AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 383 



All the stars send us light which appears to be the same (except trifling 

 shades of color in some,) in all, and we sec, with good telescopes, one hun- 

 dred millions of tliem. "What follows — all the electricities are in them all. 



It is not impossible that we may discover the powers of the electricities 

 and use them for all manner of force ! The resources, as above shown, are 

 near enough to infinite for all that man can want. Let us hope and work 

 them, until we have not only put a girdle around the whole earth but set 

 in motion every wanted engine and machinery on land and sea, maintained 

 light and warmth like a summer's day, over all mankind. 



OUR STREET PAVEMENTS— FALL OF OUR HORSES. 



An hourly infliction upon our horses and the feelings of citizens, so 

 striking, so hurtful, and yet so easily prevented. 



Some months ago the Mechanics' Club of the American Institute, feel- 

 ing, with our citizens, the very strongest sympathy for our most valued 

 friend, the horse, was induced to think of a preventive. It concluded by 

 oflfering (gratis,) to our worthy mayor, its plan, viz.: The pavement needs 

 to be kept rough enough, at all times, to prevent slipping. This it pro- 

 poses to do in the most perfect and economical manner. Carriages, strong 

 enough to carry upright pounders shod with steel points, operated by the 

 movement of the carriage itself, driven by one man, to pass with other 

 vehicles, freely, through our streets, pecking as it goes, the smooth surfaces 

 of our pavements ; the depth and amount of the pecking or roughening 

 to be regulated at pleasure. Such pavement pecking carriages can work 

 at all times and at an expense not one-tenth that of an omnihus ! 



The Club is desired to consider this remedy for a serious street evil, and 

 if best, recommend its adoption. 



Subjects for next meeting. — "Warming and ventilation of buildings;" 

 " Canal steam navigation." 



Mr. Seeley called attention to some of the properties of gutta percha, 

 relative to its insulation of electricity. That it sufl"ered great alteration. 

 When coated on wires it became very brittle and was readily rubbed all 

 off. It should be attended to when we are about trusting it with insula- 

 tion on long cables. 



The Club adjourned. 



H. MEIGS, Secretary. 



December 8, 1858. 

 Present — Messrs. Johnson, Clough. of Indiana; Brown, Jones, Seeley, 

 Reynolds, Leonard, Veeder, Woodward, Stetson, and others. 

 John Johnson in the chair. Henry Meigs, Secretary. 

 Miscellaneous business being still in order the Secretary read the fol- 

 lowing papers : 



[Journal of tlio Society of Arts. London.] 



This society has more than 350 societies in union with it, from all of 

 which a weekly journal is published in London. From such abundant 



