Evening star., 1932-04-23
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

There Is no other agency In the
world that can answer as many ligiti-
mate questions as our free Information
Bureau in Washington. D. c. This
highly organized institution has been
built up and is under the personal
direction Of Frederic J. HaSkin. BY
keeping in constant touch with Fed
eral bureaus and other educational
enterprises it is in a position 70 pass
on TO you authoritative information Of
the highest order. Submit your queries
to the staff Of experts whose services
are put at your free disposal. There
is no charge except 2 cents in coin
or stamps for return postage, Address
The Evening Star Information Bureau,
Frederic j. Haskin, Director, Washing
ton, D. G.
@. In contract bridge is 1t a ref1ec-
tion, upon the system Of bidding when
slam is made which has not been
bid?-L- B.
A. Probably rs per cent Of slams
which are made were not biddable.
The opponents use different tactics
against slam bids, setting the contract
at once when possible. With a lower
! contract, in an effort to defeat the
bid. tricks are sacrificed which may
lead to a slam. There are many other
contributing factors to explain the dis
| crepancy.
@. How thick and high is the Chi
! nese Wall?-H. s. M
A. The total length 'of the Great
| Wall is 1850 miles. 1t is IT feet
inches thick and l6 feet high.
@. When were newsboys first en-
| ployed?-C. E. K.
A. Apparently they have been en-
ployed from an early period and were
known in Great Britain in the eight
eenth century. In Scotland paper
| crlers or caddies sold newspapers and
also provided news gossip. At the
| close Of the seventeenth century they
! were incorporated in Edinburgh into
society, but 1t eventually became a
nuisance and was dissolved in ITO.
The word ''newsboy' appears in Eng
lish literature as early as 1912
O. Has a bullet more penetrating
| power at 80 feet than at feet?-R. K.
A, 1t has. This is because it has
gone to sleep" like a top and the
''wobble" is gone.
c. What has become of the old
Surratt house in Washington?-K T.
A. During 1925 the famous old Sur
ratt house, which was located on H
street, was remodeled into a store and
apartment house. 1t was in this house
that the conspiracy to aSsassinote Lin
coin was discussed by John Wilkes
Booth and. others. The structure had
stood intact for nearly go years. 1t
was here in the parlor on the second
noor, that some of the conspirators
met and held conferences. John
wilkes Booth went to this house on the
afternoon preceding the assassination.
Ihere he arranged for horses and guns
TO use in his flight. The house was
the residence OF Mrs. Mary Surratt
She conducted it in Civil War times as
boarding house for theatrical people.
one Of her patrons being John wilkes
Booth.
@. Does the French expression belle
mere mean grandmother?-E. H. B
1t does not. 1t means mother-in-
law
@ When was St. Louis, Mo, found
ed?-C z. w
A. TIE original first thirty settlers
OF st. Louis first arrived at the foot of
what Is now Walnut street on February
IA, 1854. The City of st. Louis, how
ever. was not incorporated until April,
1923.
Q. How is gold foil made?-C. HID.
A In making gold leaf or for the
bar is fatte.- I'd out into a riblfJn of
about 1900 Of an inch in thickness BY
passing it through steel rollers. This
IS annealed or softened by heat end