Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1884-11-05
CURIOUS, USEFUL AND SCIENTIFIC.
ARoYE GROUND.

ties in existence is on exhibition at
Thyes & Co.'s saloon. It is potato
vine filed with we'll developed potatoes,
which grew out of the ground in the
open air, like tomatoes. They differ
from the tubers which grow under
ground, according to established rule,
by bearing slight green tinge.- Reno
New Journal.
A BOON FOR HOUsEKEEPERs.
One of the trials ofdomestic life is the
annoyance occasioned by putting down
and taking up carpets under the old
system of lacking. A New York inven-
tor has just patented substitute for
this troublesome method. The improve
ment is in the use of hooked clamped
plate attached to suitable blocks or
standards and acted upon by springs
for grasping and holding the edge of
the carpet. It is claimed that by this
invention carpets may be held without
injury and be easily taken up and re-
placed without the use of tacks and
hooks Boston Advertiser.
A woMAN's INGENUITY.
When Edison, genius and inventor
that he is, had given two weeks of his
valuable time to going up and down on
the New York elevated railroad trying
to discover what caused it's noise and
cure for it, he gave up the job. Then
a little woman took it. She rode on the
cars three days, was denied place to
stand on the rear platform, laughed at
for her curiosity and politely snubbed
by conductors and passengers. But she
discovered what caused the noise, in
vented remedy that was patented, and
she was paid the sum of $4,000 and a
royalty forever. Her name is Mrs. Mary
Walton, and she lives in New York City.
: Troy Times.
BEES WORKING TOOLS.
Naturalists say that the feet of the
common working bee exhibit the COM
bination of basket, brush and pair
of pincers. The brush, the hairs of
which are arranged in symmetrical
rows, are only to be seen with the
microscope. With this brush of fairy
delicacy the bee brushes it's velvet robe
to remove the pollen dust with which it
becomes loaded while sucking up the
nectar. Another article, followed like
a spoon, receives all the gleanings
which the insect carries to the hive.
Finally, by opening them, one upon an
other, by means of hinge, these two
pieces become pair of pincers, which
render important service in the con-
struction of the combs.
ANTHRACITE COAL.
In 176S two blacksmiths of Wyoming
Valley, Pa, first used anthracite coal, or
as it was commonly called "stone coal. !"
Judge Bell made use of it for domestic
heating in 1903. He used wood CRATE.
In an old book he made this note: "Feb-
ruary IL of Masonry, 580S. made an ex-
pertinent of building the common stone
coal of the valley in CRATE in COM
mon fireplace in my house, and find it
will answer the purpose of fuel, making
clear and better fire than burning
wood in the common way" When the
hard coal way taken to Philadelphia no
one would use it, thinking it was stone.
In 1870 the amount of anthracite coal
mined in the United States amounted
to over $38,000,000 in value Pitts
burg Dispatch.
COLIC BY WHOLESALE.
New Orleans Times-Democrat Yes
terday Col. A. W. Rountree, an old
railroad man, formerly agent of the
Illinois Central Railroad, who now de-
votes his entire attention to his mag
nifcent orange grove and truck farm,
on the other side of the river, above
Gretna, in conversation with some rail-
road friends stated that he had six acres
in cucumbers on his farm, sold to
Chicago parties at ST. per dozen, and ex-
pected to get from 900 to 1000 barrels
from the six acres. AS there are fifty
dozen cucumbers in barrel, the
colonels sale would amount to fully
$4,000 on this vegetable alone. He
said he paid no attention whatever to
this market, but made all his sales to
western markets, where greatly advanced
prices rule. He also ships cabbage to
Chicago.
WHOLESOME BURIAL PRECAUTIONS.
In Munich the body of dead person
is taken almost imm ediately to the
cemetery, where a chamber is prepared
for its reception. Through row of
windows almost every hour there are
anxious faces peering IN until the hour
of burial. Each body is dressed in it's
best. Some are borne to the place in
bridal robes, some are attired tastefully,
and others gaudily. It is thought that
these bodies may yet breathe again,
and every precaution is taken to make
their awakening as agreeable as possible.
There are wires attached to the hands or
heart, so that the least motion will strike
an alarm bell. At this summons the
Waterman are prepared to rush to the
assistance of the person. Once or
twice this bell has rung, and the watch
man arrived in time to bear away the
half-conscious person. Philadelphia
Press.
SUBSTITUTE FOR MATCHES.
The Grocers' Advocate has the fol-
lowing account of an ingenious con-
trivance to take the place of matches,
and which, it says, is now used by the
watchmen in Paris in all the magazines
where explosive or infammable mate
rails are kept. Take an oblong vial of
the whitest and clearest glass, and put
into it piece of phosphorus about the