Evening star., 1933-01-23
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

modern terraced concrete drying yards.
Every morning after the dew has dis
appeared the coffee Is raked over to
insure thorough summing. After the
conee has been properly dried or
cured" 1t Is repeatedly run through
hulling and tanning machines, which
clean 1t and remove the tough hull,
Then the coffee is ready for shipment.
Q. In what part of the United States
is borax found?-T. B.
A. In California, Nevada, Oregon, and
Texas.
@. How much did the United States
Government owe when it was first Or
ganized?-W B. v.
A. The public debt of the United
States in 1870 amounted to some S54,-
100000 OF which $12,000,000 was due
foreign creditors, chiefly in France.
The State debts amounted to over S21,-
OOO,000 and these also were assumed by
the Federal Government, BY 1887 these
debts had been satisfied.
@. Why are magnets painted?-M. 8.
"A. There is no reason for painting
magnets other than for the sake of ap-
pearance.
Q. Does given quantity of water
change its weight in the process of
freezing?-J. P.
A. While water expands approxi-
mately one-eleventh of its own bulk on
freezing, the weight does not increase.
For instance. l cubic foot of water at
freezing point weighs 6241s pounds.
One cubic foot of water on freezing
produces l.0855 cubic feet of ice which
weighs 624l8 pounds
Q. Have all past Presidents had their
pictures on issues OF postage stamps?-
L. j. B.
A. Portraits of only IT have been
used to the present time They
are: George Washington, Thomas JEFF
ferSon, James Monroe. James Madison,
Andrew Jackson, Zachary Taylor Abra-
ham Lincoln, U. S. Grant, Rutherford
b. Hayes, James A. Garfield, Grover
Cleveland, William Mckinley. Benjamin
Harrison, Theodore Roosevelt, Warren
G. Harding, Woodrow Wilson, and Will
liam H. Taft.
Q. Is there money awaiting the heirs
OF Robert Morris IN the Federal
Treasury?-F H
A. The Department Of the Treasury
says that many inquiries have been re-
celved in the past from persons claiming
to be descendants Of Robert Morris, in
qulring whether they were entitled to
share in a distribution of money said
to be cue the Morris estate for moneys
advanced by him to the Government
during the Revolutionary War. Such
persons have been informed that there
Is no basis for the Robert Morris claim
SO far as 1t relates to a sum of money
being held in the Treasury of the United
states awaiting distribution. The Con-
gresS OF 1890, in which Morris served as
united States Senator from the State
OF Pennsylvania, passed an act provid-
Ing Tor the assumption by the Govern.
ment Of the United States of the debts
OF the Continental Congress, and if the
Government owed him any money he
mad abundant opportunity to assert a
claim, but there is no evidence in the
Treasury Department tending to show
that the United States was indebted To
Robert Morris in any sum, nor does it
appear that he ever claimed that the
Government was indebted to him for
moneys advanced.
O. When did steamboats, reach their
greatest popularity on the Mississippi
and Missouri Rivers?-W. c. B.
A. Steamboat trade on the Mississippi
reached its highest peak in the SOS
and on the Missouri between the years
1855 and 1860. Fifty-nine steamboats,
were operating on the lower Missouri in
1858. Before the Civil War most boats
paid for themselves and yielded good
profits as there was practically no
competition. The whole aspect was
changed by the war Many boats were
taken over by military authorities and
the war activities on the river interfered
with trade. Later the building of the
railroads took away most of the river
traf1c and after 1887 steamboats, were
practically useless.