Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-07-17

umns of The STAR is very large, and adver-
tisers will confer favor by sending In their
orders early as practicable to insure insertion
and classification in to-norrow's double-sheet
issue.
The calamity which befel THE EVENING STAR
last winter was visited upon our three daily
contemporaries last evening. W hen the building
in which the Post, Republican and Critic have
been printed was destroyed by dre. Elsewhere
will be found the particulars OF the eonfagra-
ton, which was most disastrous in It's effects
and in its extent one OF the most destructive
that has visited the city for many years. leav-
ing three wellequipped establishments pract-
cally without an abiding-plaee or the mechan-
ical means for carrying on their business. Sc
we're as Is the shock, however, those who felt
Its force are not Frustrated by it. With the
energy and enterprise which characterize the
craft. aided by needed facilities rendered by
others, the Post and Republican were issued in
presentabe shape this morning, and the Critic
will appear as usual this afternoon.
As near as can now be ascertained the money
losses caused by the fire Will be pretty well COW
cred by insurance In each case, but beyond this,
the expense, delays and Inconvenience of re-
habilitation will be very considerable. and
much that has been lost cannot be replaced or
measured by money value.
Having recently passed through the same
bitter experience, and knowing the heavy cost
I'm time. labor and money of baptism by fire,
The STAR need scarcely add that il extends to
its stricken neighbors the fullest measure of
nctive sympathy and confidently asks for them
the patience and encouragement of the public.
The American steamship lines have no.
taken kindly to the decision OF the Post Office
department to hold UP the subsidy appropra-
ton till Congress meets, and they have resorted
To combination to bring the government to
terms. In a communication. in which all the
companies join, they threaten To stop carrying
the mails altogether. unless the department
recedeS from its position and divides the spoils.
To this manifesto the Postmaster General has
made a sharp reply, taking the ground that the
companies have cause to combine, and
expressing his desire To treat with them sepa-
rately on matters touching their individual
business. He adds that if the American COM
panies prefer, by concerted action, to go cut of
the mailcarryng service he has made arrange
ments whereby our foreign mail facilities will
be unimpaired.
1t looks very much as If the department holds
the whiphand in this controversy. 1t is evil
IDENTIFY species of bull-dozing for the Pacific
Mali company, for instance, to refuse to carry
the mails to China unless the line tn Mexico
gets a share of discretionary subsidy. The
government is ready to continue the service on
a basis that has been accepted by the COM
panies in the past as satisfactory. and ii is
foolish for them to throw up these contracts in
a fit of sulks. because they cannot get an extra
plum in the shape of subsidy.
Because three newspaper offices were DESTROYED
by the disastrous confiagration last evening that
calamity is likely to be regarded as IA printing |
office fire" and there may be a disposition to |
look upon that class of property as extra-haz- |
ardous in consequence. Nothing can we'll be |
more mistaken than such conclusions. The fire |
t1l1r-
OF the electric lighting company was situated |
in the same building. The nature of newspaper |
or printing-office property a fire-risk had |
nothing whatever TO do with the fire. So long |
as the dangerous electric plant was there the |
building and its contents would have shared |
the same fate whether used printing office |
Or an Ice house.
Among the tenants burned out by the fire
last evening was the u. s. gas inspector whose
office was on the second floor of the Inflated
building, and there is reason to fear that the
sixteen candles and traction used by that
official to determine the illuminating power of |
the gas furnished to this ill-used community
were totally destroyed. Should this apprehen-
sion prove TO be well-founded, the calamity will
be more wide spread in its effects than might
at first be supposed. In the absence of proper
test-standards, there will be strong tempta-
ton To supply poorer quality of light, if posi-
hope In the situation lies in the belief that the
limit of badness has already been reached.
Gen. Grant won many a hard fought battle |
No foe intimidated him, and seldom If ever did |
his enemy see his back. But the hero of Apo
mattox quaied and fed before the Bore He
could endure the armed enerny's fiery on |
sIaught. even ii Ii took all summer, but when
that arch-fiend, the bore charged upon him
with linen-duster, iron smile and out-stretcned
hand, the dauntless general trembled, his fort!-
tude forsook him, and catching up his pad he
ANONYMOUSLY reiterated under cover T.,en
the victorious bore waved aloft his arms in
glee, his linen-duster Tapped in triumph and
with a leaf OF the famous pad certificate of
surrender, he rejOined his comrades to receive
an ovation over his conquest of the uncOnquer-
able.
The naval advisory board came to the rescue of
the Dolphin and incidentally, their own reputa-
ton, In report which sets forth the good quail
tiles OF this much-debated vessel. Who shall
decide where doctors disagree? Probably the
Supreme Court will be called Oh to undertake
the job finally, but ii is one which no one will
envy them.
Gen. Sheridan telegraphs to the President
that no serious Indian troubles need be appre-
hended- 1t scarcely required the general to
make special journey To ind this out; but his
report Is not the less satisfactory. Now let US
be told why 10 was that the Indians were goaded
10 the point of madness.
Mr.. Francis c. Underwood, of Boston, who