The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-03-06
FHE CALLS QUERY COLUMN.
Inhabited Buildings Occupying Lofty
EmlnOnCGS.
Pay ei Retired oficers-Pensioned Widows
History-Aetor o'Nein.

\ hut on the Matterhoru, when was DullI
10y the ALI pine Club and which is used by
those who ascend the dizzy height of this
mountain, is located II, 100 feet above the
sea level. but this is used only in the sum-
mer. The building that is highest and is &C.
cupied the year round is the observatory on
the top of Mount EtGa, which is two stories
in height, and has six rooms in addition to
those used for astronomical purposes. Ii Is
$500 feet above the sea level. Another
building that is continuously occupied is the
Hospice ST. Bernard. situated at the sum-
nit of the great ST. Bernard Pass in the
Pennine Alps 1t is Sl20 feet above the sea
level. In America the highest inhabited
building is the observatory at Pixies Peak
=. 151 feet above the level of the sea.
HIsronIcAL G1ANrs-J. S. R., Layton
vile. Cal. Q.-Can the Q. c. tell something
about giants? An assertion has been made
here that there is nc record of any person
s feet inches in height. A.-There is a
record of giants, ancient and modern,
which shows that John Middleton of Hale.
Lancashire. who lived during the reign of
James l. measured feet inches in height.
His hands were II inches long by So vide.
Murphy, an Irish giant, measured feet 10.
while Charles Bryne. otherwise OBren,
who was cOntemporaneous with him.
measured but feet l. Patrick Cotter, an
other Irishman. has a record of S feet y
inches; MaXimus, the Roman Emperor. was
feet 6; Loushkin, Russian drum-major,
stood feet 5. and j. II. Reichert Of Fried
burg. whose parents were giants, stood 8
feet inches in his stocking feet
JAMES O'NEILL-H. c. H.. City. When
James 0'Neill first came TO San Francisco
he was memher-the leading man-of the
Hooley Comedy Company from Chicago.
which played at the Standard Theater and
Maguire'S Opera House, on Bush street.
The company dIsbanded with the insolvency
OF Ho0ley. and when the Baldwin Theater
was opened, with Barry Sullivan, the
tragedlaD, some OF the members were in the
support. In that company were w. III.
Crane. the comedian. John Jack. Miss
Katie Mayhem, ID. A Billings, 81. a. Ken
nedy, and others not now in the mind of the
.. {. ONriPs first great success was as
Christ in Salmi MorSe'S Passion Play" at
the Grand Opera House.
UNCLE SAM-F. Il. City. The Q. c. had
supposed that every American knew the
story of the origin of this term as vulgar
name for the United States Government
1t is that after the declaration Of war with
England EthelbeTt Anderson, q contractor
of New York. was at Troy purchasing for
the army provisions in casks. which he
marked 'E. A, u. s., and one of the in
ter known as Uncle Sam A facetious
employe being asked the meaning of the
marx, for the abbreViatiOn u. s." for
United States was then new, replied that
he did not know, unless it was EthelbeTt
Anderson and Uncle Sam. abiding of
course to the inspector. The joke took and
passed current.
INTERCHANGEABLE TERMs-E. J. S.. City,
The terms new trisl," second trial" and
'retriaP' are interchangeable, though there
Is a distinction in legal procedure. The
trial in which no verdict has been arrived at
on account Of the disability of the jury to
agree upon one becomes a mistral The
subsequent hearing of that case is the sec
end trial OF retral Where there has been
verdict and the same is not satisfactory, a
motion IS made before Judgment is pro-
nounced for new trial, and 1t is granted or
denied.
PENsIoNED WIDows-J. II. W., Yount-
willie. Cal After the death of U. S. Grant,
whom Congress had restored to the retired
list as general, it voted his widow a yearly
pension Of 5000 The widows of Generals
John A. Logan and John C. Fremont re-
ceiye yearly pensions of $4,000. The widow of
General George a Custer has not been
specially provided for by Congress. If she
receives any pension 1t is as widow of
lieutenant-colonei which was the rank in
W
was killed. AS such the pension would not
amount to much more than $50 per month.
JOHN BULL-F. H, City. Why the term
johnny Bull" is given collectively to the
English no man probably can tell unless
because as he is pictured the coarse. burly
form and the bluff nature are considered
typical of the Englishman. Ii is certain,
however, that it was derived from Dr. Ar
bnthnot's satire, The History Of John
Bpi. published in 1712, usually contained
in Swifps works and designed to ridicule
the Duke OF Marlborough.
VOTING QUALFICATIoN-L. S., Oro-
vile, Cal. % A man must be a citizen to
vote in California. One who has declared
his intentions is not citizen. Only eiti-
zen can register. ~ Being a citizen resi-
dence qualification is required Of one year
IN the State, ninety days IN the county and
thirty IN the precinct before the election
ADMISSION TO THE BAR-W. b. F., CITY.
"a The rules of the Supreme Court will
give you the list Of books concerning which
you may be Intercepted as to your qualifi-
cations to practice in all the courts of the
State. This question has been definitely
answered several times. {2) Admission TO
practice before the Superior Court will only
authorize you to appear as an attorney in
that tribunal and in the lower courts of
justice.
PAY OF RETIRED OFFICERs-J. Ii. W.,
Yountyiie, CAL The pay of retired officers
of the United States army Is as follows for
the grades you ask: Maior-general, S5625;
brigadier-general. S4125; colonel S2625:
lieutenant-coloneI. $3.50: captain mot
mounted), $3.50; first and second lieuten
ants quot mounted). Sl125 and Slo50. These
from the colonel down increase with every
five years service.
CHECKERs-A. H., City. In the game of
checkers. or draughts, as the English call it,
ihe king can only 20 forward or backward
one square at time. There is, however,
an old game called Polish draughts in which
the queen (the crowned piece has tie move
OF bishop in chess. and can take an un-
guarded man or queen in any diagonal she
may command.
CoRINTo-L. D., City. Cerinto, a sea-
port OF Nicaragua. or Realejo as it is known
under the old name, is a city of less than
lZoo0 inhabitants. Ii is connected and has
been since 1886 by rail with Managua. the
new capital of the republic.
CIVIL SERvIcE-J. E. F., City. per-
son holding position under the civil service
regulation may undertake the examination
lor another department without resiguing
the position which he may be holding.
New JERSEY PAPERs-G. VII. CITY.
Among leading papers Of New Jersey NAV
be named at random the Jersey City Even
ing Journal. the Newark Advertiser. the
Jersey City Argus. Elizabeth Herald aud
Paterson Herald.
Nor NATIONAL DAY-E. F., City.
Washington's birthday cannot be national
holiday because there are five States in
which il is not observed as a legal holiday.
MUNICIPAL AREA-G. B., City. San