Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-05
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKfN.

@. What is meant by a moving
mountain?-O. L.
A. Some mountains have a soft
clay base topped with heavy sand
stone. The clay becomes water-soaked
through seepage and can no longer
hold up the weight. Consequently
the slope of the peaks steadily rolls
down to less steep inclination as
the tremors of the mountainsides
shake down gravel from the tops.
Meekers Mountain and Golden Noun
tain in Colorado are examples.
@. When did Chicago get the first
railroads.&c.. B. J.
A. The Galena & Chicago Union
Railroad was chartered in 1886 and
constructed in 1S49.1S50. This was
the first railroad running into Chicago.
@. Is 1t correct to say, "I thought
it to be him" or Il thought it to
be he"?
A. II thought it to be him" is cor
rect. 1t is the subject Of the infinitiye
and thus is in the objective case. A
complementary pronoun following the
inflnitive must be in the case of the
word of which it is the equivalent.
@. How does spontaneous combus-
ton occur?-H. C.. p.
A. When large quantities Of SCOT,
linen, paper, cotton or wooden stuff,
ships cables, etc, become soaked with
relatively small amounts of oils (espe-
cially drying oils) and are exposed to
a limited access Of air, they may take
fire sooner or later. The presence of
moisture, frequently aids spontaneous
combustion, and piles of damp hay,
freshly mown grass, sometimes take
fire spontaneously. The phenomenon
is not, however, without clearly
defined cause. Fats and oils can be
shown to undergo a slow process OF
combustion at but slightly elevated
temperatures. Combustion of a small
amount of oil causes the evolution of
a corresponding amount of heat; rise
of temperature accelerates the COM
bustion, producing further degree
of heat, until at a given moment the
temperature may become so high as
to cause the mass to burst into flame.
@. When is Commander Byrd plan
ming to make his flight to the South
Pole?-P. D.
A. The proposed flight over the
South Pole is postponed until 1928
because of the need of longer prepare
ton.
@. What makes pickles shrivel?-
A. J. K.
A. Shriveling of pickles often oc-
ours when they have been placed at
once in very strong salt or sugar So
lutions, or even in very strong vine
CARS. For this reason avoid such So
lutions SO far as possible. When a
strong solution is desirable, the
pickles should first be given pre-
liminary treatment in a weaker solu-
ton. This difficulty is most often
encountered in making sweet pickles.
The presence of sugar in high con-
centrations is certain to cause shriv-
cling unless precautions are taken.
@. Is it true that Breitbart, the
strong man, is dead?-P. r.
A. Sigmund Breitbart died October
-, 1925, in Germany, of blood poison
ing at the age of AZ.
@. Who Is the youngest American
tenor to make his debut at the Metro
politan?--R. E. D.
A. Paul Althouse has this distinc-
ton. His debut occurred when he
was 81.
@. What makes a soap bubble
round?-L. E. B.
A. A soap bubble is round because
it has a surface tension which causes
equal pressure in all directions. The
soap bubble is covered with a film,
and the tendency Of liquids covered
by such a film is to assume spherical
shape.
@. Who said MAN proposes and
God disposes" MacA.
A. 1t is from Herbert's "Jacula
Prodentum."
@. How many monthly publications
are issued in the District?-F. N.
A. About 80 such periodicals are
published in the District of Columbia.
@. Please name three or four foun-
dations for social and educational bet
terment?-J. H. G..
A. The Rockefeller Foundation,
Russell Sage Foundation and Car
negie Corporation are such organiza-
tions. James B. Duke left a fund in
trust for charitable and educational
work in the Carolinas.
@. Please explain how petroleum
coke is made and how used?-B. B. C.
A. The Bureau of Mines says that