The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-06
ITEMS OF INTEREST.


houses chiefly owing to its seeming ina
bility 10 penetrate fog. In fact. in this
respect, many arc lights are inferior to the
best oil lamps used in lighthouses. The
arc when examined by d spectroscope is
seen TO be rich in the blue ana violet rays
which are easily absorbed by fog or mist
Attempts are now being made TO use large
incandescent lamps in lighthouses, as The
large proportion Of red rays that they
emit are expected to pass through fog bet
ter than those of the arc light.
"A story on the fraudulent comforting
Of degrees is told in the London Post.
which, while it may not be strictly accu-
rate, is MOI without interest. 1t seems
that chimney sweep took proceedings
against an Edinburgh man for debt, and
in the course of his evidence the sweep
mentioned that his name was Jamie Gre
CORY, LII D." The following colloduy
ensued between the witness and the sher-
iff: What, doctor of laws, or letters?
And where on earth did you get that dis
tinction?" 1T was a fellow fra an Amer
lean university, an l swept his chimney
three times. i Gamma pay We cash, Jamie
Gregory, he says, but I'll make ye an
LII D., and Wen ca it quets.' An ne
did"
The well known symptoms induced in
the human system by subjection 10 unus-
ually high atmospheric pressures, such as
those commonly used in caissons for bridge
PIERS are attributed to three general
causes: Poisoning by carbon dioxide. CON
GestiOn of the viscera, and excessive solu-
ton by the blood of the atmospheric gases,
which are again liberated when the sub
Ject returns to the region of normal atmos-
pheric pressure. While the first two
causes certainly do contribute their re-
spective effects, the third is the most i'm
portant factor concerned. In much of the
caissOn work of the present day a pres
sure of thirty-fve pounds per square inch
is used, and the most reliable medical
opinion now held is that the gases alb
sorbed by the blood under such conditions
are so quickly set free when normal pres
sure is again restored, that they cannot he
Immediately got rid of. but as as emboli
in the blood vessels, especially of the brain
and spinal cord.
The United States department Of agri-
culture has recently called attention TO the
danger likely to arise from the indiscrimi-
nate introduction of mammals and birds
into countries where their presence may
be desired to extermnate other species.
Thus, very soon after the mongoose was
introduced on the Island of Jamaica to ex-
terminate the rats, it preyed fiercely upon
birds well, with the result that the in
sect pests have rapidly increased. At
present, both Hawaii and Porto Rico are
overrun by the mOngoose, and the depart
ment realizes that there is great danger
of It's being brought to some of our
Western or Southern states, where it could
do an appalling amount of damage. While
it may seem an easy matter to prevent the
importation of this particular kind of pest
by legislative enactment, it is very much
more difficult actually to keep it out of the
country, owing to the ignorance or indif-
ference of the vast iOritW of the
lation regarding the dangerous and de-
structive results that may follow the indis-
criminate or ill-advised acclimatization of
animals.
A Philadelphia contractor, who has
recently returned from the Soudan, tells
of an interesting fact connected with the
building by the English of the new mill
tary railroad in that region, says the
Philadelphia Record. With every gang
of forty or fifty men are assigned TWO
harpers and flute player. Music is fur
nished almost continuously, and so long
as the musicians play the workmen-
nearly all negroes-do not seem to feel
the fatigue, and their movements are
conformed as nearly as possible to the
time of the music. AS a general thing
the players get tired before the Workmen
DO. To white man the melody produced
by these cheerers of labor would not be
inspiring for it is peculiarly plaintive.
The Africans, however, find the music a
great inspiration and work with cheer
fulness and dispatch. The Philadelphia
| declares thai the idea is one well worth
considering, for il is well known that col
ored laborers and stevedores along the
river front will work harder and faster if
permitted to sing. AS a matter of fact
singing among them is encouraged.
A Washington dispatch to the New
vo,I- gaxye. Tho oppcIe bureau lie
to have a building of its own, and in pre-
pairing for the erection of this building
work has been begun by tearing down one
of the old landmarks of Washington, a
relic of early railroading in this country
1t is the original Washington freight sta
ton of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad,
which was built in 1885 The company
was organized in 1927 to build line from
Baltimore to the Ohio river, and it was
decided soon afterward to establish a line
to Washington. Ground was broken on
April p, 1885, for that part of the road
which was to be with the district of Co
lumbia, and on July the railroad officials
made tour of inspection as far Blad-
ensburg, which was then the terminus.
The first train entered the district on July
20, the first locomotive to enter being the
George Washington driven by William G..
Wyne, engineer. 1t was a great event in
Washington, and thousands of spectators
witnessed the then WONDERFUL sight. There
were parades and banquet, at which
speeches were made by the city officials
of Baltimore, Washington, Georgetown and
Alexandria. The regular schedule, which
went into effect on Sept Is, called for two
trains a day. When this historic Old
landmark of American railroading is gone
an immense brick building will occupy its
site. There has long been a need for a
home for the census bureau. Commits
Sioner Porter in 1880 had TO occuDV a Num-
Der of buildings, and 1t was hard work
for him to find room for his clerical force
The building will cover two acres of
ground. 1t is expected that it will be
ready for occupancy in the first days of
the next year
1t does not seem unlikely that England
will soon have another troublesome little
war on her hands, in the Afghanistan
frontier region, where the Wazris are
becoming very troublesome, says the New
York Evening Post. Fresh raids by these