  them 
with     a     chisel 
through  the  hole, 
and  pour  hot  sol- 
der into  the  open- 
ing.    For  an  eye, 

provide  an  iron  wedge,  a  piece  of  iron 
with  three  holes  in  it,  a  long  bolt,  and  a 


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piece  of  flattened  pipe.  The  cable  is 
threaded  through  the  two  outside  holes 
in  the  piece  of  iron,  which  should  be  of 
the  proper  size  to  serve  as  a  cap  for  the 
pipe.  Inserting  the  iron  wedge  and  se- 
curing with  the  bolt  makes  a  very  strong 
eye  which  has  plenty  of  strength  for  most 
guy  wires  and  ordinary  uses. 

A  Pulley  Puzzle 

Many   a   youth    who    believes   that   he 
knows  just  how  to  figure  the  forces  in 
ropes  and  pulleys  may  be  puzzled  by  the 
.combination    shown.      He 
will,  of  course,  start  out  on 
the    well-known    principle 
that  when  a  weight  hangs 
from   a   system   of   blocks 
and  pulleys,  the  force  nec- 
essary to  apply  to  the  rope 
may  be  found  by  dividing 
the  weight  by  the  number 
of    ropes     supporting    it. 
With    this    principle    in 
mind  he  will  at  once  say, 
on  looking  at  the  accom- 
panying diagram,  that  the 
"power"  P,  supplied  to  the 
rope  to  raise  the  "weight" 
W,  will  be  equal  to  ^i  of 
W.    Now  call  to  his  atten- 
tion the  fact  that  the  rope 
below  the  pulley  A  must  have  twice  the 
tension  of  the  two  ropes  leading  up  from 
it,  or  2P ;  also,  that  W  must  be  twice  the 
tension  in  the  two  ropes  which  directly 
support  it,  or  2X2P,  which  is  equal  to  4P. 
By   this   time   he   will   be   puzzled   as   to 
whether    the     rule    about    dividing    the 
weight  by  the  number  of  ropes  isn't  per- 
haps wrong.    However,  if  he  understands 
the  principle  involved,  he  will  at  length 
figure  it  out  in  this  way: 

The  whole  question  is  whether  the 
circle  marked  "anchor"  holds  the  rope 
tightly  as  if  nailed  on,  not  permitting  it 
to  move  around  in  either  direction,  or 
whether  the  rope  moves  around  it  freely 
as  through  the  pulley.  In  the  first  case, 
the  rope  at  the  left  will  have  twice  the 
tension  of  tke  other  two  ropes,  so  that 
W  is  equal  to  4P,  as  explained  above. 
In  the  second  case,  if  we  assume  a  free- 
running  pulley  as  the  "anchor,"  then  a 
careful  inspection  will  show  what  must 
immediately  happen.  The  weight  will  fall, 
pulling  the  rope  around  the  anchor,  until 
the  pulley  A  has  been  raised  up  to  the 
level  of  the  anchor.  This  simplifies  the 
condition,  as  there  are  then  only  two 
ropes  supporting  the  weight,  and  the  ten- 
sion on  each  of  them,  or  P,  is  equal  to 
one-half  of  it. 


Bent  Tube  for  Rinsing  Dishes 

Where  wire  dish  drainers  are  used,  in- 
stead of  wiping  the  dishes  off  with  a  dish 
towel,  it  is  often 
found  convenient 
to  use  a  rubber 
tube  attached  to 
the  hot-water  fau- 
cet for  rinsing 
them.  This  does 
very  well  for  china 
dishes,  but  spray- 
ing the  cups  and 
tumblers  quickly 
so   that   they  will 

drain  off  and  dry  is  not  so  easy.  A*  very 
convenient  way  is  to  arrange  the  drainer 
so  that  the  bottom  of  it  rests  a  few  inches 
above  Xht  bottom  of  the  sink,  and  set  the 
tumblers  and  cups  upon  it  directly  in- 
verted. In  the  end  of  the  rubber  tube,  use 
a  nozzle  consisting  of  a  piece  of  brass,  or 
glass,  tubing,  8  to  12  in.  long,  bent  as 
shown  in  the  sketch.  By  holding  this  noz- 
zle in  the  position  shown,  the  cups  and 
tumblers  are  rinsed  out  thoroughly  on  the 
inside,  and  the  same  nozzle  is  equally  use- 
ful for  spraying  the  water  from  above  on 
the  outside  of  the  cups,  and  on  the  other 
dishes. 


Hot- Water  Bottle  Made  from  Two 
Tin  Pic  Pans 

A  very  good  substitute  for  a  hot-water 
bottle,  or  bed  warmer,  can  be  made  from 
two  tin  pie  pans.     In  thfe  center  of  one 
of  the  pans  is  sol- 
dered   the    screw 
top  of  an  old  oil- 
can.    Take  care 
that  the  screw  cap 
has  a  good  gasket 
so   that   it   closes 
the  opening  with 
a    water-tight 
joint.     Solder  the 
edges  of  the  pans 
all  around,  and.  make  sure  there  are  no 
leaks.    A  somewhat  more  convenient  ar- 
rangement is  to  place  the  screw  top  from 
the  oilcan  in  the  edge  of  the  vessel  thus 
formed,  the  edges  of  the  pans  being  cut 
out  to  form   the  opening  for  it.     This 
makes  a  rather  more  difficult  job  of  sol- 
dering, but  if  skillfully  done,  it  will  make 
a  more  satisfactory  job. — ^James  E.  Bark- 
ley,  Detroit,  Mich. 


C Tallow  makes  a  very  good  substitute  for 
oil  in  driving  drift  pins. 


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Taking  Miniature  Photographs 


Any  camera  may  be  made  to  take 
smaller  pictures  than  those  for  which  it  is 
built,  by  fastening  an  extra  lens  upon  the 


rear  face  of  the  regular  lens  system.  The 
results  illustrated  in  this  article  were  ob- 
tained with  a  camera  designed  to  take  pic- 
tures of  post-card  size,  3^  by  5y2  in.  A 
thin,  convex  lens  of  1^-in.  focal  length 
was  purchased  from  an  optician,  and  was 
fastened,  by  means  of  two  little  pellets  of 
beeswax  at  its  margin,  to  the  rear  face  of 
the  regular  photographic  lens.  If  this 
auxiliary  lens  covers  only  the  central  re- 
gion of  the  lens  upon  which  it  is  fastened, 
it  will  be  necessary  to  block  off  the  light 
that  would  come  through  the  ring  outside 
the  small  lens,  by  a  disk  of  black  paper, 
with  a  hole  in  it  slightly  smaller  than  the 
extra  lens. 

To  obtain  the  correct  focus,  the  bellows 
must  be  pulled  out  only  a  short  distance, 
the  true  position  being  found  by  trial. 
The  position  may  be  located  approxi- 
mately by  removing  the  back  of  the  cam- 
era, stretching  a  piece  of  tissue  paper 
across  where  the  film  runs,  and  focusing 
as  upon  a  ground  glass.  The  focusing 
position  may  be  considered  fixed  for  ob- 
jects distant  3  ft.  or  more  from  the 
camera. 

It  remains  to  tell  how  to  turn  the  film 
forward  the  proper  distance,  after  an  ex- 
posure is  made.  It  is  easy  to  distinguish, 
when  looking  through  the  little  red  win- 
dow at  the  moving  paper  backing  the 
film,  just  when  the  paper  (and  film)  has 
moved  a  distance  equal  to  the  diameter 
of  the  window.  (The  grain  of  the  paper 
is  readily  seen  through. the  window,  and 
the  attention  may  be  confined  to  a  certain 


spot  on  the  paper.)     Move  the  film  for- 
ward by  steps  equal  to  the  diameter  of  the 
window — two,  three,  or  more  steps  as  the 
,     case    may    be.      For   in- 
stance, if  the  little  .pic- 
tures are  1  in.  across,  and 
the   observation   window 
is  y2  in.  in  diameter,  the 
film  must  be  shifted,  be- 
tween  exposures,  a   dis- 
tance equal  to  two  diam- 
eters of  the  observation 
window. 

As    an    auxiliary    lens 
one  may,  of  course,  use 
I     the    lens    found    in    the 
I     view  finder  of  the  cam- 
I     era.     The  resulting  pho- 
tqg^phs    will    then    be 
I     about  the  size  of  a  dime. 
A  useful  lens   is  one  of 
focal    length    approxi- 
m  a  t  e  1  y  half   the   focal 
length  of  the  regular  lens  combination; 
the  pictures  being  then  somewhat  larger. 
With   this   device   objects    only    a    few 
inches  away  may  be  photographed.     For 
very  near  objects  a  focusing  scale  should 
be  marked  out  by  trial  methods.    Objects 
6  in.  distant  may  be  photographed.    The 
modified  lens  system  is  not,  of  course,  a 
'.'corrected"  one ;  all  the  usual  aberrations 
of  single  lenses  will  be  present.     Never- 
theless,    many    pictures    taken     by    the 
method  described  will  be  so  fine  as  to  be 
well  worth  enlarging. 

The  scheme  presents  interesting  possi- 
bilities when  one  finds  himself  with  but 
one  roll  of  unexposed  film  in  a  locality 
where  no  films  may  be  purchased  and 
where  one  "just  must  take  a  lot  more 
photographs." — L.  Pyle,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 


Foot  Warmer  for  a  Sidecar 

A  satisfactory  exhaust  heater  for  a 
motorcycle  sidecar  was  made  from  a 
one-gallon  oilcan  covered  with  asbestos. 
A  round  hole  cut  in  the  longer  side  of 
the  can,  which  forms  the  bottom,  has  a 
brass  tube,  about  1  in.  in  diameter,  fas- 
tened in  it,  which  passes  through  the 
floor  of  the  sidecar  and  serves  as  an  out- 
let for  the  exhaust  gas.  Another  hole  in 
the  side  of  the  can  nearest  the  engine 
receives  a  piece  of  flexible  metal  tubing 
which  is  passed  through  the  floor,  or 
side,  of  the  sidecar  and  attached  to  the 
exhaust  pipe,  behind  the  muffler.  It  will 
not  be  necessary  to  have  a  valve,  as  the 


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apparatus  can  be  removed  when  the 
weather  is  warm. — A.  E.  Crowther,  Qu' 
Appdle,  Sask.,  Can. 


Putting  a  Ship  in  a  Bottle 

Many  people,  on  being  shown  a  full- 
rigged  ship  in  a  bottle,  will  naturally 
wonder  very  much  how  it  got  there.  This 
novelty  is  quite  easy  to  prepare,  if  one 
knows  the  right  way  in  which  to  set 
about  it. 

A  good-sized  bottle,  of  clear  glass, 
should  be  used.  When  this  has  been  ob- 
tained, the  hull  of  the  vessel  may  be  cut 
out.  It  is  best  to  make  this  of  a  solid 
piece  of  wood.  The  ship  should  be  per- 
haps an  inch  shorter  than  the  inside 
measurement  of  the  bottle,  and  of  a  pro- 
portionate width.  At  intervals,  in  the 
deck  of  the  craft,  rather  large  holes 
should  be  bored  for  the  masts,  which 
should  be  of  such  a  length  that  there  will 
be  room  for  them  inside  the  bottle  when 
they  are  upright  in  the  ship.  Paper  or 
canvas  sails,  and  thread  rigging  can  be 
glued  onto  the  masts.  Get  some  green 
paint,  which  is  to  represent  the  sea,  and 
pour  -some  of  this  into  the  bottle  while 
it  is  held  horizontally.  The  layer  of  paint 
should  be  about  ^/^  in.  in  depth.  Then, 
bend  down  the  masts  of  the  ship,  and 
put  some  strong  glue  into  the  holes. 
With  the  masts  bent  over  in  the  manner 
shown,  it  will  be  easy  to  push  the  ship 
down  the  neck  of  the  bottle  so  that  it 
settles  into  the  layer  of  paint.  It  only 
remains  to  pull  up  the  masts.  This  is 
easily  accomplished  by  means  of  a  bent 
pin  on  the  end  of  a  thin  stick  of  wood. 
The  glue,  being  stiff,  sets  quickly,  and 
the  masts  are  then  permanently  in  an 
upright  position.  As  the  paint  dries,  this 
also  holds  the  hull  of  the  ship  firmly,  and, 


^.^^^^s^M^^^'::::^^^-^^^^^^:::^:^^----''^ 

gk          ^^           — ^fc-                /    ,.Hll«"'"~ 

rg^tj 

ifeafe^^-^^j 

kmmJ 

V;-     .T^-^ 

^I^*"S^        MASTS   rOLOCD 
^^\>-*-"   READY  TO  PlACt 
, /                   IM   BOTTLK 

1 

This  Pouling  Ship-in-a-Bottto  Novelty  it   Easily 

Made  by  Beadins  the  Mattt  Over  to  Put 

the  Craft  in  the  Bottle 

after  a  few  hours,  the  bottle  may  be  han- 
dled without  fear  of  anything  breaking 
away. — S.  L.  Bastin,  Bournemouth,  Eng. 


A  Practical  Rabbit  Trap 

A  practical  and  easily  constructed  fab- 
bit  trap  consists  of  a  wooden  box,  with 
a  wire  door  which  is  closed  when  a  wire 


m 


^ 


This  Practical  Rabbit  Trap  Retemblet  a  Log,  Requires 
No  Bait,  and  does  Not  Injure  the  Rabbit 

trigger  is  pushed  by  the  rabbit  on  en- 
trance. The  box  should  be  made  of  old 
boards,  or  new  boards  blackened  with  a 
stain  not  likely  to  offend  the  rabbit's  del- 
icate sense  of  smell.  Five  boards  are  re- 
quired, two  1  by  6  by  22  in.,  two  1  by  8 
by  22  in.,  and  one  1  by  6  by  8  in.  These 
are  nailed  together  to  form  a  square  tube 
with  the  inside  dimensions  6  by  6 -by  22 
in.    One  end  is  closed  by  the  small  piece. 

The  door  is  made  of  heavy  wire,  hung 
loosely  in  the  open  end  of  the  box  from 
two  staples.  A  small  strip  of  wood  must 
be  fastened  in  the  bottom  of  the  opening 
to  prevent  the  rabbit  from  pushing  the 
door  open  when  he  is  once  caught.  The 
trigger,  also  of  wire,  is  hung  from  two 
staples  in  the  top  board  of  the  box.  The 
straight  part  of  the  trigger  is  12  in.  long» 
and  the  loop  3  in.  in  diameter.  Be  sure 
that  the  trigger  is  hung  so  as  to  slide 
freely  through  the  staples. 

In  operation  the  trap  is  simple.  It  is 
set  by  pushing  the  door  inward  and  up- 
ward against  the  top  board  of  the  box, 
and  pulling  the  trigger  forward  until  the 
door  will  rest  on  the  hook. 

Any  green  bait,  such  as  lettuce,  or  a  • 
carrot,  may  be  used,  being  placed  in  the 
closed  end  of  the  trap,  but  it  is  not  abso- 
lutely necessary,  the  curiosity  of  the  rab- 
bit, and  the  likeness  of  the  trap  to  a  log 
being  sufficient  to  attract  him.  As  the 
'  animal  enters  the  trap  he  pushes  the  loop 
of  the  trigger  back  until  it  releases  the 
door,  which  falls  behind  him,  leaving  bim 
a  prisoner  but  uninjured. — Bertram  Jack- 
son, Logansport,  Ind. 


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A  Wooden  Grating  for  the  Sink 

The  wooden  grating  shown  in  the 
sketch,  if  used  underneath  dish  pans  and 
other  large  vessels  in  the  sink,  will  go  far 


toward  preventing  injury  of  the  white 
enamel  by  the  vessels  knocking  against 
it.  The  grating  consists  of  four  slats  laid 
each  way,  about  1  by  y^  in.  in  size.  They 
are  held  together  by  nails,  and  are  water- 
proofed with  a  coating  of  good  water- 
proof paint  or  by  immersing  in  hot 
paraffin.  Small  rubber  corks  should  be 
sunk  almost  flush  into  holes  bored  in  the 
ends  and  in  the  bottom  of  the  grating,  as 
an  additional  protection  for  the  white- 
enamel  surface  of  the  sink. — Mrs.  C. 
Michel,  Jersey  City,  N.  J. 


Cork  Buffers  on  Medicine  Cabinets 
Prevent  Marring  of  Wall  Paper 

In  hanging  a  medicine  cabinet  from 
picture  molding,  it  is  necessary  to  make 
the  back  hang  parallel  with  the  wall,  and 
to  protect  the  wall  paper  from  the  cor- 
ners of  the  cabinet.  Small  corks,  fas- 
tened to  the  corners  on  the  back  of  the 
cabinet  with  screws  driven  through  their 
centers,  will  fill  both  requirements.  They 
should  be  countersunk  so  that  the  screw 
heads  will  not  scratch  the  wall  paper. 


A  Foot-Power  Scroll  Saw 

The  usefulness  of  the  ordinary  hand 
scroll  saw  is  limited  to  the  thinner,  softer 
woods,  and  smaller  work.  A  foot-power 
saw  capable  of  handling  large  work, 
thicker  and  harder  wood,  and  with  less 
exertion,  would  for  that  reason  be  very 
welcome.  Hard  wood  is  best  for  the 
woodwork,  but  the  better  grades  of  soft 
wood  will  give  good  service.  Two  up- 
rights, 7  ft.  long  and  3  in.  square,  are 
mortised  at  the  bottom  into  heavy  planks, 
screwed  to  the  floor,  the  distance  be- 
tween the  uprights  being  AV^  ft.  They 
are  connected  at  the  top  with  a  piece,  3 


in.  square  and  5  ft.  long,  with  mortised 
joints.  The  inner  frame,  which  is  to  hold 
the  saw,  is  made  of  two  end  pieces,  2  by 
3  by  26  in.,  and  two  pieces  for  top  and 
bottom,  each  1^/2  by  3  by  54  in.,  held  to- 
gether with  glue  and  screws.  These  top 
and  bottom  pieces  are  mortised  into  the 
sidepieces.  A  spring  made  of  three  pieces 
of  %-in.  ash,  planed  to  %  in.  at  the  ends, 
is  fastened  to  the  top  beam  with  a  bolt, 
and  the  ends  are  fastened  to  the  saw 
frame  with  sash  cord.  The  treadle  is 
made  from  a  board,  30  in.  long  and  1  in. 
thick,  tapering  from  4  in.  wide  at  the 
rear  end  to  3  in.  at  the  forward  end.  The 
wide  end  is  fastened  to  the  floor  with 
hinges,  and  the  narrow  part  is  suspended 
from  the  saw  frame  by  an  iron  rod,  bent 
to  shape  and  held  by  eyebolts.  A  table 
is  provided  to  hold  the  work,  24  in.  long, 
18  in.  wide,  and  1  in.  thick,  with  a  1-in. 
hole  in  the  center  for  the  saw  to  pass 
through.  .  It  is  supported  by  two  narrow 
strips,  screwed  to  the  uprights  on  each 
side  of  the  saw  frame.  On  each  upright, 
two  narrow  strips  are  screwed,  to  serve 
as  guides  between  which  the  saw  frame 
will  slip  without  swerving  from  side  to 
side.  This  is  necessary  for  accurate  work. 
Ordinary  turning-saw  blades,  18  in. 
long,  are  used.  They  are  held  in  two 
%-in.  bolts,  slotted  by  a  hacksaw  for  a 
distance  of  IVi  in.  from  the  head  end. 
Collars   provided  with   thumb    bolts   arc 


A    Power    Scroll    Saw,    Operated    by   Treadle   and 

Spring,   Handles   Larger  Pieces  of  Work 

Than  the  Hand  Turning  Saw 

slipped  over  the  slotted  ends,  and  thumb 
nuts  and  washers  added.    The  bolts  are 


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placed  in  the  center  of  the  top  and  bot- 
tom pieces  of  the  saw  frame,  and  held 
by  washers  and  thumb  nuts.  To  put  the 
saw  blade  in  place,  slip  the  ends  into  the 
slots  of  the  two  bolts,  and  fasten  it  by 
tightening  the  thumb  bolts  in  the  collars. 
The  thumb  nuts  are  then  adjusted  so  that 
the  blade,  is  held  rigidly  in  the  saw  frame. 
— Tod  Masters,  Ft.  Atkinson,  Wis. 


water  collected.    The  jug  surrounded  by 
cracked  ice  provides  such  a  surface,  and 


Lamp-Bank  Rheostat  Permits 
Fine  Adjustment 

By  using  a  number  of  single-pole, 
double-throw  knife  switches  and  lamp 
sockets,  connected  as  shown,  a  rheostat 
of  very  flexible  resistance  is  obtained, 
which  is  free  from  all  short-circuit  dan- 
gers, as  the  switches  cannot  be  arranged 
to  produce  a  **short."  Another  advan- 
tage of  this  type  over  the  water  rheostat, 
and  even  many  of  the  carbon-disk  resis- 
tors, is  that  the  load  is  constant,  so  that 
fhe  adjustment  need  not  be  changed  dur- 


^^TCRMINAUS 


8.P.D.T. KNIFE  SWrrCHES- 


Lamp -Bank  liheottat  Which  Permits  Very  Fine 

Adjustment,  with   Great   Current  Variation 

and  without  Danger  of  Short  Circuit 

ing  an  experiment.  By  a  simple  manip- 
ulation of  the  switches  it  is  possible  to 
connect  the  lamps,  all  in  series,  all  in  par- 
allel, or  in  any  combination.  Using  10 
carbon  lamps  of  the  110-volt,  32-cp.  type, 
it  is  possible  to  obtain  a  current  varia- 
tion from  10  amperes  down  to  one-tenth 
of  an  ampere.  The  sketch  shows  the  first 
two  lamps  in  parallel;  the  next  three  in 
series,  but  still  in  parallel  with  the  first 
two;  and  the  remaining  five  lamps  dis- 
connected entirely. — Victor  H.  Todd, 
Portland,  Me. 


Distilling    Water   without    Special 
Apparatus 

Distilled  water  is  a  necessity  for  the 
upkeep  of  storage  batteries  such  as  used 
in  automobiles  and  farm  lighting  outfits, 
and  is  often  recommended  for  the  use 
of  invalids  where  there  are  objectionable 
impurities  jn  the  drinking  water.  It  is 
not  necessary  to  purchase  a  still,  in  order 
to  obtain  water  which  is  perfectly  pure. 
The  sketch  shows  how  to  rig  one  up 
from  the  objects  shown.  The  essential 
principle  of  any  still  for  this  purpose  is 
to  present  a  cold  surface  where  the  steam 
may    be    condensed,    and    the    resulting 


An  Apparatus  for  Distilling  Water,  Made  from 
Famihar  Objects  Which  Are  Available  in  Nearlv  Every 
Household,  will  Provide  Pure  Water  at  Small  Expense 

it  will  be  found  that  very  little  of  the 
steam  escapes  condensation  in  the  jug. 
If  ice  is  not  available,  satisfactory  results 
will  be  secured  by  the  use  of  cold  water 
around  the  jug,  which,  however,  will  have 
to  be  changed  quite  often,  or  kept  stead- 
ily running.  It  is  not  advisable  to  use  a 
metal  container,  as  the  purity  of  the 
water  will  not  then  be  assured. — P.  P. 
Avery,  New  York,  N.  Y. 


Electrical  Terminals  Formed 
by  Soldering 

A  satisfactory  way  of  making  a  durable, 
efficient  gas-engine  ignition  terminal  is  to 
form  a  solid  loop  at  the  end  of  the  or- 
dinary high-tension  cable.  The  wire  end 
is  bared  of  the  insulation  for  about  2  in., 
and  the  copper  strands  are  untwisted  and 
divided  into  two  parts.  Next,  each  of 
these  sets  of  strands  is  twisted  to  make 
two  large  strands,  after  which  the  Ibop 
is  made  by  twisting  the  two  parts  togeth- 
er for  a  short  distance,  then  placing  them 
around  a  small  round   rod  and  twisting 


A  Durable  and  Efficient  Terminal  for  Ignition-System 

Connections  is  Made  by  Forming  a 

Soldered  Loop  in  the  Wire 

the  two  ends  together.    The  job  is  com- 
pleted by  dipping  the  loop  in  solder. 


CAn  ordinary  lawn  sprinkler  may  be  used 
as  a  labor  saver  for  curing  concrete.  It 
is  only  necessary  to  attach  it  to  the  hose 
and  change  its  position  occasionally. 


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Greens  Protected  While  Growing 
in  Chicken  Yard 

Chickens  confined  to  a  small  yard  eat 
everything  green,  root  and  all.  But  such 
plants  as  wheat,  oats,  barley,  rape,  clover. 


A   Frame   Covered  with   Poultry    Netting    Protecti 

Growing  Planti,  Which   Pumiih  a  Continuoui 

Supply  of  Green  Food  for  a  Small  Flock 

alfalfa,  and  many  of  the  grasses,  may  be 
grown  in  a  chicken  yard,  and  furnish  the 
required  amount  of  green  food,  if  they 
are  protected  while  growing.  A  plank, 
or  board,  frame,  8  ft.  wide  and  12  ft. 
long,  covered  with  poultry  netting,  will 
protect  the  roots  and  lower  parts  of  the 
plants  so  that  they  will  continue  to  grow, 
furnishing  a  continuous  supply  of  green 
feed.  The  ground  should  be  enriched 
with  manure  before  planting,  and  must 
be  watered  occasionally. 

The  small  frame  illustrated  will  furnish 
green  food  for  only  a  few  hens,  but  it 
may,  of  course,  be  made  as  extensive 
as  circumstances  require. — Herbert  A. 
Shearer,  Chicago,  111. 


Thermometer  Mounted  on  Automobile 

A  thermonieter,  mounted  in  some  ex- 
posed position  on  the  automdbile,  will 
keep  the  driver  informed  as  to  when  the 
radiator  and  hood  should  be  covered,  or 
when  the  antifreeze  solution,  or  other 
such  measure,  becomes  necessary.  A  good 
place  to  put  the 
thermometer  is  on 
the  windshield 
support,  on  the 
driver's  side  of  the 
machine,  as  it  is 
readily  seen  in  this  posi- 
tion, and  will  get  the  full 
force  of  the  wind,  which 
will  aid  it  in  indicating 
quickly  the  temperature 
of  the  surrounding  air.  The  best  type  of 
thermometer  for  this  purpose  is  one  which 
is  mounted  on  metal  rather  than  wood, 
and  has  metal  gfuards  at  the  side  to  pro- 
tect the  mercury  tube.     Such  thermom- 


WIND6HICLO  SUPPORT 


MCTAL  THERMOMETER 


eters  are  often  sold  for  photographic 
purposes.  Two  wires,  run  through  small 
holes  in  the  metal  back  and  fastened 
around  the  windshield  support,  will  hold 
the  thermometer  securely.  The  ther- 
mometer is  not  conspicuous,  but  will 
often  be  found  very  handy  for  reference. 
— G.  I.  Mitchell,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 


Simple   Mechanism   for   Providing 
Intermittent  Motion 

In  some  chemical  experiments  it  was 
necessary  to  keep  the  contents  of  a  bot- 
tle agitated  at  intervals  over  periods  of 
several  hours.  The  apparatus  by  which 
this  was  done  may  be  useful  for  many 
other  purposes,  and  its  construction  is 
shown"  in  the  sketch.  A  beam  consist- 
ing of  two  sticks  of  wood,  set  together  at 
an  angle,  carries 
at  one  end  a 
weight  and  at  the 
other  a  can  of  wa- 
ter with  an  open 
end.  Leading  to 
this  can  is  a  rub- 
ber tube  through 
which  a  very 
small  stream  of 
water  is  directed  from  a  faucet.  The 
weight  at  the  other  end  is  such  that  when 
the  can  is  empty,  it  is  forced  to  the  top 
position.  As  the  water  flows  into  it,  a 
point  is  reached  where  its  weight  exceeds 
that  on  the  other  end;  the  can  then  falls 
to  a  position  just  below  the  horizontal, 
and  the  water  is  poured  out  from  it.  Im- 
mediately the  weight  returns  it  to  the 
upper  position  and  the  process  is  repeated 
indefinitely.  The  bottle  to  be  agitated 
was  placed  in  a  box  resting  in  the  posi- 
tion indicated,  so  that  every  time  the  can 
of  water  emptied  itself,  the  bottle  would 
roll  to  the  other  end  of  the  box  and  back 
again,  thus  agitating  its  contents. 

Various  other  uses  for  such  an  appa- 
ratus will  occur  to  the  experimenter,  such 
as  closing  an  electric  contact  at  each 
movement  and  thus  operating  some 
mechanism  which  is  being  tested  as  to 
its  durability  under  repeated  use. — F.  H. 
Mason,  San  Diego,  Calif. 


Convenient  Type  of  Mail  Box 
for  Home  Use 

For  those  who  have  mail  boxes  fliish 
with  the  side  of  the  house,  the  following 
convenience  is  very  practical.  Cut  out 
the  back  of  the  box  with  a  can  opener, 
and  add  about  5  in.  to  the  body  by  solder- 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


47S 


ing.  After  cutting  a  hole  through  the 
entire  wall  and  fitting  the  inside  with  a 
neat  frame  and  glass  door,  the  mail  box 
becomes  really  a  convenience.  The  mail 
is  visible  from  the  inside,  and  fussing  with 
a  mail-box  key  in  disagreeable  weather  is 
eliminated. 


Oil  Pump  for  Automobile  Engine 

On  an  automobile  engine  which  was 
oiled  by  the  "splash"  system,  it  was  found 
that  the  tube  which  conducted  the  oil 
from  the  flywheel  to  the  front  part  of 
the  engine  became  clogged,  and  some 
burned-out  bearings  resulted.  To  pre- 
vent the  recurrence  of  this  accident,  a 
pump  was  installed  in  the  oil  line  and 
connected  to  be  driven  by  the  cam  shaft, 
as  shown  in  the  sketch.  The  upper  part 
of  the  motor  crank  case,  on  the  cam- 
shaft side,  was  drilled  out  and  tapped, 
opposite  one  of  the  cams,  to  take  a  brass 
tube,  which  was  threaded  with  a  stand- 
ard pipe  thread.  This  tube  was  reamed 
out  to  a  snug  fit  for  a  small  piece  of 
shafting,  which  formed  the  plunger  of 
the  pump.  Another  piece  of  tubing  was 
screwed  onto  the  first,  at  right  angles,  and 
to  the  ends  of  it,  through  two  ball-check 
valves,  were  attached  the  oil  tubes  leading 
to  the  crank  case  and  to  the  bearings  of 
the  engine.  These  check  valves  acted  to 
prevent  oil  from  flowing  back  to  the  crank 
case,  while  permitting  it  to  flow  in  the 
proper  direction.  On  the  end  of  the 
plunger  was  fastened  a  striking  plate  of 
hard  steel,  against  which  the  cam  pushed 
once  during  every  revolution  of  the  cam 


CAMSH^ 


aecTiQN 

CRANKC 


A  Simple  Plunger  Pump,  Attached  to  the  Crank  Case 

and  Operated  by  One  of  the  Cams,  Providei 

"Sure-Fire"  Oiling  for  the  Auto  Engine 

shaft.  In  this  way  the  engine  was  pro- 
vided with  a  force-feed  oiling  system 
at  small  expense. — G.  A.  Luers,  Washing- 
ton, D.  C. 


Converting  a  Wire-Spring  Cot 

into  a  Child's  Folding  Bed 

A  three-quarter  folding  bed  can  be  as- 
sembled at  very  low  cost  by  using  a  cot 
as  a  basis  upon  which  to  build.    Even  if 


COT    READY    FOR  USC 


a-  o*: r*-7  J-H 


FULL  LINES   SHOW  COT  FOLDED 


Bv  Unfastening  Pour    Screw  Hooks,  This  Bed  can 
be  Polded  Up  So  as  to  Occupy  But  Little  Space 

it  is  necessary  to  purchase  a  new  cot,  the 
expense  will  be  attractively  low.  The  sides 
are  made  of  2  by  1%-in.  rails,  tied  together 
with  %-in.  dowel-pin  spindles.  Thes^sides 
are  hinged  to  the  rails  of  the  cot.  The 
upper  piece  of  each  side  is  tenoned  at  A, 
as  detailed,  to  fit  into  one  of  the  end  posts. 
A  hook  and  screw  eye  is  used  to  hold  each 
tenon  in  place.  The  head  and  foot  are 
identical  in  construction,  and  are  hinged 
to  the  rails  of  the  cot  with  the  same  strap- 
iron  links  which  carry  the  legs  of  the  cot. 
When  it  is  desired  to  fold  the  bed,  so  that 
it  can  be  concealed  in  a  closet  or  under  an- 
other bed,  the  hooks  are  released  and  the 
sides  folded  down  on  the  top.  Then  the 
head  and  foot,  swinging  on  the  strap-iron 
links,  are  forced  to  a  position  under  the 
cot  frame.  Thus  the  bed  can  be  concen- 
trated so  that  it  occupies  but  little  space. 
When  building  a  bed  like  this,  it  will  pay 
to  purchase  a  good  cot  frame  which  has 
three  wooden-slat  cross  bar^,  on  each  of 
which  are  four  coil  springs  to  assist  in 
supporting  the  main  spring. — R.  J.  Ste- 
phens, Kansas  City,  Mo. 

CA  pair  of  friction-joint  calipers  opened 
out  with  one  leg  clamped  to  the  blade 
of  a  tr>'-square  forms  a  useful  surface 
gauge. 


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Mop  Wringer  Built  in  Bucket 

By  fastening  a  galvanized  clothes  hook 
within  a  wooden  pail,  a  satisfactory  mop 
wringer    may    be 
easily  constructed. 
Place     the     hook, 
with   the   opening 
down,  about  4  in. 
from   the   top   of 
the   pail.     Fasten 
with     screws,     or 
with    round-head- 
ed   bolts,   making 
sure  there  are  no 
sharp   projections, 
and  cut  the  bolts  on  the  inside  of  the  pail. 
Have  the  water  level  below  the  hook.  The 
mop  should  be  placed  in  the  mop  stick 
with  both  ends  toward  the  handle,  thereby 
forming  a  loop  in  the  center  to  catch  on 
the  hook.     Use  the  wringer  by  hitching 
the  loop  into  the  hook  and  turning  the 
mop   handle  around.     It  will  wring  the 
mop  as  dry  as  desired,  and  the  hands  are 
kept  dry.    A  galvanized  pail  may  be  used 
instead  of  a  wooden  one  by  having  holes 
for  bolts  drilled  through  the  side/ 


Milk  Bottles  Catch  Pennies 
for  Belgian  Babies 

An  ingenious  and  attractive  device  for 
receiving  money  contributions  on  the 
street,  or  in  hotel  lobbies,  for  benevolent 
purposes,  was  recently  devised  in  con- 
nection with  the 
collection  of 
funds  for  Belgian 
relief.  The  partic- 
ular purpose  of 
the  money  col- 
lected-was  to  pro- 
vide milk  for  Bel- 
gian babies,  and 
the  receptacles  for 
the  coins  were 
milk  bottles, 
painted  white  so  as 
to  look  as  though 
they  were  full  of 
milk.  Two  bottles 
were  mounted  on 
a  post,  as  shown 
in  the  sketch.  They  were  fastened  in 
such  a  way  that  they  could  not  be  detached 
without  breaking  the  wooden  pieces  which 
held  them,  except  by  opening  the  box 
above,  which  was  always  kept  locked. 
This  box  is  used  for  displaying  signs 
calling  attention  to  the  purpose  for 
which  the  contributions  are  asked.     By 


unlocking  the  cover  and  lifting  from  the 
inside  of  the  box  a  block,  which  has  a 
round  handle  projecting  upward  for  this 
purpose,  a  pin  is  withdrawn  from  the  cen- 
ter of  the  bar  that  covers  the  tops  of  the 
bottles,  so  that  the  bar  can  be  slid  out, 
permitting  the  bottles  to  be  removed. 
This  bar  is  provided  with  two  slots  for 
coins,  one  above  each  bottle.  The  person 
in  charge  of  the  collection  carries  the  key 
which  unlocks  the  door  at  the  top  of  the 
post,  giving  access  to  the  releasing  mech- 
anism. 


.  Towel  Rack  on  Hot- Water  Tank 

When  there  is  a  hot-water  tank  or  res- 
ervoir in  the  kitchen,  the  warm,  dry  air 
around  it  is  in  splendid  condition  for  dry- 
ing dish  towels,  or  other  cloths,  quickly. 
This  may  be  taken  advantage  of  by  at- 
taching directly 
to  the  tank  a 
hoop,  or  ring,  of 
metal,  which  may 
be  readily  made 
from  a  barrel 
hoop,  and  fasten- 
ing in  it  as  many 
hooks  as  one  may 
care  for.  Stiff 
steel  wire,  or  wire 
nails,  make  excel- 
lent material  for 
hooks,  and  they 
can  be  riveted  or 
soldered,  or  both, 
to  the  barrel  hoop. 
The  simplest  way  of  attaching  the  hoop 
is  to  cut  a  piece  long  enough  to  go  rather 
more  than  halfway  around  the  tank,  at- 
tach wires  to  the  ends,  and  twist  these 
wires  together  on  the  far  side  of  the  tank, 
which  is  not  accessible  enough  to  be  use- 
ful for  hanging  the  towels. — Warren  F. 
Quackenbush,  New  York,  N.  Y. 


Keeping  PhonograpS  Records  Handy 

In  order  that  a  disjc-phonograph  record 
might  be  picked  out  of  the  cabinet  with- 
out the  necessity  of  referring  to  the  index, 
or  reading  the  title  on  the  record,  one 
man  made  a  number  of  folders  about 
12  in.  square.  These  were  of  heavy  wrap- 
ping paper.  One  edge  was  allowed  to 
extend  forward  farther  than  the  other, 
and  to  the  outside  of  it  was  pasted  an 
oblong  piece  of  white,  cloth-backed  paper. 
On  this  the  title  of  the  record  was  writ- 
ten. As  the  filing  folders  ran  from  left 
to  right  in  the  cabinet,  the  oblong  pieces 


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were  pasted  lower,  in  order  to  make  the 
reading  easy.  This  allowed  them  all  to 
be  in  view.  The  longer  edge  of  each  foM- 
er  made  the  filing  and  removing  of  the 
records  easy.  It  would  be  possible  to  use 
the  envelopes  the  records  come  in  for  the 
folders,  but  those  made  of  heavier  and 
wider  paper  are  better. — Charles  A.  God- 
dard,  Los  Angeles,  Calif. 


Old  Ball  Bearing  Forms  Door  Guide 

The  sketch  shows  a  novel  door  guide 
which  was  installed  in  a  garage.     It  is 
made  from  a  wooden  block  set  into  the 
floor  and  securely  fastened.     The  upper 
end   of  the   block 
is  rounded  off  to 
fit     an     old.    ball 
bearing  which  had 
become  too  badly 
worn    for    further 
service  in  the  car. 
A  steel  strap  was 
screwed  onto  the 
door     to     protect 
against    wear   the 
part  which  would 

come  against  the  ball  bearing.  M  the  block 
which  carries  the  bearing  is  set  into  the 
concrete  floor  at  the  time  the  floor  is  laid, 
a  very  durable  door  guide  is  formed,  and 
one  which  will  not  squeak  or  wear 
grooves  in  the  door. — Frank  W.  Roth, 
Joplin,  Mo. 


Paper  and  String  Demonstrate 
Static  Electricity 

A  most  amusing  demonstration  of  static 
electricity  can  be  performed  with  a  sheet 
of  good-quality  paper  and  a  piece  of  or- 
dinary cotton  string.     The  string  is  laid 
loosely   on   the    table,   and   the   paper   is 
electrified  by  rub- 
bing     it      briskly 
with    a    piece    of 
celluloid,  a  drafts- 
man's      composi- 
tion   triangle,    or 
even       with      the 
hand.     If  the  pa- 
per  is   immediately   grasped   and   held   a 
few   inches   above   the   string,   the   latter 
will  leap  up  to  meet  the  paper.    By  lifting 
the  paper  suddenly  as  the  string  rises  up, 
a  very  comical  effect  is  produced.     The 
experiment   depends   very   much   on    the 
dryness  of  the  air  and  of  the  materials; 
it  is  impossible  to  perform  any  such  trick 
when  there  is  much  dampness  in  the  at- 
mosphere. 


Hand  Guafd  for  a  Cold  Chisd 

The  use  of  a  cold  chisel  by  anyone  in- 
experienced with  it  usually  results  in  the 
hammer  occa- 
sionally striking 
the  hand  instead 
of  the  chisel,  with 
disastrous  results. 
For  the  use  of 
beginners,  and 
possibly  some  of 
the  older  work- 
men who  occa- 
sionally fail  to  hit 
the  chisel  directly 
on  the  head,  it  will  be  helpful  to  cut  out 
a  disk  of  old  leather  belting,  make  a  hole 
of  the  proper  size  in  the  center,  and  mount 
it  on  the  end  of  the  chisel  to  break  the 
force  of  any  misdirected  blow. — J.  H. 
Williams,  Baltimore,  Md. 


Ironing-Board  Cover  Made 
Easily  Detachable 

The  cloth  covering  of  an  ironing-board 
is  often   permitted   to   become  worn   be- 
cause of  the  difficulty  of  removing  and 
replacing  it.     To  avoid  this,  an  ironing- 
board    was    fitted 
with  a  detachable 
cloth  covering,  as 
shown       in       the 
sketch.     Four 
barbless  fishhooks, 
four    small    wood 
screws,  two  short, 
round    pieces    o  f 
wood,  and  a  sec- 
tion of  a  bicycle, 

or  automobile,  in-  [_ 

ner  tube  compose  c 

each  of  the  fas- 
teners. As  many  can  be  used  as  are  found 
necessary  to  hold  the  covering  securely 
to  the  board;  when  it  is  to  be  removed 
for  cleaning,  the  hooks  are  detached  at 
both  ends  of  the  fasteners,  thus  leaving 
the  covering  without  any  fastenings, 
which  might  get  broken  or  injured  during 
the   washing. 


Stains  on  Photographs  after  Fixing 

The  brown  or  yellow  stains,  which  are 
sometimes  found  on  photographic  prints 
after  being  taken  out  of  the  fixing  bath, 
can  be  prevented  by  mixing  a  tablespoon- 
ful  of  vinegar  in  the  water  in  which  the 
prints  are  washed  after  being  developed. 


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Rubber  Stamp  Made  in  Two  Parts 

Anyone  who  does  much  corresponding 
will  find  it  convenient  to  have  a  small 
two-line  rubber  stamp  with  his  street  and 
city  address,  and  will  also  have  frequent 
use  for  another  stamp  to  print  his  name 
only.  For  still 
other  purposes,  it 
is  useful  to  have 
all  three  lines  in 
one  stamp.  This 
can  be  accom- 
plished without 
having  three  sep- 
arate stamps,  by 
mounting  the  two 
first  -  named 
stamps  on  rectan- 
gular blocks  of 
wood,  and  fitting 
them  together  as 
illustrated.  Two 
small  nails  are  driven  throujjh  the  thinner 
mount  and  fit  into  holes  in  the  other  one. 
These  holes  may  be  made  by  means  of 
the  nails  themselves,  as  the  set  should  be 
a  tight-working  fit.  In  this  way,  either 
stamp  can  be  used  by  itself,  or  the  name 
block  can  be  attached  to  the  address 
stamp  by  merely  pressing  the  two  nails 
into  the  holes,  thus  forming  practically 
one  stamp.  The  nail  holes  must,  of 
course,  be  located  while  the  two  stamps 
are  clamped  together  in  the  proper  posi- 
tion, so  that  their  printing  surfaces  are 
exactly  in  the  same  plane. 

Another  way  of  doing  this  is  to  mount 
the  name  stamp  and  the  address  stamp 
on  the  same  block,  but  on  surfaces  at  an 
angle  with  each  other.  When  the  name 
and  address  are  both  to  be  printed,  the 
stamp  is  inked  by  a  rocking  motion  on 
the  pad,  bringing  both  parts  of  it  into 
contact  with  the  inking  surface,  and  the 
impression  on  the  paper  is  made  with  a 
similar  motion.  If  the  angle  at  which 
the  two  stamps  are  placed  is  correct — it 
should  be  about  120° — it  will  be  found 
that  the  combined  impression  can  be  made 
in  a  time  scarcely  any  longer  than  that 
necessary  to  use  an  ordinary  stamp. 
Then,  when  either  the  name  or  address 
is  wanted  separately,  it  can  be  printed 
in  the  ordinary  manner  by  turning  the 
stamp  to  the  proper  angle.  A  handle, 
or  molding  of  the  mounting  block  to  the 
shape  shown,  will  be  found  convenient, 
as  it  will  help  in  holding  the  stamp  cor- 
rectly, but  this  will  not  present  any  diffi- 
culties after  a  little  experience  in  using 
the  stamp.  This  method  of  mounting  the 
rubber  stamps  may  also  be  found  useful 


in  an  office  for  various  other  combina- 
tions of  words. — H.  R.  Dunn,  Chicago, 
Illinois. 


Repairing  Broken  Canoe  Paddles 

The  blades  of  canoe  paddles  crack  and 
break  very  easily.  Around  a  boathouse 
they  soon  accumulate,  representing  a 
good  deal  of  waste.  To  the  private 
owner  a  broken  paddle  often  means  that 
he  must  stay  off  the  water  for  several 
days.  The  ordinary  method  of  repairing, 
by  using  copper  strips,  is  not  pleasing 
to  the  eye,  and  does  not  lend  itself  to 
the  emergency  need  of  the  private  owner. 
A  strong,  quickly  made  repair  can  be 
effected  by  using  double-pointed  tacks. 
These  should  be  large,  strong  tacks  of 
brass,  or  at  least  galvanized.  After 
clamping  the  parts  of  the  blade  together 
as  tightly  as  possible,  drill  very  small 
holes  on  each  side  of  the  crack,  spacing 
each  pair  of  holes  to  the  width  of  the 
double-pointed  tacks.  The  tacks  are  put 
in,  and  clinched,  using  them  alternately 
on  each  side  of  the  blade.  In  case  the 
paddle  has  a  thin  strip  broken  off  one 
side  of  the  blade,  it  may  be  advisable  to 
drill  Me-in.*  holes  from  the  side,  through 
which  thin  wire  nails  are  driven,  double- 
pointed  tacks  being  used  after  the  strip 
has  been  nailed  to  the  blade.  Repairs 
made  with  tacks  and  nails  as  suggested 
have  actually  kept  paddles  in  use  for 
years  after  the  first  break,  without  re- 
quiring additional  mending.— Roy  B. 
Snow,  Toronto,  Can. 


Crossroads  Sign  Goes  after  Business 
of  Motorists 

Many  farmers  are  becoming  very  much 
alive  to  the  fact  that  it  is  profitable  to  sell 
their  produce  di- 
rect to  passing 
motorists.  Fair 
prices  can  be  had 
in  this  way,  and 
there  is  no  ex- 
pense for  trans- 
portation or  de- 
livery. A  number 
of  farmers  in  one 
locality  attracted 
a  cons  iderable 
amount  of  this 
kind  of  business 
by  erecting  a  sign- 
board where  two 
automobile  highways  crossed,  which  ad- 
vertised their  location  and  what  they  had 
for  sale.    The  device  was  apparently  ap- 


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preciated  by  motorists,  who  happened  to 
be  looking  for  the  products  which  were 
mentioned  on  the  signboard. — H.  S.  Rich, 
Hartford,  Conn. 


Pilterm^  River  Water  for  Drinking 
Purposes 

It  sometimes  becomes  necessary  to 
drink  river  water.  A  fairly  safe  way  to  do 
this,  if  there  is  no  opportunity  to  boil 
the  water,  is  to  strain  it  through  -cotton. 
Get  a  piece  of  ^-in.  rubber  tubing,  sev- 
eral feet  long.  Form  a  cup  by  taking 
half  of  a  rubber  bulb  or  some  other  ma- 
terial convenient  at  hand.  Fill  the  bulb 
with  cotton  batting,  and  place  the  bulb 
end  •  in  the  water.  The  water  drawn 
through  the  tube  will  be  clear,  and  much 
purer  than  without'  the  filter. — ^James  E. 
Noble,  Portsmouth,  Ontario,  Can. 


Air  Cushion  for  Invalid  Made 
from  Inner  Tube 

An    automobile    or    motorcycle    inner 
tube,  which  has  blown  out  in  one  or  two 
spots   without   losing  entirely   its   ability 
to   hold   air,    may 
be    made    into    a 
pneumatic      cush- 
ion for  the  use  of 
an  aged  person  or 
invalid,  by  simply 
cutting  it   in  two 
at  one  of  the  weak 
spots,   vulcanizing 
each  of  the  ends, 
repairing  any  leaks  or  holes,  and  forming 
the   tube   into   the   shape   illustrated.     It 
should  be  wound,  while  inflated  to  a  low 
pressure,  with  strips  of  stout  canvas  or 
burlap;  the  pressure  can  then  be  increased 
to   whatever   is   required.     Some   motor- 
cycle tubes  are  manufactured  with  closed 
ends,  and  these  are  especially  adapted  for 
this  use 


An  Improvised  Pendant  Switch 

A  pendant  switch,  which  is  even  more 
convenient  than  jnost  of  the  manufac- 
tured ones,  is  formed  by  screwing  a  fuse 
plug  into  an  ordinary  pull  socket.  The 
switch  thus  formed  must,  of  course,  be 
connected  in  series  with  the  light,  or 
lights,  to  be  controlled,  and  not  across 
mains  like  a  lamp  socket.  Any  key 
socket  can  be  converted  into  a  pendant 
switch  in  this  way,  but  the  type  operated 
by  pulling  a  chain  makes  a  particularly 
convenient  switch. — Loe  Addy,  New- 
comerstown,  Ohio. 


Drill  or  Brace  Made  More. Effective 

by  "Old  Man" 

A  simple  rigging,  as  illustrated,  for  the 
amateur's  workbench,  will  frequently  en- 


An  <*01d  Man,"  Coniiatin«  of  a  Bent  Piece  of  Iron 

Bar  or  Pipe,  Applies  Great  Force  to  the 

Bit  Brace  or  Breast  Drill 

able  him  to  use  his  bit  brace,  breast  drill, 
or  a  hand  drill  with  almost  the  effective- 
ness of  a  drill  press.  The  only  change 
necessary  to  make  in  the  brace  or  breast 
drill  is  to  cut  a  center  in  the  top,  to  take 
the  point  of  the  feed  screw.  The  "old 
man"  is  made  of  an  iron  bar,  or  pipe, 
fastened  in  a  bar,  set  into  the  bench  by 
means  of  a  wedge  key,  and  may  be  quick- 
ly adjusted  to  various  heights  by  releas- 
ing the  latter.  The  bar  may  have  several 
holes  cut  at  different  places  to  receive 
the  bar  or  pipe,  so  that  it  can  be  set  in 
various  positions. — Chas.  PI.  Willey,  Con- 
cord, N.  H. 


Quick  Method  of  Hanging 
Up  Films  to  Dry 

When  a  number  of  roll  films  are  being 
dried  after  developing,  the  time  necessary 

to  hang  them   up  

and  remove  them 
is  quite  apprecia- 
ble. One  of  the 
quickest  methods 
of  hanging  them 
is  to  have  a  num- 
ber of  brass  nails 
in  strips  of  wood 
mounted  along 
the  wall,  as 
shown.  If  there 
is  any  danger  that 
a  person  may  run 
against  these  pro- 
jecting nails,  the  strip  should  be  covered 
with  another  strip  of  wood  or  iron. 


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DIVING  FOR  DOLLARS  OFF  ALASKA 

By  WILLIAM  FLEMING  FRENCH 


"IT  wasn't  so  bad  during  flow  tide,  but 
-*•  at  ebb,  when  the  cold  currents  swept 
out  from  Prince  William  Sound,  carrying 
with  them  the  icy  waters  from  the 
Chugach  Mountains,  my  nerve  oozed 
right  out  through  my  diving  suit.  Many 
a  time  I've  come  up  into  the  bright, 
warm  sunshine,  half  paralyzed  with  cold. 
While  working  close  in  to  the  shore  we 
were  well  protected,  but  when  we  worked 
out  into  the  strait  to  pick  up  anything 
that  the  ebb  tide  might  have  carried  back, 
it  was  like  jumping  into  a  cold  plunge. 
And  other  times,  when  the  sun  was  out 
of  sight  and  the  wind  favored  us  with  a 
whiff  from  up  Hanagita  Valley  way,  we'd 
get  n  chill  straight  from  the  Klondike, 
I  believe.  Anyhow,  it  was  tough,  and 
we'd  never  have  stuck  if  the  pickings 
weren't  worth  it." 

This  from  one  of  the  adventurous 
divers  who  were  diving  for  dollars  off 
Cordova,  Alaska.  A  half  dozen  of  them 
there  were,  and  they  had  reaped  large  re- 
wards for  their  daring — for  diving  in 
treacherous  Alaskan  waters  is  no  gentle 
pastime.  The  millions  of  dollars*  worth  of 
unsalvaged  ships  and  cargoes  that  lie  off 
the  rocky  shores  of  the  gulfs,  bays,  and 
sounds  of  Alaska  prove  that. 

One  small  diving  boat,  operated  by  two 
men,  cleared  $1,400  in  three  days  at  this 
work.  Others  did  almost  as  well.  They 
were  not  diving  for  pearls,  nor  for  gold, 
but  for  copper. 

Because  of  the  dangerous  nature  of  the 
Alaskan  waters,  and  because  of  the  great 
ebb  and  flow  of  the  tide  at  Cordova  (due 
to  the  fact  that  the  two  islands  that  lie 
just  off  Cordova  form  a  sort  of  natural 
runway  through  which  the  receding  tide 
must  race)  the  loading  of  copper  from 
the  great  mines  thereabout,  onto  the 
ships  that  carry  it  to  the  States,  has  been 
a  risky  business.  As  a  result  thousands 
of  bags  of  copper  were  lost  between  the 
edge  of  the  loading  dock  and  the  boats. 
These  small,  cube-shaped  bags,  weighing 
in  the  neighborhood  of  50  lb.  each,  were 
at  one  time  tossed  from  the  wharf  to  the 
ships,  later  swung  in  by  a  loading  crane, 
but  now  are  loaded  by  a  protected  device 
whose  nets  eliminate  the  chance  of  a 
repetition  of  these  losses. 

But  the  harm  had  been  done  and,  ac- 
cording to  the  estimates  of  one  shipping 
agent  there,  over  50  tons  of  good  Cor- 
dova ore  lay  on  the  bottom. 


Then  the  prices  began  to  soar,  and  in 
early  1916,  when  the  allies  were  paying 
over  30  cents  a  pound  for  it,  the  10  and 
12-cent  ore  that  had  been  lost  a  few  years 
before  looked  like  a  gold  mine  to  the 
mining  and  shipping  interests  of  that 
territory.  So  steps  were  taken  to  reclaim 
the  lost  ore.  A  diving  crew  was  cm- 
ployed  and  set  to  work. 

This  seemed  to  have  the  effect  of  the 
good  old-fashioned  gold  rush.  Individuals 
started  diving — ^and  specializing  in  pneu- 
monia. Then  up  from  Seattle  came  a 
couple  of  diving  outfits,  and  another  ap- 
peared from  down  Sitka  way.  More  fol- 
lowed, and  soon  quite  a  little  fleet  was 
operating.  Not  always  exactly  within  the 
law,  perhaps,  but  certainly  with  great  en- 
thusiasm. 

The  ore  lay  mostly  close  to  the  docks, 
and  this,  of  course,  was  salvaged  by  its 
legitimate  owners.  But  hundreds  of  sacks 
had  been  forced  up  the  narrow  passage 
to  the  northeast  by  the  incoming  tide,  or 
else  dragged  out  into  deep  water  by  the 
outgoing  waters.  This,  then,  was  the 
natural  "game"  of  the  private  diver. 

Due  to  the  constant  milling  of  the  sand, 
many  of  these  bags  were  buried,  some  at 
great  depth,  and,  according  to  one  diver, 
could  never  be  recovered. 

The  ^  bags  of  copper  were  found,  in 
some  instances,  miles  from  the  docks; 
and  in  one  case,  a  half  dozen  bags  were 
found  on  a  bar  just  off  Hinchinbrook  Is- 
land, fully  12  miles  from  Cordova. 

Just  how  much  of  this  ore,  in  dollars 
and  cents,  has  been  reclaimed,  no  one 
seems  to  know,  but  an  estimate,  that  is 
generally  accepted  as  fairly  reasonable, 
sets  it  at  about  $25,000. 

GREATEST  OF  BRITISH  MINTS 
ARE  IN  INDIA 

The  mints  of  India,  at  Bombay  and  Cal- 
cutta, together  turn  out  more  coins  than 
all  the  other  mints  in  tAe  British  Empire, 
it  is  claimed.  This  surprising  output  is 
easily  accounted  for  when  it  is  understood 
that  not  only  do  they  supply  the  coinage 
demands  of  the  315,000,000  people  in  India 
but  also  of  several  other  British  posses- 
sions, including  Egypt  and  the  Straits 
Settlements.  Furthermore,  among  primi- 
tive peoples  coins  are  used  to  a  greater 
degree  than  by  the  inhabitants  of  the 
more  advanced  countries. 


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moisTiiito  IN  u.  a.  patint  orrioi 

WRITTEN    SO   YOU    CAN    UNDERSTAND    IT 


Vol.  31  APRIL,  1919  No.  4 


Aerial  Hunter  Goes  Gunning  for  Whales 

CPORT  more  extraordinary  than  shoot-     The   vast   carcass   was   towed   ashore   at 
ing  tigers  from  an  elephant's  back,  or      Los   Angeles,   and   a    local    packing   firm 
playing   a   quarter-ton   swordfish    with    a      ■„ 
casting  rod,   gave   its  initial  thrill  to  an 
army  lieutenant  a  short  time  ago  when  he 
went,  in  an  airplane,  machine-gunning  for 

whales.     From  his  vantage  point  a  thou-  ■ 

sand  feet  in  the  air  he  saw  his  first  game  ' 

spouting    four     miles     out     at     sea,    and 
swooped  down  upon  the  big  floating  mam- 
mal before  it  could  submerge.     A  sharp 
angle  toward  the  sea,  a  quick  tattoo  of 
machine-gun    bullets,    a    few   lashings    of 
foam,  and  the  leviathan  rolled  over  on  its 
back.     The   successful    hunter,    flying 
back  to  shore,  soon  had  a  motorboat 
on  its  way  out  to  pick  up  the  kill.  -"-^ 


The  Very  Apex  of  Thrills — Machine-Gunning  for  Whalei   from  an   Airplane — ^wai   Initiated   by  a   United 

Sutei  Army  Lieutenant,  Who  Got  Hit  First  Animal  Pour  Milei  from  Shore.    The  Steaks  and  Oil 

from  the  Body  of  the  Vanquished  Leviathan  Yielded  a  Nice  Profit  to  the  Intrepid  Hunter 

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undertook  to  dress  and  pack  the  meat. 
Whale  steaks  are  considered  delicacies 
nowadays,  and  besides,  the  flying  Nimrod 
found  a  considerable  profit  in   the  large 


quantity  of  valuable  oil  taken  from  the 
animal.  Perhaps  there  will  have  to  be  a 
closed  season  on  whales  when  the  sport- 
ing airplanes  get  to  flying  in  numbers. 


NO  NEED  TO  ENTER  HOUSE 
TO  READ  THIS  METER 


CATTLE  VISIT  IN  CALIFORNIA 
OVER  INCLEMENT  SEASON 


Miscreants   who  use   impersonation    of  California  pastures  the  past  winter  har- 

meter   readers   as   an    "open    sesame"   to      bored    several   hundred   carloads   of   Ne- 
dwellings  on  which  they  have  designs,  are      vada  cattle  and  sheep,  shipped  in  to  avoid 

thp    n#»rpnihpr  and   January  cold   of   the 
In  the  spring  they  will  go 
home  state.    Naturally,  this 
ig  of  common  range  stock 
y  altruistic,  but  is  inspired 
iiness    motives.     California 
d   more  economical   winter 
sheep  go  through  the  lamb- 
ith  far  less  loss.     With  all 
tents  and  lambing  wagons, 
ften  takes  half  the  increase 
change  of  climate  is  really 
an    economical    measure, 
with    the    recent    prices 
for  early   lambs.      Large 
numbers    of    stock    are 
often  moved  from  dry  to 
green   pastures,   but   this 
is     the  •first     important 
shipment     recorded      of 
range  stock  from  a  win- 
ter to  a  summer  climate. 


also  saved  both  the  reader 
and  the  housewife.  The  me- 
ter box,  especially  adapted 
for  electric-light  circuits, 
is     built     into     the     foun- 


By  Breaking  the  Glass  before  the 
Dials  the  Front  of  the  Box  may  be 
Taken  Out  to  Adjust  the  Meter.  A 
New  Glass  Makes  It  Impervious  to 
Moisture  or  Tampering 


dation  wall  of  the  building;  this  may 
be  done,  however,  after  the  building  is 
erected.  Once  in  operation,  the  only 
way  the  meter  box  can  be  opened  is  by 
breaking  the  glass  in  front  of  the  dials. 
The  hand  is  then  inserted  to  release  the 
catch  and  the  entire  front  door  removed. 
After  inspection  or  adjustment  a  new 
glass  is  put  in  and  the  door  snapped 
shut,  making  the  meter  impervious  to 
moisture  or  tampering. 

CTwo  electric  generating  stations  will  be 
built  in  Morocco  by  a  company  with 
about  $500,000  capita!.  The  power  will  be 
used  in   Fez. 


SHOULDER  PADS 

AND  HEAD  GUARD 

FOR  FOOTBALL 

PLAYERS 

To  reduce  as  far  as 
possible  the  effect  of  im- 
pact of  the  player's  cra- 
nium against  Mother 
Earth,  or  other  more  or 
less  solid  objects,  a  foot- 
ball coach  and  oflBcial  has  designed  a  hel- 
met and  shoulder  pads  along  improved 
lines.  A  series  of  leather  pads,  usually 
four,  inside  the  helmet,  are  tightened  with 

a  drawstring,  leav-     , 

ing  spaces  be- 
tween them  which 
act  as  air  cush- 
ions. The  shoul- 
der pads  are  ad- 
justable to  the  in- 
dividual, and  are 
shaped  to  give  full 
protection  to  cer- 
tain muscles  sensi- 
tive to  injury. 


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'MAURETANIA"   BRINGS  AMERICAN  TROOPS  HOME 


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ART  AND    ARTILLERY 


By  E.  T.  BRONSDON 


'"T'HERE'S    a    machine-gun     emplace- 

-*•  ment  up  there  beyond  that  clump  of 
bushes,  or  in  *em.  Because  we  came  up  so 
quick  I  ain't  got  the  data,  so  until  H.  Q. 
sends  it  along  you  guys  just  concentrate 
direct  fire  .  .  .  which  clump  of  bushes? 
Oh,  that  one,  up  there  to  the  left  of  that 
busted  tank  .  .  .  say  about  a  hundred 
yards  north  of  the  old  tower  at  Bing- 
ville    ..." 

This  is  exactly  the  fashion  a  civilian 
might  have  tried  to  designate  a  target  for  a 
battery  of  six-inchers.  The  fire  sergeant 
and  the  expert  enlisted  gunners  would 
have  had  a  good  laugh.  It  is  exactly  the 
manner  in  which  a  trained  battery  com- 
mander would  not  have  issued  the  same 
order.     This  is  more  the  manner: 

"Approximate  range  1,400  yards.  In  the 
immediate  foreground  a  cairn  of  white 
stones — probably  a  Hun  brass  hat,  or 
something.  Two  o'clock  from  there,  500 
yards,  a  single  tree.  Twelve  o'clock  from 
the  crotch,  a  disabled  Willie.  Eleven 
o'clock  from  there,  a  clump  of  bushes. 
Machine-gun  emplacement.  Bracket  fire." 
And  the  men  with  the  six-inchers  would 
have  "been  with  him  all  the  way."  There 
would  not  have  been  a  question  concern- 
ing the  target,  because  he  would  have  des- 
ignated it  exactly. 

The  reason  why  the  trained  man  would 
have  been  able  to  eradicate  all  doubt  in 
the  minds  of  his  subordinates  immediately 


was  because  he  himself  had  spent  dozens 
of  hours  taking  stiff  instruction  in  the 
exact  manner  in  which  to  make  such  a 
point  clear.  Time  is  measured  in  money  in 
civil  life;  in  war  its  bills  are  paid  in  blood. 
Confusion  in  commands  means  a  loss  of 
men. 

When  the  officer  himself  was  being 
trained,  he  was  taken  to  a  lecture  room. 
Here  several  gigantic  paintings  were 
placed  before  him.  Day  after  day  he  se- 
lected all  possible  targets,  and  according 
to  a  scheme  of  vocal  designation  based 
on  clearness  and  common  sense — the  main 
principle  being  to  take  the  listeners  from 
the  foreground  to  the  target  by  easily 
recognized  landmarks — he  learned  how  to 
"place"  anything  accurately  which  the  eye 
could  see. 

The  big  paintings  used  in  tne  officers' 
training  camps  and  at  the  draft  camps  of 
the  United  States  were  furnished  by  our 
native  artists,  working  under  the  supervi- 
sion of  the  Division  of  Pictorial  Publicity. 
Many  came  from  the  members  of  the 
Palette  and  Chisel  Club. 

The  pictures  themselves  made  little  pre- 
tension to  artistic  merit.  In  most  cases 
they  measured  10  by  20  ft.  in  size,  and 
were  adaptations  of  smaller  'scapes  that 
perhaps  made  some  such  claim.  In  each, 
however,  the  original  subject  had  been  laid 
aside ;  instead  of  the  elimination  of  detail 
now  so  important  in  American  art,  detail 


»NOTO  BY  JVLiv,  new  tome 


Painting!  Uaed  for  Instructing  Soldiers  in  the  Method  of  Designating  Targets  Measured  About  10  by  20 
Feet.    They  Made  Little  Pretension  to  Artistic  Merit  but  Were  Pull  of  DeUil 


484 


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485 


When  the  Paintingi  were  Used  as  Direct  Targeti,  a  Prism  was  Placed  on  the  Rifle  to  Change  the  Line  of 

Sight,  and  the  Bullets  Passed  through  a  Mimeographed  Reproduction  of  the  Picture. 

The  Small  Diagram  Gives  the  Arrangement 


was  glorified.  Just  as  many  fences,  houses, 
hedgerows,  hills,  roads,  brooks,  and  other 
natural  and  artificial  objects  were  crowded 
into  the  paintings  as  would  be  compatible 
with  the  aims  of  training.  As  art  they 
became  atrocities,  but  as  textbooks  in 
range  finding  they  became  useful. 

Because  artillery  in  the  great  war  was 
nearly  always  concerned  more  with  indi- 
rect than  with  direct  fire,  this  training, 
while  fundamentally  necessary,  was  not  as 
important  as  it  was  in  the  case  of  rifle- 
men and  machine  gunners,  who  in  most 
cases  had  to  use  direct  fire.  With  these 
latter  groups  an  addition  to  the  system 
noted  above  was  made. 

When  the  work  in  target  designation 
was  concluded,  the  paintings  were  used  as 
targets.  That  is,  the  men  aimed  and 
fired  their  machine  guns  or  rifles  at  objects 
designated  to  them  which  appeared  on  the 
paintings. 

The  manner  in  which  this  was  done 
without  riddling  the  paintings  themselves 
was  by  the  use  of  a  prism  lens,  set  on  each 
rifle  or  gun.  At  a  given  distance  from  the 
target,  this  1  ns  showed  the  painting  while 
the  muzzle  of  the  weapon  actually  pointed 
above  the  painting  itself.  Thus,  when  the 
shot  was  fired  at  the  "clump  of  bushes,"  or 
what  not,  the  bullet  passed  above  the 
painting,  giving  the  marksman  just  as 
much  practice  in  aiming  and  firing  as  if  he 
had  drilled  a  hole  in  the  canvas. 

Lightly  mimeographed  paper  targets 
were  set  immediately  above  the  paintings, 
and  the  range  and  prism  lenses  adjusted 
so  shots  registered  hits  on  the  paper  ex- 
actly as  the  rifleman  aimed  and  shot  at 


the  painting.  After  each  paper  duplicate 
of  the  painting  had  served  its  purpose  it 
was  torn  down,  and  the  accuracy  of  the 
fire  criticized. 


PRINTS  GUMMED  TAPE 
AS  IT  IS  USED 

Since  the  price  of  string  went  up, 
gummed-paper  tape  has  become  the  pop- 
ular package  fastener.  Merchants  who 
realize  the  value  of  advertising  can  get 
a  small  machine  that  will  print  anything 
they  want  on  the  tape  while  it  is  being 
pulled  out  for  use.  In  a  space  only  10  by 
8  by  2  in.,  this  little  mechanism  holds 
800  ft.  of  gummed  tape,  a  printing  press, 
a  moistener,  and  a  cut-oflF  knife.  When 
a  strip  of  tape  is  pulled  off  for  attaching 
to    a    package,    it    comes    out    with    the 


This    Little    Gummed-Tape    Printing    Machine   Hat 

Its  Printing  Roller,  Moistener,   and  Cut- 

OfiF  Knife  All  in  Plain  Sight 

gummed  side  wet  and  the    ink  side  dry. 
The  imprint  is  made  every  three  inches. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


COLLAPSIBLE  PERISCOPE 

FOR  USE  IN  CROWDS 

Shortness  of  stature  need  no  longer  be  a 
handicap  to  a  person  in  a  crowded  street 
anxious  to  view  a  passing  parade,  or  the 


Give  a  Short  Person  in  a  Crowd  a  View  of  a   Passing  Parade. 


tional  Sketch  at  the  Right  Reveals  the  Optical  Arrangement— Simply  m  Pair 
oi  Mirrors  at  a  46-Degree  Angle 

like,  if  he  is  provided  with  a  special  col- 
lapsible periscope,  recently  devised  for  just 
such  occasions.  It  consists  of  a  case,  hav- 
ing a  mirror  set  at  the  proper  angle  at 
either  end,  which  can  be  extended  to  a 
length  of  2  ft.,  or  more,  by  reason  of  a 
bellows  connecting  the  two  ends.  With 
the  device  lengthened,  the  mirrors  are  ex- 
posed so  that  the  user  can  see  over  the 
heads  of  a  crowd  without  difficulty. 
Folded,  the  periscope  looks  like  a  box 
camera. 


WONDERFUL  RESULTS  OBTAINED 
IN  SUBSTITUTE  SEARCH 

That  necessity  is  truly  the  mother  of 
invention  has  been  amply  demonstrated 
by  Germany  in  her  search  for  substitutes 
to  take  the  place  of  ma- 
terials she  was  unable  to 
obtain  during  the  war. 
The  thoroughness  with 
which  she  prosecuted 
this  search  was  made 
known  at  a  recent  festi- 
val held  in  Hamburg  for 
the  purpose  qi  giving  out 
the  results  obtained  from 
their  experiments  with 
the  lupine  genus  of 
plants.  A  Berlin  profes- 
sor has  succeeded  in  re- 
moving all  alkaloid  and 
bitter  substances  from 
the  seed  of  this  plant  and 
has  thus  made  every  part 
of  it  available  for  some 
use.  At  the  Hamburg 
banquet  the  table  cloth, 
every  item  on  the  menu, 
the  soap  used  by  the 
Sec-  guests  in  washing,  and 
even  the  writing  paper 
and  envelopes  furnished, 
were  made  from  the  products  and  by- 
products of  lupine. 


esigni 
The 


EXPERIMENTS  WITH  FISH  OILS 

TO  DETERMINE  EDIBILITY 

The  Bureau  of  Fisheries  has  been  ex- 
perimenting for  some  time  with  various 
fish  oils  to  determine  the  practicability  of 
rendering  them  for  edible  purposes,  and 
also  of  marketing  them  commercially. 
For  a  number  of  years  past  Denmark  has 
been  using  vast  quantities  of  fish  oil  in  the 
margarine  industry,  and  only  recently 
Norway  has  taken  up  the  matter  with  the 
idea  of  employing  it  in  the  same  man- 
ner. Experiments  thus  far  have  shown 
that  fish  oil  is  excellent  for  making  mar- 
garine that  keeps  and  tastes  well,  and  is 
even  better  suited  for  lard  making. 


WRIST  WHISTLE  FOR  SOLDIERS 

AND   POLICEMEN 

The  wrist  whistle  is  becoming  the  com- 
panion of  the  wrist  watch,  and  like  the 
latter,  is  proving  popular  with  army  offi- 
cers, a  large  num- 
ber having  been  or-       ^  ~  " 
dered   by   the  gov- 
ernment.   The  new 
whistle    is    of    the 
siren    type    and    is 
3%  in.  long  and  % 
in.  in  diameter.     It 
is  fastened    to    the 
left     wrist      by      a 
leather    band.      In 
warfare  and  peace- 
time    maneuvering 
it  is  of  the  utmost 
importance  that  an 

officer's  whistle  be  instantly  available  for 
giving  commands,  and  when  attached  as 
indicated,  there  is  no  delay  in  using  it. 
The  new  article  is  also  well  suited  to 
the  needs  of  policemen,  referees,  and 
others. 


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DIRIGIBLE  LAUNCHES  AEROPLANE  IN  MID-AIR 


IDOCKAWAY  beach,  L.  I.,  wag  recently  the  scene  of  the  unusual  aeronautic  experiment  illus- 
'^^  trated  above.  An  army  aeroplane  suspended  beneath  one  of  the  navy's  ''Blimps/'  at  an  eleva- 
tion  of  8,000  ft.,  was  successfully  launched  in  mid-air.  A  cable,  possibly  100  ft.  in  length,  was  attached 
to  the  dirigible.  At  its  lower  end  it  was  supplied  with  a  contrivance  apparently  designed  to  fit 
over  and  grip  the  center  section  of  the  top  plane.  Means  of  instantly  releasing  the  aeroplane  were 
at  the  pilot's  disposal.  When  the  machine  was  freed,  it  dived  several  hundred  feet,  flattened  out, 
and  disappeared  in  the  distance.  No  announcement  has  been  made  regarding  the  purpose  of  the 
test.  It  recalls,  however,  suggestions  made  in  the  past  that  an  aeroplane  and  dirigible  be  combined 
so  that  in  the  event  of  the  gas  bag  meeting  disaster,  the  plane,  taking  the  place  of  the  ordinary 
nacelle,  might  be  released  in  the  manner  described. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


MARKED  IMPROVEMENTS  IN  EAR-      tions  are  arranged  in  five  concentric  cir- 

READING  DEVICE  FOR  BLIND         ,^i^''  ^"^  ^^^  ^^^^  f^  ^^^^  P^f .  th'-ough 
xvc^Ax^Ax^vi  *^x-.YAw*-  *  wxx      *-  *  *^  ^^^^  £^^^  ^  ^^^  ^^  ^^^g  equal  in  length 

Marked  improvements  have  been  made      to  the  letter  **!".     Since  the  holes  in  the 
in    the    apparatus    known    as    the    opto-      outer  rings  move  swifter  than   those   in 

the  inner  rings,  the  flashes  occur  more 
one  end  of  the  tiny  illumi- 
in  at  the  other.  The  light 
►m  the  letter  on  which  the 
rays  fall  to  the  selenium, 
whose  resistance  is  de- 
creased in  proportion  to 
its  exposure  to  the  light. 
The  result  is,  that,  as  dif- 
ferent letters  are  illumi- 
nated, they  produce  dif- 
ferent sounds  which  the 
reader  learns  to  dis- 
tinguish. It  is  said  the 
characteristic  sounds  of 
each  letter  can  be  learned 
in  the  course  of  a  few- 
weeks.  Thus  far  the 
actual  reading  record  is 
about  10  words  per  min- 
ute, but  greater  facility 
is  expected  shortly. 


1 1.'  -•vr'TataaL 


With  This  Improvement  in  the  Optophone.  Any  Printed  Page  may  be 
Laid  Pace  Down  on  the  Glass-Topped  Stand  and,  with  the  Apparatus 
Underneath  in  Action,  a  Blind  Person  can  Hear  in  the  Telephone 
Characteristic  Sounds  for  Each  Letter.  The  Diagram  in  the  Comer  Shows 
the  Location  of  the  Selenium  Cell,  Light,  and  Shutter 

phone,  with  which  the  blind  can  read  or- 
dinary print  by  ear.  As  in  earlier  de- 
vices of  this  character,  selenium  is  used 

in  transforming  light  re-      

fleeted  by  letters  into 
sounds,  each  different 
from  the  other.  With  the 
new  instrument,  recently 
exhibited  in  London,  a 
page  is  placed  with 
printed  face  down  on  a 
glass-topped  rack,  be- 
neath which  is  a  mova- 
ble carriage  supporting 
a  perforated  selenium  de- 
tector close  to  the  page, 
while  below  is  a  lamp, 
the  rays  of  which,  con- 
centrated by  lenses,  shine 
upward  through  a  re- 
volving perforated  disk 
to  the  page.  The  perfora- 


CAST  BIG  STEEL 

CRANK  SHAFT 

TO  SAVE  BUSY 

FORGES 

Because  all  the  forges 
which       could       have 
handled    the  work    were 
busy    on    war    orders,  a 
crank  shaft,  24  in.  in  di- 
ameter, was  cast  in  three 
sections    of    open-hearth 
steel  at   Pueblo,   Colo.     The   crank   and 
shaft   were   fitted   together   by  shrinking 
and    keying,    making   a    satisfactory  job. 


COPYRIOMT,    ILLUaTRATCO    LONDON    NtW8 


Thia  Big  Crank  Shaft,  84  Inches  in  Diameter  and  Weighing  85  Tons, 
Caat  in  Three  Sections  of  Open-Hearth  Steel  Because 
AU  the  Forges  Were  Busy  on  War  Work 


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489 


COPTNIOHr,  HrrENNATIONAL  riLM  acRvice 


With  This  Concrete  Rowing  Machine,  Hard  Aground  in  a  Pond,  the  Sailors  of  the  Naval  Training   Station 

at    Cape    May,    Neiw   Jersey,    are   Trained   to    Handle   Heavv   Oars.      The    Officer   Directing   the 

Maneirvers  can  Cross  the  Bridge  at  Either  End  for  a  Shore  View,  as  in  the  Right-Hand  Picture 


The  total  weight  of  the  crank  shaft  was 
85  tons,  the  wrist-pin  diameter  being  24 
in.  The  cast  shaft  replaced  a  broken  one 
on  a  10,000-hp.  stationary,  reversible  en- 
gine. 


MAKE  QUICK  MOTION  VISIBLE 
WITH  RAPID  CAMERA 

It  was  discovered  some  years  ago  that 
movement  too  rapid  for  the  eye  to  fol- 
low, when  photographed  with  a  motion- 
picture  camera  operated  at  a  higher  speed 
than  usual  and  projected  on  a  screen  at 
the  customary  rate,  was  "slowed  down" 
so  that  all  its  details  were  visible.  The 
process  has  recently  been  applied  to  the 
study  of  swimming  and  diving  move- 
ments. The  evolutions  of  a  trained  swim- 
mer are  recorded  on  moving  film  at  a 
camera  speed  eight  times  the  usual  rate. 
Projected  at  ordinary  speed,  the  delib- 
erate play  of  each  muscle  becomes  clearly 
visible,  giving  opportunity  for  comparison 
not  only  between  swimmers,  but  between 
that  multimuscular  sport  and  other  forms 
of  athletic  effort.  Besides  its  scientific 
value,  the  prolonged  record  of  underwater 
maneuvers  also  has  a  pronounced  spectac- 
ular flavor. 


COrchardists  and  nurserymen  are  re- 
minded that  this  is  the  year  of  the  17-year 
locust,  which  scientifically  is  the  peri- 
odical cicada  and  not  a  locust  at  all.  It 
also  has  a  13-year  period,  and  is  due  on 
both  counts  in  one  part  or  another  of  the 
United  States.  Although  the  damage 
done  is  generally  exaggerated,  protective 
measures  for  young  trees  are  advised  by 
the   Department  of  Agriculture. 


CONCRETE  "BOAT"  AT  CAPE  MAY 

TEACHES  SAILORS  TO  ROW 

Those  who  have  handled  only  the  light 
oars  of  pleasure  boats  on  a  gentle  sea 
may  not  fully  realize  the  difficulties  of 
m.anaging  the  multiple-oared  auxiliary 
craft  used  by  the  navy.  For  the  purpose 
of  training  sailors  in  this  necessary  duty, 
the  Naval  Training  Station  at  Cape  May, 
N.  J.,  has  built  a  concrete  rowing  ma- 
chine consisting  of  a  dummy  boat  of  huge 
size  with  a  row  of  oarlocks  the  full  length 
of  each  side.  The  machine  was  built  on 
dry  land,  but  now  occupies  the  center  of 
a  concrete  tank,  or  pond.  A  bridge  at 
each  end  establishes  permanent  shore 
connections. 


UMBRELLA-SHAPED    COIN    BANK 
WARNS  OF  "RAINY  DAY" 

"Save  for  a  Rainy  Day" — the  good  old 
admonition  that  grandfather  used  to  give 
— stares  the  thriftless  in  the  face  from  the 
top  of  a  new  coin 
bank  for  children 
and     grown-ups. 
And     if     further 
warning   is    need- 
ed, the  top  of  the 
bank  is  shaped  in 
imitation     of     an 
umbrella     in     the 
position  approved 
for  rainy-day  use. 

Even  the  slot  into  which  the  owner's 
coin  is  dropped  suggests,  by  its  form,  a 
threatening  dash  of  rain.  The  device 
affords  a  ready  protection  from  the  milder 
financial  storms. 


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The  Whole  Downstream  Side  of  La  Loutre  Dam,  Quebec's  Enormous  New  Storage    Reservoir,  Is  Visible   in  This 
to  a  Width   of   20   Feet  on  Top.    It   Contains   72,260   Cubic    Yards   of   Masonry,   All   of  the  Material  >nd   Tools 

QUEBEC  HAS  LARGEST  STORAGE  DAM 
IN  NORTH  AMERICA 

By  W.  E.  hopper 


An  engineering  work  of  unusual  mag- 
^■^  nitude  has  recently  been  completed  in 
the  province  of  Quebec  by  the  erection  of 
an  enormous  storage  dam  on  the  St. 
Maurice  River,  designed  to  regulate  the 
flow  of  that  river  which  is  used  as  a  source 
of  power  by  a  number  of  large  Canadian 
pulp,  paper,  and  lumber  companies. 

It  is  known  as  the  La  Loutre  dam,  tak- 
ing its  name  from  the  falls  of  that  name, 
above  which  it  is  located.  It  is  nearly 
1,700  ft.  in  length,  and  when  completely 
filled,  will  form  a  lake  300  square  miles  in 
surface  area.  The  engineers  engaged  in 
the  work  claim  that  it  is  the  largest  stor- 
age dam  of  its  kind  in  North  America. 
In  the  whole  world  its  storage  capacity 
is  exceeded  by  that  of  the  famous  Assuan 
reservoir  in  Egypt,  and  of  the  Gatun  dam, 


Upstream   Side  of   the  Main  Section  of  the  Big  Dam,  Includ- 
ing the  Gatehouse  and   Sluiceways :    The   Latter  are   Covered 
with    Steel   Grating   to   Prevent   Clogging   by  Timber,    Ice,    or 
Floating  Rubbish 

ter  is  only  used  for  a  few  feet  on  the 
surface  it  is  in  a  different  class  from  the 
La  Loutre  dam,  where  the  water  is  meant 
to  be  used  completely. 

The  St.  Maurice   River  has  a  drainage 

490 


area  of  17,000  square  miles.  It  takes  its 
rise  at  a  distance  of  about  360  miles  north 
of  Three  Rivers.  Its  headwaters  are 
from  numerous  lakes  whose  elevation  is 
about  1,300  ft.  above  mean  sea  level. 

The  river  is  remarkable  for  its  numerous 
falls  and  rapids,  two  of  which  are  fully  de- 
veloped, and  a  third  utilized  only  partially. 
Of  the  two  developed,  one  is  at  Shawini- 
gan  with  an  available  head  of  150  ft.,  and 
the  other  at  Grand'Mere  with  a  natural 
head  of  40  ft.,  and  a  possible  head  of  75 
ft.,  as  a  result  of  the  erection  of  the  new 
dam. 

The  flow  of  the  St.  Maurice  River  varied 
from  200,000  cu.  ft.  per  second  during 
highest  water  to  6,000  cu.  ft.  per  second  at 
low  water.  The  low-water  stages  occurred 
usually  during  August  and  September  and 

"*- inter  months,  this  being  the  cause  of 

heavy  lo^es  by  the  industrial 
companies.  It  was  to  remedy 
this  condition  that  the  storage  of 
water  in  the  upper  part  of  the 
river  was  decided  upon. 

In  the  summer  of  1912,  surveys 
were  carried  out  and  a  dam  site 
chosen  immediately  above  the  La 
Loutre  Falls,  at  a  distance  of  240 
miles,  by  the  river,  from  Three 
Rivers;  50  miles  above  the  mouth 
of  the  Mattawin  River,  a  tribu- 
tary of  the  St.  Maurice,  and 
about  40  miles  due  east  of  Parent 
station  on  the  Grand  Trunk  Pa- 
cific Railway. 

The  Quebec  Streams  Commis- 
sion, acting  for  the  Quebec  government, 
made  contracts  with  the  Shawinigan  Wa- 
ter and  Power  Co.,  and  other  concerns, 
for  the  use  of  the  storage  water,  and  it 
is  claimed  that  the  annual  revenue  from 


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Panorama — a  Concrete  Wall  Nearly  1,700  Feet  Long,  80  Feet  High,  and  Tapered  from  72  Feet  Thick  at  the  Bottom 
for  Which  had  to  be  Brought,   by  River  Barge  and   Construction  Koad,  60  Miles  from  the  Nearest   Railroad   Point 


these  contracts  will  leave  a  surplus,  after 
deductions  are  made  for  interest,  sinking 
fund,  and  maintenance.  The  contract  for 
building  the  dam  was  let  to  a  Montreal 
firm,  who  received  $1,161,000  for  the  work. 
To  this  must  be  added  the  cost  of  surveys, 
plans,  inspection,  and  administration,  as 
well  as  the  building  of  a  hydroelectric 
plant  and  a  20-mile  railway,  bringing  the 
total  cost  to  about  $2,500,000. 

One  of  the  big  problems  that  had  to 
be  faced  by  the  contractors  was  to  get 
their  building  materials  transported  from 
the  railway  to  the  dam  site.  The  method 
finally  decided  upon  was  to  establish  a 
base  at  Mattawin  and  to  use  the  St.  Mau- 
rice River  as  far  as  possible.  Mattawin  is 
about  50  miles  from  the  dam  site  and  all 
materials  were  first  loaded  onto  specially 
constructed  flat-bottomed  barges  and 
towed  upriver  a  distance  of  about  30  miles. 
One  of  the  obstacles  to  be  overcome  in 
this  part  of  the  journey  was  a  rapids  that 
had  to  be  negotiated  with 
the  assistance  of  cables 
from  the  shore.  At  the 
end  of  the  river  trip,  and 
at  the  foot  of  a  long 
rapids  that  could  not  be 
successfully  covered,  an- 
other base  was  estab- 
lished, and  from  here  a 
standard-gauge  railway 
was  built  for  the  remain- 
ing 20  miles. 

An  idea  may  be  gained 
of  the  magnitude  of  this 
transportation     problem, 
when  it  is  considered  that 
all  the  railway  equipment 
had  to  be  carried  up,  as 
well  as  the  material  for  building  the  dam, 
including  some  300,000  bags  of  cement,  261 
tons  of  reinforcing  steel,  and  452  tons  of 
structural  steel,  and  all  the  minor  requi- 
sites for  such   a  work,  not  forgetting  a 
sawmill     equipment,    lumber    for    store- 
houses and  dwellings,  and  provisions  for 


the  500  men  engaged  in  the  work,  during 
a  period  of  more  than  four  years. 

About  two  miles  down  the  river  from 
the  dam  a  hydroelectric  power  station  was 
erected,  which  develops  1,000  hp.,  and 
this  was  used  in  the  work  of  erecting  the 
dam,  supplying  light  for  the  buildings, 
heating,  cooking,  etc.  Since  the  comple- 
tion of  the  work,  the  plant  is  utilized  for 
the  gate-raising  machinery,  lighting,  or 
jany  purpose  for  which  power  may  be  nec- 
essary. 

The  dam  is  of  the  type  known  as  gravity 
section,  of  so-called  cyclopean  masonry. 
Its  maximum  section  is  80  ft.  above  the 
bed  of  the  river  and  the  minimum  width 
on  top  is  20  ft.  It  is  built  in  four  angular 
sections,  to  conform  to  the  topography  of 
the  stream,  and  varies  in  its  dimensions. 
The  base  is  at  least  three-quarters  of  the 
height,  and  its  maximum  width  is  72  ft., 
the  upstream  face  being  vertical.  It  con- 
tains 72,250  cu.  yd.  of  masonry. 


This  Downstream  View  Gives  a   Better  Idea  of  the  Sluice  Outlets  Than 

can  be  Obtained  from  the  Panoramic  Picture  Above.    The  Lo^  Chute, 

a  Necessary  Feature  of  North-Woods  Dams,  Is  Also  Visible 

the  dam  from  end  to  end,  is  1,646  ft.  long, 
at  an  elevation  of  1,335  ft.  above  mean  sea 
level. 

The  weir  is  840  ft.  long,  and  the  dam  is 
provided  with  10  bottom  sluices,  each  12 
by  7Vi  ft.  wide,  through  which  the  flow 
of  water  is  regulated  by  steel  gates.    There 

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is  alf  o  a  log  sluice  for  controlling  the  sup- 
ply 6f  logs  for  the  lumber  operators  of  the 
region. 

The  dam  will  store  the  waters  from  a 
drainage  basin  of  3,650  square  miles.  It 
unites  a  series  of  small  natural  lakes, 
taking  in  205  square  miles  in  lake  area, 
and  when  the  reservoir  is  full,  the  en- 
gineers figure  that  it  will  form  a  lake  300 
square  miles  in  area.  This  means  the 
flooding  of  some  95  miles  of  crown  lands, 
some  of  it  well  timbered,  but  much  of  it 
barren.  Its  capacity  in  cubic  feet  is  vari- 
ously estimated  at  from  160  to  200  billion, 
and  if  all  the  water  could  be  retained  it 
would  take  three  years  to  fill  it.    Last  year 


was  exceptionally  wet  so  that  it  was  pos- 
sible to  fill  it  to  more  than  a  third  of  its 
capacity. 

The  water  thus  stored,  it  is  claimed, 
will  be  sufficient  to  regulate  the  minimum 
flow  at  Shawinigan  to  12,000  cu.  ft.  per 
second.  It  will  decrease  considerably  the 
spring  floods  and  will  increase  the  power 
at  Shawinigan,  Grand'Mere,  and  La 
Tuque  to  67,000  horsepower. 

While  the  dam  was  built  principally  for 
power  purposes  it  will  also  benefit  the  log- 
driving  operations  on  the  St.  Maurice 
River,  and  will  give  a  tremendous  impetus 
to  the  general  development  of  the  hinter- 
land of  Quebec. 


REPRODUCE  NOTED  PAINTINGS 
FOR  MOVIE  PATRONS 

That  movie  audiences  are  not  wholly 
given  over  to  the  vulgar  delights  of  slap- 
stick comedy  and  galloping  melodrama, 
but  really  have  a  large  appreciation  of 
the  esthetic,  has  been  demonstrated  by 
the  manager  of  Buffalo's  largest  theater. 
Reproductions  of  famous  paintings,  made 
large  enough   to  fill   the  screen   area   of 


fully  studied  lighting  effects  enhance  the 
value  of  the  presentations,  which  are  lo- 
cally regarded  as  constituting  a  popular 
education  in  art  and  a  reproach  to  the 
cynic's  theory  of  "popular  taste." 


This  HeroicSize  Reproduction  of  "Washington  Crossing  the  Delaware 
Is  One  of  a  Series  of  Famous  Art  Studies  Presented 
at  a  Buffalo,  New  York,  Movie  House 

the  theater,  are  presented  every  week  and 
enthusiastically  received.  The  initial  pre- 
sentation, at  which  Whistler's  "Mother" 
was  the  main  attraction,  aroused  so  much 
interest  that  three  artists  were  per- 
manently engaged  by  the  management  to 
turn  out  a  weekly  art  reproduction.  Care- 


POTATOES  SAVED  FROM  FROST 
BY  USE  OF  SMOKE  SCREEN 

Threatened  with  the  loss  by  freezing  of 
his  20-acre  crop  of  late  potatoes,  an  en- 
terprising Ohio  farmer 
last  fall  saved  the  entire 
lot  by  the  ingenious  use 
of  a  smoke  screen.  Be- 
cause of  dry  weather  in 
July  and  August,  the  po- 
tatoes had  made  very 
little  growth.  They  were 
just  beginning  to  mature 
nicely  when  the  tempera- 
ture took  a  sudden  drop 
in  September.  In  antici- 
pation of  just  such  an 
emergency,  however, 
baled  straw  had  been 
placed  in  the  most  ad- 
vantageous spots  in  the 
field,  and  fires  were 
started  at  10:50  at  night. 
It  was  found  that  a  much 
heavier  smoke  could  be 
produced  by  the  use  of 
wet  straw,  and  this  w^as 
employed  after  the  flame 
had  been  applied.  Fires 
were  kept  going  all  night, 
and  the  next  morning  the  success  of  the 
experiment  was  assured  when  it  was 
found  that  the  potatoes  were  still  green 
while  other  vegetation,  not  covered  by 
the  smoke,  had  been  destroyed.  Approx- 
imately 10  tons  of  straw  were  used  in 
this  fight  against  nature. 


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FIREMAN'S  CLIMB  SAVES  FLAG 
ABOVE  BURNING  BUILDING 

The  regard  which  the 
New  York  fire  truck  hi 
national  emblem  promp 
him,  on  arriving  at  th 
scene  of  a  recent  fire,  hur- 
riedly to  break  into  the 
burning  building  and  grop 
his  way  to  the  roof,  wher 
stood  a  tall  flagstaff  flyir 
the  Stars  and  Stripe 
Though  the  smoke  and  flai 
at  times  seemed  to  enve 
the  base  of  the  pole, 
breathless  crowd  gathere 
the  street  below  saw  the 
man  climb  the  staff,  cut 
ropes  which  the  wind 
badly  tangled,  and  thrust 
flag  under  his  coat.  The 
slid  down  to  the  roof  and 
appeared.  A  few  mon 
later  he  emerged  from  t 
building  unharmed  an< 
took  his  place  at  his 
truck. 


WIGWAG  SIGNAL- 
ING MACHINE 
INCREASES 
VISIBILITY 

Experiments  c  o  n  - 
ducted  by  a  Signal 
Corps  oflScer  with  disks 
of  various  sizes  as  a 
substitute  for  the  sem- 
aphore flags  used  in 
wigwag  signaling,  dem- 


onstrate that  greater  visibility  is  attained 
with   the  disks.     A  simple  machine  was 
devised   for    manipulating   a    12-in.   disk, 
words  a  minute  were  sent 
visibility  of  3,000  ft.   The 
mit    of    clear    reading    of 
with  the  naked  eye  seems 
The  machine  movements, 
ier,  are  more  regular,  less 
d  less  apt  to  be  obscured. 
The   disk  of  cloth  and 
wire  is  black  on  one  side 
and  wh'  e  on  the  other, 
selection  depending  on 
the   background.      The 
disk   arm   is   held  nor- 
mally *  vertical      by     a 
spring,   and   moved   to 
the   right,  for  dots,  o* 
the  left,  for  dashes,  by 
depressing    one    handle 
or  the  other.  The  whole 
device  weighs  less  than 
five  pounds,  and  could 
readily    be    made    long 
enough  for  trench  use. 


Through  Smoke  and  Flame  a   New  York 
Fireman  Scaled  the  Flagpole  on  the  Roof 
of  a  Tall  Burning  Euilding  and  Rescued 
6ld  Glory 


NEW  DOUBLE-DECK 

SANITARY  CAR 

FOR  SHIPPING 

HOGS 

In  an  attempt  to  pre- 
vent as  far  as  possible 
the  spreading  of  infec- 
tious diseases  to  other 
animals,  two  double- 
decked  cars  for  the 
conveyance  of  pigs 
have  recently  been  de- 


Signals  Made   with   This    Light   Wigwag    Machine    Are    Visible    Over    Half  a   Mile.    The   Second    Picture 
^^      In^Mtes  the  Movem^t  for  a  Dot.  the  Third  for  a  Dash.    The  Right-Hand  View  Reveals 
the  SinapUctty  of  the  Hinged  Arm  with  Its  Spring  and  Cords 


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signed  in  Europe.  Sheet  iron  is  fixed  to 
the  ribs  of  the  wagon  to  a  height  of  about 
20  inches  above  the  floor,  and  the  sliding 
doors  are  made  water-tight.  The  floors 
are  drained  to  a  gutter  in  the  middle,  per- 
mitting all  refuse  to  enter  two  closed  iron 
containers  below  the  floor  of  the  cars. 
One  type  of  car  is  fitted  with  removable 
flooring,  while  the  floor  of  the  other  is 
a  part  of  the  structure.  The  troughs 
may  be  filled  through  external  hinged 
doors,  one  door  for  each  trough. 


PORTABLE  WOOD-PLANING  TOOL 

ELECTRICALLY    OPERATED 

Something  between  the  hand  plane  and 
the    big   stationary   joiner   is    useful    for 


Portable  Bench  Plane  Run  by  a  Small  Electric  Motor: 

An  Automatic  Safety  Guard  Protects  the 

Blades  at  All  Times 

cabinetwork  and  pattern  making.  A  small, 
light,  electrically  driven  bench  plane  will 
supply  the  need.  The  tool  may  be 
equipped  with  either  alternating  or  di- 
rect-current motor.  For  direct-current 
use,  the  machine  has  a  two-blade  cutter 
head,  and  for  alternating  current  a  three- 
blade  head;   the  reason  being  that  only 


3,600  r.  p.  m.  can  be  attained  with  60-cycle 
alternating  current,  while  the  two-blade 
plane  requires  about  4,000  r.  p.  m.  An 
automatic  safety  guard  keeps  the  blades 
covered  at  all  times. 


ELECTRIC-METER  SUBSTITUTE 

.  SAVES  TIME  AND  EXPENSE 

With  the  object  of  eliminating  the  di- 
rect-current meter  used  by  small  consum- 
ers, and  the  attendant  meter  reading  and 
bill  calculating  every  month,  a  Chicago 
inventor  has  developed  an  electrolytic  me- 
tering can,  said  to  be  distinct  from  any 
earlier  device  of  the  kind.  It  is  designed 
automatically  to  open  the  circuit  and  to 
cut  off  the  service  as  soon  as  a  specified 
amount  has  been  used.  The  measure- 
ment is  accomplished  by  the  action  of  a 
small  shunt  current  on  an  anode,  which 
is  gradually  consumed  while  current  is 
being  used.  When  this  anode  is  com- 
pletely consumed,  the  main  circuit  opens, 
and  the  service  is  cut  off. 


PORTABLE  COMMISSARY  TAKES 

FOOD  TO  SHOP  WORKERS 

Now  even  "Apple  Mary"  and  "John  the 
Fruit  Man"  are  threatened  with  displace- 
ment by  labor-saving  machinery.  A  big 
Wisconsin  factory  has  installed  a  travel- 
ing commissary  in  the  form  of  a  truck 
with  compartments  for  all  manner  of  del- 
icacies. One  side  has  tanks  full  of  hot 
coffee,  milk,  and  tea;  the  other  side  car- 
ries in  plain  sight  apples,  pears,  grapes, 
chocolate  bars,  and  all  the  other  custom- 
ary treats  of  the  worker.  The  raised 
cover  serves  as  a  bulletin  board  for  shop 
and  athletic  events. 


Hot  Coffee,  Tea,   and  Milk  are   Served  on   One   Side  of  This  Portable  Commissary,  and  Fruit  and  Other 
Delicacies  on  the  Other.    Every  Noon  It  Makes  the  Rounds  of  a  Big  Wisconsin  Factory 


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I -   I  tn 


The  I^ong,  Low,  Romantic-Lookins  Building   Depicted  Above   Is  the  Imitation-Adobe  Railroad   Station  at 

Tyrone,  New  Mexico.    To  the  Riffht  Is  a  Typical  Floor  Plan  of  One  of  the  Triple  Two-Room 

•  Houses  Whose  Homelike  Atmosphere  has  Kept  the  Labor  Turnover  Low 


ADOPT  ADOBE  ARCHITECTURE 
FOR  NEW  MEXICO  HOMES 

Stories  of  Old  Mexico  and  the  states 
that  border  on  the  Rio  Grande  abound  in 
references  to  and  descriptions  of  the 
adobe  huts  and  mansions  of  that  romantic 
region.  It  is  a  fact  that,  without  the 
adobe  feature  in  his  landscape,  the  Mex- 
ican laborer  suffers  from  a  nostalgia  that 
impedes  his  productiveness.  That  is  the 
main  reason  why  those  who  faced  a  labor- 
housing  problem  in  the  mining  town  of 
Tyrone,  N.  M.,  selected  the  boxlike  ar- 
chitecture of  the  old  Spanish  settlements 
for  their  model.  Cement  was  found  to 
create  a  permanent  substitute  for  dried 
mud,  with  satisfying  fidelity  to  the  origi- 
nal. Of  course  the  primitive  fitments  were 
discarded,  and  the  little  homes  have  the 
gas  ranges,  electric  lights,  and  water  and 
sewer  connections  of  a  modern  apartment. 
Window  and  door  arrangements  also 
have  been  given  a  civilized  touch.  The 
cement,  laid  on  a  wood  frame,  is  tinted 
in  pinks,  blues,  grays,  and  tans,  in  true 
Spanish  style.  The  delight  of  the  Mex- 
ican laborers  in  dwellings  that  do  not  dis- 
turb their  traditions  has  kept  down  the 
labor  turnover  in  the  town,  and  the 
women  take  kindly  to  the  conveniences. 


PIPES  CARRY  MOTOR  EXHAUST 
GASES  OUTDOORS  FROM  AUTOS 

In  a  mid-western  branch  factory  of  a 
motor-car  company,  a  pipe  system  has 
been  installed  to  carry  off  the  exhaust 
fumes  when  engines  are  operated  indoors. 
A  long  pipe  is  supplied  with  several  lat- 
erals which  are  connected  to  the  exhaust 
pipes   of  the  cars   by   means   of  flexible 


The  Bxhaust   Gases  of  the  Motor-Car   Engines  are 

Carried  Out  of  the  Plant  by  the  Piping  That 

Extends  along  the  Floor 

couplings.  The  arrangement  is  one  that 
might  easily  be  adapted  in  almost  any 
private  or  public  garage. 


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WEED-CUTTER  ATTACHMENT 

•     FITS  ON  CULTIVATOR 

Weeds  turned  back  by  the  shovels  of 
an  ordinary  farm  cultivator  have  a  habit 


of  Straightening  themselves  up  again  and 
continuing  to  grow.  A  weed  cutter  has 
been  designed  for  attachment  to  the  beam 
of  a  cultivator,  which  may  be  used  either 
with  or  without  the  cultivator  shovels,  or 
may  even  serve  in  itself  as  a  shovel  for 
the  shallow  cultivation  often  practiced  in 
certain  seasons.  The  two  long  knives  of 
the  weed  cutter  are  attached  at  an  angle, 
which  may  be  varied  by  adjusting  the 
bolts  of  the  frame.  The  depth  of  the 
cut,  or  height  of  the  blades  in  relation 
to  the  ground,  is  also  variable.  Attached 
at  an  angle  opposite  to  that  used  in  cut- 
ting weeds,  the  blades  act  to  roll  dirt  to 
the  cultivated  crop. 


FARMING  POLICY  OF  ENGLAND 

TO  BE  ALLOTMENT  PLAN 

It  is  to  the  land-allotment  holder  that 
Great  Britain  is  looking  for  assistance  in 
the  food  situation,  particularly  as  regards 
the  supply  of  potatoes,  and  it  is  planned 
to  increase  the  number  of  allotments  from 
1,500,000  to  2,000,000  by  the  next  planting 
season.  At  the  present  time  there  is 
only  about  one  allotment  to  every  10 
or  12  families,  but  by  taking  advantage  of 
a  large  amount  of  land  that  has  been 
growing  up  in  weeds,  it  is  hoped  to  have 
this  up  to  one  allotment  for  every  five 
families.  There  are,  even  now,  several 
cases  where  there  is  a  plot  for  every 
three,  and  in  one  or  two  cases,  every  two 
households. 


AMERICAN  SHOES  ARE  POPULAR 

AMONG  ALL  CHINESE  PEOPLE 

According  to  a  report  issued  by  the  De- 
partment of  Commerce,  American  shoes 
are  in  hie^h  favor  among  all  classes  of 
Chinese.  The  average 
^  native,  however,  is  un- 
^  able  to  secure  them  be- 
use  of  the  high  prices,  and 
obliged  to  content  himself 
1  cloth  footgear,  or  with 
f  poor  imitations  of  the 
erican  style  of  shoe.  Leather 
es  are  only  for  the  wealthy, 
vious  to  the  war,  Russia  was 
important  factor  in  the  Chi- 
lese  shoe  trade,  but  since  then 
apan,  which  is  supplying  the 
narket  with  a  shoe  made  in 
vestern  style,  has  secured  the 
)ulk  of  the  business.  Prac- 
ically  all  of  the  high-grade 
eather  imported  into  China 
or  use  in  shoes  comes  from 

^..^ ted  States,  while  the  lasts  are 

made  in  Japan  and  are  copies  of  staple 
American  styles. 


WIRE-STRETCHING  TOOL 

HAS  NO  FRAME 

Extreme  lightness  is  attained  in  a  re- 
cently   designed    wire-stretching   tool   by 
doine^  awav  altocrether  with 


all  assembled  on  the  shatt 
of  the  device.  The  shaft,  with  its  handle 
and  ratchet,  is  the  only  moving  part.  Two 
iron  claws  engaging  the  near  side  of  the 
post  or  pole,  and  one  extending  around 
the  opposite  side,  hold  the  tool  in  position 
for  use.  A  gear  wheel  fixed  to  the  shaft 
acts  as  a  ratchet,  and  is  turned  by  a  long 
hand  lever  with  a  pawl  on  it.  Another 
pawl  mounted  on  the  shank  of  the  front 
claws  keeps  the  shaft  from  turning  back- 
ward. The  cable  pulling  the  wire  is 
wound  around  the  end  of  the  shaft.  The 
compactness  and  simplicity  of  the  mech- 
anism give  it  great  strength  and  unusual 
portability. 


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Recognized   Authorities   Tell  What  They  Think  of  Air 
Craft's   Peace -Time   Possibilities 


/^IV'IL  aerial  transport  in  the  United 
^^  States,  in  other  words  America's 
aeronautical  future,  is  fraught  with  great 
uncertainty. 

Despite  the  fact  that  numerous  plans  of 
a  commercial  character  are  being  formu- 
lated, we  are  threatened  with  a  dormant 
period  of  aerial  achievement,  as  compared 
with  the  extreme  activity  which  Europe 
is  expected  to  experience. 

Our  problem  is  not  a  technical  one. 
We  lack  but  one  big  thing,  and  that  is  a 
vigorous  national  policy. 

On  every  hand  the  question  is  asked: 
*'Has  aerial  navigation  really  a  commer- 
cial future?"  It  has,  according 'to  com- 
petent opinion,  but  like  anything  else  of 
new  and  revolutionary  character,  it  must 
be  developed. 

To  fully  understand  the  situation  that 
obtains,  it  is  necessary  to  turn  back  to 
the  darkest  days  of  the  war.  America 
was  assigned  the  task  of  putting  certain 
types*  of  air  craft  in  quantity  production. 
Machines  and  motors,  thousands  of  them, 
were  needed  to  win  the  war.  For  the  pur- 
pose in  hand,  it  was  not  so  important  that 
new  types  be  evolved,  as  it  was  that  exist- 
ing models  of  known  ability  be  built  in 
great  quantities  with  the  utmost  haste. 

The  aeroplane  industry  was  organized 
into  the  Manufacturers'  Aircraft  Associa- 
tion and  brought  under  Federal  super- 
vision. The  foundation  of  this  league  is 
the  cross-license  agreement,  which  has 
enabled  manufacturers  to  exchange  ideas 
and  patents  on  an  equitable  basis. 

War  demands  in  a  few  months  built  a 


$100,000,000  industry  that  employed  300,- 
000  persons  and  was  devoted  almost  solely 
to  the  production  of  standard  types.  It 
was  impossible  for  manufacturers  to  find 
time,  and,  from  the  government's  stand- 
point, undesirable  for  them  to  take  time, 
to  set  their  engineering  staffs  at  work 
developing  machines  for  peace-time  pur- 
poses. Some  experimenting,  of  course, 
was  done,  but  along  military  lines.  And 
to  this  is  due  the  fact  that  today,  although 
it  is  not  widely  known,  we  have  a  number 
of  remarkable  machines  that  are  without 
peers  anywhere   in   the   world. 

And  while  we  are  on  the  subject,  some 
of  these  planes  may  be  mentioned.  Two 
of  them  are  craft  lately  described  in  this 
magazine.  One  is  the  Glenn  L.  Martin 
dual-motored  bomber  which,  in  official 
tests  of  load-carrying  and  performance, 
has  surpassed  the  records  of  all  other  ma- 
chines in  America  and  Europe.  Practi- 
cally every  aeronautical  authority  cites 
this  big  biplane  as  the  best  in  the  world, 
"a  flying  machine,"  as  Orville  Wright 
says,  "that  flies  like  a  flying  machine."  It 
is  one  of  the  few  military  types  now  being 
developed  for  peace-time  uses.  The 
Loening  monoplane,  with  a  speed  of  150 
miles  an  hour,  is  another  war-time  tri- 
umph, which,  with  the  V'ought  "VE-7" 
advanced-training  plane,  shown  by  official 
tests  to  be  ''easily  the  best"  in  its  particu- 
lar field,  is  now  coming  forth  as  a  sporting 
and  fast  express-carrying  vehicle. 

Because  their  every  energy  had  been 
devoted  to  military  work,  manufacturers 
were  literally   left   in   mid-air  when    the 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


armistice  was  signed.    Government   con- 
tracts amounting  to  hundreds  of  millions 
of  dollars  were  canceled.     The  industry 
had  no  new  types  of  machines  desired 
for     passenger     and     freight     transport. 
Therefore    it    was    unprepared    to    meet 
peac<:-time  conditions  and  take  advantage 
of  their  possibilities.     As  this  is  written, 
more   than   three  months  after  the  con- 
clusion of  actual  fighting,  the  government 
still  maintains  control  of  the  air-craft  in- 
dustry.    Manufacturers    are    not    wholly 
free  t6  go  ahead  on  their  own  initiative, 
and   the   government   has  taken   no   step 
toward  a  constructive  program.     Never- 
theless it  is  safe 
to     state     that 
there   is   not   a 
p  e  rmanent 
manufac- 
turer      in      the 
country  who  is 
not   now   earn- 
estly    engaged, 
in   so   far  as  it 
is     possible 
under    existing 
circumstances, 
in  devoting  his 
attention 
to    commercial 
plans     for    the 
immediate 
future. 

One  of  two 
things  is  advis- 
able. If  the 
government  is 
to  retain  con- 
trol of  aero- 
nautics, a  definite  program  must  be 
adopted  quickly,  enabling  the  industry 
to  pass  safely  through  the  period  of  sev- 
eral years  that  will  intervene  before  com- 
mercial aviation  can  be  placed  on  a  stable, 
self-supporting  basis.  Or  else  a  free  rein 
must  be  given  so  that  private  interests 
can  proceed  on  their  own  resources  and 
build  aerial-transportation  systems  step 
by  step  as  public  support  is  won. 

In  all  of  this,  and  what  is  to  follow, 
I  am  merely  presenting  my  interpretation 
of  the  views  of  the  recognized  aeronau- 
tical authorities  with  whom  I  have  talked. 
It  yet  remains  to  be  demonstrated  what 
the  aeroplane  and  the  dirigible — now  that 
the   industrial   production   of   helium  gas 


Control  Board  with  Instruments  Now  Used  for  the  Operation 
of  Aeroplanes:  To  Him  Who  Remembers  the  Early  Planes,  in 
Which  the  Airman  Sat  in  an  Outrigger  with  Only  the  "Jovstick" 
and  the  Warping  Lever  to  Help  Hrm,  the  Board  Alone  Tells  an 
Eloquent  Story  of  the  Development  of  the  Art  of  Plying 


in  the  opinions  of  men  in  the  industry* 
and  the  history  of  transportation  used 
as  a  basis  for  analyzing  future  progress. 

In  this  connection  it  is  eminently 
worth  while  to  see  what  was  going  on 
elsewhere  while  we  were  bending  every 
eflPort  to  the  successful  prosecution  of  the 
war.  On  May  22,  1917,  when  the  very  ex- 
istence of  the  empire  was  in  the  balance, 
the  British  government  formed  an  im- 
perial commission  known  as  the  Parlia- 
mentary Committee  on  Civil  Aerial  Trans- 
port. Its  list  of  members  reads  like  a 
**Who's  Who  in  the  United  Kingdom." 
It  was  charged  with  the  duty  of  deter- 

mining  the 
feasibility,  o  r, 
perhaps  more 
correctly,  the 
possibilities,  of 
civil  aerial 
transport  after 
the  war.  The 
investiga- 
tions con- 
ducted  were 
based  on  the 
scientific,  com- 
mercial, and  in- 
dustrial aspects 
of  the  subject 
as  well  as  on 
that  of  national 
defense.  A  few 
weeks  ago  the 
committee's 
final  report  was 
submitted  t  o 
parliament  as  a 
basis  for  con- 
structive legislation.  Two  very  signifi- 
cant statements  embodied  in  the  findings 
briefly  summarize  the  report  and  go  far 
toward  answering  the  question  with 
which  we  are  here  concerned. 
Quoting  verbatim: 

"(a)  Cost  what  it  may,  this  country 
[Great  Britain]  must  lead  the  world  in 
civil  aerial  transport. 

"(b)  The  State  must  have  a  reservoir 
of  aerial  power  capable  of  meeting  a 
sudden  demand  for  expansion  of  the 
naval  and  military  air  forces." 

What  more  conclusive  evidence  is 
needed  to  convince  one  that  at  least  there 
is  more  to  peace-time  aviation  than  the 
county-fair  exhibition  flights   of  pre-war 


makes  the  latter  a  practicable  vehicle —  -days?     To  British  students  of  the  ques 

are  really  going  to  accomplish  in  America,  tion — and  they  are  cited  because  they  nave 

But  that  aerial  navigation  has  a  definite  delved     more    deeply    into    the     subject 

and   important  peace-time  value   can   no  than    Americans — the    commercial    value 

longer  be  doubted,  if  faith  is  to  be  placed  of  air  travel  is  so  great  that  "cost  what 


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it  may,"  aerial  supremacy  is  a  national  swer.  First  of  all,  the  aeroplane  is  king 
necessity.  Which  means,  if  explanation  of  speed.  That,  and  its  ability  to  travel 
be  needed,  that,  as  with  its  great  mer-  a  straight  course  between  given  places 
chant  marine  in  the  past,  the  sun  must  and  thereby  reduce  mileage,  are  its  great 
never     set     on     Great     ^ : 


Britain's  air  lanes — they 
must  encircle  the  globe. 
Furthermore,  it  is  an 
admission  that  hence- 
forth "splendid  isolation" 
is  nonexistent  and  that 
aerial  superiority  must 
serve  as  naval  supremacy 
has  in  the  past. 

The  aeroplane  is 
America's  by  right  of 
discovery,  but,  in  the 
opinion  of  competent 
judges.  America  must 
act,  and  do  so  quickly,  if 
she  is  to  reap  her  right- 
ful measure  of  profit  in 
its  use.  To  illustrate 
what  is  meant,  consider 
the  telephone.  It  is  a 
native  invention  and  has 
benefited  the  American 
people  more  than  those 
of  oth^r  nations  solely 
for  the  reason  that  it  has 
been  utilized  more  widely  here  than  else- 
where. 

This  suggests  a  number  of  pertinent 
questions.  What,  for  instance,  are  the 
benefits  to  be  derived  by  aerial  transport  ? 
What  can  air  craft  do  that  cannot  be 
done  more  cheaply  and  satisfactorily  by 
other  mediums  of  transportation?  Can 
they  be  considered  reliable  vehicles,  when 
adverse  weather  conditions,  motor  limita- 
tions, and  a  thousand  and  one  other 
things  are  involved? 

These  questions  are  not  difficult  to^n- 


The  Aerial  Mail  Service,  While  at  Present  More  or  Less  in  an  Ezperi- 
mental  Stage,  Nevertheless  Has  Some  Promising  Records  to  Its  Credit 
and  Undoubtedly  will  Become  a  Permanent  Institution,  When  the  Problems 
of  Machines  Specially  Built  for  the  Service,  and  of  Routes  and  Landing 
Fields,  have  been  Solved.  Here  is  Seen  an  Airplane  Taking  On  Mail  from 
a  Postal  Motor  Truck 

points  of  merit.  Its  commercial  success 
does  not  depend  so  much  on  its  ability 
to  handle  a  large  load  as  it  does  on  the 
speed  .with  which  it  delivers  a  small  and 
important  one.  As  for  reliability,  we  have 
some  interesting  statistics  compiled  by 
the  Division  of  Aerial  Mail  Service  of  the 
Post  Office  Department.  Mail  planes 
operating  between  New  York,  Washing- 
ton, and  Philadelphia  during  a  recent 
month  had  104  scheduled  flights,  repre- 
senting a  total  mileage  of  11,336,  to  make. 
Only  on  two  occasions  were  forced  land- 


r 


The  Celebrated  Loeningr  Monoplane,  a  Notable  American  Achievement  of  Recent  Date,  Viewed  from  the 
Rear:  It  Mounts  a  SOO-Horsepower  Hispano-Suiza  Motor,  and  in  a  Government  Test,  with  Three  Passengers 
and  Pull  Load  of  Fuel  and  Oil,  has  Attained  a  Speed  of  160  Miles  an  Hour,  While  Its  Landing  Speed  can 

be  Reduced  to  Only  48  Miles 


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ings  necessitated.  One  hundred  and  two  great  that  the  disadvantages  of  expense, 
nonstop  trips,  covering  11,118  miles,  were  danger,  and  uncertainty  arc  overwhelm- 
completed.  And  in  presenting  these  ingly  outweighed.  To  ignore  the  limita- 
figures  it  is  only  fair  to  call  attention  to  tions  we  know  to  exist,  is  to  invite  loss 
the  fact  that  the  mail  planes  now  in  use      of  public  confidence. 

'"^     '  nth,  is  it  really  a  pleasure 

oise  of  the  engine  and  pro- 
reeable.     The  very  nature 
umes  nervous  energy  and 
ips  tedious.     The  buoyant 
hich  is  expected  by  every- 
5t  trip,  is  absent.     No  one 
enjoys  being  bundled  and 
goggled,  and  it  is  not  a 
■^  pleasure  to  have  conver- 
sation   restricted    to   the 
use  of  phones.     On  the 
^   other  hand  we  have  the 
pleasure     of     marvelous 
)  views  and  the  feeling  of 
mastery.     Many  of  t  h  e 
features  of  flying  which 
are  undeniably  disagree- 
able will  be  overcome  by 
the  provision  of  closed-in 
bodies  —  and     these     we 
will  find  in  new  types  of 
peace  -  time      aeroplanes. 
But  while  some  ,persons 
find   pleasure   in    merelv 
flying  around  a  field,  it  is  far  from  proved 
that   this   is   sufficient   in   itself  to   make 
aviation  a  great  universal  sport.     Some- 
thing more  than  this  is  needed — a  feature 
of   utility    that    will    make    the    physical 
phases    of    flying    secondary.     Deafening 
noise,  crowded  cars,  foul  air,  and  blank 
walls  make  New  York's  subways  admit- 
tedly disagreeable.     Yet  thousands  upon 


Above  is  Shown  the  New  Curtits  Plying  Boat  "H-16,"Which,  with  a  Power 
Baoipment  of  Two  Liberty  Motors,  Makes  95  Miles  an  Hour  and  can  Carry 
a  Load  of  Nearly  1,900  Pounds  in  Passengers  and  Crew.  It  is  Designed 
as  a  Peace-Time  Air  Cruiser.  Its  Passenger  Cabin,  as  Seen  Below,  is 
Comfortably  Sheltered  and  Has  Ample  Window  Space  for  Sight-Seeing. 
Note  Also  the  Windshield  m  Front  of  the  Pilot's  Seat 

cannot  strictly  be  considered  the  best  that 
can  be  built  at  this  time. 

In  wintertime,  the  aeroplane  is  perhaps 
more  dependable  than  railway  trains,  for 
the  snowstorms  that  delay  and  often 
block  the  latter  are  not  likely  to  inter- 
fere seriously  with  aerial  transportation. 
The  aeroplane  can  rise  above  any  ordi- 
nary storm,  so  that  rain,  sleet,  and  snow 


do    not    affect    it.     This    disregards,    of      thousands   of   persons   use   the   subways 

course,  the  present  hazard  of  landing  in  fog 

or  blinding  snow.  Likewise  a  cyclone — not 

often  to  be  encountered — is  as  dangerous 

for  an  aeroplane  as  it  is  for  an)rthing  else 

that  gets  in  its  path. 

Grover  Cleveland  Loening,  designer  of 
the  famous  Loening  monoplane,  has  in- 
teresting views  regarding  the  utility  of 
the  aeroplane.  He  is  one  of  the  most  un- 
prejudiced critics  I  have  found  and  at- 
tacks the  question  in  a  straightforward, 
almost  brutally  frank,  way.  Here  is  what 
he  has  to  say: 

"The  commercial  possibilities  of  flying 
and  the  means  oi  developing  them  can  be 
translated  into  terms  of  level-headed  busi- 
ness because  we  now  have  definite  knowl- 
edge on  which  to  base  mature  judgment. 
To  be  successful  commercially,  the  aero- 
plane must  be  made  to  oflfer  distinct  ad- 
vantages that  are  not  to  be  obtained  by 
other    means,    and    these    must    be    so 


rather  than  motor  cars  because  of  their 
great  utilit)r — quick,  direct  transportation. 

"To  consider  another  phase :  The  aero- 
plane and  the  motor  car  are  not  competi- 
tors, for  the  present  at  least.  The  aero- 
plane, for  short  hauls,  cannot  hope  to 
cope  with  the  automobile  that  can  stop 
at  any  curbstone.  But  when  distances 
greater  than  50  or  60  miles  are  involved, 
the  latter  vehicle  ceases  to  show  great 
advantage.  Right  here  is  where  the  aero- 
plane steps  in,  but  as  a  competitor  of  rail- 
way and  boat  transportation. 

"Undeniably,  in  terms  of  miles  per  hour 
of  actual  travel,  neither  the  train  nor  the 
ship  can  approach  the  air  craft.  Yet  there 
enters  another  element  that  must  be  con- 
sidered. It  is  the  time  consumption  be- 
tween office  and  office,  we  will  say,  that 
is  important.  The  office-door  interval 
must  include  motor-car  trips  to  and  from 
airdromes,  which  for  some  time,  no  doubt, 


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will  represent  greater  distances  than  taxi 
rides  to  and  from  railway  stations.  Thus 
at  once  commercial  aviation  faces  a  curi- 
ous situation — the  speed  of  travel  by  air 
is  more  important  now  than  it  will  be  in 
years  to  come.  It  is  needed  at  the  outset 
to  give  aerial  transportation  a  sound  util- 
ity so  advantageous  that  people  will  ride 
in  the  aeroplane,  not  because  of  novelty 
or  sensation,  but  because  it  is  so  over- 
whelmingly the  fastest  and  most  direct 
means  of  transportation  that  the  elements 
of  high  cost  and  danger  are  wholly  dis- 
counted. When  we  can  offer  this,  a  com- 
mercial era  as  great  as  railroading  will 
unfold  itself." 

There  is  one  thing  that  the  public  and 
particularly  business  men  upon  whose 
support  commercial  aviation  depends, 
should  know,  even  though  it  bares  the 
family  skeleton  in  the  closet  of  America's 
aeronautical  chambers.  The  desire  for 
personal  publicity  in  circles  really  outside 
of  the  industry  itself,  has  been  a  serious 
menace.  The  public  has  been  grossly 
misled  and  has  gained  exceedingly  unfor- 
tunate ideas  of  aviation.  Again  and  again 
encouragement  has  been  given,  in  what 
the  public  has  believed  to  be  "high 
circles,"  to  rainbow  projects  utterly  im- 
possible of  accomplishment  at  the  time, 
and  known  to  be  so  by  those  fostering 
them.     People  have  been  led  to  believe 


before  the  war,  but  even  now  in  evidence, 
has  created  the  popular  impression  that 
aviation  is  a  "flighty"  thing  and  that  com- 
mercial aviation  is  indeed  highly  vision- 
ary. Men  like  Orvilhe  Wright,  Grover 
Cleveland  Loening,  Harold  Talbott,  Jr., 
Chance  Vought,  and  others  of  similar 
high  standing,  are  unanimous  in  their 
condemnation  of  the  practice,  and  most 
cognizant  of  the  great  injury  it  has 
worked. 

Mr.  Wright,  who  is  renowned  for  his 
conservatism,  feels  that  the  public  has 
grown  to  overestimate  both  the  danger 
of  flying  and  the  abilities  of  modern  aero- 
planes. On  the  other  hand,  Mr.  Loening 
believes  that  thinking  people  have  so  long 
been  fooled  that  they  now  really  under- 
estimate the  capacity  of  flying  craft. 

There  is  still  another  angle  that  is  in« 
teresting.  Censorship,  on  the  one  side, 
and  foreign  propaganda,  on  the  other, 
have  made  it  appear  that  Europe,  and 
especially  England  and  Italy,  possesses 
the  greatest  air  craft  in  existence.  Noth- 
ing  could  be  farther  from  the  truth.  In 
bombing,  fighting,  and  training  planes, 
American-designed,  motored,  and  built, 
we  have  the  superlative  in  present-day 
achievement,  and  at  least  the  foundation 
on  which  to  build  passenger  and  freight- 
carrying  ships  of  equal,  if  not  superior, 
greatness.     By   this,    however,    it    is   not 


laobted  Instmnces  of  the  Use  of  Aeroplanes  and  Plying  Boats  for  Sporting  Purposes  have  Come  to  Notice 

""  iw  and  Then  in  the  Past.    Here,  How *'  -  ^''^  «—•-.»-  t>.-i j  *^-  -.u^  ©.»«-—.« 

It  Is  the  Curtiss  Flying  Boat  "MP/ 


"Now  and  Then  in  the  Past.    Here,  However,  Is  a  Craft  Specially  Designed  for  the  Sportsman. 
---■—*-  "'P."  Built  for  Two,  and  Has  a  Speed  of  a  MUe  a  Minute 


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ever,  a  number  of  elements  which  form 
a  substantial  basis  for  reasoning.  After 
all,  one  could  hope  for  no  more  at  this 
time  than  the  opinions  of  reliable 
authorities. 

One  thing  that  has  an  immediate  and 
important  baring  on  civil  aerial  transport 
is  the  landing  station.  Before  aviation 
can  reach  any  noteworthy  state  of  peace- 
time development,  airdromes  are  needed. 
Although  we  have  planes  that  travel  at 
thrice  the  speed  of  railway  trains,  their 
usefulness  is  limited  by  the  lack  of  proper 
landing  facilities^  Moreover,  safety  is 
likewise  involved.  Orville  Wright,  whose 
opinion  is  shared  by  others,  contends 
that  aeroplanes  must  either  have  a  very 
low  landing  speed — say,  20  or  25  miles 
an  hour — or  there  must  be  frequent 
alighting  places  provided  for  them.  With 
both  low  landing  speed  and  frequent  well- 
constructed  landing  fields,  of  course,  we 
would  approach  the  ideal  condition.  But 
in  America,  at  the  present  time,  we  have 
neither  of  these  advantages,  although  it 
is  true  that  our  engineers  are  getting 
wider  speed  ranges  than  ever  before  and, 
therefore,  lower  landing  speeds  than  have 
been  common  in  fast  machines. 

The  country  as  a  whole  seems  to  be 
awakening  to  the  importance  of  establish- 
ing airdromes,  and  commendable  activity 
is  being  shown.  Towns,  for  instance, 
that  one  has  never  heard  of  before,  are 
inquiring  what  they  should  do.  And 
when  a  moment's  thought  is  given  to 
the  subject,   it  is  not  surprising  that  out- 


so  far  the  "commendable  activity"  has 
produced  few  concrete  results — that  is, 
actual  fields. 

In  speaking  of  landing  fields,  Mr. 
Wright,  in  brief,  says:  "To  make  flying 
perfectly  safe,  good  landing  fields  should 
be  established  at  10  or  15-mile  intervals. 
When  this  is  done,  the  greatest  obstacle 
in  the  path  of  aviation  will  have  been 
overcome.  Flying  at  a  height  of  a  mile, 
one  can  glide  six  or  eight  miles  in  any 
direction  without  power.  Thus,  when 
there  are  frequent,  well-marked  landing 
fields,  motor  trouble  necessitating  a 
forced  landing  will  occasion  no  peril. 
And  I  might  say  that  the  aeroplane  of 
today  is  an  abundantly  safe  vehicle. 

"Because  of  the  great  expense  in- 
volved in  the  establishment  and  mainte- 
nance of  fields,  adequate  in  number,  size, 
and  condition  for  widespread  flying,  it 
seems  that  aeroplanes  must  be  built  for 
existing  conditions  rather  than  for  ideal 
ones.  Take,  for  example,  the  motor  car. 
It  became  a  practicable  vehicle  of  great 
utility  when  it  was  built  to  negotiate 
whatever  sort  of  roads  were  to  be  en- 
countered. Its  universal  adoption  has 
forced  the  construction  of  better  h^h- 
ways,  until  today  in  every  part  of  the 
United  States,  the  good-road  issue,  is  a 
live  one.  ^he  same  condition  governs 
the  aeroplane.  It  must  be  built  to  alight 
safely  wherever  there  is  an  open  space. 
With  its  increasing  use  will  come  air- 
dromes and  the  desirable  emergency- 
landing  fields.'' 


T^i-^    T^:-:^:-, 


^£     -XKIM 


Two  Views  of  li  N«w  American  Biplane,  Deaiifned  for 
Civilian  Use,  That  is  Expected  to  be  Sold  throush 
Motor-Car  Dealers  for  $8,900:  Strictly.  However,  It 
Is  Still  in  an  Experimental  Stage  at  Least  So  Far  as 
the  Public  is  Concerned  and  Has  Tet  to  Prove 
Its  Worth 

of-the-way  points,  extremely  desirous  of 
better  lines  of  communication  with  the 
outside  world,  should  be  among  the  first 
to  encourage  development  of  the  aerial 
transport.   The  difficulty,  however,  is  that 


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"The  landing  field  should,  if  possible, 
be  from  1,500  to  2,000  ft.  on  a  side.  This 
would  afford  a  four-way  field  permitting 
landing  from  any  direction.  If  there  are 
no  high  obstacles  along  the  borders,  such 


ernment  support  or  regulation.  As  re- 
gards mechanical  equipment,  eventually 
hangars  and  gas  and  oil  stations,  and  pos- 
sibly a  rest  house  for  airmen,  would  be 


Purposes 

It  at  This  Time. 


an  Interesting  Stejr.  but  That  Is'AIl  That   can  be 
Here  Is  a  |2.0D0  -         —  -   -      ^    -      --^ 


The  Attempt  to  Evolve  a  Cheap  Plane  ofJLowjDperating  Cost  for  8j 

lime.    Here  Is  a  12,000  Craft  That  Weigh  . 

and  Has  Some  Odd  Characteristics.,   The  Lower   wing  Span  Is  Greater 


iaid  for 

Craft  That  Weighs  Only  860  Pounds 


neia   concernea   were   on 
a     regularly     established 


Than  the  Upper,  the  Landing  Chassis  may  be  Drawn  into  the  Body,  and 

the  "K**-  Bracing  Is  Distinctive.    The  Latter  Two  Features  Are  Attempts 

to  Reduce  Resistance 


tation  facilities,  such  as  good  roads,  car 
lines,  etc.;  the  closer  to  the  center  of 
town,  the  better. 

"The  field  should  be  marked  conspicu- 
ously so  that  it  can  be  easily  located  from 
the  air.  A  large  whitewashed  circle,  with 
a  letter  in  the  center,  designating  the 
name  of  the  town,  is  a  suggestion  along 
that  line. 

^Instructions  should  be  posted  at  the 
field  indicating  proper  steps  to  be  taken 
to  obtain  high-test  gasoline  and  oil  most 
expeditiously.  It  is  most  important  that 
high-test  airplane  gasoline  be  obtainable. 
These  instructions  should  also  give  infor- 
mation covering  possible  arrangements 
for  guarding  machines. 

"At  the  present  time  these  fields  must 
necessarily  be  a  municipal  proposition, 
since  there  is  no  authority  to  cover  gov- 


farther,     two 


aerial  route." 

Carrying  the  question 
of  landing  fields,  which 
is  a  vital  one,  a  step 
opinions  are  expressed. 
On  one  hand  it  -s  believed  that  the  exten- 
sion of  the  aerial  mail  service  will  rapidly 
solve  the  problem ;  oil  the  other,  that  the 
enterprise  should  immediately  be  under- 
taken by  municipalities  and  individuals, 
with  the  assistance  of  the  air-craft  indus- 
try, and  not  left  to  the  Federal  govern- 
ment. 

Night  flying  will  be  necessary  for  the 
successful  prosecution  of  commercial  con- 
quest, and  for  that  reason  provision  must 
be  made  for  clearly  marking  air  ports  so 
as  to  permit  safe  descent  in  the  dark. 
Another  consideration  is  the  development 
of  some  practical  means  of  indicating 
the  positions  of  alighting  stages  when 
they  are  hidden  from  view  by  fog,  and  of 
lessening  the  danger  of  landing  at  such 
times.    Star  rockets  were  used  during  the 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


war  for  this  purpose,  and  until  some  bet- 
ter means  is  devised,  they  offer  a  little — 
although  not  very  encouraging — aid. 

Glenn  Curtiss,  one  of  the  well-known 
pioneers  in  American  aeronautics,  seems 
firm  in  the  belief  that  one  of  the  first 
important  developments  in  commercial 
aviation  will  be  the  use  of  flying  boats 
and  seaplanes  for  passenger  and  package- 
carrying  between  ocean  and  lake  ports, 
for  the  reason  that  sheltered  harbors  offer 
the  only  *'landing  fields"  that  are  neces- 
sary. In  other  words,  terminal  facilities 
for  the  flying  boat  are  already  provided. 

Concerning  the  use  of  **land"  machines, 
he  cites  the  provision  of  airdromes  as  pre- 
requisite, although  at  the  same  time 
pointing  out  that  in  certain  parts  of  the 
middle  West,  South,  and  Pacific-coast 
regions  one  can  alight  almost  anywhere 
without  serious  difficulty. 

"I  look  for  the  early  development  of 
mail  routes,  the  use  of  aeroplanes  for 
coast-guard  patrol,  forest  survey,  life-sav- 
ing, harbor  patrol,  and  general  passenger 

(To  be 


and  freight  carrying,*'  Mr.  Curtiss  asserts. 
**It  probably  will  be  two  or  three  years 
befiore  commercial  aviation  will  be  de- 
veloped sufiiciently  for  the  inddstry  to 
stand  on  its  own  feet,  however," 

And  this  introduces  the  reason  that 
many  men  in  the  industry — ^among  them 
Harry  Bowers  Mingle,  president  of  the 
Standard  Aircraft  Corporation;  Glenn  L. 
Martin,  Chance  M.  Vought,  and  others — 
feel  that  government  subsidy,  or  at 
least  Federal  cooperative  support  of  the 
thoroughgoing  sort,  should  be  extended 
at  this  time  to  carry  aviation  successfully 
through  the  transition  period  it  is  now 
entering.  In  establishing  civil  aerial 
transport,  the  problem  is  not  greatly  un- 
like that  of  projecting  a  modem  railway 
line  through  new,  undeveloped  country 
sparsely  settled  with  people  who  have 
previously  depended  on  other  and  slower 
mediums  of  transportation  and  at  the  out- 
set are  slow  to  accept  an  innovation  and 
use  it.  Every  one  agrees  that  the  public 
has  yet  to  be  converted  to  aviation. 


AIR  BRAKES   FOR  TRUCK-AND-TRAILER  TRAINS 


So  long  as  the  truck  and  trailer  are  op- 
erated at  eight  or  ten  miles  per  hour  on 
good  roads  and  in  level  country,  the  neces- 
sity of  air  brakes  or,  in  fact,  any  brakes, 
on  the  trailer  is  not  great.  But  when 
powerful  engines  are  used  in  the  truck  so 
as  to  pull  a  trailer  train  over  the  moun- 
tains of  Pennsylvania,  grades  are  en- 
countered which  require  the  use  of 
brakes  on  the  trailers  as  well  as  on  the 
truck.  If,  in  addition,  the  trucks  and 
trailers  are  provided  with  giant  pneu- 
matic tires,  it  is  possible  to  operate  the 
trucks  at  higher  speeds  than  is  customary. 
Twenty-five  miles  per  hour  is  a  good  av- 
erage road  speed  for  such  a  train.  As 
compared  with  speeds  mentioned  above, 
from  six  to  nine  times  as  much  work  has 
to  be  done  by  the  brakes  in  stopping'  a 
truck  running  at  25  miles  per  hour.    It  is 


obvious  that  the  brakes  provided  on  the 
truck  are  not  equal  to  such  an  overload 
and  additional  brakes  are  necessary. 

Not  only  must  additional  brakes  be 
provided,  but,  unless  the  brakes  on  the 
trailers  are  applied  simultaneously,  there 
is  ^oing  to  be  dangerous  skidding  of  the 
trailers.  On  a  greasy  pavement,  or  a  hill, 
the  trailer  will  try  to  whip  sidewise  and 
pass  the  truck  that  is  towing  it,  if  the 
speed  of  the  latter  is  reduced  by  the  appli- 
cation of  brakes.  As  a  universally  jointed 
drawbar  has  to  be  provided  between  the 
trailer  and  the  truck,  it  is  obvious  that 
such  a  bar  will  not  prevent  the  trailer 
from  whipping  or  skidding  if  the  resisting 
force  is  applied  at  its 'end.  It  would  be 
just  like  trying  to  balance  a  10-ton  load  on 
the  end  of  a  broomstick.  Although  the 
use  of  brakes  on  the  trailer  is  granted, 


Truck-and-Trailer  Train  Equipped  with  Air  Brakes:     The  Double  Air.Une  Conacctions  of  Rubber  Hose 

Are  Visible  between  tfae  Vehicles.    60  Equipped,  and  with  Large  Pneumatic  Tires  on 

the  Trailers,  a  Train  can  Averaffe  26  Miles  an  Hour  in  HUly  Coontry 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


505 


the    method    of    operating    them    is    a 
problem. 

Air  brakes  have  been  tried  out  during 
the  past  year,  and  in  the  form  which  they 
now   have,  are  very   practical   and  satis- 


sure  applied  on  the  brakes,  and  this  is 
maintained  nnti!  the  pressare  of  the  foot 
is  removed  from  the  pedal.  The  valve  is 
so  constructed,  that  as  soon  as  enough 
pressure — the   amount    corresponding   to 


Operated  Brakes  Are  Also  yrp^lded 


factory.  Using  air  brakes  gives  a  very 
satisfactory  and  flexible  means  of  con- 
necting up  the  towing  truck  with  the 
trailers,  as  only  a  few  pieces  of  hose  are 
necessary. 

The  system  herein  described  consists  of 
the  following  units:  A  power-driven  air 
pump  which  is  disconnected  as  soon  as 
the  system  reaches  200-lb.  air  pressure  per 
square  inch ;  an  air  reservoir  on  the  truck, 
and  one  on  each  of  the  trailers;  a  pedal- 
operated  brake  valve  beside  the  foot 
throttle  on  the  truck;  a  pressure-regulat- 
ing valve  on  each  of  the  trailer  tanks  and 
an  applicarion  valve  also;  the  brake  cyl- 
inders, one  of  which  is  applied  to  each 
brake,  and  the  two  rubber-tube  air  lines 
that  extend  from  the  truck  to  each  of  the 
trailers. 

Two  air  lines  are  provided  so  that  one 
may  be  utilized  to  keep  the  air  pressure 
in  each  of  the  trailer  reservoirs  at  the 
prescribed  200  lb.,  and  the  other  to  reg- 
ulate the  application  of  the  air  pressure 
in  the  brake  cylinders. 

The  application  is  regulated  by  the  po- 
sition of  the  foot  pedal.  The  farther  the 
pedal  is  depressed,  the  greater  the  pres- 


the  particular  position  of  the  valve — has 
entered  the  brake  cylinders,  the  admission 
of  further  air  is  automatically  cut  off 
without  any  action  or  thought  on  the 
driver's  part.  Further  depression  of  the 
pedal  and  movement  of  the  valve  increases 
the  air  pressure  in  the  brake  cylinders, 
and  vice  versa.  This  feature,  and  the  use 
of  the  double  air  line,  are  the  most  prom- 
inent characteristics  of  the  system.  One 
other,  however,  should  be  mentioned,  the 
provision  to  apply  the  brakes  whenever 
the  air  lines  are  broken.  Should  the  trailer 
hitch  break  loose  on  a  hill,  the  brakes 
would  be  applied  instantly  so  that  there 
would  be  no  chance  of  the  trailer  running 
amuck.  Manually  operated  brake  levers 
and  connections,  which  in  no  way  inter- 
fere with  the  operation  of  the  air  brakes, 
are  also  provided. 


C  Daylight-saving  day's  first  anniversarv 
falls  on  Sunday,  March  30,  1919,  and  ail 
the  clocks  in  the  country  will  be  set  for- 
ward one  hour,  just  as  they  were  last 
year.  They  will  be  set  back  on  Sunday. 
October  26,  unless  Congress  acts  to  repeal 
the  measure. 


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•  -;  ^^  'ji^-  -  •^- 


[1"  Mounts  a  12-Inch,  50- Ton  Gun,  Firing  an  850.Pound  Shell 
ring  the  Trials  of  the  "Ml,"   the  Sound  of  Its  Big  Gun  Was 

BIGGEST,    FASTEST    SUBMARINES 
NOT  GERMAN  BUT  BRITISH     . 

Secrets  of  the  navy,  in  war  time,  are 
more  curious  and  wonderful  and  mysteri- 
ous than  any  other  secrets,  even  those 
of  the  army.  The  British  navy,  true  to 
tradition,  had  many  of  these  well-guarded 
enterprises,  some  of  which  it  is  now 
permitted  to  view.  So  it  transpires  that 
while  Germany  monopolized  submarine 
talk  and  reputation,  the  really  biggest  and 
swiftest  undersea  boats  were  built  by  and 
belonged'to  Great  Britain.  The  perform- 
ance of  these  craft,  known  as  class  "K," 
is  typified  by  the  "Kl,"  which  has  a  sur- 
face  speed   of  24  miles   an   hour  and   a 


*K1/'    of  the  Britith  Nav3f*i  New  Submarines,  the  Largest  Ever  Built  by  Any  Nation:   On  the  Surface  It 

Makes  10  Miles  an  Hour.     It  Is  840   Feet  Long,  with  a    Displacement  of 
Pour-Inch  Guns,  Pore  and  Aft,  Three  Anti-Aircraft 


506 


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While  the  Largest  Armament  Carried  by  Any  German  Snbaiarine  Was  a  Six-Inch  Gun,  Which  Weighed  Bot  Five 
Rcspoaaible  for  the  Rumor,  Prevalent  Ashore,  That  the  Isle  of  Wight  was  being  Bombarded  by  German  Battleships 


submerged  speed  of  10  miles.  It  is  340 
ft.  long,  with  a  2,000-ton  displacement  on 
the  surface  and  nearly  3,000  as  a  diver. 
Two  four-inch  guns  fore  and  aft,  three 
anti-aircraft  guns,  and  eight  torpedo  tubes 
constitute  its  armament.  On  the  surface 
it  raises  two  short  funnels  out  of  a  deck 
recess  and  runs  on  steam  from  light 
water-tube  boilers.  Submei^ed,  it  is  elec- 
trically driven.  The  British  navy's  "M" 
class  is  a  remarkable  type  of  submersible 
monitor,  armed  with  a  12-in.,  50-toa  gun, 
firing  an  850-lb.  shell.  Both  these  ships 
are  away  beyond  anything  in  submarines 
attempted  by  the  German  navy,  and  are 
competent  to  meet  enemy  destroyers  or 
even  cruisers. 


GAS  USED  TO  EXTINGUISH 

INSULATING-OIL  FIRES 

Large  central-station  transformer  cases 
and  switch-gear  tanks  filled  with  insulat- 
ing oil  have  a  certain  element  of  fire  risk. 
A  French  method  of  protection  proposes 
to  extinguish  such  fires  with  nitrogen  or 
carbonic-acid  gas.  A  pipe  carrying  gas 
under  pressure  connects  with  each  oil 
tank,  the  end  of  the  pipe  being  stopped 
with  a  fusible  plug.  Individual  gas  cyl- 
inders for  each  oil  tank  may  be  used.  To 
protect  the  cable  ways  from  high  tem- 
perature, haTKl  control  is  substituted  for 
automatic,  the  pressure  tubes  of  gas  being 
connected  to  a  large  storage  tank. 


r 


Makes  if  MUes  an   Hour,   Propelled  by  Steam  and   Using  Oil   PueL     Submerged  and  Electrically  Driven, 
About  a,dOO  and  8,000  Tons,  Ploatins  and  Diving,  Respectively.    It  Mounts  Two 
Guns  Amidships,  and  Has    Bight   Torpedo  Tubes 


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608 


POPULAR   MECHANICS 


ELECTRIC  "DAYLIGHT"  FOR  HENS 

INCREASES  EGG  PRODUCT 

Since  the  hen  bases  her  working  day  on 
the  duration  of  light,  a  university  in  the 
central  states  undertook  to  measure  the 
increase  in  her  industry  when  she  is  made 
to  believe  that  the  days  have  grown 
longer.     Two    identical    pens    were    pro- 


OOURTMV  PUNOUC  UNIVIIMITT  AQIIICULTUMAL  IXPIRIMCNT  BTATlOM 

The  HenhotM*  at  the  Left  Has  a  100. Watt  Lamp   Btirninff  from  Six  to 

Seven  A.  M.  and  from  Four  to  Eight  P.  M.    The  One  at  the   Right   Haa 

Only  Natural  Lighting.    Hens  in  the  Lighted  Pen  Laid   Nearly  40  Per 

Cent  More  Eggs  Last  Winter  Than  Their  Sisters  Next  Door 


vided,  each  stocked  with  35  single-comb 
white  leghorns.    Feeding,  housing,  and  all 
other  conditions  were  exactly  similar  for 
both  lots,  and  hens  of  equal  productive- 
ness selected.    The  only  difference  was  that 
the  illumination  of  one  henhouse  was  left 
to  nature,  while  the  other  had  a  100-watt 
incandescent  lamp  installed  in  it.    During 
the  three-month  trial  period,  November  to 
January,  the  .  lamp    was 
kept   burning  from  6  to 
7  a.  m.  and'  from  4  to  8 
p.  m.,  giving  the  hens  a 
50-per-cent    addition    to 
their  time  for  exercising, 
eating,     and     "working." 
From  the  unlighted  pen 
1,082  eggs  were  taken  in 
the    three    months;    the 
birds  which  worked  over- 
time by  electric  light  pro- 
duced  1,478  eggs  in  the 
same  period.     This  gain 
of  33  dozen  eggs,  at  63 
cents,  left  a  net  profit  of 
$15.27  on  an  investment 
of  $5.52  for  electric  cur- 
rent.     Feed     cost     was 
practically  no  higher  for 
the    lighted    pen,    but    it 
took  the  hens  about  two 
weeks  to  respond  to  the 
artificially  lengthened 
working  day. 


AUTO  MAKES  FASTEST  MILE 

WITH  AIRPLANE  MOTOR 

The  highest  speed  ever  attained  by  any- 
thing on  wheels  was  Ralph  De  Palma's 
24.04-second  mile,  made  February  12  at 
Daytona  Beach,  Fla.  The  former 
record,  for  a  mile  straightaway 
flying  start,  was  25.40,  made  in 
April,  1911,  by  a  foreign  car.  The 
new  record  was  made  with  a  12- 
cylinder,  V-type  air-craft  engine 
of  Liberty  design,  with  a  piston 
displacement  of  904.8  cu.  in.  and 
about  260  hp.  Air-craft  design- 
ing experience  was  also  applied  to 
the  construction  of  the  racing 
car's  body,  which  has  a  long  tor- 
pedo tail  calculated  to  eliminate 
the  vacuum  pocket  produced  be- 
hind the  car  at  high  velocities. 
Streamline  contour  was  applied 
to  all  other  salient  points,  notably 
the  front  axle,  whose  head-on  re- 
sistance was  reduced  nearly  100  lb.  The 
figure  set  means  a  speed  of  149.72  miles  an 


hour.  At  this  terrific  rate  the  best  of 
tires  are  good  for  only  about  10  miles,  and 
are  apt  to  burst  by  centrifugal  force.  Such 
a  car,  weiging  3,400  lb.,  would  leave  the 
ground  if  equipped  with  wings  and  a 
propeller.     It  must,  indeed,  be  carefully 


Ralph  De  Palma's  Streamline  Racer,  with  Which  He  Broke  the 

World's  Record  for  One-Mile  Straightaway  Plsring  Surt:    His 

Mark   of   24.04  Means  a  Speed   of  149.72   Miles   an   Hour,   the 

Highest   Velocity   Ever  Attained   on   Wheels 

designed  to   prevent  its  doing  so  by  its 
own  sheer  speed  and  air  surface, 


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609 


All  These  Products  Come  from  the  Kernels  of  Apricot  Pits.    Tsken  in  Order,  the  Bottles  ConUin  the  Pits 

Themselves,  Their.  Kernels.  Apricot  Fruit  Oil,  Bitter  Oil  of  Almonds,  Apricot  Meal,  Apricot  Cleanser, 

American  Blue,  Prussic  Acid,  Fruit  Oil  Ready  for  the  Market,  Benxoic  Acid,  and  Essence  of  Apricot 


APRICOT  PITS  NOW  SUPPLY 
PRODUCTS  ONCE  IMPORTED 

Industrial  chemist  for  the  world  was  a 
part  played  by  Germany  with  her  usual  as- 
surance and  air  of  natural  monopoly. 
One  good  that  is  working  out  of  the  evil 
of  war  is  the  demonstration  that  Ameri- 
can chemists,  under  the  spur  of  demand, 
can  readily  surpass  the  accomplishments 
of  German  science.  California  has  an 
annual  by-product  crop  of  7,000  tons 
of  apricot  pits,  which  were  formerly  sold 
to  Germany  and  Denmark  at  $45  a  ton. 
When  the  war  closed  this  market,  and  the 
price  dropped  to  $15,  a  California  chemist 
bought  a  supply  and  started  experiment- 
ing. He  is  now  able  to  market  apricot 
fruit  oil,  a  substitute  for  olive  oil ;  essen- 
tial oil  of  apricot,  better  known  as  bitter 
oil  of  almonds;  a  meal  used  in  mixture 
with  others  for  waffles  and  hot  cakes;  a 
finer  meal  used  for  cleansing;  American 
blue,  formerly  known  as  Prussian  blue, 
from  which  prussic  acid  can  be  made; 
extract  of  apricot  for  flavoring,  and  a 
small  quantity  of  benzoic  acid.  American 
blue  is  in  large  demand  for  coloring  print- 
ing inks,  paints,  etc.,  and  forms  the  base 
for  a  cheap  bluing.  Bakers'  almond  paste 
may  be  made  from  the  essential  oil.  The 
latter  has  a  market  value  of  $10  a  pound, 
while  American  blue  commands  $1.65  a 
pound.  A  ton  of  apricot  pits  yields  prod- 
ucts valued  at  over  $200. 


CEngland's  old-time  institution,  the 
baked-potato  man,  once  more  is  offering 
hot  sweet  potatoes  at  all  hours  on  Lon- 
don streets.  It  is  said  that  before  the  war 
shortage,  chilly  pedestrians  found  a  pair 
of  his  commodities  in  the  pockets  quite 
effective  as  finger  warmers. 


BEE  MAN  IS  NOT  TERRIFIED 
BY  BEES  IN  HIS  "BONNET** 

While  it  is  well  known  that  experienced 
bee  men  do  not  hesitate  to  move  among 
and  handle  bees  without  special  protec- 
tion of  any  kind,  it  is  safe  to  assume  that 
there  are  comparatively  few  who  would 
venture  to  fill  a  hat  with  the  buzzing  crea- 
tures and  then  place  the  hat  on  his  head, 
as  the  veteran  bee  man  shown  in  the  ac- 
companying photograph  has  often  done. 
It  will  be  observed  that  the  bees  are 
crawling  over  his  clothing  and  hair  in 
large  numbers.  This  man  possesses  an 
enviable  immunity  to  the  poison  of  bee 
stings,  but  in  order  that  as  few  of  the 
insects  as  possible  may  sting  him,  he  con- 
fuses them  by  shaking  them  up  badly  and 
giving  them  a  dose  of  smoke  before  put- 
ting them  in  his  hat. 


A  Veteran  Bee  Man  Demonstrating  That   He   Hat 
No  Fear  of  Bee  Stings:     Nirmbers  of  the  Angry  In- 
sects  are    Plying   from   His   Hat,   and    Others  are 
Crawling  on  His  Hair  and  Clothing 


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FOREIGN  PASSENGER-CARRYING  AEROPLANES 


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INTRODUCE  A  NEW  ERA  OF  TRANSPORTATION 


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612 


POPULAR   MECHANICS 


FRENCH  FLIER  MAKES  LANDING 

ON  ROOF  OF  PARIS  STORE 

Successfully    landing    his    Caudron    bi- 
plane on  the  roof  of  the  Galleries  Lafa- 


ntOTOPst  OMTIML  NCW»  PHOTO  MRVICI 

On  a  Department-Store  Roof,  82  by  46  Feet,  Six  Stories  above  the  Ground, 

the  French  Airman  Jules  Vedrines   Made  a   Spectacular  and   Successful 

Landing  with  His  Caudron  Biplane.    Sandbags  on  the  Roof,  Relics  of  Air- 

Raid  Days,  Reduced  the  Sho.ck  of  Alighting 

yette,  a  six-story  Paris  department  store, 
won  Jules  Vedrines  a  $5,000  prize  and  the 
honor  of  being  first  to  accomplish  such 
a  feat.  The  size  of  the  roof  is  about  82 
by  46  ft.,  and  the  width  of  the  French 
flier's  plane  was  39  ft.  The  space  inside 
the  parapet  had  been  cushioned  with 
sandbags  during  the  air-raid  period,  and 
the  landing  was  made  with  only  slight 
damage  to  the  machine  and  none  what- 
ever to  the  airman.  Vedrines'  flight  was 
made  shortly  after  the  noon  hour,  and  in 
a  fog.  From  Issy  les  Molineaux  he  flew 
straight  over  the  center  of  Paris  at  low 
altitude,  barely  skimming  the  houses  along 
the  Rue  de  la  .Chaussee  d'Antin.  Over  a 
bank  just  across  from  the  Lafayette  he 
stopped  his  engine,  missed  the  top  of  a 
sign  on  the  store  by  a  few  inches,  and 
quietly  made  his  remarkable  *  landing. 
Vedrines,  who  has  a  spectacular  war  rec- 
ord, now  wishes  to  fly  around  the  world. 


TURN  MISSISSIPPI  RIVER 

TO  SAVE  CITY  HARBOR 

One  of  those  practical  jokes  for  which 
the    Mississippi    River    is    notorious    has 

1 4.1 *-ning  for  some  time  to  spoil 

t  Memphis,  Tenn.,  and  leave 
I  high  and  dry  some  distance 
am.  The  current  has  created 
ailed  "Mud  Isle,"  right  where 
id  to  land,  and  has  deposited 
he  harbor,  while  the  opposite 
n  washing  away,  shifting  the 
the  river.  Army  engineers 
ngaged  in  undoing  the  dam- 
extending  a  promontory  out 
an  island  near  the  other 
e.  They  have  built  two  mats 
willow,  one  1,400  ft.  and  the 
)ther  1,000  ft.  long,  each  100 
vft.  wide,  carefully  sewed 
M  and  interlaced  to  resist 
the  current.  These  mats 
are  placed  1,000  ft.  apart 
and  fastened  with  3,300 
piles,  driven  in  clusters 
to  collect  all  the  sediment  possible  and  he- 
come  permanent  land  elements.  Thus 
the  current  will  be  swung  back  over  Mud 
Isle  and  the  harbor,  and  river  men  say 
one  good  high  water  will  clear  out  all  the 
trouble. 


JEWELER  "NATURALIZES"  BIRD 

IN  HIS  CUCKOO  CLOCK 

A  jeweler  in  Indiana,  deciding  that  the 
bird  in  his  cuckoo  clock  was  of  a  decided- 
ly German  variety,  set  out  to  "naturalize" 
it.  When  he  had  finished  making  altera- 
tions he  set  the  timepiece  to  going  again. 
At  the  proper  time  the  bird  came  forth 
and  whistled  "Bob  White,  Bob  White," 
in  good  American  fashion.  Since  then 
the  jeweler  has  been  called  on  to  Ameri- 
canize several  other  clocks. 


SIMPLE  DEVICE  FOR  SELLING 

NEWSPAPERS  A  SUCCESS 

Publishers  of  early  morning  newspapers 
in  Washington,  D.  C,  have  recently 
been  experiment- 
ing with  a  "wood- 
en newsboy."  The 
device  consists  of 
a  collapsible  con- 
tainer supported 
by  three  legs  with 
a  metal  receptacle 
for  the  money. 
After  the  early 
editions  are  dis-  " 
posed  of,  the  own- 
ers gather  them 
up  so  they  will 
not  block  the 
sidewalks.  While 
everything  is  left 
to  the  honesty  of 
the  customers,  the 
amount  of  loss  is 
found  to  be  al- 
most negligible.  They  are  also  a  boon  to 
the  newsboy  who  does  not  want  to  get 
up  in  time  to  sell  the  early  editions. 


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1 


Do  We 

Want 

Prosperity? 


COMMENTED  REVIEV 

[These  pages  were  printed  February  20*  1919] 

DO  we  want  prosperity?    The  reply  seems  to  be  unanimous.    Here  is  one  sub- 
ject on  which  we  are  all  agreed;  employer,  employe;  man,  woman,  and  child. 
World  conditions  are,  to  all  appearances,  more  favorable  to  a  most  wonderful 
period  of  prosperity  for  the  United  States,  for  several  years  to 
come,  than  ever  confronted  any  nation  in  the  history  of  the 
world. 

But,  we  mustn't  spill  the  beans! 

Bankers,   alone;   manufacturers,   alone;   labor,   alone;   nor 
farmers,  nor  miners,  nor  lumbermen,  and  so  on,  alone,  not  even 
the  Government  alone,  can  make  prosperity.    To  insure  pros- 
perity, there  must  be  harmonious  team  work:  everyone  con^- 
cerned  must  do  his  part. 

The  world  never  needed  and  wanted  so  many  things  which  are  produced  by 
the  brainwork  and  handwork  of  man,  as  today.  For  four  years,  the  former 
sources  of  supply  have  either  been  dried  up,  or  commodities  could  not  be  moved. 
The  shelves  m  the  stores*  of  the  world  were  never  so  nearly  empty.  Farm  ma- 
chinery in  other  lands  has  been  wearing  out  with  little  opportunity  of  replace- 
ment. New  fields  are  required  which  also  must  have  new  machinery.  ^  So  also 
have  the  railroads  of  the  world  been  wearing  out,  and  thousands  of  other  neces- 
sities and  comforts  of  life  have  been  used  up  or  exhausted. 

So  much  for  export.  What  about  the  work  to  be  done  here  at  home?  Mil- 
lions upon  millions'  worth  of  industrial  buildings,  and  houses,  and  depots,  and 
street  improvements,  and  good  roads  are  needed.    Then,  why  doesn't  it  start? 

In  the  first  place,  there  must  be  a  reorganization  and  readjustment  to  get 
a  plant  which  has  been  running  on  war  work  back  to  its  former  line  of  produc- 
tion. Not  only  in  many  instances  an  actual  change  in  machinery,  but  in  hundreds 
of  cases  a  final  settlement  with  the  Government.  This  involves  a  vast  amount 
of  work  by  experienced  men,  who  must  count  and  weigh  thousands  of  items, 
check  bills  for  cost,  inspect,  adjust,  make  allowances,  decide  disputes,  interpret 
contracts;  all  this  before  final  settlement  and  payment  can  be  reached.  Under 
the  most  favorable  conditions,  this  takes  time,  for  these  questions  must  be 
settled  with  justice  to  both  manufacturer  and  the  Government. 

Another  cause  is  the  unsettled  condition  of  the  labor  market.  Labor  has 
benefited  in  many  ways  under  war  conditions  and  naturally  is  reluctant  to  recede 
from  its  high-water  mark;  nor  is  it  desirable  that  it  should  in  all  respects.  But, 
does  labor  realize  that  the  permanent  conditions  of  peace  cannot  maintain  all  the. 
emergencies  of  war?  Some  men  can  run  very  fast  for  a  hundred  yards,  or  even 
a  mile;  but  the  best  cannot  maintain  the  pace  for  long,  or  even  do  it  every  day. 
The  horse  which  wins  the  race  could  not  ao  as  well  on  ordinary  roads,  nor  main- 
tain his  greatest  effort  for  an  hour,  much  less  a  day  or  a  month.  In  order  to  stop 
a  fire,  the  fireman  smashes  costly  windows,  and  chops  away  doors,  and  even 
blows  up  entire  buildings^  but  we  don't  do  these  things  every  day.  It  is  only 
an  unusual  emergency  which  makes  such  costly  work  justifiable.  If  it  were  kept 
up  long  enough,  we  finally  wouldn't  have  any  houses  to  live  in.  We  should  dis- 
criminate between  what  is  warranted  to  stop  a  war  and  what  is  reasonable  day 
in  and  day  out 

Just  now,  in  the  effort  to  make  war  conditions  of  labor  and  wages  perma- 
nent, we  hear  of  strikes  here,  there,  and  everywhere.  Not  only  in  this  country, 
but  abroad.  The  plain  truth  is,  no  law  of  any  country,  no  refusal  by  large  masses 
of  men  to  work,  nothing  which  man  has  ever  been  able  to  do,  or  is  likely  ever 
to  do,  can  maintain,  for  any  length  of  time,  abnormal  conditions.  The  normal  of 
today  can  and  ought  to  be,  and  promises  to  be,  an  improvement  over  the  normal 
of  a  few  years  ago.  This  is  something  we  all  desire,  and  all  benefit  from,  a  steady 
improvement  from  year  to  year;  but  business,  as  it  exists,  is  powerless  to  main- 
tain a  sudden  and  supreme  effort.  The  runner,  the  wrestler,  the  race  horse,  all 
arrived  at  their  maximum  through  an  advancing  process,  and  not  in  a  moment. 
Business  cannot  permanently  maintain  the  high-water  mark  of  war-time  condi- 
tions in  peace  times  any  more  than  the  race  horse  can  deliver  rural  mail  at  a 
two-minute  clip,  six  days  a  week. 

It  is  quite  certain  that  some  employes  feel  that  employers  could  maintain 
war  conditions  if  they  wanted  to;  but  there  is  an  equilibrium  of  trade,  relent- 
less as  the  law  of  gravitation,  which  cannot  be  disregarded. 


UI^SE 


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At  certain  points  on  our  seacoast,  under  stress  of  storm,  the  tides  rise 
unusual  heights  for  a  few  hours  or  dajra,  but  even  Old  Ocean  himself  cannot  keep 
up  the  high-water  mark  for  365  days  in  the  year.  The  ship  which  tried  to  anchor 
too  near  shore  on  these  high  tides  would  soon  be  left  a  wreck  high  and  dry 
on  the  rocks.  The  captain  who  thus  lost  his  ship  would  be  blamed  even  by  the 
crew  and  passengers  who  urged  him  to  do  so.  Even  were  the  vessel  put  afloat 
later,  there  would  still  be  the  needless  loss  of  its  services,  and  all  to  no  good 
or  lasting  purpose. 

Improvements  which  can  be  accomplished  gradually  often  become  destruc- 
tive when  demanded  in  a  moment.  If  every  man  on  everjr  farm  in  the  country 
struck  on  July  first;  they  couldn't  make  the  growing  com  ripen  in  a  month  from 
planting.  If  all  the  doctors^  lawyers,  workmen,  farmers,  numufacturers,  bflmkers, 
business  men,  teamsters,  railroad  men,  and  all  the  rest,  even  the  editors,  should 
quit  all  e£fort  for  a  month,  they  could  create  a  condition  of  awful  chaos,  but  they 
could  not  change  natural  laws. 

Every  boy  would  like  to  be  a  man  tomorrow,  but  it  can't  be  done;  it  takes 
time  to  make  a  man  out  of  a  boy;  always  has,  always  wilL  We  can  all  remember 
when  the  hours  and  conditions  and  pay,  for  evervbody,  were  verv  arduous,  i 
haven't  forgotten  the  time  when,  as  a  boy,  I  worked  16  hours  a  dav  tor  $4  a  week, 
and  it  was  the  going  rate  of  wages,  too.  Nobody  has  to  do  uiat  now,  thank 
goodness.  Normal  conditions,  as  compared  with  40,  30,  20,  10  years  ago,  are 
immeasurably  improved,  but  it  has  taken  time.  The  jump  from  40  years  ago  to 
the  present  couldn't  have  been  made  in  a  day^  or  month,  or  year,  no  matter  how 
many  of  us  struck.  There  has  been  a  grand  miprovement,  however,  don't  let  us 
forget  that,  and  there  are  due  to  be  more  improvements  in  the  years  imme* 
diately  to  come;  but  while  waiting  for  the  better  and  still  better  things,  is  it 
really  wise  to  be  too  impatient  in  our  haste  to  reach  the  goal?  Instead  of  trying 
to  sail  the  ship  ashore  on  a  storm  tide,  isn't  it  better  to  dredge  a  channel  inshore, 
to  reach  the  same  point? 

The  old-time  employer,  too  many  of  him,  was  regardless  and  thoughtlesa 
of  his  workers.  The  employer  of  today,  as  a  cms,  is  a  very  different  type  of  maisL 
There  is  a  great  deal  he  can  yet  do,  and— in  spite  of  the  poison  counsel  of 
Bolsheviki — ^which  he  heartily  wants  to  do,  and  will,  given  time.  He^  too,  has  his 
troubles  and  finds  it  impossible  to  make  a  five  or  ten-vear  advance  m  a  day,  but 
he  is  speeding  up  all  the  time.  He  is  in  the  midst  of  a  reorganization  brought 
about  by  the  war,  and  the  most  of  ham  is  conscientiously  doing  the  best  he  can, 
or  knows  how;  probably  few  of  all  bis  several  thousand  employes,  if  given  his 
job,  could  do  any  better. 

Would  it  not,  then,  seem  the  fair,  the  loyal,  the  sensible  thing  to  cooperate 
with  him  to  the  fullest  extent  instead  of  demanding  war-time  conditions  or 
better,  just  at  this  critical  moment;  or  even  going  on  strike  in  the  effort  to 
secure  that  which,  however  desirable,  may  be  most  difficult  or  even  impossible 
to  grant  while  the  country  is  tiying  to  get  under  way  again? 

Again  we  suggest,  don't  spill  the  beans. 


n 


SINCE  the  above  was  written,  the  Seattle  strike  has  occurred.    This  strike  was 
unique  as  being  the  first  sympathetic  strike  in  which  all  the  industrial  woricers 
in  a  large  city  quit  work  to  enforce  the  demands  of  one  industry  wliich  had  been 
out  on  strike  some  days    without  securing  its  demands.    The 
original   strikers,   those    who   demanded   higher   wages,   were 
employed  in  the  shipbuilding  yards. 

This  demand  was  that  the  $4.50  a  day  rate  be  raised  to  $6; 
the  $6  men  to  $7,  and  tiie  $7  men  to  $8.  When  I  visited  these 
yards  last  July,  the  $4.50  work  consisted  of  unskilled  labor,  such 
as  moving  a  few  pounds  of  bolts  in  a  wheelbarrow,  etc.,  and  at 
that  time  was  largely  performed  by  boys  of  high-school  age. 
The  really  skilled  artisans,  with  some  overtime,  were  earning  as  high  as  $30 
per  day. 

The  total  number  of  workmen  in  the  Seattie  shimrards  at  the  time  of  the 
strike  was  about  21,000.  The  total  number  employed  in  shipyards  and  boat- 
building plants,  combined,  in  the  entire  United  States  at  the  time  of  the  last 
census  was  only  40,506.  Shipbuilding  in  this  country  did  not  begin  to  ''awake" 
until  the  spring  of  1917. 


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ere    U 


,     tne 


Prom  whence,  then,  did  the  shipyard  men  of  Seattle  come?  Some  were 
trained  artisans,  but  the  large  majori^  were  miners  from  Alaska,  men  from  small 
repair  shops,  clerks  or  proprietors  of  small  stores,  such  as  jewelry,  candy,  dry- 
goods,  and  similar  stores  in  Washington,  Oregon,  Montana,  and  Idaho,  most  of 
whom  saw  a  ship  for  the  first  time  when  they  entered  the  Seattle  shipyards  where 
they  earned  more  in  one  week  than  in  a  whole  month  at  home.  In  view  of  the 
fact  that  the  Government  shipbuilding  program  since  the  armistice  was  signed 
lost  all  its  emergency  aspects,  and  is  being  conducted  largely  as  a  matter  of 
honor  and  with  me  certain  prospect  of  enormous  loss,  the  demand  of  the  Seattle 
strikers  was  at  least  a  bit  unreasonable  and  selfish.  It  certainly  does  not  add 
any  new  luster  to  the  fine  record  of  the  preceding  12  months.  There  really  is 
no  reason  why  the  taxpayers  of  the  country,  already  facing  enormous  war  biUs, 
should  in  peace  times  be  required  to  pay  more  than  the  already  highest  wages 
paid  shipbuilders  in  the  history  of  the  world,  and  which  had  been  justified  at  the 
time,  as  a  war  measure.  However,  the  strikers  apparently  thought  only  of  them- 
selves, and  had  no  refard  for  either  conditions  or  the  ability  of  the  country 
to  pay.  Havihg  failed  m  their  demands,  their  leaders  proceeded  to  enlist  tht  help 
of  all  other  workers  in  the  city,  which  is  a  good  deal  as  if  you  should  stop  eatins 
because  I  demand  a  higher  grade  of  co£fee,  even  though  the  coffee  I  now  drink 
is  perfectly  good  and  better  than  I  ever  had  in  all  my  life.  It  is  not  a  demand' 
based  on  reason  or  argument,  or  in  any  way  logical,  but  merely  an  attempt 
to  force  a  condition  by  might,  which  is  the  very  tmng  we  have  been  fighting  the 
Huns  for.  No  one  can  imagine  the  Hun  attempt  at  world  domination  had  any 
element  of  benefit  to  the  rest  of  the  world;  on  the  contrary,  theirs  was  essentially 
a  selfish  motive,  and  also  equally  impossible  if  the  world  was  to  continue  witn 
any  degree  of  well-being. 

Such  a  sympathetic  strike  is  in  its  nature  unfair  and  unreasonable,  just  as 
much  as  a  sympathetic  lockout,  in  which  every  employer  of  labor  in  a  city  would 
be  unfair  and  even  cruel,  to  combine  and  close  every  avenue  of  employment,  to 
help  some  other  employer  reduce  his  payroll.  The  Seattle  episode  reflects  no 
credit  on  labor  unions,  nor  is  it  likely  that  the  more  intelligent  members  approved 
of  it,  even  though  forced  to  take  part. 

A  great  many  employes  believe,  many  doubtless  conscientiously,  that  they, 
or  a  combination  of  them,  could  conduct  the  industry  of  which  thev  are  a  part, 
better  than,  or  at  least  as  well  as,  the  "old  man."  So  far  as  I  know,  all  such  efforts, 
and  there  have  been  not  a  few,  have  absolutely  failed.  The  most  of  us  can 
work  more  successfully  for  some  one  else  than  for  ourselves.  The  labor  unions 
themselves  recognize  this,  for  they  will  not  permit  their  members  to  take  any 
chance,  nor  allow  the  wages  paid  to  be  conditioned  wholly  on  the  larger  or 
smaller  volume  of  profits  the  plant  in  which  they  work  majr  make  in  any  one 
year.  The  effort  at  coercion  in  years  past  has  not  been  entirely  on  either  side, 
but  now  that  a  better  realization  of  the  rights  of  labor  has  come  to  be  appre- 
ciated and  adopted,  cannot  labor  best  promote  its  own  well-being  by  an  effort 
to  better  understand  the  conditions  which  surround  the  employer,  many  of  which 
are  beyond  his  control? 

A  FEW  days  ago,  there  passed  through  Chicago  a  motley  collection  of  much- 
bewhiskered  gentry,  whom  the  secret-service  men  had  acquired  on  the  Pacific 
coast  and  who  were  en  route  to  EUis  Island,  preparatory  to  leaving  the  country 
forever.  The  guests  of  this  personally  conducted  tour  proudly 
claimed  to  be  I.  W.  W.*s.  While  guilty  of  several  things,  it 
would  be  inmossible  to  convict  any  one  of  them  of  con- 
tributing to  the  Red  Cross  fund  and  other  similar  objects,  or 
of  buying  any  Liberty  bonds,  or  W.  S.  S.  The  charge  of  any 
suspicion  of  having  tried  to  earn  an  honest  living,  or  contribut- 
ing in  any  manner  to  the  welfare  of  the  community,  does  not 
rest  against  them.  Their  acts  are  all  nefi[ative  and  destructive. 
It  is  possible  that  a  genius  like  Marconi,  if  he  could  bnny:  the  sun  down  and 
use  it  in  a  massive  X-ray  machine  and  turn  it  loose  on  this  bunch  of  trouble 
makers,  might  be  able  to  discover  that  one  or  two  were  only  I.  W.  W.'s  and 
not  Bolsheviki.  But,  to  the  average  man,  it  is  impossible  to  see  any  difference. 
They  are  eminently  and  decidedly  "undesirable  citizens."  Their  deportation 
then,  under  conditions  which  make  it  hopeless  for  them  ever  again  to  enter  this 
country,  is  something  which  should  give  mtense  satisfaction  no  matter  how  high 


/.  w.  w. 

and 
BolshevUd 


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616  POPULAR  MECHANICS 

or  faumble  one's  poaitum  in  life*    If  there  is  any  who  think  otbenme,  he  or  they    J|| 
will  bear  watching.  '^ 

However  disccmtented  one  may  be  witii  his  lot,  it  is  inconceivable  that  he 
should  see  anv  hope  or  relief  in  the  teachings  and  workings  of  Bolshevism,  whidi 
chops  down  the  tree  to  get  an  apple.  Even  in  Rossis,  the  man  who  casts  his  lot 
with  them  is  mercilessly  tortared  or  assassinated  tomorrow.  There  is  nothmg, 
absolutely  nothing,  with  which  to  forecast  their  action,  for  they  have  no  plan 
except  that  of  wanton  destruction,  in  the  performance  of  which  they  Hve  from 
day  to  dav  on  the  spoils  of  the  moment.  Their  announced  purpose  that  'Hhe 
whole  world  should  be  burned  over"  carries  not  one  word  of  hope  for  any  better 
condition  to  arise  from  the  ashes.    And  they  have  none. 

It,  therefore,  behooves  every  man  who  believes  in  an  honest  Hfe,  or  has  ever 
so  small  a  room  with  wife  or  children,  or  owns  even  a  few  pieces  of  cheap  for- 
niturc,  or  a  house,  to  set  his  face  resolutely  against  anytinng  and  everything 
which  bears  the  taint  of  Bolshevism.  From  ue  days  of  earliest  history  nitfil  tlie 
present  moment,  of  all  the  strange  and  unnatural  revolutions  which  have  oc- 
curred, none  save  Bolshevism  but  has  had  some  purpose  to  achieve,  which  at 
least  claimed  to  improve  conditions  for  the  few  or  many.  Some  of  diese  were 
sincere,  though  mistaken,  some  well  founded,  many  impossible;  yet  they  all  had 
some  goal  which  hell  out  the  hope  and  chance  of  sometfiing  better.  Even 
Captain  Kidd's  bloody  pirates  slaughtered  and  robbed  to  secure  an  ultimate  life 
of  ease  and  plenty  for  the  captain  and  crew,  where  they  could  live  in  peace.  If 
one  Bolshevist  has  more  today  than  another,  it  is  the  etiiics  of  the  clan  tiiat 
the  other  kill  him  tomorrow  and  take  it  himself. 

The  sooner,  and  to  the  utmost  extent  then,  that  such  be  searched  out,  and 
seized,  and  deported,  the  better;  and  while  the  deporting  is  good  let  us  hope  a 
Government  which  has  had  its  hands  more  than  fidl  widi  a  gigantic  war,  may 
now  find  time  and  ships  to  include  every  alien  who  is  not  in  sjrmpadiy  with  our 
flag  and  a  free  country.  As  anxious  as  our  boys  in  Prance  are  to  get  back  home, 
we  venture  they  would  willingly  postpone  their  voyage  a  trip  or  two,  if  that  were 
necessary,  to  provide  ships  to  carry  these  crasy  inhumans  out  of  the  country. 
Among  our  insular  possessions  there  surely  must  be  some  tropic  island  whidx 
nobody  wants  that  would  furnish  a  good  place  for  exile.  There,  with  some 
garden  tools  and  seeds,  a  few  thousand  of  these  ill-omened  birds  of  a  feather 
could  have  a  grand  time  communing  with  one  another  like  a  lot  of  snakes  in  a 
dry  welL 


HAVE  a  definite  motive  in  view  as  a  reward  for  your  saving,  and  the  process 
will  become  ever  so  much  more  interesting.  Mere  saving,  however  com- 
mendable, often  lacks  zest,  just  as  exercising  wiu  dumb-bells  does  not  compare 
with  the  same  effort  of  sawing  wood,  gardening,  paintinp;  the 
fence  or  house.  There  may  be  an  eciuaf  amount*  ox  exercise  in 
both,  but  somehow  there  is  a  certain  satisfaction  in  an  effort 
which  is  visualized,  that  produces  something  one  can  see  with 
his  eyes. 

Booker  Washington  worked  on  this  plan.  He  took  ad- 
vantage of  the  dream  of  most  colored  people  to  possess  a 
piano,  to  urge  them  to  work  and  save  to  buy  one.  On  first 
thought,  there  would  seem  to  be  ever  so  many  things  far  more  essential  to  a 
negro  cabin  than  a  piano,  but  the  trouble  was,  while  these  things  were  indeed 
greatly  needed,  the  desire  was  not  always  strong  enough  to  prompt  and  hold 
the  effort  to  secure  them.  His  theorv  was  to  save  for  the  purpose  of  securing 
something  definite,  with  less  regard  for  whatever  that  might  be.  For,  to  save, 
one  must  work;  and  when  the  working  habit  and  saving  habit  once  bears  re- 
sults, the  process  perpetuates  itself,  for  there  are  always  still  more  things  to 
desire  and  attain. 

Select  some  definite  object,  then,  .be  it  a  course  of  stiidy,  a  bit  of  real  estate, 
a  house,  or  whatever  most  appeals  to  the  individuaL    Saving  then  becomes  in- 
teresting, just  as  it  did  when,  as  boys,  we  saved  pouues  to  nay  firecrackers  on 
|ft|    the  Foiuth,  or  to  go  to  the  circus;  and  as  an  easy  means  to  tfiis  end  Victory    |» 
W    bonds  especially  lend  thems^ves.  ■ 

Ulifc^  ■  JHoS 

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II     IT 


IT  would  be  unfortunate  if  the  saving  habit  which  was  so  wonderfully  developed 
during  the  war  should  be  allowed  to  lapse,  now  the  war  fever  has  abated.  As 
a  matter  of  fact;  there  is  every  need  that  we  continue  to  save,  for  the  treasury 
requirements  are  still  colossal.  It  will  surprise  many  to  learn 
that  the  cost  of  running  the  Army  and  Navy  departments  alone 
at  the  present  time  is  $50,000,000  a  day,  or  a  billion  and  a  half 
per  month;  18  billion  for  12  months.  However,  if  it  will  only 
result  in  a  condition  of  permanent  peace,  no  one  will  regret 
the  outlay,  and  in  any  event  the  sooner  we  pay  our  bills,  the 
better.  The  W.  S.  S.  is  still  doing  business  at  the  same  old 
stands. 


GREAT  advance  has  been  made  over  the  old  systems  of  ventilating  and 
lighting  the  mines  of  this  country,  especially  the  coal  mines;  and  lortu- 
nately  the  terrible  mine  disasters  of  a  few  years  ago  are  much  less  frequent. 
The  Bureau  of  Mines  is  now  at  work  to  perfect  a  gas  mask 
especially  for  the  use  of  miners,  and  out  of  the  inventions  and 
developments  of  the  war  will  doubtless  perfect  something 
which  will  still  further  protect  the  miner. 

A  suitable  gas  mask  will  probably  soon  be  included  in  the 
compulsory  oumt  of  every  man  entering  a  mine,  so  as  to  be 
always  available  at  an  instant's  notice.  The  sight  of  the  miner 
going  into  a  mine  with  a  gas  mask  hanging  from  his  belt  may 
soon  become  as  common  a  sight  as  was  that  of  soldiers  carrying  masks  when 
they  entered  the  front-line  trenches. 


Gas  Masks 

for 

Miners 


TX7HEN  the  labor  unions  of  Seattle  lost  their  heads  and  heedlessly  precipitated 
^^  the  universal  strike,  it  was  most  fortunate  for  all  their  members  that  the 
city  had  a  clear-headed  man  as  its  chief.  No  one  can  suspect  him  of  leaning 
toward  the  employers,  for  he  himself  knows  from  long  ex- 
perience what  it  is  to  work  with  his  hands.  Moreover,  it  was 
these  same  labor  unions  who  made  him  their  candidate  and 
who  voted  for  him,  presumably  to  a  man. 

A  city  can  no  more  continue,  even  for  a  few  days,  with  all 
its  functions  at  a  standstill,  than  the  individual  can  exist  with 
a  cessation  of  his  bodily  functions.  Had  the  sympathetic  strike 
lasted  a  week,  it  would  have  set  Seattle  back  25  years  in  its 
progress,  and  just  at  a  time  when  it  is  forging  ahead  as  few  cities  anvwhere 
have  ever  done.  An  entire  city  can  conceivably  give  itself  up  to  a  holiday  in 
which  few  do  any  work;  and  it  can  rest  from  most  of  its  labors  one  day  in  seven. 
Both  are  natural  and  helpful;  but  fo  abandon  all  effort  for  any  length  of  time  is 
suicidal.  Moreover,  when  all  workers  become  idlers,  idleness  speedily  drifts 
into  disorder;  and  disorder  breeds  passion,  and  passion  anarchy.  The  progres- 
sive movement  is  inevitable. 

Ole  Hanson,  Mayor,  realized  aU  this,  and  set  forth  his  proclamation  in  terms 
"written  so  you  can  understand  it.'^  He  did  it  promptlv,  fearlessly,  and  de- 
terminedly. And  in  this  action  he  did  more  for  Seattle  and  its  citizens  than  any 
other  man  ever  did  or  is  likely  to  do. 

The  unions  of  Seattle  might  profitably  rid  themselves  of  some  few  leaders 
of  Bolshevist  tendencies,  and  then  join  with  other  citizens  in  erecting  a  large 
bronze  statue  of  Ole  Hanson,  Mayor,  and  set  it  up  where  they  can  see  it  every 


day. 


H.  H.  WINDSOR 


nrag^ 


33X2 


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FAMOUS  TREE  A  MONUMENT 

TO  HEROES  OF  TWO  WARS 

In  1861,  when  the  little  unpleasantness 
between  the  North  and  the  South  broke 
out,    Wyraan    J.   Johnson,    of   Waterloo, 


The  Pamout  "Scjrthe  Tree/'  of  Waterloo,  New  York:    The  Protruding 

Blade  of  Johnson's  Sc]rthe,  Hanging  There  Since  the  Civil  War, 

can  Just  be  Seen  on  the  Right    Side  of  the  Tree 

N.  Y.,  came  in  from  the  fields  one  day, 
hung  his  scythe  in  a  tree,  and  said  to  his 
parents:  "I  am  going  to  enlist  in  the 
Union  army;  let  the  scythe  hang  there 
until  I  return."  Johnson,  after  serving 
three  years,  died  of  wounds  in  1864,  and, 
in  accordance  with  his  request,  his  scythe 
was  never  taken  down  and  it  still  is 
in  the  tree,  a  fitting  memorial  to  one 
who  gave  his  life  for  his  country.  Early 
in  1918,  two  brothers,  Raymond  and  Lynn 
SchaflFer,  on  departing  to  join  the  Ameri- 
can army  and  navy,  respectively,  also 
hung  their  scythes  in  this  tree.  In  mem- 
ory of  Johnson,  and  in  honor  of  the 
Schaflfer  brothers,  three  flags  are  kept 
continually  floating  over  the  three 
scythes. 


MONTHLY  WEIGHT  CARDS  KEEP 
CHECK  ON  CHILD'S  GROWTH 

Based  on  the  children's  individual  char- 
acteristics, experts  have  figured  out  just 
how  much  and  what  kind  of  food  a  grow- 
ing child  should  have, 
and  just  how  it  should 
be  prepared.  The  big 
problem,  however,  has 
been  to  get  this  informa- 
tion into  the  different 
homes.  Penny  lunches, 
scientifically  selected  and 
prepared,  have  been  es- 
tablished  in  many 
schools,  and  while  they 
cannot  offset  the  malnu- 
trition often  encountered 
from  improper  nourish- 
ment at  home,  they  are 
serving  as  a  bridge  to 
carry  food  instruction 
to  the  mothers.  Monthly 
weight  charts  are  kept 
on  evenr  child,  and  a  tag 
is  sent  home  each  month 
showing  just  the  prog- 
ress that  has  been  made,  and  just  what 
its  weight  should  be  at  that  time.  This 
has  produced  a  distinct  tendency  to  bring 
the  home  dietary  up  to  the  child's  level, 
as  that  level  has  been  fixed  at  school. 


SUBMERGED  ORCHESTRA  LEADER 
WORKS  WITH  PERISCOPE 

Without  any  dialogue  to  guide  him, 
the  orchestra  director  of  a  New  York 
l)antomime's  first  night  found  it  practi- 
cally impossible,  from  his  position  far 
below  the  footlights,  to  follow  the  action. 
The  theater  management  solved  the  prob- 
lem by  installing  a  periscope  with  its  eye- 
piece at  the  director's  stand.  Through 
this  instrument  of  erstwhile  evil  fame,  he 
was  able  peacefully  to  view  the  whole 
stage,  much  to  the  edification  of  the  ob- 
servant audience. 


STOPS  AUTOS,  GETS  TRADE 
BY  -TREE- WATER"  SIGN 

Few  of  the  many  motorists  who  pass 
through    a    little    town    on    the    Jackson 
Highway,  halfway 
between     Chicago 
and    Indianapolis, 
would  see  any 
occasion  for  stop- 
ping  were   it    not 
for  a  sign  at  the 
edge  of  the   side- 
walk   bearing    an 
invitation  to  "Fill 
Your  Radiator  on 
Me."    Even  water 
as  a  gift  is  not  to 
be  despised  when 
it  is  delivered 
through  a  hose  to 
a   radiator,   which 
by  that  time  prob- 
ably needs  it.    The 
enterprising  keeper  of  the  cafe  just  across 
the  walk  finds  that  his  good-will  sign  stops 
many   a    dollar   in    trade    that    otherwise 
would  have  whirled  on  down  the  road. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS  SI* 

TRIPLANE  FLYING  BOAT  IS  ENGLAND'S  LARGEST 


mOTO  lY  OtNTKALMSW*  mOTO  aCMVIOC 


GREAT  SPEED  IS  ATTAINED  BY  NEW  CURTISS  PLANE 


One  of  the  interesting;  military  aero- 
planes of  great  speed  and  American  de- 
velopment that  may  now  be  discussed, 
is  the  Curtiss  triplane.  In  it  is  an  entirely 
new  motor  of  400  hp.  that  is  known  as 
the  "K-IZ"     It  is  a   12- 


power.  This,  and  the  sharp-nosed 
monocoque  fuselage  of  the  plane,  are 
largely  responsible  for  the  great  speed, 
about  160  miles  an  hour,  developed  in 
horizontal  flight.     All  three  planes  have 


1 

it 
0 
3 
.f 


An  Entirely  New  Aluminum  18-Cylinder  V-Type  Motor  of  400  Horse- 
power is  Installed  in  This  Curtiss  Triplane,  Which  Makes   160   Miles 


an  Hour. 


It  Carries  446  Pounds  of  Fuel  and  Oil.  and  800  Pounds  of 
Cargo,  besides  Pilot  and  Passenger 


1,825  lb.,  and  its  useful  load 
amounts  to  1,076  pounds  of 
fuel,  cargo,  and  passengers. 


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NEW   MONUMENT  OF  WELCOME 

TO  GREET  RETURNING  SOLDIERS 

As  a  fitting  testimonial  to  the  valor  of 
its  soldier  sons,  and  in  honor  of  their 
homecoming,  the  Board  of  Supervi- 
sors of  San  Fran- 
cisco has  turned 
over  an  appropri- 
ation of  $5,000  to 
the  Citizens'  Wel- 
come Home  Com- 
mittee to  be  used 
in  building  a 
monument  of  wel- 
come. This  mon- 
ument will  con- 
sist of  a  column 
patterned  after 
those  of  the  Par- 
thenon at  Athens, 
and  will  be  52  ft. 
high.  At  the  top 
of  the  column  will 
be  a  statue,  12  ft. 
in  height,  repre- 
senting winged 
Victory  crowning 
the  passing  heroes 
with  a  laurel 
wreath.  The  mon- 
ument is  being 
.0.N  ...o.  *«cH.TecT    erected    in    San 

Francisco's  Civic  Center  Plaza,  and  it  is 
proposed  to  inscribe  on  the  base  some  of 
President  Wilson's  "fourteen  points." 


SMOKE  DISPOSAL  ON  BRITISH 
SEAPLANE-CARRYING  SHIP 

To  keep  the  upper  deck  of  the  British 
seaplane  carrier  **Argus"  entirely  clear  for 
the  take-off  and  landing  of  planes,  the 
customary  funnels  are  dispensed  with,  and 
the  smoke  is  discharged  through  hori- 
zontal funnels  run  under  the  flight  deck 
to  the  stern.  This  rather  experimental  con- 
struction was  entirely  successful,  and,  like 
many  other  war-time  expediencies,  sug- 
gests a  possible  peace  value  for  passenger 
vessels  with  unobstructed  promenade 
decks.  Usually  the  smoke  discharge  aft  is 
wholly  effective,  but  for  the  emergency 
of  contrary  winds,  side  passages  are  pro- 
vided. Electric  fans  shift  the  smoke  col- 
umns from  stern  to  thwart.  Operating 
the  controllers  for  the  fan  motors,  auto- 
matically turns  the  drafts  into  the  smoke 
pipes.  Side  funnels  were  less  desirable 
during  flights,  however,  because  the  hot 
gases  were  likely  to  form  air  pockets  in 
the  path  of  the  airmen. 


CLOTH  MADE  PROM  PINEAPPLE 

FIBER  POPULAR  IN  CHINA 

As  a  dessert,  or  for  tisc  in  flavoring  ex- 
tracts, the  pineapple  is  in  popular  de- 
mand, but  very  few  people  know  that  it 
has  other  uses.  There  arc  several  prov- 
inces in  China,  however,  in  which  the 
pineapple  is  specially  cultivated  for  the 
use  of  the  leaves  in  making  cloth.  The 
extraction  of  the  fiber  from  the  leaf  is 
very  simple.  The  green  leaves  arc  first 
soaked  in  a  solution  of  jime  water,  after 
which  they  are  taken  out  and  scraped 
with  a  piece  of  broken  glass.  The  fibers 
are  then  pulled  out  by  using  the  thumb 
nail  and  forefinger,  and  are  again  soaked 
in  water,  washed,  and  sun-bleached.  In 
order  to  make  thread,  the  fiber  is  soaked 
in  fresh  water  for  about  a  half  hour  and 
then  split  into  threads  of  the  desired  size, 
and  pulled  apart.  Two  threads  are  then 
joined  by  doubling  the  small  end  over 
the  thick  end  of  another  thread  and  roll- 
ing over  the  knee.  This  process  is  re- 
peated until  the  desired  length  is  ob- 
tained. It  is  then  run  onto  bobbins  and 
spools  and  is  ready  for  weaving.  The  old 
native  looms  are  employed  entirely  for 
making  the  cloth,  which  is  widely  used 
for  summer  clothing. 


MOTOR-CAR  TIRE  GAUGE  MADE 
IN  CONVENIENT  FORM 

One  of  the  season's  additions  to  the  list 
of  accessories  for  the  motorist  is  a  pencil- 
shaped  tire-pressure  gauge  that 
may  be  carried  conveniently  in  a 
vest  pocket.  The  instrument  is 
4  in.  long,  %  in.  in  diameter,  and 
supplied  with  a  celluloid  face  that 
bears  the  conventional  graduations* 
An  internal  piston  controls  the 
movement  of  the  indicating  ring, 
which  consists  of  a  metal  sleeve 
supplied  with  a  small  slot,  or  win- 
dow, through  which  readings  may 
be  made.  To  use  the  gauge,  it  is 
only  necessary  to  press  its  lower 
end  firmly  agrainst  a  tire  valve. 


Cit  is  being  urged  by  government 
officials  that  reducing  the  number 
of  designs  of  United  States  cur- 
rency will  lessen  opportunities  for  coun- 
terfeiting. The  contention  is  that  the . 
present  designs  are  so  numerous — ^totaling 
over  50 — that  the  public  is  not  familiar 
enough  with  many  of  them  quickly  to 
detect  spurious  currency. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


TRACTOR  RAISED  VERTICALLY 

BY  ITS  OWN  POWER 

A  man  may  not  raise  himself  by  his 
bootstraps,  but  out  in  Iowa  a  farm  trac- 


This  Farm  Tractor  Hoisted  Itself  Nine  Feet  in  the  Air  by  Cables  Hung 
from   the   Timber    Frame   and    Passed  around   the   Wheels 


tor  hoisted  itself  nine  feet  in  the  air  by 
much  the  same  process.  A  heavy  tim- 
ber frame  was  constructed,  inclosing  the 
tractor,  and  cables  hung  from  the  four 
inside  corners.  Grooved  flanges  were 
attached  to  the  front  wheels,  around 
which  two  cables  passed  on  their  way  to 
the  driving  wheels,  where  they  were  made 
fast.  Other  cables  descended  directly  to 
their  fastenings  on  the  driving  wheels. 
When  the  tractor's  engine  was  started  in 
reverse,  the  cables  were  wound  up  on  the 
broad  rims  of  the  wheels,  and  the  ma- 
chine immediately  ascended,  demonstrat- 
ing its  power. 


ELECTRIC  PROJECTION  ARC 

OF  PECULIAR  FORM 

Not  a  great  deal  of  progress  is  visible 
from  year  to  year  in  the  improvement  of 
electric  arcs  for  projec- 
tion, so  the  peculiarities 
of  one  lately  developed 
in  Europe  are  quite  in- 
teresting. A  direct-cur- 
rent arc  has  a  horizontal 
carbon  rod  for  its  posi- 
tive electrode,  while  the 
negative  pole  is  a  copper 
ring  surrounding  the  tip 
of  the  carbon.  This  ring 
is  water-cooled,  which 
keeps  it  from  burning, 
and  circulation  of  the 
cooling  water  by  convec- 
tion is  automatic.  The 
arc  rotates  on  the  ring 
about  the  tip  of  the  car- 
bon, making  a  small,  bril- 
liant crater  in  the  end, 
with  no  obstructions  be- 
tween it  and  the  projec- 
tion lenses.  The  striking: 
of  the  arc  and  the  feed 
of  the  carbon  are  both 
latter  being  ingeniously 
thermoelectric   arrange- 


automatic,    the 

controlled   by   a 

ment.    The  lamp  has  already  been  found 

useful  for  motion-picture  work,  and  has 

many  other  applications. 


NEW  SERVICE  FLAG  TO  SHOW 
EMPLOYES  RETURNED 

In  order  to  indicate  the  return  of  their 
employes,  who  had  left  to  join  the  colors, 
the  management  of  a  prominent  New 
York  hotel  worked  out  a  new  and  inter- 
esting service  flag.  The  color  scheme  is 
the  reverse  of  the  present  flag,  the  border 
being  blue  and  the  center  white.  At  the 
top  of  the  flag  is  the  word  "welcome,"  and 
at  the  bottom  are  numerals  indicating 
the  number  in  service.  As  each  man 
comes  back  to  work,  a  star  is  placed  in 
the  white  center  of  the  flag.  Gold  stars 
are  to  be  placed  in  the  border. 


NEW  PROTECTIVE  DEVICES 
AGAINST  VOLTAGE  SURGES 

There  have  recently  come  to  light  two 
German  patents  showing  ingenious  de- 
vices against  electric  surges.  One  de- 
scribes a  clever  construction  of  subdivided 
cables,  in  which  the  cores  are  crossed  at 
certain  points,  the  outer  strands  being  led 
into  the  interior,  and  vice  versa.  Since 
rapid  oscillations  have  a  tendency  to  re- 
main on  the  surface,  when  a  surge  occurs 
and  the  current  reaches  a  cross-over  and 
goes  into  the  center,  it  seeks  a  path  to  the 
outside  again.  But  it  is  only  a  part  of 
the  surge  that  succeeds  in  this,  the  re- 
mainder being  sent  back  along  the  outer 
strand.  The  other  patent  covers  a  fuse 
depending  on  electrostatic  attraction.  A 
U-shaped  filament,  connected  in  the  cir- 
cuit and  immersed  in  oil,  has  at  the  lower 
end  of  the  filament  two  plates,  of  which 
one  is  earthed  and  the  other  connected 
to  the  line.  If  the  voltage  passes  the 
safety  point  the  filament  touches  the 
earthed  plate  and  fuses. 


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GIANT  NAVY  RAILAVAY  BATTERIES 
USED  IN  FRANCE 

Remarkable  Feat  of  the   Navy  in  Adapting  Surplus  14-Inch  50-Caliber  Rifles 
to  Land  Use  in  Time  to  Help  Defeat  the  German  Armies 

By  STANLEY  W.  TODD 


CEVERAL  months  before  the  signing 
*^  of  the  armistice  which  brought  the 
Great  War  to  a  close,  reports  drifted  back 
to  the  United  States  that  giant  American 
naval  rifles  mounted  on  railway  trucks 
were  being  used  against  the  Germans  on 
the  western  front.  They  were  said  to  be 
of  great  range  and  to  be  harassing  the 
Huns  in  many  different  sectors,  particu- 
larly in  the  vicinity  of  Laon  and  St. 
Quentin,  and  later,  with  even  greater 
effect,  at  Sedan.  In  the  rapid  progress 
of  the  allied  offensives  that  were  pointing 
to  the  inevitable  defeat  of  Germany,  little 
more  was  heard  about  these  formidable 
weapons  of  the  American  forces. 

Now  that  the  need  for  extreme  secrecy 
is  removed,  the  true  story  of  the  United 
States  Navy  railway  batteries  may  be  told. 
It  is  a  tale  of  a  remarkable  feat  success- 
fully performed  by  the  Naval  Bureau  of 
Ordnance  in  soite  of  manv  diffi- 


hurled  explosive  charges  to  the  extreme 
of  their  ranges." 

That  is  practically  what  was  accom- 
plished, and  the  first  of  the  five  massive 
railway  batteries  in  action,  when  the  ar- 
mistice was  signed,  was  employed  against 
the  Germans  within  250  days  after  the 
idea  had  been  conceived.  The  others 
quickly  followed,  and  more  would  have 
been  made  had  not  hostilities  ended. 
These  were  not  simply  guns  erected  on 
railway  trucks  placed  among  such  other 
cars  that  could  be  obtained  on  the  ground, 
as  the  French  were  compelled  to  use,  but 
complete  armored  trains  made  solely  for 
the  purpose,  with  their  own  locomotives 
and  all  other  units  necessary  to  make 
them  self-sustaining  in  action. 

Thus,  they  could  be  moved  wherever 
rails  had  been  placed.  Where  the  targets 
were  from  15  to  25  miles  away,  they  could 
be  out  in  a  temoorarilv  fixed  position,  bv 


Naval  14r Inch  Gun.  Throwing  a  1.400.  Pound    Projectile   Nearly  80   Miles.   Mounted   on   a   Special   Railway   C«r: 
with   Great   Success   in  the  Latter  Days  of  the  War.    Each   Unit   Consisted  of  a  Gun  Car   Made  of  Two  72- Foot, 


524 


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The  Big  Guns  and  Their  Mauive  Railway  Mounts  were  Assembled  at  St.  Nacaire,  Prance.  Each  Gun 
Weiffhs  8ft  Tons,  the  Complete  Gun  Car  Weighing  876  Tons,  and  Measuring  86  Feet  Long,  9  Feet  Wide, 
and  18  Feet  High.    The  Truck  at  Each  Bn4  of  the  Car  Is  8ft  Feet  Long,  Has  18  Wheels,  and  Weighs  8ft  Tom 


Tons 

Besides  the  gun  car,  a  railway  battery  is 
made  up  of  a  145-ton  American  locomo- 
tive of  the  most  powerful  type;  a  sand 
and  log  car;  a  crane  car;  four  cars  of 
foundation  materials;  a  workshop  car;  a 
battery-headquarters  car;  a  kitchen  car; 
three  berthing  cars  where  the  officers  and 
men  sleep;  and  two  ammunition  cars, 
each  holding  100  rounds  of  ammunition 
for  the  giant  gun.  All  of  them  arc  cov- 
ered with  bullet-proof  steel  armor,  which 
together  weighs  eight  tons.  The  gun  um't 
weighs  275  tons.  Each  railway  battery  is 
thus  made  up  of  16  separate  units.  In 
France,  each  of  these  formidable  bat- 
teries was  manned  by  a  specially  trained 

crew    of    100    sailors,    as 

expert  in  gunnery  as  any 
on  a  battleship.  A  train 
crew  to  handle  the  move- 
ment of  the  battery  and 
experienced  in  train  op- 
eration was  also  part  of 
the  complement. 

As  to  the  ability  of 
these  giant  naval  rifles 
and  their  accuracy  of 
fire,  the  Germans  are  in 
a  position  to  testify. 
Originally  designed  to 
throw     a     projectile     of 

Five  of  ThcM  Units  were  Used  against  the  Germans  near  Laon  and  Verdun     \'^  }}^'  ^^^^  ^  range   of 
78- Ton  Bridge  Girders  on  U^Wbecl  Trucks,  a  Locomotive,  and  14  Other  Can    26   miles,   as   part    of   the 


makes  all  similar  undertakings  by  other 
nations  seem  insignificant  in  comparison. 
The  gun  car,  which  is,  of  course,  the  cen- 
tral unit  of  a  battery  train,  has  somewhat 
the  appearance  of  a  gasoline-motor  rail 
car,  with  the  gun  projecting  from  one 
end,  apparently  supported  by  two  sets  of 
12-wheel  railway  trucks.  The  gun  car  is 
85  ft.  long,  9  ft.  wide,  and  about  13  ft. 
high.  It  is  constructed  of  two  giant 
girders,  72  ft.  long  and  weighing  145,000 
lb.,  upon  which  are  placed  the  gun 
mount  and  elevating  gear,  and  the  gun 
itself,  which  is  59  ft.  long.  When  travel- 
ing, the  barrel  is  set  parallel  with  the 
train. 


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railway  batteries  thev  proved  to  be  the 
finest  guns  used  in  the  war  by  any  war- 
ring nation.    By  the  use  of  a  special  shell, 
their  range  can  be  increased  to  30  miles, 
while  steps  taken  to  increase  the  muzzle 
velocity       has 
also  made  pos- 
s  i  b 1 e     even 
greater      accu- 
racy.   The  pro- 
jectiles used  in 
France     were 
mostly    of    the 
high  -  explosive 
type.      When 
the     gun     was 
fired      on      the 
rails,  there  was 
a   backward 
movement       of 
the  car  of  26  ft. 
The   shells   left 
the    muzzle    of 
the    gun    at    a 
speed   of   2.800     For 
ft.  a  second — a 
greater     veloc- 
ity than  possessed  by  any  gun  of  its  kind. 
The  powder  charge  was  484  lb.,  developing 
a  kinetic  energy  of  about  4,000,000  ft.-lb., 
the  recoil  being  absorbed  by  a  hydraulic 
brake  with  a  44-in.  slide. 

The  railway  batteries  were  built  for  use 
under  fire,  and  several  of  them  underwent 
it.  A  remarkable  feature  of  their  adapta- 
r-  •  •        •  •  -'     • 


rifle  possible  in  its  position  on  the  railway 
trucks  was  used,  circular  or  spur  tracks 
permitting  the  movement  of  the  gun  car 
to  any  desired  position.  But  where  the 
target    was    more    than    15    miles     away, 

a  greater  ele- 
vation  was 
needed,  and 
provision  had 
to  be  made  for 
the  recoil. 

This  problem 
was  solved  by 
what  is  known 
as  a  "pit  foun- 
dation." A  pit 
is  dug  under 
the  tracks  and 
a  steel  girder 
and  timber  base 
are  erected, 
both  being  part 
of  the  train 
equipment.  The 
gun  car  is  run 
over  the  pit, 
where  the  mon- 
strous gun  and  girders  are  lifted  up  from 
the  railway  trucks  by  means  of  heavy 
jacks,  the  foundation  built  up  to  meet 
them,  and  the  trucks  moved  away.  Thus, 
in  comparatively  few  moments,  it  was 
possible  to  put  the  rifles  on  a  stable  foun- 
dation, where  the  limit  of  a  45°  arc  eleva- 
tion could  be  obtained,  while  a  traveling 


Firing   at   an    Angle    of   Elevation    Greater   Than   IS^,   a 
Pit  Foundation  was  Prepared  and  the  Gun  Mount 
Deposited    on    It    by    Powerful   Jacks 


The  Elevation  for  the  Extreme  Range  of  Nearly  80  Miles.    ,. 

of  the  Gun  Car  are  Jacked  Up  from  the  Trucks  When  the  Pit  Foundation  is  Used 
of  Elevation  Here  Is  About  46°.    ~      —  ~  ..-.-...- 


This  View  Reveals  How  the  Great  Girden 

,ie  Pit  Foundation  is  Used.    The  Angle 

For  Shorter  Ranges  the  Gun  is  Fired  from  the  Rails 


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The  Largest  Dirigible  in  the  United  States,  the  **C1,"  Which  Made  a  PUght  of  1,885  MUcs  from  Far  Rock- 
away  Naval  Air  Station,  New  York,  to  Key  West,  Florida 

what  help  was  needed  by  notes  sent  down 
in  parachutes.  The  highest  altitude 
reached  was  2,500  ft.,  and  the  only  storm 
encountered  was  a  harmless  squall  off 
Jupiter,  Fla.  This  remarkable  record  in 
long  flights  was  supplemented  a  few  weeks 
later  by  the  performance  of  a  sister 
dirigible,  the  "C3,"  which  ascended  at 
Cape  May,  N.  J.,  and  stayed  aloft  33  hr. 
6  min.  This  is  asserted  to  be  the  world's 
endurance  record  for  nonrigid  air  craft. 


gear  made  it  possible  to  train  the  gun 
from  right  to  left  sufficiently  to  insure 
accuracy  of  fire  up  to  25  miles.  The 
targets  were  often  very  definite  objects, 
like  a  railway  junction,  and  subsequent  in- 
vestigation showed  that  the  naval  gunners 
made  few  misses.  Airplanes  helped  to 
spot  the  targets. 

Some  idea  of  the  tremendous  range  of 
these  rifles  can  be  gained  from  the  difficul- 
ties encountered  in  finding  a  suitable 
proving  ground  here  before  they  were 
sent  abroad.  None  of  those  available 
was  large  enough,  and  the  first  gun  car 
had  to  be  taken  to  Sandy  Hook  for  trial. 
The  gun  gave  plenty  of  evidence  that  it 
could  shoot  straight  and  true,  and  soon 
afterward  it  was  on  its  way  to  the  west- 
ern front  to  speed  the  German  retreat. 


AMERICA'S    LARGEST    DIRIGIBLE 
FINISHES  LONG  FLIGHT 

From  the  Naval  Air  Station  at  Far 
Rockaway,  N.  Y.,  to  Key  West,  Fla.,  was 
the  flight  made  by  the  "CI,"  America's 
largest  dirigible,  a  distance  of  about  1,385 
miles,  in  29%  hours.  Capt.  S.  V.  Parker 
and  his  crew  of  six  men  experienced  few 
difficulties  with  the  big  craft  and  main- 
tained an  average  speed  of  47  miles  an 
hour.  They  left  Far  Rockaway  Sunday 
morning,  January  12.  and  arrived  at  Key 
West  Wednesday,  January  15,  at  2:58 
p.  m.,  stopping  at  Hampton  Roads,  Va., 
Georgetown,  S.  C,  and  Brunswick,  Ga. 
The  only  repairs  made  en  route  were  a 
broken  lead  pipe  fixed  in  mid-air  by 
crawling  out  on  the  outrigging,  and  a 
faulty  steering  gear,  for  which  a  landing 
was  made,  the  natives  below  being  told 


NEWLY    DESIGNED   CALIPER 
TO  FILL  LONG-FELT  WANT 

What  promises  to  be  a  very  valuable 
addition  to  mechanical  devices  is  a  newly 
designed  caliper  to  which  is  attached  a 
graded  scale,  enabling  the  user  to  get  his 
reading  immediately.  In  construction 
this  caliper  is  extremely  simple  and  is  so 
arranged  that  any  wear  on  the  parts  may 
be  taken  up  by  a  slight  adjustment.  One 
of  the  main  features  of  the  device  is  the 


# 


Ns  Newly  Designed 

\  Self-Indicating 
V*  Caliper  with 

'.  f^  Thumbscrew    De- 

Mtf  '  vice   for   Locking 

^  It  at  a  Given  Point 


adjusting  screw,  located  next  to  the  han- 
dle, by  which  any  specified  measurement 
may  be  retained.  The  lower,  or  movable 
leg,  is  interchangeable,  and  any  desired 
shape   may   be   substituted.     The   caliper 


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may  readily  be  operated  by  one  hand,  ball 
bparings  effecting  an  especially  easy 
movement  of  the  parts. 


FLOWERS  PLACED  BY  HUNDREDS 

ON  EDITH  CAVELL'S  GRAVE 

!  Evacuation  of  Belgium  by  the  defeated 
Germans  placed  in  the  reverent  hands  of 
the  allied  armies  the  grave  of  Edith  Ca- 


COPVniONT,    UNDCRWOOO  A   UNDCRWOOO — FRENCH   OmCIAL  ^HOTOCRA^N 

Grave  of  Edith  Cavell,  Slain  by  the  Germani  in  1916, 

at  St.  Gilles,  Belgium,  as  It   Looked  After  Hun- 

dreds  of  Visitors  had  Decorated  It  with  Flowers 

veil,  the  English  nurse  of  imperishable 
name  who  was  murdered  by  German  mil- 
itary order  Oct.  13,  1915.  The  grave,  in 
the  yard  of  the  prison  of  St.  Gilles,  in 
the  suburbs  of  Brussels,  has  been  deco- 
rated with  flowers  by  hundreds  of  visi- 
tors. Among  the  cards  attached  to  the 
decorative  evidences  of  affectionate  emo- 
tion are  many  bearing  names  of  high 
rank. 


FLIER  IN  NEW  HEIGHT  RECORD 

BREAKS  OXYGEN  PIPE 

Six  miles  up  the  air  grows  thin  and  very 
cold  and  an  airman  up  there  with  a 
broken  pipe  on  his  oxygen  bottle  is  in  a 
serious  predicament.  That  is  what  hap- 
pened to  Lieutenant  Blowes,  of  the  Brit- 
ish army,  when  his  pilot,  Capt.  Andrew 


Lang,  of  Australia,  broke  the  altitude 
record  by  reaching  30,500  ft.  in  a  British 
plane.  The  time,  66  min.  15  sec,  and  the 
presence  of  a  passenger  were  noteworthy 
features  of  the  flight.  Vibration  broke 
the  observer's  oxygen  pipe,  and  he  col- 
lapsed before  he  could  notify  the  pilot, 
who  was  also  having  trouble  with  his 
breathing  and  heating  apparatus.  The 
observer  recovered  on  the  return  to  10,- 
000  ft.,  but  both  airmen  were  badly  frost- 
bitten— a  small  price  for  a  world's  record. 
Insufficient  air  for  the  fan-driven  gas  feed 
stopped  the  motor  at  the  highest  stage, 
which  was  1,498  ft.  higher  than  Mount 
Everest. 


LEATHER  SUPERSEDES  PAINT 

FOR  AUTO-BODY  FINISH 

Several  automobiles  have  appeared 
lately  along  the  Pacific  coast  with  their 
bodies  entirely  covered  with  a  skin  of 
leather  as  smooth  and  close-fitting  as  the 
original  paint  itself.  One  of  the  modem 
imitations  of  leather  has  also  been 
adapted  to  this  novel  purpose  with  entire 
mechanical  satisfaction  and  unusually 
pleasing  effect.  Both  Spanish  and  patent- 
leather  finishes  are  used,  in  some  cases 
covering  fenders  and  shock  absorbers  as 
well  as  body.  The  leather  or  substitute  is 
backed  with  a  special  adhesive  and  ap- 
plied, over  the  old  paint  if  necessary,  to 
all  parts  of  body  and  hood.  Wiping  with 
a  damp  chamois  skin  or  sponge,  and  occa- 
sional dressing  with  wax,  is  all  the  atten- 
tion needed  to  keep  the  surface  indefi- 
nitely in  good  condition. 


PLANT  NEW  TREES  TO  RESTORE 
DESTROYED  FRENCH  FORESTS 

Plans  have  been  made,  and  now  await 
only  the  official  sanction  of  the  French 
government,  to  begin  tfie  restoration  of 
famous  French  forests  by  transplanting^ 
Norwegian  trees.  The  plan  originated  in 
Norway,  where  it  has  aroused  consider- 
able enthusiasm,  the  proposition  being  to 
plant  250  acres  a  year  over  a  period  of  five 
years.  The  spot  selected  for  this  work 
was  formerly  the  site  of  one  of  France's 
most  beautiful  forests,  extending  from 
the  Ardennes  toward  the  Belgian  frontier, 
just  behind  Arras.  The  plan  calls  for  not 
the  slightest  expense  on  the  part  of 
France,  it  being  proposed  to  send  over 
Norwegian  experts  with  the  proper  equip- 
ment of  trees,  tools,  stores,  etc.,  the 
money  being  furnished  by  stibscription. 


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THE  EYE  BEHIND  THE  LINES 

Thrilling  Story  of  Winning  Battles  with  Photographs 
Told  in  Detail  for  the  First  Time 

By  DOUGLASS  REID 
Part  II. — The  Stereoscope — Deadliest  Weapon  of  the  War 


O  ESIDE  the  plush  album  on  the  cen- 
•*^  ter  table  in  the  parlor  of  half  the 
homes  in  America  rests  one  of  the  dead- 
liest weapons  of  this  war.  And  yet,  in  all 
of  American  preparedness  plans,  in  all 
the  arming  of  a  nation,  not  one  voice 
lifted  itself  to  suggest  that  a  million  citi- 
zen soldiers  spring  up  overnight  with 
stereoscopes  in  their  hands. 

The  old-fashioned  stereoscope  through 
which    Uncle    Elmer,    Aunt    Hetty,    and 
little    Chester — Sunday   visitors — used   to 
gaze     so    breathlessly     upon     marvelous 
views  of  the  Mammoth  Cave,   Lincoln's 
Funeral,  and  Sardine  Fishers  off  Brittany ; 
this  quaint  semiridiculous  old  instrument 
of  Sabbath  entertainment  carried  roaring, 
smashing     hell 
to  the  Huns  of 
Wilhelm,       the 
"scourge  of  the 
world." 

It     was     the 
stereo  scope 
that  proved  to 
be  the  greatest 
single     aid     to 
the     detectives 
of     the     aerial 
photogra- 
phy     corps     of 
the     allies     in 
their  discovery 
of  the  expertly 
hidden    batter- 
ies of  the  Ger- 
mans.     It   was 
the  stereoscope 
that  penetrated 
the     best     bat- 
tery camouflage  that  German  artillerymen 
ever  devised.     Further  than  that,  it  re- 
moved the  one  great  obstacle  to  the  cor- 
rect reading  of  aerial  prints — lack  of  the 
proper  perspective.    The  camera  in  the  air 
shoots  directly  downward,  in  its  pictures 
the  height  of  objects  is  lost,  and  an  en- 
tirely new  viewpoint  on  the  world  given 
the  observer.    The  familiar  objects  of  life 
become  mysterious  to  him  when  he  can- 
not see  their  dimensions  in  the  common 
fashion. 


This  Battery  Camouflage — Wire  Netting  Covered  with  Wisps 
o£  Straw — Defied  Ordinary  Photography  out  Yielded  Its  Secrets 
to  the  Stereoscopic  Method.  The  Picture  Represents  an  Amer- 
ican Reproduction  of  the  Most  Perfect  Type  of  Gun  Conceal- 
ment Ever  Developed  by  the  Germans 


The  picture  made  by  a  camera  looks 
with  one  eye.  A  man  looks  with  two 
eyes,  and  these  two  eyes,  being  a  few 
inches  apart,  inform  the  brain  that  the 
object  looked  at  has  length,  breadth,  and 
depth.  A  one-eyed  man  looking  at  the 
front  of  a  house  would  say  it  was  a  wall, 
but  if  he  had  another  eye  it  would  see  a 
little  of  the  side  of  the  house  and  signal 
the  information  to  the  brain  that  the  ob- 
ject had  three  dimensions. 

A  one-eyed  or  cross-eyed  man  is  not 
successful  as  a  baseball  player  because  it 
takes  two  eyes,  and  these  in  the  proper 
axial  relation,  to  judge  an  object  coming 
directly  toward  him.  Viewing  an  ap- 
proaching   baseball    with    two    eyes,    the 

player  sees  not 
only  the  grow- 
ing size  of  the 
object,  but 
each  eye  sees  it 
from  a  slightly 
different  angle 
— and  can 
judge  its  speed. 
A  sage  hen 
in  the  West 
can  easily  be 
killed  with  a 
thrown  stone, 
because  the 
bird  viewing 
the  approach- 
ing pebble  with 
only  one  eye 
cannot  judge 
its  path  or 
dodge  it. 

Now  the 
aerial  photographers  applied  this  truth  as 
follows:  They  knew  that  two  photo- 
graphs taken  of  the  same  object  with  an 
ordinary  stereoscopic  camera,  in  which  the 
lenses  are  2%  in.  apart,  would  not  produce 
the  stereoscopic  effect,  since  the  object 
photographed  would  be  miles  belo>v,  too 
far  for  the  camera  to  catch  its  dimen- 
sions and  make  them  apparent  in  a  picture. 
However,  the  photographers  bethought 
themselves  that  if  they  put  100  yd.  be- 
tween the  two  pictures — snapped  a  trench 


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from  one  elevation,  moved  100  yd.  ahead 
on  a  level,  then  shot  again — it  would  be 
as  though  a  giant  with  100  yd.  between  his 
eyes  were  looking  at  the  object. 

So   they    tried   this,    mounting  the   re- 


MCACOVUESHCIGKr 
30e5XI«M-IO;)00! 
1879X1300—9,000  . 


IH«XIU5-8jOOO_ 
MUX  MM-  7jOOO, 


fTTERMU.  OBUNCE -mWElfD 


'- GROUNO  SPOP-^  M  ^M  « 


izaox  1000— 6,00a. 
I04IX  flU— ^ooo*. 


aiSX  MO-4^00'. 

«nx  sM—VMt^ 


M*ttkCffMPK> 


MtlA  CQVtULD 


416  X  US._2J)00'. 
108  X  I0e_- 1.000' _ 


Timing  Chart  for  Exposures  ^*m,ji}ih2j^» 

ind 
ict, 
agram  j.. 
Resulting  in  a  Nature -Xike  f:V 


a  Common  Central  Area,  and  ^;  '  :■■''■<' ?0 
or  Left.  Thus  an  Object.  5^^/*  M 
the  Pin  Point  in  the  Diagram  ^  ^ 


graphs :  It  will  be  Seen  That  MyJfTWi  Two  Successive  Exposures  Cover 

yf^  Effect  When  the  Two  Pictures  arc 


an  Individual  Edge  to  the  Right 
the  Church  Steeple,  for  Instance— 
X^  Below — is  Taken  from  Two  Sides, 
r  ^  ^  .y\    Effect  When  the  Two  Pictures 

Properly   Mounted,  and  ^MiMk^M^X  Viewed  through  a  Stereoscope 


shelter — an  extremely  important  thing  to 
know  when  men  are,  to  charge  into  such 
territory.    Steep  slopes  up  which  the  men 
were  to  charge,  and  which  had  been  in 
ordinary  photographs  flat  as  water,  now 
showed     themselves     i  n 
their  true  nature— death 
traps — and  the  discovery 
of  the  fact  saved  the  lives 
of  the  attackers.    All  the 
irregularities  of  the  ter- 
rain, gulleys,  ridges,  etc., 
that  would  hinder  or  help 
military  operations,  were 
now   revealed,   and   with 
such    exaggeration    that 
no    student   could     miss 
them. 

One  grave  danger  was 
ever      present      in      this 

Taking    Stereoscopic     Photo-     StereOSCOpic    WOrk,    how-> 

«  tr  -o—       ever;  if  the  stereos  were 

not  mounted  correctly,  if 
the   picture   for   the   left 


.  9.94  " 20l.55__  « 

.  &.S2  " a»9.»0«' 


sultant  photographs  on  cardboard  and 
looking  at  them  through  an  old-fashioned 
stereoscope.  The  result  was  better  than 
their  anticipations;  the  depth  and  height 
of  objects  were  tremendously  exagger- 
ated. A  cottage  looked  like  a  tower,  a 
bucket  like  a  well,  a  trench  like  a  canon, 
a  hill  like  a  mountain.  But  they  soon 
learned  to  translate  these  eccentricities 
into  common  sense — the  great  thing  had 
been  done,  the  landscape  was  made  to 
assume  reality  in  pictures. 

Hundreds  of  mysterious  little  specks, 
trails,  and  lumps  on  every  aerial  photo- 
graph, which  before  had  troubled  the  men 
who  examined  them  so  carefully  with 
their  magnifying  glasses,  could  now  be 
recognized  quickly  and  easily.  The  dis- 
cussions, arguments,  and  quarrels  between 
the  photographers  who  reported  thus  and 
so  to  the  infantrymen,  and  who  were 
contradicted  by  the  latter,  were  thereafter 
banished  from  the  conferences  of  the 
commanders.  They  could  now  tell 
whether  a  white  spot  on  the  ground  was 
a  fiat,  canvas,  bull's-eye  panel  signal  to 
enemy  airmen,  or  a  slightly  raised  or 
slightly  sunk  concrete  platform  for  a  ma- 
chine gun.  The  black  bottom  of  a  shell 
hole,  and  the  black  entrance  to  a  sub- 
terranean gallery,  were  now  as  distinct  to 
the  observers  as  to  the  infantrymen  who 
charged  across  them.  Roadside  ditches, 
in  which,  men  might  lie  in  insufficient 
shelter,  could  now  be  told  from  high 
walls    behind    which    there    was    ample 


eye  was  mounted  on  the 
right-hand  side  of  the 
card  and  the  right  picture  on  the  left,  then 
the  whole  scene  would  be  reversed — 
trenches  would  be  walls;  shell  holes, 
mounds;  hills,  valleys,  etc.  And  if  the 
mistake  were  not  detected  in  time,  assault- 
ing troops  might  be  sent  into  this  sector 
and,  mystified,  be  cut  to  pieces. 

One  sure  way  to  detect  an  error  of  this 
kind  was  available  if  the  picture  con- 
tained a  house  or  a  river,  for  then  the 
sinking  of  a  house  into  the  earth,  or  the 
progress  of  a  river  along  the  crest  of  a 
hill,  would  become  immediately  and  ridic- 
ulously apparent. 

But  the  stereoscope's  most  important 
victory  was  over  enemy  camouflage.  The 
Hun  artillerymen  were  proud  of  their 
wire-netting  scheme.  This  consisted  of 
a  covering  of  ordinary  latticed  wire  over 
their  gun.  It  did  not  blanket  the  iron 
or  its  men  'from  the  light,  yet  it  did  hide 
them,  for  the  crisscrossing  strands  of 
wire  broke  up  the  vision  of  the  ordinary 
camera  from  above.  One  -photograph 
of  it  would  show  nothing,  since  the  wire 
muddled  all  outlines  beneath  it.  A  pic- 
ture of  the  lattice  would  in  reality  show 
the  gun  and  the  men,  but  the  human 
eye,  used  to  certain  definite  outlines  and 
shapes  as  meaning  certain  definite  things, 
could  not  see  them. 

So  the  stereoscope  men  took  two  views 
of  each  of  these,  one  picture  from  one 
side,  the  other  from  the  opposite  side, 
printed  them,  superimposed  them  before 
the  observer's  eye  by  means  of  the  stereo- 


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scope,  and  the  whole  gun  stood  revealed, 
the  portions  of  its  outlines  missing  in  the 
one  picture  being  supplied  in  the  other. 
Often,  too,  men   in  outposts  and  listen- 
ing posts,   snipers,  and  all  the   horde  of 
secretive  characters  who     i 
made    war    silently    pic- 
turesque, hid  under  this 
wire      screen     and      lay 
laughing  up  at  the  cam- 
era planes  that  sought  to 
unmask  them.    They  had 
only    to    wait    until    the 
photographer    had    gone 
home,   delivered  his  pic- 
tures, via  stereoscope,  to 
the  artillerymen,  to  have 
a    deluge    of    shells    fall 
upon  them. 

I  can  imagine  the  al- 
lied photographer  in  the 
dark  room,  holding  the 
stereoscope  to  his  eyes 
and  laughing  at  the  Hun 
in  the  hole  who  laughed 
up  at  him,  while  the  guns  outside  are  toll- 
ing the  Germans'  doom. 

The    stereoscope's    work    on    batteries 
does  not  lessen  the  extreme  value  of  the 


army  worked  in  close  liaison  with  the 
artillery  and  infantry,  supplying  both  with 
information  that  meant  life  and  death  to 
them,  giving  them  the  clues,  the  hints, 
the   vital   revelations   about   the   enemy's 


A  Railroad  Station  and  Ammunition  Depot  had  been  Blown  Up  by  German 
Shells.  The  Hun  Battery  must  be  Located  and  Destroyed.  But  How? 
This  Photograph  Gave  the  Clue.  The  Shells  Used  All  Pell  in  One  Line, 
Some  Short  of  and  Others  bevond  the  Station.  This  Line  was  Extended 
Back  into  the  German  Positions  and  Another  Similar  Line  Determined 
from  Photographs  of  a  Bombarded  Station  80  Miles  Away.  The  Intersection 
of  the  Two  Line»  was  Shelled  and  Soon  the  Big  Guns  were  Silenced 


plans.       Before     the     camera     detectives 
came  to  the  rescue,  the  German  battery 
tricks  were  dark  to   the  allies.     Balloon 
and  listening-post   observation    was    not 
completely  satisfactory.    At  night, 
the  watching  intelligence  officers 
would  catch  the  flashes  of  Ger- 
man   guns,    mark    their    location 
and  shell  the  point  violently,  only 
to     fail.      The     next     night    the 
flashes    were   here,    there,   every- 
where. 

Pictures  proved  that  the  Ger- 
mans had  four  emplacements  for 
each  battery  of  light  fieldpieces 
(corresponding  to  the  famous 
French  75's),  and  that  each  bat- 
tery contained  four  cannon.  The 
emplacements  would  sometimes 
be  a  mile  from  each  other,  and 
during  the  night  it  was  the  custom 
of  the  Germans  to  move  the  bat- 
tery from  one  place  to  another, 
so  that  the  allies  could  not  locate 
them.  After  the  battery  had  left 
an  emplacement,  some  artillery- 
men would  remain  behind  to  fire 
oflf  flares,  one  after  the  other,  four 
in  number  and  close  together,  in 
imitation  of  a  battery  at  work. 
Then,  in  all  four  of  the  various 
emplacements,  flares  would  flash 
into  the  night,  and  the  allied  ob- 
servers would  be  puzzled,  indeed, 
for  it  was  evident  that  only  from 
ordinary  camera  picture.  The  photog-  one  of  them  shells  were  issuing.  Which 
raphers    attached    to    the    United    States      was  it? 


A  Favorite  Trick  of  the  Germans,  to  Confuse  the  Camera  Scouts, 
Was  to  PUce  Some  Batteries  in  the  Open  and  Conceal  Others, 
Generally  on  the  Edge  of  Some  Near-Bv  Wood.  A  Russian. 
Prisoner  of  the  Germans  and  Captured  by  the  Allies,  Told  of 


haTinc  Assisted  in  Buildinc  Two  Hidden  Batteries  in  This 
Location.  The  Photograph  Showed  Up  a  Path  Leading  to  One 
of   Them   and   Trails   from  a    Road   to  the    Other.     It     Also 


ihowed  Up  a  Path  Leading  to  One 

J    Road   to  the    Other.     It     Als 

Revealed  Three  Anti-Aircraft  Guns  near  the  First  Battery 


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The  camera  men  got  the  answer. 

When  a  cannon  shoots  directly  ahead — 
that  is,  with  only  a  slight  elevation  of  the 
muzzle — it  whips  up  the  ground  for  a  few 
feet  around  with  the  very  force  of  its 
concussions.  These  marks — called  "blast 
marks" — the  camera  detects.  Conse- 
quently, d  i  s- 
covering  a  1  1 
four  battery 
e  m  p  1  a  c  e  - 
ments  by  the 
stereoscop  ic 
method  and 
locating  the 
shell  blasts 
with  the  ordi- 
n  a  r  y  photo- 
graphs, the  de- 
tectives show 
just  where  the 
night  flares 
were  real  can- 
non discharges 
and  where  they 
were  false 
flashes.  The 
winds  are  usu- 
a  1  1  y  strong 
enough  to 
smooth  out  the 
telltale  blast 
marks  within 
24  hours. 

Even    with- 
out the  stereo- 
scope, the  camera  can  locate  well-hidden 
batteries   by   the   mere   location   of  these 
concussion  marks,  and  when  snow  falls, 
the  camera  men  are  joyous,  for  then  every 
discharge    is    marked    unmistakably,    the 
blast    marks    being 
black      on      snow, 
while     on     the 
ground     they     are 
white. 

The  snow  is  mer- 
ciless, and  every 
footprint,  every 
truck  track,  is  as 
apparent  as  red 
paint  on  a  canvas. 
Often  the  Germans 
in      their     efficient 

haste      would      con-       ^ire-Netting  and  Straw  Camouflage  Taken  by  Single 
Struct     new     batter-       Exposure  with   Ordinary  Camera:    The  Light  Rays 

ies  while  the  snow  '^    '      "    "  -.    —  -       - 

was  still  on.     How 

the  allied  photographers  whooped  at  this 

and  hurried  home  to  show  the  new  works, 

black,   distinct — an   easy  target   for  both 

bombers  and  artillery! 


German  Headquarters  for  Correction  of  Artillery  Fire,  Caught 
by  French  Camera  Scout :    It  was  Located  by  Following  Tele- 

fraph    or  Telephone   Lines  to   Their    Converging   Point,   and 
urther  Identified  by  the  Installation  Near  By  of  Sutions  for 
Flashing  Orders  to  the  Various  Batteries  and  to  Airmen 


are  Broken  Up  So  That  the  Picture  Reveals  Nothing 
of  What  is  Concealed  Behind 


The  allies  used  almost  as  many  photog- 
raphers in  shooting  up  their  own  lines  as 
in  picturing  the  enemy  lines.  Whenever 
an  artillery  officer  desired  to  place  one  of 
his  own  batteries  in  an  advantageous  spot, 
he  consulted  the  photographic  officer  of 
his  sector,  and  with  him  went  over  the 

available  loca- 
tions, picking 
and  choosing  a 
point  where  his 
guns  could 
hide  and  where 
their  blast 
marks  would 
not  be  appar- 
ent. The  edge 
of  a  wood,  by 
the  side  of 
which  ran  a 
white  wagon 
road,  was  the 
favorite  spot 
for  the  gun- 
ners of  both 
sides,  for  there 
the  trees  would 
hide  the  guns 
and  the  white 
road  show  no 
marks  of  the 
concussion. 

Once       a 
French     officer 
made     a     bet 
with    a    photo- 
graphic   officer    that    he    could    place    a 
battery    so    well    that    no    camera    could 
detect  it.    He  placed  it  in  a  wood,  pointing 
his  guns  over  a  white  road.     It  was  per- 
fect.    But  the   photographic  officer   had 
seen       in       photo- 
graphs    a     faint 
change  of  color  on 
the  road  for  some 
miles,     a     subtle 
darkening    on     the 
causeway,        begin- 
ning  at    headquar- 
ters and  running  to 
a   certain    point    in 
front    of    a    wood. 
This,    he    reasoned, 
was   crushed    stone 
thrown     upon     the 
road    in    order    to 
strengthen     it      for 
the  passage  of  guns 
and     ammunition     trucks.     The     crushed 
stone,   while  fully   as  white  as  the    road 
itself,  was   looser  than   the  packed,  hard 
surface  of  the  untouched  path,  and   ab- 


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sorbed     more     light,     appearing     slightly 
darker  to   the   camera's  eye. 

So  the  photographic  officer  decided  that 
the  artilleryman  had  done  this  for  moving 
his  guns,  and  that  where  the  crushed  rock 
stopped,  there  was  the  battery.  He 
walked  over  to  the  artillery  officer's  tent 
and  collected  his  bet. 

Quarries,  sunken  roads,  and  large 
ditches  were  other  favorite  hiding  places 
for  batteries, 
since  they  per- 
mitted the  gun- 
ners to  tunnel 
back  under  one 
side,  place  the 
gun  there,  and 
so,  in  conceal- 
ment, shoot  all 
day  long.  But 
the  camefa 
men  with 
stereosco  pic 
pictures 
caught  these 
d  e  p  r  e  s  - 
sions  that  oth- 
erwise would 
have  been  in- 
visible,  and, 
by  photo- 
graphing  the 
wall  opposite 
the  muzzle  of 
the  gun, 
caught  the  dis- 
coloration 
caused  by  the 
blasts. 

When   the 
Germans   chose 
to     hide     their 
big  guns  in  the 
middle      of      a 
forest,  the  task 
of        searching 
them     out    be- 
came     tremen- 
dous,   for     the 
leaves     in     the 
majority  of  cases  defied  the  stereoscopes, 
and  the  cutting  up  of  the  trees  by  shells 
was   not   sufficient   to    be   noticed   before 
some   weeks'   steady   firing. 

The  ordinary  camera's  only  way  of  lo- 
cating the  guns  was  to  watch  for  the 
trails  of  artillerymen  appearing  on  the 
edge  of  the  wood,  or  the  marks  of  motor 
trucks  which  brought  ammunition  up  to 
the  fringe  of  the  forest  under  cover  of 
night.  Often  the  direction  of  these  tell- 
tale tracks  would  betray  the  part  of  the 


Progress  of  Shelling  a  German  Trench  Sector:  The  Gradual 
Disappearance  of  the  White  Borders  of  the  Trench  Lines — 
the  Parapet  and   Parados — Indicates  the  Destruction  Accom< 


plished.  On  Jujie  80,  the  Sector  was  Considered  Untenable 
and  Abandoned,  So  the  Allied  Infantrv  was  Scheduled  to  "Go 
over  the  Top"  the  Following  Morning.  Luckily,  the  Last 
Photograph  was  Brought  In  in  Time  to  Postpone  the  Attack, 
for  It  Showed,  bv  the  White  Marks  at  the  Bend.  That  the 
Germans  had  Partly  Reconstructed  the  Trench  during  the  Night 


wood  in  which  the  guns  were  concealed. 
Here  the  stereoscope,  too,  accomplished 
wonders,  for  it  was  the  part  of  German 
efficiency   to   camouflage   the   guns,   even 
though  they  stood  in  the  midst  of  thick 
forests.     They  placed  canvas,  painted  to 
resemble   the   floor   of  the   forest,  above 
the  guns,  at  a  height  about  two-thirds  the 
length   of  the  trees  to  which  it  was  at- 
tached.    This  the  stereoscope  camera  de- 
tected,    for     it 
revealed    one 
portion    of    the 
wood  where 
the     ground 
rose        up 
strangely.      All 
the     artillery 
need     do     was 
thunder     shells 
down     on     this 
seemingly      in- 
nocent spot.   In 
nearly  all  these 
cases,    the 
Hun's    extreme 
reliance      upon 
science    proved 
h  i  s     undoing, 
for    if    he    had 
refrained    from 
camouflage     he 
would     have 
been  safe. 

It     was     an- 
other   habit    of 
the    Hun    gun- 
ners    to     place 
some     batteries 
out     in     the 
open — real  bat- 
teries,    on     the 
presump- 
tion     that     the 
allies     would 
laugh    and    re- 
fuse  to   bother 
with     a     thing 
that     so  '  obvi- 
ously was  noth- 
ing but  a  trick.     This  was  good  psychol- 
ogy for  the  Germans,  but  it  didn't  work; 
for    the    photographs   showed   footprints 
about  the  guns,  telling  that  they  were  ac- 
tive.     Had    the    battery    been    false,    po 
tracks  would  have  led  to  it. 

Certain  astute  German  officers,  how- 
ever, finally  took  to  making  false  trails 
to  false  batteries,  and  for  some  time  fooled 
the  photographers.  But  the  coming  of 
snow  usually  saved  the  latter  from  humil- 
iation, for  at  the  crack  of  dawn  they  could 


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catch  pictures  which  revealed  that  no  men 
had  gone  out  to  the  guns,  while  the  blast 
of  the 


marks 


latter,  skillfully 
hidden  in  some, 
other  part  of 
the  field. 

As  photogra- 
phy became 
more  and  more 
important  on 
both  sides,  the 
artillery  forces 
became  more 
and  more  ex- 
pert in  conceal- 
ing their  guns. 
Finally,  whole 
groves  of  trees 
were  moved 
here  and  there 
to  mask  bat- 
teries. Here  the 
shrewdness  of 
the  clue  hun- 
ter's eye  be- 
came the  vital 
thing.  He  had 
to  know  his 
territory  per- 
fectly, memo- 
rize each  tree, 
stick,  and 
stone.  If  he 
caught   any 


real  batteries  betrayed  the 


STE  REOSOCX>Y>      '»*^- 

I  of  to^to  iiyUMd  ]W  UiMco.  wit^ 
tiaAf  oMi,  t^w  1¥aM»  f\wX  |u>Hv 


:i        ^  .    .  *  '       f^ 


The  Proper  Cutting  and  Mounting  of  Stereoscopic  Photographs 
Is  of  Utmost  Importance,  for  Otherwise  the  Whole  Scene 
would  be   Reversed.  Trenches   Becoming   Walls,    Shell   Holes, 


Mounds,  and  So  On,  and   Attacking  Troops  might  be  Sent  to 
Useless  Death 


change,  however  small,  it  meant  mischief. 

One  photographic  officer,  of  the  French 
forces  in  the  Argonne,  once  found  a  tiny, 
obscure  glade  in  a  forest  missing.  Check- 
ing back  on  previous  photographs,  he 
found  that  the  glade  had  disappeared 
overnight.  The  stereoscope  showed  him 
that  it  had  been  a  steep  little  slope  and 
hence  a  good  location  for  artillery.  He 
knew  instantly  that  the  Germans  had 
transplanted  trees  from  the  thickest  part 
of  the  forest  to  this  glade,  and  that  can- 
non were  at  that  moment  working  from 
the  new  position. 

The  camera,  aside  from  its  detection  of 
batter>'  camouflage  as  distinct  from  reality 
— a  subject  that  will  be  taHen  up  more 
completely  in  the  next  article  on  trench 
photography,  where  it  properly  belongs — 
was  invaluable  in  constantly  adding  to 
that  rogue's  gallery  of  German  generals 
which 'the  allies  collected  and  used  so  ef- 
fectively. Photographs  silently,  surely, 
told  the  intelligence  officers  where  such 
and  such  a  German  artillery  officer  was 
working,  where  Colonel  von  E.  or  von  F. 
was  stationed.    This  was  in  the  main  ac- 


complished by  recognizing  his  particular 
and  distinctive  tricks  of  camouflage.  The 
German    organization   lent   itself   to   this 

allied  system 
b  f  discovery 
handily,  while 
the  forces  of 
freedom  baffied 
the  Germans  in 
the  same 
work ;  for  all 
the  allied  sys- 
tems of  camou- 
flage  were 
standardized 
and  worked  out 
to  the  last  de- 
tail by  the  de- 
partment o  f 
camouflage  in 
Paris  and 
thence  supplied 
to  all  sections 
of  the  line, 
while  the  Ger- 
mans relied 
upon  each  ar- 
tillery officer  to 
work  out  his 
own  system. 

Hence  allied 
photographs 
taken  over  a 
series  of 
months  showed 


the  pet  hobbies  and  theories  of  each  Hun 
commander.  Colonel  von  E.,  for  instance, 
would  rely  upon  putting  out  quantities  of 
false  batteries,  in  the  meantime  covering 
his  real  batteries  entirely  with  canvas 
camouflage.  Colonel  von  F.  would  put  out 
no  dummy  guns  and  would  choose  to  hide 
his  batteries  with  timber,  specially  moved 
to  the  chosen  spot.  Colonel  von  G.  habit- 
ually relied  upon  one  dummy  battery, 
three  real  ones  audaciously  set  out  in  the 
open  to  disarm  suspicion,  and  the  rest 
hidden  under  wire-netting  camouflag^e. 

Through  their  filter  lenses,  which  told 
instantly  where  canvas  camouflage  was 
spread,  and  with  the  stereoscope,  which 
exposed  wire  netting,  the  photographers 
could  show  their  army  commanders  just 
where  these  respective  colonels  were,  just 
how  strong  their  ordnance  was,  and  from 
this  the  allied  artillerymen  could  trace 
back  and  discover  exactly  how  this  par- 
ticular officer  handled  his  guns,  which 
were  his  favorite  hours  for  shelling^,  how 
adept  his  gunners  were  at  aiming,  and 
what  had  been  their  strong  points  and 
their  weak  points  in  previous  engagements. 


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Where  German  telegraph  and  telephone 
lines  stretched  through  the  sections  given 
over  to  the  battery  photographers,  they 
suffered   heavily,    for  the   allied   cameras 
were    constantly    searching    for    artillery 
headquarters,  always  to  be  found  at  the 
converging  points    of    all    telegraph    and 
telephone  wires  from   observation   posts. 
To   the  officer  seated  in 
this      headquarters,     the 
observers    sent    in    their 
reports  on  the  effect  of 
their  own  batteries.  Over 
other    wires    the    officer 
sent    corrections    to    his 
batteries.     The    principal 
duty    of    the    photogra- 
phers was  to  locate  this 
man     and     direct     allied 
shells  to  him,  for  the  mo- 
ment he  was  silenced,  the 
moment    headquarters 
was  wrecked,  the  German 
batteries  were  silenced — 
the  eyes  of  the  guns  were 
put  out. 

One  photograph  caught 
a  telegraph  or  telephone 
line    winding    to    some- 
where, another  photograph  caught  anoth- 
er. All  were  traced  and  painstakingly  run 
down   to   some   common   center.    Where 
they  converged  there  was    headquarters. 
One  carefully   placed   shell   on   this   spot 
would  relieve  the  allied  trenches  for  miles 
about  from  shelling. 

By  studying  the  photographs  of  their 
own  batteries,  the  photographic  officers 
of  both  sides  often  located  their  big-gun 
assailants.  To  the  man  who  was  being 
shelled,  the  bombs  seemed  to  come  from 
all  directions,  swirling,  pounding  like  a 
storm.  But  to  the  student  who  pored 
over  a  photograph  of  the  same  scene,  the 
shells  were  seen  to  come  from  one  certain 
direction.  Their  bursts  upon  the  ground 
were  on  a  line  which,  when  traced  back 
on  the  photo  map  of  the  whole  German 
system,  would  cross  several  suspicious 
spots  where  the  German  guns  might  be. 
Unable  to  decide  just  where  the  guilty 
party  was,  the  photographic  officer  moved 


to  a  picture  of  another  part  of  his  own 
line  where  shells  fell,  say,  yesterday.  He 
got  the  line  along  which  these  bombs 
came,  and  ran  it  back  until  it  intersected 
his  first  line.  There  in  an  evil  forest,  the 
long-range  gun  was  hidden.  He  told  his 
friends  the  gunners,  and  it  did  not  take 
them  long  to  give  a  surprise  party  to  the 


•* Blast  Marks" 


By  Placing  a  False  Battery  Out  in  the  Open  and  Making  a  Path  to  It 
from  the  Road,  the  Germans  Sought  to  Prevent  Discovery  of  the  Hidden 
Battery  on  the  Fringe  of  the  Wood  beyond  the  Road.  But  When  Snow 
Came,  the  Faked  Trail  to  the  Open  Battery  had  Disappeared,  and  Telltale 
Gave  Away  the  Real  Position  of  the  Active  Guns 

well-secreted  Huns  who  had  been  "straf- 
ing" them.  The  most  elaborate  battery 
camouflage  was  a  collection  of  anti-air- 
craft guns,  for  wherever  the  allied  fliers 
were  met  by  storms  of  shells  from 
"Archie,"  they  backed  off  to  escape  the 
death  that  rode  on  that  perfect  barrage. 
But  they  knew  immediately  that  some- 
thing tremendously  important  was  hidden, 
else  Archie  would  not  be  so  determined. 
So  it  was  their  fashion  to  haunt  this  sec- 
tor valiantly,  slipping  -through  on  clouds, 
photographing  with  long-focus  cameras 
from  a  great  height,  scaling  down  in  fog 
to  within  a  few  feet  of  the  ground,  snatch- 
ing a  snap  picture,  then  darting  away  to 
safety.  Death  was  close  in  such  cases, 
and  the  task  the  severest  that  the  pho- 
tographer could  meet,  but  his  pride  was 
challenged,  his  "dander  was  up,"  and, 
what  is  more  important,  his  curiosity  was 
aroused.  He  was  sleuthing  and  "wanted 
to  see." 


(To  be  conHtmedi 


SEARCHLIGHTS  ARE  SHIELDED  ON  BRITISH  WARSHIP 


Bluejackets  have  a  nickname  for  every- 
thing, and  that  is  probably  as  true  of  the 
boys  in  the  British  navy  as  it  is  of  our 
own  "gobs."  The  cylindrical  shields  for 
the  searchlights    on   an    English    battle- 


ship are  called  "coffee  boxes."  These 
guards  were  developed  out  of  the  neces- 
sity, which  became  evident  during  the 
war,  of  providing  a  shield  for  everything 
destructible.     The  searchlight  shields  are 


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simply  curved  sections  of  armor  plate 
which,  viewed  from  the  deck,  look  like 
complete  cylinders.     The  searchlights  in 


The  Cylindrical  Objects  to  the  Right  and  Left  of  the 

Funnel  on  This  British  Battleship,  the  "Marlborough," 

Are   Shields  into  Which   the   Searchlights   Descend. 

The  Sailors  Call  Them  "  Co£Fee  Boxes " 

use  project  above  them,  and  descend  into 
them  when  the  ship  is  in  action. 


ELECTRIC-LIGHTED  PORTRAIT 
IS  PHOTO  NOVELTY 

'The  Light  That  Lies  in  Woman's 
Eyes"  seems  destined  to  materialize  with 
the  aid  of  a  device  originated  by  a  Chi- 
cago photographer.  "Illuminated  por- 
traits" is  the  term  applied  to  the  novelty. 
The  studio  exposure  is  made  in  the  usual 
manner,  but  instead  of  the  customary  pa- 
per print,  a  positive  on  glass  is  taken  from 
the  negative  film.     This  transparency   is 


Photograph   Printed   on   Glass  and  Mounted  in  a 

Hollow  Frame,  which  Contains  a  Small  Electric 

Light,  Making  an  Illuminated  Portrait 


then  carefully  colored  from  life  by  artists 
in  the  studio.  When  finished  it  is  mounted 
in  a  box  frame  about  three  inches  thick, 
which  leaves  considerable  space  behind 
the  glass.  In  this  space  is  a  small  elec- 
tric lamp,  hung  from  the  top  of  the 
box,  which  is  hinged.  Small  holes  allow 
the  escape  of  the  air  heated  by  the  lamp, 
and  a  long  cord  and  plug  provide  for  con- 
nection to  any  light  socket  that  is  con- 
venient. 


ENGLAND  TO  USE  NEW  SCHEME 
FOR  RURAL  TRANSPORTATION 

After  a  careful  consideration  of  the 
various  methods  looking  primarily  to  the 
promotion  of  agriculture,  the  Ministry  of 
Reconstruction  of.  England  has  come  to 
the  conclusion  that  an  extensive  system  of 
light  railways  is  desirable.  The  tracks 
would  be-  of  2-ft.  gauge,  cheaply  con- 
structed and  easily  laid,  either  on  the  road, 
or,  where  that  was  not  wide  enough,  over 
ditches  and  waste  land  alongside  the  road. 
There  is  much  light-railway  material  in 
France  and  elsewhere  which  could  be 
utilized,  and  in  case  this  is  all  taken  over 
by  the  French  government,  manufacturers 
are  fully  equipped  for  making  new.  While 
passenger  cars  have  been  suggested  as 
possible,  the  primary  use  of  these  lines 
would  be  for  the  hauling  of  farm  produce, 
road  materials,  etc.,  and  it  is  considered 
that  passenger  service  could  scarcely  be 
either  frequent  or  punctual.  It  is  also 
suggested  that  side  lines  could  be  run 
from  the  main  line  into  each  separate 
farm,  right  up  to  the  farmer's  door.  Mo- 
tive power  could  be  by  either  steam  or 
electricity,  according  to  local  conditions. 


ACRES   OF  DISUSED  MACHINES 
MARK  END  OF  SPRUCE  CUT 

All  the  equipment  that  was  used  by  the 
government  to  cut  airplane  spruce  in  the 
remote  forest  districts  of  Washington  and 
Oregon  has  been  assembled  at  Vancouver 
for  disposal.  There  are  great  lines  of 
logging  cars  with  their  locomotives,  huge 
cranes  capable  of  handling  big  spruce  logs 
like  matchwood,  donkey  engines,  saws  of 
all  sorts — in  fact,  the  greatest  collection 
and  assortment  of  equipment  the  govern- 
ment has  gathered  together  since  the  Pan- 
ama Canal  was  completed.  The  ma- 
chinery, which  was  used  by  60,000  soldier 
and  civilian  members  of  the  Spruce  Pro- 
duction Division,  is  valued  at  $10,000,000 
and  covers  acres  of  land  at  the  point 
where  it  is  stored. 


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Huge  Cranes,  Now  Disused,  That  Picked     ^ 


Ud     Giant    Losra   of    Rw%n*etk   «nH    P1ar«d        I 


^ 


Sale,  So  That  the  Loss  may  Be  as  Smairas  Possible 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


EbECTRIC  HEATERS  KEEP  SNOW      a   coil   of   resistance  wire  inclosed  in   a 


FROM  RAILWAY  SWITCHES 

That  old-time  bugbear  of  railroad  men, 
the   clogging   of   switches   and   frogs   by 


BlectricHeating  Coils  in  Sections  of  Iron  Pipe 

under  the  Rails  Keep  the  Switch  Clear 

of  Snow  in  All  Weather 

snow,  is  banished  by  a  device  now  in 
use  on  an  eastern  road.  Just  beneath  the 
rails  of  the  switch,  in  the  spaces  between 
the  ties,  electric  heaters  are  installed  and 
connected  to  a  current  cut-off  at  any  con- 
venient point.     Each   heater  consists   of 


3%-in.  wrought-iron  pipe,  20  in.  long. 
A  temperature  rise  of  180°  F.  is  attained 
in  half  an  hour,  with  a  further  rise  of 
63°  in  an  hour.  This  thaws  the  frozen 
ground  so  that  the  snow  melted  from 
the  rails  drains  into  it. 


FILMS  REPLACING  PLATES 
FOR  ARMY  X-RAY  WORK 

In  pre-war  times,  when  the  amount  of 
breakage  was  small  and  the  weight  of 
shipments  was  not  an  important  factor, 
the  use  of  plates  in  X-ray  work  was  ex- 
tensive. But  the  necessity  of  sending 
large  supplies  to  France  and  the  carrying 
on  of  X-ray  work  under  field  conditions 
soon  caused  them  to  be  replaced  by  films. 
The  use  of  films  in  automobile  surgical 
units  made  it  possible  to  X-ray  wounds  as 
soon  as  received,  which  was  of  especial 
advantage  in  army  medical  work.  The 
sudden  cessation  of  hostilities,  however, 
left  the  medical  department  with  large 
quantities  of  film  on  hand,  and  in  order 
to  dispose  of  it,  the  surgeon-general  has 
ordered  the  use  of  film  in  this  country  in 
place  of  plates. 


SIMPLE  PRESSURE  REDUCER  FOR  FIRE  HYDRANT 


Of  late  the  San  Francisco  fire  depart- 
ment has  adopted  a  reducing  valve  that 


4-U^    Mi4-ir'o     UlrrU 


of  such  a  disaster.    One  of  the  high-pres- 
sure hydrants  is  said  to  be  equal  to  sev- 


A  Reducing  Valve  Allows  San  Francisco's  High.Pressure  Water  Syttem  to  be  Used  for  tbe  Fire  Depart, 
ment's  Everyday  Work.  The  Valve  is  Seen  Mounted  on  a  Hydrant  at  the  Left.  In  the  Center  Are  the 
Piston   and    Valve   with  the  Pressure-Indicating   Rack.    The  Fireman    Supports   the   Valve   with  a  Strap 

When  Connecting  It 


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The  Big  Motor  Truck  Carries  the  Tractor  and  Plow  to  Any  Farmer  Who  Wants  a  Demonstration,  a  Special 
Platform  being  Fitted  to  the  Truck,  and  Four  Three  by  Twelve-Inch  Planks  Used  as  a  Loading  Runway 

DEMONSTRATING  FARM  TRACTOR 
CARRIED   ON   TRUCK 


The  new  pressure-reducing  valve  en- 
ables water  to  be  taken  from  the  heavy- 
duty  hydrants  at  whatever  pressure  the 
occasion  dictates.  It  is  operated  hydrau- 
lically.  Heavy  springs  and  delicate  mech- 
anism, customarily  utilized  in  such  auto- 
matic valves,  are  not  embodied  in  it. 

In  brief,  the  apparatus  consists  of  an 
ingenious  arrangement  of  internal  cham- 
bers, a  piston  valve  at  the  intake,  and  a 
governing  spring-operated  needle  valve 
fitted  with  an  indicator  and  graduated 
rack.  The  piston  has  a  central  bore  that 
permits  high-pressure  water  to  flow  to  a 
chamber  at  the  top  of  the  casting,  from 
which  its  passage  to  a  control  chamber  is 
regulated  by  the  needle  valve — set  to  hold 
any  desired  pressure.  It  is  essentially  the 
variation  of  pressure  between  that  in  the 
latter  chamber  and  the  discharge  and 
back-pressure  chamber  that  actuates  the 
piston  valve. 

CONCRETE  PUT  TO  NOVEL  USE 

IN  SHIP  REPAIRING 

What  may  prove  to  be  a  new  era  in  ship 
repairing  has  been  inaugurated  by  a 
Buenos  Aires  firm.  A  wooden  vessel  of 
some  200  tons  displacement,  with  ribs 
quite  rotted  away  at  the  bottom,  was  re- 
inforced by  new  concrete  ribs  being  cast 
between  the  existing  wooden  ribs.  These 
were  secured  to  the  skin  of  the  vessel  by 
means  of  screws  being  driven  into  the  lat- 
ter and  the  concrete  set  around  them. 
The  concrete  also  serves  as  ballast,  hence 
nothing  is  added  to  the  weight  of  the 
vessel.     The  repair  was  quite  successful. 


When  a  farmer  in  his  district  is  ready 
for  a  demonstration,  a  tractor  distributor 
in  Salt  Lake  City  simply  loads  the  tractor 
and  plow  on  a  big  motor  truck  and  goes 
out  to  the  field.  Four  3  by  12-in.  planks, 
which  are  taken  along,  make  a  runway  up 
to  the  truck  platform,  specially  built  for 
its  unusual  burden.  This  outfit  can  stage 
several  demonstrations  a  day,  and  the 
"show  me"  method  proves  to  be  a  con- 
vincing sales  argument. 


NEW  TYPE  OF  OILCAN  HAS 
BELLOWSLIKE  RESERVOIR 

In  an  attempt  to  overcome  faults  in 
common  oilers,  an  oilcan  has  been  de- 
signed having  a  body      ? : 

of  heavy  steel,  within 
which  is  an  oil  reser- 
voir in  the  form  of  a 
brass  bellows.  This  is 
kept  expanded  by  a 
coil  spring  extending 
from  the  bottom  to 
the  spout.  Oil  is 
ejected  by  pressing  a 
button  on  the  under- 
side of  the  can.  At 
the  lower  end  of  the 
spout  is  a  ball  check 
permitting  the  flow  of 
only  a  limited  amount 
of  oil  with  each  com-  * 
pression  of  the  bottom,  thus  eliminating 
one  cause  of  waste. 


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AERIAL  POST  CARRIES  WOMAN 

IN  REGULAR  MAIL  BAG 

A  live  parcel  was  carried  by  aerial  post 
as  regular  mail  on  a  flying  postman's  re- 
cent trip   from   San    Diego  to   Riverside, 


into 


COPrmOHT,   IMTIRNATIONAl.  FILM  MRVIOI 


A  Yoimg  Woman  of  San  Diego,  California,  Stepped 

ail    Bag  and  was   Sent  by  Aerial   Post  to 

Riverside,  90  Miles  Away,  the   First   Human  Parcel 


and  was   Sent  by  Aerial   Post  to 
es  Away,  the    First   Hur         *" 
Carried  by  a  Flsring  Postman 

Calif.  Miss  Virginia  Brassac,  a  resident 
of  the  former  city,  occupied  the  mail  bag 
and  won  the  distinction  of  being  the  first 
to  travel  under  that  classification.  Rock- 
well Field  was  the  starting  point  of  the 
flight. 


NEW  PHOTOMETER  MEASURES 
LIGHT  VARIATIONS 

Designed  primarily  for  the  purpose  of 
measuring  the  illuminating  value  of  flash 
lights,  flares,  star-shell  compounds,  and 
other  similar  compositions,  a  photometer 
originated  by  a  member  of  the  Illuminat- 
ing Engineering  Society  of  England  is  of 
especial  interest.  It  consists  of  a  tube, 
25  in.  long  and  3  in.  in  diameter,  with  in- 
terior whitened  and  illuminated  by  a 
small  electric  lamp  at  one  end.  Extend- 
ing nearly  the  whole  length  of  the  tube 


is  a  2-in.  slot,  which  is  covered  by  a  thin 
metal  strip  with  perforations  in  the  form 
of  letters.  This  strip  is  painted  white 
and  receives  the  illumination  to  be  meas- 
ured. The  tube  being  brilliantly  illumi- 
nated at  one  end,  the  perforations  at  that 
end  appear  to  be  brighter  than  the  strip 
illuminated  from  the  outside,  and  those 
at  the  other  end  darker,  and  a  point  can 
be  approximated  where  the- interior  of  the 
tube  is  as  bright  as  the  exterior  strip,  thus 
giving  a  basis  for  comparing  the  known 
illuminating  value  of  the  glow  lamp  in  the 
tube  with  that  of  the  outride  illumina- 
tion; that  is,  the  flash  light,  flare,  or  other 
source  of  light  under  test. 


NEW   BRIDGE  OVER  THE  TIGRIS 
A  MARVEL  OF  ENGINEERING 

Named  after  the  late  Lieut.  Gen.  Stan- 
ley Maude,  K.  C.  B.,  a  new  bridge  erected 
by  the  British  over  the  river  Tigris  at 
Bagdad  has  just  recently  been  thrown 
open  to  traffic.  Because  of  the  many  pe- 
culiar conditions  this  bridge  had  to  fulfill, 
its  designing  and  construction  in  seven 
months  is  nothing  less  than  marvelous. 
The  bridge  had  to  be  capable  of  bearing 
the  heaviest  piece  of  ordnance  being  used 
in  Mesopotamia;  of  automatically  tak- 
ing up  the  rise  and  fall  of  the  river;  of 
withstanding  the  force  of  its  floods,  which 
reach  a  height  of  over  20  ft.  and  travel 
very  fast,  and  of  opening  and  closing  for 
the  passage  of  river  craft  with  a  minimum 
delay  to  traffic.  The  main  portion  of  the 
bridge,  which  is  1,159  ft.  in  length  be- 
tween abutments,  is  carried  on  steel  pon- 
toons which  work  in  vertical  guides.  The 
opening  portion,  260  ft.  long,  is  hinged 
to  the  girder  portion  on  the  left  bank 
and  opens  upstream.  It  is  operated  by 
power-driven  winding  gear.  The  alter- 
ation in  the  length  of  the  bridge,  made 
necessary  by  varying  river  levels,  is  taken 
care  of  by  ramp  girders,  the  space  be- 
tween them  being  bridged  by  a  sliding 
cover  plate.  To  guard  against  destruc- 
tion by  floods,  very  heavy  mooring  appli- 
ances are  employed  both  up  and  down- 
stream. 


CTo  supply  the  needs  of  Vienna,  a  hydro- 
electric power  plant  has  been  erected  on 
the  Danube — the  first  in  Austria.  The 
power  will  be  obtained  by  means  of  a 
dam,  and  the  station  will  have  17  tur- 
bines capable  of  developing  from  70,000 
to  170,000  hp.,  depending  on  the  water 
level. 


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SCRAP  COPPER  TO  BE  SALVAGED 

FROM  EUROPEAN  BATTLE  FIELDS 

When  the  well-known  dogs  of  war 
were  finally  run  into  their  kennels  after 
four  years  of  romping 
over  the  greater  part  of 
Europe,  one  of  the  big 
questions  put  up  to  the 
experts  was,  how  much 
of  the  copper  could  be 
salved  and  made  use  of. 
It  is  estimated  that 
France  and  Belgium 
alone  have  in  excess  of 
3,000,000  tons  on  their 
various  battle  fields,  of 
which  probably  1,000,000 
tons  can  be  recovered. 
This  is  about  equal  to 
one  year's  output  of  the 
United  States.  In  addi- 
tion to  this,  there  are 
large  quantities  in  Rus- 
sia, the  Balkans,  and 
Italy.  Germany  is 
practically  denuded  of  copper,  notwith- 
standing the  fact  that  she  went  to  partic- 
ular pains  to  stock  up  on  this  metal  for 
several  years  prior  to  the  war. 


AUTOS  GET  SHOWER  BATH 

IN  THIS  REPAIR  SHOP 

When   an   automobile  is  first  brought 
for  attention  into  the  repair  department 


MULTIPLE  SWITCH   DESIGNED 

AS  KEYLESS  AUTO  LOCK 

One  of  the  season's  new  motor-car 
locks  has  been  designed  on  the  theory 
that  few  automobiles  are  stolen  by  ex- 
pert electricians.  The  device  consists  of 
a  simple  combination  lock  and  multiple 
switch,  assembled  in  a  compact  unit,  with 
its  mechanism  inclosed  in  a  steel  hous- 
ing mounted  within  the  cowl.  It  con- 
trols the  entire  electric  equipment  of  a 
car,  but  allows  the  tail  and  dash  lights  to 


The    Object  Depending  from  the  Ceiling  Just  over  the  Car  at  the  Left 

Is  a  Shower  Spray,  Which  Quickly  Removes  Dust  and  Dirt. 

After  Its  Bath  It  Takes  the  Elevator  at  the  Right 

of  an  Indianapolis  car  factory,  it  is  given 
the  same  treatment  often  accorded  to 
other  "knights  of  the  road"  on  entering 
a  lodging  house.  A  shower-spray  ar- 
rangement attached  to  the  shop  ceiling 
thoroughly  washes  down  the  dusty  wan- 
derer until,  clean  and  fresh,  it  is  sent  to 
the  elevator  and  carried  upstairs  to  the 
workroom. 


This  Locking  Switch  Controls  the  Ignition  and  Light- 

ingCircufts  off  a   Car,  Making  Theft  Difficult. 

The  Combination  can  be  Easily  Changed 

be  Operated  independently,  if  desired.  The 
combination  may  be  changed  at  will,  and 
its  use,  of  course,  eliminates  the  nuisance 
of  the  misplaced  key  or  the  possibility 
of  a  duplicate. 


CONCRETE  RAILWAY  SLEEPERS 
GIVE  GREATER  RESILIENCY 

An  Italian  railway  constructor  has  re- 
cently devised  and  tried  out,  on  a  railway 
running  between  Asti  and  Altavilla,  a 
series  of  interlinked  sleepers  of  reinforced 
concrete.  These  are  triangular  in  shape 
and  are  arranged  lengthwise  beneath  each 
rail.  As  each  of  them  rests  on  a  pedestal 
with  the  center  of  its  base,  it  is  the  claim 
of  this  constructor  that  they  are  capable 
of  a  rocking  motion  which  gives  a  certain 
resiliency  to  the  rail.  Each  sleeper  sup- 
ports the  rail  at  two  points,  and  here  a 
block  of  wood  is  used  as  a  cushion,  with 
a  bolt  for  anchoring  the  rail  to  the  sleeper. 
The  rails  are  held  to  gauge  by  means  of 
tie-rods.  These  tie-rods  are  fastened  to 
the  rail  by  clamps  that  grip  the  base,  thus 
doing  away  with  the  necessity  of  drilling 
the  rail.  Unevenness  of  track  level  may 
be  rectified  by  changing  the  height  of  the 
wooden  cushions  between  the  rails  and 
the  sleepers.  Maintenance  expense  is 
comparatively  small. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


543 


NEW  STANDARD-TIME  ZONES 

ESTABLISHED  BY  LAW 

The  establishing  of  new  standard-time 
zones  by  the  Interstate  Commerce  Com- 
mission the  first  of  the 
year,  as  provided  by  law, 
has  caused  the  resetting 
of  many  timepieces  in 
cities  on  or  near  the  al- 
tered dividing  lines.  The 
western  boundary  of  the 
eastern  zone,  for  most  of 
its  length,  •  has  been 
moved  westward,  as  the 
accompanying  map  indi- 
cates. The  new  line  di- 
viding the  central  and 
mountain  zones  now  fol- 
lows the  100th  meridian 
in  place  of  the  old  and 
very  irregular  boundary. 
The  plan  of  the  commis- 
sion is  that  all  towns  di- 
rectly on  this  meridian 
shall  use  central  time.  This  applies  also 
to  the  majority  of  the  municipalities  on 


the  eastern  border  of  the  central  :!one. 
Practically  the  whole  of  Utah,  Idaho,  and 
Nevada,  and  nearly  half  of  Montana  have 
been  transferred  from  the  mountain  zone 
to  the  Pacific  zone.    The  old  boundaries 


The  Eastern  Time  Zone  has  been  Extended  Westward,  as  the  First  Heavy 
Line  from  the  Right  Indicates.  Between  Central  and  Mountain  Zones 
the  Boundary  Now  FoUows  the  100th  Meridian.  The  Pacific  Zone  Takes  In 
Practically  AH  of  Utah,  Idaho,  and  Nevada,  and  About  Half  of  Montana 

were  never  recognized  as  official  by  the 
government,  but  the  new  ones  are. 


THREATENED  POWER  SHORTAGE 

OFFSET  BY  CONSOLIDATION 

The  development  of  a  situation  which 
for  a  time  threatened  to  cause  a  serious 
loss  of  power  to  California  industries  has 

just  been  averted  by  the     

consolidation  of  three 
large  hydroelectric  sys- 
tems. By  this  means 
electric  power  manufac- 
tured near  the  Califor- 
nia-Oregon line  is  trans- 
mitted continuously  for 
a  distance  of  300  miles 
to  the  industrial  region 
around  San  Francisco 
Bay.  There  has  hereto- 
fore been  a  large  surplus 
of  power  in  the  northern 

part  of  the   state   which      ' — 

was  unavailable,  and  it 
is  expected  that  approxi- 
raatelx  60,000,000  kw.-hr. 
of  power  will  be  brought 
annually   from   there   to 


HEAVY  TRUCK  WHEEL  FLOATS 

ON  RUBBER  CUSHIONS 

Adding  to  the  resiliency  of  the  solid- 
rubber  tires  used  on  motor  trucks  is  an 
attractive  field  for  the  exercise  of  inge- 


At  the  Left  Is  the  Steel  Frame  of  the  Wheel,  Before  the  Cushions  are 
Inserted.  In  the  Center  Is  a  Section  through  the  Vertical  Diameter  of 
the  Finished  Wheel,  Showing  How  the  Axle  Is  Floated  on  the  Rubber 
Cushions,  While  the  View  of  the  Complete  Wheel  at  the  Right  Gives  an 
Idea  of  Its  Appearance 


the  rapidly  in- 
creasing industrial  districts  of  middle  Cal- 
ifornia. This  will,  in  turn,  bring  about 
the  saving  X)f  some  20,000  bbl.  of  oil,  which 
is  now  being  used  for  the  generation  of 
power.  Industries  of  central  California 
arc  thus  assured  of  development  unham- 
pered by  lack  -of  adequate  motive  power. 


nuity.  Most  of  the  attempts,  however,  de- 
pend upon  steel  springs,  which  in  this 
connection  are  apt  to  be  a  source  of 
trouble.  The  steel  framework  of  a  new 
type  of  truck  wheel  is  supported  by  six 
round  rubber  cushions  which,  with  their 
inclosing  rings,  fill  the  space  between  the 
regular  ring  of  the  wheel  and  the  center 


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544 


POPULAR   MECHANICS 


or  hub  ring.  Side  plates  in  the  form  of 
solid  spiders  bolt  to  the  center  of  each 
rubber  cushion  and  are  seated  on  the 
hub.  The  axle  has  no  connection  with 
the  frame  of  the  wheel  except  through 
the  rubber  cushions,  making,  in  auto- 
motive parlance,  a  ''full-floating''  wheel. 
As  the  entire  periphery  of  each  cushion 
is  inclosed  by  the  frame,  resilience  is  of- 
fered to  shocks  from  any  direction  and 
pressure  is  distributed  around  the  rim. 


NOVEL  THERMOMETER 

FOR  THE  BLIND 

Marked  simplicity  is  one  of  the  out- 
standing points  of  interest  found  in  a 
thermometer  of  French  invention  that  is 
intended  for  the  use  of  the  blind. 


BY  COURTEST   OF  LA  NATURE 


An   Ingenious   Thermometer    of    Marked    Simplicity 
Intended  for  Persons  Who  Are  Blind 

tween  two  uprights.  The  bulb  end  is 
near  the  axle.  Thus,  as  the  temperature 
drops,  causing  the  mercury  to  move  bulb- 
ward,  the  beam  rises.  An  opposite  change 
of  temperature  obviously  causes  the  mem- 
ber to  descend.  Supported  at  its  outer 
extremity  is  an  arc-shaped  flexible  piece 
of  metal  that  bears  a  series  of  perforations 
and  on  its  face  is  provided  with  gradua- 
tions and  Braille  characters.  To  make  a 
reading,  a  blind  person  presses  against 
the  arc  so  that  a  small  needle  at  the  end 
of  the  balanced  beam  enters  the  perfora- 
tion with  which  it  is  in  alinement.  Then 
locating  the  latter  by  touch,  and  translat- 
ing the  characters  opposite  it  on  the  arc- 
shaped  dial,  the  temperature  is  determined. 


C  Canada's  Royal  Northwest  Mounted 
Police,  celebrated  in  fact  and  fiction,  are 
to  be  reorganized  on  the  pre-war  basis 
of  1,200  men.  The  "Scarlet  Riders,"  as 
they  were  also  called,  were  almost  dis- 
banded by  wholesale  enlistment  of  their 
members  in  the  overseas  army. 


OFFER  BIG  PRIZE  FOR  ESSAY 

ON  WORKERS  AND  WAGES 

A  thoughtfully  prepared  essa^  on  one  of 
the  subjects  outlined  here  may  win  a  good 
prize  for  its  author.  The  donor  is  the 
National  Industrial  Conference  Board, 
and  the  contest  is  open  to  everybody  ex- 
cept, of  course,  persons  connected  with 
the  board.  No  limit  is  placed  on  the 
length  of  any  paper,  although  contestants 
are  urged  not  to  be  unduly  expansive. 
The  prize  is  $1,000  for  the  best  monograph 
on  any  one  of  these  topics: 

1.  A  practicable  plan  for  representation  of  work- 

ers in  determining  conditions  of  work,  and 
for  prevention  of  mdustrial  disputes. 

2.  The   major   causes   of  unemployment   and   how 

to  minimize  them. 

3.  How  can  efficiency  of  workers  be  so  increased 

as  to  make  high  wage  rates  economically 
practicable? 

4.  Should  the  state  interfere  in  the  determination 

of  wage  rates? 

5.  Should   rates  of  wages  be  definitely  based   on 

the  cost  of  living? 

6.  How   can   present   systems    of   wage   payments 

be  so  perfected  and  supplemented  as  to  be 
most  conducive  to  individual  efficiency  and 
to  the  contentment  of  workers? 

7.  The  closed  union   shop  versus  the  open  shop: 

their  social  and  economic  value  compared. 

8.  Should    trade    unions    and    employers'    associa- 

tions be  made  legally  responsible? 

Each  competitor  is  to  sign  an  assumed 
name  to  his  paper  and  send  his  real  name 
and  address  separately  in  a  sealed  envel- 
ope with  the  assumed  name  written  on  it. 
Especial  weight  will  be  given  to  composi- 
tion and  skill  in  handling  the  subject, 
and  the  copyright  on  the  prize-winning 
essay  will  be  retained  by  the  board,  which 
may  arrange  with  authors  for  the  use  of 
others  not  awarded  a  prize.  Manuscripts 
should  be  addressed  to  the  National  In- 
dustrial Conference  Board,  15  Beacon 
Street,  Boston,  Mass.,  and  marked  **For 
Prize  Essay  Contest,  in  Industrial  Eco- 
nomics." They  must  be  mailed  on  or  be- 
fore July  1,  this  year. 


ANY  CIVILIAN  MAY  FLY  NOW 
IF  QUALIFIED 

Any  civilian  who  is  ambitious  to  join 
the  ranks  of  the  peace-time  fliers,  profes- 
sional or  amateur,  now  has  only  to  prove 
his  qualification  and  he  can  get  a  permit. 
Military  restrictions  no  longer  apply  to 
the  licensing  of  civilian  pilots  under  the 
presidential  proclamation  of  Feb.  28,  1918. 
Applications  are  handled  by  the  Joint 
Army  and  Navy  Board  on  Aeronautic 
Cognizance,  Building  D,  Sixth  and  B 
Streets,  Washington.  Lieut.  L.  G. 
Haugen  is  secretary  of  the  board. 


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oAf A*if;/x«^   Koo:Me    rv»      Beginning  Work  on  One  of  the  Dry  Reservoirt  with       .1  ^   «.#.^^4.^«.   «or+   r^f 

retention  basins,  or         •        ^^  Electric  Drag.  Line  Excavator  t"^  greater  part  ot 


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Wbich  Is  the  Upstream  Side 
^  

546 


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trom  the  uars  uoet  into  tnc   iiopper  at  the   isottom  ana  up  a 
rv^  Conveyor  Belt 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


the  excavation  drag-line  excavators 
were  adopted.  These  are  electrically  driv- 
en and  have  thus  far  proved  their  effi- 
ciency. Practically  every  electric  drag  line 
available  in  the  United  States  was  bought 
up  for  this  construction  work.  Engineers, 
in  one  instance,  had  to  wade  through  four 
feet  of  snow  in  northern  Michigan  to  find 
a  suitable  electric  drag  line  available  in 
that  section.  To  get  it  to  a  railway  and 
ready  for  shipment  to  Dayton,  Ohio,  a 
gang  of  men  shoveled  snow,  six  feet  deep, 
for  four  days  for  a  quarter  of  a  mile  with 
the  thermometer  35°  below  zero.  Two 
machines  were  lifted  from  swamps  in 
southeastern  Mississippi.  In  all,  18  exca- 
vators of  this  type  were  bouj^ht  at  an  ex- 
pense of  $425,000.  Eight  of  them  are  op- 
erated by  steam. 

In  carrying  on  the  work,  six  small  three- 
ton  gasoline  locomotives,  of  24-in.  gauge, 
for  handling  concrete  in  making  the  dry 
reservoirs,  or  dams,  were  purchased,  and 
to  be  used  with  these,  -81  standard  12-yd. 
dump  cars  were  taken  over.  For  the  con- 
crete itself,  a  dozen  hopper  cars  were 
found  necessary.  To  carry  water  for  the 
hydraulic  fill  at  the  dams,  12,000  ft.  of 
steel  pipe  will  be  required.  Five  gravel- 
washing  plants  were  erected  at  the  sites 
of  the  five  dams,  and  special  electric  lines 
had  to  be  built  from  a  Dayton  plant  to 
furnish  the  motive  power  for  operating 
the  machinery.     The   buckets  used  with 


the  drag-line  excavators  are  more  than 
6  ft.  long  by  4  ft.  in  width. 

The  flood-conservancy  project  consists 
of  the  dry-reservoir  system,  which,  once 
constructed,  will  occupy  five  different 
tracts  of  land  in  the  district.  At  unusual 
periods  of  high  water,  it  is  designed  to 
permit  all  overflow  water  to  run  into 
these  basins.  They  will  be  so  stoutly  con- 
structed that  they  cannot  break  under 
pressure  of  millions  of  gallons  of  water. 
The  river  channel,  thus  relieved  of  the 
additional  burden  of  high  water,  will  not 
be  threatened,  and  the  customary  danger 
of  banks  breaking  or  overflowing  is  en- 
tirely eliminated.  The  dr>'-reservoir  plan 
was  originated  by  chief  engineer  Arthur 
E.  Morgan,  who  has  worked  on  the  pro- 
ject with  a  corps  of  assistants  since  1913. 
One  of  his  chief  aids  is  Charles  Paul,  who 
built  the  great  Arrow  Rock  Dam  in  the 
West. 

A  feature  of  the  work  is  the  purchase 
by  the  conservancy  district  of  the  village 
of  Osbom,  in  Greene  County.  The  entire 
population  will  soon  have  to  move,  be- 
cause the  village  occupies  the  site  of  an 
important  part  of  the  flood-prevention 
work.  This  is  the  first  time  in  the  coun- 
try's history  that  a  project  has  been  large 
enough  to  warrant  the  purchase  of  a  vil- 
lage of  500  inhabitants.  Railroads  and 
traction  lines  have  been  obliged  to  move 
their  tracks   in   keeping  with   the  plans. 


The  Foreground  Is  Level  Bedrock*  Which  Needs  Only  to  be  Washed  Clean,  and  the  Heavy  Concrete  Walls, 
Going  Up  in  the  Background,  are  Built  Directly  Upon  It,  tt  Peet  High 


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649 


It  will  require  as  much  concrete  to  com- 
plete the  dams  as  was  used  in  the  build- 
ing of  the  Panama  Canal.  One  hundred 
skilled  engineers  are  being  employed. 
Charles  H.  Locher,  a  construction  engi- 
neer of  national  prominence,  is  in  direct 
charge  of  the  entire  construction  work. 
Scores  of  cottages,  and  also  schoolhouses, 
have  been  erected  at  the  various  dam  sites 
for  the  workmen  and  their  children. 


CONCRETE  TRACK  BASE 

WITHOUT  BALLAST 

A  concrete  track  base  is  being  success- 
fully used  without  ballast,  on  a  short 
stretch  of  open  main  line,  by  a  western 
railroad.  A  continuous  concrete  slab,  8  ft. 
wide,  with  wood  cushions  for  the  rails,  is 
the  salient  feature  of  the  arrangement. 
The  thickness  varies,  for  experimental 
reasons,  from  16%  in.  to  24  in.  Also  as  an 
experiment,  both  continuous  timber  bear- 
ings and  short  wood  blocks  were  used 
under  the  rails  on  different  sections.  The 
concrete  was  molded  in  bottomless  forms 
on  the  well-tamped  roadbed,  at  a  point 
where  it  runs  through  a  gravel  cut,  and 
no  ballast  was  used.  The  wood  cushions 
for  the  rails  are  screwed  to  wood  sills, 
imbedded  in  the  concrete.  Although  the 
concrete  base  is  continuous  with  the  track, 
%6-in.  expansion  joints,  cushioned  with 
asphalt,  are  provided  by  molding  the  slabs 
in  lengths  of  16  ft.  SVz  in.  The  ends  of  the 
slabs  are  mortised  to  guard  against  side 
shifting.  It  is  agreed  that  the  concreted 
track  rides  more  easily  than  adjacent 
tracks  of  usual  construction,  and  mainte- 
nance is  low. 


NIGHT   GOGGLES   FOR  AUTOISTS 

DIM  GLARE  OF  HEADLIGHTS 

Special  goggles  have  recently  been  in- 
vented for  the  convenience  of  motorists 
_  who,  driving  at 
night,  are  fre- 
quently blinded 
by  the  glare  of 
lamps  of  passing 
cars  that  are  un- 
dimmed.  A  por- 
tion of  the  left- 
hand  part  of  each 
lens  in  these  gog- 
gles is  colored,  and  when  the  wearer  ap- 
proaches a  blinding  light,  he  has  only  to 
turn  his  head  slightly  and  the  rays  are 
dimmed  hy  the  shaded  portion  of  the 
glass,  while  the  remainder  of  the  field 
of  vision  is  viewed  through  clear  glass. 


S 


I 


PIECES  OF  SHELL  IN  WOUNDS 

LOCATED  WITH  VIBRATOR 

Locating  pieces  of  shell,  or  the  like, 
in  a  wound  is  much  facilitated  by  using 
an  electric  vibrator,  recently  developed  in 


The  Surgeon   Moves  His  Hands  over  the  Patient's 

Body,  and  the  Electric  Vibrator  Aids  in   Locating 

Imbedded  Steel  Fragments  by  Its  Magnetizing  Effect, 

Which  Causes  the  Overlying  Muscles  to  Vibrate 

France  and  said  to  possess  advantages 
over  X-ray  apparatus  employed  for  sim- 
ilar purposes.  The  vibrator  is  suspended 
by  a  cord  passing  through  a  pulley  at  the 
end  of  a  swinging  arm,  so  that  it  can  be 
brought  directly  over  the  operating  table 
and  raised  or  lowered  as  desired.  It  is 
operated  by  an  alternating  current  or, 
where  that  is  not  available,  a  commutator 
is  employed,  and  a  quick-action  inter- 
rupter is  also  necessary.  As  the  exam- 
ining surgeon  moves  his  hands  over  the 
flesh  in  the  vicinity  of  the  wound  the 
vibrator  is  held  close  to  the  back  of  his 
hands  by  an  attendant.  When  the  sur- 
geon's fingers  touch  a  place  close  to  the 
imbedded  fragment  he  feels  a  distinct  vi- 
bration of  the  muscles. 


CAccording  to  recent  action  of  the 
French  government  every  discharged 
poilu  is  to  have  his  steel  helmet  as  a  per- 
manent souvenir  of  his  part  in  the  war. 


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CONCRETED  EARTHEN  BASIN 

BIG  OIL  RESERVOIR 

Shortage  of  steel  has  caused  reinforced- 
concrete  to  be  used  in  the  construction 
of  a  350,000-bbl.  oil  reservoir  near  Gaines- 


The  Photograph  Above  was  Taken  When  the  Roof  of  the  Storage  Basin 

was  Nearing  Completion.    The  Reinforcing  Wires  in  the  Cover  and  Slope 

Slabs  are  Tied  Together  and  Also   Connected  with  the   Pipe   Lines  as  a 

Precaution  against  Pire   being  Caused  by  Lightning 

ville,  Tex.  The  type  is  found  in  Califor- 
nia fields,  but  is  new  in  Texas.  It  con- 
sists of  a  circular  basin  floored  with  three 
inches  of  wire-strengthened  concrete  and 
covered  with  a  concrete  roof  supported 
on  timber  posts  and  girders.  The  bowl 
was  provided  by  making  a  5-ft.  excava- 
tion to  a  limestone  stratum,  and  throw- 
ing up  an  earthern  embankment,  17  ft.  in 
height.  By  tying  together  the  wiring  in 
the  roof  and  slope  slabs,  and  connecting 
the  pipe  lines  likewise  with  the  roof  re- 
inforcing, precaution  has  been  taken 
against  fire  being  caused  by  lightning. 


CTThe  Dutch  government  has  contracted 
for  a  powerful  radio  station  which  will 
enable  Holland  to  communicate  by  wire- 
less with  Java,  a  Dutch  possession,  which 
is  to  have  a  sister  station. 


SMALL  OUTPUT  AND  BREAKAGE 

MAKE  SHORTAGE  IN  DISHES   ? 

A  war  hardship  which  America  escaped 
by  a  narrower  margin  than  has  been  gen- 
erally realized  was  a  pronounced  scarcity 
of  china  and  porcelain 
ware  for  table  use.  Had 
the  war  continued  for 
some  months  longer 
many  low-priced  restau- 
rants probably  .would 
have  been  forced  to  use 
enameled  or  paper 
dishes.  Two  factors 
brought  the  market  in 
this  country  to  this  crit- 
ical condition,  which  has 
not  been  altogether  re- 
lieved by  the  signing- of 
the  armistice.  On  the 
one  hand,  production 
was  greatly  curtailed  in 
France  and  to  a  less  de- 
gree in  England,  and 
many  shipments  were 
sunk  on  their  way  to  this 
country.  Many  firms 
found  that  it  took  a  year 
or  more  to  get  orders 
filled  in  England,  while 
formerly  it  had  taken 
about  six  months. 

The  second  factor  con- 
tributing to  the  shortage 
was  the  increased  break- 
age    due     to     inefficient 
help   in   hotels  and    res- 
taurants, and  also  to  in- 
ferior quality    of    mate- 
rial.     Even    the    normal 
breakage   in    public   eat- 
ing establishments  is  so  great  as  to  appall 
one  unfamiliar  with   the   business.     The 
manager  of  one  of  the  largest  concerns  in 
the  country  operating  a  chain   of  lunch 
counters  and  restaurants  found  that  when 
help   was   most    difficult    to    obtain    the 
breakage  ran  away  above  normal.    Of  late 
the    condition    has    improved    somewhat, 
but   still  the  breakage  loss  has   been    in 
the  vicinity  of  $4,000  per  month.    While 
this  concern  had  less  delay  than  many  in 
receiving  shipments    from    England,  the 
general  shortage  was  reflected  in  prices 
it  paid.     Cups  that  formerly  cost  $1.35 
per  dozen  rose  to  $2.90  per  dozen.     But- 
ter chips  which  once  cost  18  cents  per 
dozen  have    been    selling    for    80    cents 
per   dozen,   while   glasses   that   were    35 
cents  per  dozen  advanced  to  95  cents. 
In  a  typical  Chicago  cafeteria,  when 


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The  Fastest  Thing  with  Wings:    The  Christmas  "Bullet/*  a  Strutless  Biplane  That  has  Developed 

a  Speed  of  196  Miles  an  Hour  in  Flight.    Both  in  Design  and  Performance,  This 

Is  One  of  the  Most  Striking  Aeroplanes  of  American  Invention 


help  was  hard  to  obtain,  the  breakage 
mounted  to  $8  per  day.  Now,  with  prices 
not  materially  different,  the  grade  of  help 
is  improved,  and  breakage  has  been  re- 
duced to  $5  per  day.  One  of  the  lead- 
ing clubs  of  the  same  city  finds  its  break- 
age bill  now  averaging  $15  per  day,  as 
against  $8  before  the  war.  The  club  man- 
ager rates  his  help  above  the  average  and 
attributes  this  increase  almost  wholly  to 
higher  prices.  While  conditions  through- 
out the  countrv  are  still  far  from  normal, 
dealers  no  longer  fear  that  enameled  ware 
and  paper  cups  will  have  to  be  resorted  to. 


FLEXIBLE,  STRUTLESS  BIPLANE 
TRAVELS  AT  ENORMOUS  SPEED 

From  the  standpoint  of  the  spectacular, 
there  is  nothing  in  the  aeronautical  world 
that  can  approach  a  new  American  bi- 
plane known  as  the  Christmas  "Bullet."  It 
is  the  fastest  thing  with  wings,  and  in 
many  ways  the  most  astonishing.  In 
flight  it  has  attained  the  tremendous  speed 
of  195  miles  an  hour — which  is  about  50 
miles  an  hour  swifter  than  the  record- 
breaking  Loening  monoplane. 

In  design,  the  "Bullet"  is  as  daring  as 
its  performance  is  remarkable.  It  is  abso- 
lutely strutless  and  does  not  even  employ 
bracing  wires.  Its  wings  have  almost 
birdlike  flexibility.  They  are  supple,  resil- 
ient, and  self-adjusting.  They  are  able  to 
bend  in  three  separate  planes,  which  sup- 
posedly allows  the  craft  to  maintain  its 
equilibrium  automatically  in  any  kind  of 
weather  and  makes  it  less  subject  to  the 
racking  effect  which  results  in  rigid  ma- 


chines when  shocks  are  encountered  in 
the  air.  When  at  rest,  the  wings  droop  in 
a  negative  dihedral,  while  in  flight  they 
can  assume  positive  and  negative  amount- 
ing to  18  in.  from  horizontal  in  either  di- 
rection. Obviously  this  gives  the  wing 
tips  a  3-ft.  range  of  flexibility,  so  that  it 
is  not  departing  from  fact  to  describe 
their  motions  as  birdlike. 

Some  of  the  "BulletV  specifications  are 
interesting.  The  span  of  the  top  plane  is 
28  ft.,  and  that  of  the  bottom  one,  12  ft. 
The  chords  are  5  ft.  and  2V2  ft.,  respec- 
tively. The  angle  of  incidence  amounts 
to  three  degrees,  the  gap,  4  ft.,  and  the 
length  of  the  fuselage  17^  ft.  A  six-cyl- 
inder Liberty  motor  of  185  hp.  is  used. 
The  landing  speed  is  60  miles;  three-quar- 
ter throttle  speed,  175  miles,  and  extreme 
normal  speed,  197  miles  an  hour.  Con- 
trary to  what  one  might  expect  from  per- 
formance, the  machine  is  not  light.  It 
weighs,  when  loaded,  2,100  lb.,  which 
means  a  wing  load  of  12  lb.  to  the  square 
foot. 

An  accident,  which  is  reported  to  have 
killed  the  pilot  and  badly  injured  the 
plane  some  weeks  ago  during  a  test  flight, 
would  seem  to  indicate  that  the  craft  has 
a  low  factor  of  safety.  The  designer, 
however,  makes  claims  to  the  contrary. 
Several  machines  of  the  type  are  being 
manufactured  for  foreign  shipment,  and 
the  construction  of  a  giant  model,  with 
wing  spread  of  180  ft.,  and  four  motors 
aggregating  3,000  hp.,  is  planned  for  a 
nonstop  transatlantic  flight.  It  is  to  be 
a  land  machine,  unequipped  for  making 
a  descent  at  sea. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


DOUBLE-REDUCTION  PRINCIPLE 

ySED  ON  CAPABLE  TRACTOR 

Interesting     mechanical     features     are 
found  in  a  tractor  of  recent  introduction. 


Motor-Car  Control,  Double  Gear  Reduction,  and  Direct  Drive  in  Second, 
or  Plowing,  Speed  Are  Some  of  the  Interesting  Points  of  the  New  Tractor. 
—     -        -•"•''•        It  a  Gej 


The  Rear  Axle  Construction  Gives  ! 


It  is  estimated,  for  instance,  that  the 
drawbar  pull  on  direct  drive  is  at  least  20 
per  cent  greater  than  that  of  other  ma- 
chines of  similar  horsepower.  This  ad- 
vantage is  gained  through  a  patented 
rear-axle  construction  of  double-reduc- 
tion principle.  The  arrangement  gives  a 
gear  ratio  of  approximately  50  to  1.  A 
worm  gear  drives  a  jackshaft,  whose  pin- 
ions mesh  with  internal  gears  on  the  bull 
wheels.  Every  working  part  is  in  an  oil 
and  dust-proof  housing.  With  a  four-cyl- 
inder, 28-hp.  motor,  the  tractor,  weighing 
4,500  lb.,  has  a  drawbar  pull  of  about 
3,000  lb.  The  transmission  is  of  conven- 
tional type  except  that  direct  drive  is  in 
second,  or  plowing,  speed.  The  latter  is 
two  and  a  half  miles  an  hour,  while  high, 
or  road,  speed  is  five  miles.  The  drawbar 
is  of  the  swinging  type  and  pivoted  near 
the  front  of  the  chassis.  This  prevents 
the  tractor  from  rearing  when  under 
heavy  load.  The  belt  speed  of  the  pulley 
is  2,200  ft.  a  minute. 


MINERAL  VALUE  TEN  BILLION 

IN  TWO  YEARS 

Value  of  mineral  products  of  the  United 
States  for  the  last  two  years  reached  a 
grand  total  of  over  $10,- 
000,000,000.  Chief  of 
these  products  ar,c  pig 
iron,  copper,  ferro-alloys, 
lead,  zinc,  gold,  silver, 
and  aluminum,  with  a 
figure  of  $2,091,825,000  in 

1917  and  over  $1,895,000,- 
000  in  1918;  and  the  non- 
metallic  products,  coal, 
petroleum,  clay,  cement, 
and  natural  gas,  reaching 
about  $2,889,000,000  in 
1917,  and  more  than  $3,- 
265,000,000  in  1918.  Alas- 
ka's share  in* this. produc- 
tion   was    $28,900,000    in 

1918  and  over  $40,000,000 
in  1917,  the  falling  off  be- 
ing due  to  shortage  of 
labor,  and  shipping.  .Her 
coal  output  of  77,000 
tons,  however,  broke  all 

records  and  is  taken  to  forecast  a  sub- 
stantial Alaskan  coal  industry.  The  pe- 
ninsula's chief  mineral  product,  copper, 
was  produced  to  the  extent  of  69,426,000 
lb.  in  1918.  Her  gold  output  of  $6,100,000 
was  the  smallest  since  1904,  due  to  the 
various   influences  of  the   war. 


ear  Ratio  of  60  to  One 


CIn  spite  of  the  old  adage  to  the  con- 
trary, some  things  done  by  halves  are 
done  most  satisfactorily,  as  for  example 
the  much-used  Quinsigamond  bridge  at 
Worcester,  Mass.  Here  traffic  suffered  a 
minimum  of  interruption  by  completing 
and  putting  into  use  one  longitudinal  half 
of  the  new  structure  before  the  other 
half  was  built. 


UNUSUAL  GARDEN  OF  CONCRETE 
RENDEZVOUS  AT  HAVANA 

Situated  in  the  midst  of  rolling  hills  and 
tropical  splendor,  there  has  been  built  near 
Havana  of  late  a  recreation  garden  of  sin- 
gular character.  Its  oddity  consists,  not  in 
the  purpose  to  which  it  is  put  nor  in  the 
style  of  its  architecture,  but  in  the  fact  that 
it  is  constructed  ajmost  entirely  of  con- 
crete. There  would  be  nothing  unusual  in 
this  were  it  not  for  the  manjier  in  which 
the  concrete  has  been  used.  Inside  and  out 
the  connecting  structures  are  of  rustic  de- 
sign and  appearance.  The  heavy  roof  of 
the  open-sided  veranda,  or  portico,  for  in- 
stance, is  supported  by  what  seem  to  be 
the  trunks  of  massive  trees,  but  which  in 
reality  are  concrete  columns  of  praise- 
worthy workmanship.  From  its  elabo- 
rately tessellated  flooring  to  its  inlaid 
starry  ceiling,  across  which  are  heavy 
timberlike  beams,  it  is  executed  in  artifi- 
cial stone.  Only  the  big-leafed  vines  that 
cling  to  the  imitation  tree  trunks,  and  the 
verdure  without,  are  natural. 


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0fc>uu«,u«v   J.B  «  TvvftK  1.U  \«vuwrciv— uic  xrcc  xruACBf 

Ceiling  Beams,  Decorative   Inlay,  and  Everything 


^ ^  ^ 

This    Is    the    Pictvu-esque    Entrance    to    the  Only  the  Big-Leafed  Vines  That  Entwine  the 

Omrden,  and  despite   Its  Rustic   Appearance,  Concrete   Trees,    and   the    Greenery   Thft   Is 

It,  Too,  is  Built  of  Artificial  Stoac  Visihle  in  the  Background,  Are  Natural 


-r^    ^K. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


MAKERS   OF  BIG  BOSS   PLATES 

DO  RAPID  WORK 

A  recent  record  for  rapid  work  in  con- 
nection   with   shipbuilding,    of    which    a 


Crew  of  Vancouver,  WashingtOB,  Men  Which  Recently  Turned  Out  Eight 

Boss  Plates  in  Five  and  One-Half  Hours:     The  Bis  Sample  of  Their 

Speedy  Work,  Standing  in  Their  Midst,  Is  for  a  9,000.Ton  Freighter 


making  boss  plates,  is  very  proud,  con- 
sisted in  turning  out  eight  plates  in  five 
and  one-half  hours.  Previously  these  men 
had  hammered  out  two  plates  in  a  day, 
and  it  was  thought  they  had  done  very 
well.  Some  idea  of  the  labor  involved  in 
such  production  can  be  gained  from  the 
accompanying  photograph. 


FORTY-MILLION-POUND    BLAST 
NARROWLY  AVERTED 

Two  500,000-Ib.  powder  magazines  set 
off  by  the  explosion   of  a  powder  train, 
tly  followed  by  other  mag- 
azines containing  39,000,- 
000  lb.  of  explosive;  the 
whole    city   of   Philadel- 
phia rocked  as  if  by  an 
earthquake,    with    enor- 
mous   loss    of    life   and 
property;     that     is     one 
horror  of  war  that  Amer- 
ica escaped  by  a  scant  90 
minutes.      The     govern- 
ment's    big    bag-loading 
plant      at      Washington 
Park,  N.  J.,  several  times 
threatened      by      enemy 
agents,  was  placed  under 
close   watch    by    secret- 
service    men.      At    2:30 
one  morning  a  long  pow- 
der   train    was    shunted 
onto  a  siding  in  the  plant, 
between   two  magazines, 
the     train,     and     found 
strapped  under  a  middle  car,  a  time  bomb 
loaded  with  TNT  and  set  for  4:30  a.  m. 
Under  the   floor   of   another   car   was   a 
stick  of  dynamite  wrapped  in  oil  waste, 
whose  tendency  to  spontaneous  combus- 
tion was  relied  upon  to  act  if  the  time 
bomb  failed. 


Men     searched 


DISPATCH  SERUM  BY  RUNNERS 
TO  TOWNS  IN  FAR  NORTH 

Word  has  recently  been  received  of  the 
heroic  efforts  made  during  recent  months 
to  check  the  influenza 
epidemic  in  Yukon  terri- 
tory, where  remote  com- 
munities faced  grave 
danger  because  of  limited 
medical  and  nursing  sup- 
plies. To  meet  the  emer- 
gency, Indian  runners  i 
with  dog  teams  were  dis- 
patched from  Dawson 
with  anti-influenza  se- 
rum and  sent  across  the 
snow  as  far  north  as 
Fort  McPherson,  near 
the  mouth  of  the  Mac- 
kenzie River,  making  the 
round  trip  of  1,000  miles  in  a  little  less 
than  two  months,  which  is  a  fair  perform- 
since  in 'midwinter.  The  journey  included 
crossing  the  Rocky  Mountains. 


HIGHWAY  CURVE  GUARDED  * 
BY  STRIPED  FENCE 

To  make  a  guard  rail  along  a  concrete 
highway  near  Chicago  doubly  conspicu- 


Motorists  Speeding  around  This  Curve  in  a  Concrete   Highway  near 

Chicago,  Day  or  Night,  can  Scarcely  Miss  Seeing  This  Guard 

Rail,  Made  Doubly  Conspicuous  by  Diagonal  Black  Stripes 

ous,  its  white  surface  has  been  painted 
with  diagonal  black  stripes.  The  barrier 
is  located  at  the  outer  edge  of  a  wide 
sweeping  curve. 


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DUMP  BOTTOM  FOR  TRUCKS 

SAVES  TIME  AND  LABOR 

A  labor-saving  improvement  in  truck 
bodies,  designed  to  be  applied  to  any  type 
of  motor  truck  used  in  hauling  materials 
for  road  building,  and  the  like,  consists  of 
a  series  of  plates  forming  a  bottom  that 
can  be  dumped  by  operating  a  single  lever. 
These  plates,  or  leaves,  extend  the  width 
of  the  truck  body  and,  when  the  bottom  is 
closed,  make  a  tight  floor.  Each  is  pivoted 
off  center,  and  its  axle  is  connected  by  a 
lever  with  a  bar  extending  along  the  side 
of  the  body  to  an  operating  lever  beside 
the  driver's  seat.  By  shifting  this  lever 
the  load  can  be  discharged  slowly  or 
quickly  and  distributed  along  the  roadway 
at  the  same  time.  Thus  the  labor  ordi- 
narily required  to  spread  the  material  is 
saved. 


VACUUM  WASHING  MACHINE 
FOR  ARMY  BLANKETS 

As  any  laundress  will  testify,  washing 
woolen  blankets  is  hard  on  the  hands, 
the  back,  and  the  blankets.  In  the  British 
anny,  the  multiplied  problem  led  to  the 
design  of  a  blanket-washing  machine. 
The  blankets  are  placed  in  a  circular  gal- 
vanized tank  with  the  prepared  washing 
fluid.  A  vertical  spindle  carries  three 
vacuum  cups  which  alternately  pound  the 
blankets  and  draw  water  through  them 
by  suction  as  the  spindle  rises  and  falb, 


driven  by  an  eccentric.  A  slight  rotary 
motion  changes  the  position  of  the  spin- 
dle at  each  stroke,  and  a  spring  gives  extra 
pressure  to  insure  a  good  vacuum.  One 
machine  washes  600  blankets  in  10  hours. 


FURNACE  ANNEALS  SHELLS 
IN  VAST  NUMBERS 

One  of  the  machines  which  helped 
make  possible  the  enormous  output  of 
ammunition  required  by  our  forces  dur- 
ing the  war,  is  an  automatic  annealing 
furnace  which,  it  is  said,  is  capable  of 
annealing  250,000  cartridges  in  10  hours. 
The  time  required  for  the  passage  of 
shells  from  the  hopper  to  the  dumping 
spout   varies   from   six   to   nine   minutes, 


Peedinir    Cartridge    SheUs    into   a    Furnace    Which 

Automatically  Anneals  Them  at  the  Rate  of  86,000 

an  Hour:    The  Process  Consumes  from  Six  to  Nine 

Minutes 

according  to  their  thickness.  The.  furnace 
is  heated  by  gas,  and  its  temperature  is 
regulated  by  a  pyrometer. 


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THREE  DESIRABLE  'FEATURES 

COMBINED  IN  NEW  REEL 

An  improved  reel  for  fishermen  com- 
bines the  level-winding,  free-spool,  and 
antibacklash  features  in  a  single  article. 


This    Fishline    Reel    Has  a    Level- Winding   AtUch. 

ment.  Which  Is   Inoperative  When  Casting,  and 

Also  Automatically  Provides  against  Backlash 

The  level-winding  device  operates  only 
when  reeling  in  the  line  and  falls  out  of 
the  way  when  casting.  The  spool  gears 
are  always  in  mesh  and  a  clutch  is  pro- 
vided, which  automatically  takes  hold 
when  winding  up  the  line  but  lets  go 
when  paying  it  out.  The  instant  the  bait 
strikes  the  water,  the  antibacklash  mech- 
anism within  the  reel  automatically 
thumbs  the  spool.  Any  tension  desired 
can   be  secured   by   adjustment. 


CE  Reducing  the  resistance  of  negative  arc- 
light  carbons  by  an  admixture  of  30  to  50 
per  cent  of  graphite  is  found  by  European 
investigators  to  produce  a  stable  arc  with 
high  current  density  at  the  electrode  sur- 
faces. This  results  in  reducing  the  shadow 
thrown  by  the  negative  electrode. 


GERMANS  WATCHED  FROM  AIR 

BY  YANK  OBSERVERS 

America's  army  of  occupation  in  the 
Rhineland  is  expecting  no  attack  by  Hun 
forces,  neither  is  it  resting  its  arms  and 
forgetting  the  habits  of  the  enemy.  In 
brief,  sausage  balloons,  with  military  ob- 
servers maintaining  vigil,  float  high  above 
the  Yankee  lines  as  in  the  days  of  active 
warfare.  The  first  of  the  balloons  was 
sent  up  early  in  the  year  from  the  fort  of 
Ehrenbreitstein  in  the  bridgehead  zone, 
near  Coblenz. 


SURGEON'S  SCREW  STAND  USED 

IN  PLATING  BONES 

An  English  surgeon  found  that  in  plat- 
ing bones  much  time  was  wasted  in  trying 
to    size    each    screw 
preparatory  to  in- 
serting   it    in   the 
bone.    To  remedy 
difficulty   he   devised 
rcular    tilted    stand, 
having  shallow   holes  in 
its  face,  in  which  the 
screws  are  set  so  that  they  can  be  easily 
grasped  with  a  screw  holder.    The  device, 
with  screws  in   place,  is  lifted  from  the 
sterilizer  direct   to  the  instrument  table 
without  trouble  or  loss  of  time. 


•Y  COUKTK9Y  or 


POWERFUL   FLOATING   DERRICK 
IN  NEW  YORK  HARBOR 

A  floating  derrick  of  100-tons  capacity 


Floating  Derrick  of  lOO-Tons  Capacity  Used  around  the  Docks  and  Piers  in  New  York  Harbor: 
One  Boom  Is  60  and  the  Other  50  Peet  Long 


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RIVER  TRESTLE  FILLED  IN  TO  EASE  PASSENGERS 


The  Long  Trestle  is  Shown  Here  with  the  Pill  Partly  Completed  and  the 

Xiinnlckinnick  River  Plowing  through  the  Finished  Concrete  Culvert.  The 

Completed   Pill  will  Give  the  Railroad  a  Solid  Earth  Foundation 

ing,  which  is  practically  never  the  sub- 
ject of  public  complaint.  An  electric 
interurban  road,  running  out  of  Milwau- 
kee, Wis.,  however,  is  spending  about 
$150,000  to  eliminate  that  very  source  of 
discomfort.  The  crossing  of  the  Kin- 
nickinnick  River,  approaching  Milwaukee, 
was  accomplished  over  a  high  trestle  1,000 
ft.  long.  This  trestle  has  now  been  filled 
in  with  earth,  so  that  the  tracks,  to  all 
intents  and  purposes,  run  on  a  much  more 
substantial-looking  ridge  of  ground.  The 
filling-in  process  required  the  use  of  100,- 
000  cu.  yd.  of  earth  before  the  trestle 
entirely  disappeared  from  view.  Over  the 
river  itself  it  was  necessary  to  build  a 
huge  concrete  culvert,  through  which  the 
Kinnickinnick  now  flows  like  a  mammoth 
drain.  The  culvert  is  197  ft.  long,  48 
ft.  wide,  and  20  ft.  high,  and  is  reinforced 
by  a  central  partition.  Abutments  ex- 
tend for  a  short  distance  from  the  cul- 
vert along  the  river  banks,  to  prevent 
slippage  of  earth  from  the  embankment 
into  the  bed  of  the  stream.  The  original 
trestle  was  not  disturbed,  except  at  the 
l)oint   where    the   concrete    culvert    was 


which  it  is  buried.  Serv- 
ice over  the  railroad  was 
not  interrupted  by  the 
work  of  filling  in,  and  the  passengers  now 
make  the  crossing  at  ease,  almost  uncon- 
scious that  they  have  crossed  a  river  and 
totally  unaware  of  the  trestle. 


IMPROVED  FITTING  STOOL 
FOR  SHOE  STORE 

An  improved  type  of  stool  for  use  by 
clerks  when  tr>'ing  shoes  on  customers  is 
provided  with  an  adjustable 
rule  attached  to  the  foot 
rest,  so  that  the  size 
of  shoe  desired 
can  be  quickly  as- 
certained  by 
measuring  the 
customer's  foot. 
With  the  rule  per- 
manently  at- 
tached     in     this 

way,  there  is  no  possibility  of  its  being 
mislaid. 


C Steps  have  been  taken  to  establish  a' 
military  cemetery  in  France  designated  as 
"The  American  Field  of  Honor/' 


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SURGERY'S  TRIUMPHS  OVER  DEATH  IN  WORLD  WAR 

By  lewis  T.  jester 


j^^^ARVELOUS     surgical      operations, 
^^''  some  of  which  bid  fair  to  revolution- 
ize   surgery,    are   described    by    Capt.    H. 
H.  Pillinger,  United  States  Army  Medi- 
cal Corps.     Captain   Pillinger'  is  a  native 
of  Chicago  and  was  one  of  the  first  30 
American  physicians  to  go  to  France.   He 
was  first  assigned  to  th    '^  '  *  "    ' 
later    was     associated 
French    surgeon     Du 
American  forces  read 
was  detached  from  the 
sent  to  study  chest  ca 

These  easels,  that  U 
heart,  lungs,  or  othe 
the  chest,  had  been  r< 
less  by  the  British,  a( 
tain  Pillinger.  The  I 
on"  medical  men.  and 
of  the  war  took  the  st 
a  man  wounded  in  th 
was  practically  risking 
less  seriously  woundec 
a  better  chance  for  re< 

For  this  reason  man 
Tommies  who  were  wc 
chest  at  that  time — tli 
seriously   wounded — v 
the  last  on  the  field  c 
British  army  surgeon 
fhey  could  do  to  attei 
more  hopeful  cases. 
^  "W  h  en      the 
American  forces  be- 
gan   to    reach    the 
front  in   numbers," 
Captain       Pillinger 
said,  "I  was  called 
back  from  the  Brit- 
ish  army   and   sent 
up  to  Doctor  Duval 
to  make  a  thorough 
study       o  f      chest 
cases.     The  Ameri- 
can   army    had    an 
ample     number     of 
surgeons   and   phy- 
sicians,     and      the 
authorities    wanted 
to   give  every   man 
a  chance  for  his  life.     Doctor  Duval  had 
been  doing  great  work  among  the  wound- 
ed French,  and  at  that  time  was,  and  still 
is.  I   believe,  the  greatest  surgeon   in   the 
.  world  on  what  we  term  chest  cases." 

Captain  Pillinger  worked  under  Duval 
for  some  time  and  was  then  ordered  back 
to  the  American  front.  "While  with  Du- 
val, he  told  me  and  showed  me  all  he 
knew,"  -fie  states.  "I  rejoined  the  Amer- 
icans.   A  few  days  later  an  orderly  came 

558 


SCROLL  SAW 

A  PIECE  of  scrollwork  evidencing  unusual  skill  and 
^^  the  expenditure  of  enormous  time  and  patience 
is  the  miniature  Eiffel  tower  shown  herewith,  which 
serves  as  a  case  for  a  clock.  It  stands  48  in.  high 
and  has  a  88-in.  base.  No  less  than  82  pieces  of 
wood,  from  which  8.600  parts  have  been  sawed,  com. 
pose  the  tower.  Its  construction  occupied  an  aver, 
age  of  five  hours  a  day  for  18  months. 


in  while  I  was  operating  and  told  me  that 
there    was    a    man     in     the     next     room 
wounded  in  the  heart.     I  went  in  to  look 
at  him.    The  bleeding  had  all  but  ceased. 
He  was  placed  under  the  X-ray.    The  pic- 
ture led  me  to  believe  that  the  ball  had 
lodged  in  the  outer  covering  of  the  heart, 
ling  in  the  chest  and 
My  probing  loosened 
id  the  blood  shot  sev- 
air.     My  glasses  were 
I  removed  them  and 
V    of    blood    with    my 
closed  the  wound  in 
iging  pressure  against 
ips,  a  kind  of  forceps. 

for  the  bullet  with  a 
^  it  click  against  the 
a  spoonlike  forceps  in 
nd  by  loosening  the 
lie  bullet  out  through 
[  then  readjusted  the 
the  wound,  and  left 
[  did  not  expect  him 
did  any  of  my  asso- 

t     morning     I     went 
ward,  and  when  I  got 
,n,  he  was  asking  to  be 
:o  sit   up  in  bed.     He 
later  completely  re- 
covered    and     was 
apparently    a    per- 
fectly      well      and 
strong    man    when 
I  last  saw  him.     I 
would  consider  him 
a    complete    recov- 
er>^" 

Captain  Pillin- 
ger also  told  of 
making  an  opening 
in  a  man's  chest 
and  lifting  out  the 
lungs  so  that  part 
of  them  could  be 
cut  away.  This 
grew  to  be  a  com- 
paratively simple 
operation,  he  said,  although,  of  course, 
great  care  had  to  be  taken  to  see  that 
the  lungs  were  perfectly  air-tight  at  its 
completion.  He  believes  that  this  op- 
eration offers  a  cure  for  tuberculosis, 
at  least  in  its  earlier  stages.  The  in- 
fected part  of  the  lung  may  be  cut  away 
or  otherwise  treated.  Whether  it  can 
also  be  used  as  a  means  of  treating  the 
lungs  with  sunlight  or  certain  light  rays, 
remains  to  be  seen. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


559 


Both  of  these  operations  are  out- 
growths of  the  war  and  were  almost  un- 
heard of  before. 

The  use  of  the  magnet  as  a  means  of 
removing  bits  of  shell  from  the  brain, 
prevalent  in  the  earlier  part  of  the  war, 
was  later  discarded.  It  developed,  Cap- 
tain Pillinger  stated,  that  the  magnet  drew 
the  bit  of  shell  directly  to  it,  often  de- 
stroying perfectly  good  brain  cells.  Only 
when  the  bit  of  shell  had  penetrated  the 
brain  in  a  perfectly  straight  course,  could 
the  magnet  be  used  with  safety. 

"We  gave  up  the  magnet,  however,  and 
probed  for  the  bit  of  shell  with  our  fingers 
or  some  instrument.  When  we  got  hold 
of  it,  we  pulled  it  out.  The  torn  or- injured 
brain  cells  were  then  cut  out  and  the  parts 
treated  with  a  saline  solution.  Sometimes 
the  patient  would  lie  for  days,  apparently 
seeing  nothing  and  hearing  nothing. 
Then  you  would  go  in  to  him  one  morn- 
ing and  he  would  speak  to  you.  Yes, 
some  of  the  brain  cells  were  destroyed, 
and  the  patient  sometimes  lost  the  sight 
of  one  or  both  eyes.  Yet,  some  of  the 
cells  later  would  be  replaced  by  nature. 

"I  was  with  the  British,  the  French,  and 
the  American  armies  for  18  months.  Dur- 
ing that  time  the  old  .theories  of  cleanli- 
ness and  germs  were  all  but  annihilated. 
Of  course,  it  is  better  to  have  thoroughly 


cleansed  and  antiseptic  materials  with 
which  to  work.  But  I  have  used  the  same 
water  in  as  many  as  six  or  eight  opera- 
tions, filtering'  it  or  otherwise  treating  it 
after  each  one.  I  have  operated  with  the 
dust  so  thick  that  you  could  hardly  see. 
I  have  had  patients  recover  whose  wounds 
had  been  infected  in  the  worst  kind  of 
way  for  days. 

"And  before  I  was  ordered  home  I  was 
beginning  to  wonder  how  a  man  could 
commit  suicide.  I  have  seen  men 
wounded  in  all  kinds  of  places  with  all 
kinds  of  weapons.  I  had  a  British  ser- 
geant walk  into  my  operating  station.  He 
had  a  bullet  through  his  head.  It  had 
gone  entirely  through  the  brain.  Yet  he 
recovered. 

"When  the  surgeons  could  get  hold  of  the 
men  immediately  after  they  were  wounded, 
the  chances  for  recovery  were  much  bet- 
ter. There  was  one  boy,  a  British  lad, 
who  had  both  arms  and  both  legs  blown 
off.  He  was  loading  shells  in  an  airplane 
and  dropped  one  of  them.  The  bits  of 
shell  flew  outward  instead  of  upward.  He 
was  stooping  over,  and  they  took  his  arms 
and  legs  off.  He  was  brought  in  at  once. 
We  stopped  the  flow  of  blood.  Later  I 
asked  him  if  he  wanted  to  live.  He  said: 
'Yes,  doctor,  life  is  sweet,  even  like 
this/  " 


PULVERIZING   ATTACHMENT 
FOR  PLOWS 

An  attachment  for  a  plow  has  recently 
been  invented  which   breaks  up  the  soil 
as   it   is   turned   back   in 
making  a   furrow.     The 
extra  power  required  to 
pull  the  plow  so  equipped 
is  said  to  be  surprisingly 
small,  and   the  necessity 
of  going  over  the  ground 
with  a  pulverizer  is  en- 
tirely   done    away    with. 
The    new    feature    con- 
sists    of     three     curved 
knives       projecting 
through     slots     in     the 
moldboard    of   the    plow 
at    such    an    angle    that 
they  slice  the  soil  as  it  is 
turned  back.    The  knives 
are    pivoted    to    suitable 
supports  on  the  back  side     ) 
of    the    moldboard,    and 
are  held  in  the  proper  position  by  means 
of  coil  springs,  so  connected  to  them  that 
pressure  against  the  cutting  edges  puts 


the  springs  under  compression.  This  ar- 
rangement gives  the  knives  enough  play 
to  prevent  their  being  clogged  with  roots 
and  stones.  To  all  appearances  the  inven- 
tion is  one  that  may  prove  to  be  of  material 


aid  to  the  agriculturist,  who  always  is  in 
need  of  new  devices  that  will  sive  time 
and  labor. 


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560 


POPULAR   MECHANICS 


WAR-TIME  AUXILIARY  FIREMEN 

iRENDER  VALUABLE  AID 

Among  the  organizations  which  have 
rendered  valuable  service  in  the  cause  of 


Memben  of  Auxiliary  Corps  of  the  New  York  Pire  Department,  in  Their 
Pire-Piffhting  Outfits:  These  Men  Are  Volunteers  Who  were  on  Duty 
Nights   Doing  the  Work   of    Piremen  Who  were   Called  to   the   Colors 

f>ublic  safety  during  the  time  that  the 
nation's  man  power  at  home  has  been 
depleted,  is  the  auxiliary  corps  of  the  New 
York  fire  department.  These  men  re- 
sponded to  an  urgent  appeal  for  helpers 
to  take  the  place  of  more  than  500  fire- 
men who  were  called  to  the  colors.  They 
were  on  duty  from  8  p.  m.  until  6  a.  m., 
sleeping  in  quarters  provided  by  the  de- 
partment. Until  they  volunteered  the  re- 
maining members  of  the  regular  force 
were  sorely  overworked.  These  helpers 
responded  to  second  and  third  fire  alarms 
and  assisted  at  fires  by  stretching  lines, 
picking  up  hose,  and  doing  much  other 
work. 


CARBON-BLACK  PLANTS  MOVE 

TO  CONSERVE  GAS 

Because  of  the  waste  of  natural  gas  in 
the  production  of  carbon  black,  manufac- 
turers of  that  commoditT 
agreed     to     close     their 
I  '    plants  in  the  vicinity  of 
\     Grantsville,  W .  A'a.;  and 

hereafter  to  use  gas  welU  , 
[      in    either    Wyomiag    or 
Louisiana     whose*   loca- 
I      tions  are  too  remote  fol- 
I      commuhit}'^  use.     Carbon 
black  is  simply  the  soot 
deposited    on   :metal 
plates  in  contact  with  an 
open  gas  flame..  *  In  the 
process    th^    heat    is    all 
wasted,  and  but  a  small 
I      portion  of  the  carbon  re- 
covered.   Only  IVs  to  U2 
lb.   of   carbon    black   re-, 
suits  from  the  burning  of 
1,000  cu.  ft.  of  gas.    The 
agreement     was     calcu- 
lated  to    save    15.000.000 
cu.   ft.   a   day,   which    at 
once     became     available 
for  domestic  and  public- 
utility  use.  A  by-product 
of  the  gas,  formerly  wasted,  is  5,000  gal.  of 
gasoline  a  day,  arrangements  for  the  re- 
covery of  which  were  made.     About   10 
per  cent  of  this  countr>''*s  population  is  in 
natural-gas  territory. 


DRIED   BEANS  AND   APPLES 
LAUNDRY  BY-PRODUCT 

Vegetables  and  fruits  are  as  easily  dried 
as  clothing  by  the  evaporative  processes 
of  the  modern  laundry.  The  produce, 
mostly  corn,  beans,  and  apples,  is  brought 
to  the  laundry  already  prepared  and 
placed  on  large  trays  in  the  drier.  Steam 
is  kept  up  for  a  while  in  the  evening,  and 
the  trays  are  removed  in  the  morning. 
Each  tfay  holds  about  10  lb.,  and  the 
drier  can  handle  150  lb.  at  a  time. 


PLUG  PROTECTS  MOTORS 
AGAINST  OVERLOAD 

A  special  feature  of  a  switch  designed 
for  connecting  alternating-current  motors 
direct  on  the  line  is  a  protective  plug  lo- 
cated immediately  be-     

low  the  switch  proper. 
The   motor   circuit    is 
completed    through    a 
heating    coil,    post,    a 
link,  and  a  spring  con- 
tact arm.    In   case  of 
an   overload,  the  cur- 
rent will  heat  the  post 
enough    to    melt    the 
link,  which  is  made  of 
fusible  alloy.    This  al- 
lows the  contact  arm  _ 
to  spring  back,  break- 
ing  the  circuit.  .  Because  of  the  lag.  the 
momentary  inrush  of  starting  current  will 
not  open  the  circuit  unless  there  is  a  dan- 
gerous overvoltage  on  the  line. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


661 


In  This  Service  PUc  There  Are  Sl,200  Stars,  of  Which  1,003  Are  Gold.    It  !■  Ohio's  Largest  Service  Flag 
and  Represents  the  Boys  from  the  Cincinnati  Area  of  the  Methodist  Church 


BIGGEST  OHIO  SERVICE  FLAG 

FOR  METHODIST  BOYS 

A  service  flag  carrying  31.200  stars,  un- 
furled in  Memorial  Hall,  Columbus,  Ohio, 
represents  the  boys  from  the  Cincinnati 
area  of  the  Methodist  Church  who  went 
into  service.  Those  who  will  not  return 
are  accounted  for  by  gold  stars  to  the 
number  of  1,002.  The  flag,  one  yard  wide, 
is  200  yd.  long,  and  took  the  work  of  320 
women  to  make.  It  was  carried  to  the  hall 
by  50  Columbus  soldiers  and  chaplains, 
and  is  the  largest  service  flag  ever  dis- 
played in  Ohio. 


WIRELESS   SERVICE   FOR   MAIL 

AND  PASSENGER  PLANES 

A  radio  company  is  now  prepared  to 
provide  aeroplanes  used  in  mail  and  pas- 
senger service  with  wireless  outfits  and 
ooeratOTS  in  the  same  manner  that  it 
now  supplies  them  to  ships.  Planes 
so  equipped  will  each  have  a  distinctive 
name,  or  number,  so  that  it  will  be  pos- 
sible to  send  messages  to  persons  in  flight 
in  the  same  way  that  communication  is 
now  maintained  with  vessels  at  sea. 


top.    Because  of  their  size,  they  have  been 
made  hollow,  being  the  first  piers  of  this 


CONCRETE  PIERS  FOR  HIGH 

BRIDGE  ARE  HOLLOW 

An  unusual  engineering  feat  in  connec- 
tion with  double-tracking  portions  of  the 
Southern  Railway,  is  the  construction  of 
eight  immense  concrete  piers  to  carry  a 
1,400- ft.  bridge  across  a  ravine  near  Toc- 
coa,  Ga.  The  structure  is  nearly  200  ft. 
high,  and  the  piers  are  30  by  34  ft.  at  the 


Hollow  Picfrs  for  a  Railway  Bridge  Nearly  200  Feet 

High,  Not  Par  from  Toccoa,  Georgia:   This  is   Said 

to  be  the  First  Time  Construction  of  This  Type  has 

been  Used  for  Piers  of  Si>ch  Height 

type   for  a   bridge   of  such   height,   it   is 
said. 


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NEW  HIGHWAYS 
OF  TODAY  AND 


By  HARLAN 


In  Making  Automobile  Drives,   "Rubber  Stone"   is 
Laid  on  Loose  to  a  Thickness  of  Five  Inches 

/^NE  hundred  and  ten  millions  of  dol- 
^^  lars  to  be  spent  on  permanent  roads 
in  five  years — such  is  the  allotment  made 
by  the  states  of  Illinois  and  Pennsylvania 
in  the  recent  elections,  with  similar  sums 
likely  to  be  voted  soon  by  many  of  their 
sister  states.  Sixty  millions  was  Illinois* 
share,  to  be  paid  entirely  by  automobile 
and  motor-truck  owners  during  the  next 
20  years  without  resorting  to  general  tax- 
ation. 

This  is  just  one  indication  of  the 
great  interest  in  good  roads  aroused  by 
the  transportation  needs  during  the  great 
war  just  past.  People  are  now  awakening 
to  the  fact  that  the  best  investment  they 
can      make     is      in 


the  construction  of 
good  roads,  per- 
manent roads,  and 
roads  wide  enough 
to  permit  two  auto- 
mobiles or  trucks 
to  pass  in  safety. 

Along  with  this 
tremendous  in- 
crease in  populari- 
ty of  good  roads 
has  come  the  devel- 
opment of  new  and 
better  types  of 
pavement,  each  sin- 
gularly adapted  to 
the  varying  needs 
of  heavy  and  light 
city  and  country  traffic.  There  have 
come  greatly  improved  methods  of  build- 
ing our  present  types  of  road — the  earth 
road,  the  tar  or  asphalt  roads,  the  wood- 
block, stone,  concrete,  and  brick  roads, 
and  with  them,  carefully  compiled  records 
of  the  costs.  With  this  information,  after 
making  careful  studies  of  the  peculiarities 
of  the  locality,  the  water  and  material 
supplies,  density  of  traffic,  etc.,  the  road 
engineer  can  prescribe  the  type  and  kind 
of  pavement  best  suited  to  the  present  and 
future  needs  of  any  locality,  as  well  as  its 
r»robable  cost. 


562 


The  earth  road,  most  common  of  all, 
has  been  also  the  one  most  abused,  for  it 
seems  to  be  the  delight  of  most  country- 
road  commissioners  to  drag  the  dirt  and 
sod  from  the  side  ditches  up  into  the  cen- 
ter of  the  road,  thus  building  up  a  high 
crown  that  no  ordinary  vehicle  could 
travel  in  wet  weather  without  sliding  into 
the  ditches.  These  high  crowns  are  be- 
ing reduced,  for  it  has  been  proved  that 
an  earth  road  with  a  slight  crown  can  be 
kept  in  good  condition  at  a  much  less 
cost.  If  the  travel  warrants  the  cost,  light 
asphaltic  oil  may  be  applied  occasionally 
as  a  dust  preventive  and  surface  binder, 
but  people  are  coming  more  to  a  realiza- 
tion that  this  is  but  a  temporary  aid,  and 
must  be  renewed  often.  They  are  there- 
fore in  many  localities  capitalizing  this 
cost,  and  through  the  issue  of  bonds  pay- 
able in  from  15  to  30  years,,  they  are  ob- 
taining the  immediate  use  of  hard  roads 
at  no  additional  cost. 

In  our  cities  and  towns,  where  per- 
manence,       cleanli- 


The  Country  Road  Commissioner  Piles  Soft  Dirt  and 

Sod  on  the  Road   and   Drags   It   to  a   High    Crown 

Almost  Impossible  to  Travel  in  Wet  Weather,  and- 

Bad  in  Dry 


ness,  noiselessness, 
ease  of  making 
openings  in  the 
pavement,  and  the 
cost  are  the  ruling 
factors,  the  pave- 
ment varies  and  the 
selection  of  the 
proper  type  is  usu- 
ally governed  by 
the  density  of  traf- 
fic. Here  great 
strides  have  been 
taken.  For  resi- 
dence streets,  and 
others  having  a  me- 
dium amount  of 
traffic,  there  has 
been  developed,  at  Detroit,  Mich.,  a  new 
type  of  pavement  particularly  adapted  for 
the  use  of  automobiles.  It  is  called  "rub- 
ber stone,"  and  is  a  crushed  limestone 
varying  in  size  from  %  in.  down  to  dust, 
impregnated  with  deliquescent  or  mois- 
ture-collecting and  retaining  chemicals.  It 
is  placed  loose  on  the  road  to  a  thickness 
of  5  in.,  and  rolled  to  a  smooth,  compact 
surface — elastic,  dustless,  noiseless,  and 
weedless,  and  easy  to  take  up  and  replace 
when  it  is  necessary  to  get  at  pipes  or 
wires  beneath  the  pavement.  When  loose, 
it  has  the  appearance  of  wet  limestone 


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AND    BYWAYS 
OF  TOMORROW 

H.  EDWARDS 

screenings,  and  when  compacted,  its 
smooth,  damp  surface  takes  up  moisture 
from  the  rain,  dew,  air,  and  the  soil  be- 
neath the  road.  Automobile  tires,  instead 
of  acting  as  destructive  mediums,  suck- 
ing up  the  fine  binding  material  for  the 
wind  to  blow  away,  serve  as  constructive 
agents,  packing  down  and  ironing  out 
the  road  surface.  If  a  depression  devel- 
ops, it  is  only  necessary  to  loosen  the  sur- 
face with  a  pick,  throw  in  enough  new 
material  to  provide  a  level  surface,  and 
tamp  or  roll  it  back  into  place.  It  is,  in 
short,  an  excellent  surfacing  for  medium 
traffic  and  residence  streets,  and  for  cem- 
eteries, large  estates,  etc.,  where  quiet- 
ness and  ease  of  maintenance  as  well  as 
moderate  cost  are  required. 

For  through  streets,  subjected  to  heavy 
traffic,  the  semimonolithic  type  of  brick 
pavement  has  been  evolved  and  will  soon 
become  the  standard  pavement  for  city 
use.  It  consists  essentially  of  a  3  to  6-in. 
concrete  base,  or  foundation,  having 
placed  upon  it  1^2  Jn.  of  a  mixture  of  sand 
and  cement,  in  proportion  of  one  part  of 
cement  to  from  three  to  eight  of  sand. 
This  mixture  is  cut  to  the  proper  crown 
with  a  curved  template,  and  upon  this 
surface  the  brick  are  laid  and  rolled,  then 
flushed  with  water  to  provide  moisture 
for  the  setting  of  the  cement.  The  inter- 
stices, or  joints,  between  the  bricks  are 
then  filled  with  cement  grout — a  liquid 
mixture  of  about  equal  parts  of  sand  and 
cement,  providing  a  rigid,  continuous, 
smooth,  and  lasting  surface.  The  use  of 
this  sand-cement  layer  has  been  adopted 
to  eliminate  the  many  faults  of  the  old 
sand  cushion.  This,  during  time  of  con- 
struction, often  worked  up  between  the 
brick  and  kept  the  cement  filler  from 
penetrating  the  full  depth  of  the  brick. 
The  result  is  shown  on  page  564.  Also, 
through  vibration  of  traffic,  moisture,  etc., 
this  layer  of  sand  often  compacted  and 
shifted,  causing  the  brick  slab  to  rumble 
loudly  as  steel-tired  vehicles  traveled  over 
it,  and  to  break  down  in  spots,  producing 
loose  brick,  bumps,  and  finally  ruts.  The 
semimonolithic  brick  pavement  is  the  nat- 
ural evolution  of  the  brick  pavement  for 
city  use  and  will  be  adopted  as  standard 
by  ever}'  progressive  municipality. 

The  granite-block  pavement,  used  for 
years  on  streets  subjected  to  heavy  truck- 
ing, is  also  represented  in  the  new  meth- 


The  Roughly  Laid  **Ru-bber  Stone"  is  Struck  Off  to  a 
Smooth,  Regular  Surface  with  a  Wooden  Template 

ods  of  construction.  In  a  number  of  east- 
ern and  middle-western  cities,  "durax,*' 
a  type  of  the  granite-block  pavement  new 
to  most  localities,  is  gaining  favor,  espe- 
cially for  use  along  and  between  car  tracks 
and  on  heavy-traffic  business  streets.  The 
method  of  construction  does  not  differ 
essentially  from  that  of  the  semimono- 
lithic brick  pavement,  but  the  shape  and 
manner  of  laying  the  stone  blocks  is  en- 
tirely different  from  any  other  type.  The 
durax  block  is  a  cube  of  granite  approx- 
imately 3V2  in.  on  a  side.  In  laying,  the 
blocks  are  placed  in  crescent-shaped  rows. 
— the  purpose  being  to  make  all  the  joints 
at  an  angle  to  the  direction  of  traffic,  to 
reduce  vibration,  noise,  and  wear  to  a 
minimum,  and  to  lock  the  blocks  so  that 
they  are  not  easily  loosened  or  pulled 
out  by  traffic.  The  sheet  asphalt,  asphal- 
tic-concrete,  and  creosoted-block  pave- 
ments have  retained  their  popularity  in 
most  cities  for  use  on  streets  subjected  to 
heavy  traffic  where  noiselessness  is  essen- 
tial. 

In  new  construction  for  main  and  con- 
necting roads  outside  the  city,  the  types 
of  pavement  used  have  narrowed  down  to 
three — brick,  concrete,  and  bituminous 
materials.  The  brick  pavement,  though 
in  sharp  competition  wMth  concrete,  still 
maintains  its  supremacy  among  hard  sur- 
facings,  for  automobilists  are  beginning 
to  complain  of  the  strain  on  the  eyes 
caused  by  the  chalky  whiteness  of  the 
concrete  surface.  The  paving  block,  in 
former  years  of  varying  quality,  is  now 
subjected  to  severe  tests,  standard 
throughout  the  country,  before  being  ap- 
proved for  use,  thus  assuring  a  uniformly 
tough  wearing  surface.  The  recent  intro- 
duction of  the  monolithic  type  of  brick 
pavement  has  caused  a  revolution  in  brick- 
road  construction,  and  the  old  sand-cush- 
ion type  has  been  relegated  to  the  scrap 
pile. 

The  use  of  brick,  or  any  other  high- 
class  pavement,  however,  is  limited  to  lo- 
calities sufficiently  near  centers  of  produc- 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


tion  so  that  freight  ratca  do  not  exceed 
the  advantage  in  wear  and  appearance  of 
the  pavement. 
In  the  construction  of  the  monolithic 


Laying  a  Semi  monolithic  Brick  Surface  on  a  Concrete  Founda- 
tion— a  Good  Pavement  When  the  Brick-Producing  Center 
It  Near,  Avoiding  High  Freight  Charges 

brick   pavement   a   very   interesting  pro- 
cedure is  followed.    The  concrete  founda- 
tion is  laid  to  a  depth  of  from  3  to  6  in. 
on  the  rolled-earth  subgrade,  and  the  sur- 
face is  struck  off  with  a  steel  or  wooden 
template  to  the  required  crown.     Imme- 
diately, before  this 
has  had  time  to  be- 
come at  all  hard  or 
set  up,  the  brick  are 
laid    by    hand  and 
rolled  to  a  smooth, 
regular   surface   by 
a     hand    or   power 
roller.      The    inter- 
stices, or  joints,  be- 
tween    the     bricks 
are  tben  filled  with 
cement      grout,      a 
mixture  of  approx- 
imately equal  parts 
of  cement  and  sand, 
wet     to     the     con- 
sistency of  ordinary  paint.    All 
these  operations  are  carried  on 
successively,  so  that  the  com- 
pleted road  will  be  a  concrete 
slab  with  a  brick  wearing  sur- 
face. 

Although  this  pavement  is 
new,  machinery  has  been  de- 
veloped almost  overnight  for 
its  construction.  A  new  pow- 
er-driven steel  template  has 
been  produced,  which,  using 
the  side  forms  of  the  road  as 


In  the  Old  Sand-Ctuhion  Pavement,  Above,  the  Cement 

Grout  did   Not  Always  Penetrate   the  Full  Dejpth  of 

the  Brick,  and  Many  Faults  Developed,  among  Others 

That  Shown  Below 


a  track,  cuts  off  the  concrete    5"8V.5S..?,"B.friSrun" 

base  to  the  required  crown  and     equally  on    Protected  and 

tamps  it  to  a  dense,  solid  con-    ^"S^^tur'ed  Ihe^BriV" 

sistency   by   means   of  several 

steel   rockers,   producine:  a   thin    film   of     are  many  cities  that  could  easily  profit  by 

mortar  upon  wnich  to  lay  and  grout  the      these  examples. 

brick.     By  the  use  of  this  machine,  the         The -cement  road  has  been  a  favorite  in 


concrete  base  ean  be  made  with  less  water, 
so  that  a  stronger  pavement  results.    Sev- 
eral  machines  are   now  being  developed 
to  lay  the  brick  upon  this  surface,  and 
^     thus,  by  dispensing  with  four  or 
six  laborers    now    necessary    to 
carry  and  lay  the  brick,  the  cost 
of  the  pavement  can  be  cut  down 
considerably. 

This  type  of  pavement  has 
made  possible  the  development  of 
many  new,  money-saving  ideas, 
so  that  old  pavements  can  be 
made  into  new  ones  at  a  small 
cost.  In  a  certain  instance  of 
this  kind,  a  badly  worn,  rough 
,brick  road  has  been  resurfaced 
with  new,  modern  paving  blocks 
at  a  cost  of  about  $1.50  per 
square  yard.  The  process  was  simple. 
After  sweeping  off  the  old  pavement,  a 
smoothing  layer  of  concrete,  made  with 
fine  roofing  gravel,  was  placed  on  the 
rough  brick  and  cut  off  by  a  wooden  tem- 
plate to  a  smooth,  even  surface.  New 
paving  blocks  were 
then  laid,  rolled, 
and  grouted  upon 
this  surface,  and  a 
new,  strong,  and 
permanent  road  was 
the  result. 

I  n      Champaign, 
111.,  the   more  eco- 
nomical     idea      of 
turning     over    and 
using  the  old  brick 
has  been  ^ite  suc- 
cessful.     The     old 
pavement  was  laid 
on     a     2-in.     sand 
cushion,    with    the 
joints  between  the  brick  filled 
with    sand.     The    brick    were 
taken  up  and  the  sand  removed- 
Upon    the    old   concrete   base 
was  laid  the  smoothing  layer 
of  fine  gravel  concrete,  and  the 
original     brick,     after     being 
cleaned     with     wire     brushes, 
were  replaced,  top  side  down, 
before  the  concrete    had    set. 
The    brick     were     rolled    and 
grouted  in  the  usual  way  and 
allowed  15  days  to  set  before 
opening  the  road  to  traffic.  An 
excellent  new  surface  was  thus 
obtained  at  a  cost  of  about  80 
cents  per  square  yard.    There 


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565 


many  localities  on  account  of  its  simplic- 
ity and  ease  of  construction  as  well  as  for 
its     permanence.       Many     improvements 
have   been   made   in   its   construction,  all 
tending  toward  the  pro- 
duction   of   denser,   and, 
consequently,       stronger 
and     tougher     concrete. 
At   the    same    time    the 
cost    has    been    reduced 
somewhat    by    the    elim- 
ination of  the  expansion 
joints,    for   it     has    been 
found     by     the     Illinois 
State    Highway    Depart- 
ment that  cracks  in  the 
concrete     could    not    be 
entirely  prevented  by  ex- 
pansion   joints;    that    it 
was  cheaper   and    better 
to  leave  them  out,  let  the 
cracks  come  where  they 
would,    and    then    to   fill 
these    with    tar.       Many 
schemes  have  been  intro- 
duced for  finishing  the  surface,  the  most 
useful  recently  adopted  being  the  use  of 
a  light,  wide  roller  on  the  fresh  concrete, 
to  squeeze  out  the  excess  water  and  com- 
pact the  concrete,  finishing  up  with  a  long, 
light  canvas  belt  dragged  back  and  forth 
across  the  surface.  This  produces  a  dense, 
even,  smooth  concrete,  just  rough  enough 
to  prevent  slipping  in  wet  weather. 


The  bituminous-macadam  roads  are 
great  favorites  also  in  many  parts  of  the 
country.  Many  of  our  more  populous 
states  have  devoted  much  time  and  money 


Stone  Paving  with  the  Granite  Blocks  Laid  in  Curvet  Instead  of  Straight 

Lines  Wears    Much    Longer    Because   Wheels  and  Hoofs  Strike  All 

Sides,  and  Comers   ana    Edges   are  Not  So    Quickly    Nicked    Off 


to  the«construction  of  this  type,  especially 
for  use  where  motor  traffic  is  heavy.  Ade- 
quate methods  of  maintenance  are  re- 
quired, however;  or  it  becomes  rutty, 
rough,  and  a  menace  to  travel. 

Together  with  the  development  of  all 
these  different  kinds  of  roads  has  gone 
the  introduction  of  methods  of  mainte- 
nance  and   repair.     Formerly   it   was   the 


This  Monolithic    Brick  Pavement    Is  in  a 

Very  Raw  State,  Materials  for  It 

having  Just  been  Dumped 


custom  to 
build  a  high- 
priced  road, 
then  leave  it 
without  a  t  - 
tempt  to  rem- 
e  d  y  slight 
imperfections 
until  the  sur- 
face had  be- 
come *  practi- 
cally ruined. 
The  old  adage, 
"A  stitch  in 
time  saves 
nine,"  is  no- 
where more 
true  than  in 
road  mainte- 
nance; hence 
many  states 
now  have 
adopted  or  are 
adopting  the 
patrol  system 
o  f  mainte- 
nance, where- 
by  the   roads 


Here  it  is  Nearly  Finished.    The  Men  in 

Front  are  Laying  the  Brick,  and  the 

Others  are  Pilling  the  Spaces 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


are  kept  in  perfect  condition  by  the  con- 
tinuous watchfulness  of  men  trained  in 
their  repair. 

With     the     adoption     of    these     most 


: r^_  :_A 


efficient  methods  of  construction  and 
maintenance  for  all  the  roads  soon  to  be 
built  by  the  various  states,  and  also  for 
those  built  by  the  large  Federal  appropri- 
"e  roads  under  the  Fed- 
ir  roads  of  tomorrow 
mum  value  to  everyone, 
much  wider  and  strong- 
have  now,  and  of  the 
trials,  for  they  will  have 
increased  motor-truck 
th  in  use  of  such  trucks 
years  is  any  criterion, 
out  into  every  part  of 
our  land,  uniting  the 
country  with  the 
cities,  making  com.- 
munication  among 
all  the  people  easy 
and  convenient,  in-- 
ducing  social  iniei> 
course,  and  thereby 
making  of  the  whole 
population  one  great 
family. 


MAKE  NEW  CAVE  IN  YOSEMITE 

FOR  HERMIT'S  HOME 

About  a  hermit  there  always  hovers  an 
air  of  romance  and  mystery.  Recognizing 
this  feature  as  an  attraction  to  the  curi- 
ous tourist,  a  wealthy  hotel  owner  of 
Yosemite  Valley  prepared  a  commodious 
cave  by  blasting  into  the  granite  walls  of 
the  canon,  and  set  therein  a  transplanted 
hermit.  The  recluse  in  question  had  long 
been  the  sole  inhabitant  of  a  natural,  but 
less  pretentious,  cavern  in  a  hill  of  hard- 
ened lava  in  the  Imperial  Desert,  near 
Palm  Springs,  Calif.    Here  his  pet  rattle- 


snakes, tarantulas,  horned  toads,  and  des- 
ert lizards,  to  say  nothing  of  a  steel  guitar 
upon  which  he  performed,  had  proved 
entertaining  enough  to  draw  auto  tourists 
over  160  miles  of  road  into  the  hot  alkali 
sands.  The  transplanted  hermit  is  now 
much  more  accessible. 


AEROPLANES  TO  CARRY  RADIO 

OUTFITS  TO  INLAND  CHINA 

Typical  of  the  manner  in  which  modem 
inventions  are  bringing  widely  separated 
sections  of  the  world  in  closer  touch  with, 
one  another  is  the  fact  that  wireless  sta- 
tions are  to  be  erected  in  remote  parts  of 
China.  One  of  these  is  to  be  near  the 
Kashmir  border  and  another  near  the  Si- 
berian boundary.  Equally  interesting  is 
the  announcement  that  .the  apparatus  for 
these  stations  is  to  be  carried  to  its  desti- 
nations in  one  or  more  large  aeroplanes 
which  expect  to  make  the  journey  in  two 
or  three  days  instead  of  the  same  number 
of  months. 


This  Hermit  of  the  Imperial  Desert,  with  His  Steel 
Guiur  and  His  Repulian  Pets,  has  been  Trans- 
planted to  a  Brand-New  Caye  in  the  Yosemite 


CBy  presenting  its  annual  report  by 
means  of  moving  pictures,  the  directors 
of  the  Louisville  Industrial  Foundation 
have  set  a  precedent  that  is  unique  in  the 
annals  of  the  business  world.  They  con- 
sidered it  the  best  way  of  bringing  visible 
evidence  of  their  progress  before  their 
stockholders'  eyes. 


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667 


COPYRMHT,   LIOOU  ART  MRVICt 


Two  Oil  Steamers  and  a  Barge  were  Destroyed  in  the  Schuylkill  River,  near  Philadelphia,  When 
a  Burning  Tanker  Spread  Its  Blaze  over  the  Water 


BURNING  OIL-TANK  STEAMER 

SETS  RIVER  ABLAZE 

A  river  of  blazing  oil;  the  dull,  boom- 
ing reverberations  of  exploding  iron  oil 
barrels;  jets  of  fire  spouting  from  ignited 
pipe  lines,  and  over  all,  the  rolling  black 
clouds  that  obscured  the  hulls  of  sinking 
ships — these  were  the  spectacular  features 
of  a  fire  that  destroyed  two  tank  steamers 
and  a  barge  at  Point  Breeze,  south  of 
Philadelphia.  The  fire  started  in  the  hold 
of  an  oil  tanker  lying  in  the  Schuylkill 
River.  In  a  few  minutes  the  ship  was 
doomed,  and  the  fire  spread  to  the  others. 
Flame-pursued,  seamen  leaped  into  the 
blazing  river  while  flying  oil  and  sections 
of  hot  iron  forced  the  fire  fighters  back 
and  threatened  the  big  refining  plant  on 
shore.  Only  heroism  of  battle-field  qual- 
ity saved  the  adjacent  ships  and  property. 


Cr  During  the  past  winter  men  were  de- 
tailed by  the  Fisheries  Bureau  to  cut  holes 
in  the  ice  formed  over  sloughs  and  ponds 
along  the  upper  Mississippi  River  to  pre- 
vent the  repetition  of  what  occurred  the 
previous  winter,  when  thousands  of  fish 
caught  in  these  landlocked  waters  are 
said  to  have  died  from  lack  of  oxygen. 


TIRE  RACK  ON  CASTERS 

FOR  SMALL  DEALERS 

Tires  hung  from  the  ceiling,  out  of 
reach  of  customers,  are  not  conducive  to 
sales.  A  Los  Angeles  motorcycle  dealer 
who  observed  that  fact,  but  whose  wall 
space  was  inadequate  for  a  fixed  rack, 
built  himself  a  rack  on  casters,  which 
serves  his  purpose  well.  It  carries  a 
small  but  sufficient  stock,  within  easy 
reach  and  examination  of  the  customer, 
and  is  easily  rolled  to  any  part  of  the 
floor.  That  feature  also  solves  the  usu- 
ally embarrassing  problem  of  sweeping 
and  cleaning  under  the  tire  rack. 


CO^VmOHT,   JOMN  lOWtN    HOOQ 

This  Tire  Rack  is  Mounted  on  Casters,  and  So  may 

be  Put  Ansrwhere  in  the  Shop  or  Brought 

to  a  Customer 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


DUAL-SIGNAL  MECHANISMS 

CONTROL  TRAFFIC 

To  provide  adequate  means  for  control- 
ling the  heavy  traffic  existing  at  certain 
street  intersections  in  San  Francisco,  spe- 
cial mechanical  equipment  has  been  in- 
stalled which  gives  both  visual  and  audible 
signals.  Suspended  above  the  pavement 
at  the  foot  of  Market  Street  is  a  large 
sign  bearing  the  words  "Stop"  and  "Go," 
which  is  made  to  revolve  by  a  motor-driv- 
en apparatus  contained  in  a  small  cstse 
above  the  sign.  A  traffic  officer  on  the 
street  operates  the  signal  by  means  of  a 
control  switch,  and  when  the  motor  turns 
the  sign,  it  also  causes  a  whistle  to  blow 
one  or  two  blasts,  according  to  the  di- 
rection traffic  is  to  travel.  In  case  an  am- 
bulance or  fire  apparatus  demands  the 
right  of  way,  the  throwing  of  a  special 
switch  causes  the  sign  to  revolve  and  the 
whistle  to  blow  continuously. 

A  somewhat    different    signal    system, 
consisting  of  seven   pairs   of  lights,   red 
and  green,  is  installed  at  the  intersection 
of  Market,   Geary,  and   Kearney  streets, 
and  is  operated  by  one  officer  by  means  of 
a  foot  lever.    Here  the  direction  in  which 
traffic  can   move  is  indicated  by  red  or 
green     lights,     supple- 
mented  by   one   or   two 
blasts   of  a   whistle    op- 
erated   automatically    by 
lotor-driven  apparatus, 
omewhat    similar    devices 
ave  proved  helpful  in  han- 
ling  traffic  in  other  cities. 


SUBSOIL  MOISTURE  IS  CITED 

AS  DROUGHT  PROTECTION 

Because  of  the  long  drought  suffered 
in  different  parts  of  France  last  year,  con- 
siderable interest  was  recently  manifested 
in  a  report  of  scientific  research  read  be- 
fore the  Academy  of  Sciences.  Stress  was 
placed  upon  the  importance  of  the  water 
present  in  the  subsoil  and  the  effective- 
ness of  manure  in  preserving  it.  Use  of 
the  latter  provides  young  plants  with  the 
moisture  necessary  for  sturdy  root  de- 
velopment, which  in  turn  defends  them 
against  seasonal  droughts.  It  was  dis- 
closed that  the  normal  quantity  of  wa- 
ter held  in  the  soil  to  a  depth  of  1.64  ft. 
varies  from  250  to  about  390  tons  per  acre. 


MODELS,  TOYS,  AND  GAMES 
BOOST  SHIPPING  IDEA 

Not  battleships  but  merchant  vessels 
are  the  approved  mold  for  coming  toys 
and  the  motif  of  new  and  excitjng  games 
for  the  youngsters.  The  project  of  en- 
couraging youthful  interest  in  the  ship 
idea  is  so  highly  regarded  that  it  has  re- 
ceived official  support  and  cooperation. 
Plans  and  blueprints  used  by  the  Emer- 
gency Fleet  Corporation  were  gladly 
loaned  to  toymakers  for  study,  and  help 
extended  in  other  ways.  In  games,  mer- 
chant ships  make  competitive  voyages  and 
further  encourage  any  latent  seafaring 
tendency  the  coming  generation  may 
reveal,  besides  cultivating  a  map  acquaint- 
ance with  foreign  ports. 


The  Signaling  Apparatus  at  the  Left,  and  That  Shown  in  Use  in  the  Other  Picture,   lUuatrate  Two 
Traffic-Regulating  Devices  in  Successful  Use  at  San  Francisco  Street  Intersections 


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HtVTX)  BY  CCNTflAl.  NEWS  PHOTO  MNVICC 

FRENCH  UNDERSEA  CRAFT  OF  STRANGE  TYPE 

PRESENTED  above  is  a  photonnph  that  shows  a  distinctiyely  new  type  of  submarine  which  is  now  in  the 
''  service  of  the  French  navy.  According  to  the  information  at  hand,  the  vessel  is  considered  the  most 
powerfwl  underwater  craft  so  far  evolved.  It  seems  possible,  however,  in  the  absence  of  complete  data,  that 
the  boat  may  be  a  submersible  rather  than  a  submarine— capable  of  sailing  with  deck  awash,  but  not  intended 
for  deep  diving.    This  suggestion,  however,  is  mere  conjecture. 


FOUR-WHEEL  STRAW  SPREADER 

OPERATES  AUTOMATICALLY 

Of  possible  economic  importance  for 
certain  agricultural  districts  is  a  one-man 
straw  spreader  of  current  development  that 
is  claimed  to  be  the  first  successful  four- 
wheeled  apparatus  of  its  type.  It  is  built 
to  handle  a  load  of  1,600  or  2,000  lb.  auto- 
matically, and  is  said  to  distribute  an  even 
layer  of  straw  across  a  9-ft.  path.     In 


spreading  straw.  In  operation,  an  end- 
less-belt conveyor  works  on  top  of  the 
load,  raking  the  straw  to  a  beater  wheel. 
This  is  provided  with  guards  that  retain 
surplus  straw  and  prevent  uneven  distri- 
bution. Underslung  construction  places 
the  load  low  so  that  no  material  difficulty 
is  encountered  in  using  the  machine  in 
moderately  windy  weather.  Likewise,  the 
low  center  of  gravity  enables  the  spreader 
to  be  driven  on  side  hills  and  uneven 
ground  without  danger  of  cap- 


a  manure  spreader,  but  it  is  in- 
tended   only   for   the   purpose  of 


Showinc  the  Machine  in  Use :  Straw  is  Taken  from  the  Top 

of  the  Load  and  Distributed  Evenly  across  a  Path  Nine 

Feet  Wide 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


RED  LIGHT  AIDS  SURGEON 

IN  X-RAY  OPERATION 

Silent,  white-robed  figures  bending  over 
a  prostrate  form  while  a  lurid  red  light 
glances  from  sharp  steel  in  their  hands — 
it  might  be  a  stage  setting  for  the  In- 
ferno, or  the  ultra-ingenious  ceremony  of 
some  mystic  league.  But  the  red  glare, 
which  flashes  and  goes  out  and  then 
gleams  again  in  a  deliberate  cycle,  marks 


cent  screen  above,  an  exposure  of  30  sec- 
onds is  found  ample  for  a  thorough  study 
by  the  surgeon.  Then  the  screen  is  re- 
moved and  the  red  light  turned  on,  em- 
anating from  a  dome  over  the  table.  The 
dome  carries  twenty  25-cp.  lamps  behind 
a  double  thickness  of  pure  ruby  glass.  An 
operation  is  quickly  performed,  and  then 
the  red  light  is  turned  off  and  another  ray 
exposure  taken,  if  necessary,  to  reveal  the 
next  step  in  the  surgeon's  work. 

Tf-    iR    well    kno\vn    thaf 


baneful     inf1iienre<;    nf    the    rave;        Then  the  Red  Lights  in  the  Dome  Overhead  are  Turned  On, 
oaneiui     mnuences    oi    me    ra}s.      ^^^  g^^^^  j^^.^^»  .^  Skillful  Hands  Work  Oirt.  in  the  Safety 

I  ne    metnod     aid    not     satlSty     a       and  Security  of  Adequate  niuminationj^ the  Knowledge  Gained 

French  surgeon.    Conceiving  the 
advantages    to     doctor    and     patient     of 
adequate    illumination,    he    experimented 


cautiously  with  a  bright  light  of  pure-red 
hue  used  alternately  with  the  fluores- 
cent screen.  The  arrangement  was  sus- 
cessful,  and  was  put  to  splendid  use  in  a 
French  war  hospital.  With  the  X-ray  tube 
below  the  operating  table  and  the  fluores- 


__    equate 
from  the  X-Rays  in  the  Darkness 

With  this  apparatus  two  brief  X-ray 
exposures  were  necessary  for  removal  of 
a  piece  of  shrapnel  in  a  soldier's  heel, 
while  a  similar  piece  imbedded  in  the 
thigh  required  six  flashes  of  the  rays 
upon  the  fluoroscope,  and  six  intervals 
of  ruby  illumination  to  guide  the  actual 
work  of  the  knife. 


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CHANGE  PROPOSED  IN  SYSTEM 
OF  NAVAL  CAMOUFLAGE 

Toward  the  end  of  active  warfare  many 
methods  of  counteracting  the  r^*-'^^^ 
effects  of  maritime  camouflage  be- 
came known  to  allied  and,  likely 
as  not,  to  German  naval  authori- 
ties. Therefore  one  of  the  origi- 
nators of  the  so-called  "dazzle" 
system  of  protective  painting  is 
now  active  as  its  opponent  and  is 
advocating  a  return  to  a  modifica- 
tion of  the  "great  white  fleet"  idea. 
He  would  have  all  United  States 
fighting  ships  painted  white  arid 
gray,  or  white  and  pink.  After 
conducting  extensive  experiments 
with  models  and  small  ships,  he 
has  found  that  a  white  boat  with  a 
light-gray  superstructure  pos- 
sesses lower  visibility  than  craft 
painted  in  any  other  manner.  He 
also  calls  attention  to  the  fact 
that  under  certain  conditions  a 
combination  of  white  and  pink 
blends  with  the  background  ex- 
cellently and  renders  a  ship  in- 
visible at  a  distance  of  about  a 
mile.  On  the  other  hand,  it  is 
pointed  out  that  a  vessel  of  any 
color  is  highly  visible  when  sil- 
houetted against  a  brilliant  hori- 
zon, or  in  the  sunlight.  Between 
these  extremes,  the  white  and  gray  boat 
is  said  to  be  of  low  visibility,  and  at  a 
range  of  a  mile  or  more  is  invisible. 


FOWLS  QUICKLY  PLUCKED 
WITH  VACUUM  MACHINE 

A  machine  of  the  vacuum  type  has  re- 


aI_.     1 


J 1 1     £ 


CULTIVATOR  ATTACHMENT 
FOR  GARDEN  HOE 

By  clamping  a  two-tine  attachment, 
recently  devised,  to  the  back  of  an 
K  ordinary  hoe,  the 
F  latter  is  equipped  to 
serve  as  a  hand 
rultivator.  The  two  tines 
e  mounted  on  a  cross- 
ir    which    is    fastened 

•  the  hoe  blade  by  means 

•  thumbscrews.     With  the 
tachment    one    can    save 

.much  time  by  cultivating 
both  sides  of  a  row  of 
young  plants  at  once. 


An  Electrical  Feather-Picking  Machine:  The  Feathers  are 
Plucked  from  the  Flesh  by  being  Drawn  between  Rollers  Driven 
by  a   Flexible   Shalt,  and  Then  into  the  Receptacle  Overhead 

with  which,  it  is  said,  a  person  can  remove 
all  the  feathers,  dry,  from  an  average- 
sized  bird  in  about  five  minutes.  A  mo- 
tor-driven fan  creates  suction  in  a  large 
flexible  tube,  at  the  free  end  of  which  is  a 
special  plucking  apparatus.  This  consists 
of  a  hood  in  which  is  a  slotted  roller,  driv- 
en by  a  flexible  cable  and  in  contact  with 
an  idler  roller  of  rubber.  The  rollers,  as 
they  revolve,  pull  the  feathers  from  the 
flesh.  Once  loosed,  the  feathers  pass 
through  the  tube  into  a  large  receptacle 
overhead. 


C  Nine-o'clock  curfew  in 
East  St.  Louis,  111.,  is 
announced  on  the  movie- 
show   screens   just   before 

the  whistle  blows,  so  that  unaccompanied 

children  can  hurry  home. 


INDIA  BUILDS  WOODEN  SHIPS 
FOR  MERCHANT  MARINE 

India,  fired  by  ambitions  to  have  a  mer- 
chant marine  of  her  own,  is  reviving  her 
ancient  industry  of  shipbuilding.  Steel, 
of  course,  cannot  readily  be  obtained, 
but  already  44  wooden  vessels  are  being 
constructed  of  timber  supplied  by  the 
forest  departments  in  Madras,  Bombay, 
and  Bengal.  To  encourage  the  shipbuild- 
ers, moderate  rates  and  easy  terms  are 
made  on  timber  contracts,  and  the  ship's 
insurance  policy  is  security  for  payment. 


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TROLLEY-WIRE  TAP  PERMITS 

CAR  TRAFFIC  WHEN  IN  USE 

Portable  apparatus  has  been  built  for 
use  on  San  Francisco  street-car  lines  for 
tapping  a  trolley  wire  in  such  a  way  that 


PIGEONS  BEAR  "S  O  S"  CALLS 
OF  AIRMEN  ADRIFT  AT  SEA 

Much  of  the  time  the  North  Sea,  because 
of  its  stormy  disposition,  is  a  most  dis- 
agreeable alighting  place  for  a  seaplane. 
A  Boston  pilot,  flying  with  two  observers 
in  quest  of  a  German  submarine,  encoun- 
tered engine  trouble  that  necessitated  a 
forced  ^'landing"  35  miles  north  of  Dun- 
kirk during  the  period  of  active  warfare. 
Fortunately  for  those  aboard,  the  craft 
was  not  swamped  by  the  waves  when  it 
settled  to  the  surface,  but  there  was  no 
assurance  that  such  a  disaster  might  not 
occur  at  any  moment  after  the  sea  anchor 
was  thrown  out.  It  was  not  possible  to 
repair  the  motor,  and  even  if  the  work 
could  have  been  done,  the  condition  of  the 
sea  would  have  prevented  the  machine 
from  taking  to  the  air.  The  only  link  be- 
tween the  seaplane  and  its  base  was  a  pair 
of  homing  pigeons.  These,  bearing  mes- 
sages, were  released,  one  of  them  30  min- 
utes after  the  other.  For  three  hours  the 
airmen  bobbed  with  the  disabled  machine. 
Finally  a  French  trawler  approached  and 
offered  assistance,  which  would  have  been 
accepted  except  for  the  sudden  appearance 
of  a  British  patrol  which  took  the  plane  in 
tow.  On  the  way  back  to  Dunkirk,  the 
boat  that  had  been  sent  out  in  response  to 
the  pigeon-borne  requests  for  help  was 
met. 


Portable  Trolley. Wire  Tap  Which  Makes  Contact  in 

Such  a  Way  That  It  does  Not  Interfere  with 

the  Passing  of  a  Trolley  Wheel 

it  is  not  necessary  to  remove  the  device 
each  time  a  car  passes.  The  saving  of  time 
in  operating  machinery  driven  by  the  cur- 
rent obtained  is  considerable.  The  device 
consists  of  a  broad-based  steel  standard  in.- 
tended  to  be  set  the  proper  distance  from 
a  track  and  having  an  arm  at  the  top  ex- 
tending to  the  trolley  wire.  At  the  outer 
end  of  the  arm  is  a  contact  plate  which 
fits  about  the  underside  of  the  wire  so 
closely  that  it  does  not  interfere  with  the 
passing  of  a  trolley  wheel.  Ropes  are  pro- 
vided for  adjusting  the  arm  to  the  proper 
height.  Current  is  carried  by  cable  from 
the  contact  plate  to  the  motor  supplying 
power  for  the  machinery  in  use. 


COnce  again,  after  an  absence  of  48  years, 
French  pilots  are  to  be  seen  on  boats  that 
ply  up  and  down  the  Rhine.  Recruited 
from  the  French  navy,  the  men  will  guide 
steamers  and  barges  carrying  supplies  to 
the  army  of  occupation,  and  gunboats  pa- 
trolling the  river. 


SOLDERING  IRON  FOR  CANS 

HAS  NOVEL  FEATURES 

Some  unusual  features  of  a  soldering 
iron  now  used  in  the  manufacture  of  tin 
cans  developed  out  of  the  difficulties  of 
a    biscuit    maker, 
whose      container     1 
department    could 
not  keep  up  with 
the    government's 
demands  for  hard-     ! 
bread      deliveries. 
A  manufacturer  of 
electrical      equip- 
ment   devised    an 
iron   made  of  a  \        ^ 

piece  of  bar  copper,  1  to  1^^  in.  wide,  and 
%  to  V2  in-  thick,  held  between  two  iron 
plates  and  bracketed  to  the  workbench. 
On  the  sides  of  the  copper  are  clamped 
two  standard  electrical-heating  units,  in- 
sulated with  mica  and  covered  by  a  steel 
jacket.  The  heating  units  work  inde- 
pendently and  are  easily  renewed.  Using 
this  new  tool,  150  operators  each  averaged 
1,000  cans  a  day. 


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JAPAN'S  PEACE  JUBILEE  A  MARVELOUS  SPECTACLE 


9MOTM  tY  A.  U  fLUOa  

573 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


OIL,  COPRA,  AND  SAND  CARGO 

MIXED  UP  IN  SHIP'S  HOLD 

A  cargo,  adequately  described  only  by 
the  word  **niess,"  was  removed  by  reluc- 
tant stevedores  from  a  ship  recently 
docked  at  San  Francisco.  The  mess  con- 
sisted of  a  random  mixture  of  7,600  bbl. 
of  coconut  oil,  2,500  tons  of  copra,  and 
500  tons  of  sand  and  rock  ballast.  The 
copra,  or  dried  coconut  meat,  was  spread 
loose  upon  the  oil  barrels  to  keep  them 
from  moving  about  in  the  hold.  Some  un- 
anticipated process  of  oxidation,  or  fer- 
mentation, in  the  copra  created  enough 
heat  to  melt  the  semisolid  oil,  which  leaked 
out  of  the  barrels,  soaked  the  copra,  and 
ran  down  into  the  ballast.  The  ship  came 
into  port  with  four  to  seven  feet  of  coconut 
oil  in  her  bottom,  a  good  portion  of 
which  was  in  the  bilge,  between  the  skin 
and  the  steel  hull.  The  work  of  salvaging 
the  cargo  was  characterized  as  the  worst 


still  remained  in  the  hold.  Disregarding 
the  ship's  waste  of  time,  the  loss  is  esti- 
mated at  $250,000. 


BRITISH  TO  RID  FRENCH  SOIL 
OF  BURIED  SHELLS 

Popular  conjecture  has  often  pictured 
the  plight  of  the  farmer  in  northern 
France  who  should  run  the  nose  of  his 
plow  into  the  point  of  a  buried  shell, 
which,  up  to  that  moment,  had  failed  to 
perform  its  function.  That  the  danger  is 
very  real  is  demonstrated  daily  by  ex- 
plosions which,  in  some  war-devastated 
districts,  are  almost  constantly  occurring. 
The  high  command  of  the  British  army, 
cooperating  with  the  French  authorities, 
is  setting  experts  to  the  task  of  locating 
these  buried  menaces,  which  will  then  be 
removed  or  blocked  up.  At  present  culti- 
vation of  the  soil  is  made  dangerous  by  the 
presence  Jiot  only  of  "dud"  shells,  but  of 
•the  land  mines  and  antitank  charges  laid  in 


11  a   i    u   <    a  1  vv^iiipv/oivivrii. 

After  two  months  of  this  I'h®  Mixture  of  OiU  Copra,  and  Sand  was  Hoisted  Out  of  the  Ship's 

/\lter  two  nionins  OI  mis  ^^^^  j^  Barrels,  Shoveled  into  Motor  Trucks,  and  Hauled  to  a  Steam- 
work,  a  tnird  Ot  the  cargo  Heated  Concrete  Sump  So  the  Oil  could  be  Removed 


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675 


STORING  SPRING  FLOOD  WATER 

FOR  DRY-TIME  IRRIGATION 

Inability  of  cleared  and  prairie  land  to 
retain  any  of  the  abundant  flood  water 
which  passes  over  it  during  a  brief  period 
naturally  suggests  means  of  impounding 
such  water  for  gradual  and  regulated  use 
over  the  drought  season.  Construction  of 
storage  ponds  with  a  team  and  scraper  is 
comparatively  inexpensive,  costing  in 
Texas  from  $200  to  $300  for  a  tank  of 
200,000  to  300,000-cu.-ft.  capacity.  Such  a 
pond,  200  ft.  long,  100  ft.  wide,  and  10  ft. 
deep,  will  irrigate  from  three  to  five  acres, 
half  the  water  being  lost  by  evaporation. 
The  pond  is  located  in  the  habitual  path  of 
flood  water,  and  the  hilly  land  terraced  to 
prevent  fertile  soil  from  washing  away. 
The  earth  retaining  dam  must  be  made 
with  great  care,  with  its  foundation  on 
solid  subsoil,  and  a  concrete  spillway  pro- 
vided for  excess  flow.  Often  natural  de- 
pressions can  be  utilized  to  save  excavat- 
ing. In  parts  of  west  and  southwest  Texas 
large  windmills,  operating  deep  wells, 
keep  the  ponds  from  going  dry. 


IMPROVED  BUILDING  TILE 

MAKES  STRONG  WALLS 

Hollow  tile,  formed  in  single  and  double 
units,  properly  proportioned,  can  be  laid 
to  form  a  wall  in  which  no 
two  joints  come 
together.  Such  an 
arrangement  was 
sufficiently  origi- 
nal to  form  the 
basis  for  patent 
rights,  and  tile  is 
now  manufactured 
to  build  walls 
whose  thickness 
may  be  any  multi- 
ple of  4  in.,  and  in 
which  all  vertical 
webs  are  continu- 
ous from  bottom 
to  top.  The  parti- 
tion   that    divides 

the  double-size  tile  is  itself  hollow,  making 
it  correspond  in  all  respects  to  a  pair  of 
single  tiles  laid  side  by  side.  The  single 
tile  is  l^id  outside  in  one  course,  inside 
in  the  next  course,  and  so  on.  Reinforcing 
bars  may  be  run  vertically  through  the 
wall  without  cutting  the  tile  or  breaking 
the  interlocking  bond.  The  size  of  the 
tile,  11%  in.  long  and  Sy2  in.  high,  cor- 
responds to  standard  brick  dimensions. 


CUP-SHAPED   PISTON   IS   USED 

IN  NOVEL  VALVELESS  MOTOR 

Quietness,  high  efficiency,  and  ^rtiplic- 
ity  are  some  of  the  advantages  claimed 


CO<>TN>(MT,  JOHN  tOWIN  NOOa 

Working  Model  of  the  Valveless  Motor:   The  Man 

Points  to  the  Exhaust  Port  Which  is  Oi>encd 

and  Closed  by  Rotation  of  the  Piston 

opened  and  closed  by  rotation  of  the 
piston.  The  revolving  motion  is  imparted 
by  a  worm  gear  on  the  drive  shaft  through 
a  keyway  in  the  sides  of  a  cylindrical 
sleeve,  in  which  the  piston  operates.  The 
latter  is  nearly  twice  as  long  as  is  cus- 
tomary, but  is  cup-shaped  at  the  top  so 
that  the  explosion  head  is  inside,  near  the 
middle.  Ports  in  the  upper  part  of  the 
piston  register  with  those  in  the  cylinder 
wall  in  the  course  of  the  revolutions.  The 
claim  for  efficiency  is  based  on  the  conten- 
tion that  better  scavenging  is  obtained 
than  with  a  motor  using  poppet  valves, 
and  that  the  cylinder  is  filled  more  satis- 
factorily on  the  intake  stroke.  Also,  no 
power  is  lost  through  the  lifting  of  valves 
and  the  compression  of  valve  sprimgs. 
Elimination  of  cams,  valves,  and  push 
rods  obviously  is  in  the  interest  of  quiet- 
ness. 


SEPARATOR  SCREEN  VIBRATED 
BY  HARMONIC  IMPULSES 

Taut  wires  vibrate  when  periodical 
blows  are  struck  upon  a  resonant  surface 
near  them.  This  is  the  principle  used  in 
vibrating  the  screens  of  a  new  inclined- 
type  separator  for  rock  products.  Slow- 
speed,   cam-operated   hammers  fall   upon 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


metal  bridges,  and  the  vibrations  are 
transmitted  to  the  screens  without  direct 
contact.  The  fine  screen  is  protected  by  a 
coarse,  or  scalper,  screen,  and  both  are 


In  This  Material  Separator  the  Screens  are  Vibrated 
by  Hammers  Striking  on  Tense  Metal  Bridges.  The 
Hammer-Actuating  Cams  arc  Seen  on  the  Lifted  Cover 

easily  accessible.  Because  of  the  angle  of 
inclination  and  the  rapid  and  violent  vibra- 
tion, a  comparatively  coarse  and  sturdy 
screen  yields  a  fine  and  uniform  product 
without  clogging  the  pores.  When  the 
cover,  carrying  the  hammers  and  their 
mechanism,  is  lifted,  the  scalper  screen 
slides  out  like  the  drawer  of  a  cabinet, 
exposing  the  clear  surface  of  the  fine 
screen.  Both  screens  are  stretched  by 
turning  a  few  nuts.  Unit  construction  per- 
mits a  battery  to  be  built  up  of  two  or 
more  separators. 


AUTOS  RUN  ON  PLANK  RAILS 
ACROSS  ALKALI  DESERT 

Planks  laid  on  the  scorching  alkali  sand 
for  17  miles  have  made  it  possible  to  drive 
an  automobile  across  the  terrible  Mam- 
moth Wash  in  about  40  minutes.     In  the 


La]nng  Three  by  Eight-Inch  Planks  across  17  Miles 
of  Alkali  Desert  to  Enable  Autoists  Cross  in  a  fifFy 

Land    in 


old  days  it  was  not  unusual  to  spend  the 
better  part  of  a  week  on  that  short  span 
of  the  Borderland  Trail  from  Phoenix, 
Ariz.,  to  the  Imperial  Valley,  Calif.  Many 
tourists  took  the  Midland  Trail,  250  miles 
out  of  their  way,  to  avoid  the  nightmare 
of  .bottomless  alkali  dust  and  blistering 
desert  heat.  The  plank  path  that  dispels 
the  terrors  provides  two  3  by  8-in.  planks 
for  each  wheel  track.  They  are  nailed  to 
stringers  of  the  same  dimensions,  placed 
about  10  ft.  apart.  Frequent  turnouts 
take  care  of  passing  cars,  the  rules  of  the 
desert  giving  the  right  of  way  to  west- 
bound traffic. 


ENVELOPES   FOR   SOLDIERS 
ADORNED  IN  NOVEL  WAY 

Envelopes  having  cartoons  of  soldiers 
printed  on  their  faces  recently  have  be- 
come very  popular  with  army  men  in  cer- 
tain camps.  These  imprints  give  the  sol- 
diers* mail  a  distinctive  character  which 


3crrr 


Envelopes  Having  Cartoons  Printed  on  the  Pace  are 

Becoming  Popular  with  Soldiers  for  Souvenirs 

as  Well  as  for   Regular  Correspondence 

they  like.  The  envelopes  are  suitable  for 
use  as  spuvenirs  as  well  as  containers.  The 
cartoons  are  printed  in  red,  green,  purple, 
and  other  shades. 


This    Pormerly 


Almost    Impassable    Bad 
Southern  California 


DEADLY  PHOSGENE  WAR  GAS 
FINDS  PEACEFUL  TASK 

Phosgene  gas,  deadly  compound  of 
chlorine  and  carbon  monoxide,  has  been 
offered  an  occupation  for  peace  time.  It 
has  been  found  to  serve  as  an  effective 
bleach  for  sand.  This  action  it  accom- 
plishes by  destroying  the  iron  oxide  which 
is  responsible  for  the  reddish  or  brownish 
tints  of  the  sand.  Bleached  sand  is  used  in 
the  manufacture  of  fine  glass  for  optical 
and  eyeglass  lenses.  There  are  no  less 
than  121  varieties  of  such  glass,  all  of 
w^hich  may  now  be  readily  produced  in  the 
United  States,  adding  one  more  to  the  in- 
dustries no  longer  dependent  upon  im- 
ported products. 


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WEEKLY  REMINDER  REPLACES 

POCKET  NOTEBOOK 

Pocket  notebooks  abound  in  all  forms 
and  varieties,  many  of  them  so  substan- 
tially    made     that     they      

long  outlive  their  useful- 
ness. A  little  eight-page 
vest-pocket  size  "remind- 
er," issued  as  an  adver- 
tising novelty,  has  the 
advantage  that  it  is  only 
intended  to  last  a  week, 
at  the  end  of  which  a 
new  one  is  substituted. 
In  its  3  by  8-in.  space 
it  includes  blanks  for 
'Things  to  Do,"  names 
and  addresses,  telephone 
numbers,  engagements, 
letters  to  write,  memos> 
a  "scribble  sheet,"  two 
pages  of  cash  accounts, 
a  calendar  for  two  years, 
an  "emergency  list"  of 
things  to  attend  to  dur- 
ing the  week,  and  as  a  finishing  touch  an 
8-in.  ruler  graduated  in  eighths. 


TWO-SEATER  "SPAD"  HAS  NOSE 

AHEAD  OF  PROPELLER. 

In  several  respects  the  new  two-seater 
"Spad"  biplane  of  the  French  air  service 


COPVmOHT,  KAOCL  A  HtRBtRT 

Side  View  of  the  IntcrestinK  < 

Dividing  the  Body  in  Two  Sections:  The  Gunner's  Cockpit  is 


"FLU"  MAiK  FAILS  TO  STOP 
INVENTIVE  SMOKER 

Compulsory  wearing  of  "flu"  masks, 
which  became  quite  common  during  the 
recent  influenza  epidemic,  put  a  tempo- 
rary but  eflfective  stop  to  smoking  on  the 
street  in  the  afflicted  communities.  An 
inventive  machinist  in  San  Francisco, 
however,  got  around  the  difficulty  by  cut- 
ting a  small  hole  in  his  mask  and  pasting 
a  round  corn  plaster  on  each  side.  The 
cigarette  is  inserted  through  this  hole, 
which  is  corked  when  not  in  use. 


Spad"  Two-Seatcr  Biplane,  with  Propeller 
_  'o  Sections:  The  Gunner's  Cockpit  ' 

Supported  by  Struts  Connected  with  the  Landing  Gear 

is  Strikingly  individual  in  design.  Its 
chief  novelty  lies  in  the  body  construc- 
tion. The  nose  contains  the  gunner's 
cockpit  and  is  separated  from  the  fuselage 
proper  by  the  propeller,  which  is  set  with- 
in the  leading  edge  of  the  top  plane.  The 
center  section  of  the  latter,  therefore,  is 
cut  away  on  the  leading  edge  as  well  as 
on  the  trailing  one.  Division  of  the  body 
by  the  screw  is  not  a  strictly  new  idea, 
for  it  was  employed  several  years  ago  in 
the  American-built  Gallaudet  seaplane. 
As  found  in  the  Spad,  however,  it  is  un- 
usual. The  nose  section  is  supported  by 
two  struts  connected  with  the  landing 
chassis,  and  is  also  held  by  members  that 
join  the  upper  wings.  Ailerons  are  pro- 
vided on  both  planes. 


co^vmoMT,  iNTimunoNAL  pilm  mrvick 

Two    Round     Com    Plasters    Protect    the    Cigarette 

Hole  in  the  "Flu"    Mask.    Between  Smokes  It 

is  Stopped  by  a  Cork,   as  Seen  at  the  Right 


AMERICAN  ARMY  HAS  ON  HAND 
MILLIONS  OF  CANDLES 

At  the  signing  of  the  armistice  the 
American  Expeditionary  Forces  found 
they  had  in  their  possession  46,000,000 
candles,  made  according  to  army  specifi- 
cations. Each  candle  will  burn  10  hours. 
If  burned  one  at  a  time  continuously,  it 
would  require  52.511  years  to  use  up  all 
these  candles.  However,  though  they 
were  intended  primarily  for  trench  use. 
probably  the  supply  is  sufficient  only  for 
immediate  needs,  it  is  said,  in  a  statement 
authorized  by  the  War  Department.  The 
candle  still  remains  the  simplest  and  most 
reliable  of  portable  luminants. 


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Brick  Pillars,    Elaborated   into  a  Pergola  at  One  Side  and  Carrying  a  Lantern   at  the  Other. 

Form  a  Very  Effective  Entrance.     Concrete  mav  be  Substituted  for  Brick, 

and  a  Parapet  with  Urns  for  the  'Pergola 


T  N  the  landscape  architect's  ideal  con- 
^  ception  of  an  acre  of  park  for  every 
hundred  inhabitants,  there  is  no  guide  for 
calculating  park  space  appropriate  to  a 
town  of  5,000.  It  is  evident  that  an  acre 
more  or  less  would  not  be  a  determining 
factor  in  its  value.  The  problem  of  rela- 
tive size  is  really  a  local  one,  its  answer 
depending  on  the  community's  facilities 
for  outdoor  enjoyment,  on  the  benefits 
that  will  accrue  to  it  by  the  acquisition  of 
a  park,  and  on  the  specific  idea 
which  lies  behind  the  desire 
for  a  park. 

The  commemorative  motive 
is  peculiarly  appropriate  in 
park  planning  just  now.  Every 
town  has  its  returning  heroes, 
and  perhaps  some  who  return 
only  as  names  on  a  dreaded 
list.  That  alone,  while  it  has 
little  to  do  with  size,  is  a  suf- 
ficient justification  for  all  nec- 
essary expenditures,  linking 
the  park  permanently  with  the 
warmest  and  strongest  asso- 
ciations of  the  community. 
The  motive  may  be  perpetu- 
ated in  a  suitable  memorial 
to  be  placed  near  the  park  en- 
trance. An  appropriation  of 
$2,000  for  this  would  not  be 
too  much. 

Camping  and  picnicking, 
two  legitimate  park  uses,  both 
suggest  an  appeal  to  the  mo- 
torist.-   A    good   camp   site   is     . . 

preeminently  adapted  to  the 
attraction  of  strangers,  there- 
by bringing  some  added  trade 
to  the  town  merchants.  For 
the  campers  good  drainage  is 
essential.  Adequate  sanitary 
provision  calls  for  two  wooden 


View:    A    Firep 
Sitnply  Constructed  of  Con- 


Top    View:    A    Fireplace 
Crete  Blocks  from  an  Old 


Foundation  Held  Together 
by  Concrete.  Iron  for  Such 
a  Fireplace  may  be  Pro- 
cured at  a  Junk  Dealer's. 
Lower  View :  A  More  Elab- 
orate Fireplace  with  aChim- 
ney,  Built  of  Brick 


outhouses,    costing    perhaps    $20    apiece. 
Water  supply  is  necessary,  an  extension 
of  the  city  system  unless  a  natural  spring 
— always    preferable    from    the    camper's 
standpoint  —  be      fortunately      available. 
While  the  present  amount  of  automobile 
traffic  will  help  in  estimating  the  camping 
area,    the    attraction    once   established    is 
likely  to  bring  more  traffic.     A  tentative 
allotment  of  five  acres  will  allow  later  de- 
velopment.    A  picnic  ground  has  greater 
appeal  to  the  local  population, 
though  it,  too,  will  draw  pleas- 
ure    seekers     from     neighbor 
communities.    Grass  and  shade 
are  the  main  requirements,  to 
which  should  be  added  tables 
and   benches   arranged   to   ac- 
;commodate      several      groups 
without     interference.       Fire- 
places of  simple  design  are  in- 
viting   and    useful.      Another 
five  acres  may  be  set  aside  for 
the  picnickers. 

Provision  must  be  made  for 
play,  both  juvenile  and  adult. 
A  few  seesaws  among  the 
trees,  rope  swings  hung  from 
the  branches,  baby  swings,  and 
a  generous  sandpile — at  least 
a  carload — take  care  of  the 
children.  A  level,  even  area, 
large  enough  for  at  least  one 
or,  better,  two  baseball  fields, 
can  also  be  used  for  football 
and  other  games  as  the  season 
changes.  Ten  acres  is  ample, 
four  acres  the  minimum,  for 
this  purpose.  If  natural  skat- 
ing surface  does  not  offer, 
some  means  of  flooding  the 
field  in  winter  might  be  studied 
out.  A  flagpole  may  be  in- 
stalled at  one  side  of  the  field. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


Since  a  park  should  emphasize  natural 
beauty,  one  part  of  the  site  will  best  be 
left  nearly  as  nature  made  it.  This  will 
be  the  elastic  unit  of  the  park;  it  may  be 
as  large  as  conditions  allow,  and  it  may 
be  encroached  upon  for  other  purposes 
as  the  usefulness  of  the  park  grows. 

A  total  area  of  25  acres,  apportioned  as 
indicated,  will  make  a  very  satisfactory 
park.  We  may  regard  50  acres  as  the 
maximum,  and  15  acres  as  the  irreducible 
minimum.  The  plan  must  follow  the  site, 
laying  out  broadly  and  boldly  the  way  the 
park  is  to  grow,  but  leaving  details  to  de- 
velop gradually,  in  sympathy  with  the  de- 
sires of  those  who  use  it. 

The     approach     proclaims     the     park. 


Therefore  a  fitting  entrance  is  the  first 
important  consideration.  If  the  park  is 
near  the  business  section  of  the  town,  ex- 
tending the  approach  to  the  main  street,  by 
means  of  a  parking  strip  planted  to  trees, 
is  very  eflfective.  Such  a  strip,  extending 
for  one  block  along  the  middle  of  the 
street  from  the  park  entrance,  with  pillars 
of  suitable  design  at  the  end,  will  cost  not 
less  than  $500.  Formal  park-entrance  pil- 
lars of  brick  or  stone  may  be  elaborated 
to  a  vine-draped  pergola  on  each  side, 
costing  complete  at  least  $350.  Or  a  rus- 
tic entrance,  to  harmonize  with  a  wooded 
area,  may  be  constructed  of  timber  from 
the  clearing  of  the  site.  Only  sound  logs 
and  limbs  of  durable  wood  should  be 
used.  For  such  an  entrance  of  appro- 
priate size,  200  hours  of  labor  must  be 
allowed. 

A  flower  bed  curbed  with  field  stone, 
so  placed  as  to  divide  incoming  and  out- 
going traffic,  will  need  at  least  a  thousand 


geraniums  to  be  effectively  in  scale  with 
the  rest  of  the  park.  Maintenance  ex- 
pense for  this  will  run  $100  a  year,  which 
may  be  reduced  to  about  $30  by  substitut- 
ing such  annuals  as  petunias  or  verbenas. 
Edging  plants  will  add  a  few  more  dol- 
lars, and  planting  may  be  figured  at  40 
hours. 

A  driveway  should  skirt  the  greater  area 
of    the    park    a    fair    distance    from    the 
boundaries,  returning  to  the  entrance  in 
an  easy  and  natural  manner.    A  dirt  road, 
whose  maintenance  requires  only  a  drag, 
is   usually   sufficient.     Holding  traffic  to 
one  direction  will  save  road  width,  and 
inconvenience    nobody;    and    it    may    be 
closed  in  wet  weather  to  reduce  upkeep. 
The  road's  course  should 
take     advantage     of    all 
natural  views  and  objects 
of    interest.      After    the 
driveway  is  roughed  out 
(not  forgetting  an  auto- 
mobile-parking   area)    it 
will  be  developed  by  the 
labor  employed   in    park 
maintenance,  and  so  has 
no  definite  cost  figure. 

Felled   timber   will   be 
useful     for    benches     of 
various  design,  for  rustic 
railings  and  bridges,  for 
seesaw  horses  and  swing 
uprights.      Properly     lo- 
cated  stumps   are   easily 
made    into    seats.      The 
cost  of  a  seesaw  is  about 
$7,    while    baby    swings 
call  for  an  investment  of 
at  least  $20.     Tables  and  benches  should 
■be   strongly   built,   and   anchored   to   the 
ground.     Varying  with  the   locality,  the 
cost  will  hardly  be  less  than  $8  for  a  table 
and  two  benches.     Rocks  have  their  uses, 
in  moderation,  as  retaining  banks  for  ter- 
races, markers  for  path  terminals  or  inter- 
sections, or  to  define  the  drive  where  the 
land  slopes  toward  it.     A  pile  of  stones 
at  the  ends  of  a  culvert  helps  retain  the 
soil.     Fireplaces   for   the   picnickers   will 
cost  from  $3  to  $5,  for  a  simple  concrete 
hearth,  and  $15  or  more,  for  a  brick  struc- 
ture with  a  chimney.     Use  of  field  stone 
or  other  waste  material  eliminates  a  spe- 
cific cost  figure.     Make  the  fireplaces  of 
ample   size,   comfortably   high,   and   with 
a    fire    pit    not    more   than    10   in.    deep. 
From   the   picnic   ground   the   play   field 
should  be  especially  accessible.       Heavy 
stumpage  can  best  be  blasted  out,  and  a 
good  grade  obtained  by  plowing,  disking, 
scraping,  dragging,  and  rolling. 


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Formal  planting  should  be  restricted  to 
a  small  area  near  the  entrance.  Masses 
of  flowering  annuals  to  begin  with, 
worked  over  gradually  to  herbaceous  per- 
ennials, such  as  peonies,  phlox,  and  del- 
phinium, outlined  in  free  curves  against  a 
background  of  shrubbery,  can  scarcely 
fail  to  produce  a  pleasing  effect.  Vine 
supports  work  into  such  a  picture  nicely. 
Such  sturdy,  self-reliant  perennials  as  iris. 
peonies,  etc.,  in  large  masses,  will  stand 
setting  apart  from  their  background. 
Planting  for  the  rest  of  the  park  should 
not  be  elaborate,  and  the  use  of  natural 
material  is  best.  Clumps  of  shrubbery, 
at  the  edge  of  timber  and  in  places  along 
the  drive,  will  attract  a  variety  of  birds. 
Ferns  can  gradually  be  established  in  the 
woodland,  the  wild  native  bloom  being 
studied  as  to  its  requirements  for  shade 
or  sun.  Interesting  plants  and  vines  can 
be  found  for  steep  and  rocky  hillsides. 
Few  paths  should  be  prepared,  and  those 
narrow  and  inconspicuous. 

Land  prices  are  a  local  problem,  but 
other  charges  are  roughly  standard.  A 
typical  25-acre  park,  designed  as  described 
here,  has  cost,  for  development  and  main- 
tenance in  the  last  seven  years,  a  total  of 
$10,270,  or  $1,500  a  year.  The  hand  labor 
for  the  seven-year  period  cost  $2,500,  at 
20  and  25  cents  an  hour.  Team  labor  cost 
$1,050  at  50  and  70  cents  an  hour.  Polic- 
ing cost  $6,720,  at  $80  a  month,  which  in- 
cluded all  caretaking.  The  man  selected 
for  this  post  must  be  tactful,  industrious, 
a  fair  craftsman,  and  have  a  high  degree 


of  interest  and  pride  in  the  park.    These, 
of  course,  are  pre-war  figures. 

We  have  not  discussed  the  subject  of 
buildings.  The  purpose  of  a  park  build- 
ing varies  with  the  climate,  the  location 
and  natural  advantages  of  the  park,  and 


A    Formal    Flower    Bed   near    the    Park    Entrance, 

Curbed  with  Stone,  Serves  as  a  Divider  for 

Incoming  and  Outgoing  Traffic 

could  scarcely  be  built  to  keep  harmony 
with  thp  rest  of  the  plan  for  less  than 
$3,000.  If  one  is  contemplated,  it  should 
contain  toilet  facilities  and  be  heated  in 
winter.  A  place  for  mu«ic  may  be  in- 
cluded, and  perhaps  a  stand  for  refresh- 
ments, etc.  The  latter  problem  is  well 
solved  by  making  the  stand  a  concession, 
returning  a  small  profit. 

Allowing  for  variations  <rom  the  figures 
named,  an  annual  expense  of  not  to  ex- 
ceed $2,000  will  provide  a  town  of  5,000 
with  a  park  that  will  adequately  serve  all 
the  needs  of  the  people  and  be  a  per- 
petual credit  to  the  community. 


INTERESTING  WORK  IS  DONE 
BY  HYDRAULIC  UNIT 

Quite  a  novel  pumping  unit  is  em- 
ployed in  connection  with 
project  in  the  state  of 
Washington.  Its  appli- 
cation at  first  thought 
seems  somewhat  like  lift- 
ing oneself  by  the  boot- 
straps. The  installation 
consists  of  a  hydraulic 
turbine  directly  con- 
nected through  speed- 
increasing  gears,  ^  to  a 
centrifugal  pump.  The 
water  wheel  operates 
under  a  20-ft.  head,  and 
at  350  revolutions  pro- 
duces 35  hp.  The  pump, 
on  the  other  hand,  work- 
ing at  1,450  revolutions,  elevates  about  800 
gal.  of  water  a  minute  against  a  head  of 
115  ft.     It  is  the  speed  of  the  pump,  of 


course,  that  compensates  for  the  great 
inequality  in  the  relative  heads.  The  effi- 
ciency of  the  unit  is  somewhat  greater 
than    50    oer    cent.  _ 


The  Turbine, 
Speed - 


Operated  under  a  80.  Foot  Head,  Drives,  through 
Increasing  Gears,  the  Pump  Which   Elevates 
Water  against  a  116-Poot  Head 

itself  can  hardly  be  called  unusual  in  char- 
acter, the  work  it  does  is  at  least  suffi- 
ciently novel  to  be  interesting. 


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DIMINUTIVE    SHIP'S    FUNNEL 

AIR  INTAKE  FOR  RADIATOR 

To  aid  the  cooling  system  of  an  auto- 
mobile,  an   air-intake  spout,  designed  in 
miniature    to    re- 
semble     a     ship's 
funnel,    has    been 
evolved  as  a  radi- 
ator cap.     It  aims 
to  assist    in    fore- 
stalling   overheat- 
I     ing'by  allowing  an 
'     inrush      of      cool 
iair   to    reach    the 
1     inside  of  the  radi- 
ator.    A  screen  is 
provided   in   the  funnel   opening  for  the 
purpose  of  excluding  dust  and  other  for- 
eign  particles. 


HAND-OPERATED    TRUCK    HOIST 
WORKS  WITH  GOOD  SPEED 

There  are  a  number  of  serviceable  fea- 
tures incorporated  in  a  new  hand  hoist 


compactly  housed  and  occupies  only  about 
eight  inches  of  space  behind  the  driver's 
seat.  Furthermore,  it  is  but  five  feet 
in  height,  which  allows  the  truck  on 
which  it  is  installed  to  pass  through  an 
ordinary  shed  or  garage  doorway.  Power 
is  applied  through  a  double  set  of  gears, 
and  transmitted  to  a  drum  about  which 
steel  hoist  ropes  are  wound.  A  five-ton 
load,  it  is  said,  can  easily  be  raised  by  one 
man  at  the  crank. 


OPTICAL  ILLUSION  IS  MENACE 
TO  OPEN-WATER  BATHERS 

Attention  has  been  called  to  an  optical 
illusion  that  may  be  responsible  for  the 
drowning  of  many  bathers.  When  swim- 
ming with  a  strong  wind,  one  moves  more 
slowly  than  the  waves  and  consequently 
often  suffers  the  mistaken  impression  that 
he  is  being  carried  backward  by  an  off- 
shore current  or  "undertow."  Panic  fre- 
quently seizes  the  swimmer,  especialljr  if 
he  is  inexperienced  in  open  water,  causing 
him  to  increase  his  effort  and  quickly  ex- 


This  New  Quick-Acting,  Manually  Operated  Hoist  for  Motor.Tnick  Dump  Bodies  Usutps  Only  About  Eicfat 

Inches  of  Space  behind  the  Driver's  Seat 


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These  Motorcyclists  are  Competing  for  the  Honor  of  Riding  the  Smallest  Possible  Circle  in  a  Pit  of  Soft 
Sand.    The  Winner  has  Just  Taken  a  Header  in  His  Nine  and  One-Pourth-Poot  Circle 


north-central  England,  enabling  them  to 
send  shipments  by  small  *  steamers  to 
Humber  River  ports,  and  thence  abroad. 
In  order  that  the  project  of  widening  and 
deepening  the  system  of  canals  forming 
the  route  may  be  carried  out,  it  is  urged 
that  either  the  national  government  or 
the  municipalities  interested  take  the 
matter  in  charge.  One  of  the  regions 
which  would  derive  important  benefit 
would  be  the  Doncaster  district,  18  miles 
down  the  canal  from  Sheffield,  where 
great  coal  fields  have  been  opened  up  in 
recent  years.  Steel  and  iron  manufactur- 
ers at  Sheffield  have  not  been  able  to  use 
the  existing  canals  extensively,  owing  to 
the  loss  of  time  involved. 


MOTORCYCLISTS  IN  CONTEST 

RIDE  CIRCLES  IN  SAND 

Riding  the  smallest  possible  circle  in 
the  softest  possible  sand  is  an  ingenious 
diversion  that  occurred  to  a  party  of  mo- 
torcyclists visiting  Exposition  Park,  Los 
Angeles,  recently.  The  impromptu  rules 
of  the  odd  contest  provided  that  the  rider 
must  neither  fall  off  nor  put  a  foot  down 
to  save  himself  from  falling.  The  first 
rule  was  honored  mostly  in  the  breach, 
and  all  eight  contestants  flopped  into  the 
sand  a  number  of  times.  The  winner, 
after  five  headers,  completed  a  circle  with 
a  diameter  of  9  ft.  3  in.  His  nearest 
opponent  made  an  even  10-ft.  circle.  The 
rear  wheels  of  some  of  the  motorcy- 
cles ground  themselves  into  the  sand  un- 
til  they  had  to  be  lifted  out.     This  soft, 


fine,  yielding  surface  not  only  tried  the 
skill  of  the  riders  but  tested  the  mettle  of 
the  motors. 


SHOCK-ABSORBING  PULLEY 

FOR  CREAM  SEPARATORS 

Of  probable  interest  to  dairymen  is  a 
flexible  pulley  lately  developed  for  engine- 
operated       cream      _____^ 

sepa  ra  t  o  rs.  It 
permits  gradual, 
smooth  starting 
without  belt  shift- 
ing, and  absorbs 
the  shocks  trans- 
mitted from  a  gas- 
oline engine.  The 
spokes  are  made 
of  resilient  metal 
and  bend  when 
subjected  to  a 
sudden  jerk  or 
pull.       They    are 

hinged  at  the  hub      z=: 

and  fitted  with 
shoes  that  engage 
frictionallv. 


the  rim  of  the  wheel 


([Based  on  the  pre-war  building  record 
of  385,000  residences  a  year,  there  is  a 
present  shortage  of  700,000  residences 
caused  by  the  low  construction  figure  of 
the  last  four  years.  There  is  an  equiva- 
lent shortage  in  other  building  lines.  The 
normal  annual  value  of  building  opera- 
tions in  the  United  States  is  $3,000,000,000. ' 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


LONG  LATHES  REQUIRED 

TO  BORE  BIG  GUNS 

In  the  great  shops,  so  carefully  guarded 
during  the   war,   where   the  army's   and 


Making  Big  Cans  for  the  Government:  The  8t-Poot  Lathe  in  the  For». 

ground  is  Boring  a  Three-Inch  Gun  Tube»  and  the  One  Jujt 

beyond  It  it  Turning  a  Three-Inch  Gua  Jacket 

navy's  big  guns  are  made,  the  long  lathes 
attract  special  attention.  Some  of  these 
are  shown  in  the  accompanying  photo- 

fraph,  the  two  in  the  foreground  being 
8-ft.  machines.  The  first  one  is  boring 
a  3-in.  gun  tube  and  the  second  one  is 
turning  a  3-in.  gun  jacket,  which  eventu- 
ally will  be  shrunk  onto  the  tube. 


SAND  BARS  AT  FIRE  ISLAND 

SHIFT  THEIR  PLACES 

The  sand  is  creeping  up  on  Fire  Island. 
The  narrow  key  that  lies  just  south  of 
Long  Island  has  been 
shifting  its  landmarks 
for  years.  That  the 
changes  are  not  confined 
to  the  visible  terrain  is 
manifested  by  the  strand- 
ing of  ships  on  strange 
bars  off  Great  South  Bay 
Beach.  Here  it  was  that 
the  transport  "Northern 
1  Pacific"  went  ashore,  a 
few  miles  east  of  Fire 
Island  lighthouse.  Al- 
most four  miles  inland 
from  Point  Democrat  the 
lighthouse  stands;  and  it 
was  built  out  in  the  wa- 
ter. It  has  not  moved; 
the  sand  has  merely 
come  up  and  surrounded 
it.  The  old  baymen 
know  the  bottom  foot  by 
foot,  but  even  they  can 
hardly  keep  track  of  the  almost  hourly 
changes  wrought  by  the  creeping  sands. 
And  when  a  ship  does  go  agroutid,  the 
sand  seizes  upon  it  and  piles  in  around 
it  until  refloating  is  no  small  task.  Strand- 
ings  are  frequent  here,  but  castialties  are 
few  because  the  shore  is  hospitable  to 
shipwrecked  mariners. 


SEGMENTED  AUTO  RIM  PERMITS 

QUICK  CHANGE  OF  TIRES 

Real  novelty  is  found  in  a  new  type  of 
motor-car  rim  that  permits  a  tire  to  be 
changed  quickly  without  resort  to  the 
usual  tools  and  muscular  energy.  The 
rim  consists  of  three  hinged  sections,  and 


when  removed  from  a  wheel,  is  instantly 
collapsed  by  bouncing  the  tire  lightly 
against  the  floor  or  ground.  It  is  as  easily 
replaced,  for  by  pressing  against  one  of 
t*he  hinges  with  the  foot,  the  rim  assumes 
its  natural  contour,  and  locks.  Old  rims 
can  be  converted  to  the  new  form. 


At  the  Left  is   Shown   How  Easily  the  Rim  is  Re- 
placed, While  at  the  Right  Is  a  Close- Up  View 
That  Explains  How  the  Sections  are  Hinged 


HOT-AIR  DRYING  PROCESS 
FOR  FOOD  PRODUCTS 

An  iron  cylinder,  16  ft.  in  diameter,  in 
which  revolve  two  turbine-driven  metal 
wings,  is  the  mechanism  used  in  a  new 
European  process  of  drying  eggs,  fruit 
juice,  blood,  and  the  like.  The  fluid,  beat- 
en to  a  froth,  is  dried  by  a  continuous 
current  of  hot  air  through  the  cylinder. 
The  dried  products,  in  powder  form,  are 
soluble  in  water  and  undergo  no  chem- 
ical change.  The  early  erection  is  an- 
nounced of  plants  of  this  kind  for  hand- 
ling 140,000  eggs  a  day.  The  powdered 
food  will  keep  indefinitely. 


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AMATEUR  DISPLAYS  SKILL  AS  SNAKE  CHARMER 


The  Daring  Toung  Performer  hat  been  Bitten 
•  Nttmber  of  Times  and  So  Alwasrs  Carries 
This  Anti.  Snake -Poison  Outfit  with  Him 
When  He  is  Handling  Venomous  Specimens. 
It  Consists  of  a  Scalpel  for  Making  Incisions 
about  the  Bite,  and  a  Vial  Containing  Per- 
manganate  of  Potash 


A  Handful  of  Rattlesnake:  This  Holding  of 
a  Coiled  Rattler  in  the  Outstretched  Palm  Is 
One  of  the  Stunts  of  the  Young  Performer 
Which  Alwavs  Makes  His  Fellow  Students 
Gasp  and  Shudder.  They  Know,  However, 
That  He  Understands  Just  What  to  Dot  the 
Instant  There   Is  Any  Sign   of  Hostifity 


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586 


POPULAR    MECHANICS 


ROME  PRESENTS  GOLD  REPLICA 
OF  STATUE  TO  MRS.  WILSON 

Distinctive  amon^  the  multitude  of  gifts 
to  President  and  Mrs.  Wilson  from  Eu- 
ropeans is  a  small  gold  replica  of  the 
famous  statue  of  the  wolf  suckling  the 
infants    Romulus  and    Remus,   the   tradi- 


OOPYRIOHT,    INTtRNATIONAL  FILM  •ERVICE 

Gold  Replica  of   Famous   Statue,  Presented   by   the 

Mayor  ol  Rome  to  Mrs.  Wilson:  The  Letters  Stand 

for  Latin  Words  Meaning  "The  Senate  and   People 

of  Rome" 

tional  founder  of  Rome,  and  his  brother. 
The  costly  souvenir,  which  was  presented 
to  Mrs.  Wilson  by  the  mayor  of  the  Eter- 
nal City,  is  inclosed  in  a  richly  finished 
cabinet.    Modern  Romans  are  particularly 


WAR  INDUSTRIES  OF  FRANCE 

PLAN    PEACE   PURSUITS 

Industrial  plants  in  France  which  were 
devoted  to  the  manufacture  of  war  ma- 
terials are  changing  the  nature  of  their 
products  with  as  little  friction  and  loss 
as  possible,  being  assisted  in  solving  their 
problems  by  the  Department  of  Industrial 
Reconstruction,  which  was  formerly  the 
Armament  Department.  Some  of  the 
changes  being  made  are  the  use  of  the 
great  arsenal  at  Roanne  for  the  construc- 
tion and  repair  of  railway  material,  the 
transformation  of  the  explosive  factories 
at  Bourges  into  chemical  plants  with 
the  production  of  fertilizers  in  view,  the 
alteration  of  woodworking  shops  of  the 
air-craft  department  for  sash  and  door  and 
other  building  work,  and  the  manufacture 
of  telegraph  and  telephone  material  and 
other  metal  products  by  plants  which 
have  engaged  in  similar  lines.  These 
changes  include  both  the  converted  in- 
dustries and  the  factories  built  expressly 
for  war  work,  and  apply  both  to  the  lib- 
erated regions  and  to  the  rest  of  France. 


AIR  PROPELLER  AND  MOTOR 
DRIVE  HEAVY  TRUCK 

A  four-blade  airplane  propeller,  coupled 
to  a  450-hp.,  12-cylinder  Liberty  motor, 
pulled  a  three-ton  truck  chassis  around 
Detroit  streets  at  20  miles  an  hour  in  a 
manufacturer's   war-work   demonstration. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS  587 


MECHANICS  ASSEMBLE  BIPLANE  QUICKLY  AT  TEXAS  FIELD 
TOURING  **open  boiMc  day"  at  Rich  Field,  Waco,  Texas,  tome  weeks  ago,  this  two-seater  army  biplane  was 
^^  uncrated  and  completely  assembled  in  two  hours  and  16  minwtea.    A  crew  of  five  accovapUshea  the  feat. 
The  speedy  quintette,  their  task  finished,  are  seen  standing  about  the  plane,  while  the  flier  who  tried  out 
the  hastily  but  perfectly  assembled  machine  leans  over  the  rear  cockpit. 


USE  OF   BALES    SAVED    LUMBER     TRUCK  EQUIPPED  FOR  TESTING 
AND  GAVE  ARMY  SANDBAGS  CREAM  WHEN  BOUGHT 

Clothing  and  equipment  for  the  Amcri-  The  slogan  "cash  and  carry"  has  been 
can  Expeditionary  Forces  was  packed  by  adopted  by  a  buyer  of  cream  who  has 
baling  instead  of  boxing  or  crating.  The  built  a  special  body  on  his  light  car,  for 
sum  saved  by  this  sub- 
stitution amounted  to 
more  than  $50,000,000. 
Cargo  space  of  8,180,000 
cu.  ft.  was  saved,  or  204,- 
500  shipping  tons,  equal- 
ing the  capacity  of  41 
standard  cargo  ships. 
The  lumber  necessary 
for  crates  and  boxes 
would  have  been  58,000,- 
000  ft.,  which  amount  is 
estimated  to  take  30 
years  to  grow.  The 
quantity  of  burlap  used 
for  baling,  which  allowed 

this   enormous   saving  of     Auto  Track  Equipped  by  an  Ohio  Dealer  in  Dairy  Products  for  Testing 
wnoH     waQ    2  770  000   vH  Cream  at  the  Place  Where  It  is  Purchased:  The 

wooa,  was  L,n\i,\j<jo  ya.,  ^^^^  p^^,  ^,,,  i„  ^^^^  ^,,,^ 
the  jute    grown    m    one 

year  being  sufficient  to  manufacture  that  the  purpose  of  running  his  business  on 

amount.     The  burlap  was  cut  the  right  the  new  basis.   The  bady,  resembling  that 

size  to  be  made  into  sandbags  for  mili-  of  a  van,  is  of  wood  with  large  windows 

tary  use,  and  from  the  total  shipment  of  on  either  side  and  has  a  capacity  for  40 

1,000,000   bales   of   goods   enough    burlap  five-gallon    milk   cans,    in    addition    to    a 

was  taken  to  make  4,000,000  sandbags.  complete  cream-testing  outfit  installed  in 

the  car.    The  novel-looking  conveyance  is 

CThe  statue  of  Lincoln,  by  St.  Gaudens,  driven  from  farm  to  farm,  and  the  cream 

is  to  be  placed  in  the  Canning  inclosure  purchased  is  tested  and  paid  for  on  the 

at  Westminster,  London,  according  to  a  spot,  so  that  there  is  no  ground  for  com- 

recent  decision  of  an  American  commis-  plaint.     The  plan  also  does  away  with  a 

sion  appointed  to  choose  between  it  and  more   or  less  elaborate  system   of  book- 

the    much-discussed    statue    by    Barnard,  keeping. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


NEED  FIVE  MEN  TO   OPERATE 

SPADE  IN  CHOSEN 

Things  are  done  differently  in  Chosen. 
In  parts  of  that  country,  where  primitive 
methods  still   prevail,   spading  a  garden, 


Primftfve  Land  Cultivation  in  Chosen  (formerly  Korea) : 

The   Man    at   the  Rear  Operates  the  Handle  of  the 

Implement  While   the   Other    Pour   Jerk  the   Blade 

Along»  Loosening  Up  the  Soil 

for  instance,  is  often  a  five-man  job.  Four 
coarse  ropes  of  twisted  reeds  are  fastened 
to  the  heavy  spade,  and  after  one  of  the 
five  laborers  has  thrust  it  into  the  ground 
the  other  four  jerk  it  along,  stirring  up 
the  earth,  after  a  fashion. 


DUAL    CIRCULATION    INDICATOR 
FOR  EXPLOSION  MOTOR 

Instant  warning  is  given  by  an  electric 
and  sight-flow  indicator  of  British  manu- 
facture, when  the  circulation  of  water  in 
the  jackets  of  a  marine  or  other  type 
internal-combustion  motor  falls  below 
normal.  The  instrument  is  provided  in 
different  sizes,  that  accommodate  pipes  of 
from  1/4  to  4-in.  diameter.     The  relative 


•V  counresv  or  motor  ship  and  motor  boat 

Visual  and  Electric   Indication  of  the  Condition  of 

the  Plow  of  Water  in  the  Circulating  System  of  an 

Internal -Combustion     Engine    is     Given    by    This 

Instrument 

amount    of    water    passing    the    glass    is 
shoxKn  by  the  angle  assumed  by  an  arrow 


fixed  to  a  hinged  flap.  When  the  circula- 
tion is  normal,  electric  contacts  are  held 
against  the  latter  member.  The  tension 
of  springs,  however,  overcomes  the  pres- 
sure of  the  water  when  the  force  of  the 
latter  drops  below  the  safety  point,  mov- 
ing the  contacts  away  from  the  flap  and 
causing  the  warning  signal   to  function. 


CHOKED  BY  TOY  BALLOON 
LODGED  IN  LARYNX 

The  danger  that  lies  hidden  in  the  things 
generally  regarded  as  most  innocent  and 
harmless  was  made  distressingly  appar- 
ent by  the  death  of  a  little  Brooklyn  girl  of 
six  years,  who  was  strangled  by  a  common 
toy  balloon,  purchased  for  a  nickel.  With 
the  neck  of  the  thin  rubber  bag  in  her 
mouth,  the  child  was  amusing  her  com- 
panions by  blowing  it  up  and  suddenly 
drawing  the  air  from  it  again.  The  end  of 
the  balloon  became  lodged  in  her  throat, 
and  the  next  exhalation  so  expanded  it 
that  it  completely  filled  her  mouth,  shut- 
ting off  all  air.  Unable  to  make  a  sound, 
her  predicament  was  not  realized  until,  in 
a  few  seconds,  she  fell  unconscious,  and 
the  physician  immediately  called  reported 
that  death  had  probably  been  almost  in- 
stantaneous. While  such  an  accident  is  for- 
tunately unusual,  it  carries  a  caution  as  to 
the  devices  used  by  small  children  in  play. 


PAUPERS'  LEGACY  TO  CITY 
SOLD  AT  AUCTION 

In  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  some  days  ago  the 
trinkets  of  the  city's  pauper  dead  were 
sold  at  public  auction.  The  sale  itself  was 
a  commonplace  affair,  such  as  is  held  in 
nearly  every  large  city  occasionally.  For 
the  seeker  of  human  interest,  however,  it 
offered  bountiful  leads  to  stories  of  pathos 
and  tragedy.  The  meager  personal  prop- 
erty of  scores  of  unfortunate  men  and 
women  deceased  was  sorted,  classified,  and 
put  on  the  block  for  the  highest  bidders. 
The  articles  were  the  worldly  possessions 
left  by  known  and  unknown  individuals 
who  had  died  in  Pittsburgh  charitable  in- 
stitutions during  the  26  years  prior  to 
1914,  and  included  some  400  watches,  a 
large  number  of  keys,  penknives,  buckles, 
lodge  emblems,  scarfpins,  false  teeth,  and 
a  miscellaneous  collection  of  odds  and 
ends.  Bibles  printed  in  many  languages, 
and  coins  from  the  four  corners  of  the 
earth,  were  listed.  A  few  hundred  dol- 
lars of  United  States  money,  part  of  the 
paupers'  legacy,  was  turned  into  the  city 
treasury. 


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689 


FIFTY  THOUSAND  SOLDIERS 

NATURALIZED  ABROAD 

Out  of  the  vast  army  which  the  United 
States  sent  to  Europe,  50,000  soldiers,  who 
were   aliens  or.  alien  enemies  when   they 
left  this  country,  have  bee"  maH*>  riti- 
zens.    This  remarkable  rec< 
ing  a  splendid  loyalty,  has  1 
made     possible     through 
the  efforts  of  the  Bureau 
of   Naturalization    which 
sent     its     representatives 
abroad  to  confer  the  priv- 
ileges of  citizenship  on  all 
foreigners  in  our  armed 
forces.    The  detailed  rec- 
ord     of      each      soldier, 
possessed    by    the    army, 
permitted    the    work    of 
naturalization  to  be  car- 
ried on  rapidly  but  never- 
theless thoroughly.   Even 
alien    enemies,   who   had 
joined  our  forces  before 
present  restrictions  were 
in  force  and  could  prove 
their  loyalty,   were   per- 
mitted to  become  citizens  and  will  enjoy 
all  the  privileges  of  Americanism  in  civil 
life. 


TRUCKS  OF  IMPROVED  DESIGN 

FOR  EXPRESS  COMPANY 

Several  improvements  characterize  the 
new  type  of  truck  bodies  which  have  been 
developed  for  the  American  Railway  Ex- 


Kew  Type  of  Express  Truck:  _     , ^.^^ 

of  the  Body  is  Damaged,  It  can  be  Removed  and  Replaced  with  Another 


In  Case  Any  One  of  the  Panels  in  the  Side 


TREES  IN  CROWDED  CITY  HAVE 
SPECIAL  PROTECTION 

Authorities    in    New    York    City    have 
g^one  to  unusual  trouble  and  expense  to 
make  certain  trees 
grow  in  much-fre-- 
quented      paved 
areas.     Each  tree 
is     planted     in     a 
hole,       measuring 
4  by  6  ft.  and  3  ft. 
deep,     and     the 
roots  are  covered 
with  properly  en- 
riched soil.     Over 
the    replaced    dirt 
is  laid  a  two-piece 
iron  grating,  hav- 
ing an  18-in.  hole 
in   the  center   for  - 
the  tree.   A  special 
implement,    which 
can     be     inserted 
oo> iwBitT.  f^mmmm  w«oto  nnvict       through  the  grat- 
ing, is  used  to  mulch  the  soil,  onto  which 
fluid     fertilizer    is    poured    at    intervals. 
Heavy    iron    pickets    surround    the    tree 
trunk,     a     necessary     protection     in     a 
crowded  city. 


press  Company.  In  place  of  the  screens 
and  side  curtains  used  in  the  old  style  of 
express  carriers  are  eight  panels  on  each 
side,  which  can  be  removed  individually 
like  window  glass  and  replaced  in  c:.se  of 
damage.  No  mudguards  are  provided  but 
at  the  lower  edge  of  the  sides  of  the  body 
are  iron  "fins"  which  serve  as  buflfers  for 
side  blows. 


TALK  THROUGH  OFFICE  PHONE 
WITH  AIRMEN  ALOFT 

The  first  official  demonstration  of  a 
two-way  conversation  between  a  person 
using  an  ordinary  telephone  line  and  an 
airman  in  flight  was  made  recently  in 
Washington.  An  officer  on  the  ground 
talked  into  a  desk  telephone  connected 
with  a  local  wire,  which,  in  turn,  was  con- 
nected with  apparatus  at  a  radio  station. 
This  permitted  the  flier  in  a  machine  fitted 
with  suitable  instruments  and  the  man  at 
the  desk  phone  to  converse  freely.  Wire- 
less apparatus  for  carrying  on  one-way 
conversations  has  been  in  use  for  some 
time  by  aeroplane  commanders  and  others 
in  directing  men  in  the  air.  Now,  it  is 
stated,  by  making  the  proper  connections 
it  undoubtedly  will  be  possible  for  a  man 
in  New  York,  for  example,  to  talk  witii 
a  flying  airman  in  San  Francisco,  or  for 
two  flying  airmen,  thousands  of  miles 
apart,  to  converse. 


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BATTLE  WINTER  ICE  AND  STORMS  AT  SEA 


Round    off    Pleasure,    but     in    War 
Time    and   Wintertime    and    a    Sea 
of  Ice  Such  at  This,  It  Means  Down- 
right Hardship 


the    Deck   of  a   Subma- 
rine under  Way,  Showing 
the  Guide  Cable  Coated 
with  Ice 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


AUTOMATIC  STEAM-OPERATED 

STOKER  SELF-CLEANING 

Service  for  more  than  two  years  under 
widely  differing  conditions  is  claimed  to 


Coal  Supplied   from  the  Hopper  at  the  Front  is  Pushed  into  the  Maga- 
zine by  the  Steam  Ram,  as  Shown  at  the  Left.    Gradually  the  Ash  and 
Refuse  is  Moved  onto  the  Balanced  Dump  Plate  Shown  at  the  Right 

have  demonstrated  the  efficiency  of  a  pow- 
er-operated underfeed  stoker  that  auto- 
matically removes  ash  and  refuse  from  the 
fire  bed.     A  steam-actuated  ram  supplies 


the  magazine  intermittently  with  coal 
from  a  hopper  installed  at  the  front.  As 
the  coal  is  pushed  into  the  magazine, 
which  forms  the  support  for  the  fuel  bed, 
it  raises  the  previous  charge  upward  and 
rearward,  underfeeding 
fresh  coal  to  the  fire.  The 
latter,  subjected  to  the  in- 
tense heat  from  the  zone 
of  incandescence,  gives 
up  its  volatile  gases  be- 
fore igniting.  Air  com- 
ing from  the  tuyeres 
mixes  with  the  gases  and 
rises  through  the  heated 
fuel,  while  the  coke  that 
has  formed  is  forced,  by 
the  new  charge  of  coal, 
toward  the  top  of  the  bed 
to  burn  with  the  'rising 
gas  mixture.  The  whole 
burning  bed  is  gradually 
moved  toward  the  back 
until,  as  ash  and  refuse, 
it  accumulates  on  a  bal- 
anced dump  plate  and  is 
eventually  dropped  into 
a  pit,  or  through  chutes 
to  cars.  Steam  automati- 
cally controls  the  supply 
of  coal  and  air  fed  to 
the  fire,  a  slight  drop  in 
pressure  causing  the  de- 
livery of  fuel  to  be  increased,  and  a  rise 
in  pressure  having  the  opposite  effect, 
so  that  in  spite  of  load  variations,  a  ver>- 
uniform  boiler  pressure  is  maintained. 


NEW  FARM  MACHINE  PERFORMS 

WORK  OF  FOUR  IMPLEMENTS 

Tests,  said  to  have  been  most  satisfac- 
tory, have  been  made  of  a  new  tractor- 
driven     farm     implement     

which  does  the  work  of 
a  plow,  disk,  harrow,  and 
pulverizer  in  one  opera- 
tion, thereby  greatly  les- 
sening the  labor  involved 
in  preparing  a  field  for 
planting.  The  special 
feature  of  the  invention 
is  an  ineenious  sprocket, 
which  sends  a  series  of 
spades  into  the  ground 
vertically.  These  are 
staggered  across  the  5-ft.  I 
span  of  the  machine  just  I 
behind  the  drivewheels. 
.As  each  spade  enters  the 
ground    its    thrust  back- 


ward in  digging  up  the  dirt  helps,  to  a 
degree,  to  drive  the  whole  implement  for- 
ward. The  ground  is  disturbed  to  a  depth 
of  12  in.,  if  desired.  Surface  vines  and 
weeds  are  chopped  up  and  turned  under. 


iffine-Driven   Farm  Implement  Which   Does  the  Work    of  •  Plow. 
Disk,  Harrow,  and  Pulverizer  at  One  Operation,  Spading 
a  Path  Five  Feet  Wide  as  It  Moves  Along 


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POPULAR    MECHANICS 


593 


CHIMPANZEE  REPELS  TRAINER 
WITH  COWBOY  TACTICS 

Poe  on  the  one  hand  and  Kipling  on  the 
other  have  given  modern  literature  two 
classic  accounts  of  murders  executed  by 
domesticated  apes.  In  each  of  these  re- 
markable stories,  the  hairy  brute  made 
use  of  his  enormous  muscular  strength. 
From  an  eastern  city  comes  verified  in- 
formation of  a  near  tragedy  in  real  life, 
which  in  its  way  is  even  more  striking 
than  either  of  the  fictional  tales  afore- 
mentioned 

"Consul,"  a  trained  and  mannishly  at- 
tired chimpanzee  belonging  to  a  troupe 
of  performing  animals,  was  seated  in  his 
cage  in  view  of  the  arena  awaiting  his 
turn.  The  trainer,  in  putting  some  un- 
ruly bears  through  their  evolutions,  twice 
had  occasion  to  discharge  a  revolver 
while  enforcing  his  commands.  This  was 
observed  by  the  ape.  The  firearm,  instead 
of  being  returned  to  the  trainer's  pocket, 
was  left  in  the  arena  when  the  bears 
completed  their  work. 

All  went  well  with  the  chimpanzee  and 
his  act  until  he  spied  the  revolver.  Upon 
sighting  it,  however,  the  animal  picked  it 
up  and  attempted  to  slip  it  in  a  pocket  of 
his  clothing.  He  was  frustrated  in  this 
by  the  trainer,  who  advanced  and  at- 
tempted to  seize  the  weapon.  With  alac- 
rity befitting  a  practiced  cow  puncher  of 
early  western  days,  the  ape  pointed  the 
revolver  at  the  man  and  fired.  For- 
tunately for  the  latter — and  perhaps  for 
both — the  cylinder  was  loaded  with  blank 
cartridges,  and  the  trainer  sustained  noth- 
ing more  serious  than  a  powder  burn. 
The  shot  may  have  been  fired  in  the  spirit 
of  play,  to  repel  resistance,  or  accidentally. 
In  any  case,  here  is  an  authentic  instance 
of  an  anthropoid  ape  shooting  a  man  with 
a  firearm. 


ITALIAN  DISABLED  SOLDIERS 

MAKE  DECORATIVE  DESIGNS 

Interesting  work  by  Italian  wounded 
who  have  found  profitable  employment  in 
designing  and  printing  paper  and  fabrics 
for  interior  decoration  has  been  cited  as 
offering  a  suggestion  to  the  Federal 
Board  of  Vocational  Education,  in  charge 
of  training  our  disabled  soldiers  to  be  self- 
supporting.  Most  of  this  work  is  not 
heavy  and  therefore  particularly  suited  to 
handicapped  men.  Several  such  men 
now  taking  instruction  in  or  near  Milan 
have  produced  about  100  designs  which 
are  being  used  in  wall  paper,  hangings, 
hat  boxes,  etc.  All  are  characterized  by  a 
freshness  and  individuality  that  is  most 
pleasing. 


LEAD  HAMMER  FOR  SHOP  USE 
MADE  WHENEVER  NEEDED 

Lead  hammers,  for  shop  use  on  work 
which  would  be  damaged  by  a  hard-faced 
hammer,  are  frequently  made  by  workmen 
without  proper 
equipment,  result- 
ing in  loss  of  time. 
A  device  designed 
to  make  the  proc- 
ess rapid  and 
easy  consists  of  a 
two-part  hinged 
mold  for  the  lead, 
and  a  separate 
handle  with  an 
eye  on  the  end  that  is  inserted  into  the 
mold,  and  an  aluminum-faced  grip  on  the 
other  end.  Different  sizes  of  molds  pro- 
vide lead  hammers  of  1-lb.,  2^,4-lb.,  and 
5-lb.  weight.  The  lead  head  is  readily 
melted  off  in  a  few  minutes  when  it  be- 
comes upset  beyond  usefulness,  and  a  new 
and  perfect  head  melted  on. 


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INTENDED    FOR    THE    HOME  AND  ITS    MEMBERS 


n 


^^  This  Electric  Curl- 
f  ing  Iron  may  be 
'■  Taken  Apart  and  the 
Shank  Holding  the  Heat- 
ing  Element  Screwed  into 
a  water  Bottle  to  Heat 
the  Contents 


A  Striking  Novelty 
for  the  Armistice 
Season:  A  Handbag 
Fashioned  after  the 
Lines  of  a  British 
Tank  and  Richly  Fin- 
ished  in  Black  or 
Blue  Pin-Seal  Leather 


S 
C 
S. 

Conveniently  as  a  Car- 
rier for  Small   Pack- 
ages and  Bundles 


A  Lasting  and  Sei 
viceable  Dust  Mo 
Consisting  of 
Sheep's  Pelt  Wrappe 
on  a  Flexible  Fran 
to  Which  a  Hand! 
is  Attached 


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5« 


596 


POPULAR    MECHANICS 


FUR-lBEATING  MACHINE  HAS 

VACUUM  FEATURE 

The  beating  of  furs  to  soften  them  and 
remove  dust  and  loose  hairs  can  now  be 

Hnn<»    hv    a     mntor-Hriv<»n     ma- 


A  New  Motor-Driven  Pur-Beating  Machine  is  Shown 
at  Work  at  the  Left.  In  the  Center  Picture  the  Hood 
is   Tipped  Back,  Exposing  Flails  and  Fan   to  View 

common  practice,  at  a  saving  of  much 
labor  and  in  a  most  sanitary  manner.  The 
outfit  is  portable  and  does  not  occupy  a 
large  amount  of  space.  The  fur  to  be 
•treated  is  placed  on  a  padded  counter 
which  can  be  extended  by  raising  leaves 
at  either  side.  Above  the  counter  is  an 
overhanging  hood  having  windows  in  its 
sides  through  which  the  renovation  proc- 
ess can  be  observed.  Turning  a  switch, 
causes  three  rattan  sticks  to  rise  and  fall 
with  a  snappy  movement  much  like  hand- 
beating.  The  motor  which  drives  the 
sticks  also  operates  a  fan,  immediately 
above  them,  for  drawing  the  dust  into  a 
bag  inclosed  in  a  chamber  at  the  rear. 
By  means  of  a  controller  the  operator  can 
regulate  the  speed  of  the  machine  to  suit 
the  fur  being  treated. 


FLAX-HANDLING  MACHINES 

AID  IRISH  INDUSTRY 

Flax  manufacture,  oldest  of  textile  in- 
dustries, has  received  •new  impetus  in 
Ireland  through  the  development  of  ma- 
chines that  perform  most  of  the  opera- 
tions previously  done  by  hand.  The 
harvest  of  flax  is  pulled  up  by  the  roots, 
not  cut,  and  simple  but  ingenious  pulling 
machines  are  already  in  use.  A  deseed- 
ing,   or    rippling,    machine    replaces    the 


slow  hand  process  of  removing  the  bolls, 
and  delivers  the  stalks  straightened  and 
clean.     Retting  tanks,  which  loosen  the 
woody  core  from  the  fiber  by  soaking  in 
water  until  fermentation  is  completed,  are 
11  nH#^r    rnvfi'T     protected    from    weather 
he  flow  and  temperature  of 
controlled  with  automatic 
ity.     Eight  to  eight  and  a 
ons  of  flax  are  handled  in 
Di  the  double  tanks, 
nstant  flow  eliminates  the 
ulsive    odors   of   the    pond 
ocess   of    retting,    and   the 
;e    only     of    the     previous 
wear's  crop  allows   rippling 
o  be  done  at  the  most  de- 
sirable    time.       The     ma- 
chines  for    scutching,    or 
breaking  the  rotted  woody 
core  away  from  the  fiber, 
require  the  attention   of 
skilled  •  and    experienced 
workers,    as   this    is   the 
most   important   part   of 
the  process.    When  it  is 
completed,     the    cleaned 
flax  is  ready  for  market. 
Tow  is  made    from    the 
end  not  used  for  flax,  and  a  meal,  called 
"linfoo,"  is  produced  by  grinding  the  seed 
shell,,  leaving  no  waste  whatever.     It  is 
anticipated    that    the    improvements   will 
popularize  flax  growing  by  increasing  the 
marketability  of  the  crop. 


tade  for  Dust  and 
Hairs 


BIBLE    REFERENCE    IN    CARS 

PROMOTES  TRUTHFULNESS 

Placards  containing  the  words  "Proverbs 
XII:  19"  and  "Tell  the  Truth"  have  been 
displayed  on  the  front  of  all  local 
cars  of  the  Phila- 
delphia  Rapid 
Transit  Company 
as  a  feature  of 
a  "truthfulness"  ^| 
campaign.  The 
company  has  been 
blamed  for  numer- 
ous accidents  al- 
leged to  be  the  re- 
sult of  the  skip- 
stop  plan,  but  investigation  has  shown 
that  the  testimony  of  many  witnesses 
could  not  be  substantiated,  or  was  false. 
Of  late,  testimony  has  proven  more  re- 
liable, it  is  said,  and  the  placards  are 
given  much  credit  therefor.  The  verse 
in  Proverbs  reads:  "The  lip  of  truth  shall 
be  established  forever;  but  a  lying  tongue 
is  but  for  a  moment." 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS  597 

AUTO-RIDING  GYPSIES  USE  UP-TO-DATE  APPLIANCES 


A  Gjrpsy  Camp  in  Which  Automobiles 
have  Supplanted  the  Old-Pashioned  Horse- 
Drawn  Wagons,  While   an   Electric   Washing 
Machine  is  Numbered  among  the  Labor-saving  Appli- 
ances Which  These  Picturesque  Nomads  have  Adopted 

The  use  of  automobiles  by  gypsy 
bands,  which  has  already  attracted  not  a 
little  public  notice,  appears  to  have  been 
but  the  first  step  in  modernizing  the 
whole  life  of  these  picturesque  nomads. 
Recent  reports  from  a  gypsy  camp  in  In- 
diana tell  of  the  use  of  appliances  there 


such  as  are 
found  only 
in  up-to-date 
homes.  An  electric 
washing  machine,  run  by  power  generated 
by  one  of  the  band's  automobiles,  is  per- 
haps the  most  conspicuous  innovation. 
When  the  wanderers  are  on  the  move  the 
machine  is  securely  strapped  to  one  of  the 
cars.  It  is  said  heat  and  cold-retaining 
bottles  are  among  the  kitchen  utensils. 


NEW  STORM  SIGNALS  ON  GULF  AND  ATLANTIC  COASTS 


A  new  system  of  storm  warnings  for 
vessels  was  put  into  effect  on  the  Atlantic 
and  Gulf  coasts  the  first  of  the 
year.  As  the  accompanying  illus- 
tration shows,  the  day  signals  are 
given  with  red  and  white  pen- 
nants, and  square  red  flags,  having 
black  centers,  used  in  the  combinations 
indicated.  The  display  of  a  single  red 
pennant  alone  indicates  that  moderately 
strong  winds  which  will  interfere  with 
the  safe  operation  of  small  craft  are  ex- 
pected. No  provision  is  made  for  warn- 
ing small  craft  at  night.  For  the  other 
storm  signals,  however,  night  warnings 
re  given  by  the  use  of  red  and  white 
^^**ems.  These  warnings  have  been  in 
use  tp,  the  Great  Lakes  for  more  than  two 


years,  and,  eventually,  they  are  to  be  in- 
troduced on  the  Pacific  coast  also. 


DAV    8iaNAl.S. 

SB.  tmm.  SW.  sta 


NIOHT    SIONAl^S. 


I  I 


I 
I 


New  Storm   Signals    Given    with   Red    and    White 

Banners  by  Day.  and  Red  and  White 

Lanterns  by  Night 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


DEVICE  ADAPTS  BASE  BURNERS 

TO  USE  OF  SOFT  COAL 

The  grovernment's  restrictions  on  hard 
coal  have  caused  the  Fuel  Administration 
to  recommend  the  use  of  a  simple  attach- 


Hard-Coal  Base  Burner.  Minus  Maeazine.  Provided 
with  an  Attachment  for  Burning  Soft  Coal:  Left- 
Hand  View  Indicates  How  Dampers  arc  Set  After 
Coal  has  Coked.  That  at  Right  Shows  Arramgement 
of  Dampers  during  Coking  Period 

ment  for  hard-coal  base  burners  which 
makes  them  capable  of  burning  soft  coal 
satisfactorily.  The  magazine  in  the  top  of 
the  stove  is  removed  and  a  special  lid  is 
substituted  for  the  old  one.  Extending 
downward  from  the  new  lid  to  the  fire 
pot  is  a  1%-in.  air-supply  pipe,  while  an 
auxiliary  stovepipe  is  provided  which  ex- 
tends upward  from  a  large  hole  in  the 
lid  and  connects  near  the  ceiling  with  the 
regular  pipe.  The  dampers  in  the  aux- 
iliary pipe  and  the  air-supply  pipe  are 
left  open  about  15  minutes  after  putting 
on  fresh  coal  so  that  the  smoke  is  dis- 
posed of  rapidly.  During  this  period, 
when  the  coal  is  coking,  the  auxiliary  pipe 
radiates  considerable  heat.  The  smoke 
being  consumed,  the  dampers  are  set  to 
force  the  draft  down  through  the  fuel 
and  the  air-supply  pipe   partly  closed. 


AID  FOR  FRENCH  SOLDIERS 
WHO  BECOME  FARMERS 

The  department  of  Loire,  in  central 
France,  has  felt  so  keenly  the  need  of  de- 
veloping its  agricultural  interests  that  it 
is  offering  remarkable  inducements  to  sol- 
diers to  take  up  land.  The  sum  of  $120,- 
000  has  been  voted  to  promote  the  work. 


A  minimum  of  20  to  25  acres  may  be  al- 
lotted to  men,  mobilized  or  not  mobilized, 
who  comply  with  certain  conditions,  one 
of  which  is  that  they  remain  as  the  heads 
of  their  farms  for  10  years.  Furthermore 
the  department  offers  free  to  each  man 
$200  worth  of  modem  farm  machinery 
and  will  loan  him,  over  and  above  this, 
$100  worth  of  implements  for  each  25 
acres  tilled  in  addition  to  the  first  25 
acres.  Fifteen  years  are  allowed  to  pay 
back  the  latter  obligatiofi.  To  encourage 
larger  families,  part  of  the  loan  can  be 
canceled  according  to  the  number  of  chil- 
dren bom  on  the  farm. 


OFFER  PRIZE  FOR  INVENTION 

OF  AEROPLANE  PARACHUTE 

The  sum  of  $500  has  been  offered  to  the 
Aero  Club  of  America  to  be  used  in  pro- 
moting the  invention  of  parachutes  for 
fliers.  A  committee  has  been  appointed 
by  the  club  which  will  arrange  for  a  com- 
petition. Men  familiar  with  the  problems 
of  flying  point  out  that  a  safety  device  of 
the  character  sought,  if  it  is  to  be  of 
practical  value,  must  be  so  constructed 
and  so  attached  that  it  can  be  utilized 
at  any  instant  regardless  of  the  position 
of  the  aeroplane  and  flier.  While  a  va- 
riety of  parachutes  were  in  use  during 
the  war,  their  relative  merits  have  not  yet 
been  fully  <letermined.  Valuable  sugges- 
tions are  expected  from  this  contest. 


LAMP  DETECTS  GASOLINE 

FUMES  IN  SEWERS 

The  growing  number  of  garages  has  in- 
creased  the   danger   of   explosions   from 


HYOfiOOeN  PMSSURE  TANK 

Apparattf^,  Including  Hydrogen  Torch, 

Used  in  Testing  Sewer  Gas  to  Ascertain 

if  It  Contains  Evaporated  Gasoline 

gasoline  which  has  been  washed 
into  sewers  and  then  evaporated.  ^^^ 
To  detect  the  presence  of  such  o^O 
gases  in  underground  passages,  a 
lamp  has  been  employed  in  Boston  and 
elsewhere,  which  is  similar  in  principle  to 
a  safety  lamp.  It  bums  hydrogen,  a 
pressure  tank  being  provided  for  the  ga«> 
while  placed  over  the  burner  is  a  b^^s^ 
globe  having  324  perforations  per  f^uare 


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599 


inch.  Around  the  burner  is  a  collar 
through  which  vapor  from  a  sewer  can 
be  forced  up  into  the  flame  by  means  of 
a  suction  tube  attached  just  below  the 
lamp  and  provided  with  a  suitable  bulb. 
To  test  a  sewer  this  tube  is  lowered  to 
the  surface  of  the  flowing  sewage  and  the 
bulb  is  operated  by  hand.  If  any  gasoline 
vapor  is  present,  the  flame,  which  normal- 
ly is  almost  invisible,  will  take  on  a 
greenish  or  bluish  cast. 


AUXILIARY  FRONT  RADIUS  ROD 

HOLDS  AXLE  IN  ALINEMENT 

BroaJ  claims  of  merit  are  made  for  an 
adjustable  radius-rod  support  that  has 
been  fashioned  for  a  certain  type  of  light 
car.  The  device  is  intended  to  keep  the 
front  axle  of  the  machine  in  proper  aline- 
ment  and  relieve  driving  strains.  While  it 
is  sufficiently  strong  to  prevent  an  axle 
from  "crawling"  back,  and  a  radius  rod 
from  being  broken  thereby,  it  has  enough 
resiliency  to  take  up  the  shock  in  the  event 
of  a  head-on  collision  and  safeguard  the 


Showing  the   Adjustable   Radius- Rod   Support   in 

Place,  Bracing  the  Front  Axle  in  a  way 

to  Prevent  Back  "Crawling" 

crank  case  from  injury.  Attachment  of 
the  supsport  is  a  simple  matter,  requiring 
only  a  :few  minutes  of  labor. 


OVERSTOCK  OF  RATION  CANS 

USED  TO  SHIP  CEREALS 

Immense  tin  cans,  with  a  capacity  of 
100  lb.  of  food,  were  used  by  the  War  De- 
partment for  packing  trench  rations.  The 
armistice  left  the  Subsistence  Division 
with  150,000  of  these  special  containers 
on  its  hands — and  they  cost  $1.50  apiece. 
No  use  for  them  was  apparent,  and  they 
usurped  an  enormous  amount  of  storage 
space.  Just  at  this  serio-comic  crisis,  the 
g:ovemment  received  an  overseas  order 
for  10,000,000  lb.  of  oatmeal  and  hominy. 
Cereals  for  salt-water  shipment  have  to 
be  packed  in  hermetically  sealed  con- 
tainers. The  problem  of  the  unemployed 
trench  cans  was  solved,  and  the  cost  of 
new  containers  was  saved. 


INSTRUMENT  MEASURES  EXTENT 

OF  MOVEMENTS  OF  JOINTS 

An  instrument  has  been  devised  in 
England  for  measuring  in  terms  of  de- 
grees, the  move  g»  ment  of  knees, 
elbows,  and  >^^^E^^^  other  joints 
of  the  body.  J^^^f^^^b^    It  is  used  in 


connectioiiX  /  with  physi- 

cal   treat  N.  y    ments   for 

disabled  sol  ^"^^^  -^'^  diers.  Near 
the  edge  of    This  instrument,    a  dial  form- 

.'n/vfV.^  (^^^    Attached  to  Arm  or        r     xl 

mg  the  face     Leg.  Records  Move-     of     the     m- 

strument  m«nt  of  the  Joints  are  two 
parallel  sets  of  graduations,  numbered  in 
opposite  directions  and  showing  angles 
up  to  150°.  Straps  are  provided  for  ad- 
justing the  device  to  the  limb  to  be  tested 
and  the  movement  of  the  latter  is  shown 
by  an  indicator  on  the  dial. 


CHARGES  AND  SERVES  DRINK 

AT  ONE  OPERATION 

Beverage  carbonator,  storage  tank, 
cooler,  dispensing  faucets,  and  counter  for 
glasses  are  combined  in 

a    device    intended    for        — ^ 

use  where  the  serving 
of  soft  drinks  is  a  side 
line,  or  for  transient  en- 
tertainments. It  needs 
no  operating  power, 
using  the  carbonfc-gas 
tank  of  commerce  to 
supply  pressure  for  dis- 
pensing the  drink  as 
well  as  charging  it.  So 
long  as  the  gas  and 
beverage  supply  lasts, 
the  dispensing  pressure 
is  automatically  main- 
tained at  the  same 
moderate  point,  re- 
gardless of  the  tank 
content.  Lack  of  ex- 
cess pressure  eliminates 
the  usual  spluttering  escape  of  gas  from 
the  faucet. 


CAccording  to  estimates  of  the  Geolog- 
ical Survey,  the  quantity  of  petroleum 
marketed  from  oil  wells  and  field-storage 
tanks  in  this  country  in  1918  amounted 
to  345,500,000  bbl.,  an  apparent  gain  of 
three  per  cent  over  the  former  record 
output,  established  the  previous  year. 


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BOYS  AND  GIRLS  AMID  NOVEL  SURROUNDINGS 


r-^-^^ 


^ 


600 


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AND  THINGS  OF   SPECIAL   INTEREST  TO    THEM 


j      JKxienor  view  m  xne  sicnooi  w^iiere  several  ot  the  Chfl- 

i     ^ren  Whom  One  Sees  in  the  BCovies  Learn  Their  Lea- 

sons.  Aided  by  Three  Teachers :    The  Grown-Up  Actors 

Try,  as  Far  aa  Possible,  to  Call  on  Their  Little  Helpers 

Only  4rftCT  School  Hotxrs 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


LOOSE  BRAKES  SEND  AUTOMOBILE  TO  JUNK   PILE 

'WUTHEN  the  brakes  failed  to  work  and  a  motor  car  collided  with  the  slow-moving  engine  of  a  passenger 
^^  train  at  a  grade  crossing  in  a  western  town  some  days  afo,  a  scrap  heap  of  broken  parts  and  twisted 
metal  was  quickly  established.  The  radiator  of  the  automobile  struck  the  cylinder  on  the  left  side  of 
the  locomotive.  The  impact  knocked  the  machine  in  a  semicircular  course  that  terminated  on  the  railway 
track  and  resulted  in  a  second  collision.  The  latter  was  a  businesslike  one,  and  the  car  was  hurled  against 
an  adjacent  telephone  pole,  thereupon  ending  its  career. 


RAIL  CUTTER  ON  TURNTABLE 

FOR  CROWDED  SHOP 

Feeding  long  railroad  rails  at  various 
angles  to  a  cutting  machine  in  a  crowded 


This  Heavy  Rail-Cutting  Saw  is  Mounted  on  a 

Turntable,  Enabling  Long  Rails  to  be  Cut 

at  Any  Angle  in  a  Crowded  Shop 

shop  was  an  exasperating  problem  until 
the  >iappy  thought  occurred  of  mounting 
the  cutting  machine  on  a  turntable.  The 
saw  used  for  this  work  naturally  has  a 
very  heavy  carriage  and  demands  a  rigid 


mounting.  These  difficulties,  however, 
were  successfully  overcome,  and  the  turn- 
table was  so  arranged  that  it  can  be  ro- 
tated to  any  position  and  firmly  locked. 
This  enables  the  long  and  awkward  rails 
to  be  handled  from  any  point  in  the  shop 
and  sawed  off  by  turning  the  cutter  to  the 
desired  angle. 


SAWMILL  WASTE  MAY  BE  USED 
IN  SUBSTITUTE  CARDBOARD 

In  England  a  cardboard  substitute  has 
been  invented  that  may  prove  to  have 
merit.  It  is  made  by  interposing  a  layer 
of  sawdust  between  two  sheets  of  paper 
and  binding  the  whole  together  by  the  use 
of  adhesive  material  and  pressure.  Any 
desired  thickness  or  weight  may  be  ob- 
tained by  using  several  alternate  layers  of 
sawdust  and  paper  in  building  the  board. 
In  view  of  the  universal  paper  shortage 
and  the  cheapness  of  sawdust,  it  is  pos- 
sible that  the  scheme  may  prove  eco- 
nomical. 


C Plans  are  now  being  made  for  a  large 
exhibition  of  Norwegian  and  American 
mercantile  products  to  be  held  in  the  fall 
of  the  present  year  in  Norway,  the  pur- 
pose being  to  strengthen  business  rela- 
tions between  the  two  countries  repre- 
sented. 


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Electroplating  Outfit  for  the  Small  Shop 

By  KENNETH  M.  COGGESHALL 


Vf  GST  of  the  small  metal  parts  on  an 
^^'^  automobile  body,  as  well  as  some 
parts  of  the  mechanism,  have  either  a 
brass  or  nickel  finish.  It  is,  therefore, 
most  important  that  the  modem  auto- 
mobile-repair shop  include,  among  its 
equipment,  an  electroplating  outfit  suit- 
able for  refinishing  these  small  parts.  It 
is  not  necessary  that  such  an  outfit  be 
elaborate,  but  it  must  be  adequate;  good 
results  cannot  be  obtained  with  make- 
shift apparatus. 

The  first  essential  is  a  suitable  plating 
tank.  For  the  average  work,  this  should 
be  approximately  3  ft.  high,  3  ft.  wide, 
and  4  ft.  long.  It  should  be  made  of  2-in. 
boards,  8  in.  or  10  in.  wide.  Use  as  few 
nails  or  screws  in  its  construction  as  pos- 
sible, since  the  fumes  from  the  plating 
solution  will  corrode  them.  The  end 
boards  arc  here  cut  3  ft.  2  in.  long,  and 
a  sufficient  nmnber  of  them  laid  side  by 
side,  as  in  Fig.  1,  to  make  the  total  height 


The 


.  ■"-»-ig^Hi«S?^.  J" 


of  the  end  piece  3  ft.  6  in.     In  like  man- 
ner, the  bottom  piece  is  constructed,  the 


rio.4 

The  Tank  is  Fastened  Torether  by  Steel  Tle-F^« 

Which  Are  Not  in  Direct  Contact  wsth^ 

the  Plating  Solution 

dimensions  being  given  in  Fig./-  Fig.  3 
shows  the  dimensions  of  th^-^^^^cbpards 
to  be  3  ft.  6  in.  by  4  ft.  6  jK  .  A  groove, 
1  in.  deep  and  of  the  san/ width  as  the 
thickness  of  the  materi/"sed,  is  cut  6 
in.  from  the  lower  /fe«  a"^  the  full 
length  of  the  end  pi/v  ^^  aesignated  in 
Fig.  1.     It  will  be  n'^^ssary  to  cut  three 

in  the  end 

^        the  ui , 

is   bored   3   in.  'from   the 
lower  edge^/?^  *?"^'  when  assembled,* 
will  apper.^^  /"  ^'S'  4.     The  bottom  is 
sunt-'-^^C  ^y   ^y^  grooves   in   the  lower 
.^ft  of  Che  ends,  while   the  ends   them- 
selves fl  into  the  grooves  cut  in  the  sides. 
Meel  ods,  %  in.  in  diameter  and  threaded 
at  tbr  ends,  are  passed  through  the  holes 
iron  one  side  to  the  other.     Steel  wash- 
er?^ a  re  placed  next  to  the  wood,  and  nuts 
screwed     on,     thus     holding     all     pieces 
t/ghtly  m  place. 


grooves  in  the  sid'  ?s  may  , be  seen  in 
Fig.  3.  A  %-in.  '^j^  '^  bored  in  the  end 
of  each  side,  4.'-  ^rom  the  upper  edge; 

a   similar  hoUj^  }''^\^^   3   in.   * ^«" 

lower  ^^dcp    -^Pe  tank,  when 


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To  cover  the  inside  and  bottom  of  the 
tank,  secure  several  thin  sheets  of  lead, 
of  suitable  size;  if  possible,  use  one  sheet 
to  cover  the  bottom  and  two  opposite 
sides,  thereby  saving  the  labor  of  closing 


"  LEAD  PIPE 


LEAD  PIPt 


rio.5 

The  Electrolyte  is  Heated  bv  Steam  in  a  U- Shaped^ 

Pipe  and  is  Kept  Agitated  by  Bubbles 

of  Compressed  Air 

two  joints.  The  remaining  sides  will  have 
to  be  covered  separately,  these  sheets 
overlapping  the  first  by  1  in.  Following 
along  the  overlapped  places,  tap  with  a 
mallet  to  make  sure  the  pieces  lie  close  to 
each  other.  After  scraping  the  edges  of 
the  lead  sheets  to  obtain  a  clean  surface, 
pass  a  hot  iron  or  small  flame  along  the 
overlapped  sections,  fusing  the  sheets  to- 
gether. The  upper  portions  of  the  lead 
sheets  are  bent  over  the  edges  of  the 
tank,  thus  protecting  the  wood  against 
acid  attacks.  A  coat  of  paint  will  improve 
the  appearance  of  the  outside  surface  of 
the  tank,  as  well  as  lengthen  its  life. 

Better  plating  is  accomplished  when  the 
solution  is  warm.    The  best  plan  for  heat- 
ing   the    electrolyte    is    to    pass    steam 
through   a   coil    placed    in    the   tank.     A 
s^am    connection    is    available    in    most 
shoQs    of  average   size,   and   it   therefore 
only  remains  to  install  the  heating  coil. 
For  a  *^ank  of  the  size  here  described,  ^ 
ft.  of  %";n.  lead  pipe,  formed  into  a  larj 
**U,"  as  in  Fig.  5^  and  mounted  inside  tl 
tank,   is   all  that   is   necessary.     A   vah 
placed  at  thev^take  for  the  regulation  ( 
the   steam    flow,  ^nd   an    outlet    for   tl 
other  end  of  the  yj]^  ^\\\  \^^  required, 
drain  cock  shoulaNe  placed  at  the  bo 
tom    of    the      U,      Sv  the    pipe    may    I 
drained  when  the  tai1\;s  ^^:^^^  cleane 
Heating  the  solution  \^i\.^ra  is  not  ne. 
essary  during  the  summels^^j^jj^g   1^^^  j 
cold  weather  it   is  most  e\^^^|j^| 
•  The  method  of  agitating  t^ig^^^Qi 
is  quite  simple.    As  shown  i"  }C  5  g  ^ 
of   %-in,'  lead    pipe    is    passed  V^L.  g^ 
upper  edge  of  the  tank  and  dowKto  tl 
bottom,  where  it  is  laid  the  full  let\th 
the   tank.     Previous   to   laying  the  pq 
that  portion  which  will  he  in  the  bdtc 
of  thfe  tank  should  have  a  number  of  ^ery 
small  holes  drilled  in  it.    The  bottom  end 
of  the  pipe  is  closed  with  a  cap.   .Att-.r 
the  pipe  is  in  place  and  the  solution  u 


the  tank,  it  is  only  necessary  to  connect 
the  former  with  the  compressed-air  sup- 
ply; the  air  passing  from  the  holes  and 
up  througli  the  electrolyte  will  keep  the 
latter  constantly  agitated.  Compressed 
air  from  the  "free-air"  tank  will  be  handy 
for  this  purpose  in  automobile-repair 
shops.  While  agitation  of  the  solution  is 
not  absolutely  necessary,  it  will  improve 
the  quality  of  the  plating. 

For  the  source  of  electrical  energy  for 
plating,  it  is  best  to  secure  a  generator 
designed  for  this  particular  w^ork.  Direct 
current  of  large  amperage  is  required, 
under  a  low  pressure,  usually  about  six 
volts.  The  generator  may  be  driven  by  a 
gasoline  engine,  or  an  electric  motor  con- 
nected to  the  service  lines.  The  generat- 
ing outfit  should  be  situated  near  the 
plating  room,  so  that  the  voltage  drop  in 
the  feed  wires  will  be  small.  A  rheostat 
connected  in  the  field  of  the  generator 
will  allow  the  operator  to  regulate  the 
plating  current  to  the  necessary  value. 

For  nickelplating,  the  electrolyte  is  pre- 
pared in  the  proportion  of  %  lb.  nickel 
ammonium  sulphate  to  1  gal.  of  water, 
with  a  very  small  amount  of  boric  acid 
added.  A  good  solution  for  copperplat- 
ing  may  be  made  by  dissolving  in  each 
gallon  of  water  used  10  oz.  of  potassium 
cyanide  (which  is  a  deadly  poison),  5  oz. 
of  copper  carbonate,  and  2  oz.  of  potas- 
sium carbonate.  Brassplating  may  be  ac- 
complished by  adding  zinc  carbonate;  a 
good  yellow  brass  color  results  from  a 
solution  of  two  parts  copper  to  one  of 
zinc.  A  strong  electric  current  will  de- 
posit a.  greater  amount  of  zinc,  thus  pro- 


SOlUUOn 


ned   in  an  Alkali 


—  -  -•»tu     111    au   »»•.*« 

ducing  a  %ht-  colon    I"  --f,.. 
the    proper   anodes,   or 


the   proper 


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605 


to  be  deposited,  mast  be  provided;  a 
copper  anode,  for  instance,  for  copper- 
plating.  The  anode  is  connected  to  the 
positive  wire  from  the  generator,  while 
the  object  to  be  plated  is  connected  to 
the  negative  line.  A  convenient  method 
of  connection  is  to  place  copper  bars 
across  the  tank,  insulating  them  from  the 
lead  sheeting  by  wooden  strips.  If  three 
bars  arc  available,  the  two  outside  ones, 
near  the  ends  of  the  tank,  should  be  con- 
nected to  the  positive  terminal  of  the 
generator,  and  the  metal  anodes  sus- 
pended in  the  solution  from  them  by 
copper  wires.  The  central  bar  should  be 
connected  to  the  negative  line  and  the 
objects  to  be  plated  supported  in  the  elec- 
trolyte  by  wires   connected  to   it. 

Before  a  piece  is  put  in  the  plating  bath, 
it  must  be  chemically  clean.  It  is  not 
sufficient  to  remove  the  grease  or  tarnish 
by  mechanical  means;  the  part  must  be 
dipped  in  a  hot  chemical  solution.  It 
must  not  be  touched  with  the  -fingers 
after  dipping  prior  to  plating  if  perfect 
work  is  desired,  since  the  smallest  trace 
of  oil  will  spoil  the  plating  surface.  Aside 
from  the  preparation  of  the  metal  parts 
for  plating,  this  "bright  dipping**  may 
sometimes  be  used  alone  to  restore  the 
original  luster  to  tarnished  parts.  Metal 
parts,  especially  brass,  that  have  been 
cleaned  and  brightened  by  dipping,  and 
then  coated  with  a  clear  lacquer,  will  hold 
their  luster  for  months  under  favorable 
weather  conditions. 

The  only  equipment  necessary  for  dip- 
ping work  is  three  tanks,  or  one  tank 
with  three  compartments,  as  in  Fig.  7. 
These  tanks  are  built  of  wood  and  lined 
with  sheet  lead  to  prevent  leaking.  A 
heating  coil  similar  to  that  used  for  the 
plating  tank.  Fig.  5,  should  be  installed  in 
each  compartment.  Tanks  A  and  B,  Fig. 
7,  are  filled  with  water  kept  hot  by  the 
steam  coils.  Tank  C  is  filled  with  a  solu- 
tion of  1  lb.  of  caustic  soda  to  each  gallon 
of  water  used.  The  solution  may  be 
retained  indefinitely  by  merely  adding 
caustic  soda  from  time  to  time  to  keep 
up  its  strength.  The  water  in  the  rinsing 
tanks  A  and  B  must,  of  course,  be 
changed  occasionally,  and  it  may  be 
found  best,  if  the  amount  of  dipping  war- 
rants it,  to  equip  them  with  overflow 
pipes  and  allow  fresh  water  to  flow  into 
them  from  an  outside  water  connection. 
Pieces  to  be  dipped  are  held  for  a  mo- 
ment in  solution  C,  then  rinsed  in  B,  and 
finally  in  A.  To  dry  the  pieces,  put  them 
in  a  box  of  sawdust ;  the  latter  will 
quickly  absorb  the  moisture. 


For   most   shopwork,   the   caustic -«(oda 

solution  will  suffice,  but  for  a  better  qual- 
ity of  work,  it  is  well  to  use  an  acid  bath 
in  conjunction  with  it.     A  large  earthcn- 


An   Acid    Bath    before    Plating,  in  Addition  to  the 

Caustic-Soda  Dipping,  Improves  the 

Quality  of  the  Plating 

ware  jar,  placed  in  a  tank  of  cold  water, 
as  in  Fig.  8,  will  hold  the  solution.  The 
acid  should  be  prepared  in  the  following 
proportion  and  order:  one  part  water, 
four  parts  nitric  acid,  and  six  parts  sul- 
phuric acid.  This  bath  is  particularly 
helpful  in  cleaning  cast-iron,  steel,  and 
aluminum  parts.  In  each  instance  it  is 
best  to  dip  the  metal  first  in  the  caustic- 
soda  solution,  then  in  the  acid  bath,  and 
rinse  thoroughly   before   plating. 

Removing  Plant  Growth  from  Stone 

Almost  all  stonework  outdoors  becomes 
badly  marked  with  plant  growth  after  a 
while.  This  vegetation  is  composed  of 
minute  organisms  that  cannot  be  seen  at 
all,  except  when  they  are  present  in  large 
numbers.  To  get  rid  of  these,  proceed  in 
the  following  manner:  Scrape  the  stone 
well  with  an  old  knife,  removing  the  dirt 
as  far  as  possible  in  this  way.  Still,  there 
will  be  much  remaining  that  cannot  be 
reached.  Prepare  a  one-pcr-cent  solution 
of  carbolic  acid  and  water.  Wash  the 
surface  of  the  stone  with  this,  and  leave 
it  wet  for  a  few  hours.  Then,  by  scrub- 
bing with  a  stiff  brush,  it  is  easy  to  get 
away  every  tiny  plant.  To  prevent 
the  return  of  vegetation,  and  also  to 
improve  the  appearance  of  the  stone, 
treatment  with  salt  is  strongly  recom- 
mended. Mix  up  a  strong  solution  of 
salt  and  water  and  use  this  for  washing 
the  stone.  It  will  bleach  the  stone,  and, 
when  the  latter  is  dry,  it  glistens  attrac- 
tively. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


Light  Illuminates  Sign  by  Transmission      to  most  any  kind  of  car,  electric,  gaso- 
-  „  „      .  •  line,  or  steam,  but  is  quickly  made  up  of 


and  Reflection 

An  electric  sign   with   transparent  let- 
ters is  very  costly.    A  flood-light  effect  is 


A  Sign  That  is  Illuminated  Entirely  by  Light  Re- 
flected from  the  Inside  can  be  Made 
in  the  Home  Workshop 

as  efficient,  and  it  is  easier  to  produce  a 
sign  lighted  in  this  way  in  the  home 
workshop.  A  box  is  made  for  the  sign, 
considerably  larger  than  the  lettering  calls 
for,  and  deep  enough  to  house  the  lights. 
Around  the  edges  of  the  box,  on  the  face 
side,  long  narrow  slits  are  cut.  The  in- 
side of  the  box  is  painted  white,  and  the 
outside  black  with  white  letters.  Around 
the  edges  of  the  box,  strips  of  tin  are 
nailed,  and  bent  at  right  angles  to  the 
face  of  the  sign.  The  inside  of  these 
strips  are  painted  white,  and  the  outside 
black.  Lamp  sockets  and  lamps  are  in- 
stalled in  the  box,  and  the  sign  hung  in 
place  and  wired.  When  the  current  is 
turned  on,  the  lettering  will  be  illuminated 
by  light  reflected  through  the  slits,  to 
the  tin,  and  then  upon  the  face  of  the 
sign. 


Emergency  Wheel  for  Disabled 
Automobiles 

For  the  garageman  who  encounters 
road  jobs  that  necessitate  towing  in  a  car 
with  a  broken  wheel  or  axle,  an  emer- 


, OFFSET   TO 
CLEAR  BRAKE 
DRUM 


An  En)ergency  Wheel,  Mounted  on  a  Special  Axle, 
can  be  Readily  Attached  to  the  Disabled  Car 

gency  wheel,  such  as  is  used  by  one  sub- 
urban repair  shop,  is  not  only  adaptable 


discarded  materials  with  but  little  work. 
The  wheel  is  of  the  regular  automobile 
type  with  a*  34  by  4-in.  pneumatic  tire, 
this  size  being  suitable  for  use  on  both 
large  and  small  cars.  The  axle  is  either 
a  broken  front  axle  or  a  short  section 
of  a  strong  steel  beam.  The  emergency 
axle  is  bent  or  dropped,  the  offset  being 
necessary  to  clear  the  axle-housing  flange 
or  brake  drum.  The  device  is  attached 
by  means  of  two  U-shaped  clamps  and 
nuts.  The  sketch  shows  the  general  ap- 
pearance and  manner  of  attaching  the 
emergency  wheel  to  the  rear  axle  of  a 
car,  but  it  may  also  be  used  in  front,  as 
the  clamps  are  easily  shifted. 


Test  Taper  for  Ammonia  Leaks 

The  following  method  for  making  a 
sulphur  taper  to  use  in  testing  for  am- 
monia leaks  is  very  convenient.  Melt  a 
small  quantity  of 
sulphur  in  a  shal- 
low pan  (the  lid 
of  a  baking-pow- 
der box  will  do) 
and,  with  a 
notched  stick, 
hold  a  heavy  cord 
down  into  the 
pan,  and  draw  it 
through,  thus 
coating  the  cord 
with  melted  sul- 
phur. This  should 
be  kept  very  Iiot,  otherwise  it  thickens 
and  coats  the  cord  heavily,  causing  too 
much  of  a  flame  when  the  taper  is  used. 
Wind  the  dipped  cord  on  a  piece  of  card- 
board, about  6  in.  long,  being  careful  not 
to  break  the  sulphur  coating.  This  cord, 
when  cut  at  the  turns,  forms  sticks  of 
convenient  length  to  hold  while  using. 
To  test  for  ammonia  leaks,  light  a  sul- 
phur taper  and  hold  the  flame  near  the 
suspected  place.  Whenever  there  is  a 
leak,  a  dense  white  smoke  will  appear; 
even  a  leak  too  small  to  give  off  an  odor 
will  cause  a  smoke. — F.  H.  .Sweet, 
Waynesboro,  Va. 


P^V.^ 

Soapstone  Extinguishes  Gasoline  Fire 

A  gasoline  fire  in  a  vulcanizing  plant, 
which  might  otherwise  have  become  dis- 
astrous, was  quickly  extinguished  by  one 
of  the  workmen.  He  seized  a  sack  con- 
taining four  or  five  pounds  of  soapstone, 
and  sifted  it  heavily  over  the  rubber  tire 


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which  was  being  washed  with  the  gaso- 
line when  it  caught  fire.  By  this  means, 
the  flames  were  soon  smothered. — 
Claude  O.  Soats,  North  Salem,  Ind. 


Oiling  Overhead  Shafts 
without  a  Ladder 

A  homemade  contrivance  has  been  used 
with  considerable  success  in  oiling  the 
shaft  bearings  of  a  large  shop.  It  saves 
time  and  does  away  with  the  trouble  of 
carrying,  or  moving  about,  a  long  ladder, 
and  eliminates  the  danger  of  the  work- 
man falling  off  a  ladder  or  getting  caught 
in  the  overhead  pulleys. 

The  main  cylinder  of  the  device  is  made 
of  a  length  of  2-in.  pipe,  and  two  pipe 
caps.  Brass  makes  the  lightest  and  best- 
appearing  tool,  but  iron  is  as  good  other- 
wise. There  is  a  charging  cock,  such  as 
a  priming  cup,  a  spring-closing  discharge 
valve,  and  an  air  valve  connected  to  the 
top  cap.  A  long  piece  of  V4-in.  pipe,  one 
end  of  which  is  bent  to  the  form  shown, 
is  used  to  convey  the  oil  to  the  shaft  bear- 
ing. This  tube  must  reach  nearly  to  the 
bottom  of  the  cylinder.  This  is  the  opera- 
tion :  The  cylinder  is  filled  two-thirds  full 
of  oil,  and  then  the  shop  compressed-air 
line  is  used  to  charge  the  remaining  vol- 
ume of  the  cylinder  to  20-lb.  pressure.  By 
pressing  gently  on  the  spring  cock,  the  oil 
is  forced  up  the  pipe  to  fill  the  bearing 
cup  or  trough.    After  a  little  practice,  the 


A  specially  Constructed  Shaft  Oiler  V^hich  Forces 

Oil  into  the  Bearings  by  Air  Pressure, 

Saving  Time  in  a  Large  Shop 

work  of  oiling  with  quickness  and  pre- 
cision is  learned. — C.  H.  Willey,  Concord, 
-New  Hampshire. 


Hose  Attachment  Permits 
Slow  Irrigation 

Irrigating  a  garden  slowly  and  con- 
tinuously has  been  found  the  most  effec- 
tive   way,    but    to      . 


A  Copper  Washer  between  Rubber  Gaskets  in  a  Hose 

Coupling  Provides  a  Steady  Stream  for 

Garden  Irrigation 

leaky,  and  thus  the  water  pressure  varies. 
The  attachment  will  prevent  this  trouble. 
It  consists  merely  of  a  thick  copper 
washer  with  a  Me-in.  hole,  and  two  ordi- 
nary rubber  washers,  one  to  be  fitted  over 
and  one  under  the  copper  washer  in  the 
coupling.  When  the  hose  is  attached  to 
the  hydrant,  with  the  joint  screwed  tight, 
the  rubber  washers  prevent  leakage  and 
hold  the  copper  washer  in  place.  The 
faucet  may  then  be  fully  opened,  without 
throwing  the  pressure  into  the  hose. 

The  water  is  distributed  under  low 
pressure  by  means  of  a  piece,  10  ft.  long 
or  more,  of  %-in.  pipe,  pierced  every  24 
in.  with  a  Me-in.  hole.  The  pipe  is  fitted  at 
one  end  with  a  reducer  and  coupling  to 
fit  the  hose,  and  is  capped  solid  at  the 
other.  The  streams  that  come  from  the 
pipe  are  uniform  at  all  the  holes,  and  not 
of  sufficient  strength  to  cause  erosion  of 
the  soil.  The  pipe  may  easily  be  moved 
while  the  water  is  running. 

It  is  possible  to  use  this  irrigator  in 
many  ways.  After  transplanting,  place 
the  pipe  between  the  rows,  and  let  the 
water  run  until  the  ground  is  thoroughly 
soaked.  During  a  dry  spell,  use  the  pipe 
between  the  rows,  and  also  around  the 
patch,  at  both  the  sides  and  ends  of  the 
rows.  This  should  be  done  only  after 
the  heat  of  the  day,  however.  It  will  keep 
the  plants  from  wilting  the  following  day. 
— John  L.  Von  Blon,  Los  Angeles,  Calif. 


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Poultry  Drinking- Water  Protector 

With  poultry  raising  becoming  ever 
more  important,  the  aids  to  profitable 
production    are    attracting    increased    at- 


Poultry  can  Neither  Scratch  Dirt  into  the  Protected 
Drinking  Water  Nor  Tip  the  Pan  Over 

tention.  One  of  the  difficulties  in  the 
past  has  been  that  of  providing  a  clean 
and  dependable  water  supply  in  the  poul- 
try houses,  common  pans  being  quickly 
overturned,  and  special  water  jars  be- 
fouled with  litter  by  the  scratching  hens. 
With  the  protection  here  illustrated,  there 
can  be  no  overturning  or  soiling  of  the 
water.  The  receptacle  is  a  galvanized 
pan  suspended  from  the  ceiling  by  means 
of  four  sticks,  making  a  sort  of  shelf  at 
an  easy  jumping  distance  from  the  floor. 
The  hens  stand  on  the  shelf  to  drink, 
and  are  prevented  from  dabbling  with  or 
soiling  the  water  by  a  circular  board 
suspended  above  the  pan,  which  inter- 
feres with  the  hen  alighting  on  the  pan 
edge,  but  does  not  hinder  her  drinking. 
Thus,  at  all  times,  the  water  supply  is 
clean  and  cannot  be  overturned. — Alvah 
H.  Pulver,  Sodus,  N.  Y. 


Ink  Made  from  Old  Indelible- 
Pencil  Stubs 

An  excellent  grade  of  indelible  rubber- 
stamp  ink  is  obtainable  without  cost  by 
collecting  the  stubs  of  indelible  pencils 
that  accumulate  about  the  office,  splitting 
them,  and  dissolving  the  leads  in  water, 
in  an  ordinary  ink  bottle.  The  thickness 
of  the  ink,  or  the  density  of  the  deep-pur- 
ple color,  depends  on  the  amount  of  lead 
in  proportion  to  the  water  in  which  it  is 
dissolved.  For  inking  pads  and  rubber 
stamps  of  the  self-inking  type,  the  ink 
produced  in  this  manner  should  be  fairly 
thick — about  the  consistency  of  average 
coffee    cream.     For   use   in    brushes    for 


addressing  packages,  freight  shipments, 
etc.,  the  ink  must  be  slightly  thinner.  By 
thinning  to  the  desired  degree,  a  splendid 
indelible  writing  fluid  may  be  had  for 
use  in  pens. 

In  view  of  the  fact  that  an  average 
grade  of  rubber-stamp  ink  now  retails  at 
$20  a  gallon,  business  firms,  making  use 
of  any  number  of  indelible  pencils,  will 
find  it  quite  profitable  to  have  a  receptacle 
about  the  office  for  collecting  stubs  to  be 
later  turned  into  stamping  ink  and  writ- 
ing fluid. — John  Edwin  Hogg,  Alhambra, 
California. 


A  Convertible  Wheelbarrow 

Two  faults  of  the  ordinary  wheelbarrow 
may  be  avoided  by  building  a  new  type, 
with  these  two  points  in  mind.  The 
wheelbarrow,  as  a  rule,  is  extremely  awk- 
ward to  dump  a  load  from,  and,  in  the 
garden  type,  has  removable  sides  which 
are  usually  left  in  some  out-of-the-way 
place  by  the  gardener.  A  stout  wheel- 
barrow can  be  made  with  combined  frame 
and  handles  *of  galvanized  pipe,  using  a 
heavy  bolt  for  the  axle  of  the  iron  wheel. 
The  front  of  the  body  is  braced  firmly 
to  the  frame,  while  the  bottom  and  sides 
are  fastened  together,  and  revolve  on  a 
bolt  axle.  This  arrangement  allows  the 
load  to  be  dumped  very  quickly,  and  also 
permits  the  barrow  to  be  used  bottom 
up,  when  no  sides  are  needed.  The  body 
is  held  firmly  in  place  when  used  in  the 
normal  position,  by  resting  against  the 
front  board,  which  is  set  at  an  angle, 
and  by  two  buttons  on  the  front  board. 
When  inverted,  two  hooks  on  the  front 


^^aTRAP  IRON 


BIDE  View 

A  Wheelbarrow  with  the  Body  on  an  Axle  is  Easily 
Dumped,  and  Quickly  Converted  to  the  Platform  Type 

board  fit  into  two  screw  eyes  on  the  bot- 
tom. The  legs  may  be  either  of  wood 
or  pipe,  firmly  braced. — Charles  Black,  Jr., 
Hightstown,  N.  J. 


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The  Warping  of  Wood 

By  CHARLES  A.   KING 


"D  Y  making  use  of  the  conditions  which 
^  produce  changes  in  wood,  it  is  theo- 
retically possible  to  prevent  entirely  the 
warping  of  building  lumber.  It  would  be 
neither  practicable  nor  desirable  to  apply 
the  controlling  methods  upon  a  commer- 
cial basis,  as  the  ordinary  warp  and  twist 
can  be  eliminated  while  the  lumber  is 
being  worked.  However,  there  will  be 
instances  where  special  boards  will  need 
to  be  treated,  to  remedy  or  control  their 
natural  tendency  to  warp. 

Nearly  every  kind  of  wood  is  greatly 
affected  by  moisture,  which  the  fiber  ab- 
sorbs. As  the  wood  becomes  filled  with 
water  the  board  expands  or  becomes 
wider.  The  effect  of  heat  is  to  draw  this 
water  out  until  the  fiber  contains  the 
same  degree  of  moisture  as  that  in  the 
air  surrounding  it;  this  causes  the  board 
to  become  narrower  again.  Thus,  mois- 
ture reaching  one  side  of  the  board  only, 
will  cause  this  side  to  swell  or  become 
wider,  while  the  other  side  shrinks  or 
remains  the  same,  being  in  drier  air;  this 
swelling  of  one  side  of  the  board  and 
shrinking  of  the  other  causing  it  to  as- 
sume a  curved  form,  or  to  "warp." 

The  effect  of  these  conditions  upon  the 
length  of  a  board  is  so  slight  that  it  is 
rarely  considered.  Their  effect  on  the  flat 
surface  may  be  demonstrated  by  laying  a 
board  upon  the  ground  where  the  sun  will 
strike  it.  Soon  the  board  is  resting  upon 
its  middle.  By  turning  it  over,  the  same 
conditions  acting  on  the  other  side  will 
remedy  their  own  effects. 

No  wood  was  ever  so  well  seasoned 
that  it  would  not  be  affected  to  some  ex- 
tent if  exposed  to  trying  conditions. 
Some  are  affected  more  than  others,  de- 
pending upon  the  nature  of  the  wood,  the 
part  of  the  tree  from  which  it  was  cut, 
its  previous  seasoning,  the  relation  of  the 
annual  rings  to  the  surfaces  of  the  board, 
and  upon  which  side  the  heat  or  moisture 
is  the  greater. 

Some  kinds  of  wood  warp,  or  change 
form,  "more  than  others  under  the  same 
conditions,  which  fact  largely  governs 
the  selection  of  woods  for  different  pur- 
poses. The  pines,  cedars,  and  other  conif- 
erous woods  are  less  likely  to  change 
form  under  adverse  conditions  than  the 
wood  of  deciduous  trees;  spruce  is  an  ex- 
ception to  this  rule,  being  one  of  the 
worst  woods  known  to  warp.  Gum  wood, 
sycamore,  basswood,  and  whitewood.  or 
poplar,  are  the  deciduous  woods  which  are 
most  likely  to  cause  trouble. 

There  are  different  ways  of  controlling 


the  tendency  to  warp  and  of  minimizing 
its  effects,  but  the  usual  method  is  to 
cleat,  or  fasten  securely,  wood  which  is 
likely  to  warp.  Upon  the  best  class  of 
work  careful  selection  of  wood  is  made,  to 


^|. 

£,"j-'uci::^.'j7.;': 

.no.2 

^^^^^   /-- 

-m  \r*-^ 

The  Relation  of  the  Surfaces  of  a  Board  to  the  Annual 
Rings  of  the  Log  Determines  the  Extent  of  Warping 

see  that  it  is  suitable  for  the  purpose  in 
view,  and  to  ascertain  its  relation  to  the 
annual  rings  of  the  tree  from  which  it  was 
cut,  or  whether  it  was  plain  or  quarter- 
sawed.  A  board  cut  from  a  log  as  at  A, 
Fig.  1,  in  which  the  surface  of  the  board 
is  tangential  to  the  direction  of  the  an- 
nual rings,  will  be  almost  sure  to  warp. 
One  sawed  as  at  B,  with  the  annual  rings 
at  nearly  right  angles  with  its  surface,  will 
not  warp  under  ordinary  conditions. 

The  tendency  of  a  board  in  shrinking 
is  to  straighten  its  annual  rings,  as  indi- 
cated in  Fig.  2,  which  will  cause  the  out- 
side of  the  board  to  become  hollow  or 
concave,  as  at  C,  and  the  inside  to  be- 
come rounding,  as  at  D.  The  terms  "out- 
side" and  "inside"  allude  to  the  relation 
of  the  board  to  the  outside  of  the  tree 
and  the  pith,  and  may  be  discovered  by 
looking  at  its  end  and  noting  the  direction 
of  the  curve  of  the  annual  rings;  the  side 
of  the  board  tangent  to  the  rounding 
side  of  the  annual  rings  will  be  the  out- 
side, and  the  side  which  grew  nearer  the 
center  of  the  tree  will  be  the  inside. 
These  terms  apply  only  to  the  slash,  bas- 
tard, or  plain-sawed  boards,  shown  at  A; 
it  is  plain  that  the  edges  of  a  quarter- 
sawed  board,  as  at  B,  will  form  its  inside 
and  outside. 

The  tendency  of  a  board  to  warp  may 
be  minimized  by  placing  it  with  its  out- 
side to  the  moisture  or  the  cooler  air, 
which  will  tend  to  make  that  side  wider, 
or  to  minimize  its  shrinking,  and  the  in- 
side to  the  dry  or  warm  air,  which  will 
modify  its  natural  reluctance  to  shrink. 
Warm  air  applied  to  the  outside  will 
cause  the  board  to  warp  more  than  if 
applied    to    the     inside;    often,    for    this 

609 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


reason,  boards 'are  piled  in  double  courses 
with  their  outsides  together,  as  in  Fig. 
3,  which  prevents  the  dampness  from 
evaporating  too  rapidly  through  the  pores 
of  that  side,  and  resists  the  tendency  of 
the  boards  to  warp.  It  is  plain  that  if  the 
inside  of  each   board   is  exposed   to  the 


When  Curved  Boards  are  Needed,  Advantage  may 

be  Taken  of  the  Tendeircy  to  Expand 

When  Moiatened 

air,  it  will  dry  out  faster  than  the  out- 
side, thus  reversing  the  natural  tendency 
of  the  board  to  become  rounding  upon 
the  inside. 

The  top  and  bottom  courses  of  a  lum- 
ber pile  are  likely  to  warp  as  the  air 
strikes  one  side  more  freely  than  the 
other.  For  this  reason,  boards  upon  the 
top  of  a  pile  should  be  turned  over  occa- 
sionally; especially  must  wide  kiln-dried 
boards  be  cared  for  or  they  will  warp 
badly.  The  bottom  boards  should  be 
treated  the  same  way,  but  the  effect  of 
the  air  striking  one  side  of  these  will  not 
be  so  injurious  as  in  the  top  course,  and 
being  at  the  bottom'  of  the  pile,  it  would 
not  be  expedient  to  turn  the  entire  pile 
over,  though  if  expensive  lumber  is  being 
cared  for,  it  should  be  repiled  every  few 
months,  which  will  do  much  to  prevent 
extreme  warping. 

In  some  places,  it  is  the  custom  to 
stand  wide  boards  upon  one  edge  or  end 
in  such  a  way  that  there  will  be  free  cir- 
culation of  air  around  them,  which  is  the 
most  favorable  condition  to  keep  kiln- 
dried  boards  from  warping.  Probably 
green  boards  would  warp  somewhat,  even 
if  they  were  piled  in  this  way.  Until 
green  boards  have  become  quite  well 
dried,  they  should  be  kept  in  a  pile  under 
pressure  of  the  weight  of  the  boards 
above  them. 

There  is  no  process  which  will  prevent 
wood  from  shrinking  if  it  is  exposed  to 
trying  conditions,  though  warping  may 
be  minimized  by  impregnating  the  wood 
with  chemicals  which  repel  moisture. 
The  steaming  of  wood  has  a  beneficial 
effect  upon  it.  Lumber  thus  treated  is 
not  affected  to  the  same  extent  as  that 
dried  by  ordinary  methods.  Wood  which 
is  to  be  used  for  any  purpose  in  which 
its  grain  or  color  are  important  consider- 
ations, should  not  be  treated  chemically, 
as  its  appearance  will  be  injured,  and  it 


cannot  be  finished  satisfactorily.  Certain 
chemical  treatments  make  wood  prac- 
tically waterproof,  insect-proof,  and  slow- 
burning,  besides  practically  destroying  the 
tencfency  to  warp,  but  they  leave  the  wood 
badly  discolored. 

If  a  board  has  become  warped,  it  may 
be  straightened  by  applying,  as  a  remedy, 
the  same  condition  which  caused  the  de- 
fect; in  other  words,  by  applying  mois- 
ture by  means  of  wet  sawdust  or  a  folded 
cloth  to  the  hollowing  side,  or  placing 
the  rounding  side  to  steam  pipes  or  other 
heat,  or  by  both.  A  board  laid,  hollow- 
ing side  down,  upon  a  bed  of  moistened 
sawdust  or  folded  cloth,  or  upon  a  cold 
or  damp  surface  to  prevent  contact  with 
warm  dry  air,  can  be  made  to  resume  its 
original  form.  When  the  board  has 
straightened,  or,  if  anything,  warped  a 
little  the  other  way  (for  it  will  tend  to 
straighten  itself  while  drying),  the  saw- 
dust or  cloth  may  be  removed  and  the 
board  dried. 

The  principle  involved  in  making  a 
warped  board  straight  may  be  applied 
in  making  a  straight  board  curved;  for 
instance,  in  making  the  panels  for  curved 
panel  work  fit  the  curve  of  the  rails.  It 
would  be  difficult  to  mold  the  face  of  a 
panel,  which  had  been  made  to  a  given 
curve,  by  cutting  the  wood  away,  as  at 
E,  Fig.  4.  After  molding  the  panel  while 
it  is  straight,  as  at  P,  the  wet  sawdust  or 
cloth  should  be  placed  upon  the  side 
which  is  to  be  rounded,  as  at  G;  the 
other  side  being  tried  frequently  by  a 
pattern  slightly  more  curved  than  the 
panel  is  to  be,  since  it  will  straighten 
somewhat  in  drying.  The  moisture  is 
removed  when  the  desired  form  has  been 
reached. 

Crossing  the  grain  and  gluing  pieces 
of  wood  together,  as  at  H,  Fig.  5,  will 
not  hold  the  pieces  in  shape  if  they  start 
to  shrink,  and  the  boards  will  wind,  as 
at  J.  If  fastened  together  with  screws 
or  nails  without  glue,  which  will  allow 
each  piece  to  shnnk  and  swell  a  little, 
there  will  probably  be  no  trouble'  with 
warping.  If  the  desired  thickness  is  built 
up  in  three  or  more  layers  of  well  sea- 
soned wood,  with  the  grain  of  adjacent 
layers  crossed  as  in  Fig.  6,  the  board  will 
usually  hold  its  shape  unless  exposed  to 
so  much  dampness  or  heat  that  the  glue 
is  affected  and  the  layers  separate.  Wide 
boards  built  up  of  veneers  are  an  exten- 
sion of  this  method  of  making  boards 
hold  their  shape. 

Usually,  splitting  a  board  in  narrow 
strips    and    turning   alternate    strips    end 


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611 


for  end,  then  gluing,  as  in  Fig.  7,  will 
make  it  hold  shape  under  conditions 
which  are  not  bad  enough  to  soften  the 
glue;  drawing  boards  made  by  this 
method  are  satisfactory.  Such  a  board, 
surfaced  and  veneered,  is  an  example  of 
the  common  method  of  gluing  a  wide 
board  where  the  best  results  are  desired, 
and  where  building  up  in  layers  is  not 
practicable.  The  cores  of  high-quality 
veneered  doors  are  glued  up  by  this 
method.  A  board  veneered  upon  one  side 
only  will  be  almost  sure  to  warp  unless 
it  is  fastened  to  hold  it  in  shape. 

The  method  of  preventing  the  warp  of 
a  board  by  scarfing,  illustrated  in  Fig.  8, 
is  not  desirable.  It  weakens  the  board 
and  is  not  highly  efficient;  the  same 
method  is  applied  in  bending  wood  either 
in  width  or  length,  as  in  a  circling  stair 
riser.  The  board  will  still  warp  in  the 
thickness  from  T  to  U,  and  if  the  edges 
are  fastened,  the  shrinking  of  the  board 
will  make  it  split  along  the  line  of  one 
or  more  of  the  saw  cuts. 

Owing  to  the  tendency  of  all  wood  to 
shrink  in  a  direction  parallel  to  the  annual 
rings,  quarter-sawed  oak  shrinks  propor- 
tionately more  in  thickness  than  it  does  in 
width,  but  its  tendency  to  warp  is  slight, 
compared  with  a  plain-sawed  board. 

It  is  trying  to  the  patience  to  discover 
that  a  panel  in  a  piece  of  furniture  or 
wainscoting  has  become  warped,  and  can- 
not be  straightened  without  tearing  it  out. 
Often  this  is  caused  by  its  being  finished 


L         N         P         R 


ric.5 


rio.8 
Croflsine   the   Grain,   Veneering,   and    Scarfing   Are 
Methods  Uaed  to  Prevent  Warping,  All  Being  Sirc- 
cetflfiri  under  Reasonably  Favorable  Conditions 

upon  one  side  only,  and  may  be  remedied 
or  prevented  by  giving  the  back  side  of 
the. panel  work  a  coat  of  paint.  This  will 
prevent  the  air  from  affecting  the  pores  of 
the  back  more  than  it  does  the  face  side, 
which  is  protected  by  the  finish. 


Renewing  Wire  Screening  on  Old 

Screen  Door 

Among  the  jobs  that  fall  to  the  aver- 
age householder,  stretching  new  screen 
on    old    door    frames,    as    fly    time    ap- 


The  Use  of  Simple  Wedges  and  Clamps  Aids  in 
Renewing  the  Wire  on  an  Old  Screen  Door 

proaches,  is  far  from  being  the  least 
bothersome.  A  method  that  has  worked 
well  is  shown  in  the  accompanying  sketch. 
The  screening  is  tacked  securely  along 
either  the  top  or  bottom  of  the  door, 
which  is  then  laid  flat  on  the  floor,  or 
workbench.  A  strip  is  nailed  to  the  floor 
or  table,  and  wedges  are  .placed  in  the 
position  shown  between  the  door  and 
strip.  After  stretching  the  screen  as 
much  as  possible  by  hand,  it  is  held  in 
place  by  nailing  another  strip  on  top  of 
the  first  to  clamp  the  wire.  Next,  drive 
the  wedges  in  toward  each  other  until  the 
proper  tension  on  the  screen  is  secured, 
then  tack  all  edges  of  the  wire  to  the  door 
frame  and  put  on  the  moldings.  If  the 
door  shows  a  tendency  to  rise  off  the 
floor  under^  the  tension  of  the  wire,  use 
guide  clamps  as  shown,  but  these  will  sel- 
dom be  found  necessary. — Warren  Ich- 
ler,  Decatur,  111. 


Attachment  Plug  Used  as  Fuse  Plug 

An  electrical  experimenter  who  found 
the  expense  of  replacing  blown-out  fuses 
to  be  increasing  badly,  owing  to  high 
prices  of  fuse  plugs,  decided  to  use  an 
attachment  plug,  with  a  piece  of  fuse  wire 
connected  to  the  screws,  in  place  of  the 
cord  leading  to  the  lamp.  Such  fuses  are 
readily  repaired  by  connecting  in  a  new 
piece  of  fuse  wire. — Howard  D.  Wildman, 
Schenectady,  N.  Y. 


(TKeep  an  ordinary  rubber  washbasin 
plug  handy.  It  is  useful  in  case  the 
threaded  plug  of  the  grease  trap  on  the 
basin  is  rusted,  mislaid,  or  broken. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


Chimney  Cap  of  Concrete 

The  life  of  many  a  chimney  would  be 
greatly  lengthened  if  a  concrete  cap  was 
made  for  it  ■w4ien 
built.       The     cap 
holds     the    chim- 
ney  in   alinement, 
prevents    the    top 
bricks     from     be- 
coming loose,  acts 
as     a     watershed, 
and    the    chimney 
looks  much  neater 
than  if  no  cap  is 
used.    Such  a  cap 
will  add  years  to 
the  life  of  an  old 
chimney,  but  any 
loose  bricks  at  the 
top   of  the   chim- 
ney   must   be   carefully   cleaned   and   set 
in   fresh    mortar   before   the   concrete   is 
put  on.     The  concrete  cap  should  pro- 
ject 1   in.  beyond  the  brick  on  all  sides 
of  the  chimney.     On   the  top   it   slants, 
with  a  fail  of  1  in.  to  the  foot,  the  con- 
crete   being   4   in.   thick   at   the   thinner 
edge.    The  cap  should  be  made  by  tamp- 
ing a  rather  dry  mixture — 1  part  cement, 
and  4  parts  sand — into  a  form  made  the 
proper  size  for  the  chimney.    When  dry 
it  is  set  on  the  brick  with  ordinary  mortar. 


A  Timesaving  Sugar  Bin 

The  objection  to  most  sugar  bins  and 
boxes  is  that  when  the  sugar  gets  lumpy, 
it  will  not  flow 
out  freely.  The 
photograph  shows 
a  bin  which  will 
save  a  great  deal 
of  time  by  pro- 
viding a  free  and 
regular  flow  of 
sugar  from  the 
bin  to  the  cooking 
vessel  or  sugar 
bowl.  Particular- 
ly is  such  a  bin 
useful  when  a  cer- 
t  a  i  n  weight  of 
sugar  is  to  be 
added  to  a  mix- 
ture for  cooking, 
as  is  often  done  by 
the  more  modern 
cooks.  The  ves- 
sel can  be  set  on 
the  scale  directly  under  the  bin,  and  the 
sugar  turned  on  like  water  at  a  faucet. 


The  flow  can  be  made  rapid  at  first,  then 
slow  as  the  required  amount  is  nearly 
reached. 

The  main  body  of  the  box  is  made  of 
%-in.  hard  wood,  joined  together  with 
nails  through  corner  blocks.  The  joint 
can  be  strengthened  at  the  comers  by 
gluing  over  it,  on  the  inside,  a  piece  of 
heavy  canvas.  At  the  lower  end  of  the 
bin  is  a  hopper  bottom,  in  which  is  in- 
serted a  block,  cut  from  4  by  4-in.  wood. 
This  block  is  dressed  down  to  the  shape 
indicated,  the  upper  part  being  fitted  in 
between  the  four  sides  of  the  hopper  bot- 
tom, and  nailed  into  place.  There  are  two 
large  holes  through  this  block,  the  verti- 
cal one  being  1%  in.  in  diameter,  and  ex- 
tending   straight    

through  the  block 
from  top  to  bottom. 
In  the  bottom  of 
this  is  set  a  spout, 
out  of  which  the  su- 
gar flows  into  the 
vessel  below  it.  A 
horizontal  hole,  2 
in.  in  diameter, 
should  intersect  the 
vertical  hole,  the 
center  of  one  pass- 
ing through  the 
center  of  the  other, 
as  closely  as  possi- 
ble. The  horizontal 
hole  is  to  take  the 
valve,  made  of  2-in. 
round  wood,  which 

is  shown  in  the  de-    — ^ — 

tail.    This  valve  has 

a  1%-in.  hole  bored  through  it,  in  such  a 
position  that  when  turned  so  that  this 
hole  is  vertical,  it  forms  with  the  vertical 
hole  through  the  block  a  continuous 
downward  passage  for  the  sugar.  When 
the  valve  is  turned  at  right  angles  to  this 
position,  the  flow  of  the  sugar  is  stopped. 
A  handle  is  provided  at  the  end  of  this  ro- 
tating valve,  and  it  is  important  that  the 
hole  for  this  handle  should  be  bored  ex- 
actly parallel  with  the  large  hole  through 
the  valve. 

The  mechanism  for  breaking  up  the 
lumps  in  the  sugar  consists  of  a  piece  of 
1-in.  round  wood,  which  should  be  clear 
and  strong,  extending  downward  through 
the  middle  of  the  bin,  with  a  crank  at 
its  upper  end,  and  two  or  more  pieces  of 
dowel  stock  set  through  it  in  the  space 
inclosed  by  the  hopper  bottom.  This 
vertical  shaft  rests  very  loosely  in  the 
hole  through  the  large  block  at  the  bot- 
tom, but  the  hole  forms  a  sufficient  lower 


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bearing,  even  though  the  shaft  is  loose 
enough  in  it  so  that  the  sugar  will  flow 
out  around  the  lower  end  of  the  shaft. 
The  round  pins  for  breaking  up  the  sugar 
lumps  should  be  of  about  the  propor- 
tions suggested  in  the  sketch.  The  crank 
at  the  top  of  the  shaft  should  have  plen- 
ty of  strength,  but  if  made  of  hafd  wood, 
it  need  not  be  larger  than  suggested  in 
the  sketch  and  in  the  photograph. 

For  filling  the  bin  with  sugar,  a  hole 
may  be  provided  in  the  top,  with  a  plug, 
as  shown  in  the  sketch.  This  is  not 
really  necessary,  however,  as  the  whole 
top  of  the  bin  lifts  off  quite  easily,  and 
the  bin  should  be  made  large  enough  so 
that  it  will  not  have  to  be  filled  oftener 
than  once  or  twice  a  month. 


Repairing  Leaks  in  Galvanized  Vessels 

An  inexpensive,  practical  way  of  re- 
pairing leaky  galvanized  pails,  tanks,  tubs, 
or  other  receptacles,  is  to  place  approxi- 
mately ^4  in.  of  building  cement  in  the 
bottom  of  the  article  to  be  repaired,  and 
mix  with  water  to  the  consistency  of  thick 
paint.  This  mixture  fills  all  the  cavities, 
leaving,  when  dry,  a  waterproof,  durable 
repair.  Of  course  this  adds  some  weight 
to  the  article  mended. — Ed.  Haberlein, 
Jr.,  McPherson,  Kan. 


Sanitary  Individual  Water  Faucets 

In  a  factory  wh.ere  a  number  of  men 
wash  at  the  same  time,  the  washbowls  be- 
come dirty  and  unsanitary  very  quickly. 
The  inexpensive  system  described  pro- 
vides a  faucet  for  each  man,  insuring 
clean  water  for  him.    Cold  and  hot  water 


Individual  Faucets  in  a  Factory  Wash  Room  Provide 
Clean  Water  for  Each  Employe 

are  supplied  to  each  faucet  from  a  tank 
into  which  the  mains  empty.  A  trough 
with  a  drain  carries  off  the  dirty  water. 
— Roy  H.  Poston,  St.  Francois,  Mo. 


A  Simple  Irrigating  System  for  the 

Home  Garden 

By  using  some  form  of  irrigating  sys- 
tem, a  small  piece  of  ground  will  pro- 
duce a  marketable  crop  at  a  time  when 


Water  Pumped  into  the  Tile  Once  a  Day  during  Dry 
Weather  Insures  Sufficient  Moisture 

prices  are  high  because  of  the  supply 
being  short.  The  system  described  is 
not  designed  for  a  large  area.  Near  a 
source  of  water  pressure,  such  as  a  hy- 
draulic ram,  windmill,  or  hydrant,  a  line 
of  6-in.  glazed  tile,  with  T-connections 
every  6  ft.,  is  laid  1  ft.  below  the  sur- 
face. From  each  connection  are  laid 
parallel  lines  of  3-in.  unglazed  tile.  The 
joints  of  the  glazed  tile  are  cemented, 
but  the  unglazed  tiles  are  merely  placed 
end  to  end,  allowing  the  water  to  per- 
colate into  the  soil  more-  rapidly  than 
it  would  by  merely  soaking  through  the 
tile.  The  fall  need  not  be  more  than  1 
in.  in  every  yard.  When  the  trenches 
have  been  filled  in,  the  system  is  ready 
to  use,  water  being  suiTplied  by  a  pump, 
or  hose  from  the  hydrant  to  the  glazed 
tile.  A  tomato  patch,  20  by  30  ft.,  with 
the  plants  set  3  ft.  apart  each  way,  and 
irrigated  for  a  few  minutes  night  and 
morning  by  three  lines  of  tile,  will  pro- 
duce a  crop  which  will  more  than  pay 
for  the  tile  and  labor  in  one  season. 


To  Keep  the  Reins  from  Catching 
on  the  Wagon  Pole 

An  old  ax  helve,  or  similar  piece  of 
wood,  cut  to  a  length  of  15  in.  and  wired 
to  the  end  of  the  wagon  pole  with  a  loop 
of  wire  through  a  hole  drilled  in  one  end 
of  the  stick,  will  keep  the  lines  from 
getting  caught  under  the  pole.  The  stick 
hangs  from  the  end  of  the  pole,  making  it 
almost  impossible  for  the  reins  to  catch, 
no  matter  how  low  they  fall.  The  neck 
yoke  can  be  put  on  by  slipping  it  over 
the  stick  first. — J.  E.  McCormack,  Hali- 
burton,  Ont.,  Can. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


A  Handle  for  Rolling  Barrels 

The  difficulty  in  handling  barrels  usu- 
ally arises  in  the  fact  that  it  is  so  hard 
to    hold    them.     This    is    especially    true 


Barrel!  are  Easily  Pushed  or  Rolled  into  Place  When 
a  Special  Handle  is  Used 

when  they  are  to  be  rolled.  A  handle 
made  from  P^  by  %6-in.  strap  iron  will 
make  the  work  much  safer  and  easier 
than  the  usual  method  of  pushing  or 
kicking  the  barrel  along.  The  straps 
reach  about  halfway  around  the  barrel, 
and  have  a  wooden  or  pipe  handle  and 
a  strap-iron  brace  to  make  the  device 
rigid. 


Tool  Holder  for  Cutting 
Rings  from  Tubing 

Machining  rings  is  often  a  very  labo- 
rious process  where  each  ring  is  cut  and 
turned  separately.  The  work  is  easily 
and  quickly  done  by  using  a  special  cross- 
slide  block  which  holds  a  number  of  cut- 
off blades.  The  block  is  mounted  on  the 
cross  slide  with  the  gang  of  cutters  set 
so  that  each  is  %2  in.  ahead  of  the  next 
one.    The  result  is  that  while  one  ring  is 


PLAN   VIEW 

A    Special    Cross-Slide    Block    Holding   a    Gang    of 

Cut-Off  Blades  Saves  Time  and  Labor  in 

Machining  Rings 

being  cut  off  completely  the  others  are 
still  supported.  The  stock  of  which  the 
rings  are  to   be  made  is  gripped   in   the 


chuck,  and  may  be  bored  and  turned  as 
usual.  This  method  of  making  rings 
saves  most  of  the  time  generally  con- 
sumed in  changing  tools. 


Renewing  Mouse  Traps 

Mous^  traps  of  the  ordinary  wire- 
spring  type  may  fail  to  work  when  the 
spring  becomes  so  weak  that  the  mouse  is 
permitted  to  escape.  It  is  possible,  in 
such  cases,  to  renew  such  traps  by  wind- 
ing the  spring  an  extra  turn  around  the 
center  wire,  so  that  the  force  of  the 
spring  is  increased. 


Remote  Control  for  Storage-Battery 
End-Cell  Switch 

Where  storage  batteries  are  used  for 
lighting  purposes,  it  is  the  usual  practice 
to  provide  a  number  of  extra  end  cells 
that  can  be  switched  into  the  circuit  as 
required,  to  keep  the  voltage  constant 
while  the  cells  are 

discharging.  An  ,S\?n:,':f,,'^TTI^  i 
easily  constructed  HW#IW#l#|lNMlT^lfh 
remote  -  control 
switch  for  these 
cells  is  shown  in 
the  diagram.  The 
switch  lever  is 
fitted  with  a 
toothed  wheel, 
cut  or  filed  from 
heavy  sheet  iron. 
A  magnet  coil  or 
solenoid  is  wound 
on  a  brass  tube, 
%  in.  in  diameter, 
fitted  with  heads, 
1  in.  in  diameter,  and  separated  1^  in. 
This  space  is  wound  full  of- No.  24  gauge 
cnameled-copper  wire.  The  core  is  a 
length  of  soft-iron  rod  that  slides  easily 
in  the  tube,  and  which  is  slotted  at  one 
end  to  take  the  hook  made  from  a  piece  of 
clock  spring,  held  in  place  by  a  rivet.  A 
small  coil  spring  serves  to  raise  the  core 
when  it  is  released  by  the  magnet. 

A  push  button  is  connected  with  the 
solenoid,  as  shown  in  the  diagram.  When 
the  push  button  is  pressed,  the  solenoid 
draws  the  core  down,  turning  the  switch 
one  point,  thus  connecting  one  cell  to  the 
current.  The  button  may  be  mounted 
in  any  convenient  place,  and  the  switch 
advanced  one  point  when  the  voltage  is 
noticed  to  be  dropping.  The  switch  is  re- 
placed on  the  first  point  when  the  bat- 
teries are  being  recharged. — Thos.  W. 
Benson,   Philadelphia,   Pa. 


PUSH   BUTTON 
^TERMINALS 


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A  Simple   Carrier  System  for  the  Greenhouse 


By  J.  HORACE  VAN  NICE 


CINCE  a  greenhouse  is  usually  built 
^  with  narrow  aisles,  it  is  difficult  to 
move  heavy  loads  of  earth  or  plants 
cither  in  or  out  of  the  structure.  Yet, 
among  the  florist's  regular  tasks  are  those 
of  changing  the  dirt  in  the  benches — the 
hardest  work  of  the  year — and  the  almost 
daily  task  of  moving  potted  plants,  or 
other  stock,  from  one  part  of  the  house 
to  another.  The  carrier  system  de- 
scribed, while  designed  originally  to  re- 
lieve the  situation  in  and  about  the  green- 
house, has  helped  solve  the  labor  problem 
all  about  the  truck  garden,  and  has  been 
adapted  to  the  needs  of  a  baker  and  a 
machine-shop  owner  who  saw  it  in  opera- 
tion. 

Two  units,  or  members,  make  up  the 
system;  these  are  a  carrier,  and  a  track 
upon  which  it  runs. 

The  track  was  made  from  1  by  4-in. 
boards,  bolted  together  to  form  an  in- 
verted "T."  Since  the  completed  track 
could  be  cut  and  fitted  like  a  single  piece 
of  lumber,  each  greenhouse  was  quickly 
supplied  with  sections  extending  the 
length  of  each  aisle,  with  turns  to  the 
doorway.  Space  was  left  between  the 
track  ends  and  the  front  wall  of  the 
greenhouse,  so  that  the  carrier"  truck 
could  be  put  on  or  taken  off  each  track. 
Hence  but  one  carrier  truck  was  re- 
quired, as  it  could  be  quickly  changed 
to  the  section  of  track  leading  to  the  spot 
where  the'  load  was  to  be  dumped.  The 
track  was  bolted  to  the  cross  purlins 
through  holes  drilled  in  the  purlin  pipe. 

For  the  carrier  truck,  two  small  rubber- 
tired  wheels  were  taken  from  a  discarded 
carpet  sweeper.  These  were  put  on  the 
ends  of  a  steel-rod  axle,  which  was  bent 
to  loop  under  the  track  upon  which  the 
wheels  rested.  On  one  side  of  each  wheel 
a  washer  and  a  large  bushing  were  used, 
the  latter  made  of  a  nut  drilled  larger 
than  the  rod;  on  the  other  side  were 
placed  a  washer  and  a  cotter  pin.  Into 
the  loop  was  wired  the  eye  of  a  tackle 
block. 

In  operation  the  carrier  system  was 
both  simple  and  effective.  Dirt  was 
brought  to  the  greenhouse  door  in  a 
wagon.  Here  it  was  shoveled  into  a  large 
galvanized-iron  bucket  holding  about  a 
wheelbarrow  load;  pulled  up  to  the  track 
by  means  of  the  pulley,  so  as  to  be  out 
of  the  way  of  the  benches,  and  handy  for 
dumping;  then  pulled  along  the  track  to 
the  place  desired — all  the  work  being 
done  by  one  man,  and  without  over- 
exertion.    The   large   loads    were   easily 


handled,  and  filled  up  bench  space  rapidly. 
For  potted  plants,  a  flat  was  slung  from 
the  truck  on  four  wires.  By  steadying 
it  while   drawing  it   along  the   track,  25 


large  potted  plants  c^uld  be  moved  at 
once,  in  spite  of  the  narrow  aisles,  by 
the  one  man. 

Since  there  remained  the  work  of  bring- 
ing the  dirt  to  the  greenhouse  itself,  and 
because  of  the  waste  of  time  in  trans- 
ferring the  dirt  from  the  wagon  to  the 
bucket,  the  system  was  later  extended  by 
supporting  a  track,  on  cheap  trusses,  from 
the  greenhouse  to  the  dirt  pile,  as  illus- 
trated. In  this  way  the  entire  operation 
was  performed  by  one  man,  without  the 
aid  of  a  horse.  This  track  being  movable, 
it  was  used  for  several  odd  jobs,  such  as 
moving  the  crops  in  from  the  truck 
garden,  carrying  coal  to  the  boiler  room, 
and  fertilizer  to  the  garden.  While  the 
first  cost  was  large,  the  many  uses  of  the 
system  made  it  pay  for  itself. 


Blotter  Mounted  on  Desk  Telephone 

One  place  to  mount  a  blotter,  where 
there  is  small  danger  of  its  becoming  lost, 
is  on  the  bottom  of  the  desk  telephone. 
While  a  handier  blotter  should  be  pro- 
vided for  regular  use,  it  will  often  save 
time  to  have  this  peculiar  arrangement 
ready  in  case  the  blotter  is  required  sud- 
denly and  the  ordinary  one  has  disap- 
peared.— Violet  Johnson,  Rockford,  111. 

615 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


Furnace  Lighted  from  Room  Above 

A   furnace   fire   may    be    tended   to   in 
the  evening  without  carrying  a  light  or 
matches     to     the 
cellar,    by   placing 
a    heavy    pane    of 
8    by    10-in.    glass 
in  an  opening  cut 
in  the  floor  above 
the  furnace.    This 
pane    of    glass    is 
placed  in  the  floor 
border,    and    does 
not  interfere  with 
,   the  rug.    It  lights 
up  the  space  near 
the  furnace  as  long  as  there  is  a  light  in 
the  room  above.     In  homes  where  elec- 
tric  lights   cannot   be   had,   it   should   be 
very     handy. — Edward     Stumpf,     Jersey 
City,  N.  J. 


Portable  Gas- Welding   Outfit 

Oxyacetylene  welding  is  used  in  most 
shops  and  factories  for  repair  work,  but, 
as  a  rule,  the  outfit  is  stationary.  Thus, 
all  machinery  requiring  welding  must  be 
dismantled  and  taken  to  the  welding 
bench.  A  much  better  and  quicker 
method  is  to  mount  the  oxygen  and 
acetylene  tanks  on*a  hand  truck,  so  that 
the  complete  welding  outfit  may  be  trans- 
ported to  the  job.  Often  this  scheme 
saves  lifting  and  trucking  heavy  castings. 
The  gas  tanks  are  strapped  to  the  truck 
in  such  a  manner  that  new  tanks  may 
be  substituted  for  the  exhausted  ones, 
without  halting  the  work  for  any  ap- 
preciable length  of  time. — Kenneth  Cog- 
geshall,  Webster  Groves,  Mo. 


Chicks  Provided  with  Air 
during  Shipment 

Much   trouble   is   experienced   in   ship- 
ping very  young  chicks,  even  when  using 
the     corrugated-paper     shipping     boxes, 
prepared   for  that 
purpose,     because 
they  receive  so  lit- 
tle    air     on     the 
trip.     This  is  due 
to    the    fact    that 
these     boxes     are 
sandwiched  in  be- 
tween other  pack- 
ages.  The  difficul- 
ty   may    be    over- 
come  by   surrounding   the   shipping   box 
with  a  wooden  frame  which  keeps  other 


packages  from  coming  completely  in 
contact  with  the  paper  crate.  Adequate 
ventilation  may  be  insured  by  punching 
numerous  holes  in  the  corrugated  board, 
for  the  wooden  frame  provides  an  air 
space,  no  matter  how  many  parcels  are 
shipped  together.  A  stick  across  the  top 
pieces  serves  as  a  handle,  and  holds  the 
sides  of  the  frame  rigidly  together. — J.  T. 
Bartlett,  Fort  Collins,  Colo. 


B(«A88  Piece 
IN8CPTCO    ^\ 


Curing   Revolver  **Spitfirc** 

A  revolver  that  was  satisfactory  ex- 
cept for  the  common  fault  of  many  low- 
priced  guns,  that  of  spitting  fire  side- 
wise  at  the  forward  end  of  the  cylinder, 
on  account  of  there  being  too  much 
space  between  the  cylinder  and  the  bar- 
rel, was  remedied  in  the  following  man- 
ner: A  piece  of  sheet  brass,  of  a  thick- 
ness that  nearly 
filled  the  space, 
but  left  play 
enough  for  the 
cylinder  to  turn 
freely,  was  cut  as 
shown  in  the 
drawing.  Two 
holes  were  drilled, 
one  for  the  bullet 
hole  and  one  to 
fit  over  the  pro- 
jection on  the  cyl- 
inder. They  were 
reamed  out  to  the 
proper  size  with  a  taper  reamer.  The 
piece  was  bent,  as  shown  by  the  dotted 
lines,  making  it  fit  over  the  cylinder, 
after  which  the  gun  was  assembled. 
This  eliminated  the  annoying  side  flash, 
and  gave  more  shooting  power  by  keep- 
ing the  gas  in  the  barrel  behind  the  bul- 
let. The  sides  of  the  piece,  covering  the 
holes  in  the  cylinder,  were  to  keep  lint 
and  other  foreign  matter  from  collecting 
around  the  bullets.  No  dimensions  are 
given,  as  the  design  and  caliber  of  the 
revolver  determine  them  in  each  case. 


Keeping  Salts  in  Battery  Cells 
from  Creeping 

Paraffin  is  used  almost  universally  for 
coating  the  tops  of  the  glass  jars  of  wet- 
cell  electric  batteries,  to  prevent  creeping 
of  the  salts.  Sometimes  the  paraffin  is 
colored  by  mixing  in  it,  while  it  is  molten, 
paint  powders  of  different  hues.  Green 
and  red  pigments  have  thus  been  used 
frequently.  To  coat  the  top  of  the  cell 
it  is  dipped  in  a  vessel  of  molten  paraffin 


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to  the  proper  depth,  or  the  hot  paraffin  is 
applied  with  a  brush. 

One  black  compound  which  has  given 
satisfaction  for  use  on  the  tops  of  dry 
cells  and  also  for  coating  the  tops  of  car- 
bons is  composed  of  equal  parts  of  tar 
and  pitch.  Another  is  composed  of  pitch, 
1  part;  lampblack,  1  part;  paraffin,  8 
parts.  This  mixture  is  heated  until  mol- 
ten, then  mixed  by  stirring.  It  can  be  put 
on  either  with  a  brush  or  by  dipping  the 
carbon  in  it. 


Screw  Chuck  with  Removable  Screw 

One  of  the  most  useful  types  of  chuck 
to  the  pattern  maker  is  the  plain  screw 
chuck  having  a 

center  like  a  wood  ^"^^  "^  ^^  «^'^'-^ 
screw,  on  which 
the  piece  to  be 
turned  is  held. 
The  objection  to 
the  use  of  such 
chucks  is  that  the 
threads  of  the 

screws  usually  get  damaged  by  being 
knocked  against  metal  surfaces.  The 
chuck  shown  in  the  sketch  presents  the 
feature  of  a  removable  center,  which  con- 
sists of  nothing  more  than  an  ordinary 
flat-head  wood  screw.  The  body  of  the 
chuck  is  threaded  to  fit  the  lathe  spindle, 
and  in  the  other  end  is  a  hole  in  which 
some  common  size  of  wood  screw  fits 
snugly.  The  screw  is  held  in  by  a 
threaded  plug,  and  it  is  a  matter  of  only 
a  few  seconds  to  remove  the  plug  and 
screw  and  insert  a  new  screw. 


Ladle  for  Lead  or  Solder  Made 
from  Alarm-Clock  Bell 

A  small  ladle  for  soft  metals,  such  as 
solder,  lead,  and  pewter,  may  be  made  of 
the  bell  from  an 
old  alarm  clock  and 
a  piece  of  band 
iron,  %  in.  wide, 
%  in.  thick,  and  10 
in.  long.  In  the 
center  of  one  end  of  the 
band  iron,  drill  a  hole  the 
same  size  as  the  hole  in  the  bell.  Bend 
the  band  iron  in  a  vise  so  that  when  the 
two  holes  come  together  the  band  iron 
will  fit  the  surface  of  the  bell.  Rivet  the 
band  iron  to  the  bell  to  form  a  handle, 
and  bend  it  back  a  little  above  the  edge 
of  the  bell.  If  the  bell  becomes  loose,  a 
second  rivet  may  be  put  through  the 
handle  and  bell,  farther  up. 


Barrel   Supported   on   Pdlies 

from  Old  Wagon  Wheels 

Old  fellies,  such  as  used  to  form  the 
rims  of  wide-tired  wagon  wheels,  can  be 
used     to     support 
barrels,  or  galvan- 
ized -  iron    tanks. 
Two   sections   are 

bolted       together,  | 

with  their  curved 
surfaces  opposed, 
as  shown  in  the 
drawing,  to  form 
each  support. 
Small  wooden 
blocks,  nailed  in 
the     angles,     give 

added  strength.  For  a  barrel,  the  center 
felly  must  be  larger  than  the  end  fellies, 
and  the  center  base  felly  must  be  cut 
lower  than  those  used  for  the  bases  of 
the  end  supports.  The  trestles  formed 
in  this  way  may  be  fastened  together 
with  longitudinal  braces,  but  this  is  not 
always  necessary.  The  fellies  form  an 
unusually  strong  support. 


Table-Leg  Adjuster 

A  table  is  often  unsteady  because  the 
floor  on  which  it  stands  is  uneven,  and 
not    because    the    legs    are    of    unequal 
length.      It     is    a 
mistake  to  cut  the 
legs    whenever 
moved, as  the  table 
would  only  be  un- 
steady  again   if 
moved  to  another 
place.       A     good 
and     simple     ad- 
j  u  s  t  e  r    can     be 
made  by  drilling  a 
fairly    large    hole 
into    one    of    the 
legs,  and  inserting 
a     tightly     fitting 
plug     of     hard 
wood,    as    shown 
in  the  illustration. 
If  the  plug  is  made  a  tight,  springy  fit 
by    two    saw   cuts,    it   will    be    found   to 
spring   in   easily   without   a   tendency   to 
drop  out.    Adjustment  of  height  is  made 
by   putting  one   or   more   thicknesses   of 
cardboard  on  top  of  the  plug.     The  leg 
in  which  the  adjuster  is  fitted  should  be 
cut  down  %  in.  so  that  it  can  be  made 
higher  or  lower  than  the  others  by  means 
of  the  plug. — Morris  G.  Miller,  New  Ro- 
chelle,  N.  Y. 


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Paper  Streamers  in  Motion 

Scare  Flies  Away 

In  a  bakery,  or  other  place  where  the 
flies  are  troublesome,  use  may  be  made  of 
a  device  which  drives  the  pests  away  from 


A  Mechanically   Agitated   Wire   Hung    with   Paper 

Streamers  Drives  the  Plies  Away  from 

Food  in  a  Bakeshop 

the  food  which  attracts  them.  On  a 
wire  stretched  above  the  counter,  are 
pasted  numerous  streamers  of  paper.  A 
long  coil  spring  at  one  end  of  the  wire 
permits  it  to  be  pulled  to  one  side,  and 
then  jerks  it  back  into  place.  A  fan  motor, 
with  a  small  grooved  pulley  substituted 
for  the  fan,  is  placed  on  the  ceiling  over 
the  wire.  A  large  wheel,  such  as  found  on 
sewing  machines,  is  held  in  place  just 
above  the  wire  by  a  hanger  from  the  ceil- 
ing and  is  belted  to  the  motor.  A  con- 
necting rod  pivoted  to  the  wheel,  and 
clamped  to  the  wire,  keeps  the  streamers 
in  a  flutter  when  the  motor  is  running, 
thus  driving  all  flies  away  from  the  vi- 
cinity.— C.  C.  Spreen,  Detroit,  Mich. 


A  Nonsag  Scaffold  Plank 

A   plank   for  a   scaffold   can   be   made 
rigid  enough  to  sustain  the  weight  of  one 


A  Scaffold  Plank  Braced  with   Iron   Rods,  That  will 
Not  Spring  under  the  Weight  of  Two  Men 


or  two  men  without  springing  uncomfort- 
ably, by  bending  light  iron  rods  over  a 
short  piece  of  4  by  4-in.  lumber  placed  in 
the  middle  of  the  plank.  The  ends  of 
the  rods  are  flattened  and  drilled  for 
screw  holes.  When  inverted  between  two 
**horses,"  the  plank  so  prepared  has  none 
of  the  usual  spring  of  an  ordinary  board. 
It  is  especially  fine  to  use  with  ladders. — 
John  C.  Smith,  Seattle,  Wash. 


Filling  Up  Cracks  in  Concrete 

For  permanent  repairs  in  cracked  con- 
crete, use  old  newspapers  soaked  and 
softened  in  linseed  oil.  Clean  out  all  dirt 
from  the  cracks  or  joints,  then  paint  them 
on  the  inside  with  red  lead  and  oil.  When 
this  is  hard  and  dry,  fill  the  cracks  with 
the  soaked  paper,  smooth  off  with  sand- 
paper, and,  if  well  done,  a  nice  smooth 
iob  will  be  the  result. 


A  Spacer  for  Growing  Plants 

P 1  a  n  t  s  to  be 
transferred  to  the 
garden  should  be 
removed  without 
disturbing  the  soil 
about  the  roots. 
This  is  easily  ac- 
complished if,  at 
the  first  trans- 
planting, they  arc 
set  into  a  flat  di- 
vided by  an  egg- 
crate  spacer. 


Testing  Seed  by  Placing 
It  in  Water 

From  time  to  time  gardeners  have  old 
seed  on  hand,  and  they  do  not  know 
whether  to  risk  using  it  or  not.  Since 
the  need  for  economy  in  seeds  is  so  great, 
it  is  important  that  no  live  stuff  should  be 
thrown  away.  Although  a  few  vegetable 
seeds,  such  as  those  of  parsnip,  carrot, 
peas,  and  beans,  are  very  unreliable  after 
the  first  year,  many  kinds,  if  kept  damp- 
free,  retain  their  vitality  for  a  much 
longer  period.  A  sure  test  for  seeds  is 
easily  made.  Get  a  bowl  into  which  is 
placed  4  or  5  in.  of  warm  water.  Then 
scatter  a  few  of  the  seeds  on  the  surface. 
After  an  interval,  some  of  the  seeds  sink 
to  the  bottom  while  others  remain  floating. 
It  is  always  the  dead  seeds  that  go  down, 
and  the  live  ones  that  keep  on  the  sur- 
face. The  time  needful  for  carrying  out 
the    experiment-    varies.     The    seeds    of 


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cabbage,  radish,  and  turnip,  for  instance, 
sort  themselves  out  at  once.  Those  which 
have  wings,  like  the  parsnip  or  carrot,  or 
are  protected  in  a  kind  of  a  shell,  such  as 
beet,  take  longer,  owing  to  the  air  with 
which  they  are  surrounded.  Sooner  or 
later,  however,  the  dead  seeds  go  to  the 
bottom.  In  the  case  of  those  seeds  which 
are  slow  in  answering  the  test,  the  de- 
cision may  be  hastened  by  rubbing  them 
between  the  thumb  and  finger. 


Screwdriver  Attachment  Holds  Small 
Screws  While  Starting 

Small  screws  which  are  hard  to  hold 
while  beitig  started,  or  larger  screws 
which  cannot  be  held  because  of  the  awk- 
ward position 
made  necessary 
by  the  work,  may 
be  handled  easily 
by  using  a  little 
attachment  on  the 
blade  of  the 
screwdriver.  A 
piece  of  tin  or 
other  light  sheet 
metal  is  cut  to 
T-shape.  At  the 
head  end  four 
small  holes  are  drilled,  and  at  the  other 
end  a  notch  is  cut.  The  head  must  be 
bent  around  the  blade  of  the  screwdriver 
and  riveted  through  the  holes  bored.  It 
should  be  tight  enough  on  the  blade  to 
remain  at  any  point  to  which  it  may  be 
slipped.  The  notched  end  is  bent  at  right 
angles  to  hold  the  head  of  the  screw.  By 
using  this  attachment,  screws  may  be 
driven  in  awkward  places,  one  hand  only 
being  necessary  for  the  work.  When  not 
needed,  the  device  may  be  slipped  up  on 
the  blade. — George  Simonson,  Springfield, 
Massachusetts. 


o{ 

A 

? 

Pipe-Flange  and  Coupling  Wrench 

The  sketch 
shows  a  handy 
and  rugged  pipe- 
flange  wrench  that 
is  quite'  simple  to 
construct.  The 
foot,  or  point,  of 
the  wrench  is 
curved,  and  may 
have  teeth  filed  in 
it.  Links  of  vari- 
ous sizes  adjust 
the  tool  to  a 
coupling  or  flange 
of  any  size. 


Protecting  Snap  Switches 

In  barns,  and  other  places  where  open- 
work electric  wiring  is  installed,  the 
breaking  of  _ 
switches  is  a  com- 
m  o  n  occurrence, 
since  the  knob 
and  the  porcelain 
base  are  exposed. 
This  trouble  may 
be  avoided  by 
protecting  each 
switch  with  a  No. 
14  gauge  sheet- 
iron  guard.  The 
iron,  bent  to  the 
shape     shown     in 

the  illustration,  and  screwed  to  the  wall, 
or  post,  will  protect  the  switch  from  ordi- 
nary knocks  or  bumps.  A  hole  cut  in  the 
sheet  iron,  with  its  edge  rounded  off,  per- 
mits the  turning  of  the  switch. — J.  A. 
Weaver,  Baltimore,  Md. 


Make   Drawings   on  Reverse  Side 
of  Cross-Section  Paper 

Drawings  and  curves,  drawn  on  cross- 
section  paper,  or  tracing  cloth,  to  be  blue- 
printed, are  usually  made  on  the  same 
side  of  the  paper  or  cloth  as  the  printed 
crosslines.  It  will  be  found  better  to 
draw  them,  when  possible,  on  the  reverse 
side,  so  that  changes  can  be  made  with- 
out erasing  the  printed  lines. 


Inserting  Drive  Pins  in  Arbors 
for  Shell  Reamers 

Arbors  for  shell  reamers  are  quite  often 
made  as  shown  in  the  upper  sketch.  The 
strength  of  the  arbor  is  thus  diminished 
by  the  amount  of    ^^    ma^^ 


metal   cut   out   to 
form    a    hole    for 

the  pin.   An  arbor    I.       ^-i j 

made  as  shown 
below  is  not  open 
to  this  objection, 
and  the  full 
strength  of  the 
bar  is  retained.  The  pins  set  into  the 
shank  of  the  reamer  do  not  aflfect  the 
strength  of  the  arbor,  since  the  part  from 
which  the  metal  is  cut  out  is  not  the  point 
where  failure  would  occur  if  overstressed. 
The  projecting  ends  of  the  pins  are  ham- 
mered down  flat,  as  shown  by  the  full 
lines,  and  can  be  dressed  off  if  necessary, 
so  as  not  to  project  beyond  the  diameter 
of  the  reamer. — M.  L.  Lowrey,  Liver- 
more,  Calif. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


Homemade  Wick  Oiler  for  Small  Shafts 

Motor  generator  sets  on  some  automo- 
biles have  no  provision  for  oiling,  other 
than   holes  in  the  bearings.     Since  it  is 


A  Wick  Oiler  Adapted  to  Small  Shafts  Reduces 
the  Danger  of  Burned-Out  Bearings 

easy  to  overlook  these  when  pressed  for 
time,  they  may  be  burned  out  because  of 
having  been  run  when  dry.  The  wick 
oiler  described,  while  not  recommended 
for  heavy  work  with  large  shafts,  will 
supply  the  small  amount  of  oil  specified 
by  the  makers  of  automobile  electric 
equipment.  Into  a  hole  drilled  and 
tapped  in  the  bushing  and  housing,  insert 
a  %-in.  brass  nipple.  For  the  oil  cham- 
ber, use  a  short  piece  of  pipe,  with  a  cap 
on  the  end.  The  wick  is  either  a  %-in. 
felt  wick,  or  one  made  of  heavy  cord 
wound  with  cotton  tape.  This  latter 
makes  a  very  good  absorbent  wick.  It  is 
held  against  the  shaft  by  a  light  coil 
spring,  the  upper  end  of  which  is  threaded 
through  a  hole  in  the  upper  part  of  the 
wick,  and  clamped  tightly  around  it.  Such 
an  oiler  needs  little  attention,  and  is  not 
difficult  to  make.  It  is  filled  by  unscrew- 
ing the  oil  chamber  from  the  nipple. — P. 
P.  Avery,  Garfield,  N.  J. 


Setting  Setscrcws  Tightly 
against  a  Shaft 

Setscrews  which  must  be  drawn  down 
very  tight  with  a  wrench  will  often  twist 
off  during  the  effort,  and  this  always 
brings  a  troublesome  situation.  Setscrews 
can  be  made  tighter  without  excessive 
twisting,  if  they  are  tapped  moderately 
hard  with  a  hammer  while  turning,  after 
the  point  has  come  in  contact  with  a 
shaft.  In  this  way,  the  direct  force  from 
the  hammer  blows  is  added  to  the  force 


produced  by  tightening  the  thread,  the 
two  working  together  to  cause  the  end 
of  the  screw  to  sink  into  the  end  of  the 
shaft  and  hold  securely. 


Cotter  Pin  as  Electrical  Clip 

A  split  cotter  pin,  with  a  wire  soldered 
to  the  eye,  makes  a  good  clip  for  the  line- 
man's kit.  It  is  easily  slipped  over  the 
wire,  and  as  easily  pulled  off,  but  makes 
good  electrical  contact. — H.  F.  Bani\'ick, 
Shawinigan   Falls,  Can. 


Spading  Grass  with  a  Garden  Fork 

A  lawn  in  which  the  grass  looks  thin 
and  dull-colored  can  be  improved  by 
using  a  garden  fork  to  loosen  the  soil. 
The  fork  is  sunk  to  a  depth  of  6  in.  and 
worked  back  and  forth  until  the  dirt  is 
loosened.  The  process  is  then  repeated 
every  few  inches  until  the  sod  has  all 
been  gone  over  thoroughly.  After  put- 
ting on  a  light  coat  of  lawn  fertilizer, 
spnnkle  ^vell,  using  a  fine,  soft  spray,  or 
a  length  of  pipe  with  several  rows  of  very 
small  holes  drilled  in  it.  The  grass  will 
be  much  healthier  after  the  treatment, 
presenting  a  luxuriant  thickness. — F.  F. 
Burnstead,  Long  Beach,  Calif. 

Carpenter's  Level  Takes  the  Place 
of  a  Surveyor's  Level 

While  it  is  often  necessary  to  find  the 
difference  of  level,  or  elevation  above 
a  certain  level,  of  an  embankment  or  un- 
even bit  of  land,  it  is  usually  ex- 
pensive to  hire  a  surveyor  for  the  few 
minutes  the  work  would  take.  Nor  is  his 
in  St  rument 
obtainable  by 
all.  The  work 
need  not  wait 
if  k  carpen- 
ters level,  two 
1  by  2- in. 
sticks,  a  long 
cord,  a  stake, 
and  some 
nails  are 
handy.  After 
setting  the 
stake  in  the 
top  of  the  em- 
b  an  k  ment, 
drive  one  of 
the  1  by  2-in. 
pieces  into  the  ground  at  some  spot  on 
the  lower  level.  Into  the  end  of  the 
other  1  by  2-in.  piece,  drive  two  nails. 
This  piece  is  to  be  held  upright  along  the 


.NAILft  ta  STICK        STAKE. 


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one  driven  into  the  ground.  Stretch  the 
cord  from  the  stake,  between  the  two 
nails,  down  to  where  the  hand  grips  the 
stick.  Have  some  one  hold  the  level 
against  the  underside  of  the  cord,  making 
sure  that  it  touches  the  cord  along  the 
whole  edge.  Now  raise  the  stick-  until 
the  cord  is  level,  then  drive  in  nails  to 
hold  the  two  sticks  together.  The  top  of 
the  stick  is  level  with  the  top  of  the  em- 
bankment, and  the  elevation  of  the  spot 
where  the  stake  was  driven  can  be 
measured  at  once  on  the  1  by  2-in.  pieces. 


wheel.     Then  make  three  arms  of  strap 
iron,  long  enough  to  reach  a  good  way 


Tire  Tool  for  Spreading  Beads  Apart 

The  simple  tool  illustrated  makes  easy 
the  awkward  job  of  separating  the  beads 
of  an  automobile  tire  for  inspection,  or 
for  inserting    or 
removing  an  inner 
tube.   For  tires  of 
ordinary  size,  the 
short  arm  should 
be   about   6   in. 
long,  and  the  dis- 
tance   from    the 
pin  to  the  end  of 
the    long    arm 
should    be    the 
same.     By  sliding 
the  tool  along,  and  spreading  the  tire  at 
successive  points,  it  will  be  foimd  easy  to 
get  at  the  inside. — L.  E.  Turner,  Hart- 
ford, Conn. 


Hoisting  Drum  to  Fit  Rear 
Wheel  of  Auto 

In  cases  of  emergency,  the.  rear,  or 
driving,  wheel  of  an  automobile  may  be 
used  as  a  drum  around  which  the  line 
from  a  hoisting  tackle  is  wound.  The 
power  from  the  wheel,  when  turning  free 
from  the  ground,  is  sufficient  to  exert 
great  force  in  winding  up  the  tackle 
rope.  For  that  purpose,  the  drum  de- 
scribed was  designed  to  be  attached 
directly  over  the  hub,  and  to  the  spokes 
of  the  wheel.  It  may  be  quickly  put  on 
or  taken  off,  and  is  small  enough  to  pre- 
vent the  wheel,  when  turning  under  nor- 
mal speed,  from  being  unduly  strained  by 
heavy  loads. 

A  solid  piece  of  oak,  about  8  in.  in 
diameter,  should  be  turned  out  in  the 
shape  of  a  cylinder,  5  in.  long.  For  large 
cars,  this  may  be  increased  in  size.  Sur- 
mount the  drum  with  a  disk,  somewhat 
larger,  to  act  as  a  rim,  and  bore  a  hole  in 
the  opposite  end  of  the  drum  just  large 
enough  to  fit  snugly  over  the  hub  of  the 


The  Additioa  of  a  Small  Dram  to  a  Rear-Wheel  Hai> 
Makes  Possible  the  Use  of  a  Car  for  Hoisting 

Up  the  spokes  of  the  wheel.  Bolt  these 
at  equal  distances  around  the  circum- 
ference of  the  drum,  setting  them  in  flush. 
To  operate,  back  the  car  up  until  it  is 
near  the  tackle,  and  jack  up  the  wheel 
upon  which  the  drum  has  been  placed. 
The  other  wheel  must  be  blocked  so  that 
it  will  not  turn.  Give  the  hauling  rope 
a  few  turns  about  the  drum,  then  apply 
the  power  to  the  wheel  and  at  the  same 
time  pull  easily  upon  the  rope,  keeping  it 
taut  on  the  drum.  In  this  way  heavy 
loads  can  be  raised  that  would  otherwise 
be  beyond  the  ability  of  one  man  to 
handle. — L.  B.  Robbins,   Harwich,  Mass. 


Door  Latch  Made  from  Wire 

A  spring  door  latch  can  be  made  in  a 
few  minutes,  if  a  piece  of  rather  springy 
heavy  wire  is  at  hand.    It  is  wrapped  twice 
around   a  rod    or 
stick  to  form  the 
spring,     and     the 
ends  are  cut  to  the 
proper    length. 
The  guard,  which 
forms     the  .  door 
handle   and   takes 
the     place     of     a 
knob,   may   be 

made  of  wire  also.  The  catch  is  of  the 
regular  t)rpe  used  with  lift-up  latches,  or 
can  be  made  from  a  window-shade  holder. 
A  stick,  or  a  piece  of  heavy  wire,  makes 
a  very  good  lift. 


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Movable  Chicken  Coop  Raises 

Healthy  Chicks 

Chickens  never  grow  well  when  con- 
fined in  a  small  coop,  with  no  green  food. 
The   coop   and   run   illustrated   were   de- 


A  Coop  and  Runway  for  Growing  Chicks,  Which  can 

be  Moved,  Provides  Fresh  Green  Pood 

without  Injuring  the  Grass  Plot 

signed  to  give  small  growing  chicks  the 
necessary  plant  food,  without  in  any  way 
injuring  the  grass  in  the  lawn  where  they 
were  kept.  The  coop  was  made  from  a 
packing  box,  covered  with  tarred  felt 
to  protect  the  chicks  in  rainy  weather. 
The  runway  was  a  frame,  made  of  mis- 
cellaneous old  boards,  covered  with  poul- 
try netting.  The  space  between  the  boards 
was  large  enough  to  allow  the  little  chicks 
to  slip  out,  and  thus  range  over  the  lawn 
as  they  pleased,  while  the  mother  hen  was 
confined.  Since  there  were  no  trees,  it 
was  necessary  to  throw  a  piece  of  burlap 
sacking  over  the  runway  for  shade  dur- 
ing the  hot  part  of  the  day.  This  por- 
table coop  and  runway  was  moved  every 
morning,  giving  the  mother  hen  fresh 
grass,  and  the  chicks  a  new  range  every 
day,  at  the  same  time  leaving  the  grass 
uninjured.  The  runway  could  be  adapted 
to  city  lots  by  making  it  impossible  for 
even  the  chicks  to  escape.  They  would 
still  have  green  food,  though  they  would 
not  get  so  much  exercise,  which  is  nearly 
as  important  as  the  food.— S.  R.  Winters, 
Washington,  D.  C. 


Boiler  Pitting  Caused  by  Ground 
in  Electric  Circuit 

The  boilers  in  a  large  plant  had  been 
in  constant  use  for  over  10  yqars  without 
the  slightest  evidence  of  internal  pitting 
or  corrosion.  They  were  practically  free 
from  scale,  as  the  condensate  was  re- 
turned from  the  heating  system  and  cook- 
ing apparatus,  and  the  make-up  water, 
about  one-third  of  the  total,  was  fairly 
good.  Suddenly,  pitting  occurred  to  an 
alarming   extent,   and    the   engineer   was 


completely  at  sea  as  to  the  cause.  At 
about  the  same  time,  he  noticed  that  the 
storage  battery,  supplying  current  for  the 
house-telephone  system  and  electric  bells, 
was  failing;  that  is,  required  much  more 
frequent  charging  to  maintain  it  at  the 
proper  strength.  The  battery  seemed  to 
be  in  fairly  good  condition,  so  grounds  in 
the  wiring  were  suspected.  The  engineer 
finally  located  the  trouble  in  an  under- 
ground metal  conduit  running  from  the 
main  building  to  the  power  plant,  in 
which  were  three  twisted  telephone  pairs. 
When  the  wires  from  the  conduit  were 
pulled  out,  it  was  found  that  the  insula- 
tion on  all  of  them  was  water-soaked  and 
rotten,  and  that  the  conduit  was  corroded 
through  in  many  places.  A  new  conduit 
and  new  wires  were  installed.  This  ended 
the  battery  trouble,  and  also  the  pitting  in 
the  boilers,  which  evidently  had  been 
caused  by  electrolysis,  due  to  the  current 
leakage. 


'  Knee  Guards  for  Tile  Workers 

A  pair  of  discarded  basketball,  or  foot- 
ball, knee  guards  make  handy  comforts 
for  cement  finishers,  tile  workers,  carpet 
layers,  and  all  others  who  are  compelled 
to  work  most  of  the  time  in  a  kneeling 
position.  Even  a  new  pair  of  guards, 
bought  for  this  use,  will  repay  the  work- 
er in  the  convenience  of  these  knee  cush- 
ions.— Abel  Green,  New  York,  N.  Y. 


Screw   Pump   Hastens   Flow 
of  Heavy  Oil 

Where  heavy  oil  had  to  be  taken 
through  a  faucet  from  a  barrel,  the  flow 
was  often  found  to  be  so  small  that  much 
time  was  wasted.  The  condition  was 
remedied  by  installing  a  pump  to  help  the 
flow  of  oil,  which  was  made  from  a  short 
auger    bit,    as    shown.      By    turning   the 


Heavy  Oil  Which  Flowed  Very  Slowly  through  a 
Faucet  was  Speeded  Up  by  the  Use  of  an  Auger  Pump 

handwheel  in  the  direction  to  force  the 
auger  inward,  the  oil  is  forced  outward 
through  the  faucet.— H.  W.  Hahn,  Des 
Moines,  la. 


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A  Toy  Phonograph 

By  frank  M.  rich 


A  PHONOGRAPH  seems  very  rayste- 
-^^  rious  and  complicated  to  the  average 
boy.  He  can,  however,  make  one  for 
himself  which  will  play  the  ordinary  rec- 
ords quite  satisfactorily.  The  machine 
described  here  is  not  hard  to  make,  and 
does  not  require  expensive  materials. 

Secure  a  small  wooden  box  with  a 
hinged  top,  to  be  used  bottom  up,  for 
the  base.  Fasten  blocks  of  soft  wood  into 
each  end  of  this  box  on  the  inside,  in  the 
positions  shown.  This  may  be  done  by 
gluing  them  in  and  then  driving  several 
fine  brads  through  from  the  outside, 
clinching  them  on  the  inside.  Into  one 
block,  screw  two  small  screw  eyes,  one 
V2  in.  from  the  top,  the  other  V-^  in. 
from  the  bottom,  and  both  of  them 
1  in.  from  one  side  of  the  box.  Then 
bore  a  hole  in  the  bottom  of  the  box,  on 
an  exact  line  with  the  holes  in  the  two 
screw  eyes.  A  flat-headed  tack  should 
be  driven  into  the  lid  of  the  box,  also  on 
a  line  with  the  holes  in  the  screw  eyes. 
Then  secure  a  bolt  long  enough  to  go 
through  both  screw  eyes,  with  the  head 
resting  on  the  tack,  and  the  threaded  end 
projecting  1%  in.  through  the  hole  in  the 
bottom  of  the  box.  Wind  adhesive  tape, 
1  in.  wide,  on  the  shaft  of  the  bolt,  half- 
way between  the  two  screw  eyes,  to  form 
a  small  pulley.  Leave  plenty  of  room  for 
a  belt  between  the  pulley  and  the  wood. 

Now,  insert  two  screw  eyes  into  the 
block  at  the  other  end  of  the  box,  about 
1  in.  from  the  sides,  and  halfway  between 
the  top  and  bottom.  Then  bore  holes 
through  the  sides  of  the  box  so  that  a 
bolt  put  through  the;n  will  also  go 
through  the  screw  eyes.  Before  putting 
the  bolt  in,  make  a  crank  handle  for  it. 
This  should  be  in  two  pieces,  one  of 
heavy  tin  or  brass  with  a  square  hole  cut 
to  fit  over  the  square  shank  under  the 
bolt  head,  the  other  a  wooden  knob  fas- 
tened to  the  heavy  tin  by  a  small  bolt, 
with  a  washer  and  nut  on  either  side  of 
the  tin,  so  that  the  wood  handle  will  turn. 
Or  this  bolt  alone  may  be  used  for  a 
crank. 


Put  the  crank  and  a  washer  on  the  large 
bolt,  and  slip  it  through  the  holes  and 
the  screw  eyes.     A  washer  and  two  nuts 


SIDE    VIEW 

The   Detail!  of  the  T07  Are  Simple,  and  the  Mate- 
rials Neither  Expensive  Nor  Difficult  to  Obtain 

on  the  threaded  end  will  hold  it,  but  it 
must  be  loose  enough  to  turn  easily.  On 
the  shaft  of  this  bolt,  wind  tape  to  form 
a  pulley,  similar  to  the  one  on  the  other 
bolt.  A  belt  of  1-in.  elastic  webbing,  such 
as  garters  are  made  of,  may  be  put  around 
the  pulleys,  the  ends  being  sewed  with 
great  care,  so  as  to  leave  no  hump.  The 
belt  should  be  just  tight  enough  to  grip 
the  pulleys  firmly.  The  top  of  the  box 
may  then  be  fastened  with  brads,  or 
screws,  so  that  it  can  be  opened  easily  if 
necessary.  It  is  to  serveas  the  bottom  of 
the  talking  machine,  and  may  be  covered 
with  felt,  or  other  soft  cloth,  such  as  cot- 


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ton  flannel,  so  that  it  will  not  scratch  any 
surface  upon  which  the  machine  rests. 

Place  a  nut  upon  the  end  of  the  bolt 
which  projects  from  the  top,  or  what  was 
originally  the  bottom  of  the  box.    Secure 


The  Maker  of  a  Simple  Tov  Phonograph  Finds  Him- 
self Quickly  Sarroundea  by  Admiring  Friends 

an  8-in.  pie  tin,  and  cut,  or  punch,  a  hole 
in  the  center  of  the  bottom.  Place  the 
tin  on  the  bolt  end,  and  screw  another 
nut  on  the  bolt  to  hold  it  tight.  Now 
fill  the  pan  level  full  with  a  very  thin  mix- 
ture of  plaster  of  Paris  and  water.  The 
end  of  the  bolt  should  extend  %  in.  above 
this.  While  the  plaster  is  drying,  make 
the  horn  and  reproducer. 

For  the  horn,  secure  a  sheet  of  heavy 
Bristol  board.  From  it  make  a  cone,  iy2 
in.  in  diameter  at  the  small  end,  6  in.  at 
the  large  end,  and  9  in.  long.  Fasten  the 
edges  with  glue.  Reinforce  both  ends  of 
the  horn  with  collars  of  the  Bristol  board. 
Upon  a  sheet  of  very  stiff  but  thin  paper, 
draw  two  circles,  one  IV2  in.  in  diameter, 
and  the  other  2  in.,  using  the  same  point 
for  the  centers  of  both  circles.  Cut  out 
the  paper  on  the  larger  circle,  then  cut 
slots  every  half  inch  down  to  the  smaller 
circle.  Fasten  this  paper  to  the  small  end 
of  the  horn  by  pasting  the  flaps  down  over 
the  Bristol  board.  This  piece  is  to  serve 
as  the  diaphragm  of  the  reproducer. 

The  needle  holder  is  a  small  cork,  glued 
to  the  center  of  the  diaphragm.  A  loud- 
tone  steel  phonograph  needle  is  forced 
into  the  small  end  of  the  cork. 

A  thin  stick,  11%  in.  long,  is  nailed  or 
screwed  to  the  corner  of  the  box  nearest 
the  crank.  A  nail  is  driven  into  the  end 
of  the  stick,  and  the  head  filed  off.  This 
is  the  horn  support.  A  hole,  2  in.  in  diam- 
eter, cut  in  the  horn  near  the  large  end, 
permits  the  stick  to  pass  through.  The 
nail  in  the  stick  fits  into  a  hole  in  the  op- 
posite side  of  the  horn.  By  this  arrange- 
ment, the  horn  is  permitted  to  swing 
around  as  the  record  is  played. 


Cover  the  plaster  of  Paris  with  a  disk 
of  felt  or  cotton  flannel  when  it  is  dry. 
Then,  to  play  the  machine,  place  a  record 
of  any  size  on  the  turntable,  set  the  needle 
in  the  groove,  and  turn  the  crank.  Be 
sure  that  the  record  moves  in  the  direc- 
tion in  which  the  needle  points.  After  a 
little  practice,  it  is  not  difficult  to  play  a 
record  smoothly  and  with  a  very  good 
tone.  Needles  can  be  changed  very 
easily,  by  pulling  the  old  needle  out  of  the 
cork  and  inserting  a  new  one. 

While  the  average  boy  can  find  most 
of  the  materials  called  for  in  the  above 
description,  the  plan  may  be  changed  in 
many  ways  to  suit  either  the  convenience 
or  the  pocketbook  of  the  reader,  as  long 
as  the  principle  is  right.  The  same  boy 
may  see  a  way  in  which  he  can  improve 
on  his  first  model.  In  any  case^  the  re- 
sults depend  largely  on  how  steadily  the 
owner  turns  the  crank. 


Suspended  Frame  Dries  Laundry 
in  the  House 

In  a  house  where  there  is  very  little 
room  to  spare,  it  is  not  easy  to  dry  laun- 
dry on  either  the  ordinary  clothes  rack 
or  the  wash  line.  The  suspended  frame 
described  allows  the  wash  to  be  pulled 
up  out  of  the  way  while  it  is  drying,  in 
this  way  leaving  the  room  clear  for  other 
purposes.  A  series  of  frames  will  hold  a 
very  large  wash,  and  this  should  dry 
quickly,  since  hot  air  circulates  near  the 
ceiling  of  a  heated  room.  The  frame 
is  made  of  a  piece  of  2  by  4-in.  lumber, 
rounded  off  on  one  edge.  It  is  suspended 
from  ropes  which  run  through  pulleys  to 
a  hook  screwed  into  some  handy  place. 
The  frame  is  lowered,  the  wash  put  on. 


2XA  ROUNDED   OFF  AT   TOP 


TO  HOOK    ONWWDOwr- 

A  Frame   Which   can   be    Raised   and   Lowered   by 

Means  of  Pulleys  is  Used'to  Dry  Laundry 

in  a  Crowded  House 

and  then  the  whole  is  pulled  up  to  the 
ceiling. — ^James  Wilson,  Maisonneuve, 
Que.,  Can. 

CTennis  rackets  which  are  too  old  to  be 
worth  restringing  make  excellent  carpet 
beaters. 


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Exhausted  Dry  Batteries  Produce 

Flame  Spectacle 

In  open  fireplaces,  especially  where 
wood  is  used  for  fuel,  a  g9rgeous  colored- 
fire  eflFect  may  be  produced  by  placing  one 
or  two  old  dry  cells  among  the  hot  coals. 
The  substance  with  which  the  top  of  the 
battery  is  sealed  soon  burns  away,  and  the 
heat  sets  up  a  chemical  action,  produc- 
ing a  gas  which  burns  with  a  flame  of 
vivid  blue,  purple,  and  green.  One  old 
dry  cell  will  continue  the  spectacle  for 
from  a  half  to  three  quarters  of  an  hour, 
depending  upon  the  heat  of  the  fire  in 
which  it  is  placed.  No  danger  attaches  to 
this  production  of  colored  fire.  It  costs 
nothing,  inasmuch  as  old  diy  batteries  are 
ordinarily  worthless,  but  it  will  provide 
both  pleasure  and  amusement  at  fireside 
gatherings. 


Mending  Broken  Vases 

When  the  lower  part  of  a  vase  is  broken, 
so  that    it  will  not  stand,  the  vase  is  quite 
often   thrown 
away    as    useless, 
because  it  is  diffi- 
cult to  cement  the 
I    base    together    so 
\  as    to    be    strong 
/  enough  te  support 
'   the  weight.    Such 
a  vase  can  be  re- 
paired    quite 
strongly     by     im- 
bedding the  lower 
part  in  a  new  base 
made  of  Portland 
cement.    The  cov- 
er of  a  tin  can  is 
used  to   hold  the 
cement,   which    is 
smoothed  up  around  the  vase  to  a  grace- 
ful   shape.      After    the    new    bottom    is 
smoothed  off  and  painted,  the  vase  will  be 
better  than  new  as  regards  strength,  and 
hardly  less  pleasing  to  the  eye.    Also,  be- 
cause of  its  weight,  it  is  more  stable  than 
it  was  originally. 


Uses  for  Old  Gas  Mantles 

Old  gas  mantles  crushed  to  powder 
make  an  excellent  polish  for  jewelry.  The 
fact  is  becoming  quite  well  known,  and 
the  material  is  being  bought  and  sold  for 
this  purpose.  The  material  is  also  made 
use  of  by  mantle  manufacturers,  as  they 
can  reclaim  from  it  the  rare  earths  which 
are  used  in  the  manufacture  of  mantles. — 
Robert  Davidson,  Albany,  N.  Y. 


A  Length  Gauge  and  Marker 

for  Ladies'  Skirts 

The   gauge,   or  marker,  shown   in   the 
illustration,  is  designed  to  be  attached  to 


A  Marker  Like  This  Makes  It  Easy  to  Cut  a  Skirt 
to  a  Uniform  Length  at  All  Points 

the  leg  of  a  chair  and  to  mark  on  a  skirt 
the  proper  length  for  cutting.  The  in- 
strument consists  of  a  piece  of  chalk,  held 
in  a  clamp  made  of  hard  wood,  which  in 
turn  is  attached  to  the  leg  of  the  chair 
by  an  ordinary  C-clamp.  The  chalk  may 
be  held  in  the  opening  by  using  a  %  by 
lV2-in.  stove  bolt  with  a  wing  nut. — Guy 
E.  Waite,  Ottawa,  111. 


"Swat  the  Flies'*  with  a  Piece 
of  Inner  Tube 

To  make  an  efficient  fly  swatter,  cut  a 
piece  of  rubber,  about  3  by  4  in.,  from  an 
old  inner  tube. 
Make  five  parallel 
slits  near  one 
edge,  into  which 
the  handle  is  se- 
cured by  having 
alternate  straps  of 
the  rubber  on 
each  side  of  the 
wood.  Punch 
small  holes  in  the 
rubber  with  a 
leather    punch    to 

make  the  swatter  quiet  and  effective  in 
action.  This  rubber  fly  swatter  can  be 
made  by  the  children;  it  does  not  mar 
the  furniture,  or  catch  on  the  clothing  or 
curtains. — W.  S.  Hoffman,  Lind,  Wash. 


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Handy  Device  for  Lifting  Boats 

Out  of  the  Water 

Lifting  canoes  and  small  boats  out  of 
the  water  and  dragging  them  along  some 
distance  on  their  keels  weakens  them  and 


The  Cradle  Serves  as  Both  Hoist  and  Truck 
for  Small  Boats 

causes  leaks,  perhaps  more  than  any  other 
one  thing.  Carrying  them  is  hard  work, 
and  demands  the  services  of  at  least  two 
men.  The  use  of  wooden  rollers,  on  some 
docks,  helps  matters,  but  even  these  are 
not  always  satisfactory  or  convenient.  In 
the  case  of  a  canoe  or  boat  club,  the  dis- 
tance it  is  necessary  to  haul  the  boats  to 
their  proper  places  when  not  in  use  in- 
creases in  proportion  to  the  membership 
of  the  club.  .Where  there  are  50  or  60 
small  boats  owned  by  members^  the  far- 
thest rack  is  frequently  20  or  30  yd.  from 
the  water's  edge. 

The  lifting  device  illustrated,  has  been 
found  to  obviate  these  difficulties.  It  is 
a  combined  lifter  and  truck,  for  the  lower 
part  of  the  cradle  is  equipped  with  small 
cast-iron  wheels  for  trundling  along  on 
the  dock  when  the  boat  is  out  of  the 
wafer.  These  may  be  set  to  run  with 
the  length  or  the  width  of  the  frame,  or 
may  be  on  swivel  bearings.  Canoes  or 
ordinary  rowboats  can  thus  be  handled 
by  a  single  person  with  ease.  The  cradle 
slips  into  the  water  at  the  e^ge  of  the 
dock,  and  the  boat  is  floated  into  it.  Then, 
by  a  direct  pull  and  lift,  the  boat  is  lifted 
entirely  out  of  the  water.  Wooden  rollers 
at  the  edge  of  the  dock  make  the  process 
easier.  Once  on  the  dock,  the  cradle  be- 
comes a  truck. 


Where  boats  of  any  considerable  weight 
are  to  be  handled,  a  rope  tackle  can  be 
used  for  operating  the  cradle.  A  moder- 
ate amount  of  pull  on  the  tackle  will  lift 
any  of  the  larger  rowboats  out  of  the 
water,  and  pull  them  up  on  the  dock. 
After  that  is  done,  one  man  can  run  them 
into  any  desired  place,  and  likewise  launch 
them  by  the  opposite  process. 

The  cradle  is  made  of  stout  2  by  4-in. 
sticks  of  hard  wood.  Its  size  and 
strength  depends  upon  the  weight  of  the 
boats  to  be  handled.  Its  length  should 
be  about  two-thirds  that  of  the  boats. 
Anything  bigger  than  this  makes  it 
clumsy  and  awkward  to  handle.  If  the 
average  length  of  the  boats  or  canoes  is 
18  ft.,  a  cradle  12  ft.  long  will  answer 
all  purposes.  The  depth  of  the  cradle 
depends  upon  the  height  of  the  dock  from 
the  water's  surface.  If  handled  without  a 
tackle,  the  upper  part  of  the  cradle 
should  stand  high  enough  above  the  edge 
of  the  dock  for  good  leverage.  Other- 
wise, one  will  find  it  impossible  to  tip 
it  and  draw  the  boat  out  of  the  water. 
It  is  a  good  plan  always  to  install  a  tackle 
arrangement  for  emergencies.  Even  if 
as  a  rule  only  canoes  or  small  boats  are 
to  be  handled,  larger  craft  may  some  day 
visit  the  club,  and  it  will  be  necessary  to 
lift  them  out.  The  advantage  of  this  de- 
vice is  that  it  does  not  interfere  with  the 
landing  of  larger  boats.  It  is  portable, 
and  can  be  removed  at  any  time,  or  left 
standing  at  one  side  on  the  dock.  When 
needed,  it  is  a  most  convenient  piece  of 
equipment,  and  will  save  a  great  deal 
of  hard  work  and  trouble. — Geo.  E. 
Walsh,  New  York,  N.  Y. 


A  Handy  Glass-Tube  Cutter 

A  glass-tube  cutter  which  permits  good 
work  to   be  done  easily  and  quickly,  is 


A  GUss-Tube  Cutter,  Which  Insures  Uaifomlj 

Good  R««ulu,  is  CoiMtmctcd  from  Easily 

Obtained  Odds  and  Ends 

made  from  a  wooden  V-block,  a  piece  of 
board,  an  improvised  hinged  chuck,  and 


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a  small  metal  stop,  or  length  gauge.  The 
tang  of  the  file  is  forced  under  the  two 
straps  of  the  hinged  plate,  these  straps 
being  made  by  slitting  the  metal  with  a 
chisel  and  bending  it  out. 

To  use  the  device,  the  tube  is  laid  in 
the  V-block,  and  the  gauge  set  for  length. 
By  pressing  lightly  on  the  handle  of  the 
file,  while  revolving  the  tube,  a  circular 
cut  is  made  that  insures  the  easy  break- 
ing of  the  glass  by  tapping  it  next  to  the 
cut.  To  secure  a  clean  break,  either  heat 
the  glass  at  the  score  with  a  match,  and 
then  plunge  it  in  water,  or  moisten  the 
tube  with  turpentine,  before  scoring. 
When  one  edge  of  the  file  becomes  worn, 
it  can  be  turned  so  that  a  new  edge  is 
ready  for  use. — C.  H.  Willey,  Concord, 
New  Hampshire. 


ing  the  same  note  steadily.    The  tiny  bits 
of  dust  will  start  to  move  about.    After 


Beautiful  Patterns  Made  by  Sound  Waves 

As  is  well  known,  sound  travels  in  the 
form  of  waves.  It  is  not,  of  course,  pos- 
sible to  see  these  waves,  but  it  is  easy  to 
secure  a  record  of  their  effects.  An  eas- 
ily made  device  may  be  employed  for  the 
purpose,  and  with  one  of  these,  patterns 
can  be  made  with  the  voice.  The  con- 
struction of  such  an  instrument  presents 
no  difficulties  at  all  and,  in  fact,  is  a  di- 
verting toy  of  great  scientific  interest. 

The  first  thing  required  will  be  a  tin 
saucepan  with  a  hollow  handle.  Also,  a 
small  tin  funnel  should  be  secured,  the 
narrow  end  of  which  is  a  little  smaller 
than  the  handle  of  the  saucepan.  Buy  a 
piece  of  sheet  rubber  just  big  enough  to 
stretch  over  the  top  of  the  saucepan. 
Then,  with  a  little  twine,  one  will  have  all 
that  is  necessary  for  the  making  of  the 
toy. 

First  of  all,  remove  the  end  piece  of  tin 
on  the  handle  of  the  saucepan.  Push  the 
small  end  of  the  funnel  right  down  inside 
the  handle.  Then  bore  a  hole  inside  the 
saucepan  just  where  the  handle  is  fixed. 
Make  this  opening  as  wide  as  the  inside 
diameter  of  the  handle,  so  that  there  is  an 
opening  right  through  the  funnel  and 
handle.  Next,  stretch  the  piece  of  sheet 
rubber  across  the  top  of  the  saucepan, 
using  string  to  tie  it   around  the  sides. 

To  show  the  effects  of  the  sound  waves, 
get  some  very  fine  powder.  Ordinary 
flour,  if  really  fine,  is  good,  but  the  finest 
chalk,  known  as  "precipitated,"  is  better. 
Druggists  sell  lycopodium  powder,  which 
is  well  adapted  to  the  purpose. 

To  use  the  device,  sprinkle  a  little  of 
the  light  powder  on  the  piece  of  rubber. 
Then  start  singing  into  the  funnel,  sound- 


An  Interestins  Toy,  Which  Operates  on   Scientific 

Principles,  Makes  Patterns  in  Chalk  or  Powder 

When  a  Note  is  Sung  into  the  Mouthpiece 

a  while,  they  settle  down  into  quite  a 
pretty  pattern.  The  patterns  will  vary 
according  to  the  kind  of  powder  used  and 
the  note  sounded. — S.  Leonard  Bastin, 
Bournemouth,  Eng. 


Converting  the  Wheelbarrow 
into  a  Garden  Truck 

The  amateur  gardener  should  save  him- 
self as  many  steps  as  possible  in  his 
work,  since  his  hours  are  few  and  every 
step  counts.  The 
wheelbarrow  can 
be  made  to  save 
his  time  and 
energy  by  adding 
racks  on  the  sides, 
as  shown,  to  carry 
cultivating  tools. 
Make  three  sets  of 
iron  hooks  for 
each  side  of  the 
wheelbarrow  and 
screw  them  to  the 

edges  of  the  dash  and  to  the  upright 
cleat  of  each  sideboard.  A  hook  under 
the  flooring  can  be  used  to  carry  a  bucket 
or  extra  sack.  By  fitting  an  arrow-shaped 
iron  to  one  leg  of  the  wheelbarrow,  it  can 
be  utilized  to  furrow,  mark,  or  cultivate, 
according  to  the  angle  at  which  it  is  ad- 
justed. Garden  tools  can  be  laid  in  the 
hooks,  seed  or  water  carried  in  the  bucket 
hung  underneath,  and  the  body  of  the 
wheelbarrow  filled  with  dressing.  The 
rack  will  be  as  useful  in  harvest  time  as 
it  is  when  plan  ting. — L.  B.  Robbins,  Har- 
wich, Mass. 


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Taking  Submarine  Photographs  with  an  Ordinary  Camera 

By  JOHN  EDWIN  HOGG 


A  DELIGHTFUL  pastime  as  well  as 
•^*'  an  educational  one,  which  may  be  en- 
joyed by  any  boy  of  average  mechanical 
ability,  is  that  of  taking  pictures  under 
water  with  an  ordinary  camera.  It  is  only 
necessary  to  construct  a  water-tight  box 
with  a  plate-glass  front  in  which  to  house 
the  instrument.  This  is  but  the  work  of 
a  few  hours,  after  which  all  the  subma- 
rine mysteries  of  the  near-by  lake,  stream, 
or  ocean  may  be  explored  photographic- 
klly.  Aquatic  plants  may  be  studied  from 
the  fishes'  viewpoint,  and  indeed  the 
fishes  themselves  are  easily  baited  in 
front  of  the  camera  for  close-range  views. 

Let  us  suppose,  for  instance,  that  the 
camera  to  be  used  is  one  of  the  folding 
type,      taking     post- 
c  a  r  d  -  size   pictures. 
This    is    a    standard 
variety  and  lends  it- 
self  well    to   subma- 
rine adaptation.    For 
housing  such  an  in- 
strument, the  water- 
tight   box    will   need 
to  be  10  in.  high,  6^/^ 
in.  wide,  and  8%  in. 
deep,     inside     meas- 
urements.    It  is  best 
constructed      from 
^^ie  -  in.   material, 
preferably  spruce  or 
maple,    and    care 
should  be  used  to  se- 
lect    wood     that     is 
free     from      defects. 
The     sides    are    cut 
83/i  by   11%  in.,   the 
top  and   bottom  6^/2 
by  8%   in.,   and   the 
front  and  back  8%  by 
11%  in.     Both   sides 
of  this  box  will  lap 
over  the  edges  of  the 
top     and     bottom 
members.     The    back   will   attach   to   lap 
over  the  sides,  top,  and  bottom,  and  the 
front   will   lap   over  the   four,   making  a 
detachable  lid  to  permit   the  installation 
of   the    camera    and    its    ready    removal. 
The   whole    is   put   together   with   wood 
screws,    placed   every    l^,^    in.   along   the 
overlapping  edges,   with   a   brass   washer 
under  the  head  of  each  screw.    Holes  for 
the  screws  should  be  drilled  to  avoid  dan- 
ger of  splitting  the  wood.     Strips  of  felt, 
which  may  be  cut  from  an  old  hat,  should 
be  coated  with  white  lead  and  placed  be- 
tween the  boards  to  serve  as  calking. 

The  lid  is  attached  by  means  of  10  head- 
ers 


Some  of  the   Fish  Photographed  b' 

are    Here   Shown,  as  Well  as  a  Suggested 
Method  of  Using  the  Camera 


less  machine  screws,  set  *in  the  body  of 
the  box,  as  shown  in  the  drawing.  Wing 
nuts  are  used  to  make  the  lid  quickly  de- 
tachable. A  water-tight  joint  is  obtained 
between  the'  lid  and  the  body  of  the  box 
by  the  use  of  heavy  rubber  gaskets. 
These  are  made  from  ordinary  washer 
rubber,  such  as  is  obtainable  at  a  plumb- 
ing shop.  The  surfaces  of  both  the  lid 
and  the  edges  of  the  box  against  which  it 
fits  must  be  planed  true,  and  then  the 
gaskets  are  cemented  to  the  lid  and  box 
with  a  coat  of  shellac.  Care  should  be 
used  in  locating  the  holes  in  the  gaskets 
through  which  the  screws  are  to  pass. 

In  taking  underwater  pictures,  it  will 
be  found  convenient  to  use  films  having 
10  exposures  to  the 
roll.  It  would  be  an- 
noying if  the  camera 
had  to  be  removed 
from  the  box  after 
each  picture,  so  pro- 
vision is  made,  in  the 
form  of  simple 
water-tight  fitments, 
by  which  the  shutter 
is  operated  while  un- 
der water,  the  focus 
may  be  adjusted,  and 
the  films  turned  up 
after  each  exposure 
without  removing 
the  lid  from  the  box. 
Of  course,  if  a  cam- 
era of  the  universal- 
focus  type  is  used, 
the  construction  of 
the  box  is  rendered 
less  complicated. 

The  focusing 
mechanism,  as 
shown  in  the  assem- 
bly, Fig.  1,  and  de- 
tail, Fig.  2,  was  made 
from  a  small  steam 
gate  valve,  which  had  outlived  its  useful- 
ness as  such.  It  was  purchased  from  a 
steamfitter's  shop  for  the  value  of  its 
weight  as  old  brass.  After  the  opening 
has  been  cut  in  the  lid  for  the  glass,  the 
camera  is  fitted  into  the  box,  and  work 
is  started  on  the  focusing  mechanism. 
The  steam  valve,  which  is  designed  to 
be  steam-tight  around  the  stem,  should, 
of  course,  be  water-tight.  The  base  of 
the  valve  is  screwed  into  a  brass  plate, 
Vs  in.  thick,  and  soldered  to  the  plate. 
The  whole  is  then  fitted  into  the  lid,  as 
shown,  and  the  focusing  slide  of  the 
camera  is  connected  with  the  stem  of  the 


the  Author 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


valve  by  means  of  a  brass  tongue,  fash- 
ioned from  a  narrow  strip  of  metal.  The 
end  of  this  tongue  is  bent  upward  to  form 
a  right  angle,  and  is  slotted  to  fit  into  a 
groove  near  the  end  of  the  valve  stem. 
After  being  fitted  to  the  stem,  a  tiny 
strip  of  brass  may  be  soldered  across  the 
top  of  the  slot  in  the  tongue  to  hold  it 
permanently  in  place.  The  rear  end  of 
the  tongue  should  grip  the  focusinsr  clamp 
in  some  such  manner  as  shown  in  Fig. 
1,  so  that  the  entire  rack,  shutter,  lens, 
and  bellows  can  be  moved  back  and  forth 
by  turning  the  valve  handle.  Turning  the 
steam  valve  inward  serves  to  focus  the 
camera  for  distance  by  compressing  the 
bellows,  while  turning  the  valve  outward 
gives  the  focus  for  close-up  work. 

The  fittings  for  the  shutter-operating 
mechanism  and  the  device  for  winding  up 
the  films  are  combinations  of  %-in-  brass 
bolts  and  automobile  gasoline-line  con- 
nections. For  the  film  winder,  the  nipple 
of  a  gasoline  union  is  sawed  off  and 
threaded  into  a  hole  in  the  center  of  a 
brass  plate,  2^4  in.  long,  2^^  in.  wide,  and 
%  in.  thick,  as  shown  in  Fig.  3.  After 
being  screwed  down  into  the  plate  as  far 
as   it   will  go,   the  nipple  is   soldered   on 


%6-in.  machine  screws,  by  which  the 
whole  is  fastened  in  the  proper  position 
on  the  side  of  the  box.  The  hole  in  the 
side  of  the  box,  through  which  the  shaft 
will  pass,  will  need  to  be  slightly  counter- 
bored  so  the  protruding  portion  of  the 
nipple  under  the  base  plate  will  fit  cor- 
rectly into  the  wood.  A  coat  of  white 
lead  is  applied  underneath  the  plate, 
around  the  screws,  and  in  the  screw  holes, 
before  the  nuts  are  tightened  down  on 
the  washers  inside  the  box.  The  bolt 
to  form  the  shaft  is  trimmed  off  to  the 
correct  length  before  being  installed;  it 
should  have  a  wing  handle  soldered  to 
the  outer  end  of  it  for  convenience  in 
turning.  The  film  winder  engages  the 
camera  member  by  means  of  a  brass  claw 
which  is  attached  to  the  inner  end  of 
the  shaft  by  means  of  a  cotter  pin  set 
through  a  square  nut. 

The  mechanism  for  operating  the  shut- 
ter is  similar,  as  shown  in  Fig.  4,  but  it 
will  have  a  2-in.  arm  which  is  pinned  to 
the  end  of  the  shaft.  The  free  end  of 
this  arm  should  have  a  small  hole  drilled 
in  it  to  take  the  silk  fish  cord  used  to 
operate  the  shutter  when  the  box  is 
lowered   into   the   water.     A   water-tight 


OETAtL  OF  8TEAM  VALVE  FOCUSINQ 
MCCHANI8M 

Fig.? 


ruuu»ini^  V^L.AMli9 


WITM  HtAU 


8IOE  View  OF  WATCRPROOF   BOX 
Fw.l 


FILM-WINOINQ    MECHANISM 
Fio.3 


A  Common   Folding  Camera  is   Mounted  in  a  Water-Tight  Box,  in  Which  are  Set  Windows  and  Stuffing 

Boxes.    Through  These  the  Camera  Mechanism  is  Observed  and  Controlled.    The 

Cover  is  Removed  When  Necessary  to  Insert  a  New  Film 


both  sides  to  insure  an  absolutely  water- 
tight joint.  Four  holes  are  then  drilled 
around  the  edge  of  each  plate,  to  take 


joint  is  secured  in  both  fitments  by  partly 
filling  the  union  nuts  with  greased  pack- 
ing before  they  are  tightened   down  on 


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631 


the  nipples.  This  forms  a  neat  little 
stuffing  box  similar  to  the  larger  ones 
used  on  the  shafts  of  motorboats.  If  the 
outfit  is  to  be  used  in  fresh  water,  all 
the  metal  fittings  may  be  of  iron  or  steel. 
For  salt  water,  brass  or  bronze  must  be 
used,  inasmuch  as  steel  or  iron  would  be 
quickly  ruined  by  rust  and  corrosion. 

In  order  that  the  focusing  table  of  the 
camera  may  be  seen  without  removing 
the  lid,  a  small  window  must  be  made  on 
that  side  of  the  box.  This  window  should 
be  2V^  in.  long  by  2  in.  wide.  It  is  made 
the  same  as  is  shown  in  the  drawing  for 
fitting  the  glass  in  the  lid.  Still  another 
small  window  must  be  made  in  the  back 
of  the  box  for  observing  the  indicator 
of  the  camera,  showing  the  position  and 
numbers  of  the  films  as  they  are  turned 
into  position  for  the  various  exposures. 
These  windows  are  not  shown  in  the 
drawings,  as  they  are  made  similar  to  the 
large  one  shown  in  Fig.  1. 

The  finished  box  should  be  given  three 
or  four  coats  of  shellac,  which  should  be 
carefully  worked  into  the  cracks  to  in- 
sure water-tight  joints.  Each  coat  should 
be  thoroughly  dry  before  applying  the 
next,  and  when  the  last  coat  has  dried, 
at  least  two,  or  even  three,  coats  of  good 
marine  paint  should  be  put  on.  The  paint 
should  cover  the  putty  around  the  win- 
dows and  lap  over  slightly  onto  the  glass. 
The  box  will  have  to  be  weighted  to 
make  it  sink,  and  before  trying  the  cam- 
era out  in  it,  it  should  be  tested  for  leak- 
age under  15  or  20  ft.  of  water. 

A  sunny  day  will  be  necessary  for  tak- 


ing submarine  pictures.  The  light  is  con- 
siderably weakened  under  water,  so  the 
largest  opening  of  the  shutter  diaphragm 
should  be  used.     It  may  be  necessary  to 

expend    a    roll    or     . 

two  of 
one  wi] 
correct 
but  aft 
trials,  i 
easy. 

SILK  FISH! 


SILK  PISHL 
PULLS    8H 


NIPPLI 

BRi 

STUFF 


EXTERIOR 
OPERATING 


&' 


The  Camera  Shutter  is  Operated  by  Pulling  on  a 

String,  Which  Operates  an  Arm  Mounted 

in  a  Small  Stuffing  Box 

is  almost  no  limit  to  the  educational  en- 
joyment that  may  be  had  by  delving  into 
the  submarine  wonders  that  are  at  present 
practically  an  unexplored  field  to  the  pho- 
tographer. 

CStove  polish  is  a  good  substitute  for  the 
paint  used  to  keep  auto  rims  from  rusting. 


Match  Safe  Made  from  Nutmeg  Grater 

A  nutmeg  grater,  which  has  become  too 
dull  for  usefulness  for  its  original  pur- 
pose, makes  a  spendid  match  safe.  The 
grater  is  hung  up  by  the  hole  or  handle  on 
the  larger  end,  the  bottom  of  the  nutmeg 
pocket  is  taken  out,  and  a  wooden  plug  is 
driven  in,  leaving  a  sufficient  height  above 
it  for  the  matches  to  come  just  under  the 
lid  of  the  nutmeg  pocket.  If  the  rough 
surface  is  too  dull  for  good  grating,  it  is 
just  right  for  striking  matches. 


a  circle  about  6  in.  below  the  top.  These 
holes  allow  a  counter  draft  to  enter  the 
chimney.  Instead  of  the  red-hot  sparks 
being  blown  out  over  the  tent  roof,  they 
only  go  up  as  far  as  the  holes,  where  they 
circulate  until  cool,  when  they  fall  again, 
unless  the  draft  is  too  strong. — W.  L. 
Goodwin,  Seattle,  Wash. 


To  Prevent  Sparks  Setting 
Fire  to  Tents 

Where  ordinary  stovepipe  is  used  for 
a  chimney  in  a  tent,  there  is  danger  from 
fire,  due  to  the  flying  sparks.  The  method 
described  has  helped  to  avoid  this  danger 
in  many  cases.  The  process  consists  in 
punching  %-in.  holes  around  the  pipe,  in 


Cork-Tipped  Chair  Legs  Preserve 
Polished  Floors 

Polished  floors  may  be  saved  from  the 
wear  which  is  due  to  chair  legs  by  fitting 
the  ends  of  the  legs  with  cork  disks. 
These  may  be  made  by  splicing  up  a  large 
cork  bottle  stopper  with  a  sharp  knife, 
and  should  be  glued  very  firmly  to  the 
ends  of  the  chair  legs.  Any  unevenness 
in  the  length  of  the  leg  can  also  be  rem- 
edied by  using  a  cork  disk  of  the  proper 
thickness. — R.  E.  Wismer,  Ontario,  Can. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


A  Model  Trench-Digger  Toy 

The  photograph  shows  a  model  trench 
digger  made  by  an  enterprising  youngster. 
When  the  motor  is  running,  the  digger 


base.  The  .uprights  should  be  3  m.  high, 
and  the  shaft  should  rest  in  holes  bored 
in  them,  2  in.  above  the  baseboard.  A 
small  toy  motor  is  screwed  to  the  base,  so 
that  the  pulley  of  the  motor  will  be  in  line 


The  Finished  Toy  Resembles  the  Powerful  Machines  Which  were  Used  to  Dig  Trenches  on  the  Battle  Fields 

of  Europe  during  the  World  War 


cuts  a  smooth  trench  in  loose  soil,  the 
toy  being  pushed  or  pulled  ahead  by  the 
owner. 

On  a  base,  20  in.  long,  8  in.  wide,  and 
y2  in.  thick,  four  wooden  wheels,  3  in.  in 
diameter  and  1  in.  thick,  are  fastened. 
The  digger  wheel,  6  in.  in  diameter  and 
1  in.  thick,  is  mounted  on  a  shaft  made 
from  a  large  spike.  On  the  same  shaft, 
and  nailed  to  the  digger  wheel,  is  a  pulley 
4  in.  in  diameter  and  1  in.  thick.  The 
pulley  has  a  groove  cut  in  the  circum- 
ference for  the  belt  to  run  in.    The  shaft 


with  the  pulley  on  the  digger  wheel.  Two 
dry  cells,  such  as  found  in  tubular  flash- 
light batteries,  are  fastened  to  the  base 
with  straps,  and  connected  to  the  motor 
in  series  with  a  small  battery  switch.  For 
the  shovels,  sheet  tin  is  cut  and  bent  to 
the  form  shown  in  the  drawing.  Six  of 
these  will  be  required,  each  fastened  to 
the  digger  with  two  small  screws.  The 
chute,  which  is  to  carry  the  dirt  away  as 
it  is  dug,  is  a  piece  of  board,  2%  in.  wide 
and  10  in.  long,  with  narrow  strips  of  tin 
tacked  to  the  sides.  It  is  mounted  on  a 
small  block,  so  that  the  digger  wheel  will 
drop  the  dirt  into  the  upper  end  of  the 
chute  when  the  motor  is  running.  The 
completed  digger  may  be  painted,  or  not, 
as  the  maker  pleases. — F.  E.  Brimmer, 
Syracuse,  N.  Y. 


DEI  AIL  or  dHOVCL 
rOD  DIGGKQ  WHEEL 


6CPEW  HOLE.S 


A   Model  Trench  Digger  can  be  Made  by  the  Boy 

Himself  if  He  Owns  a  Toy  Motor  and  can  Obtain 

Two  Battery  CeUs  from  a  Tubtslar  Flashlight 

with  the  two  wheels  is  mounted  on  two 
uprights,  one  on  each  side  of  an  oblong 
hole,  8  in.  long  and  4  in.  wide,  cut  in  the 


Uses  for  Old  Phonograph  Records 

Old  disk-phonograph  records,  which 
are  not  chipped  or  otherwise  broken,  can 
be  used  for  other  purposes  than  reproduc- 
ing music,  and  thus  a  longer  lease  on  use- 
ful life   is  gained. 

Several  of  them  of  the  same  size,  when 
clamped  together  with  a  steel  spindle 
passed  through  the  holes,  will  make  a 
serviceable  pulley  for  light-power  trans- 
mission. 

Small  sections  of  a  record,  cut  out  with 
a  fine  hacksaw,  and  placed  around  the 
house,  make  good  match  scratchers. 

Basket   weavers   will   find   the   smooth 


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surfaces  of  single-face  records  well  suited 
for  use  as  bottoms  for  fancy  trays.  They 
take  a  high  polish,  and,  when  shellacked, 
shme  like  glass. 

The  small  6-4n.  records  make  good 
wheels  for  toy  carts  for  children;  the 
modern  disk  record  is  quite  tough,  and 
will  stand  considerable  banging  around. 


A  Drummer's  Practice  Pad 

A  student  drummer  devised  a  practice 
pad  from  discarded  rubber  heels,  by  cut- 
ting them  square,  and  attaching  them  to 
a  wooden  base.  While  possessing  all  the 
resiliency  and  elasticity  of  the  regular 
drumhead,  this  pad  is  practically  "silent" 
in  comparison  with  the  customary  calf- 
skin head. 


Camera  Shutter  Operated 
by  Electric  Fuse 

A  camera  shutter  operated  by  electric- 
ity enables  the  photographer  to  get  into 
the  picture.  No  electromagnets  are  used 
in  the  method  de- 
scribed. Secure  a 
spring,  or  rubber 
band,  to  the  shut- 
ter lever,  and  put 
enough  tension 
on  it  so  that  when 
released,  it  will 
operate  the  shut- 
ter positively. 
Then,  on  an  insu- 
lated support, 
connect  a  short 
piece  of  one-ampere  fuse  wire,  or  No.  36 
gauge  copper  wire,  so  that  it  holds  the 
lever  in  position  to  keep  the  shutter 
closed,  in  spite  of  the  tension  of  the 
spring,  which  tends  to  open  the  shutter. 
Conrrect  this  fine  wire  in  series  with  a 
push  button,  and  one  or  two  new  dry 
cells  by  a  length  of  heavy  lamp  cord, 
as  shown  in  the  diagram.  When  ready 
to  snap  the  picture,  push  the  button.  The 
current  burns  out  the  fine  wire,  thus  per- 
mitting the  spring  to  operate  the  shut- 
ter. It  is  easily  reset  by  inserting  a  new 
fuse.— V.  H.  Todd,  Orange,  N.  J. 


Preserving  Rubber  Fruit- Jar  Rings 

It  has  been  found  by  a  packing  com- 
pany that  rubber  fruit-jar  rings  will  give 
better  service  if  they  are  given  a  coat  of 
glycerin  before  being  used.  Rubber 
rings  so  coated  can  be  preserved  much 
longer  than  their  normal  period  of  useful- 
ness. 


Tool  Rack  Made  from  Clothespins 

A  clothespin  tool  rack  is  very  easy  to 
construct,  being  made  from  a  strip  of 
1  by  2-in.  lumber  and  some  old-fashioned 


Racks    Made    from    Clothespins    Provide   a    Quick 
Addition  to  Space  for  Keeping  Tools 

wooden  clothespins.  A  series  of  holes, 
the  size  of  the  pin  body,  are  bored  in  the 
strip,  and  into  each  hole  a  clothespin  is 
driven  until  the  legs  project  from  one 
side.  Then  the  pins  are  secured  in  place 
by  driving  a  wire  brad  down  through 
them. 


Sulphur  as  a  Cement 

Ordinary  powdered  sulphur,  or  "flowers 
of  sulphur,"  makes  a  good  cement  for 
some  kinds  of  material.  If  the  hole  in  an 
umbrella  handle  is  filled  with  powdered 
sulphur,  and  the  iron  rod  of  the  umbrella, 
heated  red-hot,  is  inserted  into  the  hole, 
the  heat  will  melt  the  sulphur,  and  the 
rod  will  be  held  quite  solidly  when  the 
sulphur  has  cooled. 


Paper  Qip  Serves  as  Handle 
for  Razor  Blade 

Old  safety-razor  blades  are  handy  for 
sharpening  pencils,  ripping  stitches,  cut- 
ting paper,  open- 
ing letters,  etc. 
They  are  difficult 
to  hold  in  the 
hand  without 
some  sort  of  pro- 
tection. For  this 
purpose  a  small 
paper  or  bill  clip 
will  prove  most 
satisfactory,  as  it  forms  a  handle  which 
holds  the  blade  quite  firmly,  provided  a 
clip  with  a  strong  spring  is  used.  If  such 
a  clip  is  too  deep,  a  block  of  wood  placed 
between  the  blades  of  the  clip  will  be  of 
assistance. — Mrs.  Grace  E.  Willey,  Con- 
cord, N.  H. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


A  Horsehair  Fishing  Line 

A  very  fine  fishing  line'  that  will  never 
rot,  that  is  strong,  and,  if  made  of  white 
hair,  practically  invisible  in  the  water,  can 
be    easily    and    cheaply    made,    the    only 


MCTHOO   OF   PA6TCNINa 
ENDS    OF  UNC 

A  Horsehair  Fishline.  Which  is  Easily  Made,  Has 
the  Advantage  of  Not  Rotting 

materials  required  being  a  few  strands  of 
hair  from  a  horse's  tail.  First,  select  two 
long,  stout  hairs,  and  hold  one  end.  After 
placing  them  together,  twist  them  by 
rolling  the  free  ends  under  the  palm  of 
the  hand,  over  the  leg.  When  twisted, 
take  a  stick  (a  ruler  will  do  very  nicely) 
and  place  the  ends  of  the  twisted  strand 
in  slits  cut  in  the  ends  of  the  ruler.  This 
prevents  the  strand  from  unrolling  while 
another  strand  is  being  twisted  in  the 
same  way.  Now,  place  the  two  twisted 
strands  together  and  let  them  partly  un- 
twist, to  form  one  strand  of  four  single 
hairs.  Soap  the  ends  as  a  string  is  waxed. 
Fasten  it  in  the  slits  of  the  ruler,  and 
proceed  to  make  more  strands,  until  there 
are  sufficient  for  the  length  of  line  re- 
quired. 

To  fasten  the  ends  securely,  place  the 
ends  of  two  strands  side  by  side,  as 
in  the  illustration ;  hold  the  end  of  one 
strand  and  wrap  it  three  or  four  times 
around  the  end  of  the  other  strand ;  bring 
the  end  back  and  push  it  through  the 
space  between  the  strands.  Wrap  the  end 
of  the  other  strand  similarly  around  the 
end  of  the  first  strand,  but  in  the  opposite 
direction ;  bring  the  end  back  as  before, 
and  push  it  through  the  same  opening  but 
from  the  opposite  side.  Now,  hold  the 
knot  so  formed  between  the  finger  and 
thumb  of  the  left  hand,  and  pull  it  into 
the  final  shape  shown.  Then  clip  off  the 
ends.  This  forms  a  very  neat  knot  which 
will  not  become  undone.  The  ends  will 
not  show  to  any  extent  if  the  knot  is  well 
made.     Fasten  a   bob   and   hook   on,   as 


shown,  completing  a  very  good  line,  which 
will  not  rot  and  which  is  very  strong. 
Three  or  more  single  hairs  may  be  used 
to  form  each  individual  strand,  thereby 
making  as  strong  a  line  as  needed. — Robt. 
C.  Knox,  Rogers,  Ark. 

Hose  Cleans  Out  Cookstove 

When  a  cookstove  becomes  filled  with 
soot,  take  it  down  and  remove  it  to  the 
back  yard.  Flush  it  out  with  water  from 
a  hose,  which  will  remove  the  soot  very 
quickly.  Then  set  the  stove  in  place 
again  and  at  once  build  a  fire  to  e^^aporate 
the  water  remaining  in  the  stove  and  pre- 
vent it  from  rusting. — Mrs.  B.  X.  Hames, 
Marietta,  Ga. 


Mail  Box  Rings  Electric  Bell 
When  Opened 

For  people  who  live  on  rural  routes,  a 
simple  electric-bell  circuit  saves  much 
time  and  trouble  by  indicating  when  the 
mail  box  is  opened  to  deposit  mail.  All 
that  is  necessary  is  an  ordinary  battery- 
and-bell  circuit,  connected  to  a  device  on 
the  mail  box  which  causes  a  spring  to 
make  contact  once  as  the  lid  is  opened, 
and  again  as  it  is  closed.  The  contact 
must  be  long  enough  to  ring  the  bell 
plainly;  the  use  of  a  spring  of  the  shape 
shown  will  have  this  effect.  Unless  the 
mail  box  is  sheltered  from  the  weather, 
a  tin  protector  must  be  soldered  to  the 
box  around  the  contactor,  and  the  cap 
soldered  to  the  top  of  the  mail  box.  The 
addition  of  a  button  to  the  bell  circuit 
provides  for  a  doorbell  also.  If  an  elec- 
tric doorbell  is  already  installed,  all  that 
is  necessary  is  to  add  the  contactor  and 
its    connecting    wires.      Rings    from    the 


A    Contactor   Mounted  on    the   Mail   Box,   Used  in 

Connection  with  the  Doorbell,  Provides  a  Simple 

Signal    Indicating   the    Delivery   of   Mail 

two  sources  are  easily  distinguished  when 
one  becomes  familiar  with  the  sound  of 
the  two  rings  indicating  mail. — Ed.  H. 
Hauenstein,  Wooster,  Ohio. 


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Worn -Out  Chair  and  Tabouret  Make  Uphrfstcred  Footstool 


A  N  old  upholstered  easy  chair,  with  the 
•^^  curled  hair  oozing  from  various 
rents  in  the  covering,  and  a  badly  bruised 
and  shabby  tabouret  with  a  wooden  top, 
suggested  the  possibility  of  converting 
the  tabouret  into  a  foot  rest.  The  chair 
was  relieved  of  all  the  curled  hair  it  con- 
tained, which  was  then  carefully  beaten 
to  remove  the  dust.  As  the  legs  of  the 
tabouret  were  too  long  for  a  foot  rest, 
they  were  sawed  off  and  tapered  on  the  in- 
side. A  piece  of  cotton  drilling  was  cut 
about  7  in.  wide,  and  long  enough  to  reach 
around  the  top  of  the  foot  rest,  with  6 
in.  added  for  good  measure.  Some  of  the 
curled  hair  was  rolled  into  this  strip  and 
made  into  a  hard  roll,  about  2  in.  in  di- 
ameter; this  was  tacked  around  the  edge 
of  the  top  of  the  foot  rest,  as  in  Fig.  1, 
to  give  a  firm  and  uniform  edge  to  the 
cusnion,  which  would  not  push  in  and 
allow  the  wooden  top  to  cut  through  the 
covering.  The  lumps  were  carefully 
worked  out  of  the  remaining  hair,  and  a 
pile  built  up  as  in  Fig.  2.  A  piece  of 
cotton  cloth,  about  6  in.  larger  each  way 
than  the  top  of  the  foot  rest,  was  drawn 
tightly  over  the  top,  as  shown  in  Fig.  3. 
The  filling  was  carefully  packed  down  in 
the  center,  and  the  lumps  worked  out 
with  a  smooth  flat  stick,  working  in  from 
the  ends  to  make  the  cushion  as  hard  and 
as  flat  as  possible,  to  make  sure  that  the 
comers  would  be  square,  and  nearly  the 
same  height  as  the  rest  of  the  cushion. 
This  forced  the  edge  roll  firmly  against 
the  filling,  and  the  ends  of  the  cloth  were 
brought  down  and  tacked  as  in  Fig.  4, 
the  comers  being  built  out  before  the 
last  tacks  were  driven,  and  care  being 
itsed  to  preserve  the  form  of  the  edge. 
The  cloth  was  folded  under  upon  the  long 


side    and    the    corner    made    as    nearly 
straight  up  and  down  as  possible. 

A  piece  of  brown  imitation  leather  was 
purchased   for   the   covering,   and   tacked 


A  Useful  and  Attractive  Upholstered  Footstool  can 
be  Made  from  Two  Pieces  of  Worn-Out  Furniture 

on,  the  fold  of  the  corners  being  at  the 
ends  to  avoid  the  thickness  which  would 
result  if  the  cover  had  been  folded  the 
same  way  as  the  cloth  of  the  under 
cover.  A  strip  of  the  covering,  1%  in. 
wide  and  long  enough  to  go  around  the 
top,  was  folded,  as  indicated  in  Fig.  6. 
for  a  gimp,  or  binding,  and  nailed  in  place 
with  brown  upholsterer's  nails  which 
matched  the  covering.  The  legs  and  rails 
were  sandpapered,  given  a  coat  of  brown 
stain,  and  waxed.  Thus  one  piece  of 
useful  furniture  was  made  from  two 
pieces  which  were  of  no  value. 


A  Watch  Charm  for  the  Draftsman 

A  watch  charm  symbolic  of  the  wearer's 
occupation  is  universally  prized.  The  one 
described  can  be  easily  made  by  the 
draftsman,  and  will  present  a  neat  ap- 
pearance. The  next  time  a  corner  is 
broken  from  a  celluloid  triangle,  file  the 
broken  edge  of  the  small  piece  straight 
to  form  a  smaller  triangle,  cutting  out  the 
center  by  drilling  a  hole  and  filing  to 
shape.  A  small  hole  should  be  drilled  in 
one  angle  so  that  the  charm  may  be  hung 
on  the  watch  chain.  The  triangle  may  be 
left  plain,  or,  if  preferred,  may  be  rough- 
ened up  with  fine  sandpaper,  and  colored 
with  India  ink. 


To  Keep  Flowers  from  Wilting 

The  life  of  cut 
flowers  may  be  length- 
ened considerably  by 
dipping  their  '  stems 
into  melted  candle 
wax,  after  they  have 
been  in  water  for 
several  hours.  When 
a  small  knob  of  wax 
has  formed  on  the  end 
of  the  stem,  it  will 
keep  them  from  wilt- 
ing for  some  time, 
even  if  kept  out  of 
water  after  treatment. 


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A  Cupboard  with  Revolving  Shelves 

Corners  are  often  made  useful  by  hav- 
ing shelves  or  cupboards  built  in  them. 
They  may  be  made  still  more  useful,  and 

fiTBlP  or  TIN  REVOLVES 


A  Cupboard  with  Revolving  Shelves  Makes  a  Roomy, 

Accessible  Piece  of  Furniture  Which  can  be 

Placed  in  the  Corner,  Out  of  the  Way 

more  attractive,  if  the  cupboard  installed 
has  revolving  shelves,  for  in  that  case  the 
shelves  may  be  larger,  without  increasing 
the  difficulty  of  reaching  an  object.  The 
dimensions  can  be  made  to  fit  the  room. 
A  number  of  wooden  disks  are  mounted 
on  a  vertical  axle,  being  supported  by 
small  wooden  cleats.  Around  the  circum- 
ference of  each  shelf  is  tacked  a  strip  of 
tin,  to  keep  the  articles  on  the  shelf 
from  falling  off  when  the  shaft  is  revolved. 
A  strip  "of  tin,  a  little  wider  than  the 
opening  in  the  case,  is  nailed  to  one  side 
of  the  shelves  to  close  the  opening.  The 
case  may  be  made  of  any  wood,  finished 
in  a  simple  varnish  stain.  The  shaft  upon 
which  the  shelves  are  supported  fits  into 
holes  bored  in  the  top  and  bottom  of  the 
case. — Dale  R.  Van  Horn,  North  Loup, 
Nebraska. 


Preventing  Frayed  Negatives 

When  developing  plates,  especially  in 
hot  weather,  nearly  every  photographer 
has  his  difficulties  with  frayed  negatives 
— that  is,  having  the  emulsion  split  away 
from  the  glass  and  become  frayed  or 
ragged  along  the  edges.  Often  the  result- 
ing pictures  are  thus  ruined.  This  may 
be  avoided,  in  most  cases,  by  rubbing  the 
edges  of  each  plate  with  tallow  or  par- 
affin, such  as  a  candle  aflfords,  before  it  is 
dropped  into  the  developer.    The  coating 


of  wax  or  tallow  thus  deposited,  seals  the 
emulsion  to  the  glass.  It  prevents  the 
chemicals  from  working  in  between  the 
emulsion  and  the  glass,  doing  away  with 
frayed  edges  and  blisters  of  the  emulsion. 
This  remedy  will  be  found  effective  even 
in  very  warm  weather,  when  ice  in  the 
developing  solution  is  not  available.  Its 
value  to  the  photographer  will  be  in  pro- 
portion to  his  normal  losses  from  frayed 
or  blistered  negatives. 


Rubber  Stamps  Cut  from  Squeegees 

Men  in  the  naval  service  have  occupied 
some  of  their  spare  time  cutting  rubber 
stamps  to  print  their  names,  from  pieces 
of  worn-out  squeegees  or  window  clean- 
ers. A  portion  of  the  wooden  part  of 
the  squeegee  is  cut  out  with  the  section 
of  rubber,  and,  when  carved  to  a  con- 
venient shape,  becomes  a  mounting  for 
the  rubber  stamp.  Large  letters  are  used, 
since  they  are  easier  to  cut. 


Automatic  Sand-Hoist  Toy 

A  toy  which  automatically  takes  sand 
from  one  reservoir  and  places,  it  in  an- 
other is  interesting  to  make,  and  pleases 
boys  who  like  to  "see  the  wheels  go 
'round."  Since  the  dimensions  can  be 
changed  to  suit  the  builder,  only  the 
principle  upon  which  the  toy  operates  is 
given,  the  dimensions  being  easily  worked 
out.     There  are  two  reservoirs  required, 

one  at  the 
top,  the 
other  at 
the  bottom, 
of  an  in- 
c  1  i  n  e  d 
track.  The 
one  at  the 


SAND  RCSCRVOIR 


An  Automatic  Sand-Hoist  Toy  Loads  and  Dmnpt  a 

Car  as  Lone  as  There  Is  Sand  in  the 

Upper  Reservoir 

top  has  a  hinged  bottom,  held  in  place 
by  a  spring  or  rubber  band  until  a  piece 
fastened  to  it  is  pushed  by  the  car,  when 


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it  opens  and  dumps  sand  into  the  car. 
When  the  car  with  its  load  is  heavier  than 
the  counterweight,  it  will  slide  down  the 
track.  As  soon  as  the  trigger  on  the  bot- 
tom of  the  upper  reservoir  is  released, 
the  spring  or  rubber  band  pulls  the  bot- 
tom up.  When  the  car  reaches  the  bot- 
tom of  the  track,  it  bumps  into  a  stick 
which  presses  back  on  the  upper  part  of 
the  hinged  car  front,  opens  it,  and  allows 
the  load  to  slide  out.  This  hinged  front 
is  kept  shut  by  a  spring,  or  rubber  band, 
except  when  opened  by  the  bumper  on 
the  lower  reservoir.  When  it  is  empty, 
the  counterweight,  which  is  heavier  than 
the  empty  car  and  lighter  than  the  full 
car,  pulls  it  back  up  the  track.  The  car 
has  a  slanting  bottom  to  make  the  sand 
slide  out  easily.  When  properly  built, 
the  toy  will  automatically  load  and  dump 
the  car  as  long  as  there  is  sand  in  the 
upper  reservoir.  The  toy  will  furnish 
many  hours  of  pleasure  to  the  boy  who 
takes  the  pains  to  make  it. 


the  gas  to  escape,  the  pressure  in  the 
bottle  is  diminished  so  that  the  sulphuric 
acid  is  allowed  to  flow,  again  reaching  the 


A  Hydrogen-Sulphide  Generator 

The  amateur's  laboratory  need  not  be 
without  an  automatic  hydrogen-sulphide 
generator,  the  one  illustrated  being  simple 
and  quickly  put  together.  A  two-hole 
rubber  stopper  in  the  wide  mouth  of  a 
gas  bottle  is  provided  with  two  glass 
tubes.  One  is  a  long  straight  tube,  ex- 
tending from  the  bottom  of  the  bottle  up 
through  the  stopper  and  into  another 
two-hole  stopper  in  the  neck  of  a  flask. 
A  short,  right-angled  glass  tube  from  the 
second  hole  in  the  gas-bottle  stopper  is 
connected  to  a  glass  delivery  tube  by  a 
piece  of  rubber  tubing,  upon  which  there 
is  a  pinchcock  clamp.  The  bottom  of  the 
large  bottle  is  filled  with  broken  glass  or 
coke,  and  on  it  rests  a  perforated  plate 
of  sheet  lead.  On  top  of  this  plate  is  a 
small  quantity  of  ferrous  sulphide  (FeS). 
A  tube  with  a  right-angle  bend  extends 
from  the  bottom  of  the  flask,  through  the 
second  hole  in  the  stopper. 

When  the  sulphuric  acid  (H2SO4) 
comes  into  contact  with  the  ferrous  sul- 
phide, it  liberates  hydrogen-sulphide  gas 
(H2S),  which  may  be  collected  by  means 
of  a  pneumatic  trough,  or  in  any  other 
convenient  way.  When  the  pinchcock 
on  the  rubber  tube  is  closed,  preventing 
the  escape  of  the  gas,  this  creates  pres- 
sure in  the  bottle,  forcing  the  sulphuric 
acid  down  in  the  bottle,  out  of  contacf 
with  the  sulphide,  and  up  into  the  flask. 
This  stops  the  generation  of  the  gas. 
When  the  pinchcock  is  released,  allowing 


A  Simple  Hydrogen- Sulphide  Generator,  Which  can 

be  Put  Together  in  the  Amateur  Laboratory, 

Is  Automatic  in  Action 

sulphide  and  thus  generating  more  gas. 
Since  the  action  is  automatic,  it  is  well  to 
leave  the  pinchcock  closed  while  changing 
the  bottles  in  which  the  gas  is  collected. 
— Edw.  H.  Fackenthal,  Easton,  Pa. 


Homemade  Repair  on  Hoe  Serves 
as  Combination  Tool 

When  one  gardener  had  the  misfortune 
to  break  his  hoe  just  back  of  the  blade, 
the      ingenious 
way  in  which  he 
repaired  it  made 
it     into     a     tool  : 
more  useful  than  i 
before.    He  bent 
a  piece    of   pipe 
to  the  shape 
shown,    fastened 
the  handle  firmly 
with    a    pin, 
drilled      another 
hole,   sawed    a 
slot,  and  fastened 
the  blade  with  a 
bolt     and     wing 
nut.  Blades  were 

then  made  of  various  shapes,  any  one  of 
which  could  be  fastened  in  the  same  slot 
in  the  piece  of  pipe.  Thus  one  to^l  did 
the  work  of  three  or  four. — Elmer  O. 
TetzlaflF,  Cicero,  111. 


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Nonrotting  Flower  Box 

for  Porch  Post 

The    home    mechanic    is    often    called 

upon  to  build  flower  boxes  to  place  on 

top  of  newel  posts, 

~ "  and    other    porch 

columns.  To  pre- 
vent rot  and  to 
maintain  a  g  o  o  d 
appearance,  it  is 
best  to  drain  the 
flower  box,  as 
shown  in  the 
picture.  The  box 
is  lined  for  a  part 
=  of  its   depth  with 

I  tin    or    zinc,    and 

drained  through  a 
1-in.  tube  to  the 
down  spout,  or 
oyer  the  edge  of  the  porch.  A  triangular 
piece  of  window  screen  placed  over  the 
drain  opening  will  prevent  clogging  of  the 
pipe.— George  L.  Furse,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 


Stovepipe  Makes  the  Bird  House 
Cat-Proof 

Many  persons  set  a  bird  house  on  a  tall 
pole  in  the  garden.  To  protect  the  ten- 
ants, cut  a  piece  of  stovepipe  open,  and 
tack  it  around  the  pole  about  6  ft.  from 
the  ground.  Cats  will  be  unable  to  climb 
past  the  pipe,  because  their  claws  will 
not  catch  on  the  metal. — Sylvanus  Van 
Aken,  Port  Ewen,  N.  Y. 


An  Improvised  Blowtorch 

A  chemist,  having  use  for  a  more  in- 
tense  flame    than    the    apparatus    in    his 
small  laboratory  afforded,  constructed  a 
blowtorch   from    materials   at  hand.     As 
shown  in  the  illustration,  one  test  tube, 
of  a  suitable  size, 
was     half     tilled 
with  gasoline,  and 
was      stoppered 
with     a     two-hole 
(  rubber     cork,     in 

one  hole  of  which 
was  a  glass  tube, 
passing  through  a 
wad  of  cotton,  and 
extending   to    the 
bottom  of  the  test 
tube.  Through  the 
other  hole  was  a 
tube     terminating 
in  a  jet,  and  bent,  as  shown.    A  smaller 
test  tube  was  fastened  to  the  first  with 
tire  tape,  and  fitted  with  a  wick,  passing 


through  a  tin  collar  placed  in  the  cork. 
This  tube  contained  alcohol.  As  the  air 
was  blown  through  the  mouth  tube,  it 
passed  through  the  gasoline,  and  gaso- 
line vapor  was  blown  across  the  alcohol 
flame,  where  it  ignited  and  produced  a 
very  intense  heat.  A  moth  ball  (naphtha- 
lene) dissolved  in  the  gasoline  greatly  in- 
creased the  resultant  heat. — Raymond  D. 
Harris,  Opportunity,  Wash. 


TOP   VIEW 


A  Tripod  for  Small  Cameras 

The    great    majority    of    photographs 
taken  by  amateurs  do  not,  of  course,  re- 
quire time  exposures,  and,  for  snapshots, 
it   is   entirely 
satisfactory  to 

h  o  1  d      t  h  e  :ra 

camera  in  the 

hand.      Quite  ,^iq 

often  a  tripod 

comes  in  very  ouc 

handy,  but 
the  high  price 
of  those  to  be 
found  on  the 
market  often 
prevents     the 

amateur  from  IMIM  %P7l®^r5'^i '-^® 
owning  one. 

The.  sketch 
•shows  a  tri- 
p  o  d       which 

will  take  any  kind  of  camera,  either  the 
box  or  folding  type,  which  has  a  flat  bot- 
tom on  which  to  rest.  The  camera  is  held 
by  the  leather  strap  to  the  revolving  disk, 
which  can  be  clamped  in  place  by  means 
of  the  wing  nut  below.  The  disk  is 
mounted  on  a  triangular  piece  of  wood, 
1  in.  thick,  in  which  three  slots  have  been 
chiseled  out,  to  take  the  three  legs.  These 
should  be  about  4  ft.  long  and  may  have 
iron  rods  clamped  along  them,  in  order 
to  vary  the  length,  if  desired.  The  tripod 
will,  however,  be  found  quite  useful  with- 
out this  feature.  The  legs  are  prevented 
from  swinging  out  too  far  by  coming 
against  the  wood  of  the  triangle,  and  if 
a  stronger  fastening  is  desired,  all  three 
may  be  tied  together  with  twine. 


Screws    Started    in    Inaccessible    Places 
with  Wooden  Stick 

A  simple  kink  for  starting  a  screw  in  an 
awkward  place  is  to  whittle  out  a  piece  of 
wood  so  that  it  can  just  be  driven  into  the 
slot  of  the  screw.  If  the  slot  is  clean  and 
of  a  standard  depth,  the  stick  can  be  made 
to  fit  tightly  enough  to  hold  the  screw 


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while  it  is  being  started  into  the  hole.  As 
soon  as  the  screw  is  turned  hard  enough 
to  test  the  strength  of  the  wooden  stick, 
it  can  be  pulled  out,  and  an  ordinary 
screwdriver  used  to  force  the  screw  home. 
— H.  S.  Hart,  Shreveport,  La. 


Bean  Planter  Saves  Stooping 

The  planting  of  beans  and  corn  is  tire- 
some work,  as  there  is  much  stooping  re- 
quired. Since  it  is 
impossible  to 
stand  upright  and 
drop  the  seed  ac- 
curately by  hand, 
the  planter  de- 
scribed will  prove 
of  service.  A  fun- 
nel, large  enough 
to  allow  the  beans, 
or  corn,  to  pass 
through  it,  and  a 
piece  of  old  gar- 
den hose  are  re- 
quired. The  fun- 
nel is  fastened  to  the  hose  with  a  clamp, 
as  shown.  A  wire  handle  may  be  added. 
To  use  the  device,  stand  beside  the  row 
with  the  end  of  the  hose  about  an  inch 
from  the  bottom  of  the  seed  trench.  Drop 
the  seeds  one  at  a  time  in  the  fun- 
nel, moving  the  planter  the  distance  re- 
quired to  space  the  seeds.  This  planter 
allows  the  one  using  it  to  walk  upright 
and  at  the  same  time  drop  the  seed  ac- 
curately, thus  accomplishing  the  work 
more  easily  and  in  less  time. — George  Per- 
kins, Millburn,  N.  J. 


Simple  Iron  Foot  Rest 
for  Shoe  Polishing 

A  metal  rest  for  the  foot  while  polish- 
ing shoes  can  be  made  from  a  piece  of 
sheet  iron,  2  or  3 
in.  wide,  a  piece  of 
pipe,    and    a    rod 
which    fits    inside 
of  it.     The   sheet 
iron  is  bent  to  the 
shape    shown, 
holes    are    drilled 
and  countersunk 
in   the   ends,  just 
large    enough    to 
take  the  iron  rod,  and  it  is  inserted  with 
the  pipe  as  a  spacer.   The  ends  of  the  rod 
are    riveted   into   the   countersunk    holes 
and  the  foot  rest  is  complete.     It  can  be 
mounted  on  a  wooden  block,  if  preferred. 
— F.  H.  Mason,  San  Diego,  Calif. 


Efficient  Cardboard  ^lectacles 

While  making  a  pinhole  camera,  it  was 
discovered  that  when  the  observer  looked 
through  a  pinhole 
in  a  square  of 
blackened  card- 
board, with  one 
eye,  he  was  able 
to  read  a  small 
sign  across  the 
street.  A  pair  of 
spectacles  was 
made,  as  an  expe- 
riment,  using 
lenses  of  black- 
e  n  e  d    cardboard, 

with  pinholes  punched  in  them.  Great 
care  was  taken  in  punching  the  holes  to 
get  them  spaced  to  the  exact  distance  be- 
tween the  pupils  of  the  eyes.  Wire  was 
used  for  the  temples  and  the  nose  piece. 
When  completed,  the  spectacles  proved  to 
be  very  efficient,  the  principle  involved 
being  the  same  as  that  in  stopping  down 
the  lens  of  a  camera  to  secure  greater 
definition.  By  making  the  holes  in  the 
cardboard  larger,  these  spectacles  can  be 
used  to  protect  the  eyes  from  glare  on  a 
very  bright  day.  They  are  particularly 
handy  to  have  on  a  fishing  trip  when  the 
sun  flashes  on  the  water. 


IBICYCLE  SPOKC> 


Safety  Valve  for  Auto  Radiators 

The  owner  of  a  light  automobile,  living 
in  a  mountainous  country,  had  a  great 
deal  of  trouble  from  the  water  in  his 
radiator  spilling 
out  through  the 
overflow  pipe 
when  going  up  or 
down  hill  or  over 
rough  places.  He 
solved  the  diffi- 
culty by  taking 
out  the  overflow 
pipe  entirely,  and 
providing  a  safety  valve  in  the  radiator 
cap  to  relieve  any  steam  pressure  which 
might  be  generated.  He  used  a  valve 
taken  from  an  old  inner  tube,  inverted 
and  screwed  into  the  radiator  cap.  The 
valve  itself  was  removed  from  the  stem, 
and  a  bicycle  spoke  cut  off  to  the  proper 
length,  but  with  the  head  still  on  it,  was 
dropped  into  the  valve  tube.  This  bicycle 
spoke  acted  as  a  check  valve,  keeping  dirt 
from  entering  the  radiator  by  permitting 
the  steam  to  escape  whenever  its  pressure 
was  sufficient  to  lift  up  slightly  the  head 
of  the  bicycle  spoke. 


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COMFORTABLE  ALL-WEATHER  WEEK-END  COTTAGE 


FIRST- ri_OOR     PI.AN 

OIGNS  of  approaching  spring  bring  up 
^  pictures  of  the  summer  cottage  that 
is,  perhaps,  to  be  built  some  day.  The 
accompanying  plans,  therefore,  are  a  sea- 
sonable offering.  Strictly,  the  cottage  is 
an  all-weather  one,  admirably  adapted  for 
the  unfettered  couple  that  cares  to  break 
away  from  the  city  apartment  or  hotel  for 
a  bit  of  a  breathing  spell  in  the  open 
country  whenever  the  spirit  moves,  be  it 
summer  or  winter.  It  combines  home 
and  garage  in  one  structure  that  may  be 
"opened"  or"closed"  on  brief  notice.  There 
is  a  living  room,  large  enough   for  real 


The  Combination  Makes  a  Com- 
pact Structure  Adapted  to  Meet 
the  Modest  Demanda  of  a  Two- 
Member  Pamllv  Desirous  of  Build- 
ing on  a  Small  City  or  Town  Lot. 
Likewise  It  is  Suited  for  Week- 
End  and  Summer-Vacation  Pur- 
poses in  Suburb  or  Country 

comfort  and,  on  the  second  floor,  a  spare 
chamber  that  permits  the  accommodation 
of  a  week-end  guest  on  "occasions."  The 
kitchen  is  compactly  arranged  and  ad- 
jacent to  the  rear  of  the  living  room,  so 
that  the  latter,  at  mealtime,  may  be  used 
in  lieu  of  a  dining  room.  Thus  the  scheme 
considers  the  maidless  woman.  Hot- 
water  heat  and  a  fireplace  provide  for 
winter  days  as  well  as  spring  and  fall 
weather.  There  is  also  a  laundry.  Mod- 
em plumbing  and  electric  wiring  com- 
plete the  equipment.  The  structure  may 
be  erected  for  about  $2,000. 


TN  accordance  with  the  editorial  policy  of  this  roagarine  never  to  accept  compensatioi 
<*:  for  what  appears  in  our  reading  pages,  and  also  to  avoid  all  appearance  of  doing  so,  » 

to  omit  the  name  of  the  maker  or  the  seller  of  any  article  described.    This  information,  L 

on  file  and  will  be  furnished  free,  by  addressing  Bureau  of  Information,  Popular  Mechanics 
Chicago.  [Editor.] 


ation  in  any  form  A 

o,  we  are  obliged  I 

,  however,  is  kept  I 

:hanics  Magasine,  I 


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Popular  Mechanics  Magazine 

MOISTimO  IN  U.   •.   fATINT  OmOC 

WRITTEN    SO   YOU    CAN    UNDERSTAND    IT 


Vol.  31  MAY,  1919  No.  5 


Radio  Telephones  to  Report  Forest  Fires 


"C^IRES  in  our  great  national  forests  are      t 

^     of    such    serious    consequence    that 

fighting  them  and  guarding  against  them  ^.^ns^ 

is  the  chief  duty  to  which  the  forest  rang-  /OllX 

^ J ^_    ^i-_r_  1 i_.  i: T? xu^:-  a'  \      /  /  /  \ 


The  Windmill  Is  a  New  Addition  to  the  Forest  Ranger's  Lookout  Station  on  Its  Mountain  Peak  at  the 
Left.  Its  Porpose  Is  to  Drive  the  Dynamo,  Hanging  from  the  Ceiling  in  the  More  ;intimate  View  at  the 
Right,  That. Supplies  Current  for  the  Ranger's  wireless  Telephone.    No  Longer  can  Broken  Wires  Cut  Off 

the  Summons  to  Fight  Forest  Fires 

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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


the  shaft  of  an  electric  generator  mount- 
ed just  under  the  roof.  In  the  room  be- 
low, two  vacuum  tubes  and  the  necessary 
complement  of  condensers  and  coils  will 
convert  the  dynamo  current  into  high- 
frequency  waves,  whose  telephonic  modu- 
lations will  radiate  into  space  from  the 
surface  of  short  copper-wire  antennae,  to 
be  instantly  picked  up,  with  their  report 
of  **airs  well"  or  their  call  to  vigorous 
action,  at  every  cabin  in  the  district. 


SIMPLE  HOLDER  FOR  PHONE 

RECEIVER 

A  sturdy  holder  for  a  telephone  receiver 
has  been  produced  which  is  of  some  prac- 
tical value.    The  quickly  adjustable,  tele- 


When  Not  in  U««  This  Telephone  Acceraory  is  Pushed 
Back.  Bfeaking  the  Circuit  as  Shown 

scoping  arm  is  hinged  to  a  detachable 
wooden  base,  permitting  movement  of  the 
receiver  to  any  desired  position.  When 
conversation  is  finished  a  slight  inclina- 
tion of  the  hinged  arm  causes  a  projection 
to  engage  with  the  receiver  hook,  thus 
breaking  the  circuit.  Made  with  a  bracket 
the  attachment  is  adaptable  also  to  wall 
telephones. 


CA  late  addition  to  the  list  of  fliers  down- 
ing five  or  more  German  planes  makes 
American  aces  64  in  number. 


STONE  BRIDGES  TORN  BY  WAR 

REBUILT  WITH  CONCRETE 

Many  of  France's  old  railroad  bridges 
of  masonry,  destroyed  by  war.  are  to  be 
rebuilt  with  concrete.  Lack  of  timber  for 
constructing  centering  scaffolds  is  one 
reason  for  adopting  the  new  material. 
In  one  reconstruction  method  already 
used,  the  concrete  arch  was  cast  in  sec- 
tions in  a  horizontal  mold.  These  sec- 
tions, each  15%  in.  wide  and  32  ft.  10  in. 
long,  weighed  about  22,000  lb.  By  pro- 
tecting the  arch  with  a  tie-rod  and  lifting 
at  calculated  points,  they  were  trans- 
ported to  the  bridge  site  without  difficulty. 
Concrete  keys  tied  them  to  the  abut- 
ments as  they  were  swung  into  place,  20 
sections  being  used  to  make  the  complete 
arch,  which  was  26  ft.  3  in.  wide  with  a 
span  of  the  same  dimension.  A  concrete 
deck  covering  the  whole  structure  finished 
the  bridge. 

CONCRETE  ANCHORS  PROVE 
SERVICEABLE 

Concrete  anchors  are  the  logical  suc- 
cessors to  the  concrete  ship,  and  seem  to 
be  equally  practical.  Made  of  reinforced 
concrete,  they  are  claimed  to  possess  sev- 
eral advantages  over  the  traditional  type. 
Initial  cost  is  very  low,  making  loss  of  an 
anchor  in  a  storm  a  less  serious  matter 
than  before;  and  upkeep  is  practically 
nothing,  since  they  will  not  rust  nor  cor- 
rode, and  hence  never  need  chipping  or 
painting. 

There  are  two  kinds  now  being  manu- 
factured: a  slab  type,  for  barges,  and  a 
fluke  type,  used  for  fl^oating  fish  traps. 
Neither  looks  very  acceptable  to  a  sailor, 
but  the  latter  most  nearly  resembles  the 
familiar  steel  anchor,  having  regulation 
steel-capped  flukes,  with  edges  beveled 
and  surfaces  smoothed.  These  anchors 
are  now  being  produced  in  large  quanti- 
ties, in  sizes  ranging  from  500  to  8,000 
pounds. 


The  Concrete  Anchors  on  the  Left  Are  of  the  Slab  Tsrpe  for  Use  on  Barges.    Tho&t  on  the  R{ght 
More  Nearly  Resemble  the  Pamihar  Metal-Fluke  Type 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


PORTABLE  HOT-WATER  PLANT 

SUPPLIES  STEAM  EFFECTS 

Every    movie    goer    is    familiar    with 
titchen-comedy  scenes,  where  hot  water 

and     clouds     of 

^  steam  are  lavished 

on  the  principals. 
In  the  past,  studio 
managers   have 
used    the    house- 
hold   teakettle    to 
secure  these 
eflFects,    but    have 
found   it  cumber- 
some   and    inade- 
quate.   To  remedy 
this   a    prominent 
film  company  has 
improvised  an  effi- 
cient portable  hot- 
water  outfit,  con- 
sisting of  an  ordi- 
nary    gas    heater 
and  boiler  mounted  on  a  movable  plat- 
form, on  which  it  rolls  to  various  parts 
of  the  studio.     Numerous  gas  jets  about 
the  plant  and  a  long  rubber  hose  insure 
a  supply  of  gas  whenever  needed. 


IS  THIS  THE  FIRST  YANK 

TO  REACH  GERMAN  SOIL? 

A  German  photographer  has  taken  the 
trouble  to  show  us  a  number  of  his  re- 
treating countrymen.  They  are  evidenc- 
ing a  pardonable  interest  in  what  is 
claimed  by  a  sergeant  in  a  dispatch  com- 
pany with  the  American  army  of  occupa- 
tion to  be  the  first  American  on  German 
territory.  The  photo  was  snapped  on 
Nov.  12,  1918,  and  was  purchased  by  an 
American  soldier  with  an  eye  for  histor- 
ical interest,  several  days  later,  at  a  Ger- 
man photo  shop. 


RADIUM-BEARING  ORE  SUPPLY 

STILL  ADEQUATE 

Reported  depletion  of  American  car- 
notite  fields  in  Colorado  and  Utah  has 
caused'  apprehension  among  refiners  of 
this  valuable  radium-bearing  material. 
It  has  been  suggested  that  mesothorium, 
a  by-product  of  monazite.  be  substituted 
for  radium  both  for  medical  purposes 
and  in  the  manufacture  of  luminous  ma- 
terials used  on  the  face  of  watches  and 
other  instrument  dials.  However,  recent 
investigation  seems  to  disprove  the  al- 
leged shortage,  claiming  that  500  grams  of 
radium  can  still  be  produced  from  avail- 
able camotite.  And  against  the  use  of 
mesothorium  it  is  asserted  that  it  is  avail- 
able only  in  small  quantities,  that  it  must 
be  aged  for  a  year  or  more  before  using, 
and  that  its  short  life  and  varying  activity 
make  i|  undesirable  for  medical  use. 


CHINESE  OFFICIALS  BURN 
FORTUNE  IN  OPIUM 

Hundreds  of  cases  of  opium,  reported 
worth  their  weight  in  gold,  were  lately 
burned  by  the  Chinese  government  to 
prevent  the  attempted  resumption  of  the 
trade.  From  the  bhanghai  warehouses  of 
the  dealers  the  drug  was  ferried  across 
the  river,  under  guard,  and  the  sticky 
mass  was  fed  to  four  furnaces  and  care- 
fully raked  into  the  flames.  Precautions 
were  taken  to  make  sure  that  none  of  the 
stuff  remained,  even  the  rakes  being  with- 
drawn  only  aJFter  prolonged  burning. 


Beaten  Gemuins  on  Their  "Triumpluir'  March  to 
Pause  to  Inspect  an  Unconcerned  Yank 


BIRD  RECORDS  ON  PHONOGRAPH 

BRING  UNSAVORY  VISITORS 

An  unintentional  parody  on  the  sport 
of  luring  seals  with  phonograph  music, 
as  related  in  the  March  number  of 
Popular  Mechanics,  was  played  in 
the  Michigan  woods  last  summer. 
In  this  case,  however,  the 
"sport"  element  was  not  apparent 
until  time  had  softened  the  recol- 
lection. A  cottager  from  Chi- 
cago, fond  of  birds,  set  his  phono- 
graph on  the  bungalow  porch  to 
playing  records  of  bird  songs. 
Soon  visitors  began  arriving  from 
the  woods  —  pretty  black  and 
white  kitties,  in  ever-increasing 
numbers.  Skunks  are  very  fond 
of  birds'  eggs,  and  not  afraid  of 
Berlin  anything.    Naturally  the  concerts 

were  discontinued. 


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CONCRETE  MERCMNT  SHIPS 
ViD  Theu  Drive  Steel  Vessels  Ifomthe  Sea? 


\X7AR  was  the  mother  of  the  concrete 
^^    ship.    War  is  dead  and  its  un weaned 
offspring  an  orphan.     Peace,  before  long, 
will  be  the  foster  parent. 

A  civil,  rather  than  a  military,  court 
henceforth  has  jurisdiction.  The  fate 
of  the  stone  ship  will  be  determined  on 
the  unsentimental  basis  of  cold  dollars 
and  cents.  If  it  can  give  convincing  proof 
of  superior  commercial  merit,  it  will  be 
nourished  and  permitted  to  develop. 
Otherwise,  it  is  doomed  to  a  natural  and 
deserved  death. 


At  the  outset  let  it  be  said,  however, 
that  the  concrete  ship  has  a  "case."  To  all 
appearances  it  has  considerably  more  than 
a  fighting  chance  for  survival  and  a  prom- 
ising career.  Already  its  seaworthiness, 
when  properly  constructed,  has  been  con- 
clusively demonstrated  by  the  commend- 
able performance  of  the  "Faith,"  and  cer- 
tain other  vessels  in  this  and  other  coun- 
tries. Furthermore,  it  has  shown  itself 
to  be  possessed  of  inherent  advantages  of 
recognized  value.  The  factor  that  will 
larpjely  govern  its  peace-time  usefulness, 


Carrying  a  General  Cargo,  the  Concrete  Ship  ** Faith"  Passing  through  Gaillard  Cut,  Panama  Canal, 
en  Route  from  New  York  to  Valparaiso:  The  Seaworthiness  of  the  Stone  Hull  has  been  Conclusively 
Demonstrated  by  This  Vessel,  Which   Has  Weathered   Heavy   Storms  and  Traveled  Thousands  of  Miles 

during  the  Past  Tear 

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however,  will  be  the  measure  of  ability 
with  which  it  competes  with  the  steel 
cargo  carrier.  If  it  succeeds  in  doing  this 
•profitably,  and  there  is  reason  to  believe 
?it  can,  it  will  have  its  place  in  the  sun. 
,  Had  hostilities  been  of  longer  duration, 
the  concrete  ship  undoubtedly  would  have 
risen  on  the  wave  of  world  emergency  to 
a  position  of  war-time  importance  at 
least.  The  armistice  was  a  severe  set- 
back to  mushroom  development.  Prog- 
ress from  now  on  obviously  will  lack  the 
stimulus  of  war  and  depend  on  the  slower- 
ripening  fruits  of  peace-time  pioneering. 

Only  a  few  months  ago  the  concrete 
ship  occupied  a  peculiarly  dramatic  posi- 
tion. It  offered  a  possible  means  of  turn- 
ing the  tide  of  war  when  the  Hun  was 
destroying  tonnage  faster  than  the  allies 
were  building  it.  The  admitted  need  of 
new  bottoms  far  exceeded  the  possible 
maximum  output  of  our  steel  and  wood 
shipbuilding  yards.  It  was  imperative 
that  we  have  ships,  and  more  ships.  And 
it  mattered  not— except  perhaps  to  cer- 
tain prosperous  interests — whether  they 
be  of  wood,  or  steel,  or  concrete,  or  oil- 
cloth, so  long  as  they  were  ships  capable 
of  immediate  production  in  large  numbers 
and  of  a  type  able  to  carry  men,  supplies, 
and  food  overseas. 

The  question  of  the  most  ideal  and  com- 
mercially profitable  ship  was  not  for  a 
second  involved.  The  whole  problem  was 
one  of  increasing  tonnage  by  making  use 
of  every  resource  at  our  command,  and 
doing  so  w^ithout  wheezing  and  sputter- 
ing. 

After  exhaustive  scientific  investiga- 
tion, the  United  States  Bureau  of  Stand- 
ards reported  that  reinforced-concrete 
ships  could  be  built  "structurally  equal  to 
any  steel  ship."  Labor,  materials,  and 
equipment  for  their  construction  were  ap- 
parently available  without  interfering  with 
the  wood  and  steel  programs. 

But  what  happened  ?  At  every  turn  ob- 
structions were  placed  in  the  path  of  the 
concrete  ship.  It  was  not  given  a  fair 
chance  to  demonstrate  its  worth.  When 
after  months  of  public  and  congres- 
sional hammering,  the  Shipping  Board 
finally  ordered  the  establishment  of  five 
government  concrete-shipbuilding  yards, 
counteraction  was  immediately  taken  by 
prohibiting  private  construction  of  con- 
crete hulls.  Thus  all  chance  of  outside 
development,  at  a  time  when  independent 
interests  were  manifesting  enthusiasm  and 
real  progress  was  to  be  expected,  was  ef- 
fectively blocked. 

Just   as  soon   as  the   concrete   division 


completed  plans  for  a  3,500-ton  vessel,  the 
Shipping  Board  condemned  the  size  as  un- 
economical and,  for  a  time,  tabooed  its 
production.  Yet  contracts  for  wood  and 
steel  ships  of  the  same  size  continued  to 
be  awarded  throughout  the  year.  When 
the  public  was  being  told  that  concrete 
ships  would  be  built  in  quantity  if  only  it 
•  were  possible  to  obtain  propelling  machin- 
ery for  their  equipment,  manufacturers 
who  offered  to  provide  this  self-same  pro- 
pelling machinery  were  told  that  none  was 
wanted.  When  the  "Faith"  was  chartered 
to  the  British  ministry  for  carrying  a 
cargo  from  New  York  to  Liverpool  at 
$150  a  ton,  its  sailing  was  prohibited. 
When  foreign  interests,  with  $60,000,000 
cash  in  hand,  wanted  $100,000,000  worth 
of  concrete  ships  built  in  America  by  pri- 
vate constructors,  the  contract  was  for- 
bidden by  the  Shipping  Board.  As  quick- 
ly as  the  armistice  was  signed,  the  Ship- 
ping Board  cut  the  concrete-ship  program 
from  42  to  14  vessels.  At  the  same  instant, 
however,  the  public  was  asked  to  pay  for 
charging  off  as  a  "war  loss"  $1,000,000,000 
for  steel  ships,  many  of  which  had  not 
been  built. 

Pages  upon  pa^es  of  other  significant 
items  might  be  tabulated.  But  the  war  is 
won.  Democracy  is  no  longer  at  stake. 
The  concrete  ship  ceases  to  be  of  impor- 
tance except  in  a  possible  commercial 
capacity.  Other  things  than  past  opposi- 
tion to  its  development  must  be  consid- 
ered if  its  peace-time  possibilities  are  to 
be  analyzed. 

First  of  all,  we  are  assured  by  the 
Bureau  of  Standards  that  the  concrete 
ship  can  be  built  structurally  equal  to  the 
steel  ship.  We  have  seen  the  "Faith" 
pass  through  severe  tropical  storms  that 
have  sunk  other  ships,  and  arrive  in  per- 
fect condition  at  New  York  after  com- 
pleting a  12,000-mile  voyage.  Stanchness 
and  seaworthiness  have  been  conclusively 
proved.  But  what  special  utility  has  the 
concrete  vessel  that  is  not  already  equally 
provided  by  the  steel  ship?  What  of  its 
cost,  its  cargo-carrying  efficiency,  its  life, 
speed,  and  special  features? 

It  may  surprise  some  persons  to  be  told 
that  the  concrete  ship  is  a  bone-dry  ship. 
The  "Faith,"  for  instance,  has  never  once 
used  its  pumps.  It  has  had  no  bilge  water. 
The  interior  of  a  concrete  vessel  does  not 
"perspire,"  as  does  a  steel  boat,  and  it  has 
no  leaky  seams.  This  feature  adapts  it 
particularly  for  carrying  cargoes  that  are 
easily  affected  by  moisture. 

Concrete  is  a  nonconductor  of  heat  and 
cold.     In  the  tropics  it  has  a  distinct  ad- 


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The  First  Reinforced-Concrete  Barge  Completed  for  the  Government's  Use  in  the  New  York  State  Canal,  a 
160.Poot  Vessel  with  Cargo  Capacity  of  About  600  Tons:  Many  Concrete  Barges  Are  Now  in  Use 


vantage,  for,  when  exposed  for  long  hours 
to  the  intense  rays  of  the  sun,  it  does  not 
become  a  veritable  bake  oven.  The  hull, 
because  of  its  composition,  requires  no 
special  protection  when  cargoes  that  a 
steel  ship  handles  with  difficulty  are  car- 
ried. 

Timber  rots  and  iron  corrodes.     Con- 
crete improves  with  age.     Insects  do  not 
attack  it;  bacteria,  mold,  and  vermin  are 
not   supported   by   it.     Cleaning  is  easily 
accomplished,    and    painting    is    unneces- 
sary.    A   ship   built   of  concrete   has   no 
maze  of  seams  to  be  calked.    It  is  mono- 
lithic  and  rivetless.     Steel  vessels,  every 
two  years  or  so, 
go  into  dry  dock 
for     thorough 
cleaning,  paint- 
ing,   and    over- 
hauling.   This 
expense   must 
be    charged    to 
maintenance. 
The    life    of    a 
concrete   vessel 
is    not    a    sub- 
ject  of  definite 
knowledge      at 
the  present 
time,  but  it  is  a  matter  of  general  knowl- 
edge that  concrete  itself  has  greater  per- 
manency than  either  wood  or  steel. 

The  concrete  ship  is  entirely  free  from 
the  heavy  vibrations  that  make  the  steel 


There  Is  Considerable  Reason  for  Expecting  That  for  S^ome 
Months  to  Come  Concrete  Barges.  Lighters,  and  Car  Floats  will  Be 
in  Greater  Demand  than  Large  Concrete  Ships.  The  Picture  Here- 
with Shows  a  Concrete  Barge  in  a  Concrete  Floating  Dry  Dock 


ship  tremble  from  stem  to  stern.  For 
this  reason  it  offers  a  distinct  advantage 
as  a  passenger  carrier.  In  speed  it  is  as 
fast  as,  and  possibly  niay  be  made  faster 
than,  other  vessels.  One  reason  for  this 
is  that  it  has  considerably  less  skin  fric- 
tion than  a  ship  made  of  riveted  plates. 
The  fire  risk  is  reduced  to  the  minimum. 
Insurance  charges  will  in  all  probabil- 
ity be  greatly  to  its  advantage  because  of 
lower  investment  of  capital.  Furthermore, 
it  is  asserted  that  the  war  proved  the  con- 
crete ship  will  remain  afloat  if  torpedoed. 
Two  items  of  particular  importance  are 
initial  cost  and  upkeep.    It  has  repeatedly 

been  stated  by 
those  able  to 
speak  with  au- 
thority,     that 
concrete     hulls 
can  be  built  in 
quantity    for   a 
half  or  a  third 
the  cost  of  steel 
hulls    of    simi- 
lar  dimensions. 
Cost,    however, 
is    an    element 
that  has  yet  to 
be     determined 
with    certainty.      The    "Faith"    offers    no 
data    because    it    was    constructed    under 
uneconomical  conditions  and  as  a  private 
enterprise.       The     "Atlantus."     the     first 
government-built     concrete     ship     to     be 


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launched,  is  understood  to  have  been 
abnormally  expensive,  apparently  due  to 
construction  methods,  shiftless,  inexperi- 
enced labor,  lack  of  proper  yard  facilities, 
experimentation,  and  a  combination  of 
other  circumstances,  including  its  yacht- 
like design — which  incidentally  gives  con- 
clusive evidence  that  the  lines  of  a  con- 
crete ship  may  be  as  graceful  as  those  of 
a  steel  craft.  Some  of  the  other  large 
vessels  in  the  course  of  construction  at 
government  yards  may  soon  furnish  the 
much-wanted  cost  information,  providing 
undue  plant  charges  are  not  levied  against 
them. 

From  $30  to  $50  a  ton  has  been  set  h^ 
some  authorities  as  a  reasonably  safe  es- 
timate of  the  actual  cost  of  concrete-hull 
construction.  As  further  evidence,  con- 
tracts entered  into  by  the  government 
some  months  ago  might  be  cited.  For 
hulls  of  3,500-ton  dead-weight  capacity, 
for  which  contractors  were  to  furnish 
their  own  drawings,  bearing,  in  addition. 


use  for  a  year,  are  understood  to  have 
charged  nothing  to  this   item. 

In  competition  with  steel  ships  on  a 
normal  basis,  the  "Faith"  will  probably 
make  a  poor  showing.  It  was  built  as  an 
experiment  by  men  unfamiliar  with  ship- 
building and  is  a  heavy,  crude-looking 
boat,  although  a  most  commendable  "first 
attempt."  It  was  built  before  the  new 
light-weight  concrete  aggregate  was  de- 
veloped, and  without  the  benefit  of  the 
scientific  work  that  has  of  late  taught 
much  about  such  construction.  As  a  re- 
sult, it  in  no  way  represents  the  ultimate 
in  concrete  boatbuilding,  nor  does  it  rep- 
resent the  present  status  of  the  industry. 

The  light  aggregate,  which  floats  on 
water,  is  produced  by  calcining  certain 
shales  or  clays  to  a  state  approaching 
fusion.  It  is  used  instead  of  sand  and 
crushed  stone  and  reduces  the  weight  of 
concrete  used  in  shipbuilding  approxi- 
mately 30  per  cent,  thereby  proportion- 
ately increasing  the  efficiency  of  the  stone 


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designs  have  been  completed  for  a 
14,0S)-ton  concrete  ship  with  an  esti- 
mated cargo-carrying  efficiency  of  from  70 
to  80  per  cent !  '  If  practice  proves  that 
the  engineers'  calculations  are  correct, 
this  boat,  which  is  to  be  of  unit  construc- 
tion, should  surpass  the  steel  ship  in  every 
economic  particular.  And  right  here  it 
might  be  noted  that  the  advent  of  success- 
ful unit  construction  will  overcome  the 
objection  now  raised  because  of  inability 
to  inspect  a  concrete  hull  prior  to  its  com- 
pletion. 

The  useful- 
n  e  s  s  of  c  o  n- 
crete  in  boat- 
building seems 
to  have  practi- 
cally unlimited 
range.  That  is, 
anything  from 
a  16-ft.  launch 
to  a  canal 
barge,  and 
from  a  500-ton 
tanker  to  ves- 
sels of  large 
size,  comes 
within  its  field. 
I'or  the  Emer- 
frency  Fleet 
Corporation,  as 
an  example,  ten 
7.500-ton  tank- 
rrs  and  freight- 
t  rs,  three  3,500- 
ton  and  one  3,- 
0(X)-ton  freight- 
ers are  build- 
ing; for  the 
Navy  Depart- 
ni  e  n  t,  e  i  g  h  t 
500-ton  light- 
ers; for  the 
Railway  Ad- 
ministra- 
tion, twenty- 
one  500-ton  canal  barges,  and  for  the  War 
Transport  Branch  of  the  War  Depart- 
ment, twelve  225-ft.  car  floats,  five  100-ft. 
water  tankers,  and  fourteen  130-ft.  river 
boats.  On  the  other  hand,  a  successful 
concrete  rowboat  was  built  in  France  70 
years  ago,  and  reputable  engineers  see  no 
reason  why  a  25.000-ton  dead-weight  ves- 
sel could  not  be  built  at  present. 

It  is  very  possible  that  the  chief  imme- 
diate demand  for  concrete  vessels  will 
center  around  barges,  lighters,  car  floats, 
and  otiier  small  miscellaneous  craft.  The 
reasons  for  this  are  that  reputable  con- 
tractoi-s  in   various  parts  of  the  country 


Inside  Bow  View  of  the  **Atlaiitu8"  during  Construction,  Showing 
in  Detail  the  Arrangement  of  the  Reinforcing:  Experiments 
of  Late  have  Indicated  That  Big  Advantages  Probably  Are 
to  be  Gained  by  Welding  the  Members  Instead  of  Tying  Them 


are  capable  of  constructing  them  satisfac- 
torily ;  that  they  represent  comparatively 
smair  investments,  and  that  they  have  al- 
ready demonstrated  their  merits.  Even  a 
500-ton  barge  built  of  the  now  obsolete 
heavy  concrete  has  been  able  to  compete 
with  a  600-ton  steel  barge  of  the  same  di- 
mensions, and  has  shown  practically  the 
same  profits. 

At  the  outset,  the  thought  of  building  a 
ship  of  concrete  failed  to  make  a  particu- 
larly favorable  impression  on  the  layman. 

who  was  wont 
to  think  of 
concrete  in 
terms  of  ce- 
ment sidewalks 
and  poorly 
built  stucco 
houses.  It  was 
only  natural 
that  the  average 
person  should 
picture  such  a 
craft  as  a  pon- 
derously heavy, 
awkward,  and 
snaillike  scow, 
highly  suscepti- 
ble to  cracking 
and  about  as 
seaworthy  as  a 
bucket  of  lead. 
Therefore,  to 
many,  the  per- 
f  e  c  t  perform- 
a  n  c  e  of  the 
**Faith"  was  a 
distinct  s  u  r  - 
prise. 

Let  it  be 
known  that, 
from  the  struc- 
tural  stand- 
point at  least, 
the  problem  of 
the  concrete 
ship  has  been  solved.  Guesswork  has 
not  been  the  guide  in  its  evolution. 
Concrete  engineering  is  based  on  exact- 
ness, as  is  every  other  branch  of  en- 
gineering. Analyses  that  have  never  be- 
fore been  made  on  ships  of  any  type,  have 
contributed  scientific  data  of  inestimable 
value  and  placed  concrete  shipbuilding  on 
a  sound  footing. 

For  instance,  when  the  "Faith"  made  its 
maiden  voyage,  it  carried  a  new  instru- 
ment, developed  by  the  Concrete  Ship 
Section  of  the  Emergency  Fleet  Corpora- 
tion, for  the  study  of  hull  stresses.  This 
was  the  first  time  in  history  that  stress 


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i   i 


Showing  How  the  Government's   First  Concrete  Ship,  the  "Atlantus,"'  Looks  in  the  Water:  The  Vessel  Is 

the  Smallest  of  14  Freighters  and  Tankers  for  Which  Contracts  have  been  Awarded. 

It  is  Expected  Soon  to  be  Commissioned 


records  had  been  taken  on  a  ship  at  soa. 
The  rastrument,  the  McMillan  "straina- 
eraph,"  makes  a  continuous  record  of  de- 
formations, supplying  scientific  informa- 
tion on  which  to  base  improved  designs 
and  save  materials. 

Given  the  known  stresses  on  one  hand, 
and  the  known  strength  of  materials  on 
the  other,  the  problem  of  constructing  a 
concrete  ship  immediately  becomes  one 
of  exact  calculations.  In  this  connection, 
it  might  be  mentioned  that  the  reinforc- 
ing takes  up  all  of  the  tension  strains  that 


are  due  to  hogging,  saggmg,  twisting,  and 
launching.  The  concrete  itself  is  de- 
pended on  for  its  compression  values.  It 
forms  the  envelope,  holds  the  steel  firmly 
in  place,  and  prevents  the  bars  from  buck- 
ling. 

In  the  popular  mind,  concrete  is  rigid, 
brittle,  easily  cracked,  and  therefore  a 
most  unsuitable  material  for  ships.  To 
the  contrary,  reinforced  concrete  has  con- 
siderable elasticity.  An  eight-inch  panel, 
20  ft.  square,  for  instance,  has  been  sub- 
jected to  load  and  deflected  eight  inches. 


Successlol  Sailing  Vessels,  Launches.  Tugs,  and  River  Craft  have  been  Built  of  Reinforced  Concrete. 
This  Picture  Shows.a  40-Foot  Boat  of  a  Type  Particularly  Suited  for  River  and  Harbor  Use^ 


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Upon  removal  of  the  load,  it  has  come 
back  to  within  three-sixteenths  of  an  inch 
of  its  original  state. 

The  biggest  question  of  all,  to  the  lay- 
man,   has   been   that   of  cracks.     Cracks 


to  break  ice  and  keep  the  water  in  front 
of  a  certain  shipyard  open.  At  the  end 
of  the  season,  examination  of  the  hull 
showed  no  indication  of  abrasion. 

What,  then,  does  the   future  hold  for 


concrete.  When  they  do  occur,  their  ap- 
pearance is  due  to  lack  of  proper  reinforc- 
ing to  meet  tensional  strains.  After  cover- 
ing thousands  of  miles  at  sea,  the  hull  of 
the  "Faith"  was  entirely  free  from  breaks 
except  for  inconsequential  hair  cracks. 
But  even  in  the  event  of  a  crack  occur- 
ring, and  water  being  admitted,  no  per- 
ilous condition  would  be  presented  unless 
the  pumps  proved  inadequate.  Some  peo- 
ple forget  that  wooden  ships,  full  of  seams, 
and  steel  ships,  with  riveted  plates,  con- 
stantly leak  and  would  sink  in  time  were 
it  not  for  their  pumps.  Also,  they  fail  to 
consider  that  a  crack  in  a  concrete  ves- 
sel could  be  mended  at  sea  by  filling  it 
with  concrete  under  heavy  air  pressure. 

Abrasion  has  been  another  thing  that 
has  caused  uneasiness  in  the  minds  of 
many  persons.  The  hull  of  the  "Faith," 
however,  has  shown  no  sign  whatever  of 
wear.  Furthermore,  a  small  concrete  tug 
was  used  throughout  the  winter  of  1917 


concrete  ship  is  economically  a  success 
today,  if  the  first  cost  of  the  ship  is  suf- 
ficiently less  than  the  first  cost  of  the  steel 
ship  that  we  may  write  off  the  decrease 
in  earnings  due  to  the  slightly  less  carry- 
ing capacity — and  that  can  be  done  twice 
over  with  the  concrete  ship  as  we  hope 
to  build  it  in  these  tankers  [the  new 
7,500-ton  vessels  now  nearing  comple- 
tion]." 

Men  who  have  backed  the  concrete  ship 
since  its  birth  seem  sincere  in  their  belief 
that  eventually  it  will  drive  the  steel  ship 
from  the  seas.  From  the  observer's  view- 
point, it  has  an  excellent  chance  of  attain- 
ing commercial  importance,  but  what  it 
can  and  will  do  has  as  yet  to  be  proved.. 

Right  now  the  concrete  ship  faces  the 
same  situation  that  every  new  enterprise 
confronts  at  the  outset — the  natural  hesi- 
tancy of  capital  to  invest  in  a  venture 
that  seems  to  embody  speculative  ele- 
ments. 


SIX-FOOT  CAST-IRON   PIPE   FOR  CITY  WATER  SUPPLY 


Water  for  the  city  supply  of  St.  Louis, 
Mo.,  is  pumped  from  the  Mississippi 
River  into  settling  basins  and  then 
through  filtration  plants.  The  Chain  of 
Rocks. pumping  station  has  just  been  im- 
proved by  the  installation  of  a  cast-iron 
pipe  of  huge  size,  which  runs  250  ft.  to  a 
reservoir    with    a    60-ft.    elevation.      The 


new  pipe  is  six  feet  in  diameter  and  is  the 
outlet  for  two  pumps  whose  respective 
capacity  is  110,000,000  and  45,000,000  gal. 
per  24  hours,  making  a  total  of  155,000,000 
gal.  which  the  pipe  may  be  called  upon 
to  carry  in  a  day.  A  Venturi  meter  re- 
ducing the  diameter  from  six  feet  to  three 
feet  occupies  50  ft.  of  the  pipe's  length. 


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At  the  Left  Is  the  Pump  End  of  the  Six.Poot  Pipe.  Where  It  Takes  the  Output  of  Two  Big  Pumps.    The  Right- 

Hand  Picture  Follows  the  Line  of  the  Huge  Conduit  in  Its  Trench.    In  the  Foreground  Is  the 

Venturi-Meter  Section  with  Its  S4,000  Pounds  of  Iron 


The  largest  single  section  cast  weighed 
233X)  lb.  The  weight  of  the  entire  line 
was  about  440,000  lb.,  the  meter  section 
accounting  for  approximately  54,000  lb. 
of  this. 


AIR-LINE  CARRIER  SAVES 

LABOR  AT  FLOUR  MILL 

One  flour  mill  has  found  it  easy  to  speed 
up  efficiency  by  the  simple  installation  of 
an  overhead  track  and  carrier,  conveying 
the  flour  from  the  mill  to  the  warehouse, 
50  ft.  away.  A  slight  fall  to  the  track 
pulls  a  full  load  of  25  sacks  safely  to  the 
warehouse.  Swivel  trucks  enable  the  car- 
rier to  turn  two  45®  bends  in  its  journey. 


Ora^tjr  Carries   Loads  of  Floor  from  If  ill  to  Wsre- 

boate.    Swivel  Trucks  Enable  Carrier  to 

Make  Two  M-Degree  Turns 


STARS  ON  THIS  "SERVICE  FLAG" 

MEAN  ENEMY  SUBS  SUNK 

It  is  a  service   flag  all  right,  but  not 
at  all  in  the  usual  sense.     The  17  stars 


Stars  on  the  Side  of  the  Mine  Layer  **Quinnebaug'8** 

Cabin  Indicate  That  the  Ship's  Mines  Sunk  17  Bnemv 

Submarines.    The  Tablet  in  the  Center  Lists,  Month 

by  Month,  a  Total  of  6,046  Mines  Laid 

grouped  about  a  tablet  on  the  outside 
cabin  wall  of  the  mine  layer  **Quinne- 
baug,"  recently  returned  to  the  Philadel- 
phia navv  yard  after  nearly  eight  months 
in  the  North  Sea,  are  symbols  of  17 
enemy  submarines  the  ship  sunk  with  its 
mines.  The  tablet  among  the  stars  lists 
the  number  of  mines  laid  each  month  of 
its  service,  6,045  being  the  total  record. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


TROLLEY  WIRE  FOR  BLIND  MEN 

KEEPS  THEM  "ON  THE  TRACK" 

The  wire  is  there,  stretching  from  post 
to  post  like  any  trolley,  and  the  moving 


And  the  trackless  system,  instead  of  fol- 
lowing a  thoroughfare,  winds  about  a 
parklike  inclosure  with  frequent  stations 
marked'  by  comfortable  rustic  seats.  The 
old  men  are  blind.  Jhe  trolley  is  the 
guide  that  leads  them  safely  about  the 
grounds  of  a  home  for  Confederate  sol- 
diers in  Texas.  Between  20  and  30  of  the 
old  fighters  have  wholly  lost  their  sight; 
but  with  their  daily  trolley  trips  and  the 
long  exchanges  of  reminiscences  at  the 
stop-over  points,  they  are  quite  happy. 
The  overhead  trolley  permits  of  more  ex- 
tended travel  than  the  one  used  by  an 
armless  blind  man  at  a  railroad-men's 
home  in  Illinois,  which  was  described  in 
Popular  Mechanics  for  January,   1916. 


Trollev  Svstem  for  Guiding  the  Blinded  Veterans  of 
the  Confederate  Army  about  the  Grounds  of  a 
Soldiers'  Home  in  Texas:  In  the  Distance  Is  One  of 
the  "Stations/*  a  Rustic  Bower  with  Comfortable 
Seats 

rod  that  reaches  up  to  make  contact  with 
it.  But  below,  where  the  street  car  ought 
to  be,  is  only  an  old  man,  holding  the  trol- 
ley pole  upright  in  one  hand  and  tapping 
along  the  path  with  a  cane  in  the  other. 


CUSTOMS  OFFICERS  ON  WATCH 

FOR  AIRPLANES 

Airplane  revenue  cutters  are  foreshad- 
owed by  a  decision  of  the  customs  offi- 
cials to  tax  airplanes  bought  in  Canada 
and  flown  into  the  United  States.  When 
a  plane  was  recently  imported  in  this  way. 
under  its  own  motive  power,  the  question 
of  duties  arose,  and  it  was  discovered  that 
airplanes  are  not  mentioned  in  tariff  acts. 
The  above  ruling  was  made,  nevertheless, 
with  the  provision  that  the  plane  will  not 
be  taxed  if  it  flies  back  again  within  six 
months,  thus  proving  it  was  simply  on 
tour. 


CAU  persons  in  French  war  service  are 
guaranteed  the  return  of  their  old  jobs, 
at  a  fair  rate  of  pay,  unless  physically 
disqualified. 


BRITISH  TRUCK  BURNS  CHEAP  FUEL 


Coke  is  the  fuel  used  in  a  new  British 
steam-driven  truck,  reported  to  operate 
at  a  cost  of  about  one-fourth  that  of  a 
gasoline-driven  vehicle  of  similar  capacity. 
The  coke  is  introduced,  through  the  top 
of  the  hood,  into  a  central  tube  which  is 
surrounded  by  the  boiler.  This  boiler  is 
of  simple  design,  consisting  of  two  cylin- 
drical steel  shells  flanged  and  bolted  at 
each  end.  Withdrawing  these  bolts,  the 
outer  shell  is  easily  removed,  exposing 
the  inner,  which  is  drilled  to  receive  4-in. 
water  tubes  of  the  'thimble"  variety.  The 
engine  itself  is  a  V-type  tandem  com- 
pound. Two  pairs  of  high  and  low-pres- 
sure cylinders  operate  the  same  crank  at 
an  angle  of  90°,  giving,  it  is  claimed,  free- 
dom from  vibration  at  speeds  up  to  1,500 
r.p.m.    The  stroke  is  3  in.;  the  high-pres- 


sure cylinders  are  3  in.  in  diameter;  the 
low-pressure  5  in.  Oiling  is  handled  by  a 
dual  system,  a  geared  pump  supplying 
general  lubrication,  while  a  drop  of  oil. 
injected  into  the  steam  pipe  every  100 
revolutions,  maintains  a  film  of  lubrica- 
tion on  all  inner  surfaces.  Another  un- 
usual feature  for  a  steam  car  is  the  gear 
box,  which  is  introduced  to  lessen  the  size 
of  the  engine,  eliminate  the  old  steam 
reverse  gear,  and  make  it  possible  to  run 
the  engine  "free."  Under  test  the  engine 
has  proved  remarkably  self-regulating.  It 
ran  quietly  all  night,  adjusting  w^ater  feed, 
lubrication,  and  steam  pressure  entirely 
unattended.  The  manual  and  pedal  con- 
trols are  similar  to  those  of  gas-driven  ma- 
chines, enabling  comparatively  unskilled 
drivers   to   run  the  car. 


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^5^^  f     Coke-Burning,   Steam-Driven  Truck  Seen  from   Side: 

^=^  '       Figured  on  Basis  of   Fuel  Consumption,  It  is   Claimed 

That  This  Three-Ton  Truck  can  Operate  at  Oae-Fourth 
the  Cost  of  a  Similar  Gasoline  Machine 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


UNUSUAL  SITE  MAKES  POSSIBLE 
REMARKABLE  HOTEL  FEATURES 

Contractors  are  now  hurrying  to  com- 
pletion a  $5,000,000  hotel  in  Washington, 
D.  C,  which  is  remarkable  because  of  the 
unusual  arrangement  of  its  1,400  rooms, 
and  because  of  the  manner  in  which  ad- 
vantage has  been  taken  of  the  steep  slopes 
forming  part  of  the  site,  particularly  at 
the  rear.  Viewed  from  the  front  the  im- 
mense structure  forms  five  sides,  or  one- 
half,  of  a  decagon.  The  central  portion, 
or  three  units,  of  the  building  rests  on  the 
crest  of  a  ridge  and  is  seven  stories  in 
height,  while  the  wings  extending  forward 
at  either  side  are  eight  stories  high,  on 
account  of  the  gradual  slope  toward  the 
front.  This  front  portion  of  the  building 
is  approximately  750  ft.  long,  but  it  is  only 
a  little  more  than  half  of  the  whole,  for 
extending  to  the  rear,  like  spokes  of  a 
wheel,  are  four  additional  wings,  each  as 
large  as  the  units  making  up  the  half  of 
a  decagon.  This  peculiar  fanlike  ground 
plan  for  the  hotel  entirely  eliminates  the 
narrow  courtyards  and  light  wells  so  fre- 
quently resorted  to  in  building  such 
structures,  and  places  most  of  the  rooms 
in  each  wing  more  than  150  ft.  from  those 
in  the  next  wing.  The  approximate  width 
of  each  unit  is  45  ft.,  so  there  are  no  inside 
rooms,  and  all  rooms  are  as  near  on  a  par 
for  location  as  it  is  physically  possible  to 
make  them,  each  getting  the  same  amount 
of  air  and  exposure. 

Toward  the  rear  the  ground  slopes  pre- 
cipitously, so  that  two  of  the  wings  have 
four  floors  below  the  main  floor  which  are 
above  ground,  and  one  of  them  five  floors 
above  ground  but  below  the  main  floor. 
Only  an  architect  who  has  tried  to  provide 
adequate  accommodations  for  help,  ma- 
chinery, laundry,  etc.,  in  the  average  hotel 


building,  can  fully  appreciate  the  advan- 
tage of  such  an  arrangement.  In  these 
basement  and  sub-basement  floors,  all 
abundantly  lighted  by  daylight,  are  the  liv- 
ing quarters*  for  the  help,  the  kitchens,  the 
laundry,  the  ice  plant,  with  a  capacity  of 
three  tons  of  ice  daily,  immense  store- 
rooms, etc.  The  advantages  from  the 
standpoint  of  health  and  sanitation  are 
obvious. 

But  there  is  one  other  remarkable  fea- 
ture about  this  hotel  and  its  unusual  site. 
Just  at  the  rear  of  the  immense  building  is 
a  three-story  garage  with  a  capacity  for 
300  cars,  where  occupants  of  the  house- 
keeping apartments  can  keep  their  auto- 
mobiles. The  ground  which  the  garage 
occupies  is  so  much  lower  than  the  hotel 
that  its  roof  comes  up  only  to  a  level  with 
the  lowest  basement,  and  its  approach 
along  a  hillside  is  so  laid  out  that  a  por- 
tion of  it  enters  the  third-story  doorway, 
another  portion  the  second-stor}'  door- 
way, and  a  third  portion  the  first-story 
doorway.  Suitable  retaining  walls  sepa- 
rate the  various  levels  of  this  divided  road- 
way. While  the  garage  is  but  a  few  feet 
from  the  hotel,  it  in  no* way  obstructs  the- 
view  of  the  beautiful  wooded  hills  to  the 
rear.  Its  three-level  entrance  entirely 
does  away  with  the  expense  of  elevators 
for  carrying  cars  up  and  down,  and  en- 
ables a  chauflFeur  to  get  a  car  into  or  out 
of  the  third  story  as  quickly  as  the  first 
story. 


CThe  official  abbreviation  for  California 
is  now  "Calif."  instead  of  "Cal."  The 
change  was  made  by  the  Geographic 
Board  at  the  request  of  the  Post  Office 
Department  to  avoid  confusion  with 
"Col."  for  Colorado.  The  form  "Calif." 
has  long  been  used  as  a  standard  by 
Popular  Mechanics   Magazine. 


The  Pequliar  Panlike  Ground  Plan  of  the  1.400-Room  Hotel  Entirely  Eliminates  Objectionable  Coirrts  and 

Light  Weill,  and  Makes  Every  Room  Literally  an  Outside  One.    The  Garage,  Indicated  at  the  Right. 

IS  Situated  at  a  Lower  Level  and  does  Not  Obstruct  the  View  from  the  Hotel  Windows 


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AMERICA'S  FUTURE  IN  THE  AIR 


tempted.  There  are  numerous  special 
uses  for  which  the  aeroplane  is  ideally 
adapted.  They  offer  a  nucleus  around 
which  to  develop  commercial  flying.  As 
the  air  craft  makes  good  in  these  special 
capacities,  a  wider  appreciation  of  its 
possibilities  will  be  grasped  by  the  laity. 
Gradually  a  general  demand  no  doubt 
will  be  created  for  the  particular  kind 
of  service  it  can  supply.  As  this  grows, 
civil  aerial  transport  in  the  broad  sense 
of  the  term  may  be  expected  to  become 
a  substantial  reality. 

If  one  is  willing  to  accept  without 
analysis  the  assurances  freely  given  at 
every  hand,  he  can  satisfy  himself  in  a 
few  minutes  that,  with  the  arrival  of 
summer,  aerial  passenger  and  freight  lines 
will  blossom  forth  like  spring*  violets. 
Many  pagres  would   be   required  here   to 


agencies,  by  business  institutions,  and 
private  individuals  owning  and  oper- 
ating their  own  machines;  maintenance 
of  general  passenger  and  express  service 
over  mapped  routes  between  definite  ter- 
minals on  established  time  schedules,  and 
taxi  service  between  large  centers  and 
surrounding  points;  civilian  flying  for 
pleasure  and  sport. 

In  general  respects  no  further  explana- 
tion is  needed  of  the  army  and  navy 
phases  of  the  subject.  Obviously  the 
War  and  Navy  departments  are  expected 
to  execute  programs  commensurate  with 
the  country's  need  for  defense.  On  the 
other  hand,  in  maintaining  the  military 
establishment,  aeroplanes  will  no  doubt 
be  used  for  keeping  the  various  mili- 
tary districts  and  administrative  centers 
in    close    contact.      Consideration 


Tnere  are  many  p  r  o  m  o  t  - 

ers,     and    the     public     must    distinguish 


ot     our     coasts     and     inland     waterways 
will    call    for    aeroplanes,    flying    boats. 


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and  dirigibles.  In  line  with  this  will  be 
the  probable  development  of  machines 
suited  for  the  use  of  internal-revenue 
officers  detailed  for  river  and  harbor 
work. 

The  necessity  of  policing  the  air  will 
come  as  a  natural  consequence  of  civil 
flying.  Sturdy  planes  of  high  speed  and 
low  landing  speed  will  be  needed  for 
traffic  regulation  along  air  lanes.  Ports 
and  other  cities  that  have  water  fronts 
will  be  able  to  use  flying 


post«  reasonable  support  is  to  be  expected., 
It  is  true  that  during  the  few  months 
post-office  planes  have  been  in  operation, 
the  volume  of  business  has  been  light. 
For  instance,  during  October  last,  only 
939%  lb.  of  "aeroplane  mail"  were  car- 
ried. The  total  amount  of  business  for 
the  month,  therefore,  was  not  in  excess 
of  one  normal  full  load.  To  make  up 
the  deficiency,  15,848Vi  lb.  of  ordinary 
mail  were  transported. 


7^ 


^j 


The  Daytoa-Wricht  Aerial  Sedan,  Built  for  Both  Commercial  and  Private  Uae,  Is  an  Interestins 

New  Biplane  Tbat  bai  Appeared  Since  the  Conclusion  of  Hostilities,  and  Which 

Prooaiscs  to  Fill  a  Place  in  Peace-Time  Air  Navigation 


made  a  step  in  this  direction,  and  a  Cal^ 
ifomia  city  has  lately  added  a  "flying  fire 
boat"  to  its  equipment  for  fire  detection 
and  prevention. 

The  aerial  mail,  already  instituted  by 
the  Post  Office  Department,  will  call  for 
many  planes  as  the  service  is  extended. 
As  more  routes  are  established  and  the 
public    becomes    accustomed    to    the 


This  Gives  a  Cloae-Up  Glimpse  of  the  Body  Arrangement  of  the 

Pljriitg  Sedan.   The  Cabm  is  Pleasingly  Appointed  and 

Aff«nls  Complete  Protection  from  the  BlemeaU 


Clearly,  however,  it  is  not  vital  that  the- 
cost  of  aerial  post  be  borne  solely  by  the 
service  itself,  so  long  as  there  are  well- 
founded  national  reasons  that  make 
highly  advisable  all  possible  development 
and  use  of  aeroplanes.  It  is  not  the  pur- 
pose here  to  make  predictions,  yet  it  may 
be  said  with  reasonable  safety  that  the 
air  time  is  now  rapidly  approaching  when 
every  city  of  importance,  and 
towns  now  out  of  the  direct  line 
of  communication  with  large  in- 
dustrial centers,  will  undoubtedly 
have  regular  and  dependable 
aerial  mail  service.  There  are 
'grounds  also  for  the  assumption 
that  remote  districts,  and  those 
temporarily  made  remote  by| 
floods  and  snow  blockades,  will 
be  served  before  long. 

Aerial  photography  opens  an 
important  field  of  value  alike  to 
government  ag^encies  and  private 
interests.  The  Geographic  Sur- 
vey will  be  able  to  make  good 
use  of  it,  while  its  aid  in  engineer- 
ing projects,  mapping,  and  topo- 
graphical work  in  genera]  will  be 
of  great  advantage.  It  is  likewise 
conceivable  that  the  Geodetic 
Survey  will  have  uses  for  air 
craft  in  furtherinif  some  of  its 
work. 


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65S^ 


The  Forest  Service  contemplates  em- 
ploying aeroplanes  in  different  capacities, 
but  especially  for  mapping  and  fire-de- 
tection and  fighting  purposes.  The  utility 
of  the  air  craft  for  such  functions  is  too 
obvious  to  require  elaboration.  A  requi- 
sition for  10  planes  for  patrol  service  in 
the  Northwest  was  recently  made  by  the 
supervisor  of  the-  Cascade  National 
Forest,  with  headquarters  at  Eugene,  Ore. 


not- depart  without  clearance  papers,  bills 
of  lading,  agent's  instructions,  and  other 
documents,  often  makes  it  necessary  to 
hold  a  steamer  at  its  pier,  or  at  anchor, 
until  such  papers  can  be  prepared  and 
placed  aboard.  With  aeroplanes  in 
use  it  will  be  possible  for  a  ship  to  put 
to  sea  as  soon  as  its  cargo  is  loaded, 
and  receive  the  papers  when  a  day 
or    so    out,    thus    saving    valuable    time 


without  Obstructing  the  Vision 

expected  that  the  Northwest  Mounted  Several  manufacturers  of  air  craft  as- 
Police  will  use  air  craft  quite  generally  sert  that  mining  concerns  are  consider- 
in  their  manifold  activities.  ing  the  experimental  use  of  air  craft  in 

Much  has  been  said  of  late  regarding  connection  with  the  development  of  prop- 
the  employment  of  air  craft  for 
life-saving  and  exploration.  Both 
offer  interestinjp:,  although  per- 
haps limited,  fields  for  experi- 
mentation. Already  plans  are 
under  way  for  an  arctic  expedi- 
tion which  may  or  may  not  be 
carried  out  in  the  near  future. 

The  Weather  Bureau  has  indi- 
cated that  aeroplanes  may  play 
an  important  part  in  the  study 
and  mapping  of  air  currents,  and 
in  general  meteorological  work. 

At  least  one  steamship  com- 
pany is  preparing  to  use  fast  air 
craft  to  transmit  clearance  pa- 
pers and  other  documents  for 
the  handling  and  discharge  of 
cargo  at  ports  of  destination,  to 
its  vessels  at  sea.  The  advantage 
of  this  is  a  timesaving  of  from 

36  to  48  hours  in  the  dispatch  of  ^j.^ectly   Enough,   the  Pilot's   Position  in   the  "Honeymoon 

freighters.  Plane**  is  Placed  Well  Forward,  and   Entirely  Separated  from 

Heri^       the      fart      th;it       undf^r  Cabin,  Which  is  Fully  Covered.     The   Picture  Also  Shows  the 

ncre,      rne      laci      mai,      unaer  seating    Scheme    and    the    Appointments    in    the    Passenger 

existing    conditions,    a    ship    can-  *                             Compartment 


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erties  that,  with  ordinary  means  of  com- 
munication, are  tnaccessihlc.  Harry 
Bowers  Mingle,  president  of  the  Stand- 
ard Aircraft  Corporation,  says  that 
Alaska,  because  of  its  great  mining 
wealth  that  lies  untapped  on  account  of 
the  lack  of  transportation  facilities,  of- 
fers a  particularly  good  field  for  commer- 
cial aviation. 

Some  oil  companies  are  contemplating 
the  substitution  of  aeroplanes  for  motor 
cars  as  means  of  quick  transportation  be- 
tween various  properties.  In  oil  fields, 
particularly  when  development  work  goes 
on,  speed  such  as  the  air  craft  affords 
is  advantageous,  not  only  for  enabling 
officials  and  those  in  charge  of  important 
operations  to  visit  different  points  with- 
out loss  of  valuable  time,  but  also  for  the 
conveyance  of  needed  parts  of  machinery 
when  emergencies  arise.  With  the  facili- 
ties at  hand,  money  for  meeting  weeklv 
payrolls  could  also  be  transported  with 
less  difficulty  and  hazard  than  is  at  pres- 
ent the  case  in  some  localities. 

Large  firms,  having  general  offices  at 
one  point  and  factories  and  branch 
houses  at  other  places  not  far  distant, 
in  certain  cases  may  find  the  aeroplane 
useful  for  intercommunication  eventually, 
but  at  the  present  time  there  seems  to 
be  much  more  likelihood  of  the  rancher 
doing  so.  Several  stockmen  are  already 
reported  to  have  placed  orders  for  planes. 

These  represent  only  a  few  of  a  long 
list  of  potential  business  uses  of  the  aero- 
plane and  flying  boat  upon  which  the 
air-craft  manufacturers  are  counting  for 
support.  The  more  important  of  them 
are  related  to  aerial  transport  of  a  general 
nature. 

There  are  many  transportation  lines 
under  contemplation  for  the  near  future. 
To  state  definitely  that  any  one  of  them 
will  be  established  and  in  operation  June 
1,  or  July  1,  as  promised  by  those  back- 
ing them,  is  more  than  a  conservative 
reporter  is  called  upon  to  do.  Manu- 
facturers and  operating  syndicates  face 
at  this  time  many  uncertain  conditions, 
and  while  some  of  them  confidently  ex- 
pect to  execute  definite  programs  in  the 
coming  few  months,  it  remains  to  be  seen 
just  what  will  really  be  accomplished. 

One  transportation  line  that  has  excel- 
lent chance  of  being  opened  soon,  how- 
ever, is  the  New  York-Atlantic  City  fly- 
ing-boat system  that  the  Curtiss  com- 
pany has  scheduled  for  this  summer.  It 
is  planned  to  use  "HS-2"  and  "H-16"  type 
craft  and  extend  the  service,  once  it  is 
in  operation,  to  Miami,  Fla.,  and  perhaps 


Cuba.  Passenger  rates  will  amount  to 
about  50  cents  a  mile.  The  same  company 
in  addition  intends  to  inaugurate  a  "land 
livery  service"  some  time  this  spring.  The 
routes  to  be  flown  have  as  yet  not  been 
made  public 

The  Curtiss  company  is  also  authority 
for  the  statement  that  an  independent 
operating  concern  is  making  preparations 
for  the  institution  of  passenger  and  ex- 
press service  between  various  ports  on 
the  Great  Lakes,  including  such  cities  as 
Buffalo,  Erie,  Cleveland,  Toledo,  Detroit, 
Port  Huron,  and  Chicago.  Curtiss  flying 
boats  will  be  used  on  these  routes  when 
thejr  are  opened. 

The  United  Aircraft  and  Engineering 
Corporation,  with  headquarters  at  New 
York,  is  thoroughly  convinced  that  there 
is  a  real  future  in  store  for  commercial 
aviation.  It  has  under  way  the  establish- 
ment of  a  trial  route,  of  approximately 
50  miles,  from  Toronto  to  Hamilton, 
Canada.  Assurance  is  given  that  the  line 
is  to  be  put  in  operation  within  a  few 
weeks. 

It  is  this  corporation  that  recently 
bought  outright  from  the  British  govern- 
ment aeroplanes,  motors,  and  spare  parts 
in  Canada,  originally  valued  at  $10,000,000. 
Most  of  the  equipment  is  to  be  retailed 
and  special  machmes  of  three  types  will 
be  developed  for  the  transportation  serv- 
ice. In  addition,  the  concern,  believing 
a  demand  exists  among  landscape  archi- 
tects, map  makers,  engineers,  and  others, 
for  aerial  photographs,  is  organizing  a 
commercial  aerial  photographic  service. 
Planes,  cameras,  and  accessories  have 
already  been  provided  for  this  work,  which 
will  be  executed  by  contract. 

The  purpose  of  the  Toronto-Hamilton 
trial  route  is  to  ascertain  exact  operating 
costs  and  problems.  The  information  will 
be  used  as  a  basis  for  arranging  schedules 
and  fixing  rates.  As  rapidly  as  is  con- 
sistent with  good  business,  it  is  planned 
to  extend  the  system  to  other  parts  of 
the  Dominion. 

The  famous  Martin  bombing  plane, 
which  travels  118  miles  an  hour  and  car- 
ries a  useful  load  c^'two  tons,  is  coming 
forth  as  an  aerial  passenger  and  freight- 
carrying  craft.  The  body  is  being  rede- 
signed for  these  purposes,  but  the  machine 
otherwise  will  remain  unchanged.  An 
operating  company  is  to  use  the  new  craft 
for  scheduled  service  between  two  large 
eastern  cities,  about  100  miles  apart.  In 
connection  with  the  Martin  company,  it 
has  made  a  comprehensive  survey  of  the 
problem   before  it,   and  has  worked  out 


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The  ''Chummy   Flyabout,'*   a   Diitinctive,  New  Two-Passenger  Monoplane   Introduced   during  the   Past 

Few  Weeks:   It  is  Intended  as  a  Medium-Priced  Craft  tor  General  Sporting 

and  Pleasure  Uses  by  Aerial  Devotees 


very  interesting  data.  Although  I  am  not 
permitted  to  give  details  divulging  oper- 
ating expenses  for  labor  and  material, 
or  overhead  distributions,  it  may  be  an- 
nounced that  the  project  involves  a  capital 
investment  of  $650,000.  Assuming  that  the 
ships  average  75  per  cent  of  maximum 
load,  they  will  do  a  gross  yearly  passenger 
business  of  $1,700,000.  And  if  each  plane 
carries  an  average  of  100  lb.  of  mail  each 
trip,  this  part  of  the  business  will  amount 
to  $368,640.  These  two  items  give  an 
estimated  net  yearly  profit  of  $600,000. 

The  company  plans  to  operate  six  ma- 
chines, each  capable  of  carrying  12  pas- 
sengers and  several  hundred  pounds  of 
express  matter.  Flight  will  ordinarily  be 
made  at  a  reduced  speed  of  102  miles  an 
hour  and  at  an  elevation  of  6,000  ft.  The 
time  schedules  are  based  on  a  head  wind 
of  20  miles  an  hour  and  a  speed  of  82 
miles.  When  a  30-mile  head  wind  is  en- 
countered, the  motors  will  be  operated  at 
full  throttle,  while  head  winds  greater 
than  30  miles  will  cause  the  schedules  to 
fall. 

The  life  of  each  plane  is  placed  at  1,200 


flying  hours.  Although  at  the  end  of  the 
period  the  majority  of  the  parts  will  still 
be  serviceable,  the  plane  will  be  written 
off  in  the  cost  estimates  as  a  complete 
loss  in  order  to  compensate  for  whatever 
spare  parts  have  been  substituted  during 
the  life  period. 

The  total  number  of  trips  made  during 
the  life  of  a  machine  will  be  960.  To 
maintain  a  craft  in  the  air  1,200  hours,  60 
working  days  will  be  required  for  repairs. 
In  six  months  six  planes  will  use  24  mo- 
tors, which  will  need  new  parts  to  the 
extent  of  10  per  cent  of  their  value  each 
time  they  are  overhauled. 

The  schedule  on  which  the  calculations 
have  been  based  provides  a  plane  a 
"breathing  spell"  of  45  minutes  between 
trips  at  each  terminal,  and  since  it  is  IS 
minutes  slower  than  the  actual  average 
running  time,  a  full  hour,  as  a  rule,  will 
be  available  for  discharging  and  taking 
on  passengers  and  express,  filling  the  fuel 
tanks,  and  making  minor  adjustments. 
Ample  time  thus  is  given  for  getting  a 
reserve  plane  from  the  other  end  of  the 
line,  if  necessary,  for  replacement  in  case 


Reputed  to  Be  the  Smallest  Practical  Seaplane  in  Existence,  This  Tiny  Loening  Craft  is  Well  Designed  and 

Stanchly  Built.  It  was  Exhibited  in  New  York  Recently  and  Attracted  Much  Attention 

Both  from  Aeronautical  Engineers  and  the  Public  Generally 


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of  injury  in  landing.  Furthermore,  since 
the  next  ship  on  the  schedule  would  actu- 
ally be  due  at  the  "damaged  shipV  time 
of  departure,  it  could  be  used  for  replace- 
ment and  its  own  return  trip  made  by 
the  other  machine  after  the  completion 

of  repairs. 


Showing  the  Mail  Compartinent  of  One  of  the  New 
Curtiss  Postal  PUnes  Developed  for  the  Use  of  the 
Post  OfiBce  Department:  Rapid  Extension  of  the 
Aerial  Mail  Service  is  Expected  in  Aeronautic  Circles 

passenger  and  freight  system  requires  a 
much  larger  personnel  than  one  would 
think.  The  particular  system  in  ques- 
tion plans  to  have  a  force  proportioned  as 
follows : 

Elxecutive  personnel:  general  manager, 
treasurer  and  accountant;  passenger 
ageift  and  publicity  manager;  assistant 
general  manager:  chief  engineer;  four 
inspectors,  and  eight  stenographers.  Op- 
erating personnel:  a  chief  pilot  and  oper- 
ating manager;  14  pilots;  10  flying 
mechanics:  four  ticket  agents;  four 
starters;  40  field  mechanics^;  four  bus 
drivers,  and  four  wireless  operators. 
Maintenance  personnel:  two  shop  super- 
intendents; one  purchasing  agent;  one 
assistant  purchasing  agent ;  six  shop  fore- 
men; 60  shop  mechanics;  four  drafts- 
men; two  shop  maintenance  men;  four 
watchmen,  and  four  stenographers. 

Passenger  and  freight  rates  have  not 
been  definitely  announced,  but  it  is  un- 
derstood that  passengers  will  be  carried 
for  about  20  cents  a  mile. 

Turning  attention  for  a  moment  to  the 
dirigible,  which  for  long-distance  and 
heavy-load  operation  has  certain  points 
of  advantage  now  that  helium  gas  is  tak- 


ing the  place  of  hydrogen,  plans  are  under 
way  for  the  inauguration  of  12-hour  air- 
ship   service    between    New    York    and 
Chicago.     The  enterprise  is  fathered  by 
interests    identified    with   the    Sturtevant 
Aeroplane  Company  of  Boston,  and  con- 
templates     a      capital      investment      of 
"        ^  '^^'^     'jse  is  to  be  made  of  dirigibles 
)pelin  type,  425  ft.  long,  45  ft. 
neter,    and   of   650,000-cu.-ft. 
capacity.    According  to  some 
reports  the  ships  are  now 
under  construction.     At 
least,  however,  they  have 
been  designed.  Equipped 
with  motors  aggregating 
1,200  hp.,  they  will  easily 
carry  useful  loads  of  10 
tons  and  maintain  70-mile- 
an-hour  schedules,  it  is  as- 
serted.  Twenty-five  passen- 
gers and  a  crew  of  10  will 
be  accommodated.    Passen- 
ites  have  been  tentatively  an- 
:ed  as  65  cents  a  mile,  or  $520 
ne-way  trip.    Admittedly  this 
the  project  is  open  to  serious 
and  has  been  the  subject  of 
many  of  those  interested  in 
aeronautics. 
Because   of  the   long  flying  radius  of 
dirigibles,  and  the  fact  that  motor  trouble 
does     not     aflFect     them     so    vitally     as 
it   does  aeroplanes,  their  potential  value 
for  commercial   use  is  considered   great. 
One  company  is  now  being  formed,  os- 
tensibly for  the  purpose  of  inaugurating 
dirigible    passenger   and    freight    service 
between  New  York  and  South  American 
ports.     The  use  of  Italian-built  ships  has 
been  decided  upon,  and  a  passenger  rate 
of   approximately    10   cents  a   mile   pro- 
posed. 

It  will  be  observed,  from  the  foregoing, 
that  the  question  of  rates  and  costs  is 
one  about  which  there  is  great  variance 
of  opinion.  Charges  of  from  20  to  50 
cents  a  mile  are  planned  by  aeroplane 
companies,  and  from  10  to  65  cents  by 
airship  companies.  Obviously  there  is 
a  good  deal  to  be  learned  about  the  com- 
mercial operation  of  air  craft. 

The  whole  future  of  the  enterprise  is 
bound  up  in  the  problem  of  costs.  The 
December  report  of  the  Post  Office  De- 
partment, covering  the  cost  of  operating 
and  maintaining  postal  planes,  throws 
interesting  light  on  the  subject.  The  rec- 
ord of  two  of  the  planes,  showing  the 
distribution  of  overhead  as  well  as  other 
items,  follows: 

Gasoline,  $129.98;  grease  and  oil, 
$22.24;    oflice  force,  $40.21;   motorcycles 


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Garden" 


The  General  Appearance  of  the 
Zeppelin-Type  Dirieibles  Planned 
for  New  York  to  Chicago  Service : 
In  the  Center  Portion  of  the  Ship, 
above  the  Main  Cabin,  Are  Obser- 
vation and  Library  Rooms,  and  a 
Spiral  Staircase  That  Connects 
with  the  "Roof  Garden"  on  Top 

and  trucks,  $63.04;   rent, 
light,    fuel,    etc.,    $33.50; 
miscellaneous,      $119.76; 
pilots,   $202.65;    mechan- 
ics and  helpers,  $134.40; 
repairs    and    accessories, 
$249.76;    interest    on    in- 
vestment, $70.11;  depart- 
mental   overhead    charge,    $85.31 ;    total, 
$1,150.96;  total  time  run,  23  hours  and  38 
minutes;  total  miles  run,  1,706;  miles  run 
per  gallon  of  gasoline,  4.13;  cost  per  hour, 

1.69;  cost  per  mile,  $.6746. 

On  the  other  hand,  averaging  the  ex- 
pense of  operating  16  postal  planes 
throughout  the  month,  a  cost  of  $95.05 
an  hour,  or  $1.3551  per  mile,  is  shown  for 
each  machine. 

Where  is  the  high-price  business  for 
such  high-priced  service  to  come  from? 
If  there  is  anyone  who  absolutely  knows, 
he  is  keeping  the  information  to  him- 
self. The  whole  project  is  a  speculative 
one.  It  remains  to  be  proved  that  com- 
mercial aviation  can  be  supported  profit- 
ably. Here,  however,  are  some  of  the 
possible  sources  of  business  upon  which 
prospective  operating  companies  are  pin- 
ning faith: 


OBSERVATION 


The  Cross  Sections  Above  Are  Self-Explanatory.    The  Ship  Has  a  **Roof 
"  "  and  is  Designed  to  Carry  Jlo  Passengers  and  a  Crew  of  Ten 

Passenger  traffic  in  general  divides  it- 
self into  two  classes,  namely,  that  which 
is  for  business,  and  that  which  is  for 
pleasure.  Speed  is  of  vital  importance 
to  many  business  men.  Some,  for  in- 
stance, have  necessary  trips  to  make  at 
times  they  can  ill  afford  to  be  absent 
from  their  offices.  To  make  such  trips 
and  accomplish  their  work  in  a  day  or 
two,  instead  of  spending  a  week  at  it, 
often  would  be  worth  thousands  of  dol- 
lars. It  is  conceivable,  too,  that  the  high- 
salaried  representative  traveling  to  South 
America,  China,  or  some  other  distant 
locality,  might  well  afford  to  proceed  by 
air  craft,  considering  that  salary,  ex- 
penses, and  loss  of  time  would  be  more 
expensive  than  fast  travel  at  high  cost  per 
mile.  In  every  large  city  there  are  men 
of  wealth  who,  on  occasions,  would  spend 
almost  any  reasonable  amount  of  money 


•*The  Messenger/'  a  Side  View    of  Which  is    Presented    Here.  Is  an    Attractively    Designed  .Little  Biplane 
That  is  Coming  Forth  as  a  Dayton-Wright   Sporting  and  General-Utility  Craft  for  Civihan  Use 


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the  other  half  of  our  travelers,  those  who 
are  pleasure-bound,  it  is  conceivable  that 
many,  for  the  sake  of  novelty  or  variety, 
would  make  use  of  air  routes. 

Transportation  by  aeroplane  in  regions 
now  made  remote  by  lack  of  railway  fa- 
cilities or  because  of  poor  steamship 
service,  offers  real  advantages.  In  South 
America,  in  northern  Canada,  in  Alaska, 
and  other  places  on  the  continent,  an 
aeroplane  can  travel  between  points  in 
a  few  hours  that  by  other  mediums  of 
transportation  are  days  and  even  weeks 
apart. 

Many  of  these  same  general  conditions 
have  a  bearing  on  the  aerial  express  busi- 
ness. Perishable  products  in  some  in- 
stances might  be  handled  advantageously 
by  air  craft.  Un- 
der this  classifica- 
tion would  come 
rare  and  costly 
fruits  and  flowers, 
and  products  of 
quite  different  char- 
acter with  value 
that  depends  ^  on 
quick  distribution. 
Of  the  latter  group, 
newspapers  and 
news  films  are  cited 
as  examples.  Mov- 
ing pictures  of 
great  news  interest, 
for  instance,  filmed 
in  New  York  in  the 
afternoon  and  ex- 
hibited in  Boston, 
Philadelphia,  and 
Washington  t  h  e  - 
aters  in  the  eve- 
ning, would  have 
much  greater  value 
than  if  shown  the  following  day.  The 
same  is  true  of  newspaper  photographs. 
If  Chicago  newspapers,  for  instance,  re- 
ceived pictures  the  same  day  they  were 
taken  in  New  York,  St.  Louis,  or  Kansas 
City,  their  value  would  be  several  times 
greater  than  it  now  is. 

Not  long  ago  progressive  assemblage 
in  a  large  Detroit  motor-car  plant  was 
interrupted  because  of  delay  in  arrival  of 
a  shipment  of  valves  manufactured  in 
Cleveland.  Aeroplane  delivery  would 
have  saved  a  loss  of  several  thousand  dol- 
lars in  time.  Similarly  it  often  occurs 
that  a  large  plant  is  brought  to  a  stand- 
still by  disablement  of  some  vital  machine. 
In  the  oil  fields  and  the  mining  regions 
a  breakdown  of  the  power  equipment  may 
cause    serious    difficulties.      For    lack   of 


THE  QUEST 
OF  THE  CLOUDLAND  /FLEECE 

By  SOPHIE  E.  REDFORD 

Like  gray  moths  waiting  to  spread  their  wings 

Unfinished  air  craft  stand. 
Mute  prophecies  they»  of  wondrons  things 

By  bold  adventure  planned. 
Across  their  bodies  the  workmen  creep. 

Tuning  their  shafts  aright. 
For  a  birdman*s  ready  his  trVst  to  keep 

With  a  record-breaking  ffaght. 
O}),  which  shall  be  first  'mongst  these  to  rise, 

Prom  its  chrysalis  sUtc  set  free. 
To  win  for  man  his  coveted  prize 

In  the  race  to  span  the  sea? 
Oh,  craftsmen,  temper  the  brace  of  steel. 

Oh,  cable  the  aileron  true: 
The  hand  that  will  pilot  the  sky-boat  wheel 

Is  trusting  his  nerve,  and— you  1 
Oh,  bolts  and  sockets  and  cotter  pins. 

Propellers  and  struts  and  stays. 
Whatever  the  name  of  the  man  who  wins/ 

With  you  he  must  share  the  praise. 
When  out  of  the  factory,  mine,  and  mill. 

The  forest  and  field  and  stream. 
The  man  and  the  man-made  bird  fulfill 

The  "Transatlantic  Dream"! 


a  single  spare  part  great  financial  loss 
may  be  incurred.  Here  again  aeroplane 
delivery  comes  to  the  fore. 

Aerial  post  enables  a  business  firm  to 
forward  a  5,000-word  letter  for  no  greater 
cost  than  a  50-word  night  message  by 
telegraph,  and  obtain,  within  a  radius  of 
about  800  miles,  equally  fast  service.  It 
also  permits  the  quick  delivery  of  im- 
portant papers,  thus  allowing  contracts 
to  be  signed  and  other  transactions  com- 
pleted, between  firms  and  individuals  in 
different  cities,  at  a  great  saving  of  time. 
Very  few  of  the  most  optimistic  backers 
of  civU.  aerial  transport  expect  a  sufficient 
volume  of  business  at  the  outset  to  sup- 
port the  enterprise.  They  see  a  long, 
hard  pioneering  task  ahead.  But  be  this 
as  it  may,  they  are 
confident  that  in 
the  long  run  the 
idea  will  pay  out. 

Grover  Cleveland 
Loening  thinks  that 
taxi  service  will  pay 
long  before  regular 
scheduled  service 
can  be  made  profit- 
able. He  assumes 
that  in  New  York, 
or  Chicago,  for  in- 
stance, en  ough 
emergency  business 
arises  daily  to 
support  an  aerial 
transportation  com- 
pany that  would 
have  a  centrally  lo- 
c  a  t  e  d  aerodrome 
with  machines 
ready  for  fast 
flights  at  a  mo- 
ment's notice  to 
any  point  of  the  compass. 

Glenn  L.  Martin,  admitting  that  com- 
mercial aviation  will  have  a  hard  fight  for 
business  in  the  near  future,  contends  that 
railway-operating  ideas  must  be  adopted. 
**Commercial  lines  over  long  routes,"  he 
says,  "as  between  New  York  and  Chi- 
cago, must  have  division  points  where 
passengers  and  express  may  be  trans- 
ferred to  'fresh'  machines.  An  800-mile 
line,  or  an  8,000-mile  one,  is  absolutely 
feasible  from  an  operating  standpoint  if 
it  is  made  in  relatively  small  jumps." 

One  of  the  most  interesting  of  the  re- 
cent developments  to  give  material  aid  to 
civil  Serial  transport  is  the  wireless  com- 
pass. This  is  rapidly  nearing  a  state  of 
completion,  and  is  an  instrument  that  will 
reduce    hazards    to    the    minimmn.     As 


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previously  mentioned,  fog  and  darkness, 
but  especially  fog,  often  make  landing 
extremely  dangerous.  The  wireless  com- 
pass is  designed  to  indicate  the  position 
of  an  aerodrome  and  enable  a  pilot  to 
"feel"  his  way  down  until  the  field  be- 
comes visible  and  a  safe  landing  can  be 
negotiated.  The  instrument  has  been 
perfected  to  within  3**  of  accuracy. 
Further  refinement  is  expected  to  over- 
come all  error.  When  this  is  accom- 
plishedy  and  radio-equipped  fields  are 
established  at  frequent  intervals,  a  fog- 
bound ship,  even  facing  the  necessity  of 
a  forced  landing,  will  be  able  to  reach 
the  ground  in  safety. 

To  many,  the  sporting  phases  of  avia- 
tion hold  chief  interest.  Since  flying  be- 
came a  mechanical  possibility,  thousands 
of  persons  have  visualized  the  time  when 
aeroplanes  would  be  as  common  as  fam- 
ily vehicles. 


What  can  be  said,  then,  of  this  side  of 
the  subject? 

Cost  is  the  answer.  At  present  the 
aeroplane  is  in  the  private-yacht  class. 
There  are  thousands  of  persons  financially 
able  to  own  and  operate  planes.  There 
are  scores  who  will  do  so.  But  wide- 
spread flying — that  is,  flying  on  a  scale 
such  as  motoring  enjoys  today — remains 
for  the  years  to  come. 

Good  machines  are  available  at  prices 
ranging  from  $5,000  or  a  little  more,  to 
$45,000  and  as  much  more  as  one  is  will- 
ing to  pay.  After  this  comes  the  upkeep, 
which,  unfortunately,  is  expensive.  Ef- 
forts, however,  are  being  made  to  de- 
velop small,  safe,  moderate-priced  planes 
that  will  be  in  the  motor-car  class  as 
concerns  operating  costs.  That  success  in 
this  commendable  endeavor  will  broaden 
the  sporting  use  of  aeroplanes  immensely 
is  too  obvious  to  require  comment. 


CflPTMONT,  mrtnHMnomM.  nut  smvice 


BIG  TRANSPORT  WHICH  RAN  AGROUND  IS  UNDERGOING  REPAIRS  IN  DRY  DOCK 


\Z7ITH  all  tbe  Unes  of  itt  cigantic  hull  shMmac  in  in 
^'^  lies  in  dry  dock.  The  hig  ship  ran  aground  off  Fire 
Oa  account  of  the  overhang,  scaffolding  '.or  painting  the  i 


inuvosing  aspect,  the  transport  "Northern  Pacific" 
Island  a  short  time  ago,  and  is  undergoing  repairs. 
sides  had  to  be  braced  from  the  dock.    Bluejackets 


the  navy  yard  hang  sufspended  on  little  individual  scaffolds  while  they  paint  the  giant  smokesucks. 


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MUNICIPAL  AUTO  TRUCK  SERVES 

MANY  PURPOSES 

A  new  auto-mounted  pumping  appara- 
tus should  be  a  versatile  and  efficient  ad- 
dition to  any  municipal  equipment.  Used 
for  cleaning  sewers. 


the  pump  is  controlled 
by  the  driver  at  his  seat,  and  has  the  ad- 
vantage that  none  of  the  sediment  or  sol- 
ids pass  through  it.  And  with  the  simple 
removal  of  the  cover  plates  the  body  be- 
comes available  for  hauling  and  mechani- 
cal dumping,  handling  coal,  ashes,  gar- 
bage, etc.  Used  as  a  sprayer,  again,  the 
contents  of  the  tank  may  be  kept  in  solu- 
tion by  an  agitating  feature  which  is 
easily  regulated  by  a  valve. 


PHONOGRAPH  ACCESSORY 
LIKE  VIOLIN  MUTE 

A   small   rubber  clip   is   now  marketed 
that  fastens  to  the  stylus  of  a  phonograph 

reproducer,   elimi- 

n  a  t  i  n  g,  it  is 
claimed,  annoying, 
scratchy  noises, 
and  consequently 
insuring  clearer 
reproduction.  By 
moving  the  modi- 
fier up  or  down  on 
the   stylus,    added 

control    of   sound  -- ^ . 

volume  is  secured. 

A  slight  pressure  on  the  bottom  opens  the 

rubber  jaws  of  the  attachment. 


AERIAL  RADIOPHONE  A  MARVEL 

FOR  ARTILLERY  ADJUSTMENT 

A  flier  who  knew  nothing  about  artillery 
adjustment    until    just    before    his    flight 
gave  successful  gunfire  commands  through 
the    aero   radiotelephone   in  a  re- 
—  -  -    (  ^^  ^  western  field.    After 
lesson  in  adjusting  fire  he 
ill    control    of   the    battery 
e  air.    In  his  first  problem 
ired  22  rounds  in   19  min- 
hen,  in  14  minutes,  he  ad- 
the     range,     ordered     16 
\,  including  six  in  improve- 
fire,    and    brought   up  an- 
ther gun.    The  next  day  he 
corrected  the  fire  of  the 
whole  platoon,  finding  no 
trouble  in   catching  and 
rectifying    errors    inten- 
tionally set  against  him. 
This    result    is   taken   to 
demonstrate  that  a 
trained  artilleryman,  with 
the  aero  radiophone,  can 
adjust  fire   from  the  air 
with    extreme   ease    and 
accuracy.     The    instan- 
taneity  of  telephone   or- 
with  the  visual  supremacy 
of  airplane   observation,   make  the  most 
complex  problems  simple. 


DETACHABLE  GUARD  FOR  SINK 

STOPS  SPLASHING  WATER 

Kitchen  sinks  all  have  the  objectionable 
characteristic  of  allowing  water  to  splash 
over  the  front  edge,  with  moist  and  messy 
consequences.  De- 
signed to  stop  the 
nuisance  is  a  light 
detachable  guard, 
which,  slipped 
over  the  sink 
edge,  stands  up 
like  a  water-tight 
wall  to  hold  back 
the  misplaced 
spray.  It  is  high 
enough  for  full 
protection,     but 

does  not  interfere  with  the  free  use  of  the 
sink.  Round  corners  and  absence  of 
seams  keep  the  attachment  sanitary.  It 
is  quite  light,  and  may  be  hung  up  when 
not  in  use. 


CAmerican  lads  are  now  replacing  aliens 
almost  entirely  in  the  firerooms  of  Amer- 
ican merchant  ships. 


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Gondola  Freight  Car  with  Concrete  Body:    The  Steel  Frame  at  the  Comers  and  Upper  Edges  Is  Plainly 

Apparent  in  This  View,  Which  Also  Gives  Some  Idea  of  the  Smooth,  Uniform  Outer  Surface 

ObUined  by  the  Method  of  Shooting  the  Mixture  against  the  Forms  with  a  Cement  Gun 


CONCRETE  FREIGHT  CAR  IN  SERVICE 


A     GONDOLA  freight  car  with  a  body 
f^  made  entirely  of  reinforced  concrete 
is  now  in  actual  railway  service.    The  fin- 
ished car,  first  of  its  kind,  was  ceremoni- 
ously  delivered    by   its   designers   to   the 
Illinois  Central  Railroad,  on  March  17.    It 
was   immediately  started   on  a  trial  trip 
over  the  lines  of  the  system,  and  for  30 
days  will  encounter  all  the  normal  uses 
and  abuses  of  the  hard-working  gondola- 
type  car.    At  the  end  of  that  period  it  will 
be    turned   over  to 
the    United    States 
Railroad    Adminis- 
tration,  which   will 
thereafter  dictate  its 
use  and  service.  The 
thoroughly     t  e  s  t  - 
ed,    and    accepted, 
car    represents    the 
fruition  of  the  plans 
announced  in  Pop- 
ular Mechanics  last 
August,  and  so  adds 
one  more  to  the  list 
of  great  permanent 
industrial  advances 
spurred   to   accom- 
plishment  by   the 
emergencies  of  war. 

The  concrete  body 
of  the  car  is  framed 
a  steel  skeleton. 


in 

whose  lfn€s  follow 
the  vertical  outside  comers  and  horizontal 
edges.  A  steel  underframe,  of  similar  de- 
sign, forms  the  foundation.  Frame  and 
underframe^  as  wetl  as  braces  and  rein- 
lorcing  bars,  are  so  connected  and  inter- 
locked as  to  distribute  drawbar  and 
other  stresses  over  the  whole  structure. 


Method  of  Reinforcing  the  Concrete  Body  with  Steel 

Bars  Braced  Obliquely  in  the  Frame:    On  the  Cross 

Bearers  in  the  Floor  t]ie   Concrete   was   Molded  in 

Forms  in  the  Customary  Manner 


Railroad  Administration  standards  for  a 
coal  car  of  100,0(X)-lb.  capacity  with  a  10- 
per-cent    overload    factor,   were   followed 
in  the  design.     Taking  200,00a  lb.  as  the 
drawbar  pull,  the  unit  stress  in  the  steel 
figured  at  16,000  lb.,  and  in  the  concrete, 
1,000  lb.    The  finished  car  is  41  ft,  6%  in. 
long,  over  all,  and  10  ft.  2%  in.  wide,  and 
the  sides  of  the  body  are  4  ft.   IO14  in 
high.     White  the  model   now   in   service 
has  a  solid  body  for  the  sake  of  simplicity, 
the  principles  of  the 
design    indicate 
ready    modificatior 
into   the    dump-car 
type  for  subsequent 
production.     Box 
and     flat    cars,     as 
well  as  the  special- 
ized forms  peculiar 
to  certain   services, 
will  follow  without 
difficulty   the   prec- 
edent   of   the    gon- 
dola model,  selected 
for  the  test  because 
all  the  hardships  of 
the  road  fall  to  the 
lot   of  that   partic- 
ular type. 

A  special,  light 
aggregate,  d  e  v  e  1  - 
oped  by  an  engineer 
of  Kansas  City, 
Mo.,  found  its  first  commercial  application 
in  the  concrete  mixture  used  for  this  car. 
Its  normal  weight  of  104  lb.  per  cubic  foot 
was  slightly  increased  by  the  method  of 
forming  adopted.  The  mixture  was  shot 
against  outside  forms  by  a  cement  gun  in- 
side the  frame.    The  result  of  this  process 

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POPULAR    MECHANICS 


was  a  floor  and  walls  unusually  thin  but         The  designer,  a  prominent  Chicago  en 
very  dense.     The  more  bulky  crossbeams      gineer,  had  the  cooperation  of  Railroad 

A  HlTlinicfratiriri     anrl     Tllinnic     C^t^n^ 


smooth  because  of  the  close  cohesion  with 
the  forms.  Completed,  the  car  weighed 
about  3,600  lb.  more  than  was  calculated; 
subsequent  similar  models,  however,  can 
readily  be  kept  within  the  bounds  of 
46,000  to  48,000  lb.,  approximating  the 
standards  of  steel  gondolas. 


successful,  but  had  a  capacity  of  only  six 
tons.  The  second  trial  resulted  in  im- 
provement, and  a  plant  is  being  erected 
at  Doetinchem,  Holland,  whose  manufac- 
turing facilities  will  be  devoted  to  this 
new  industry. 


MOTORCYCLIST  BALANCES 
SELF  AND  CAR  IN  AIR 

One  motorcyclist  goes  them  all  one  bet- 
ter by  driving  on  two  wheels,  balancing 
himself  and  his  sidecar  in  the  air.  At  a 
speed  of  25  miles  per  hour  few  will  care 
to  attempt  this  trick.  It  is  nothing  for 
this  expert,  however,  who  discovered  he 


I  COPYRIGHT,  JOHN  ffOWIN  HOOQ 

This  Motorcyclist  Rides  about  Town  in  His  Sidecar 
While  Tilted  Up  on  Two  Wheels 


could  ride  this  way  while  performing  mo- 
torcycle and  sidecar  tricks  for  a  motion- 
picture  firm. 


AIR  COMPRESSOR  FEEDS 
AIRPLANE  ENGINE 

Slower  speeds  at  higher  altitudes  has 
been  regarded  by  airmen,  heretofore,  as 
one  of  the  rules  of  the  game.  But  not 
much  longer,  if  a  Frenchman's  attach- 
ment is  as  successful  generally  as  in  ex- 
periment. As  described,  his  idea  is  a  sim- 
ple one,  involving  only  a  turbine  air-com- 
pressor which  is  driven  by  the  engine 
exhaust  and  feeds  the  intake  with  air  of 
normal  density.  With  the  engine  thus 
developing  full  power  at  all  altitudes,  it 
seems  that  more,  rather  than  less,  speed 
will  be  possible  as  the  plane  climbs  higher 
and  encounters  rapidly  decreasing  air  re- 
sistance. 


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At  the  Top,  mnd  Below  at  the  Left,  Are  Open,  Closed,  and  Front  Views  of  a  Much  Used  British  Type  of 

War  Ambulance.    The  Rear  View,  Lower  Right,  Shows  Stretcher  Space,  Box  Seats,  Attendant's 

Seat,  and  Locker  at  Front.    This  Model  Has  Plat,  Easy  Springs  Like  a  Railway  Coach 


AMBULANCE  REFINEMENTS  GIVE 

GREATER  EASE  AND  COMFORT 

Long-distance  hauling  of  war  casualty 
cases,  made  necessary  by  the  Hun's  taste 
for  hospital  bombardment,  brought  about 
the  development  of  a  number  of  improve- 
ments in  ambulance  design.  A  British 
type  of  body,  mounted  on  a  chassis  slight- 
ly longer  than  standard,  was  fitted  with  a 
flatter  style  of  spring  than  usual,  similar 
to  those  used  in  railway  practice.  A  pneu- 
matic system  of  suspension  was  adopted 
on  some  models,  consisting  of  a  rectangu- 
lar cylinder,  12  by  14  in.,  like  a  box  with 
a  sliding  cover,  containing  a  strongly  re- 
inforced pneumatic  cushion  of  rubber  and 
canvas.  This  took  the  place  of  elliptical 
springs  and  shock  absorbers,  giving  a  ver- 
tical play  of  four  inches  and  proving  quite 
satisfactory  in  tests.  Two  tiers  of  stretch- 
er rails  in  the  body  accommodated  four 
army  stretchers  at  once,  with  space 
under  the  seats  for  unused  stretchers  or 
scat  cushions.  The  attendant's  scat  and 
locker  are  at  the  front,  where  he  can 
speak  to  the  driver.  Ventilators  are  pro- 
vided in  the  roof. 


SMALL  AIR  WASHER  FOR  USE 

IN  HOME  OR  OFFICE 

An  air  washer  and  ventilator  has  been 
designed  that  is  approximately  the  size 
and  shape  of  a  cabinet  phonograph.  Be- 
ing compact  and 
portable,  it  may 
be  used  in  any 
office  or  factory 
which  is  supplied 
with  water,  heat- 
ing, and  electric- 
light  connections. 
Enameled  in  any 
desired  finish,  the 
machine  will  be 
inconspicuous 
among  the  fur- 
niture of  a  private 
home.  The  air  is 
drawn  from  out- 
doors, through  a 
spray  bath,  past  a 
radiator,  and  is 
expelled  by  a  va- 
riable-speed, motor-driven  fan,  at  a  maxi- 
mum rate  of  20,000  cu.  ft.  per  hour. 


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WAR  DIRIGIBLES  OF  THE  BRITISH  NAVY  NOW 


No  Ship  was  Ever  Sunk  While  under  Escort  from  the  Air 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


AIRPLANE  BURIES  NOSE 
IN  FRONT  PORCH 

Quick  decisions  are  part  of  the  airman's 
stock  in   trade,  and  in  effecting  a  tardy 


The  Pilot   of  This   Machine  Chose  between   Spectators   and   Telephone 

Wires  with  the  Result  Shown.    Losses  Included  One  Wing,  One 

Propeller,  and  a  Pair  of  Landing  Wheels 

take-off  from  a  muddy  field,  this  pilot 
had  to  choose  between  a  row  of  inter- 
ested spectators  in  automobiles,  and  the 
telephone  wires.  He  decided  for  the  lat- 
ter, nosed  his  machine  up  quickly,  but 
couldn't  quite  climb  over.  In  an  instant, 
machine,  wires,  and  two  telephone  poles 
were  across  the  street  and  on  the  ground. 
The  airman  stepped  out  unhurt,  but  the 
tenants  of  the  house,  who  were  sitting  on 
the  front  porch  when  their  yard  was  thus 
invaded,  suffered  some  nervous  shock. 


CONCRETE  ENGINEER  RECORDS 

RESULTS  ON  FILM 

An  authority  on  concrete  recently  lec- 
tured to  an  assembly  of  engineers  on  the 
methods  and  results  of 
five  years  of  experiments, 
using  two  and  a  half 
reels  of  moving-picture 
films  to  illustrate  his  re- 
marks. One  section  of 
the  film  was  unusually  in- 
teresting, as  it  showed  a 
slow  *'setting"  process 
that  necessitated  the  use 
of  a  motor-driven  camera 
to  record  the  50  days' 
continuous  exposure.  Ex- 
planation and  discussion 
of  interesting  bits  of  the 
film  were  permitted  by 
the  employment  of  a 
projector  that  could  be 
stopped  for  any  length  of  time  with  no 
danger  to  the  sensitive  film. 


MANY  SUBSTITUTES  REPLACE 

EUROPE'S  BROKEN  GLASS 

Materials  of  many  kinds,  more  or  less 
transparent,  are  being  tried  in  Europe  to 
replace  window  glass,  which  is  unobtain- 
able.    Cellulose    films    are    made    : 

practical  by  mounting  on  metal 
gratings,  light  wire  screen,  or 
cloth.  Glue  interlaced  with 
hemp  strands  between  two  sheets 
of  paper;  albumen  and  casein 
products;  sheet  gelatin,  and  an 
artificial  resin  made  by  con- 
densing phenol  with  a  formal- 
dehyde solution,  all  are  imper- 
fect but  ready  makeshifts.  More 
nearly  resembling  glass,  but  I 
comparatively  expensive,  are  an  ] 
oxide  of  silica  made  by  fusing  it 
with  acid  oxides  of  titanium  or 
zirconium,  and  a  combination  of 
greensand  marl  with  magnesia, 
bauxite,  and  an  alkali,  melted  in 
an  electric  furnace.  Some  of  these 
class  substitutes  are  flexible. 


FARMER'S   FOE,   CARRION   CROW, 

HAS  PRICE  ON  HIS  HEAD 

Though  many  of  the  agriculturist's 
ancient  aversions  have  been  changed  to 
amity,  against  the  carrion  crow  the  old 
charge  still  stands;  he  is  the  destructive, 
black-hearted  Hun  of  the  fields.  To  deci- 
mate his  ranks,  always  a  duty,  is  now  to 
become  also  a  pleasure  and  a  game.  Farm- 
ers and  sportsmen  will  line  up  together 
this  year  in  a  national  crow-shooting  con- 
test, in  which  gold,  silver,  and  bronze  cups, 
and  buttons  will  be  awarded  to  the  most 
successful  hunters.  There  promises  to  be 
a  run  on  the  store  supply  of  crow  calls. 


One  Gun,  One  Morning,  26  Crows — That  Helps  to  Reduice  the 


Parmer's  Menace.    A  Common  Crow  Call  Brings  Them 
In,  and  the  First  One  Killed  is  Set  Up  as  a  Decoy 


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The 

Transatlantic 

Air  Voyage 


COMMENT  AND  REVIEV 

[TheM  iMgea  were  printed  March  24.  1919] 

T^VEN  before  this  page  can  be  printed  and  reach  its  readers,  there  is  a  chance 
-'-^  that  the  first  transatlantic  air  voyage  will  have  been  made.  Prance  was  the 
first  to  announce  an  attempt,  which  unfortunately  had  to  be  deferred,  owing  to 
a  cracked  cylinder.  England  is  working  desperately  to  get  an 
airship  ready,  and  it  is  understood  our  own  War  Department 
has  hopes  also  of  being  the  first  across.  It  is  to  be  hoped  the 
feverish  anxiety,  though  quite  natural  and  commendable;  will 
not  lead  either  of  the  contestants  to  undertake  the  trial  until 
every  possible  effort  has  been  made  to  insure  success.  There 
are  dare-devil  ''aimats"  in  plenty  ready  to  make  the  attempt  even 
in  the  face  of  a  minimum  of  ^ance  of  success,  but  let  us  hope 
that  success  is  guaranteed  in  advance,  so  far  as  such  a  thing  is  possible. 

Crossing  the  Atlantic  in  a  plane  today  really  seems  less  of  an  undertaking . 
than  crossing  the  English  Channel  did  at  the  time  B16riot  did  it  for  the  first  time. 
There  is  a  great  difference  in  the  two  flights^  however,  even  after  allowing  for 
the  improvement  in  air  craft  since  that  day.  . 

As  the  birthplace  of  the  aeroplane,  it  would  be  most  gratifjring  to  Americans, 
to  have  the  honor  of  the  first  flight,  whidi  will  be  an  epoch  in  history  deserving  a 
place  alongside  the  first  locomotive  and  steamship.  Our  conduct  of  aeroplane; 
affairs,  however,  ever  since  Wilbur  Wrif^ht  made  his  first  flight,  does  not  warrant 
any  great  expectations.  We  hope  to  wm,  but  shall  be  very  proud  of  the  French- 
man or  Englishman  who  carries  off  the  honors. 

There  is  doubtless  no  other  one  thing  of  a  commercial  nature  which  seems  to 
combine  so  many  unknown  possibilities  for  good  and  evil  as  the  trans-ocean  air-? 
plane.  With  its  accomplishment,  which  apparently  is  assured,  we  become  ths 
next-door  neighbors  of  the  other  nations  of  the  world,  with  the  same  liability'  of 
interference.  The  oceans,  once  our  confident  bulwark,  from  attack,  no  longer 
protect;  and  when  the  air  becomes  an  international  thoroughfare,  we.  can  no 
longer  hold  back,  we  can  only  defend.  With,  the  air  definitely  conquered,  the 
world  becomes  practically  a  city  block;  and  with  so  great  a  decrease  in  immunity, 
let  us  hope  for  a  corresponding  hesitancy  to  start  a  conflict. 

The  theories  as  to  air  currents  and  atmospheric  conditions^  favorable  and 
otherwise,  which  the  first  flight  will  reveal,  are  many  and  conflicting.  The  prob- 
ability, however,  is  that  the  voyage  will  show  less  difficulty  from  these  sources 
than  expected,  and  will  more  likely  be  reduced  chiefly  to  engine  peridrmance, 
which,  like  other  mechanical  details,  is  capable  of  correction  and  improvement. 
And  so  the  next  few  months  will  bring  events  of  as  thrilling  interest  as  any 
battle  of  the  war,  and  likewise  fraught  with  possibilities  no  less  portentous  and 
momentous. 


An 

Encouraging 

Prospect 


SPRING  is  here  and  with  its  advent  has  come  a  most  encouraging  resumption 
of  peace-time  activities.    There  are  spots,  like  New  England  and  the  upper 
Mississippi  Valley,  which  have  responded  less  freely,  but  these,  too,  will  shortly 
fall  in  line. 

The  boys  back  from  Prance,  who  were  on  the  firing  line  on 
that  memorable  eleventh  day  of  November,  tell  of  the  remark- 
able sensation  which  came  when  the  big  guns  were  suddenly 
hushed,  and  the  quiet  that  followed  which  was  almost  painful  in 
its  intensity.  It  was  many  hours  before  the  men  were  able  to 
adjust  themselves  to  the  new  condition.  The  industries  of  our 
•country  experienced  a  very  similar  state,  with  this  difference: 
Where  the  individual  was  able  to  bring  himself  to  the  readjustment  in  a  few  hours 
or  days,  business,  by  reason  of  its  greater  complications,  has  required  five  months. 
Even  at  that,  the  period  has  been  surprisingly  short. 

This  does  not  mean  that  we  are  back  on  a  peace  basis  by  any  means,  but  it 
does  mean  that  the  wheels  of  activity  have  already  begun  to  turn,  and  each  day 
means  a  speeding  up  of  those  already  started,  and  more  and  more  of  others. 

Not  all  the  men  who  have  returned  to  ciinlian  life  have  ^t  been  able  to  place 
theniselves  as  desirably  as  when  they  left  to  enter  war  service.  The  assimilation 
is  rapidly  progressing,  however.  In  some  concerns,  many  of  the  female  w.orkers, 
instead  of  being  discharged  when  soldiers  returned  to  their  former  positions,  are 


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■     res 


result  of  all  this  was  to  create  and  foster  a  world-wide  conviction  that  Germany 
was  a  sapemation^  head  and  shoulders  above  all  others,  and  therefore  im- 
pregnable. To  resist  Germany  when  she  set  out  to  conquer  was  to  invite  and 
msure  disaster.  In  short,  the  expectation  was  to  destroy  in  advance  a  world 
morale,  and  thus  reduce  successful  conquest  to  its  simplest  terms. 

This  system  was  not  without  its  results  and  effect.  The  German  at  home, 
and  with  few  ezcei>tions  abroad,  was  absolutely  grounded  in  the  conviction  that 
the  fatherland  was  invincible.  We  can  each  recall  those  Germans  in  this  country, 
including  those  who  had  been  naturalized  here  for  many  years,  and  who  eventually 
took  sides  with  the  United  States  against  Germany,  who  in  1914,  1915,  and  1916 
were  both  indignant  and  angry  at  any  suggestion  of  German  failure,  or  of  re- 
sponsibility for  starting  the  war. 

It  is  quite  true  that,  in  the  early  days  of  the  struggle^victory  perched  on 
German  banners,  and  the  tide  of  battle  flowed  one  way.  This  apparently  was 
proof  of  the  claim  of  supemation.  What  with  millions  of  men  with  years  of 
the  most  severe  military  training;  guns  with  undreamed-of  range,  throwiny^  shells 
of  unheard-of  size;  new  explosives  of  unequaled  power  and  violence;  airships; 
submarines;  gas  shells;  liquid  fire,  and  all  the  other  new-in-civilized-warfare 
weapons,  the  claim  apparently  was  established.  The  world  seemed  voiceless  to 
refute  the  assertion. 

Then  gradually— so  slowly  at  first  there  seemed  no  progress  whatever — 
the  allies  began  where  Germany  had  commenced  forty  years  ago,  to  gird  up 
their  loins.  It  was  slow  work — that  of  fighting  a  defensive  battle  against  vastly 
unequal  odds  with  one  hand  and  building  an  offensive  with  the  other.  The 
conditions  were  supremely  hard,  for  it  is  one  thing  to  i>lan  and  invent  and  ex- 
periment and  construct  and  test  out,  all  under  the  conditions  of  peace,  and  quite 
another  to  commence  at  the  foundation  to  do  the  same  when  carrying  on  a  war. 

In  only  a  little  more  than  four  years,  the  allies  had  searched  out  and  organ- 
ized their  inventive  and  scientific  minds,  their  chemists^  their  bmlders  of  guns 
and  submarines  and  air  craft,  and  had  brought  their  fighting  machinery — ^with 
the  exception  of  the  76-mile  gun — up  to  the  standard  which  Germany  had  re- 
quired forty  years  to  accompush,  and  in  some  respects  had  gone  even  better. 
With  the  advent  of  the  United  States  came  a  tremendous  im^se  of  inventive 
accomplishment  which  in  scarcely  more  than  a  vear  had  conceived,  and  made  in 
vast  quantities,  weapons  in  comparison  with  which  the  German  ^pe  was  as  a 
child's  toy. 

Many  of  these  things  are  still  a  secret  in  the  archives  of  our  War  College; 
their  details  or  even  their  existence  have  not  and  should  not  be  made  public;  but 
it  is  permissible  to  mention  one,  a  gas  shell,  the  use  of  which  will  absolutely  and 
almost  instantly  annihilate  any  army  into  whose  ranks  it  is  hurled. 

Had  the  armistice  been  delayed  only  a  few  days,  there  would  not  have 
been  left  alive  a  single  soldier  in  all  the  Metz  fortifications.  A  few  planes  hover- 
ing so  far  above  its  guns  as  to  be  mere  specks  in  the  sky;  a  few  gas  bombs 
dropped  among  the  forts,  and  a  few  moments  later,  not  a  living  soul  left  to  chal- 
lenge or  surrender.  And  this  ^ell,  the  result  of  only  a  few  months'  effort,  makes 
the  German  preparation  of  forty  years  as  the  snail  is  to  a  hare. 

These  words  are  not  written  for  the  purpose  of  any  self-laudation  of  what 
the  allies  accomplished  chiefly  in  thirty-six  months,  although  deserved.  History 
will  emphasize  this  fact  far  beyond  what  the  most  of  us  realize  today.  The  essen- 
tial thing  we  should  grasp  is,  not  to  permit  ourselves  to  accept  in  future  as  we 
have  in  die  past,  without  question,  what  is  declared  to  us  by  Germany,  for  there 
is  every  reason  to  believe  that  a  country  which  found  its  deceptive  propaganda 
so  profitable  in  years  gone  by  is  not  going  to  abandon  its  formula  when  we  once 
more  settle  down  to  peace  conditions.  We  may,  with  equal  advantage,  each  one 
for  himself,  question  the  integrity  and  motive  of  many  statements  which  are 
made  with  so  much  assurance,  and  which  we  meekly  accept  without  any  other 
proof  and  authority  than  that  of  the  speaker's  word.  If  what  we  are  urged  to 
believe  is  so,  it  is  capable  of  proof;  if  the  evidence  does  not  support  the  state- 
ment, we  simply  delude  ourselves. 

Does  anyone  imagine  that,  if  the  German  people  who  were  alive  on  that  fate- 
ful August  day,  1914,  could  have  known  what  b  known  now,  they  would  have 
gone  into  the  war? 

H.  H.  WINDSOR 


M^^S 


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VICTORY  OF  PRINCETON 
COMMEMORATED 

A  sculptured  group,  26  ft.  in  height,  will 
stand  at  the  base  of  a  50-ft.  shaft  to  be 
erected  on  the  green  at  Princeton,  N.  J. 


OOrVRMNT,  a.  KAVMMURA 

This  Ficnre  of  Washington  wiU  be  Erected  on  the 

Scene  of  a   Victorioue  Surprise  AtUck  duxing  the 

Revolutionary  War 

The  event  commemorated  is  the  surprise 
attack  made  here  at  daybreak,  Jan.  3, 
1777,  on  a  part  of  Carnwallis'  forces 
by  the  patriot  army.  The  engagement 
was  fought  stubbornly,  but  the  Americans 
finally  triumphed,  thus  ending  a  long 
series  of  discouraging  misfortunes,  and 
inaugurating  the  campaign  which  drove 
the  British  from  nearly  all  of  New  Jersey. 


THREE  MESSAGES  AT  ONE  TIME 

ON  ORDINARY  TELEPHONE 

Even  the  multiplex  telephone,  an- 
nounced in  Popular  Mechanics  last 
March,  isn't  wholly  new  in  its  achieve- 
ment. It  is  related  that  a  Brazilian  news- 
paper has  been  enjoying  for  some  time 
the  privilege  of  carrying  on  three  simul- 
taneous conversations  over  a  single,  or- 
dinary telephone  circuit.  With  three  tele- 
phone sets  at  each  end  of  the  line,  one 
pair    of    users    talks    English,'  one    pair 


French,  and  one  pair  Portugese.  Out  of 
this  polyglot  complex,  which  the  tele- 
phone diaphragm  triumphantly  passes  on, 
the  listeners  seem  to  find  no  difficulty  in 
selecting  the  sounds  intelligible  to  them 
and  ignoring  the  others.  The  newspaper 
people  express  great  satisfaction  with  the 
result,  especially  as  they  pay  for  only  one 
line. 


SEAPLANES  FOR  FOREST- 
FIRE  PATROLS 

''Seaplanes  for  Forest-Fire  Patrols" 
reads  like  a  printer's  blunder,  but  it  really 
represents  a  movement  now  on  foot  in 
Canada  and  northern  Michigan.  The 
value  of  aerial  observation  in  conserving 
our  valuable  timber  reserves  is  evident; 
and  the  necessity  for  the  use  of  seaplanes 
becomes  so  when  a  map  is  consulted.  It 
is  revealed  that  hundreds  oLlakcs  dot  the 
territories  the  airmen  would  patrol,  thus 
furnishing  ideal  landing  places  for  small 
flying  boats.  Many  former  forest  rang- 
ers from  both  sides  of  the  international 
boundary  have  become  military  fliers, 
and,  on  discharge,  should  furnish  an  ex- 
cellent nucleus  for  a  service  of  this  sort. 


SAILORS  IN  MERCHANT  FLEET 

HAVE  OWN  UNIFORM       • 

Gobs  on  the  Shipping  Board's  training 
vessels  now  have  uniform  markings  of 
their  own.  Instead 
of  the  regulation 
three  narrow 
white  stripes  on 
the  blouse  collar 
this  merchant 
sailor  wears  two 
broad  ones.  The 
Shipping  Board 
insigne  on  the 
blouse  pocket  is 
most  distinctive, 
however,  as  noth- 
ing of  the  sort  is 
worn  in  the  navy. 

OOPTRMHT,  INTCMMTIOIMI.  riLM  Kimei 


CA  great  shortage  of  magazines,  for  the 
use  of  soldiers  in  camps  and  hospitals,  is 
reported  by  the  American  Libraiy  Asso- 
ciation. Receat  issues  of  magazines  not 
bearing  the  "one  cent  notice"  on  tlie  cover 
usually  may  be  sent  through  the  local 
library.  The  May  Popular  Mechanics 
bears  the  notice,  however,  and  may  be 
forwarded  through  the  mail  if  a  one-cent 
stamp  is  affixed. 


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The  Obserrer's  Use  of  Sound  Trumpets,  Direction-Finding  Drum,  and  Small  Diaphragms  in  the  Ship's 

Sides  is  Made  Plain  by  the  Left  Picture.    The  Diagram  at  the  Right  Indicates  How  the 

Parts  are  Correlated  for  the  Detection  of  Enemy  Submarines 

HYDROPHONES  ON  SHIP  DETECT  PRESENCE 
OF  ENEMY  CRAFT 


Water  transmits  sound  better  than  air, 
and  instruments  for  locating  submarines 
which  made  use  of  that  fact  were  most 
successful.  One  French  device  that  did 
splendid  work  took  the  form  of  a  rounded 
projection  or  "blister"  on  the  ship's  hull 
below  the  water  line,  one  on  each  side  re- 
placing a  section  of  the  plating.  Numerous 
perforations  in  these  convex  iron  plates 
were  closed  by  diaphragms.  Inside  the 
ship  sound-collecting  trumpets  were  sus- 
pended, facing  the  concavity  of  the  "blis- 
ters." These  were  connected  by  tubes  to 
earpieces  in  the  observer's  helmet.  When 
the    telltale    vibrations    were    heard,    the 


trumpets  were  swung  to  different  angles 
by  turning  a  drum.  At  the  point  of 
loudest  sound,  graduations  on  the  scale 
indicated  the  direction  of  the  disturbance 
with  great  accuracy.  Another  successful 
device,  electrical  in  its  nature,  resembled 
a  magnified  dictaphone.  It  was  not  a  part 
of  the  ship,  but  was  placed  in  any  selected 
location. 


CTo  reduce  army  overseas  foodstuff  re- 
serves to  45  days'  supply,  large  sales  have 
recently  been  made  to  the  French  and 
Belgian  governments,  the  strongest  de- 
mand being  for  evaporated  milk. 


OVTaNNT.  MTBMUTIOMM.  PHM  MHVICI 

At  the  Left  a  Working-Model   Submarine  is  Revealing  Its  Approach  by  Sound  Waves  Heard  through 

the  Device,  Like  a  Big  Dictaphone,  in  the  Comer.    The  Right  View  Is  a  Close-Up  of  the 

Microphonic  Detector,  Which  is  Placed  against  the  Side  of  the  Ship 


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CATTLE  RIDE  TO  MARKET 

IN  AUTOMOBILE  TRAILER 

An  enterprising  cattle  dealer  who  lives 
far  from  town  takes  his  cattle  to  market 
in  a  vehicle  of  his  own  design.  Two 
1,000-lb.  cows  travel  safely  in  a  stout 
trailer,  with  no  stops  for  meals.  Dining- 
car  service  is  furnished  by  the  back  of 
the  auto,  carrying  hay  which  the  animals 


Thete   Cows   Make    No   Stops   for    Meals   lor   There    Is   Plenty  of  Hay 

within    Reach   on   the    Rear    End    of   the   Automobile.      The 

Cattleman  Reports  Quick  Trips  and  Larger  Profits 


can  easily  reach  through  an  opening  in 
the  trailer  body.  As  a  result  of  the  quick 
trips  thus  made  possible  the  cattleman 
expects  a  larger  income  this  year, 

ARMY  TRAINING  PLANES 

TO  BE  STORED 

As  part  of  the  return  to  a  peace-time 
military  basis  the  War  Department  has 
decided  to  retain  16  fly- 
ing fields  and  three  bal- 
loon fields,  using  only 
two  for  actual  instruc- 
tion purposes.  Many 
elementary  and  ad- 
vanced training  planes 
will  thus  be  superfluous, 
but  it  is  believed  that 
there  is  no  immediate 
prospect  of  radical 
change  in  airplane  de- 
sign, and  that  the  planes 
may  be  stored  for  a  num- 
ber of  years  without  dan- 
ger of  deterioration. 


MOTOR-TRUCK   PLOW  CLEARS  HIGHWAY  OF  SNOW 


To   turn   a   five-ton   motor  truck   into 
an  efficient  snowplow  requires  some  in- 


wheels  for  traction.  Then  wooden  runners 
with  half-inch  steel  edges  are  fastened  to 


4-kA     4a-^n*- 


winier.i    ^irbi,  cieais  arc 
bolted  to  the  truck's  rear 


Rear  View  Gives  a  Better  Idea  of  the  Work  Done  b/  the  Plow  Point  and 
Spreaders.    The  Traction  Cleats  on  the  Rear  Whtels  May  be  Saen  Here 


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This  Comfortable  Motorcycle  Ambulance  Carries  a  Hospital  Attendant  and  a  Surgeon  to  the  Scene  of  the 
Accident.   The  Sidecar  is  Pitted  to  Receive  the  Stretcher,  Thus  Causing  the  Sufferer  a  Minimum  of  Discomfort 


SIDECAR  AMBULANCE 

FOR  HURRY  CALLS 

Motorcycle  ambulances  saw  some  serv- 
ice on  European  battle  fields,  but  it  was 
left  to  an  Australian  city  to  develop  the 
machine  for  civil  use.  The  only  radical 
departure  from  usual  sidecar  construction 
is  in  lengthening  the  chassis  to  give  more 
spring  suspension  for  the  long  car,  and  in 
mounting"    the    thi^d    wheel    h<»twe<*n 


STEAM  LAUNDRY  FOLLOWS 

MARCHING  TROOPS 

An  efficient  mobile  laundry  unit  fur- 
nishes another  example  of  government 
war-time  enterprise.  Hauled  by  a  tractor 
in  a  train  of  four  cars,  at  a  speed  of  three 
and  a  half  miles  per  hour,  the  establish- 
ment may  be  assembled  and  ready  for 
work  in  zO  minutes,  or  disassembled  and 
readv    for  the    road   in    15. 


This  Is  the  Interior  of  the  MiUtary  Laundry  That 
can  Follow  Marching  Troops.  The  Exterior  View, 
Above,  Shows  How  the  Pour  Sections  of  Which  the 
Latmdry  is  Made  Up  are  Assembled,  and  How  the 
Power  IS  Applied  to  the  Washing  Drums.  The  In- 
side  Space  Measures  About  20  by  24  Feet,  Giving 
Ample  Room  for  Machinery  and  Workers 


COfficial  warning  is  given  that  the  Amer- 
ican army  gas  mask,  designed  for  protec- 
tion in  the  open  air  against  a  few  spe- 
cific gases,  is  useless  for  the  majority  of 
commercial    and    industrial    purposes. 


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SEVEBtAL  INTERESTING  TYPES  OF  AMERICAN 


t>r^wAtllt>*t\rmA  Ki 


a^uKy  tit    fctic    Tvac    ««wac 


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WAR-TIME  AEROPLANES  AND  FLYING  BOATS 


'V 

^681 


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TRAIN  AND  RESCUING  PLOW 

BOTH  BURIED  IN  SNOW 

'  Passengers  on  a  Rock  Island  train  last 
February  had  an  experience  with  snow- 
drifts in  western  Kan-  - 
sas  that  they  will  re- 
member to  tell  to  their 
grandchildren.  In  a 
deep  cut  between  Phil- 
lipsburg  and  Prairie- 
view  the  train  headed 
into  a  drift  on  a  black 
night,  with  a  60-mile 
gale  blowing.  By  morn- 
ing the  train  was  com- 
pletely buried  in  snow. 
A  snowplow,  which 
set  out  to  the  rescue, 
valiantly  attacked  the 
huge  drift;  but  it  soon 
got  stuck,  and  the  fly- 
ing smother  of  white 
covered  it  also.  Train 
and  plow  were  shoveled 
out  by  hand  24  hours 
later.  Some  of  the 
drifts  of  that  unusual 
storm  were  30  ft.  deep, 


One  could  Never  Tell  It,  but  the  Man  in 
the  Picture  is  SUnding  on  Top  of  a 
Locomotive  Cab.  The  Whole  Train  Is 
under  the  Snowdrift,  as  Well  as  a  Plow 
That  Went  to  Its  Rescu« 


and  farmers  and  other  residents  of  the 
vicinity  had  to  tunnel  their  way  out  of 
their  houses. 


RED  CROSS  WORKERS  RECEIVE 

SERVICE  BADGES 

The  men  and  women  of  the  American 
Red    Cross    now    have    their    distinctive 

!      badge    for    service     in 

war  time.  For  men,  the 
emblem  is  a  button  for 
the  coat  lapel;  for 
women,  a  similar  but 
larger  disk  is  hung  by 
a  blue  ribbon  to  a  bar 
with  safety  catch.  The 
design  of  both  is  the 
same,  however,  consist- 
ing of  the  Red  Cross 
on  a  white  background, 
surrounded  by  a  band 
of  blue  on  which  are 
inscribed  the  words 
"Service.  American 
Red  Cross."  The  wom- 
en's badge  has  the 
added  feature  that  the 
color  of  the  ribbon  an- 
nounces the  length  of 
service.  The  plain  blue 
ribbon  denotes  800 
hours  in  six  months; 
with  one  white  stripe,  1,600  hours  in  12 
months,  and  with  two  stripes,  2,400  hours 
in  18  months. 


FLOOD  LIGHTS  ON  SHIPS'  DOCK 

MAKE  NIGHT  LOADING  SAFE 

One  of  the  docks  at  South  Brooklyn, 
N.  Y.,  has  lately  been  equipped  with  14 
powerful  electric  lamps,  seven  on  each 
side.  They  are  mounted  on  poles  60  ft. 
above  the  pier  floor  and  far  enough  apart 


to  range  the  entire  deck  length  of  a  large 
freight  ship.  The  dock  side  of  each  lamp 
is  masked,  so  that  all  the  illumination  is 
directed  upon  the  ship's  deck  where  it  is 
needed.  Perfect  diffusion  of  light  and 
location  of  the  lamps  outside  the  work- 
men's line  of  sight  eliminates  all  glare, 
which  has  previously  been  the  cause  of 


New  ^orm  of  Light  £or  Ship  Docks:  The  Insert  Shows  the  Lamp  in  DeUil,  While,  at  Left  and  Right.  Are 
Views  of  the  Installation  on  a  Brooklyn  Pier,  Indicating  Strong    lUumination  of  the  Ship's  Deck 


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Here  If  a  Typical  Hun  Wrecking  Crew  Busy  with  Their  Sledge  Hammers  in  a  French  Factory. 
Germany  Took  This  Means  of  Creating  a  Market  for  Her  Textile  Machinery 


several  accidents.  The  new  lamps  ef- 
fectively illuminate  a  radius  of  250  ft., 
making  night  loading  and  unloading  op- 
erations as  satisfactory  as  day  work. 


DAYLIGHT  EXACTLY  MATCHED 

WITH  POLARIZING  DEVICE 

When  a  scientist  desires  to  secure  an 
exact  reproduction  of  daylight  from  arti- 
ficial sources,  he  generally  uses  screens  or 
light  filters.  A  method  recently  developed 
makes  use  of  the  Nicol  prisms  of  a  polar- 
izing apparatus.  Crystalline  quartz  is 
placed  between  the  crossed  prisms,  its 
thickness  and  the  angle  of  the  adjustment 
*  being  varied  according  to  the  nature  of 
the  artificial  light.  Using  this  equipment, 
an  accurate  imitation  of  daylight  is  ob- 
tained. The  method,  however,  is  obvi- 
ously limited  to  the  illumination  of  com- 
paratively small  areas. 


DOUBLE  PURPOSE  PROVED 

IN  GERMAN  VANDALISM 

The  expression  "wanton  destruction"  is 
often  employed  to  describe  German  meth- 
ods in  Belgium  and  northern  France.  But 
the  terrific  wrecking  of  industrial  life  in 
these  countries  was  not  "wanton";  it  was 
the   result  of  deliberate,  careful  calcula- 


tion, which  intended  not  only  the  anni- 
hilation of  French  industrial  life,  but  also 
the  use  of  German  machinery  in  recon- 
struction. Thus,  after  discussing  the 
havoc  wrought  in  France,  a  German  re- 
port goes  on  to  say,  "If  the  commercial 
relations  between  France  and  Germany 
[after  the  war]  are  sufficiently  favorable, 
an  opportunity  of  tremendous  impor- 
tance, notably  the  erection  of  German 
textile  machinery,  ought  to  offer  itself  in 
northern  France." 


SHIPS'  DOUBLE  BOTTOMS 

PUT  TO  WORK 

For  many  years  a  few  steamships  from 
the  Far  East  have  brought  fuel  oil  back 
to  Britain  in  the  ballast  space  between 
their  inner  and  outer  hulls.  The  practice 
never  became  general,  however,  and 
"tankers"  Qontinued  to  handle  the  bulk  of 
the  trade.  But  in  June,  1917,  increased 
submarine  activity  and  the  expansion  of 
the  allied  fleets  made  immediate  additions 
to  tank  tonnage  so  imperative  that  not  a 
few,  but  hundreds  of  British  and  Amer- 
ican "double  bottoms"  were  fitted  for  this 
auxiliary  cargo.  Apart  from  its  war-rtime 
results  this  new  practice  has  taught  ma- 
rine engineers  many  lessons  that  will 
guide  them  in  designing  the  oil-burning 
ships  of  tomorrow. 


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IMPROVEMENT  IN  DOOR  LOCKS 
TO  PERMIT  HURRIED  EXIT 

Exit  doors  of  theaters,  schools,  and  like 
gathering  places,  must  normally  be  kept 
locked,  and  are  there- 
fore of  little  avail  in 
case  of   panic,   unless 
specially    designed 
locks    are    provided 
which  open  the  doors 
upon     pressure    from 
the  inside.    A  recently 
marketed     device     of 
this  kind  has  a  pivoted 
plate  curving  outward 
and  downward  at  the 
point  usually  occupied 
by    the    door    knob. 
Voluntary  or  involun- 
tary pressure  against  this  plate  actuates 
either  an  ordinary  form  of  lock  or  a  pair 
of  bolts  arranged  at  top  and  bottom  of 
the  door,  immediately  throwing  open  the 
exit. 


WHEEL  TRACTION   IMMATERIAL 
TO  TRUCK  WITH  WINCH 

Slippery,  hub-deep  sand  and  semiper- 
pendicular  grades  had  no  terrors  for  a 
motor  truck,  of  which  several  army  mod- 


backward  over  or  through  almost  any 
kind  of  surface.  With  its  brakes  locked, 
the  cable  and  winch  served  to  pull  other 
vehicles  across  the  same  difficulties. 


CAFETERIA  PLAN  SELLS 

WOMEN'S  APPAREL 

Signs  replace  salespeople  in  a  city 
"dresseteria '  now  successfully  selling 
women's  ready-to-wear  clothes.  Unat- 
tended and  unhurried,  the  customer  ex- 
amines the  articles  in  which  she  is  inter- 
ested and  makes  her  purchases.  She  may 
have  help,  however,  as  a  sign  informs  her 
that  an  employe  will  be  glad  to  assist  in 
selection  if  invited  to  do  so.  Her  choice 
made,  the  customer  turns  to  a  central 
desk,  where  the  sale  is  concluded  and  the 
bundle  wrapped. 


WIRE  AND  WIRELESS 

SYSTEMS  LINKED 

Conversation  between  a  city  home  with 
ordinary  telephone  equipment,  and  an  air- 
plane in  the  clouds  above  it,  is  forecast  by 
a  reported  method  for  connecting  wire 
and  wireless  systems.  The  originators  do 
not  believe  that  wireless  telephony  will 
ever  supplant  the  present  wire  system  en- 
tirely, but  they  hold  that  it  has  its  use  in 
g  with  ships,  moving  trains, 
accessible  places  in  generaL 


Rear  View  of  Motor  Truck  Equipped  with  Winch,  Which  is  Seen  in  Poii- 
tion  on  an  Extension  of  the  Frame :  The  Incased  Driving  Gear  Is  Visible  Just 
above  the  Winch.  The  Cable,  as  may  be  Seen,  Pays  Out  behind  the  Truck 


els  were  made,  equipped  with  a  winch 
mounted  behind  the  rear  axle  on  an  ex- 
tension of  the  frame.  When  the  end  of 
the  cable  from  the  winch  was  attached 
to  some  solid  object  the  truck  progressed 


yiENT  BACKS  GOOD- 

\DS  PROGRAM 

3f  many  state-highway  offi- 
rsea  road  engineers  be  re- 
;ir  jobs  in  this  country  is 
another  evidence  of  the 
growing  demand  for 
more  and  better  roads. 
Despite  present  costs  of 
road  -  buildinp^  material 
and  labor,  it  is  expected 
that  a  total  of  more  than 
half  a  billion  dollars  will 
be  spent  for  this  purpose 
in  the  next  year  and  a 
half,  giving  work  to  more 
than  100,000  men  in  ad- 
dition to  those  employed 
in  the  production  of  ma- 
terials. The  Federal  share 
of  this  program  already  is  assured  by 
the  passage  of  the  recent  post-office 
appropriation  bill  by  which  an  expendi- 
ture of  $209,000,000  for  highways  is  pro- 
vided. 


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In  the  Center  of  the  Left  Picture  SUnds  the  Gold-Leaf  Electroscope,  While  at  Its  Right  Is  the  Charging  De- 
vice in  Its  Case.    In  the  Left  Corner  Is  a  Fragment  of  Willemite.    The  Right-Hand  Picture  Shows 
the  Investigators  in  Cook  County  HospiUl  Laundry,  Watching  the  Electroscope 

HUNTERS  OF  LOST  RADIUM  USE  ODD  TOOLS 

By  PAUL  H.  WOODRUFF 


\>f  AKING  a  wireless  receiving  station 
'^^•*  out  of  a  gold-leaf  electroscope; 
Ivatchiiig  the  inside  of  a  small,  dark  box 
with  a  microscope;  holding  a  queer-look- 
ing mineral  frag- 
ment close  to  sus- 
picious lurking 
places ;  these  are 
some  of  the  myste- 
rious methods 
pra^tj^ed  by  the 
professional  hunt- 
ers of  lost  radium, 
por  with  the  con- 
stant use  in  busy 
hospitals  of  radium 
capsules  no  larger 
than  a  diamond, 
and  many  times 
more  valuable, 
there  are  bound  to 
be  occasional 
Ipsses.  It  is  the 
task  of  the  insur- 
ance underwriters 
to  recover  the  miss- 
ing particle  if  pos- 
sible, and  they  have 
learned  to  take  ad- 
vantage of  all  its 
extraordinary  prop- 
erties to  make  it  re- 
veal itself. 

Radium's  strange  power  to  discharge  a 
statically  charged  electroscope,  even  at  a 
distance  of  50  ft.,  makes  that  instrument 
the   most    important   of   the    radium    de- 


Testing  a  Suspected  Washing  Machine  in  the  Hospital 
Laundry  with  a  Fluorescent  Screen,  After  the  Electro- 
scope had  Quit  on  Account  of  Too  Much  Moisture: 
The  Screen  Itself  Is  on  the  Front  of  the  Box,  and 
the  Observer  Watches   It  through  the  Microscope 


tective's  tools.    With  it  goes  a  small  fric- 
tional  electrical   machine   for   keeping   it 
charged.    The  natural  sensitiveness  of  the 
instrument  is  increased  by  suspending  an 
aluminum   wire,   10 
or  12  ft.  long,  from 
its     knob,     like     a 
wireless       antenna. 
The    electroscope's 
only  enemy  is  mois- 
ture, which  practi- 
cally   short-circuits 
it  and  gives  a  false 
discharge       signal. 
This   is   what   hap- 
pened    at     Cook 
County  Hospital  in 
Chicago,    where    a 
$4,100  radium  tube 
recently    disap- 
peared.    The  hunt- 
ers    thought     they 
had  located  the  tiny 
treasure     in     the 
laundry,     until 
further     experi- 
ments     demon- 
strated the  mislead- 
ing influence  of  the 
humid  air. 
A  fluorescent 
screen,    such    as   is 
used  in  X-ray  work, 
will    glow    when    radioactive    emanations 
fall  upon  it;  so  a  cameralike  box,  with  a 
screen  on  one  side  and  a  microscope  on 
the  other  to  catch  the  faintest  glimmer,  is 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


included  in  the  radium  sleuth's  kit.  The 
mineral  willemite,  consisting  of  crystals 
of  zinc  orthosilicate,  also  glows  with  a 
brilliant  green  fluorescence  when  there  is 
radium  within  a  few  feet  of  it.  For  that 
reason  it  constitutes  another  of  the  queer 
tools  devoted  to  the  capture  of  the 
escaped  speck  of  fortune. 


PURIFICATION  OF  PARK  PONDS 

BY  DRAINING  AND  SUNNING 

Stagnation,  followed  by  the  develop- 
ment of  malign  and  malodorous  forms  of 
low   plant,  life,   is  a  disease   common  to 


From  Holes   Like  This  in  the   Lake  Bottom,  After 

the  Water  had  been  Pumped   Out,  the    Rich  Black 

Muck   was   Sucked    Up    and    Spread   on   the    Park 

Lawns  for  Fertilizer 

park  lagoons  and  ornamental  ponds  which 
suffer  from  lack  of  circulation.  When 
four  artificial  lakes  in  the  city  parks  of 
Los  Angeles,  Calif.,  became  so  afflicted, 
the  park  commission  resorted  to  the 
method  of  draining  them  and  allowing 
the  purifying  rays  of  the  sun  to  shine 
upon  the  exposed  beds  until  sanitation 
was  complete.  With  the  aid  of  the  fire 
department,  the  water  was  pumped  from 
the  lagoons  into  the  adjacent  sewers  until 
the  outflow  began  to  show  black  with  the 
muck  of  the  bottom.  Then  the  discharge 
lines  were  fitted  with  sprays  and  turned 
upon  the  park  lawns,  for  the  potent  fer- 
tilizing effect  of  the  decaying  sediment. 
A  little  water  was  left  in  each  pond  for 
the  goldfish;  but  the  wild  fowl  of  the 
neai;-by  coast  soon  discovered  this  invit- 
ing cache  of  delicacies,  and  the  muddy 
pools  became  a  splashing  mass  of  gulls 


geese,  ducks,  pelicans,  grebes,  and  mud 
hens.  Much  curious  material  was 
brought  to  light  as  the  water  receded,  one 
lake,  at  Echo  Park,  uncovering  12  sunken 
rowboats,  two  road  scrapers,  an  automo- 
bile, a  cookstove,  a  human  skeleton,  three 
pistols,  and  a  vast  collection  of  tin  cans, 
bottles,  fishing  tackle,  and  other  miscel- 
lany. After  airing  and  sunning  the  bot- 
tom for  four  to  six  weeks,  the  water  was 
gradually  restored,  nearly  a  month  being 
taken  for  the  filling  process. 


POWERFUL  PORTABLE  ARC  LAMP 

FOR  MOTION-PICTURE  WORK 

Motion  pictures  may  be  taken  anywhere 
and  at  any  time  with  the  aid  of  a  new 
compact  arc  lamp  of  great  power,  which 
is  so  light  that  a  man  can  carry  two  of 
them.  A  twin  arc  is  used,  with  two  pairs 
of  carbons  cored  with  a  compound  of 
magnesia,  giving  a  light  closely  resembling 
daylight  The  feed  is  automatic,  the 
solenoid  occupying  a  box  at  the  back  of 
the  lamp  house.  In  the  same  box  are 
two  rheostat  coils,  enabling  any  standard 
electrical-supply  circuit  to  be  used.  A 
diffusing  slide  of  heat-resisting  spun  glass 
closes  the  front  of  the  case.  The  lamp 
is  supported  at  any  desired  height  by  a 
folding  iron  tripod.  Three  such  lamps  are 
sufficient  to  illuminate  a  setting  50  by  30 
ft.,  the  candlepower  ranging  from  8,000 
to  15,000  for  each. 


"EX'S"  KEEP  ALMANACH 

UP  TO  DATE 

Since  1763  the  German  Almanach  de 
Gotha  has  given  the  world  an  annual  di- 
gest of  all  data  concerning  royal  families 
and  governments  throughout  the  world, 
the  publishers'  manuscript  going  to  the 
printer  in  the  fall,  to  appear  in  book  form 
in  the  spring.  But  this  year,  unfortu- 
nately, the  material  prepared  in  October, 
1918,  was  discovered  to  need  alarming  re- 
vision. Thus  articles  on  Poland,  Finland, 
and  Ukrainia  were  canceled,  "owing  to 
the  change  in  the  course  of  events,"  while 
descriptions  of  William  Hohenzollem  and 
his  friends  nearly  always  needed  a  prefa- 
tory "ex."  Otherwise  the  former  em- 
peror is  allowed  to  retain  his  53  titles 
without  alteration. 


C  Copper-oxide  deposits  yielding  90  per 
cent  of  copper,  to  say  nothing  of  a  pos- 
sible gold  content,  have  been  located  in 
the  province  of  Varmland,  Sweden. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


687 


Thick  Puel^U  Smoke  Made  Masks  for  the  Rescuers  a  Necessity  in  This  Office-Building  Fire.    The  Force 
of  the  Explosion  is  Demonstrated  bv  the  Fire  Box  in  Middle  of  the  Room  at 
the  Right,  Torn  Out  When  a  Tube  inside  It  Burst 


BOILER  EXPLOSION  TEARS 

OFF  FIRE  BOX 

The  engines  kept  right  on  running  after 
a  boiler  explosion  had  killed  three  men 
and  filled  a  10-story  building  >vith  steam 
and  smoke.  One  feed  pump,  inaccessible 
to  the  firemen,  continued  to  supply  fuel 
oil  to  the  flames  from  a  broken  pipe  for 
20  minutes.  The  cause  of  the  accident 
may  never  be  determined,  as  the  men  in 
the  immediate  vicinity  were  all  killed ;  but 
it  has  been  found  that  a  boiler  tube  ex- 
ploded inside  the  fire  box,  tearing  it  off 
as  shown  in  the  illustration.  The  fire 
that  followed  demonstrated  the  value  of 
good  masks  to  the  fire  fighters,  as  the 
thickness  of  the  smoke  made  rescue  work 
impossible  without  them. 


GREAT  PERSIAN  OIL  FIELDS     . 

ADD  TO  "WEALTH  OF  ASIA" 

The  famous  oil  wells  of  Baku  have  an 
orieiilal  rival.  Western  Persia,  between, 
the  mountains  of  Kurdistan  and  the  Per-* 
sian  Gulf,  is  now  known  to  contain  oil 
fields  whose  content  and  value  are  be- 
yond estimate.  In  the  district  of  Irak- 
Ajemi,  full  of  names  suggesting  rare  and 
beautiful  carpets,  borings  have  yielded 
oil  of  exceptional  quality,  and  disclosed 
a  tract  of  nearly  400  square  miles.  A 
high  percentage  of  benzine  and  kerosene 
is  characteristic  of  the  Persian  oil. 
England  has  the  concession  to  work  the 
fields,  and  soon  the  looms  of  Kerman- 
shah  and  Ispahan  will  give  way  to  oil 
derricks. 


JOB  OF  HARVESTING  BEANS  MADE  EASY  BY  MACHINE 


Harvest  time  brings  peculiar  worries  to 
the  bean  grower,  whose  troubles  a  Cali- 
fornia inventor  has  undertaken  to  solve 

with    a   cutting  machine      

that  specializes  on  beans. 
The  new  harvester  is 
drawn  by  horse  or  trac- 
tor and  operated  by  one 
man.  The  rectangular 
frame  at  the  front  car- 
ries blades  which  cut  two 
to  four  rows  at  once. 
The  cut  plants  are  then 

thrown     by     a     toothed      

drum  onto  an  inclined 
belt  conveyor  at  the  back. 
This     in     turn     deposits 


them  on  a  metal  platform.  Without  stop- 
ping or  leaving  his  seat,  the  operator,  can 
then  dump  the  plants  at  any  time. 


Cutter  Blades  in  the  RectanKular  Frame  at  the  Front  Cut  from  Two  to 

Pour  Rows  of  Beans  at  One  Time,  the  Plants  Then  being  Conveyed  Back 

to  the  Metal   Platform   at  the  Rear,   from  Which   the  Driver  can   Dump 

Them  in  Shocks 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


AMERICA'S  PIONEER  RAILROAD 

MASSACHUSETTS  LANDMARK 

Although  America's  railroad  history  is 
recorded   as   beginning  when   the    Balti- 


Rails  of  Hand-Porged  Steel,  Laid  in  18S6,  Still  Cling 

to   the    Granite:    and  a  Cable    Ran   over   the    Very 

Wheel  That  Lies  in  the  Foreground 

more  and  Ohio  laid  its  first  rails  in  1828, 
a  pair  of  rusted  strips  of  iron  still  visible 
in  eastern  Massachusetts  tell  of  a  pioneer 
transportation  line  whose  inauguration 
antedated  that  event  by  two  years.  From 
the  granite  quarries  of  West  Quincy  the 
old  road  ran  four  miles  to  tidewater  on 
the  Neponset  River,  and  carried  granite 
for  the  building  of  the  Bunker  Hill  mon- 
ument. The  rails,  of  hand-forged  iron,  2 
in.  wide  and  %  in.  thick,  were  held  by 
hand-forged  spikes  to  the  granite  roadbed. 
Mules  were  the  locomotives,  assisted  by  a 
cable  where  the  grade  was  heavy. 


C  Bottled  milk,  ice  cream,  and  manufac- 
tured milk  products  appear  to  be  favor- 
ite substitutes  for  their  old  line  of  busi- 
ness among  the  breweries,  especially  in 
Pennsylvania.  Other  brewers  are  turning 
their  properties  into  mineral-water 
plants,  warehouses,  laundries,  garages, 
machine  shops,  packing  plants,  and  beet- 
sugar  factories. 


RED  CROSS  WILL  FIGHT 

WORLD  SUFFERING 

The  international  committee  of  the  Red 
Cross  feels  that  world  peace  can  never  be 
more     than     a     political 
catchword  until  the  pres- 
ent prevalence  of  disease 
and  suffering  is   abated. 
It  believes,  too,  that  by 
virtue     of     its     interna- 
tional   organization    and 
past  experience,  the  Red 
Cross  is  better  fitted  than 
any  other  agency  to  carry 
on   such  a   regeneration. 
In  consequence  it  is  an- 
nounced  that   a   confer- 
ence   of   all    Red    Cross 
societies  will  convene  at 
Geneva,    Switzerland,   30 
days  after  the  signing  of 
the  peace  treaty,  to  con- 
sider a   program   which, 
in    its    general    features, 
has    already    been    com- 
mended   by    President 
Wilson    and    Premier 
This  program  provides,  in 
1  central  bureau  at  Geneva, 
:eive  medical  reports  from 
ixperts  in  all  corners  of  the 
eports  to  be  analyzed,  co- 
d    published    broadcast    in 
^v^ij  Lvpii^ui..     It  is  pointed  out  that  the 
great   pandemic  of  influenza  could  have 
been  largely  checked  at  its  start  by  such 
an  organization,  with  its  experts  every- 
where at  work  on  the  problem. 


STRIPES  ON  TROLLEY  POLE 
WARN  MOTORISTS 

A  southern  city  possesses  some  trolley 
poles  that  are  painted  in  conspicuous  al- 
ternate   bands    of     

black    and    white.  | 

The    city    current 

is  usually  sent  un-  \ 

derground;  hence  [ 

poles  are  a  rarity 
and  it  is  felt  that 
local  motorists 
might  easily  col- 
lide with  the  pole 
after  nightfall ; 
the  more  so  as  it 
is  located  in  the 
center  of  a  via- 
duct which  is 
much  used  as  a 
thoroughfare. 


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TT  is  not  known  what  designing  genius 
■■•  inspired  the  strife-producing  arrange- 
ment. Potsdaiiri  could  not  have  done  bet- 
ter. 

The    slant-eyed    Ghurkas    from    Nepal 
— silent,  fierce   men   combining  the  craft 
of   Tibet   with   the   pride  and   cruelty   of 
Himalayan    natives — were    jammed    next 
to  a  regiment  of  Sikhs  from  the  Punjab. 
The   Germans  were   counterattacking  on 
this    three-mile 
salient,  while 
everywhere  else 
the     sweep     of 
the  Somme  of- 
fensive     drove 
them      b  a  c  k  - 
w^ard. 

While  the 
stosstruppen 
came  on  in  per- 
sistent waves, 
the  two  colo- 
nial regiments 
foupht  side  by 
side  like  so 
many  t  h  o  u  - 
sands  of  friend- 
ly fiends.  When 
the  counterat- 
tack exhausted 
itself  on  the 
knives  and  bay- 
o  n  e  t  s  of  the 
Orientals,  and 
the  soldiers  had 
a  few  hours  of 
recuperation,  in 
the  words  of  a  British  signaler  detailed  to 
the  sector,  "  *ell   popped,  immejit!" 


oF 


st/tns.  wtuueuer  me  real  cause,  tn  ten  minuies  tfie  wnoie  sector  was 
a  scramble  of  personal  combats  to  the  death,  and  a  whole  Devonshire 
division  was  called  upon  to  separate  the  supposed  allies. " 


The  Ghurkas  spied  the  blue-clad  Sikhs 
— in  dress,  as  in  matters  of  food  and  re^ 
ligion,  the  latter  troops  insisted  on.  main-- 
taining  their  native  custom — and  knew 
them  for  the  enemies  they  had  *  feared 
and  hated  for  centuries  before  the  British" 
occupation.  Technically  the  dispute  be- 
gan over  the  possession  of  a  goat,  brought 
to  be  slaughtered  for  a  certain  squad 
Sikhs.  Whatever  the  real  cause,  in 
ten  minutes  the 
whole  sector 
was  a  scramble 
of  personal 
combats  to  the 
death,  and  a 
whole  Devon- 
shire  division 
was  called  upon 
to  separate  the 
supposed  allies. 
When  at  last 
the  Indians- 
we  re  pried 
from  each  oth- 
er's  throats, 
over  a  hundred 
casualties  had 
occurred.  The 
Sikhs  were  re- 
moved  from 
the  vicinity  im- 
mediately, and 
later  taken  to 
Mesopota- 
mia, where 
they  gave  gal- 
lant service 
against  a  foe  with  whom  they  could  grap- 
ple to  their  hearts*  content. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


Had  the  Huns  known  the  details  of 
this  internecine  battle,  they  might  well 
have  penetrated  the  sector  to  a  damaging 
extent.  Providentially,  they  thought  they 
had  exhausted  the  possibilities  in  that  di- 


rection, and  kept  their  distance.  It  was 
suggested  later  in  a  trench  paper  that 
the  "Huns  were  too  bally  sensible  to  risk 
their  hides  in  that  kind  of  a  rumpus." 

While  this  incident  was  one  of  the 
most  striking  of  some  regrettable  hap- 
penings that  occurred  among  the  British 
colonials  during  the  course  of  the  war, 
there  were  others  for  which  even  less  ex- 
cuse can  be  found.  T.  P.  O'Connor,  the 
Irish  orator,  struck  at  the  heart  of  the 
matter  in  a  speech  before  the  Hibernian 
Club  last  year.  *It  is  deplorable  in  a  way, 
and  glorious  in  a  way — but  true  anyway 
— that  every  contingent  of  His  Majesty's 
troops  believe  themselves  by  far  the 
finest  men,  the  best  fighters  and  the  most 
indispensable  soldiers  on  the  face  of  the 
earth,"  he  said.  *The  Scots  will  tell  you 
to  a  man  that  the  Hielan'  r-r-regiments 
cannot  be  sur-r-rpassed,  sor!  The  Ca- 
nadians   will    wager    anything    on    their 

Princess    Pats,    while    the    Irish " 

And  "Tay  Pay"  betrayed  the  fact  that  he 
considered  the  boys  from  the  Emerald 
Isle  to  be  the  decisive  factor  in  every 
war,  no  matter  where  it  was  fought,  or 
by  whom. 

Considering  the  matter  in  the  cold  light 
of  retrospect,  undimmed  by  the  need  of 


prudence  or  the  smoked  glass  of  censor- 
ship, it  perhaps  was  fortunate  for  Britain 
that  her  various  nephews  **hated  the  Hun 
worse  than  they  loved  each  other." 
When  ^  the    first   30,000    Anzac    troops 
»m   the   antipodes  to   do   their 
;  empire   and   civilization,   the 
5  to  give  every  colonial  instant 
ive."     This   meant   eight  days 
)  stretch  his  legs  after  the  long 
,  and  free  transportation  to  any 
British  Isles  he  desired  to  visit. 
I,    of    course,    chose    London, 
'  were  given  the  run  of  all  the 
Lurants,  and  theaters,  and  had 
»e  generally. 

eer  perversity,  though,  a  num- 
bese  Anzacs  elected  Dublin  as 
sir    Mecca,    and    proceeded 
straightway  on   arriving  to 
rub  the  Irish  populace  the 
wrong  way.     They  had  no 
weapons    with    them,    of 
course,     so    when     a     fuss 
started   in   a    public   tavern 
they  were  overwhelmed  by 
a   mob   that   had   no   liking 
for  the  war  in  general,  and 
who    had    decided    to    hate 
Anzacs  in   particular.    Bat- 
tered,   with    some   of   them 
unconscious   from    wounds, 
the  amazed  visitors  were  given  the  last 
indignity.    They  were  thrown  into  a  civil 
prison ! 

Of  course,  this  could  not  last.  Under 
heavy  guard  they  were  led  out  and 
shipped  back  to  England.  Immediately, 
on  hearing  the  details  of  the  story,  every 
last  man  in  the  Anzac  expeditionary  force 
put  in  an  application  for  leave — the  tacit 
reason  being  '*overseas  service  in  Ire- 
land!" The  authorities  were  too  wise  to 
permit  this,  naturally,  and  from  that  time 
on  no  Australian  or  New  Zealand  fighters 
were  allowed  to  go  to  Ireland.  Even  at 
the  time  of  the  Sinn  Fein  rebellion  an 
Anzac  detachment  quartered  at  Bram- 
shott  Camp  was  slighted  deliberately, 
though  its  commander,  Brigadier  General 
Carey,  expressed  his  willingness  to  help 
out  in  the  en>ergency.  Had  they  gone 
over,  it  is  likely  that  Sinn  Fein  and  Ire- 
land would  have  become  synonymous  in 
a   day. 

Shortly  before  the  second  battle  of 
Ypres,  three  battalions  of  Scotch  kilties 
and  a  brigade  of  Welsh  fusileers  were  in 
billets  at  Steenvoorde  and  in  the  imme- 
diate vicinity.  As  always  happened,  when 
troop  units  of  these  nationalities  got  to- 
gether, there  was  a  football  game.    Every 


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soldier  who  could  possibly  squirm  out  of      existed,    and    this    manifested    itself    in 
fatigue  duty  attended.    The  game  finished      strange  ways  at  times,  and  in  none  more 


with  the  Welshmen  victors,  three  goals  to 
two. 

The  Scotch  took  their  disappointment 
with  fair  grace,  taking  into  account  that 
huge    sums    of    money — considering    the 
rate  of  a  soldier's  pay— changed  hands.  A 
chance  for  revenge  was  seen,  however,  by 
a  coterie  of  the  Highlanders.     Each  pla- 
*  toon  possessed  at  least  one   game  cock, 
and  the  Welsh  were  inveigled  into  match- 
ing   their    birds    the    following    evening. 
The  back  room  of  an  estaminet  was  trans- 
formed into  a  pit,  and  the  feathered  war- 
riors   met.     As 
was   imagined, 
a  great  major- 
i  t  y     of     the 
Scotch    fowl 
proved    the 
hardier,  and  the 
lost     pay     was 
regained.        I  n 
the    arguments 
that  arose   fol- 
lowing    the 
cockfights, 
however,   a    num- 
ber   of    the    soldi 
lost     their     temp< 
One  of  the  bloodi 
free-for-all  fist  fig 
ever    waged    ensu 
in  which  every  m€ 
ber  of  both  contii 
present     engaged, 
were  bashed,  jawi 
askew,  and  not  a  i 
combatants  were   badly  in- 
jured,   before    a    detail    of 
military     police     broke     up 
the   affair.     It   was   mainly 
on  account  of  the  bad  blood 
thus      engendered     that 
neither  Scotch  nor  Welsh  were  given  an 
opportunity    in    the    great    battle    which 
came   a  few  days  later.     Both  had  been 
sent    to    points    in    the    line    widely    sep- 
arated. 

This  incident,  while  not  of  the  kind 
which  makes  for  harmony  in  the  forces 
of  a  nation  fighting  for  its  life,  possessed 
the  redeeming  feature  of  not  causing  any 
fatalities.  The  soldiers  used  no  weapons 
other  than  those  nature  provides,  while  in 
many  of  the  other  brushes,  particularly 
between  colonials,  knives,  revolvers,  bayo- 
nets, and  even  machine  guns  played  a 
part. 

One    of    the    worst    of   these   occurred 


bitterly  than  the  following. 

The  second  Australian  division  had 
participated  in  the  fiasco  at  Gallipoli.  It 
had  hurt  their  pride  terribly  not  to  ac- 
complish their  objective,  so  when  the 
time  came  that  they  were  withdrawn  and 
placed  on  the  western  front,  each  man 
was  as  sore  in  spirit  as  an  ulcerated  tooth 
is  in  the  flesh. 

Imagine  the  feelings  of  the  portion  that 
first  went  to  the  front-line  trenches  be- 
side the  Canadians  to  find  awaiting  them 
the  rude  figure  of  a  horseman,  mounted 

on  a  white- 
washed  wooden 
steed  with  i  t  s 
forelegs 
upraised. 

A  hand  with 
pointing  finger 
perched  above 
the  horse's  tail 
bore  the  terse 
legend  "Gallip- 
o  1  i ."  Another 
hand,  with  fin- 
ger  indicating 
the  course  the 
horseman  evi- 
dently was 
pursuing  at 
breakneck 
speed,  was  la- 
beled "Gallop- 
away!" 

A  n  alterca- 
t  i  o  n  ,  with 
much  bitter 
repartee,  arose, 
but  a  fire  was 
lit  that  smol- 
dered for  days, 
finally  to  break 


A  chance  for  revenge  was  seen,  however,  by  a 
coterie  of  the  Highlanders.  Each  platoon  possessed 
at  least  one  game  cockj  and  the  Welsh  were  inveigled 
into  matching  their  birds  on  the  following  evening. 
As  was  imagined,  a  great  majority  of  the  Scotch 
fowl  proved  the  hardier,  and  the  lost  pay  was  re- 
gained. In  the  arguments  following,  some  of  the 
soldiers  lost  their  tempers. " 


out  in  a  terrible  small-scale  trench  battle 
in  which  machine  guns  were  turned  upon 
each  of  the  parties  of  combatants  by  the 
other.  Had  the  authorities  not  inter- 
fered immediately,  a  fair-sized  war  be- 
tween Canada  and  Australia  would  have 
been  fought  out  right  then  and  there, 
without  any  sort  of  a  declaration  by 
either  country. 

A  "sandwich  filling"  of  French  troops 
was  summoned  immediately  and  placed 
between  the  two  branches  of  colonials, 
who  ever  after  were  kept  apart  as  far  as 
possible.  Though  reason  and  common 
sense  came  to  rule  fairly  well  before  the 
armistice  was  signed,  there  never  was  a 


early  in  the  war,  between  the  Canadians      time  when   Anzacs   and   Canadians   were 
and  Anzacs.     Intense  rivalry  always  had      not  ready  to  jump  each  other. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


.The  next  to  last  manifestation  of  this 
spirit  came  when  during  the  festivities  in 
London    following    the    signing    of    the 
armistice    Maj.    Gen.   Charles    Rosenthal, 
commander  of  the  Anzac  forces,  made  a 
speech  to  an  assembly  of  his  men.     He 
reviewed     their    achievements,     dwelling 
particularly    on    the    work    at    Amiens, 
where    "the    Aust 
spirit  out  of  Fritz 
for  the  British  ai 
of  August  eighth. 
He  went  on  to 
number  of  casual 
(211,349)   and  the 
German     p  r  i  s  o  i 
(142,608),     and 
gave    full    praise 
men  under  him. 
Thiswouldhave 
been    all    right 
had    not    some 
one   conceived 
the   notion   of 
printing     this 
speech    and 
pasting     it     up 
on    the    Cana- 
d  i  a  n   barracks 
at     Morraught, 
and    elsewhere. 
Overnight      an 
amendment  ap- 
peared,   in    the 
form  of  a  print- 
ed   slip    pasted 
below.   In  lurid 
language,     this 
slip  told  how  the 
credit    belonging 


'^ Imagine  the  /eelings  tf  the  portion  thai  fint 
went  to  the  front-line  trenches  beside  the  Cam- 
adians  to  find  the  rude  figure  of  a  horseman 
...  —  a  hand  with  pointing  finger  bore  the 
legend  GaUipolL' .  .  ,  Another  hand  indicating 
the  course  the  horseman  was  pursuing  was 
labeled 'GaUopaway\" 

Anzacs  were  assuming 
elsewhere,    and    stated 


baldly  that  the  Anzacs  had  waited  until 
Fritz  was  "jolly  well  licked  before  getting 
into  it  much,  if  any." 

As  a  result  all  the  slips  with  the  amend- 
ments were  torn  down,  and  the  colonial 
troops  were  sent  to  separate  embarkation 
points. 
As  a  finale   to  the  whole  trouble,  the 
plan     of    ship- 
ping Anzac  sol- 
diers    hame 
through 
Canada,  was 
broached.   This 
did  not  get  far, 
as     the     Cana- 
d  i  a  n    govem- 
m  c  n  t    refused 
instantly  to  al- 
low   any    such 
thing.  The  An- 
zacs   could    go 
through  the 
Panama   Canal; 
through     Suez; 
trough  the  Straits 
dag^lan,   or  any- 
ere,    but    not 
1   Canada.    This 
ike  discourtesy  to 
ople  who  did  not 
the  situation,  but 
It    wad    9  1  111  p  1  e    precaution. 
Nothing    worse    than    contin- 
uous discomfort  for  the  trav- 
elers probably  would  have  oc- 
curred,   but    in    the    light    of 
events  that  had  transpired,  it 
was  considered  best  to  take  no  unneccs- 
sarv  chances. 


This  is  Not  •  Grocery  Store  Display  but  the  Exhibit 
of  a  Patriotic  Bank  to  Boost  Pood  Production  and 
Conservation.  Its  Location  in  Paterson,  New  Jersey, 
Which  Has  a  Large  lulian  Population,  Explains  the 
Foreign  Inscription  Below.  This  Means  "Savings 
Bank.    Interest  Paid  on  Deposits" 


BANK  WINDOW  FRAMES 

GARDEN  EXHIBIT 

Pumpkins  and  preserves  are  vying  with 
mortgages  and  bonds  in  the  interest  of 
this  thriving  bank  which  realizes  the 
importance  of  abundant  food  production 
and  conservation.  In  patriotic  response 
to  the  national  war-garden  campaign,  the 
show  window  is  now  utilized  for  a  perma- 
nent display  of  prize  products  of  back- 
yard garden  and  kitchen.  Despite  its  for- 
eign name  the  bank  pictured  is  a  prosper- 
ous, all-American  institution,  located  hi 
an  eastern  city. 


C Thick  beds  of  graphite  in  northern  Si- 
beria are  reputed  to  be  nearly  equal  in 
quality  to  those  of  Ceylon  and  less  ex- 
pensive in  operation. 


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693 


The  Ship  in  the  Left  View  is  being  Pushed  Away  from  the  Dock  by  a  Breasting  Pole  Moved  Out  from  Under  the 
Dock  by  a  Capstan.  The  Rif  ht  Picture  Shows  the  Pole  Emerging,  with  the  Cable  That  Pulls  It  Running 
over  Rollers  and  Back  to  the  Capstan  on  the  Dock.    The  Side  Ropes  Prevent  Swerving  as  the  Pole  Comes  Out 


SLIDING  POLE  SET  IN  DOCK 
SAVES  SHIPS  FROM  FIRE 

To  the  growing  list  of  devices  for  sav- 
ing property  from  possible  destruction 
has  been  added  an  ingenious  and  ex- 
tremely simple  arrangement  for  moving 
ships  away  from  a  burning  dock.  A  stout 
pole,  40  ft.  long,  is  set  on  rollers  under 
the  dock  and,  of  course,  at  right  angles 
to  it.  A  cable  from  a  capstan  on  the  dock 
runs  over  pulleys  on  the  edge,  back  into 
the  hole  in  the  dock  and  is  attached  to 
the  butt  end  of  the  pole.  When  the 
capstan  is  operated,  either  by  hand  or 
steam,  the  cable  pulls  the  pole  out  of  its 
hole  against  the  side  of  a  ship  lying  at  the 
dock.  Guiding  cables  fastened  to  the 
outer  end  of  the  pole  prevent  side  swav. 
Two  poles,  at  stem  and  stern,  are  suffi- 
cient for  ships  of  ordinary  size,  and  will 
move  a  ship  safely  away  from  the  dock 
in  20  seconds. 


AWNING  SCREENS  MOVEMENTS 
OF  DERRICK 

A  contractor  on  a  large  structural  job 
recently  observed  that  his  carpenters  at 
their  benches  invariably  took  **time  out" 
to  watch  the  swaying  loads  carried  over 
their  heads  by  a  large  derrick.  He  recog- 
nized an  irresistible  human  impulse  here, 
but  decided  he  could  defeat  it.  He  or- 
dered a  flimsy  canvas  awning  constructed 
over  the  workmen  on  the  ground,  and 
now  reports  a  10-per-cent  saving  in  work- 
ing time. 

CThe  Labor  Department  has  announced 
its  intention  of  extending  the  U.  S.  Em- 
ployment Service  to  our  insular  posses- 
sions. 


ELECTRIC   ANTITHEFT   DEVICE 
FOR  MOTOR  VEHICLES 

To  check  automobile  thieving  is  the 
purpose  of  an  electric  accessory  lately  de- 
vised for  the  motor  car  and  demonstrated 
before  police  authorities  of  an  Ohio  city. 
Essentially  the  contrivance  consists  of  an 
automobile  siren  connected  in  a  dry-bat- 
tery circuit  with  a  mercury  switch.  The 
latter  comprises  a  vibrating  arm,  of  about 
knitting-needle  thickness,  on  which  is 
mounted  a  covered  metallic  cup  that  holds 
mercury.  Passing  through  the  lid  of  the 
cup  is  an  insulated  contact  member  which, 
when  in  normal  position,  is  within  a  six- 
teenth of  an  inch  of  the  quicksilver. 
When  the  car  is  in  motion,  vibrations 
agitate   the   mercury   so   that   the  gap   is 


Showing   the    Inside  Arrangement  and   the  Outside 

Appearance  of  the  New  Electric    "Burglar 

Alarm**  for  Motor  Cars 

bridged  and  contact  formed,  sounding  the 
horn  in  the  event  the  circuit  is  closed. 
Thus  if  anyone,  without  the  owner's 
knowledge,  attempted  to  steal  a  car  so 
equipped,  the  siren  would  sound  imme- 
diately and  keep  on  doing  so  until  the 
engine  was  stopped  or  the  electric  circuit 
opened. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


CONCRETE  TELEGRAPH  POLES 

MADE  IN  UPRIGHT  MOLD 

V^ertical  molds  are  used  at  a  plant  in 
West  Haven,  Cono.,  for  casting  concrete 

telegraph  poles.    Four     rr— — — 

of  the  molds  are  sup- 
ported by  a  towerlike 
frame  of  timber.  Chains, 
hung  from  the  top  of 
the  tower,  are  used  for 
reinforcing  the  upper 
half  of  the  poles,  the 
lower  half  being 
strengthened  by  a  hol- 
low steel  core  held  up- 
right in  the  center  of 
the  mold.  The  mixture 
iSk  hoisted  to  the  top  of 
the  tower  and  poured 
into  the  molds,  which 
are  removed  early 
enough  to  dress  the 
poles  to  a  smooth  sur- 
face before  they  set. 


ARMY  HAS  LARGEST  ENGLI»I 

UNIVERSITY 


The 
which 


EDUCATIVE 

BILLBOARDS 

INTEREST 

MOTORISTS 

The  automobile  tour- 
ist is  soon  to  find  travel 
a    more    enjoyable   and 
profitable  experience  as 
a  result  of  an  advertis- 
ing device  inaugurated  by  a  large  manu- 
facturing  company.      Billboards    display- 
ing bits  of  local  historical  interest  will  be 
placed  on  the  outskirts  of  many  commu- 
nities,   awakening    an    educative    interest 
in    community    life    and    tradition    which 
should  be  profitable  to  both  tourists  and 
residents. 


new    American   Army    University 
offers  a  three  months'  course  at 

-;      Beauoc,    175    miles 

southeast    of    Paris,    is; 
perhaps  the  most   out^ 
standing  element  in  the 
extensive       edcrcatianaj 
work  carried  on  by  the 
American     Expedition- 
ary  Forces   in    France. 
Hoosed    in    what    was 
formerly   an    Amerf-*^ 
hospital  are  15,000 
dier-students    a  n  • 
force   of   500   teac? 
The   curriculum  is 
table    for    its    a^ 
tural  college  with  ; 
acre  farm,  its  eng 
ing   d(&partment,  * 
uses    the    old    hf 
worksh6ps,     and 
studies  in  art  and 
tecture,  which  ai* 
esting  almost  l,Of 


Pour  Molds  for  Concrete  Telegraph  Poles 
are  Supported  Vertically  by  This  Timber 
Tower.  The  Poles,  Remforced  by  Steel 
Cores  and  Chains,  Hung  from  the  Top, 
arc  Cast  by  Hoisting  the  Mixture  up  th« 
Tower 


'PERSHING    J 
TO  CONN! 
TOWNS  KN 
TO  WARRIOtc 


These  Bits  of  History  Are  Sure  to  Awaken  Us  to  the  Interest  and  Appeal 
of  Our  Own  Land 


A  project  to  immor- 
talize the  communities 
intimately  identified  with  the  personal 
history  of  Gen.  John  J.  Pershing  has  been 
launched  with  the  temporary  organization 
of  a  "Pershing  Highway"  association  at 
Lincoln,  Neb.  A  road,  3,000  miles  long, 
running  from  New  York  City  to  San 
Francisco,  is  the  proposal.  Its  course 
would    be    through    Philadelphia;    Tren- 

.      ton,     N.     J.;     Balti- 

;;^  \  V,  i       more;      Washington, 

''-^--.^'    V  D.  C. ;   Columbus,  Ohio; 

Indianapolis;  Springfield, 
111.;  Laclede,  Mo.,  Persh- 
ing's birthplace ;  St. 
Joseph,  >  Mo.;  Lincoln, 
Neb.;  Cheyenne,  Wyo. ; 
Salt  Lake  City;  Carson 
City,  Nev.,  and  Sacra- 
mento." Governors  of 
the  states  through  which 
the  proposed  highway 
would  pass  have  already 
been  invited  to  help  form 
a  permanent  organiza- 
tion for  the  development 
of  the  plan. 


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69.1 


OO^mMNT.  MWM  ILLUtTIUTmO  MNVIOC 

Heavy  Rains  Caused  the  Collai^se  of  This  Dike,  near  iV<nsterdam,  Holland. 


It  will  be   Noted  That  the 


Right-Hand  Track  of  the  Railroad,  as  Well  as  the  Passenger  Train  on  It,  was  Swept  to  the  Bottom 
of  the  Embankment.    Workers  are  Seen  Searching  tor  Killed  and  Wounded  Passengers 


WHEN  HOLLAND  DIKE  CRUMBLES 

WHOLE  TRAIN  IS  WRECKED 

For  most  people  the  dikes  of  Holland 
have  held  a  romantic  suggestion  of  peril 
ever  since  mother  read  them  the  story 
of  the  boy  who  stopped  the  leak  with 
his  arm.  A  short  time  ago  a  dike  near 
Amsterdam  was  undermined,  not  by  the 
seepage  of  the  sea,  but  by  heavy  rains. 
The  disintegration  of  the  earthen  em- 
bankment destroyed  a  railroad  line  along 
the  top  and  completely  wrecked  a  loaded 
passenger  train,  killing  at  least  50  and 
injuring  100  travelers.  The  cars  were 
rolled  to  the  bottom  of  the  bank  in  a 
tangled  mass. 


DICTAPHONE  CALLS  MOTHER 
WHEN  BABY  CRIES 

A  dictaphone  with  a  megaphone,  and  a 
loud-speaking  amplifier  in  the  receiver,  is 
the  gift  of  an  ingenious  husband  to  his 
wife.  With  the  receiver  fastened  to  the 
baby's  crib  in  the  nursery  upstairs,  and 
the  megaphone  placed  in  the  parlor  below, 
the  arrangement  works  to  everyone's 
satisfaction.  Mother  may  go  about  her 
housework,  while  baby  will  sleep  soundly. 


undisturbed    by   the   noise   of  the   living 
rooms.     Should  he  waken,  however,  his 


CO^YRIOMT,  JOHN  E0W1N  HOOO 


The  Dictaphone  will  Warn  This  Mother  When 

Her  Baby  Cries.    The  Receiver  is   Placed 

at  the  Head  of  the  Crib 

demands  will  be  heard  instantly  through 
the  house.  

CAn  Atlantic  seaport  for  Switzerland. 
Bohemia,  and  other  inland  natioualitics, 
is  the  aim  of  a  new  movement  in  France, 
intended  to  free  them  from  economic 
bondage   to    Germany. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


PORTABLE  RAIL-CUTTER  GEARS 

DRIVE  SAW  BY  ITS  TEETH 

An  odd  feature  of  a  portable  hand-driven 
saw  for  cutting  railroad  rails,  developed 
at 'St.  Louis,  Mo.,  is  that  its  circular  saw 
is  driven  by  a  steel  sprocket  engaging  the 


Poruble  Hand-DriTen  Cutter  for  Railroad  RaiU :  Its 
Saw  is. Driven  by  Gears  Meshing  with  .the  Teeth. 
Seen  at  the  Left,  Clamped  to  the  Rail  Ready  for  Work 

periphery  of  the  blade.  Positive  feed  and 
a  very  small  saw  arbor,  giving  greater 
clearance,  are  the  advantages  of  this  ar- 
rangement. The  sprocket  is  adjustable  for 
wear.  The  saw  is  18  in.  in  diameter  and 
?l6  in.  thick,  and  makes  a  smooth  vertical 
cut  to  a  depth  of  7%  in.  at  any  desired 
angle  to  the  rail.  Cranks,  reducing  gears, 
and  saw  are  mounted  on  a  slide,  which 
feeds  automatically  at  the  proper  speed 
for  cutting  standard  rails;  but  hand-feed 
may  be  substituted  by  releasing  a  nut  on 
the  feed  screw.  The  machine  weighs  350 
lb.,  and  is  moved  along  the  rail,  when  not 
clamped  to  it,  by  throwing  into  position 


a  roller  at  the  rear.  An  electrically  driv- 
en model  with  saw-grinding  attachment, 
weighing  450  lb.,  has  also  been  developed 
along  similar  lines. 


TUNNEL  THROUGH  PYRENEES 
RECENTLY  PIERCED 

le  rigors  of  mountain  weather,  oppo- 

n  from  the  national  ministries  of  war, 

a  difference  in  gauge  have  all  united 

e  past  to  prevent  an  effective  joining 

rench  and  Spanish  railways.     Work 

tie  project  has  been  carried  on  since 

however,  and  it  is  now  announced 

that    a    new    tunnel    from    Ax,    in 

France,  to  Puigcerda,  on  the  Span- 

ide,  has  been  broken  through,  and  will 

int  this  desirable  union  more  firmly. 


ECTROCUTE  HUGE  LEOPARD 
TO  SAVE  PELT 

le  only  requirement  imposed  on  a 
ie  leopard  is  that  he  look  pleasant 
about  his  work.  But  one  of  these  beauti- 
ful beasts  recently  took  to  sulking — a  fail- 
ing which  made  him  decidedly  unpopular 
with  actors  in  jungle  scenes.  The  man- 
ager of  the  company  at  last  decided  that 
he  must  die,  rather  than  continue  as  a 
menace  to  those  acting  with  him.  Shoot- 
ing ** David"  with  a  high-powered  rifle  was 
first  considered,  but  was  objected  to,  as 
it  would  disfigure  the  valuable  pelt.  To 
avoid  this,  electrocution  was  decided 
upon,  using  power  from  a  near-by  station. 
A  steel  plate  was  secured  to  the  floor  of 
the  cage  and  connected  with  the  6,000- 
volt  line.  The  leopard  was  placed  on  the 
plate,  and  the  other  wire  fastened  to  his 
leg.  A  turn  of  the  switch,  and  "David" 
passed  to  his  reward. 


Views  Show  Refractory  Movie  Leopard  before  and  after  Taking  6.0fO  Volts  of  Electricity.    Shooting 
the  Animal  would  have  Dtsfigitred  His  Peh 


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Jias  made  it  especially  sen- 
sitive to  the  orthodox 
dread   of  theatrical  effect, 


under  which  classification  flashing  signs 
and  tricks  of  mechanism  seemed  so  read- 
ily to  6t.  It  is  only  with  the  growing 
realization  of  the  dignity  of  publicity,  the 
virtue  cf  illumination,  and  the  nobility 
of  those  natural  laws  on  which  depend  all 
science  and  all  mechanics,  that  divine 
service  finally  has  accepted  the  coopera- 
tion of  technology. 

The  world  beats  no  path  to  any  door 
that  is  inconspicuous.  The  house  of  wor- 
ship, serenely  aloof  from  the  banalities  of 
commerce,  but  forced  by  the  frailties  of 
wavering  human  eyes  and  minds  to  com- 
pete with  other  appeals,  finds  help  in  the 
blaze  of  electric  lights  and  the  magic  of 
ingenious  signs.  In  the  city  of  New  York 
more  than  150  churches  send  the  calm 
influence  of  their  beacon  rays  into  the 
dark  and  doubtful  corners  and  byways. 
Many  an  untold  tale  of  redemption  is  said 
to  hang  upon  the  blazing  cross  of  St. 
Anthony's  spire — the  pioneer  of  illu- 
minated sacred  finger  posts,  dating  back 
to  gas-jet  days  in  the  /O's.  Those  chap- 
els too  modest  (a  common  fault)  to  as- 
pire to  the  40(>-candlepower  cross  find 
humble  assistance  in  little  four-lamp  re- 
flectors that  throw  their  feeble  but  ear- 
nest rays  on  a  simple  lettered  sign. 

But  electrical  display  is  not  the  end  of 
the  modern  alliance  between  religion  and 


Oldeit,  Mo«t  PopuUir,  and  Perhaps 
Moat  Impreaaive  of  All  Illuminated 
Church  Sifna  ia  the  Blaainc  Croaa, 
Sjrmbol  of  Hope  Shining  in  the  Dark 


fold.  On  one  occasion  a 
crew  of  camera  men,  un- 
der the  temporal  guidance 
of  an  enterprising  minister,  took  views  on 
windy  Fifth  Avenue  comers  to  illustrate 
a  sermon  on  the  immodesty  of  the  pre- 
vailing fashions.  For  once,  at  least,  there 
was  no  question  about  attendance! 

Especially  engaging  just  now,  is  the  in- 
spiration of  a  Los  Angeles  pastor,  from 
the  steps  of  whose  prosperous  church  on 
a  recent  Sunday  morning  a  bugler — one 
of  the  congregation's  service  stars  re- 
turned from  overseas — blew  the  "Call  to 
Colors."  Many  of  the  young  army  men 
who  gathered  to  the  notes  accepted  the 
clergyman's  invitation  to  enter;  and  ho 
forthwith  determined  that  the  bugle  call 
to  worship  should  continue  as  a  Sabbath 
feature. 

Parishioners  of  a  Kansas  City  church 
who  had  acquired  a  tardy  habit,  not  un- 
usual on  the  day  of  rest,  were  brought  ef- 
fectually to  time  by  a  reversible  sign,  in- 
geniously turned  around  by  clockwork  at 
the  moment  services  began.  Early  arriv- 
als were  greeted  by  the  comforting  legend, 
•J  Am  Prompt!  How  Glad  I  Am !"  whilo 
the  tardy  ones  were  reproached  with,  "T 
Am  Late!  I  Am  Sorry.  Next  Time  I 
will  See  the  Other  Side  of  This  Sign." 
A  church  in  an  Arkansas  towi# takes  up 
its  collection  with  one  of  those  cash 
carriers  used  in  department  stores.  From 
the  pulpit  the  minister  shoots  it  down  the 

697 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


lAM 
PROMPT! 

HOVGLAD 
I  AM! 


track  above  the  aisle, 
and  on  the  way  it  is 
stopped  at  every  pew 
by  means  of  a  series 
of  lugs  on  the  track. 
When  the  end-seat 
occupant  feels  that  his 
particular  pew  has 
done  its  contributory 
duty,  he  pushes  the 
collector  along. 
Entirely  different  in  conception  and 
more  curious,  perhaps,  was  the  enterprise 
of  a  Kansas  clergyman,  formerly  a  tele- 
graph operator,  who  arranged  during  the 
war  for  a  wire  connection  from  the  rail- 
way station  to  his  pulpit.  When  the  click- 
ing sounder  told  him  a  troop  train  was 
coming,  he  promptly  dismissed  services, 
and  everybody  went  down  to  see  the  boys 
go  through.  The  trains  never  stopped,  so 
he  obtained  some  hoops  like  those  used 


for  delivering  train 
orders  on  the  run,  and 
with  them  the  congre- 
gation passed  candy 
and  cigarettes  through 
the  car  windows  to 
the  soldiers. 

Returning  to  our 
first  interest,  the 
electric  sign,  most 
pieculiar  of  all  is 
the  one  on  a  church 
community. 


I  AM  LATE! 
lAM  SORRY. 

NEXrnME 
I  WILL  SEE 
THE  OTHER 

SIDE  OF 
THIS  SIGN- 


in  a  Kansas 
which  attends  particularly 
to  the  spiritual  needs  of  railroad  men. 
In  semblance  of  a  fiery  block  sema- 
phore, this  impressive  signal  sets  the 
"stop"  against  those  who  would  thought- 
lessly hurry  on  down  the  road  to  perdi- 
tion, and  its  red  lantern,  warning  of  dan- 
ger, bids  them  enter  the  gospel  station 
and  get  the  right  of  way  before  they  start 
on  the  next  division  of  life's  schedule. 


SCULPTOR  EMPLOYS  CAMERA 
TO  VERIFY  WORK 

A    sculptor    with    originality    uses    the 
camera    to    verify    the   exactness   of   his 


By  Consulting  This  Picture  Sculptor  can  Make  Easy 
Comparisons  between  Original  and  Copy 

work.  It  is  believed  that  defects  and  re- 
semblances can  be  checked  in  this  way 
much  more  carefully  than  by  reference  to 
the  subject. 


AUTOMATIC  SLIDE  PROJECTOR 

CHANGES  ITS  OWN  VIEWS 

Pictures  projected  on  a  screen  have  a 
value  for  advertising,  educational,  and  en- 
tertainment purposes  limited  only  by  the 
fact  that  an  attendant  must  constantly  be 
present  to  operate  the  projector.  To  ob- 
viate this  objection,  a  stereopticon  has 
been  devised  whose  operation  is  wholly 
automatic.  The  standard-size  machine 
has  a  capacity  of  46  slides,  and  projects 
them  one  after  another.  The  picture  is 
changed  every  12  seconds,  and  the  ma- 
chine starts  over  again  when  it  reaches 
the  end  of  its  series.  A  small  electric 
motor  operates  the  mechanism,  and  a 
1,000-cp.  incandescent  lamp  furnishes 
ample  illumination  for  a  large,  clear  pic- 
ture. The  dimensions  of  the  complete 
machine,  26  by  19  by  7  in.,  permit  caro'ing 


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699 


it  in  a  case  of  suitcase  size.  Special 
models  for  lecture  work  are  made  holding 
up  to  200  slides,  with  a  push  button  for 
controlling  the  screen  time  of  the  pic- 
tures. 


PUNCTURELESS   AUTO   TIRE 

APPLIED  IN  SECTIONS 

That  punctures  continue  to  be  the 
bane  of  the  autoist's  existence  is  demon- 
strated by  frequent  ingenious  efforts  to 
make  them  impossible.  Now  a  Denver 
inventor  is  displaying  a  wheel  with  a 
false  rim  in  four  quadrantal  sections, 
with  three  spiral  springs  between  each 
section  and  the  felly.  To  this  rim  are 
fastened  similar  sections  of  semicircular 
rubber  tire  tread,  with  shorter  rubber 
sections  as  a  filler,  taking  the  place  of 
the  usual  inner  tube.  The  clamps  that 
hold  the  tire  on  are  quickly  removed  or 


00»Tai«HT,   IMTIIMATIOiUL  nUM   MNVICK 

Sections   of   This  Punctureless   Ante   Tire   may   be 

Removed  in  a  Pew  Moments  with  a  Socket  Wrench. 

Spiral  Springs  Make  the  Wheel  Resilient 

replaced  with  a  socket  wrench.     The  or- 
dinary tool  box  will  hold  spare  sections. 


CAR  FERRY  MAY  CROSS 

ADRIATIC  SEA 

War-time  experience  with  car-ferrying 
across  the  English  Channel  has  demon- 
strated the  practicality  of  a  proposed  rail- 
way line  from  Rome  direct  to  Constanti- 
nople. Instead  of  the  present  northern 
route  through  Udine,  the  projected  line 
will  run  its  trains  south  from  Rome  to 
Brindisi  or  Otranto;  thence  by  ferry 
across  the  Adriatic,  about  45  miles  wide 
at  this  point,  resuming  the  land  journey 
at  Avlona,  Albania.  Such  a  development 
would  hasten  the  reestablishment  of 
stricken  Serbia,  and  shorten  the  distance 
from  Rome  to  Constantinople  640  miles. 


CHAIN    LINKS    OPERATOR 

TO  BED  OF  POWER  SAW 

Increased  efficiency  is  claimed   l^y  the 
designer  of  an  original  wood-sawing  ac- 


corrMttMT   JOHN  cowm  Hooa 


The  Body  Haraess  and  Link  Patteainf  Enable 

Worker  to  Return  Sliding  Bed  by 

Stepping  Backward 

cessory.  To  the  sliding  bed  which  carries 
the  logs  against  the  revolving  blade  he  at- 
taches a  chain  which  hooks  to  a  strap 
about  his  body.  Consequently,  when  the 
log  has  been  cut,  the  sliding  bed  is 
returned  to  its  starting  position  by  the 
natural  act  of  stepping  backward,  leaving 
both  hands  free  to  handle  the  log.  This  is 
considered  less  clumsy  and  much  safer 
than  the  usual  method,  which  requires 
one  hand  for  the  bed  and  one  for  the 
log. 


SEA   GULLS    FATTEN   IN   WAKE 

OF  TRACTOR  PLOWS 

A  recent  strike  among  sea  fishermen 
along  the  Pacific  coast  has  developed  a 
remarkable  and  unexpected  result.  Flocks 
of  sea  gulls,  accustomed  to  easy  pickings 
on  refuse  from  fishing  vessels,  have  been 
driven  inland,  where  they  now  patiently 
follow  tractor  plows  which  bring  appe- 
tizing grubworms  to  the  surface.  Specta- 
tors will  testify  that  the  gulls  are  growing 
fat  on  their  new  diet. 


Sem  Gttlls  Fattening  in  Wake  of  Tractor  Plow  by 
Snatching  up  Exposed  Ombworms 


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IMITATION  CONCRETE  SHIP 

CANADIAN  PARADE  FLOAT 

An  ingenious  Canadian  parade  float  is 
reported  from  Sydney,  Nova  Scotia.  It 
was  built  to  represent  a  reinforced-con- 


Ploat  Imitating  a  Concrete  Ship,  Uted  in  a  Canadian  Victory  Loan  Parade 

It  was   Made   of   Wallboard   on   a   Spruce    Frame,   Mounted  on   a 

Motor  Truck,  and  Pitted  with  Electric  Lights  for  Night  Work 

Crete  motor  ship  which  is  actually  un- 
der construction  at  that  port — the  first  of 
its  kind  in  Canada.  The  float  was  made  of 
spruce  slats  covered  with  wallboard  and 
mounted  on  a  motor  truck,  and,  with  flags 
and  pennants  flying  in  the  breeze,  made  a 
striking  appearance  in  the  Victory  Loan 
parade.  It  was  decorated  with  electric 
lights  for  night  driving.  Two  men  from 
the  shipyard  assembled  the  float  in  three 
hours. 


AIR  FIGHT  IS  STAGED 

FOR  MOVIES 

A  fast  German  two-seater  and  an 
American  "Spad"  were  recently  seen  in 
violent  combat  above  an  American  aero- 

; ■     drome     in     France. 

Watchers  below  saw  a 
figure  fall  from  the  Hun 
machine,  strike  the 
ground,  and  burst,  scat- 
tering straw  in  all  direc- 
tions. The  body  was 
soon  followed  by  both 
fighting  planes  —  which 
landed  very  nicely,  how- 
ever. The  pilots,  both 
Americans,  were  con- 
gratulated on  the  realism 
of  their  mock  combat. 
Every  maneuver  in  the 
"engagement,"  culminat- 
ing in  the  fall  of  the 
dummy,  had  been  filmed 
by  an  observer  in  a  third 
machine  which  had  hovered  as  near  the 
combatants  as  safety  permitted. 


CA  canal  from  Antwerp  on  the  North 
Sea,  to  Marseilles,  on  the  Mediterranean, 
is  a  new  European  reconstruction  proj- 
ect. The  proposed  route  goes  clear 
around  by  way  of  the  Rhine,  across  to 
the  Saone  and  thence  down  the  Rhone, 
and  would   float  6.000-ton   ships. 


WOMAN  DOCTOR  OF  GARDENS 

TREATS  FLORAL  AILMENTS 

City  folk  who  have  undertaken  a  back- 
to-the-land  movement  with  more  zeal 
than  knowledge,  and  presently  find  their 
gardens  going  into  a  mysterious  decline, 
may  now  secure  the  services  of  a  regular 
garden  doctor.  That  is  the  profession 
adopted  by  a  woman  graduate  of  a  hor- 
ticultural school  near  Philadelphia.  One 
of  her  methods  is  to  give  the  land  owner 
a  course  of  lessons  in  beautifying  his 
property.  These  instructions  do  not 
overlook  the  problem  of  making  gardens 
profitable  as  well  as  delightful. 


AIRMEN   STOP   RUNAWAY  BALLOON  WITH  SANDBAGS 


After  a  thrilling  and  spectacular  chase 
of  more  than  60  miles,  an  army  observa- 
tion balloon,  which  broke  away  from  its 
moorings  in  a  squall,  was  brought  down 
near  Riverside,  Calif.,  recently  by  the 
weight  of  sandbags  hurled  upon  it  from 
above  by  three  airmen.  An  unexpected 
windstorm  ripped  the  fins  off  the  great 
bag,  and  the  balloon  then  became  entan- 
gled with  five  others  that  were  aloft  on 
the  field  at  the  time,  and  in  the  efforts 
of  the  ground  personnel  to  haul  all  the 
"sausages"  down,  the  bag  snapped  its  ca- 
ble and  sailed  away.     Three  fliers  in  as 


many  planes  immediately  went  aloft  and 
gave  chase.  A  hot  pursuit  followed  be- 
fore sandbags  dropped  by  the  airmen 
ripped  the  bag,  weighted  it  down,  and 
decreased  its  buoyancy,  until  it  was  driven 
to  earth.  In  grounding,  the  balloon 
uprooted  a  number  of  fruit  trees  and  dam- 
aged electric  and  telephone  wires  .before 
being  anchored  down  by  a  corps  of  mo- 
torcycle soldiers  who  had  given  chase 
on  the  ground.  Unfortunately  the  acci- 
dent cost  the  life  of  a  cadet,  who  fell 
from  the  balloon  from  a  height  of  3.000 
ft.,  when  the  storm  struck  it. 


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702  POPULAR   MECHANICS 

"ANCHOIiED"  SURGEONS  OPERATE  IN  STORM  AT  SEA 

In  a  storm  of  extreme  violence,  with,  surgeons  on  a  homeward-bound  troop 
the  decks  tilting  to  an  angle  of  38°,  two  ship  performed  an  oft-interrupted  opera- 
tion of  great  delicacy  and 
saved  the  life  of  an 
American  soldier.  A 
wave,  declared  to  be  50 
ft.  high,  had  smashed  the 
porthole  glass  through 
which  he  was  gazing, 
fracturing  his  skull  and 
injuring  one  eye.  The 
patient  was  held  upon 
the  operating  table  by 
the  ship's  chaplain  and 
three  sailors,  while  six 
.  more  sailors  by  main 
force  "anchored"  the  sur- 
geons against  the  table. 
Working  mainly  in  the 
pauses  between  the  ter- 
rific plunges  of  the  ship, 
they  successfully  tre- 
-  panned  the  soldier's  skull 
*«..«       •*  «,.   ^«.  ^^         •i.ui        J      ^"^   dressed    his   injured 

It  Required  Four  Men  to  Hold  the  Patient  on  the  Operating  Table,  and        ^,,^        ^,  ^    „.u^i«    ^\. 

Six  More  to  Keep  the  Surgeons  from  beina  Hurled  Away  eye.        1  he    whole    Opera- 

by  the  Violent  Plunges  of  the  Ship  tion   tOok    tWO    hours. 


GASOLINE   "DOG  SLED"   FOR  ALASKA   MAIL  ROUTE 

Those  half-wolf  huskies  that  haul  Alas-      from  the  driver's  seat,  at  the  extreme  rear, 
ka*s  mail  over  hundreds  of  miles  of  snow      with    a    regular   automobile,  wheel.     The 

1 

I 


^ugcivj    luiaijr    luuuci,    wiiiv;ii    iiia^    uc 

adjusted    as    conditions     require,    to  Viewed  from  the  Front,  the  Sharp.Edged  Rudder  Wheel  la 

cut   deeply  or  lightly  into  the  frozen  Visible,  as  Well  as  the  Screw  Adjustment  for  Raising  and 

c„*f«^«      l«j     *u         4.      -•  J  Lowering   It   to   Cut   Deeply   or    Lightly   into   the    Proxen 

surface,     and     the    steering    is    done  Surface  According  to  the  Condition  of  the  Trail 


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703 


Left:  The  West  End  of  the  Span,  Supported  by  Scaffold  of  Piling  on  Floating  Barge.    Right:  The  Span 
in  Place,  having  been  Hauled  into  Position  by  Cablet  in  Three  Hours  and  40  Minutes 


BIG  BRIDGE  SPAN  FERRIED 

ACROSS  SWIFT  RIVER 

'  Twice  the  swirling  current  of  the  Col- 
orado River  defeated  the  engineers  who 
were  trying  to  install  a  big  steel  highway 
bridge  at  Yuma,  Ariz.  It  sucked  out  of 
the  river  bed,  first,  75-ft.  and  then  90-ft. 
piling  intended  for  the  temporary  sup- 
port of  the  long  center  span  of  the  bridge. 
Then  the  exasperated  chief  engineer  se- 
cured a  big  wooden  barge,  and  built  upon 
it  a  scaffold  of  piling  as  it  lay  at  anchor 
under  the  end  of  the  span,  to  which  the 
floating  structure  was  then  made  fast. 
Most  of  the  huge  steel  fabric  now  lay  well 
back  on  the  east-shore  span,  while  on  the 
west  shore  the  concrete  abutment  was 
made  ready.  Then  slowly,  almost  inch 
by  inch,  stout  cables  towed  the  barge 
across  the  river,  its  burden  increasing  as 
the  long  span  slid  gradually  along  its 
shore  support.  It  was  2:40  p.  m.  then; 
at  6:20  the  west  end  of  the  span  slipped 
accurately  into  the  abutment  sockets,  and 
the  watching  population  of  Yuma  drew 
a  long  breath. 

CTo  overcome  the  effect  of  moisture  on 
"optical  instruments  it  is  suggested  that 
lenses  be  boiled  in  distilled  water  before 
being  put  in  place,  and  that  the  instru- 
ments be  made  air-tight,  if  possible,  and 
filled  with  dry  air. 


V    EGGSHELLS  HAULED 
BY  WAGONLOAD 

America  possesses  some  of  the  largest 
chicken  hatcheries  in  the  world,  a  single 
establishment  sometimes  having  a  capac- 
ity of  225,000  eggs.  One  room  in  such  a 
hatchery  has  33,000  eggs  in  process  of 
incubation  at  one  time.  An  interesting 
by-product  of  the  industry  are  the  shells 
which  accumulate  in  mountainous  piles. 
They  are  not  wasted,  however,   but  are 


This  Man  ia  Shoveling^  the  Bggahells  Which  Form 

a  Valuable  Byproduct  of  Mammoth 

Chicken  Hatcheries 

ground  and  sold  to  chicken  rajsers  for 
feed,  principally  as  a  bone  builder,  thus 
completing  the  cycle  to  everyone's  satis- 
faction. 


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FAST   ELEVATOR  SERVICE 

FOR  HIGH  BUILDINGS 

A  novel  arrangement  of  stairways  and 
elevators  for  high  office  buildings  has  two 
possible   advantages.     Realizing  that  the 


In  This  Elevator  System  Each  Car  Serves  Two  Floors, 

Promoting    Rapid    Operation    and    Thus    Increased 

Passenger    Capacity.     The    Stairwav   and    Elevator 

Shaft  Form  a  Fireproof  Unit 

greatest  loss  of  carrying  time  is  caused  by 
stopping  and  starting  cars,  the  inventor 
has  provided  that  passengers  enter  eleva- 
tor only  at  alternate  stair  landings,  not  at 
floors  themselves.  Thus  all  floors  are 
served  equally,  and  elevator  speed  is  so 
increased  that  many  more  passengers  may 
be  carried  per  day,  a  particularly  desirable 
feature  ^pr  very  tall  structures  where  con- 
gestion is  usually  the  rule  during  rush 
hours.  And  by  combining  stairways  and 
elevators  in  this  fashion,  the  entire  shaft 


may  be  isolated  and  fireproofed,  so  that  a 
safe  and  easy  exit  in  case  of  fire  is  insured 
to  the  tenants. 


ODD  SOLDERING  TOOL  HEATED 

BY  ELECTRIC  ARC  INSIDE 

A  soldering  iron  with  an  electric  arc  in- 
side of  it  for  the  heating  element  is  being 
used  for  some  kinds  of  repair  work  in 
Europe.  The  rear  surface  of  the  copper 
head  forms  one  arc  electrode,  the  other 
being  a  carbon  rod  adjusted  by  hand. 
Except  for  a  small  gas  opening,  the  arc 
is  entirely  inclosed  and  insulated  with 
porcelain.  It  takes  three  minutes  from 
the  time  the  arc  is  struck  to  heat  the 
copper  to  the  right  temperature  for  sol- 
dering. With  a  small  resistance  in  cir- 
cuit for  steadying  the  arc,  the  implement 
uses  625  watts  at  125  volts.  The  arc  it- 
self operates  at  40  volts,  the  remainder 
being  consumed  in  the  resistance. 


PHILIPPINE  LIME  AND  QUARTZ 

ENCOURAGE  GLASS  INDUSTRY 

Consumption  of  common  glassware  in 
the  Philippine  Islands  has  increased  so 
rapidly  of  late  years  that  there  is  a  move- 
ment in  Manila  to  establish  local  glass- 
works. Good  limestone  of  coralline  and 
crystalline  composition  is  available  in  all 
parts  of  the  islands,  especially  extensive 
deposits  occurring  near  Manila.  Veins  of 
solid  quartz  are  plentiful  in  Mindoro, 
while  great  beaches  of  quartz  sand  offer 
an  inexhaustible  supply.  The  Philippine 
Bureau  of  Science  has  produced  some  ex- 
cellent experimental  glassware,  which  has 
successfullv  met  all  tests. 


FRENCH  AIRMEN  INSTRUCT 

JAPANESE  AIR  SERVICE 

The  reorganization  of  Japan's  air  serv- 
ice is  being  supervised  by  a  delegation  of 
veteran  French  fliers,  who  are  in  this  way 
fulfilling  a  promise,  made  by  their  gov- 
ernment during  the  w-ar,  to  render  such 
assistance  on  cessation  of  hostilities.  For 
equipment,  the  mission  has  brought  100 
French  planes  and  the  personnel  com- 
prises 20  men  and  17  officers,  each  officer 
wearing  several  decorations  for  merit  and 
bravery. 

CThe  New  Zealand  postal  service  pro- 
poses an  aerial  route  from  Auckland,  over 
the  Wellington  Strait,  to  Dunedin,  700 
miles  to  the  south. 


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Hdw  Battles  were  Lost  and  Won  According  to  Superiority 
of  Contending  Forces  in  Aerial  Photography 

By  DOUGLASS  REID 
Part  UL— How  the  Camera  Conquered  Camouflage 


T^HE    trenches!      The   air   is    shaking, 
-■■     reeling,  tearing;  the  ground  is  heav- 
ing, flying,  collapsing.     Fire,  mud,  metal 
sear  and  splatter  everything.    Orders  are 
shrieked,  and  the  commander  disappears 
in  a  shell  clap,  while  the  men  who  carry 
them  out  topple  carelessly  to  the  ground. 
Great  cannon  flash  noiselessly,  so  lost  are 
their   voices    in    the   deafening    roar   of 
other  guns.     Brown  squads  of  men  leap 
over  a  ditch  top  and  vanish  in  the  smoke. 
Wires  break,  airplanes  come  crashing  to 
earth;    wires   break   and   telephone   men 
throw     up     their    hands;     wires    bi^ak 
and     a  stream 
o  f         'enemies 
come      lunging 
through   a  gap 
in    the    barbed 
strands.    Bones 
break,  bayonets 
break  —  hearts 
break. 

All  is  con- 
fusion. "Where 
is  the  Eighty- 
Ninth?  Where 
are  the  Fusi- 
leers  ?  Where 
are  the  Zou- 
aves? Is  Hin- 
d  e  n  b  u  r  g 
through  on  the 
left?  Did  Col- 
onel  De  Rescke 
win  Marmont 
farm?" 

Chaos  has 
come ! 

Through  such 
scenes  the  spies  of  the  air,  the  camera 
men,  sped  on  their  daily  tasks  during  the 
great  war.  In  the  hit-trip-smother  of  that 
most  infernal  of  all  human  agonies,  trench 
warfare,  the  camera  detectives  of  both 
allied  and  German  forces  worked  with 
desperate  speed,  yet  with  cool,  scheming, 
studious  brains,  for  on  them  the  infan- 
try commanders  relied  for  precious  in- 
formation. 'The  side  whos^  air  photogra- 
phers were  best  won  the  war. 

That  the  last  great  German  drive  failed 


Crerman  Cameras  Salvaged  from  Fallen  Planes  and  Used 
against  Their  Former  Owners:  Optically  and  Mechanically 
Not  Inferior  to  Allied  Apparatua,  Except  in  Focal  Lenf^th  and 
Magazine  Capacity,  They  Had  One  Advantage  in  Their  Pour 
Interchangeable  Shutters  with  Different  Apertures 


last  summer  was  due  to  the  fact  that  the 
allies  had  the  mastery  of  the  air,  and  the 
mastery  of  the  air  meant  complete  infor- 
mation, through   the  camera,  as  to  the 
enemy's  plans.  Long-range  reconnaissance 
and  battery  photography  were  invaluable 
in    forestalling    coming    offensives,    but 
trench  photography  meant  actual  battle 
pictures,  hurried  snaps  taken  in  the  heat 
of  conflict,  when  the  guards  were  down, 
the  masks  thrown  off,  the  shells  screech- 
ing, the  men  coming.    Then  the  camera 
was  put  to  its  severest  test,  for  telephone 
and    telegraph   lines   were   smashed,   dis- 
patch       riders 
shot,     observa- 
tion      balloons 
burned,         all 
other     sources 
of   information 
crippled.      The 
side  that  owned 
the     air     then, 
had    an    incal- 
culable   advan- 
tage, for  every 
IS     minutes     a 
plane        would 
come     winging 
back  to  its  pho- 
to-section head- 
q  ua  rters  to 
drop    a    series 
of  photographs 
showing        the 
progress  of  the 
battle. 

For  instance : 
The  "Yanks" 
are  to  attack 
befoft  Sedan  at  5:45  in  the  morning.  The 
photograph  men  in  their  dugout  clear 
away  all  nonessential  pans  and  fluids,  the 
developer  is  ready,  the  printing  frames 
and  lights  tested,  the  cameras  adjusted, 
the  airplanes  poised.  The  attack  begins. 
The  field  becomes  Bedlam !  An  enemy 
barrage  falls,  the  American  barrage  creeps 
ahead  of  the  charging  "doughboys."  At 
the  head  of  each  platoon  marches  a  lieu- 
tenant in  khaki,  in  his  left  hand  a  photo- 
graph of  the  objective,  in  his  right  a  re- 


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706 


POPULAR  MECHANICS 


volver.     The  photograph  is  more  impor- 
tant, for  it  has  been  obtained  by  the  cam- 


Of  These  French  Caroerat,  the  Big  One,  at  the  Rifht, 
Records  a  Man's  Trail  across  "  No  Man's  Land"  from 
a  Height  of  Four  Miles — Comparatively  Safe  Fljring. 
The  Germans  Had  Nothing  Like  This,  Nor  Any  Auto- 
matic Map.Making  Film  Camera 


era  men  weeks  ago,  and  its  every  shadow 
and  high  light  carefully  explained  to  him. 

At  5:50,  the  first  airplane  lunges 
forth  and  the  camera  man  in  the  rear  ^^'^ 
seat,  glancing  through  the  aper-  ^^''' 
ture  in  the  bottom  of  the  fuse-  ^x'"*^ 
lage,  begins  to  shoot  pic- 
tures rapidly.  At  6:05 
the  second  airplane  fol- 
lows. At  6:20  the  third 
goes  out.  As  it  roars  up, 
the  first  airplane  comes 
shooting  back,  having 
photographed  the  prog- 
ress of  the  doughboys, 
their  enemies,  and  the 
effect  of  both  allied  and 
German  artillery  fire. 
This  first  plane  does  not 
land ;  it  circles  over  the 
'  photographic  headquar- 
ters, and  the  camera 
man,  leaning  out,  lets  his 


plates  fall  on  the  end  of  a  parachute. 
Then  the  plane  wheels  and  darts  back 
fnto  the  spitting,  rocking  air  aboye  the 
field.  Six-thirty-five,  and  a  fourth  plane 
goes  up  as  the  second  plane  returns  to 
drop  its  plates.  Within  the  photographic 
dugout  the  plates  are  developed  fren- 
ziedly;  prints-are  made,  and  snatched  wet 
from  the  frames.  The  "printer"  dips  the 
first  picture  in  alcohol,  touches  it  to  a 
tiny  gas  flame  and,  as  it  burns,  whips  it 
suddenly  downward,  putting  out  the  blaze, 
and  tosses  it  dry  to  the  photographic  offi- 
cer, who  numbers  and  labels  it,  and  in 
turn  throws  it  to  the  motorcycle  rider, 
who  "crack-cracks"  away  to  the  general. 
The  picture  is  in  headquarters  20  to  30 
minutes  after  the  photographer  took  it 
over  the  battle  field.  The  prints  now  flow 
in  a  steady  stream  into  headquarters,  the 
photographic  division  is  moving  like  clock- 
work. The  attack  is  successful  and  head- 
quarters moves  ahead.  The  photogra- 
phers swarm  out  of  the  dugout,  leap  into 
a  motor  lorry,  with  their  instruments, 
bottles,  and  cameras  in  their  arms,  and 
bounce  forward  to  a  new  depot. 

All  the  time  the  scout  and  observation 
planes  are  watching  the  battle  and  report- 
ing to  headquarters  direct,  but  their  word 
is  at  best  confused  and  often  conflicting. 
The  main  reliance  is  upon  the  photo- 
graphs, for  they  do  not  lie.  If  the  Yankee 
barrage  is  cutting  its  own  men  to  pieces, 
the  camera  shows  it;  if  the  attack  is  de- 
feated, the  camera  shows  the  men  huddled 
in  shell  holes,  or  lying  dead  on  the  ground. 
If  the  ,^_^^^^ck  is  victorious,  and  the 
way  is  ,^W,open  for  a  still  greater  at- 
.'/  .\v.       tack,  the  photographs 


"'*      /Urea  covei 


AREA  pC{VERED 


AREAiCOVCRCO 


show  the   Huns  m 
"^N    flight,  their  lines 
^\^  broken. 

Science 


"-^  w  1  n  s 


S^^-^*''.^'''y^^^r-':M,^^>!^^ 


r 

c- 


3howrin9  cir«as  photo9raplMd  by  diffepsnl  -  Ibcus  l«ns«s  on5x4'plateatsainff  oNitudv. 
A.Triescopic  l«ns 
#  B. Ordinary  lens Tato I2"ft>cusj 

C.Short-fSous  or  wide-angle  lens 


^'^^^Si 

L 

» 

^ci:ft|Pi^ 

^, 

^-     ■-.--^'     1 

A,                           -.rVri 

In  Taking  Pictures  of  Hostile  Territory  the  Scout  Usually  First  Covered 
a  Large  Area  with  a  Short-Focus  Lens.     Any  Su      '  '         -      •  -        — 
were  Then  Photographed  with  an  Ordinary  Lens,  Revealing  1 
and.  Suspicions   Con^firmed,  the   Main   Object  would  be  Clearly  Brought 


Any  Suapiclous^Looking  Parts 
B,  Revealing  More  I>etails, 


Out  by  the  Telephoto  Camera,  as  Indicated  Here 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


707 


The  photoeraphic  planes  drop  out  of  the 
skies  like  blackbirds  at  the  discharge  of 
the  farm  boy's  shotgun,  but  others  take 
their  places  and  the  work  goes 
steadily  on. 

The  whole  system  of  attack  in 
trench  warfare  was  based  on  pho- 
tographs. The  pictures  located 
the  enemy's  centers  of  resistance 
in  the  puzzling  network  of 
trenches — an  all-important  thing, 
for  the  German  system  was,  in 
case  of  attack,  to  desert  certain 
sections  of  the  trenches  and  fall 
back  into  strongly  fortified  cen- 
ters, to  let  the  attackers  count 
themselves  victorious  and,  swarm- 
ing on  past,  be  caught  in  cross 
fires  from  these  centers  and  anni- 
hilated. In  the  early  days  of  the 
war,  the  "Princess  Pat's,"  Can- 
ada's pride,  were  tricked  so,  per- 
mitted to  penetrate  past  these 
isolated  centers  of  resistance, 
and  then  killed  to  a  man  by  bul- 
lets in  the  back. 

In  the  later  days  of  the  war, 
the  allies,  holding  control  of  the  air,  pho- 
tographed the  Hun  lines  in  detail,  spotted 
these  centers  of  resistance  and  singled 
them  out  for 
bitter  shelling, 
with  the  result 
that  when  the 
attack  was 
made,  the  in- 
fantrymen, dis- 
carding  the 
lightly  held 
sectors  of  Ger- 
man trenches, 
concentrated 
on  the  centers, 
took  them,  and 
routed  the 
Germans. 

The  famous 
Hindenburg 
line,  which  al- 
lied infantry- 
men agreed 
could  never  be 
taken,  was 
taken  because 
the  allied  pho- 
tographers, by 
deduction  and 
detective  >vork, 
spotted  the 
centers;  b  e  - 
cause  they  discovered  and  worked  out  the 
strength  of  German  forces  carefully  hid- 


den in  dugouts ;  because  they  revealed  the 
position  of  trench  mortars,  machine  guns, 
tank    traps,    camouflaged    trenches,    bat- 


Hav'ing  Wasted  a  Fourth  of  a  Ton  of  Shells  on  a  Partly  Cam- 
ouflaged False  Battery  and  Silenced  an  Open  One,  the  Allies 
were  Still  Exposed  to  a  Galling  Fire  from  This  Point.  The 
Camera  Showed  Nothing  But  a  Stubble  Field,  with  Uninter- 
rupted Paths  Crossing  It,  but  the  Filter  Lens — the  Unerring 
Analyst  of  All  Camouflage  —  Discovered  the  Secret  of  the 
Canvas-Covered   Battery 

teries,  ammunition  dumps,  and  the  thou- 
sand and  one  other  things  that  marked 


the  activities  of  the  enemy. 

An 
ingly 


In  an  Unsuccessful  Attack  a  British  Battalion  was  **Lost"  after 
the  Retreat  of  Its  Regiment.  To  Locate  and  Relieve  It  Was 
Imperative.  A  Camera  Scout  was  Sent  Out.  Snow  had  Fallen 
and  Filled  the  Shell  Holes,  but  in  Some  the  Camera  Recorded 
Reflections  of  the  Bright  Morning  Sun.  These  Were  Helmets: 
The  '*Lo8t  Battalion"  was  Found,  and  a  Quick  Sortie  Rescued  It 


amaz- 
detailed 
chart  and 
"plot"  of  the 
entire  Hinden- 
burg system 
was  made  —  a 
painstakingly 
mapped  revela- 
tion of  his  de- 
fense  works. 

How  many 
lives  the 
camera  saved 
will  never  be 
known.  When 
it  came,  the 
awful  toll  taken 
b  y  errors  i  n 
judging  the 
condition  o  f 
barbed  wire 
ceased.  In  the 
early  days, 
commanders 
had  to  rely  on 
observers  for 
reports  as  to 
the  condition 
of  these  bar- 
riers. Mistakes  were  common,  for  the  eye 
of  an  aerial  observer  is  at  best  faulty.    He 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


might  report  that  the  barbed  wire  in  "No 
Man's  Land"  looked  thoroughly  shattered, 
and  that  the  allied  artillery  had  blasted 


increased  its  length  sufficiently  to  let  it 
cross  handily. 
When,  next,  the  Huns  fixed  at  cross- 


Prom  Right  to  Left,  the  Disks  Represent  the  Variotts  Colors  as  Photographed  by  an  Ordinarv  Lens  upon  a 
Common  Plate,  with  a  Panchromatic  or  Red -Sensitive  Plate,  and  by  the  Use  of  a  Specially  Prepared  Color 
Filter.    Upon  the  Different  Effects,  as  Here  Shown,  is  Based  the  Color  Analysis  Which  Penetrated  the  Per- 
fect Nature  Imitation  in  Camouflage  the  Huns  Believed  They  had  Acconvlished 


the  German  trenches  as  well.  Headquar- 
ters, on  his  report,  would  order  the  men 
over  the  top,  only  to  meet  an  unruined 
zone  of  wire,  to  be  held  up  by  it,  and 
shot  to  pieces  by  German  machine  guns 
that  had  weathered  the  allied  fire.  When 
the  camera  came,  headquarters  learned  to 
wait  until  the  photographs  showed  the 
wire  unmistakably  gone,  when  every  shell 
hole  in  "No  Man's  Land"  overlapped  an- 
other. 

At  the  crack  of  dawn,  before  an  attack, 
allied  cameras  photographed  the  objec- 
tive, and  if  any  Huns  were  left  after  the 
bombardment  and  had  come  up  to  meet 
the  assault,  the  prints  caught  them. 

In  this  way  the  camera  made  cavalry 
obsolete,  for  it  surpassed  this  picturesque 
branch  in  all  of  its  former-day  achieve- 
ments. What  cavalry  was  maintained  in 
the  great  war  was  a  more  or  less  senti- 
mental concession  to  the  glowing  memory 
of  the  gallant  and  hard  riders  of  the  type 
of  Murat,  Phil  Sheridan,  and  "Jcb" 
Stuart. 

If  a  surprise  attack  was  to  be  made,  the 
camera  gave  the  infantry  a  detailed  map 
of  the  vulnerable  points,  showing  where 
the  large  dugouts,  sheltering  from  18  to 
20  men  each,  were  located,  and  where  the 
small  dugouts,  housing  nine  to  a  dozen 
men,  were.  It  showed  tliem  just  where 
the  Germans  had  placed  sandbags  to  cut 
off  a  captured  trench,  and  where  the  ma- 
chine guns  were  which  could  enfilade  the 
captors. 

When  Von  Hindenburg,  frightened  by 
the  success  of  the  tanks  at  Cambrai,  wid- 
ened his  trenches  in  order  to  trap  the 
iron  monsters,  the  camera  detected  the 
move,  and  when  the  tanks  came  again 
each  had  a  special  snout  on  its  end  that 


roads  carefully  camouflaged  "pits,"  which 
would  break  down  under  the  weight  of 
the  tanks  and  precipitate  them  into  cap- 
tivity, the  camera,  through  its  special 
lenses  for  the  detection  of  camouflage, 
caught  the  trick  and  gave  warning  to  the 
tank  drivers.  When,  again,  Hindenburg 
placed  automatic  antitank  guns  at  road- 
sides, with  electric  batteries  to  set  them 
off  when  the  passing  monster  sprang  the 
switch,  the  camera  ferreted  out  the  hid- 
den cannon  and  again  the  tanks  were 
saved. 

This  matter  of  detecting  camouflage 
was  most  vital  in  trench  warfare,  and, 
mechanically,  the  solving  of  the  question 
is  the  camera's  biggest  feat. 

The  Germans  were  uncannily  adept  at 
camouflage — no  more  so  than  the  allies 
eventually,  but  at  first  they  w^ere  a  step 
or  so  ah'ead.     They  used  color  shrewdly. 

Now  it  is  a  very  prevalent  idea  that 
all  creatures  see  about  the  same  thing 
when  they  look  upon  the  earth.  But 
science  proves  that  different  animals  see 
diiferent  things;  that  man  sees  differently 
in  other  ways,  and  that  the  camera  is 
more  truthful  than  any  eye. 

The  grocer's  horse  will  stop  with  un- 
erring precision  before  the  usual  door  in 
a  row  of  houses  which  are  so  exactly  alike 
that  the  driver  has  always  to  consult  the 
number.  On  the  other  hand,  the  horse 
will  know  his  master  when  the  man  mas- 
querades in  a  false  mustache,  while  the 
master's  dog  will  go  crazy  with  fe^r.  And 
yet,  if  the  master  dons  woman's  clothes, 
the  dog  will  not  be  troubled,  but  the  horse 
will  have  grave  suspicions. 

The  camera,  in  detecting  the  masquer- 
ading tricks  of  the  Germans  in  the  war, 
was  as  unerring  always  as  the  man  was 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


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at  times,  the  dog  was  at  other  times,  or 
the  horse  at  still  others.  The  camera  that 
the  allies  perfected  saw  colors  that  man 
does  not  see  at  all.  The 
camera  shows  the  golden, 
fluffy  hair  of  a  girl  al- 
most black,  and  the  blue- 
black  hair  of  an  Indian 
gray.  The  camera  catches 
the  band  of  ultraviolet  in 
the  rainbow  that  is  in- 
visible to  the  human  eye. 
If  an  ultraviolet  mon- 
ster were  to  appear  we 
could  not  see  it,  but  the 
camera  would  photo- 
graph it. 

The  ordinar>'  camera 
sees  blue  best,  but 
science  worked  out  a 
panchromatic  plate 
which,  while  still  being 
most  sensitive  to  blue, 
sees  other  colors  so 
well  that  it  defeated  German  camouflage. 

For  instance,  a  stereoscopic  picture 
shows  a  suspicious  depression  close  be- 
hind the  German  trenches.  Has  it  a  bat- 
tery hidden  in  it?  The  whole  field  is 
smooth  and  green,  having  looked  so  inno- 
cent that  it  was  not  shelled.  In  reality 
it  contains  a  battery  covered  with  ereen 
canvas.  The  green  paint  blends  perfectly 
with     the     green     grass.     However,     it 


grass  in  its  pure  color,  while  it  shows 
the  painted  canvas  impure  and  distinct. 
The  green  paint  is  a  mixture  of  yellow 


Their  Equal  i 


The  **Unbreakable"  Hindenburs  Line  It  Here  Shown  in  Contrast  with 
the  Earlier  Trench  Form.  Lined  with  Concrete  and  with  Dugouti  80  to 
SO  Feet  Underground,  It  Was  Practically  Shellproof.  Yet  It  wat  Broken, 
and  the  Tanks  Did  Their  Part.  Not  the  First  Ones,  However,  for  They 
could  Not  Cross  the  Extra- Wide  Communication  Trenches.  Then  They  were 
Equipped  with  a  Beak  or  Skid,  in  Front,  and  Gaps,  Barbed  Wire,  "Pill 
Boxes,**  Nor  Machine-Gun  Nests  could  Stop  These  Modem  Juggernauts 

and  blue,  and  it  photographs  vastly  dif- 
ferent from  pure  green.  Immediately  the 
artillerymen  are  shown  the  trick,  and  they 
drop  shells  on  it,  while  the  allied  truck 
drivers  roll  merrily  along  some  rcttd 
within  their  own  lines  that  the  Hun  bat- 
tery was  planning  to  shell. 

Any  color  used  in  camouflage  can  be 
detected  by  color-filter  lenses,  which  re- 
solve the  component  hues  into  separate 
parts.  Nor  is  the  witch 
vision  of  the  camera  lim- 
ited to  defeating  camou- 
flage. Suppose  you  were 
a  photographer  flying 
over  the  Hun  trenches 
on  a  day  when  the  blue 
haze  dimmed  everything. 
An  ordinary  lens  is  help- 
less, but  you  put  on  a 
yellow  lens,  and  this, 
holding  back  the  blue 
rays,  takes  a  sharp,  clear 
view  of  your  objective. 
In  the  heavy  atmosphere 
of  northern  France,  the 
prevalence  of  this  blue 
haze  at  low  altitudes 
made  this  yellow  filter 
a  most  important  ad- 
junct to  the  camera,  and 
many  an  attack  was  car- 
ried out  or  withheld 
through  information 
given  by  its  fog-piercing 
power. 
A  dummy  of  a  dead  horse  placed  in 
"No  Man's  Land"  fooled  the  allied  ob- 
servers, but  the  color  filter  showed  that  it 


I  in  Bravery  and  Equipment,  the  Hun  Lacked  the  Shrewdness 
of  Deduction  Possessed  by  His  Allied  Adversaries.    To  the  Latter  This 


Photograph  Revealed  Not  Only  All  the  Pacts  Lettered  into  the  Picture 
but  Also  That  the  Position  Was  a  Junction  Point  of  One  Bavarian  and 
One  Prussian  Battalion,  AU  Matters  of  Prime  Importance  in  Preparing 

an  Attack 

wouldn't  fool  a  cow,  and  it  doesn't  fool 
the  camera  when  a  special,  green-filter 
lens  is  used,  for  the  plate  shows  the  green 


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was  a  painted  iron  replica  housing  a  sni- 
per. Yellow  curtains,  spread  in  a  stubble 
field  over  crouching  men,  became  a  dis- 
tinct, open  subterfuge  to  another  filter. 
Concrete  emplacements  for  machine  guns, 
**pill  boxes"  as  they  were  called,  were 
painted  the  color  of  the  earth,  and  yet 
the  many-hued  lenses  sooner  or  later 
showed  them  for  what  they  were. 

Once  Germans  hollowed  out  a  moun- 
tain, fitting  it  for  luxurious  quarters  for 
1,200  men — electric  lights,  billiard  tables, 
bathrooms,  music  rooms — putting  a  small 
rock-colored  canvas  over  the  little  en- 
trance. A  French  photographer,  Collier 
by  name,  attached  to  the  "Blue  Devils" 
at  the  time,  found  this  camouflage  speck 
by  his  color  filters,  suspected  something, 
told  the  artillery,  and  the  latter  bom- 
barded the  tiny  mark.  Finally  one  shell 
made  a  direct  hit,  plunged  on  down  into 
the  interior  and,  exploding,  fired  some 
stored  ammunition  and  killed  every  one 
of  the  1,200  Huns  -  within.  The  ruined 
mountain  i^  named  ''Collier's  Hill"  today. 

The  trail  of  the  human  foot  is,  in  trench 
photography,  even  more  important  to  the 
ciue-hunting  camera  man  than  in  long- 
range  and  hattery  work}  for  the  trenches 
are  the  honeycomb  of  walking  men.  The 
allies  learned  to  catch  the  thread  of  nar- 
row-gauge railways  near  the  front  by  the 
telltale  whitening  of  the  ground  between 
the  tracks,  made  by  men  pulling  the  am- 
munition-laden cars,  after  the  locomotives 
had  been  taken  off  when  the  trench  zones 
were  reached. 

When  the  allied  infantry  had  gone  over 
the  top,  the  cameras  would  often  lose  the 
men  because  smoke  would  screen  the 
field.  They  had  only  to  wait,  however, 
until  the  smoke  cleared,  to  photograph 
the  scene,  and,  picking  up  the  footprints 
of  the  soldiers,  trace  them  to  their  ob- 
iective. 

Once  the  English  "lost"  400  men.  The 
charging  Tommies  got  beyond  their  objec- 
tive; had  their  communication  lines  cut; 
couldn't  be  seen  from  scout  planes,  and 
were  given  up.  A  series  of  photographs 
were  made  with  a  special  long-focus 
camera,  and  on  the  highly  detailed  picture 
their  trails  were  traced  through  the  maze 
of  tracks,  and  lo!  the  camera  caught  the 
dull  glint  of  their  helmets  in  shell  holes 
where  they  had  dug  themselves  in. 

Always  the  camera  told  just  how  the 
attacking  allied  men  were  digging  them- 
selves in,  showing  at  15-minute  intervals 
the  progress  of  their  work  of  connecting 
shell  holes  into  a  defense  trench. 

On  one  occasion  the  British  were  pre- 


paring for  a  raid  on  a  large  section  ef 
German  trenches  in  a  quiet  sector,  and 
under  cover  of  night  brought  up  "shock" 
troops  along  much-traveled  roads  so  that 
no  proof  would  exist.  They  lay  in  hiding 
all  day,  and  the  next  night  the  com- 
manders forbore  to  send  out. any  scouts 
for  fear  their  discovery  might  arouse  sus- 
picion in  the  enemy  lines.  At  the  first 
break  of  day  they  sent  over  a  photog- 
rapher to  "snap"  the  German  lines, .  to 
make  sure  that  all  was  quiet.  He  re- 
turned, and  his  first  picture  showed  two 
fresh  trails  running  clear  across  "No 
Man's  Land"  from  the  Hun  to  the  British 
lines.  The  British  commander,  satisfying 
himself  that  none  of  his  men  had  stolen 
across  in  the  night,  knew  that  a  German 
scout  had  slipped  over  and  bacjc:,  and  that 
in  all  probability  he  had  spread  the  alarm. 
Consequently  he  withheld  his\attack  and 
sent  the  photographer  back  with  the 
special  long- focus  camera.  The  new  pic- 
tures showed  a  faint  widening  of  the 
beaten  trails  between  the  tefir  German 
trenches  and  the  wagon  tq2^.  Close 
scrutiny  revealed  that  the  Qer^ans.  had 
brought  up  hundreds  of  fresh  soldiers 
during  the  night,  and  had  marked  thbixi, 
Indian  file,  into  the.  trenches — each  man 
walking  in  his  leader's  footst<;ps  in  order 
to  fool  the  camera.  But  the  footprints 
were  obviously  too  large  and  too  deep  for 
one  man,  and  showed  the  trick. 

The  British  called  off  the  attack  while 
the  photographers  searched  the  German 
lines  for.  miles  arouiid  to  discover  where 
the  reinforcements  had  been  secured.  Ten 
miles  to  the  east,  they  found  tracks  made 
by  men  walking  in  the  same  way,  Indian 
file,  from  the  trenches  out  to  the  wagon 
road,  evidently  to  motor  trucks.  Here, 
then,  the  line  had  been  weakened,  and  act- 
ing promptly,  the  British  commander  or- 
dered an  attack  in  this  sector  with  the 
result  that  the  lightly  held  trenches  were 
captured. 

Trench  photographs  betrayed  the  en- 
emy's excavations  in  that  it  showed  where 
he  was  putting  his  soil.  It  was  the  Ger- 
man custom,  when  sinking  a  mine  under 
"No  Man's  Land,"  to  carry  the  earth 
back  and  scatter  it  on  the  tops  of  trench 
parapets,  or  on  the  rear  slope  of  a  para- 
pet where  it  would  be  unnoticed.  The 
color  of  this  fresh  earth  showed  in  photo 
prints,  or  if  it  had  dried  out  before  the 
camera  caught  it — a  rare  thing — it  would 
show  because  the  parapet  would  be  un- 
naturally high.  When  the  photographers 
detected  this,  they  knew  a  mine  was  going 
out  in  the  vicinity,  and  immediately  the 


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Throngli  Networks  of  German  Trenches,  Like  This,  the  Allied  Camera  Men  Persistently  Hunted  to  Find 
Their  Centers  of  Resistance.  These  Were  Strongly  Fortified  but  Not  Conspicuous  Positions  Which  the  Huns 
could  Hold  Even  if  the  Remainder  of  the  Sjrstem  was  Swept  Away  by  the  Enemy,  and  from  Them  They 
could  Turn  upon  the  Attackers  a  Murderous  Machine-Oun  Fire  from  Behind,  ^o  It  Was  Vital  to  Discover 
and  Capture  Them  before  Advancing  Farther 

allied  miners  would  start  a  counterex- 
cavation. 

So  it  went  year  after  year,  the  Germans 
using  much  the  same  methods  as  the  al- 
lies in  trying  to  use  and  to  fool  the 
camera.  Mechanically  the  Hun  was  the 
equal,  if  not  the  superior,  of  the  allied 
photographer.  He  had  on  the  whole 
better  equipment,  and  was  about  as  dar- 
ing in  the  taking  of  pictures,  but  he  was 
never  so  shrewd  at  deduction,  never  so 
uncanny  in  his  reading  of  prints;  he  never 
had  the  detective's  eye  as  did  the  keener, 
more  quick-witted  specialists  of  the 
French,  British,  and  American  forces. 

In  cameras  both  sides  were  much  alike, 
for  no  sooner  had  one  opponent  intro- 
duced an  improvement,  than  the  opposi- 
tion would  find  it  on  a  captured  plane 
and  adopt  it.  Both  sides  were  eager  to 
shoot  down  photograph  planes,  for  on 
the  dead  man's  plates,  if  they  were  not 
broken,  they  could  read  just  what  the 
enemy  was  spying  upon,  just  what  he  was 
after. 

The  German  lenses  were  of  a  brilliancy 
and    correctness    that    the    allies   seldom 


duplicated.  True  to  the  tedious  accuracy 
of  the  German  brain,  the  formulas  they 
employed  in  making  their  lenses  were  true 
to  a  mathematical  nicety,  and  the  work- 
manship was  flawless.  Lens  astigma- 
tism was  unknown  among  them.  Each 
part  of  their  13  by  18-cm.  (approximately 
5  by  7-in.)  plates  was  equally  within  the 
sharpest  focus.  Their  lenses  never  caused 
that  extra  rim  of  light,  known  as  aberra- 
tion, about  objects. 

In  focal  length,  however,  they  fell  far 
short  of  the  allies,  and  allowed  the  latter 
to  ride  at  twice  the  height  and  get  equally 
good  pictures.  The  Hun  policy  was  to 
fly  lower,  with  a  flock  of  protecting  planes, 
while  the  allies  worked  in  smaller  groups 
and  "snapped"  from  greater  heights. 

The  size  of  the  opening  in  the  shutter 
was  another  difference  between  the  com- 
bating cameras.  In  the  French,  British, 
and  American  cameras  the  size  of  the 
aperture  was  fixed  before  the  airplane  left 
the  ground.  The  Germans  had  four  fixed 
sizes,  which  he  could  interchange  in  the 
air.  The  allied  flier  had  to  use  whatever 
he  had  gone  up  with.     This  meant  that. 


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if  a  sudden  change  in  the'  weather  oc- 
curred, or  if  anti-aircraft  guns  forced  the 
.plane  higher  where  the  air  was  brighter, 
.he  had  to  come  home.  Many  a  gallant 
allied  photographer,  choosing  to  fly  lower 
and  get  his  pictures  at  all  costs,  died  in 
the  attempt.  The  Huns  never  used  the 
.map-making  camera  as  did  the  allies,  and 
'its  neglect  cost  them  heavily  before  the 
war  was  done.  The  German  plate 
holders  contained  six  plates;  the  French 
;Gaumont  holder,  12;  the  British  "C"-type 
;holder,  18,  and  their  *'L"-type,  in  use 
:when  war  ended,  24.  The  United  States 
/holders,  the  De  Pam,  characteristic  of  the 
igiant  scale  on  which  America  worked, 
theld  50  plates. 

I  In  bravery,  the  photographic  fliers  on 
both  sides  were  equally  matched.  I  have 
never  talked  to  an  allied  camera  man  who 
did  not  pay  tribute  to  his  German  rivals. 
In  the  air  the  Hun  was  not  a  Hun,  take 
him  by  and  large.  Whatever  there  may 
have  been  of  sporting  blood  in  the  Ger- 
man nation  showed  in  the  air,  and  in  the 
air  only.  Perhaps  it  was  that  mysterious 
exaltation,  that  thrilling  call  of  the  upper 


air,  that  subdued  the  brutishness  of  the 
typically  militaristic  German.  Through- 
out the  war  the  opponents  forbore,  in  the 
main,  to  attack  the  hangars  and  photo- 
graphic headquarters  of  their  enemy. 
Chivalry  ran  strong  in  the  blood  of  the 
men  who  were  "riding  with  Death"  day 
in   and   day   oiit. 

And  braving  much  for  the  sake  of  hu- 
manity, the  allied  fliers  have  performed 
wonders  for  science.  Their  development 
of  stereoscopic  and  color  photography 
will  be  applied  to  everyday  uses  in  in- 
finite variety.  What  cannot  we  now  learn 
of  inaccessible  deserts  and  polar  regions, 
what  cannot  we  now  discover  of  the  vast 
depths  of  the  Amazon  jungles,  the  fabled 
plateaus  of  Tibet,  the  untrod  heart  of  the 
Sahara  ? 

When,  later  on,  we  smile  to  recall  how 
primitive  and  awkward  was  the  world's 
fumbling  with  photography  before  the 
war,  and  reflect  on  its  huge  growth,  may 
we  do  proper  honor  to  those  of  the  hard- 
riding  pioneers  of  the  clouds  whose  bodies 
came  down,  but  whose  souls  went  straight 
on  up  to  the  Open  Gates. 


DENVER  HAS  TWO -STORY   CONCRETE   SHEEP   SHEDS 


pens  is  70,000. 
These  are  as- 
serted to  be  the 
largest   sheep 

sheds    in    the    United    States,    and    their 
facilities  establish  the  city's  claim  to  the 


The  Extent  of  Denver's  New  Two-Story  Sheep  Sheds  may  be  Real- 
ized  from  the  Upper  Picture,  in  Which  One  of  the  Runways  to 
the  Second  Floor  is  Seen.  The  Entire  Structure  Is  of  Concrete. 
The  Lower  View  Reveals  the  Home  Life  of  Some  of  the  Big  Apart- 
ment's Temporary  Tenants 


amounted  to 
34,119  cars  and 
Colorado  itself 
has  over  2,000,- 

000  of  the  animals.    The  total  cost  of  the 

new  sheds  was  $100,000. 


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TILTING  WATER-INTAKE  CRIB  RIGHTED 
WITH  THREE  HUNDRED  JACKS 


Openings  for  the  jacks  were 
made  by  boring  two  holes 
through  from  the  inside  with  a 
steam  drill,  and  blasting  out  the  space  be- 
tween with  light  charges  of  dynamite. 
Jacks  were  screwed  up  tight  in  the  open- 
ings thus  made,  protected  with  plank 
bulkheads,  and  another  blast  made  along- 
side. This  process  was  continued  all 
around  the  big  circle.  Wooden  shutters 
hung  on  the  outside  kept  the  waves  of 
the  lake  out  of  the  slit.  In  the  center 
of  the  crib  floor  was  erected  a  pipe  tower 
topped  by  a  surveyor's  level,  and  about 
the  upper  edge  of  the  stone  work  were 
placed  24  targets,  or  scales,  marked  in  100 
divisions.  Watching  these,  the  instrument 
man  called  his  orders  to  the  jack  fore- 
man below,  who  relayed  the  instructions 
to  the  12  men  working  the  300  jacks. 
Lateral  slipping  of  the  masonry  was  pre- 
vented by  heavy  timber  braces  inside. 
When   the  crib  finally   had   been   turned 


The  White  Rectangles  at  the  Top  Edge  of  the  Crib  Are  Targets. 

By  Sighting  Them  the  Instrument  Man  on  the  Platform  in  the 

Center  could  Properly  Direct  the  Jack  Men  Below 

into  horizontal  position,  the  jack  opening 
was  filled  in  with  brick  work,  and  the  job 
was  finished.  The  whole  operation  took 
30  days,  and  was  completed  without  dam- 
age to  any  part  of  the  structure. 


COMPRESS  CONCRETE  IN  MOLD 
AND  STRENGTH  INCREASES 

That  the  strength  of  concrete  increases 
with  its  density  is  well  known.  That  this 
increase  may  amount  to  as  much  as  50  or, 
in  some  cases,  practically  100  per  cent,  is 
indicated  by  experiments  conducted  at 
an  eastern  university.  A  cylindrical  sheet- 
steel  form,  5  ft.  high  and  14  in.  in  diam- 
eter, was  used,  with  a  13-in.  plunger  for 
making  compression  columns,  and  with- 
out a  plunger  for  molding  ordinary  col- 
umns.   About  12  in.  of  regular  1 :2:4  mix- 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


ture  was  put  into  the  form,  compressed 
at  25,000  to  40,000  lb.  (160  to  260  lb.  per 
square  inch),  another  12-in.  layer  added 


Sheet-Steel  Mold  and  Plunger  for  Making  Test  Col- 
umns  of  Compressed  Concrete,  Which  were  Pound 
to  be  SO  to  lOp  Per  Cent  Stronger  Than  Ordinary 
Tamped  Coltflnns  and  to  Weigh  Only  Pour  Per 
Cent  More 

and  compressed,  and  so  on.  Ordinary  col- 
umns were  made  by  tamping  the  form  full 
of  mixture  in  the  usual  manner,  which 
after  28  days  of  setting  failed  under  a 
pressure  of  1,774  lb.  per  square  inch. 
Compressed  columns  resisted  pressures  up 
to  2,680  lb.  per  square  inch,  a  51-per-cent 
gain.  Greater  compacting  pressure  and 
longer  drying  further  increased  the  resist- 
ance. 


MAY  HAVE  SOLDIERS  TEACH 
FARMERS  HOW  TO  PACK 

Thousands  of  dollars  are  lost  every 
year  because  farmers  are  not  familiar  with 
the  best  methods  of  packing  perishable 
goods  for  shipment  to  market,  according 
to  statements  made  at  a  New  York  milk 
investigation.  The  suggestion  was  of- 
fered that  missionaries  be  sent  out  to 
the  farms  to  give  instructions  and  demon- 
strations in  packing.  For  this  work  re- 
turned soldiers  would  be  available,  and 
could  be  technically  prepared  in  short 
order  by  visits  to  the  big  packing  plants, 
where  they  would  learn  at  first  hand  the 


importance  of  proper  methods  and  the 
easiest  way  to  pass  the  information  to 
the  farmers. 


USE  PSYCHOLOGY  TO  PLACE 

JOBLESS  SOLDIERS  PROPERLY 

It  is  only  natural  to  expect  discharged 
soldiers  to  want  better  positions  than  they 
had  before  entering  the  service,  but  in  a 
great  many  cases  the  men  are  asking  for 
places  they  are  entirely  unfitted  to  fill. 
Much  trouble  would  be  eliminated  in  plac- 
ing them  if  the  men  knew  just  what  they 
were  fitted  for.  As  a  means  of  overcom- 
ing this  trouble,  the  United  States  Em- 
ployment Service  in  New  York  City  has 
secured  the  services  of  a  mentality  expert 
to  properly  classify  the  various  applicants 
through  psychological  tests.  Should  this 
scheme  prove  entirely  practical,  it  is  pro- 
posed to  place  a  number  of  these  experts 
at  the  disposal  of  the  employment  di- 
vision. 


CAR-REPAIR  BULLETIN  BOARD 

ANSWERS  OWNER'S  QUERY 

In  the  office  of  an  automobile-service 
station  at  Indianapolis  is  a  large  black- 
board, upon  which  is  posted  the  condition 
of  each  car  brought  in  for  repair.  Notes 
and  changes  are  made  on  the  board  from 
day  to  day,  so  that  a  glance  at  it  tells  the 
condition  of  the  job.  When  the  im- 
patient owner  calls  up.  the  line  opposite 


Bulletin  Board  in  Automobile-Senrice  Station  Lists 

Bach  Car  by  Number  and  Owner's  Name,  and  Tells 

Progress  of  Work  on  It,  So  Manager  can    Answer 

Questions  Promptly 

his  name  and  car  number  on  the  black- 
board gives  the  cue  for  the  answer. 


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716 


WANTED  I  NEW  BRANDS  FOR  CATTLE 


By  W.  F.  WIIXOX 


THE  Colorado  State  Brand  Board  has 
announced  that  it  is  "up  against  it'' 
for  new  brands.  There  are  between  40,000 
and  45,000  different  cattle  brands  recorded 
in  the  books  of  the  state,  and  every  day 
finds  new  ap^icants  for  brands,  with  none 
to  be  had.    The  various  letters  of  the  al- 


Letters  are  often  used  m  combinations 
with  a  bar  above  or  below,  or  laid  down 
on  their  side,  when  they  are  known  as 
"lazy"  letters.  With  extensions  or  wings, 
they  are  known  as  "flying"  letters.  There 
are  also  signs  and  hieroglyphics  used,  as 
the   circle,   mule   shoe,   keystone,    wagon 


Ranchen  for  Marking  Their  Stock.    The  Unexplained' 

phabet  and  the  figures  already  have  been 
used  in  about  every  conceivable  combina- 
tion. 

*  One  thing  that  stamps  the  Colorado 
brand  board  as  unique,  is  the  fact  that 
the  same  brand  is  let  out  to  but  one  per- 
son, who  can  place  it  anywhere  on  the 
body  of  his  stock,  while  other  states  where 
brands  are  recorded,  except  California, 
give  out  the  same  brand  to  six  persons, 
each  one  to  use  it  in  a  different  part  of 
the  animal's  anatomy.  This  reduces  the 
possibility  of  ever  running  out  of  brands. 

The  "101"  brand  has  probably  been 
burnt  into  the  hides  of  more  brute  ani- 
mals than  any  other.  It  belongs  to  a 
big  outfit  which  has  ranged  stock  in  all 
the  Southwest  and  is  one  around  which 
many  a  story  and  movie  scenario  has  been 
written. 

In  Colorado  the  brand  is  practically  al- 
ways on  the  left  side,  the  left  hip  usually 
being  the  selected  place.  A  roped  animal 
naturally  falls  on  the  right  side  so  that 
the  left  hip  is  at  once  exposed  to  the 
brander's  iron.  Some  owners  run  the 
brand  clear  across  the  whole  side  of  the 
animal  to  make  it  more  easily  read. 


e 

h 
>t 

*Mirk'i«'alf eican  Vieiioglyphic      "  ?  ^  ,       P  ^ /"* 

mitted,  a  1  - 
though  those  in  use  for  years  before  re- 
cording was  instituted  are  still  in  use. 

The  Colorado  brand  board  and  live- 
stock associations  have  inspectors  at  every 
shipping  point  in  the  state.  No  shipment 
of  stock,  however  small,  can  be  billed  out 
without  a  state  inspector's  approval.  Each 
year  the  state  board  turns  over  $50,000  to 
owners  for  stray  animals  which  were 
picked  up  and  shipped  out  with  other 
brands  and  reported  by  the  inspectors. 

Reading  brands  is  a  peculiarly  difficult 
job.  In  the  fall,  when  the  hair  is  lonp^ 
and  the  cattle  are  being  brought  in  from 
the  range  by  the  hundreds  of  thousands, 
the  brand  inspector  must  be  able  to  dis- 
tinguish any  one  of  all  the  40,000  to 
45,000  brands. 


EAST-COAST   MARL   DEPOSITS 
OFFER  CHEAP  FERTILIZER 

Extensive  beds  of  marl  and  greensand. 
rich  in  potash,  lie  along  the  Atlantic  coast 
line  from  Sandy  Hook,  N.  J.,  to  a  pofnt 
south  of  Richmond,  Va.  Discovered  in 
1768,  but  practically  abandoned  after  the 
Civil  War,  these  fields  of  cheap  fertilizer 


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116  POPULAR  MECHANICS 


have  been  virtually  rediscovered  by  sci- 
entists of  the  Department  of  Agriculture. 
These  investigators  have  found  that  large 
shipments  of  lime  are  being  brought  in 
from  other  states  for  use  on  farms  whose 
own  substratum  is  calcareous  marl  in  un- 
limited amounts.  Transportation  from 
the  beds  is  the  element  determining  their 
value,  but  farmers  within  a  few  miles  of 
a  deposit  would  find  its  excavation  a  prof- 
itable spare-time  occupation.  The  soil 
absorbs  the  fertilizing  factor  from  the 
greensand  so  slowly  that  a  supply  suffi- 
cient for  a  long  period  may  be  applied  at 
once. 


CHANGING  BALLOON  OBSERVERS 
IN  WAR  ZONE  AT  SEA 

To  go  up  to  a  balloon,  instead  of  going 
up  in  one,  and  to  come  down  from  a 
balloon,  rather  than  with  one,  is  what 
frequently  happens  at  sea  when  one  ob- 
server relieves  another  aboard  a  captive 
balloon  floated  by  a  man-of-war.  In 
other  words,  to  change  observers,  it  is 
not  necessary  for  one  of  the  big  sausage- 
y  shaped  gas  bags  to  be  drawn  all  of  the 

/  way  to  a  ship's  deck.    It  is  pulled  in  close 

y^     ,    J  '  \\  to  the  vessel  that  anchors  it,  so  that  one 

\  \\  observer  can  be  pulled  up,  and  the  other 

/ .  \  \   V  let  down,  by  rope  and  pulley  in  breeches- 

,:  \   \  buoy    fashion.     The    advantage    of    this 

/  \  \     \    .     scheme  is  that  time,  always  important  in 


y  '.  \ 


the  war  zone,  is  saved,  and  considerable 
trouble  eliminated. 


NUMERALS  CAME  FROM  EUROPE, 

DECLARES  ASIATIC  STUDENT 

That  the  system  of  numerals  we  use 
and  know  as  "Arabic"  had  its  birth  in  the 
ingenious  mind  of  some  ancient  Hindu 
philosopher  has  been  accepted  as  fact  so 
long  that  to  dispute  it  is  to  question  a 
cherished  tradition.  Yet  a  profound  stu- 
dent of  Asia  Minor  and  the  intellectual 
characteristics  of  its  various  races  makes 
the  definite  assertion  that  the  Indo-Arabi- 
ans  obtained  the  symbols  with  which  they 
are  credited,  only  at  third  hand,  and  at- 
tributes their  origin  to  the  European  con- 
tinent. From  this  source  the  Persians 
adopted  them,  and  later  they  were  intro- 
duced by  natural  diffusion  into  India  and 
Arabia.  Nor  did  the  numerals  evolve 
from  alphabetical  characters,  as  supposed, 
but  were  designed  for  their  purpose.  The 
investigator's  report  at  least  opens  the 
subject  to  new  debate,  if  it  does  not 
wholly  dispose  of  it. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


COPYRIQHT,  OHtCAOO  TIUBUNt  NIW«  PMOTO  •MVIOI 

French  Bombing  Plane  Built  with  the  Intention  of  Raiding  Berlin,  but  Not  Completed  in  Time:  It  Measures 

Over  80  Feet  from  Tip  to  Tip  of  Wings  and  Makes  80  Miles  an  Hour,  Carrying  8,7i0 

Pounds  of  Gasoline  and  Oil,  and  1,600  Pounds  of  Explosives 


GIANT  FRENCH  BOMBING  PLANE 
WAS  ABOUT  TO  RAID  BERLIN 

Civilians  as  well  as  men  of  the  air  serv- 
ice dreamed,  in  the  days  of  German  ag- 
gression, of  a  bombing  expedition  that 
should  carry  a  terrible  retribution  right 
to  the  heart  of  the  Prussian  capital.  A 
giant  Caudron  biplane  had  actually  been 
made  ready  for  such  an  adventure  when 
hostilities  ceased.  The  great  French  plane 
measures  over  80  ft.  from  tip  to  tip  of  its 
wings.  Carrying  3,740  lb.  of  gasoline  and 
oil,  it  can  fly  for  16  hours  without  landing, 
making  80  miles  an  hour  and  rising  to 
6,000  ft.   For  the  Berlin  raid  it  would  have 


CO^RIOHT,  CHICAQO  TRIBUNE  NCwS  PHOTO  SKRVICC 

Part  of  the  Cargo  of  the  Biplane  Shown  Above:  Tor. 

pedOkWeighing  Over  1,000  Pounds  Which  was  to 

have  Left  Its  Mark  on  the  Prussian  Capital 


been  loaded  with  1,600  lb.  of  explosives, 
from  a  20-lb.  bomb  to  an  enormous  aerial 
torpedo  weighing  over  1,000  lb.  and  stand- 
ing about  eight  feet  high. 


VOYAGE  ON  ICE  PACK  UPSETS 
ARCTIC-CURRENT  THEORY 

Interesting,  although  incomplete,  in- 
formation comes  from  Alaska  regarding 
the  exploration  of  currents  in  the  polar 
basin  by  Storker  Storkerson,  who,  with 
four  companions,  set  out  more  than  a 
year  ago  to  drift  with  an  ice  pack  from 
the  north  of  Alaska  to  New  Siberia 
Island,  off  the  arctic  coast  of  Siberia. 
The  party  has  lately  returned  in  safety, 
although  without  having  reached  its  ex- 
pected destination.  To  all  appearances, 
the  explorers  have  disproved  the  existence 
of  a  strong  westward  current,  heretofore 
accepted  by  geographers  and  others  fa- 
miliar with  the  region.  They  began  drift- 
ing after  making  camp  on  an  ice  cake  at 
73°  north  and  146"*  west.  The  most 
northerly  point  reached  was  74°  north  at 
153°  west.  The  most  easterly  point  was 
144^^°  west.  This  indicates  that  instead 
of  following  a  fairly  straight  course,  they 
were  carried  around  by  a  great  eddy.  The 
expedition  was  originally  planned  by 
Vilhjalmur  Stefansson,  who  was  forced 
to  turn  over  his  command  to  Storkerson 
because  of  illness.  Stefansson  believed 
that  an  ice  pack,  which  in  that  region 
usually  has  a  thickness  of  from  30  to  50 
ft.,  would  drift  at  a  rate  of  about  200 
miles  a  month  and  reach  New  Siberia. 
The  party  started  in  March  of  last  year 
from  Cross  Island,  traveled  with  dog 
sleds  for  some  distance,  and  then'  se- 
lected an  ice  cake  and  set  forth.  Seals 
and  polar  bears  furnished  most  of  the  food 
during  the  novel  trip. 


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719 


FLOODS  CAUSED  BY  BEAVER 

DAMS  RUIN  CROPS 

So  many  complaints  have  been  made  re- 
cently  by   Colorado  farmers   that   floods 

caused   by   beaver   dams     ■ 

in  the  irrigating  ditches 
had  ruined  their  crops, 
that  the  lower  house  of 
the  state  legislature 
passed  a  bill  sanctioning 
the  killing  of  these  ani- 
mals when  caught  de- 
stroying property.  They 
have  long  been  under  the 
protection  of  the  state 
and  it  is  estimated  that 
there  are  now  about  12,- 
000  of  them  in  Colorado. 
The  beaver  has  always 
been  considered  of  great 
benefit.  The  dams  they 
have  built  in  u  p  jp  e  r 
mountain  streams  nave 
served  to  store  the  water 
and  to  prevent  floods. 
This  has  also  had  a  tend- 


ested  in  stocking  streams  with  fish  have 
found  these  beaver  ponds  very  valuable. 
The  fish  have  first  been  introduced  into 
the  ponds  and  then,  having  become  prop- 
erly established,  they  are  permitted  to  es- 


Beavera  at  Work  in  a  Manh:    When  a  Stream  Is  Not  Deep  Enough  for 
Them.  They  BuUd  a  Dam,  Often  Cutting  Down  Large  Trees  for  Use  in 


ency  to  regulate  the  feeding  of  water  into 
the  irrigatmg  ditches.    Also,  those  inter- 


Buildmg  It.    They  are  Most  Generally  Foutid  in  Streams  Bordered  with 
Thick  Foliage 

cape  or  are  transferred  into  the  streams 
it  is  desired  to  stock. 


HUGE  OIL  TANKS  HAULED  BY  TRUCKS 


Bigger  than  the  trucks  that  hauled 
them,  200  oil  tanks,  30  ft.  long  and  10 
ft.  in  diameter,  were  carried  out 


timbers  laid  from  the  two-wheel  trailer 

to  the  truck  platform  made  a  safe  seat 

for  the  bier  cylinders,  which  were  held 


OiT Tanks,  80  Feet  Long  and  10  Feet  in  Diameter,  were  Hauled  as  Far  as  146  Miles  Out  of  Los  Angeles, 
California,  on  Five-Ton  Motor  Trucks  Equipped  with  Trailers.  The  Trucks  Were  Able  to  Deliver  Their 
Huge  Burdens  Right  at  the  Spot  Where  They  were  Needed.     In  This  Way  200  Tanks  were  Transported 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


BENCH  SAW  CUTS  AT  AN  ANGLE 

WHILE  TABLE  IS  LEVEL 

To  increase  production  and  reduce  cost 
•in  woodworking  shops,  a  time  and  labor- 
saving    bench    saw,    with    features    that 


Connected  with  an   Ordinary  Lighting   Circuit,  the 

Saw  Makes  a  Full  Two- Inch  Cut 

through  Hard  Wood 

appear  to  be  advantageous,  has  been 
evolved.  It  is  portable,  electrically  driven, 
and  intended  to  be  connected  with  an 
ordinary  lighting  circuit.  Equipped  with 
a  motor  of  V^  hp.,  it  is  claimed  to  be 
capable  of  making  a  full  2-in.  cut  through 
the  hardest  kind  of  wood.  The  saw  is  so 
mounted  that  it  may  be  tilted  for  cutting 
at  an  angle  while  the  table  remains  level. 
By  turning  a  handwheel  until  the  exact 
angle  desired  is  registered  on  a  dial,  the 
saw  is  accurately  adjusted  in  a  moment's 
time.  Furthermore,  the  saw  may  be 
raised  and  lowered  so  as  to  either  cut  or 
groove.  A  crosscutting  fence  built  into 
the  machine  is  out  of  the  way  when  not 
in  use,  while  the  rip  fence  is  finished  on 
two  surfaces  and  may  be  used  on  either 
side  of  the  saw. 


FURNACE  SALAMANDER  CUT 

BY  OXYHYDROGEN  FLAME 

The  "salamander"  found  in  the  bottom 
of  a  blast  furnace  consists  of  unfused 
iron,  slag,  and  ore,  and  is  extremely  hard. 
The  usual  procedure  to  eliminate  it  is  to 
drill  it  with  a  diamond  bit,  in  an  air  drill 
or  driven  by  a  sledge  hammer.  A  steel 
company  at  Cleveland,  when  blowing  out 
one  of  its  furnaces  for  alteration  and  re- 
lining,  uncovered  a  salamander  two  feet 
thick.  An  oxyhydrogen  Hame  was  used 
to  cut  the  accumulation,  and  it  was  found 
that  the  pressure  of  the  gases  blew  the 
molten  metal  out  of  the  hole. 


TRUCKS  WALLOW  IN  DEEP  MUD 

BUT  TANKS  YANK  THEM  OUT 

Impromptu  demonstrations  of  the  tank 
tractor's  extraordinary  energy  continue 
to  surprise  spectators.  At  a  southern 
army  camp  the  treacherous  marsh  soil 
had  a  habit  of  engulfing  the  lower  por- 
tions of  such  vehicles  as  rashly  essayed 
to  cut  short  the  beaten  path.  When  a 
heavy  motor  truck  thus  sank  clear  to  its 
body,  a  pair  of  its  mates  were  quite  un- 
able to  extricate  it.  A  five-ton  French 
baby  tank,  however,  which  was  there  to 
help  train  the  tank  corps,  floated  grace- 
fully out  on  the  abysmal  mud  and  jerked 
the  stalled  truck  out  so  hurriedly  that  it 
slid  along  on  its  body,  its  stationary 
wheels  plowing  the  depths.  Even  when 
the  red  motor  fire  engine  from  town  went 
in  up  to  its  waist  and  defied  25  mules  to 
get  it  out,  the  baby  tank  gently  withdrew 
it  at  the  end  of  a  two-inch  hawser.  The 
heavy  chain  first  applied  snapped  like  a 
thread  when  the  tank  set  its  130-to-l  gear 
reduction  against  it. 


French  Baby  Tanks  have  Proved  Very  Useful  around  a  Southern  Camp  lor  PuUing  StaUed  Trucks  Out 

of  the  Treacherous  Soil,  Where  They  were  Often  Imbedded  Up  to  Their  Bodies. 

Sometimes  the  Chain  Broke,  but  the  Tank  Never  Failed 


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HO¥  THE  PROPFLLE)P  PDOBIEM 
VAS  SOLVED 


T^HE   whole   truth   concerning 

^  our  DeHaviland-4  war  air- 
plane probably  never  will  be  pub- 
lished in  a  popular  magazine. 
When  a  government  learns  tech- 
nical lessons  through  bitter  ex- 
perience, it  sometimes  is  neither 
necessary  nor  advisable  to  relate 
the  whole  grim  adventure. 

This   article   does   not   pretend 
to  reveal  the  full  nature  of  this 
last  technical  lesson.    Two  faults 
in  the   DeHaviland,  as  it  first  appeared, 
came  to  the  direct  notice  of  every  Yankee 
pilot.    The  first  was  the  matter  of  faulty 
gasoline  feed,  which  made  the  bus  prone 
to  fires.    This  defect  was  corrected  by  re- 
drawing specifications,  to  prescribe  one  of 
the  two  other  methods  of  gas  feed;  then 
the  epithet  "flaming  coffin"  no  longer  was 
deserved. 

The  second  fault  was  far  more   mys- 
terious to  the  pilots,  and  far  harder  to 
correct.     When  an  American  plane  took 
the  air  in  France  no  one  could  prophesy, 
with  better  than  an  even  chance  for  cor- 
rectness, whether  the  machine  would  re- 
turn driven  by  its  pro- 
peller,   or   have   to    at- 
tempt a  glide  and  vol- 
plane to  safety. 

A  sinister  percentage 
had   the   experience   of 
mounting  to  the  clouds, 
starting    blithely    after 
Fritz,  and  then  having 
the    wooden    propeller 
suddenly  flv  to  bits!    It 
was    founa    to    be    no 
fault     of     "Archie's," 
though^  at    first    some 
were  inclined  to  blame 
hits  by- stray  fragments  of  high-explosive 
shell.    As  a  matter  of  fact,  these  accidents 
occurred  far  back  of  the  lines,  and  later, 
when  the  machine  was  used  at  all  camps 
in   the    United    States,    similar    troubles 
appeared.  - 

It  was  discovered,  by  consultation,  that 
allied  plane '  makers  long  since  had  recon- 
ciled themselves,  to  the  phenomenon. 
Sopwiths,  Nieuports,  and  all  the  rest.^ 
were   hard    on    propellers,    though    with' 


Measuring  the  Pitch  of  an  Aluminum. Protected  Propeller 
after  Subjecting  It  for  Pour  Months  to  the  Arid  Atmosphere 
of  the  **Painted  Desert" :  The  MetallicL«af  Covering  Prevent* 
the  Wood  from  Warpins,  Although  the  Air  Renders  an  Ordinary 
Screw  Useless  in  Three  Weeks 

y 

these  foreign  machines  a  full  50  per  cent 
of  the  blades  outlasted  the  liy^.  of  the 
respective  planes.  With  American  im- 
portations, 60  per  cent,  or  more,  of  the 
propellers  went  to  pieces  almost  imme- 
diately. 

Usually,  when  a  problem  is  known  and 
recognized,  a  Yank  goes  ahead  and  finds 
the  solution.  Undiscouraged  by  the  fact 
that  four  European  woodworking  com- 
panies had  tried  out  every  means  their 
ingenuity  could  suggest — even  to  attempt- 
ing propellers  molded  from  solid  metal 
— the  Forest  Products  Laboratory  of  the 
United  States  Department  of  Agriculture 
tackled  the  dilemma. 

The  crux  of  the  dif- 
ficulty  lay   in   the   fact 
that  a  propeller  is  large. 
It   cannot   be   made   of 
solid   metal,   because  it 
would    overweight    the 
machine.     Wood  is  by 
far   the    best    material; 
but  wood  possesses  the 
had   fault   of   having  a 
high      percentage     of 
moisture  content,  even 
when    thoroughly    air- 
seasoned,    or    correctly 
dried  in  a  water-spray  kiln.     Green  ma- 
hogany or  walnut — the  two  best  materials 
for  propellers — contain  from  40  to  50  per 
cent  moisture.     Seasoned  wood  contains 
approximately  15  per  cent.    Propellers  al- 
ways are  made  of  the  very  finest  stock, 
because  perfect  pitch  and  balance  are  es- 
sential.   When  sent  out  from  the  factory, 
each  propeller  is  known  to  be  perfect  in 
these  respects.*  The  moisture  content  of 
the  wood  at  this  time  is  IS  per  cent. 


The  Aluminum  Leaves  are  Slipped  from 
the  Book,  One  at  a  Time,  by  Turning 
Back  the  Pages  Halfway  and  Gripping 
Them  between  the  First  and  Second  Fingers 
of  the  Right  Hand,  While  Holding  the 
Book  \xk  the  Left  Hand,  as  Shown 


7a 


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I 


When  subjected  to  conditions  of  high 
humidity,  after  manufacture,  even  hard 
wood,  like  mahogany  or  walnut,  protected 
by  eight  coats  of 
so-called  "water- 
proof"  varnish, 
soaked  up  some  ad- 
ditional moisture 
unevenly.  When 
used  in  a  hot,  arid 
re:^ion,  the  wood 
lost  moisture  just 
as  unevenly.  This 
caused  warping  and 
change  in  the  pitch 
of  the  blades,  but — 
most  important  of 
all — it  caused  the 
blades  to  lose  bal- 
ance. Immediately, 
whea  driven  at  high 
speed  by  a  Liberty 
motor,  they  cracked 

and  burst— and  one  '  inspection  and  Varnfsh 

more  airman  got  the  chance  of  demon-      tively,  for  ease  in  handling, 
strating  his  skill  at  volplaning.    In  stormy 
weather,   over  a   country   where   landing 
was   difficult,   or   during  an   engagement 
with  the  enemy,  this  was  a  nasty  hazard. 

The  experts  of  the  Forest  Products 
Laboratory  succeeded  in  solving  the  prob- 
lem. After  a  series  of  thorough  experi- 
ments had  convinced  them  that  no  paint 
or  varnish  then  manufactured  could  hold 
the  moisture  content  of  a  propeller  con- 
stant, they  invented  the  aluminum-leaf 
method  of  waterproofing  wood.  At  the 
close  of  the  war,  all  our  airplane  pro- 
pellers were  being  made  in  this  way. 

The    method    consists    in    providing    a 


Indicating,  from  Top  to  Bottom,  Six  Steps  in  the 
Manufacture  of  a  PropeUer :  The  Five  Laminations  of 
Which  a  Screw  is  Built,  the  Members  Glued  Together, 


First  Operation  in  Appljring  Aluminum  Leaf  to  a 
Propeller:  The  End  of  the  Sheet  Exposed  by  Turn- 
ing Back  the  Book's  First  Page  is  Placed  against 
the  Surface  to  be  Coated,  and  Held  Securely  in  Place 
with  the  Left  Hand 

mirrorlike  surface  first.  The  bolt  holes 
in  the  hub  are  plugged  with  cork,  which 
is  cut  oflF  flush  and  finished  exactly  as  the 
rest.  A  filler,  consisting  of  spar  varnish, 
turpentine,   and  200-sieve   silex,  fills   the 


grain  pores.     Then  comes  an  undercoat- 
mg  of  orange  gum  shellac,  which  is  spread 
evenly,  dried,  and  sanded  lightly.    Follow- 
ing this  is  the  coat 
of    size.      Extreme 
care  has  to  be  taken 
in  applying  the  size, 
otherwise   the   mir- 
ror surface  wiH  be 
marred     b  y     fatty 
edges     or     runs, 
which  will  cause  the 
leaf  to  rub  off  later. 
The  .     aluminum 
leaf  used  as  cover- 
ing varies  in  thick- 
ness from  %20oo  to 
Moooo    of    an    inch. 
It   comes   in   packs 
containing       5  0  0 
leaves.     This  is  di- 
vided   into     books, 
containing    50   and 
25     leaves,     respec- 
The  size  of 
the  metal  leaf  placed  between  the  pages 
of  these  books  varies  from  4  to  5%  in. 
square. 

The  experts  who  invented  the  method 
found  that,  in  applying  the  leaf,  it  should 
be  slipped  directly  from  the  book  by 
turning  back  the  first  page  halfway,  hold- 
ing the  page  between  the  first  and  second 
fingers  of  the  right  hand.  The  book 
itself  should  be  held  between  the  thumb 
and  fingers,  and  in  such  a  way  that  the 
back  of  the  hand  is  toward  the  work 
when  the  leaf  is  applied.  The  book  is 
bent  slightly  to  prevent  the  aluminum 
leaf  from  drooping.  The  end  of  the  leaf 
exposed  by  turning  back  the  first  page  of 
the  book  should  be  placed-  against  the 
surface  to  be  coated  and  held  securely  in 
place  by  the  left  hand.  The  sheet  held 
between  the  first  and  second  fingers  is 
then  drawn  back,  to  allow  the  whole  leaf 
to  come  in  contact  with  the  surface.  The 
next  sheet  is  applied  in  like  manner,  lap- 
ping edges  with  the  first,  and  so  on.  The 
best  results  are  obtained  where  the  gilder 
works  from  left  to  right  with  each  row 
of  leaf,  because  this  simplifies  the  process 
of  completely  smoothing  the  surface. 
When  the  surface  is  finished,  the  cork  can 
be  removed  from  the  hub  holes,  and  these 
may  be  treated  with  1-in.  strips  of  alumi- 
num  leaf  dropped  in   vertically. 

On  top  of  the  aluminum  leaf  go  two 
coats  of  varnish,  the  first  an  undercoating 
similar  to  the  one  described  previously, 
and  the  second  an  ordinary  spar  varnish. 
Then  the  propeller  is  ready  for  use.    The 


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723 


total  time  involved  in'  the  process  is  ap- 
proximately 100  hours. 

At  the  Forest  Products  Laboratory, 
Madison,  Wis.,  airplane  propellers  made 
in  this  way  were  subjected  to  the  most 
exhaustive  tests.  Chambers  were  set 
apart — one  a  ^'Sumatra  room"  (where  the 
air  was  kept  at  100-per-cent  humidity), 
another  called  the  "Painted  Desert*' 
(where  the  air  was  almost  devoid  of  mois- 
ture), and  so  on,  covering  all  possible 
climatic  conditions — and  the  blades  made 
to  show  exactly  what  they  coujd  do. 
Now,  after  some  of  the  blades  have  been 
in  these  chambers  for  several  months, 
they  still  retain  accurate  pitch,  and 
little  moisture  variation  is  observable. 

This  process  is  dedicated  to  the  pub- 
lic. Manufacturers  who  desire  to  use  it 
in  making  articles  proofed  against  mois- 
ture are  at  liberty  to  do  so.  In  pur- 
suance of  its  splendid  policy,  the  Forest 
Products  Laboratory  stands  ready  to  ren- 


der further  details,  advice,  and  assistance 
on  the  adaptation  of  the  process  to  in- 


Smoothing  the  Aluminum  Covering  before  Applying 

the  Finishing  Coats  of  Varnish :  This  Is  One  of  the 

Pinal   Steps   in  the   Process   of   Protecting  an   Air 

Screw  against  Adverse  Atmospheric  Conditions 

dustry,  free  of  charge.  Because  no  such 
method  ever  has  been  recognized  before, 
the  use  of  aluminum  leaf  should  arouse 
widespread  interest. 


STANDARD  FAMILY  CRUISER  MAKES  UNUSUAL  SPEED 

Twenty  miles  an  hour  is  unusual  speed 
for  a  heavily  built  52-ft.  family  cruiser, 
yet  that  is  the  regular  rating  for  a  stand- 
ardized boat  developed  for  this  season. 
A  party  of  eight  and  a  crew  of  two  are 
accommodated,  all  the  conveniences  of  a 
modern  home  being  provided,  including 
electric  lights,  running  water,'  screens, 
velvet  carpets  and  hangings,  and  hand- 
some upholstering.  Controls  for  the 
eight-cylinder  engine  are  carried  to  the 
steering  column  on  the  bridge  for  one- 
man  operation.  Of  modified  V-bottom 
design  with  sawed  frames,  steam-bent 
ribs,  and  battens  backing  each  plank  seam 
from  stem  to  transom,  tne  cruiser  is  good 

fnr       «»-vf ^nr1i»/1        frir^o        in         rsriv        tarnfAf        rw  __    .         _        . 


Standardised  0S-Foot  Pamily  Craiter  Whose  Bight-Cylinder  Motor  Drives  It  from  a  Barely  Perceptible 
Movement  Up  to  80  Miles  an  Hour:    It  Accommodates  a  Party  of  Bight  and  a  Crew  of  Two 


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724  POPULAR  MECHANICS 

NEW  DERRICK  BARGE  CLAIMED     WHY  RIPE  APPLES  AND  BANANAS 

BEST  ON  PACIFIC  COAST  ARE  SWEET 

A  new  derrick  barge,  having  a  102-ft.  The  government  laboratories  at  Wash- 
boom  and  a  lifting  capacity  of  75  tons,  ington  have  recently  been  trying  to  ascer- 
has  just  been  placed  in  commission  at  tain  why  sweet  potatoes  are  sweet  and 
San   Francisco,  juid  is  said  by  shipping     what    constitutes   a   really    ripe    banana. 

This  is  not  merely  a  mat- 
!  ter   of   curiosity   on    the 

part  of  the  official  chem- 
ists, but  is  of  practical 
importance  in  these  days 
of  cold  storage. 

The  season  of  unripe 
apples  and  little  boys' 
"tumtny"  aches  will  soon 
be  upon  us,  and  we  might 
as  well  kno.w  why  the 
one  is  so  likely  to  cause 
the  other.  It  is  in  ap- 
ples, as  in  bananas  and 
sweet  potatoes,  a  matter 
of  starch  and  sugar.  The 
unripe  apple  is  relative- 
ly rich  in  starch  and  poor 
in  sugars.  As  the  ripen- 
ing goes  on,  the  starch 
gradually  changes  into 
sugar.  As  starch  it  is  in- 
digestible. Before  being 
digested  all  starch  has  to 
be  changed  into  sugar. 
This  process  is  per- 
formed in  the  human 
body  by  the  chemical  ac- 
tion of  digestive  juices, 
especially  the  saliva. 

■cw  Tft-Toa  Derrick  Barfc  Jojit  PUced  in  Opcntioii  and  Said  to  Be  the       .    ^*I^  proceSS  takes  place 
Beat  on  tke  Pacific  Coaat:  Tlie  Dierrick  la  Shovni  m    the    fruit    itself    whue 

Liltinc  a  4S.TOB  BoOer  ripening.     And,    Strange 

men  to  be  the  best  on  the  Pacific  coast,  to  say,  the  natural  ripening  process  is 
with  the  possible  exception  of  govern-  independent  of  all  connection  with  the 
ment  equipment.  The  boom  has  two  plant  on  which  the  fruit  is  borne.  This 
cable  connections,  one  near  the  top,  for  is  well  known  to  every  gardener  who 
light  loads,  and  the  other  about  two-  plucks  tomatoes  or  other  fruits  and  places 
thirds  the  way  up,  for  heavy  lifting.  The  them  to  ripen  in  the  sun,  and  to  every 
barge  is  fitted  with  pumps,  and  oil  and  importer  of  bananas  who  gets  them  green, 
water-storage  spaces  for  the  benefit  of  and  puts  them  in  storage  to  turn  yellow, 
vessels  at  sea,  and  is  also  equipped  with  Some  apples  are  ripe  when   picked  in 

bunks  for  about  40  men  in  the  hold.  The  October;  others  called  "winter  varieties," 
engineer  is  signaled  for  the  various  ma-  have  to  be  kept  for  several  months.  Dif- 
nipulations  of  the  derrick  by  means  of  an  ferent  species  vary  widely  in  the  time  they 
electric  bell.  take  to  turn  their  starch  into  sugar. 

With  bananas  the  conversion  is  most 


CJapan's  commercial  growth  has  been  so  rapid     while     they     are     turning     from 

rapid  for  the  last  few  years  that  her  pub-  green   to  yellow.     During  this  time  the 

lie  utilities  have  been  unable  fo  keep  up  fruit  "breathes"  rapidly,  giving  off  large 

with  the  demand.     Telephones  are  at  a  quantities  of  carbon  dioxide.     The  peel 

premium,  and  the  fortunate  possessor  of  is  giving  up  its  water  and  the  pulp  is  ab- 

one  may  sell  it,  if  he  wishes,  for  as  much  sorbing  it.    The  banana  is  ripe  when  the 

as    $250    to    $750,    the    value    depending  process  of  change  from  insoluble  starch 

largely  on  the  number.  to  soluble  sugar  is  completed. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 

NEW  PIER  CLOCK   IN   NEW   YORK  HARBOR 
STRIKES   SHIP   TIME 


725 


\  ork  City,  the  headquarters  of  The  Clock  Tower  on  the 
f  h*»  ri*f  v*c  n*»oorfr«*»nf  nf  ^^^  o^  P*®*"  A  in  the  North 
tne    city  SUepartment    Ot      Ri^er,  New  York:  Its  Big 

Docks  and   Femes.     The  clock      Bell     Strikes     Ship     Time 

and  bell  were  presented  by  a    *""*»^    of^.Landiubber^s 
prominent  citizen,  as  a  memo- 
rial to  the  army  and  navy  men  who  gave 
their  lives  in  the  war. 

Owing  to  the  prominent  location  of  the 
pier,  which  is  the  first  on  the  New  York 
side  of  the  river,  the  clock's  bell  can  be 
heard  all  over  the  harbor.  By  ship  time, 
the  clock  strikes  "one"  at  12:30  in  the 
morning,  and  strikes  one  more  every  half 
hour  until  "eight  bells,"  or  four  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  is  reached.  It  then  begins 
one  bell  at  4:30  and  strikes  up  to  "eight 
bells"  at  eight  o'clock  in  the  forenoon, 
and  so  around  the  day. 

The  bell  is  of  bronze,  weighs  1,000  lb., 
and  is  37  in.  in  diameter.  It  is  located  in 
the  dial  chamber,  just  behind  the  four 
glass  dials,  each  of  which  is  6  ft.  in  diam- 
eter.   At  night  the  dials  are  illuminated, 


compact.  The  weights  fur- 
nish the  motive  po\ver  and  are 
electrically  wound  in  a  ver>' 
small  space.  The  clock  weights 
and  winding  mechanism  oc- 
cupy a  space  only  4  ft.  long,  3  ft.  wide, 
and  4l^  ft.  high. 

The  clock  differs  from  others  of  its  kind 
in  that  the  strike  is  accomplished  by  one 
hammer  instead  of  two.  The  striking 
wheel  is  constructed  to  give  the  neces- 
sary length  of  blows  at  each  hour  and 
half  hour,  while  an  automatic  stop  pre- 
vents the  striking  from  going  beyond  the 
proper  number. 

The  operation  of  the  dials,  from  the 
clockworks  underneath,  is  accomplished 
by  a  system  of  rods  and  cogs,  which 
makes  it  possible  to  examine  the  works 
whenever  necessary.  The  main  driving 
spindles  extend  vertically  upward  and 
turn  the  horizontal  spindles  of  the  dials 
and  the  striking  wheel. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


FRENCH  feABY  TANK  ADAPTED 

TO  AGRICULTURAL  USES 

It  has  been  found  that  the  French  baby 
tank,  made  in  large  numbers  for  military 


fine,  a  hen  food  is  produced  which  packs 
easily,  and  develops  no  objectionable 
odor,  if  kept  dry.  Analysis  shows  a  high 
percentage  of  nitrogen  and  lime;  while 
experiment  reveals  an  increase  in  egg 
-     ,  production  of  over  100  per  cent. 

Poultry  soon  overcome  a  dislike 
for  this  new  food  and  will  eat  it 
readily  when  mixed  with  an 
equivalent  amount  of  barley 
bran,  and  supplemented  by  vege- 
tables. It  is  suggested  that  poul- 
try '  be  broken  to  this  new  diet 
by  feeding  only  a  little  at  one 
time,  and  giving  nothing  else  un- 
til they  have  eaten  all  set  before 
them. 


•V  ooMrrttv  or  la  mtum 


TRY  TO  STOP  YANKEE 

TANKS  Wmi  STEEL 

CABLES 


French   Baby  Tank   Made  into  an    Agricaltural  Tractor  by 

Addmc  Shock  Absorbers  Connected  to  the  Drawbar:    Heavy 

Iron  Fipea  at  the  Sides  of  the  Truck,  Sliding  Lengthwise  in 

Spiral  Springs,  Take  Up  the  Unequal  Strains  of  Haulage 


use,  can  be  adapted  to  agricultural  pur- 
poses with  very  slight  mechanical  change. 
It  was  merely  necessary  to  provide  mech- 
anism for  absorbing  the  shock  and  vibra- 
tion at  the  drawbar  when  these  powerful 
little  machines  are  used  for  hauling  farm 
implements  and  wagons.  This  was  done 
by  mounting  at  each  side  of  the  truck  a 
longitudinal  iron  pipe  sliding  in  fore  and 
aft  bearings.  Surrounding  the  pipe  be- 
tween the   bearings  is  a     , rr r-^ 

heavy  spiral  spring.  An 
eyelet  in  the  rear  end  of 
the  pipe  serves  for  con- 
nection to  the  drawbar, 
which  thus  pulls  against 
the  resiliency  of  the  steel 
springs.  With  this  slight 
but  ingenious  modifica- 
tion the  baby  tractor  is 
ready  for  serious  peace 
work. 


As  indicating  the  desperate  ef- 
forts and  devices  of  the  Germans, 
during  the  last  weeks  of  the  war, 
to  stop  the  dreaded  advance  of  American 
and  French  tanks,  a  *^fence"  located  in  the 
region  of  the  Argonne^Meuse  drive  is 
quite  impressive.  It  consists  of  huge 
concrete  blocks  serving  .as  fence  posts, 
and  connected  by  heavy  steel  cables,  se- 
curely fastened  by  wrapping  around  the 
posts.  These  barricades  reinforced  the 
lines  of  barbed-wire  entanglement  which 
had  proved  so  ineffective  as  tank  restrain- 


DANISH  POULTRY 

THRIVE  ON  WAR 

SUBSTITUTE 

The  war  has  given 
Denmark  a  poultry-food 
substitute  which  seems 
to  be,  not  "just  as  good," 
but  even  much  better 
than  the  original.  It  is 
a  meal  made  from  the 
blue  mussels  found  in 
great  quantities  along  the  Danish  coast. 
Dried  at  a  high  temperature  and  groimd 


The  Germans  Expected  This  Line  of  Heavy  Steel  Cable  and  Pondcrona 

Concrete  Posts  to  Stop  the  Advance  ot  Tanks  of  the  American 

and  French  Forces  in  the  Argonne-Meuse  Drive 

ers,   and    their  construction    must  ^ve 
been  <|uite  a  task. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS  727 

REPAIR  BIG  CONCRETE  DOME  BY  USING  ODD  SCAFFOLD 


Public  Library  at  Melbotcme,  Australia,  Whose  Reinforced-Concrete  Dome  is  Asserted  to  be  the  Largest 

of  Its  Kind  in  the  World:     It  Was  from  the  Inside  of  This  Dome.   114  Feet  High.  That 

Plaster  Started  Falling,  Necessitating  Relining  with  Fibrous-Cement  Slabs 

Melbourne,  Australia,  asserts  that  its  by  making  an  accurate  miniature  model 
public  library  has  the  largest  reinforced-  of  it,  which  was  thoroughly  tested, 
concrete  dome  in  the  world. 
Whether  or  not  the  superlative  is 
correct,  the  dome  is  114  ft.  both 
in  span  and  height.  Unequal  ex- 
pansion of  its  surfaces  for  some 
time  has  been  causing  plaster  to 
fall,  generally  in  small  bits  but 
with  considerable  velocity,  into 
the  big  reading  room  below.  It 
was  decided  to  reline  the  dome 
ceiling  with  slabs  of  noncracking 
fibrous  cement,  screwing  them  to 
wooden  plugs  driven  into  holes 
drilled  in  the  concrete.  The  scaf- 
folding used  for  the  work  was 
built  like  a  staircase  to  follow  the 
curve  of  the  dome,  and  was  sus- 
pended a  hundred  feet  above  the 
floor,     accommodating     a     large 

crew   of  men    to   ^neeH   the   wnrW        Curious  Scaffolding,  Built  Like  a  Staircase,  was  Suspended  100 
crew   OI   men    lO   speea   me   WOrK.  Feet  above  the  Reading-Room  Floor.  While  Cement  slabs 

1  he   dome   itself  was   proved   safe  were  Screwed  to  Wood  Plugs  in  the  Concrete  Ceiling 


AMERICAN  CLUB  POSTS  SIGNS  provement  of  this  sort  in  the  Lower  Cal- 

ALONG  MEXICAN  HIGHWAYS  ^^9^".^^   peninsula.     In   consequence   per- 

mission  was  recently  applied  for  and  re- 

An  American  motor  club  is  posting  a  ceived    from    the    Mexican    governor,    to 

foreign  country  with  road  signs  for  the  post  signs  wherever  necessary.  The  club's 

first  time  on  record,  it  is  believed.     The  crews  and  cars  were  recently  reported  to 

club  is  located  on  the  southwestern  coast  be  at  work  on  the  long  trip  of  about  800 

and  has   long   felt  the  need   for  an   im-  miles  from  the  American  border. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


Trailer  Improvited  from  a  Wagon  and  Used  with  Five-Ton  Motor  Truck  for  Hauling  14  Tons 

of  Iron  over  a  Deaert  Trail :    The  Iron  waa  Suspended  from  Heavy  Timbers 

by  Bars  and  Chains,  as  the  Picture  Shows 


FOURTEEN-TON  TRUCK  LOAD 
HAULED  ACROSS  DESERT 

Desert  transportation  is  always  a  prob- 
lem out  West.  Just  recently  an  oil  field 
in  Wyoming  needed  a  14-ton  iron  engine 
bed,  from  which  it  was  separated  by  46 
miles  of  sand  and  sagebrush — and  no 
railroad.  A  good  five-ton  motor  truck 
was  available,  but  the  load  was  obviously 
too  much  for  it.  So  a  strong  wagon  was 
converted  into  a  trailer,  a  pair  of  long, 
heavy  timbers  connecting  the  truck  plat- 
form and  the  wagon  bed.  The  huge  mass 
of  iron  was  suspended  from  the  timbers. 
Then  the  truck's  driving  sprockets  were 
changed  to  lower  the  gear  ratio,  so  the 
engine  would  not  strain  itself,  and  the  trip 
commenced.  It  was  finished  in  a  day  and 
a  half,  without  adventure. 


HAND  TOOL  CUTS  BIG  HOLES 

THROUGH  STEEL  PLATE 

Smooth  round  holes  througli  sted  plate 
are  difiicult   to  cut  with  ordinary  tools, 


New  Tool  Cuts  lU  to  6.1nch  Holes  in  Steel  Plate. 

Ratchet  Handle  Permits  Use  in  Comers,  as  at  the 

Left,    Contrasted  with    Old    Method,   at    Right,    of 

DrilUng  and  Chiseling 

ting-blade  chuck,  t^abltng  it  with  one  set 
to  cut  holes  from  !%  to  3  in.,  and  with 


the  other  from  1%  to  6  in.  diameter.  A 
%-in.  pilot  hole  is  first  drilled  through 
the  steel  plate  and  the  spindle  of  the  tool 
passed  through  and  clamped  with  a  nut 
from  the  rear,  or  if  that  cannot  be  done 
the  pilot  hole  is  tapped  and  the  spindle 
screwed  into  it.  A  heavy  spiral  spring 
holds  the  cutters  against  the  plate,  and 
the  chuck  is  rotated  by  a  special  ratchet 
wrench,  which  can  be  used  in  comers  and 
difficult  places.  Regular  cutters  are  heavy 
enough  for  ^is-in.  steel,  while  special 
blades  will  cut  up  to  %-in.  steel  or  1-in. 
marble. 


EMBLEMS  FOR  ALL  INVESTORS 

IN  VICTORY  LIBERTY  LOAN 

All  subscribers  to  the  Victory  Liberty 
Loan,  from  the  individual  buyer  of  a 
small  bond  to  the  big  industrial  plant 
whose  employes 
join  in  meeting  its 
quota,  will  be 
awarded  emblems 
in  honor  of  their 
patriotic  efforts. 
The  Industrial 
Honor  Emblem, 
for  business 
houses  and  organ- 
izations, is  a  cam- 
bric banner,  30  by 
34  in.,  with  a  big 
blue     "V"     on     a 

white  field  and  a  wide  red  border.  Similar 
to  it  except  in  size  is  the  individual  sub- 
scriber's window  emblem  on  paper,  6%  by 
8V^  in.  When  everybody  in  the  house- 
hold subscribes,  the  window  emblem  bears 
a  blue  circle  inclosing  a  red  "100%,"  with 
the  words  "Household  Honor  Emblem" 
in  red  and  "Victory  Liberty  Loan"  in 
blue. 


CFine  filaments  of  spun  glass  are  being 
woven  into  cloth  and  felt  on  a  commer- 
cial scale  at  Naples,  Italy.  The  material 
finds  use  in  the  insulation  of  plates  in 
storage  batteries. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


729 


ATTRACTIVE  "LOG"  BUNGALOW  BUILT  OF  CONCRETE 


American  pioneers  have  handed  down 
an  affectionate  regard  for  log  architecture, 
and  many  a  city  dweller  would  prefer  a 
plain  log  cabin  to  a  modern  mansion 
for  his  country  home.  A 
builder  in  Yankton,  S.  D., 
has  combined  both  in 
a  pretty  and  homelike 
bungalow  whose  "logs" 
are  made  of  concrete. 
The  loglike  units  are  pre- 
cast separately,  flat  on 
top,  bottom  and  inside, 
but  with  the  outside  sur- 
face molded  round  and 
with  an  imitation  bark 
finish.  Ends  are  cast 
with  dovetails,  and  inter- 
lock at  the  comers.  Or- 
dinary mortar  joints  are 
used,  and  the  exterior  is 
finished  to  a  natural  ef- 


fect with  a  wood-brown  stain,  preserving 
in  form  all  the  esthetic  value  of  the  rustic 
model,  but  with  the  cleanliness  and  sani- 
tary value  of  the  modem  material. 


Za  This  Pretty  BviigakMr  tiM  '«Los8"  Ate  Precast  CoacMte  Units,  Laid  Up 


with  Mortar,  Like  Any  Masonry,   and  Stained  Wood-Brown 
on  the  Outside  to  Look  Natural 


SMALL  ENGINE  ON  HEADER 

SAVES  FARMERS  HORSES 

The  dificulties  of  a  wet  harvest  with 
a  horse-drawn  header  led  to  the  inven- 
tion, bv  a  Kansas  farmer,  of  an  eng^e 
drive  for  the  sickle  and  canvas  of  the 
header.  A  2%-hp.,  two-cyde  gasoline 
engine  mounted  on  wood  stringers  was 
bolted  to  the  side  of  the  machine  and 
coupled  to  a  series  of  bevel-and-chain  re- 
ducing gears.  A  clutch  of  automobile 
type  gave  the  operator  control  •of  the 
power  drive  from  his  seat  at  the  rear.  All 
of  the  extra  mechanism,  except  the  en- 
pifi«.      wa.s     made 


able  bundle  topper,  or  Kafir  header,  which 
has  a  vertical  pivoted  blade  connected  by 
a  pitman  to  a  large  gear  wheel,  turned  by 
the  engine  at  60  r.  p.  m.  This  arrangement 
cuts  a  bundle  clean  at  one  stroke.  Addi- 
tion of  a  lever  attachment  converted  the 
topper  into  a  portable  pump  jack. 


CAny  bona-fide  Swiss  manufacturer  may 
belong  to  a  new  syndicate  for  Swiss  ex- 
portation. Formed  to  increase  Swiss  ex- 
ports, the  syndicate  intends  to  make  all 
goods  of  Swiss  origin  with  the  trade- 
mark "S.  P.  E.  S." 


two  horses  in  working  the  header. 
A  binder  was  also  operated  on  the 
same  principle.  Another  application 
t)f  the  engine  was  nuuiiag  a  jM>rt- 


The  Same  tU- Horsepower,  Two- Cycle  Engme  is  Seen 
Operatise  a  Portable  Btfndle  Topper,  Whose  Knife  Blade 
It  Runs  at  M  Strokes  a  Minute.  In  Pront  of  the  Topper 
Is  «a  Arutugtmttu  of  Levers  for  Coavertinc  the  Topper 
Mito  a  Pnaip  Jack 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


Army   General    Hospital  No.  21  It  the   Official  Designation   for  This  Big  Recuperation   Camp  at  Denver.  Colorado 
Is  All  of  Open-Air  Construction,  Particularly  for  the  Treatment  of  Pulmonary  Troublea 


"FLU"  MASKS  ADORN  PLAYERS 

AND  FANS  AT  BALL  GAME 

Late  in  January  last,  when  the  influenza 
epidemic  was  rampant  in  southern  Cali- 
fornia, masks  were  worn  by  all  the  players 
and  spectators  at  a  baseball  game  held  at 
Pasadena.  This  may  or  may  not  have 
been  the  first  and  only  time,  as  claimed, 
that  such  an  event  has  occurred  in  an 
American  city.  The  fact  remains,  how- 
ever, that  for  11  long  innings  the  players 
indulged  in  their  usual  repartee,  the  um- 
pire shouted  his  decisions,  and  the  rooters 
yelled    and    groaned    with    perfect    form 


through  gauze.  And  not  once,  it  is  said, 
in  all  that  time  was  a  mask  removed — 
which  is  not  singular  when  it  is  made 
known  that  blue-coated  guardians  of  civic 
peace  were  at  hand  to  arrest  and  nominate 
for  $50  fines  any  who  might  for  a  moment 
be  guilty  of  infringing  the. law. 


OPEN-AIR  RECUPERATION  CAMP 

ACCOMMODATES  THOUSANDS 

Colorado  being  the  approved  location 
for  natural  treatment  of  lung  troubles, 
Denver  was  selected  as  the  site  for  Army 
General  Hospital  No.  21,  a  recuperation 


Batter,  Catcher,  and  Umpire,  at' the  Top,  and  One  Team  and  Some  of  the  Pant,  B^low,  are  Shown  at  They 
Appeared  at  a  Pasadena  Baseball  Game  during  the  Infltsensa  Epidemic  in  California 


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731 


Started  If  ay  4.  1918,  by  the  First  of  This  Tear  M  of  the  Proposed  78  Buildings  had  been  Completed.    The  Camp 
The  Building  in  the  Center  Is  the  Main  Infirmary,  900  Feet   Long  and  84  Feet  Wide 


open  at  the  front  except  for  fly  screens 
and  canvas  shades  which  the  patient  can 
adjust  from  his  bed.  The  wards  are 
unheated,  but  each  patient  has  a  steam- 
heated,  glass-inclosed  lounging  room. 
About  a  thousand  soldiers,  including 
some  gas  victims  from  overseas,  have  al- 
ready been  cared  for.  The  camp  is  ex- 
pected to  handle  all  the  pulmonary  cases 
of  the  army  and  navy. 


COLORING  GLASS  BY  X-RAYS 

SUGGESTS  NEW  ART 

A  novel  method  of  cfbloring  glass  and 
similar  substances,  such  as  porcelain, 
quartz,  and  some  precious  and  semipre- 
cious stones,  is  a  recent  development  in 
this  field  Noting  the  gradual  coloring 
properties  of  sunlight  on  common  glass, 
the  experimenter  was  able  to  report  the 
production  of  more  striking  results  by  the 
employment  of  an  ordinary  quartz-tube 
mercury-vapor  lamp,  or  X-ray  tube.  A 
purely  chemical  change  is  claimed,  varying 
with  the  intensity  of  the  light  applied.  The 
reported  discovery  is  almost  certain  to 
have  commercial  value. 


SHIPS  MUST  NOW  BE  EQUIPPED 

WITH  LINE-THROWING  GUNS 

Line-carrying  projectiles  and  guns,  or 
other  approved  mechanisms  for  throw- 
ing them,  are  now  a  compulsory  part  of 
the  equipment  of  ocean-going  steam  ves- 
sels, at  least  three  such  outfits  being  spec- 
ified for  each  vessel,  the  only  exception 
being  ships  of  less  than  150  tons  gross. 
This  rule  became  a  law  February  S),  by 
action  of  the  Steamboat-Inspection  Serv- 
ice, under  whose  jurisdiction  all  ocean 
vessels  navigate.  The  regulation  which 
it  supersedes  applied  only  to  those  ships 
which  carried  passengers. 


FORGE  INVENTED  BY  SHIPYAI?D 

FOREMAN  PROVES  ITS  WORTH 

Because  operating  a  fan  blower  had 
caused  him  to  suffer  from  pains  in  his 
shoulder,  while  working  as  a  heater  boy 
a  few  years  ago,  a  shipyard  foreman  has 
invented  and  patented  a  rivet  heater  that 
tests  have  shown  to  be  far  superior  to 
any  now  in  use.  Compressed  air  is  used 
by  means  of  a  diffusing  nozzle,  thence  go- 
ing through  a  cone  with  a  number  of 
small  holes.  The  air  is  subject  to  control 
of  the  cone.  An  added  advantage  is  a 
self-feeder  for  the  coke  which  acts  as  a 
gas  consumer  at  the  same  time,  and  has 
proved  so  successful  that  the  forge  may 
be  used  between  decks  without  the  fumes 
of  gas  being  felt. 


Forge  and 


Antomstic   Coke  Feeder  Invented   by  i 
Shipyard  Foreman 


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CLOSE-UP  VIEWS  OF  RANGE-PINDING  SETS 


Portable  Microphone  Sett,  Such  at 
the  One  Pictured  Herewith,  Were  of 
Great   ImporUnce  in  Trench  Piffht. 


*%.: .-^ 


OOPYKtOHT,   MQNM.  OOnrC  U.  t.  A. 

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THAT  PLAYED  BIG  PART  IN  WINNING  WAR 


OOrrniOMT,  wanA^  s^f^.  .   i  a. 

733 


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POPULAR    MECHANICS 


BALCONIED  ARCADE  FEATURE 

OF  CONCRETE  SKYSCRAPER 

An  arcade  with  a  total  length  of  238  ft., 
and  divided  into  two  stories  by  a  balcony 
extending  all  the  way  around  it,  is  per- 
haps the  most  interesting  feature  of  an 
unusual  store-and-office  building  now  be- 
ing completed  in  St.  Louis,  and  de- 
clared to  be  the  tallest  reinforced-con- 
crete  structure  ever  built.  Marble,  terra 
cotta,  bronze,  old  oak,  and  much  plate  ^ 
glass  line  the  corridor  of  the  arcade  whose ' 
motif  is  a  modified  English  Gothic,  a 
style  used  throughout  the  building.  The 
ceiling  of  the  passage  is  vaulted  and 
groined  Caen  stone.     The  building  has 


CLOCKWORK  FRICTION  REDUCED 

BY  USE  OF  MAGNETIC  GEARS 

Announcement  was  made  recently  be- 
fore the  French  Academy  of  Sciences  of 
the  apparently  successful  use  of  mag- 
netic gears  for  reducing  friction  in  clock- 
work. A  magnetic  clock,  driven  by  an 
electric  pendulum,  has  functioned  regu- 
larly for  several  months.  Briefly,  the 
magnetic  gear  in  question  consists  of  a 
wheel,  on  the  circumference  of  which  two 
equal  magnetic  poles  are  disposed  equi- 
distantly.  and  alternately  north  and  south. 
With  wheels  of  this  character,  magnetic 
trains  of  gear  can  be  made  and  mounted 
to  turn  at  angular  speeds  in  fixed  ratio, 


This    Pine    Structttre,  of  a   Modified  English  Gothic   Type,  is  Declared   to  be   the  Tallest   Ever  Built  of 
Reinforced  Concrete,  Having  17  Stories  above  the  Street  Level  and  Two  Below 


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735 


MODEL  OF  COLUMBIA  RIVER  played  to  the  legislature  included  both  ex- 

AIDS  PLEA  FOR  LOCKS  ^l*^"^  ^^^  proposed  locks  and  every  detail 

of  the  big,  unruly  waterway  at  that  point, 
A  "silent  argument"  which  made  a  and  proved  more  comprehensible  than  a 
'substantial  impression  on  the  Oregon  view  of  the  river  itself, 
legislature  was  used 
by  the  advocates  of  a 
I  new  system  of  locks  in 
.  the  Columbia  River  to 
prove  the  merit  of  their 
cause.  A  relief  model  of 
the  Cascades  of  that 
mighty  stream  was  con- 
structed to  show  that  the 
present  locks,  on  the 
Oregon  side,  are  ham- 
pered in  their  usefulness 
by  the  excessive  swift- 
ness of  the  current  at 
their  approaches.  Engi- 
neers now  propose  to 
construct  a  similar  set  of 
locks  on  the  Washing- 
ton side  of  the  river, 
which  will  greatly  facili- 
tate navigation  to  the  in- 
terior.    The    model    dis-  upper  ones  in  tbe  Model 


EQUIPMENT  STANDARDIZATION 
UNWISE,  SAY  RAILROADS 

Standardization  is  an  attractive  project 
in  any  field  of  applied  mechanics.  The 
proposal  of  the  railroad  administration 
to  adopt  standardized  equipment  for  all 
railroads  under  its  control,  however,  has 
elicited  expert  opinion  that  such  a  course 
would  not  be  good  practice.  The  effi- 
cient performance  of  a  locomotive,  for 
example,  is  governed  by  such  factors  as 
the  nature  of  fuel  available,  weight  of 
rails,  and  strength  of  bridges,  length  of 
freight-passing  sidings  and  turntables, 
and  depth  of  roundhouses.  Even  if  thest 
elements  were,  in  their  turn,  to  be  stand- 
ardized, the  unavoidable  natural  features 
of  alinement,  and  grade  conditions,  differ- 
ing with  each  railroad,  must  be  considered 
in  the  selection  of  locomotives  for  the 
most  efficient  and  economical  transporta- 
tion of  goods  over  that  road.  Such  con- 
sideration would  be  hampered  by  con- 
fining selection  to  arbitrary  types  and 
models. 


CThe  French  department  of  industrial 
reconstruction  has  replaced  the  depart- 
ment of  munitions.  The  minister  in 
charge  will  distribute  among  French  in- 
dustries the  orders  placed  by  other  gov- 
ernment departments. 


BIG  LOADS  OF  COTTON  PROVE 

VALUE  OF  GOOD  ROADS 

Southern  cotton  growers  have  been 
quick  to  realize  the  commercial  value  of 
good  roads.  Money  invested  in  scientific 
road  building  is  well  spent,  as  witness  tbe 
illustration,  where  a  single  team  is  haul- 
ing 12  bales,  about  6,000  lb.,  to  market. 
Under  former  conditions,  with  mud  hub- 
deep  the  year  around,  the  same  team 
could  haul  but  one  bale,  and  that  only 
half  as  fast. 


The  W«7  the  Southern  Grovrer  HanU  Cotton  in  These 

Days  of  Good  Roads:    In  the  Good  Old 

Days  One  Bale  V^asthe  limit 


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CENSORS  TRY  CHEMICAL  TEST 

ON  SUSPICIOUS  LETTERS 

Letters  are  not  always  what  they  seem, 
especially  in  times  of  international  dis- 
turbance.   Secret  and  "sympathetic"  inks 


SuBpiciou«.Looking  Letters  That  might  Bear  Secret 

.  Ifettaget  Written  with  Svmikathetic  Inks  are  Given 

a  Chemical  Test  in  the  Sase-CenaorHi  Office  of  the 

American  Service  of  Supply  in  Paris 

are  as  old  as  chemistry;  but  there  is  al- 
ways a  way  to  discover  them.  In  the 
base-censor's  office  in  the  American  Serv- 
ice of  Supply,  at  Paris,  all  letters  that  look 
at  all  suspicious  to  the  experienced  cen- 
sorial eye  are  sent  to  the  thoroughly 
equipped  chemical  room  for  a  series  of 
searching  tests. 


C  Photographs  of  the  graves  of  American 
soldiers  in  France  are  being  taken  at  the 
rate  of  7,000  a  month,  and  mailed  to  the 
nearest  relative  of  each  soldier  in  a  card- 
board frame  with  data  from  his  record. 


TRAVELING  MOTGR-TRUCK  SHOW 

USED  FOR  SALES  PROMOTION 

For  advertising  and  sales-promotion 
purposes,  a  truck-distributing  concern 
with  territory  in  three  eastern  states  is 
operating  a  "traveling  motor-truck  show." 
A  machine  with  a  large,  white,  paneled 
body,  the  interior  of  which  is  fitted  as  a 
showroom,  is  being  placed  at  the  disposal 
of  local  dealers.  The  various  working 
parts  of  the  model  are  exhibited  in  such  a 
manner  that  their  points  of  merit  and  the 
functions  they  perform  may  be  clearly  ex- 
plained to  prospective  purchasers.  Printed 
in  large  letters  on  the  exterior  sides  of  the 
body  is  the  essence  of  the  sales  argument, 
and  general  information  about  the  truck. 
The  equipment  is  expected  to  be  espe- 
cially helpful  to  new  dealers. 


BIG  ROAD-MAKING  CONVEYOR 

HAS  CAR  TRACK  ON  TOP 

Little  dump  cars  running  on  a  track 
mounted  on  heavy  iron  wheels  form  one 
part  of  a  belt  conveyor,  60  ft.  long,  used 
in  road  work  along  the  William  Penn 
Highway.  The  cars,  placed  at  any  con- 
venient point  on  the  horizontal)  or  track, 
portion  of  the  big  machine,  ar^  filled  by 
laborers  from  the  piles  of  material  along- 
side and  then  rolled  to  the  inclined  part  of 
the  conveyor.  Here  their  contents  are 
dumped  onto  the  belt,  traveling  500  ft.  a 
minute,  conveyed  to  the  end  of  the  in- 
cline, and  discharged  into  the  scoop  of 
the  concrete  mixer.  The  conveyor  han- 
dles 100  cu.  ft.  of  material  a  minute  and 
because  of  its  wheels  readily  shifts  its  lo- 
cation. 


The  Hbrisontal  Portion  of  This  Big  Belt  Conveyor  Is  a  Track,  on  Which  Run  Little  Dump  Cars.    They  are 

Pilled  from  the  Piles  of  Material  Alongside,  and  Then  Rolled  to  the  Inclined  Belt,  on  Which  They  Dump 

Their   Contents   for  Pinal  Discharge  over  the  Top  into  the  Scoop   of  the .  Concrete   Mixer 


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Part  of  «  Oovemment  Flock  of  Sheep  at  the  Close  of  a  Season's  Pasturing :     These  Animals  Showed  a 
Considerably  Greater  Increase  in  Weight  Than  Others  That  Grazed  Open  Ranges 

INCREASING    THE    EFFICIENCY    OF    GRAZING    LANDS 

By  ROBERT  H.  MOULTON 


DROBABLY  only  a  small  minority  of 
the   sheepmen   in   this  country   know 
that   by   using  a  system   of   fenced   pas- 
tures, instead  of  the  present  open-range 
herding,  they  can  increase  the  size  of  their 
lambs  from  five  to  ten  pounds  in  a  single 
season,  make  the  wool  clip  from  one  to 
three  pounds  heavier,  reduce  the  acreage 
now  required  one-third,  and  decrease  the 
present    loss    and    the    cost    of    handling 
four-fifths.     These   figures   represent   the 
records  of  coopera- 
tive       experiments 
carried     on    for    a 
number  of  years  by 
the    U,    S.    Forest 
Service     and     the 
Bureau  of  Plant  In- 
dustry. 

For    the    experi- 
ments,   an   area   of 
typical  sheep  range, 
2,500    acres    in    ex- 
tent,  on   the  Wal- 
1  o  w  a         National 
Forest     in     north-' 
western       Oregon, 
was    selected    and 
inclosed  by  a  com- 
bination        woven- 
wire    and    barbed- 
wire    fence,    so 
substantially     built 
that  it  is  practically 
coyote-proof.     This 
fence  consists  of  a 
four-point  barbed-wire  fence  on  the  sur- 
face; 3  in.  above  this  a  42-in.  woven-wire 
fence   with  4-in.  triangular  mesh;   6  in. 
above  the  woven  wire  a  barbed  wire;  8 
in.  higher  a  second  barbed  wire;  the  posts 
being  set  2%  ft.  in  the  ground  and  spaced 
one  rod  apart.     Within  this  inclosure  a 


Hunter  and  Dog  Patrolling  the  Pence,  Which  dur- 
ing the  Pirst   Season   was    Occasionally  Broken   by 
Bears.    Coyotes,  Except  in  Winter  When  Aided   by 
Deep  Snow*  could  Mot  Pass 


normal  flock  of  sheep  was  turned  loose. 
During    three    seasons    the     fence    was 
patrolled  each  morning  between  4  and  10 
o'clock  by  a  hunter  with  hounds,  and  al- 
though, at  first,  bears,  which  easily  broke 
the  fence,  were  numerous,  the  end  of  the 
second  season  had  so  reduced  them  that 
they  no  longer  constituted  a  menace.    As 
to  coyotes,  they  are  still  present,  but  so  far 
as  could  be  ascertained,  not  one  succeeded 
in  getting  inside  the  fence  except  when 
the   snow  lay  deep 
in  winter,  and  they 
caused     no     loss 
whatever. 

To  compare  the 
number  of  sheep 
that  the  range  in 
ouestion  would 
support  under  the 
two  systems,  obser- 
vations were  made 
to  ascertain  the 
grazing  capacity  of 
approximately  30,- 
000  acres  surround- 
I  ing  the  experi- 
mental area.  Dur- 
ing the  first  year 
the  herded  flocks 
used  from  one  and 
a  half  to  two  times 
as  much  range  per 
head  as  the  pas- 
tured sheep,  the 
second  season 
showing  a  similar  percentage. 

The  Iambs  were  weighed  and  marked 
at  the  time  they  were  turned  loose  in 
the  inclosed  pasture,  and  weighed  again 
when  taken  out  at  the  close  of  the  sum- 
mer season.  The  records  show  that  the 
pastured  lambs  gained  on  an  average  of 

737 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


twenty  pounds  during  the  first  season  of 
approximately  90  days,  while  lambs  of  the 
same  grade  handled  under  herding  on  the 
range  averaged  only  15  pounds'  gain  dur- 
ing the  same  period.  This  difference  was 
increased  from  7  to  10  pounds  the  suc- 
ceeding seasons.  The  greatest  loss  under 
pasture  for  the  four  seasons  never  reached 
one  per  cent,  and  went  as  low  as  one- 
fifth  of  one  per  cent,  while  the  loss  from 
herded  flocks  near  by  varied  from  one  to 
four  per  cent. 

As  to  the  wool  growth,  no  definite 
figures  have  yet  been  arrived  at,  but  the 
owner  of  the  lambs  raised  in  the  pasture 
during  the  first  season  stated  that,  when 
they  were  sheared  the  following  year,  the 
clip  was  at  least  one  pound  heavier  than 
that  of  any  other  lambs  of  the  same  age 
and  breeding  he  had  ever  sheared. 

The  comparative  cost  of  handling  under 
the  two  systems  depends  somewhat  upon 
the  locality.  It  has  been  determined, 
however,  that  one  man  familiar  with 
handling    under   pasture   could    care    for 


four  pastures  similar  to  the  one  in  Ore- 
gon, which  would  mean  the  care  of  from 
8,000  to  10,000  sheep.  To  handle  the  same 
number  of  sheep  under  open-range  herd- 
ing in  the  same  locality  requires  the  atten- 
tion of  four  men  working  as  herders  and 
two  men  tending  camp.  This,  of  course, 
does  not  take  into  account  the  cost  of 
building  and  maintaining  the  fence.  It  is 
figured,  however,  that  a  fence  should  pay 
for  itself  in  not  to  exceed  five  years,  and 
that,  with  a  small  cost  for  maintenance, 
it  should  last  15  years.  The  fence  here  re- 
ferred to  has  not  cost  to  exceed  $5  per 
mile  in  upkeep  in  any  one  year. 

In  any  event,  the  main  advantage  of 
raising  sheep  in  this  new  manner  would 
lie  in  the  protection  it  affords  the  flocks. 
For  under  pasture  the  sheep  are  free  and 
quiet  at  all  times,  they  grow  larger  and 
can  be  kept  in  better  condition  than  when 
herded  in  the  open ;  and  it  is  a  recognized 
fact  that  the  growth  of  wool  and  its 
quality  is  in  a  large  measure  dependent 
on  the  health  of  the  animals. 


SCREWDRIVING    MACHINE 

MOUNTED  ON  WHEELS 

Automatic   screwdriving   machines  are 
of  necessity  quite  cumbersome,  having  to 
carry  a  driving  mote 
the     screws,     and 
a  firm  mounting, 
handling      heavy 
awkward    work    wl 
must  be  finished  at 
bench,  a  machine  n: 
ufacturer  has  design 
an    automatic    sere 
driving  equipment  p; 
oted  on  a  vertical  c< 
umn  which  is  carri 
on   a    base   with   ba 
bearing,        flang 
wheels.    The  spin- 
dle bearing,  driv- 
ing    mechanism, 
and   screw   mag-    **' 
azine  move  later- 
ally   upon    an 
I-beam,      which 

swings  freely  on  its  pivots  and  may 
be  raised  or  lowered.  The  whole  ma- 
chine is  moved  on  its  wheels  by  turning 
a   hand   crank. 


C  Naples  is  assured  the  greatest  dry  dock 
in  the  Mediterranean  by  the  recent  sign- 
ing of  all  necessary  government  bills. 


CALIFORNIA'S  CLAY  MOUNTAIN 

BUILDS  SHIPS  AND  CITIES 

Southern  California,  ambitious  to  gain 
fame  for  something  more  substantial  than 
calls  speoiki  atten- 
to  its  "tremendous 
osits  of  a  certain  val- 
•  uable  clays.  There 
I    is,  indeed,  a  veri- 
^   table     mountain 
of  this    material 
78     miles     from 
)s     Angeles.      Four 
►yemment    concrete 
ips  are  being  built, 
ing  it   as  light   ag- 
egate  in  the  mixture 
stead    of    sand    and 
ck.    The  district  re- 
ntly    sent    out    140 
rloads      of     hollow 
e,    made    from    the 
me  substance,  for  a 
►vernment      hospital 
Arizona.     Pressed 
brick,  paving  brick,  fire  brick,  hollow  build- 
ing block,  roofing  tile,  architectural  terra 
cotta,  sewer  tile,  chemical  stoneware,  un- 
derground electrical  conduits,  and  crock- 
ery clay  are  a  few  of  the  specific  products 
yielded  by  the  contents  of  this  warehouse 
of  nature.    There  are  12  varieties  of  clay 
in  the  deposit. 


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r' 


Buffalo's  Memorial  Arch  in  Honor  of  the  Retumine  Heroes  of  the  27th  Division:  It  is  to  be  Dedicated  on 
Memorial  Day.  The  Arch  is  Located  in  the  Down-Town  District,  and  will  Remain  Standing  for  Two  Years. 
Besides    Its   Memorial    Inscriptions    It  will    Carry  the    Names   of   Those  Who  Made   the   Pinal   Sacrifice 


MEMOBIAL  ARCH   IN  BUFFALO 

TO  HONOR  FIGHTING  MEN 

When  the  fighting  men  of  the  27th  divi- 
sion return  from  foreign  battle  fields  to 
their  homes  at  Buflfalo,  N.  Y.,  they  will 
march  under  a  magnificent  memorial  arch 
in  the  center  of  the  down-town  section, 
where  70,000  people  pass  every  day.  It 
will  be  located  just  opposite  the  Soldiers' 
Monument  in  Lafayette  Square,  and  will 
be  constructed  to  stand  for  two  years,  ac- 
cording to  present  plans.  The  arch  is  to 
be  finished  in  time  for  formal  dedication 
on  Memorial  Day,  and  it  is  estimated  that 
the  cost  will  be  about  $25,000.  Inscribed 
at  the  top  are  the  names  of  French  battle 
fields  and  the  words,  "Erected  to  Com- 
memorate the  Homecoming  of  the  Vic- 
torious Army  and  Navy  of  These  United 
States  of  America,  and  in  Memory  of 
Those  Who  have  Made  the  Supreme  Sac- 
rifice for  the  Triumph  of  the  Free  Peoples 
of  the  World  and  for  the  Promise  of  an 
Enduring  Peace— 1919." 


C  Discovery  of  a  process  for  making  cot- 
ton substitute  from  seaweed  is  claimed  by 
a  Japanese  fiber  laboratory. 


ROTATING  SCRAPER  FOR  IRON 
REMOVES  RUST  AND  PAINT 

Old  rust  and  paint  from  such  iron 
structures  as  ships,  bridges,  and  tanks 
may  be  quickly 
removed  with  a 
revolving  scraper, 
run  by  electric 
motor.  The  tool 
will  clean  badly 
incrusted  surfaces 
at  the  rate  of 
30  seconds  to  the 
square  foot,  or 
even  faster.  The 
%-hp.  motor, 
either  placed  on  a 
small  truck  or 
suspended  at  a 
convenient  point, 
turns  a  flexible 
shaft  4,000  r.  p.  m. 
The  tool  consists 
of  a  triangular 
hub,  at  each  comer 

of  which  four  hammer  bars  are  pivoted, 
held  radially  in  action  by  centrifugal  force. 
These  bars,  at  full  speed,  strike  48,000 
glancing  blows  a  minute. 


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LANTERN  USES  ''SLIDES"  MADE 
ON  MOTION-PICTURE  FILM 

With  the  usual  apparatus  a  motion-pic- 


This    Suitcate-Sixe    Stereopticon    Projects   Views    Made   on 

Standard  Motion-Picture  Film  Stock  Instead  of  Glass  Plates. 

Picti>rcs  are  Changed  by  Pressing  the  Button  on  Top,  but  may 

be  Held  Indefinitely  without  Heating 

Still  picture,  because  the  heat  of  the  con- 
centrated rays  would  instantly  destroy  the 
Nevertheless,  the  fine  quality  of  the 


film. 

standard  motion-picture  stock,  despite  its 
small  surface,  gives  even  better  projec- 
tion results  than  the  glass  lantern  slide, 
and  a  new  form  of  portable  stereopticon 
takes  advantage  of  that  fact.  The  reels 
of  the  machine  hold  50  ft.  of  film,  or  800 
pictures.  Depressing  a  push  button  on 
top  of  the  case  advances  the  film  just  one 
picture  or  "frame."  A  300-watt  incandes- 
cent lamp  throws  a  picture  of  great  bril- 
liancy on  a  screen  up  to  10  ft.  wide,  at 
any  distance  up  to  200  ft.,  and  because 
of  the  system  of  ventilation  a  film  may 
remain  in  focus  indefinitely  without  per- 
ceptible heating.  Films  are  light  and  eas- 
ily changed,  and  in  both  convenience  and 
reliability  have  many  advantages  over 
glass.  The  machine  weighs  but  12  pounds. 


ENTIRE  STEEL-TRUSS  FACTORY 
SENT  ON  SHIP  TO  ITALY 

Because  an  Italian  engineer  approved 
factory  which  he  came  here  to  in- 
:,  as  well  as  the  expanded-steel 
trusses  which  constitute  its  prod- 
uct, an  exact  duplicate  of  the  whole 
plant  is  being  shipped  all  the  way 
to  Italy  from  the  outskirts  of  Chi- 
cago. The  Italian  factory,  when 
the  shipload  of  340,000  lb.  of  ma- 
chinery has  been  assembled  at  Sa- 
vona,  will  start  making  steel  trans- 
mission towers  for  the  high-tension 
electric  lines  whose  development 
has  a  large  part  in  the  country's 
reconstruction  plans.  The  trusses 
manufactured  by  the  plant  are 
made  from  steel  I-beams  peculiarly 
r  cut  on  a  large  rotary  shear  and 
then  expanded  in  a  machine  spe- 
cially designed  to  give  them  truss 
form  with  the  necessary  strength. 
Steel  interests  controlled  by  the 
Italian  government  have  advanced 
$400,000  that  the  transplanted  factory 
may  take  firm  root  in  foreign  soil. 


CHEST  FOR  EACH  CAR  OWNER 
IN  REPAIR  STATION 

Each  automobile  owner  who  brings  his 
car  fof  repair  into  the  service  station  of 
a  factory  branch  in  Indianapolis,  Ind.,  is 
provided  with  a  chest  in  which  the  cush- 
ions and  other  loose  items  are  deposited. 
At  the  bottom  are  two  drawers  for  the 
smaller  parts.  The  chest,  which  moves 
about  on  casters,  may  be  padlocked,  and 
is  identified  with  its  particular  car  as  long 


NEW  BOILER  HEADS  MEASURE 

MORE  THAN  FIFTEEN  FEET 

The  production  of  a  marine  tubular- 
boiler  head  13  ft.  in  diameter,  recorded 
in  the  February,  1919,  number  of  Popular 
Mechanics,  has  been  eclipsed  in  the  same 
Pennsylvania  steel  plant.  A  pair  of  heads 
were  recently  completed  which  measured 
16  ft.  6V2  in.  in  diameter  as  sheared,  and 
over  15  ft.  after  flanging.  Each  head  was 
1%  in.  thick  and  made  from  a  single  sheet 
oif  steel,  and  in  that  respect  the  perform- 
ance is  announced  as  a  world's  record. 


One  of  These  Chests   Is  at   the    Service   of  Every 

Auto  Owner  Whose  Car  is  Undergoing  Repair  in  an 

Indianapolis  Factory  Branch.     It  Keeps  the  Loose 

Parts  Together  and  Prevents  Loss 

as  the  latter  remains  in  the  shop.  This 
avoids  loss  or  misplacement  of  parts,  and 
relieves  the  attendants  of  responsibility. 


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lU     illC      WllCCiSy     IIIC     CUdlllUllS     tU     llIC      U^JXlJff 

the  wheels  to  the  road^are  potent  factors 
in  determining  economy  and  comfort.  A 
large  manufacturer  of  luxurious  cars  has 
protected  by  patents  a  system  of  making 
photographic  records  of  car  performance 
in  this  respect.  Small  electric  lamps  are 
attached  to  wheels,  fenders,  body,  and  any 
other  points  desired.  The  car  is  then 
driven  past  a  camera  whose  lens  is  left 
open,  the  test  being  made  at  night.    Each 


This  It  the  Kind  of  Record  That  Appears   on  the 

Photograph.    Each   Wave  in   the   Horizontal  White 

Lines    Represents   a   Vertical    Movement   of    Some 

Part  of  the  Car 

lamp  is  recorded  as  a  streak  across  the 
photographic  plate,  the  deviations  from  a 
straight  line  indicating  the  relative  ver- 
tical movement  of  the  part  on  which  the 
lamp  was  mounted  at  any  instant.  Lamps 
of  diflferent  brilliancies  are  used  to  aid 
identification  on  the  photograph. 


STEAM-TURBINE  WRECK  CAUSED 
BY  CENTRIFUGAL  FORCE 

How  violent   is   the    disruptive   power 
that  lies  in  centrifugal  force  was  demon- 
strated to  the  attendants  of  a  Colorado 
electric  central  station,  a  short  time  ago, 
when    a    steam    turbine 
used   to   drive   a   blower 
fan  blew  up  with  all  the 
effect     of     a     burst     of 
shrapnel.    The   centrifu- 
gal   governor    failed    to 
work;   the  speed  of  the 
turbine    rapidly    acceler- 
ated until  the  radial  pull 
became    too     great     for 
even  steel  to  stand,  and 
the  whirling  metal  flew  to 
pieces.    Severed  portions 
of    the    turbine    passed 
through   the    fan   screen  • 
with   such   velocity   that 
the  fan,  used  for  supply- 
ing forced   draft   to  the 


boilers,  was  wrecked,  and  the  heavy 
standard  on  the  other  side  broken.  The 
only  man  injured,  an  electrician,  .lost  his 
great  toe  when  his  foot  was  struck  by  a 
bulletlike  piece  of  metal  which  catapulted 
out  of  the  dizzy  machine.  Other  attend- 
ants escaped -by  narrow  margins. 


All  That  was  Left  of  a  Steam  Turbine  After  Its  Governor  Failed  and 
Centrifugal  Force  Got  in  Its  Work:  Pieces  of  Plving  Metal  Wrecked  the 
Pan  Screen,  as  Shown  at  the  Left,  and  Broke  the  Heavy  Bearing  Sundard 


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SQUARE  FOR  MARKING  RAFTERS 
SAVES  CARPENTER  TROUBLE 

A    combination    square    which    auto- 
matically   indicates    the    proper   line   for 
cuttinc^  rafters  of  anv  varietv  is 


angled  plate  of  the  square  on  one  comer 
of  the  rafter.  Two  blades,  pivoted  at  one 
end  of  the  plate,  lie  across  the  top  and 
side  of  the  rafter,  respectively.  Graduated 
scales  on  the  two  sides  of  the  plate  in- 
dicate the  number  of  inches  of  rise  per 
foot  of  running  rafter,  and   pointers  on 


for  any  partictdar  rafter,  the  blades  so 
place  themselves  that  a  mark  along  their 
edges  guides  the  saw  fpr  a  cut  at  the 
correct  angle. 


HASTEN  SEASONING  OF  WILLOW 

FOR  ARTIFICIAL  LIMBS 

Willow  used  for  making  artificial  limbs 
must  be  carefully  seasoned,  and  the  proc-^ 
ess  formerly  required  from  three  to  five 
years.  By  exact  determination  of  the  cor- 
rect temperature  and  humidity  needed  for 
the  most  satisfactory  results,  and  a  study 
of  the  circulation  in  the  kiln  used  for  dry- 
ing, the  Forest  Products  Laboratory  has 
been  able  to  accomplish  complete  season- 
ing in  60  to  70  days.  Preparation  of  the 
willow  in  proper  form  for  drying  also  has 
considerable  influence  on  the  time  re- 
quired. 


CONVERTED  MOTOR  TRUCK  USED 
AS  RAILWAY  LOCOMOTIVE 

Tn  rprnnstrnrtina'  a  1-400-ff-  railivav  fun- 


Used  in  Connection  with  Railway-Tunnel  Construction  in  the  West,  This  Conrerted  Motox^Tniick  LocomotiTt 
Pulls  Pour  SUndard-Gauge  Cars  with  Ease.     At  the  Top  Is  a  Close  View  of  the  Cab 


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WHY  AIRPLANES  FALL 

By  ROGERS  D.  RUSK 
Signal  Corps  MeUorologist 


THE  biggest  problem  today  in  avia- 
tion is  not  how  to  make  airplanes 
fly,  but  how  to  keep  them  from  falling. 
One  of  our  crack  airmen  once  remarked 
with  a  twinkle  in  his  eye:  "Flying  is  per- 
fectly safe — that  is,  un- 
less you  happen  to  fall." 

In  one  illustration  is 
shown  a  ship  which 
buried  its  nose  in  the 
ground,  and  from  which 
the  flier  barely  escaped 
with  his  life.  The  propel- 
ler snapped  off  like  a 
toothpick,  and  the  plane 
went  into  a  downward 
spin,  from  which  the  pi- 
lot tried  to  extricate 
himself,  but  was  unable 
to  do  so  until  just  be- 
fore he  struck  the  ground. 
If  he  had  had  a  few  hun- 
dred feet  more  to  fall  the 
accident  would  no  doubt 
have  been  avoided.  This 
is  a  good  illustration  of  the  well-known 
fact  that  the  nearer  the  earth  one  flies, 
although  he  may  feel  safe,  the  less  chance 
he  has  of  saving  himself  in  case  of  acci- 
dent. 

Contrary  to  common  opinion,  airplanes 
seldom  fall  (except  in  battle)  from  some 
failure  in  the  mechanism,  such  as  a  wing 


powered  engines  of  today,  more  power 
and  speed  can  actually  be  developed  than 
the  airplane  can  stand,  due  to  its  lightness 
of  construction.  Speeds  of  100  to  150 
miles  an  hour  are  common,  and  it  may 


The  Picture  Presented  Here  Illustrates  an  Unfor- 
taoate  Laading  Similar  in  Effect  to  That  Indicated 
Above  and  Caused  by  Runninc  into  an  *'Air"  Hole 

coming  oflF,  or  the  engine  stopping.  With 
the  Liberty  motor,  and  other  similar  high- 


An  Aeroplane  can  Land  Ansrwhere  Any  Time,  but  Not  Always  in  Complete 

Accordance  with  the  Pilot's  Wishes.    This  Shows  How  One  Machine 

Concluded  Flight  after   the  Propeller  had  Broken  in  Mid-Air 

be  said  that,  barring  accidents,  an  air- 
plane never  falls  so  long  as  its  speed 
IS  maintained.  If  it  loses  speed,  or  if 
the  engine  stops  entirely,  the  airman  can 
generally  glide  safely  to  the  ground.  The 
slow  Curtiss  plane,  with  a  speed  of  60 
miles  per  hour,  can  land  in  most  any 
field,  but  the  speedier  planes,  such  as 
the  De  Haviland,  which  is  twice  as  fast 
as  the  Curtiss,  take  a  much  greater  space 
in  which  to  light.  Such  fields  are  now 
being  located  along  airplane  routes  all 
over  the  country.  It  is  the  accident,  how- 
ever, which  the  pilot  fears  and  which 
every  eflFort  is  being  made  to  eliminate. 
The  business  man  of  tomorrow  who 
makes  a  hurried  trip  from  New  York  to 
Chicago  does  not  want  to  take  a  very 
big  chance  of  being  suddenly  and  uncere- 
moniously dropped  in  some  farmer's  back  r 
yard  along  the  way. 

Army  investigations  have  shown  tha 
the  majority  of  accidents,  except  from 
collisions  in  mid-air,  are  due  to  the  flier 
losing  control  of  his  plane,  or  to  irreg- 
ularities in  the  air  itself  which  have 
caused  the  accident,  or  which  have  caused 
him  to  lose  control.  It  comes  as  a  dis- 
tinct surprise  to  some  of  us  that  instead 
of  the  upper  air  being  in  a  uniform  state 
of  rest  or  motion,  it  is  really  in  a  con- 
stant turbulence,  which  is  anything  but 
uniform,  and  we  hear  such  things  spoken 
of  as  "bumps"  and  "holes"  in  the  air, 
eddies  and  whirls,  and  cascades  and  foun- 

743 


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1 1 1  1 1 1^  t\ 


Illustrating  What  it  Meant  by  a  **Bump"  in  the  Air: 

An  Up-Going  Current  Caused  by  the  Uneven  Heating 

of  the  Earth's  Surface,  Which  ''Bumps"  a  Plane  in 

the  Manner  Indicated 

tains.  It  seems  that  just  as  a  motorist 
may  run  off  the  road  into  a  ditch,  the 
airman  may  run  into  a  "hole"  in  the  air — 
more  so  as  the  so-called  hole  in  the  air 
is  invisible.  It  is  such  irregularities  in 
the  atmosphere  as  these,  that  the  gov- 
ernment and  the  U.  S.  Weather  Bureau 
are  studying  and  attempting  to  map  every 
day,  just  as  is  done  with  the  weather  at 
the   earth's    surface. 

The  term  "hole,"  in  th6  air  is  very  mis- 
leading, as  there  can  be  no  such  thing 
as  a  hole  in  the  air.  There  may  be  points 
of  greater  or  less  density,  but  the  varia- 
tion is  usually  so  slight  as  to  be  negligible, 
except  in  the  extreme  case  of  storms  such 
as  hurricanes,  in  the  center  of  which  is 
a  partial  vacuum.  What  is  commonly 
called  a  hole  in  the  air  is  really  a  down- 
ward current  of  air  which  causes  the  air- 
man to  drop  unexpectedly.  Such  currents 
are  frequently  found  near  or  over  bodies 


f  t 


-^       Y      "^ 


The  So-Called  "Hole"  in  the  Air  Is  a  Downward  Cur- 
rent Occasionally  Encountered  at  Moderate  Elevations 
above  Water  and  Wooded  Territories.    If  PronoiMiced« 
It  may  Cause  Trouble 

of  water,  or  wooded  regions,  and  may 
extend  as  high,  at  times,  as  a  mile  in  the 
air.  Another  illustration  shows  a  plane 
in  which  the  pilot  landed  in  a  startling 
and  embarrassing  manner  a  short  way 
from  the  Mississippi  River.  While  flying 
near  the  ground  he  felt  himself  suddenly 
carried  down  by  an  air  current,  and  he 
was  unable  to  recover  in  time  to  rise 
again. 

Bumps  in  the  air  are  just  the  opposite 
of  holes,  and  are  due  to  upward  currents 
of  air  which  are  always  more  or  less  no- 
ticeable on  bright  sunny  days,  especially 
in  summer,  due  to  uneven  heating  of  the 
earth's  surface.  Such  currents  are  gen- 
erally found  over  open  land,  plowed 
ground,  and  even  roads.  It  is  interesting 
to  note  that  these  up-currents  may  usu- 
ally be  detected  by  the  big  billowy  cumu- 
lus clouds  that  form  at  the  upper  extrem- 
ity of  a  rising  current,  due  to  the  cooling 


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and  condensation  of  the  moisture  in  the 
air.  Every  such  cloud  that  dots  the  sky 
in  warm  weather  indicates  a  rising  current 
of  air  and  the  existence  of  a  bump.  The 
way  an  airplane  is  tilted  by  such  a  bump 
is  also  shown.  When  this  occurs,  the  pilot 
must  right  his  ship,  and  if  he  does  this 
too  quickly  an  accident  may  result. 

Vertical  eddies,  and  many  other  pecul- 
iar phenomena,  frequently  occur  and  are 
only  visible  through  the  motions  of  the 
clouds.    They  may  be  detected,  however, 


by  the  use  of  small  balloons  set  free  in 
the  air.  Of  course  these  currents  are 
seldom  violent  except  in  the  case  of 
storms.  If  such  were  not  the  case,  flying 
would  be  next  to  impossible.  In  a  thun- 
derstorm the  winds  rage  with  almost  un- 
believable violence,  and  the  unfortunate 
airman  who  is  caught  in  one  is  whirled 
and  battered  in  all  directions,  and  his 
ship  is  frequently  torn  to  pieces.  Only  a 
few  survivors  of  such  experiences  have 
returned  to  tell  the  tale. 


MOTORBOATS  USED  FOR  COPRA 

TRADING  UNUSUAL  IN  DESIGN 

Designed  especially  for  trading  with 
the  natives  of  tropical  islands,  three  boats, 
recently  completed  in  San  Francisco,  are 
particularly  interesting.  They  are  being 
used  mainly  in  trading  for  copra — dried 
coconut  meat  from  which  coconut  oil 
is  derived.  These  vessels,  which  are  com- 
bination sail  and  motor  boats,  are 
equipped  with  specially  designed  com- 
partments, and,  from  the  variety  of  ar- 
ticles carried  in  stock,  resemble  very  much 
the  old  country  store.  This  stock  is  made 
up  of  articles  much  sought  after  and 
highly  .prized  by  the  natives,  and,  as  the 
boats  go  from  island  to  island,  it  is  ex- 
changed for  copra,  which  is  then  taken  to 
a  central  point  and  reshipped  on  ocean 
trading  vessels.  The  crew  brought  to  San 
Francisco  to  man  these  vessels  "was  a 
curiosity.  It  was  claimed  by  the  captain 
in  charge  that  they  were  cannibals  sev- 
eral years  ago,  and  they  gave  every  in- 
dication of  having  been.  They  lived  on 
meat,  boiling  large  pieces  which  they  tore 
up  with  their  hands  and  devoured. 


ALARM  CLOCK  TAKES  NEW  JOB 

AS  PRIVATE  SECRETARY 

To  keep  us  from  forgetting  time  even 
for  a  minute,  the  makers  of  alarm  clocks 
now  have  provided  one  that  either  emits 

a  soft  buzz  to  hint      r 

an  appointment  or 
another  dose  of 
medicine,  or  rings 
a  loud  gong  to  in- 
d  u  c  e  wakefulness, 
after  the  time-hon- 
ored  manner  of 
such  devices.  The 
alarm  may  be  set 
accurately  to  the 
minute  because  the 
indicating      pointer 

is    located    on    the 

bezel,  which  is  turned  to  set  it,  making 
exact  adjustment  an  easy  matter.  This 
quality  of  precision  enables  the  clock  to 
extend  the  household  usefulness  of  its 
ancestors  by  working  as  a  laboratory  as- 
sistant or  business  reminder,  in  which  its 
alarm  might  be  used  many  times  during 
the  course  of  the  day. 


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OBSERVER  LANDS  ON  MULE  GET  WOOL,  MILK,  AND  BEEF 

IN  PARACHUTE  JUMP  FROM  NORTHERN  MUSK  OX 

While  men  in  the  army  air  service,  par-  Of  a  size  between  the  sheep  and  the  ox, 

ticiilarly  those  in  the  observation-balloon      yielding  the   wool    of  one   and   the   beef 

division,  have  all  contributed  their  share      of  the  other,  the  musk  ox  of  the  North 

of  the  hard  and  dan-      is  destined,  m  the  opinion  of  a  celebrated 

r,  to  attract  greater  atten- 
e  of  supply.  The  fleece  of  the 
orted  by  experts  to  equal 
in  quality,  and  a  govern- 
ment department  is  now 
engaged  in  making  care- 
ful studies  of  its  com- 
parative usefulness  and 
economy.  The  animal's 
habitat  on  the  frozen 
plains  of  Greenland  and 
the  barren  reaches  of 
America's  northern  lati- 
tudes makes  it  master  of 
a  range  that  cattle  can- 
not penetrate.  In  its 
chosen  country,  there- 
fore, it  becomes  the  sole 
source  of  good  beef  and 
milk — a  virtue  perhaps 
more  important  to  its 
human  neighbors  than 
the  excellence  of  its  wool, 
which  is  the  chief  com- 
mercial  interest.     Scien- 

w€i»iuK  «  rarawnuic   x^cap   irum  «   oaiiuon  lo  ABcapc  .....       ^  tifically     the      mUSk     OX     iS 

an  Attacking  Airman,  the  Observer  Alighted  Attnde  a  Balky  Mule,  Gracing       «^i„4.^j      ^^i^u^^     *^      4-U^ 

with  Others  Well  Back  of  the  Lines  related     neither    to     the 

sheep  nor  to  the  ox,  but 
amusing  incidents.  Some  of  them  might  represents  a  distinct  genus  by  itself.  The 
not  have  been  so  entertaining  at  the  time,      fur  is  oi  a  brownish  color. 

but  later  reflection  wjould  show  the  laugh-  

able   aspects   predominant.     A   good   ex- 

ample  is  th«  experience,  last  fall,  of  an       PREPARING  FOR  THE  CAMPERS 
observer  attached  to  the  First  Army.    He  ij^j  THE  NATIONAL  FORESTS 

had   been  up   for  several   hours   making 

notes  on  enemy  infantry  operations  when         Always    mindful    of   the    public    safety 
he  was  suddenly  attacked  by  a  single-seat      and    convenience,    the    government   em- 
combat  plane.     The  balloon  crew  on  the      ploys  its  forest   rangers,   during  part   of 
ground    immediately    began    to    haul    the      the  winter  months,  in  making  trail  signs, 
big  gas  bag  down,  but  the  observer  was 
running  no  chances  and  took  to  his  para- 
chute.   This  drifted  well  back  of  the  lines 
and  deposited  him  in  the  midst  of  a  num- 
ber   of   grazing    army    mules,    and    right 
astride  one  mule.     The  mule,  not  taking 

kindly  to  the  sudden  load  forced  on  him.  I 

began  to  rear  and  plunge,  starting  quite  I 

a   commotion   among   the   herd,   and   the  | 

observer  was  rescued  with  difficulty  from 
his  precarious  position. 


CThe  Italian  institution  for  the  war-dis- 
abled announces  that  it  will  continue  to 

bring    reHef    to    sufferers    as    long    as    one       g^^,„„.„,  p^^er.  Soend  Winter  Hour.  Preparing 
war-disabled  person  needs  assistance.  Trail  Signs  for  the  Benefit  of  Smnmer  Tourists 

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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


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Carefully  painted,  stamped,  and  var- 
nished, these  boards  are  later  crated  and 
shipped  to  the  rangers,  who  distribute 
them  throughout  the  vast  national 
forests.  The  signs  prove  themselves 
very  useful,  being  placed  every  half  mile 
along  the  trail,  and  at  points  where  it 
crosses  a  road  or  stream. 


AMERICAN  BOMBING  PLANE 
LANDS  IN  MUDDY  FIELD 

The  seventh  Handley  Page  bombing 
machine  built  in  this  country  met  with 
misfortune  recently,  at  an  Illinois  avia- 
tion field  when  returning,  with  its  six 
passengers,  from  a  successful  expedi- 
tion   to    the    near-by    bombing    ground. 


This  American   Handley  Page   Bombing  Plane  was 

Damaged  in  Landing  in  Sticky  Mud 

at  an  Illinois  Aviation  Field 

Alighting  at  high  speed  on  a  sticky, 
muddy  field,  the  landing  gear  was  retarded 
and  the  plane  "stuck  her  nose  in."  No 
one  was  injured,  although  the  twisted 
wreckage  had  to  be  cut  away  from  the 
observer  in  the  forward  cockpit.  Inter- 
est attaches  to  the  machine  as  it  belongs 
to  the  first  American  bombing  squadron 
on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic. 


SNOW  IN  VACUUM  BOTTLES  FOR 
PEOPLE  WHO  NEVER  SEE  IT 

Those  of  us  who  are  used  to  the  more 
or  less  rigorous  winters  of  the  North  may 
think  it  strange  that  there  are  people  in 
the  United  States  who  have  never  seen 
snow,  except  possibly  on  mountain  tops 
at  a  distance.  Conditions  such  as  this 
exist  in  southern  California  in  particular. 
Tourists  and  mountain-climbing  parties 
have  been  in  the  habit  of  filling  their 
vacuum  bottles  with  snow  for  the  edifica- 
tion of  their  friends  in  the  lower  valleys, 
where  it  is  quite  a  novelty.  In  fact  a  bot- 
tle of  snow  was  recently  presented  to  a 
high-school  physics  class  for  the  study  of 
snow  crystals. 


POWER  PLANE  LESSENS  MANUAL 

LABOR  FOR  CARPENTER 

As  a  labor-saving  tool  for  the  use  of 
carpenters,   an   interesting  type  of  elec- 


Connected  throngh  a  Flexible  Shaft  with  a  Caster- 
Mounted    Motor,    the   Plane  is  WeU 
Adapted   for  Surfacing   Floors 

trically  operated  plane  has  been  intro- 
duced of  late.  The  device  is  equipped 
with  a  rotary  knife  connected  through  a 
flexible  shaft  with  a  motor.  The  latter 
is  mounted  on  a  base  fitted  with  casters 
so  that  it  may  be  readily  moved  from 
point  to  point.  While  the  plane  is  said 
to  be  suitable  for  many  uses,  it  is  espe- 
cially adapted  for  surfacing  floors  and 
accomplishing  work  of  similar  character. 


CHOICE  OF  AIR-BRUSH  TINTS 

IN  MULTIPLE  COLOR  CUP 

In  place  of  the  color  cup  holding  a  sin- 
gle tint  ordinarily  used  on  an  artist's  air 
brush,  a  New  York  inventor  has  worked 
out  a  system  of  dividing  the  cup  into  a 
number  of  cells,  each  containing  a  dif- 
ferent color.  By  loosening  a  screw  and 
turning  the  cup,  any  desired  cell  may  be 
brought  into  position  for  use,  and  any 


color  within   the   limit   of 

the  total  number  of  cells  is 

made   quickly  available.    Tightening  the 

screw  locks  the  color  cup  in  position. 


CIn  South  Australia  the  returned  soldier 
is  advanced  up  to  $3,000  for  purchasing 
a  home.  The  grant  is  not  made  to  un- 
married men,  however,  nor  to  those  with 
a  moderate  income. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


NOVEL  DEVICE  TO  ROUGHEN 

SNOW-PACKED  SIDEWALKS 

Following  a  heavy  snowstorm,  pedes- 
trian traffic  wilt  invariably  pack  the  snow 
down;   it  becomes  virtually  as  hard  and 
slippery     as     ice, 
and  is  as  difficult 
to  walk  on.    As  a 
means  of  combat- 
ing  this   evil,   the 
city     of     Ottawa, 
Canada,  has  been 
using  a   scratcher 
to     roughen     the 
surface  of  the  ice- 
coated   walks  and 
thus    make    walk- 
ing comparatively 
easy.  This  scratch- 
er  is   about   3    ft. 
wide  and  consists 
of     steel     prongs 
bolted  to  a   steel   cross   piece.     To   give 
greater  scratching  surface,  the  teeth  on 
the  prongs  are  split.  This  device  is  horse- 
drawn  and  may  be  operated  by  one  man. 
Practically  the  only  repair  work  necessary 
on  it  is  the  sharpening  of  the  teeth. 


BOSTON   COMMON   TO   REMAIN 

A  WAR  GARDEN 

Surprise  was  general  when  the  authori- 
ties voted  to  devote  staid  old  Boston  Com- 
mon to  gardening  purposes  for  the  du- 
ration of  the  war.  The  experiment 
proved  a  success,  however.  The  new 
common  not  only  yielded  valuable  prod- 
uce, and  gave  room  for  many  wooden 
buildings  housing  various  patriotic  en- 
terprises, but  it  furnished,  also,  a  con- 
vincing demonstration,  to  the  passer-by, 
of  the  worth  of  the  back-yard  garden. 
And    Bostonians    were    recently    startled 


still  more  by  a  decision  to  retain  this 
innovation  permanently.  The  common 
has  appeared  very  attractive  in  its  new 
garb,  and  it  is  popularly  felt  that  the 
nation  still  needs  every  available  acre 
of  arable  ground. 

EUROPEAN  AERIAL  ROUTES 
IN  ACTUAL  OPERATION 

Among  the  innumerable  proposed  aerial 
postal  routes  throughout  the  world  it  is 
interesting  to  find  a  few  actually  oper- 
ating. Chief  among  these  are  Italian 
routes  between  the  mainland  and  Sardi- 
nia, and  between  Rome  and  Turin ;  a 
Danish  mail  and  passenger  line  from  Co- 
penhagen to  Skagen;  and  an  Austrian 
route  from  Vienna  to  Lemberg.  Not  yet 
operating,  but  soon  to  become  a  fact,  is 
the  very  important  line  between  Paris, 
Brussels,  and  London.  An  international 
postal  line  between  Stavanger,  Norway, 
and  Aberdeen,  Scotland,  is  also  contem- 
plated. 

PAPER- YARN  INDUSTRY  GIVEN 

IMPETUS  BY  NEW  DISCOVERY 

Paper  yarn  has  proved  a  satisfactory 
material  for  many  purposes,  and  has  even 
been  used  for  clothing,  especially  in  Ger- 
many, during  the  war.  But  such  cloth- 
ing attracted  moisture  and  could  not  be 
made  rainproof,  mainly  because  the  yam 
used  was  "flat"  or  "half-flat."  Recently, 
however,  scientists,  who  have  been  ex- 
perimenting with  a  view  to  correcting  this 
fault,  have  found  that  by  giving  the  pa- 
per strips  a  good  twisting  while  they  are 
being  spun,  the  individual  cellulose  fibers 
become  entwined;  that  is,  the  resulting 
yarn  has  gone  through  an  actual  spinning 
process.  This  would  seem  to  open  a 
wider  field  for  the  paper-yam  industry. 


Attractive  Temporary  Buildings  and  Tidy  Garden  Plats  Change  Pace  of  Venerable  Common.     This  War 
Innovation  Is  to  be  Retained  for  the  Needs  of  Peace 


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Front  View  of  Proposed  Memorial  Hall  to  be   Erected  in  Washington  in  Honor  of  Revolutionary  and 

Present-Day  War  Heroes 

NATIONAL  MEMORIAL  TO  HEROES  OF  '17  AND  76 


It  now  seems  probable  that  one  of  the 
tangible  fruits  of  the  war,  in  the  form 
of  memorials,  will  be  an  immense  con- 
vention hall  to  be  located  in  the  national 
capital,  which   strangely  enough   has  no 
really    suitable    meeting    place    for   large 
audiences!      If    the    building,    for   which 
plans  have  been  accepted  and  a  splendid 
site  secured  through  the  cooperation   of 
congress,  is  erected,  it  will  be  designated 
as  a  memorial  both  to  the  soldiers  of  '17 
(and  '18)  and  of  76.  The  reason  for  thus 
linking  the  heroes  of 
ent    with   those    of 
Colonial     days      is 
that  George  Wash- 
ington    himself     is 
responsible  for  the 
idea  of  a  memorial, 
having  included  in 
his   will   a   bequest 
of  $25,000   for   the 
purpose.    This  was 
in     the     form     of 
stock       certificates, 
and  was  one  of  two 
gifts     which     con- 
gress  gave   him    in 
view    of    the    fact 
that   he   would  ac- 
cept no  compensa- 
tion   of  the    usual 
sort    for   his    serv- 
ices.      In      setting 
aside    this    gift    in 
his    will,  Washing- 
ton  designated   that   it   be   used   for  the 
diffusion  of  knowledge. 

While  the  original  stock  certificates 
have  long  since  become  of  little  value,  the 
idea  has  never  been  lost  sight  of,  and  an 
organization  was  formed  to  raise  money 
for  the  memorial.  Our  sharing  in  the 
great  war  interrupted  the  work  of  this  so- 
ciety, but  on  the  other  hand  the  coming 
of  peace  has  given  it  a  new  incentive,  and 


so  it  is  proposed  to  complete  the  fund 
(already  $350,000  in  cash,  with  many  con- 
tingent promises  in  addition)  and  erect  a 
great  convention  hall  in  honor  of  our 
boys  in  khaki  and  the  revolutionary  he- 
roes, A  splendid  site  has  been  granted 
by  congress  for  the  building — that  now 
occupied  by  the  old  Pennsylvania  Railway 
station. 

It  provides  for  a  main  auditorium  with 
a  floor  space  of  38,500  sq.  ft.,  with  a  gallery 
of  10,000  sq.  ft.,  the  two  having  a  seating 
of  7,000,  and  so  suit- 
able for  inaugural 
balls,  public  re- 
ceptions, etc.,  as 
well  as  conventions. 
Grouped  about  the 
main  auditorium 
are  several  smaller 
halls.  The  second 
floor  is  to  have  a 
banquet  hall,  with 
a  capacity  of  600 
persons,  and  rooms 
designed  to  serve 
as  permanent  of- 
fices for  patriotic 
societies. 


Above  is  Shown  the  Floor  Plan  of  the  Proposed 
Memorial  Structure.  The  Center  Oval  Is  the  Audi- 
torium  Proper,  Seating  7,000  Persons.  **A"  Indicates 
Assembly  Rooms,  "B*^*  Reception  Rooms,  and  **C*' 
the  Carriage  Lanes 


EFFICIENCY  ON 
ITALIAN  FARMS 


The  Italian  min- 
istry of  agriculture 
is  determined  to 
make  every  acre  in  Italy  do  its  bit.  With 
this  maximum  production  in  view,  an  ag- 
ricultural survey  will  be  made  to  reveal 
every  plot  that  is  yielding  less  than  it 
should.  The  backward  farmer  will  then 
be  given  assistance  in  increasing  the  fer- 
tility of  his  land.  In  cases  where  the  in- 
dividual is  unable,  or  unwilling,  to  cooper- 
ate, the  government  will  insist  on  sub- 
letting or  on  a  forced  sale. 


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BITS  OF  OUTDOOR  ART  AMID  HOME   SURROUNDINGS 


The  Bush  at  the  Left  was  Walled  Up  to  Match  the  i  Because  It  is  Made  of  Concrete, 

Well.   Shown   at  the  Right,  and  the  Garden  Wall,  IM  as  Is  Also  the  Imiution  Stump 

Beyond.    This  Old  Well,  Noted  for  Its  Pine  Water,  '^  That  Supports  It.    Three  of  Its 

was  Protected  and  Greatly  Improved  in  Appearance  H  Six  Sides,  Pacing  the  Prevailing 

bv  the  Cobblestone  Curb  and  Arch  Built  About  It.  ■  West  Winds,  Are  of  Plate  Glass ; 
The  Suspended  Bucket  Is  Symbolical  Only,  as  the                             the  Rest  Are  Wire  Netting 
Water  is  Piped  to  the  House                           ^ 


750 


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HELP  GRATIFY  THE  BEAUTY  URGE  OF  SPRINGTIME 


Ftutr,  uumbinff  Koses  nave  oeen  jfiantcd 
tw.1 .. r^ 


in  Various  Tints.     A  Bird- House 
Community  Occupies  the  Top 


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762 


POPULAR   MECHANICS 


INKSTAND  FOR  DRAFTING  ROOM 

PREVENTS  COLOR  MISTAKES 

Draftsmen  who  work  with  varicolored 
inks,  especially  those  troublesome  fluids 
used  in  making  hectograph  drawings,  are 


The  Pens  Standing  Upright  in  Front  of  the  Bottles  of 
Colored  Inks  Prevent  the  Draftsman  from  Taking  the 
Wrong  Color.  He  can  Reach  Only  the  Bottle  from 
Before  Which  He  has  Removed  the  Pen.  The  Stop- 
pers Rest  in  a  Groove  behind  the  Bottles 

apt  occasionally  to  replenish  the  pen  from 
the  wrong  bottle,  with  temporarily  disas- 
trous results.  An  eastern  engineer,  whose 
office  does  much  work  of  this  kind,  has 
devised  an  inkstand  consisting  of  a  wood 
strip  with  a  row  of  holes  in  which  the 
bottles  fit  snugly.  A.  longitudinal  chan- 
nel behind  the  bottles  holds  the  stoppers 
while  the  inks  are  in  use.  In  front  of 
each  bottle  is  a  small  vertical  hole  in 
which  a  pen  stands  upright.  With  the 
pens  in  this  "rest"  position,  the  drafts- 
man's fingers  cannot  reach  any  of  the  ink. 
Removing  a  pen  for  use,  opens  access  to 
the  bottle  behind  it,  but  to  no  other,  and 
no  error  is  possible. 


HOSPITAL  CALL  SENDS  SIGNAL 

UNTIL  NURSE  ARRIVES 

Nurse  calls   in   hospitals  are  generally 

merely  pendant  push  buttons,  whose  flex- 

ibljs        suspension 

cords  are  quite  apt  ' 

to     be     frayed 

through     by     the 

petulant    handling 

of    patients.      An 

improved     switch 

for  this  purpose  is 

set    in    the    wall, 

with     a    standard 

outlet     box,     and 

has   a    chain    pull 

with  a  long  linen 

cord  attached  to  it.    Just  above  the  chain 

opening  is  a  push  button,  which  is  the 

only  means  of  turning  off  the  signal  when 


the  patient  has  turned  it  on,  thereby  prac- 
tically forcing  a  response  to  the  call.  The 
position  of  this  button  also  identifies  the 
calling  switch  when  several  use  the  same 
signal. 


DANGEROUS  ANTHRAX  GERMS 

IN  BRUSH  BRISTLES 

Anthrax,  while  essentially  a  disease  of 
sheep  and  cattle,  attacks  man  with  great 
virulence  when  opportunity  for  infection 
offers.  Several  human  cases  have  been 
definitely  traced  to  the  use  of  new  shav- 
ing brushes  in  whose  unsterilized  animal- 
hair  bristles  lurked  the  germs  of  the  mal- 
ady. Occasional  attacks  are  of  record 
also  among  employes  of  brush  factories. 
The  danger,  while  not  widespread,  is  suf- 
ficiently serious  to  have  occasioned  an 
order  by  the  New  York  City  health  de- 
partment that  all  dealers  in  bristles  sub- 
mit their  stocks  to  it  for  sterilization.  It 
is  recommended  that  all  new  animal-hair 
shaving  brushes  be  sterilized  by  boiling 
for  two  hours. 


NEEDLE  WITH   CUT-IN  HEAD 

FOR  AEROPLANE  FABRIC 

Of  late  a  needle  particularly  suited  for 
sewing  aeroplane  fabric  has  come  to  at- 
tention. Cut-away  sections  adjacent  to  the 
eye — in  the  flattened  sides  as  they  might 


Showing  the  Needle  in  Two  Positions  That  IlliMtnte 

lu  Peculiar,  Flattened  Head,  Which  Adapts 

It  for  Tough  Fabrics 

be  termed  in  an  ordinary  needle — reduce 
the  bulge  of  the  thread.  Because  of  this 
arrangement,  the  hole  made  by  the  body 
of  the  instrument  is  adequate  for  the  easy 
passage  of  the  looped  thread.  Obviously, 
the  needle  is  adapted  for  other  uses  than 
the  one  mentioned. 


WIRING  FOR  FARM  LIGHTING 
GAUGED  BY  POCKET  CHART 

Wiring  a  farmhouse  or  country  home 
for  electric  lights  is  simplified  by  the  use 
of  a  new  pocket  wiring  chart,  giving,  with- 
out calculation,  the  proper  wire  sizes  for 
all  loads  and  lengths  of  circuit.  The  chart 
applies  to  standard  110  to  125-volt  instal- 
lations, and  supplements  one  formerly  is- 
sued for  28  to  32  volts.  A  3y2  by  5y2-in. 
card  contains  all  the  data  necessary  for 
the  work. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


753 


CELLULAR  TARGET  FOR  RIFLE 

SCORES  AUTOMATICALLY 

Of  novel  arrangement  is  a  recently  pat- 
ented bullet-catching  and  self-scoring  rifle 


an  average  of  700,000  tons  yearly  in  pre- 
war periods,  but  the  coal  situation  forced 
this  production  up  2,500,000  tons  in  1918. 
To  make  matters  worse,  120  out  of  a  total 
of  128  gas  plants  in  Italy  were  shut  down 


points  of  interest.  It  is  composed  of  a 
series  of  open-ended  receiving  pockets 
with  converging  walls.  Registering  with 
a  small  opening  at  the  rear  of  each  of 
these  is  a  shock-absorbing  plunger  sup- 
plied with  an  angular  face  tnat  causes  a 
bullet,  upon  impact,  to  be  deflected  down- 
wardly into  a  salvage  compartment. 
Movement  of  the  plunger  actuates  a 
switch  connected  in  the  annunciator  cir- 
cuit. 

The  face  of  the  indicator  is  divided 
into  sections  corresponding  to  those  of 
the  target.  The  cells  of  the  latter  may  be 
of  almost  any  desired  number  or  arrange- 
ment, but  in  a  46-in.  target  designed  for 
high-power  rifles  at  200-yd.  range,  they 
are  grouped  around  the  eight-inch  bull's- 
eye  in  two  concentric  rows  of  12  pockets 
each. 


ITALY  BEARS  BRUNT  OF  FUEL 
SHORTAGE  AMONG  ALLIES 

With  her  population  as  a  whole  going 
wittiout  coal  for  heating  for  many 
months  of  the  war  period,  and  a  large 
part  even  being  without  gas  for  cooking, 
Italy  was,  without  doubt,  the  worst  suf- 
ferer from  the  coal  famine  of  the  last  two 
years.  Having  a  normal  consumption  of 
10,000,000  tons  annually,  the  country  has 
been  receiving  only  7,000,000  tons,  and 
the  population  was  forced  to  use  lignite, 
which  is  Italy's  only  domestic  fuel.  This 
commodity,  which  at  best  is  very  little 
superior  to  peat,  has  been  produced  on 


in  the  early  part  of  1917,  leaving  only 
those  in  the  larger  cities  in  operation,  and 
consumers  were  allowed  the  use  of  gas 
for  cooking  purposes  during  an  aggregate 
of  only  four  hours  a  day.  Representa- 
tives of  the  Italian  government  urge  an 
annual  supply  of  12,(X)0,000  tons  to  avoid 
possible  serious  disturbances. 


PAPER-ROLLING  AND  CUTTING 

DEVICE  FOR  BARBER  SHOPS 

As  a  means  of  helping  reduce  the  high 
cost  of  shaving,  a  BuflFalo,  N.  Y.,  man  has 
recently  invented  a   machine   for  rolling 
and  cutting  shav- 
ing paper.     These 
rolls   go  just   un- 
derneath      the 
headrest     of     the 
barber     chair,     a 
piece  of  paper  be- 
ing pulled  out  and  | 
torn   off  for  each  j 
new       customer. 

Heretofore  they  I 

have    been    pur-  I 

chased  from  sup- 
ply houses  all  rolled  and  ready  to  insert, 
and  have  been  more  or  less  costly.  By  us- 
ing this  new  device,  however,  the  barber 
has  only  to  purchase  a  large  supply  roll, 
thus  saving  some  money.  The  device  auto- 
matically catches  the  paper,  winds  it,  and 
cuts  it  off  when  the  roll  has  reached  the 
proper  size.  Since  a  roll  can  be  wound 
in  about  15  seconds,  little  time  is  lost. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


HANDY  TOOL  RACKS  HAVE 

HELPFUL  INDEX  MARKS 

Wooden  tool  racks   of  special   design, 
mounted  on  casters,  in  the  shops  of  an 


Tool  Racks  in  the  Shop  of  an  Automobile  Factory 
on  Which  the  Place  of  Each  Tool  it  Detiffnated 
by  a  Number  and  the  Outline  of  the  Tool  in  Red : 
STxtra-Long  Tools  are  Kept  on  the  SheWes  of  This 
A-Shaped  Rack 

automobile  factory  have  proven  time- 
savers  for  the  workmen.  One  of  the 
racks  is  a  truncated  pyramid,  and  the 
other  is  A-shaped  in  its  cross  section.  On 
the  slanting  sides  of  each  are  numbered 
hooks  for  the  tools,  which  are  numbered 


correspondingly.  That  there  may  be  no 
mistake  in  replacing  a  tool,  the  outline  of 
each  is  painted  in  red  in  its  proper  place 
on  the  side  of  the  rack. 


DIRECTION  AND  VELOCITY  OF 

WIND  DETERMINED  BY  SOUND 

Sound  ranging,  invented  for  the  use  of 
artillery,  is  expected  to  become  valuable 
also  in  the  study  of  meteorological  prob- 
lems. Small  balloons,  filled  with  hydro- 
gen, and  carrying  small  shells  that  burst 
at  regular  intervals,  are  allowed  to  rise 
freely  and  be  carried  by  the  various  cur- 
rents of  the  atmosphere.  Special  appa- 
ratus registers  the  shell  explosions,  and 
these  enable  the  position  of  the  balloon 
to  be  accurately  determined.  From  these 
points,  when  plotted,  the  trajectory,  or 
course,  of  the  balloon  can  easily  be 
traced.  Using  the  sum  of  the  projections, 
on  a  horizontal  plane,  of  the  positions  at 
which  the  explosions  took  place,  and  the 
knowledge  of  the  time  intervals  between 
these  explosions,  the  velocity  and  mean 
direction  of  the  wind  can  be  determined 
between  certain  altitudes.  The  explo- 
sions can  be  heard  at  distances  up  to 
about  nine  miles,  and  the  small  balloons 
can  be  used  in  winds  of  high  velocity, 
when  captive  balloons  and  kites  would  be 
unmanageable. 


ENGLISH  ARTILLERY  TRACTOR  HAS  CARGO  SPACE 


English  military  tractors  have  no 
springs  between  frame  and  track  rollers, 
in  which  respect  they  differ  from  French 
types  with  an  individual  spring  for  each 
roller   or   truck,    and    American    ^ 


The  steel-plate  hull  of  this  machine, 
which  is  used  for  both  towing  and  cargo 
carrying,  has  a  large  load  space  between 
its  track  treads,  ahead  of  the  engine.  The 


he 
ro- 
ar- 


Lari 


ge  Cargo  Space  Is  the  Feature  of  This  English  Military  Tractor. 
Rollers,  19  on  Each  Side,  are  Rigidly  Mounted  without  Spring 


The 


rings 


Iv 
al 
n- 

close   the   lower  portion 

of  the  frame. 


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TO  USE  AVIATION  FIELDS  AS 

FARM-INSTRUCTION  CAMPS 

Just  when  the  various  governments  are 
beginning  to  discuss  ways  and  means  of 
utilizing  the  vast  army  training  camps 
that  have  been  established,  Canada  comes 
forward  with  a  solution  of  one  part  of 
the  problem  that  should  prove  highly 
effective.  In  the  Dominion,  aviation  fields 
are  being  converted  into  agricultural 
schools.  It  would  appear  that  they  are 
ideal  for  the  purpose.  They  can  accom- 
modate close  to  a  thousand  men;  mess 
halls  and  living  quarters,  shops  for  repair- 
ing tractors  and  implements  are  all  there, 
ready  for  use,  and  with  few  and  easily 
made  changes  in  the  hangars  they  will 
provide  housing  for  live  stock.  Ample 
grounds  are  also  available,  so  that  a  great 
variety  of  crops  may  be  studied. 


NEW  PORTABLE  SPRAYER  WILL 

BE  BIG  AID  TO  FARMER 

The  gardener,  the  poultry  man,  the  nur- 
seryman, or  the  farmer,  who  is  some- 
what   of   a        combination   of  all   three, 


a  wheelbarrow.  The  tank  is  fitted  with  a 
double-acting  brass  pump,  and  a  hose  with 
an  anticlog  nozzle.  There  is  also  a  spray- 
ing rod  for  elevating  the  spray  to  trees 
and  for  whitewashing  purposes. 


MAILING  AND  REPLY  ENVELOPE 

MADE  IN  ONE  PIECE 

The  common  return  envelope  has  prov- 
en so  desirable  a  spur  to  business  that 
methods  for  its  economical  production  are 
interesting.  A  California  inventor  pro- 
vides an  envelope  with  both  open  edges 
terminating  in  flaps.  A  short  flap  on  the 
front  seals  the  mailing  envelope,  and  a 


printed  line  requests  the  recipient  to  open 
It  on  that  side.  When  this  is  done  the 
second  flap  is  revealed,  tucked  inside,  and 
may   be   withdrawn   and   pasted   outside. 


When  This  Envelope  is  Slit  Open   along  the  Line 

Indicated,  the  Printed    Auxiliary    Flap    Inside   may 

be    Pulled   Out  and   Pasted    over   the    Old  Address, 

Making  It  a  Return  Envelope 

over  the  original  address.  This  second 
flap  has  the  return  address  printed  on 
it,  and  needs  only  a  stamp  to  carry  the 
contents  back  to  the  sender.  The  en- 
velope is  made  in  both  regular  and  "win- 
dow" styles. 


DOUBLE  APPLES  NEW  ADDITION 

TO  NATURE'S  MANY  FREAKS 

Good  old  Dame  Nature  has  given  us 
many  wonderful  things,  and  also  many 
freaks.  While  in  a  good  many  cases  she 
has  had  the  help  of  men  who  have  made 
a  study  of  special  phases  of  plant  life, 
she  can  take  full  credit  for  a  large  ma- 
jority of  them.  Now,  up  among  the  apple 
orchards  of  the  great  Northwest,  she  has 
added  new  laurels  to  her  already  long 
list  by  producing  some  really  remarkable 
double  apples:  "Siamese-twin"  apples,  if 
you  please.  In  one  shipment  of  900  boxes 
there  was  more  than  a  boxful  of  these 
curious  products  of  fruitland.  The  fruit 
will  be  exhibited  merely  as  a  curiosity. 


Double  Apples  Picked   at  Yakima,  Washington:    In 

Some   Cases    the    Second    Apple    Is    Not    Very 

Pronounced,  While  in  Others  It  is  Pull-Grown 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


MOTORCYCLE  SLED  ADDS  TO  JOY 

OF  WINTER  SPORTS 

Just  what  to  do  with  a  motorcycle  when 
the  snow  covers  the  ground,  and  the  riv- 
ers and    streams    are    frozen    over. 


Two  Views  of  the  Motorcycle  Sled  Designed  to  Permit  the  Use  of  a 
Machine  the  Year  Around:  The  Builder  Claims  Even  Greater  Speed  Is 
Possible  on  the  Ice  Than  on  Regular  Roads  with  the  Ordinary  Motorcycle 

up  the  roads  to  travel.  Many  contriv- 
ances have  been  devised  for  convert- 
ing the  machine  for  winter  use,  and  here 
is  a  new  solution  of  the  problem,  of- 
fered by  an  Albert  Lea,  Minn.,  man.  He 
has  equipped  his  car  with  runners  and 
a  specially  built  rear  wheel  fitted  with  pro- 
truding points  which  catch  in  the  ice,  or 
roadway,  and  transmit  the  driving  power. 
He  is  able  to  travel  on  either  ice  or  snow- 
covered  roads,  and  he  claims,  with  the 
use  of  this  device,  he  can  attain  even 
greater  speed  on  the  ice  than  with  a  reg- 
ular motorcycle  on  land. 


"CANNED"  BLOOD  IS  EMPLOYED 

IN   TRANSFUSION   OPERATIONS 

Credit  is  due  to  the  exigencies  of  war 
for  another  important  triumph  of  mod- 
ern  surgery   in   perfecting  operations   of 
or  it  is  no  longer  necessary 
of  the  blood  and  the  patient 
receive  it  to  be  brought  to- 
Human   blood,   it   has   been 
d,  may  be  preserved  for  sev- 
eeks — a     month     represents 
he  limit  of  time — and  used 
needed.       War      surgeons 
und,   for  instance,   that  the 
iprovement   of  patients  was 
equally  marked   when  they 
were  supplied  with  blood 
\    that  had  been  kept  three 
a    weeks  or  more,  as  when 
J    "fresh"  blood  was  used. 
The    importance    of    the 
latest  technical  change  in 
-    this  operation  is  almost 
obvious.    It  lies  chiefly  in 
the  advantage  of  having 
a  stock  of  blood  at  hand 
at  all  times  for  the  emergencies  that  con- 
stantly arise.     In  other  words,  in  critical 
cases  it  enables  transfusions  to  be  made 
without  delay.    As  a  side  light,  in  the  fu- 
ture there  undoubtedly  will  be  a  perma- 
nent market  for  human  blood,  rather  than 
the  unstable  one  that  has  obtained  hereto- 
fore. 


RINGS  FOR  TURBINE  ENGINES 
FORGED  FROM  SOLID  STEEL 


Just    what    wonders    may    be    accom- 
plished by  modern  industrial  methods  is 


SPLIT  HANDLE  ON  LAMP  GUARD 

MAKES  WIRING  EASY 

When  using  an  incandescent  lamp  on  a 
long  cord  as  a  portable  light,  a  lamp 
guard  with  a  handle  adds  to  both 
safety  and  convenience.  The  han- 
dle, however,  is  ordinarily 
hard  to  wire.  A  lamp  guard 
made  of  expanded  steel,  which 
has  lately  appeared  on  the 
market,  has  its  wooden  handle 
split  lengthwise  so  that  the 
whole  guard  opens  on  a  hinge  at 
the  end  of  the  steel  net.  It  is 
thus  easily  clasped  about  the  lamp, 
the  cord  running  through  a  chan- 
nel in  the  split  handle.  When  it  is 
closed  and  locked  the  lamp  is  protected 
against  breakage  and  theft,  yet  may  be 
quickly  removed  when  desired. 


Two  Steel  Rings  Recently  Completed  to  Form  the 
Field  of  Turbine  Generators:  The  Rings  are  Forged 
from  Solid-Steel  Ingots  and  Are  in  One  Piece.  That 
on  the  Left  Is  the  Rough  Forging,  While  the  Other 
Is  the  Finished  Article,  after  being  Machined 

steel  rings  recently  completed.  These 
rings  were  forged  and  pressed  from  solid- 
steel  ingots  and  are  to  form  the  fields  of 
turbine   generators   for  a    Niagara    Falls 


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hydroelectric  plant.  In  forging  the  rings, 
the  ingots  are  first  heated  almost  to  a 
dripping  heat  in  soaking  pits,  or  furnaces, 
and  are  then  ''kneaded"  into  shape  and 
made  hollow  by  forging  presses  and  ham- 
mers. This  process  is  continued  until  the 
rings  reach  the  desired  size,  when  they 
are  machine-finished.  Forging  of  field 
rings  is  not  an  easy  feat,  for  the  finished 
product  must  be  as  nearly  free  from  im- 
perfections as  it  is  possible  to  have  it. 


HIGH-SCHOOL  BOYS  HELP  PLOW 
VAST  TRACT  IN  QUICK  TIME 

One  of  the  biggest  undertakings  on  rec- 
ord in  the  way  of  speedily  preparing  un- 
tilled  soil  for  cultivation,  was  be- 
gun last  spring  in  Montana,  and 
is  still  in  progress.  The  tracts 
being  broken,  aggregating  200,000 
acres,  are  lands  belonging  to  the 
Indians  and  have  been  leased 
through  the  government,  with  a 
view  to  adding  to  the  food  sup- 
ply. In  the  crew  of  workers  sta- 
tioned near  old  Fort  Custer,  on 
the  Crow  Reservation,  were  a 
score  of  Minneapolis  high-school 
boys,  who  with  others  had  use  of 
nearly  50  tractors.  In  one  day  14 
of  these  machines,  pulling  plows 
that  turned  a  total  of  100  furrows 
at  once,  plowed  365  acres,  which, 
it  is  claimed,  is  a  world's  record. 
Two  of  the  boys,  one  on  a  tractor 
and  one  attending  to  three  seed- 
ers, seeded  189  acres  in  one  day. 


INDIAN'S    WHEEL  LIFTS    WATER 

FOR  FIELDS  WITHOUT  COST 

The  resourcefulness  and  mechanical 
ability  of  a  full-blooded  Indian  in  the 
state  of  Washington  is  illustrated  by  a 
large  water  wheel  which  he  constructed 
for  irrigation  purposes.  It  is  supported 
in  a  narrow  stream  by  a  framework  of 
logs  and  is  composed  of  16  broad  pad- 
dles, each  having  attached  to  one  end  a 
wooden  box  which  fills  with  water  as  it 
descends  into  the  stream  and  discharges 
into  a  trough  when  it  nears  the  top  of  its 
circuit.  No  power  other  than  that  of  the 
current  is  required  to  lift  the  water  the 
distance  of  eight  feef. 


A  Water  Wheel  Devised  by  a  Pull-Blooded  Indian  in.  the  Sute 
of  Washington,  Which  Lifts  Water  Bight  Feet  and  Discharges 
It    into  a   Trough,  Whence    It   Plows  into   Irrigation   Ditches 


STEEL  PLATE  ON  BRIDGE  PIER 

BUCKLED  BY  ICE  GORGE 

How  tremendous  is  the  pressure  exert- 
ed by  the  breaking  up  of  ice  in  a  heavy 
current  was  dem- 
onstrated at  Bat- 
tleford,  Sask., 
Canada,  where  a 
railway  bridge 
crosses  the  Battle 
River  on  concrete 
piers.  Steel  plate, 
y2   in-   thick,   sur- 

rounds   the   piers. 

its  edges  bolted 
together  through  steel  ribs  1  in.  thick. 
When  the  ice  had  gone  out,  this  inch- 
thick  corner  was  found  to  be  twisted  and 
buckled  quite  out  of  shape,  in  spite  of  the 
almost  negligible  purchase  offered  by  the 
tightly  fitted  joint. 


NEW  HARBOR  TO  FACILITATE 
RAW-RUBBER  IMPORTATIONS 

A  large  part  of  the  raw  rubber  used  in 
the  United  States  is  imported  from  the 
island  of  Sumatra,  belonging  to  the  Dutch 
East  Indies,  Lack  of  shipping  facilities 
have,  heretofore,  greatly  hindered  rub- 
ber importers,  particularly  on  the  east 
coast  near  Medan,  where  several  large 
rubber  plantations  are  situated.  The  raw 
product  has  had  to  be  loaded  on  lighters 
and  then  transferred  to  ocean  vessels  at 
sea,  requiring  double  handling.  In  recog- 
nition of  this,  the  authorities  have  made 
plans  to  dredge  a  harbor  at  Belawan,  Me- 
dan's  seaport,  deep  enough  to  accommo- 
date the  largest  vessels.  This  harbor  is 
to  cost  approximately  $4,000,000  and  will 
take  about  three  years  to  complete.  Once 
in  service,  it  will  greatly  expedite  over- 
seas shipments  of  crude  material. 


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THE  CHILDREN,   IN  STUDY,  WORK,  AND  PLAY 


A  aoy  in  fasadena,  ualitornia,  Has  a  Treasure  Island  of  His  Own,  with  a 

Plavhouse  Cabin  on  It,  Reached  by  Stepping  Stones  from  the  Mainland 

of  His  Father's  Lawn.    There  Is  a  Spray  Pipe  So  He  Can  Make  It  Rain 

When  He  Wants  to 


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MAINTAIN  THEIR  PATRIOTISM  IN  PEACE  TIME 


with  Paper  Leggings  "        ^^^ 

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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


METER  ON  DASH  TELLS  LOAD 

CARRIED  BY  TRUCK 

At  any  moment  when  the  driver  of  a 
motor  truck  wants  to  know  the  weight 


Driver  can  Read  the  Load  by  Pressing  the  Button 

of  the  vehicle's  load  in  50  or  100-lb.  units, 
he  can  tell  at  a  glance,  by  pressing  a  but- 
ton and  looking  at  an  instrument  on  the 
dash.  The  visible  part  of  the  device  is  a 
pressed-steel  case  containing  dry  cells  and 
a  voltmeter,  with  a  push  button  just  below 
the  dial.  Mounted  under  the  truck  floor, 
over  the  rear  axle,  is  an  inclosed  rotary 
rheostat.  A  cable  running  from  it  and 
attached  to  the  rear  axle  varies  the  posi- 
tion of  the  rheostat  and  its  resistance 
as  the  truck  springs  are  deflected  by  the 
load,  and  the  result  registers  on  the  volt- 
meter in  front. 


ITALIAN  ARTIST  DESIGNS 
UNIQUE  WAR  SOUVENIR 

Souvenirs  of  the  great  world  war  have 
been  extremely  plentiful,  and  of  all  kinds 


■V  couRTuv  or  TNI  jfwtLina'  cinculaii 
Two  Views  of  a  Stand  Hand-Hammered  from  Copper 
by  an  Italian  Artist:  The  Portraits  and  Caricatures 
Thereon  Are  Exceptionally  Good  Likenesses 


and  descriptions,  but  it  has  remained  for 
an  Italian  artist  to  produce  a  really  unique 
design.  Working  at  odd  times  over  a  pe- 
riod of  nine  months,  he  has  hand-ham- 
mered out  of  copper  a  stand  30  in.  high 
and  15Vi  in.  across  the  base.  The  upper 
portion  is  decorated  by  portraits  of  rul- 
ers of  the  allied  countries  and  of  Lincoln 
and  Washington.  Around  the  bottom 
are  caricatures  of  the  kaiser  and  von 
Hindenburg,  the  allied  flags  and  the 
American  Eagle  being  used  as  decora- 
tions. The  portraits  and  decorations  are 
all  in  bas-relief,  and  when  it  is  consid- 
ered that  the  artist  fashioned  his  own 
tools  for  this  work,  the  stand  is  really  a 
remarkable  piece  of  art. 


GLASS-BLOWER  FIRES 
FOR  BENCH  WORK 

Such  comparatively  delicate  work  as 
finishing  incandescent  lamp  bulbs  and 
sealing  in  wires  has  led  to  considerable 

improvement      in  

the  fires  -used  by 
glass  *bIowers. 
One  instrument 
provided  for  this 
class  of  work  has 
slotted  burners 
accurately  ma- 
chined from  solid 
rolled  bars,  valves 
held  in  position 
by     collar    nuts 

which  cannot  be  removed,  and  a  machine- 
finished  iron  base  which  clamps  solidly 
to  a  plate  on  the  workbench.  All  rub- 
ber connections  are  kept  below  the 
bench,  and  the  smooth-drilled  passages 
are  readily  cleaned. 


NAVY  AGAIN  ABLE  TO  ACCEPT 
VOLUNTARY   ENLISTMENTS 

Owing  to  the  large  amount  of  pub- 
licity being  given  the  demobilization  ac- 
tivities, the  fact  that  the  navy  is  again 
seeking  enlistment^  and  is  offering  nota- 
ble opportunities  to  young  men  who  de- 
sire to  become  electricians  or  machinists 
by  trade,  has  not  become  generally 
known.  Enlisted  men  who  have  a  theo- 
retical knowledge  and  have  had  some 
practical  experience  in  these  lines  of 
work,  are  given  an  opportunity  to  take 
a  complete  course  in  the  Machinist  School 
and  the  Electrical  School,  where  they  can 
obtain  a  much  higher  degree  of  knowl- 
edge than  would  be  possible  from  gen- 
eral civilian  experience. 


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Tcx)ls  for  the  Victory  Garden 

By  R.  J.  SLOANE 


\X7HILE  it  is  entirely  possible  to  make 
^^  a  good  garden  with  tools  of  the 
types  that  have  been  in  use  for  genera- 
tions, there  is  no  good  reason  why  the 
modern  back-yard  farmer  should  not  take 
advantage  of  the  improvements  suggested 
by  past  experience,  and  provide  himself 
with  tools  that  do  the  work  more  quickly, 
more  easily,  and  with  more  satisfactory 
results. 

Hill  Marker 
The  planting  of  seed  is  no 'longer  a  mat- 
ter of  guesswork.  It  is  well  known  now 
that  the  spacing  of  plants  in  the  row  has 
a  great  deal  to  do  with  the  yield,  both  in 
quality  and  in  quantity.  The  hill  mark- 
ers illustrated  not  only  make  the  spac- 
ing of  the  plants  a  simple  matter,  but  they 
compact  the  seed  bed  slightly,  which  is 
very  desirable  according  to  modem  scien- 
tific theory.  The  hill  marker  is  merely  a 
light  wooden  strip  fitted  with  wooden 
pegs  of  the  proper  length,  and  spaced  the 
proper  distance  apart  to  suit  the  require- 
ments of  the  particular  variety  of  seed 
being  planted.  The  marker  is  pressed  into 
the  soft  earth  along  the  guide  line,  rocked 
slightly,  then  lifted  up,  and  the  operation 
repeated  as  many  times  as  necessary.  The 
result  is  a  series  of  holes  spaced  to  allow 
the  plants  the  correct  amount  of  growing 
room,  with  the  proper  depth,  and  com- 
pacted sufficiently  to  insure  quick  germi- 
nation and  rapid  growth.  The  seeds  are 
easy  to  plant  with  such  preparation,  easy 
to  cover  with  dirt,  and  will  grow  uni- 
formly if  the  seed  is  good. 

Row  Marker 
The  row  marker  shown  in  the  sketch 
IS  very  handy  to  use  in  connection  with 
the  hill  markers.  The  first  row  must,  of 
course,  be  laid  oflF  with  line  and  stake, 
but  the  row  marker  is  used  to  lay  oflf  the 
rest  of  the  garden,  and  the  result  is  that 
all  the  rows  are  parallel  and  evenly 
spaced,  making  not  only  a  good-looking 
garden,  but  one  that  is  easy  to  cultivate. 
The  marker  is  merely  a  frame  which  sup- 
ports four  clothesline  pulleys.    These  are 


spaced  1  ft.  apart,  the  common  distances 
between  rows  being  1,  2,  and  3  ft.  When 
the  marker  is  drawn  across  the  soft  earth, 
it  leaves  four  depressions  which  are  eas- 
ily followed  with  the  hill  marker,  or  with 
the  digger  and  transplanter  to  be  de- 
scribed. 

Transplanter 

The  majority  of  the  better  gardeners  of 
today  sow  their  seed  in  seed  flats  indoors, 
long  before  the  weather  is  fit  for  garden- 


M 


rX2X24BOARDv      f^l 


^_j^  ■<*_*' 


HILL  MARKER 


MARKER 

y  TRANSPLANTER 


POLLtra 
TRANSPLANTER 


CONSTRUCTION 
or  OtOaiNQ  TOOL 


INSERTING      REMOVING 


ANOTHER 
HILL  MARKER 


Practical  Tools  for  Marking  the  Hills  and  Rows, 
Digging  Holes  for  the  Plants,  and  Transplanting 
The^i  Are  within   the    Reach   of   Every   uardener 

ing  outside.  When, the  seedlings  are  about 
3  in.  high,  or  have  three  leaves  on  them, 
they  are  moved  to  a  cold  frame  outdoors. 
Then,  when  the  weather  is  good  enough, 
they  are  transplanted  to  the  garden. 
These  different  operations  are  not  hard 
to  carry  out  if  the  proper  implements  for 
the  work  are  at  hand.  The  simple  trans- 
planter and  the  digger  shown  in  the  draw- 
ing were  designed  for  two  different  classes 
of  work. 

To  remove  plants  for  the  second  trans- 
planting, a  tool  made  from  a  tin  can  and 
a  stick  proves  of  much  service.  It  will 
make  the  new  hole  in  the  soft,  moist 
earth,  will  remove  the  plant  without  dis- 
turbing the  earth  around  its  roots,  and 
will  place  it  in  its  new  location,  the  whole 
operation  consuming  only  a  few  seconds. 
After  the  top  end  and  sides  have  been  cut 
out  of  the  can,  the  edges  should  be  trued, 
then  filed  sharp  and  smooth.  A  section 
is  cut  from  one  side,  leaving  an  opening 

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which  is  larger  at  the  top  than  at  the 
bottom.  On  the  opposite  side  of  the  can 
a  stick  is  nailed,  with  the  end  cut  tapering 
so  as  to  oflfer  as  little  resistance  as  pos- 
sible when  the  tool  is  pushed  into  the 
earth.  To  use,  the  transplanter  is  placed 
around  the  plant  and  pressed  down  into 
the  soil,  cutting  all  straggling  roots.  It  is 
then  easily  removed,  without  loosening 
the  dirt  around  the  roots,  and  is  placed 
gently  in  the  hole  prepared  for  it. 

When  the  transplanter  is  pushed  into 
the  soil,  the  lower  edges  are  forced  to- 
gether so  that  the  tool  cuts  a  conical  hole. 
In  removing  the  transplanter,  care  is 
taken  to  hold  it  tightly  against  one  side 
of  the  hole,  so  that  it  will  retain  the  dirt. 
When  clear  of  the  hole,  the  ha;idle  is 
lowered  until  the  tool  is  horizontal.  It 
can  then  be  lifted  without  the  dirt  es- 
caping. 

Digging  Tool 

Although  similar  to  the  transplanter  de- 
scribed above,  the  digging  tool  is  even 
handier.  A  1-ft.  length  of  4-in.  stovepipe, 
or  galvanized  pipe,  is  opened  at  the  seam, 
and  the  edges  hammered  smooth.  A  hole 
is  drilled  in  each  edge,  near  the  center  of 
the  pipe,  and  a  small  stove  bolt  is  used  to 
hold  the  edges  together.  It  must  fit 
loosely  enough  so  that  when  the  top 
edges  of  the  pipe  are  forced  apart  the 
lower  edges  will  close  together,  the  pipe 


edges  forming  a  sort  of  scissors,  with  the  i 
bolt  as  a  pivot.  Two  6-in.  strap-iron  han- 
dles, riveted  to  the  upper  edges  of  the 
pipe,  will  complete  the  tool.  The  main  uses 
of  this  tool  are  digging  plants  from  the 
hotbed,  and  digging  holes  to  set  them  in. 
While  the  transplanter  described  above 
is  excellent  for  small  plants,  the  digger 
will  handle  almost  any  size  plant,  and 
digs  the  holes  for  them  much  more  rap- 
idly. To  use,  take  hold  of  the  handles, 
and  press  them  together  slightly,  thus 
forcing  the  bottom  of  the  pipe  to  expand. 
Then  push  the  tool  into  the  soft  earth, 
using  a  slight  circular  motion,  until  the 
proper  depth  for  the  hole  required  is 
reached.  By  pulling  the  handles  apart, 
the  lower  part  of  the  pipe  is  made  to 
pinch  the  earth  together,  and  it  may  be 
lifted  out  and  thrown  to  one  side.  The 
result  is  a  clean-cut  hole.  Since  the  op- 
eration takes  but  a  second,  it  is  possible 
to  dig  row  after  row  of  holes  in  a  very 
short  time.  Also,  it  is  possible  jto  dig 
plants  from,  the  cold  frame  or  hotbed  in 
the  same  way,  and  with  the  same  saving 
of  time.  The  two  operations,  when  com- 
bined, make  it  possible  to  set  out  a  large 
bed  of  plants  very  quickly,  and  since  this 
method  does  not  disturb  the  roots  of  the 
plant,  it  does  better  work  than  most 
methods.  The  digger  and  the  marker  are 
particularly  useful  in  large  gardens. 


Adjustable  Sales  Sign 

A  variable  sign  made  from  pasteboard 
and  two  blocks  of  wood,  as  shown  in  the 


=^PLES 


'HCAW   CAPOBOARO 


I  i        <§)        I® 


WOOD  FRAME 


the  price  is  being  given  is  described  on  a 
card  inserted  in  the  rack  in  the  upper 
left-hand  corner.  The  two  dials  are  turned 
so  as  to  indicate  the  proper  number  or 
cents  per  dozen,  quart,  pound,  etc.  The 
space  below  can  be  used  for  any  general 
advertisement.  In  order  that  the  two 
disks  may  be  set  as  close  to  each  other  as 
indicated,  one  must  be  lapped  over  the 
other.  As  the  disks  are  merely  ordinary 
cardboard,  this  does  not  require  any 
change  in  the  mounting,  except  that  a 
washer  can  be  inserted  between  the  disk 
and  the  heavy  cardboard  face  on  one  of 
the  two  center  screws. — P.  P.  Avery,  Gar- 
field, N.  J. 


P«ICE  QUANTITY  AXIS  OCTAIL 

CARDBOARD    DI8K8 

A  Touch  of  the  Finger  Chanses  This  Sign  to  Indicate 
a  Changed  Price  for  the  Article 

sketch,  will  make  a  good  appearance  in 
any  retail  store.     The  material  on  which 


Reading  Marks  Stamped  in  Metal 

Many  objects  made  of  sheet  metal  have 
letters  or  numbers  stamped  in  them, 
which  are  sometimes  difficult  to  read.  A 
thermometer,  whose  metal  had  the  figures 
stamped  in  it,  was  much  improved  by  the 
process  of  painting  the  scale  with  heavy 
white  paint  from  the  bottom  of  a  can, 
and  carefully  scraping  the  surplus  with 
the    edge    of    cardboard.      The    stamped 


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numbers  were  left  filled  with 
and  thus  made  easy  to  read, 
man,  Deer  River,  Minn. 


the  paint, 
H.  Chap- 


Parallel  Motion  for  Bench  Vise 

The  old-style  wooden  bench  vise  is  still 
a  very  popular  and  useful  part  of  the 
carpenter's  bench.  As  ordinarily  used,  it 
has  the  disadvantage  that  the  jaw  does  not 
move  parallel  with  the  side  of  the  bench, 
and  the  lower  end  has  to  be  controlled  by 
some  means  independent  of  the  vise 
screw.  The  illustration  shows  how,  by 
means  of  two  chains  and  a  spring,  the 
bottom  of  the  vise  may  be  made  to  move 
with  the  top;  that  is,  to  remain  in  the 
sanfe  angular  position  relative  to  the  side 
of  the  bench. 

A  discarded  bicycle,  or  motorcycle, 
chain  is  fastened  to  the  jaw  of  the  bench 
vise  just  below  the  screw,  and  passes 
through  the  side  of  the  bench,'  over  one 
of  the  rollers  and  under  another,  to  the 
fastening  of  the  other  end,  at  A.  To  the 
angle  iron  placed  at  this  point  is  also 
fastened  a  chain  leading  around  a  pulley, 
and  up  to  a  long  coil  spring  attached  to 
a  screw  eye.  As  the  vise  is  opened,  the 
bicycle  chain  pulls  the  lower  end  of  the 
vise  jaw  out  exactly  the  same  distance 
that  the  upper  end  moves.  As  the  vise  is 
closed,  tlie  spring  pulls  the  lower  end  in, 
keeping  the  bicycle  chain  taut.  The  end 
of  the  bicycle  chain,  at  A,  is  pinned  over 
the  end  of  an  L-bolt,  shown  in  the  detail. 
An  adjustment  is  thus  provided,  by  which 
the  vise  jaw  may  be  kept  parallel  with  the 


DCTAII.  AT    A 


A  Mechanism  Made  from  Odds  and  Ends  Provides  a 
Bench  Vise  with  a  Parallel  Motion 

side  of  the  bench,  or  the  upper  end  slight- 
ly closer,  so  that  the  work  is  always 
gripped  tightest  at  its  upper  edge. — Chas. 
S.  Rice,  Washington,  D.  C. 


Bench  Attachment  Protects  Sign 

While  Painting 

Long  signs  are  difficult  to  paint,  since 
it  is  not  possible  to  lay  all  of  the  paper 
upon  the  drawing  bench  at   once.     The 


A  Rest  on  the  Sign  Painter's  Desk  Protects  Long 
Signs  from  Creasing  and  Soiling 

sign  painter  often  spoils  the  sign  by  lean- 
ing against  the  paper  where  it  goes  over 
the  edge  of  the  bench,  thus  creasing  and 
soiling  it. 

The  attachment  shown  in  the  drawing 
protects  the  sign  by  providing  a  rest, 
against  which  the  painter  may  lean  with- 
out touching  the  sign  itself.  The  pieces 
which  hold  this  rest  are  hinged  under 
the  table  top,  so  that  the  attachment  can 
be  dropped  out  of  the  way  while  painting 
small  signs.  It  is  held  in  place,  when  in 
use,  by  hooks  which  catch  into  screw 
eyes  in  the  edge  of  the  table. — Arthur  J. 
Kelly,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 


Gardening  in  the  Cellar 

Mushrooms  are  not  the  only  plants  of 
food  value  that  can  be  grown  in  a  cellar, 
or  in  any  warm  and  rather  damp  place 
where  light  is  absent.  Success  has  attended 
the  cultivation  of  such  plants  as  rhubarb, 
endive,  sea  kale,  etc.,  all  of  which  are  high- 
ly valued  in  a  blanched  condition.  Strong 
clumps  of  roots  are  packed  away  in  boxes 
with  a  little  soil.  These  are  placed  on  the 
floor  of  the  cellar,  and  a  little  water  is 
given  as  required.  The  rate  of  growth  is 
astonishing,  even  in  winter.  Owing  to  the 
absence  of  h'ght,  the  stems  elongate  much 
more  rapidly  than  under  normal  condi- 
tions. 


CTo  make  the  rollers  on  roller  skates 
wear  evenly  they  should  be  changed  from 
time  to  time,  using  them  on  both  the 
inner  and  outer  sides  of  the  skate. 


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Knob  on  Stairway  Rail  an  Aid 

to  the  Blind 

In  England,  where  many  men  have  lost 
the  use  of  their  eyes  through  wounds  re- 
ceived in  the  war,  the  device  illustrated 
has  been  adopted  in  the  houses  of  some 


The  Blind  Man  Quickly  Learns  the  Exact  Position 
of  the  Steps  Relative  to  the  Knob 

of  the  sightless  heroes.  It  is  a  knob  or 
button  placed  on  the  stairway  rail,  so  that 
it  indicates  the  exact  position  of  the  per- 
son touching  it  with  reference  to  the  steps 
in  front  of  him,  thus  making  it  unneces- 
sary for  him  to  locate  the  steps  by  means 
of  his  stick. 


Burning  Soil  to  Release  Plant  Foods 

Certain  soils  of  volcanic  origin  are 
notable  for  their  fertility.  The  passage 
of  earth  through  fire  helps  to  set  free 
plant  foods  that  are  unavailable  in  their 
original  state.  Following  up  this  idea,  it 
has  been  shown  that  by  burning  the  soil 
used  in  greenhouses,  and  to  a  limited 
extent  in  gardens,  its  condition  may  be 
improved  to  a  greater  extent  than  by  the 
adding  of  fertilizers.  It  is  only  possible  to 
burn  a  portion  of  the  soil,  and  this  is 
carried  out  in  the  following  manner: 
Heaps  of  any  kind  of  rubbish  that  will 
burn  are  collected,  and  the  soil,  in  a 
fairly  dry  state,  is  intermixed.  The  whole 
pile  is  then  set  afire,  and  by  the  time  the 
rubbish  has  been  reduced  to  ashes,  the 
burning  of  the  soil  will  be  completed.    In 


its  new  state,  potash  and  other  valuable 
constituents  have  been  added  by  the 
burned  trash,  and  released  in  the  soil,  in 
such  a  form  that  they  can  be  used  by  the 
plants.  This  burnt  soil,  with  the  ashes, 
is  simply  dug  lightly  into  the  ground,  and 
the  resulting  crops  are  thereby  con- 
siderably increased. 


Air  Tank  Carried  on  Auto 

An  old  steel  tank,  of  the  type  widely 
used,  until  recent  years,  to  contain  dis- 
solved acetylene  for  automobile  head- 
lights, was  attached  by  a  car  owner  under 
the  rear  seat  of  his  car,  to  carry  air  under 
pressure  for  use  in  case  of  tire  trouble 
on  the  road.  The  tank  was  of  the  largest 
size  used  for  acetylene  headlighting.  It 
was  provided  with  a  high-pressure  rub- 
ber hose,  long  enough  to  reach  to  any  of 
the  tire  valves,  and  was  equipped  with  a 
pressure  gauge,  similar  to  those  found  on 
tire  pumps.  Such  a  tank  will  easily  with- 
stand any  pressure  ordinarily  found  in 
garage  air  tanks,  and  it  was  found  to  con- 
tain sufficient  air  at  such  a  pressure  to  in- 
flate two  tires.  The  tank  was  filled  by 
means  of  an  ordinary  tire  valve,  screwed 
and  soldered  into  the  side  of  the  tank* 


Holder  Keeps  Cupboard  Door  in  Any 

Desired  Position 

A  simple  device  for  holding  a  light  door 
at  any  point  can  be  made  in  a  few  min- 
utes from  a  short  piece  of  stiff  wire,  a 
screw  eye,  a  wire 
staple,  and  a  small 
spring.  With  a 
round-nosed  pair 
of  pliers  turn  a 
small  loop  on  one 
end  of  the  wire, 
and  attach  it  to 
the  screw  eye, 
which  should*  be 
screwed  into  the 
back  of  the  door 
about  one-third  of 
width  of  the  door 
from  the  hinged 
edge,  near  the  top. 
The   staple,   in 

which  the  wire  slides,  should  be  nar- 
rowed until  the  sides  are  %  in.  apart. 
Place  it  on  the  underside  of  the  top  of 
the  cupboard,  about  V^  in.  back  from 
the  edge,  and  an  inch  or  two  farther  from 
the  hinge  than  is  the  screw  eye.  The  exact 
position  is  easily  found  by  trial,  before 
driving  in  the  staple.     Procure  or  make 


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a  small  coil  spring,  about  %  in.  in  diame- 
ter, and  place  this,  with  a  washer,  over 
the  staple  before  inserting  the  wire.  The 
spring  should  exert  enough  pressure  on 
the  wire  to  hold  the  door  by  friction,  in 
any  position.  Bend  the  end  of  the  wire 
down  to  act  as  a  stop  for  the  door  when 
wide  open. — Morris  G.  Miller,  New  Ro- 
chelle,  N.  Y. 


i^^^V 


' — » C— . 


Templates  for  Irregular  Castings 

Made  of  Babbitt  Metal 

Where  a  number  of  iron  or  brass  cast- 
ings are  to  be  drilled  without  gauging 
accurately  the  position  of  the  holes  from 
any  finished  surface,  and  especially  where 
the  casting  is  of  such  a  shape  that  it  will 
not  rest  flat  on  the  table  of  the  drill  press, 
a  template  made  by  pouring  babbitt 
around  one  of  the  parts,  or  a  jig  made 
by  boring  two  of  these  templates  to  fit 
together,  will  be  found  very  useful.  To 
cast  the  template,  or  the  first  half  of  the 
jig,  simply  sink  the  iron  casting  in  a  box 
of  sand  down  to 
r^^ f^^^7T^  its  ht)rizontal  cen- 
ter line,  and  pour 
the  babbitt 
around  it.  After 
the  metal  has 
cooled,  remove 
both  the  casting 
and  the  babbitt 
template,  and  drill 
the  holes,  carefully  laid  out,  through  the 
casting,  continuing  them  on  through  the 
template.  If  the  part  is  one  which  will 
not  rest  level  on  the  drill-press  table,  and 
it  is  therefore  desired  to  complete  the  jig, 
this  is  done  by  sinking  the  babbitt  tem- 
plate into  sand,  as  shown  below,  placing 
in  it  another  part  which  has  not  yet  been 
drilled  (or  the  first  part  with  the  holes 
plugged  with  wood),  and  pouring  babbitt 
again  to  the  same  thickness.  Pieces  of 
paper,  laid  between,  will  prevent  any 
danger  of  the  two  babbitt  castings  ad- 
hering to  each  other.  After  this  second 
babbitt  piece  has  cooled,  the  holes  are 
continued  through  it,  using  as  templates 
the  first  babbitt  casting  and  the  part  from 
which  it  was  made.  The  jig  is  now  com- 
plete, unless  it  is  desired  to  n.ld  hinges 
or  clamps  to  enable  it  to  be  used  more 
rapidly.  The  price  of  babbitt  metal  is  so 
high  that  this  method  of  making  jigs 
would  hardly  be  economical  where  the 
jig  is  to  be  kept  indefinitely,  but  where 
one  is  desired  on  short  notice  for  tem- 
porary use,  it  is  a  good  method  to  re- 
member.— Earl  Pagett,   Cherryvale,  Kan. 


Float  in  Cistern  Provides 
Cleaner  Water 

Many  cisterns  have  so  much  sediment 
in  the  bottom  that  the  water  pumped  from 
them     is     muddv 


A  Float  Holds  the  End  of  the  Hose  above  the  Sedi- 

ment.  Insuring  the  Pumping  of  Clean 

Water  at  All  Times 

hose  was  attached  by  wire  to  a  short 
length  of  2  by  4-in.  lumber,  the  other  end 
of  the  hose  being  attached  to  the  lower 
pipe  connection  of  the  pump  cylinder. 
This  block,  floating  upon  the  water  in  the 
cistern,  holds  the  free  end  of  the  hose 
above  the  sediment  at  all  times.  The 
water  pumped  from  a  cistern  equipped  in 
this  manner  is  always  clear  and  contains 
a  minimum  of  dirt. — Merlyn  C.  Mayo, 
North    Loup,    Neb.. 


Hinge  Makes  Key  Vise 

When  in  need  of  a  vise  to  hold  keys, 
or  other  small  objects,  it  is  only  necessary 
to  secure  a  strap 
hinge  and  two 
screws.  One  strap 
of  the  hinge  is 
screwed  to  the 
edge  of  the  work- 
bench,  and  the 
other  strap  closed 
over  the  key,  or 
other  object,  by 
tightening  a  screw 

inserted  through  the  end  holes  of  both 
straps.  This  cheap  hinge  vise  is  strong 
enough  for  many  small  jobs,  and  can  be 
attached  to  the  workbench  in  a  few 
minutes. 


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Automatic  Wheelbarrow  Brake  Helps 
When  Descending  Inclines 

To'  hold   up   the   handles   of  a   loaded 
wheelbarrow  and  at  the  same  time  hold 


ing  task,  tsy  a 
simple  arrangement,  the  handles  may  be 
made  to  brake  the  wheel  automatically 
when  going  down,  and  as  automatically 
release  the  brake  as  soon  as  level  ground 
is  reached.  The  steeper  the  hill,  the  hard- 
er the  brake  will  be  held  against  the  wheel. 
The  regular  handles  of  the  wheelbarrow 
are  cut  off  at  the  back  end  of  the  body. 
Then,  under  these,  a  second  pair  of  han- 
dles are  fastened  by  strap-iron  links,  on 
both  sides  of  the  handles,  so  that  they 
can  move  back  and  forth  2  in.  Brake 
arms  reach  from  each  handle's  front  end 
to  the  brake  piece  that  fits  against  the 
wheel.  The  length  of  these  will  depend 
upon  the  width  of  the  wheelbarrow,  the 
average  length  required  being  about  12  in. 
The  brake  arms  are  pinned  to  the  han- 
dles, and  work  on  a  pivot  at  the  center, 
which  is  fastened  into  the  crosspiece  of 
the  wheelbarrow.  It  is  evident  that  when 
the  handles  are  pulled  back,  as  in  going 
downhill,  the  brake  will  be  caused  to 
press  against  the  wheel.  As  soon  as  level 
or  uphill  ground  is  reached,  the  handles 
are  pushed  ahead  and  the  brake  is  taken 
off.  The  lower  handles  have  only  the 
amount  of  slide  necessary,  the  triangular 
pieces  beside  the  rear  links  stopping  the 
forward  push  of  the  handles  and  the  brake 
stopping  the  backward  pull.  If  more  lever- 
age is  desired,  so  that  the  brake  will  press 
the  wheel  harder,  simply  place  the  pivots 
in  the  brake  arms  nearer  the  brake  shoes. 
— F.  E.  Brimmer,  Dalton,  N.  Y. 


CTacks  with  large  rubber  heads,  procur- 
able at  about  five  cents  a  dozen,  make 
good  insulators  for  electrical-instrument 
bases,  one  being  put  into  each  comer. 


Lubricating  Driving  Chains 

with  Graphite  and  Tallow 

A  few  teaspoon fuls  of  flake  graphite 
stirred  into  melted  tallow  or  paraffin 
makes  an  excellent  lubricant  for  exposed 
silent-chain  drives.  In  addition  to  elim- 
inating wear,  this  lubricant  does  not  col- 
lect dust  and  dirt.  It  is  very  effective 
as  a  spring  lubricant,  staying  in  place 
well,  and  wearing  longer  than  oils  or 
greases  ordinarily  used  for  lubricating 
this  kind  of  chains. 


Rimning  a  Sewing  Machine  Backward 

It  is  a  great  convenience  to  be  able  to 
backstitch  with  the  sewing  machine  while 
finishing  the  ends  of  the  hems  in  nap- 
kins, dish  towels,  or  other  small  articles. 
Most  machines,  however,  will  only  break 
the  thread  and  not  stitch  when  run  back- 
ward. By  raising  the  presser  foot  slight- 
ly, and  starting  the  flywheel  in  the  re- 
verse direction,  some  machines  can  be 
made  to  backstitch  nicely.  It  will  be 
necessary  to  experiment  somewhat  before 
the  proper  height  for  the  presser  foot  can 
be  ascertained. — Winnifred  K.  Stabler, 
Olympia,  Wash. 


Finger  Aids  in  Removing 
Paper  from  Roll 

Much  time  is  wasted  in  stores  using 
roll  wrapping  paper,  because  of  the  tend- 
ency of  the  paper  to  adhere  closely  to  the 
roll,  making  it  hard  to  get  hold  of  easily. 
The  metal  finger  shown  in  the  sketch 
holds  the  end  of  the  paper  away  from  the 
roll  at  all  times, 
thus  making  it 
easy  to  grasp. 

Three  parts,  cut 
from  sheet  metal, 
make    up    the   at- 
tachment.      The 
finger   is    bent   as 
shown,  and  should 
be  filed  to  a  fairly 
sharp  edge  where 
it  touches  the  pa- 
per roll.   It  is  riv- 
eted to  a  U-shaped  piece,  which  fits  under 
the    arm    that   carries   the    paper-cutting 
bar.     The  third  piece  is  a  cap  that  slips 
over    the    projections    on    the    U-shaped 
piece   and   holds  the  attachment   on   the 
arm.     As  long  as  the  finger  is  in  place, 
it  holds  the  end  of  the  paper  away  from 
the  roll  so  that  it  is  easily  grasped. — W.  A. 
Saul,  Lexington,  Mass. 


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The  Air-Propelled  Hydroplane  Moves  Gracefully  and  Speedily  over  the  Shallow  Waters  of  the  Small  Lake 

or  the  Beach,  Where  Ordinary  Craft  micht  Find  ^t  Hard  Going  on  Account 

of  Danger  of  the  Propeller  Striking  Bottom 

Building   an  Air -Propelled   Hydroplane 

By  F.  D.  burke 

VTEXT  month  Mr.  Burke,  who  is  an  aeronautical  designer  of  wide  experience,  will  describe  the 
^^  building  of  an  air-propelled  speedster,  or  "wind  wagon."  As  in  the  present  article,  the  mate- 
rials  called  for  are  such  as  are  easily  procurable  at  alow. cost,  and  the  design  is  worked  out 
with  a  view  to  the  greatest  possible  simplicity.— Editor. 

TpHE  high  efficiency  of  modem  air  pro-      ward  end. 


*•  pellers  has  led  to  their  adoption  on 
land  vehicles  and  boats  which  are  not  in- 
tended to  rise  from  the  surface.  The 
great  advantage  of  the  air  propeller  for  a 
boat  is  that  it  enables  the  craft  to  travel 
on  very  shallow  water.  In  fact,  the  faster 
such  a  boat  travels,  the  less  depth  of  wa- 
ter  it  "draws." 

The  little  craft  here  described  is  of  the 
stepless  type  of  hydroplane.  The  hull  is 
of  wood,  12  ft.  in  length,  and  40  in.  in 
width,  or  beam.  The  engine  recommended 
is  a  light  four-cylinder  one,  of  18  to  22 
hp.  The  framework  supporting  the  pro- 
peller and  transmission  is  of  steel  tubing. 
With  a  motor  of  the  type  specified,  the 
boat  should  develop  a  speed  of  25  to  30 
miles  per  hour;  a  twin-cylinder  motor- 
cycle engine  may  also  be  used  with  it,  but 
the  speed  to  be  obtained  with  the  smaller 
engine  will,  of  course,  be  proportionately 
lower.  The  material,  a  list  of  which  is 
given  below,  need  not  cost  more  than  $80, 
including  the  propeller,  but  not  including 
the  engine.  ^ 

Operating  the  Hydroplane 

In  operating  a  boat  of  this  type,  the 
builder  will  find  that  when  it  is  fully 
loaded  and  at  rest,  the  stern  will  rest 
much  deeper  in  the  water  than  the  for- 


As  the  boat  acquires  speed,  it 
will  gradually  come  to  a  level  running 
position.  This  is  due  to  the  fact  that  the 
thrust  from  the  propeller  is  some  dis- 
tance above  the  boat,  and  tends  to  raise 
the  stem  and  lower  the  bow.  If,  owing 
to  any  error  in  construction,  the  bow  of 
the  boat  does  not  stand  well  up  out  of 
the  water  when  at  rest,  great  care  must  be 
taken  when  first  operating  the  boat,  that 
the  propeller  thrust  does  not  force  the 
bow  to  "nose  down"  into  the  water. 

When  running  at  good  speed,  it  will  be 
found  that  very  little  of  the  rudder  is  im- 
mersed. In  turning,  however,  the  boat 
will  tip  inward  slightly,  thus  increasing 
the  hold  which  the  rudder  has  in  the 
water.  This  "heeling"  may  be  aided, 
whea  necessapr,  by  the  operator  leaning 
toward  the  side  to  which  he  wishes  to 
turn.  No  attempt  should  be  made  to 
carry  more  than  two  persons  in  the  boat, 
and  the  possibility  of  carrying  more  than 
one  will  depend  largely  on  the  weight  of 
the  persons.  Caution  should  be  used  at 
first,  until  the  operator  gets  the  swing  of 
the  boat's  motion  and  becomes  acquainted 
with  its- control.  He  will  then  begin  to 
appreciate  the  freedom  of  movement  pos- 
sessed by  a  boat  which  requires  but  a  few 
inches  of  water,  and  whose  propeller  does 


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not  get  tangled  in  the  weeds  of  the  lake 
or  river  bottom. 

Hull 

The  framework  consists  of  16  transverse 
members,  spaced  equidistant,  and  tied  to- 
gether by  spruce  and  ash  longitudinals. 
These  transverse  members  are  numbered, 


The  Profile  of  the  Hydroplane   Shows  the  Simp 

Attainable  in  This  Type  of  Boat 

in  Fig.  1,  from  1  to  16.  Those  at  the  rear 
should  be  made  first.  Nos.  12  to  15,  in-, 
elusive,  are  cut  to  the  dimensions  given  in 
the  lower  view,  Fig.  2.  They  are  made 
up  of  pieces  of  V2-in.  spruce,  and  should 
be  assembled  as  shown  in  Fig.  2.  The 
corners  of  the  spruce  pieces  are  fastened 
together  by  steel  straps.  There -are  two 
of  these  to  each  corner  of  the  trans- 
verse members,  one  on  each  side  of  the 
joint.  They  should  be  riveted  together 
with  hollow  copper  rivets,  or  with  light 
nails  clinched  over,  if  rivets  are  not  ob- 
tainable. No.  6  is  made  to  the  dimen- 
sions given  in  the  left  upper  detail;  it 
consists  of  a  framework  of  ^^-in.  spruce, 
with  the  addition  of  a  solid  piece  of 
spruce,  transforming  it  into  a  bulkhead. 
Nos.  11  and  16  are  similar,  except  that  the 
upper  member  of  the  frame,  3  in.  wide, 
runs  straight  across,  instead  of  being 
sawed  to  a  curve.  No.  11  forms  a  second 
bulkhead,  while  No.  16  is  the  rear  end 
of  the  hull.  Cut  the  solid  pieces  for  these 
three  members  from  the  %6-in.,  five-ply 
veneer,  to  the  outside  dimensions  given 
for  the  three  members.  The  spruce  frame 
pieces  are  then  placed  on  the  veneer,  with 
their  outside  edges  flush  with  the  edges 
of  the  veneer.  They  are  fastened  in  place 
with  wood  screws.  Nos.  7  to  10  are  made 
to  the  form  and  dimensions  given  to  the 
right,  in  Fig.  2,  and  are  oi  ^^-in.  spruce 
stock.  Nos.  1  to  5  are  made  similar  to 
No.  6,  but  they  are  of  different  depths, 
as  dimensioned  in  Fig.  1. 

The  spruce  bow  piece  is  made  up  of 
two  2  by  4-in.  pieces,  shaped  as  shown  in 
the  detail  in  Fig.  2,  and  bolted  together. 
The  longitudinals  are  set  into  it  and 
screwed  down,  as  shown,  and  the  keel  and 
stringer  pieces  are  similarly  attached. 

Hull  Assembly 

Before  the  frame  assembly  is  begun, 
two  of  the  1  by  1-in.  by  13-ft.  spruce  longi- 


and  Lightness 


tudinals  should  be  steamed  and  bent 
around  blocks  which  have  been  nailed  to 
the  floor,  or  to  a  plank,  so  as  to  give  the 
wood  the  necessary  curve.  They  should 
be  allowed  to  dry  on  the  bending  form  for 
two  or  three  days;  when  taken  off,  they 
will  hold  approximately  the  right  shape. 
They  can  be  easily  sprung 
into  place  on  assembly. 

The  two  top  longi- 
tudinals are  first  put  into 
place,  and  are  attached  to 
the  transverse  members 
by  P/^-in.,  No.  4  wood 
screws,  as  shown  in  Fig. 
2.  For  attaching  to  the 
bow  piece,  2-in.  screws  will  be  preferable. 
The  bottom  longitudinals  are  next  assem- 
bled, working  forward  from  the  rear  of 
the  hull,  the  curved  ends  being  fas- 
tened last.  In  springing  these  ends  into 
place,  care  must  be  taken  to  keep  the  top 
longitudinals  straight,  the  lower  ones  be- 
ing curved  up  to  meet  them. 

The  light  stringer  pieces,  to  which  the 
planking  is  screwed,  ^re  next  put  in. 
They  are  of  %  by  1-in.  ash,  and  run  the 
entire  length  of  the  hull.  They  should  be 
set  into  each  of  the  transverse  members, 
and  fastened  with  a  %-in.,  No.  3  wood 
screw.    They  must  be  spaced  so  that  the 


I 


rio.2 
Details  of  the  Hull :    The  Construction  of  the  Cross 
Members  Determines  the  Shape  of  the 
"•  Various  Parts  of  the  Boat 

distance  between  centers  is  the  same  as 
the  width  of  the  planking,  plus  an  allow- 
ance of  Me  in.  for  clearance.  The  keel, 
of  1  by  P/i-in.  ash,  should  also  be  steamed 


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and  bent  over  the  same  form  as  the  spruce 
longitudinals.     It  is  fastened  into  place 


which  might  take  place  later.     The  rest 
of  the  side  and  bottom  planking  is  put  on, 


Assembly  of  the  Hydroplane:   Steerine  Is  by  Means  of  Two  Rutiders  Controlled  by  an  Automobile  Steerine 

Wheel.    The  Chain  Drive  Permits  the  Use  of  Sprockets  Which  will  Give 

the  Best  Running  Speed  for  the  Propeller  Used 


by  a  1^-in.,  No.  4  wood  screw,  where  it 
joins  each  of  the  transverse  members. 

Engine  Bed 

The  members  of  the  engine  bed,  or 
bearers,  are  of  ash,  and  are  assembled  as 
shown  in  Fig.  2,  and  fastened  to  the  bot- 
tom cross  members,  as  shown.  The  size 
and  distance  apart  will  depend  on  the 
dimensions  of  the  engine  to  be  used. 

Planking  the  Hull 

The  hull  is  now  ready  to  plank.  The 
%6  by  3-in.  cedar  is  used  to  plank  the  bot- 
tom; the  sides  and  deck  are  V^  by  3-in. 
cedar.  Plank  the  sides  of  the  hull  first. 
A  thin  coat. of  marine  glue  should  be  given 
the  side  of  the  upper  longitudinals,  and 
the  first  stringer  piece  below  it.  A  strip 
of  unbleached  muslin,  1  in.  wide,  is  laid 
in  the  glue.  Both  edges  of  the  first  plank 
are  given  a  thin  coat  of  this  glue ;  a  plank 
is  then  placed  against  the  side  of  the  hull, 
with  its  upper  edge  flush  with  the  top 
edge  of  the  longitudinals.  The  edge  of 
the  plank  should  come  about  %2  in.  from 
the  center  of  the  first  stringer  piece.  The 
plank  is  then  fastened  on  with  */4-in.,  No. 
2  wood  screws,  placed  about  2  in.  apart, 
in  each  cross  member.  In  placing  the 
second  plank,  a  space  of  Via  in.  should  be 
left  between  it  and  the  first  one.  This  is 
to  allow  for  any  swelling  of  the  planks 


as  just  described.     The  top  is  left  open 
until  later. 

Steering  Gear 

Two  pieces  of  Ys  by  ^/^-in.  strap  iron  are 
bent  as  shown  in  Fig.  3,  and  then  riveted 
to  a  piece  of  No.  12  gauge  sheet  steel,  to 
form  a  trip.od.  This  is  bolted  to  the  bulk- 
head with  %-in.  bolts.  A  large  washer 
should  be  made  of  No.  12  gauge  sheet 
steel  to  take  the  bolt  heads  on  the  for- 
ward side  of  the  bulkhead.  The  steering 
column  is  a  piece  of  tubing  of'the  length 
that  will  bring  the  steering  wheel  to  the 
position  desired ;  its  diameter  will  be  gov- 
erned by  the  size  of  the  hole  in  the  wheel 
used.  An  ofd  automobile  steering  wheel 
will  do  for  this  purpose  very  nicely.  The 
end  of  the  tube  fits  into  a  tubing  socket 
bolted  to  the  bulkhead,  as  shown.  The 
rudder  bar  is  of  ash,  and  is  slipped  onto 
the  tube  and  fastened  with  a  pin  through  it. 

The  rudders  arc  of  No.  16  gauge  sheet 
steel,  10  by  12  in.,  riveted  to  a  V2-in.  steel 
rod,  which  is  flattened  where  it  is  fastened 
to  the  rudder  blade.  The  hinges  are  of 
No.  12  gauge  sheet  steel,  and  should  be 
fastened  at  the  point  on  the  hull  just  op- 
posite transverse  member  No.  14.  From 
each  of  the  two  rudders,  a  flexible  steel 
cable,  Ys  in.  in  diameter,  running  through 
pulleys  fastened  to  the  deck,  is  spliced 
and   soldered   around    the   steering   post. 


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The  operation  of  the  steering  gear  is 
clearly  shown  in  Fig.  3.  Turning  the 
wheel  to  the  left  causes  the  hook  at  the 
left  of  the  rudder  bar  to  come  in  contact 
with  the  steel  cable,  which  pulls  the  rud- 
der on  the  left-hand  side  into  action. 

The  entire  inside  of  the  hull  should  now 
receive  one  or  two  coats  of  good  marine 
paint,  and  the  forward  deck  should  be 
planked.    The  inner  surface  of  the  deck 


DCTAiu  or  ntAR  aCiiAiNe 

OF  PROPCULCR  BHATT 


Details  of  the  Propeller  Mounting:  The  Framework 

Is  of -Steel  Tttbing,  in  the  Style  Used  in  Airplane 

Constrttction  to  Produce  Great  Strength  with  Light 

Weight 

planks  should  also  be  painted  before  be- 
mg  put  on.  The  seat  should  be  put  in, 
as  shown  in  Fig.  3. 

Power  Plant 
The  engine  used  should  be  of  18  to  22 
hp.,  as  stated  above,  if  high  speed  is  de- 
sired. It  is  not  advisable  to  use  a  more 
powerful  engine  than  this,  as  the  craft 
might  thus  be  overpowered  and  over- 
weighted. An  automobile  engine  is  not 
likely  to  give  very  good  service,  although 
certain  automobile  engines,  of  3%-in.  bore 
and  under,  might  do  very  well  if  not 
worked  too  long  at  high  speed.  Motor- 
cycle engines  of  the  large  sizes  noW  being 
manufactured  and  rated  at  from  9  to  13 
hp.  will  also  drive  the  boat,  but  cannot  be 
expected  to  give  as  good  service  as  a 
marine  motor  with  thorough  water  cool- 
ing. The  engine  should  be  provided  with 
a  sprocket,  and  a  drive  chain  of  suitable 
size  and  length.  If  the  engine  is  of  the 
motorcycle  type,  then  it  will  be  safe  to  use 
a  motorcycle  chain,  but  if  a  more  powerful 


engine  is  used,  a  chain  and  sprockets  must 
be  provided  which  are  capable  of  trans- 
mitting the  full  power  of  the  engine. 

The  ash  strips,  1  by  6  by  42  in.,  to  which 
the  propeller  stand  is  bolted,  are  screwed 
into  place  on  the  rear  deck,  as  shown  in 
Fig.  3.  To  house  the  propeller  shaft,  a 
piece  of  No.  12  gauge  tubing,  1%  in.  out- 
side diameter,  2  ft.  long,  has  a  plain  bush- 
ing of  antifriction  metal  forced  into  each 
end.  The  inside  diameter  of  these  bush- 
ings should  be  1  in.  Such  bushings  can 
be  picked  up  in  almost  any  repair  shop. 
Sheet-metal  collars  are  fitted  around  each 
end  of  the  tube.  The  four  legs  of  the 
mounting  are  of  1-in.,  No.  12  gauge  tub- 
ing, with  ends  flattened,  bent,  and  bolted 
to  the  collars,  as  shown  in  Fig.  4.  The 
tubes  can  be  neatly  flattened  by  heating 
the  ends  and  crushing  them  together  in  a 
vise.  Two  other  tubes,  running  down 
forward  from  the  rear  bearing,  are  put 
in  to  take  the  thrust  of  the  propeller.  The  • 
propeller  shaft  should  be  about  3  ft.  long, 
and  1  in.  in  diameter.  One  end  should 
be  turned  down  to  %-in.  diameter  for  a 
distance  of  %  in.,  and  should  then  be 
threaded  for  a  %-in.  nut.  This  should 
be  a  left-hand  thread,  with  a  nut  tapped 
to  correspond.  If  it  is  not  practicable  to 
cut  such  threads,  a  right-hand  thread  may 
be  permissible,  if  a  good,  heavy,  castellated 
nut  is  used  with  a  stout  cotter  pin. 

On  the  same  end  the  shaft  should  have 
two  flat  surfaces,  filed  as  shown.  Two 
disks  of  %-in.  sheet  steel  should  be  made 
as  shown  in  Fig.  4.  A  2-in.  washer  of 
No.  12  gauge  sheet  steel  fits  over  the 
threaded  end  of  the  shaft. 

The  propeller  mounting  should  now  be 
set  up,  and  the  propeller  placed  on  the 
shaft  and  bolted  between  the  two  disks. 
The  2-in.  washer  is  slipped  on,  and  the 
large  nut  is  drawn  up  snugly.  A  l-in. 
thrust  bearing  should  be  placed  on  the 
shaft  and  pushed  up  against  the  propeller 
hub.  The  propeller  shaft  should  then  be 
pushed  through  the  bearings,  and  a  thin 
brass  washer  slipped  on  the  forward  end 
of  the  shaft.  The  driving  sprocket  selected 
should  have  a  shoulder  as  shown,  which 
should  be  forced  up  against  the  end  of 
the  forward  bearing  with  the  brass  washer 
in  between,  and  the  shaft  pushed  in  until 
the  propeller  hub  is  pressing  firmly  against 
the  thrust  bearing.  The  location  of  the 
driving  sprocket  should  then  be  marked, 
and  the  propeller  shaft  taken  out  and 
drilled  for  a  taper  pin,  or  a  keyway  may 
be  cut  so  that  the  sprocket  will  be  locked 
in  place.  The  whole  propeller  unit  should 
now  be  assembled  and  set  up  on  the  rear 


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deck.  The  drive  chains  should  be  placed 
over  the  sprocket  on  the  propeller  shaft 
and  around  the  driving  sprocket  on  the 
engine  shaft.  The  propeller  stand  should 
be  moved  forward  or  backward  until  the 
two  sprockets  line  up  properly.  The 
stand  should  then  be  bolted  in  place.  Two 
iron  straps,  bent  over  the  rear  edge  as 
shown  in  Fig.  3,  and  fastened  with  screws, 
will  strengthen  the  base  of  the  rear  legs 
against  the  pull  due  to  the  propeller 
thrust. 

The  rest  of  the  rear-deck  planking  is 
now  put  on,  and  the  gas  tank  is  mounted, 
as  shown.  The  hull  should  be  given  two 
or  three  coats  of  good  spar  varnish. 

The  Propeller 

The  propeller  used  with  the  20-hp,  en- 
gine will  be  about  5V2  ft.  long,  and  should 
revolve  at  a  speed  of  about  1,500  r.  p.  m. 
A  pitch  of  4  ft.  is  recommended,  in  order 
to  give  the  highest  speed,  although  this 
will  depend  on  the  actual  horsepower 
which  the  engine  delivers.  It  is,  of  course, 
possible  to  make  the  propeller  by  hand, 
but  the  manufacture  of  propellers  has  now 
advanced  to  such  a  point  that  very  sat- 
isfactory ones  can  be  bought  on  the  mar- 


ket at  prices  not  at  all  exorbitant.  A 
good  propeller  should  be  obtainable  from 
any  house  handling  this  class  of  aeronau- 
tical supplies  for  about  $20. 

Before  the  engine  is  given  its  first  run, 
the  propeller  must  be  tested  for  alinement. 
The  propeller  should  be  turned  until  one 
blade  just  grazes  the  end  of  a  stick  tem- 
porarily clamped  to  the  propeller  stand. 
The  propeller  should  then  be  turned  until 
the  other  blade  is  in  line  with  the  stick. 
If  the  propeller  is  properly  alined,  this 
blade  will  also  just  graze  the  stick.  Should 
there  be  as  much  as  %-in.  clearance  be- 
tween the  point  of  the-  stick  and  the  pro- 
peller blade,  the  three  bolts  opposite  this 
blade  should  be  loosened,  while  the  three 
bolts  on  the  same  side  of  the  blade  that  is 
out  of  line  should  be  tightened.  The 
propeller  should  then  be  tested  again,  and 
if  found  to  be  in  line,  the  three  loosened 
bolts  should  be  tightened  up  and  the  test 
repeated. 

In  starting  the  engine,  retard  the  spark, 
open  the  throttle  about  halfway,  stand  on 
the  rear  deck  and  swing  one  of  the  pro- 
peller blades  around  quite  rapidly.  The 
engine  should  start  after  a  few  turns,  if  it 
is  in  good  condition. 


MATERIAL  REQUIRED 


4  pieces 

5  pieces 
10  pieces 

2  pieces 
2  pieces 

1  piece 
20  pieces 

2  pieces 
2  pieces 

2  pieces 
14  pieces 
20  pieces 

3  pieces 
24  fi.  No. 

tcr. 


of  spruce,     1  by  1 


by  13  ft. 
by  10  ft. 


of  spruce,  %  by  6  in     _, 
of  spruce,  hk  by  6  in.  by  10  ft. 
of  spruce,  2  by  4  by  40  in. 
of  spruce,  1  by  7  by  40  in. 
of  ash.  1  by  1%   in.  by  13  ft. 
of  ash,  %  by  1   in.  by  13  ft. 
of  ash,  1  by  4  by  42  in. 
of  ash,  1  by  6  by  42  in. 
of  ash,  2  by  4  by  40  in. 
of  cedar,  %•  by  3  in.  by  13  ft. 
of  cedar,  %  by  3  in.  by  13  ft. 
of  5-ply  wood  veneer,  yie  by  18  by  40  m. 
12  gz\xgt  steel  tubing,  1  in.  outside  diame- 


2  ft.  No.  12  gauge  steel  tubing,  1^  in.  outside  diame- 
ter. 
6  sq.  ft.  No.  16  gauge,  cold- rolled  sheet  steel. 
2  sq.  ft.  No.  12  gauge,  cold-rolled   sheet  steel. 
1  sq.  ft.  No.   10  gauge  cold-rolled  sheet  steel. 
8  ft.  %  by   V^-in.  strap  iron. 

1  steering  wneel. 
6  pulleys. 

Wood  screws,  several  sizes. 

2  qt.  marine  glue. 

3  or  4  yd.  of  heavy  unbleached  muslin. 
2  gal.  good  spar  varnish. 

1  gal.  good  marine  paint. 

1  1-in.  thrust  bearing. 

2  plain  bearings,  1-in.  inside  diameter. 


Seed  Flat  with  Removable  Sides 

Seedlings  are  usually  grown  in  wooden 
trays,  or  shallow  boxes.  When  the  plants 
are  ready  for  removal,  it  is  always  rather 
a  difficult  matter  to  get  them  out  with- 
out great  root  disturbance.  A  type  of 
box  that  makes  the  matter  quite  easy  is 
illustrated.  It  is  only  a  few  inches  deep, 
and  is  fitted  with  a  loose  bottom.  Strong 
twine  is  looped  around  its  sides  and  bot- 
tom, and  is  tied  above.  Nails  in  the 
side  of  the  box  help  to  keep  the  twine  in 
place.  The  seed  flat  is  filled  with  soil 
in  the  usual  manner,  and  the  seed  sown. 
When  it  is  desired  to  move  the  small 
plants,  the  twine  is  cut  or  untied.     The 


side  of  the  box  can  then  be  easily  lifted 
up,  leaving  the  m^ss  of  soil  with  the 
seedlings  intact.  The  baby  plants  are  cut 
from  this,  with  the  earth  clinging  to  their 
roots.    Very  little  root  disturbance  is  pro- 


Seedlings  can  be  Removed  from  the  Plat,  Which  Has 

a  Loose  Bottom,  without  Disturbing 

the  Roots 

duced  by  this  typt  of  seed  flat. — S.  Leon- 
ard Bastin,   Bournemouth,   Eng. 


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A  Portal^le  Hog  House 

It  is  desirable  to  provide  bousing  for 
hogs  when  they  are  turned  into  the  fields 
after  the  harvest,  or  mto  newly  cleared 
land.  At  such  times,  and  at  others  whei) 
it  would  not  be  profitable  to  build  a  per- 
manent   house,    the    portable    structure 


h   ry 


4^4^ 


This  Portable  Hog  Hou»e  Provides   Shelter  lor 

Animals  TurneB  into  Temporary  Pastgrref, 

and  can  be  Built  at  Small  Expenee 

at  little  expense.  It  can  be  used  elsewhere 
at  short  notice,  since  it  can  be  knocked 
down  very  easily,  and  the  parts  trans- 
ported from  one  place  to  another  on  an 
ordinary  farm  wagon. 

The  building  is  made  in  six  parts,  which 
fit  together  easily,  and  are  then  held  in 
place  by  a  few  nails,  or  by  hooks  and 
staples.  For  ease  in  transporting,  the 
building  should  not  be  more  than  8  ft. 
square,  and  7  ft.  high  at  the  front  part  of 
the  roof.  It  should  be  made  of  1-in.  lum- 
ber, with  2  by  4-in.  framing  pieces.  Al- 
though not  absolutely  necessary,  it  is  now 
considered  best  to  have  floors  in  such 
buildings. 

After  the  hog  house  has  been  set  up, 
2  by  4-in.  pieces  should  be  fastened  across 
the  building,  about  1  ft.  from  the  sides 
and  1  ft.  above  the  floor.  These  serve 
the  double  purpose  of  bracing  the  struc- 
ture and  of  protecting  the  smaller  pigs 
from^being  crushed  by  the  larger  hogs. 
One  advantage  of  such  a  building  is  that 
it  may  be  stored  in  a  very  small  space 
when  not  in  use. — S.  R.  Winters,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C. 


Removliif  Paint  with  Vinegar 

After  glass  is  teti  the  new  putty  is 
patnied.  If  the  work  is  not  cafeuilly 
^one,  paint  is  smeared  on  the  glass.  This 
may  be  removed  with  a  clotli  dipped  in 
vinegar,  or  acetic  acid.  Brushes  that  have 
hardened  paint  on  them  can  be  softened 
by  the  use  of  vinegar  or  aoid^-^L.  £.  Fet- 
ter, Portsmouth,  N.  H. 


Guide  {or  Drillihg  Hoto 

du-oufh  Lail^  Timbers 

When  boring  boles  through  thick  tim- 
bers, it  often  happens  that  the  drill  does 
not  come  out  in  the  right  spot  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  timber.  .A  guide 
made  of  pipe  fittings  will  remedy  the  dif- 
ficulty. Make  up  a  %-in.  pipe  J)ody  for 
the  guide,  large  enough  to  ^t  oyer  the 
timber  with  several  inches  to  spare. 
Screw  a  tee  to  e^ich  end.  Into  .the  tee 
which  is  on  the  side  of  the  timber  where 
the  drill  emet:gesu  sqrew  two  short  pieces 
of  pipe,  into  which  a  length  of  ah vpened 
steel  rod  can  be  5Jipp,ed.  Into  the, other 
tee  screw  a  20-in.  length  of  pipe,  and  .ad- 
just the  guide,  by  sighting  and  bending, 
so  that  this  pipe  is  exactly  in  4ine  with  the 
steel  rod  at  the  other  end  of  the  guide. 
Make  a  wooden  collar  to  fit  loosely  over 
tbe  tee  which  has  the  long  pipe  in  it.  A 
hole  or  slot  must  be  cut  in  one  side  of 
this  collar,  for  the  chips  to  fall  through. 
To  use  the  guide,  drive  the  steel  point 
into  the  spot  from  which  the  hole  -should 
emerge.  Then,  after  slipping  the  wooden 
collar  over  the  tee,  slide  the  drill  into 
the  long  pipe,  and  start  the  hole  at  the 
proper  spot.  The  guide  must  be  removed 
before  the  drill  strikes  the  end  of  the  steel 
rod.  If  the  timber  is  thick,  the  hole  can 
be  bored  first  from  one  side,  then  from 


Natl  Set  Kept  in  Hanuner  Handle 

Since  a  nail  set  is  always  U9ed  in  con- 
junction with  a  hammer,  it  is  well  to  keep 
both  of  them  together,  and  guard  against 
the  loss  of  the  smaller  article,  which,  be- 
cause of  its  smallness,  is  often  misplaced. 
This  may  be  done  by  boring  a  recess  in 
the  center  of  the  hammer  handle  for  the 
deposit  of  the  nail  set.  A  $mall  cork,  or 
wooden  plug,  prevents  its  falling  out. — 
Abel  Green,  New  York,  N.  Y. 


By  Ufing  a  Simple  Guide,   Holes  may  be  Drilled 

Accurately  throuch  Large  Timbers  Such 

Af  Used  in  Bridget  and  $hipf 

the  Other,  the  ^uide  being  used  both  times. 
Since  this  guide  can  be  made  any  size, 
it  may  be  used  in  a  great  many  cases, 
and  should  simplify  the  boring  of  long 
holes. — C.  R.  Simmons,  Portland,  Ore. 


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A  Disappearing  Cooling  Chest 

By  VINCENT  BROWNLEY 


A  FEW  hours  spent  in  building  a  sort 
^^  of  dumb-waiter  chest,  or  cupboard, 
similar  to  the  one  shown  in  the  sketch,  will 
not  only  save  many  weary  steps,  but  will 
improve  the  quality  of  the  summer  food. 
Since  it  must  be  made  to  fit  into  the  place 
where  it  is  to  be  used,  only  a  general  de- 
scription, without  dimensions,  will  be 
given.  It  may  be  adapted  to  the  needs  of 
stores  and  restaurants,  as  well  as  of  pri- 
vate homes. 

The  cupboard  should  be  quite  strong,  as 
its  top,  when  in  the  lower  position,  is  to 
serve  as  part  of  the  floor.  This  top  should 
be  made  to  resemble  the  rest  of  the  floor- 
ing as  nearly  as  possible.  A  heavy  base, 
is  provided  for  the  cupboard  to  rest  upon 
when  lowered  into  the  cellar;  this  base 
fits  snugly  into  guides  attached  to  posts 
extending  from  the  basement  floor  to  the 
joists  of  the  floor  above. 

In  order  to  hoist  the  heavy  cupboard 
easily,  a  system  of  pulleys  and  a  counter- 
weight will  be  necessary.  The  rope  is 
tied  into  a  heavy  U-bolt,  or  staple,  in  one 
of  the  joists,  on  the  side  of  the  cupboard 
opposite  the  counterweight.  From  the 
eye  it  is  carried  down  to  the  base,  under 
two  pulleys,  up  and  once  around  the 
hoisting  drum,  then  down  to  the  pulley 
from  which  the  counterweight  is  sus- 
pended, and  finally  to  another  eye  or  sta- 
ple in  the  floor  joist.  The  counterweight 
may  be  a  block  of  concrete,  or  a  barrel 
or  keg  filled  with  stones  of  almost  suffi- 
cient weight  to  balance  the  cupboard. 

The  hoisting  drum  is  a  pulley  or 
sheave,  made  up  of  two  12-in.  disks  of 
1-in.  wood  with  beveled  edges,  nailed  to- 
gether so  that  these  bevels  form  a  groove. 
To  one  side  of  the  sheave  is  fastened  a 
disk  of  sheet  iron,  into  which  teeth  have 
been  cut  with  a  hacksaw.  The  center  hole 
is  fitted  with  a  bushing  of  brass  tubing, 
and   the   assembled   wheel   or   drum    re- 


Spare  Bulb  for  Auto  Headlights 

Used  under  Hood 

Every  driver  of  an  electrically  lighted 
automobile  should  carry  somewhere  in  the 
car  a  spare  headlight  bulb,  as  these  may 
blow  out  at  any  time.  Instead  of  carry- 
ing the  spare  bulb  in  a  box  under  the 
seat,  it  is  a  good  idea  to  mount  a  socket 
in  the  position  shown,  connecting  it 
through  a  simple  switch  to  the  storage 
battery.  The  spare  bulb  thus  forms  a 
very  convenient  .light  for  illuminating  the 
engine,  and  the  socket  may  also  be  found 
handy  for  attaching  a  trouble  light. 


volves  on  a  %-in.  lag  bolt.  For  a  crank, 
or  handle,  a  short  piece  of  pipe  on  a  bolt 
is  placed  at  one  edge  of  the  ratchet  disk. 
A  small  cabinet  houses  this  mechanism, 
and  may  also  serve  as  a  flower  pedestal 


By  Turning  the  Crank  the  Chest  is  Qujickly  Raised 
from  the  Cellar  to  the  Kitchen  Whenever  Required 

or  small  table.  Access  to  the  crank  is 
obtained  by  opening  a  small  door  built 
in  the  upper  part  of  the  case.  The  rope 
from  the  pulley  on  the  base  of  the  cup- 
board encircles  the  hoisting  drum  once, 
then  drops  to  the  pulley  from  which  the 
counterweight  is  suspended.  The  friction 
caused  by  the  rope  on  the  drum,  under 
the  weight  of  the  cupboard  on  the  one 
side,  and  of  the  counterweight  on  the 
other  side,  keeps  the  rope  from  slipping. 
A  small  iron  pawl,  such  as  a  bolt  bent  to 
shape,  and  filed  at  one  end,  fits  into  the 
teeth  on  the  drum,  making  it  possible  to 
hold  the  cupboard  at  any  point  desired. 

The  cooling  cupboard  may  be  made 
any  convenient  size,  and  does  away  with 
a  great  deal  of  unnecessary  stair  climb- 
ing, keeping  food  in  good  condition  at 
all  times. 


The  Spare  Headlight  Bulb  Is  Used  to  IllOminate  the 

Space  under  the  Hood  When  Work  is 

being  Done  on  the  Engine 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


Shock  Absorber  for  Electric  Light 

In  factories  or  other  places  where  heavy 
work  is  done  on  all  floors,  breakage  of 
electric-light   bulbs  is  an  almost  regular 
occurrence,    due    to 
the     fact     that     the 
lamps   receive  heavy 
jars  from  the  pound- 
mg  of  the  machinery, 
or  dropping  of  cast- 
ings or  other  heavy 
articles    upon    the 
fioor.     This  may  be 
largely  overcome  by 
using  a  simple  shock 
absorber   upon   each 
lamp.     Two    canary- 
c  a  g  e    springs,    sus- 
pended     between 
wooden    rods,    hold 
the  heavy  lamp  and 
shade  fixture  in  such  a  way  that  all  the 
shock  from  the  floor  above  is  taken  up  by 
the  springs.    In  this  way,  no  jar  is  trans- 
mitted  to    the   delicate   lamp   filament. — 
E.  E.  Hansen,  New  Britain,  Conn. 


Device  for  Cleaning  and  Oiling 

Motorcycle  Drive  Chains 

The  drive  chains  of  a  motorcycle  are 

subject  to  more  wear  than  any  other  part 

of  the  machine,  because  of  the  dust  and 

grit  the  chain  picks  up,  and  because  the 

owner  frequently  neglects  to  care  for  it. 

A  device  for  cleaning  and  lubricating 

chains  is  shown  in  the  sketch.     If  used 

properly,  it  will  not  only  lengthen  the  life 

of  the  chain,  but 

will     increase     its 

efficiency. 

The  device  con- 
sists  of   an    ordi- 
nary   motorcycle 
drive   sprocket 
mounted     on     an 
old  bicycle  crank, 
which    in    turn    is 
set  up  on  a  piece 
of  2  by  4-in.  tim- 
ber,    fastened     to 
the  top  of  the 
workbench.  At  the 
base    of    the    up- 
right is  fastened  a 
small     bread    pan 
with  two  stiff  scrub  brushes  secured  to 
the  sides.     To  clean  a  chain,   it   is  only 
necessary  to  remove  it,  and  hang  it  over 
the  sprocket.     At  the  lower  end,  let  one 
side  of  the  chain  pass  around  one  end  of 


the  brush  bristles,  the  other  side  coming 
up  through  them.  Fill  the  pan  with  gaso- 
line, and  turn  the  crank.  A  few  turns  will 
be  sufficient,  unless  the  chain  has  gone 
without  attention  for  a  long  time.  When 
the  chain  is  clean,  wipe  off  the  gasoline 
with  a  linen  rag,  and  allow  the  chain  to 
dry  thoroughly.  The  proper  stiffness  of 
bristles  and  setting  of  the  brushes  will  be 
readily  discovered  after  a  little  experience 
in  using  this  method. 

To  lubricate  the  chain,  place  it  on  the 
sprocket  again,  and  run  it  through  an- 
other pan  in  which  a  mixture  of  heavy  oil 
and  powdered  graphite  has  been  placed. 
When  this  has  worked  into  the  joints  and 
.under  the  rollers,  the  chain  is  ready  for 
several  hundred  miles  of  travel. — ^John 
Edwin  Hogg,  Alhambra,  Calif. 


Chum  vrith  Ice-Cream  Freexer  Gearing 

An  old  dasher  churn  was  brought  up 
to    date    by    transferring    an    ice-cream 
freezer  gearing  to  the  3-gal.  earthenware 
churn     jar.      A 
wooden   cover,   in     ^ 
two   parts,  and 
also  a  wooden  ag- . 
itator,  were  made 
to    fit    the    jar. 
The   ^ears    of   an 
old    ice-  cream 
freezer  wxre   util- 
ized   for    turning 
the  dasher  and 
were  found  to  be    j 
just    the     thing    ' 
when  properly 

mounted.  The  freezer  gearing,  with  gear 
case,  was  mounted  on  top  of  the  cover,  a 
block  of  wood  being  placed  under  each 
end  of  the  case,  as  shown.  The  blocks  were 
screwed  to  the  cover,  and  bands  of  metal 
used  to  fasten  the  gear  in  place.  The 
smaller  gear  was  fitted  with  a  rod,  %  in.  in 
diameter,  reaching  nearly  to  the  bottom  of 
the  churn.  Another  bearing  was  made  for 
this  rod  by  screwing  a  small  metal  plate 
to  the  bottom  of  the  cover.  The  dasher 
was  made  from  a  rectangular  piece  of 
wood,  IV^  by  \V2  by  6  in.,  by  boring  a 
hole  lengthwise  to  take  the  rod,  and  add- 
ing four  paddles  to  the  sides,  so  as  to 
make  about  the  angle  shown.  They  were 
nailed  into  grooves  cut  into  the  central 
shaft.  The  rod  was  made  removable  from 
the  small  gear,  so  that  these  parts  could 
be  quickly  removed,  and  used  on  the 
freezer  when  desired,  in  this  way  securing 
double  service  from  the  latter. — ^James  P. 
Lewis,  Golden,  Colo. 


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Tool  for  Sharpening  Thumb  Tacks 

Many  draftsmen  like  the  points  of  the 
thumb  tacks  they  use  to  be  very  sharp, 
and  are  therefore  not  satisfied  with  those 
on  the  market.  A  convenient  little  device 
for  use  in  sharpening  thumb  tacks  is 
shown  in  the  dia- 

-«• r±_  gram.     It  can  be 

turned  from  either 
brass  or  steel 
stock.  The  sur- 
face should  be 
given  a  good  pol- 
ish, and  the  screw  cap  made  to  fit  as  accu- 
rately as  possible,  so  that  the  tack  point 
will  be  held  rigidly  while  it  is  being  sharp- 
ened with  a  small  pocket  abrasive  stone. 
Tacks  thus  treated  can  aid  materially  in 
saving  the  draftsman's  time. — F.  H. 
Sweet,  Waynesboro,  Va. 


Removing  Steel  Screws  from  Brass 

Pieces  of  brass,  nickel,  or  copper,  in 
which  steel  screws,  tacks,  or  drills  have 
been  broken  off,  should  be  left  in  a  sat- 
urated solution  of  alum,  or  a  diluted  solu- 
tion of  sulphuric  acid.  The  steel  will  be 
dissolved  and  the  brass  or  nickel  will  not 
be  acted  upon.  A  similar  process  is  useful 
in  removing  steel  screws  from  gold  spec- 
tacles when  they  are  too  tight  to  be  re- 
moved mechanically. — H.  S.  Hart,  Shreve- 
port,  La. 


Connection  for  Reading  Voltage 

of  Threc-Phasc  Circuit 

The  sketch  shows  a  handy  method  of 
connecting  a  voltmeter  for  reading  phase 
voltages  of  a  three-phase  line,  by  the  use 
of  two  single-pole  double-throw  switches. 
_  The    arrangement 

/^^^\  is    accident    and 

O  jvoLTMETER  fool-proof.  With 
switch  A  thrown 
in  the  upper  di- 
rection,  and 
switch  B  in  the 
lower,  the  voltage 
will  be  that  be- 
tween wires  2  and 
3;  with  both 
switches  down, 
the  voltage  read  is 
between  1  and  3 ;  and  with  switch  A  down 
and  switch  B  up,  the  voltage  is  between 
wires  1  and  2.  When  both  of  the  switches 
arc  up,  the  voltmeter  does  not  register. — 
Peter  J.  M.  Clute,  Schenectady,  N.  Y. 


eWCRY  CLOTH 


Emery  Stick  Useful  at  Foige 

A  stick  around  which  a  sheet  of  emery 
cloth  or  paper  has  been  tacked  will  be 
found  useful  in  the  forge  shop.  It  is 
sometimes  more 
convenient  than 
a  file  for  clean- 
ing the  surface 
after  hardening, 
so  that  the  deeper 
colors  may  be 
plainly  seen.  The 
advantage  of  tack- 
ing a  whole  sheet 
on  at  once,  forming  several  layers,  is  that 
as  one  layer  wears  smooth,  it  can  be  re- 
moved, exposing  the  next  one  for  use. 


Moving  Heavy  Machines  on  Casters 

Heavy  casters, 
such  as  illustrated, 
can  be  placed  very 
handily  under  the 
legs  of  machine 
tools  which  must 
be  moved  from 
one  place  to  an- 
other  over  the 
floor  of  the  shop. 


Protecting  Ac  Tips  of  Electric 

Soldering  Irons 

It  is  not  difficult  to  prevent  electric 
soldering  iron  tips,  that  are  kept  heated 
for  long  periods, 
from  oxidizing 
and  hardening.. 
Make  a  cup  to 
hold  sufficient  sol- 
der to  cover  the 
tinned  portion  of 
the  copper,  and 
fasten  it  in  the 
holder,  as  shown 
in  the  sketch.  The 
solder  in  the  cup 
melts  and  pre- 
vents the  air  from 
reaching    the 

point,  thus  keeping  it  always  "tinned" 
and  bright.  The  holder  should  be 
mounted  at  an  angle  under  the  bench,  as 
shown,  so  that  the  handle  of  the  iron 
may  be  grasped  quickly  and  easily. — 
Alpha  Dean,  Chicago,  IlL 

CTo  save  time  in  making  working  draw- 
ings, omit  one  side  of  the  arrow  heads  on 
dimension  lines. 


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Scrap  Metal  Forms  Satisfactory 

Anodes  for  Plating 

Cast  anodes   for  use  in  electroplating 
are  expensive,  and  at  times  difficult  to  se- 
cure.   An  excellent  substitute  is  obtained 
by  using  scrap  anode  metal,  contained  in 
a  wooden  box  suspended  in  the  plating 
bath.    Special  boxes  may  be  made  to  suit 
the  requirements  of  the  tank  or  the  work- 
man, but  for  most  purposes  the  following 
dimensions    will 
suffice.    Construct 
a  box,  12  in.  wide, 
18  in.  long,  and  10 
in.   high,   open   at 
the  top.     Bore  in 
the  sides  and  bot- 
tom  as   many  y^r 
in.  holes  as  possi- 
ble,   care    being 
taken  to  see  that 
the  wood  does  not 
split.    A  brass  or 
copper  bar,  20  in. 
long,  passes  from 
one    end    of    the 
box  to  the  other, 
and  through  holes  in  the  ends  drilled  for 
the  purpose.     The  diameter  of  this  rod 
should  be  not  less  than  V^  in.    The  box  is 
then  suspended  in  the  plating  tank  and  the 
rod  electrically  connected  to  the  positive 
bus  bar  bv  copper  hooks.  The  box  should 
hang  high  enough  so  that  the  brass  bar 
in  it  is  not  in  contact  with  the  plating 
solution.    The  box  is  now  ready  for  the 
scrap  metal. 

If,  for  instance,  zincplating  is  to  be 
done,  a  small  zinc  rod  is  hung  from  the 
metal  crossbar,  and  th'e  box  is  half  filled 
with  pieces  of  zinc  scrap,  as  shown  in  the 
sketch.  These  pieces  may  be  old  plates, 
or  discarded  portions  of  zinc  anodes. 
Since  the  scrap  pieces  make  electrical 
contact  with  the  small  zinc  rod  and  with 
each  other,  the  result  is  similar  to  that 
of  one  large  anode,  the  holes  in  the  box 
allowing  free  passage  of  the  electric  cur- 
rent from  the  metal  to  the  electrolyte. 

This  box  anode  may  be  used  with  ex- 
cellent results  in  nickelplating.  It  is  im- 
possible to  obtain  pure  nickel  anodes  in 
the  form  of  castings,  since  a  certain 
amount  of  impurities,  such  as  iron,  are 
always  present.  Impurities  impair  the 
quality  of  plating.  Pure  nickel  can,  how- 
ever, be  obtained  in  the  form  of  pellets. 
If  these  are  used  in  the  anode  box,  per- 
fect plating  may  be  accomplished.  A  coat 
of  pure  nickel  will  last  much  longer,  and 
may  be  given  a  higher  polish  than  an  in- 


ferior plate  containing  traces  of  other 
metals.  —  Kenneth  Coggeshall,  Webster 
Groves,  Mo. 


Potatoes  Gathered  While  Vines 
Are  Still  Green 

Some  interesting  experiments  were 
carried  out  last  season  in  connection  with 
potato  growing.  Instead  of  waiting  until 
the  plants  were  matured,  part  of  the  crop 
was  gathered  when  the  plants  had 
reached  a  fair  size,  the  largest  tubers 
that  could  be  found  being  grubbed  up 
from  the  soil.  This  operation  was  re- 
peated a  month  later,  and  then  the  plants 
were  allowed  to  mature  in  the  usual  man- 
ner. The  last  crop  was  quite  up  to  the 
average  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  two 
gatherings  had  been  made  during  the 
growing  season. 

Most  growers  must  have  noticed,  when 
they  dig  their  potatoes,  that  there  are  al- 
ways a  number  of  small  ones,  about  the 
size  of  marbles,  or  even  smaller.  But  if 
some  of  the  larger  potatoes  are  removed 
during  the  growmg  season,  these  little  ones 
develop  into  a  good  size.  On  the  other 
hand,  if  the  plants  have  already  developed 
a  fair  proportion  of  large  tubers,  and 
these  are  still  attached  to  the  roots,  the 
immature  ones  do  not  increase  much  in 
size.  The  soil  disturbance  which  accom- 
panies the  removal  of  the  potatoes  posi- 
tively benefits  the  plants.  After  each  op- 
eration they  start  away  with  a  fresh  vigor 
of  growth.  This  is  probably  due  to  the 
fact  that  the  grubbing  about  in  the 
ground  helps  aerate  the  soil. 


Shelter  Roofs  for  Poultry 

Poultry,  chickens,  ducks,  or  geese,  will 
not  thrive  during  the  summer  months 
when  there  is  no  shade  to  protect  the 
fowls  from  the 
great  heat,  espe- 
cially about  mid- 
day. In  the  case 
of  young  chicks, 
particularly,  heat 
and  rainstorms 
are  very  destruc- 
tive. The  shelter 
roof,  an  example 
of  which  is  shown  in  the  drawing,  can  be 
made  very  quickly,  and  may  be  shifted  at 
a  moment's  notice  to  the  particular  range 
where  it  will  be  most  useful. 

A  frame  for  the  roof  can  be  made  from 
1  by  4-in.,  or  other  obtainable,  boards. 
It  is  covered  with  canvas,  prepared  roof- 


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ing,  or  anything  that  will  shed  water.  The 
size  depends  partly  on  the  number  of 
fowls  in  thie  flock,  .b^trt  about  ;$  ft.  square 
is  the  largest  roof  that  can  be  handled 
easily.  A  roof  of  this  size  wijl  accom«Q- 
date  10  to  15  fowls.  If  used  (or  a  larger 
flock,. tKe  shelter  may  be  made  in  sections, 
each  is  ft.  square,  the  completed  rpof  be- 
ing 6  ft.  wide,  and  as  long  as  necessary. 
The  3helter,  consists  pf  this  roof,  sup- 

?orted  on  stakes  driven  into  the  ground, 
t  need  not  be  more  than  1  ft.  from  the 
grpund  to  the  roof,  at  the  lower  edge, 
jand  Just  enough  higher. at  the  front  to 
give  It  the  ^^oper  slant  for  shedding  rain. 
The  usual  method  is  to  place  such  a  shel- 
ter from  S  to  10  yd.  from  each  colony 
house. 


GRopes  holding  camp  tents  in  place 
should  be  loosened  at  night,  or  moisture 
may  cause  them  to  .contract  and  pull  out 
the  stakes,  resulting  in  a  wrecked  tent  if 
the  weather  is  windy. 


Kutper  Used  as  a  Hacfcaaw 

T4ie  usefulness  of  an  or^inetry  shaper 
for  sawing  is  paiticularly  apparent  when 
slanting  cuts  arc  to  be  made ;  by  swiveling 


Testing  Ignition  Condensers 

When  a  gasoline  engine  begins  to  miss 
on  first  one  cylinder  and  then  another, 
when  a  feeble  red  spark  appears  at  the 
plug,  when  the  breaker  points  bum 
quickly,  and  when  a  large  amount  of 
sparking  can  be  seen  at  the  breaker  points 
while  the  engine  is  running,  the  chances 
are  that  the  con- 
denser  is  not 
working  properly. 
It  can  be  tested 
with  the  ordinary 
shop  equipment, 
if  wired  up  as 
shown  in  th^ 
sketch.  The  cur- 
rent is  supplied  b^ 
four  to  six  dry  cells.  An  ignition  coil  is 
placed  in  the  circuit,  just  as  used  with  the 
engine.  The  condenser  is  connected 
across  the  spark  gap,  with  the  battery  in 
series,  and  the  wire  ends  are  touched  to- 
gether and  then  separated.  This  should 
be  repeated  with  and  without  the  con- 
denser, using  a  switch  to  throw  it  into 
circuit,  and  the  spark  caused  by  separa- 
tion of  the  ends  of  the  wire  noted  in  each 
case.  If  a  good  condenser  is  being  tested, 
practically  no  spark  will  result.  If  a  poor 
condenser  is  under  test,  or  none  at  all  is 
in  the  circuit,  a  large  spark  will  be  caused 
by  separating  the  wires.  It  should  be  re- 
membered that  loose  condenser  connec- 
tions will  often  give  the  same  results  as  a 
poor  condenser^^^-S.  E.  Gibbs,  Urbana,  III. 


The  Unditlnefs  of  the  8hj|per  Ji  Solar ged  by 
FrovidAR$  It  with  iLli^l(MWLPraine 

the  vise,  the  saw  can  be -set  t^-ctrt  at  any 
desired  angle.  Certain  ijuts  -can  be  made 
in  heavy  castings,  which  coiild  not  be 
held  in  ihe  ordinary  power  hacksaw,  and 
a  short  stroke,  f>ossible  with  the  shaper, 
is  oft^en  an  added  advantage  for  this  kind 
of  work* — J.  J.  Mclntyre,  Rridgeport, 
Connecticut. 


A  Bench  Hoist  or  Crane 

A  simple  hoisting  rig,  pr  bench  crane, 
is  easily  made  of  iron  pipe,  and  two 
pieces  of  iron  bar.  One  piece  of  pipe  is 
used  for  the  col- 
umn, or  upright, 
and  its  top  end  is 
flattened  for  a 
length  of  about  2 
in.  A  diagonal 
slot  is  drilled  and 
filed  in  the  pipe 
11/2  ft.  below  the 
top,  for  the  brace, 
which  is  bolted  to 
the  pipe  and  to 
the  iron  boom. 
The  lower  end  of 
the  pipe  has  a 
piece  of  round 
stock  riveted  into 

it,  and  the  lower  end  of  this  piece  is  made 
ball-shaped  to  act  as  a  pivot,  A  block  of 
wood,  with  a  dished  iron  plate  secured 
to  it,  is  used  under  the  foot  of  the  crane 
as  a  bearing.  The  pipe  passes  through 
the  bench,  which  helps  support  it. — C.  H. 
Willey,  Concord,  N.  H. 


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Blueprint  Holder  for  Machinists 

A  machinist  often  has  to  turn  to  a  blue- 
print from  the  bench  or  machine  count- 
less times  during 
the  several  opera- 
tions required  in 
his  work.  This  is 
both  a  waste  of 
time    and    effort. 


sq«w 


A   Blueprint   Holder  near   the   Machine   Helps   a 

Machinist  to   Do  Accurate  Work 

with  the  Least  Effort 

The  blueprint  holder  shown  in  the  sketch 
will  hold  the  print  constantly  before  him 
so  he  can  read  it  while  standing  naturally 
at  his  machine.  It  is  easily  made  from  odds 
and  ends  to  be  picked  up  about  the  shop. 
Mount  a  piece  of  %e  or  %-in.  round  iron 
rod,  about  3  in.  long,  vertically  in  a  block 
of  hard,  heavy  wood,  sufficiently  large  to 
support  it  steadily,  by  first  drilling  a  hole 
in  the  block  slightly  smaller  than  the  rod, 
and  then  threading  one  end  of  the  rod 
into  it.  Next,  cut  a  block,  about  2  in. 
square,  out  of  hard  wood,  and  drill  a  hole 
through  its  center,  slightly  larger  than 
the  rod.  Then,  through  one  side,  at  right 
angles  to  the  hole,  insert  a  thumbscrew, 
•  and  opposite  it  fasten  a  strong  spring 
paper  clip  of  the  type  shown.  Turn  out 
I  a  similar  block,  but  screw  a  stout  stick 
'about  2  ft.  long  to  it,  each  end  bearing  a 
spring  clip.  The  block  bearing  the  single 
clip  will  accommodate  small  sketches, 
while  the  stick  having  two  clips  on  it  can 
be  slipped  into  place  when  larger  draw- 
ings are  to  be  read.  By  means  of  the 
thumbscrew,  the  blocks  can  be  raised 
or  lowered  upon  the  rod  to  the  desired 
height,  and  held  firmly  in  place.  If  it  is 
desired  to  secure  the  stand  upon  the  ma- 
chine upon  which  the  work  is  to  be  done, 
tap  a  hole  in  the  machine  bed,  into  which 
the  threaded  end  of  the  rod  may  be 
screwed. — L.  B.  Robbins,  Harwich,  Mass. 


CA  hacksaw  blade  can  be  fitted  into  a 
frame  which  is  too  long  for  it,  by  bending 
a  long  nail  so  as  to  hook  into  the  hole  of 
the  blade  and  fasten  it  to  the  handle  end. 


Feeding  Liquid  Fertilizers 

It  is  always  a  difficult  matter  to  make 
sure  that  liquid  fertilizers  fed  to  a  plant 
really  reach  the  roots.  Much  of  the  solu- 
tion is  lost  because  it  spreads  over  a  wide 
area  of  the  top  soil.  This  trouble  is 
avoided  by  the  simple  method  of  sinking 
an  ordinary  flowerpot  close  to  the  stem 
of  the  plant.  It  should  be  plunged  in 
right  up  to  the  rim,  in  such  position  that 
the  hole  at  the  lower  part  is  nearly  in 
contact  with  the  roots.  When  it  is  de- 
sired to  apply  the  fertilizer,  the  solution 
is  simply  poured  into  the  pot,  and  allowed 
to  soak  away  slowly  through  the  hole. 
Plants  treated  in  this  way  show  a  marked 
improvement  over  those  dealt  with  in  the 
ordinary  manner,  which  is  really  wasteful 
of  the  fertilizer. 


Device  Applies  Glue  or  Cement 

_      to  Long  Boards 

An  easily  constructed  fixture,  for  apply- 
ing glue  or  cement  to  one  side  only  of 
long  strips  of  wood,  can  be  made  as  shown 
in  the  sketch.  A  small  metal-lined  con- 
tainer is  made,  with  two  uprights  pro- 
jecting in  the  center  to  form  supporting 
bearings  for  two  rollers.  The  lower  roller 
is  made  of  wood,  with  felt  fastened  to 
its  outer  surface;  the  upper  roller  is  also 
of  wood,  but  can  be  adjusted  up  and  down 
in  the  uprights  so  that  different  thick- 
nesses of  board  may  be  used.  The  ad- 
hesive substance  is  picked  up  by  the  lower, 
roller  and  carried  on  the  felt,  so  that  a 
board   running  between   the   two   rollers 


One  Side  of  a  Long  Strip  ia  Covered  Evenly  with 
Glue  by  Passing  It  between  the  Rollers 

will  receive  the  cement  on  its  underside, 
as  the  lower  roller  rolls  on  it.     At  the 


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same  time,  the  roller  dips  into  the  cement, 
which  provides  a  sure  supply  to  the 
boards  as  they  are  pushed  through.  As 
the  two  rollers  do  not  touch  when  they 
are  not*  in  operation,  no  glue  reaches  the 
other  side  of  the  board.  The  upper  roller 
supplies  just  sufficient  pressure  to  squeeze 
the  glue  out  of  the  felt  as  the  board  goes 
over  the  lower  roller. 


a  large  hole  made  in  it,  covered  with  cloth 
glued   around   th^   edges.     This    permits 


Perforated  Pail  Sprinkles 

Insect  Powder 

Florists  or  gardeners  who  have  a  large 
number  of  plants  which  must  be  sprinkled 
with  "slug  shot,"  or  other  insect  powder, 
will  find  use  for  an  ordinary  tin  pail  with 
a  lid,  and  with  numerous  small  holes 
punched  in  the  bottom.  The  pail  makes 
the  task  of  shaking  the  powder  over  the 
plants  a  light  one. 


To  Recover  a  Lost  Faucet  Screw 

It  may  happen  sometimes  that  the  ma- 
chine screw  from  the  underside  of  the 
valve  stem  in  a  faucet  works  loose,  and 
drops  down  a  straight  length  of  water 
pipe.  It  may  be  recovered  in  this  way: 
First  shut  off  the  water  pressure,  then 
remove  the  valve  stem;  plug  up  the  in- 
side of  the  spout  with  waste,  and  cover 
the  upper  open  end  of  the  faucet  with  a 
glass  tumbler.  Now,  by  having  some  one 
turn  the  water  on  and  off  quickly  a  few 
times  with  a  fairly  good  pressure,  the  lost 
screw  will  be  forced  up  the  pipe  and  out 
through  the  top  opening  covered  by  the 
tumbler,  thence  falling  into  the  basin, 
which  should  first  be  stopped  at  the  out- 
let.— Fred  Schimke,  Hartford,  Conn. 


A  Homemade  Suction  Cleaner  Makes  Use  of  a  Hand 
Blower  Such  as  Used  on  Light  Forges 

the  air  to  escape  after  discharging  its  dust 
in  the  can. 


A  Folding  Sawhorse 

The  sawhorse  illustrated  folds  up  flat, 
so  that  it  can  be  stored  in  a  small  space. 
The  thickness,  when  folded,  is  but  little 
more  than  the  width  of  the  stock  used  in 
making  the  horse,  which  can,  of  course, 
be  from  2  to  6  in.  or  more,  depending 
on  the  size  and  strength  desired.  Screen- 
door  hooks  at  each  end  keep  the  legs  from 


A  Suction  Carpet  Cleaner 

A  blower  such  as  used  in  small  forges, 
some  pipe  and  fittings,  a  tin  can,  and  an 
iron  strap  are  the  materials  used  for  mak- 
ing the  suction  cleaner  illustrated.  The 
size  of  the  pipe  to  be  used  will  be  deter- 
mined by  the  dimensions  of  the  blower. 
The  best  kind  of  pipe  to  use  is  light  brass 
plumbing-fixture  pipe.  The  two  pieces  in- 
serted in  the  tee  at  the  bottom  should  be 
perforated  with  a  number  of  small  holes, 
large  enough  to  receive  the  dust  drawn 
in  by  the  suction  from  the  blower.  Care 
must  be  taken  to  mount  the  blower  in 
the  proper  direction  so  that  it  will  force 
the  air  upward  rather  than  downward. 
The  dust  catcher  may  be  a  tin  can  of  suit- 
able size,  the  cover  of  which  should  have 


The  Four  Legs  of  the  Sawhorse  Fold  Up  on  Unfast- 
ening the  Two  Hooks  in  the  Ends 

folding  up  while  in  use,  and  give  rigidity 
to  the  sawhorse — C.  A.  Black,  Jr.,  Hights- 
town,  N.  J. 


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A  Combination  Hoe  and  Spade 

The  illustration  showk  a  tool  which  can 
be  changed  from  a  good  strong  hoe  into 
an  equally  stiflf  spade  by  removing  four 


ROUND -HEAD   BOLT 


U8E0  A8  A   QPADC 


USED   AS    A  HOC 


Removing  the  Pour  Bolts  and  Reversing  the  Blade 
Converts  the  Garden  Spade  into  a  Hoe 

bolts  and  replacing  them.  In  this  way, 
the  one  tool  will  serve  the  purpose  of 
both,  especially  when  one  of  the  tools  is 
needed  only  occasionally. — Violet  John- 
son, Rockford,  III. 


Engine  Oil  Heated  before  Pouring 

In  cold  weather,  lubricating  oil,  espe- 
cially that  for  air-cooled  engines,  becomes 
too  thick  to  pour  easily.    Even  when  kept 
in    a    heated    ga- 
rage,   the    cement 
floor   upon    which 
the  container  usu- 
ally  rests   is   cold 
enough     to     keep 
the  oil  thick.   The 
heater    shown    in 
the    sketch     will 
enable  the  motor- 
cyclist   or   airman 
to    pour    the    oil 
easily.      A     short 
piece    of    board 
rests     across     the 
top  of  the  pail  in  which  the  oil  is  to  be 
kept.    To  the  underside  of  this  board  are 
nailed  two  short  pieces  extending  nearly 
to  the  bottom   of  the  pail.     A  200-watt 
enameled  resistance  coil  is  slipped  onto  a 
long  porcelain  tube,  which  is  supported 
about  3  in.  above  the  bottom  of  the  pail 
by  the  two  wooden  pieces.    The  terminals 
of  this  coil  are  connected  to  a  lamp  cord 


which  is  inserted  through  a  piece  of  por- 
celain tube,  knotted  and  wrapped  with 
tape  on  the  tube  to  keep  it  in  place.  It 
should  be  provided  with  a  plug  at  the  end, 
for  connecting  to  the  lighting  'circuit. 
The  200-watt  coil  will  heat  a  pail  of  lubri- 
cant from  32°  F.  to  lOO**  F.  in  about  one- 
half  hour.  If  the  enameled  heater  coil 
cannot  be  easily  obtained,  a  coil  which 
will  serve  the  purpose  as  well  can  be 
made  by  winding  12  ft.  of  No.  36  gauge 
nickel-silver  ("German  silver")  wire  upon 
the  porcelain  tube.  Each  turn  must  be 
spaced  so  as  not  to  touch  any  other  turn. 
Such  a  heater  will  be  found  very  useful 
in  a  large  garage. — J.  G.  Zimmerman, 
Milwaukee,  Wis. 


Hopper-Cooled  Gas  Engine  Provided 
with  Circulating  System 

When  a  hopper-cooled  gas  engine  is  run 
under  heavy  load  for  long  periods,  espe- 
cially indoors,  in  the  summer,  it  fails  to 

give    adequate  

cooling,  and  the 
water  soon  boils 
away.  Since  run- 
ning the  engine 
without  water 
would  soon  ruin 
it,  some  one  must 
be  on  hand  to 
watch  the  water 
supply.  A  much 
better    way,    both 

from  the  standpoint  of  efficient  cooling, 
and  that  of  having  to  watch  the  engine,  is 
to  provide  a  circulating  system.  A  large 
pail,  or  other  receptacle,  is  provided  with 
short  lengths  of  pipe  at  both  top  and  bot- 
tom. The  hopper  of  the  engine  is  also 
fitted  with  a  short  length  of  pipe  at  the 
top.  The  two  pieces  of  pipe,  one  at  the  top 
of  the  pail,  the  other  at  the  top  of  the 
hopper,  are  connected  with  a  piece  of 
rubber  hose.  Another  piece  of  hose  con- 
nects the  drain  cock  on  the  engine  with 
the  pipe  at  the  bottom  of  the  pail.  When 
the  pail  is  filled  with  water,  the  drain  cock 
opened,  and  the  engine  running,  there  is 
a  continuous  circulation  of  water  which 
prevents  the  water  from  vaporizing  so 
rapidly,  and  therefore  the  system  does  not 
have  to  be  filled  as  often  as  if  the  hopper 
were  used  alone. 


([Several  yards  of  asbestos  paper  wrapped 
around  the  hot-water  tank  and  bound 
with  a  steel  wire  will  keep  the  water  hot 
for  use  at  night,  and  sometimes  even  in 
the  early  morning. 


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An  Upright  Enlarging  Camera 


By  ARTHUR  F.  SMITH 


WHERE  a  limited  floor  space  in  the 
dark  room  is  available  for  an  enlarg- 
ing camera,  an  upright  machine  will  be 
found  the  most  prac- 
tical. The  type  shown 
here  can  be  operated  like 
any  printing  box,  while 
in  a  sitting  posture.  Its 
construction  is  simple, 
and  the  material  used  in 
its  making  are,  with  the 
exception  of  -the  elec- 
trical attachments,  dis- 
carded parts  of  some- 
thing else.  It  is  made  up 
of  a  few  feet  of  old  1-in. 
pipe,  some  boards,  nails, 
bolts,  a  bit  of  black 
cloth,  two  valve  wheels, 
a  piece  of  cardboard,  an 
old  pair  of  lenses,  a 
bread  board,  a  small 
auto-headlight  reflector, 
an  electric-lamp  socket, 
and  a  few  feet  of  cord. 

The  frame,  or  stand- 
ajd,  consists  of  the  two 
long  pipes,  which  are 
set  upright,  and  fastened 
at  the  base  to  the  board 
platform  by  means  of 
floor  flanges.  At  the  top 
of  the  standard  are 
hung  the  light  box  and 
camera.  These  are  fas- 
tened to  the  standard  by 
four  strips  of  galvanized 
iron,  1  in.  in  width,  bent 
around  the  pipe  and 
screwed  at  the  ends  to 
the  corners  of  the  box. 
Bolts  are  placed  through 
the  strips  as  near  the 
pipe  as  possible.  When 
these  are  tightened  they 
hold  the  box  in  place, 
and  when  loosened,  the  box  can 
changed  to  a  higher  or  lower  position.  In 
the  top  of  the  box  the  reflector  is  placed ; 
if  a  long-necked  nitrogen  or  argon-filled 


lamp  is  used,  a  cone  or  tube  should  be  set 
above  the  reflector,  to  support  the  socket 
and  keep  the  filament  well  to  the  back 
of  the  reflector.  This 
can  be  made  from  tin, 
brass,  or  any  material 
available.  The  inside  of 
the  box  is  |^iven  a  coat 
of  white  pamt,  or  silver 
enamel,  such  as  used  on 
steam  radiators.  At  the 
bottom  of  the  box  is  a 
slot  where  a  cardboard 
frame  is  inserted,  which 
holds  the  negative.  A 
ground  glass  should  be 
placed  on  the  upper  side 
of  the  negative  plate;  if 
a  film  is  used,  place  it 
between  a  ground  glass 
and  a  clear  glass,  with 
the  ground  glass  on  top. 
This  distributes  the  rays 
of  light  more  evenly 
over  the  negative.  A 
piece  of  black  cloth  is 
tacked  over  the  slot,  and 
dropped  down  over  it 
while  the  exposure  is 
being  made,  to  keep  the 
light  from  escaping.  At 
the  bottom  of  the  box 
the  lenses  are  mounted. 
An  ordinary  camera  can 
be  used  here,  or  lenses 
can  be  mounted  perma- 
nently. If  the  latter  ar- 
rangement is  used,  all 
that  one  needs  to  buy  is 
sf^pair  of  secondhand 
lenses;  the  rest  is  mere- 
ly a  box  with  black-cloth 
sides,  open  at  the  light 
end.     An    opening   only 

large    enough    to    insert 

from  Cheap  Material.  ^^e  lens  is  necessary  at 

be  the  lower  end.  This  camera,  or  lens  mount- 
ing, slides  up  and  down  on  a  frame  or 
track,  in  order  to  get  the  correct  focus.  A 
thumbscrew  or  bolt  is  used  to  hold  the 


An  Upright  Enlarging  Camera  Is  Compact, 
Convenient  in  Use,  and  Easy  to  Make 


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camera  in  place  on  the  track.  Several 
stiff  wire  squares  can  be  put  around  the 
black  cloth,  and  attached  to  it  at  the  four 
corners;  this  will  keep  it  from  sagging  in 
and  cutting  off  the  light  while  the  "bel- 
lows" is  relaxed. 

Below  the  camera  is  the  easel,  made 
from  a  bread  board  attached  to  a  piece  of 
pipe  by  two  wood  screws  through  the 
pipe.  The  pipe  is  attached  to  the  stand- 
ard by  two  tees,  larger  than  the  long 
pipes,  so  that  they  will  slide  up  and  down 
freely.  Through  one  side  of  each  tee  a 
hole  is  drilled  and  threaded,  and  in  it 
works  a  stove  bolt  of  the  same  size,  which 
is  soldered  onto  a  valve  wheel.  When 
these  setscrews  are  tightened  against  the 
upright  pipes,  they  hold  the  easel  at  the 
proper  elevation.  As  the  printing  paper 
lies  flat  on  this  table,  no  pins  or  thumb 
tacks  are  needed.  The  paper  is  held  flat 
by  laying  a  piece  of  glass  on  it.  If  a 
border  is  desired  on  pictures,  pieces  of 
glass  varying  in  size  can  be  masked  and 
placed  over  the  paper.  To  insure  getting 
the  paper  in  the  same  location  each  time, 
the  board  is  laid  off  for  different-sized  pic- 
tures, and  holes  are  made  partly  through 
the  board  where  small  pegs  are  placed  to 
hold  the  paper  and  glass  in  position.  Any 
number  of  pictures  can  be  made  from  one 
negative  without  moving  these  pegs. 
When  a  different-size  picture  is  to  be 
made,  the  pins  are  set  over  in  the  other 
holes,  and  the  paper  and  glass  can  be 
dropped  into  place  quickly.     These  pegs 


can  be  made  from  matches  or  short  nails 
with  heads  removed. 

If  a  picture  is  desired  that  would  be  too 
large  for  the  board  to  accommodate,  place 
a  mirror  on  the  board  at  a  45°  angle  to 
the  lens,  and  place  the  paper  on  a  near-by 
wall. 

Developing  trays  for  the  large  prints 
can  be  made  at  a  very  small  expense. 
Wooden  boxes,  about  3  in.  deep,  are  used? 
white  oilcloth  being  tacked  to  the  rim  of 
the  box,  and  pressed  down  inside.  These 
will  last  a  long  time. 

During  the  several  hours  usually  re- 
quired for  drying  large  prints,  they  will 
often  curl  up.  The  drier  used  with  this 
machine  was  made  out  of  a  3-ft.  length  of 
furnace  pipe.  Several  yards  of  corrugated 
paper  were  secured  from  a  store,  also  as 
marfy  yards  of  cheesecloth.  The  cloth  and 
paper  were  basted  together  along  the 
edges,  and  the  pipe  was  rolled  up  in  them", 
with  the  cloth  on  the  outside.  Place  prints, 
face  down,  on  the  cloth,  wrap  some  news- 
paper or  wrapping  paper  and  some  string 
around  the  roll  outside  of  the  prints,  and 
set  the  roll  on  end  above  a  small  oil  stove. 
In  a  few  minutes,  the  prints  can  be  re- 
moved both  dry  and  straight.  This  drier 
does  not  take  up  as  much  space  as  the 
ordinary  racks,  and  a  large  number  of 
prints  can  be  handled  in  a  very  short  time. 

This  entire  finishing  outfit  was  made  at 
a  very  small  cost,  and  any  amateur  should 
be  able  to  secure  and  assemble  the  mate- 
rial used-  in  its  construction. 


Fish-Rod  Reel  Forms  Small  Drill  Press 

While    building   a    model    airplane,   an 
amateur   mechanic  used   a    small   geared 


of  %  in.  Care  was  taken  to  get  this  hole 
exactly  in  the  center  of  the  shaft  end, 
and  parallel  with  the  length  of  the  shaft. 
The  shank  of  the  drill  was  then  placed  in 
this  hole,  and  the  soft  brass  of  the  shaft 
pricked  with  a  center  punch  to  hold  the 
drill  firmly  in  place.  Each  end  of  the  reel 
tang  was  then  drilled,  so  that  it  could  be 
screwed  firmly,  to  the  top  of  the  work- 
bench. A  screw  was  sunk  part  way  into 
the  bench,  upon  which  to  rest  the  piece 
of  wood  while  boring  with  the  miniature 
drill  press.  Since  the  reel  cost  less  than 
$1  in  the  first  place,  and  was  not  harmed 
by  the  change  made,  the  drill  was  eco- 
nomical as  well  as  efficient. — Jack  D.  Bar- 
dill,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 


A  40.Yard  Multiplying  Fishing  Reel  Makes  a  Cheap 

rilf  Press  for  Small  Work 


Drill 


drill  press,  made  from  a  cheap  40-yd.  mul- 
tiplying fishing-rod  reel.  The  oil  cup  was 
removed  from  the  end  opposite  the  crank, 
and  a  hole  drilled  in  the  end  of  the  spool 
shaft  with  a  No.  60  twist  drill,  to  a  depth 


Cleaning  Stained  Marble 

Marks  on  marble  detract  very  much 
from  its  appearance.  Many  of  these, 
owing  to  their  greasy  nature,  will  not 
yield  to  ordinary  washing  with  soap  and 
water.    All  stains  may  be  easily  removed 


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if  the  marble  is  washed  with  a  weak  solu- 
tion of  oxalic  acid  and  water,  about  a 
teaspoonful  to  a  pint.  A  stronger  solu- 
tion may  be  used  in  the  case  of  very  deep 
stains,  but  on  no  account  must  it  be  al- 
lowed to  remain  for  more  than  a  few 
minutes  on  the  marble,  or  it  will  eat  into 
the  surface.  The  polish  may  be  taken 
away  by  the  cleaning  process,  but  it  can 
be  rapidly  restored  by  mixing  powdered 
pumice  stone  and  vinegar,  and  rubbing 
it  on  the  surface.  Leave  it  on  for  a  short 
time,  and  then  wash  with  plain  water. 
Finally,  wipe  the  marble  quite  dry  and 
rub  briskly  with  whiting,  and  a  piece  of 
chamois  skin.  A  beautiful  polish  can  be 
quickly  secured  by  this  method  on  any 
marble  surface. 


Catching  Poultry  with  a  Net 

It  is  almost  impossible  to  catch  one  out 
of  a  flock  of  chickens  by  ordinary  means 
without  creating  a  commo-       _ 


Cartridges  Make  Simple  Switchboard 

A  switchboard  of  the  plug-in  type  can 
be  readily  made  by  the  amateur  from  a 
number   of   rifle   cartridge   shells   of   the 
same  size.     These  are  sawed  off  at  the 
open  end  to  a  length  slightly  greater  than 
the    thickness    of 
the     plug     board. 
Holes  of  the  prop- 
er size  are  drilled 
in  the  board,  the 
shells  are  inserted, 
and    fastened    by 
driving     a    staple 
beside    each    and 
bending  it  over,  as 
shown.      A     wire 

soldered  to  t  h  e  ePRiNo-BRAoa  Ptue 
rear  end  of  each  cell  provides  the  elec- 
trical connection  to  it.  The  plug  used  is 
made  from  a  single  strip  of  spring  brass, 
by  bending  it  to  the  shape  indicated,  and 
soldering  the  cord  to  the  strip  at  the  bend. 
Such  a  switchboard  provides  a  very  handy 
means  of  connecting  any  two  of  a 
large  number  of  circuits. — F.  H.  Sweet, 
Waynesboro,  Va. 


Adhesive  Plaster  Makes  Good  Ends 
for  Shoestrings 

When  the  metal  ends  come  off  from 
shoestrings,  it  is  not  necessary  to  throw 
the  string  away  or  spend  much  time  mak- 
ing new  ends  from  pieces  of  metal.  A 
quicker  and  very  satisfactory  way  is  to 
use  a  small  piece  of  adhesive  plaster, 
rolled  around  the  end  of  the  string,  and 
heated  slightly,  if  convenient,  to  insure 
that  it  will  not  come  loose. — Henry  E. 
Lynch,  Montreal,  Can. 


Fowls  may  be  Caught  without  Disturbing  the  Flock 
by  Using  a  Poultry  Net 

regular  woven  variety,  is  fastened  to  this 
ring.  To  catch  the  fowl  it  is  only  neces- 
sary to  walk  quietly  among  the  flock  until 
the  fowl  to  be  caught  is  singled  out.  A 
quick  flop  of  the  net  catches  the  fowl 
without  exciting  the  flock,  as  the  usual 
prolonged  chase  would  do. — Fred  Telford, 
Chicago,  111. 


Seedlings  Watched  While  Growing 

In  many  schools,  teachers  show  their 
/  pupils  how  a  seed  germinates  and  grows, 

as    part    of    their  

nature  study.  One 
way  in  which  this 
is  done  is  to  use  a 
glass  fruit  jar,  as 
shown  in  the 
photograph.  The 
jar  is  first  lined 
with  blotting 
paper.  The  space 
inside  the  jar  is 
then  filled  with 
sawdust.  The 
seeds  to  be 
watched  are 
placed  between 
the  blotting  paper 
and  the  glass.  By 
keeping  the  saw- 
dust wet,  the  seeds  germinate  readily  and 
can  be  examined  through  the  glass  at  any, 
stage  of  their  growth.  They  should  be^ 
kept  in  a  warm,  sunny  place. 


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How  to  Make  DouMt  Bsfwiures 

It  is  not  DBcoounon  at  moTiBg-pic- 
ture  shows  to  rsee  an  actor  play  two  dif- 
ferent parts  on  the  screen  at  the  saone 


The  Use  of  a  Homemade  Bsplicator  Makes  It  Poa- 

sible  to  Take  Pictutes  of  a  Man  Playing 

Cards  with 'Himself 

time.  In  spite  of  its  seeming  impossibil- 
ity, almost  any  amateur  photographer  may 
make  pictures  of  his  friends  playing  games 
with  themselves,  as  the  old  man  in  the 
photograph  is  doing,  or  even  to  have  them 
shake  hands  with  themselves.  The  trick 
is  accomplished  by  what  is  called  "double 
exposure,"  which  means  that  two  diflFerent 
pictures  are  taken  on  the  same  plate  or 
section  of  film.  The  easiest  way  in  which 
the  amateur  can  take  such  pictures  is  to 
use  a  device  called  a  duplicator,  which  can 
be  made  at  home  in  a  few  minutes.  If  a 
film  camera  of  the  folding  type  is  to  be 
used,  secure  a  small,  round,  pasteboard 
box,  such  as  a  pill  box,  just  large  enough 
to  slip  over  the  lens  housiijg.  Cut  exactly 
half  of  the  bottom  from  the  box.  To  take 
the  picture,  set  the  camera  on  a  solid  base, 
and  pose  the  person  who  is  to  do  the  act- 
ing on  one  side  of  a  table,  or  other  posi- 
tion, as  selected.  Then  slip  the  dupli- 
cator over  the  lens,  with  the  opening  in 
the  bottom  of  the  pill  box  on  the  side  of 
the  lens  opposite  to  that  upon  which  the 
person  is  sitting.  For  example,  if  the 
sitter  is  on  the  right  side  of  the  table,  the 
left  side  of  the  lens  should  be  uncovered. 
Then  make  the  normal  exposure  for  the 
subject  and  distance,  leaving  the  duplica- 
tor on  the  shutter.  Then  turn  the  dupli- 
cator so  that  the  opposite  side  of  the  lens 
is  covered,  pose  the  sitter  on  the  other 
side  of  the  table,  and  take  another  picture 
withont  turning  the  film.  If  the  work  is 
properly  done,  the  finished  picture  will 
show  the  sitter  on  both  sides  of  the  table, 
similar  to  the  effect  seen  in  the  photo- 


graph printed  here.  Since  tbe  -poses  can 
be  changed  to  soit  the  fancy  of  tbe  pdio- 
tc^rapher,  there  is  no  limit  to  the -variety 
of  pictufes  that  may  be  made  ia  this  way. 
However,  in  taking  such  pictures  as  that 
of  a  man  shaking  hands  with  himself,  it 
is  extremely  difficult  to  pose  the  pictnre  so 
that  the  hands  will  meet  exactly. 

With  a  folding  plate  camera,  the  dupli- 
cator may  be  a  piece  of  cardboard  inserte<l 
in  the  back  of  the  camera,  between  the 
bellows  and  the  plate  holder.  It  is  used 
in  the  same  way  as  the  pill  box. 

Box  cameras  are  used  for  double  ex- 
posures by  holding  a  piece  of  cardboard 
oyer  half  of  the  lens  opening  on  the  same 
side  that  the  sitter  is  placed  on.  In  any 
case,  a  great  deal  of  amusement  can  be 
had  by  a  careful  camera  owner,  by  asking 
people  to  pose  for  him  in  this  way.  It  is 
also  possible  to  pose  different  people  on 
the  same  plate  or  £lm  without  their 
knowledge,  much  to  their  astonishment 
when  the  finished  picture  is  seen. — S.  R. 
Fass,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 


A  Match  Scratcher  for  the  Shop  Exit 

Workmen,  leaving  the  factory  or  shop 
at  quitting  time,  almost  invariably  light 
a  pipe  or  cigarette  as  they  pass  from  the 
exit.  While  this  gives  them  shelter  from 
the  wind,  it  also  means  that  the  walls 
near  the  door  will  be  defaced  by  the  strik- 
ing of  matches.  A  shop  manager,  realiz- 
ing that  he  could  not  prevent  this  habit, 
had  large  strips  of  emeiy  paper  placed  on 
the  walls  near  the  exits.  These  strips 
were  approximately  18  in.  wide  and  10 
ft.  long,  and  were  bordered  by  strips  of 
varnished  wood,  as  shown  in  the  sketch. 
Needless  to  say,  the  workmen  appreciated 


A  Factory  Iffatch-Scratcher  Panel  PmvcAts  Bmployea 
from  Defacing  tiie  Walls  on  Their  Way  Out 

this  convenience,  and  did  all  their  match 
scratching  on  the  emery  cloth. — K.  M. 
Coggeshall,  Webster  Groves,  Mo. 


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Woodland  Shelter  House  Built  around  Dead  Tree  Trunk 


THERE  is  not  much  pleasure  to  be  had 
in  the  woods  if  no  shelter  is  near 
when  rain  threatens  at  any  minute.  Many 
picnics  are  broken  up  by  showers  which 
last  but  a  few  minutes,  simply  because 
there  is  no  way  to  protect  the  food  or  to 
keep  dry  until  the  squall  passes  over. 
A  shelter,  such  as  illustrated,  will  take 
the  discomfort  out  of  walks  and  picnics, 
and  will  induce  people  to  tempt  the 
weather  more  often,  since  they  know  that 
protection  is  within  easy  reach. 

A  dead  tree,  the  trunk  of  which  is  still 
quite  sound,  makes  an  excellent  start  for 
such  a  shelter.  It  should  be  cut  off  about 
10  ft.  from  the  ground,  care  being  taken 
to  make  the  saw  cuts  as  even  as  possible. 
It  may  be  necessary  to  erect  scaffolding 
to  make  this  cut  properly.  After  the  cut 
surface  is  worked  smooth,  eight  ^rafters 
are  fitted  into  the  top  of  the  trunk.  The 
rafters  are  12  ft.  long,  four  of  them  being 
2  by  4-in.  timber,  and  four,  4  by  4-in. 
They  are  supported  at  the  outer  end  by  4 
by  4-in.  posts,  driven  into  the  ground  and 
extending  8  ft.  above  it.  The  4  by  4-in. 
rafters  should  be  fitted  into  the  log  first, 
the  2  by  4-in.  being  added  later.  Upon  this 
framework,  which  forms  an  octagonal, 
umbrella-shaped  structure,  %-in.  boards 
are  nailed  to  form  the  roof.  This  may  be 
covered  with  shjngles  or  some  roofing  ma- 
terial. 


For  greater  comfort,  a  seat  built 
around  the  trunk  may  be  added,  and  other 
seats  may  be  built  near  it.     The  whole 


Picnickers  Have  Little  Pear  of  Patting  Rminttormt 
«    When  a  Subttantial  Shelter  It  Near  to 
Protect  Clothing  and  Pood. 

Structure  should  be  finished  in  a  dark, 
neutral  brown,  with  just  a  touch  of  white 
trimming.  If  the  roof  is  stained  a  moss- 
green,  the  color  srcheme  will  be  in  har- 
mony during  all  seasons  of  the  year,  with 
the  prevailing  colors  throughout  the  sur- 
rounding woods. — G.  L.  Meller>  Fargo, 
North   Dakota. 


Quickly  Adjusted  Canoe  Stabilizer 

Fishing  from  a  canoe  is  dangerous  at 
best.  This  is  especially  true  when  trying 
to  land  a  fighting  bass,  or  other  game  fish. 
For  use  at  such  times,  and  also  for  safety 
when  caught  out  in  rough  weather,  sta- 
bilizers such  as  shown  in  the  drawing 
are  almost  invaluable.  Two  floats,  which 
can  be  quickly  put  on  or  taken  off 
the  canoe,  will  secure  the  desired  stabil- 
ity in  any  but  the  roughest  weather.  Each 
float  consists  of  a  board,  36  in.  long,  16  in. 
wide,  and  2  in.  thick.  Two  strips  of  strap 
iron,  2  in.  wide  and  %6  in.  thick,  are  heated 
and  bent  as  shown  in  the  sketch.  These 
are  bolted  to  the  board,  and  another  nar- 
row board,  which  is  padded  with  canvas 
or  corrugated  rubber,  is  fastened  inside 
the  loops  of  the  strap  iron.  Other  pads 
are  fastened  to  the  straps  themselves,  to 
protect  the  canoe  from  the  rubbing  of  the 
straps  while  the  stabilizer  is  in  use.  While 
fishing,  or  when  paddling  across  rough 
water,  the  two  floats  are  placed  over  the 


edges  of  the  canoe  on  opposite  sides  and 
at   opposite  ends.     Th^  strap-iron   loops 


Ploatt,  Padded  to  Protect  the   Sidet  of  the  Canoe, 
Give  Stability  in  Rough  Water  or  While  Pithing 

to  fit  snugly  to  the  gunwale  of  the  canoe 
and  thus  hold  firmly. 


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Laying  Out  a  Tennis  Coort 

By  ROY  BENHAM 


A  NY  reasonably  level  vacant  lot  or  other 
'**'  grcmnd  space,  about  I3&  ft.  lonf  and 
half  as  wide,  can  be  laid  off  into  a  tennis 
court,  which  will  provide  one  of  the  best 
known  forms  of  exercise,  and  ceitan^ 
one  of  the  most  exciting  games  played  in 
America. 

If  the  ground  is  covered  with  grass  of 
a  good  quality,  this  may  be  cut  short. 


[f 


r  STAKE  m\ 

T 


AMVMIO       IfO     PT. 


b— aiFT.-.  t- 


Lay  dNt  a  BaM   Lisa  St  Faat  L«a&  at  Ltaat  St 

Ftat  from  tke  Mmd  oC  ttm  Lat 

and  a  ''grass  court"  formed.  Such  courts 
are  sometimes  preferred  by  beginners,  but 
for  the  real  game  of  tennis,  all  grass  and 
weeds  should  be  cleared  from  the  ground, 
and  may  be  kept  off  by  the  use  of  salt  or 
some  other  chemical  to  prevent  vegeta- 
tion from  growing.  The  dimensions  of 
a  tennis  court  are  laid  down  in  the  offi- 
cial rules  of  the  game,  and  the  over-all 
dimensions  are  shown  in  I^g.  1.  It  thus 
appears  that,  on  paper,  the  laying  out  of 
a  tennis  court  is  not  a  difficult  proposi- 
tion. But  when  one  actually  arrives  on 
the  ground  and  begins  to  locate  the 
points  of  a  court,  it  will  be  found  that 
unless  one  is  somewhat  experienced  in 
the  work,  the  comers  do  not  come  out 
square  and  the  lines  do  not  all  measure  up 
as  they  should.  There  are,  of  course, 
many  methods  of  going  at  the  problem 
of  laying  out  a  court,  but  it  is  believed 
that  the   one   here   explained  is   as   easy 


Arcs  Dncwn  at  a  4t>.Poot  Radiva  from  tkc  Kada  of  tha 
Base  Lixte  Dctanninc  tlM  Canter  of  tke  Court 

as  any,  and  will  enable  any  boy  or  girl 
to  lay  out  a  court  in  a  few  minutes.  Some 
stout  twine  should  be  provided  for  meas- 
uring purposes,  a  tape  measure  sereral 
feet  long,  or  a  yardstick  for  laying  out 
distances  oti  this  twine,  12  stakes  for 
marking  the  corners  of  the  court,  two 

788 


stout  fence  posts  to  hold  the  net,  and 
material  for  the  backstops,  as  described 
below. 

Beyond  the  base  lines,  or  lines  at  the 
extreme  ends  of  the  court,  there  should 
be  a  space  not  less  than  2J  it.;  30  ft.  is 
much  better  for  a  fest  game.  If  it  is 
found  that  120  ft.  of  ground  is  avaihrble 
for  the  court,  then  by  subtracting  78  from 
120,  we  ihtd  that  4Z  ft.  of  ground  will 
be  available  at  the  ends  or  21  ft.  between 
each  base  fine  and  the  backstop.  There- 
fore, lay  out  a  line  21  ft.  from  one  end, 
36  ft.  long,  to  iorm  the  base  Kne  at  this 
end  of  tlwj  ground,  as  shown  in  F^.  1. 
This  base  line  will  be  marked  by  two 
stakes,  Nos.  1  and  2,  36  ft.  apart,  and  the 
tape  or  whitewash  Kne,  whichever  is  to  be 
used  tO'  mark  the  lines  of  the  court,  may 
be  strptched  at  once  between  the  two 
stakes,  or  this  may  be  left  till  later,  as 
preferred. 

A  length  should  now  be  measured  off  on 
a  string,  43  it.  long,  with  nails  tied  in  the 
string  at  both  ends  of  the  45-ft.  length. 
(The  radius  may  be  made  42  ft.  11% 
in.,  if  great  accuracy  is  desired,^^  but  this 
is  n>ot  ordinarHy  necessary.)  First,  drhrc 
one  of  the  two  nails  in  stake  No.  1,  as 
indicated  in  Fig.  2,  and  scratch  with  the 
other  nail  an  arc  A,  near  the  center  of 
the  court.  Transfer  the  fixed  nail  from 
stake  No.  1  to  stake  No.  2,  and  scratch, 
in  a  similar  manner,  arc  B.  The  intersec- 
tion of  the  arcs  A  and  B  is  the  center  of 
the  court.  Drive  a  temporary  stake  at  this 
center,  which  we  will  call  point  O,  and 
transfer  the  fixed  nail  to  it  from  stake  No. 
2.  Carry  the  other  nail  to  the  neighbor- 
hood of  stake  No.  3,  seen  in  Fig.  3;  hold 
the  line  taut  and  sight  across  stake  O  to 
stake  No.  2.  When  the  nail  is  in  line  with 
stakes  O  and  No.  2,  make  a  mark  for 
stake  No.  3.  In  a  similar  manner,  locate 
stake  No.  4,  by  sighting  across  stake  O 
to  stake  No.  1. 

Now  swing  the  cord  around  to  the  posi- 
tion OC,  a^mit  halfway  between  stakes 
Nos.  1  and  2.  Holding  the  end  C  of  the 
cord  in  the  left  hand,  move  the  right 
hand  up  on  the  cord,  toward  the  Kne  1-2. 
Swinging  from  right  to  left  and  back 
again,  find  the  point  on  the  cord  which 
marks  the  shortest  distance  from  O  to  the 
line  1-2,  and  tie  into  the  cord  at  this  point, 
D,  the  nail  formerly  tied  at  the  43-ft.  point, 
C.  The  length  of  cord  OD  will  then  be  39 
ft.  This  distance  can  of  course  be  laid  off 
directly  from  the  yardstick  or  tape,  if 
preferred.  Next,  with  €me  of  the  two  nails 
set  in  stake  Na  I,  scratch  the  arc  E,  and 


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similarly,  from  stake  No.  2,  draw  arc  F. 
It  is  best,  before  drawing  these  arcs,  to 
draw  the  side  lines  of  the  court,  1-3  and 
2-4.  The  arcs  E  and  F  will  then  be  merely 
scratches  across  these  lines,  and  a  line 
joining  them  will  pass  through  point  O 
and  will  be  the  net  line  of  the  court.  If 
two  or  more  courts  are  being  laid  out  side 
by  side,  all  the  base  lines  being  in  line  with 
each  other,  it  is  not  necessary  to  find 
points  £  and  F  by  drawing  arcs,  as  a  line 
passing  through  all  the  center  points  O 
will  be  the  net  line  for  all  the  courts. 

The  principal  work  of  laying  out  the 
court  is  now  finished.  As  seen  in  the  com- 
pleted diagram.  Fig.  4,  a  line  from  3  to  4 
will  complete  the  outer  boundary  of  the 
"double"  court,  and  two  other  lines,  4% 
ft.  inside  of  the  side  lines  1-d  and  2-4  will 
form  the  boundaries  of  the  "single"  court. 

Between  these  two  single- court  lines 
two  service  lines  should  be  drawn  at  a 
distance  of  18  ft.  inside  the  base  lines. 
Stakes,  as  indicated  by  Nos.  S^  6,  7,  8,  9, 
10,  11,  and  12,  will  be  found  very  useful, 
although  they  would  not  be  permitted  to 
remain  on  a  championship  court;  if  the 
tape  is  torn,  or  marked  lines  obliterated 
by  rain,  they  can  be  fixed  again  in  a  short 
time  by  using  the  stakes.  If  the  stakes 
are  used,  they  must  not  be  allowed  to 
project  above  ground;  it  is  much  bet- 
ter to  have  to  hunt  a  few  seconds  for 
them  after  a  rain  has  obliterated  the 
markings,  than  to  stumble  over  them  dur- 
ing play.  The  backstops  should  be 
placed  at  the  ends  of  the  space,  which  was 
supposed  in  this  case  to  be  120  ft.  long, 
leaving  21  ft.  at  each  end  between  the 
base  line  and  the  backstop.  These  back- 
stops can  be  made  from  chicken  netting 
and  a  few  wooden  posts.  They  should  be 
from  10  to  20  ft.  high,  and  40  or  50  ft. 
wide,  bending  in  towards  the  court  at 
both  ends. 

Two  heavy  posts  should  be  placed  to 
take  the  ends  of  the  net,  3  ft.  beyond  the 


TIm  Other  Two  Coraer»  of  the  Cotrrt  are  Located 
on  a  it-Poot  Circle  from  the  Center 

double-court  boundaries  on  the  net  line. 
These  posts  should  stand  about  4  ft.  high 
from  the  ground,  and  should  be  set  in 


the  ground  firmly  enough  so  that  the  net 
can  be  stretched  very  tightly  between 
them.  It  is  better  to  buy  a  net  than  to 
try  to  make  one,  as  homemade  nets  will 
probably  be  found  rather  unsatisfactory. 


-T-T      i 


The  Completed  Court  will  Have  the  Dimensions  Laid 
Down  in  the  Rules  of  Lawn  Tennii 

The  net  should  be  attached  to  the  posts 
so  that  at  the  center,  where  it  sags  the 
most,  its  top  is  3  ft.  from  the  ground.  At 
the  sides  of  the  court,  it  should  be  6  in. 
higher  than  this.  In  attaching  the  net 
to  the  posts,  it  must  be  borne  in  mind 
that  the  net  will  stretch  during  the  course 
of  play,  and  at  least  until  it  becomes  thor- 
oughly stretched  it  must  be  adjusted 
every  little  while  by  tightening  at  the 
posts.  A  good  way,  therefore,  is  to  have 
the  rope  through  the  top  of  the  net  long 
enough  so  that  it  can  be  merely  wrapped 
around  the  top  of  the  post  several  times, 
without  being  tied,  and  will  be  held  by 
friction  only.  When  the  net  becomes 
loose,  it  is  only  necessary  to  unwrap  the 
ends  of  this  rope  from  the  post,  pull  it 
to  the  proper  tightness,  and  again  wrap 
it  around  the  post. 

No  attempt  will  be  made  here  to  tell 
how  to  play  the  game  of  tennis,  as  this 
is  quite  well  known,  and  can  be  found  in 
a  great  number  of  books.  All  players 
should  provide  themselves  with  copies  of 
the  official  rules,  which  can  be  obtained 
at  sporting-goods  stores  or  hardware 
stores  for  a  few  cents.  Only  after  one 
has  become  interested  in  the  game,  and 
acquired  some  little  proficiency  will  he 
appreciate  the  advantage  of  a  well  laid- 
out  and  constructed  court. 


Kewpie  Dolls  Hold  Talcum  Powder 

A  novel  holder  for  talcum  powder  is 
made  from  a  kewpie  doll  by  punching 
small  holes  with  a  pin  in  the  doll's  head, 
through  which  the  powder  is  sprinkled. 
A  larger  hole  is  cut  in  the  doll's  back 
through  which  it  is  filled  with  powder. 
The  hole  for  filling  may  be  covered  either 
with  a  piece  of  adhesive  plaster  or  by  a 
ribbon  tied  around  the  doll. — Mrs.  A, 
Pearl  McPherson,  Flagstaff,  Ariz. 


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Bracing  a  Tree  Limb 

Frequently  the  symmetry  of  a  tree  can 
be  preserved  by  properly  bracing  a  limb 
that  has  been  partly  broken,  or  one  that 


At  tbe  Left,  Richt  Waj.  and  at  the  Sight,  Wrong 
Way  of  Tying  Two  Limbi  Together 

threatens  to  break  off.  Since  the  vital 
fluids  of  a  tree  circulate  in  and  near  to 
the  cambium  layer,  which  lies  just  under- 
neath the  bark,  a  wire  or  iron  band  around 
a  trunk  or  branch  tends  to  cut  through 
the  bark,  and,  finally,  through  this  cam- 
bium layer,  thus  damming  the  flow  of  the 
sap  in  the  tree;  A  bolt  run  through  a 
limb  or  trunk  pierces  the  cambium  layer 
in  only  two  small  areas,  which  interferes 
with  the  movement  of  the  sap  to  such  a 
slight  extent  as  to  be  entirely  negligible. 
A  snug-fitting  bolt,  with  a  washer  for  a 
bearing,  will  support  the  weight  of  a 
branch  as  well  as  a  band  encircling  it. 
Connecting  two  bolts  set  in  different 
branches  will  throw  the  weight  of  one 
branch  onto  the  other,  and  still  allow 
plenty  of  play  for  the  swaying  of  the 
branches  in  the  wind.  Because  of  this 
swaying,  wherever  the  distance  is  enough 
to  allow  for  three  or  more  links,  a  chain 
ought  to  be  used. 
Sometimes  condi- 
tions make  it  de- 
sirable to  brace  a 
limb  by  chaining 
it  to  two  or  more 
other  limbs.  A 
small  block  and 
tackle  will  make  it 
possible  to  pull 
two  branches  to- 
gether when  put- 
ting the  chain  in 

OBSTRUCTS  FLOW  "  PtRMITS  FLOW      olaCC.     SO    that 
or  SAP  -  Of  SAP  H  '  »  ^  ^»     »>  V     ••     •  «  •• 

when    released   to 
their  natural  position,  the  chain  will  be 
tight. 
The  photograph  shows  a  repair  made 


on  a  large  ash,  which  was  badly  wrecked 
in  a  windstorm.  Its  location  was  such  as 
to  make  it  very  desirable  tp  save  the  tree, 
rather  than  wait  nntil  anotner  had  grown 
to  take  its  place.  The  cleft  at  tbe  fork, 
caused  by  the  tearing  apart  of  the  large 
branches,  extended  down  into  the  truiUc 
With  block  and  tackle,  the  heavy  branches 
were  polled  back  toward  each  other,  and 
held  securely  in  position  while  the  work 
was  going  on.  Two  large  bolts,  placed 
through  the  trunk,  brought  the  sides  of 
the  cleft  together,  and  beld  the  parts 
firmly  in  place.  The  wood,  of  coarse,  was 
sound.  A  small  groove  was  cut  at  the 
base  of  the  cleft,  so  that  any  water  that 
might  tend  to  collect  in  the  hollow  would 
run  off  quickly.  The  two  limbs  were  then 
chained  together  as  shown.  The  tree, 
thus  repaired,  has  since  passed  unharmed 
through  a  number  of  windstorms  as  severe 
as  the  one  that  wrecked  it. 


MMA-TUnC  SUPPORT^ 


A  Toy  Synchronous  Motor 

A  toy  motor,  which  runs  on  alternating 
current  from  a  small  transformer,  will 
give  much  pleasure  to  the  boy  who  makes 
it.  The  speed  of  such  a  motor  depends 
upon  the  rapidity  at  which  the  current 
alternates,  since  it  is  of  the  synchronous 
type,  that  is,  of  the  type  of  motor  which 
"keeps  step"  with  the  alternations  of  the 
current. 

The  armature,  or  moving  part  of  this 
motor,  is  a  piece 
of  clock  spring,  or  AHMArunt^  | 

other  hard  steel,  2 
in.  long.  A  hole 
is  punched  exact- 
ly in  the  center  for 
the  shaft,  which 
is  a  large  needle.  The  armature  is  held 
tightly  between  two  pencil  erasers  slipped 
over  the  ends  of  the  needle.  The  arma- 
ture support  is  made  from  sheet  brass,  or 
other  nonmagnetic  metal,  bent  to  the 
shape  shown  in  the  sketch.  A  hole  for 
the  needle  is  drilled  through  the  upper 
arm  and  through  one  thickness  of  the 
lower  arm.  A  small,  thin  piece  of  glass  is 
placed  between  the  two  thicknesses  of 
metal,  where  the  lower  arm  is  folded  over, 
for  the  needle  point  to  rest  on.  This 
makes  a  very  good  bearing. 

A  magnet  such  as  found  on  bells  and 
buzzers  may  be  used  for  the  motor.  It 
should  be  fastened  to  the  motor  base  so 
that  the  center  of  the  magnet  core  is  a 
little  above  the  level  of  the  armature  and 
about  %  in.  from  its  end. 

When  the  motor  is  assembled,  turn  on 


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the  current.  Then  give  the  armature  a 
whirl  by  spinning  the  needle  between  the 
thumb  and  finger.  It  may  take  several 
trials  to  learn  just  the  proper  speed  re- 
quired. After  the  motor  once  starts,  it 
will  run  at  a  steady  speed,  unless  too 
much  load  is  put  on  it,  or  the  current  is 
cut  off  for  an  instant. 

The  only  cause  likely  to  interfere  with 
the  running  of  such  a  motor  is  that  the 
magnetism  of  the  coil  might  be  so  strong 
as  to  demagnetize  the  armature,  rather 
than  to  turn  it  end  for  end.  If  the  motor 
shows  a  tendency  to  run  a  while  and  then 
stop,  use  a  weaker  current,  or  separate 
the  magnet  farther  from  the  armature. 

After  considerable  practice,  the  owner 
will  learn  to  run  the  motor  at  any  one  of 
two  or  three  different  speeds  by  giving 
the  armature  the  proper  whirl  in  starting 
it.  All  of  these  speeds  are  in  step  with 
the  alternations  of  the  current. — H.  J.  D., 
Chicago,  111. 


threaded  through  both  rings,  and  the  ends 
fastened  firmly  together,  thus  forming  an 
endless  chain  through  the  two  rings.     A 


To  Photograph  Fire  Scenes 

To  photograph  fire  scenes  in  daylight  is 
not  a  difficult  task  and  there  is  no  danger 
attached  to  the  feat.  A  one-fiftieth  of  a 
second  exposure  at  stop  F.ll  (Ur  S.  8) 
is  sufficient  at  a  distance  of  over  25  yd., 
provided  the  sun  is  shining  on  the  sub- 
ject. This  will  include  all  smoke  clouds 
and  details  back  of  the  scene.  No 
smoke  should  come  between  the  camera 
lens  and  subject.  Without  direct  sun, 
use  about  one-twenty-fifth  of  a  second 
at  stop  F.8  (U.  S.  4).  A  huge  conflagra- 
tion in  the  night,  while  awe-mspiring  and 
weird,  does  not  lend  itself  readily  to 
photography,  and  a  silhouette  picture  of 
the  flame  itself,  outlined  against  the 
blackness  of  the  night,  is  the  only  thing 
possible,  with  one-twenty-fifth  of  a  sec- 
ond exposure  at  stop  16— -the  largest  stop 
on  a  fixed-focus,  or  box  camera.  The 
latter  rule  applies  to  all  snapshots  of  fire 
scenes  with  fixed-focus  cameras. 


Mooring  and  Locking  a  Boat 

Away  from  Shore 

The  sketch  shows  a  method  of  mooring 
and  locking  a  boat  at  a  safe  distance  from 
the  shore.  A"  post  is  driven  into  the 
ground  on  shore  and  fitted  at  the  top  with 
a  large  iron  ring.  At  some  distance  from 
the  shore,  a  floating  buoy  is  anchored  with 
a  chain  to  a  rock  which  rests  on  the  bot- 
tom. This  buoy  has  a  short  post  fitted 
with  a  large  iron  ring,  similar  to  that  on 
the   other   post.     A   length    of   chain    is 


A  Boat  Moored  and  Locked  at  a  DiaUnce  from  the 
Shore  cannot  be  Readily  Stolen 

third  iron  ring  is  fastened  to  the  bow  of 
the  boat.  Two  padlocks  will  be  required. 
When  landing  from  the  boat,  fasten  any 
link  of  the  chain,  with  one  of  the  pad- 
locks, to  the  ring  on  the  bow  of  the  boat; 
then  pull  on  the  chain  so  as  to  move  the 
boat  away  from  shore  and  near  the  float- 
ing buoy.  Then  fasten  the  other  padlock 
through  the  ring  on  the  shore  post  and 
also  through  a  link  of  the  chain,  so  as  to 
lock  the  chain  at  that  end.  The  boat  is 
thus  held  awajr  from  the  shore,  and  can- 
not be  pulled  in  u»ntil  the  padlock  is  re- 
moved. 


A  Flexible-Handle  Scrubbing  Brush 

Many  backaches  may  be  saved  by  fur- 
nishing the  housewife  with  a  flexible- 
handle  scrubbing 
brush,  which  will 
reach  into  cor- 
ners, the  combina- 
tion making  it 
unnecessary  t  o 
stoop,  or  to  go 
down  on  the 
knees,  thus  taking 
a  great  deal  of 
hardship  out  of 
her     day's     work. 

Two    hand-scrub-  | 

bing   brushes    cut 
to  fit  together  at 

an  angle,  a  little  more  acute  than  a  right 
angle,  are  screwed  to  a  three-cornered 
piece  of  ^2-1".  wood.  A  broomstick  han- 
dle is  slipped  into  a  short  piece  of  hose, 
which  is  split  at  the  other  end,  and  fas- 
tened to  the  triangular  piece,  and  to  the 
handle,  with  tacks.  The  result  is  a  flexible 
brush  that  will  make  a  hard  task  much 
easier. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


A  Homemadci  Washing  Machine 

A  vexy  good  washing  machine  can  be 
made  from  an  ordinary  washtub,  and  a 
washer    of    the 
type  which  resem- 
bles   an    inverted 
funnel  on  a  long 
handle.     A    hard- 
w  o  o  d    handle    is 
made,  1%  by  2% 
in.  by  3  ft.    A  %6- 
in.  hole  is  drilled 
in  this,  1  ft.  from 
the    end,    and    a 
heavy    strap    of 
galvanized  iron, 
having     a     ^e-in. 
hole  in  the  center, 
is    bolted    to    the 
stick   so   that   the 
two   holes   are  in 
line  with  each  other.    Several  ^ie-in.  holes, 
bored  on  the  handle  of  the  washer,  will 
make  it  possible  to  adjust  its  height  as 
required.    A  piece  of  sheet  iron  is  cut  and 
drilled   as   shown   in   the   sketch,   and   is 
fastened  by  a  screw,  at  its  center,  to  the 
top  of  a  small  tapered  hardwood  block, 
so  that  it  will  turn  easily.     The  washer 
can  thus  be  turned  to  reach  all  parts  of 
the  tub.    The  ends  of  the  sheet-iron  strip 
are  bent  up,  and  a  small  bolt  inserted  in 
the  holes.     The  block  is  then  bolted  to 
the  edge  of  the  tub.     A  piece  of  heavy 
wire,  bent  as  shown  in  the  drawing,  is 
bolted  to  the  end  of  the  3-ft.  stick,  and 
hooks  under  the  bolt  on  the  swivel  block. 
With  the  tub  about  two-thirds  full  of 
clothes  and  hot  soapy  water,  the  hard- 
w  o  o  d    handle    is 
worked  up  and 
down,    while    the 
handle    of    the 
washer  is  held  to 
guide     it     to     all 
parts  of  the   tub. 
Every  part  of  the 
tub      can      be 
reached,    and   the 
clothes   thorough- 
ly washed  by  hav- 
ing the  hot  soapy 
water    forced 
through    them. 
The    handle    may 
be  a  d  j  u  s  t  e  d,  so 
that   a   person   of 
almost  any  height  can  use  the  washing 
machine  without  having  to  bend  over  the 
work.     The  machine  can  be  taken  apart 
by  merely  unhooking  the  wire  from  the 


bolt  on  the  swivel  block,  and  taking  oat 
the  bolt  that  holds  the  washer  -under  the 
strap  on  the  hardwood  handle.  In  this 
way,  it  can  be  easily  stored  away  in  a  very 
little  space.  It  is  easily  made,  easily  used, 
and  costs  very  little. — E.  K.  Wehry,  Cedar 
Rapids,  la. 


A  Trick  Breath  Tester 

A  great  deal  of  fun  can  be  had  by  the 
owner  of  a  trick  breath  tester.    The  in- 
strument   consists    of   a   large   test  tube 
filled   with   water.     In   this   is   placed  a 
smaller  closed-end  tube,  which  is  inverted 
and  slipped  into  the  large  tube,  thus  leaving 
enough  air  in  the  upper  end  of  the  small 
tube  to  float  it  in  the  water  of  the  large 
tube.     It   is    kept   in    the   center   of   the 
large  tube  by  a  pasteboard  disk,  soaked 
in  melted  paraffin 
or  candle  wax, 
and    fastened 
around    the    bot- 
tom of  the  small 
tube  with  some  of 
the    wax.      Holes 
cut    in    this    disk 
enable   the    water 
to  pass  through  it 
when   the  float 
moves  up  and 
down.     The  large 
test  tube  is  closed 
by  a  cork,  through 

which  a  short  length  of  glass  rod  has 
been  passed.  This  rod  forms  a  "fake" 
tube,  and  over  it  is  slipped  the  rubber 
tube,  through  which  the  victim  is  to  blow. 
When  the  cork  is  put  into  the  large  tube, 
the  buoyancy  of  the  small  tube  can  be 
,regulated  by  putting  the  cork  in  tightly 
or  pulling  it  out  somewhat,  as  necessary. 
It  should  be  so  adjusted  that,  when  the 
sides  of  the  large  tube  are  pressed,  the 
small  tube,  or  float,  will  sink  to  the  bot- 
tom of  the  large  tube.  When  the  cork  has 
been  so  adjusted,  it  should  be  sealed  in 
place  with  thick  shellac  or  sealing  wax. 
To  complete  the  deceptive  appearance  of 
the  tester,  a  paper  scale  should  be  made 
and  pasted  to  the  outside  of  the  tube. 
When  the  victim  is  asked  to  test  his 
breath,  he  blows  into  the  rubber  tpbe  as 
bard  as  possible,  but,  in  spite  of  his  ex- 
ertions, the  float  remains  stationary  at 
the  top  of  the  scale.  The  owner  then 
takes  the  tester,  and  while  apparently  us- 
ing it  in  the  same  manner  as  his  victim, 
gently  presses  the  side  of  the  laiyer  test 
tube,  at  the  same  time  blowing  into  the 
rubber  tube.    This  causes  the  float  to  sink 


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to  the  bottom  of  the  scale,  to  the  surprise 
of  the  victim,  who  does  not  know  of  the 
fact  that  the  other  person  is  using  pres- 
sure ontbe  tube. 


A  Simple  Oiain  Rheostat 

The  rheostat  shown  in  the  sketch  is 
based  on  the  effect  of  tension  between 
the  links  on  the  passage  of  electrical  cur- 
rents. By  tighten- 
mg     the     chain, 
more  current  will 
flow,    and    b  y 
loosening    it    the 
flow    is    reduced. 
The  device  is  use- 
ful   for    reducing 
current    in    small 

electrical  apparatus.  The  chain  is 
mounted  between  a  hook  and  a  nut  which 
works  on  an  adjustable  thumbscrew  set 
into  a  small  brass  plate.  It  is  about  6 
in.  long,  and  the  hook  and  thumbscrew 
are  connected  to  binding  posts  on  the 
base. — William  Warneckc,  Jr.,  New  Yoric 
City. 


Lawn  Scraper  Made  from  a  Sake 

and  a  Barrel  Stave 

A  scraper  for  grading  lawns  is  quickly 
made  by  wedging  a  barrel  stave  between 
the  end  teeth  of  a  garden  rake.  When 
needed  at  short  notice,  or  for  a  few  min- 
utes only,  this  will  provide  an  efficient 
scraper. 

Breaking  Lamp  Bulb  Warns  of  Burglar 

A  very  efficient  burglar  alarm  can  be 
made    from    a    burned-out    electric-light 
bulb,    because    of 
the  noise  it  makes 
when    broken. 
Fasten    two    legs 
to    a    brick,    and 
lean  it  against  the 
door.       T  i  e     the 
light  bulb   to  the 
side  of  the  brick. 
When  the  door  is 
opened   the   brick 
falls  over  on  the  bulb,  breaking  it,  fright- 
ening   the    invader,    and    arousing    the 
household.    Care  should  be  taken  to  have 
the  legs  far  enough  apart  at  the  bottom 
so  that  the  brick  will  not  fall  over  on  a 
side  other  than  that  to  which  the  bulb 
is  fastened. — Leon  D.  Gray,  £.  St.  Louis, 
Illinois. 


A  Sfmadiiic:  Flower  Box 

A  flower  box  with  the  side  covered  by 
vines  presents  an  attractive  appearance. 
Such  a  box  is  easily  made  by  boring  large 
holes  in  the  side 
of  the  box  and 
planting  vines  in 
the  dirt  inside  of 
these  holes,  taking 
care  to  leave  the 
foliage  all  on  the 
outside  while  set- 
ting the  roots 
deep  into  the 
soil.  If  planted 
with  V  i  n  c  a  or 
Wandering  Jew 
vines,  which  grow 
very    rapidly,    the 

box  will  be  entirely  hidden  in  a  very  short 
time. — C.  A.  Black,  Jr.,  Hightstown,  N.  J. 


Shade  Eliminates  Annoying  Sunbeams 

from  Workroom 

In  the  early  morning  and  toward  eve- 
ning, much  trouble  is  experienced  in 
drafting  rooms  and  "workshops  from  the 
direct  rays  of  the 
sun  shining  upon 
the  bench  or 
drafting  table. 
With  the  ordinary 
type  of  window 
shade,  the  trouble 
cannot  be  e  1  i  m  - 
inated  entirely,  as 
there  are  spaces 
at  the  side  of  the 
window  through 
which  narrow 
beams  of  light 
come  in,  and  these 
are  particularly 
troublesome.  In 
one  drafting  room 

this  trouble  was  entirely  eliminated  by 
tacking  strips  of  stiff  paper  on  the  win- 
dow casing  at  both  sides,  so  that  the 
shade  is  kept  from  blowing  inward  and, 
at  the  same  time,  the  light  which  might 
come  past  the  edges  of  the  shade  is  com- 
pletely cut  off.  In  the  case  of  double 
windows,  one  wide  strip  between  the  two 
windows  will  take  the  place  of  two  strips. 
The  hint  is  a  valuable  one  also  in  laying 
out  plans  for  new  drafting  rooms  or 
shops,  as  a  construction  similar  t6  this 
could  easily  be  provided  in  order  to  avoid 
permanently  the  trouble  from  direct  sun- 
light. 


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Trees  Form  Battery  and  Ground 

in  Novel  Telephone  Line 

A  telephone  which  can  be  used  by  hunt- 
ers, campers,  or  surveying  parties,  and 
which  has  unusual  features,  is  shown  in 


Preserving  Shoe  Soles  with 

Copal  Varnish 

Shoe  soles  may  be  made  to  wear  for 
longer  periods  without  repair  being  neces- 
sary, if  they  are  given  a  coat  of  varnish 
before  wearing,  and  again  at  intervals  of 
from  two  weeks  to  a  month.  Varnish 
made  of  copal  has  been  found  very  satis- 
factory. The  varnishing  is  a  great  deal 
cheaper  than  having  the  shoes  resoled, 
and  serves  to  put  off  the  need  of  such  a 
repair  for  some  time.  New  shoes  should 
be  treated  after  having  been  worn  a  day 
or  two.  The  best  way  is  to  apply  the 
varnish  at  night,  so  that  the  shoes  may  be 
worn  the  next  day. — William  T.  Grin- 
stead,  Columbia,  Mo. 


A  Practical  Telephone  for  Ute  in  the  Woods  Receives 
Current  from  a  Battery  Made  bv  Driving  Copper 
and  Zinc  Fins  into  Trees  at  Each  Bnd  of  the  Line 

the  sketch.  It  consists  of  an  ordinary 
1,000-ohm  receiver  and  a  microphone 
transmitter,  connected  in  series  with  a 
novel  battery  by  a  copper  wire.  The  bat- 
tery is  a  part  of  the  ground  circuit,  and 
its  elements  are  nothing  more  than  two 
metal  pins  or  rods;  one  copper  and  the 
other  zinc.  One  of  these  pins  is  driven 
into  a  tree  at  each  end  of  the  line,  and 
both  are  connected  in  series  with  the  re- 
ceiver and  transmitter  by  copper  wire. 
Sufficient  current  to  operate  the  receiver 
and  transmitter  is  obtained  from  the  bat- 
tery, formed  of  these  two  unlike  metals 
and  the  sap  of  the  trees  into  which  the 
pins  are  driven.  When  so  desired,  the 
outfit  may  be  used  as  a  telegraph,  the 
make  and  break  of  the  key  being  heard 
in  the  telephone  receivers.  Since  it  is 
possible  to  extend  the  one  wire  by  merely 
looping  it  over  boughs  of  the  trees,  this 
telephone  system  may  be  used  over  quite 
an  extensive  territory — Frank  Sahlmann, 
Manhattan,  Kan. 


CWhere  gasoline  lines  on  cars  are. likely 
to  chafe,  wrap  a  piece  of  inner-tube  rub- 
ber around  the  tube  several  times,  and 
fasten  with  wire. 


Improving  a  Foot-Power  Lathe 

Many  foot-power  lathes  have  only  one 
pedal,  giving  one  impulse  to  each  revo- 
lution of  the  driving  wheel.  This  can 
easily  be  improved  by  adding  another 
pedal,  as  shown  in  the  sketch.  A  pulley 
is  fastened  underneath  the  lathe  bed,  di- 
rectly above  the  regular  pedal  and  the 
one  to  be  added.  The  new  pedal  may 
be  a  piece  of  hard  wood,  3  in.  wide  by  I 
in.  thick,  and  as  long  as  the  original  one. 
*It  is  fastened  at  the  back  of  the  lathe, 
to  a  hinge  on  a  block  which  has  been 
screwed  to  the  floor.  A  strong,  light- 
weight rope  is  then  fastened  to  the  new 
pedal,  strung  over  the  pulley,  and  brought 


The  Addition  of  an   Extra   Pedal  to  a  Poot-Power 

Lathe  Provides  for  Two  Power  Impulses 

per  Revolution  Instead  of  the  One 

down  to  the  iron  pedal  and  fastened. 
The  iron  pedal  should  be  in  a  position 
halfway  between  the  extreme  upper  and 


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the  lower  point,  wktlt  the  wooden  one  is 
at  tke  tame  heiglit.  This  addition  g^ives 
a  walkinf^  motion  to  the  o{>eration,  the 
same  as  the  two-crank  foot-power  ma- 
chines, have. — Edwtn  J.  Baclonan,  Fnl- 
lerton,  Pa. 


Broom  Stiffened  with  Tltce 
from  Inner  Tube 

Brooms^  especially  the  cheaper  g^rades^ 
give  trouble  by  spreading  out  and  thus  be- 
coming useless.  They  may  be  made  stiffer 
by  forcing  a  wide  band,  cut  from  a  rubber 
inner  tube,  over  the  upper  part  of  the 
straw.  This  may  be  slipped  up  or  down 
to  suit  the  requirements  of  the  work, 
making  the  broom  stiff  or  not,  as  neces- 
sary. 


A  Tool  for  Scratchmg  CMass 

A  very  serviceable  cutting,  or  scratch- 
ing, tool  for  glass  can  be  made  in  the  fol- 
lowing manner : 
Cut  a  rod  of  iron 
or  brass,  about  % 
in.  in  diameter,  to 
a  length  of  about 
S  in.  File  one  end 
flat,  and  drill  a  hole 
in  the  end,  some- 
what less  than  the 
diameter  of  the  rod,  and  of  a  depth  about 
equal  to  the  diameter.  Then  procure  some 
carborundum  crystals,  such  as  are  used 
in  wireless- telep^raph  detectors,  and  break 
off  a  chip  which  will  fit  into  this  hole, 
with  a  sharp  point  or  edge  projecting. 
Hold  it  in  place  with  pliers,  and  run  hot 
solder  all  around  it,  so  that  it  is  firmly  im- 
bedded and' held  fast  to  the  rod.  By  prop- 
erly selecting  a  good  cutting  edge,  this 
tool  will  work  very  well  for  making  gradu- 
ations and  marks  on  glass. 


To  Carry  Water  without  Spilling 

When  water  is  carried  in  an  open  pail, 
tub,  or  barrel,  it  has  an  unpleasant  way 
of  sloppinp:  over,  often  drenching  the  per- 
son carrymg  it,  or,  if  it  is  being  trans- 
ported in  a  wagon,  it  splashes  over  the 
occupants  of  the  vehicle.  One  remedy  is 
to  cut  a  piece  of  burlap,  or  gunny  sacking, 
to  about  the  size  of  the  pail  or  barrel 
top,  and  place  it  on  the  surface  of  the 
water.  This  method  reduces  the  surface 
disturbance  to  a  minimttm,  thus  prevent- 
ing much  discomfort.  It  is  especially  use- 
ful when  the  pail  has  no  cover. — J.  T. 
Bartlett,  Ft.  Collins,  Colo. 


AiudHarf  Mitrar  Aids  in  Shaving 

Shaving  in  a  room  where  the  light  is 
on  one  side  of  the  mirror  is  difficult,  be- 


A  SoaU  Mirror  m»j  be  Used  to  Reflect  Light  onto 
tiM  Stedod  Sido  of  tiM  Paco  ^^ 

cause,  while  one  side  of  the  face  is  brightly 
illuminated,  the  other  is  shaded.  A  small 
mirror,  placed  as  shown  in  the  sketch,  will 
reflect  light  to  the  shaded  side  of  the  face, 
making  it  as  easy  to  shave  that  side  as  the 
other. 


Drop-Cord  Shortener 

Various  devices  are  in  use  for  fastening 
the  cord  of  a  hanging  incandescent  lamp 
so  as  to  adjust  its  height.  One  of  the 
simplest  ways  of  doing  this  is  to  slip  a 
loop  of  the  cord  through  a  short  length  of 
small  fiber  tubing,  of  the  right  diameter 
to  give  enough  friction  to  hold  the  lamp 
in  position. 


Cigar  Stand  for  Gun  Club 

A  member  of  a  gun  club  may  provide 
a  cigar  stand  for  himself  and  friends  by 
utilizing  a  number  of  discharged  No.  12 
gauge  shotgun 
shells.  These  are 
fastened  with 
glue,  open  ends 
up,  in  holes  bored 
around  the  cir- 
cumference of  a 
suitably  sized 
board.  A  metal 
ash  tray  may  be 
fastened  in  the 
center  of  the 
board,  and  the 
whole  stand  given 

a  coat  of  shellac  or  varnish.  If  desired, 
the  bottom  of  the  stand  may  be  covered 
with  felt. 


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Using  Old  Window  Shade 

as  a  Blackboard 

A  blackboard  that  is  out  of  the  way 
when  not  in  use,  and  which  can  be  at 
service  instantly  when  wanted,  is  made  by 


Children  need  Not  Be  without  BUckboardi  at  Long 
as  Dark-Colored  Window   Shades  can  be  Obtained 

hanging  an  old,  dark-green  window  shade 
from  the  molding  in  the  children's  room. 
This  color  serves  as  well  as  the  black  of 
a  regular  blackboard,  and  the  material  is 
easily  cleaned  with  an  eraser.  The  shade 
can  be*  hung  either  from  a  piece  of  wood 
to  which  the  fixtures  have  been  fastened, 
or  from  the  molding.  When  not  in  use, 
the  "blackboard"  can  be  rolled  up.  The 
advantage  of  having  the  roller  attached 
to  the  piece  of  wood  is  that  screw  eyes 
can  be  fastened  into  it,  and  the  blackboard 
hung  up  anywhere  from  hooks  or  nails  in 
the  wall. — Charles  A.  Goddard,  Los  Ayi- 
geles,  Calif. 

A  Simple  Weather  Indicator 

The  weather  indicator  shown  in  the 
sketch  is  of  very  simple  construction,  but 
if  carefully  made,  it  is  capable  of  great 
accuracy.  In  principle  it  is  what  is  known 
as  a  hygrometer;  that  is,  it  tells  whether 
the  air  contains  as  much  moisture  as  it 
will  hold,  or  whether  it  is  so  dry  that 
water  will  evaporate  quite  rapidly.  In 
the  first  case,  rain  may  be  expected  at 
any  time,  as  any  chill  through  the  upper 
regions  of  the  atmosphere  might  cause 
the  water  vapor  to  collect  and  fall  as  rain. 
If,  on  the  contrary,  the  air  is  quite  dry, 
a  similar  change  of  temperature  will 'not 
produce  rain. 

The  short  vertical  stick,  shown  sus- 
pended from  a  string,  may  be  held  either 
in   this   manner,   or  attached   to   a   wall. 


The  crossbeam  is  fastened  to  it  with  a 
small  screw  or  brad,  on  which  it  should 
turn  quite  freely.  From  the  hole  in  the 
left  end  of  the  beam  is  hung  a  sponge, 
which  has  been  soaked  in  verx  salty 
water  and  then  allowed  to  dry  without 
squeezing  the  water  out  of  it.  The  salt 
remains  distributed  in  a  finely  divided  de- 
posit throughout  the  sponge.  In  wet 
weather,  this  salt  will  take  up  from  the 
atmosphere  enough  moisture  to  cause  a 
slight  difference  in  the  weight  of  the 
sponge,  and  when  the  air  becomes  dry, 
some  of  this  moisture  will  again  evaporate 
into  the  air.  'It  is  by  showing  these 
changes  in  the  weight  of  the  sponge  that 
this  instrument  indicates  the  condition  of 
the  atmosphere. 

From  the  other  end  of  the  beam  is 
hung  a  pebble  or  small  piece  of  iron, 
which  is  almost  of  the  same  weight  as 
the  sponge.  As  it  will  be  difficult  to  make 
this  weight  exactly  equal  to  the  sponge 
to  be  balanced,  a  horizontal  adjusting 
screw  may  be  placed  in  a  block  mounted 
just  below  the  center  of  the  beam,  to 
provide  accurate  adjustment.  This  screw 
should  work  quite  freely  in  the  hole,  so 
that  it  can  be  turned  by  a  touch  of  the 
fingers.  By  unscrewing  it,  the  weight  is 
thrown  slightly  to  the  right,  which  has 
the  effect  of  making  the  pebble  side 
heavy;  screwing  it  inward  makes  the 
weight  of  the  right  side  slightly  less. 

The  hole  in  the  center  of  the  beam,  in 
which  is  placed  the  pivot  nail  or  screw, 
should  be  drilled  slightly  below  a  straight 
line  connecting  the  two  holes  at  the  end. 
Then  the  beam  will  not  rest  in  a  level 
position,  even  if  the  weights  at  its  ends 
are  perfectly  balanced,  but  will  tilt  one 
way  or  the  other.     This  condition  is  re- 


' 

fiiB 

^ 

'M^ 

^^ 

_      HEAVY 
CAPOBOARO 

J 

^^^■^-■k^^^^=^ 

1 

ONE 

SPONGE 

8T 

The  Tendency  of  Finely  Divided  Salt  to  Absorb  a 

Slight  Amount  of  Moisture  is  Taken  Advantage 

of  in  Constructing  This  Hygrometer 

versed  by  the  addition  of  the  block  which 
holds  the  adjusting  screws. 


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The  pointer  attecbed  to  the  beam  may 
be  cot  out  from  pasteboard,  or  from  a 
piece  of  a  tin  can.  A  card,  tacked  onto 
the  stick,  will  make  it  easier  to  observe 
the  moTement  of  the  pointer,  and  the 
space  over  which  it  moves  may  be  divided 
off  into  equal  lens^ths.  The  word  "wet" 
is  placed  on  the  same  side  as  the  sponge, 
and  "the  word  "dry**  on  the  other  side. 
In  adjusting  the  hygrometer  to  a  perfect 
balance,  use  is  made  of  two  heavy  screws 
as  weights,  placed  one  in  the  side  and  one 
in  the  bottom  of  the  block.  The  hori- 
zontal screw  should  be  turned  until  there 
is  no  tendency  of  the  beam  to  revolve 
more  in  one  direction  than  in  the  other; 
the  vertical  screw  should  then  be  set  to 
hold  it  this  way  normally  and  yet  allow 
it  to  move  with  the  required  degree  of 
sensitiveness.  This  adjustment  should  be 
made  on  an  average  day,  when  the  air  is 
neither  very  wet  nor  very  dry.  Observa- 
tion of  it  can  be  made  from  time  to  time, 
and  marks  placed  on  the  card,  showing 
the  farthest  points  reached  on  both  sides 
over  a  period  covering  both  wet  and  dry 
weather.  If  the  pointer  goes  off  the  scale, 
unscrew  the  vertical  adjusting  screw 
slightly.  If  it  does  not  move  much,  set 
this  screw  farther  in.  After  gradually 
getting  the  instrument  into  proper  adjust- 
ment, it  will  give  interesting  and  quite  re- 
liable information,  as  to  the  amount  of 
moisture  in  the  air,  or  what  is  called  by 
the  weather  man  the  "relative  humidity." 
— S.  Leonard  Bastin,  Bournemouth,  Eng. 


Using  Coins  as  Weights 

In  an  emergency,  coins  can  be  used  as 
weights.  The  weights,  as  given  below, 
are  near  enough  for  most  practical  pur- 
poses, the  error  being  not  over  3%  per 
cent  from  the  weights  given.  A  dime 
weighs  40  grains;  a  cent,  50;  a  nickel,  80; 
a  quarter,  100 ;  a  half-dollar,  200,  and 
dollar,  400  grains.  By  addition  and  sub- 
traction of  these  known  weights,  it  is  pos- 
sible to  get  almost  any  combination.  For 
example,  to  weigh  20  grains  of  a  chemical, 
place  a  quarter  in  one  pan  of  the  scales, 
and  a  nickel  in  the  other,  then  add  enough 
of  the  chemical  to  the  pan  containing  the 
nickel  to  balance  the  scales. 


Clanq>  for  Picture  Frammg 

A  convenient  way  to  hold  molding, 
while  it  is  being  glued  to  form  a  picture 
frame,  is  to  fasten  on  a  flat  board  three 
blocks,  as  shown,  by  means  of  two  screws 
in  each.    Working  in  two  of  these  blocks 


are  setscrews,  as  shown,  these  coming 
against  a  right  angle  block,  not  fastened, 
which  in  torn  clamps  the  molding  against 
the  block  inside  of  the  frame.  The  blocks 
between  which  the  molding,  is  clamped 


Two  Setscrews  Clamp  the  Members  of  the  Pictvre 

«  Frame  to  Bach  Other,  and  Hold  Them 

at  a  Right  Angle 

should  be  carefully  squared,  and  a  quite 
accurate  job  will  result. — ^J.  H.  Moore, 
Hamilton,  Ont.,  Can. 


Lamp  Bulbs  Used  as  Fire 
EiZtingiiiiliers 

Cheap  fire  extinguishers  for  the  work- 
shop or  laboratory  can  be  made  of  a  num- 
ber of  old  burnt-out  electric  lamp  globes. 
The  lamps  are  placed  in  a  rack,  such  as 
the  one  illustrated,  after  being  filled  with 
water,  or  better,  with  some  solution  hav- 
ing special  fire-extinguishing  properties. 
One  such  solution  can  be  made  by  taking 
20  parts  calcium  chloride,  5  parts  of  com- 
mon salt,  and  75  parts  of  water.  The 
globes  are  filled  by  immersing  them  in  a 
pail  containing  the  solution,  and  breaking 
off  the  ti^s  with  a  pair  of  pliers.  They 
will  fill  quickly,  owing  to  the  fact  that  the 
air  has  been  largely  exhausted  from  them 
during  manufacture. 

When  a  fire  occurs,  one  or  two  of  these 
globes  are  thrown  at  the  burning  object. 


Bmmt.Oot  Lamp  (Hohet  Pilled  with  Ffre-J^xtiacvitb- 

ing  Solation  will  Reduce  the  Fire  Riak 

in  the  Laboratory 

The  solution  will  spatter  over  it,  extin- 
guishing the  fire. — Elmer  W.  Schaller, 
Me 


fendota,  III. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


Chickens  Act  as  Lawn  Mower 

The  movable  coop  shown  in  the  sketch 
is  used  to  confine  a  small  flock  of  chickens 
to  a  portion  of  the  lawn  until  they  eat 


A  Movable  Chicken  Coop  may  be  Pushed  about  the 

Lawn  So  That  the  Graat  will  be  Eaten 

Off  Uniformly 

the  grass  down  to  the  desired  length.  The 
coop  is  then  moved  to  a  new  location. 
Repeating  this  process  keeps  the  lawn 
trimmed,  and  provides  the  chickens  with 
green  food.  The  coop  is  a  light  wooden 
frame  made  of  panels  joined  at  the  cor- 
ners with  iron  brackets.  Wire  netting  is 
used  to  cover  the  sides,  and  the  top  is 
roofed  with  8-oz.  cotton  duck,  which 
sheds  rain  and  protects  the  chickens  from 
the  heat.  Four  small  wooden  wheels,  at- 
tached with  bolts  at  the  corners,  make  it 
possible  to  push  the  coop  about  easily. 
Drinking  fountains  are  attached  to  two 
corners  and  food  hoppers  at  the  other 
two  corners. 


Filling  a  Fountain  Pen  with  a  Match 

When  filling  an  old-fashioned  fountain 
pen  which  is  not  provided  with  the  self- 
filling  mechanism,  in  the  absence  of  a 
glass  pen  filler,  a  good  substitute  is  a 
match  or  small  stick  of  wood.  If  dipped 
into  the  ink  and  held  so  that  the  ink  drops 
into  the  holder  of  the  fountain  pen,  the 
operation,  although  not  quite  so  rapid  as 
with  the  filler,  will  be  clean  and  satis- 
factory. 


A  Wall  Stud  Made  from  Two  Screws 


A  stud  made  of 
a  machine  screw 
fitted  into  the 
head  of  a  lag 
screw,  which  has 
been  drilled  and 
tapped  for  it,  is 
useful  for  fasten- 
ing a  blackboard 
or  other  article 
firmly  to  a  wall 
of  plaster,  wood, 
or  brick. 


LAQ  8CRE.W 


To  Save  Printing  Paptr 

When  buying  printing  paper  for  a  small 
camera,  considerable  money  can  be  saved 
by  buying  paper  in  the  larger  sizes  and 
cutting  it  to  size  with  a  knife.  For  in- 
stance, for  pictures  3%  by  2^  in.,  get 
paper  3%  by  5^  in.  and  cut  it  in  two,  or 
for  pictures  2^^  by  4^  in.,  get  5  by  7-in. 
paper,  and  three  full-size  prints  can  be 
made  from  each  sheet.  If  much  printing 
is  done,  this  saving  counts  up  to  quite 
important  sums. — Fred  C.  Davis,  St. 
Joseph,  Mo. 

A  Post-Hole  Digger  Made 

from  Two  Shovels 

A  post-hole  digger,  or  auger,  made  from 
two  old  shovels  and  a  piece  of  heavy  strap 
iron,  will  enable 
one  or  two  men  to 
dig  a  post  hole  by 
merely  revolving 
the  tool  with  some 
downward  pres- 
sure. The  two 
shovel  blades  are 
cut  and  fastened 
as  shown,  the 
blades  being  bent 
so  that  they  cut 
off  a  slice  of  earth 
as  they  revolve  in 
the  hole.  The  tool 
is  especially  useful 
in  clay  or  soil  which  is  not  full  of  stones; 
if  many  of  these  are  present,  the  too! 
must  be  made  quite  strong  and  heavy. 


Ice  Water  Used  to  Prevent 
Photographic  Halation 

While  in  service  as  a  military  photog- 
rapher in  the  United  States  Army  I  was 
assigned  to  take  a  picture  of  a  group  of 
loving  cups  which  were  to  be  awarded  as 
tokens  oi  appreciation  for  distinguished 
service  by  regiments  overseas.  Because 
of  the  high  polish  of  the  cups,  two  pho- 
tographers, previously  sent  out  on  the  job, 
had  failed  to  take  a  satisfactory  picture. 
All  they  had  produced  was  an  image  of 
the  glaring  reflection  of  the  light  as  it  was 
hurled  from  the  subject. 

I  realized  that,  to  get  a  picture,  some 
method  of  reducing  the  reflected  light 
would  have  to  be  worked  out,  so  pro- 
ceeded to  fill  the  cups  with  ice  water. 
Soon  the  outside  surface  of  the  metal 
began  to  "sweat'*  and  instead  of  the 
glistening  silver  which  refused  to  record 


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properly  on  a  pliotographic  plate,  the 
cups  had  a  dull  finish  which  absorbed 
rather  than  reflected  the  light.  Proceed- 
ing with  my  exposure,  I  obtained  a  per- 
fect pictur€;  mnch  to  the  sarprise  of  my 
commanding  officer,  who  admitted  that 
the  fce-water  idea  had  never  •ocnrred  to 
him,  and  that  he  could  think  of  no  way  of 
effectively  overcoming  the  halation. — 
John  Edwin  Hogg,  Aihamlira,  Calif. 


Cfip 


Spectacles 


Persons  who  wear  glasses  part  of  the 
time  only,  often  experience  the  trouble 
of  losing  the  cases  in  which  they  are  car- 
ried when  not  in 
use.  An  ordinary 
pencil  clip,  fas- 
tened to  the  case, 
will  usually 
prevent  this  loss. 
The  wings  of  the 
clip  which  fit 
around  the  pencil 
are  spread  slightly 
and  i  n  s  e  r  t  e  d  in 
slits  cut  in  the 
covering  of  the 
case.    As  the  clip 

is  pushed  down  against  the  case,  the 
wings  flatten  out  entirely  to  fit  against 
the  metal.  While  the  clip  will  hold  in  most 
cases  in  this  way,  it  should  be  riveted 
through  the  metal  for  best  results. 

A  still  safer  way  of  carrying  the  spec- 
tacle case,  which  is  also  applicable  to  the 
fountain  pen  or  pencil,  is  to  fasten  a 
safety  pin  inside  of  the  pocket,  and  clip 
the  case  or  pen  to  the  pin.  In  this  way, 
the  object  is  kept  entirely  inside  the 
pocket,  but  firmly  fasfened  by  the  clip. — 
A.  E.  Kipps,  Hamilton,  Ont.,  Can. 


Sign  Holder  for  Glass  Store  Door 

Posters  and 
price  lists,  usually 
gummed  to  win- 
dows or  jammed 
under  the  wood- 
work, are  easier 
to  hang,  and  are 
held  more  firmly, 
when  suspended 
from  large  paper 
clips,  screwed  to 
the  door  frame. 
They  can  be 
quickly  changed, 
and  are  not  easily 
spoiled. 


Arixn-  of  Woven-Wire  Fencing 

Supports  Pole  Beans 

In  a  garden  where  space  is  at  a 
pfcflunm,  as  it  is  in  the  city,  a  place  to 
plant  pole  beam  or 
other  cpops  which 
require  a  great 
deal  of  room,  is 
dattkaOt  to  find. 
The  arbor  shown 
in  the  drawing 
BOJres  the  prob- 
lem ta  aumy  cases. 
It  consists  of  a 
light  wooden 
framework  upon 
which  woven- wire 
fencing  is 
stretched.  End 
pieces  of  2  by  4-in. 
lumber  are  driven 
into  the  ground  at 
each  end  of  the 
row.  Pieces  o  f 
2  by  2-in.  lumber 
are  nailed  to  the 
2  by  4-in.  pieces  at 

the  top.  The  netting  is  supported  by 
2  by  2-in.  pieces  extending  along  the 
rows  and  resting  on  the  crosspieces  nailed 
to  the  stakes.  It  is  not  necessary  to  tack 
the  wire  to  the  horizontals  or  to  the 
stakes ;  merely  twisting  it  around  the  2  by 
2-in.  strips  will  hold  it  in  place  with  some- 
what greater  strength  than  would  be  se- 
cured by  tacking  it. — Roy  H.  Poston,  Flat 
River,  Mo. 


Clothes  Rack  Made  from  Umbrdla 

An   umbrella   which   has   seen   its  last 
days  of  usefulness  as  a  protection  from 

rain,  may  still  be 

very  useful  to  its 
owner.  Rip  off 
the  cover  and 
clean  the  frame, 
taking  special 
pains  to  remove 
all  traces  of  rust. 
Then  enamel  the 
frame,  using  pref- 
erably a  white, 
glossy  enamel. 
This  is  to  prevent 
further  rusting. 
The  umbrella,  changed  in  thi»  way,  may 
be  inverted,  and  used  as  a  drying  rack  for 
small  articles,  such  as  collars  and  hand- 
kerchiefs. It  may  be  hung  either  indoors 
or  out,  depending  on  the  weather. 


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MODEL  LUMBER  YARD  IS  COMMUNITY   ASSET 

■ ^ ^ ^ ' ^ 


The  Owner  of  This  Attractive  Lumber  Yard  Believes  the  Building-Material  Merchant  shottl4  Set 

a  Good  Example  in  His  Community.    As  Compared  with  the  Average  Establishment, 

This  One  Presents  a  Remarkably  Inviting  Appearance 


IT  is  uncom- 
-■•  mon  to  find 
a  retail  lumber 
merchant  who 
appreciates  the 
value  of  having 
a  place  of  busi- 
ness that  is 
pleasing  and 
inviting  in  ap- 
pearance. Yet 
in  one  town  at 
least,  there  is 
a  building-ma- 
terial establish- 
ment that  may 
be  called  both 
attractive  and 
artistic. 

The  estab- 
1  i  s  h  m  e  n  t  in 
question  is  sit- 
u  a  t  e  d  in  a 
small  Minneso- 
ta town.  It 
consists  of  a 
two  -  story 
structure.  85 
by  98  ft.  in 
ground  dimen- 
sions,  that 
serves  as  ware- 
house and  office.  Instead  of  being  a  mere 
shed  covered  with  red  barn  paint,  it  is  a 
frame  and  stucco  building,  not  greatly 
unlike  a  bungalow  in  design.  The  lower 
part  of  the  structure   is  finished  in   red- 


Showing  the  Interior  Arrangement  of  the  Unusual    Structure, 
Which  Contains  Office,  Warehouse,  ac 


wood  siding, 
stained  a  r  i  c  h 
brown,  while 
the  upper  part 
is  of  panele<l 
stucco,  with 
long  flower 
boxes  ^V*-" 
with  growing 
plants  installed 
before  groups 
of  small-paned 
windows.  The 
exterior  trim  is 
white,  while  the 
roof,  with  over- 
hanging eaves, 
is  gabled  and 
low  like  that  of 
a  cottage. 

The  office  oc- 
cupies one  cor- 
ner of  the 
building,  the 
remainder  of 
which  is  util- 
ized as  a  ware- 
house and  stor- 
age yard.  A  U- 
shaped  drive- 
way that  gives 
access  to  thci 
material  stores  and  lumber  piles  is  ce- 
mented throughout  and  closed  by  garage- 
type  sliding  doors.  Thus,  not  only  is  all 
the  lumber  and  other  material  protected, 
but  it  is  kept  in  a  clean,  inviting  place. 


and  Storage  Yard 


TN  accordance  with  the  editorial  policy  of  this  magaxine  never  to  accept  compensation  ia  any  form 
*•  for  what  appears  in  our  reading  paees,  and  also  to  avoid  aU  appearance  of  doing  so,  w«  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  Magasine, 
Chicago.     [Editor.] 


D 


800 


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Popular  Mechanics  Magazine 

RCaitTtlltO  IN  U.  •.   PATtNT  OM^IOE 

WRITTEN    SO   YOU    CAN    UNDERSTAND   IT 

Vol.  31  JUNE,  1919  No.  6 

Dreadnaught  "Idaho"  Added  to  Fleet 


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POPULAR    MECHANICS 


GIRL  IN  TERRIBLE  ADVENTURE 

FALLS  FROM  HIGH  TOWER 

Some  adventures,  however  Idood-curiL- 
ling,  leave  a  not  unpleasant  reminiscence 


Nurse's   Narrow  Escape  from  a  Terrible  Death  is 

Indicated  by  Lines  Showing  the  Course  of  Her  Pall 

iron  One  Balcony  to  Another,  300  Feet 

alMre  the  Ground 

as  a  solace.  Not  of  tl»t  quality  was  an 
accident  that  befell  a  hospital  niirse  at 
Denver,  Col.    To  while  away  some  spare 


nMMBents,  one  recent  Sat«irday  morning, 
she  visited  the  20th-story  balcony  of  a 
big  department-store  building.  Her 
pleasure  in  the  view  of  distant  mountain 
peaks  was  changed  to  misgiving  as  her 
gloves — new  gloves — slipped  stiddenly 
over  the  balcony  wall  and  disappeared. 
Curious  as  to  their  flight,  she  leaned 
out  to  locate  them;  leaned  jnst  a  lit- 
tle too  far.  As  she  looked  down  through 
what  seemed  an  immensity  of  space, 
that  strange  vertigo  of  high  places  seized 
her.  She  realized,  in  helpless  terror,  that 
her  body  was  slipping  outward  over  the 
low  wall.  Then,  in  an  instant  she  was 
whirling  downward  to  seemingly  inevi- 
table death. 

Thirty  feet  below,  another  little  bal- 
cony projected.  Its  narrow  waH  caught 
her  as  she  fell;  her  body  swayed  hesitat- 
ingly, and  slipped,  by  the  merest  ehance, 
inward.  Below  her  yawned  300  ft  of 
sheer  drop.  By  a  trick  of  gravity  she 
was  saved !  Saved 4  but  not  yet  rescued. 
It  was  11  o'clock.  AH  Saturday,  night, 
and  Sunday,  and  night  again,  she  dragged 
herself,  bruised  and  considerably  injured, 
along  that  narrow  way  and  beat  feebly 
upon  a  locked  door.  .Cold  rain  beat  upon 
the  concrete;  hunger,  thirst>  a«d  pain 
assailed  her  with  bitter  and  hopeless  force. 

It  was  nine  o'clock  Momday  morning, 
46  hours  later,  when  an  electrician  upon 
his  rounds  heard  a  faint  tapping  from 
an  unused  room.  She  was  still  consciofis 
wiien  he  found  the  key  and  locked  otit 
upon  the  balcony.  Her  terrible  experi- 
ence will  keep  her  away  fwjm  the  high 
places  for  the  rest  of  her  days.  If  any 
good  can  come  of  such  a  tnischance,  per- 
haps it  is  not  too  much  to 'Jibpe  that  it 
will  influence  a  movement  to  see  diat  such 
high   places  are   not  left  unguarded. 


MARKINGS  ON  STOLEN  CARS 

IN  BULLETIN  TO  DEALERS 

A  service  of  genuine  worth  is  rendered 
to  its  patrons  by  one  automobile-manu- 
facturing company.  When  it  is  reported 
to  the  central  factor>'  that  a  car  has  been 
lost  or  stolen,  the  factory  bistory  is  con- 
sulted and  the  car's  secret  markings  col- 
lected. In  bullerin  form  these  markings 
are  then  sent  regularly  to  the  company's 
dealers  and  garage  men,  who  know  that  a 
thief  always  erases  the  engine  mark  but 
usually  overlooks  the  number  on  some 
small,  inconspicuous  part.  In  this  way 
the  cowpany  lias  been  able  to  recover 
buadTeds  of  stolen  cars  in  the  last  few 
years. 


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RESCUE  CAGE  ON  TRUCK  IS  LATEST  FIE^  ESCAPE 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


BMERGBNCY  GENERATING  PLANT 

ON  TRANSPOirrS  TOP  DECK 

Nothing  snore  disheartening  is  known 

to  warfare  than  the  unexpected  explosion 

of  an  enemy  torpedo  near  the  boiler  room 

of  a  solitary,  troop-laden  transport  in  mid- 

_  ocean.     The  dynamos 


The  Antomatic  Switchboard  on  the  Left  wm 
CoBtrol  of  the  Avsnliary  Generatiaf  PUat  on  the  Trmaport* 
Its  Cliicf  Pnactioa  Was  to  Throw  In  the  AnxiKanr  Liae  Whoa 
Dropped  in  the  Strip's  Maghns 


are  qnickly  flooded,  perhaps  even  hefbre 
the  precious  wireless  signals  are  sent;  at 
night   the   ship   sinks    m   darkness   with 
decks  and  corridors  the  sceile  of  hapless 
confusion.     To  avoid  any   sach  disaster 
on  American  ships,  special  gasoline-driven 
generating  and  storage  sets  were  installed 
on  the  topmost  decks  of  many  American 
ere  they  could  continue  to 
3t    for    wireless    and    deck 
e  ship  actually  sank.    The 
al    feature    of    the    plants 
ritchboard   which   instantly 
I  the  small  generator  when 
arge  dynamo  failed,  using 
^  storage  cells  for  small  de- 
of  25  amperes  or  less,  but 
the    generator    itself   for 
loads.      The    board    does 
nteresting  things,   too:     It 
Jtarts   the   generator  when 
he   batteries  approach  ex- 
laustion;   it  displays  a  red. 
light  when  the  motor  re- 
fuses to  start  after  three 
minutes'  cranking,  and  it 
even  tests  the  plant  with 
a    20-minute    run    once 
every    24    hours.       The 
plant  may  also  be  started 
to  GHvc^Uniuiinc     by  various  push  buttons, 
"    "      "    '       one  being  in  the  wireless 
room.  , 


s  Top  Deck. 
thePoteatial 


AMERICAN  ENGINEER  INVENTED 

ANESTHETIC  EUROPE  USED 

Nikalgin,  the  external  anesthetic  used 
so  successfully  in  army  hospitals  on  the 
Verdun  a.n^d  S  o  m  m  e 
fronts,  and  at  Paris,  is 
the  invention  of  an 
American  electrical  engi- 
neer. The  Greek  com- 
ponents of  the  word 
mean  ''^victory  over  pain." 
The  American  also  de- 
signed a  jet  for  applving 
the  solution  with  suffi- 
cient force  to  penetrate 
gauze  dressings  and  pus- 
coated  surfaces.  The 
preparation  is  reported  to 
be  composed  of  quinine, 
hydrochloric  acid,  and 
urea,  but  the  manner  of  compounding  it 
is  not  disclosed.  The  dispensing  of  large 
quantities  to  the  French  and  Italian 
armies  by  the  Red  Cross  has  prompted  a 
request  for  a  senate  investigation  of 
America's  failure  to  adopt  it  for  war  work. 


INTERNATIONAL  AERIAL  MAIL 

HAKES  FIRST  DELIVSRT 

It    was    the    Canadian-United    States 
boundary,  of  course,  that  was  crossed  in 


Interaatioaal  MaU  Airptesc  ilbovt  to  Losvc  tho   Barbor  of  ▼« 
British  ColnoBbia,  for  the  PUalit  to  Soatt&e,  WashiatOan, 
the  Pirn  latansatioaal  Aerial  MaU  Roata 

the  first  international  transfer  of  maSl, 
which  was  accomplished  March  3,  1919. 
The  fligiit,  which  was  from  Vancomrer, 
B.  C,  to  Seattle,  Wash«,  was  made  by 
W.  E.  Boenig,  of  Seattle.  The  distance  it 
approximate^r  125  miles. 


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LOADING  DEVICE   FOR   LEWIS  GUNS  ADAPTED 
TO   ALL   EMERGENCIES 


One  of  the  war  secrets  that  it  is  now 
permissible  to  disclose  has  to  do  with  an 
invention  adopted  by  the  War  Depart- 
ment in  the  latter  months  of  the  conflict, 
which  tremendously  multiplied  the  effec- 
tiveness of  the  famous  Lewis  machine 
gufi  by  enabling  one  man  to  attend  to 
the  loading  of  a  score  or  more  of  these 
deadly  weapons,  so  that  those  assigned 
to  these  pieces  could  deliver  practically 
an  uninterrupted  fire.  The  ammunition 
for  the  Lewis  gun  is  contained  in  a  de- 
tachable circular  magazine  holding  either 
47  or  97  shells.  This  holder  is  called 
a  pan,  and  the  new  invention  consists  of 
a  device,  to  the  underside  of  which  th^ 
pan  is  temporarily  attached  for  filling  with 
shells.     The    loader  is   so    designed  that 


it  can  be  mounted  on  the  edge  of  a  box, 
held  in  the  lap,  or  used  while  one  lies 
prone  on  the  ground  out  of  view  of  the 
enemy. 

In  action,  the  ammunition  for  the  Lewis 
gun  is  usually  taken  from  clips  holding 
five  shells  each,  or  from  boxes  containing 
20  shells  each,  or  it  may  sometimes  be 
necessary  to  load  the  gun  by  hand  where 
tracer  or  other  special  shells  are  to  be 
used.  This  rapidly  operating  loading  de- 
vice is  suited  equally  well  to  all  these 
varying  conditions — a  fact  which  accounts 
for  the  large  orders  for  the  device  placed 
by  the  War  Department. 

When  the  boxes  of  cartridges  are  to  be 
emptied  a  box  is  held  in  a  vertical  posi- 
tion, and  with  two  downward  strokes  of 


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the  hand  the  dbells  are  transferred  to  the 
vertical  grooires,  or  holder,  extending  up- 
ward from  the  revolving  loading  wheel 
above  the  pan.  When  emergency,  or  other 
circnmstances,  makes  it  necessary  to  take 
^leHs  from  filled  "clips/'  the  latter  are 
dropped  into  liie  vertical  grooves  and,  by 
operating  a  pair  of  triggers  with  the 
thumb  and  ftnger,  the  clip  is  ejected.  A 
turn  of  the  wheel  causes  the  shells  to 
drop  into  the  20-odd  chambers  radiating 
from  its  center,  and  as  the  wheel  revolves, 
they  are  fed  into  the  pan  temporarily  at- 
tached beneath. 


If,  in  a  gas  attack,  it  is  necessajy  faick- 
ly  to  empty  loaded  pans  so  tkat  tlhe  ^is 
win  not  cause  a  sticky  conrosmi  on  the 

surface  of  the  shells — as '  experience 
showed  it  would  do  when  in  contact  with 
the  ammunition — the  machine  can  be  re- 
versed and  the  shells  quickly  removed 
from  the  holders  or  pans. 

A  further  advantage  of  this  adaptable 
machine  is  that  it  can  be  disassembled 
and  packed  into  very  small  space,  and 
carried  either  in  a  small  wooden  case  or 
in  a  light  canvas  bag  hung  over  the 
shoulder. 


BRONZE  RANGER  AND  HORSE 

GUARD  TEXAS  PRAIRIES 

Near  the  spot  where  a  young  Texas 
ranger,  Charles  -H.  Noyes,  met  with  a 
fatal  accident  three  years  ago,  his  life- 
size  figure  in  bronze,  leaning  im  a  big 
bronze  horse,  is  now  being  erected.  The 
youth,  only  21 
years  old,  was 
6  ft.  4  in.  tall, 
and  his  statue, 
worked  with 
exquisite  care 
by  a  celebrated 
sculptor,  im- 
mortalizes the 
stalwart  virility 
of  the  western 
plains.  In  the 
eyes  of  the 
grieving  father 
who  conceived 
it,  the  bronze 
is  a  memorial 
to  an  only  son, 
tut  to  those 
keenly  alive  to 
the  glories  of 
the  West,  it  is 
a  perpetuation 
o  f  vanishing 
romance.  The 
statue  rests 
upon  a  pedes- 
tal of  granite 
mined  from 
quarries  near 
the  Texan's 
own  home,  on  a  knoll  overlooking  a  beau- 
tiful valley. 


Life-Sise  Bronse  Statue,  Executed,  in  the    Benvenuto  Cellini 

Process  by  Pompeo  Coppini,  ss  a  Memorial  to  a  Youaf  Texss 

Ranchman:    It    wiU    Stand    Guard    over   the    Prairies   of   His 

Horoe  State 


CA  shopper  may  see  her  pastry  pulled  out 
of  the  oven  in  a  large  electric  bakery  re- 
cently installed  in  a  metropolitan  depart- 
ment store. 


RECORD  OF  EACH   AUTOMOBILE 
TO  FOIL  SiaLLED  THIEVES 

Automobile  stealing  is  becoming  a 
highly  developed  art,  and  such  a  growing 
one  that  insurance  companies  have  united 
with  the  great  manufacturing  interests  to 
stamp  out  the  evil.    Just  as  they  classify 

the     offenders 
as  the  amateur 
who.   steals    to 
joy-ride,      and 
the   profession- 
al who  steals  to 
sell,    so    tlie 
remedies     they 
.    suggest  may  be 
divided      into 
two  classes.  To 
foil  the  tmpet- 
nous,       o&iiallj 
befuddled    joy- 
rider   only   a 
good     lock     is 
needed.    Any 
standard    make 
with    the    ap- 
proval    of    the 
insurance  com- 
panies  will  do. 
But   to   thwart 
the  skilled  auto 
thief  locks   are 
not  enough ;  he 
is     quite     pre- 
pared    to     tow 
the    car    away, 
locks    and    all. 
The      remedy 
that  is  really  needed,  they  say,  is  national 
legislation    that    will    remove   the    thiefs 
incentive,  that  will  make  it  impossible  for 
him  to  sell  the  car.    They  would  have  the 
car   accompanied    by   a  title   or  dttd   at 
every  change  of  hands,  like  real  estate, 
or  other  property. 


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8or 


BUY  WOOD  FUEL  BY  WEIGHT, 
NOT  BY  BULK,  SUGGESTED 

The  popular  household  fallacy  that 
hard  wood  has  greater  fuel  value  than 
soft  is  condemned  in  a  government  for- 
estry bulletin  as  true  in         

only  a  limited  sense. 
Thus,  one  cubic  foot  of 
hard  wood  will  probably 
yield  more  heat  than  one 
cubic  foot  of  soft;  but, 
comparing  equal  weights, 
it  is  found  that  their  heat 
values  are  practically  the 
same.  It  is  therefore  ad- 
vised that  future  pur- 
chases of  wood  for 
household  use  be  made 
by  weight,  so  that  the 
heating  value  secured 
may  more  nearly  corre- 
spond to  the  money  ex- 
pended. Another  objec- 
tion to  the  present  sys- 
tem of  buying  by  volume 
is  that,  with  varying 
shapes  and  sizes,  the 
purchaser  never  really 
knows  how  much  he  is 
getting.  The  suggestion 
is  also  made  that  the 
present  coal  shortage 
could  be  greatly  relieved 
by  burning  wood  and 
brush  secured  from  judi- 
cious thinnitig  of  the  forests  surrounding 
many  rural  communities. 


RADIOTELEPHONE  STATION 

IN  A  HANDBAG 

Pocket  wireless,  that  elusive  objective 
of  science,  is  only  a  step  away;  for  the 
handbag   radiotelephone   has  arrived.     A 


POCKET  ELECTRICAL  DEVICE 
TELLS  KIND  OF  CURRENT 


Electric    current 
people,    but    it    is 


is  available  to  most 
not  always  apparent 
_  whether  it  is  di- 
rect or  alternat- 
ing, 110  or  220 
volts.  A  new 
pocket  instru- 
ment, 4  in.  long, 
2  in.  high,  and  1% 
in.  wide,  has  a  dial 
at  each  end  in 
which  the  letters  "A.  C."  or  ''D. 
C."  appear,  as  the  case  may  be, 
when  the  flexible  cords  are  con- 
nected to  the  circuit.  The  voltage  is  indi- 
cated in  the  same  manner.  Provision  is 
made  for  connecting  to  any  kind  of  ter- 
minal, a  plug  being  provided  into  which 
the  posts  on  the  wire-ends  fit,  for  lamp- 
socket  testing. 


The  Soldier  at  the  Left,  with  the  Cords  of  His  Head  Telephone  Clipped 
to  His  Rifle,  can  Hear  at  800  Yards'  Distance  the  Orders  of  the  Man  at 
the  Right,  Whose  Antenna  Consists  of  Three  Lengths  of  Stovepipe.  All 
the   Rest  of  His  Wireless  Equipment  Is  in   the  Little  Box  at  His  Side 

12-Ib.  bundle  of  apparatus,  something  like 
an  umbrella,  for  example;  an  antenna, 
and  a  head  telephone,  constitutes  the  full 
equipment  of  a  personal  wireless  station 
successfully  demonstrated  by  a  Philadel- 
phia inventor.  With  his  rifle  for  the  an- 
tenna, a  soldier  executed  commands  ut- 
tered over  200  yd.  away  by  the  inventor, 
whose  wave-sending  aerials  consisted  of 
three  lengths  of  stovepipe  mounted  on  a 
board.  Three  men  in  a  moving  auto 
listened  while  the  fourth  held  converse 
with  his  wife  in  a  garage  500  yd.  back, 
the  car  body  serving  as  the  wave  collec- 
tor. The  exact  nature  of  the  apparatus 
is  not  yet  divulged;  but  that  no  part  of 
it  is  really  new  has  been  disclosed.  The 
current  consumed  is  exceedingly  small, 
and  the  estimated  cost  is  so  moderate  that 
before  long,  perhaps,  these  traveling  radio 
sets  will  be  a  common  sight. 


CTwenty  million  tons  of  paper  pulp  can 
be  produced  annually  from  India's  bam- 
boo and  grasses,  declares  a  recent  esti- 
mate. 


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DERAILED  FSSrOHT  OSlR  U^KDS 

ON  TOP  OF  LOAI>£D  GONDOLA 

When  a  dragging  brake  beam  -derailed 
a  freight  train  at  Hamihon,  Ontario,  re- 
cently, a  ihcavy  refrigerator  car  concluded 


The  Refrigerator  Car  wm  Thrown,  Trucks  and  AH, 

on  Top  of  the   Gondola  Car  by  a  Draf  ging  Brake 

Beam,  and  the  Gondola,  with  Its  Strange  Load,  was 

Hauled  Away  on  Its  Own  Wheels 

the  perfoTmance  by  climbing,  trucks  and 
all,  on  top  of  a  gondola  car  loaded  with 
steel  plates.  The  wrecking  crew,  hurry- 
ing to  the  rescue,  forgot  to  lower  their 
crane  and  it  knocked  a  highway  bridge 
out  of  shape.  The  gondola  car,  with  its 
extraordinary  load,  was  finally  hauled 
away  on  its  own  wheels. 


CThe  Atlantic  Ocoan  recently  swallowed 
up  200,000  gas  shells  and  many  large 
drinns  of  poison  gas  that  were  intended 
for  German  consumption.  The  gases 
were  commercially  valueless,  and  it  was 
feared  that  the  containers  would  be  eaten 
through. 


WODiD-ST A V£  PIPE  JJME  WTT 

TO  UNUSUAL  TEST 

Several  times  during  the  same  season 
heavy  floods  lifted  a  large  wooden  pipe 
line,  supplying  <&  hydroelectric  .pewer  sta- 
tion, clear  of  its  Bupports  and  ibattered  it 
against  its  ballast  bed.  Yet  -examination 
at  the  end  of  the  season  showed  that  the 
pipe  was  perfectly  sound  and  had  re- 
tained its  circular  shape  throughout.  This 
is  noteworthy,  as  the  pipe  was  almost  four 
feet  in  bore,  was  strengthened  only  by 
hoops,. and  was  anchored  only  at  the  in- 
take. It  seems  to  indicate,  too,  that 
wood-stave  pipe  is  a  great  deal  stronger 
than  is  generally  supposed,  and  is  well 
fitted    for    use    in    hydroelectric   plants. 


STEAM  WINCH  MAKES  WOI^K 

OP  STEVEDORES  E^SY 

It  usually  requires  the  hardest  efforts  of 
two  stevedores  to  push  a  heavily  loaded 
hand  truck  from  the  deck  of  a  small  river 
boat,  up  a  steep  gangplank,  to  the  dock. 
But  by  hitching  a  steam  winch  to  the 
lower  end  of  the  incline,  and  thus  lifting 
stevedore  and  load  a  foot  above  the  level 
of  the  dock,  the  work  is  made  so  easy  that 
unloading  time  is  cut  in  half.  It  will  be 
observed  that  the  steel  apron  which  en- 
ables the  truck  to  roll  t^a  the  incline 
also  prevents  it  from  rolling  back  during 
the  ascent.  Naturally,  the  incline  is  low- 
ered for  the  next  man  the  instant  the 
stevedore  touches  the  dock. 


The  Stevedore  at^the  Xeft  has  Ran  His  Heavy  Load  of  Potatoea  uponihe  Incline.  Jn the  Next  (TwoTSottKcm 

He  has  been  Lifted  by  the  Steam  Winch  to  a  Position  One  Foot  above  the  Level  of  the  Dock.    With 

This  Arrangement  Unloading  Time  is  Cut  in  Half  and  the  Stevedores  Satisfied  Bntirely 


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HIGH-ALTITUDE  PLANE,  FLYING 
WEST,  CARRIED  200  MILES  EAST 


TSAT  mBcs  abovB  tte  wrth's  vmface  «ii  mtr  OTmnt  of  UcH  ftloetty  ftnn  cartmrd  utth  «»  falfttliiB 
of  ODT  globe  bit  looff  becD  kmtmn  to  attmtitu.  A  •ounding  kite  has  Mceoded  to  a  halgbt  of  M.oao 
4Mt  aad  a  pilot  baOoon  lias  -Macked  aa  «mtade  ixf  1S6.800  feet,  or  man  than  M  miles.  A  noted 
■MtaorOloalst,  Prof.  UcAdle.  Harraxd  Unlvnatty,  eatimates  this  .gnat  «lr  cavrcnt  to  «Kt«nd  fron  a  >beicbt  of 
■  abovt  18/000  to  sear  50.000  fast.  Above  *cbls  la  « 'westward^moTliig  air  stratum  ami  still  higber  another 
«aatwaxd<movlng  atratun.  However  tbDUsfa  ao  munh  was  ssiabbshed.  It  remained  for  MiaJ.  B.  W. 
flRtaroeder  In  Ma  rcvord'breaklDg  alcttade  cUmb  of  a  few  mouths  ago  to  demonstrate,  unwittingly,  the  prac- 
tical possibilities  of  the  first  air  stream  In  its  relation  to  ceronatttles  «nd  to  give  substance  to  tbe  wistful 
Oreams  of  wime  of  tbe  world's  master  btrdmen.  llajor  Scbroeder  ascended  from  Dajrton,  Ohio,  and  flaring 
esnabratly  in  a  wsBtarly  dirsctlon  jobnitaed  to  an  altitude  of  2ft,900  -feet  apprealmately  five  and  onv-nalf 
ttllss.  Then,  being  out  of  gasoline,  be  xlescended  to  find  himself  neither  wmtr  nor  w^s/  of  bis  startliig 
«olat  aa  he  had  expceled.  but  nearly  100  mUes  nuf  of  it,  near  Canton.  Ohio.  This  meant  that  with 
his  plane  traveling  wt^t  at  100  sail«B  an  boor  the  great  e^utioard  moving  air  earrant  must  have  had  a 
•eelaelty  of  more  than  SOO  mllea  an  tionr  bi  order  to  Rarry  him  with- It  200  miles.  Probably  as  gBaphic 
an  lUaatratlan  as  any  of  wtet  kaivcnad  to  hbn  Is  afTenled  by  a  imiwwigpr  running  through  a  xaiidly 
moving  train.  Tbe  traveler  may  go  toward  the  rear  at  a  rate  of  five  miles  an  hour  but  nevertheless  he  la 
teing-catrted  In  the  opposite  ^iraotien  fen  tlaan  as  fast  or  50  miles  an  hour,  liajor  SrJuaedsr'e  «perl- 
enoes  and  sensations  on  this  fllglit  are  simply  and  vividly  «Dkl  by  hlmself.^Edltor. 

By  major  R.  W.  SCHROEDER,  A.S.A, 

f  HAVE  been  connected  with  aviation  since  1910,  and  dtcrkig  this  time  I  have 
*  worked  as  a  mechanic  for  some  of  America's  leading  pilots  and  gained  a  very 
valuable  training.  I  was  always  keen  to  iearn  all  I  could,  and  I  disire  say,  that 
all  my  past  experiences  were  beneficial  to  me  in  my  efforts  to  establish  a  new 
world's  altitude  record.  Tbe  last  world's  altitude  record  beld  by  America  was 
made  in  August,  1911,  when  the  late  Lincoln  Beachey  made  a  climb  to  11,642  ft. 
at  the  big  aviation  meet  in  Chicago.  Since  that  time  G.  Legagneux,  in  France, 
made  a  climb  to  20^58  ft.  on  Dec.  28,  1913. 

It  is  to  be  understood  that,  for  military  reasons,  I  am  unable  to  give  a  more 
complete  description  of  the  improvements  and  changes  which  I  made  in  the 
motor.  I  am  proud  to  say,  however,  that  the  motor  was  a  Hispano- Suiza, 
American-built,  as  well  as  the  carburetor  and  magnetos,  and  that  the  discoveries 
which  were  made  -in  these  experimental  climbs  are  ior  the  use  of  the  United 
States , government. 

In  order  to  take  an  airplaiie  to  a  higher  altitude  than  any  other  pilot  in  the 
world,  I  found  that  more  than  'one  or  two  attempts  would  be  necessary.  I  made 
three,  the  first  ^akin|:  me  to  an  altitude  of  24,000  ft.,  the  second  to  27,000  ft.,  and 
the  last  to  28,900  it.,  all  of  which  would  have  been  world's  records,  and  now  I 
feel  certain  that  with  :a  few  chaixges  and  improvements,  I  can  get  to  30,000  feet. 

Becomes  Accustomed  to  Rare  Air 

Most  people  cannot  stand  high  altitudes,  and  from  10,000  ft.  to  15,000  ft. 
bleed  at  the  nose  and  cars,  I  had  been  to  12,000  ft.  at  different  times  and  expe- 
rienced no  difficulties.  After  being  put  in  charge  of  the  testing  squadron  at 
Wiftwr  Wright  Field,  at  Dayton,  Ohio,  my  duties  required  me  to  go  to  the 
"cealing"  with  aH  new  types  of  high-powered  battle  airplanes  which  were  being 
cxperrmented  with  by  the  government.  (By  "ceiling"  is  meant  the  highest  alti- 
tude tfhe  airplane  can  reach,  and  at  this  height  it  will  hang  in  the  air  by  the 
propeHer.) 

Dnring  these  trips  1  would  -quite  often  go  without  the  use  of  oxygen,  and  in 
time  I  discovered  that  I  was  becoming  accustomed  to  the  rare,  thin  air.  How- 
ever, I  did  not  seem  to  be  able  to  go  above  23,000  ft.  at  any  time  without  experi- 
encing a  sort  of  sleepy,  tired,  cross,  and  hungry  feeling,  which  I  was  able  to 
overcome  only  by  the  use  of  oxygen.  Without  the  use  of  oxygen  at  such  alti- 
ttHes,  I  would  have  the  impression  that  I  was  doing  everything  just  right ;  and 
even  if  the  airplane  would  get  into  some  critical  position,  and,  when  I  looked 
down,  the  earth,  which  should  be  underneath  me,  apparently  was  not  there  any 
more,  but  way  over  to  the  other -side  of  the  machine,  I  believed  that  I  was  flying 
all  right  and  that  the  earth  was  in  the  wrong  place.  After  having  these  experi- 
ences, I  decided  that  I  would  have  to  overcome  the  dangers  possibly  consequent 
upon  them,  and  the  way  I  did  it  was  to  keep  my  mind  on  one  thing,  and  that 
-was,  to  Tise  oxygen  when  the  earth  appeared  to  be  in  the  wrong  place.  This 
precaution  woilced  out  very  well. 


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Equipment  for  High  Altitudes 

The  cold,  thin  air  is  one's  greatest  adversary.  First  of  all,  one  must  make  a 
study  of  .the  performance  of  his  motor  at  these  high  altitudes.  This  I  did,  and 
made  the  necessary  changes  each  time  before  trying  again.  A  very  positive 
oxygen  regulator  and  face  mask  should  be  used.  These  were  unobtainable,  how- 
ever, for  the  sets  I  had  previously  tried  out  had  failed  to  function  above  21,000 
ft.  Furthermore,  the  face  mask  pressed  so  tightly  against  my  face,  that  it  inter- 
fered with  the  flow  of  blood,  and  my  face  grew  numb.  So  I  used  a  rubber  hose 
directly  connected  from  the  oxygen  bottle,  regulating  the  flow  with  a  valve. 
The  hose  I  placed  in  my  mouth  so  that  I  would  breathe  air  and  oxygen  at  the 
same  time.  I  also  pressed  my  tongue  against  the  end  of  the  hose  in  order  to  tell 
if  the  oxygen  was  still  flowing.  This  method  worked  very  satisfactorily,  except 
that  the  oxygen  bottle  and  the  rubl5er  hose  gathered  about  a  quarter  of  an  inch 
of  frost,  which  made  it  very  unpleasant. 

Oxygen  Changes  Night  to  Day 

The  following  experiences  and  sensations  which  I  noticed  during  my  flight 
were  due  to  lack  of  oxygen.  I  took  off  at  1:45  p.  m.,  Sept.  18,  1918,  and  made 
a  steady  westerly  climb,  passing  through  clouds  at  8,000,  12,000,  and  16,000  ft. 
At  20,000  ft.,  while  still  climbing  in  large  circles,  my  goggles  became  frosted, 
making  it  very  difficult  to  watch  the  instruments.  The  temperature  at  this 
altitude  was  18°  centigrade  below  zero.  When  I  reached  25,000  ft.,  I  noticed  the 
sun  growing  very  dim,  I  could  hardly  hear  my  motor  run,  and  I  felt  very 
hungry.  The  trend  of  my  thought  was,  that  it  must  be  getting  late,  that  eve- 
ning must  be  coming  on,  and  that  this  was  the  reason  the  sun  was  getting  so 
dim.  But  I  was  still  climbing,  so  thought  I  might  as  well  stick  to  it  a  little 
longer,  for  I  knew  I  could  reach  my  ceiling  pretty  soon.  Then  I  would  go 
down,  and  even  though  it  were  dark,  I  could  land  all  right,  for  I  had  made 
night  landings  many  times  before;  and  so  I  went  on  talking  to  myself,  and  this 
I  thought  was  a  good  sign  to  begin  taking  oxygen,  and  I  did.  I  was  then  over 
25,00Q  ft.  up  and  the  temperature  was  25°  centigrade  below  zero. 

As  soon  as  I  started  to  inhale  the  oxygen,  the  sun  grew  bright  again  and  my 
motor  began  to  exhaust  so  loudly  that  it  seemed  something  must  be  wrong 
with  it.  I  was  no  longer  hungry,  and  the  day  seemed  to  be  a  most  beautiful  one. 
I  felt  like  singing  with  sheer  joy  as  I  gazed  about  through  the  small  portion  of 
my  goggles  which  had  no  frost,  due  to  a  drop  of  oil  which  had  splashed  on  them 
from  the  motor. 

It  was  wonderful  to  see  the  very  clear  blue  sky  with  the  clouds  thousands  of 
feet  below.  The  frost  on  my  goggles  bothered  me  very  much,  however.  At  times 
I  had  to  remove  one  glove  in  order  to  put  the  warm  palm  of  my  hand  on  the 
glass  to  thaw  the  frost.  I  did  this  every  few  minutes  so  that  I  could  take  the 
proper  readings  of  the  instruments,  which  I  marked  down  on  my  data  pad. 
I  believe  that  if  my  goggles  had  been  better  ventilated,  they  would  not  have 
frosted.  When  I  was  at  about  27,000  ft.,  I  had  to  remove  the  goggles,  as  I  was 
unable  to  keep  a  steady  climb.  My  hands  by  this  time  were  numb  and  worried 
me  considerably.  The  cold,  raw  air  made  my  eyes  water,  and  I  was  compelled 
to  fly  with  my  head  well  down  inside  the  cockpit.  I  kept  at  it  until  my  oxygen 
gave  out,  and  at  that  point  I  noticed  my  aneroid  indicated  very  nearly  29,000  ft. 
The  thermometer  showed  32°  centigrade  below  zero.  The  lack  of  oxygen  was 
affecting  me  and  I  was  beginning  to  get  cross.  I  could  not  understand  why  I 
was  only  29,000  ft.  after  climbing  for-  so  long  a  time.  I  remember  that  the 
horizon  seemed  to  be  very  much  out  of  place,  but  I  felt  that  I  was  flying  cor- 
rectly, and  that  I  was  right  and  the  horizon  wrong. 

Descends  to  Find  Himself  Lost 

About  this  time  the  motor  quit.  I  was  out  of  gasoline,  the  propeller  stopped, 
and  everything  was  quiet ;  so,  down  I  went  in  a  spiral.  When  I  had  descended 
to  about  20.000  ft..  I  began  to  feel  much  better,  and  realized  that  the  lack  of 
oxygen  had  affected  me.  I  passed  down  through  the  clouds  at  16,000  ft.  and  as 
I  remember,  it  was  snowing  from  these  clouds  upon  the  next  layer,  some  4,000 


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A«c«Bdittg  WesterlT,  in  His  Record- Breaking  Altitude  Plight  If  a  jor  Schroeder  was  Carried  East^ 
ward  Nearly  200  Miles  bv  the  Strong  Wind  Strata  Five  and  One. Half  Miles  above  the  Earth  and 
PoUowing  Its  RoUtioii.  liis  Pfight,  as  Shown  in  the  Small  Diagram,  Began  at  Dayton,  and  Ended 
at  Canton,  Ohio.  Had  He  Been  Able  to  Travel  with  the  Wind  at  This  Great  Height,  He  could  have 
Landed  within  lOS  Feet  <d  the  Top  of  Mt.  Everest,  Having  Passed  12,600  Miles,  or  Halfway  Round 
the  World,  in  About  iS  Hours.  Some  Lofty  American  Eminences  are  Also  Shown  in  the  Larger  View 
to  Convey  an  Idea  of  What  It  Means  to  Scale  the^Skies 

ft.  below.  I  am  not  positive  as  to  this,  as  I  may  still  have  been  affected  by  the 
lack  of  oxygen.  I  noticed,  as  I  descended,  that  the  air  seemed  to  be  very  thick 
and  stuffy,  but  very  nice  and  warm. 

During  the  entire  trip  I  did  not  see  the  ground,  from  the  time  I  went  up 
through  the  clouds  above  Dayton  until  I  came  through  the  clouds  again,  at  4,000 
ft.  above  Canton,  over  200  miles  from  my  starting  point. 

I  was  lost,  beyond  a  doubt,  with  a  dead  engine  over  very  rough  country. 
For  a  few  minutes  I  was  a  very  busy  man,  trying  to  find  some  kind  of  a  field 
to  land  in,  but  nothing  looked  good  to  me.  However,  I  had  my  pick  between 
a  half-mile  race  track,  a  hilly  pasture  with  a  lot  of  trees,  and  a  graveyard.  I 
picked  the  race  track  as  the  best  bet,  but  when  I  got  down  to  about  a  thousand 
feet,  I  cotild  see  two  telephone-pole  lines,  stretching  right  across  the  field,  so  I 
glided  back  over  the  graveyard  and  to  the  pasture  full  of  trees,  which  was  my 
last  chance.  And  I  took  it ;  in  fact  I  had  to.  I  landed  all  right,  but  broke  the 
tip  of  my  propeller,  which  was  standing  vertical  when  I  rolled  into  a  depression 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


in  the  ground.  I  did  not  nose  over,  however,  or  do  any  other  damage  to  air- 
plane or  myself. 

I  landed  near  the  house  of  a  Mr.  Jos.  Schario,  and  one  of  his  little  daughters 
came  running  up  to  me,  but  she  was  speechless.  I  asked  her,  "Where  am  I?" 
and  she  replied,  "Canton,  Ohio."  Well,  it  almost  took  the  wind  out  of  me  to 
think  I  had  drifted  over  200  miles  from  where  I  started.  They  say  I  was  blue 
in  the  face  from  the  cold,  but  it  was  not  many  minutes  before  they  had  me  in 
the  house  soaking  up  some  heat  and  getting  prepared  for  a  good  old  country- 
^eed,  in  a  real  American  home. 

My  hands  and  face  were  numb,  my  lips  and  four  of  my  fingers  were  frozen 
and  required  medical  attention.  Electrically  heated  clothing  might  very  well 
have  been  used,  but  I  had  dressed  as  light  as  possible  to  avoid  the  extra  weight, 
and  also  had  stripped  the  entire  plane  of  all  unnecessary  load.  This  was  done  to 
assist  me  in  climbing. 

Great  Record  Officially  Confirmed 

Two  barographs  were  arranged  in  the  airplane  which  recorded  the  climb 
on  a  small  paper  drum.  I  also  had  a  thermometer  out  on  the  w^ing  strut  which 
showed  the  temperature.  The  two  barograph  papers  and  the  temperatures  were 
sent  to  the  officials  of  the  Aero  Club  of  America,  who  called  a  meeting  of  their 
board  of  governors,  and  as  a  result  of  their  meeting  I  was  given  an  official 
world's  altitude  record  of  28,900  ft.  I  reached  my  greatest  height  105  minutes 
after  I  started.  It  required  20  minutes  to  come  down.  I  was  in  the  air  125 
minutes,  flying  in  a  westerly  direction  practically  all  the  time,  and  came  down 
.  200  miles  east  of  where  I  went  up. 

Travel  in  High  Air  Currents  a  Possibility 

This  indicates  that  there  are  very  strong  winds  at  great  altitudes  that  revolve 
with  the  earth,  and  that  in  the  very  near  future  it  will  be  possible  to  go  to  these 
great  altitudes  with  supercharged  motors  and  variable-pitch  propellers,  and 
travel  east  at  better  than  300  miles  per  hour,  which  would  mean  that  the  trans- 
atlantic flight  could  be  made  in  less  than  seven  hours.  I  am  conducting  experi- 
ments now  in  an  effort  to  get  to  at  least  35,000  ft.  with  the  aid  of  the  super- 
charger and  variable-pitch  propeller,  and  collect  the  necessary  data  by  many 
trial  flights. 


WARNING  SIGNS   GUARD  PUBLIC 
AGAINST  POLLUTED  WATER 

Down  in  southern  Ohio  there  are  many 

happy  memories  of  stolen  swims  or  moon- 
light canoe  trips 
on  the  Little  Mi- 
ami River.  But 
with  the  war 
came  a  huge  mu- 
nitions plant — and 
busy  investigators 
to  safeguard  the 
workers'  health. 
The  stream  was 
investigated  in  its 
turn,  and  its  crys- 
tal waters  found 
to     be     full     of 

germs.  So  unromantic  warnings  along 
.its  length  now  frighten  the  hot  and  thirsty 

world  away  from  the  innocent-appearing 

Little  Miami  River. 


ATLANTIC  CITY  AIR  PORT  IS 
FIRST  OF  KIND  IN  WORLD 

In  the  heart  of  Atlantic  City,  N..  J., 
lies  a  large  level  field  that  is  soon  to  be- 
come the  first  "air  port"  in  the  world. 
Starting  from  this  port,  air  craft  will  be 
registered,  and  will  receive  their  clear- 
ance papers,  exactly  as  with  ships  of  the 
sea.  This  feature  will  no  doubt  be  most 
prominent  in  the  future  when  regular 
transatlantic  flight  is  assured.  Of  pres- 
ent importance,  however,  are  several 
other  purposes  announced  by  the  three 
aerial  associations  behind  the  scheme. 
The  field  is  intended  as  an  aerial  mail  and 
police  station  for  Atlantic.  City;  it  will 
serve  as  an  aerial  garage :  it  will  be  a  ter- 
minal for  the  coming  New  York-Atlantic 
City  passenger  service ;  and  it  is  hoped 
that  it  will  furnish  other  American  cities 
with  an  example  of  a  well-managed  mu- 
nicipal aerodrome. 


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813- 


This  Is  the  N«w  York  Police  Department's  Traveling-Restaarant  Truck  Which  will  Relieve  the  Tedium  of 

Lone  Winter  Patrols  with  Hot  Coffee  and  Sandwiches.    It  will  Hold  Comfortably  80  Stalwart 

Policemen,  without  Crowdinf  the  Shiny  Coffee  Machine  or  the  Capacious  Pantry 


MOTORIZED  RESTAURANT 

PLEASES  POLICE  FORCE 

Those  who  watched  the  home-coming 
parade  of  New  York's  27th  Division  will 
recall  the  big  motorized  "red-hot"  wagon 
which  preceded  the  marchers,  distribut- 
ing sandwiches,  apples,  and  coffee  to  the 
wounded  soldiers  in  the  stands.  They 
probably  did  not  know,  however,  that  the 
traveling  restaurant  is  the  property  of 
the  New  York  Police  Department,  and 
is  intended  for  the  refreshment  of  "cop- 
pers" on  long,  tiresome  beats.  The  body 
x)f  the  car  is  21  ft.  long  and  7  ft.  wide, 
and  is  mounted  on  a  three-ton  chassis. 
Counters  and  seats  along  the  sides  ac- 
commodate  20  policemen,  while  a  coffee 
machine  and  a  capacious  cupboard  hold 


the  good  cheer.  The  car  is  warmed  in 
winter  by  radiators  heated  from  the  ex- 
haust manifold. 


EVEN  SHELVES  ARE  STEEL 

IN  FIREPROOF  HOUSES 

Two  experimental  concrete  houses,  re- 
cently built  in  England,  go  the  limit  in 
fireproof  construction.  Concrete  and 
steel  are  used  exclusively,  the  floors  being 
of  jointless  composition  with  rounded 
comers,  while  window  frames,  trimmings, 
doors,  staircases,  and  even  the  cupboard 
shelves  are  of  steel.  The  cottages  are 
fitted  with  every  modern  improvement, 
and  are  said  to  have  excelled  similar 
dwellings  of  wood  or  brick,  both  in  time 
and  cost*  of  construction. 


Wot  Oac  Utick  of  Wood  was  Used  in  Buildins  This  Fireproof  Residence.     Its  Walls,  Floors,  and  Partitions 

Arc  Coiicr«te»  While  Window  Sashes,  Doors,  Trinmiiacs,  and  Even  Pantry  Shelves  Are  SteeL 

At  the  Right  is  Shown  a  Steel  Door  Swooff  in  a  Frame  of  the  Same  Material 


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ACCIDENTS  STILL  ADD  ZEST  TO  GREATEST  SPORT 


814 


mOTOt  tY  UNOcnwooo  a  UHKNWOOO 


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GRAVITATION   CONTINUES    TO    BE  AIRMAN'S   FOE 


815 

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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


AIRMAN  DIVES  FROM  BALLOON 

AND  "SWIMS"  TO  GROUND 

An  army  captain  recently  added  a  few 
thrills  to  an  exhibition  parachute  drop  by 


^ 


BUa6  Aero  Pans  Gasped 
for  Breath   When'   This- 
Balloonist   Dove   Head- 
long from  His  Basket 


diving:,  head  first,  from  a  balloon  basket, 
2,000  ft.  in  the  air.  When  his  descent  be- 
came steady,  he  struck  out  with  hands 
and  feet  in  the  old-fashioned  breast 
stroke  used  in  swimming,  changing  his 
course  appreciably,  it  is  said. 


QUEER  MOUNT  FOR  ARTILLERY 

USES  VISCOSITY  PRINCIPLE 

It  is  a  peculiar  property  of  certain  vis- 
cous substances  to  resist  instantaneous 
impulses,  while  yielding  readily  to  grad- 
ually applied  forces.  A  European  in- 
ventor makes  use  of  this  principle  in  ar- 
tillery construction,  by  the  curious  proc- 


ess of  substituting  a  mass  of  pitch  for 
the  usual  gun  carriage.  The  pitch,  mixed 
with  tar,  occupies  a  hole  in  the  trench 
bottom,  to  a  depth  of  about  two  feet. 
Into  this,  the  breech  of  the  gun  barrel 
is  inserted,  resting  on  an  iron  plate  at 
the  bottom.  While  the  gun  is  readily 
turned  to  any  range  position,  experiments 
demonstrated  that  it  was  not  perceptibly 
thrown  out  of  line  by  the  firing  of  20 
projectiles,  representing  nearly  200  lb., 
its  accuracy  remaining  unimpaired.  The 
earth  absorbed  all  the  recoil. 


CRIPPLED  WAR  VETERANS  FORM 
"AMPUTATION  CLUB'' 

"The  Amputation  Club  of  British  Co- 
lumbia" has  been  legally  incorporated  in 
Vancouver,  and  now  has  a  membership 
of  90  men,  who  have  all  been  so  severely 
wounded  overseas  that  amputation  of  one, 
and  sometimes  two,  limbs  has  been  nec- 
essary. The  strange  club  meets  twice  a 
month  to  consider  the  furtherance  of  its 
object,  which  is  the  procurement  of  the 
most  satisfactory  artificial  limbs  on  the 
market.  Its  most  interesting  activity  so 
far  has  been  the  publication  of  a  Christ- 
mas booklet,  "The  Gold  Stripe,"  which 
is  to  be  followed,  toward  the  last  of  this 
May,  by  a  second  volume  featuring  the 
soldiers'  own  stories,  illustrated  and  sup- 
plemented by  artists  and  authors  through- 
out the  Dominion. 


BUZZER-SIGNAL  PRACTICE  SET 

USING  SMALL  TRANSFORMER 

For  practicing  buzzer  signaling  or 
learning  code,  a  set  operated  by  a  small 
transformer  is  more  convenient  and  reli- 
able than  the  usual  dry-cell  arrangement. 
A  telegraph  key,  a  buzzer  of  high  pitch, 
and  a  bell-ringing  transformer,  all  stand- 
ard electrical  supplies,  are  easily  mounted 
on  a  baseboard  and  connected  to  form 


Buczer.  Signal  Practice  Set.  in  Which  the  Ustial 
Battery  is  Keplaced  by  the  Bell.Ringing  Transformer 
on  the  Right  End  of  the  Baseboard:  A  Sundard 
Telegraph  Key  and  a  Small,  High- Pitched  Busser 
Complete  the  Set 

such  a  set.  The  alternating  transformer 
current  produces  a  better  signaling  tone 
than  battery  current. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS  817 

MANY  PICTURES  ON  ONE  FILM  IN  NEW  CAMERA 


not  differ  materially  from 
the  familiar  folding,  roll- 
film,  hand  camera.  Inside, 
however,  are  some  novel 
features.  The  whole  back, 
including  the  film -spool 
chambers  at  the  ends,  opens 
on  a  hinge  to  give  access  to 
the  interior,  the  film  then 
being  protected  by  a  slide 
like  those  used  in  plate 
holders.  In  front  of  the 
film  is  a  sliding  mask  in  two 
layers,  each  of  which  has 
exposure  openings  of  cer- 
tain size  and  shape.  By  ad- 
justing the  relative  position 
of  one  to  the  other  for  each 
exposure,  pictures  one-half, 
one-fourth,     or    one-eighth 


dciccii  ciic  rcauiiy  rciiiuv- 
able,  when  the  device  be- 
comes an  ordinary  camera. 
The  focusing  screen,  of 
course,  may  be  used  equally 
well  with  or  without  the 
mask,  assuring  clean  sharp 
pictures. 


C Unusual  for  its  location 
is  the  vocational  school  be- 
ing conducted  14,000  ft.  un- 
derground in  an  Idaho 
mine,  chiefly  for  returned 
soldiers  who  are  learning 
the  elements  of  mining  in 
this  most  practical  way. 
Instruction  in  operating  air 
compressors,  and  like  tasks, 
however,  is  given  above 
ground. 


Centered  Above  Is  the  Usual  Quadruple  Division  of  Film.    At    the   Left  It  is  Seen  Divided  Laterally  into 

Poor  Pa&eUt  While  the  Right-Hand  Pfcture  Indicates  the  Maximum  Number* 

Bight,  of  Exposures  on  a  Single  Film  Surface 


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MANY  TRANSATLANTIC   FLIGHT    PROJECTS 

KEEP  WORLD'S  EYES  ON  AIRMEN 

MAKING  GREAT  VENTURES 


TU8T  as  a  few  yeara  ago  the  Hhole  world  waited  axapo  to  liear  uluit  fata  Bh*uld  befall  tbe  penUteDf 
^  Blerlot  In  hia  croM-channel  fllcht  from  Calala  to  Dover,  ao  fur  the  paat  few  weeka  baa  it  awaited  tba 
outcome  of  the  proposed  tranaatlantio  flisht.  Much  of  the  thrill  of  the  earlier  feat,  of  July  25,  1909,  I4 
absent  frwn  the  present  project.  Airplanes  within  the  brief  intenrenlng  iwriod  have  been  established  on  a 
more  matter-of-fact  basis — so  much  has  been  accomplished  with  them  that  few  are  doubtful  that  whateter 
within  reason  man  wills  to  do  In  this  connection  will  come  to  pass. 

However,  It  ia  a  moat  Intereatlng  sltuaaon  to  have  at  the  same  time  so  many  contestants  equipped  and 
poised  for  the  great  adventure.  Already  several  have  essayed  flight  and  met  disaeter.  But.  at  the  preaent 
moment  (April  25),  Hawker  and  Baynham.  at  St.  John's,  Newfoundland,  still  chaff  earh  other  In  friendly 
aplrlt  while  both  chafe  at  the  unaeUled  weather  conditions  that  delay  the  exploit.  On  the  Atlantic  coast 
the  U.  S.  Navy  quietly  proceeds  with  ita  important  prepantlons.  No  boaatlng  haa  come  from  thla  quarter, 
and  no  entrance  for  tl^  great  purse  haa  been  made.  U  1>  understood;  and  probably,  should  tbe  Navy's  plana 
be  the  first  acroas,  the  world  would  require  a  few  hours  to  assimilate  Ita  aurprise.  However,  the  Navy  haa  a 
name  for  achievement,  which  it  la  well  to  keep  in  mind. 

While  a  nimiber  of  Brltiah  plane  attempts  are  promised,  we  hear  only  a  rumor  now  and  then  of  what 
they  hope  to  do  with  the  dirigible.  Our  diart,  on  the  opposite  page,  makes  no  accounting  of  recent  dirigible 
fllfhta.  as  but  few  have  been  traced  in  detail.  However,  when  we  remember  that  one  British  madiine  haa 
remained  in  the  air  over  100  boura.  It  la  aafe  to  harbor  expectation.  The  thouaanda  of  people  who  bulU 
these  craft  are  staking  their  hopes  on  them.  ^Vhen  a  great  venture  Ilea  close  to  the  hearta  of  the  masaea 
there  ia  either  a  menace  or  a  promise  of  results. 

Aa  thla  magazine  goea  to  preea  we  are  on  tiptoe  with  expectation.  We  could  prophesy— we  might  even 
luckily  guess  the  outcome,  nie  project  Is  too  momentous  for  such  trifling!  We  only  aasert  that  every  sin- 
cere birdman  who  wisely  equips  hlmaelf  and  esaays  the  tranaatlantio  flight— thou^  he  meet  with  sheer-  fail- 
ure—la  entitled,  through  hia  very  intrepidity,   to  sliare  the  laurels  of  the  vlctor.—Editor. 


TWO  airmen  have  already  failed  in  the  transatlantic 
race.  One,  a  lieutenant  in  the  French  service, 
has  started  three  times  from  Pahs,  intending  to  fol- 
*low  route  1  (5,500  miles,  approximately,  as  other  dis- 
tances hereafter  given),  which  should  lead  him  from 
Paris  to  Casablanca,  to  Dakar,  thence  to  St.  Paul's 
Rocks  in  mid-Atlantic^  to  Pernambuco,  and  finally  to 
^io  de  Janeiro,  Brazil. 

Another  failure  was  that  of  an  English  major  on 
April  18.  1919.  He  intended  to  take  route  2  (2.000 
tniles),  from  the  vicinity  of  London  to  Limerick  on 
the  west  coast  of  Ireland,  whence  he  planned  to 
snake  the;  long  leap  to  Newfoundland.  His  singie-mo- 
tored  Short  oiplane  was  distinguished  by  a  huge, 
streamlined  gas  tank,  slung  like  a  torpedo  under  the 
fuselage.  Trouble  developed,  however,  and  he  was 
iorcea  down  off  Holyhead,  Wales,  in  the  Irish  Sea. 
He  and  his  companion  were  rescued,  and  the  plane 
salvaged  by  a  destroyer. 

Our  own  naval  fliers  hope  to  leave  Rockaway 
Jleach,  L.  I.,  for  the  Newfoundland  jump-off  earlv  in 
May.  Their  itinerary  up  the  coast  to  Newfoundland 
lias  b^en  carefully  plotted,  but  their  ocean  route  is 
still  rather  problematical.  It  is  likely»  however,  that 
route  3  (3,d00  miles)  will  be  followed,  taking  the 
Americans  from  Cape  Race  to  the^  Azores,  and  from 
-there  to  some  European  port,  possibly  Lisbon.  From 
the  four  flying  boats,  NC-1,  2,  3,  4,  which  are  being 
jgroomed  for  tne  trip^  will  be  selected  the  two  which 
will  actuallv  start.  These  planes  are  driven  by  three 
-or  four  Liberty  motors,  are  eciuipped  with  wireless 
telegraph  and  telephone,  and  in  flight  will  carry  a 
pilot-commander,  two  autv  pilots,  one  engineman, 
^nd  one  radio  operator.  The  navy  will  safeguard  the 
fliers  in  every  way,  and  has  detailed  one  ship  for 
^every  hundred  miles  of  the  route,  with  sub-chasers 
to  patrol  the  intermediate  areas. 

All    the    British    contestants    now    active    seem    to 


•prefer  route  4  (2,000  miles)  which  involves  more  or 
less  straight  going  from  Newfoundland  to  Ireland. 
"The  "Felixstowe  Fury,'*    now    on    its_way    to    Xew- 


ioundland,  will  be  piloted  by  Colonel  Porte.  R.  A.  F., 
remembered  in  the  United  States  as  the  designer  of 
the  ••America"  of  1014.  His  ship  is  a  large  triplanc 
with  a  wing  spread  of  120  ft.,  and  driven  by  tivc 
•motors  at  a  speed  of  105  miles  an  hour.  The  colonel 
will  he  assisted  by  a  crew  of  five  or  six  men,  and 
•will  keep  his  course  with  directional   wireless. 

The  Handlcy  Page  converted  bomber  should  reach 
Newfoundland  early  in  May.  It  is  driven  by  four 
.engines  and  carries  about  2,000  gal.  of  gasoline, 
.enough  to  keep  it  in  the  air  perhaps  25  hours.  Scores 
.of  workers  are  now  building  a  hnni^ar  and  grading 
-the   aerodrome,   90   miles   north    of    St.    John's. 

Two  other  British  teams  have  nearly  cbmpleted 
their  preparations  for  the  dash  from  Newfoundland 
to  Ireland.  In  both  cases  the  exact  route  is  still 
rather  uncertain,  as  each  will  depend  on  the  weather 
encountered.  Mr.  Hawker  will  fly  a  Sopwith  two- 
seater  biplane  with  a  wing  spread  of  4b  ft.  6  in., 
;and  driven  by  a  single  motor.  He  plans  to  release 
the  whole  undercarriage  when  a  few  miles  out  at  sea, 
And  will  carry  a  lifeboat  on  the  fuselage.     ,  . 

Captain  Raynham,  on  the  other  hand,  is  making 
•carcely  any  provision  for  a  drop  into  the  water,  as 
tie  is  confiaent  that  the  dash  can  be  made  without 
Accident.     He  will  pilot  a  Martinsydc  biplane,  similar 


to  the  fast  British  scout  of  that  name,  w'licK  can 
develop  a  maximum  speed  of  130  miles  an  hour 
with  tanks  full. 

Although  the  four  British  teams  mentiontd  all  in- 
tend to  take  a  more  or  less  direct  trip  to  lr<;land,  sev- 
eral other  itineraries  have;  been  plotted,  viz.,  route  5 
'(4,000  miles)  from  Cornwall,  via  Lisbon  and  the 
Azores,  to  New  York;  route  6  (3,000  miles),  from 
Ireland  to  New  York;  route  7  (2,0(X)  miles),  from 
Ireland  to  Newfoundland,  and  route  8  (22OOO  miles), 
from  Scotland,  via  Greenland,  to  Canada. 

Active  preparations  are  also  being  made  for  the 
voyage  of  Caproni,  in  his  giant  "White  Eagle,"  along 
route  9  (4,500  miles),  from  Rome,  via  Cadiz  and  the 
Azores,  to  Washington,  D.  C.  This  great  triplane  is 
driven  by  five  motors,  and  is  reported  to  have  a 
roomy  cabin  which  will  accommodate  several  passen- 
gers. 


Among  flights  actually  made,  are  the  two  voyages 
by  Handley  Page  machines  from  England  to  India. 
The  first,  along  route  10,  started  at  London,  touched 


at  Paris,  Marseilles,  Naples,  Crete,  and  at  Cairo 
was  interrupted  to  allow  tne  plane  to  operate  againrt 
the  Turks  in  Palestine,  where  it  helped  to  brin^  the 
campaign  to  its  successful  close.  Then  it  visited 
Damascus,  Bagdad,  Bushire,  Bandar  Abbas,  Karachi, 
and  Delhi.  The  second  voyage  along  routci  11,  was 
made  over  practically  the  same  country,  starting  on 
Dec.  13,  1919,  at  about  the  time  the  first  flieht  was 
being  completed,  and  ending  at  Lahore  on  Jan.  16, 
1919.  Both  these  flights  covered  a  distance  of  ap< 
proximately  7,000  miles. 

Three  performances  by  American  airmen  deserve 
attention  also.  The  first  was  a  trip  along  route  12, 
from  San  Diego,  Calif.,  to  Jacksonville,  Fla.,  made 
in  less  than  i5)  flying  hours  by  an  American  major 
in  a  De  Haviland  battleplane,  at  an  average  speed 
of  137  miles  an  hour.  The  major  made  a  nonstop 
flight  from  Tucson,  Ariz.,  to  Sweetwater,  Tepcas,  a 
distance  of  880  miles  by  the  route  followed. 

The  second,  along  route  13,  was  likewise  from  San 
Diego,  but  was  made  by  four  armv  planes,  and  ter- 
minated at  Washington,  D.  C.  The  trip  was  made 
between  Dec.  4,   1018.  and  Jan.  6,  1019,  lor  the  pur- 

fose  of  mapping  a  southern  air  route  through  the 
'nited  States.  Only  50  hours  of  this  time  were 
actually  spent  in  flying,  however,  which  shows  an 
average  speed  of  80  miles  an  hour  for  the  4,(X)0-milc 
journey. 

The  third  was  the  nonstop  flight  over  route  14 
from  Chicago  to  New  York,  accomplished  on  April 
19,  1019,  by  an  American  captain  in  a  De  Haviland 
battleplane,  at  an  average  speed  of  100  miles  an  hour. 
The  captain  flew  at  an  elevation  of  10,000  ft.  and  was 
able  to  make  the  eastern  city  in  6  hr.  50  jninutes. 

Another  government  pb.ne  left  Colon,  Panama,  on 
April  12,  1919,  for  Key  West,  over  route  15.  The 
seaplane  reached  Bluefields,  Nicaragua,  in  five  hours, 
but  on  leaving  Bluefields  encountered  trouble,  and  is 
reported  to  have  abandoned  the  flight. 

One  other  flight  to  receive  attention  lately  was  that 
of  Jules  Vedrines,  the  veteran  French  airman,  who 
left  the  vicinity  of  Paris  on  April  21,  1919,  attempting 
a  nonstop  flight  to  Rome,  by  route  16  (700  miles). 
His  twin-engined  Caudron  fell  south  of  Lyons,  France, 
killing  both  Vedrines  and  his  mechanic. 

819 


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AIRMEN    PR£PAR£    FOR    TRANSATLrANTIC    CROSSING 


f^n/l    %M»fUiw%^m    Y  ;i.^    Mm.Ip**'. 


«.uuo   Mties.     untortunateiv  tne   ja«tor. 


820 

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UNDAUNTED  BY  DISASTERS  ALREADY  ENCOUNTERED 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


823 


These  Motorcvclists  have  Left  Sydney,  Auetralia,  for  London,  England.  They  are  to  Make  a  Rough  Sunre/ 
for  an  Aerial  Mail  Line  between  Those  Cities.  All  Supplies  for  the  Dangerous  Trip,  Includinj  a  Well- 
Stocked  Medicine  Chest*  a  Generous  Gasoline  Reserve,  and  Plenty  of  Revolver  Ammunition,  are  Carried  in 

the  Sidecars 


MOTORCYCLE  PARTY  SURVEYS 

LONG  AIR  ROUTE 

An  expedition  of  six  men,  riding  motor- 
cycles and  carrying  their  supplies  in 
sidecars,  has  left  Sydney,  Australia,  for 
London,  England,  in  an  effort  to  sur- 
vey a  route  for  an  aerial  mail  line  that 
is  being  backed  by  a  commercial  com- 
pany. To  handle  the  many  problems  that 
will  arise  during  the  hazardous  journey, 
the  company  has  chosen  six  men  of  vari- 
ous professions,  among  them  a  journalist, 
a  French  airman,  an  expert  mechanic, 
and  a  surveyor  and  photographer.  These 
men  hope  to  locate  suitable  landing  fields 
about  every  500  miles  along  the  long  trail, 
that  will  lead  them  north  through  New 
South  Wales,  across  500  miles  of  sand  in 
the  Northern  Territory,  over  the  islands  6f 
Timor,  Java,  and  Borneo,  to  Singapore: 
thence  up  the  Malay  Peninsula,  and  west 
across  India  and  Persia  to  Suez,  where 
the  party  will  board  ship  for  London. 
The  motorcycles  being  used  are  standard 
models,  with  only  a  few  alterations  made 
for  the  difficult  roads  that  will  be  met. 
Springs  have  been  strengthened,  gasoline 
and  oil  tanks  enlarged,  and  the  gear  ratio 
somewhat  reduced. 


PROJECT  PICTURES  TO  TEST 

SCREW-THREAD  ACCURACY 

Exact  accuracy  was  a  stringent  re- 
quirement for  all  of  the  thousands  of 
screw-threaded  parts  used  on  war  equip- 
ment. The  threads  were  tested  by  the 
ingenious  method  of  projecting  a  magni- 
fied picture  of  them  on  a  screen.  The 
screen  itself  was  a  small  horizontal  metal 
stand,  provided  with  a  vernier  adjustment. 
A  straightedge,  rigidly  supported  above 
the  stand,  cast  a  shadow  on  the  screen 


ARMY'S  RECONSTRUCTION  WORK 

PERMANENTLY    RECORDED 

In  order  to  conserve  and  apply  the 
valuable  lessons  learned  at  the  army's 
many  physical-reconstruction  hospitals,  it 
is  now  required  that  the  chief  educational 
officer  in  each  institution  prepare  a  his- 
torical sketch,  showing  the  growth  of  the 
work  by  accurate  details  and  figures. 
These  records  of  knowledge  gained  and 
methods  established  are  to  be  filed  by  the 
government  as  a  permanent  aid  to  civil 
as  well  as  military  hospitals. 


Method  of  Projecting  Screw-Thread  Images  for  Test 
Measurements:  The  Scnw  Is  Back  of  the  Objective 
Lens  to  the  Right  in  the  Picture,  and  the  Light  Rays, 
Directed  Upward  by  a  Prism,  are  Reflected  Back 
to  the  Screen  Insttument  to  the  Left  by  a  Ceiling 
Mirror.  Not  Shown 

at  the  correct  angle  for  comparison.  The 
light  rays  from  the  projecting  lantern 
were  turned  upward  by  a  prism,  and  a 
mirror  on  the  ceiling  directed  them  down 
to  the  screen.  The  screw  to  be  tested 
was  supported  just  behind  the  objective 
lens. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


The  Great  Weight  of  the  Concrete  Grain  Elevator  Shown  in  the  Larger  Picture  Caused  It  to  Sink  18  Indhet. 

The  Smaller  Building  Which  Shelters  the  Power  Plant  did  Not  Sink,  However,  So  the  Reinforced- 

Concrete  Connections  between  the  Two  had  t6  be  Cut,  as  in   the  Picture  to  the  Left 


SMALL  WATER  HEATER  CAN  BE 

PACKED  IN  TRAVELING  BAG 

A  small  electric  water  heater,  only  12 
in.    high,    is    now    manufactured    for   at- 
tachment   to    a    kitchen    or    bathroom 
lancet,  directly  or 

f  ::; with     a     rubber 

tube.     The   water 
then    flows 
through   porcelain 
tubes      in      which 
noncorrosive      re- 
sistance coils  heat 
it  progressively  to 
the  required  tem- 
perature.    The 
faucet  from  which 
the    heated   water 
is  finally  drawn  is 
so  associated  with 
the    electric    snap 
switch     that     the 
current    is   not   turned   on    until   the   hot 
water  is  actually  wanted.     If  cold  water 
is  desired,  the  faiicet  handle  is  thrown  in 
a  reverse  direction,  causing  the  water  to 
flow  through  an  unheated  by-pass.     The 
machine  can  heat  about  30  gal.  an  hour, 
using  either  direct  or  alternating  current. 


CONCRETE  GRAIN   ELEVATOR 

SINKS  THIRTEEN   INCHES 

When  it  was  decided  to  construct  a 
municipal  grain  elevator  of  63  bins  at  Port- 
land, Ore.,  weighted  piles  were  driven  on 
the  site  selected  to  determine  the  nature 
of  the  ground.  At  the  end  of  four  weeks 
no  settling  was  discovered,  and  construc- 
tion was  begun.  But  when  the  heavy 
bins  had  reached  their  final  height  of  85 


ft.,  the  structure  began  to  sink,  rapidly  at 
first,  then  slowly,  stopping  at  a  depth  of 
13  in.  Experts  were  called  who  found 
that  the  sinking  would  not  continue;  so 
work  recommenced.  The  structure  is 
now  four  inches  out  of  level,  however,  and 
the  reinforced-concrete  belting  tunnels 
had  to  be  cut  to  prevent  damage  to  the 
adjoining  building,  which  houses  the 
power   plant. 


INSOMNIA  TREATED  BY   DEVICE 

SUPPLYING  WARM,  DRY  AIR 

An  English  scientist  declares  that  in- 
somnia may  be  cured  by  removing  excess 
moisture  from  the  lungs.  To  put  his  the- 
ory into  practice,  he  has  devised  a  small 
machine  for  supplying  warm,  dry,  fil- 
tered air,  which  the  patient  then  breathes 


through  a  nose  tube  secured  to  the  head 
with  tape.  The  process  is  said  not  to 
be  uncomfortable. 


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BETTER  PACKAGES  AND  HOW  THE  WAR 
BROUGHT  THEM  OUT 


By  BRANDON  TRACY 


"$*!&%!  No.!!" 

Call  this  low-spoken,  earnest  expletive 
**Oh,  fudge!"  if  you  will.  In  civilian  life 
the  latter  usually  suffices.  It  is  n9t  the 
way  men  talk  at  3:00  a.  m.  in  the  firing 
bays,  with  the  big  push  against  the 
Germans  due  at  3:18,  zero  hour — and  the 
hand-grenade  boxes  for  the  whole  pla- 
toon still  tightly  nailed.  What  Eugene 
Field  called  "virile  Anglo-Saxon  that 
would  never  do  in  print"  is  tried  out,  and 
usually  found  wanting. 

In  this  particular  instance  men  were 
required  to  open 
and  unpack 
grenade  boxes, 
distributing  the 
contents  among 
the  bombers, 
and  do  it  all 
without  arous- 
ing the  suspi- 
cion of  Fritz's 
s  e  n  t  i  n  els,  60 
yards  away. 
One  squeak  of 
a  rusty  nail  be- 
ing drawn,  and 
the  attack 
would  fail,  in 
all  probability. 
IJttle  hints  of 
this  kind  are  given  full  val- 
uation in  the  trenches  just 
before  dawn. 

The  boxes  never  were 
opened  that  day.  Though 
a  dozen  men  sweated  and 
swore  because  the  work 
had  not  been  done  earlier, 
there  was  no  chance  of 
accomplishing  it  without 
noise.  Each  time  one  of 
the  boards  of  a  cover  >yas 
pried,  it  gave  a  warning 
squeak  that  made  the 
worker  stop,  cold  beads  of 
perspiration  standing  out 
on  his  forehead.  The 
ptatoon  "went  over"  with  practically  no 
bombs  at  all. 

A  report  of  this  incident  came  back 
through  official  channels,  and  the  Forest 
Products  Laboratory,  at  Madison,  Wis., 
was  given  the  problem  of  designing  pack- 
ing cases  for  ammunition  that  could  be 
opened  anywhere  on  the  road  to  Berlin 
without  disturbing  the  most  suspicious 
Boche.       Immediately     two     designs     of 


The  H«nd-Or«aade  Box  at  the  Left  can  be  Opened  in  a  Dark 

Trench  without  the  Slightest  Noiae  to  Betray  the  Coming 

Attack.     At  the  Right  the  Binding  has  been  Cut 


This  Hand-Grenade  Box  is  Like- 
wise Easily  and  Silently  Opened. 
In  This  Case,  the  End  is  Held  with 
Bolts  and  Screws 


consultation. 


boxes  were  presented.  The  firsf  had  a 
bolt-and-screw  end  construction ;  when 
the  screws  were  removed  the  end.  came 
off  noiselessly,  revealing  the  contents. 
The  second  was  of  slightly  stronger  de- 
sign, intended  for  heavier  contents'.  No 
nails  or  bolts  were  used, '.the  top  dove- 
tailed with  the  edges  and  Was  held  down 
by  two  tight  strips  of  iron  sheeting  pass- 
ing entirely  around  the  box.  Noiseless 
clippers  for  this  sheeting  made  it  possible 
to  unpack  this  box  anywhere,  ^nd  its 
strength  could  be  depended  upon.     The 

two  designs 
were  adopted  at 
once,  and  used 
for  the  dura- 
tion of  the  war. 
On  the  eve 
o  f  hostilities 
with  'Germany, 
the  wood  ex- 
perts of  the 
Forest  Prod- 
u  c  t  s  Labora- 
tory offered  to 
help  out  the 
Ordnance  De- 
partment o  f 
the  United 
States  Arn^y  in 
providing  con- 
tainers for  overseas  dip- 
ping. This  was  declined  po- 
litely. Tlie  Ordnance  De- 
partment considered  the 
problem  of  getting  boxes 
merely  a  question  of  get- 
ting sufficient  money  to 
spend. 

On  April  7,  1917,  it 
sent  out  specifications  for 
several  types  of  boxes 
needed  immediately,  asking 
for  bids.  The  contracts 
would  have  involved  $3,- 
000,000.  Two  weeks  later 
the  Forest  Products  Labo- 
ratory was  summoned  in 
Not  a  single  bid  had  been 
sent  in  by  box  manufacturers! 

The  forest-products  expert  detailed  to 
the  problem  found  that  the  box  specifica- 
tions called  for  white  pine,  and  also  that 
the  sizes  named  made  it  necessary  for 
manufacturers  to  desert  their  long-  ! 
established  practice  of  making  boxes  from 
waste  ends  of  lumber.  The  new  boxes 
would  have  to  be  constructed  from  new. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


lumber,  if  at  all.  He  simply  redesigned 
the  containers,  altering  the  specifications 
so  thai  waste  ends  could  be  used;  and 
kno^yi^Ig  that  the  United  States  just  then 
was  suffering  from  a  bad  shortage  of 
white    pine,    he    substituted    a 


iniB  raacninc  lu 

Strain    Packing 

Cases  in  All  Directions.    If  a  Box  Survives  This  Test 

It   will    Travel    Safely  under    Any  Conditions.    The 

Machine  is  Here  Shown   Submitting  a  Box  to  a  So- 

Called  Comerwise  Compression  Test 

much  space  could  be  saved  for  the  gov- 
ernment by  redesigning  all  the  other 
boxes  used  in  overseas  shipping,  the  ex- 
perts were  allowed  to  tackle  the  new 
problem. 

The  first  box  changed  carried  30  one- 
pound  cans  of  saddle  soap  abroad.  The 
new  design  saved  43  per  cent  of  the  cargo 
space  required  by  the  old  box — cargo 
space  cost  the  government  $6  a  cubic  foot 
throughout  the  war — and  made  a  stronger, 
though  lighter  and  less  expensive,  con- 
tainer. On  the  first  shipment  of  3,000.000 
lb.,  the  government  pocketed  a  saving  of 
$414,000  net. 
.     AH    the    powder    and    high-explosive 


boxes  suffered  alteration.  Of  these,  the 
best  example  is  the  container  which  car- 
ried 140  lb.  of  cannon  powder.  Fourteen 
per  cent  in  space  was  saved. 

One  container  intended  to  hold  two 
Browning  automatic  machine  guns  with 
uipment  was  found  to  be  wasteful 
ce.  Twenty-eight  per  cent  of  the 
t  required  was  eliminated,  and  the 
nade  at  a  saving  of  40  cents  in  lum- 
very  time  two  of  these  rifles  crossed 
tlantic.  Uncle  Sam  put  back  $5.77 
is  breeches  pocket.  As  the  guns 
)ver  at  the  rate  of  nearly  a  thou- 
day  for  several  months,  his  pocket 
lave  bulged. 

infantry    rifles,    model    1917,    went 

as  in  a  single  crate.    Approximately 

lillion   in  all   were  shipped  abroad. 

million    or    more    will   be    shipped 

Each    single    trip    of    one    million 

aves  the  government  $1,500,000.  due 

fact   that   forest-products  experts 

:ed    a    new    crate    that    housed    the 

vith  an  apportionment  of  Vk  cu.  ft. 

ace  for  each. 

In     addition     to     the     great 
amount   of   money   saved   in   this 
manner,  there  is  a  still  larger  sum 
to     be     mentioned.       After     the 
^  boxes    designed    by    the     Forest 
I  Products  Laboratory  were  put  in 
I  use,  the  losses  from  breakage  suf- 
fered   by    the    government    were 
less  than   15  per  cent  what  they 
had   been   previous  to  the  adop- 
f   the    new    boxes.      In    all,   adding 
Lvings    made    by    new    waterproof 
ning  paper,  by  the  introduction   of 
landles   to   take   the   place   of   rope 
s  on  ammunition  cases,  by  various 
iiiipiuvements  on  strapping,  seals,  and  on 
other  minor  accessories  and  details,  it  has 
been  estimated  that  the  Forest  Products 
Laboratory  saved  upward  of  $30,000,000  of 
government    money — more    than    enough 
to  justify  the  existence  of  the   organiza- 
tion   till    eternity,    even    if    not    another 
stroke    of    work    ever   were   done    by    the 
organization. 

The  laboratory,  however,  is  only  at  the 
threshold  of  its  usefulness.  In  the  period 
of  reconstruction  now  before  us,  consid- 
ering the  phase  of  box  construction  alone, 
the  organization  stands  ready  and  able 
to  save  for  industry  in  the  United  States 
and  export  shipping  at  least  $10,000,000 
a  year.  This  money  will  be  put  back  into 
the  pockets  of  the  box  manufacturers  and 
box  users;  every  shipper  who  sends  any- 
thing in  a  container  made  of  wood,  paper, 
or  fiber  will  benefit,  and  indirectly,  every 


( 


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consumer  of  products  thus  conveyed  will 
save  money. 

As  a  striking  example  of  how  this  sav- 
ing will  be  accomplished  stands  the  case 
of  electric  lamps.     Recently  a  manufac- 
turer  decided   that   the   boxes   in   which 
lamps  were  sent  to  jobbers  were  ineffi- 
cient and  wasteful.     Approximately  nine 
per  cent  of  the  lamps  were  either  smashed, 
or  jarred  until  the  filaments  were  broken. 
The      company 
consulted    the 
experts    of  the 
1  a  b  o  ra  t  o  ry, 
who      advised 
that  a  shipment 
of  HOOO  worth 
of     lamps     be 
sent     up,    with 
some    standard 
containers,    for 
test. 

The     boxes, 
together      with 
some    designed 
at    the    labora- 
tory    for     this 
use,  were  given 
the     compres- 
sio  n  -  a  1  o  n  g  - 
edge,       corner- 
wise,  and  drop 
tests.    The  first, 
as  its  name  implies,  is  a  steady  and  con- 
stantly increasing  pressure  applied  along 
any  edge,  and  with  the  opposite  edge  in 
direct  line  with  the  pressure  exerted.  One 
of  the  illustrations  shows  the  machine  for 
this  test  and  how  it  is  used.     The  same 
machine  is  used  for  the  come.rwise  test, 
which  really  is  the  same,  except  that  the 
force  is  exerted  on  two  opposite  corners 
instead   of  edges.     Combined,  these  two 
measure  the  strength  of  the  box  in  with- 
standing any  external  pressure,  and  ap- 
proximate the  hazard  suffered  by  lower 
tiers  of  boxes  in  a  pile. 

The  drop  test  is  given  by  means  of  a 
huge  hexagonal  revolving  drum,  rotating 
slowly.  The  box  is  packed  with  its  actual 
contents,  as  in  commercial  service,  and 
placed  in  the  drum.  On  the  inside  faces 
of  the  drum  is  arranged  a  series  of  haz- 
ards, which  causes  the  box  to  follow  a 
regular  cycle  of  drops,  falling  on  sides, 
top,  bottom,  edges,  corners,  and  flat  upon 
a  sharp  projection  similar  to  the  comer 
of  another  box.  With  the  two  former 
tests,  this  gives  a  box  all  the  hazards  it 
encounters  in  actual  service  anywhere. 

The  lamp  boxes  were  found  to  be  insuf- 
ficiently insulated  against  shock  for  their 


A  Group  of    Electric-Lamp    Manufacturers   Wanted    to  Find 

a  Packing  Case  That  would  Deliver   Their  Prafile  Products 

Intact   to   the    Customer.    The  Revolving  Drum  Shown  Above 

Made  the  Tests 


valuable  and  fragile  cargo,  weak  on  the 
edges,  and  poorly  balanced.  New  boxes 
were  designed  which  eradicated  most  of 
the  loss  from  these  causes,  and  at  the 
same  time  saved  money  in  the  box  con- 
struction itself. 

The  lamp  containers  happened  to  be 
made  of  fiber,  but  usually  a  great  deal 
more  can  be  saved  in  the  case  of  wooden 
boxes  or  crates.    The  weak  features  that 

st^nd  out  usu- 
ally are  too 
few  nails,  nails 
of  too  short  a 
length,  or  nails 
driven  in  the 
wood  in  some 
manner  so  that 
shocks,  drying, 
or  strain  pulls 
the  wood  from 
the  nails,  or 
causes  it  to 
split  or  break 
across  the 
grain. 

When  dele- 
gates from  the 
national  associ- 
ations of  box 
manufacturers, 
wholesale  gro- 
cers, and  can- 
ners  met  in  joint  committee  in  Chicago, 
recently,  the  point  of  how  many  nails 
should  be  used  to  a  box  edge  was  brought 
up.  Three  nails  to  the  edge  had  been  the 
accepted  practice,  but  some  thought  more 
would  give  better  service.  A  forest-prod- 
ucts expert  was  consulted. 

He  recommended  at  least  six  nails  to 
the  edge  in  a  standard  No.  3  can  crate, 
and  told  the  delegates  that  even  seven  or 
nine  nails  would  give  additional  benefits. 
When  this  provoked  laughter,  he  invited 
the  delegates  to  accompany  him  to  Madi- 
son. There  he  repeated  the  tests  he  had 
made  previously  on  these  boxes,  and  when 
the  guests  left  they  had  decided  upon 
seven  nails  to  the  edge  as  being  more 
than  three  times  as  efficient  as  the  old 
plan.  They  had  been  convinced  that  the 
scientific  nailing  of  their  boxes  meant 
many  thousands  of  dollars  in  their  pockets 
annually. 

After  the  extraordinary  experience  of 
the  Ordnance  Department  with  the  box 
experts.  Col.  D.  W.  Dunne,  chief  inspec- 
tor of  the  Bureau  of  Explosives,  declared 
that  it  was  his  belief  that  at  the  present 
time  all  industry  which  is  dependent  upon 
containers  made  of  wood,  paper,  or  fiber 


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for  shipping,  is  losing  from  25  per  cent 
to  50 -per  cent  of  the  cost  of  that  shipping 
through  lack  of  knowledge  which  now  is 
possessed  by  forest-products  experts.  He 
Stated  that  a  saving  of  a  full  third  could 
be  made  on  all  package  shipping,  whether 
domestic  or  export,  simply  by  redesigning 
the  containers  to  make  them  more  eco- 
nomical of  space  and  wood,  and,  at  the 
same  time,  stronger  for  the  protection  of 
their  contents. 

Colonel  Dunne  advocates  Federal  laws 
establishing  standard  boxes  of  all  descrip- 
tions and  for  all  present  purposes,  these 
boxes  to  be  designed  by  the  Forest  Prod- 
ucts Laboratory,  and  put  into  use  before 
the  government  returns  the  railways  to 
private  ownership.  This  would  be  a  tre- 
mendous task,  for  every  existing  business 
today  has  its  distinctive — and  distinct- 
ively wasteful — shipping  box  or  crate, 
and  for  each  .individual  article  the  most 
economical  container  is  different  from 
that  necessary  for  another. 

It  probably  could  not  be  done  before 
private  ownership  returns,  but  still  it 
might  as  easily  be  accomplished  through 
the  agency  of  the  Interstate  Commerce 
Commission.  The  railroads  could  not  put 
it  over  by  themselves,  for  as  soon  as  one 


group  tried  to  dictate  to  shippers  the 
whole  of  its  business  automatically  would 
transfer  itself  to  another  line  or  group  of 
lines.  A  saving  of  35  per  cent,  however, 
is  worth  thinking  over. 

The  project  ought  to  come  home  to  the 
shrewd  Yankee  business  man  also.  The 
president  of  the  American  Railw^ay  Ex- 
press Company  recently  put  it  in  apt 
phrase:  "It  is  an  everyday  fact  that  the 
American  business  man  has  learned  to 
regard  a  satisfied  customer  as  a  direct 
asset  to  his  business.  He  would  do  noth- 
ing that  might  jeopardize  his  relations 
with  that  customer.  If  the  goods  he  sends 
that  customer  arrive  in  bad  order,  how- 
ever, if  the  contents  are  damaged  or  pil- 
fered because  they  are  exposed  during  the 
journey,  the  customer  does  not  wait  for 
^n  explanation,  but  places  his  business 
elsewhere.  Isn't  it  worth  while  for  him 
to  stop  right  now  and  make  certain  that 
his  shipping  crates  are  the  very  best  pro- 
curable for  his  product?" 

The  Forest  Products  Laboratory  stands 
ready  to  render  this  advice,  in  most  cases 
free  of  charge,  to  any  concern  who  asks. 
Where  charge  is  made  it  is  apportioned, 
and  the  laboratory  bears  part  of  the  bur- 
den. 


INDICATORS  ON  SUB  CHASERS 

SPOTTED  U-BOATS 

Adjustable  arrows,  six  feet  long,  like 
the  one  in  the  illustration,  proved  of  great 
value  in  several  ways  on  American  de- 
stroyers and  sub  chasers.  By  a  prear- 
ranged interpretation  of  various  settings 
the    movements    of   the   arrow   could    be 


used  to  govern  convoy  formations.  Thus, 
turned  to  the  right,  it  might  mean  "Close 
Up,"  or  to  the  left  "Increase  the  Inter- 
val." Another,  and  more  obvious  use, 
was  in  conjunction  with  the  submarine- 
detector  tubes  which  registered  the  posi- 
tion of  a  submerged  U-boat.  Thus,  when 
one  destroyer  or  sub  chaser  learned  the 
foe's  position,  a  simple  manipulation  of 
the  arrow  spread  the  knowledge  to  the 
whole  convoy.  It  will  be  seen  that  the 
indicators  may  be  illuminated  for  night 
signaling. 


BALLOON  OBSERVERS  TO  STAND 
GUARD  OVER  FORESTS 

It  is  safe  to  predict  that  destructive 
forest  fires  will  soon  go  out  of  fashion  as 
a  result  of  the  many  preventive  measures 
being  taken.  Quite  the  latest  is  the  forest 
balloon  service.  Experiments  at  an  army 
balloon  school  have  shown  that  the  inno- 
vation is  entirely  practicable,  and  most 
efficient  when  in  the  hands  of  trained  ob- 
servers, who  can  spot  a  blue  wisp  of 
smoke  miles  away.  The  observer's  tele- 
phone will  be  an  essential  part  of  the 
system  that  will  spread  the  fire  alarm 
*hrough  the  great  forests. 


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CROWDS  HEAR  VICTORY-LOAN   SPEECHES  PROM  AIR 
THROUGH  VOICE  MAGNIPIERS 


Gathered  before  the  Treasury  Building 
in  Washington,  during  the  Victory-loan 
campaign,  a  large  crowd  heard  every 
word  of  a  speech  delivered  by  an  airman 
flying  3,000  ft.  above  their  heads.  The  in- 
vention that  made  this  possible  is  a  new 
sound-magnifying  receiver,  designed  by 
two  San  Francisco  men.  The  sensitive 
diaphragm  of  this  instrument,  which 
builds  up  and  strengthens  the  infinitesimal 
vibrations  of  wireless- telephone  transmis- 
sion, has  the  usual  receiver  earpiece  re- 
placed by  a  huge  resonating  horn.  The 
voice  amplifier  was  connected  to  the  ter- 
minals of  the  aero-radio  apparatus,  into 
whose  transmitter,  in  the  plane  above,  an 
army  officer  delivered  President  Wilson's 
Victory-loan  appeal. 

Meanwhile,  amazed  throngs  along  New 
York  City's  great  Victory  Way  heard, 
literally  descending  upon  them  from 
above,  the  words  of  public  speakers  in 
stirring  pleas  for  the  loan.  Suspended 
from  wires  stning  far  overhead  were 
dozens  of  loud-speaking  telephone  re- 
ceivers, their  bell-shaped  horns  pointing 
vertically  downward  toward  the  walk. 
From  their  terminals  the  wires  led  to  a 


pair  of  transmitters,  mounted  on  pedes- 
tals before  the  speakers'  rostrum.  By 
this  means  the  words  addressed  to  those 
gathered  about  the  platform  were  spread 
broadcast  along  the   thoroughfare. 


Looking  into  the  Horn  of  the  Radiotelephonic  Voic^ 

Magnifier,  from  Which  the  Crowd  before  the  Tr«a». 

ury  Building  Heard   the   Speech  of  an  Airman  Plyw 

ing  More  Than  a  Half  MUe  Above  Them 


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ACROSS  THE  CASCADE  RANGE  IN  A  MOTOR  SLEIGH 


nn     i*»    •l4'«a>I-<>Ka*i*iAl    frsvMa       waMa>A^..»«     »V. 


830 

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DISDAINFUL   OF   TRAILS,    DRIFTS,   OR   WINDFALLS 


mances  of  the  army  tank  was  the  spec- 
Mountains,  of  the  motor  sleigh  whose 
ics  last  month.  Sktmming  the  surface 
trails  or    obstacles,    the    strange    little 

5 asses  with  never  a  stumble.  The  rescue 
rifts  of  Snooualmie  Pass,  was  a  mere 
cully  on  a  pair  of  hemlock  poles  was  but 
that  the  forest  ranger  who  was  an  ad- 
exclaimed  that  the  gas  sled  was  "the  real 

•leigh  for  the  dog-drawn  sledges  of  Alas- 
the  people  of  that  great  territory  than 
and  others  have  limned  the  malemute  as 
trail  know  well  he  is  never  that.  It  is 
at  well  as  canine  inefficiency,  that  rec- 

as  M  ft.  long  and  900  lb.  in  weight,  is 
cooled,  S8-hp.  motor,  aluminum-housed, 
momentary  application  of  a  gasoline 
xero  Alaskan  morning.  Gear  shift  and 
but  all  parts  are  large  and  heavy  for 
is  by  worm  gear ;  but  no  differential  is 
runners  like  any  sled,  the  tread  passing 
endless  steel  cables  on  each  side.  Hard- 
gripping  angle.  The  rigid  hickory  body, 
rawhide-braced  basket  of  the  typical  dog 


I'ass.Dut  tne  aBotor»ieiEn&»oon 


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The  Picture  at  the  Left   Shows  the   Pigeon_  Case  as 

•nE   

has  been  Opened  ;  at  the  Right  It  is  Collapsed 


Carried   alons  the   Forest  Trails.    In 


'ieeo 
the 


Center   It 


PIGEONS  TO  AID  IN  PATROL 

OF  NATIONAL  FORESTS 

Homing  pigeons,  carried  by  forest  ran- 
gers on  their  patrols,  will  this  season  sup- 
plement the  telephone  lines  which  ordi- 
narily spread  the  alarm  of  fire.  Rangers 
in  two  Oregon  forests  are  to  be  equipped, 
and  breeding  stock  has  already  been  ob- 
tained from  a  Portland  association.  As 
the  eggs  hatch,  the  older  birds  will  be  set 
free  to  return  to  the  home  loft,  while  the 
youngsters  jwd\  be  kept  and  trained  in 
their  special  duties.  They  will  naturally 
be  of  most  value  in  remote  sections  where 
wire  communication  is  uncertain  and 
liable  to  failure,  or  perhaps  does  not 
exist  at  all.  A  ranger  can  carry  five  birds 
in  a  light,  collapsible  traveling  case. 


TANGLED  WAR  STORIES  CONFUSE  PUBLIC 

By  PAUL  JENKINS 

pRESS  and  platform  hailed  the  marines  as  the  sariors  of  Chateau -Thierry,  not  underatandlne— aa  It  even- 
■■■  tuated— that  these  Intrepid  lighters  were  not  located  In  the  town  Itself  but  rather  In  the  Chateau-'nilerry 
neighborhood.  The  fact  that  there  were  two  American  engagements  In  this  region  helped  Increase  the  con- 
fusion of  Ideas.  Even  our  owti  account  of  the  splendid  marksmanship  of  the  marines  published  on  page  259 
of  the  February  Issue  contained  some  Inacruraclw  of  date  and  location,  whic'.i  we  believe  the  following  summary 
of   American   operations   In   (bateau -Thierry   proper   will  serve   to  correct.— Ekiltor. 


Already  the  story  of  America's  part  in 
the  war  is  obscured  in  many  details  by 
a  confusing  growth  of  legends  and  inac- 
curacies. And  nowhere  do  the  myths 
hang  thicker  than  about  the  name  of 
Chateau-Thierry,  where  America's  citizen- 
soldiers  first  met  and  mastered  the  Hun 
in  an  operation  of  major  importance.  In 
the  case  of  Chateau-Thierry,  this  regret- 
table confusion  has  arisen,  primarily,  be- 
cause the  name  is  often  loosely  used  for 
the  whole  vicinity,  including  a  dozen 
near-by  hamlets,  and,  secondarily,  because 
two  distinct  engagements  were  fought 
here  during  the  summer  of  1918. 

A  review  of  the  local  operations  of 
May,  June,  and  July,  1918,  will  clarify  the 
story,  and  bring  a  more  equal  share  of 
justice  to  all  concerned. 

The  third  German  offensive  of  1918, 
started  on  May  27,  swept  across  the 
Chemin  des  Dames,  over  the  Aisne  River, 
over  the  Vesle  River,  and  reached  Cha- 
teau-Thierry on  May  31.  Here  it  was 
halted  by  the  French,  assisted,  in  the  city 
itself,  by  the  7th  Machine  Gun  Battalion, 
3rd  Div.,  U.  S.  A.  This  battalion  held 
the  bridgeheads  and  struggled  with  the 
enemy  in  the  northern  outskirts  of  the 
city  from  May  31  to  June  4. 

Meanwhile,  beginning  June  2,  the  5th 
and  6|h  Regiments,  with  the  6th  Machine 
Gun  Battalion,  U.  S.  Marines,  were  win- 


ning undying  fame,  four  or  five  miles  to 
the 'northwest  of  the  city.  Checking  the 
Germans  for  four  days,  they  counter- 
attacked on  June  6,  1918,  and  during  the 
next  few  days  pushed  straight  through 
the  tangled  underbrush  of  bloody  Belleau 
Wood. 

Thus,  although  they  did  no  fighting 
in  the  city  itself,  the  Marines  helped  save 
Chateau-Thierry  by  removing  menacing 
pressure  from  the  northwest. 

And  finally,  on  July  15,  1918,  came  the 
fifth  great  Hun  offensive,  ushered  in  by  a 
bombardment  of  the  60-mile  front  from 
Chateau-Thierry  eastward  to  Massiges. 
Unsuccessful  at  most  points,  the  Germans 
did  succeed  in  crossing  the  Marne  along 
the  12  miles  east  of  Chateau-Thierry. 
And  this  time  the  city  was  garrisoned  by 
the  French  alone,  only  the  eastern  out- 
skirts and  the  five  miles  beyond  being 
entrusted  to  America,  represented  by  the 
3rd  Division.  But  here,  too,  the  Germans 
were  forced  back  after  a  wavering  fight ; 
and  on  the  morning  of  July  18,  1918,  Gen- 
eral Foch  launched  the*  victorious  sur- 
prise attack  on  the  25-milc  front  from 
Chateau-Thierry  north  to  Soissons. 

Although  these  simple  paragraphs  can- 
not encompass  the  whole  truth,  it  is 
hoped  that  they  may  remove  some  of  the 
misconceptions  that  must  inevitably  prove 
harmful  to  American  tradition. 


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AUTOMATIC  PLANTING  DEVICE 

ATTACHES  TO  CULTIVATOR 

\    Now  the  small  farm  is  having  its  inning 
with    labor-saving    machinery.      A    Mis- 


The  Seed  Box  is  Seen  Fastened  in  the  Center  of  the 

Cultivator ;  It  ia  Operated  by  the  Gears  on  the  Wheel 

at  the  Left.  Dropping  Seeds  into  the  Planting  Spout 

Below 


souri  farmer  has  invented  a  planting  at- 
tachment for  cultivators,  in  which  the 
seed  box  is  automatically  operated  by  a 
gear  on  one  of  the  wheels,  dropping  its 
seed  into  a  planting  nozzle  in  front  of 
the  cultivator  blades.  The  planter  is 
thrown  into  or  out  of  action  by  a  rod  ex- 
tending to  the  handles  of  the  machine. 


NAVY  BUILDS  MORE  RADIO- 
COMPASS  STATIONS 

The  radio  compass,  described  in  Popu- 
lar Mechanics  for  January,  1912,  has 
proved  such  a  success  on  vessels  of  the 
United  States  Navy  that  19  stations  are 
soon  to  be  established  on  the  Pacific  coast, 
in  addition  to  the  33  now  on  the  Atlantic 
and  Gulf  coasts.  The  new  western  sta- 
tions will  cover  the  entrances  to  Puget 
Sound,  the  Columbia  River,  Los  Angeles, 
San  Francisco,  and  San  Diego. 


TROLLEY    CAR    DRIVES    TO    CURB    FOR    PASSENGERS 


Several  small  New  England  towns  have 
recently  followed  the  lead  of  many  for- 
eign cities  in  adopting  the  trackless  trol- 
ley.    The   American   model   resembles   a 


predecessor,  as  expensive  rails,  switches, 
and  signals  are  all  unnecessary.  It  is 
claimed  to  be  more  satisfactory  in  per- 
formance, also,  as  the  swinging  trolleys 


trackless   trolley   is   said   to 
be   much    cheaper   than    its 


The  Two  Trollejrs  Are  8o  Z«o«f  "That  the  Traeldest  Trolley  Car  caa 

Travel  on  Bither  Side  of  an  Ordinarv  Road,  and  la  Thaa  Able  to 

Avoid  Ruta  and  Paaa  Slower  Vehidea 


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835 


Some  Idea  may  be  Gained,  from  the  Large  View,  of  the  Length  of  Floating  Discharge  Pipe  Used  in  a 

Mississippi  Dredging   Operation,  and  the  Number  of  Wood  Pontoons   Constructed  for  the  Work. 

The  Insert  View  Shows  How  the  Pipe  Sections  were  Connected   by  Rubber  Sleeves 

LONG  DREDGE-DISCHARGE  PIPE 
FLOATED  ON  WOOD  PONTOONS 


Overcoming  extraordinary  obstacles  is 
the  civil  engineer's  daily  routine.  In  a 
Mississippi  drainage  job,  a  channel  filled 
with  stumps  and  logs,  imbedded  in  stiff 
clay,  was  successfully  cleared  with  a 
hydraulic  dredge,  aided  by  some  blasting 
and  crushing.  The  channel  being  too 
narrow  for  the  usual  steel  pontoons,  the 
long  discharge  pipe  from  the  dredge  was 
floated  on  quickly  constructed  pontoons 
of  2-in.  pine,  13  ft.  long,  7  ft.  wide,  and 
2  ft.  deep,  carrying  16-ft.  lengths  of  pipe. 
Rubber  sleeves  2  to  3  ft.  long  connected 
the  sections.  This  floating  line  to  the 
spoil  bank  stretched  out  300  or  even  400 
ft.  as  the  dredger  moved  forward. 


WORKMEN   MAROONED   HIGH 

IN  AIR  BY  SALT  STORM 

A  violent  windstorm  recently  swept 
across  Great  Salt  Lake,  and  overland  into 
Ogden,  which  it  coated  with  a  thin  layer 
of  salt.  Buildings,  pedestrians,  sidewalks, 
and  automobiles  were  all  "salted"  impar- 
tially. The  only  real  damage  done,  how- 
ever, was  in  the  destruction  of  a  200-ft, 
scaffold  around  a  concrete  grain  elevator. 
Six  unfortunate  workmen,  who  were  on 
top  of  a  finished  part  of  the  elevator,  100 
ft.  in  the  air,  at  the  time  of  the  collapse, 
were  completely  marooned  until  rescued 
with  extension  ladders  by  the  local  fire 
department. 


JAPANESE  DWARF  TREES  GROWN 
BY  SURVIVAL  OF  UNFITTEST 

Japanese  love  for  the  miniature  extends 
even  to  the  deliberate  mutation  of  na- 
ture's processes.  Dwarf  trees,  for  exam- 
ple, are  patiently  cultivated  by  inverting 
Darwin's  law,  selecting  the  weakest  and 
most  stunted  specimens  and  pruning  away 
the  vigorous  and  fast-growing  members. 
By  cramping  and  trimming  the  roots  and 
starving  the  seedling  over  a  period  of 
perhaps  five  years,  the  proud  owner 
achieves  a  mature  tree  only  a  few  feet 
tall,  a  pigmy  replica  of  some  forest  mon- 
arch. Some  of  these  dwarfs  have  been 
known  to  live  for  200  years. 

'  1 


COPVRiaiT,    PRESS   ILLUSTRATINa  SSRVICt 

Japanese  Dwarf  Trees,  Patiently  Cultivated  by  Revers- 
ing the  Usual  Process  of  Selection,  Cutting  Off  the 
Vigorous  Shoots,  and  Nursing  the  Small  and  Puny 
Ones:  This  Procedure  is  Continued  for  Several  Years 


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837 


TUNNEL  FOR  ENGLISH  CHANNEL 

REAL  PROSPECT  AT  LAST 

Plans  for  a  tunnel  under  the  English 
Channel,  discussed  so  frequently  during 
the  last  sixty-odd  years,  are  now  on  the 
verge  of  materialization.  It  is  announced 
that  England  and  France  are  in  perfect 
accord  on  the  subject,  and  that  war  ex- 
periences have  robbed  its  opponents  of 
most  of  their  contentions.  From  an  en- 
gineering standpoint  no  serious  difficulty 
is  anticipated;  through  the  impervious 
gray  chalk  underlying  the  channel  bottom, 
electric  drills  will  doubtess  find  easy  and 
rapid  passage.  The  plan  calls  for  two 
20-ft.  tubes,  side  by  side,  connected  at 
short  intervals  by  cross  openings.  A  drain- 
age tunnel  underneath  disposes  of  seepage 
water.  At  the  center  of  its  length  the 
tunnel  dips  to  its  lowest  grade  for  one 
mile,  constituting  a  water  lock  which 
could  be  flooded  from  the  shore  in  case 
of  military  necessity.  The  total  length 
from  near  Dover  to  a  point  between 
Calais  and  Boulogne,  will  be  30  miles,  of 
which  22  will  be  95  to  175  ft.  below  sea 
bottom.  The  channel's  greatest  depth 
over  the  proposed  course  is  180  ft.  Esti- 
mates allow  five  years  for  completion,  at 
a  cost  of  $100,000,000.  Electric  trains  will 
make  the  passage  in  40  or  45  minutes, 
giving  England  direct  access  by  rail  to 
all  parts  of  Europe. 


AMERICAN  BUYER  BRINGS  HOME 

PLATINUM  WORTH  MILLIONS 

Packed  in  a  specially  constructed  safe, 
a  quantity  of  platinum  totaling  23,000  oz., 
and  worth  $2,415,000  at  the  mar- 
ket price  of  $105  an  ounce,  was 
recently  brought  into  this  coun- 
try. It  traveled  from  Russia  as 
the  personal  baggage  of  a  Massa- 
chusetts business  man,  who  had 
undertaken  on  his  own  responsi- 
bility to  secure  it  for  the  govern- 
ment. To  this  task  he  gave  over 
a  year  of  his  time  without  re- 
muneration, advanced  his  own 
funds,  overcame  an  uncounted 
number  of  dangers,  obstacles 
and  hardships,  and  sacrificed  his 
health.  The  precious  metal  was 
obtained  in  many  places,  a  few 
ounces  at  a  time,  the  buyer  carry- 
ing the  accumulation  with  him. 
A  tragic  ending  to  the  story  of 
commercial  romance  is  supplied 
by  his  death,  four  hours  after  his 
return,  from  exhaustion. 


SMALL  DE  HAVILAND  PLANE 
ADORNS  RADIATOR  CAP 

Aluminum-  models  of  the  De  Haviland 
battle  plane,  with  a  wing  spread  of  nine 
and  one-fourth 
inches,  are  now 
made  for  desk  use 
as  a  paper  weight, 
or  for  attachment 
to  radiator  caps. 
The  American  in- 
signe,  in  colors, 
on  the  wings 
and  the  propeller, 
which  revolves  on 
a  moving  automo- 
bile, give  it   quite 

a  businesslike  appearance.  The  little 
model  is  correct  in  all  its  essential  propor- 
tions. 


TEXAS  HILLTOP  CROWNED 
BY  VICTORY  COLUMN 

Crowning  a  Texas  hilltop  stands  a  rude 
monument  that  speaks  to  travelers,  for 
miles  throughout  the  valley,  of  the  peo- 
ple's gratitude  for  victory  and  their  affec- 
tion for  the  local  men  who  sailed  over- 
seas. The  ranchmen  built  the  pedestal  of 
rough  stones,  bound  them  together  with 
cement,  and  surmounted  the  whole  with  a 
white  cross.  On  every  smooth-faced  stone 
they  inscribed  the  name  of  some  allied 
statesman,  general,  flier,  or  victory,  while 
on  a  tablet  just  beneath  the  cross  they 
had  engraved  the  names  of  the  heroes 
from  the  valley.  The  unique  monument 
rises  21  ft.  above  the  hilltop. 


Texas  Ranchmen  had  Engraved  on  These  Stones  the  Names  ol 
Heroes  and  Battles  That  Brought  Victory  to  the  Allies 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


WOODWORKING   MADE   EASY 

WITH  ELECTRIC  HANDSAW 

Until  lately  a  handsaw  was  one  thing 
and  a  circular  saw  was  another.  But  now 
an  enterprising  manufacturer  has  brought 
out  a  portable  tool  in   the  shape 


^"^"^     Si!? 


Light,   Portable   Circular   Saw   Operated   Like  a   Handaaw:    At   Right, 

Guard   is   Removed  to  Show  Eccentric  Adjuatment.     Above  are    Shown 

Methods   of   Fastening  Track  to  Workbench,  So  That  Grooved  Base  of 

Saw  may  Guide  It  Accurately  in  Any  Direction 

of  a  hand  circular  saw,  with  electric 
drive,  that  should  make  sawing  wood  a 
pleasure.  A  ^/4-hp.  universal  motor  is 
mounted  directly  on  the  tool,  which  has 
a  handle  like  a  regular  handsaw  and 
weighs  only  12  lb.  Two  3-in.  saws  are 
supplied,  a  rip  and  a  crosscut,  an  eccentric 
mounting  allowing  adjustment  for  depth. 
The  base,  of  aluminum,  is  grooved  to 
slide  on  a  track  when  a  guide  is  neces- 
sary, such  a  track  being  part  of  the  equip- 
ment. For  ripping,  the  gauge  slides  along 
with  the  work.  The  saw  blade  is  well 
guarded,  so  the  tool  is  particularly 
adapted  to  manual-training  school  use. 
It  operates  from  any  lamp  socket,  direct 
or  alternating  current. 


ATLANTIC  FLEET  RACES  NORTH 

IN  SUCCESSFUL  SPEED  TEST 

The  Atlantic  fleet  recently  concluded  a 
most  instructive  season  of  battle  and  tar- 
get practice  at  Guantanamo  by  racing  up 
the  Atlantic  coast  in  rec- 
ord time.  Every  minute 
of  the  trip  was  used  for 
maneuvers,  and,  north  of 
Cape  Hatteras,  the 
weather  proved  so  ideal 
that  a  most  exacting 
speed  trial  was  ordered. 
Starting  at  17  knots,  the 
armada  was  soon  churn- 
ing the  foam  at  19,  then 
at  20.5,  and  finally  at 
every  ship's  maximum 
speed.  As  a  result,  each 
one  of  the  great  vessels 
exceeded  its  record  made 
in  government  accept- 
ance tests,  and  the  fleet 
steamed  into  New  York 
harbor,  behind  the  new 
superdreadnaught  "Mis- 
sissippi," just  20  hours 
ahead  of  schedule.  New  York  was  sur- 
prised, but  Riverside  Drive  was  soon 
crowded  with  those  anxious  to  see  the 
most  imposing  marine  spectacle  ever 
staged  in  American  waters,  consisting  of 
12  "all  big  gun"  fighters,  more  than  60 
destroyers,  10  new  submarines,  and  a 
whole  division  of  auxiliaries. 


BIG  SHIPMENT  OF  EVERGREENS 

FOR  DEPLETED  FORESTS 

One  of  the  largest  evergreen  orders  in 
the  history  of  the  nursery  trade  was  re- 
cently shipped  to  a  northern  lumber  com- 
pany for  reforestation  of  the  concern's 
cut-over  lands.  The  shipment  consisted 
of  1,500,000  Norway  spruce  trees,  enough 
to  line  a  280-mile  road,  as  from  Chicago 
to  St.  Louis,  if  planted  onlv  one  foot 
apart.  The  nursery  company  kept  a  gang 
of  more  than  50  men  at  work  on  this 
order  for  two  weeks,  digging,  counting, 
and  packing. 


RUBBER  ''MUSCLES'*  ENABLE 

WOOD  DOLL  TO  WALK 

By  using  the  resiliency  of  rubber  bands 
as  a  substitute  for  muscular  action,  a  New 
York  inventor  makes  a  wooden  doll  that 
will  actually  walk. 
Of  course  it  will 
not  stroll  away  by 
Itself,  but  when 
led  by  the  arm 
and  swayed  gently 
from  side  to  side. 
It  ^ives  a  very  fair 
imitation  of  a 
promenade.  Han- 
dled with  an  ac- 
quired knack,  it 
readily  bows  and 

even    executes    a  _^_^ 

few  terpsichorean 

steps.  The  large  size  of  the  figure  adds 
to  the  illusion  of  life,  and  at  a  short  dis- 
tance it  appears  to  be  stepping  along 
very  well  for  one  so  young. 


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This  Tank  Set  Out  for  the  Summit  of  Pikes   Peak  to  Advertise  the  Victory  Loan.     At  the  Left    It  is  Seen 

Skirting    One    of   the    Drifts    That   Blocked    the   Ascent.     It  would    Probably  have 

Reached  the  Top  but  for  an  Unexpected  Change  in  the  Schedule 


WAR  TANK  TRIES  TRIP 

UP  PIKES  PEAK 

The  "Little  Zeb"  is  one  of  the  several 
tanks  that  toured  the  western  states  in 
the  interest  of  the  Victory  loan;  but  it  is 
the  only  one  that  tried  to  climb  Pikes 
Peak.  It  courageously  chose  an  unfavor- 
able time  of  year,  too,  when  the  winding 
mountain  road  was  blocked  by  snowdrifts 
that  sometimes  rose  in  its  path  to  a  height 
of  10  feet.  It  waddled  along  finely  behind 
its  motto  "Pikes  Peak  or  Bust,"  however, 
until  twelve  miles  up  the  slope  something 
did  "bust."  Repairs  were  made,  despite  a 
60-mile  gale,  near-zero  weather,  and  a 
cracker-and-sardine  diet  for  the  crew. 
Then  the  "Little  Zeb"  started  again,  only 
to  be  stopped,  still  short  of  the  summit, 
and  ordered  elsewhere  by  a  messenger 
from  headquarters. 


STEEL  ROOM  SECURES  SAFETY 

FOR  SAND-BLAST  OPERATOR 

For  cleaning  large  castings  with  a  sand 
blast  the  use  of  a  steel  room  has  been 
found  to  result  in  increased  safety  and 
convenience  for  the  operator.  He  wheels 
the  casting  into  the  room  on  the  house 
tracks,  closes  the  steel  doors,  and  directs 
the  sand  blast  upon  the  casting  through 
a  multiple-section  curtain  which  permits 
movement  of  the  nozzle  in  all  directions. 
He  is  able  to  watch  his  work,  meanwhile, 
through  a  wire-protected  curtain  at  the 
height  of  his  eyes.  Spent  abrasive,  core 
sand,  and  refuse  fall  through  the  grated 
floor,  and  are  carried  by  a  conveyor  to  a 
separator   which  delivers  waste  material 


to  a^  refuse  bin,  and  the  abrasive  sand, 
sharp  and  clean,  to  a  storage  bin  for  re- 
use.   Through  the  inlet  screens  along  the 


The  Sand-Blast  Operator  is  Entirely  Protected  from 

Choking  bust  and  Flying  Particles 

by  This  Steel  Room 

bottom  and  a  ceiling  hood  at  the  top  a 
powerful  draft  is  maintained,  keeping  the 
room  free  from  dust. 


CVVar-time  restrictions  on  the  use  of 
radio  receiving  stations,  other  than  those 
used  for  commercial  traffic,  have  been  re- 
moved. The  restrictions  on  transmitting 
stations  remain  in  eflfect. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


TRACTOR   BUILT   LIKE  A  TRUCK 
HAS  PRESSED-STEEL  TREADS 

Except   for  its  more  compact  form,  a 
type  of  farm  tractor  recently  designed  fol- 


Motor.Tnick  Conttruction  It  the  Characteristic  of  This  Three-Plow  Farm 

Tractor,  the  Only  Important   Difference  being  the  Running   Gear, 

Which  Is  the  Bndless-Tread  Tjrpe,  Made  of  Pressed  Steel 

lows  the  conventional  lines  of  motor- 
truck construction.  Experimental  work 
performed  by  the  inventor  while  in  the 
Ordnance  Department  of  the  army  is  de- 
clared to  have  sug^gested  the  departures 
from  usual  tractor  practice.  The  endless 
tread  is  made  entirely  of  pressed  steel, 
assuring  strength  and  lightness. 


IRELAND-AMERICA   RADIO   TALK 
B«AY  EVOLVE  WORLD  SYSTEM 

Early     establishment     of     commercial 
radiotelephone   stations   for  transatlantic 

-messages  is  promised  as 

a  result  of  successful 
transmission  from  Ire- 
land to  Cape  Breton 
Island,  Nova  Scotia,  a 
little  more  than  2,000 
'miles.  While  this  breaks 
no  distance  records,  the 
reliability  of  wireless- 
telephone  equipment  has 
been  greatly  improved 
since  the  4,8(30-mile  con- 
veyance of  speech  from 
Arlington,  Va.,  to  Pearl 
Harbor,  Hawaii,  in  Sep- 
tember, 1915.  A  recently 
developed  form  of  vacu- 
um-tube valve  was  used 
in  the  Ireland- Nova 
Scotia   test,    but    further 

details  of  the  equipment 

are  not  disclosed.   Photo- 

graphs    purporting   to 

show   the   new   receiving 

apparatus  have  appeared  in  the   popular 

press,  but  prove  to  be  views  of  apparatus 

used  in  1915.     No  new  photographs  have 


yet  been  released. 


NEW  WARNING  FLAG  FOR  SHIPS 

ACCOMPANYING  SUBMARINES 

A  conventionalized  torpedo  in  black, 
on  a  white  field  with  a  wide  red  border, 
is  the  design  of  the 
navy's  new  warning 
flag.  It  warns,  how- 
ever, of  the  presence 
of  our  own  subs 
and  not  an  enemy's. 
All  tenders,  launches, 
and  other  craft  ac- 
companynig  undei water  boats  in  their 
practice  operations,  fly  it  to  keep  com- 
mercial  shipping  out   of  danger. 


PRESIDENT  GIVEN  FRUIT 

OF  TWO  YEARS'  TOIL 

When  a  Greek  miner  completed  a  mini- 
ature ocean  liner  after  two  years'  labor, 
he  promptly  christened  it  "The  Agent  of 
Democracy"  and  sent  it  to  President  Wil- 
son.    With  knowledge  gained  from  serv- 


CGas  masks  of  the  type  approved  by  the 
government  are  reported  to  have  failed 
when  two  members  of  a  large  city  fire 
department  penetrated  a  cold-storage 
room  filled  with  fumes  from  a  broken 
ammonia  pipe. 


This   Model    Steamship    Is  Only   88    Inches  Xong. 

Yet  It  Possesses  Kvery  Important  Detail 

of  an  Ocean^Going  Vessel 

ice  in  the  Grreek  navy,  he  was  ahle  to  in- 
clude every  important  detail  found  on 
large  vessels. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS  841 

PILOTLESS    TORPEDO  PLANE    IS  FLYING    DESTROYER 

A  pilotleas  airplane,  charged  with  50  lb.  wings  clear  off  the  machine.  The  body,  en- 
of  the  dread  T.  N.  T.,  and  adjustable  with  gine  and  all,  drops,  nose  first,  like  a  plum- 
xincanny  accuracy  to  explode  at  any  point  met,  the  engine  and  its  parts  adding  to  the 
within  400  miles,  is  one 
of  the  spectacular  weap- 
ons whose  use  by  the 
American  army  was  fore- 
stalled by  the  armistice. 
The  device,  which  is  lit- 
erally a  complete  small 
biplane,  was  invented  by 
a  Los  Angeles  man,  and 
had  already  received  the 
attention  of  government 
experts.  The  machine 
Hies  without  its  ground 
wheels  and  chassis, 
which  are  disengaged,  as 
the  body  rises,  by  the 
action  of  a  governor  re- 
leasing a  spring.  About 
a  300-ft.  run  is  needed 
after  starting  the  engine, 
before  the  plane  attains 
a  speed  of  40  miles  an 

hour  and  soars  away.    In  jhe  Self-Prop  died  Bomb-PUne  as  Seen  Here  Is  Ready  for  a  Start.    The 

Its    night     It     reaches     an  Chain  Gearing  Observed  at  the  Rear  of  the  Chassis  Operates  a  Governor, 

alfitnrlp     nf     ahniit-     '^000  Which  Disconnecte  the  Plane's  Body  from  the  Running  Gear  When  the 

altitude     Ot     apOUt     ^,UUU  ^^^^  j,  sufficient  for  Flight.    The  betmils  of  Adjustment  Which  Assure 

ft.      The   rear  half  of  the  Such  Extraordinary  Accuracy  in  the  Explosive   •'Landing  »'   Caused  by 

body    is    a    bomb,    which  I>«»«<=hing  the  Wmg.  from  t^%Bg|y^^«  Predetermined  distance,  are 

may  be  set  to  explode  at  . 

any  desired  distance.  How  the  machine  occasion  by  serving  as  shrapnel  when  the 
is  guided  so  accurately  to  its  calculated  burst  occurs.  The  tail  guides  the  down- 
destination  is  not  divulged.  But  at  the  ward  flight,  but  explosion  follows  on  land- 
determined  point,  a  trigger  is  released;  in-  ing  in  any  position.  A  flight  of  100  miles 
stantly  the  power  of  the  engine  throws  the      resulted  in  accuracy  of  burst  within   50 

yd.  in  government  tests. 
Acting  practically  as  an 
ultra-long-range  gun 
without  a  barrel,  the  cost 
of  a  shot  with  the  flying 
projectile  is  declared  to 
be  comparatively  low. 


This  la  the  Bomb  into  Which  the  Plane  is  Changed  When  It  Throws  Off  . . 

Its  Wings,  and  the  Loaded  Body  snd  Engine  Drop  to  the  Ground  partment. 

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C  T  h  e  attorney-general 
of  the  United  States  has 
been  requested  by  the 
secretary  of  war  to  be- 
gin condemnation  pro- 
ceedings for  government 
acquisition  of  Cape  Cod 
Canal.  The  private 
owners  of  this  conven- 
ient water  connection 
with  Boston  and  other 
New  England  points  re- 
fused an  offer  of  $8,250,- 
000  made  hy  the  -war  de- 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


FAILURE  TO  DIM  HEADLIGHTS 

CAUSES  BAD  AUTO  WRECK 

All  who  have  driven  along  dark  roads 
at  night  knov^  the  sense  of  apprehension 
kindled  by  the  glaring  headlights  of  an 


Glaring  Headlights  on  Another  Car  Were  Directly  Responsible  for  This 
Accident,  the  Blinded  Driver  Turning  Out  Too  Par  and  Striking  a  Fence 
Post.    A  Telephone  Pole  Broken  by  the  Crash  is  Seen  Lying  on  the  Bank 


opposing  car.  Recently  an  army  officer, 
driving  a  brand-new  car  along  a  Califor- 
nia road,  blinded  by  approaching  lights, 
turned  too  far  out  and  crashed  into  a  4 
by  4-in.  fence  post.  The  car  turned  com- 
pletely around,  cutting  oflF  a  12-in.  tele- 
phone pole,  rolled,  upside  down,  into  a 
deep  ditch,  and  then  burned  up.  The 
driver  and  his  fellow  officer  were  seri- 
ously, but  by  good  fortune  not  fatally,  in- 
jured. To  dim  headlights  in  meeting  other 
cars  is  required  by  law  in  many  states. 

YALE  UNIVERSITY  DROPS 

LATIN  REQUIREMENT 

Recent  changes  of  policy  voted  by  the 
corporation  of  Yale  University  are  typical 
of  the  new  educational  attitude.  The  re- 
organized college  will  demand  Latin  as  a 
graduation  requirement  only  from  those 
students  who  wish  the  B.  A.  degree.  To 
those  with  no  Latin  will  be  awarded  the 
degree  of  Ph.  B.,  hitherto  granted  by  the 
Sheffield  Scientific  School,  whose  gradu- 
ates will  now  be  Bachelors  of  Science. 
The  college  will  require  of  every  student 
in  every  course,  however,  a  sound  knowl- 
edge of  American  history  and  govern- 
ment. Further,  it  will  grant  its  pro- 
fessors a  substantial  increase  in  salary, 
insuring  a  higher  grade  of  instruction  to 
the  students  and  a  more  comfortable  liv- 
ing to  teachers  and  families. 


ARMY  SURGEON  DESCRIBES 
LESSONS  TAUGHT  BY  WAR 

Among  the  lessons  learned  from  war- 
time surgical  experience  an  American 
Army  authority  chooses  two  as  of 
outstanding  importance. 
The  first  is  the  change 
from  the  harsh  antiseptic 
methods  of  the  war's  first 
years  to  mild  aseptic 
treatment.  Surgeons 
have  found  that  well- 
nourished  tissue  with- 
stands  infection,  and 
even  expels  it,  without 
external  aid.  In  conse- 
quence, they  simply  clean 
the  wound  of  foreign 
matter  and  devitalized 
tissue,  and  close  it  imme- 
diately without  the  use  of 
an  antiseptic.  The  sec- 
ond lesson  learned  is  that 
shock  is  caused  by  defi- 
cient oxidation  of  the  red 
corpuscles.  Hence,  to 
avoid  this  shock,  so  often 
operations,  nitrous  oxide 
oxygen  has   been    widely 


fatal  in  major 
combined  with 
used  as  an  anesthetic. 


ANTICLOGGING  GARDEN  PLOW 

HAS  TWO  HINGED  SHOVELS 

Cultivators    or    garden    plows    of    the 
three-shovel  kind  are  kept  from  clogging 


The  Implement  at  the  Left  Becomes  a  One- Shovel 
Cultivator  by  the  Lifting  of  Its  Two  Outer  BIa«4es 
on  Their  Hinges.  The  One  at  the  Right  is  Working 
with  Two  Blades,  One  being  Temporarily   Held    Up 

SO  that  either  one  or  both  may  be  swung 
up  out  of  action.  They  are  held  in  n  ^r- 
mal  position  by  large  washers  and  wine: 
nuts  on  the  center  beam,  which  is  s*^^- 
tionary.  Kach  washer  is  cut  away  on  ono 
side,  and  when  turned  permits  the  beam 
to  swing  past  it.  Turned  back,  it  holds 
the  beam  suspended. 


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In  the  Seed-Corn  Trmy  at  the  Left,  the  Kernels  are  Laid  in  Compartments  in  Damp  Sawdvst.    At  the  Right 
a  Comer  of  a  Seed-Testing  Sution,  the  Blectnc  Testing  Cabinet  Being  at  the 
Extreme    Right.      The   Boy  is   Cording  the  Ears  to   Save   Racks 


is  Seen  i 


DAKOTA  FARMERS  SAVE  CORN 
WITH  ELECTRIC  TESTER 

Farmers  in  one  county  of  South 
Dakota  raised  a  fine  crop  of  corn  from 
very  poor  seed,  and  saved  about  $15,000, 
just  because  the  director  of  the  county 
farm  bureau  installed  an  electric  seed 
tester.  This  device  consists  of  a  water- 
jacketed  metal  cabinet,  with  a  heating 
element  in  the  bottom  and  a  thermostat 
in  the  too.  Its  two  compartments  each 
contain  18  wire-screen  trays,  holding  the 
samples  of  seed,  either  folded  in  canton 
flannel,  or,  for  single-ear  tests,  inclosed 
in  holes  punched  in  a  blanket  pad.  Trays 
of  moistened  sawdust  are  also  used.  With 
its  constant  standard  of  heat,  moisture, 
and  air  supply,  the  tester  assures  a  re- 
liable  indication  of  germination. 


CARPENTERS'  FOLDING  SQUARE 

HAS  MANY  USES 

By    hinging    the    ordinary    carpenters' 
steel  square,  and  providing  a  third  strip, 
calibrated  in  inches  and  degrees,  to  con- 
nect the  two  arms, 
a    folding    square 
has  been  obtained 
that    may    be   put 
to  many  uses.     It 
m  a  y  be   clamped 
to  lay  off  anything 
from  a  straight  to 
a   right   angle;    it 
will    divide    any 
angle    as    desired, 
or  it  may  even  be 
extended, 
clamped,  and  used 
as  a  yardstick.  Be- 
sides  making  sev- 
eral instruments  superfluous,  the  tool  will 
fold  into  the  carpenter's  tool  box,  unlike 
the  cumbersome  rigid  square. 


SURGEON  USES  SAME  IODINE 

MANY  TIMES 

Iodine  is  now  re- 
covered from  the 
hundreds  of  gauze 
and  cotton  "mops" 
used  daily  in  the  sur- 
gical wards  of  a  large 
army  hospital.  In- 
stead of  throwing 
them  away,  as  for- 
merly, they  are  heated 
in  the  apparatus  illus- 
trated.  Alcohol 
evaporates  and  con- 
denses in  the  cooled 
upper  tube,  then  falls 
back  through  the 
mopf,  carrying  the  io- 
dine down  with  it  to 
the  bottom  of  the 
flask  in  the  form  of  a 
tincture.  The  mops 
are  saved,  too,  by  subsequent  washing 
and  sterilizing. 


HANDLE  BRAZED  TO  FRAME 

PLEASES  MOTORCYCLISTS 

A  body  of  motorcycle  policemen  de- 
cided that  the  repeated  effort  of  lifting 
their  350-lb.  mo- 
torcycles on  and 
off  the  stand 
many  times  a  day 
was  too  fatiguing. 
So  the  mechanic 
in  charge  devised 
a  handle  which  he 
brazed  to  the 
frames  in  the 
most  convenient 
position,      greatly 

reducing  the  effort  needed  each  time  the 
heavy  machine  is  lifted. 


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^HOrOt  BT  COURTUY  Of  THC  V.  W.  C  ». 


This  Blind  French  Soldier  is  Waiting,  as  Ws  See  Him  at   the  Left,  for  the   New  Mask  and  Artificial  Eyes 
Which  Restore  to  Him  the  Normal  Appearance  of  the  Right-Hand  Picture 

WOMAN  MODELS  HAND- PAINTED  COPPER 
FACES  FOR  MUTILATED  SOLDIERS 

By  grace  GOULDER 
With  the  Y.  W.  C,  A.  in  Ftanco 


Leaves  of  ivy  dance  over  the  high, 
old  stone  walls  of  the  courtyard  in  front 
of  her  house  and  you  have  to  climb 
five  flights  of  winding  wooden  stairs  to 
get  to  her  studio.  And  when  you  get  there, . 
you  are  sure  to  find  a  half  do/.:jn  French 
soldiers  sitting  around  chatting  or  drink- 
ing tea.  One  or  two  of  them  will  have 
bandages  over  their  faces,  or  horrible  face 
mutilations.  But  the  others  will  seem 
perfectly  sound  and  whole. 

When  Mrs.  Ladd — Mrs.  Anna  Coleman 
Ladd  she  is-^comes  forward  to  greet  you, 
she  will  probably  be  carrying  what  looks 


This  View  of  a  Corner  of  Mrs.  Ladd*8  Studio  Shows  Some  of   the  Many 

Models  She  Uses  in  Her  Hulmane  Undertakins.    The  Masks,  of  Thin 

Copper,   She   Makes   from   Casts   of   the   Mutilated   Features 

for  all  the  world  like  a  human  nose,  or 
part  of  a  man's  cheek,  or  maybe  it  will  be 
an  ear.  And  she  handles  it  quite  uncon- 
cernedly as  she  goes  on  talking  with  you. 

844 


For  in  the  time  she  has  been  in  Paris  she 
has  made  parts  of  faces  for  71  mutilated 
soldiers. 

She  tells  you  to  look  at  the  man  in  the 
corner — the  one  passing  cakes  to  his  com- 
panions.   You  observe  a  rather  handsome 
black-haired  boy,  with  a  decoration  pinned 
on   his  blue  soldier's  blouse.     And   Mrs. 
Ladd  tells  you  that  his  nose  and  mustache, 
as  well  as  part  of  his  cheek,  are  artificial. 
He  will  take  the  mask  off  if  you  want 
him  to,  she  announces, -but  you   beg  to 
be  excused  from  witnessing  it. 
"Oh,  they  are  just  as  proud  as  they  can 
be    of    their    new    faces. 
All     these     men     would 
show  you  their  masks  in 
a  minute  and  be  glad  to," 
she  will  tell  you.     **This 
one    standing    near    the 
modeling   board    has    no 
chin    at    all.       He     was 
wounded     early     in     the 
war    and    he    was    ver>' 
much  discouraged  about 
life.     But  now  he  is  go- 
ing to  be  married  and  the 
future  looks  bright.     Of 
course,  he  has  to  lift  his 
mask    every    little    while 
to  wipe  away  the  saliva, 
and  he  cannot  talk  w^ell 
or     eat     solid     food     or 
smoke — but  he  feels  that 
he  can  mix  with  people  once  more. 

"So  far,  I  have  had  only  five  American 
boys.  I  cannot  make  masks  until  the 
wound  is  entirely  well  and  that  takes  some 


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time.  Also,  I 
never  get  the 
cases  until  the 
surgeons  are 
sure  they  can 
tlo  nothing  for 
them.  And  so, 
the  Americans 
have  not  start- 
ed to  come  to 
me  in  any  great 
numbers. 

"But  every 
one  of  those 
who  come  has 
been  so  sensi- 
tive and  dispir- 
ited.  The 
French  are  dif- 
ferent about  it. 
.They  have  be- 
come used  to 
horrible 
wounds  in  the 
four  years  of 
this  war — used 
to  their  own 
and  those  of 
their  friends. 
But  these 
American  sol- 
diers saw  noth- 
in  g  ahead. 
They  wouldn't 
believe  my 
masks  would 
make  them  as 
good  as  new. 
You  don't 
know  what  a 
satisfaction  it 
is  to  fit  them 
out  and  see 
their  pleasure 
and  surprise. 
They  seemed  to 
take  hold  all 
over  again  as 
they  looked  at 
their  changed 
faces." 

Mrs.  Ladd 
was  a  sculptor 
in  Boston  be- 
fore she  took 
up  this  work 
for  the  Red 
Cross.  She  first 
models  the 
maimed  face. 
Then  she 
makes  a  cast  of 


Here   We   See,    First,   an   Example   of    War   Mutilation,   AU 

Too  Common  a  Sight  in  Prance  These  Dajrs  ;    and  Second,  Its 

Restoration  by  False  Nose,   Made  of  Thin   Copper  and  Tinted 

Carefally  by  Hand,  and  a  Mustache 


Another   Instance   Wlwre   an   Artificial    Nose,  Provided   for  a 

Mutilated  French  Soldier,  Brought  Back  Not  Only  Appearance, 

but  Confidence   and  Morale   to  Its    Woarer,   Thereby   Making 

Him  a  Better  Citiaen  and  CerUinly  a  Happier  Man 


This  Soldier  had  His  Chin  Shot  Away  with  an  Effect  on  His 

Appearance   Which  May  be    Realised   by  a  Glance  at  the  Left 

'Picture  ;    but  with  .a  Copper  Substitute,  and  a  New  Mustache, 

the  Injiiry  Is  Not  Perceptible 


the  face'  as  it 
was  before  the 
wound.  Most 
frequently  she 
does  this  from 
•  a  photograph. 
When  the  sol- 
dier has  none, 
she  studies 
what  is  Left  of 
his  f  a  c.e  and 
models  the 
missing  f  e  a  - 
tures  to  suit 
the  rest.  The 
mask  itself  is 
made  of  thin 
copper.  This 
i  s  afterward 
tinted  wiih  the 
most  delicate  of 
water  coloring, 
a  process  re- 
quiring  the 
most  exact  and 
careful  work 
because  the 
mask  must 
match  perfectly 
the  skin  of  the 
face.  These  ar- 
t  i  f  i  c  i  a  1  face 
parts  are  usu- 
a 1 1  y  held  in 
place  by  means 
of  a  string 
HBitching  the 
color  of  the 
hair  and  worn 
over  the  back 
of  the  head. 

Some  of  the 
men  have  had 
frightful  eye 
mutilations. 
Mrs.  Ladd  has 
fashioned  new 
eyes  for  them. 
Her  mustaches 
and  whiskers 
are  guaranteed 
to  last.  They 
can  be  pulled 
and  twirled,  a 
fact  appreci- 
ated  by  the 
Frenchman. 
Indeed,  there  is 
no  part  of  the 
human  face 
Mrs.  Ladd  has 
not  supplied. 


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Hanging  in  gruesome  rows  along  the 
walls  of  her  studio  are  dozens  of  plaster 
casts  of  mutilated  faces  and  of  corre- 
sponding normal  faces.  Some  of  them  are 
twisted  and  smashed  into  almost  unrec- 
ognizable masses.  Mouths  are  pulled  in 
hideous  fashion  under  ears.  Noses  and 
chins  are  swept  off  faces  entirely. 

A  touching  versified  tribute  was  paid 
the  sculptress  b^  one  of  her  French  pa- 
tients,, who  ends  by  saying  that  he  and 
his  fellow  sufferers  "through  years  to 
come  shall  never  forget  her  kind  ministra- 
tions." ^ 


SEAPLANE  SHIPS  DIFFER 
IN  CONSTRUCTION 

Th^  invaluable  patrol  and  convoy  work 
accomplished  by  allied  flying  boats  during 

the  war  was  often  furthered  by       

the  use  of  mother  shios  which       I 


PROPOSED  CHANNEL  FERRY 

WOULD  CARRY  300  CARS 

For  centuries  suggestions  have  been  of- 
fered for  facilitating  the  cross-channel 
commerce  of  England  and  France.  The 
tunnel  from  Dover  to  the  French  coast 
has  fascinated  most  imaginations;  but  a 
car  ferry  has  been  in  actual  operation  dur- 
ing the  war,  and  its  extended  use  in  peace 
is  urged  by  many  advocates,  who  declare 
that  it  needs  no  better  demonstration  of 
its  vajue  than  has  been  given.  One  of  the 
best  informed  of  these  has  made  definite 
proposals,  suggesting  the  construction  of 
two  25,000-ton  ferries  that  could  make  the 
trip  in  about  90  minutes.  He  would  have 
the  boats  600  ft.  long,  with  a  draft  of  29y2 
ft.,  and  arranged  so  that  300  freight  cars 
might  be  carried  on  the  two  decks.    Pas- 

.        senger  coaches  would  be  trans- 

I  Dorted  also,  which  he  figures 
lling  on  their  way 
after  the  ferr\' 
its  specially  con- 
:k.  Unfortunately, 
French  port  near 
Dover  with  har- 
bor deep  enough 
for  boats  of  such 
heavy  draft,  but 
it  is  explained 
that  Boulogne 
harbor  could  be 
dredged,  or  a 
new  port  could 
be  constructed 
at  a  cost  of  ap- 
proximately $15,- 
000,000,  and  re- 
quiring about 
four  years'  work. 


..1.^  o:j.. 


.  ei.._.  e^^mm 


This  British  Shij>  Is  of  Different  Design.  Only  a  Pew  Planes  can  be  Sheltered  in  the  Hangar  at  the  Stem, 
but  They  are  Completely  Protected  from  the  Weather,  and  can  be  Transported  in  the  Roughest  Seas. 
Vessels  of  This   Sort  Were   Invaluable  in   Extending   the    Cruising   Radius  of  Sub-Hunting   Plying  Boats 


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Designations,  and  a  Station  House.    The  Small  but  Speedy 
Maria"  is  Seen  at  the  Extreme  Right 


Black 


Venice  Aerial  Police  Sution  No.  T  Is  the  Close-Up  at  the  Left.    The  Rlght-Hand  View  Shows  the  Mayor  o£ 

Venice  Swearing  in  the  First  Aerial  Roliccman,  Who  Is  Proprietor  of  s  School.for 

Fliers,  snd  His  60- Horsepower  Patrol  Plane 


FIRST  AERIAL  POLICE  FORCE 

APPOINTED  IN  CALIFORNIA 

Traveling  its  ethereal  beat  over  the  city 
of  Venice,  Calif.,  is  the  world's  first  air- 
plane police  force.  Venice  Aerial  Police 
Station  No.  1  is  open,  and  three  patrol 
planes  are  ready  for  terrestrial  law  break- 
ers. A  speedy  biplane,  the  "Black  Maria," 
and  two  80-hp.,  90-mile  an  hour,  pas- 
senger-carrying planes  constitute  present 
equipment,  which  will  be  increased  when 
occasion  demands.  On  the  body  and  un- 
der the  wings  of  each  plane  are  the  police 
designations  in  yellow  letters.  Speed  vio- 
lations and  surf  accidents  are  the  special 
assignments  of  the  fliers. 


C Across  11  miles  of  rough  country  near 
Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  is  being  constructed 
what  is  probably  the  largest  gas  line  in 
the  world.  It  will  have  a  maximum  diam- 
eter of  40  in.,  enabling  it  to  convey  70,- 
000,000  cu.  ft.  of  gas  daily  from  a  by-prod- 
uct coke  plant  to  three  steel  mills. 


HINGE  IN  SAW  HANDLE 

SAVES  KNUCKLES 

Operating  a  handsaw,  with  the  blade 
flush  against  a  wall  or  other  flat  surface, 
has  meant  scraped  knuckles  as  long  as 
saws  have  been  used.  One  carpenter  has 
finally  decided  to  conserve  knuckles  and 


The  Common  Annoyance  Caused  by  Attempts  to  Saw 

as  in  the  Illustration  is  Removed  by  the 

Adjustable  Hinged  Handle 

temper,  however,  by  hinging  the  handle. 
An  adjusting  screw  holds  it  in  any  posi- 
tion relative  to  the  blade. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


RUBBER  FROM  RABBIT  BRUSH 

By  J.  CECIL  ALTER 


THE  common  rabbit  brush  (Bigelovia), 
growing    natively    in    practically    all 
arid  western  states,  where  it  occupies  an 
area  next   in  extent   to  that   covered   by 
sagebrush    and    shadscale,    has    hitherto 
been    considered   valueless   except   as   an 
indicator  of  moist  subsoils,  and  a  source 
of  a  certain  amount  of 
winter  forage  for  cattle. 
However,      recent     ex- 
periments    by     H.     M. 
Hall,  professor  of  bot- 
any, University  of  Cal- 
ifornia, and  his  special 
assistant     for     Utah, 
Prof.  Marcus  E.  Jones, 
have    discovered    it    to 
be   a   certain   container 
and    producer,    and    a 
probable        commercial 
source,    of  fine   rubber, 
only  slightly  inferior  to 
pure  Para  rubber. 

The    investigation    so 
far  reported   is   only   a 
preliminary       quantita- 
tive examination,  begun 
quietly     some     months 
ago  as  a  war  measure, 
but    continued    to    pre- 
vent  vitiating   valuable 
information    partly    de- 
veloped.      It     has     not 
yet  been  announced  to 
be  commercially  profit- 
able,   though    in    Utah 
alone   there    is   said    to 
be   between    500   and    1,000   square    miles 
of  the  brush,  and  a  great  deal  more  land 
that   could   be   made   to   grow   the   plant. 
Tests   reported   by   Professor   Hall   show 
from   5   per  cent  to   10  per  cent   rubber, 
by  weight,  of  the  entire  plant,  excluding 
the   finer   roots  and   stems,   though    Pro- 
fessor Jones  believes,   from   his  own  de- 
terminations  of   rubber   content,   that    10 
per  cent  is  extremely  high,  probably  two 
or  three  per  cent  being  nearer  the  aver- 
age yield  from  a  well-developed  plant. 

Natively  there  are  from  1.000  to  4.000 
plants  per  acre,  weighing  from  .1  to  2  lb. 
each,  though  it  is  estimated  by  the  in- 
vestigators that  about  3.000  plants,  aver- 
aging 3  ft.  high  and  weighing  around  3  lb. 
each,  can  be  grown  on  an  acre,  which, 
at  a  fair  calculation  based  on  tests  made, 
would  yield  around  250  or  300  lb.  of 
rubber.  Plants  have  been  found  10  ft. 
high  and  4  in.  in  diameter  at  the  bole. 


If  grown  artificially  by  planting  and  culti- 
vation,    without     irrigation,     in    average 
Utah  weather  conditions,  a  harvest  could 
be  taken  every  four  or  five  years,  at  a 
light  expense  for  seeding  and  harvesting. 
Under  irrigation  the  yield  could  probably 
be  increased  fourfold,  it  is  estimated.    The 
quantity     of     rubber 
in    the   plant   seems    to 
vary   directly    with    the 
amount  of  alkali  in  the 
soil,    up    to    a    certain 
limit;      thus     the     less 
value    the    soil    is    for 
agricultural      purposes, 
the    more   valuable    for 
producing  rubber.    The 
greatest      quantity      of 
rubber  is  found  in  the 
plant   in   winter,   hence 
this  would  become  the 
harvest     season.       The 
rubber  is  dissolved  out 
through    the    pores    in 
the    wood,    or,    after 
macerating,  with  the  or- 
dinary benzine  solvents 
of  rubber. 


Thousands  of  Acres  in  Western  States  are 
Covered  with  This  Rabbit  Brush,  Hitherto 
Considered  Practically  Valueless,  But  Now 
Declared  a  Probable  Commercial  Source  of 
Pine  Rubber 


CLINKERS 

BROKEN  WITH 

WATER  JET 

A  stream  of  water  is 
used  successfully  to  re- 
move the  clinkers 
which  are  caught  between  the  grate  and 
bridge  wall,  in  the  boiler  equipment  of 
an  electric  company  in  a  central  state. 
Burning  local  grades  of  soft  coal,  han- 
dled with  an  underfeed  stoker,  occasional 
clinkers  are  formed  too  large  to  pass  the 
opening  to  the  ash  hopper.  When  this 
happens  a  fireman  directs  a  stream  of 
water  upon  the  clinker  through  the  side 
door.  Only  a  minute  is  required  to  cut 
or  break  up  the  fused  mass,  which  parts 
readily  before  the  jet.  The  rapid  evapo- 
ration of  the  water  prevents  damage  to 
any  part  of  the  furnace. 


CThe  opulent  ex-doughboy,  vvho  has  now 
donned  civilian  clothes  and  is  living  on 
the  income  from  his  army  pay,  may  be 
interested  in  diminutive  gold  and  silver 
service  chevrons  now  being  displayed  by 
the  jewelers  for  wear  on  the  coat  lapeL 


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HUGE  TRACTOR  AND  SEPARATOR  SHIPMENT  BREAKS  RECORDS 

TOURING  a  middle-western  tractor  show  one  company  exhibited  in  the  city  freight  yards  a  f260,000  ship. 
'^  ment  of  tractors  and  small  grain  separators.  The  shipment  was  made  from  a  single  factory  to  dealers 
in  three  western  states  on  two  trains  of  40  cars  each,  and  is  believed  to  establish  a  new  record  in  size.  It 
certainly  illustrates  the  increasing  popularity  of  motor  equipment  for  the  farm. 


MOTORCYCLE  USED  IN  TESTS  OF  ARMY  BALLOONS 


For  trial  inflation  of  army  bsilloons  sev- 
eral schools  are  finding^  small,  portable 
motorcycle  outfits  a  great  convenience. 
The  rotary  air  pump  is  transported  in  the 
sidecar,  and,  in  operation,  is  simply  placed 
behind  the  motorcycle  wi^h  its  small  fric- 
tion drum  in  contact  with  the  rear  wheel. 
Running  at  25  miles  an  hour,  the  ma- 
chine will  fill  a  balloon  of .  35,0(X)-cu.-ft. 
capacity  in  30  minutes,  consuming  only 
one  quart  of  gasoline.  No  difficulty  has 
been  experienced  from  overheating,  even 
after  six  consecutive  testings,  as  a  second, 
smaller  air  hose  is  led  directly  to  the  cyl- 
inder walls.  A  highly  colored  gas  is  mixed 


with  the  air  in  the  sleeve  to  render  visible 
any  leaks  in  the  envelope.  Although  sim- 
ple and  economical,  the  appliance's  great- 
est merit  is  its  portability.  It  is  the  work 
of  but  an  instant  to  load  the  pump  into 
the  sidecar  and  hasten  to  any  part  of 
the  field. 


C  Accompanied  by  a  government  expert, 
a  herd  of  104  American  dairy  cattle 
recently  boarded  its  own  special  transport 
at  New  York,  bound  for  Havre,  France. 
The  cattle  were  purchased  by  France  to 
bring  health  to  the  children  of  her  dev- 


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DISINFECTING  SHOWER  BATH 

GIVEN  THEATER  AUDIENCE  . 

Special  authority  had  to  bie  secured 
from  the  authorities  at  Rome  when  it 
was  desired  to  hold  a  large  Italian-Amer- 
ican celebration  during  the  "flu'  epidemic. 

P*»rmiccinn 


An  Italian  Audience  was  ^Surprised  during  the  Influensa  Epidemic  When 

inc  a 
Perfumed 


Uahers   Produced 
ETeryone. 


Huce   Syrinses   with   Which   They   Solemnly  Sprayed 
The   Diaintectant   Stung  a   Bit,   but  was   Rather  Pleasantly 


however.  The  audience  of  4,000  persons 
assembled  in  the  theater  at  the  appointed 
day,  and  conversation  buzzed  before  the 
curtain  rose.  But  not  for  long.  Ushers 
stepped  into  the  aisles  bearing  monster 
syringes,  bowed  with  Latin  courtesy,  and 
squirted  a  cloud  of  disinfectant  down  the 
row  of  seats  until  it  mingled  with  the 
cloud   from   the    next    aisle. 


JARLESS  ELASTIC  SHUTTLE 

PREVENTS  BREAKAGE 

By  eliminating  the  spring  between 
spindle  and  sleeve,  and  substituting  in- 
stead an  accessible  spring  which  fits  in 
the  notches  of  a  flanged  adjusting  collar, 
the  inventor  of  a  new  shuttle  is  said  to 
secure  greater  convenience  and  efficiency. 
The  shuttle  is  made  elastic  longitudinally, 
thus  preventing  breakage  of  the  thread 
and  parts  due  to  jars  at  the  ends  of  the 
shuttle  traverse. 


COOPERATIVE  TRUCK  LINE 

OPERATED  BY  FARMERS 

The  unusual  success  of  a  rural  cooper- 
ative experiment  in  Maryland  has  led  the 
Department    of    Agriculture    to    suggest 
similar  enterprises   in '  other  agricultural 
o^^f;^»o  Tu^  farmers  in  this  venture,  who 
5  miles  from  their  consum- 
ided  a  few  years  ago  that 
nse,  and  manner  of  ship- 
luce  to  market,  and  of  se- 
curing supplies  from  the 
city,  were  all  unsatisfac- 
tor>\       So    ten    of     their 
number  secured  from  the 
•  state    a    charter    for     a 
'*  Farmers*       Cooperative 
Company,"  intended  pri- 
marily for-  transportation 
of  farm  produce,  but  en- 
abled by  the  liberal  terms 
of  the  charter  to  engage 
in  almost  any  business. 

The  company  was  cap- 
italized by  the  sale  of 
200  shares  of  stock  at 
$25  each,  making  it  pos- 
sible to  buy  a  four-ton 
truck,  hire  an  operator, 
and  start  the  service. 
As  most  members  live 
along  the  main  highway, 
they  found  it  convenient 
to  place  their  produce  on 
small  roadside  platforms, 
from  which  collection 
was  easy.  And  with  low 
rates  and  quick  service  the  business  grew, 
another  truck  was  bought,  and  a  small  re- 
ceiving warehouse  rented  in  the  city. 

Cooperation  in  this  field  proving  so  suc- 
cessful, the  company  has  tried  coopera- 
tive buying  and  selling.  Members  notify 
the  secretary  of  their  needs,  he  groups 
them,  and  buys  in  the  city  at  wholesale 
rates.  Good  results  in  selling  have  been 
effected,  too;  as  in  the  case  of  the  com- 
pany's eggs,  which  reach  the  city  in  such 
fresh  condition  that  the  price  is  consider- 
ably increased.  It  must  be  remarked  that 
no  attempt  is  made  to  deal  directly  with 
the  consumer. 

.  The  government  warns  that  a  venture 
of  this  kind  should  be  started  only  after 
a  thorough  survey  and  analysis  of  the 
local  situation.  If,  then,  it  seems  well  to 
proceed,  careful  thought  must  be  given 
to  the  amount  of  capital  stock  advisable, 
to  the  election  of  able  directors,  to  the 
purchase  of  efficient  trucks,  and  to  the 
choice  of  expert,  conscientious  operators. 


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A  Closer  View  of  the  Routing  Molds  is  Obtained  in  the  Left-Hand  Picture,  Which  Also  Indicates  the  Method 

of  Withdrawing  the  Pipe.    The  Tsrpical  Cross  Section  of  Pipe  Made  by  This  Process,  Seen  at  the 

Right,  Reveals  a  Kemarkable  Thinness  and  Uniformity  of  Walls 


IRON  PIPE  CAST  AND  COOLED 

*  IN  CENTRIFUGAL  MOLDS 

A  curious  method  of  castirig  iron 
pipe,  devised  by  a  Brazilian  engineer,  has 
proven  quite  successful  and  is  being  com- 
mercially undertaken  in  this  country  and 
Canada.  A  rotary,  water-cooled  cylindri- 
cal mold  receives  the  molten  metal,  no 
sand  being  used.  The  iron,  at  very  high 
temperature,  is  poured  through  a  funnel 
into  a  trough,  which  is  immediately  in- 
troduced into  the  revolving  mold  and 
turned  over.  Centrifugal  force  distributes 
the  metal  evenly,  and  as  graduated  ladles 
are  used,  there  is  no  waste.  The  finished 
pipe  is  withdrawn  a  few  seconds  after  the 
iron  is  poured,  coming  out  lengthwise 
quite  easily.  The  walls  of  pipe  so  cast 
are  remarkably  thin  and  uniform,  and 
tests  indicate  greater  strength  and  closer 
texture  than  result  from  ordinary  casting 
in  sand.  Many  experiments  in  centrifu- 
gal casting  of  iron  pipe  have  previously 
been  tried,  but  did  not  prove  commercially 
practical.  The  success  of  this  system  is 
attributed  to  the  cold  mold  and  the  in- 
stant withdrawal  of  the  pipe,  which  hard- 
ens as  soon  as  poured. 


PUSHCART  NOT  FORGOTTEN 

IN  PROSPERITY 

A  business  man  who  is  proud  of  his 
humble. beginning  has  placed  a  pushcart 
in  the  cupola  which  surmounts  his  three- 
story  building.  Behind  the  pushcart  he 
started  on  the  journey  which  led  to  his 
success ;  so,  when  this  structure  was  built, 
he  included  the  cupola  in  the  specifica- 
tions. 


The  Owner  of  This  Buildins  Still   Keeps  the  Push- 
cart with  Which  He  Got  His  Start;   He 
Built  This  Cupola  for  It 


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The  Wood  Coach  at  the  Left  is  Seen  to  be  Only  Slightly  Damaged,  While  the  Steel  Car  in  the  Right-Hand 
Picture  was  Crushed  for  a  Third  of  Its  Length,  and  Its  Forward  Ti      '  .  .      ^     . 


FALLING  TRUCK  CAUGHT 
BY  PIPE  LINE 

When  the  big  auto  truck  in  the  illus- 
tration skidded  on  a  slippery  road,  and 
headed  for  a  deep  gully,  the  driver  felt  his 
reckoning   was   at   hand.   But   a  friendly 


No  One  was  Hurt  and  No   Damage  Done  to  Truck 
or  Pipe  Line  in  This  Accident 

oil  pipe  intervened  and  checked  the  de- 
scent. No  one  was  hurt  and  neither  ma- 
chine nor  pipe  line  seriously  damaged. 


CTJma,  Peru,  has  contracted  with  a  New 
York  firm  for  a  $750,000  hotel  to  be 
owned  '  by  the  city  and  operated  by 
Americans. 


Trucks  were  Driven  Back   to   the  Center 

WOOD  CAR  RESISTS  COLLISION 

WHILE  STEEL  CAR  CRUMPLES 

Some  shadow  of  doubt  was  thrown 
upon  the  boasted  invulnerability  of  the 
steel  railway  coach  by  a  recent  accident 
north  of  Seattle,  Wash.  An  electric  in- 
terurban  car  of  steel  and  one  of  wood, 
met,  head-on,  at  high  speed.  The  front 
end  of  the  steel  car  was  utterly  demol- 
ished, the  crumpled  metal  injuring  a  num- 
ber of  passengers.  The  forward  trucks 
were  forced  back  to  the  center  of  the  car. 
The  wood  car  lost  its  front  vestibule,  but 
few  of  its  occupants  were  hurt,  and  it 
resisted  the  shock  so  well  that  it  was  able 
to  leave  the  scene  on  its  own  power,  while 
a  derrick  was  needed  to  remove  the  steel 
coach.  The  verdict  of  engineers,  as  re- 
ported by  a  correspondent,  is  that  with 
two  steel  cars,  the  body  of  one  would 
have  been  swept  from  its  deck,  with  dis- 
astrous results  to  the  passengers;  while 
with  two  wood  cars,  absorption  of  the 
shock  by  the  laminated  deck  beams  would 
have  prevented  any  great  damage. 


USED  THEATER  PROGRAMS  ARE 
CLEANED  AND  PRESSED 

Rumpled  programs  left  in  the  seats  by 
the  patrons  of  one  theater  are  no  longer 
swept  into  the  rubbish  bin.  Instead  they 
are  renovated — cleaned  and  pressed,  in 
fact.  Between  200  and  300  are  picked 
up  each  night,  piled  in  stacks  of  50  each, 
and  pressed  flat  in  a  bookbinder's  press 
for  24  hours.  Emerging  flat  and  un- 
wrinkled  from  this  process,  they  are  then 
run  through  rubber  rollers  which  erase 
all  finger  prints  and  stains.  It  is  said 
that  it  is  impossible  to  distinguish  these 
reclaimed  programs  from  those  just  oflf 
the  printing*  press. 


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853 


GREAT  OIL  TANKS  FLOATED 

LIKE  EGGSHELLS 

**Yo-ho,  and  a  barrel  of  oil!"  should 
have  been  the  chant  of  20  darkies  as  they 
pulled  a  33,000-bbl.  iron 
tank  down  an  artificial 
lake.  The  scene  was  cer- 
tainly unusual,  but  it 
represented  an  ingenious 
bit  of  engineering  which 
easily  moved  five  great 
,oil  tanks  to  permit  reor- 
ganization of  the  plant. 
A  continuous  levee  was 
thrown  up  around  the 
tanks;  water  was  poured 
in  from  numerous  fire 
hydrants,    and    when    it 


reached  a  depth  of  11  in.  the  tanks  floated 
like  eggshells.  A  few  muscular  darkies 
did  the  rest.  Aside  from  its  convenience, 
this  method  moved  the  tanks  with  a  mini- 
mum of  torsion  on  the  many  plates. 


A  Small   Dirt  Levee  and  Water  from  the  City  Fire  Hydrants  Were  the 

Features   of   This    Ingenious    Bit   of  Engineering.     This    Is   One    of   the 

88,0O0.Barrel  Iron  Tanks  being  Floated  to  Its  New  Position 


ELECTRIC  BULB  RIVALS  X-RAY 
IN  BONE  PHOTOGRAPHY 

Everyone  has  placed  his  hand  over  an 
electric  bulb  and  observed  how  the  red 
glow  penetrates  the 
flesh ;  and  by  a  few  mod- 
ifications of  this  common 
experience  a  physician 
has  contrived  a  simple 
camera  that  seems  to 
rival  the  X-ray  in  a  lim- 
ited field.  Into  a  light- 
proof  box,  containing  the 
member  to  be  examined, 
he  admits  light  from  a 
tungsten  lamp,  filtered  to 
pass     only     red     rays. 


Passing  through  the  hand  or  foot  the  red 
light  strikes,  at  the  bottom  of  the  box,  a 
photographic  plate  highly  sensitized  with 
an  eosin  solution.  An  exposure  of  one- 
half  second  makes  the  shadow  picture. 


Light   from  a   Common    Electric 


ag] 
(ull 


Bulb,  above  the  Shutter,  Pierces 
the  Hand  or  Foot,  and  Makes  an 
Excellent  Shadow  Picture  on  the 
Photographic  Plate 


NOVEL  AUTO-TOP  COMBINATION 

OF  CLOSED  AND  OPEN  TYPES 

Out  of  the  dispute  between  closed-car 
and  open-car  advocates  has  come  a  new 


of  a  waterproof,  leatherlike  material,  the 
new  top  is  removable,  but  does  not  fold. 
The  plate-glass  tonneau  sides  are  fixtures, 
but  forward  of  that  point  are  removable 
side  curtains,  warmly  padded,  reinforced 
with  steel  frames,  and  hav- 
ing windows  of  plate  glass 
instead  of  the  conventional 
celluloid.     Channels   in  the 
front  curtain  frames  inclose 
the      windshield      brackets. 
An  interior  dome  light  com- 
pletes   the    sedanlike    effect 
I  of  the  ensemble. 


The  New-Style  Top  on  This  Automobile  Is  Removable  but  does  Not . 
Fold.    All  Windows,  Including  Those  in  the  Side 
Curtains,  Are  Plate  Glass 


CThe  increasing  i  m  p  o  r  - 
tance  of  stellar  observation 
has  caused  the  Mount  Wil- 
son Observatory  to  drop 
the  word  "solar"  from  its 
name. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


SUCTION  HOLDS  GLASSWARE 

ON  ETCHING  MACHINE 

In  etching  fine  glassware  with  a  new 
machine^  the   article,  a   tumbler  in   this 


The  Wax -Coated  Tumbler  is  Shown  Here  on  the 
Suction  Disk  of  the  Etching  Machine.  An  Air  Pump 
is  Also  Used  to  Move  the  Etching  Arms  into  Contact 

case,  is  dipped  as  usual  in  molten,  acid- 
resisting  paraffin  or  wax.  The  wax  hav- 
ing cooled,  the  tumbler  is  inverted  on  a 
rotating  table,  where  suction  created  by 


an  air  pump  holds  it  firmly  in  place.  Suc- 
tion is  then  used  again  to  move  the  four 
electrically  driven  scratching  instruments 
into  contact  with  t^e  waxed  surface, 
where  cams  give  them  a  varying  motion 
upon  the  revolving  tumbler;  Thus,  there 
is  traced  in  the  wax  a  pattern  which  cor- 
responds to  the  cams  employed.  The 
scratching  finished,  the  pattern  is  finally 
"bitten"  into  the  glass  by  an  acid  bath. 


POLICE  FORCE  PLANS  FOR  AIR 

TRAFFIC  ABOVE  CITY 

A  police  captain  has  been  appointed 
major  in  charge  of  the  air  branch  of  the 
New  York  City  Police  Department.  His 
service  now  consists  of  only  20  men,  but 
will  be  expanded  as  necessary  to  regu- 
late the  future  aerial  traffic  above  the  city. 
The  fast  scout  planes  which  will  be  used 
in  the  work  will  probably  be  armed  with 
machine  guns  firing  tracer  bullets. 


INDIAN  BRASS  BAND  LIVENS 

TRIBAL  FESTIVALS 

Since  the  American  Revolution  the 
Passamaquoddy  Indians  have  lived  near 
the  mouth  of  the  St.  Croix  River,  in 
Maine,  and  have  fought  in  every  war  on 
the  side  of  America.  The  survivors  of 
this  farthest-east  tribe  now  inhabit  a 
small  reservation  near  Perry,  where  they 
still  observe  the  old  tribal  festivals,  for 
which  their  own  brass  band  furnishes  the 
most  modern  music. 


The  Brass  Band  of  the  Passamaquoddy  Indians  is  Here  Pictured  in  Front  of  the  Reservation  Church.    Many 
of  the  Costumes  Are  More  Than  a  Century  Old  and  are  Decorated  with  Omamests  of  Beaten  Silver 


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QQUUnOMT,    UNMNWOOO  A  UNOCRWOOO 

This'Is  the  Coaling  Station  at  Balboa,  the  Pacific  End  of  the  Canal,  Whose  Huge  Plants  Are  Able  to  Deliver 

Coal  to  Ships  at  the  Rate  of  8,000  Tons  an  Hour.    Here,  as  Well  as  at  the  Atlantic  End,  Vast  Quantities  of 

Coal  are  Stored  for  Suppljring  the  Canal  Shipping,  the  System  as  Now  Operated  Constituting  One  of  Many 

Improvements  Designed  to  Take  Care  of  Post-war  Trade 

MAKING  THE  PANAMA  CANAL  PAY 

A  Report  to  the  Stockholders 

By  E.  T.  BRONSDON 

A  FEW  years  ago  you  put  $5  into  the  of  two  men,  Goethals  and  Gorgas,  the 
^*^  building,  maintenance,  and  operation  big  ditch  was  finished  in  1914,  a  little 
of  the  Panama  Canal.  So  did  your  wife,  ahead  of  schedule  and  with  a  slight  mar- 
aud so  did  each  of  the  other  members  of  gin  remaining  of  the  $400,000,000  expendi- 
your  family.    Perhaps  you  were  not  con-  ture  planned. 

scious  of  making  the  investment.     Prob-  Certain  treacherous  features  of  the  ter- 

ably   you   did   not   invest   directly.     Cer-  rain  conspired  to  add  to  this  cost,  how- 

tainly,  you  have  no  papers  in  your  vault  ever.      During    the    first    year,    following 

or  box   at   the   bank  to  show  positively  August,  1914,  when  the  canal  was  openea, 

that  you  own  one  share  of  stock  in  the  eleven  slides  occurred.    These  were  minor 

Panama  Canal.    Yet  this  is  the  case.    You  affairs,  stopping  traffic   in  the  canal  for 

own    one   share,    no    more   and   no   less,  a  period  of  time  varying  between  one  day 

Even  if  you  purchased  a  million  dollars*  and  nine   days  for  each.     The  dredging 

worth  of  the  government  bond  issues  that  and  repairing  was  not  particularly  costly, 

were  devoted  directly  to  the  project,  you  except  that  it  made  shippers  fight  shy  of 

still  own  but  the  single  share,  and  equal  incurring  this  sort  of  delay;    most  lines 

with  you  is  every  other  person  possessing  that  could  have  used  the  Panama  Canal 

citizenship  in  the  United  States.  delayed  starting  until  it  could  be  depended 

What  has  this  $5  been  doing?    Has  it  upon  more  fully, 

paid  dividends,  or  has  it  been  thrown  to  Then,  on  Sept.  18,  1915,  just  as  traffic 

the  winds?    What  are  its  prospects?  was  picking  up  slowly,  came   the   disas- 

The  activity  of  these  ninety-odd  million  trous    slides    at    Culebra.      Hundreds    of 

five-dollar  bills  can  best  be  shown  in  brief  thousands  of  cubic  yards  of  bank  caved 

by  enumerating  the  costs  they  have  met.  into   the   canal,   and   traffic   was  stopped 

These  are:  definitely  for  seven  months.     During  the 

Building   $397,850,000  *^"^^  *^^*  intervened   between  the  series 

Repair   (cxtraordinaryy..* !!!!!.*.*.*;    29io33,'ooo  of  accidents  and  the  opening.  On  April  15, 

Total   $428,883,000  ^^916^  a   new   scheme   for  protecting  the 

Annual  Expends  *  banks    was   initiated;    since    then    it   has 

Interest  (3%)  on  $426,883,000. ..  .$12,800,490  been   carried   out  wherever  the  slightest 

Government,     operation,     mainte-    ^  ^^  ^^  danger  of  further  sHdes  threatened. 

nance,   sanitation,   etc 6,008,000  t'u'  a.t_      ^  «    i    x         >» 

Annuity  to  Repubfic  of  Panama..      2oo,ooo  This  was  the  terrace  or    plateau     sys- 

T,  ^  ,                                      ♦^^/^^  A^  *c*"'    At  the  edge  of  the  water,  the  bank 

^°***   $19,064,490  gi^p^g  gradually  to  a  level  three  feet  above 

The  story  of  the  building  of  the  canal  the    canal.      Instead   of   continuing   in    a 

is  history,  and  need  not  be  touched  upon,  slope,  or  rising  in  an  abrupt  precipice,  as 

Through  the  Titan  energy  and  capability  had   been  the  case   at   Culebra.   Gaillard, 

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and  Coffin  cuts,  the  soil  then  is  chopped 
away  to  make  space  for  the  first  terrace. 
This  is  ten  or  more 'feet  in  width — vary- 
ing acco.rding  to  the  "overhang" — and 
ends  in  another  rise.  The  second  rise  and 
those  that  follow  may  not  be  slopes ;  in 
most  cases  they  are  sheer,  like  the  sides 
of  the  blocks  of  the  Great  Pyramids  of 
Egypt.  Except  in  two  or  three  instances, 
it  has  not  been  necessary  to  terrace  back 
farther  than  30  ft.  from  the  canal,  but 
often  even  this  amount  has  called  for  the 
removal  of  sufficient  dirt  to  cover  an  or- 
dinary city  block  to  a  depth  of  10  ft. 
Since  the  work  was  done  with  a  thorough- 
ness that  nothing  less  than  an  earthquake 
can  undo,  in  this  article  the  costs  are 
grouped  with  the  building  expense  under 
the  head  of  extraordinary  repair — really 
part  of  the  first  expense,  if  one  would 
care  to  view  it  in  this  manner. 

This  is  not  the  total  sum,  however, 
which  must  be  considered  part  of  the  orig- 
inal investment  made  by  the  people  of 
the  United  States.  Up  to  August,  1918, 
the  close  of  the  fourth  year  of  operation, 
the  average  annual  expenses  slightly  ex- 
ceeded $19,000,000,  not  taking  the  extraor- 
dinary repair  into  consideration.  A 
good  part  of  this — viewing  the  Panama 
Canal  as  established,  and  not  discounting 
for  other  advantages  than  the  income  re- 
ceived—could be  called  net  loss. 

The  first  year  of  operation  yielded  a 
gross  income  of  approximately  $5,260,000. 
The  second  year — skilled  by  the  seven 
months  of  entire  inactivity,  and  the  re- 
sultant inertia  of  shipping,  not  to  speak 
of  the  inroads  made  by  the  war — totaled 
only  about  $2,400,000. 

The  third  and  fourth  years,  due  to  the 
fact  that  a  great  grain-shipping  route  was 
opened  between  Vancouver,  British  Co- 
lumbia, and  Liverpool,  England,  and  also 
that  the  United  States  began  to  call  ex- 
tensively upon  Chile  for  nitrate  for  mu- 
nitions use,  the  income  of  the  canal  rose 
to  an  average  of  $617,000  a  month. 

This  brought  the  total  gross  income  for 
four  years'  operation  to  $22,468,000.  The 
expenses  for  this  period  were  $76,257,960, 
leaving  a  deficit  for  the  period  of  about 
$53,789,960.  At  first  blush,  it  would  seem 
quite  evident  that  we  all  have  wasted 
our  five-doljar  bills,  investing  them  in  a 
project  that  could  lose  over  $13,000,000  a 
year  for  us !  We  could  find  few  commer- 
cial or  industrial  projects  with  a  similar 
record  in  which  we  still  would  keep  faith. 

But  courage !  When  the  Panama  Canal 
tolls  were  fixed  by  President  Taft,  in  No- 
vember, 1912,  the  assumption  was  that  it 


would  be  inadvisable  to  charge  more  for 
the  use  of  the  waterway  than  the  amount 
charged  for  passage  through  the  Suez 
Canal,  to  wit,  $1.20  a  net  ton  for  freight 
and  passenger  vessels.  Charging  more 
than  this  would  have  diverted  the  ship- 
ping passing  between  our  eastern  sea- 
board and  all  west-coast  ports  of  South 
America,  from  the  Chile  nitrate  ports 
southward;  it  would  have  sent  all  car- 
riers plying  between  Europe  and  Val- 
paraiso also  to  the  Straits  of  Magellan,  for 
via  the  canal  these  vessels  could  save  only 
65  cents  a  ton  in  time  and  distance.  This 
added  to  the  differing  fuel  costs  would 
make  a  total  saving  of  from  95  cents  to 
$1.40  a  net  ton.  Obviously  the  Panama 
Canal  could  not  hope  for  all  of  this  latter 
trade  anyway,  but  with  the  charge  above 
$120  a  ton,  net  tonnage,  practically  none 
would  use  the  waterway.  For  ports  like 
Callao,  Iquique,  and  Esmeralda,  of  course, 
the  charge  might  be  slightly  higher,  with 
the  canal  route  still  being  less  expensive, 
either  from  our  own  seaboard  or  from 
Europe,  but  their  trade  in  peace  time  is 
relatively  light. 

The  big  nine-knot  grain  freighters  now 
plying  between  Pacific  ports,  both  in 
Canada  and  the  United  States,  and 
Europe,  can  save  20  days  in  time  and 
$5,500  by  taking  the  canal  route.  For  the 
shipping  between  the  lumber  docks  of 
Oregon  and  Washington  and  the  Atlantic 
seaboard,  the  saving  is  fully  as  great. 
When  the  Panama  tolls  are  paid — they 
amount  to  close  to  $4,500  on  one  of  these 
ships — the  vessel  saves  net  about  $1,000 
a  trip.  If  tolls  were  increased  to  $1.50  a 
net  ton,  as  has  been  proposed  seriously 
in  the  past,  the  profit — and  with  it  the  rea- 
son for  using  the  canal — would  be  wiped 
out,  and  the  canal  revenues  thereby  re- 
duced  instead   of  being  raised. 

This  part  of  the  shipping  passing 
through  the  Panama  Canal  is,  of  course, 
important  when  the  summing  up  of  reve- 
nue is  being  made,  but  it  is  still  only  a 
small  part  of  the  whole  question.  What 
is  perhaps  the  greatest  reason  why  rates 
at  the  Panama  Canal  never  should  exceed 
those,  of  the  Suez  Canal  is  that  the  United 
States  has  decided  definitely  to  make  a 
.strong  bid  for  commerce  with  Russia, 
China,  Japan,  and  Australasia.  In  the 
past,  nearly  three-fourths  of  our  own  ship- 
ping— excluding  coastal  and  lake  vessels — 
has  been  employed  in  carrying  goods  to 
and  from  these  countries.  Now,  with  a 
large  merchant  marine  as  a  definite  aim. 
this  section  oflFers  the  most  promising  op- 
portunity for  such  development.    Amcri- 


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867 


ObPYRIOHT,   UNOtNWOOO  A  UMDCRWOOO 


The  Dry  Dock  at  Balboa,  with  Ita  Total  Length  of  1»000  Feet,  Is  Fully  Capable  of  Handling  the   Largest 

Ship  Afloat,  and  Disposing  of  Any  Demands  That  may  be  Made  upon   It  by  the  Anticipated   Bnormous 

Increase  of  Merchant  Shipping  through  the  Canal  When  America's  New  Trade  Vessels  Are  All  in  Action 


can  shipping  operates  under  handicaps, 
thus  far,  of  a  wage  scale  higher  than  Eu- 
rope's, and  of  higher  cost  as  concerns  the 
vessels  themselves.  In  using  the  Panama 
Canal  at  the  present  rate,  however,  this 
American  shipping  actually  can  make 
Asiatic  ports  with  slightly  smaller  trans- 
portation costs.  This  is  not  enough  to 
offset  the  other  handicaps  as  yet,  but 
there  are  many  schemes  afloat  by  which 
ihe  difference  may  be  nullified.  Raising 
the  canal  rates  would  throttle  the  greater 
part  of  the  new  marine  before  it  was 
launched.  It  would  not  seem  as  if  the 
Panama  Canal  would  make  much  differ- 
ence to  the  trade  of  the  United  States 
with  the  Orient,  but  as  a  matter  of  fact 
it  does.  Yankees  trade  with  Australia, 
with  China,  with  Russia,  with  Japan,  and 
other  countries  of  the  Far  East,  almost 
exclusively  through  New  York  City.  Be- 
fore the  Panama  Canal  was  opened,  this 
shipping  had  to  use  the  Suez  Canal — ^^thc 
trip  either  this  way  or  around  the  Cape 
of  Good  Hope  being  more  economical 
than  the  journey  around  Cape  Horn  for 
several  reasons — and  therefore,  having  as 
a  handicap  the  width  of  the  Atlantic 
Ocean  to  swell  transportation  charges, 
Yankees  were  at  a  great  disadvantage  in 
bidding  against  their  European  competi- 
tors. Now,  provided  the  rates  at  Panania 
are  kept  as  they  have  been,  all  of  this  par- 


ticular disadvantage  will  have  been  done 
away  with  so  far  as  the  new  marine  is 
concerned. 

It  seems,  therefore,  that  the  assumption 
made  by  President  Taft  was  justified.  Wo 
cannot  protect  our  investm-ent  by  raisin i^ 
rates  at  Panama.  We  must  look  in  a  dif- 
ferent direction. 

The  truth  of  the  matter  simply  is  that 
when  the  canal  was  opened  no  one  ex- 
pected that  expenses  could  be  met  by  the 
business  of  the  first  year — or  indeed,  of 
the  first  decade.  The  government  estimate 
placed  the  canal  on  an  earning  basis  in 
1925,  though  a  few  connected  with  the 
project  were  more  hopeful  of  attaining  at 
least  an  even  break  between  expenses  and 
income  several  years  earlier. 

Expenses  were  not  expected  to  be  as 
heavy,  but  the  European  war  sent  prices 
on  labor  and  materials  soaring.  Our  own 
entry  into  the  conflict  did  not  help  mat- 
ters any,  so  instead  of  a  yearly  bill  tor 
$17,250,000  as  was  estimated,  we  have  had 
to  add  nearly  two  million  to  this.  As  all 
costs  will  descend  gradually  during  the 
next  decade,  we  cannot  'expect  to  get 
along  with  the  estimated  amount  for 
many  years  to  come. 

The  estimate,  made  at  the  time  of  open- 
ing the  canal,  granted  an  income  of 
$5,000,000  to  the  canal  from  shipping  the 
first  year,  this  amount  gradually  increas- 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


COfVRtCHT,   UMOffRWOOOA  UNOCKWOOO 


Here  Are  the  Shop  Buildings  and  Pier  at  Balboa,  More  Evidence  of  the  Canal's  Preparedness  for  Any  Amount 

of  New  Business.    The  Floating  Crane  Just  This   Side  of  the   Pier,   in    the   Right  Half  of  the  Picture, 

is  Declared  to  Be  the  Largest  Ever  Built,  Well  Able  to  Handle  Any  Work  It   will    Encounter 


ing  year  by  year,  until  in  1925  the  gross- 
income  forecast  was  $19,000,000. 

Actually  the  first  year  exceeded  the  es- 
timate by  more  than  $250,000.  We  have 
reviewed  in  brief  the  catastrophes  of  the 
succeeding  year.  With  the  great  war 
swinging  into  its  stride,  the  canal  had  to 
give  up  definitely  the  idea  of  coming 
nearer  to  clearing  expenses.  The  point 
for  us  to  bear  in  mind  particularly  is  that 
the  great  project  has  had  r  no  sort  of  a 
chance  to  demonstrate  its  possibilities. 
Instead  of  looking  forward  to  1925  for 
the  meeting  of  expense  alid  income,  we 
must  grant  an  extension  equal  to  the  pe- 
riod of  the  war.  Whatever  deficit  is  in- 
curred must  be  charged  against  the  orig- 
inal investment,  and  paid  off  by  an  amor- 
tization fund  when  a  profit  is  made  from 
the  enterprise.  The  estimate  gave  a  profit 
from  the  canal  of  $3,000,000  in  1930,  and 
recommended  that  this  amount  be  taken 
yearly  for  amortization.  If  all  goes  now 
according  to  schedule,  this  point  should 
be  reached  in  1934.     • 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  these  figures  take 
into  consideration  only  the  amount  of 
American  shipping  using  the  canal  that 
we  possessed  at  the  outbreak  of  the  war. 
In  reality  we  have  now,  built  and  on  the 
ways,  a  new  tonnage  four  times  as  great 
as  our  pre-war  total.  In  addition.  Ameri- 
can owners  now  cannot  sell  American 
.vessels  to  foreign  registry,  and  the  bars 
have  been  dropped  to  permit  Americans 
to  buy  all  the  vessels  abroad  that  they 
wish    to    purchase — something    that    had 


been  taboo  for  years  previous  to  the  war. 
We  are  to  have  a  real  merchant  ma- 
rine; everyone  is  confident  this  is  a  fact 
now.  Two  or  three  factors  of  higher  cost 
must  be  cleared  up,  but  this  probably  will 
be  done  in  one  way  or  another  inside  the 
next  year  or  two.  The  belief  is  preva- 
lent in  government  circles  now  that  there 
will  have  to  be  little  or  no  subsidy.  This 
is  an  astounding  thing,  bearing  in  mind 
the  conditions  which  put  the  old  Ameri- 
can merchant  marine  out  of  business,  but 
there  is  a  solid  groundwork  of  probability. 
The  argument,  stated  tersely,  is:  The 
wage  scale  paid  to  seamen  and  shipbuild- 
ers abroad  always  has  been  the  crux  of 
the  difficulty.  Although  Americans  un- 
doubtedly have  been  able  to  secure  greater 
efficiency  everywhere  in  return  for  higher 
wages,  the  difference  has  been  too  great. 
Now,  however,  conditions  have  changed 
— permanently,  so  far  as  we  can  see  at 
the  present  time.  Greater  changes  seem 
also  to  be  under  way.  The  workmen  in 
Great  Britain  and  the  continental  coun- 
tries are  out  gunning  for  the  low-wage 
employer.  They  have  tasted  power  in  war 
time,  and  it  would  be  strange  indeed  if 
the  far-reaching  unrest,  coupled  with  the 
terrific  work  of  reconstruction  that  faces 
them,  did  not  win  for  them  a  wage  scale 
much  higher  than  any  which  they  have 
enjoyed  previously.  This,  far  from  being 
a  matter  for  concern  or  jealousy  to  Amer- 
icans, is  a  cause  for  congratulation.  Our 
products  and  our  shippin|:  will  stand  a 
better  chance  in  the  world  markets  if  it 


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has  for  competitors  labor  that  is  paid  as  ect  should  be  on  a  paying  basis.  In  the 
well  as  ours  is — though  the  latter  proba-  mean  time,  for  those  jealous  stockholders 
bility  is  remote.  who  wish  an  immediate  return  on  their 
We  may  look  forward  to  a  marine  fiTe-idoilar  bills,  we  might  call  to  notice  the 
thcaailors  of  which  are  paid  slightly  more  undisputed  fact  that  <ekch;year  we  spend 
than  the  sailors  of  other  nationalities.  The  many  times  the  amount  necessary-  to  ^^im- 
difference,  undoubtedly,  will  be  largely  the  Panama  Canal  on  our  navy.  It  is  the 
made  up  by  the  advantage  which  our  estimate  of  conservatives  in  the  Navy  De- 
Panama  Canal  gives  us  in  certain  lanes  partment  that  owning  the  canal  makes 
of  commerce.  Our  new  marine  will  in-  our  whole  navy  at  least  50  per  cent  more 
sure  the  finances  of  the  canal  in  the  efficient  as  a  safeguard — so  the  jealous 
future,  making  a  happy  bond  of  reciproc-  investor  may,  if  he  wishes,  regard  his  $5 
ity.  In  another  decade  both  our  mer-  as  the  premium  on  a  national  insurance 
chant  marine  and  our  great  Panama  proj-  policy  of  indisputable  merit. 


ODD  "SLICE"  OF  CATHEDRAL  SHELTERS  WORSHIPERS 


In     days     to     come    a  ^^  '  -  -  -   ^  ^ 

stately  cathedral  will  rise 
220  ft.  from  a  lovely 
wooded  hill,  near  the  na- 
tional capital.  It  is  es- 
timated that,  when  fin- 
ished, the  structure  will 
cost  between  seven  and 
eight  million  dollars,  and 
hold  25,000  worshipers 
standing,  or  7,000  seated. 
At  present,  however, 
only  a  part  of  the  crypt 
and  the  small  chapel  to 
the  east  of  the  high  altar 
have  been  completed. 
Yet,  that  religious  serv- 
ices may  be  carried  on,  RcUrious  Services  are  Already  being  Held  in  This  Cathedral,  Although 
f  ha»    rViark#»1    hrae    Ktf»^n    in.  Only  the  Part  to  the  Right  of  the  Dotted  Line  has  been  Completed. 

tne    cnapei    nas    OCCn    m  ^  WallJ  of  Corrugated   Iron   Seals  the  Open   End 

closed    by    a    temporary 

wall  of  corrugated  iron,  making  this  per-  congregation  can  assemble  in  the  crypt, 

haps   the  most  peculiar-looking  place  of  which  is  reached  by  a  flight  of  descend- 

public  worship  in  America.    A  good-sized  ing  steps  at  one  side. 


This  Is  the  Architect's  Model  of  a  Great  Cathedral  That  will  Some  Day  Crown  a  Large  Hill  near 

Washington,  D.  C.    Its  Most  Interesting  Feature  at  Present,  However,  Is  the 

Small  Slice  at  the  Right  Which  has  Already  been  Completed 


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TEST   DEGREE  OF  INCAPACITY 

OF  CRIPPLED  SOLDIERS 

Crippled  French  soldiers  draw  pensions 
varying  according  to  the  extent  to  which 
they     are  incapacitated  .  for    work. 


The  Crippled  Ex-Fighter  at  the  Left  Tries  Hit  Muscles  by  Operating  the 

Levers  of  the  Machine,  While  the  Officer  at  the  Right  Studies  the  Result 

by  the  Record   on   the   Rotating   Drum.  Where  Movement,    Fatigue,  and 

Time  are  All  Registered 

of  physical  disablement.  For  measuring 
joint  movements,  a  simple  hinged  lever 
moving  over  a  graduated  arc  is  used  in 
different  sizes.  Two  modified  forms  of 
the  "ergograph"  are  applied  to  the  deter- 
mination of  movement  and  fatigue  in 
large  and  small  muscles.  In  these,  weight- 
lifting  levers  operated  by  the  patients 
rotate  register  drums,  upon  which  metro- 
nomes record  the  time.  Vasomotor  ir- 
regularities are  studied  with  a  pneumatic 
device*;  while  the  various  palsies  and  tre- 
mors are  gauged  by  a  machine  all  their 
own,  which  takes  account  of  slight  move- 
ments in  anv  direction. 


LEAKY  LAKE  BOTTOM  COVERED 

WITH  BLANKET  OF  CLAY 

Underground    leakage   from    a    natural 
mountain  reservoir  which  supplies  water 
to  the  city  of  Portland,  Ore.,  recently  be- 
pronounced  that  an  investi- 
dered,  and  it  was  disclosed 
iition   was   most   serious   in 
So  a  dike  was  built  across 
the  bay  on  a  substantial 
riprap  foundation.   Leak- 
age still  continued,  how- 
ever,   through    the    silt- 
filled    interstices    of    the 
rocky  bottom.     To  fill 
these,  a  raft  was  built  of 
cedar  logs,  and  equipped 
with    a    gasoline    engine 
and  propeller,  and  a 
wooden   hopper  of  5-yd. 
capacity.     Securing  a 
mixture  of  clay  and 
gravel  at  one  side  of  the 
lake,   the   material   was 
dumped  on  the  leaks  in 
amounts    depending    on 
their  nature.    A  blanket, 
one  foot  in   thickness, 
was  usually  enough,  but 
for   cracks   among   large 
bowlders    twice    that 
amount   w  a  s  sometimes 
necessary.    Gauges  placed  in  the  lake  and 
in   various   neighboring  streams   indicate 
that  the  leakage  has  been  largely  stopped. 


VICTORY   MEDAL  FOR  SOLDIERS 

OF   ALL  ALLIED   ARMIES 

Every  soldier  who  fought  in  the  allied 
armies  is  to  receive  a  ** Victory  medal," 
the  design  for  which  already  has  been 
approved  by  the  several  governments. 
The  face  of  the  medal  bears  a  winged 
Victory:  the  reverse  an  inscription.  "The 
Great  War  for  Civilization."  in  the  lan- 
guage of  the  country  conferring  it,  and 
the   appropriate   device   of  arms. 


HUGE  CLOWN'S  FACE  GRACES 
THE  GREAT  WHITE  WAY 

Novel  readers 
may  learn  at  last 
what  the  author 
sees  in  imagina- 
tion when  he  de- 
scribes the  hero's 
"fine,  open  face." 
The  opening  in 
this  fellow's  face 
is  about  eight  feet 
wide.  His  eyes 
roll,  too,  as  the 
pleasure  seekers 
yield  up  their 
dimes  to  see  the 
big  show  inside. 


C Traveling  at  an  average  speed  of  172 
miles  an  hour,  a  British  pilot  is  said  to 
have  made  the  London-Paris  flight  in  the 
record  time  of  75  minutes. 


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IT  TAKES  MORE  THAN  SANDBAGS  TO  STOP  A  RUNAWAY  RACING  CAR 

A  HIGH-VELOCITY  racing  car  will  not  Uke  a  riffht-angle  turn,  and  a  two-foot  barricade  of  undbags  will 
"  not  stop  it.  These  principles  off  phjrsics  were  oemonstrated  in  a  fraction  of  a  second  during  a  recent 
California  road  race.  The  driver  of  the  car,  not  su£Bcientlv  familiar  with  tiie  Sanu  Monica  course,  under- 
took  to  round  **Death  Curve"  without  slacking  speed.  Refusing  to  bend  its  route,  the  car  took  the  wall  of 
sattdbap^s  like  a  thoroughbred  horse,  the  rear  wheels  clearing  the  top  by  more  than  a  foot.  It  wound  up  in 
•  position  at  ease  on  the  lawn  in  front  of  a  bungalow,  much  to  the  perturbation  of  the  occupants. 


LINCOLN  HIGHWAY'S  LAST  GAP 
ELIMINATED  BY  GIFT 

With  a  recent  gift  of  $100,000  it  is  an- 
nounced that  two  Nevada  stretches  of 
the  Lincoln  Highway  will  be  improved, 
thus  filling  the  last  gap  in  the  first  Ameri- 
can transcontinental  highway.  It  is  the 
sentiment  of  the  donor  that  the  work 
should  properly  be  done  by  the  state  and 
Federal  governments,  but  he  is  glad  to 
make  a  personal  sacrifice  that  the  finished 
road  may  be  presented  to  the  American 
people  as  an  object  lesson.  It  is  felt  that 
the  greatest  value  of  this  pioneer  highway 
lies  in  its  educative  value  for  the  general 
public. 


IMPROVISED  PLANING  MACHINE 

FOR  BEVELING  SHIP  PLANKS 

Because  of  the  changing  angles  of  bev- 
eling on  ship  planking  and  ceiling,  much 
of  the  work  of  finishing  these  surfaces  is 
usually  done  by  hand.  In  a  shipyard  at 
Seattle,  Wash.,  a  horizontal  timber  planer 
of  the  ordinary  form  was  reconstructed  by 
removing  its  frame  and  substituting  a 
side-cutting  ship  planer.  This  machine, 
with  its  head  adjustable  to  any  required 
angle,  was  set  between  the  rollers  of  the 


Standard  planer.  With  this  combination 
of  two  machines,  the  angle  may  be 
changed  while  a  timber  is  being  beveled, 
and  work  handled  from  20  by  20  down  to 


Side-Cutting  Ship  Planer  in  Place  alongside  a  Hori- 

cpntal  Planing  Machine,  Taking  the  Position  Formerly 

Occupied  by  the  Frame  of  the  Latter:  The  Vertical 

Pipe  la  a  Duat  Stack 

2  by  2  in.  in  size.  Two  or  three  men 
can  handle  all  the  operations  of  the  ma- 
chine and  do  the  work  of  a  crew  of  five 
to  nine  on  the  regular  planer.  Besides 
this  saving  in  planing-machine  labor,  the 
improvised  tool  eliminates  about  40  per 
cent  of  the  usual  sawing  operations  on 
planking  and  ceiling  timber. 


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AERIAL  COSTUMES  NOW  READY 

FOR  FEMININE  FLIERS 

The  ladies  are  taking  as  kindly  to  air- 
planing  as  they  did  to  automobiling,  and 
doubtless  many  are  restrained  from  pilot- 
ing   their    own    planes 


Two  Models  Showing  the  Latest  Styles  in  Costumes 

for  Ladies  Who  Seek  New  Thrills  by  Navigating  the 

Upper  Air.  Either  as  Pilot  or   Passenger:   They  are 

Offered  by  a  Large  Mercantile  House  in  London 

occupations,  flying  most  imperatively  de- 
mands special  costumes.  There  is  already 
at  least  one  English  establishment  where 
a  fair  customer's  request  for  the  "latest" 
in  aerial  suits  would  occasion  no  embar- 
rassment, and  samples  of  two  models 
would  be  immediately  produced,  complete 
from  boots  to  fur-lined  helmet. 


AIR-SOUNDING  SET  INSTALLED 

ON  BRITISH  STEAMSHIP 

Experimental  air-sounding  apparatus 
has  been  installed  by  the  British  Air  Min- 
istry on  a  10,000-tpn  transatlantic  cargo 
boat  as  another  item  in  its  after-war  fly- 
ing program.  The  ministr\'  hopes  to 
make  the  experiment  a  valuable  prepara- 
tion for  transatlantic  flying,  and  also  a 
thorough  test  of  the  four  appliance?, 
used:    winch,    wire,    kite,    and    meteoro- 


graph. Two  winches  are  used,  as  a  mat- 
ter of  fact,  one  at  the  ship's  bow  and 
one  at  the  stern,  thus  allowing  the  kites 
to  be  flown  from  either  end  to  avoid  en- 
tanglement with  the  rigging.  The  moor- 
ing cable,  which  will  rise  five  miles  into 
the  clouds,  is  of  fine  steel,  very  similar 
to  marine  sounding  cable.  The  kites 
themselves  are  collapsible  and  made  of 
fine  linen  and  bamboo  in  two  types,  the 
larger  measuring  about  8  by  6  ft.  And 
finally,  the  meteorograph,  the  brains  of 
the  apparatus,  consists  of  a  revolving 
drum  on  which  pen  points  register  varia- 
tions in  humidity,  pressure,  and  velocity 
of  the  air.  When  actually  making  sound- 
ings, this  instrument  will  be  towed  four 
or  five  miles  above  sea  level  in  the  bigger 
box  kite,  while  the  small  pilot  kite  will 
fly  400  ft.  nearer  the  ship. 


PICTURE  SCREEN  KEPT  SOAKED 

TO   MAKE  IT  TRANSLUCENT 

In  the  entertainment  portion  of  a  Chi- 
cago hotel,  where  motion  pictures  are 
frequently  shown,  conditions  demanded 
the  location  of  the  machine  behind  the 
screen.  Although  a  fine  silk  screen  was 
used,  results  were  unsatisfactory  until  it 
occurred  to  the  operator  to  wet  the  silk. 
The  pictures  seen  through  the  translu- 
cent wet  screen  were  so  brilliant,  even 
in  a  lighted  room,  that  the  practice  was 
continued.  The  operator  applies  the 
water  with  a  sprinkler  whenever  it  ap- 
pears to  be  needed.  Under  this  treat- 
ment, however,  the  silk  lasts  only  about 
six  weeks. 


METAL-SPRAYING  PROCESS 

NOW  USES  ELECTRIC  ARC 

That  ingenious  art  known  as  metal 
spraying,  developed  some  years  ago,  now 
is  further  improved  by  the  bold  appli- 
cation of  the  electric  arc  to  its  peculiar 
conditions.  7'he  tubes  of  the  former  oxy- 
hydrogen  flame  are  replaced  by  two  wires. 
of  the  metal  desired  for  the  work,  which 
are  fed  forward  by  an  arrangement  inside 
the  spraying  "pistol.*'  The  wire  points 
form  an  arc  in  front,  and  a  jet  of  com- 
pressed air  sprays  the  melted  metal.  The 
instrument  weighs  less  than  three  pounds. 


CA  bulletin  from  the  government  fuel 
administration  emphasizes  the  fact  that 
the  greatest  single  factor  in  the  economy 
of  a  steam  plant  is  the  way  in  which  the 
exhaust-steam  problem  is  handled. 


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CLOTHING  PRINCIPI^ES  TAUGHT 

IN  GOVEBNMENT  COURSE 

While  all  civilized  persons  are  inter- 
ested in  clothes,  few  really  know  very 
much  about  them.  A  better  acquaintance 
with  textiles  would  as- 
sure keener  judgment  in 
buyirtg,  and  comprehen- 
sion of  design  principles 
would  raise  the  stand- 
ards of  taste,  while  the 
skill  in  care  and  repair 
already  possessed  by 
most  women  may  be 
made  still  more  effective. 
The  Federal  Board  for 
Vocational  Education  at 
Washington,  D.  C,  has 
prepared,  under  the  title 
"Clothing  for  the  Fam- 
ily," a  general  course  in 
the  economics  of  clothes, 
which  includes  instruc- 
tion in  all  these  subjects. 
The  work  is  in  pamphlet 
form,  being  Bulletin  No. 
23  of  Home  Economics 
Series  No.  1.  Particu- 
larly valuable  and  interesting  is  its  critical 
study  of  the  various  materials  that  go 
toward  making  up  a  com,plete  wardrobe 
for  the  whole  family.  Technical  subjects 
are  simplified  by  numerous  diagrams. 


SALVAGE  FROM  OCEAN  BEACH 

MAKES  COZY  STUDIO 

From  scattered  driftwood,  wind-broken 
branches,  and  sea-worn  stones  along  the 
ocean   beach,  a  "nature  man,"  near  San 


corTmoMT,  put n  iLLuvriuTiNO  mhvici 
.  This  Dignified  Little  Studio  was  Bitilt  from  Driftwood  and  Stones 
Salvaged  from  the  Ocean  Beach.     Less  than  flOO  was 
Spent  for  Other  Building  Material 

Francisco  Bay,  has  built  himself  a  cozy 
little  studio.  Making  a  few  expenditures, 
chiefly  for  concrete  and  frame  timbers, 
he  was  able  to  complete  the  structure  for 
less  than  $100. 
( 


SHINGLE   ROOF   GUARDS 
ARMY  BALLOONISTS 

There  was  not  one  chance  In  a  thou- 
sand of  a  balloonist  finishing  a  parachute 
drop  in  the  sticky  depths  of  the  gas  plant's 
sludge  pit;  but  the  authorities  of  a  large 
army   balloon   school  avoided  all  risk  of 


TOOLS  CAST  FROM  NEW  STEEL 
NEED  LITTLE  MACHINING 

A  newly  developed  steel  that  seems 
particularly  desirable  for  dies,  taps,  and 
other  cutting  tools,  changes  its  form  so 
little  during  the  hardening  process  that 
castings  have  the  appearance  of  smooth 
forgings,  and  need  almost  no  machininp^. 
The  texture  is  uniform  and  close-grained, 
and  castings  may  be  subjecled  to  high 
temperatures  without  scaling.  Becausj 
of  this  heat-resisting  property  it  is 
claimed  that  the  walls  of  annealing  boxes 
may  be  made  much  thinner  with  this  ma- 
terial, and  that  the  original  shape  and 
weight  is  retained  through  many  more 
firings  than  when  malleable  or  cast  iron 
is  used. 


This  Roof,   at  an  Army   Aeronautical    School,    Pre- 
vents a  Balloonist  from  Palling  into  the 
Mire  of  a  Sludge  Pit 

such  accident  by  covering  the  sticky  sur- 
face with  a  substantial  shingle  roof. 


CA  considerable  vein  of  pitchblende, 
from  which  radium  is  extracted,  has  been 
discovered  near  Buckfastleigh,  in  south- 
ern Devonshire,  England.  The  ore  yields 
over  26  per  cent  of  uranium  oxide,  and 
the  lode  will  be  developed  immediately. 


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AUTOMATICALLY  TILTING  DAM 

REGULATES  FLOOD  WATER 

Power  rights  of  a  mill,  about  eight  miles 
up  the  Gunpowder  River  from  the  city 
waterworks  of  Baltimore,  •  Md.,  were 
threatened  by  the  city's  plans  for  a  new 


Tiltine  Dam  in  Its  Open  Position.  Releasing  the  Flood  Water  under  the 
Toe  of  the  Dam :  The  Heel  Rests  in  a  Keyway  Which  was  Forn^ed  in  the 
Masonry  for  Possible  Future  Extensions.  When  the  Water  Subsides,  the 
Dam  will  Tilt  Back  to  Ii^  Normal  Position,  as  the  Dotted  Lines  Indicate 

(lani.  City  engineers  solved  the  prob- 
lem by  constructing  a  tilting  crest  for  the 
dam,  which  automatically  discharged  the 
flood  water  when  the  river  rose  above  a 
predetermined  level.  The  crest,  of  12  by 
2Y2'in.  timbers,  6  ft.  2^4  in.  long,  normally 
presents  an  upstream  face  inclined  40° 
from  the  horizontal.  The  steel  frame  on 
which  it  is  mounted  is  pivoted  on  the 
top  of  the  masonr>'  dam  so  that  the 
weight  of  water  passing  over  it  will  tilt 
it  forward.  This  opens  a  space,  14  in. 
high,  just  above  the  masonry,  clear  across 
the  dam,  allowing  the  flood  water  to  es- 
cape. The  crest  is  made  in  27  separate 
units,  with  six  different  tilting  points,  but 
all  4  ft.  high  from  the  masonry  except  the 
center  unit.  This  is  3  in.  lower,  to  provide 
a  normal  channel  and  carry  off  floating 
debris.  The  crest  tilts  back  to  closed  po- 
sition when  the  water  subsides. 


AMERICA  IS  NOW  INDEPENDENT 

OF  EUROPE'S  DYE  INDUSTRY 

Ail-American  dye  industry  is  now  pre- 
paring to  displace  the  full  list  of  esse;atial 
coloring  materials  formerly  invportcd 
from  Europe.  A  traveling  exhibit^'of 
dyestuffs  and  processes, 
arranged  by  a  combina 
tion  of  producers  of  ani 
line  derivatives,  is  gfiving 
public  demonstration  of 
that  important  and  in- 
teresting fact.  DirecHt 
comparisons  of  German 
and  American-dyed  fab- 
rics of  cotton,  wool,  and 
silk,  subjected  to  .rigor- 
ous tests  for  permanency, 
establish  the  excellence 
of  the  domestic  product. 
Indigo,  alizarine,  carban- 
threne  blue.  alizarine 
sapphire,  and  alphazu- 
rine  are  becoming  avail- 
able in  commercially- ad- 
equate quantities.  A 
total  of  174  aniline  colors 
under  various  classifications,  with  addi- 
tions that  will  be  made  from  time  to  time, 
assures  the  textile  industry  that  the  old 
dependence  on  imported  dyestuffs  has 
vanished  forever. 


OLD  TIMBER  WALL  KEEPS  FIRE 

FROM  GREAT  LUMBER  YARD 

The  oily,  well-seasoned  timbers  of  two 
Portland,  Ore.,  lumber  mills  were  recently 
consumed  in  a  fire  that  roared  for  three 
hours  and  kept  fire  fighters  a  hundred 
yards  away.  A  third  mill  was  not  even 
scorched,  however,  thanks  to  the  protec- 
tion given  by  a  10-year-old  fire  wall  of  2 
by  6-m.  planks,  laid  flat  on  top  of  each 
other  to  a  height  of  35  fect. 


HUNDRED-POUND  SCRAPBOOK 

HOLDS  HISTORY  OF  WAR 

No  subject  was  ever  given  so  much 
newspaper  space,  for  so  long  a  period,  as 
the  last — we  hope — war.  To  have  kept 
a  complete  scrapbook  on  it  seems  an  ap- 
palling task.  A  Se- 
attle, Wash.,  man, 

whose     hobby     is  ' 

scrapbooks,     u  n  - 

dertook  the  effort  | 

in    August,    1914, 
never  realizing,  of 

course,    what    he  | 

had  started.     But  | 

he    bravely    stuck 
to  it,  and  now  the 

book  is  closed.    It  ; 

weighs  more  than  i 

100  lb.,  and  con- 
tains literally  thousands  of  columns  of 
war  reports  and  pictures  clipped  from  the 
compiler's  favorite  papers.  Most  remark- 
able of  all,  it  is  carefully  indexed,  making  it 
a  really  valuable  work.  It  is  being  used  for 
reference  by  two  army  officers  who  are 
writing  a  history  of  the  state's  war  work. 


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Bridge  Span,  Over  100  Feet  Long,  Hauled  20  Miles   by  Motor  Truck  and  Trailer:    Wood  Beams  on  the 

Truck  Chassis  Supported  the  Front  End  of  the  Span,  but  Because  of  Its  Weight,  No  Fastening 

was  Needed  at  the  Trailer  End  Except  the  Chains  That  Held  the  Trailer  Tongue  in  Line 


HUNDRED-FOOT   BRIDGE    SPAN 

HAULED  BY  MOTOR  TRUCK 

There  seems  to  be  no  limit  to  the  haul- 
ing capacity  of  the  motor  truck,  when  a 
little  ingenuity  is  used  in  adjusting  the 
load.  A  steel  bridge  span,  over  100  ft. 
long,  was  recently  moved  20  miles  by 
highway  in  Whatcom  County,  Wash.  A 
platform  and  braces  of  wooden  beam^ 
held  the  forward  end  of  the  span  on  the 
truck  chassis.  The  heavy  two-wheel  trail- 
er was  only  chained  to  the  steel  struc- 
ture, as  the  weight  of  the  load  made  any 
special  fastening  unnecessary. 


CSurvey  shows  that  74,541,700  acres  of 
swamp  land  in  the  United  States  can  be 
reclaimed  by  drainage. 


GREAT  EXHIBITION  HOUSED 

IN  SPECIAL  BUILDING 

One  of  the  largest  buildings  ever 
erected  for  such  short  occupancy  was  re- 
cently constructed  for  the  seven  days'  ex- 
hibition of  the  National  Tractor  Show, 
at  Kansas  City,  Mo.  The  $40,000  structure 
was  more  than  two  blocks  long,  had  a 
floor  area  of  110,000  sq.  ft.,  was  lighted  by 
electricity,  and  warmed  by  200  steam  units 
that  maintained  a  temperature  of  70** 
despite  the  prevailing  wintry  weather.  An 
additional  $10,000  was  spent  for  decora- 
tions, which  transformed  the  interior  into 
a  trellised  garden.  It  is  stated  that  the 
building  sheltered  the  largest  exhibition 
of  tractors  and  power-farming  equipment 
ever  assembled. 


r 


This  Vast  Temporary  Building  Sheltered  the  National  Tractor  Show,  at  Kansas  City,  Missouri,  dicing  Its 

Seven  Days'  Run ;  80,000  Persons  Viewed  Here  the  Greatest  Exhibition  of  Tractors  and 

Power-Farming  Implements  Ever  Held  in  This  Country  or  Elsewhere 


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POCKET-SIZE  DISTANCE  SCALE 

HELPS  TO  FOCUS  CAMERA 

Focusing  scales  on   hand  cameras  are 
often  criticized,  but  it  is  usually  the  oper- 


Use  of  the  Distance  Scale  is  Illustrated  in  the  Large 
Picture,  While  the  Insert  Details  the  Device  Itself. 
The  Point  at  the  Right  Side  Is  the  Sight;  the  Read- 
ing  Scale  Is  at  the  Left:  the  Curved  Center  Scale 
Is  for  the  Height  of  the  User 

ator's  eye  that  is  at  fault.  Accurately 
measuring  distances  is  easier  than  guess- 
ing at  them,   with   a   tiny  "range  finder" 


now  on  the  market.  This  celluloid-and- 
metal  pocket  piece  has  a  sighting  point  at 
one  edge  and  a  reading  scale  at  the  other. 
A  peculiar  feature  is  its  adjustability  to 
the  height  of  the  user  by  turning  a 
pointer.  When  held  before  the  eye,  grav- 
ity takes  care  of  the  correct  relative  posi- 
tion of  the  parts.  The  user,  looking  over 
the  sight  at  the  base  or  ground  line  of 
the  object,  reads  the  distance  directly  on 
the  scale. 


WALNUT  ASSOCIATION  WANTS 

BRANDING  MACHINE 

A  prize  of  $10,000  goes  to  the  inventor 
who  first  devises  a  satisfactory  machine 
for  branding  the  shell  of  each  English 
walnut  in  a  yearly  $10,000,000  crop.  Each 
device  submitted  will  be  tested  by  a  com- 
mittee from  the  large  walnut  growers' 
association.  The  present  system  of  mark- 
ing each  sack  with  the  association  label 
is  considered  unsatisfactory.  Persons  in- 
terested should  communicate  with  the 
California  Walnut  Growers*  Association, 
Los  Angeles. 


SMOKE  COLUMN  RISES  MILE  FROM    HONOLULU  FIRE 


Curious    students    from   the   local   col- 
lege measured  the  dense  smoke   column 


torch,  the  blaze  burned  for  two  days,  con- 
suming 500,000  gal.  of  gasoline  and  kero- 


ijcigni.     oiariing  iruiii 

the     :)ccidenf»1     exnio-  I'his  Oil  Blaze    Started   from  an  Exploded    Soldering  Torch,  Burned  for 

iiic     d«.ciucmai  ^-^F'"  ^wo  Days,  and  Destroyed  500.000  Gallons  of  Gasoline  and    Kerosene,  the 
S  1  O  n     Ot    a    SOldermg  Damage  being  EtUmated  at  fMO.OOO 


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Beautiful  Shoshone  Falls,  Where  the  Snake  River,  in  Southern  Idaho,  Drops  200  Feet  in  Its  Cafion  of 

Basalt  Lava,  and  Out-Niagaras  Its  Sister  Cataract  in  the  East:    The  Arrow  Points  the  Location 

of  thf  Giant  Stairway  Built  to  the  Base  of  the  Palls  by  the  People  of  the  Valley 


BALLOON  OBSERVERS  TRAINED 
ON  MOUNTAIN  PEAK 

Cadets  attending  the  Army  Balloon 
School,  at  Arcadia,  Calif.,  seeking  com- 
missions as  observers,  are  now  being  given 
their  preliminary  training  upon  the  sum- 
mit of  Mt.  Wilson,  near  by.  In  the  mak- 
ing of  a  balloon  observer  there  is  always 
a  certain  amount  of  training  that  must 
be  undergone  to  accustom  the  student  to 
the  appearance  of  the  earth,  and 
points  and  objectives  thereon, 
from  a  high  elevation. 

This  preliminary  training  is 
made  especially  difficult  when 
carried  on  from  the  basket  of  an 
observation  balloon.  The  student 
is  usually  made  more  or  less  "sea- 
sick" by  the  constant  movement 
of  the  balloon  basket  in  the  air. 
He  is  further  handicapped  by  the 
fact  that,  whenever  the  balloon 
basket  moves,  it  seems  to  him 
that  the  landscape  has  shifted  and 
that  he  has  remained  in  a  station- 
ary position  all  the  time.  This 
movement  of  the  basket  causes 
the  untrained  cadet  continually 
to  lose  sight  of  objects  upon 
which  he  desires  to  center  his  at- 
tention. 

Training  on  the  mountain  peak 
eliminates  much  of  this  difficulty. 
The   same  effect   of  elevation   is 
obtained    as    from    the    balloon, 
and,  besides,  the  cadet  has  the  advantage 
of  acquiring  his  early  training  from  a  sta- 
tionary position.     Furthermore,  classes  of 
25  or  30  men  may  be  taken  to  the  moun- 
tain top  and  trained  by  a  single  instructor, 
as  compared  with  two  or  three  that  could 
be  taken  in  a  balloon  basket,  thereby  sav- 
ing considerable  time. 


SHOSHONE'S   GIANT  STAIRWAY 

REACHES  BASE  OF  FALLS 

Because  there  was  no  other  way  for 
tourists  to  reach  the  foot  of  Idaho's  Niag- 
ara, the  magnificent  Shoshone  Falls,  the 
people  of  the  Snake  River  Valley  built  a 
stairway.  It  is  an  extraordinary  stairway. 
It  goes  down,  for  300  vertical  feet, 
through  a  cleft  in  the  towering  cliffs  of 
Shoshone's   basalt   canon.     Sometimes   it 


At  the  Left,  Shoshone  Palls  Stairway  is  Seen  Emerging  from 

Its  Rocky  Cleft.    At  the  Right  Is  a  Distant  View  of 

the  Whole  SOO-Foot  Structure 

hugs  one  wall  of  the  great  fissure;  some- 
times it  bridges  across  to  the  other  side. 
Here  and  there  it  passes  through  veritable 
caverns,  as  the  rugged  walls  meet  over- 
head. But  at  all  points  it  is  safe  for  the 
traveler,  for  its  location  was  selected  only 
after  weeks  of  study.  Its  supports  are  iron 
bars  imbedded  in  the  solid  rock  and  rein- 


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forced  with  heavy  timber  braces.  The 
long  stair,  which  starts  on  the  cliff  50  ft. 
above  the  falls,  is  divided  into  many 
flights.  On  the  landings  between  them 
are  benches;  they  are  needed,  for  the 
?teps,  cut  from  2-in.  plank,  number  over 
300.  The  scenic  reward  for  descending 
them,  however,  is  extremely  liberal. 
Funds  for  building  the  stairway  were  pro- 
vided by  popular  subscription. 


MOTORISTS  WARNED  TO  WATCH 

FOR  LANDING  PLANES 

An  airplane  in  landing  slows  down  ta 
about  a  mile  a  minute;  but  this  is  fast 
enough  to  make  it  dangerous  for  anything 


The  Familiar  Warning  at  Railroad  Crossings  Has  a 
New  Rival  in  This  One  on  an  Aviation  Field 

it  may  hit.  To  avoid  accidents,  large  signs 
have  been  placed  along  all  roads  travers- 
ing a  government  aviation  field,  advising 
very  careful  inspection  of  the  skies  before 
entering  the  dangerous  areas.  The  "sky" 
is  a  biff  thine  for  one  man  to 'inspect; 


ROOSEVELT'S  BIRTHPLACE 

BOUGHT  AS  MEMORIAL 

Colonel  Roosevelt  once  protested 
against  ''meaningless  mausoleums  and 
monuments  to  the  dead."  Accordingly 
an  organization  of  women,  formed  to  per- 
petuate his  memory,  has  bought  his  birth- 
place in  New  York  with  the  intention  of 
making  it  more  than  a  memorial;  they 
would  make  it  a  busy  center  of  citizenship 
activities;  would  have  men,  women,  and 
children  leave  its  assembly  halls  resolved 
on  better  citizenship  and  a  deeper  love  for 
America.  The  association  is  attempting 
to  interest  women  in  all  parts  of  the 
United  States  in  the  undertaking. 


TEN  THOUSAND  DRINKS  TRAVEL 

IN   ENAMELED  TANK  TRUCK 

Anticipating  an  unprecedented  rush  for 
mild  beverages  this  summer,  a  huge  steel 
tank  lined  with  glass  enamel  has  ap- 
peared as  a  new  form  of  motor-truck 
body.  The.  tank's  capacity  is  658  gal., 
which  divides  into  10,528  half-pint  drinks. 
It  is  made  in  three  sections,  gasketed  and 
bolted  together,  and  easily  taken  apart 
for  cleaning.  The  silicate  enamel  used 
is  seamless,  impervious,  and  noncorrod- 
ing,  and  is  unaffected  by  expansion  or 
contraction  of  the  steel  upon  which  it  is 
fused.  A  manhole  with  enamel-lined 
cover  is  fitted  with  a  2-in.  intake  connec- 
tion. The  outlet  cock,  of  the  same  size, 
at  the  rear  may  be  padlocked.  A  33^-ton 
truck  chassis  forms  the  mounting,  from 
which  the  tank  is  readily  removed. 


Steel  Tank  of  658  Gallons'  Capacity,  Lined  Throughout  with  Seamless  Glass  Enamel,  Mounted  on  a  Three 

and  One-Half-Ton  Motor-Truck  Chassis:    The  Three  Sections.  Bolted  Together  as 

Seen,  are  Readily  Taken  Apart  for  Cleaning 


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869 


I    rilMSa  ILLUSTRATINQ   SFIIVICI 


Dutch  Mine  Sweeper  **Meduta,'*  Taking  Aboard  a   German  Mine  Pound  Floating  in   the  North  Sea.  Where 

Many  of  These  Concealed  Menaces  Still  Threaten  Peaceful  Navigation:  At  the  Right  the  Same 

Ship  is  Observed  in  the  Process  of  Setting  Out  a  Mine  Anchor 


DUTCH  NAVY'S  MINE  SWEEPERS 

STILL  SCOURING  NORTH  SEA 

Germany's  fleet  is  gone,  but  in  the 
North  Sea  many  mines  still  float,  held 
dangerously  out  of  sight  by  their  anchors 
and  constituting  a  constant  menace  -to 
peaceful  navigation.  So  the  square,  ugly 
forms  of  the  mine  sweepers  are  a  wel- 
come sight  as  they  go  about  their  benefi- 
cent but  hazardous  task  of  cleaning  up 
the  sea.  The  Dutch  navy  has  found  a 
great  deal  of  this  necessary  work  to  do, 
and  its  mine-scattering  and  sweeping 
equipment  is  kept  busy. 


BUILDINGS  QUICKLY  ERECTED 

WITH  WOODEN  NETTING 

Several  exhibition  halls  and  assembly 
rooms  have  been  built  in  Norway  by  at- 
taching to  the  uprights  a  "netting"  fash- 
ioned from  wooden  rods  about  a  third 
of  an  inch  square  in  cross  section,  which 
are  bound  together  with  tin-plated  iron 
wire,  and  subsequently  covered  with  a 
durable  plaster.  Structures  of  this  sort 
are  easily  and  quickly  constructed,  and 
are  said  to  be  useful  even  in  wintertime. 


EXTENSION  TOWER  OF  LADDERS 

MAKES  PORTABLE  SCAFFOLD 

For  work  above  stepladder  range  there 
is  now  to  be  had  a  portable  telescppic 
tower  of  ladders,  solid  and  safe.  Two  ex- 
tension ladders,  rigidly  braced  together 
with  steel,  rise  vertically  from  a  broad 


base.  Rollers  are  provided  for  moving, 
but  in  use  the  tower  rests  on  solid  legs.  A 
railed  platform  at  the  top  accommodates 
two  men.  Folded,  the  tower  occupies  lit- 
tle space  and  is  readily  transported;  but 
when  set  up  it  expands,  by  a  system  of 
ropes,  drums  and  cranks,  to  any  desired 
height  up  to  40  ft.  or  so. 


Left  View  Shows  the  Ladder  Tower  CoHapted;  at  the 

Right  It  it  Seen  Extended  for  Work.    Bach 

Ladder  ConsiiU  of  Three  Parte 


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OF  HUGE  PANORAMIC  PICTURE  OF  BATTLE  FRONT 


tioni'of  this  French  painting,  shown  half  finished  in  the  Popular  Mechanics  Magazine  for  November.  1917,  and 
in  the  insert,  in  a  circular  exhibition  hall  near  Paris,  is  pictured  the  whole  western  battle  front,  from  the  North 
Tillages  nestling  in  the  valleys,  Rheims.  Verdun,  and  other  war-tom  cities,  all  are  spread  before  the  spectator  as 
the  broad  steps.  Crowding  the  steps  and  porch  of  the  temple  are  arranged  the  elect  of  Prance  and  the  other 
careful  attention  to  details,  secured  from  life  or  photographs  of  the  dead. 


871 

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872 


POPULAR    MECHANICS 


WAREHOUSE  COLLAPSE  SPILLS 

GROCERIES  IN  STREET 

Canned    goods,    bricks,    plaster,    nuts, 

'girders,    and    wine    were    all    hopelessly 

scrambled  in  the  loud  collapse  of  a  six- 


8uick  Use  of  the  Fire  Escape  Saved  Workmen  from  being  Crushed  to 
eath  in  This  Confusion  of  Groceries  and  Rubble.  The  Warehouse  Was 
Formerly  a  Tenement  and  had  been  Loaded  Far  beyond  Its  Strength 


story  New  York  tenement,  which  had 
been  converted  into  a  grocery  warehouse. 
No  one  'was  hurt,  although  three  men 
were  at  work  on  the  top  floor  when  the 
building  began  to  groan  and  crack.  They 
were  able  to  descend  by  the  fire  escape 
which  was  luckily  untouched. 


FIGHT  AGAINST  YELLOW  FEVER 

TO  BE  RENEWED  AT  ONCE 

The  opening  of  the  Panama  Canal  and 
the  consequent  establishment  of  new 
trade  routes  called  the  attention  of  scien- 
tists some  years  ago  to 
the  danger  of  a  world- 
wide yellow-fever  epi- 
demic. As  a  result  a 
commission  visited  all  af- 
fected areas  in  Central 
and    South    America    in 

1916,  and  returned,  de- 
claring that,  with  the  ex- 
termination of  the  mos- 
quito, the  complete  erad- 
ication of  the  plague  was 
possible.   So,  in  January, 

1917,  a  program  was 
drafted — to  be  postponed 
indefinitely  on  America's 
entrance  into  the  war. 
But  the  work  of  the 
commission  has  now 
been  renewed,  and   it  is 

.  announced  that  Doctor 
Gorgas,  Surgeon-General 
(retired),  U.  S.  A.,  will 
shortly  sail  for  Central 
and  South  America  to 
cooperate  with  local  au- 
final    extirpation    of    the 


thorities 
plague. 


m    a 


C  Norway  has  a  factory  which  is  reported 
to  obtain  aluminum  from  a  mineral 
known  as  Labrador  stone,  hitherto  re- 
garded as  valueless. 


HARD-TACK  CAN  AND  PUMP  PIPE 
SAVE  SHIPWRECKED  SAILORS 

When  the  "Dumaru,"  U.  S.  Shipping 
Board  steamer,  was  struck  by  lightning 
and  abandoned  off  the  coast  of  Guam  last 
October,  32  persons  were  crowded  into  a 
single  lifeboat.  The  scanty  supply  of 
fresh  water  was  exhausted  on  the  13th 
day,  with  no  help  in  sight.  Then  the  me- 
chanical instinct,  spurred  by  necessity, 
came  to  the  front.  The  desperate  cast- 
aways tore  a  pipe  from  the  boat's  bailing 
pump,  connected  it  to  a  tin  container  that 
had  held  hard-tack,  and  dipped  the  end 
into  the  now  empty  water  tank.  A  metal 
bucket  served  as  a  stove;  oars,  shoes, 
parts  of  the  boat  went  in  as  fuel.  As  the 
salt  water  boiled  in  the  hard-tack  box,  the 
tank,  cooled  by  the  sea,  turned  the  steam 
into  life-giving  fresh  water.     When  land 


was  sighted  on  the  24th  day,  the  crude 
still  had  saved  14  lives. 


Crude  Still  Which  Saved  the  Lives  of  Shipwrecked 
Sailors  Last  Pall :  The  Bucket  Stove  and  Hard-Tack 
Box,  at  the  Left,  Sent  Steam  from  the  Salt  Water 
through  the  Pipe  to  the  Tank,  at  the  Rijrtit.  Where 
It  Condensed  into  Pure  Drinking  Water 


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873 


Curious  One- Wheel  Car  and  Circular  Speedway  Located  on  a  Roof  Top  in  Denver:  It  it  Used  for  Testing 

Tires,  the  Path  of  Which  may  be  Obstructed  with  All  Manner  of  Hazards,  Giving 

a  Genuine  Rough.R'oad  Test  at  86  Miles  an  Hour 


BUMPY  SPEEDWAY  QN  ROOF  TOP 

IS  ONE-WHEEL  TIKE  TESTER 

A  motor  speedway  on  a  roof,  over 
which  races  only  one  car  with  only  one 
wheel — so  far  it  looks  like  an  old-fash- 
ioned conundrum.  Actually,  though,  it  is 
a  serious  and  useful  device  for  giving 
automobile  tires  a  real  road  test  in  ad- 
vance. The  "speedway"  is  a  large  circu- 
lar track,  wide  enough  for  one  wheel,  and 
varying  in  surface  from  smooth  cement  to 
broken  bricks,  sand,  and  mud.  There  is 
even  a  45°  grade  at  one  point.  The  single 
wheel  is  mounted  on  the  end  of  a  long 
steel  arm  pivoted  at  the  center  of  the 
circle.  A  small  car  carries  the  electric 
driving  motor  and  controls,  and  enough 
weight  to  equal  service  conditions.  It 
runs  continuously  at  about  35  miles  an 
hour,  with  the  tire  under  critical  observa- 
tion all  the  while.  The  roof  of  a  Denver 
factory  is  the  location. 


WARNING  SIGNAL  DISPLAYED 

AS  BRAKES  ARE  APPLIED 

Equipped    with    the    latest    automobile 
safety   signal,  the  motorist   may  proceed 
to  forget  all  about 
it.     A    small    pipe 
connects    the    in- 
take   manifold    to 
a  valve  that  opens 
on    depression    of 
the    brake    pedal, 
thus    lifting    the 
cover  from  an   il- 
luminated     warn- 
ing.      It     follows 
that  the  signal  will  automatically  warn  a 
machine  in  rear  each  time  the  brakes  are 
applied  for  a  stop  or  turn. 


BETTER  GALVANIZED  IRON 

BY  NEW  PROCESS 

Valued  for  its  weather-resisting  quali- 
ties, galvanized  iron  or  steel  has  long  been 
produced  by  dipping  sheets  of  the  metal 
into    molten    zinc,    which    deposits    itself 


These  Large  Spangles  on  Galvanized  Iron  Lengthen 
Its  Life  and  Improve  Its  Appearance 

as  a  coating  of  small  crystals  or  spangles. 
Occasionally,  however,  sheets  have  been 
produced  with  large  spangles  which,  it 
was  found,  improved  both  the  appearance 
and  the  noncorrosive  qualities  of  the 
l)ro(iuct.  and  hence  increased  the  price  it 
would  bring.  So  one  plant  has  raised  the 
value  of  its  output  by  treating  high-grade 
molten  steel  with  an  alloy  containing 
titanium  before  rolling  it  into  sheets  and 
subjecting  it  to  the  zinc  bath.  It  is 
claimed  that  75  per  cent  of  the  treated 
sheets  emerge  from  the  bath  with  the 
large   spangles  desired.  j 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


OVERINFLATION  OF  BALLOONS 

PREVENTED   BY   WATER   VALVE 

When  a  balloon  is  filled  to  capacity 
with  gas,  the  addition  of  more  may  rip 
the  bag.  As  an 
automatic  s  a  f  e  - 
guard. against  this 
danger  a  two-way 
Y-tube  is  intro- 
duced into  the 
hydrogen  mani- 
fold of  the  gas 
plant,  one  arm  fit- 
ting  into  the 
sleeve  which  car- 
ries the  gas  to  the 
balloon,  the  other 
being  immersed 
in  a  pail  of  water. 
It  is  obvious  that 
when  the  envel- 
ope is  filled  fur- 
ther  gas  will 
bubble  out  of  the  pail,  enabling  the  at- 
tendants to  close  down  the  plant  at  once. 


SILVER  "SUB"  WITH  TEA  CARGO 

SUBMERGES    IN    SAMOVAR 

The  Boston  tea  party  knew  nothing  of 

submarines,  but  the  party  of  today  uses 

one  as  a  tea  ball. 

^_ __ — ^     The  "sub/'  less 

than-  two  inches 
long  and  ver>'  fat, 
is  made  of  solid 
silver.  It  hangs, 
while  in  "dry 
dock."  by  a  silver 
chain  from  a  sil- 
ver derrick,  with 
a  tiny  basin  be- 
low, to  keep  the 
drip  off  the  table- 
cloth. By  grasp- 
ing the  propeller 
t  h  e  "hull"  is 
opened  to  admit 
^_ the  charge  of  tea. 


AIRPLANE  CARRIES  DOCTOR 

TO  HIS  PATIENTS 

Along  the  ribbonlike  islands  of  sand 
and  swam'p  that  parallel  the  North  Caro- 
lina coast  for  more  than  100  miles  the 
government  maintains  a  chain  of  coast- 
guard stations,  seven  or  eight  miles  apart. 
Slow-going  boats  have  long  been  the  only 
means  ^of  transportation;  but  when  200 
inhabitants  fell  prey  to  Spanish  "flu,"  it 


was  computed  that  it  would  take  a  full 
month  for  the  government  doctor  to  visit 
them  in  this  way.  So  the  energetic  health 
officer  rode  to  the  naval  base  at  Hampton 
Roads,  secured  two  flying  boats,  with 
pilots  and  mechanics,  and  visited  every 
station  in  one  day. 


GERMAN  TRENCH  TELEPHONE 

HAS  TELEGRAPH  BUTTON 

When  talking  was  dangerous,  the  Ger- 
man soldier  used  his  hand  telephone  for 
telegraphing.       A 
push   button  in 
the   handle,  just 
where    his   thumb 
rested,   was   the 
k  e  y  by  which  he 
changed  his 
words  to  dots  and 
dashes.     The  in- 
strument is  of  the 
usual  hand-micro- 
phone   type,   with 
a   receiver  at  one 
end,  a  transmitter 
at  the  other,  and 
a  finger  switch  in  the  middle.     The  long 
mouthpiece  folds  in  and  covers  the  switch 
while  carrying.     Plug-ended  cords  allow 
connection  anywhere. 


NONSKID  HORSESHOE  MADE 

FOR  PITCHERS 

The  attention  of  quoit  throwers  is  di- 
rected to  the  four  balanced  calks  on  this 
patented        horse- 
shoe,    which     the ^ 

inventor     m«a  i  n  - 

tains  will   prevent  '< 

wabbling   through  i 

th«    air,    or    skid-  i 

ding     on     impact  j 

with    the   ground.  j 

He    also    provides  > 

a    slit     to    secure  j 

tape    or    chamois  * 

skin    in    case    the 

fingers    of    the      ; i 

throwing  hand  be- 
come sore  or  the  player  desires  a  larger 
grip. 


CThe  cooperation  of  a  British  battleship 
in  midocean,  and  special  forecasts  from 
the  weather  bureau  of  the  British  air  serv- 
ice, will  be  at  the  disposal  of  any  Ameri- 
can or  British  airman  attempting  the 
transatlantic  flight  in  an  airplane. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS  876 

FAST  FLYING  BOAT  HAS  MORE  REPUBLICS  IN  WORLD 

GRACEFUL  LINES  THAN  MONARCHIES 

Driven  by  a  12-cylinder  Liberty  motor,  Before  the  war  the  number  of?  repub- 

a  flying  boat   recently  put  on  the   mar-  lies    and    monarchies    in    the    world   was 

ket  attains  a  maximum  horizontal  speed  about  the  same,  but  it  is  now  computed 

of   130  miles  an  hour,  with  a  minimum  that    only   21    monarchies    remain,   com- 

of  62.     It  is  -a  development  of  a  speedy  pared  with  29  republics.     Germany,  Aus- 

land  machme  intended  for  mail  carrymg,  tria     and     Russia     have     been     included 

from  which  it  differs  chiefly  in  having  a  among  the   latter.     China   is  the  largest 

greater  wing  span  and  two  sets  of  struts,  republic     with     400,000,00a     inhabitants; 

In  appearance  it  is  very  pleasing  to  the  San  Marino  comes  last  with  only  11,000. 

eye  and  rather  unusual,  as  the  fuselage  is  The   number   of   republics   will   probably 

deep,    and    streamlined    very    effectively,  soon  be  increased  still  more  by  the  for- 

with    no    control    wires    or    struts    from  mation    of    new  states, 

wincrc   tn   hoHv  to    mar  the   c^raceftil    siir-  . 


In  Developing  This  Plyins  Boat  from  a  Fast  Mail-Carrying  Machine,  the  Wing  Span  was  Substantially 
lacreaied.    Note  the  Opposite  Dihedrals  of  Upper  and  Lower  Planes 

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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


LOCKSMITH  CROSSING  COUNTRY 

LIVES  AND   WORKS  IN  AUTO 

A  complete  locksmith's  shop,  a  camp- 
ing^   outfit,    and    the    smith    himself,    all 


This  "Light**  Car  Weighs  S,600  Pounds  When  Equipped  with  a  Complete 
Lock«mith*s  Shop  and  a  Camping  Outfit.  The  Smith  is  Driving  It  from 
Coast  to  Coast,  and  Its  Red,  Green,  and  Yellow  Coloring  Attracts  Cus\om- 


packed  into  a  small  and  well-used  auto, 
are  making  an  18-month  tour  from  Se- 
attle, Wash.,  to  Stamford,  Conn.,  and 
back  by  way  of  Florida.  The  car,  with  its 
extraordinary  outfit,  weighs  3,600  lb., 
about  twice  the  normal  figure  for  its 
kind;  but  as  the  owner  made  it  himself, 
using  the  parts  of  three  others,  it  has 
proved  equal  to  the  situation.  He  has 
It  painted  cardinal  red,  with  a  green  top 
and  yellow  wheels. 


FOREIGN   MARKETS   EAGER 

FOR   AMERICAN    LUMBER 

Russia  and  Austria-Hungary  formerly 
supplied  the  world  with  almost  half  its 
lumber.  But  now,  facing 
the  greatest  demand  ever 
known,  reckdned  at  100,- 
000,000,000  ft.,  buyers 
learn  that  the  Germans  in 
Galicia  and  the  Bolshe- 
viki  elsewhere  have  com- 
pletely destroyed  all  Rus- 
sian mills,  and  that  Aus- 
tria-Hungary, while  ac- 
tually rich,  is  yet  eco- 
nomically impotent. 
Hence  buyers  are  arriv- 
ing in  America  from  Eu- 
rope, South  America, 
Australia,  and  Africa, 
eager  for  every  bk  of 
lumber,  that  available 
cargo  space  can  haildle. 
With  such  a  market  it 
seems  possible  that  the 
United  States,  despite 
labor  shortage  and  other  difficulties,  will 
become  the  world's  greatest  exporter  of 
wood  products. 


PLAY  GAME  OF  POOL  WITH  GUN 

INSTEAD  OF  CUSTOMARY  CUE 

"Shooting"  a  game  of  pool  applies  liter- 
ally to  a  new  method  of  playing  the  popu- 
lar indoor  sport.  The  cue  becomes  the 
plunger  of  a  spring  gun,  consisting  of  a 
tube  about  30  in.  long  with  an  opening 
near  the  breech  to  receive  the  cue  ball. 


FIRE-BOX  WALL  FOR  FURNACE 

HELPS  TO  BURN  SOFT  COAL 

Last  winter's  experience  with  soft  coal, 
burned  in  hard-coal  furnaces,  gave  the 
final  test  to  a  number  of  ingenious  de- 
vices designed  to 
help  in  the  emer- 
gency. One  of  the 
simplest  of  these 
was  marketed  in 
the  form  of  a  slab 
of  refractory 
composition  easily 
cut  with  a  chisel 
and  hammer,  to  fit  across  the  furnace  iire 
box  like  a  wall,  dividing  it  into  two  parts, 
except  for  a  three-inch  space  just  above 
the  grate.  When  soft  coal  is  fired  alter- 
nately on  one  side  and  then  the  other  of 
the  wall,  complete  combustion  is  assured. 


COPVRIOHT     KIY«TONC  VIIW  CO. 

This  Spring  Gun  Takes  the  Place  of  a  Cue  in  Shoot. 

ing  the  Cue  Ball  for  a  Game  of  Pool.    As 

will  be  Seen,  It  Is  Breech-Loading 

The  muzzle  is  cut  at  a  slant,  with  the 
longest  side  on  top,  giving  a  point  for 
sighting.  A  side  handle  assists  in  holding 
for  difficult  shots. 


ALMOST  FIVE-YEARS  OVERDUE 
SHIP  MAKES  PORT  AT  LAST 

Five  years  ago  the  Dutch  steamship 
"Deucalion"  packed  a  cargo  of  fruit  at 
Smyrna,  Turkey  in  Asia,  and  prepared  to 
weigh  anchor.  Then  the  war  broke.  The 
port  was  closed.    Even  the  doubtful  privi- 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


877 


Dutch  Steamship  "Dettcalion/*  Docked  at  Boston  after  Nearly  Five  Years'  Internment  at  Smyrna,  Turkey* 

Where  Its  Prow  was  Dented  by  a  British  Bomb  Aimed  at  a  German  Ship  Lying  Alongside: 

The  Vessel  Was  All  Ready  to  Sail  When  War  Broke  Out 


lege  of  running  the  blockade  was  refused, 
and  the  ship  came  to  an  enforced  anchor- 
age beside  an  interned  German  vessel. 
Here  it  was  subjected  to  a  secondhand 
bombardment  by  British  fliers,  who 
dented  its  prow  while  trying  with  partial 
success  to  sink  the  German.  The  perish- 
able cargo  was  exchanged  for  one  of  to- 
bacco, licorice  root,  and  emery  stones, 
as  better  suited  to  a  long  stay;  but  most 
of  its  crew  deserted  early.  When  final- 
ly the  British  occupied  Smyrna  and  gave 
the  vessel  the  first  clearance  papers  is- 
sued; a  pick-up  crew  took  it  to  Mediter- 
ranean ports,  where  experienced  sailors 
were  secured.  The  run  to  Boston  was 
made  in  79  days. 


SPEAKING  TUBE  AND  SHIELD 
FOR  STREET-FLUSHER  MAN 

On  the  motor  street  flushers  used  in 
San  Francisco,  the  operator  sits  at  the 
back,  and  communicates  with  the  driver 
through  a  speaking  tube,  mounted  on  the 
truck  frame  and  ending  in  funnel-shaped 
mouthpieces  at  front  and  rear.  To  keep 
him  from  being  bumped  by  other  vehicles, 
a  heavy  iron  fender,  rigidly  bolted  to  the 


frame,  completely  encircles  him.  This 
enables  him  to  keep  his  mind  off  the 
hazards  of  his  location  and  to  concentrate 
on  his  work. 


The  Semicircular  Fender  of  Heavy  Iron,  at  the  Rear 

of  This  Street-PIuahing  Truck,  Protects  the  Operator 

from  Other  Vehicles.   The  Funnel  Is  a  Speaking-Tube 

Mouthpiece,  for  Communicating  with  the  Driver. 


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.878  POPULAR  MECHANICS 

FOUR  FLOORS  OF  GARAGE  PLASTIC  ARTIFICIAL  HANDS 

.  OPEN  ON  STREET  QUICKLY  SHAPED  FOR  USE 

By  providing  a  street  entrance  for  each  Gelatin  combined  with  dentists'  model- 

floor  the   owner  of  a   four-story   garage      Ing  compound  is  the  material  out  of  which 

a  surgeon  of  Washing- 
ton, D.  C,  fashions  plas- 
tic artificial  hands  for 
cripples.  By  softening  in 
hot  water,  the  hand  can 
quickly  be  shaped  to  fit 
any  requirement  of  the 
moment,  from  holding  an 
implement  to  operating  a 
typewriter.  It  is  hard- 
ened after  shaping  by 
dipping  in  ice  water.  If 
it  is  desired  to  retain  a 
certain  shape,  the  hand 
may  be  removed  and  one 
differently  shaped  in- 
stalled. The  plastic  mem- 
Each  One  of  This  Building's  Pour  Floors  Has  a  Street  Entrance  h^r  ic  a  <;imn1tf»  anH 
of  Its  Own.    With  a  Little  Excavation  All  Floors                             °T;   u  *.   /™P^«       ana 

were  Given  the  Same  Area  wholly  satisfactory  Sub- 
stitute for  complicated 
quadruples  his  accessible  storage  space,  artificial  hands  with  articulated  joints 
This  unusual  convenience  was  made  pos-  which  are  mechanically  adjusted  for  each 
sible  by  locating  the  building  at  the  inter-  requirement, 
section  of  two  sharply  sloping  streets,  and  

excavating    to    give    all    floors    the    same  r«rfc xmoirTT?  i>t?t>t  Ar«T7c  oT»t?T:»T 

area.     By  using  all  exits  the  building  may  CONCKETE  REPLACES  STEEL 

be  quickly  emptied  of  250  cars.  IN  SOFTENING  TANKS 


The  concrete-silo  contractor  can  erect 
COAL  DUST  MIXED  WITH  OIL         water-softening   tanks   of  this   sort   with 

MAKES  NEW  LIQUID  FUEL  ^^  Ss"pt^u^ed"f?e'pa?t'%ra  Ty^S 

Liquids    and    solids    do   not    ordinarily      that  is  supplying  soft  water  at  the  rate 

mix,  and  the  idea  of  combining  coal  and      of  4,000  gal.   per  hour,  two  tanks   being 

petroleum    to    make   a    new    fuel   sounds      used  so  that  one  may  be  drained  of  its 

rather  chimerical  at  first.         

Yet  that  very  thing  has 
been  done,  and  success- 
fully, by  pulverizing  the 
coal  so  finely  that  it 
forms  a  colloidal,  or  sus- 
pended, mixture  with  the 
oil.  This  compound 
passes  freely  through  all 
regular  oil  pipes  and 
burners,  so  that  it  can 
be  used  for  power  and 
heat  without  equipment 
change;  and  it  generates 
a  greater  heat  value  than 
oil     alone.       Coal     dust, 

passed     through     a     200-       concrete  is  Meeting  with  Some  Favor  as  Material  for    Water- Softeninc 
mesh   screen,   mixed   with  Tanks.    Two  Are  Necessary  in  the  Tjrpe  of  Plant   Pictured 

a    little    tar    in    the    oil, 

leaves  no  deposit  even  after  months.   Use  softened  water  while  the  proper  chemicals 

of  the  new  fuel  in  place  of  fuel  oil  on  sea  are  being  stirred  into  the  other.     Tanks 

and  land  would  save  millions  of  barrels  of  of  this  kind  are  recommended  by  their 

oil  a  yeiar.  permanency  rather  than  their  initial  cost. 


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Montana  Coal   Miners  have  Built  Themselves  These   Fireproof    Homes  by  Erecting  a  Wall  beneath  the 

Projecting.Rim  Rock.    These  Modern  ClifiF  Dwellings  Are  Quite  Common  in  Certain  Parts 

of  Europe,  Where  Whole  Communities  Live  in  This  Way 


MONTANA  MINERS  BUILD  HOMES 
IN  ANCIENT  STYLE     ' 

A  characteristic  bit  of  the  Old  World 
may  be  seen  near  Roundup,  Mont.,  where* 
Austrian  and  Italian  miners  have  built 
their  homes  in  ancient  fashion,  under  a 
projecting-rim  rock.  By  simply  erecting 
a  stone  wall,  they  have  a  shelter  that  can- 
not be  bettered  for  warmth  in  winter  and 
coolness  in  summer. 


SINGLE  ELECTRICAL  CONTROL 
ON  TWO-LOCOMOTIVE  TRAIN 

When  a  railroad  train  has  a  locomotive 
at  both  front  and  rear,  the  forward  driver 

can  control  both  with  an 

electrical  arrangement 
devised  for  use  on  a 
French  system.  No  train 
cable  is  needed,  the 
power  rail,  or  wire,,  in 
the  case  of  electric  rail- 
ways, being  used  to 
•transmit  the  control  im- 
pulses. High-frequency 
currents  at  low  voltage 
are  generated  in  the 
front  locomotive  and 
picked  up  by  selective 
apparatus  in  the  rear  lo- 
comotive, where  they  are 


made  to  operate  the  control  mechanism. 
Varying  the  current  frequency  enables  it 
to  perform  different  functions. 


ADVERTISING    DEVICE    GUIDES 

TRAVELER  TO  HOTEL 

Tourists,  hotels,  and  advertisers  are  all 
expressing  satisfaction  with  a  monster 
hotel  directory  fronting  the  street-car 
tracks  at  a  large  railroad  station.  The 
brevity  of  tlie  instructions  given  is  ex- 
plained by  the  numbering  of  all  cars  and 
car  routes  throughout  the  city.  Thus,  to 
reach  the  hotel  of  his  choice,  the  stranger 
simply  boards  the  first  car  bearing  the 
number  opposite  the  name  of  his  hotel. 


A  Glance  Tells  the  Stranger  in  This  Town  What  Car  will  Take  Him 
to  His  Hotel.    /The   Numbers   Correspond  to   the 


City's  Various  Street-Car  Routes 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


AMERICANS  CAPTURE  GERMAN 
MERRY-GO-ROUND 

When  the  Second  American  Army  took 
Stenay,  about  25  miles  north  of  Verdun, 
on  Nov.  10,  1918.  they  found  among  the 


Advancing  Americans  Found  This  Merry-Go-Rovnd 
at  Stenay,  Prance,  the  Day  before  the  Armistice 

spoils  of  war  a  crudely  built  merry-go- 
round.  From  the  photograph,  which  was 
found  in  a  hut  near  by,  it  is  evident  that 
the  German  soldiers'  actually  relieved  the 
monotony  of  trench  warfare  in  this  way. 


CATCHES  LIGHTNING  IN  PHOTO 
AT  PAINFULLY  CLOSE  RANGE 

Night  pictures  of  lightning  are  readily 
obtained  by  leaving  the  camera  lens  open 
until  a  strong  flash  occurs,  but  amateurs 
are  seldom  lucky  in  catching  a  good  im- 
pression. A  photographer  at  Waterloo, 
la.,  engaged  in  this  pastime,  was  startled 


by  the  crash  of  a  bolt  which  struck  about 
a  block  from  him.  The  camera  faithfully 
recorded  the  image,  and  the  result  was 
worth  a  scare. 


ONE-PIECE  CONCRETE  WALLS 

WITH  DEAD-AIR  CHAMBER 

House  walls  of  one-piece  concrete  con- 
taining a  central  dead-air  space  are  con- 
structed by  an  English  engineer  with  a 
simple  arrangement.  The  core  for  the  air 
chamber  is  fixed,  while  the  mold  is  moved 
upward  as  sections  of  the  wall  are  com- 
pleted. An  alternative  method  is  to  fix 
the  mold  and  move  the  core.  The  cham- 
ber may  be  the  full  size  of  the  wall,  but 
stronger  construction  results  by  forming 
concrete  bonds  in  which  are  placed  the 
iron  ties.  A  wall  nine  inches  thick  would 
usually  have  a  two-inch  air  space.  Such 
walls  are  quite  dry,  and  much  stronger 
and  cheaper  than  common  brick. 


POISON  PELLET  LESSENING 
COYOTE  NUISANCE 

A  wolf  causes  an  estimated  annual  loss 
to  western  stockmen  of  $1,000;  a  bobcat, 
or  coyote,  of  $50.     Colorado  and  several 


Unusual  Photograph  of  Lightning  Plash :  The  Ramifi. 

cations  of  the  Near  Branch  and   the  Halation  Effect 

of  the  vistant  One  Are  Particularly  Noteworthy 


By  Marketing  the  Pelts  of  Coyotes  the   Government 
Is  Able  to  Reduce  the  Cost  of  Killing  Them 

Other  states  reckon  their  annual  losses 
from  this  source  at  more  than  a  million 
dollars.  Figures  of  this  sort  showed  the 
Federal  government  that  the  evil  w^as 
worth  its  attention.  So  the  problem  was 
referred  to  the  Biological  Survey,  which 
perfected  a  poisoned  ground-meat  pellet 
that  is  far  more  effective  than  the  trap  or 
gun.  Assigning  men  of  its  poison  squad 
to  definite  territories,  where  the  animals 
are  lured  by  attractive  bait,  the  govern- 
ment now  reports  that  dead  wolves,  bob- 
cats, and  coyotes  are  being  found  in  every 
corner  of  the  range  country.  Although 
the  animals  wander  far  from  the  poison 
before  dying,  enough  pelts  are  recovered 
and  marketed  each  year  to  reduce  the 
cost  of  killing  to  $10  a  head. 


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The  Army  Balloon  Service  has  Hounted  This  Two>Unit  Gas  Plant  on  Wheels,  So  That  It  may  be  Towed 
L  by  Motor  Truck  WHierevcr  Hydrogen  Gas  is  Needed 


PORTABLE  GAS  PLANTS  FOLLOW 

ARMY   BALLOONS 

By  the  construction  of  portable  gas- 
producing  plants  the  army  balloon  serv- 
ice has  greatly  increased  the  efficiency 
and  mobility  of  its  organization.  Under 
war  conditions  hydrogen  gas  was  for- 
merly conv.eyed  from  producing  plant  to 
the  front  in  heavy  steel  cylinders,  each 
holding,  under  high  pressure,  about  2,000 
cu.  ft.  But  the  capacity  of  a  captive 
balloon  is  often  50,000  cu.  ft.  or  more, 
making  the  transportation  problem  a 
serious  one.  The  new  machine,  however, 
may  be  towed  by  motor  truck  directly  to 
the  scene  of  operations,  where  it  will 
produce  gas  fully  as  good  as  that  from 
a   permanent  plant. 


TRAVELING  EXHIBIT  TEACHES 

FOREST  PROTECTION 

The  tremendous  importance  of  timber 
conservation  is  being  taught  to  farmers, 
railroad  men,  and  lumberjacks  of  north- 
ern Canada  by  various  educational  cam- 
paigns. A  feature  of  the  work  is  the  rail- 
way coach  which  travels  wherever  rails 
are  laid,  with  a  display  of  wireless  outfits, 
miniature  lookout  towers,  and  airplanes, 
and  a  score  of  similar  exhibits.     The  car 


also  carries  a  lecturer  who  conducts  vis- 
itors through  the  car  in  the  daytime,  and 
at  night  gives  illustrated  lectures  in  some 
local  hall. 


MONKEY  WRENCH  WORKS 

AT  SEVERAL  ANGLES 

It  often  happens  that  some  obstruction 
prevents  the  turning  of  a  monkey  wrench 


The  Ratchet  Connection  be- 
tween the  Head  and  Handle 
of  This  Wrench  Gives  It 
Eight  Working  Angles.    The 

Ratchet  Works  Both  Ways  and  is  Locked 

or  Released  by  Means  of  the 

Thumb  Dog  on  the  Handle 


though  the  jaws  fit  the  nut.  A  novel 
form  of  adjustable  wrench  has  its  head 
pivoted  in  the  handle,  with  a  ratchet  con- 
nection. This  not  only  allows  the  tool 
to  be  used  at  eight  different  angles,  but 
makes  effective  even  a  very  limited  move- 
ment of  the  handle.  The  ratchet,  which 
works  either  way,  is  locked  or  released  by 
pressing  on  a  small  dog  located  where 
the  user's  thumb  naturally  rests. 


This  Railway  Coach  has  Covered  Pour  of  Canada's  Great  Northern  Provinces  Preaching  Cooperation  against 
Forest  Fires.    On  the  Left  Is  the  Wireless  Outfit  Which  is  Carried 


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THE    FIRST    FLIGHT 


By  SEARLE  HENDEE 


o 


>XE'S  first  flight  is 
much  like  one's 
first  operation.  He 
learns  it  is  to  be,  and 
awakes  to  find  it  has 
been.     Also   he   follows 

instructions      with     lamblike     obedience. 

When   things  get   in   full   svv^ng— that  is, 

when  it  is  time  for  the  ether  and  too  late 

to  back  out — he  thinks  of  his  sins. 

Not    long    ago    I 

was    closeted    with    p 

the   president    of   a    I 

well-known    air-    '  '   , 

craft       corporation,    i  ' 

Suddenly   he   asked 

if  I   had  ever  been 

up.      I    thought    of 

two     late     friends, 

both  of  whom  met 

tragic  ends  shortly 

after      offering     to 

take  me   aloft,   and 

as     shortly     before 

doing   so,    and    re- 
plied negatively. 
The        president    ..^^-.^r-^,      _.  -^ 

looked  at  his  watch. 


men  approached  briskly. 
••This  is  Mr.  Smith/' 
said  one  of  them.  **He 
will  drive  you  to  the 
field.  You  will  see  Mr. 
Mackley.  You  will  go 
up  with  Mr.  Wehlan.  Hope  you  have  a 
pleasant  flight.     Good  luck." 

Things    were    moving.      Anyway     Mr. 
Smith  was  disappearing  through  a  door- 

way.      I    caught    up    with 

'•....    '':    '     him  just  in  time  to  jump 
into  a  snorty  roadster  be- 
fore  it   leaped   ahead   like 
-*    ^••onco    spurred    in    the 
:s   by  a  drunken   cow 
:her. 

le  field  was  six  miles 
distant  by  map,  but 
not  so  by  motor 
car.  At  least  it 
was  reached  in 
scarcely  that  many- 
minutes. 

But  in  six  min- 
utes of  rapid  driv- 
ing—  or     in     what 


Th€/kUwassixmiksdistantliymap,lmtnotsohmotorcar.    ^f^^^  .^^     ^^     ^"^^ 
A  motttent  later,  atop  a  partly  bald  knoll,  we  approached  a   SIX     mmutes — many 


It  was  four  o'clock  __  _   _      „„_ __      

I'll  send  you  up   <^''^ '^  ^^'^'^ji^  things   may'  attract 

.    .ft.rnnnn  "    h.  onatum/or some/blks,  ^  ^  ^^  ^       attention. 

First,  for  instance,  there  was  the  wreck 


this  afternoon,"   he 

said,    turning    to    his    telephone^     "Step 

downstairs  and  hear  from  me  presently. 

I    did    as   bidden,   and   less   than   three 

minutes  later,   by  the  clock,  two  gentle- 


^        convoy.    In  less  time  than  it  takes  to  tell  it, 

^        I  was  signing  my  name  to  a  pink  tag  .  .  . 

for  the  convenience  of  the  coroner,  no  wmbt, " 


of  an  automobile  draped  about  a  tele- 
phone pole.  Then  there  was  an  all-glass 
schoolhouse  attended  by  boys  who  refuse 
to  have  summer  vacations.  The  one  sug- 
gested a  grim  thought,  and  the  other 
seemed  too  fantastic  realJy  to  be  of  this 
world. 

The  drone  of  a  motor  overhead  was 
audible.  Several  thousand  feet  aloft  an 
aeroplane,  apparently  gone  crazy,  was 
turning  one  somersault  after  another  in 
dizzy  succession. 

A  moment  later,  atop  a  partly  bald 
knoll,  we  approached  a  quaint  little  grave- 
yard. A  cemetery  that  has  the  appear- 
ance of  age — and  this  one  had — holds  a 
certain  fascination  for  some  folks.  Old- 
fashioned  slabs,  cracked,  crumbled,  and 
askew,  with  weather-beaten  epitaphs  and 
homely  American  names,  hold  interest  for 
one  who  finds  enjoyment  in  browsing 
around  picturesque  spots. 

At  least  the  place  seemed  interesting, 
as  I  looked  again  at  the  sky-larking  plane 
in  the  distance  and  my  companion  re- 
marked, "That's  probably  Wehlan  now. 
Flies  like  him  anyway."  All  of  which  was 
interesting  to  know. 


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We  reached  the  field.  Mr.  Smith  re- 
marked in  parting::  **You  are  fortunate 
to    firo    up    W'*'^    Wf»Tilan  "    whatever    that 

meant. 

Between  t 
where  I  left 
bile,  and  the 
fice,  for  whic 
tined,  there 
ment  walk, 
the  only  opj 
slow  motion 
itation — the 
med  i  t  a  t  ii 
comes  after 
bulance  has 
in  front  of  a 
and  one  pa 
luctantly  u 
stone  step 
through  th 
door  at  the  1 

The    first 
passed  me  t 
end,     the     s 
turned     me 
to  an  office  I 
on  roller 
skates.     -^ 
The    of- 
fice   boy 
was    a 

speedy  convoy.    In  less  time  than  it  takes 
to  tell   it,   I  was  signing  my  name   to  a 
pink  tag  and  a  white  card — a  mere  for- 
mality,   but   for  the  convenience   of   the 
coroner,   no   doubt.     Then  th"*""  " — " 
another    walk — this    time    a    1 
one  under  escort — through  tl 
factory. 

As   we   emerged   from   the 
doorway  of  a  vacant  hangar 
and  stepped  into  the  field,  a 
yellow  De  Haviland  plane, 
a  few  yards  ahead,   faced 
us.       About     it     were 
grouped  several  men.  Two 
of  them,  in  the  one-piece 
khaki  togs  of  helpers,  ran 
forward. 

"Is  this  the  man?"  one  of 
them    called.      Apparently 
"this"  was,  for  while  I  turned 
to  my  escort   for  verification 
one  man  pulled  off  my  over 
coat  and  hat,  while  the  secon( 
momentarily     blindfolded     m( 
with  a  knitted  helmet,  then  a 


a    onze    nnc 


The  pilot  stepped  forward  with  hand 
extended.  It  was  much  like  getting  into 
bv  A  accident  and  shak- 
Jess  Willard. 
two  toe  holes  in 
lage  of  a  De  Havi- 
land that  afford  ac- 
cess  from  the 
ground.  They  were 
used,  and  presently, 
ensconced  in  the 
heavily  upholstered 
rear  seat,  I  was 
securely  strapped  in 
place. 

The  instrument 
board,  with  its 
eight  or  nine  dials, 
was  before  me. 
Likewise  there 
were  the  "joy 
stick"  and  foot  bar, 
for  the  machine  had 
dual  control.  For- 
ward, atop  the  fuse- 
lage, was  a  small, 
transparent  cowl. 

The      onlookers 
scattered.  The  pilot 
swung     into     hij? 
place  ahead,  and  in 
a  moment  the  stick 
and  foot  bar  began  moving. 
"Ailerons,"  said  the  pilot. 
"All    right,"   came   the   reply    from   the 
ground. 

"^'     ator." 

W\  right." 
"Rudder." 
"All  right." 
•Turn  her  over." 
.  With  that  the  big  12-cyl- 

(^     inder  Liberty  motor  gave  a 
snort  that  grew  into  a  roar- 
ing   purr.      Gasoline    per- 
fumed the  air  that  rushed 
rearward  in  powerful  cur- 
rents.    In  a  moment,  the 
motor   warmed,    the    pilot 
began  to  open  the  throttle 
wider.     The  right  wing  was 
released  and  the  tip  of  the 
left   one    held    back,    causing 
the    plane    to    swing   at    right 
angles  to  the  hangar  as  it  got 
under  way. 

We  were  off.     The  roar  of 
The  pilot  supfed  forward  wiik   the  engine  grew  intense.    The 


75  this  the  man?'  one  of  them  called.    Apparently  'this'  was.  for  .  . 

one  man  pulled  off  my  overcoat  and  another  momentarily  blindfolded 

me  with  a  knitted  helmet,  then  a  leather  one,  and  lastly  goggles." 


leather  one,  and  lastly  a  pair  ^^^ate^**?^  P^^"^  trembled.  The  ground, 
o^  goggles.  While  the  latter  shaking  gloves  with  Jess  wu-  covered  with  dead  turf,  looked 
were  being  adjusted,  a  warm-  '''^"  like  yellow  matting  as  the  ma- 

ly  lined  leather  coat  was  hung  in  place  chine  swept  across  it,  gaining  speed  each 
and  buttoned  tightly.  inch  it  traveled. 


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The 

s  h  arply 

s  t  a  n  t    we 

a   field   in   a    ^^ 
twinkling  r 
-   -   frail  \n, 
I  u  n     V 


Suddenly  the  nose  of  the 
craft    rose.      Instantly    the 
throbbing  touch  of  wheels 
against    the    soft    turf    of 
the     flying     field     ceased. 
It  was  a  wonderful  sec- 
ond— a   heavy,    man- 
built    machine    took   to 
its     wings     with     the 
swift  grace  of  a  bird. 
\\   sensation    was 
defined.     One   in- 
were  racingacross 
motor  car.   In 


a 

sea 
ing    a 
wave. 
A    few    seconds  "^ 


a 
m  o 


we    were    at 

canoe,    rid- 

tainous 


little 

passed  in  the  motor 
car.  ,  .  .    The  pilot 


craft   climbed. 


carried  us  several 
hundred    feet    aloft 
All  sense  of  horizontal 
motion  was  lost.    Like- 
wise  many   deep-seated 
illusions  were  dispelled. 

There  were  no  thrills. 
We  were  .  merely  going 
up  a  steep  hill  in  a  rat- 
tling motor  car  that  vi- 
brated like  a  tuning  fork 
and  roared  like  *'all  get- 
out."  But  we  didn't  seem 
to  be  getting  anywhere. 
There  was  no  sense  of 
motion,  except  that  of 
continual  turning  and 
corklike  bobbing  as  the 
Those  who  shun  motor  cars  because  they 
fear  speed,  should  take  up  aviation.  To 
travel  a  hundred  miles  an  hour  in  the  air 
is  no  more  exciting  than  ^ting  in  a  rock- 
ing chair  in  a  machine  shop. 

I  had  expected  a  certain  buoyant  ex- 
hilaration. I  had  it  all  settled  in  my  mind 
that  I  would  feel  decidedly  birdlike  and 
skim  through  the  air  as  if*  swimming  in 
space.  And  "swimming  in  space,"  I  half 
feared,  might  have  the  disastrous  effect 
that  always  obtains  when  I  cross  Lake 
Michigan  in  a  "terrible  storm."  Also  I 
harked  back  to  boyhood  days  and  recalled 
the  time  I  scaled  a  telephone  pole  on  a 
bet,  looked  down  at  the  ground,  and  all 
but  fainted. 

Flying  doesn't  make  one  think  he  has 
wings.  Neither  does  it  make  him  sea- 
sick, nor  scare  him  to  death  by  taking 
him  to  "dizzy"  heights.  In  fact,  straight 
flying  is  as  nearly  devoid  of  unusual  sen- 
sations as  anything  possibly  could  be.  It 
even  lacks  the  thrills  that  make  children 
relish  swinging  on  a  rope — and  other 
"first-flighters"  agree  with  me  in  this. 


After  a  few  minutes  of  climbing,  I  be 
gan  to  be  bored.  Strapped  in  the  rear 
cockpit,  unable  even  to  see  the  pilot  ahead 
except  on  occasions  when  he  thrust  his 
head  over  the  side  of  the  fuselage,  there 
was  nothing  to  do  except  look  up  at  the 
altimeter  or  down  at  the  earth.  Variety 
was  desirable,  so  I  did  both. 

We  attained  an  elevation   of  8,500   ft. 
in  eight  or  nine  minutes  of  flight    Most 
of  the  time  was  spent  in  looking  sidewise 
at  the  horizon  and  wondering  when  we 
would  begin  to  fly  horizontally  and  get 
somewhere.      Therefore    it    was    with     a 
shock  of  surprise  that,  upon  leaning   to 
one  side  and  looking  straight  down  for  a 
mile  and  a  half,  I  discovered  a  large  city, 
rather   than    open    country,    immediately 
beneath  us.     In  these  days  of  aerial  pho- 
tography, it  hardly  behooves  a  writer  to 
describe  the  chimney  pots  of  a  metrop- 
olis, or  the  appearance  of  the  earth 
itself,    as    seen    from    a    vantage 
point.       Bandage     your    neck 
until  it  is  immovable,  climb  on 
top  of  a  piano,  allow  100  elec- 
tric   fans    to    blow    in    your    face, 
squint  at  a  relief  map  on  the  fioor, 
>  and  you   obtain   a   fair  repre- 

^         sentation  of  what  one  sees  and 
how   one   feels   when   looking 
down    from    far   aloft      It    is 
_  _    _  necessary    to    bind    the    neck. 

suddenly  pointwi  the  nose  of  the  ship  straight  else  the  effect  of  wear- 
doum,  .  .  .  Doum  we  shot,  straight  as  a  plumb  :„«.  *^q  helm#»tQ  with 
line,  .  .  ,  Up  came  the  cemetery  to  meet  us  halfi-       ^"K    I  WO   neimets    With 

way."  . ends    beneath     the 

/    ^^     tightly    buttoned    up- 


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one's  head  is  not  directly  protected  by  the 
cowl,  the  rush  of  air  pulls  his  hair — hel- 
mets notwithstanding — and  plays  havoc 
with  his  eyelids,  despite  goggles. 

In  wintertime,  however,  open  country 
from  the  sky  has  an  appearance  that  is 
missed  in  photoeraohs.    The  earth 
looks    like    a 
The    watersh 
fined.     Bluffs 
significant  cr 
dulating  cour 
it    were    macj 
mounds.       A 
leafless    trees 
barely  notice; 
low     brush, 
mere     seams, 
lakes  shallow 
lower  elevatic 
the  scene  is  t 
obtains    v, 
across  the  lo 
mountain  toj 
quilt   of  vai 
shades  seame< 
a    jumble     o 
threadlike 
highways, 
crossing  at 
a  1 1  angles. 

For  years 
past,  many 
have  conceived  the 
so-called  millenni- 
um as  a  future  time  when  aeroplanes 
would  be  as  common  as  motor  cars,  and 
fliers  would  land  on  housetops  and  in 
streets  and  country  roads.  Already  suc- 
cessful landings  have  been  made  in  city 
thoroughfares  and  rural  highways,  and 
one  descent  has  been  made  on  the  roof  of 
a  business  building.  But  to  the  landlub- 
ber who  goes  aloft  for  the  first  time, 
reaches  a  height  of  a  mile  and  a  half,  and 
looks  down,  such  "pocket-handkerchief" 
landings  seem  absolutely  impossible  of 
accomplishment,  for  the  roof  of  a  large 
building  appears  no  greater  in  area  than 
one's  thumb  nail,  and  a  street  or  a  road 
looks  no  wider  than  a  crack  in  a  hard- 
wood floor.  Miraculous  marksmanship 
would  be  required,  the  novice  thinks,  to 
bring  a  plane  anywhere  near  such  places 
— in  fac^  no  specified  spot  smaller  than 
the  Sahara  Desert  itself  could  be  hit  ex- 
cept by  the  rarest  of  accidents.  In  other 
words,  the  smallness  of  everything  as 
viewed  from  a  distance,  produces  a 
marked  impression,  when  the  thought  of 
landing  is  considered.  The  tyro,  however, 
fails  to  realize  that  a  pilot  doesn't  actu- 
ally  begin   to  land  until  his  machine  is 


within  200  ft.,  or  so,  of  the  ground,  from 
which  height  normal  vision-  is  afforded. 

All  of  these  things  flashed  through  my 

mind  as  we  sailed  along,  high  above  field 

and  streams,  housetops  and  city  streets. 

Unfamiliarity  with  the  district  over  which 

we  flew  made  it  impossible  for  me 

;ep  my  bearings.    I  was  com- 

etely   bewildered.     The   field 

irom  which  we  ascended  was 

lost    in    the    maze    of    other 

fields  a  minute  after  we  left 

the  ground. 

It  was  like  riding  in  a 
train  and  suddenly  coming 
in  view  of  one's  home 
town  after  years  of  ab- 
sence, therefore,  when  I 
sighted,  "miles"  below,  the 
little  graveyard  that  I  had 
previously  passed  in  the 
motor  car.  As  I  gazed  upon 
it,  fascinated  for  some  queer 
reason,  the  pilot  suddenly 
throttled  the  engine  and 
pointed  the  nose  of  the  ship 
raight  down. 

Instantly  I  wondered  if  the 
iety  strap  could  have  come 
ibuckled.  Down  we  shot,  as 
straight  as  a  plumb 
line,  and  fully  as 
fast  as  Mr.  New- 
ton's law  of  grav- 
ity could  pull  us. 
Up  came  the  cemetery  to  meet  us  halfway. 
The  first  split  second  produced  a  "sort 
of  sensation."  The  change  in  direction 
had  not  been  anticipated.  Furthermore, 
I  wasn't  exactly  sitting  on  anything  ex- 
cept my  face.  I  wanted  to  take  h61d  of 
something.  I  didn't  want  the  plane  to 
leave  me  behind.  And  yet  I  couldn't  shift 
my  eyes  from  the  cemetery  long  enough 
to  look  for  a  handhold,  and  I  feared  that 
in  feeling  for  one  I  might  grab  the  "joy 
stick,"  so  I  gave  it  up  and  watched  the 
tombstones  travel  skyward. 

Down  we  went  for  2,500  ft. — as  I  after- 
ward learned — in  an  intoxicating  dive.  At 
last  flying,  more  literally  falling,  was  ex- 
hilarating. All  was  dead  quiet,  except  for 
the  rush  of  the  air,  and  there  was  no  vi- 
bration. This  was  "swimming  in  space!" 
Suddenly  the  silence  was  broken.  The 
motor  burst  into  a  roar.  The  "joy  stick" 
was  centered,  ending  our  fall.  The  plane 
curved  sharply,  mounting  as  if  to  loop. 
The  engine  was  throttled,  as,  nose  up  and 
half  on  its  back,  the  craft  was  thrown  on 
its  side  by  a  quick  kick  of  the  rudder. 
Again  the  motor  roared,  and  down  v^e 
dipped,  reaching  the  normal  line  of  flight 


se  of  speed 
\abovethe 
xond,  and 

„^.,., ,. «  was  one 

stafthounce^and  toe  rolkd  toward  the  hangar  and  into  U," 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS       • 


on  an  even  keel  at  full  speed.  All  of  this 
happened  in  a  second.  It  produced  seven 
distinct  stomach  motions.  The  pilot  had 
done  the  "Immelman  turn,"  known  to 
P>ench  fliers  as  "reversement,"  a  "stunt" 
much  used  in  battle,  but  not  necessarily 
done  as  the  aftermath  of  a  nose  dive.  I 
was  revising  my  opinions  of  flying — after 
all  it  was  not  without  thrills. 

Traveling  full  speed  ahead,  the  ship 
suddenly  shot  upward  and  began  to  stall. 
Then  it  whirled  with  a  spiral  motion, 
turned  over  on  its  back,  slid  on  one  wing, 
and  plunged  down,  straightening  out  at 
length,  and  resuming  its  original  direc- 
tion. I  wasn^t  quite  sure  what  we  had 
done,  but  I  |^uessed  it  was  a  "vrille,"  and 
correctly,  chiefly  because  it  had  made  me 
feel  like  a  human  whirligig.  After  the 
long  dive  and  the  Immelman  turn,  how- 
ever, I  was,  in  a  sense  at  least,  prepared  to 
enjoy  this,  and  the  subsequent  flip-flops. 

Finally,    from    an    altitude    of    perhaps 


3,000  ft.,  the  machine  began  to  descend  hi 
a  steep  spiral.  Then,  straightening  out,* 
banking  two  or  three  times  between  short 

flides,  the  craft  approached  the  landing 
eld  at  a  height  of  perhaps  200  feet. 

As  we  neared  the  ground,  the  sense  of 
speed  returned.  Gliding  swiftly  a  few 
•feet  above  the  field  with  motor  throttled^ 
the  craft  seemed  to  squat  for  a  sccond> 
and  then  the  wheels  toughed  the  turf. 
There  was  one  soft  bounce,  and  we  rolled 
toward  the  hangar  and  into  it. 

The  pilot  climbed  to  his  feet. 
-    "Kow    far   did   we   drop   in    that   nose 
dive?"  I  asked. 

He  replied,  but  I  merely  saw  his  lips 
move.  Taking  off  goggles  and  headgear, 
I  discovered  my  ears  were  ringing  as  if 
filled  with  water.  They  continued  to  do 
so  for  an  hour. 

The  drive  back  to  the  city  was  very? 
ordinary.  I  didn't  even  notice  the  ceme-' 
tery. 


BIG-TIMBER  SAW  ON   ROLLERS 

CUTS  AT  ALL  ANGLES 

A  big  circular-  saw  suspended  from  a 
rolling  platform,  instead  of  swung  like  a 
pendulum,  is  an  improvement  devised  by 
a  western  shipyard  foreman.  The  plat- 
form acts  also  as  a  turntable,  allowing  a 
cut  at  any  angle.  A  lining  edge  tells  the 
workman   when   the   saw   angle   matches 


rolled  from  one  to  the  other.  In  an 
eight-hour  day  two  men  can  cut  50,000 
ft.  of  ship  timber. 


Shipyard  Circular  Saw  Hung  from  a  Rolling  Platform  Instead  of  a 
Swinging  Arm,  Therebv  Making  a  Straight  Cut  of  Great  Length 
and  Uniform   Depth:     The   Carriage   Also   Turns   to   Cut   at  Any  Angle 


the  cutting  mark  on  the  timber,  the  car- 
riage being  turned  with  a  handwheel. 
Using  a  16-ft.  track  and  a  48-in.  saw,  tim- 
bers from  19  in.  to  7V^  ft.  wide  are  cut 
straight  through,  leaving  cleatier  edges 
than  the  ^Id  swinging  cut.  The  one  saw 
keeps  two  tables  busy,  the  carnage  being 


ASTRONOMER  ADVOCATES  ONE 

TIME  FOR  UNiTED  STATES 

As  a  remedy  for  the  complexity  of  the 
present  system,  an  astronomer  now  pro- 
poses that  there  be  but  one  time  for  the 
entire  United  States.   He 
calls  childish  the  assump- 
tion   that    people    are' 
slaves  to  their  clocks ;  he 
suggests     histead    that 
they    rise    early    or    late 
despite   the  time    shown 
by  their  timepieces.     In 
detail,  he  would  have  all 
the  clocks  in  the  United 
States    show    the    same 
hour,  regulating  the  time 
of  legal   noon,   however, 
by  solar  time.     Thus,  in 
the     East,     legal     noon 
would  fall  at  10^30  a.  m., 
and   business   would   be- 
gin an  hour  and  a  half 
earlier  than  at  present; 
in  the  far  West  it  would 
fall  at  2:00  p.  m.,  and  so 
on.      A    transcontinental    traveler   would 
never  alter  his  watch;  lie  would  simply 
learn  at  what  time  local  business  com- 
mences.    The  same  scientist  also  advo- 
cates -ftiMnbering  the   hotirs   of  the   day 
continuously  irem  rnridniglit  to  -midni^rt, 
abolishing  the  present  system  "entirely. 


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FARM  SCHOOL  IN  MOTOR  TRUCK 

VISITS    NEGRO    DISTRICTS 

Five  men  who  know  their  subject  can 
pack  a  surprisingly  large  amount  of  in- 
structional material  into  a  small  motor 
truck.  In  Alabama,  such  a  truck  is  en- 
gaged in  the  4vork  of  teaching  better 
farming  methods  to  the  negroes  in  hither- 
to inaccessible  districts.  Home  eco- 
nomics for  the  women  is  taught  simul- 
taneously in  the  same  manner.  Every- 
thing, from  insect  extermination  to  con- 
crete construction,  and  from  making  rugs 
to  paring  for  children,  is  included.  A 
state  school  and  the  Department  of  Agri- 
culture are  behind  the  undertaking. 


AIRPLANE  LINE  TO  FAMOUS 

SWISS  MOUNTAIN  RESORT 

Wealthy  tourists  to  St.  Moritz,  the 
world-famous  Swiss  winter  and  summer 
resort,  may  soon  be  able  to  make  the  trip 
from  Zurich  in  one  hour,  instead  of  the 
seven  or  eight  now  required  by  the  rail- 
road. Capitalized  at  about  $100,000,  a 
company  has  been  formed  to  back  the  90- 
mile  airplane  line,  and  has  already  an- 
nounced that  service  will  be  inaugu- 
rated during  the  year  with  tickets  selling 
at  about  $100.  Many  will  doubtless  be 
willing  to  pay  this  price,  if  for  nothing 
but  the  matchless  view  of  mountains, 
lakes,  and  glaciers. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


ELECTRIC  PRESS  MAKES  CLAY 

BOXES  FOR  POTTERS 

Pottery  ware. which  is  to  be  subjected 
to  kiln  fire  is  placed  in  rough  clay  boxes, 

called  **seggars."    Ordi-     

narily  made  by  hand, 
these  articles  can  now 
be  turned  out  by  an 
electrically  driven  press, 
which  increases  the  ca- 
pacity of  a  man  and 
helper  about  tenfold. 
The  operator  places  a 
piece  of  plastic  clay  in 
the  mold,  pushes  it 
under  the  press,  and 
moves  the  lever  for- 
ward. The  screw  brings 
the  top  plunger  down, 
and  presses  the  seggar; 
after  which  the  machine 
reverses  itself  and 
comes  to  a  stop  at  the 
proper  height.  Pulling 
the  mold  back,  the 
operator  pushes  out  the 
seggar  by  means  of  the 
geared  ejector.  The 
helper  carries  the  fin- 
ished product  to  the 
drying    room,    from 


GREAT  STADIUM  TO  BE  GIVEN 

TO  FRENCH 

On  the  completion  of  the  interallied 
games  in  June,  General  Pershing  will  pre- 
sent  to  the  French  gov- 
ernment the  keys  to 
**Pershing  Stadium," 
built  by  the  cooperative 
effort  of  the  French 
and  American  armies 
and  the  Y.  M.  C.  A. 
Situated  not  far  from 
Paris,  the  stadium  will 
hold  62,000  spectators 
within  its  concrete 
walls,  besides  the  field 
itself,  which  has  a  200- 
meter  straightaway  and 
a  500-meter  elliptical 
track,  inclosing  the 
football  field  in  the 
center. 


which     it      is     delivered  S^'T.  Bwej.  Known   MVSeggari,"   are 

,      p  PasluoBed  by   This  Electric  Press.     It  Is 

ready  tor  use.  Simple  in  Operation  and  Free  from  Danger, 

Two  men  could  make  ^et  increases^ th^O^Ws  Bficiency  by 

by  hand  about  60  or  70  ' 

seggars,  but  it  is  claimed  that  with  this 
machine  the  output  may  go  as  high  as 
1,000  a  day.  Much  coarser  materials  may 
be  used  than  with  the  hand  presses. 


CHINESE  BUSINESS 

MEN  SUPPORT 

SCHOOL 

Chinese  business  men 
of  Victoria,  B.  C  main- 
tain  a  free   school   for 
children    of   their   own 
race,  which  began  with 
40  pupils   in    1899,  and 
now    boasts   an    enroll- 
ment of  200,  instructed  in  both   English 
and  Chinese  by  a  staff  of  six  teachers.    It 
is  the  desire  of  trustees  and  faculty  that 
the    children    be    trained,    not    only    as 


These  Chinese- American  School  Children  Attend  a  Sdiool  of  Their  Own,  and  on  the  Occaston  •(  the 

Photograph  were   Celebrating   the  Birth  of  the  Sage  Confucius.     Standing  before  the  School 

at  the  Right  Are  Two  Pupils  Who  will  Return  to  Chiaa  to  Compete  Their  Ed»c»tien 


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worthy  citizens  of  the  Dominion  in  which 
they  live,  but  also  as  pioneers  who  shall 
some  day  return  to  their  native  land  to 
assist  in  its  development.  The  work  has 
had  the  endorsement  of  the  last  two 
Chinese  ministers  of  education,  as  well  as 
of  the  president  of  China,  who  lately  pre- 
sented the  school  with  five  hundred  dol- 
lars. 


SPRING-FLOATED  TRUCK  WHEEL 

IS  ADJUSTABLY  RESILIENT 

A  resilient  motor-truck  wheel,  contain- 
ing 12  springs,  which  all  work  together 
instead  of  separately  as  when  spring 
spokes  are  used,  is  the  invention  of  an 
Ohio  man.  The  rim  has  10  inwardly  pro- 
jecting lugs,  with  a  roller  on  each  to  re- 
duce friction.  Ten  hook-shaped  teeth  on 
a  floating  spider  push  against  the  rollers 
in  the  forward-driving  direction,  and  an 
exactly  similar  spider,  reversed,  engages 
them  in  the  opposite  direction.  The  12 
springs  are  arranged  about  the  inner 
periphery  of  the  hollow  hub,  compressed 
between  spokes  attached  to  the  spiders 
and  spokes  fixed  to  the  axle.  When  the 
wheel    encounters    a    bump,    the   spiders 


AIRSHIP  MODEL  EMPLOYS 
UNUSUAL  PRINCIPLE 

Great  things  are  claimed  for  the  finished 
machine  by  the  inventor  of  the  small 
model  airship  illustrated.  In  demonstra^- 
tion,  he  suspends  it  from  a  counterbal- 
anced arm ;  switches  current  into  the  elec- 


tric motor  through  a  long  wire;  the  pro- 
pellers revolve  and  the  machine  rises.  His 
secret  is  found  in  the  collar  which  grasps 


SwoiiKfrom  a  Counterbalanced  Arm  This  Air  Machine 
Drives  Itself  in  Any  Desired   Direction 

the  shaft  of  each  propeller.  Given  an  up- 
and-down  motion  by  the  eccentric  ball 
bearing,  which  is  indicated  in  the  photo- 
graph by  an  arrow,  the  collar  communi- 
cates a  "feathering^*  motion  to  the  pro- 
peller through  the  helical  slots  in  the 
shaft.  By  altering  the  relative  position  of 
this  eccentric  he  secures  movement  in  any 
desired  direction. 


As  Seen  at  the  Left,  Springs  in  This  Resilient  Wheel 
are  Arranged  Circularly  Instead  of  Radially.  The 
Complete  wheel  is  Shown  in  the  Right-Hand  View 

tend  to  rotate  in  opposite  directions 
against  the  springs,  producing  a  uniform, 
resilient  resistance.  Breakage,  or  inten- 
tional removal,  of  some  of  the  springs 
merely  reduces  the  total  spring  tension 
and  aoes  not  unbalance  the  resilient  ef- 
fect. 


HOW  OILCLOTH  HELPED  FIGHT 

THE  INFLUENZA 

During  the  worst  of  the  influenza 
trouble,  upright  strips  of  white  oilcloth 
were  stretched  down  the  center  of  each 
long  mess  table  at  certain  army  posts. 
They  made  conversation  across  the  table 
rather  difficult,  but  everyone  realized  their 
worth  in  checking  contagion. 


These  Long  Strips  of  Glistening  Oilcloth  Minimised 
the  Spread  ot  InAueAza  in  Army  Mess  Halltf 


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NEW  YORK'S  MILLIONS  GREET  VETERAN  OVERSEAS 


Thanksgiving 


890 


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DIVISION  .IN   GREATEST   PARADE  CITY   EVER   SAW 


Tugged  at  the    Kibbona,  Anchoring  &em  to  the  White 

Columns  of  the  Victory  Arch,  Gave  an  Air  of  Dreamlike 

Grand  Stand  was  Built  .c^^  Unreality  to  the  Scene.    The  Columns  were  Linked  Together 

for  the  Spectators  Who         ^^^^  '\ ^  "^^^  ^'^^^  Garlands 

Applauded    the  10,000         '^(hjfi^    ^ ; ■ ' 


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MACHINE  ROUNDS  EDGES 

OF  THIN  TUMBLERS 

Aft€jr  thin  tumblers,  or  drinking  glasses, 
are    btown,    the    upper   ends   are   scored, 


The  Machine  Pictured  Passes  the   Edges  of  Thin 

.Tumblers  before  a  Flame,  Each  Tumbler 

Revolving  Separately 

heated,  and  cracked  off  to  shape.  Grind- 
ing then  reduces  any  jagged  roughness, 
leaving,  however,  sharp  edges  that  would 
certainly  cut  the  mouth.  Consequently 
the  tumbler  tops  are  last  subjected  to  a 
flame  which  melts  the  edges  to  a  final 
smoothness.  This  final  process  has  for- 
merly been  done  by  hand;  but  a  revolv- 
ing table  has  now  been  devised  upon 
which  a  score  of  upright  chucks  revolve 
independently,  carrying  the  tumbler  edges 
past  a  semicircle  of  horizontal  flame. 
Two  girls  operate  the  machine,  one  feed- 
ing it  rough  tumblers,  the  other  trans- 
ferring the  finished  articles  to  a  conveyor. 


RADIO  ANTENNA  OF  NEW  FORM 

CURES  STATIC  TROUBLE 

Details  of  the  method  by  which  wire- 
less telegraphy  or  telephony  is  cured  of 
its  greatest  affliction,  static  trouble,  as  an- 
nounced in  Popular  Mechanics  last  Feb- 
ruary, are  now  made  public.  The  atmos- 
pheric electrical  disturbances  responsible 
for  static  phenomena  are  found  to  possess 
distinctive  characteristics,  in  that  their  vi- 


brations are  propagated  in  a  plane  at  right 
angles  to  that  of  the  radio-message  waves. 
Available  message  waves  reach  the  re- 
ceiving station  only  in  a  horizontal  plane. 
Natural  variations  of  potential  between 
the  earth  and  higher  atmospheric  strata, 
on  the  other  hajid,  pass  through  the  re- 
ceiving antennae  in  a  vertical  direction. 

By  substituting  for  the  usual  tower  of 
wires  an  alined  pair  of  rectangular  wire 
loops  near  the  ground,  the  aerial  disturb- 
ances are  forced  to  affect  both  loops  si- 
multaneously. By  differential  operation 
these  two  charges  are  nullified.  In  mes- 
sage reception,  however,  the  two  loops  are 
not  electrically  in  phase,  because  the  hori- 
zontal impulses  reach  the  loop  nearest  the 
transmitting  station  first.  It  is  a  simple 
matter  to  combine  and  make  use  of  these 
now  unhampered  waves.  The  result  is 
that  static  is  eliminated,  a  simpler  form 
of  antenna  made  effective,  and  a  new  ele- 
ment of  directional  selection  introduced. 


PULLEY  CLAMPED  TO  MOTOR 

CAR  HAS  MANY  USES 

An  attachment  for  a  wel!-known  small- 
priced  car  that  should  interest  the  farmer 
is  a  6-in.  drive  pulley  which  clamps  to 
the  frame  in  front  of  the  motor.  De- 
veloping from  8  to  10  horsepower,  it 
should  run  any  of  the  light  machines 
about  a  country  home — power  saw,  feed 
grinder,  concrete  mixer,  or  washing 
machine.     A  ball-and-socket  bearing  in- 


This  Auxiliary  Power  Plant  Is  Alwajrs  ReadvWhen 

Needed,  Yet  does   Not  Interfere  with  the 

Driving  Qualities  of  the  Car 

troduced  immediately  under  the  oil  cup 
compensates  for  possible  poor  alinement. 

C Children's  playgrounds,  that  will  serve 
both  to  emphasize  the  blessings  of  peace 
and  to  memorialize  those  who  died  to  at- 
tain it,  are  suggested  for  all  the  large 
Canadian  cities. 


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L«ke  of  99%  Acre«  Formed  by  the  Escaped  Water  of  a  Gushinj:  Well  on  a  North  Dakota  Farm :  By  Renting 
Rowboats  to  Duck  Hunters  and  Other  Pleasure  Seekers,  and  Selling  Shore  Lots  to  Citv  People,  the  Parmer 
is  Making  Bigger  Profits  Than  He  Ever  Realised  from  the  Crops  Which  were  Drowned  by  the  Runaway  Well 


RUNAWAY  WELL  MAKES  LAKE: 

FARMER  MAKES  PROFIT 

Here  is  the  story  of  a  farmer,  in 
drought-stricken  North  Dakota,  who 
asked  for  a  well  and  received  a  lake.  And 
when  he  bemoaned  the  lake  because  it 
robbed  him  of  200  acres  of  his  best  land, 
it  began  to  return  him  a  larger  profit  than 
the  crops  it  displaced.  .  The  well  drillers 
had  to  go  down  2,300  ft.  before  they 
struck  water  in  that  arid  region.  But 
when  they  did  strike  it,  the  drill  rods  shot 
from  the  ground,  and  the  escaped  water 
gushed  and  surged  into  all  the  hollows  on 
the  farm.  Lakes  were  scarce  in  that  sec- 
tion. It  was  quite  a  curiosity  to  the 
neighbors — ^and,  also,  to  the  wild  ducks, 
which  promptly  discovered  the  new  swim- 
ming hole.  So  the  farmer,  despoiled  of 
his  crops,  planted  a  fleet  of  rowboats, 
and  turned  some  acres  into  building  lots 
for  city  folk. 


SPRINGS   ON   TIRE   CHAINS 

PREVENT  FLAPPING 

The  familiar  rainy-day  "click-click- 
click,"  as  loose  tire  chains  slap  against 
auto  fenders,  is  stopped  by  applying  a 
simple  coil  spring,  recently  patented,  to 
each  wheel  chain.  Springs  for  that  pur- 
pose are  now  a  recognized  commodity. 
Once  on,  they  remain  a  part  of  the  chains, 
which  then  always  hug  the  tire  and  yet  are 
loose  enough  to  creep  as  they  should. 


af  ] 

Tire  Chain  Holds  It  Snugly  against  the  Tire 


MOWER  FOR  GOLF  GROUNDS 
HAS  CORRUGATED  BLADES 

Lawn  mowers  of  the  familiar  form,  with 


cutting  them.  A  Pennsylvania  inventor 
overcomes  this  fault  by  the  simple  means 
of  substituting  corrugated  blades  for  the 
straight  ones.  The  grass,  caught  in  the 
recesses,  cannot  escape  and  is  instantly 
decapitated.  The  remarkably  clean,  close 
work  of  this  machine  recommends  it  for 
such  particular  tasks  as  mowing  golf  links. 

TRACTOR  PULLS  TRAILER  DOWN 

LONG  HOSPITAL  CORRIDORS 

A  great  army  reconstruction  hospital  is 
divided  into  so  many  wards  that  trans- 
portation of  the  wounded  within  the 
building  becomes  a  problem  in  itself.  It 
has  been  solved  in  one  institution,  how- 
ever, where  an  electric  tractor  quietly 
hauls  a  smooth-running  trailer  bearing  10 
disabled  soldiers  up  and  down  the  long 
corridors.  With  careful  operatipn  the' 
many  trips  are  made  without  a  jolt  or  jar 
to  cause  discomfort  to  the  patients. 


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CAGE  AND  BURGLAR  ALARM 

PROTECT  APPLE  TREE 

When    a    West    Virginia    mountaineer 
sent,  three  apples  to  a  Missouri  nursery 


if^: 


Five  Thousand  Dollars  was  Paid  for  This 
■idered  So  Precious  That  Every  Precaution 

firm  they  were  found  to  have  a  new  and 
delicious  flavor.  The  negotiations  that 
followed  resulted  in  $5,000  being  ex- 
changed for  a  seedling  that  is  now  almost 
20  ft.  tall,  and  so  highly  valued  that  a 
substantial  cage,  fitted  with  a  burglar 
alarm,  makes  trespassing  impossible. 


NUT  LOCKS  FIRMLY  ON  BOLT 

BUT  IS  EASILY  REMOVED 

A  novel  kind  of  lock  nut,  which  cannot 
be  accidentally  loosened  on  the  bolt,  but 
is  readily  removed 
]  with  a  wrench,  has 
been  designed  by  a 
woman  inventor.  A 
recess  in  the  top  of  the 
nut  is  shaped  at  the 
bottom  like  a  shallow 
spiral  stairway.  The 
nut  is  turned  onto  the 
bolt,  and  a  short  cot- 
ter pin  is  inserted 
through  a  slot  in  the 
bolt.  Tightening  the 
nut  engages  the  pin 
with  the  notches  or 
''stairs"  of  the  recess, 
which  position  it  holds 
until  forcibly  disen- 
gaged.' With  the  cotter  pin  removed  it 
acts  as  an  ordinary  nut. 


"SIGNS"  OF  OLD-TIME  FARMER 

VINDICATED  BY  SCIENCE 

New-fashioned    folk    who    have    been 
laughing?    at    the    old-fashioned    farmer's 

"signs"     had     better 

straighten     their     faces. 
Science,    represented    by 
the  Department  of  Agri- 
culture,   not    only    sanc- 
tions much  -of  the  agri- 
culturalist's    dependence 
on   common    phenomena 
of  nature,  but  is  actually 
plotting  a   kind   of  "na- 
ture's   index"    based    on 
the  same  kind  of  obser- 
vations. To  take  a  home- 
ly example,  the  farmer  is 
likely    to    rush    his    late 
harvesting    when    the 
cockleburs  start  to  ripen, 
and  to  plant  his  winter 
wheat   between   the    late 
bloom   of   the   tall   gold- 
enrod  and  the  turning  of 
the     hickory     leaves. 
When    these    indetermi- 
nate   events    vary    from 
year  to  year,  he  varies  his  planting  and 
harvest  days  to  agree  with  them.     And 
now  the  scientists  tell  him  he  is  right  in 
that  practice,  and  not  only  to  keep  it  up 
but  to  add  to  it.    What  is  more,  they  in- 
tend to  help  him.    A  catalogue  of  "index 
plants"  and  signs  is  being  prepared  which 
correlates   all   these   orderly   activities   of 
nature.      Based   on   a   study   of   seasonal 
sequences  covering  many  years,  it  reduces 
the  significance  of  its  records  to  absolute 
mathematics,  and  announces  their  mean- 
ing  in   terms   as   simple   as   the   farmer's 
own  expression  of  the  old-time  beliefs. 


._  Tree.    It  is  Now  Con- 
aken  against  Trespassers 


NAVY  RECRUITS  GET  OUTFITS 
WHEN  FOUND  MENTALLY  FIT 

Mental  defectives  were  formerly  dis- 
covered in  the  navy  only  after  some  weeks 
of  training  and  much  valuable  equipment 
had  been  wasted  upon  them.  This  is  no 
more  the  case,  however,  at  a  large  inland 
training  station,  where  the  recruit  is  now 
psychologically  examined  immediately  on 
entering  the  service.  If  found  wanting  he 
is  either  sent  to  a  hospital  for  observa- 
tion and  discharge,  or  assigned  to  a  com- 
pany where  his  commander  will  keep  him 
under  constant  surveillance.  What  glad- 
dens the  quartermaster,  though,  is  the 
fact  that  the  recruit  doesn't  get  his  suits 
until  he  has  proved  he  can  make  good. 


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CENSUS  OF   WILD   ANIMALS 


By  W.  F.  WILCX)X 

"IXZHILE  the  government  takes  a  cen-  perhaps,  because 
^^  sus  every  ten  years  of  its  human  domestic  stock 
beings,  it  does  not  forget  its  wild  in-  has  encroached 
habitants.  The  district  forester  of  Colo- 
rado has  made  a  report  on  the  wild  ani- 
mals in  the  state  on  the  national  forest 
reserves,  which  presents  some  rather 
startling  figures. 

Since  1913,  325  head  of  elk  have  been 
brought  from  the  Yellowstone  Park  re- 
gion to  the  mountains  of  Colorado.  There 
has  been  a  constant  increase  of  this  herd 


upon  ranges  for- 
merly occupied 
by  this  game. 
Mountain  sheep 
decreased  from 
7,435,  in  1917,  to 
7,123,  in  1918. 

Beaver  are  in- 
creasing rapidly. 


£ach  Wildcat  Hat  a  $60  Share 

in  Colorado's  Annual  $1,000,- 

000     Loss     from    Predatory 

Animals 

until    now    there   are    over   5,000   elk   in      In    19lf,   there   were,  according  to  esti- 

Colorado.     In  the  year  1917-18,  the  in-      mates,  12,914  on  the  forest  reserves,  and, 

crease  was  480  animals.  in  1918,  22,642. 

A  four  years'  closed  Bears  are  becoming 
hunting  season  result-  very  scarce.  There  are 
cd  in  an  increase  in  estimated  to  be  2,176 
deer,  although  not  so  black  and  brown  bears 
considerable  as  is  de-  in  the  state,  against 
sirable,  on  account  of  2,141  in  1917.  Silver-tip 
the  depredations  of  bears  decreased  from 
coyotes  and  mountain  143,  in  1917,  to  79,  in 
lions,  hundreds  of  deer  1918. 
being  killed  each  year  Mountain  and  willow 
by  predatory  wild  ani-  grouse  are  not  mate- 
mals.  There  are  now  rially  increasing.  The 
some  23,000  deer  on  the  ^  ^  ^  ^  ^  «.  ^  sage  hen  is  on  the  de- 
national  forests  of  the  JSgS'trwlJ^n  c^^^^^^^^  crease.  The  ptarmigan 
state.  Although  ante-  andCoyotea.  This  Dejected  Wou  has  Dragged  is  Stationary.  Some 
lope  are  protected  by  ^'^ '^'^^^f^^rcoilni  ^o'h^'''^  "^  predatory  animals  are 
law,  their  number  is.  on  the  increase.  Coy- 
practically    stationary.      Only    a    few    of      otes    in    the    national    forests    increased 


these  animals  remain  in  the  state,  the 
number  being  45  for  1918.  There  are  43 
white-tailed  deer  in  the  state  and  22,642 
mule  deer.  The  latter  decreased  some- 
what in  1918,  as  there  were  three  days  of 
hunting  and  about  1,100  were  killed  dur- 
ine  this  time. 

Mountain  sheep  are  slowly  and  stead- 
ily decreasing  in  number,  principally  be- 
cause of  loss  from  wild  animals,  but  also. 


from  the  1917  estimate  of  23,320  to  24,895, 
in  1918.  Lynx  and  bobcats  decreased 
from  6,473,  in  1917,  to  6,296,  in  1918; 
mountain  lions  diminished  in  numbers 
from  771  to  674;  wolves,  from  264  to  258. 
It  is  estimated  that  in  1917,  2,991  coy- 
otes were  killed,  and  in  1918,  3,967.  In 
1918,  13  wolves,  32  mountain  lions,  and 
544  wildcats  and  lynx  were  killed  in  the 
state. 


Th«  Carefnl  Count  Kept  of  Colorado's  Wild  AniiniU>  ReyeaU  That  Larger  Stock  Ranges  and  Predatory 

Animals  are  Reducing  the  Number  of  Mountain  Sheep:  but  the  Herd  of  Elka,  of  which  a  Pew 

are  Shown  on  the  Right,  has  Grown  from  8t»  Head  in  1918  to  5,000  Last  Year 


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POPULAR    MECHANICS 


BEAUTIFUL  BATHING  POOL 

IS  BARGAIN  IN  LUXURY 

A  private  bathing  pool,  big  enough  for 
a  park,  and  provided,  indeed,  with  a  veri- 
table park  setting,  would  seem  to  be  an 
expensive  luxury.    Yet  such  a  feature  on 


curve  .from  the  fans  to  the  tunnel,  are  of 
reinforced  concrete,  separate  for  each 
bore,  A  modification  of  the  somewhat 
curious  plan  originally  adopted  is  now  in 
use.  When  a  train  has  entered  the  tun- 
nel, a  sliding  curtain  of  sailcloth  is  low- 
ered behind  it,  closing  the  mouth  of  the 


CHANGES   IN   SIMPLON   TUNNEL 
SYSTEM  OF  VENTILATION 

Ventilation  of  a  railway  tunnel  is  al- 
ways a  problem,  though  greatly  simplified 
when  the  railroad  is  electric,  as  in  the 
Simplon  tunnel.  This  double-barreled 
bore  through  the  Swiss-Italian  Alps  orig- 
inally obtained  its  fresh  air  from  water- 
driven  fans.  The  installation  has  been 
changed  to  electric  drive  since  the  second 
bore  was  enlarged.    The  air  ducts,  which 


A  Better  View  of  the  Arrangement  of  Pergolas,  Which 

Entirely    Surround    the    Pool,    Bathhouse   and 

All,  and  Make  a  Delightful  Green  Setting 

ful  Study  of  charted  ocean  currents  along 
which  the  mines  will  float.  Thus  a  w^ell- 
known  hydrographer  has  reported  to  the 
French  Academy  of  Sciences  that  mines 
broken  loose  from  their  fastenings  in  the 
English  Channel  will  drift  southward  past 
France,  Spain,  and  Morocco  to  the  Ca- 
nary Islands,  where  they  will  turn  west- 
ward to  the  West  Indian  group.     Here 


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they  will  scatter,  some  to  drift  eastward 
again  toward  the  Bermudas,  the  Azores, 
and  the  Madeira  Islands;  some,  indeed,  to 
return  to  the  Channel  to  begin  the  four- 
year  journey  once  again.  He  also  states 
that  the  coast  of  the  United  States  is  for- 
tunately protected  from  this  peril  by  the 
polar  currents  which  sweep  southward  to 
the  coast  of  Florida. 


DOWNFLOW  OF  STEAM  QUICKENS 

GAS-RETORT  PRODUCTION 

In  the  common  gasworks  practice  of 
passing  steam  through  the  coal  for  the 
generation  of  water  gas,  it  is  customary 
to  admit  the  steam  at  the  bottom  of  ver- 
tical retorts,  whence  it  travels  upward 
with  the  other  products.  An  English  gas 
engineer,  during  the  last  three  hours  of 
a  12-hour  distillation  period,  passes  the 
steam  downward  through  the  remaining 
coke  and  refuse.  The  top  gas  outlet  being 
closed,  the  steam  and  products  issue  at 
the  bottom  and  then  enter  the  base  of 
another  retort,  moving  upward  again. 
With  this  arrangement  a  ton  of  English 
coal  yielded  17,483  cu.  ft.  of  gas  of  504 
B.  t.  u.,  and  ammonia  liquor  equal  to  33 
lb.  of  ammonium  sulphate — a  consider- 
able increase  over  the  usual  results. 


SPECIAL  CARS  FOR  "SHUTTLE" 

TRAINS  IN  GOTHAM  SUBWAY 

Among  the  several  suggested  methods 
of  ameliorating  the  serious  traffic  problem 
that  has  faced  New  York  since  the  open- 
ing of  the  Forty- Second  Street  cross- 
town  subway  "shuttle,"  is  the  construc- 
tion of  sliding-wall  cars  that  may  be 
loaded  and  unloaded  quickly.  At  the  pres- 
ent time,  congestion  at  the  Grand  Central 


enable  one-half  of  the  wall  space  to  be 
opened  on  each  side  of  a  car.  This  ar- 
rangement would  permit  a  train  to  dis- 
charge passengers  from  one  side  and  re- 
ceive them  from  the  other,  simultane- 
ously. Obviously  such  a  scheme  would 
not  only  save  time,  but  also  prevent  the 
milling  of  the  crowd.  Of  course,  the  plan 
would  necessarily  reduce  the  seating  ca- 
pacity of  a  car,  but  this  is  not  considered 
a  drawback,  for  the  distance  between  the 
terminals  is  very  short,  and  "shuttle"  pas- 
sengers would  be  forced  to  stand  only  a 
moment  or  two. 


IGNITION-CIRCUIT  BREAKER 

ADDS  TO  AIRPLANE  SAFETY 

Most  dangerous  of  airplane  accidents 
is  a  broken  propeller.  It  throws  the 
whole  structure  out  of  balance  hefore  the 


At  the  First  Lurch  of  an  Injured  Airplane,  the 
Lever  Swings  Over  and  Breaks  the  Ignition  Circuit 

pilot  can  shut  off  the  power.  An  instru- 
ment which  interrupts  the  engine's  igni- 
tion circuit  on  the  first  oscillation  of  the 
injured  plane,  therefore,  classes  as  an  im- 
portant safety  device.  Such  an  instru- 
ment, which  is  daily  demonstrating  its 
value,  consists  essentially  of  a  metal  bar 
pivoted  like  a  pendulum,  held  normally  in 


hours  is  unen-  either  grounds  or  interrupts  the  ignition 

durable.    Therefore  it  is  proposed  special  circuit,  instantly  shutting  off  the  motor, 

cars    be    used    for   the    "shuttle"    trains.  It  is  reset  with  a  push  button.    The  total 

Doors,  2y2  ft.  wide,  sliding  in  stationary  weight,  in  the  mounting  case,  is  less  than 

wall  sections  of  the  same  width,  would  10  ounces. 


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.*  3  • 


.tS.SA 


^««  COLLEGE  OF  FISHERIES  AT 

I  if  STATE  UNIVERSITY 

•-•2 

J5«j  The    College   of    Fisheries,   just   estab- 

B|jg  lished  by  the  University  of  Washington,  at 

'^^^  Seattle,  the  busy  Pacific  fishing  center,  is 

cjjri  the  only  one  in  the  world  aside  from  the 

•  •S-o  Imperial    Fisheries    Institute    at    Tokio, 

isi§  Japan.     The  four-year  course  will  be  of- 

'"^  fered   to   the   student   in   three   divisions. 

fishing,  technological,  and  fish-cultural.   In 

S^g-o  the  first  he  will  study  business  manage- 

5  B^S^  ment,  the  history,  methods,  and  laws  of 

S  UlSS  fishing,  and  the  construction,  operation. 

H  «  ^^-S  and  repair  of  boats  and  other  fishing  ap- 

y  |5  o  o  paratus.     In  the  technological  course  he 

will  prepare  aquatic  products  for  all  sorts 

^   .    ^^  of  industrial  and  commercial   uses,   thus 

S  5^T,  e  qualifying  himself  for  work  in  an  industrial 

^  plant  or  experimental  laboratory.   And  in 

the  third,  the  fish-cultural  course,  the  study 

of  the  culture  and  protection  of  fish  will  fit 

_    ^^  him  for  a  position  in  a  government  or  pri- 

-  o  o^«^  ^^^^  hatchery.    In  addition,  like  the  other 

w  .^  •!  departments  of  a  state  university,  the  Col- 

S  ^ZZ «  ^^^^  ^^  Fisheries  will  render  assistance  to 

H  ogtcS  state  authorities  and  citizens,  will  engage 

>  ^^Z  in  research  work,  and  offer  short  winter 


85  fifs«     courses  to  those  without  time  or  money 
a  S-**  .     ^^^  ^^^  four-year  course. 


H  l^lsf  X-RAYS  TEST  CONCRETE  SHIPS 

w  llZl  FOR  HIDDEN  DEFECTS 

o  ^  tf*^^  Intrinsic  faults  of  concrete  are  as  obvi- 

H  t^B*r  ous  to  the  X-ray  as  are  mere  anatomical 

>  jD^tS  irregularities.     By  a  process  originating 

Q  •3^5J5  on   the   Pacific  coast,   a   series   of   radio- 

S"lljaE  &^^P^^    taken    during  the    building   of   a 

«  liar's  concrete  ship,  form  a  positive  check  on 

2  i  uniformity   and   compactness,   and   allow 

0  «  detection  and  correction  of  voids  and  im- 
^  proper  locations  .of  reinforcing  before  it 

^  JI  is  too  late.    The  X-ray  equipment,  which 

g  I  weighs  only  about  90  lb.,  may  also  be  use- 

n  *  fully  employed  in  studying  the  hidden  ef- 

13  g  fects  of  service  strains  on  concrete  ships 

H  I  which  have  already  faced  the  sea* 

H  ^1^5  — • 

IsJr:  MOSQUITOES  GIVEN  PLACE 

1  11^*  IN  NATIONAL  MUSEUM 

I     §^S.b  Mosquitoes  representative  of  all  species 

I     ^%^^  found  at  camps  where  army  troops  are 

:    awSil'S  stationed  are  being  assembled  for  display 

^    S^*5  at  the  Army  Medical  Museum  in  Wash- 


?  »*S6  ington,   D.  C.     Besides  prescribing  most 

2  >s;^8  carefully   the   manner   of   collection,   the 

I  wf  55  order  directs  that  they  be  shipped  to  the 

S  CO  ,2  >  museum  in  lots  of  25  each. 


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SAVING  WHEAT  WASTED   BY  THRESHING  MACHINES 


Indicates  About  Eiarht 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


AERIAL  AMBULANCE  CARRIES 
HOSPITAL  EQUIPMENT 

An  improved  French  aerial  ambulance 
is  stationed  in  the  outskirts  of  Paris, 
where  it  is  reported  to  outdo  its  land 
rival  both  in  speed  and  in  equipment  car- 
ried. Two  large  compartments  under  the 
lower  wing  hold  a  complete  emergency 
hospital  outfit,  including  stretcher  and  op- 
erating table.  On  arriving  at  the  scene  of 
the  accident,  the  sufferer  is  thus  given  the 
advantage  of  immediate  surgical  atten- 
tion. The  operation  over,  the  patient  may 
be  stretched  but  comfortably  in  the  long 

nacelle  and  hurried  to  a  city  hospital. 


LYONS  TRADE  FAIR  ATTRACTS  ^ 

AMERICAN  DISPLAYS 

The  success  of  this  year's  trade  fair  at 
Lyons,  France,  first  promoted  in  1916  to 
compete  with  the  famous  German  fair  at 
Leipzig,  has  made  it  an  affair  of  annual 
international  interest.  Without  govern- 
ment support  and  handicapped  by  war- 
time congestion  of  shipping  and  railroads, 
the  fair  nevertheless  attracted  this  year 
nearly  5,000  exhibitors,  including  many 
Americans,  a  substantial  gain  over  the 
1,342  of  1916.  The  exhibits,  valued  at 
$4,000,000,  were  scattered  through  the  city 
in  small  booths  with  an  area  of  ^  sq.  yd. 


;-  the  Picture  the  Doors  have  been  Lowered  to  Reveal  the  e- 
.  Emergency  Operating  Equipment  Tucked  Away  in  the  [ 
Two  Compartments  below  the  Lower  Wing  I 


Ob  Finishing  the  Actuml  Operation  Which  They  are  Simulating  Here,  the  Sargeona  wonld  Place  the  Patient 
in  the  Long  Nacelle,    Pack   the   Equipment  Away   in   the   Two   Compartments  under 
the  Lower  Wing,  Step  Aboard  and  Ply  Back  to  the  City  Hospital 


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901 


etc.,  from  March  1  to  March  IS,  with  met- 
allurgical, industrial,  and  agricultural  ma- 
chinery, and  foreign  and  colonial  exhibits 
from  October  1  to  October  15. 


COUPLE  EXPECT  IN  TEN  YEARS 

TO  WALK  AROUND  GLOBE 

A  Canadian  couple  left  last  January  for 
a  walk  which  will  take  about  10  years. 
Before  they  return,  ac- 
cording to  their  plans 
when  they  left  Montreal, 
they  will  have  traveled 
clear  around  the  world 
on  foot.  Success  in  this 
undertaking  would  make 
them  eligible  for  a  prize 
offered  by  a  society  of 
authors  in  Paris,  France, 
the  winning  of  which  is 
one  of  the  objects  of 
their  long  ramble.  The 
masculine  part  of  this 
light  marching  company 
served  at  the  front  with 
the  Canadian  Expedi- 
tionary Forces,  and  was 
discharged  after  his  recovery  from  a  seri- 
ous wound. 


ENTRANCE  OF  CLASSIC  DESIGN 

LEADS  TO  PLAYGROUND 

An  improvement  of  simple  dignity  is 
this  retaining  wall  and  stairway,  leading 
from  an  important  thoroughfare  to  a 
Washington,  D.  C,  recreation  park  on  a 
higher  level.  The  stern  lines  of  the  ma- 
sonry will  soon  be  softened  by  shrubbery 
and  flowers,  planted  on  the  terrace  which 
breaks  the  front  of  the  wall.     Practically 


This  Well-Designed  Concrete  Retaining  Wall  It  a  Welcome  Change  from 

the   Usual    unsightly   Constructions.      The    Steps   Lead  from  a 

Washington  Boulevard  to  a  Playground  on  a  Higher  Level 


all  the  work  is  of  poured  concrete,  with 
paneling  composed  of  smooth  pebbles. 


HOT-WATER  HEATING  PLANT 

FOR  CELLARLESS  HOUSES 

Hot-water  heat   is   popularly   regarded 
as  the  acme  of  luxury  in  house-warming 
arrangements,   and  a   long  steo   forward 
from  the  old  base-burner 
development  in  heaters  of 
,  ever,  is  actually  a  substit 
the  "parlor  stove,"  occupy 
same  place  if  desired.     It 
combination  of  boiler  and 
radiator,     looking     more 
like    the    latter.      It    has 
the  additional  advantage 
over  a  stove  that  other 
radiators,  in  other  rooms, 
may  be  connected  with  it, 
distributing  the  heat  over 
any   desired    floor   space. 
Since  no  cellar  is  needed, 
the    new    heater   appeals 
particularly  to  occupants 
of     farm     and     country 
houses,     and     one-story  ^ 
buildings     of    all     kinds. 
The   whole    outside    sur- 
face  of  the   boiler-radia- 
tor is  water-lined,   so   it 


never  becomes  dangerously  hot,  and  may 
be  enameled  any  color  to  harmonize  with 
decorations.  It  may  be  installed  in  any 
room  having  a  chimney-flue  outlet.  De- 
spite its  small  size,  it  is  a  full-fledged  hot- 
water  heatinp 


This  Combined  Radiator  and  Boiler  Takes  the  Place  of  the  Old-Fashioned 

Stove  for  Heating  Cellarless  Buildings.  Radiators  in  Other  Rooms  may 

be  Connected  with  It  to  Distribute  the  Heat,  Making  a  Complete  Hot- 

Water  Heating  Plant.    It  can  be  Enameled  to  Match  the  Decorations 


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CANADA'S  MERCHANT  FLEET 

FLIES  NEW  FLAG 

To  fly  at  the  mastheads  of  her  new  mer- 
chant marine  Canada  has  designed  a  flag 
of  her  own.    On  a  white  background 


appears  the  cross  of  St.  George  in  'blue, 
bearing  a  golden  anchor  in  the  center,  and 
inclosing  Canada's  national  animal,  the 
beaver,  in  the  upper  left-hand  corner.  As 
shipbuilding  keeps  pace  with  development 
of  forests,  mines,  and  farms,  Canada 
hopes  to  fly  this  flag  over  Canadian  ships 
in  every  corner  of  the  world. 


MOTORCYCLE  USED  AS  TRACTOR 

FOR  PLOWING  HOME  GARDEN 

Out  in  California,  one  ambitious  home 
gardener,  denying  the  right  of  the  big 
growers  to  monopolize  power  farming, 
hitched  a  motorcycle  to  a  hand  cultivator 
and  finished  his  50  by  100-ft.  garden  in  an 
hour.  A  long  rope  and  a  pulley  fastened 
to  a  crowbar,  driven  at  the  edge  of  the 
lot,  allowed  the  motorcyclist  to  do  his 
tractoring  on  smooth  pavement. 


LEAD  ELECTRICALLY  HARD£N£I> 

IS  NEW  BEAjeiNG  BffETAL 

Out  of  the  war  shortage  of  tin  has  come 
a  new  and  successful  substitute  for  bab- 
bitt as  a  bearing  metal.  It  is  composed 
almost  wholly  of  lead,  hardened  by  an 
electrical  process.  Its  high  manufactur- 
ing cost  is  more  than  compensated  for  by 
the  low  market  price  of  lead  compared 
with  tin.  The  new  metal  shows  a  tensile 
strength  of  13,000  lb.,  the  figure  for  genu- 
ine babbitt  being  11,000;  and  an  elastic 
limit  of  11,525  lb.  as  against  10,000  for 
babbitt.  Its  friction  factor  is  very  low. 
With  a  shaft  running  at  400  r.  p.  m.  and  a 
load  of  1,000  lb.  per  sq.  in.,  150**  was  the 
highest  temperature  reached  by  the  bear- 
ing. 

WITH  NEW  SIGHTS  MARINES 

MAKE  HIGH  RIFLE  SCORES 

Everybody  "hands  it"  to  the  marines 
for  marksmanship,  but  scores  from  the 
Paris  Island  range  suddenly  became  so 
very  excellent  that  official  suspicion  was 
aroused.  Scores  were  checked  and  re- 
checked;  the  men  were  even  compelled 
to  shoot  the  course  again,  with  officer  ob- 
servers in  the  pits  and  on  the  firing  line. 
But  the  scores  were  as  high  as  before. 
Only  then  was  it  discovered  that  the  rea- 
son lay  in  the  new  rifle  sights  used,  which 
had  been  issued  for  trial  recently. 


The   Motorcyde   "Tractor**   c«n    Operate    at   Any   Angle   to   the   Hand 
^  '  •  --  •     ~  ...        -*  -  ^^   Long   Rope   Connection   and   the 

The   Latter  is  Shifted  for  Each  Row 


Cultivator  if  is  Pullinf.  Because  of  the   Long   Rope   Connection   and   the 
Pulley  on  the  End  of  the  Crowbar.  *      "      '    "* "     "  '      -     .-  « 


RAILROAD  REORGANIZATION 

SCHEDULED  IN  CHILE 

Despite  the  sharp  slump  in  the  nitrate 
market  on  the  cessation  of  hostilities,  the 
Chilean  government  has 
approved  an  extensive 
program  of  railroad  re- 
organization, comprising 
chiefly  a  bond  issue  of 
89,000,000  Chilean  gold 
pesos  (about  $32,500,000). 
The  entire  government 
rail  system,  which  in- 
cludes most  of  the  na- 
tional mileage,  will  be 
modernized  by  extensive 
purchases  and  by  the  in- 
stallation of  a  block  sys- 
tem. It  is  planned,  also, 
to  electrify  the  section 
between  Valparaiso,  the 
chief  seaport,  and  Santi- 
ago, the  national  capital, 
a  distance  of  about  60 
miles. 


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Part  of  the  Salvage  Department  of  an  Army  Camp,  Where  Everything  from  Machine  Guns  to  Straw  Bedding 

it  Gathered  Together,  to  be  Adapted  to  Further  use  or  to  be  Sold:     Boxes,  Barrels,  and   Other  Containers 

Form  a  Large  Portion  of  the  Stock,  Though  It  *would   Be   Hard  to  Name  Any  Commodity  Which    is  Not 

Represented.    At  One  Camp  the  Salvage  Corps  Consists  of  a  Captain,  Five  Lieutenants,  and  646  Men 

SALVAGE  OF   WAR  MATERIAL  IS  ENORMOUS  TASK 


One  of  the  busiest  places  at  the  army 
camps  just  now  is  the  salvage  department, 
where     machine     guns,     rifles,     bayonets, 
blankets,  trouser  buttons,  gas  masks,  hav- 
ersacks,  belts,   shoes  and  lacings,   horse- 
shoes, barrels,  wagons,  motorcy- 
cleSi  motor  trucks,  field  wagons, 
mattresses,  iron  cots  and  springs, 
old  brass  and  iron,  waste  paper, 
rags,  boxes,  bottles,  etc.,  are  be- 
ing collected  and  turned  in  to  be 
gone  over  by  trained  experts  and 
assorted  ready  for  disposal. 

The  magnitude  of  the  task  is 
illustrated  by  .  the  fact  that  at 
Camp  Devens.  for  instance,  one 
captain,  who  is  salvage  officer, 
five  lieutenants,  and  545  men  are 
working  daily  to  handle  the  vast 
amount  of  war  material.  In- 
cluded in  this  corps  are  experts 
on  every  kind  of  material  used  by 
our  soldiers. 

Since  the  armistice  was  signed, 
releasing  thousands  to  civil  life, 
the  amount  of  salvage,  of  course,  has  in- 
creased many  fold.  The  intent  is  to  dis- 
pose of  everything  in  some  way.  to  waste 
nothing.  Even  the  straw  in  the  men's 
bedsacks  is  bringing  in  money.  The  sacks 
are  emptied  and  the  straw  is  piled  into 


huge  dumps.  Part  of  it  is  baled  and  re- 
issued as  bedding  for  animals.  The  rest 
is  sold  as  food  for  hogs  and  for  mulching. 
Metal  material  that  is  not  worth  sal- 
vaging  is    placed    in    a    common    dump. 


Literally  a  Junk  Pile,  Containing  Metal  Parts  and  Materials  No 
Longer  Useful  for  Their  Original  Purposes,  But  Still  Worth 
Some  Kind  of  a  Price:  Worn-Out  Shovels  Constitute  a  Major 
Part  of  This  Particular  Pile.  This  Kind  of  .Salvage  is  All 
Sold  for  Cash 

Great  heaps  of  old  motorcycle  bodies, 
bed  springs,  cot  frames,  auto  wheels,  old 
rusty  stoves,  worn-out  shovels,  and  the 
•  like,  are  spread  all  over  the  salvage  park. 
But  it  is  all  sold,  and  is  paid  for  before 
it  leaves  camp. 

.903 


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Old  hats  are  baled  and  sold  for  felt. 
Shoes  that  are  in  fair  condition  are  re- 
paired, and  it  is  understood  that  many 
of  them  will  be  sent  to  Europe  for  use  of 
civilians  in  the  devastated  areas  of 
France,  Belgium,  and  Serbia. 

Brass  cartridge  cases,  formerly  returned 
to  the  munition  makers  after  firing,  are 
now  dumped  into  boxes  and  barrels,  and 
sold  for  old  brass,  while  unused  cartridges 
are  returned  to  the  arsenals  for  storage. 

Two  warehouses  are  used  at  Camp 
Devens  for  sorting,  cutting,  and  storing 
clothing  and  cloth  materials.  Some  of 
the  clothing  fit  for  civilian  use,  which  has 


never   been   issued  to  the  men,  is  being 
sold  to  discharged  soldiers  at  cost  price. 

For  nearly  every  single  thing  in  the 
American  soldiers'  equipment  some  differ- 
ent peace-time  use  seems  to  have  been 
found.  An  exception  so  far  is  the  gas 
mask,  for  there  is  less  to  be  reclaimed 
from  it  than  from  most  other  war  mate- 
rial. Unfortunately,  it  has  been  found 
that  the  masks  do  not  lend  themselves 
to  industrial  uses,  so  that  they  cannot  be 
disposed  of  complete,  but  there  is  much 
material  that  goes  into  making  of  them, 
such  as  rubber  tubing  and  sundry  metal 
parts,  that  will   be  sold  at  public  auction. 


TRUCK  METHOD  OF  CURING  HAY  SAVES  LOSSES 


Abore  It  an  Empty  Hay- 
Curiag  Truck  Hitched  to  a 
Pair  of  Wheels  for  Hauling. 
At  the  Left  the  Proccasof  Load- 
ing  the  Truck  it  Seen.  Below 
is  Pictured  a**Town"of  Loaded 
Trucks,  with  Canvaa  Covert  in 
Place,  Curing  Their  Hay  in 
the  Field 


Hay    growers    in 

moist     climates     have 

trouble  in  curing  their 

crops.       Difficulties 

of     this     kind     led     a 

Mississippi   grower  to 

design     a     truck     on 

which  1,500  to  2,000  lb. 

of  hay  may  be  cured 

and     expeditiously 

handled.      The    truck 

resembles  an  ordinary 

hayrack,    except    that    the    usual    front      ports   the   truck   in   the  field.     A-shaped 

wheels  are  replaced  by  a  pivoted  leg  or      standards,  at  front  and   rear,   support  a 

trigger.    This,  with  the  rear  wheels,  sup-       removable  ridge  pole,  over  which  a  can- 


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Temperature  and   Humidity  are  So  Carefully  Regulated  in  This  Drying  Kiln  That  Lumber  does 

Not  Check  and  Caseharden  from  Irregular  Drying.    Thermostats  Automatically  Control  Heat 

Supplied  by  the  Steam  Coils,  ana  Evaporation  from  the  Water  Tanks  at  the  Bottom 


vas  cover  is  hung  while  curing.  Hauling 
is  done  with  a  two-wheel  running  gear 
coupled  to  the  front,  the  trigger  dragging 
lightly.  A  train  of  several  empty  trucks 
may  thus  be  hauled.  The  process  saves 
labor  and  prevents  spoiling  of  hay  in  un- 
favorable weather. 


AIR   IN    LUMBER-DRYING   KILN 
AUTOMATICALLY  ADJUSTED 

A  lumber-drying  kiln  has  been  planned 
that   is  claimed  to  be  so  sensitive  in  its 
adjustment  of  temperature  and  humidity 
that  losses  from  irregular  drying  and  con- 
sequent casehardening  and  checking  will 
be  greatly  reduced.   In  a  very  few  words, 
air  is  admitted  at  the  bottom  of  the  kiln, 
is    passed    over    tanks    of 
water  that  give  it  the  desire 
of  moisture,  and  is  led  past 
coils  that  heat  it  to  the  requi 
ture.       It     then     rises 
through  the  piles  of  wet 
lumber,    where    it    is 
cooled,  and  guided  down 
the    side    walls    to    the 
tanks  again,  thus  circu- 
lating constantly. 

The  thermostats  which       < 
control  the  warmth  and 
humidity   of  the  air  are 
most     interesting,     how- 
ever.    To   regulate  tem- 
perature     a  n      ordinary 
thermostat  controls  flow 
to  the  steam  coils;    but  to  regulate  hu- 
midity two  are  used,  to  act  against  each 
other  in  a  valve  and  thus  govern  admis- 
sion of  steam  to  the  vaporization  tanks. 


1 
1 


One  thermostat  is  dry  and  is  affected  only 
by  the  temperature  of  the  air;  the  other, 
being  dampened  by  a  wet  cloth,  registers 
a  lower  temperature,  due  to  the  cooling 
effect  of  evaporation,  and  hence  exerts 
less  pressure  on  the  valve.  In  conse- 
quence, as  the  air  becomes  drier,  the  valve 
will  open,  more  steam  will  be  admitted 
to  the  tanks,  and  the  humidity  will  rise 
again.  A  weighted  lever  arm  controls  the 
relative  action  of  the  two  forces  and 
hence  the  relative  humidity  of  the  air. 
Thus,  for  a  desired  relative  humidity  of 
100  per  cent,  the  weights  of  the  valve  are 
set  in  balance,  allowing  the  dry  bulb  to 
act  against  the  wet  bulb,  and  hence  keep 
the  steam  valve 
open,  until  the  at-         o«v-bu\.b  thermostat     ' 


the  V^ick  or  Jacket  around  It 

the  fluid-containing  type  in  which  tem- 
perature change  produces  change  in 
liquid  volume  and  consequent  action  upon 
a  steam  valve. 


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AIR  PRESSURE  PREPARES  MOLD 

FOR  CONCRETE  PILING 

A  geyser  spouting  mud,  clay,  and  stones 
amid  evidences  of  contemplated  construc- 
tion work  probably  indicates  that  the  con- 
tractor    is     using 
the    compressed- 
air  method  of  pre- 
paring   molds    for 
concrete  piling.  In 
this    system    the 
molds,    consisting* 
of     12     to     15-in. 
steel     pipes,     are 
driven     into     the 
soil  without  clos- 
ing    the     lower 
ends.   An  air  hose 
is  then  forced  into 
the  upper  end  of 
each  pipe  and  wa- 
ter   poured    in 
around  it  to  serve 
as  a  resisting  me- 
dium.    When  air  at  a  pressure  of  about 
110  lb.  is  turned  on,  the  contents  of  the 
pipe  immediately  leave  at  the  top,  often 
ascending   25    ft.   or   more    into    the   air. 
Some    of    the    ejected    fragments    are    as 
large  as  the  full  pipe  diameter  could  pos- 
sibly accommodate.     When  the  air  tube 
is  removed,  the  concrete  poured  in  makes 
a  solid  and  permanent  pile. 


GAS  BALLOONS  ARE  EXPLODED 

TO  RELEASE  PROPAGANDA 

Exploding  a  gas   balloon   with   a   time 
fuse,  and  thereby  releasing  several  pounds 
of  printed  propaganda  on  enemy  territory, 
was    an     idea     sug- 
gested   to    the    war 
department      by      a 
Kentucky      newspa- 
per   man.      Various 
modifications  of  the 
proposed     s  y  s  t  e  m 
were  used   with   ex- 
cellent effect  by  the 
allied  armies  in  Eu- 
ro p  e.     The   device 
submitted,  of  which 
a    model    is    shown 
herewith,  was  a  hy- 
drogen      balloon 
about   three  feet 
high,  carrying  20  lb. 
of  pamphlets  or  circulars.     A  fuse  of  cal- 
culated length  scatters  the  load  by  ignit- 
ing the  bag  at  any  desired  point. 


EXPERIMENTERS  FEED  BARLEY 

TO  MILCH  COWS 

Stockmen  in  the  western  states  realize 
the  nutritious  value  of  barley  as  a  stand- 
ard feed  for  horses,  cattle,  hogs,  and 
sheep;  but  among  dairy  farmers  there  has 
long  been" a  tradition  that  this  cereal  tends 
to  dry  up  milch  cows.  To  determine  the 
truth,  several  of  a  university  herd  have 
been  subjected  to  a  five-years'  test,  as  a 
result  of  which  it  is  now  announced  that 
a  long  period  of  exclusive  barley  feeding 
actually  increased  the  milk  production, 
lengthened  lactation  periods,  and  kept  the 
cows  generally  healthy.  During  the  war, 
the  price  of  barley  has  been  forced  to  a 
prohibitive  height,  but  now  its  use  as  a 
feed  for  dairy  cows  is  urged. 


SMALL  TURBINE-DRIVEN  PUMP 

FOR  BOILER-FEED  WORK 

Centrifugal  pumps  for  boiler-feed  work, 
steam-turbine  driven  by  direct  connnec- 
tion,  are  now  to  be  had  in  small   sizes. 
The     pump,     tur- 
bine, and  supports 
are  combined  in  a 
single   unit.     The 
solid  shaft  is  hung 
,      in  two   ball   bear- 
ings, and  only  one 
stuffing    box    is 
!      used.     The    pack- 
ing between  bear- 
ings and  steam  end  is  a  floating  carbon 
ring,  the   bearings  being  kept   uniformly 
lubricated  by  a  constant-level  oiling  de- 
vice.   An  excess-pressure  governor* and  a 
minimum-pressure  safety  stop   make  the 
operation  practically  automatic. 


SURRENDERED  GERMAN  TRUCKS 

SHOW  RUBBER  SCARCITY 

Another  "Made-in-Germany"  substitute 
is  this  steel  tire  on  a  surrendered  German 
motor  truck.  It 
will  be  noticed 
that  the  inventor 
could  not  entirely 
eliminate  rubber, 
as  pads  of  that 
material  are 
placed  between 
tire  and  rim.  Rub- 
ber scarcity  drove 
Germany  to  many 
oormioNT  MONM.  ooRM.  u.  t^  f,     similaf  makcshifts. 


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The  Picture  of  a  Hopi  Maize  Field  at  the  Left  Gives  a  Good  Idea  of  the  Short,  Spreading  Nature  of  the  Plant 
and  the  Wide  Separation  of  the  Hills.    At  the  Right  Is  a  Plant  of  Deep-Growing  Indian  Com 

FROST-PROOF  CORN  GROWTJ  BY  INDIANS 

By  ROBERT  H.  MOULTON 


VJ'AIZE,  or  Indian  corn,  in  its  present 
^^^  form,    represents   one   of   the   great 
achievements    of   primitive   planters,    the 
North  American   Indian.     It  came  orig- 
inally, it  is  now  generally  accepted,  from 
southern   Mexico  and  was  eaten   by  the 
Maya  tribes.    At  first,  it  was  nothing  but 
a  coarse  grass  on  which  were  tiny  ears 
resembling  the  top 
of  the  wheat  stalk. 
Each  grain  had  its 
own    envelope    of 
husk.    Occasionally 
even  now,  grains  of 
corn     are    found 
which     have     their 
individual     husk, 
thus   showing   how 
the    maize    of    our 
day  reverts  to  type. 
The  plant  is  essen- 
tially  tropical   and, 
despite  centuries  of 
culture  in  the  tem- 
perate zone,  is  still 
sensitive  to  frost. 


When  Maize   is  Grown  in  an   Unfavorable   Location, 
the  Plant  Never  Grows  Very  High.    The  Size  of  This 


Specimen  of  Navajo  Maize  may  be  Judged  by  Com- 
parison  with  the  Hat.  The  Ear,  in  Spite  of  Its  Close 
Proximity  to  the  Ground,  Is  of   Pair   Size.    This   Is 


The  tribes  of  North  America  saw  the 
possibilities  of  the  grain  and  hastened  its 
evolution.  There  has  been  crossbreeding 
by  white  farmers,  yet,  as  a  matter  of  fact, 
the  corn  culture  of  the  present  day  is 
practically  as  it  came  from  the  hand  of 
the  Indian.  He  has  adapted  and  modified 
it  to  various  sections  of  the  country  by  a 
process  of  careful  selection. 

It  Had  been  accepted  for  many  years 


that,   in   the   Dakotas  and   much   of  the 
Northwest,  it  was  impossible  for  the  white 
farmers  to  grow  corn  because  all  the  vari- 
eties tried  were  killed  by  frost.     Recently 
it  occurred  to  some  scientists  that  despite 
the  drawback  of  the  weather  the  Mandan 
Indians  of  the  North  were  raising  corn. 
An  expedition  made  a  study  of  the  agri- 
cultural methods  of 
the    Mandans,    and 
it     developed     that 
for     centuries     the 
farmers    of    the 
tribes  had  been  de- 
veloping   a     hardy 
com.  The  seed  had 
been  selected  from 
year  to  year  from 
stalks       which 
showed     no     effect 
of  frost.  The  stalks 
of  this  variety  are 
so     stunted     that 
they  are  more  like 
shrubs    than    the 
plant  which  is  com- 


mon  to   more   southerly   latitudes   unaf- 
fected by  frosts. 

The  secrets  of  the  cultivation  of  this 
strangely  acclimated  tropical  plant  were 
found  by  an  archaeologist  and  not  an 
agriculturist,  and  were  handed  over  by 
Buffalo  Bird  Woman  and  others  of  her 
tribe  in  the  belief  that  they  might  help  the 
white  neighbors  during  the  recent  scar- 
city of  grain,  due  to  the  war. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


LITTLE  LOG  CABIN  SHELTERS 

{     PHONOGRAPH  AND  RECORDS 

With  the  "roof"  in  place  and  the  cabin 
door  ajar,  it  is  said  that  the  small  log 
cabin,  built  by  a  southern  dentist,  plays 


'*My  Old  Kentucky  Home"  Sounds  Just  Right  When  ' 
Played  by  This  Machine 

the  old  plantation  songs  particularly  well. 
Working  in  his  leisure  hours,  he  built  the 
unique  case  of  small  limbs,  fitting  them 
carefully,  and  filling  cracks  with  corru- 
gated cardboard  to  imitate  sun-baked  clay. 


WHISTLES  OF  DIFFERENT  TONE 

ON  REFEREE'S  HAND 

By  fastening  t  w  o 
whistles  of  diflFerent 
tone  to  a  leather  strap, 
a  combination  is  ob- 
tained that  may  be 
of  advantage  to  ref- 
erees in  football  or 
basketball  games. 
Strapped  to  the  hand, 
both  whistles  are 
ready  for  instant 


use. 


MUFFLER  OF  HELICAL  SHAPE 

REDUCES  BACK  PRESSURE 

A  spirally  expanding  path  for  the  spent 
gases  is  the  means  used  for  reducing  back 
pressure    in    a    late    form    of   automobile 


muffler.  The  iron  case  is  of  flat,  helical 
shape,  the  engine  exhaust  entering  at  the 
center  and  discharging  at  the  maximum 
radius  of  the  periphery.  Radically  ar- 
ranged baffle  plates  guide  the  gases  from 
the  center  to  the  outer  annular  passage, 
whose  bore  increases  continuously  toward 
the  discharge  opening.  The  small-car  size 
weighs  six  pounds  and  is  practically  inde- 
structible. 


COMBINATION   PADLOCK  MAKES 

LOST  KEYS  IMPOSSIBLE 

Used  by  thousands  of  "J^ck  Tars"  to 
safeguard  the  contents  of  their  "sea  bags" 
during  the  war,  a  small,  compact  combi- 
nation padlock  is  now  offered  to  the  gen- 
eral market.  Simple  modifications  of  the 
"sea-bag"  form  fit  it  for  use  as  a  common 
padlock,  motorcycle  lock,  or  means  of  se- 
curing valise  or  trunk.    If  the  owner  loses 


Thousands  of  These  Combination  Padlocks  Guarded 

the  Sea  Bags  of  American  Tars  during  the  War. 

They  Are    Now  Available  for   General  Use 

the  combination  he  may  get  it  from  the 
makers  by  mentioning  the  registered  num- 
ber stamped  on  the  bow. 


CUSHION  SPRINGS  LESSEN 

SHOCKS  FROM  CRUTCHES 

An  invention  that  may  prove  useful  to 
many  wounded  soldiers  is  this  shock  ab- 
sorber   for   the    crutch,    wooden   leg,    or 
walking  stick.    In  construction  it 
is  simple,  consisting  of  an  ordi- 
nary rubber  tip  that  is  attached  to 
a  short  length  of  seamless  tubing. 
This  tube  telescopes  in  a  larger 
one   against   the   resistance   of  a 
coil  spring.    Being  free  to  rotate, 
it  is  maintained  that  the  tips  do 
not    have    to    be    frequently    re- 
placed,   as    with     the     ordinary 
crutch. 


Exhaust  Gases  Enter  This  Muffler  at  the  Center  and 
Leave  at  the  Periphery.  They  are  Guided  into  the 
Outer   Spiral    Passage  by  the   Radial   Baffle   Plates 


C  Miles  of  red  tape  recently  went 
by  the  board  when  the  Navy  De- 
partment quietly  settled  obliga- 
tions to  the  Railroad  Administra- 
tion with  a  $10,000i000  check. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


909 


NEW  BALLOON  PARACHUTE  SAVES  BASKET 


When    the    lonesome    balloon    observer 


h< 
G 
al 

P2 
w 
ca 
til 
it! 
ea 
oi 
le 
O 
ei 

u] 
v; 

hi 

P" 
ri 


The  Balloon  Basket  Itself  is  Shown  Here,  Drifting  to  Earth  beneath  the  Army's  Newest  Parachute.      Con- 
trast This  with  the  Old  System  in  Which  the  Basket,  with  All  Its  Valuable   Instruments  and  Recorda,  were 
Destroyed  with  the  Bag.    The  Small  Picture  at  the  Right  Shows  the  Parachute  Folded    Compactly  above 
the  Basket.    One  PuU  of  a  Rope  Releases  the  Basket  and  Parachute 


PUBLIC  RECREATION  GROUNDS  IN  NATIONAL  FOREST 


TN  keeping  with  the  idea  that  the  na- 
^  tional  forests  are  the  big  playgrounds 
of  the  American  people,  the  Forest  Serv- 
ice has  developed  a  public  picnic  and 
camping  ground  at  Eagle  Creek  in  the 
Oregon  National  Forest.  These  picnic 
grounds  are  located  45  miles  east  of  Port- 
land, on  the  Columbia  River  Highway, 
and  were  visited  by  nearly  100,000  persons 
in  1918. 

A  loop  road,  surfaced  with  crushed 
rock,  leads  through  the  grounds  so  that 
auto  parties  may  drive  directly  to  a  picnic 
site.  Tables,  benches,  concrete  stoves, 
stone  fireplaces,  garbage  cans,  and  fuel 
are    provided    free    by    the    government. 


Spring  water  is  piped  to  all'  parts  of  the 
grounds,  and  a  complete  sewer  system 
helps  keep  the  place  sanitary. 

Scores  of  camp  sites  have  been  cleared 
up  for  the  use  of  the  public  on  both  sides 
of  the  creek,  and  there  is  a  large  parking 
place  which  accommodates  several  hun- 
dred machines.  Six  hundred  automobiles 
have  been  counted  on  the  grounds  at  one 
time.  During  the  last  summer,  crowds 
ranging  from  2,000  to  3,500  persons  visited 
the  place  for  week-end  outings. 

The  forest  travelers*  register,  kept  on 
the  grounds,  last  season  bore  the  names 
of  people  from  42  states  of  the  Union  and 
a  dozen  foreign  countries. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


The  grounds  are  in  charge  of  a  forest 
ranger  who  protects  them  from  fire  and 
assists  parties  in  finding  satisfactory 
camping  places. 

From  the  picnic  grounds,  a  scenic  trail 
has  been  constructed  up  Eagle  Creek 
Canon  for  15  miles  at  a  cost  of  $1,000  a 
mile.  Long  stretches  of  this  trail  are 
carved  out  of  the  solid  rock,  and  in  sev- 
eral places  the  builders  were  compelled 
to  work  suspended  on  life  lines.   . 

Two  bridges,  one  a  hundred  feet  above 
the  water  at  the  head  of  a  box  canon,  and 
the  other  a  long  bridge  near  the  stream, 
carry  the  trail  across  the  creek.    A  third 


crossing  is  made  by  passing  the  trail 
through  a  30-ft.  tunnel  behind  a  waterfall, 
150  ft.  high.  Late  last  autumn  the  trail 
was  completed  to  Wahtun  Lake,  where 
the  Portland  Boy  Scouts  of  America  have 
established  a  summer  camp. 

Waterfalls,  canons,  cliffs,  and  big  tim- 
ber abound  along  the  trail,  while  native 
wild  flowers  and  rare  ferns  lure  the  trav- 
eler. 

It  is  safe  to  say  that  miles  of  mo- 
tion and  still-picture  film  have  been  ex- 
posed along  Eagle  Creek  Trail  bv  tourists 
in  their  efforts  to  carry  some  of  its  won- 
ders away  with  them. 


BABY  TANK  WITH  TWO  ENGINES 
STEERS   BY    SHIFTING   GEARS 

While  interesting  enough  in  itself,  the 
little  three-ton  tank,  known  in  the  army 
as  the  "baby  whippet,"  is  chiefly  remark- 
able for  its  power  arrangement.  The  end- 
less tread  at  each  side  has  its  own  sep- 
arate power  plant,  consisting  of  a  four- 
cylinder  engine  complete  with  planetary 
transmission,  such  as  is  used  in  a  com- 
mon type  of  light  automobile.     To  syn- 


other  reverse,  the  tank  will  turn  around 
where  it  stands.  Reduction  from  the 
power  plants  to  the  truck-driving  sprock- 
ets is  by  worm  gear. 


This  Power  Plant  for  Baby  Tanks  Consists  of  Two  Complete  Engines  with 

Planetary  Transmissions,  Connected    by  an  lole  Gear. 

The   Transmissions  Handle  the  Steering 


chronize  the  engines,  however,  and  pre- 
serve a  straight  course,  the  engine  fly- 
wheels are  toothed  and  engage  an  idle 
gear  wheel  mounted  between  them.  Each 
planetary  transmission  gives  its  side  two 
speeds  forward,  one  reverse,  neutral,  and 
brake.  This  takes  care  of  the  steering. 
By  running  one  side  forward  and   the 


FIRST  STAGE  IN  RESTORATION 
OF  ST.  PAUL'S  FINISHED 

The    restoration    of   the    great    central 
dome  of  St.  Paul's  Cathedral  in  London 
has    progressed    unremittingly    for    hve 
years,    proving    quite    as 
diflicult  as  work  on  the 
transept     mentioned     in 
Popular  Mechanics  Mag- 
a  z  i  n  e     for     December, 
1917;    but  it  is  now  re- 
ported that  one  primary 
stage,  the  strengthening 
of    the    southwest    pier, 
has  been  completed.  The 
most  careful  precautions 
have   been   necessary,  as 
the  triple  dome  is  calcu- 
lated to  exert  a  pressure 
of  8,000  tons  on  each  of 
the    200-year-old    piers, 
making  any  serious  with- 
drawal of  support  quite 
dangerous.     Among  sev- 
eral   interesting    discov- 
eries   made    during    the 
progress  of  the  work,  it 
was    found    that     many 
of  the  capitals  that 
crowned     the     columns 
were    only    poor    copies,    so    insecurely 
cramped  and  doweled  to  the  stonework 
that    a    light    touch    sent    them    to    the 
ground.    It  was  learned  too,  that,  despite 
the  boast  of  Sir  Christopher  Wren  that 
he   "built   for  eternity,"   the   pier   fillings 
were  so  unsatisfactory  that  much  solidify- 
ing with  liquid  grout  was  necessary. 


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lAiAN 
AMER|CAM 

I  VOTED 

MDYOU? 


«S««i.M»Biteftt 


PROGRESSIVE  CITY  WILL 
BE  ALL  AMERICAN 

By  PAUL  JENKINS 


THE  present  world- 
wide dissatisfac- 
tion with  the  old 
order,  and  yearning 
for  a  new,  has  been 
capitalized  and  organ- 
ized with  occasional  alarming  success  by 
the  forces  of  disintegration.  But  in 
America  the  friends  of  law  and  order  have 
at  length  recognized  a  potential  good  in 
this  unrest;  have  realized  that  many 
Americans  are  simply  ignorant  that  our 
constitution  puts  deliverance  in  our  own 
hands.  Widespread  campaigns  of  educa- 
tion in  the  first  principles  of  representa- 
tive government  testify  to  a  recognition 
of  this  dangerous  ignorance  and  apathy. 

In  one  American  city  this  constructive 
work  is  in  the  hands  of  an  enterprising 
body  well  named  the  "Americanization 
Society."  Realizing^  that  individual  in- 
terest is  the  very  keystone  of  the  Ameri- 
can political  arch, 


Every  Voter  Will  Be 
ragged  on  Nov.  5 


the  society  makes 
**Every  Voter  at 
Every  Election" 
its  task,  with 
"Citizenship  for 
Every  Alien"  as  a 
corollary. 

Ambitious  for 
the  largest  pro- 
portion of  voters 
in  the  United 
States,  this  local 
society  uses  the 
most  modern 
forms  of  publicity 
and  advertising  in 
its  work.  Posters 
throughout  the 
city  tell  the  people 
to  "Vote  —  Help 
Make  Your  Shops, 
Offices,  and  City 
100%  American," 
"Start  the  Alien 
toward  Citizen- 
ship ;  Send  the 
'First  Paper  Man'  to  School,"  or  "Prove 
Your  Willingness  to  Assume  the  Duty 
of  Voting."  Handbills  emphasize  the 
rock-bottom  principles  of  American  gov- 
ernment, declaring  that:  "The  first  aoso- 
lutely  essential  step  in  Americanization  is 
to  convince  all  men  that,  so  long  as  they 
live  in  a  democracy  and  benefit  by  it,  they 


Adc  Um  Man  wlie  ha*  DO  Taf— 
Wbf?  Start  IIm  AUmi  toward* 
Stad  tlio  *«Firft- 
Papor^  Mao  to  School 


HELP  Make  EVERY 
MAN  A  VOTER) 


are  morally 
obliged  to  take 
part  in  it  by  vot- 
ing; and  if  they  

do  not  vote,  they  have  no  right  to  live  in 
it."  And  at  the  last  election  every  voter 
was  decorated  with  a  tag  announcing:  "I 
Am  an  American.  I  Voted,  Did  You  ?*' ; 
while  posters  about  the  city  advised  the 
patriot  to  "Ask  the  Man  who  has  no 
Tag— Why?" 

A  previous  campaign  was  directed 
solely  at  the  feminine  nonvoter.  Edu- 
cational pamphlets  were  handed  "to  her; 
if  she  registered  she  was  given  an  emblem 
to  hang  in  the  window. 

Wholesome  propaganda  of  this  type  is 
certain  to  be  fruitful.     Already,  in  this 
city,  it  is  reported  that  aliens  are  crowd- 
ing the   offices    of  the   courts   for  their 
papers;     habitual    nonvoters    are    being 
brought  to  light,  and  to  the  polls,  while 
eveiy  election  day 
is  yielding  a  large 
vote,  in  good  pro- 
portion   to    the 
population. 


Tass  and  NewsDapcr  Stories.  Posters  and  Honor  Emblems 

Like  These.  Make  Duty  Clear  to  Citizens  and  Aliens 

of  One  Loyal  American  Municipality 


BRICK 

MACHINE 

SHAPES 

TAMPING 

CLAY 

Blasting  opera- 
tions in  large 
mines,  where  sev- 
eral thousand 
shots  a  day  are 
fired,  consume 
quantities  of 
tamping  material. 
At  an  English 
mine  a  brick-mak- 
ing machine  has 
been  put  to  good 
use  for  making 
plugs  of  plastic 
clay,  which  is  the  best  of  tamping  sub- 
stances. After  a  pug  mill  has  mixed 
the  clay,  it  is  pressed  through  a  mul- 
tiple die  having  from  six  to  ten  1-in. 
holes.  Cut  into  pieces,  10  in.  long,  the 
plugs  are  then  separately  wrapped,  and 
one  accompanies  each  parcel  of  explosive 
given  to  the  miners. 


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SOME  NOVEL  AND  LITTLE-KNOWN  ACCBSSOKfiBS 


iMMher  Ararict  adlili 
Traaspasent  Wiadovr 


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INTENDED  FOR  THE  HOME  AND  ITS   MEMBERS 


For  the  Front 
Vestibule,  the 
Bathroom,  or  the 
Cellar  Steps,  a 
Small,  Inexpen- 
sive Gas  Mantle 
Bums  Much  Less 
Gas  Than  the  Old 


A  Gas  Heater  on  This  Electric  Washing  Ma- 
chine Keeps  the  Water  m  the  Tub  Constantly 
at  the  Boiling  Point.  The  Motor- Driven 
Wringer  Does  Away  with  Fatigue,  and  may 
be  Conveniently  Swung  to  Any  Desired  Posi- 
tion ot  the  Tubs 


\ 

ARubberG 
Cap  That  j 
bles  an  Ai 
Helmet  K 
Water  On 
the  Ears 
Means  of  1 
Reinforced 
Protectcrs 


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916  POPULAR  MECHANICS 

FIELD-GLASS  VIEW  SELLS  COAST-DEFENSE  MORTARS 

CAR  TO  BUSY  CUSTOMER  IN  PRIVATE  GARDENS 

A  resourceful  automobile  salesman  re-  To    the    constantly    growing   story    of 

cently  overcame  a  seemingly  insurmount-      America's    war   activities    must    now    be 
able  obstacle  when  he  encountered  a  cus-      added  the  report  of  a  government  camou- 

fleur  who  describes  his 
I  work  done  on  the  Atlan- 
tic seacoast.  Due  to 
I  government  s  u  s  p  i  c  ion 
that  U-boats  were  using 
a  base  near  Cuba,  he 
says,  he  was  commis- 
'  sioned  to  camouflage  the 
dirigible  hangars  and 
large  hydrogen  plant 
I  near  Pensacola,  Fla^ 
which  he  did  with  such 
success  that  the  struc- 
tures were  indistinguish- 
able from  five  miles  at 
sea.  Of  most  interest, 
however,  is  his  descrip- 
tion of  the  concealment 
of  the  heavy  coast-de- 
fense mortars,  some  of 
12-in.  bore,  which 
guarded  New  York  Har- 
bor. The  massive  con- 
crete emplacements  were 
often    placed   in    private 

_       ._ , srardens,  as  much  as  two 

P«rtisttat  Antonobile  ll«a  Alt*reat«ly  Talked  in  tk«  Tovvtr  aad  Walked      ^_^  ^  tin  If  »i;i«.  4^^r»  *U^ 
Out  to  the  Road  to  Poiat  Hia  Moral  and  a  half  miles  from  the 

coast,  where  they  were 
tomer  too  far  away  from  the  car  to  ex-  hidden  from  aerial  observation  by  trailers 
amine  it,  and  too  busy  to  come  closer,  of  "artificial  honeysuckle,  morning-glory. 
The  buyer  was  a  railroad  tower  man,  who  and  ivy,**  which  were  changed  in  color 
could  not  leave  his  levers  and  signals  even      according  to  the  seasons. 

for  five  minutes.  The  road  where  the  car  

stood    was   several    hundred    feet    away.  ^q  SLIPPERY  CAR  STEPS 

The  salesman  managed  to  get  a  pair  of  

field  glasses,  and  through  these  the  "pros-  WITH  NEW  TREAD 

llfJ^n^f.%%^ *''Thrcr;l!^!;^.?^r„?Hl''"'^  The  ordinary  steel  treads  used  on  public 

bile  man  talked.    The  sale  was  made.  stairways,    car    steps,    etc.,    are    aii    un- 

doubted  economy,  but  they  are  equallv  a 

CONTROLLER  CONTACTS  SAVED        nuisance    to     the 

BY  INTERRUPTING  CURRENT  pedestrian,  par- 
ticularly      during 

Saving  controller  contacts  from  dam-  wet  weather.  But 
age  by  arcking  is  the  object  of  a  European  this  is  not  the 
inventor.  In  series  with  the  contacts  he  case,  it  is  main- 
connects  hot-cathode  rectifier  tubes,  tained,  with  a  one- 
whose  heating  circuit  is  broken  by  the  piece,  nonslipping 
switch  arm  in  advance  of  the  main  cir-  tread  that  is  now 
cuit.  The  momentary  interruption  of  the  being  marketed, 
current   prevents  any  arc   formation.  This     tread     con- 

•  sists     of    a    light    j 

C An  American  still  holds  the  world's  air-  iron  baseplate    i 

plane   altitude   record   with  28,900   ft.,  as      which      is      chan-  

recent    rereading    of    the    British    claim-  neled  or  punched 

ant*s  instruments  showed  a  revised  height  to  receive  lead  inserts  rolled  into  the  plate 

of  only  27,000  feet.  and  securely  interlocked.    A  wearing  sur- 


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Plan  of  Proposed  Improvements  to  the  Village  of  Grand  Canyon,  Arizona,  Intended  to  Make  It  a  Pitting 
Gateway  to  the  Great  Scenic  Wonder:  New  Features  Are  the  Public  Square,  Bright  Angel  Lane,  Government 
Park,  Tusayan  Mall  and  Garden,  Automobile  Outlook,  Public  Camp  Grounds,  and  the  Future  Aviation  Field 


face  is  thus  presented  that  is  nonslipping 
in  all  directions,  yet  slow  in  deteriorating, 
as  the  iron  skeleton  lies  flush  with  the 
lead  and  hence  prevents  rapid  wear. 


PLANS  FOR  IDEAL  GATEWAY 
AT  RIM  OF  GRAND  CANON 

The  main  point  of  entry  to  the  Grand 
Canon  of  the  Colorado  River  is  a  little 
Arizona  village  of  not  more  than  400  per- 
manent residents.  It  is  among  the  plans 
of  the  United  States  Forest  Service  to 
make  of  this  community  of  Grand  Canyon, 
a  model  town  devoted  to  one  purpose: 
providing  for  the  visiting  public  in  a  man- 
ner appropriate  to  the  gateway  of  so  vast 
and  awe-inspiring  a  landscape.  The  settle- 
ment, now  almost  formless,  would  be  laid 
out  about  a  central  plaza,  preserving  the 
standing  groves  of  yellow  pine. 

On  the  brink  of  the  canon  the  plan'  lo- 
cates Government  Park,  as  the  official 
approach  to  the  rim,  leaving  for  future 
development  a  more  formal  means  of  in- 
troduction to  the  impressive  view.  East- 
ward along  the  margin  lies  Tusayan  Gar- 
den, interesting  in  prospect  for  its  collec- 
tion of  local  flora.  Still  farther  east, 
where  the  canon  wall  drops  sheer  1,000  ft., 
the  automobile  visitor  is  provided  with  an 
outlook  and  parking  space.  A  footpath  to 
Yavapai  Point  touches  the  actual  rim  only 
occasionally,  giving  the  pedestrian  oppor- 
tunity for  emotional  recovery  between 
drafts  of  scenic  stimulant.  At  the  point 
is  planned  a  shelter,  invitingly  visible  from 


the  village.  The  entrance  to  Bright  Angel 
Trail  is  to  be  dignified  by  the  opening  of 
a  50-ft.  strip  to  be  known  as  Bright  Angel 
Lane.  The  plan  even  reserves  space  for 
an  ultimate  airplane-landing  field.  The 
village  itself,  now  extraordinarily  ham- 
pered by  lack  of  organization,  its  land  all 
government-owned,  without  water  supply 
or  sewerage  system,  is  to  have  such  im- 
provements as  the  peculiar  circumstances 
allow,  and  its  natural  beauties  are  to  be 
emphasized. 


DOUBLE-ACTION  WATER  WHEEL 

IS  LIGHT  AND   EFFICIENT 

In  a  water  turbine,  designed  by  a  Hun- 
garian engineer,  the  jet  passes  diametri- 
cally through  the 
wheel  after  work- 
ing on  one  side 
and  spends  its  last 
energy  against  the 
vanes  of  the  other 
side.  The  vanes 
are  curved,  and 
the  water  strikes 
them  at  a  tan- 
gent,   just    above 

the  horizontal  diameter.  After  shooting 
across  to  the  opposite  side,  it  is  dis- 
charged near  the  bottom  of  the  wheel. 
The  width  of  the  turbine  varies  according 
to  the  power  desired.  The  peripheral 
speed  is  between  98  and  164  ft.  per  second. 
Laboratory  tests  of  a  small  model  showed 
efficiency  as  high  as  89  per  cent. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


FILTER  PRESS  FOR  QUICK 

PRACTICAL  TESTS 

A  compact  filter  press  of  a  new  type 
enables   the   chemical   engineer  to   make 


A  Filter  Press  of  Possible  Value  to  Many 
Manufacturing  Plants 

centages  desired  in  the  use  of  certain  ma- 
terials. Designed  with  flush-type  corru- 
gated surface  plates  and  extension  frames, 
it  allows  either,  or  both,  cloth  or  filter 
paper  to  be  used.  The  press  will  stand 
a^ working  pressure  of  150  lb.  per  square 
inch.  The  machine  weighs  about  180  lb. 
in  either  iron  or  brass. 


LIGHT  WARNS  WHEN  ELEVATOR 

IS  OVERCROWDED 

A  recent  attachment  for  passeneer  or 
freight   elevators   flashes  a   red  light,   or 
rings  an  alarm  bell,  when  the  car  is  over- 
crowded, thus  en- 
abling  passengers 
to  check  overload- 
ing  in    the    inter- 
est   of  their   own 
safety.      The    in- 
vention     consists 
primarily      of      a 
common  platform 
scale,   which   sup- 
ports the  passen- 
gers,   and   de- 
presses a   vertical 
rack    rod    when 
loaded.   This  rack 
is  engaged  with  a 
pinion,    and    thus 
revolves  a  pointer 
on  a  conspicuous,  calibrated  dial.    When 
the  pointer  is  turned  to  a  predetermined 
danger  point,  an  electric  current  is  closed 
which  operates  the  alarm  feature. 


PERSISTENT  EFFORT  REVIVES 

GIRL  TEN  HOURS  IN  WATER 

The  wisdom  of  continuing  resuscita- 
tion processes,  even  after  it  is  apparently 
hopeless,  is  strikingly  demonstrated  by 
the  extraordinary  experience  of  a  Gueme- 
ville,  Calif.,  school-teacher.  She  fell  into 
the  sea  while  taking  surf  pictures,  and 
was  washed  ashore  about  10  hours  later. 
Life  apparently  was  extinct.  Neverthe- 
less, her  rescuers  worked  over  her  for  five 
hours  with  hot  applications,  vigorous 
rubbing,  and  hot  stimulants.  She  re- 
gained consciousness  after  a  total  period 
of  insensibility  of  15^/^  hours,  and  in  a 
short  time  fully  recovered.  The  fact  that 
she  was  stunned  by  her  fall  evidently 
saved  her  from  drowning  during  the  long 
immersion. 


ADJUSTABLE  RADIATOR  COVER 

KEEPS  AUTO  ENGINE  WARM 

Automobile  drivers  who  stick  sheets  of 
paper  on  the  front  of  the  radiator  to  keep 
the  engine  from 
catching  cold  will 
welcome  an  ad- 
justable radiator 
cover  which  is  as 
neat  in  appear- 
ance as  it  is  effect- 
ive in  action.  It 
is  made  of  heavy 
blanket  cloth  and 
sheet  steel,  hav- 
ingsixradial 
openings    which 

are  closed,  or  varied  in  size,  by  tuminf^ 
a  six-bladed  shutter  pivoted  at  the  middle. 
The  cover  fits  perfectly,  being  made  for 
any  type  of  car. 


FRESH  SOURCE  OF  FUEL 

AVAILABLE 

Many  attempts  to  compress  into  "bri- 
quettes," and  hence  make  commercially 
available,  the  large  accumulations  of  smaU 
coke  and  coke  dust  about  every  gas  plant 
have  all  failed  till  recently,  because  coke 
lacks  completely  the  bituminous,  "tarry" 
qualities  that  fit  coal  dust. for  this  proc- 
ess. Earlier  experimenters  found  it  im- 
possible to  find  a  cheap,  practicable  sub- 
stitute "binder,"  and  discovered,  further- 
more, that  the  open  pores  of  coke  absorb 
water,  causing  explosion  in  the  furnace 
and  consequent  shattering  of  the  bri- 
quette.   So  the  problem  hais  been  to  find 


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a  cheap  bituminous  material  that  will 
mix  with,  and  bind,  small  coke,  in  addi- 
tion to  filling  its  pores.  And  such  a  mate- 
rial is  now  reported  in  actual  use  at  Wit- 
tenberg, Germany,  being  a  tarry  by-prod- 
uct from  the  manufacture  of  oil  gas. 


ENGLAND'S  RICH  DISCARD 

LONDON  TOWN  HOUSES 

For  hundreds  t)f  years  members  of 
£n|^]and's  wealthy  class  have  maintained 
their  splendid  town  houses  in  London. 
But  today,  with  the  perfecting  of  the 
automobile  and  the  increased  convenience 
of  apartment  and  hotel,  there  is  a  grow- 
ing tendency  to  break  with  tradition  and 
maintain  only  the  country  home.  This 
fashionable  back-to-the-land  movement  is 
expected  to  have  royal  sanction,  too,  as 
the  king  and  queen  will  use  beautiful  old 
Windsor  Castle,  25  miles  from  London, 
this  season,  much  more  than  Buckingham 
Palace,  in  the  city. 

PROJECTED  RAILWAY  WILL 

TAP  NORTHERN  CANADA 

Northwestern  Canada's  fur  trade,  and 
the  prospect  of  opening  i.  >  her  stores  of 
mineral  wealth,  have  induced  a  group  of 
capitalists  to  petition  the  Canadian  gov- 
ernment for  permission  to  build  a  railway 
that  will  run  east  and  west  from  Hudson 
Bay  to  Great  Slave  Lake,  about  700  miles 


The  Unmeasured  Riches  of  Canada's  Northwest  wiU 

be    Released    by   the    Par    Northern    Railway 

Indicated  by  the  Heavy  Parallel  Lines 

north  of  the  American  border,  and,  it  is 
stated,  some  400  miles  north  of  any  exist- 
ing line. 

€Schenectady,  N.  Y.,  is  honoring  its  re- 
turned war  heroes  with  municipal  medals. 


EXPLOSION  TO  EXPEL  AIRMAN 

AND  PARACHUTE 

His  airplane  falling  out  of  control,  a 
pilot  equipped  with  this  unusual  safety 
arrangement  would  drop  his  right  hand 


Showing  How  an  Inventor  would   Fold  a  Parachute 
within  a  Tray  in  Airplane's  Upper  Wing :  An  Explo- 
sive Charge  in  the   Cylinder   would   Expel  the  Air. 
man  and  Parachute 

to  a  lever  beneath  his  seat.  A  jerk  up- 
ward, an  explosion — and  pilot,  his  seat, 
three  auxiliary  struts,  and  part  of  the 
upper  wing  would  be  drifting  to  earth  be- 
neath a  parachute.  The  inventor  pro- 
vides that  the  parachute  be  folded  inside 
a  tray  which  forms  part  of  the  upper 
wing,  while  the  expulsive  cylinder  is 
placed  under  the  pilot's  seat. 


FIRST  THROUGH  TRAIN 

FOR  WOUNDED  YANKS 

One  hundred  and  twenty-six  wounded 
Yanks  journeyed  from  New  York  to  San 
Francisco  not  long  ago  without  changing 
cars  or  suffering  a  single  hardship.  Their 
special  train  was  composed  of  one  Pull- 
man, which  quartered  the  officers  in 
charge,  and  eight  hospital  cars  completely 
equipped  with  operating  room,  kitchens, 
and  wide  comfortable  cots.  Although 
many  of  the  boys  were  walking  cases,  all 
had  their  meals  served  on  small  tables  at 
their  bedsides.  Four  officers  and  25  men 
accompanied  the  wounded  as  attendants. 


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INTERESTING  IDEAS,   PICTURES,  AND  TOYS 


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FOR  BOYS  AND  GIRLS  IN  HOME  AND  SCHOOL 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


GRACEFUL  EXAMPLE  OF  WORK 

IN  ARTIFICIAL  STONE 

A   living-room   fireplace  constructed  of 
logs  and  twisted  limbs  would  excite  in- 


specializes  in  imitation.  Cement  is  the 
material  used,  and  so  naturally  and  grace- 
fully, that  the  visitor  is  tempted  to  test  it 
with  his  pocketknife.  The  texture  and 
colors  of  nature  are  reproduced  with 
startling  faithfulness. 


A  Cement  Worker  Cleverly  Imitated  the  Textitre  and 
Colors  of  NA^ure  in  This  Mantlepiece 

terest  from  Us  incongruity  alone.  But 
the  truth  is  even  more  curious,  as  the 
work  was  done  bv  a  cement  worker  who 


GOATS  GRAZE  FIRE  BREAKS 
TO  REDUCE  FOREST  FIRES 

Four  hundred  milch  goats  have  been 
procured  by  the  forest  administration  of 
the  Angeles  Forest  Reserve  and  are  to  b;.* 
used  this  summer  for  lessening  the  menace 
of  forest  fires.  This  is  to  be  accomplished 
by  grazing  the  animals  in  the  fire  breaks, 
thus  eliminating  much  of  the  danger  of 
spreading  fires  by  keeping  these  barriers 
clean. 

Wires  arc  being  strung  through  the 
middle  of  the  fire  breaks,  and  to  these  th? 
goats  will  be  ring-tethered,  so  that  each 
animal  may  graze  only  in  the  fire  breai< 
and  yet  cover  considerable  ground. 

The  400  goats  are  to  be  used  in  that 
portion  of  the  Angeles  Forest  Reserve  be- 
tween the  Cajon  Pass  and  Great  Bear 
Lake.  By  reason  of  the  benefits  to  th? 
forest,  the  goats  are  accorded  free  graz- 
ing privileges  by  the  government.  Be- 
sides supplying  milk  to  the  families  of 
the  forest  rangers,  to  whose  lot  it  falls  to 
attend  the  herds,  it  is  expected  that  there 
will  be  a  considerable  quantity  of  milk  to 
be  sold  to  trout  fishermen,  campers,  and 
other  sojourners  within  the  forest. 


FAST  POWER  SLED  IS  BUILT 
FOF  RURAL-MAIL  CARRIER 

One  of  the  northwestern   states  boasts 
a  rura?  postman  who  covers  his  route  by 
motof  car  in  summer  and  by  motor  sled 
in    v/inter.       Some     time 
ago  the  carrier  had  a  spc-    ^ 
ciai   snow-and-ice  "boat" 
hMJlt  to  meet  his  particu- 
^ir  needs.      The    vehicle, 
with   a    body    similar    to 
that  of  a  light  speedster, 
mounts    a    40-hp.    motor 
that   turns    a    four-blade 
air  screw   of  the   tractor 
type.       A     speed     of    30 
»iiles    an    hour    on     soft 

snow,    and    70    miles    an  

hour    on    smooth    ice,    is 

said   to   be   attained.     In 

over-all    length    the    sled 

measures  16  ft.,  while  the  weight  amounts 

to  about  950  lb.    A  storage  compartment 


of  generous  size  is  provided  in  the  rear 
portion  of  the  body.  The  fuel  consump- 
tion compares  with  that  of  an  average 
motor  car.  The  runners,  intended  for 
both  snow  and  ice,  are  shaped  like  hol- 
low-ground   skates   and    bear   on   a    sur- 


Motor  Sled  with  Air  Propeller  and  Unusually  Broad  Runners,  as  Seen  at 
the  Right:  Left  View  Indicates  Large  Storage  Space  at  Rear 

face,  6  in.  in  width  and  a  little  less  than 
5  ft.  in  length. 


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Camping  by  Automobile 

By  p.  p.  AVERY 


COTTCOPIM- 


:x. 


TO  automobile  owners  who  wish  to 
avoid  the  uncomfortable  hotel  with 
its  hot,  stuffy  rooms,  the  camping  outfit 
illustrated  makes  its 
strongest  appeal.  It  re- 
quires only  a  few  min- 
utes to  set  up  camp,  and 
the  outdoor  meal  and 
sleep  may  be  enjoyed 
even  better  than  in  the 
usual  cramped,  inconven- 
ient, permanent  camp. 

A    full-sized,    substan- 
tial bed  is  made  by  fitting 
lengths  of  1-in.  pipe  to- 
gether   with    side-outlet 
tees,  to  form  a  frame  5 
by  6%  ft.    The  pipe  need 
not    be    screwed    tightly 
into    the    tees,    and    can 
thus  be  taken  apart  eas- 
ily.   The  two  legs  at  the 
outer    end    are    screwed 
into    the    tees    and    into 
floor  flanges,  which  rest 
on     the     ground.       The 
height    of   the    legs    de- 
pends  on   the   height   of 
the    running    board,    to 
which  the  other  end  of 
the  bed  is  attached  by  a 
bolt,  as  shown  in  the  de- 
tail. The  awning  support 
is  also  of  1-in.  pipe,  with 
side-outlet  tees  at  the  corners.    It  is  sup- 
ported by   short  lengths   of  pipe,   which 
screw  into  the  pipe  caps  on  the  running 
board  of  the  car,  and  into  tees  at  the  outer 
edge,  or  foot,  of  the  bed.     Sixteen-ounce 
canvas  is  used  for  the  mattress,  in  which 
wide  hems  are  sewed  with  very  strong 
seams.    The  pipes  at  the  side  are  slipped 
into  the  hems.    At  the  ends  the  mattress 
is  held  by  stout  cords,  laced  through  eyes 
in  the  canvas,  so  that  it  can  be  ti^tened 
and  loosened  as  required.    The  awning  is 
8  or  10-oz.  canvas,  made  like  a  tent  to  fit 
easily  over  the  pipe  frame.     The   sides 
should  be  made  to  roll  up  and  fasten  with 


straps.  If  these  rolls  are  too  lone  to  carry 
conveniently,  the  curtains  may  be  cut  in 
two  and  lapped  over  when  in  use. 


FOUOING  STOve 


OCTAtU  OF  CAMVA8  rASTEMMO 


'  AotoBohile  CampinK  it  Made  Possible  by  the  Portable  Bed,  Table,  and 
Grate,  Which  can  be  Packed  on  the  Running  Board  of  the  Car 

Cooking  over  a  camp  fire  is. one  of  the 
pleasures  of  camping,  and  a  good  grate 
will  diminish  the  danger  of  food  falling 
into  the  fire.  The  .grate  shown  in  the 
sketch  has  a  substantial  18  by  24-in.  frame 
of  %i  by  1%-in.  strap  iron,  bolted  together 
at  the  comers.  The  legs  are  12  by  4-in. 
strap  hinges,  bolted  to  the  frame.  Heavy 
%-in.  m€»fa  wire  screen  is  riveted  to  the 
strap  iron  for  a  covering.  It  is  the  work 
of  only  a  few  seconds  to  set  up  the  grate 
over  a  fiie. 

At  meal  times,  the  bed  is  quickly  con- 
verted into  a  table.  It  is  only  necessary 
to  proTide  ^re  %-tn.  boards^  5  ft  2  in. 

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long  and  12  in.  wide.  These  are  laid 
across  the  bed  frame;  grooves  should  be 
cut  in  the  boards  where  they  will  rest  on 
the  pipes,  to  keep  them  from  being  pushed 
off  endways.  The  awning  flaps  roll  up  out 
of  the  way,  and  the  food  is  protected  by 
the  awning  above.  A  camp  stool  should 
be  provided  for  each  member  of  the  party. 
Since  all  parts  of  the  outfit  can  be  taken 
down  and  the  pieces  stored  in  very  little 
space,  it  is  possible  to  fit  beds  to  both 
sides  of  the  car,  and  thus  provide  for  a 
party  *  of  four  persons.  The  pipes  and 
boards  pack  onto  the  running  board, 
where  they  are  held  by  stout  straps.     If 


the  6Vi-ft.  pipes  for  the  sides  of  the  bed 
are  found  to  be  too  long  to  be  carried 
easily,  it  is  not  difficult  to  cut  them  in 
two  and  telescope  the  ends  into  a'  piece 
of  larger  pipe  at  the  joint  in  the  middle, 
as  shown  in  the  detail.*  This  method  is 
much  to  be  preferred  to  using  an  ordi- 
nary threaded  coupling,  which  makes  but 
a  weak  joint  for  such  a  purpose. 

Practically  no  family  which  possesses 
a  car  need  forgo  all  the  pleasures  of 
camping,  when  the  outfit  can  be  so  cheap- 
\y  and  easily  made.  It  will  pay  for  itself 
many  times  in  added  health  and  the  pleas- 
ure derived. 


Gate  Braced  against  Sagging 

A  farm  gate  may  readily  be  prevented 
from  sagging  by  extending  upward  the 
side  member  to  which  the  hinges  are  at- 


A  Farm  Gate  That  will  Not  Sag  it  Supported  by 
a  Diagonal  Wire  Brace 

tached,  and  running  a  piece  of  steel  wire, 
or  cable,  from  the  top  of  this  member  to 
the  opposite  lower  corner.  The  wire  may, 
of  course,  be  attached  to  the  upper  cor- 
ner, but  the  fastening  as  shown  places  the 
least  strain  on  the  wire  brace. — W.  Wal- 
lace Snyder,  Bedford,  N.  Y. 


Making  Auto  Hood  Waterproof 

Protects  Coils 

A  common  trouble  experienced  by  auto- 
mobile owners,  when  driving  in  the  rain, 
is  to  have  water  leak  down  between  the 
coil  and  dash,  and  thus  short-circuit 
the  terminals  of  the  spark  coils.  Since  the 
wood  of  the  dash  soaks  up  the  water,  it 
often  takes  a  long  time  to  dry  the  dash 
sufficiently  to  get  the  car  started.  By 
forcing  a  length  of  heavy,  coarse  cotton 
cord  between  the  dash  and  cowl,  and  giv- 
ing it  three  coats  of  shellac,  allowing  this 
to    dry    between    coats,    the    leaking    is 


stopped,  and  the  car  will  not  be  stalled 
because  of  the  coil  terminals  being  short- 
circuited. 


Drilling  Holes  through  Cork 

When  a  hole  is  made  in  a  bottle  cork, 
as,  for  example,  to  hold  a  glass  tube,  the 
material  crumbles  when  pierced,  and 
leaves  a  ragged  aperture.  A  smoother  job 
will  be  obtained  by  putting  the  cork  iu 
melted  paraffin,  and  holding  it  below  the 
surface  with  a  hatpin  until  all  the  air 
pockets  are  closed  up.  Move  the  cork 
about  so  that  all  the  air  in  it  may  escape. 
After  the  cork  has  been  removed  and 
cooled,  it  can  be  drilled,  cut,  or  turned  in 
a  lathe  as  easily  as  soft  wood,  and  yet  is 
sufficiently  elastic  to  stop  bottles  effect- 
ively.— Victor  H.  Todd,  Rainbow  Lake, 
New  York. 


Hacksaw  Frames  for  Tight  Places 

Three  styles  of  hacksaws,  which  can  be 
used  where  the  regular  hacksaw  frame 
could  not,  are  shown  in  the  sketch.  In 
each  of  these  the  frame  is  made  of  %-in. 
steel  rod,  bent  to  shape  and  slotted  to 
hold  the  saw  blade.     Small  holes  drilled 


|"8TEEL  qOD 


FILE  HANDLE 

Hacksaw  Frames  Which  Allow  the  Mechanic  to  Work 
in  Narrow  Places  will  be  Found  Useful  in  Any  Shop 

in  the  side  of  the  slotted  portion  admit 
the  pins  that  hojd  the  blade  in  place.    A 


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handle  may  be  pttt  on  the  end  of  the 
steel  rod,  or  the  rod  itself  may  be  bent 
to  form  the  handle.  Adjustment  may  be 
secured  by  threading  the  rod  and  provid- 
ing a  slotted  piece  to  hold  the  blade.  This 
is  adjusted  by  turning  two  nuts  on  the 
threaded  part  of  the  rod,  one  on  either 
side  of  the  slotted  piece. — C.  C.  Spreen, 
Detroit,  Mich. 


TO  CCNLRATDII 


Double  Anode  for  Electroplating 

When  the  plating  tank  is  used  con- 
tinuously during  the  day,  it  will  be  found 
that  after  a  certain  short  length  of  time, 
depending  upon  the  type  of  work  to  be 
done,  the  speed  of  plating  decreases,  with- 
out a  corresponding  increase  in  the  qual- 
ity of  the  deposited  plate.  This  condition 
is  brought  about  by  corrosion  of  the  sur- 
face of  the  anode,  due  to  electrochemical 
action. 

A  system  of  double  anodes  may  be  used 
to  speed  up  the  plating  process,  and  at 
the  same  time 
greatly  improve 
the  quality  of  the 
work.  Two  an- 
odes, insulated 
electrically  from 
each  other,  are 
suspended  in  the 
tank.  The  switch 
arm  is  connected 
to  the  positive  line 
of  the  generator, 
while  the  two  con- 
tacts are  con- 
nected as  shown 
in  the  sketch. 
The  object  to  be  plated  is  connected,  as 
usual,  to  the  negative  bus  bar.  After  15 
or  20  minutes'  plating  with  one  anode, 
the  switch  is  thrown,  disconnecting  one 
anode  and  diverting  the  electric  current 
to  the  other.  Meanwhile  the  acid  in  the 
plating  bath  will  dissolve  the  corrosion 
on  the  idle  anode,  so  that  it  is  ready  for 
use  when  the  current  is  switched  back  to 
it.— Kenneth  Coggeshall,  Webster  Groves, 
Missouri. 


NCOATIVC  TO  eCKCRATOR^ 


Irrigation  Water  Cools 

Roof  of  House 

A  reduction  of  temperature  of  from  15 
to  20**  in  the  interior  of  his  home  during 
the  hottest  summer  weather  is  accom- 
plished, by  a  California  ranchman,  by 
leading  the  water  with  which  he  irrigates 
an  orange  grove  over  the  roof  of  his 
house   before   it   is   taken   into  the   field 


laterals.     The  water  is  spread  over  th^ 

roof  by  a  system  of  spray  pipes  alonl:  the 

.ridges.     It  runs  down  the  roof,  cooling 


Water  to  be  Used   for  Irrigation   First  Performs 
Another  Duty  in  Cooling  the  Roof  of  the  House 

the   house,  and  is  then  collected   in  the 
gutters  to  be  used  for  irrigation. 

The  flow  and  volume  of  the  water  run- 
ning over  the  roof  is  regulated  by  a  valve 
in  the  supply  pipe,  which  passes  through 
the  kitchen.  The  amount  of  water  needed 
for  irrigation  is  always  far  in  excess  of 
that  which  can  be  taken  over  the  roof, 
hence  on  the  hottest  days  the  most  thor- 
ough cooling  is  easily  attainable.  Ob- 
viously the  fire  risk  on  the  property   is 


greatly     reduced. — ^John 
hambra,  Calif. 


logg, 


Al- 


Milk  Can  Used  for  Grain-Bag  Holder 

An    easily    made    grain-bag    holder    is 
shown  in  the  sketch.    Secure  an  old  5  or 
10-gal.  cream  can,  and  remove  the  bot- 
tom.    Then   punch   a 
%-in.  hole  in  the  side 
of  the  can,   near  the 
bottom,    and    three 
smaller    holes    in    the 
neck     of     the     can, 
spaced  equal  distances 
apart  around  it.    Into 
these  three  holes,  in- 
sert belt  hooks  or  hog 
rings,  and  clinch  them, 
leaving   the    hook    on 
the  outside  of  the  can. 
Hang   the    can    on    a 
spike    or   heavy   hook 
on  the  wall,  or  on  a 
post,  and  fasten  the  grain  bag  on  the  spout 
by  means  of  the  small  hooks.    The  bag  is 
then  easily  filled.     If  the  holder  is  to  be 
used  with  different  lengths  of  bags,  it  may 
be  hung  up  by  a  rope  or  chain,  so  as  to  be 
quickly  adjustable  in  height. 


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Old  Well  Employed  to  Cool  Public 

Drinking  Fountains 

In  many  cities  which  have  acquired 
water  systems,  there  are  old  wells  which 
have   been   abandoned  and  closed.     The 


The  Cold  Water  in  the  Old  Well.  No  Longer  Con- 

tidered  Fit  for  Drinking,  was  Used  to  Cool  the 

Water  Piped  to  the  Drinking  Fountain 

illustration  shows  how  one  of  these  was 
used  in  a  western  city  to  cool  the  water 
used  in  a  public  drinking  fountain.  The 
supply  pipe  for  the  fountain,  instead  of 
running  directly  from  the  water  main  to 
the  base  of  the  fountain,  led  first  to  the 
coil  pipe  which  was  placed  below  the  wa- 
ter line  in  the  old  well.  As  the  drinking 
water  flowed  through  the  turns  of  this 
coil,  some  of  its  heat  was  radiated  to  the 
cold  water  in  the  well,  and,  on  emerging 
at  the  upper  end  of  the  coil  into  the  pipe 
leading  to  the  fountain,  it  was  several 
degrees  cooler  than  when  leaving  the 
water  main.  The  device  is  especially  ef- 
fective on  fountains  of  the  type  which 
are  not  running  continuously,  but  are 
turned  on  by  pressing  a  lever. — C.  E. 
Cory,  Fort  Scott,  Kan. 

Rat  "Hallway"  for  Poultry  Houses 

Nearly  every  poultry  man  is  troubled 
with  rats.  A  simple  device  for  catching 
them  consists  of  a  rectangular  box.  6  in. 
square  at  the  two  open  ends,  and  30  in. 
long,  with  the  top  either  hinged  or  loose. 
This  serves  as  an  entrance  from  the  out- 
side wall  to  the  henhouse  floor,  under 
which  it  is  buried.  A  steel  trap  is  placed 
inside  it.  No  attempt  is  made  to  conceal 
the  "hallway,"  but  the  trap  is  always  kept 
set  and  all  other  entrances  are  carefully 
blocked.  Sometimes  the  rats  treat  the  de- 
vice with  suspicion  for  a  while,  but  they 
are  caught  in  far  larger  numbers  than  by 
'  patent  traps  set  with  bait. — J.  T.  Bart- 
lett,  Ft.  Collins,  Col. 


"Running-In"  Automobile  Engines 
after  Overhauling 

The  introduction  of  new  pistons,  and 
other  parts,  into  a  newly  overhauled  auto- 
mobile motor  causes  the  mechanism  to 
run  stiff,  and  makes  cranking  difficult. 
The  housing  of  an  inclosed  flywheel 
makes  it  impossible  to  use  a  belt  with 
mechanical  power  for  "running-in,"  and 
to  take  care  of  such  cases,  a  repairman 
kept  an  old  engine  and  automobile  frame 
mounted  on  blocks.  He  placed  the  over- 
hauled engine  on  the  same  frame,  with 
the  two  engines  back  to  back,  and  coupled 
the  yoke  of  the  forward  universal  joint 
of  one  of  them  to  the  corresponding  yoke 
on  the  other.  The  old  engine  was  then 
started  up,  and  was  run  from  low  speed, 
through  intermediate,  and  into  high,  until 
the  engine  which  had  been  overhauled 
ran  without  undue  friction. — S.  Vierengel, 
West  Palm  Beach,  Fla. 


Food  Kept  Cool  without  Ice 

The  problem  of  how  to  keep  food  cool 
without  ice  was  solved  for  one  household 

in  the  manner  il- 

lustrated.  A  hole 
was  dug  in  the 
ground,  about  7 
ft.  deep  and  18-  in. 
in  diameter,  and 
was  lined  with 
sewer  tile  and  pro- 
vided with  a  ce- 
ment bottom.  The 
**  refrigerator" 
consists  of  several 
circular  s  h  e  1  ves 
slightly  smaller 
than  the  sewer 
tile,  attached  one 
above  the  other 
by  steel  rods. 
These  hang  from 
a  rope  which  runs 
over  a  pulley 
block,  and  is 
coiled  on  a  wind- 
lass provided  with 
a  ratchet  and 

pawl.  Thus  the  shelves  can  be  raised  to 
any  height  by  winding  up  the  rope,  and 
the  food  can  be  removed  or  inserted.  The 
topmost  circular  piece,  or  cover,  of  the 
refrigerator  is  large  enough  to  rest  on 
top  of  the  sewer  tile,  which  should  pro- 
ject from  the  ground  far  enough  so  that 
water  will  not  drain  into  the  well. — Henry 
J^  Wagner,  Ashton,  111, 


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Buildiiig  an  Air-Propped  Speedster 

byT.  d.  burke 


'l  HiE  application  of  the  air  propeller 
*  to  Voad  vehicles  is  a  subject  which 
possessed  a  hire  all  its  own.  The  air  pro- 
peller makes  possfble  a  vehicle  of  any 
power  and  speed  up  to  the  linflt^  of  safety 
on  the  road,  without  the  complications 
of  clutch,  gear  shift,  and  diflPerential. 
Many  persons  have  the  impression  that 
an  air  propeller  cannot  move  a  very 
heavy  vehicle.  This  is  erroneous;  very 
heavy  motor  trucks  have  been  moved  at 
a  good  rate  of  speed  by  the  thrust  of  air 
propellers.  It  is  true  that  the  air  pro- 
peller does  not  provide  much  increase  -of 
the  driving  force  at  low  speed ;  *  in  fact, 
for  this  very  reason,  air-propelled  vehi- 
cles cannot  be  expected  to  compete  with 
gear-driven  ones  for  hill  climbing.  It  is 
on  fairly  good  roads,  in  more  level 
country,  that  the  air  propeller  shows  to 
the  best  advantage,  giving  real  power 
at  good  speeds,  without  gears  to  wear  out, 
or  any  complicated  transmission  mechan- 
ism. The  speedster  here  described  is  not 
intended  for  use  on  city  streets ;  first,  be- 
cause it  cannot  claim  to  have  a  good  "get- 
away" for  city-traffic  running,  and -second, 
because  the  air  propeller  is  dangerous 
where  persons  might  be  struck  by  it. 

Chassis  Springs 

As  will  be -seen  in  the  illustration  above, 
the   car  is   built  on  two   long  stra^fat- 


grain  pieces  of  white  ash,  which  have 
their  ends  bent  down  at  least  6  in.  by 
being  steamed  and  held  in  a  form.  The 
method  -of  bending  is  shown  in  Fig.  1. 
The  wood  should  iirst  'be  steamed  or 
soaked  in  hot  water,  and  then  allowed 
to  dry  thoroughly  before  removing  from 
the  bending  form.  The  aodes  and  body 
^re  fitted  to  these  springs  by  12  bent  fit- 
tings, all  identical  in  shape  and  size,  made 
of  sheet  steel  bent  around  tubing  to  make 


The  Springs  are  Steamed  and  Bent,  Umg.  Ordinary 
Wooden  Clraips.  Twelve 'Irtentical  Steel  Fittings  are 
R«q«ir«d  for  Paetening  the  Body,  8pTxngt,*and  Axles 

a  snug  fit,  as  shown  in  Fig.  2.  Two  of 
them  are  bolted  to  the  underside  of  each 
spring,  one  at  each  end.  The  washer 
plate  ^is  used,  in  woeh  case,  on  the  oppo^ 
site  side  of  'the  board,  and  the  (bolt  heads 


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come  directly  against  it.    Two  more  pairs 
of   Rttings   are   mounted   on   ash   blocks 


^reOLT  A6  STCCRfNQ-KNUCKLC  PIN 
mC  •  REINFORCED - 


,  rj^Ti  REINFORCED  ->v 

UJW  i4'Miie  TUBiNe^ 


DETAIL  OF    END  OP 
TIE- ROD 


RCAR-AXLL    DLTAIL 


The  Axle  and  Steering-Gear  Construction  is  Marked 

by  Simple  and  vibration.Proof  Fasten^ 

ings  Throughout 

bolted   to   the   springs,   as  shown   in  the 
assembly  view,   Fig.  4. 

Axles  and  Wheels 

The  front  and  rear  axles  are  made  of 
the  same  size  of  steel  tubing,  specified  in 


SIDE    VIEW 
Fi«  4 

In  the  Plan  and  Elevation  of   the  Speedster  are  Shown  the  Long  Ash 
Chassis  Springs,  the  Brake  Linkage,  and  the  Steering  Mechanism 


Fig.  3.     The  ash  springs  are  spaced  the 
proper  distance  apart,  as  given  in  Fig.  4, 


and  two  ^-in.  holes  are  drilled  through 
the  fittings  and  axles.     The  fittings  arc 
then    fastened    on    the    axles    by    bolts 
through  these  tubes,  as  shown  in  Fig.  2. 
The    wheels    used   are    stock   motorcycle 
wheels,  either  26  by  2%  in.,  as  used  on 
light-weight  motorcycles,  or  28  by  3  in.,  as 
used  on  the  heavier  motorcycles.     Stock 
motorcycle   axles   and   bearings   are  also 
used.      The     method    of    attaching    the 
motorcycle    axle    to    the    tubing,    which 
forms  the  front  axle  of  the  car,  is  shown 
at  the  top,  in  Fig.  3.    Twoiugs  are  forged 
to  fit  into  the  ends  of  the  piece  of  tubing, 
and  are  drilled  out  to  take  the  steering- 
knuckle  pin.     Each  lug  is  fastened  into 
the  tubing  by  two  bolts  or  pins,  and  the 
steering  knuckle  swings   on  the  upright 
bolt   through   it.     The  steering  knuckles 
are  of  bar  steel,  and  are  bent  to  shape 
and  riveted  to  the  steering-knuckle  arms, 
and  the  tie- rod  is  bolted  to  them.     This 
piece  of  tubing,  which  forms  the  tic-rod, 
has    forked    ends    reinforced    with    sheet 
steel,  bolted  to  thfe  two  steering-knuckle 
arms;  as  shown  in  the  detail.     The  rein- 
forcement consists  of  No.  12  gauge  sheet 
steel,  bent  to  a  U-shape  and  soldered  be- 
tween the  forks  of  the  tube.    One  of  the 
holes  in  the  tie-rod  should  not  be  located 
finally  until  the  chassis  is  set  uiJ,  and  the 
front  wheels   are  tested  to   see  whether 
they  are  lined  up  properly.     When  they 
are  set  psirallel  with  each  other,  the  tie- 
rod    should    be    marked 
and   drilled.     A    shorter 
length  of  tubing  of  the 
same  size  forms  the  drag 
rod,    placed    behind    the 
tie-rod.     One  end  of  the 
drag  rod  is  attached  to 
the  left  steering-knuckle 
arm  by  a  piece  of  %-in. 
round   iron,  forged  to  a 
shape  resembling  a  cot- 
ter pin,  driven   into  the 
drag    rod,    and    secured 
with    cotter    pins.      The 
other  end  is  flattened  and 
drilled,  and  is  connected 
to  the  arm  on  the  steer- 
ing column.     The   rear- 
axle  detail,  shown  below, 
is,  of  course,  much  sim- 
pler. 

Body 

The  framework  of  the 

body     consists     of     five 

built-up     formers,     cut 

from    %-in.     hard    pine 

and   dimensions    given    in 


to    the   shape 


Fig.  5,   and  mounted   on  two   long  ash 

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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


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frame  members.  Each  former  is  made 
up  of  four  or  five  pieces,  held  together 
by  screws.  The  formers  are  held  in 
place  between  the  frame  members  by 
wood  screws,  and  are  reinforced  by  hard- 
wood corner  blocks.  Two  cross  mem- 
bers are  set  in  the  underside  of  the  frame 
members,  as  shown  in  Fig.  4.  To  each  of 
these,  near  the  ends',  are  bolted  two  of 
the  12  bent  fittings.  The  washer  plates 
used  here  should  be  of  such  length  that 
they  can  be  bent  to  a  right  angle,  the  bent 
portion  to  lie  against  the  frame  member 
and  be  bolted  to  it.  The  floor  is  made 
of  %-in.  boards,  screwed  firmly  to  the  top 
of  the  long  frame  members.  On  the  un- 
derside of  the  floor,  several  %-in.  boards 
should  be  screwed  diagonally  to  the  floor 
in  such  a  way  that  they  will  strengthen 
the  framework  against  shocks  which 
would  tend  to  make  the  frame  collapse 
or  fold  up.  Two  light  bucket  seats,  as 
used  on  speedster  automobiles,  will  do 
very  nicely.  If  these  cannot  be  picked 
up  cheaply  in  some  garage,  a  satisfactory 
seat  can  be  made  from  wood  and  canvas. 
The  tops  of  the  cushions  should  come 
about  8  in.  above  the  floor. 

The  entire  body  of  the  speedster  is 
covered  with  heavy-gauge  tin  (about 
XX),  or  No.  22  gauge  sheet  steel.  It  is 
put  on  in  four  sections,  of  the  shape  and 
dimensions  given  in  Fig.  6.  If  the 
builder  is  unable  to  secure  material  in 
such  large  sheets,  sections  can  be  made  of 
two  or  more  pieces  riveted  together. 
The  metal  is  bent  over  and  attached  to 
the  formers  and  the  frame  with  round- 
head wood  screws,  spaced  about  2  in. 
apart.  The  fuel  tank  is  mounted  in  this 
metal  covering,  just  behind  the  rear  seat. 
A  metal  tank,  about  8  in.  in  diameter  and 
20  in.  long  will  be  suitable.  The  tank  may 
be  soldered  tightly  at  one  end  to  the  metal 
covering,  and  the  other  end  left  loose,  so 
that  stresses  due  to  the  springing  of  the 
car  frame  will  not  be  transmitted  to  the 
walls  of  the  tank. 

The  body  is  mounted  on  the  springs  by 
means  of  two  steel  tubes,  set  under  the 
cross  members,  as  seen  in  Fig.  4.  These 
tubes  are  bolted  into  the  fittings  on  the 
body,  and  are  held  in  place  in  the  fittings 
on  the  springs  by  heavy  cotter  pins  with 
washers,  placed  through  their  ends.  These 
pins  keep  the  tube  from  sliding  endwise, 
but  do  not  prevent  the  slight  rotating 
motion  which  occurs  whenever  the 
springs  bend.  The  rear  tube  extends  out 
beyond  the  front  one,  and  serves  to  anchor 
the  brake  bars,  outside  of  which  are  sim- 
ilar washers  and  pins. 


atcerincQew 

As  will  be  seen  in  the  assembly,  Fig.  4, 
and  in  the  detail  in  the  lover  right-hand 
corner  of  Fig.  3,  the  steerini^  column  is  a 
length  of  steel  tubing,  runnmg  from  the 
second  former,  or  dash,  to  the  first  for- 


The  Framework. for  the  Body  Consists  of  Five  Bi»ilt- 

Up  Frames  Which  Give  the  Form  to  the 

Sheet-Metal  Body  Covering 

mer,  or  false  radiator.  Near  the  lower 
end  is  riveted  a  steel  arm,  the  other  end 
of  which  is  bolted  to  the  right  end  of  the 
drag  rod,  in  Fig.  3.  At  the  ends  of  the 
steering  column,  two  beveled  hardwood 
blocks  are  fastened  to  the  formers  with 
wood  screws.  The  tube  is  held  in  posi- 
tion lengthwise  by  cotter  pins  bearing 
against  large  washers. 

Brakes 

The  installation  of  a  brake  on  a  vehicle 
of  this  type  is  not  an  easy  problem,  owing 
to  the  fact  that  there  is  no  rear-axle  shaft 


PIECC 
CONNCCTINQ 
FORMERS  4  frS 


DETAIL  OFCOVCPIN6 

no.  6 

Plat  Patterns  are  Here  Worked   Out  for  the    Pour 

Pieces  of  Sheet  Steel,  or  Heavy  Tin,  Required 

to  Form  the  Body  Covering 

which  turns  with  the  wheels,  and  the  mo- 
torcycle wheels  used  are  not  built  to  take 
a  suitable  brake  drum.  It  is,  of  course, 
possible    to    mount    drums    on    the    rear 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


wheels,  but  it  is  believed  that  the  brake 
mechanism  illustrated  in  Figs.  4  and  7 
will  be  easier  to  construct  throughout, 
and  will  give  satisfactory  service.    Two 


-•\    fx2"BRAKe  BAR^ 


OTTAILOr  BRAKE 

r.o.7 

The  .Bnke   LiBkac«i.  While  «f  Somewhat  UBUsual 

Construe tioiiy  Kqualizea  the  Pressure  on 

All  Pour  Brake  Shoef 

brake  bars,  of  V^  by  2  in.  ash,  seen  in  Fig. 
7,  have  a  1^-in.  hole  in  one  end,  and  are 
slipped  over  the  end  of  the  rear  cross  tube. 
The  bars  are  strengthened  by  iron  straps 
around  this  end,  and  the  1^/4-in.  holes 
must  be  slightly  elongated  to  give  some 
end  play,  so  that  the  brake  bar  is  free 
to  move  slightly  endwise  as  the  springs 
bend,  but  cannot  work  entirely  loose  from 


SHEET  STEP. 

DETAIL  OF  CNOINC  FRAME 


THRUST   BEARING 


PROPELLER  HUB 


The  Engine  Mounting  is  Not  Worked  Out  in  DeUil, 

Owing  to  Differences  in  Engine  Dimensions,  but 

the  Propeller  Mounting  is  Detailed  Fully 

the  ash  spring.  The  brake  bars  are  at- 
tached firmly  to  the  rear  axle  by  steel 
straps,  as  shown  in  Fig.  4  and  detailed 


in  Fig.  7.  The  straps  must  be  able  to 
slide  along  the  axle  for  a  distance  of 
%  to  1  in.,  depending  on  how  much 
play  is  allowed  in  the  brake  linkage. 
To  a  point  directly  underneath  the  rear 
axle,  on  the  brake  bars,  the  toggle 
arras  are  attached  by  steel  hinges.  The 
other  end  of  each  toggle  arm  is  attached, 
as  shown  in  Fig.  7,  to  the  central  brake 
rod,  which  extends  forward  to  the  brake 
lever  in  front  of  the  driver's  seat.  This 
rod  should  slide  back  and  forth,  guided 
by  an  iron  strap  hung  over  the  tube  which 
is  under  the  rear  seat.  The  brake  control 
lever,  seen  in  Fig.  4,  may  be  placed 
slightly  to  one  side,  and  must  be  provided 
with  some  sort  of  ratchet  or  locking 
mechanism,  as  indicated. 

When  the  lever  is  pulled  back,  the 
toggle  arms  force  the  brake  bar,  which 
carries  the  brake  shoes,  against  the  edges 
of  the  steel  rims  on  the  rear  wheels.  The 
brake  shoes  should  be  lined  with  a  good 
grade  of  automobile  brake  lining,  and  the 
shoes  should  be  at  least  6  in.  long,  to 
avoid  excessive  wear  on  the  lining.  The 
lining  should  be  attached  in  the  usual 
manner  with  copper  rivets,  and  can  be 
renewed  by  removing  the  straps  from  the 
rear  axle. 

Power  Plant 

A  strip  of  sheet  steel  is  laid  across  the 
rear  end  of  the  frame  members,  and  lines 
are  scraped  on  it  along  the  outer  edges 
of  these  members.  The  ends  of  the  strip 
are  bent  down  at  right  angles  on  these 
lines.  This  strip  then  forms  the  base  of 
the  engine  mounting,  which  is  detailed  in 
Fig.  8.  From  a  piece  of  the  same  sheet 
steel,  the  upper  half  of  the  engine  mount- 
ing is  bent  to  the  form  indicated.  No 
dimensions  are  given  for  this  piece,  as 
they  will  be  governed  by  the  dimensions 
of  the  engine.  The  width  between  the 
front  and  rear  triangular  faces  should 
correspond  to  the  thickness  of  the  crank 
case.  The  metal  should  be  cut  away,  to 
allow  clearance  for  any  projections  on  the 
crank  case.  The  engine  is  bolted  down 
between  the  two  triangular  faces  of  the 
steel  plate,  the  bolts  being  run  through 
the  same  holes  used  in  mounting  the  en- 
gine in  the  motorcycle  frame. 

The  propeller  is  mounted  on  a  piece  of 
1-in.  shafting,  which  runs  in  two  babbitt- 
lined  bronze  bearings  set  in  a  tube  of  suit- 
able size,  as  indicated  in  Fig.  8.  Holes 
are  cut  through  the  upper  ends  of  the  tri- 
angular steel  faces,  just  large  enough  to 
drive  the  two  bushings  through.  A  short 
length  of  tubing  is  fitted  between  the 
flanges,  in  line  with  these  holes,  which. 

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in  turn,  should  be  accurately  in  line  with 
the  direction  of  travel  of  the*  car.  The 
bushings  are  forced  through  the  flanges 
itito  the  ends  of  the  tube,  and  fastened 
with  machine  screws.  A  large  motor- 
cycle sprocket  is  pinned,  or  keyed,  to  the 
forward  end  of  the  propeller  shaft,  and  a 
smaller  sprocket  opposite  on  the  crank- 
shaft of  the  engine.  The  chain  used  is  a 
stock  motorcycle  chain,  shortened  as  re- 
quired. Two  flat  surfaces  are  filed  on  the 
rear  end  of  the  shaft,  as  shown,  to  take 
the  two  disks,  as  detailed,  which  are 
mounted  to  form  the  hub  of  the  propeller. 
A  1-in.  thrust  bearing  is  used  between  the 
propeller  and  the  rear  bushing,  to  take  up 
the  thrust. 

The  propeller  used  should  be  4  ft.  long 
and  of  4-ft.  pitch,  with  a  maximum  blade 
width  of  6  in.  It  should  be  firmly  bolted 
between  the  two  steel  disks,  and  mounted 
on  the  flattened  portion  of  the  shaft.  To 
strengthen  the  power-plant  mounting 
against  the  propeller  thrust,  it  will  be 
well  to  run  two  braces  of  light  steel  tub« 
ing  from  the  flanges  of  the  triangular  steel 
faces  down  to  the  ash  cross  member 
under  the  rear  seat. 

Other  Controls 

Since  there  are  no  clutch  and  gear  shift, 
the  only  other  controls  necessary  are  the 
spark  advance  and  throttle  on  the  engine. 
No  attempt  is  here  made  to  suggest  the 
mechanism  for  these  controls,  since  it 
will  depend  largely  on  the  preference  of 
the  builder,  and  the  type  of  motorcycle 
engine  used.  Two  wires,  from  levers  on 
the  dash,  or  pedals  on  the  floor,  to  the 
carburetor  and  the  magneto,  respectively, 
will  largely  take  care  of  this  feature. 

Operation 

Assuming  that  the  engine  makes  up- 
ward of  2,500  r.  p.  m.,  the  gear  ratio 
should  be  IV^  to  1 ;  that  is,  the  sprocket 
on  the  crankshaft  should  have  just  two- 
thirds  as  many  teeth  as  the  larger  sprocket 


on  the  propeller  shaft.  The  speed  which 
can  be  expected  from  the  car  on  a  good 
road  will  depend  on  the  workmanship  of 
the  propeller,  as  well  as  on  the  power  of 
the  engine,  and  the  weight  carried  in  the 
car,  but  it  should  not  be  less  than  30 
miles  an  hour,  if  the  car  is  well  built,  and, 
with  a  good  powerful  engine,  it  should 
be  possible  to  get  a  considerably  higher 
speed  than  this.  It  should  be  remembered 
that  travel  on  ordinary  roads  at  speed 
above  30  miles  is  more  or  less  dangerous 
in  any  kind  of  a  vehicle,  and  in  a  hand- 
made car,  such  as  this,  the  utmost  care 
should  be  used  in  inspecting  the  wood 
used  for  springs,  frame  members,  and 
other  parts,  to  see  that  it  contains  no  de- 
fects, as  failure  in  one  of  them  in  travel- 
ing at  high  speed  may  result  in  a  serious 
accident.  The  only  element  of  danger  due 
to  the  air-drive  system  is  that  some  per- 
son may  come  in  contact  with  the  pro- 
peller while  it  is  in  motion.  The  mount- 
ing of  the  propeller  between  the  rear 
wheels  so  that  it  does  not  project  beyond 
them  minimizes  this  danger,  but  care 
should  be  used  when  turning  the  propeller 
to  start  the  engine  to  see  that  nobody  is 
in  a  position  to  be  struck  by  it.  In  start- 
ing the  engine,  set  the  brake  firmly, 
retard  the  spark,  open  the  throttle  only 
a  small  amount,  and  give  the  propeller  a 
turn  or  two  with  the  hand.  *  It  is  impor- 
tant that  the  throttle  be  not  opened  wide 
in  starting,  as  the  driving  thrust  is  exerted 
immediately  when  the  engine  starts,  in- 
stead of  being  delayed  until  the  clutch  is 
engaged,  as  in  an  ordinary  car.  It  is  for 
this  reason  that  the  brake  must  be  firmly 
set,  in  order  to  hold  the  car  from  starting 
under  the  initial  thrust  from  the  propeller. 
Unless  the  throttle  is  open  too  wide,  this 
thrust  will  be  easily  held  by  the  brake. 
The  driver  then  takes  his  seat  and  releases 
the  brake,  opening  the  throttle  farther,  if 
necessary,  to  start  the  car.  Accessories, 
such  as  a  horn,  speedometer,  etc.,  may 
be  added  as  desired. 


MATERIAL  REQUIRED 


2  pieces  of  ash,  1  by  4  in.  by  11  ft. 
2  pieces  of  ash,  %  by  4  in.  by  11  ft. 
2  pieces  of  ash,  1  by  4  by  40  in. 
2  pieces  of  pine,  %  by  8  in.  by  6  ft. 
2  pieces  of  pine,  %  by  3  in.  by  8  ft. 
1  piece  of  pine,  %  by  4  in.  by  10  ft. 
10  sq.  ft.  No.  12  gauge  sheet  metal. 
45  sq.  ft.   No.  22  gauge  sheet  steel,  or  heavy-gauge 

tin,  body  covering. 
1  sq.  ft  No,  10  gauge  tin,  body  covering, 
1  piece  No.  12  gauge  seamless  steel  tubing,  35  in. 

^long,  1^  In.  outside  diameter. 
8  pieces  No.  12  gauge  seamless  steel  tubing,  40  in. 
long,  1)4  in.  outside  diameter. 


1  piece  No.   12  gauge  seamless   steel   tubing,   70  in. 

long,  %  in.  outside  diameter. 
1  piece  No.  12  gauge  seamless  steel   tubing,  60  in. 

long,  outside  diameter  depending  upon  steering 

wheel  used. 
4  ft,  bar  steel,  %  by  1%   in. 

3  ft.  bar  steel,  %  by  1  in.  " 

1  pair  bronze  bushings,  1  in.  inside  diameter. 

1  1-in.  thrust  bearing. 

1  piece  shafting,  1  by  14  in. 

4  front   motorcycle   wheels,   complete   with    bearings 

and  axles,  light-weight  or  standard. 

1  light-weight  automobile  steering  wheel. 

2  light  bucket  seats. 

Several  light  pieces  of  hard  pine  for  brake  linkage. 


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Centering  Chuck  Jobs  Qukkly 

in  the  Lathe 

Lathe  work  held  in  a  chuck  may  have  a 
center  hole  drilled  without  removing  the 
dead  center  from  the  lathe.    Using  a  drill 


By  CounteniakiBg  a   Chuck   to  Pit  over  the  Tail- 
stock  Center,  a  Center  Hole  is  Drilled  Very  Quickly 

chuck  as  it  comes  from  the  manufacturer, 
countersink  it  to  a  60**  angle,  so  that  it 
will  fit  directly  over  the  dead  center. 
Place  a  center  drill  in  the  chuck,  hold  the 
latter  in  place  with  the  left  hand,  and  with 
the  right  hand  bring  the  tailstock  spindle 
up  until  the  center  hole  is  drilled  as  de- 
sired.— J.  J.  Mclntyre,  Bridgeport,  Conn. 


Frauds  Practiced  in  Selling 
Used  Automobiles 

Weird  and  devious  are  the  business 
methods  used  by  many  used-car  dealers, 
as  well  as  by  individuals  who  wish  to  dis- 
pose of  decrepit  automobiles.  Camou- 
flage, highly  deceptive  to  the  uninitiated 
automobile  buyer,  conceals  broken  and 
defective  parts  in  the  wares  which  are 
sometimes  offered  to  the  unsuspecting 
public,  and  there  are  times  when  even 
would-be  experts  are  deceived. 

When  purchasing  an  automobile  from 
a  person  who  is  not  known  to  the  buyer 
as  being  thoroughly  reliable  in  his  trans- 
actions, it  is  well  to  open  the  transmission 
case  and  examine  the  lubricant  within ; 
if  it  contains  small  particles  of  matter, 
examine  still  closer,  and  ascertain  whether 
or  not  granulated  cork  has  been  intro- 
duced. Ground  cork,  such  as  used  for 
packing  grapes,  is  the  old-time  tonic  for 
worn. and  noisy  gears.  It  is  needless  to 
say  that  gears  found  "lubricated"  with 
cork  should  be  thoroughly  inspected. 

In  cars  where  the  compression  is  bad, 
castor  oil  seems  to  be  the  most  popular 
demonstrator's  aid.  This  is  poured  into 
the  carburetor,  and  is  difficult  of  detec- 
tion once  it  enters  the  cylinders.     Cars 


which  are  hardly  able  to  pull  themselves 
along  in  'their  normal  state  will,  when 
treated  with  castor  oil,  go  chugging  down 
the  road  as  if  they  had  just  been  thoi-- 
oughly  overhauled.  The  oil  forms  a  sort 
of  gum  under  the  heat  of  the  motor,  and 
temporarily  seals  the  leaks  around  the  pis- 
ton and  piston  rings. 

Another  common  stimulant  is  the  use 
of  ether  or  camphor  in  the  gasoline. 
Many  an  unsuspecting  motorist  has  won- 
dered why  he  could  not  get  the  power 
from  his  motor  as  did  the  man  who  dem- 
onstrated the  car.  The  "poor  grade  of 
gasoline  used,"  is  the  explanation  used  to 
comfort  such  purchasers,  and  it  should 
arouse  suspicion  whenever  made.  The 
practices  cited  above  are  only  a  few  of 
the  many,  too  numerous  to  mention.  The 
best  way  to  buy  a  used  car  is  to  buy  from 
a  person  or  firm  who  can  be  relied  on, 
for  persona]  or  for  business  reasons,  not 
to  employ  fraudulent  methods. 


Making  Sockets  for  Taper-Shank 
Twist  Drills 

It  is  often  necessary  in  the  machine 
shop  to  make  sockets  for  standard  taper- 
shank  twist  drills,  as  when  these  drills  are 
to  be  used  in  a  bit  brace.  The  principal 
job  in  making  such  a  socket  is  to  ream  it 
out  to  the  proper  taper.  Unless  a  reamer 
of  the  correct  size  and  taper  is  at  hand, 
it  is  necessary  also  to  make  the  reamer. 
An  easy  way  of  doing  this  is  here  de- 
scribed. 

The  material  used  for  the  reamer  is  the 
shank  of  a  broken  drill,  which  is  of  the 
same  size  as  those  to  be  used  in  the 
socket.  Cut  off  the  tang  of  this  drill 
shank,  square  the  remaining  part  of  the 
drill,  above  the  shank,  to  fit  a  tap  wrench, 
then  dress  down  the  shank  to  a  square 
taper.  This  is  done  by  filing  four  flats 
the  entire  length  of  the  shank,  until  they 


■^■^ 


DRILL  SOCKET  AS  REAMED  OUT 


~: — : — ; — -j  grind  to  f«t 

-^^^JyiAP  WREMOt 


X 


^ i 


SLOT    FOR  TAN©  AND 
rOR  DRIVING  OUT   DRILL 


TAPER  SHANK_ 
TWIST   DRILL 


A  Bit -Brace  Socket,  to  Take  Taper- Shank  DriUs,  is 
Easily  Machined  by  First  Making  a  Special  Reamer 

meet  and  form  sharp  edges.    It  is  impor- 
tant in  filing  these  flats  that  the  diagonal 


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of  the  square,  at  any  point  in  the  taper, 
should  be  the  same  as  the  former  diame- 
ter of  the  round  shank ;  that  is,  one  must 
file  until  the  edges  become  sharp,  and 
must  then  stop  without  further  reduc- 
ing the  thickness.  The  square  reamer 
thus  formed  is  tempered  to  a  good  full-  rx2'x«o-wo6o 
brown  color,  and  is  then  ready  for  use.  »iolt- 

The  socket  is  made  by  turning  and  fil- 
ing a  piece  of  steel  shafting  to  the  shape 
illustrated,  then  drilling,  in  the  lathe,  a 
hole,  which  is  afterward  reamed  in  the 
vise,  with  this  special  reamer,  to  the 
proper  size.  The  slot  for  the  tang  of  the 
drill  is  cut  out  by  drilling  small  holes, 
chipping,  and  filing.  The  making  of  the 
socket  is  not  at  all  difficult  after  the 
reamer  is  provided,  and  the  making  of  the 
reamer  is  a  very  simple  process  for  any- 
one who  can  do  fairly  accurate  filing. 


A  Tool  for  Turning  Machinery 
by  Hand 

A  tool,  such  as  illustrated,  will  be  found 
very  handy  for  the  man  who  frequently 


F 


A  Clothespin  Eraser  Holder 

All  draftsmen  know  the  strain  on  the 
fingers  caused  by  using  a  small  piece  of 
eraser  for  a  long 
time.  A  handle 
can  be  made  by 
fastening  the  era- 
ser between  the 
lips  of  a  clothes- 
pin and  securing 
it  with  a  screw, 
threaded  right- 
hand  on  one  end 
and  left-hand  on 
the  other.  The 
thumb  nut  is  fas- 
tened with  a  little  solder,  after  the  screw 
has  been  placed  in  position,  the  outside 
nuts  being  threaded  right  and  left-hand, 
respectively. — Abel  Green,  New  York, 
New  York. 


Opener  for  Crown-Top  Bottles 

An  opener  for  a  crown-top  bottle  may 
be  made  by  driving  an  eight  or  ten-penny 
nail  into  the  wall  at  an  angle  of  about 
45°,  the  head  of  the  nail  being  lower  than 
the  point.  To  open  the  bottle,  place  the 
neck  under  the  nail,  catching  the  edge  of 
the  crown  on  the  nail  head.  A  sharp 
downward  pull  will  remove  the  cap  in- 
stantly. 

CA  small  electric  motor,  for  which  no 
other  use  is  at  hand,  can  readily  be  fitted 
with  a  chuck  on  the  end  of  the  shaft, 
forming  a  chuck  motor  for  driving  small 
screws,  drilling,  tapping,  and  the  like. 


A  Lerer  with  Handles  at  Both  Ends  FaciliUtet  the 

Turning  by  Hand  of  Pulleys  on 

Heavy  Machines 

has  to  turn  by  hand  heavy  machines,  such 
as  the  Sander  shown  in  the  sketch.  The 
tool  is  made  of  hard  wood,  its  dimensions 
dependin^f  on  the  size  of  the  pulleys  of 
the  machines  to  be  turned,  but  the  dimen- 
sions given  will  prove  suitable  in  many 
cases. — E.  K.  W«hry,  Cedar  Rapids,  la. 


Powerful  Screwdrivers 


screwdrivers    are 
The   type  shown 


These  two  cranked 
very  simple  to  make, 
at  the  left  is  made 
from  a  standard 
screwdriver  of  the 
long-shank  type, 
the  round  stock 
simply  being  heat- 
ed and  bent  to  the 
crank  shape.  The 
driver  to  the  right 
is  made  of  %-in. 
round  steel  rod, 
and  the  handle  is 
made  from  a  door 
knob.  The  first 
type  drives  a 
screw  very  quick- 
ly ;  the  second 
type  is  better  for  forcing  home  a  very 
tight  screw.  These  tools  take  up  very 
little  room  in  the  tool  kit,  yet  seem  indis- 
pensable when  once  used. — C.  H.  Willey, 
Concord,  N.  H. 

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POPULAR    MECHANICS 


Grinding  Jaws  of  Lathe  Chucks 

When  the  jaws  of  a  lathe  chuck  of  the 
"nniversal"  type  are  out  of  true,  they  must 
be  resurfaced  with  a  grinding  wheel.    For 


A  Steel  Ring  Fitted  over   the  Jaws  of  the  Univertal 
Chuck  Holds  Them  in  Proper  Position  for  Grinding 

this  purpose,  they  should  be  forced  back 
just  as  they  are  when  in  actual  use,  all  lost 
motion  and  play  being  thus  taken  up.  A 
good  practical  way  of  doing  this  is  shown 
in  the  sketch.  Through  each  of  the  jaws 
a  pin  is  set,  made  of  9i6  or  %-in.  drill  rod, 
A  steel  ring  is  then  cut  out,  having  slots 
which  fit  over  the  jaws,  enabling  the  ring 
to  press  outward  against  the  pins.  The 
ring  is  placed  in  position  on  the  jaws, 
which  are  then  screwed  up  just  as  if  a 
piece  of  work  was  being  gripped  in  the 
chuck.  The  jaws  are  thus  properly  held, 
with  their  faces  clear  for  grinding. — Chas. 
Homcwood,  Ontario,  Calif. 


Driving  Out  Tight   Bushings 

by  Fluid  Pressure 

A  toolmaker  was  confronted  with  the 
job   of   removing  a   bushing   which   was 
fitted  very  tightly  in  a  blind  drilled  hole. 
There    was    not 
space    enough    at 
the  bottom  of  the 
hole   to   get   in    a 
hook  of  sufficient 
strength     to     pull 
out    the    bushing. 
After  several   dif- 
ferent methods 
had   failed,    the 
toolmaker  fitted  a 
steel  rod  quite  ac- 
curately   into    the 
bushing,  filled  the  hole  with  heavy  oil,  in- 
serted  the    rod   and   drove   it   in   with   a 
hammer  against  the  oil.    The  fluid  pres- 
sure  of   the   oil   was   transferred   to   the 
intier  end  of  the  bushing,  and  forced  it 
out  with  very  little  difficulty. 


Labor-Saving  Chicken  Roosts 

It  has  been  said  that  the  success  of  a 
poultry  keeper  depends  upon  the  condi- 
tion of  his  roosts.  There  is  a  good  deal 
of  truth  in  this'  assertion,  yet  numerous 
poultry  keepers  fail  in  manure  removal 
mainly  because  they  have  inconvenient 
arrangements.  The  equipment  determines 
whether  this  chore  is  hard  or  easy.  The 
following  are  simple  plans  which  save 
time  and  trouble. 

Assuming  that  the  dropping  boards  are 
built  up  to  a  wall,  as  they  are  in  a  great 
majority  of  poultry  houses,  two  arrange- 
ments are  successful  in  operation  and  easy 
to  introduce.  The  dropping  boards  are 
readjusted  so  that  they  are  level  or  have 
a  slight  slope  toward  the  wall  instead  of 
away  from  it.  Next,  wall  apertures  are 
made  through  which  the  manure  is  pushed 
with  a  hoe  into  a  receptacle  outside  the 
house.  One  method  is  to  make  this  open- 
ing a  small  manure  door,  1  ft.  or  18  in. 
vj^ide  and  8  in.  high,  in  which  case  the  out- 
side receptacle  may  be  a  barrel  equipped 
with  a  cover  which  will  shed  rain. 

Another  way  is  to  prepare  a  wall  open- 
ing, 4  in.  high  and  as  long  as  the  dropping 
boards,  emptying  into  a  special  manure 
box  built  onto  the  house.  This  space  is 
left  constantly  open,  or  may  be  closed  by 
a  hinged  board.  The  manure  box  is  as 
long  as  the  dropping  boards,  2  to  3  ft 
wide,  and  as  deep  as  the  annual  produc- 
tion of  manure  dictates.  It  has  a  sloping 
roof  lid,  and  the  whole  is  covered  tightly 
with  roofing  paper,  to  preserve  the  ma- 
nure in  a  dry  state  and  to  keep  out  draft. 
It  is  emptied  in  the  spring,  or  oftener  if 
desired. 

As  well-preserved  hen  manure  has  a 
cash  value  of  75  cents  to  $1.25  a  barrel 
in  many  towns  and  cities,  such  facilities 
as  the  foregoing  are  profitable  invest- 
ments aside  from  their  convenience.  The 
boards  are  cleaned  with  a  hoe  every  day 
or  two,  at  which  time  sawdust  or  dry 
earth  is  sprinkled  lightly  over  the  boards. 
The  manure  does  not  then  adhere,  and  is 
readily  removed. 

In  contrast  with  plans  which  make  daily 
removal  easy  are  the  practical  arrange- 
ments made  for  the  removal  of  droppings 
twice  a  year,  in  late  fall  and  early  sprmg. 
Where  floor  space  is  at  a  premium,  as  it 
is  with  a  crowded  flock,  this  method  can- 
not be  used.  It  saves  considerable  labor, 
however,  and  is  gaining  ground  at  present 
among  commercial  poultry  men.  The  idea 
is,  briefly,  to  dispense  with  dropping 
boards  altogether.     Beneath  the  roosts  a 


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space  equal  in  area  to  that  ordinarily 
taken  up  by  dropping  boards  is  set  off 
from  the  balance  of  the  floor  by  means  of 
boards  built  to  form  a  shallow  pen.  At 
short  intervals  in  damp  weather,  and  as 
needed  at  other  times,  the  poultry  keeper 
sprinkles  an  inch  or  so  of  sawdust  or 
other  litter  material  over  this  dropping 
space.  If  this  duty  is  observed  intelli- 
gently, no  ill-smelling  mass  will  accumu- 
late beneath  the  roosts.  The  hens  will 
scratch  there,  and  the  mass,  steadily 
growing  deeper,  will  look  very  much  like 
litter.  It  is  removed  with  a  wheelbarrow 
twice  a  year.  A  concrete  floor  is  pref- 
erable for  this  dropping  pen,  though  in 
no  way  indispensable. 

Labor,  with  any  style  of  dropping 
boards,is  very  much  reduced  by  systematic 
applications  of  sawdust,  lime,  or  other 
mulch,  to  prevent  adhesion  of  manure  to 
the  boards.  A  pailful  of  such  material 
should  be  kept  near  at  hand,  hanging 
from  the  side  wall,  or  permanently  sus- 
pended from  a  hook  beneath  the  dropping 
boards. 


Punch  Made  from  Old  Pliers 

A  punch  for  making  holes  in  tin  or 
sheet  iron  may  easily  be  made  from  an  old 
pair  of  pliers.  The  jaws  should  be  an- 
nealed, and  holes 
drilled,  as  shown 
in  the  illustration. 
A  short  plug, 
made  of  drill  rod, 
is  inserted  for  a 
perforator,  and 
the  jaws  are  tem- 
pered again.  The  plug  should  be  short, 
and  the  hole  opposite  must  be  made 
slightly  larger  than  the  plug,  to  take  care 
of  the  arc  described  by  the  plug  when  the 
tool  is  operated. — Fred  Christensen,  Co- 
lumbus, Ohio. 


Removing  Automobile  Valve  Cages 

Removing  overhead-valve  cages  is  often 
a  difficult  task.  It  may  be  accomplished 
much  easier  than  ordinarily  if  a  lit- 
tle kerosene  is  poured  into  each  valve 
cage  before  starting  work.  Then,  after  re- 
moving the  rocker  arms  and  valve-cham- 
ber ^plugs,  turn  the  starting  crank  until 
the  piston  begins  the  compression  stroke. 
Continue  to  turn  the  crank  very  slowly 
until  the  compression  forces  the  cage  out. 
This  should  be  done  to  only  one  cylinder 
at  a  time. — ^John  G.  Pope,  Worcester,, 
Massachusetts. 


A  Combination  Table  and  Bench 

A  very  useful  article  of  furniture  is 
a  table,  the  top  of  which  is  attached  in 
such  a  way  that  it  can  be  swung  up  to 


The  Same  Object  Becomes  in  Turn  a   Bench,  a 

Table,  and  a  Convenient   Storage  Box 

for  the  Parlor  or  Living  Room 

form  the  back  of  a  bench.  A  shelf  under- 
neath the  table  top  then  forms  the  bench 
seat,  and  it  in  turn  forms  the  lid  of  a 
box  in  which  magazines  or  other  ma- 
terial may  be  kept.  The  pivots  on  which 
the  table  top  swings  may  be  wooden  pegs, 
or  steel  pins,  depending  on  the  general 
type  of  construction  used  in  building  this 
piece  of  furniture. 


Simple  Cord  Adjuster 

The  height  of  any  object  suspended 
from  the  ceiling  may  be  quickly  adjusted 
by  usir\g  the  knot- 
and-loop  method 
illustrated.  A  loop, 
tied  in  the  cord 
near  the  object, 
catches  on  one  of 
several  knots  tied 
in  the  other  end 
of  the  cord,  which 
has  been  passed 
over  a  pulley. 
Since  these  knots 
may  be  changed 
to  suit  any  need, 
the  method  is 
adaptable  to  use  ^^^ 
with  electric  lamps,  banana  bunches, 
clotheslines,  and  many  other  objects. — 
Charles  Brocksmith,  Bicknell,  Ind. 


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Flagpole  Pulley  Lubrication 

The  pulleys  used  on  flagpoles  are  so  ex- 
posed to  weather  conditions  that  they  rust 
very  quickly,  and 
wear  out  the  hal- 
yard rope  by  their 
roughness,  as  well 
as    by   the    pulley 
remaining    s  t  a  - 
tionary  instead  of 
turning.     This 
trouble    may    be 
avoided    by    tying 
soft     sponges     to 
the   halyard   rope, 
saturating   them 
with  light  machine 
oil,   and   jamming 
them  into  the  pul- 
ley block  by  haul- 
ing   on    the    rope 
first  from  one  side, 
__^__^____________     then     from     the 

other,  repeatedly. 
This  insures  the  pulley  being  well  oiled, 
and  should  be  done  about  once  a  month. 


Counterboring  Drill  for  Clutch 
Leather  and  Brake  Lining 

In    installing    new    brake    linings    and 
leather  facing  for  friction  clutches  on  au- 
tomobiles, it  is  necessary  to  counterbore 
the  brake  lining,  or  leather,  in  order  to 
let  the  rivet  ends  in   below  the  surface, 
so  that  they  will  not  come  in  contact  with 
the  metal  friction  surface.    This  work  of 
counterboring  is  difficult  for  an  inexpe- 
rienced person  to  accomplish,  because  it 
is  important  that  the  hole  must  not  be  so 
deep  as  to  weaken 
the     fastening    of 
the     lining.       A 
twist  drill,  ground 
as    shown    at    the 
left   of  the   draw- 
ing,   will    do   this 
work  very  nicely. 
It  is  used  in  this 
way :      After     the 
leather    or    brake 
lining     has     been 
)     put  in  place,  and 
the     rivet     holes 
made  in  it,  lay  it 
on  a  flat  piece  of 
iron  on  the  drill- 
press  table.     Place  this  specially  ground 
twist     drill     in     the     drill-press     chuck, 
and    start    the    point    of   it    in    the    rivet 
hole.     Drill  down  until  the  point  touches 


I 


the  iron.  With  a  little  care,  all  the 
holes  will  thus  be  countersunk  to  the 
same  depth.  The  length  of  the  central 
point  on  the  drill  will,  of  course,  depend 
on  the  thickness  of  the  lining  or  leather. 


Fungus  Razor  Hone 

Canadian  woodsmen  make  a  serviceable 
razor  strop  from  the  fungus  growing  on 
tree  trunks.  The  fungus  is  stripped  from 
the  bark,  and  cut  level  on  one  side.  By 
gluing  it  to  small  pieces  of  lath,  a  strop 
can  be  made  which  puts  a  very  sharp 
edge  on  a  razor.  A  short  stroke  is  neces- 
sary, as  most  fungus  growths  are  not 
more  than  6  in.  long. — James  E.  Noble, 
Kingston,  Ont.,  Can. 


Guard  for  Paintbrush 

The  amateur  house  painter  is  apt  to 
overfill  his  brush,  which  means  trouble 
when  working  on  wainscoting  or  window 
sashes.    An  easily  ^ 

made  appliance  to 
remedy  this  con- 
sists of  a  zinc  or 
tin  sheath  fitted 
tightly  to  the 
brush  handle,  and 
fastened  by  a 
hinge  to  a  metal 
guard.  The 
sheath  can  be 
slid  up  the  handle 
far  enough  t  o 
leave  the  bristles 
projecting  %  in. 
below   the   guard, 

which  must  be  of  sufficient  curvature  to 
prevent  contact  with  the  bristles  except  at 
the  lower  end,  where  it  presses  against 
them.  The  hinge  pin  should  project  be- 
yond the  hinge  at  one  side,  so  that  a 
small  coil  spring  may  be  used  to  hold 
down  the  guard,  which  is  raided  for  dip- 
ping by  a  lug  or  handle  made  of  a  strip 
of  heavy  metal.  Solder  and  small  rivets 
are  used  in  fastening  the  parts  together. 
— ^James  E.  Moore,  Portland,  Ore. 


Driving  Auto  with  Sheared  Hub  K^ 

A  makeshift  repair  job  on  the  hub  of  a 
light  automobile  was  made  by  using  a  pipe 
wrench  as  a  spare  part.  Owing  to  a 
sheared  hub  key,  one  of  the  rear  wheels 
became  loose  from  the  floating  axle,  and 
ran  free  in  the  hub  cap.  The  driver  re- 
moved the  cap,  borrowed  a  pipe  wrench 
from  a  neighboring  farmhouse,  and,  fit- 


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ting  it  to  the  threaded  shaft  end,  he  fas- 
tened the  handle  with  wire  to  one  of  the 
spokes  of  the  wheel.  On  reaching  home 
the  slightly  damaged  threads  were  soon 
put  in  shape  with  a  thread  cutter. — Dale 
R.  Van  Horn,  Lincoln,  Neb. 


Simple  Wooden  Block  Forms 

Saw-Sharpening  Clamp 

A  simple  saw-sharpening  clamp  can  be 

made  from  a  block  of  wood,  4  by  6  by  18 

in.    A    saw   cut    is    made    lengthwise    in 

the    narrow    edge    of    the    block.    This 

should    be   deeper 

at  one  end  than  at 

the    other.      Two 

iron  clamps,  bent 

as    shown    in   the 

drawing,   are 

screwed     to     one 

side  of  the  block, 

one    clamp    being 

placed      at     each 

end.     To  sharpen 

the  saw,  clamp  the 

block  to  the  top  of  the  workbench  and 

insert  the  saw,  teeth  up,  in  the  slot  cut 

in.  the  block ;   then  file  as  usual. — P.  P. 

Avery,  Garfield,  N.  J. 


Straw  Hat  Protects  Garden  Plants 

A  discarded  straw  hat  will  serve  in  early 
spring  to  protect  plants  from  frosts.  Es- 
pecially for  city  gardens,  better  results 
are  said  to  be  obtained  with  such  a  pro- 
tector than  with  one  made  of  metal.  The 
hat  is  put  over  the  plant,  and  a  stone  or 
other  weight  is  set  upon  it  to  keep  the 
wind    from    blowing    it    away. 


Countersink  Gauge  on  Key  Ring 

An  inexpensive  countersink  gauge  for 

flat-head    wood    screws    employs    sample 

screws,   with    the 

threaded    portions 

cut    oflf,    and    the 

remaining       ends 

rounded  so  as  to 

reduce     wear     on 

the   pocket.     Flat 

tips    are    soldered 

into     the     slots, 

with  holes  drilled 

to  fit  a  key  ring. 

The  gauge  is  used 

to    determine    the 

proper   depth   to    countersink   for  screw 

heads  of  the  same  size  as  those  in  the 

gauge.— r£.  Alpha  Dean^  Chicago,  111. 


Dust  Catcher  for  Grinder 

A  very  effective  dust  catcher  for  sur- 
face grinders  consists  of  an  iron  bracket, 
to  which  is  bolted  a  broad  piece  of  sheet 
metal,  with  a  wa- 
ter pan  or  trough 
built  on  at  the 
bottom.  A  piece 
of  heavy  cloth,  or 
burlap,  is  hung 
over  the  sheet- 
metal  surface, 
long  enough  to 
reach  down  into 
the  water  trough. 
The  burlap  soaks 
up  the  water  like 
a  wick,  and  is  al- 
ways    kept     wet. 

Emery  dust  and  small  metal  particles 
thrown  against  it  are  caught  and  kept 
from  flying  around  the  shop. 


A  Simple  Telephone-Cord  Adjuster 

To  prevent 
knots  in  a  tele- 
phone cord,  pass 
it  through  a  staple 
and  a  hole  drilled 
in  the  counter  or 
desk  on  which  the 
instrument  stands, 
and  hang  a  weight 
by  a  pulley  from 
the  cord,  keeping 
it  always  taut. 


^-^^ 


SPraNa-BRASQ  JMV 


Spring  Clothespin  Easily  Converted 

into  Efficient  Testing  Clip 

The  advantages  of  using  a  testing  clip 
which  has  large  capacity  and  a  positive 
grip  are  well 
known.  Such  a 
clip  can  be  made 
from  a  spring 
clothespin  by  fit- 
ting spring-brass 
or  bronze  jaws 
under  the  spring 
on  the  clip,  and 
slipping  a  binding 
post  bolt  through 
the  spring  coil  for 
connections.  The 
jaws  are  held  firmly  to  the  clothespin 
by  straps,  or  bands,  of  the  same  metal, 
which  fit  into  the  grooves  in  the  two 
halves  of  the  clothespin. — Milton  H. 
Shoenburg,  San  Francisco,  Calif. 

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A  Quick-Acting  Rope  Clamp 

A  rope  clamp  which  will  hold  firmly  can 
be  made  of  wire  in  a  very  few  minutes. 
The  size  will  depend  somewhat  upon  the 


The  Rope  damp,  for  Hammocks  or  Similar  Use* 

Holds  Tighter  as  the  Weight  on 

the  Rope  is  Increased 

size  of  rope  it  is  to  be  used  with.  It  con- 
sists of  two  parts,  both  made  from  No.  3 
gauge  (^-in.  diameter)  steel  wire,  bent  to 
shape.  A  diamond-shaped  section,  Fig.  1, 
with  a  tongue  at  one  end  and  a  loop  at 
the  other,  and  a  rectangular  part,  Fig.  2, 
which  has  a  loop  at  one  end  formed  of 
the  wire  ends,  make  up  the  assembled 
clamp,  shown  in  Fig.  3.  The  ends  of  the 
diamond-shaped  piece  are  twisted  around 
the  shoulders  of  the  rectangular  piece. 
These  ends  should  extend  out  horizontally 
at  the  sides  of  the  hook  formed  by  the 
ends  of  the  rectangular  piece.  The  illus- 
tration shdws  the  clamp  in  use  on  a  ham- 
mock rope.  The  diamond-shaped  piece  is 
raised,  the  hook  placed  over  the  staple, 
the  end  of  the  rope  looped  around  the 
tongue  of  the  clamp,  and  finally  the  dia- 
mond-shaped piece  is  "lowered. — C.  A. 
Black,  Jr.,  Hightstown,  N.  J. 


Rubber  Sponge  Cleans  Wall  Paper 

A  rubber  sponge,  which  may  be  pur- 
chased at  five  and  ten-cent  stores,  will 
clean  wall  paper  very  nicely.  It  leaves  no 
streaks  or  sticky  rolls  on  the  paper,  re- 
quires no  kneading,  and  is  always  ready 
for  use;  the  dry  sponge  crumbs  can  be 
taken  up  quickly  with  the  vacuum  cleaner 
or  brushed  up  with  a  broom,  and  they  w^ 
not  stick  to  the  floor  or  tramp  into  t'  j 


rugs.  The  rubber  sponge  can  also  be  used 
to  clean  flat-painted  walls  and  varnished 
woodwork,  and  to  remove  the  smoke, 
dust,  and  "cloud"  from  polished  dark- 
wood  mantels  or  furniture.  It  is  also  good 
for  cleaning  picture  frames,  chandeliers, 
and  other  gilt  or  lacquered  articles. — Wm. 
T.  Grinstead,  Columbia,  Mo. 


Tethering  Breaks  Hens  of  Sitting 

One  of  the  quickest  and  best  ways  of 
breaking  hens  of  sitting  is  to  tether  them 
out  of  doors,  where  there  is  no  chance  to 
sit,  and  where  the  fresh  air  and  freedom 
soon  bring  them  back  to  normal  again. 
The  tether  is  simply  a  short  stout  cord, 
fastened  to  a  short  stake  at  one  end  and 
to  a  leather  strap  around  the  hen's  leg  at 
the  other  end.  This  strap  is  a  short  strip 
of  leather  with  a  hole  in  each  end.  It  is 
placed  around  the  hen's  leg,  and  the  end 
of  the  cord  slipped  through  the  holes  and 
tied. 


Soldering  Copper  Has  Jointed  Handle 

One  of  the  handiest  tools  in  a  certain 
machinist's  kit  is  a  soldering  copper  with 
a  jointed  handle.  It  was  made  from  a 
regular  shop  soldering  copper,  by  cut- 
ting the  handle  near  the  copper  and  flat- 
tening it  for  a  short  distance,  then  drilling 
and  filing  a  hexagon  hole.  The  same  was 
done  on  the  end  of  the  handle  rod,  except 
that  the  hole  was  left  round.  Next,  a 
special  steel  bolt  was  made,  with  part  of 
the  body  filed  to  fit  the  hexagon  hole. 
The  two  parts  of  the  handle  were  then 
put  together,  and  the  bolt  inserted  so 
that  the  round  part  of  the  bolt  fitted  into 


A  Soldering  Iron  with  a  Jointed   Handle  may  be 
Set  at  Various  Angles 

the  round  hole,  and  the  hexagon  body 
into  the  hexagon  hole,  the  wing  nut  be- 
ing  placed   on   this   end   and   tightened. 


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This  permitted  the  handle  to  bend  to  any 
angle  without  turning  the  nut,  which 
keeps  the  joint  tight  at  all  times. 


Swivel  Jaws  for  Holding 

Wood  in  Iron  Vise 

Auxiliary  jaws  for  holding  either  flat 
or  angular  pieces  of  wood  in  an  iron  vise 
can  be  made  from  scrap  materials.  Cut, 
three  pieces  of 
hard  wood  to  the 
width  and  height 
of  the  jaw  faces. 
Round  off  two  of 
these  on  one  side, 
and  cut  a  mortise 
in  the  round  face 
of  each  block, 
long  and  wide 
enough  for  a 
short  swivel  hinge 
made  of  a  piece  of 
strap  iron  with  a 
hole  drilled  in  each  end.  Insert  the  ends 
of  the  hinge  into  the  mortises,  and  drive 
heavy  steel  pins,  such  as  sections  from 
lar^e  nails,  through  the  two  holes  made 
in  It.  Cut  two  heavy  pieces  of  brass,  or 
other  sheet  metal,  as  wide  as  the  vise 
jaws,  and  long  enough  to  reach  from  the 
face  edge  of  the  jaw,  back  over  the  curve. 
Screw  these  pieces  to  the  auxiliary  jaws, 
one  to  the  flat,  plain  piece,  and  the  other 
to  one  of  the  hinged  blocks.  These  metal 
strips  are  to  hold  the  wood  jaws  in  the 
vise  when  it  is  open.  The  swivel  jaws 
thus  made  enable  the  vise  to  grip  either 
flat  or  angular  pieces  of  wood. — ^A.  B. 
Nutting,  Boston,  Mass. 


TONQUt  WOOD 

.METAL  PLATES  SCNT  TO 
FIT  OVER  VISE  JAWB  "" 


Knots  in  Pattern  Lumber 

When  it  is  impossible  to  obtain  lumber 
for  pattern  work  which  is  free  from 
knots,  it  is  often  possible  to  bore  out  a 
knot,  plug  the  hole  with  a  piece  of  the 
same  material,  and  dress  it  off  to  a  good 
finish.  The  plug  can  be  glued  in  place 
and  will  not  be  found  to  cause  trouble  in 
most  pattern  work. 


Vacuum  Fly  Catcher 

A  large  restaurant  made  use  of  an  in- 
teresting fly  catcher.    A  7%-hp.  motor  in 


Cup  Grease  Keeps  Gaskets  Soft 

Shellac  is  often  used  on  gaskets  to  make 
them  adhere  to  the  metal  surface  while 
assembling.  Gaskets  thus  treated  are  ren- 
dered hard  and  brittle,  and  must  be  re- 
placed when  the  parts  are  reassembled.  - 
Cup  grease,  smeared  on  the  gasket,  will 
serve  the  same  purpose,  and  will  keep  the 
gasket  soft  and  pliable. 


Flies  are  Sucked  into  the  Openings 

in  the  Ceiling,  and  Deposited  in  a 

Cage,   from  which    They  may  be 

Removed  and  Destroyed 

the  basement  was  used  to  drive  an  in- 
closed blower  fan,  with  the  outlet  extend- 
ing through  the  wall  to  the  outside.  A 
10-in.  pipe  was  connected  to  the  suction 
end,  and  was  carried  up  through  the  wall 
to  the  ceiling  of  the  restaurant  roonu 
Here  it  branched  into  numerous  funnel- 
shaped  openings  in  the  ceiling. 

A  cage  of  wire  screen  surrounded  the 
outlet  opening  and  a  drawer  was  placed 
underneath  the  cage.*  When  the  motor 
was  running,  the  flies  were  drawn  into 
the  funnel-shaped  openings  through  the 
10-in.  pipe,  and  deposited  in  the  screen 
cage  out  of  doors.  They  were  removed 
when  the  drawer  became  full.  Before  the 
cage  was  built  over  the  outlet,  the  owner 
observed  that  the  flies  blown  out  by  the 
catcher  returned  instantly  by  way  of  the 
front  door.— H.  S.  Rich,  Cromwell,  Conn. 


Square  Used  as  Level 

Anv  carpenter's  square,  together  with  a 
plumb  bob,  can  be  used  to  form  a  level. 
Hold  the  plumb 
bob,  or  fasten  it 
with  a  clamp,  to 
one  leg  of  the 
square  held  up- 
right. When  the 
plumb  bob  hangs 
so  that  the  dis- 
tance A  is  .equal 
to  distance  B, 
then  the  surface 
is  level  in  the  di- 
rection tested.  A 
clamp  for  the  pur- 
pose   can    readily 

be  made  from  a  stick  of  wood  by  sawing 
out  a  slot  and  driving  a  nail  or  screw 
through  the  slotted  end.— Paul  Gorton, 
Big  Rapids,  Mich. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


Plow  for  Garden  Furrows 

Using  a  hoe  or  small  garden  plow  for 
making  furrows,  in  which  to  plant  pota- 
toes or  set  out  plants  such  as  cabbage  or 


^"X  1^"  H  ANOUC 


-  SHARPEN  COGE 


Furrows  for  Potato-  Planting  can  be    Made  by  j 
Using  a  Plow  Made  from  Sheet  Iron 

tomato,  is  a  tedious  task,  and  does  not 
always  produce  the  proper  kind  of  fur- 
row for  the  particular  thing  being  planted. 

The  furrow  plow  shown  in  the  drawing 
was  designed  to  dig  rapidly  in  soil  that 
had  been  plowed  and  harrowed.  With  it 
a  furrow  of  the  proper  width  and  depth 
can  be  cut  nearly  as  rapidly  as  a  man  can 
walk  and  guide  the  plow,  and  with  little 
more  exertion.  The  size  of  the  plow  can 
be  made  to  cut  the  size  of  furrow  re- 
quired. 

For  the  body  of  the  plow,  use  No.  14 
gauge  sheet  iron.  The  cutting  edge  is  of 
the  shape  and  size  of  the  finished  furrow, 
and  the  metal  tapers  from  this  edge  to 
the  rear  end  of  the  implement.  Wings, 
3  in.  wide,  bent  over  at  the  top  of  the 
sides,  regulate  the  depth  to  which  the 
plow  cuts.  Strength  is  obtained  by  put- 
ting a  strip  of  1  by  %-in.  iron  across  the 
front  edges  of  the  wings,  which  should  be 
turned  up  to  keep  them  from  digging  into 
the  ground.  A  curved  sheet-iron  guide  is 
riveted  to  one  of  the  top  edges,  to  throw 
the  dirt  to  one  side  of  the  furrow.  The 
handle  is  made  from  hickory,  or  oak,  P/^ 
in.  square  and  4  or  5  ft.  long.  It  is  fas- 
tened to  the  plow  with  a  piece  of  strap 
iron,  1  by  %  in.,  in  front,  and  another 
extending  back  to  the  curved  wing  be- 
hind. The  front  strap  may  be  curved  as 
shown,  to  make  it  more  rigid.  When  the 
front  edges  have  been  filed  sharp,  the  im- 
plement is  completed. 


CFor  many  working  sketches  made  in 
pencil,  plain  long-hand  writing  is  much 
to  be  preferred  to  hurried  lettering. 


Removing  Enamel  from  Magnet  Wire 

Many  amateurs  have  trouble  while 
winding  coils  of  various  kinds  with  enam- 
eled magnet  wire,  because  of  the  difficulty 
in  scraping  ofif  the  enamel  without  break- 
ing the  wire.  One  way  of  removing  the 
enamel  is  to  pass  the  wire  over  a  Bunsen 
gas  flame  several  times,  until  the  enamel 
melts  and  drops  off.  If  it  is  impossible 
to  do  this,  the  same  result  may  be  se- 
cured by  dissolving  the  enamel  in  amyl 
alcohol. — Peter  J.  M.  Clute,  Schenectady, 
New  York. 


Reamer  for  Cleaning  Taper  Holes 

When  the  arbor  of  a  milling  machine, 
or  the  center  of  a  lathe,  is  found  to  be  out 
of  true,  the  condition  may  be  due  to  small 
pieces  of  waste,  or  chips  of  metal,  on  the 
surface  of  the  taper  hole.  To  remove 
these,  it  is  desirable  to  have  a  tool  that  will 
work  this  dirt  off  firmly  and  completely, 
without  damaging  the  accuracy  of  the 
tapered  hole.  A  tool  which  fulfills  t^ese 
requirements  can  be  made  from  a  stick 
of  soft,  virhite  pine  of  suitable  size.  One 
end  of  the  stick  is  turned  to  fit  the  taper 
hole.  In  its  surface,  exactly  parallel  with 
its  length,  is  inserted  a  piece  of  thin  hack- 
saw blade,  the  teeth  of  which  have  been 
ground  off  flush  with  the  sides  of  the 
blade.  The  slot  in  which  the  saw  blade 
is  inserted  is  cut  by  the  blade  itself,  after 
the  set  has  been  thus  ground  off.  The 
blade  is  inserted,  teeth  down,  and  should 
project  about  %2  in.  The  edge  is  then 
carefully  straightened  with  an  oilstone, 
and  backed  off  very  slightly.  The  final 
fit  to  the  taper  hole  is  made  by  inserting 
the  tool  and  tapping  it  lightly  with  a 
hammer,  thus  forcing  the  saw  teeth  far- 
ther into  the  wood,  until  the  blade  pro- 
jects only  about  .01  in.  from  the  shank.    A 


^FLUTED 
f*  HANDLE 


SAW  BLADE  N      CMiP  ROOM  - 


MILLER  SPINDLE 


SIDC  VIEW 


FULL    SET 
QN  TEETH 


SET  GROUND  OFF 


A  Hand. operated  Reamer  will  Clean  Out  Dirt  Which 

Sticks  Tightly  in  the  Spindle  of  a  Lathe 

or  Milling  Machine 

space  should  be  cut  at  one  side  of  the 
blade  to  accommodate  the  chips,  or  other 
particles  of  dirt,  which  may  be  scraped 
off.  A  fluted  handle  is  provided,  by  which 
the  tool  is  turned.     It  should  be  with- 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


041 


drawn  in  such  a  way  that  the  dirt  will  be 
largely  removed  with  it,  and  any  loose  dirt 
should  afterward  be  blown  out  of  the 
hole. — ^Joc  V.  Romig,  Allentown,  Pa. 


fittings,  these  being  plugged  with  clay  or 
wood  so  that  the  babbitt  does  not  run  out 


Iodine  for  Scratches  on  Furniture 

Scratches  on  dark-oak  furniture  may 
be  greatly  improved  in  appearance  by 
carefully  paintmg  the  scars  with  iodine, 
using  as  many  coats  as  necessary  to  pro- 
duce the  desired  depth  of  color.  When 
this  is  dry,  go  over  the  whole  piece  of 
furniture  with  a  good  furniture  polish. — 
John  P.  Robinson,  Santa  Fe,  N.  Mex. 


Boonr   HCAO 
i  'N.  O       O 


H 


Draftsman's  Bolt  and  Nut  Ruler 

Draftsmen  who  frequently  have  jobs 
involving  a  large  number  of  bolts  and 
nuts  of  standard  sizes,  will  find  a  trans- 
parent ruler,  like  the  one  illustrated,  to 
be  a  great  timesaver.  The  sizes  of  bolts 
most  frequently 
used  are  selected, 
and  a  circle  of  the 
same  diameter  as 
the  bolt  is  laid 
out,  with  hexagon 
figures  in  line 
with  it,  represent- 
ing the  standard 
sizes  of  the  head 
and  nut,  respec- 
tively, for  a  bolt 
of  the  diameter 
indicated.  When  this  has  been  done  for 
as  many  different  sizes  as  desired,  cut  out 
the  holes  with  drill,  and  file  to  the  shape 
marked.  By  placing  the  point  of  the  pen- 
cil inside  of  these  holes,  with  the  ruler 
laid  on  the  drawing  at  the  proper  place, 
bolts  and  nuts  of  these  sizes  can  be  drawn 
very  quickly. 


^^ 


Ceiling  Fan  for  the  Shop 

Made  of  Pipe  Fittings 

A  great  convenience  in  the  small  shop 
in  hot  weather  is  a  rough  but  powerful 
fan  which  can  be  driven  by  a  belt  from  a 
small  pulley,  set  anywhere  on  a  counter- 
shaft or  main  shaft.  The  fan  here  shown 
is  cheap  and  durable.  It  is  made  of  com- 
mon pipe  and  fittings,  except  for  the  fan 
blades,  pulley,  and  bearings.  The  vertical 
shaft  is  a  piece  of  pipe  which  should  be 
finished  in  a  lathe  if  possible,  or  at  least 
smoothed  off  for  a  few  inches  at  two 
points.  It  works  in  bushines  made  by 
pouring  babbitt  into  the  reducing  cross 


FLOOR  FLANGE 


The  Pan  is  Made  Almost  Entirely  of  Pipe  Fittings, 
and  Driven  from  Any  Shaft  on  the  Ceiling 

through  the  small  ends  of  the  cross.  A 
worn  ball  thrust  bearing  from  an  automo- 
bile, and  a  collar  with  a  setscrew,  support 
the  weight  of  the  fan.  The  fan  blades  are 
cut  from  wood,  screwed  into  short  pieces 
of  pipe,  and  fastened  with  pins  if  neces- 
sary. In  assembling  the  frame,  it  is  nec- 
essary to  file  away  the  threads  at  A  and 
fasten  with  a  pin ;  other  connections  can 
be  made  in  the  usual  way.  The  belt 
should  pass  around  one  side  of  the  frame, 
in  order  that  its  pull  will  come  in  the  di- 
rection where  the  frame  is  strongest. — 
J.  H.  Norrell,  Augusta,  Ga. 


Attachment  Fastens  Cloth  on  Broom 

Housewives  often  find  it  necessary  to 
fasten  a  cloth  on  a  broom  for  use  on 
walls  or  floors. 
By  the  use  of  a 
piece  of  wire,  bent 
as  shown  in  the 
sketch,  the  cloth 
may  be  quickly  at- 
t  a  c  h  e  d  or  de- 
tached.  Stiff 
spring-steel  wire, 
nickelplated,  i  s 
the  best  to  use, 
but  spring  brass, 
if  somewhat  larg- 
er, will  also  be  found  satisfactory. 


L 

1 

^S[ 

1 

*^    DETAIL  or 
BSK>OM  ATTACHMENT 

The 


central  opening  B,  between  the  wires, 
should  be  only  wide  enough  to  make  a 
tight  fit  on  the  broom.  The  two  wires 
on  each  side,  between  which  the  cloth  is 
placed,  should  have  a  very  narrow  space, 
A,  between  them,  except  when  sprung 
apart  to  insert  the  cloth. — Wayne  W. 
Leyrer,  Atlantic  City,  N,  J. 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


Trouble-Lamp  Reflector  Made 

from  Tin  Can 

In  the  ordinary  trouble  lamp  used 
around  machinery,  the  glare  from  the 
lamp  interferes  with  clear  vision  and  the 


A  Tin  Can  Forms  a  Cheap  and  Efficient^  Reflector 
for  the  Shop  Trouble  Light 

operator  is  more  or  less  "blinded."  To 
overcome  this  objection,  a  garage  man 
constructed  a  reflector  from  a  tin  can,  in 
the  manner  shown  in  the  sketch.  Both 
ends  were  removed  from  the  can,  one  en- 
tirely and  one  only  partially,  and  a  por- 
tion of  the  side  cut  away,  leaving  an  oval 
opening. 

The  remaining  tin  was  slipped  over  the 
wire  protector  on  the  lamp,  and  gave  ex- 
cellent results  both  as  an  eye  shade  and 
as  a  reflector. — L.  B.  Robbins,  Harwich, 
Massachusetts. 


Portable  Bench  for  Plumbers 

A  plumber's  bench,  which  is  easily  car- 
ried from  place  to  place,  can  be  made 
from  four  pieces  of  iron  bar,  eight  long 


A  Portable   Plumber's   Bench  is  Formed  by  Insert- 
ing a  Plank  between  the  Rungs  of  the  Two  Trusses 

bolts  with  nuts,  and  eight  short  lengths 
of  pipe.  The  iron  legs  are  bent  as  shown 
in  the  sketch,  and  four  %-in.  holes  are 
drilled  in  each,  for  the  rungs.  The  legs 
are  put  together  with  the  long  bolts  and 
nuts,  using  the  pieces  of  pipe  as  spacers. 
When  completed,  the  sides  of  each  truss 
should  be  121/2  in.  apart  at  the  top,  and 


18  in.  at  the  bottom.  The  two  top  rungs 
are  4  in.  apart.  It  is  an  easy  matter  to 
carry  these  trusses  to  the  job  and  to  insert 
a  length  of  P/^  or  2-in.  plank,  which  can 
nearly  always  be  found  on  the  premises. 
The  bench  thus  made  is  strong,  light,  and 
durable.- 


Bearing  Races  Tightened  by  Solder 

When  the  race  of  an  automobile  ball 
or  roller  bearing  works  loose,  the  sur- 
rounding metal  may  become  so  badly 
worn  that  even  a  new  race  fits  loosely. 
In  such  a  case  the  worn  surface  can  be 
built  up  with  solder  until.it  makes  a  tight 
fit,  and  the  bearing  can  then  be  forced 
into  position  with  a  hardwood  punch. 
Loose  dust  caps  can  be  fixed  in  the  same 
manner. — Fred  Page,  Winfield,  Kan. 


Remedying  a  Sagging  Door 

Sometimes  a  door  will  bind  against  the 
sill,  due  to  wear  in  the  hinges  and  to  sag- 
ging.   A  good  way  to  remedy  this  trouble, 
without  trimming  the  door  or  sill,  is  as 
follows :  Remove  the  door  and  slip  a  small 
ring  made  from  soft-iron  wire  over  each 
hinge  pin,  as  shown  in 
the  sketch;  when  the 
door     is     replaced     it 
should    clear   the   sill. 
If   one   ring   on   each 
hinge  does  not  take  up 
the  wear,  then  another  | 

can  be  added  to  each 
pin.     A  quick  way  to 
make   the   rings  is  to 
wind  the  wire  on  a  rod 
a  little  larger  in  diam- 
eter   than    the    hinge 
pins,  and  then  cut  through  the  coil  length- 
wise with  a  hacksaw.     Each  turn  of  the 
coil  when  removed  from  the  rod  will  be 
a  split  ring.    The  saw  slot  can  be  squeezed 
shut  with  a  pair  of  pliers. — J.  A.  Weaver, 
Baltimore,  Md. 


Wire  Prevents  Rubber  Tube 

from  Breaking  When  Bent 

Rubber  tubing  used  for  joining  pieces 
of  glass  tubing  is  liable  to  crack  at  the 
bends,  or  to  flatten  and  cause  an  obstruc- 
tion. To  keep  a  joint  from  closing,  make 
two  loops  a  few  inches  apart  in  a  piece 
of  wire,  taking  care  that  the  loops  have 
the  same  diameter  as  the  inside  of  the 
tube,  and  insert  the  wire  at  the  place 
where  the  trouble  occurs. — Stanley  Trier, 
Maywood,  111. 


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"P^&y'' — ^n  Exciting  Outdoor  Game 


By  J.  T.  BARTLETT 


A  MONG  the  old  American  games  for 
*^  boys  which  are  not  as  well  known  as 
they  should  be   is  "peggy."     It  has  the 
advantage  that  it  can  be  played  by  any 
number  of  boys.    It  requires  nothing  that 
must  be  purchased;   the  few  objects  re- 
quired  are    readily   made   out   of   wood. 
As  a  preparation   for  the  better  known 
games  of  tennis  and  baseball,  peggy  is  ad- 
mirable training.    The  pasture,  the  field, 
the  little-used  road, 
the  vacant  lot,   all 
are        satisfactory 
playing       grounds. 
The    surface    need 
not  be  level,  though 
it  should  be  smooth 
enough    to    permit 
running     over     all 
parts    of    it.      The 
objects      necessary 
for    playing    the 
game  are  a  bat,  a 
wooden      projectile 
called     the    peggy, 
and  the  "home." 

T  o  make  the 
home,  two  stakes,  1 
ft  long,  each  cut 
off  square  at  the 
top,  are  driven  into 
the  ground  until 
they  project  from  it 
scarcely  at  all. 
They  are  placed  18 

in.  apart.  Next,  a  crossbar  is  nailed  to 
them,  18  in.  long,  IVi  in.  wide,  and  1  in. 
thick.  The  bat  should  be  from  2  ft.  to  21/2 
ft.  long.  It  should  preferably  be  made  of 
a  round  piece  of  ash,  1%  in.  in  diameter, 
but  any  other  wood,  not  heavier  than  ash, 
will  give  satisfactory  results.  To  make 
the  peggy,  a  piece  of  wood,  either  hard  or 
soft,  should  be  cut  out  about  4  in.  long 
and  Wo  in.  square.  The  four  edges  should 
be  rounded  off,  and  the  piece  should  be 
tapered  from  the  middle,  almost  but  not 
quite  to  a  point  at  each  end.  The  edges 
at  the  ends  should  then  be  rounded  off 
abo;    smoothing   down   with   sandpaper 


The  Game  of  Peggy,  Played  with  Objects  Which  can 

be  Cut  Out  in  an  Hour's  Time,  Is  Capable 

of  Providing  Real  Excitement^ 


makes  a  better  job,  although  this  is  not 
essential.  These  objects  can  be  made  by 
almost  any  boy  in  an  hour's  time.  Only 
one  peggy  and  one  bat  are  required  for 
each  game. 

The  game  is  played  in  this  way:     One 
boy  is  "in,"  while  the  rest  are  "out."    The 
counting  out,  as  in  many  other  games,  de- 
termines which  player  shall  first  be  in,  or 
wield  the  bat.  The  player  selected  lays  the 
peggy    against    the 
home   in  the  man- 
ner illustrated,  with 
one     of    the    ends 
protruding      above 
it.     He  strikes  this 
upper  end   a   care- 
fully adjusted  blow 
with  the  end  of  the 
bat,  and  the  peggy 
bounds  into  the  air, 
whirling  about  con- 
tinuously.      Before 
it     falls     to     the 
ground,    he    strikes 
it  a  powerful  blow 
with    the    bat,   just 
as  is  done  in  base- 
ball.   Depending  on 
his     ability     or 
strength,  the  peggy 
will  travel  10  yd.  or 
30,    or   perhaps   60. 
The    other    players 
each    try    to    reach 
the  peggy  wherever  it  falls  in  the  field,  and 
the  first  reaching  it  throws  it  at  the  home. 
To  mark  more  clearly  the  position  of  the 
home,  the  batter  should  place  the  bat  up- 
right in  a  hole  directly  back  of  the  plate  as 
soon  as  he  has  struck  the  peggy.    He  then 
retires  while  the  peggy  is  thrown  at  the 
bat.     If  the  player  who  has  thrown  the 
peggy  hits  the  bat  with  it,  he  goes  in,  and 
his  achievement  in  hitting  the  bat  scores 
him   five   points.     If  he   misses,   but 'the 
peggy  stops  within  a  bat's  length  of  home, 
he  still  goes  in,  but  without  the  five  points. 
If    he    misses    by    more    than    one    bat's 
length,  each  length  to  the  pe^gy  counts 

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the  batter  one  point  and  the  batter  stays 
in  for  another  stroke.  The  game  is  100 
points;  the  player  first  scoring  this  num- 
ber being  the  winner. 

It  is  possible  to  develop  a  great  deal  of 
skill  at  the  game  of  pe^^gy.  The  boy  who 
exercises  his  ability  m  developing  the 
proper  strokes,  and  in  learning  to  throw 
the  odd-shaped  projectile  accurately,  will 
not  only  be  able  to  score  high,  but  will 
be  giving  his  eye  and  his  arm  excellent 


training  for  the  games  of  tennis,  baseball, 
and  football.  While  there  is  some  small 
element  of  danger  in  the  g^ame,  it  is  no 
greater  than  that  of  any  other  outdoor 
game,  and  can  be  practically  all  avoided 
by  alertness  in  playing.  The  players  in 
the  field  must  keep  their  eyes  on  the  bats- 
man while  he  is  preparing  to  strike,  and 
the  batsman  must  not  stand  near  the  plate 
after  he  has  delivered  his  stroke  and  set 
up  his  bat  as  the  target. 


Dock  with  Runway  Adjustable 

to  Various  Levels 

One  of  the  faults  of  the  ordinary  dock 
or  pier,  used  by  pleasure  boats  or  com- 


The  Adjustable  Gangwav  can  be  Raised  or  Lowered 
, to  Suit  Any  Size  of  Boat  or  Any  Water  Level 

mercial  craft,  is  that  the  gangway  by 
which  the  boat  is  boarded  is  not  adjust- 
able to  different  levels.  The  result  is  that 
the  gangway  is  too  high  for  some  boats 
and  not  high  enough  for  others.  If  af- 
fected by  tidewater,  the  gangway  may 
not  be  right  for  the  same  boat  at  different 
times. 

The  illustration  shows  a  dock  and  gang- 
way designed  to  fit  all  boats,  within  cer- 
tain limits,  at  any  stage  of  tide;  the  gang- 
way can  be  raised  or  lowered  to  suit  the 
conditions. 

This  gangway  is  a  part  of  the  flooring 
of  the  pier,  cut  to  whatever  width  is  most 
convenient,  and  hinged  at  one  end  to  the 
main  part  of  the  flooring.  At  the  free 
end,  two  pulleys  are  bolted  to  the  under 
timber  of  the  gangway,  and  a  wire  cable, 
fastened  at  one  end  to  the  dock,  is 
threaded  through  the  pulleys,  over  an- 
other pulley  on  the  other  side  of  the 
gangway,  and  secured  to  the  drum  of  the 
windlass  on  one  of  the  pier  timbers. 

After  the  gangway  has  been  raised  or 


lowered  to  the  desired  height  by  the 
windlass,  it  is  held  at  that  level  by  chains 
bolted  to  each  side  of  the  gangway,  which 
fit  into  angle-iron  catches  on  the  perma> 
nent  flooring  of  the  dock,  at  either  side  of 
the  gangway.  Each  catch  is  a  short  piece 
of  angle  iron,  into  which  a  notch  has 
been  sawed.  It  is  only  necessary  to  slip 
a  link  of  the  chain  into  this  notch  to  hold 
the  gangway  at  the  proper  level. 

The  size  of  the  windlass  required  will 
depend  entirely  upon  the  size  of  the  gang- 
way and  the  height  to  which  it  is  to  be 
raised  or  lowered.  If  possible,  all  fittings 
should  be  of  galvanized  steel,  to  resist  the 
tendency  to  rust.  Such  a  dock  will  add 
much  to  the  efliciency  and  convenience  of 
a  landing  place. 


A  Homemade  Garden  Harrow 

After  spading  some  bits  of  ground  for 
seed  beds,  some  means  of  reducing  the 
clods  to  finely  pulverized  soil  is  necessary. 
While  a  rake  will  serve  the  purpose,  much 
better  results  will  be  obtained  in  a  shorter 
length  of  time  by  using  a  homemade  g^r- 


a'x  I2"x  35'  PI_ANK  -s 

WIRE  — ^      Vm 

^'•'"-^^s^,^^^^ 

k 

-^^^^^ 

ft?o^ 

ty^^           ^  '• 

W^k^K 

CA 

^i^ 

^ 

'W^      ^         ^    SPIKES    DRtVEN 

Spaded  Ground  majr  be  Leveled,  and  the  Soil  PuU 

▼erixed.  by  Using  a  Harrow  Made  from 

Spikes  and  a  Piece  of  Plank 

den  harrow.    A  piece  of  2  by  12-m.  un- 
dressed plank,  3  ft.  long,  serves  as  the 

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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


945 


tooth  holder,  and  gives  the  necessary 
weight.  A  broomstick  is  set  into  one 
edge  of  the  plank  at  an  angle  of  45^,  and 
is  braced  by  wires  twisted  between  it  and 
the  comers  of  the  plank.  The  teeth  are 
60-periny  spikes,  driven  through  the  plank 
in  holes  previously  bored  for  them  at  an 
angle  of  45**.  The  spikes  should  be  3  in. 
apart  in  the  row,  and  the*  rows  3  in.  apart, 
and  "staggered/'  that  is,  with  the  spikes 
of  one  row  set  to  come  opposite  the 
spaces  between  the  spikes  of  the  row  next 
to  it.  Other  large  nails  may  be  used  to 
keep  the  plank  from  splitting,  by  first 
boring  holes  for  them  in  the  edge  of  the 
plank. — W.  W.  Irvine,  San  Fernando, 
California. 


cet,  and  to  the  nozzle  of  the  force  pump. 
After  the  valve  is  opened,  water  should  be 
pumped  into  the  barrel,  until  it  is  about 


Flies  Killed  in  Electrical  Trap 

The  sketch  shows  an  electrically  oper- 
ated   flytrap,    which    kills    the    flies    in- 
stantly.    Two   strips   of  tin,  V^,  in.  wide 
and   3^   in.   long,    are   mounted   with   a 
space  of  %2  in.  between  them  on  an  oak 
block,  3  in.  wide,  4  in.  long,  and  %  in. 
thick.    Electrical  connection  is  made  from 
the  house-lighting  circuit  to  the  screws 
which  hold  the  tin 
strips  to  the  block. 
For   bait,   a   little 
sirup  is  spread  on 
the  tin  strips.  The 
block    should    be 
set    up    edgewise, 
and    is  -  best    pro- 
tected  by   a   wire 
cage  of  some  kind 
which    will    allow 
the  flies  to  reach 
the  tin  strips,  but  will  keep  persons  from 
touching  it,  or  metallic  objects  from  mak- 
ing a  short  circuit.     The  flies,  attracted 
by  the  sirup,  move  from  one  strip  to  the 
other,   thus   making   connection   through 
their  bodies,   and   are   so   electrocuted. — 
Frank  E.  Menehan,  Monroe,  Wis. 


One-Man  Pressure  Sprayer  Uses 
Ordinary  Force  Pump 

The  great  difficulty  in  washing  automo- 
biles, where  no  water  under  pressure  is 
available,  is  to  operate  the  sprayer  pump, 
and  at  the  same  time  use  a  sponge  effec- 
tively. A  large  water  and  air-tight  bar- 
rel with  both  heads  intact  will  be  re- 
quired. A  faucet  or  valve,  to  which  a  hose 
can  be  attached,  is  inserted  in  one  of 
these  heads.  The  barrel  is  then  placed, 
with  the  faucet  down,  upon  some  sort  of 
platform.    A  hose  is  attached  to  this  fau- 


Water  from  a  Well  or  Cistern  is  Used  with  AU  the 
Convenience  of  a  City  Pressure  System 

three-fourths  full.  The  valve  is  then 
closed,  and  the  hose  removed  from  the 
nozzle  of  the  force  puttip.  To  use  the 
barrel  as  a  force  spray,  it  is  only  neces- 
sary to  put  a  nozzle  on  the  hose  and  open 
the  valve  at  the  bottom  of  the  barrel. 
The  air,  which  is  compressed  by  pumping 
the  water  into  the  barrel,  forces  the  water 
out  when  the  valve  is  opened,  thus  mak- 
ing an  effective  spray.  All  these  opera- 
tions can  be  performed  by  a  man  working 
alone. 


Goblet  Made  into  Dinner  Bell 

The  dinner  bell  in  the  photograph  was 
made  from  scraps  picked  up  around  a 
jewelry  shop.  The 
bell  proper  is  the  upper 
part  of  a  broken  goblet. 
The  remaining  portion 
of  the  standard  was 
ground  off  smooth,  and 
a  hole  was  drilled 
through  i  t .  Through 
the  hole  extends  a  small 
brass  bolt,  to  which  is 
fastened  an  ivory  han- 
dle taken  from  a  broken 
nail  file.  The  clapper 
and  chain  are  part  of 
a  watch  chain.  While 
the  tone  of  the  bell  is 
not  loud,  it  is  easily 
audible,  and  the  appearance  is  very  attrac- 
tive.— M.  M.  Bakula,  Havre,  Mont. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


Breakfast  Room  and  Sleeping 
Compartment  in  the  Kitchen 

A  good  night's  rest,  and  a  comfortable 
breakfast  in  bed,  may  be  enjoyed  with- 
out leaving  the  confines  of  the  kitchen,  if 


reading  place  may  be  made  of  the  com* 
partment^    by  installing  the  proper  readtsf^ 
light.    This  may  be  accomplished  by  wir- 
ing a  flush   receptacle  into  the  watll  be* 
tween  the  two  benches.    Since  this  socket 
can  be  used  for  any  electrical  appliance, 
there  is  no  reason  why  a 
toaster,   grill,  and  coffee 
percolator  should  not  he 
used  to  make  the  break- 
fast   getting    as    easy    as 
possible.      Of   course,    it 
also    allows    the    use    ol 
heating  pads,  foot  warm- 
ers, and  curling  irons. — 
H.  A.  Shearer,  Chicago, 
Illinois. 


Wood  Block  Keeps  Door 
from  Rattling 

Wind  currents  from 
open  windows  often 
cause  doors  to  rattle  at 

A  CoBTcrtible   Breskfatt   Room  and   Slccphqr  Compartncnt    Mafcts  an      niVhf     anr\    wh#>n    fafrh^K 
AttractiTe  Addition  to  the  Kitchen,  and  Bconomixea  Floor  Space  in  a  Hoqm      "^8"^»  .^"^   wnen    laccnes 

are  adjusted  to  cure  the 


the  proper  furniture  is  installed.  The  im- 
portant feature  of  the  plan  is  the  use  of 
two  benches  which  are  convertible  into 
a  bed,  and  a  table  which  may  be  easily 
moved  from  between  them  to  some  out- 
of-the-way  comer. 

The  cushions  on  the  high-backed  seats, 
or  benches,  arc  simply  wooden  boards, 
covered  with  cloth,  and  stuffed.  The 
cloth  covering  is  tacked  to  the  back  of 
the  boards  near  the  edge,  and  the  filling 
stuffed  in  with  a  stick.  Spring  cushions 
may  be  used,  if  preferred.  The  seats  are 
fastened  to  the  floor  with  small  iron 
brackets. 

Between  the  benches,  in  the  daytime,  is 
the  table,  which  is  made  of  polished 
boards.  It  moves  easily,  on  noiseless  cast- 
ers. A  table,  3  ft.  wide,  3  ft  6  in.  long, 
and  26  in.  high,  is  just  right  to  use  be- 
tween the  benches,  which  are  38  in.  apart, 
having  seats  18  in.  wide,  4  ft.  long,  and  18 
in.  from  the  floor.  The  removable  back 
cushions  are  18  in.  wide  and  4  ft.  long; 
the  permanent  ones,  6  in.  wide  and  4  ft. 
long. 

For  privacy  at  night,  the  bed,  formed 
of  the  two  benches,  with  the  back  cush- 
ions supported  in  the  opening  between 
Xheib,  may  be  curtained  off  from  the  rest 
of  the  room,  or  may  be  hidden  by  a  per- 
manent half  partition. 

The  expense  of  the  whole  depends  upon 
how  elaborate  it  is  made.  The  materials 
may  be  either  cheap  or  expensive^  and  the 
conveniences  few  or  many.    A  very  coiy 


trouble,  they  generally  become  too  tight 
or  too  loose  at  some  other  season  of  the 
year,  when  the  wood  swells  or  dries  out. 
A  simple  remedy  is  obtainai  by  fastening 
a  small  piece  of  wood  at  the  bottom  of 
the  door  frame,  so  that  the  comer  of  the 
door  will  bear  against  it  just  before  tbe 
latch  engages.  The  door  may  then  be 
latched  by  a  very  slight  pressure,  and  the 
block  holds  it  from  rattling. — F.  G.  Treat, 
East  Orange,  N.  J. 

Expansion  Bolt  Easily  Made 

troBi  Ordinary  B(^ 

An  ordinary  bolt  is  readily  made  into  an 
expansion  bolt  by  the  method  illustrated. 
Cut  off  the  head  of  a  bolt  of  the  proper 
length,  and  slot  it 
with     a     hacksaw 
for  a  distance  of  2 
or  3  in.  from  the 

end.      Drive    an  i 

iron    wedge    part 
way  into  this  slot; 

then  drop  the  bolt  ' 

into    the    hole    in  i 

the  brick  or  con- 
crete.    The    hole 

should  be  somewhat  larger  at  the  bottom 
than  at  the  top,  so  that  the  bolt  will  take 
a  better  hold.  Ehive  the  bolt  down  witit 
the  hamoKr  as  far  as  it  will  go;  if  the 
wedge  and  hole  are  properly  0iaped»  an 
expansion  bolt  ol  great  strength  will  he 
formed. — H,  S.  Rick^  Cromwel^  Conn. 


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Keeping  Pictures  Straight  on  Wall 

Nothing  looks  worse  in  a  room  than  to 
see  several  pictures  tilted  slightly  to  one 
side.  It  is  surprising  how  easily  pictures 
shift  when  hung  in  the  ordinary  manner. 
If,  instead,  the  picture  is  first  hung  facing 
the  wall,  then  turned  around  without  be- 
ing taken  down,  it  will  not  shift  from  its 
proper  position.  Turning  the  pictures 
gives  the  cord  a  twist  which  creates  suf- 
ficient friction  to  keep  the  cord  from 
sliding.  This  method  can  be  used,  regard- 
less of  whether  the  picture  is  hung  from 
a  molding  or  from  a  hook  screwed  into 
the  wall. — S.  B.  Royal,  Baltimore,  Md. 


diagram  flies  through  behind  eight  trees, 
the  trees  being  spaced  a  foot  apart.  Ob- 
viously there  are  eight  times  when  the 


Chain  Used  as  Wire  Grip 

A  short  piece  of  chain,  with  a  ring 
at  one  end  and  a  crossbar  at  the  other, 
makes  a  very 
satisfactory  wire 
grip.  It  is  wrapped 
around  the  wire, 
as  shown,  and  the 
end  of  the  bar, 
resting  against  the 
chain,  k  e  e  ps  it 
from  unwinding 
when  the  pull  is 
applied  to  the 
ring.  If  the  chain  slips  a  little  at  first, 
twist  it  more  tightly  around  the  wire, 
and  it  will  soon  take  hold. — A.  S.  Thomas, 
Amherstburg,  Ont.,  Can. 


The  Flying-Bird  Illusion 

A  bird  flying  so  that  trees  are  between 
it  and  the  observer  often  gives  to  the 
human  eye  an  illusion  of  continuous 
flight.  Hunters  declare  that  although 
a  grouse  flies  among  several  trees  when 
the  bird  presents  a  shot,  still  they  can  see 
the  bird  easily  every  foot  of  the  way 
through  the  tree  trunks. 

Much  like  the  illusion  of  motion  that 
the  motion-picture  film  presents  to  the 
eye,  is  this  illusion  of  continuous  flight 
presented  by  the  flying  bird  among  trees. 
In  the  case  of  motion  pictures,  16  succes- 
sive pictures  each  second  are  thrown  upon 
the  screen.  Between  each  picture  is  an 
equal  interval  where  no  picture  is  shown ; 
that  is,  during  each  second  there  are  16 
periods  where  a  picture  is  shown  and  16 
intervals  where  no  picture  is  shown,  while 
the  shutter  is  closed  and  a  new  picture 
pulled  into  place. 

Now  suppose  that  during  practically 
one-half  second  of  time  the  bird  in  the 


bird  can  be  seen  by  the  human  eye,  while 
there  are  eight  intervals  where  trees  hide 
the  bird.  Still  the  eye  "sees"  a  continuous 
flight  of  the  bird,  because  each  successive 
image  melts  into  the  next,  just  as  in  mo- 
tion pictures.  Even  if  the  trees  are  not 
equally  spaced  and  are  more  numerous, 
still  the  illusion  of  continuous  flight  will 
be  present. 

Many  times  hunters  are  deceived  into 
believing  that  they  should  be  able  to  kill 
a  flying  bird  among  trees,  when  actual 
facts  prove  that  so  maity  trees  are  in  the 
way  that  the  bird  escapes  easily.  A  bird 
might  just  be  passing  behind  a  tree  as  the 
shot  reached  its  path;  the  human  eye 
would  see  the  bird  all  the  time.  But  one 
can't  fool  a  gun — it  cannot  "see"  a  bird 
when  it  is  behind  a  tree,  so  a  miss  is  the 
result. — F.  E.  Brimmer,  Syracuse,  N.  Y. 


To  Keep  Washers  in  Hose 

When  a  hose  is  left  uncoupled  the  rub- 
ber washer  is  likely  to  be  lost.  To  avoid 
this,  put  a  pin  through 
the  washer  in  the 
manner  shown,  allow- 
ing %2  in.  to  project  at 
each  end  and  cutting 
off  the  remainder. 
The  washer  will  then 
stay  in  the  coupling 
until  worn  out,  for  the 
projecting  pin  engages  the  coupling 
threads  and  prevents  it  from  getting 
loose.— Francis  W.  Nunenmacher,  Berke- 
ley, Calif. 

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in  a  week  of  house-boating  than  they  do 
in  one  of  the  ordinary  camp  life. 

To  be  practical,  a  house  boat  must  be 
as  comfortable  as  possible,  and  still  be 
easily  moved,  by  either  a  small  power 
boat,  or,  in  cases  of  necessity,  by  a  row- 
boat.  The  boat,  here  described  is  de- 
signed for  a  small  party  of  three  or  four, 
and  is  made  as  light  as  is  consistent  with 
safety  and  comfort.  In  comparison  with 
its  conveniences,  and  the  possibilities  it 
opens  up  in  the  way  of  summer  enjoy- 
ment, the  cost  is  very  low.  Of  course  the 
cost  depends  largely  upon  what  the  owner 
cares  to  spend  on  it,  for  it  may  be 
equipped  simply  or  expensively. 

Since  lightness  is  a  first  requirement, 
spruce  or  cedar  should  be  used  through- 
out, although  other  woods  will  serve  the 
purpose  where  weight  makes  no  particular 
difference. 

The  hull  is  20  ft.  long  and  12  ft.  wide, 
built  of  boards  1^  in.  thick  and  6  in. 
wide. 

The  edges  of  the  planks  used  in  the 
sides  and  bottom  are  beveled,  so  that  a 
narrow  V-shaped  groove  is  left  on  the 
outside  of  the  seam  when  the  planks  are 
placed  together.  This  groove  is  to  hold 
the  calking.  It  should  not  be  more  than 
%  in.  across  at  the  widest  part.  Some 
people  prefer  to  cover  the  hull  with  gal- 
vanized iron,  or  even  painted  canvas,  but 
the  calking  is  perfectly  satisfactory,  al- 
though it  takes  longer  to  do. 

After  the  sideboards  are  cut  to  dimen- 
sions, they  are  nailed  to  the  2  by  3-in. 
ribs  to  form  the  completed  side  of  the 
hull,  as  shown  in  the  side  and  bow  views. 
The  two  sides  are  then  set  up  in  proper 
relative  position  to  each   other,   and   the 

948 


I 
across  the  ends  of  the  longer  planks. 
The  plates  must  be  beveled  at  the  edge 
that  fits  against  the  first  bottom  plank, 
to  form  a  V-groove  with  it,  for  calk- 
ing. The  bottom  planks  can  then  be 
beveled,  and  nailed  on,  care  being  taken 
to  get  them  as  tightly  together  as  possible. 
After  the  bottom  is  entirely  planked,  the 
center  keelson  is  nailed  in  place.  This  is 
necessary  to  keep  the  bottom  planks  from 
springing. 

All  seams,  or  water-tight  joints,  should 
be  painted  with  red  or  white  lead,  and 
calked.  This  is  done  by  forcing  oakum 
into  the  V-shaped  grooves  with  a  calk- 
ing iron  and  a  mallet.  The  seams  must 
be  packed  tightly  with  the  oakum,  but  if 
too  much  force  is  used  the  iron  will  be 
driven  through  the  seams,  which  must 
then  be  patched  with  a  batten  on  the  in- 
side. When  the  seams  are  nearly  full  of 
oakum,  they  are  filled  with  putty  and 
painted.  All  nails  should  be  driven  in  with 
a  set,  and  the  holes  puttied.  The  hull 
should  then  be  given  a  coat  of  red-lead 
paint  inside,  before  the  house  is  erected 
upon  it. 

For  the  studding,  use  2  by  3-in.  stock. 
but  for  the  rafters,  and  the  floor  joists,  2 
by  4-in.  pieces  are  necessary.  The  floor- 
ing, or  decking,  which  is  best  made  of 
tongue-and-grooved  lumber,  should  be 
laid  fore  and  aft — from  bow  to  stern — 
and  the  studding  nailed  to  it.  The  rafters 
should  be  set  into  notches  cut  in  the 
plates. 

Ordinary  siding  makes  a  very  good- 
looking  house  boat,  but  any  material  will 
do.  If  the  extreme  of  cheapness  is  de- 
sired, the  sides  may  be  boarded  up  part 
way  only,  and  heavy  canvas  curtains  used 


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when  necessary  in  rough  weather.  Ship- 
lap  and  tong^e-and-grooved  lumber  have 
both  been  used  effectively. 

For  the  roof,  which  is  also  the  upper 
deck,  tongue-and-grooved  lumber  should 


this  opening  will  be  a  great  help  in  climb- 
ing up  or  down  the  ladder,  and  may  pre- 
vent serious  accidents. 

For    the    side    windows,    the    ordinary 
check-rail   sash   are   best,   but   the   front 


-  HATCHWAY 


SIDE    CLeVATON 


BOW    VIE.W 


The  Building  of  a  House  Boat  Which  It  CoiiTenient  for  a  Party  of  from  Two  to  Six  Persons  Requires  Only 

a  Pew  Hours  of  Careful  Work,  and  Materials  Which  Are  Not  at  All  Expensive,  When  One 

Considers  the  Many  Hours  of  Enjoyment  It  Makes  Possible  Each  Season 


be  used,  the  joints  being  painted  as  the 
boards  are  laid,  to  make  a  water-tight  job. 
A  covering  of  12-oz.  canvas,  laid  in  wet 
paint,  will  improve  the  rain-shedding 
qualities  of  the  roof,  especially  if  the 
seams  of  the  canvas  are  lapped  at  least 
2  in.,  and  the  whole  is  given  three  or  four 
coats  of  paint.  This  gives  the  boat  a  good 
appearance,  and  makes  a  very  durable 
roof. 

Posts  for  the  porch  railing  are  toe- 
nailed^ to  the  roof  decking.  If  an  awning 
is  desired,  six  of  the  posts  should  be  hol- 
low, so  that  longer  posts,  for  awning  sup- 
ports, can  be  slipped  into  them.  It  is  such 
refinements  as  this  that  add  to  the  pleas- 
ure obtained  from  the  boat.  The  added 
enjoyment  makes  the  expense  entirely 
worth  while. 

Access  to  the  roof  is  obtained  by  in- 
stalling a  ladder  on  the  wall  of  the  house, 
leadmg  from  the  front  porch  to  the  roof, 
through  a  hatchway.     A  railing  around 


windows  should  slide  between  the  jambs. 
The  large  kitchen,  or  galley,  window 
should  be  hinged  to  open  outward,  being 
held  at  any  angle  by  an  ordinary  case- 
ment fixture  consisting  of  a  rod  and 
thumbscrew.  The  small  sash  are  hinged 
at  the  top  to  swing  out,  and  are  also  fitted 
with  casement  fixtures. 

The  interior  arrangement  depends 
largely  on  the  wishes  of  the  owner. 
Bunks,  about  6^/^  ft.  long  and  3  ft.  wide, 
with  storage  space  under  them,  are  stand- 
ard equipment  for  a  house  boat.  Cots, 
which  can  be  folded  and  stowed  away  in 
the  space  under  the  floor,  bring  the  sleep- 
ing capacity  up  to  as  high  as  six  persons, 
or  even  more,  if  use  is  made  of  the  front- 
deck  porch  or  the  roof.  The  galley  should 
be  fitted  with  an  ice  box,  a  table,  an  oil 
stove,  and  a  sink.  Two  pumps  at  the  sink 
may  be  used  to  provide  wash  water  from 
the  river  or  lake,  and  drinking  water  from 
a  tank  in  the  hull  of  the  boat    A  toilet 


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compartment^  equipped  wilb  a  manne 
toilet,  using  a  pump^  for  flusliing,  13  a  great 
convenience. 

Tongtie-and-grooTed  lumber,  and  a 
light  door  of  any  kind,  may  be  used  for 
the  partition  between  the  galley  and  main 
room,  or  salon. 

The  house  boat  should  be  painted  in- 
side and  out.  If  the  interior  is  finished  in 
panel  effect,  and  stained  a  dark  brown, 
there  will  be  no  need  to  repaint  each  year. 
A  good  color  scheme  for  the  outside  of 
the  boat  is  white,  trimmed  with  green. 

For  mooring  the  boat,  two  40-lb.  stock- 
less  anchors  should  be  used.  The  mooring 
lines  should  be  of  1-in.  manila  rope,  each 
line  being  at  least  75  ft.  long.  They  may 
be  led  through  regular  bow  chocks,  and 


the  ends  fastened  to»eieftts  screwed  to  the 
floor,  o^r  a  ringed  eyebolt  may  be  inserted- 

in  the  side  of  the  bow  plate,  12  in.  from; 
eacb  end.  This  must  be  done  before  the 
flooring  is  laid. 

There  is  hardly  any  limit  to  the  amount 
of  pleasure  to  be  obtained  from  the  use 
of  this  house  boat.  It  is  large  enough  €0 
house  an  ordinary  camping  party,  and  is 
not  at  all  hard  to  move  around.  Even  a 
very  small  power  boat  will  tow  it  against 
a  moderately  swift  stream.  This  same 
boat,  or  a  small  rowboat,  serves  as  a 
tender  and  boat  to  fish  from.  The  owner 
will  find  that  the  hours  spent  in  building 
the  house  boat  will  pay  well  in  returns 
of  health,  pleasure,  and  ability  to  enter- 
tain his  friends. 


Tension  Indicator  for  Relay 

In  connection  with  certain  experiments, 
it  is  often  necessary  or  desirable  to  have 
some  method  of  determining,  compara- 
tively at  least,  the  tension  on  the  arma- 


.TENSION  •CSCW 

DIAUv                /               NtRMlBi 

^ 

•IOC  vtcw 

I                   "^.PR-HO 

■"*^V^^=3 

POtNTEA'^hBH— TCN9IOM  SGOCW 

TOP   VIEW 

ByAddi&K  a  Dial  and  Pohiter,  a  Ref  ay  maybe  Adjtisted 

to  the  Vasynig  Tensioaa  Thnonghoot  a 

Seriea  of  Expertmeata 

ture  of  a  relay.  This  is  an  advantage  when 
the  relay  has  to  be  set  at  a  different  ten- 
sion for  each  experiment.  For  this  pur- 
pose, the  knob  of  tbe  tension  screw  can 
be  fitted  with  a  pointer  that  moves  over 
a  stationary  diaK  as  shown  in  the  illus- 
tration. The  dial  is  laid  out  with  com- 
passes on  thin  Bristol  board,  or  heavy 
paper,  and  glued  to  a  disk,  cut  from  thin 
brass,  having  a  hole  in  the  center  to  allow 
the  tension  screw  to  pass  through.  The 
disk  is  soldered  to  the  rod  supporting  the 
tension  screw,  it  being  necessary  to  file 
away  one  side  of  the  enlarged  end  of  the 
supporting  rod  to  get  a  good  seatistg  for 
the  disk.  The  pointer,  cut  from  brass, 
is  soldered  to  the  back  of  the  tension 
screw.  The  pointer  ^ottM  be  on  the 
zero  point  when  the  tension  on  the  spring 
IS  at  a   minimum.     With  this  device^,  it 


is  possible  to  reset  the  spring  to  any  pre- 
viously determined  tension. — Thos.  W. 
Benson,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 


Using  a  Camera  Upwde  Down 

Photographers  are  sometimes  con- 
fronted by  obstructions  in  the  line  of 
view,  which  would  give  no  trouble  if  the 
camera  could  be  operated  a  few  feet 
higher  up.  This  difficulty  has  generally  to 
be* faced  when  working  in  a  crowd,  where 
there  is  no  opportunity  of  mounting  to  a 
higher  location,  and  under  such  contii- 
tions  it  is  handy  to  have  a  camera  with 
its  mechanism  so  constructed  that  it  can 
be  used  upside  down.  The  operator  lo^ 
cates  his  subject  in  the  finder  by  holding 
the  camera  over  his  head. 


Twisted  Wires  Support  Plants 

Nkdy  on  Trellis 

A  very  satisfactory  sweet-pea  trellis  can 
be  made  by  stretching  wires  on  a  fraeoie 
of  2Tin.  hard  wood  or  1-in.  pipe,  the  length 
of  the  frame  being 
the  same  as  the 
length  of  the 
rows.  The  wires 
should  be  placed 
loosely  about  the 
frame,  as  shown, 
then  ti^tened  by 
twisting  them 
with  a  spike.  A 
trellis  of  this  kind 
can  be  used  for 
several  years,  and 

if  desired  can  be  removed  at  the  end  of 
each,  season. — ^J.  F.  Campbelli  Sonierviiie» 
Massachusetts. 


TWIST  > 

WITH  r 

WOOD  STMCC 


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Protector  for  Book  Covers 

Made  from  Envelopes 

A  cover  for  a  pamphlet  of  ordinary  size 
can  be  made  by  fastening  two  envelopes 
together.  The  adhesive  flap  of  one  of 
them  is  pasted  to  the  back  of  the  other, 
from  which  the  corresponding  flap  has 
been  removed.  The  address  sides  form 
the  outside  of  the  cover,  and  the  pockets 
face  each  other  on  the  inside.  The  fly- 
leaves of  the  pamphlet  are  then  thrust 
into  the  pockets,  and  the  book  is  com- 
plete.— George  L.  Michel,  Jersey  City, 
New  Jersey. 


Use  Key  Ring  at  End  of  Fish  Stringer 

An  ordinary  rope  fish  stringer  which 
has  a  metal  needle  on  one  end,  and  a  ring 
on  the  other  end 
for  holding  the 
fish  from  falling 
off  the  string,  can 
be  improved  by 
the  use  of  a  key 
ring  instead  of 
the  plain  ring  or- 
dinarily furnished. 
Since  the  key  ring 
can  be  readily  de- 
tached, the  fish 
can  be  dropped 
directly  off  the  end  of  the  cord,  where 
they  have  been  hanging,  and  need  not 
be  pushed  to  the  other  end  of  the  stringer, 
as  ordinarily  done,  and  taken  off  one  by 
one  over  the  large  needle. — Alfred  Sirrine, 
Holland,  Mich. 


Tobacco  Smoke  Locates 
Roof  Leaks 

Leaks  in  a  roof  may  admit  a  large 
quantity  of  water  without  always  being 
easy  to  locate,  and  in  such  a  case  tobacco 
smoke  is  a  reliable  detective.  Fill  an  or- 
dinary tin  can  with  tobacco  stems,  after 
cutting  a  hole  near  the  base  about  the 
size  of  a  dime.  Take  it  into  the  room 
where  the  leaks  give  trouble  and  insert 
the  nozzle  of  a  small  pair  of  bellows  into 
the  hole  in  the  can.  Light  the  tobacco 
at  the  bottom  and  work  the  bellows,  while 
an  assistant  goes  onto  the  roof  and  chalks 
the  spots  where  the  smoke  issues.  A  few 
puffs  of  the  bellows  will  bring  it  out 
m  thick  clouds. 

Tin  flashing  placed  under  the  leaky 
shingles  will  make  a  satisfactory  repair 
job,  and  a  little  ventilation  will  soon  re- 
move   the    odor    of    the    smoke.- 


Cushion  Hanging  from  String  Prevents 
Screen  Door  from  Slamming 

Slamming  screen  doors  can  be  pre- 
vented very  easily  by  the  use  of  a  short 
piece  of  old  rubber  hose.  The  piece  of 
hose  is  fastened 
by  a  string,  which 
extends  through 
it,  and  is  tied  to  a 
small  cork  insert- 
ed in  the  lower 
end  of  the  hose. 
An  old  steel  nut, 
resting  on  the 
cork,  will  serve  as 
a  weight  to  make 
the  hose  swing 
out.  The  string 
is  attached  to  the 
door,  near  the 
knob.     When  the 

door  is  closed  by  the  action  of  the  door 
spring,  the  piece  of  hose  will  be  thrown 
out  by  centrifugal  force,  and  caught  be- 
tween the  door  and  the  jamb,  thus  cush- 
ioning the  shock.  As  the  door  rebounds 
slightly,  the  hose  cushion  falls  into  its 
natural  position  directly  under  the  screw 
bv  which  it  is  attached,  and  the  door  then 
closes  easily  and  quietly. — E.  L.  Howard, 
Springfield,  Ohio. 


Hang  the  Fly  Paper  Out  of  the  Way 

A  practical  way  of  using  sticky  fly  paper 
is  to  hang  it  from  the  ceiling,  where  it  is 
out  of  the  way,  and  near  one  of  the  favor- 
ite alighting  places  of 
the  flies.  The  paper 
should  be  rolled  into 
a  cylinder  with  the 
sticky  side  out,  paper 
clips  being  used  to 
hold  the  ends  to- 
gether. Since  the 
sticky  coating  will 
slowly  drip  from  the 
bottom,  some  means 
of  collecting  this  must 
b  e  provided.  The 
cover  of  an  old  tin  pail 
may  be  used.  Punch  a 
small  hole  in  the  cen- 
ter of  the  bottom. 
Thread  a  stout  cord, 
which  has  a  knot  tied  in  one  end,  through 
this  lid.  To  hang  the  paper  in  place,  set 
the  cylinder  on  the  lid,  pass  the  cord 
through  the  cylinder,  and  tie  it  to  a  small 
hook  or  screw  eye  on  the  ceiling. — ^A^  J. 
Viken,  JVaterloo,  la. 


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D«vke  to  Hold  Reading  Lamp  on  Watt 

A  simple  device  makes  it  possible  to  use 
an  electric  stand  lamp  also  as  a  bracket 
light  at  the  head  of  a  bed  or  couch.    Nar- 
row   strips    o£ 
wood,    joined     in 
the  shape  of  a  half 
hexa  go  n,    are 
screwed     to     the 
walL  Wider  strips 
of    wood    of    the 
same    length    are 
screwed  on  top  of 
these       pieces, 
forming  a  groove 
in  which  the  stand 
of    the    lamp    fits 
and  is  held  firmly.     A  lamp  that  is  pro- 
vided with  a  hinge  where  the  globe  is  fas- 
tened to  the  standard,  and  also  where  the 
rod  is  fastened  at  the  base,  is  the  best  kind 
to  use*    It  can  be  adjusted  to  any  angle 
by  a  person  reading  on  the  couch  or  bed. 
If  the  bracket  is  made  heavy  enottgh^  an 
electric  fan  may  be  used  in  the  same  man- 
ner as  the  light. — Florence  L.  Claric,  Mc- 
Gregor, la. 


A  Holder  for  the  Egg  Beater 

Cooking  recipes  often  call  for  the  stir- 
ring or  beating  of  the  contents  of  the  mix- 
ing bowl  while 
another  ingredi- 
ent is  being  added 
slowly.  Since  it  is 
otherwise  impos- 
sible for  one  per- 
son to  hold  the 
bowl  and  at  the 
same  time  turn 
the  crank,  a  hold- 
er for  the  beater 
is  desirable.  The 
base  may  be  made 
any  size,  but  8  by 
^  12  in.  will  be  larg^ 

enough  for  ordi- 
nary  mixing 
bowls.  An  up- 
right of  suitable- 
length  supports  a  crosspiece,  6  in.  square; 
A  slot  is  cut  in  this  crosspiece  at  one  end, 
just  wide  enough  to  admit  the  handle  of 
the  beater  and  hold  it  snugly.  Two  wood- 
en blocks  are  screwed  on  the  top  of  the 
crosspiece;  one  fastened  with  two  screws 
at  the  inner  end  of  the  slot,  and  the  other 
fastened  with  one  screw,  forming  a  Irat- 
ton,  at  the  edge  of  the  board.  In  ose,.  the 
snixiQjg  bowl  is  placed  on  the  base,  aad 


the  egg  beater  ^ped  into  the  ^ot  and 
locked  against  the  stationary  block  by 
turning  the  Imtton  against  the  handle. 
The  egg  beater  can  then  be  turned  with 
one  hand  while  the  ingredient  is  added 
with  the  other. 


Self-Acting  I^sh  Jigger 

for  Boat  Fishing 

In  good  fishing  waters,  one  man  can 
catch  a  large  number  of  fish  in  a  com- 
paratively   short    time    by    putting    out 
several  lines.     The  difficulty  about  such 
fishing  is  that  he  cannot  keep  the  lines 
constantly  agitated,  so  that  the  bait  will 
not  appear  lifeless  to  the  fish,  and  cannot 
tell  when  he  has  a  bite,  except  by  pulling 
up  each  line  separately.  TTie  jigger  shown 
in  the  sketch  vriH  enable  him  to  do  both 
easily.    A  piece  of 
wood,  15  in.  long 
and    2    in.    wide, 
serves  as   the 
lever.    Two  screw 
eves  are  inserted, 
^  in.  apart,  about 
6    in.    from     one 
end.     One  end  of 
the  fishline  is  at- 
tached to  the  end 
of   the   stick   far- 
thest   from    the 
eyes.     A  piece  of 

spring  wire,  which  has  a  weight  upon  the 
end  of  it,  is  fastened  to  the  other  end  of 
the  stick.  The  jigger  is  pivoted  to  the 
gunwale  of  the  boat  by  passing  a  cotter 
pin  through  the  screw  eyes  in  the  stick, 
and  another  placed  in  the  gunwale  of  the 
boat.  The  weight  should  be  just  suffi- 
cient to  balance  the  stick  horizontally 
when  the  f.shltne  is  in  the  water.  It 
should  not  be  allowed  to  touch  the  side 
of  the  boat.  Any  motion  of  the  boat 
tends  to  upset  the  balance  of  the  lever, 
thus  rocking  it  and  moving  the  bait  in  tha 
water.  When  a  fish  pulls  at  the  line, 
the  lever  is  given  a  jerk,  which  notifies 
the  fisherman  that  this  line  needs  atten^ 
tion.  Several  such  jiggers  fastened  to  the 
sides  of  the  boat  will  keep  a  fisherman 
busy. — ^L.  B.  Robbins,  Harwich,  Mass. 


Inner  Tube  Makes  Handy  Pafl 

A  12-in.  section  from  a  large  inner  tube, 
with  one  end  cemented  shut,  and  the 
other  cut  like  the  lip  of  a  pitcher,  msdoes 
a  very  handy  pail  for  filling  the  radiaKtf 
when  oat  on  the  road,  as  it  takes  up  veiy 
little  space  in  the  car. 


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FrM-Haad  Lettering  Pen  Made      ^, 
froin  Old  Ruling  Pen 

A  mling  pen  may  be  conyerted  into 
a  lettering  pen  hj  bending  a  25^  tttm 
in  it,  the  angle  be- 
ing formed  as  il- 
lustrated. The 
temper  must 
be  drawn,  the 
bend  made  with 
round-nose  pliers, 
and  the  points 
ground  to  a  semi- 
circular section. 
The  edges  can  be 
trued  on  an  oil- 
stone. It  is  not 
necessary  to  retemper  the  pen.  The  de- 
vice is  very  handy,  and  easier  to  fill  and 
clean  than  many  pens  manufactured  for 
free-hand  lettering.  The  drawing  gives 
an  example  of  the  work  done  by  a  pen 
like  the  one  described. — Chas.  P.  Chalkcr, 
Ottawa,  Ont.,  Can. 


To  Open  a  Pocketknife  Easily 

When  it  is  found 
difficult  to  open  a 
pocketknife  with- 
out damaging  the 
finger  nail,  slip  a 
piece  of  good- 
quality  paper 
under  the  blade, 
as  shown,  and  pull 
steadily. 


Alarm  Clock  Hung  on  Costumer 

The  feature  of  this  costumer  is  that  of 
supporting  an  alarm  clock.  The  attach- 
ment consists  of  a  piece  of 
band  iron  bent  into  the 
shape  of  a  hand  sickle.  What 
would  be  the  handle  of  the 
sickle  is  screwed  onto  the 
costumer,  while  at  the  other 
end  is  fastened,  with  a  nut. 
the  hook  that  holds  the 
clock.  The  costumer  makes 
a  very  serviceable  piece  of 
furniture  for  a  bedroom, 
and,  properly  adjusted,  this 
extra  weight  at  the  top  does 
not  affect  its  stability.  The 
diameter  of  the  circle  into 
which  the  band  iron  is  bent 
most,  of  course,  be  large  enough  to  ac- 
commodate the  clock  and  hook. — C.  L. 
Mellcr,  Fargo,  N.  D. 


Raaor-fiharpcner  Attachment 

for  Sewing  Machine 

The  illustration  shows  a  novel  type  of 
razor  sharpener,  which  is  made  to  be 
used  on  a  sewing 
machine.  It  con- 
sists of  a  round 
piece  of  wood,  of 
the  same  length 
as  the  bobbin 
used  in  the  sew- 
ing machine  and 
having  ends 
shaped  to  fit  the 
center  of  the  bob- 
bin winder.  This 
can  readily  be  at- 
tained by  mount- 
ing the  block  on 

one  of  the  spare  bobbins  as  a  center  or 
core.  Around  the  outside  of  the  wooden 
block  is  wound  a  length  of  leather  shoe 
string,  which  is  treated  wifh  one  of  the 
pastes  or  sharpening  compounds  made 
for  use  with  razors.  The  razor,  or  blade, 
can  be  held  in  the  fingers  against  the 
leather,  or  a  special  holder  can  be  made, 
designed  to  take  whatever  type  of  razor 
is  used.— E.  Stumpf,  Jersey  City,  N.  J. 


Small  Door  vrithin  Large  One 
for  Use  of  a  Dog 

In  a  household  where  the  dog  was  the 
pet  of  the  family,  one  of  the  panels  of  the 
screen  door  was  converted  into  a  small 

door  for  the  doe's  , 

special   use.     Tne  r 

small     door     was  t 

mounted       ont 

double  -  acting  ^ 

hinges,  so  that  it  ~ 

would      open      in  ^ 

either       direction.  .^ 

The     springs      in  *; 

these     hinges; 

should    be   strong  : 

enough     so     that  " 

when  the  whole  door  is  open,  the  small 

door  will  open  with  it,  and  will  not  be 

constantly  swinging  back  and  forth  by  the 

action  of  the  wind  upon  it.     The  device 

is  much  appreciated  by  the  dog,  and  also 

saves  time  and  trouble  for  the  members 

of  the  family  who  formerly  had  to  let  the 

dog   in    and    out. — W.    W.    McLean,    St. 

Louis,  Mo. 


estopping  up  cracks  with  plaster  of  Paris 
will  keep  away  mice. 


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A  Drill  Press  with  Adjustable  Table 

Where  a  hand  drill,  or  breast  drill,  is 
mounted  on   a  column   to  form   a  drill 
press,  a  convenient  feed  mechanism  can 
be  constructed,  to 
be  operated  by  a 
pedal.      The    iron 
straps    should    fit 
without       much 
play,    if    accurate 
work  is     to     be 
done,     but    the 
trunnions    of    the 
pedal  should  move 
loosely     in     holes 
somewhat      wider 
than     they     are 
high,  so  as  to  al- 
low for  the  neces- 
sary   slide.      The 
advantage    of   the 
pedal     control     is 
that    both    hands 
are  left  free,  one  to  turn  the  crank,  and 
one   to    hold    the    work,    if   necessary. — 
Wayne  W.  Leyrer,  Atlantic  City,  N.  J. 


Match  Scratcher  on  Bottom  of  Pipe 

Cut  several  notches  close  together  on 
the  bottom  of  the  bowl  of  a  briar  pipe.  A 
match  scratcher  will  thus  be  formed, 
which  is  always  ready  for  use  when  the 
pipe  is  to  be  lighted.— J.  L.  Phillips, 
Tiffin,  Ohio. 


Keeping  Food  Hot  for  a  Picnic 

It  is  a  great  convenience  when  unpack- 
ing a  picnic  lunch  to  find  the  food  hot, 
ready  to  put  on  the  table.     A  large  box 
with  a  tight-fitting  hinged  lid,  fitted  up  as 
described  below,  will  keep  food  warm  for 
several  hours.     About  5  or  6  in.  of  hay, 
or  sawdust,  is  packed  into  the  bottom  of 
the  box.    Upon  this  is  set  a  10-qt.  water 
pail,  &nd  sawdust  or 
hay    is    packed 
tightly  around  it  to 
within   1  in.  of  the 
top.      A    good    tin 
cover  must  be  pro- 
vided  for  the   pail. 
A  mattress,  or  pil- 
low,    stuffed     with 
hay  or  sawdust,  is 
made  to  fit  on  top 
of  the  cover  of  the 
pail,  and  to  fill  the 
remaining  space  in  the   box.     After  the 
food    has    been    brought   to   the   desired 


temperature,  the  kettle,  or  container,  in 
which  it  was  cooked,  is  set  inside  of  the 
pail,  which  is  then  covered.  The  pillow 
is  put  on  top  of  the  pail,  and  the  box  lid 
fastened  down  tightly  by  means  of  a  hook, 
or  catch.  Thus  packed,  the  food  may  be 
taken  to  the  picnic  grounds,  and  will  re- 
quire no  further  attention  until  meal  time. 
— S.  Leonard  Bastin,  Bournemouth,  £ng. 


Call  Button  Made  from  Spool 

A  neat  and  handy  call  button,  for  the 
sick  room  or  the  shop,  can  be  made  from 
an  ordinary  spool.    The  hole  is  enlarged 
from  one  end  almost  to  the  other,  and  a 
push  button  is  fitted,  so  as  to  work  freely 
in   the   enlarged   hole.     A   plug  is   then 
made,    which    fits 
quite  tightly.     On 
one    end    of    this 
plug  are  the  two 
contact  springs,  of 
thin  spring  brass, 
and   the   connect- 
ing wires  are  laid 
in   small    grooves 
made  along  oppo- 
site   sides    of    the 
plug.     The   wires 
may    be    fastened 
to  the  brass  con- 
tacts with  solder, 
or  by  means  of  small  screws  set  into  the 
plug.     Before  final  assembling,  the  lower 
end  of  the  spool  should  be  countersunk, 
to  give  room  for  the  thumb  in  pressing 
the  button,  and  the  flange  at  the  other 
end  should  be  trimmed  off  with  a  knife. — 
Harold  E.  Benson,  Boulder,  Colo. 


How  to  Make  Gummed  Stickers 

Gummed  labels,  or  stickers,  can  be  made 
very  easily  in  the  home.  All  that  is  neces- 
sary is  the  paper  which  is  to  be  gummed, 
a  smooth  sheet  of  celluloid,  and  a  bottle 
of  mucilage. 

The  sheet  of  celluloid  is  cleaned  thor- 
oughly, and  the  paper  is  coated  on  the 
back,  evenly,  with  somewhat  thick  muci- 
lage. It  is  placed,  mucilage  side  down, 
against  the  celluloid  sheet,  and  the  two 
are  pressed  together;  not  hard  enough, 
however,  for  the  pressure  to  squeeze  out 
any  of  the  liquid.  The  mucilage  is  then 
allowed  to  dry,  after  which  the  sheet  can 
be  stripped  off  the  celluloid,  and  will  re- 
tain the  coat  of  gum.  The  sheet  of  cellu- 
loid must  be  larger  than  the  sheet  of  pa- 
per to  be  gummed,  and  after  use  it  should 
be  cleaned  thoroughly  with  warm  water. 


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Effective  Fljtrap  liade 
iroRi  Cheese  Box 

A  simple  and  inexpensrve  flytrap  can 
be  made  from  a  cheese  box.  Remove  the 
bottom  from  the  box,  leaving  just  the 
hoop,  and  tack  a 
piece  of  mosquito  {g??S3fl 
netting  over  the 
top.  Smear  the  in- 
side of  the  hoop.  ijil 
for  about  3  in.  up, 
with  a  thin  paste 
made  of  molasses, 
or  honey,  and  cmcbsc  boxJ 
flour.      Spread     a 

cloth  on  the  table  and  set  the  hoop  on  it, 
with  three  small  blocks,  1  in.  thick,  under 
the  edge,  as  indicated  in  the  illustration. 

The  flies  will  be  attracted  by  the  sweet 
paste  and  crawl  under  the  bottom,  up,  and 
inside.  As  each  fly  gets  its  fill  it  will  fly  up 
against  the  mosquito  netting.  When  a 
large  number  of  flies  are  in  the  trap,  sim- 
ply give  the  hoop  a  push  sideways  to 
throw  it  off  the  blocks,  then  gather  up  t^e 
four  comers  of  the  cloth  about  the  trap 
and  carry  to  the  nearest  water,  where  the 
flies  can  be  drowned. 


Canceled  Checks  Replaced  in  Checkbook 

In  an  office,  which  had  experienced 
trouble  in  straightening  out  its  checking 
account  at  the  bank,  the  expedient  was 
adopted  of  pasting  the  returned  canceled 
checks  back  onto  the  stub  in  the  check- 
hook  from  which  they  were  drawn.  This 
method  shows  at  a  glance  just  what 
checks  arc  still  out,  and  has  been  found 
very  convenient. — L.  E.  Turner,  Hartford, 
Connecticut. 


To  Prevent  Fan  from  Striking  Radiator 

A  motorist  who  experienced  trouble  on 
the  road  from  his  fan  striking  against  the 
radiator,  made  an  efficient  temporary  re- 
pair by  means  of  some  pieces  of  heavy 
steel  wire.  He 
threaded  the  wire 
in  and  out 
\  through  the 
spaces  in  the  radi- 
ator, to  form  two 
S^  figures,  as  illus- 
trated. In  this 
.  way,  the  blades  of 
the  fan  were  prevented  from  striking  the 
radiator  structure  until  a  place  was 
reached  where  the  fan  could  be  repaired. 
— Roe  McKinley,  Longview,.  Tex. 


ScroU-Saw  Attachment  Aids 
the  Young  Workman 

Children  who  like  to  use  the  scraltsaw^ 
often  have  difficulty  in  springing  the 
frame  and  clamping  in  the  saw  at  the 
same  time.  With  this  attachment,  made 
by  merely  bending 
a  piece  of  stiff 
iron  wire  to  shape, 
the  difficulty  is  re- 
moved. The  saw 
blade  is  first  fas- 
tened at  one  end 
only,  and  the  wire 
clamp  is  then 
fitted  over  the 
frame,  holding  it 
compressed,  while 
the  other  end  of 
the  blade  is  placed 
in  the  hole  and 
clamped  with  the 
setscrew.  The 
wire  clamp  is  then  removed,  and  the  saw 
is  ready  for  use. — ^J.  G.  Zhnmerman,  Mil- 
waukee, Wis. 


Me^cine  Dropper  from  Lamp  Globe 

A  glass  rod  from 
a  tungsten  lamp, 
with  the  end 
rounded  in  a 
flame,  is  useful  as 
a  dropper. 


H<Mer  for  Cuspidor  in  Sick  Room 

A  very  important  part  of  the  sick-room 
equipment  is  a  cuspidor.  This,  as  a  rule, 
is  merely  placed  on  the  floor  at  the  side 
of  the  bed,  where 
it  is  easily  upset, 
and  where  it  is 
often  impossible 
for  the  patient  to 
reach  it.  The 
c  !•  a  m  p  shown  in 
the  drawing  holds 
the  cuspidor  on 
the  bedpost  with- 
in e  as  y  reach 
of  the  patient,  and 
where    it    is    not 

easily  overturned.  The  clamp  is  made 
from  narrow  strap  iron  or  other  metaU 
and  is  held  to  the  bedpost  by  a  small 
bolt,  which  allows  quick  adjustment  to 
any  height  desired.  The  cuspidor  can  be 
slipped  in  or  out  of  the  spring  ring  very 
quickly. — John  G.  Pope,  Worcester,  Mass, 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


A  Pet-Animal  Carrier 

Almost  every  owner  of  a  pet  dog  or  cat 
has  occasion  to  carry  it  from  place  to 
place   at   one   time   or  another.     Unless 


A  Carrier  Enables  the  Owner  of  a  Pet  Cat  or  Dog 

to  Take  the  Animal  with  Him  on  the 

Train  or  Street  Car 

these  owners  have  at  their  disposal  a  con- 
veyance with  which  they  can  carry  their 
pets  to  the  distant  point,  they  are  depend- 
ent on  the  railway  or  street  cars  for  trans- 
portation, if  the  destination  is  beyond 
walking  distance.  Animals  cannot  be 
taken  on  the  railroads  unless  they  are 
carried  in  covered  baskets,  and  those  that 
are  too  large  to  be  carried  must  be 
checked  in  the  baggage  car.  On  the  city 
railways,  animals  that  cannot  be  carried 
will  not  be  transported. 

The  two  photographs  show  a  carrier 
which  can  be  made  very  easily,  and  at 
little  expense.  It  is  very  light,  but  serv- 
iceable and  strong.  The  covering  is  made 
of  strong  canvas,  heavy  oilcloth,  or  simi- 
lar material.  The  bottom  of  the  carrier 
is  made  of  a  solid  piece  of  wood.  The 
sides  and  ends  are  also  solid,  but  should 
be  of  very  thin  wood  so  as  to  keep  the 
carrier  as  light  as  possible.  Ventilating 
holes  should  be  cut  in  the  ends.  The 
pieces  for  strengthening  the  slanting  edges 
are  cut  from  %  by  %-in.  strips.  The 
slanting  pieces,  or  rafters,  are  nailed  to 
the  corner  pieces  and  ends.  The  ridge 
pole  is  made  H/i  in.  wide,  and  just  long 
enough  to  fit  in  between  the  ends.  One 
or  two  strong  nails  should  be  driven 
through  the  end  walls  into  the  ridge  pole, 
thus  making  a  very  strong  frame.  The 
uprights  should  be  rounded  off  so  that 
the  animal  will  not  be  injured  if  it  should 
happen  to  strike  them  with  any  force. 
The  edges  of  the  ridge  pole  should  also 
be  slightly  rounded  for  good  appearance. 
A  space  about  4  in.  long  should  be 
rounded  nicely  at  the  center  of  the  ridge 
pole,  as  this  part  is  to  serve  as  a  handle. 

When  tacking  on  the  canvas,  care 
should  be  taken  to  stretch  it  just  as  much 
in  one  direction  as  in  another,  in  order 
to  get  it  even.  The  canvas  is  tacked  on 
all  around  the  ends,  as  shown  in  the  pho- 


tograph. When  it  is  stretched,  a  diagonal 
cut  can  be  made  across  the  openings  in 
the  ends,  and  the  canvas  folded  over  on 
the  inside  and  glued.  For  the  cover,  sides, 
and  bottom,  one  piece  is  used.  The  edges 
are  folded  in  so  that  the  width  of  the 
piece  will  just  equal  the  length  of  the 
sides  of  the  carrier.  The  edges  of  the 
cover  are  turned  back  and  glued.  Extra 
pieces  of  canvas  should  be  glued  on  where 
the  slits  for  the  two  screw  eyes  come; 
these  screw  eyes  serve  as  simple  but  very 
efficient  buttons  or  catches.  A  hole,  4 
by  5  in.,  is  cut  into  the  canvas  as  shown, 
so  that  the  handle  can  be  grasped. — Frank 
W.  Harth,  New  York,  N.  Y. 


Removing  Dents  from  Wood 

Wood  fillers,  or  putty,  used  to  remove 
dents  and  bring  the  wood  up  to  its  origi- 
nal level,  will  make  an  unsightly  bump  if 
the  wood  afterward  rises.  The  dents  may 
be  removed,  even  after  the  wood  has  been 
stained,  by  pouring  boiling  water  directly 
on  the  dent  for  a  period  of  five  minutes, 
or  whatever  time  is  necessary  to  do  the 
work.  Unless  the  dent  is  very  deep,  or 
the  fibers  have  been  torn,  the  hot  water 
will  raise  the  sunken  part  almost  to  its 
original  level.  In  the  case  of  smaller 
dents,  the  result  will  be  a  repair  which 
can  hardly  be  noticed. — Charlie  W.  Dyer, 
Stratton,  Me. 


Pliers  Converted  into  Saw  Set 

A  pair  of  ordinary  automobile  pliers, 
which  can  be  purchased  for  a  few  cents, 
is  readily  converted  into  a  handy  saw  set. 
To  make  this  conversion,  file  or  g^nd  off 
the  corners  of  the  wire-cutting  part  of 
the  jaws  to  about  the  shape  indicated  in 
the  sketch;  then  tap  two  setscrews  into 
the  handle,  as  shown,  to  form  an  adjust- 
able stop.  The  two  jaws  are  then  brought 
against  adjacent  teeth  of  the  saw  which 


'  A|Cbangc  Readily  Made  in  a  Pair  of  Automobile 
Pliers  Forma  m  Handy  Saw  Set 

is  to  be  set,  thus  taking  the  place  of  an 
expensive  tool  for  this  purpose. — Richard 
Schmitz,  Birmingham,  Ala. 

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POPULAR  MECHANICS 


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Electric  Pan  Dispeb  Odors 

in  the  Kitchen 

Preparing  onions  or  horseradish  is 
among  the  most  disagreeable  tasks  of  the 
housewife,  due  to  the  fact  that  these 
vegetables  cause  the  eyes  to  smart  and  fill 
the  workroom  with  disagreeable  odors. 
By  directing  the  air  current  from  the  elec- 
tric fan  in  such  a  way  that  the  odor  is 
driven  away  from  the  work  and  toward  an 
open  door  or  window,  much  of  the  un- 
pleasantness can  be  removed.  The  same 
method  will  be  of  aid  in  removing  a  musty 
or  unpleasant  odor  from  any  room. — S. 
Zemon,  Baltimore,  Md. 


through  the  water.  In  order  to  allow  the 
bait  to  spin  without  twisting  the  line,  a 
swivel   connection  is  made  between  the 


A  Strong  Picture-Frame  Joint 

The  average  amateur  has  a  good  deal  of 
trouble  to  get  the  joints  of  a  picture  frame 
secured  satisfactorily.    A  very  strong  joint 
can  be  made  by  boring  a  %-in.  hole  in  the 
side  of  the  frame  to  a  depth  of  about  % 
in.,  and  then,  by  working  from  this,  bor- 
ing a  small  hole  at 
right  angles  to  the 
miter   and   insert- 
ing a  screw.    The 
Vi-in.  hole  is  then 
plugged    up    with 
wood,  taking  care 
to  have  the  grain 
of  the  plug  run  in 
the  same  direction 
as  the  grain  in  the 
frame.     Glue    the 
plug  in   and  level 
off  the  wood  aft- 
erward.    By  using  this  method,  the  joint 
is  held  so  firmly  that  the  finishing  can  be 
commenced  immediately  after  the  frame 
is  put  together. — Chas.  Illingworth,  Mis- 
sion City,  B.  C,  Can. 


Effective  Spinner  Bait  Made 

from  a  Clothespin 

The  popular  spinner  bait,  which  is 
rather  expensive,  can  be  made  quite  eas- 
ily at  home  from  an  ordinary  wooden 
clothespin.  For  the  body  of  the  bait,  cut 
the  head  of  the  clothespin  to  roughly  re- 
semble that  of  a  minnow.  The  outside  of 
the  clothespin  legs  should  be  cut  flat.  In 
order  to  secure  the  spinning,  or  whirling, 
motion,  two  metal  wings,  2  in.  long  and 
%  in.  wide,  are  tacked  to  the  fins  of  the 
clothespin.  These  are  fastened  at  angles 
to  the  edges  of  the  pin,  that  on  one  side 
being  set  at  the  opposite  angle  to  the  one 
on  the  other  side.  This  setting  of  the 
wings  causes  the  bait  to  spin  when  drawn 


A  Clothespin  is   Used  for  the  Body  of  an  Artificial 
Bait  That  Spins  as  It  is  Drawn  through  the  Water 

fishline  and  the  head  of  the  bait.  This  is 
made  from  a  piece  of  very  thin  metal,  % 
in.  wide,  bent  as  shown  in  the  drawing. 
The  hole  for  the  nail  which  holds  it  to  the 
bait  is  made  large  enough  so  that  the  bait 
turns  freely.  A  piece  of  wire  forms  the 
ring  to  which  the  fishline  is  attached. 
Four  hooks  are  fastened  in  the  middle  of 
the  clothespin  body  and  extend  parallel 
with  the  body.  The  completed  bait  may 
be  painted  as  desired,  the  usual  method 
being  to  paint  the  head  white,  the  body 
red,  and  the  tail  either  blue  or  green. — 
P.  P.  Avery,  Garfield,  N.  J. 


A  One-Piece  Garden  Trowel 

Some  sort  of  serviceable  garden  trowel 
is  needed  by  every  person  who  tends  to  a 
flower  bed  or  small  vegetable  patch.  A 
very  good  trowel  can  be  made  from, 
heavy-gauge  sheet 
steel.  First  cut 
the  steel  to  the 
shape  and  dimen- 
sions shown  in 
the  sketch.  Then 
bend  it  as  indi- 
cated, sharpen  the 
edges  with  a  file, 
and  the  trowel  is 
complete.  The 
handle  nlay  be 
made  more  com- 
fortable to  work  with,  if  so  desired,  by 
wrapping  it  with  adhesive  tape.— C.  A. 
Traxler,  McKees  Rocks,  Pa. 


FINISHCO  TOOL 


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POPULAR   MECHANICS 


A  Queer  Wooden  Stool 

This  stool  is  much  stronger  and  more 
serviceable  than  appears  at  first  glance. 
It  can  be  built  from  scrap  ends  of  lumber. 


PLAN  8TOOI. 

Scraps  of  Lumber  can   be  Made   into  a  Somewhat 
Odd-Looking  but  Durable  Stool 

Cut  out  four  legs  from  yg-in.  stock,  being 
careful  that  the  grain  of  the  wood  runs 
as  shown  in  the  drawing.  The  rectangu- 
lar end  of  these  legs  should  then  be 
screwed  to  a  4  by  4-in.  block;  when  all 
four  legs  are  attached  to  the  square  post, 
the  bottoms  of  the  legs  will  spread  about 
18  in.  A  suitable  seat  is  then  secured  to 
the  top  of  the  post.  If  desired,  the  post 
can  be  drilled  and  threaded  to  take  a 
seat  similar  to  a  piano-stool  top,  which 
can  then  be  adjusted  to  the  proper  height 
for  the  person  using  it. 


Old  Magazines  Used  for  Shingles 

Needing  some  shingles  for  a  kennel, 
a  dog  fancier  conceived  the  idea  of  using 
qld  magazines  in  place  of  the  high-priced 
wood  or  patent  shingles.  After  two  years 
of  service,  the  shingles  show  that  paper 
packed  flat,  as  it  is  in  a  well-made  maga- 
zine, will  stand  the  weather  for  a  long 
time. 

The  magazines  used  were  those  printed 
on  the  best  grade  of  paper,  9  by  12  in.  in 
size.  Most  of  these  magazines  are  about 
y^  in.  thick,  and  a  few  pages  can  be  torn 
from  the  back  when  necessary.  Maga- 
zines of  the  size  of  Popular  Mechanics 
were  also  used,  but,  in  this  case,  each 
magazine  was  cut  into  two  equal  parts 
so  that  each  copy  made  two  shingles. 

Paper  is  a  wonderful  nonconductor  of 
heat,    and    using    these    magazines    for 


shingles  secured  protection  against  cold 
for  the  dog  kennel,  and  also  was  a  suffi- 
cient protection  against  storm.  Only  2 
in.  of  the  magazine  shingles  were  laid  to 
the  weather,  and  the  lower  edge  of  each 
shingle  was  formed  by  the  binding  of  the 
magazine.  Ordinary  shingle  nails  were 
used  to  secure  the  magazines  in  place. 
Both  the  roof  and  walls  of  the  kennel 
were  protected  in  this  way.  The  result 
was  a  dog  .kennel  that  was  very  warm ; 
absolutely  no  wind  could  get  through  it, 
and  the  roof  kept  out  water  in  fine  shape. 
For  the  roof,  the  best  magazines  were 
used,  that  is,  those  with  a  heavy  cover  of 
well-calendered,  hard  paper.  The  cover 
was  placed   upward. 

There  is  no  reason  why  many  other 
buildings  could  not  be  made  warm  and 
dry  by  the  use  of  magazines  for  shingles. 
Especially  the  side  walls  can  be  covered 
with  this  kind  of  shingle,  which  will  re- 
main in  service  nearly  as  long  as  those  of 
wood.  The  dog  kennel,  when  completed, 
was  given  a  liberal  coat  of  heavy  paint. 
The  paint  stiffened  the  paper  just  enough 
so  that  each  shingle  was  held  in  place, 
and  was  protected  from  the  rain.  From 
a  short  distance  these  magazine  shingles 
could  not  be  told  from  any  other  painted 
shingle.  It  would  be  an  easy  matter  to 
go  into  one's  garret  and  gather  enough 
old  magazines  to  shingle  a  small  garage, 
stable,  shed,  or  other  outbuildings. 


Wrench  Made  of  Sheet  Iron 

A  wrench,  which  will  be  satisfactory  for 
light  work  on  small  nuts,  can  be  made 
from  a  strip  of  sheet  iron  and  a  piece  of 
hard  wood.     The  dimensions  depend   on 
the  size  of  the  nut  the  wrench  is  to  be 
used   on,    but   the 
iron  should  be  of 
rather     heavy 
gauge,    and    at 

least   %   in.  wide.  r- 

It  is  bent  around 
the  nut,  and  the 
ends  are  fastened 
to  the  hardwood 
handle  with 
screws  or  bolts. 
While  this  wrench 

will  not  do  for  heavy  work,  it  will  be  found 
useful  where  a  great  many  small  nuts  of 
one  size  are  to  be  tightened. — Elwood  L. 
Glassford,  New  York,  N.  Y. 


CFor  cutting  light  armored  cable,  a  three- 
cornered  file  is  preferable  to  a  hacksaw. 


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Pbotosraphing  Cracked  Negatives 

A  cracked  glass  negative  can  often  be 
copied,  so  that  the  crack  does  not  show, 
by  running  a  little  glycerin  along  the  glass 
until  the  glycerin  fills  the  crack.  A  sheet 
of  glass  is  laid  on  the  surface  of  the  neg- 
ative, also  with  a  little  glycerin,  to  cause 
it  to  unite  optically,  and  the  negative  can 
then  be  photographed,  with  the  crack 
almost,  if  not  quite,  invisible. — H.  J.  En- 
gel,  New  Braunfels,  Tex. 


Filling  Fountain  Pen  by  Suction 

One  way  to  fill  a  fountain  pen  not  pro- 
vided with  a  self-filling  mechanism,  with- 
out soiling  the  fingers,  is  to  fit  into  the 
ink-bottle    cork    a    small    glass    tube,    as 
shown,  and  make  another  hole  in  it  large 
enough   for  the   pen   barrel   to   fit   in   it 
tightly.     Insert    the   pen,   and    adjust    it 
until  the  lower  end  of  the  barrel  is  com- 
pletely   submerged    in 
the  ink.    Now  take  the 
end  of  the  glass  tube 
between  the  lips,  and 
draw  in  a  long  breath, 
so  as  to  withdraw  as 
much    as    possible    of 
the  air  which  is  in  the 
ink  bottle.     This  will 
cause    the    air    inside 
the    fountain    pen    to 
flow   out    and    bubble 
up    through    the    ink, 
until  the  air  inside  the 
pen  is  reduced  to  the 
same  pressure  as  that 
in   the   bottle.    When 
the   lips   are   removed 
from  the  glass  tube,  and  the  air  rushes 
back  into  the  bottle,  its  pressure  forces 
the  ink  up  into  the  pen,  which  is  then 
withdrawn  ready  for  use.    While  the  ex- 
haustion  of  air  from   the   bottle  by  this 
method  can  by  no  means  be  complete,  it 
was  found    by   test   that   practically   the 
same  amount  of  ink  was  drawn  up  into 
the  pen  by  this  method  of  filling  as  would 
be  dropped  into  it  by  using  the  ordinary 
fountain-pen     filler. — J.     Garrett     Kemp, 
Stillwater,  Okla. 


Necktie  Pressed  without  an  Iron 

A  badly  wrinkled  necktie  may  be  made 
to  present  a  much  better  appearance  by 
wetting  it  slightly  aod  then  drawing  it 
slowly  around  a  section  of  a  hot  steam  or 
vapor  radiator,  which  has  been  thorough- 
ly cleaned  beforehand. 


Silicates  Form  Cheniical  ''Plants** 

To  mate  a  "chemical  garden,"  put  2  or 
3  in.  of  sand  into  a  glass  fish  globe,  or 
some  similar  vessel.    Then  arrange,  on  the 


Silicates  Deposited  from  a  Solution  Form  Beautiful 

Flowerlike  Shapes  on  the  Glass  Walls 

of  the  VesMl 

sand,  some  pieces  of  the  sulphates  of  cop- 
per, aluminum,  and  iron.  Pour  over  this 
a  solution  of  one  part  of  sodium  silicate- 
(water  glass)  to  three  parts  of  water.  Let 
the  globe  remain  quiet  for  about  a  week, 
after  which  a  dense  growth  of  the  various 
silicates  of  the  minerals  will  have  taken 
place,  in  beautiful  and  varied  colors. 
Finally  the  silicate  solution  may  be  re- 
placed with  clear  water,  to  enhance  the 
effect.  This  is  done  by  passing  a  stream 
of  water  through  a  rubber  tube  into  the 
globe  until  all  cloudiness  has  vanished 
from  the  liquid  inside  it. 


Gauge  for  Slicing  Bread 

Cutting  bread  in  slices  of  uniform  thick- 
ness can  be  easily  accomplished  by  using 
the  bread  gauge  shown  in  the  sketch. 
The  gauge  is  a 
trough  la  rge 
enough  to  hold 
the  average  loaf 
of  bread  snugly. 
Its  sides,  which 
should  be  of  fine- 
gra  ined  hard 
wood,  1  in.  thick, 
are  nailed  to  the 
bottom  piece, 
which  is  2  in. 
thick.      Slots    are 

cut  in  the  sidepieces  every  %  or  V^  in.,  or 
closer  if  desired.  The  trough  may  or  may 
not  have  end  pieces.  The  gauge  will  be 
even  more  handy  if  the  wood  between  the 
slots  is  numbered,  as  shown  in  the  sketch, 
to  enable  the  housewife  to  tell  just  how 
many  slices  she  is  cutting. — C  S»  Cierpik, 
Urbana,  111. 


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At  the  Left  Is  the  Greenhouse  Completed  Except  for  the  Sash,  the  Form  of  Concrete  Stairway  and  the 
Entrance  being  Made  Clear.  The  Right-Hand  view,  besides  Giving  an  Idea  of  the  Bench  and  Side-Wall 
Construction,   Indicates  the    Growth    of  a  Crop   of    Lettirce  by  the  80th  of  March,  at  Which  Date  the 

Picture  was  Taken 

A  CONCRETE  GREENHOUSE  THAT  USES  NO  FUEL 


CINCE  the  greenhouse  described  here 
^  has  the  virtue  of  requiring  no  fuel,  it 
is   really   a   combination   of   greenhouse, 
hotbed,  and  cold  frame.    While  the  plants 
in  it  will  freeze  in  zero  weather,  the  natu- 
ral process  of  thawing  leaves  them  un- 
harmed.   A  thin  layer  of  straw,  or  simi- 
lar material,  on  the  glass,  to  keep  the  sun 
from  the  frozen  plants,  retards  the  thaw- 
ing and  assures  a  normal  return  of 
circulation.    If  used,  it  should  be 
left  on  as  long  as  the  plants 
remain  frozen.  This  pre- 
caution,  however,  is 
seldom    neces- 
sary.    Snow 
makes    the    best 
of  winter  cover- 
ings, and  should 
not   be   removed 
except  by  na- 
ture's hand. 

The  founda- 
tion and  walls  of 
the  greenhouse 
are  of  concrete. 
The  upper  struc- 
ture may  be  of  cypress  or  redwood.  The 
outside  width  is  11  ft.  6  in.,  the  length 
depending  upon  the  number  of  sashes  re- 
quired for  a  particular  purpose  or  loca- 
tion. Hotbed  sash,  of  the  standard  3  by 
6-ft.  dimensions,  is  used.  Fitting  into  the 
ridge  pole,  at  the  upper  end,  they  rest  at 
the  lower  end  on  the  timber  heading  of 
the  concrete  side  walls,  and  are  readily 
removable.  The  height  from  the  ground 
to  the  ridge  is  4  ft.  The  center  walk  is 
2  ft.  wide  and  3  ft.  below  ground  level, 
reached  by  cement  steps.   This  makes   the 


clearance  from  walk  to  ridge  7  ft.   Con- 
crete side  walls,  3  ft.  high  and  4  in.  thick, 
join  the  walk  at  the  bottom  and  confine 
the  benches  at  the  top.    The  outside  walls 
are  6  in.  thick  and  3  ft,  high,  with  one 
foot  above  ground  and  two  beneath.  The 
benches  are  the  same  level  as  the  outside 
ground. 
Proper  ventilation  must  be  provided  in 
the  fitting  of  the  sashes.  In  the  spring 
they  are  lifted  out,  a  few  at  a 
time,  and  ordinarily  by  May 
they  are  entirely  removed 
and   replaced   by 
cheesecloth, 
which     provides 
shade     for    the 
plants,  and  bars 
out  'insects. 
Gradual  removal 
of  the  sash  hard- 
ens the  plants  to 
the     outside 
weather.      Being 

Cross  Section*of  Greenhouse,  Giving  Dimensions  and  Locations   adaoted  to  crODS 
of  Walls,  Benches,  Sash,  and  Finished  Structure :   Bolts  for       «i^«*Ptcu  lu  crops 


Fastening  Headers  to  Outside  Walls  are  Shown  in  Place 


of  many  kinds, 
the  greenhouse 
may  be  kept  occupied  all  year.  Radishes, 
beets,  and  lettuce  in  March  or  April; 
blooming  plants  and  summer  vegetables, 
such  as  tomatoes  and  cucumbers,  in  May ; 
leaf  and  head  lettuce  in  August,  and  in 
November,  cabbage  and  cauliflower,  for 
spring  transplanting,  offer  opportunities 
to  secure  several  crops  a  season. 

As  the  length  is  left  indeterminate,  the 
cost  of  such  a  structure  must  be  calcu- 
lated by  the  Tunning  foot.  It  should  aver- 
age about  $6,  but  would,  of  course,  be 
largely  influenced  by  local  labor  charges. 


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Popular  Mechanics  Magazine 

6  N.  Michigan  Avenue,  Chicago,  U.  S.  A. 
EDITED  BY  H.  H.  WINDSOR 


London:  Hachcttc  6C  Qe, 
16.  King  WtUkm  Street,  Charing  Cross,  W.  C.  2 


Paris:  Hachette  &  Ge, 
111  Rue  Repumur 


Melbourne,  Australia: 
The  Australasian  News  Co. 


ISSUED  MONTHLY 


SUBSCRIPTION: 


SINGLE  COPY.  20  CENTS 


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All  subscriptioiu  are  discontinued  at  expiration.     Please  examine  the  date  printed  on  your  wrapper. 

Entsred  ■•  SMond  Clana  Matter  Sept.  16.  1903.  at  the  Po«t  Office  at  Chleaco.  Illinois,  under  Act  of  March  Srd.  1879. 
Entered  aa  Second  Claaa  Matter  at  the  Post  Office  I>ep«rtnient.  Canada. 


»nthly  by  POPULAR  MECHANICS  CO. 


CopyHxht.  1919.  by  H.  H.  Windsok. 


Vol.  31 


Contents  for  June,  1919 


No.  6 


Accident— Airplane  and  Locomotive  in  Collision  814 
Accident — Freight  Car  Lands  on  Top  of  Gondola  808 

Accident — Girl  Falls  from  High  Tower  1 802 

Accident — Girl  Revives  after  Ten  Hours  in  Water  918 
Accident — Glaring  Headlight  Causes  Auto  Wreck  842 

Accident — Pipe  Line  Stops  Fall  of  Truck 862 

Accident — Warehouse  Collapse 872 

Accident — Wood  Car  and  Steel  Car  in  Collision. .  862 

Aeroplane  Carries  Doctor  to  *'Flu''  Patients 874 

Aeroplane,  Plying  Boat  Made  from 876 

Aeroplane,   High  Altitude,  Flying  West,  Carried 

East,  by  Major  R.  W.  Schroeder 809 

Aeroplane,  Ignition  Circuit  Breaker  for 897 

Aeroplane  Line  to  St.  Moritr,  Switrerland 887 

Aeroplane  Model  Employs  Unusual  Principle....  889 

Aeroplane,  Pilotless,  Is  Flying  Destroyer 841 

Agriculture — Science  Vindicates  Farmers  "Signs"  894 

y\ir  Sounding  Apparatus  on  British  Ship 862 

Ambulance,  Aerial,  Carries  Hospital  Equipment. .  900 

Anesthetic.  Nikalgin,  Invented  by  American 804 

Animals,  Wild,  Census  of,  by  W.  F.  Wilcox 896 

Arrow  Indicator  on  Submarine  Chasers 826 

Artillery — Substitute  Fitch  for  Gun  Carriage. ....  816 
Automobile — Pulley  Clamped  to  Has  Many  Uses  892 
Automobile    Safety    Signal   Warns   When    Brakes 

are  Applied 878 

Automobile  Salesman,  Field  Glass  Aids 916 

Automobile  Top,  Closed  and  Open  Combined ....  868 
Automobiles,  Stolen,  Secret  Markings  Recover..  802 
Automobiles,  Title  or  Deed  to  Prevent  Theft  of. .  806 
Aviation — Aerial  Police  Force  for  New  York....  864 
Aviation — Atlantic  City  Air  Port  First  in  World.  812 
Aviation — Device  Gives  Fliers  Aerial  Sensations  888 
Aviation — Pioneer  Flights  over  Ocean  and  Land  818 

Aviation — Some  Peculiar  Landings  of  Airmen 816 

Aviation — ^The  First  Flight,  by  Searle  Hendee...   882 

Aviation — Women's  Flying  Costumes 862 

Balloon,  Airman  Dives  from 816 

Balloon  Observers  to  Watch  for  Forest  Fires 826 

Balloon  Observers  Trained  on  Mountain  Peak...   867 

Balloon  Parachute,  New,  Saves  Basket 909 

Balloonist.  Roof  Guards  from  Falling  into  Pit..  868 
Balloons,  Gas,  Explode  to  Release  Propaganda.  .  906 
Balloons,  Water  Valve  Prevents  Overinflation . . .   874 

Balloons,  Portable  Gas  Plants  for 881 

Band,  Brass,  Indians  Use  at  Tribal  Festivals 864 

Barley,  Experimenters  Feed  to  Milch  Cows 906 

Bathing  Pool,  Beautiful,  at  Small  Expense 896 

Bridge  Span  Hauled  by  Motor  Truck 866 

Building — Miners  Build  Homes  under  Cliffs 879 

Building  Constructed  for  National  Tractor  Show  866 

Building — Studio   Built  from  Driftwood 868 

Buildings,  Fireproof,  Have  Steel  Shelves 818 

Buildings  Quickly  Erected  with  Wooden  Netting.  869 
Buzzer  Signal  Set  Uses  Transformer 816 


Camera,  Make  Many  Pictures  on  One  Film  with 

Camera,  Scale  Helps  to  Focus 

Canal,   Panama,  by  E.  T.  Bronsdon 

Car,   Racing,  Sandbags  Fail  to  Stop 

Cathedral,  St.  Paul's,   Partially  Restored 

Cathedral^  Services  Held  in  Completed  Part.... 

Chains,  Tire,  Springs  on    Prevent  Flapping 

Children's   Page    

City,    Americanization    Campaign    for,    by    Paul 
Jenkins    

Clay,  Tamping,  Brick  Machine  Shapes 

Clinkers,  water  Jet  Removes 

Clothing^Principles  Taught  in  Government  Course 

Clown,  Face  of.  Entrance  to  Show 

Coast   Defense,   Camouflaged   Mortars  for 

College  of  Fisheries  at  State   University,   Seattle 

Concrete  Piling,   Compressed  Air  Method  for... 

Corn,  Frost  Proof,  by^  Robert  H.  Moult  on 

Com,  Seed,  Electric  Tester  for , 

Coyote  Nuisance,  Poison  Pellet   Lessening 

Crutch  has  Spring  Shock  Absorber 

Dam,  Automatic  Tilting,  Regulates  Flood  Water 

Dirigibles,  British,  "R  88"  and  "R  84" 

DoU,  Walking 

Dye,  European,  America  Now  Independent  of . . . 

Education — University  Drops  Latin  Requirement 

Electricity— Controller  Contacts  Saved  by  Inter- 
rupting  Current 

•    ~  •   ~  •   - ^ — ,nt 


T> :_«  I 


I.. 


Fse 


817 
866 
866 
861 
912 
866 
898 
920 

918 
918 
848 
868 
860 
916 
898 
906 
907 
.848 
880 
908 
864 
822 
888 
864 
842 

916 
807 
824 
918 
900 
846 
866 
808 
902 
840 
888 
881 
909 
878 
918 
876 
878 
897 
804 
864 
982 
917 
960 
806 
878 


ses  901 

..  861 


[Continued  on  Patfe  4] 


Popular  Mechanics  offers  no  premiums;  does  not  join  in  "clubbing  offers"  and  employs  no  solicitors  to  secure  subscriptions. 
It  is  for  sale  by  nearly  every  newsdealer  in  Ae  United  States  and  Canada, 


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(4) 


[  Contents— Continued] 


Horseshoe,  Nonskid,  Made  for  Pitchers 874 

Houses,    London,    England's   Rich  Discard 919 

Influenxa  Epidemic,  Audience  Sprayed  During...  860 

Influenza,  Strips  of  Oilcloth  Check  Spread  of 889 

Insomnia,  Device  Cures  by  Supplying  Dry  Air..  8M 

Iodine,  Surgeon  Uses  Many  Times 848 

Iron,  Galvanized,  New  Process  Improves 878 

Journey— Couple  Will   Walk  Around   World 901 

:iln.  Lumber,  Air  Automatically  Adjusted  in 90S 

Lake,  Gushing  Well  Makes  on  Farm 898 

Lake,  Leaky  Bottom  Covered  with  Clay 860 

Lead  Electrically  Hardened    Is  Bearing  Metal..  908 

Lightning,  Photograph  of,  at  Close  Range 880 

Locksmith  Crosses  Continent  in  Auto 870 

Lumber,  American,  Foreign  Markets  Eager  for . .  876 

Lumber  Yard.  Old  Timber  Wall  Keeps  Fire  from  864 

Mail  Route,  Aerial,  from  Vancouver  to  Seattle..  804 

Mantelpiece,   Cement,   Resembles  Wood 988 

Medal,  Victory,  for  Soldiers  of  Allied  Armies . . .  860 

Memorial,  Roosevelt's  Birthplace  Bought  As 868 

Merry'Go- Round,   German,  Americans   Capture . .  880 

Metal  Spraying,  Use   Electric  Arc  for 868 

Mine  Sweepers,  Dutch,  Scour  North  Sea 869 

Mines,  Stray,  Many  Still  in  Ocean 896 

Monument  to  Soldiers,  Texas  Ranchmen  Erect. .  887 

Mosquitoes,  Collection  of  in  National  Museum...  898 

Motor,    Liberty,    Development   of 898 

Motorcycle,  Handle  Brazed  to  Frame  of 848 

Motorcyclists     to     Survey     London-Sydney     Air 

Route     888 

Motorcycle  Used  as  Tractor  for  Plowing 808 

Motorcycles  Used  in  Testing  Army  Balloons 849 

Moving  Picture  Screen  Soaked  to  Make  Translu- 
cent      862 

Mower  for  Golf  Grounds  Has  Corrugated  Blades  898 

Muffler  of  Helical  Shape  Reduces  Back  Pressure  908 
Navy  Recruits  Get  Outfits  When  Found  Mentally 

Fit    894 

Novelties  for  the  Home 914 

Nut,   Cotter   Pin  Locks 894 

Packages,   Better,  How  the  War  Brought  Them 

Out,  by  E.  T.  Bronsdon 885 

Padlock,    Combination,   Used   in   Navy 908 

Parachute  and  Airman,  Explosion  to  £lxpel 919 

Parade,  New  York's,  for  27th  Division 890 

Phonograph  Built  to  Resemble  Log  Cabin 908 

Picture,    Panoramic,    of   Battle    Front 870 

Pigeons  Aid  in  Patrol  of  National  Forests 882 

Pipe,  Discharge,  Floated  on  Wood  Pontoons 886 

Pipe,  Iron,  Cast  in  Centrifugal  Mold 861 

Pipe  Line.  Wood  Stave,  Has  Unusual  Test 808 

Planer,   Ship,  Side  Cuttmg 861 

Planter,   Automatic,  Attaches  to   Cultivator 884 

Platinum,  American  Buyer  Brings  from  Russia. .  887 

Plow,  Garden,  with  Hinged  Shovels 842 

Police  Force,  Aerial,  in  California 847 

Pool,  Use  Gun  instead  of  Cue  to  Play 876 

Press,  Electric,  for  Making  "Seggars" 888 

Press,  Filter,  for  Practical  Tests 918 

Prize  for  Walnut  Branding  Machine 866 

Programs,  Used  Theater.  Cleaned  and  Pressed . .  862 

Pump.  Turbine  Driven,  for  Boiler  Feed  Work . . .  906 

Pushcart  in  Cupola  Building 861 

Radiator  Cap,  Small  De  Haviland  Plane  Is 887 

Radiator  Cover,  AdjusUble 918 

Radio    Compass   Stations,    Navy    Builds 884 

Radio,   Ireland-American    840 

Radiotelephone   Station,   Portable 807 

Railroads  to  be  Reorganized  in  Chile 902 

Railway,  Projected,  for  Northern  Canada 919 

Reconstruction  Work,  Arm^,  to  be  Recorded   . .  828 

Republics  Exceed  Monarchies  in  Number 876 

Restaurant,  Motorized,  for  New  York  Police 818 

Rifle  Scores.  High,  Made  with  New  Sights 902 

Rubber  from  Rabbit  Brush,  by  J.  Cecil  Alter...  848 

Rubber  Scarcity,   German  Trucks   Show 906 

Sailors,  Shipwrecked,  Crude  Still  Saves  Lives  of.  872 

Salt  Storm  Maroons  Workmen 885 

Sand  Blast  Operator,  Steel   Room  for 889 

Saw,  Circular  Hand,  Electrically  Operated 888 

Saw  Handle.  Hinge  in  Saves  Knuckles 847 

Saw  on  Rollers  Cuts  at  All  Angles 886 

Scaffold,   Portable,   Made  of  Ladders 869 

School,    Chinese,   at  Victoria,   B.    C 888 

School,  Traveling,  for  Negroes 887 

Scrapbook,  War,  Weighs  100  Pounds 864 

^rew  Thread  Accuracy,  Project  Pictures  to  Test  828 

Ship,  "Deucalion."  Five  Years*  Overdue 876 

Ship — Dreadnaucht,  "Idaho,"  Recendy  Completed  801 


Ship,  Miniature,  Given  to  President  Wilson 840 

Ships,   Seaplane,    Differ   in   Constructioo 846 

Shuttle,    Elastic,   Prevents   Breakage 8M 

Sign  Gives  Street  Car  Routes  to   Hotels 879 

Sign  Warns  Motorists  to  Watch  for  Planes 868 

Signs  Warn  Public  against  Polluted  Water 812 

Sled,  Motor,  for  Rural  Mail  Carrier 922 

Sleigh,  Motor,  Across  the  Cascades  in 830 

Soldiers,   Mutilated.  Hand  Painted  Com»er  Faces 

for,    by    Grace    Goulder 844 

Soldiers,  Wounded,  Through  Train  for 919 

Soldiers,   Crippled,   Machine  Tests  Incapacity  of  800 

Soldiers    Form    "Amputation    Club" 816 

Sound  Magnifier,  Airman  Aloft  Uses  in  Making 

Speech     829 

Speedway  on  Roof  Top  is  Tire  Tester 87S 

Square,  Folding,  for  Carpenter 848 

Stadium,  "Pershittg>"  to  be  Given  to  French 8S8 

Stairway  Built  to  Base  of  Shoshone  Palls 867 

Statue,  Bronze,   Memorial  to  Texas  Ranchman..  806 
Steel,  New,  Tools  Cast  from  Need  Little  Machin- 
ing      863 

Steps,    Nonslipping  Tread  for 916 

Street   Flusher   Has   Speaking   Tube...* 877 

Subway,  New  York,  Special  Cars  for 897 

Surgery — Lessons  Taught  by  War 842 

Tank  Tries  Trip  up  Pikes  Peak 889 

Tank,  Two  Engine,  Steers  by  Shifting  Gears 912 

Tanks,    Large  Oil,   Floated   to   New  Position...  883 

Tanks,  Water  Softening,  Made  of  Concrete 878 

Tea  Ball  Made  •  Like  Submarine 874 

Telephone,  Trench,  Has  Telegraph  BuUon 874 

Time,  Uniform  for  United  States 886 

Tractor  and  Separator  Shipment  Breaks  Records  849 

Tractor,   Electric,   Used  in  Hospital 893 

Tractor,  Farm,  with  Endless  Treads  of  Steel 840 

Train.   Two  Locomotive,   Has   Single  Control. . .  879 

Tree,  Apple,  Cage  and  Burglar  Alarm  Protect...  894 

Trees,  Dwarf,  Japanese  Grow 885 

Trees,   Large  Shipment  for  Reforestation 838 

Trolley  Car,  Trackless,  Use  in  New  England 884 

Truck,  Enameled  Tank,  Carries  Soft  Drinks 868 

Truck  Line,  Motor,  Operated  by  Farmers 850 

Tumblers,  Machine  Rounds  Edges  of 892 

Tunnel  for  English  Channel 887 

Tunnel,  Simplon,  Changes  Sjrstem  of  Ventilation .  896 

Turbine,  Water,   Double  Action 917 

Wall,  well  Designed  Retaining,  for  Playground. .  961 

Walls,  Concrete,  with  Dead  Air  Chamber 880 

War  Material,  Salvage  6f  Enormous  Task 90S 

War  Stories,  Tangled,  Confuse  Public 832 

Water  Hbater,  Electric,  Can  be  Packed  in  Trav- 
eling Bag  ' 894 

Wheat  Wasted  by  Threshing  Machines,  Saving.  899 

Wheel,  Motor  Truck.  Spring  Floated 889 

Whistles  of  Different  Tones  for  Referee 908 

Winch,  Steam,  Makes  Work  Easv  for  Stevedores  808 

Wireless,    Cured   of   Static   Troubles 092 

Wood,  Buy  by  Weight  for  Fuel 807 

Wrench,  Monkey.  Works  at  Several  Angles 881 

X-Rays  Test   Concrete   Ships,   Defects 898 

Yellow  Fever,  Fight  against  to  be  Renewed 871 


SHOP  NOTES 

Anode,  Double^  for  Electroplating 

Automobile,  Air  Propelled,  Building 

Automobile  Bearing  Races  Tightened  by  Solder. 

Automobile    Camping    Outfit 

Automobile.  Driving  with  Sheared  Hub  Key 

Automobile  Hood,  Waterproof,  ProtecU  Coils... 
Automobiles.  Used.  Frauds  Practiced  in  Selling. . 

Bench,   Portable,  for  Plumbers 

Bottles,   Crown  Top,   Opener  for 

Broom,  Attachment  Fastens  Cloth  on 

Bushings.  Tight,  Drivins  Out  by  Fluid  Pressure 

Chuck  Jobs.  Centering  quickly  in  Lathe 

Clamp,    Rope,   Quick   Acting 

Clamp,  Saw  Sharpening,  Wooden  Block  Forms.. 
Clothespin,  Spring,  Converted  into  Testing  Clip. . 

Cord  Adjuster,  Simple 

Cork,  How  to  Drill  Holes  tfarouch 

Door,  Sagging,  Remedying 

Drill,   Centerboring.  for  Brake  Lining 

Engines,  Auto.  "Running  In"  after  Overhauling. 

Fan,  Ceiling.  Made  of  Pipe  Fittings 

Flagpole    Pulley    Lubrication 

Fly    Catcher,    Vacuum .• 


942 

928 

986 


942 
938 
941 
934 


937 


941 
936 
939 


[Contents  Contin«aad  on  Paitfe  Bl 


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The  most  valuable  piano  in  the  world 
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^1 


Please  Mention  Popular  Mechanice 


(-CuBUsBts— XSuiitiuiied  ii  uiii  Psge^) 

'Food  Kept  Cool  ^'witbout  Ice Vi6 

QafiketB,  Cim  Qsaase  iSeepa  Sbft 9S9 

Gate  'Bracefl  agahist  ^raing 9M 

Gram  Bag  Holder,  Iffnk  Out  Used  as 91S 

Grinder,  Dnat  Catcher  for VS7 

Hacksaw  Frames  for  Titfht  Places 99f 

Hens,  Tethering  Breaks  of  Sitting 938 

HtfYder,    Braserr  Made  frdm   Clothespin 9S3 

Itidrne  for  Seratthes  on  Furniture 941 

laws,  SwuveL  for  Holding  Wood  in  Iron  Vase. ..  989 

Key  Ring,  Countersink  uaiige  on 937 

Lamp  Trouble,  Tin  Can  Is  «efiector  for 942 

Lathe  Chucks,  Grinding  Jaws  of 934 

Lumber,   Pattern,   Ksutta   in 989 

Machines,  Heavy,  Tool  -for  Turning  by  Hand. . .  933 

Pahttbmsh,  ^Guard  for 986 

Plants.  Garden,  Straw  Hat  Protects 937 

Plow  tor  Garden  Furrows 940 

Poultrir — Labor   Saving   Chicken   Roosts 994 

Punch  Made  from  Old  pliers 985 

Rat   "Hallway"  for  Poultry  Houses 996 

Razor   Hxme,   Fungns -996 

Reamer  for  Cleaning  Taper  Holes 940 

Roof,  House,  Itrigation  Water  Cools 988 

Ruler,  Draftsman's  Bolt  and  Nut 941 

Screwdrivers,    Powerful    983 

Socket  for  Taper  Shank  Twist  Drills 9SS 

Soldering  Copper  Has  Jointed  Handle 988 

Sponge,    Rubber,   Cleans  Wall   Paper 998 

Square  Used  as  Level 989 

Table    and    Bench,    Combination 985 

Tclephotte  Cord  Adjuster 987 

Tubmg,  Rubber,  wirt  Prevents  from  Breaking . .   942 

Valve   Cages,   Automobile,  Jiemoving 985 

Well,  Old.  Used  to  Cool  Drinking  Fountains 996 

Wire,   Magnet,   Removing  Enamel  from 949 

AMATEUR  MECHANICS 

Animal,    Pet.    Carrier    for 

Automobile  Radiator,  Prevent  "Fan  from  Striking 

Bait,  Spinner,  Made  from  Clothespin 

Bird,  Flying,  Optical  lUnsion  of 

Boat,  House,  for  Camping  Parties 

Bolt,  Expansion,  Made  from  Ordinary  Bolt 

Covers  Made  from  Envelopes 


Book 

Box  for  Keeping  Food  Hot  at  Picnic 

Bread,  Gauge  for  Slicing. 

Camera,   Using  Upside  Down 

Chain  Used  as  Wire  Grip 

Checkbook,  Canceled  Checks  Replaced  in 

Clock,  Alarm,  Hung  on  Costnmer 

Cuspidor,   Holder  for 

Dock  with  Runway  Adjustable  to  Water  Level.  . 

Door,    Rattling,    Wood   Block    Prevents 

Door,  Screen,  Cuiihion  Prevents  from  Slamming 

Door,  Small,  in  Large  One  for  Dog 

Egg   Beater.    Holder   for 

Pan,  Blectnc,  Dispels  Odors  in  Kitchen 

Pish   Jigger,    Self^cting 

Pish  Stringer.  Use  Key  Ring  at  End  of 

Ply   Paper,    Hang   Out  of  Way 

Flytrap,  Electrical,  Flies  Killed  in 

Flytrap  Made  from  Cheese  Box 

Game,   "Peggy,"   Exciting   Outdoor 

Goblet  Made  into  Dinner  Bell 

Harrow,   Garden,   Homemade 

Indicator,  Tension,  for  Relay 

Kitchen,  Sleeping   Compartment  in 

Lamp,  Keading,  Device  for  Holding  on  Wall 

Leaks,  Roof,  Tobacco  Smoke  Locates 

Magaxines,   Old,   Used  as  Shingles 

Match  Scratcher  on  Bottom  ot  Pipe 

Medicine  Dropper  Made  from  Lamp  Globe 

Necktie  Pressed  without  Iron 

Negativee,  Cracked,  Photographing 

PaiX  Handy,  Inner  Tube  Makes 

Pen,  Fountain,,  Filling  by  Suction 

Pen,  I^ettering,  Made  from  Ruling  Pen 

Ticture  Frame  Joint,  Strong 

Pictures,  'Keeping  Straight  on  Wall 

Pliers  Converted  into  Saw  Set. 

'Pockeiiniife.  H<yw~  to  Open  ^Baaity 

Press,   Drill,  with  Adiusteble  Table 

Razor  Sharpener  Attached -to  dewing  tfttdime. 

Scroll  Saw  Attaohment 

Silicates  9ocm  Chemical  '^Plants" 

Sprayer,  Barrel  and  Force  Pump  Make . 

Stickiers.  Qtinuned,  How 'to  Make 

Stool  Made  from  Scraps  of  Xumber. 


956 

955 
957 
947 
948 
946 
951 
954 
959 
950 
947 
995 
953 
955 
944 
946 
951 
953 
958 
957 
952 
951 
951 
945 
955 
943 
945 
944 
950 
946 
989 
951 
958 
9H 
955 
959 
959 
958 


957 
947 
956 
983 
954 


Trellia,  Twisted  Wires  Snppoft  ^Plams  on . 


,  -Garden,  Oae  Piece. 


Wasbec   Hew  to  Keep  in  Hoae. 

Wood,  Removing  Dents  from 

Wrench  Ufade  of  'Sheet  Iron 


967 
947 


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Know  Your  Car 


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**  We*Te  been  watching  7011,  yonagwuBa,  We  knof? 
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My  Way  off  Teaching  Piano 
Made  Plenty  of  Enemies 


All  the  old  fogeys  who  are  down  on  an3rth]ng  new — 
especially  correspondence  study— made  it  pretty  hard 
for  me  when  I  nrst  started  25  years  ago. 

And  the  fact  tiiat  in  spite  of  their  opposition  I  ob- 
tained more  students  every  year  fleems  to  me  pretty  good 
evidence  that  my  method  isn't  wholly  bad. 

I  now  have  far  more  students  than  were  ever  before 
tsngfat  by  one  man.  There  isn't  a 
State  in  the  Union  that  doesn't  con- 
tain a  score  or  more  skilled  players 
of  piano  or  organ  who  obtained  their 
^n^retrainingfromme.  They  learned 
in  <mairier4he  usual  time  and  at  quarter 
the  msual  cost,  I  will  gladly  refer  you 
to  any  muiber  who  will  soon  convince 
you   of   the   excellent  results  they 

fained  from  my  instruction.  My 
ree  booklet,  ''How  to  Learn  Piano 
or  Organ,"  will  interest  and  inform 
you.  But  don't  send  for  it  if  you're 
afraid  of  being  convmced. 

My  way  of  teaching  piano  or  organ 
is  entirely  different  nrom  all  others. 
Out  of  every  four  hours  of  study, 
T>ne  hour  is  Eq[>ent  entirely  away  from 
the  keyboard  —  learning  sometiiing 
about  Harmony  and  The  Laws  of 
Music.  This  is  an  awful  shock  to 
most  teachers  of  the  "old  school," 
who  still  think  that  learning  piano  is 
solelv  a  problem  of  "finger  eymnas- 
tics.  ^*  When  you  <i<?  go  to  flie  key- 
board, you  accomplish  twice  as  much, 
becaose  you  undarstand  what  you  are 
doing.  Within  four  lessons  I  enable 
you  to  play  an  interesting  piece  not 
only  in  the  original  key,  but  in  all 
other  keys  as  well. 


I  iMdoe  oae  of  every  poanble  scientific  help 
— insny  of  which  sre  entirely  unknown  to  tiie 
a^terase  teacher.  My  patented  faiventkm,  the 
COLOROTONE,  sw^fops  away  playinff  diffi- 
cutties  tint  have  troubled  students  for  sen- 

By  its  nse  transposition  —usaally  a 
'  to  students—  becomes  easy  wid 
fasefaiatinjr.  With  my  fifth  lesson  I  introdnoe 
another  imvoctant  and  exdnsiTe  invention, 
QUINN-DEX.  Qninn-Dex  is  a  simple  hand- 
Tpeisttad  raovins  picture  device,  which  enables 
yon  to  see,  rlgfat  before  yonr  eyes,  every  move- 
ment of  my  lands  at  the  k^r^oard.  Ton 
aotnalbr  see  the  ifayrs  aaove.  lastead  ef 
te  jmHuduee  yuur  tsac 

I  fmin  MSIKMtT- which  t 


\  The  OOLGBOVOKS  and  ^JDINN- 
m  asoalhamidiPsaKaof 
m  beobtamad«» 
nothing  else,  anywhere,  even  remotely  like  them. 

Men  and  women  who  hmve  failed  by  all  other  methods  have  quickly 


They 
is 


J)R,  QUniN  AT  HIS  PIANO-Fnm  tht  famous akdch 
by  SdumkUr,  exhtbttedta  the  St,  Louis  Expositim. 

and  easily  attained  aaeoess  when  studsrinfl:  with 
me.  In  all  essential  ways  you  are  in  closer  touch 
with  me  than  if  yon  were  studyins:  by  the  oral 
method  —  yet  my  lessons  cost  3rou  only  48  cents 
each — and  theyindude  all  the  many  recent  devel- 
opments in  scientific  teaching.  For  the  student  of 
moderate  means,  this  method  of  studying  is  far 
superior  to  all  otlierB,  and  even  for  the  wealthiest 
student  there  is  nothing  better  at  a^y  price.  You 
may  l>e  certain  that  your  progress  is  at  all  times  in 
accord  witii  tiie  best  musical  thought  of  the  present 
day,  and  this  makss  all  the  differsnoe  in  the  taorld. 

My  Course  is  endorsed  by  distinguished  musi- 
cians who  would  not  roeommend  any  course  but  the 
best.  It  is  for  beginners  or  experienced  players* 
old  or  young.  You  advance  as  rapidly  or  as  slowly 
as  you  wish.  All  necessary  music  is  supplied  with- 
out extra  charge.  A  diploma  is  granted.  Write 
today,  without  cost  or  obligation,  for  64-pase  free 
booklet,  "How  to  Learn  Piano  or  Organ." 


€3fMHN  OOMSERVATORY, 

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"  booklet.  **HowtoLMni  PiaBOorOcoBii.' 

I  tloalan  of  year  Ooobm  aadepeoUl  sm 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS  ADVERTISING  SECTION 


THERE  are  only  a  few  $50,000  jobs — 
yet  of  all  the  men  in  the  country  it  is 
difficult  to  find  enough  to  fill  the  few 
big  jobs  available.  There  are  plenty  of  men  for 
the  $2  5-a-week  positions — but  the  thousand- 
dollar-a-week  openings  "go  begging."  How  this 
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$50,000  a  year  is  one  of  the  most  interesting 
chapters  in  the  annals  of  even  present-day 
fortune-making.  This  is  the  story  told  me, 
almost  word  for  word,  by  the  young  man  who 
did  it. 

"Three  short  years  ago  I  was  $5,000  'in  the 
hole* — and  earning  $30  a  week.  I  had  a  wife 
and  two  children  to  support,  and  I  used  to 
worry  myself  sick  about  the  future. 

"To-day — it  seems  like  a  dream — all  my 
troubles  are  over.  I  am  worth  $200,000 — 
enough  to  keep  me  and  my  family  in  comfort 
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have  just  purchased,  for  cash,  a  $25,000  home. 
I  go  hunting,  fishing,  motoring,  traveling, 
whenever  I  care  to. 


— 4iid  uvc  In  lAxory  any  one 

can  do.  I  am  only  an 
average  man — not  'brilliant' — have  never  gone 
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hensive education. 

"What,  then,  is  the  secret  of  my  success? 
Let  me  tell  you  how  it  came  about. 

"One  day,  about  three  years  ago,  something 
happened  that  woke  me  up  to  what  was  wrong 
with  me.  It  was  necessary  for  me  to  make  a 
decision  on  a  matter  which  was  of  little  conse- 
quence. I  knew  in  my  heart  what  was  the 
right  thing  to  do,  but  something  held  me  back. 
I  said  one  thing,  then  another;  I  decided  one 
way,  then  another.  I  couldn't  for  the  life  of 
me  make  the  decision  I  knew  was  right. 

"I  lay  awake  most  of  that  night  thinking 
about  the  matter — not  because  it  was  of  any 
great  importance  in  iyself,  but  because  I  was 


Pleate  Mention  Popular  Mechanic* 


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TOFULAS  (HSCHAinCS  ADYBSSISING  SSCTIOH 


15 


beginning  to  discover  what  was  wrong  with  knowledge,  do  plan,  no  idea  is  worth  a  penny 
me.  Along  towards  dawn  the  answer  flashed  tmless  it  is  used — ^and  it  cannot  be  used  un« 
on  me  and  I  resolved  to  make  an  experiment,  less  some  one's  power  of  wUl  does  itl")r  * 
I  decided  to  cultivate  my  will  power,  believ- 
ing that  if  I  did  this  I  would  not  hesitate  pROF.  HADDOCK'S  rules  and  exercises  in 
about  making  decisions— that  when  I  had  an  ^^  trainmg  have  been  placed  in  book 
idea  I  would  have  sufficient  confidence  in  my-  form,  and  I  have  been  authorized  by  the  pub- 
self  to  'put  it  over'— that  I  would  not  be  ^^^^  ^^  say  that  any  reader  who  cares  to 
afraid  of  myself  ot  of  things  or  of  others.  I  examine  his  startlmg  book  on  will  power  may 
felt  that  if  I  could  smash  my  ideas  across  I  f  so  without  sendmg  any  money  m  advance. 
—^^1^  ^^«  ..*w*v^  «^„  ,.-^o««;^o  f^if  T  ir«o«  I^  o^^^r  words,  if  after  a  week's  reading,  you 
would  soon  ra^ktmy  presence  felt     I  knew  ^^  ^^^  ^,  ^^  ,,p^^^^  ^j  ^.^j,,  j^  ^^A  $3, 

that  heretofore  I  had  always  begged  for  sue-  ^^  ^^  ^^^    ^^^^^^  ^^  ^^^          ^y,  ^^ 

cess — had  always  stood,  hat  m  hand,  depend-  nothing. 

ing  on  others  to  give  me  the  things  I  desired.  „n.                                            i-              . 

In  short,  I  was  controlled  by  the  will  of  others.  ^.  ^^^,^"  ^^^  ^^^'""^  V^^J^  f  Py  j^f^^^^^^" 

-Lx^^^t^^x.    T  A^i^^,^\^^\r.  Ua«^  o   efw^TicT  ^^^^  ^  suggcst  that  you  first  read  the  articles 

Henceforth,  I  determined  to  have  a  strong  ^  ^^           ^ 

will  of  my  owB-^o  demand  and  command  ^^^^^  ^^Xyxiai\  power;  How  to  guard  against 

what  I  wanted.  errors  in  thought;   How  to  drive  from  the 

mind  unwholesome  thoughts;  How  to  develop 

**  WTITHthis  new  purpose  in  mind,I  applied  fearlessness;  How  to  use  the  mind  in  sickness; 

^  ^    myself  to  finding  out  something  more  How  to  acquire  a  dominatmg  personality, 

about  win  power,  and  in  my  investigation  I  j^  j^  interesting  to  note  that  among  the 

encountered  the  w(^s  of  Professor   Frank  225,000   owners  who  have   read,   used   and 

Channmg  Haddock.    To  my  amazement  and  praised  "Power  of  Will"  are  such  prominent 

delight,  I  discovered  that  this  eminent  sci-  men  as  Judge  Ben  B.  Lindsey;  Supreme  Court 

entist,  whose  name  ranks  with  James,  Bergson  Justice  Parker;  Wu  Ting  Fang,  ex-U.  S.  Chi- 

and  Royce,  had  completed  the  most  thorough  nese   Ambassador;    Gov.    McKelvie   of   Ne- 

and   constructive  study  of  will  power  ever  braska;   Assistant  Postmaster-General  Britt; 

made.    I  was  astonished  to  read  his  statement,  General  Manager  Christeson,  of  Wells  Fargo 

'The  will  is  just  as  susceptible  of  development  Express  Co.;  E.  St.  Elmo  Lewis;  Senator  Ar- 

as  the  muscles  of  the  body!'    My  question  thur  Capper,  of  Kansas,  and  thousands  of 

was  answered!     Eagerly  I  read  further — how  others. 

Dr.  Haddock  had  devoted  twenty  years  to  this  As  a  first  step  in  will  training,  I  would  sug- 
study — how  he  had  so  completely  mastered  it  gest  immediate  action  in  this  matter  before 
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You  cannot  make  a  mistake 
in  selecting  either  the  Automo- 
bile, Tractor  or  Airplane  busi- 
ness as  your  life  work.  There 
is  no  other  field  in  which  you 
will  find  a  better  future.  You 
want  a  better  job ;  you  want  a 
chance  to  go  into  business  for 
yourself  a  little  later  on  —  and 
there  is  no  reason  why  you 
should  not  succeed  in  your  am- 
bition. Let  me  give  you  some 
interesting  facts— 

First,  you  must  have  specialized 
knowledge  of  some  kind  if  you  want  to 
get  on.  Second,  you  must  eret  the  best 
possible  traininflr  your  ability  and  means 
will  permit.  Your  earning  power  de- 
pends on  sroor  trainin^r.  The  best  pays 
best  in  the  end. 

Over  15  years  of  my  life  have  been 
siven  over  to  the  buildinflr  up  of  Greer 
O^lece  ol  Motorinff  and  startinfir  am- 
bitious men  on  the  road  to  success. 
These  were  years  of  hard  work,  con- 
stant study  and  planninsr  to  make  my  school  the  best  of  its 
Und.    I  was  never  keen  on  makinff  Greer  Collese  of  Mo- 
toriac  "the  larflrest  school  in  the  world  "—but  I  never  let 
anything  stand  in  the  way  of  makin^r  it  the  best. 


Ajb  the  coantry  is  griidually  re- 
turning to  normal  conditions,  the 
demand  for  trained   men  is  in> 


The  Master  Method 

Perhaps  one  of  the  best  reasons  why  you  should  come 
to  my  school  is  because  you  will  be  trained  by  tried  and 

^s  tested  methods 
/A  —no  guess  work 
fff  —no  ex  peri - 
(/  mentinflratthe 
f  expense  of  your 
time  and  money. 
My  system  has 
been  called  the 
"master  method" 
tecauBO  it  makes 
1  aster  mechanics 
the  shortest  time, 
ery  instructor  is  a 
lialist  in  his  line, 
takes  a  personal 
set  in  srour  success. 
1  take  you  ten  to 
.„«..«  weeks  to  complete. 

GREER  COLLEGE 

OF  MOTORING 
D«pt.  IS,  1819  Wabash  Av*.,  CHICAttO 


creasing  by  leaps  and  bounds.  If 
yon  can  "deliver  the  goods"  yon 
can  practically  pick  your  job  and 
command  yonr  own  salary.  If  yon 
don't  want  to  work  for  some  one 
else,  you  will  find  thousands  of 
splendid  locations  to  go  into  busi- 
ness for  yourself,  in  all  parts  of 
the  country.  My  *'  personal  ser- 
▼ice  department  will  help  yoo 
set  started  right 

SPECIAL  TUITION 
RATE  NOW 

Make  up  your  mind  to  investi- 
gate today  —  right  now.  Yon  can 
get  a  training  at  the  GreerOollege 
of  Motoring—  and  remember  iv» 
the  best  school  of  its  kind  in  the 
country— at  a  rery  moderate  cost, 
if  yon  will  come  soon.  Ask  for 
the  special  proposition  offered  for  a  limited  time  only. 

HAY  PERSONAL    GUARANTEE 

I  personally  guarantee  every  claim  and  every  promise^  made 
by  myself  or  the  Clreer  Collese  eff^  Metortos-,  The  cost  is  low. 
compared  to  the  value  you  get  at  my  school,  where  we  have  ; 
complete  and  up-to-date  equipment  —  a  school  with  a  repute-  J 
tion  of  nnduestioned  integrity  and  responsibility. 

Yon  owe  it  to  yourself 

vestfgat«— don't  delay    

Yours  for  Sncoessb 


P.  S.    Send  for  FREE  e4'Pago  Book 

I  want  to  send  you  mr  free  book  which  will  give 
you  full  particulars  about  the  wonderful  money-making 
opportunities  in  the  Automobile.  Tractor  and  Aero- 
plane businees.  Several  pages  of  prscti— I  tatformatloii 
on  Electric  Starting   Systems.    Auto   Repairing  and 

Driving,  etc.    Worth  fl  a  copy.    YOO  can* '     " 

to  be  withowt  this  book. 


Greer  Colleoe  of  Molorlno, 

Dept.  IS,  18  !•  Wabash  Ave.,  CMceso,  III. 

Please  send  me  free  your  big  book  as  advertised  in  June  "  Popular 
Mechanics."  I  am  interested  in  subjecU  before  which  I  mark  X: 
[lAirtomobiioe    []  Tractors   []  Aeroi»la»eo    []  Deetrte  Starters 

Name 

Present  OooxTPATioN 

Street obR  F.  D 

QrrT State 

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22 


POPULAR  HECHANICS  ADYK^TISniG  SECTION 


Mechanical 
Engineering 


Learn  at  Home! 

THE  Government  and  employers  everywhere 
are  looking  for  men  with  mechanical  ability. 
Splendid  salaries  and  rapid  advancement  are 
offered  those  with  special  training. 

There  is  an  easy,  delightful  way  in  which  you 
can  learn  right  at  home  in  spare  time.  For  27  years 
the  International  Correspondence  Schools  have 
been  giving  men  and  women  just  the  training 
they  need  for  success  in  mechanical  engineering 
and  more  than  200  other  subjects.  Hundreds  of 
thousands  have  stepped  into  good  positions 
through  I.  C.  S.  help,  out  never  were  opportu- 
nities so  great  as  now. 

Let  the  I.  C.  S.  help  yon.  Choose  the  work  jwl  like  best 
In  the  coupon  below,  then  mark  and  mail  it  today.  This 
doesn't  obligate  you  in  the  least  and  it  wiU  brinff  you  in- 
formation that  will  start  you  on  a  successful  career.  This 
is  your  chance.  Don't  let  it  slip  by.  The  most  important 
thinir  you  have  to  do  is  to  mark  and  mail  this  coupon  now. 

mm  ■■«■■«■■■  ■■■■mmTBAII  OUT  HBnt  ««.»^»  >-■«»  ^.  . 

INTERNATIONAL  CORRESPONDENCE  SCHOOLS 

BOX  5556  B.  SCRAffTON,  PA. 

EzplalJi,  without  obUgatlnff  me,  how 


or  In  the  subject  btfort  which 
RLBOTSIGAL  KSaiRKBB 
Electric  LichtiDffMMilUnwaire 
Electric  Wirinc 
Telegraph  EngUieer 
Tclephoae  Work 
'MEOHASIOAL  BR6UIBBB 
Mechanical  Draftanan 
Machine  ShopPractlc* 
Toolmaker 
Gaa  Encln*  Oparatlaff 
CITIL   K1I6ISBBR 
Surreylns  andMapptaf 
MINB  KORBHAR  OR  BSfllRKKB 
NTATIONART  U6ISBKR 
Marine  Eogioaer 
Ship  Draftaman 
*  ARCHITECT 
^  Contractor  and  Bailder 
n  Arcfaitectntal  Draftaoaaa 
'Concrete  Builder 
J  Structural  Engineer 
nPI.rMRING  AMD  HBATlia 
^ Sheet  Metalworker 
^  Textile  O-reraeer  or  Sopt. 
CHEMIST 


^ame_ 


I  can  quslUlF  for  ths  poetttoa, 

SALESMANSHIP 
ADVERTISING 
Window  Trimoier 
Show  Card  Wfliar 
Sicn  Painter. 
Railroad  Tralaaes 
ILLUSTRATING 
CartoonlBS 
BOOKKEEPER 
Stenofrapher  and  Tjrplat 
Cert.  Public  Accountant 
TRAFFIC  MANAGER 
Railway  AocounianC 
Comme  rdal  Law 
GOOD  ENGLISH 
Teacher 

Common  Scbooi  Subject* 
Mathematica 
CIVIL  SERVICE 
Railway  Mail  Clerk 
AVTOHOBILB  OPBBATDIB 
Aate  lUpairlav 
NaTlaatlaa 
AGRIOUIiTURB 
Peultry  Balala*  I 


■  nSpaaM 
I  in  Preath 

r  ID  Italian 


Preson! 

Occupation_ 

Ktrect 

and  No 


Clt7_ 


Oanodteue  umu  atmd  Mte  ctnmm  to 
IntamaMonol  Corrmpomdtnc9  Sc4oola,  jronlreal. 

Please  Mention  Popular  MeohanUsM 


I  GET  A  NEW  I 
^      SLANT      ^ 


@i 
@i 

(Si 
(Si 
Gi 
Gi 
Gi 
@l 
(Si 
(Si 
(Si 
Gi 
Gi 
Gi 
Gi 
Gi 
Gi 
Gi 
Gi 
Gi 
Gi 
Gi 
Gi 
Gi 
Gi 
Gi 
Gi 
Gi 
Gi 
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Gi 
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Gi 
Gi 


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IS) 
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IS) 
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g) 
IS) 
IS) 
IS) 
IS) 

IS) 
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IS) 
IS) 

It  is  DIFFERENT  ® 

IS) 

Gutoons  Magazine  contains  or- 
iginal fun  by  writers  and  artists 
who  represent  the  best  Ameri- 
can wit  and  humor  of  the  day. 

IM  PRCes  eadi  month.  Piriee  $3  a  jemri 
25  cents  a  copy.  On  sale  at  all  news- 
stands— or  send  25  cents  with  attached 
coupon  lor  sample  copy. 


on  the  world's  news.  £>on't 
let  kill-joy  journalists  daub 
the  day's  doings  all  over  with 
gloom.  There's  a  chudde 
in  it  if  you  know  where  to 
look  for  it.- 

Cartoons 
Magazine 

finds  the  chuckle.  Its  writers, 
assisted  by  the  wodd's  greatest 
cartoonists,  tell  the  story  of  the 
month's  events  in  a  fresh,  whim- 
sical way  that  you  can  under- 
stand. It  is  not  satirical.  It 
is  not  partisan. 


19 
B 
B 
B 
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B 
B 
B 


■  ■■■■aaa«aa«ee»aeeaeBaa^mBimnmnaaAJUfc 


CARTOONS  MAGAZINE. 

6  N.  MIcfaitfan  A^e..  Chicago.  IlL 

For  23  cents  cndosed,  pUsse  send  sample  copy  of 
Cartoons  Magazine  to  the  fbUowing  name  and 
addrest: 


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Please  Mention  Popular  Mechanics 

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H  POPULAR  MSCHANICS  ADYEHTISniG  SECTION 


Please  Mention  Popular  Mechanics 

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POPULAR  MECHANICS  ADVXSTISIlf 6  SECTION 


25 


HoMrAn.tl8-a-Week  Clerk 

Became  a 

$150-a-Week  Salesman 

The  Experience  of  a  Man  Who  is  Now  Earning  More  Every 
Day  Than  He  Formerly  Made  in  a  Week 

By  Lester  E.  Smith 


NOT  very  long  ago,  D.  F.  H.,  of  New  London, 
Conn.,  was  earning  only  $18  a  week,  with 
little  prospects  of  getting  more. 

He  was  dissatisfied 'and  discouraged — tired  of  dub- 
bing along  at  wages  that  allowed  only  a  dull  and  drab 
existence,  with  none  of  the  real  pleasures  of  life. 

Finally  he  decided  to  make  a  change.  Within 
just  a  few  months,  although  he  had  never  had  any 
experience,  he  stepped  into  a  new  job  that  paid  him 
$600  a  month — more  per  day  than  he  had  formerly 
made  in  a  week. 

In  addition,  his  new  work  is  absorbingly  interest- 
ing. He  is  constantly  meeting  new  people,  con- 
stantly visiting  new  towns  and  cities,  and  seeing 
new  sights.  He  travels  on  the  best  trains,  stops 
at  the  best  hotels,  eats  at  the  best  restaurants. 

What  was  the  secret  of  D.  F.H.'s 
quick  rise  ?  How  did  he  jump  from 
a  poor  job  into  a  good  one — and  in 
an  entirely  new  line — ^without  hav- 
ing to  work  his  way  up  through 
the  slow  ^process  of  experience? 

D.  F.  H/s  Simple  Secret 

The  explanation  is  simple.  There 
was  no  luck  about  it  The  first 
thing  D.  F.  H.  did  was  to  get  a  line 
on  the  possibilities  in  different 
kinds  of  work.  And  it  didn't  take 
him  long  to  discover  for  himself 
that  men  who  know  how  to  sell 
Sire  the  ones  who  are  making  the 
most  money,  getting  ahead  the  i 
fastest,  and  getting  the  most  out 

of  life.  "SalesmengetthelargettMlariM because 

Thebs^sofallprofitinbusin«8  ^SJS'.SS 3:;::n5S'.h^i?'5S^ 
IS  sales-^the  man  who  bnngs  m  the 
orders  is  always  liberally  paid,  because  orders  mean 
profits.  That  is  why  talesmen  earn  all  the  way 
from  $2,000  to  $10,000  a  year  and  expends — 
many  of  them  more.  And  that  is  why  salesmen  are  so  often 
selected  for  partnership  and  executive  positions— they  are 
the  profit  produatrs—the  life-blood  oi  busmess. 


Outselling  Veteran  Salesmen 

Thus  in  a  few  weeks  of  easy  and  fascinating  spare  time 
study,  D.  F.  H.  learned  secrets  of  sellins  that  many  veteran 
«aesmen  t^ever  discover,  even  after  a  lifetime  of  expferience. 
Through  the  simple  lessons  sent  him  by  the  N.  S.  T.  A.,  he 
got  the  coachmg  of  men  who  have  been  "through  the  mill" 
—men  who  have  sold  millions  of  dollars'  worth  of  goods. 
Through  their  help,  he  was  able  to  start  in  where  many  sales- . 
men  leave  off. 

And  the  big  point  about D.  F.  H.'s experience  (hisfun  name 
and  address  will  be  furnished  on  request)  is  that  it  is  a  typical 
example  of  the  way  thousands  of  men —clerks,  bookkeepers, 
printers,  mechanics,  farm  boys,  and  others— have  been  able 
to  change  from  poorly  paid  work  to  highly  paid  positions  as 
salesmen  without  any  previous  experience.  It  is  knowledge* 
that  counts,  not  escperience.  For  example.  G.  W.  K.  had  never 
made  more  than  $60  a  month  before  taking  the  N.  S.  T.  A. 
course.  In  a  recent  letter  he  writes:  "Last  week  I  cleared 
$300.  and  this  weekJglO."  Another  man  writes:  "Why  should 
any  man  work  for  $25  a  week  when  he  can  make  that  much  in 
one  day?  I  made  $300  last  week  and 
am  doing  fine.*' 

Free  Book  Shows 
Just  How  They  Did  It 

What  these  men  have  done  you  can 
do.  You  don't  need  to  know  the  first 
thing  about  selling  to  begin— the  N.  S. 
T.  A.  trains  you  from. the  s^und  up— in 


But  how  was  D.  F.  H.  to  get  his  start  ?  He  soon  found  that 
lack  of  experience  was  no  obstacle.  About  that  time,  he  hap- 
pened to  hear  of  the  Natk>nal  Salesmen's  Training  Association 
— an  organization  of  top-notch  salesmen  that  in  the  last  twelve 
years  has  trained  thousands  of  men  for  high-salaried  positions 
through  spare  time  study  at  home.  He  found  that  instead  of 
having  to  start  out  "green"  at  a  small  salary  and  learn  throui^h 
^e  hard  knocks  of  experience,  he  could  learn  salesmanship 
from  A  to  Z  fram  a  few  simple  and  easy  lessons,  and  start  at 
a  «ood  salary.  "He  also  found  that  he  wouldn't  have  to  give  up 
his  job  as  clerk  until  he  secured  a  position  as  a  traveling  sales- 
man—and that  through  its  Emploinment  Bureau,  The  National 
Salesmen's  Training  Association  was  ready  to  assist  him  in 
his  choice  of  positions  withovt  any  charse. 


your  spare  time,  without  giving  up  your 
present  position  until  3rou  are  reacfy  to 
start  out  selling  — aad  then  throosfa  its 
Employment  Burean  yen  can  aecmre  a 
good  position. 

If  3^u  are  ambitious  to  earn  more 
money,  to  see  the  world,  to  get  more  out 
of  life,  then  at  least  investigate — it  will 
cost  you  nothing  to  find  out  how  this 
Association  can  help  you.    Simply  send 
your  name  for  interesting  free  book  —  it 
shows  why  salesmenship  offers  such 
wonderful  opportunities  — why  the  de- 
mand ior  udeunen  U  always  ahead  ol 
the    supply  —  explains    just    how  we 
qualify  you  for  any  line  m  selling— tells 
about  our  Emplojrment  Bureau  and  the 
many  good  positions  now  open.    Includes  letters  from  hunr 
dreds  of  men  we  have  trained.     Send  for  the  book  today, 
then  I'udge  for  yourself.    Mail  the  coupon  or  just  write  on  a 
postal  card. 

Address— National  Salesmen's  Trainhig  Association,  Dept 
12-G.  Chicago,  HI.,  U.  S.  A. 

■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■— —■.■■■uawB—B— —■»■■■■— »■■— 

National  Salesmen's  Training  Association 

Dei»t.  1 2-G,  Cliicaso.  IlL,  U.  S.  A. 

Please  send  me  your  Big  Free  Illustrated  Book  and  list  of 
lines  in  which  positions  are  open.    No  obligation  on  my  part. 


Namb. 


Strbet. 


City. 


.State. 


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27 


CLASSIFIED  ADVERTISEMENTS 


WORLD'S    BEST    WANT    AD    MEDIUM 


Wa  have  records  to  prove 
that  a  classified  ad  in  these 
colimms  will  find  a  bujer 
for  almost  anything  which 
can  be  sold.  Doubtless  you 
have  some  article  of  value 
to  some  one  else  which  you 
no  longer  need.  Why  not 
turn  it  into  money? 


Advertisements  in  tiiis  sectioii.  18  cents  per  word,  each  i 
10  words,  payable  ia  adTaace.  To  be  inserted  under  proper  classification  in  tl>o 
July  issue,  copy  slionid  be  in  oar  office  May  25tlk. 

Jtfmiar  Meohctniea  MciQtuine,  ChUxufo.  Ill 

Gentlemen  :  We  reeeived  over  100  repliee  to  owr  little  ad,  and  retulte  really  eur- 
prised  ««.  as  toe  were  not  aware  that  your  oiroukUlon  covered  »o  much  territory. 
Replies  oame  in  from  all  parts  qf  the  U.  3.  and  Canada,  and  thnmgh  this  ad  we 
Jiave  secured  a  connection  in  China  and  Cuba,    Tours  very  truly, 

LEWIS  F.  OSTRANDBR  COMPANY, 
{Signed)    L.  F.  Ostrander, 


AUTOMOBILE  SUPPLIES 


at. 
)0. 
Icr 

ie 

of 

lb. 
U- 
T., 

ST- 

5f: 

>d. 
tl. 
er. 
;h- 
c, 
Ise 
es. 


Id. 


he 

Jie 

to 

lake  out  the  Carbon,  or  money  refunded, 
harmless  to  use.  easy  to  starL  Every  can 
is  more  than  paid  for  Itself  in  more  mile- 
ace  per  gallon  of  casoline.  $1.00  per  can. 
Asents   wanted.     Paul   Vandenberg.   6  Esst 

lllth  Place.   Chicago. 

TIRES  — Double  Tread.  Gusranteed  for 
soud  serrice.  Bif--strong.  30x3  Urea.  $6.25; 
.':nx3%.  $7.75:  32x3V&.  $8.75:  33x4.  $10.25; 
.-5^x4.  $10.75:  S5x4»4.  $12:  36x4%.  $13.25: 
n7x5.  $14.50.  Big  saving  on  other  sizes  and 
tubes  slso.  Trade  in  your  old  tires.  Dis- 
count to  dealers.  10%  deposit  required  on 
C.  O.  D.  oMers.  Send  for  Hit  now.  Msx 
I.iben  &  Co..  205B  West  48th  St.  Nevr 
York. 


DOUl 

to 

5'4^  n 

Ox 
c4. 

$9.00: 

t5. 

$11.00. 

5? 

on    sll 

D. 

strslght 

int 

if    cash 

ffl 

tliscouni 

line   of 

ed 

tires  an 

iee 

St   $1.51 

int 

on   reqi 
1319    51 

41 

West   54th  St.   New  York. 

DOES  your  car  show  that  It  belongs  to 
vou?  Beautiful  transfer  letters,  easily  ap- 
plied to  your  car.  Six  letters  with  needs 
to  spply  50c.  F.  B.  Brltt  Box  192.  Fsir- 
niont.   W.   Va. 

VULCANIZE/  on  Anderson's  Famous  Vul- 
ranlzor.    See  adTertiaement,  page  149. 

TIUES— 3,500  mile  guarantee.  There  Is 
no  tire  on  the  market  to  equal  the  Kim- 
ball Cord  Type  Tire  at  the  ridiculous  price 
we  quote.  See  display  sd  page  153.  Kim- 
ball Tire  &  Rubber  Co..  Inc..  2204-MF. 
Michigan  Ave.,  Chicago. 

STAKTER  Steel  Ring  Gears  for  fly 
wheels.  Starter  Steel  Ring  Gears  for  fly 
wheels.  Starter  Steel  Ring  Gears  for  fly 
wheels.    Kent  Auto-Parts  Co..  Denver.  Colo. 

BUILD  a  small  car:  we  supplv  all  parts 
ready  to  assemble.  See  our  adTertlsement 
page  152.  Tribune  Engineering  Company, 
Owcyo.  N.  Y. 

HOW  to  operate  and  repair  automobiles. 
Book  25c  Define.  M409  W.  DiTision  St, 
Chicsgo. 


Ing  Company,   LouigTille.   Ky. 


erature.  _  _ 

psny.   2932   West  Lake  Street.   Chicago. 

STANLEY  Steamer  Owners  get  list  I 
Used  boilers,  burners,  engines,  automstics, 
gsuges.  every  imsglnable  fitting.  Reduced 
prices.  Inclose  stsmp.  "Doc"  Paine,  Den- 
yer.   Colorado. 

AUTONA  MEL— Paint  your  own  car  for 
$5;  Autonamel  goes  on  over  old  paint; 
use  car  next  day;  9  colors;  tree  booklet 
Auto-Namel   Co.,    Rochester.    N.    Y. 

MECHANICS— Don't  scrape  babbitt  bear- 
bigsl  Use  Smooth -in  Babbdtt  Bearlpg 
Compotnid.  Pound  box  $1  00  prepaid.  Com- 
pound   Co..    Box    613.    Upland.    Calif. 

ILLINOIS  OU  Company  purchased  "Gld£" 
four  years  ago  for  ressle  in  their  filling 
stations;  wo  still  receive  their  requisitions, 
because  "Glds"  increases  power,  nrileago, 
and  eliminates  csrbon.  "CIdz"  saves  ;iss 
and  money.  One  can  prepaid.  One  Dol- 
lar. Distributors  wanted.  "Glds,"  Gales- 
bunr.  Illinois. 

TIRES— Fsctory  to  You  Prices.  Ex- 
clusive representative  wanted  esch  locality 
to  use  and  sell  Bellinger  Extra  Ply  Tires. 
Gusrantee  Bond  6,000  Miles.  Sample  Sec- 
tions furnished.  Mellinger  Tire  Company. 
Kansas   City,   Missouri. 

&IAONETOS,  generators,  starters  and 
motors  bought,  sold  and  repaired.  Thomas 
W.  Lydon,  321  Pearl  Street  Baltimore, 
Maryland. 

AUTO  Motors  end  Suppllee.-  Bulck. 
Hupp,  Franklin,  Michigan.  Everett,  II ad- 
son.  Chalmers,  both  water  and  air-cooled 
motors  $40  each  and  up.  Bosch  Magnetos 
$15  each  and  up.  Presto  tanks  $5.00. 
Coils.  Csrburetors,  Hesd  Lsmps,  Horns, 
Air  Compressors.  Generstors,  Starters. 
Write  for  Bargain  Bulletfn  second-hand 
auto  accessories.  Johnston,  West  End.  Pltts- 
burgh.    Penna. 

SPEED  bodies,  top  recoverings.  Duplieste 
parts  snd  Acressorles  for  Fords.  Splendid 
quality,  bargain  prices.  Allied  Steel  Prod- 
ucts Company,  Aurora.  Illinois. 


.  TJP^^  •*  Wholessle— Send  for  prices  on 
4.00a-mUe  guaranteed  tires  and  tubes.  We 
have  the  cheapest  high-grade,  long  life  snd 
reliable  tires  in  the  world.  W^lte  us  before 
you  buy.    Overton  Tire  Company,  Oelweln, 

TIRES  %  Iess._Buy  direct  at  msnufso- 
turer's  price.  Guaranteed  5.000  miles. 
Shipped  prepaid  on  approval.  Motorist 
Agents  wanted.  Write  today.  Give  sise  of 
tlresL  Wslter  David  Rubber  Co..  209 
Sweeney   Bldg.,   Kansas  City.   Mo. 


VULCANIZERSI  First  choice  of  the  ex- 
pert tire  repair  man.  Big  money  maker. 
Willey's  universal  vulcanizing  machine. 
Trade  Uught  foee  with  esch  machine.  Write 
for  literature.  Chss.  A.  Wllley,  BstUe 
Creek.  Mich. 


AUTOMOBIIA    Repslrlng    Msde    Essy^ 


City  current  or^'gas"  englne'cpefatet.* '^EMf 
terms.      Hobarts.    Troy,    Ohio. 

VULCANIZING  auto  tires  growing  and 
profitable  business,  especially  now.  Essy 
to  lesm.  Instruction  book.  $1.  Plants, 
$50  up.  Catalog  free.  Equipment  Co.. 
800   8th  St,    CindnnaU,    O.   

BELOW  factory  prices.  Black  ribbed 
oord  type  tires.  5,000  mile  guarantee. 
Best  quality.  Cheapest  on  earth.  Write 
for  prices  or  exclusive  sgency  before  buy- 
ing. Grestest  opportunity.  Don't  delsy, 
Co-operstlve  Tire  Supply  Company,  823 
Best  83rd  Street.  Chicsgo,  U.   B.   A. 

AUTO  Top  Roof  or  Seat  Covers.  $7  snd 
up.  Psrcel  post  prepaid.  Easy  to  apply. 
Samples  of  doth  free.  Auto  Equipmsnt 
Co,.    330   8th   St.    Cincinnati.   O. 

INSYDE  Tyres,*  Inner  trmor  for  Automo- 
bile tires,  double  mileage  and  prevent  punc- 
tures snd  blowouto.  Quickly  applied.  Cost 
little.  Demand  tremendous.  Profits  un- 
limited. Details  free.  Amerlcsn  Automo- 
bile Accessories  Co.,  Dept  P2,  Clndn- 
naU.   O.  • 


TIRES— Send  for  our  price  list  of  fine 
Guaranteed  tires.     American  Tire  Co.,*  Oel- 

weln,  Iowa. 

GRAPHITB  for  Automobiles,  Farm  or 
Shop  Machinery  lubrication.  Big  money 
saving  proposition.  Learn  about  our  pre- 
paid shipments.  Five  pound  csn  powdered 
Grsphlte  shipped  direct  from  fsctory  to 
you  psrcel  post  for  $1.  Gusrsnteed  quality 
or  money  back.  Write  for  free  sample 
and  booklet  "Reasons  Why  You  Should 
Use  Graphite  Lubrication."  AJax  Carbon 
Refining  Co..  8033  Doyle  Place.   Chicago. 


AUTOMOBILE  repair  shop.  Something 
new.  A  repair  shop  necessity.  A  device 
thst  you  have  long  been  waiting  for.  Saves 
your  time  and  makes  you  money.  Nothing 
like  It  on  the  msrket  Send  for  booklet 
Fesco  Msnufacturing  Company,  Sutherlin, 
Oregon. 


STORAGE  Batteries  guaranteed  ,^ono 
year.  6  volt  $23.50.  12  volt  $27.50.  Men- 
tion make  and  model  of  car  when  ordwlng. 
Batteries  shipped  C.  O.  D.  «!»"  r^^^jpt  «* 
$2.00  or  old  battery.  Wo  build  batteries 
to  order  and  save  you  ^or*r.  Storage  Bat- 
tery Service  Co.,  Munde,   Ind. 


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28 


POPULAR  MECHANICS  ADVSHTISING  SECTION 


AUTOMOBILES 


"LBWI8"  Six-cylinder  •Iz-passenser 
tourinje  car.  Fluty  ipeed  and  power. 
Electric  Ukhts  ud  starter.  CondlUon  guar* 
anteed.  Charles  G.  Pipe,  Fort  Wayne, 
Ing. 

im^ENTORS— Send  sketch  of  your  In- 
Tention  for  advice  reeardine  patent  proteo- 
ticn.  Twenty  years'  experience.  Hand- 
book on  Patenta  sent  free.  Talbert  &  Tal- 
bert.  Patent  Lawyers  4857  Talbert  Bldg., 
Washington,    D.   C. 

~  FOB   Salo— Smith    Flyer,    Juvenile    Auto, 
In  0ood  oondlUon:  $65.00.    Chas.  Koehring, 

Indianapolis.    Indiana. 

PATENTS— Write  for  our  free  Illustrated 
Guide  Book.  "How  to  Obtain  a  Patent" 
Bend  model  or  sketch  and  description  of 
your  invenUon  and  we  will  giye  our  opinion 
of  its  patentable  nature.  Highest  ref- 
•rencea.^  Prompt  eervlcei  Beasonable  terms. 
Victor  J.  Brans  A  Co.,  185  Ninth,  Waah- 
Ington.  D.   C. 

DETBOIT-VAPOB  carburetors  eliminate 
carbon,  uses  all  fuel  readily,  increases 
motor  efflcienry  65%.  Fords  do  40  miles 
on  gallon.  Fits  all  cars.  Money-back 
guarantee.  Fbrd— -or  Inch  sample  S7.30. 
Besponslble,  representatives  wanted.  Hohnee 
Motor  Products,  Box  213,  Detroit.  3iich- 
Igan 


g 

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at 
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ap 
fa 
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an 
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24 

rator'OTmpietilea*'bat7ei^.*''perfec^ 
8039  Parnell,  Chicago.       '•  *~*      " 


{.00. 


MAKB  Big  Money  InsUlllng  farm  light- 
ing plants.  Battery  oharglng  outfits.  s«n>- 
pllea.  Get  our  special  demonstrating  offer 
and  agency  plans  at  once.  Acme  Boglneer- 
Ing  Company,  Lonisviller^" 


CYLINDEBS  reground,  new  pistons  and 
rings  fitted.  Restores  lost  power.  Write 
for  prices,  giving  make  and  modeL  The 
Bvarta  Machine  Co.,  Hartford.  Conn. 


AUTOMOBII/B  Repairman's  Helper— This 
new  400  page  book  shows  the  best  methods 
to  use  in  nandllng  any  automobile  repair 
job.  316  illustrations.  Convenient  pocliet 
si».  Flexlblo  leather  cover.  Pricey  $2.30 
postpaid.  Popular  Mechanics  Book  DepU, 
6   K.    Michigan   Ave..    Chicago. 


MODERN  Starting,  LigliUng  and  Igni 
ticn  Systems — A  new  book  on  automobile 
electricity  without  an  equal  Nearly  400 
PaKCft.  250  En^avings.  Cloth.  Price, 
12.00  postpaid.  Popular  Meclianlca  Book 
Dept..    6   N.    MichiRan   Ave.,    Chirago. 


GITT  Into  the  Automobile  business,  as 
salesman,  chauffeur,  garage  manager,  me- 
chanic. Automobile  instruction  in  four 
wecliB'  residence  course.  Send  for  booklet 
P.  M.,  West  Side  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  Auto  School, 
818  West  57th  St.  New  York. 


INSYDE  Tyres,  Inner  armor  for  Automo- 
bile tires,  double  mileage  and  prevent  punc- 
tures and  blowouts.  Quldily  applied.  Cost 
llttlo.  Demand  tremendous.  Profits  un- 
limited. Details  free.  American  Automo- 
bile Accessories  Co.,  Dept.  P-7,  Clndn- 
taU,   0. 

TO  FORD  OWNERS 

FORD  Owners.  Sell  our  high  grade  guar- 
anteed tires.  We  advertise  In  yuur  section, 
turn  all  orders  and  Inquiries  over  to  you. 
Sales  easy  Big  demand.  $100  to  $300 
monthly.  Old  established  company.  Refer- 
ence. National  bank.  City.  Write  now. 
i«ervice  Tire  4e  Rubber  Co.,  Pocomoke  City, 


FARM  With  your  Ford.-  Make  It  » 
tractor  and  a  power  plant  Circular  fteei 
Agents  wanted.  Geneva  Tractor  Company, 
Dept  P,   Geneva.   Ohio. 


200%  MORS  Light.  SeU  the  famous  4-A 
Dimmer  Equalizer.  Big  proflt&  Money* 
back     ffuarantee.       4-A     Produrts     MftB.» 

Charles  Building.   Denver,  Colorado. 

^  ACCESSORIES  at  Cost  ParUculars  fteeu 
BrackbiU.  3911  Park  Ave.,  PhUadelphla. 

FORD  Starter  $10.00;  80x3H  tires  made 
puncture-proof,  75o.  Relax  Co.,  Norwood, 
Ohio.        


DISC  Wheels  for  your  Ford.  Llfe-sised 
patterns^and  Instructions  ftunished.  Send 
5 On  to  Kuempel  CD.,  Dept  J.  K.,  Gtttten- 
berg.   la. 


"IN-TEN-SO"  Ford  Headlight  Regulator 
Increases  Headlights  200  per  cent  at  all 
engine  speeds.  Makes  night  driving  ssfe. 
Illuminates  road  200  ft  ahead— through  fog 
or  dust  Easily  attached.  Operates  auto- 
matically. 230.000  Satisfied  Ford  Users. 
Guaranteed  life  of  car.  Money  refunded 
after  ten-day  trial  If  not  satisfactory.  Sent 
prepaid  on  receipt  of  $1.50.  Why  delib- 
erately risk  your  life  with  unsafe  Head- 
llRlits?  Order  "In-Ten-So"  Immediately. 
Continental  Auto  Supply  Co..  Davenport 
Iowa.  (Attractive  Proposition  for  Live 
Agents.) 


PKLPAU)  for  $1— One  wire  aAembly 
(5  Wires),  four  spark  plug  wires,  one  pair 
Tungsten  Vibrator  Coil  Points.  Umsco. 
Box  253.  White  Plains.   N.    Y.  ^"«^- 


SUNLIGHT  for  Fords.  Bright  light  all 
speeds,  and  dimmer.  Guaranteed.  Big 
profit  for  you.  Sunlicht  System  Co..  1503- 
10    Lytton    Bldg.,    Chicago.     IlL 

THOUSANDS  of  Bul-zl  Nuts  hold  horn 
buttons  at  center  of  steering  wheel.  25fl 
postpaid.  Bul-zi  Nut  Co.,  Sunnyslope  8ta- 
tion,    Kansas   City.    Mo. 


HAVE  gasolene,  a  real  fuel  mixer;  im- 
possible for  air  and  gasolene  to  get  thru 
wiiliout  being  thorouRhly  mixed.  Increases 
mileage  and  power,  attach  in  5  minutes,  no 
holes  to  drill  or  changes  to  make.  $2.50 
by  mall.  Money  back  If  not  satisfled. 
preka  Sales  Co..  Chattanooga.  Tenn. 


LIGHT  Booeter,  Good  llRhta  at  all 
Breeds,  if  one  goes  out  the  other  bums,  one 
minute  to  install.  $1.50.  Monw  bark  if 
not  Pleased.    Ureka  Sales  Co..  Chattanooga, 

Tenncis.'«ee. 


FORD  tourists'  bed  $7.r.0|  Circular  free. 
^uto-Slecprr.    1221L,    Sacramento.    (  al. 

DEMOUNTABLE  Wheel  seta.  $5.50. 
Agenta'     proposition.      Kablft     West     End, 

Pittsburgh. 

^*'.STI':i:R-AUTOMAT"  —  Only  practical 
Ford  steering  aid.  Prevents  accidents. 
Keeps  car  on  straight  oourso  throush  sand, 
mud,  ruts.  Protects  tho  lady  driver.  Or- 
der today— enjoy  rompiote  steering  satis- 
faction. $4.25  C.  O.  D,  Wo  paj-  postage. 
St^^erautomat  Company,  Not  Inc..  Box  2G2, 
Ro'kford,    Illinois.  

FORD  Owners,  attention.  Protect  your 
cars  fwm  theft  with  a  Defiance  IxK-k. 
Price  one  dollar.  Send  for  It  ttnlay.  Ford 
Lock,  Tnpnty-seven  School  St,  Boston, 
Massachusetts^ 

ITfcJRB  It  Is.  Up  to  date  valve  in  head 
niotor  of  your  Ford.  Our  specially  designed 
head,  clcht  valves  directly  over  pistons,  In- 
cnascs  liower  fifty  per  cent.  OreatMt  econ- 
omy. Mr.  Truck  Owner  reduce  your  oporat- 
l"^  „^°***„  ,^^^^  J^^^fl  f^r  epoe<l.  Price 
$.>n.oo.  Culfnrd  Engineering  Works,  17 
Bproat  St,  DeUolt^  Michigan. 


A  HANDY  Pocket  In  the  door  of  your 
car.  Wonderful  convenience  for  Ford  own- 
ers. Our  comrplete  outfit  enables  you  to 
install  them  yourself.  Send  for  ftee  trial 
offer.  Detroit  Auto  Door  Pocket  Ca.  87 
Harrison   Ave..   Detroit   Mich. 

MAIvB  Tour  Ford  •  Super-Ford!  Sen- 
sational Invention  I  Ford  owner  reports  100^ 
mileage  increase!  Ford  runs  like  twin  six. 
Prevents  carbon.  Money-bark  guarantee. 
Booklet  Agents  wanted.  Gasoline  Econ- 
omy Company.  Dept  O,  Colonial  Thist 
Building.   Philadelphia. 

FORDOWN'EBS  are  discarding  all  light 
devices  for  "Slow  Speed  Bright  Lights." 
Retail  $1.00.  300%  profit.  Ouy  Coz, 
Golden.   111. 

300 -PAGE  book  on  the  Ford  car  for  ev- 
ery Ford  owner,  dealer  and  repairman. 
Deals  fully  with  construction,  operation  and 
repair.  100  wgravings.  Best  and  most 
comiilete  Ford  book  publiahed.  Prire,  $1.00 
postpRld.  Also  Ford  Engine  Chart.  29x38 
in.  Location  of  engine  trouble  made  easy. 
Price.  25  cents  postpaid.  Popular  Me- 
chanics Book  Depi.  o  N.  Michigan  Afe., 
Chicago. 


FORD  Car  Bepalr  Book  sent  free.  This 
pomrlete,  well  Illustrated,  valuable  book 
explains  In  a  simple  way  the  Causes  and 
Cures  of  Overheating;  Repairing  Ford  Tim- 
er; Curing  Piston  King  Troubles;  Car- 
buretor Adjustments  and  Repairs;  Con- 
necting Rods:  Transmission  Troubles;  Care 
and  Repair  of  Rear  Axle;  Stopping  Axle 
Grease  Leaks;  also  covers  practically  every 
other  phase  of  Ford  Car  repairing.  An- 
other feature  is  a  chart  showing  exactly 
how  much  to  pay  for  work  done  by  re- 
pair men.  Send  25o  coin  for  three  months* 
trial  KiihRcriptlon  snd  get  the  valuable  re- 
pair b«x)k  free.  Ford  Owners'  Magairine. 
456  Montgomery  Bldg*.  Milwaukee,  Wis- 
consin. 


-.171™  J^  Shoftir"  saftey  steering  d* 
noe  for  Ford  Cars,  operates  without  <x-^:t 
vnngs,  bearings,  cans^  or  other  wear,  t 
parts.  Thousan(tt  sold  and  only  $3  ei.  i 
Agaito  wsnted^evecywbera  P^mel  Crosl^. 
Jr,,   Stt.   A,  Ondnnatt   Ohio. 


*»5J?^?  lyPB*,   inner^eimor  for  A-- 
mobile   tires,    double  mileage    and   prr-  i 

unUmited.     Details  £rea     American  Al 

'"*'^^^'^<*«"<»**«  CO"  Dept.  P-8,  CiLoi 
nati,   O. 


MOTORCYCLES,  BICYCLES  IL  SUPPLIES 

.MOTORCYCLES— Bargains  In  overht-  l 
nightly    xued ,  machines.     Twin    ExcvU^,- 
Indians,    Harley-Davidsons.    $50     and   r 
Write    us    kind    of   motorcyda    you    r- 
Jeoseo  75th  Street.   EucUd  Atol,    Chic-^ . 


WB  SeU  motorcycle  parts  for  Hendi-  . 
Harley,  Excelsior,  Indian.  Flylne  Mr- 
Dayton.  Also  Clutch.  Carburetor  and  ^'-- 
neU>  parts.  Reasonable  prices.  MaU  or  3 
flUed  promptly.  Ask  fOr  our  list  of  o  . 
motorcycles.  Haverford  Cycle  Conmanj.  -j 
Gratiot  Avenue.    Detroit    Mich. 


^^MOTORCYCLES    all    makes    $25.0  J      - 
^^  ikl^    ^.    W«    reduction.       s       : 
hand  $8.00  upt    Motors,  motor  attarhn:  :  . 
Cycle   motors.     Smith   motor   whtiis.    i 
$20.00  up.    New  parts  to  fit  all  makc^  i -- 
rled  in  stock.     Second  hand  parts  cr^-  ->  a* 
new    50%    discount.     Expert    reriairli.i" 
magnetos,  generators,  transmisalon^      M  - 
overhauled    $10.00   up.      Hendersrm    m-     - 
pur  specialty^    Write  for  big  bargaSn    i 
letin.      American     Motor    Cydo    Ci-cici_i 
Dept.    8,    Chicago. 


BARGAINS  in  used  Harley.  Exc^'- 
Henderson  and  Indian  motJrcycles  $  - 
!**  flPx£^'  new  and  used  bicycles!  j: 
to  $60.00;  condition  guaranteed.  Writ  < 
bulletliL  Chaa  A,  MerkeL  162  cii 
Ave..    North.    Rochester.    New    York 


•J^W   ^^^®     C«"    fit     any     M.nur 
$60.03.     Herman  Kaskel.  Synccrvi  i  lu. 


NEW  and  second  hand  niDtorr3-ci,=  tt 
bargain^prtces.  Write  for  agen^T  tr  -  • 
t Ion.  Eagle  Motorcycle  COw,  700d  Cec:^ 
St.,    Brockton.   Mass. 


DON  T  buy  that  blpyde  until  5^  a  g.<  t 
free  liberty  Bell  Catalog-  eonif  tl.  r;  p  i ,  » 
1008   A   10  East  15   St..   fcamasX^ ^-^L 

BICYCLES  $7.50  up.     Tandems    (tu- 
built    for    two)     $15    up.      LLst    fTtow     "Aio 
Dougald.   303  y.   Wells.  Chirnro 


I  SAVE  You  half  on  parts  and  &i  ^ 
scries  for  sll  makes.  State  model  f <  r  »  • 
cular  22.  Jonea,  the  Parts  Man.  Box  t  >U. 
Brorlcton.   Mass. 


FOR  Sale— Several  Indian  M.n.  r.-v  ;  i 
thoroughly  overhauled  and  In  fr-t  - 1  i 
running  condition.  Glenn  A.  Scott.  Ma^-.x, 
Indiana. 


USED  Motorcycle  Buyers.  Att<>nti.  n— •<^« 
can  aave  you  from  $35  to  $50  on  anv  e  • 
cycle  you  purchase  of  usl  lOo  la  to  ni..  1 
Machinea.  all  makes.  $25  up.  Writ  :  .* 
catalog.  ^Myerow  Bro8w,  25«  Columbus  Are,. 
Boston.  Mass. 


^100  USED  Indian.  Harlcy-Par.d>  _ 
Henderson,  Excelsior  Motorcycles  and  .'  ;  - 
ojrs;  all  makes  of  new  and  used  p«-  -. 
60%  off.  Repairing.  Exchanging  S-i;.-.  . 
Write  og.  stem  Bros.,  1519  Second  Arr. 
ILJL. 


BIG  bargalna  In  second-hand  id  •  r- 
cycdes.  $2S  up.  Indians,  Barleys,  Tb  ri, 
Excelsiors,  and  Merkles.  Write  for  u  - 
scription.  Howsrd  A.  French  A  0>..  LU- 
tlmore.   Md. 


MOTORCYCLES— Buy  now  while  rr  i 
are  low:  large  stock  on  hand.  HailcTs.  In- 
dians, Excelsiors.  Hendersons.  Popes.  R- : : 
ing- Standards,  and  others.  Tires  and  t'^  s 
at  big  reductions:  stste  sLse  wante-^L  M.- 
chlnes  all  overhauled  and  gnarantt^d  r.  - 
ning  condition.  Illustrated  Catalogue  2. 
Carl  W.  Bush  Co.,  Newark.  N.  J. 


MOTORCYCLES,  Side  Cars  and  Crcl*- 
cars.  Their  Construction.  Managemert  1-] 
Repair — The  only  complete  work  puMl?,  i 
on  this  subject  The  dealer,  mechanic  --i 
rider  will  find  this  an  excellent  trea':-?. 
550  pages,  cloth.  350  IRusi  Prir«.  $. 
Popular  Merhanics  Book  Dept.  6  N.  Micj^- 
gan  Ave.,  Chlcagtt. 


WB  pay  cash  for  second-hand  m.  v- 
"cles.  Send  descripdon  and  lowest  pr.  ^ 
:arry  R.  G^eer  Co.,  888  McLaren  Ave..  S> 
inis.    Mo. 


MOTORCYCLB  cylinders  regroond.  fittri 
with  new  piston  and  rings.  $5.50,  gn&raL- 
teed.    Munds  Piston  Co..  UmriB,  Ind. 


Digitized  by 


Google 


POPULAR  MSCHANICS  ADVERXISmQ  SECTION 


29 


WAMTKD:  Wa  pty  cash  for  used  motor- 
cardes  or  Uk»  them  in  on  exdunse  for  new 
machines.  Wttte  with  complete  detoriptlon. 
Bute  ooodltlon  of  tlree,  frame,  motor,  make 
and  modeL  Shaw  Manufacturlnc  Co.,  Dept. 
157.   Qaleahurg.   Kana. 


BIQ  bargains  in  food  mouuncaroles  we 
have  taken  in  exchanjn  on  new  ones.  Send 
for  Bpedal  bargain  Ust.  Bhaw  UXg.  Co.. 
Galeelnirg,   Kanaaa. 

DON'T  bay  a  Bicycle  Motor  Attaofament 
unUl  Tou  get  our  catalogue  and  prioea. 
Shaw  Mfg.  Co..  Dept>  27,  Oaleeburg.  Kana. 

FOR  Bale— AU  makes  second-hand  ma- 
chines. Also  second-hand  parte.  Over- 
hauling.  reh<»1ng.  remodeling.  WHte  for 
prices.  F.  J.  Mahowald  Co..  626  N.  Wont 
fit..  Mankato.  Minn.  Largest  motorcycle 
parage  in  Minnesota. 

LARGE  stock  of  rebuilt  motorcycles,  new 

Earts  for  all  makes  25%  discount;  second- 
and   parte,   good    as  new.   60%    discount. 
Motorcyclo  Parts  Mfg.  Co..  Chicago. 


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AVIATION 


TNTENTORS— Send  sketch  of  your  In- 
Tention  for  advice  regarding  patent  pro- 
tection. Twenty  years'  experience.  Hand- 
book on  Patents  sent  Free.  Talbert  & 
Talbert.  Patent  Lawyers.  4659  Ttlbert  Bldg.. 
Washington.   P.   C. 

AIRPLANES  —  For  Sale;  Royal  Flying 
Corps  Canadian  training  planes,  equipped 
with  Curtlss  90  h.-p.  Ox  5  engines;  flrst- 
class  flying  condition;  Immediate  delivery; 
S2.000  each;  complete  supply  aervire. 
United  Al/craft  Engineering  Corporation. 
Room  1201,  52  Vanderbilt  Ave..  New  York 
ClGr^ 

IXYENTORS  desiring  patents  should 
write  for  our  Free  illustrated  Guide  Book. 
"How  to  Obtain  a  Patent"  Send  model 
or  sketch  for  our  opinion  of  its  patentable 
nature.  Highest  references.  Prompt  serv- 
ice. Beasonsble  terma  Victor  J.  Evans  & 
Co..  187  Ninth.  Washington,  D.  C. 

AIRPLANES  built  to  order.  Supplies 
Furnished.  Bend  lOo  for  illustrated  cat- 
alogue. You  can  build  Bleriot  Monoplane 
from  our  srale  and  full-size  working 
drawings.  Price  $10.  American  Aeroplane 
Supply  House.  Bempetead.  New  York.  Es- 
tabllshed  1910. 

FOR  Sa'e  at  •  T>argain:  2  alightly  used 
Aviation  Motors^  30  and  20  H.  P.  Write 
for  description  and  price.  Lock  Box  473. 
Harlan,  Iowa. 

FOR  Sale.  Flying  Boat;  also  Hall  Scott 
motor.  Reasonable  offer  takes  both.  Box 
624.   Montlccllo.  Iowa. 

FOR    evenrthing    aeronautical,    write    the 

Heath  Airplane  Co.,  Chicago.  IBa. 

SMALL   Aeroplane    Motors,    S60.00    com- 
lete.      Send    2oo    for   blue    print.     T.    A. 


Eberhardt.   1188  WaU  St..  Milwaukee.  Wis; 

FOR  Sale.  8  cylhider.  120  h.p.  Maxi- 
motor.  $300. '  Set  of  double  covered  planes 
snd  pontoon  for  hydro.  $200.  J.  B.  Odell. 
Waterloo.  Iowa. . 

BT"IL£>  your  own  aeroplane,  on  instal- 
ments.    A.  Angeles.  Bast  Seattle.  Wssh. 


BUILD  that  aiiplansk  We  fonldi  the 
plans  and  material  for  $96.50.  Use  your 
motorcycle  motor  and  wheela.  Stamp  for 
parUculars.     BlasU.   2036   N.    Bobey.    Chi- 


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BOOKS  AND  PERIODICALS 


only  25c:   regular  price.   lOc   a  copy. 


P- 
ip 

Its 

s; 

.Or 


BIQ  Magazine  8  Months.  3  War  photos. 
Secret  Writing  Book:  dime  only.  Clever 
StoriCNSt    Boddand.   Wisconsin. 


PICTURES.    POSTCARDS  4   NOVELTIES 


GAMES   AND    ENTERTAINMENT 


YENTBILOQUISM  Taught  almost  any- 
one at  home.  Small  cost.  Send  today  3o 
stamp  for  particulars  snd  proof.  O.  A. 
Smith.  Room  B-6I4.  801  Bigelow  Street. 
Peoria.  111. 

250  MAGIC  Tricks  and  caulo^.  10c. 
Clarence   L.    Maugana.    Anderson,    ind. 

250  MAGIC  Tricks  with  cards,  coins, 
egg.  ring,  glass,  eta.  10c  The  Art  of 
venMloqulsm.  10a  Perfection  palming 
coins  10c.  3  for  25a  Large  novelty  cata- 
logue included.  World  Novelty  Co..  S204- 
M,  Mlfhigan  Ave..  Chicago. 

CHI-CHI    Chinese    Fortune    Tellhig,    the 


f. 


S 


2  NBW  tricks,  complete.  Lists.  All   10c. 
W.  Wooley.   Peoria.  III. 


GO  on  the  Stage  cr  motion  ploturesl    Ex- 

Serlenoe     unnecessary.       Particulars     free. 
lanager.  Box  397.  Philadelphia.  Pa. 


CAMO-FLAG>— Makes  fun  and  money  for 
Fairs.  Entertainments,  amazing  profits, 
sample  ftee.  George  Bridge.  Plainfleld, 
N.    J. 


TRICKS,  Puzzles  and  NovelUes.  Catalog 
free.     BenJ.    Zitka.   Falrvlew.   Mass. 

WONDERFUL  Wrtot  Shackle.  Something 
unfathomable.  New  principle.  Seemingly 
impossible  escape  effected  instantly.  Re- 
fund If  not  sattsfactory.  Nickeled— 75a  52- 
paoe  bargain  magic  catalog  Sc.  Gilmagico, 
••p*'  11135  South  Irving.  Chlcagg 

TICKETS— For  plays.  entertainments, 
etc.      O.    Dickey.    Bayonne.    N.    1. 


Digitized  by 


Google 


80 


POPULAR  MECHANICS  ADVERTISING  SECTION 


MAGIC  Trtdn  for  pocket,  ptrlor  and 
Btacp.  Largest  ftMortment  In  the  world. 
Thurston's  Book  of  Pocket  Trlrks  23c. 
Book  of  Card  Tricks  25c.  nostpaid.  Send 
2c  stamp  fur  catalogue.  (Large  page  pro- 
fesslunal  catalogue  25c.)  Itefunded  on 
llrst  $1  order.  A.  Felsman.  115  So.  State, 
Chi  en  go. 

MAUIC— Illusions  and  Novelties.  Profes- 
sional catalog  25c.  Oldest  firm  in  America. 
Martlnka  ft  Ca.  493  Sixth  Ave.,  New  York 
qty. 

MAGIC— Tricks.  Books  and  Supplies.  For 
Amateurs  as  well  as  the  great  ProfeasioDals. 
Anyone  can  Icam  through  our  instructions. 
Feature  Acts  in  Mind  Blading.  Spiritual- 
ism. Rope  Ties,  etc.  Large  illustrated 
Profeesional  Catalogue.  lOo.  Chicago  Maglo 
Co..  Dept  B.  72  West  Adams  St..  Chi- 
cago.    imnola.  

BIO  Book  for  Boys— The  Boy  Mechanic. 
Vol.  XL  A  sequel  to,  but  containing  noth- 
ing found  In  Vol.  I.  Tells  aU  about  1.000 
Intprcating  things  to  make  and  do.  480 
pngcs!     995    Illusw       Cloth.      Price,    $2.00. 

ritpald.  Popular  Mechanics  Book  Dept. 
_  N.    Michigan    Ave..    Clilcago. 

MAGIC-SENSATIONAL  Escapes.  ,from 
Handcuffs.  Ropes  Jails,  etc.  Novelties- 
Jokes.  Everything  in  the  amusement  line. 
Largest  house  of  its  kind  in  the  world. 
Big  new  catalog  illustrated.  Sent  free  to 
your  address,  write  Heaney  Magic.  Co., 
Desk   B,    Berlin.    Wisconsin. 

STAMP  COLLECTIWe 

COLLECTOR  sscrlflcing  collection,  sell- 
ing limited  number  fine  foreign  stamps. 
Send  $1.00  for  100  different  mounted,  cata- 
loguing^ over  14.00.  Andrew  Baldwin.  Uer- 
musa  Beach.   Calif. ^ 

TWENTY  foreign  stamps  free.  Postage. 
Multnomah  Stamp  Company.  Portland. 
Oreg. 

10  GREECE,  10  menagerie  stamps.  500 
liinges.  album,  and  perforating  gauge.  25r. 
Cherry  Stamp  Co..  5402  Pasadena  Ave..  Los 
Angeles.    Cal. 

"COLLECTORS'  Digest."  rt  view- index -di- 
rectory world  hobbles.  25c  year.  Station  G. 
Buffalo. 

IIKGINNERS — Try  our  penny  approvals. 
E.    U    Church.   Tollhouse,   Cnlif. 

>'.NAPS— 150  different  stamps,  ISc  eb 
different  United  States  stamps  lie  With 
each  order  we  give  free  our  price  list  of 
sets,  packets,  albums,  etc.,  and  our  pam- 
phlet which  tells  "How  to  Make  a  Collec- 
tion Properly."  Queen  City  Stamp  Co.. 
Room  36.   604  Race.   Cincinnati.  Ohio. 

50  DIFFERENT  stamps  and  Civil  War 
cent  13c.     Carl  Miller.  Wegtcmport.   Md. 


300  DIFFERENT  stamps  lO-.-iD.  Fted 
Onken.    630    79th    Street.    Brooklyn.    N.    Y. 

BON-ACCORl)  Ic  approvals  all  countries. 
J.  W.  Taylor.  3122  Westmont  St.  Phlla- 
delphia.  Pa. 

BEST  one  cent  approvals  in  America.  F. 
P.    Hand.    Ill 7    So.    fiOth   St..   Ph llada.    Pa. 

CANADA  Paciiet  Free  —  Early  Issues. 
Mapio  Leaves.  War  Stamps,  send  2c  coin. 
Midland    Stamp    Company.    Midland,    On- 


ol- 

9«' 


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iif- 


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saclt.    X.    J. 


100  1»IFFEREN*T  Stamps  10c:  200.  25c. 
Approvals.    Mlcheal.  560 2  Prairie.  Chicago. 

FREFv— 25  different  United  States  with 
6n<tj,  approvals.  Enclose  3c.  100  different 
United    Sutes,    25c      Beidenberg.    Beecher, 


MEXICO  War  Stamp*— 10  dlff.,  tn9  to 
applicants  for  approvals.  Gsorge  F.  linn 
Company,  Colmnbus,  Ohio. 

STA^CPS— 12  different  from  warring  na- 
tions. 10c:  10  different  foreign  coins,  15c: 
10  Uruguay  stamps,  10c.  Lists  f^ee.  To- 
ledo  Stamp  Co..  Toledo,  Ohio. 


105  CHINA,  eta.  sUmp  dictionary,  list. 
2c.  Album  (500  lUustratlons)  8a  Bui- 
larcj   Sta.   A..  Boston. 

STAMPS.  50  Varieties,  Transvaal.  Brazil. 
Peru,  Cuba.  Mexico,  etc..  and  Album.  10c. 
60  different  U.  S..  tSc.  1.000  hinges.  10c. 
List  free.  I  buy  stamps.  C.  Stegman.  5948 
Cote  Brilllante,  St  Louis,  MlssourL 

FREE:  35  dandy  stamps  to  appUcanta 
for  Nifty  Approvals.  Send  So  for  postage. 
Belmont  Stamp  Co..  651  N.  62nd  Street. 
Philadelphia. 

500  MIXED  U.  8.  old  and  new  lOo. 
Weatherby.   Medina.  Ohio. 

STAMPS  scot  on  approval  at  70%  dis- 
count Reference  required.  Haaorj  Beooll. 
Hanover.   Pa. ^ 

75  DIFFERENT  Stamps,  Free.  PosUge 
8a  ChrUtensen.  1673  3d  St.  Milwaukee. 
Wis. 

S4  YABIETIES  Cubsn  stamps,  10  cents. 
List  of  6.000  low-priced  stamps  free. 
Chambers  Stamp  Co..  Ill  P.  Nassau  St. 
New  Yortc  City. 

FREB  —  60  different  stamps,  including 
Newfoundland.  China.  Japan,  Mexico,  etc.. 
to  applicants  for  our  high  grade  aK>rovals. 
Send  So  stamp  for  return  postaf*,  Tbe 
Edgewood  Stamp  Company.  Dept  H.  Mil- 
ford.    Conn. 

PACKET  of  23  stamps;  no  two  countries 
sllke.  Packet  hingea  Set  of  $1  and  S2 
U.  S.  Rev.,  all  for  6a  Mention  paper. 
Miami  Stamp  Co..  Toledo.  Ohio. 

STAMPS,  61.  all  different  frea  Post- 
age. 3c.  Mention  paper.  Quaker  Stamp 
Co..    Toledo.   Ohio. 

20  UNUSED  stamps  free.  All  different 
Postage.  3c.     Flak  Stamps,  Toledo.  Ohio. 

60  CHINA.  Japan,  etc..  hinges,  and  al- 
bum for  480  stamps.  15c.  Globe  Stamp  Co.. 
2026  Broadway.  Los  Angeles. 

RARE    COINS 

COINS,  5  curious  rare  coins  with  rsts- 
log,  sent  for  10a  H.  Hooker.  New  Berlin. 
N.   Y. 

ALASKA  Gold.  %  pinch,  35c;  H  plnch, 
70c:  one  pinch.  $1.20.  Villa  coin  and  cat- 
alog,  10a    Homer  Shulta.  Union  Star.  Mo. 

OLD  Coins  Wanted.  We  pay  up  to  $100 
each  for  certain  dates  of  Gold  Dollars. 
Premiums  paid  on  some  coins  as  late  as 
1916.  Thousands  of  coins  wsnted.  Many 
are  In  drrulatlon.  Watch  your  change 
and  get  posted.  Send  4a  Get  our  large 
illustrated  Coin  Circular.  Send  now.  Nu- 
mlsmatio  Bank.  Dept  H,  Fort  Worth. 
Texas. 

COLLECT  foreign  copper  coins,  list  free. 
Standard  Coin  Co..  6310  8.  Campbell  Ave.. 
Chicago. 

REFORMATION  Medal  1917.  Missouri 
Synod.  Silver  —  $1.50.  Aug.  Zltanann. 
Morristown.  Minn. 

S36.75.  CRISP,  Villa  Currency.  85c.  Moore 
Coin  Company,  Commerce.  Texas. 

15  COINS.  30  cents  per  package.  Sam- 
ple coin  trays.  25  cents  eacb.  Order  now. 
C.   Johnson.   100  Maiden  Lane.  New  Toric. 

$4.25  EACH  paid  for  U.  8.  Flying  Eagle 
cents,  dated  1856.  We  pay  cash  premiums 
on  hundreds  of  old  coins.  Send  10  cents 
for  New  Illustrated  Coin  Value  book.  4x6. 
Get  posted.  It  may  mean  your  fortune. 
Clarke  Coin  Co.,  Box  15.  Le  Boy,  N.  Y. 

OLD  Coins.  Large  Spring  Selling  Cata- 
logue of  Coins  for  Sale,  free.  Catalogue 
quoting  prices  paid  for  coins,  ten  cents. 
William  Hesslein,  101  Tremont  St.  Dept 
^f.    Boston.    MasSL 

CALIFOR^^A  Gold:  Qusrter  si«e.  27c: 
Half-doUar  size.  53c:  DolUr  size.  $1.10. 
V.  S.  3c  piece  and  catalogue.  lOo.  Norman 
ShulU,    King^Clty,    Mo. 


MANUAL  TRAINING  SHOP  EQUIPMENT 
AND  MATERIAL 


TEACHERS  and  pupils  orgsnice  UmakeM 
Community  Shops.  Replace  saloons.  Prof- 
itable. UmakeM  Company.  Fifth  Avenue. 
New  Yorlc 


Digitized  by 


Google 


POPULAR  MECHANICS  ADVSHXISIIia  SECTION  31 


Digitized  by 


Google 


32 


POPULAR  MECHANICS  ADVEHXISING  SECTION 


IBABN  Dnftlnr— One  of  the  most  prac- 
tical nxbjeeta.  and  IndispeDsable  in  many 
occupations.  IndlTldual  study  at  home  with- 
out an  inatructor  may  be  succeesfully  carried 
<m  with  the  aid  of  our  book.  "A  practical 
Course  in  Mechanical  Drawing,"  160  pages, 
157  drawings.  Cloth.  Price  50  cents  post- 
paid. Popular  Mechanics  Book  Dept,  6  N. 
Michigan    Aye.,    Chicago.  , 

WRTTB  articles,  stories,  news,  in  sparo 
time  for  newspapers  and  magazines.  Big 
pay.  Copyright  book  free.  Press  Syndicate, 
552.    St.    Louis.   Mo. 

INVENTOBS— Write    for    our   lUustrated 

Side  bo<A,  "How  to  Obtain  a  Patent." 
nd  model  or  sketch  and  description  for 
free  opinion  of  its  patentable  nature. 
Highest  references.  Prompt  atteotlon.  Bea- 
■onable  terms.     Victor  J.  S?ans  &  Ocx.,  167 

Ninth,   Washington.   P.    C 

LINOTYPE  Instruction:  Empire  ScbooL 
133   E.    16th  Street.  New  York. 

TELEGRAPHY 

COMPLETE  Correspondence  Course  in 
wireless  by  expert  government  licensed  In- 
structors in  Isrgost  radio  school  in  Amer- 
ica. Special  profit  sharing  plan  for  the  sue- 
ressful  students  which  guarantees  a  saving 
of  10^  on  cost  of  tuition  and  an  estimated 
saving  of  50%  or  more.  Also  post-gradu- 
ate course  free  in  our  Washington  schooL 
Full  rommercisl  course  for  first  grade  li- 
cense requires  16  weeks:  tuition  reasonable, 
easy  terms.  Positions  pay  illO  per  month 
and  living  expenses,  up  to  $3,500  per  year. 
Practice  set  rroo  with  text  books  (one  for 
each  lesson)  prepsred  hy  oxir  experts.  Write 
for  handsome  booklet  with  full  details  of 
profit-sharing  plan  and  other  features. 
Berrice  Badlo  School,  Dept  H,  902  Fa. 
A^e..  Washington,  D.  C. 


Id. 

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uy     u.     a.     vruTt.     miivi    udcu    uj    jo«uitiK     uiii' 

Tersltles.  Colleges,  Technical  and  Telegraph 
Schools  throughout  U.  8.  CaUlog  free. 
Omnlgraph  Mfg.  Co.,  41-Q  CorUandt  St. 
New  York. 

WIRELESS 

GOOD   Becelvlng    Sets   $8.50   up.     Badlo 

Rpplies.     Catalog  for  stamp.     Jenkins.  921 
irchase.  New  Bedford.  Mass. 


HOW  to  Berome  a  Wireless  Operator. 
fHils  300 -page  book  is  the  only  one  pub- 
lished which  has  been  specifically  planned 
to  give  a  knowledge  of  prtnciples  and  opera- 
tion that  will  enable  the  reader  to  enter  the 
fleld  commercially.  200  illustrations.  Cloth. 
Price  $1.50  postpsld.  Popular  Mechanics 
Book  Dept.,  6  N.  Michigan  Are.,  Chicago. 

BUSINESS  OPPORTUNITIES 

GREATEST,  biggest  and  best  collection 
Of  Modern  Money-Making  ideas  printed. 
2600  Ideas,  opportunities  and  secrets.  Oscar 
Hanson,  Mentor.  Minn. 

400%  PROUT  manufacturing  'TufTed 
Crisp.  Delicious  confection.  Whirlwind 
money-maker.  Machine,  Instructions  com- 
plete $6.50.  Ssmples  10c  Bestever  Prod- 
ppts  Co..  B-6.  Douglas  Park  Sta..  Chicago. 

IF  you  are  tired  of  working  for  other 
Deople.  if  your  incoma  Is  too  small,  or  if 
you  are  looking  for  something  to  do  durlTig 
your  spare  time,  write  for  big  Money-Mak- 
ing proposiaons.  It  will  put  you  right  C. 
Trlvett.   Trade.   Tenn. 

ZINC  Cut— Make  your  own  at  little  ex- 

Sense.     Complete  Instructions  $1.00.    Todaro 
pedalty  Co..  Dept.   5.   Mohessen.  Pa. 
WHY    soil    Perfumes.    Toilet    Goods    and 
Flavoring  Extracts  for  others?     Make  your 
own:  write  Laboratory.  Box  1316-M,  Mem- 
phts,   Tenn. 

SLOT  Machines^Headquarters  for  pre- 
mium machines.  1016  Germantown  Ave., 
Philadelphia. 

INTRODUCTION  Price  for  our  guaran- 
teed  $500  "Silvering  Mirrors  Process,"  50a 
<May  and  June  only. )  Formula  Research, 
2S0S  Scovlll   Ava,    Cleveland.    Ohio. 

CHEMICAL  Analysis  honestly  and  cor- 
rertly  done^by  the  Institute  of  Science, 
Colton,  N.  Y. 


MON'EY  in  Candy.     Become  Independent 

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Cluuatiuus      lui      Lruiiuu^K      Aickw*v>uB«      jaLUTVkiiS- 

ing  Weather  Service.  Six  feet  in  height. 
Standard  make  instruments.  Agents  profit 
$150.  Twelve  card  capacity.  Descriptive 
literature,  terms  and  picture  25c.  None 
free.  National  Sales  Co..  Box  421,  Lima, 
Ohio.  


WE  have  capital  and  organization  to 
market  any  product  that  will  sell  in  the 
United  Slates.  Send  us  description,  etc, 
of  what  you  have.  "Uoyda, '  Bradley 
Beach.  N.   J. 


LIOARN  Photo  Coloring.  Profitable  work 
quickly  learned.  Write  Do  Lano  Walton, 
Prairie  City.   HL 


A  MON^Y-MAKINO  home  business. 
Send  10c  for  instructions  snd  a  sample  of 
raw  material  H.  h.  Cowell.  P.  O.  Box 
1338,   Boston,  Mass. 


"THE  Water  Frog."  Why  drudge  along 
In  the  city  when  ^ou  can  make  $400  a 
month  on  any  beach  f  My  plana  show  yoa 
how  to  build  for  $120.  Blue  prints  and 
working  instructions  comolete  $2.  H.  Mow^ 
att.  502  Winch  Bldg.,  Vancouver,  B.  C 


OUB  Ftee  List  of  Money  Makers  will 
make  your  spare  time  earn  you  $$.  The 
Duplex  Supply  House,  206  S.  Fayson  St, 
BalUmore.  Md. 


MAKE  $59  to  $125  per  week  repairing 
Radiators — Start  a  shop  of  yuur  own — Bo 
your  own  boss — Unlimited  opporttmitlesr— 
Increasing  demand— Small  Capital  starts 
you— Our  Book  "Modern  Eadiator  Be- 
pairing."  disclosing  latest  methods,  for- 
mulas and  trado  secrets,  enables  any  ono 
t»  l)ecome  a  Radiator  Expert  In  few  days-* 
Postpaid  $1— Don't  hesitate.  Smyth  Pub- 
lishing Co..  34  Bollingbrook  St.,  Peters- 
burg;^  


"668  WAYS  to  make  money."  2.716 
formulas.  "Encyclopedia  Business  Oppor- 
tunities." 3  volumes  $1.  "Ideal,"  5501-FE 
Nortli     Robey.    Chicago. 


WE  Start  you  in  business  manufarturlug 
"Puffed  Crisp."  Delicious  oonfectlon; 
whirlwind  money  maker;  begin  at  home  or 
small  room  anywhere:  machine  and  instruc- 
tions complete,  $6.50;  samples,  -lOo.  Best- 
ever  Products  Co.,  B-6,  Douglas  Park  SU- 
tlon.    Chicago. 


BUSINESS  Suggestions,  homo  indus- 
tries, small  inventions.  230  pages.  60a 
Ask  for  circulars.  T.  Peress,  729  McKin- 
ley   St..   Elizabeth.   N.    J. 


EXPERT  Chemical  Service.  Commercial 
Analysis.  Instructions.  Formulas.  Processes 
and  Trade  Secrets.  Manufacturing  problems 
solved.  Satisfaction  guaranteed.  Write  for 
Lists  and  Valuable  Information.  W.  L. 
Cummings.  Ph.  D..  228  Gordon  Ave., 
Syracuse,    N.    Y. 


STEBEOPnCOX  Business.  Stock.  S^s- 
rial  Tools  and  Patterns.  Ezoelleot  cb£K  • 
Merit  Machine  Mfg.  Corp'n,  465  Gttu- 
wich    St.    N.    Y. 


GO  in  Business  I  "Opportanltiss'  Beck- 
oning List" — Freel  Southern  Bu^cs 
chances.  Southern  Business  Rxrhsnge,  £^ 
plre    Building.    Birmingham!.    Alabama. 

"MAII#-OBD£IL  Money— Bow  to  Ui^ 
It"— tells  how  to  develop  «  paylnc  t»^- 
itess  at  home.  Clear,  concise,  reliabi. 
Send  12o  for  booklet  and  valnablo  Inf'- 
mation.  James  J.  Cotler.  Beadins.  Pec- 
sylvania. 


BIO  Money  In  Csady.  Send  for  i 
•Tilot,"  most  practical  and  •rcnraie  b  : 
of  candy,  ico-cream  and  soda  fcunu 
formulas  evtf  published.  Money  back  : 
not  satisfled.  Price  $4.00  poistpald.  P^- 
ular  Mechanics  Book  DepL,  6  K.  Mirhit^ 
Ave..    Chicago.    IlL 


CASH  in  on  Bone-Dry  BllL  Make  I*  » 
day  easy.  Will  show  you  how  with  cr 
Concentrated  Pure  Fruit  Drinks.  ^]W  art 
everywhera  small  p«ckago  --  J«w  _^>  - 
water.  Here's  the  chanco  of  a  lifct^&r 
Grsb  your  territory.  Wrile  o^ck.  abt- 
lean  ProducU  Co,,  593  Amoican  B..;. 
CindnnaU.    O. 

SILVERING      Mirrors.        I      make 
French    Piste,      Easy    to    leazn:    lmrc;r 
proQta.     Prospectus  sent  frea.     Sam   We^- 
Excelsior   Springs.    Mo. 

START    a    Small    Factory.       Make    r^ 
sell    New    Patented    Ironing    Board.       C 
50c,  sells  for  $2.09.     State  righta  for  ea . 
Write  for  Details.     Cato,    231  v^    So.    €:- 
Springfield,    III 

LEARN   to  Make   Beautiful    Plat*   C  - 
Mirrors    by    new.^   csay    process:     f-omj 
Instructions,    $1.00.      Freeman    Bros..    I.  - 
Laurel,    El    Paso.    Texas. 

AMAZING  Profits  Manufacturing  Y '-■ 
Own  Goods.  Start  a  business  of  ;  .- 
own,  make  and  sell  Magio  Polishing  CI  - 
sells  to  stores  and  agents.  Formula  <  ^ 
$1.  H.  Smith,  1218  Marqioeue  St..  H^ 
cine.    Wis. 

MIRACLE  Motor-Gas  May  Mean  T  v 
Fortune.  New  discovery  smsses  t? : 
Ists.  3o  worih  equals  gallon  sa»  i. 
Knoito  out  carbon.  Distxihutors  ec.  : 
rich.  800^  profit.  Isom.  Idaho,  «  ' - 
"Ship  500  packages.  Made  SeS  y^t.r- 
day.**^  Write  quick  for  cacdustre  St*^  ' 
Coimty  sgency.  Chas.  A.  Batlar  &  C. 
Dept.    171.   Toledo.   Ohio. 

SUBSTANTIAL  Manufacturing  Cori» -i 
tion  wants  capable  men  to  establish  hn-^- : 
and  manage  salesmen.  $2»0  to  #1 .0'^  r  - 
essary.  will  allow  expenses  to  Baiting 
ss  explained.  Address  Treasurer,  il 
North   Howsrd    Street.    Baltimore.    Md. 

DOLLARS  yearly  in  your  l>aclcx-ard.  N) 
ginseng,  mushroom  dope.  New  faeaa.  I*.* 
TcsUgata  Particulars  ftee.  MeC^  313  Lts: 
89th,   New  York. 

TUB  Enricht  Chemical  Technical  Lab- 
oratories at  Harmingdale,  N.  T.,  t/f< 
their  services  to  ManufacCorcffB  in  R^ 
search  work  to  improve  and  cheapen  th«r 
output.  Terms  moderate.  Correspoado:  ^ 
solicited.  Results  guaranteed  or  m 
charge^ 

PROFITS:  Make  President  Wll*^ 
Plaster  parls  orals.  Instructions  and  mouli. 
$2.00.     P.   B.    Spahr.   York.   Fa. 


MAKE  Money  at  Home.  SuddIt  sai- 
store  trade.  Demand  already  created,  i 
to  $10  a  dar  easy.  I  furnish  outfit  a:i 
instructions  st  smsU  cosL  D«t^ls  fr*« 
O.  C.  Hart.  34  Catherine  Street.  New  Yorv 


I  MADE  $30  a  week  at  home.  BYpn-! 
breadmaking.  15  years'  experience.  Fr« 
booklet  tells  bow  to  start  withoat  ^riul 
Ashbrook.    67    Marengo.    Ohio. 

LADIES  or  Gentlemen.  Be  indegicnder' 
Start  your  own  business.  We  teach  by  oj^ 
to  msnufacture  highest  grade  toUet  prej:*- 
rstionsw  Results  gusrsnteed.  Send  for  ^ 
ticttlars.  School  of  Cosmetics,  Bok  37 
Omaha,   Nebr. 


MAKE  Die  Castings.  ^  Sketch,  aanir'4 
booklet  and  proposition.  I2c  Byrd  &  Bla:^ 
Box  227 -A.  Erie.  Pa. 


BB  independent,  manufacture  cuarar.- 
teed  automobile  and  fnmitnre  polish,  Onar- 
snteed  formula  $1.00.  Herbert  Kamlak. 
St    Cloud.    Minn 


PATENTS  Procuied— Trade  Marks  ro- 
istered. A  oomprebenslve.  experienced, 
prompt  serrioe  for  the  protection  and  de- 
velopment of  your  ideas.  Preliminary  ai- 
rice  gladly  furnished  withoat  charge.  Rt^>  >k- 
let  of  information  and  form  for  disdosir^ 
idea  free  on  Maa«5t.  ^Richard  R  Owec 
30  Owen  Bldg..  WssWngJpn.  DC.  or 
2276 -R  Woolwonh  Bldg..   New  York. 


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POPULAR  MSCHANICF  ADVERTISING  SECTION  33 


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34 


POPULAR  MSCHANICS  ADVBRTISIHG  8SCTI0H 


AGENTS  make  $150  per  month  eelUng 
Uystol  Synthetic  Vanilla,  "Amerlra'a  Great- 
est  Flafor."  to  Bakcn,  Restaurants.  Ice 
Cream  Manufacturett  and  Private  Families. 
Buyt  material  from  us,  make  it  yourself,  sell 
at  one-half  price  and  make  over  150%. 
Prooeaa  for  making  tea  cents.  Mystol  Co.* 
Horicon.  N.  Y. 

GOOD  Incomeii  apare  time,  reAniihlng 
chandeliers,  brass  beds,  automobiles,  etc.. 
by  new  method;  producing  amaslng  results: 
e?er7  household  possible  customer:  C(zperi- 
enoe  unnecessary:  simple  plan  of  manufac- 
turing at  home  starts  you  in  a  big  money- 
making  business;  write  for  free  samples 
showing  finishes,  etc  Ounmetal  Co..  Ara 
H.,   Decatur,  IlL 

AGENTS— A  New  One  I  Harper's  Fibre 
Broom  and  Ten-Use  Brush  Set  combined. 
8a?es  broom  expense;  lighten*  housework: 
easy  seller;  first  order  returnable.  Harper 
Brush  Works,   Depl.    X.   Fairfleld,  Iowa. 

UB.  GAU.AHKR  sold  3S  CoUcction  Sys- 
tems in  7  days.  Profit  $336.00,  costs  yoa 
$7.00.  retalla  $17.50.  Write  fifayers  Sys- 
temi,  2813  Sheflleld,  Chicago. 


AGENTS  wanted  to  sell  "Middletown  Fi- 
bre Brooms."  Can  be  guaranteed  to  cus- 
tomers against  any  defects.  Sample  $1.00. 
Seles  Manager.  48  Brown.  Middletown,  Pa. 


MAKE  big  money  selling  Egglte.  pure  Egg 
subetltuteb  Flavola  nonakoholin  flaToring 
extract  Self  sellers,  wonderful  repeaters. 
Dougherty  Co.,  868  Osbom  Str.,  Brooklyn. 
New  York. 


AGENTS— Canned  condensed  milk  is  pop- 
ular. Bell  milk  can  openers  to  Jobbers, 
dealers,  eta.  Bolin  Mfg..  4548  North  Long, 
Chicago. 


PORTRAIT  Agents.  For  Quality  Por- 
traits at  Bight  Pricea.  with  Quick  Scrric^Bi 
Write  The  Service  Art  Co..  SU.  D.  Chicago. 

AGENTS  are  coining  money  selling  Cra- 
mer Fibre  Brooms.  Outlast  foxir  com 
brooms.  Retail  $1.50.  Send  78c  for  sample 
postpaid.  Also  Sanitary  Brushes.  Cramer 
Mfg.   Co.,   Wichita,    Kans. 


AGENTS:  Learn  about  the  ivoflts  supply- 
ing-perfume  to  families  by  addressing  Leffler 
A  Co..  758  Walton.  St  Louis.  Mo. 


RELIABLE  People  Wanted— Place  our 
new,  novel  big  value  goods  in  stores  and 
appoint  agents.  Wonder  Pudding— 25  Big 
Del^ouB  Dishes  85o— Orangeade  Powder  lO 
big  glasses,  best  driific  you  ever  tasted  10c. 
Many  other  good  things.  Morrlssey  Com- 
pany.   4403-5  Madison  St..  Chicago. 


HOUSEHOLD  Articles  500%.  Great  sell- 
en:  Sample  25o.  refunded  if  dissatisfied. 
Osa  Hanson,  Mentor.  Minn. 


WONDERFUL  Small  Articlei  Every  man 
needa.  Agent  sold  14  one  ofBnej;  profit 
$2.45.  Carry  hundred  In  pocket  Particu- 
lars and  8  samples  25c.  Arrow  Mfg.  Co., 
778  17th  St,   Milwaukee. 


AGENTS.  Big  profits.  $10  day  easy. 
New  household  necessity.  Low  price,  Quick 
seller.  Illustrated  literature  makes  sales 
easy.  Send  dime  for  samples  and  informa- 
tion. H.  Henshaw.  Dept  P,  Lock  Box  450, 
Cincinnati.  O. 


NEW  natented  laundry  fork.  Prevents 
torn  clothes — scalded  hands.  Automobile 
snd  other  household  specialties.  Sample 
and  particulars  20c.  Specialty  Products 
Co..  4932  McPherson.   Bt  Louts. 

AGENTS— Make  $88  weekly  Introducing 
new  auto  specialty;  particulars  ftee.  Pro- 
tective Motor  Car  Company.  Erie  Bank, 
Buffalo,  N.  Y. 


SELL  high  grade  Flashlights  29c  to  59c. 
Batteries  15c  to  20c.  Remit  for  sample. 
Wbolesale  prices.  DuMaurier  Co..  Home 
St,  Elmira.  N.  Y. 


$75.00  WEEKLY  selling  Famous  pictures^ 
"Human  Liberty  Bell.''  "United  States 
Shield."  "American  Eagle"  and  10  other 
original  11x14  nhotos  of  soldiers  and  sail- 
ors in  group  formations.  Most  wonderful 
Sietures  ever  made.  Enormous  demand, 
amples  free.  Sale  producers.  Mole  and 
Thomas.  915.  237  So.  Wells  St.  Chicago. 


AGENTS — Fine  income.  100%  profit,  sell- 
ing the  Marvelous  Chemical  Gas  Lighter. 
Nc  spark,  no  friction.  Turn  on  gas.  lighta 
itself.     Sample  20c.     Illuminal  Corporation, 

64  Murray  St.  N.  Y.  

^MEN  operating  Sugar  Puff  Waffle  Ma- 
efaines  earn  $35-$70  daily.  Machines  priced 
$25  to  $150  on  trial.  Talbot  Mfg.  Co.. 
101,  St  Louis.  Mo. 

YOU  can  make  0ood  durable  paints  and 
varnish  25c  gallon.  Emmelmann  Bros.  Mfg. 
Co..  Dept  2,  Indianapolis.  Ind. 

PHOTO  Pillow  Tope.  Portraits,  Frames. 
Sheet  Pictures.  Medallions.  Patriotic  Pic- 
tures, Pennants,  war  Books.    Prompt  shlp- 


s;  samples  and  CaUloguee  free  to 
agents :  30  days'  credit.  Jas  C.  Bailey  Co., 
Desk  D-4.  Chicago. 


SELL  Soft  Drinks— Msks  $10  to  $50  a 
day.  Just  add  cold  water  to  our  soft  drink 
preparations  and  you  have  the  most  dell- 
clous  drinks  you  ever  tasted.  Ten  kinds. 
Orangeade.  Grape- Julep,  Cherry-Julep,  etc 
30  Mg  glasses  25c.  enough  for  200  for 
""  ^'     85*  cleai 


$1. 


(  clear  profit  on  every  dollar  sdl- 


ing  these  delicious  drinks  by  the  gisas  at 

ball  games,  fain,  dances,  picnics,  eta  Big 
money  selling  the  small  packages  to  fami- 
lies, stores,  etc.  Send  lOn  for  enough  for 
10  large  glasaes  and  particulars  postpaid. 
Morrisey  Compsny.  4403-11  Madison  St, 
Chicago. 

800.000  SOLD  In  cno  month.  Agents 
who  know  their  business  can  reap  a 
rich  harvest  selling  "General  Pershing's 
offlclsl  story  of  the  American  Expeditionary 
Forces  in  Fk-anoe."  Wherever  Pecdiing's 
name  is  known  yoa  have  s  ssla  Every 
page  Illustrated  in  colors.  Contains  "In 
Flander's  Field"  and  "An  Answer"— bsau- 
tifully  illustrated  in  two  cotors— sells  tat 
35c— Ubersl  termsi  Write  Herxlg  &  Mc- 
Lesn.  Inc.,  1808  Csnturian  BuUding,  New 
York.  

AGENTS— Write  us  for  a  new  arilcle  for 
farmers'  us&  Perfection  Manufacturing 
Company,  Monmouth.  Illinois. 

ENORMOUS  profltt  applying  transfer 
monograms  to  automoUleB.  trunks,  bags, 
eta  EasUy  and  Quickly  applied  to  anything. 
No  ezpo'lenca  No  paints  or  laborious 
hand  lettering.  Sample  Ftee.  Wagner  Co., 
Corona.   New  TTork. 

B1(V  Profits  for  Crew  Managers  with  our 
proposition.  Sample  twenty  cents  sUver. 
Klear  Sight  Ca.  837  West  Hazel,  New 
Haven.  Coon. 

AGENTS:  To  saU  "VaUey  Pine  OU,"  Na- 
ture's Remedy.  Proposition  free.  The  Myer 
Sands  Specialty  Co..  5305  Sweeney  Ava, 
Cleveland.  O. 

INVENTORS— Send  sketch  of  your  inven- 
tion for  advice  regarding  patent  mrotecUon. 
Twenty  Years'  Experience.  Hand-book  on 
Patents  sent  Vttt.  Talbert  A  Talbert.  Pat- 
ent Lawyers.  4663  Talbert  Bldg.,  Wash- 
Ington.   D.    CL 

THE  Best  Salesmen  join  us  and  atay 
with  us  year  after  year  because  we  pay 
from  20%  to  31%  more  than  others  pay 
for  the  sale  of  staple  merchandise.  Our 
Sanitary  Brushes.  Mops  snd  Dusters  are  in 
demand  In  every  home,  every  day  and  ev- 
erywhere! Protected  territory.  Refund  on 
samples.  Quick  promotion  for  producers. 
Big,  modem  factory  and  quick  shipments. 
North  Ridge  Brush  Company,  107  Clark 
Ave..   Freeport,  111. 


PERMANENT  Salesmen  to  represent  man- 
ufacturer of  Leading  Fprd  Gasoline  Gauge. 
All  cars  come  equipped  with  Gasoline 
Gauges  except  Fords.  Sell  to  dealers  and 
Ford  owners.  Your  profit  more  than  double 
cost  Exclusive  territory.  Detroit  Gasoline 
Gauge  Company.   Marquette.  Bldg.,  Detroit 


SELL  new  fast  selling  artlclOb  ssmpla 
25  cents.  Write,  A.  h,  CampbeU,  North  St. 
Little  Rock,   Ark, 


AGENTS:  100%  Profit  Screen  door 
check.  Keeps  flies  out.  Stops  the  bang, 
eaves  the  door.  Big  summer  seller.  Writs 
for  free  sample  to  workers.  Thomas  Hfg. 
Co..   1362  North  St.  Dayton,  Ohio. 


SELL  the  original  and  best  known  Patri- 
otlo  Photomount  80%  of  our  men  make 
from  $10.00  to  $25.00  a  day  while  yet  in 
uniform.  No  exiwrience  necessary.  Send 
$2.00  for  outfit  and  instructions.  Novelty 
Photomount  Company,  894  Washington  St, 
Boom  838,  Boston. 


SELLING  our  sanitary  brushes  is  profit- 
abla  Selling  under  our  special  advertis- 
ing system  Is  more  profitabla  Add  our 
Service  Department  snd  you  have  the  best 
proposition  on  earth.  Take  no  rldts.  Writs 
now.   Box  180.  Lynn,  Msas. 


AGENTS:  Leak-proof  bottle  cap.  Can 
always  be  used  again  on  any  bottle.  Vest 
pocket  stsmp  box  holder.  Ten  cents  in 
stamps  for  both  articles.  Duplex  Machine 
Co..    Newark.    N.   J. 

AGENTS— Waterproof  Apron.  AD  aizce. 
Big  seller.  Every  housewife  buys.  Needs 
no  laundering.  Always  clean.  Durable. 
100%  profit  Kane  sold  70  in  one  week. 
Write  for  samples.  Parker  Mfg.  Co.,  878 
Call    St..   Dayton.    Ohio. 


AGENTS — Every  automobile  owner  wants 
his  initials  on  his  car;  you  can  sell  him 
a  set  of  our  gold  transfer  letters  for  50c 
or  $1,  msking  40o  to  90c  profit  on  esch 
sale;  $10  a  day  is  easy.  Write  for  sam- 
ple and  general  agency.  Decalco  Transfer 
Monogram  Co.,   209  Clinton  Bldg.,  Newark, 

STEAM-NO  -MOBE  for  eyeglasses  and 
Auto  windshields.  Send  10c  for  25c  sampla 
Gray's  Sales  Agency.  Port  Huron,  Mi<^« 
Dept  J. 


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AGENTS  Buning  $40  to  $101  a  mek  on 
life  subscription  proposition  on  iieIl-kDo«a 
national  publicaUon  exduaite  in  fleU.  Uv 
wires  secure  permanent  position  u  disuic 
mananrs  oo  salary.  Write  CSUioi,  4e£ 
SUte-I^ike  Bldg..   Chicsga 

AGENTS:  Marvelous  dye  soap;  biilliaBt 
fast  cotors:  quick,  big  profits:  $75  wseUy  ca 
Bepeat  Orders:  womea  amaaed:  bm  rc 
nlarly;  Egyptian  Queen  Dye  Soap  a  ms 
der;  dyes  silk,  cotton,  wooU  one  Biout^ 
absolutely  different;  besniifol  colon.  Ufk 
or  dark.;  no  boiling:  will  not  stain  bands 
perfect  results:  no  experieooe  neceassrj;  ■! 
or  spars  time:  write  today;  wonderful  offer 
Other  valuable  products.  Address.  Peerie< 
Products  Compsny.  Dept  816.  618  W.  itek 
son  Blvd..  Chicsgo,  111. 

jrivjB  volume  complete  Hlstocy  World. 
War.  Agents  can  d^mbfa  eoBuaiaaio&s 
best  authorship,  most  complete.  Abo  ax 
volume  edition;  both  colored  lUostratlaoi 
Exclusive  territory,  expensive  prospectiB 
both  volumes  50c.  K.— Thomss  Pabliafaiai 
Co.,   509   Wabash  Ave..   Chicago,  HI 

AGENTS:  $5.00  hourly  absolutely  gut- 
snteed.  Gasoline  two  cents  gallan.  Mooc;- 
back  guarantee.  Write  Federal  Chcolci: 
Works.   20  W.  Jsckson.  Chicaio. 

WANTED  -—  Bepresentattves  everyvhen 
Exclusive  territory.  Gold  sign  kttm  f<r  , 
stores  snd  ofllce  windows.  Any  one  «■- 
put  on.  Write  todsy  for  fkee  sample.  Ut- 
UlUo  Letter  Co.,  4S1-C,  N.  Claik  St. 
Chicago. 

AGENTS  —  Something  dlfferrat!  Oer 
Eradium  (Luminous)  Cradflx  sctuali} 
Shines  in  the  Dark.  StartUng!  Myvienota 
Wonderful  enthusiasm  follows  everr  dee- 
onstration.  150%  profit  on  every  salt 
Sole  manufacturers.  The  Pioneer  Ceniori- 
tion,   1259  W.   63rd  St,  Chicago.  I1L__ 

AOENTS-Over  200%  Profit  SeU  Haii* 
CrystaL  Quickest  seller,  fsstest  repeater  or. 
esrth.  No  talking^-free  samples  sell  it 
Big  weekly  repeat-order  baslaess.  We  pur- 
sntee  the  sale  of  your  entire  ord».  Gr 
sample.  proposition  and  Cash-QoaUu 
Credit  Plan — Sell  your  costomm  od  rt«<iK 
snd  run  no  risk  whatever.  Diamond  Spev 
Co..  Tcxarkana.  Texas. 

JUST  Out  clever,  practical.  absoliufO 
new  Tie-Fbrm.  Everyman  needa  You  viJ 
be  delighted.  Big  profits.  SOr  for  sanpie 
Intemationsl  Supply  Bonss.  39  W.  Adaisi 
St,  Chicsgo. 

AGENTS,  either  sex.  make  $100  «<(i 
and  up  selllttg  complete  History  of  War  bj 
Gen.  Pershing  snd  others.  Official  LUta- 
traUona.  maps.  etc..  600  pages;  wOs  » 
and  $2.50.  Immediate  sUpiBCOta;  rm- 
mission  50%:  Credit  given;  outfit  Fm 
Bird  Syndicate.  Pub'rs.  Dept  B.  Madacic^ 
Wlm. 

IF  you  own  a  Ford  you  ran  earn  SSO^ 
s  week  selling  the  Adapto -Tractor  aTtai'e 
ment  DeUils  free.  Write  The  Geoen 
Tractor  Ca,  Dept  P.  Geneva.  Ohio. 


LABGB  Profits  can  be  made  fcUiat 
Eddy's  Combination  AutonobUe  Operatoft 
License  Carrier  and  Key-ring.  Just  n^  v 
your  license  and  cany  it  with  your  koi 
Every  automobiliat  needs  one.  Seed  - 
cents  for  sample.  H.  B.  Eddy.  Hecld& 
Conn. 

AGENTS,  Discharged  Soldiers.  Ford  ■^ 
cessory  which  sells  on  sight  Offer*  jts 
biggest  opportunity  of  yonr  llfla  le  mato 
money.  One  agent  nmde  $187  one  ««« 
Exduaivtt  territoiT.  No  compecltloB.  31o- 
tor  Products  Co..  IndJanapolia,  Ind. 


BELL  24  packagea  seeds  of  the  muOit- 
fQl  Sensitive  PUmt  at  10c  esch  and  is 
a  genuine  Panama  Hat  Itee.  for  brn 
^Is  and  grown-ups.  Order  todsy.  Send  v 
nooney.  The  Porto  Bica  News  Co..  ^tf 
German.   Porto  Bico. 


_t  you  on  the  road  to  a  suecw 

ful  and  independent  career.  Ton  ta 
fail— $8  to  $15  a  day  the  year  aroos. 
Exchisive  territory  —  direct  represeoUti*( 
Largest  manufacturing  concern— «xcep(i°r.t 
products— not  sold  in  stores.  Needed  tf 
every  m«nber  in  every  home— repeat  oni*^ 
all  year  round.  This  is  no  time  mr  dm^^ 
ers— come  Join  this  successfU  organlxat^c- 
at  once— Men  snd  vfomen— We  are  bs«*  a 
yoo  with  thousands  of  dollsrs.  T.  B.  Jv^ 
der  »  Co..  5  Tliird  St,  Cincinnati.  0 


CWmSCT  with  real  raooey-maken:  3* 
specialty  manufartunm  advertlae  m  spe 
calty  BalsaiBsn  Msgsstns  800  Ssf e  prce- 
osIUons  to  select  from.  Chuck  ftiU  Issr- 
rational  selling  tslks  by  best  saJesBas* 
ship  writers.  Bcposes  frsndu  fDRes  e^oan 
deal.  100  pages;  $8!m  yearly,  three  montK 
trial  25c  Read  cuRent  Issue:  If  noc  n^ 
Isflsd.  money  refondsd.  Robert  Bkka,  i» 
Csxton  BnUdlnK  Chlesr^ 


POPULAS  MECHANICS  ADVERTISING  SECTION 


35 


••ZIP-CXEAN"— cleans  dirt  dean  out  of 
everything!— ru«,  rarpets.  especially.  Clean- 
ing Time  Now!  Wonderful  money  maker — 
»cild  on  trial.  25o,  30c  sizes.  Merford, 
:>(H  Northwestern  Building.  Chicago. 

I  WANT  100  men  and  women  to  act  u 
my  agents  and  take  orders  for  Comer  rain- 
coats, ralncapes  and  waterproof  aprons.  I 
raid  £11  Bridge  $88.95  for  orders  taken  dur- 
ing his  spare  time  In  one  week.  Cooper 
made  1314  last  month.  Wonderful  Taluea. 
A  dandy  noat  for  14.98.  Four  average  or- 
ders a  day  gives  you  $2,500  a  year  profit. 
No  deUTBring  or  ooUeetinc  m  give  yoa 
a  sample  coat  and  complete  outfit  for  get- 
ting orders.  Hurry.  Write  for  my  liberal 
offer.  Comer  Kf^  Co,,  Dept  U-ll2,  Day- 
ton.   Ohio. 


AGENTS:  A  brand  new  hosiery  proposi- 
tion for  men,  women  and  children.  Must 
wear  12  months  or  replaced  free.  All 
styl^.  colors  and  fancy  stripes.  You  can 
soil  at  less  than  store  prices.  Erenr  home 
a  prospect  Write  for  samples.  Thomas 
Hosiery  Co..  S362  North  St..  Dayton.   Ohio. 

AGENTS — Snappiest  bousehold  lino  on 
earth.  Red-hot  sellers,  steady  repeaters — 
luo<7^  profit.  500  light-weight,  fast-selling, 
jiopular-priced  necessities.  Agents  outfit 
frte.  Get  btisy— quirk.  Write  todsy;  postal 
will  do.  American  Products  Co.,  694  Amer- 
ican    Bldj^..    Cincinnati.    O. 


BUIIiD  a  genuine  Choraleon  Phonograph 
and  save  over  half.  Fine  profits  building 
and  selling.  We  furnish  motors,  tone-arms 
and  necessary  parts.  Send  for  our  tatalog 
and  free  blueprint  offer.  Choraleon  Pho- 
noKraph  Co..  2206  Monger  Bldg.,  Elkhart 
Ind^^ 

NEW  arUdOi  big  seller,  3  samples  for  25o. 
Ralph  Brandt.  Trenton,  N.  J. ^ 

MAKB  $10  to  $30  A  day  cleaning  wall 
raper;  guaranteed  formula,  instructions  and 
tverythlng  complete  to  sUrt,  78c  Particu- 
lars freei  Nelsen,  Box  496.  Color  sdo 
Springs,    Colo. 


COIN  money  selling  phonograph  attach- 
ments. Sample  $1.25.  Write  now.  Pla- 
More  Phonograph  SpeclalUes.  21  £L  Van 
Buren.   Chicago. 


LYNEB  Tyres,  inside  protectors  for  au- 
tomobile tires;  guaranteed  against  blowouts 
and  90  per  cent  of  punctures:  tr&nsferable. 
Exclusive  territory:  big  profits.  Write  for 
oalee-guaranlee  proposition.  Pelletler  Rub- 
ber   Company,   Box   322,   Cincinnati,   Ohio. 

AGENTS  wanted  to  sell  Eggnit— a  pure 
food  substitute  for  eggs.  Easy  selling  ar- 
ticle— big  profits — qiQck  repeater.  Stuart 
&   Co..   16  Main  St,  Newark,  N.  Y. 

AGENTS:  We  have  after  years'  experi- 
menting Invented  the  only  non-csrbonizing 
oil-gas  producing  burner  on  the  market  for 
heating,  cooking  and  baking-  guaranteed 
one  year.  Atras  Mfg.  Co..  1608  Fulton  St. 
<  hicago. ^ 


HTRICTI/Y  hleh-class  service.  Msnu- 
facturlng  Instructions  and  tested  formulas 
in  every  line.  Latest  Automobile  special- 
ties, Wsshlnfl  Compotmds,  Egg  Ssvers. 
Luminous  Paints.  Fsrm  Specialties.  Toilet 
Preparations,  Chemical  Analyses.  Matching 
of  Commercial  Samples.  Special  Formulae. 
Engineering  service.  Advertising  copy. 
Boxes.  Labels,  etc.  23  years'  manufactur- 
ing experience.  Catalogue  free.  Investi- 
gate. Industrial  Sales  Service.  73  Wssh- 
ington.   Memphis.  Tenn. 

COSTS  half  cent  Sells  for  dlmei  Get 
facts.  D.  Gilson,  207  8.  Sturgeon,  Mober- 
ly.   Mo. 

REAP  harvest  selling  farmers.  Particu- 
lars free.  Keating,  No.  507  I2tb  Street, 
Detroit 

WONDERFUL  New  Chemical.  $1  pack- 
age equals  50  gallons  Gssoline.  Eliminates 
Carbon.  50%  more  mileage,  power,  speed, 
guaranteed.  Whirlwind  seller.  Auto  own- 
ers buy  on  sight.  100%  profit  Bepester. 
Demonstrsting  package,  terms,  territory. 
loa  postage.  Myers  &  Co..  28  Bsird,  Csm- 
li ridge.    Ohio. 

AGENTS  cam  $30  and  up  per  week  In 
spare  time  selling  "Maketla  Guaranteed 
Woolen  Army  Blankets."  100,000  sold  U. 
s.  Government;  not  one  rejection;  every 
home  snd  club  a  prospect;  sells  for  $4.00; 
write  for  full  Information;  greatest  blanket 
value  on  the  market  Msiketla  Co.,  611 
li-49    Drexel    Bldg..    Philadelphia,    Pa. 

AGENTS— Our  Spray  Auto  Washing  Brush 
sells  to  all  auto  owners.  Attaches  to  gar- 
tlon  hose.  Retails  $3.50.  Commission  40%. 
Sample  $2.00  postpsld.  Ssnltax  Co.,  2312 
Wabash  Ave..  Chicago. 

IDEAL  HiUeline.  Businesa  men  buy  on 
light  $1.00  seller.  400%  profit  E.  Home. 
1957    Warren.   Chicago 


Denver,  uoioraao. 


AGENTS— Ideal  Steak  Tenderer  Is  grest- 
est  money-maker  on  the  market  Makes 
tough  stesk  tender  as  porierhouse.  House- 
keepers boy  on  sight  Over  200.000  in  use. 
Samples  free.  Tyler  Manufacturing  Co., 
Dept    A.   Muncie.  Ind. 


AGENTS  nnke  $50  weekly  selling  Acci- 
dent and  Sickness  Policies  for  $10  yesrly. 
Pays  $5,000  death,  increasing  to  $7,500; 
also  $25  weekly  benefit  for  scddent  or  sick- 
ness. Quick  dsim  settlements.  Permsnent 
Income  from  renewals.  $100,000  deposited 
with  stste.  Address  Insursnce  Cb..  Dept 
K.  Newark.  N.   J. 


AGENTS:  Big  profits  selling  our  New 
$2.50  Automstio  Adding  Mschine.  Quick 
sales.  Ten  dally  easy.  No  competition. 
Anyone  having  adding  to  do  is  positive 
customer.  You'll  be  glad  you  vrrote  us. 
Bassett  Company,  1458  W.  Hollywood  Ave.. 
Chicago. 


TOURIST  Phonograph.  Buy  direct  Save 
middleman's  profits.  Write  for  ftxrther 
particulars.  Local  representatives  wanted 
everywhere.  Cohnan  Mercantile  €»,  4421 
Manchester  Ave..   St   Louis.   Mo. 


MIRACLE  Motor-Gas  amazes  motorists. 
8o  worth  equals  gallon  gasoline.  Elim- 
inates carbon.  300%  profit  Isom.  Idaho, 
wires:  "Ship  500  psckages.  Msde  $70 
yesterday."  Samples  Preei  Cbas.  A.  But- 
ler. Seory,  Dept  73.  Toledo^  Ohio. 


AGENTS— Big  Pay  and  Opportunity  to 
Earn  Automobile  introducing  wonderful  gas- 
oline saver,  antlfreess.  puncture-proof,  five 
year  spark  plugs  and  other  economical  auto 
necessiUes.  Outfit  free.  L.  Ballwey.  1.89 
Sta.   F..   Louisville.  Ky.   • __^___ 

NOW  is  the  time  to  sell  our  Cartridge 
picture  frame:  sells  on  sight  for  One-fifty, 
ssmple  one  dollar;  nothing  like  it  on  the 
market  Benko,  117  East  ISth  St,  New 
York. 

^  SIGN  letter  Agents  and  Painters:  600% 
Profit  Gold  and  Silver  Sign  Letters  for 
Stores   and    Office   Windows.      Anyone  can 

X)l**  —      "*'"  -■ -■      •"--   

ta 
CI 


AGENTS— Sell  rlch-looUng  imported  36x 
68  russ.  $1  each.  Carter.  T«pn..  sold  IIS 
in  4  days.  Profits.  $57.  You  can  do  same. 
Write  for  sample  offer  selling  plsn;  ex- 
clusive territory.  Sample  rug  by  parcel  post* 
prepaid,  $1.19.  Ej.  S.  Condon,  Importer. 
Stonlngton,   Maine. 


AGENTS — If  you  want  to  average  $19 
daily,  sell  a  high-grade  lino  of  combs, 
brushes*  mirrors  and  other  novelties  its 
Ivorywara.  Direct  from  factory  to  con- 
sumer. Enormotis  demand.  Particulars  fres. 
Yaneco  Ivoryware  Co..  Leominster.  Mass. 


AGENTS  make  $100  monthly  selling  our 
SCO  bsndy  boueehold  articles.  Catalogue 
frea     Scbeff  Company,  Desplslneg,  lU. 


Digitized  by 


Google 


36 


POPULAR  MBCHAHXCS  ADVERTISING  SECTION 


▲OENIB— New  Inftotlon  PusIm  World: 
wonderful  cheoilcal  doth;  one  rub  over 
ndn.  snow-blurred  auto  windtbleld.  street 
car  or  wo^am  window,  pnotol  gltfi  itafo 
detf  24  hours:  can't  blur;  ageuu  making 
$1S0  weekly.  Btauitj  Mff.  Co..  Oept  89* 
Toledo.   OhIOL _^_ 


WONDERFUL  Adding  Machine-^Seven- 
column  capadtgr— retaito  for  onedoUar. 
Bells  Itself  everywhere.  Ifoot  offlces  pur- 
eha«e  several.  SeDsatlonal  aseoov  proposi- 
tion. U  J.  Ttrtshman  Gow,  Dept.  H 
Oadep.    UUh. 

EABT,  pleasant  work  for  Mechanko^ 
Shop  Ifan.  Clerks^  during  spare  houia;  will 
add  many  doUars  to  their  salarieo.  Also 
want  persons  who  can  glTO  fuU  Umoi  Bxf 
wages  sssured.  Novelty  Cutlery  Cow,  67 
Bar  at,  Cinton.  OMbl 

NEW  Invention.  Big  Seller.  Devlin 
Company,  P.   O.   Boat  W8,  Newaik,  N.  J. 

▲OBNTB— Bdrlnrs  Beib  Tablets  for  eon- 
■ttpatlon  make  everlasting  customers.  Con- 
trol the  sale  of  this  Herbal  Bemedy  in  your 
Jet  Pharmacal  Company,  Allen- 


AMAZING  Now  Invention.  Marvelous 
Adding  Machine.  Betails  $10.  Adds,  sub- 
tracU,  multiplies,  divides  automatically. 
Does  work  of  |S00  machlnei  Five-year 
Guarantee.  Offloea,  stores,  factories  buy 
from  one  to  doscn.  Every  demoustration 
sells.  Liberal  proflta  Write  quick  for  pro- 
tected territory  and  trial  offer.  Calculator 
Corporation,  Grand  BapJds,  Mich. 

DROP  Everything  Elsoi  Sell  Guaranteed 
Silk   hosiery   and   underwear   all   or  WU9 


time,  direct  from  factory  to  consumer.  Big 
money  makw.  Big  commtsslons.  Prompt 
deliveries.     C.    *  D.   Company.  Dept.    IX 

Grand   Rapids.   Mich. 

PATKNTB— Write  for  our  ftee  ilfaistrated 
guide  book.  "How  to  Obuin  a  Patent." 
Send  Sketch  or  model  for  our  opinion  of 
its  patentable  nature  free.  Highest  refers 
ences.  Prompt  attention.  Reasonable 
terms.  Vlolor  J.  Evant  ft  Ca.  163  Nlntl^ 
Washington.   D.    C. 

PORTRAIT  Agsnta:  Our  goods  will  make 
you  big  proAts.  Delivery  guaranteed.  Re- 
fects credited.  Prompt  shipments.  Send  for 
latest  catalogue  and  prices.  Adam  J.  Kroll 
ft  Co..  goa  Blue  Island  Avol.  Chicago.  IlL 

YULCANIZING  auto-tires  growing  profit- 
able business,  cspecislly  now.  Essy  ^  to 
learn.  Instruction  book  $1.  Plants  150 
up.  Catslog  freob  Equipment  Cbmpany, 
STO  8th  St..  Clndnnsa.   Ohio. 

"RADIO"  Luminous  Paint  brl^ter  than 
ever.  Replaces  expensive  Radium  Composi- 
tions. Large  can  $1.00.  American  Luml- 
nous  Products  Co.,  HuntJngton  Park.  Calif. 

GASO-TONIC  wiU  ImmedUtely  give  fUl 
efficiency  to  poor  gasoUne.  EUminatee  car- 
bon. More  power.  Greater  mileage.  Easier 
starting.  Absolutely  harmless.  Good  at 
all  times,  but  absolutely  necessary  during 
cold  weather.  Gaao-Tonlo  Cbmpany,  Cln- 
clnnati.   O. 

AGENTS:  Big  profits.  Best  and  cheap- 
est window  letters  made.  Easily  applied. 
Dime  brings  five  sami^ee.  Particulars  free. 
Staibrite  Co..  1115  Second  Ave..  New  York. 

AGENTS— Make  a  dollar  an  hour.  SeU 
Mendets.  a  patent  patch  for  Instantly  mend- 
ing leaks  in  all  utensils.  Sample  narJuge 
free.  Collette  Mfg.  Co.,  Dept.  404-6;  Am- 
sterdam.   N.  Y. 

FKATHER  Ilowers,  the  all-purpoee 
Flower.  Poultry  shows.  Exhibitions.  Fairs. 
Clean,  attractive,  profitable.  Sample  25a 
De  Witt  Sisters.   Batae  Creek.   Mld>. 

AGENT8— If  you  are  earning  less  than 
$200  a  month,  our  Sentinel  Burglar  Alarm 
proposition  for  windows  snd  doota  will 
Interest  you.  Many  agsnts  earn  $15  dally. 
Both  brand  new  inventions.  No  competition. 
Sells  on  al^t  to  homes,  offloea.  Instantly 
attached  to  any  door  knob  or  window.  No 
batteriea.  wires  or  naila  Handsomely  nltik- 
el-plated.  Provides  dieap  burglar  insurance. 
Both  are  big  money  makera.  Write  today 
for  liberal  terms  to  sgenta  Mashall  Dob- 
bins ft  Cb..  Manufacturers.  1422  Marquette 
Bldg..  Chicago. 

INsxiiE  ^^resi  inner  aimor  for  Auto- 
mobile tirea.  double  mUeafe  and  prevent 
punctures  and  blowouts.  Quiakly  appUed. 
Cost  Ilttla  Demand  tremendouSL  Proflts 
unlimited.  Details  free.  American  Anto- 
rooblle  Aoceesoriee  Coi.  DepC  P,  Clnein- 
naU.   O. 

AGBNT8     fliO     BaUable  CUstom-Mads 

Raincoats    and    Gabardine*,  Big   oommis- 

elon.     Of"    *  "             *     ■'  * 
Batneoat 


mplete   sample  line  tr 
OrnqMUiy.  napMoo. 


AGENTS — StaapliWBaa 
Protectors;  sample  OMck 
and  address.   He. 


Checks, 

Hart  Mfg.   Ob., 
Brooklyn,   N.    Y. 


Cheek 


l'K' 


__  on  PMket  Key 
with  your  name 
OntfltSf^Bm- 
Name  FlaiMi 
Degraw  8(.. 


HUGB  profits  oelllng  Nlhno  Sanitary 
Brashes,  Auto  Waahen.  srown  Beanty  Ad- 
jusuble  Floor  Mom,  Dustleas  Dusters,  and 
other  spedsltiea.  Bis  linei  Fhit  seUeni 
Write  today.  SBver-Chamberlin  Company. 
Department  M.  Qayton,  New  Jeney. 


AGENTS:  Ekchiaive  teiritoiy  for 
"Worid's  Best  System  of  lightning  Proteo- 
tion."  Big  prollta  and  large  vohune  of  aalea 
for  hustlers.  George  BL  Thompaon  Lightning 
Rod  Oft,   Owatonna.    Minn. 

LARQB  Manufscturer  vrants  representa- 
tlvea  to  sell  aUrta.  underwear,  hosiery, 
dressesi  waistsw  skiitsi  direct  to  homes^ 
Write  for  free  sampko.  Madison  Mills,  603 
Broadway,   New  Yort  City. 


AMERICAN  Military  Stylea  are  aU  the 
rage  in  men's  tailored  to  measure  suits  this 
season.  Easiest  to  sell:  everybody  wants 
them.  Far  ahead  of  all  others  In  real  daae 
and  beauty.  Lowest  nrloea.— less  than  com- 
mon ready-made  suits.  Our  Agenta  are 
coining  money.  You  can  earn  $10  dally. 
Send  for  full  particulan.  terma  and  sample 
book  of  stylea  and  pattema.  American 
Woolen  Mina  Co..  Dept.  914,  Chicago,  in. 


AGENTS  Wanted.     Get  our  fkee 

case  offer  and  start  cut  selling  the  finest 
line  of  sosps.  toilet  srtidea  and  household 
specialties;  goods  already  in  established 
demand:  profite  100%  to  140%.  We  help 
you  build  up  a  big  business  and  are  be- 
hind you  every  minuta  We  guarantee 
our  goods,  quality  can't  be  beat  Ter- 
ritoriea  are  being  grabbed  by  all  the  Uve 
oaea.  Write  todsy.  Ho-Ro-Co.  109  Lo- 
cust  St..  Bt.  Louis.  Mo. 

YOU  csn  be  your  own  boss  with  our  Key 
Check  outfit.  Good  for  $5  a  day  stamping 
names  on  pocket  key  checks,  fobs.  etc. 
Sample  check  with  your  name  and  address, 
15  cents.  Pesse  Die  Works.  Dept  M.. 
Winchester.   N.   H. 

AGENTS:  Big  Returns,  fsst  office  seUere; 
parileulars  and  aamples  free.  One  Dip  Pen 
Company.   2  Dally  Record.   Baltimore,  Md. 


AGENTS     Wanted  —  Economy     _ 

Burners  for  cooking  and  beating  stoves  and 
furnaces.  Big  profits.  Esclusive  territory. 
Economy  Mfg.  Co.,  Dept  D,  616  W.  Monroe 
St,  Chicago,  m. 

AGENTS:  Big  Profits  putting  up  Genuine 
Gold  Leaf  Wtaadow  lietters:  Script  and  15 
other  Styles.  Chicago  Agency  Co,.  848 
Altgeld  St..   Chicago. 

YOU  can  letter  Auomobiles.  Wlndowa, 
Trunks,  etc.,  without  previous  experience,  by 
Transfer  Process.  Make  $27.50  on  $150 
outfit  Auto  Monogram  Supply  Co.,  86 
yiagara  Building.    Newark.    N.   J. 

AGENTS!  Quick  Sales!  Big  Profits  I 
Outfit  freet  Cash  or  credit  Sales  in  every 
home  for  our  beautiful  Dresa  Goods,  Silks, 
Hosiery.  Underwear  and  General  Dry  Goods. 
Write  ua  today.  National  Imporilng  & 
Mfg.  Co.,  Dept  KD,  425  Broadway.  Ifew 
York. . 

GET  our  bUi  money  maker  monogram- 
ming  Autoa,  etc.,  by  transfer  method. 
Catalog  and  particulars  ffte.  Motorisca* 
Accetaoriee    Co.,    Mansfield.    Ohio. 

AGENTS.  $50  a  week.  WIU  show  you 
how.  Genuine  Gold  Leaf  Window  Letters. 
CUcsgo  Agency  Co..  842  Altgeld  St. 
Chicago.  

$50  WEEKLY  and  up  selling  McBClcan 
Diamonds.  Elsaotly  resemble  genuine: 
Same  Rainbow  Fire:  Stand  teats;  sell  at 
sight:  Repest  orders.  Write  quick  for  Sam- 
ple Case  offer  ftee.  Mexican -Diamond  Im- 
porting  Co..  S.  W.  Las  Croces.  New  Mexlcft 

PAYS  Better  Than  Any  Job.  Manufac- 
turing High-dasa  Big  Selling  Advertissd 
Specisltles  in  all  lines  from  my  Manufac- 
turer's Guaranteed  Formulae.  No  machin- 
ery needed.  Smallest  Investment  required. 
Dessert  Powdera,  Pancake  Ftour.  Ttabe 
Flavors,  Catsup,  Mustsrd.  Eg-Oono-Me  the 
Pure  Food  Egg  Substitute^  Laundry  Spe- 
oialtlea  MarveUe  Washing  Tablets.  Family 
Sosp,  Blueing.  Medical.  Toilet  House- 
hold and  Automobile  Sjoedaltles.  Stamp 
brhigs  late  lists,  valuable  tnformatlon  fbr 
Profitable  Independent  Business.  MUlsr, 
Chemist  Tampa.   Florida. 

SEIli    "nre-CurOi"     Marvelous;    Pnne- 


tnrea.  cuts,  blowouts,  permanently  repaired 
in  6  minutes  without  tools  or  heat     Self- 


vuleanialng.    Experience 


saves 


500%    vttlcanialnr   bills.     $1    outfit  rapalia 
75    punctoresL     Immense  profit     Send  tor 
outfit   snd   agency.     Money-back   cnarantee 
agents  and  customers.     Eastern  Bobbar 
lucts  Co.,   Baltimore.   Maryland. 


Produ 


agsrs.     Best    and    fastest    MQinir    San.  i- 
Bniahaa,    Mopa.    Dusters    and    Kew    r„-< 
Brooms.    One  man'a  oooBiBlaaian  $28.»s    « 
day.     Fbur   entire   aalea    organlTatlam  > 
oently  came  to  na  withont  floJidtatioii 
otiier    brash   concerns,    becanee    they   L* 
our  line  better     Highest  eoBuniaalan.    .m 
ford  Brush  Co.,  541  W.  Leka  St.  Chfcfc- 
GASTONB     Increases     Power.      MUtv 
BUminates    Carbon.     One    tanodred    lai  . 
one  doUar.     Trial  convlnrva.     Good    arc 
wanted.    Money  Maker.    Ezclnaiee  tttrizT 
Write    at   once.     GasUme    Ooo^pany.    lit 

quctte.   Nebraska. 

,  AG^fTB— Sperialty    Men.     SeB     Sta.  ' 
Auto  Washer  Brashes,  new  anco  and  vi 
wssher— sure,  quick  cash  aales.     Free  «- 
pbaii     FrancU    W.    Mfg.    Cbu.    Harrima 

SELI£  like  hot  cakea.  Biv  proflta.  >« 
Ironing  wax  also  sUrch.  PerfinBcs  ckcx 
lasting  violet    Working  outfit  5c.    T^mr 

Jven.     Marshall  Manufartorlng.   »U  Gs.a  ' 
venue.  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 


"AGENTS— Good 
aelling  Alert  High 


.    for    speire  xsu 
and   Batrtiet  Tu 


Wrenches.  Boiler  Grip  Maandrela  and  StK» 
d  Facing 
YOUR   name   on   a   Buhber    Stamp 


jnd   Knurling  Toole   end   BsKstg 

and  Facing  Tools." I 


with  addrem  S5a     Oentral    Stai^r^Wali 
Newcastle.  Ind. 

MIQH-^BADE   SALESMEW    WAHTP 

$50.00  A  WEEK  fbr  your  apare  timt.  N< 
samples   to   carry.     Sell   mooogram   lestihr 
belts  from  your  perssonal  belt     Eveiy  cj. 
a  prospect  and  our  popular    price   gfrc- 
bridle    leather    belt    with     atyltah    mx. 
grammed  hammered  silwr  bockle  sells  tv 
as  rolling  off  a  log.    Belt  and  bnckle  t^v 
anteed  z^yeara.     Orders  filled  same  dv  r 
ceived.     Belt   complete    with    monograEs 
bockle  costs  agent  $1.00.     Sells   qotckb  • 
$1.50    to    $2.00.     $1.00    iDveetcd    toS} 
this  beautiful   belt   for   youreeir   will  trj; 
you   dividends  a  thousand   fold.     ExHn  • 
territory    reserved    for    those     who    tr 


once.'~'fhe*KIoth  Belt  Col.   (fine  Belt  Mu 
1908.)    40$   8.    tfalated   St.  C 


ers  since  1901) 
cago. 


SALESM^-41100  to  $3g.00  per  '^ 
■eUing  our  E-Z  Advertising  Tftpc  and  i!« 
big  Machine.  Every  merrfaant  bvyi.  .'- 
Lee  Novelty  Company.  179-P  North  I&l 
gan   Ave..   Chicago. 

INVESTIGATE   immediately   thB~a^ 
tlon  now  offered  by  the  Natkmal  Fr.-*..*- 
Companyto  responsible  and  hustling  n-^ 
men.      They    manufacture     tram     Suatfr* 
Long    Leaf    Pine    the    foUowlzig    prefer. 
Pinol   (Germlride).  Plnot    (Oan<3raff  Tr-s 
ment).  Pinal  (Insecticide).  Pinolae   (Br.- 
leas  Auto  Varnlsb).  Pluemcil  (Auto  an  t  > 
nlture  Polish).   Pinolln   (Laather  Dr^i^'. 
also  widely  advertised  Red   8nap(«r  P. 
Food.     Exclusive  territory  and    liberal  -' 
missions.     Call  on  druggtem,   barber  A" 
furniture    stores,    hardware    stores,    eara.  • 
and  florists.     V\xr  full  inforxnatlon    actir- 
Natlonal  Products  Company.  Gen.  Sate 
fice.  Eau  Claire.  Wia.  ^^ 

ANTI-BLEEDING  Cotton,  stops  bkvtL..: 
District  Manager  wanted.     Oalvo  Mar. 
turing.  1386  East  Fortieth.  CleeylaiwL  « 

SALESMEN  Wanted  to  seU  KIcetrie  i . 
Lighters  and  Molsteners.  Salary  or  .-- 
mission.  You  carry  stock  or  we  ahlp  di* 
Write  for  specUl  offer.  Drake  Mfg.  < 
211  Grand.  Milwaukee.  Wlag 

8AI£SMEN:  —  Calling  oa  blackox 
trade,  InTcetigate  our  new  tool  tO€  a  ■ 
line.  Western  Boiler  Pipe  Company.  H 
mouth.  Illinois. 


SALESBCEN— Tb    place  .      ^^.i, 

$4.05  In  country  atoros  aa  a  aide  line.  '*' 
mission  $1.15.  Dr.  B.  J.  CUbc.  P;^' 
Bluff.  Mo. « 


SALESMAN:   Energetic   Man    to    Hi  i< 
Our    Line   of   Advertising   and   Ommt- 
Pendls.  Good  Commissloaa.   Advanre*  y..- 
on    Salea.      Address:    Peerless   Pencil  i 
Louisville.  Ky. 


YOUNG  rac 

District  Managers.    $2$-$50  weekly.     >'enT  i 
Brash  Co..  Hartford,  Conn. 


SALESMEN-^?lty  or  Traveling.      Ei;-* 
eiioe  unnecessary.     Send  for   list  of  o. 
ings  and  full  particulars.    Picparw  In  »;r> 
time   to   earn   the   big    aalsrtfs — fS.5»- 
$10,000   a  year.     Xmpioyment 

dared   members.^  Nadonal    Sa 

Am'n.    Dept    H5-G.   Chlrago.    IB. 


MEN  who  can  finance  $500  sales  r-^t 
In  eadi  district  to  remeeeut  Tnbo.  d.-*^ 
fhim  factory,  guaranteed  to  pieaeive  ra*^^ 
and  cJoae  pnarturea.  Big  proftu.  T-^- 
Vandeventer  Ave..  St  Louis.  Mo. 


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POPULAR  raCCHANICS  ADVERTISIirG  SECXION 


SALESMAN  of  ablUty  wantMl  tor  «x- 
elusive  territory  to  sell  a  Perfect  Beit 
Lubricant,  dlrtrct  to  manufarturers.  Our 
commission  guarantees  a  sure  Income. 
Amencan  Lubricant  Works.   St.   Louis.  M»o. 

WANTED— Salesman  calling  on  Haril- 
ware^  Dry  Goods  and  Department '  Stores, 
to  handle  as  side  line  the  PlayeUe  Baby 
Swings;  large  sellers:  big  oommlssLons. 
Address  for  further  Information*  The  VaN 
ley  Supply  Co..  Manufacturers,  St  Louis, 
Mo. 

NEW  AdTertlslng  Side  Line  Specialty; 
will  earn  you  15  to  $10  dally;  quick 
seller:  sure  repeater.  Small  pocket  outfit. 
G.    Furlong.    711    S.    Dearborn.    Chicago. 


SALESMAN  Wanted  —  Splendid  oppor- 
tunity to  earn  13,000  to  |5,003  per  year 
representing  large  Correspondence  School; 
this  Is  a  Dona  fide  proposition.  Prerlous 
experience  raluable;  first-class  references 
required  regarding  character  and  ability: 
exclusive  territory  open  to  right  man  or 
woman.  E.  S.  Smith,  Federal  School  of 
rnmmerclal    Designing.    Minneapolis.    Minn. 

FOR  Salesmen  calling  department  etoreg 
have  excellent  side  line,  box  201,  Hart- 
lord.    Conn^ 


SALESMEN — Side-Une  sewing  marhlne 
oil:  practically  every  store  buys  It;  good 
onmmlseion:  free  sample;  wtigfas  three 
ounces.  The  King  Company,  Bockford, 
Illinois. 


TRAVELING  Salesman  desires  to  rep- 
resent manufacturer  on  coast.  Write  me 
today.  Booker.  361  Third  Avenue,  San 
Francisco. 


$to  TO  $100  a  week.  Free  Samples. 
Cold  Sign  Letters  anyone  can  put  on  win> 
dows.  Big  demand.  Liberal  offer  to  gen- 
eral agents.  MetalUo  Letter  Co.,  iSUiT  N. 
Chirk    St..    Chicago. 


SALESMEN  to  Sell  Grocers— The  Store- 
Tie  Ipa  Pricing  Systems;  thoroughly  modem 
and  a  good  seller.  They  are  absolutely 
neressarr  in  a  retail  grocery  store  and  you 
ran  sell  every  grocer  and  make  $2.55  on 
each  No.  1  Outfit  We  pay  commissions 
promptly.  Pocket  samples.  Store-Helps 
Mfg.    Co..   Federal  Life  Bldg..   Chicago. 

TWO  Hundred  Dollar  Guaranteed  Phono- 
graph Outfit  sent  on  approval  for  $74.50. 
Seventeen  dollars'  worth  records,  and  two 
dollars'  worth  needles  Aree.  Fifty  dollars 
a  week  taking  orders  from  this  sample. 
Write  tor  particulars.  Play  All  Phonofn'arh 
Makers.    316  So.   Wabash  Aveni.e.    f  hlcago. 


FURNACB  Oil  Burners.  Ford  Nonkicks, 
Renera  FUters.  £.  L.  MUler  Mfg.  Co., 
Kansas  City.   Mo. 

'~S~ALESMEN.  Energetic,  to  visit  schools; 
$100  salary  and  liberal  commission.  B.  O. 
Evans  ft  Co.,  1100  U  Wabash  Ave.,  Chi- 
cago.  

SALES&IEN  Ivanted  to  sell  the  most 
practical  oiler  ever  made  for  the  Q)rings 
of  automobiles  and  trucks.  Small  sample. 
Biff  proflu.  Write  today.  Van  Spring 
Oiler  Co..  222  N.   Wabash  Ave..  Chicago. 


SIDE  Line  Salesmen.  Six  samples  hand 
made  mailing  envelopes.  Sell  to  banks, 
financial  Institutions,  dtr  and  county  of- 
ficials, abstractors  and  mortgage  houses. 
Big  commUsions  dally  and  Mg  repeats.  C. 
E.  Hunt  *  Ca,  Est.  ldll,^7  £  22nd. 
Chicago. 

REPRESENTATIVE  Wanted  — We  want 
an  aggressive  man  to  devote  whole  or  part 
time  on  substantial,  dignified,  high-class 
proposition.  Every  steam  plant  a  prospect. 
Every  order  means  a  repeat  Address  Dept 
H.l  750^  Monadnock  Blk.,  Chicago. 

SIDE  Line— Something  new,  400^  profit 
Every  Business,  Professioanl  Man  must  use 
it  up  continuously.  Beuils  $5.00.  your 
profit  $4.00.  Quick  sales.  Instant  re-ordcriL 
Secretary.  Drawer  596.  Hartford.   Conn. 

CALIFORNIA  Rosebeads  selling  like  hot 
cakes.  Agents  coining  money.  Absolutely 
new  Big  proflta.  Catalog  free.  Mission 
Bead  Company,  SP2819  West  Pico,  Los 
Angeles. 

^  FASTEST  Selhng  Advertising  Specialty 
>rade.  Tour  customers— why  not  sell  them. 
•Best  side  line  yet  Look  us  up.  then  wrl*-e 
c.  B  Erlckson  &  Co.,  202  Erickson  Bldg.. 
Dee  Moines.  Iowa.    

WERE  Tou  Ever  Offered  a  Grocery  Store? 
Our  Proposition  Is  Better.  Let  us  tell  you 
how  you  can  handle  Flour,  Canned  Goods. 
Provisions,  an  entire  line  of  0ooeriea.  as 
well  as  Pslntt.  Hoofing,  stock  Food,  Auto- 
mobile snd  Madilneiy  Oils  and  Greases. 
No  rent  to  pay.  No  investment  in  stock. 
Large  orden  taken  tnm  samples.  Goodn 
of  guaranteed  and  proven  quality.  Selling 
experience  not  necessary.  Very  profitable 
work  for  "workers."  Address  Hitchcock 
Hill  Co..  Dept  200.  Chicago.  HI.  Refer- 
ence: Any  Bank  or  enwees  company. 


Digitized  by 


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38 


POPULAR  MECHANICS  ADVERTISIHG  ISECTIOir 


AOEWCIES  WAMTED 


CAMEBON  BROS.,  P.  O.  Box  52,  WeU- 
ini|oa.  NwT  Zealaad.     Indent  •ganti. 


LETTER  SPECIALISTS 


100  SUCCESSFUL  Sale*  Letters  pro- 
pared  bf  "America's  Leading  Advertlaiuff 
Authority."  Complete  copy  of  this  copy- 
right book  mailed  for  only  $1.00  whUe  they 
iMt  Stephent-Wetael,  Pub..  Box  101, 
Madison    Square.    New   York    City. 

"LETTERS  that  Invlgprate  your  busi- 
neea."  Wrlta  Earl  W.  Uodgklns.  Wooda- 
vUle.    N.    H. 

MAKB  Your  AdTertlsing  Talk.  Bales 
letters  )1.  Booklets  $10  up.  Jacobus  Ad- 
wrtlslDC  Senire.  1073  Sanford  Ave..  Irrinff- 
ton.  N.  J.  

SALES  Engineer  Poag  writes  letters, 
bookleu.  folders  that  sell  things.  Write 
for  ertdence  today  I  708  Brandywlne, 
Schenectady.  N.  T. ^^^^ 

BUSIWESS  SEBVICE 

INCORPORATED  Our  tewyers  do  the 
irork.  ssTlng  you  time,  annoyance  and 
moncor  in  uieorporatlng  under  the  most 
liberal  laws  of  Arisona.  Laws  and^formf 
free.  Southwestern  Seruriaes  &  Intest- 
ment  Co..  Box  IH88,  Phoenix.  AriSi. 

FOR  OFFICE  ANO  FACTORY 


BE  Neat — Keep  your  cuffs  clean!  Sate 
your  shlrti.  wear  Sherlan  Black  Sateen 
Ovosleeves.  Look  buslnesftUke,  very  dur- 
able. Send  35f!  for  sample  pair  and  our 
catalog  of  work  clothing.  Stamps  accepted. 
Sherlan  Mfg  Co..  Dept.  P..  1031  Dakln 
Street.    Chicago.    IlUnols. 

TYPEWRITERS  AND   SUPPLIES 

UNDERWOODS,  OIlTers,  Remingtons, 
$15  to  $45:  terms  to  suit;  free  trial.  Type- 
yrltcr  Co..    193  N.    Dearborn,    Chicago. 

UNDERWOODS  rebuilt,  guaranteed  one 
year.  $40  and  up.  Ribbons,  all  colors,  anv 
machine.  3  for  $2.  R.  Y.  Johnson  Co.,  20 
E.  Jackson  Blvd..  Chicago. 

HIGH  grade  typewriter  ribbons  and  car- 
bon paper  at  money  saTing  prices.  Send 
for  list  Cowie  Co..  1400  H  Street,  Waah- 
ington.  D.  C. 

ALL  makes.  Lowest  prices,  $10.00  to 
$00  00.  15  days  Free  Trial.  Catalogue  and 
terms  mailed  on  request.  Henry  Type- 
writer Company.  217  West  125th  St.  New 
York  City. 

LAHGEST  Stock  of  TSTCwrlters  In  Amer- 
ica. Underwoods  (rebuilt)  way  under  man- 
ufacturer's prices:  rented  anywhere,  apply- 
IriR  rent  on  purchase  price.  Free  trial. 
Installment  payments  If  deelred.  Write  for 
catalogue  70.  Typewriter  Eraporlun>.  eetab. 
ISiij.    3I-R6  W.   Lake   St..   rhlrnRo.   Illinois. 

STARTLING  Value®  in  Typewriters,  $10 
to  $15  up.  Farlory  rebuilt  All  makes. 
Shipped  on  trial.  Writ©  far  our  special 
offer  No.  226 -F.  Whitehead  Typewriter 
Co  .    1 86    North   La    Salle   St..    Chicago 

TYPEWRITER  Ribbons  Renewed  last 
double  time.  One  20c  coin.  Three  55c.  Six 
$1  00.  Twelve  $1.80.  No  checks.  Ribbon 
Co..  Gautler,  Miss. 

APPINQ   MACHINES 

"EASY  Flpures"  Calmlntor  Adds.  Sub- 
traris.  Multiplies.  Divides .  Square?)  and 
fube«.  No  mistakes.  Answers  Instantly. 
One  1.5c.  two  2ric  (coin).  Aeents  make 
$20.00  week.  Curtis  Co..  Davies  Building. 
Dayton.    Ohio 

NEW  $2  SO  Adder  Adds:  subtracts:  mnl- 
tlrllos.  whole  numbers,  decimals,  fractions; 
quick  as  a  flauh.  Absolutely^  acrurate. 
Fully  auaranteed.  Ca^acltv  $009,999.99 
Over  55.000  users.  Makes  adding  easy  for 
anyone  Bassctt  Co..  1458 -Y  Hollywood 
A^'e..    rblragq. _ 

WONDERFtTL  Adding  Machine,  seven 
columns  caparlty.  only  one  dollar.  Adds 
and  multiplies  as  fast  as  the  fingers  will 
move.  Thousands  being  sold  through  dem- 
onstration. L  J.  Leishman  Co..  Dept  Q, 
Ogden,    Utah. 

ROPP'S  Calculator  and  Sbort-Cut  Arith- 
metic—Shows the  answer  as  quickly  as  a 
watch  shows  the  time  to  all  problems  likely 
to  occur  In  offlce,  store,  shop,  bask,  farm 
oc  fartory.  Over  two  million  sold.  Price. 
Test  pocket  size,  50  cents;  leather,  pocket 
■lae.  $1.00.  Popular  Mechanics  Book  Dept. 
6  N.  Michigan  Ave.,  Chicago. 


DUPLICATORS  ANO    DEVICES 


A  DUPLICATOR  $1.00.  Letter  size. 
Make  over  fifty  copies  from  pen  or  typesrrlt- 
ten  orlgbial.  Send  for  circulars.  Sdentek 
Laboratories.    Dept    1.   Madison.  Mainei. 

"MODERN"  Dnxdlcator— «  Bnslness  Get- 
ter. $1.50  up,  50  to  75  copies  from  pen.  pen- 
eO.  typewriter:  no  glue  or  gelatin.  85,000 
ftrms  use  It  30  days'  trial.  Ton  need  onei 
Booklet  Free.  J.  B.  Durkin  *  Beeses  Gom- 
pany.  Plttsbnrih.  Pa. 

"QUICK  Proceaa  Duplicators."  Makes 
100  copies  In  10  minutesw  Bemarkable  time- 
savers.  Ttaoosands  in  use.  Write  for  free 
illustrated  circular.  Heyer  Duplicator  Co.. 
160-PM.    N.    Wells   St,    Chicaco. 


TELEPHOME  APPLIAtlCES 

CONTENIBNT  and  efflctent  dericei  Phone 
bands  free.  Particulars  dlmoi  Kallajian 
Telephone  Holder.  Boston.  Maes. ^^ 


MAILING   LISTS 


150  LI^^  Asenta'  Inquiries  just  rereived 
from  high -grade  advertising.  This  (guar- 
anteed IMOT  list  $1.00.  Name  Setrice.  350 
South   rigueroa.    Loe   Angeles. 


AGENTS.  Automobile  Owners,  etc.  $2.0;» 
per  thoussnd.  The  Rlghtquick  Publicity 
Bureau.  1314  Arch  Street.  Philadelphia. 
Pa. 

LIST  Iowa  Car  Owners.  $1.00.  1,000; 
$7.50,  lO.ODO.  SUte  Supply  Cow.  Cedar 
Rapids.    Iowa. 


1919  AGENTS'    or    Opportunity   Seekers' 

Letters  Rented    $1.00   per   100.  ^100  ^TPe- 

wrltten  Addresses  $1.00.    Louis  Ironic  Terre 

Haute,    Ind. 

1919  AGENTS,     thousand     $7.00;     1918. 

$5.00.  Conrad   Company.    Altoona,   Pa> 


PRINTING.    ENGRAVING   AND 
MULTIGRAPHING 


5,000  lyOTS  colored  bond  circulars.  5V4x 
8H  $6  75:  8V6xll.  $112.'?:  envelope  slips. 
$4,00.  Samples.  Good's  Prlntery.  Hairiaon- 
burg.   Va. ^ 

SEND  for  Large  Catalog  of  Attractive 
Gummed  Labels  and  Advertising  Stickers. 
Royal  Label  Co..  27  South  7th.  Pfailadel- 
phla. _^_ 

200  SHxll  HAMMERMILL  bond  letter- 
heads. $1.00  postpaid.  Race  Printeiy.  Hud- 
son.    N,    Y. 

REDUCE    your    printing    expense.      Our 

g re-used  outflt  offers  the  opportunity.  Box 
32B,   Watertown.  S.  D. 

CIRCULARS,  1.000  3x6,  $1.00;  4%x8. 
$1.:^5:  6x9.  $2.25.     Jupter,  Lancaster.  Ohio. 

100  BOND  Letterheads  and  Envelopes, 
$1.25  Postpaid.  Garland  Miller.  Trimble, 
Ohio. __^ 

QUALITY  Printing  Prepaid— 500  either 
noleheads.  sUteraents.  cards.  $1  75.  500 
G^  envelopes  $2.00,  letterheads  $2.40.  Sam- 
plea   free.      Soarbrough   Co..    Kereiis.   Texas. 

1300  HIGH  Grade  business  cards  and 
cose,  $1.60.  Samples.  Specialty  Print 
Shop.  10  Hawker.  Dayton,  Ohio. 

125  TVS'O  color  Bond  Letterheads,  125 
Envelopes  $1.50.  Economic  Specialty  Co.. 
I^onla.   N.   J. ^___ 

ADDRESS  Cards— 100  with  attractive 
cardcase  50  cents.  Barker  Press,  17  Gibson 
Street.   Medfurd.    Mass. 

250  ENATSiOPES  $1.35.  250  bills  $1  35, 
2')3  cards  $1  00.  Hummel.  2832  N.  Mer- 
vlne.    Philadelphli 


500  BOND  Letterheads— 2  colors— $•'  00 
postpaid.  Ad-BuUders,  1857  Holly.  Kansas 
City.    Mo ^ 

RITBBER  Stamns!!l  Gummed  Labels!: t 
Samples  Free!!!  Edward  Harrison,  '  Prlnt- 
Ing."    Baltimore. 

GOOD  Printing.  Low  Prices!  Catalogue 
and  samples  free.  D.  Lomond  Rigravlng 
Co..    65   Broadway.    Brooklyn.    N.   Y. 

SAVE  V4  on  high-grade  printing  prepaid 
anywhera  Samples,  list  Ballon  Printing 
Co. .    Columbus.    Nebr.     

QUALITY  Printing— 1.000  either  enve- 
lopes, noteheads.  cards,  statementa,  $2.50 
prepaid.  Stamp  brings  samples,  emy- 
t Wn  g.     Model   Company.  Manchester.   Iowa. 

RECORD  "Stick  Tight"  Gummed  Labels 
and  Advertising  Stickers  for  all  purpose^ 
Ijpt  us  quote  on  your  next  supply.  Record 
Labels.   Box  M-257.  Newark.  N.  J. 

\M9  print  anything.  Cuts  made  from 
photoCTsph.  Samples.  Commercial  Press. 
Batavia.    Ohio. 


SS****^^  •™??*»'  <«»^-  billheads  J » 
bel^  dicirtais.  $1.75  to  $3.50.  Samil^ 
fteei  ^tal^nesi  booklets  and  circulars  o. 
^edalty.  Bmest  L.  Wmtn  OD..  S28  S. 
Dearborn    St..    Chicago. ' 

PBINTINO  Ontflts-Presees.  type.  1^ 
PUes.  type  novelties.  Send  gtamp  for  cau 
logue.     Mode'    Press.    York,    Penna. 


BBAUTWm  Lltbopaphed  mationery  •• 
»ii£*!?  I?^*^'  Smaljquantitlea.  Kay  in 
Lithographing  Co.,  T64  TeutonU,  Milwauk^ 

POSTERS— ImlUtion  Lithographs  B'  ' 
l!Sfi?-J?^a^-.  ^"™^  Theatrical.  ^Mor.- 
^uner    Cincinnati. 

FOR   MEN 

,^f^?  without  water,  aoap  or  bn:< 
Lewis'  Shave-Eaec-Creme  gives  «  dell..:^ 
shave  end  a  soothed,  comfortable  feelL-.x  '■< 
the  sUn.  Softens  toughest  beard,  a  rr.rr 
eream  used  on  a  dry  facei  PositiveJy  n. 
water  used.  Protects  sUn  ftam  sun  a.n 
wind.  Gives  sc^dlers  camfon  6-oz  %' 
mailed  anywhere.  _5Se.  Dealers  war  v. 
No  samples.    The  Kreon-Ese  Col.  BosefL^v 

^  TOBACCO  fbr  Bala  Homcr-own.  Ch<^^- 
Ing  or  Smoking.  Lb.  50r  postpaid  liv 
dolph  Tobacco    Farm.    Paducali.    Kent..  i.j 

RAZORS  AND  BLADES  SHABPEWED 

"SMOOTH  Shave"    Safety  Blad«    Sban- 
enlng.     Walton    Process   reDews    edgp.     J 
dosen.     Enclose    coins    and    3c    stamp    {  ■ 
postaga      Prompt    servlea^       Walton,     r: 
ComhilL   Boston.   Masa. 

TWO    safety    rasor    bladea     rraljar'i*- -. 
free   to   new    customers,    or    30c    <i<<7.r, 
wonderful    five     hundred     dollar     ma!    - 
Scandla    Manufacturing    Company.     K  „  •> 
Building.    Boston.    Mass. 

RAZOR  Blades  sharpened  right  i;:!:/ 
edge  2 Mi  cents,  double  edge  Shi.  r>  - 
Keenedge  Shop,  7  South  10th.  Phii^j.! 
phis.  Pa. 

BLADES  Sharpened  bKter  than  nrw,  .c 
each.     "Tuttledge."    Indianapolis.    Ind, 

GUNSj  SPORT! mo    QOODS.    ETC. 


COIN*  Flshhi'?    Make  sure  of  big  ct- 
Our  Guaranteed  Bait  does  tlie  wr>rk.      }:• 
free.     Agents  wanted.     Write  Wesum  yi'. 
Co..  120  Hannibal.  Mo. 

BUY.  seU.  exchange  old-time  and  m  h1  - 
Flre-arma.  Antiques  wanted.  Stephioi  v-. 
ttensselaer.   805   Madison  Aveu.    New    Y  r/ 


BOATS  AND   LAUNCHES 


DARROWS  Steel  Boats,  sold  flr.isV- 
knock  down  or  patterns.  Catalog  le  t  c. 
els.     Darrow   Boat   Co..  Albion.    Mich. 


DIAMONDS^  WATCHES  ANO  JEWELRY 


SIXTY-FOUR  pages,  plum  full  of  "^i" 
gains,  that's  our  new  cstaiog.  Ju^t  c!T  :- 
press.  Instructive.  like  a  text  bo<^.  M  - 
interesting  than  a  serial  story— hut.  :l  ' 
get  a  copy  snd  sec  for  yourself.  N  ' 
'•Peace  Year"  prices  on  Jewelry.  Wp  ^.  • 
knocked  the  props  from  under  "prcRtcenr . 
In  Jewelry.  Our  price-cutttng  power  .  i> 
crested  extraordinary  bargains  in  War-h - 
Wrist  Watches.  Rings.  Diamonds,  r\  > 
etr.  Think  of  getting  a  $45.  oO  (rer  «• 
value)  Diamond  (TifTany  Mounting^  F.  .' 
for  $23.50:  I^eonard  Wrist  Watch  at  5  » 
and  Faultless  Fountain  Pen  at  Si .' 
That's  only  a  sample  of  the  hund-f^a*  ' 
sarings  we  offer  In  our  New  Special  Cau'  : 
Write  for  a  copy  today.  Darid  Stem  c 
pany.  618  Davsco  Bldg..  1027-39  Mai.r 
St..  Chicago. 


$5.00.  $10.00.  $15.00.  WB  boy  lerrTtid  h*: 
mrtches.  Seven,  fifteen  and  sevenr^^-n  :•  ' 
Sled  gradea.  $5.00.  $10.00  and  $15.0*  T^  > 
■re  used  for  our  foreign  trade.  W«.  i^ 
want  old  watches  for  the  movement  ri-*^- 
to  UM  in  our  repair  and  material  d.  i'" 
menL  We  report  the  same  day  watcti>^  i-. 
received.  Send  your  watch  today.  R-^> 
Thurman  *  Co..  Jewelers'  WboiesaV   i^.:: 

er  House.  EsUbUshed  »»««».  Dent-   1«3 
sllers  Bldg..  Chicago,  VL 


DAZZLING^  TWiar  DlamoDd  Rlnir?— Tj 
dies'  Tiffany  solid  goW-irelded  i»-^i-it  :  f« 
79o  prepaid.     B.  Harrison.  105  Walk*r  5;.. 


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POPULAH  MECHANICS  ADVERTISIlfG  SECTION 


39 


FOR  THE  HOiE 


REPAIR  your  own  Cook  or  Heating  store. 
We  supply  burned-out  parts  for  any  make. 
InformaUon  free^  Kerwin  Supply  Bouse. 
650    Aldine  Ave..   Chicago. 

MISSION  Furniture— Make  your  own  at 
little  expense.  Coriiplete  instructions,  work- 
ing drawings  and  stock  lists  for  96  differ- 
ent pieces.  Price  $1.50  postpaid  for  set  of 
three  books.  Send  for  coonplete  deseripttve 
matter.  Popular  Mechanics  Book  Dept,  6 
y.   Michigan   Ave.,    Chicago. 

HONEY 

I  HAVE  about  half  a  car  of  fery  nire 
clover  honey,  left  with  me  for  sale  at  once. 
This  honey  la  thoroughly  ripened,  rich  and 
fine  flavored  and  will  be  sold  as^  long  as  it 
lasts  at  26  cents  per  lb.  In  80  lb.  cans, 
:M.   V.  Facey.  Preston,  Minn. 


FOOD  PRODUCTS 


FRESH  Eggs.  12  do&  or  more.  30n  doc. 
4 Go  charge  for  the  case:  cash  with  order. 
E    C.  Colby.  Crystal  Lake.  IIL 

PHONOGRAPHS.    RECORDS.    NEEDLES 


3fe 
»ed 
vl- 
50 
bu 
it- 
-l- 
95. 
ai- 
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ly- 
in. 
Ise 
ive 
on 
[ne 
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on 
la- 
m- 
lal 
ect 

n- 

5). 


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if 

a 
h 

d 

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cl 
P- 
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fi 
1 
Chicago.  U. 


SPECIAL  Bargain  CaUlogue  Just  out 
Re<H)rdfl,  Phonographs  and  parts,  new  and 
used.  Write  today.  Benjamin  Chimberoff. 
3552  W.  Polk  St.  Chicago,  TO. 

PHONOGRAPH  Owners.  Test  our  won- 
derful, new.  Ring  Point  needles.  Buy  at 
wholesale  prices  and  make  money  selling  to 
your  friends  who  hear  how  they  Improve 
tonei  Bdentiflfl  method,  important  dis- 
covery, very  interesting.  Single  needle  plays 
100  records.  Send  25o  for  samples  and 
special  offer.  D.  Eenyon  Co.,  31  Union 
Square,  New  York. 

FOR  Sale:  WUsonola  and  fifty  records, 
used  two  yean.  $250.  Box  133,  Amboy, 
Ind. 

ATTACHMENTS  for  All  Phonographs. 
Pla-More  Phonograph  Sperialties.  21  E. 
Van   Bnren.    Chicago. 

DONT  destroy  old  or  worn  Phonograph 
Records.  Send  three  dimes  for  bottle  of 
Record  Benewer  that  treats  25  records. 
Stops  scratching  and  brings  back  the  tone. 
Record  Chemical  Co..  Weat  Mansfield.  Ohio. 

BUILD  Phonographs,  we  furnish  motors, 
tonearms.  cabinet  material  and  blue  prints. 
3  cent  stamp  for  caulog.  Belltona  Com- 
pany.  Oliver  St.,  N.  Tonawanda.  N.  Y. 

BUILD  your  Phonograph.  "Perfection" 
high  quality  spring  and  electric  Motors. 
Tone  Arms,  R^roducera.  Wonderful  re- 
sults. Big  saving.  New  catalog  and  build- 
ing instructions  mailed  for  ten  cents.  In- 
diana Phonograi^  Supply  Co.,  Indianapolis. 
Indiana. 

BUILD  Your  Own  Phonograph.  Big  sav- 
ing. Pleasant  instructive  work.  Complete 
instructions,  blue-prlnU,  eta.  absolutely 
free.  Write  today.  Associated  Phonograph 
Co..   Dept  P.,   Cincinnati.    Ohio. 

MUSIC  AND   MUSICAL  INSTRUMENTS 


••WHY  Must  We  Say  Good-bye?"  Latest 
song  hit:  piano.  15c:  orchestra,  25c.  The 
Victory  Liberty  Loan  Marrh:  piano,  15c: 
orchestra.  40r;  band.  40c.  Aviation 
"Waltzee."  piano.  25c:  orchestra,  SOr. 
The  Home-Coming  March  and  One-Step: 
piano.  15c:  band,  40c:  orchestra,  40o. 
BUdretta  &  Beck,  DepC  d,  Freeport,  N.  Y. 


ud 
Ity 
lal 
ite 
nd 
lu, 

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nk 

ler 
P- 


:al 

ira 
rk. 


PATENT    ATTORNEYS 


PROTECT  Your  Rights— Write  for  "Rec- 
ord of  Invention"  which  contains  forms 
to  establish  evidence  of  conception  of  yotir 
invention.  Prompt  personal  service.  Pre- 
liminary advice  without  charge.  J.  Beaney 
Kelly,    732- A    Woodward   Bldg..    Washing- 


ton. 


'b.a' 


DON'T  Lose  Your  Rights.  Send  for 
blank  form  "Evidence  of  Conception"  to 
be  signed  and  witnessed.  Establish  your 
rights  before  disclosing  your  invention  to 
anyone.  Form  and  information  concerning 
patents  free.  Lancaster  &  AUwine.  221 
Ouray    Bldg.,    Washington.    D.     C. 

MONROE  MILLER.  Ouray  Building, 
Washington,  D.  C,  Patent  Attorney,  Me- 
chanical and  Electrical  Expert.  Best  qual- 
ity of  work  and  results.  Moderate  charges. 
Advice  free. 

INA'ENTIONS  Patented,  Trade-Marks 
Registered.  Labels.  Prints  and  Publica- 
tiona  Copyrighted,  reasonable  fees,  cor- 
respondence solicited,  detailed  information 
free,  booklets.  Jaynes  &  Jaynea,  700  Kel- 
logg.    Wasnington.    D.    C. 

«««   «_.._. ._    ^-.       ._    -^ ^^Q 

In  S5. 

Aj  ;t.. 


be 

Fee 
[n- 
Ih, 


lal 

nt. 
B. 
)n, 
lb. 


KEEP  up  with  Progress.  Promote  your 
patent.  Send  50o  for  year's  subscription 
to    best    inventors'    magaainei.      "Invention 

md   Manufacturing,"   American  Industries, 

--      Washington.    D.    C. 


PATENTS,  trade-marks,  copyrights.    Write 

B  m, 

D 


Q1 


d- 
& 
srt 


ts. 
ror 
a- 
g.. 


in  ts. 
P<  ror 
free  patent  book.  George  P.  Kimmel.  Pat- 
ent Lawyer,  54 -U.  Loan  &  Trust  Bldg.. 
Washington.    D.    C. 

THOROUGH  Personal  Service  obtaining 
Patents,  Trade  Marks,  etc.  All  communi- 
cations strictly  confldentisl.  Inquiries  In- 
vited. Moderate  terms.  Frank  Ledermann. 
Registered  Attorney  and  Engineer,  21  Park 
Row.   New  York. 

LACEY  Patent- Sense.  See  page  156v 
"INVENTOR'S  Adviser"  sent  free  on  re- 
quest. Be  sure  you  understand  about 
manufacture,  importation  and  the  Com- 
pulsory License  Clause  of  the  Patent  Act 
before  applying  for  Canadian  Patents.  Ms- 
rion  and  Marlon.  361  Universi^  Street. 
Montreal.  Canada,  and  918  F  Street. 
Washington.   D.   C. 


PATENTS.  Booklet  tree.  Highest  ref- 
erences. Best  results.  Promptness  assured. 
Send  model  or  drawing  for  preliminary 
examination.  Watson  B.  Coleman.  Patent 
Lawygr.   624  F  Street,  Washington.  D.   C- 


PATENTS  Procured.  Trade  marks  regis- 
tered. A  comprehensive,  experienced,  prompt 
service  for  the  protection  and  development 
of  your  ideas.  Preliminary  advice  gladly 
furnished  without  charge.  Booklet  of  in- 
formation and  form  for  disclosing  idea  free 
on  requeat  Richard  B.  Owen.  30  Owea 
Bldg..  Washington.  D.  C.  or  2276-B  Wool- 
worth  Bids..  New  York.  

« J?'^^'?^''^^  Wo<^e^ :     reliable     service: 
The  Last   Word  on   Fatenu"    sent   Free; 
every  inventor  should   have   a   copy.     San- 
ders,  7    Webster   Building.    Chicago. 

tr 
ts 
di 
lU 
ei 
te 
1^ 


FOR   INVENTORS 


INVENTORS— Send  sketch  of  your  in- 
vention for  advice  regarding  patent  pro- 
tection. Twenty  Years'  Experience.  Hand- 
book on  Patents  sent  Free.  Talbert  A  Tal- 
ll'^^v.P*^"^*  Lawyers,  4280  Talbert  Bldg., 
Washington.    D.     C. 

IN\t:nTIONS— How  to  protect,  sell  and 
tniy  them.  If  you  are  Inventive,  read  this 
book.  108  pages.  25c,  postpaid.  Popular 
Mechanics  Book  Dr-'  "  "'  ^-.^.  - 
Chicago. 


Dept..  6  N.  Michigan  Ave., 


FOR  eighteen  years  we  have  specialized 
in  manufacturing  new  patented  articles. 
We  make  models,  dies  and  do  experimental 
work.  Modem  Tool  ft  Manufaoturing 
Company.  119-121  Opera  Place,  CincinnatC 
Ohio. 

PATENT  Buyers'  names  free  on  request. 
Patent   News— g.    Washington.   D.    C. 

PATENTS.  If  you  have  an  invention 
which  you  wish  to  patent  you  can  write 
fully  and  freely  to  Munn  &  Co.  for  ad- 
vice in  regard  to  the  best  way  of  obtain- 
ing protection.  Please  send  saeicbes  or  » 
model  of  your  invention  and  a  description 
of  tlie  device,  explaining  its  operation.  All 
communications  are  strictly  confidentlaL 
Our  vast  practice^  extending  over  a  period 
of  seventy,  years,  enables  us  in  many  cases 
to  advise  hi  regard  to  patentability  with- 
out any  eopense  to  the  client.  Our  Hand- 
Book  on  Patents  is  sent  ftee  on  request. 
This  explains  our  methods,  terms,  etc.,  in 
regard  to  Patents.  Trade  Marks,  Foreign 
Patents,  etc.  "Sdentiflo  American"  con- 
tains Patent  Office  Notes.  Decisions  of  in- 
terest to  inventors,  and  particulars  of  re- 
cently patented  inventions.  Munn  &  Co.. 
Solicitors  of  Patents,  623  Woolworth 
Building.  New  York,  and  625  F  Street. 
Washington.  D.  C. 

PATENTS  Procured— Trade  Marks  Reg- 
istered —  A  comprehensive,  experienced, 
prompt  service  for  the  protection  and  de- 
velopment of  your  ideas.  Preliminary  ad- 
vice gladly  furnished  without  charge^ 
Rooklet  of  information  and  form  for  dis- 
closing idea  free  on  request.  Richard  B. 
Owen.  30  Owen  Bldg..  Washington,  D.  C. 
or   2276-R   Woolworth  Bldg..    New   York. 

INTENTORS.  send  sketch  or  model  of 
your  invention,  for  opinion  concerning  pat- 
entable nature.  Book,  •'How  to  Obtain  a 
Patent."  sent  free.  Gives  information  on 
patent  procedure  and  tells  what  every  in- 
ventor should  know.  Established  twenty- 
five  years.  Chandlec  &  Chandlee.  408 
Seventh  St.   N.   W..  Washington.  D.   C. 

600  MECHANICAL  Movements,  also  iVus- 
tratlons  and  explanations  of  50  perpetusl 
motions.  My  book  Inventors'  universal 
Educator,  4th  edition,  tells  how  to  procure 
end  sell  a  patent  for  your  new  invention. 
Government  and  other  costs.  Covers  the 
matter  from  A  to  Z.  140  pages  elegantly 
bound.  Contains  noted  Court  decisions  on 
Patent  cases.  Mechanical  Movements  greatly 
assist  inventors — suggest  new  ideas  that 
might  prove  of  great  sid  in  perfecting  in- 
ventiona  Tells  how  to  select  sn  sttorney. 
Has  valuable  information  regsrdlng  Patent 
Sharks.  Selling  agents  and  Brokers,  ptice 
$1.  Postage  free.  Fred  O.  Dieterich.  621 
Ouray  Building.   Washington,   D.   C. 


Digitized  by 


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40 


POPULAR  MECHANICS  ADVERTISING  SECTION 


SPECIALISTS  in  tlM -,   -     , 

ufacture  and  tale  of  new  deTlcee.  A  finely 
equipped  factory  and  a  capable  and  espe- 
ilenoed  organlution  at  your  wrTice.  De- 
troit AcceesorleB  Corp'n,  GratM  and  Fiahar 

Arenuea.    Detroit,    Michigan. 

PATESNTS.  Write  for  free  Uluatrated 
guide  book.  Send  model  or  eketoh  and  de- 
■cription  for  free  opinion  of  its  patentable 
nature.  Higbeat  re/erenoea.  Prompt  atten- 
tion. Beaeonable  terms.  Victor  J.  Brans 
Jfc   Co.,    157   Ninth.    Washington.   D.    C. 

HAYB  You  an  InnnUoo?  If  so.  write 
tor  our  free  book.  "How  to  0«t  Jour 
Patent."  tella  our  tanns  and  meuods. 
Bend  model  or  sketch  for  <wr  oi*nloa  of 
Its  patenUble  nstura.  Bandolph  *  Co.. 
Dept    144.    Washington.   D.    C. 


PATEWTS    FOB    SALE 

EVERY  Carpenter  and  carpcnterfprenian 
wlU  want  a  tape  line  ring  that  will  hold 
Upe  while  measurement  is  read.  Does  not 
leqolre  an  eoctra  men  to  hold  ring.  Cheap 
to  manufscture.  For  sale  outright  Hariy 
Band.    WestTille.    New   Jersey. 


"DOG  Foot  Brace."  Practical.  Inexpen- 
ai?a  Good  InveBtment  Emma  Craven, 
948    Clinton    St..    Portland.    Oregon. 


WANTED  a  partner  to  pay  foreign  pat- 
ent fees  on  a  useful  household  Invention, 
for  half  interest  Also  for  sale  foreign  and 
home  territory.  Burton  W.  Allis,  Gamett 
Kane. 

PATENTS  for  gale:  To  buy  or  sell  pat- 
cnu  address.  Patent  Newa— P.  Washington. 
D.   C. 


POCKET  Phonograph.  U.  S-  snd  Cana- 
dian territory  for  sale.  Can  be  made  for 
a  dime.  Sells  for  a  dollar.  Excellent  for 
premium.  advertislnR  or  entertainment  H. 
H.  Pratley.  231  Smith  St,  Winnipeg.  No 
samplee    sent, 


PATENT  For  sale  of  10c  article  salable 
by  100,000  Fiores.  Small  capital  suftlcient 
Culver.    (Jautler.    Miss. 


DOOR  Lock  patent  for  commercial 
bodies  for  sale  or  lease  on  royalty.  None 
hctter.      Samuel    Gehret.    York.    Pa. 


FOR  Sale!  Patent  No.  1234775.  A 
simple  attarhmenl  for  slel^  or  baby  rot- 
ter on  bare  slde\\alkB.  For  particulars, 
Mrite  Chas.  11.  Kuster,  Jr..  5C4  West 
Third    St..    Fultnn.     .New    York. . 


FOR  Sale!  Outright  or  royalty.  My  U. 
8.  Patent— rail  brake  1273212-— i-atrnt  pend- 
ing In  Canada.  Also  Rail  Joint  U.  S. 
I'ateflt  pending,  a  "can't  sag  rail."  If  in- 
terested, write  for  particulars.  Otto  Free- 
niark.    Martin.    Ohio. 

RULLDERS  and  Manufacturers  make 
nffpr  for  U.  S.  Patent  Tliruat-lUjing  and 
damper  for  fireplaces.  Steel  or  firebrick. 
Particulars  fr«e,  1.  Unworth.  65  Uleudale 
Ave..    Hamilton.    Ont . 


PATENT  No.  1290866  for  sale.  Ther- 
mostatic circuit  closer.  Best  offer  takes 
it  M.  F.  Arias.  105  Fulton  St.  Bruok- 
lyn.    N.    Y. __^_ 


COMBINATION  Self  cleaning  comb  and 
case.  Will  dispose  outrlsht  or  royalty. 
Nothing  like  it.     Carl   Duede.    Stuart.   Iowa. 


OITTRUJIIT  or  Uoyalty.  Nutlrss  spindle 
dust  proof  for  vehicles.  I^orenz  Felber,  2700 
Cliarirr)!    .St..    New    Orleans.    La. 


S()MK'niIN<;  DifT.rent  HousrhoKl  ne- 
cessity, ("ontains  mirror,  comb-caso.  t»wcl. 
racks,  soap-tray,  receptacle  for  waoh  l)asln. 
Made  entirely  of  wije.  Cash  or  royalty. 
E Imo    W.     Lee.     Freoi)ort.     Ills. 


FOB 

Sale— Neck    shaving    razor 

guard. 

Shave 

your     ne<-k 

in 

darkest 

r(K)ra 

.     any 

razor. 

Write    W. 

C. 

Bridges, 

528 

Mul- 

berry. 

Mtiscatlne, 

Iowa 

THREF  Valuable  Patents.  Animal  trap 
No.  lo:{SLM6.  Hand  stamps  No.  i»f.3.TI0. 
Hydraulic  rams  No.  992524.  WlU  sell  or 
trade.  Make  <.ffw.  C.  F.  Walters.  1718 
Monterey   St.    N.    8.,   Pittsburgh,    Pa. 

PATT:NT  For  Sale  or  Royalty.  Electric 
shoo  shining  machine.  Operate  by  coin. 
Ixiula  Maire.  3806  Delmar  Ave..  St  Louis. 
Mo. 


FOR  Sale!  Patent  No.  1141428.  Internal 
combustion  cngino  attachment,  outright 
Al*>  127:;822,  automatic  wear  take-ups  for 
JtMimal  b^)xos.  J.  M.  Christine.  R.  F.  D. 
No.    1.     Box    1 10._Freeport    Penna, 


FOR  Hale,  cash  or  myalty,  throe  recent 
toy  patents,  broad  claims.  Swimming  man 
toy.  u.s«>!i  hand  over  head  stroke,  kicks 
fe€«t.  operated  by  rubber  band.  Explosive 
phell.  rol.a.se8  paraehutft.  Magnetic  build- 
ing blocks.  For  partirulors  write  Dr  O. 
R.    Tn.Jo.    P.    O.    Box    653,    Ensley.    Ala. 


AUTOMATIC    Carpet    and    Bug   Beater, 

easily  operated  by  odld.  Cheaply  manu- 
factured. Priced  reasooablsk  ChaSb  B. 
Helm.    Marco,    Indiana. 


METALLIC  R.  R.  Ue  has  all  the  rhar- 
acterlatica  of  the  wooden  tia  U.  S.  and 
Canadian  patents  &.  T.  Buzrill.  Win- 
cheeter.     N.     H. 

PATENT  Rights.  U.  8.  and  Foreign. 
Spring  Metal  Hat  Clampa  for  men's  hatsw 
Neirlnvention.  J.  C.  Wagner.  4102  WkOilla 
Ave..    8.    W.    Cleveland.    O. 


IMPROVEMENT  on  Aircraft  for  Sale. 
Particulars  free.  Henry  Dennis.  706  N. 
Jefferson   Ave..    8t    Louis.    Mo. 


FORD  Attachment  U.  8.  Patent  1.271.- 
871,  eoct/actlng  Ford  Cars  from  mudholes 
or  sand;  a  simple  one-man  devloe  oper- 
ated by  driver  from  rear  of  car.  For  sale 
outright      Henry    Elnung,    Jasper.    Minn. 


AUTOMATIC  Auto  Top.  New  Invention. 
Am  selling  county  rights.  103%  and  mora 
profit  for  any  man  who  gets  It  Clean 
business:  unlimited  demand.  No  competi- 
tion, but  act  quick.  Give  reference.  Par- 
ticulars ftee^  Gk  A.  Stenson.  L.  Bos  1S|, 
Cokato.    Minn. 


FLOATLES8  Carburetor  of  merit  U.  8. 
patented.  For  sale  or  royal]^.  Investigate 
this  moneymaker.  George  W.  Storch,  SM 
North   St.    Appleton.   Wisa 

FOR  Sale— Patent  No.  1.234.748:  Me- 
chanical chauffeur;  safe  and  sane;  long 
drives  now  pleasure:  no  crsmped  arms; 
fine  for  beglimers,  also  experu;  manufac- 
turing cost  smaU.  Lloyd  Galnea.  Butler. 
Mlaaourt. 


HOUSEHOLD  Article,  patent  granted. 
"New."  Let  outright  or  on  Royaltar.  De- 
taiU  from  H.   E.  Tirlpp,  1205  EL   12th  St. 

Chattanooga.    T^n. 


PATE.NTS  Nos.  1.273.592  and  1,273.755. 
on  Novelty  IhiiaB  Pad.  Cheapest  and  most 
effective  pad  for  hernia  and  ruptures  ever 
derised  and  wUl  effect  cure  in  ordinary 
rases.  For  terms  and  pariiculaxs  write 
J.  W.  Emhree.  Box  236,  Msnhattan.  Kan- 
sas,  


FOR  Sale— Patent  No.  1.270.787.  Gar- 
den weeder  weeds  the  plants  clean  of 
weeds.       Write    Henxy     Cbad,     Ainsworth, 

Nehr. 


SCREW  CutUng  Lathe  AtUcbment." 
Catches  thread  every  time  with  very  little 
attention.  Suitable  for  engine  or  screw- 
cutting  lathe.  What  do  you  offer?  U  E. 
Wmnl.    9.^5    Fruit  Ave..    Farrell.    Pa. 


"ADJUSTABLE  Rear  Sight"  Only 
sight  made  that  is  adjustable  to  shoot  to 
markings.  Good  market  for  this.  Hans 
Paulson.    Box    477.    Orting.    Wash. 

•SHOEMAKER'S  Stand."  This  stand 
is  readily  and  conveniently  adjusted  to 
any  desired  position  necessary  during  re- 
pairing operation.  It  has  numerous  ad- 
vantages over  any  other  stand  and  costs  a 
great  deal  less  to  manufacture).  Shoemakers 
will  immediately  see  the  prscticsl  value 
of  this  Jack.  Meets  all  requlreraenta  de- 
sired by  any  operator.  Investigate.  Ta- 
liavan    E     Aho.    Crosby.    Minn. 


PATENTS  for  Sale  or  Royalty.  House- 
hold necessity.  Made  of  Aluminum. 
ParUculars    fJ-eo.      D.    EL    Hubbell.    Blch- 

mond.    Ind, 


CYLINDER  Wrendi.  Every  Thrasher 
Operator  needs  onei     P.   Iverson,   Kindred. 

"patent  on  Check  Rack  Register.  Ne^ 
cessity  for  every  barber  chair.  Millions 
needed.  A  fortune  in  this.  Small  and  eas- 
ily manufactured.  D.  A.  Valvano,  Gen- 
eral Hospital.  Fort  McHenry.  Md. 

SPARK  Plug  patent  for  sale;  tested 
double  Jump.     Elmer  Raber.  Baltic.  Ohio. 

PATENTED  vending  machine  for  souve- 
nir postcards,  stamps,  advertising  matter, 
with  other  commodities;  live  vrorld-wlde 
proposition.  Given  add  test  proved  prac- 
tical Chicago  loop.  Owner  lacks  capital. 
P.  C.  V.  M.  Company.  746  North  Harding 
Ave. .    Chicago. 

FOR  Sale  Outright  or  royalty.  Patented 
Automobile  Lock,  Will  operate  effectively 
on  all  makes  and  altes  of  Automobllm. 
No  exemptions.  E.  S.  McKean,  1  Purser 
Place.    Yonkers.    N.   Y. 

NOTTCE— The  Ever-Ready  Plane  Co..  of 
Long   Island   City  desires  to  organise  com- 

Kany  to  manufacture  and  market  our  Com- 
I nation  Woodworking  Plane  in  Canada. 
Wo  will  also  consider  outright  sal^  Prea. 
Wm.    aark.   90   Academy  St.  L^   t   City. 

N.   Y. 

A  VALUABLE  Patent  In  aluminum  sheet 
metal    working.      Address   H.    M.    O'BeUly, 

Indiana,    Penna. 

RAILWAY  Joint  Patent  for  sate  or  roy- 
alty for  any  style  ralL  Write  John  Koss- 
manu.    3884    Wyoming.    St.    Louis,    Mac 


FOB  Sate  Outright.  Patent  No.  l.soo  94'!, 
scale  case  din.  prevents  loss  of  pc.  Ktt 
mmlm.  Wkm  all  pockets  and  aU  soft  katti.- 
cases.  For  Draftsmen.  Toolaukcr,.  mj- 
chlnlsU,  Foremen,  etc.  H.  E.  Jamt-s,  .N- 
10109    Westchester    Ave..    Cleveland.    Olii 

FOR  Sale— Improved  silo  patent  N  . 
1.154.511.  InvestlgaUon  Invited.  Addri->» 
Jno.  O'Connor.   Box  277.  Mankato.   Miun. 

PATENT  'o'  Sale— Perfected  Mllk-Ii.  ttJ* 
Stopper.    Write  Amanda  Oberg,  Bager  Ciu. 


WANTED— Someone  to  build  ConUnu  u 
Impulse  Beversible  gasoline  or  oil  Eug.i.et 
under  Patent  No.  1.176,724  March  21.  lyi'i 
Most  econoailcal  and  Inexpensive  to  buill 
Would  consider  the  sale  of  Patent.  Aa 
dreas  W.  T.  Smith.  Tiockland.  CiDcInnai^ 
Ohio. 


VALUABLB  Patents  for  sale  or  le^se  c 
royalty  basl&  Na  11215  Bean  Harvetii«r 
No.  10536  Fraction  Chart:  No.  11..  1 
Trap;  No.  10S67  Fishing  Bod  Supp"  n. 
No.  10591  Cigar  Holder;  No.  11224  M^rfc 
Guard:  No.  11304  Spring  Wheel:  No.  lu: 
Lath  MiU  Bolters.  Fbr  particulars  adJrr^v 
Talhert  A.  Talhert  Patent  Lawyt!>rs.  i>' 
Talbert   BIdg..    Washington,    D.    C. 

WANTED— Superior  Agenta  for  Sui*n  r 
Made-to-order  Raincoats.  Etatfrely  dlTTtYei-. 
fhim  the  ordinary  Und,  MalMTu  to  ?>• 
daily.  You  seU;  we  deUver  and  o>llrr. 
Get  facts  today.  Desk  42.  Soperior  Rau- 
coat    C\>..    Dayton.    Ohlo^ 

OWNER  WlU  seU  outright  patent  Nuc~ 
ber  1266627.  "Internal  Combination  Ij  • 
gine  Indicator."  Jaa.  D.  Benne.  c.  o. 
Fairbanks.    Morse  A  Co..    Omaha.    Nctn- 

MANUFACTUBER  Wanu^d  on  royalty 
basis;  new  autoomMle  appliance:  krr\i 
windshield  flee  from  aun  and  stvm 
Operatea  tma  inside  of  ear;  easy  to  mii- 
ufacture  and  put  on;  adjosublei  Write. 
G.    H.    Hunt.    Monroe   Center.    III. 

8IFTCR    Fire    SboveL  __  Two    ahov,  U    If. 
"'  *"       '^        ™"Ttune    to    miru- 


fa< 

] 
Nc 
wb 

J? 
Pi 

ler 

di 

hli 


patent      D.    M. 

larolina. 

tT  Rest.     P«t«t 

►th  hanil^  frw 
SL  Outrifht  ■» 
m  the  marr^ri 
dvrard  L.   VVaI- 

rle  folding  «"»• 
mplirtty  avi  iM 
1569    East  hits 


Ohio. 


iging  Cau-P  >: 
Ukes  it  i:-'- 
oarkec     Wm 

1  teres  ting  ~* 
oaitlon,  Kj-  .:i 
nuew    Colun.t.i.'. 


PATEN'T  on  Garden  1Vx)l.  It's  ;m:t 
Cheaply   made.      John    Root    Novl.    Mih 

PATENT  for  Sale — Padlock  with,  ui  K 
vrill  sell  for  reasonable  pricei    Wrirr  tj  Ivi-. 
P.    Vugrinovlc.    P.    Box    753.    Wbiiing.    1:. 

PARACHUTE    Attachment    for    all     v.- 
plane*.     Patent   No.    1.267.847.     Fully   rr 
tects  aviatora  in   rase  of   arddeut   to   ai' 
plana     FuR   particulars,    terms,    etc..   frr. 
A.  C.  Camhrldge,  92  Smith  St.  Cbarlr^i  i. 

"DOG  Foot  Brace."  Practlofl.  inex:"^ 
Blve.  Good  investment.  Etema  Crav.^. 
948   Clinton    8t,    Portland.    Oregon. 

FOB  Sale— Patent  No.  1.268,018.  CirS-- 
Brush-H(^der  for  FoKd  Cars:  ourrij;:]ii  r 
royslty.  J.  H.  E:nlght  1502  Lagunda.  Fi 
Worth.    Tex. 

PATENTS— My   fee    payable    in    m^.'t.T 
InstsUmcots.       Send     sketch     for      a  .r. 
Booklet    fre&     Frank    Fuller.    Washing:  u 
D.    C. 

FUMIGATOR.  Patent  No.  1.191.e'^fi  ?^ 
sale.     Zlegler   Hdwe.    Co..    Clarlnn.    I  - *a _ 

CIGAR  and  Cigarette  Holder.  Sin-iK  in 
construction.  Reliable  and  efficiei  t  tt- 
tlda  Wm.  B.  McCnlly.  13i  South  yi. 
Bt.   Newark.   N.  J. 

GREASE  Cup,  especially  for  aut  nwM!^; 
practical.  Inexpensive.  Merit  Marhlne  MU 
Corp'n.    465    Greenwich    8t.    N.    Y. 

FOR  Sale— Outright  or  royalty.  Blll.a-i 
Hall  Dorice:  nothing  like  it  Write  J»c* 
Crane.    Rhodea.    Iowa. 

OUTRIGBT  or  royally— Patent  p*r.Jl!K 
Sanitary  Tbolh-brush  Holder.  Nothlr.i  Lp 
it  on  the  market  Beat  offer  aorcpu^d.  u 
J.   Dontllck.  2112  3.   S8th  Ave..   Qu^-^r  n. 

FOR  Sale— U.  S.  and  Canadian  r*tcot 
tar  a  Self -oiling  Automohlle  Spring :  no 
attaciunent  but  part  of  the  leavc^  N  t s^ 
Ing  Uke  It  Write  Mathiaa  Klea.  156  Kri:^ 
St.  Dubuque,  Iowa. 


Digitized  by 


Google 


POPULAR    MBCHAinCS   ADVERTISING    SECTION  41 


Digitized  by 


Google 


42 


POPULAR  MECHANICS  ADVESTISniG  SSCTIOIf 


FOR    SALE—MISCELLANEOUS 

ADDRESSOGBAPHS.  Multlgraphs,  Fold- 
ers, Dupllratora,  Sealers.  Bought.  Sold, 
omce  Device  Company.  222-B  North  Wa- 
b>8li.    Chloago. 


ELECTRIC    Light    plant 


_      _    _  Fairbanks    & 

Morse  make.  Will  run  150  lights  or  a  mo- 
tion plcttire  machine.  W.  H.  Murphy,  Fox 
Lake.  Wia 

FOR  Salel  Latest  improTed  oil  burner 
for  sale.  Patented  in  U.  S.  and  Canada. 
Also  Canadian  patented  improved  steam 
boiler  tube  cleaner.  Edgar  Q.  Teed,  £n- 
glneer  and   Inventor.  Nuevo.   Calif. 

PATENT  Buyers  names  free  on  request 
Patent    News— e.    Washington,    P.    C. 

FLAGS  of  the  Allies.  Five  flags  2x3  feet, 
mounted;  holder,  fast  colors,  $3.00  set. 
Parker  McLaughlin,  Flag  Maker,  123  Ma- 
lle  Ave..   Bellefontaine.   Ohio. 

FIELD.  Marine,  or  Aviation  Glasses  with 
case.  Powerful  20  mile  adjustment,  $12.50. 
Money  back  If  not  satisfactory.  Well's  Cu- 
riosity Shop.  20  So.  Second  St,  Philadel- 
phla.   Peona. 

lilJl'TALO  horns,  natural.  75o  and  50o 
each,  postpaid.  Golden  Eagle  $18.00.  Arc- 
tic Owls  $8.00  up.  Horned  owls  $6.00.  Oil 
paintings  of  western  life.  Write,  Allen« 
Taxidermist.    Mandan.    N.    D. 

14  LA  SALLE  Law  Text-Books,  cheap. 
Vose.    Concord.   N.   H. 

EXCEPTIONAL  opportunity  to  purchase 
Encyr-lopedia  Britannlca,  clothboimd  Han- 
dy Volume  EdiUoiK  and  unabridged  Cen- 
tury Dictionary.  Both  like  new.  Ftank 
Riwe.   Box   364,   San  Jose.   California. 

FOH  Sale— Auto-knitter,  brand  new,  first 
fio.oo  takes  It  John  AltholT,  Waubay, 
Sciiitli   Dakota. 

FOR  Sale:  Oear-O-Scope  Patents  and 
Reg.  Trade  Mark,  covering  world's  beet 
known  Windshield  Winer.  Well  advertised, 
established  with  wholesale  trade.  Many 
thousands  in  use.  Some  finished  stock  and 
equipment  The  Clear-0-Scope  Co.,  Angola, 
Ind. 

rxiVEBSAL  Knitting  Machines.  Many 
styles,  hand  or  power.  For  Catalog,  addresg 
Daniel  Buoker,  Peabody,  Masa, 

riH%USED  Printing  Presses.  Type  and 
StippUes.  List  for  atampw  Poxnilar  Bar- 
cains,   Richland.   Pa. 


SALE  OR  EXCHANGE 


FOR  Sale  at  a  bargain.  Stereoscope 
slot  machine  and  Royal  Plating  outfit  or 
trade  for  Air  Brush  outfit  J.  H.  Miller.  18 
Monroe.    Silver  Creek,   N.    Y.     __^ 

LET'S  Swap  I  Whafve  gotf  What  d'ye 
want?  Free  advertising.  Three  months 
(lime.     Swap  Bulletin,  Detroit 


WANTED— M ISCELLANE0U8 


PROORESSrVE  Connecticut  Manufao- 
turing  Company  desires  to  obtain  manu- 
facturing rights  on  High  Grade  Mechanical 
Rpeclaltles  which  can  be  built  of  smsU 
stampings  and  screw  machine  parts.  Pre- 
fer Automobile  Accessories  or  similar  arti- 
cles which  csn  be  sold  directly  to  manu- 
facturers. Onhr  High  Grade  and  fully  de- 
veloped propositions  considered.  Commtml- 
cate  with  definite  statement  of  farts.  Ad- 
dress M.  G.,  Room  925.  78  E.  Madison  St. 
Chicago 


WANTED— Second-hand  Cyclecar;  send 
photo,  speclflcatlons,  price  in  first  letter. 
Culler  Electric  Service  Co.,  Orangeburg, 
8.   C. 


WANTED— Small  specialties,  good  sell- 
ers that  could  be  carried  in  automobile 
across  continent  Kingsbury,  711-13th  St. 
Washington.  IX  C. 


REAL    ESTATE   AND    FARM    LANDS 


FT^RIDA  Lands  for  vegetables,  live  stock 
and  general  farming.  Suburban  to  Tan:ra: 
20  to  GIO  acres.  $15  to  $25  per  acre.  Easy 
tprnm.  Write  for  map  and  details.  North 
Tnnipa  Land  Co..  904  Mailers  Bldg.,  Chi- 
cago.        


ATTF:NTION:i  Let's  get  acquainted. 
Cash  for  your  property;  farm,  general  store, 
hotil  or  factory  no  matter  where  located, 
ruiin.irntlal  Bcrvice.  Hayes  Business  Agency, 
Cincinnati,    Ohio, 


SKI, I,  your  property  qulrkly  for  cash,  no 
matttT  where  located.  Don't  pay  big  oom- 
mKsinns.  Particulars  free.  Real  Elstate 
Snlosmcn   Cb..    Peak   B.    IJncoln,   Nebr. 


$2,500  DOWN  lerurea  908  acres.  28  cows 
and  other  stock,  hay.  etc..  2  miles  R.B. 
town.  100  acres  smooth  machine -worked 
fields,  hay  land  cutting  100  tons,  spring- 
watered  wire-fenced  50-cow  pasture,  esti- 
mated 2.000  cords  wood,  100.000  ft  timber; 
60  apple  trees.  Good  8 -room  house,  big 
basement  stock  bam.  horse  bams,  granary, 
com  houses,  etc  Ovmer's  Interests  else- 
where demanding  quick  sale,  $9,850  takes 
all.  easy  terms.  Details  this  big  money- 
maker page  35  Caulog  Bargains  19  States, 
copy  free.  Strout  Farm  Agency.  812  M. 
Marquette  Bldg..   Chicago.     

FARM  lands  in  Montana  cost  leas  than 
land  of  equal  productivity  sell  for  else- 
where. Send  to  Chas.  D.  Greenfield.  State 
Commissioner  of  Agriculture.  H^ena,  for 
Information. 

CALIFORNIA  little  farms,  near  Los  An- 
geles, for  sale.  Terms.  Write  £,  B.  Walte. 
Shawnee,  Oklahoma. 


FREB  Government  Lands — Our  oflBcial 
112-page  book  "Vacant  Government  Lands" 
lists  and  describe*  every  acre  in  every  county 
in  U.  8.  Tells  location,  place  to  apply, 
how  secured  Free.  1919  diagrams  and 
Ubiefl,  new  laws,  lists,  eta  Price  25  cenU 
postpaid.  Webb  Publishing  Co.,  Dept  71. 
St   Paul.  Minn. 


FLORIDA'S  Best  Orange  Land  Free.  If 
you  have  $720  caah  to  buy  orange  trees  to 
plant  on  10  acres  of  choice  land.  vre'Il 
give  you  the  land.  For  $1,440  cash  you  can 
buy  the  trees  for  20  acres  and  get  the  land 
free.  Trifiers  please  don't  write.  We  in- 
vite red-blooded  men  and  women  who  have 
the  above  capital  for  embracing  a  real  op- 
porttmity  of  owning  their  own  orange  grove 
to  write  today.  Board  of  Trade.  93  Oppor- 
tunity  Avenue,  Frultland  Park.  Florida. 


OZARK  40-acre  farm:  cottage,  bam  or- 
chard, spring,  team,  implements,  cows,  hogs, 
chickens;  will  sell  on  small  monthly  pay- 
ments. Edmund  SteckeU  Turkey  Sldge 
Farm.    Richland,    Mo. 


TWO  tracts  of  Florida  land,  ten  snd 
twenty  acres,  for  sale  or  exchange^  W.  S. 
Hall.   Drawer  494,  Stockton,  Cat 

FOR  Sale — 20  acres  in  one  piece  in  the 
Penellad  Peninsula,  near  Largo.  Lota  9  and 
10  of  N.  EL  %  and  15  and  16  in  N.  W. 
%  of  sec  17.  T.  80.  R.  15.  Property  con- 
venient to  railroad  and  good  roads.  Address 
W.,  care  Popular  Merhanici  MsgazinOk 
Chicago. 


ROOTS  AND  HERBS 


$5  A  DAT  Gatherlnf  Evergreens.  Roots 
and  HerbSL  Ginseng.  $14  lb.;  Belladonna 
Seed,  $64  lb.;  or  grow  it  yourself.  Book 
and  war  prices  free^  Botanical.  68.  New 
Haven,   Conn. 

GOLDEN  Seal  and  60  Other  Plants  used 
In  making  medicine,  dyes,  perfumes,  etc. 
How  to  gather,  high  war  prices,  and  address 
of  Buyers'  Book,  postpaid,  only  20c  Get 
yours    today.     Ginseng    Co..    West   MUao. 


DOGS.    BIRDS.   POULTRY.   PETS 


I  HAVE  two  liUers  of  high  class  Eng^ 
lish  bloodhound  puppies  from  expert  man 
trailer:  if  you  want  eomethinff  good  write 
to  Hugh  McKiness,  Fire  Station,  Mason 
City.  Iowa. 


FOUR  Extra  Fine  Reserve  Airedale  pups. 
registered.    M  Campbell.  Htmtboldt,  Kan. 

LOTTIE  E.  DANIELS,  Box  706.  Gary, 
Ind.,  win  tell  you  free  how  she  doubled 
her  egg  supply.    Write  at  onfla  


BELGIAN    HARES.   GUINEA   PIGS,    ET& 


THE  Metropolitan  Pet  Stock  Yards.  Ros- 
Ilndale,  Mass..  America's  Largest  Wiimers. 
offer  pedigreed,    registered   and   utility  Bel- 

?:lan  Hares.  Flemish  Giants  and  New  Zea- 
and  Reds.  We  buy  all  you  raise  at  30o 
to  75o  a  pound.  Female  Cavies  $2  each, 
boars  $1.50.  White  mice  $1.10  a  trio. 
Deicke's  Cavy  Book  and  Olbson's  Rabbit 
book,  beet  published  on  their  subjects.  $1  a 
copy-     Peng  for  circular  and  sales  list 


BIG  Money— Raise  Rabbits  For  Us.  Bel- 
gian. New  Zealand,  Flemish  GlanU.  We 
sell  stock  and  pay  $7  pair.  Express  all 
rabbits  raised  from  our  Pure  Bred  Stock 
at  our  expense.  Contract  and  literature  10c 
None  free.  United  Fur  and  Produce  Co., 
Inc.  Dcpt   23.   3017  Wilson  Ave..  Chicago. 


RAISE  OiiJ[nea  PIrs  tor  na.___We^b«3La^l 


ftn.  raise.    Pay 

tract,  particulars,  booklet  how  to  raiae  tme. 
Caviee  DistrlbuUng  Co..  3102-A  Grand  Ave. 
Kansas  City.  Mo. 


PO 

SOI 

gij     

Giants.  Send  for  circular  PS.  Coaunercial 
Giant  does  now  bred,  $15  tmdk.  Belgian 
Hares  8  to  5  months  old.  fUlly  pedlst«vd. 
$12.50  a  trla  UtlUty  stock  $6  a  pair. 
We  will  buy  all  your  young  and  psy  30c 
to  75o  a  pound.  Female  Guinea  pigs  $2 
each:  Unrelated  boars  $1.50.  Gibson'a 
Babbit  Book  and  Deleke's  Cavy  Book,  beet 
published.  $1  a  copy.  Will  gladly  refund 
your  money  if  not  satisfied. 

OUR  Babbit  and  Guinea  Pig  Magazine 
shows  you  how  to  raise  aU  kinds  of  rab- 
bits and  Guinea  Pigs  and  where  to  buy  and 
sell  them  flrom  $2.00  to  $15.00  each.  Send 
25o  today  for  four  issues,  or  10c  slnglo 
copy.  American  Breeder's  Company.  133 
Nassau   Street   Department   26.   New  York. 

RAISE     Rabbits.      Big     demand.       Very 

{irofitable.  Plans  10c  Adams  BroSL.  Port- 
ed. Mich, 

FLEMISH  GlanU.  pedigreed,  regtstered'. 
heavy  typei  Flower  Farm.  Beilefantain^ 
Ohio. 

BAISE  Flemish  Giant  Rabbits  and  Bel- 
gian Hares  for  us;  $7.00  pair  and  express 
charges  for  all  raised  ftom  our  stock.  Con- 
tract and  full  instructions  for  bousfais. 
feeding,  breeding,  shipping.  lOe.  Hunters' 
Babbitry,   Jamaica.   N.    Y. 

PET  Stock  World.  America's  01de«t 
Small  Animal  Magazine.  Copy  lOe:  None 
Freei  6  month  50c:  yearly  $L0O.  805 
World   Building.    Baltimore.    Md. 


PERSONAL 


ACCIDENTALLY  discovered  pleasant 
Florida  root,  easily.  ineaoKnslvely.  over- 
comes sny  tobacco  habit  Gladly  send  par- 
ticuUrs.  Frsnklin  Stokes.  Mohawk.  Florida. 

THE  Diamond  and  Gold  Mint  is  Uberal 
and  prompt  Send  us  tay  mail  or  express 
any  discarded  jewelry,  new  or  broken,  dia- 
monds, watches,  old  gold,  sliver,  platlnam 
macneto  polnta.  false  tseth  or  brldica  wcsfc. 
We  send  cssh  at  once  and  hold  your  goods 
until  we  hear  otir  offer  is  accepted.  If  not 
satisfactory  your  goods  are  returned  at  oar 
expense.  Highest  bank  references.  Address 
The  Diamond  Mint  Dept  G.  5102  Euclid 
Ave.,    Cleveland.    O. 

DENTIST'S  discovery  removes  all  tcotli 
sUlna  Guaranteed.  Trial  25r.  Free 
Booklet  Dr.  Lewis  Tewksbury.  Stooington. 
Maine. 

8T-STU-T-T-TBRING  and  Stammering 
cured  at  home.  Instructive  booklet  free 
Walter  McDonnell.  46  Potomac  Bank  Build- 
ing.  Washintgon.  D.   C. 

MoJAAIES  DEAN  come  home;  your  vrife 
Cora  loves  and  wsnts  you. 

WHY    sell    Perfumes.    Toilet   Goods    and 
Flavoring  Extracts  for  others?     Mak*  : 
own:  write  Laboratory.  Box  M-1S16.   ~ 
phis.  Tenn. 

HIGHEST  Cash  Prices  for  craftasen's 
bench  flUno  and  scraps  of  gold,  silver  and 
platlntrai.  painters'  gold-letf  cotton,  mag- 
neto points,  mercury,  false  teeth  (with  or 
without  gold  fillings),  discarded  ieweliy. 
watches  or  diamonds— valuables  or  ewry 
sort  Nothing  too  larger  too  small,  too  old 
or  broken— we  send  actual  value  in  spot 
cash  by  rettxm  mail  and  bold  your  goods 
awaiting  your  acceptance  of  remittanceL 
Dun  and  Bradstreet  references.  Ohio  Smelt- 
ing St  Refining  Cow.  205  Lennox  Bldg.. 
Clevclsnd.  Ohio. 

MAKE  sny  clock  self-winding.  Simpli- 
fied instructions  for  25&  Psge.  U7  Ssn- 
fbrd.  Orange.  N.  J. 

IS  Tuberculosis  a  food  disease?  The  an- 
wrer:  "Tuberculosis  vs.  Food.-  25c.  Jamea 
English.  Food  Specialist  10S9  itd  St. 
Denver.  Colo. 

SKIN 1 1!    Would    you    give    50o    to   clear 


four  skin  of  pimples  and  bladcbeads.    Send 

50c   in    stamps   for   my   succeesful   formula. 

-     (hs    west     S7th    S't. 


_ .  _  _._  stamps  for 
Address — 'Success." 
Savannah.  Qa. 


FREE— Stop  using  tobacco.  We  will  give 
free  information  bow  to  conquer  babit  easily 
and  .permanently.  Results  jGuaranteed. 
Anti-Tobacco  " 
Nebr. 


League,    Box    870.     Omaha^ 


Additional  Classified  Ads  Page  44 

Digitized  by  LjOOQIC 


POPULAR  MECHANICS  ADVERTISING  SECTION 


43 


^iSS^^L^to^.  Great  demand  for  draftsmei^  now.     Still  greater  demand  in  prospect.    Take 

tb^^^i&l^flbid  up  this  paying  profession.    The  Chicago  "Tedi  '*  method  is  the  quickest,  easiest 

|^||of  ^S^til^  way  to  become  a  draftsman  in  spare  time  while  you  hold  your  present  position. 

wTt^jlSi^'i  That  proved  before  you  pay  a  penny.     (See  free  lesson  offer  below.)    No  question 

toTdi^bTl  MiSi  about  the  opportunity.   Business  is  expanding,  pushing,  doing.   Factories  humming. 

ti?'^  S^^  ^^  ^^°  needs  in  equipment,  in  buildmg,  in  construction  ana  Ehirope's  needs  in  re- 

Sfita  thVsAte  construction  mean  busy  times  in  American  industry.  Send  coupon.  Learn  how  to  earn 

*25  to  $100  a  Week  or  More 

Draftsmen  are  wanted  wherever  the  wheels  are  turning,  wherever  work  is  being 
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executive  positions.  Let  every  man  with  his  future  to  make  at  least  investigate  the 
possibilities.  Learn  about  the  Chicago  "Tech"  method.  At  least  get  the  test  lesson. 
See  how  it  interests  you— how  clearly  it  presents  every  point.  No  abstrusetheories. 
_^  ,  ^^  ^^  Everythinflr  practical— and  made  simple.    A  common  school  education  all  you  need. 

Drawing  Outfit  c»--*- Train  At  Homc 


hm  epDcmitratM  on 
•MMrtnla  — net  on 

OMEW^MrfM.     W« 


I  alMn  b«  cted  to 
■iMWvr  any  wttara 
fktMB  iBMi  wbo  writo 
to  BM  paraoBAlly. 


(No 

Extra 

Charge) 

Every 
student  of 
the  Chicago 
"Tech" 
H  ome 
Study 
Courses 
B  this  draw- 
ents  in  case, 
anffles^scale, 
icils,  etc..  or 
.  ,^^^  «.^w^M« ...  ,^.^  ..^  .^ready  has  an 
outfit.  These  instruments  are  of  the 
same  make  and  sizes  as  used  by  hi^h 
salaried  experts  in  draftinflr  rooms  of 
factories,  shops,  railroads,  etc.  You 
use  them  while  learning  —  then  take 
them  riffht'into  your  practical  work. 


k 


Auto  and  Gas 
Elngine]  Course 

▲11  aboat  automobile  meoluuiiBm — 
its  oonatmotion,  operation  and  RE- 
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Learn  All  This  in  Spare  Time 


IB. 

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8: 

Know  How  To  Fix  Tronbles 

Most  complete  instmotion  In  onto 
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W«Ua  Bend  the  oonpon  and  get  oat- 
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College  or 

Wherever  you  are,  you  can  have  this  Chicago  "Tech"  training. 


Complete  instruction  by  maiL  Exercises,  lessons,  personal  direction  of  our  experts 
riffht  in  your  own  home  if  you  cannot  come  to  the  college  for  a  resident  course. 
Every  lesson,  exercise  and  lecture  the  work  of  a  specialist  — an  expert.     Not 


only  instructive,  but  fascinating  to  the  man  with  an  ambition  to   master    this 
prodFession.    Send  the  coupon  and  get  the  facts. 

Easy  Payments 

The  fees  for  Chicago  "Tech"  courses  are  very 
moderate— and  jroa  can  pay  on  ea«y  terms.  And  also 
—yon  can  obtain  In  a  few  months  what  it  would  take 
several  yean  to  acquire  by  ordinary  methods.  Ton 
can  get  an  early  start.  Ton  are  soon  ready  to  take 
a  paying  position  and  to  quickly  get  back  the  cost 
of  jour  oourssk 

1701717     ""^ST 

rixJlilL   LESSON 

Other  institutions  ask  you  to  pav  first  — 
and  then  to  find  out  later  how  well  qualified  yon 
are  for  this  profession.  We  send  the  free  lesson 
first  and  place  yon  under  no  obligation  at  alL 
Discover  your  qualifications  before  yon  pay  any- 
thing. See  for  yourself  just  what  Ohicaf;o"Tecli" 
offers  you.  The  coupon  will  bring  all  the  facts 
abonttheoourse,  the  small  fee.  and  the  easy  terma 

Mark  with  X  the  branch 
Tou  are  interested  in -or  If 

in  doubt  about  which  course  t 

write  a  letter  stating  facts  about  yourself  and 
asking  our  adrioe  which  will  be  freely  given.     Mail  either  the  coupon  or  the  letter  today. 


NOW 


CHICAGO  TECHNICAL  COLLEGE,  630  Okaft  'Tedi"  BUg..  CHICAGO 


Without  obligation  upon  me,  send  your  Catalog  on  subject  indicated  below. 
FREE  Lesson  H  Inqwiry  Is  on  Draftlns  or  Ptaa  Roiirflnc. 

Mark  X  opposite  work  In  which  yon  are  especially  interested. 
Architectural  Drafting       [1  Sheet  Metal  Drafting 
I  Machine  Drafting  [1  Builders'  Course 

Electrical  Drafting  [  1  Plan-Beading— Buildings 

Structural  Drafting  M  Plan-Beadlng-ShopMen 


n  EstlmaUng 

[J  Surveying 

M  Map  Drafting 

[  J  Amtm  sad  Gss'.EssIsm 


Name. 

Address 

Olty State 

Oollege  or  Home  Study  ?    State  which 

Please  Mention  Popular  Mechanics 

Digitized  by  LjOOQIC 


44 


POPULAR  MECHANICS  ADTERTISIlfG  SECTIOIT 


Continued  from  Page  42 


ANTIQUES  AND  RELICS 


WAIT1£Y'S  AnUque  Shop.  Large  col- 
lecUon  "Alaska"  Indian  relics.  Writ©  for 
U&t.      Worthtogtop,    Ohio. 


(JBNUINB  Indian  Baskets  —  Wholesale 
Cauloffua  Ollnam,  Highland  Springs. 
California. 


INDIAN    Belles.    44    page    cataiog    free. 
Grutzmarher.    Muktfonago,    Wis. 


MISCELLANEOUS 


OUARANTESn>  Solid  14  Karat  Gold 
Safety  Self  FllUng  Fountain  P«wi— The 
"Liberty" — on  ten  days'  trial  for  $1.  De- 
llrery  guaranteed.  $1.10  back  for  it— If 
you  want  it  Send  your  address  and  the 
|1.  (at  oar  risk).  Address.  Laughlln  Mfg. 
Co..    200   MaJesUc  Bldg.,   Detrplt.   Mich.    _ 

GOOD  Prices  paid  for  butterflies.  Insects. 
Bee  Sinclair's  Display  adTcrtisement  on 
page  16. 


LEATHER  palm  Madclntosh  gloves.  35c 
pair.     Joseph    Demenkow.    Holbrook.    Mass. 

LET  me  send  you  a  harmless  and  agree- 
able recipe  to  stop  the  odor  and  relieve 
your  sore  feet  for  one  dollar.  Guaranteed 
or  money  refunded.  Louis  Burchard,  119 
EffHt  Vermljo  St.   Colo.    Springs.  Colo. 

NAMES — One  dozen  cards,  by  Penman, 
for  quarter.  B.  357  Snedlker  Avenue, 
Brooklyn,    New   York. 

ICELFISS  Refrigerators  easily,  cheaply 
built  Instructions,  blueprints;  4  dlfTerent 
typos  $1.00.  Barhman,  Box  57.  Fullertoo, 
Pa, 

o7c  TO  7%  Proflt  Japanese  Incense.  10c 
sample.  Yama.  Box  281,  SU.  C.  Los  An- 
gelce.   CaL 

HE.ND  13.96  and  photograph  of  your- 
self, mother.  ¥rtfe,  children,  friend,  etc 
We  will  return  an  elegant  14x20  Inch,  hand 
finished,  convex,  artistic  enlargement.  Sat- 
isfaction guaranteed  or  money  refunded. 
Studio.   461  West  18th,   New  York. 


LOCKSMITOS.  How  to  unlock  cylinder 
and  all  locks.  100  tricks  of  the  trade 
f!xa^'*"?°^  ^*  ^  dissatisfied.  Boutson, 
3406  Andover  St.  Oakland,  Cal 


BATO    and    Mice    exterminated    forever, 
«»ly    25c.     Hlnton.    Turner    Street,    UUca. 


STORE  Bundle-Carrier,  Welshbach 
Lamp:  Cheap.  Herman  Daumler,  Colum- 
bus. Ohio. 


COLORED  Luminous  Paint  for  watches, 
etc  Shines  yeUow.  BotUe,  25c.  COm- 
merdal  Laboratory.   Barron,   Wis. 


FOOL    the    Burglars. 

imitaUon    locks.      EaalU     -.., -.      .,^. 

35c   for   sample.      Louis   Ullman,    47   Mur 
ray  Street,  New  York  qty. 


,« —       Get    one    of    my 
Easily    Installed.      Send 


"COLT  Automatic  Pistols."  caUber  25; 
safest  and  most  efficient  pistols  made.  7 
2^2^A  *^*°-^*°"«:  o'dw  n<>w.  Postpaid 
he?     P  Wagner    Company,    Mononga- 


MAKE  Die  castlngsL  Sketch,  sample, 
booklet  and  proposition,  12c  Byrd  & 
Blair.  Box   227-D.   Erie,   Pa> 

^  OXT-ACETYLENB  Weldhig  and  Cutting. 
Electric  and  Thermit  Welding.  Brand  new 
book  of  practical  Instruction  in  this  process. 
The  workman  will  find  all  oeoeesaxy  in- 
formation for  handling  any  kind  of  welding. 
215  pages,  fuly  Ulus.  Clfth.  $1.00;  Leather, 
$1.50  postpaid.  Popular  Mechanics  Book 
Dept.   6  N.  Michigan  Ave..  Chicago. 


TAKD  Your  Bath  at  Our  Bxpense.  TV> 
introduce  our  famous  Royal  Bath  Balm  in 
every  locality.  wUl  send  trial  package  ab- 
solutely free  to  anyone  who  has  never  used 
it.  You  don't  know  the  real  luxury  of  a 
bath  tlU  you've  tried  this  wonderful  prep- 
araUon.  Makes  you  feel  good  all  over. 
Cleanses  the  pores.  Softens  the  skin. 
Soothing,  healing.  anUsepUc,  purifying. 
Write  for  Free  Sample:  also  Free  Book- 
let Royal  Bath  Balm  Co..  Box  A.  £., 
Little  FalU.  N.  Y. 


REGULATIONS  tor  the  Army  of  the 
U.  a. — ^With  our  army  at  a  permaaeDt 
strength  of  500.000.  our  increased  military 
activities  abroad  and  our  constant  need  of 
a  state  of  preparedness,  many  will  wish  to 
know  and  study  our  army  regulations.  Tliis 
Is  the  standard  book.  403  Psges.  Ooth. 
Price  $1.00  postpaid.  Popular  Medianics 
Book  Dept,  6  N.  Michlgsii  Ave..  Chicago. 
Illinois. 

I  WANT  to  send  you  proof  of  the  won- 
derful pulling  power  of  Popular  Mechanics 
classified  pages.  What's  your  proposition  f 
Write  me  today.  F.  W.  Johnson,  Manager 
Classified  Advertising.  Popular  Merfaanlc9 
Msgaalne,  6  N.  Michigan  Ava.  Chicago. 

BB  Smart  Fashionable  ESoropean  Hotel 
Labels  for  your  bagsa4re.  specimens  post 
free,  ten  2o  stamps  each.  Agents  wanted, 
big  profits.  Continental  Agency.  Cltj 
Buildings.    Nottingham.    England 

BCENSURATION  for  Sheet  Metal  Work- 
ers. This  128-pa<e  book  gives  practical 
problems  for  the  tinsmith,  cornice  and 
skyUght  maker,  slate  and  metal  roofer. 
115  ilhas.  doth.  Price  $1  postpaid.  Popu- 
lar  Mechanics  Book  Dept.  6  N.  Michigan 
Ave..   Chicago. 

GRANDFATHER'S  Clock  Works  $5.00. 
Build  your  own  cases  from  our  f^ee  instruc- 
tions. Everybody  wants  a  hall  dork.  You 
can  make  good  proflt  building  artistic  docks 
for  your  friends.  We  replace  worn-out 
works  in  old  clocks  with  works  having  chimes 
at  money-saving  prices.  Write  for  folder 
describing  the  mon  beautiful  hall  dock  ever 
sold  at  $25.00.  Clock  Co..  1673  BulTner  St. 
Philadelphia.   Pa. 


CUTS  anybo<37  can  msko.  Simple,  cheap 
process^  $1.  SpedmeDs.  particulars.  2e 
stamp.     M.   Day.   WlndfsJl.   Ind. 

SIMPLE  Soldering,  both  hard  and  sofU^ 
83-page  book,  telling  how  to  Join  metala. 
Do  your  own  repairing.  52  iUostratloQs. 
25o  postraid.  Populsr  Mechanics  Book 
Dept.  6  N.  Mlchlgsn  Ave..  ChicaaQ. 


Ge 


115-inch 
Wht€lbas9 

32x3Mt  Tires 

36  H.  P. 


EUdrieUghts 
and  Starter 


Write  Nuw  for  full  specifications  of  New  1919  Model 

HIKN  SUPERfOUR 

F^^  ^^  ^Sm*  y°°  5??  *f®^  **"•  o'  ***«•«  superb  cars  for  yourself  and  make  money  selllna 
them  to  others,  A  big  opportunity  is  open  to  ambitious  men  who  are  willing  to  train  them- 
selves  and  then  get  out  and  hustle.    We  pay  big  oommissions  for  selling  Biroh  oSl 


Birth  AgmiiB  Pr—pmr 

On«  of  our  Texas  Agents 
sold  two  carloads  of  Birch 
Oars  within  60  days  afEer 
he  received  his  first  demon- 
stratinccar.  Whether  jon 
own  a  ear  or  not  get  fall 
details  of  our  great  offer. 


BIRCH  MOTOR  CARS 


SKND  TMK  COUPON  NOW  FON  PULL  INPONIMATION. 

PrevioDS  Experience  Nol  Necessary  2S 

\"«M2«  OHvInc,  Repalrinc  and  Satlfcis.  Wa  hava  trahMNl  hindrada  at  mkhmn  imr 


fiaase  send  free  book  and  full  parti ou> 
Jars  as  to  Birch  Super-Four  and  Agency. 


Uur.ie.. 


AiJUlrcas.. 


in  thia  way,  and  wa  baMava  1 
AnntaaraanJoyhiB.    But  the  BIO  RJBASON  is  the  can  themselves.   80  per  cent  of  all 

\ Kirch  Oars  are  in  use  by  farmers  and  in, small  towns,  and  get  the  hardest  kind  of  aer- 
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Send  Coupon  for  BIG  FREE  BOOK  and  Full  Inf ormatioB 

u  JIV!  *iS.?!?f**"'^*?  **  ^  •?»«*"SL**'.2^  '*«'•    m  J"  pat  all  the  ftets  before  yoo  at  mk». 
It  cost*  nothing  to  investicato,  bo  tear  off  the  eoopon  c^t  now.    S^  It  aad  ■■■  MS* ■■  toSay 

^  BIRCH  MOTOR  CARS  TnSSi&.'iSSSSt- 

^  Member  of  Chicaso  AwoclatioD  c 


V 


Digitized  by 


Google 


POPULAS  MECHANICS  ADVERTISING  SECTION  45 

Don't  be  a  Slave 
to  a  Machine 

The  machine  shop  spells  opportunity  and  big  pay.    It  is  the  starting  place  of 
great  inventors  and  designers.    Machinery,  appliances  and  all  sorts  of  things  needed 

-'--—--  '  '  ••  'line  shop. 

I  position 
a  slave  to 

icE 

machinery, 
r  to  be  your 
ethods  acil 

II  make  you 
apprentice, 
I  a  desire  to 
ngs  you  the 


or  a  7  days' 
small  ship- 
be  shii}ped 
at  he  thinks 
their  price, 
ply  send  us 
d  introduc- 


out  Cost 

p  Practice" 
name  for  a 
mhip  in  the 
ir  the  period 
3  the  advice 
affineera  on 
within   th« 


1  in  flexible 
mped.  2300 
hotographii. 
im;  all  thia 
PRACTICE, 
d  which  haa 
hanica  into 
opC  Buperin* 


now  tear 
In  and  mail 
I  obligation, 
ooka  in  your 
ir7-boo8tinc 


:an 

SOCIETY 
L9A 

J.S.A. 
r  charge  col- 
Practice  for 
If  I  decide 
I  aeven  day* 
until  $19.80 
eceipt  show- 
LOO  conanlt- 
Id  for.  If  I 
•ka  after  the 
ipenae. 


Digitized  by 


Google 


45 


POPULAR  MECHANICS  ADVERTISING  SECTION 


LEARN  TO  WRITE 
ADVERTISEMENTS,; 


OnrC 

^y iiSfl  V     ^    _ .^    _  ,^^_ ^,„ 

fa  t9w  Bootfas'  tinw.    wnoi  TO-IUt  mb  WBEE  Paoi*. 

PAGE-DAVIS   CO.,  CHICAGO  I 


ELECTRICAL  ENGINEERING 


B.  S.  Degree  in  3  Years 

BectroteciiBidiB  Diploaa  is  IS  Moatlit 

School  of  Eoffioeeriog  of  Milwaukee  special- 
izes in  Electrical  EnirineeriDsr.  College  Degree 
B.  S.  in  36  months.  Special,  ooadenaad  Inteaaiv* 
traiaiar  in  eleotroteohnioal  work  for  early  fradnai* 
Uon  to  mi  demand  for  eleotrieal  experta  for  eonn 
ing  period  of  nooaatraotion.  Full  provision  for  making  ap 
all  deficient  high  school  and  preparatory  school  credits. 
Also  1-year  practical  electrical  courses  and  6-montb8  Elec* 
trical  Trade  and  Drafting  courses.  "Earn  While  You  Learn*' 

If  you  Hke.  I  week  school  and  1  week  work  in  practical  electrical  deput- 
ment.  Intensivetraininff  for  EJectrotechniclansand  Electrical  Engineeriay 
students  for  first  6  months ;  thereafter  half  day  school  and  half  day  paid 


1 


nployment,  or  half  dayathletics  under  comi>etn)t  athletic  director.  Board 
and  lodgin^r  At  cost  at  Student^  Fraternity  House.  V«w  tens  >p— ■ 
Jaly  1.  Write  for  catalog  and  full  particulars.  Mention  age  and  education. 


SCHOOL  OF  ENGINEERING 

99—878  Broadway 


OF  MILWAUKEE 
MUwaokee,  Wis. 


STATEMENT  OF  THE  OWNERSHIP,  BfAKAOBHENT.  OIBOU- 
LATION.  EXa.  REQUIRED  BT  THE  ACT  OF  OONOftESS  OF 
AUGUST  24.  1912.  of  Popular  Meohantot  lCa«asine;  pablialied 
monthly  at  diioa«o.  HI.,  for  April  lat.  19ia  ^^ 


FINI  AV  Enfflneerins  Colles« 

ril^k#%W    KANSAS  Cmr.MISSOURI 
I  ONLY  SCHOOLOPTHC  KIND  IN  THE  WEST 

^  Specialties;  Electricity,  Steam,  Gas, 
Armature  Winding,  A.  C,  D.  C,  Auto. 
Intensive  training  couraea,  six  weeks,  three  and  five  monthly 
night  and  day.    Enroll  any  time.    WriU  for  CaUdoff  W. 

TRAFFIC  MEN  WANTED 

Bir«hl|>p«ra  want  tra|n»dt»BllW»ninm»ara  who  taoyhofw  to  ecgfy  with  bwct. 
nmit  rcsulations  andMwara.lowwtTml  fMilit  diarsM.   Salvy  tmam^mUvm 


BIc  ahlppOTa  want  trafnod  ti 

nmit  rcsulations  and  ■Mora.iawwc  m« 

E.OOO  to  tlO.OOO  Mr  y«ar. ,  Ask  » Jor  d 
uacw  by  easy  hooM  training.    Writs  U 
AHEIICMI  CMSEICE  AaOCMTMM.  Mpl.  1M.  I 


oSrteoS??iSa: 


WANTED 

Meo— Boys,  18  to  35,  to  become 

Raflway  Mail  Qerks 

Commence  $110C   »  j^^«m 

Rapid  advancement  to  hiaher  OoTemment  Positiona  **No 
layoffs"  because  of  STKlKEa.  WARS.  DULL  TIMES. 
FINANCIAL  FLURRIES  or  the  WHIMS  OF  SOME  PETTY 
BOSS.    THE  POSITION  IS  YOURS  FOR  LIFE. 

Oountry  reaidenta  and  city  renidents  stand  the  same  chance 
for  immediate  appointment.  Oommon-itense  education  aufB* 
"^ infl 


cient.     Political  influence  NOT  REQUIRED. 


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ithn  for 


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POPULAR  MSCHANICS  ADVERTISING  SECTION 


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The  difference  between  the  men  on  the  high 
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My  32-Page  book  "How 
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418RyfeBU(.KANSAS  CITY,  MO., U.S. A. 


yi 


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POPITLAR  MECHANICS  ADVERTISING  SECTION 


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ete  Mamtw  Key  Mnd  with  it 
eaeh  d*y  tun  unlocking  the 
sioreAoaee  of  wimdom  mnd  euc- 
cess  of  which  I  wmm  heretofore  utterly  ignorent" 
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POPULAR  MECHANICS  ADVEKTISING  SECTION  53 


Please  Mention  Popular  UtcHanic  ^.^^^^^  ^^  GOOglC 


54 


POPULAR  MBCHAinCS  ADVBftTISIHG  SECTIOH 


ly^isioiT 

The  AutorCerrter  is  the 
iQ^cal  Place 


NMdML 


The 

Aoto,  Truck 

and  Tractor  busi- 

offers  the    greatest 

opportunities  for  ambitioos  mea 

Tbsre  are  more  tkata  six  mfflkm  mntagaobSba 

in  nee  as  well  as  tfaoaaands  of  tmekB  and  tfaoo- 

Ida  of  tractora.    Theee  machinea  are  needinir  ooa- 

■tant  attention.    Tkained,  competent  men  are  in  ti^w^mw*^}  a 

ryBectkmofthefflobe.  There  are  opportnnitieB  in  every  town  at 

Ag  aalariea  for  men  who  know.    GaraceB  are  needed  and  ca 

mnnaU  capital  Too  can  learn  this  baeineM  inaf^  weeka  aad  mi 

r  be  MieoeMfal  la  boeineM  for  Toorself.    B«t  leant  im  Dtftrcit,  tm 

B  Michisaa  State  Ante  Sofaool.    Detroit  ie  the  aatoaaobile  oanttr 

e  Heart  of  the  iBdaafciT.    Yoa  get  ail  the  benellt  of  ttiei     laae 

aAhar  oi  ,  aoh  edTaataoee.  •  Faetories  need  trafaied,  oompetent  moM  evotT- 

where.  at  the  faetaeiea,  ia  eerriee  etetloiia.  saimMw  aad  m  traralias  eerrlce  vuem.  aad  thar 

'helpovr^adnalesobtaiabeetlooatioBeforiwraaeaaBdaMua  whea oaagainat ee  wa»t  to eell c«a 

EARN  f  00  to  '400  PER  MONTH 


We  can  teach  yon  in  a 
Ton  learn  to  repair  any 

Iwauiy  to  thirty-five  cara  for  yoiii 
Sacasa  azparienea.    In  oar  block  ti 

'  Rmad  whmt  thm  maniffactiirart 
say  about  tfea  M.  S.  A.  S. 


few  short  weeks  to  handle  any  anto  or  tractor  propooitiQn. 
car  that  comes  along.  Our  garage  rq[Mir  shop  baa  from 
to  woric  on.    Different  cara  so  and  coma  erery  dasr — jfoo  set 

sat  dei»artment  alone,  we  hare  twaatr-five  different  typea  of  nm» 

"      "'    work   on.     We   have   abeorately   the   best   eqnfinnent    obtalnahia 


'iam  It  in  aTarr  partienar.       Yonn  vary  truly. 

PACKARD  laOTOR  CAR  COMPAnT. 


Muce  Mimrat  €u%r  Co>ii>.%nv 


„  Raplrins  to  •  ncmnt  latter  addr— ad  to  Mr  ftrtmiMia 
Ward  nukiiur  inqafry  aa  to  tba  raputattoo  of  tlia  Miehlsafi 
State  Auto  School,  will  aay  that  aa  far  aa  wa  know  M 
Datroit  Autooobua  inanafactnran  endotaa  tba  work 
they  ara  dolns. 

It  ia  oanacad  rury  aflklantly  and  thay  bara  baan 

turninc  oat  bobm  pratty  sood  man  for  tba  aatoaaoMla 

Indaatzy,  aad  cannot  aaa  any  raaaon  wby  yon  abonld 

bwiitato  about  taking  a  eoarao  with  thia  Institution. 

Yours  varr  truly. 

KING  MOTOR  CAR  c6MPANY. 


IWPutATimaT.llaMviHrfiuiCoiiPAWT  epAMBBica 


Drinra   _ 

■     itoba 

,    .-Y— 1«  with  tba  . 

»roosb  our  ninaty  branebaa 


BMoandn 
Waf 


Auto  School 

Stetaa  In  olacinfjronr  tractor  iraduataa. 
^.^damand  for.eorapetent  tralnad  tr 


INTBR^ATIO&AL^Il'S^V^STBR  COMPAIVY 
OP  AMERICA. 


¥11  a  Qarasa— Do  Ropalrins  ^^f^^^S'iS^^SZ 

e^repaijdac  care  aad  ana  makiiia  from  S2,I0S  to  $10,000  aad  iMoveafaK. 
ir  want  into  a  boainen  on  a  flaiaB  capital  and  saoceeded  hanaaaa  they  fcaaa 


7on  to 
l>WII 

Ther  ivant  iBto~a'bDaine«7>n7klBaa~oapiterand  miocecMied  I 

the  boainaM  thorooghly.  Theai  ara  thocuanda  of  oppoitaaltlea  OMa  toiav 
right  in  joor  own  town.  Ton*  too,  can  ancoeed  if  yoa  let  aa  train  jwo.  Toeeaa 
do  mora  Joba  if  joa  know  juat  how  to  locate  the  trouble  qnioklx. 

SKLL  AUTOMOBILES— TRUCKS— 

Dual  ia  new  aad  naediaaBhiBea.    BratTone  haa  bean _    .  

three  or  fonr  yeaxa  Farmera  ha?e  obtained  big  prloea  ITiai  j liBii  laipla  ae 
aatOtneedaatniekortraoteraBdhaatheBuaie7tojDayfori%  ■jaw^lh— iJhaea 
the  buainaaa  thoroachly  before  yoa  enter  the  aeUlnc  end  ocll.  .  ^tm  'wai 
BMohine  Held  ia  naAndted  aad  70a  loae  moaegr  if  yoa  da<netiMaaii%Mr  ta 
jadge  need  msohinea    Then  too  yoa  can  give  aarrioe  properly  *"  " 

Qot  Job  In  Factory,  Oaras«  or  Sorvles' 

Faotoriea  are  oonstaatly  aafcing  for  man  at  big  waaea.  Xhay  jt^m^  fkafoad 
men,  and  are  eager  to  have  oer  gnidaatee.  Oaragea  write  oa  lor  oar  imanLF^ 
toriea  need  men  all  oyer  the  world  in  aerrioe  atatlona  and  aa  trairailais 
Bien.  Theaa  men  NNwt  be  able  to  locate  troabW  at  aeca  aaAoea  aaea 
oonataat  demand.    Then  too  oar  gradnatea  who  hare  gone  info 


-  emaelvea  aak  oa  for  gradaetaa.  for  they  fcaaw  we  train  them  rloat.  We  ^huI 
Ijk  oetting  gradnatea  juat  what  they  want 

mcToRica  CNDoaac  our  aGHOOL  ^SSe^a^s^ 

Detroit  aad  other  oitlea  eadoiae  oar  achooL  oar  egalpmant  and  owp  »rthn«b 
of  teaching.  They  endorae  the  good  work  we  are  doing,  in  faot  ther  naaiK«d 
oa  in  outlining  oar  ooarae  and  they  haveiaoladed  lectarea  on  pnctioa]  tkaovr 
ia  the  oonraea.  knowing  that  yoa  cannot  learn  the  boaineaa  properly  wIUkwi 
them.  Ton  moat  train  the  head  to  goide  the  head.  Bead  aoBM  of  their  aa- 
doraementa  on  thia  pageu  Theaa  were  written  in  reoly  to  lettera  frocn  diCar- 
Mit  parte  of  the  oountnr  asking  ahoat  oa.  We  enjoy  their  keener  co-opfaratioa 
and  yoQ,  aa  a  atadent  Chera  in  Detroit,  the  aato  center),  get  tha  hamellt  of  it 
Thia  aohool  ia  highly  endoraed,  aad  haa  a  world-wide  repotatioa  for  axoellanea 

FREE— NEW  176-PAOE  CATALOO 

193  lllaatrationa  ahowinc  our  uneaoelled  eqaipaw^nt.  HandradaoC  latten 
from  m&ry  of  our  7.000  aatiuled  gradnatea  from  around  the  world.  Doaii^  cf 
lettera  from  faetoriea  endoning  onr  arhool  aad  methoda.  Fill  in^ikaaaaaaa: 
get  the  "Auto  School  Me  y-"  and  New  176.Paae  Ulnatxated  Catalog,  ta  miSfSm. 


MIchlsan  State  Auto  School 

WheOldRdiabU  School     Antomoliaaa  —  Traeka  — Tractora  — Aaeofduea 
30S  Auto Bldg.,  687-89^1  Woodward  Arm.,  DETROIT.  MICH^  U.S.  A. 


w 


HUDSON  MOTOR  CAR  COMPANY 

ormoiT.  MieiuuiaA. 

The  Miehiaan  State  Auto  School,  in  onr 
opinion,  ia  the  fineat  inatitation  of  ita  kind  la 
the  oountrr.  So  far  aa  we  are  aware,  ita 
ooniae  of  instruction  ia  thorough,  oompre- 
henaive  and  practicaL  In  fact,  we  endorae 
ita  method  of  tuition. 

We  have  recommended  a  great  aiaay  8Ib> 
denta  to  them  and  tlie  reaolta  were  very  aatia- 
factory. 

Youra  rery  tnily, 
HUDSON  MOTOB  GAB  OOXPANY. 


rwori" 


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55 


Open  a  Garage 

^^T^  of  your 

c.  F.  ^^^^^^KLkT^C^^^jJwn 

Swanson  of         ^ 

Sioux  City,  Iowa,  is 

making  $520.00  per  month 

repainng  and  selling  new  and 

used  cars.    You  can  do  the  same.  ^^^^^^^    _  ^^^ 

There  are  wonderful  opportunities  for     ^^^^^M  f^M  ^rf^^^^*^**J!Jj  *^^'^  ^^ 

small   garages.    Over   six   million    cars   to     ^^^^^^H  ^V  %^H^^  '^^ 

repair  and  resell,  with  another  million  and  a  half     ^^^^t^B  i  ^H^l^^  Th«> 

new  cars  coming  out  this  year.  ^^^^1  I  ^H   ^^^^    •^•nr  locality. 

Big  Demand  fer  Detroit  Trained  Hen 

We*have  more  calls  for  trained  men  at  big  salaries  than  we  can 
supply —  factories  ask  us  daily  for  men.    Telegrams  come  from  facto- 
ries and  garages  all  over  the  U.  S.  A.  asking  for  Detroit  trained  men. 
Think  what  it  means  to  learn  at  the  M.  S.  A.  S.  in  the  heart  of  the  in- 
dustry.   This  school  with  its  world-wide  reputation  backs  up  its  graduates  after 
the^f  leave.  Detroit  trained  men  get  preference  every  time.  People  prefer  "Detroit 
Trained  Men,"  just  as  they  prefer  Detroit  stoves  or  any  other  commodity  for  which 
Detroit  is  famous.    And  don^t  fcnrget  they  are  willing  to  pay  more  for  the  Detroit  Brand, 
whether  it  is  a  trained  man  or  a  stove  or  an  automobile.    The  coming  year  will  be  the 
busiest  the  auto  industry  has  ever  known.     Opportunities  are  unlimited.    Get  started  now. 


opening 

over   the   country. 


TNBSC  AMI  NBW  TRACTOIIS  JUST  ADOIO  TO  OUR  TRACTOil  DKPAIITMKfIT 

Complete  Tractor  Course  Included  In  Auto  Course 

We  have  always  maintained  a  tboroivfa  coarse  of  inttmctions  in  the  care,  reiwir  and  maintenance  of  tractinrs.  We  have 
steadily  improved  this  coarse.  It  is  now  unequalled.  We  have  the  keen  co-operation  of  three  of  the  largest  Tractprmdcers 
— Intemstionsl.MolineandEmerson.Brantinghkm.  They  have  placed  their  trsoton  in  the  aohoolforonr  stadents  to  study  and  use. 

Courses  Also  in   Brazing,  Welding,  and  Tire  Repairing 

In  addition  to  oar  general  automobile  course  we  give  separate  and  complete  courses  on  firasing  and  Welding  and  on  Tire 
Kepairinn.    With^orer  six  mlllion.cars  in  use  and  fouror  five  tires  per  car.  there  is  a  lot  of  money  in 


NOT  A  ONE  MAN 
SCHOOL 

TbU  achool  ia  foandsdon  the 
b«at.ino«t  prmetfcM  andiMw- 
Mt  pHneiplM  In  tb«  Auto- 
raobfta.  Truck.  A«ropla«i« 
And  Tractor  bualavM.  It  U 
th«  rasult  of  tbe  kccneat 
eo-opcration  with  namfae- 
turcra.  ■•rricc  statfoBs.  car- 
aff«a  and  owners.  It  la  not 
9tf  aiaa'a  Maa,  bat  tba 
Ideas  of  lh«  bi»Mt.  baat. 
and  moat  aucceaafal  man  ia 
each  fiald. 

A.  a.Zallar.  Wrttttumt 


repairing  tirm.    Brasers  and  welders  are  getting  $8.00 
totiaOOperday.  Faglvl«ndpragnarialsi|tlMld«firflMMaM,tM. 

L«am  In  Detroit— Start  Any  Tlmo 

Detroit  trained  men  get  preference  and  get  Jobs 
quickly.  No  other  city  can  give  what  Detroit  does  with 
its  more  than  184  large  Auto  and  accemories  factories. 
Thialc  what  It  means  to  learn  in  the  Mlchigm  Ktate 
Aato  School.  71<%  nf  automobiles  are  made  in  Detroit. 
You  are  right  in  the  Heart  of  the  Auto  Industry.  We 
have  a  Bprague  Electric  Dynamometer  for  Block-testing 
purposes  for  students'  use.  School  -open  all  the  year. 
Enter  classes  any  time,  any  day.  Three  clauses  dailx: 
morning,  afternoon,  evening.  Instructors  are  members 
of   The   Society  of   Automotive   Engineers   (8.  A.  E.). 

EARN  ¥lfHILE  YOU  LEARN 

If  nacaaaary  we  can  aecure  work  for  yoa  to  help  pay  axpenaaa 
while  yoo  are  takina  oar  couraea. 

USE  THE  COUPON  NOW 

Uae  the  eoi 
hondreda  have 
the  boaineaa  rishl 
aolotely  FREE  ou 
Kewa'^J 

Amerlea's  Meet  Progressive  AhIo  Scfaoel 

MICHIGAN  STATE  AUTO  SCHOOL 

TNK  OLD  RKUABLK  SCHOOL  —  A.  Q.  ZKLLKR,  Free. 

AUTOiMOBn.CS.  rmiCKg.  mACTORS.  ACROPLANBS 
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SEND  THIS  COUPJNiODAY 


MICNMAN  STATK  AUTO  SCHOOL 

SOI  Asli  %\ig.,  M7-II-81  Wmtwari  tm, 
DCTIKNT,  MICMMAN,  U.  S.  A. 
OeBtleoMo :  Pleaae  aend  me.  abaolotelr  FRBB.  Mew  ITS- 
paaeTllnatrated  Catak«.  "Aat»  School  Newa/'  and  la- 
formatlon  aa  checked  below. 
[  ]  AMteandTreetor  [  1  Tiro  RoimMnc 

tj  ■rerfjtS  eiMi  Wililsg 


, iearn 

If  yoa  can't  come  at  once,  we  will  aend  you  ab- 

IT  178-pa|re  eataloir  and  n  copy  of  "Aato  School 

ioat  off  the  preaa.    Ilall  the  coupon  NOW. 


I 
I 

I[  ]  Aoroptene  Motor  Mo 
(Marii  eaoh  eoaraa  yea  are  btaraatad 
Or.  batter  atfll.  y««  can  aspect  me 

I  Mm 
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66 


POPULAR  mCHAinCS  ADVBKTISIHG  SXCSIOS 


Home  Study 

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poaitions  are  in  all  parts  of  the  country.  Good  pay,  steady 
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political  pulL  Nearly  800.000  elaasified  poeitions.  Coafimoe 
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[SIGNAL 

:  ENGINHRINC 


Write  today  tat  this  big.  new  Vrw  Book  on 
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POPULAR  MECHANICS  ADVESTI5IKG  SECTION 


57 


Make  Your  Mind  a  File — Not  a  Pfle- 


Stop  Forgetting 


By  Prof.  Henry  Dickson 

ever  before, 
plaeewillfinda; 
memory  an  asset  of  the  utmost 
value.  Whatevermaybeyourpo- 
ntian,  send  now  for  mf onnatioii. 
DICKSON  MEMORY  TRAIN. 
ING  HAS  HELPED  . 
THOUSANDS 


HENRT 
Awttriea' 


DICKSON. 

/orMMSt  AictiboWly 


TS  your  mind  likeaaerap  pile— 
I  heaped  up  with  a  lot  of  unre- 
''*  lated,uitelassifled,unindezed 
facts?  When  you  vrant  to  remem- 
ber a  name^  place  or  date,  must 
you  nope  uncertainly  in  this 
mixeo^up  pile  seekinir  in  vain  to 
locate  the  deshred  information? 
And  finally,  in  embarrassment^ 
ffiva  it  up?  Summoned  on  any 
occasion  to  ffive  facts  and  fiffures 
—does  your  mind  becomea  blank? 
When  suddenly  called  upon  to 
spesk— do  you  seek  wildly  to 
eolloot   your 


^SU! 


thoughts— utter 
a  few  ctMumon- 
place  remarks— 
and  sit  down— 

WUhtml  Mmnory,  aU  th$  kjaw' 

thmymrkLbeeomeavwrihletB,      Stop 


Diekmm  Mtmern 


Perfect  Tour  Monoiy 
andTon  Gm  Commaiid 
What  Salary  YoD  Win 


MaH  ooopen  or  send  postal  for 
statements  from  students  who 
had  ezceedinsriy  poor  memoriee 
and  developed  them  to  perf  ectk>n 
—and  men  with  remarkably  good 
memories,     who 


Th»  Dielaon  JVaiiwd  mind  i» 

«•  wMordtrwituacrotf 

inde*9dJiU 


made  them  even 

better.    Give  me 

10  minutes  daily 

and  I  will  make 

your    mind    an   infallible   classified   index. 

from  whidi  you  can  instantly  select  f^ctiw 

figures,] 


MTOpptU 

IMPORTANT  NOW 


I  CAN  MAKE  YOUR  MIND  AS 

SYSTEMATIC  AND  FOR- 

GET -PROOF  AS  A 

CARD  INDEX  FILE 

■-iBMtsr  of  your  mind's  Infinite 
ramifieationi— instead  of  a  vietim 
of  its  disordend  detaila.  My 
course  of  Memory  ^raiuinir  per- 
fected by  20  years'  experience.  Is 
universidly  reeogniaed  as  the 
most  thorough,  mactical  and 
simplest  system  of  Its  kind  now 
before  the  publie.  My  system  so 
thoroughly  trsina  the  memory 
thatyott  will  beable  to  classify 
impressions,  ideas,  namee^  facts 
and  arguments  axid  have  them 
readyatamoment'snotiee.  Itde- 
velops  concentration—overcomes 
self  consciousness,  bashfulness — 
enables  yon  to  address  an  audi* 
ence  intelligsntly  without  notes. 


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er  talking  to  one  person  orathoosand. 

GET  MY  BOOK  ON 
"HOW  TO  REMEMBER? 


ttply 
ithei 


i  coupon  or  postal  for  this  re* 

markablebook.  I  will  also  asnd yon 
a  free  copy  of  my  ankme  oop^ 
righted  Memory  Test. 


portone  than  the  present  i 
to  tndn  the  memory  ond 
the  pewen  of  eoneentra- 
tion.  Bnsinsss  fkom  now  on 
will  be  mere  intensive  than 


DtAwiTSKl  o<  Mwecir.  "  h2S Blda^     Chlrasn»  IP. 

'  Send  ms  your  Free  Book  "How  to  Remwabw."  sIm  iwrtiealws 
I  bow  to  obtria  a  freo  oopsrpf  DIcksoa's  "How  to  SpMk  fiTPnbUe," 
I  alaoranarkoUelleBMryTMtfrao. 


est 


I"- 


I  aty.. 


Learn  Watchwork,  Jewelrywork 

WMA  EnflTaVinS.  ^.^^*«  trad*  oomsMadins  a  sood 
«sMw  MMB^s  w  w  ■■■^B  ,,j^^  nad  your  aerrioes  are  alwa.va 
in  demand.  AddteM  HOROLOQIOAL.  Dept.  P.  Bradley  lnstitut«. 
Peoria.  HI.,  for  our  latest  oataloR. 


HI  *!!?  Nation's  Capital 

B  matter  of  IBe  in  itamiM  or  coio  wtti  brin^  you  the  Pathfinder  IS  weeks  V  on  triaL  Ths 
er  is  an  tllostrated  weekly,  published  at  the  Nation's  center,  for  the  Nation ;  a  paper  that  prints 
ews  of  the-world  and  tells  the  truth  and  only  the  truth ;  now  in  its  SSth  year.lliia  paper  fills 
riChout  emptying  the  purse;it  costs  but  Si  ayear.  If  you  wantto  keep  posted  on  whatisffolns 
;  world  at  the  least  expense  of  time  or  money,  thiaisyour  means.  If  you  wanta  paperin  yout 
liich  is  atncere.  reliable,  entertaining,  wholesome,  the  Pathfinder  Is  yours.  If  you  would  ap* 
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j:%d^  Th#  PathfindT,BoxS08,  WMhingtow,  D.  C^ 


WEBSTER'S  REW  lllfV^^*'  y<>f  gu««*^°S^"-^  ** **^  pronunciai 

I^^PI^^  ATIAU  A I     ^  Cfiraoiunent ;  the  spelUng  of  ci  puzzling  word; 
InTERRATIUlML   iKelocedionof  Zeel>rugge*iKemezmix^        


DICTIONART 


uici  loC&nOnOT'  ArfesTsi^rca^i^w*  uu?  itit;cuuiM| 

o  f  bKghjby ,  ace ,  lcu\k«e  t  c«%  ttoB  Supreme 
Author^  cx)nt£dns  em  aocuroie.final  ansv^cn 


Please  sond  mo  speci-f  ^  amb 
V    m«opa^aand       ^^AMB ^.. 

^FREE  POCKET  MAPsIAOORESS.... 


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58 


POPULAR  MECHANICS  ADVERTISING  SECTION 


INTERNATIONAL  CORRESPONDENCE  SCHOOLS 

BOX  9557B,  8CRANTON,  PA. 

Biplaliu  wlthourobUgmtlng  me,  bow  I  can  quaUfjr  for  tiM  posttlOB. 
or  In  the  subject,  btfort  wblcb  I  mark  X. 

^SALESMANSHIP 


■LBOTBIOAL  NSIHBIB 
Blcctric  UjrhtlnsuidlUlIweye 
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A  Eaciacer 

Telephone  Work 
HIOHAmOAL  IISMBBB 
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Toolmaker 
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Stenographer  and  Typlat 

Cart.  Public  Accountant 

TRAFFIC  MANAGER 

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Present 
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Street 
and  No.. 


City. 


CmtaMtMa  may  tend  tMa  emmon  to 
InUmeManal  Carrtapondenoe  Behools,  Montreal^ 
Please  Mention  Popular  Mechanics 


WRITERS' 
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A  Wondorful  Book  —  Read  About  It! 

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Wonderfnl  nem  ayatem  of  teaohinc  note  music  by  mnil .    To  I 

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59 


DoaUeKSHirDollars 
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POPULAR  MECHANICS  ADVERTISING  SECTION 


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POPULAR  HECHANICS  ADVERTISIlit}  SECTION 


61 


i 


n 

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as  soon  as  you  complete  our  course.  We  have 
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POPULAR  MECHANICS  ADVERXISIHG  SECTION 


for 


etc.,  pay  big  prices— work  done  quickly 
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your  nlary,  get  a  better  iob  or  go  into  boanessfor  yoorBelL 

Earn$18.00to$45.00aWee]c-EasiIy 

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POPULAR  MECHANTCS  ADVERTISING  SECTION 


63 


A  Bigger  Job  Yours— If  You  Master 

Traffic  Management 


to  be  doiM  in 

Garope  and  eziMiision  of  oar  foreign 
trade  meaas  a  greater  damjuid  than  ever 
before  for  men  trained  as  traffic  experts. 
Great  plante  working  overtime— raw. 
materials  shipped  in— finished  prodacto 
shipped  oat— carloads,  trainloada,  ship- 


•  going  North,  East,  South.  West— 
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for  qaick  d^venr-that  la  the  condition 
we  are  fadng. 

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ship  owners.  Hoadreds  are  needed  where 
one  is  available.  This  is  the  chance  for 
ambitioas  men  to  rise  to  higher  positions 
—to  get  into  an  nncrowded  calling— to 
have  the  specialized  knowledge  which 
commands  big  salaries. 

Train  by  Mail  Under 
LaSalle  Experts 

This  opportunity  ia  yoors  now.  Train 
while  you  hold  yoor  present  job.  Only 
your  8p«re  time  required  to  become  pro- 
ficient in  every  branch  of  traffic. 

LeaJn  from  men  who  have  held  or  are 
among  thoee  now  holding  the  highest 
positions  in  the  fiekL  Get  practical  train- 
ing—the training  which  equips  you  to 
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They  will  explain  every  point  concern- 
ing Freight  Rates  Chwsificatfens. 
Tariffs,  Bills  of  Lading,  Routing,  Claims, 
Demurrage,  Express  Rates,  Ocean 
Traffic.  R.  R.  Organisathm,  Reguhitkm 
and  Management,  Laws  of  Carriers, 
Interstate  Commerce  Rulings,  etc  etc 

How  many  men  are  expert  on  even 
one  of  these  subjects  Tou  will  be  made 
proficient  in  alL 

And  here  is  something  more— your  en- 
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yoa  need  help  on  any  special  business 
problem. 

Over  800  people  here— 900  businesa  ex- 
g  them— are  ready  to  pot  you 


on  the  rood  that  leads  directly  to  ad- 
vancement. Get  the  eomplete,  combined 
experience  of  many  authorities,  all  given 
in  easily  understood  form. 

No  Large  Fees 


The  total  cost  la  small.    Youri 

in  earnings  will  soon  pay  it  (see  in  next 
column  what  McMullen,  Wright  and 
other  members  say).  Then  also  yon  can 
per  on  easy  terms— a  little  each  month 
if  you  wish.  No  hardship  In  getting  this 
training.  Any  man  can  afford  It.  And 
the  time  is  now— when  the  great  move- 
ment in  business  is  beginning.  Give  a 
few  hours  weekly  of  your  spare  time  for 
a  few  months— and  get  a  larger  salary. 

Send  the  Coupon  and 
Get  AU  the  Facts 

Tour  request  will  bring  complete  in- 
formation. We  will  tell  you  just  what 
the  course  offers  in  every  detail:  all 
about  the  opportunities  open  to  trained 
traffic  men.  We  will  also  send  you  our 
book,  "Ten  Years  Promotion  in  One" 
which  has  shown  thousands  of  men  the 
short  road  to  promotion.  If  you  are  am- 
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paying  and  uncrowded  field  of  business. 
get  these  facts.  Sending  the  coupon 
implies  no  obligation  upon  you. 
Mail  it  today. 


B.  8.  IfelinilM  was  •  freisfat  ehseker  «n  tht 

Two  ysats  after  bc^ning  the  LaSalls 
Coarse  in  Interstate  OomoMTcm  and  Ttmffle 
Mansgemest  be  was  appointed  CSeneral 
Freight  and  Passenger  Agent. 

He  said  that  it  woeld  probably  have  taken 
him  8  or  10  years  to  make  this  advance  if  he  had 


LaSaIIe«xpert8  helped  him  to  reach  the  top 
ia  the  space  of  months. 


right,  aa  IlUnois  meaober.  reports 
iODons  since  taking  the  ooorse. 


T.  J.  ¥ 
three  proE 

H.  8.  Wataoa.  of  Michiirao.  flgwes  bis  in- 
creased earning  capacity  at  400  per  cent. 

FVed  Hoffman,  an  Ohio  member,  reports 
too  per  cent  proflt  on  his  investment  in  one 
year. 

rthe  many  LaSaUe  trained  men  who 

Traffle  Managers  or  Experts  on  Inter- 

steta  Commcree  are: 

Wm.  RiteUe.  Ylee-PfwideDt  and  TrafBo 
Manager,  Philadelphia  Lawn  Mower  Co. 

F.  E.  Combs.  TrafBc  Director.  Twin  City 
Traffic  League,  Benton  Harbor,  Michigan. 

F.  E.  Hamilton.  Traffic  Manager,  Retail 
Merchants  Association  of  Canada. 

Mr.  Hamilton  says:  *'I  cannot  speak  too 
highly  of  this  institatioD.  The  course  is  up-to- 
date,  authentic,  and  easily  understood.  My 
only  regret  ia  that  I  did  not  take  it  up  five 


The  succeee  these  men  have  made  can 
be  paralleled  by  any  other  ambitioua 
man  who  will  do  as  they  did— train  I 


lasalle  extension  university 

"Thm  World's  Grmaimst  Extmmskm  UitkmrsUy" 

Dept.  664-IC  Chicago,  Illinois 

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69 


Hofw  Fred  Ultne 
Got  His  Startr 


Began  With  Almost  Nothing — Now  Pocketing  $6,000 
A  Year  and  His  Profits  Steadily  Increasing 

New  5c  Confection  Did  It 

S«7S  Asyone  Asjwiiere  Can  Do  As  Well — No  Eaq>erieiico  Necessary 

A  good  many  mep  who  know  Fred  Ciine  would  like  to  be  in  his 

shoes.    They  envy  his  success.    But  he  hasn't  alwa^rs  been 

envied.  Time  was  when  he  was  barely  earning  a  hving 


SsTfnir  money  oat  of  the  m—rre  wages 
he  sot  in  thoee  dsj*  was  almost  tanpoe- 
siUe.  He  had  practically  nothing  laid 
aside.  But  it  was  enooffh  to  flrWe  him  his 
start:  enoasrh  to  Mt  him  up  in  bnsinen 
for  himself —a  new  khid  of  businsn  thst 
has  proved  a  regular  fittle  "gold  mine." 

That  was  only  a  f  «w  years  ago.  Today 
Fred  is  making  around  $6,000  a  year— 
and  his  profits  are  steadily  increasing. 
While  he  doesn't  work  half  as  hard  as  he 
used  to,  he  is  pocketing  more  every  day 
than  he  formerly  earned  in  a  week.  Is 
his  own  boes-^oesn't  have  to  take  orders 
from  anyone.  Has  bought  a  fine  home- 
all  paid  for.  Rides  around  in  a  $2,000 
car.  Has  a  substsntial  snd  growing 
bank  account.  Enjoys  many  other  com- 
forts and  luxuries  that  a  few  years  sgo 
he  scarcely  even  dreamed  of. 

How  did  he  do  it?  No  previous  busi- 
ness experience— had  been  a  plain  work- 
man. Had  only  a  common  school  edu- 
cation. And  he  himself  would  be  the 
last  nan  in  the  world  to  credit  his  quick 
rise  to  prosperity  to  any  special  genius 
cr  ability  on  his  part. 

Some  may  say  he  was  lucky.  But  it 
wasn't  luck.  Proof  of  that  is  the  fact 
tlMt  hundreds  of  oibos,  both  before  and 
since,  have  put  themselves  on  Easy 
Street  in  exactly  the  same  way  be  did. 

Here  is  the  whole  secret.  It  was  a 
BMney-coining  machine  that  piled  up 
Frsd  Cline's  profits,  that  built  his  houses 
thst  paid  for  his  car  and 
other  comforts;  a  patented 
saachine  that  almost  auto- 
matically buikls  up  a  fine 
business  by  making  the  fin- 
est 6c  confection  that  any- 
one ever  ate— a  wholesome, 
deUeious  and  entirely  differ- 
ent new  kind  of  pop-corn 
candy  that  people  grow 
wild  over  wherever  it  is 
introduced.  It  is  called 
Crispettes— so  tempting  to  look  at,  soap- 
petisinir  in  its  delightful  odor,  so  bewitch- 
ing to  the  taste— timt  it  Uterally  turns 
into  money  as  fast  mm  it  can  be  made. 

Fred  GUne  deserves  full  credit  for  his 
success.  He  was  quick  to  see  his  oppor- 
tunity and  <iuick  to  seise  It.  But  when 
1  know  the  facts,  it  is  essy  to  see  why 
'  has  iwpospsKod.    lUgazdless  of  ac« 


Now  Owns  a  Fine  H( 


{%* 


practically  everybody  has  a  sweet  tooth 
—  men*  women,  children.  Crispettes 
appeal  to  this  universal  sweet  tooth  in  a 
way  that  is  simply  irresistible.  You 
can't  see  them  or  smell 
them  or  taste  them  with- 
out feeling  "hungry"  for 
them.  UnUke  chocolates 
and  other  "heavy"  can- 
dies, they  don't  tax  the 
digestion.  You  caa't  eat 
enough  Crispettes  to 
hurt  you.  People  never 
get  tired  of  them.  That 
means  steady,come-again 
customers. 

They  are  only  6c  a  pack- 
age —  an  amount  that  is  easy 
to  spend ;  where  there  is  one 
person  who  can  afford  high- 
priced  candies,  there  are  hun- 
dreds who  will  buy  at  6c 
Nickel  sales  to  the  many  will 
alwasrs  beat  dollar  sales  to 
the  few.  On  a  good  day  Crisp- 
ettes sell  about  as  fast  as  you 
can  hand  out  the  packages 
and  take  in  the  money.  They 
almost  sell  themselves.  The 
mere  sight  or  smell  of  them 
makes  the  mouth  water— and 
makes  a  person  reach  for  a 
nickeL 

The  Grispette  Machine  can 
torn  out  as  high  as  800  5c 

packagesan  hour — $40every 
hour.  Nearly  4c  out  of  every 
nickel  you  take  in  is  clear 
profit  —  about  76c  out  of 
every  dollar.  The  ingre- 
dients are  nothing  but  pop- 
corn and  syrup— but  cooked 
and  blended  together  by  a 
special  formula  that  brings 
outanenchantingnew  flavor 
that  pe<9le  say  is  the  most 
delicious  they  ever  tasted. 
There  is  only  one  way  to  make  Crisp- 
ettes —  that  is  on  the  patented  Grispette 
Machine.  The  process  is  almost  auto- 
matic. Special  secret  formula  included 
with  the  machine.  Also  full  instructions 
for  building  up  a  profitable  business 
right  from  the  first  day,  either  retail  or 
wholesale  or  both  —  the  tried  and  proven 
ideas  used  by  scores  of  others  already  in 

PUate  Mention  Popular  Meohani09 


the  business.  I  show  you  how  to  draw 
crowds— how  to  cash  in  on  fairs,  picnics, 
holidays,  etc  —  every  step  made  easy  so 
you  can't  go  vrrong.  No  experience 
necessary.  The  Grispette  Machine,  the 
Grispette  formula  and  the  instructions 
are  all  you  need.  Small  sum  buys  the 
complete  outfit.  Don't  even  hsve  to 
open  a  store.  Can  do  bosinsss  from  your 
home  or  rent  part  of  a  store  window. 
The  Machine  in  a  window  is  a  great 
salesman  atUacls  attention — brings  in 
customers.  And  there  are  many  other 
advantages. 

No  wonder  (*)  Fred  Gline  is  making 
money.  But  he  isn't  the  only  one.  Grisp- 
ette Machines  and  the  delicious  candy 
they  make  are  piling  up  fine  profits  for 
hundreds  of  others.  Listtan:  An  inexperi- 
enced boy  "cashed  in" 
$1436  the  first  five  weeks. 
A  former  clerk  in  a  rail- 
road office  got  his  start  in 
the  Grispette  business 
and  is  now  wealthy. 
Another  man  made  $400 
net  in  one  week.  A  former 
printer  sold  $22,000  worth 
of  Crispettes  the  first 
seven  months— figure  his 
profits  for  yourself. 
Another  man  made  over 
$500  in  a  single  day.  Another 
$700  ahead  in  less  than  two 
weeks.  And  so  it  goes. 
This  isn  big  country.  There 


ftuu  J.  II  avuu  jrvu  mtM  luv  ihi'w 

and  figures  so  tou  cnn  jud(?e 
for  yourself  —  inoladiUK  the 
names  and  addresses  of  all  the  men  men< 
tioned  here,  with  letters  from  them  and 
others  backing  up  everything  I  say.  Rut 
send  the  coupon  new— before  you  nave  a 
chance  to  forget  —  and  before  someone  else 
in  your  town  beats  you  to  it.  A  postn^e 
stamp  is  all  it  costs  to  get  the  facts— that  is 
all  you  hare  to  risk  to  find  out  aliont  a 
money-making  opportunity  that  may  mean 
prosperity  for  the  rest  of  your  lifa 

(*)  This  man  to  modest.  Fred  CUd«  la  not  bin  real 
nam«— h«  prefers  not  to  bare  his  identity  Dablinhea 
broadcast  In  a  marnzine.  His  real  name  and addreaa, 
however,  will  be  riven  on  reqneat. 

radi  CM  Hmr  IWy  DU  h  -  S^ly  Uie  TUi  Omm 
w!  Z.'L^gTT412  w'sl,  Spri^gM?,  Oki^ 

I  am  interested.  Ptoasa  sand  me  your  FREE  book 
on  fall  partlciiiarB  bow  to  start  a  bic  poyins  boaineas 
of  mjr  own. 

Namx. 


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HG  DEMAND  EVERYWHERE 

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DO  YOU 


DRAW 


Cartoonists  Are  WoO  PaM 

WewillnotgiTeyoaanrffrand  prise  if  yon  answer  this  ad.  Mor 
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**The  Strong  Man 
of  the  Navy'' 

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I  claimed  and  defended  the  tUUwhiek  I 
now  hold,  I  can  give  credit  to  no  om 
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The  above  quotation  from  one 
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IF  YOU  ARE  GOING  IN  FOR 

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POVVLAR  HXCUAHICS  ADVESTISUIG  SECTIOH 


Sen4  20e.  in  ttampt  for  trial  sizct  of 
Ibe  four  forms  shown  liere.  Tlien 
decide  whkh  foa  gttfa.  Or  "end 
6c  in  Munpt  for  any  one. 
The  J.  B.  WILLIAMS  CO. 
D9fit.  A,  GlMtonbanr,  Conn. 
AftertbealMreorthe  bath,  yoawtllen- 
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4  the  perfume  you  prefer — Violet. 
Carnation,  Enrlish  Lilac  or  Rose 


Makes  Hard'water  Shaving  Easy 

'Half  of  the  men  of  the  United  States  have  to  diave  with 
^^hard"  water.  And  the  Williams'  chemists  to<dc  careful  note 
of  that  fact  when  diey  created  their  shaving  soap. 

Even  the  ''hardest^'  water  can't  make  Williams'  hdier  stidy 
or  stringy.  Wherever  you  travel,  whatever  water  you  geC^  the 
Williams'  ladier  is  always  abundant,  creamy,  velvety,  and  will 
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and  soldiers,  know  this.  They  know,  too,  that  die  patented 
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tonight  and  defy  the  hardest  water  and  the  hardest  conditions. 


illiams* 

Shaving 

fTHE  JB  WILLIAM.S  COMRANY.  GLASTONBURY,  CONhL 

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WALTHAM 

SCIEM- 
ICALLT 

Bmur 

WATCH 
«^ 

AND 

THE 

flOREIGN 

BUILT 

WATCH 


WaltkamCelonUlA 

Extremely  thin  at  no  sacrifice  of  tccuncf 

Maximus  movement  21  jewels 

Riverside  movement  19  jewelt 

$135  to  $255  or  more 

depending  upon  the  case 


Know  Something  About  the 
''Works''  in  the  Watch  You  Buy 

IF  you  Open    your  watch    and    examine  its 
mechanism,  you  will  find  it  consists  substan- 
tially of  two  supporting  plates,  between  which 
is  mounted  a  gearing  of  meshed  wheels  to 
take  care  of  the  movement,  recording  time.  This 
is  called  the  train,  which  we  will  sp«Jc  of  in  our 
next  advertisement. 

The  lower  supporting  plate  in  a  Waltham  watch  is  the 
foundation  upon  which  every  unit  revolves  and  Is  fixed. 
It  is  bored  with  minute  holes  to  take  the  pivots,  screws, 
pinions,  etc. 

This  lower  plate  Is  drilled  and  threaded  by  one  of  the  most 
exclusive  and  wonderful  machines  ever  designed  by  the 
genius  of  man  —  an  exclusive  Waltham  invention  from  die 
master«mind  of  Duane  R  Church. 

Many  operations  are  accomplished  with  such  methodical, 
automatic  regularity  that  one  instinctively  imagines  that  a 
marvelous  human  brain  guides  the  extraordinary  openk 
tions.  of  this  machine. 

It  makes  every  operation  (and  there  are  HI)  wldi  infiniteaimal  i 
to  the  ten  thouaanddi  part  of  an  inch — flawleaa,  beautiful  in  its  . 

simplicity — every  plate  a  replica  of  every  other  f^atc.  proving  Ws 

standardbatlon  to  be  one  off  the  miracles  of  American  mcchanicel  aenini. 
The  plate  of  the  foreign  bulk  watch  is  subiect  to  the  variations  of  hand 
process.  Made  to  variant  sixes  and  models  without  precise  relatioo  to 
the  parts  which  they  are  to  contain,  which  parts  are  made  elsewhere  in 
many  homes  aiHl  small  shops,  by  hand. 

No  hand  work  could  ever  approximate  the  beuitlful  end  flawless  exacti- 
tude of  this  Waltham  drilling  and  threading. 

So  when  you  buy  a  Waltham  watch  you  are  assured  of  a  standardixatioa 
of  quality  and  leadership  which  has  placed  the  Waltham  watch  on  the 
pedestal  of  world  domiidon. 


WALTHAM 

THE  WORLD'S  WATCH  OVER  T1A^B 

Please  Mention  Popular  Meehanioe  ^  t 

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POPULAR  HXeHAlfflCS  ADVERTISIHO  SBCTION  ^ 


105 


Fallopen  light. 
Correct  aim. 


'£'^ 


£'£ 


mL  '^'^  ^^^  Slf 

inttruoto 


How  to  draw  a  bead  on  a  mark 

r 


^^^B  T^  3^u  don't  know 
^^^B  J^  the  best  way  to 
^^^^  >iRht  a  gun   and 

skarpshcour  plug  the  target  square 
M.dai  [„  j^^  bull's-eye,  it 
will  pay  you  to  study  the  dia- 
grams on  this  paee.  These  dia- 
grams are  taken  from  the  book  of 
instructions  furnished  to  members 
of  the  Winchester  Junior  Rifle 
Corps. 

^  Instructions  in  alignment  of 
sights,  the  three  correct  positions 
for  shooting,  rules  for  gup  safety, 
are  given  to  every  member  of  the 
Winchester  Junior  Rifle  Corps. 
Every  fine  point  that  makes  for  ex- 
pert shooting  is  taught  in  this 
organization  of  expert  boy  Marks- 
men of  America. 


Start  a  W.  J.  R.  C.''Unit" 
with  your  friends 

Why  not  get  together  with  half 
a  dozen  of  3rour  chums,  join  the 
Winchester  Junior  Rifle  Corps 
and  organize  a  regular  Unit, 
which  will  be  officially  recognized 
by  National  Headquarters  ? 

The  W.  J.  R.  C.  will  help  yoa  from  start 
to  finish  in  rissing  up  tn  indoor  or  outdoor 
range.  It  provides  tor  officers,  saperrisors, 
and  adult  instructors  to  make  your  shoot- 
ing safe.  It  costi  jroa  nothing  to  join  the 
W.  J.  R.  C.  There  are  no  dues  and  no 
military  obligationa.  The  W.  J.  R.  C.  was 
organized  solely  to  encourage  better  marks- 
manship and  better  sportsmanship  among 
boys  and  girls  of  America.  Any  boy  or  girl 
not  OTer  18,  who  is  in  good  standing  in  his 
or  her  community,  is  eligible. 

Membership  in  the  W.  J.  R.  C.  corers 
the  United  States.  There  is  bardjy  a  town 
now  that  has  not  at  least  a  small  "Unit**  of 


the  big  National  Organization  where  boyi 
are  learning  to  become  expert  riflemen  and 
are  competing  among  themselves  for  the 
famous  Winchester  Marksman,  Sharp- 
shooter and  Expert  Rifleman  Medals. 

Get  the  official  plan  and  handbook 

Write  today  for  the  Winchester  Junior 
Rifle  Corps  "Plan  for  Organizing  a  W.  J. 
R.  C.  Unit,**  and  for  the  official  handbook, 
"How  to  handle  a  rifle  safely.**  This  book- 
let  tells  you  all  about  the  W.  J.  R.  C.  and  de- 
scribes in  detail  the  fine  points  of  shooting. 

If  you  are  a  boy  scout,  gire  your  name 
in  full,  the  troop  you  belong  to  and  the 
name  of  the  Scout  master. 

If  you  are  not  a  boy  scout,  state  what 
boy  organization,  if  any,  you  belong  to, 
giving  the  name  of  the  official  in  charge. 

National  Headguarters 
WINCHESTER  JUNIOR  RIFU  CORPS 

275  Winchester  Avenue 

New  Haren,  Conn.,  U.  S.  A. 

DiTisMneaO 


Standard  tupa  of  JZ2  caliber  Winchester  Riflee,  i 
Winchester  Junhr  Rifle  C 


with  members  of  the 


WnUaMfnjt  model  06.  raJU-dtwn  Rep€atiHg 
,22  caliber  rijte,  20-iMcM  round  barrel.  Shoots  three 
sizes  of  ammunition.  The  most  popular. 22  caliber  re' 
peater^  %ued  extensively  by  mentbers  of  the  If'.J.R.C. 


HfnOfMSm  Take-down  .22  caliber  single  shot 
rijle.  A  low  priced,  lieht-veight  gun  made  in  ttvo 
sijtes* 


wincNisnii  .nimoii  kiplb  coms 

HatUmal  Headguarters,  2T5  mnehester  Ape,,  New  Haven,  Conn,,  U.  S.  A. 


Winchester  Junior  Rifle  Corps 
Natl  Headqnarten,  275  Winchester  Ave., 
New  HaTen,  Conn.,  U.  S.  A.     Dirision  630 


Gentlemen : 

Please  register  my  name  as  a  member  of  the 
Winchester  Junior  Rifle  Corps,  and  send  me  a 
membership  button  and  certificate  of  membership. 
Also  tell  me  how  to  organize  a  Local  Unit  of  the 
W.  J.  R.  C. 

Very  truly  yours. 


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106  POPULAR  KBCHANICS  ADYERTISIIIG  SSCXIOR 


lycos  Temperature  Instruments 

For  nearly  70  years  we  have  been  making  recording,  indicating  and 
controlling  instruments  to  fit  every  temperature  need  and  purpose.  We 
catalogue  over  8,000  types  and  styles — conclusive  proof  of  the  variety  of 
conditions  temperature  effects. 

Every  instrument  that  leaves  our  laboratories  is  all  that  science,  skill, 
organization,  experience,  system,  rigid  inspection  and  infinite  pains  can 
make  it. 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS  ADVERTISIIfG  SECTION 


10^ 


Here  are  some  of  the  many  requirements  of  which  you  perhaps  may 
not  be  aware  r 

That  in  the  distillation  of  any  liquid  a  thermometer  is  important. 
That  vulcanizing  is  vitally  dependent  on  control  of  temperature. 
That  the  temperature  of  developing  and  toning  baths  in  photog- 
raphy is  highly  important. 

That  the  TYCOS  Fire  Alarm  Thermometer  when  installed  in  con- 
nection with  bells  and  batteries  is  proving  an  efficient  fire  alarm. 
(Used  by  U.  S.  Navy  on  battleships). 


IS  your  particular  temperature  p 

11          *^ 

Therinometers 

Dial 

Meat  Packers' 

Tobacco  Curing 

Armored 

Display 
Distillers' 

MmcPi^araing 

Toning  Bath 
Track  Laying 

Art  Novelty 

DoughTesting 
Dry  Kiln 

Milk  Sterilizing 

Traveling 

Asphalt  Testing 

Minimum 

Veterinary 

Auto<:irculatioa 

Electric 

Orchard 

Vulcanizing 

Babies'  Food 

Electric  Alarm 

Paddng  House 
Paperweight 

Weather  Bureau 

Bakers' 

Engraved  System 

Window 

Bake  Oven 

Fat  Testing 

Wood 

5«* 
Bath 

Frost  Alarm 

Pasteurizer 

Other  Instruments 

BotUe  Testing 

Fruit  Car 

Pipe 

Aviation  Aneroids 

Brine  Pipe 

Fruit  Evaporating 

Plate  Glass 

Barometers 

Brooder 

Gas  Works 

Pocket 

Calciometers 

Butter 

Glass  Angle 

Porcelain 

Cbargometers 

Cabinet 

Glass  Window     * 

Preciskm 

Clinometers 

Cakn-imeter 

Greenhouse 

RaUway^ 

Compasses 

Candy  Making 

Ham  Boiling 

Railway  Coach 
Radial  Scale^ 

Cream  Gauges 

Cellar,^ 

Home  Candy  Making 

Freezometers 

Celluloid 

Hop  Curing 

Hydrometers 

Chandelier 

Hot  Bed 

Refrigeration 
Sea  Water 

Hygrometers 

Chemical 

Hot  Water  Heating 

Hygro  Autometers 

Chum 

Household 

Psychrometers 

CUnical 

Hydrometer  Can 

Ship  Hold 

Rail  Gauges 

Coal  Oil 

Utho^^ZedTinScale 

Shower  Bath 

Recording  Baro- 

Cold  Storage 

Show 

Thermograph 

Cold  Test 

Mantel 

SkikRoom 

Saccharometers 

gogper  Cased 

Mapje  Sugar 

Six's  Registering 

Salinometers 

MSfTub 

Sterilizing 

Sphygmomanometers 

Decorative 

Sugar  House 

Sprayometers 

Dental 

Mash  Pipe 

Sugar  Factory 

Stormagraphs 

Desk 

Maximum 

Test 

Devetoping  Bath 

Maxiinum  andMinimum 

Titer  Test 

Transits 

Mark  the  instruments  above  that  interest  you.  Write  your 
name  and  address  on  the  page,  send  us  the  page.  If  instru- 
ment in  which  you  are  interested  is  not  listed  write  us.  Inter- 
esting   descriptive   literature   will   be    sent   you   immediately. 

Taylor  Instrument  Companies 

Rochester,  New  York 

There's  a  T^^os  and  Taylor  Thermometer  for  every  purpose 


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POPULAR  MECHAinCS  ADVERTISING  SECTIOIT  109 


Getting  Soldier 
back  into   , 
overalls 


As  the  generous  and  energetic 
co-operation  of  America's  industries. 
helped  her  to  share  in  allied  victory, 
so  should  those  same  industries  now 
face  a  second  patriotic  duty. 

Wlien  victory  came,  the  INDIAN 
organization  saw  that  second  duty; 
helping  -America's  fighters  reap  the 
benefrts  of  their  wartime  training. 

Almost  simultaneously  with  the 
signing  of  the  armistice,  the  INDIAN 
Soldiers^  -Service  Department  began 
Its  sttecessful  work  of  bringing  together 
employ^i^  in  the  industry  mad  tfioee 
efficient  and  relilBible  motorcycle  men 
now  returning  from  service. 

America's  industries  h^ped  to 
mobilize  America's  forces — they  may 
now  be  depended  on  to  lii]^en  the 
Government's  task  of  demobyijntion. 

Heodee  Maonfiictiiring  Ctmiiaiiy 

SPRINOHELD,  MASS. 

ntLanBtitM«tcrciicit  MamfaetanrinthtWmU 


e 


For  Sale  by  Dealers  Everywhere       Google 

o 


digitized  by  ^ 


no  POPULAK  MECHAinCS  ADYSKTISIRG  SBCTIOH 


'"tef^Sag^          Remember.aUAOJtdic  Ihderwearis nai BVD.  ftjSS^gSS 

<illlBJ      nm" ""        mmiii      -www^—^iiy mil         tuujifB 

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POPULAR  MECHANICS  ADVERTISING  SBOTION 


111 


WiAOm%epmutim 


Young  and  old— everybody  muet  "play**  a  part  of  the  timel 

After  work,  on  Sundaye  and  holidayel  That's  the  time  for**play**l  And  nothing 
can  add  as  much  to  these  ahort  hours  as  a  Dayton  Bicyclel 

It  win  take  yon  to  the  haselMill  diamond,  the  tennis  court,  golf  links,  fishing  hole, 
and  swimming  hole  quick  as  a  winlc.  It  gives  you  more  time  tor  **play**— and  in  itaalt 
is  pleasure  and  recreationl 

Let  a  Dairton  Bicycle  help  you'*play**.  Youll  be  proud  of  it  in  any  company— for 
it  is  certainly  good-looking! 

All  Dajrton  nickel-plating  goea  on  over  a  heavy  coat  of  copper. 

The  enameled  surfaces,  as  you  see  them,  rQ>re8ent,  In  all,  some  17  processes  be- 
ginning  with  a  bath  in  boiling  lye  and  ending  with  the  ooat  of  varnish  which  com- 
pletes the  job. 

Between  these  two  operations  are  the  anti-rust  and  filler  coats,  the  rubbings, 
washing  and  bakings — and  two  coats  of  the  famous  Dayton  Carminel  The  Dayton 
finish  retains  its  lustre  and  brilliance.  It  wears,  and  wears  and  wears. 

See  the  Dayton  Line  at  your  dealer's.  Study  the  mechanical  superiorities  pointed 
out  belov^*.  Our  catalog  describes  and  pictures  the  Dayton  Line  completely.  It  is  free. 

WriU  today  far  Catalog  9-10 
Cycle  Dept.,  THE  DAVIS  SEWING  MACHINE  COMPANY,  Daytom,  O. 


1    Oa^-plMctffep-fDrgtd  «raaks.  HAb«d  gprMlMti. 

2  8pwlil  dMiga  mr  fork,  glvlac  •ztr»  clMtaaM 
bMwMUwhMlMdfarkiMM.  FtaahiMrfork  «b4b. 
3Drop>fnrfMl  ■■■!  port  tfaitw,  ftftagtztraslnaff 
crip  OB  Msft>pMC. 
4nfli-frad»  psZted  lMlk«  aUMI 
Wm  ■prtag^'lutfcMTtool  baga 


J  talak  of  DaytoB  Ow» 

Voa^  aatf  loaf  wtailBff .   Heavy  o«at  of  eopptr 


aadtt  aU  atekal  platlaf . 


6Dw*.woof  kcad  ai^Jartlaf  cm*.  Bxtra  Urfs 
Blfh'&tf  feaU  bMdBft.  Ooa««aM^  '  ' 
la  eyaaiM. 

7   0atdd>  J  fliat  biad  uvmU  aiitliM.  Bl«vi 
mateMSMata  lafitMM,  aUdir-kraaid. 
8   2^«t-«MkOT«d   ftek  iMm  vttk  Ml 

9KoB«  kab  aad  eapa  «f  sptdali 
•olid  rtMl  bw.  Two-potat  MetioalMi  bMxlBga. 


PUate  Mention  Pepnlar  Ueehaniee 


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112 


POPULAR  IfECHANICS  ADVERTISIH6  SECTIOH 


Put  an  End  to  Your  Spark  Plug  Troubles 

Install  a  Complete  Set  of  AC  Carbon  Proof  Spark  Plugs 
and  See  How  They  Improve  the  Performance  of  Your  Car 


y 


V 


/ 


Notice  the  ibarp  knife-edfcd 
porcelain  in  the  crois  section 
of  the' AC  Carbon  Proof 
Plue  bere  illuttrated.  That 
construction  i«  the  whole 
secret  of  this  plac*i  success. 
These  edres.  birinc  thin, 
heat  rapidlf.  The  beat 
burns  off  the  carbon'  as  fast 
as  it  forms.  This  is  an  ex- 
cloilre  AC  desirn  and  fully 
covered  bf  our  patents. 


Here  is  the  spark  plug  you  have 
been  looking  for — the  AC  Car- 
bon Proof,  for  tractors,  Fords, 
Overlands  and  Studebakers. 
Put  a  set  of  these  plugs  in  your 
motor  and  save  gasoline,  better 
its  performance,  get  more  power. 
For  AC  Carbon  Proof  Plugs  are 
spark  plugs  with  the  trouble  re- 
moved. 

They  do  not  short  circuit  easily. 
They  always  deliver  a  big,  hot 
spark.  They  are  well  insulated 
with  finest  porcelain  that  heat 
will  not  crack,  that  vibration  will 
not  break. 

These  plugs  permit  a  full  advance 
of  the  spark  without  that  old, 
familiar  engine  knock.  After 
you  have  installed  them  you 
notice  immediate  improvement 
in  your  car's  performance.  For 
you  get  higher  engine  speed 
with  a  smaller  throttle  opening 
than  before. 

That  means  a  big  saving  in  your 
gasoline  bill. 

More  power,  no  carbon,  better 
performance,  gasoline  saved. 


Those  are  the  advantages  that 
AC  Carbon  Proof  Plugs  bring  to 
you  and  they  cost  no  more  dian 
the  ordinary  kind. 

AC  Carbon  Proof  Plugs  are  es- 
pecially designed  for  ti;actors. 
Ford,  Overland  and  Stude- 
baker  cars. 

But  no  matter  what  car  you  drive 
there  is  an  AC  designed  for  it. 

As  you  know  well,  most  makers 
of  fine  cars  use  AC  Spark  Plugs 
for  standard  factory  equipment 

An  Government  engineers  dur- 
ing the  war  selected  AC  Spark 
Plugs  of  the  same  basic  design  as 
the  plugs  that  these  manufac- 
turers hav^  been  using  for  years, 
as  standard  equipment  on  all 
Liberty  and  Hispano-Suiza  Air- 
plane Motors. 

The  spark  plugs  which    served 

best  in  such  emergency  can  be 

counted  upon  to  serve  you  best 

also. 

Write  for  The  Spark  Plug  Stor>-. 

It  contains  information  of  much 

value  to  you. 


Champion  Ignition  Company,  FLINT,  fJ)iCtchigan 


U.  8.  Pat.  No.  1J85.7Z7.  April  IS.  1916.  U.  8.  Pat  No.  l.a6.1S8.  Feb.  IS.  1917.  Other  Patents  P«dii«. 


PUa99  Mention  PopiOar  Meohanlot 


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POPULAS  IfECHAinCS  ADVESTISING  s:ECTI01I 


113 


\'i\ 


The  New  Harley-Davidson 
Sport  Model 

A  Horizontal  Twin  Harley-Dauidson  iJghtW 
Weight  Motorcycle 


A  powerful,  swift, 
widi  the  sweetest 


A  Few  of  lU 
Features 

Unit  p<iw«r  plant  with 
korisontal  opposed 
cyfanocn* 

100  ponndt  lighter 
than  the  average  twin. 
Saper-heated»  twin- 
cast  manifold. 
Drire  chain  enclosed. 
Trussed  cushion  fork. 
Antomatic  kihrication 
of  motor,  transmission 
and  dutch. 

Multiple  disc  steel 
plate    clutch 
in  oiL 

3.sp^   sliding 
transmission. 
Spiral  gear  system  of 
under^caring. 


gear 


quiet,  vifarationless,  sdo  mount—* 
running,  cleanest  engine  ever  built 
into  a  motorcycle. 

•  That's  what  those  who  have  ridden 
it  say.  You,  too,  will  experience  a 
new  thrill  and  delight  when  you 
try  it.  You  will  marvel  at  its  ease 
of  handling  and  splendid  riding 
balance,  due  to  low  center  of  grav- 
ity and  low  saddle  position. 

Its  smooth,  glide-away  action,  its  get- 
away, its  pep  on  the  hills — all  are  due  to 
its  perfectly  balanced  opposed  twin  motor. 

We  know  you  will  say  it  is  the  greatest 
achievement  in  motorcycle  engineering. 

Go  to  the  nearest  Harley-Davidson  dealer 
and  ask  for  a  demonstration.  Then,  and 
then  only,  will  you  know  what  the  Harley- 
Davidson  Sport  Model  really  is. 


Harley-Davidson  Motor  Co« 

Milwaukee,  Wis. 


1  *   ' 


:ii!^ 


i  :<i 


Please  Mention  Popular  Meehanie9 


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116^ 


POPULAR  MSCHAmCS  ADVEBTISIH6  SBCllOM 


lirHICH  is  the  better  way  to  get 
yy  home  from  work — to  pack  into 
a  crowded  trolley  car,  or  to  get  out 
into  the  clean,  open  air? 

Only  one  answer  to  that,  isn't 
there? 

Bo3^  and  men  who  use  motor- 
cycles for  business  alwa3rs  know  the 
advantage  of  good  tires.  They  want 
United  States  Tires  because  they  are 
always  dependable.  No  unnecessary 


ie  Tires 

are  <jooa  iires 

time  is  lost  in  repairs.    They  wear 
longer  and  are  more  economicaL 

United  States  Tires  are  made  by 
the  world's  largest  rubber  manufac- 
turer and  every  tire  carries  the  U.  S. 
Seal  which  means  quality  in  rubber 
goods  wherever  you  see  it 

The  'Usco'  Motorcycle  Tire  is  tiie 
tire  to  use  for  long  mileage  and  hard 
work.  Ask  to  see  it  at  any  United 
States  dealer's. 


PUW9  Mention  PopiOar  MeohantoB 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS  ADVERTISING  SECTION  117 


PUaae  MenUon  Popular  Mechanics  r^  T 

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118  POPULAR  MECHANICS  ADVERTISIlfG  SECTION 

GRAFLEX 

The  camera  that  does  the  difficult 
things  in  photography — and  does 
them  well. 

It's  raining  as  the  ship  you  have  come  to 
welcome  home  is  warping  into  the  dock;  the 
automobile  racers  are  going  by  your  point 
of  vantage  at  a  hundred  miles  an  hour;  a 
quick  snap  of  the  ball  from  pitcher's  box  to 
"first"  has  caught  the  runner  napping;  the 
children  are  romping  at  play  on  the  half- 
shaded  porch — impossible  pictures  for  most 
cameras,  but  simple  with  a  Graflex. 


The    Graflex  catalogue — free  at  your  dealer's  or  by  mail — 
tells  you  why. 

FOLMER  &  SCHWING  DEPARTMENT 

EASTMAN  KODAK  CO.  ROCHESTER,  N.  Y. 


Please  Uention  Popular  Meehanlct  ^^  -. 

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POPULAR  MECHANICS  ADV£2TISm6  SECTION 


119 


MAZDA 


^Noi  ihm  name  of  a  thing,  but  thm  mark  of  a  Bmroicm 


A  MAZDA  Lamp  for  every  purpose 


BAaZDA  ia  the  trademark  of  a  world- 
wide service  to  certain  lamp  mana- 
factarers.  Its  purpose  is  to  collect 
and  select  scientific  and  practical 
information  concerning  progress  and  developments  in  the 
art  of  incandescent  lamp  manufacturing  and  to  distribute  this 
information  to  the  companies  entitled  to  receive  this  servicsi. 

Ma2:da  Service  is  centered  in  the  Research  Laboratories  of 
the  General  Electric  Company  at  Schenectady,  New  York. 
The  mark  MAZDA  can  appear  only  on  lamps  which  meet  the 
standards  of  Mazda  service.  It  is  thus  an  assurance  of  quality. 
This  trademark  is  the  property  of  the  General  Electric  Company. 


RESEARCH  LABORATORIES  OF  GENERAL  ELECTRIC  COMPANY 


Please  Mention  Popular  Mechanics 


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120 


POPULAR  IfECHANICS  ADVERTISING  SBCTIOH 


Who's  There? 

Late  in  the  evening.  The  bell  rings.  Per« 
haps  it's  a  telegram  or  special-delivery  let- 
ter from  her  husband,  who  is  away.  Maybe 
it  is  a  tramp.  What  will  she  do?  If  she 
has  an  Iver  Johnson  she  goes  to  the  door 
with  perfect  confidence.  She  has  none  of 
the  fears  and  misgivings  that  she  used  to 
have  before  an  Iver  Johnson  became  her 
protector. 


Three  Booklets  Free 

We  have  three  booklets  which  are  well  worth  read* 
ins  by  anyooe  interested  in  firearms,  bicycles  or 
motorcycles.  Indicate  which  of  these  books  3rou 
want:  A  — •'Firearms,"  B  — ••Bicycles," 
C— Motorcycles." 


Iver  Johnson 

iSfSuTic  Revolvers 

are  welcomed  in  thousands  of  homes  where 
firearms  of  any  kind  have  never  been  before, 
because  they  are  absolutely  safe.  The  most 
timid  women  handle  the  Iver  Johnson  with- 
out fear  or  nervousness^because  they  know 
it  cannot  go  off  unless  they  pull  the  trigger 
all  the  way  back.  You  could  "Hammer  the 
Hammer"  of  an  Iver  Johnson  and  it  would 
not  fire.  Its  safety  is  automatic;  there  are 
no  levers  to  adjust  or  forget. 

The  Iver  Johnson  Revolver  shown  in  this 
advertisement  has  the  "Perfect"  Rubber 
Grip.  Other  models  have  Regular  or  West- 
em  Walnut  Grips.  They  are  on  sale  at  all 
hardware  and  sporting-goods  stores. 

IVER  JOHNSON'S  ARMS  &  CYCLE  WORKS 

307  Kwmr  Stfst,  FHcUbars,  MsssacfcmsMi 
99  CbMDbMs  St..  N«wYork.  717  Markat  Su  Sm  Fnadsco 

"HAMMER  THE  HAMMER** 


Pleaae  Mention  Popular  Meohanle$ 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS  ADVERTISING  SECTION  121 


cnampion  dparK  riug  company,   i  oieao,  Kjmo  Champion  X 

Champion  Spark  Plug  Company,  of  Canada,  Limited,  Windsor,  Ontario  ForFordCart 

A15,  Price  90c 


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122  POPULAR  MBCHANICS  ADVERTISING  SECTION 


Pfeate  Menfian  FopiOa^  MeOunttea 

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POPULAR  MSCHANICS  ADVBRTISING  SECTION 


U3 


r: 


J 
Li 


in  tools 


You  may  not  be  thoroughly  versed  in 
the  quality  of  steels  or  know  how  to  select 
good  tools  as  the  mechanic  selects  them. 

But  if  you  will  look  for  the  KEEN 
KUTTER  trade-mark  on  any  tool  you  buy 
and  insist  on  getting  KEEN  KUTTER  you 
can  be  absolutely  sure  that  the  tool  you 
get  will  be  of  the  highest  quality.  Correct 
in  design;  efficient  in  use;  durable  as  mod- 
ern tool  makers  know  how  to  make  them. 

*KEEN  KUTTER  tools  have  been  the 
choice  of  exacting  professional  builders 
and  mechanics  for  years.  They  will  be  your 
choice,  once  you  have  tried  "KEEN  KUT- 
TER** and  realize  their  real  superiority. 

So  look  for  the  KEEN  KUTTER  trade- 
mark. It*s  easy  to  remember  and  well 
worth  remembering. 

KEEN  KUTTER  tools  are  on  tale  at 
leading  hardware  stores,  everywhere. 


"The  recoUectUm  of  QUALITY  remaim 
Umg  afUt  the  PRICE  is  forgotten.'* 

-£l  C  SIMMON& 

Tnds  Mark  ikglitend. 


SIMMONS    HARDWARE    COMPANY 


124  POPULAR  MECHANICS  ADVESTISING  SECTION 


VITAUC 


Bicycle 


Fleaae  Mention  Popukur  M^ehomhB 

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POPULAR  MECHANICS  ADVERTISING  SECTION  X25 


Plea»e  MentUm  Popular  Uechantc  ^.^.^.^^^  ^^  GoOglC 


126 


POPULAR  MECHAinCS  ADVERTISING  SECTION 


Your  Investment 
Opportunities 

under  the 

Reconstruction  Period 

^  The  foundations  of  many  future 
fortunes  are  being  laid  through  the 
judicious  purchase  of  dependable  securities 
at  prevailing  low  prices.  Every  indication 
points  to  higher  levels  for  meritorious 
stocks  and  bonds. 

A  twenty  page  publication  issued  fort- 
nightly citing  unusual  opportunities  in  the 
stock  market,  free  upon  request  Write 
for  4-PM  including  our  copyrighted 
booklet  describing  "The  Twenty  Payment 
Plan/'  the  original  easy-payment  method 
of  acquiring  good  values. 

^^     Investment  Securities 

40  Exchange  Place,  NEW  YORK 


Asbestos^ 


ENTER 


A  BUSINESS 

of  your  own  and  earn 

biff  annual  inooma  in  pro- 
feasional  fees,  makinar  and  fittinflr  a  foot  Bpecialty  to  meaaore; 
readily  learned  by  anyone  at  home  in  a  few  wedcs;  easy 
terms  for  training,  openinjjrs  everywhere  with  all  the  trade 
you  can  attend  to.  No  capital  required  or  goods  to  boy^ 
no  agency  or  soliciting.    Addrm 


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127 


Get  This  Outfit 

It  Pays  for  Itself —Builds  a  Big, 
Profitable  Tire  Repair  Business 


If  you're  in  the  tire  repair  business  or  thinking  of 
going  into  it,  the  Akron-Williams  consul tingengineers 
have  a  message  for  you.  Write  them  today  and  get 
the  complete  story  of  what  this  Model  R  Tire  Repair 
Outfit  will  do  for  you. 

Makes  your  work  easier. 

Saves  money  by  eliminating  spoiled  material. 

Turns  out  perfect  work  the  first  time.  No  more 
"second  time"  jobs. 

Pleases  your  customer  because  the  repairs  "stand  up." 

Builds  business,  because  every  Akron  -  Williams 
repair  is  a  boost  for  more. 


Space  is  lacking  to  list  all  the  good  individual 
features  of  this  Model  R  Outfit. 

But  it  includes  equipment  for  doing  all  kinds  of  cas- 
ing repairs  on  auto  tires  from  2  Yz  inches  to  5  inches. 
Includes  also  an  inner-tube  vulcanizer,  tube  deflator, 
two  inside  patch  vulcanizers  and  steam  generator. 

You  may  need  this  complete  outfit  or  you  may  need 
only  one  piece  of  vulcanizing  equipment.  Whatever 
you  are  planning,  write  us  before  deciding.  Nothing 
is  too  large  or  too  small  for  us  to  handle.  From  one 
sectional  vulcanizer  to  equipment  for  a  tire  factory, 
Akron- Williams  machinery  is  equal  to  the  situation. 

Let  our  consulting  engineers  help  sol  ve  your  tire  repair 
equipment  problems.  Write  us.  No  obligation  to  buy. 


The  Williams  Foundry  &   Machine   Co^  Akron,  Ohio 

Everything  in  Tire  Repair  Machinery  and  Tools 

AkrotiA^iUiams 

Tire  Repair  Equipment 


Please  Mention  Popular  Mechanioe 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS  ADVERTISING  SECTION 


riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin^ 

Mullins  Steel  Boats  i 

Can't  Sink  | 

BUILT  like  a  lifeboat  —  and  just  as  | 

safe.     Air-tight  compartments  fore  E 

and  aft.     Perfect  balance,  absolute  sta-  = 

bility  —  they  can't  sink.  5 

Pressed  steel  hull>  like  a  U.  S.  torpedo  E 

boat.   Puncture-proof — can't  leak,  warp,  E 

waterlog  or  dry  out.     All  the  buoyancy  E 

of  a  wooden  boat,  but  never  needs  calk-  E 

ing  or  repairs.  E 


Model  shown  above  is  ideal  for  short 
pleasure  trips — fishing,  hunting.  Has 
bottom  boards,  rowing  braces,  pair 
of  oarlocks  and  oars.  Specially  con- 
structed for  attaching  outboard  motor. 


Over  65,000  Mullins  boats  now  in  use. 

Write  for  our  beautifully  illustrated  catalog,  showing  many 
models  of  steel  and  wooden  rowboats,  canoes  and  launches 
—  designed  by  America's  foremost  naval  architects. 


I    THEW.H.  MULLINS  CO.,  655  Franklin  St^SALEH  OHIO     | 


:iiiiiiiiiiiiiii 


iiiiuiiiiiiiii; 


Get  this  .M  Engine  Book 


/^^^^s^  ^it  gives  valuable  information 
^^^^^^"^  about  motor  boat  engines.  It  aUo 
^^"3^7  M     d««crlb»a  th»   fiill  line  ofL^A  mo- 


mall 
akes 
ctric 
ifdy 
[able 
:itec. 


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129 


EVINRUDE 

Detachable  Motor  for  Watercraft 


m  go  quickly,  'without  roiving,  to  the  holes  where  big 
Distance  makes  no  diflerence  to  an  Evinnide  owner. 

5  for  trolling.  Swift,  smooth,  flexible  power  for 
ler  craft. 

laeneto.  Automatic  reverse.  Maxim  silencer  and 
'  desired.  Our  special  method  of  balancing  pracd- 
ration. 

Evinrudes  have  already  been  sold.  The  Evinrude 
vemments.     Write  for  Catalog. 

nrude  Motor  Company 

imde  Building  MILWAUKEE,  WIS. 

Di9tri^tar9 1 

69  CortlMMit  St.,  New  York.  N.  Y. 

214  State  St..  Beaton.  Mass. 

436  Market  St..  Saa  Franciseo,  CaL 

21 1  Morrison  St..  Portland,  Ore. 


Jr%st  ^  valuable  key.  Dropped  it  in  the  dark. 
"^^*'®*  Burned  my  finsera  several  times  with 
liffhted  matches.  Could  have  found  it  instantly  with  an 
Bveready  DAYLO  — the  lisht  that  says,  **  There  it  is  I" 


MARINE  ENGINES 

8  H.  P.  ainffle  and  6  H.  P.  double  cylinder,  all  iron  or  copper 
jacket,  alnminnm  base,  light  weight,  for  canoes  and  small  boats. 
TNK  WATKINS  MOTOR  CO.,  128  W.  lib  St..  CINCINNATI,  OHIO 


Universal  ^'^^ 


9-12  H.  P.  4  Cycle  4-Cyl.  »»* 
inder.   Speed  range  300    ^«w« 
to  1800 R.RM.  Adapted 
to  boats  from  14  to  30 
feet.    Write  to 

UNIVERSAL  MOTOR  CO. 

OSHKOSH.  WIS.  Dept.  P 


V^r  Bnlletfai   . 


R«.   flS   I 

»tripU«n   I 


Because  it's  built  tliat  ivay 

Write  for  Gm^iete  Catalog 
RACINB    BOAT   COMPANY 
Dept.  bl  RoKsine  WiacMMisin 


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130 


POPULAR  MECHANICS  ADVERTISING  SECTION 


^^^^^^^^^Fto^^Wto^SP''^ 


FOR   SHE   KNOWS  A  GOOD  BRUSH 
EFFECTIVE  AND  ECONOMICAL 

WHITING  -ADAMS 

HOUSEHOLD  BRUSHES 

Guaimnteecl  to  live  long  and  please  aD  users. 

Send  for  IDiMlrtttad  litaratar* 

JOHN  L.WHITING-J.  J.  ADAMS  CO^  Bssiss,  ILS.iL 

BnMh  MMof  actiMra  for  Orwr  106  Ymts  Md  IIm  Lw«Ml  ia  the  Woiia 


Hand 
Forged 
Razor' 
Blades,  No.  S7 


Direct  at  Factory  Prices 

This  12  KNIFE  S8c  Postpaid 
■and  Forged  Baior  Stcd  ShidfT 

Handy  shaped  blade  makes  ihi» 
knife  Dest  for  mechanica,aporfen 
and  farmera:  light  but  ■trons:  re- 
sharpened  easily.  8ta«  handle^  0«t 
man  silTer  flniitht  blades  file  tested, 
hand  forged  from  rasor  steel  and 


SunU  96e.  Sfortt.40| 


0t,4Oiijjirii. 

FREE 

MAHER  &  GROSH  CCX.  IDS  A. SU Toledo.  Ohio 


Send  for  our  100  p^se  List  and 
"/'Oir  TO  USE  A  RAZOR*' 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS  ADVERTISING  SECTION 


131 


Cleartone  Phonographs 

$4.00  to  $200.00  Retail 

Our  Sundry  Dept.  offers  Needles  45c  per  thonasnd  in 
lotBof  500.00a  Motora  fl.35  to  «14.75  each.  Tone 
Arms  and  Reproducers  $1.30  to  S5.75  per  set.  Main 
SprinsK  20c  to  90o  each.  Records,  Needles.  Sap* 
fhire  Points  and  Parts  at  reasonable  prices. 
Writ*  for  our  84  pare  cataloKue.  Uie  onlr.one  of  Ite  kind  In 
Am«>Hc<«.  ilhiatntinff^  a{ff«rent  styles  of  lUkinff  Machlnos  and 
ovar  600  differant  Pbonofcraphic  Parta. 

LUCKY  13  PHONOGRAPH  COMPANY 
gjcport  P»»t.  4>M,  K.  12th  tr— t.  N,  Y.,  U.  S.  A, 


SMALL  ENGINES 


for  Farm  and  Shop  aaa.    FytoaKV.fiO  and  up.   Atoo  I 

WASHIHe  MACHINES 

We  efaip  on  triaL  Band  for  Booklet  and  %Mclal  Offer. 


STARTER  for  FORD  CARS 


Typewriter  Sensation 


Free 

UseasYi 

Only  $4 
a  montli 
untfl  the 
lowtotal 
price  of  I 
$53.15  < 
is  paid, 
and  the 
machine 

This  is  ab 
writer  off 
chine  whe 
own  one. 
chine  for 
before  hai 

Standard 
VUible 

Perfect  mac 
motion  keyb 
visible  at  all 
bon.  with  au 
inff  type  ban 
late  Btyle  fei 
CoMMS  to  y< 
ep«r«tinslK 
wthlwg  •% 

tlMOfftlltol 

hav*  a**!!  It. 

feot  latest  st 
price  and  ev 
tomers  had  1 
five  days*  frc 
ittoyouF.  C 
sell  itself,  b 
greatest  tjv 
my  expense. 
It— yoa  cani 

YouTa 
Order  1 

take  the  ma 
▼Inced  that  1 
and  send  me 
$58.16  is  pal 
press  agentfi 
me.  I  will  pc 
is^aranteec 
ard.  Overon 
typewriters  1 


There  is  no 
lectors  —  no 
that  I  retain 
paid.  You  c 
opportunity 


HARRY  *..„.-_ 


H.  A.  SMITH.  510.  218  N.  Wells  Street,  Chicago.  HL 

Shipmea  Na  10  Smith  Premier  F.O.B.ChicasojM described 
in  this  adTertiflement.  I  will  pay  you  the  «44. «)  balance  of 
ihe  apodal  $53.15  purcbai*  price,  at  the  rate  of  $4  00  per 
monthTThe  title  to  remain  in  you  until  fully  P«i<* '<>'•  ^J 
I.  understood  that  I  hare  five  days  in  which  to  examine  and 
try  the  typewriter.  If  I  choose  not  to  keep  it  I  will  care- 
fully  repack  it  and  return  it  to  the  express  agent.  It  Is  un- 
derstood that  you  give  the  standard  guarantee  for  one  year. 


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132  POPULAR  MECHANICS  ADVESTISING  SECTION 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS  ADVERTISING  SECTION 


133 


Two  Shots 
Fifty  Feet 


Exact  reproduction  of  bullets  after 
hitting  an  iron  target  at  range  of  fifty 
feet.    These  shots  were  from  the 

BENJAMIN 

AIR      RIFLE 

Tbe  Gun  That  Never  Loses  Shooting  Force 
Here  is  an  air  gun  designed  along  lines  that 
put  it  in  a  class  by  itself  for  accuracy,  effici- 
ency and  genuine  service.  The  Benjamin  is 
the  only  real  pump  gun  ever  invented.  It 
operates  on  a  pneumatic  principle  that  ^ves 
his  gun  a  shooting  range  of  extraordmary 
distance.  -  Will  last  for  years  and  still  retain  its  ong- 
ihal  shooting  force. 

Safe — Sure — Sattsfjang 

The  Benjamin  cannot  be  accidentally  dis- 
charged; only  acts  when  the  trigger  is 
pulled;     This    assures    absolute  safety. 
$3.75    Postpaid    in   U.  S.   and    Canada 

Sold    by    Dealers    Everywhere 

Your  Dealer  wfll  gladlT  ffire  you  a  demonstration  of  the  action  and 
renuKkabJertiootJnE  tone  of  this  jfun.  Write  now  for  folder 
givim  detailed  {nformation   on   this    most    wonderful  air    nlle. 

Mr  Rifle  &  Mfg.  Co.  Ir^  'louS.  TftS*. 


Stncf  for  a  Complete  Catatogue  o/ 

MASONIC  BOOKS 
Jewelry  and  Goods 

REDDING  A  CO. 

Publithera  and  Msnufaotaren 
Dcvt  P  200  Fifth  Ayenua,  New  York 


r^"^  Bdl  Telephone    highways   make 
^^a  y^u  ^^  ^^^  neighbor  o(   your 

^  farthest-away  fellow-citizen. 

American  Tclcphonc  Sk  Telegraph  Co. 

AND  ASSOCIATED  COMPANIES 
Onm^oHey  OnmSy^tmm  UnivTBal  Smrviem 


Over  100,000  in  Uss 

HocUr  mM  thrvayh  r««oaia«nd»tloii. 
Por  PEBSOSAL  DK8K  ar  8RMEIUI. 
OPKICK.  It  checks  menUI  calculations 
Buy   through   your   Statkmer.      Write 

fijOAifCnKB.,  A.A.M.  Co. 
14a  Dmr*  StrMt.  NCW  YORK 


AGENTS    WANTED 


Golden  Gem 

'  PORTABLE  ^ 

Adding  Machine  ^ 


'i^JL.L'lLUi.iih-, 


Please  Mention  PopuUfr 

digitize! 


i^r^^ogle 


184 


POPULAfi  HSCHAHICS  ADVBSTISIIRS  6BCTI09 


More  power,  per  ^^         ^•r.-w;,. 

gallon,  from  cheap  kerosene  than  from  high- 
priced  gasoline.    Easy  to  start  in  any  weather. 

OTTAWA  '^ 

Kerosene  Engines 

Save  big  money  on  price  and  half  on  fuel.    For  all  out- 
door and  indoor  work.    Thousands  in  use.    All 
and  styles  from  1 H  H-P  to  22  H-P.  Complete 
mounted  saw  rigs  or  saw  frames  separate, c 
suitable  for  mounting  on  your  own  trucks.  | 

lUlAk  Fp#P  ^'**3^  ^  anderaUmd— Explains  all 
wvn  ■  1  ^^  you  want  to  know  about  engine*.  < 


OTTAWA  MFG.  CO.»  ffM  iUng  St. 


^vwrnA^mrM. 


nscicm 

the  San 
Water  ( 

Holds  75  1 
Supplies 

Fifteen  and  oi 
latin^  coils  ol 
cork-jacketed 
sure  an  ice<co< 
drink  to  ever 

The  quality  of 
the  ice  is  im- 
material, as  it 
does  not  come 
into  contact 
i)(r  i  t  h  the 
water.  This 
construction 
reduces  the 
amount  of  ice 
and  water  re- 
quired to  a 
minimum. 

Send  for 

Oar 

Complete 

Catalogue 

showing  our  line  of  Wash  Bowls, 

Metal  Lockers.  All  Steel  Stools  and 

Chairs  with  Inset  Wood  Seats.  Stock 

and  Storage  Racks.  Metal  Shelving. 

Metal  Vault Fixtures.Improved  Soda  — 

Kettles.  40  and  60  gallons.  Water  Heaters  and  Instantaneous 

Mixers.  Bubbling  DnnkinK  Fountains,  Work  Benches  and  Bench 

Leg:8,    DrawinfiT   Stands,    full    line   o/    Plumbing    Fixtures,    etc. 

Manufacturing  Equipment  and  Engineering  Co. 
136  Federal  Street  Boston.  Mm..,  U.  S.  A. 


$259-'^ 

Comes  in  sections— Including  floor. 
You  can  put  it  togcdicr  with  a  wtCDth. 
Paine,  glass — evenrthing  included. 
Size,  if  feet  X  16  feet. 
Send  today  for  iiluatrated  booklet. 

Address.  Carefre  Cottage  Dept. 

B.  H.  A  5.  COMPAHY 

IBrie  R.  R.  &  Sycamore  St..BuflfaloXY. 


Smoke  A 


UNIVHRSAI^CF   PIPE 
Wm.  DEMUTH  a  CO.,  NEW  YOiK 


I 


i 


I  IN  YOUR 


Please  Mention  Popular  Mechanics 


ZSd»6*«    lueudL   TlUbUc   mtihu  t^uM^      HOME 
Ptano.  Ornaii.  Violin.  MaBdoUn,  Onltar.  Baafe.  cte. 

pWn.    Onljrjummmm  aboot  Se  par  dv  to  mw  eart  of  nniteja  aiid  »TT  oTiC 
Writ,  for  nuuTE^Iot  whidi  npuS^  ovorytiaaa  ia  ftJT^  ^^  ^* 

AMKRtCAN  SCNOOLOF.JIIIISIC  SO  Lj*mM« _  CMICAae 

Wear  AbsolutelyWaterproof  Steels 

post  leM  than  leather,  wear  8  to  6  tizncs 
longer,  are  lighter,  eaaiar.  atroiner.  Stop 
big  ahoe  bllla  Eliniinate  renalr  bills. 
>t  troablea.  Prerent  0(d<K  Bh«c. 
matiam,  Ooma.  Baaiomu  Seep 
feet  warm  and  dxj  la  aacpv.  raixL 
mod,  tluA.  Kwrer  «*»»"»gif  ^ape 
—  comfctttahle    al«apa       FKCK 


STEEL  SOLtu  SHOE  Co!.  Dept.  AS2RjMdBaw 

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POPULAR  MBCHAHICS  ADVBRTISniG  SECTION 


135 


J388  {SI!  "PRESTO-UP'W 

Bolt -Together  House 

The  WMider  Binldiiigt 
of  the  Age 


I 


GUARANTEED 


Purchased  after  most  rigid  inspection  by 
some  of  the  largest  Steel,  Coal  and  Industrial 
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not  experimenting.  "PRESTO-UP"  Bolt-Together 
Houses  are  patented,  manufactured  exclusively  by  us 
and  sold  at  money  saving  prices. 
Seven  different  types  of  walls  to  choose  from.  Wind 
and  weather  proof.  Invisible  joints  inside  and  out.  Ex- 
tremely simple  to  bolt  together.  Wonderful  strength. 
Better  construction  than  regularly  constructed  houses. 
Exceptionally  good  lumber.  Cement  coated  nails.  Fif- 
teen Year  Guaranteed  Slate  Coated  Roofing.  Well 
painted,  and  best  of  all,  neat  in  appearance  and  so  sim- 
ple to  bolt  together  that  it  is  a  pleasure  to  do  the  work. 


Stficf  for  CA  TALOC  FX-  7  TODA  Y 

Houses— Garmges— Bams— Out  Buildings,  etc 

Also  Harris  Fresh  Air  Canvas  Houses 

HARRIS  BROTHERS  CO.,  Chicago 


AII_Wpisted  Serge  Pants 


) 


5 


Weighing      | 

3/4      :   ' 

CARAT 


AMAZING   VALUE! 


Starting  with  this  diamond  sohtaire 

weighing  ^  carat  for  $35.00  we  are  offering 
the  lan^est  and  strongest  list  of  diamonds 
ever  of^red  in  the  country.  This  special  is 
but  one  of  the  many  thousands  of  equally 
remarkable  values  described  in  our  280-page 
catalog— sent  free  on  request.  When  you  buy 
diamonds  from  a  retail  jeweler  you  pay  three 
unnecessary  profits  and  this  is  absolutely 
eliminated  when  you  buy  from  us. 


Diamond  Importers  and  Cutters! 


I.  Press  &  Sons  have  startled  the  diamond 
world  by  importino:  diamonds  in  the  rouf^h, 
cutting  them  on  their  premises  and  selhng 
direct  to  the  public  at  diamond  cutter's  prices. 
WE  GIVE  THE  BIGGEST  DIAMOND 
VALUES  IN  THE  COUNTRY. 


MONEV      BACK     IN     FULL 
ANY  TIME  WITHIN  ONE  YEAR 


To  protect  your  investinent  in  any  diamond  you  buy 
from  us,  we  ffive  you  an  Ironclad  Lesral  Money  Baclc  Guar- 
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iTuarantee  srives  you  the  riffht  to  return  the  diamond  at 
any  tame  within  one  year  tor  foil  cash  refund,  or  you  can 
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any  exchange.  We  also  state  exact  carat  weight  and  value. 

280-PAGE 
1919   CATALOG    _^ 

The  most  complete  and  wonderful  diamond,  watch  and 
jewehry  book  ever  issued.  Contains  280  pages  brimful  of 
the  binrest  values  ever  offered.  Gives  valuable  facts  on 
diamonds  that  will  enable  yon  to  buy  as  safely  as  any 
expert.  Quotes  lowest  wholesale  prices  on  watches  and 
jewelry.  A  copy  of  this  valuable  book  will  be  mailed  to 
you    FREE    upon  receipt  of  your   name   and    address. 


FREE 


801 -K  I.  MKair*  aoMt  BLoai  "V*^^ 


801 -K    I. 

.PHILADELPHIA,  U.  S. 

digitized  by 


Google 


•J 


136 


POPULAR  XBCHANICS  APVBRTISIIIG  SECTIOM 


OEEN 


AUTOMATIC 


AY  MADE 
WITH 


ADD  TO  YOUR  INCOME  $5^$iS 

New  Improved  Green  Aufomatte  Machine 

Rhmrpens.  Honen  and  Strops  all  kinds  of  safety  raaor  bladaa,  ia  oae  opecatlon,  tnm  foor 
to  six  bladM  per  minnte.  For  both  Qoalitjr  and  Qnaatitf.  this  machive  ia  In  a  claaa  bj 
Itiwlf.  There  is  nothiDR  like  it  on  the  market.  Let  ns  send  jou  oar  free  booklet  «q»lainlBC 
ererythins.  inolodinc  the  "AMUHCAN"  Kay  Cvtter^oata  ■Qoaia,  aacular  or  ioah4  alota 
AHUKAN  8BAirain€  HACUNE  CO.  (Im.).  lept  C  IM  W.  Wrtimii  9U 

Pleaee  MentUm  Poputar  M9okanio$ 


Digitized  by 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS  ADYBRTISIlfG  SECTION 


137 


CRESCENT 

WOOD    WORKING 

MACHINERY 

■atisfieB  wood  workinsr  machinery  oper- 
ators who  know  the  best  and  who  expect 
their  machines  to  be  strictly  hi^h 
srrade.  Ask  today  for  our  free 
catslos  of  band  sawa.  jointers,  saw  tables, 
planers,  planers  and  matchers,  disk  grind- 
ers, swing  saws,  post  borers,  nhapers.  variety 
wood  worlcera,  hollow  chisel  mortiser.  uni- 
refsal  wood  workers,  table  cut  off  saws. 

THE  CRESCENT  MACHINE  CO. 
93  Columbia  St  Leatonia.  Ohio 


Please  Mention 


'!^sf^idS^'@©t>gle 


138 


POPULAR  MECHANICS  ADVERTISING  SECTION 


3  out  of  4 

An  army  officer  in  the  Motor 
Truck  Division  said,  '*75%  of 
our  repairs  can  be  made  with 
one  tool — a  pair  of 

FeO.U.S.FVST.  OFF. 

""Thin  Nose'^PKers 

No.  1024 

These  thin-nose,  slip-joint 
pliers  are  the  one  indispensable 
tool  for  automobiles,  tractors, 
and  farm  machinery.  They  get 
into  close  corners  and  hold;  are 
adjustable  to  grasp  anything  from 
a  fine  wire  to  a  good-sized  nut  or 
pipe ;  have  screw-driver  end  and 
wire  cutters. 

No.  1024  is  just  one  of  the  many 
styles  of  **Red  Devil"  Pliers— ask 
your  hardware  dealer  to  show  you 
the  kinds  best  adapted  t-o  your  use. 

Smith  &  Hemenway  Co.,  Inc. 

260  Broadway,  New  York,  N.  Y. 

Factories :    Inrington,  N.  J. 

"R«d  Daril"  is  the  Expert  Mechanic's  snide  to 
Known  QnaUty  in  Pliers,  Electricians'  Took,  Hock 
Sow  Frames  end  Blades,  Auger  Bits,  Choin  Drills, 
and  other  Hand  Tools,  all  of  a  class  with  "Red 
DoTil "  Glass  Cotters,  the  bissest  sellers  in  the  world. 


Atdomobiliii's  kauds  afUr  stopping  tprimg  s^neoAs  hy 
usimg  a  Mprimg  spreadtr  and  it^ecting  grmpldU  mmd  oil. 

—there's  a  better  and 
cleaner  way  novr 

No  need  to  jack  up  car,  to  loosen  cfips^  to 

force  leaves  apart  or  to  dirty  hands. 

Simply  buy  a  Handy  Oil  Can  full  of  3-m-One 

(25c  at  all  stores)  and  squirt  oil  along  edges  of 

leaves  and  on  ends  of  spring. 

That's  all — for  3-in-One  is  Uie  roost  penetiating 

oil  in  the  world  and   works  its  own   way  to 

every  friction  point. 

Oil  your  sprinp  with   3-in-One  once  a  week. 

Your  car  will   ride   easier  if  you    dos    your 

springs  won't  squeak,  and  the  chances  of  spring 

breakage  will  be  reduced  85%. 

S-in^ne  slso  keeps  msfnetos  in  perfect  condi- 
tion, makes  Fords  crank  easier  and  keeps  cbe 
body  of  your  car  brirb*  and  shiny.  For  ana- 
eraos  other  mocoritfa*  nses  ace  apedal 

Automobile  Circular 

which  we  will  aend  free,  tofether  widi   a 
B  of  3-in-One.    Write  now. 


ThreMa-One  Oil  romp— y 
165  CNM.  BroiulwaT.  N«w  York 


DISSTON  SAWS 

''The  Scnvs  Most  CcarpentenUse'* 

HENRY  DISSTON  &  SONS,  INC 

PHILADELPHIA.  PA.    Canauliaii  Works:  Torarto.  Cn. 


Protect  Yov  TfMk  in  a  UNION  TmI  Ckst 

Ksep  them  ssfe  from  knooks,  banss.  mst  Hsto  emob.  one  la  its 
place;  save  time  and  lossn.  600  meobknios  in  oba  shop  of  B«tb- 
Ishem  Steel  Oa  nseUNION  Tool  Cthests;  strongesC  moefcoomirBnient. 
most  sttFBotiTek  19  styles  and  sisea.  GUABAi^TEED  sstiafnctory 
or  money  refunded.  WriU  far  •atalac,  nrl—a,  — d  — n  at  ■  ■■ruat  d^lT. 
UNION  TOOL  CNIST  CO.,  Im^  22  MM  StoMt,  ■srfcssf,  N.T. 


GOODELL- 
PRATT 


I1500  GOOD  TOOLS] 


Please  Mention  Popular  Mechanio$ 


POPULAR  MECHANICS  ADVERTISING  SECTION 


139 


/AANNING 


QUALITY  ABRASIVES  that 
are  entering  American  factories 
everywlie'-e.  Write  for  book- 
let telling  many  curions  fact» 
about  them.  Mumini  Ab- 
raaive  Co.,  Inc..  Troy,  N.  Y- 


^^Ifflterlo: 


N«r*  Is  Mm  Kiiact 


•end  his  name  and  ^^^^Ur<-^      role  for «     - ' 

200  per  foot  ( anj  lenctb.  2to  " 

8  It.),  and  we'll  send  rale  prepaid. 
MASTER  RULE  MFG.  CO.,  INCw  ^ 

<ForwHy  OaM IMIi.  Co.)  841-43 B.  13«tfl  St«  Nm VofkCHy 
^^^—  UberBJ  Propositioa  for  Dealers  and  AsenU 


BIG   CHANCE  FOR  AGENTS 


1H  i    ''^llivn  W^ 


,,.      ..       You  cam  earn  BIG  MONEY 

Kniv°*5  anH^R"-*™™^®*?  line  of  guaranteed  trnni.T>«rent  handle 
iriSo  Sll  nn«^"?^i7****   S^^!^    N«™«  o"<J    ^^ft»   Emblem- 

Comity  Agents  Wanted 

rOR  OUR  UNI  OP 

Electric  Farm  Ligiitiiig  Plants 

Good  raoDey.makfna  propoeltioa.  liberal 

commtaaioo .  tSOO  reqaired.  Write  for  tern*. 

We  elw>  sell  i 


"••••^.T"***' •Nrtlflef..  etB-Cetekw  free. 

Watson  Clkctric  Company 

D«P«-  20         122  Mieli%M  Avo. 


I 


Digitized  by 


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140 


POPULAR  MECHAMICa  ABVSRII8I1IO  SECTKNI 


^\CT1715        BULLrDOG 
^^i3I£«lv    DIE  STOCKS 


ham 
Buil 

iwfc/- 


02 


r Va* 


A  Pipe  Threading  Outfit 
in  One  Tool 

Each  Bull-Dog  threads  from  4  to  8  sizes  of 
pipe.  And  each  embraces  the  5  big  Oster 
features  which  take  all  the  hard  work  and 
bother  out  of  hand  pipe  threading.  (1)  self- 
loddngdies»  (2)  self-centering  guides,  (3)  Dies 
open  after  cut,  no  ''imwinding."  (4)  No  loose 
bushings.     (5)   No  small  In-eakable  parts. 

THE  OSTER  MFG.  CO. 

2100  E.61«t  Street  QevelMMi.  OUo,  U.  S.  A. 
nm  coupqw  wmw  cow^Lgn  catjiuwi 

Send  caudog  of  47  hand  and  power  threading  tools. 

Name. 

Addi98$ 

Ofy 

State 


Writ*  for  Sales  Propeeltion 
SKAT  CO.,  Hartford,  r 


Tliere  is  a  Fortone 
in  DrOHiig  Wens 

Men  with  noDrevious  drilliii 
wfitans  tbey  dear  9916  to  flN 
Armatronc  l>rUl«~r  " 
€ll  w«lla.   urfltera  efd.. 
Mfadttt^OTden!  If  sac 

walaar  Ufa  — ara  graMag  <- 

ehanet  tojgst  lata  tUa  big  paylag  1 

Amisbmig  HadiiMs 

drin  more  hole  at  leM  coat  than  any  ma- 
ddaam  tlM  marliat.  The  ABrniBOMG-lMdlt 
lor  iy;ijg>  sinea  mr^-fomishad  to  tradtfoa  ar 
aan^tfaatioB.  atsria  ^^  api 
apadal  fcwBiMi  drMiag- 


The  AroMtroog  Drill  is  a  manpel  of 

8im»IScity.aflldaiiqr  and  daraldlitj.S  riglit  hand 
levaia  maaiiMlw  imij  ** 


jafariwii><t.parday,OBlWJdtsatBlthaa 

ootfqryoQfSslf.  Gat  fall  lafaCTiatioa.  JSpadai 
I  coosiosfatioii  ta  bmu  ratanuag  r 
Paa'tpaasbythisat 
Write  ngnt  bow  fsr  1 


514  ChCTtPot St.       WATERIX>0;jA. 

«V  mr  T^r^^^  W^     ^ectrical.     rope.    airpUne. 

IS/ 1  111/  ^^  &:^^t^^t 

MfMl    ■  m^  d       MdUk  barbed-wm^  oonci^-u- 

■■■I     ■  H^^    ■    .     re  -  inf orccment,  aprinr^. 

W  W     H^  H  m.lJ     »«ttins,  wire  ienoea.  st<f«l 

W    W    dHhah  wA^Kdi     posts,  trcrfley-road  wires  «z«J 

rail  bonds,  wire  wheels,  auto-  towing  caUea,  * 


American  Steel  &  Wire  Ca. 


RcwTtct 


BarHett 


DROP-rORGBD 


Made  for  hardest  serrioe.  Highly  tonperad 

bis  steel,  drop  forsed.  Gate  keen.  Holds  the  edge 

Mw  by  dMMa_^  aenc  pestpaia  B  UBitaa 


Siii|is'2.Mfa*5.5l 


»i 


J.  C  NaadNaa  *  Cab,  lipl.E.TM»M..  Mm.  1.3.1. 
Please  Mention  Popular  Mechanics 


PARTLETT  l^FC  CO..  «0  E.  Leiaretta  Ai>^  P^^oit.  Mich. 


Un-t 


^.Sd»^^^^?i?H^ 


kl^RFr*  0 


1 


I 

8 

t 


mPULAR  MBCHAaiCS  ADVERTISING  SECTION 


141 


f 


SNDforCATAL0GP2r  ' 

It  will  be  pocket  size.  8x4  V&  and  wiU 
contain  248  padres  with  over  1,100  illus- 
trations, describing  in  plain,  clear  Ian- 
Kage  all  about  Bells,  Push  Buttons, 
tteries.  Telephone  and  Telegraph 
Material,  Electric  Toys,  Burglar  and  / 
Fire  Alarm  Contrivances,  Electric  /i 
Call  Bells,  Electric  Alarm  Qocks,  // 
Medical  Batteries,  Motor  Boat  // 
Horns,  Electrically  Heated  Appar-    /A  w 

.  atus.BatteryConnectors,Switcne8,   ^  A 

Battery  Gauges,   Wireless  Tele-    ^  A 

graph  Instruments,  Ignition  Supplies,  et  =1 

Send  for  a  copy  now,  ^1 

Manhattn  Electrieal  Svpply  CMipany,  Inc. 

N«w  VmIw  17  FaHc  Mm*  St.ldOMls,  ltO«  PlMftt. 

,tS4So.W«ltoSt.    %mm  P^Mid— ,  •04  Ml— low  St. 


doUar  purchase.  Great  cost  of  catalog  and  low  prices  prohibit  distribution 
Otherwise.  Catalog  contains  160  pages  of  wirelAs  apparatus  and  140  pagei 
of  electrical  supplies.  No  bigflrer  or  better  values  are  obtainable  elsewhere. 
TMK  WUXUMW  m,  DUCK  CO.,  22»-m  %m^  Ifcwt.  TOLKDO,  OHIO 

Do  Youp  PBINTINO 

OaroB,  circumrsi,  labels,  tags,  book,  menas,  paper. 
PreMie.  Larger  S20.  Job  Prem  SRi.  up.  Save  money. 
Print  for  otherR.  BTG  PKOFIT8.  All  eany.  rules 
seat.  Write  factorj  TODAY  forpresB  catalog.  TYPE, 
cards,  paper.  TH«  PW«S»  OO,  P^7.  i>KWiD«W,  COWii. 

^^vJlHilN   1  O     PROFIT 

Gold  and  Sflver  Sign  Letters 

For  store  fronts,  office  windows  and  glass  signs 
of  all  kinds.  No  experience  necessary.  Anyone 
can  put  them  on  and  make  money  right  from 

$3a00  to  $100.00  a  Week ! 

Yon  can  sell  to  nearby  trade  or  travel  all  over 
the  country.  There  is  a  big  demand  for  window 
lettering  in  every  town.  Send  for  Free  Samplw 
•nd  fnll  parttealars. 

lilberal  Offer  to  Ctoneral  Asents 
LEITER  GO^  4SSB  N.  r- -" 


PUa^e  Mention^^f^^fUechanioM 


142 


POPITLAR  MECHANICS  ADVERTISING  SECTION 


SAVE  YOUR  BODY 

Conserve  Your  Health  and  Efficiency  Flrsl 

'^I  Would  Not  Part  with  it  for  $10,0C 

So  writes  an  enthusiastic,  grateful  customer.  ''W 
more  than  a  farm,"  says  another.  In  like  ma 
testify  over  100,000  people  who  have  worn  it. 

The  Natural 

Body  Bra< 

Overcomes  WEAKNESS  and  ORGANIC 
AILMENTS  of  WOMEN  AND  MEN. 
Develops  erect,  graceful  figure. 

Brings  restful  relief,  comfort,  ability  to' 
o  things,  health  and  strength. 

WearltSODaysFreeatOnrEipense 

Does  away  with  the  strain  and  pain  of  standing  and  walk* 


chest  iind  bust;  relieves  backache,  curvatures,  nervou! 
ruptures,  constipation.    Comfortable  and  easy  to  wes 

Keep  Yourself  Fit  SSSeJ1fe«u"??! 

blank,  etc.,  and  read  our  very  liberal  proposition. 

HOWARD  C.  RASH,  Pres.  Nateal  Mj  ban 

223  Rath  BuiMinc  SAUNA,  KAN 


Aiifomatic  Fibro  Limiis^vt::^^^ 

A15J5XTS  WANTKD  who  om  Artifiolal  Leg.     GOOD  PAY. 


How  to  Oct  Rid  of  Moles 


m 


A  simple,  safe  home  treatment— 

15  years'  success  in  my  practice. 

Moles  (and  other  growths)  Dry  Up. 

A9k  for  Frmm  BooklH  of  Full  Particular; 

WM.  DAVIS,  M,D. 

4141  Stote  Street       PERTH  AMBOY.  N.  J. 


GET  WELL— BE  YOUNG— GROW  TALL 


Closet 


HLL 


Absolute  ty 
ODORLESS 

Put  It  Anywhere  In  the  House 

The  eerms  are  killed  by  a  chemical  process  in 
W;itcr  in  the  container,  r.hU\i  you  empty  once  a 
month.  Absolutely  no  o<!or.  No  more  trouble 
to  empty  than  clishwAter.  Clos«t  absolutely 
SUarantosd.  Write  for  full  tescription  and  price. 
J'-linimates  the  out-door  toilet,  open  vault  and 
cr<^spooi.  Tliey  are  breeding  places  for  germs. 
Have  a  warm,  sanitary.  o<lorIrss  toilet  right  in  your 

house.  No  Boingoutincoldweather.  Aboon 

to  invali.ls.     Em!or««il    c::fB  EtardicfHetllh. 

^  W  M.  IJaviii  writes :  '"Vour  Indoor  cloret  ia 
Bivlne  abw.lule  B«tiBfaotion.  It  in  cerlairly 
the  lhin»  for  n  home   without  aewcravc" 

More  Comfortabli,  Htalthf  ul  and 
CtnvMicirt  than  llw  Ont-Dsir  Tairtt 
AGENTS— DEALERS 

WANTED-ALL  COUNTRIES 

A  wonderful  opportunity  for  wide-awaka 
men.  CockI  margin  of  profit.  Write  tor 
special  proposition. 

ROWK  SANITARY  aiFQ.  CO. 
iMof  ROWK  nLOo.        Drrnorr.  micm. 

Ask  aboat  th«  Ro-Swi  Waahatand  - 

Hot  and  Cold  J^ninv  Water 

Without  PlamblBg 


phyaleiaaa^fajli 

UMrtm  diaMwaa  arising  fk«m  eonsMtlon  of  b 

and  Ugaments.  depleted  cartilagas,  imp<u«»_  _  

gSTiJiU'gS:  TBE  PAHwcnunMt  CO.  1514  tnmix  K  aEmia,  c 
DEAFNESS  IS  MISERY 

I  know  because  I  was  Deaf  and  bad  Head  Noises  for 
over  30  years.  My  invisible  Antiseptic  Ear  Drums  re- 
stored  my  hearing  and  stopped  Head  Noises,  and  wfll 
tfS^r|doitforyou.  They  are  Tiny  Megaphones.  Cannot  be 
^'^•ifseen  when  worn.  Effective  when  Deafness  is  caised 
'  by  Catarrh  or  by  Perforated,  Partially  or  Wholly  Des- 
troyed Natural  Drums.  £s8.v  to  put  in, eaajr  to  take  out.  Are 
**Unseen  comforts."  InezponsiTe.  Writ©  for  Booklet  sod 
my  ewom  sta te maat  of  how  I  recorered  mjr  hearing. 

A.  O.  LEONARD.  Suite  226,  70  6th  AveBiie,  New  Yotk  Gty 


Don't  Wear 
a  Truss 

Brooks'    Appliance,    the 

modem  scientific  invention*  the 
wonderful  new  discovery  that 
relieves  rupture,  will  be  sent  on 
trial    No  obnoxioiis  springs  or 


ML&S.I 


Brooks*  Rupture  Appliance 

Has  automatic  Air  Cushions.  Binds  and  draws 
the  broken  parts  together  as  you  would  a  broken 
limb.  No  salves.  No  lies.  Durable,  cheapw  Sent 
on  trial  to  prove  it.  Protected  by  U.  S.  patents. 
Catalog  and  measure  blanks  mailed  free.  Send 
name  and  address  today. 
nOOKS  AmJARCB  CO..  126X  State  SL.  1 


POPULAS  jmCHiAnCS  ABTSKXISISO  SBCTSOH 


143 


I  ( 


will  free  you  of  tax  on  your  health  and  efficiency  that  pain  causes.  The  pain  of  head- 
adie,  neuralgia,  indigestion,  and  colds,  should  be  stopped  at  once,  the  Doctors  will 
tell  you,  because  pain  is  a  shock  to  the  nervous  system  that  menaces  health.  It  taxes 
your  endurance  and  causes  dangerous  over-fatigue.  You  should  stop  it  at  once. 
Take  wholesome,  pleasant  Orangeine,  a  physician's  prescription  that  has  been  help- 
ing millions  to  efficient,  good  health  by  relieving  their  pain  for  twenty-five  years. 

The  Physician's  Prescription  Is  On  Every  Package 

so  you  may  "know  what  you're  taking."  No  opiates.  Insist  on  Orangeine. 
At  druggists  anywhere  for  convenience — and  in  homes  everywhere  for  emer- 
gency.   Keep  it  on  hand  at  all  times  for  quick  relief.   Tablet  or  powder  form.- 

Prices  Per  Package 
Powders,  10c— 2Sc         Tablets,  lSc—2Sc 

ORANGEINE  CHEMICAL  COMPANY,  CHICAGO 

(4) 


PleoM  Mention  Popular  Meohanim 


Digitized  by 


Google 


144 


POPULAfi  MECHANICS  ADVERTISING  SECTION 


STOP  USIN6  ATniSS 


Do  Amy  With  StMl  And 


WRITE  TODAY  for 

OUR  168-PAGB 
FREE  BOOK  on 

And  learn  how  Perfect  Hearing  i«  now  beinir  rMtored  ia 
every  condition  of   deafness    or  defective   hearinfr.     Our 
Little  WtreUaa  Phones  for  the  Bare'*  require  no  r-"-^ 


but  effectively  replace  what  is  lacking  or  deffvtire  in  th«  natnn 
ear  dmma.    Ther  are  simple  devices,  which  the  wearer  eaailT  fita 
into  the  ears,  where  they  are  in  visible^   Soft,  safe  and  ooxnfoirtable. 

WIUSON  EAR   DRUM   CO^  Incorporated 

949  IntefwSoothera  BIdg.       Ijnin.^vnig^  ifV 


Digitized  by 


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PdPULAR  MXCHAinCS  AJfTSKOSmO  SBCTim  145 


Please  Uentiftn  Populor  Mtchanics  t"^  r^  r^  r^} /^ 

Digitized  by  VjOOv  IC 


146 


POPULAR  MSCHANICS  ADVSSTISDfG  SBCTION 


Ax^  You  Fit  or  Fat? 

Lose  your  fat  without  losing 
your  health  and  feel  good 
while  doing  it,  by  wearing 

Professor  Charles  Munter's 


NUUFE  ABDO-VIBRO  BELT 

COMPELS  DEEP  BREATHING 

Fmmh  likm  rubber,  9Upport9  likm  a 

bandagm,  do—  twt  Mdn  up  or  down 

Reduces  the  alxlomen         StnugktMis  roimcl  diooklen 

F.TiMimIs  Um  chest  Supports  the  beck  and  apbkm 

Develops  the  hugs  Improres  the  circuUtioa 

Makes  yoa  staad,  sit,  walk  and  grow  erect 

NUUFE  ^ves  an  Internal   maasase  with 

nature's  tonic— fresh  air 

Send  ns  SS*00  today  with  yoar  height,  weight  and  waist  meas- 
urement token  orer  your  undergarments,  with  your  abdomen 
drawn  in  and  state  sex;  we  will  send  you  our  NUUFC  ABOO- 
VlWtO  BBLT  by  parcel  post  prepaid  andgiMranteelt  to  de  all 
we  etahn  of  tt  er  ye«r  money  will  ko  eheerf eNy  refiindocl. 

Address  DspL  60,  NUUFE  COMPANY 
122-124  Fifth  Ave.  New  York.  N.  Y. 

Write  for  booklet  **The  B&neflts  of  Deep 
Breathing.**  Sent  free  upon  request 
■Im  ■  CTCiy  otfi  IS  epcncBM 


Agents:  $50  a  Week 

No«Bang  Poor  Cheek 


For  screen  doors,  storm  doors,  office  doors.  A  proepect  for 
one  or  more  in  erery  home,  store,  grocery,  bakery  or  office.  Stops 
the  beag  and  saree  the  door. 

KEEPS   FUES  OUT  OF  THE  HOUSE 

A  splendid  seller.  Easy  sales,  low  priced.  Bis  demand.  Any  one 
eon  put  it  un.  Russell  sold  90  in  2  daya  Gore  sold  123  in  one  week. 
Tetter  sold  72  in  less  than  three  daya  Mitchell  writes:  I  think  I 
can  sell  600  in  this  town.  Don't  miss  this  big  chance.  Get  started  at 
once.  Dosen  can  be  carried.  Write  for  free  demonstrating  sampla 
THOMAS  MFG.  CO..  8S48  Gay  St..  DATTON    OHIO 


*'BOW  LEGS  and  KNOCK- 
KNEES''  UNSIGHTLY 

•CND  rOS  BOOKLgT  gHOWIfM    PNOTOt    OT  MIN 
WITH  AND  WITHOUT  THK  PERFECT  LEO  FOMNO 

PERFECT  SAUES  CO. 
140  N.  MavTield  Ato..  DcpL  S^  Chicago.  HL 


IJimOXiX^^ 


ON 
CREDIT 


Send  No  Hooey  .U?edTor°?n'- 

spection.  charges  prepaid.    Examine  care- 


fully —  il  satisfied  pay  1/5  and  keep  it  —  balance  10^  monthly.  If  unsatisfactonr,  refwo, 
our  expense.  DON'T  PAY  A  CENT  unless  you'  re  sure  Lyon  Diamonds  are  SUPERIOR 
VALUE.  Every  Diamond  STuaranteed.  Exchangreable  at  YEARLY  INCREASE  la 
VALUE  otS%.  Send  TODAY  for  FREE  Catalog  No.  3A.  10«i  DiKOORt «  •!!  Ca*  fiwll — 
J.  M.   I.TON  *  CO..  1  Maiden  I.ane.  NKW  TOBK 

Please  Mention  Popular  MecTianioM 


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FOFULAR  MSCHAmCS  ADmXStXISmG  8SCII0H 


147 


TABLETS 


FOR 


AU 
Pain 


Headaches 

Neiiral^s 

Colds  and  La  Grippe 

Women's  Aches  and  His 
Rheomatic  and   Sciatic  Pains 

Aak  Your  Dmggist  for  A'K  TaUds 
(S  ka  CBoaot  sqiply  yon,  write  m) 


Small  Sixe 

lOc 


Doxen  Size 

25c 


See  Monogram  ^jC  on  the  Genuine 
WrUe  (For  Free  Scmplee 


Wrestling  Book  FREE 


Buchstein's  Fibre  Limb 

is  flooihing  to  jour  Bkain|>-ttrons.  coo). 

neat,  light.  Kmv  p«7ment& 

Braoes  for  all  deiormiiiet. 

D.  BUCHSTKIN  CO. 

nsiHist.s. 


PI««e  Mefitim^^^^g^^Mechanic^sle 


6'^ 


148 


POPULAR  MECHANICS  ADVERTISING  SECTION 


( 

i 

H  B 

le-Battery 

Charsmg 

Set 


CHARGING  AUTO  BATTERIES 

Wm  Pay  $150  to  $250  CUar  Profit  Every  Month 

All  jrou  need  is  HB  Equipment.    The  busineaii  Is  waiting 
for  yon  —  lisht  now.    More  cars  are  beinff  liriren  than 
ever  before,  with  hatterieii  to  recharge,  and  all  new  Forda 
storage  battery.    8tart  NOW  to  get 


aro  eauipped   with  atorai 
these  big.  steady  protlta. 


This  H-B  1  e-Battery  Charger  Can  Be  the 
Big— 1  Money -Maker  In  Your  Garage 

Recharges  1  to  16  G-rolt  batteries  or  oquiralent  in  12-  or 
24-volt  batteries  at  once.  Current  cost  12  to  15o  each. 
Garner  pays  75o  to  il.50.  Figun*  thneo  profits.  Oompare 
tham  witfi  other  brftnch«a  of  yoar  buainoas!  HB  CharK^rs  last  for  joam 
—  stordr,  •conomical,  dwpf'iMiable.  Pineot  nwtcriaU  aad  construction. 
Lona  aorvlco  with  9*k*ick,  eUan,  pmrmum*iU  prvjita. 


$57 


Puts   This   Money-Maker  in  Your 
Garage  on  Money-Back  Guarantee 


Bnlaneo  In  10  monthly  parmonts  of  |2S 
chine.    No  electrical  knowledae  neceaaar 


each.  Bvninas  pay  i 
y  to  tnatall  or  operate, 
pl^te  with  2  ebarvina 


a^sr'N? 


electrical  know(ed«e  i 

2  or  S  phase  city  rarrent.    FamtBhed  c — ^ _..^  , 

capable  of  ebara(n«  1  to  8  batteries  each.  No  bnrn-oota  or  expensive 
renews  Is.  Nothinc  to  wear  oat  or  break.  Sold  on  HB  Absohite  Moaey- 
Bacfc  Goarnntee,  Order  now  —  yoa  ran  no  ridt.  Pu  yoor  $67  chock  is 
this  ad  andmidl  «a4ar  for  trial  order. 

Hobart  Brothers  Company,  Bti  M€,  Troy,  Ohki 
SueemmBful  Manufaeturmrm  Since  1893 


AGENTS 


WANTED 


Everywhere  to  sell  High-Grade  5800-Mile 
Tires  direct  from  factory.      New  stock. 

(No  McondB.)     All  tises.     Delivered  FREE  on  ap- 
provsl.     ACT  AS  AGENT -GET  YOUR  OWN 

TIRES  FOR  Vi  LESS 

Represent  ut  in  your  locality.    Be  quick  —  write 
^^^y     today  —  srive  size  of  tires. 


Send  for  Catalog 

„.    ,     Westfi^lTMfg.  Co. 

Bicycles  pept.  is.  westfield.  mass. 


Short  One  Point— Iffld  die 
Other  Keeps  on  Firing! 

Ordinary  troubles  don't  stop  the  Twii^  Fire  plug 
because  it  has  two  distinct  sparks — eacl^operating 
entirely  independent  of  tne  other,  just  as  if 
you  had  two  separate  plugs  in  each  cylinder. 

TttiN  VIRE 

Means  Two  Dbtinct  Sparks! 


tached.  aiaiplB  tooparate.ncTvr 
needs  aajostmant.  aaaraat**' 
81iicletoiie$4.2S.    Otfaiie  W. 


laeU  ■aaatesiarlar  Os^  SS8S-SS  OMtaga  firars 


si 

rare  A?<s  OMsaB*    ^J 


Easy  Way  to  Make  Money 


Don't  bo  content  to  plod  along  on  a  small  salary.  Bo  indopendont. 

^  Go  in  the  tire  repairing  business  and  make  $60  or  more  a  week.  One  man  made 
$45  the  first  day  he  received  his  outfit  Others  aro  making  %2S  a  day  and 
hundreds  of  wide-awake  men  are  making  9200  to  $SOO  a  month. 

No  experience  needed.  We  teach  you  how.  Very  little  capital  required.  But  slifirht  risk,  as 
ery  car  owner  in  your  town  ia  a  poaaible  customer.  Jobs  are  ploitifiil  because  tires  blow 
t  and  puncture  every  day. 


Ii2ic;a  TireRepair0utflt,$70 

"  ^^  ^^^"^^  will  da  as  mueh  and  as  parfaot  work  aa  tha  bHi  S260  ta  S600 


'vuloanlxlng  outffHa.     A  boy  can  vulcanize  perfectly  with  this 
I  simple  nmchine.    It's  the  only  vulcanizer  that  has  Autamatlo  Hoat  Central.    It  most  vulcanize 
just  riflrht.    It  can't  undercure  or  overcureatire.     Requires  no  watching  or  reffulatincr.    You  can 
learn  to  do  expert  Ure  vulcanizing  in  half  an  hour  with  the  Shaler. 

IMi  RtTP      Ff%D      POFP      0/>/>if     ''NOW  TO  OPCN  ATIRK  RCFAHI  aHOr** 

WW  &%a   a   K,       r  %^  K%       rffmCC       OVVfl      and  complete  Cataloc  which  glTes  full  iaionrfuio^ 

WRITE  QmOK  BEFOBE  SOME  HUSTLER  GETS  AHEAD  OF  YOU. 

C.  A.  SHALER  CO.,  2008  Fourth   Street,  WAUpUN-  WIS. 

Digitized  by  LjOOQIC 


POPULAR  1IBCHANIC3  ADVERTISING  SECTION  149 


DigitTzed  byVJiOOQlC 


150 


POPULAR  MECHAHICS  ADVERTISING  SHBCTIOH 


|Cbmfor6)ble-Gbnyenien(r 


^  Goodbye  to  stuffy  rooniB  At  hold-up 
rates.  Stop  when  and  where  sroa 
please,  yet  sleep  as  comfortably  as  at  home, 
with  a  StoU  Aato  Bed.  It  fdlds  up  on  the 
runniniT  board  into  a  bundle  6%  x  8  x  47 
inches,  with  beddinir  complete.  Does  not 
block  doors.    Notfainff  to  erowd 


Camp  Comfort  Supreme 

Simple,  compact;  practical  and  mechan- 
ically perfect.  Includes  Sprlnfir-Mattrees- 
Bed  larsre  enough  for  two— tent  of  army 
shelter-duck,  yentilated  with  screen  win- 
dows. Lasts  for  yeara.  Quickly  pays  for 
itself  in  hotd  bills  sared.  Write  /or  iUus- 
trated  booklet  and  prities. 

EstablUJud  Dealers:  S2y£*?;SSSiS 

The  StoU  MftfcCa 

3233JtMiiu(SC  l>£v»rColos 


Pteate  Umtion  Popular  Meohantet 


The  Opportunity 
is  Tremendous 

Hundreds  of  thousands   of    new 
automobiles  being  sold  ev&ry  year. 

Open  a  Tire  Repairing  Shop 

Most  profitable  business  on  earth  re- 
quiring such  small  investment.  In  a 

snort  time  you  build  up  an  enormous  business. 

Vanderpool  Vulcanizer 

npsfas  tires  ex- 
actly as  made 
at  the  factory. 
CaiMgityofSlW 

WQltll  o€  ^TOfk 

a  day.  Vander- 
pooiyulcaeaer 
baa  impcoved 
features  not 
possessed  by 
anyother.Write 
t       atODoeforn«e 

'  ■    —  t^S"-* 

In  answering  eddnss  D^L  B9* 

WILLIAM  VANDERPOOL  CO. 

SPRINGFIELD,  OHIO 


I 


\ 


The  Liberty  Plane  Radiator 

The  most  popular  Radiator  Omsmeot  ever  produced. 
Fits  any  car,  mdestructibie,  solid  aluminum,  highly  pd- 
i^ied«  wings  handrpainted  with  flying  emblem  in  Red, 
White  and  Bine.  The  slightest  motion 
spins  Propeller  arm,  and  nukes  it  seem 
uive.  *'It  faiiiy  hums  with  PatriotiMn.'* 
Postpaid  $1.00;  get  the  Agency. 
DEFENDER  AUTO  LOCK  COMPANY 


You  Can  Save  $50.00 


By  reoorerinff  yoar  old  aoto 
top  tram*  jroonelf.  We  make 
these  reooren  to  fit  all  makes 
and  models  of  caxa.     Any  penon 
that  can  drive  a  car  can  ptat  it  on. 
We  famish  instruotiona.     Boof 


$7i5ia.i 

and  qnarters  sewed  tooether  with  rear  onrtaia,  fastoi 
aadteclw.  Alloomplcto.  ONvintiMiianM.rMraBdfnedalBaBibc 
•nd  w«  wBl  MDd  jroa  oar  catelociM  with  — ntplw  oad  qna«0  yoa 


UBERTY  TOP  A  TIRE  CO^  D^pt.  E7, 


GREB  RIM  TOOL 


tm  om*  Titai  SLT^-ttir  strt: 


wfll 

{•raetory^tim 


m  ORBB  CO^  IM  ] 


'  *>.*»■•  f^^. wis  ywfuad  w^m 


A^cnt 


We  want  one  exdnsivs  represent 
stive  In  each  locality  to  use  and  sel 
the  new  Mellinger  Extra-Ply,  hand  mads 
tiles.  O— i  lisle  s  Bead  fbr  eooO  Mto*.  ( Mo 
seooods. )  Shipped  prepaid  on  aiwroTal .  Saa- 
pis  eeotioDS  famished.  Do  not  boj  omtii  ros 
get  oar  Special  Factory  Prices.    Write 

I  KUIIIGa  TOE  A  mSRCIU  M6M  Sul 


POPULAR  MECHANICS  ADVEBTISIMG  SECTIOM 


151 


Bufld  Your  Ford  into  a  Classy  Speedster 
with  the  RedJ-Kut  Life^ized  Patterns 


Tbey  Jnst  CANT  Mlsst 

Price  $l^EKL%»,iI  4  F«r  $3.00 

,    .  PRIMO  Transformers 

J  I     Will  iMt  2  years.    Money-tMck  gaanntee. 

Lf '&  "THEY  JUST  CAN'T  MISS! 

WESTERN  IGNITION   CO. 


MO  Motorcycle 


We  hare  the  larsest  line  of  new 
and  naed  motoroyolea  in  the 
oooBtiT  at  the  lowest  prioea    Er- 

ery  machine  jmaranteed.     Send 

,  "^"T^^^^  for  oatalqs.  We  are  the  largest 
and  only  ezcloalTe  motorovole  sapply  hoase  in  the  world. 
Rep«ini  a  Specialty.  Send  as  ;onr  machine  to  be  orer- 
hauled.  Motors  and  castings  for  airahips  and  railway 
Teloolpedea.  WE  EXOHAIIOE  MOTOIUmrLBa 
HARRY  R.CEER  CO..  888  McUmn  Ave..  St.  Louie.  Mo. 


INSYDE  TYRESIn 


i  out*  and.ponctarM.  EuU^  sPVlMd  In  anr  tire. 
I  Thooaands  aold.  Detalla  free,  ▲rents  wanted. 
*  AmerAeeesserles  Co..Dept.>OCInelnnati 


I 


CUSHION 
COMFORT 

FOR   AL.L.   CARS 

From  a  Ford   to  •  Pierce 

Arrow.     None  So  Good  or 

Bad  We  Can't  Improve. 

Write  fsr  Mi  Ptotkrin  «4  hke. 

AnerlcaB  CuUen  A  Sprliif  Ca. 


Please  Mention  Popular  Mechanic$)OQ\C 


152 


POPULAR  IfECHANICS  ADVERXISIVG  SBCTIOH 


FREE 


100-Page  Book 

Low 
Prices 


Auto 
Owners : 

Get  This  Big  New  Book 

Sit  in  an  easy  chair  at  home  aad  bay  auto  sappliea  from 
this  Goido  to  Low  Pricea  Ovsr  2000  •slsetloat  to  ehoasa 
fron.  It  shows  supplies  that  will  improve  all  cars  — and 
make  them  worth  more  —  gas  earers.  spark  plogs,  bat- 
teries, spot-Hsht,  painting  ontfits,  tooring  outfits,  etc 

Reduced  Prices  on  Riverside 
SOOO-Mfle  Auto  lures 

BlTorside  Tires  are  now  priced  the  lowest  they  have  been 
in  months.  This  new  FREE  book  tells  all  about  them— 
the  prices  prore  Biveraide  Tires  give  you  "  Most  for  the 
Money."  write  now  for  your  FBEE  copy  of  this  book. 
Address  the  house  nearest  you. 


Cbicaso    KAaMwCitjr     Fort  Worth    Portland,  Oro. 


Dopl. 
0133 


i 

^^^H^  BMO  TRANSFeilllKRS  traastonn  the  ocdlnscj 
^^^f  tlow.fsintqMrk  Into  shlfh-tHMloB  bine  blase  or  flsOM 
^^B  which  iBstaatly  vmlodM  aU  th«  ▼apora  ereo  la  tha 
^H  lowaat  crarity  fnal,  tharaby  taauttaff  nwitly  addad 
VP  powar  sad  mOaiva.  Thia  intanal^  bhaa-whito  IMO  flaah 
*4  kaapa  tha  apark  plug  pobitB  fiaatooui  carboa.  aooiaad 

OIL  Fraranta  **baekinc"  or   ^BpiBff-"   laaoraa  aaay  atartlnc. 
quiekar  aeealarstion.  aad  a  |tlHM|Bifonn  flow  of  power  at  all 


Ion.  aad  a  |tJifeM|Bifonn 
spaada.    Protoela  tha  antlraimyrayatain.    Save  many  timea 
their  ooat  in  foal  and  apark  ping  eeonomy.    Ona  BMO  on  aach 
erllndan  poll  even.   Can  baaStaebad  by  anyone. 


UJOO  Eack  mi  DMltrs.  or  sent  pre^id  uMn  rtceipt 
9ftfric$.  StaU  m0k§  of  car  when  ordgrimg, 

Tis  Bssialioratories  gyA'SS&i^VrWS: 


Coast  Up  HiU 

The  Johnsoa  Motor  Whed  makes  any 
bicycle  into  a  two  cylinder  mot^xxryck 
— strong  enough    for  any   man,   light 
enough  for  women  and  children.  Travels 
6  to  35  miles  an  hour.    150  miles  on  a 
gallon  of  gasoline.    Magneto  and  elec- 
tric light  generator. 
No  special 
clothii^    re- 
quired   for 
riding  any 
more  than 
for  a  bicycle. 
Sameguaran* 
tee  as  for'the 
most  expena- 
ive  motor- 
cycle. 


Writm  f69 
cafaloflr  and 
mama  of  n 


JOHNSON  MOTOR  WHEEL  CO. 

so*  S.  LA  SALLE  ST,CMCACO.ILI. 


BUILD  THIS  CAR  ^»"^ 


Lowest  Priced  Car  in 


COMPLETE 
the  IVorld! 


Very  fast.  Eeonoaik«L 
Seats  two  fall-srowft  pcr> 
mmt.  _No»  _»  toy.    X»m 

OstaloKlOc.  Orri« 


^_     JstloKlOc.  < 

"^    prieM.     DKcouMt  to  K 

Tribane  Encineerinc  Co.,  Dot  P  Owoco,  Tioc%  Co^  N.  Y. 


The  United  Stal 
War  DepartBt 

Two  Stroke  Motor 
Unit  Power  Plant 
WormDriveTrans-    j 

mission  I 

Sipndard  for  four 

years 

Wiite  for  catiloe  and 
ency.  (One  dealer  told 
:  cailoadi  laat  a 


^^Oeveland 


DUIMDING 


wewbt  WM 


Ut 


n  cMt,tlieCL£VELAND 
i|  still  hss  nozrral 
'  motorcycles,    k 
alone    in   ilt 

power,  flie 

191^  CLEVELAND  k 

the 


!)    m(lEVELANDMOTORaCUMFG.a).CIefel»iaSLA. 


Digitized  by 


POPULAR  MECHANICS  ADVERTISING  SECTION 


158 


GUARANTEED  3800  MII.£S 
NOTC  OUR  PmCKS 


BiZX  TXBB8 

90x3 $11.00 

80x8% 1S.2S 

82x8H lS.aS 

81x4 lo^as 

88x4 21.SO 

84x4 22.SO 

KIMBALL  TIRE  & 
22044»M  Mickivan  Ave. 


TT7BKB  Other  siseB  in  pro- 
portion. Terms:  $i 
deposit  with  each 
tire  ordered,  bal- 
ance C.  O.  D.  sub- 
ject to  inspection. 
RUBBER  CO^  INC 
CHICAGO.  ILL. 


a.oo 

2.70 
2.00 
S.80 
S.OO 


DDNN  COUNTERBAUNCES  hi  ?mi  Craksliafts 

are  the  greatest  acoestory  yet  produced.  Attached  by  remor- 
ing  plate  on  bottom  of  crankcaae.  Not  neoeMary  to  remore 
shaft  from  motor.  Fifteen  high-priced  oars  now  use  counter- 
balanced crankshafts.  Dunn  Oounterbalanoes  produce  the 
same  results  in  a  Ford.  No  machine  work  neoeasary.  Installed 
in  an  hour.  Orer  ten  thousand  in  use.  and  erery  user  satisfied. 
Try  a  set  ten  days  and  if  they  do  not  do  all  we  claim  return 
them  and  money  will  be  refunded.  Guaranteed  to  sare  20% 
gasolines  reduce  Tibration  to  a  minimum,  reliere  bearins 
prassurss  and  add  100^  to  the  life  of  the  motor.  All  Ford 
racers  are  being  equipped  with  them.  They  put  the  Ford 
motor  on  par  with  Multi-cylinder  and  snper-motora  Price 
•12.00  per  set.    Cash  or  O.  O.  D.  or  write  fOr  full  information. 

DUNN  COUNTERBALANCE  CO..  Box  P.CUriiMia.  Iowa 


Jhriltu?''Uesi 


BICYCLE  TIRES 


HTHE  longer  your  tires  last 
•''  the  less  they  have  cost 
you.  Kokomos  have  more 
rubber,  have  a  leak-proof 
valve  Uner  made  from  one 
piece  of  cured  rubber,  and  an 
inner  lining  that  never  "slow- 
leaks** — only  new,  live  rubber 
is  used  and  it  can*t  leak. 

The  studded  tread  prevents 
cosdy  accidents  and  enables 
you  to  speed  on  slippery 
pavement. 

Kokomos  coat  less  per  mile 
of  tire. 

Ycna"  dealer  h€u  five  modeh 
at  low  prices.  Put  an  your 
pair  of  Kokomos  today. 

Kokomo  Rubber  Cmipany 


Flea$e  Mention  PopiOar  Mi 

Digitized  by 


tS^gle 


154 


POPULAR  Jf£CHANICS  ADVKRXIfiraG  SECTION 


amMfmxms 


Slightly  used  and  factory  repaired  tires  and 
new  tubes  of  the  best  known  standard  makes 
that  mean  Ing  cash  savings  for  every  car 
owner.     No  junk  is   included   in  this  stock. 


New 
Six*        Tires  Tubes 

30x3 $5.00     $1.70 

30x3H...  6.00      2.10 
32x3H...6.50      2.25 

31x4 7.25      2.50 

32x4 8.00      2.60 

33x4 8.75       2.70 

34x4 8.75      2.80 

35x4 9.00      2.90 

Special 
Proposition  to 
Live  Dealers 


New 
Tires  Tubes 

.19.00    $3.00 


Sise 

36x4.... 

34x4H...  9.25 

35x4%...  9.50 

36x4%...  9.75 

37x4%... 10.25 

35x5. 10.50 

36x5 10.50 

37x5 11.00 

For  Non-Skxb 
add  10  per  cent 
to  Above  Prices 


3.15 
3.25 
3.30 
3.50 
3.65 
3.65 
3.75 


Complete  Stock  of  New  Tires 

ll/nt»  f  Ar  PricAA  Terms;  SLOOdeposlt  with  each  tire 
write  ror  rrices  ordered,  balance  a  O.  0.  subject  to 
inspection.  Specify  style  of  nm  to  avoid  delay.  Although 
at  tbe  above  prices  these  tires  bear  no  mileage  suarantee  ire 
will  make  reasonable  adjustments  should  they  prove  nnsat* 
isfaotory.    All  tires  sent  in  for  adjusunent  most  be  prepaid. 


TIRE  REPAIR 
SUPPLY  COMRMIYi 

DEPT  R 1429  MICHIGAN  AV. 


CHICAOO 


No 
Punctures 


No 

Blowouts 


Writ*  for  Confldmttal  Prw  Trial  bteodwtory  Off«r  on  jnaCNKAY  for 
pMsen««r  ev  or  track  tlTM.  OVER  60.000  8 ATISFIBD  U8BR8  I 
— SENKAY  PRODUCTS  CO.,  — -«aO  W.  ««>erlor,  Chleego 


Hifirh-powered  windshield  searchlifirht— instantly  converted 
into  trouble  li^ht.  Two  twists  of  the  thumb  and  finder— 
withdraw  lamp  to  any  part  of  your  car.  12  feet  of  cord 
on  a  reel  — winds  and   rewinds   like  a   window   shade. 

Au/oreeliie 

A  Tourinir  car  necessity  I  Fits  any  car.  Spotlight,  trouble 
liffht,   portable  lifht— all   in  one   self-contained    lamp. 

PRICES 

(Black  Enamel.  Nickel  Trim) 

r-  $9      'Sr..-!*'  $10 
**"JS!3ir^  $15 

Ask  yoar  dealer.  Write  for  Booklet  PM207. 

ANDERSON  ELECTRIC  SPECIALTY  CO. 

llS-124  S.  Clinton  Street,  Chicaso,  Dl. 


20  c.  p. 


HB 

500  Watt 

Battery 

Charging 

Set 


RIGHT  NOW  YwCui  MdM  Bv  Profits  in 

BATTERY  CHARGING 

Owners  of  IfB  Ohargers  everywhere  are  w»mir4«»y  91OD  to 
$400  Clear  Profit  every  month,  depending  upon  ease  of 
HB  Ohaner  th»  have.  Bnainen  b^ter  then  e«<er— no 
end  In  eU^t.  YOU  can  do  as  welL  Don't  delay  —  tkia 
boBimsM  is  at  yopr  door.  Get  oat  and  «et  it  wHketwdy. 
dependable  HB  EQolpment. 

This  HB  800  ^Vatt  <3imr8er  ITVm  Par 
SlOOtoSaOO  Clear  Profit  Ea<J>  IHmifti 


toe  Puts  Tliis  Money -IMaker  fat  Your 
^^%J  Garase  on  Monesr-Baoc  Oi 


Hol»art  Brotiiers  ComiMuij,  B«  K.Troj,  Obio 

Sttccts^ful  MoMttftuturers  Since  1193 


NEW  BOOK 

MEW  STYLES 

LOW  RRtCES 

WtMkderfo]      Imnrtyvemeat*     xa 
^«ine  deai^na.    llew  ctirT«< 
bar  models  with  ' 


D€0i. 

CIticaco 


GiS3 
lUnanaCity 


„ _ (ierlSlS. 

£ven  the  ohildren'a 
have  curved  tof»  bnr* 
•ion  handle  barn  makd 

rAWTHORNE 
L   BICYCLES 

INTEEO  tSrSJSkFTSS 

izea  and  colors  t»  pleane  <>><«^»«mm. 
le  of  bojrs*  and  men's  nipdela,  abr 
nd  children's  naodnln    ll«w«eihfr 

ctve   sath^Mtibn  ow\  JC^  mceaey 

Dtoetrle  McMa,  !!■>■■,  In  fftrt. 
ag  yon  neea  to  n>t  yonr^ldlbike  t« 
«  also  shown  In  onr  wmm  Wnrcie 
iaje^ic  Pnnetn«e>.Fiieliitng  Tlrwi 
mL  We  save  yon *" 


Orw. 


Fort  ^f  ORB 


Digitized  by 


Google 


POPULAR  MBCHANICS  ABVERTISIKG  5SCTI0K 


15i 


^ 


Save  *622 

Why  pay  $7.00  for  a  new  pair 
of  bicycle  tires  when  you  can  get 
much  more  wear  out  of  the  old 
tires  by  treating  each  with  a  25c 
tube  or  old,  reliable 

NEVERLEAK 

TIRE  FLUID 

T^  it!  you  may  get  another  season's 
wear  out  of  your  old  tires  because  Never- 
leak  stops  all  leaks  and  preserves  the 
rubber,  keeping  the  tires  air  tight 

Simply  inject  contents  of  tube  through 
valve  stem,  that* s  all.  At  all  dealers,  25c 
a  tube. 

Buffalo  Specialty  Co. 

Buffalo,  N.  Y. 


13 


86x4M  t9.2B  S4.28 

86x4«     9.90      

87x4^  1O.00 
37x6      10.78 


Quality  Above  All— Price  Come  A  Neart 

liiSL^'L*;!^  TIRES  and  TUBES 

;US^\«ZM   Tins  ^^  —     ««    ^ 

t1.»f  83x4   i*.S0S3^8 

a.30  84x4     8.80    3.40 

842  86x4     8.78    3.89 

8.08I84X4K8.00    4.18 

it  with  each  tir«.     Tires  will  be  sent  promptly 

il«m  of  examination.    Specify  stylo  of  rim  to 

, .    If  tires  do  not  cive  service  in  proportion  to  the 

1.  reascmable  adJostment  will  be  eh«erfolly  made 

Urasare  returned  to  us  by  prepaid  express. 

lWCBLMTHE4«IFIlTC0..14e3S.lllctiltiiiAw..D«pt.P.CHm80.IU.. 

BnUt  for  the  Owner^^  $990^ 

Simple, 
etardjr  oon- 
stmction.  Low 
cost  of  ii|>-keep  and  opera- 
tion. Oantilerer  springs  in 
rear.   Ossiiartable,  •as7*rldlBr. 

Dealers  Wanted 

BW  advarttekStedaalcrs'  tanrit^y?  V^^^rfol  opportonitiSs.'  Vrltl  m  Wire  ROW 

THE  SENECA  MOTORCAR  CO.,  26  Sqwa  Fadoiy,  PDSTORIA.  OfflO 


More  Spark  Plug 


Troubles 


'^  Any  old  plug  made  to  fire 

perfectly— even  after  por- 
celain is  broken.     One  of 

the  greatest  inventions  yet  discovered 

for  automobiles. 


>> 


"s: 


"Sure- 

Spark  Intensifiers 

Ifakes  a  fast,  hot  8park   that  will  explode 

entire  charge  in  cylinder.    That  helps  to  bum  up 

\      all  excess  oil,  keeps  cylinder  free  from  carbon 

and  insures  a  smooth,  easy  running  ensrine. 

Puts  lots  of  "pep"  into  the  spark.     Increases  voltaire 

and  makes  spark  jump  unfailingly.      Makes  cars  start 

quicker  and  snappier  in  cold  weather. 

Spark  always  in  siffht— easy  to  detect  and  locate  broken 
wire,  short  circuits,  etc  Quickly  and  easily  attached  to 
any  screw  terminal  plu«.  Thousands  in  use— Customers 
are  Boosters. 

Dealers— WANTED— Agents 

Liberal  terms  and  discounts  to  1  ive  dealers.  Excel  lent  prop- 
osition for  hustlers  in  excluslTe  territory.  Anyonecan  sell  the 
Sure  Fire  Spark  Intensifier.   Once  demonstrated,  quickly  sold. 

Kent  by  mall,  postpaid,  on  receipt  of  price:  four  for  $2.00. 
sU  for  ^75.  eight  tor  t3.50  or  twelTO  for  $5.00. 

Satisfaction  Guaraateed  or  Money  Bade  Write  Today 

Motor  Economy  Company  cS^lou. 


Digitized  by 


Google 


150 


POPULAR  mCHAHICS  ADYSRTIStlfG  SSCTIOK 


PATENTS 


IF  YOU  HAVE  AN  IN- 
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Office  and  the  courts  are 
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WASHINGTON.  D.  C 


fttab.  Ink  luin,  Cinri|hii»  hkai 


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Mid  SelBnc  laTsalioaa.'*  sent  free  upon  reqnett. 


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Solkhonof 

U.  &  and  Foreign  Patents 

Tirade -Marks,  Copsrri^ts 
641  F  Street,  N.W.,  Washington,  D.C 

Writm  C/«  /or  Our  Free  bwenioru*  Booh 
PATENT-SENSE. 


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8  1007  Woolwortia  BTdg.  135  S.  Broad  St.  514  Empire  Bldg.  : 

i  Main  Offices:         765  9th  St.,  N.  W^  WASHINGTON,  D.  C.  ! 

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ROBB  A  ROBB,  AHorneyS'mt'Lmw 

•11  MIn  IMc..  WaOriivtM,  D.  C     1l»  kMliM  M^..  Clav1s«d,Ohto 

PATENT  YOUR  IDEAS 

Safe,  proper  handling  of  your  business.  Reasonable,  easy  pay. 
«.  U  WOOD  WAIU>,  AHMBcy,  9lk  lb  6  Sis.,  WASHDICrON,  D.  C 

Experimental  Work— Light  MMufaeturlnK 

Metal  SiiMmffingM  and  InMtrwunent  Work 
Tools,  Die9  and FixtanB       Service  and  ReUability 

WIS.  A.  ZnOLKII  CO.,  401-4as  K.  l«Srd  St.,  NEW  YORK  Cmr 


Reward  of  $100.00 

for  pun^oeeof  anticipatinir  a  patent,  for  first  sufficient  proof 
of  use  in  the  United  States  before  1906,  or  of  an  adequate 
description  or  illustration  in  a  printed  publication  anywhere 
before  1906^  of  a  door,  preferably  a  vehicle  door,  havincr  alcove 
it  a  screen,  or  any  other  flexible 
material  such  as  canvas,  fastened 
at  one  side  beyond  the  door  hmgo 
and  at  the  other  side  supportedon 
a  rod  or  similar  removable  yiart 
carried  by  the  door  oppositethe 
hinge,  so  that  the  screen  swfngs 
with  the  door  and  covers  an  opening 
above  the  door.  Example  shown, 
but  structure  need  not  be  just  like 
it.  Further  particulars  furnished 
on  application. 

GEORGE  M.  DOWE 

Room  1900,  2  Rector  St. 

Now  York  City 


PATENTS 


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to   Learn   How  to   Secure   a  Patent 


Send  for  our  Guide  Book,  HOW  TO  GET  A  PATENT,  sent  Free  on 
request  Tells  our  terms,  methods,  etc.  Send  model  or  sketch  and 
description  of  your  invention  and 
we  will  give  our  opinion  as  to  its 
patentable  nature. 

RANDOLPH  &  CO. 

600  F  St,  N.  W^  Washington,  D.  C. 


NAME. 


STREET.. 


crry.. 


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Before  diBcIoslnff  Tour  invention  to  anyone  send  for  blank 
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lating to  obtalninir  of  patent  and  fee  schedule  sent  upon 
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1  leam  more  atx>ut  maRmg  money 
^  from  ideas  than  you  ever  knew  before.  It 
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A  postal  will  do- 
it isfroe 


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TO  INVENTION 

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personal  service.     Preliminary  advice  witiwat  chaz8«b 

J.  REANEY  KELLY 
723  Woodward  BMg, W— hfagtoa,  p,  C 


SondUsaSfcoteli 
or  NNodol  and  ex- 
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POPULAR  MECHANICS  ADVERTISING  SECTION 


149 


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GEARS 


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Physicians  are  abandonias  drugs  for  this  new 
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KOBINSON  MFG.  CO. 
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^Send  No  Money! 

Ask  Dor  It  On  Approval 

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A  customer  in  Seattle,  Wash. ,  writes  tis  :  '  The  $86  diamond  received  from 

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This  nearly  %  century  old,  diamond  hanHng  house,  rated  over  $1,000,000.00,  lends 
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jgr   Tgy  OpposOs  Po9t  Ctflof,  ntkmA.  Pk. 

Gentlemen: —Please  send  me^  sbsolately 
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for  you — returnable  if  not  satisfactory.    We  will  also  mail  you  a  catalog. 
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The  same  as  used  by  operating  companies.  You  had  better 
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Relays,  each Postpaid    S.SO 

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lf^3 


"I 

Now 
Hear 
Clearly" 

Yoii,Too,  Can  Hear.! 

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fM'tlMtfMf 

MMtM  y«M  hmw  trtod  M. 

Th*  "AOOUSnOON"  Ins  hmM<wfwenU  sod  patantod.  teftc 

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Saeeeaaon  to  The  General  AeoosUe  Co. 
ISOTCMdtar  BuOdtos,  N«wY*rt( 


i 


Plea$e  Mention  Popular  Mechanics 


YoaV«  seen  them  often  at  the  bathins  beaches,  skinny 
and  flabby,  stoop-shouldered,  lop-sided,  all  their  physical 
imperfections  displayed  in  batiaing  suits.  No  wonder 
ridicule  follows  them,  whenever  they  take  off  the  clothes 
men.     Hi 


that  make  them  look  like 


about  YOU— 


wh«i  yon  put  on  a  bathing  suit  ?  Have  you  the  upritrht 
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STRONGFORTISM 

WILL  MAKE  A  MAN  OF  YOU 

Knowledge  of  Nature's  way  back  to 
restored  health  and  strength  is  all 
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Strongfortism  has  done  it  for  thou- 
sands and  is  doing  it  now  daily,  and 
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IT  NOW.  IT'S  FREE,  enckwe  three  2e  stamps  to  cover 
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LIONEL  STRONGFORT 

Physical  and  Hmalth  Spmcialist 
983  Stronrfort  Instttute  NEWARK,  N.  J. 

■•..••■•■a  CUT  OUT  AND  MAIL  TNIS  COUPON  •-■aa.M.an 

Mr.  Lionel  Strongfort,  Neteark,  N.  J. 


Dear  Strongfort:  —  Please  send  me  your- book, 

~  Itlon  of   Health.    Strenst^ 

for   postage  of  which  I  enclose  three 


tlon  and  Conservation  of 
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,- -- .      Promo- 

ealth.   Strenath  and 


2o  stamps  to  oover  mailing 
before  the  subject  in  which  I 

. . .  .Insomnia 


ipensea     I  have  marked   (X) 
interested.  (958) 


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.xNeurltia 
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.  FlatChett 


ria) 


....ConstipBtlon 
. . .  .BUIoaaneas 
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....Indigestion 
....Nenrouaneaa 
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....Rheumatism 
....Bad  Habit* 


....Weaknesses 

Gastritis 

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. . .  .Despondency 
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. . .  .Lung  Trouble* 
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Stoop  Shoulder* 

Muiiculsr 

Development 


Kami 

aok ocoopation  . 

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Omr Statk.. 


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Onr  FBEB  Catalog  shows  many 
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NewYoik 


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"SCHULTT'  KODAK  SHOP,milas»aSl.,llewTesfc 


=WIII  you  Qlvc  $Q00 
for  Cood  Hearing!  O 

Henry  Hamann,  inventor  of  this  device^  Is  90  p*r  «ot 
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Nine  solid^end 
wrenches  I-*  or 
one  Crescent 


One  10"  Crescent  Wrench  takes 
the  place  of  nine  sizes  of  solid 
wrenches. 

Would  you  rather  carry  one 
wrench  or  nine? 

Furthermore,  every  Crescent 
is  guaranteed  to  satisfy  you,  or 
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Fbr  sale  by  ail  good  hardwarw  dealers. 
Send /or  catalog, 

CRESCENT  TOOL  CO. 
JAMESTOWN.  N.  Y. 


rescent 

rjOyUSTABLE  WRENCH 


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<•   LANTCRN 

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, .. — .  Um  gasoline.  Simple, 

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B  Companies.     pREE  TO  OUR  AGENTS. 


■tKciUBivw  terrreory*    w  nee  tor  j^nvom  maa 
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E$2SADAYwHhtli« 

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FOR^O  e  CENTS 

With  SHINE-OFFyou  can  remove  all  the  "Shiny" 
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ShineOff 

«     Sold  With  a  Money-Back  Guarantee 

It  never  fails  to  remove  "Shine".    It  cleana  where  other 

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Also  recommended  for  Cleaning  Rugs,  Carpeta, 
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The  directions  are  simple  and  easy.  It  is  harmless.  Mot  a  liquid. 
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aMNUPACTUmO  BY 

imUTY  PRODUCTS  C0..17th  Floor^L^ttoa  Bldg^  Chfeago 

m  M    ^    V  V      :  UtLfTV' PRODUCTs'ccT'ch^^^ 
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Thread  Pipe,  Bolts  and 
Nipples  on  One  Machine 

^^  One  man  and  this  machine  can  beat 

a  gang  working  with  hand  threading 

tools.    Straight  and  bent  pipe,  even  close 

nipples  can  be  threaded  easily  and  speedily. 


OSTER. 


Combination 
Machines 

will  pay  a  big  profit  over  hand  threading. 

lieOsterMfg.Co. 

2100  East  61st  St. 
Clevelaiid,  Ohio 


i 


30A 

One  of  these 
sizes  threads 
%"to2»pipe 


irf  for 


,  I 


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When  You  Bufld 

I>lea8e  bear  in  mind  tliat  there  is  adll  plenty  of 

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EXPERIMENTAL —COMMERCIAL 

The  Skinderviken  T^nmamitter  Button 


will  sreat^  improve  the  transmistion_of 
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SkiDdervikeo  Tdephone  EqoiiHBeiit  Coiiipaiiy,Iiic 


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CHICAGO 


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NEW  YORK.  N.Y. 


Health 
Beauty 
Power 

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ip— a  ■olentiflc  adaptation  of  the  marrelous  healing 

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clear,  new  skin. 

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"The  Light  That  HmJ*"  1 

R^^y  m  pais  srithruw  destroying  vitality,  no  vibration,  shock  or 
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•tantly  eased  snd  relieved.  Does  away 
with  use  of  harmful  druga  Relief  results 
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Invaluable  in  treatment  of  ak I. idise  jes. 
Physicianc  endorse  and  recommend 
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Send  for  Free  Book  Todaj 


BKnJoy  the  keen  seat  of  livine  that 
nlaing  blood,  gained  through  the  ' 
terling  Lamp— a  scientiflc  adapts 
>rtTes  0 " 


lofbMith 
othma  In 


witht 
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air— tails  of^its 


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ate  DonMS  hare  b«oe> 


naoa :  tiow  ottiara  In  not 
and  tnonaaada  of  ivirate 
fitod.  Don't  aoffor  baaii 
paiu  a•wlleaalr--^t>lal 


TTteil^rT'^  Sandfor  fro*  boojc  today.' 
Stsffgwg  TherepsMtle  Lamp  Ce. 
M.  n.  M6  iMfMd  An..  Chleege,  in. 


Please  Mention  Popular  Meqhanioe         t        . 

Digitized  by 'Google    ^ 


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Digitized  by 


rOPULAS  VECHAHICS  AOVXKIISIirG  SBCTIOH 


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NEW 
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fFfe  G«  a  UdeHMM  ■  The  GmoIit 
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Makes  This  Fine  Coaster 
and  Other  Great  Toys 

Yoa  can  make  lots  of  other  fine  things  too, 
easy  as  rolling  off  a  log — a  sporty  wagon,  a 
dandy  geared  racer,  a  glider  that  is  better 
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These  toys  are  not  models  or  flimsy  aflEairs  bat  are 
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QUALITY  construction  and  workmanship. 
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POPULAR  MSCHANICS  ADVSSTISIlfG  SECTIOH 


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Tliree  Vols. — Prepaid  $1.50 

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RenrI  today.  ITve  your  leinure  hours.  Hare  money.  Make 
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Oet  these  boolu  now  while  the  amazingly  low  price  lasts. 

POPULAR    MECHANICS   BOOK   DEPT. 
6  North  MleUoan  Ave.,  CMcaoo 


50  Cents 

UYS  either  of 
these  books  which 
tells  how  to  make 
many  beaatifu)  de- 
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made  by  anyone— at  home — 
much  cheaper  than  they  can 
be  bought.  The  instructiDns 
are  so  complete  and  simple, 
that   anyone   can  make 

chsminff  lainpa  fbrthcmsfllTes 
and  othars.  Th«  dealsns  in 
eadi  hook  nose  from  ainiple 
nadinff  lamps  to  elaborate  chandeliers.  These  books 
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these  books  on  your  first  lamp. 

Arts-Crafts  Lamps 

How  to  Make  Them 

This  book  contains  wcrkinir  directions  for  16  beaatifal 
designs  of  larse  variety  to  be  constracted  from  paper, 
card-board  and  wood.  Designs  which  caaoot  be  boorht. 
Deslffns  which  have  a  distinctive  toocfa  of  orisinaiity. 
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Telb  How  to  Make  SK  ^'.  JSlS£lr£°J?. 

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Post  Lamp-Dhain  Hnng  One  Light  Braokat. 

Easy  Te  Make.  Too  can  save  money  making  these 
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Lamps  and  Shades 

In  Metal  and  Art  Glass 

Contains  18  designs  which  ywa  oaa 
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Contains  128  pages  (Sic?  in.).  64  illus- 
trations, diagrams,  etc.  durably  bound 
^  in  doth.  Instructions  are  so  dear  that 
actual  construction  is  simple.  For  the 
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Popular  Mechanics  Book  I><^>artiiieiit 

6  N.  Mfehigan  Ave.  CHICAGO 


Please  MentUm  Popular  MechaniGt 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS  ADVERTISING  SECTION  177 


Please  Mention  Popular  Mechanics  ^^  ^ 

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178  POPULAR  MSCHAHICS  ADVBRTISING  SBCTIOH 


Motorcycle  Tires 

Built  the  Automobile  Way 


WITH  Firestone  Tires  on  your  machine 
you  get  the  henefit  of  that  same  tire 


Please  Mention  Popular  Meehaniei  {^^ r^r^^}r> 

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179 


I  i 


Pleaae  Mention  Popular  Mechanics 


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180 


POPULAR  MECHANICS  ADVERTISING  SECTION 


Wiring  Diagrams 

in  the  neiv  edition  of 

Auto  Electrician's  Guide 

Contains  wiring  diagrams  for  every  car  on  the 
market  including  the  new  1919  Starting  and  Light- 
ing Systems  for  Ford  cars,  also  diagrams  for  BaJcer 
R  &  L  and  Detroit  Electric  and  pipe  connections 
for  Stanley  Steamers.  Covers  all  kinds  of  systems 
from  1912  to  1919  and  many  as  far  back  as  1906. 

Highly  Endorsed  by  Auto  Manufacturers,  Ganigesy 
Service  Stations  and   Auto  Experts  Everywhere 


Actual  Sise  of  Diagrams,  6x7  hicbes   . 

NoproblemtoopusBlinffifyouhaveth«AutoE3ectrician'aGiiide. 

Any  "Old  Sticker"  Quickly  Solved 

with  the  help  of  this  book.    Saves  hours  of  time  on  both  old 

mad  new  jobs.    Impossible  for  even  experts  to  know  all  cars 

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book.  A  practical,  easily  an 

that  will  simplify  all  auto^ 

and  make  it  possible  for  yo 

overcome  hundreds  of  start 

ins  and  iernitkm   troubles 

otherwise  would  take  houj 

solve.     Elxtensively  used  i 

over  the  country.  Hundredi 

of  auto  experts  and  repair 

men  depend  on  it  to  solve 

hardestproblems.  Dosens 

of  letters  received  tellins 

of  its  exceptional  value. 


A  Loose  Leaf  Book 


I 


Easy  to  handle  and  essy 
to  add  new  diagrams  as  issued.  Convenient  to  slip  into  the 
coat  or  car  pocket  and  invaluable  as  a  constant  companion 
for  repairmen.  Scores  of  trouble  cases  quickly  and  easily 
corrected  with  the  help  of  this  amide.    Send  l^day. 

Price  $7.SO  Postpaid 

Money  refunded  if  not  eatiMfactory 

POPUUU^  MECHANICS  BOOK  DEPT. 
6  N.  Michigan  Ave.  CHICAGO,  OX. 


MODEL  MAKING 

Including  IVorkshop  Practice* 
Design  and  Construction  of  Models 

By  RAYMOND  F.  YATES 


THIS  book  does  NOT  describe  the  con- 
struction of  toys.  Its  pages  are  devoted 
to  model  engineering  and  the  mechanical 
sciences  associated  with  it  It  contains 
descriptions  with  illustrations  of  the  com- 
plete models  made  bjr  some  of  the  leading 
model  engineers  in  this  country.  It  is  the 
only  book  publishedon  thisimportantsobject. 

The  book  describea  Um  con- 
struction of  workiBflr  mortels 
of  vsriouB  kinds.  hsrinK  ai 
chapters  derotad  to  model 
steam  enginss,bn>ts,g«>oiet><j 
ebffioes,  guns,  boikra.  boiler 
fittinsa*  loeomottireSk  eranea, 
etc  EiffhtlflOflT  chapters  are 
included  on  the  mcehaoicml 


processes  associated 
model  makinfr.  aoeh  aa  soft 
and  hard  soldering,  pattern 
makinff*  srindinflr.  etectio- 
platinff.etc  The  first  chapter 
sIvesmanyvalaablohintBoosi- 
ceminff  the  model  ensHneea'a 
workshop  and  its  eqnipinon^ 
ABwkfcr^AlagiBiPtifiiiliiil 


Pkia$3.WPMprii 

fORSALBBT 

POPUUR  KOIANICS  BOOK  DEFT^  6  M .  I 


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POPULAB  MBCHAinCS  ADYKKTISIHO  SECTION 


181 


THIS  PRETTY  RUBBER  STAMP 

WITH  PAD  AND  INK,  7Bo 

Here  is  the  prettiest  rubber  atamp  yon  erer 
kmm.  We  hKwe  had  this  design  speoUUy  en- 
srsTed  tor  oar  ovstomera,  and 
it  cennot  be  ol>teined  except 
throogk  na  The  design  It 
onuunental,  with  floral  decor- 
ations with  a  besatifol  dove 
in  the  upper  part  oonyeying 
its  message  of  lorc^  thedwired 
name  or  name  and  address 

being  tastefully  displayed  in 

With  this  rubber  stamp  you  can  brand  your  letter 
r;  euTeiopes.  postals  and  other  stationeryt  and  the  elaborate 
unique  deslfn  will  be  admired  by  alL  PJaosd  upon  the  outside 
iTsloiMa.  nacikAffna  and  athar  mai  Imatter,  it  ensures  their  return 

for  any  resson.  It  looks 


to  the 


in  the  event  of  non-dell< 


QUICK  AS  A  FLASH  »e.*£2t^ 

r>|iliiytiil  bjr  aMteon  and  prof aarioaali  tha  wsrM^ivar. 


re-inking  the  pad.  and  the  FRIC7E  of  the  OOHiOJBT 

ONLY  7k  cwrri,  postpaid,  j.  t.i^z9.,Uium»tnM. 

MIDGET  BIBLE 


I  DoCwIUMtaiMUns. 
JOHNSON  BMITN  A  CO.,  Int.  PHT.  S224  Ml  HalfM  INM.  CNICAOO 


LUMINOUS  PAINT 


esLi?»  ffiSTf: 


U8KFUL  KNOTS,  HITCHES.  SPUCKS,  ETC 


aUofea 


roaeaaaCooca 


Trim  Your  Own  Hatar  With  the 

Utility  Safety  Hair  Gattw 


CO^  lill.  PUT.  Sa4  Ml  WMti  INM.  CNICilOO 

Ml  tlo  UtMt  Ssrprisligaid  Joke  loveltits 


SStSSim&iUliiilt'.'.    '.    IM       8!Su@^rii^k.ki>lik 

jowiiioii  ■ami  *  CO.  m-hr.  w<mm*m  «mt.  cm 


....  ja 

.    .   SforlOe 

%ak'  .'.*.*  r  r  r  .*  is* 


& 


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POPULAR  KSCHAinCS  ADVERTISING  SECTIOH  183 


Ple(U€  Mention  Popular  Mechanict  ^^  ^-v /--v  i-s^T  ^ 

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184  POPULAR  MECHANICS  ADVESTISING  SECTION 


Please  Mention  Popular  Mechanioe  ^  t 

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POPULAR  mCHAnCS  ADVSRTISIHG  SECTIOH 


18 


I  Will  Save  You 
MONEY 


8V^  Read  My 
Special  Offer 


To  Readers  of  Popular  Mechanics: 

My  Bole  aim,  daring:  the  year  1919,  shall  be  to  place  as  many  standard, 
dependable  Watches  as  I  can  in  the  hands  of  men  throughout  the  land, 

RRaARDLESS  of  PRICE 

^IT.    To  do  this  I 

IT  the  PRICE  to 

UTELY   ROCK 

L    I  know  that  if 

ribute5,000"Santa 

(cials"  this  year  on 

NTO-PROFIT  PLAN,  that  every  Watch 

1  be  a  salesman  and  sell  at  least  one 

aore.    I  am  making  this  STARTLING 

AND  UNHEARD  OF  OFFER  to  those 

who  will   tell    their    friends    of    this 

remarkable  Watch  value,  if  they  find 

the  Watches  all  and  more  than  I  claim 

for  them. 


Pr€»idmnt 
Alonxo  S,  Thomas, 
Santa  Fm  Watch  Co. 


Signed, 


^^ 


PrM.  Santa  Fe  Watch  Co. 


-miiois^sr^AlUI 


Staidard  RallrMd  wateN  that  It  QUARANTEED  FOR 
E.  These  wstohee  are  MOW  in  the  aerrioe  on jpractl- 
erery  Uailroed  in  the  United  Statea    "Santa  Fe  6pe- 


'  mtdehem  are  in  every  branoh  of  the  Army  and  19  aval 
ioe  Thonaajida  of  them  are  distributed  all  orer  the 
ITherareQUARANTEED  ABSOLUTELY.  TO  GIVE 
ISFACTION  IN  EVERY  WAY  OR  MONEY  BACK, 
lie  wise  man  will  act  qniokl/  if  he  wanta  a  watch. 
»  today  for  the  FREJfi  waton  book  and  make  yonr 
>tion  qolcklj,  before  thia  offer  ia  withdrawn. 

ivo  I  to  I  of  Your  Monoy 

Mt  Liberal  Offer  Ever  Made 

ir  **Direct-to-Toa"  low  wholesale  terms  and  EXTRA 
OIAX.  DISTBIBUTION  PLAN  i«  fully  explained  in 
[let  Just  off  the  presa  The  *'Santa  Fe  Bpeoial  Plan" 
ey  to  yon  and  yon  get  the  BEST  watoh  Talue  on  the 
FOB  TOO  TO  SEB^Hnn:HOUT  ONE  PSNMT  DOWN. 

^^  The  new  watoh  book  shows  all  the  Tory  latest  do- 
■9  signs  of  the  world's  most  talented  engrsTers.  each 
>lor  emnbinations,  showing  three-oolor  Inx<at  Momo- 
3,  fraternity  emblems,  French  art  jmd  special  designa 
ifacturers  are  adTancingprioes  on  watches  we  are 
-     •TwHTABE  FOBOIMa  WATOH 


his  simply  by  saorilioing  profits. 


Santa  Fe  Watch  Company 


ee  Thomss 


Bld^,  TOPEKA,  KANSAS 

jyems  <tf  the  Ormi  Samta  Fs  RaOway 


er«  a  postal  or  this  coupon  will  brlnff  thlg 
irree  Watch  Book 

ISAfiTA  FE  WATCH  CO^  M  TkMMt  Mik  Ttoprtn,  KMtas 
Please  send  me  the  New  Watch  Book  with  the  understandinfl 
that  this  request  does  not  obligate  me  in  any  way. 

I  Mam* 

I  AwdiesB* ••••••••••••••••••  •••••••••••••••••••••••bmw#»««»*«««««*«*««** 

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POraLAR  MECHANICS  ADVERTISIHG  SECTION 


Chief  Draftaman  Dobe 

Englacer's  EqiriraMBt  Campumjf  taw. 
DIv.  A919.  GUcago,  lU. 

Withoac  Anv  oblintlon  on  in«  whatsoever,  please  mail  your  book. 
Sacoessfal  Draftsmannbip,"  and  full  partiealars  of  your  liberal 
Personal  Instmetion"  offer  to  a  few  stiMlenta.    It  is  onderstood  that 

I  am  obliffatad  in  no  way  whatovar. 


Mmm.., 


that  exist  today.  It  contains  concrete  facts  and 
figures  from  covet  to  cover.  It  tells  about  the  need 
for  men  and  shows  samples  of  actual  work  done 
and  explains  the  value  of  practical  training  and 
practical  experience.  You  will  be  under  no  obliga- 
tion in  sending  for  this  book.  Merely  put  yoar 
name  and  address  on  the  coupon  and  send  it  now. 

fliiAff  nrtifffiitian  DaIia 


Pleoie  Mention  Popular  Meohanioe 


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POPULAR  MECHANICS  ADVERTISING  SECTION 


REMOVE 

CARBO 
iTHE-EASY 

THE  EXHAUS 


(^ 


THE  easiest,  cleanest,  safest  and  most  satisfactory  method  of  remov- 
ing carbon  deposits  is  with  Johnson's  Carbon  Remover.  It  will  save 
you  from  $3.00  to  $5.00  over  any  other  method  without  laying  up 
your  car  and  with  much  better  results.  After  one  application  your  car 
will  run  like  it  did  the  first  500  miles— quietly  and  full  of  ''pep''— and 
you  wHl  secure  the  maximum  power  and  speed  from  the  minimum 
amount  of  f  ueL 

Johnson's  Carbon  Remover  k  a  harmless  liquid  to  be  poured  or  squirted 
into  the  cylinders.  It  contains  no  acids  and  does  not  affect  lubrication 
or  interfere  with  the  oil  in  the  crank  case.  Millions  of  cans  have  been 
used.  Recommended  by  many  of  the  leading  car  Mfrs.  including  the 
Packard  and  Studebaker  Companies. 


JOHNSON'S  QkRB 


A  dose  of  Johnson's  Carbon  Remover — ^the  engine 
laxative — ^will  cure  80%  of  engine  troubles.  It  will 
increase  the  power  of  your  car — ^improve  acceleration 
— stop  that  knock— quiet  your  motor — save  your  bat- 
teries—cut down  your  repair  bills — and  reduce  your 
gas  and  oil  consumption. 

Don't  wait  until  your  motor  is  choked  with  caiHbon — ^remove  it 
every  veek  or  two  with  Johnson's  Carbon  Remover.  You  can  do 
it  yourself  in  five  minutes — no  mechanical  experience  necessary. 

The  regular  use  of  Johnson's  Guaranteed  Carbon  Remover 
will  automatically  eliminate  most  valve  trouble  and  keep 
your  motor  clean*  sweet  and  at  its  highest  efficiency. 

For  sale  by  Hardware.  Accessory  dealers  and  Garages.  Send 
for  our  booklet  on  Keeping  Cars  Young — ^it's  free. 

S.  a  JOHNSON  &  SON,  Dept.  PM6         Racine,  Wis; 

E«tabll8hed  1883 


Please  Mention  Popular  MechanioM 


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We  offer  here  our  iden- 
tical Model  No.  9,  for- 
merly priced  at  $100.  Not 
a  single  change  has  been 
made  in  its  design  or  ma- 
terials. Only  our  plan  of 
selling  has  changed.  New 
economies  made  possible 
through  wartime  methods 
enable  us  to  save  you  the 
$43  it  used  to  cost  us  to  sell 
you  an  Oliver.  If  any  type- 
writer is  worth  $100  it  is  this 
splendid,  speedy  Oliver. 


You  may  order  direct  by 
mailing  the  coupon  below. 
We  ship  the  Oliver  to  you 
for  free  trial.  You  can 
then  judge  it  yourself.  You 
can  compare  its  workman- 
ship. At  no  time  during  the 
trial  are  you  under  obliga- 
tion to  buy.  You  can  keep 
it  or  return  it.  ^  No  eager 
salesman  need  influence 
you.  The  Oliver  must  con- 
yince  through  merit  alone. 


Only  $3  Per  Month  Pays  for  It 

If,  after  trial,  you  agree  that  the  Oliver  is  the  finest  typewriter,  regardless  of  price,  and  you 
want  to  own  it,  merely  pay  us  $3  per  month  until  the  $57  is  paid.  This  is  like  renting  it,  yet 
you  own  it  before  you  realize  it.  If  you  want  to  return  it,  ship  it  back  express  collect.  VV'c 
even  refund  the  outgoing  transportation  charges. 


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:fP27:.'-' 


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