The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-08-16
ANSWERS TO QUERIES

is the name of the sister ship Of the American
wooden vessel, Shenandoah:
The Roanoke.
HOTTEST DAY. w W e. 6.s oakland ID 16 Gsl.
1908, June p or June %
June 22 was 50 and June % was &c.
LANGUAGE-A. B., City. Which language
has the greatest number of words the Enghsn
the German!
The English language has about
$50, 900 words, the German $4,000.
UNKNowN-G. v. H.. City. Are there any
unknown animals in Africa that are called
name commencing with the letter 2:
A thing or creature that is unknown
is not called by any name.
CENsUS-L. D.. Iompoc, Cal. When will the
officials commence taking the census for lslos
Some time between April and June
of that year
ANTs-A L. A., Oakland. Cal How can
ants be exterminated? Our soil is mostly
sandy loan and it is full of insects.
If they are in the soil you would bet
ter procure an insecticide from seed
store.
BARBER SH0PS-H. /. j., Santa Cruz, Cal.
Why do barber shops display red and white or
red, white and blue striped pole In front OF the
place of business?
The shortest answer would be to
advertise the places as barber shops.
AS it is probable that you want to
know why such a sign is used, Will IN
form you that in ancient times BARRIERS
performed minor operations in surgery;
particularly when cupping and bleed
ing was customary, it was to the bar
Der that the patients applied. To assist
this operation, 1t being necessary for
the patient to grasp a staff, a stick or
pole was always kept by the barber
surgeon, together with the flllet or
bandaging he used for the patients
arm. When the pole was not In use
the fillet was tied to 1t so that both
might be together when needed. In
that state the pole and fillet were hung
In front of the shop to indicate that
the place was one where blood ietting
was practiced. In time the orlg,nai
pole was kept inside, and in place
thereof a pole painted with stripes
around it was used as sign, and thus
came the sign which was kept up after
BARRIERS ceased to be barber surgeons.
BOB INGERsoLI--A. r., Smelling. Cal; What
was the date of the death of Bob Ingersoll!
He died at Dobbs Ferry, n. Y, July
81, 1899.
PLURALITY MAJORITY = Subscriber. City.
Please explain the difference between plurality
and majority when counting the ballots cast at
electionT
Plurality is the excess OF votes given
for one candidate over those given for
another or for any other candidate.
When there are more than two candi-
dates the one who receives the plural
ity of votes may have less than ma
jority. Majority Is the number by
which the votes for a successful candi-
date exceeds the aggregate of the votes
cast for all the other candidates. thus
If one candidate receives $50 votes and
three other candidates aggregate only
500 votes, the successful one is elected
by majority of so.
sALToN SEA-E: w G., baltimore, Nd.
Where can l obtain information about the Saitoh
sea?
You will find an interesting account
in the report of the Smithsonian Insti-
tuition for 1907, written by f. III. New
ell, director of the United States rec
lamation service.
PROPERTY Subscriber. City. Is a sol
der serving an enlistment in the United States
army exempt from the payment OF tax on real
property?
He is not.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. City. Does the term
America include both North and South America,
or does it apply only to the. United States?
In the strict sense the term en-
braces both. In the ordinary accept
ance the term means the United States.
MILLET-B. c.. Oakland. Cal What the
price paid Millet for his famous painting. '"The
Angelus" and what was the highest price paid
for it after thatf
Millet was paid $500 for the painting
In 1889 1t was sold in Paris for
100000.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES j. B.. City.
What advantage. IL any, has turpentine over
benzine in mixing paint?
Benzine. like turpentine. is a solvent
and its effect in the mixing of paint is
to produce quick drying with fiat ap
pearance. All first class work is done
with turpentine instead of benzine, as
it produces better finish and the work
lasts longer.
HOME GAMES-T. H. NJ. City. In the Ma
tional baseball league does not the home team
always play game at home when there is a
game?
Always at home.
RUNNERS San odeo, CAL Your query in
relation to runners on bases, when batter