The Western news., 1907-04-24
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Good returns come from the United
States governments search for valua-
BILE foodstuffs. Macaroni wheat, I'M
ported from Prussia at cost Of $1O,-
900, annually yields $10,OO0,0OO. Sor-
ghum was brought from China in 1864
at a cost Of $1,000. The nations
source of income from tkat crop Is $4O.-
100000 annually.
Astronomers long ago came to the
conclusion that the moons surface Is
very hot during the height Of the lunar
day, which lasts two weeks, and very
cold during the lunar night, which Is
equally long. These extremes Of tenn
perature reach their height at the lunar
noon and midnight and are greater
than any natural temperatures on the
earth.
Twenty years observation of phthisis
over a district in Dartmoor and North
Devon, England, has convinced investi-
gators that populations exposed to
strong prevalent rainy winds have
higher death rate from consumption
than populations sheltered from them.
The contrasts in the phthisis death rate
In the sheltered and exposed parishes
are very marked.
From the point Of view OF the engi-
neer, one Of the most interesting OF
all undertakings In the way Of tunnel
building Is the new railway tunnel just
completed under the hudson river be-
tween Weehawken and New York. It's
! peculiar interest arises from the fact
that the tunnel not only had to pas.
through soft-flowing river mud, or silt
but that there was NO firm, immovable
] foundation to work upon. Overhead
was the great River, with its tides and
its innumerable shipping, and under
meath, not solid rocks to be penetrated,
but vast depth of soft mud, too deep
to enable the engineers to lay the tun-
mel on its bottom. Yet 1t has been
completed within contract time, In less
than three years, and Is believed to be
available for the heaviest kind Of rail-
way traffic.
The astronomers are bestirring them
selves in preparation for the return Of
one of the most famous Of all comets,
that which bears the name Of HALEY.
It Is the greatest comet known to have
been seen at more than one return, its
average period being about Is years.
1t was last seen in 1885, and will, ac-
cording to the most recent calculations,
be visible again early in 1910. The OBJ
ject of the astronomers at present Is
to predict the moment of its perihelion
passage with the utmost possible accu-
racy. Doctor Holetschek, Of. Vienna,
thinks it will be visible with tele-
scopes as early as January, 1910, and
that by March everybody may see 1t
with the naked eye. Later in the year
|. Is likely to make startling display,
several hours before sunrise, In the
northern quarter of the sky.
Among the many natural curiosities
Of Arizona, but one that is not often
visited by ordinary tourists, is the sin
gular bowl-shaped depression in va
vapai county called "Montezumas s
Well" 1t Is nearly circular, and be.
tween 500 and COO feet in diameter at
the brim. 1t lies In the midst of q
nearly level area. The sides are verti-
cal to a depth of 80 or 40 feet. Below
that they merge into sloping talus,
which extends down to a circular pool
Of water, alleged by popular tradition
as are SO many other not very deep
areas Of water, to be bottomless. This
remarkable formation has usually been
described as a "plt crater" Of volcanic
origin. But Prof. William p. Blake
believes it to be the result Of the fall
ing of the roof Of cavern, formed In
the limestone strata by running water
The water of the pool, he says, flows
out through a subterranean channel
into the valley Of Beaver Greek.