quitoes, according to Dr. Ayer, a mosquito specialist of New York, cause the death of 250,000 persons every year. There is no way of estimating the total number of deaths caused by typhoid, malaria and other diseases bred by the swamps and spread all over the land. They must number into the hundreds of thousands annually. The economic loss because of lessened efficiency, stagnated ambition, curtailed energy, is enormous. The baneful influence of the swamps extends all over the country for a fifty per cent efficiency in one section inevitably puts a greater burden upon those who live in sections where the efficiency is on the hundred per cent. basis.

For the public health and the public wealth, is the slogan of the National Drainage Congress, organized at Chicago recently for the purpose of bringing about the drainage and reclamation of this 75,000,000-acre pest hole, in a comprehensive national manner.

The first work of the new drainage congress will be to have the United States congress create a National Drainage Commission to make surveys, estimates of cost and plans of a comprehensive system of national drainage. The second task will be to try to have uniform drainage laws enacted by the various states for the purpose of safeguarding both the landowner, the purchasers of drainage bonds, and the public health.

GIANT AMONG CHIMNEYS

THIS is said to be one of the three tall

est chimneys in the world. It has a height of 375 feet above the top of its foundation. Its diameter-measured inside-at the top is but seven feet. It was

built as a dry color plant at

Easton, Penn.

These works are situated in a narrow valley, bounded on two sides by rather abrupt hills rising to a height of approximately two hundred feet. Some of the colors produced in the plant are made by roasting ores of various kinds in kilns, at present operated under forced draft to drive off the sulphur and other impurities. Other colors are made by chemical process and in kilns of various construction.

It may be stated that during the process of manufacture, a damp acid gas is given off. The new chimney which takes the place of a small common brick

Sanitation, along with other aids to health, is becoming recognized more and more as the basis of industrial, commercial, and agricultural efficiency. When the public finally fully realizes the tremendous menace of swamp lands, the swamp lands will have to go.

one, practically distintegrated by the action of the acid gases, is calculated to take all the gases from the kilns as well as the boiler gases, and produce a draft sharp enough to eliminate the present expense of fans and also to discharge the objectionable gases at a height that will put them away from habitation or so dilute them that they pass unnoticed in the atmosphere.

In various parts of the country, huge stacks similar in character are being, or have been, erect

ed, as the conditions of any industry or community require. These gigantic chimneys are usually built in connection with the smelting and other similar industries, wherever the incidental production of large quantities of gas render this necessary. If the plant is built in a valley, the stack must be made exceptionally high to lead the fumes above the tops of the surrounding hills.

MAKING NEW TESTS.

oldest newspaper in the world, the "Tching-Pao," the official gazette of Peking, recently celebrated its thousandth anniversary it was felt by Westerners who saw the paper that China is ever-enduring, and apparently, in spite of parliaments, revolutions and republics, never-changing.

The "TchingPao" is said to be the oldest paper in China, and of course in the world. Every copy since the first issue is said to be preserved in the king's

THIS NEWSPAPER STARTED BUSINESS A THOUSAND YEARS AGO.

on, but they always have the protection of the law. The "Tching-Pao" editors, however, on divers occasions in the past ten

centuries, incurred the wrath of the ruler, and paid with their lives for it. This specimen herewith shown is the latest form of

the paper, which,

in its Methuselah

like career has un

dergone many transformations. It is numbered

1008th year,

the

fif

teenth day, seventh

moon of the reign

of an emperor of

many generations ago, he theoretically being still alive.

the date of opening had been received from federal officials at Washington, forty-five residents of North Yakima, Washington, including three women,

formed in line at the door of the United States land office in that city to wait for the first chance to file on the valuable land about to be allotted. Agreeing to recognize each other's rights to file in the order in which the line was established, they formed an alliance to keep out intruders and camped in the narrow corridor of the building by day and by night, being allowed to leave the line for not more than fifteen minutes at a time and allowing visitors only between 8 p. m. and 6 a. m. Sewing for the women and reading for the men were their principal occupation, cards having been forbidden, and at night they slept in blankets on the floor or in reclining camp chairs. About 3,000 acres withdrawn from entry by the government several years ago were to be restored.

AS

THE WHITE STREAK OF

SAFETY

STREAK of paint as a life saver for motorists, is the novel but highly effective idea of the city engineer of Redlands, California. The broad white band. of paint runs down the middle of crooked streets in that city, some of which are very dangerous on account of following compound curves, and the natural impulse of a driver in a hurry is to shorten his course by making a "straight shoot." This tends to bring vehicles on the wrong side of the street, and many collisions have resulted from this practice, so Mr. Hinkley thought out this plan of running center lines which warn drivers to keep to their own side of the thoroughfare. The result has been all that could be desired, as the guide lines serve as a silent but persistent reminder and accidents of this nature have decreased in consequence.

MOTOR FOR STREET
CLEANING

NEW YORK CITY has recently tried

out two street cleaning machines, employing the ordinary revolving broom principle with the addition of a conveying belt upon which the sweepings are thrown and carried to the interior of the machine.

The cleaner shown in the illustration is the larger of the two and weighs eight tons, when empty. It is built on a motor truck chassis with a dumping body and also carries a water tank of large capacity for flushing the streets.

Two men are required to operate the sweeper, one in front to drive and steer, the other in

rear operating the re

volving broom, which

may be raised or low

ered to contact with

the pavement at the will of the operator.

the

An advantage claimed by manufacturers is that the machine will clean one thou

The fact that the wet sweepings are carried into the machine instead of being washed into the sewers is another advantage readily appreciated by the officials. of city street cleaning departments.

The builders do not intend to sell the machines, but take contracts to clean city streets at so much per thousand square yards.

The latest appliances for securing efficiency are bound-more oftener, in this wide-awake age, sooner than later-to be applied to all the various business departments, municipal as well as private. In adopt.. ́ing this new motor street cleaner, New York is merely living up to its street - cleaning standards, which

are among the highest to be found in this country.