Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-06

Stop a minute and think about this
fact: You can ask our Information Blu
reau any question of fact and get the
answer back in a personal letter. 1t Is
great educational idea introduced into
the lives of the most intelligent people
In the world-American newspaper
readers. It is a part Of that best pur-
pose of newspaper-service. There Is
no charge except cents in coin or
stamps for return postage. Get the
habit of asking questions. Address your
letter to The Star Information Bureau,
Frederic j. Haskin, director, Washing
ton, D. C..
@. How long have airplanes been fly
ing across the Sahara Desert?-F. P.
A. They were crossing as early as
1916.
@. How many Trumbulls have been
Governors of Connecticut?-J. L. M.
A. There have been three: Joseph OF
Hartford, serving one year, 1849-5O;
Jonathan of Lebanon, who served from
1869 to 1874 and from 1897 to 1909. and
the present governor. John H. OF Plain
vile, who has already served two terms
Connecticut has also had in the gov
ernor's chair two WinthropS, two VOL
colts, two Loundsberrys and two Bald
wins.
@. How much of a current of cleo
tricity does it take to kill a person.
r. D. D.
A. The degree of resistance Of an
| individual to the passage OF current
of electricity is subject to considerable
amount of variation. If the skin Is
dry, the resistance is from 5 to 20 times
as great as when 1t Is wet. It is prob
able that 1900 volts of electromotive
force of continuous current are SUI
| ficient to cause death, and alternating
current of half this voltage would prob
/ ably prove fatal. Experiments at Sing
Sing have resulted in the conclusion
| that no human body can Withstand an
alternating current of $500 volts and
that 800 has produced death, while for
continuous current 1t may be necessary
that as much as 5000 volts are required
| to bring about fatal results.
@. Why Is Turkey called the lotto
man Empire" PM. S.
A. The word ottoman" Is from the
Turkish Gilman, founder of the Turk
ish Empire In Asia. He reigned from
1888 to 1926. .
@. Is it better to have an alto or
tenor saxophone?-R. N.
"A. Both are fine instruments, but
there are more demands for musicians
with alto instruments, since small or
chestras use the alto.
@. In what year did the song Every
body Works But Father" become popu-
lar?-H. F. &.
1905.
@. Is the guillotine still in use IN
| France?-I. D. L.
A. It is still used. 1t is the mode of
! capital punishment in France.
@. How many places in the United
States have populations of $500 or
more?-A. 0. w.
A. According to the last census there
were 2,787 such towns and cities.
@. What do the four HIS stand for
| in All clubs?-E. F.
A. They represent head, hands,
heart and health.
@. Why will water not rise over 81
| feet in vacuum?-R. J. D.
A. The Bureau of Standards says
| that water will not rise over 80 feet IN
a vacuum because the pressure OF the
atmosphere is not sufficient to balance
a column of water of greater height.
@. How many days and fractions OF
| days are there in a year?-R. F. B.
| A. There are 365 days, 6 hours. 8
minutes and 90 seconds in year. This
| is adjusted by the intercalary day every
| four years. The very slight difference
! still remaining is taken UP by having
only those years as leap years, which
in century years may be divided
by 400 instead of 4.
| @. Who invented the upper
w. F. B.
| A. The Scientific American informs
us that the hookless fastener was in
vented by Whitcomb L. Judson in 1893.
| It has been improved and perfected by
| Gideon Z. Sundback. Its name Is not
the upper" that term being applied
only to the oversl1oe made by the B. F.
Goodrich Co. and fastened with a hook
lace fastener 0f Cilndhack'S design