Evening star., 1939-01-30
Huskin's Answers
To Readers Questions
BY Frederic J. Hasktn,

by Ffe1eT1c J. HGSEtn.
A reader can get the unsper 70 am
question OF fact by ,oriting The Epe-
ming Star Information Bureau, Fred
eric J. Hdskin. director, Washington,
D. c. Please tnclose stamp for reply.
@. What is the origin of the name
Alcatraz as applied to the island on
which the prison is located?-W. L.
A. Alcatraz was first known as white
Island" or Bird Island" AS early as
1897 1t was referred to as isle de Alca-
traz." That word was applied by Mexi-
cans to pelicans or albatross that In
habited the island. Other authorities
claim that the word goes back to the
Arabic, and was used to express the
idea Of recovery from a retort. The
Mexican definition is the accepted one.
@. How many people visit the Norris
Dam?-W. M. H.
A. Approximately 1,o00,0 900 persons vis-
tied Norris Dam III 1898.
Q. When were cigarettes first intro
Ouceu IN EnglanQ?--W. r. 4.
A. The earliest reference to the ciga-
rette chttle cigar"D occurs in literature
IN 1842 and 1843, where 1t is stated that
cigarettes were smoked in France and
Italy. Laurence Oliphant is generally
credited with the introduction of the
cigarette to English society. 1t did not
become popular, however, until 1870.
@. What stars played leading roles in
the first production of Dawn Patrol"
and who directed the picture?-J. c. H.
A. Richard Barthelmess and Douglas
Fairbanks, jr, had the leading roles and
the picture was directed by Howard
Hughes.
@. When was the last total eclipse of
the sun visible in the United States?-
E. F..
A. The last eclipse of the sun visible az
total in the United States occurred on
August 81, 1882. The path of totality
crossed the northeastern part of the
United States and Canada The eclipse
began at 1874 pm, E. S. T., and ended
at 5:22 pm, E. S. T.
@. What was Nelson's prayer before
the battle of Trafalgar?-C. F. S.
A. The prayer found in his diary Oc-
tober 81, 1905 was: May the great God
whom worship grant to my country and
for the benefit OF Europe in general q
great and glorious victory, and may no
misconduct in any one tarnish it, and
may humanity after the victory be the
predominant feature in the British
fleet"
@. Was there a fire at the Columbian
Exposition in Chicago?-T. H.
A. Several Of the buildings were de-
stroyed by fire on January 8, 1894.
O. What department store in this
country had the first electric ights?-
NJ. J. H.
A. On December 26, 1878, the first
electric lights in a store were installed
in John Wanamaker's at Philadelphia in
the Grand Depot. Twenty -eight arc
lamps were used, eight dynamos supply
ing the current.
@. When and why was the name Of
Emaus, Pa changed to Emmaus?-
c. H. G.
A. The name of the town was officially
changed from Emaus to Emmaus on
June q, 1888. Records show that the
town was originally named Emmaus
u76D and was known as such for about
100 years, after which one m was
dropped and the name remained Emaus
until the early part of 1888, when two
thirds of the taxables petitioned the
court to correct the name to its original
Biblical spelling Emmaus.
@. When did President Roosevelt say
that the United States would not allow
Canada to be invaded by any foreign
country?-R. C. F.
A. On August 10, 1898, President Roose-
velt in accepting an honorary degree
from Queens University at Kingston, On
tario, said: The Dominion Of Canada is
part OF the sisterhood Of the British En-
plre. I give you my assurance that the
people OF the United States will not
stand idly by If domination Of Canadian
soil is threatened by any other empire"
@. Please give some information about
the isolation Of protactinium.-J. N.
A. The first isolation of protactinium,
said to be the worlds rarest metal,
worth 100000 an ounce, was an
nounced September 10, 1894, to the
American Chemical Society in session in
Cleveland, Ohio. The metal is silvery.
radioactive, and its rays are more pene-
trating than those Of radium. One
tenth OF gram of protactinium, all that
had been isolated up to the time of the
announcement, had been brought to the
conference from the University OF Chi
cago on fine thread of tungsten / inch
long. 1t was isolated at the University
OF Chicago by DR.. Aristed Won Crosse, an
assistant professor Of chemistry. Its
isolation has baffled scientists for years.
Protactinium is No. 81 In the list of 90
known chemical elements. It's atoms, as
indicated by the number, are heavier
than anything else, except element 81,
which Is uranium. The principal ores
are columbite and tantalite, found chiefly
IN Australia and South Dakota. The
symbol Is Pa and its atomic weight is
231.
@. What is the Milbank Memorial