The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1898-04-01
Curious Facts .

Reed pens. split at the ends like quill
pens, have been found In Egyptians
tombs. dating probably $500 years before
Christ.
The Princes OF Wales has a pair OF
opera glasses OF platinm set with rubies,
sapphires and surquoses and valued at
E2O00.
The Spanish ARMADA consisted of 80
ships, sl65 common. s766 sailors, 2Oss
galley slaves, 2I,s55 soldiers, 1855 vol.
unteers.
The largest thester in the world is the
Grand Opera House In Paris. It covers
more than three acres OF ground and
cost s.. .O00, 900 frances.
Goldfish ara OF Chinese origin. They
were originally found In large lake
near Mount Tsientsing and were first
brought to Europe in the seventeenth
century. The fret in France came as q
present TO Nine. de Pompadour.
About ten thousand pounds OF elder
wood are collected annually in Iceland,
seven Thousand being exported to foreign
countries. Formerly the peasants used
to receive about s5 pound for it, bu,
the price is now fallen 10 half that
amount.
A cultiyator in Aubervilliers, France,
found superb Lycoperdon, commonl,
known as the puff-ball. 1t measured
! two metres lover ak and one half feet
around. In order to develop il well, its
owner covered it with muslin and wat
cred il three times daily. Fresh puff
balls are eaten cooked.
Fortune telling 10 traced to the early
astrolossrs, by whom the plsnnets Jupi
ter and Venus were supposed 10 betoken
happiness. The Sibyi'@ were womer
said TO be inspired by heaven. In Eng
land the laws against fortune telling
were at one time very severe. A decIara
tion was published in France. Jan. IL
1850. OF exceedingly severity against Tor
tune tellers and poisoners, under which
several persons suffered death. Forum,
tell,rs, although liable by the acts o
l74s and 1924 to be imprisoned as rogue
and vagabonds, still exist in Eng
land.
In the early days OF no sidewalks Bos.
ton people who were wont to take thei
nightly outings carried their o~n n Ian
terms, aud this custom was adhered 70
until 1884 when gas Was introduced 70
street lighting. The old Latin Sehoo
was built near Kings Chapel, and late
on was rebuilt ON the site nov occupies
by the Parker House. II has always beel
thought that Robert Newman hung on
the lantern on Christ Church for Pau
Revere. hut now it is believed that th'
deed was performed by the latier's con
6dentiAl friend. John Pulley. The grass
hopper weather vane on Faneu.l Hall
built In i74s. had il. origin in the writ
ings OF Piutareh-
ST. Louis, the greatest briekamanuiac,
uring center ia the United States.
headquarters for the Hydraulic Presse'
Brick Company, which has in St L,oui
the t~o largest yards IN The world, an
eleven factories in other places. the whOl
having O yearly output OF three hundrs'
million bricks. Iis So Loais warehous -
are mIles IN length. The accompany Own
ifty-eigbt railroad clay cars, with
capacity Of sixty Thousand pounds each
Powde. is supplied by fourteen boiler
and sixteen engines, sT6 mules and Ell
hundred men. The machinery is a
patented and made By the company
which owns lie own blacksmith's an
machine shops, foundry, harness shop
and wagon works, and turns out iss on
plant for everything il uses.