Mesa free press., 1897-08-27
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w nat was known as Names Oldest
schoolhouse, situated in West Gardiner,
was destroyed by fire the other night
It was built 104 years ago.
A chain bridge over the Merrimac
river at Amesbury, Mass, is said to be
the oldest suspension bridge in the Uni
ted States. 1t was built in 1892.
Massachusetts, ranks sixth in the dis
tribution Of the appropriation granted
by Congress for the militia Of the sew
eral States. Her share is $4,000.
A San Francisco man recently insist
ed before the lunacy commission that
his heart was slowly but surely turn
Ing to stone and his blood to water.
An Atlanta Ca, baggage smasher
was handling large box roughly the
other day, when it broke, and a live
sixteen-foot alligator made his appear
auce.
The Worcester man who offered $40
prize to the school children Of that city
for the best essay ON the common toad
Is so pleased with the results that he
has repeated his offer for next year.
Parents can now hold up to their
candy-loving children as awful warn
Ing the sad fate Of a 17-year-old boy In
Meriden, Conn, who from overindul-
gence in candy has become totally
blind.
There Is an old philosopher, prophet
and poet in California who claims that
he has solved the problem of living for
ever. He lives hermit's life, eats only
three times a week and never expects
to die.
A St. Louis confectioner has convert
course, is stationary, he easily freezes
and mounting his wheel, which, of
course, is stationary, he easily freezes
seven-gallon can Of ice cream in
twenty minutes
Gallagher Township, Clinton Coun-
ty, Pennsylvania, is likely to have the
deepest we'll in the State. The oil and
gas company has decided to sink its
experimental well to depth of $500
feet. 1t is now down 5000.
Improved sanitation, including clean
streets, has reduced the mortality rate
in New York from 2715 per 1000 in
1891 to 1853 in 1897. The rate in Lon
don has been reduced to 1925 by SINH
Lar measures covering longer period.
Mr.. Edison once wished to test how
soon message could go around the
world. The dispatch was sent, and in
fifty minutes it came back and was put
into Mr. Edison's hands as he and his
friends were still sitting at the table.
A New York paper recently wrote to
the governors of all the States and Ter
ritories for estimates of the present
population. All the reports have been
carefully compiled and show that the
total population of this country is now,
in round numbers, 100000.
A Birmingham workingman made
use of the parcel post recently to send
his 3-year-old boy home by mail. The
postoffice, under the new British rule
regulating the conveyance of live ami
mails, was obliged to accept the child
and charged pence for the service.
In the days Of William III. any COM
moner who remained single at 25 had
to pay Is yearly, and the amount was
increased with rank or title. A duke
was supposed to be special offender
In not taking a wife, and had to pay
for his whim to the extent Of f12 los
per annum.
The city of Baltimore has already re-
ceived $398, ,314 as a part Of it's three
fourths share Of this years receipts by
the municipal liquor license commits
sioners. The city's total amount for
the year will probably exceed $4OO, 900.
One-fourth of the receipts goes to the
State.
Stephen Mayberry, of Windham,
Maine built protection for cave swal-
laws under the roof shingles Of his
barn. The result is there are 40 nests
there. 1t Is estimated that these swal-
lows catch daily 5000 grubs. Mr.. May
berry has no flies in his house as long
as the swallows remain.
The Indians do large trade in buffa-
10 bones, which they collect on the
plains and dispose Of to sugar refners,
who find that these bones are superior
for their purpose. On the route Of the
Canadian Pacific Railway there are
piles of white bones to be seen await
ing transportation.
Living in Paris in late years for per-
sons of moderate means has been
greatly simplifed by the BOuillons
Parisiens, which have succeeded the
Duval restaurants. One can get good
dinner at the places for small sum
far better than one finds at more ex-
pensive places In London.
Habit is a queer thing. An old gen.
tleman in Montville, Maine, who said
he could not see to sign his name until
given a pair Of glasses, was given
pair from which the lenses had been
removed. He signed the paper nicely,
and declared he could see better with
those than any others he had tried.