Evening star., 1940-04-17
Huskin's Answers
To Readers Questions
By Frederic J. Hdskin.


A reader can get the ans,Der to anu
question OF fact by Drsttng The Eue.
ming Star Info nation Bureau, Fred
eric J. Haskin. director, Washington,
D. c. Please inclose stamp for reply.
@. What is the inscription carved over
the entrance of the University of Vir-
ginia?-F. r. w.
A. The motto over one of the two
gates at the entrance to the grounds Of
the University Of Virginia reads as fol-
lows: Enter by This Gateway and Seek
the Way of Honor, the Light Of Truth.
the Will to Work for Men" These
words were written for this gate by the
university's first president, Edwin An
derson Alderman.
c. Is there any estimate Of the num-
ber of people who listen to the radio?-
w. B. H.
A. There are 28,0O0,OO0 families In the
United States who own radios and the
number Of listeners is estimated ut TO-
100000.
O. What was the last county formed
in Pennsylvania?-M. M.
A. Lackawanna County was the last
one to be created in Pennsylvania. It
was organized August 13, 1873, and was
formerly part of Luzerne.
O. Who invented dry ice?-A. L..
A. Experiments in mechanical refrig-
Grafton by P. Picted, a Swiss engineer,
resulted in the production of condensed
carbon dioxide. In India, Germany and
England attempts were made to produce
carbon dioxide snow commercially. While
at first and for many years it was
merely a laboratory curiosity, it was
made into a practical portable refrig-
Grant by DR.. Percy w. Bridgman.
y. Are there any independent cities in
Virginia besides Alexandra? o. r.
A. The following are Independent
cities: Bristol Buena Vista, Charlottes-
vile, Clifton Forge, Danville, Fredericks.
burg, Harrisonburg, Hopewell, Lynch
burg, Martinsville, Portsmouth, Peters,
burg, Radford, Richmond, Roanoke,
South Norfolk, Staunton, Suffolk, Win.
chester, Norfolk and Newport News.
@. Where was the first race track?-
G. C. g.
A. The first race course ever built was
the Smithfield Track in London, about
ll'4 AID. The date of its opening gen.
orally is regarded as the inception of
organized racing under saddle.
O. Who was the Democratic candidate
for Vice President when Cox ran for
President?-B. C. A.
A. Franklin D. Roosevelt ran as Demo-
cratic nominee for the Vice Presidencv
with James NJ Cox.
@. Please list the United States Min
listers to Canada with the dates of their
appointments.-D F.
A. William Phillips, February II, 1927;
Hanford MacNider, June 20, 1880;
Warren Delano Robbins, May II. 1888;
Norman Armour May 20, 1885, Daniel
c. Roper was Acting Minister from early
1889 until the appointment of James
Cromwell, January S, 1910.
O. What is the average number OF
telephone poles per mile of railroad?-
o. F.
A. There are approximately twenty
flVe to forty-five telephone poles to the
mile of railroad, depending upon the
weight of the wire carried. 1t is Gus
tomary to number every fifth pole as
40 Is, indicating that this pole Is 40
miles plus Is poles from the numbering
terminal
@. How was the news of the sinking
OF the Titanic broadcast?-R. V. K.
A. AT the time of the Titanic disaster,
Capt. Smith went to the wireless room
and instructed the operators to call for
assistance by sending out the distress
signal COD" The distress call was
heard by the wireless station at Cape
Race, together with the report that the
vessel had struck an iceberg. From this
station the news of the accident was
given to the world.
@. Did Mark Twain say Everybody
talks about the weather. but no one does
anything about it?"-T. C.
A. Charles Dudley Warner is the origi-
nator of this famous witticism which was
written for the editorial page of the
Hartford Courant.
Q. Has the human eye ever been sue
cessfully transferred from one person to
another?-L. C.
A. The magazine Hygeia says: "One
OF the crowning triumphs in eye surgery
was performed by two Army doctors in
February, 1888, in the eye, ear, nose and
throat department of Fitzsimons Gen.
eral Hospital, when a veteran who was
blind in one eye was given a new eve to
replace the sightless one. This delicate
operation, fascinating to physicians and
surgeons throughout the Rocky Noun
tain region, was similar to cornea trans
plants that have been performed in
Russia and France for several years
and few times in the United States:
but it was the first to be performed In