Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1921-09-27
Here and There.

Oxford County people who visit Port
land via the Grand Trunk Railway, can
not help on approaching that city but
observe across the bay that old castle,
Fort Gorges, and the old granite water
batteries of Forts Scanned snd Preble.
They look frowning and improbable,
but Ii does not take even q soldier to tell
one they are not. They were once, but
the invention of high and higher power
ed guns made their granite walls simply
3 protection of paper. This fact was dis
covered 90 long ago that Fort Gorges
was never finished or garrisoned. The
newer forts are not such imposing look
Ing structures, but, oh, myl II would
take lot more T. n. T. TO knock them
out. Indeed Portlsnders have consld-
cred themselves safe from an attack by
sea because Of them; but IL seems that
even these near modern Notifications are
passing. While no guns from q super
dresdpaught could put them out OF CON-
mission, one big bomb from an @ro-
plane striking fairly within the fortifics-
heap; so IL seems that Forts Williams
and Mckinley and the others may have
TO join the other has-beens, Gorges,
Scanned, etc., In an outdoor museum
Of antiquities; or else be rebuilt to repel
aircraft invasion. Perhaps the millions
aud billions and trillions 1t will take to
rebuild the military world 30 as to make
II up-to-dste may go long way toward
bringing about disarmament.
The University Of Maine and Its PRO-
fessors are supposed to be authority on
any subject; so q man In Skowhegsn for
warded to them q small snake, of kind
be had never seen before, for identified
from Prot. Irving 81. Blake, who inform
ed him the reptile was pine snake and
rare In Maine. he had horrible name
Pityophismelanolecus. TT is too long
so most people will cut OF all but the
last syllable.1 II one really wishes to
know what IL means, Ii can be translated
into black and white pine snake. Prof.
Blake says not only Is he harmless but
beneficial TO farmers As he eats ncxious
rodents. The professor says a good
word for all the snakes Of Maine. Most,
II not ell Of them, are harmless, or will
be as long as the prohibitory law 10 CO.
forced. About the only poisonous snake
that has ever made Maine his habitat Is,
or was for 1t Is about extinct now, the
banded rsttlesnake (Crotalus horridus).
Prof. Verrill Of Norway, writing about 1t |
In the sixties, said it was about extermi.
mated, and that he bad never found IL |
east VI the Androscoggin River.
All Of us can own castles In Spain un-
less Inflicted with insomnia; but most |
of as are barred from ownership Of cas-
ties In any other European country for
want of purchase money or the cash to |
maintain them even IL owned. They are
on the bargain counter, however, and /
some Americans have INDUCED in the
un-American passion of owning some. /
The Austrian noblemen seem to be the
worst OF of any country across the big /
pond. The archdukes, the grand dukes /
and the common dukes OF that country /
have put up job lot Of castles, presum.
eddy with the furnishings but minus the
titles, and some OF our nouveau richie /
have swallowed the bait, among them 1
Frank Munsey, q publisher of world
wide note and q native of the state OF
Maine. What he or any Of the rest of /
them expect to do with their property 10
a guess. Austria don't seem to be
healthy place for princes and dukes at
the present time-what stock that coun-
try had on hand they shipped to Switxsr-
land-so these Yankees can hardly OK.
pect to succeed them. The mere fact
they were put on the market would seem
TO indicate-thess refugees considered
themselves down and out for good.
1t Is estimated that s4,500,0O0 was
paid by life insurance companies during
the year 1920 for automobile fatalities.
show there were 1900 fatal
tiles from automobile accidents during
the year and 1900, 900 non-fatsl injuries.