Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-21
IN HOTEL CORRIDORS,

'The action of the Washington city au-
thorities in arresting and convicting Coxey
and Browne for getting on the grass in the
Capltol grounds has apparently stirred up
cur city fathers in Boston, said Henry A.
Stoll of the cultured hub of the universe at
the Riggs House today. Every summer for
years past our famous commons has been
the favorite loafing spot for the majority of
the lazy people in New England 1t has
been no unusual sight to see several dozen
tired out Weary Wasgles and Meanderfng
Mikes reclining in sweet Slumber on the
grassy sward of Boston's pet park Along
the Park street mall and around the Brewer
monument have been favorite places for the
tired tramps TO stretch out on the grass and
indulge III SiestaS. OF course, we have had
policemen there, but they have never APP
peared to take any notice of the trespassers
upon the parking within the prohibited line
Last week, however, the powers that be
suddenly awakened TO a realization of the
condition Of things as i have described
them, and since Monday several scores of
the sleepers have been gathered into the
station houses, and number of them fined
in substantial amounts in the municipal
court. Consequently, as a good Bostonian,
look upon the CoXey movement as having
had very good effect In leading, as / have
no reason to doubt ii did, to the disposses-
sion of Boston commons by the unwashed
and unregenerate individuals who used its
sod as lodging house.
Il understand that Washington Is FORUM
ate in ssessing a very strong and enthu-
siastic Sanitary League" said DR.. II. NJ.
Gooddell of New York at the National yes
terday. There should be such an organi-
zation in every American city. for the rapid
Increase of our population and the tendency
of the people toward gregariousness de-
mands that very great deal of serious at
tention should be given to the question af-
fectinG the health of communities. One of
the most important problems which pre-
sents itself to municipalities for solution is
the removal of its sewage in such manner
as to prevent its injurious constituents from
exercising evil influence upon the n.y.
eienic conditions of the community. / am
very much interested in the question. and
believe that the system now in in
Glasgow, Scotland, will be found to meet
all requirements of our American cities
should they wisely see proper to adopt them.
Glasgow contains population of nearly
GooOoO souls, and its sewage is subjected
10 chemical process by which the liquid
! portion or 1t is made as pure as spring
water, while the solid precipitated matter
that 1t contains is compressed into cakes OF
excellent fertiliziRg material. This system
| Is not only found to be very effective but
economical as well, because the sale of the
fertilizing material nets quite a handsome
| sum every year. The national capital
| should certainly adopt something of thai
sort. think, because of what have read OF
the location of the Coxey camp on the
| banks of the stagnant canal, which is al
! legged to receive and to hold large quantity
| Of the sewage of the city. it seems to me
/ that there could not be a better opportunity
secured to test the efficacy of the Scotch
| system"
Chicago is now confronted by what mus
be regarded as the most serious condition in
her history, with, perhaps, the exception OF
! the period following the great fire." said NJ
/ Ii. Frazier of the windy city at the Ebbitt
this morning. THE impending coal panic
| threatens to close up all her industries n:
| tight as drum and virtually throw the en-
| tire working population out of employment
! This would be bad enough, but worse evi
overhangs Chicago, and one need not be q
| calamity bowler to feel very much worried
over the outlook for the future. An cpl
| demic of smallpox now has my city in its
| clutches. There are hundreds of cases oil
the disease; one pest house is full, and 6
| new one is being built, and forty or fifty
new cases are being reported every day
! while the health authorities are powerles,
| to stop the progress of the plague. Las
summer the disease was sporadic. Their,
were several cases in districts wide apart
but they were not taken sufficient care of by
the health department. Premises wher
! such patients were found were fumigated 81
hastily that the disinfectant had no chance
! 10 dol out tfe cOnldSlOn NdCclnatlOn Wds
not practiced to any great extent either, a:
| it was allowed to be entirely voluntary OF
| the part OF the citizens. We are now reap
ing the sad results of this official stupidity
and | shudder when l think of the dis
astrous effect of the epidemic before it 1!
eventually blotted out. Indeed, / have NJ
| hesitancy IN saying that Chicago would b.
in danger of losing very large proportion
| Of its population were il not for the dis
| covery of vaccination"
One of the most intelligent and well-in
| formed men in Washington is Henry vii
son, who has attended to the tonsoria
necessities of some of the most prominent
people of America at the Ebbitt House bar
Der shop for the past fifteen or twenty
years. He was at City Point, in the EN-
ploy of a Union officer, during the latter
part of the war. and fairly teens with in
! teresting "reminiscences of that excitin,
period. AS the corridor man lay back IL
| Henry's chair this morning the latter said:
| Il saw man shot down in City Point il
| 1854 who came pretty near stampeding tn,
| hundred thousand men who composed th'
Army of the James. / forget that man:
! name but ne was colorei man and an or
/ derby sergeant in a Maryland regiment.
tell you, il was thrilling sight TO young
ster like l was at that time, and / shall
never forget ii as long as l live. You see
the colored troops hadn't got any pay fol
five or six months, and this man got IL int
his mead that they We're not going to b,
! paid at all So he began talking among HI.
men, and he SwOre that he wouldn't ordel
! his company out again until the men haC
! got their money. one night there was al
order to turn out and this fellow refused Il
! call on his company to obey it. OF cours,
the news spread through the army Xix,
! widtire. Things looked mighty black anC
! serious for discipline. His captain took mat
ters in his own hands and shot the orderly
| sergeant III the head, but didn't kill him; 81
he was taken to the hospital, and when h,
got we'll ne was tried for mutiny and sen
fenced TO be shot 1t was beautiful morn
ing when the execution was ordered. :,
grave had been dug in field about a mil,
from City Point. and early in the morninl
three regiments of infantry were ordere,
out to attend the execution. Gen. Gran
! was down there at that time, and his head
| quarters band led the death procession
around, playing the Dead March Their
came four men carrying the convicted mu
| tineers coffin, and then came the victim
! himself with chaplain by his side They
marched around great. big space proba
I bly, three hundred yards square, and ther
| came back to the grave, and the mutinee
! was ordered to sit on a board that had beef
laid across the foot of the coffin, while tn,
| coffin itself was resting on two sticks pu
across the open grave. A lieutenant an,
| twelve men had been standing on the hill
side, and at some order or other they march
ed quickly down until they got within abou
h m hon FI.a ls.Y,,