The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-06-23
ITEMS OF INTEREST.


mate that over 1880, sol. SO thus reach
ed Greece during 1908.
During the last year the New York
street railroads and elevated took in
a billion scent fares. This, according
to the New York World, is the first
time that the billion mark has been
reached. That means the payment OF
$50, 600 900 by the people of New YORK
for the services rendered by the To-
cal transporta ton companies.
Tea was grown in Japan in 1902 on
an area of 120, 1877 acres, producing ST.
457, GIL pounds. In the previous year
the area was 1912 acres, and the
production 57,9S4,067 pounds. These
figures do not include the Island of
Formosa, which in 1901 produced 49,
752, GAG pounds, making the total for
the empire in that year 71,I37OlS
pounds.
The worlds best timekeeper, says
Curious Facts, is said to be the electric
clock in the basement of the Berlin OBJ
servatory, which was installed by Prof.
Forester in 1865. 1t is inclosed in :n
alright glass cylinder, and has fire.
quently run for periods of two or three
months with an average daily deviation
of only ISL, 900 second. Yet astrono-
mers are not satisfied even with this,
and efforts are continually made to Sc
cure ideal conditions for a clock by
keeping it not only in an alright case,
but in an underground vault, where
neither changes of temperature nor of
barometric pressure shall ever affect,
it.
Under the direction of the Bank
of Germany, in Berlin, an effort has
been successful to control the petro-
leum trade Of Germany by the acqui-
sition of the oil fields of Roumania
and Galicia and those situated in
Germany, particularly in the territory
of Hanover. The Bank of Germany is
assisted in this enterprise by other
Berlin financial institutions, and by
Hamburg merchants. Every obstacle
has been raised against the success
full working on German soil of the
Standard Oil Company, which, not
wtthstanding the fact that it has a
special organization for Germany, it is
intended to combat by this new finan-
cial combination.
Statistics appear to confirm the
contention of trolley promoters that
the density of population is directly
dependent upon the facilities for cheap
and rapid transportation. The Street
Railway Review adduces some figures
bearing on this question. According to
this authority, the last census of Glas-
gov, 1901, shows that there were then
1920 persons, or II per cent of the
total populati living from three to
twelve persons in one room, and 1874
800 persons, or % per cent, living
three to twelve in two rooms. Bad as
this condition appears to the Ameri-
can, 1t shows an immense improve
ment over conditions ten years ago
when the proportions were IS and AZ
per cent, respectively. In other words
the density of population now is fully
80 per cent. less than it was ten years
ago.
The German government railroad
exhibit at the st. Louis Fair shows the
block system and switch signals now
in use in Germany, says the New York
Tribune. More than 1,500 feet of track.
i'll the construction of which both iron
and wooden ties were used, have been
laid. There are station house. two
switch towers and one intermediate
DOCK signal post. One of the switch
towers is fitted with mechanical and
one with electrical signal apparatus
The block system makes 1t impossible
for train to run into an open switch
or for one train to run down another
between stations. The double track
system prevents collisions. By means
of electrical apparatus all switches ex-
cept the one opening the desired track
are locked, making an error on the part
of the switchman impossible. As the
last wheel of the train passes, TIE
switches are all released by rail con-
tact, making way for the next train.
At intervals of about seven miles are
placed intermediate block posts, with a
similar signal and switch apparatus
By automatic arrangement the levers
are all locked, so that one train cannot
leave the station until the train ahead
has passed the next post, thus prevent
ing one train from running down an
other. All the material used in con-
struction was brought from Germany.
In the June Outing John Burroughs
thus writes: "In my sons junior
year at Harvard it became the custom
in May and June to give frequent band
concerts in the evening on the steps
of University Hall Exactly over the
band was a fiagpole, fastened at an
angle to the side of the building. On
the gilded ball of the flagpole there
would come and perch, soon after the
concert began, little screech owl. At
ter the music ceased and the crowd
dispersed the little owl would again fiy
away. So regularly did the owl come
with his noiseless. muff1ed flight. that
my son came to look for him, and to
spe ula e how ltny tire and woul have
to play before he would be attracted
by the music. Many persons saw him
yet he appeared to take no notice of
the yard full of people, but seemed
to enjoy the music, as far as his atti
tude and actions betrayed his feelings
as much as did any one Whether
music gives animals pleasure or main
is a disputed question. My own a.
months-old granddaughter suffered real
pain from the higher notes on a violin
so much so that she began to crv
1t was only the high notes that were
too much for her sensitive ears. tba
softer ones having no effect, Music
VIII often make dogs howl and cats
run. The owl thoroughly enioyed the
band music, however. Certainly the
love for music, SO strong in man. must
find its beginning in lower forms of
life.'' VI
One Of the most curious plants in
the world, says the Chicago Chronicle,
is one described by travellers recentlv
returned from the Cape negro colony. a
little known region of Africa. and call
ed the spider plant. These traveIers
often heard from the natives of a miami
that was part spider and that. growing
threw its legs about in continual strug,
giles TO escape. 1t was the good for
tune Of Dr. Welwitsch to discover The
origin OF the legend. Strolling along
through wind-swept tableland conn.
Try, ne came upon a plant that e.l.ad