Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-30
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

Take advantage Of this free service.
II you are one of the thousands who
have patronised the bureau, write us
again. II you have never used the
service, begin now. 1t Is maintained
for your benefit. Be sure to send your
name and address with your question,
and inclose cents in coin or stamps
for return postage. Address The Eve
ming Star Information Bureau, Frederic
j. Haskin, director, Washington, D. C.
@. Has any other Secretary Of War
died in off1ce?-H. w. r.
A. Secretary Goods death is the
f1rst since that of Secretary Rawlings
,, in 1869.
Q. Why have the early forms of
animal and vegetable life survived
longer in Australia than elsewhere?-
T. r.
A. Australia's isolation has had this
result. Now that plants and animals
are being brought across the water from
other countries, the original forms Of
life are being destroyed or crowded out.
Q; What is the record crop Of pota-
toes?-L. M.
A. An oficially recorded crop of
1,145.l7 bushels per acre Is the present
record. The average crop per acre for
the United States is lis bushels.
Q. Was a man ever blown through
the top Of the tube and the bed of the
| river and came out alive during the
| building Of one of the tunnels under
the New York rivers?-M. L.
A. The tunnel engineers say that
| such an occurrence took place twice
under the East River: the first time in
1905 while boring the tunnel from the
Battery to Joralemon street, Brooklyn,
and another time in 1916 while boring
the Battery to Montague street, across
| the river in Brooklyn. In the 1906
incident the tunnel worker was recov-
cred and as far as is known Is still
| alive. In the 1916 mishap three sand
hogs were blown through the heading
where q soft spot in the river bed
opened up and permitted the air pres
sure to escape: one came out alive, the
| second man was found dead in the
river, and the body of the third man
was never recovered.
@. Is there any law which compels
married woman to use her husbands
name?-C. M.
A. Actually there is no Federal nor
so far as we can ascertain, State law
which arbitrarily compels q woman to
DCdL 1lCl lubUdLUO UNLESS she
wishes to do so. Recently the United
States Controller McCarl issued an
order that married women In the Gov
eminent employ should sign their hus-
bands surname when signing the pay
roll.
@. What is . camel-back CHAIR
A. This nickname has been given to
the demi-shield-back chair Of the
Heppelwhite period.
Q. In what States along the West
ern Coast are there no thunder
storms?-W. s.
A. The thunderstorm is owing to the
rapid vertical convection Of air con-
tanning large amount of water vapor
The lower air must, therefore, be rather
warm, say 70 degrees r. or over, else
1t would not carry the requisite amount
Of water vapor, and the temperature
must decrease rather rapidly with in
crease Of height, else there would be
but little or no convection. Now, in
the Summer time the humidity In
Oregon and Washington is rather low
Hence thunderStormS generally are i'm
probable. In the Winter time, when
most of the rains come, the surface
commonly Is too cool to set up vigorous
vertical convection. Hence thunder
storms are not likely. Thunderstorm
are not frequent In Oregon and Wash
ington any time of the year. Thunder
storms occur very infrequently In Cali
fornia.