Property Fraud and the Need for Sleep
The destruction of records by the San Francisco fire has been a means of discovering human nature in an unexpected way. There has developed a really criminal disposition on the part of unprincipled people to get possession of property not their own, and set up some technical claim to it. In this way a cloud is cast upon the title, which the owner has difficulty in establishing because of lost records. Both men and women supposed to be honest—some of them wealthy—are trying to seize property which they did not claim before the fire. It is said that hundreds of instances have occurred where owners are compelled to establish their ownership at considerable expense; and one paper says these suits will probably run into the thousands, involving years of litigation and delay in making improvements. Several of these attempts are aimed at city real estate, by people who otherwise make great pretense to solicitude for the public welfare. The amount of time needed for sleep has been the subject of more or less discussion on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean for the last month or two, some authorities contending that only five or six hours are necessary, others demanding eight or nine. The simple fact is that no rule can be laid down for all persons. Some sleep a great deal more soundly than others. Five or six hours of the soundest sleep is worth eight or ten of broken, dreamful rest. The five- or six-hour sleeper may really rest more than the eight-hour sleeper. It also depends to quite an extent on habit. One can habituate himself to take more sleep than is really needed. All are generally agreed in this, that the early hours of the night are the best for sleeping; if one could habituate himself to go to bed regularly at nine o'clock and take less time in the morning for sleep, it would be found more profitable physically and mentally. Norman Bridge feels that the mental condition has a great deal to do with it, especially those who may have suffered from insomnia; they feel that unless they can get so much sleep all sorts of fearful things may occur, and that every mental condition super-induces the very thing they fear; whereas if the mind were quiet and contented they could get along with very much less sleep than they suppose. The Bishop of Ripon gives good advice: "When young, take as much sleep as you need; when old, as much as you can get." Sandow, the great athlete, wants nine hours, while Froman, the theater manager, averages not more than five. Sir Thomas Lipton is satisfied with six and one-half.