The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-08-30
NOTICE TO CONTRIBUTORS.

FRIDAY, August 80, 1895.
NOTES AND COMMENTS.
THE editor who uses sarcasm is liable
to be wofully misunderstood unless he
labels it: "This is sarcasm"
London's fire department consists of
only 5S5 men. They have fifty eight
stations, four floating stations, one hun
dred and seventy miles of telegraph
wire, thirty eight steam pumps and 10
hand pumps.
As long as man has normal ideas
about silver he can get along in the
Democratic party, but when he broods
over it until he becomes silver mono
maniac h finds an asylum in the Popu
list party Clinton Democrat.
Ex-senator Ransom is an experienced
legislator, a gentleman and a public spir
tied citizen, who has made long study
of international law and diplomacy.
Most people will be glad to know that
his appointment as Minister to Mexico
is assured. Philadelphia Times.
The Roanoke News says that Mr.
Andrew j. Joyner did not run away from
home when boy, but left of his own
accord openly after the death of his
parents. He is handsomer than the pict-
ure printed. HE is big hearted, pol
ished gentleman and his many friends
here are watching his career with inter
est"
jerry Simpson drank some champagne
at Topeka the other night, and when
twitted about it, said: at is a part of
my purpose to secure some of the luxu-
ries of life for the common people" He
succeeded that time, but with true Popu-
listic instinct monopolized for himself
the luxuries he says he is trying to get
for the common people.
Being Protestant of Protestants, the
Rev. DR.. Savage was not greatly awed
by the historic exhibition of virgin bones
at Cologne, concerning which he makes
the rather unclerical observation: 81 can
see all the virgins bones ] wish to see
is stirred in the one case about as much
as in the other"
The New York Independent, after Civ
ing its assent to Senator Hoar's position
touching the A. P. A adds: "Just when
the Catholics are most effuslvely patri-
otto and are beginning to defend our
public schools, up comes this vicious Sc
cret society, whose one purpose is to try
to drive the Catholics into an attitude as
unpatrlotic and segregative as its own"
The custom of duelling does not die
out in Germany, though many are at
tended with fatal consequences Two
duels were fought recently near Berlin,
in one of which man was killed, while
one of the combatants in the other was
taken away with bullet inside him. In
the latter case the comic side was not
wanting, for while the wound was severe
enough to give his opponent satisfaction,
it will prevent the wounded man from
comfortably sitting down for some time
to come.
A ferry to stansport freight trains
from Peshtigo, Wis, to Chicago, dis
lance of 240 miles, has been started this
week. Ii is the most extensive under
taking of the kind ever made The bar
ges will each hold 90 loaded freight cars
and are drawn by large tugs which can
haul two or three barges over the entire
distance in about day and a half, or
little more time than the freight trains
would require to cover the distance on
land. This is an extension of water
competition which the railroads must re-
gard with some uneasiness.
France reports 213 centenarians, all
except Sc being women. They are gen.
orally ahead in the tables of longevity, a
fact sometimes explained by the superior
tranquility of their lives, but this does
not hold good in the case of the women
of France. Her decorating and explod-
ing quality is at least equal to that of the
men, if not TO the Roman candle and the
Han Chow frecracker Her superior
average of duration will have to be other
wise accounted for. One of them in
the Hau Garonne lived $50 years, sub
sistipg during her final half-century
mainly on goats milk. Her diet may
have had as much to do with her long
survival as her inherited or acquired
placidity. Since the days of old Parr
there is no other authentic instance Of
such great longevity, giving France the
lead in this particular, as well as in the
unusual number within her boundaries
who have reached and compassed the
century.