Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-18

1.-THE snow storm knocked the life out oil
the valentine business in this ana many
other Cities remarked the representative
Of a publishing house to Star reporter
and particularly out of the cheap or comic
end of the business. The latter class OF
valentines are bought by children primer
pally. and they are seldom bought untli
the day before or on St. Valentines day
The snow kept the little ones in the house,
and Of course they didn't buy them. OF late
y-arS as was originally the custom, even
before the days Of the penny post, the
children amuse themselves on the evening
of ST. Valentines day by throwing in val
eutines at the houses of their associates.
The universal rule is to buy the comic val
cutines. This year. though the dealers
were well supplied. they have the most of
their stock in their hands and it cannot he
sold until next year. for it took brave
Childrcu. and even Drawer parents to allow
them. to carry out their amusement. Sim
I'i~ as this appears To he. it made a differ
"nce Of hundreds of thousands Of dollars
10 the valentine trade for next year. for
the dealers will make no purchases for
next year. as they will have their old
stock on their hands
:. > ::
one of the most available and effica cious
remedies for frostbites, which are so preya-
lint just now" explained well-known
Lady to Star reporter. els roasted turnip.
II is best that the tLrnir has been frozen
before it is used. 1t can be applied in any
way to the hands. ears or face, by cutting
il up in slices and applied to the frostbitten
Part as pouItice. When the part affected
i very painful few drops of laudanum on
the roasted turniP allays the pain. Though
/ had often heard of roasted turnip as a
remedy in such cases it had entirely slip
per my mind on Tuesday last. when | went
l. several druggists in search of Il remedy
tAe Eands o. my cook having been severely
trOStbitten on Monday night. Two of the
druggists sold me a preparation for chap
pei hands, which IN applying seemed to
Increase the pain. As my cook was in such
agony / went out into the streets and spoke
10 several colpred cartmen and coachmen.
They all united IN recommending roasted
turnip. and ] soon got it ready. The effect
was almost instantaneous. and in less than
an hour the cure was complete"
=
People who handle the yard stick have
but little idea Of the years of study and
experiments that We're necessary To secure
The standard yard measure" observed an
"fhci1i of the coast survey to Il Star re-
porter. Bird, a famous scientist. made the
frs; standard yard in 1IGs,. but the English
government lid not legallze it until 1874
Ten yc-trs afterward when the house Of
Parliament in London was destroyed by
FIRE. the standard yard was lost and Eng
j nj was again without a standard yard Of
length. Sheepsbanks next made q standard
yard maaSuTs, which the English govern
m"nt adopted, and. so that it could not
b. again destroyed by fire, four authorized
copies Were made of It. one Of these was
deposited in the royal mint. another in the
ROYAL society another in the observatory
q Greenwich and the fourth imbedied
in the walls of the new house Of parla-
mont The standard yard measures which
are owned by the government are copies ~
the original. or" Of which is owned by the
coast survey. Th- United States naval oh
S-rydtpTy has one also The deIicacy of its
construction may be gathered by tn. fact
thar a change of temperature of one hun
Crrdth Of q degree Fahrenheit has been
found To produce a sensible effect on the
length Of the bar.
The copies Of the standard arr made of
bronze. for the reason that bronze i less
affected by Temperature than any distinct
CT single metal. Standard inch measures
are 70 be fOuId in many places, They are
- nicely made than they indicate ouc-teG-
ttHuSaHdth part Of an inch Their. is a ma
c1ig" in existence which measures mil
ii.urh part Of an inch. The change Of tenn
f-rsiturr caused 10y simply touching any
t,Jrt Of il by the hand srnsihly affects H..
7 n standard yard measures are never used
slS matter Of fact. but they kept sim
sly because they are the standard because
for al practical purposes the standard inch
en- and i used. Though there are no SeTi-
Gus consequences arising from it and never
can bs. mere comparison rf the various
ygrl sticks and foot rules in general use
WILL show that but few of them agree the
differences between them varying ali the
Nay from One-fhiTty--. cOnd of an inch to
tbe foot down To ouc-huUdredth of an inch.
me cost OF the construction of III" original
standard yard measure involved th. labor
"a. Bird and his assistants for nearly six
Years ShecpShaEkS WAS eleven years in
producing the accurate copies which he
made from Birds original measurements
Somr years ago. during congressional in
N,~LEItiun OF Tho coast survey. il came OUT
tlJt III, standard yard measure, owned uy
the Treasury Department ana kept at the
coast survey ar times was used as a stick
40 keep window sash Up. That was a
most outrageous oalumuy. was the
'ltr@" that went with it, thar tht. standard
gallon measure used now and then 10
nj oui for beer for some Of he employees
81 't- Office The coast survey owns a set
80 standard measures hut they have. never
been used as GROWERS. l assure You. ami
never will be. the man who m.dc the
charges well knew
''il l. wonderful what number and Va
rie'y 81 tool handles are made IN the
United States very year remarked a
wholesale dealer in such articles i'm Nv
York tl q writer for The Star recently
These handles come in all sizes and
shapes. from the smallest handle made 10
tir "a jiuy tack hammer to thos. intended
Tor The heaviest lU-ppund sledsr .onL OF
IN Aafchet and adZe handles there are half
g doz'n different shapes and sizes AMI for
'iiI-ais and guus : there are ~ many more
Such handles rs we'll as others made for
spades shuvsls and picAaxes, arc manu-
fF"-ured mostly 10y Eve OF six concerns
having lHre facilities in Kentucky ami
Tennessee whore millions Of dollars worth
c. tAv goods are turned out annually
The material used for hammer TX AMI
shovel handles i hickory and oak Tres
used for making the handles ar. sawed
Upwn close To tho ground. The timber is
t.-1 Gu, into suita0i, lengths and allowed
To- season. When seasoned the logs arr.
srii' into pieces OF the requisite siZ,. for
forming handles. These pieces are called
bolts. The bolts are sawed apDToximatcIv
T. the shape OF the handle t. 10, finally
In"i". and i'm This shape they are handle
."ckS- The handle block i turned Ia The
desired shape in Il lathe and when polished
the work Of forming handle il completed
Tor The market. Besides their n..ttneSs Of
hui-h. American TOOL handles possess a
l-sEsn"~S. tOuShnesS and elasticity Stipcri.r
u 1n: handles made Ia the world and for
Tins reason v" export large quantities -
'he Gil country. where the HUrkmen APP
p--ettty ,E-ir good qualities