BACK IN THE DAYS OF COMPETITION

Between 1895 and 1905, more than 3,000 different car companies were formed in the United States.

Fires raged for three days following the San Francisco earthquake of 1906, killing an estimated 200 people in addition to the 500 that died in the earthquake itself.

The potto, a slow-moving, African primate, doesn’t have proper scent glands, so the animal urinates on its hands and feet before starting a nightly tour of its range.

The English word “nostril” is an evolved form of the Old English “nosthyrel,” which means “nose hole.”

On the “Titanic’s” last day afloat, guests enjoyed a luncheon of grilled mutton chops, baked jacketed potatoes, salmon mayonnaise, Norwegian anchovies and corned ox tongue.

When a dispute arose between the colonial towns of Lyme and New-London, Conn., over a certain piece of property, the citizens of both communities agreed to a unique solution. Each town selected two champions — Griswold and Ely for Lyme, and Ricket and Latimer for New-London. The men met on a designated field for a fistfight. Griswold and Ely won the slugfest, so the town of Lyme took possession of the land in question.

Each breath includes about 76 percent nitrogen, 23 percent oxygen and 1 percent argon with other elements present in minute quantities.