BOILING POINT 



793 



BOK 



BOILING POINT. At certain temperatures 

 liquids bubble up and give off vapor. The 

 temperature at which this occurs is in each 

 case the boiling point of the liquid. This 

 depends upon the amount of atmospheric 

 pressure to be overcome, because the boiling 

 point occurs where the tension of the vapor is 

 equal to the pressure of the atmosphere. 

 Pressure is heaviest at sea level 14.7 pounds 

 to the square inch where the boiling point of 

 water is 212 F. In ascending to higher eleva- 

 tions the pressure diminishes and the tempera- 

 ture of the boiling point falls in the ratio of 

 1 F. to every 550 feet of altitude. At lofty 

 heights the boiling point of water is so low 

 that food cannot be cooked in open vessels. 

 This fact is sometimes utilized in calculating 

 altitudes at different stages in the ascent of 

 mountains. Thus the boiling point on the 

 summit of Mont Blanc, 15,781 feet above sea 

 level, is 185 F. 



Not all liquids boil at the same temperature. 

 Thus, while water boils at 212 F. at sea level, 

 ether boils at 96, alcohol at 173 and mercury 

 at 662. In finding the boiling point the ther- 

 mometer is not immersed in the liquid but is 

 held in the vapor just above the surface. The 

 atmospheric pressure of fifteen pounds to the 

 square inch is used as the unit of measure in 

 mechanics; for instance, in making steam, the 

 pressure of ten atmospheres, 150 pounds, raises 

 the boiling point to 356 F. The injection of 

 gases into water lowers the boiling point. See 

 STEAM. C.R.M. 



BOISE, boi' za, IDAHO, the state capital, the 

 largest and most important city of the state 

 and the county seat of Ada County. It is situ- 

 ated in Southwestern Idaho, on the Boise River, 

 265 miles west and north of Pocatello. Trans- 

 portation is provided by the Oregon Short Line 

 and the Boise Valley Interurban Railway. The 

 first settlement was made in 1834 by French- 

 Canadian explorers. In 1863 Major Lugabill 

 of the United States army established here the 

 military post of Fort Boise, now Boise Bar- 

 racks, and the city was organized the following 

 year. It was the territorial capital and has 

 been the state capital since 1890, when Idaho 

 was admitted to the Union. Since 1912 the 

 city government has been on the commission 

 plan. In 1910 the population was 17,358; by 

 1915 it had increased to 29,637. The area 

 exceeds four square miles. 



Boise is a city of broad streets, stately trees 

 and attractive homes; it is modern in every 

 respect. Probably its most striking feature is 



an abundant supply of naturally hot water for 

 domestic and public use, supplied by boiling 

 wells. The most notable building is the mas- 

 sive state capitol, constructed of native sand- 

 stone at a cost of nearly $2,000,000. The city 

 hall, Federal building, Carnegie Library and 

 the Empire building are important structures. 

 The Natatorium, in the Moorish type of archi- 

 tecture, is one of the largest and finest resorts 

 of its kind in the United States; the supply of 

 hot water in the swimming tank is cooled to 

 the proper temperature. 



Boise is the seat of a Roman Catholic arch- 

 bishop and an Episcopal bishop. The high 

 school is one of the finest in the West; Saint 

 Theresa's and Saint Margaret's academies offer 

 opportunities for advanced education. The 

 state penitentiary, a United States assay office, 

 a United States reclamation office and a sol- 

 diers' home are located here. There are two 

 hospitals, three theaters and the "White City," 

 a large amusement park. 



By means of irrigation this section of the 

 country has become a rich agricultural, dairy- 

 ing and stock-raising district, of which Boise is 

 the commercial center. From this point are 

 shipped large quantities of fruit, wool, hides 

 and cattle. Boise is one of the greatest horse 

 markets of the Northwest and one of the lead- 

 ing inland wool markets of the United States. 

 The city does a large wholesale business, the 

 value of the annual trade being estimated at 

 $13,000,000. Great deposits of gold, silver, 

 copper, lead and zinc ores are found in this 

 locality and mining is an important industry. 

 The Boise River furnishes water for irrigation 

 through canals, and water power for manu- 

 facture through the construction of the Arrow- 

 rock Dam, twenty-six miles above the city 

 (see IDAHO). This is the highest dam in the 

 world (351 feet). Ample electric power also 

 offers inducements to manufacturers. Boise has 

 a large number of factories which have not yet 

 attained their greatest proportions. R.w.c. 



BOK, bahk, EDWARD WILLIAM (1863- ), 

 an American journalist, who as editor of the 

 Ladies' Home Journal has been called "a lay 

 preacher to the largest congregation in the 

 United States." Under his editorial direction 

 that publication has won a larger circulation 

 than any other standard monthly magazine 

 in America, if not in the world, and through 

 its editorial columns he has wielded tremen- 

 dous power in support of many good causes. 

 The better babies' movement, the education of 

 boys and girls in sex hygiene, the campaigns 



