Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1890-01-17
SOME IMMENSE THINGS.
A Few OF the Great Marvels of
Nature and Art.
The Largest of Every Thing in All Quar-
ters of the Globe-An Interesting Com
pendulum of Historical and
Statistical Facts.


layas, the mean elevation being estimates
at 1900 feet.
The loftlest mountain is Mount Everest
or Guarisauker, of the uimalaya range
having an elevation Of 29,002 feet above th,
sea level
The largest city in the world is London
Its population numbers 4,021, 1875 souls New
York, with population Of 1850, 900, come!
fifth in the list of great cities.
Tho largest theater is the new opera
house in Paris. 1t covers nearly three acres
of ground. Its cubic mass 4,2S7,0OJ feet
1t cost G3,000,00O francs.
The loftiest active volcano is Popocatepet1
Smoking mountaln), thirty-five miles
southwest Of Pueblo, Mex. 1t is 1874
feet above the sea level, and has a crater
three miles in circumference and 900 feet
deep
The largest island in the world-which is
also regarded as a continent-is Austraiia.
1t is $500 miles in length from easS to west
and measures 1889 miles from north to
south. Its area il 2,05i,2S7 square miles.
The largest span of wire ill the world is
used for telegraph in India over the river
Kistuah between Dezorah and Sectau-
agrum. 1t is more than 5000 feet long, and
is stretched between two hIlis, each of
which is 1920 feet high
The largest ship in the world is the Great
Eastern. She is $50 feet long, SO feet
broad and 60 feet deep, being 29,027 tons
builders, 1875 gross and 1894 net
register. She was built at NIillwall, on the
Thames, and was launched january 81,
1851
The largest university is Oxford, in En-
gland, in the city of the same name, fifty
five miles from London. 1t consists of
twenuy-one colleges and five halls. Oxford
was scat of learning as early as the lIne
of Edward the Coni3ssor. University Col
lege claims to have been founded by
Alfred.
The largest body of fresh water on the
globe Is Lake Superior-400 miles long, 100
miles wide at its greatest breadth and h.lv-
ing an area of $1,000 square miles, It's
mean depth is said to be 90 and It's greatest
depth 100 f4thoms. Its surface is aDout Oo5
feet above the level of tho sea.
The most extensive park Is Deer Park, in
the environs of Copenhagen, in Denmark
The lnclosure contains 4,20J acres, and is
divided by small river
The largest pleasure ground in the United
States, and one of the largest in the word,
is Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, which con-
tains 2,i4S acres.
The largest cavern is Mammoth Cave,
in Edmondson County, Kentucky. 1t is
near Green river, SIX miles from Cave City
and about twenty eight mics from Bowling
Green. The cave consists of succession
or irregular chambers, some of which are
large, situated on different levels Some of
these are traversed by navigable branches
of the subterranean Echo river. Bind 1su
are found in its waters.
The longest tunnel of the world is that of
st. Gothard, on the line of railroad be-
tween Lucerne and Milan. The summit of
the tunnel is 0JJ feet below tho surface at
Andermatt and O,GJ0 Ioet beneath tic peak |
OF kIstclhorn of tho st. GO.nard group.
The tunnel Is JwenJy-six ana one half feet |
wide and nineteen fecO ten inches from Tie
floor TO the crown of JlS arcued roof. 1t Is !
nine and II half miles long-a htvlc over q |
mile longer llan tlo Mount Gents tunnel.
The biggest trees in tlo wO44l urc the
mammoth trees of California. One of u
grove In Tulare County, according to meas
urement made by mUmocrS VI the STATE
geological Survey, was shown TO be 271 feet
high, los feet in circumference at base and
seventy-six feet at point twelve 1eeV
above the ground Some of the trees are
$50 feet high and thirty-ive feet in diam
eter. Some of the largest that have been
feUed indicate an age of from 1900 TO 25US
years.
The largest inland sea is the Caspian, ly-
ing between Europe and Asia LIS greatest
length is 40 mics, It's greatest breadth 210
miles, and its area $4,000 square miles.
The Great Salt lake in Utah, wulch may be
properly termed an inland sea, is about
ninety miles long and has varying breadth
OF from twenty to tnirty-five Aucs. It's
surface is 4, 100 feet above the sea, whereas
the surface of the Caspian is eighty-1Our 1eet
below the level of tho ocean.
The largest Empire in the world is that of
Great Britain, comprising S,5j7,GJ square
miles-more than sixth part of the land
Of the globe, and embracing under its rue
nearly sixth part of the population of the
world In territorial extent the United
States ranks third, containing 355l,245
square miles, including Alaska. In popula-
ton it ranks fourth, with i,s G0,0JJ 900 of
people. Russia ranks second, having $685.
$40 square miles.
The highest mcnolith is the obelisk at
Karuak, in Egypt. Karuak is on the cast
bank Of the Nile, near Luxor, and occupies
part Of the site of ancient Thebes. The
Obelisk is ascribed to Hatasu, sister of
Pharaoh Thothmes ILL.,, who reigned about
1900 b. c. Its whole length is 12J feet, and
It weighs 400 tons. Its height without
pedestal is 10S feet 10 inches. The height
Of the obelisk in Central Park, New York
City, without pedestal, is GS feet IL inches,
its weight about 100 tons.
The largest bell is the great bell of Mos
cow at the foot of the Krcmlin. It's cir
at the bottom IS nearly G5 feet
and its height little moro than 81 feet. In
It's stoutest part it is % inches thick, and
It's weight has been computed to b. 4l3,719 {
pounds. 1t has never been hung, and was
cast on the spot wn1re it now
stands a piece of the bell is broken OF.
The fracture Is supposed to have been oc-
'asioned by water having been thrown
upon it when heated by the building erected
)ver it being on fire.
The greatest wall in the world is the
Chinese Wall, built by the first Emperor
If the 1'sin dynasty, about 23l B. c., as
against Tartars. 1t traverses
he northern boundary Of China and is
'arried over the highest hills, through the
ieepest valleys, across rivers and every
,ther natural obstacle. Its length is 1850
niles. Including parapet of five feet the
otal height of the wall is 20 feet; thickness