New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1885-04-15
General Gatherings.

general 0aG00f10&9.
While Pennsylvania petroleum yields
70 per cent. of kerosene with large
residum of lubricating oil, the Caspian
product yields but % per cent. of kero-
sene. with refuse fit only for fuel.
Returns of the Bessemer steel pro-
duction in the United States last year
show a total quantity of ingots convert
ed 1888, 3OOnet tons, a falling off of
per cent. from 1888. The rail production
for the year was: Bessemer steel, !, 116,-
O4l tons; iron, 81 800, and open hearth
steel, 5000.
The city Of Chattanooga, according
to its Daily Times, has nearly doubled
it's population within the past FIVE years,
having increased from ID 1000 in 1880 to
1000 in 1885. The manufacturing
capital of the city has likewise doubled
within that time, standing now at over
$5,00O,OOO.
Crematories are to be erected at once
in New York, in Boston, in Buffalo and
in Cincinnati. The wealthy Mt. Auburn
Cemetery Association, near Boston, has
decided to erect one, and bill is pend
ing in the Massachusetts Legislature to
incorporate the New England C1ema-
ton Society. The movement is spread
ing as rapidly as its friends can desire.
The apex of the Washington monu-
ment, which is the tallest column in the
world, is crowned by cap of the new
metal, aluminium, procured from COM
mon clay.
There is said to be no living thing
that will compare with the common flea
in strength and agility. A flea one six
teenth of an inch in length, can jump
distance Of twenty inches. This is 800
times it's length. If we should require
a six-foot man to jump 800 times his
length he would be obliged to land l 1920
feet from where he left the ground.
The following account is given of the
origin of the term "eavesdropper" At
the revival OF masonry in l717, curious
punishment was inflicted upon man
who listened at the door of Masonic
meeting in order to hear it's secrets. He
was summarily sentenced "to be placed
under the caves of an clubhouse while it
was raining hard till the water ran in
under the collar of his coat, and out at
his shoes" The penalty was inflicted
on the spot, and the name has contin-
ued ever since.
The camel has twice the carrying
power of an OK. With an ordinary load
of 400 pounds he can travel twelve to
fourteen days without water, going
fourteen miles day. They are fit to
work at years old, but their strength
begins to decline at Is, although they
live usually until 40. They are often
fattened at 30 for the butcher, the flesh
tasting like beef The Tartars have
herds of these animals, often 1000 be-
longing to one family. The Timbuctoo
breed IS remarkable for speed, and
used only for couriers, going 800 miles
In eight days, with meal of dates or
grain at nlghtfall.
Statistics show that the butter pro
duct of Iowa increased from 1852, l79
pounds in 1870 to IS, 481, 95S pounds in
1880. The product for last year is es-
timated at So, 451, 737 pounds. It is
said, moreover, of this thriving state
that her general product last year ex-
ceeded in value the gold and silver pro-
L duct of the world for the same period
An estimate of the amount, in weight
of one inch of rainfall on one acre Of
ground results as follows: An acre OF
ground contains 6, 272, $40 inches square.
Rain one inch deep would give that
many square inches; 1, 1913 cubic inches
make one cubic foot. Rain one inch
deep would give $3.50 cubic feet. A
cubic foot of water weighs 624 pounds
1900 makes ton. This will give 1885,
/ 875 pounds, or 113 tons and 875 pounds
to the acre, of rain one inch deep.
The number of plants used by man
at the present time does not exceed
5000. OF these about 2, 500 are cult
waited in America. The varieties used
flor food do not exceed 600. OF edible
fruits and seeds there are 100 classed
as vegetables, 100 as roots and bulbs,
varieties of grain, about 90 of which
produce sugar and syrup. In addition
to this, perhaps 80 kinds will yield oil
and 6 kinds wine. The number of
medicine-supplying plants is nearly
double that of the fruit yielding
amounting to LAO, about $50 of which
are employed in the various branches
of industry. Of the latter 76 furnish
dyestuffs, 8 wax, Is salt, and more than
40 supply food for cattle. There are
no fewer than $50 kinds of poisonous
plants cultivated, among which are
only &c of narcotic sort. the remain
der being classed as deadly poison.
Old Nelson Himself.