The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-11
ITEMS OF INTEREST.

humber producing countries in the world,
considerable quantities of finer wood, such
as cabinet work wood, rosewood, ma
hogany etc, are imported every year.
Mayor Hart of Boston has decided to
abolish the Observation-Disclosures division
of the public building department. Ii was
Instituted by Mayor Quincy for reasons of
economy, but an Investigation has shown
extravagant expenditure of the city's mon
ey, the employment of men ignorant of
the nature of their work through political
influence, and excessive cost for work
done.
During the year just ended $l50OOO,O0O
has been expended for building improve
ments in Greater New York. There was
a considerable rush 70 fi.e plans before
the new building code went into operation.
A rapid rise in The price of land and build
ing materials has caused many builders
to enlarge the structures 90 the utmost
limit in order TO secure sufficient rental
TO make the buildings paying investments.
Recently Napoleon's boots were put up
at auction, and were bought by Stras-
burg antiquary for the trihing sum of %
marks between So and &c., a rdiculously
small sum for such interesting footgear.
The boots were made by an Aisatian man
named Mol, who received for them the
sum of $500 and the Emperor wore them
at his coronation. Then they passed into
the possession of the great painter, David,
who utilized them for his coronation pic
ture. After a time, they were returned
to Their maker, who went back to his ma
tive village. AT his death they became
the property of the commune, and now,
az last they form part of the collection
of a worthy antiquary.
in the new Jungfrau Railroad electric
ty is not only to be used as the motive
power but during the work of construc-
ton, which is now going on, ii has render
ed important service. In the construction
of the new road, special form of truck,
operated by an electric motor, is used TO
transport material and workmen. Besides
this. electric ventilating apparatus and in
candescent lamps are used in the tunnels
and the work has been carried on by the
use of electric drills. The current is also
used to melt the ice of the glaciers and 20
light and heat the company's buildings.
The generating plant for the operation of
the road is in the valley of Lauterbrunnen,
the power being furnished by the River
Lutschine, which has numerous rapids
Few people are aware that the Kaiser
is the principal partner in a steamship
line plying between Hamburg and the
French and English coasts, says cor
respondent OfO Emperor NlElditl, WIlltt
still Prince of Prussia, had the occasion
to do a good turn of some kind or another
to a man who eventually became one of
the leading figures in the shipping world
at Hamburg and the chief partner in the
steamship line in question. Dying child
less he bequeat hed the whole of his in
terests in the concern TO his benefactor,
the late Emperor William, as a token of
gratitude. The bequest being a valuable
one was gladly accepted by The imperial
legatee, and now constitutes part of the
private fortune of his grandson and heir,
the present Kaiser.
Steps are being taken to preserve the
famous Calaveras grove of big trees, which
will probably pass into the hands of a large
lumber firm which has secured an option
on this famous California grove. 1t is the
intention of the new pOssessOrs to build
large sawmills in Calaveras county, and
they will then turn all of the large trees,
which have been made one of the points
of interest to visitors, into lumber unless
some immediate steps are taken TO save
them. Various clubs and associations in
California are doing their best to save the
great trees, which are famous all over the
world. 1t is urged that national park
such as has been established in Mariposa
and Tulare counties, would be most desir-
able at this point.
The preliminary figures of the newly
completed census of Cuba and Porto Rico
show a total population for Cuba of 1572,-
S45 a loss from 1877 of 5S,S42. The popu-
lation of Porto Rico is 957 900, which is an
increase of 15O, 800 over the census of 1887.
The largest Cuban province is Havana,
which has 81 Inhabitants. a failing off
of 1900 in the twelve years. The next
largest is Santa Clara, which, with its
356 534 residents, shows an increase OF
1900. Santiago has gained about much
as Pnar del Rio has lost, says the Army
and Navy Journal The former province
returns a population of 327, 716, an increase
of 80 337, while Pinar has fallen from 225,-
S91 to 173. 0S2. Matanzas has dropped from
259, SIS to 202, 1862 The snalies province in
point of population is Puerto Principe, 20
which the census gives IS, 2S7 Inhabitants
a gain of 1900.
I notice expressions of surprise in sew
eral newspapers that Mississippi court
has judicially decided that the word
damn is not an OATH and that persons
using 1t are not guilty of the misdemeanor
of profane swearing. writes w F. Curtis
in the Chicago Record. This is neither
new nor novel decision. The old laws of
Maryland, which prevailed at the time Of
the organization of the District of CO.
lumbia and which are still nominally in
force, for they have never been repealed
impose a heavy penalty for swearing and
the records of the District Court contain
references to many cases in which similar
judgments were given. A man has always
been safe, in the eyes of the law a least
when he said damn" in this district but
I unders and that the judges of Connect
cut have taken a different view of it, ard
that the Supreme Court of that state has
judicially decided that people can swear
without using the name of the Deity The
word damn" according to the opinion Of
the Connecticut courts, is used as an i'm
precation of divine vengeance and is there
fore profane. The same reasoning applies
10 eXpletives like gosh" which is used
quite freely in the New England states
and elsewhere as a substitute for an atb.
The dictionary says that gosh" is "a
minced oath. Scotch variation Of the
name of Cod" and ii is just as wicked to
say "goldarn" as it is to use a real swear
word
A matter concerning the African war