The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1881-11-04
BITS OF INFORMATION.

IT was Dean Swift who said "Bread
is the staff of life."
The entire loss of the German armies
in 1870-'71 was 30, 900 men.
GUNPowDER is composed of potassic
nitrate, charcoal and sulphur. H .
EDWARD YOUNG is the author of the
line, "Death loves shining mark"
The game of polo was introduced into
the United States in 1876. The game
originated among the British officers in
India. ASA aaat te Hr
THE salary of the President is $4,000
a year; Vice President, $4,000; Cabinet
officers, $4,000; members of Congress,
$4,000; Speaker of the House, $4,000.
The custom of appointing men for
pall-bearers comes from the Romans.
julius Caesar had magistrates for his
pall-bearers. Augustus Caesar had SEN
atOrs.
VIRCHow, an eminent German anato-
mist, has written treatise on the we'll
authenticated cases of human beings
with tails. lie says an infant, born at
Aldenburg, had tail whose movements
were under its control, though it was
usually doubled up like pigs tail.
THE word Thoroughbred" does not
mean an animal of pure blood, that is
unmixed; it is used to designate animals
raised from the best blood, but origin
ally derived from a mixture of races. A
pure or full blood is an animal whose
| pedigree is clear. and which was bred
without admixture from the same source,
as pure Clydesdale horse. A thorough
bred may also be pure blood, but not
necessarily so.
In the reign of George II. the Raiah
(or Prince of Bengal, India, marched
suddenly to Calcutta to drive the En-
glish from the country. As the attack
was unexpected the English were de-
feated and 146 persons were taken pris-
oners. They were driven into place
about Is feet square, and Is or 16 feet
high, with only two small grated win
dows. This is what is known in history
as the "Black Hole of Calcutta" One
hundred and twenty three of the prison
ers died in one night, suffocatedin few
hours from confinement in this close,
hot prison-hole, the oxygen of the air
being soon consumed by so many lungs,
and its place supplied by carbonic acid
exhaled by the hot breath. The victims
all died sleeping, because the carbonic
acid gas, being narcotic poison, pro
duces drowsiness and death in those who
inhale it. Of the twenty-three who sur
vived, the larger portion died of putrid
fevers after they were liberated.
The national anthem, "The Star.
Spangled Banner" was written by
Baltimorean, in Baltimore, and put IN
type by Baltimore boy, in the office
of the Baltimore american, on the
night of the bombardment of Fort Nc
Henry. Francis Scott Key, under the
protection of flag of truce, went on
board the cartel-ship Menden to en-
deavor to procure the release of friend
of his, who had been captured by the
British. For fear the intended attack
upon the city would be divulged by him,
Mr.. Key was detained a prisoner, and,
during the conflict, the poem was com
posed, notes of it being written upon the
back of an old letter. When he was re-
leased he wrote out the song in full, and
by the advice Of his uncle, Judge Mich.
olson, had it sent to the printer. 1t was
taken to the american Office; the men
were all in the army, and to Mr.. Samuel
Sands, then an ofice-boy IA years of
age, and now the veteran editor of the
american Farmer, was the copy hand
ed to be set up. He set it up, printed
it and distributed it among the people.
Set to music, it was first sung in res
taurant next to the Holiday Street The
ater, by Charles Durang. 1t was re-
ceived with great enthusiasm, and was
sung nightly for some time afterward at
the theater, and was soon adopted as the
national anthem.