Evening star., 1935-07-17


Frederic j.. Haskin, Director, Washing
ton, d. C. Please tncIose stamp for reply
@. Do most deaths from drowning
occur in Midsummer?-E. B.
A. Twc-thirds Of all drownings occur
in May, June, July and August. Drown
ing claims about 7,7OO lives each year.
@. Can postal savings accounts be
opened at every post oftlce?-W. D.
A. Postal savings accounts may be
opened only at post Offices which have
been designated as postal savings de-
poSitorieS.
@. When did mahogany come into
general use?-E. F.
A. While mahogany was used in late
Elizabethan days and the periods of
William and Mary and Queen Anne, It
was not until after IT'S that it came
fully into its own. Prior to this time
the bulk OF furniture in Europe was
made of native species as the cost of a
cargo of mahogany made it an expensive
luxury. H. Avery Tripping in his tome,
English Homes Of the Early Georgian"
in speaking of the use of mahogany
as early as 1911 states, while in the
reign of Queen Anne, it gradually sup
plemented walnut in the cabinetmaker'S
esteem"
@. What is the derivation of the word
academy?.-H. D. S.
A. The word is derived from the
olive grove Of Academe, Platos re-
tirement.
@. Where was the first school for the
deaf in the United States?-G. G.
A. The first permanent school for
the deaf in the United States was
established in Hartford, Conn, in 1916.
O. What is the source Of the express
sion passing the buck"?-E. B.
A. The phrase pass the buck" is de-
rived from the game of cards. In such
games, the counter or other object is
placed on the table before the dealer
and passed by him to the next dealer
to prevent mistakes as to the position
of the deal, In poker. a marker is
put into a jack pot, another jack pot
being in order when the deal passes
to him who holds the buck.
@. What is Zymurgy?-E. M.
A. This is a branch of chronological
chemistry treating of processes in which
fermentation is the principal feature, as
brewing, making of yeast, and wine
making.
@. Was Mary J. Holmes, the novelist,
married?-W. H.
A. She was married to Daniel Holmes,
a lawyer of Brockport, N. Y.
@. Who invented the streamlined
train?-C. c. S.
A A patent for a streamlined train,
forerunner of those of today, was
granted by the United States Patent
Office to Samuel r. Calthrop OF Rox-
bury, Mass, in 1865.
@. Please give a brief history OF
Blackboard, the pirate-W. T. B.
A. Blackboard was the nickname given
to Edward Teach. He was born In
Bristol. The date is not recorded. He
probably started out as a common sailor
and took to piracy in 1716. He was
called Blackboard from the length and
thickness of his beard. He was killed
by an expedition sent out under Lieut..
Robert Maynard.
@. When was Ray Chapman killed by
a base ball?-L. H. j.
A. Ray Chapman, ShortStop OF the
Cleveland team, died August l3, 1920,
after having his skull fractured by
base ball.
O. Is it true that the SargaSso Sea
is particularly clear?-R. McC.
A. The SargaSso Sea is distinguished
by exceptionally high Salinity, high
temperature, an unusually blue color,
and great transparency. The sea Is
surrounded by the great current sys-
TENS of the Atlantic and its waters
are comparatively motionleSs. Sediment
brought down by rivers does not reach
this sea. Another reason for its trans
parency is the lack of plankton, a minute
organism which is found to greater
or less degree in practically all the
oceans.
@. Why was the strip of desert known
as the GadSden Purchase acquired?-
P. j. F.
A. The Guadalupe -Hidalgo treaty OF
1848 concluded the Mexican War. Serl-
Gus disagreement as to the exact extent
of the newly gained region in what Is
now Southern Arizona and Southwest
New Mexico developed. This was cleared
up in 1853 by the Gadsden Purchase OF
the area in dispute. The settlement OF
the boundary dispute was considered IN
this country to be of greater moment
than the acquisition of the land, which
was thought to be of little or no value
for cultivation, and it was in the minds
of enterprising Americans that through
this region the Southern Pacific Rail-
road, already projected, might nnd an
advantageous route, as in fact 1t dlo.
@. Is the donor of the Mellon Cathe-
dral still living?-C. G.
A. The S4.OOO,OO0 Presbyterian church
in Pittsburgh was a gift of Richard b.
Mellon and his wife. Richard B. Mellon
died on December /, 1888. Mrs. Mellon
is living and was present at the dedi-
cation.
A Rhyme at Twilight
By
Gertrude Brooke Hamilton
World Wanderer
Books in childhood failed to hold him.
Go. I@