Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-18

act of 1918 Both laws were passed to
carry out the obligations Of the United
States under the treaty with Great
Britain to protect the wild birds that
fly back and forth each year from
Canada, and both will be administered
by the Bureau of Biological Survey.
@. What land was given to railroads
when they were built?-O. D. c.
A. Different railroads received dif-
ferent amounts of land in the grants
of their charters. Generally the odd
numbered sections were given them
within a certain distance Of the rail-
road. The distance was usually from
20 to 40 miles. but in one case 1t was
only for a distance of 6 miles and in
another for IL miles.
@. Did Gen. Gordon die before the
relief expedition reached him?-S. l..
A. Gen. Charles George Gordon.
British soldier and adventurer. died
fighting the Mahdi Desert tribesmen In
Khartum, the Sudan, in 1885. Just two
days before the arrival of British re-
lief expedition. He had been besieged
nearly year. The reading world fol-
lowed the drama with intense interest,
only to be shocked by its tragic end.
@. How did the figure of speech "acid
test" originate?-G. w. P.
A. 1t refers to the application Of
acid to test the purity Of gold.
@. Give the origin of the name
nicotine" found in tobacco.-T. NJ.
A. Nicotine" was name after Jean
Nicot. who introduced the tobacco plant
into France.
@. Do many persons visit Edgar
Q ut
A. Since 1925, when the Press Club
of Baltimore took over the care Of
Edgar Allan Poe's resting place In West
minister Graveyard, approximately 49,
900 persons have visited the tomb.
@. Are leather book bindings used as
much as formerly?-C. B.
A. According to Joseph Savidse,
Philadelphia bookbinder, leather book
bindings are becoming less popular
every year.
O. What was Admiral Dewey's
favorite poem?-W. w.
A. The admiral's favorite was "Abou
Ben Adhem," by Leigh Hunt.
C. N. L.
A. This little island is in the South
Atlantic, midway between Buenos Aires
and Cape Town. It is off the main routes
of ships and Is seldom visited except by
occasional cruising vessels. This lonely
island has about $50 Inhabitants.
O. When were the Niagara Falls
completely dry?-E. w.
A. The Geological Survey says that
Niagara has never been completely dry.
The Winter of 1847-48 was extraordi-
nari1y severe in this country. Heavy
ice formed in Lake Erie. When it was
broken up during the latter part Of
March, the winds swept the Ice into
the entrance Of the Niagara River at
Buffalo, where it damned In solid
mass, completely choking the outlet of
March 90. 1848, the falls of Niagara
were practically dry. Similar conditions
prevailed during the Winter 1925-26.
@. Where is the largest elm tree
in the United StateS?-R. H. w.
A. Along the Lee Highway. near
the confluence Of the north and south
forks Of the Holston River. and few
miles from Kingsport. Tenn, stands
what Is claimed to be the largest elm
in the world. Its age Is unknown. but
it was described by the first Europeans
to visit the region. Other famous old
elns were the Treaty. elm OF william
Penn that once stood on the bank Of
the Delaware River; the Washington
elm at Cambridge, which fell several
years ago, despite the skill of modern
tree surgery, and the old Liberty elm
at Boston. It was beneath the last
that the first mutterings of revolt
against Great Britain were started.
@. In real life, who was Jim Bludsoe?
p. N. ,.-..... ,..
A. The hero Of John Hays poem was
the engineer, oliver Fairchild.
@. At what time Of year are the Mex
lean bullfghts?-E. S.
A. The bullfight season in Mexico
begins at the end of November and lasts
until Easter Sunday. Fights are held
all over Mexico, but Mexico City Is
where the principal fights are held.
O. How many shoes are made In the
United StateS?-K. L. M.
A. In 1928 there we're 344, 00o,0
pairs of shoes manufactured In the
United States.