The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-06-18

two explosions driving the firemen from the
building and sixteen firemen were badly burned
In the face and hands, and three ladderm en-
seriously.
THE Walter A. Wood Mowing-machine Com
pany, are building, 1t Is stated, over two hum
bred machines per day. employing twelve hum
dred hands, with payroll Of over $4,000
per month.
ALLEGHANY valley, Penn, was visited last
week by one OF the heaviest storms known for
many years. At Brookville waterspout burst,
and in two hours the creek rose ten feet, trans
forming 1t into torrent. Milmen had no
chance to save their stock. Dams gave way,
carrying with them lumber valued at $1,000
Two bridges were washed away and many
small buildings demolished. number OF
families were driven from their homes.
AN eminent English mint official who prdes
himself on his ability as a coner, states that
England at the present time Is losing million
year on silver money, and that the calling In
OF the condemned half sovereign will cost her
$3.50, 600 year for some years The recoining
OF old sovereigns into new ones also entails a
heavy loss. The only paying department at
the royal mint is that from which the bronze
coinage Is issued, and that shows an annual
profit Of 100000.
Two remarkable COWS are owned by Mr.
John Mitchell of Newburg, n Y They are
named Jamaica and Ethelka, and about two
months ago the former produced little more
than one hundred and twelve pounds or about
fifty-six quarts OF milk in one day, while
Ethelka gave one hundred and one pounds,
AMI during thirty-one consecutive days gave an
average of fifty-six pounds. But this remark
able as 1t Is, has been put in the shade by
their more recent performances. For one
hundred and seventy-one days ending June l.,
Jamaica yielded II, $50 pounds, an average of
seventy-hve pounds daily while Ethelka gave
11,O43 pounds, or over sixty-three pounds daily.
They have to be MIXED three times daily to
prevent the milk being wasted.
AT Poke Hollow, mining village near
| Wilkesbarre, Penn, about four acres OF land
caved in one day last week, in some places
settling from eighteen inches to two feet Sew
! eral houses were more or less damaged Early
next morning loud report, resembling the
shock of an earthquake was heard, and imme-
diately the foundations of the houses began to
crumble away and the dwellings themselves to
turn over. Without making any efforts to
save their property the terror-stricken people
! fled to place of safety. The greatest excite
ment prevailed and the people in the vicinity
have been warned to keep away. All the bot.
toms of the wells have dropped out and a water
| famine Is imminent. The cavern covers q dis
lance OF two miles in circumference, and every
dwelling house situated above the treacherous
! ground is liable to fall into the mine, six hun
dred feet below, at the least cemmotion on the
| earth surface.
| SUCCESSFUL series OF night experiments
with the electric torpedo boat were concluded
at the experiment station near Charles island
at Milford, Conn, last week. They were wit
messed by government officials from Washing
ton and from Governors island, New York.
All previous experiments have been made in
the daytime The boat is of sheet-iron, about
thirty feet long, and cgar-shaped, the ma
chinery of which is a secret known only to two
| Connecticut inventors. 1t floats with the top
| just above the waves and Is invisible at night.
1t is propelled by screw and steered by rud-
ders, all of which are worked by electricity.
The electricity is supplied by wires which I'M
reel from the station as the boat goes out. The
apparatus can be worked from a ship at sea
when necessary. The plan of operation COM
prehends an explosive torpedo placed on the
nose of the boat and then guided against an
enemys vessel or fertilization. The boat runs
at the rate Of sixteen miles an hour, and is
readily steered in any direction, either under
or out of water 1t was sent around Charles
island buoy and return, a distance of two
miles, in a remarkably brief space of time. 1t
will be taken to Sandy Hook in few days,
where torpedoes will be used and the blowing
up Of an old hulk placed mile from the shore
will be undertaken The officials who wit
messed the workings of this mysterious and
murderous machine are confident that it is the
most perfect engine of the kind ever invented.