The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-09-23
ITEMS OF INTEREST.


a HEREFORD (EnglanD physician. That
gentleman went to Russia in the year of
1768, and inoculated the Empress Gather
inc and her son. For this service he re-
ceived fee of $4,000 and was also award
ed pension for life of $500 per annum,
and the rank of baron Of the empire.
The great flagstaff in the Arboretum
at Kew is one of the most conspicuous
landmarks of the neighborhood, says the
Westminster Gazette. 1t Is the second Of
two spars which were presented to the
Royal Gardens by Mr.. Edward Stamp, OF
the firm of Messrs. Anderson, Anderson
& Co. The first was from British Column
bia, and was 11S feet in length 1t was
broken in the course of erection in 1859.
The existing spar came from Vancouver
Island, and Is 159 feet in length. 1t was
erected in 1861, and is believed to be the
tallest spar in the old world. The age
Of the tree from which Is was cut was
about go years, and its total hight 1870
feet. The case had gradually become de-
cayed, and on examination it was pro-
nounced by the admiralty to be unsafe.
Messrs. Robinson & Dodd, contractors to
her majesty's Indian government, of
Bridge Road Works. Poplar, successfully
lowered it, removed the decayed base,
and spliced on a new one of pitch pine.
The splice is held together by five iron
"A curious statement appears in the
London Veterinarian on the relative
weight of the body and of the viscera
of an elephant The one dissected was
10 feet in hight, % years of age and weigh
ed three tons. The relative proportional
weight of the viscera was as follows:
Brain, u pounds; lungs, AZ pounds 8
ounces; heart, II pounds 8 ounces; liver,
80 pounds u ounces; spleen, pounds
ounces; right kidney pounds ounces;
left kidney, pounds 10 ounces; length of
the ailimentary canal, 106 feet. A female
which died last year in the Berlin zoologi-
cal gardens was found, upon dissection,
TO give the following proportional weights:
Heart, 25 pounds; lungs (much congested),
1N pounds; liver, so pounds; spleen, .
pounds; kidneys, s pounds each ahmen-
tary canal, 1913 feet; largest intestine, 80
feet in length and of capacity sufficient
to hold Isl gallons of water. A curious
circumstance was noted in each of these
cases; the general absence of fat. In the
male there was none whatever (although
he had died suddenly of fright during a
thunderstorm, and while in perfect
health) and in the female only about 1215
pounds.
An Ohio firm is building for a Brook
lyn bicycle club the biggest thing on
MuGclS VI It's kluuy says the new 10TH
Herald. This is a quadrcycle, intended
to carry the entire club-twenty members.
The machine differs from all the many
seated wheels of recent manufacture in
some important respects. In the first
place, it will carry more persons by eight
than its nearest rival. Again, it has
four wheels instead of three. Finally, in
the principles of it's construction it is
unique. To the unskilled eye this vgin-
ticycle, if it may be so called, looks like
two tandems, built each for ten, ranged
side by side. Several important mechani-
cal features destroy this comparison. The
riders will, it is true, sit in two parallel
rows of ten, but the separate frames are
Joined together in a peculiar fashion,
with ball and socket joints, closed top
and bottom, but open at the sides so as
to admit of free lateral action. This is
necessary to secure uniformity of steering
and also to enable the machine to turn
within a reasonably small circle The
gear is 70 front sprocket; 100 rear. The
machine is about eighteen feet long and
four feet wide, and is to weigh about 600
pounds.
i'm a government report from Colombia
appears the description of a tree known
as the chaparro, says Chambers Journal.
which possesses the property of being fire.
proof. 1t grows on the vast plains of
Colombia and the north of South America
called savannas, extensive districts which
are parched with heat except during the
rainy season. 1t has long been the Gus
tom to clear the ground for the new vege-
tation which springs up so luxuriantly on
these plains after the rainy season by
means of fire; and such fires, miles in ex-
tent, kindled by the herdsmen, destroy
everything in the shape of vegetation ex-
cept the chaparro tree, which survives to
cn~r.1
less region. 1t is a small tree, seldom
growing to more than twenty feet in hight,
with a girth of about three feet and it
owes its protection from fire to the nature
of its hard, thick bark. The bark lies on
the trunk in loose layers, which do not
readily conduct heat to the more delicate
parts of the structure. 1t is a general idea
among the natives that this tree grows
only where gold is abundant in the soil
below. That it is common in auriferous
districts is indisputable, but there is no
ground for supposing that it does not
grow elsewhere.
Novel ideas are being put into prac-
tice every day, and if rumor is to be be-
lieved, the latest thing in original con-
ceptions has assumed the form of an albi
office What is an alibi office? the bewild-
cred reader may be inclined to ask Well
in this particular case it is an establish
ment which undertakes TO post letters
from any and every corner of the world
says the Paris correspondent of the Lon
don Telegraph. 1t is, in fact, a sort of phi
lanthropic institution, devised for the ben
eft of persons who, while remaining quiet
ly at home in a sort of incognito condi-
ton, can make believe that they are on a
long tour. Thus is human vanity salts
fed, and thus are the expenses of a reg
ular journey saved. A man takes leave
of his friends at the close of the season,
with the announcement that his recrea-
ton will assume the form, for instance.
of run through Spain and Portugal; and
at regular intervals follow letters from
Madrid, Seville, Lisbon, Oporto. and so on.
duly stamped and postmarked. The alleged
promoters of the enterprise are represent
ed as arguing that after all this pleases
some people who do not care for the
trouble and fatigue of travelling, but are
eager to enjoy the prestige with which n
grand tour will, as they fancy, invest them
in the eyes of their friends. After all. this
may be mere report for the office Is de-
scribed as being very discreet institu-
ton, having no outward and visible sign
of existence.