Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-10-08

Notary fuDuc.
Under the energetic management OF President
Spencer much has been done to rescue the B. O.
road from the decentralization OF affairs existing on
ITS lines and especially the Metropolitan branch,
but the terrible accident OF saturday night, with
Its loss Of life and destruction OF property shows
that great mistake was made by the manage
ment In stopping the construction OF the double
track at Silver spring. The direct pecuniary loss
through this collision, to say nothing OF losses
from diversion OF travel, would have gone far
towards the double tracking OF the entire
road all the way to Washington Junction
And the portion OF the road left singe-tracSed Is
the most dangerous on the line, having several
sharp curves In deep cuttings, where. as at the
point OF this accident colliding trains not vsi
bic TO each other until almost the moment Of COL
nsion
Another point In which the company has shown
false economy Is IN cutting down the numbers
as well as the wages OF the working force. Ac-
cording TO the statement Of the engineer OF the
delinquent train through which the collision oc-
Cured. the sleepy trainmen had been on duty, and
without Sleep for thirty-six hours. This seems
scarcely credible but II true IL relieves the men Of
much Of the responsibility for the disaster, and
throws It upon the company that oyerworked
them beyond physical endurance.
1t is well that the tiresome and often-dis-
gushing pedestrian exhibition has been laid on
the shelf for a time, and that It's place has been
Elled By the s1x-day 'road sculler" match. The
road Sculler Is a machine which combines the
essential elements OF a rowboat and tricycle.. 1t
Is run BY WORKING levers with the hanis and arms
after the fashion OF OIrs and brings into play the
same SET Of muscles, which alone Is enough to
raise It's use above the level OF walking as SPORT
But, besides that, the terms OF the road-sculler
race are different from those OF the walking
matCh, and Tar more rational All the men are
expected to be on the track at certain
times, and ten hours OF racing will be
had in eacnday; but abundant time will be given
for rest sleep and meals, and these Will be taken
regularly. The working day Will Oegin at decent
hour, and end at midnight, with stated intermis-
siOns. Under such humane rules there is nothing
degrading to the performers or their audience In
the interest taken in the match. IL becomes In
TACT as well as In name, contest OF manly
strength, and Is not likely to degenerate into a
brutal and iemOraliZing show, such as was often
witnessed In the closing hours Of one of those
struggles in which Rowell and Hughes and Weston
formerly took the leading parts.
The nomination OF John II. Srarin for Mayor Of
New York by the republicans would add nothing
TO the political complication there. Mr. Srarin
would not consent TO run merely as a dummy can
didate. Whatever he does In that line he does
with all his might, and he has a generous barrel
with which 70 back up his faith IN himself The
effect OF all this would be to discourage trading
with the Hval democratic factions. Mr. Starin IA
too good republican to allow his followers II he
can help It, TO sell out the republican national
ticket, and he is too good a Starfn man to permit
the trading away of his votes for votes for Cleye
land The triangularity OF the contest, therefore
would tend to simplify rather than to involve the
situation The chief factor of uncertainty as far
as the relation OF the municipal to the national
election Is concerned, would be the dimensions of
the republican support for Mr.. Hewitt, and the
proportion thereof which can be carried over by
his workers into Mr.. Clevelands camp. 1t Is NOR
ally Certain that the split In local politics will call
out larger total democratic vote in New York
city than would have been cast there If everything
had been harmonious and nobody felt the need OF
making a special effort.
The real estate boom has begun TO revive in New
YORK city, and nne market for the coming season
ipredicted- The revival OF the market is. however
on line somewhat different from that pursue1 for
some time heretofore. The mania has been for
investment In uptown property-in the extended
avenues and newiy-opened districts The pros
pect Is that this will give way to some extent be-
fore the renewal OF interest In downtown hns,
ness sites The proposal TO erect the new federal
building, for appraisers store and custombou.a
on Bowling Green, has already suffered prices OF
lots near by, and many foreign spectators and in
that neighborhood. Nearly every city goes
through these changing phases first its residence
quarter enjoying an impulse, then its business
quarter, and then the business quarter encroach.
Ing on the residence quarter and giving stapIe
values TO property previously held at figures yary
Ing with the fashions OF the day. Washington IA
perhaps the only city OF It's size and Character in
which the expansion OF value In all classes OF prom
erty 10 steady and well-balanced
~
The street-car strike In Chicago is giving ths
business people OF that city great deal OF incon-
venience, but when the methods OF the managers
OF the lines are more widely understood IL Will b.e
they rather than the stlking employees who must
bear the odium- President Yerkes OF the cable
road syndicate, is quoted by one OF the local news
papers as saying that he had no fear OF trouble
noln bis men, because "their spirit IA broken
They have been cussed so much by the
passengers that meekness Is a second nature tn
them" Any employer who would speak In such
way OF the men who, through force OF circum.
stances have been compelled 10 get their living at
his hants deserves to nave strike to take care of
every day 10 the year.