Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-05-13
TIMELY TytPICS.


A rich and eccentric Parisian has con-
cluded a search for some new pleasure
by esta blishing private circus for the
amusement of himself and his friends.
From a paltrv aeventy-fve cents
worth of iron ore may be developed, ii
il said, $3.50 worth of bar iron. $40
worth of horse slIoes, $3.50 worth OF
table knives, $6,6GO worth of fine
needles, $29. .460 worth of shirt buttons,
900, 600 worth of watch springs, $400.-
600 worth of hair springs, or 81, 500, 600
pallet arbors (used in watches.)
A statistician, curiously and closcly
inquiring, declares the result of his in
vestigation as TO the products of the
United States to he that the agricul-
tural products OF one year amount to
nearly as much in value as the products
Of the, mines since lsi9. In plain words,
or rather figures, he SUMS up 81 I,594,-
900, 900 as the total value of the agri-
cultural production of leading staples in
1877, whereas, the estimated yield of all
the mines during twenty-seven years
that is, 1549-75-was S1,6l7, 100000.
The entire length of the costly railway
line of which the st. Gothard tunnel
forms a part is Isl miles. The main
tunnel is about nine and one-third miles
long, but there are twelve other long
tunnels which aggregate nearly ten
miles in length; i've tunnels between
800 and $50 yards long, and twenty five
between ITO and 300 yards long. There
are in all no less than fifty-two Of these
subsidiary tunnels. having total length
of sixteen miles. There are also on the
line over sixty-four bridges and viaducts.
The Germantown Telegraph says that
since the law to prevent the spread OF
contagious diseases among the cattle OF
New Jersey was passed by the legisla-
ture of that State. little has been heard
of the pleuro-pneumonia which at one
time was quite prevalent there. The
report of the State treasurer states that
the gross sum paid last year in the
proper enforcement of the law was
$23, ,43l 81, of which veterinary surgeons
received $l4, ,624, and other sources of
expense the balance. Eighty head OF
affected cattle were killed, for which
1854 were paid by the State.
A manuscript supposed to have been
written by st. Peter. has lately been dis
covered among the property of man
Jerusalem, at the age of 100. The style
of the work has led TO the conclusion
that IL is authentic. and it Is stated that
the London Bible society, which has
dispatched committee 10 the spot, has
offered Bore's heirs the sum of 800. 900
for its possession. The heirs, however.
refuse TO part with the manuscript.
though it seems probable that they will
allow the society 10 reproduce and
translate it.
A great improvement has Just been
in the audiphone. After a
long series Of experiments, says the
English scientific journal, Nature, MIR.
Thomas Fletcher las found the best
material of which the audiphone can
be made is brentwood veneer. Cut into
an oval disk. steamed and bent To a
curve, IL can be conveniently held be-
tween the teeth almost without con-
sciousness of its presence. For some
persons any audiphone is more efficient
help than the trumpet. and this last
named modification OF the instrument
promises to become boom to Thousands
Of deaf persons.
The interesting old Flemish city OF
Bruges, which in the height of its pros
perity had population OF some 900. 600
souls, has, since the sanguinary persecu-
tions under Philip H., been gradually
in wealth and numbers. so that
at present it does not possess one-fourth
the population IL had three centuries ago.
The population of the city, which in
1869 numb bered ~ 1921. fell to III. $50 in
1877. The lethargy of the inhabitants is
attributed to the effect of the number
less converts and the richly endowed
institutions which, by per-
supplying the wants of large
numbers of the inhabitants without any
on their part. have tended to
deprive them of that energy and spirit
of independence which are indispensa-
BILE to success in commercial life.
New Albany, Ind. has n curious case
in the person of thirteen .year-old boy
whose heart il on the right and his
liver on the left side of his body. The
boy, when confined in the house, be-
comes very nervous and restive. and
often falls rs in n faint. On this ac-
count he cannot be sent TO school. APP
plication to books at home produces
the same results, and any sudden ex-
cite ment, either from fright or labor,
will cause these fainting spells. The
boy spends most of his time out doors
in the woods and fields for
SQUIRRELS and birds, and has become
very expert in the use of the gun. He
Is very cautious in his movements,
never suffering himself TO become
wearied from hunting. but when feel
ing the least tired sitting down and
resting. The boys general health is
very good, but he has not the vitality
usually found in boys of his age.
Wabash, Indiana, has walked in ad-
vance of many larger and older towns
hx introducing the e,ectric light in its