The Washington times., 1912-11-18
DOES ANYONE KNOW
CORRECT ANSWERTO
THIS CURIOUS TALE?
Copy Boy Seems to Be Only
One With Sane Answer to
Perplexing Riddle.

What Is the significance OF the three
nagpoles which stand in front or the
Union station?
Arm yourself with this question,
browse about among the elite and elect.
intCrrogatc your friend and his friend
the casual acquaintance, the DOCTOR
lawyer merchant, chief. and any other
whom you might think would Know
Just what those three nagpoles with
the flying eagles pcrChed at the top
are really for.
The gentleman who usually knows
said the three poles were copied from
the Greek pylons, all OF which sounded
pretty learned and comprehensive. lie
stated that Il was n fad that was taken
up later by the Roman generals VINO
carried their standards into battle with
the usual sign which bore ~ .. v. r.
or IS. =. q. r." lie wasn't sure, he
said. which OF the two signs went, but
he was pretty certain 1t was one or tho
other. A..
poles were used to fly the nags or the
chiefs OF the visiting fire departments
along with the cmblcms OF the President
OF the United States, and whatever Tor
eign potcntate. like Gaby Dcslys, might
, be Bojourning In our festive CITY,
Dates Back to Napoleon.
one said that Napoleon in his con-
auering days had insisted on three nag
| poles, and II was certain that the con-
uuering hero had a weakness for haunt
| ing all his colors over tho face OF
Europe in the days when he could hight
three fast rounds with anyone.
Politely questioning one of tho more
or less passc sisters. the Information
was reluctantly forthcoming in the
!, statement that the three poles were en-
bIcmatic OF the three grac"s. Faith
Hope, and Charity. while tn" more OF
less CallOw youth burst forward VIII
the information that Wine, Woman. and
Song stood out prominent III his con
ccption of why the three flagpolcs
found their way in front Of the sta
tlOn. ,r
The Older members of the family still
reminiscent Of those days OF 1850, aver
red that the poles w"r" placed tn r"pir'
| sent the North, tn" South and the ISlhh'
| possCsslons, while tho Bun MOuS"i
| stated that they meant the initatlN"
| referendum. and recall.
| Another less partisan political party
stated cmphatiCalIy that the thir" p0l",'
| represented the Democrats, RC?ubl
| cans and prOSrcSsIV"s, ana thut ih'
man who instigatcd the placing Of th'
| poles had In mind the political era JUS
| passed which would forever mark th'
| turning point In American political his
| tory.
Nobody Knows.
| art, music and drama" said th'
cthctic Individual, In the busy worl'
| these tire" are given particular siSnin
| Cancc." while the individual who fol
Iuws the ponies said they meant win
place or show.
/ It's all in tho way YOU take IT," sale
| A prominent Georgetown football coach
! TX moving that "" wcro to beat VIZ
ginia for the third time in succession
/ We asked to have thrc" iiaEpnlcs, an'
that's what they ar" for. II any 'n'
, wants to know"
And SO 1t will 20. Up and down tn
| line all sorts Of answers will b" Eiv"I
| iust why the thr"" poles are placed II
| front OF the station and why they ar
there, although many will say ilatly
is that what they are for? l ncvc
noticed them before"
| The correct answer came from tn
copy boy. "What ar" the thrc" flag
poles placed in front OF the Union Sta
ton for" was asked.
"Why, you boob, to put naGs on, o
course" Which just about answers IN
lQucstlUn.