Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-26
CURIOUS CONVERSATIONS.

The value of the japanese coin called
the yen is about SO cents in gold.
According to a recent enumeration the
State of New Jersey has no less than 5.64l dif-
ferent species of plants.
-Cannibalisn is evidently on the in
crease in Washington. An advertisement In
one of the papers reads; "Wanted-A white
girl for cooking"
"A marble ledge on Craudall creek,
Cooke county, Mont, is declared to be "over
LEO feet wide, one mile long and of known
depth of $40 feet"
The United States has now become the
greatest iron producing nation in the world.
having produced 9,202,7 703 gross tons in 1890,
against 5000 700 produced in Great Britain.
From such returns as are available the
total yield of gold in Nova Scotla last year
was. about 2l,OoO ounces. decrease of about
5000 ounces as compared with the yield Of 1859.
The Icslandic Lutheran congregations
in Manitoba and the Northwestern States re-
Gently celebrated the three hundred and hftieth
anniversary of the translation of the Scriptures
into 1celandic.
"A young man recently had prescrip-
tion filed at Cincinnati drugstore, and two
hours later he was found dead in his room.
tors are puzzled 10 know exactly what killed
him.
"A Frenchman in the province of Lor-
raine bequeathed France $500 with which to buy
arms TO fight Germany in the next war. As he
was beyond the reach Of the law the Germans
arrested his brother as accessory to the crime
OF sedition and conspiracy.
Grace Protestant Episcopal Church,
New York, has 20 distinct organizations. It's
served by six clergymen, including the rector,
and the total expenditure for the year was
Sl07. .l12-s32. SOB being for parish expenses, and
S74. 500 for outside purposes.
Some time ago this column contained an
item about an Ohio magistrates sentencing
man who stole an umbrella to a nne of 81.
News now comes from Philadelphia that man
convicted of the larceny of an umbrella has
been sent TO prison for three months. Let the
good work go on.
"A British Consul has recently made
report to his Government on the Sicilian pig,
from which it appears that the animal in ques-
ton is one of great moral worth. Unlike the
PIG Of other countries, the Siciian pig is gentle
and tractable, and is wholly devoid of the ira
ditional obstinacy of his race.
The Smith family is numerous in Grand
Rapids. One Smith owns store. Two others
by that name were arrested for robbing the
nrst Smith, and there was Judge Smith in the
case. The whole thing was made complete BY
the two Smiths breaking into blacksmith's
shop to get tue tools to rob Smiths store.
AT the Lefingwell autograph letter sale
in Boston last week a massive from Nathan
Hale. the Revolutionary spy, brought the high
est price, 81, ,275, while two of General Marion's
writings only sold for 81 and S. respectively,
and one of Lafayette went for SILL Chirogra-
ply Of other Revolutionary heroes commanded
all the way from $50 TO $500.
The fire loss in the United States and
Canada in the month of February amounted to
So 226 500. This is 81, ,S99 475 more than the fire
loss in the month of February, 1890, but that
was exceptionally light as compared with the
same month in 1857 and 1855. The fire loss in
the first month of the present year was S205l-
GOO in excess of thar in the first month OF 1890.
The national motto, "E Pluribusj
Unum," on different United States coins, was
never authorized by law to be so placed. Al /
though the mint was established in 1792, the
use Of the motto on any Of the gold. silver or
copper coins was not authorized or directed by
any of the provisions of the act establishing il.
None of the coins since 1887 bore the motto
until the standard silver dollars were coined
The statistical returns to the Depart
ment Of Agriculture for March make the farm
ers' reserve of corn 1854 per cent of the crop,
in comparison with 459 per cent last year; in
bushels 5E. 100000, against 970.OOOOOO last year.
1t is the lowest recent reserve, except that
from the smaller crop or 1887, and that from
the crop of 1883, The percentage retained in
the seven corn surplus States is less than in
others.
An investigation Of the result of eating
fish preserved on ice for use in London mar
kets has led to the discovery that those fish
were most dangerous which mad been kept in
immediate contact with the ice. Poisoning by
iCh yu1i oh had hQQ in Pnnfl xuIth
not observed at all. This is attributed to the
influence of the water derived from the ice,
and bearing whatever impurities 1t had had
before being frozen.
The gross earnings of 145 railroads for
the month Of February are reported at S33. .4S4-
$685. against $50. l54, 992 for the corresponding
month of last year. an increase of sl,329374, or
T. per cent, with an increase of 81 per cent in
Out of the total number of roads re.
porting only 81 show smaller earnings than in
1890. The gross earnings per mills of all roads
for February were s374 against s37l
in lSyO, {34l in 1883, 1851 in 1888 sS44 in 1887.
The dynograph car is one of the most won
derfu inventions in railway work. It has only
to be rolled over track to indicate every i'm
perfection in the rails, whether it be spread
rails, open joints or defective iron. Suitable
are left on the track, according to the
fault to be denoted, so that the trackman who
follows in the wake of the car has a large pro-
portion OF his labor saved and can see at
glance where his repairs Vr alterations must be-
IN.
The highest place in the world regularly
Inhabited is stated to be the Buddhist monas-
cry, Halne, in Thibet, which is about 1000
eet above sea level The next highest is
9aIera, a railway station in Peru. which is To-
;ated at a height of Is 635 feet. Near it. at the
anne level, 4 railway tunnel 3.847 feet in length
8 being driven through the mountains. The
elevation of the city Of PotOsi, in Bolivia, is
l3 $50 feet: Cuzco, Peru, ii, $50 feet; La Paz.
Bolivia, 10 SS3 feet, and Leadville, Col, 1920
eet.
The Census Office has made public a
bulletin on truck farming. which, for the first
lme in the history of the country, has been
made the subject of census investigation. The
are compiled from returns which have
,een received up to January l, 1891. Upward
# 500 900 900 invested in this industry. the
.nnual products reaching value of S6,5l7. loo
IN the farms. after paying freights and com.
MISSIONS. and realized upon 534 44O acres OF
and There are employed in this industry
Il6 765 men, 9354 women and 4,ST4 children,
.ided by rs $50 horses and mules and sS,971-
O6 70wOrth of Implements.
"A Georgia handpress that really saw
George Washington will be exhibited at the
reat Worlds Fair. 1t is at present In the
flee of the Lee County Netos, and is in a re-
narkable state of preservation. Curious
are carved upon its iron frame.
among them e. w. His K mark" can be
lainly seen. There is not an older or more
uriously constructed handpress in the country.
was used as a battering ram during the Revo-
War; put together afterward and
lade 10 do service as cotton gin; later on it
Tas a corn shelter. and still later il served its
me as cano-grinding machine.
FANCY'S FUNNY FLIGHTS