28 



THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



Photo, C. R. Toothaker, Phila. Commercial Museum. 

 Dumping Crude Asphalt into Hold of Vessel. 



of the water of hydration of the clay forming part of the mineral 

 matter, which was lost on ignition after the removal of the bitumen by 

 solvents, and that, as a matter of fact, there is practically nothing of the 

 nature of the organic matter not bitumen which has heretofore been 

 attributed to Trinidad asphalt. 



In direct contrast to this acid water is that which rises with the soft 

 pitch in the center of the lake, which is alkaline in reaction, and has the 

 following composition : 



Grams 

 per Kilo 



Specific gravity 1.0599 



Solids at 110° C 82.100 



Sodium, Na 27.193 



Potassium, K 0.528 



Chlorine, CI 38.210 



Sulphuric acid, S0 3 3.207 



Calcium oxide, CaO Trace 



Magnesium oxide, MgO 0.506 



Carbonic acid, C0 2 3.700 



Silica, Si0 2 0.222 



Organic matter ? 



73.566 



