The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-09-01
THE POSTS LETTER BOX.

value, etc. OF old coins and stamps VIII
not be answered, All correspondence
should be addressed 70 The Letter Box,
care Houston Post. and to receive atten
ton must DO signed by the name IN fun
Of the party making the Inquiry. as well
as that under which II IS desired that the
question shall appeal owing 20 the large
number Of questions received answers can
tot always be given lromotlyJ
sccter-o. Please say what IS meant by
The French Revolutionary Era"
A. In septemi or. i703, tho convention de-
creed that the common era should he abol-
ished IN an civil affairs, and that tho new
French era should begln "a September p,
1892. The day Of the true autumnal equinoS,
aud that each succeeding year should begin
nj the nidnlgdt Of the day on which the
true autumnal equinox falls. Tho year was
divided into twelve months Of thirty days
each. In ordinary years there were five
extra days, from tho 18th to the 2lst Of our
September. and at the end Of every fourth
year was n sixth complmcntary dry This
reckoaiug was nrst used on November %,
1893. md WINS continued until December 81,
1905. when It was Discontinued, aud tho
Gregorlah colei dbr used throughout the
rest Of Europe, was resumed. Tho follow
Ing wore tho dates for the year 1901. tho
last complete year OF this style Of reckon
Ing
vcndcmiuire VINTAGE, September % to
October %.
Brumoire tFosey), October % to Noyen'-
her %
Frimaire Csleety,, November % to Deem
her o.
Nivoso Snowy, recembss % to January
o.
Puviose rainy, January 81 to February
20
ventose WINDY, February 20 to March
10
Gcrnlinal tBuddlus) March % to April y.
Inorcal tFlowery), April 81 70 May 20
Prarial PASTURE May 81 to June 20.
Messidor GtaIycsD. June 20 to July IN.
rhermldor CHoD, july ~ TO August 10.
Frucudcr FrulD, August 10 to September
rs
The months vc-e divided into three de-
AIDES Of ten dcys ench, bat to make up the
385 days ave were added at the end Of Sep
tembort Pruidl dedicated TO Virtue; Duo
d, to Genius Tridi to Labor; Quartldi. to
Opinion and Quntidl, to Rewards. 10
Leap Year. called Olympic y sixth day,
September 20 or %, scNtldi, "the day Of the
Revolution" vas added
To each tenth day. thlrty-six In all, were
assigned thlrty.sx "Fctes Decadaires,' de-
creed ny the National convention on the
/ eighteenth PraiIial, in honor Of the Su-
/ preme Beirs and Nature, the Human Race,
/ the French People, Benefactors Of Human
/ ty. Martyrs for liberty, Liberty and Equal
! It's, the Republic, Liberty Of the World,
/ Love II Country Hatred Of Tyrants and
Traitors Truth Justice, Modesty, Glory
and Immortality Friendship Frugollty,
! Courage, Good Faith Hcroism, Disinterest-
cduosg, stolclsw Love, Cnnjugal Fidelity,
Pntcrnnl Love Maternal Tenderness. Flial
/ Picty, Infancy. childhood Manhood, Old
/ Age, Sickness. Agriculture. Industry, our
4 Ancestors oar postcrity, Goodness.
/ ~
rhu-Q. To settle dispute please state
whore the longest bridge In lie world IS
located and give lts dimensions.
a. The longest stone bridge IN the world
50 a. Loga1g, china, completed ia May,
1881 u crosses an arm OF the China sea
und Is nearly six miles in length 1t was
constructed under tie sole supervision OF
native engineers IL IS composed entirely
Of stone and has 500 arches, each 40 feet
I high. The largest truss iron bridge m the
world crosses the Firth OF Tay, Scotland.
/ II Sc 1862 feet in length ana contains So
spans. The longest wooden bridge IN The
world crosses Like Ponchartralu, near New
! orleans. 10 ls trestlc WORK p miles long,
built % cypress piles saturated with creo.
eote to preserve them. The highest bridge
In this country as over Klngun creek. near
Bradford, Pa 1t was hit In 1851 mas
total span OF 205l feet and Is 3Ol feet
above the creek bed
~
ReRder.-o. Please Inform me as to the
meaning Of an orrery
4 A. The famous Boston orrery. in Aar-
Nard museum, Is r solar system I'm NINA.
ture. The name originated from the raet
that he enrl Of orrery was the first to
make one Of these peculiar contrlvances
in England There are probably not more
than seven In the entire world. the
orrery resembles small grand piano in
appearance, has twelve sides and a glass
dome. The twelve sides represent the
twelve months OF the year. Looking
through the glass top the spectator sees
the entire solar system set out before him
sun moon. earth and stars. BY the
turning OF handle the system is set IN
motion, each body movlng in the place
appointed similar to the movements of the
body OF the universe.
~
Robert rhompson-Q. VIII you he kind
enough to let US know when the hrst Labor
Day was inaugmatcd?
A. Labor Day was hrst celebrated by a
few OF the satee IN 1887. In the second
session usoA Che FIFTY third congress
possee an act making Labor bay public
holiday in the District of Columbia. II is a
legal holiday IN all the States ana Terrific
ries' except Arizona, Arkansas, Louisiana,
Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, North
Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma and Yer.
mont, and is observed IN Wyoming.
Rlley-o. A has a business with $4,000 In
vested He sell9 to r a half interest for
5000 n phys 5000 down, and at the end
Of one year has drawn out OF the arm
$500 Il has taken out nothing. How should
they settle7 How much does owe Al
A, h owes 5000 at Arst. a draws $500
OF which one-nalf is RS, so that will then
owe $1,000 less $3.50. or $3.50
49,
FXnlorer.- o. WIN Won icif ,,,,, ,or,,, n,,,o,