, 1935-04-28


A Reader can get the answer to
any question Of fact by writing
The Brownsville Herald, Inform
ation Bureau, Frederic j. HaSkin,
director, washington, u. G. Please
enclose three CD cents for reply.
@. What In the origin OF the word
bo0ndoggle? H. #.
A. The word was coined by Eagle
Scout Robert H.. Link Of Rochester,
N. Y, TO describe q gadget worn by
the Boy Scouts Boondoggles are
made OF plated leather and worn
by Scouts as uniform ornaments
or as neckerchief slides. The term Is
now being used Tor useful gadgetS"
made in connection with work re
lief.
@. How did the game Of Craps get
It's name? N A.
A. The game was introduced in this
country under its European name Of
Hazard. The Frenchman who
brought 1t to New Orleans was often
called "Crapaud" a nickname applied
to the French. The game was known
as Crapaud'S game. then Craps
game. and finally Craps.
q. Were the desks In the senate
OF the United States originally oak?
III 20, when were they changed for
mahogany ones? H. c. B.
A. There never were oak desks In
the Senate chamber. When the SEN
ate moved into the present building
on January 4, 1859, the old desks
which were mahogany were brought
in from the old chamber and these
have been replaced as needed
q. How many sound vibrations per
second can be heard by the human
ear? C. H.
A. Sound Is a sensation which oc-
ours when sound waves produced by
a vibrating body fall upon the ear.
Vibrations as low as l. per second
are detected as sound and most peo-
pie can distinguish sound produced
by 10000 vibrations per second. Har-
mong in pitch relations ard IN the
periodic movement Of sound waves
results in even and regular vlbra-
tions as in music. DiScordant vlnra-
tons produce noise.
q. How long has the Statue Of Lib
erfy stood I'm New York Harbor? 4. II.
A. II was unveiled on October 2S-
1886. Its 50th anniversary viii be wide
iy celebrated in 1885.
q. What n the cost Of a criminal
I'm a Federal prison? w. n. II.
A. Per capita cost to the govern
Inent of keeping a prisoner III a Fed
eral prison or reformatory Is S81a
cents per day.
@. Who was the Witch OF Ag-
nesi? III. =.
A. This witch Is not a person but
| the name of a special curve the
| characteristics Of which were dis
cusSed by Maria AgneSi In l748 and
named for her. Maria Agnesi was a
| Milanese. daughter OF a professor
of mathematics. AS early as IA. her
philosophical and mathematical
treatises we're read by distinguish
"a scholars. Pope Benedict XIV APP
pointed her TO succeed her iather
in the chair OF mathematics at the
University Of Bologna. She also be-
came directreSs of the Blue Nuns al
Milan and ultimately joined that
sisterhood.
O. When will Mars be closest tc
the earth i'm this century? B. b.
A. In 1889. 1t is in excellent posi-
ton for observation at present. vii
be closer in 1887. and at its best II
1899.
q. Please give figures on equip
ment for telegraph communication
I'm this country. r. c.
A. There are q companies oper'
ating: 256 .66l miles Of poles; 1856
O54 miles Of leased and owned wire
and 96.468 miles Of ocean cable.
a. What comprised the extent o.
the Roman Empire under the Cae'
sars-as geographically described
today? J. X. K.
A. The Roman Empire at its great
est extent under the Emperor Had
Ran, about lit A. d. stretched from
Scotland in the northwest to the Red
Sea and the Persian Gulf IN tht
southeast. and from the Caspian Sea
the Black Sea and the Danube River
In the northeast to the Atlas Noun
tains in the southwest.
q. In electrical currents Is the joint
resistance Of wires In parallel equal
10 the average Of separate resistance!
III. III.
"A. The National Bureau OF Stan
dards says that in electrical cur-
rents the Joint resistance of wires IN
parallel is never equal to the average
Of the separate resistance because
two wires IN parallel always present
less resistance to the current than
either one alone.
q. What does Ouled Nail mean?
4. NJ. n.
A. It refers to a class Of profess
sional dancing girls well known III
Northern Africa particularly Algeria.
for their SenSuous beauty.