The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1891-01-17
scIENc. ANU INDUSTRY.


It is said there are only two red slate
quarries in the United States il
Vermont ana the other in Virginia.
1t is fact established upon the su-
thority of travellers in different parts of
the world that stammering is almost
unknown among savage tribes.
"A great many OF the oranges or the
west coast of Florida have been sold for
81 per box on the trees. This is bet
ter price than in any previous year.
There is famine in the rubber
market this season, owing to the failure
of the South American crop. The newly
explored Congo country is future
source of supply, at present not easily
accessible.
The total exports of iron and steel
from Great Britain to all countries in
the first eight months of the present
year amounted to 2,760.25s gross tons,
as compared with 2, 726, 9SS tons in the
first eight months of 1889.
Water has been found in the Desert
of Sahara in such vast quantities by
means of artesian wells that French en-
gineers are confident of being able to
extend their railroad 10 distance of q
weeks journey from Algeria right
through the desert.
Modern Lightand Heatestimatest the
capital invested in electric lighting
plants in the United States has reached
the enormous aggregate Of $118, 75S, 500.
and there are at the present time in use
1880, 667 incandescent lights, 127, AL arc
lights, and 1879 stations.
More than sixty companies for the
manufacture of cotton goods have been
organized in tho South during the past
eight months. But most of the mills
thus far started have been for the pro-
duction of the coarser fabrics. The finer
grades will doubtless be made with in
creasing skill on tho part of operatives
and the introduction of the requisite
machinery.
The average level OF the solid earth
has been calculated by DIR. John Murray
to be 1,400 fathoms below sea level; but
more recent explorations show greater
ocean depths. according to DIR. H. R.
Mill, and q mean sphere level at depth
Of roo fathoms That is, all the land
above the level of 1,700 fathoms beneath
the sea would have to be filed into the
greater depths in order to give equal
height to all parts of the solid earth.
According to a London paper, "a
discovery of considerable interest for
psychologists was made at Contains dur
ing the cutting of railway from Argen-
tuell to Nantes. One hundred and eighty
five plaster tombs of the Merovingian
epoch were found. The skeletons in
them are described as being in state
OF perfect preservation. One Of the
tombs contained two skeletons, one
placed on the top Of the other. An
official commission of the Department
of the Seine ct Disc has gone to Con-
fans to visit the cemetery and to insure
the preservation of the historical curl
osities it contains"
The intensity OF the light under the
water diminishes with great rapidity.
At about ninety feet one sees very much
less, and when the sun approaches the
horizon. and the rays get much more
oblique, it seems as though night had
come, Horizontally. at 100 feet depth.
q rock can not be made out at greater
distance than twenty-five feet Gen.
orally speaking. at a greater depth than
thirty feet one can notdistinguish things
under the conditions that ordinarily OBJ
tain. This will account for the inability
to see their way on the part of those who
attempt to navigate submarine boats.
As soon as an object is seen it is 80 close
that there is not time to steer clear of it