THE METEOR OF DECEMBER 21, 1876. 39 



■end of the driving axle. The boiler is constructed on the Field sj^stem and 

 has 12 square feet of heating surface, composed of 36 Field tubes. The 

 working pressure is 100 Hbs. to the square inch. The diameter of the wheels 

 is two feet, and the speed from 10 to 20 miles an hour, according to the 

 weather. The boiler when empty weighs 156 lbs. and will hold 3| gallons 

 of water. The fuel box and tank together weigh 50 lbs. when empty, and 

 will carry 50 lbs. of coal and 6 gallons of water. The engine exclusive of 

 crank and axle weighs 45 lbs. Seven j)ersons can ride upon it at the same 

 time. 



Apparatus for Burning Crude Petroleum in Locomotives. — Thomas 

 Urquhart, Superintendent of the Griazitzaritien Eailway of Eussia, has 

 designed an aj^paratus for burning crude petroleum or naphtha waste 

 in locomotives, which is described with illustrations in Engineering. The 

 petroleum for this purpose is brought from Baku on the Caspian Sea, being 

 transported by water uj) the Volga to Izaritzin, the terminus of the rail- 

 way, and it was expected that it would take the place of wood in the Eussian 

 railways. While it has been comparatively successful from an engineering 

 point of view, there are some objections, among which are the great amoujit 

 of smoke made when the locomotive is standing, and the fact that several 

 severe gas explosions have taken j^lace on the firing door being opened. 

 In addition to these objections it has been demonstrated that the use of 

 petroleum is more expensive than that of wood. 



METEOROLOGY. 



THE METEOR OF DECEMBER 21, 1876. , 



On the evening of Dec. 21st, 1876, a very large and remarkable meteor, 

 apparently originating in Kansas, passed over the central belt of the United 

 States, in an easterly direction, and disa^Dpeared in Pennsylvania. It was 

 first observed, as far as has been learned, at Hays City, Kansas, passing 

 slowly along at an altitude of about 25 degrees above the horizon, with a 

 downward tendency, so much so that most observers all along its course be- 

 lieved that it reached the earth within a mile or two from them. Eeports 

 from Hays City, Lawrence and Fort Scott, Kansas ; Kansas City, Jefferson 

 City and St. Louis, Missouri ; Keokuk and Burlington, Iowa ; Dorchester, 

 Quincy, Jacksonville, Nameoki, Champaign, Galesburg, Lewiston and Chi- 

 cago, Illinois ; Lafayette, Grarrett, Indianapolis and Fort Wayne, Indiana ; 

 Louisville, Kentucky , Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus and Cleveland, Ohio, 

 and the northwestern portion of Pennsylvania, show that its course was a 



