Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-02
CURIOUS CONVERSATIONS.

Indians and negroes in Panama are on
the outs and may go to war.
About half the States in the Union
permit marriage between first cousins.
-Bonham, Tex, had water spout FRI
day which caused such flood as to drive
the people from their houses.
AT Bombay all the Hindoo sentries sa-
Lutte any passing black cats, thinking 1t pos
s1Dly the soul OF an English officer.
An alarm clock in a brides pocket in
New York the other day struck just as the
preacher was finishing the ceremony.
AT Harriston, Miss, a negro was
hanged 36 minutes and when his body was
cut down he was found to be still alive.
According to the report of the Depart
ment of Health for 1890 there are 6s2Il
females earning their livelihood in Chicago.
Prof Snow, chancellor of the University
of Kansas, at Topeka, advocates the destruc-
ton Of chinch bugs by spreading q parasite
among them.
Nearly all semi-civilized races believe
that prior to taking a drink the serpent
vomfts up all its venom, for fear of poison
ing itself should any be swallowed.
Recently compiled statistical figures
show that the debts Of the world ct the lst
of June, 1890. minus sinking funds and fnclud-
100000. '' A"o"n'eo 70 s'0'O"-
The burial mounds of sand in Florida
are rapidly disappearing in consequence Of
the way in which they are disturbed by
treasure-seeking natives and relic-hunting
tourists.
One mode, according to story, of sell
ing torquoises at Nishni is if true, curious.
A person, on payment Of q fixed sum. is
allowed to plunge his hand into a bag full OF
them, and to become the possessor of the
bagful.
"A Berlin shoemaker has invented an
artificial stone sole for footwear. 1t is made
of a solution of some kind of patent cement
and pure white quartz sand. A pair Of
such soles will last for years on any pave
ment and are said to be elastic and easy on
the feet.
1t is only recently that people have
been permitted to ascend the rock and sfo-
nal station at Gibraltar. Since last Novem-
Der the British military, with their families,
and persons connected with the British navy
have been permitted to visit this fine look
out.
The Greeks, the Romans and the He
brews, as we'll as many of the Oriental ma
tions, believed the serpent to be the wfsest
of any of Gods creatures One species. they
affirmed, the cerastes, made it a point to
hide In the sand along weIltrayeled paths
where he could bite the horse and thus get
at the rider.
-Ou January IS, 1890, Poweshiek county.
Iowa, offered a bounty of 10 cents a head
for gopher scalps. The result was that the
incredible number of 10000 were trapped
and paid for in Poweshiek county during IL
months of the year ending December, 1890.
The gopher pockets were taken instead OF
their scalps, and the price paid for 10000
pockets by one county amounted to s4, 600.
"A company has been formed at Christi
ania, Norway, to reproduce as a seaworthy
vessel, which can be sailed across the ocean,
an exact model of the old Viking boat, dis
covered some years ago in an ice foe. Tho
original boat is so feet long and II feet wide
across the bow. 1t will be brought across
the Atlantic and shown here in proximity to
the Columbus Santa Maria.
R. R Bowker, the microscopes and
general investigator, says that wool is kind
of hair, and that hair is simply a species of
plant rooted in the skin of animals Through
the whole range OF human, plant, goats hair
and sleeps wool, however, nature shows
such close gradations that it would be diff
cult to draw an exact line or to distinguish
beyond II question of doubt between wool
and hair.
Ed. A. Babcock, of North Stonipgton,
Conn.,, while crossing his rocky farm met an
odd and brilliant looking snake of a species
that was believed to be extinct in Connecti-
cut, aIel after lively chase captured it. 1t
is little fellow, not half grown, and is black.
e.sept that a broad golden band encircles
its neck. 1t belongs to the gold-banded
racer species. which grow to be ten or fifteen
feet long, and are swift and ferocious.
Among the curiosities in the Maine
State prison is a dress that one of the prison.
ers who attempted to escape recently, had
made n disguise. At different times the
shop, secreted small bits of flannel, whiGSa
he sewed together from which he fashioned
a most remarkable gown, with a big bow at
the back by way of adornment. The but
tons are made from harness trimmings and
bits of leather.
The present seal of the city of Chicago
was adopted in June, 1854 1t consists Of
two circles, under which are the words
"City of Chicago, Incorporated March 4,
1887" Within the inner circle is a shield
emblazoned with a sheaf of grain. Over
the shield an infant reposes on sea shcll.
At the left is an Indian with bow and
arrow and on the right a ship in iull sail.
Benea tn is q scroll inscribed "Urbs in
Horte' "a city in garden).
The Chinese in Australia, though they
are hated by the Australians, are showing
what can be done by land culture. The CAL
ifornians, in their large wheat-growin;y
tracts. produce Is bushels of wheat to the
acre, the Englishman q bushels to the acre.
the Scotchman 3j, the English allotment
holder As to 80, the Chinese, with his careful
his ainstaking care for each clod OF ground,
would produce about 100 bushels to the acre.
The digging up of mammoth remains in
the heart of London seems incongruous, yet
this has just been done by the workmen OIL
q sewer who. at the depth of % feet from the
surface came upon remains of a mammoth
and other prehistoric animals. Two large
tusks were met with lying near together,
along with other bones belonging to thts
same animal. A portion OF one of these tusks
was brought to the surface and it was found
to measure at its thicl<est part nearly two
ieet II, circumference.
The Portland fishing schoonT Hattie
Maud was hauled out on the marine railway
last week for painting and cleaning, and Ft
was found that she needed a new garboarjd
plank next to the keel. When
the old plank was taken on a curious disco'v-
,ry was made. 4 cobblestone, weighing q
couple of pounds, had rolled between th .
king and the ceiling of the vessel, and
rom constant motion with the rolling an u
pitching of the schooner had nearly worm
through the plank in one spot.
ONLY LAUGHING MATTER.