The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1901-02-28
THURSDAY. FEBRUARY Is. 1901.
FACTS IN A FEW LINES.

Belgium has no navy except a train
ing ship for the merchant marine.
out of 100 samples of wine analysed
at the French municipal laboratories 60
only were pure.
California sends Sl,0O0.0OO worth Of
canned fruit TO Germany n year, and
more is wanted.
1t is the custom Of the Alabama dis
trict of the United Mine Workers 80
elect negro as vice president.
a 40 foot channel is TO be drcdgcd in
New York harbor, and the work will be
done 10y the two largest dredgers in eX-
istence.
During the century total Of about
100000 people have come from for
eign countries to make their homes in
the United States.
Among the learned professions. il has
been decided. must he admitted all H.
brarians II they are properly qualified
for their business.
An automobile driver in New York
who overchGsgcd customer and put
the difference I'm his pocket has been
convicted of petty larceny.
1t is estimated that the wheat crop in
the Darling Downs district. Queens
land. will beat all records. the yield in
some instances reaching - bushels per
acre
The city of Detroit tried standard
time for just one week. Then the com
mon council voted to abandon IL and re-
turn to local time regardless Of railroad
time tables.
The French ministry of posts and
telegraphs is making arrangements
which will enable every resident in
Paris to have telephone in his or hen
apartment for $40 year.
prominent medical journal says the
best treatment for nervous dyspepsia is
lat least three weeks of absolute rest
in bed in some institution away from
home together with a fun diet"
Swarms Of locusts have entirely de
strOyed the crops i'm the Tol;ar region
in the eastern Sudan. The devastation
has been So complete that the popula-
ton is reduced to the utmost destltu-
ton
\ New Jersey baker who was fined
for selling bread on Sunday demon.
strated the abSurdlty of the blue laws
by buying on Sunday a cigar ut the
drug store kept by the justice who
fined him.
Some of the finest sugar mills I'm the
world. costing $1000.000 each. are
found in Hawaii and there are plant
ers in the islands who produce $500
worth Of sugar and $500 worth of rice
to the acre
The French chamber has voted the
abolition Of the red mass. or mass of
the Holy Spirit. which is celebrated
every year on the opening Of the law
courts after the long vacation. The
motion was carried by a majority of
two.
One Of the American soldiers just
returned from Picking has in his posses
sion what he claims to be the great seal
of China. The block is made Of Il piece
of jade four inches square and beauti
fully and ingeniously engraved. \
large dragon forms the handle.
In the latest report of the London
School of Medicine, which claims to
have trained pa medical women. it is
stated that nearly every town of i'm
portance in India has qualified WON
an doctor There are also several in
China and South Africa and even one
in Persia.
When American armies were in Gu
ba. the island was almost depleted of
cattle. a vast number Of the animals
having been killed for food. Now the
ranchmen and farmers are busy stock
ing up again and have made heavy
drafts on Florida which as cons
quence has about been stripped Of its
better grades of cattle.
In spite of politicians of both parties
women continue TO crowd out men
from several grades Of clerical work in
the state departments at Albany. They
have been receiving much smaller sala-
ries than the men. but the board of re-
gents has decided to raise the pay Of
women employed in the regents de-
partment, and it is expected that others
will follow suit
Switzerland is still in the watch busi.
ness The output OF watches from her
factories last year was the largest ever
recorded. According to statistics just |
published the total exports amounted |
to 2.366,426 nickel watches. value 81
0G4 900: 3.OS6. 100 silver watches. value |
$7.5TG2OO: SCOPES gold watches, value
So l44OOO. and G.IG9 chronographs and
$500 800
More than three months have passed
since the formal opening of the Pringle
Memorial home in New York. designed |
for the use Of aged literary men with
out means Of support. but so far ii has
had no inmate Nobody has ever ap-
piled for admission The home was
provided by wealthy New York bank |
er who died several years ago. and
money without stint is behind It,.
In order to help the restoration of |
stolen dogs the French society Assist
ance aux Animaux has made arrange
ments to tattoo number on the ear of |
every dog or cat presented at the so
ciety's establishment. The process. it |
is claimed. viii be painless. and as a |
register of all pets tattooed will be kept |
owners will always be able to estab-
llsh identity by reference to the mum
Der on the animals ear and the testi- |
mOny of the society's books.
In western Kansas some of the coun
ty treasures have been depleted by the |
payment of So bounty on coyote scalps.
These animals are taken in this man
ner: The coyotes are decoyed by
growing rooster in cage placed Oh /
prairie eminence. and from the gulches
below the sportSmen with sh0tsuns |
slaughter the wolves. Another plan is |