The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1897-04-22
Scientific and Curious Facts.

It takes about three seconds for
a message to 60 from one end of
the Atlantic cable to the other.
There are three times as many
muscles in the tail of a cat as there
are in the human hand and wrist. 1
Bank of England notes are
made from new white linen cut
tings-never from anything that
has been worn. So carefully is
the paper prepared that even the
number of dips into the pulp made
bv each workman is registered on
dial by machinery.
It is said that very stubborn
cases of neuralgia may often be
made to yield by applying hot
water bag to the part. and induc-
ing perspiration by the internal
administration Of hot water. keep
ing the patient at the same time
we'll wrapped with blankets.
1t is believed that some of the
camels imported in 1853 to run
wild in Arizona are still in exist
ence. Indians occasionally report
having seen some, and lately the
international boundary commits
sion saw two with their spy
glasses on the Mexican border.
When the Sultan wants to see a
play he sends out for company
and attends the representation in
his dining room. Before the per-
Torrance he hands the manager
some original jokes of his own to
be added to the dialogue, so the
troupe is at least sure of one APP
preciative listener.
It is strange fact that while
paper is being used for dozens of
purposes formerly monopolized by
wood, or even harder material,
such as car wheels, boxes, barrels,
tubs. pals, etc., wood is rapidly
driving other ingredients to the
wall in the manufacture Of nearly
all the cheaper grades of paper.
The modern shark is deterior-
ating. In ages gone by there were
ferocious sharks, such as would
make a mouthful of you without
blinking, seventy feet in length.
Plenty Of their teeth have been
found which are five feet in length,
whereas the biggest Of the teeth
belonging so sharks that exist at
the present day are one and one
half inches long
In pressing wooden fabrics, in
order to give them a smooth, even
appearance, both a uniform pres
sure and uniform heat are re-
CURED. To attain this end recent
experiments have been made with
electric heating, which have been
markedly successful. The fabrics
are placed between metallic plates
through which sufficient current
is passed while under hydraulic
pressure to heat them slightly
more than the temperature of boil
ing water.
Many partitions and walls are
now made i'll large steel-skeletoned
buildings by Embedding what is
called ''expanded meta in con-
crete. \ thin sheet of steel is ex-
tensively slitted in such a way that
when the edges are pulled apart
the piece will stretch out in the
form of netting or lacework. This
adds greatstrength to the concrete.
A two-inch wall of this sort is said
to have all the virtues of nine
inch brick wall. and is vastly su-
perior to studding. lath and plas-
ter, besides occupying less space.
In many places in warm eli
mates it is customary to keep fish
alive until they are sold. 1t would
otherwise be impossible to keep
them from spelling, except by too
expensive refrigerating. The mar
ketman is likely to be fisherman
himself, and to keep his catch in
a we'll on his boat or in Slated
box in the water The buyer looks
over the fish and picks out the one
he wants and the seller then kills
the fish with a blow on the head
with a club, or with knife. Fish
are sold in this way at hey West,
Havana and Genoa.
The valley of the Mohawk
was originally two hundred feet
deeper than Lake Erie, but was so
filed nm with drift DC 70 flow into