Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-02-14
CURIOUS CONVERSATIONS.

-"Bosh" is the trade name in London for
all butter substitutes.
Several large metal working establish-
ments are welding by electricity.
1t is proposed in England to operats
dust and garbage carts by electric propulsion.
Five new churches are being erected
in jerusalem and Bethlehem at the present.
time.
"A reputable author says that the skull
Of John Theach, known as "Blackbeard," the
Virginia pirate of 17ls, is in the possession Of
Virginia family in the form Of silver-rimmed
drinking cup.
Another infant pianist has been discov.
cred. This one is but years old. His name 10
haoul Koczalski, and he has captured st. Pc
tersourg, where the newspapers speak IN ex.
Chopin.
There is water wheel in use at Bow
doinham, Me-, which is probably the only one
OF It's kind In existence. It is n feet In diame-
Ter, with foot of its rim out of water at high
tide; the spokes are wide and set diagonally,
IKE the Vanes OF windmill. It turns Is hours
OF the day by tide power, running one way with
the flow, the other with the ebb. With one foos
fall OF the tide this wheel gives about % horse
power.
"A Maine parson who received nice
large linen duster for a Christmas present ID
just beginning to wonder if the gift had any
particular significance. Another Maine min
ister recently received from an admiring fe-
male parishioner present of a nicely made
burial robe. The gift was made in such evil
dent good faith and innocence of any idea Of
and cheerfully laid it by against the need that
must come.
Fire under water may be produced by
placing small piece of phosphorus in conf
cally shaped glass filed with water and some
crystals of chlorate of potash covering the
phosphorus, and then pouring through long
tube funnel or q glass tube a few drops of sui
phuric acid down on the mixture at the bottom
Of the glass. Tongues of flame can be seen
flashing up through the water, the intense
chemical action producing sufficient heat to in
flame the phosphorus under the water. Where
there is sufficient heat and oxygen fire will
burn whether in air or water.
Stories about Balzac are now being told,
inspired by the proposed Balzac monument
One relates that Baron James Rothschild once
when Balzac was obliged to go to Austria. ad-
vanced him 8, 900 francs and gave him letter of
recommendation to his nephew in Vienna. The
letter was unse2led, and BalZac read it. Finding
it cold, and apparently unworthy of him, he
never took it to the nephew. When he got back
We'll" said the latter, "have you seen my
nephewT' Balzac proudly said that he had
kept the letter. Il am sorry for you" said the
bIeG: here Il obserye b @ T tis little 5ieTo-
glyphic beneath the signature; it would have
opened credit of q, 900 francs for you at the
Vienna firm" Balzac had nothing to say.
"A suggestive yarn about the abuse of
the fee system by eonstables is told by Gar
diner, Me-, man. Officers down on the Ken
nebec have pocketed lots of money from fees
for arresting tramps 1t seems to have been
the custom in times gone by that when one of
these gentlemen of leisure was committed to
jail he was presented with plug OF tobacco by
the officer who arrested him. with the under
standing that when his time had expired and
he came round on the circuit again he should
look out for his official friend and help him to
get another fee. The increase of this branch of
police duty caused competition to spring up
among the members of the force, and it Is
stated as fact that some of the bribes of to-
bacco run as high as pound.
Captain William Jameson, of Friend
ship, Me-, is called the Paul Revere of the
Meduneook. He received the name in the fol-
lowing way: 1t was during the war of 1872, and
the British with muffied oars and under cover
of darkness were trying to reach and burn the
little fleet of fishing schOoners at the head of
the Meduncook river, hoping also to gather in
some chickens, eggs, etc., from the settlers
along the route. Jameson, then boy of IA,
mounted his horse and rode through the town
giving the alarm at every house. He then re-
turned home, jumped from his horse, and
catching up his little fint-lock rifle with "a
rounds of cartridges, started off on the run
across lots to Join his neighbors at Bradford'S
Point. The British soon found that they were
discovered and hastened back to their ship.
An improved headlight for locomotives
has an adjustment which allows the engineer
to conveniently dipct the light as he may de-
IN ria off hoI
IS supported on frame or platform, which has
to right or left about avertical axis,
and also up or down by the same means, the
operating mechanism leading back to the cab,
30 as to be within ready reach of the engineer
He is enabled, by this arrangement. to examine
in stormy weather to turn the light upon
threatening trees or masses of earth or rock
upon either side, and which are liable to fall.
The device also permits of the lantern being
turned SO as to throw the light across sharp
corners and exhibit the line of track at some
distance ahead of the train and at points which
would be entirely out of reach of, the light in
is usual fixed position. According to the
Usual construction and employment of locomo-
i've headlights, they are fixed to the engine
ront IN such a manner that the light is always
'nly-this being, of course, an Inadequate ar
aDgement in the case of sharp curves.
One of the attaches of the Court House
n Portland, Ore, is in possession of an old
'aper that he prizes very highly as a relic and
uriosity. 1t is a small sheet of newspaper not
ver Is inches square, representing on one side
everal of the familiar characters in ancient
istory. Among the cuts were noticed Marius,
itting amount the ruins of ancient Carthage;
he last moments of Julius Cesar, representing
be great ruler standing in front of Pompeys
illar: Romulus and Remus out walking with
heir fostermother, the she-wOlf; Caligula,
lining with his favorite war horse and feeding
out of golden dish: the Emperor Nero
ancing as he receives the news of the burning
Rome; the COnsuls waiting upon Cmcin-
atus, as he is plowing in the field to accept
he dictatorship; brave Horatius holding the
ridge that spans the yellow Tlber," and sew
raj Others The cuts are all made true to life
nd show great artistic taste in the designer
utsde of its value as a curiosity the little
1eet is put to good use on election days, and
may be added, it does much good. About
lie time the opposing candidates become the
lost anxious for just a few more votes their
ttention is called to the scene representing
incinnatus at the plow and his constituents
aIting upon him to accept the Office of Die
Ltor. 1t always has the desired effect