Martinsburg gazette. (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1886-1887, 1886-12-11
BIGGEST THINGS.
Interesting Facts Useful When You Get
Into an Argument.

new opera mouse IN Hafls. ~ covers.
nearly three acres Of ground; its cubic
mass is 4, 287, 900 feet ; il cost about 100,-
600. 900 francs The largest suspension
bridgeis the one between New York city
and brooklyn; the length Of tho main span
is /, sos feet inches; the entire length
Of the bridge Is ), $50 feet The loftiest
active volcano IS Popocatapetl .'smok-
ing mountain thirty-five miles south
west Of Puebla, Mexico; it is II, 74s feet
above the sen level and has crater three
miles in circumference and thousand
feet deep. The longest span Of wire il
the world is used for telegraph in In
dia over the river Kistnah. 1t is more.
than o 900 feet in length aud IS i. 200.
feet high. The largest ship ia the world
is the Great Eastern. She IS $50 feet
long SO feet broad and 60 feet deep, be-
ing 2s, 627 tons burien, 1so15 gross and
10, 344 net register
The ersttcst fortress, from stra.eg-
ical point Of view, Is the famous strong
hold Of Gibraltar. Il occupies PENN
susa jutting into the sea, about three
miles long and three-q quarters of mile
wide. One central rock rises to d height
Of /, 435 feet above the ssa level It's
northern face is almost perpendicular,
while its east side is full of tremendous
prccipiccs. On the south it terminates
in what Is called Europa Point. The
west side IS less steep than the east, and
between its base and the sea is the mar
row, almost level span on which the
town Of Gibraltar is built. The fortress
is considered impresnable to military as
sanlt. The regular garrison in time Of
peace numbers about seven thousand.
The biggest cavern is the Mammoth
Cave, in Edmonson county, Kentucky.
It is near Green river, about six miles
fromcavc City, and twenty eight from
Bowling Grcea. Tie cave consists of d
succession Of irregular chambers, some
81 which are large, situated on different
levels. Some Of these are traversed by
navigable branches Of the subterrancan
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 rail-
road between Lucerne and Milan. The
summit of the tunnel is 900 feet below
the surface at Andcrmatt, and 6, 900 feet
beneath the peak Of Kastelhorn Of the
st. Gothard group. The tunnel IS IS
IL feet wide, and is 18 feet 10 inches
'front.' the floor to the crown of the arched
roof. 1t IS 91-2 miles long, Il So miles
longer than the Mount Gents tunnel.
The biggest trees in the world are the
mammoth trees of California. One of a
grove il sTu!arc county, according to
measurements made by members Of the
State Geological Survey, was shown to
be 276 feet in height, 10s feet ID circum-
ference at base, and 76 feet at a point 10
feet above the ground. Some Of the
trees. are 376 feet high aasd-as4 feet in
diameter Some Of the largest that
have been feled indicate an age Of from
ZOO to 2, 500 years.
The largest library IS the. Bibliotheque
National in Paris, founded BY Louis
XIV. ii contains 400, 900 volumes,
500, 900 pamphlets. Ia, 900 manuscripts,
800, 900 maps and charts, and $50, 600
coins and medals. The collection Of en-
49, o.,s,.ads I am ll0a co,,+o,rea =,