Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-03-08


deficient to the tune of s212 and the society
| never got anything out of him-not even
pr omises.
SOCIAL FEATURES
were more prominent and frequent then than
now. The record Of the meeting in January.
1926. contains the following paragraph
rms evening being the anniversary OF the
institution OF this society the members, after
adjournment, repaired to Mr. Kenuedy's long
room, where. with others of the profess ion.
numbering near fifty in all, they partook of an
elegant and sumptuous entertainment After
the removal of the cloth a number Of volunt eer
sentiments, appropriate and technical, were
given, interspersed with a variety of choice an d
well-executed songs"
These anniversary sVppers followed with un-
broken regularity during the remainder of the
society existence.
BY 1929 the society's finances were in a -four
ishing condition and in February of that year
the first investment was made Of the slowly &C
cumulatng funds. George NJ. Grouard wanted
money and the society let him have S422 on
what was denominated approved real-estate Sc
curity. The society had lots of trouble over that
loan and il never did get all the money back.
As soon as Mr.. Grouards success became
known he had numerous imitators. Rothwell
Ustick wanted $500 and Francis Burke made
application for S1O0. Rothwen Ustick got
their money. but Burkes security was weighed
in the balance and found wanting. Just about
the same time one William Phillips called for
600. but finding that he was not likely to get
it automatically withdrew his application.
In December, 1929, Lynde Elliott was work.
ing at the case in Georgetown for less wages
than the scale of the society and claimed that
he had right to do 50 because Georgetown
was without the society's Jurisdiction. Careful
consideration was given the case by the society
and in the February following he was unani-
mously expelled-the first rat" in local typo
graphical history.
The original constitution of the society was
not allowed to go for any considerable time
without amendment; in fact its rearrangng
occupied more than a fair share Of attention in
the majority of the meetings. The first amend
ment was one which permitted the reception
of honorary members, and when it had been
adopted the society took to its bosom j.
Gales, jr., W. W. Seaton. Andrew Way, r. C.
Weightman, Samuel II. Smith, Isaiah Thomas,
and Mathew Carey. The honorary list was
never large one.
THE APPRENTICE QUESTION
occupied a great deal of the society's time at
this period and SO difficult of adjustment did it
prove that the society gave it up for a long
while. The large offices and the small estab-
lishments could not agree Q to the relative
numbers of men and boys.
In 1885 the society had trouble with an en-
ployer named Duff Green and after good deal
of controversy and numerous special meet
ings-which, says the record, were called at
declared unfair.
For fourteen years the society manufactured
but little news. but in November, 1849, it pre-
sented to the Washington monument associa-
ton block of white native marble inscribed,
Presented by the Columbia Typographical So
ciety, instituted January, 1915, as a memento
OF the veneratiOn of its members for the Father
of his Country" This tablet was placed in po-
siton In the interior OF the great obelisk and
is there now.
The society received a very cordial invita-
ton to send delegates to a national convention
TENDER II, 1851, and the invitation would prob
ably have been accepted had there not been
too great wealth of candidates. The delegates
were practically selected when the disappointed,
ones joined forces and upset the plans of the
apparently victorious.
Through all the years of the society's exist
ence Benz amin Franklin was its ideal printer
but it was not until the latter part of 1857 that
the idea was seriously advanced OF erecting q
statue to his memory. committee was APP
pointed to provide ways and means, and, amid
apparently unquenchable enthusiasm, it was
decided to erect a statue of the great man in
one OF the city's parks. The enthusiasm lasted
for some time but the dollars failed to ma
terialize, so the statue proposition and that
other statu-statu quo-became practically
synonymous.
GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY.
ington just as the war was drawing to a close,
and although Lee was still making things in
seresting on the other side of the Potomac the
society celebrated its fftieth anniversary by
eating, drinking and making merry in the Sea-
ton House NOW the city post ofice) in 1865.
1t was great occasion and the events were
fully chronicled in The STAR Of the following
day.
When the assassin's bullet called Abraham
Lincoln from the presidency of the United
States to his great reward the society held
special meeting, at which suitable remarks were
made and an order was issued requiring men,
bers to wear the customary badge Of mourning
for thirty days.
NEARING THE END.
But the end of the society was near The
National typographical union was abroad in the
land, and its prophet, John H. Oberly was
moving among men agitating the printers and
urging a more powerful organization-an undi-
ylded brotherhood. On April 20, 1867, Messrs.
j. &. &. Whaley, n. Watkins, James J. Kavs-
nagh and Z. s. Bortel, a committee appointed
to consider the desirabihty or otherwise of an
amalgamation with the union, made report
favoring such step and the society adopted
the report.
The last meeting of Columbia typographical
society was held on the first Saturday in May
1867, In the council chamber in the city hail.
now the court house. The meeting was nu-
iHcEOuols dsttHutu anu very many OF the OlQ
members wore sober faces, as though about to
attend the funeral of a cherished friend
Under previous orders Of the society the dues
Of members up to date had been liquidated to
the amount Of about $500 and cards to transfer
them from one organization to the other had
been issued
This preliminary was part of a wel-consid-
cred plan to render unto Cesar the things that
were Caesars and leopard no financial interest
OF the parent society, about to evolute new
organization. After the usual routine business
was completed the president, George A. r.
McNeir, vacated the chair, when, on motion,
William K Mclean was called to preside
The charter OF union No. l0l was then pre-
sented, accepted and an election held, Mr.
McNeir being elected first president of the
body. All the other Offices were filled. Thus
was formed Columbia union, No. 101, of WASH
ington.
1t may as well be said that, while the old
society was careful of its funds, now that 1t had
parted with all trade control in its Jurisdiction
II generously paid the expenses of the first two
delegates to the National unon-Messrs. Robert
Penman and A. T. Cavis-and donated to the
union 200 to set it in motion. Notwithstand-
lug this generosity MANY hostile to the mother
thought the child should have inherited all
and singular the goods and chattels Of q So
ciety they regarded as dead; but the supposed
decedent lived fourteen or fifteen years longer,
when, its funds having run low and no new
material could be attracted, it was Ieemed best
to divide the assets, amounting to a little under
/ u 900, and dissolve.
An equal distribution of the funds was made,
each member receiving S3l. So The closing in