The morning call., 1893-04-07
ITEMS OF INTEREST.

Umbrellas were imported frem India In
1722
Solomon's Temple was begun B. c. 1904
The Scriptures have been published in SOL
languages.
The best opals are obtained from Hungary
and Honduras
The Romans had no hinges; all their
doors turned on pivots.
The Sultan of Turkey has the richest col
lection OF gems and regalia in the world.
The rock of Gibraltar is in exact repre-
sentallon Of lion lying in a resting posi-
ton.
Only officials of Russian nationality are
now to be employed ON the southwestern
railways of Russia.
Blocks 60 feet long without break are
found quite frequently in the onyx q1aIries
In Lower California.
The value of infantry was not fully reeOg-
nized by medieval commanders until the
fifteenth century.
Yellow quartz or topaz resem bIes the real
topaz In color only. 1t is softer, lighter,
Herent In Capitalization and cleavage,
and In electrical properties. Much of the
yellow quartz is manufactured by heating
amethysts.
In the course of a trial to determine the
ownership OF bushel of oysters a Cape
May oySterman testified that he could iden-
tlfy his own oysters wherever found. The
jury did not agree with him, but he says he
will appeal the case.
In India huge funnel of wiekerwork Is
planted in stream below waterfall and
every iinny creature coming down drops
into t, the water straining out and leaving
the fapping prey in the receptacle, all ready
to be gathered in.
On the northwest coast of Australia the
maps show an island some thirteen miles
long by one mile wide named Expedition
Island. This has just disappeared and
tDprn Ap ~ n Of fCrgt, iubt
feet of water over the area where the island
once stood.
The old cemetery of Barcelona is in truth
"city OF the dead" Streets upon streets
OF walls, with five or six stories of inches,
into which the collins are to be placed, give
one indeed the idea of a deserted city.
This fashion obtains all over Spain and in
some parts OF Italy,
From base to summit of an immense
mountain Of dark red sandstone. 500 feet
high, in Weber Canyon, Utah Territory, is
a smooth white stone floor with all the an
pearsnce of slide, reaching from the top
OF the mountain TO the bed of the Weber
River. This is not inappropriately named
Tine Devils Slide"
Next to the largest diamond In the world
Is being cut and polished in Antwerp.
Uncut IL weighed 474 carats 274 of which 1t
will lose in preparation for tive market.
Only the Grand Mogui, which weighs $50
carats. VIII surpass it in size. Next to it
IN size will como the Imperial or Victoria
diamond and the Orloff diamond.
The fastest time on record for the de-
livery of American mails ia England was
made two weeks ago with the mails arriv-
Ing from New York by the TeutOnic. The
Teutonlc made a passage of six days
four hours TO Queenstown, and the mail
was delivered in London in exactly six
days and twenty-five hours from the time
the ship had left New York.
tar,pfa If nsiris ooo
feet long and 155 wide. II contains an
enormous hall, the stories composing the
roof being supported by IS columns 60 feet
high and IS IN circumference at the base
The walls are covered from top 10 bottom
with sculptures and hieroglyphics, there
being more than $4,000 images and inserp-
tions.
The fact that the slave trade once ex-
tended lar north on this continent Is writ
ten upon the map IN the name Labrador.
This name was given to the inhospitable
coast of the far Northeast by early Portu-
guese navigators. who were much impressed
with the strength and endurance of the
labOrer5 whom they kidnapped there and
carried off into slavery.
1t is curious to watch the burning cues.
tlons In the different Parliamenis of the
world. In France 1t is the Panama canal:
in Germany il is the anti-Semitic agitation:
In England II Is home rule; but in Mexico
tho National Congress is agilating seriously
the question OF enRc,ng law compelling
the Mexlcans and indians TO wear trousers,
AT present the Mexican garb is decidedly
selnt.
IL is usually supposed that the faint and
squeaky hand organs played by woful old
women, seated on curbstoues and wrapped
in shnwis, are decrepit from long service in
the cause of art. This is not the case.
Tie builders Intentionally leave out the
notes. so that they shall sound more MOURN
fni and touch more quickly the senslbilities
of some people. Organs of this kind are
known as 'wheeZers."
Many Hun2arians resident In New York
are distinguished as linguists. The exigen-
cies of life in their native land make an
acquaintance with several languages neces-
sary. and, like the Russians. they seem to
have an aptitude for acquiring foreign
tongues. Thus 1t often happens that an
educated Hungarian knows besides the
several languages of his native land, Rus
sian, English and French, with n smatter-
ing OF the ancient classic languages.