Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1910-02-09
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Drug clerks in Norway get from
1876 to $536 year.
An international botanical congress
will be held at Brussels in May.
The German army is using paper
Kettles. which are said to be of jap
anese invention.
Duluth, at the head of Lake Supe-
rior, has the greatest mineral tonnage
of any port In the world.
The first national Thanksgiving
proclamations were issued by Congress
during the Revolutionary War.
1t is estimated that rs per cent Of
the products advertised in street cars
of Canada are Of American manufac-
ture. II
The New England Thanksgiving
dates from 1888. when the Massachu-
sets Bay colony set apart day for
thanksgiving.
More than 80 per cent of the cities
of this country with population Of
10000 or more are equipped with cleo
trio fire alarms.
Twenty-four electric locomotives to
be used In the New York tunnel ex-
tension of the Pennsylvania Railroad
are now being built. Each weighs
100000 pounds. and will develop 4.OO0-
horse power, which is about three
times as much as giant steam loco
motive.-Popular Mechanics.
Valuable manuscripts transferred to
the library Of congress this year from
various departments OF the govern
ment include all the applications for
once" during Washington's admins
tration, the original vouchers and &C.
counts Of Washington's expenses dur
ing the revolution. and historical docu-
ments regarding revolutionary pension
claims.
Business transactions between Chi
nese merchants and foreign firms are
usually in taels. The tael Is not q
coin. but Chinese ounce Of silver.
It varies in different places both as
to weight and touch" or (fineness) y,
and the exchange between the tael and
the dollar, or between the former and
the copper coinage is constantly fluc-
tuating.
The only coin in use in China until
recently was the copper cash (of which
there are about 1900 to the Mexican
dollar. or 1850 to the American dol
lar, but these are fast disappearing
except in the more or less remote in,
terror. A new coin or "ten-cash piece"
has been made at the provincial mints,
and 1t is rapidly displacing the old
copper cash. The relative value be-
tween these and silver dollars or taels
is fluctuating.
The railway across the isthmus of
Tehuantepec is 100 miles long. 1t was
constructed chiefly with British capital
and is controlled In part at least by
the Mexican government. 1t was built
especially for the purpose Of handling
freight between the Atlantic and Pa
cific. and, although opened at the be
ginning of 1907, has already carried
about $100.ODO.O0O worth of merchan-
disc passing chiefly between the At
lantic and Pacific ports of the United
States.
The living conditions of the workers
in the larger mines of Mexico are ex-
tfemely humble. The average man and
his family live In one-room shack
mud house. stone hut, or dugout along
some bank. Their food consists Of
dried meat, fried -four cakes. beans
and rank Coffee Stoves are found
only in the better homes. the laborer's
meal being cooked over little fire
between stones. At meal times the
family gather around the fire and they
sleep Oh blankets on the floor.
The gold dollar in the United States
has practically gone out of circulation
and now 1t is rumored that the silver
dollar is likely to follow 1t, at least
to some extent, into Its innocuous de-
suetude. The reason for this seems
Ito be simply that the government has
ceased It's practice of paying the ex.
pressage on shipments of silver dol
lars. Banks. therefore, prefer the cur
rency. which is SO much lighter, and
in many sections of the country in
greater demand at their windows.
Most of the New York savings insti-
buttons have decided to make the rate
of the seml-annual interest allowed
their depositors on Jan. / next the
same as the last half-yearly figures; In
other words, to continue such pay.
ments on a per cent annual basis.
Certain of them. and these rank among
the largest, have. however, taken the
ground that 31a per cent is all that
could be allowed with due regard
for conservatism and have adopted
action in accordance Herewith.
Massachusetts has taken up the idea
of poor mans credit bank. This is
an institution where men OF little
means can get loans with no security
except their personal character. The
bank accepts deposits and pays small
rate of interest on them. 1t is organ
lied in the form of company, every
member of which can get small loans
on the Endorsement of other members.
AS the society is very careful in admit
ting members. there is little likelihood
of loss. The scheme has worked we'll
in Germany.
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