The Washington herald., 1908-07-19
SOME CURIOUS FACTS.

It Is claimed that Lake Erie produces
more FISH 10 the square mile than any
other body Of water IN the world.
In Portugal married women retain their
maiden names and are always known by
them.
There is one lighthouse in existence
that is not placed on any mariners chart
II is In the Arizona desert. and marks
the spot where a well supplies pure. fresh
water TO the traveller
The largest and heaviest building stone
ever quarried in Britain was taken some
time ago from the Plankington bed. near
Norwich. II was in one piece. without
crack OF flaw, and weighed over thirty
five tons.
A gold coin passes from one hand 70
another 0000 900 times before the stamp
or impression upon il becomes obliterated
by friction. while q silver coin changes
hands 5.250.oOo000 times before Il becomes
entirely defaced-
The German Emperor owns the most
valuable draushtbOsrd in existence. The
I light and dark squares are made Of silver
and gold. and the draughts are also made
/ OF silver and gold. each having a diamond
/ or ruby in the center
/ On the Belgian state railways all the
/ newspapers left in the trains belong 10
| the government They are sent 20 the
/ paper mills. made into pulp. and ser-e
/ afterward as railway tickets. over l0d
/ tons Of newspaper are collected every
year.
/ Birds can eat and digest from ten 10
thirty times as much food in proportion
[ 10 their size as men can II a man could
/ eat as much in proportion 10 his size
/ as a sparrow is able tS consume he would
I need a whole sheep for dinner. a couple
I Of dozen chickens for breakfast, and siX
turkeys for his evening neal
one Of the most curious mines n the
world IS in Tongking. China. where. in a
Z sand formation. at a depth OF from Il
: feet 70 % feet there IS a deposit Of the
stems Of trees-The Chinese work this
| mine for the timber, which Is found IN
good condition. and IS used in making
cofns and tr0ughs and for carving and
other purposes
After five years work Austraiia's great
transcontinental rabbit-proof fence has
been completed. Its length is 203S miles
and the cost OF its erection has beer
nearly $1.259e9a. II Is furnished at in
Z tervals OF FIVE miles with systems o.
traps. in which hundreds OF rabbits are
captured and destroyed daily. Inside the
barrier there appears as yet no trace Of
their presence
The authorities az the Washington
! lETydrographic Bureau have endeavored
TO ascertain the size OF the Atlantic
waves. From careful observation they
learn that in height the waves usually
. average about 80 feet. but in rougf
weather they attain from % feet 70 a
feet In storms they are often from 80
feet 10 60 feet long. and continue Z
move about ten seconds or eleven sec
Onds: while the longest yet known meas
ured half mile and did not exhaust IL
self fo- twenty-three seconds
I The London committee on cabs and
Z omnibuses reports that as many as .
per cent Of motor orunibuSes ara in gar
age undergoing adjustment or repair or
any one day. The average daily journey
OF each vehicle is from 100 10 I'D miles
with . per cent OF them running. there
fore. the average total daily distance is
about 1899 miles. That Is. IN spite OF
the infancy Of this traffic and the pres
ent high percentage OF disabled vehicles
/ the total mileage per annUm of motor
omnibuses In London is already nearly
.r--r4 40