Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-12-22
Huskin's Answers
To Readers Questions
BIZ Frederic J. Hdsktn.

BIZ Frederic J. Hdsktn.
A reader can get the answer to any
question OF fact bv Drittno The Epe-
ming Star Information Bureau, Fred
eric J. Haskin, director, Washington.
D. c. Please tnclose stamp tor reply.
Q. Does Canada supply the United
States with any Christmas trees?-
]. E. S.
A. approximately 100000 trees are
shipped to the United States from Cam
ada each year.
@. What is the derivation of the word
nincompoop?-S. T.
A. 1t Is corruption of the Latin term
mon compos mentis," meaning not of
sound mind.
@. Please give some information about
Miles Darden, the giant.-W P. H.
A. Miles Darden was born in North
Carolina in 1893. He was feet inches
in height and at his death weighed more
than 1000 pounds. Until 1853 he was
active, but after that time was obliged to
remain at home or be moved about in
wagon. 1t required 1872 yards of cloth,
l yard wide, to make him a coat. He
died in Henderson County, Tenn, on
January %, 1857. His coffin was feet
long and IS inches deep.
@. What poem is said to have in
f1uenced St. Gaudens in creating the
Adams Memorial at Washington, D. c.?
p. P.
A. The poem is "Nirvana," by Hide
garde Hawthorne.
O. What was the first newspaper in
New York State?-R. K
A. The first newspaper in the State
was the New York Gazette, established
in 1725 by William Bradford as semi
official organ of the administration.
@. Do railroad shops come under the
wage-hour law?-E. T. H.
A. Section IL (b) GU of the wage hour
law provides an exemption from the
maximum hour provisions of the act for
ANY employe of an employer subject to
the provisions of Part I" of that act, it
would follow that, in general, all exempt
employees are excluded under section 13
CD GU from the maximum hour and
overtime provisions of the Fair Labor
Standards Act, although still entitled to
q minimum wage of 80 cents per hour.
@. Where was the first school for
woman typists?-L. S. R.
A. Pioneering in the instruction Of
tipping and the first to offer courses for
women was the Young Women's Chris
tan Association in New York City. The
business school, which graduated a elias,
of eight woman typists in 1881. exists
today as the Ballard School of the Gen.
trail Branch Y. w. c. A.
@. How deep is the SNOWFALL dining
room at Mammoth Cave, Ky.?-M. D.
A. 1t is 267 feet underground.
@. What is the lowest temperature
ever recorded?-B. j. NJ
A. The United States Weather Bureau
reports that the lowest recorded natural
air temperature was 80 degrees below
zero CFahrenheiD, recorded at Verk-
hoyansk, in North Central Siberia Man.
made temperatures, however, far exceed
this. An industrial experimental cham
Der in New York has achieved tempera-
lures as low as $40 degrees below zero,
Fahrenheit. In order to obtain this, it
was necessary to wrap the chamber in
12foot- thick blanket Of mineral wool
thicker than the insulation usually in
stalled in the side walls and top floor
ceilings of ordinary dwellings, practi
cally eliminated the passage of heat
through the walls of the chamber.
O. What are the Gewandhaus Con-
certs?-K. F.. N
A. They are famous concerts given at
Leipzig, probably the Oldest in existence,
since they date back to the time when
Bach was cantor Of the Thomasschule.
They acquired special fame under Men,
delssohn, while other famous conductors
have included Niels Gade, K. Reinecke,
Arthur Nikisch and w. Furtwangler.
@. Who originated Christmas seals?-
H. H. M.
A. The Christmas seal was originated
by Einar Holboll to fight tuberculosis
in Denmark. The first Christmas seal
sale there was held in 1904 In an article
in the Outlook magazine, published July
g. 1907. Jacob Riis, urged its adoption in
this country. Miss Emily P. Bissell,
then secretary of the Delaware branch
of the American Red Cross read Mr.
Riis' article and determined to try the
scheme in Delaware. She designed q
seal with holly wreath and obtained
enough money for the printing of $4,000
stamps. These were placed on sale on
December 9, 1907, in the Wilmington
Post ONCE. The following year the
Christmas seal sale became Nation wide.
@. Is there any estimate of the number
Of letters written by George Washington
IT. L.
A. It is conservatively estimated that
Washington wrote approximately $1,000
letters.
Q. What is silver steel?-R. L. D.
A. It is new stainless alloy made by
adding about OBS to 0.30 per cent Of
silver to the 10 per cent chromium and
8 per cent nickel used in the previous
standard stainless steels.
Q. How many young people are unem-
ployed?-T. D. S.