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think there is somethin' with the stove." "T'll come and have a look over it," volunteered another of the boarders, a shipmate of Smith's, and there was a general adjournment downstairs. In the kitchen they found the cook hovering over the stove trying to coax some life into the smoldering fire. She looked relieved when the maid in an undertone advised her of the professional abilities of her es- cort, and with hope in her heart lis- tened to the advice of the experts. "Let's see now,' commenced Smith, "we'll first get the bars cleared to al- low of a good draft passing through." He gripped the handle attached to the bars and rattled vigorously for several minutes. Then he threw the ashpan door open.' There were 10 the matter ashes in sight, and the boarders waited. "You'll 'find the trouble in your dampers, Smith," counseled his ship- mate, as he began to test the numer- ous attachments on the stove. The dampers were slammed several times and the, stove pipe hammered. : Still no hopeful gleam from the fireplace. "Slice her up a bit," ordered Smith, and his assistant "sliced" after the most approved methods. The specta- tors had taken their departure, due, no doubt, to the accumulation of smoke and dust, but the undaunted experts labored on. Various brands of natural and un- natural draft were brought to bear on the fire, and the cook listened with awe to the profound technical discus- sions. She had a most annoying way, too, of reminding the volunteers that the fire was not responding to their efforts. As the trio were about to give up the attempt in despair a welcome in- terruption came in the shape of the lost Hannah. As her eyes fell on the group and the condition of the kitchen they opened wide in astonish- ment. "Well, fer Hivin's sake,' she gasp- ed, "what is the matter?" "Tt's this darned stove of yours," said Smith, "we can't get the blamed thing to burn." "An' no wonder," said the triumph- ant Hannah, "with the sun shinin' right on the fire, too." She pulled the shade of the window down, leaving the room in semi-dark- ness. Sure enough, the fire gradually burned up in a cheerful glow. "That beats anything I ever saw," said Smith. "Well," said his mate, "there is no chance of any sunshine in our fire- rooms, is there?" THE "STAND-BY" MAN. TAE MARINE REVIEW SECTIONAL PROPELLER- WHEEL. The accompanying figures illustrate a new type of propeller for motor boats, the object of the inventor be- ing to provide a propeller made in sections which may be separately re- placed in event of breakage, having blades so shaped that the maximum propelling force is produced with the minimum power, and avoid propeller slip. Another object is to provide a propeller so constructed that it will not drag the stern of the boat down- ward, but will insure the boat re- maining on an even keel when under way. Fig. 1 is' a view of the propeller partly in side elevation and partly in section. Fig. 2 is an end elevation. On the propeller shaft the hub, made up of similarly disposed sections, is arranged. The ends of these sections when brought together form frusto- conical extensions which are exter- nally screw-threaded as shown, and adapted to receive a frusto-conical nut. Extending from each section of the hub is a blade of peculiar contour, the inner or base portion of the blade being disposed diagonally upon the hub section, and the blade itself in- clined backward over the adjoining end of the shaft, The blade is curved transversely, so that the con- vex or advancing edge will cut into the water and cause the concave face of the blade to constantly press against the water. After the blades have been assem- bled by clamping the hub 'sections upon the shaft, and same revolved, it is claimed that the water is pro- 55 pelled longitudinally of the device, with no radial motion or slipping of the blades such as occur where flat diagonally disposed blades are used, and the curved blades continually ex- ert a pressure on the water due to the constantly changing contour thereof. It is claimed, also, that a propeller of this type will not pull downward on the stern of the boat, and that the boat will be made to more quickly respond to the rudder. The inventor of this sectional pro- peller is Robert William Shaw, of Stamford, Conn. BROWNHOIST CRANES. The Brown Hoisting Machinery Co., Cleveland, O., has lately issued an at- tractive circular descriptive of the Brownhoist locomotive grab bucket cranes for handling ore, coal, lime--- stone, slag and, sand. The ilustra- tions show the cranes handling ore from stock piles, gondola cars, etc., and the possibilities attending the use of the equipment are at once appar- ent. There is nothing experimental about the equipment, as hundreds of the machines are in successful opera- tion. The cranes are operated on any standard gage railroad track and many are used on trestles. Under ordinary conditions one crane is capable of making from 50 to 75 trips per hour. The crane is ordinarily supplied with a Brown patent grab bucket having a rated capacity of 24 cu. ft. in ore. As this bucket is extremely efficient, frequently picking up from 2' to 2% tons of ore, it will be seen that one crane can take care of considerable tonnage. The cost of operation is low as only one man is required to operate the crane. The catalog con- tains a partial list of iron and steel companies that are using the Brown- hoist locomotive cranes. It is noted that the Carnegie Steel Co. has 50 of them in its various works, and that other companies have anywhere from one to 20. The illustrations are espe- cially fine and show the crane in all stages of operation. NICHOLSON LOGS. Barrett & Lawrence, 662 Bullitt building, Philadelphia, eastern agents of the Nicholson Ship Log Co., of Cleveland, have received a contract from the Standard Oil Co., of New York, to install a No. 1 Log on the tank steamer City of Everett. C. P. Nicholson of San Francisco, western agent, has contracts from the Pacific Coast Steamship Co., to install No. 1 logs on the steamers Senator and Queen.