562 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. / 



ax^icl which is also white. Now by pouring this acid on the oil 

 which is transparent, and shaking it a little, it will become red. 

 and if shaken more and a little acid added to it, it will turn black? 

 There is now a small portion of the bottom jet black. The oil has 

 lost part of its carbon and that carbon has been deposited at the 

 bottom. The oil contains hydrogen and carbon. Part of the 

 hydrogen will unite with part of the oxygen and form water. 

 The way to remove the color of the oil after treating it with acid 

 is to add water, which turns it a milk white. Oils can be oxy- 

 dized })y other methods than burning them. Alcohol can be made 

 from this oil as good as any alcohol made from grain. Common 

 gas contains four equivalents of hydrogen and four carbon. Alco- 

 hol is four of carbon, six of hydrogen, and two oxygen. 

 Adjourned. 



American Institute Polytechnic Association, ) 



November 15, 1867. \ 



Prof. S. D. Tillman in the chair ; T. D. Stetson, Esq. Secretary. 



Good Wells made in One Hour in most Localities. 



The Chairman read a description of the method of making wells 

 very quickly, as practised by Cowing & Co., of Seneca Falls, N. Y. 



These wells arc made by driving into the earth common iron 

 gas pipe (suitably pointed and perforated) to the required depth 

 (usually sixteen to thirty feet), attaching one of Cowing & Co.'s 

 pumps, as represented by accompanying illustrations, and after 

 pumping a short time the fine particles of sand and gravel will be 

 drawn to the surface, causing a cavity below, which is kept tilled 

 with pure water by the vacuum created with the pump. There 

 are several different modes of pointing and driving the pipe, for 

 which patents have been issued. That firm are prepared to fill 

 orders for dealers, and also to those who are engaged in putting 

 down these wells, and would call attention to their anti-freezing 

 pumps, made with especial reference to this business. 



New Fire Boxes for Boilers. 



Mr. Joseph A. Miller, of New York, exhibited drawings of his 

 improvements on boilers for steam engines, and explained their 

 construction as follows : 



It is a well known fact that the steam producing capacity of all 

 boilers depends upon the amount of surfiice exposed to the action 



