The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, April 19, 1896, Page 29

RREA ~ NATIVE of Montreal has in- vented a gun which, he confi- dently believes,whenitisadopted by all nations, will make warim- possible. If all that is claimed for it be true this gun is certainly the most remarkable piece of ordnance in existence. A description of the piece is furnished by M. Sommery of Montreal, an agent of the inventor, who recently returned from Washington, after giving an exhibition of the weapon before M. Patenotre, the French Embassador, and the military attache of the embassy. The most remarkable feature of the gun is that no explosive1s used and that its missiles are projected by an azency the nature of which is a profound secret, and a pan beneath the same to catch the drip. Electric resistance wires are passed through the hollow bars and connected to an electric circuit. When the current is turned through this device the bars be- come heated and thoroughly broil the meat | between them. The electric frying pans, coffee pots, gridirons and like cooking utensils cover the remainder of the bench | and are each heated separately by electric resistance coils applied on their under sides. These articles are all detachably connected to the cireuit wires that pass along to the rearof the bench, so that they may be disconnected and carried about. | There is no smut or dirt about any of the | devices or any part of the kitchen for the | obvious reason that there is no fire or coal | to create the same, | Inone cornerof the kitchen stands the SMOKELESS AND NOISELESS GUN. which, without noise or smoke, is capable ) electric dishwasher. Rotable shelves are of discharg(l)gg the almost incredible num- | mounted in this washer and areadapted to ber of 260, shots a minute. receive the dishes. Flexible stationary The gun in general appearance resembles a field piece of the modern type. Over the barrel are some cylinders, surrounded by a pressure gauge, and to the rear is a shoulder piece such as is commonly at- tached to rapid fire guns. A little forward of the breech is a fun- nel, down which the bullets are passed into the gun as fast as two men can pour them. Underneath the gun and between the wheels is placed the mechanism by which the propulsive force is generated, This is carefully inclosed, so that no hint of its nature can be obtained, althou:h the presence of tie pressure gauge might be taken as an indication that compressed air is the'mysterious power used. The mechanism, M. Sommery explains, is pnt into action by simply giving a slight oscillating movement to the trail by means of a lever worked by two men, the trail being geared direct fo the mechanism and having no attachment to the axle, as is usually the case. Once started the mechanism is said to generate force enough as long as the motion of the trail is kept up. How the muscular strength of two men could produce power sufficient to throw 260,000 bullets a minute, with a range of about 6000 yards, iz something that the inventor is not yet prepared to ex- plain. He insists, however, that no other source of power 1s used. The power of the weapon seems to vary greatly with the length of the piece, one two feet long giving a muzzle velocity of 864 feeta second, while for the nine-foot form the amazing velocity of 3752 feet is claimed, the bullets in each case being balf an inch in diameter. The inventor insists that his principle | can be applied to canuon of the largest size. A report on the gun was recently made to the Board on Fortifications. Electricity in the Kitchen. In a modern house equipped with elec- tric devices the use of coal and gas is alto- gether obviated. In the kitchen hot water is supplied by a tubular electric boiler. Each water tube of this boiler is wound with wire resistance coils, and when the current is passed through the coils by the turning of a switch the water very soon begins to boil because of the heat gener- ated by the resistance to the electric fluid. Along one side of the room is arranged a polished wood bench, upon which the electric cooking-stove and electric pots and vans are placed. Above this bench is arranged a smoke-trap, provided with an electric fun for creating a suction to draw all the smoke from the room and discharge it into the chimney. The electric stove is heated_by a plate of separated resistance bars. This plate can be raised or lowered in the stove to or from the cooking article to give a greater or less amount of heat. The top of the stove is provided with a window, and an incandescent light illuminates the interior so that the cooking article is in plain sight at all timee. The stove is started and stopped by the simple turning of a switch. The aegree of heat in the oven is regulated in the same manner as in the electric cgrpet. Next to the stove stands an eiectric broiler. This is composed of two hinged frames provided with hollow-spaced bars wipers are arranged over the shelves to wash the dishes as they are carried about by the rotating shelves. The shelves are rotated by a small electric motor and hot water is supplied from the electric boiler. In the bedrooms electrically heated mat- tresses are used on all the beds. These each comprise flexible resistance wires em- hedded in asbestos covering, which are placed in the mattress proper. These mattresses each diffuse a mild, gentle heat, which can be instantly stopped when so desired by turning the electric | current out of the mattress by a suitable | switch. The blankets are also heated in the same | manner by electric resistances: All the | towels are also heated to a ventle warmth by flexible resistance wires embedded in) them, and flexibly connected with the electric cirenit. The combs and brushes are also electrical, and are eachk provided | with their own batteries for generating the current. The bristles of the brush_are of flexible metal, and are connected alter- nately to the positive and negative ele- ments forming the battery in the back of the brush. The use of this brush invigor- ates the scalp and prevents falling of the hair and like complaints. | If the baby should complain during the | night it would only be necessary 1o put | him in the electric cradle, which'is oper- | ated by a small electric motor. The move- | ment of the cradle by the motor also oper- |ates a fan so that on hot summer nights | baby can be rocked to sleep and fanned at | the same time without inconvenience to | any one. All the rocking-chairs through- | out the house are operated by the small | electric motors arranged under the seats. In the dining-room the center of the table is kept constantly revolving by an | electric motor arranged under the same, | and thus the different aishes are brought | successively before each person so that he | may help himself to what he likes. The | front door of the house is provided with an electric lock that may be operated to | open the door from any of the roomsin | the upper stories.—St. Louis Republic. | Utilizing Power. | The engineers of the Marquette Iron Range Railroad have adopted a scheme | for utilizing the power of aloaded train | going down grade. It is proposed to | string a trolley line over the tracks, which | 1all 800 feet in a distance of fifteen miles. | The loaded cars, each carrying twenty-five | tons, will be made up into trains of ten | cars each, and to each train a motor car will be attached. On this car a dynamo | will also be placed, connected with the axles of the car. The descending train will thus generate electricity, which will be conducted to the trolley line, and thence to the motor car of an "ascending train, which will haul back the empty cars. It is said tuat the difference in weight be- tween the empty and ioaded cars will make up for the loss of power due to fric- | tion, leaxage, etc. It is quite probable | that the motor of the down cars could be (used as a dynamo, thus obviating the necessity of an extra machine.—Industrial World. A Shower of Dynamite, Recently numerous schemes have been suggested for the protection of the country j in case of war, and many of which would doubtless prove effective. One of these KITCHEN APPLIANCES. T esciaie | Sennim L TRTITORLING 80N Afifiz B SUECTIVG FRYING Pan CLECTAIC COPFEL POT EuecTaic STovg H. E SAN FRANCISCO CALL, SUNDAY, Y N/ ) >, o S-S5 s schemes, by a Western inventor, H. G. Rich of Des Moines, Iowa, is called an ‘‘aerial torpedo.”” The invention consists of a gas-inflated balloon capable of sus- taining for -any given length of time a weight of 30 or 40 pounds at an altitude of 500 or 1000 feet. In the basket of the balloon is placed an electrical device, the purpose of which is to ignite the gas of the balloon, eausing it to explode atany de- sired time. In addition to this device there ig placed in the basket a store of dynamite or other explosive, designed to explode on striking the earth. The man- agement of the torpedo is described as very easy and simple, a corporal’s guard being sufficient. The outfit is compact and simple, and a large number can be carried by a few men or a pack animal. The gas to inflate the balloon is carried in light metal cylinders, enough being compressed in_one cylinder to inflate a number of aerial torpedoes. The torpedo is used by approaching near to the camp or besieged city, where the torpedo is desired to take effect, and, after ascertaining the direction of the lower air current and the velocity per hour, the len:th of time it will take to carry the balloon over the objective point is deter- mined, and the electrical device set at the proper hour or minute. After the torpedo is released the electrical device will ignite the gas of the balloon, causing it to ex- plode, when the torpedo will fall to the earth. The explosive, striking the earth or other hard substance, will cause serious damage in that locality. In the siege of cities this aerial tor‘;aedo will be especially effective, as no defense can be made against it, and it can be used in the night as well as the day and by a few men of ordinary intelligence. An Electric Pocket-Lamp. In the January number of the Popular Science News an electric cane was de- scribed, which serves the double purpose of walking-stick or lamp. Much interest was excited in the ingenious device--the invention of Herr Vohwinkel, a clever Austrian—and as much will doubtless be arcused now by hisapplication of the same principle to an electrical pocket-lamp. The lamp is made in several shapes and sizes. The eommon form, shown in Fig. 1, looks very much like a pocket-flask; and really it wouldn’t be a bad idea for temperance agitators to lay in a supply for distribution among irreclaimable drunk- ards. Sir Toby Belch would place it to his lips and tip it up, but instead of the tempting liquor there would gush forth a blaze like a realization of the fiery sym- bolism of anti-saloon oratory. The other form—see fig. 2—resembles a pocket telescope, and is fitted with lenses and reflectors, which augment its illumin- ating powers considerably. The light is furnished by a small incan- descent bulb; the battery is of the kind commonly known as a revolyer battery, somewhat resembling the cylinder of a revolver, giving a current of four to five amperes with an intensity of six volts. {See sectioral view, fig. 1). The flask light is covered with a knob of heavy ground glass, to prevent breakage of the bulb; in the telescope pattern this is sufficiently protected by the casing of the lenses and reflectors, The acid is in the lower part—the reser- voir of the device, one might say. Whena light is wanted the lamp is tilted forward, and the fluid, reaching the poles of the battery, generates the current. One filling insures one and a half hours’ continuous light, There is no waste when the light is not in use; so this hour and a half of illumination can be distributed as re- quired. Electric Light on a Trawler. The use of electric lamps for drawing fish into the fisherman’s net is now an old story, but the owners of trawling vessels have found that this is not by any means the only profitable use that can be made of the electric light in conjunction with their industry. A trawler recently gut into Ab- erdeen, Scotland, which is probably, so far as internal fittings and lighting are con- cerned, the best equipped fishing-boat in the world. She put into Aberdeen to dis- charge her catch, and the work was car- ried on under the electric light, which is fitted throughout the vessel. Incandescent lamps are_placed in the engine-room und in the various berths, while on deck three lamps are fixed on the geckhouse, one a1 each side of the bridge, and u masthead light. A iarge lamp, containing five branches, can be moved to any part of the ship at convenience. The current is gen- erated by a dynamo belted to the eng/‘ne. Some Gigantic Photographs, The largest photographs that have ever been made, if we are correctly informed, were those used in Baltimore's Columbia BRACAZT MEATER parade, in the fall of 1892. They repre- sented scenes in the life of Columbus, and were used decorations for the float of St. Pius Parish in the parade mentioned. The largest one of the Iot, a co of Gribayedoff’s ‘‘Columbus Before Ferdi- nand and Isabella,” was nine feet longand six feet wide. This photographic triumph was made by a special process. The pat- ent belongs to Photographer W, H, Weaver of Baltimore. An Electric Yacht. A writer in the New York Sun thus de- seribes the electric yacht being builg by John Jacob Astor, the millionaire: The boat, which has not yet been named, will be seventy-two feet over all, twelve feet beam and four feet draught. She will be built in secret under a shed, ana will be fitted with twin screws, which are to be run by two electric motors capable of ae- veloping at least fifty horsepower. The new boat is expected to have a maximum speed of sixteen miles an hour, with the motors revolving 1000 times a minute. Her ordinary speed will be about ten to twelve miles an hour, and it is claimed her batteries will run ten hours without recharging. The power will be supplied by 480 cells. The cells as well as the motors are placed entirely below the floor, thus occupying none of the cabin space, so that the entire room of the boat is unobstructed and clear for accommodations. The entire boat, decks, planking and exterior finish, will be of polished mahogany, except the gun- wales, which are of quartered oak. There is also a Jow brass railing worked around the decks at each end, while all the other deck fittings will be of polished bronze. The hull is of a peculiar form, having a channelway for each of the propellers, to cnable them to work in solid water. There will be two Tobin bronze centerboards, which may be raised or lowered by electric capstans from the promenade deck. The boat will be fitted with electric cap- stans, and there will also be a large air chamber, connected with air pumps, to supply air for blowing the whistles, which will consist of an elaborate outfit of chimes. It will also be fitted with a hand bilge pump, as well as electric-driven pumps for APRIL 19, 1896 course the conduit will not be underground, but submarine; in other respects, however, itis very similar to the ordinary under- ground electric conduit spstem asitis now in use in this country and Europe. New Use of Glass in Building. By a new process glass is made to repre- sent a highly polished wood when viewed from the exterior, and when looked at from the interior of the house givesasemi- transparent and very handsome effect. In the veneering process the glass, which may be either ghin or ground, is clouded with a liquid dye, which 1s appliea with a sponge in such a way as 10 repre- sent the grain of the wood which it is de- sired to imitate. After shading has been softened the grain is made clear and fast by an application of photographer’s var- | nisb. The glass is then heated slightly to prevent the shadings from merging, and the yarious shades of dye required are ap- plied with a syringe. A final coat of pho- tographer’s varnish is then added, which zncreasea the brilliancy and protects the yes. Fishing by Electricity. ‘We described the other day the aston- ishing evolutions of tadpoles subjected to the action of an induction current. L’Etin- celle Electrique now gives us the means of utilizing the same effects in the case of fishes: “In the glass prison of an aquarium swim peacefully several small fish. You approach, armed with two metal plates, connected to the two poles of a small Ruhmkorff coil. “You plunge the two plates in the aquarium, one on each side, at A and B. The innocent victims, suspecting nothing of your evil designs, manifest at first a lit- tle fear, mingled with curiosity, but soon resume the peaceiul course of their grace- ful evolutions. “The zincs of your battery having been lowered so as just to touch tKe liquid, and the screw of your coil regulated so that its point is not in perfect contact with the vi- brator, you draw the latter over against MR. i Qg/\‘_. ASTOR’S ELECTRIC YACHT. freeing the boat from water in case of leak- age. g'l‘he accommodations consist of a cock- pit forward 11 feet long, titted with seats and windows on either side and bent glass windows in the forward end. Itis also fit- ted with steering wheel and independent controllers for handlinfi each of the pro- pellers, spirit compass, binnacle, speaking tubes and electric bells. There is a stair- way on either side at the after end of the cockpit leading to to the main deck. The seats will be upholstered in leather, and all joiner work, as well as window-casings, shutters, etc., will be'of mahogany. Next abaft comes the saloon, 8 feet long and the entire width of the boat, fitted on either side with seats arranged to unfold and form wide berths. They will be beau- tifully upholstered with brocatelle and velvet and fitted with drawers under same and finished in elaborate gcld trimmings, Next abaft the saloon is the owner’s stateroom, seven feet long, extending the full width of the boat. The berths are arranged on either side so asto fold up much the same as in the saloon, with drawers fitted underneath. These berths will be beautifully upholstered in bro- caded satin in harmonizing colors. At the forward end is a large clothespress on either side, while at the after end there is # plate-glass mirror on each side. Con- necting with the stateroom is a commodi- ous private toilet fitted with bath, closet, folding wash-basin and fresh-water tank. The toilet-room will be finished in quar- tered oak and elaborately glazed tiling. In addition to her electric battery Mr. Astor’s new yacht will be rigged as a schooner and will have a good-sized sail Elsn for use in case her machinery is disa- led. The sails consists of fore and mai sails and jib and will be made of the best quality of full-bleached cotton duck of ap- propriate weight. Color Photography. A method, differing radically from those hitherto employed, has been devised, and is interesting for its novelty, and is seem- ingly practicable. The plan is to have the color on the sensitized paper before printing—red, green and blue lines ruled in alteration, 300 or more to the inch. A sheet of paper thus prepared appears faintly tinted, and would almost pass for white. The negative is made behind a | colorea screen, ruled in exactly the same way. Superimposed upon the paper in the perfect register, the negative is then used for printing, and, owing to the chemi- cal action which ensues, the color is fixed wherever the light falls, and may be dis- solved off from those spots upon which the light has not fallen. For instance, a red point in the object photographed re- | flects a ray of red light which encounters a red line on the screen before the nega- tive and fails to get through. This same point remains transparent after develop- ment, and will thus allow a red point on the printing paper to be acted upon and become fixed. Similarly with yellow and blue colors.—Yale Scientific Monthly. Propelling Vessels by Electricity. The first patent for the electric pro- pulsion of vessels has just been granted by the United States Patent Office to E, R. Le Sueur of Ottawa, Canada, and if the gentleman is successful in practically working out and demonstrating the feasi- o The Apparatus. bility as well as the commercial advantage of his echeme the chances are that it will not be long before the great Atlantic Ocean steamers which now Fly between New York and Liverpool will have been trans- formed into electric ships. The means for electric propulsion of a vessel, | conslninf of a conduit located beneath the | surface of the water, & conductor in said con- duit, insulated fluid of greater specific gravity than water within seid conduit and a contact or collecting device electrically connecting said conductor with the current-using device of the vessel. The above is an extract from the patent specifications and the clzims made by the inventor, as well as a sketch of the device of this, the first patented method for elec- trically propelling vessels on record. It will be obterved upon examining the invention, that it is the intention of the inyentor to utilize the conduit system, Of the coil and then let go. There result a few vibrations each followed by a contact, and consequently by the sending of a few brief induction” currents through the liquid of the aquarium, The fish seem struck with madness. With an expres- sion, which if you are a physiognomist you will certainly find to be that of aston- ishment, they execute a frenzied saraband in their prison. “But this is only a foretaste of what awaits the poor creatures, victims of your passion for electro-physiology. “‘Immerse your zincs entirely and screw up the vibrator-screw so that the coil wil work normally. Then there is no more anger among the poor fish, but resigna- Action of an Alternating Current on Fish tion. As soon as they pass between the two fatal plates they rise to the surface. bellies upward. The effect is very striking and curious to observe. ‘‘Nevertheless, 1t 1s only the appearance of death, perhaps only atrick. If you have not used a very powerful batfery wheneyer the current ceases, whenever ou stog the vibrating hammer with your nger, the fishes turn over, and as soon as you let the vibrator go they turn belly upward again and rise once more to the surface.”” Racing Day at Billville. 'Twas racin’ day at Billville—the mules was all in line, The 1gckcys lookin’ happy an’ the bettors feelin’ ne; An’ them that didn’t have the cash jest staked their corn an’ hay, An’ many a bale o' cotton come nigh changin’ hands that day. There was mules that come from Texas; Kentucky her share, An’ stubborn representatives from North Ca'liny there: An’ the fine old Georgia article that went clean through the war 8tood solemn by, a-wonderin’ what the crowd was waitin' for. The fym was out in caliker, the men in cotton ans. feans, The Joneses an’ the Jenkinses, the Johnsons and the Greens: The parson left campmeetin’ an’ took the highest seat, An’ sorter give 'em pointers on the critters that would beat. ‘The Mayor was interested—the Sheriff took his stand: The Judge looked down the racetrack like he saw the promised land; An’ twenty solemn deacons broke the Methodistic rules An’ sorter bet in private, with an “Amen!” for the mules. The groceryman closed up his store, the farmer left his crop; *Peared like the world was waltin’ for the handker- chief to drop! The jockeys—they were mounted an’ ready for the ron; An’ now they got the signal, an’ the world was full orfun! They spurred an’ spurred an’ beat an’ banged them ‘mules from left to right; It jest 'peared like hoss racin’ weren't thelr usual delight! Some wouidn't go beyond & trot an’some set out to bray: Some backed their ears, then backed theirselves an’ went the other way! Some kicked the benches over, some reared around an’ throwed The miserable jockeys in the middle o’ the road! ‘made An’ others turned an’ for home, a-brayin’ Jong an’ loud, Sopranner to the tenor o' that disapp'inted crowd! Then the descons felt uneasy—said the jockeys they was fool ‘The parson preached a sermont on the stubborn- ness of mules; The S?flfl I':Jsi up in his wrath an’ jerked his coat an’ vest, An’ beat the mule he bet on an’ levied on the rest ! A Giant Indeed. Colonel Cockerill writes to the New York Herald from Hongkong: “Unless I am mistaken the people of the United States are in a fair way to enjoy an ethnological treat. 1meta young American here the other day who is on the trail of a Chinese giant who lives in the interior avout 100 miles from Canton. This fellow is a peas- ant and he has a stature vouched to be ten feet and a half—American feet, mina ou. My recollection is that the giant %hlng, whom China sent to us eome years ago, was only a fraction over seven feet. I'have seen a person who has seen this new Chinese Blunderiore, and he will not knock off an inch on his height. He measures ten feet and a half. He is said TREE GROWING T “Z “Z 2 5 — HROUGH A BOAT. [From a sketch.) to be much ashamed of himself on ac- count of his inconvenient prolongation, and he will probably be averse to_exhibit- ing himself in foreign countries; but if he can be induced to go traveling his man- agers will certainly secure a snug fortune. Wasps Commit Suicide. A short time ago, says Popular Science News, M. Henry, being curious to see the effect of benzine on a wasp, put some of it under a glass in which one was impris- oned. The wasp immediately showed signs of great annoyance and anger, darting at a piece of paper which had intro- duced the benzine into his cell. By and by he seems to have given up the unequal contest in despair, for helay down on his back, and, bending up his lbdomen.gxlan!ed his sting thrice nto his body, and then died. M. Henry allowed his scientific interest to overcome his humanity s> far as to repeat the ex- veriment with three wasps, only to find that the other two did likewise. He is therefore of opinion that wasps, under desperate circumstances, commit suicide. Various Notes. The Soar family of Ambaston, Derby- shire, Kngland, have a curious heirloom n the shape of a loaf of bread which is now over 600 years old. ' The founders of the family, it appears, were great friends of King John. When that monarch died he made several land grants to the Soars. One of these tracts, it appears, bad always been conveyed with a loaf of bread asa witness of ‘good faith. When King John made over the papers to the original Soar “‘writings,” and the deed and the loaf are both ke&t to this day as sacred relics. The Hangarian crown, the royal head- dress worn at their accession by all the Austrian Emperors, is the identical one made for Stephen and used by him at the | time of his coronation more than 800 years ago. It is of pure gold and weighs nine | marks and six ounces (about fourteen | | pounds, avoirdupois). It is adorned with | fifty-three sa ';gh"“' fifty rubies, one emerald and }) pearls, but no diamonds, it being a notion of the royal Stephen that diamonds were unlucky. The largest oak tree now standing in Great Britain is that known as the “‘Cow- thorpie.” Tt is 78 feet in circumference at the ground and about 146 feet high. | The most expensive carpet in the world | is now ou the shelves of the Gobelins’ fac- | tory. It is worth $30,000, and was made | during the years 1869 and 1870. It was ordered for Napoleon III, but was un- | finished when ‘the Franco-Prussian war broke out. When that war was finished he had no use for it. 2 Careful scientitic observation shows that | the average sgoed of the transmission of an earthquake shock is 16,600 feet per | second. | JAmong the latest inventions which | Yankee genius has given the world is a doorknob which renders a latchkey super- | | fluous. By rotating the knob in the same | manner as a_safe lock until the proper combination is secured the door can be opened. An ingenious man has invented a device | for feeding his horse, and he does it with | one of the ordinary alarm-clocks. For in- ! stance if the horse is to haye its morning | feed of grain at 5 o’clock the alarm is set, | | and when the morning comes the horse | gets its breakfast before its owner's eyes are open. It is so arranged that thealarm pulls the slide, letting the grain run | through a sluice to a manger. H Ramie cloth treated with tar has been | successfully employed in France as a| | material for machine belting. Thus pre- | pared it is unaffected by water, steam or | acids, and endures _almost any amount of | friction. A beltof double leather 150 milli- | meters wide gave way under a tension of | 3821 kilos; of the best cotton, under 5976 | kilos; while one of ramie of the same | width required 12,000 kilos to break it. | velopment of the art of making paper use- | | ful. " These poles are made of paper pulp, | in which borax, tallow, etc., are mixed in | | small quantities. The pulp is cast in a | mold, with a core in the center, forming a hollow rod in the desired length, the cross pieces being held by key-shaped wooden ieces driven in on either side of the pole. be paper poles are said to be lighter and stronger than those of wood and to be un- affected by sun, rain, dampness or any of the other causes which shorten the life of | | a wooden pole. The idea of copper-toed shoes was pat- ented Jannary 5, 1858, by a Maine genins | who made $100,000 out of it. Another similar invention which made a great deal of money was the metal button-fastener | for shoes, invented and introduced by Heaton of Providence. At the time it was considered a fine invention, for the old sewed button was continually coming off. It has gradually grown. issgepularity since its introduction in 1 il.now very few shoes with hutww"kihflnuhctured without the Heaton improvements and appliance. ‘Wooden trestle structures in the United States aggregate 2000 miles in length and represent an expenditure of $60,000,000. As they must be replaced about once in nine years the nnnnnf outlay is about $7,000,000. Commissioner of Public Werks Collis of New York will not permit the street-paving to be torn up for the purpose of laying pifea and wires oftener than once a year. t is reported from France that the fresh juice of the poppy plant applied to recent bee stings gives immediate relief | and prevents inflammation. Deep and rapid breathing is recom- mended as a means of stopping hiccough. Tricycles for mail collectors will be used in Chicago. From twelve to thirteen miles is the computed range of the most powerful guns now made, and to obtain that range an elevation of nearly forty-five degrees is | found to be necessary. are more depended upon at the present day than extreme length of range, and in this respect what is considered the most wonderiul of Euns, perhaps, is one of the Maxims, which can fire uas many as 600 soldier can carry it strapped to his back. In_the reémrt of the Fuedlinburg Gas and Water Company it is stated that the saving in the cost of pumping with gas- engines, as compared with steam, takin the last year in which steam was used an. the second with gas, was 42 per cent. No eye, says the scientific writer, has ever seen real fire. The flame is leaping in strange, fantastic form, fifteen or twenty inches upward from the coal, and with it is a good deal of black, sooty smoke. The sooty smoke and the flames are one and the same, with only a difference of tem- ?ernmre. The soot which forms the flame s redhot. Every particle of the flame is a redhot coal or a particle of carbon. The real fire we do not see. | he sent the traditional loaf along with the | aick-firing guns | shots a minute, and yet is so hght thata | TREE GROWING IN A BOAT. Strange Sight on the Shore Not Far From Benicia. On the shore of Suisun Bay, between the Carquinez Straits and Benicia, a most | unusual sight can be seen, It is grotesque in the extreme, but there is nothing mys- | terious nor apparently impossible about it. It is that of a tree growing in the hateh of the wreck of a sloop. What the name of the sloop was or the length of time it has been lying in its present position are things past finding | ont. When the vessel was in good shape she was a_ craft of about forty feet in | length and eight feet beam. Judging | from her lines and manner of construc- | tion she was a vessel with good sailing | qualities. | ~When abandoned she was hauled onto | the mud at high tide and has since sunk | 80 deep as to become immovable. The | place where the hull is stuck 1s what | would be called good ‘“‘tule land,”” as tnere |is a fine growth of that reed in the vi- | cimty. The bottom of the boat has rotted away and they have formed guite a growth | inside the hull, large numbers of them | poking through the batches. A peculiar thing will be noticed in the growth and | that is that they grow straight up as stiff | as a bayonet instead of having the grace- ful sweep so common under ordinary con- | ditions. How the tree came to grow in the boat is a mystery, but most likely the seed blew into the old hull from some of the | trees on the surrounding hillsides. Close examination would be a difficult and dis | agreeable matter, but. seen from shore it appears to be a specimen of live oak. It | bas attained a height of about ten feet | above the deck of the wreck and appears to have a healthy growth. Such a thing would not be possible a littie farther down, as the water is too salt, but on the shores of Suisun Bay the conditions are Lnst right. The air is warm most of the year and fertility has undoubtedly been given to the soil by the decaying wood in the bottom of the sloop. IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY. of That Queer Superstitions Time. That it is very ill lucke to have a hare crosse one in the high way. That to have yellow speckles on the nailes of ones hand is a great signe of death. That when the | left cheeke burnes, it is a sign some bodie talkes well of you, but if the right cheeke burres it is a signe of ill. That when a mans nose bleeds but a drop or two, it is a signe of ill lucke. That when 8 mans nose bleeds, but one drop, and at the left nostril, it is a signe of good lucke, but on the right ill. That if a man stumbles in a morning as soone as he comes out of dores, it is a signe of ili lucke. That if a man walking in the fields finds any foure-leaved grasse he shall in a small while after finde some good thing. That itis not good to put on a new sute, pare ones nailes or begin anything on a Chil- dermas day. That 1f a man be drowsie it is a signe of ill lucke. Thatit is a signe of ill lucke to finde money. That it is naught foraman or woman to lose their hose garter. That it is a verv unfortunate thing for a man to meete early in the morning an il- favoured man or woman, a rough-footed Hen, a shag-haird Dogge, or a blacke Cat, That 1t is a signe of death to some 1n that Some | house, where Crickets have bin many yeeres, if on a sudden they forsake the Chimney Corner. That if a man dream of egs or fire he shall heare of anger; that to dreame of the devil 1s good lucke; that to dreame of gold ood lucke, but of silver 1ll; that if a man Be born in the daytime he shall b unfortunate; that if a child be born with Paper telegraph poles are the latest de- |3 Caule on his head he shall be very fortunate, That when the palme of the right hand itcheth, it is a shrewd sign he shall re- ceive money. That it is a great signe of ill lucke, if Rats gnaw a mans cloathes. That it is naught for any man to give a paire of Knives to his sweetheart, for feare it cuts away all love that is between them. That it is ill lucke to have the salt-seller fall towards you.—Notes and Queries. s The Caspian Sea is 650 feet below the level of the ocean. NEW TO-DAY. ITS VERY NICE. FRIEDE A PACKAGE OF CREAN CHOCOLATE —WITH OUR— MONEY-SAVING TEAS, COFFEES, SPICES! COLIMA BAKING POWDER. Our 50¢ Teas Cost 75¢ Elsewhere. Our 35¢ Teas Cost 50¢ Elsewhere. EXTRA PREMIUMS GIVEN AWAY. Great American Tmporting Tea Co.’s 1344 Market st., S. F. 965 Market st., S. F. 140 Sixth st., 5. 017 Kearny st., . 1419 Poll st.. 5. F. ik ontgomery ave,, 333 Hayes st., 5. F. = 146 Ninth 218 Thil | | ' MONEY- st., S. F. | SAVING 3006 Sixteenth st. 104 Second st., S. 3259 Mission st., S. F. 52 Market st., S.F. 917 Broadway, Oakian: d. 1053 Washington st., Oak’d. 131 San Pablo ave., Oakl'd. | STORES: ‘ 1355 Park st., Alameda. INPORTING FOR AND OPERATING 100 STORES ENABLES US TO SAVE YOU MONEY. MONEY SAVED EVERY DAY, NO SPECIAL DAY.