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* POTTSVILLE CONGLOMERATE. 327 POXJILLET. POTTSVILLE CONGLOMERATE. The name given to a hard, siliceous conglomerate composed of quartz pebbles and sand and occur- ring at the base of the lower coal measures. In the central portion of the Pennsylvania anthra- cite region it has a thickness of 800 to 1700 feet, but is less than 300 to the northward and west- ward. In Xew York it is known as the Olean conglomerate. See Carboxiferocs System; Coal. POTVIN, po'vax', Charles (1818-1902). A Belgian author, born in Mons. He studied at Li&ge, entered political journalism as an editor of La yatioii, and founded La Belgique Demo- cratiijue (184y) and Revue de Belgique (1802). In these influential positions he was a power in Belgian politics and literature, a leader of dem- ocrats and free-thinkers. Potvin lectured on the history of literature in the Eoyal Industrial JIu- seum for some time; was elected to the Belgian Academy in 1881; and in 1883 became curator of the 'iertz Museum in Brussels. He wrote such poems as: Foesies et amours (1838) ; Le chan- sonnier helge (1850); La Belgique (1859); on politics: L'Eglise et la morale (1858, under the pseudonym Dam Jacobus) ; La nationalitc helge (1859); on history, Alhert et Isabelle (1861); Le Juhile d'un faux miracle (1874, under the pseudon^-m Dom Liber) ; and De la civilisation en Belgique (1885) ; in literary criticism: yos premiers siecles litteraires (1870) : De la corruption litteraire en France (1873) ; and Ris- toire des lettres en Belgique (1882) ; some biog- raphies; and in Old French. Baudouin de Conde (1863); Perceval le Gallois (1866-72) ; and Le L'oman de Renard (in modern French verse, I860). POUCHED MOUSE, or Pouched Rat. Any small rodent with well-developed cheek pouches, especiallj- in America a 'pouched' or 'pocket' gopher (q.v. ), or one of the smaller mouse-like animals of the family Saccomyidse. In other parts of the world the term may refer to some true rat, or a hamster, or, in Australia, to a marsupial, especially one of the little mouse-like phalangers of the genus Dromicia. POUDRETTE, poo'dret' (Fr., small, fine powder). A name apparently first applied to a dry pulverulent manure prepared from the sedi- ment from sewage-settling basins at ilontfaucon, near Paris. The term is now applied to any dry mixture of night soil or sewage sludge with ab- sorbent substances, such as charcoal, peat, g;s'p- suni. etc. It contains comparatively small amounts of the actual fertilizing constituents, unless, as is sometimes done, it is mixed with more concentrated fertilizing materials, such as dried blood, phosphates, potash salts, etc. Pou- drette is prepared and used to a larger extent on the Continent of Europe than in England or the United States. The demand for it has declined since the general introduction of the more con- centrated, convenient, and effective commercial fertilizers. POUGHKEEPSIE, po-kip'si. A city and the county-seat of Dutchess County, N. Y., 74 miles north of New Y'ork City; on the east hank of the Hudson River, on the New York Central and Hudson River and other railroads, and connected by ferry with the West Shore Railroad, on the opposite side of the river (Map: Xew York. G 4). A noteworthy cantilever bridge, completed in 1889, spans the Hudson at this point. (See Bkidge.) Pough- keepsie is situated partly on a plateau at an elevation of about 200 feet above the river, and partly on the slope to the river. It is well known as the seat of Vassar College (q.v.), whose fine buildings and grounds are some distance east of the city. It has also a number of schools for secondary education, and the Eastman Business College. The Adriance Memorial Library con- tains more than 24.000 volumes. Besides the Hudson River State Hospital for the Insane, two miles north of Poughkeepsie, there are the Vas- sar Brothers Institute, Pringle Memorial Home, Saint Barnabas Hospital, and several other insti- tutions. College Hill Park contains 100 acres, an<l from its highest point commands a fine view of the picturesque surroundings. The manufacturing interests of Poughkeepsie, according to the census of 1900, represented a capital of $5,688,000, with products valued at $6,827,000. Among the important establishments are mowing machine works, foundries and ma- chine shops, a shoe factory, patent medicine fac- tories, slaughtering houses, tobacco, cigar, and cigarette factories, cooperage shops, and lumber mills. The government is administered under a revised charter of 1900, which provides for a maj'or elected every two years, and a unicameral council. The majority of administrative officials are appointed by the mayor, whose nomination of members of the board of health, however, are made with the consent of the council. The water- works are owned and operated by the municipal- ity. The Dutch made a settlement about 1698 on the site of Poughkeepsie, which was called by the Indisins, Apokeepsing (safe harbor). During the Revolutionary War (after 1778) it was the State capital, and here in 1788 met the State conven- tioH which, under the influence of Alexander Hamilton, ratified the Federal Constitution. The village was incorporated in 1799 and a city charter was granted in 1854. Population, in 1890, 22,206; in 1900, 24,029. POUGIN, poti'zhax', Arthur (1834—). A French musical and dramatic critic and writer. He was born at Chateauroux (Indre), and stud- ied music at the Paris Conservatory under Alard (violin) and Reber (harmony). In 1855 he be- came conductor at the Theatre Beaumarchais, and afterwards leader at Musard's concerts. He was also sub-conductor at the Folies-Xouvelles. From 1860 to 1863 he was first violin at the Opera Comique. He was in turn feuilletoniste to the Soir, Tribune, L'Evcnement, and Journal Ofpciel, besides being a frequent contributor to Le Menestrel, La France Musicale, L'Art Musical, Le Theatre, and Chronique Musicale. He is a prolific writer, and a sound critic, his biogi-aphical sketches be- ing especially sympathetic. His work in connec- tion with Fetis's Biographic universelle, for which he prepared a supplement (two volumes 1878-80), has, however, been found to be lacking in thoroughness. POUILLET, poo'ya', Claude Servais Ma- THIAS (1790-1868). A celebrated French physi- cist, born at Cusance, in the Department of Doubs. He was educated at the Ecole Normale and later was an instructor in this same school. He became professor of physics at the Coll&ge Bour- bon, then at the Ecole Polvtechnique. and later of the Faculty des Sciences. In 1829 he was