Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-01

Stop q minute and think about this
fact: You can ask our information
bureau any question of fact and get the
answer back in a personal letter. It is
a great educational idea, introduced
into the lives of the most intelligent
people in the world-American newspa-
per readers. It is q part of that best
purpose of q newspaper-service. There
Is no charge except 2 cents In coin or
stamps for return postage. Get the
habit Of asking questions. Address your
letter to The Evening Star Information
Bureau, Frederic j. HaSkin, director,
Washington, d. @.
@. What was the first play in the
United States to have a. box-office sue
cess?--A. @. G.
A. Royal Tyler's comedy, '"The Con-
trast," acted in 1857, was the first
American play to achieve box-ofice
success. It was also the first dramatic
work to introduce the character since
known as the stage Yankee.
@. What is the largest sum for which
money order is issued?-B. B.
A. The maximum is 500. There is
no limit, however. to the number of
money orders which can be issued In
one day to one person.
@. How many lives are lost in the
United States in flres?-T. G. C.
A. Fires cost annually about $4,000
lives.
@. What is the difference between
the Japanese hairy chestnut and the
Chinese hairy chestnut?-D. A.
A. There Is a Chinese hairy chestnut
and japanese chestnut. but no Japa-
neSe hairy chestnut. The Chinese hairy
chestnuts are being brought to this
country in the hope that they will re-
place our chestnut trees which were de-
stroyed by blight. While the trees
grow slowly and do not bear good crop
for about 10 years, they are believed to
be Sturdter than the Japanese chestnuts,
which bear in two or three years.
Q. How can quicksilver be purified
from the dirt that Is in TIC. L,
A. The Bureau of Standards says
that dirt can be removed from mercury
by shaking it up in bottle with q
small amount of cane sugar and then
f1lter1ng on the mercury through pin
hole in paper cone. However. if the
mercury is contaminated with metallic
impurities dissolved in 1t, it will soon
become dirty again If left in contact
with air. Such mercury should be
shaken with dilute nitric acid for sew
eral hours, or even days, In order to
dissolve the base metals.
q Who invented the Cherokee al
phabet?-H. s.
A. It was invented by the Indian,
Chief Sequoyah.
O. Who is Lloyd Paul strykes, au-
thor OF Andrew Jackson"7-R H.
A. He is a lawyer, practicing in New
YORK. He was born In Chicago June 5,
1885.
9. Is the swastika an ancient SYM
bol?-M. H.
A. A Swastika is the symbol of the
sun in the nature religions of the Aryan
races from Scandinavia to Persia and
India. Similar devices occur in naonu-
mental remains of ancient Mexicans
and Peruvians from the prehistoric
burial mounds within the limits of the
United States. It is also considered q
good-luck emblem by many people.
| Q. How many kinds Of ink are used
In printing the 81 billS?-W. G..
used IN printing the 81 bills. The
serial number and seal are printed with
one ink and the rest Of the bill with
another.
O. What is the origin of the express
SION take person down o peg"?--
A. TO "take a person down a neg"
comes from the custom Of lowering a
anips nag. which Is regulated by fine
attached 70 pegs.