Evening star., 1939-03-01
Answers
To Questions
By Frederic J. Hdsktn,

A reader can get the ans,Der to am
question OF fact by ,Oriti,aq The Eue.
ming Star Information Bureau, Fred
eric J. Hasktn, director, Washington,
D. c. Please tucloSe stamp for replv.
@. What was our Federal debt when
President Roosevelt took office?-E. N. j.
A. On February %, 1885, the Federal
debt was $20,584 $40 $50.
@. Who was the speaker who gave the
famous Acres of Diamonds" lecturer
L. S. H.
A. Russell Herman Conwell delivered
this address. He was an educator, clergy
man, lawyer and foreign correspondent.
In 1884 he founded Temple University in
Philadelphia and became its first presi-
dent. His earnings as lyceum lecturer
amounted to approximately s11,OOO,O0O,
nearly all Of which he devoted to the
education of deserving young people. He
died in 1925.
@. When was the excursion boat Gen.
eral Slocum burned?-J. w. F..
A. The General Slocum was burned on
June IS, 1904 The steamer burst into
flames near He'll Gate in the East River,
New York, shortly after it had left its
dock
@. What is the coldest recorded tenn
perature in the World?-C. S.
A. The lowest temperature recorded at
a meteorological station on the earth was
80 degrees below zero F., at Verkhoyansk,
Siberia, February S and 7, 1892.
Q. How much did the United States pay
for the Virgin Islands?-J. H. M.
A. The Virgin Islands of the United
States, formerly the Danish West Indies,
were bought for s25 900 900 by the United
States from Denmark, in treaty pro-
claimed January Is, 1917.
@. Why is Cleveland spelled without the
"a" when 1t was named for Moses Cieave-
land?-R. E.
A. The name Of the city was originally
spelled Cleaveland. A newspaper, in set
ting up the name in its headlines, was
crowded for space and dropped the "a"
and it has been spelled Cleveland ever
since.
@. Please give some information about
the dove tree.-F. v. c.
A. the dove tree was discovered in
China in 1869 and introduced into Eng
land in 1902. 1t was brought to the
United States in 1904 to the Arnold
Arboretum. 1t is hardy as far north as
Massachusetts,. The flowers are in dense
white bracts arranged in such a way as
to resemble white dove.
@. Is Helen Rowland, the newspaper
columnist married?-E. C. H.
A. In private life Miss Rowland is Mrs.
Frederick Kinney Noyes
O. For whom is the Mason and Dixon
line named?-L. G. P.
A. It is named for two Englishmen,
Charles Mason and jeremiah Dixon, who
surveyed the line between November IS,
1863, and December 26, 1867, to settle con-
slant dissension between the Lords Balti-
more and the Penn family, the lords pro-
prietors of Maryland and Pennsylvania,
respectively.
@. Is it true that the French omit the
word "obey' from the marriage cere-
mony?-W. j. S.
A. On February 10, 1888, new law went
into effect in France conferring addition
al civil rights upon French women and
eliminating from the marriage service
the word "obey."
O. What language is spoken in Hawaii?
IT HIS.
A. The language of Hawaii is English.
Though other languages are spoken, from
the native Hawaiian to Asiatic tongues.
English is the universal medium of COM
munication throughout the Territory.
O. Where can get material for pro-
gram on THE Challenge to Democracy?
It. j. H.
A. The Survey Graphi- has a special
February issue entitled Calling America"
which will provide ample material. Among
the contributors are Felix Frankfurter,
Thomas Mann, Lewis Gannett, Johr.
Masefeld. Dorothy Garfield, William H.
Davis and Edgar Ansel Mowrer
Q. Is there a Bach festival in the
South?-T K. J..
A. Winter Park. Fla, holds an annual
Bach festival. The date of this years
is March and g.
@. Please give chemical analysis Of
sea Water.-T. v. O.
A. On the average, 100 parts of ocean
water contain about 35 parts of solid
materials composed of the following:
Sodium chloride, TITS per cent; mag
nesium chloride, 1898 per cent; mag
nesium sulphate. 474 per cent; calcium
sulphate, $50 per cent; potassium sui
phate, 2.46 per cent; magnesium bromide,
0.22 per cent; calcium carbonate, 034 per
cent. There is also a small amount of
other substances, chief among which are
silicon, phosphorus, f1uorine, iodine.
boron, aluminium, barium, strontium,
manganese, and even such rarer metals as
iron, copper, nickel and lead have been
found to be present.
Q. Please give a biography of Lola
MonteZ.-W j. H.