Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-04-10
CURIOUS CONVERSATIONS.


Australia.
The Sarscens were the first to veal
orange blossoms at weddings.
Two boys are held for trial in New York
upon the charge of stealing cents.
Salmon fishers In the Fraser get 81
apiece for fish delivered at the canneries.
New Workers have taken out a certif-
cate of incorporation for 2-cenr diet kitchen.
"A man at Shreveport, La, sold his
moustache' "a large and fine one." to friend
for 81.
"A resident of st. Louis has invented
what he calls perpetual bicycle, out of which
he expects to realize lOO,OOOOOO,
A Fitchburg, Mass, genius has solved
the problem of applying the principle Of ball
bearings to the heaviest machinery. Hitherto
it has been possible to use these bearings on
bicycles and very light machinery only.
Cobalt and nickel ores are now reduced
by a new process depending on the action Of
chloride of iron. While it Is little more eI'
pensive IN it's first cost than the older methods
the resulting products are all marketable, &c
waste being obtained.
Ladies in England are much interested
in a new machine intended to prevent musical
students from suffering from piano or fiddle
wrists" by exercising the contrary muscles TO
those continually used in the manipulation OF
these two instruments
"A rancher in the San Gabriel Valley,
Cal, is making his repasts appetizing with po-
tatoes. the seed of which was planted three
years ago. That is to say, he is feasting on
volunteer potatoes, thing never heard of In
any other country.
"A resident of Toccoa, Ca, owns a mule
oF nu1a 10 Iuht hal
the size of ordinary mules, and sports the name
of Jesse. He is as sprightly as spring
chicken, can unlatch gate, lay down a fence
and dismount the best of riders.
A dealer of Bozeman, Mont. has among
his stock of furs the skin Of a sea otter. meas
uring feet from tip of fipper to nose and 80
inches around the girth. 1t is the largest one
ever captured on the west coast, and its skin is
worth $500 1t was captured by an Indian.
"A novel washing machine has just been
invented. 1t is connected with child's swing.
and after the soiled garments, with the proper
quantity of soap shavings have been put in the
tub, 4 child is placed in the swing. which is set
in motion, and moves automatically, and turns
the washing machine.
-Eur6pe's population on January 1 was
$50 2OO,O ,OO0 The population Of each of the other
continents was estimated to be as follows:
Asia. $50 900 900: Africa, 127, 700; Australia.
4,730.O0O; North America, SO, 25O 900: South
America, sc, 40. 900; polar regions, 100000 The
total would tnen be ], IS7, 100000.
Electric motors are now being extern
sively introduced for the purpose of running
independently the machinery on different floors
of mills, thus doing away with the necessity of
long lines of shafting and expensive betting,
besides adding greatly to the convenience of
starting and controlling the machines.
-Apropos of our little difficulty with
Italy it is interesting to note that Italians stand
pre-eminent,i in Europe in the number of killings.
Taking tine convictions for homicide during
1882 the last tabulated, there were sos for every
100000 inhabitants, while in Austria they were
but 2 10; in Germany, USO, and in England, U3O.
Ten italian murderers for every German and
20 for every English is certainly remarkable
showing.
The latest calculation of the African
possessions of the European great powers is as
follows: France, 74OO,0O0 square kilometers
with a 600, 900 inhabitants; England, including
Egypt, 5000 600 square kilometers, with 200O,-
0OO inhabitants; Germany. 1900. 600 square kilo-
meters with $500, 600 inhabitants; Portugal,
200, 600 square kilometers, with lOOOO, 600 in
habitants; Italy, 1.250.00O square kilometers,
with {. 100000 inhabitants.
"A Memphis man, who apparently does
not lack confidence In himself, publishes card
in the local papsrs advertising, newspaper
articles of all kinds written. Letters, essays.
reports circulars ETC., written or arranged for
publication, Speeches prepared, descriptive
articles. advertisements, local notices, any
kind of articles, from love letter TO chau-
enge or from a sermon to theater party,
written. All communications strictly eonf1-
Dental"
The average cost of producing silver per
ounce in the United States in 1886 was SILL
cents per ounce. In Montana the average cost
was 1873 cents per ounce. The Granite Mount
ain mine, in that STATED according TO the OH
cial statement of the Granite Mountain Com
panv to the Director of the Mint in 1856. pro-
duced 2 29S7, ,754 ounces of silver at cost OF l2Z
cents per ounce. In Mexico the cost is 44sS
cents; in South America. 545s cents; in Aus
tralia at the Broken Hill mine, Is cents. Very
large quantities of silver are produced at these
figures.
AT recent Hindoo service in the Kali
ighat shrine at Calcutta, 100000 persons took
part Rajahs. zemindars merchants. shop
keepers, pleaders. professors, graduates and
doctors were present. and the Hindoo
ladies tasted. Three hundred Brahmins con-
Quoted the services. chanting the Vedas. Ten
homas were performed for the pro-
lection of religion. thousands sang the hymns
and shouts and horrible sounds rent the air, the
people seeming mad. Many of them swooned,
and one devotee offered his neck. but was pre-
vented.
"A spinster II years of age. of Coney's
Branch, Tenn, has proof that she has shed and
given as souvenirs TO friends 100 pieces of bone.
This exfoliation, marvellous as it may seem,
has included the shedding twice of her entire
Jaw bone; yet all the teeth but two in her new
jaw are intact. During the last 81 years she
has twice shed in addition to the jaw the bones
of the hand and forearm, arm and shoulder
blade, and this without leaving any deformity
and without suppuration and with entire con-
sciousness of the change on the aged Patients
part Her health is good.
in the vineyards of Fresno county,
hundreds Of men may be seen plant
ing grapevines at night by lantern light The
yineyard lands seem to be infested with null
titude of huge frefies. which are darting and
moving in every direction. 1t is claimed that
the setting of the stakes can be done much
more easily and accurately by the aid of lanterns
than in broad daylight, that more work is ac-
complished by the men in the same number OF
One set of men work from o'clock IN the even
ing until 6 o'clock in the morning. when they
are relieved by another relay.
-Colors not only influence cattle, but hu-
man beings also. On this point some curious
experiences are reported from Italy as Co the
effect of colors the nerves of the sick and in
,ane In the Hospital for the Insane at Ales-
,andria special rooms are arranged with red or
blue glass in the windows, ana also red or blue
paint on the walls. violent patient is brought
,uddenly into a blue room and left TO the effect
If that color on his nerves. One maniac was
,ured in an hour; another was at peace in his
mind after passing a day in room of violet.
The red room is used tor the commonest form
# Observation-Disclosures accompanied
" refusal to take food. After three hours in
he red room. a patient afflicted in this way
,egan to be cheerful and ask for food
JOKES AND JIBES.