Morning journal and courier., 1893-09-27

writer's show that the companies, taking
no account of assessment corporations and
societies, hold assets to the value of $780,
00e, 900, that they receive from policy
holders about s175. .000, 900 year, that
their gross income is nearly $3.50, ,00o, 900
annually and that they pay about $780,
000, 900 annually to the insured in the
form of death losses, surrenders and divi-
dends.
The light in q new lighthouse to be built
of the coast of Brittany is to be of 40, ,000,-
600 candle power and will be seen at dis
tance of 81 miles in foggy weather and at
63 miles when 1t is clear. The highest
order of light now In operation In the
United States lighthouse servics-can only
be seen 81 miles in clear weather. The
new Brittany light is of the lightning
fssh" order. At the usual height of ordi-
nary lighthouse towers its light cannot
actually be cast more than % miles before
1t strikes the horizon, but beyond that
point 1t is reflected in the sky for 3S miles.
The courts of Georgia protect colored
citizens in their property rights and sus-
tain the Wills of deceased whites who
leave their property to their colored de-
pendents. Since ths war a number of old
time cotton planters have done this, and
notably q man by the name of Dickson,
who left an estate of half million dollars
to his negro family, Bis white relatives
tried to break the will, but failed, the state
supreme court, Chief Justice Jackson pre-
siding. ruling against them In favor of the
legstees. Last week, George W. Dyer, a
Georgia planter, eighty-four years old,
died and bequesthed an estate worth $780,
600 to ''the colored family that had grown
up about him in his house."
John G. Noble seems to settle the queE-
tion as to who is the Oldest postmaster in
the United States. He writes to the Pitts
burg Chronicle-Telegrsph: The records of
the postofice department show that this
honor belongs to Roswell Besrdsley of
North Lansing, N. Y. Mr.. Beardsley was
appointed postmaster at North Lansing in
1928 by John McLssn, postmaster general
under ]. Q. Adams, and has been in actual
service ever since, period of 81 years.
More than so years ago the writer, when a
very little boy, used to visit the above
named postofice, and Mr.. B. had then been
postmaster for years. Let it be remem-
bsred, then, that whatever claims others
may set up, Roswell BeaIdsley Is years
ahead of all. He is still hale and strong,
and is likely to hold the Office for years to
come. He is Democrat of the Jacksonisn
school, and loyal to the party as well as to
the country.
There has been SO great an increase re-
Gently in the growth and expectation of
Jaffa oranges that that town now stands
next to Beyrut in Importance among the
ports on the Syrian coast. Eighteen years
ago this fine fruit was known only TO Bey-
rut, Alexandria and Constsntinople, but
enormous quantities are now exported to
Europe, America and even to India. A
special feature of Jaffa oranges Is that they
will keep from thirty to forty days, and, if
three months. New orange groves are be-
ing laid out continually and now there are
400, as against 200 fifteen years ago. Jsffs
itself now contains A., 900 inhabitants, in
stead of 10 600 as formerly. Upsortuuste-
ly the sJaffa oranges are comparatively
dear, owing TO the cost of production.
Orange growing in Syria Is conducted ex-
clusivsly by natives. Each orange garden
contains about 9. COO square feet of planted
area, equal to about !, 800 trees to the
hectare (nearly two and half scres). The
trees begin to b>ar the fourth year after
planting, but it ia estimated that it takes
seven years and sometimes eight years be-
fore su orange orchard yields a remunera-
tive crop. During all this time, and even af-
forwards, the orchards have to be wstered
continually, and this irrigation is the
most difficult and the most laborous part
of the work in connection with orange
growing, inasmuch as the water has to be
drawn by means of more or less primitive
water wheels from wells 100 feet deep.