The Questions…
1. The first Indianapolis 500 auto race took place 100 years ago. The winning car, a single-seat Marmon Wasp, used a revolutionary type of automotive equipment that is now standard on all vehicles. What was it?
2. Where did Samuel Clemens get the idea for his pen name, Mark Twain?
3. As a young man, naturalist John Muir built a special bed for himself. What was special about it?
4. In the late 1700s, the largest commercial whiskey distillery in America was owned by whom?
5. You go to the bank and withdraw one million dollars in $100 bills. How much does your withdrawal weigh?
The Answers…
1. The car was equipped with a rearview mirror. In all the other cars, a mechanic rode along to act as the rearview mirror.
2. Mark twain was a river call used by boatmen on the Mississippi when the water measured two fathoms (12 feet) deep and thus was safe for passage. In other words, “By the mark on the line, the depth is twain” — twain being an archaic term for two.
3. Muir called the bed his “early-rising machine.” It featured an alarm clock attached to one bedpost. When the alarm went off, a large stone was released, knocking out the bedpost and dumping Muir on the floor.
4. It was owned by George Washington. The distillery was located three miles from Mount Vernon. At its peak in 1799, it produced 11,000 gallons of whiskey and brandy.
5. According to the Treasury Department, a million bucks in $100 bills weighs roughly 22 pounds.
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