Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-08-27
ANSWERS TO
QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.
A reader can get, the answer to any
question of fact by priting The Euenino
Star Information Bureau, Frederic J.
Haskin, Director, Washington, D. C.
Please inclose stamp for reply
@. How high are the tallest buildings
| In London?-F. H. A.
A. The British Library of Information
| says that buildings in London are limited
| to stories and 100 feet in height.
There are apparently only 9 buildings
| In London over stories high.
I @. What is the landing speed of the
big passenger airplanes? OF little two
| seaters?-M. M.
A. 1t varies with the type Of ship. AS
| a generalization, the airliners land at
about go miles an hour. and the little
planes between As and 10 miles an hour.
| @. Can Federal taxes be higher in
one part of the United States than in
| another?-N. C.
| A. They can not. The Constitution
| provides that all duties, inposts and ex-
| cises shall be uniform throughout the
United States.
| @. How much of the population of
Montreal is French?-L. G.
A. 1t is estimated that there is
French population Of 1913 per cent.
| @. Please compare the length Of time
| it takes to paint an automobile body
| today with the time in 18Th. H.
A. In 1918 it took six weeks to apply
the % coats of old-style paint and var
nish to an automobile body. Today an
automobile body can be painted from
the raw metal up in one day.
@. What was the real name of the
bandit known as Capt. Lightfoot?-
| H. F. M.
A. His name was Michael Martin. He
was born in Ireland April 9. 1897. He is
believed to have been the first person in
Massachusetts, to be hanged for high
way robbery. He was executed Deem
Der 20. 1921. at Lechmere Point, short
distance from the Jail at Middlesex
County, in Cambridge.
@. Is there fish called the alewife?
| "A. M.
| A. The alewife is a small herringlike
fish to 10 inches long which is abun-
dant on the Atlantic Coast, leaving the
ocean to ascend rivers at spawning time.
@. What is the value of the White
House at Washington, D. CIR. C..
A. 1t has been estimated that the val
uation of the White House grounds is
sl5700.000 and of the building itself
s2,3O0,o00.
@. When was the big fire in Balti-
more. Md.?-R. M.
A. 1t was on February 7, 1904.
O. How many delegates attended the
| Republican and Democratic national
| conventions?-T. B.
| A. There were 1.00l delegates to the
Republican convention and LOO to the
Democratic.
O. What famous character was in
mourning for his mother three years?
L. R.
A. When Confucius was % his mother
died and he resigned his Office of district
inspector of agriculture, living in retire
ment for three years. This act is said
to have led to the restoration of ancient
funeral rites in honor of the dead.
@. How long have people believed in
the efficacy of sun baths?-W. H.
A. Hippocrates, the father of medicine,
| prescribed the sun cure and built
temple for its practice nearly "a cen
| turtles ago.
@. What is the average weight of
babies at birth in the United States?
W J. M.
A. The average is about seven pounds.
@. What is protactinium?-M. v.
A. 1t is a rare radioactive metallic
| element belonging to the actinium fam
lily and derived from the same source as
| radium.
| @. Why do photographs Of lightning
show black streaks?-H. Mel.
A. Black flashes of lightning are found
only in pictures. They result from a
Photographic phenomenon known as the
Clayton effect and appear in photo
graphs of artificial electric sparks as
we'll as of lightning. Very little Is as
yet known about this effect and no
complete explanation is available.
@. What is sea level and how Is it
determined?-L. E. B.
A. Sea level means the level surface
of the sea at its mean position half way
between high and low water. Although
/ sea level is not constant or uniform, 1t
is the standard from which all geo
graphical heights and depths are meas
ured. 1t is determined by careful meas
urements over a period of time made by
specially prepared instruments.
@. How many bicycles were sold last
year? How many are in uSe?-E. II.
A. The sale OF bicycles in the United
States for 1885 amounted to 100000. The
| number now in use is matter Of con-
lecture. Cycle Trades Of America. Inc,
on the basis Of tires sold for replacement
/ purposes. estimates about 100000
wheels now active.
| @. Was there a famous painter named
| Mauve?-G. w. r.
A. Anton Mauve was Dutch land
scape and animal painter l838-l888).
! With Israels, he stands in the foremost
rank of modern Dutch painters. Some
excellent examples OF his work are in
the Metropolitan Museum Of Art New
York City.