Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-08-12
Reported for the Grant County HERALD.
Popular Science Notes.

Popular Science Notes.
The changing of the current of the
Missouri river at Covington, Iowa, is
threatening seriously the early de.
struction of that town. Within the
past two years some 400 feet Of the
bank has been washed aw " together
with number of hon les. Numerous
othe- buildings have only been saved
by beng placed upon rollers and re-
moved. Scientists are puzzling their
brains for a satisfactory mode of re-
pelling these sudden changes of the
current in this river, which SO fire.
quently take place, often resulting
destructiyely to many localities.
lnitiatory steps are being taken to
establish circle of observing sta.
tlons around the North Polar Region.
all to be connected by telegraph
The proposed points for stations are
at Uperniylk, in West Greenland at
the mouth of the Lena, in Russia;
Switzbergen, Holland on the new
Siberian islands, Novaya Zemlya
Point Barrow, in Alaska; at some
point on the Arctic coast of Canada
and possibly at other intermediate
points.
Two large alligators, the first ever
seen in that country, were recently
taken from the Yang. tse-k iang, and
were transported to the Berlin Zoo.
logical Museum whore they are now
on exhibition. 1t is said they attract
more attention than any other OBJ
jects in the building.
1t Is estimated that in a single dec
ade in Great Britain, at least 50O,-
900 persons engaged in industrial
pursuits sustain personal injury or
are killed by accidents in mixes,
factories or on railways.
As an evidence of the reducing
power of the oil of cloves pour few
drops upon perfectly dry oxide Of
silver, when tho oil will take fire
almost Immediately, and will emit
sparks and strong smoke. On drop
ping the oil on peroxide of lead,
smoke is expelled and the mixture
turns hot but does not ignite.
Since SO much has been said re-
garding Mr.. Balmain's invention of
luminous paint, it has been learned
from translation of Chinese book.
that the people of that country were
acquainted with the art of luminous
painting IS far back as nine hundred
years ago, the principle ingredient of
the paint being taken from a kind of
oyster found in that country.
An eminent photographer recently
assembled in balloon to a great
height in Frpnce, taking lis appara-
tus with him, and succeed in getting
some fine views of the country over
which ho travelled.
| DR.. Theobald Fischer, who is trav-
cling through that country, thinks
that the planting of forests in North
Africa would much mors improve
the climate of that country than by
forming an inland sea.
AS the best means for raising and
lowering the trains on the railway up
Mount Vesuvius, the American
double iron rope system has bsen
adopted and works most successfully.
La e quantities OF gold have re-
Gently besn discovered IN New South
Wales.
The most wonderful geological
formation perhaps in the world is
| that recently discovered in the valley
of the east fork OF the Yellowstone
river. 1t is said to be in horizontal
layers, and the whole formation ia q
little more than mile il depth. The
siioifed remains of 9 multitude of
forests Fill the entire form alton
throughout. Many of the trees are
of large slze Some are standing
upright as they grew aud many are
PROSTATE. Numerous siumps aud
logSare to be found that measure
four and five feet in d ameter, while
one huge trunk is described that is
said to be ten feet in diameter.
a Mr.. Fleuss has invented new
diving process which enables breath.
ing under water, and which dispef-
ses in a great measure with the cum
brous apparatus hitherto employed
| by divers. The new method consists
of an air-tight helmet 10 be worn by
the diver, which is designed to fur
nish a continuous supply Of oxygen
and to dispose of the carbonic acid
which the brealher exhalss. AS q
test of bis new invention, Mr.. Fleuss
recently put his apparatus on and 90.
ing under the water for the first time
in his lifs, remained there over one
boar.
A party Of United States survey,
ors recently took soundings of The
Niagara river below the falls. Tha
, nearest the falls indicated SO feet,
short distance below that showed !
; depth of 100 feet, while at the in
, clined railway the line told off 10.
feet. Where the whirlpool rapids
set in, Immediately below the suspen
, sion bridge. the depth Of water va
; found 10 be 2I0 feet.