Jasper County Democrat, Volume 1, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 January 1899 — THE LIGHT OF THE FIREFLY. [ARTICLE]

THE LIGHT OF THE FIREFLY.

Open the books. Desperate cases require despertsie meauw. Beveridge gets the F. ©• ® ena * iorehip plum, AndJ. Frank Hanly will continue life as a nriv*** •"***— .... ..a/iCli. Now let’s have a complete invee- ' - tigation of county affaire and see "how matters do stand. The last issue of the Sewer contained 13 editorial notices about the terrible Democrat editor. As usual, “13” proved a hoodoo. We wish to express our deep gratitude for the crockodile tears ■shed by our Rensselaer contemporaries over our libel (?) suit. It is a bitter pill for them to swallow, But they must grin an bear it.

It might not be a bad idea for the editor of the Court House Sewer to purchase a combination Box of the Larkin soajis and make an attempt to scrub some of the Black spots from off his character. W T e have the united and hearty , support of the Better element of taxpayers, regardless of party ties, in onr fight for honest and economical county government, and our persecutors will do well to heed this bit of warning. We would respectfully call the attention of the editor of the Apologist to the fact that it is about the time of year to agnin spring that old chestnut, “The Wnliash Ship Canal.” Perhaps by proper training the German carp can be made to dig this canal as far as Baum’s Bridge at least.

“Harbor” Knotts lias boon as-, signed a position on the following legislative committees: Fees and Salaries; Corporations; "Rivers and Cities and towns, and Congressional apportionment. If "he is industrious and discharges his duty, he will be a busy man during the legislative session. It doesn’t take an extraordinarily brilliant mind to realize that there is something radically wrong in the management of county affairs in Jasper county when you "note that our ordinary county expenditures have about doubled in the last eight years without any reasonable cause therefor. With all of his shortcomings, the editor of The Democrat, in his fiduciary capacity—-and he has held several such t rusts —has never been compelled to account for “shortage,” neither hits he ever been accused of embczzeling a cent, or ■was he ever dismissed in disgrace from his trust. The “editor” of the Journal will kindly take note of these facts. The indicting of the editor of The Democrat by the grand jury was no surprise to him, neither was it unexpected by the dein< era is of Jasper coun.y. The pre-routing attorney is n republican an i five, of the grand jurors were re* .o : i s - one of which is a brother of «; < i the present <Ol nl y - ifficen and ait uncle to the Larkin f or>t> agec v Had there been no other grou . :t > < presumed an indictmei ro d ! have been returnee i.rDemocrat editor *< audacity to publisi newspaper in . T c tv <d td the t. lain.

Shsbdbs* of the dehmot tkqUk Mat, am indictment forembamknnei itmmM trimmed,” have long Itop <an the edges” and would Be mina. ment to any “center tNAAeJ*’ ©o you “catch on” Mr. Editor^

the Keener tp., gravel roads, jprfblished by os same two months jagn. I were two allowances to E. E. Clark, deputy county rniifaif Sn r abstracting. One off these was tfnr 98J2& and the other for $2£;S, According to OUT rmdovaim.rfWipthe law such work is a jwitf (e ff the auditor’s • regular mid he is entitled to mo extra gmy therefor, P Hm* allowing** saxe illegal, and we believe they am, Mr. Clark should xetasiitiH****-* Ao to tbe county without delay.

Another illustration of the meed of reform in county govemmeitt iis found in Whitley comity, whore the commissioners have qukdb sold to outside parties s22{t##) iin county bonds at paT, drawing per cent interest, when "the-same could have lieensold to local'capitalists at 2 peT cent, premium and 44 per cent, interest. Tbe great needs in local government are publicity in action and a -system iff check on official action. $f officials are given unlimited power. I and the opportunity to act secretly, they have placed Indore them a a temptation to do wrong continually.—lndianapolis ’Sentindl.

The Democrat hopes to-see-fuli-ficient interest aroused to cause-b fund to be raised to make a complete investigation off county idfairs in Jasper county, going barit at least eight years. This iis a matter in which all texjiayere, irrespective party affiliations, are interested, and they should unite iin calling for an investigation—fndt by the county officers, but By toe people. The Democrat will -start the fund with $lO, and we have assurances from four or five other taxpayers, with whom we have talked, that they will gladly -subscribe a like sum. Talk it, agitefte it, and lets know why our ordinary county expenditures have doubled up in eight years time without apparent jnst cause.

/ Personally The Democrat ihas nothing whatever against Mr. 41. E. Alter, ex-county surveyor, but this official actions, if reports are “true, are open to the condemnation of every honest taxpayer in the county, and it is the bounden duty riff The Dem<jcrat if it hopes lo attain the confidence of the taxpayers of Jasper county’ to expose and condemn all public and affiaml‘dishonesty that comes to its notice. The Democrat is informed an what it considers good authority that it has been the custom off Mr. Alter to keep almost oantinuousbr during his term of office from one to two young ladies employed therein to whom he paid bat »0 cents each per day while she has charged this service up to the county at $1.25 per day, thus clearing 75 cents on each day’s bdmrtdf each girl. Many people are rfthe opinion that all this help was not necessary iu his office, but if the above re] torts are true it was to Mr. Alter s financial advantage to keep them employed, it zfemko alleged that in doing ditch wmA in the oountry he has hired wwrinnte at $1.25 per day while the county has had to pay for the same service $2 per day. The action of the commissioners, shows,-strange as this may appear, that-even tftffit body thinks theie has been something wrong with Mr Alter s balk, -or they would not have cut them ’own, the records disclosing sfhe fact lhat his bilk have been allowed in many instances foT much le® Dan their face, while a number have beeu dismissed altogether. I all the reports are true of John M+.-r bebae nbbed flte ltax'd dnsper eomriy .us n: a t ouUTy iiiTveyor. v

Chum. mAfanfitwp a Mud from EIMW uUluUr v/JL

tom dhforrjt JBiEge Thompson tfernkfAimifif the county nffir/idfedte. and! it is- to defend and.

wrath guctieuiaiiy to call the atwiai.uiuff(i«iET»Hifa»tD the folUowing fibont Governor mu rmwii retberntcnmi in lavn* methods i of KnumvußabttiwiMihiß guvemmenta- is- mani;ttetttn> aßli. TOmet are nut the proper safe-4ruerhsjnramtith«'ijuwcrs-Ueiesated to county -lebm» 11 mMii uuntracts, spend, money and ndrin iUTTiw™™,. amt:audit the hooka. SecrttnnTnSHNdtßtmn# He vised States- of IHO4 4Hv*tti«<nuchiiissTottunery auwertothe counTtyihuutL ITte-iUttetatazmttcrsp. in answer to Uue«tuin».tiiniS-tti*r, some counties have pureUavrfiotnntt llttraneas. The auditor answers ■ n»piiwtwtitan«ith«™anty com- ; muMuminMiasikttm purchase and: paid for the -aameffnmiouuiitvi fhndik. Them- is no law for -steHiteggtentttnra:. Thetawwemafthe coun--tyJsriuUfiatimttenn the punrhaur us court liIrasras attthe- mumy.* expense. This only iUunmßEsaeHar.magit lasiume the: results when tuwiitaHß-HMwersKmiunurterf;. The-prodigality wUii'eHMiiiur-mutv fnntis-are expended in some euuntes-ifc-the-'iutgrnwth "f:following precedertts uiittie iasaefiiiinsp scaih,. Attorneys- emliiuyjrtliiv atnninissoinera- ip county litigation ae nm iitfrriiieritiy. paid: fv*r*- five times as ilaspßf »s' l * r *wid:iie paid.ftir like services renibmrtltti uuintliwttiiaJ client. Judges of the cnurtam-' irtemrgtm-’agßntinthetrallcw.-tnces. Aly attgittuiriiiaaallemtuailetl tu the disparity m-sm+tijAliiwaaiunsbyiiltferenti judges fur like -serves*. should, be kept informed *-rt, i: tietenqemiitnmsr < il their public servants. Th, trxt*miiiUirns,irtiie tt>wn»hip officials last veatrhrr Vnmtflaiii reUefTlanountedtu $375.RIM&BS2. TTiisitmiimuus uupaiw is startling. in-»H»ui BmeitirnrrHubkic muneyu. The system irvvojrunnirmgry tuwnshipsf hMmu pauperism anil gutu ugmmunt upon vagrancy. The Irtnwiidhpx road.supervisor ami m»ni, t.o sinUty nfrttua official in large ■ Ussnm-issuuirttngentt ma*L improvement. rrie ffnrtictimmgTßnuit us thedate statistiiataanwrill cmeadl im ttiwnstnp government a great dwtaanv c it* rats- peer capita, It shows a county. irt tiUttite mum than .1&.-U60 inhabitants tssiwmiisffirr auuntp purposes ttve times as ■rnmtiirnumey.fflsuaeitherr county of- more than TUMMOinUMManttL. □ ihdlevveittsaatfa ttwamcdiide. if proper safe--jrunhKUK-Btinmil aUeuC these offices wise bus mess aidM-Ttiiiumic methods adopted by giumiK gntitownstaips, there could be 1 si-savnipuffßiipemientt. «fc present taxes for roumr aioiuiwnsinp purposes, ti« iiurtten rlrftttmatoni.andi not a misnomer - thatwrUlantgmmti asspenaes, Entt tfWHij osEttfim «fTm Dswo- • (msar rtmihuKVirr to* ««tn» at least one rmtw soibuntfiwn ibr tha paper dtnaiigttticnHNtl flaw w««tks, The jiHjorr sttonidi Bie ffti tile home of tonfiigr nule anil execs-

Abo«t It ' The light emitted by the firefly hM rfwaye bees an object of interest by reason of the email amount of energy apparently required to produce it. It has been one of the dreams of the scientific man to rival this light in efficiency, even if no practical use followed. In this connection a short summary of what is known upon the subject may not be out of place.

The first inquiry naturally suggesting itself is as to the character of this light as compared with light from other sources. It has been found that the light of glow-worms contains photographic rays which will pass through aluminium. It has also been found that the rays emitted by fireflies, after filtration through cardboard or through copper plates, will act photographically, and are capable of reflection and probably ppfr» «*-•-«

and polarisation. This would indicate the presence of rays belonging tQ! the extreme ultra-violet bud of the spfctrmn. ifijee it is blown that these ultra-violet rays have the power of passing through bodies opaque to the longer wave lengths visible to the eye. If this is so, they are probably the same as the invisible rays emitted by uranium and its salts, which have the power of passing through aluminium and cardboard snd are capable of reflection, refraction and polarization. These are known as Becquerel’s rays. In short, therefore, we may say that the light of the firefly contains invisible photographic rays from the extreme violet end of the spectrum, in addition to the ordinary light rave. Turning now to the construction of the light-producing apparatus, it I as been found by Max Schultz that this organ in the glow-worm consists of a pale, transparent, superficial layer, which gives off the light, and a deep opaque layer, whose function is less obvious. The Italian firefly, in which both male and female are luminous, has been examined by Emery. Here, as in the glow-worm,, the organ was found to consist of two layers. It has also been found that the ultimate branches of the tracheae or air tubes are distributed through tue photographic apparatus; nerve fibers are also present. The luminous organ in the firefly is regarded as homologous to the “fat body” often found in incects.

Now, directing attention to the cause of the light, we are met by two very significant discoveries. First, that carbonic acid extinguishes the light, and, second, that oxygen intensfiea it These facts, in conjunction with, the known distribution of air tubes in the photogenic body, point very strongly to the theory that the light is the result of some form of slow combustion, while the fatty nature of the luminous cells indicates tbe probability of fat, with some form es tree phosphorus, as the active agent

It may be added that, as regards light-producing animals in general, it has been, found in a large number of them that the luminous organs retain their power after death, and even afttr desiccation and subsequent moistening. There would therefore seem no reason to adopt the theory that we have here to deal with any direct transformation of vital into radiant energy. The most probable explanation of the phenomena, at least in the firefly and glow-worm, is that it is the result of slow combustion. And yet, even granting this is the cause of the light, there remains still to be explained why this form of slow combustion produces these extreme nitra-violet rays, while other forms of combustion do not. There is some underlying mystery of molecular physics here well worth investigation. — C. M. Broomall, in Scientific Amer-