Evening star., 1937-10-02
ANSWERS TO
QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. H4SkfN.

BY FREDERIC J. HASKTN.
reader can oct the onsner TO any
question OF fact BY Driting The Epenins
star Information Bureau. Frederic J.
Hdskin. Director Washington d. c.
Please inciose stamp for reply.
Q. Have termites ever DESTROYED a
town?-E H.
A. Termites destroyed jamestown on
st. Helena in 1870.
a. Is the skull of the Negro harder than
that OF white perSon?-C W. G.
A. 1t Is thicker and harder.
~. VINO was responsible for the story
OF Justice Hugo Blackss membership in
the Ku Klux Klan?-H. F..
A. Ray Sprigle. veteran reporter for
the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. uncovered
the story. He was born in Akron. Ohio.
Is 81 years old, and has spent most OF
his adult life in newspaper work.
@. When are Columbia River salmon
taken for canning?-E. B.
A. The season runs from February to
October.
Q. What was the first play in which
Helen Hayes appeared?-C. l.. F.
A. The actress made her debut at the
age of six in Poor Relations" produced
by the Washington ID. c. Stock Com
pany.
@. How much cod-liver oil is used in
this country?-N. A.
A. More than $4,000 gallons were
used last year. More than half went
into animal feed. especially poultry feed,
for use where there is lack of sunshine
Q. Why didn't Thomas jefferson sign
the Constitutional. P. w.
A. Thomas jefferson was not in the
country at the time of the framing. sign
ing and ratifying of the Constitution. In
1874 he was sent to France to Join Ben
Jamin Franklin and John Adams in
negotiating certain commercial matters
with foreign countries, and in 1785 he
succeeded Franklin as Minister to
| France. In October, 1889, he returned
to America and in the following year be-
came Secretary of State in the adminis-
tration of George Washington.
@. Who invented the name linoleum?
&C. H.
A, The name linoleum was given by
an Englishman. Frederick Walton, to an
invention of his own about 1860. al
though similar floor covering had been
made before that time
G. How long have canals been built?
j. j.
A. They are nearly as old as human
history. The Assyrians, Egyptians and
Chinese built them Leonardo da Vinci
invented the canal lock in the fifteenth
century.
c. How many people have visited the
observation tower in the Empire State
Building. New York City?-H. K.
A. Since the building was opened
3,00O,000 people have visited the tower.
@. What is the meaning of Aqua Cali
ente, the Mexican town?-W. H.
A. The name comes from the Spanish
meaning warm water.
O. Was Walt Whitman in the Civil
War;. W.
A. The poet served as volunteer nurse,
III Vic SNh wal, q SCLNltc WHICH DTOke
his health. His war experiences were
reflected in a volume Of poetry called
Drum Taps 1850. .
@. How large is the Tai Mahal at
Agra. India?-C. F.
A. The tomb building itself is 1856 feet
square with dome So feet in internal
diameter rising to total height of 210
feet.
@. What is vampire?-B G.
A. 1t signifies spectral being with a
human body, which is supposed to leave
its grave at night and prey on sleeping
persons BY sucking their blood the
vampire is supposed to maintain its
peculiar existence 4
tional Association of Audubon Societies?
IT. c..
A. Kermit Roosevelt
@. Does coffee keep a person awake?
IS. M
A. Investigations by Professors Hol-
lingsworth and Laird indicate that caf-
feline in moderate amounts tends to pro-
mote sleep rather than otherwise II is
the conviction or psychic fear that it
will do so which causes wakefulness
O. What is the origin of the word
stentorian?-E. J.
A. Stentor was one of the Greeks be-
fore Troy whose stentoriah voice was as
loud as that OF fifty men.
81,
O. Is there fireproof paint?-K. H.
A. One has been developed I'm Ger
many which is said to contain nitrogen
salts and synthetic resin. When sub
jected to flame the paint develops an
insulating foam crust which is claimed
to protect wood effectively against burn
ing
O. Are there virgin forests and wilder
neSseS in Japan?-G. K.
A. Japan has a comparatively small
area, dense population, and long history.
While there are mountains, lakes, water
falls and forests, this natural scenery has
been modified by close contact with
civilization.
Q. At what age do people usually need
bifocal lenSes?-G. T.
A. DR.. E. D. Tillyer gives the approxi-u
mate age of forty-two as the time when
eye accommodation of the average per-
son to near and distant objects begins
to Slacken.