Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-10-02


As kvsnins star has Q regular. psrpa,sse
ese - eeaiv etrealasten nero thap treble
mat q any ether daily papse puAlisbsA \,
"sshanssss. md auch Grssssr TIA, th.s
81 all he sshss aaaly pap~r, hsrs $500
together.
Inc report Of Capt symona assistant engineer
eommissaoner OF the District Ia a p,instakinR and
thorough piece Of work, highly creditabls 70 its
.u.aot. There 10 no branch Of the subject Of sur.
iuprovements which he does noe sssm %
nave studied with intel igsnce and care and his
explanations ana recommen dat,ona arr models of
eaesrnesa The only point on which bis Judgment
mo mat OF the most thoughtful and far-sighted
sesaoenss Oh the District are bound 70 Differ con-
I'm .ae matter OF steam railways entering the
caty. Ah views on this point are the moro no
oceaoie IRON their contrast with the progressive
splhs renected In 30 many othera II Il true that
sae cit1ens o. the northeast quarter would b
gao 70 % relieved OF the Baltimore and Ohio IN
Seoos - u now existA but that Il no reason
Why the reservations In the heart OF the city,
Wnicn nave thus Tar been held sacred from general
srsspese. snf uld be further cut up and disngured
Sor the accommodation OF q brace OF carrying cor
pofataonA or even continued In their present an
noylng condition. The idea Of . union depot II
nasnv commendable, but the proposal 70 have IL
1900 sA<S R3itAlnOre anu fOlOudC eXCIcSCcuCc
ssanos now win receive no favor from the better
part Of the population Of Washington
In dealing with the subject OF electric light and
telegraph and telephone wires Capt symons shows
practical good sense. He not only supports the
popular plea that all the wires be put under
ground. and declares that his Investigations have
SHOWN this 70 be practicable, but he adds that
"ouried they win be just Is soon a. their MAN.
tenance overhead Is absolutely stopped This ID
ba VII nf fno IN ale rfo
that the way TO bury wires Is to bury them.
Another excellent recommendation In the report
b that the law be 30 amended as TO vest In the
Commissioners the complete control OF the paving
OF street railway tracks and INTERNAL spaces at
street Crossings with the requirement that they
shall make such changes and repairs as they deem
desirable and charge the expense thereof to the
companies operating the cars. For years the COM
panies have been importuned BY the citizens and
urged By the press TO keep these pavements In
order; but they have treated both appeals and
criticism with contempt They have continued
their practice OF laying rails where nat rails
would answer every purpose and In the long run
b just a. cheap, and they have left In bold den-
ance OF law, great gaps In the pavement at the
ndes OF their tracks where carrage-wneels are
liable 70 be caught and wrencned on or horses
may give their hoofs dangerous twist
What the report says OF the need OF new pave.
ment on the roadway OF Pennsylvania avenue b
1uslned BY the present condition OF that thorough
fare, on the universal testimony or persons who
are required travel through IL daily In wheeled
vehicles To the casual glance the roadway ap-
pears smooth, but wagon passing over It for the
greater part Of the way from the Capitol to the
state, War and Navy Department has Its springs
severely tested, not merely by the holes and ruts
worn In IL In places but By the great fluctuations
where the surface Is apparently at Its best estate
This nuisance Is most conspicuous after heated
term when the sheet OF concrete has been sortened
even for q few hours, and the part OF the Avenue
which is leasr subject to It Is that where the trees
are largest and most frequeLt II some means
could be devils d, as Capt Symonds thinks 1t can,
10 do away with the whole difficulty and give the
Avenue a Clean, even, hard surface, the $4,000
proposed for the work would be well spent
"Mqtor Lydecker has gone do,cn into the tun.
mel" These were the astounding words that cleo
trined the community vest rday. They thrilled
every manly heart as showing that the days Of
chivalrous and even reckless bravery have not
passed, when duty calls. It seems that Major Ly.
decker had for several years contemplated this
daring adventure, and had been carefully
preparing for It Yesterday he decided that
the time had come 70 execute his great resolve
Encasing himself, according TO wild rumor
In an arctic suit, with chest protec-
Tor, nver.pad, throatmuf1er, balI-players
padded bib and wire mask. and diving armor out
side. and taking fearful leave OF his club army
friends he threw himself with gallant dash into
his aQueduct bureau buggy and headed his grand
supply and Life Saving Service train for the tunnel
Successive bulletins Of his progress as ne swept
on, surrounding at q dash the most formidable
obstacles. even the Connecticut avenue Trail
tramway, created the widest public excitement
Arriving at the tunnel, with scarce an hours
pause for rest and refreshment he donned mis- eye
glass and with steady nerve placed his foot on
the nrsI step Of the ladder going down
into the tunneli What WERE his feelings at
that supreme moment can only be imag-
ined His pale, impassiye face gave no
sign Such might have been the sensations
OF Cen Israel Putnam when be descended at the
end OF q rope into the VOLTS den, or OF Stanley
when he plunged into the fearful wilds OF Africa
But Major Carrot J. Lydecker had no thought Of
retreat. With the same unfaltering nerve he TOOK
another step down the ladder, then another and
another and presently he was at the bottom. Ma
Jor Lydecker had gone down into the tunnel,
Paustng a moment 10 grasp the strange scene as
II evolved slowly from the Plutonian darkness
the eye OF the great explorer lighted up
with the rapture OF q moment ous discovery.
As II he were ready 10 exclaim, some.
what after the fashion OF the famous
inland Secretary OF the Navy when he
nrst looked down the hatchway OF a shin.
why the demmed thing Is hollow, doncherknow =,
The feat had been accomplished, the great
discovery had been made, and Major G. ].
Lyoecker came forth In triumph from the
tunnel and returned TO his club house 10
receive the congratulations Of his admirers
And now Maj. Lydecker viii doubtless report the
results OF bis Investigations 10 Col Casey and Col
Casey VIII report the report OF Maj Lydecker 70
the Secretary OF War with endorsements ana
recommendations and the Secretary OF War win
report with endorsements and recommendations
Col Casey's report with endorsements and recon.
mendAtions OF Maj Lydeckers report to the Presi
Gent and the President, perhaps, win proceed 70
promote MAJ Lydecker 70 be General and desto.
nate him 70 some soft service for NE at Washing.
ton Fur MAJ Lydecker has been down In the
ne President has signed the Chinese exclusion
Dill, As everybody expected he would and has even
gone 80 much further az 70 accompany his an
provA with message OF explanation. In which
n whole history OF recent diplomatic neeotia-
tons with China ID gone over. From this message
appears that the United States mas a real Or,ev-
ance against the Chinese government for TIA re,ec
on Of the treaty. snce the chief provisions OF thu
fnsGrument were originally suggested by China
and nos oy ourselves AL OF which viii intensifv
Tie establishment Of the superstit.ous pol,tictsns
~ -ClevelAnds luck, As manifested In the present
49, 49,.