The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-07-09
les, WE BELIEVE IT
PERSONAL AND PECULIAR.

There never was 50 much intoxication in
New York as at the present time.
Georgia's orchards now hold the best crop
of apples, pears peaches and plumS in TWEEN
ty years.
Baby insurance is quite popular among
the poor of New York city. The idea is to
provide for funeral expenses.
Miss NJ. A. Rocks has been postmaster at
Monroe, Ca, since April 81, 1865, and during
all this time she hasn't lost half day out of
the office.
Philadelphia young ladies are ordering
gold fac SMILES of the Liberty Bell, which
they will wear at summer resorts to distin-
guish themselves from the common run of
humanity.
American locomotives are so much in favor
in New Zealand that they are taken without
having been previously inspected in this
country, while those from Great Britain are
subjected to the closest scrutiny.
A Michigan editor stands sponsor for the
statement that with the annual contribution
of cordwood and vegetables. subscriber
brought to the office number of hailstones
gathered during storm 10 days before.
Frenchman has patented a process of
making butter by passing current of cleo
tricity through milk, thus rendering the
operation of churning unnecessary. A SINH
lar method is to be used for cheese-making.
and to restore ancient butter to its original
sweetness of flavor.
The ScientifcsAmerican thinks it probable
that the late Robert Treat Paine had OBJ
served more eclipses than any other person.
He had also made meteorological observa-
tions of great value, and his record of baro-
metric and therm0metric readings at single
spot in Boston is said to be continuous for
more than 80 years.
1t costs 100000 to run the Grand Union
Hotel at Saratoga for a season of ten weeks.
A curious historical document concerning
a Panama canal exists in the archives of
Venezuela, bearing the date of 1850. 1t re-
cords that canal project was preached in
the reign of Philip H., and Flemish engi-
neerS surveyed the territory and declared the
obstacles to be not insurmountable.
It is said by one who processes to know
that Queen Victoria's household includes
trusted attendant, whose especial duty it is
to look after and arrange the collection of
photographs of members of the royal family
that are arranged chronologically in a series
of albums. 1t is the Queens express wish
that her collection shall contain a copy of
every photograph of her children, or grand
VI SI6dl-tulIlIbU, OF OIil6T reldIlNeS.
which is taken, and the collection has conse-
quently resumed proportions that may ere
long resultin the appointment of a custodian
general of cartes and cabinets
The results of series of observations car
ried out by the Photographed Bureau at
Washington, in order to determine the length
depth and duration Of ocean waves have
been published The largest wave observed
is said to have had length of half mile,
and to have spent itself in % seconds. Dur
ing storms in the North Atlantic waves
sometimes extend to length of 500 and 600
feet, and last from 10 to II seconds. The
most careful measurements of the heights of
waves give from A to 48 feet as an extreme
limit. The average height of great waves is
about 80 feet. These measurements refer to
ordinary marine action, and do not relate to
earthquake action or other exceptional agen-
cies.
Everybody on the Island of Malta works
and slaves at least 16 hours 4 day, and he is
fortunate indeed who counts his weekly sti-
pend at a dollar and half. There never
has been theatre or a circus or secular
holiday in Malta, and the popular amuse-
ment is confined to feast-days, when the peo-
pie congregate in one place and make them
selves sick on pink candy. In the evening,
when the hot blistering sun goes down, you
can 20 up 10 bll6 DdSlll, WIeT6 GH6 sea leaves
placid pool in the rocks, and indulge in the
giddy designations of bath: You can live
there in Splendor for five dollars week, but
at the end of four years you won't know
whether you are a catamaran or a blind
fish.
Twenty years ago the number of insane
persons in the United States was only 24,042
In 1870 it reached 37,432, and in 1880 treat
ment was required for 81 $50 lunatics. From
1870 to 1880 1.-THE increase of insanity was
nearly $50 per cent, while that of the total
population was about SO. The proportion of
the insane is greatest in New England
while the increase has been most rapid in
the Western States In the State of New
York there are thirty-fve institutions for
the care Of these unfortunate people, accom-
modating 1913 patients, while it is said
there are 1000 provided for, at home. In
America apart from several large county
asylums, there are eighth State and forty pri-
vate institutions for the care of the insane,
with proper capacity for about 10000, but
containing 80 1872, thus leaving probably 49,
600 to be cared for elsewhere.