Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-15
CURIOUS CONVERSATIONS.


West is located at Lewiston, Idaho.
There are 81, ,0S7 pensioners in the SS
counties of Ohio Jeiferson's quota is 46S
The number of exiles to Siberia this
year. up to October j, amounts to 1900 souls.
To Cinnamon is attributed the saying
that all the sustenance the human system re-
qulres is rice, vinegar and oil.
-Chaneellur Snow, of the Kansas State
University, is figuring on a new bacillus which
VIII exterminate the Hessian ny.
There is a tremendous activity in the
10Y division of the Patent ONCE, especially in
AUTOMATIC toys that can talk and walk.
The story Of influence of women upon
the tate of men is as old as the Siege of Troy.
and Anthony.
The early people of the Carofines were
builders of Cyelopean towers and pyramids: in
fact, they still very sklful IN bniIdinp great
walls OF rude stone.
The number of school cbildren in Ohio
between the ages of and 2I years is 12474s.
OF these 516,5e6 are boys and 5Is Do girls being
an increase over last year of 42ll
The year 1740 was remarkable for at
mospheric disturbances. It came in with a
frost, the like of which had not been known in
England for 81 years; frost of such great
strength that the Thames was frozen over.
Massachusetts contains about ], 900. 900
acres less agricultural area than Palestine; but
as she only contains 450,0OO families to the
600. families who went in with Joshua, each
Massachusetts family, like each family in
Israel, could receive plot of 81 acres.
Deprive the Siamese OF his boat, and he
will be like bird docked of its wings helpless.
shiftless and purposeless. Roads and RAILWAYS
may in time bring into existence a race of
purely terrestrial SIamese But for the present
the population is, with few exceptions, amphib-
ious.
The New York Society to Befriend
Domestic Animals announces that starving or
homeless dogs or cats will be called for. and az
soon as the cats and dogs now at the home are
IN good enough condition to be given away they
will be exchanged for animals in poor cundi-
tion"
Compare the accounts of the Mexican
sacrifices at the time of the conquest. and the
reported present practice of the Apaches,
Navajoes and Gautusos with what is known of
the Tahitian sacrifcial procedure and the
agreement In many important particulars is
very remarkable.
The work done by the heart is equiva-
lent to 122 foot-tons of energy No one should
DO more than twice that amount of work. But
In some work this amount is increased over 4
third. In the work of the dock laborer it runs
up 90 ol1 Ioot-tons; III the pile driver and
paVlor to 35O, and in few others to 3f0
One of the most valuable cargoes ever
shipped from the Columbia river was dis
patched from Astoria in a German vessel last
week. 1t comprised over 20. 900 cases of salmon,
26.OOO sacks of flour and % 600 sacks of wheat
representing value of 900. To transport
TINS cargo by rail would require $40 cars. each
carrying ten tons.
The most exalted Order of the Star of
India was instituted in 1861, and consists of the
sovereign, the Vicerov of India, 30 knights
grand commanders, 72 knights commanders
and Ia companions. with extra and honorary
members. The badge contains Queen Victo-
ria's likeness cut in cameo, and the ribbon of
the order is pale blue with white edge.
"A company has been formed, under the
supervision of the Government for the irrira-
tion of the steppes in Southern Russia 1t pro-
poses to dig canals and to lead water to lands
belonging to the Government to various ruralI
constituencies and o private persons. Severar
Government engineers have been detailed 70
the service of the company, which will begin
work in the Crimea.
-Menam, great central river of Siam. the
mother of waters,' which drains the vast ter.
ritory Of western Laos, and runs through the
most fertile valley of Indo-China forms the
main artery of Slams trade. Probably no rlyer
In the world-but certainly no river of equal
size-carrIes on its surface within a space of
about four miles so large number of boats Of
all descriptions.
just behind, perhaps, will come whole
crew of Siamese maidens, their close-cropped
hair sticking up like black clothesbrushes on
their heads white linen jackets with long sleeves
covering their bodies. and showing of the light
pink and green scarfS deftly thrown over their
shoulders, while more inquisitive glance will
discover their well-shaped feet and legs bare
to the knee, curled up Turkish.wise on the
floor.
"A ditch q miles in length is under con-
struction from the East Umpqua river to the
gold mines on Myrtle creek, in Douglas county,
Southern Oregon, Of which ten miles are
already completed. The ditch will be feet
wide at the top, 8 at the bottom and feet deep,
and will supply an abundance of water for
working. 1t is expected the ditch will be COM
pleted by Christmas, when mining operations
will begin.
The Order OF the Bath was instituted in
the thirteenth century. and seems at times to
have fallen into disuse; but there are many rec
ords of quaint ceremonies attached to its re-
ception at the time of the restoration Of
Charles II. The knights-elect slept in .ls
Painted Chamber of the House of Lords o.
pallets; at the foot of each couch stood a bath
ing tub, and the installation took place in the \
adjoining abbey OF Westminster.
The boat life of Siam includes almost all
life. Business and pleasure. health and hapui-
ness, all center in the river or its branches. A
boat and paddle are almost as natural and in
possessions to a Siamese as his arms
or legs. He has no notion of travelling any dis
tance except by boat: and the idea OF living in
a place inaccessible by water generally strikes
him as absurd. Three weeks TO come down
stream with full cargo; a week TO dispose of
it and indulge in the gaIeties of the capital;
four or five months to get back with the
emptied boat. and the rest of the year for farm
work at home-such is the programme for many
a SiaDese family which lives as contentedly
and placidly as the profoundest philosopher.