The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-11-12

6y conpressed air.> Nineten bells are m the spire. The heaviest weighs 5000 pounds. the liehtest 300 pounds. The keyboard of the chimes is in the sacris- ty The operator presses key cor responding to bell in the spire. This establishes an electric connection, which opens valve h the stespis. con- ducting compressed air to piston with a clappen that strikes the bell Elec- tricity Is the trigger and compressed air the motive power in playing the chimes. St. Patrick's was the first church to adopt the new system. . The ire alarm box with the glass front which may be quickly put into operation. but which may not be tam- pered with until the glass front is Dickens, though few have ever hoard of him In this connection
 His own idea was not the application of glass door to fire alarm sys- tenn. but was used by him in cabinet for the keys to his oflce, SO that they might ba quickly secured in case of ire, though 1t was impossible to obtain the keys from the looked cabinet with out leaving evidence ip the shape of . The value of the idea was grasped by more practical mind in search of an |alarm which might be easily operated. and the glass-fronted box. now used almost the world over. 10 the result of the great authors fear that a ire might threaten his manuscript at time when he should be away from home.
 With the laudable intention of putt ting the weather prophets upon their mettle. the Belgian Astronomical Socie- ty offers prixe of s1,o00 for the must successful series of weather forecasts. for which any forecaster may compete.
 At time yet to ve announced conn petitors will be required to send in fore- casts twenty-four hours ahead for period of fifteen days, and at the end most closely approximated the actual conditions will receive tho reward. wherever he may bc.
 One of the officials of the national observatory will act as judge, and upon his decision will rest the fate of the contest The competitors will not be compelled to predict the weather for Belgium. but may elect such territory as they are familiar with and give fcre- casts for that section.
 New Workers are familiar enough with black snow a few days after a fall, but in the Swiss canton Of Grls- son there has been a fall of black snow. which has aroused the expectations.
 A short while ago the snow-capped mountains suddenly became jet black and the people who are familiar enough with the red snow produced through . parasiticai vegetable growth. were moved to terror at the sight,
 Several guides climbed to the snow belt and found that the surface was infested with small insect in such numbers that the snow beneath was entirely hidden.
 The insect Is unprovided with wings and moved about like grasshopper through the use of two legs much longer than the others.
 Science divides winks into the wink slow and the wink rapid rather than into the wing fiirtatious and the wins instinctive.
 By passing a bit of paper upon the eyelid photographic record has been made of the duration of time required in this eye-cieansing process. and 1t has been found that a wink requires 1885 of second. though some deliberate winks require an additional .oio of . second.
 In q quick wink the closing of the eye requires .o75, there is 8 rest of .f50, and .179 is required for the open ing.
 TO the casual observer it would seem that the eyelid opened and closed with equal rapidity. but the camera test shows that almost twice the length of time Is required for the recovery. and in slow wink the additional time required in recovery is proportionately greater.
 In a small commune near Versailles, in France. the mayor has formally in- dicted a citizen for the grave offensc of snoring. The accused attended a meet ing of the municipal council and was so overcome by the eloquence of the mayor that he snored. This demonstra- ton was SO vigorous that the rest of the mayors address could not be heard. The offender is charged with obstruct- Ing the transaction of public business and outraging the civic majesty.