Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-11-18
THE BIGGEST THINGS.

THE BIGGEST THINGS.
Interesting Facts Useful When You Get Into
an Argument.
Philadelphia Bulletin
The largest theatre in the world is the
new opera house in Paris. It covers
nearly three acres Of ground; its cubic
mass is 4,287, 900 feet; it cost about $780,,
100000. The largest suspension bridge
is the one between New York city and
Brooklyn; the length of the main span is
| 1886 feet, six inches; the entire length of
the bridge is $3.50 feet. The Hottest
active volcano is Popocatapeti-"sm
ing mountain thirty-five miles south
west of Puebla, Mexico; is 17,748 feet
above the level of the sea and has a era
! ter three miles in circumference and 1 ZOO
| feet deep. The longest span of wire in
the world is used for a telegraph in
India over the river Kistnah. It is more
| than 5000 feet in length and is 200 feet
high. The largest ship in the world is the
| Great Eastern; she is $50 feet long, SO
feet broad and go feet deep, being 28,627
tons burden, 1875 gross and 1884 net
register.
THE GREATEST FORTRESS,
from a strategical point of view, is the
famous stronghold of Gibraltar; It oc-
cupies rocky peninsula jutting out in
to the sea, about three miles long and
three-quarters of a mile wide. One CEN
trail rock rises to the height OF 1,435 feet
above the sea level. It's northern
| face is almost perpendicular,
while its east side is full of tremendous
precipices. On the south it terminates
IN what is called Europa Point. The
west side is less steep than the east, and
between it's base and the sea is the mar
row, almost level span on which the town
Gibraltar was built The fortress IS con-
sidered impregnable to military assault.
The regular garrison in time of peace
numbers about seven thousand.
The biggest cavern is the mammoth
Cave in Edmonson County, KY. 1t is
near Green River, about six miles from
Cave City, and twenty eight from Bowl
ing Green. The cave consists of sue
cessiOn of irregular chambers, some of
which are large, situated on different
levels. Some of these are traversed by
navigabie branches of the subterranean
Echo River. Blind fish are found in its
waters.
| THE LONGEST TUNNEL
in the world is that of the st. Gothard
on the line of railroad between Lu-
cerne and Milan. The summit of the tun-
mel is 900 feet below the surface at Ander-
matt, and 5000 feet beneath the peak of
Kastelhorn of the st Gothard group.
The tunnel is 2612 feet wide, and is IS
feet 10 inches from the floor to the crown
of the arch roof. 1t is 81 miles Lengths
miles longer than the Mount Gents Tun-
mel.
! Tho hircoo+ in, 4bo
mammoth trees of California. One in a
grove in Tulare county, according to
measurem ents made by members of the
State Geological survey, was shown to be
276 feet in height, 108 feet in circumfer-
ence at base, and rs feet at point - feet
above the ground. Some of the trees are
| 376 feet high and 81 feet in diameter.
Some of the largest that have been felIed
indicate an age of from 1000 to $500
ve4Pfps s -
National in Paris, founded by Louis XIV.
1t contains 100000 volumes, 100000
pamphlets, $4,000 manuscripts, 100000
maps and charts, and 10000 coins and
medals. The collection of engravings ex-
ceeds 100000, contained in some 10000
volumes. The portraits number about
100000.
LIE LARGEST
ID that of Sahara, vast region of North
ern Africa, extending from the Atlantic
ocean on the west to the Valley of the
Nile on the east. The length from east
to west is about 5000 miles, it's average
about 900 miles, its area about 1900. 900
! square miles. Rain falls in torrents in
the Sahara at intervals of five, ten, and
twenty years. In summer the heat dur
ing the day is excessive, but the nights
are often cold. In winter the tempera-
ture is sometimes considerable below
| freezing point.
The greatest pyramid is that of Cheops
one of the three pyramids forming the
Memphis Group, situated on a plateau
about 137 feet above the level of the high
est rise in the Nile. It's dimensions have
been reduced by the removal of the outer
portions to furnish stone for the city of
Cairo. It's masonry consisted originally
of 09,O28,000 cubic feet, and still amounts
to 82,l1l, 900. The present vertical
height is $50 feet, against 479 feet origin
ally. The total weight of the stone is es
timated at $4,000 tons.
The largest bell in the world is the great
bell of Moscow, and at the foot of the
Kremlin. It's circumference at the bot
tom is nearly So feet, and its height more
than 81 feet. In its stoutest part it is %
inches thick and ifs weiOht hoe boao oo,,,