Evening star., 1940-01-30
Hoskin's Answers
To Readers Questions
By Frederic J. HasEtn,

D. c. Please tncloSe stamp for reply.
@. Why is the bushmaster called tho
terror of the jungle?-H. G.
A. The postmaster, member Of the
rattlesnake family, is the largest and
most venorhous snake known, sometimes
reaching length of 9 feet 1t is the
only snake known to pursue human be-
ings, following it's attack with a series
Of vicious lunges of it's long fangs.
While it has no rattle, the tail terminates
in horny spur which when struck
against the ground produces a rafting
noise.
@. Is the cigarette tax deductible from
Federal income tax?-W. M.
A. The cigarette tax is a manufac-
turers tax and is not deductible.
@. Who originated the National
Grange?-S. w. j.
A. The National Grange or Patrons
of Husbandry was founded December,
1867, in Washington, D. c., by o. H.
Keller of the United States Departs
ment of Agriculture. BY 1872 it had
begun to spread widely and in 1875
there were 100000 members.
@. Is the quotation Cleanliness is
next to godliness" from the Bible?-
W. E. r.
A. 1t is taken from a sermon by John
Wesley on dress and is as follows: Ger
tainly this is a duty, not a sin, cleanli-
ness is indeed next to godliness."
@. Where is the highest suspension
bridge in the world?-E. S.
A. 1t is the bridge in Colorado which
spans the Royal Gorge Canyon. The
floor of the bridge is 1858 feet above
the bed of the Arkansas River. The
main span is $50 feet long and the total
length, exclusive of approaches, is 1850
feet.
@. Is there any estimate of the num-
ber of missing people in the United
States2-H. T. P.
A. A survey by the Federal Bureau
of Investigation reveals that more than
1872 100 persons were reported missing
last year. While a majority Of these
were subsequently located and identified
| by law enforcement and other agencies,
the whereabouts of $500 of those miss
ing still remain mystery.
@. On what day of the week was
Abraham Lincoln assassinated?-L. S. K.
| A. President Lincoln was shot on
Friday Good Friday, April IA, 1865.
at Ford's Theater in Washington, D. c.,
while attending a performance of Our
American Cousin"
@. Are homing pigeons being used in
| the European war?-A. F. N.
A. Dispatches report that more than
100000 pigeons have been placed in lofts
along the western front and will be
utilized in carrying messages.
| @. Who first called Herodotus "the
father of history"?-J. B. S.
A. The title was given him by Cicero.
Q. Where is Tidewater. Virginia.
S. P. D.
A. Tidewater, Virginia, consists of four
peninsulas averaging 10 miles in length.
One of them is the Eastern Shore,
which juts down from Maryland be.
tween the Atlantic Ocean and Chesa-
peake Bay and consists Of Accomac and
| Northampton Counties. The other three
peninsulas are formed by the Potomac,
Rappahannock, York and James Rivers.
@. What famous novelist wrote under
the pen name of Michael Angelo Tit
| marsh?-N. D.
A. Some of Thackeray's earlier writ.
ings were published under this pseu.
donym.
O. Please give William Holden's real
name-E. c. R.
A. The motion picture actors name is
William Franklin Beedle, jr
O. Is there fencers' magazine pub
lished in this country?-M. R.
A. The Riposte. published at ia
Washington place, New York City, is the
only periodical devoted exclusively to
fencing.
O. Who invented puffed wheat?-
S. E. W.
A. The process was discovered by
Alexander P Anderson in 1902 while
carrying on research at the New York
Botanical Gardens. Wheat is puffed
by the explosion of the starch granules.
O. Has the number of circuses de-
creased greatly in the last 80 years.
M. Men
A. In 1909 there we're So circuses. At
present only three which were operating
at that time are in existence.
@. Who composed the theme song
used on Amos n Andys radio pro-
! gram?-1. N. G.
A. THE Perfect Song is by Joseph
Carl Breil.
O. How long have voting machines
| been in use?-T. P. T.
A. The voting machine in its simplest
form was first used in England as early
as 1870 The more elaborate American
machines we're first used in an election
held at Lockport, N. Y, in 1892
| @. What is hot money?-N. D. H.
A. This is term descriptive of stolen
money, the numbers of which are on
record, and which it is desirable to get
rid of as quickly as possible. The phrase
also Is applied to funds sent from one
| country to another for safetv,s sake