The National tribune., 1908-01-02
ANSWERS TO
CORRESPONDENTS.

N. B. S., Washington, D. c., asks:
Where is there a Government assay Of
flee where ! can have minerals tested :?
There Is no Government assay office
that can analyZe minerals or assay ores
without charge. But if you simply want
the name of the mineral and its pre-
sumable value, that information can be
had by sending a specimen with your
question to either the U. S. Geological
Survey or the U. S. Nationall Museum,
both in this city.
w. S., Highland Falls, n. Y, asks: In
what year was it that the steamer
Henry Clay and some other boat ran a
race on the Hudson River? The Henry
Clay caught fire and blew up, with sew
eral lives lost.
This unfortunate catastrophe oc-
CURED on July %, 1852. The Henry
Clay and the Armenia left Albany at
the same time, and on entering mar
row part of the Hudson the Clay stove
thru the woodwork of the Armenia-a and
broke her steam valve. The Clay con-
tinued on her course until she reached
Yonkers, when it was discovered that
she was on fire. The Captain ordered
the boat headed for the shore, but the
dry woodworls burned like tinder, and
the passengers began TO jump into the
water. Sixty lives were lost, among
them Stephen Allen, ex-Mayor of New
York, and Miss M. L. Hawthorne, SIS
ter of the novelist.
]. K, Kensington, o., asks: What was
the length of the old Long Bridge, when
built; by whom, and cost Of building
The old Long Bridge crossed the Po-
tomac into Virginia from the foot OF
14th street, Washington. Over it dur
ing the civil war more than a million
men marched. 1t had been damaged
1nH nhti
and finally, in 1907, torn down and re-
placed by a new structure. An Illus
| tration of it from a photograph by
Brady, taken at the time of the civil
war, is contained in washington Dur
ing War Time" which is given as g
premium by this paper.
J. F. N, Portland, Ore, asks: Is II
really known as to how many pins there
are made in the United States?
Yes, indeed. A recent Census BulIe-
tin shows that in 1905 there were 4f
establishments manufacturing needles
pins and hooks and eyes, employing
1852 men, 1900 women and 243 chill.
| dren, receiving the total annual wage
of $1,595,92a. The cost of materials
was $1,5S3,000 and the value of the
products s4,750,5S9. There were 1920
| 176 gross of needles manufactured, and
| of pins 136,8S7.7S2 gross, all of which
|
common or garden pin, that becomes
| bent and lost.
]. r. G., Galveston, Tex, asks: Where
can 1 get two unused 25 centime French
postage stamps, as wish to inclose the
postage for reply?
There has recently been established
by all countries subscribing to the Uni
versal Postal Convention of Rome q
| reply coupon" or coupon response in.
| ternational," which are to be sold al
all post offices for six cents each. Upon
presentation of such a coupon at a posi-
office in any one of the countries sub.
scribing to the convention the holder
will receive, without charge, a postage
stamp Of that country, equivalent in
value to five-cent stamp.
| +. C.. o., Calumet, Mich, asks: Who
made the longest balloon voyage in this
| country, and when was It?
1t was made by John La Mountain
who, accompanied by John Wise, start
ed from st. Louis, Mo-. on July /, 1859