Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-08-10
THE GAZETTE.
TUESDAY MORNING, AUGUST 10, 1s5s.
cuRIosITIEs OF COMMERCE.

CURIOSITIES OF COMMERCE.
Turning over the pages OF the CycloI az liza
Of Commerce, just Published, few matters
attracted our attention a. curiosities, which
10 propose to transoSibe for our readers
We we're looking for the small things in oom
merce- matters that, 10 taking a magnificent,
broad, end com pfehensive view, would be
overlcoked---just as the invention Of the
greatest importance for domestic purposes
would be overlooked and unnoticed 10 It's
homeiy attire when placed in exhibition and
surrounded by works Of polished art, costly
machinery, and gorgeous furniture. An
humble inventor once placed in such an ex-
hibition few punches Of friction matches
They we're unnoticed. Visitors went there
looking for some great thing not reaiizing
that the despised package of spllnts' tipped
With chemical fire, was the greatest thing 10
that proud collection, destined to Work rev,
olution in the means of procuring arnhcial
lisht, and to become universal necessity
20 be deprived of which weuld be one OF the
greatest Inconvenience that could happen.
Il is not more than twenty years ago since
the tiadef-box was in- universal use. IL Is
abolished now. The invention of the frie-
ton match spread slowly; bot who at this
dsy would venture to say they could 90 with
ont il? Insignificant as they appear to De-
single factories with expensive machinery,
cot up large RATS of timber annually tor
matches.
Under the head of pin we find that the
manufacture of this indispensable little IL
strumept was commenced 10 the United
States between 1872 and 1920. since which
time the business has extended greatly, and
several patents for the manufacture OF pins
have been taken out. The manufacture 10
Eoslsnd and other parts of Europe is conduc.
tod upon improvements made in the Uolted
States. Notwithstanding the extent OF our
own productions, the United States imported
in 1856 pins to the value of $40, 255.
Still keepipp our attention directed to small!
things We fud that the imports of needles in
20 this country 10 1856 amounted to S246,-
600. It is said that needles were first made
in England in the time OF the bloody
Mary By negro from Spain; but be would
not impsrt bis secret; it was lost at his death,
and not recovered again till 1868, in the
reign of Qseen Elizabeth, when q German
taught the art to the English, who have since
brought il to the greatest perfection. 1t Is
stated that the construction Of needle re-
auires about l20 operations, but are rapidly
and uuinterruptedly successive.
The temperance people will find argument
20 enforce their doctrines in the fact that a.
on, 1896 bushels Of grain, paying S25, O0O, 600
duty, ere annually converted into malt IN
Great Britain fox ale and porter. 1t may
reasonably be inferred that a great quantity
Of those BEVERAGE is. drank there.
Ground outs are quite az institution With
Young America, 500 tons having been im-
ported into the Epited States from Gambia
in one year. We, however, dissent from the
encyclopedias when he says they are most
used here a. desert, roasted as chestnuts are
elsewhere But France is the great market
for ground nuts, where they are used for oil,
of which they contain large quantities. The
Insignificant hazle-nut, so agreeable to the
paiste, but so difficult to get, is exported from
Tarrs COMA to the extent Of 25 900 or 10000
bag, Of four to tho too. A kind of chocolate
10 prepared from them, and they sometimes
have been made into bread. The pressed
oil Of hszle-nuts is little inferior to that OF
almonds.
The original inventor of the Ayresbire
sapf- hQ3es was cripple, hardly possessing
ths power of loeomotion. They are made Of
wood. admirably joined, painted and varnish.
ID, apd were first manu- featured only sixty
yssrs since. Instead Of taking out patent,
the inventor entrusted bis secret to joiner
in the village, who, in few years, smassed
. great fortune, while the other died, as he
had lived, in the greatest poverty. Speaking
snuf-boxee. snuff taking took its rise in Eng
land in 1902.
Urder the head of hair, the CycloI edia
says. that 200, 900 pounds weight Of women's
hair, is annually sold in France, that the
price paid for it is usually six cents an ounce.
Ons hundred thousand roses are required
10 give yield Of 1873 grains of altar or oil of
roses.
A bale Of Sea Island cotton weighs 1873
pounds and measures IS cubic feet, while
bale Of East India cotton weighs 1888 pounds
and only measures Is cubic teet-a fact Of
great importance in the question Of transpor-
tstion. What makes the great difference in
cubic proportions?
CITY TAX PAYERS are notified that they
" can save four per cent by paying their tax
bills in full, on or before the 10th of August
Office in Market House Building
WESLEY AVERY, Collector S. D.
.. JOHN A. FIELD, Collector N. d.