Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-09

The answers to questions printed
here each day are specimens picked
from the mass Of inquiries handled
by our great Information Bureau main,
tanned In Washington, D. G. This val
ts n seIyce AS aGT ns es t5ee use Of
you may want to know and you will
get an immediate reply. Write plainly,
inclose cents in coin or stamps
for return postage and address The
Evening Star Information Bureau,
Frederic J. Haskin. director. Washing
ton. d. G.
@. What was charged for carrying
letters on the Graf Zeppelin on its
around-the-world fiight?-J. C. M.
A. 1t carried 25,466 letters and TO-
SIC cards. The cost for carrying the
letters was $3.50 each, and the cost
for carrying the cards was SITS each.
@. How much money do Americans
spend for patent medicine?-W. j. B.
A. There were manufactured in 1921
patent and proprietary medicines val
ued at the factory at about $108, 000,-
600. 1t may be conservatively estimat-
ed that the people of the United States
are spending $195, 100000 per year in
the purchase Of drugs for self-treat-
ment, and this amount does not in
clude money spent for ethical phar-
maceutical specialtieS, etc., valued at
the factory at approximately $83,O00,-
600. There has probably been little
change since 1914 in the amount of
patent medicines purchased.
Q. How hot fire do wood, charcoal
and coal make?-E. s..
A. The heat Of the common wood fire
Is variously estimated at from 500 to
1,1400 Fahrenheit, that of a charcoal
fire about 2,200' Fahrenheit and that
of a coal fire 2,400' Fahrenheit.
@. When did steel pens supersede
quill penS?-G. M.
A. Steel pens came into use about
1903.
@. What pay did George Washington
receive while he was in the American
Army?-W. E. A.
A. William r. Thayer in his book
called George washington" says that
Washington refused to take any pay
in the Revolutionary War. merely keep.
ing a strict account Of what he spent
for the Government from ITS to 1882.
This amounted to over $4,000 pounds
and covered only sums distributed by
him for the Army.
@. Can q sundial constructed for one
latitude be used In another?-J. w. r.
A. The Naval Observatory says if the
Sundial was constructed for the loca-
ton at which it is to be set up. the
face Of the dial should be truly hori-
zontal and the style set north and
south. If, however. the dial was con-
structed for some other latitude, the
dial, set up as above, and keeping its
east and west line truly horizontal,
should be tilted from the horizontal po-
sition through an angle equal to the
place at which the dial Is being set up
and the latitude for which the dial was
constructed. the north point being de-
pressed If the latitude of construction is
larger than the local latitude, the north
end being elevated If the latitude of
construction is less than the local
latitude. The latitude for which the
dial was constructed, if not marked on
it, should be ascertained from the man
ufacturer or by measuring the angle
between the style and the face Of
the dial.
Q. How old was Lilli lehman when
she died?-I. L.
A. She was born in Wurzburg, Ger
many, in 1848, and died in Berlin in
1929. She was one Of the great singers
and great teachers Of all time.
@. How long is navigation open
through the st. Lawrence River?-T. A.
A. It Is open from seven and one
half to eight months each year.
@. What is the cause of the varia-
ton of the magnetic needle?-A. B. S.
A. The Coast and Geodetic Survey