Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-11-13
CURIOUS CONVERSATIONS
Black glass was used. for mirrorA

Black glass was used for mirrors
! -BarometerssHere invented by TarriceIli
in 1913.
-Visored helmets were worn by ths
heavy Roman cavalry.
San Domingo is the oldest existing
settlements in the new world
Some of the Lueullus' feasts cost 80, 900
denarii each, about 50 900.
The first press west of the,Alleghenies
was set up at Cincinnati in 1888
The theaters in Melbourne are nearly
| all equipped with billiard rooms.
The Sir Toucns Times is the euphonious
name of new local paper in Maine.
| The blood travels through our arteries
at rate of about Il feet per second.
1t is estimated that of the 4, 900, 900 in
nabitants of London, 100000 were born in
the country.
| Nineteen New York babies were named
| after Columbus during the week following
the celebration
Two Washington fishermen caught 10
salm on in the Corotitz river inside OF two
hours the other day.
| "A gallon of water would only cover Q
space of two feet square if spread out in .
| layer an inch thick
/ Only when hunting or travelling did the
| Greeks, either male or female, wear any
covering on their heads.
The national debts of Europe amount
| to total whichis equivalents to $50 for each
inhabitant OF the Continent.
Charles Connolly, of Bradford, is to eat
| six pieces of bflliard-cue chalk, the effect Of
| bet on the election OF Harrison.
| Nearly 40, 900 people in Great Britain
| pay guinea a year for the privilege of dis
playing their crests on their stationery and
| plate.
Knox county, Me-, has q new postofics
| named Turkey. There were already Offices
named Norway, Sweden, Mexico and Peru In
| the same State.
| The usual age at which boys enter .
| racing stable as apprentices is IL to 13, It
being held that above that age is too old to
oeg1n with any hopes of success
| Three hundred and twenty-eight thou
| sand divorces have been granted by tho
| courts of this country during the past 20
| years, W per cent OF them to women.
The most powerful naptha spring on
record was recently opened in Baku on the
| Taggiell grant. If it continues at its original
| force it will be the richest naptha fountain
| in the world
The statue of Liberty in New York
harbor now wears blazing diadem OF "a
/ olccbrlC IdLuQ5 III DdftCOtOEou SlODeS, anu
| the radiance from it is equal to that from
[ go, Zoo candles.
| Officers and soldiers of the French
| army will henceforward have a metallic
| plate fastened to their collars for identifca-
| ton. similar scheme is being considered
| for the benefit Of miners.
The United States now holds q law
| firms made up of husbands and wife. In
addition to these there are at least IOs
vFO IH6 10 in
courts or publish legal publications
of American apples nearly 1,5OO, 900
| barrels are imported to England every sea-
| son, about fourth of these finding their
way to Covedt Garden. The barrels weigh
| from 40 to $50 pounds, and are cxcellently
packed.
July has proven a fatal month to Presi-
dents. John Adams, Thomas jefferson.
James Monroe, Zachary Taylor, NJ. Van
Buren,, Andrew johnson, U. S. Grant all died
in July. James A. Garfield received his death
wound in July.
"A strange law exists in England It
prohibits the Queen from reading documents
or receiving any letters. except from her own
family, until they have been first scanned by
the official authorized to examine The royal
correspondence.
The telephone has appeared at Rou-
mania, but it is not yet a success, because Of
to telephone to another city, he must ar
range with his correspondents to be at the
the instrument at a fixed hour aLnd minute
The rule is said to be rigidly enforced.
1t is estimated that the Mississippi
river annually discharges into the Gulf of
Mexico IS, 800, 900, 900 600 cubic feet OF water.
OF this prodigious quantity the l29OO part
will be sediment. Thus the Mississippi an
nualIy deposits alone in the Gulf of Mexico
sufficient mud to cover square mile of sur
face to height OF 24O feet.
-Photographing under water has sctu-
ally been carried out, so it is said Expert
ments were made in 1889 in the Mediterra-
mean to ascertain how far daylight pene-
trated under the water In very clear water,
near Corsica. and Is miles from land, the
limit OF daylight was found by means of
Photographic plates to be l,5S0 feet.
"A millipede, which was brought from
Mombosa, Africa, is said to be one of the
most interesting inmates of the insect house
at the London Geological Gardens. 1t has
black body. coarse, red legs, is vegetarian
and perfectly harmless, except that tG pos
sesses an evil-smelling fluid, the use Of
which fnsures it against repetition OF in
quisitive touching. Its diet is mainly de-
cayed leaves.
I'm the northern part of Peru, in what
is otherwise an arid desert, the celebrated
''rain tree' grows. This species, Batas
mercial value, is a veritable South American
wonder, having the extraordinary property
of endensing what little moisture there is
in the atmosphere so as to cause a con tinual
mist to exude (seemingly) from its leaves
and branches.
George Washington was commander-in-
chief of the army ut the age of 43; Cromwell
entered on his remarkable career at %;
Napoleon conquered Italy before he was 80;
Gladstone was a member OF Parliament at
%; Macauley began his literary career at ~;
Columbus started on his voyage OF dis
covery at 36 Frederic the Great began the
Thirty Years war at the age of 80, and
Blackstone finished his commentaries be-
lore he was s.
The insignia of the Order of the Garter
are: A gold medallion of st. George and the
dragon, suspended from blue ribbon; the
garter itself, of dark blue velvet; a blue vel
vet mantel lined with taffeta, with the star
of the order embroidered on the left breast;
a hood and surcoat of crimson velvet and
hat of black velvet; q collar of gold weigh
ing 80 ounces, and the star with the cross OF
st. George i'll the center, encircled by the
garter.
ORIGINAL AND JOCOSE-