The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-15
ITEMS OF INTEREST.

Some time ago the LOUISVILLE CONNER
clal published an arcile headed; Found
at Last! The Search for the Meanest
Man on Earth Has Been Busily Prose-
cuted for Years, but l Claim the Proud
Distinction of Having Located Him. He
Lives at Owensboro." The paper was
thereupon sued for libel by ]. R. Tennelly
of greensboro, KY, who, although he was
not named, asserted that he was the man
referred to- The Commercial admitted
this, and attempted to prove that the
statement concerning Tennelly was true.
The latter has just obtained judgment for
500.
An operation was performed in the
hospital in New Haven, Conn.,, on Satur-
day of last week, which attracted consid-
cradle attention and was probably wit
messed by more physicians and medical
students than any other operation which
has ever been performed at local hospi=
tai. Frank Mariana was taken to the hos
pital suffering with hydated cyst OF the
liver, caused by his swallowing a parasite
which is found only in the intestinal sac
of the dog. An incision about four inches
wide was made and the cyst was remov-
ed Nine and a fifth pints of watery fluid
were drawn out The patient is now doing
well, and 1t is expected that he will re-
cover 1t was found that the cyst had
grown to such large proportions that the
liver occupied all of the abdominal space.
AT a cost of nearly a million dollars
the historic Dismal swamp canal has again
been put into condition for traffic, says a
Baltimore dispatch. Walter B. Brooks,
Jr., president of the Lake Drummond Ca
nal and Water Company, which now owns
the canal and has made the extensive inn
proVements, has been notified by the en-
gineers that the waterway will be ready
for navigation before March l. The canal
Is twenty-five miles long and connects the
Chesapeake bay with Albemarle sound,
extending from Deep Creek, Va, to South
Mills, N. c. Vessels of a draught of
at least ten feet can navigate it and this
class of coastWise craft will be saved the
perls of trip around Hatteras. The res
toration of the canal opens up $500 miles
OF inland navigation, comprising the many
rivers and streams of the Carolinas 1t
forms an important link in the chain OF
inland waterways from New York to the
Florida coast. The southern end is COM
posed of the sounds of the Carolinas and
the protected channels between the sea
Isles and the mainland, while the bays,
rivers and canals of the Middle Atlantic
states form the northern end. 1t is claim
ed that freight carrying by steam barges
will be much cheaper than by the outside
sea routes. The Dismal swamp canal has
the oldest canal charter In existence in
this country, dating back to 1857. Slave
la Dor was employed in its original con-
struction. 1t cost S1SOo,OCO, the state of
Virginia and the national government dl-
v;ding the expense. 1t was first opened
to navigation in 1922.
A dispatch from Kimball, S. D., to the
paul Piopaer-precs To in,
this section have just completed gathering
the biggest corn crop ever raised here.
Owing to its low price and the great guam
titles grown many are using ii for fuel.
burning it in both cooking and heating
stoV es, especially those living a long dis
lance from market. Hauling a big load of
corn twenty miles to market and return
ing with small jag of coal bought there
with makes the grower feel as though he
was not paid for his labor. Corn makes a
very hot fire, is clean to handle, makes
very little litter and ashes, all of which
ccmmends il for use as a fuel although
it does seem pity to see the mammoth
yellow ears put into the stoves. In fact,
corn makes so intense a heat that IL burns
out the stoves in a short time which is
its only drawback as a fuel. A history
of the various kinds of fuel used by the
settlers of this Western country, where
wood is unattainable and coal so expen-
sive, would make a long story. In the
very first years hay was most generally
burned by the pioneers-hay twists"
These twists were made about the size
OF an ordinary stick of stove wood To
rake them rapidly and of the proper
tghtness to burn-if made too loose they
flicker away, and If too tight will not
bCrn-is in itself quite an art, and one
that once learned is never forgotten Any
oldtimer will take a handful of long hay,
and throw out the twists with a rapidly
that would astonish the beholder. Later
came the hay and straw burner or boilers.
being, as the name indicates large sheet
iron boilers, the size of an ordinary wash
ing boiler, only about twice as deep. They
were filled with hay or stray, tightly press.
ed in. and turned over the fireplace of the
cook stove. They gave a good heat, and,
as they would burn a half hour without
refilling, were somewhat of an improve
ment on the twist Drought continued
year after year, however, until II became
task 20 evenefurnish the hay or straw.
or other material, to burn in the boilers.
Then came the inventor, mothered by ne
cessity, with the original idea of burning
buffalo chips, varously called Cow
chips" prairie gasoline" native coal"
etc.