Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-02


Washington city presbytery. Anniversaries
were publicly remembered by the E Street
Baptist Church. the Peoples Church. the Cen
trail Union Mission. the Congressional Temper
ance Society, Howard University, Fourth Street
NJ E. Church, the Independent Order Of
Rschabites and Christ Church, Georgetown.
Temperance efforts have not tagged and there
has been extraordinary liveliness in spiritual
istic circles.
EDUCATIONAL ADVANCEMENT.
Internationally there has been progress.
Slowly. but with gratifying certainty, prepa-
rstions for the establishing OF the American
(Methodist) University are being made, and
unless some remarkably well-laid plans are
upset the money for at least two Of the build
tngs will be collected before the close Of 1898.
The National Institute for the Higher Educa-
ton OF Women was incorporated. the Archi-
tectural Society permanently organized and
the new building Of the Carroll Institute al
most completed. In the public schools there
has been nothing but a satisfactory forward
movement despite congressional pareimony.
PIxz! BOON, AH-R-H,
Patriotic opportunities were not neglected.
Sons of the Revolution celebrated Washing
tons birthday by attending divine service at
st. Johns Church, the Washington Monument
Society met at DIR. Toner'S, the Oldest Inhabi-
tants' Association held lie usual meeting,
Welsh residents Of the District honored St.
Davtd's day, Irishmeu paid customary tribute
TO ST. Patrick, large proportion OF the colored
population participated in the ceremonies at
tendant upon Emancipation day, the Memorial
day services echpsed all preceding efforts Of
that description, everybody took q hand in
making the Fourth Of July as much Of q sue
cess as possible and German day was all that
the most enthusiastic children Of the father
land could desire.
Christopher Columbus was not forgotten
October q was De: apart the day upon which
he should be especially remembered. The
celebration was participated in by several
church organizations and by the District Ma
tional Guard, the latter entertaining large
crowd by the field maneuvers, which were
popularity referred to the battle Of Brent
wood road. In the evening there was a great
torchliRht parade by members Of the local
Catholic churches.
THE RECORD OF THE Blue COATS.
Police work during the year has been more
than ordinarily satisfactory. not single muir
derer having escaped arrest, while q large pro-
portion Of those who committed burglaries and
similar desperate crimes fell speedily into the
clutches Of the law. The department was weak
ened considerably by the diversion of some Of
Its force to the supervision of garbage collec-
ton. February was q red-letter day in police
history, for on that date was handed down the
decision of the United States Supreme Court
which declared the army and navy clause OF the
act OF March 2. 1867. to be of no effect. As the
result of this decision the department has been
able to secure the services of number of much
useful material which had previously been de-
MED it. Especial efforts have been made TO
close out the policy business and with crafty
ing success.
The total number of arrests made during the
year was about 2S, 00G es against % 63S for 1892
at hav
changes made In the membership OF the force.
Several voluntary designations took place be-
cause those who resigned saw opportunities to
better their condition. There were. however
few forced designations and several dis missals.
The most notable change in the detective
Office at police headquarters. where some of
those who had done detective duty for years
were sent back to precincts and precinct officers
we're promoted. Then the chief Of the corps
Inspector Swindells, went back to precinct
duty and he was succeeded by Lieut. McCath-
ran who filed the Office until Lieut.. Uolinber-
ger finally took charge. One member of the
detective corps, Officer Sutherland, was dis
missed for alleged completely in the policy bust
ness. His position was filled by the promotion
of Officer Weldon, who has displayed his de,ec-
tive qualities in the capture of noted violators
of law. Then Sergeant Boyle was made leu
tenant to ill the vacancy caused by the death
OF Lieut.. John F. Guy, who had served as a
member OF the force for many years.
FIRE LADpIEs WERE Busy.
The FIRE department had but little time in
which to become rusty, for during the year
there we're 465 fires reported, alarms being
sounded for 239 separate blazes, while in 226 in
stances fire companies were ordered out on
"locals." During the preceding year there
were but 1856 fires reported. Losses during
1892 amounted to 1922 ,637, while the insurance
aggregated s139,227. At no time during the
year was there any trouble with the fire alarm
service. Among the more notable confagra-
tons Of the year were those of The STAR Office.
Church Of the Covenant, Hotel Stratford, Will
lard's Hall, Heurichs brewery. the Belt COM
panys car stables, the Love and Charity Tenn
pie, Pullman,s photograph gallery and the
stables of I. W. Riley h Sons, where fifty-one
horses were burned to death.
AND THE GRADE CROSSING rs STILL HERE
The status Of steam railroads in the District
has not changed appreciably during the year.
The deadly grade crossing still exists and dur
ing the past twelve months killed its usual
quota OF innocent victims Amos Ratcliff
Teresa Macdonald. Singleton Bell. William +.
Bergman, James Laurie, W. H. Burger and
William Brahler are among those who were sac
rifced that the roads might be cheaply operated.
In the latter part Of July Belt line street car.
crowded with passengers, had the narrowest
possible escape from being run down on Mary
land avenue. To assist in the work of bringing
about entlre abolition OF the grade crossing clti-
zens of East Washington permanently organ
ized and through this organization railroad en-
gineers who run their engines at greater than
the legal rate of speed have been prosecuted
Congress now has before it the plsns Of the
Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Company.
which provide for the depression of the COM
psny's tracks from New Jersey avenue to the
depot and to the Long bridge. The Baltimore
and Ohio company promised several months
ago to submit plans providing for an elevated
masonry structure over which their trains
would enter the city; a new depot was also in
volved in the proposition. The promise is still
only promise. The Long bridge continues to
serve as dam end to threaten the business in
terests OF the city, more, perhaps, than ever
before, because of much new and solid con-
struction illegally permitted by Secretary FL
kins in spite Of the adverse opinion of the en-
gineer Office Gen Casey last report strongly
condemns the old structure. Legislation re-
quiring the construction OF a new bridge Is now
in the hands Of the Senate District committee
Throughout the latter part Of the year mer-
chants have suffered to a considerable and ex-
tremely annoying extent by reason of the ina
bility Of the railroad companies to handle their
growing freight business. Efforts on the part
OF the Norfolk and Western company to extend
its road into the District we're frustrated by the
corporations now in possession, although its
coming would relieve the freight situation very
much.
THE JOYS AND SORROWS OF STREET RAILROADS.&C.
Local street railway history for 1892 is inter-