The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-12-01
NUBs OF KNOWLEDGE.

Lightning hits tall trees very often, especially
when their roots reach running water. The light
ming blasted oak or elm is a familiar object in
| rural landscapes.
There are more than twice as many blind per-
sons in Russia in the whole of the rest OF
Europe. They number 100000 which is cqui-
valent to two in every 1000 of the population.
Boston has floating hospital, which makes
a daily trip down the harbor with number OF
sick women and children. Some OF the patients
| are taken by the day only. but the more seri-
ously afflicted are permitted to remain on the
vessel constantly until cured.
Tie people Of the Southern Appalachian noun
tans number about 2,oO0OO0, their descent be-
ing from the Scotch-Irish. French lIugenots, Eng.
lsh and Germans. They have been in these
mountains since long before the revolution. They
love their homes and minglc but little with the
outside world.
Moths fly against the candle flame because
their eyes can bear only small amount Of
light. When, therefore, they come within the
light of the candle their sight is overpowercd
and their vision confused, and they cannot dis.
tingush objects they pursue the light itself and
fly against the flame.
Death from sufocation is pleasant. according
to Joseph Grady, Wnsted Comm plumber,
who was in .cavc.in'' until unconscious He
said: 81 thought of every prayer I had heard
and repeated them over and over. could hear
the men working above me. Then came sweet
music, the sweetest ever heard That was the
last remember
1t is believed by vcgctarians that purely
vegetable diet makes people amiable, good-na-
tured and generous and that those who cat
largely of meat become guarrelsomc, selfish and
mean.
An example of patient industry is the sorting
of hogs brstlcs as it is carried on at Ticn Tsin.
China. Each one Of the bristlcs has to be picked
out, measured and placed in the bundle OF hairs
of corresponding length.
A presidential elcctor in New York receives
the sum of $l5 for each day in attendance at Al
bany together with 80 cents per mile, each
way, from his place of residence, by the most
travelled route, to the place of meeting"
Aluminium has just been employed for the
construction of new freproof curtain to be
used in theatcrs. The curtain is GO feet wide by
81 feet high. is composed of aluminium sheets
one twelfth Of an inch thick. and weighs 1000
pounds.
The average annual total of water which falls
as rain or snow in the United States is 1,iO7
cubic miles. This amount of rain would more
than twice fill Lake Ontario To raise this
water to the clouds from which it fell would
require the work of 5OO,0OO,0O0 horses working
ten hours day throughout the year.
The public buildings OF the United >,ates have
cost, since the foundation of the government, eX-
elusive of the buildings in Washington, and
those employed by the army and navy, SlJi-
7753s4. OF this the sites have cost $22, 155, l6I
and there remains S23, ,s43.515 to be expended on
these buildings before they are completed.
Every department OF the new United States
mint, now building at Philadelphia will be- de-
pendent to very great extent on electricity for
power. All the presses and milling machines are
to be operated by this power. There viii be IA
motors OF 45-liorSe power. 30 OF 5-horse power,
of !j-holse power and Il large number OF
smaller motors.
The remarkable number of deaths by drowning
proves that too many persons venture into
waters without knowing how To swim. About
so per cent. of those drowned last sum.
mer did not nave that knowledge. This is all
the more wonderful when knowledge OF swim
ming may so easily be had. \ person OF aver
age physique should be able 10 swim several hun
tlred feet after dozen lessons.