The Mineral argus., 1883-12-13
Interesting Topics.

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large amount of moistu re had concen.
trated.
Twenty years ago Mr.. Frank Buck.
land was ridiculed for predicting that
the day would come when salmon would
be cheaper than meat in England, hut
the day has come and his foresight is
confirmed.
A careful examination Of the ruins in
Ischia shows that the great destruction
was due in part TO the himsy manner in
which the houses were constructed.
The National Board of Health reports
that Dayton, Ohio, is the h%ealthiest city
in the country. It is below 10 in every
thousand, while the average for the
whole country is over 10. New Orleans
and Memphis have the highest death
rate-27 to the 1000. Brooklyn and Bos-
ton are % per 900 each.
The cod-hshing in Iceland this season
has been almost a failure. Several smacks
tried to force their way as far as North
Cape, but were prevented from doing
so by barriers of ice. The Shetland fleet
is expected home about the end Of No
vember.
The number Of letters despatched by
the British post Office department last
year gave an average of 40 for zach in
habitant in England and Wales, 80 in
Scotland and l6 in Ireland. In the
United States the average is 81, in
France 10, in Germany, and in Italy
The Chinese soldiers, who may soon
face the French troops, have one fight
ing advantage. They wear a light, airy
uniform, which consists solely Of a cap,
a thin linen jacket and a gauze pair Of
pants, while the Frenchman are attired
in a thick blue uniform, solid red trous~
ers, a thick shirt and hard leather
boots.
1t is predicted that Washington will
be gayer and more dissipated than ever
the coming winter. The session of con-
gress is the long one.
Railroads on the continent in Europe
are not friendly 70 dogs; they refuse to
carry them in the passenger cars, and
declare that they must be transported
as freight. Notwithstanding this rule,
women are to be met with their pet ca
mines packed into a sort of a valise, which
is covered when they enter the car, in
order TO elude inspection. When they
are once seated, however, they lift up
the slide of the valise, under which Their
Is IN open wiring, which enables the dog
occupant 10 get air. Conductors wink at
this.
Galveston merchants hope to solve
the problem of deep water for that port
by forming a company with s., 000 900
capital to build wharves out through
/ GalV..faa nar 20 lann urafnr IN tho
Gulf of Mexico. They will endeavor to
induce the state, which has a surplus of
81. 0O0, 600 in the treasury, to lend the
money on bonds bearing q per cent. in
terest and to run thirty years.
Kansas City is profoundly excited ov-
err the professional engagement Of
Mdlle. Rhea. The papers come out
with the stern demand that during that
amiable actresses's season in their midst
full dress shall prevail. This has natur-
ally occasioned widespread consterna-
ton. Heretofore Kansas City people
have been in the habit of doing opera
and theateI in the same calico gowns
and blue overails with which they pur-
sued their daily vocations Of laundrying
and p~ork-packing. 1t remains to be
seen whether Rhea and the Kansas City
papers can accomplish the social reform
they have undertaken at ksw's mouth.
The latest way of making a raise
comes from Clinton, Mass, where it is
said a lady mixed a batch of bread
which failed TO rise, even after a delay
of twenty hours. She did net wish her
father to see the waste of -four, so she
barred the dough in the garden. The
next morning her father called her out
to see an enormous white mushroom of
an unheard Of variety that he had dis
covered. He was calling his neighbors
TO see the curiosity, when his daughter
enlightened him as to the nature of the
plant.
An English tailor in Paris uses for the
purpose Of advertisement several red
carts. Some of these are driven by in
visible coachman, others by coachmen
seated on the roofs of the carts. Three
years ago the project of police issued a
warrant for the suppression OF the carts
with invisible COachman, a. they fright
ened horses. But Lord Lyons, on the
petition of the English tailor, interfered,
and the execution Of the warrant was
suspended for three years. The pres
ent project Of police went to work the
other day and had all the red carts i'm
pounded, and the English embassy once
more oms to the rescue of the tailor.
Gentlemen are at Saratoga this season
who knew the place in the olden time,
when all comers travelled on horseback,
with ladies on billions behind the sad
die; the Spring was in the midst of
the woods, when a little shanty on the
site Of the old United States was the sole
hotel, and board was 81 week; when
tin cups were used for drinking, and
when the table WAS better than now
l%ucious drop cakes, genuine cream, de-