…there was Frederic W. Haskin.
Haskin was a newspaper columnist in the early part of the 20th century. His column was devoted to answering questions about general knowledge, and in 1926 he released a compilation of his work in a book called Answers To Questions.
My grandfather had this book in his collection, and when he passed away I took it. I thought it was lost in the flood in my parents’ basement but yesterday I found out otherwise.
Some of the material is quaint, some of it is very politically incorrect, and surprisingly some of it is still accurate 79 years later. From time to time I’ll toss a few of these gems here in the weblog. Today’s selections are on the next page.

From Answers to Questions, by Frederic W. Haskin. New York: Grosset & Dunlap, 1926.
(Astronomy)
What is ether?
It is the medium through which, according to the wave theory, light waves are transmitted through space, etc. It has been assumed that inasmuch as ocean waves are made of water, and sound waves are made of air, light waves must be comprised of something, and to supply this want in our knowledge a medium called ether was imagined. Experiments of different kinds have cast a doubt on the existence of ether, but the facts of radiation and of other familiar phenomena demand a connecting medium which conveniently is called the ether.
(Automobiles)
What were the first 10 cars manufactured in the United States?
Not until early in the twentieth century were there 10 or more gasoline automobiles on the market in the United States. These were the Duryea, Ford, Frankin, Haynes, Knox, Olds, Packard, Pierce Arrow, Stearns, Thomas, and Winton. They are not given in the order of their appearance as this is a matter of controversy.
(Etiquette)
In passing people already seated in a theatre, should a man face the occupants of the seats or the stage?
He should face the stage. He is less likely to knock the knees of those sitting or to disarrange their clothes.