Middletown transcript., 1908-05-23
CURIOUS FACTS

sets.
1t is estimated that there are 46, 90
foreigners in China.
Dresden has opened bathing estab
lishment for dogs.
Shepherd girls in French Switzerland
wear mems clothes.
A railway tunnel will soon undermint
the great wall of China.
TWenty-four persons living in County
Tipperary, Ireland, are centenarians.
The five hundredth anniversary of Leip
| sic University will be celebrated in 1909
The beet-sugar crop of Europe is esti
mated for 19O7-O8 at 6,473,OOO metric
tons.
Sixty years ago there were only $50, ,00(
children at school in India. Now there
are 100000.
The late Coils P. Huntington operated
one of the longest railroads in the world
at the age of 80.
1t is stated that the distribution OF $32,.
235 among the unemployed of London
was done at an expense of $74, ,750.
Twenty minutes of rain in a year is
sometimes all that southern Egypt gets,
and there is no dew in that country.
The present occupant OF the Washing
ing plantation in Westmoreland county,
Virginia, is named George Washington.
The business of the gondoliers OF Venice
is being invaded by women, and the men
are organizing unions to drive them out.
In Santa Rosa, CAL, is a church with
seating capacity of 200, which is built
entirely of timber sawed out of single
redwood tree,
Austria's great salt mine at Wieliczka
has 800 miles of galleries and employs
5000 miners. 1t has been worked for
over Is centuries.
The Mikado of Japan is fond of out
door sports and warmly encourages the
introduction of football, as played in
England and America.
1t is reported that Japanese merchants,
with the aid of their Government, are
making persistent efforts to capture the
cotton markets of China.
One of the chief obstacles to American
trade in Lower (Mexican) California is
the long time taken in transportation
from American trade cents.
The latest chair for the victim of sea.
sickness has movable seat vibrated by
an electric motor. This is said to give
surprising relief to the sufferer.
In the Vatican at Rome is the largest
topaz in the world. 1t weighs seven
pounds and has carvings upon it that
occupied three Neapolitan lapidaries 81
years.
The fshhook cactus is literally COM
pass in the desert. No matter how glar-
ing the rays may be that are reflected
from the soil in which it grows, it always
tits its head to the southwark.
Twenty years ago German publisher
began to issue complete collection of
Goethe's letters. Thirty.four volumes are
now in type, and it is expected that the
rest of the letters, which will fill Is more
volumes, will appear within four years.,
Near the entrance of the cathedral Of
Seville hangs a patched and painted
crocodile, which once served as a princely
love-token, that failed of its mission. In
1860 it was sent by the Sultan Of Egypt
to beautiful princess Of Spain.
In Swedish Lapland can be seen curious
wooden structures on single pole, which
look like a monster pigeon cote. These
serve their purpose in protecting the con-
tents of the larder from wolves and foxes.
They are themselves the larders.
In Weymouth, England, the oratorio of
'The Messiah was given by graphic
phone before an audience of 200 people,
and was pronounced a complete musical
success.
In Germany gas is manufactured on
canal boats and used to supply the en-
gines which propel the boats. The sys
tenn is economical and satisfactory on
moderate-sized boats.
Grenoble, France, probably manufac-
lures more ladies' kid gloves than any
other place in the world. Paris, Chau-
mont and Millau are also largely engaged
in this industry.
In remote Yorkshire dale, a tourist |
met lady of 80 who had not
left her native vale for seventy years, and
who had never seen railway train, an |
or bicycle.
Soap found in a soap-boiler's shop in |
the ruins of PompeiI, after being buried
/ 800 years, still retained its efficacy.
Soap is twice mentioned in the Bible, and |
has been in use 5000 years.