The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-09-13

New Ideas and Valuable Suggestion
Picked Up Here and There-Bits of
History and Valuable Comments
Thrown In.
Especial correspondence

Raleigh, ". C, September To-
A philosopher who makes a study OF
the weather and the habits OF the peo-
pie declares that ii would be better
If the people in the major part OF the
country during the hot season took
~siesta," as the Spaniards say. that Is
rested during the hot hours. He insists
that this will be one OF the customs
which will obtain shortly after we get
control Of Cuba and Porto Rico and
that il will BE- a distinct gain
Another philosopher insists that we
have much to learn from the despised
Chinese. The latter a their physi-
clans only when they are well. A doc
tor gets nothing from a sick Chinaman
but gets a regular sum so long as his
patient is well. II makes the doctors
hustle TO secure speedy cures with n
very limited outlay for medicines.
Yet another philosopher has devoted
his attention TO the prope places for
encampments OF soldiers and insists
that the healthiest place is along the
seacoast, using drain wells for water
and burning all filth refuse OF the
camp in One trouble at the
great camps has been the presence OF
the sinks in a few yards of the wells
and the kitchens. Another trouble has
been the lack of bathing facilities. 4
third has been the use of unfioored
tents.
Nothing has been heard for a couple
of years about the plan TO place a sub
stantial stone and iron fence around
Did Fort Raleigh, on oanok Island.
Early in 1887 the writer made a pill
grimage there. 1t is one of the most
fascinating places on this continent.
Only the modest granite monument
marks it. The outlines Of the fort are
perfect. In another part of the coun-
try the most interesting of American
relics would be preserved with the
greatest care.
h penitentiary farms this year
have very nearly 5000 acres in Guilt
walton. 1t is the claim of the new SUI
perintendent that the p~enitentiary Will
have $40, 600 this year on the right side
of the ledger. One of the interesting
questions is what Will become of the
cOnvictS in the next few years. Will
the cultivation of farms by their labor
continue or will they be placed on the
PUBIC DADS. Inere Is a Oil dllOWlTS
counties to thus use them, but when
application is made the invariable re-
ply is: NO ~conVicts can now be spar
ed" There is a steady and marked de-
cline yearly in the number Of state
convicts. This appears to approximate
10 per cent 1t is susceptible of proof
that in a few years there Will be no
state convicts sentenced for terms
shorter than ten years, as those for
tho chnr+ar forms will ha mt al work
either in their own counties or in those
near by which will take them. The
long term cOnvicts will be kept inside
the pe~nitentiary; in other words, the
cream of the crime" in the state will
be within it's walls, and there provision
for occupation will have to be made.
A newspape man here who quite re-
Gently visited Florida, made while
there a study of the habits of the mos
quito. He says the statement nat the
lady mosquito never bites is true. He
also finds that the female never sings;
in fact, doesn't know a note" But
she accompanies her husband or
fance while he works and sings
stimulating him to greater efforts by
the charm of her presence. The news
paper man in question says that on
one occasion he saw the lady mosquito
use all her feet in pulling the meshes
Of a mosquito bar wider apar so her
hubby could get at his victim. He
on his return from the chase divided
his spoils with her.
Some person made the statement the
other day that the Sanctified Band or
Holiness people had left the state.
Within twenty-fOur hours news came
that they were at work in Surry coun-
ty. In a long while nothing has been
heard of the Lynchites, who for a time
seem to have dominated the little town
Of Southport. 1t was said they were
going to cav The question is, have
they departed, and if so, wrere are
they?
The news of the resumption of work
at the Cranberry iron mines, after
years of idIeness, it gratifying. The
ore is among the pureSt and best in
the United States. 1t has been mined
and smelted in a rude way since the
earliest white settlement of that part
of the state. General r. F. Hoke, the
principal owner OF the mine, tells me
that the iron, smelted in a catalan
furnace and rudely forged into bars,
was for many years shipped on the
backs of oxen. The bars were bent
into yoke shape n then laid on thick
pads which were placed on the backs
of the oxen. Now the ore is being ship
ped to Tennessee and smelted.
This shipping of crude products out
of the state brings to mind the rather
odd fact hat practically all the trade
of extreme western North Carolina
is with Georgia and Tennessee and of
the extreme east with Norfolk.
There ought to be a municipal ordi-
nance in every city in the state against
the digging up of large areas Of earth
or the filling in of streets either be-
tween May 18th and October. 18th of
each year. It is certainly unhealthful
no matter what may be said. 1t is
productive of the worst fevers.
The question was asked the other