Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1888-03-03
TIPS ON MANY TOPICS

TIPS ON MANY TOPICS.
POSTAGE stamps were invented by Row.
land Hill, who was the founder Of the IN.
glish postal system.
CASTLE GARDEN, New York CITY. WAS
opened as an emigrant depot August i. 1855.
the grea. influx Of immigrants at that time
making the establishment of such place
extremely necessary.
"PUBLICK OcCURRENcEs'' was the name
OF the first newspaper published in the
United States. It was issued September
Is, 1890, by Benjamin Pierce, at Boston, an
pearing but once, it beng immediately sup-
pressed by the Government.
The first furnace for the cremation in
America of the bodies of the dead was
erected at Washington, Pa, in 1876. by DIR.
~. LIE Nome, at a cost of s1,60O The first
cremation (that of Baron de Palm) took place
December of the same year.
THE Suez Canal was opened in 1869. It is
not yet fully completed, or rather is
perfected, and has a depth of twenty-six
feet. 1t has been thirteen years in the
process OF construction, and forty hours are
required Tor the passage of a vessel.
"CoPPERHEAD" was the term applied in
the North at the beginning of the re-
bellion to those who sympathized with the
South. 1t was adopted in analogy to the
serpent OF that name which stings without
giving notice, and is very venomous.
1.-THE permanent constitution Of the Con-
federate States Of America" was adopted
at Montgomery, Ala, March II, 1861, was
ratified by Alabama, March 10; Georgia,
March Ii; Louisiana, March 81; Texas,
March 25; Mississippi, March 30; South
Carolina, April 5, 1861.
As IS well known, the art of skating is a
prehistoric one. In many parts of Europe
bones of domesticated animals have been
found which had been used as skates or as
runners of small sledges. 1t is of consid-
cradle interest to learn that similar imple-
ments are found still in use in several parts
of Northern Ge1 many.
THE practice of burying the dead with the
head toward the west is of Christian origin.
The rising of the sun in the east was be-
ieved to be the sign that the second appear
ance Of Christ will be in that direction, and
that those who arise from their graves will
face Him. The custom is not followed as
rigidly as heretofore.
BELOW is given the capacity of number
of the larger church ediices of the world:
st. Peters, Rome, will accommodate $4,000
persons; Duoma, Milan, $1,000; st. PauPs,
in Rome, $4,000; St. Sophia, Constantinople,
$4,000; Notre Dame de Paris, 1900; the
Dome of Florence, 10000; the Cathedral of
Pisa, $4,000; st. Marks, in Venice, 1000.
WHAT are known as "Blue Hill Weather
Predictions - are those issued from the pri-
vate observatory Oh Blue Mountain, near
Milton, Ore. This observatory and the pre-.
dictions sent out are entirely distinct from
the United States Signal-Service, and are
supported by q gentleman whose interest
in weather matters has led to the establish
ment of the observatory and the prosecu-
ton of the work to which it is devoted.
THE press upon which Benjamin Frank
lin worked in London, in 1725, is preserved
in the Patent Office at Washington. It is
clumsy structure, almost entirely of wood,
known as the Ramage press, OF which
many were still in use more than century
later. Iron was subsequently used for
some of the parts until the beginning of the
present century. Printing machinery, now
brought to such a high degree of perfection,
was a half-century ago not much ahead of
Franklin's time.
A WHITE squat is one which produces no
diminution of light. This furious and dan
gerous gust appears in clear weather with
out any other warning than the white foam
it occasions on the surface Of the sea and
very thin haze. 1t usually breaks upon
vessel when she is totally unprepared for
such strain upon her canvas and conse-
quently proves one of the most dangerous
forms Of the sailors existence. A black
squall is far less dangerous, as it is usually
preceded by an accumulation of dark clouds
and accompanied by heavy rain. Time is
thus given to trim sails and to avert peril
A COMMON glass eye may be had for ten
dollars, but they are not good imitation
and do not last long. A frst-class eye costs
fifty dollars or even more. The best will
not last over two years, because the secre-
tions in the hollow Of the eye roughen the
glass by chemical action, and this rough
ness irritates the flesh. Glass eyes are all
made abroad, principally in Germany and
France, no factory having been started
here, although there is great demand for
them in this country. A skillful oculist
can put glass eye into the cavity so that
very close observation is necessary to de-
tect it. Not only are the size and color of
the natural eye counterfeited, but even the
general expression.
PERT AND PUNGENT.
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