Well it was indeed written more than 100 years ago, in the same sense that New York is more than 100 miles from Washington DC.
Yes, just as a loaf of bread weighs less than 25,000 pounds.
I had an architect question the weight of a piece of equipment the general contractor had to move with a crane once. I didn’t know for sure, but was certain that it weighed less that 25,000 lbs. - knowing that the 15 ton crane on the job site would easily be able to make the lift.
This poor guy spent 15 minutes arguing with me that ‘there’s no way that equipment can weigh that much.’ That’s when I started listing things that all weighed less than 25,000 lbs. - starting with the equipment, a Cadillac, a Volkswagen, a large man, a small woman, a loaf of bread, a penny - they ALL weigh less than 25, 000 lbs.
To the amazement of all in the meeting, he persisted in repeating that there was no way the equipment could weigh that much.
I finally looked at the contractor and asked him if his crane could pick up a loaf of bread that weighed less than 25,000 lbs. with his crane. His response was priceless.
“Yes I can. And I can pick up your piece of equipment, too.”
End of discussion; beginning of laughter.