The Savannah morning news., 1902-12-27
ITEMS OF INTEREST.


study of the question of the velocity
with which the X-rays traverse space.
NJ BlondIot contrived a method of ex-
perimentatiOn depending on a principle
like the one employed by Roemer to de-
termine the velocity Of light. The prin-
ciple was utilized to determine whether
or not the velocity of the X-rays was
| comparable with that of electro-mag-
netic waves and the results indicate
that the two velocities are certainly of
the same order as the Hertzian waves.
Tho American built Oroya Railway.
IN the Peruvian Andes. attains the
greatest elevation reached by any rail-
way in the world. At one point it
passes through a tunnel 1865 feet
above sea level. This is nearly 1.500
feet higher than Pixies Peak. and but
little over 100 feet less than the eleva-
ton Of Mont Blanc. The Oroya Rail-
way also enjoys the distinction of haV-
ing cost more per mile than the great
majority of railways. 1t is 1873 miles
long, and cost 600. The manv
tunnels. bridges and zigZags presented
difficult engineering problems.
The standard of spelling at ten
seats of learning, according to some
recently collated statistics, is as fol-
lows: Of bad spoilers Princeton has a
percentage of 10; University of Min
nesota, 80; University of Illinois, 20;
the spelling standard at Cornell is
high; at Columbia's Schools of APP
piled Science, ''atrociOus;" At the Mas
sachusetts Institute of Technology the
percentage of bad spelling is large;
at Brown University it is not so large
as in the entering class of Northwest
ern; at Yale the standard is high,
and at Wesleyan and the University CT
Michigan it is fair
The sale of postage stamps in Mex
leo last year amounted to 5000, $50.
Not long since an international
walking contest took place in Europe
in which Frenchmen, Russians, Aus
TRANS, Englishmen and Americans took
part. The route was from Dresden to
Berlin-about 124 miles. The rules of
the contest forbade the walkers to
sleep and gave them only one hour
for rest and for meals. The race be-
gan at AS a. m. 1t was won by Karl
Mann, aged % years, who covered the
distance in twenty-siX hours, fifty
three minutes. 1t is a singular fact
that the first six contestants to arrive
were, without exception, vegetarians.
A badger, which had made its home
among the granite cliffs, dealt with the
Fire God with sagacity and skill, says
Nature. a friend, while painting a sea-
piece discovered a badgers lair, and
thought to play the animal a practical
joke. Gathering together a bundle of
grass and weeds, he placed it inside
the mouth of the hole, and igniting it
with a match, waited for the igHomin-
ious flight of the astonished household
er. But Master Badger was resource
full animal, and not disposed to be made
a butt of practical jokes. He came up
from the depths of his hole as soon as
the penetrating smoke told him that
there was a fire on the premises, and
deliberately scratched earth on the
burning grass with his strong claws I'M
til all danger was past. No human be-
ing could have grasped the situation
more quickly, or displayed greater skill
in dealing with an unfamiliar event.
Professional house hunting, saws
the Boston Post, is the latest occupa-
ton to be adopted by woman. Her
stock of trade consists simply of pleas
ing manners, a good address, a smart
walking costume, and cards engraved
like fashionable visiting cards, except
the words, Professional house hunter. -
Her already established trade, while
not among Boston's most wealthy
families, is among class well enough
OH to live in private houses or expen-
sive apartments, and who will gladly
pay for comfort and convenience This
professional house hunter never recon-
mends place until she has personally
visited it. She takes notes as she in
spects and writes a full description
of
not only the interior but the outlook.
both rear and front, the neighborhood.
and the names of the nearest neigh
borS.
The famous Gen. Cambronne had
talent not rare in the French army,
says the London Daily News. He knew
how to use a needle. l knew an old
lady who preserved with care a Brit
tany costume he made her for a fancy
ball. She spoke of it as a beautiful fit
at the time he measured her for it.
The ornamental stitching on the cor
sage and apron formed designs in
vented by the General as he stitched.
though he was of an age when the in
ventive faculty is dull What should
l do to prevent tedium killing me-"
he once said in the hearing of this
lady, Were it not for my needle?" He
mad little book educayo and never
had any taste for reading He was
too sober to seek livelines in drink. and
TOO good a citizen to seek to play
part as a politician. He also had a
loom with which he woVe TAPESTRY. and
furnished some beautiful things to his
relatives. A tapestry woven by Gen
Cambronne has just come to the ham
mer at Nantes, and, after spirited bid
dlng, was carried off by a wholesale
dealer IN groceries.
The richest city in Europe saws
the New York World, and probably in
the world is Basel-or Basic. as it used
to appear in the school Biographies
in Switzerland. The returns publish
ed by the tax administrator shows The
assessed valuation is more than S175
OVO'VVU, ana the total population is ia
VVO' an average OF more than 81 400 for
sach man, woman and child in the CITY
Inc assessed valuation of Basel equals
the total revenue of the IS. 600 ho,lsae
and buildings in Paris. OF the 19t mn
inhabitants of Basel, there are 1870 who
are rated as millionaire Tnasrn1,cb
as the amount is reckoned in francs
inns means that the wealth of these
i toO persons exceeds 5000, 600. There are
90 ooo VINO ,I nave between 100000 and 5000
UUV' 10 who have 500. 600. and Sq5 ~
have from $4,000 to 500 600 W-fttiiS
flfteen years the wealth Of T2aeaI -
increased 500, 100000, and the popuIs lion
hds almost doubled, which is a r,,6et
remarkable showing for a town fbst
- 4'oVV years old. 1t has ALWAYS hon
famous. II was the important strooeg-
mold of Helvetius in the eleventh Ces,
Jury and Erasmus died there in fbo