The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-09-15
ITEMS OF INTEREST.

to make experiments in sponge Gull
ture. This step was taken because
there has been everlasting there and
sponges are rapidly disappearing. The
sale of Gamb's-wool sponges has been
forbidden. The scarcity has doubled
the price within six years.
With it's several hundred monster
mills Minnesota easily leads the coun-
try in it's milling industry. The annual
output of Minneapolis mills amounts to
over 100000 barrels, and the combin-
ed capacity of the states mills is con-
siderably over 100,00 barrels day. The
Minneapolis mills are the finest in the
world, and one system of five of them
grinds about 10000, 900 bushels of wheat
a year.
There are more newspapers pub
Ished in Iowa, in proportion to the
population. than in any other state of
the Union. Massachusetts, so long at
the head of the list. will have to give
the first place to the Hawkeye state,
fer, in proportion to it's population,
Iowa has more than twice as many
newspaper publications as Massachu-
sets, and many more than large
number of other states.
United States Consul Haynes, at
Rouen, says that 1872. 100000 gallons of
wine is stored in cellars in Portugal.
leaving no room for the storage of this
years exceptionally large vintage.
Some of the producers want the gov
eminent to adopt measures favorable
to the distillation of a part of the
enormous stock, and to temporarily
prohibit the entry of the cereal aIco-
hols from the Azores. Others urge that
he fox fx,t1 ,a1 H..
remitted for a time; but as the Portu-
guese government derives a large por-
ton of it's income from this tax it is
not likely to be abolished.
Compressed air under electrical
control is the agent employed in
clock system just established in Paris.
The whole area of the city is divided
into sections about two miles in radi-
us, and in the center of each section is
a station. with a reservoir of COM
pressed air, from which pipes lead to
all the clocks of that section. At the
central station is master clock con-
trolling commutator, by which cleo
tro-magnets are energized every min
ute, thus internationally connecting the
air pipes with the reservoirs, the effect
being that the hands of the clocks are
driven forward once a minute.
The report of the British postmas-
ter general for the year ending March
81 last shows a marked increase in the
business of the postoffice as compared
with previous years. During the
course of the year no less than 2,323,-
100000 letters, 419, 100000 post cards,
1872, 400, 900 book packages and circulars,
167, 100000 newspapers, and S1,017, 900
parcels were handled by the depart
ment. As compared with the year 1896
1897, letters show an increase of % per
cent, and the parcel post business of
u per cent. Registered letters show
an increase of 81 per cent. over 1899,
and registered parcels an increase of
12.2 per cent. Out of the enormous
number of letters handled only 1885,
$40 failed of delivery, a considerably
less number than in the case of book
packages and circulars, of which no
less than 11,911, 614 did not reach the
addressee. A curious commentary on
the carelessness of the human genus
generally is found in the fact that no
less than $4,515 in coin escaped from
badly sealed letters, and was found in
the postoffice. In addition, 345, $50 pack
cts which were unaddressed contained
81, 255 in cash and bank notes, and $685.
OILS in bills, checks, postal orders and
stamps. The total value of property
found in undelivered letters was IS, 1905
675. With regard to the Postoffice Saw
ings Bank during the year ending e.
cember, 1900, the sum deposited was
$202, 49,, 1S0, and the total sum with
drawn $191, 156S60. For the first time
in four years this department showed
a profit.
In 1890, says Leslie's Weekly, the
death rate in 271 cities of 5000 or more
population was q per cent 1000: in
1900 the rate was 1876 in SOL cities of
5000 population and upward, reduc-
ton of "a per 1000. Another state
ment of special interest and signifi-
canoe just now is that deaths reported
as due to consumption, including gen
eral tuberculosis, decreased from 245.9
per 100000 of population in 1890 to 1905
in 1900. a very large reduction, due, the
census authorities believe, to the bet
ter knowledge of the disease and the
measures adopted for it's prevention
To add nearly two years to the aver
age of human existence is a wonderful
achievement. Its full significance it
is not easy to grasp. Apply it to the
population of the United States alone;
now over 100000, it means not less
than total of 10000 900 added years
of human activity and productiveness.
This stupendous total, divided by the
years OF the average human life, with
the recent increase included, means
practically the same as an increase of
10000 600 to the healthy adult populaS
ton of the nation. Regarded from the
standpoint of the economist, It means
also an enormous increase in the
wealth. producing factors of the coun-
try. Healthfulnes, vigor and high vi
tality among a people are the most
valuable assets that any nation can
have, especially for che coming years,
when the struggle for commercial and
industrial supremacy throughout the
world is certain to grow more and more
intense and absorbing. Where other
things are equal, the country that
grows the strongest. hardest and
longest lived men is the country that
will lead the world.
Professors of muscle tell us that
the average man of to-day is a much
finer brute than the creature" of past
centuries, and probably they are right,
says writer in the New York Press.
But as regards individuals I doubt if
the last half of hundred years have
produced the equal of Thomas Topham.
the lslington landlord of the Dukes
Head Inn. Mr.. Graves saws that he
saw in the British Museum a month
ago roll Of pewter bearing this in
scription April 3. 1877; Thomas Top
ham OF London, carpenter, rolled up
this dish (made Of the hardest pewterl
by the strength of his hands. in the
presence of DR.. John Desaguliers. etc.
This man bent at right angles a bar
OF iron an inch in diameter nv strL