Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-03-14
FACTS IN FEW LINES

The United kingdom spends 81. 4oO,-
600 year on raisins.
Tourists and other tramps may
write their names here on payment of
shillings. Proceeds to go toward
fresh paint" states a notice board at
the half way hut on Ben Nevis, Scot
land.
When the harbor authorities of Cal
cutta advertised for bids on locomo-
tiyes, the lowest English bid was ST.
$40, with delivery in nine months. The
lowest American bid was $5,99S, deliv-
cred in six months.
At the present day many cotton mills
are working in Bombay, and more will
soon be started Already the entire
yarn supply of India, and to some eX-
tent of China and Japan, is furnished
by the Bombay mills.
At the present day, on the best au-
thorities, there are 250,000,000 Mussul
mans in the world. The Christian pop
ulation is put at 447,OOO,O00, but the
increase of Islam is more rapid than
that of its sister religion.
Strassburg is about to erect monu-
ment to Goethe. The German poet
passed some of the best years of his
youth in the Alsatian town and re-
ferred to it frequently with words of
admiring affection in his memoirs.
Arrangements are being made for the
emigration of domestics from England
to South Africa. Fifty-one went by
the Harlech Castle, and regular sail
ings will follow. The domestics will
be housed by the authorities until they
obtain situations.
The British and Foreign Bible socie
ty is endeavoring to reach more than
100000 blind Hindoos by circulating
the Scriptures through a recent adapta-
ton of Louis Braille's raised dot sys-
tenn as distinguished from Moons line
system, SO long in operation.
A German firm in the well known
town of Essen are making a good thing
out of old sardine tins. Huge Quanti-
ties of old tins are conveyed to the
works, where they are treated by
system of electrolytic deposition, and
the tin and iron recovered for use in
manufacturing metal goods.
The car has sent check for $1,000
to w. S. Johnston, an Englishman, of
the Taku Tug and Lighter company,
as n mark of appreciation of the gal
liant services he rendered to the allies
during the bombardment of the Taku
forts. The British authorities have
shown no recognition of Mr.. Johnston's
services.
In the great walking match over the
124 miles between Berlin and Dresden
for the international championship the
first six arrivals at Berlin were all veg
etarians. Karl Mann. the winner. who
was twenty-eight years of age and who
has lived on vegetable food for ten
years, covered the distance in 90 hours
and % minutes. He was declared the
champion pedestrian of the world.
The automatic revolving chain lubri-
eating brush is n new cyclists boon.
The brush. which is rotary one, is
fixed to the bar over the hub chain
wheel and set low enough on the chain
to set the brush in motion when travel
ing Above the brush is n receptacle
containing Il cake of lubricant, which
rests OH the brush. and when the latter
is revolving takes n certain quantity,
which il transfers to the chain. there
by keeping it thoroughly fabricated in
every joint and cleaned from all dust
and dirt
The planter is device for the as
sistance of the gardener. 1t looks like
a pair of large curling tOngs, which
when closed form a hollow tube and
taper to n point. The plant to be in
serted into the ground is placed in the
tube portion, which is then forced into
the earth and opened by shutting the
handles. The plant is left in the earth
when the implement is withdrawn. The
operation Of planting and transplanting
is rendered easy, and the continuance
is carried as conveniently as pair of
scissors.