break occurs in the rope, it is but a few minutes' work to resplice it; and I think the liability of a rope breaking is less than that of a belt.

Mr. GARSED. If you have a continuous rope passing twentyfour times around a drum, that would be one twenty-fourth of a belt transmitting the same power. Now, if that rope breaks, the whole power of the machinery is relieved, and the engine continues on under that pressure. Now, I claim that a twentyfour-inch belt would not be so apt to break without showing it as one twenty-fourth part of the rope. Which would be most likely to give out, a belt twenty-four inches wide, or a rope of one inch?

Mr. DODGE. We are using, in our main transmission, a rope of about that size, and we are using only one or two per cent. of the strength of the rope. When a belt is used for a like transmission, the same will hold good (one or two per cent. only being used); but the belt is required to have a large surface in contact with the wheels to transmit the power, and must usually have a large, heavy tightener, which makes the belt more liable to breakage. The labor of the rope being very light and of even tension, it is not liable to break, or, at least, not any more so than is a belt.

A MEMBER. Mr. Chairman, it would be interesting if Mr. DODGE would tell us something about the difficulties to be overcome in running his rope out of doors; how much the atmospheric and climatic effect is upon a rope, - snow and

rain.

Mr. DODGE. The atmosphere does not affect the rope to any great extent, as a rope will run just as well out of doors as in doors. My theory is that when a rope is constantly bending around a wheel, either in or out of doors, air is being constantly worked through it, and serves to preserve it. If a new rope should be hung up in an old apple tree, it would deteriorate very rapidly, and would be worthless in a short time; but, on the contrary, we have ropes running that have been doing so constantly for two or three years, out of doors, and are apparently in good condition. However, a rope running out of

doors should be treated to a bath of filler compound of tallow, beeswax, molasses and rosin, as often as once in three or four months. I do not know that this is necessary, but I practise it.

The President then introduced Mr. F. M. MESSENGER of North Grosvenor Dale, Conn., who read the following paper.

REPORT OF A SERIES OF TESTS OF SPINDLE OILS, CONDUCTED AT THE MILLS OF GROSVENOR DALE COMPANY, NORTH GROSVENOR DALE, CONNECTICUT, MAY TO OCTOBER, 1890.

By F. M. MESSENGER.

I am aware that the subject of lubrication has often been discussed by this Association. It is a question, however, that cannot be exhausted until inventive genius finds a perfect lubricant; one adapted to all the varying conditions under which it may be used.

About two years ago, Mr. W. F. Draper read a paper here, showing that, in running modern spindles, great advantages could be derived by using lighter-gravity oils than it had been found practicable to use with the Sawyer, Pearl, and other older forms of spindles. I presume that many, if not all, have since verified Mr. Draper's claims by common practice.

The following series of tests seem to indicate that the oil men have taken up this question; and, in their efforts to excel, have produced oils of somewhat heavier gravity, which surpass in results any of the samples tested by Mr. Draper.

In making these tests, one of a lot of frames made by the Whitin Machine Works was used; about five years ago they were remodeled by putting in new cylinders and Whitin gravity spindles; this frame contained 256 of these spindles ; the cylinder was seven inches in diameter, the spindles were banded by what is known as the " Coggeshall method; " the

driving belt was three inches wide; and the frame pulleys were nine and five-eighths inches in diameter. We used an Emerson Power Scale in making these tests.

While testing, the rolls were always disconnected, running only the cylinder and spindles; the latter being loaded with empty bobbins. After each test the frame was connected and put to its regular work.

In changing from one oil to another, the spindles and bolsters were removed from the frame, the bolster cases pumped out with a syringe made expressly for the purpose, the oil was emptied and wiped out from the bolsters, and the spindles wiped; each one being carefully replaced in the case from which it came.

In our first series, each oil was tested for about ten days (with the exception of Nos. 4 and 7, which were discontinued on account of inferiority, and No. 9, which was received too late to continue to a full test), and the weighings were taken as near to 9 A.M. and 3 P.M. as practicable; two weighings were always taken, and if they did not agree, three, and sometimes more, were taken to insure accuracy. The flash and evaporation tests were made at the Institute of Technology, through the kindness of the Boston Manufacturers' Mutual Fire Insurance Company.

In the second series, each oil was tested one day; five separate tests were made, three with empty bobbins and two with bobbins full of yarn, but with rolls disconnected in each instance; each separate test lasted one hour, and eighteen readings were taken; the tests with full, and with empty, bobbins were taken alternately; we also used a flat bulb thermometer fastened to the bolster rail to register its temperature, noting the temperature of the room at same time by a thermometer hung midway of the frame upon the creel. The samples of oil tested were selected from those used in the first series, but were renumbered for convenience; taken in their regular order they were Nos. 6, 9, 8 and 1 of the former series. Followin are the results: