The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-12-21
NUBs OF KNOWLEDGE.

Tie Eskimos of Alaska make waterproof boots
and shirts OF the skin OF the salmon.
Railways use up over 100000 tons Of steel a
year, almost half the worlds product.
New York city owes more by Sso,0o0,o00 than
all the 4j states in the Union together.
There are 1000 tons of stone in the pyramids
of Cheops 1t could be built for $4,000, ,O00
today.
In 1890 the mineral production Of the United
States amounted to $6l0,OOOOOO and in 1899 to
So76. 100000.
Nearly two-thirds OF the letters carried by the
worlds postal services are written, sent to and
read by English-speaking people.
The area of the United States is 3,50l ,0Oc
square miles; that of China is 4,2ls 40l, OF which
"China proper" has an of 1885, ,sil square
miles.
A hymn book which belonged to one Of Cron-
je's drivers, and which had been perforated by
a bullet, brought s. at recent sale in Lon.
don
The Benedictines have a new monastery in
Rene, built, as usual, on site commanding Il
fine view. One department contains room for
SO students. There is also meteorological and
astronomical observatory.
The actual increase Of population in this coun-
try in the last ten years is about thirteen mil
lion two hundred and twenty-five thousand. The
rate OF increase in the period from 1850 to 1890
averaged about two and one-half per cent. each
year.
The average price OF good railway dray
horse in England is about three hundred dollars
and each animal costs about two dollars and
twenty-five cents for fodder alone. Under fair
conditions railway companies work their horses
about ten hours day.
rl,o
the advisabilty of increasing the cost of bill
posters licenses from $50 to $500. 1t is thought
by that means the practice whereby the walls
and fences OF that city are covered with un-
slightly posters may be discouraged.
A recent European invention is a process for
making artificial sponges. The method is based
on the action Of zinc chloride on cellulose, by
which spongy compounds similar to starch are
produced. These products, when placed in water,
swell, and in an atmosphere sufficiently dry,
soon become hard again.
Water In a shallow pam in sheltered place,
will freeze even when the thermometer is above
the freezing point. This is due to the rapid loss
OF heat Of the earth after nghtfall. In some hot
countries ice is obtained in commercial quanti-
ties by setting shallow earthenware pans OF
water on the ground protected from the wind.
That senate customs rarely change is shown by
the two od-fashioned snuff boxes in that cham
her. They are as carefully filled today as in the
days when it was the fashion to "snuf." Few
OF the present members Use the boxes, though
occasionally one Of the older Southern members
will go up, take 'pinch' and calmly await
the sneeze
More or less OF the old Morse mythology has
found its way INTO modern Christmas custom.
The mythic tree OF the ancient scandinavian
forest appears laden with gifts and adorned
with candles. The skull OF an enemy killed in
war, out OF which the Norseman drank his
festal ale, is represented today by the wassail
bowl appropriate to the Christmas celebration.
The yue log, too, is Morse.
The shirt waist promises to be extremely popu-
lar next season. Statesmen for furnishing house
who are now on the road are sending IN large
orders for shirt waists for next spring, and re-
port that the demand will probably be heavy.
Manufacturers report that the demand for such
garments has far exceeded their expectations,
and that they will be compelled to make up
many more goods in that shape than they an
ticpated.
Harvard university is to receive for its Semi
tic collection 10 of the valuable papyr recently
unearthed by the Egyptian Fund society, and Of
unearthed by the Egyptian Fund society, and
which have been for some time in the hands Of
Cambridge and Oxford professors, who are max
ing a study Of them. Among the scrolls are
some OF Homer's writings, some poems by Sapho
some OF the Emperor lIadrian' letter and por-
tion Of st. Johns Gospel, which latter, al
though not supposed to be the original writing,
Is the Oldest copy yet found.