Evening star., 1935-08-13
ANSWERS TO
QUESTIONS.
By Frederic ]. Haskin.

By Frederic ]. Haskin.
A reader can get the unsuer to ann
question OF fact by tUrittno The Washing.
ton EDening Star Information Bureou,
Frederic J. H1skin, Director, Wdsh,rc.
ton, D. C. Please inclose stamp for reply.
@. What style of architecture is used
in the new United States Supreme Court
Building?-G. D.
A. Corinthian This was decided upon
as being most harmonious with the
Capitol group.
Q. When was "Oh, Promise Me" first
sung at a wedding?-A. w. c.
A. 1t was written in 1889 by Reginald
De Koven and interpolated in Robin
Hood in 1890. The date at which it was
first sung at wedding is not available,
but it soon became very popular for
this use.
c. Was John Hays Hammond. the
mining engineer. ever sentenced to death
by the Boers?-W. H.
A. Mr.. Hammond was one of the four
leaders in the reform movement in the
Transvaal. For his connection with the
Jameson raid, with which, however, he
did not sympathize, the Beers sentenced
him to death. The sentence was later
commuted to Is years imprisonment
and then to the payment of a fine Of
$l25,000.
@. Who invented the closeup and the
Switch-back in motion pictures?-H. j.
A. They are credited to D. w. Griffith.
@. What is the purpose of the Co.
operative Central Bank in Massachu-
SettS?-J. H. B.
A. Membership in this institution is
compulsory for all cooperative banks in
the State. The purpose of the bank is
to accumulate reserve funds and TO be
in position to loan these funds very
readily to cooperative banks whenever
need may arise.
Q. Why does locomotive whistle seem
to have lower pitch after the locomo-
tive has gone past?-F. N
A. While the locomotive is approach
ing each sound wave has a shorter dis
tance to travel than the preceding one
and the pitch seems higher than it would
be were it at rest. While moving away
the opposite is true, each wave has a
longer distance and the pitch is lowered.
This is known as the Doppler effect.
Q. How is the Presidents flag dis
played when he is on board a veSsel?-
H. K R.
A. When the President visits a vessel
0F tl1oJ
is broken at the main the moment he
reaches the deck and is kept flying as
long as he is on board. When the Presi-
dent is embarked on a boat he usually
directs that his flag be displayed from
the staff in the bow of his barge.
@. When was mustard gas first used?-
w. B.
A 1t was introduced by the Germans
in July, 1917, at Ypres.
@. What was the Shadrach case?-
M. L. c.
A In May, 1850, a fugitive slave from
Virginia. named Frederick wilkins, came
to Boston, under the alias of Shadrach.
Subsequently he was arrested and jailed
in the United States Court House pend
ing trial. Shadrach was rescued by a
body of colored people and conveyed in
safety to Canada Intense excitement
prevailed in Boston, and spread over the
entire country when Congress turned its
attention to the infringement of the law
@. How sensitive is the ear?-C. D.
A. The normal ear transmits to the
brain the sensation of sound when a
pressure variation of 001 dyne per square
centimeter occurs at over 100 cycles per
second. This pressure is about l mil
honth Of gram per square en-. or 80
millicnths Of an ounce.
@. What is meant by the expression,
Tom the Tinker?-k v. W.
A. This was the popular watchword
of the insurgents of Western Pennsyl-
vania during the Whisky Rebellion of
1874. originating in the destruction of
the house of an obnoxious official by a
mob, which gave out that it was being
tinkered.
@. When was the American College of
Surgeons established?-L. j.
A. The college was organized in 1918
by some 500 surgeons, leaders in every
branch of surgery and representatives of
all sections of the country.
@. Please give some information about
the Passion Play at Roquebrune, France.
"A. P.
A. While this play has been given for
468 years, it has never been publiciZed,
so few foreigners have seen it. The play
is given on the first Sunday of every
August and no admission is charged. 1t
had its origin in pestilence which
visited the town in 1467, killing many of
the villagers. Prayers to the Virgin for
relief were made by the unStricken and
on the fifth of August the plague dis
appeared. A procession Of thanks was
formed. the participants enacting scenes
from the Passion of Christ 1t was
vowed to repeat this procession every
year in gratitude for the miracle.
@. Of the cheese eaten by the average
person in this country, how much is i'm
ported?-H. F.
A. For the years from 1926 to 1890, the
average consumption Of cheese per per-
son was 46 pounds OF this ~ pounds
was imported and four pounds was
domestic.
@. What property is exempt from tax
alton in New York City?-E. R.
A. Under the State tax law, exempt
properties in New York City include all
forts, post offices, navy yards, custom
house, Army buildings, assay Office pris-
onS cemeteries and hOSpital owned bv