The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-13
ITEMS OF INTEREST.


for Governor of New York. is said to be
nearly as silent man as his brother, the
Mayor.
The bottom of the Pacific between Ha-
wall and California is said 10 be SO level
that railroad could be laid for 800 miles
without grading anywhere. This fact was
discovered by the United States survey
ing vessel engaged IN making soundings
with view to laying a cable.
The falling of a leaf is brought about
by the formation of thin layer of vege-
table tissue at the point where the leaf
stem joins the branch of the tree. After
the leaf ceases to make starch and sugar
for the tree, this tissue begins to grow,
and actually cuts the leaf The falling
Of ripe fruit is dependent upon the same
process.
"A Sicillan tribunal has just sentenced
a noted forger to imprisonment for TS9
years. The culprit had passed himself off
as an advoca te, and in the guise commit
ted sixty-three different acts of serious
fraud, having even stolen for a short time
The seal of the chancellor of the court.
This seal he, used to give effect to his
fraudulent documents.
The Hamilton elms at Harlem, which
for five generations have been an adorn-
rlent to that part of New York are to be
cut down and fiat building put up in
their place by a recent purchaser of the
property on which they stand. Hamilton
brought the slips of these elms from
Mount Vernon, and it is, therefore, argued
that to choD them down is almost like
chopping trees down from the grave of
Washington.
"A new method of violating the lobster
IaHrr hoe
breakers save the eggs of all the she'll
hsh found in spawn, and when they have
saved uD a bushel or more >hey put the
embryo Holsters through a cider press and
make wine of them. While the scheme is
a rank violation of the statute protecting
the Holsters, ii does not violate the pro-
hIbitory law, owing to the small percent
age OF alcohol in lobster-egg wine.
Switzerland has a business-Iike com
pulsory education law. If a child does not
attend school on particular day the par
ent gets notice from the public authority
that he is fined SO many francs; the sec
ond day the fine is increased, and by the
third day the amount becomes a serious
one. In case of sickness the pupil is ex-
cused, but if there be any suspicion of
shamming doctor is sent If the sus-
picion is found to be well founded, the
parent is required to pay the cost of the
doctors visit.
A waterphone is used in Memphis, &C
cording to the Engineering Record. to de-
tect persons who stealthily or carelessly
waste the city's water supply Inspectors
attach the waterphone 10 pipes suspected
OF flow and stay up all night watching the
indications. Next day a notice is sent
TO the persons at fault, and if they per
sist in using the water improperly. the
SUNNY off nl,a
Company at Memphis finds fifteen or
twenty instances of waste each night
Last year there were in New South
Wales, Australia, 1922 ful-blooded alb
origines and 1868 half casters. Twelve
years back the full-bloods numbered
slightly more than double the half castles.
but since then they have decreased at the
annual average rate of $780, against an
average annual increase of eighty-six half
castles. A total sum of ZIG, 1872 was ex-
pended by the colonial government on
behalf of the aborigines during the year
and every possible protection is afforded
them, but nothing can prevent their num-
Der steady dwindlng.
Great writers do not always use to-
| bacco ]. NJ. Barrie, for instance, has
written much in praise of tobacco and
yet is himself a non-smoker. Ill-health is
at the root of his abstention. Barry Pain
on the other hand, invariably works with
| a pipe In his mouth, and the quantity of
| tobacco that he gets through in a week
would last most men a fortnight. More
over, he prefers an ordinary pen TO a foun-
tain-pen, for the reason that-as he him
| self says-"an ordinary steel nib never
| minds being used to clean out a pipe bowl,
and write all the better for it afterward.'
In Scotland" says an English paper.
"a modification of the Gothenburg sys-
| tenn seems to be making Roadway. A little
village near the Dunfermlne. named Hill
| of Beath has municipalized its public
| house and installed the electric light out
| of the profits. This success has raised envy
| in the soul of another village close by,
called Kelly. Kelly does not see why it
should not municipalize it's whisky drink
| ing, so public meeting has been held
with real live county councillor in the
| chair, to PROFOUND a scheme. A sum of
| $1,000 is to be raised as capital wherewith
to erect the public house.
in olden times, says the Boston Trans
cript, vessels used often to be struck by
lightning, and the floss by that cause was
very great. From 1890 to 1910 no fewer than
$50 ships of the British navy were struck,
| 100 men being killed and 200 wounded. Now
adays warships, wei as big merchant
vessels, have lightning rods running down
| their mastS ana INTO the sea, so that the
! electricity IS carried off. In these days no
body hears of the destruction of a vessel
| by lightning. Churches, if they continue TO
build as now, viii always be favorite tar
| gets for lightning. They are the buildings
most commonly struck. In Roman Catho-
| lie countries the introduction of lightning
rods was bitterly opposed; they were cali
ed "heretic rods" Nevertheless they de-
! fend most of the churches now. There is
record of a certain church in Carinthia
which was hit by lightning four or five
! times a year on an average, the services
! being stopped in summer on this account.
A rod was put on the steeple and there was
no more trouble.
So great is the antiquity of the rose
that all account of its origin has been lost.
There seems every reason to believe that
| the national flower of England is the
Oldest of which there is any record; 10
Englishmen, at least, it seems case of
! survival of the fittest 1t is not mentioned