Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-04-15
CURIOUS CONVERSATIONS.

| "A fish the size of Delaware shad costs
q in Italy.
The most poisonous substance known Ia
IN extract of peach stones.
"A genius in York, Pa, has invented O
combined piano and washing machine.
"A dozen wild ducks were caught in Q
fsherman's seine on Friday, off Thurlow.
| "A Gloucester, Pa, florist has under cul-
tivarion that rare production Of nature, green
| rose.
| "A Wisconsin man who had voted on the
winning side in 20 Pre- sidental elections died
recently.
| A shingle machine that will turn out 80
shingles per minute is awaiting patent at Du
Bois, Pa.
| "A leading tobacconist says that 5,000,-
600 cigarettes were consumed in Philadelphia
| last year.
Anarchists are said to wear badge
! shaped like gallo1s, in memory of the fye ex-
/ euted at Chicago.
| "A Texas man has invented an electrical
appliance by the aid of which one man can
| play ten pianos at once.
-Hammerfest, within the arctic circle,
and the most northerly town in Europe, is com
pletely lighted by electricity.
-Lepers on Robben Island, Cape Colony,
South Africa. are treated SO well that they en-
joy life better than well folks.
Wild fax is indigenous to Montana,
and grows iuxuriantly everywhere. Farmers
are finding It new source Of profit.
AN Atchison girl Z years old cried
whole day over the death of Barnum. She
thought his death would be the end of eireuses.
The year 1890 began with a price of
t2,200 per ton for whalebone. Two thousand
three hundred pounds is the quoted p rice for
this year.
The irfepressible Yankee is said to have
invented a safety seamless trousers pocket,
woven complete in one piece, no stitching or
sewing being necessary.
"A st. Louis commercial traveller prob
ably carries the most unique Sample" in the
profession. 1t is human body three years old,
an example Of the efficacy Of certain embalm-
ing fluid.
1t is q practice of the Navajo Indians
to stretch lariat of horsehair about their
tents at night, such barrier proving entirely
effective to keep out snakes, tarantulas and
centipedes.
"A 67-foot snake of unknown species has
been captured in Central Brazil. It is varie-
gated in hue blue green and pink predominant
ing. has tusks like boar, and horn two feet
long on its forehead.
While digging sewer in Astoria, Ore,
the workmen ran against some logs that formed
part of the old Fort George stockade built in
1910. One was sawed through 1t was a spruce
tree, and was as sound as the day it first
put down.
The import and export trade of Japan
for 1889 amounted to SO, ,44O, ,OOO In gold, dis
tribnted among i've countries as follows:
United States, s24 900; Great Britain. s2s.-
and China, s1l, 200.
The largest rain gauge ever made is
probably that used on an experimental farm at
RothaBsted. Its area is e-thousandth of an
acre. The funnel is Of wood lined with lead,
the upper edge being vertical rim Of plate
glass beveled outward.
"A correspondent suggests that one of
the surest cures for Ia grippe is to get thor
oughly scared and think you are going to die
before morning. That will generally start a
copious perspiration, and next morning you
will be much better. having frightened away
pnsumenia and saved funeral expenses.
AN idea of the enormous amount Of
type used in the Governments Printing ONCE
may be gained when it Is stated that the Public
Printer has asked for bids for Ii. 600 pounds Of
English, 5000 pounds of plea, 1900 pounds Of
long primer 5000 pounds of BREWER, and 48 900
pounds Of nonpareii-7O3, 100 pounds, or ABOUT
nine carloads.
1t is shown that the catch of the season
Just ending in Baltimore amounted to over H.
900 600 bushels Of eulled oysters. The new
culling law which went into force this season
has furnished great protection, and it Is esti-
mated that Z0g00O0 bushels of nncullsd oys-
ters have thus been saved on the rocks. This
insnres catch next season Of at least Is 600 00U
bushels.
"A Western man has q scheme for de-
creasing drunksnness He would establish
State Inebriate Asylum, and compel those who
make and sell liquor to pay for its maintenance.
He would tax the dietiller $1,000 the whole
saler $500 and the retailer 500 year in IT'S be-
half. Then he would treat drunk Benness as
insanity. and cenfine all drunkards in the asy-
lum until they are permanently cured
"A queer purchase was made id London
few Months ago. An "old MASTER begrimed
with dirt was Knocked down for 81. 1t was
promptly resold for ESQ and again for k700,
Continental gallery, and turns out to be mag
niHeeHt Terburg This artist, 10 may be re-
membered spent some time in England. and
lefn behind him some of his finest productions
"A resident of st. Paul. MINI, the other
day picked up an old coat belonging to his
father, who died few days prior, and, feeling
something like paper on the inside. ripped open
the lining and found sy 7U0 in certificates of de-
posit and 500 and $500 in bills. Att fatnet's
death he was supposed to be pennilsss This
coat was selected as part OF his burial outfit
but the undertaken found it too small for the
dead man and another was fortunately Used.
The Cunard feet of liners requires for
its vttualing in the course of year g. $50 sheep.
], 800 lambs. 2 IA oxen .075 fowls. 4230 ducks
2.2OO turkeys, 2sOO geese, So tons of ham. 20
tons of bacon, 16 tons of cheese, SSl, 6D3 eggs.
of minor things there are: One ton and half
of mustard, Ia tons of pepper. 1915 bottles of
pic kles 0OO tins of s4rdines 80 tons of salt cod
and ling Also +pound jars of jam, Is tons of
1narmalade % tons of raisins, currants and
figs Is tons of split peas Is tons of pearl BAR
ley, II tons of rice, "a tons of oatmeal 46o tons
of -four % tons Of biscuits 80 tons Of SALT As 902
loaves Of breads of pounds each.
In the shops of the G. II. and d. r. R.,
at Hamilton, o., is a cracked locomotive bell
that has history. 1t was attached to loco
motive presided over by strong. manly. hand
some engineer whose great objects Of pride
and alteration were first bis sweetheart and
then his faithful engine. Fl . loved them both
devotedly, though, Of COURSE, In quite different
ways. Que day at Hamilton he stood In the
caD of the engine. bell rope in hand. ready to
move the lever and start the train, when he
saw bridal party approaching. He glanced
at the bride; 1t was the girl he loved. His
heart stopped beating. he gave a groan and
dropped-dead. As he fell with the bell rope
in his hand he gave the bell a loud ring that
cracked it from top to bottom, and It was
found afterward that he had died literally
from a broken heart The bell in the shop at
Hamilton is still called the bell Of the broken