Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-10-22
CURIOUS CONVERSATIONS

There is nearly a score OF different
varieties of Pacific grapes In the New York
market.
"A one-legged 'cycler has issued chal-
lenge to any other one-legged 'cyoler for bi-
cycle race. h
"A censusof fruit bearing trees has been
taken @ in Los Angeles county. The total num-
Der is 10. .S6j,S75.
A novelty 10 bookbindlng is announced
in the employment in it of metal as substi-
tute for cardboard.
"A company with a capital stock OF
slOOO has been formed in Illinois to use cleo
tricity for backing shoes.
Robert Cole, in Louisville, cut his
throat, and while dying received the news that
he had fallen heir to 81, 900.
PARTIES retur ming from Blakely to
Arlington. Ga. Thursday saw flight OF black
birds three miles long and half mile wide.
"A scheme is under consideration for
the construction Of a railway up the Jungfrau,
in Switzerland, one of the loftiest of an the
Alpine peaks.
DO you know" said a hotel clerk.
shat enc Of the heaviest drains upon the
hotels is the request for paper and envelopes
from guests?'
-Chinese pheasants were introduced into
the vast forests of Oregon ten years ago. and now
it Is estimated that there are 1,00O, 900 Of them
in the country.
Ingenious engineers suggest that the
artesian well may be developed by means Of
electrical appliances into powerful and cheap
source OF almost unlimited power
Within five years, according to the
opinion of a wellinformed Seattle man. WASH
ington will not import pound of fruit, except
what Is grown in tropical climate.
I'm collections centuries old, to be seen
In China and japan, are specimens Of the most
remarkable drawings in the worid-picrures Of
all Kinds drawn with the thumb nail.
"A medical journal declares that healthy
man will actually suffer more from the prick Of
a pin than he would from the pains of dis
solution in case he died a natural death.
1t is enough to make a Nihilist
ashamed of his business to learn that the Car
is getting so fat that he is at present engaged
in chopping down trees to reduce the surplus.
The Negus of Abyssinia has Just
ordered new crown of pure gold. weighing
three pounds and containing 200 precious
stones. Why should not the Negus Of Abyssinia
be happy?
The largest dynamos so far constructed
are said to be two of 10, ,0O0horse power each,
most powerful dynamo in 1881 was the Edison
machine of l2O-horse power.
The German builds his railroad cars
for men. He puts his cigar holders and match
receivers into 10 compartments out of 20, the
twentieth being nominally, not often actually,
reserved for "non-smokers."
MIR. II. c. Angel, of Weatherford, Tex,
was in good health last Sunday, but he told his
wife he would die Monday night. He made
his will, attended to business Monday as usual,
and that night lay down and died.
1t is said that in many shops in Portugal
at the present time the sign american Spoken
Spoken" which is put out as bait to foreign
ers. This Is because of the intense hostility 70
the British nation.
One Of the most magnificent private
collections of pictures and art objects in the
world will soon be sold. IL was gathered and
owned by the late Dom Fernando. King consort
of Portugal and grandfather of the present
ruler Of that country.
President Lincoln appointed more JUS
tices of the Supreme Court than any other
Executive. They were: Swayne, Davis and
Miller in 1852; Field in 1853. and Chase to sue
ceed Roger b. Taney in 1854. All of these, ex-
cept Judge Field, are dead
There are 10000, 900 acres Of unsur-
veyed land in the State of Washington, and
much of that great extent of country is almost
Impenetrable. being covered with magnificent
growth of the finest kind of timber. Surveyors
have literally to cut their way every foot, be-
cause of the thick underbrush.
"A bicyclist, whose identity concerns no
one, was riding his wheel through a portion OF
France when up came a storm of rain. The
storm struck him Just as he started to coast
down a nicely graded hill some five miles long.
He proceeded on his journey and all the way
down 1t hind
while the front wheel ran along in the dry.
The report that the Swiss had become
tired of William Tell and his apple seems to
have been somewhat premature. The people
of the Canton Urn have just resolved to erect
to his memory a bronze statue seven feet high
on the open square before the City Hall in
Altorf. Tell will be represented as standing
alone sin bold. determined, defiant posture"
with the crossbow in the hand.
An important innovation has been in
troduced in the shape of machine for prepar-
ing molds for casting. The machine is designed
to produce a complete mold at one operation,
and thus to replace skilled hand labor in max
ing molds from pattern plates. 1t is claimed
that a lad can operate the machine with the
assistance of labnrer. and is able to ram and
mold as many as LOCO boxes per day.
Judge John A. Van Derlip, of Dams
vile, N Y, is 20 years old. He has four sisters
all in good health-Mrs. John McClaury, of
Iowa. who is 30; Mrs. Isaac Mer-
Ram, of Boston. Mass, 81; Mrs. Willard Trull
of Brooklyn, IS. and Mrs Seth Billings, of Al
lentown, Pa. 81: total 4l4 years. Judge Van
Derllp's brother, the late Samuel A. Van Der
lip, died at the age OF SO. His death was the
result of an accident
The French Government has given to
the New York Societe Franchise de Bienfais-
sance one of the famous Gobelin tapestries. 1t
reproduces the painting Lies Pestiferes de
Jaffa," by Gros. This valuable piece of handi-
craft is "a feet in length and II feet in BREADTH
and il took II years to make It. 1t is now in
but will probably be brought to
New York soon. Mr.. Thoron does not attempt
to estimate the value OF the glit, out says II
will be sold to cover the society's indebtedness,
which is about $4,000