Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1911-06-02
News Of the Day

Ability to read and write Ia now
a suffrage requirement In Portugal
Miss Anna Rogstad. sixty.fiye years
of age and conservative In politics.
made her maiden speech before the
Norwegian parliament on March III
as the first woman member OF that,
body. All OF the members arose
when Miss Rogstad began her speech
Official statistics recently pubiishedl
show that the death duties collected
in France during 1909 amounted TO-
$52,236,395. The estates concerned
numbered 379.41S, with an aggregate
net value of $1,107,904,21S. the aver
age value per estate being about
$4,000.
An official report estimates the
number Of Para rubber trees under
cultivation in Cochin. China. at over
100000, Of which about $1,000 are
being tapped. Present plans contem-
plate the planting Of 100000 trees
additional as soon as the work can
be done.
In 1910 the Cunard company car
ried across the Atlantic 36.148 first-
class passengers, 39,511 second and
139,O76 third, the respective increases
over the previous year being 2.446.
800 and 1906. The first-class pas
sengers constitute q record for the
company. Is
To enable person to massage HIM
self without assistance there has
been patented an apparatus to be
fastened to wall, adjustable to any
height. in which wheel with leather
covered balls on the ends OF the
spokes is rotated by cranks and suit
able gears.
North China Is noted for raising
the best mules in the middle king
dom. In Picking one will see mules
quite as good in every respect as the
Missouri and Kentucky product. The
finest are employed by Chinese ofh-
GERS and other wealthy men to draw;
their Picking carts, !"
A great flying competition is being
arranged by La Nacion Of Buenosi
Ayres, in which all the aviators at
present in the country will take part.
A prize will be given to the aviator
making the best time between Buenos
Ayres and Rosario, two stops being
allowed on the way
Baccarat, France, has the honor OF
producing the first glass that is un-
breakable. The new process has
been successfully applied to the man
ufacture OF lamp chimneys for use
in coal mines containing much fire
damp. The glassmakers Of Baccarat
have also succeeded In increasing the
elasticity OF the glass. This they
accomplish by adding magnesia and
oxide to the ordinary crystal glass.
About thirty million words year
pass under the sea, through cables
linking British and North American
ports.
The tallest soldier In the British
army Is said to be Private H. Barter
Of the first Battalion Grenadier
Guards, who though but eighteen
years old, stands 6 feet SA inches IN
his stockings and is still growing.
Formerly Major Oswald Ames Of the
Second Life Guards, who is s feet
~ inches tall, was said to be the
tallest soldier In the British army.
|, John Hoar Of Fishkill Landing, NJ.
r., has recently made application for
first naturalization papers, though he
has been voting in this country for
SO years Hoar is sixty-one years old.
Soon after he came to this country
from Ireland he applied for citizen
ship papers, but there was some delay
in getting them, and when election
came round, six months later, he
went to the polls and voted. He has
voted every year since. he says.
M. Spiridonoff, a Moscow mining
magnate, to celebrate his golden we'd
ding invited 200 guests who were
agreeably surprised to find their card
of invitation made Of pure beaten
gold, with the lettering artistically
done in enamel. Each c8d weighed
two-thirds Of an ounce, and the eight
and half pounds Of gold used to
make them came from Spiridonoff's
OWu ulluc5 Ill IA0 - OIL
The invitations alone cost $1,000.
Automobiles in Ehgland-they
cali them motorists over there-aro
much Interested in the success Of an
invention known as "solfd petrol" or
gasoline in little bricks. It's exact
composition is of course secret. It
contains 80 per cent. of ordinary
gasoline, a percentage Of soapy mat
ter ana 1 per cent. Of q foreign sub
stance which gives It solidity. a.
small block Of 1t is said to be equal
to gallon Of liquid motive power.
and it's inventors say that enough to
preset a car 1900 miles can be car
ried in little box on the running
board Of the machine. ~
A delicacy Of Australian savages Is
the flesh Of snakes which. with the
exception Of the liver. is too dry and
tasteless to appeal to civilized palates.
Meat Is usually baked IN primitive
oven, made by digging q hole about
a foot deep in the ground. In the
hole is built a fire which Is covered
with stones. When the stones have
become very hot the fire Is extin-
guished and the stones are covered
with green leaves, in which the meat
is placed. The hole is then filled
with earth and is not reopened until
the time determined for the cooking
Of the meat has elapsed.
Chicago's recent direct primaries
are said to have cost $696,0O0. OF
which the city pays one-fourth.
James f. Ride Of Lincoln, Ill. is the
oldest Master Mason In the state.