Scientific American Vol II. No. 1. September 26, 1846

Nature's Image Of Washington

By Marshall S. Pike, Of The Harmoneons Descriptive: Opposite Harper's Ferry,--which is situated on a pleasant elevation at the junction of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers--a few rods north of Pinn...

The Viol Seraphine

Introduction The clear tones of a viol or bass viol are generally admitted to be more melodious than those produced by other kinds of instruments, and many have expressed a desire to see an instrumen...

An Eclipse In Arabia

Casting my eyes over the bright, full moon, I perceived that an eclipse was just coming upon it. What astronomer had calculated this eclipse for Arabia? It was indeed a privilege to witness one in the...

Giving Credit

One of our exchange says one of our exchanges, came to us this week with four of our editorials not credited. A frivolous complaint. Not a week passes but we find in some of our exchanges from ten...

The Bowie Knife And Its Inventor

This instrument was devised by Col. James Bowie, an American, and a man of desperate valor. He considered, and apparently with justice, too, that, in close fighting, a much shorter weapon than the swo...

Forests And Streams

That remarkable man, Humbolt, has reduced it almost to a demonstration, that the streams of our country, fail in proportion to the destruction of its timber. And of course, if the streams fail, our se...

Pure Air

Throw open the window and fasten it there!Fling the curtain aside and the blind, And give a free entrance to heaven's pure air,'Tis the life and health of mankind. Behold that dull concourse in yond...

The Deerfield (N. H.) Phenomena

We have frequently heard of singular and unaccountable reports, as of explosion, in Deerfield, but nothing so definite as the following statement by a correspondent of the Portsmouth Journal. Mr Edi...

Extraordinary Instance Of Gambling

It is well known upon the western waters, that the firemen and other hands employed upon the boats spend much of their idle time in playing cards. Of the passion for gaming, thus excited, an instance ...

Sageisms

He who is passionate and hasty is generally honest. It's your cool, dissembling, smiling hypocrite, of whom you should beware. There is no deceit about a bull dog. It's only the cur that sneaks up and...

How Very Hot It Is

The following lines would have been inserted earlier, but the weather was so hot we could not attend to it. Did you ever know such weather? Seven bright burning days together! Swelt'ring nights and b...

Variety

Prussian Music The Boston Brigade Band has been presented with a copy of the collection of the celebrated martial music of the Prussian army. Prussia has long been famous for the excellence of its...

Diversification Of Language

A poetic line from Gray admits of the following twenty-eight variations without changing the accent: The weary ploughman plods his homeward way, The ploughman, weary, plods his homeward way, His home...

"Keep That Testament In Your Vest Pocket, Over Your Heart."

We have been forcibly reminded of an interesting anecdote of the Revolution, while witnessing so many young men in the ranks of the volunteer companies, in connection with the highly praiseworthy reso...

Modes Of Raising Ponderous Articles

A wedge is considered to be the most simple of mechanical powers, and is often used in cases where no other apparatus can be made to apply; as in splitting logs and other adhesive articles. If a mas...

Information To Persons Having Business To Transact At The Patent Office

Sec. 1. The existing laws relating to patents are those approved July 4, 1836, March 3, 1837, and March 3, 1839; all former acts having been repealed by the act of 1836. Sec. 2. Patents are granted ...

The Regulator(?)

The use of a pair of conical drums in reversed position, and connected by a band, as shown in the cut, has been known for several years to a few, but yet are not extensively known, and but a few of th...

A Remarkable Mineral Spring

It may not perhaps be generally known even to our own citizens that there is in the town of Riga, N.Y., one mile east of Churchville, on the farm of Linus Pierson, a Mineral Spring, the gases from whi...

Cool Forethought

One of the most admirable instances of prudential forethought we have ever heard of, occurred in Boston a few days since. Three Irishmen were engaged in taking down a wall in Mount Vernon street. The ...

It May Be So

It is stated in a Cincinnati paper, that the body of a drowned child has been discovered by means of a loaf of bread in which was deposited a quantity of quicksilver. The loaf was sent afloat in the c...

New Inventions. Howe's Sewing Machine

We have heretofore noticed the extraordinary invention by Mr. Elias Howe, Jr., of Cambridge, Mass.--a machine that sews beautiful and strong seams in cloth as rapid as nine tailors. We are not yet pre...

Steering Apparatus

Mr. R. C. Holmes, says the United States Gazette, has invented a new application of the tiller rope to the wheel for steering vessels, and has prepared a model of the whole application, tiller-frame, ...

Electro-Magnetic Boat

It is stated in some of our exchanges, that Dr. Page, of Washington, has perfected a boat to be propelled by the electro-magnetic power. We know of no man better qualified to produce and introduce suc...

Improvement In Boats

There is a model of a steamboat to be seen on the Chesapeake, invented and constructed by Cyrus Williams, Esq., which is exciting considerable interest among steamboat men. It is in the usual form of ...

Casting Iron Cannon By A Galvanic Process

A hoaxical looking article, under the above caption, is going the rounds, and represents that successful experiments on this subject have been recently made at Berlin. As no description or illustratio...

New Shingle Machine

Among the patents particularly noticed in the Commissioner's report, is one for a shingle machine, which cuts the shingles in a peculiar form. The shingles cut by this machine does not taper from one ...

Improvement In Blacksmiths Forges

This invention was entered at the Patent Office on the 15th instant, by James K. Hobbs. The improvement consists in the placing of grate-bars at the bottom of the fire chamber, below which is an open ...

Improved Fire Engine

This improvement consists in part, in the arrangement of two sets of levers and hand poles on each side, in such a manner that when force is applied to the hand-poles of the outside levers, in a reve...

A Simple Cheese-Press

An ingenious mechanic, not long since, hearing some persons conversing on the ordinary cost of cheese-presses, which is generally from three to six dollars, boldly averred that he could build a che...

Cast Iron Roofing

A specimen of cast-iron plates for roofing of buildings, says the Philadelphia Ledger, has been exhibited at the Exchange, in Philadelphia, by the inventor and patentee, Mr. Wm. Beach. The plates are ...

The New And Wonderful Pavement

We presented in a late number, a brief extract from an article on this subject from the Eureka, and should have thought no more of it, had we not observed the following notice editorial in the N, Y....

To Render Shingles Durable

One of our exchanges mentions an experiment which was made twenty-seven years ago, of dipping shingles into hot linseed oil prior to nailing them on the roof: and although they have not been painted, ...

Best Plan Of A Barn

Perhaps no building on the farm in the Northern States is of more importance than the barn. Those who have had the charge of cattle during our long winters, can at once see that much time and hard lab...

Robert Fulton

Robert Fulton, a celebrated engineer, whose name is connected with steamboat navigation, was born in the town of Little Britain, in the state of Pennsylvania, in 1765. His genius disclosed itself at a...

Introduction To Volume II

With our best bow, we present ourselves before our friends and the public, in a new dress, from head to foot, and though conscious of appearing rather plain and quaker-like, we can assure our frien...

Advantage Of Low Fares

During the month of July, 1845, when the fare between New York and Boston was reduced to the ruinous rates of only two dollars, the receipts on the different routes were $45,208; but during the corr...

Avalon Railroad Iron

The Covington Manufacturing Co. at their Avalon works, near Baltimore, are now delivering, under their contract, the iron for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. This iron is made exclusively of the best...

The Magnetic Telegraph

Line To Burlington, Vt A movement appears to be in progress in Vermont for establishing a line of telegraphic communication from Springfield or Albany to Burlington. Much confidence is expressed by s...

Advertising In London

A new and improved mode of advertising has been introduced in London; which is to furnish laborers, carmen, etc. with while frocks or jackets, on the backs of which are printed in large characters, ...

Deerfield Bridge

The railroad bridge at Deerfield, Mass., is said to be a splendid affair. It is fifty feet above the traveled stage road bridge, and nearly eighty feet above the waters of the river. The piers are alr...

Information Wanted

Mr. Editor,--I have a saw-mill which draws thirty-six square inches of water, under thirty feet head. I wish to build another below with only twenty feet head of water. How many square inches aperture...

Railroad Intelligence

Old Colony Railroad, from Boston to Plymouth, Mass., has for some time past been in full operation, and is doing a fair business. The whole amount of the stock of the Michigan Central Railroad--$2,00...

Arrival Of The Cambria

The steamship Cambria arrived at Boston on Friday, the 18th inst., thirteen days from Liverpool. From the news by this arrival, we select the following brief items:--not very interesting, but better t...

The Mexican War

The latest news from Mexico, and from our army, represent affairs in a most quaint and ludicrous light, with regard to the policy and movements of all parties. The average progress of the army of inva...

Trade To Santa Fe

The trade to Santa Fe is said to be much greater this year than ever before. Thirty-nine companies of traders have gone out this season, taking with them four hundred and thirteen wagons, which are in...

The Harbor Of Havana

Our engraving represents a view of the harbor of Havana, which is one of the most commodious in the world, communicating with the sea by a channel little more than half a mile in length, and from 300 ...

Humorous. A Very Long Nose

A gentleman having put out a candle by accident one night, ordered his waiting man (who was a simple being) to light it again in the kitchen, adding--But take care, James, that you do not hit yoursel...

Sol. Smith

The American Sentinel, speaking of Sol. Smith, the Lawyer, Actor, Preacher, etc,. remarks--We want a few more of such men, To which a Dayton (Ala.) paper replies--You'll not get them. There are n...

A Profitable Hoax

Recently at the Copper Mines on Lake Superior, a greenhorn asked some miners to show him where to dig; they offered to do it, provided he would treat to a quart of prairie dew, which he did, and t...

Reforming

Well, how are you this morning? said one old rowdy to another. Well, sir, quite well--never was better; I'm another man, sir. Ah! Then who pays those old accounts of yourself that was? Don't...

Wrong Side Up!

The appearance of many things and circumstances, like the above cut, depends on the view we take of them: and be it remembered that when a man's head is inverted, to him all appear wrong side up. Henc...

Importance Of Humility

Dr. Franklin once received a very useful lesson from the excellent Dr. Cotton Mather, which he thus relates in a letter to his son:--The last time I saw your father was in 1724. On taking my leave, h...

Communicated. The Eureka: Or Journal Of The National Association Of Inventors

(We had not intended to say any thing on the subject of the Eureka in this number, nor until the second number of the work should have been issued: but finding that a great degree of dissatisfaction...

Advertisements

This paper circulates in every State in the Union, and is seen principally by mechanics and manufacturers. Hence, it may be considered the best medium of advertising, for those who import or manufactu...

Engraving On Wood

NEATLY AND PROMPTLY EXECUTED AT the Office of the Scientific American, 128 Fulton st, three doors from the Sun Office. Designs, DRAWINGS of all kinds for PATENTS, etc., also made, as above, at very lo...

Electricity

SMITH'S CELEBRATED TORPEDO, OR VIBRATING ELECTRO MAGNETIC MACHINE--This instrument differs from those in ordinary use, by having a third connection with the battery, rendering them much more powerful ...

The Ball Of The Bears

As Stanilaus Augustus, the last king of Poland, was a tool of Russia, and did not enjoy any consideration, the Polish grandees played him many tricks. Prince Radziwill came to court in a carriage draw...

All Is Not Gold That Glitters

A lady, at a ball lately given in Calcutta, attracted the attention of all, and excited the jealousy of many, in consequence of the splendor and brilliancy which her diamonds shed upon her person and ...

Painting In Imitation Of Rose-Wood

(By the particular request of a Mechanic in Cherryfield, Me.)--In this art the process is various according to the circumstances, and the ground on subjects to which it is applied. In painting co...

India Rubber

The substance called India Rubber, or Caoutchouc, was not known in Europe until the beginning of the eighteenth century. It was originally brought as a great curiosity from South America. Europeans co...

Communication On Atmospheric Resistance

The following letter has been on hand several weeks, but deferred on account of a constant press of matter by which the limited space in our former small sheet was crowded. Our respected correspondent...

The Conical Windlass

Various methods have been heretofore described, for raising heavy bodies, or producing for other purposes, a great force,--usually miscalled power--by the application of a comparatively small force: b...

Requisite Strength Of Steam Boilers

Our correspondent S. B. cannot comprehend that the strength of iron for a cylindrical boiler should be in direct proportion to the diameter thereof, in order to sustain an equal pressure per square in...

Bagley's Gold Pens

Do our readers wish to hear any thing more about them? If so, they have only to inquire of any one of the many thousands of writers who have used these pens six months or more, and can hear the fact a...

The Humming Bird

A gentleman who resided some time on one of the West India Islands informs us that while he was once travelling along the bed of a deep ravine overhung with thick vines, he was actually startled by th...