The Locomotive - Lighthouse Survival Blog

1893.J THE LOCOMOTIVE. 187
America. But a ])ositioii as railroad engineer in England was olitained for liini, and he
remained. In 1847 he took the position of master of Queenwood College, Hants,
Hampshire. He showed great talent for teaching and began to contribute scientific
papers to scientific periodicals. In May, 1847, his father died. In 1848, with Frank-
land, since professor of chemistry in the Royal Institution, he went to Germany. There,
under Bunscn, Knoblauch, and Magnus, he studied science for two years, receiving his
degree in 1850. In 1851, on liis return to London, lie met Faraday. He was at once
taken up by the great master, and was associated with Faraday in his work at the Royal
Institution of Great Britain. He was appointed to the chair of Natural Philosophy
there in 1853, and after Faraday's death in 1867 succeeded him as superintendent.
" He published many works and papers on scientific subjects. His books, written
for the popular taste, are excellent examples of scientific exposition. In 1872, when at
the height of his fame, he made a lecturing tour of the United States. His lectures,
given in this city [New York], were received by large audiences, no experimental lectures,
probably, ever being greeted with such eclat. The daily papers reported them
with illustrations of the experin^.ents, in some cases — testifying to the interest in them
on the part of the public. His receipts from the lectures — some $13,000 — he presented
to Harvard University, Columbia College, and the University of Pennsylvania, founding
scholarships in aid of students who devote themselves to original research.
"A great Alpine climber, for many years he visited Switzerland, and there met his
wife, also an enthusiast on mountain climbing, whom he married when he was 56 years
old."
Professor Tyndall had been ill for some time, and was taking both chloral and
sulphate of magnesia. By some means or other the bottles containing these medicines
were confounded, and at 8.30 on the morning of December 4th a large dose of chloral
was administered to him, in place of the magnesia sulphate which it was intended to
give. The mistake was immediately detected, and measures were promptly taken to
save him. The physicians made every effort to stay the action of the drug, but he died
at half-jjast six on the afternoon of the same day, ten hours after taking the fatal dose.
He Saw The Boiler Explode.
Boiler explosions are by no means uncommon, and yet they are seldom observed
by "disinterested spectators." One of our inspectors, from the Hartford office, had the
good fortune, a short time ago, to actually see a boiler blow up, under steam at a high
pressure. The boiler was torn apart and thrown in various directions. The inspector
relates his experience as follows:
"About 12.30 o'clock on the afternoon of August 14, my attention was attracted by
a fire whicli had just broken out in a shingle mill at North Adams, Mass. The flames
spread rapidly, and were fast consuming the wooden mill, and communicating with the
adjoining buildings; and wiien the fire department arrived and got to Avork it bent its
entire efforts upon saving the surrounding property. Hence no water was thrown on
the burning building in which the boiler was situated.
"The boiler was of the locomotive type, and was rated at about 35 horse-power.
It was unjacketed, and all its parts were exposed to the elements. It was provided with
a two-inch pop-valve, which would be of ample size to relieve it of excessive pressure
under working conditions. The boiler, being under our care, was recently inspected,
and was in good condition for a working pressure of 110 pounds to the square inch.
" The mill was situated on the bank of a small jjond, and the boiler was set at right