The Savannah morning news., 1901-06-07
ITEMS OF INTEREST.


upon refrigerating methods on warships,
and if future experiments should demon
strate the practicability of his system
there will likely be less need for crews
to continue the long and monotonousN diet
of salt pork, salt beef or canned meats
on long cruises. For a long time the
only freezing machines on British war
vessels were provided for making ice for
The sick, but they were known to pro-
duce chiefly extremely heated language
and profuSe peispiration among the peo-
pie who manipulated them. For few
years ships have been fitted with refrig-
Grating plants TO enable carrying fair
supplies of fresh meat for the crew, but
they are hardly sufficient yet. The adj
yantages of fresh and wholesome food Tor
the health of crews serving on shipboard.
especially in the tropics, cannot be over
stated.
in the beginning of October Khartoum
will once more, in fact, be the capital of
the Soudan. About that time the Offices
Of the government will be transferred
across the river from Omdurman, al
though it is questionable whether the
trade of The latter town will migrate
along with the officials. Omdurman has
present population of about $4,000 souls.
Of it is in the hands of native merchants.
The new city of Khartoan is said to be
quite model from a sanitary point of
view, and in time viii no doubt draw
the merchants from Omdurman, which is
said to be in very filthy condition, but
it is we'll known that The native is hard
to move from his oldtime grooves, and
that sanitation plays no part in either
his private or public economy. This may
NJ
working order at Khartoun, and the new
city may become in comparatively few
years the greatest Central African center
Of civiiza ton and trade.
AS there is reason to believe that
syndicate has been formed for the pur-
pose of floating limited company os-
tensibly for the commercial utilization of
liquid air. one or two observations on this
interesting substance may be timely, says
the London Express. In the judgment
OF the most prominent authorities on the
subject, the commercial use of aquid air
is not an economic possibility. 1t is true
that a large number of suggestions have
been made pointing to its adaptability
for different purposes. 1t has been pro-
posed as an explosive, and liquid air
cartridges have actually been used with
indifferent results for blasting. Mr..
Tesla has been credited with its employ
ment for increasing electrical conductiv-
ity, and thereby transporting electrical
energy for thousands of miles without
loss. Liquid air, TOO, has been suggest
ed as a motive power, preservative,
caustic for medical purposes, and for
variety of other singular employments.
1t has to be borne in mind, however, that
liquid air for power purposes costs 200
times as much steam, requiring 2o0 de-
grees (FahrenheiD of frost for its pro-
duction, and that in any case it is ex-
pensive TO make and most difficult OF
preservation. No doubt it excited great
hopes on its entry into the world as
manufactured product, but the better
informed now regard 1t as destined to re-
lapse into position OF mere scientific
curiosity.
One one of the islands in Lake Mae
lar, called Adelso, there is a tree which
enjoys a curious reputation says the Lon
don Globe. 1t is an aged fir stump stand
ing quite alone on high ground, far from
any dwelling, and is an object of super
stitious reverence to peasants and wood
cutters. There are three holes in the
stump near the ground. and in one of
these holes treasure of some kind is con-
stantly to be found. Sometimes it is a
few copper coins, sometimes a piece of
jeweiry-nothing, perhaps, of any great
value; but If you put your hand into the
sawdust and rake about you are certain
to And something. The person who sends
me this information went in October, 1900,
with the owner of the property, to look
at the tree, and found four, pieces of
money in the hole. 1t is well known to
the peasants that If money or jewelry
is taken away there is certain to be more
few days after. How do these things
get into the hole? According to the peas
ants, the thing is very simple; they are
put there by spirits. The island and those
adjacent to it are covered with old grave
mounds, sepulchres of forgotten chiefs,
and ancient valuables are often discov-
cred. Quite recently a woodcutter was
Telling tree, which fell over on one side
with half its roots sticking out of the
ground. On one of them gittered a gold
snake armband. The man received a
large sum for it from the National Mu-
scum of Stockholm. where the jewel may
now be seen.
A man who was popularity known as
1.-THE human chronometer," died the other
day at Anvers, says the New York Her.
aid. His name was j. Richie, and for
many years he had been a money broker
The peculiar thing about him was his ex-
traordinary regularity and his defiance of
custom. His whole life, indeed seemed to
be regulated by a chronometer. So far as
bis neighibors could judge he never show
ed the slightest emotion, but invariably
preserved his natural imperturbable IN
difference. On one occasion a destructive
fre broke out in the house which he was
occupying, yet he walked as calmly out
into the street as though he were taking
an afternoon stroll. In matters of dress
he was equally eccentric. Thus he was
never seen without a black cravat and
ne wore the same hat for ten years and
the same coat for twenty. One day, when
he was young man, he entered a hotel
and said he would like to board there
for sixty-two years. and it was there that
he died. The hotel changed hands several
times during this long period, but the &C.
centric broker took no heed of such
changes, so that in time each proprietor
came to look upon him as a sort of fix
ture. and handed him over with the lease
and furniture TO his successor. Though he
never enjoyed robcst health, this strange
man lived to be 96 years old and those
who knew him well are now saying that
his long life must surely be attributed to
the perfect ease and serenity with which
he bore himself during his career on
earth.
The sun is about $1,000 900 miles off,
says the Imperial. The only way Of meas
uring the distance OF fixed star is NV