Evening star., 1939-12-07
Answers
To Questions
By Frederic J. Hdskin.

By Frederic J. Hdsktn.
A reader can get the answer to any
question OF fact by Urittng The EDe-
ming Star Information Bureau, Fred.
eric J. Haskin, director, Washington,
D. c. Please tnclose stamp TOR reply.
Q. Why is patrol wagon called Q
Black Maria?-M. T.
A. The traditional story is that Maria
Lee, Negress of great size and strength,
kept sailors boarding house in Boston.
When constables required help 1t was
customary to send for Black Maria who
soon collared the refractory and led him
to the lookup.
@. Who has the smallest hands Of any
professional pianist in the world?-
p. ]. s.
A. Ellen Ballon, Canadian pianist OF
international fame. Her hands only
measure eight inches from tip Of thumb
to tip Of little finger when spread. Miss
Ballon has been presented at court in
England and has performed for President
and Mrs Roosevelt at the White House.
@. What was the price Of oil at the
time Edward l.. Drake drilled the well
at Titusville PAT. K.
A. Oil was selling at $18 per barrel at
the time.
@. Is there any commercial use for
spiders webs?-G. A.
A. The optical instrument industry
provides the only commercial use for
the webs.
@. Has Paul Mum made any recent ap.
pearances on the stage?-R. M.
A. Mr.. NUM- is now playing the lead
ing role in new play by Maxwell An
derson entitled key Largo"
Q. What is the name Of the tiglon In
the Central Park Zoo and how long has
it been there?-T. M. c.
A. Charles F. is the name Of the ~.
year-old tiglon whose father was . 81.
berian tiger and whose mother an Afri-
can lioness. He was acquired by the
ZOO in August, 1888, and since then has
been its greatest novelty.
@. How many radio broadcasting sta.
tions are there in Mexico?-S. T.
A. Mexico has over 100 licensed broad.
casting stations.
@. What became of the famous stamp
collection of the late Col. E. H. r.
Green?-Y. N. M.
A. 1t Is now owned by his sister, Mrs.
Matthew Astor Wilks of New York City.
O. What is the name of the new
magazine about hobbies?-K. H. M.
A. The Hobby Parade is new quar-.
terly magazine published by the Hobby
Guild of America.
Q. Is it against the law to sell whisky
to Indians?-A. F.
A. 1t is illegal to sell or give whisky
to Indians and liquor cannot be bought
on an Indian reservation.
G. Was the character of Sherlock
Holmes based on that of a real person?-
NJ M.
A. It is said that DR.. Joseph Bell, .
physician and instructor of Conan
Doyle, was the original model from which
the figure Of Sherlock Holmes was elab.
Grated.
@. What is quezal?-K. R.
A. A quezal or quesal is one OF the
most beautiful of birds, inhabiting the
mountains of Central America Its body
is about the size of turtle dove and
the plumes of the tail are golden-green.
often measuring 31a feet. Before tho
Spanish conquest these plumes were only
allowed to be worn by chiefs The rest
of the plumage is green above and scar.
let below and the eggs are pale BLUSH
green. The females have short tails
Q. Is it correct to wear patent-leather
shoes when in mourning?-M. B. D.
A. Patent-leather is not used during
that period. Dull leather is appropriate.
@. What is the origin of fiasco, mean
ing failure?-P. B. c.
A. In the making of Venetian glass if
the slightest flaw was discovered the
article was rejected and converted into
a common bottle by the glassblower.
What was to have been Venetian glass
was flasco, or common bottle Thus
the idea of failure became associated
with the word
@. Who wrote the words of Nearer
My God to Thee"?-E. S. T.
A. They were written by Sarah Flower
Adams.
@. What is the oldest capital city In
the United States?-D. j.
A. Santa Fe, N. Mex, founded about
1910, is the Nations oldest capital.
Q. Who discovered appendic.tis7-R.
L. B.
A. The appendix was recognized by
Berengarius Carpus, an italian anato-
mist, In 1852. Two hundred years later
q British surgeon, Claudius Amyaud,
performed the first appendectomy. In
1885 DR.. Reginald Fitz Of Boston proved
that the disease is produced by an af-
fected appendix and coined the word,
appendicitis.
@. What is the inscription on the
mantel In the Apollo Room Of the Raj
eigh Tavern at Williamsburg. va.?-K.
s. B.