Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-26
CURIOUS CONVERSATIONS.

nearly SIUUUOOUOO.
In Italy 63 per cent. of the population
are unable to read or write.
The steel bridge across the Columbia at
Vancouver. WASH, will be 6.OOO feet long.
Mrs Fletcher who died lately at Glou-
eester. England. at the age OF 81, had been en-
gagged for 30 years in the somewhat unusual oc-
cupation, for woman, of gun making.
"A steam yacht of 1000 tons is to be
built at Greenock for Russian sportsman.
She will be 240 feet in length. with a beam Of
oV Ieet inches and depth of 20 feet inches.
According to the new assessment lists
OF Berlin there are in that city four personages
whose annual incomes range from $4,000 to
of f33, O00
"A large mining company has arranged
Tor the introduction of the electric light into its
pits In place of allowing each miner to carry his
own lamp. as was heretofore the custom. The
light will be placed along the roads, the lamps
being 10 yards apart.
Eleven battle-ships, with an aggregate
displacement of 10000 tons, are now being
built for the German Goyernment-three az
Bremen. two at Garden, near Kiel. one at
W1lhelmshafen. three at Dantzg, and two at
Bredow, near Stettin.
1t is said that the torpedo boat Bathurst,
per hour, represents the last refinement of me-
chanicaI engineering, and that it hardly seems
possible to improve upon her as long as steel
remains the chief material of construction.
London, Berlin, Vienna and Paris have
provided themselves with underground roads
or are preparing to do so. London was the
first city to meet this problem. and its under
ground roads have proved the swiftest, most
satisfactory and most profitable system yet pro-
Vlded for great city
One Of the features of the last Oxford
term was the University sermon of the Presi-
dent of Corpus, who discussed the evils which
have arisen from the love of athletics and
amusamentS among the undergraduates. He
proposed to meet these evils by rearranging
the terms and revising the course of studies.
"A new diving dress has been adopted by
the French navy. 1t contains but three pieces
helmet. collarette and body The helmet is
fitted with an incandescent lamp. inclined for
ward at an angle which enables the diver to de-
rive the fullest advantage from il, and fitted
with protector and mirror.
"A new electric leak detector is destined
to effect very considerable saving in the
amount of property destroyed or damaged by
overhOws or leaks from hydrants. bath or toilet
rooms. The apparatus rings an alarm, and az
the same time indicates in which room, apart
ment or floor the leak hes occurred.
1t has been determined that under no
conditions can the deaf learn to speak by as
sociation and without effort, as normal children
do, but that in every case speech is an acquisi-
ton only possible with great and sustained ef-
fort on the part of the pnpil, assisted by the
skill, patience and perseverance of competent
teachers.
Many authoritative disclaimers have
been recently made against the indiscriminats
use of such preservatIves as borax, boric acid
and salicylic acid, more especially as applied to
milk, cream beer and other articles Of food and
drink. Their actual injuriousness is not as
serted, but in many cases it is believed that
their function can be performed better and
more safely by refrigeration.
Great care has to be taken now a bout
Queen Victoria's movements. Not only are
stairs assembled backward and very slowly with
the ebony stick in constant demand, but even
in her own apartments Her Majesty moves
about as little possible. An alert and de-
voted Scotchman is her personal attendant and
is never out of hearing of the little table-gong
which the Queen strikes whenever she re-
quires his services. Her Majesty does not
walk single yard unnecessarily.
In the course Of the present session Mr..
James Stuart, of the English Parliament, will
introduce bill TO enable women to SIT on
County Councils. Miss Cons and Miss Golden
are prevented now from voting at the London
County Council. to which they were elected,
their general usefulness, for the former serves
on five eommittees--Housing, Asylums, Indus
trial Schools, the Sanitary, Parks and Theaters
and on IL subcommittee, and Miss Golden
has been elected to all that she was put up for.
German girls are beginning to resent
with bitterness of spirit. as do their English
sisters, the encroachment of American beauties
upon their preserves. These pretty. graceful.
and brilliant daughters of Columbia are sent to
Germany to study music, painting, literature.
etc, and, while quickly mastering the arts,
subjugate the hearts of the susceptible German
officers as well. The number of officers with
American wives seems TO be rapidly on the in
crease, and the faithful German spinsters, with
their frugal habits and domestic skill object to
the invaders with justitiable wrath.
An Ellaville, Ca, minister of the Cos
pei had rather funny bit of experience not
long since, though he did not enjoy 1t much at
the time He was called out in the country to
tie matrimonial knot. When all was ready
he stepped out into the middle of the floor to
await the coming of the bride and groom.
There was no music nor extra display. One
couple marched in and took position on the
left, another followed and took position by the
side OF the first Then followed another couple
who halted little farther to the right. Not
being acquainted with them, the minister
thinking the last couple were the candidates
for matrimony, turned and had them about
half married before the little lady, who stood
blushing, squirming and choking, exclaimed:
I'VE amt the marrying ones, It's That other
couple over there"
AT Friedensville (Pa.) zinc mines there
is in operation the largest stationary engine in
the world. During the last few months it has
pumped dry. by underground drainage, nearly
every ore pit, spring and small stream within
radius of five miles. The engine is known as
the president" is of 5000 horsepower, and is
run by l6 boilers. At each revolution of its
ponderous wheels small stream is thrown out,
the number of gallons raised every minuce be-
ing IT, 500. The driving wheels are 30 feet in di-
aIneter, and weigh 40 tons each. The sweep-rod
is 40 feet long. The cylinder is ITO inches in di
ameter. while the piston-rOd is Is inches in di-
ameter and makes 10-foot stroke. The engine
has ballast box capable of holding 60 tons, and
to feed the boilers 2S tons of coal are required
daily. On the engine is the largest nut in the
world. 1t is hexagonal in shape and weighs
], 900 pounds. To tighten or loosen this nut 20
men are required, while the wrench that hts it
Is 20 feet long. From the end of the walking
beam of the engine to the bottom OF the shaft
the distance is 300 feet. The masonry on which
the engine rests is 108 feet deep, some OF the
foundation stones weighing fve tons.