Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-30
CURIOUS CONVERSATIONS.

\
The Lexington, KY. electric street
| cars carry school children at half fare.
There are 365 corps of the Salvation
Army In America, with 1,O66 officers in service.
1t is believed in Florida that rice cul-
ture is to become profitable industry in that
| State.
"A new map of China has been ordered
by the Emperor, and the surveys have already
begun.
1t is said to be a curious fact that all of
classes are blondes.
Platinum can now be drawn into wire
strands SO fine that q twisted together can be
inserted into the hollow of a hair.
"A tourmaline ledge, recently discovered
on a farm near Auburn, Me-, is said to have al
ready yielded s.. 500 worth of gems.
During the last 100 years 3S5, 900 pat
ents have been issued by the United States.
There have been 100000 applications.
The Fulton. KY, gormand who under
took to eat three quails day for 30 days STUN
bled at his twenty-nInth bird on the tenth day
OF his task.
The Attorney General of Texas has de-
cided that the Court House of Bowie county
must be built at the geographical center, which
IS in the woods,
Wiley Jones, colored, owns outright,
two street car lines u miles in total length, in
Pine Bluff Ark. He was born there. and was
poor barber 10 years ago. He is largely in
terested in real estate.
The crowded audience attending the
Residenz TheaIer in Berlin on Christmas Eve
was forced to sit so minutes in darkness, broken
only by the feeble ray from a lantern placed on
the stage the electric light having failed IN the
middle OF the performance.
-Rnhhars r
girls at South Bethlehem, Pa. a few nights
ago and stole a number of rings, bracelets and
other jewelry. When it was noised about
that burglars had been in the building several
OF the students tainted away.
AT test of steel manufactured at Read
ing, Pa, the other day a one-inch bar broke at
strain of 2S3. 1913 pounds 'being about 10000
pounds IN excess Of the highest record authori-
tatively known" The test was made under the
supervision OF Government officers.
New Orleans is making extensive prep
arations for the celebration of Mardi Gras,
which comes on the 10Th of February. The
carnival Will be on grand scale, and the New
Orleans papers assert the pageant will eclipse
IN Drllllaney any of its predecessors.
There seems to be good reason for the in
creased interest in athletics and various kinds
of physical culture fads. 1t is reported that
out of 20 applications for enlistment at the
United STATES rendezvous in Portland only one
has been accepted, deficient chest being the
main trouble
The Bombay branch of the Sorosis Club
has increased 20 40 members and is about to
apply for admission into the federation of clubs.
Its members congregate to discuss gravely Par
liamentary questions. the lives of noted women,
technical training and other equally serious
and advanced subjects.
Mr.. S. NJ. Blount, worthy citizen of
io tbo Of sill
kerchief purchased from a Hawkinsville, Ga,
merchant in 1856. Although constantly used,
the handkerchief is still without u hole in it.
Mr.. Blsunt is also using tin wash pan bought
in Macon over % years ago.
"A number of young unmarried women,
employed in various shoe factories of Brock
ton, Mass, have formed a syndicate for the
purchase of real estate for investment. AL
ready they have bought nine lots and are nego-
tiating for another block. 1t is their intention
to build on all the lots, and rent
The Home Reading Union has more
than 5000 members scatteredabout the world,
some of them in Turkey. They take certih-
Gates, not of knowledge acquired, but of books
read. and the courses of reading which the
union arranges seem to be very pleasurable ex-
ercises well as productive of an acquaint-
ance with the best things in English literature.
The city Of Toronto will lease its street
car plants. Under the lease employe can
work over ten hours day. A class of tickets
must be sold at the rate of eight for % cents,
the same only to be used between the time the
daily runs commence and A. NJ. and between
5 and P. NJ. Another class must be sold at the
rate of % for 81. and still another class at the
rate OF SIX for . cents. f-'
1t is not often that lost art is recov-
cred, but it is said that the chemists have tri-
umphed in the matter of the ancient Alex
andrian blue" This blue, the ideal of painters
and decorators was peculiar and remarkably
durable color. The chemists are said to have
achieved a successful analysis of the colorIng
on the PompeiIan frescoes. and to have repro
duced the paint, identical with the ancient
coloring in every particular.
The County School Superintendent OF
Adair county, KY, after paying the expenses
of his office out of the munificent allowance of
$3.50 year, made to him by the County Court
realizes the sum of about 81 a day-a stipend
that would not secure the services of many un-
skilled laborers at shoveling dirt. It IS less
than the salary of any of the teachers. Besides
the labor performed for this miserable sum,
the superintendent is required to give $780, 900
bond.
When Lawyer Kimbrough attempted
to 60 on the stand to testify on behalf of his
client, at Memphis. Tenn, the other day. Judge
Du Bose ruled that he must first retire from
the case. "Fhe rule of this Court is that no at
torney in case can testify for client" said
the Judge. "'Wharton on Evidence takes
strong grounds against such practice. and 1
will not permit it." Kimbrough formally an
nounced his retirement and then gave his tes-
timOny.
Nearly 20 years ago DR.. Wilks directed
attention to the curious fact that transverse
furrow always appears on the nails after seri-
Gus illness. Medical men ignored what they
called the visionary opinions of Mr.. Wilks. CIV
ing the matter but little attention in their
medical works. Recently new interest in the
subject has been revived and pathological So
cieties have begun an investigation. One re-
markable case shows nail burrows caused by
three days seasickness.
The statute providing for the admission
of women to medical examinations at Oxford
was rejected by only four votes. This practi-
cally insures its success in the future, and the
opposition will not be long maintained. The
number of women students in the healing art
increases almost daily and their achievements
in the profession are constantly gaming IN dig
nifty and importance. A large hospital for
women in London lately opened. which IS min.
istered to by women only, IS crowded to its
fullest capacity all the time.
"A method is now on trial at the Mete-
GEOLOGICAL Office at Stockholm which seems
likely to throw some light on a subject which
hitherto has been attended with some un-
certainty, namely, the determination Of the
path taken by storms. From the telegraphic
weather reports, tables of the density of the
atmosphere have been constructed, and other
data have been collected which have been en-
bodied in special charts. These charts are
found to give much more reliable clew TO the
movements and origin Of cyclones than the
usual method of the comparison of the isobars
and isothems alone. The latest Investigations
show that storms move in the direction of the
avxA do oi 1fr1aa