The National tribune., 1909-01-07

that year law was passed requiring
the governors OF States within q GER
tain specified time to file with the State
department a return of the votes cast
1or every candidate for Presidential
elector.
NJ. II. F.. Williamsburg, Pa, writes: 1
would like to know whether the State
of West Virginia made any appropria-
tion OF land to the 1st and I'd regiments
of volunteers during the civil war; and,
If 50, how can l find out particulars
about it?
The authorities report that no grants
of land were ever made by the State of
West Virginia for the purpose men
toned.
r. P. s., Jr., Butler, Pa. asks: What
is the root of the word "dirigible," and
what is its meaning?
Dirigible. signifying that which may
be directed or steered. as a dirigible
balloon, is derived from the Latin verb
dirigers. meaning to direct.
A. c. r., Jefferson City, Mo-, asks:
Is there any premium on a 50-cent
piece of 1907 or on one-cent pieces of
1886, 1898, i84S, 1852 and 1854?
The New York dealers in coins offer
no premiums for the coins mentioned
by you.
s. NJ. L., Pittsburg. Kan, writes: !
have poem by Charles d. Meigs, editor
of the Awakener, the title of which is
Uncle Sam and His Mother" I have
lost part of two verses. Can you tell
me where / can get a copy of it?
If you refer to DIR. Charles C. Meigs,
who was the father of Gen. Montgom-
cry c. Meigs, the famous Quartermas-
ter of the Army of the Potomac, and
II, TDl- IL
and was a man of great literary activity,
write to Mr.. Montgomery Meigs at Keo-
kuk, Iowa.
kindly give me the date of the birthday
of Gen. Philip Kearny? I know the
year is 1915. but have forgotten the day
of the month.
Gen. Philip Kearny was born In New
York City on June 2, 1915, and was
killed at Chantilly, Va, on Sept. 1, 1862,
while leading charge. Gen. Scott re-
ferred to Gen. Kearny as "the bravest
man I ever knew and the most perfect
soldier"
j. L., Baltimore, Md, asks: How shall
apply for a place in one of the Gov
ernment Departments?
For this information apply to the Civil
Service Commission, Washington, d. c.,
for the Manual, which is furnished up
on request, and contains all information
needful to applicants. According to a
recent Government document there are
about $4,000 places in the Executive
Civil Service, of which nearly 10000
are classified, subject to competitive ex-
animation under the Civil Service rules.
The total expenditure for salaries in
the Executive Civil Service is about
$500, 100000.
s. p, Knoxville, Tenn, writes: Kindly
give short account Of the explosion Of
the battleship Maine. Did the survivors
receive any assistance from the Govern
ment? If so, in what way and what
amount?
President Mckinley, in his message to
Congress transmitting the report of the
Naval Court of Inquiry upon the de-
struction of the United States battleship
Maine in Havana Harbor, Feb. Is, 1898,
together with the testimony taken be-
fore the court, describes the incident in
the following language: At 40 minutes
past in the evening of the 18th of
February the Maine was destroyed by
an explosion, by which the entire for
ward part of the ship was utterly
wrecked. In this catastrophe two Off
GERS and 264 of her crew perished, those
who were not killed outright by her
explosion being penned between decks
by the tangle of wreckage and drowned
by the Immediate sinking of the hull"
The entire message. giving the findings
of the court, was published as Senate
Document No. 207. of the second ses-
sion of the 55th Congress- and can be
seen at any public library or may be
purchased from the Superintendent Of
Documents, Washington, D. c. We know
of no special legislation that was en-
acted by Congress for the benefit of the
Maine survivors.