The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1898-06-02

The explosive force of dynamite is
about eight times that of gunpowder
In 1898 the largest grain elevator in
the world, having a capacity of 3,6SO,OOC
bushels, was built in Chicago. 1t was
finished within 80 days after its com
mencement, beating all previous OF
subsequent records.
The most ancient piece of music yet
in use is the sO-called Ambrosian Choral
"Te Deum Laudamus," of the Roman
Catholic church. 1t was adapted from
the Greek church by st. Ambrosius
bishop of Milan in the fourth century
More than three fourths of the worlds
output of tin comes from the Straits
Settlements and nearby islands. The
output from these sources aggregates
about $4,000 tons, while years product
from all sources is but $4,000 tons.
Most of the Malay tin is mined by
Cinnamon.
The largest picture ever made was
painted by the Japanese artist Hokusai
in 1917. 1t was painted on paper and
covered 24O square yards. A scaffOld-
ing was erected with ropes and pulleys,
by which the great picture might be
hoisted to vertical position. The
smallest brush used was broom. The
drawing represented the head of
Daruma, mythical hermit who, in his
effort to keep up sacred vigil, cut off
his eyelids and threw them away,
whereupon the first tea plant grew on
the spot where they were cast. Tea
being the Japanese sovereign remedy
for sleeplessness.
A new plan has been adopted for
identifying the men in the regular and
volunteer United States armies who
may go into action. They will wear
around their necks little tags of alumni
mum, by which they may be identified
if found on the field of battle. In the
last war it was often impossible to
properly Identify the dead soldiers, and
thousands were buried in graves
marked unidentified" The War De-
partment has prepared this system of
Identification, and each tag will bear
the mineral assigned each man on the
muster rolls, with the letter of his COM
pany, battery or troop and his regi-
ment.
The three battle ships Indiana, Mas
sachusetts and Oregon are what might
be called sister ships, being substanti-
ally similar in construction and arm
ament. They cost over three million
dollars apiece exclusive of armament.
The Massachusetts is 10000 tons. Her
water-armor is Is inches, and extends
three feet above and four and a half
feet below the water line. The turrets
and redoubts are II inches thick. In
side the hull plates is layer of cellu-
lose which has tendency to swell in
water, and would rapidly close any
opening made by hostile shot. Her
battery consists of four 13-inch, eight
0-lnch and four 6inch rifles, besides
rapid fire guns and six tubes for 49,
inch Whitehead torpedoes.
The following are the insignia of
rank, as indicated by the shoulder
straps CT officers of the United States
army and navy:
General-an eagle and two stars.
Lieut.. Gen.-three stars.
Maj. Gen.-tWO stars.
Brig. Gen.-One star.
COlOnel-an eagle.
MajOr-tWo leaves.
Captain-four bars.
Lleutenant-tWO bars.
In the navy:
Admlral-two anchors, four stars.
Vice Admiral-one anchor, three
stars.
Rear Admiral--one anchor. two
stars.
COMMUNICATIVE anchors, one star.
Captain-twO anchors, one eagle.
Lleutenant-One anchor. four bars.
Enslgn-One anchor.
One of the first tunnels in the United
States was Oh the Allegheny Portage
Railroad in Pennsylvania. 1t was nine
hundred feet in length and was fin
iShed in 1881.