The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-02-25
COMMENTS ON MEN AND
 MATTERS OF THE WORLD

will take pleasure in studying the bird while he is safely under glass. No doubt substantial proof of those stories that have been told about mosquitoes holding up trains and wayiay1ng unwary trav- elers will also be on exhibition for the delectation of the multitude.
 Just two weeks after the disastrous fire which laid Baltimore in ashes and destroyed it's own plant, the Baltimore Evening News has been established anew and Is now being issued In Baltimore from one of the most completely equipped newspaper plants In the country. In this brief time President Grasty of the Balti- more News Publishing company has pur- chased all the machinery and apparatus necessary for issuing a metropolitan daily, and has accomplished his task so rapidly and successfully that the News Is now at home again In Baltimore. ap- bearing every day as if nothing had hap pened. Under ordinary conditions 1t Is a labor of months which Mir Grasty has performed in days. The press of the coun- try Is extending congratulations to the Baltimore News for the great achieve ment of It's president.
 Judging from the tone of criticism adopted by the southern newspapers the tour of Mme Patti has been a failure. and sore disappointment to all her old admirers. It has been dsallusion for many who dreamed of Patti as always in her prime. forgetting that we all grow old in time and a marvellous voice will fall Critics have been handling the diva without gloves. In one or two places she was forced to cancel her engagements on account of the lack of interest taken in her appearance It was pathetic at tempt to hold up a prestige that has waned, and no doubt convinced the worlds greatest singer that this must be farewell for good. Patti has been able to command her exhorbtant figure every night, however, and she has not suffered to any great extent in a pecuniary way, even if critics have been harsh. Where there was no $5OO0 forthcoming tlere was no Patti It is now believed that the diva Is convinced that she has had her day. and that she will never again appear pro- fessionally, although she intends to sing for charitable purposes. sometimes.
 Atlantic liners report stormy passages across the ocean these days. In fact it has been a stormy winter, and when the huge vessels come into New York har- bor they give evidence of having been sorely buffeted by the wind and waves. Scarcely a ship has reached port within the past week or two without reporting very heavy weather. and more or less damage sustained. The big liners have lost their boats, had rigging torn away and cabins flooded with water. Tn addi- tion skylights have been demolished and vessels considerably battered about the decks. When the cabins of large ocean steamers are flooded it entails some ex- pense for repairs, and nearly every voy- age here of late has resulted in losses to the shipowners But old Neptune may fume and toss as much as he pleases without bringing a Cunarder or Ham, burg-American liner to grief. Although the passage may be rough, travellers across the pond" may congratulate themselves that it is lacking many of it's former terrors P. c.