Evening star., 1936-11-17
ANSWERS TO
QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

| BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.
A reader can get the unsiDer to any
question OF fact by writing The Euentn9
Star Information Bureau, Frederic J.
Hdskin, Director Washington, d. c.
Please inclose stamp for reply.
@. II an American wins sl50,000 In
one of the Irish Sweepstakes, what part
of it must be paid as a Federal tax?
FL
A. The tax would pe 64.368. The Gov
ernment income on all winning tickets
held by Americans is usually about Is
per cent of the gross.
O. Why does short phonograph needle
produce louder sound than long one?
e. C. r.
A. The short needle possesses greater
rigidity, and has fewer inherent vibra-
tions There is, therefore, less loss Of
sound intensity when conveyed into the
armature.
@. Is there any record to show whether
more people in Washington, D. c., read
newspapers or listen to the radio?-V. L.
A. The total circulation of the fve
daily newspapers in the District Of Co.
lumbia is nearly 100000, and the last
radio census places the number of radio
sets in Washington at l25,800. The cir
culation of the newspapers is proved,
but as yet there is no method Of know
ing the exact number of radio listeners.
@. Do European storkS follow the same
route in migration from generation TO
generation?-F. j.:
A. 1t seems that instinct guides them
along the same route that generations
before them have flown. Eggs taken
from nests in Prussia have been hatched
in England The StorkS sought and
found the same airline used by their
ancestors, forsaking their English foster
parents that travelled a different route.
@. Who Is the foreign service officer
with the longest record of service?-H. F.
A. Homer M. Byington of Connecticut
has the longest record. He entered the
American foreign service on January /,
1898, in the first administration of
President Mckinley, as clerk in the
American Consulate at Naples. Italy. He
served at Naples under several promo
tions until 1908. He has since served in
consular capacity at Rome, Bristol, Eng
land Leeds, England; Hull, England;
Palermo, Italy, and Naples. For sew
eral years, prior to his last appointment,
he served in the division of foreign
service personnel in Washington, and
on February 4. 1885. he was assigned as
consul general at Antwerp, Belgium. Mr..
Byington was born in Washington, D. c.,
in 1879 and his son, Homer M. Byington,
jr., born in Naples, is now vice consul
at Naples.
@. Are all blind persons reported in
the census?-B. M.
A. The American Foundation for the
Blind believes that the number of blind
is much greater than is the census of
63 900. 1t estimates that there are from
10000 to 125, 900 in the United States.
@. How many prisoners are there in
Sing Sing?-E. M.
A. The prison population consists Of
2.415 inmates at present.
@. Who originated Esky the comic fig
ure on the cover of Esquire, and how is
ne Induc!-f1.
A. Sam Berman invented Eskv and
three artists now contribute to his de-
velopment. Every month the clay figure
is modelled, colored and baked in New
York. 1t is then shipped to Chicago
and photographed for reproduction on
the cover.
@. What are rough wines?-F. NJ.
A. Rough or astringent wines are
usually red wines which are character
lied by the presence of tannin SUBJ
stances derived mainly from the grape
skins. Claret and Burgundy are typical
Of this group.
@. When was the first automobile race
in the United States?-E. NJ.
A. In 1895 the Chicago Times-Herald
sponsored the first great automobile race
in this country.
@. What is the highest price ever paid
for a chair?-E. w.
A. At the Reifsnyder sale in 1929 one
of the celebrated Chippendale mahogany
wing chairs made by Benjamin Randolph
of Philadelphia tabout 1760l brought
$50, 900. This is said to be the highest
price ever paid for a chair.
@. Is it proper for a mother or sister
of the prospective bride to give her o
shower?-J. w.
A. The shower is in better taste when
given by friend.
@. Please give directions for cleaning
an oven.-F. j. S.
A. Dissolve some potash in cold water
and paint the inside of the oven with
an old brush, as the potash ruins the
brush Leave this on overnight and the
next day wash it off with warm water.
If the coating of rust is light, it may be
removed by securing with emery powder
and rubbing off with kerosene. Kero-
sene left on it all night will soften the
rust.
@. Why are Twice Told Tales" so
called?-W. j.
A. This name was given by Hawthorne
to the tales included under that title
because some of them had been hre-
viously published in the Token and other
periodicals.
@. Did Nine. Marcella Sembrich use
her real name?-W. H. -!
A. The famous sopranos real nanre
was Praxede Marcelline Kochanska. :
@. Where are the Windward Islandsr
M. F. -