Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-08-31
POI :, III.
Many Interesting and Curious Facts
Gathered Together.

0dlllclSu IOSclHcI
The ice-making machine was first put
into operation in 1860; at the present
day every brewery, every passenger
steamer and not a few restaurants and
hotels make their own ice.
Safety lamps, for the use of miners,
were patented in 1915. Now no mine is
without them, and many laws have
been passed requiring their use in all
underground mining operations.
Electrotyping was first done in 1887,
and was considered triumph of
, chemical and mechanical skill re-
quiring the utmost nicely for it's exc
cution. Now it is done in every print
ing house.
Special books are a fad this season,
especially those for youthful brides.
The richest cover for brides prayer
books, which contains only the mar
rage service, are of MORE or silk,
suede kid, or of white satin. MORE or
silk corduroy.
Chill is the most prosperous aSricul-
! tural country in South America. There
are 100000 acres under cultivation,
of which 100000 are irrigated. For
many years the product has averaged
10000 tons of wheat and 100000
Of other grains.
One of the most productive sections of
the world is the Russian province of
Bessarabia, taken from Turkey in
1878. It's vineyards often yield 800
gallons of wine per acre; the average
yield Of wheat is thirty-five bushels and
of maize sixty bushels.
A violin dated 1874 and said to have
been made by Stradivarius in his 9Oth
year, was sold in London lately for
fSOOO During the last twenty years
this violin has changed hands three
times, on the first occasion being
! bought for G4OO and on the second for
1900
In many countries the rainbow is
spoken of as a great bent pump or
siphon tube, drawing water from the
earth by mechanical means. In parts
of Russia, in the Don country, and also
in Moscow and vicinity, it is known by
a name which is equivalent to "the
bent water-pipe"
Granite is the lowest rock in the
earth's crust; it is the bed rock of the
world. 1t shows no evidence of animal
or vegetable life. 1t is from two to ten
times as the united thickness of all
other rocks. 1t is the parent rock from
which all other rocks have been direct
ly or indirectly derived.
In England they have an institution
known as the Rural District Nursing
Association. The nurses are in train
ing two years at a cost OF $3.50. Each
nurse has a salary of S125 to $50, with
board and lodging and a donkey cart in
which to go the rounds of a district Of
1000 to 5000 inhabitants.
The geographical center of the
United States is not in the United
States at all, bul in the Pacific ocean
about $50 miles west of Portland, Ore
gon. The meridian that passes through
this point is midway between the east
ernmost meridian of Maine and the
westernmost meridian Of Alaska.
mo living germ or disease can resist
the antiseptic power Of essence of
cinnamon for more than a few hours"
is the conclusion announced by NJ
Chamberlain as the result of prolOng
ed research and experiment in NJ.
Pasteur's laboratory. 1t is said to
destroy microbes as effectively, if
not as rapidly, as corrosive sublimate.
The great cave in the Black Hills
region is said to be so miles long, and
contains nearly 1.50O rooms, some of
them 200 feet high having been opened.
There are streams, waterfalls and
thirty-seven lakes. one of which is an
acre in extent. The cave is 5000 feet
above sea level and 400 feet below the
earth's surface.
A survey for a cable from the shores
of California to the Sandwich islands
has resulted in a route being chosen
from Monterey bay to Honolulu. The
route selected will require the smallest
length Of wire, and it passes over an
even bottom, favorable for the protec-
ton and preservation Of cable, sub
marine mountains being avoided.
The oldest industry in England, which
dates back to prehistoric times, is still
being carried on at Brandon in Suffolk.
Many people of that village earn their
living by making flints with which to
strike fire and for gunlocks. FINDER /
boxes with flint and steel are largely
used in Spain and Italy, and by travel |
ers in sparsely-settled and uncivilized
lands, and gun-fints go to Africa, |
where fint-lock muskets are still in !
use.