The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1898-04-07

A steel arCn is TO ne CurOWu
across the Niagara River near
Clifton which will be $40 feet
span, "a greater distance than was
ever yet spanned by an arch.
Sir Robert Ball, the astronomer,
says that for communicating with
the inhabitants of Mars we would
need flag as large as Ireland !,
and pole five hundred miles
long.
The rate Of the growth of the
human hair varies. In some cases
it has been known to exceed two
inches per month. The average
for man and woman is about half
an inch every thirty days.
An organist says that COW
moos in perfect fifth octave, or
tenth; dog barks in a fifth or
fourth: donkey brays in a per-
feet octave, and a horse neighs in
descent on the chromatic scale.
Wind power is derived from the
unequal heating of various por-
tions Of the earth by the suns
rays. Water power is derived
from the evaporation of water by
the suns heat and it's deposition
on highlands in the form of snow
or rain.
According to a correspondent
of the Manchester Guardian, some
English manufacturers soak fan
nelette with a mixture of Epson
salts. glycerine and castor oil to
give it weight, and he also says
that cotton waste twill sheets are
adulterated to the extent of twenty
per cent with solution of zinc.
A Limerick tobacconist believed
himself to be ruined by fire that
destroyed his shop. The next day
he found tins of snuff that had
been in the fire. He opened the
canisters and found that the ac-
ton Of the flames had materially
improved the aroma and pungency
Of the snuff. This discovery made
him very rich.
The superintendent of the Mis-
souri, State Fish Hatchery was re-
Gently surprised on draining off
pond containing bass to find very
few fish in it. At first theft was
suspected, but closer investigation
revealed the missing fish in con-
dition Of Information, or winter
sleep. in the mud covering the
bottom Of the pond.
An island has suddenly ap-
peared on the northwest coast of
Borneo, opposite the town Of Lab
uan. Its appearance appears to
be due to the earthquake which
happened in September near Ku-
dat, in British Borneo. The island
is composed Of clay and rock. It
measures two hundred yards in
length by fifty in width, and it
has gone on increasing since its
first appearance.
Or. Howard, secretary of the
American Association for the Adj
vancement of Science, writing
of the manner in which seeds are
carried to great distances by birds,
recited an experiment of Darwin,
which had curious result. Ad-
herring to the leg Of a wounded
partridge, Darwin found ball of
earth weighing six and half
ounces. From the seeds contained
in this ball he raised thirty two
plants belonging to five distinct
species.
Sea birds frequently spend sew
eral weeks at sea, and are believed
to quench their thirst partly from
the falling rains and partly from
the fat and oil which they raven
ously devour when opportunity
puts it in their way The keen
eyesight Of birds is we'll known,
and sea birds have been observed
focking toward the storm-cloud
about to burst, from all points OF
the compass. and apparently drink
ing in the water us it descends
from the skies.
Prof. Wollny Of Munich, Ger.
many, has conducted some exper.
iments to ascertain what was the
influence of earth worms on vege-
tation. He found that their pres
ence was extremely favorable, the
produce of the several plants be-