The San Francisco call., 1909-12-12
Answers toQueries

RAISING THE FIAG-subscriber Oakland.
Cal Can you furnish the story of the raising OF
the stars and stripes over the capitol at Rich
mond Va, when it surrendered in 1865?
The story is that the flag that was
raised there after the surrender was
originally the garrison flag of the
Twelfth Maine and was the one that
fioated over the st. Charles hotel in
New Orleans when that building was
General Buffers headquarters. 1t was
taken to Virginia by Brigadier General
George F. Shepley. who hoped to raise
the flag in Richmond on the surrender
of the city. He gave it into the charge
of Lieutenant Johnston l.. de Peyster,
son of General ]. Watts de Peyster, a
youth of 1S attached to the staff of Cen
eral Weitzel, who had begged General
Shepley for the privilege of hosting the
flag should the city be captured or sur
render. The young man carried the flag
on the pommel of his saddle for several
days with the object in view, daily ex-
pecting to take part in an assault on
the city. The young lieutenant had the
privilege that he so much coveted, andl
with the assistance of Captain Loomis
l.. Langdon, chief of artillery, also of
General Weitzers staff, raised the his
toric banner on the staff over the capi-
tol Immediately upon the city's surren-
der.
LOUISIANA PURCHASE r. H.. City.
How much territory included in the Louisi-
ana purchase in 1909. and what states were
carved out Of the purehase2
The boundaries of the purchase We're
as follows: Beginning at the mouth of
the Sabine river. in Texas it followed
parallel thence to the Red River. which
it followed to the southwest corner of
what was subsequently known ds In
dian territory; thence north to the Ar
kansas river which it followed to the
Rocky mountains; thence along the
Rocky mountains to the twenty-ninth
meridian from Washington; thence
along the same meridian TO the forty
second parallel and along the same
parallel to the Pacific ocean, the coast
of which it followed to the British pos
sessions. The possessions of Great
Britain formed the northern boundary
to a point little east of the eight
eenth meridian, thence to the AIissis
sippi river, which formed the eastern
boundary to the gulf of Mexico From
the purchased lands were formed, in
whole or in part. Louisiana, Arkansas,
Missouri. Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Ore
gon. Colorado. Washington. Wyoming
Montana, Idaho, Dakota (North and
SOUTH and Indian territory.
AMBER-S Subscriber City What is the SUI
perstition about amber being the tears of birds? :?
According to Chambers. amber is said
to be the concretion of birds tears.
Moore in "Lalla Rookh" (The Fire
Worshipers) has:
Around thee shall gIisteu the lovliest amber
That ever the sorrowing set bird bath wept.
Pliny in his Natural History" xvii.
2-11, says: The birds which wept amber
We're the sisters of Meleager, called
Melea grides, who never cea ased weeping
for their brothers death. In the Greek
hero legends Meleager. the son of Al
thea, queen of Calydon. was noted for
throwing the javelin. 1t was decreed
by the fates that he would die as soon
as a log of wood then on the hearth
was consumed, Althea quenched the
log and hid it for many years. At the
hunt of the Calydonian boar Meleager
fell in love with Atalanta and gave her
the trophies of the chase. This led to a
quarrel with his uncles and he slew
them. The news was brought to Althea.
who in. her anger thrust the fatal brand
into the fire, and as it consumed Me-
leager died.
THE RANGERS FLAG. r. D.. Healds-
burg, Cal. How can / get on the track of the
Dag that belonged TO the Tuolumne Rangers, a
tSHtpoHS; Visdhi1cu uuAius tue clfii
war?
Possibly come reader of this depart
ment may be able to furnish the in
formation, but in the meantime commu-
nicate with the office of the adiutant
general of the state at Sacramento.
EATING Reader City. Which is correct
" breakfast. dinner and supper" breakfast
lunch and dinner?''
If dinner is served at the noon hour
then the evening meal is called supper;
IL lunch is served, the evening meal
usually is called dinner. The word din
ner is applied to the principal meal of
the day.
HOTEL; s, San Leandro. Cal. What is
meant meant by hotel on the European planv and
hotcl on the American plan?"
Under the European plan the guest
pays only for what he calls for in addf-
tion to a stated sum for room or rooms
Under the American plan the guest
pays so much per diem. including every
thing except wines and liquors.
PAVILION. p. E.. Williams. Cal. What
We're the boundaries OF the land on which the
Mechanics pavilion stood before the fire of
1905?
1t was ON the block bounded by Lar
kin, Hayes, Polk and Grove streets.
LOUISA Reader. Stockton Cal. How is the
name Louis that Of male. pronounced:
Loo-is, with the 20 sounded long and
the "i' short.