The Savannah morning news., 1901-01-21
ITEMS or INTEREST.

Democrat, of Jersey City. 1t is three and
a half lines long. The sketch of Senator
Depew is the longest-hfty lines.
SO accurately and swiftly do electrical
science and photography aid the scientist
now that the process of crystal formation
is recorded on films, and thus one of the
most fascinating and hitherto mysterious
processes of nature is made matter OF
record, furnishing indisputable data for
study and generalization.
Authorities on forestry say that sew
enty-five years are required for the OAK
to reach maturity; for the ash, larch and
elm, about the same length of time; for
the spruce and fir about eighty years
After this time their growth remains sta
tionary for some years, and then decay
begins. There are, however, some excep
lions to this, for oaks. are still living
which are known to be 1000 years old.
AT meeting of leading business men
of Fort Dodge, Iowa, plans were per-
fected to provide the city with an ath-
letic park and race track. A corporation
with a capital stock of $4,000 will be or
ganized Immediately TO purchase an 80
acre tract of land adjoining the city on
which an option has been secured. A race
meeting will be held this season and
professional base ball club organized.
"A jury of only eleven men recently
rendered verdict in New Jersey. The
case was a suit against the Erie Rail-
road company and after all the testimony
had been taken it was discovered that
enc of the jurors was Waterman OF
the defendant company. BY agreement OF
the opposing counsel he was dropped
he
with but eleven jurors, who rendered a
verdict of $500 against the company.
During the recent restoration of St.
Martins Church at Vevey, Switzerland,
6 primitive edifice has been discovered
few feet beneath the floor of the build
ing. In shape it somewhat resembles
church, but the style of architecture is
quite foreign to Europe and bear traces
of oriental source, somewhat similar to
that of the Tai Mahal, Agra, India. The
walls and foundations of the relic are in
remarkable state of preservation and 1t
is believed by experts to be one of the
earliest buildings in which stone was en-
ployed.
There was plenty of fun at poultry
show held at Wilkesbarre last week. Dur
ing the absence of the superintendent
soaked corn. They naturally became in
toxicated and proceeded to engage in a
desperate combat The uproar excited all
of the fowls in the neighborhood of the
drunken ducks, and for a time 1t was
feared that the show would have to end.
But the ducks were soon Subdued ana
after some bromo settler had been mixed
with the drinking water they became as
peaceful as ever.
The appellate division of the New
York Supreme Court has decided that
county supervisors cannot insist that a
contractor for county work shall employ
union labor. The Albany county board
had refused to award contract for
Job to the lowest bidders unless the firm
would sign an agreement to employ only
union labor. A citizen, in the interest
OF the taxpayers, obtained an injunction
against the boards giving the contract
TO the higher bidders, and the court now
confirms an order from the lower courts,
denying a motion to dissolve the injunc
ton.
The British Indian government is
about to make an experiment on its west
ern frontier toward central Afghanistan.
Instead of sending an expedition against
he Mahsud Waziris, who have been very
is very difficult. it has been decided to
blockade and starve them into subms
sion. Their territory from the Tochi val
ley to the Gomal pass is about 100 miles
long and about eighty in width. The
Mahsuds number some 10000 all told,
and at the outside can put 10000 fighting
men, indifferently, armed, into the field,
but their military position is formidable.
"A. P. sandles, of ottawa, O., is a
candidate for membership in the state
board of agriculture. In a published let
ter he says he is indorsed by his wife
and says that if successful he will apply
his salary to the payment of his debts.
He adds: II have been secretary of the
Putram county fair for six years and
ave turned over most of the money
that came into my hands during that
ime. At the age of II l knew more than
the old folks. If you can't see your way
clear to supporting me, 1 assure you 1
will not object to your entering the
kingdom of heaven and taking seat in
the grand stand of st. Peter
The entrance of the Commonwealth of
Australia into existence with the new
year deserves especial mention in view of
the importance of the new state from
mining point of view says the Engineer
ing and Mining Journal There are few
countries in which mining forms so large
and important part of the national
wealth and RESOURCES as in Australia, and
the union of the colonies will doubtless
have a favorable effect on their mineral
industries, as on all others. Uniformity
of tariff and patent legislation will be a
great advantage, and others will be man.
ifest in time There is a great growth
and prosperity before the new Common
wealth, and its mineral industry will con-
tribute full share of the gain.
How metals gather into the veins in
which miners find them is not well un-
derstood in some cases, but electricians
are now proposing to use electricity to do
the work of concentrating, says the Bal
timore Sun. In some copper mines, for
example, the richer bodies of ore have
been taken out and the remaining copper
is scattered In small particles through
the rock. The rock is too poor" to work
at profit in the ordinary way. But by
flooding the mine with water. adding
acid, If necessary, inserting widely sepa-
rated electrodes and turning on the DUR
rent of a powerful dynamo, it is possible.
ii is thought, to cause the copper scat
tered through lean rock to gather where