The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-11
ITEMS OF INTEREST.

The Roman roads were built with more
care than is expended upon the beds of our
railways even. They were made as
straight as possible, and natural obstacles
were skillfuly overcome by the use of
cuts, fills, bridges. culverts entertainments
and even tunnels. Stiff grades were avoid
ed, and level. once reached, was logged
~ maintained. even at the expense of
making cuts fills, etc
Excavations in the Church of Santa
Francesca. at Pisa, have brought TO light
what appears to he the tomb of UgOlino
de.ia Gherardesca, more Familiarity TO
readers on Dante's Inferno" as Count
Ugolino He was Neapoliian, who, in
the thirteenth century endeavored 10
usurp the government of Pisa, and for a
time succeeded exercising his power with
great severity. In 1888 a conspiracy was
set on foot for his overthrow. The Count
was taken prisoner. and with three of his
sons and one of his grandsons was left 10
die of hunger. The present discovery Of
a rectangular tomb with five skulls and
some bones in the place of burial assigned
TO the Count by tradition seems to confirm
the impression that these are the remains
OF the victims
Another of the periodical attempts to
produce a universal language is contem-
plated in connection with the Paris Exhi-
bit.on of next year. The last effort to re-
vert to the status quo ante tower of Ba-
bel. which took the form of a weird poly
slot jargon called ''volapuk." had no sue
cess; but better things are hoped of ''es-
paranto' for which its inventors claim
marvellous simplicity which, they consider,
should commend it at once to the favor
of all nations It's grammar is declared
to be so easy that it can be acquired in
the space OF single hour. despite the
rather discouraging fact that it has been
compiled by a Russian savant, Already,
it is said. journal written in the new
language is published at Epernay.
Automobile fire engines and hose wag
ons are to be tried in Paris at an early
day, and at present a hose wagon cleo
trically propelled is undergoing practical
trials there. Its weight in working order
is j,6l0 pounds, of which the storage bat
terry il carries is responsible for liza
pounds. This is a very efficient type or
battery, for it enables the vehicle to run
thirty-seven miles at the rate of ten miles
an hour, or measured in terms of power
at the motor, its capacity is $50 ampere-
houts, provided, of course, the work to
he done is not such as to cause excessive
demands for current. If the trials are
successful they VIII show that the cost
and efficiency of storage batteries leave
but little to be desired. Service in pro-
peliug fire engine is of the most severe
character, calling upon the batteries for
very high rate of discharge only at oc-
castonal intervals.
London is having trouble with that re-
markable Tower bridge which was TO al
low ships to pass like a bridge, but
without interrupting land traffic. Instead
of swinging to one side, the draw goes
far up into the air, and while it is up you
can either climb the stairs or take The
OF md lnt hn .ola af.Nre
built at cost to the public of 800. 900, are
not working, their capacity 0hirty per
sODs) being found SO ridculously made
quate, and pedestrians strongly object
climbing 20 steps, crossing the bridge
and coming down the same number of
steps. SO as a matter of fact there is no
great difference from an ordianry draw
bridge except that the service is less
prompt, perhaps because prOmptness is
deemed less necessary. The bascules are
not supposed to remain up more than
seven minutes, but complaint is made that
traffic is interrupted for twenty minutes
or more, while seven or eight ships pass
in succession.
Since the recent PRONUNCIATION of the
imperial ukase forbidding further convict
transportation to Siberia. the penal de
partment has been casting about for new
field for criminal colonization in order to
great central prisons and penitentiaries of
European Russia, without at the same
time overcrowding the far eastern penal
Island of Saghalien. 1t has now be n
practically decided, subject of course to
the emperial eXequatur 10 convert the re-
mote district of Okhotsk- Kaktschatka in
to a new penal province. The ministerial
department points out that this region
possesses no indigenous population worth
speaking of to be corrupted by the de-
porieS, and it has the advantage of being
so distantly situated and rigidly isolated
from European Russia that the escape of
convicts, so common from the Siberian set
Elements, will be weI-nigh impossible. Ok
hotsk-K amtschatka is further recommend
ed as a penal colony by the fact that rich
gold deposits have lately been discovered
there, and they will be worked entirely by
convict labor, thus enabling tine govern
ment to reduce considerably the annual
exchequer credit of 100000 roubies for
penal expenses.
"A recent number of La Tribuua di
Roma contains a communication from Don
Emanuel Ruspoli, the syndic of Rome,
whose wife is an American woman, pio-
posing that there SHAH be worlds fair in
the Eternal city in 1919. The suggestion
is understood TO have the encoura cement
Of the Italian government and il is eX-
pected that even the Socialist press wi
soon ably support the enterprise. 1t is
pointed out that the undertaking would
give work TO thousands of idle laborers
aud mechanics, not only on the exhibition
itself, but also in completing ali the build
inss which were begun years ago, but were
suspended for want of funds. II is pro-
posed 10 run the exposition on the plan
of an open corporation, much of the funds
for which could be subscribed abroad,
thus giving the government the means to
make all adequate Improvements In this
way the palace of justice, the Poycliuic
the Tiber works, the Cavour bridge, the
Janiculum and Momentana neighbor-
hoods, and the archaeologic walk could BE-
completed. The Forum excavations, in
which foreign archaeolgists are so much
interested, would be carried on with
greater zeal and there would be a circu-
lar railroad around Rome. The syndic
says that there are funds ready to meet
all preliminary expenses and all the works
might be completed within five years.
'ntemperance anticipates age" so