of the main line of the Pennsylvania railroad, and passengers have the convenience of 50 daily trains. Branch roads extend south and southeast.
In the summer of 1858, the Altoona Mechanics' Library and Reading Room Association was organized. It has now about 40,000 volumes on its shelves. The public schools have 221 teachers with an enrollment of 8,000 pupils. The high school has 24 teachers and a four years' course of study, divided into five departments, namely, literary, scientific, commercial, general and industrial. The Pennsylvania Railroad company has donated to this school one of the most complete equipments for wood working, forge, foundry and metal machinery to be found in the country, and the High School building was erected at a cost of half a million dollars. The parochial schools have an enrollment of about 2,000 pupils. The estimated value of public school property is $500,000. Population, 52,127.
Alum, common alum, a sulphate of potassium and aluminum, is a salt used in the arts and in medicine. It forms colorless, octahedral crystals containing much water. It is sometimes found in a natural state, but is usually manufactured. There are several kinds of alum, and the one containing ammonium in place of potassium is often used instead of the more common compound. Alum is used in the manufacture of calico, in tanning and dyeing, Mixed in the milk it helps in the separation of he butter, and bakers sometimes use it o whiten their bread. If added in small quantities to turbid water, in a few minutes it will make it perfectly clear without any bad taste or quality, but it should be used with caution in articles of food and drink on account of its astringent properties.
Alu'mlnum or Alumin'ium, a white metal like tin in appearance. It is the most abundant of the metals, being found in clay, marl, feldspar, slate, mica and many other minerals, but it cannot be cheaply manufactured although great improvement has been made in this direction. (See Metallurgy.) It may be rolled into very thin foil and drawn into very fine wire, and when rolled it becomes harder. When struck it gives forth a very musical sound, and hence is sometimes used for making bells. It is a light metal of about the weight of porcelain, and for many purposes is more convenient than silver. It makes useful alloys; with copper it makes an alloy resembling fine brass, called aluminum-bronze. This alloy is used in cheap jewelry and is adapted for gun metal. It also forms a very useful alloy with silver. It is now used for cooking utensils and a wide variety of other products.
Alva (aZ'vd), Duke of, a Spanish general, was born in 1508. When a mere boy he gained distinction at the battle of Pavia, and at the age of 29 defended the town of Perpignan against the dauphin of France. He soon rose to be commander of the Spanish army. In 1567, at the head of 10,000 men, he marched into the Netherlands with unlimited powers from Philip II of Spam to proceed against the heretics there. The Court of Blood, which he established here, soon became widely known and feared, and Alva boasted that he had sent 18,000 men to execution. But this great cruelty led to the revolt, which afterward made the Low Countries independent. Alva was recalled to Spain, soon after imprisoned, and, though set free when a skillful general was needed to lead an army against Portugal, he never regained the confidence of Philip. He was able, cruel and proud. His pride is shown by his reply to Philip's demand for an account of the treasure he had captured at Lisbon, "If the king asks me for an account," said Alva, "I will make him a statement of kingdoms preserved or conquered, of signal victories, of successful sieges and of sixty years' service." Nothing more was said about the account. He died in 1582.
Amade'us, a name very common in the ruling family of Savoy. Those of the name most famous were; Amadeus V, Count of Savoy (born 1249, died 1323), called the Great. His most celebrated exploit was his repulse of the Turks from the Island of Rhodes, then held by the Knights of St. John. In memory of this victory, a Maltese cross, with the letters F. E. R. T. (Fortitudo ejus Rhodum ienuit—"His bravery saved Rhodes,"), was made the coat of arms of the family. Amadeus VIII, count and first duke of Savoy, was born 1383, and died 1451. After a few years of rule, he retired to a monastery, Ripaille, where he lived a life of luxury. In 1439, he was elected to succeed Pope Eugenius IV, who had been deposed, but after a few years he resigned in favor of Nicholas V. &s pope, he was called Felix V.
Am'adis of Gaul, the mythical hero of one of the early romances of chivalry; a model knight-errant, of whom Don Quixote is the caricature. The romance was written by a Portuguese courtier, Vasco de Lobeira (who died in 1403), and has been translated into various languages. Amadis, the son of a king of Gaul, had a number of adventures in a great many countries, and crowned his exploits- by marrying Oriana, daughter of Lisuarte, an early king of England. The period of the story is about the beginning of the Christian era.
Amagat, Emile Hllaire, a distinguished French physicist, born at St. Satur in 1841. He has enormously extended our knowledge of fluids, especially concerning the compressibility of gases at high pressures This work was done while he held the chair of physics in the Faculté Libre des Sciences at Lyons
