Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 May 1877 — FACTS AND FIGURES. [ARTICLE]

FACTS AND FIGURES.

Minnie shares are depreciating very fast in California. . In 1876, California produced over seven million gaPons of wine. IT posts SSOO to send a car-load of fruit from California to Boston. Berlin, by the late census, Is found to have 1,000,809 inhabitants. Six milijon acres are devoted to fruit culture in the United States Ths! total length of the Dutch railroads is 900 miles. Tue first lines were opened in 1888. During the month of March, 150 ships passed through the Suez Canal. The receipts of the company amounted to SBIB,000. Sxventeek hundrkd women have petitioned the Legislature of Massachusetts to confer upon them and their sisters the right of suffrage. From Dec. 11, 1869, to March 81 last, the names of over 200,000 persons were placed on the register of habitual criminals in England and Wales. England’s leading Jockey is a lad of eighteen, who rode 657 races in 1876, and won 217. He has gained a little fortune of $40,000 or $50,000. His name is Fred Archer For the past ten years men have been boring in the Sutro tunnel of the Rocky Mountains, and it is thought by the engineers in charge that about Feb. 1, 1878, the Savage mine will be reached. The “ header” of the tunnel is now in some thing like 16,500 feet from the mouth. The total distance from the mouth of the tunnel to the Savage mine is about 19,500 feet, so that there remains about 8,000 feet to be bored. The use of electrical power is frequently spoken of as a substitute for steam, but it should bo borne in mind that so long as the electric power depends upon a galvanic battery it must be much more costly than steam-power,' inasmuch as the combustible consumed in the battery is zinc, a substance necessarily much more expensive than coal. If in the production of the electric current a natural force could be utilized, the question would assume a totally different aspect. — Chicago Times. At a recent meeting of the Societe d'Encouragement pour I’lndustrie Nationale, M. Moutenat exhibited metallic tubes which emit sounds when burning coal is placed in the interior. The sound is modified when the place occupied by the coal has been changed. A copper tube Into which metallic gauze has been introduced also emits musical sounds. M. Moutenat is preparingto build large tubes for the International Exhibition of 1878. He hopes the sounds may be heard at a great distance, and, if successful, he intends to propose this method instead of steam whistles for warning on the sea coasts.