The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-02-10
ITEMS OF INTEREST.

AxcHASIcsBURS lately was thrown into a
fever Of excitement by the announcement
that smallpox had broken out For awhile the
streets were filed with excited people, who
were eagerly discussing the correctness OF the
report. Physicians hurried 70 each Others
Offices, trying 70 learn what doctor was treat
ing the case. The cause Of the scare was due
70 little daughter Of C. R Bellville, who was
playing her doll mad smallpox, and had placed
placard in the window with SMALLPOX" in
scribed upon it.
RETIRED KNGISEZB, speaking of snow
storms, told a story about clearing railroad
tracks The road on which he was running at
the time begins or ends. as you choose. in Jer-
sey City. At one point on the line there is a
deep cut which always gives trouble when a
heavy snowfall occurs. Just beyond the cut is
nigh iron bridge. which spans a very deep
gorge. we were driving an old-fashioned
snow pillow with six Of our biggest engines"
said the engineer 1T was regular battering-
ram work. We would draw back and smash
into that drift liHea war cruiser unsil it seemed
as If our string Of engines must snap
for Two NO, But S;t. we Just battered away
cut. We had smashed our way almost
through the big drift when we backed up for
another drive. We came at the drift like
streak OF lightning. 1t seemed as if we threw a
million tons Of ice and snow as high as the sky
We did mors than that. We cut through the
whole drift as il it were made of rotten CLOTH
and came out of IL on the lump Away we
roaring Ike tornado. was driving the first
one. and when thought of the tremendous
weight that would hit that iron span like
great cannon ball my heart stood still. There
was no stopping them, so threw open the
throttle and let her go. We seemed TO Jump
from one side Of that gorge to the other with
out touching the bridge, and six engineers and
Sax hremen drew long breaths when we found
ourselves safely on the other side, tearing along
the track"
HORRORS OF SOLDIER LIFE in the foreign
legions or France are described by German
officer who once served in the midst of them.
he arrived at Oran, capital of the province Of
Oran, where the foreign legions u, 900 strong
are stationed. after a stormy voyage OF three
days, and as at once set to breaking stone
his comrades at the work were counts doctors
oarons, lawyers, and all sorts of uneducated
men or every European nationality, for the
foreign legions are refuge to which any sound
man between Is and 10 years is welcomed. what
ever his blood, record, or character. All the
soldiers work like day laborerS with picks and
shovels, and any Of them who tries to rest for a
moment during working hours is spurred on by
kick or q blow from a non-commissioned
officer in command. This kind of abuse is SO
frequen and SO recklessly applied that shortly
before the German officers arrival a
young Austrian had knocked out his
own teeth in order that he might be
discharged and thus escape it. The small
est offenses are punished by arrest and conf1ne
ment. Thirty or thirty-fiye men are thrust into
room not large enough for ten, and therefore
SO crowded that at night each has Co sleep SIT
ting, with bis knees under his chin. During the
day the prisoners are exercised In running,
jumping and the most difficult military move
ments for six hours without cessation. Few
men are able to endure the fatigue. Dozens
faint from exhaustion in the the third or fourth
hour and are carried from the parade ground.
The terror of all legionaires is confinement in
the sylos, hole in the ground, with narrow
entrance and a broad bottom. The depth OF
the hole is twelve feet. and the prisoner is let
down on string The heat in the sylos, I'M
shaded from the African sun, is so terrible that
but few days of Imprisonment suffice to
transform healthy man into white-taced,
emactated and nerveless invalid.