2
I BEGINNING_OF TIME
IT IS GREENWICH WHICH TELLS US
WHAT O'CLOCK IT IS.
U:irv'(iiiii luKtruu.uiiiH Kiii|ilnyod by the
Select Jut* in Charge of the Greet Ob-
Borvutory—The l'oiut Wlioie Longitude
it Zero.
Doiiolless every student of geogra
phy hss had his curiosity aroused
regarding Greenwich Observatory,
whence longitude is reckoned and
where the world sets its timepieces;
and has been desirous of learning more
about the dwelling place of "Longi
tude Naught" and the chronometer
that regulates the clocks of the world.
The purpose of this article is to grat
ify such curiosity; and to deae: be,
briefly, some of the wonocrs o! the
great observatory.
The most Important room of the
whole observatory is the transit room.
Pour broad stone pillars occupy the
greater part of the space of this room.
Two of these pillars are tall, as well
as broad and massive. They stand
east and west of the center of the room
and carry between them the Transit
circle. Here 13 the home of "Longi
tude Naught"; fof the optical axis of
the great telescope of the transit circle
marks the exact spot crossed by tho
prime meridian of the world. Two
other telescopes are in the room, one
■ to the north and one to the south ot
I the transit circle, mounted on the
I two remaining pillars and both on the
I line of the optical axis of the transit
I circle.
npfiiiiwi"
ra,ii rfe-HJi mm
1 imMk
yS N*t^\
yjrilF. GREENWICH TRANSIT CIRCLE.
/£3hore are two somewhat different
■JtWPgses in which the meridian of Green- j
Is iho standard meridian of near- j
entire world. It coustituiea the
■ ratal line whence distances
I BVst and west are measured; and It
R HBSives the time to the world.
I will he interesting to note hott
I Hp time is found.
The great telescope, already de
scribed as occupying the center of the
transit room, is very solidly mounted.
Its pivots are supported by the pair oi
great stone pillars, whose foundations
go deep down under the surface of the
hill; and It turns but in one plane,
that of "Longitude Naught." On the
west side of the telescope, and rigidly
connected with it, is a large wheel,
with a number of wooden handles fas
tened to if, like the steering-wheel ol
a large steamer. This wheel carries
the setting circle, which is engraved
on a band of silver let into the face and
back of the wheel near Its circumfer
ence. Eleven mki oscopes penetrate
through the pier, and are directed al
the jpicle on the sack of the wheel,
These are the instruments used in
finding time.
Time is usually determined by th£
watching of passing stars. The stars
are used for This purpose, because thej
are many and the sun is but one. Ii
clouds hide the sun at noon, the on!}
time when It can bo observed to de
termine time, a day is lost; but If ons
star is covered by a cloud there are
still many others than can be ob
served. Star transits can bo taken ai
various times throughout the day and
night, while the sun can be used on!}
once a day.
About two minutes before the ap
pointed time the operator takes h;s
place at the eye-piece of the telescope
As he looks in he sees a number ol
vertical liues across his field of* view
These are spider-threads placed in th
focus of the eye-pierce. Presently s
bright point of silver light comes mov
ing quickly, steadily onward. Th
watcher's hand now seeks the side 01
sue te'lxcpe till hia finger finds a little
button, over which It rests ready tc
strike. On comes the star "withoul
haste, without rest" till It reaches one
of the gleaming threads. Tap! The
finger falls sharply on the button. Is
three or four seconds later the star has
reached another thread. Tap! Agait
the button is struck; and so on until
the ten threads have been passed and
the transit is over.
Now what have the finger taps donel
Each tap completed, for an Instant, an
electric circuit and recorded a mark
on the "chronometer." This is a
large metal iylinder covered with pa
per, and turned by a carefully regu
lated clock once In every two minutes
A similar mark Is made once in ever]
two seconds by a current sent b>
means of the standard slderial clock
of the Observatory. If, then, one 01
the clock dots and one of the observer'i
dots come exactly side by side, it li
known at what precise second the stai
was on one of the wires, as the spidei
threads are called. If the observ
er's dot comes between two clock dots
it is easy, by measuring its dlstancs
from them with a dividing scale, to teli
the instant the star was on the wire tc
the icnth part of a second. Since th<
transit was taken over ten wires anc
the distance of each wire from th<
center of the field of view is known,
practically ten separate observation!
have been made, and the averago of
these gives the time of transit.
At the Observatory there is a great
clock, culied the sluorial clock, which
registers twenty-four hours in tho pre
cise time that the earth rotates once on
its axis, or the time when a given star
Wuu.u again appear on a hxed merid
ian. Hence, since the exact time is
known \v hen the star ought to be on
the meridian, this clock can be read
ily checked by itie observations of star j
transits. I
% ■■■; '<
■' ' "'a.
v/
j ' f\ji I J 1 ? i si!
f". "M f i'J,
... -
r : 'II it'll?- ~ f (■
THE CHROXOORAPn.
The error of the clock Is determined
twice a day, shortly before ten o'clock i
in the morning and shortly before one j
o'clock in the afternoon. These two ;
times are chosen because, at ten and I
one o'clock signals are sent to all ths |
great provincial centers. Also at one ]
o'clock the time ball at Greenwich and j
at Deal are dropped, so that the cap- j
tains of ships within sight of the drop- |
ping-mast may set their chronometers, j
Thus is time found and regulated a; I
the great Observatory. |
The rating of chronometers for tho
Royal Navy is one of the most import',
ant duties of the Observatory. Hero
they are carefully tested until theh j
time keeping qualities are as perfect ■
as human skill can make them. !
There Is little of the picturesque or j
sensational in the regular routine work j
of tho Observatory. The daily observa- (
tion of the sun and of many stars—call-,
ed clock stars, the determination of tha j
error of the standard clock and its cor
rection twice a day, the sending out;
of time signals, tho care, winding and '
rating of hundreds of chronometers ■
and the determination, from time ta
time, of the exact longitude of foreign I
and colonial cities make a ceaseles;
round of work. Yet there is a charm
in it all to those who delight in tha ]
handling of delicate and exact instru- ]
ments which renders its dreary routins
fascinating. _ '
A Cautions Man.
"It's a good thing to be cautious;
when among strangers," said the pre- •
clse-lookiug man to a tall, angulai,
old fellow, to whom heAas talking on 1
the deck of an Atlantic liner.
"Yes," was the response, "you can'l
always tell who you're talking to when !
you don't know, and strangers throws ■
together, as we are, are very likely to j
make mistakes if they don't look out."
"That's what 1 think about it," salii
tho precise one. "There are several j
people around that I'd like to know j
v, bo tiicy are, hut I feel a delicacy in j
asking."
"Who, for Instance?" asked the tail ;
party, letting his eyes wander about
the deck.
"Well, there's a lady standing there
by that door, talking to a young fellow
who looks as if he might be her son."
"That far door?" inquired the tall
party, stretching his neck around.
"Yes."
"She looks as it she might bite a nail
in two?"
"Ve3."
"Got a jaw on her like a vice!"
"Y'es."
"Keeps it going all the time, a3 ii
there wasn't any such thing as an:
eight-hour law?"
"Yes."
"Got a bonnet on that locks as if II
might be a bigu for a vegetable gar- {
deuer?"
"Yes."
"Got a complexion like a slab of tan
bark?"
"Y r es."
"Got clothes on that look as II
they'd been made out of last year's
circus posters?"
"Exactly—she's the one! Who is
she?"
The tall party got up to have a bettei
lock before committing himself.
"She's a jay from Westminster, ain't
she?" he said, with a laugh, as he sat
down again.
"Yes. Who Is she?"
"Oh, she's my v/ife. I.et me take
you over and introduce you."
Ilut the cautious man declined, anil
managed to.lose himself in the crowd
as quickly as possible.
t
Solillmc and tlie Rldlciiloae,
A sentimental gentlemnn, out for an
hour's sail', was rhapsodising in the
following terms: —"When we contem
plate the heavens, under the brilliant
light of day, or again in the fading
shades oi the evening, when the stars
begin to appear one by one with in
creasing splendour, are not our souls
impregnated with a sense of sublim
ity, of rapture, of mystic awe? Oh,
my friend" —turning to the man at the
helm —"oh, my friend, what do you
think?"—"Think?—why, 1 thinks it's
wery lolkely."
Thousands of Egyptians live In old
tombs, eating, sleeping, wooing, lov
ing, laughing, dancing, singing, doing
all their deeds of daily life and house
hold work among tho mummies and
sarcophagi.
9 A 12 a " """
THE COLUMBIAN, BLOOMSBURG, PA.
AS TO THE FOOT.
Some Thine, About It that Arn Said to
Indicate diameter.
It is surprising the little Interest we
take in other people's feet. Our own
command the whole of our attention;
and very worrying they are some
times.
Have you ever noticed the shape of
your feet? It may astonish you to
know that one's feet are a3 much an
index to one's character as one's face,
or one's lines and wrinkles therein,
't his is the opinion of a foot surgeon
whom P. W. has interflowed on the
subject,
"Palmistry, physiognomy, and the
like, are beside the mark compared
with the value of the study of the feet
lti the formation of a man's character,"
said he. "There are three classes of
the human foot—Aryan, Scandinavian,
and the Anglo-Saxon. The first two
are pure; the third is the blend of the
former. There is also a nondescript
type.
; "The Celtic or Aryan foot was the
foot of the old Phoenicians, and is the
highest type of the human foot. It
has many characteristics which stand
out from all other feet.
"You may know it by the big toe
being shorter than the next one to It,
the big toe joint being large and long,
the arch being short and high-pitched,
and the heel-bone, being irregular in
form. The man with the Celtic foot
will perform what he says; he will be
strong, healthy, moral. It is the foot
of the soldier, of the conqueror, and
the trustworthy man.
"In the Scandinavian foot the big
toe stands far away from all the others.
The arch is flatter and longer than the
Aryan; the heel Is very symmetrical In
relation to the general outline; the
toes are longer; the tread is: narrower.
It i 3 the more elegant of the two. but
the Celtic is the stronger development.
The man with such a foot ad this will
be no less sincere than the Aryan-foot
ed mail, but he will be slower in com
ing to a decision, and will perform his
duty or a promise usually with less
grace. For swimming It excels the Cel
tic; but the latter Is all for long dis
tance walking, mountain climbing,
rapid and quick movement.
"The Anglo-Saxon may he termed
the general all-round foot. We pas 3
into degeneration from this, the foot
that fills our prisons, hospitals, work
houses, and supplies us with the foot
pad.
"Even the prospects of marriage may
be gleaned from comparison of the
feet.
"The Anglo-Saxon foot Is that of the
business men. The big toe and the one
next to it are brought on a line. Tho
arch is not so accurate a3 the Aryan,
but an improvement on the Scandina
vian. The displacement across tho
tread is greater than the Scandinavian,
but not equal to the Aryan."
! How the Sultan's Wives Bathe.
; The secret of the Sultan' 3 harem Is
one which has been kept inviolate for
! a long time. The arcana, or hidden
she has revealed the process which
goes on within the bathroom, which
she says is the only recreation in which
the wives of the Sultan are able to in
dulge.
The first room is the place in which
the ladies take off their garments, and
it is presided over by a woman who
is a sort of overseer and chaperon, as
well as a caretaker, for every one of
the ladies, as she takes them off, hands
her the jewels which she has been
wearing. Her greeting to all and each
as they enter is the Turkish equivalent
of "I hope you will come bad
pleased."
All along the side of the walls are
low couches, while in the middle of the
room is a clock, and near it an open
stove which is called a "mangal."
This stove not only keeps the apart
ment warmed to the proper tempera
ture, but it also serves the second of
fice of perfuming the room.
The bath itself Js of white marble,
and contains perfumed water in which
the women plunge and play like the
children at any of our own seaside
places. After the splashing about
period they go through a course of
treatment with ordinary soap, and
then comes a course of massage whose
refreshing and revivifying powers are
known to all.
After the bath, a cup of coffee is
served from a huge bronze pot, which
is kept on the top of the mangal in
the disrobing room. In this room, too,
there are cradles consisting of a pil
low suspended by means of a ropa at
each end. On these pillows, tied by
means of silken scarves, are the chil
dren of the bathers, and they sleep or
crow away the time which i 3 enjoyed
by their mothers in tha only recreation
which is permitted to them, and here
the women play with their offspring in
exactly the same way as do the moth
ers in a less exalted, but probably
much happier, station in our own laud.
A Singular Find.
A very singular find is recorded In a
London magazine. Some Ivory cut
ters, while at work upon an elephant's
tusk, discovered the head or an asse
gai or African spear embedded In it.
This tusk was being cut up for knifa
handles. It is surmised that the spear
was thrown at a young elephant, and
that the head broke otf and lodged in
the hollow part of one of its tusks.
Then, as the tusk grew, the eeeari
head was pushed further and further
towards the tip, and at length tne
ivory grew round the steel buile r
self.
Doliiir Good.
She who does good to another, does
also good to herself; not only in the
consequence, but in the very act of do
ing it; for the consciousness of well
doing is an ample reward.
Sixty thousand elephants are an
nually slaughtered In Africa lrt the
take of their ivory.
ILI,!,HM,IH [ uAoTOllln
, w For Infants and Chifen.
ting theStomachsandßoweisof Jj6£irS til© m t
■fi6#fi56558fi555556555*fi Mw A / *ll
iMftWraWilHMiHMl n . Jr\( f\l*
—. Signature / A ir
Promotes'Digfes&on,ChEerful- / A / lu 1
mess and HestGontalns neither n f V* /JP
Opium/Morphine oor£(iQeral. U1 #ly'\ \J
Not Nabc otic. £ W . 1/^
now* or old a-sxMUZzimwa i \/A^
SmJL" ■ VI
ALx.Stnna * ] 1 A
RockdUSlts- I XII _.
AnittSetd ♦ I a | TL a
as?- f (V l/t Tne
-/ /ft VinH
Apcrfecl Remedy forConstipa- | ll TO IVI II U
tion, Sour Stbmach, Diarrhoea, I liF
Worms .Convulsions .Feverish- 1 W* , W II i§ _
ncss and LOSS OF SLEEP. V_f j TOll HBV6
TacSimite Signature of
Alwavs Bou&rht,
EXACT COPy OF WEAEEEB. IMH|I I II I■ RSm
"A handful of dirt may be a house
ful of shame." Keep your
house clean with
STOVE NAPTHA, the Cheapest and
Best Fuel on the market. With it you
can run a Vapor Stove for one-hall
cent per hour. Give us a call and be
convinced.
W. O. Holmes, Bloomsburg, Pa.
Eshleman & Wolf,
L. E. Wharey, "
W. F. Hartman, "
STRAY PARAGRAPHS.
Catch the flag stealers.
Accommodation trains never go
out of their way.
Silk hats are conceded to be the
heighth of fashion.
The water has been turned on the
Market Street fountain.
A "pony" has been known to be
the forerunner of a nightmare.
A sudden sting on the foot often
forces one to acknowledge the corn.
It begins to look as though ex
plorer Andree and his party has been
sent, up for life.
Politics are not very lively in
Columbia County at the present time.
Things may take a turn later.
It is said that a canvass of the town
would reveal the fact that there are
several Spanish sympathizers in our
midst.
In a Bad Condition.
"My blood was in a very bad con
dition and I had boils, pimples and
carbuncles. My stomach was out of
order and I had no appetite. My
food did not agree with me. After
taking a few bottles of Hood's Sar
saparilla my blood was purified and I
was completely cured." P. D. WHITE
HEAD, Mahanoy City, Pa.
Hood's Pills are the only pills to
take with Hood's Sarsaparilla. Easy
and yet efficient.
Reduced Rates to Scranton via Pennsyl
vania Railroad, account Gorman Cath
olio Parade.
The Pennsylvania Railroad Com
pany announces that, for the parade
of the German Catholic State Con
vention at Scranton, Pa., Wednesday,
May 25, it will sell excursion tickets
from points on its line within a radius
of one hundred miles to Scranton and
return at rate of single fare for round
trip. Tickets wilt be sold May 24
and 25, good to return until May 26,
inclusive. 2t.
If you want lithographed bonds,
certificates of stock, checks, drafts,
diplomas, or any thing in that line,
the COLUMBIAN office can furnish
them. See samples.
Picking Out a Husband.
A contemporary gives the follow
ing advice to its fair readers: "For
| a man's birth, look to his linen and
finger nails, and observe the inflec
| tions of h;s voice. For his tastes,
I study the color of his ties, the pattern
. and hang of his trousers, his friends
| and his rings—if any. For his pro
pensities, walk round and look care
fully at the back of his head. A
J symmetrical cerebellum, with well
j trimmed hair, is an indication of self
| control and energy. If you want a
, successful man, see that he has a neat
j foot; he will move quicker, get over
I obstacles faster, than a man who falls
I over his own toes and trips up other
folks with 'em, too. For his breeding,
J talk sentiment to him when he is
I starving and ask him to carry a band-
down the public street when
you've just had a row. To test his
temper, tell him his nose is a little on
tone side and you don't like the way
his hair grows. There are other ways
which will suggest themselves natural
ly to a bright woman.
Au Opportunity You Now Have
of testing the curative effects of Ely's
Cream Balm, the most positive Cure
for Catarrh known. Ask your drug
gist for a 10 cent trial size or send 10
cents, we will mail it. Ful' size 50
cents.
ELY BROS., 56 Warren St.. N. Y.
City.
My son was afflicted with catarrh.
I induced him to try Ely's Cream Balm
and the disagreeable catarrhal smell
all left him. He appears as well as
any one.—J. C. Olmstead, Areola, 111.
Tni* Catches the Girls.
A set of swindlers are sending out
circulars promising in oruer to intro
duce their goods to send to any ad
dress, postage prepaid, ten yards of
red, brown or green silk for $l. The
eager victims, who are many, receive
ten yards of thread cut from the spool.
A young lady not far from here sent
nice big hard earned dollar recently
and got in return ten yards of baby
ribbon worth about one cent per yard.
It is quite likely she will catch on to
the next just as readily.— Hazleton
Sentinel.
Fine PHOTO
GRAPHS and
CRAYONS at
McKillip Bros.,
Bloomsburg.
The best are
the cheapest.
i l x>wn\s * ' ' ~ CCPVM.o.rr
TID-BITS FOR MA' HONEY!
and tender little juicelets for the chil
dren, ate all light, but papa and "the
boys" want a good, big, juicy steak,
roast or chop when business or school
duties are over, and we can cater to
them ail. Our stock of prime meats is
unexcelled for quality, and we send
them home in fine shape.
J. K. KEIFF.R.
THK MARKETS.
RLOOMSBURG MARKETS.
COUHICTID WXXILT. BXTiIL PBIOIB
- Butter per lb $ , 20
Eggs per dozen ,ia
Lard per lb 07
Ham per pound .10
Pork, whole, per pound ,06
Beef, quarter, per pound.... .07
Wheat per bushel , 00
Oats " "
Rye "
Wheat flour per bbl 5,75
Hay per ton 9 to $lO
Potatoes per bushel, „... ~0 o
Turnips " " . „ 9 >a e
Onions " " * 100
Sweet potatoes per peck .35
Tallow per lb
Shoulder " " .09
Side meat " " >o g
Vinegar, per qt
Dried apples per lb 'O5
Dried chemes, pitted
Raspberries '' \ ta
Cow Hides per lb
Steer " " \
CalfSkin
Sheep pelts , .
Shelled corn per bus co
Corn meal, cwt *" ,*- e
;; ..."
Chop " no
Middlings " , 00
Chickens per lb new.... I 2
w " "01d...".*.*
Turkeys " " la i
Geese " " .14
Ducks " " "" " c g
COAL.
No. 6, delivered a .60
" 4 and s " ,' 8 .
"6 at yard a . 3 j
" 4 and 5 at yard 3 .60
The Leading Conservatory of America
CARL FABLTBN, Director.
Founded i n 1853 bj -CVVfli*-
- Riving full information.
FRANK W. H alh. General Manager.
Weak |
Bfclladcrwva \
I
TOUCHES 77 I
THE I
SPOT ! I
PATENTS"
Caveats and Trade Marks obtained, and all
Patent business conducted tor MODERATE
OUR OFFICE IS OPPOSITE THK D. 8. PAT
ENT OFFICE. We buvc no suo-agencles al
business direct, hence can transact [latent bual
ncss la IPSS time and at Less Cost than those re
motelrom Washington.
Send model, drawing or photo, with descrlp
tlon. We advise If paientable or not, free of
charge. Our fee not due till patent Is seruii
A book, "How to Obtain Patents"' wltb refe?
ences to actual olleuts la your State,county.o
town sent free. Address "amy, o
C. A. BNO W co„ Washington, D. C
__ _ (Opposite I'. 8. Patent outceT)
HAIR R BALSAM
and beeutiOe, the
JNovep Tails to
lts Youth||ul r QpkirT
ewil £2si^££^2£^ESKiSeiei
ft-iwit-d.
SHOPPING MADTEASYT
Samples sonL lY No
of references. Circulars sent on application.
MISS E. B. EATON, 156 Fifth Ave., N. T.