STEAM HEATING FOR\CITIES. ; 709 
derful progress made in the mechanical arts of this country, we are, perhaps, only 
on the threshold of the knowledge possessed by the ancient Egyptians thirty-five 
centuries ago. In my opinion an obelisk is simply the representation of the 
creative power; it was unquestionably designed to stand before a temple; the 
proportions between its heighth and that of the wall or pylon against which it was 
seen projected, were invariably such that from every point of view the pyramidion 
of the obelisk was seen above the top of the temple. Obelisks are always erected 
in pairs; unfortunately, we have but one, and it is not reasonable to expect that 
we can get another one from Egypt; in fact, I have good ground for assuring you 
that there is not the least hope of our getting another Egyptian obelisk, until we 
can buy one from the European residents of Egypt. But I can see no reason 
for not having another obelisk, cut out of the beautiful red granite of Connec- 
ticut, and erected on a neighboring knoll, on which there could be cut a brief 
historical record.” 
He then gave an extended account of the hieroglyphics, which have before 
been fully described, and gave some facts about Thothmes III., Rameses, Thebes, 
Memphis, and Lucius Verus. ‘‘Thothmes was enabled to conquer Asia and exact 
tribute from the most powerful Asiatic kingdoms. He built new temples and 
restored others that had been destroyed by the Asiatic conquerors. Among the 
latter was the Temple of On at Heliopolis. Before that temple he erected a pair 
of obelisks, of which ours is one. 
‘Cleopatra had nothing to do with our obelisk. She died eight years before 
it was removed by the Romans from Heliopolis to Alexandria, for, as you are 
doubtless aware, the Latin and Greek inscription on the claw of the copper crab, 
found between it and its pedestal, states that it was re-erected at Alexandria in 
the eighth year of Augustus, which correspond to the twenty-third before Christ.” 
—NMew York Times. 
STEAM HEATING FOR CITIES. 
To speak of a man’s warming his hands in his own parlor by the heat of a 
fire a mile distant suggests an exploit of sorcery; yet for several years sucha 
thing has been possible to the citizen of Lockport, N. Y. If he will, he may 
break up his stoves and sell them for old iron: one furnace is henceforth to do 
the work of a thousand, and distribute its heat to the houses of an entire city 
by the agency of the good servant, steam. The process was invented and put 
into practical operation by Mr. Birdsill Holly. 
Near the center of thé city stands a plain brick building, from whose one tall 
chimney clouds of black smoke are constantly ascending. This is the boiler- 
house, and here in a row are the four great boilers in which the steam is gener- 
ated. Three are horizontal, fifteen feet in length by fiveindiameter. The fourth 
is of about the same capacity as its companions, but different in shape; it looks — 
dike a gigantic bell dropped down upon the furnace, and is familiarly known to 
