Democratic Sentinel, Volume 5, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 August 1881 — Practical Engineering. [ARTICLE]

Practical Engineering.

An engineer examined not long since in an arbitration case was asked : “How long have you been in your profession ?” *“ Twelve years.” “ Are you thoroughly acquainted with your work, tbeoreticall v and practically ? ” “ Yes.” “Do you feel competent to undertake large constructions?” “Yes; most certainly.” “In what engineering works have you been engaged during the last twelve years 1” “The manufacture of iron bedsteads.” A new celluloid is said to be obtained from well-peeled ’potatoes, which are treated for thirty-six hours with a solution of eight parts of sulphuric acid in 100 parts of water. The mass is dried between blotting paper and then pressed. It is further stated that in France smoking pipes are manufactured out of this new material which are quite equal in appearance to the meerschaum. By heavy pressure the material acquires such a hardness that billiard balls cap be manufactured from it,