Evening star., 1939-04-24
Huskin's Answers
To Readers Questions
Bu Frederic J. Hdsktn.


A reader can get the a7sver to am
question OF fact by a0rtting The Epe.
ming Star Information Bureau, Fred.
eric J. HnSktn, Director. Washington,
d. c. Please inclose stamp for reply.
@. Who was the first President to toss
out the ball at the opening of the base
ball season in Washington, D. c.?
A. The custom was inaugurated by
President Mckinley.
@. What is the fastest stock car man.
ufactured In the United States?- r,
r. H.
A. The American Automobile Associa.
ton says that the super-charged Cord is
the fastest stock car in the United
States. On September 16, 1887, this car
attained speed of 108 miles per hour
on the Bonneville Salt Flate n Utah.
@. How much rum is imported from
Puerto Rico to this country?-M. G..
A. In 1888 the United States imported
575,930 gallons Of rum from Puerto Rico,
pired?-P. j. S.
A. The verb transpire is properly used
In the sense of became known or leaked
out; In the sense Of happen, it is q
colloquialism.
@. Please give a list of some of tho
actors and actresses who died last year.
e. L. H.
A. partial list is as follows: Alma
Tell, Myrtle Stedman, Rosamond Pin
chot, Matthew Betz, Howard Gould,
LYDIA Roberti, Rollo Lloyd, Pearl White.
Warner GLAND, Conway Tearle, Harry
Myers Robert Woolsey and Fred Kohler.
@. What were the State debts of Vir.
ginia and North Carolina in 187O?-S,
B. w.
A. According to Department Of COM
merce statistics the State debt of Vir-
ginia in 1870 was 1890, ,839 and that of
North Carolina amounted to $4,000, ,O45.
@. Who was the first aerial photogra.
pher?-R. ]. S.
A. Nadar of Paris on October 4, 1863,
made balloon ascent over the city to
take bird's-eye photographs. His son
has preserved the plates of these first
aerial photographs.
@. When was the big fire at Yazoo
City, Miss.?-W H. S.
A. On May Is, 1904, Yazoo City suf-
fered heavily from fire which practically
destroyed all of the business portion.
| The loss was estimated at between
100000 and 100000.
@. Is there a colored woman in the
Pennsylvania Legislature?-E. c.
A. Mrs. Crystal Byrd Fauset of Phila-
| delphia is the colored woman Repre-
| sentative in that body.
@. How many people were unemployed
| in the summer of 1927. j. C.
| A. 1t is estimated that the number Of
unemployed in the United States in
June, 1882, was 100000.
@. Please give the ages and height of
the five sons of John D. Rockefeller, jr-
| T. S.
A. John D. Rockefeller, Sd. is 80 years
old and feet inches in height. Nelson
| is 80 years old and feet II inches. Lau-
rance is % and feet in height; VIM
throp, 26 years old, feet 3 inches; David,
% years old. feet.
@. Did Samuel Gompers receive a
large salary as head of the American
Federation of Labor?-F K G.
A. The salary of Samuel Gompers was
! $120 900 a year.
@. What will the rates be at New
York hotels during the Worlds Fair?-
J.T. B.
A. The approximate rates of hotels
throughout the city, according to the
Hotel Association, are as follows: Single
rooms without bath in 40 hotels are $3.50
to $3.50 per day. Double rooms without
bath in So hotels are 50 to 81 per day
Single rooms with bath in l56 hotels
range from 50 to 81, with 80 per cent of
them between 81 and S.. Double rooms
| with bath in 13l hotels run from $3.50
| to $40 per day, with the great majority
between $3.50 and IS. Suites of two and
three rooms are available at rates rang
ing from 81 to $50. Meals. depending
! on the class of hotel, range from $3.50
for three meals day to as high as $4 a
day. Service charges and tips amount
to 10 or Is per cent extra.
@. How large is the University of
Maryland's campus?-L. c. H.
A. The university grounds at College
Park comprises 286 acres.
@. Please give the birthplace and real
name Of Fred Allen, the radio comedian.
C. F. NJ
A. Mr.. Allen. whose real name is John
Sullivan, was born near Cambridge,
| Mass.
@. What is the origin of lighthou3es?-
| c. R. S.
A. The earliest lighthouses, Of which
records exist, were the towers built by
the Libyans and Cushites in Lower
Egypt, beacon fires being maintained In
some of them by priests. Lesches,
Greek poet 1850 BC), mentions light
house at Sigeum now Cape Incihisari.
in the Troad, which appears to have
been the first light regularly maintained
for mariners. The famous Pharos of
| Alexandria was regarded as one of the