The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-10-05
SOME UNCOMMON BIG THINGS.

death of the Emperor Maximus, is
ago, king OF the Zulus. He |
ate thirteen pounds of steak for a
dinner.
Jumbo is the largest elephant in
the civilized world. He is eleven feet
and six inches in height. The meas
urement of his ears when outspread
is fifteen feet, and he eau reach up
ward twenty-siX feet with his trunk.
Probably the biggest feet are those
of a Chicago girl named Lizzie
Mertz. They are said to measure
164 inches each. 1t Is reported that
she once kicked young man and
fractured his spine.
The largest body of fresh water
on the globe is Lake Superior. 1t is
400 miles long, 160 miles wide at its
greatest breadth, and has an area of
$4,000 square miles. Its mean depth
is said to be 200 feet, and its greatest
depth about 900 fathoms. Its sur
face is 635 feet above the sea.
The largest empire in the world is
that of Great Britain, comprising
1851, 658 square miles, more than q
sixth part of the land of the globe,
and embracing under its rule nearly
a sixth part of the population of the
world. In territorial extent the
United States ranks third, contain
3,580,242 miles, including Alaska in
population it ranks fourth, with its
100000 people. Russia ranks sec
ond s, 1857, $40 square miles.
The largest trees are the mammoth
trees in California. One of a grove
in Tulare county, according to
measurement made by the state
geological survey, was shown to be
276 feet high, LOG feet in circum-
ference at base. and seventy-six feet
at a point twelve feet abeve the
ground. Some of the trees are SIG
! feet high and thirty-four feet in
, diameter. Some of the largest that
have been felled indicate an age OF
from 1000 to $500 years.
The largest inland sea is the Cas-
plan, lying between Europe and
Asia. Its greatest length is 76C
miles, its greatest breadth 270 miles.
and it's area 10000 square miles
Great Salt Lake in Utah, which may
be properly termed an inland sea, is
about ninety miles long, and has Il
varying breadth of from twenty to
twenty-five miles. Its surface is
1900 feet above the sea, whereas the
surface of the Caspian is elghty-foul
feet below the ocean level.
The Chinese wall is the largest
wall in the world. 1t was built by
the first emperor of the Tain dinas
ty, about 220 b. G. as a protection
against Tartars. 1t traverses the
northern boundary of China, and is
carried over the highest hills
through the deepest valleys, across
rivers aud every other natural OBJ
stacle. Its length is 1850 miles. IL
Guiding parapet of five feet. the
total height of the wall is twenty
feet. thickness at the base twenty
five feet, and at the top fifteen feet
Towrrs or bastions occur at intervals
of about one hundred yards.
The largest bell in the world il
the great bell of Moscow, at the foo
of the Kremlin. Its circumference
at the bottom is nearly 68 feet, ant
it's height more than 81 feet. In it,
stOutest part it IA % inches thick
and its weight has been computed
to be 443,772 pounds. 1t has never
been hung, aud was probably cas-
ON the spot where it now stands
A piece of the bell is broken of
The fracture is supposed to hav,
been occasioned by water having
been thrown upon il when heated
by the building erected over it be
ing on fire.
The largest library is the Biblio-
theque National in Paris, founded
by Louis XIV. 1t contains 1,400,00O
volumes, 100000 pamphlets, $4,000
manuscripts, 800, 900 maps and charts
aud 10000 coins and medals. Thu
;95}6jt6,jjj0n co8ffaraaaag rayings exceed
volumes. The building which con
tains these treasures is situated OF
the Rue Richelieu. Its length is 54I
feet, its breadth 100 feet. The larg
est library in New York, in respec
OF separate works, is the Astor
About 100000 volumes are on it
shelves.
The largest cathedal IN the world
is st, Peters in Rome. From the
laying OF its foundation in 1850 unit
its dedication, one hundred an(
seventy years was consumed in it,
erection !; and if we include the WORK
done under Plus VI, three and 8
half centuries passed before it wai
complete, during which time forty
three popes resigned. The dimen
sions of the church are: Length
of the interior, 6123 feet
of transOm from wall to
wall, 4463 feet; height Of
nave, 1929 feet; of side aisles, Al
feet; width of nave, 1879 feet; Of
side aisles, 3324 feet; circumference
of pillars which support the dome
253 feet. The height of the dome
from the pavement to the base Of
the lantern is 405 feet-to the top OF
cross 448 feet. The dome is encir.
cled and strengthened by six bands
of iron. A stairway leads to the
roof, broad and easy enough to al
low a horse and team to ascend
The annual cost of keeping the
church in repair IS $4,000 scudi.
The river Amazon is the greatest
volume of water flowing through
any country of the world; but it is
but 5000 miles long. The Missis-
sippi from Lake Itaska to its Juno
ton with the Missouri is 2616 miles
long from that point to the gulf is
1886, making a total of 1902 miles
the Missouri runs 2908 miles 10 join
the Mississippi, and having had
given to it the length to the sea, is
4194 miles long. To the sacred river,
the Nile, must be given the credit OF
running through the greatest stretch
of country. The American Encyclo-
padia, of 1875, from which
the previously quoted figures are
taken, says: alt is navigable as far
as the district of FaZogle, about 1900
miles from the Mediterranean. Its
approximate length throughout all
its windines from the limit of steam
navigation above Gondokoro is 5000
miles. The additional length to
Lake Albert N'Yanza can scarcely
be less that 200 miles, and, Conse-
quently, the river traverses dis
lance of about 400 miles, or SOC
more than the Missouri and lower
Mississippi"
THE Episcopalians of Chicago are
having a row on the subject of ritu-
alism. Bishop McLaren was to have
officiated at the laying of the corner
stone OF q new church there q few