Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-01
CURIOUS CONVERSATIONS

-Aing, the aerOnaut, IN 56 years. A-1
made s02 balloon ascensions
AT Wabash, Ind, the snow ploWs we're
got out on Friday. There were drifts on the
tracks over two feet deep.
-spezia is now the strongest maritime
fortress Of Italy; over sl0OOOO00 have been e.
| pended on It's extensive f0rtifeations.
The Iron Founders Union Of Great
Britain is 50 years old. It has 10,o0o members
to SO week.
The French railways, during the six
months Of the Exposition, earned s5O00oo0
francs over the earnings during the corresponds
ing period Of last year.
--Kilowatts is the term which il 10 be
used hereafter to express the power Of electric
machines. The word ''horse-poyer1 viii be no
longer employed In referring to the power q
any electric motor.
The increased binding power Of cement
due to the addition Of sugar is said to be due
more to mechanical than TO chemical causes.
Sugar retards rather than aeeelerates the set
ting Of the cement.
"A scientist says that there is such .
thing asa hoop-snake, but that it doesn't -ro1l
like q hoop It simply makes succession Of
loops, like the inch-worIn, but so rapidly that
it seems 70 roll around like hoop.
There are 1876 women operators IN the
great operating room Of the Western Union in
New York. In this room husband and wife
are working side by side. They are perfectly
matched in skill. but the man gets SO more :
month than the woman
AT q mass meeting Of the London
unions Of the boot trade . resolution was
uassed providing that sin no manufactory shah
there be employed more than one boy TO nro
men. and they shall be equally distributed over
each branch Of the trade"
nm A. n -
in New York have found ont that gas can be
cheaply and satisfactorily utilized for the most
delicate kinds Of cooking All the old appll
ances have been removed from the hote-
kitchen, and gas apparatus have been substi
tutsd throughout.
"A new style Of horseshoe has been
patented BY two Wisconsin men, The shoe u
made in sections, with elastic cushions between
and rfvets connecting the sections. making q
shoe in which there viii be vertical yielding
or spring. avoiding shocks or jar TO the horse
while travelling over hard paTsmenrs or roads.
Judge Marx Blandford Of the Georgia
Supreme bench is a nrm believer IN the zodiac
signs. He lost an arm at the battle Of No
Dowsll. Va, in May. 1852 and he declares that
he and every other soldier who got wound sa ~
the arm in that combat recovered, while ali the
casion to take particular notice Of that fact
I'm An Sable, Mich, last spring. q horse
that was sick was taken 70 an infrmary barn
for treatment. He was cured and has not since
been near the inhrmary until few days ago.
when he was again taken sick. Some remedies
was applied, but did not bring immediate re.
lief The horse getting loose made his way
to the infirmary. walked in and IL down on
the floor. He was examined, given dose ok
medicine and soon cured Of bis trouble.
Richard Jones, a farmer living near
Rockford, H., has been troubled with muskrat1
for some time. A few days ago he set trap
for them. Upon going TO It be found in Il.
caught by the toes, big gray eagle. When he
approached the trap the captive reared back
in an altitude Of defense. He struck II with
club. and after a hard struggle captured ne
proud bird Of freedom alive. Il measured I
feet inches from tip to TIP Of its WingA
In q Western town the other evening Z
play was given By amateurs in which one Of
the scenes represented the standing army Of
the United States. consisting Of an ofhcsr and
I'VE soldiers sitting on = bench. You see be.
fore you our noble Standing army" exclaimed
the hero to the low comedian. That's where
you're Oh !" replied the low comedian, "for Il y
now sitting" And the audience applaudBd
him for i've minutes, and called out the author
Of the play.
"A syndicate of New York capitalists
have purchased the Dismal Swamp canal n
Virginia and North Carolina for $4,000 The
new owners intend 70 rebuild the locks and
widen and deepen the canal for vessels a. the
largest draught and make this route the con-
great Inland waterway Of tie Afinnfle s55st ~
deeper and better water can be bad bT way %
Pasquotank river At the end Of this canal than
By the head OF Cnrtituck Sound.
In q market street furniture store IN
Philadelphiais exhibited parlor suite thasis
said 70 be unique with one exception. in this
country. Il is upholstered with palm-leaf fans
a single fan forming the seat and smother the
back Of the char. The frame Work - oI 8lIQoQ
bent wood. Two fans make pretty snbstitut9
EVEN the tabletop is Of fans Il was made 70
order for West Philadelphia residence. and
the only other suite ike it IS IN New York,
Both we're modelled after designs shown as ne
Paris Exposition.
"A monster crocodile, measuring II feet
inches was killed in the Roughly uysf 1s
Uttsrpara. India, in front Of Baboo JoykisssH
Mookefiee's library The superintendent of
the DalunshaW powder magazine had tried
eight shots unsuccsssfully. when Baboo slEn-
arayan Mooksrjee arrived. and lodged three
snidef rife bullets IN rs head and thus nor.
tally wounded IL The animal exaepera1ed and
nearly done TO death, made tor the bank and on
reaching 1t was again aasailed By the ba1oo
with fourth bullet, which put an end % is
surface of the river, and was dragged a1hore
by some boatmen, who exhibited it aftsrward
to the inhabitants
The Oldest officer in the United States
Navy is Commodore Henry Bruce, now On ne
retired list and living in Boston. He vas born
ON February u. 17s0. and was appointed . mid
shipman In the navy from Massachusetts, on
November9 Q, lsIa During his 70 years of NE
in the navy he was ~ years on the active list.
but had only Is years Of sea service and years
Of shore duty. Three OF his Is years Of sea
service, from 1887 TO $50, were spent ~ Lieu
tenant on the famous old frigats Brandywine
In the Mediterranean squadron; and his only
command was the brig Truxt0n, on the coast of
Africa in 1913. His last promotion on the act
i've list vas to the grade Of Commander on
September 8 l84l. He was retired September
l8 1850 but on April 4 1857. he was promoted
to Commodore, favor which ollcera On the -.
tired list no longer have.