Hairpins In the Trolley

1895

On a Walnut Hills electric car recently there was a rather entertaining sight. The passengers paid nothing extra to see it, and some of them forgot to get off at their homes, so absorbed were they in the occurrence.

Three young ladies furnished the amusement.

"Did you over notice," said one, "that a hairpin will stand up on end if you put it on the floor of an electric car just over the motor?"

"Oh, it won't either!" her companions shouted in a chorused giggle.

"I can prove it," said the first.

And she did. Taking a hairpin from the bright knot at the top of her head, she stood it on the floor, and it performed such antics as set all the passengers in an uproar.

The reader who does not believe the story can easily demonstrate its probability. Let her take a hairpin and try it, or let him borrow one, and he will discover a most interesting experiment. — Cincinnati Tribune.

A Remarkable Clock – Magnetism Runs It

1878

A Remarkable Clock.

A magnetic clock, invented by Daniel Drawbaugh, of Milltown, Cumberland county, Pa., is sufficiently remarkable to be worth description.

The magnetism of the earth, an inexhaustible source of power, is made to oscillate the pendulum; and the simplicity of all the works gives an assurance of the least possible friction. At a certain point the movement of the pendulum itself shuts off magnetic connection with the earth, and at another point restores the connection, thus securing the conditions necessary to produce its oscillations. The works are so ingenious and simple that it is no wild assertion to make that, were it not for the unavoidable wearing out caused by even the smallest amount of friction, the clock would run as long as the solid earth endures.

This clock is hung against a board partition, with all the works exposed, subject to the jarrings of machinery and obstructions from dust settling upon it, yet since March 1, 1877, it has been running continuously and uniformly, with only slight reported variations, as tested by transit observations at noon.


Whaling News

The American whaling fleet of 1877 was very successful. There were no special disasters, and no changes in the business worthy of note, excepting the continued additions to the fleet. Twelve vessels were built during the year. The present fleet consists of 187 vessels, against 172 on January 1, 1877, 169 in 1876 and 163 in 1875. The North and South Atlantic ocean employ over 100 vessels, while the more fruitful grounds of the Pacific ocean, Japan and New Zealand are almost deserted. The North Pacific fleet lost three vessels, and sixteen vessels came out with an average of 1,065 barrels of oil and 8,550 pounds of whalebone.