The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1883-08-09
MISCELLANY.

from lfSO 10 llSU new IOfK Guy WAS
the capital of the United States and con-
sequently that city was the first capital
of the Union Under the present consti-
tuition. From 1890 to 1900 Philadelphia
was the seat of government: From 1900
till the present Washington city has
been the capital of the United States.
In 1903 the United States purchased
from France for $4,000, 600 all the coun-
try west of the Mississippi not occupied
by Spain as far north as the British ter
ritory and comprising the whole of the
present states of Arkansas, Colorado,
Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota,
Missouri, Nebraska and Oregon, the ter
ritories of Dakota, Idaho, Montana,
Washington and Wyoming. This terri
tory was known as the Louisiana pur-
chase. d.
The first steel rail rolled in America
was rolled at the North Chicago Rolling
Mill Company's works in Chicago, May
Is, 1865, eighteen years ago the 25th of
last May. The steel rail cost those who
made it over half million dollars in
experiments and outlay, and when it
was made there was nothing to show
for the outlay but that the rail was an
established fact. At the time this rail
was rolled the Albany and Rensselaer,
Works at Troy N. Y, and the Wyan-
dotte, Mich, were experimenting with
the Bessemer converters in making
steel. The steels from which the rail
was rolled was made at Wyandotte, and
the plant cost $25O,OOO. The ingot was
taken ito the North Chicago Mill to be
rolled.
The marvellous rapidity with which
vegetation develops in Manitoba is main
ly due to four special causes. In the
first place the weather is wonderfully
favorable for the necessities of farming
The spring is nearly always dry, and just
about the time the crops are all in,
usually the end of May. the wet spells
begins, and there are few weeks Of
warm, showery weather, such as starts
vegetation on the gallop, and one can
almost see the grain and grass grow
ing. The second cause is the great fer
tility of the soil. The third is the lar
ger amount of daylight in that high
latitude. the days being about twenty
hours long during the summer months.
The crops this year promise an extraor-
binary harvest.
Virginia City, New, is 1000 feet above
the sea level, and it is difficult to cook
meat and vegetables by boiling, as wa
ter boils at low temperature owning to
the light atmospheric pressure. There
has been great deal of discussion re-
Gently as to the altitude at which human
beings can exist. In South America
there are towns, such as Potosi, placed
as high as the top of Mont Blanc, the
inhabitants of which feel no inconven-
fence. The highest inhabited spot in
the world is, however, the Bud
dist cloister of Hanie, in Thibet where
twenty-one priests live at an altitude of
10000 feet. The brothers Schjaginweit,
when they explored the glaciers of the
Ibe Gemin, in the same country, en-
camped at 81 600 feet, the highest alti-
tude at which an European ever passed
the night. Even at the top Of Mont
Blanc Professor Tyndaps party found
it very unpleasant to do this, though the
professor himself did not confess to feel
ing as bad as they; The highest noun
tain in the world is Mount Everest
(Himalaya), 29,Oo3 feet, and the condor
has been seen winging the blue air 500
feet higher.
Something like 500, 100000 is spent
every summer by American travellers in
Europe, the New York Mail thinks.
The amount spent every summer at the
New Jersey seaside resorts is by no
means insignificant. One paper estt-
Long Beach to Long Branch inclusive
..olono% lose <I,ov 20 NM M and tho