The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-01-08
ITEMS OF INTEREST.

ITEMS OF INTEREST.
The slowest railroad in the world is the Ari-
IONA and New Mexico. From Benson to
| NoRales is eighty-eight miles and the schedule
| time is eight hours. The fare is IS go or 10
! cents mile.
The London Telegraph says that efforts are
being made TO preserve historic Malmaison
once the residences of the Empress Jose
phine, from falling into the hands OF
some nineteenth century vandal.
THERE is some criticism of Mr. Moody In Chi
cago because he has engaged as ons of his evan
| gelists for next summers meetings the Rev
| John McNeill the eccentric Scotch preacher
! Mr.. McNeili is said to be much addicted to tn.
use OF slang in the pulpit, and though Chicago
| people are pretty fond of slang themselves, they
| draw the line at its use in the pulpit.
THE curious German microscope has now dis
! covered q new and threatening danger to the
! health of the human family in the shape of dis
ease germs in ice, and the health authorities of
| Berlin have issued a warning TO people to be-
| ware OF their Ice pitcher or rather OF the ice
that Is put into it. They say that ice collected
| from stagnant ponds is alive with death-deaIng
| bacili. The next thing will be the discovery of
| these foes to humanity in the fire with which
| our food is cooked, says the New Orleans
| PtCdyltne. Since these horrid bacilli were
turned loose in the world by the microscopes
there is no more living with'comfort. II is nor
riole TO think that with every mouthful of food
or drink you take you are swallowing whole
universe of these squirming things which, il you
| 90 not digest them may digest you.
THE FACT is now placed beyond question that
| both the flower and the kitchen gardner have
secured in electric light means of largely in.
! creasing the possibilities of plant culture. Prof
| l.. II. Bailey In his report to the Cornell Uni
| verslty, formally established the commercial
value of electro culture for certain winter
crops, and especially for lettuce. While expert
| menting in this field Prof. Bailey found that
| many plants which are injured by the direct
rays OF the light are actually benefited when
the light is passed through clear glass globes or
| through glass roof. The light has the effect
| accelerating gIowth without changing its nor
NAL periodicty. These experiments supply
| abundant confirmation Of the observations OF
| Prof. g. BONNER, VINO asserts that the electric
| light promotes the formation of chlorophyIl
! in all kinds Of plants. both woody and herba.
| ceous.
TIE new departure in express delivery in Eng
land, which was talked OF some time ago, has
come into operation, although for the present
| it is only experimental. In front Of the royal
| exchange has been placed an automatic box
| which Is intended to be an adjunct to the ex-
press delivery of letters and parcels. On drop
| ping in a penny the purchaser obtains an outer
| envelope, inclosing a small white envelope and
| card, on which the desired communication can
| be written. small desk in front of the box pro
| viding the necessary resting place AT the
| same time an electric bell calls a messenger
| from the nearest postofflce. Where express
delivery of parcel is desired the arrival of the
| messenger must be awaited, but a letter be
| deposited In the message reception receptacle
| for immediate dispatch. The necessary fee
has in every case TO be inclosed in the envelope
| addressed and should the payment be Insult
| cient the addresseo will be required to paw the
| difference No postage Is char ed for this serv-
| ice, and the fees specified in the scale which
are at the rate Of 8 cents mile, include train
| and car fares. If the sender wishes a cab to
| be used he incloses the fare in the outer envel-
| ope, on which he inscribes "by cab," IL this
attempt to provide for the public demand for
1 Mo
| ties of the postof1ce are prepared to introduce
| the system in many other centers
| The manufacture OF electric hand lamps must
| now be numbered among modern electrical in
| dustries Many improvements have been lately
made In the construction of these portable and
convenient lights2 A small storage battery ia
used, the active material of which is lithauode
substance which is likely to be largely used
for such purposes. Electric hand lamps are not
| only used by travellers for reading in railway
cars, but they are employed for medical dental
and Photographic purposes, as an illumination
In gunpowder mills and stores, in coal mines.
petroleum ships and stores, in gas and chem
| ical work, and anywhere that the use of a good
and perfectly safe light is absolutely necessary
One special form is made with a five cell bat
| terry, and Is much in request by lecturers pho.
tographers and others who desire TO project the
light on paper or other object and at the
same time to shield their own eyes. Another
form is a special pocket" battery of the 2-celI
| type. This handy little lamp will give a good
light for a period of four hours with one
| charge, and is so light and compact that it will
go comfortably into the coat pocket and can be
turned on at a moments notice. These amps
made In various grades of strength. according
10 the purposes for which they are intended
are now being used by policemen and tram car
conductors and for many other purposes in
which portable lamp is necessary.
AN English electrical paper is responsible for
the statement that the nikel-in.the-slot princi2
/ pie is to be applied to the production of cleo
trical energy. Hitherto the public has fed the
automatic machines with coins in return for
value. In the latest plan the process has been
reversed. The public is now to receive money
/ instead or paying it, says the Chicago Mems
Record. To the person who turns a crank 100
times the machine will deliver up cents The
crank is connected with dynamo, and the 100
| revolutions of the handle manufactures n
| quantity OF electrical energy which 10 eventually
| to be retailed by the owners of the machine for
| purposes of illumination or power The plan
Is well spoken of in England, where there are
| now thousands OF persons out Of employment;
but whether IL would answer equally well in
/ this country, where paupers are not SO plenti-
| full, is questionable. The pau has, however
one advantage: No man need 20 in want Of
| a meal who can apply himself to the
electrical automatic machine. The popularity
| OF the scheme would seem to depend on the
| time and degree of force it would take to do the
| 100 turns, and II is presumed that fair wages
| could be made at the rate fixed. IL issuggested
| that the invention is capable of wide applica
ton, Why should not every household be pro
! vided with oneS Every member of the family
1 might take turn at the crank from time 10
! time by way OF exercise and thus procure health
and remuneration at the same moment IL
would certainly be a most satisfactory arrange
ment II the energy hitherto expended on dumb
| bell practice could in this way be made to con-
[ tribute to the expenses OF housekeeping