Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-11-01
GLEANINGS AND GOSSIP.

New York tenements average 81 inhabi-
tants to the building.
It's about time someone discovered the
whereabouts of one Castro.
In England a dog that is used to guide
a blind person is not taxed.
The Cleveland Leader is much stirred up
over the question as to whether or not
girls should propose. Last year was leap
year.
A Chicago man has died of something
the physicians diagnose as automobile
heart. Probably you get it lodging ma
chimes in the street.
The Brazilian city of Santos, from which
such quantities of coffee are shipped has
at last done away with its horse cars and
installed a trolley system.
1t is proposed to establish a union medi-
cal college in Marking for the people of
East China. This is the idea of a lot of
missionaries who are working there
Pennsylvania has decided that there is
no reason why a congressman should not
hold for office of mayor. In Pennsylva-
MIA politician appears to be able to
hold anything he can get his hands on.
Nearly 100000 coin cards have been sent
out this year by the young peoples mis-
slonary department of the Metnodists of
the home and foreign missions, in further
ance of a plan to promote small giving
in Sunday schools.
Reports from Liberia which have been
received at the department of state at
Washington are to the effect that dia-
mond fields have been discovered in the
interior of that country. There is much
blue clay there and a number of good
stones have been picked up.
There are only about 70 eggs of the
great aux now in existence and one of
them was sold in London not long ago
for $1575, the highest price ever paid for
an egg. There will never be any more
eggs as the great aux has been extinct
for more than 70 years, it's last home be-
ing the little island of Funk about 30
miles off the coast of Newfoundland.
Through the discovery of radium in
the neighborhood, it is possible that
Marienbad will be in a position to add
rad1um baths to its other healing in
Stl'utlonS next year. In an old silver
mine, unWOrked since the 18th century
near Schoenficht, uranium ore has been
found imbedded in the mountain gran
lite and very near the surface. Ex-
perlments made in the archaeological
hyglehlc institute there show that this
radlum rock, pulverized and dissolved
IN water, makes the water in a few
hours radioactive in much higher
oesree than the strongest baths at
Gastein
An English scientist declares that
ihere is an enormous loss of energy in
burning coal. With the coal consump-
ticn OF many countries in the last 10
years pelng greater than in the pre-
cedlh2 century, he estimates that less
IMAM / per cent. of the total heat val
ue mas been converted into useful
work. The best power plants utilize
only 10 per cent. of the energy of the
fuel, locomotives only 9 to per cent.
and electric incandescent lamps only
one-seventh of 1 per cent To reduce
this enormous waste is one of the great
engineering problems. Nearly two
million horsepower of the waste is
represented by gas from blast fur
naces. This loss is now being lessened
by installation of gas engines.
Wertheinier, London art dealer.
was one day passing through Mayfair
when he noticed sale about to take
place of the furniture and household
| effects of a deceased nobleman." He
| walked through the rooms where deal
ers were critically examining choice
specimens of undoubtedly genuine
Chippendale and Sheraton. inter-
spersed among early Victorian furni-
| ture, his eyes apparently dwelling on
| nothing. But when the sale was about
| to begin he asked the auctioneer if he
would take $4,000 (s25,oOO> for every
| thing in the house. The offer was ac-
copied. "Now you can resell every
] thing for me- said Mr.. Wertheimer,
| Except this and he took down from
the mantlepiece a dirty ornament
| some nine inches high and put it in
his pocket. 1t was piece of the rarest
| Dresden china, bearing the coveted
mark of the wand of Aesculapius
which he afterward sold for $4,000.