Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-03-13
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The extreme delicacy Of msiH sdssn.
tific processes is indicated 6 the ne
port Of government scientist at Wash
ington, to the effect that bacteria are
affected favorably or otherwise by the
character of the glass containing the
water In which they are suspended.
Marked differences in the behavior Of
cholera germs were noted, according to
the kind Of glass composing the vessels
nsed. The degree Of alkalinity impart-
ed by the glass to the water is believed
to be an important factor N these e1-
periments.
Over 800, 1000, 900 gallons OF water are
pumped out of the anthracite coal
mines of Pennsylvania every day in the
year. The exact average for 1908 was
638. 600, 600 gallons day. Nearly 1000
powerful engines, delivering from mine
bottom to surface 100000 gallons Of
water minute, are required. Mines
may be shut down and coal production
suspended, but the water flows on for
ever. According to the Iron Age, the
cost of removing 1t is one Of the I'M
portant items of expense that make up
the price of anthracite.
DR.. Hauthal, German savant, has
put forward a startling theory concern
ing the remains of gigantic sloths re-
lated to the great magatherium and the
mylodon, recently found In Patagonia.
In his opinion, these animals, whose
race is now extinct, were kept IN q
domesticated state by the prehistoric
Inhabitants of Patagonia. A cave at
Ultima Esperanza, where many ;indi-
cations of the former presence Of the
huge sloths have been found, is regard
ed by DR.. Hauthal as having been used
by the ancient Patagonians as stable
for their beasts.
Mexican employers and traders are
complaining of the large number of OBJ.
ligatory holidays and others demanded
by the work people. Out Of the 1888
days in the year 1S1 are devoted to
obligatory and traditional idleness,"
they say. In the United Kingdom
there are 50 Sundays and 8 bank hol-
idays, a total of 81. II what many Of
the workers now claim Is conceded,
there will be IL more-a fortnight In
the year-making 60, or 81 fewer than
are claimed by the MexicanA But ex-
cessive holidays are Injurious to work
er and employer alike and nuisance
to the public.
Coal is fossil peat. The peat-bogs
of to-day might become coal beds in
some future geological age. Professor
Potonie Of Berlin says there 10 strict
parallelism between the different kinds
Of peat and Of coal. When the remains
Of plants collect under terrestrial
conditions, an ordinary peat bog is
formed. This corresponds with bright
coal. If the remains collect under wa
ter, an organic slime is formed, and
this corresponds with dull" or camel,
coal. When terrestrial and aquatic
conditions have alternated during the
collection Of the remains, "strata-peat'
results, and this corresponds with coal
deposits consisting Of alternate layers
Of bright and dull coal. The chemical
and physical properties Of the various
kinds of peat and coal show similar
correspondence.
The japanese, who know so we'll how
to add little unexpected attractions
to everyday life, manufacture, in a
great variety Of forms, iron teakettlel
which break into song when the water
boils. The song may not be a very
perfect melody, but 1t is perhaps as
agreeable as the notes produced by
some of the insects which the Japanese
also treasure for their music. The
harmonious sounds Of the teakettles are
produced by steam bubbles escaping
from beneath thin sheets of iron fas-
tened close together nearly at the bot
tom of the kettles. To produce the
best effects some skill is required in
regulating the fire. The character of
the sounds varies with the form of the
kettle. These singing kettles have been
used for many centuries.