The herald., 1896-12-20
NOTES OF THE DAY.
At Klausthal. Germany. a bolt

At Klausthal, Germany, bolt of
lightning instantly melted two wire
| nails 6.32 inch in diameter. To melt iron
in this short time would be impossible
in the largest furnace now in existence,
and it could only be accomplished with
the aid of electricity, but current of
200 amperes and potential of &c, 900 volts
would be necessary. This electric force
for one second represents 5000 horse pow
er. but as the lightning accomplished the
melting in considerable less time, say
one-tenth of second, it follows that the
bolt was $4,000 morse power.
The city of st. Louis is one of the two
or three cities in the United States which
are not located in any county having de-
terminate limits of their own and being
by special charter, completely free from
county supervision. The advantages of
such an arrangement are SO numerous
and manifest that, in almost every large
city of the country, there have been
movements for a similar condition. In
cities located in counties the conflicts
between the city government and that
of the county are frequent and annoy
ing, and even were there no other rea-
sol this of itself would he sufficient JUS
tification for exempting the cities from
county government and placing them on
an independent footing.
While Mrs. +. Corrother and Mrs. A.
Stewart were walking with two little
babies near the St. Joseph river, three
miles from Benton Harbor they were at
tackled by an enormous bald eagle The
bird was evidently in search of prey,
and when it saw the infants decided to
seize one. The women were attracted
by the noise of the wings and saw the
bird when it was within few feet of
them. Getting near each other, the wo-
men yelled and threw clods of earth and
clubs at him. Thus discouraged he re-
treated. flying the while in circles and
making darts repeatedly at them. The
women continued their yelling and
throwing till the bird finally scared away.
1t was a queer accident which befail
Charles Roberts, chief engineer of the
Stein brewery, Louisville, the other af-
ternoon. At o'clock, after the machin-
cry had been stopped, Roberts climbed
upon large beer vat for the purpose of
putting a new rim around the top. He
placed his foot upon the edge of the vat
and began working. His foot slipped
and he fell over into seven feet of beer,
which was ready to run out into the
| kegs. The cask is fifteen feet deep and
the beer was over Roberts head. He
began crying for help, but no one heard
| him. He was unable to let down" for
| fear of drowning. He was forced to
| swim around the vat for almost five
| minutes before assistance arrived, when
several workmen fished him out with
| hooks.
| Wilson w. Fay of Boston was captain
| of the Fifty-siXth Massachusetts regi-
| ment in 1864. and at the battle of Peters
| burg was captured when the confeder-
| ates took the rifles in front of the famous
| crater" OF course his sword, onwhich
was engraved his name and the fact that
! it was a gift from his mother, fell into
| the enemy's hands. This summer Con-
| gresham O'Neill heard through North
| Carolina representative of an ex-con-
| federlte who had sword bearing Fay s
| name. Correspondence followed and
| now the weapon is again in the captain :
possession, it having been sent to him
| with q courteous and friendly letter by
3. r. Richardson of Mount Pleasant, N
i c., relative of the officer to whom ii
was surrendered thirty-two years ago.