University of South Carolina Libraries
Giant Star May Be 520 Million Miles in Diameter, Says Pro fessor. Charlotteville, Va., Jan. 8.-Betel geuse, the giant star, whose dimen sions and dista'nce have just been measured by Prof. Albert A. Michel son, of the University of Chicago, may be twice as large and twice as far away as announced by the ^Chi cago physicist, according to a state ment today by Dr. S. A. Mitchell, di rector of the Leander McCormick Observatory of the University of Vir ginia. Addressing the American Physical Society, Prof. Michelson claimed that by perfecting the "interference method" of measuring star diameters he had determined the diameter of Betelgeuse to be 260,000,000 miles, and that, with light traveling at the rate of 186,000 miles per second, the star is 150 "light years" away from the earth. . Instead of these measurements, Dr. Mitchell states that Betelgeuse may be 520,000,000 miles in diamet er and its distance from the earth 300 "light years." He further states that the star's exact measurements will not be definitely known until March 1922, when photographic measurements extending over a pe riod of two years at the McCormick Observatory will be made public. These measurements are being made by Dr. H. L. Alden of the University of Virginia. The University of Virginia as tronomer, who returned here today, after listening to the paper read by Prof. Michelson, fortified his asser tions with the following explanation: "Prof. Michelson, with his magnifi cent mechanism ability and active brain, has succeeded in measuring the angle at the eye that Betelgeuse subtends. He did this with the aid of a special "bridge," which superim posed upon the 100-inch reflecting telescope at Mount Wilson, gave it a real diameter of twenty feet. '"Prof. Michelson determined ac curately the angle at the eye. To de termine the diameter of the star in _ miles, however, it is necessary to know its exact distance from the earth, or its parallax measured by the Yale heloimeter-a small six-inch lens. His measurements of the an gular diameter of Betelgeuse is ac curate within 10 per cent. "The task of actually measuring the distance or parallax of Betel geuse was assigned to the observa tory of the University of Virginia one year ago, and this parallax, de termined by L series of photographic measurements extending over a pe riod of two years will not be known until March 1922. "It is obviously impossible for any astronomer to work out through trigonometry the exact size of a star until the parallax is known. Betel geuse may be 300 light .years from the earth instead of 150 light years. If the latter statement is true, the diameter of Betelgeuse may be 520, 000,000 miles instead of 260,000,000! Soft Coal at Lowest Mark in Three Years. Punxsutawney, Pa., Jan. 8.-Spot market prices for bituminous coal have reached the lowest point in three years and the market in this territory is demoralized, with mines at many points shutting down due to lack of orders or inabliity to operate at "a profit. Ten days ago, when spot coal reached $3.25 a ton, it was thought that was low water mark, but there has been a steady slump since then until now spot sales are being made at $2.25 and some at $2.00. This is the lowest price in three years and pretty close to the low price of pre war times. Even after this drop to $2 from $14 a ton or better there is no de mand to speak of. In the fall it was said that with the coming of lower prices there would be a better trade. But with every cut in price dullness in the market has increased. Most every wagon mine in this ter ritory closed when the price dropped to $4 a ton, and now the slow demand and the $2-$2.25 price have resulted in the shutting down of many of the big tipple mines. Indications are that some of the very largest operations will noon be idle. Thousands of min ers are out of work. Jobs of any kind in this part of the state are at a premium. Operators claim that at the pres ens price of coal no mine in this sec tion can produce coal at a profit and number have announced wage cuts. J. S. BYRD Dental Surgeon Office Over Store of Quarles & Timmerman Office Phone No. 3 Residence Phone 87 % Begin Each Day Anew. A prominent business man, who al ways seemed fresh and full of vim and vigor, although he had a multi tude of cares in the corporation with which he was connected, was asked one day how he managed to keep him self in such good physical and mental condition, free from worry and dis traction. His reply is well worth re membering: "I retire from business every night when I leave the office," he said, "and begin business afresh every morning." In other words, he meant that he did not allow the cares and worries of business to stand over him as a threatening menace when the day's work was done. When he left the office, he literally retired from busi ness until the next morning. His home life, his social duties, his pleas ures, were never tinged with the thought of the perplexing problems that the next day was sure to bring. By this method, old age was kept at a distance, worry was a stranger, and each day was .begun anew with a fresh inspiration to meet- and over come the difficulties which might arise in the complexities of business life. What is true regarding business is equally true in relation to the other activities and experiences of life. Many persons will not allow their yesterdays to remain buried. They still live in the past and constantly keep the sorrows and, perhaps, mis deeds of bygone years before them. It was Susan Coolidge, thinking along this line, who wrote: "Every day is a fresh beginning, Every day is the world made new; You who are weary of sorrow and sinning, Here is a beautiful hope for you, A hope for me and a hope for you." To the man and woman whose ex periences of yesteryears have been better and still rankle in the memory reaching out to clutch the heart and cause it pain, to begin afresh each day is a solution of their trouble. What if the years have been wasted, what if they have brought sorrow and distress and bitterness? They are gone, never to return. Blot them out of your memory as if they had never been. Think no more of the past, but greet the dawn of each day as the birth of a new world for you; a world which pain and sorrow has not touched; a world that by your own actions you can make worth liv ing in, for yourself and others. And don't let the clouds of today reach over and make tomorrow a day of gloom. Perhaps at this very mo ments things are going wrong with you. Today you have passed through an unpleasant experience. You have been hurt by an acquaintance, know ingly wounded . by one whom you have considered your friend, defraud ed perhaps, by one in whom you had implicit trust. Dont let that cause you to be cast down. When you retire and close your eyes, say to yourself, "Tomorrow will be a new day; I shall awake upon a world made new." Dearborn Independent. American Navy Below British. Washington, Jan. 7. (By the As sociated Press).-What officials be lieve ,to Ki complete information as to the relative naval strength of the principal world powers is now in pos session of the American government. Whether it will be presented to the senate foreign relations committee in connection with that committee's consideration of proposals' looking to world disarmament has not been determined. The information has been compiled in the form of tables which show that Great Britain's sea power is double that of the United States, and that although the British preponder ance in capital ships will practically have been overcome by, the United States with the completion in 1923 of the American building program, the American navy will still be rela tively inferior in type of vessels which naval officers regard as ex tremely important, notably destroy ers, cruisers and light cruisers, cruis ing submarines an dairplanes. The American navy today, accord ing to this information, has more than doubled the strength of the Japanese navy and this ratio will be maintained even with the completion of the building programs of the two countries. The United States will be far superior not only in capital ships but also in destroyers and subma rines. Japan, however, will have double the number of battle cruisers, now possessing four such vessels with eight) others projected while the Unit ed States has only six building. Without reference to second line 3hips of which Great Britain has a preponderance in all classes over the United States and Japan, the British navy contains 26 battleships, carry ing at least ten guns each of 12-inch caliber or larger, and displacing 20, 000 tons or more. The United States has 16 such vessels, Japan 6, France 7 and Italy 4V Great Britain has no first line battleships under construc tion, while the United States has ll, Japan 7, France 4 and Italy 4. A recapitulation of the figures shows that the January 1, 1921 strength of the three principal naval powers in first line major ships (bat tleships and battle cruisers) mount ing guns of 13.5 inch caliber or great er is as follows: Great Britain, 28 vessels of 72?, 650 tons; United States,' 10 vessels of 300,100 tons, and Japan, nine ves sels of 267,520. This compilation excludes capital ships mounting guns of less than 13.5 inch caliber because of their low rate of efficiency in modern battle. County Agent Work More Im portant in 1921 Than Ever Before. We regret to learn of a disposition in a few counties to try to get along in 1921 without a county agent, or with a less efficient county agent. Such a policy is like dropping the pilot just as the ship enters the most dangerous seas. It is like shutting up the lighthouse just as the storm comes on. The farmers of the South will need the help of the county agents more in 1921 than ever before. And they will use him more than ever before. In the first place, they need his help about production. How much the cotton acreage will be cut is prob lematical, but it is certainly going to be cut. Farmers are going to need guidance in new crops, and they are going to need guidance in new fields of effort. They are also going to grow more livestock, and here espe cially they will need the help of a thoroughly equipped county agent. No less urgently-in fact, even more urgently-farmers will need the help of the county agent in prob lems of marketing. Big and promis ing plans for reformed cotton mar keting (as well as tobacco market ing and peanut marketing in sections growing these crops) are already un der way. The county agent is the man who must do more than anyone else id bringing success to these plans for scientific and profitable market ing. Then, too, in growing corn, hay, hogs, and cattle, farmers will find their diversification program of small profit unless plans for cooperative shipping and selling are worked out. They naturally look to the county agent for leadership in these matters. ( For all these reasons the best in vestment your country can make is to pay enough to get a superbly qual ified man to lead you farming forces as county agent in 1921. Don't be content with a cheap man. Get a man whose training is such that farmers know he can give them real help in all the intricate problems of soils, fertilizers, crops, livestock, livestock diseases-a man who has enough ability not only (1) to help farmers diversify wisely; but also (2) to help them market cotton and other "money crops' more wise ly; and (3) who will help farmers in cooperative shipping and selling of thc corn, hay, hogs and cattle they are going to raise. We shall need the county agents more this year than ever before. The Progressive Farmer. Work of League in 1920 Reviewed. Paris, Jan. 9.-The secretary of the league of nations today issued an official document entitled "the work accomplished by the league of na tions during the first year of its ex istence, Jan. 10, 1920, to Jan. 10, 1921," enumerating the various questions settled or discussed by the league. It mentions first the estab lishment of a permanent internation al court of justice; second, the work accomplished in the limitation of ar maments, and third, the creation of an international commission to study the blockade as an economic weapon. The three foregoing are mentioned as measures "destined to prevent war." Under the heading "efforts at politi cal conciliation" the document refers to the question of the Aland Islands, upon which the league commission will report within three weeks. As measures destined to remedy the economic crisis, the report says, the creation of an economic and fi nancial organization of the Br?ssel financial conference and the organi zation in accordance with the con ference and the organization of a transit commission, 'twere foremost in the league's work. Concerning hu manitarian measures, the report goes on, the league elaborated a series of projects including an appeal for funds to fight typhus. The acceptance of responsibilities for opium traffic control and also the white slave traffic; caused the United States, Brazil and Spain to accept mediation in Armenia and effected the repatriation of more than a hun dred thousand war prisoners. Regarding exe'cution of the peace treaty the league points out the fol lowing missions accomplished: 1. Administration of the Saar Val ley. 2. Direction of the affairs of the free city of Danzig. 3. Rejection of the German gov ernment's conclusions of note asking another plebescite in Eupen and Mal medy and the final awarding of the territories to Belgium . 4. The establishment of a perma nent mandate commission to admin ister the affairs of former German colonies. 5. Acceptance of responsibility for the protection of minorities. 6. Registration of 69 treaties in ac cordance with the stipulations of the treaty of Versailles. Why suffer from nerv ousness, insomnia, hy steria, nervous dyspep sia, nervous prostration pr any ailment due to a disordered condition of the nerves? DR. MILES NERVINE will give you prompt and lasting relief. It produces refreshing sleep, builds up the shat tered nerves and pro motes a normal distri bution of nerve force. Your Druggist Sells It, Ask Him. J^Lombard . Foundry, Machine, Boiler Works and Mill Supply House AUGUSTA GEORGIA Cotton Oil, Gin, Saw, Grist, Cane, Shingle Mill, Machinery Supplies and Repairs, Shafting, Pulleys, Hangers, Grate Bars, Pumps, Pipe, Valves and Fittings, Injectors, Belting, Packing Hose, etc. Cast every day. GASOLINE AND KEROSENE ENGINES Pumping, Wood Sawing and Feed Grinding Outfits. FOR SALE. NO. 1 Ten-room dwelling with tin roof, almost new, within a short w?lk of post office. Completed with mod ern conveniences, electric lights, etc. Has garden, also corn and potato land at premises. All out buildings. NO. 2. Twenty-one (21) acre farm with seven-room, modern dwelling with electric lights, and all out build ings. Has plenty of wood, pasture with water and 18 acres will make a bale of cotton to the acre. Conve nient to High School. Partly in the town of Edgefield. E. J. NORRIS. How Are You Traveling? Are you in a financial rut? Are you plodding: along as you have for years? Are you traveling in the same old circle that lands you nowhere? If so isn't it about time to make a change,. to get out of the rut and into the broad highway where the successful people travel? It may not be easy, it may not be done all at once but it's worth tryiner. How can it be done? As others do it, by saving, by placing the savings no matter how small, in our bank, by keeping this up, by adding to the account by forc ing yourself to save. It is no easy job to get of a rut, but it can be done- We will help you. The Bank of Trenton, S. C. All checks drawn on The Bank of Trenton can be cleared free of ex change through the Federal Reserve Bank. COTTON BUYERS f Why take the risk of lower markets when you buy cotton? Hedge your purchases with us. Make a legitimate merchant's profit, avoid losses and keep your credit good at the bank. When you buy cotton, sell short an equivalent amount, then if the market goes down, you make on your short sales what you lose on your spot purchases. If the mark et goes up, you make on your spot purchases what you lose on your sales so that in either case you have a buyer's profit without risk to yourself. We can handle your hedge bus iness in lots ot ten bales. Martin & Co. Edmund ?. Felder 81 Broad Street New York City, N. V. OR S. C. Representative 1512 Sumter St, Columbia, S. C. m 1 Tovbe healthy and strong* you m?strfe&^^ertain amount of iron* in your blood. When your blood lacks iron, nothing can take its place -and you are bound to suffer for iron until you get it. Pale, weak, nervous people, who suffer from headaches, indigestion, rheumatic pains, lack of appetite, and who feel tired, worn-out and depressed, probably need iron in their blood and should take FOR YOUR BLOOD I I 5 I s S i I 5 S The Scientific Iron Tonic Mr. A. R. Erwin writes from Orilla, Ga.: "I am a man of 65; have taken very little medicine of any kind. Two years ago I got a pain in my back, pains in the muscles of my arm and leg; no appetite, very weak, languid^ depressed, no energy, nervous and irritable ... I took three bottles of Ziron, and got all right." Get a bottle of Ziron Iron Tonic Tablets, roday. If the first bottle taken fails to benefit you. your money will be refunded, for all good druggist? sell Ziron on a money back guarantee. ZI. I BIGGER YIELDS TO THE ACRE FOR every crop you pian to sow, there's a Planters Fertilizer especially designed to increase the productiveness of your soil. For prize crops of cotton, corn, truck-use Planters Fertilizer. 90 to 95 bushels of cora-1 to 2 bales of cotton per acre are records established through use of this reputable fertil izer on Southern farms. They have been used with unvarying success throughout the South for years. Ask the farmer who has used them and he will say: PLANTERS FERTILIZER DOUBLES YOUR YIELD For many years Planters Fertilizer has been the preference of the South's most successful farmers, because it has made it pos sible to produce bigger, better crops. Make every acre count this year-GET RESULTS THAT WILL PLEASE YOU, Consult our Agent for Free Advice, Information and Prices-or write us direct-TODAY. It means dollars to you. Planters Fertilizer & Phosphate Co. MANUFACTURERS Charleston - - * . South Carolina