PROCEEDINGS OF THE POLYTECHNIC ASSOCIATION. 497 



any vast system of drainag-c; in this respect we are better situated tlian 

 any other city in the world. I have received a note from Mr. Grieves, wlio 

 was to speak on the subject of petroleum, stating that he cannot be pre- 

 sent this evening. I will, therefore, call upon Mr. Calvin Pepper for some 

 remarks on his method of using sand in steam boilers. 



Mr. C. Pepper. — The subject on which I propose to speak has some con- 

 nection with the one before *us, petroleum. Some two years since I pro- 

 cured a patent for burning gas in combination with sand, but in the course 

 of my experiments I found that by introducing the gas into the sand I 

 obtained the best results, and I then had my patent to cover all methods of 

 burning sand; the thought then suggested itself to me, that by placing the 

 sand within the boiler I could heat the water much better than by any 

 other method. I found that the sand kept the heat longer than the water, 

 and my experiments to sliow that by putting the sand into the boiler was 

 the best application of the laws of heat. I have tried it on a locomotive, 

 and it is now in use in Albany'. I have it also in a boiler of a stationary 

 engine, and have experimented with it before scientific judges. I have 

 found that by using sand any of the inflamable fluids, such as kerosene, 

 benzole and naphtha, can be bmmed as fuel without smoke, and that crude 

 petroleum can be also burned as a liquid, or as a vapor, and this too with- 

 out smoke, and as fuel in the form of flame, and this form I found to be 

 the best heating medium. When I burned street gas, the pressure from 

 the gasometer, and the air which the sand absorbed, was suflScient to burn 

 ordinary carburetted hydrogen without smoke, and in burning camphene 

 and burning fluid, I did not get an entire absence of smoke without using 

 a blow pipe. I have burned one of the coarser oils of a specific gravity of 

 45° without smoke. I claim that sand does not only generate steam much 

 quicker, but that it is a preserver of the boiler; the sand does not become 

 concrete or secrete any matter, or combine with the water to form solids, 

 but I have found it to act as a filter. 



The Chairman. — As Mr. Pepper's remarks appear to embrace several 

 subjects, it would be well to select some particular one and confine our- 

 selves to it; as there are several engineers present, the subject of using 

 sand in steam boilers would no doubt be most interesting. 



Mr. Pepper. — I am aware of sand being used for heating purposes in 

 London, and also of gas being burned by passing it through bricks. The 

 steward of the Metropolitan Hotel, in this city, saw experiments tried in 

 burning gas in bricks and sand, and the preference was given to the sand. 



Mr. Bartlett. — In discussing this subject we would facilitate matters 

 greatl}^ if we knew some of the results attained thus far. It appears that 

 several experiments have been made, and as the subject is calculated to 

 elicit inquir}^ I would ask Mr. Pepper if he can give us the results of any 

 one of the experiments. 



Mr. Pepper. — The experiments of which I spoke have been published. I 

 have since made others, and I came to this city to continue them. I am 

 entering into arrangements for trying various experiments during the 

 coming week; and as I did not think this subject would come up this even- 

 ing, I have not come with the datas and other particulars, but hope at the 

 [Am. Ins.] 32 



