davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-01-31
The Water Meter.

the appropriation will not permit the
commission TO put in more than 300 me-
ters, If that number. The cost of plac-
ing each meter will vary from $40 to
SO, according to the amount of work to
be done in getting at the point at which
1t is to be put
The little water meter which has wor-
ried so many people of late is an inno-
cent looking contrivance. 1t looks like a
iattened spherical shell, about five inches
through. by three deep. with a sort of
cap or head on top which contains the
dial that is to do the registering. A
small pipe enters the meter on one side
and similar piece projects on the other.
IL looks like a single piece projected en-
tirly through the meter, but this is not
the case. The two pieces are separate,
one being the inlet and the other the
outlet The size of the pipe for ordi-
nary house meters is IS to q inch in di-
The inlet pipe let's the water into the
bottom of the meter where II strikes a
fiat. oscillating rubber disc, placed YER
tcally, and passes on to the outlet. The
movement Of the water causes the disc
to oscillate and this motion is communi
Gated to a set Of gear wheels in the
apartment above the water chamber.
The gear wheels communicate with the
dial and the dial does the rest. Each
movement of the oscillator makes
movement of one notch in the first gear
wheel and when a certain number of
notches have been registered the dial
indicates one cubic foot, being the pass
age of that amount of water through
the meter A cubic foot is 7k gallons.
The gearing looks something like the
works of clock. Each wheel is inter-
locked with the other, so that the pro-
erosion in the amount of water con-
stunned is shown on the different indica-
tors on the face of the dial, there being
one indicator each for 1 foot, 10 feet 100
feet 1000 feet, 10000 feet, and 100000 feet.
The system of measurement is by means
of what is known as positive ,displace-
ment and Is entirely different from the
means used to obtain gas measurement.
The displacement refers to the oscillat-
ing disc. To illustrate, by placing the inlet
pipe in the mouth and blowing through
II, the disc is caused to reVolve and the
movement will be shown on the indicator
II the amount of breath which has been
expended on the meter question had been
run through the meters and charged for
at water rates the commission would have
money enough to equip the city with me-
tiers and something over besides.
The meter, when placed in the ground,
Is protected by wooden box with an iron
cover. The cover is locked down to pre-
vent interference by designing or mis-
chievous persons. At regular intervals
an Inspector will come around and ex-
anime the meter, make a note of the num-
Der Of cubic feet registered and set the
meter back to again.
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-01-31
col. MERCER RETIRED.
Lieut.. Col. Reilly Now I'm Command OF
the First REGIMENT

Col. George A. Mercer was notified by
telegraph yesterday Of his retirement
from active military service. The tele-
gram was from Lieut.. Oscar ]. Brown,
assistant adjutant general. and said:
orders issued to-day. placing you on
the roll Of retired officers"
Col. MERGERS last official act as COM
handing officer of the regiment was per-
formed on Wednesday. when he for
warded 20 Atlanta, to the adjutant gem
erals Office, the returns for the recent
election OF lieutenants OF the Irish Jas
per Greens.
He considers the telegram Official nOti-
fication Of his retirement. though he has
not received copy Of the formal order.
Lieut.. Col. Peter Reilly is now the com
manding officer OF the regiment, and will
remain so OF course, until new colonel
has been elected and qualified.
i don't consider now. that / an au-
thorlzed 10 give any orders Col. Mer-
Ger said yesterday, since / am Informed
OF my retirement by this telegram, and
should any matter come up. il should be
referred 10 Col. Reilly"
So far as is known there are only two
prospective candidates for colonel OF the
regiment, Ma1s. Edward Karow. and A.
X. Lawton, Jr., and friends OF both are
buslly talking. Lieut.. Col. Reilly says. IL
Is understood, that he positively will not
be candidate for colonel under any cir
position Of Lieutenant colonel.
Col. Mercer, in giving an account Of
his service in his letter asking that he
be put on the retired list made a state
ment which he mentioned to some friends
the other day. He said he felt II in
cumbent upon him to state that he had
not been wounded in any OF the battles
in which he had been engaged. and his
only wound during the campaign, he
said. he received in the battle of At
lanta- When making his way through a
close thicket he ran into hornets nest,
which was not quite out Of reach of his
head, as he walked along. In a moment
the hornets were out and upon him. and
they stung like everything, too. A pri-
vate with an immense chew OF tobacco
in his mouth saw Capt. MERGERS predic-
ament-he was captain then-and. has
tening to him, told him that tobacco juice
was just the thing to stop the swelling.
and the pain. Capt. Mercer tried the rem
edy lavishly, and within half an hour the
pain was gone, aud only a slight swell
ing remained to Indicate what had hap
pened. 1t is said a bullet wound, if Il
does not hit a vital spot, is preferable
to this experience with a nest of enraged
hornets, at least so far as the pain of
the wounds is concerned, this is an ac-
cepted fact.
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-01-31
RAN AND CROssTIE.

Hon. Louis F. Garrard, as counsel for
the purchaser of the Macon and Birm-
ingham railroad, has delivered to Col
Isaac Hardeman, commissioner of sale
OF the Macon and Birmingham railroad.
$40, 5AOS, principal and interest of the
roIlhg STOCK lease warrants. Judge Eel
ton, the Macon News saws. will NOT mass
any order for the payment Of this money
TO the holders of the lease warrants until
the expiration of the sixty days in which
obJectors to the confirmation of the sale
nave the. right to appeal to the supreme
court If attorneys come into court and
announce that there will be no appeal, il
ration of the sixty days, before the conrt
Directs the payment of the $170.5O4. O3 to
the holders of the lease warrants.
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-01-31
LIKELY TO DIE FROM A STAB.
JeG Fraser's and JeR Browns Fatal
Sl<yIarking in Jones' Field.

JOneA fIeIu.
JEFF Fraser is held at the barracks on
the charge of assaulting with intent to
murder Jen Brown. Both parties are col
ored
The assault occurred Jan 10 in Jones
field. The two men were skylarking. so
they both claim. when Fraser stabbed
Brown. The cutting is asserted by both
to be accidental.
Browns condition is serious, and IL is
probable that he will die from the wound
According to the story told by the two
men, they We're merely playing with each
other, When Fraser accidentally stabbed
Brown in the neck. As soon as Fraser
found that Brown was cut he offered to
pay Tor the services of a physician and
secured DR.. NJ. T. Davis, who sewed up
the wound. The cut was in the neck. iust
under the Jawbone. Since then Fraser
has been very attentive to Brown and has
nursed him constantly.
II was reported at the police barracks
yesterday that Brown was likely to die
and Chief McDermott sent Officer Coz
bold to investigate the matter Both men
agreed In saying that the cutting was ac.
eidental, but the officer had a suspicion
that the fact that Fraser had agreed to
pay Browns doctor bin might have some-
thing TO do with this, and he so reported
70 the chief, who directed the arrest of
fraser. Inc latter made no effort to avoid
arrest.
1t seems that the wound healed inner
fectly. and after the stitches were taken
out symptoms of lockjaw developed. If
lockjaw should set in Browns case would
be hopeless,
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-01-31
TO MEET THE ENGINEERS.
PRESIDENT PLANT TO GIVE THEM
A HEARING Sunday.

He Does Not Anticipate Any Trouble
and IL il Believed Their Diner-
enees With the system VIII he
AmicabIy Settled - Chief Arthur
May he Here-Mr. Plant Tells How
He Named His New Steamship LA
Grande DucheSse."
President H. b. Plant OF the Plant sys-
TEN is in the city, and Will probably he
here during next week. Mr. Plant has
notified the engineers committee that be
is ready to meet them and listen 10 any
thing they may have 10 say.
The conference viii be held here Sunday
morning Mr.. Plant said that he would
have preferred TO have the conference on
some other day. but that he named sun
day because IL would be more convenient
10 the engineers. as 30 is the day on which
they can most conveniently leave their
divisions. Mr. Plant. when seen by
Morning News reporter. did not appear
10 have the slightest anticipation of any
trouble between the engineers and the
system. but did not discuss the matter
az any length.
Il had intended naming date for the
conference before now" he said. but /
have been 81 and could not do so. Hav-
ing promised the engineers a conference,
]. Of course. intended to give them one"
Mr.. Plant received several kilograms yes
terday from Newport News. informing
him of the successful launching of the
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-01-31
TO GO AHEAD WITH METERS.
ABOUT THREE HUNDRED CAN BE
PUT IN FOR $4,000.

The Water Commission TO Meet at
Once and Decide where IL VIII
Make "A BeEiRnlng-It Has About
One Hundred on Hand Ready TO BE
Put in Place - What the Meter
Looks Like and How IL Works.
The appropriation by the city council
Of $500 to the water commission TO en-
able it 10 make a beginning OF the me-
ter system means that some day the city
viii be entirely equipped with water me-
ters. provided the experiment is a sue
cess.
The water commissioners are not ready
TO talk just yet. They are in no hurry.
they say. as with the small appropria-
ton only a limited number Of meters
can be put in. and they have plenty Of
time in which 10 do the work.
The commission will hold a meeting In
day or two. and will probably decide
then where it will make the beginning
Of the meter system. The commission
now has about 100 meters on hand and
more will be ordered as needed. At a
low estimate Of the cost OF the work,
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-01-31


new Plant steamship. La Grande Ouch
esse." He was well pleased with the
news, though he had anticipated as much.
Mr.. Plant was asked how he came to
select the name for his new vessel. He
replied that 1t was In keeping with the
names of the other vessels of his me.
THE Mascotte and the Olivette," said
he. ARE both named after operas, and it
was perfectly natural that the new steam
ship should have a name of the same
character. La Grande Duchesse' is one
OF the finest comic operas ever produced.
i saw II in Paris in 1876 and enjoyed It
greatly. The opera was made famous by
schneider and Tostee. / saw Schneider
give it in Paris and Tostee in New York
Tostee made a lovely grand duchess. She
was not such great singer, but she
acted the part splendidly The opera is
much more enjoyable in French II loses
Its flavor when rendered in English"
Mr.. Plant spoke at some length of his
pleasant remembrance of the opera. as
nrst seen by him, and there is no doubt
that the impression made upon him by
II then is responsible for his giving the
name to his new ship Mr.. Plant said
that he could not give full description
OF the vessel.
I'VE simply told the builders what we
wanted, said he, 'and left the rest TO
them, with instructions to build the very
best ship of the kind that could be built
l think that they carried out this idea,
and that there will be no better vessel
OF her class TO be found anywhere. Ev-
erything about the vessel is OF the most
approved modern pattern. She has a dOu-
BILE bottom from stem to stern. Her decks
are all Of steel. There are five decks.
the main deck the lower twin decks and
the upper twin decks. The spar deck is
steel fore and aft, and the pilot house
and hurricane decks are of wood COW
cred with canvas. The deck houses are
all of steel, and there are twelve life
boats of the most approved pattern. The
vessel will have accommodations for about
$50 saloonl passengers, besides accommo-
dations for second-class and steerage pas
sengers. She will be about the same size
as the Kansas city, probably a little
larger She has twin screws, quadruple
expansion engines and eight boilers, to
carry $50 pounds of steam. She will be
lighted by electricity, and will have cleo
trio ventilation"
"She viii be just as good a ship as
the builders know how to make" said
Mr. Plant in conclusion. Il think she
will be a handsome ship; know she
will be a strong ship, and ! believe she
will be a safe ship. That is all / can
say about her now. The builders will now
go ahead and complete the fitting up
of the vessel and the work viii be COM
pleted some time this spring"
Mr.. Plant will remain here several
days. Mrs. Plant is on her way south in
Mr.. Plants private car. Gen. Samuel
Thomas and Mr.. Henry Crawford, who
are in the city on business connected
with the Central railroad receivership,
called on Mr.. Plant in the afternoon.
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-01-31
GETTING BACK ms MEMORY.
5. G. DOran's Strange Lapse of RecoI-
lection.

:. G. DOran's Strange Lapse of RecOI-
lection.
S. q. Doran, who was taken to the Sa-
vannah hospital day or two ago. suffer-
ing from a temporary arrangement of the
mind. was Joined by his wife, who arrived
from New York yesterday. and during the
day. with the rest he has already had.
he became very much improved.
Doran's wife sat with him almost all day
and to her he talked very nationally. He
seemed to have become himself again,
though his mind was still little weakened
from the shock.
His case is a most peculiar one. This,
however, is not the first time he has had
such an attack, as the first one came some
three or four years ago. The direct cause
OF his ailment is not known by the physi-
clans, who have had the case in charge.
They say il came on after a spell of I'M
consciousness, which may have been the
result OF his sea voyage, or of his physi-
cal condition; This caused a change in
his mental faculties, or left him in a
dazed condition, with inability to recall
events connected with his own life.
Doran arrived on the Kansas City Mon
day. When the ship reached Savannah
the steward went up TO call him. When
he was asked his name, he put his hand
to his forehead as II to think.
My name, my name; let me see," he
said. Il really can't tell what it is"
well, this is Savannah" said the stew
ard, isn't that where you were going?'
Savannah, Savannah" he said again,
tapping his forehead, II don't know"
The passenger list was consulted and
his name was learned from that Capt
Fisher, seeing the condition the man was
in, decided to send for the sergeant of
police to see what could be done for
him. He was not wandering around the
wharf at the time as has been stated, but
was taken from the ship by the police and
sent to the Savannah hospital the next
day.
Mr.. Doran was formerly a connection of a
well-known New York firm, which failed
and IL Is supposed the loss of all of his
money had some effect on his mind. Being
by trade a telegrapher, he again sought
the key, and when stricken was on his
way to Jacksonville to take a position.
Mr.. Doran does not talk much as yet He
and his wife have not decided whether
they will go on TO Jacksonville or return
to New York CITY
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-01-31
WIDENING OGEECHEE ROAD.
1t is the oldest Highway in Georgia,
BuiIt in I736.

The fremont Land Company, which
owns the Adams plantation, has donated
ten feet on each side of the Ogeechee road
to the county, so as to widen that thor
oughfare from the three to the four-mile
post the company owning land on both
sides of the road for that distance The
object of the county commissioners in
securing this additional width is that
shade trees may be planted on each side
of the roadway.
The idea is an excellent one and il is
to be hoped that all owners of property
viii aid the commission in this work The
Ogeechee road is the oldest highway in
Georgia, and was built under the direc-
rion of Gen. Oglethorpe in 1886 as the
means of communication between Savan-
nah and the settlements at Darien and
Erederica.
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-01-31
HON. ). +. FINERrY on IRELAND.
He Pictures the History of the COun-
try and Its People.

Hon. John F. Flnerty, Irish patriot
statesman and orator. lectured last night
for two hours to an audience that filled
the Catholic Library hall.
The lecture was under the auspices OF
the Ancient order Of Hibernians. and on
the stage with Alr. Finerty were p. J.
O'Connor, Esq, national president Of the
order; Messrs. John T. Roman, J. J. Pow
ers. NJ. A. Morrisey. P. ]. O'Brien and VI.
J. O'Leary. Before the lecture there was
a song by a quartette, composed of Messrs.
Salas, McBryde, McDonough and Morel,
ana Mr.. Salas sang a solo.
Mr. OConnor. in a few complimentary
words, introduced Mr. Finerty TO the au-
dience. Mr.. Finerty. in opening, said that
his subject, The History OF Ireland was
a vast one. and one not TO be treated In
a single lecture. Eie recOunted the history
OF Ireland. from its earliest times to the
days OF Parnell. He told Of its struggles
for liberty, which have been unceasing
His arraignment Of England was rather
severe. She is the enemy Of every cOun-
try, he said, and every country is her
enemy. Germany" he said, tells John
Bull TO hands of in South Africa, and
Uncle Sam says. Skinny on your own
side in South America"
Mr.. Finerty related a very pretty incl
dent about St. Patrick and the Trinity.
ST. Patrick was once challenged by
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-01-31

pagan chieftain to show how it was
possible for three persons to be in one.
St Patrick plucked a leaf of shamrock
from the sod, and proved very easily
how there could be three in one and one
in three.
The impression that Irishmen are a
bigoted race, said Mr.. Finerty, is a wrong
one. How many Of Erins greatest
sons" he said, "are Pedestrians? Look
at Daniel OCOnnel, Robert Emmett,
Charles Stuart Parnell and many others.
Were they not followed and supported
by Irishmen, both Catholic and Protest
ant alike? 1t is a spectacle worthy of
many countries, which claim to be much
more enlightened than Ireland"
Mr.. Finerty said that when he was a
member of congress he advocated the for
tifying of the coasts of the United States,
and he said that If he were a member
now he would introduce a bill TO APP
propriate 10000, 600 for defenses for the
Atlantic and Pacific coasts, and an equal
amount for the navy.
Mr. Finerty is a forceful speaker his
style is pleasing. and he is at times dra-
matte. His audience seemed to be in ac-
cord with his views, and showed its ap-
probation by frequent applause.
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-01-31
NO NEED TO FENCE CROPS NOW
The Advantages OF the No Fence Law
TO BE Seen Everywhere.

to BE Seen Everywhere.
The fencing in of the cattle, which is
required now under the operations of the
stock law, has produced results of a most
beneficial nature though the law has
been of force scarcely a month
The county commissioners feel they
have at last had removed from their hands
a great burden in the shape of wandering
cattle, for whose depredations nobody was
responsible. 1t took the chain gang some
thing like three or four weeks every
eight months or year to keep the bitches
and drains in order where they were tram
pied down by the cattle. This of course
was a great cost to the county, and, be-
sides, delayed the drainage very much.
But this is not the only benefit arising
from the operations of the law.
The good effects of no-fence can be
seen in the increased area of land that
is being prepared for planting. Eight
hundred acres of the DeRenne property
just south of the city, that has not been
under cultivation for years, has been
leased by Messrs. j. F. Guilmartin & Co
and men and teams with plows and har-
rows are busily at work getting it ready
for seed. This tract of land, which in
past did not give employment to a dozen
people, and the. greater part of which
was used only by lot of poor cattle
is now giving employment to fifty men.
1t viii take time to see the good effects
of the no-fence law, but the future will
show that IT means more farm products
for the farmer and cheaper living for the
consumer, and better fed cattle and
hogs. 1T is estimated that already there
is double the number OF acres in culti-
walton that there was last year.
Along Waters road and the other roads
east and south of the city, and
west as well, the fences have
been taken down and the lands are
being cultivated. A drive into the counfrv
in almost any direction cannot fail to SHOW,
to anyone the advantages of the mo
fence law.
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-01-31
FOR A ONE CENT RATE.
Passenger Men VIII Submit the Mat
ter TO Their Rate Committee.

The steering committee in charge Of
the May week military celebration met
the committee of railroad passenger
agents last night. in the gentlemen's par
Tor at the De Soto.
There were present Of the steering COM
mittee. Col. William Garrard, chairman;
Col. W. W. Gordon. Capt. W. W. Will
Hanson, Messrs. W. W. Starr, j. NJ
Dixon, W. ]. Lindsay and B. II. Levy.
General Passenger Agents J. C. Halle of
the Central and A. o. MacDonell of the
Florida Central and Peninsular. and As
sistant General Passenger Agent H. c.
McFadden of the Plant System were there
to represent the railroads interested.
The steering committee had been in
structed by the general meeting to ask
Tor fare OF one cent per mile for the
occasion, instead of the rates already
named by the rate committee of the
Southern Passenger Association. The
railroad men did not seem entirely favor
able TO an out and out one-cent rate dur
ing the entire celebration, though they
thought such a rate could be secured with
in certain territory on special days.
A meeting of the rate committee will be
held at the Tampa Bay hotel on Feb. II,
at which time the railroad men will make
application for the rates asked for. A sug-
gestion that committee be appointed to
go before the passenger men when they
meet, met with hearty accord, and both
Messrs McFadden and MacDonell ten
dered such committee as might be ap-
pointed the courtesies of their respective
roads.
Col. Gordon and Col Garrard were ap-
pointed a committee for the foregoing
purpose. They have power to name an
other as third committeeman, and they
Will go down for the purpose of showing
the passenger men just what Savannah is
going 10 90 and why One-cent rate should
be granted. This committee will make a
report back to the general committed
about Feb; Is, and the matter of organiza-
ton Will be definitely acted on at that
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-01-31
THE GOVERNORS TRIP TO DAR1Ex
He and His Party VIII Pass Through
Savannah Tuesday Morning,

Gov. Atkinson and party of officials
and members of his staff, as announced in
the Morning News yesterday, will visi,
Darien next Tuesday. The governor and
party were extended an invitation by Rep
resentative Joe Mansfield, and by Hon.
William Clifton, which they could not
resist and they will leave Atlanta Mon
day night arriving in Savannah Tuesday
morning and going right on to Darien.
Mr.. Clifton. who is at the De Soto. re,
ceiVed a telegram last night from Mai. r.
T.. Galloway, the governors private sec
rotary, announcing that the party would
leave Atlanta Monday night
According to Mr. Clifton. the visit of
the governor is purely social one. He
and mis- party will be welcomed by Mayor
keenan, in the public square, and there
VIII be exchanges of greetings and some
bright speeches such as are usually at
tendant upon these occasions
me boys are out hunting the venison
ana the wild duck now" Mr.. Clifton said
and we are going to give them a great
spread. We've got Scotch whisky you can
see smoking when you take the cork out.
we've got gin from Rotterdam and AM
sterdam, and We're going to give them
one of the doggOn'd est finest oyster roasts
you ever saw. / tell you, were going
TO nave good time there next week,
and no mistake"