NEWS ITEMS.

Gisborne Times, Volume VIII, Issue 526, 24 September 1902, Page 3

NEWS ITEMS.

To ensuro immediate aid to persons injured in train wrecks the German State railway administration has decided to maintain ambulance cars at 77 of the principal stations throughout tho country. Rudolph Hagen and Company’s motor factory in Mungersdorp, near Cologne, has received an order from the Manhattan Transit Company, of New York, for 200 motor omnibuses. Each omnibus is to carry 85 persons, and to run at 101 miles an hour.

From Germany cotucs a story of a novel charity.' In tho town of Haschman prizes are offered yearly for the man who will marry tho ugliest or most crippled women, and aiBO for women over 40 who havo been jilted at least twice. Tho money for tho prizes was left by a rich financier, who provided that out of tho funds an incotuo of not less than £l6 should go to the ugliost girl, and £l2 to a cripple.

Tho medical fraternity of tho State of Washington, (J.S.A., is greatly interested in a 40-day fast by Mrs Jennie Jonkins, of Olytnpia. Dr H. S. Strickland verifies the report of tho fast. Mrs Jenkins went to Olympia from Kamilcho to secure medical relief from her burden of fiesh, her weight being 3091 b (22st). Her physician, Dr Strickland, advised her to abstain wholly from food, and on May 31 she took her last meal beforo tho beginning of her fast. Sho ate absolutely nothing for 40 days, and at tho end of that time she had lost 501 b, and was much improved in health, Professor Alexander Graham Bell, of Sydney, U.S.A., has nearly completed his flying machine, which ho expects to test very shortly, 'l'he machine is boing built under his porsonal direction, and is radically different from Santos-Dumont’s machine. Every effort has been made to keep secret not only the details of the construction, but tho fact that such a machine is being built. Nevertheless, it is reported to be 20 feet long, and to be composed of 25 distinct parts, It is celled internally with canvas, and in places with linen stretched on piano wires. Five miles of this wire were used in tho construction. Tho principle of the kito will bo utilised to a considerable extent. This means that the neroplan system not used in any of SantosDumont’s airships will be a feature of Professor Bell’s machine.

A special despatch to tho Now \ork Tiinos from Bristol, Conn., of July 26, says Sylvia Langdon Dunham celebrated the 102nd anniversary of her birth to-day at her home, three miles from here. She is in excellent health, and received many callers and neighbors. Mrs Dunbarn is about tho house overy day, reads the newspapers, and attends to her own work. She is preserved in a remarkable decree. Mrs Dunham was born in tho house where she now lives, tho old Dunham Tavern, on tho New Haven and Hartford etago rood. In it she was married in 1824, and tho old taproom is still preserved. Sho has lived to see he old Northampton Canal built past her homo; later the canal railroad, then a trolloy line, on which she was the fiist passenger. Mrs Dunham’s father was a soldier in the Revolution, and she saw General Lafayette. Mrs Dunham said today she saw no reason why she was not good for 10 years longer.

There recently started from London a remarkable motor, which will endeavor to make a tour round tho world. Tho car, which has been appropiately named the “ Passe-Partout,” was built specially for the trip, and is declared to be tho largest and strongest motor carriage ever constructed. It is 13 feet long by 6 broad. It is of 25 horse-power and built on the Diaralor principle. The roof is'vcry strong, as it is intended to be used for storage purposes. At night the ’.vehicle can be turned iuto a veritable Pullman sleeper and as quickly converted into a parlour and kitchen. The reservoirs under the carriage are capable of holding 500 litres of benzine, sufficient to drive the vehicle 620 miles without replenishing. Along each side of the car baskets havo been fitted for carrying parcels; indeed, every inch of available space has been properly utilised. Tho equipment includes a complete photographic outfit, a little arsenal of firearms, tents, camping-out utensils, and a , duplicate of nearly every part of the huge fuachiue. The Journey is by way of Parie,

Berlin, across Russia and oioeiia to FeKul, Japan wiil then be visited, wnc-r, me motor will be shipped across the Pacific to Sun Francisco, and the journey resumed oy way of Mexico, New Orleans, St. Louis, Cnicago, and New York. Dr Lehwess, who is i a charge of the expedition, expects to cover the whole route in thirty weeks.