Democratic Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 April 1885 — MORE PRECIOUS THAN HOLD! [ARTICLE]

MORE PRECIOUS THAN HOLD!

Nineteen Metals That Are Worth More Than SI,OOO a Pound. Colliery Engineer: Following are the names of those metals valued at over 81000 an avoirdupois pound, the figures given representing the value per pound: Vanadium —A white metal discovered in 1830, SIO,OOO. Rubidium —An alkaline metal, so-called for exhibiting dark red lines in the spectrum analysis, $9,070. Zirconium—A metal obtained from the minerals zircon and hyacinth, in the form of a black powder, $7,200. Lithium —An alkaline metal; the lightest metal known, $7,000. Glucinum —A metal in the form of a grayish black powder, $5,400. Calcium —The metallic base of lime, $1,500. Strontium —A malleable metal of a yellowish color, $1,200.

Terbium —Obtained from the mineral gadolinite, found in Sweden, $4,080. Yttrium —Discovered in 1828, is of a grayish black color, and its luster perfectly metallic, $4,080. Erbium—The metal found associated with yttrium, $3,400. Cerium —A metal of high specific gravity, a grayish white color, and a lamellar texture, $3,400. Didymium—A metal found associated with cerium, $3,200. Ruthenium—Of a gray color, very hard and brittle, extracted from the ores of platinum, $2,400. Rhodium—Of a white color and metallic luster, and extremely hatd and brittle. It requires the strongest heat that can be produced by a wind furnace for its fusion, $2,300. Niodium—Previously named columbinum, first discovered in an ore found at New London, Connecticut, $2,300. Barium —The metallic base of baryta, SI,BOO. Palladium—A metal discovered in 1802 and found in very small grains, of a steel gray color and fibrous structure, $1,400. Osmium —A brittle, gray-colored metal, found with platium, $1,300. Iridium—Found native as an alloy with osmium in lead-gray scales, and is the heaviest of known substances, $1,090.

Fertility of Dakota’s Soil. — “You have a very rich soil here,” remarked a tenderfoot to a Dakota farmer.

“Rich! Well, I should say so. Two years ago a young man from the east came out here. He carried a snakewood cane. He stuck it in the ground and left it here.” “I suppose,” remarked the tenderfoot with a smile, “you mean to tell me that it sprouted.” . “Sprouted! Well, I should say it did, and blossomed too. Why, last year I killed ten bushels of blacksnakes on that patch of ground, and each one was varnished and had a hammered silver head.” —New York Graphic.

Three 111. legislators have died since the senatorial contest begun