95, 692) that the production of phosphate rock in Florida for 1912 was 2,579,865long tons, as compared with 2,494,572tons in 1911. The production of hard rock in 1912was j36,379 tons, as compared with 474,094tons for the previous year. The output of pebble phosphate in 1912was 2,043,486tons as compared with 2,020,478tons in 1911. Thirty companies in all were engaged in mining phosphate in Florida in 1912: of these, 1 4mined hard-rock phosphate and 16 mined pebble phosphate. The foreign shipments during 1912amounted to 1,203,oojtons, while I,Z19,927 tons were consigned for domestic shipment. Hard-rock phosphate sold a t the mines a t about $6.00 per ton, while pebble phosphate sold a t the mines a t %.jj to $4.50 pcr ton, depending upon the grade. THE PRODUCTION OF CYANAMIDE
1:IRZrl
IVORKS
Societk des Produits Xzot P s . . , . . . . . . , , . . . , . . Notre-Dame de Iiriancon, Sal-oie, France. . Martigny, Talais, Switzerland . . , . . . . . . . . , B ayerische Stickstoffwerke Trostberg. Germany., . , -4ktien Gesellschaft fur Stickstoff-dunger. . . . . . . 1Vesteregeln. Knapsack. Germany. . . . . . . , . . Northwestern Cyanamide c o . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . Odda, Norway.. , . . . . . . hlby, Sweden. . . . . . . Meraker, Sweden.. , , , . , Stockholm Superphosphate. , . , . . . . . . . . . , . Johannesberg. Sweden, . StL. per la Fabricazzione dei prodotti Azotati. . . . Terni. Perouse, I t a l y . . . SocietC Piemontaise de Carbure de Calcium. . . St. Marcel Vallee d’Aoste, Italy. . . . . . , . , . . Sth. Sufid Societe d’Utilisation des forces hydrauliques de la Dalmatie.. . , . . . . . , . . . . . . Sebenice, Dalmatia.. . . . Almissa, Dalmatia. . . . , American Cyanamide Co ... h-iagara Falls, O n t . . . . Alabama plant. . , . , . , Societe Japonaise pour la Cyanamide. . . . . . . . . . . . Osaka, J a p a n . . , . . , . . . .
20% Cyanamide in tons
1‘117
1912
(prohahie)
7,500
7,500
8,000 15,000
12,000
l5,ooo
45,000
24,000
5 2 , on0
.
..
Total production.. . ,
15,000
15,000
15,000
, ,
.,
12,000
, ,
..
15,000
24.000
2 4 , onn
3,500
3.500
5,000
5,000
,
.,
24,000
24,000
. .,
24,000
12,000
12,000
153,000
260.000
THE “FITTING-INJECTOR DEA”
X Hannoter-Linden, Germany, firm has placed on the market an injector vhich is said to perform the work of other types of injectors, while the parts may be replaced during operation It is said to be particularly suitable for the transportation of liquids containing suspended particles and alkaline liquors it is in use in Germany in plants for leache ing sodium a n d barium sulfides The construction IS shown in the accompanqing figure -1a is a cross piece b I$ the steamentry c IS a nozzle for I pressure rntry d is a screv plug for cleaning purposcs and e is a suction tube d
I
,
ELECTROLYSIS FROM STRAY ELECTRIC CURRENTS The matter of electrolysis from stray electric currents is onc of importance to the chemical, gas and municipal engineer, especially since Gardner (1.Frank.. Inst., 1908, 459) has shown. in an investigation of the effect of a n electric current on the speed of the corrosion of steel plate. that in every case the action seemed to have been about doubled in its intensity by the passage of thc current. The remedies brought out in a very recent paper bv Ganz ( A m . Gas Light J . , 98,No. 1 2 , 190) are therefore pertinent, and accordingly h k conclusions are given a t some length. Experience shows that where there is serious trouble from electrolysis caused by large stray currents leaking from street railways, the bulk of this trouble is due to defective rail bonding, to ground connections from the negative bus-bar, and to lack of return feeders to carry the current back from the rails to the power station. While stray currents can only be entirely eliminated by insulating the return circuit by theuseof adoubletrollcy, either overhead or in conduit, i t is nevertheless a fact, not generally appreciated, that where large stray currents exist, due to the above-mentioned causes, these can always be reduced to a small fraction of their present value by removing all ground connections of the negative bus-bar, and installing insulated return feeders proportioned for equal drop from radially disposed points in the track system located a t some distance from the power station. By this method, the rails are drained of current, and any desired part of the voltage drop can be removed from the rails and transferred to insulated conductors from which the currents can not leak. I n Europe such radial insulated return feeders, for bringing the current back from the rails to the power station, are made necessary by regulations limiting the allowable drop in voltage in the rails; and, in most cases, such installation of insulated return feeders have substantially removed serious trouble from electrolysis. This system of minimizing stray currents by means of radially disposed insulated return feeders has also lately been installed in a number of American cities, and the method is becoming recognized by railway engineers as by far the best. This system removes the root of the trouble, by draining the rails of current and removing the voltage drop from the rails, and consequently prevents any substantial leakage of current through the ground; it is, therefore, correct in principle. The objection to such a method has been the expense of the system, but Ganz states that this is not the case. The fact is, he continues, that in many American railways there is practically no installation of negative feeders, and that railway companies are often unwilling to install even a moderate amount of return feeder copper. Ganz concludes by remarking that in order to effectively install and maintain an adequate return feeder system that will reduce stray currents on underground piping systems to reasonably small values, it is essential that pipe-owning companies cooperate with railroad companies by affording them access to their pipes for making the necessary measurements, etc. STANDARDS FOR HYGIENIC PURITY OF PUBLIC WATER SUPPLIES J. %’. Ellms (Eng. Record, 67, N o . 1 1 , 293) suggests the appointment of delegates from each of the large engineering societies, materir orks and sanitary associations to formulate a plan of procedure for preparing standards of purity for public water supplies. It is proposed that these delegates work in conjunction xvith any state or federal committee. Among the matters which should be discussed are the following: (I)What diseases may be legitimately regarded as water borne. This involves a consideration of the Mills-Reincke phenomenon and the Hazen theorem (Sedgwick-MacNutt), and the ideas of chronic intestinal tract infection advanced by Hill and lyhitcomb. It means a careful analysis of all available
