The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-10-28
The Biggest Things.

new Op6[8. aOuS0 III IdIlh. IL CUVoIS
nearly three, acres of ground; its cubic
mass is 4, ,287, 900 feet; it cost about 100,.
100000 francs. The largest suspension
bridge Is the one between New York
City and Brooklyn; the length of the
main span is ], ,595 feet6 inches; the en-
tire length of the bridge is $3.50 feet
The loftiest active volcano is Popocatap-
etl-"smoking mountain" - thirty five
miles southwest of Puebla, Mexico; it is
17,74S feet above the sea level and has
crater three miles in circumference and
thousand feet deep. The longest span of
wire in the world is used for telegraph
in India over the River Kistnah. 1t is
more than 5000 feet in length and is L.
200 feet high. The largest ship in the
world is the Great Eastern. She is $50
feet long, 83 feet broad and so feet deep,
being 28,6N tons burden, 1875 gross
and 1884 net register.
The greatest fortress, from a astrategical
point of view is the famous stronghold Of
Gibraltar. 1t occupies rocky peninsula
jutting out into the sea, about three miles
long and three.quarters of mile wide.
One central rock rises to height of
1,435 feet above the sea level. Its north
ern face is almost perpendicular, while
its east side is full of tremendous preci-
pices. On the south it terminates in
what is called Europa Point. The west
side is less steep than the east, and be.
tween its base and the sea is the narrow,
almost level span on which the town of
Gibraltar is 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, Kentucky.
1t is near Green River, about six miles
from Cave City, and twenty eight from
Bowling Green. The cave consists of q
succession of irregular chambers, some
of which are large, situated on different
levels. Some of these are traversed by
nayigable 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 rail.
road between Lucerne and Milan. The
summit of the tunnel is 900 feet below
the surface at Andermatta, and $500 feet
beneath the peak of Kastelhorn Of the
st. Gothard group. The tunnel is twen-
ty.six and half feet wide, and is
eighteen feet ten inches from the floor to
the crown of the arched roof. 1t is nine
and half miles long, one mile and five.
eighths longer than the Mont Gents
Tunnel.
The biggest trees In the world are the
mammoth trees of California. One of
grove in Tulare County, according to
measurements made by members of the
State Geological Survey, was shown 10
be 276 feet in height, 108 feet in circum-
ference at base, and 76 feet at point -
feet above ground. Some of the trees
are 376 feet high and 81 feet in diameter.
Some of the largest that have been felled
indicate an age of from 1000 to $500
years.
The largest library is the Bibliotheque
National in Paris, founded by Louis
XIV. 1t contains 1,400,000 volumes,
100000 pamphlets, 175,000 manuscripts,
100000 maps and charts, and 100000
coins and medals. The collection of en-
cravings exceeds 100000, contained in
some 10000 volumes. The portraits
number about 100000.
The largest desert is that of Sahara, a
vast region of Northern Africa, extend.
ing 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, its average breadth about
900 miles, its area abont 100000 square
miles. Rain falls in torrents in the
Sahara at intervals of five, ten and TWEEN
ty years. In summer the heat during
the day is excessive. but the nights are
often cold. In winter the temperature is
sometimes below freezing point. The
greatest pyramid is that Of Cheops, one
Of the three pyramids forming the Mem.
phis group, situated on plateau about
one hundred and thirty seven feet above
the level of the highest 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 S9,O2S,o00 cubic
feet and still amounts to 82,l11, 900 feet.
The present vertical height is $50 feet,
against 479 feet originally. The total
weight of the stone is estimated at 6, ,316,-
600 tons. The largest bell in the world
is the great bell of Moscow, at the foot
of the Kremlin. It's circumference at