Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1907-01-25
ITEMS OF INTEREST.

ITEMS OF INTEREST.
Undoubtedly the strict enforcing of
the shanghai law, the equally strict
patrolling of Chesapeake and the yir-
ginia waters by police boats have affec-
ted the southern supply, as themaior
OF owners in Maryland and Virginia de-
cided to finish their season on Decem-
Der 15, and apparently have done so.-
Fishing Gazette.
There is placard over Piscatawav
bridge, on the road leading from Tap
Pahannock to Dunnsville, and (which
said bridge spans Piscataway creek);
which reads dangerous for heavy
loads. In view of the fact that it
was posted about eighteen months ago.
and no repairs made it would perhaps
be better to repaint the sign. Tide
water Democrat.
An unoccupied man cannot be happy-
nor can one who is improperly occupied.
We have swarms of idlers among us.
that is, men who pursue no useful oc-
cupation, and sponge their way, often
enjoying the luxuries of life, living up-
on the hard earnings of others. In this
grand and glorious country no one need
be without an honorable occupation.
West Point News.
The cheerful man or woman is a bles-
sing to every one with whom he or she
comes in contact. There is no virtue in
the world comparable to that of cheer
fulness, and no person more welcome
than the one who always has a smile
and pleasant word. They are the salt
otthe earth. Cheerfulness is the
greatest thing in the world, for it in
cludes all other virtues. Who that has
not charity would be cheerful? Who
that has an uneasy conscience can al
ways smile Who that is selfish and
sordid can find a pleasant word to saw
to all he meets =? Look to it well. Cheer
fuiness is a duty, and if you are not
cheerful something is wrong with YOU.
somewhere, somehow. Sunny South.
Although the fact that great ships
are subjected to enormous bending
stresses in a seaway has been long
known to naval architects, the general
public has little idea how severe these
stresses can be. When the ends of a
ship are wave supported the vessel sags
at the center; when the wave is at ssse
center and the ends are comparatively
unsupported it is the ends which SAD.
but it was only when the trans A tlant;s
liner had reached length Of over coo
feet that the effects of the longitudinal
bending began to be seriously manifest.
1t revealed itself in the topmost decks,
where rivets would be sheared, steam
or otherpipe broken and plates buckied.
Toprovide for the alternate lengthening
and compressing of the decks they are
now cut in two or three places and slid
ing joints are provided.
This is going to be great political
year in Virginia." said prominent
Democratic leader at the jefferson last
night. II am from a rather remote
section of the State" he continued,
"but still / can see it coming. We have
to elect all the members of both branches
of the Legislature, and most of the
county officers, and already the fights
for these various positions are brewing.
1t is curious thing; however, that old
Virginia never tires of elections, and.
much as individuals talk about having
too many, and cutting some of them
out, you will always find the average
citizen greatly stirred up over local
fights, and, after all, he seems to be
glad they take place. A contest for
circuit clerk or State Senator in my
county, for example, arouses and excites
the people to higher pitches of enthu-
siasm than a national election. It
means great deal more to our citizens
to have a good clerk and an efficient
Senator, for example, than to waste
their time and breath in a vain effort
to elect a Democratic candidate for
President. -Times-Dispatch.
For 1905 Maryland dropped from first
position in oyster canning. which this
State maintained up to 1900, to fourth
place in the quantity of packed goods
marketed, but managed to cling to Sec
ond place in valuation because of the
superior quality and the consequent
higher prices of the Maryland product.
During the year covered by the report
Maryland packed one hundred and thir-
ty-eight thousand eight hundred and
seventy-eight cases of oysters, which
were valued at five hundred and forty
eight thousand six hundred and forty
six dollars. South Carolina during 1908
packed one hundred and ninety two
thousand seven hundred and thirty-t three