Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-27

ms Is a special department., ueNOLeu
to the handling of inquiries. You have
at your disposal an extensive organiZa-
ton in Washington TO serve you In any
capacity that relates to information.
Write your question. your name and
your address clearly and incloSe cents
in coin or stamps for reply. Send to
| The Evening Star Information Bureau
Frederic j. HaSkin director Washing
ton, ID. G.
@ Who is regarded as the heaviest
hitter of all the champion prize fighters?
IT. A.
A. This is matter of opinion. but
the consensus of opinion seems TO be
that Jack Dempsey is among the heavi-
/ est hitters. If not the heaviest hitter,
Of all the hcaVyWeights.
@. How much does the Spirit Of st.
| Louis weigh? How much does the en-
CINE weight. F. w.
A. The weight Of the airplaDe empty
! but complete with instruments. is also
pounds. The engine weighs 480 pounds.
@ Are more divorces sought by peo-
pie dwelling in cities than by those in
| rural districts ?-L. l..
A. Divorces are relatively more nu-
merouS in cities. They are also more
numerous among childless couples.
O. Where is the International Blu
reau of Weights and Measures ?~-P. A.
! A. BY treaty the United States. with
! q other nations, maintains the Inter-
national Bureau of Weights and Meas
ures at Paris on neutral territory in
| the historic Pare du st. Cloud at Seyres.
| The bureau is official custodian of the
| International standards of length and
| mass, the meter and kilogram.
| @. OF what material was the first
| paper made?-H. b.
| A. The word paper is derived from
| q reed called "papyrus, which grows in
/ Egypt and Asia Minor The ancient
! Egyptians knew how TO make the stems
| Of the reeds into paper by putting thin
slices together with paste made from
| flour and mud The first paper re-
| Sembling our modern paper made Of
! hberS felted together. was made by the
| Chinese about los B. c.. Of bamboo and
/ rag flbers beaten to a pulp and made
| into a sheet
@ Why was a pontoon bridge built
| between COblenZ and EhrenbreitStein? p
/ l.. +.
| A The SchIfrebrucke which connects
| Coblenz with Ehrenbreitstein was so
| constructed because a movable bridge
| was considered advantageous for so
| important a position in case of inva-
| sion. Boats are used in place OF sta
| tionary piers TO support the ends of
| the beams carrying the roadway plat
form. The bridge is ABS yards long.
O. How early were adhesive postage
stamps used in this country?-D. r. S.
A. Adhesive postage stamps were
issued by several cities of the United
States independently of the Govern
ment about 1845. Well known examples
were those of New York City and St.
| Louis. Stamps of this kind were au-
thorized by Congress March 3, l847.
@. What were the nicknames of
Eugene Fields children?-C. c. S.
A. They were Trotty, Pinny, Daisy,
Rosie and Sister Girl
Q. Can snakes hypnotic birds and
sometimes human heings?-W. OBJ.
A. The curious and uncanny power
possessed by snakes of continuing mo-
tionlesS with the lifted head projected
forward for seemingly indefinite time
is one Of the most astonishing of their
| muscular feats. 1t is this habit which
gives rise to the popular belief that
snakes are endowed with the power to
fascinate or charm birds. small man,
mails, and even mankind. 1t is quite
true that birds and even humans may
become so terrified at suddenly seeing
snake in this attitude. with its round,
unwinking eyes fixed on the beholder,
that their muscles are temporarily par
alyzed. The sickening fear experienced
on such occasions may leave the crea-
ture powerleSS to move but this sensa-
ton Is quite different from being hyp-
| Noticed.
| Q. Did Lew Wallace's prince of In
! dia' have a subtitle?-M. NJ.
| A. It is listed as Prince of India
| or Why ConStantinonle Fell