Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-07-20
MINOR MENTION.

There are four thousand theaters in the
United States aud 81 OOO,OJ0 day is paid for
Hmuscments.
Julian Hawthorne has in his house at
Scotch Plains, y. j., little oak table on
VIII ch Mary Stuart is said to have written her
last letter on the morning OF her execution.
Tue fact has been noted that seamen as
rule are peculiarly subject 10 color-blndness.
In tests made In the British mercantile ma
rne standard green was pronounced red in
lO7 cases out OF lS9.
A very good way 10 test II wall is damp
Gas suggested by NessleD is to pin q thin
sheet OF gelatne ON It by ore end. The thin
sheets OF French re latino used for making
Jolly will answer II the wall is damp the
gclatne sheet becomes curved, the convex
side being against the wall.
Regulations have been established in the
coli districts in Guatemala by which farm
ers are required TO build furnaces on their
land, aud whenever a signal is z ven to indi-
Gaze HE danger Of frost, To light IN them fires
Of tar, pitch OF other subsistence lisely 10
make a great smoke and keep away the
frost.
European capitalists propose to builda rail
distance is /, 400 miles. aud is estimated that
lie cost OF the road would be Ga, 90 0JO. II
the project is carried out the distance between
Europe and India will be shortened nine or
ten lys, and it viii also give a route Of COM
mcrce independent Of the Suez Canal
reward OF $50 for each coyote scalp hav-
ing been of red by sheep owners IN the Capay
Valley, California, Frank Hambleton made
grand roundup OF these animals aud Will pre-
sent claim for $500. He had an old straw
stack that had been standing for years, and he
noticed numerous holes in the side OF IT, So,
after this reward was offered, he set the stack
on fire one night and about forty coyotes, old
and young, were burned to death. The stack
was completely full Of them, aud several es-
capped.
Kir, hdorf, IN upper Austria, is renowned
for its scythes, which find large market in
Russia Some Of the works have been in the
same family for four hundred years Recent
" one Marcus Hollauder bought one Of the
manufactures, made goods OF an inferior
quality, and sold them in Russia under the
regular trade marks, thinking he only ran the
risk OF fine and coniscation Of goods. lie
was, however indicted and tried for fraud
ana sentenced to five years penal servitude.
great tunnel has been cons tructed
through the Cascade Mountains for the
Northern Pacific Railroad, at cost Of about
$500 0O0 One OF the interesting features Of
its construction was that electric lights were
used to illuminate IT while work was going
on and that tie power was supplied bs a
mountain stream falling directly over the
mouth Of the tunnel. There is Abundance of
oh o1l ha
country, and more attention should be given
to its utilization.
There have been frequent losses OF lie
through persons losing their vag either in
the snow or in a fog. At night, OF course,
there is no other course 10 adopt but that OF
reaching some shelter, if possible. But dur
ing the day, while the sun is still in the sty
2 the right direction may be gained, IL is said,
Nv simple means Of determining the posi-.
ton of the sun. This consists of placing tho
point Of a knife blade or sharp ead-pencil on
the thumb-nail, which will cast a shadow di-
rcctly from the sun, no matter how thick the
snow or fog is.
Fire under water can be produced bg plac-
ing a small piece OF phosphorus in a conicaly
shaped glass filed with water, and some crys-
tails of chIorate of potash covering the phos-
phorus. and then pouring through a long
tube funnel, or a glass tube few drops Of
suphurc acid down on the m Nure az the
bottom OF the glass. Tongues OF flame can
be seen flashing mp through the water. The
intense chemical action produces sufficient
heat 10 inname the phosphorus under the
water. Where there IS sufficient heat and
oxygen fire will burn, whether in air or
water
The English are iucessant in their enlcavors
10 open a trade route from India TO China.
One of the preliminary steps TO reach this OBJ
ject is the establishment OF a railroad from
the Valley OF the Brahmapootra TO the upper
part Of the Irrawadi, by which means they
expect 10 strengthen their position in Bur
nah. The region TO be traverscd is extre.
mely mountainous. and the road will have to
cross the Patkol Mountains. At the present
time the trade between China and Burmah ia
carried on by caravans, consisting Of from
two hundred two thousand animals, which
cross the range during the dry season; G.,
ietween the months Of November and May
They cross the territor, OF the KachiDs, who
expect heavy payments from them: neycrthe-
less, the caravans are subject to frequent at
tacks, and must be protected by an escort Of
armed men.
In Japan most of the principal citl es are
nov lighted bv electricity as ours are, and
most of the finest houses are Illuminated in
the same way. A large Edison plant has re-
GENTLY been placed in the Palace OF the
Mlkado, at Toxic, a very large building, or
rather a cluster Of buildings, connected by
corridors and covering several acres. A
small American arcli ght plant is also used
In connection with the Edison plant TO H.
illuminate the palace grounds. The Chinese
do not take hold OF the improvement as
readily as the JaIs, but are beginning TO see
rs advantages. The Coreans are ready 10
adopt all molcrn ideas particularly II they
come from the United States. The Palace Of the
King Of Corea has plant of so lights, and
was first Illuminated on the birthday OF the
Kings mother in-law, on the Goth OF Febru.
sry, with great ceremony.
The critical predicamcnt in which the 100
inhabitants Of Rodrigues found thems elves
awhile ago is not often paralleled. Rodrigues
is a little island in the Indian Ocean, with an
area Of only 100 square miles. Owing to a
violent hurricane, followed by a prolonged