The Savannah morning news., 1902-09-25
ITEMS OF INTEREST.

tildl COUNTY Ol Val
leys, caves and springs, and wild ami
mails are still abundant. The county
is traversed by the Usage and Niangua
rivers, the scenery along which is ex-
tremely beautiful. One of the caves
is 1000 feet long, and at one place 129
feet wide and so feet high. Another
extensive cave has a width of 200 feet
A noted spring rising at the foot of
a mountain is 120 feet wide and IS feet
deep, and forms a lake covering sew
eral acres. In the same region are
many waterfalls.
"A very simple device for testing
the lubricating qualities of certain oils
under given conditions has been
brought out in Germany 1t consists
essentially of a special bearing. The
pressure on this bearing is obtained by
mounting on the ends of a suitable
shaft heavy adjustable weights. The
method of operation is to bring the
shaft UP to speed of 1000 revolutions
per minute and then to uncouple the
driving mechanism and read the speed
from time to time until the shaft comes
TO rest. The length of time the shaft
runs after the power is cut off is in
versely proportional to the friction of
the bearing. Different bearing metals
can readily be tested in the same man
ner.
Some curious experiments have
been made by a physician in Rome
lately for the purpose of determining
the so-called depth of a person S
sleep. He uses a specially designed in
strument, which prods the sleeper at
different stages of his Sleep and a re-
cord is kept of the ease or the Difficult
ty of rousing him. Curved lines show
the relative depth of the sleep in differ
ent subjects, and in the same subject
at different times. The experiments
show that there are certain periods
when the sleeper is more easily wax
ened, and it is suggested that a prac-
teal application of this result may be
made in adjusting the rising time to a
natural period of minimum in the
depth of the sleep.
"A Berlin cable says: German ORR
entalists continue to be deeply inter-
ested in DIR. Koldenberg's discoveries
in Nebuchadnezzar's Palace in Babylon,
which is proving the richest store house
of ancient art ever unearthed. The
encaustic thing wherewith the great
court of the palace was decorated, DR..
koldenberg says, surpaSSes in the fine
ness of its glaze and the lustrous beau
ty of coloring anything that more mod
ern art ever attained. The frieze sur
rounding this court contains boldly
carved figures of all real and mythical
beasts, the sculpture revealing so adj
vanced state of the art that DIR.
Koldenberg is convinced he will find
further specimens proving that even
in the time of Abraham and earlier art
had reached high point of develop
ment on the plains of Mesopotamia.
"A number of towns in Great Brit
ain have gone into the municipal tele-
phone business in competition with
stock companies. The municipal cor
porations usually offer service at very
much reduced rates, and this fact is
generally overlooked in making a COM
parison of the earnings with the in
vested capital. For instance, Glas-
COWS undertaking in this line only
showed profit of $2,17O during it's
first year of operation, upon a revenue
of $4,000, but the subscribers were
benefited to the extent of sos, 900, rep
resenting the difference between munic-
ipal and the National Company's rates.
Manchester is now conducting inves-
legations with a view to opening a
municipal exchange. At Tunbridge
Wells the first years working showed
a moderate profit. At Glasgow there
are 1000 subscribers to the municipal
system in comparison with 5000 SUBJ
scribers on the privately owned ex-
change. Fully 40 per cent of the SUBJ
scribers to the municipal exchange also
have phones on the National circuit
That is a strange story of spon-
taneous combustion that is told in a
Geographic dispatch from San Fran
cisco in tho
the effect that an inebriate, attempt
ing to light cigar at a gas Jet, his
breath caught fire, the flames burning
the interior of the chest to a crisp
This story is paralleled, strangely
enough, in the very interesting me-
moirs of Blanchini. 1t concerns the
remarkable case of combustion of the
body of the Countess Bandi, of the
city of Cessna, Italy. One evening the
countess felt an unusual drowsiness
and retired early, her maid remaining
with her until she had fallen asleep,
Next morning when the girl called to
awaken her mistress she found moth
ing but the charred remains of the
Countess lying in a heap in the mid
die OF the floor; the unconsumed Dor
lions, feet, legs, hands and fingers,
still glowing with clear white heat,
In the center of the heap lay the head.
These parts were all that were left of
the Countess save the heap of ashes.
Two tallow candles that had been
blown out and left on the table were
found to be melted, the Svicks remain
ing, which clearly proved that they
had not been consumed in the regular
way. Nothing in the apartment had
been injured in the least, but everv-
thing-furniture tapestry bedclothes.
etc-was literally covered with a pc
cullar damp, sootlike substance. Arti-
cles in the dining room adjoining were
also coated with the substance. While
the Countess was not addicted to
strong drink, she had for wears dailv
bathed her body in camphorated snir-
It's of wine. According to Blanchani
the mystery of the Countess death
was never satisfactorily explained.
Now that the sensational and mine
days wonder" period following the in
vention of wireless telegraphy has
passed, and the period of practical de-
Velopment and extension has set in. we
snail probably hear much less through
public prints about this really marvel
Gus device, although, before we are
fairly aware of it, it will be in general
and familiar use throughout the world
says Leslie's Weekly That wireIass
biography has already been brought
Wen within the realms of practical use-
Iulness is evident by the fact that orr
government is establishing a system
Tor Its own use in Alaska. and that
nearly all the ocean steamship corr
panles are equipping their vessels
with wireless apparatus. That n is
pelng taken up also as a, new ana
promising field for the investment ~