Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-09-23
ANSWERS TO
QUESTIONS
BY Frederic J. Haskin.

BY Frederic J. Haskin.
reader can get the dnsUer to anu
question OF fact By Drittno The Washing
ron Evening Star Information Bureau,
| Frederic J. Hdskin, Director, Washing
ton. C. Please inclose stamp for reply.
q. How many locks for mail sacks and
pouches does the Post ONCE Department
use?-V. L.
A: The number is estimated at
100000.
@. How much Of the population Of
New York City lives in houses which
might be called substandard?-M. q. s.
| A. About 100000 people, or one third
OF the population, is not BEAUTIFULLY
housed or safely housed, according to
the Welfare Council of New York.
Q. What is the origin of the quotation,
Nothing in his life became him like the
leaving it"?-C. w.
| A. 1t is from the first act of Macbeth"
The speech is made by Macbeth in re-
| porting the execution of the thane of
Cawdor, whose title is bestowed upon
Macbeth.
@. What Is the present tense of the
verb wrought?-M. B.
A. The present tense is work.
@. Why is the north light considered
best?-L. E. o.
A. The National Bureau of Standards
says that north light is considered the
best for microscopic work because it is
diffused more completely than light
coming from portion of the sky where
! direct sunlight exists.
@. What is the name of the educator
who originated the personnel system used
In the Army during the World War?
w. w.
A. DR.. Walter Dill Scott, president OF
Northwestern University, was awarded
| the Distinguished Service Medal for de-
vising, installing and supervising the
| personnel system in the United States
Army in the World War.
@. Who gave the first minstrel shows
! In this country?-H. M.
A. The introduction of minstrel shows
| in the United States is credited to
comedian who was inspired by the Jim
Grow" song of a Negro stage driver to
| reproduce song and character in costume
on the stage in Pittsburgh in the early
nineteenth century.
@. How old is the Louisville e. Nash
vile Railroad?-E NJ B.
A. 1t was incorporated in the State
| of Kentucky on March ( 1350
@. Why Is oil sometimes poured on
the water around vessel during a
Storm?-A. E. E.
A. Viscous liquids are stronger than
water, though their surface tension is
| less, and for this reason oil Is some
times thrown upon the water around a
ship during a storm. The effect of this
| Is to smooth out the surface as though
strong elastic blanket were stretched
over the water and the waves are then
kept from breaking over.
@. Please give a biography Of Fargo,
who founded the express company
W. 3.
A. William George Fargo was born
in Pompey, N. Y, on May 20. 1918. He
became freight agent for the Auburn
& Syracuse Railway Co. in lS41 and
express manager between Albany and
Buffalo a year later and in 1S43 a
resident agent in Buffalo In 1S45 he
organized. with Henry Wells and Dan
lei Dunning, the first express company
to engage in the carrying business west
OF Buffalo. The lines of the company
were rapidly extended. In March, 1885,
when the American Express &c. was
organized. Fargo became secretary. and
in 1851 he organized the firm of Wells.
| Fargo & Co. to conduct an express
business between New York and San
Francisco by way Of the Isthmus of
Panama. From 1862 to 1866 he was
mayor of Buffalo and from 1863 to his
death in 1881 he was president of the
American Express Co.
@. Why was the custom of caps and
| gowns introduced into colleges?-S.
! v. B.
A. The medieval universities were
maintained by clerics. and the forms
of caps. gowns and hoods were really
the medieval forms of clothing retained
and made regulation for the clergy when
the lay community changed to more
modern dress. Caps were necessity
in the cold churches; copes and capes
| with hoods attached were needed for
warmth. and the hood was selected by
| the university men as the article to be
made distinctive for the various degrees
| by color, trimming and lining.
@. Can plants be grown without soil?
| C. P.
A. The raising of plants, such as corn,
In trays without soil is new idea which
has been developed in England Ger
many and Denmark for the providing
Of feed for cattle. 1t has recently been
introduced into the United States and
there is cabinet of this type on a
farm near Summit, N. j., where secret
| tests are being made to determine the
feasibility of this idea for American
agriculture.
@. Which Louis was called the stam-
merer?-K. L. M.
A. Louis II (S46-879), King Of France,
was called lie Begue, or the Stammerer.
@. Please give a biography Of Luise
Rainer-G. v.
A. She was born in Vienna Of nom
professional parents. Her father, Heinz
Rainier, is q merchant For many years
he lived in the United States. becoming
q naturalized citizen then returned to
Europe to set up a business. Her
mother. Envy Rainer was never In any