Evening star., 1932-11-05
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

Revolutionary War widow receiving a
pension was Esther Damon, widow of
Noah Damon. She died November IL,
1906. at Plymouth, VT.
@. What is the origin of the phrase
brand new?-C. B.
A. 1t is combination of brand,
meaning fire, and new meaning fresh.
Therefore 1t has the meaning of fresh
and bright like new coin, which has
just come from the mint.
@. Is q canebrake an indication of
poor soil or Of good soil?-N M.
A. A canebrake is an indication Of
rich land.
@. What kind of boat was used by
the Indians?-I L.
A. Several kinds were used. Dugout
canoes were used in the streams empty
ing into the st. Lawrence. On the
Missouri River small tub-shapad
craft of willow frame covered with raw
hide was used. The birchbark canoe
was used in Alaska and east of the
Rocky Mountains where these trees
grew.
@. What kind of a bookplate has
President Hoover?-W. S.
A. The Presidents bookplate is
reproduction Of one of the woodcuts
in very early book OH mining.
@. Was Aaron Burr ever president
of Princeton University?-A. K.
A. Aaron Burr, clergyman and father
OF Aaron Burr who was Vice Presi-
dent of the United States, was presi-
dent of the College of New Jersey. now
Princeton University. He died before
his son was 2 years old. Aaron Burr,
the Vice President. was a graduate Of
Princeton University.
@. Do large department stores en-
ploy more than one kind of shoppers?
HIP.
A. Many Of them employ three
types Of shoppers-personal, compare
tive and service.
@ Who financed Admiral Byrd when
he few to the North Pole?-V T.
A. Several wealthy Americans, in
Guiding Edsel Ford. John D. Rookie
feller, ir., and Vincent Astor. financed
the expedition. which established a
base at Kings Bay. Spitzbergen. From
there Byrd, accompanied by Floyd Ben
nett. few to the Pole and back on
May 9. 1926. a distance of 1850 miles,
in l5l2 hours.
q. what is the meaning OF the sur
fix "an" which appears in so many
proper names?-E s.
A. An" is a diminutive suffix found
in many Celtic names Originally it
had the force of a patronymic and
meant "son Of" For instance, Gala
han" is derived from "Ceallach," mean
ing warrior" plus the suffiX AN" and,
therefore, means "son of the warrior"
@. What French commander of the
guards said: Gentlemen of the guards,
fire first"?-T W. K
A. The words Fire first, gentlemen
of the French guards" are reputed to
have been used by Capt. Lord Charles
Hay of the lst Grenadiers during the
battle of Fontenoy, May IL, l745. The
French leader was Comte d'Auteroches.
@. When were the various Govern
ment departments established?-M P.
A. Four of the departments are older
than the Government under the Con-
stitution. These are Departments Of
Foreign Affairs. Treasury War and Post
Office. They were re-established by the
First Congress under the Constitution,
changing the Department of Foreign At
fairs to Department of State. The
Office of Attorney General was also
esta blished in 1889 and in 1870 the
name was changed to Department Of
Justice. The Department of the Navy
was established in 1898; Department of
the Interior, 1849; Department Of Agri-
culture, 1889: Department of Commerce
land Labor, 1908; Department Of
Labor 1913