The Savannah morning news., 1901-03-17
ITEMS OF INTEREST.

been published showing graphically the
Increased production of iron and steel b.
the different countries Of the world. Ac-
cording to these tables, the production
Of pig-iron has increased from S25 900
tons in 1900 to 49, 40 900 tons in 1899. 1t APP
pears that nearly 20 per cent. of Lne
worlds pig-iron production is now made
into steel, thus leaving little less than
20 per cent. 40 be made into the different
ferns and kinds of iron. Yet Bessemer
first patent was granted so short a time
ago as 1856, and in the same year Siemens
Brothrs obtained their first patent for
the regenerative gas-furnace In the
open-hearth process of steel manufac.
ture. The relative proportions of iron
and steel made in different countries
vary greatly. France produces twice as
much steel as iron, Germany makes five
times as much. and America transcends
every other country In the percentage
q ptg-iron turned into steel.
In this clustering weather, says an
exchange the business of bridge builder
is one of the most hazardous followed by
man. Those employed in the construl tion
of the great East river bridge at New
York are just now having a hard time
OF II. The average man who follows the
occupation is not consi Tered a workman of
extraordinary intelligence. He must have
physical strength, a level head, nerve and
sufficient knowledge of mechanics to
lend hand at rigging derricks or putting
up temporary structures Many of g
men who are engaged In the trade were
sailors. Others had their first lessons in
lofty work as boys when they carri d
! bolts and tools for the workmen or "laid
around to do errands and carry mos
sages between the Office on the ground
and the men aloft. There are rarely any
elevators for the use of the men who
work on bridges. They go up in the
morning at o'clock, and on pleasant
days remain there until their days work
Is done. At the noon hour they take thei-
meal near the boiler or at some sheltered
spot TO reach place where his services
are required man must often walk over
long space on a hastily improvisad
plank BRIDGE. and even when he gains
the other size he finds barely more than
toothold. That's the time" said the
bridgeman, when a man must have his
eyes open and his nerves on tap. There's
no fooling and no skylarking on such a
job. Men go about their work in a SOL
emn manner and keep their wits about
them. We can't afford to cough or TO
sneeZe like other workmen, but must wait
until we get to a spot where we may
do so without risk. and as to the funny
stories-bridge builders have no use FIR
off. How can men take such risks as
that man is taking?" said woman, look-
ing up at a man who was walking Ieis-
urely on narrow metal beam 100 feet
from the ground land why doesn't he
have a rope about him, so that if he
falls he won't drop away DOWN." That's
out of our line" said the foreman. No
man can work with a rope about mis-
body All the precautions we take are
tiRht-ftfinP nf vvbf ha Ind
can't make sails, shoes without nails in
the soles, and In wet or winter weather
rubber overshoes"
Rubber which has come so much more
to the front of late, owing to the demand
for it for electrical appliances, cycles
and motor car tires, etc, from all ac-
counts seems in full supply just at pres
ent, though those who have had expe-
rience behind the scenes say that the am
pie receipts that have come to hand of
late cannot be maintained for very much
longer, as the trees are already becom-
ing exhausted that the natives have to
go much further afield than formerly to
obtain their supplies, and that If the
quantities received of late have caused
prices to ease down slightly, later on, If
more care is not taken to regulate the
output there will be a scarcity of rub
Der, and prices, already nearly double
what they used to be. Will go stll higher,
says the London News. This would be
great drawback both to the trade and
the public. as it would cause inferior
qualities to be used, thing particularly
undesirable, as any one using cheap rub
Der goods soon finds out to his cost. We
hear, however, steps have been taken in
some rubber collecting centers to see that
fresh trees are planted in proport on to
the latex extracted from those old enough
| 20 ~
Is steadily rising, both in supply and
demand. Cocoa, according to the sta
tist.cs published of the seven or eight
principal consuming countries of the
world, seems to be an article that has
come in vogue much more than an out
slider would expect-that is if he has
ever given the matter a thought From
| the figures to hand, 1t seems that Ger
many heads the list of consumers TAX
| ing 39,750,000 pounds in only II months,
| while the United States comes next with
an est mated C assumption in II months of
80, 100000 pounds, and the United King
dom is third with SO 100000 pounds; then
comes France (34,5OO OOW; Holland, Ca
| 900 000); Belg UNI, Spain and Austria, Rus
STA. who. with its 100000 of population
| In Europe alone, her cold climate. and
! large army. might be looked on as a
| likely customer for cocoa and chocolate
not appear on the list at all. The total
quantity consumed by the countries men
toned amounted to 100000 pounds last
year. against 10700aoO0 in 1894.
-Handshaking in Mexico is much more
commonly INDUCED In than in Anglo
Saxon countries. Foreigners resident
there for any length of time inevitably
fall into the habit unconsciously Of shak-
ing hands upon all occasions.and it be-
comes so natural that upon their return to
countries where a more distant formality
is observed they are at a loss to know
what to do with their hands and must
frequently reflect upon their surroundings
in order not to feel almost an affront at
the hurried nod of a passing friend or
| the unceremonious entrance and DEPART
ure of guests. I'm Mexico" saws the
Mexico Moderno, friends would not
think of entering or leaving a house
without shaking hands. not only with
the host and hostess, but all other guests
who might be present, and the ladies
would kiss each other. both coming and
| going, on both cheeks. they even OBJ
serve this Formally upon the occasion of
I