USES OF SA WD UST.— DISCO VERIES BY A CCIDENT, 1 25 



USES OF SAWDUST. 



In most of our large cities, this material is not wasted, but has a commercial 

 value and is eagerly sought after by parties who vend it. In New York this is 

 notably the case. It is said that there are as many as 500 sawdust venders in 

 this city. Years ago the mills were glad to have their sawdust removed ; but 

 since then there has been a growing demand for it, and the average price paid 

 for it by the venders is about $3.50 per load. Special machines have been 

 patented for gripding up shavings into coarse dust, which is prepared by some of 

 the large mills for sale to the venders. 



It is sold in large quantities to hotels, eating houses, saloons, groceries and 

 other business houses. 



It is moistened with water and strewn on the floors, where it serves the 

 useful purpose of laying the dust, and makes sweeping up cleaner work. 

 Plumbers use it constantly about their pipes ; and builders to deaden walls and 

 floors. Soda water men and packers of glass, china and other fragile wares, use 

 it in considerable quantity. The markets and stables use considerable. 



Yellow Pine makes the most desirable material for these uses ; it is less dusty 

 than other varities, and has besides a pleasant aromatic odor. But the dust of 

 any of the white wood is indiscriminately used. Walnut dust is not in demand 

 for these uses, and where it is possible to do so, it is burned. 



It is estimated that there is capital of about $200,000 invested in the business 

 of vending sawdust in this city. The quantity disposed of in the manner above 

 described must therefore be immense. — The Manufacturer and Builder. 



DISCOVERIES BY ACCIDENT. 



Valuable discoveries have been made and valuable inventions suggested by 

 the veriest accidents. An alchemist, while seeking to discover a mixture of earths 

 that would make the most durable crucibles, one day found that he had made 

 porcelain. The power of lenses, as applied to the telescope, was discovered by a 

 watchmaker's apprentice. While holding spectacle-glasses between his thumb 

 and finger, he was startled at the suddenly enlarged appearance of a neighboring 

 church spire. The art of etching upon glass was discovered by a Nuremberg 

 glass cutter. By accident a few drops of aqua fortis fell upon his spectacles. He 

 noticed that the glass became corroded and softened where the acid had touched 

 it. That was hint enough. He drew figures upon glass with varnish, applied the 

 corroding fluid, then cut away the glass around the drawing. When the varnish 

 was removed the figures appeared raised upon a dark ground. Mezzotinto owed 

 its invention to the simple accident of the gun barrel of a sentry becoming rusted 

 with dew. The swaying to and fro of a chandelier in a cathedral suggested to 

 Galileo the application of the pendulum. The art of lithographing was perfected 

 through suggestions made by accident. A poor musician was curious to know 



