Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 April 1916 — SCRAPS [ARTICLE]

SCRAPS

The meat packing industry of this country leads all others in extent. A new-born kangaroo is not much larger than a medium-sized thumb. One of the little known races of the world are the Samoyeds, a Mon-golian-Russ people who live on the northern outskirts of Mongolia, whither they were pushed centuries ago by the Tarta tribes. It is entirely probable that these know nothing whatever of the present world war.

Rubber, which was introduced into Europe in 1735, was used first for pencil erasers, next in waterproofing cloth and finally in solution, as a cement, though by now, its vulcanized forms, especially that which goes into motor car tires, takes precedence over all others in point of quantity consumed. If we could build up a solid column of ice from the earth to the sun two miles and x a half in diameter, spanning the intervening distance of 93,000,000 miles, and if the sun should concentrate its entire power upon it, it would dissolve in a single second, according to a calculation made by Professor Young.

The only school for stage children in this country is run in connection with the Rehearsal club in New York, an ’organisation of theatrical women. The classes are arranged to meet the hours of child actors and actresses, and capable instructors give their time and effort gratis to instrutcing the youthful thespians. Kansas is carrying on a brisk discussion as to rhe correctness of calling a certain ailment “springhalt,” the alternative being to call the trouble “stringhalt,” which many adhere to. The latest Webster dictionary plays no favorites in the matter, although one of many years ago has beep dug up which gives preference to “stringhalt” and calls the other form a corruption.

True cats, larger than the modern tiger, short legged rhinoceroses, mastodons with tusks in both the upper and x lower jaw and a great variety of wolf-like carnivora made their home in Nebraska some years ago, or, to be exact, in the tertiary period when that state wag an expanse of swampy lowland, covered with vegetation not unlike that of the Amazon wildernesses of the present day. Singing Insects and reptiles are great pets with the Japanese, and many varieties are caged and trained for the delight of their almondeyed masters, it being said that Crown Prince Hirohito himself keeps a private stock pt kajika, or singing frogs. The favorite singing insect is the kantan. a species of locust, which must always be kept in the shade and never sprinkled with water if he is to 7 vocalize.

Theatry in New York range in seating capacity from the tiny Bandbox, with 299, to the Hippodrome, with 5,200. The Punch and Judy, the Little theatre and the Princess give their capacities as the same as the Bandbox, while the Metropolitan opera house has room for 3.366 and the Century for 2,906. Springfield has one of the largest vaudeville houses in New England, which seats only a dozen or so less than 3,000 people. The employment of women as machinists has been successful, judging from the quantity and quality of the work turned out in some British establishments which were depleted by the men leaving for the seat of war. Some 800 in all are so employed. In one case where there are 300 girls 60 men are needed for tool-setting, setting-up work and other cases where strength is required. Some . of the women have been at the work since May, 1915. Women superintendents are in charge day and night, i Not only are products turned out to 1 gauge, but the average output is re- ' ported wonderfully high. The last report of the Smithsonian astrophysical observatory notes considerable progress in the work of the observing stations maintained by this observatory on Mt. Wilson. Cal., which is also the site of apparatus. Tower telescope observations where a 40-foot tower is being equip; ed with a tower telescope for use when observing, with the spectroblometer. the distribution of radiation over the sun's disk. The observatory obtained a congressional appropriation of $2,000 for this apparatus. Towertelescope observations are now made at seven different wave-lengths of the spectrum on each day that solar constant measurements are secured