Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-13
CURIOUS CONVERSATIONS.

| The United states cheWed % TOLLS VI
] tobacco last year.
Thirteen hens in Niles, Mich, laid
1,l5S eggs last year.
| Nero, the Roman Emperor, kicked his
wife, Popp@, to death.
The progeny of two rabbits will amount
| in two years to 100000
Printing in raised characters for the
blind was invented in 1927.
The first theater in America was opened
at Williamsburg, Va, in 1752.
There are over 20 miles of tunnels cut
in the solid rock OF Gibraltar.
There are IA canneries on the Columbia
river and % in the State of Oregon.
The famous dish of Viteliius was of
pheasants brains, wightingales' tongues and
nsh liver.
British India has 10, All shops licensed
for the sale of opium. They supply a popu-
lation of 29S. 100000.
Jerusalem is still supplied with water
from Solomon's Pools through an ndueduct
built by the Crusaders.
I'm the Southern provinces of Russia .
drink resembling brandy is obtained by dis
tilling the juice of watermelons.
AN acre grows 500 mulberry trees; each
tree has 20 pounds of leaves from % pounds
OF leaves pound Of coccoons is produced.
The blood of dogs fatigued by long
racing, when injected into other dogs,
makes them exhibit all symptoms of fatigue.
An Englishman has invented new
system of electric mains, whereby one wire
OF the present three-wire system can be
saved.
The Simplon road, from Switzerland
to Italy, was built by Napoleon's engineers
in 1907; over 40 900 workmen were employed
ut one time.
The cocoon of O well-fed silkworm, it
is said, will often yield thread 1000 yards
long and one has been produced which con-
tanned 1895 yards.
During the eleventh century fashion
of embroidering the initials of the name
and the family arms on the garments began
in Italy and spread all over Europe.
One of the largest meteorites in e1is-
tence was found some years ago at Bacu-
birite, Mexico. Its length is 1L65 feet.
height 515 feet, width 435 feet, weight 25
tons.
Whist has been called ruling passion
in Boston. But in Chicago they say whist
has become veritable Reign of Terror
Every other consideration pivots on whist
engagements.
In 1860 our product of hardware was
valued at 500 OOO in 1888 at S970,0O1,0OO. The
annual addition to the outp ut was 5000 900
year between 1910 and 1850, and $4,000 900 a
year between 1850 and 1888.
1t is claimed for the new magnesium
flash light for lighthouses, introduced ex-
perimentally in Germany, that its ability to
penetrate almost Opaque atmosphere ex-
ceeds that of any other known light.
The distance of the earth from the sun
is about &c, 100000 miles. The average dis
tance of the moon from the earth is about
24O 600 miles The sun is therefore, nearly
4O0 times as far from US as the moon.
The Athenian Archaeological Society
has carried out some excavations on the site
OF an cient Corinth, which have resulte d in
the discovery of a considerable building be-
longing to the sixth or fifth Gentry, &. C.
If all the reports are true, Greenw ood,
Me-, is the sportsmans paradise. Bears roam
around the edges of the village in the day.
time, and at night the wolves keep up such
bowling that people are unable to Sleep
1t will interest some persons 10 know,
| in connection with the French military
| operations in Dahomey that the language
| of that Countrywide Popo or Dohomi-has
\ already been pressed into the service Of
| Christianity.
| The caves of Burmah are rich in wooden
| carvings, glazed tiles and images we Il as
| tablets in terra Gotta, marble alabaster and
| other materials. These relics illustrate tho
ancient and modern phases OF Buddhist
worship.
The Chinese make what is called ''chi.
wa-ti," or grass cloth, from the fiber OF the
common rettle. 1t is said to make splen-
did cloth for tents, awnings, etc. When
made into betting Tor machinery it is said
to have twice the strength OF leather.
"A male gorilla Gorilla gina) has
lately been adopted by the Berlin Aquar-
| lam. He is larger than any gorilla that has
| vet been brought to Europe. He is sup
| IN a n q old and for six
| years in the possession of chieftaln on the
| Gaboon. He has not yet shown any
| friendly feeling for man.
In Melbourne they have now a new
name for nal;penny. One of the colossal
| 'Iand boomers" Mr.. 3. J. Fink, e1-M. P,
recently failed for n million ard n nalf, and
offered his creditors composition o. half.
penny in the pound. which was duly ac-
ceptsd. Hence in Melbourne halfpennies
are now called "Finks."
Nine Sacher, the wife of a well-known
vienness restauranter, collects autographs
by asking her guests to write their names
in pencil on the tablecloth, which she after.
wards embroiders. Her latest autographs
are those of the long distance riders, incud-
ing Duke Ernest OF Schleswig- -HolsteiH, who
dined at the restaurant after the event.
Owing to the heavy gales which have
prevailed this fall the catch of whitefsh has
been very light in Lake Huron, and only l5o
Superintendent Wires, Of the United States
FISH hatchery in AIpena, Mich. The amount
is about half what the hatcheries could take
care Of and will produce about 100000 fish.
-Friar Conecte was accustomed at the
close of his sermons to take n staff and &C
through his congregation battering to pieces
nny headdress that came under his dis.
pleasure His crusade was continued IN
every country of Europe till, reaching
Rome, he attacked the clothes and morals
OF the Cardinals, was accused OF heresy and
burned at the stake.
1t is alleged by experts that for some
wears past there has been carried OMIT is
believed in Edinburgh-a most systematic
and wholesale forgery of letters and other
documents purporting to be written by Scott
and Burns. The forgeries are executed with
great skill; they have been sold at public
auctions and by the hands of booksellers to
well-known and experienced collectors.
Captain Perkes, of the steamship Loo
sok, voyaging between Hongkong and
Shanghai, witnessed during the recent gales
in that quarter the phenomenon (which has
been often described) Of thousands of birds
and insects which had got in the vortex of
the Storm and were being driven hither and
thither apparently stunned and senseless
with the buffet!ng they had received. Many
of the birds iell exhausted on the deck, and
- Ute StilI w insects. tlOuUF