Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-02
CURIOUS CONVERSATIONS

-1nere are ., ,OOt ian nSudseS "HN WV ASVVS
religions.
The sea has net population of several
thousand millions.
Two thousand two hundred trains leave
London ordinarily every "a hours.
Nearly ESQ, 900 year is paid by the
British Government for the carriage of mails.
There are about 1,5O0, ,000, 900 inhab-
ltants on the globe. OF these SSOSS,OS die
There were in operation in the South
ia a lsS99O s as many L624 SS5 spindles against
ool,S6O in lS79iSU
1t is calculated that 81 1923 persons die
per oay. 3 $50 per hour, 80 minute, or one every
time the clock ticks.
-Chlna has 136 telegraph stations. The
system is mainly controlled by the Govern
ment' anu the operators are all Danes.
1t is Interesting to know that the hair
which waves from the helmets of French
Dragons is the real article being the producs
OF Chinese and TOnkin skulls.
Brazil il larger than the United States.
but in the whole 20 States which make up the
Republic there are not as many people as you
have in New York and Pennsylvania
-Dark-haired persons have a better
chance in the great struggle for existence
than those of the opposite complexion, except
IN contagious diseases, Wnere DiO0Q6S are COM
paratiYely exempt.
Between 10000, 900 and 100000 gal
Ions of wine will be made in the United States
this year, of which California will produce more
than half. SeVen-eighths of the grapes of Cali
fornia go to the wine press
The French Minister of War lately
offered prize for the swiftest bird in fight
from Perigueux to Paris. $40 miles. There
were 2146 entries, and the winner did the dis
tance IN hours and "a minutes.
The number OF marriages is in propor-
tion of 70 to every LOCO individuals born; the
time when the greatest number of marriages
takes place is In June and December-about
the time OF the summer and winter solstices
Married persons live longer than single
ones, and the tall have better chance for long
life than those of short stature. Women have
more chances of lite IN their favor previous 10
% years OF age than men have, but tewer after
ward.
There are growing on a farm in San
Antonio. Cal. two large fig trees that are as old
as the State. They are 30 feet in height have
very large spread, and are marves of pro-
ductlveness II is thought they will yield 600
pounds of fruit each.
The greater majority of these micro
scopic plants are what the botanists call "bac-
teria,'' the smallest form of vegetable life. So
small are they that it would take, IN some
cases, as many as 1000 of them arranged in a
row to extend one inch.
"A person born in hot weather stands
the heat great deal better than one born in
the cold months of winter; of course the rule
works vice versa. Those born in the spring
are usually.of more robust constitution than
II born at any other time OF the year.
1t is stated that from Nav to Septem-
Der Ii $50, 357 tons of ice had passed south on
the Champlaln canal. In August the ship
ments aggregated 3123lI tons. The heaviest
shipment in a single week was in the last week
of July, when 35, Ill tons were cleared. cargo
of ice is about l50 tons.
In Alsace, not far from Worth, there is
now monument to the young Englishman who
was the first victim in the Franco-German war;
Young Lieutenant Winslow, who attached
to the German army, was shot while recon-
noiterlng with the staff by one Of the trst bull
lets fired on the French side.
"A number of horsehesh restaurants
have just been started in Berlin, and they are
doing brisk trade. It is strange that they
have not been opened sooner in Berlin, for
those which have existed for several years past
in Dresden, Hamburg, Magueberg and Frank
fort have done an immense business from the
first
The number of males and females is
about equal and their average life is about 80
years; one-fourth of the inhabitants die before
they reach their fifteenth year. To 1000 per-
every 100 only six reach the age of s. and not
more than one IN 500 lives to see their eightIeth
year.
-fNephelocoecuquia" is a Greek word,
and means, translated into English, CLOUD
cuckoo-town," built by the birds, and found IN
AristOphanes on THE Birds" This town was
built in midair, as TO cut off the gods from
men. 1t was used as a satire on Athens, or
| perhaps on the visions of conquest in Sicily
| Italy.
The largest gold coin in circulation in
| the world is stated to be the gold "loof," of
AMMAN, the French colony in Eastern Asia. 1t
is fat round piece worth f65 The next in
size to this unwieldy coin is the Japanese
''obang," which weighs more than two ounces
and a half, about equal to ten English sover-
eigns.
The corn crop for 1890 in the u 'ollow-
ing States is thus estimated Illinois, 224 62S7I2;
Indiana los, OBS 1872; Ohio. 2229. .l23; Kentucky,
sc, 800 446; Missouri 1S4 5SS6I2: Kansas gS.2f7.-
05S; Wisconsin, Al 4S7 92U; Michigan. Al, ,S35 Sll;
Iowa, 26S 454. $50; Nebraska, "a 484 666; Mime
sofa. q So, OH; Dakota, 1852. .O44-a total of
1 229. .SsS.37
Systems for distributing power in cities
from central station are coming more into
use every day. Steam, electricity and CON-
pressed air are the common agents. but Paris
has system which is the reverse of that en-
plOying compressed air. The motors operate
by q vacuum created by immense air pumps at
the central station.