Rensselaer Republican, Volume 23, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 November 1890 — THE DEADLY CIGARETTE. [ARTICLE]

THE DEADLY CIGARETTE.

Discoveries Made by a Man While Manipulating Cigar Stubs. New York Special. The deadly cigarette never seemed more poisonous than when viewed in the light of the latest story that is going the rounds of the local tobacco trade. It is to the effect that one Memm, a cigar stub picker, died recently in one of the lo egn quarters of the city, leaving a fortune varying, as the story runs, between $15,000 and $25,000. It appears that Memm had a smattering of practical chemistry of his head, which he applied 1 to his stubs, emulating tho example in modern chemical discoveries which make wine without grapes, and pigs’ feet from clothes-pins. He invented a small oven, in which were burned the accumulating stub pickings of several score of boys. In the process of reducing the stubs to ashes he contrived to retain a great quantity of the gases and salts that escape in smoke, and the cremated material thus became impregnated with them. The stubs, reduced to ashes, were next ground to a powder and washed to a whiteness. This deposit he found acted like magic on the enamel of the teeth, dissolving tarter and removing discolorations in the twinkling of an eye. Having successfully demonstrated this discovery, Memm made a deal with a well known chemist, by whose agency the stuff was put up iii elegantly scented boxes and advertised far and wide, but the real magnitude of his success was attained by a subsequent process which Bavors more strongly of fact. Certain of the stubs turned in by his army of gatherers were unrolled and the burned edges clipped off. The remnants of leaves were then thoroughly rinsed and steeped for a day in a strong decoction of tea and scented herbs, whence they were removed smelling sweet and aromatic, When dry the leaves were cut into fine scraps, and rolled into cigarettes. which were afterward sold in the case of the city as the purest and best of cigarettes- It is not told how this ingenious fellow contrived to escape the authorities, but that information is not necessary to the moral pointed by the ,tale.

The First American s orpetlo Boat*

John M. Ellicott in St. Nichols. European countries havo built large numbers of these boats. Italy has now about 200; England, 175; France, 150; Russia, 130; Germany, 100; and Spain, 20. On this side of the Atlantic, 'the Argentine Republic has 18; Brazil, 16; and Chili, 10. Of course you wish to know how many our own nation ha 3. , Well, we have one. It was recently launched, and if you read the papers you will no doubt see. accounts of its trials for speed. It is a big one a-“deep-sea’' boat—very much like tho Italian Nibbio in appearance, but not in any way designed alter that boat. It was built by the Messrs. Ilerreshoit at Bristol, R. I. This firm has built some very first launches and yachts, and can no doubt prove equal to the best .foreign builders in constructing torpedo boati should others be demanded. Our torpedo boat is named the Cushing. after a famous naval officer who during the Rebellion sank a Confederate ironclad with a torpedo rigged out on a spar projecting from "jf'steam launch. Torpedo boats are not’always named. It is the custom of foreign countries to give names cn’y to tbeir ••deep-sea” torpedo boats. The smaller ones are simply numbered. I know you are wondering why we have only one torpedo boat and would 1 ike to ask me if we dbn’t need more. Perhaps'we do. The United States has a longer sea-coast and more important sea-ports to protect than any other country; but the United States is deliberate and thoughtful-- - ~—— The presant Secretary of tho Navy has asked Congress to appropriate money for five torpedo boats in addition to the CuilhKng, and no doubt successful trials of these will bring about the immediate building of many more. Prof. E. Stone Wiggins is at it again. He predicts an earthquakes in Pennsylvania and the maritime provinces ol Canada August 17, IDOA. and another one in 1920. A Governor Hill’s private secretary if .ColonelT. S. Williams, a graduate of Cornell and formerly a newspaper man. He serve! at Albany and at Washington..