Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-04-22
TIMELY TOPICS.

In digging the Suez canal Egyptian
workmen were forced TO make hods of
their backs, placing their hands behind
them and clasping the left wrist with
the right hand. Boys under twelve
years of age were made to do this 1t is
hardly necessary to add that thousands
perished under such inhuman treat
ment. ~
A mine which has recently been pur-
chased in Denver, Col, for $65, 600, was
discovered by two children aged nine
and ten years. They were "playing
mine" at the time and had dug down
four feet on the Little Chief, Lear Ruby
hill, drilling and blasting five feet more
brought to light. Their father, who
owned the claim, gave them 81, 600 each.
and now has sold his interest.
1t is proposed to build in certain dis
tricts on the western frontier of Kan
sas churches made OF sods A few such
already exist. The walls are of sods,
the roofs are covered with sods,
and the floors are of earth. A church
can be built, In size about 26x36, for
this has already been done in at least
one instance. A wall of sods, If prop
erly built, and protected, will last 100
years. Roofs of shingles and floors of
wood are greatly to he desired, but, of
course, they add very much to the cost
of church.
There is district in Belgium where
a chain of villages along the valley OF
the Geer form q sort of immense street.
The soil is clayey, but crossed at inter-
walls with chalk, which gives to straw
raised there an exceptional strength,
p liability and brilliancy. This district
Is the seat of the Belgian straw trade,
in which some 10000 persons are en-
gagged, who earn upward of $500, 900.
Every spring four or five thousand mi
| CRATE TO work in the principal cities for
few weeks. The chief seat of this in
dustry to-day is Roclenze, beautiful
village, surrounded by the villas OF
wealthy strawmakers.
Germany, with n population OF Az
600, 900 has 10000 schools and an at
tendance of 100000 pupils; Great
Britain and Ireland, with population
of "a, 4,Oo0, 900 has 1000 schools and
3, ,OOO, 900 pupils; Austria Hungary. with
Il population of $1,000, 900, has 30. 900
schools and 3.O00,0O0 pupils; France,
with a population of 81, 600, 900, has H.
600 schools and 4,700.O00 pupils; Spain,
with population of II, ,s00. 900, has co.
600 schools and 1900. 900 pupils; Italy,
with population of q, ,O00, 600, has Az
600 schools and ,eoo, 900 pupils; and
Russia, with population of 74,0,o, ,COs,
has B, 900 schools and 100000 pupils.
The United States and Canada COM
bined, with population greatly exceed
ing Great Britain, consume little more
than half as much cheese. In England
bread and cheese for luncheon are the
staple articles. When hired man goes
from one farm to another on an errand
he is RECALLED with bread and cheese.
When one farmer visits another, after
looking over the stock and the crops, he
is invited into the house, and IL he does
not stay TO dinner, or It Is after dinner,
bread and cheese are placed upon the
table, and home brewed beer is never
forgotten. If man or boy goes on an er-
rand to n gentleman's house, bread,
cheese and beer are always offered.
Glucose manufacture is making an ex-
citement in the maize districts of the
w tsL, bit lhtbtiy hA DuhatO anu ito tt-
mark able success being the prime stim-
ulant. Half dozen establishments
have been planted within n month in
Indiana, Illinois and Iowa. Cyrus Nc
Cormick and others have. IL is said,
put $3.50, 600 into one at Chicago. It is
TO have . capacity of 10000 bushels a
cay, which is the equivalent of 300 tons
of sugar. A bushel of corn, costing
about forty cents. produces thirty
pounds of grape sugar, OF three gallons
of syrup. This sugar. which costs them
net two cents per pound. they can sell
at from three and one-half to four cents,
while the three gallons OF syrup can be
sold at from thirty-hve to forty cents
gallon.