Evening star., 1923-06-04
Answers to
Questions About
Washington
for the Shriners
BY Frederick J. Haskin.

@. Why does the Capitol face east,
with the city lying behind 1t? A. r.
A. At the time the Capitol was
built 1t was faced east because the
city was intended to be built in that
direction. However, property ad-
vanced so rapidly in price that the
citizens bought in the opposite direc-
tion for economy.
%. How did Mount Vernon get its
name? NV. 80
A. The original name of this
Washington estate was Epsewasson,
an Indian word, which was soon
translated intotits English equivalent,
Hunting creek. Lawrence Washing
ton. who served in the British navy
under Admiral Vernon, built the
house on the Potomac and called it
Mount Vernon in honor of the ad-
miral. George Washington inherited
vernon was built upon the death of
Lawrence, who was his half brother
Q. Where does former President
Wilson live? f. w.
A His home is 2340 S. street
northwest, Washington.
@. Where does President Harding
play golf? D. r. w.
:. a. He plays on many of the club
links and on the public course on
the speedway; but is most often
which he was a member before he
became President OF the United
States. I,
Speedway bear fruit? c. D. H.
A. The Japanese cherry that bios
SONS so beautifully does not bear an
edfbie fruit. However, Japan has a
cherry tree, native to the mountain
Gus districts of the island. which
bears large and delicious fruit.
Q. Is the Capitol building larger
than the Washington Union station?
A. NJ
A. The Union station covers more
ground. 1t is $50 feet long and 343
feet wide, while the Capitol is 746
feet by 270 feet.
Q. Is Washington north or south
of the Mason and Dixon line? F. A. It.
little to the south. Washington is
in latitude $50 So, while the Mason
Dixon line is in latitude 59' 49, 26".
Q. How fast does the elevator in
the Washington Monument run? r. q.
A. 1t makes 100 feet a minute,
taking five minutes to reach the high
est platform.
O. Which is the largest national
cemetery in this country? j. {. NJ.
A The Arlington national ceme-
terry is the largest national burying &
ground. 1t has an area of 40S 1-S
acres and on November 80. 1922,
there had been 33,151 interments.
Q. How large is the Post Office
Department flag? A. NJ P.
a. Probably the largest America n
flag in continuous use in the United
States Is in the court OF the Post
Office Department on Pennsylvania
avenue. 1t is suspended from the
; level of the eighth floor and reaches
to the third floor. 1t weighs ninety
pounds. The measurements show
the flag to have a fly of 20 feet
4 inches and a hoist of SO feet. The
measure so inches between the tips
and the stripes are nearly one yard
| wide.
Q w How is Washington governed'
A The District of Columbia is
governed sby three Commissioners.
appointed by the President, but all
acts and bills relating to the Dis
trict are passed on by Congress.
@. How much land did Maryland
and Virginia cede respectively to
form the District of Columbia? ID. A.
A. Maryland ceded sixty-nine and
one-fourth square miles and Vir-
ginia thirty and three-fourths square
miles. In 1S46 the portion given by
Virginia was ceded back to that
state. OF the sixty-nine and one
fourth square miles now in the Dis
trict sixty is land and nine and one
fourth water.
Q. How many trees are there in
Washington and what kinds are rep
resented? F. w.
A. There are about 105,o0 shade
trees in the National Capital. Practi-
caiiy ever kind of tree that will grow
! in this climate is found. The main
varieties planted along the streets and
| in the parks are sugar maple, syca-
more maple, red maple, elm, linden
! tulip poplar, sycamore, ash, pin oak
| honey locust and horse chestnut. The
American capital ranks as the best
shaded city in the world, Paris
France, being second.
@. Where did the King and Queen
| OF Belgium stay while in Washington
and where was the Prince Of Wales
domiciled?
A. The Belgian royal family occu-
pied the home of Breckenridge Long
at 1929 18th street, which Is now the
Mexican embassy. The Prince; OF
Wales made his home at New Hamp-
shire avenue and Q street, in the
house owned by Perry Belmont.
O. Where is the fountain that re-
placed a statue as a memorial2
A. The Dupont fountain in Dupont
circle was substituted for the statue
of Admiral Dupont. This graceful
fountain was designed by Daniel
Chester French. -
(To be continued tomorrow)
TI