The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-07-29
THE POSTS LETTER BOX

(This department Is intended to answer
questions that are OF general Interest. Its
main object is to supply out-of-the sway
facts and curious information. Questions
Of personal interest only will not be
answered. No business or personal ad-
dresses will be given. Questions ms 70 the
value, etc, Of old coins and stamps will
not be answered. All correspondence
should be addressed 20 The Letter Box,
care Houston Post Owing to the large
number OF questions received, answers can
not always be given promptly
Minnie Galllard.-Q % Please give me
the names Of the members Of the presi
dents cabinet t2) Can you tell me the
number OF ballots which will be cast at
the next election, November O. for gov
crnor Of Massachusetts?
A. Secretary state, John Hay; secretary
treasury, Lyman J. Gage secretary war.
Elihu Root; attorney general. Knox; post
master general, c. y. Smith, secretary
navy, John d. Long; secretary interior II.
A. Hitchcock; secretary agriculture James
Wilson. (2) The Post does not enjoy the
gift Of SECOND sight" and must there
fore beg TO be excused from answering
this question. The vote for governor In
Massachusetts in 1900 was $4,000 AS
president will not be voted for at the next
election the figures will likely he some
what smaller.
c. II. Cain.-Q. Please inform me what re.
latlon General j, Il, Johnston was to Gen
eral A. S. Johnston, both of the Confed
crate states Army.
A. They were not related.
~
Tom II. Jennlngs.-Q. Please inform me
who is the author Of and where will find
the poem containing the following lines:
"1'he blood that flowed at Lexington
And crimsoned bright Champlaln.
Streams still along the Southern gulf
And by the lakes of mime"
The Post is not in possession of the poem
In question. 1t viii he glad to receive the
Information asked for by Mr., Jennings from
any reader of the Letter Box.
~
A. l.. Harris. Q. VIII you please In.
form me through The Post how the altl.
tude Of the cnrths surface is determined
and also how the depth OF the sea is asccr-
taiued 10y sounding?
A. The altitude OF the earth's surface
Is determined by the use of the barometer.
1t appears to us that You have answered
your second question in asking It, A plum,
met known as a sounding lead, is attached
TO line OF rope, wire or chain and al.
lowed to drop until 1t touches bottom. In
deep water allowance is made for the
curve in the line caused by the various cur.
rents.
~ W. No. Who is the author of the
following lines:
"Make your mark high,
Let not low things satisfy"
These are the third and fourth lines OF
a four-llne stanza. Please give the whole
stanza2
A. The Post has not this information
nj hand. We will be obliged If some Of
the readers of the Letter Box will furnish
1t.
w. d. Hughes,Q. When was the bridge
hnIlt across the Mississippi river at Mem
phls Tenn? What did It cost?
A. If YOU have reference to the present
bridge spanning the Mississippi river at
Memphis. II was completed IN May, 1892
and cost approximately $4,000 600 There
has been some talk of building another
railroad bridge there, but nothing definite
Is known.
H. W. No In a game Of pitch with
cards A and each want one to he out
bids two and b sells; leads high Z
follows with low, throws up his hand and
claims he is out s that correct or not?
a. Is wrong. A should have the on
portunty to make his two points bid ana
IL he does 1t he wins the buyer always
goes out first If he makes the necessary
points
J. w. zmmerman.Q. win you please
let me know the popular vote cast In the
state of Ohio In the last presidential cleo
ton, also the last popular vote cast for
goyernor2
A. The total popular vote in Ohio ia
1900 was l,040073, of which Mckinley re.
celyed 543,0ls and Bryan 4T4sS2. The to,
tai vote for governor in 1899 was 9oS,.
$50.
Subscriber,-Q How many States are
there in the Union and how many United
States senators are there3
a. There are fortyhve States and ninety
senators,
j. j. Mc.-Q Kindly inform me as to
the date Of the lynchiug OF Sweeney at
Port Arthur
A. February II, 1900 at 1870 a. m,
r. W. E,-consult lawyer for the lnfor.
nation you desire,
A.