Evening star., 1934-04-14
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

@. What was the cost of the ground
on which the Commerce Department
was built?-P. ]. M.
A. The land was purchased In 1910
at q total cost of s2,45s, s,s31 .Os. The
cost Of the building was sl7,500 900.
@. Do countries other than the
United States have philstelic agen-
cies?-J. F. M.
A. Practically all countries main
tanning post onices have philsteiic
agencies.
@. What obligation is there on the
part OF q person who uses your serv-
ice?-N. B.
A. There Is none whatever. This
newspaps, offers the service free to
its readers. You are entitled to all
BENEFITS to be derived from its fire.
Quent use. There Is no charge ex-
cept coin or stamp for return postage.
Address Frederic ]. Hsskin. Director,
Washington, D. C.
@. Do Eskimos drink water? Do
they eat salt?-T. Z.
A. The Eskimos do drink water
They have special drinking tubes of
ivory or bone which they insert In
noles in the ice. They also melt snow.
1t Is understood that the Eskimos
had no access to salt deposits and
did not know OF salt as a separate
food before their contact with white
civilization. Since their food almost
entirely consists Of salt water ami
mails. they receive enough salt in
directly.
@. Why were dum-dum bullets so
called?-F. K.
A. They were first made in Dunn
dunn, a military town in India. They
were partly encased In steel. The soft
core spread or expanded upon striking.
thereby increasing the injuries in
t1icted.
O. What pulling power does a horse
have, measured in horsepower
c. K M.
A. An apparatus which accurately
measures the pulling powers of horses
and mules was invented by Mr.. E. v.
Collins of the Agricultural Engineer
ing Department Of Iowa State Col
lege at Ames 1t is known as the
horse and mule dynometer. In tests
, with this machine at various Iowa
State fairs, horses have developed all
the way from 86 horsepower to PIP
horsepower, and eXerted a tractive
/ pull of from 1000 to 1900 pounds.
Q. What will remove static from
psper?-A. c. S.
A. Static that occurs in the han
ding of paper can best be overcome
by controlled humidity conditions.
Paper that is kept moist gives very
little trouble in this way.
@. Who plan the memorial trees
on upper Sixteenth street in Wash
mgtou, D. C.?-M. F.
A. The memorial trees which line
upper Sixteenth street northwest for
several miles commemorate the service
of the men and women of the Dis
trict of Columbia who died in the
World War The trees were placed
there by the American Legion in CO.
operation with the American Tree
Association.
O. Is it better form TO use the word,
and, or the character, &c. j. D.
A. In the case OF company name,
1t is correct TO use the ampersand;
otherwise the conjunction, and, should
be written out.
@. Why do distillers put juniper
berries in gin?-T. B. F.
A. Juniper berries are put into gin
to favor 1t. They are crushed TO form
the essence of juniper berries, which
is sold in the form of a clear liquid.
@. What is the highest percentage
of illteracy in the United States?-
B. L
A. Lafayette Parish in Louisiana
shows the highest percentage. 1t is
for Negroes and shows that 6l.7 per
cent can neither read nor write. In
100 counties, all in the South. Negro
illiteracy exceeds 20 per cent.
@. When were envelopes first made
in the United Ststes?-F. J. p.
A Envelopes were first made In