The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-12-10

sian well. The commissioners had the sub
ject under advisement and were to have
gone on with the digging till it should be
finished. The decision of the board puts
the city in an awkward position. The
pumping station is erected and the pipes
are laid throughout the city at the expense
of nearly 100000 but now no fresh water
can be had.
In the United States land Office at
Gainesville, Tuesday, a peculiar case came
up-in fact, it was the first of its kind on
record. The law plainly states that when
homesteader fails to prove up in seven
years, the same must be reported for can
collation.. In 1875 Jacob Jacobs, a colored
man, entered a piece of land, near Martel
which he soon afterwards abandoned. A
few days since Register Barco received a
letter from Jacobs, asking if he could en-
ter another piece and at the same time he
made mention of his former entry. Mr.
Barco looked the matter up, and found
that the government agents had never re-
ported the land for cancellation, and he
allowed Jacobs 10 make an entry on the
same piece of property.
The canteen system has been established
at st. Francis barracks at st. Augustine
and in future the soldiers will patronize
the sutler in the barracks instead of spend
lAiS Nitll tHOiGS III the saloons ABOUT town,
The benefits of this system to the soldiers
are twofold. The fact is well known that
the men do not indulge so much within the
posts as they do when they go into the sa-
looms of the town, therefore there will be
less drinking. The second advantage is
that the profits from the canteen system
do not go to the sutler, but are used for
the benefit of the men in the purchase for
their mess of such things as are consid-
cred Injuries and which 11ndar nrdiY, q ~,
circumstances they must do without. In
other words, the soldier gets his drink at
cost, and the difference is spent in i'm
proving the mess hall
The Gunner Land and Lumber Com
pany, owners of hundreds of thousands of
acres of timber land in West florida that
was injured by the storm, recently made
an investigation of it's property. They
we're surprised at the great danger of a
forest fire. Realizing that to burn the
woods now while the timber is green,
would greatly decrease the danger, the
company has issued an order bearing upon
the case. The law provides that no in
dividual shall set fire to the woods until
after Feb. Is, and he shall then give two
days notice to all adjoining property-own-
ers. Notwithstanding this, the company
states that if residents of the devasted re-
giOn shall set fire to their woods, and dam
age shall accrue to the property of the
company, the latter will not hold such res
idents responsible for it.
The Jacksonville Times-Union says:
Sixteen lumbermen of the great north
west, having heard that a man could
hold more wine in a southern climate
than in a land where the toboggan slides,
arrived in the city Tuesday night and
demonstrated that no lie had been told
them, for in a supper at the st. James
they dispatched forty-six regula ton
quarts of champagne, to say nothing of
Roman punch and other frills that graced
hastily prepared. but nevertheless,
dainty menu, placed before them on the
spur of the moment at the st. James ho-
tel, last night between the hours Of and
10. There were sixteen members in the
party, which by the way, was a dinner
given by John B. White of Grandin, Mo-,
to a number of friends in commemora-
ton of his birthday" Hon. J. ]. Nc
Donough of Savannah was one Of the
party.
The following statement comes from
oxford, Sumter county, in regard to the
attempted escape of a negro from Harris
e. Sanders turpentine camp, near that
place a few days ago. The convicts had
just had their dinner and were on their
way to work, when Samuel Russell started
through the woods for freedom. Guard
7. j. Sauser shot at the fleeing man. bat
missed. He fired again, this time hitting
the convict, who fell to the ground All
supposed him dead, and were surprised to
see the man jump up and renew his eff
forts to escape. Capt. Harris who had
his shotgun with him, intending to go on
a bird hunt, fired and missed but gain
ing on the fugitive, fired again and hit him
in the jaw, which brought the convie5
down. When taken back to camp and
examined by DR.. Hammond it was found
| that the convict had been shot in the nip
which caused him to fall the first time.
He is not dangerously hurt.