Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-19
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

of public instruction, reports that 1t
is STA. At the beginning OF this CEN
fury the average salary was s24.
@. In what year we're the locusts the
worst in the United States?-A. p.
A. The most disastrous locust year
was 1874.
@. What was the first intoxicating
drink known?-E. K. S.
A. DR.. Harvey w. Wiley says that
wine is the oldest and most important
of fermented beverages. He says: 1T
| could not escape early discovery. be-
cause fruits of all kinds, when crushed
and left to natural causes. undergo the
alcoholic fermentation. Primitive man
must, therefore, have been acquainted
with the properties of the fermented
! Juice of fruits. especially of grapes.
Wine was known in the remotest his
| torical times. as evidenced by refer
ences to it in the earliest preserved
| literatures."
@. What vegetables lead in sales in
city market?--C. j. NJ.
A. Judging by Center Market, WASH
ington. d. c.. white potatoes, lettuce
and cabbage lead.
@. How can strong cement be made
for mending glaSsWare?-E. j. F.
A. The Bureau of Standards says
that casein mixed with sodium Silicate
is said to make a very strong cement
for glass. One part of casein is used
with six or seven of silicate.
@. What is the origin of the dollar
A. Authorities differ as to the origin
Of the dollar mark. In Notes and
| Queries it Is stated that the Spanish
real was formerly current in the South
ern States. and that accounts in that
part of North America were kept in
dollars and reals. As distinguish
ing mark in the books. Cancelled fig
| ure B was used. or sometimes the
was put between two slanting lines,
thus-/8/. When the United States
adopted the dollar as the money unit,
1t was found convenient to continue the
| old mark. Another origin traces the
dollar mark to the Mexican pillar dol
lar. on the reverse of which is the rep
| resentation of two pillars or columns
connected by a scroll. Another theory
is that the sign is the union of the
two capital letters in U. S., meaning
United States.
I. T. D.
A. 1t is not definitely recorded just
who first suggested ice cream sodas
in their present form. Snow-cooled
beverages we're known to the Jews,
ancient Greeks and Romans. 1t is
recorded that in Rome certain Quintus
Maximus Gurges, nicknamed the "Glut-
ton," wrote a recipe for a similar prep
aration in one of his books.
@. Do more cities call their organi-
zation Chamber of Commerce" or a
Board of Trade"?-C. r.
A. The modern tendency is toward
using the term Chamber of Commerce"
Other names used are Board of Trade,
Business Mems Association, Commercial,
of Commerce and Merchants Associa-
ton.
@. What was the pony express?-J. N.
A. Pony express" is the name given to
the mail service between st. Joseph.
Mo-. and California. inaugurated in
1850. Eight days were allowed for the
schedule. There were 80 riders and
about 400 horses.
@. If woman who is q citizen of the
United States marrieS a foreigner. can
she get him into this country without
waiting for his place in the immigra-
ton quota?-H. c. C.
A. She may request that he be placed
in the preference quota.
Q. Who is the present dictator Of
Russia?-J. M.
A. 1t is I. Stain.
@. What Is the length of railroad
rail? How many cross-ties are used to
the mile?-M. H.
A. The standard rail Is SO feet long.
The number Of cross-ties per mile diff
fers with the various railroads and with
conditions. The average number s
3,168.
O. What Is mishmash?-F. S. G.
A. This is provincial English term
for a medley. hotchpotch or hetero-
geneous collection Of articles.
O. How much have the salaries Of
school teachers increased In 20 years.
L. B. A.
A. Average annual salaries have In
creased from $485 in 1910 to $1,2S2 IN
1928.
@. How much is a micron?-R. Z. G.
A. One micron represents one one
millionth part of the usual atmospheric
pressure which is 14ia pounds per
square inch The interior of the usual
incandescent lamp represents q vacuum
down to about $50 microns.
VI "