The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-14
ITEMS OF INTEREST.

Three years ago Paris began TO dispose
of its sewage after the manner Of Berlin,
by turning it into fields planted with orch
ards and vegetables One-fourth of the
sewage is already thus disposed of, and it
Is hoped that in two more years the whole
of it will be.
The latest roster of the japanese navy
shows that of the 1906 men in the ser
vice 5.73 per cent are between the ages
of Is and 20 years, and 1873 per cent be-
tween the ages of 20 and % years Only
LOS per cent are over 40 years old, and
most of these are officers.
The curious fact that corn, potatoes
and other plants thrive better when placed
in rows running north and south has been
proved by DR.. Wollny of Munich. This
reduces the shading by each other to
minimum, more uniform and regular light,
heat and moisture resulting.
The demand for sardines has run so
far short of the supply that the French
factories are closing their doors, and the
government has been asked TO come to the
relief of this important national industry
by making a ration of five or ten sardines
daily part of their regular fare of the
French soldiers.
The most successful of the companies
which make machines for setting type
paid its stockholders more than 81 OOO. 900
in cash dividends in the year ending Oct
l. In the short period since August, 1894
it has distributed s., 365 coo in that way
Yet 1t was only few years ago that gen.
eral doubt was felt as to the possibility
of making a business success of any type
setting device.
massachusetts has remarkably trust
full board of cattle commissioners. 1t re-
ceived such a small appropriation this
year that it has to abandon the principal
part of its work in April, suspend its cler-
zeal help and serve without compensation;
yet it has continued to serve the state at
its own expense, hoping that the next
legislature will reimburse the members
for their outlay.
An investigation has begun in New
York by the Central Labor Union of the
1000 drug stores of that city, the purpose
being to demonstrate that the cause of
many of the fatal mistakes in the pre-
paration of prescriptions and of the fire.
quent suicides among drug clerks is to
be found in the long hours of labor and
the fumes of chemicals in the rooms in
which the clerks are compelled to sleep.
An ultra pious resident of Iowa makes
the following announcement in his local
paper: IT deem it necessary at this time
to make an explanation in regard to my
thoroughbred hogs not being on exhibition
at the county fair this fan. 1 carefully and
prayerfully considered the matter and af-
ter learning that liquor would be sold and
gambling be permitted on the ground,
came to see that I could not conscientious
ly take part in the fair, much as I would
have liked to have my hogs on exhibit I
must remain true to my Cod"
"A man was killed by electricity in the
streets in Baltimore a few days ago in a
peculiar manner says an exchange A
terrible rain and wind storm was prevail
ing. Abraham Summer was passing I'M
der an arc light in front of store. The
steel rod of his raised umbrella came in
contact with the light, and the current
passed down the frame into the hand Of
its carrier. Summer dropped dead and
blue flames shot from his hand. The pave
ment and the soles of the mans shoes were
wet As Mr.. Summer fell his umbrella
came in contact with a colored man who
was passing The shock threw the latter
to the ground, but he recovered sufficient
ly to walk to his home. Shortly before this
a white woman who was passing had re-
ceived a severe shock from the same light
"A plant is cultivated in New Zealand
with great care and on a great scale, which
has the singular property of destroying
the moths that infest vegetation, says Cos
mos. This valuable plant is the Auragia al
bens. Ii is native of South Africa but
is easily acclimated wherever there is no
frost It produces large number of whit
ish flowers of an agreeable odor, which at
tracts insects. On summer evening may
be seen bushes of auragia covered with
moths, which by the following morning
have quite disappeared. The action of the
flower is entirely mechanical. The calyX
is deep and the nectar is placed at its base.
Attracted by the sight and powerful per-
fume of this nectar, the moth penetrates
into the calyx and pushes forward it's pro-
boscis to get the precious food, but before
it is able to do this it is seized between
two solid jaws that guard the passage, and
that keep the insect a prisoner until it
dies.
Most people when asked to name the
most precious metals usually mention gold
as first, platinum as second, and silver as
third Gold is worth about $3.50 per pound
troy, platinum $130, and silver about S12.
Michel is worth about 60 cents, and pure
aluminium from so cents to 81 to the troy
pound. Barium sells for $3.50 pound when
it is sold at all, and calcium is worth 81, 800
a'pound Cirium is a shade lighter; it's cost
is $16O an ounce. or 81 500 per pound. These
begin to look like fabulous prices, but they
do not reach the highest point, chromium
being $500 Cobalt falls to about half the
price of silver, while didymium, the metal
isolated by Masander, is the same price
as calcium. Gallium is worth SO, $50 an
ounce. With this metal the highest price
is reached and ii may well be called the
rarest and most precious metal. Glucium
is worth $3.50 per ounce, indium $50, irid-
UNI S65S pound, janthanium $175. and lith-
ium $3.50 per ounce. Nidium costs S12S per
ounce; osmum, palladium, platinum, po-
tassium, and rhodium being, respectively
$64O $500, S19O, 1872 and 1912 per pound
Strontium COSTS S12S an ounce tanta11rn