The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-03-20
CHAPEL HILL NOTES.
Mrs. Deems Gift-prof. Holmes Lee
ture-Mr. Ashe on Forest Fires.

Chapel Hill, \. G.. March 19.-(Spe-
cial.)-AIrS. Charles II. DEEMS magnili-
cent gift has been hung on the walls Of
the University. Visitors to Rome will
remember that in the Church of the
CaDachinS. in one of the stalls on one
side near the altar. is shown a painting
of st. Michael. casting out Satin from
Heaven, by Guilds REM. 1t is an excel
lent copy of this splendid work that Mrs.
Deems. of New York. has given 10 the
University. 1t was placed in the central
panel. back Of the rOStrum in Gerard
Hall. where it can be seen by visitors,
and where il will he seen by hundreds
of students daily at their morning SER
vice and at other exercises in this hal.
It is in the hest light at present availa-
BILE. and also shows especially well at
night.
Wednesday night our popular State
geologist gave the first of four lectures
on the resources of the State, which was
n treat 10 those fortunate enough TO
get seats in University Hall. He con-
fined himself to the resources of EASTERN
Carolina, and was aided by stereopticanI
views thrown on the screen by his val
ued assistant, Mr.. IL. w. Myers. 1t Is a.
that Eastern Carolina carries so large
a proportion of the industries of iheI
State. Something unique and PECULIAR
to the. inland waters were shown. For
instance, the catch and cultivation of
terrapinS and turtles for the market
amounts TO $4,000 annually. The clam
catch TO $50, 900; oyster 100000; while
the fishing industry runs up to 81 800. 600
4, I - -
boats.
Trucking three TO six millions and the
lumber industry TO S5,000.000. The
value of all farm productions of the
State in 10 was 81 millions. while half
of this or 25.000,000 was in Eastern
North Carolina. Value of live stock for
the State, So, 100000 in Eastern North
Carolina-east of line from Raleigh to
Fayetteyille-$S. 100000. This is to be
the future industry of Eastern North
Carolina.
The meeting of the Elisha Mitchell
Scientific Society, was of special inter
est. 1t is little known that besides tneI
local value of these meetings to student
and professor in bringing together pc
pers on the scientific researches in the
laboratories here, keeps the University
in touch with the scientific Institutions
of the world. For instance, in exchanged
for its semi-annual journal, thousands
of valuable pamphlets have been added
to the library. At the last meeting pa
pers were read and discussed by DIR. ].
III. Pratt, of the Geological Survey. and
Mr.. w. w. Ashe, authority on North
Cs!6lIna tilabers
Mr.. Pratt's paper was on the Origin
of the Corundum Associated with the
Peridotites in North Carolina and the
theory, advanced by the author of the
origin of the corundum. is that the cor
undnm was held in solution by the
molten mass of the dumite when ii was
infruded into the country rock, and that
the corundum separated out among the
first minerals as the mass began to cool
This theory is in accord with the field
observations. the most important of
which are the occurrence of the corun-
dunn surrounded by granular dumite. an.
also by serpentine; its occurrence with
and surrounded by spinel; the sharp con-
tact between the gneiss (the country
rock and the alteration products of the
cOntact-rein; the same sequence Of alter.
alton products which are found on both
sides of the corundum bearing zone OF n
dumite- rein, and which are almost iden-
teal with the dumite side of a contact
rein; the usual narrowing and pincniag
out of the dumite-reins, the trend oil
which is toward the center OF the mass
of dumite; which the contact-rcin seems
to extend downward indefinitely.
The recent laboratory experiments of
M0rozewicZ and Lagorio, into the solu-
bility of alnmina in Il molten basic glass
with n composition similar to the basic
magnetism rocks (dumite) and the sep
arating out OF corundum and spinel, as
the first minerals, when the glass began
to cool, give strong support TO the pro-
posed igneous theory OF the origin of the
cOrundum.
Mr.. w. w. Ashe spoke upon forest
fires. Preventing fires he said, was the
first step necessary toward putting the
forest lands of the State upon a rational
productive basis. After calling attention
to the recent February fires, which occa-
stoned so great a loss in North Carolina
and South Carolina, tower S700000) he|
showed that the periodic firing of the
woodland in the Southeastern portion
of North Carolina had, for a period of
over one hundred years suppress all
young growth of pine so that there is
now about 100000 acres of waste
pine lands, which, but for the fires
would be in timber. The loss TO these
counties where this land lies is over
100000 year. On the woodland in
the State is more or less damaged nv
fire. The only remedy is preventing
fires from starting, as when once start
cd it is impossible to stop them. They
have been practically stopped in New
York. Pennsylvania and Maine, and
there is no reason why they should not
he prevented here.
Rev. Il. Edwards, pastor Of the Eng
hsh Baptist church at Minersville, Pa,
when suffering with rheumatism, was adj
vised to try Chamberlain's Pain Balm.
He says, "a few applications of this