Personal and ScientiHc News. 127 
used, not only in iron pipes, but in every article where iron is 
used. In the past year over 2,000,000 kettles have been sub- 
jected to this process in Pittsburgh. The method is very pe- 
culiar. After the article is made it is put into a furnace a'bout 
3-|- feet high, 15 feet long, and 8 feet broad. The furnace is 
made in an oval shape, air tight. After the iron has been in 
the furnace for two hours, and it has attained almost a white 
heat, the air that comes through the refrigerators and air valves 
is shut securely off, and the furnace is made air-tight. After 
the air has been shut off the superheater, which is located in 
the combustion chamber at the rear of the furnace, and at 
right angles from the air-valves, is opened, and the furnace is 
filled with steam and kept in this condition for eight hours. 
At short intervals a small valve is opened, so as to allow an 
exodus of steam in the furnace. When the articles have been 
ten hours in the furnace there has been accomplished the for- 
mation of magnetic oxide upon the iron surface. They are 
then put into an acid well, which is the last treatment. 
American Society of Civil Engineers. — This society has a 
total membership of 1335. The total receipts of the treasury 
for 1889, including a balance on hand Jan. 1, 1889, reached 
$39,799.91. The expenses for the same vear were $28 875.46, 
leaving a balance on hand Jan. 1, 1890, of $10,924.45. 
Consul Burke, of Bahia, reports the discovery in that 
province of a mineral which has been called turfa or brazolina, 
and which furnishes an oil akin to petroleum, a parafine suit- 
able for the manufacture of candles, and a good lubricating 
oil. It was originally discovered by an English clergyman 
named Wilson, but a company has recently been formed, 
which has bought the concession, and is now engaged in the 
development of the property. Petroleum extracted from it has 
already been placed on the market, and has been favorably 
received. 
According to the Engineering and Mining Journal there 
is a notable falling off in the production of Pennsylvania pe- 
troleum compared with the consumption. During past years 
there has been an accumulated surplus, which is now being 
exhausted at the rate of 20,000 or 30,000 barrels per day, that 
being the excess over production. Prospecting for new oil 
territorv in Pennsvlvania is very active, there having been 
5,700 wells completed in 1889, against 1,700 in 1888, and 1,800 
in 1887. But the probability that there will beany permanent 
and considerable increase in the supply is slight. In this con- 
dition of the petroleum industry it is plain that very shortly 
we shall reach an oil famine, when the use of the oil in certain 
cases will be a luxury instead of a necessity. This will be regulat- 
ed by acurtailment of the demand throuchincreased cost, tend- 
ing to equalize the su))ply and demand. There has been a decline 
in the shipments of American petroleum to Great Britain dur- 
