The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-25

ten largest cities of the United States are:
City of New York, Chicago, Philadelphia,
St Louis $4,000, Baltimore 625.2 30, Boston
55e.0o0 Cincinnati 10000 Buffalo 3S9 coo,
Cleveland SS5.OOO. San Francisco $4,000.
To whom should apply for a year book
issued by the Department Of Agriculture? g
Are these books distributed free to all who
apply for them? 3. Are they issued every
year, and in what month? 4. Are all Con-
gressional Reports and all other books and
bulletins distributed free to persons apply
ing for them? 5. Are seeds for expert
mental uses distributed free to applicants?
"A. and II.
To the secretary of agriculture. 2. Many
of them are. For some reason when a
book has been made a congressional docu-
ment price is charged for it. 3. The year
books come out every year, but there is no
regular date for their publication. 4. With
the exception noted above What books are
congressional documents you will have to
learn by applying to the various depart
ments. If the book you want is not such a
document you will get it free; if it is you
will learn what the price is 5. No. If the
applicant proves that he can give proper
and intelligent care he may get expert
mental seeds; but ordinary persons will not
receive such seeds.
Please give a short account of General
Shafter for the benefit of some persons who
never heard of him before the present war?
j. A. c.
William r. Shafter was born in Maryland
on Oct 49, 1885. He entered the volunteer
army on Aug. %, 1861, as first lieutenant
of the Seventh Michigan Infantry; there he
served just one year, and on Sept s. 1862
became major of the Nineteenth Michigan.
He was promoted to colonel on June 5, 1863,
w YraT1C nIf IN AY1ri II
next day he was made colonel of the Sew
enteenth United States Colored Infantry,
with which he was disbanded on Nov g
1866. Meanwhile he had been appointed
lieutenant colonel of the Forty-firsl Infan-
try of the regular army, and on April IA.
1869. was transferred to the Twenty-fourth
Infantry. On March A. 1879, he was made
colonel of the First Infantry, and remained
in command of that regiment until pro-
NOTED brigadier general on May 3, 1897. He
was brevetted brigadier general of voun-
teers on March 49, 1865, and colonel in the
army on March 2, 1867 for gallantry at the
battle of Spottsylvania. Since the war he
has served in Indian campaigns the Rio
Grande, and in Texas, New Mexico and
Arizona. He weighs 307 pounds. when in
good condition, and is called Bull by the
men in. the army.
Please give, the origin of these national
Banner" "Dixie," Yankee Doodle
quered Banner."-J. r. f.
Hail, Columbia" was written by Joseph
Hopkinson, in 1885, to be sung by an actor
at a Philadelphia theater on his benefit
The President was expected to attend, and
the actor wanted some novelty. A German
musician named Fayler wrote or adapted
the music. 1.-The Star-spangled Banner
was written by Francis Scott Key while he
more watching the bombardment of Fort
McHenry, Sept. IL and 10, 1914. When Mr..
Key came ashore after the bombardment
he showed the poem which he had written
on the back of letter as he walked the
deck watching the bombardment to his
uncle, who had it printed and sung. The
tune was composed either by DR.. Samuel
Arnold. an English composer or by John
Stafford Smith, later English composer.
Dixie" was written by Albert Pike; the
composer is said to have been a "nigger
MINSTREL" whom we do not know and have
never heard named. Yankee Doodle" like
Topsy, Jest growed" 1t is probable that
the words were written by DR.. Shackburg
British army surgeon, in Albany, about
100, to ridicule the Americans who went
with the British army attacking Canada.
The tune is common to many countries-to
Hungary, to England, to Germany, to Spain.
James r. Randall wrote Maryland, MY
Maryland and 1.-The Conquered Banner
is still considered anonymous.