Curious Odds and Ends From The World In 19th Century Snips
A miscellany notes London banning cart dogs in 1839 and parades of humor about laughter. Professor Emil Yung counts five ant nests totaling 53 018 67 470 12 933 93 694 and 47 828. New York has 1522 polling places near Nebraska and North Carolina counts. Wine in Bordeaux sells at a cent a quart amid harvest shortages. Hawaiian natives avoid begging while beggars are mainly poorer Portuguese residents.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Emil Yung
Geneva
Switzerland
New York City
Nebraska
North Carolina
Centenarian Blacksmith Climbs Steeple To Ring Bell
In Kerschdorf near Heidelberg a 91 year old blacksmith and church warden scaled the church steeple to replace the bell rope after younger villagers refused the hazard. The feat highlights the elder’s bold resolve and local readiness to protect the church’s call.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Kerschdorf
Heidelberg
Swedish professor studies musk oxen for acclimatization
Prof Kolthoff of Sweden, recently back from Greenland with two musk oxen, believes these animals can be acclimatized in northern Sweden. He notes they adapt to food like the American goat that consumes oyster cans, and observes a full-grown ox weighs 1400 to 1500 pounds with flesh that makes good eating.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Kolthoff
Sweden
Greenland
Regent telephoto improvement shortens exposure times
Telegraphic description notes that telephoto cameras now require shorter exposures due to a tube with a positive and a negative lens placed in front of the standard lens. This design reduces the difficulty of capturing images quickly, matching the speed of ordinary cameras.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Regent
Fast Liverpool to Manchester Rail Carriage Plan
An electric railway for swift passenger transport is proposed between Liverpool and Manchester. The system would use a single elevated rail with cars suspended from it. Projectors claim trains could cover the about twenty nine miles in fifteen minutes, about 115 miles per hour.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Liverpool
Manchester
Bermuda Islands: Remnant of a Much Larger Ancient Island
Professor A. E. Verrill argues Bermuda is the submerged remnant of a once extensive island. The original landmass covered 300 to 400 square miles, now reduced to about 20. Subsidence of 80 to 100 feet occurred in historical recent times. The base lies on an ancient volcano, with a surface of shell sand shaped into hills by wind and cemented by infiltration.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
A. E. Verrill
Bermuda Islands
Bermudas
Prof. Verrill
Philadelphia Times
Captain Emmerson Leader of Confederate Guerrillas Dies
Captain S. P. Emmerson, who died in Denver, led a company of irregular Confederate guerrillas who aimed to seize Chicago. He escaped capture by stealing a horse and fleeing. Known for daring raids, he befriended the James brothers and never recovered from the Confederacy’s fall.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
S. P. Emmerson
Denver
Chicago
Emmerson
Quantrell
Morgan
Moseby
Kentucky
James Boys
Alabama Population Rises to 1 828 697 in 1900 Census
The Census Bureau released Alabama’s 1900 population at 1,828,697, up 315,680 since 1890 or 20.8 percent. The decade's growth outpaced 1880 to 1890, while density rose to 35.4 persons per square mile. The 1900 figure dwarfs the 1820 census, Alabama’s first after statehood.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Census Bureau
Alabama
Greece Has Double Earthquake Frequency vs Japan
A report from the director of the National Observatory at Athens notes that earthquakes are about twice as frequent in Greece as in Japan when area is considered. Japan has long been regarded as the land of earthquakes and its quakes are generally more severe, though Greece’s monumental architecture has suffered significant seismic damage.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
National Observatory At
Athens
Greece
Japan
Cow rescued after four tries ends with derrick accident
A Wallace Titts worth cow fell into a fourteen foot well in Clove Valley New Jersey. Workers used a derrick to raise her repeatedly. on the fourth attempt the derrick toppled causing Martin D. Lewis to suffer a skull fracture.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Wallace Tittsworth
Clove Valley
N. J
Martin D. Lewis
Pen production uses vast steel for millions of pens
A pen is a small item but requires substantial steel. factories produce about a ton of steel to yield roughly 1,500,000 pens.
Up-to-Date Hints on Wheat Varieties and Uses
Prof. Hitchcock of Kansas Agricultural College reviews three main wheat groups: One-grained wheat, Polish wheat, and common wheat with Spelt. He details subraces such as Emmer, English, Durum, Dwarf, and common wheat, noting uses from bread to macaroni and mush, and reports on trials at the Kansas Experiment Station.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
A. 8. Hitchcock
Kansas Agricultural College
Spain
Europe
Poland
Italy
Abyssinia
Russia
U. S. Department of Agriculture
Egypt
Greece
Roman Empire
Dicoccum
M. A. Carleton
United States Department of Agriculture
John A. Salzer Seed Company
Speltz
Kansas Experiment Station
Mediterranean
England
Chile
Turkestan
Horticultural Observations on Fruit Exports and Wisconsin Meetings
Consular reports from Germany show rising demand for American dried apples peaches and raspberries with prices key to market hold. Horticultural Society of Southern Illinois to meet November 27 28 at Kinmundy to discuss apple growing prospects and storage preparation for long distance transit.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Germany
Mason
Berlin
The
Horticultural Society of Southern Illinois
Kinmundy
Farmers’ Review
Southern Illinois
Illinois
Forestry progress and fruit storage research noted
The article discusses temperature requirements for fruit storage and evolving storage methods. It also cites a United States forestry commission finding that the country’s wooded area is much larger than previously thought, rising from 26 percent to 87 percent, and notes that eastern forests in Vermont and Connecticut resemble their historical extent due to less extensive fires.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
United States Forestry Commission
Vermont
Connecticut
Grass as Nature's Forgiveness and Power Across Time
The text extols grass as a resilient, omnipresent force that heals battle scars and floods of winter, sustains earth, shapes climate, and quietly governs nations. It emphasizes grass’s subterranean vigor, its role in preventing erosion, and its enduring, unframed beauty beyond flowers.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
John J. Ingalls
The Soy Bean Benefits and Planting Guidance
The soy bean thrives with good soil moisture and tolerates poor land or dry seasons. It resists chinch bugs and other pests, has a deep extensive root system, and fixes nitrogen for the soil. It fits short rotations where clover or alfalfa fail and yields a paying crop. Prepare land like corn, avoid deep lasting plows, lift ground, and plant soon after plowing to outpace weeds.
Crimson Clover In The North Aids And Limits
North growers report crimson clover struggles due to warmer climate needs and unsuitable growth conditions. Red clover in the North remains more profitable, though experimentation is encouraged for local exceptions. In the South poor soil inoculation hinders health, suggesting using water from thrifty fields to inoculate soils.
Maturity of Hogs Variation and Modern Breeding
Hogs vary in maturity with some claiming hogs grow until five or six years, but modern breeding tends to earlier maturation. Most swine now mature in a little over a year and reach marketable size in ten months or less. For breeding stock, rapid maturation is advised through targeted feeding.
Saltpeter to kill trees discussed in letters
A reader cites an Australian letter on using saltpeter to burn and kill trees by filling holes with the chemical and water. The note asks for experiences, debates stump destruction, and suggests stump pullers may be more effective. Readers are urged to share knowledge.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
United States
The Value of Sod in Pastures and Meadows
An editorial argues that sod quality, not just blue grass, determines pasture and meadow productivity. It urges diverse grasses for pasture and single-species meadow sod, stressing consistent care and manure. It warns neglect harms farm profits and urges farmers to track sod-related receipts.
Sunlit design for ideal hog houses with movable interiors
A writer argues hog houses must receive ample sun and good air flow. Sunlight from the south reaches the back of pens to boost production, while dry floors, efficient manure removal, and movable pens with swinging gates allow flexible pig management.
Grape Crop of France Report from Nimes
A Nimes correspondent reports a large wine sale with prices lower than in three decades. Barrels sold for 1.50 to 3 dollars per 110 quarts, as grapes swell and ripen. Growers fear finding barrels to house the plentiful purple harvest.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
France
Nimes
Wheat yields can double with proper farming methods
Reports from agricultural colleges show the average wheat yield nationally at about 13 bushels per acre, while in some states and Oklahoma experiments yield 26 to 60 bushels per acre. The text argues best practices on a small scale can be applied broadly to boost production.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Oklahoma
Bar Harbor hotel charges spark railroad official’s joke
A Cleveland railroad man and city official visiting Bar Harbor finds the hotel clerk’s $17 room fee plus $24 meals and $10 weekly maid charge ironically high as he tests the bluff. The tale appears alongside humorous bits from Pearson’s Magazine about engagements and reform.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Cleveland Plain Dealer
Bar Harbor
Cleveland
Dan Daly
The Fox and the Deer
A bear chairs an animal meeting proposing to raise funds to bribe a hunter to leave the area. A blank subscription is prepared and the fox suggests passing it to the buck, noting the buck has the doe.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Cleveland Plain Dealer
Complied with His Request at Dinner Table
In Brooklyn Life a humorous scene unfolds as G. Ormandizer struggles to carve the first turkey his wife has cooked. He jokes about thick bones while his wife frets, recalling his vow to stuff the bird with oysters.
Never Blows It Says Mr Tightpaper About Money
A compact dialogue notes that Mr Tightpaper always talks about cash but never achieves financial stability. The exchange contrasts confidence with repeated financial lapses and instability.
Misaddressed Names Sparked Brief Acquaintance
In a humorous exchange from Punch, Miss Carimple asks to avoid formality, while Mr. Brookes objects to being called Mr. Brookes. The pair quibble over proper address as their quick acquaintance unfolds with light wit. Somerset reveals his surname during the banter.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Carimple
Mr. Brookes
Somerset
Cutting It: A Quip On Presidential Acceptance
A clipped remark from a Cleveland quote sets a political tone. The joke teases lengthy acceptance letters and the idea of not wasting time on unread correspondence, ending with a cheeky nod to a presidential run.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Cleveland
No Consolation There
A brief humorous exchange in which Clara and Clarence joke about people stranded in Paris after funds run dry. The dialogue contrasts their own money troubles with those of stranded travelers, implying a lighter view of misfortune during travel.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Clara
Paris
Clarence
Indianapolis Journal
The Eight Deduction from the Housekeeper and Iceman
A Philadelphia Record snippet notes the housekeeper’s claim that the iceman carried up 200 pounds of ice today. The lord retorts the iceman weighed it himself, illustrating skepticism about appearances versus actual effort.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Philadelphia
Train platform whispers spark a political stump note
The fragmentary text hints at a stump orator and private campaign cards attached to trains with assurances of non-disturbance, mentioning a platform arrival and a Cleveland Plain source reference.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Cleveland Plain
Wanted a Smaller Size
A dialogue exchange shows a worker named Rastus asking the boss for smaller pill boxes after difficulty swallowing the last box. The boss confirms the pills were taken and hints at providing another dose in a smaller container.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Rastus
Attentions from Mr Biykins Over Gifts and Violets
The exchange notes a dispute over gifts with a demand for more violets or candy contrasted with a promise of continued attentiveness. Mr Biykins asserts his readiness to fulfill any wish, even if it means unusual locations for meals, while offering cabbage potatoes and sirloin as current offerings.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Mr. Biykins
Golfer Exchange Sparks Mystery on Course
Miss Frocks disputes Mr Postlethwaite over a growing golf stick collection while a mention of Cholly Goslin on the course adds intrigue. Harper’s Bazar notes the humorous dispute in a light social vignette.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Miss Frocks
Young Postlethwaite
Mr. Postlethwaite
Cholly Goslin
Harper’s Bazar
Listening in on the piano recital sparks maternal reproach
A Life magazine quote depicts a mother scolding Clara for listening to a pianist during a recital. The exchange underscores social etiquette and propriety in domestic life as observed through a formal conversation.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Mrs. Highblower
Clara
Man-trap Explained by Old Rocking Chair
In a humorous exchanges, Willie asks what a man-trap is and Pa answers that an old fashioned rocking chair in a dark room is the most effective man-trap. The Philadelphia Press records the quip as a light domestic moment.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Willie
Philadelphia Press
He Will You Marry Me Miss Eve Line Harlem Life
A clipped dialogue from Harlem Life shows a suitor pressing for marriage and Eve deflecting with a playful reply. The exchange underscores social flirtation and witty public banter in the era.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Miss Eveline
The Ravages of Time in Life Magazine Snippet
A Life magazine fragment quotes Mrs Waite and Mrs Luers discussing aging and constant anxiety. The exchange notes how years of worry make them feel “older” in appearance and mood over a short period.
Comatose state banished as apathy fades in unions
In a sharp turn the Philadelphia Press notes there is no longer a comatose state among unions, declaring that apathy has vanished across the labor bodies. The quote frames a dramatic shift in labor sentiment.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Union
Philadelphia Press
Supinely Marries After Friend Delayed Consent
A clipped humorous note from Filegende Blaetter recalls a doctor hearing his friend Supinely wed yesterday after years of hesitation. The exchange highlights the groom's trait and the playful tone of the social column.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Filegende Blaetter
Miss Axkins Questions Church Lotteries
Fragmentary dialogue notes mention Miss Axkins and De Witte debating church lotteries and weddings. The text reveals scattered phrases about belief in church lotteries and church weddings with partial names and phrases.
Peruna cited as remedy for catarrh by Minnesota lodge member
A letter from Mrs. M. A. Theatre of Minneapolis promotes Peruna Medicine Co. as a cure for chronic catarrh and claims lasting relief after six years of struggle. The piece also discusses changing social kissing norms and proper etiquette for greetings and farewells.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Mrs. M. A. Theatre
Minneapolis
Mian
Peruna Medicine Co
Columbus, C
Peruna
Peruna Medicine Company
Columbus
Ohio
Max Muller Dead Revealed in Buffalo Express Exchange
The Literary Man recalls Max Muller as Maud Muller's brother and notes his death. The Sordid Politician questions who he was while the tale recalls Maud Muller's flirtation with the Judge and the raking hay scene.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Max Muller
Gruffy
Maud Muller
Maud
Buffalo Express
To Amuse the Horse and a Paris Hackman Tale
A countryman, dressed for laughter, argues with a Paris hackman who considers driving on. The hackman agrees to take the countryman to amuse the poor old horse, illustrating perseverance over discouragement.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Paris
Oak
Ibx
Fragmentary dialogue hints at cautious exchange
A garbled excerpt shows a tense exchange about advantage and risk with phrases like would that be really advantageous to us in the end and we have nothing. The fragment suggests a negotiation or confrontation but lacks clear participants or outcome.
Also Mentioned on This Page
D. R. Stazerze
Linton, Emmons Co
N. D
London
Bordeaux
Hawaiian Islands
Pearson
Harlem
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