The evening times., 1895-08-07
GOSSIP OF THE DAY.

There's good prospect ahead" said a
prominent citizen yesterday; "a good
prospect The spread of improvement
Is but just begun. Why, the southeast
boundary of Washington. all that section
lying beyond the Eastern Branch and
east OF AnacOstia, will before long under
go process of development that win
surprise the steady goer who doesn't take
time to look about him oftener than once
In a decade.
1.-The reclamation of the Anacostia flats,
with its attendant schemes of improve
ment, Is also booked for early completion;
and, then. think OF what Is in view for the
North west?
THAT enterprise not long since noted
in The Times, which contemplates the ex
penditure OF several millions for develop
meut alone, is by no means abandoned,
and there Is on every hand the evidence
OF Capitalistic activity.
"Now. If that new party doesn't move
the Capitol right away, there'n be big
times here" Q
The prevailing warm evenings have
largely increased the number OF those
who utilize the street cars for the purpose
VI httit dh Ut
lively trirling expense. The transfer la
passed at the last session OF Congress
offers several routes where a horseshoe
trip can be made for one fare nd involving
the walking OF but short distance Those
residing something more than midway
in the Northeast section have excellent
facilities for an hours outing
A Columbia cable car is taken, say at II
aud Tenth streets northeast and a transfer
obtained TO the Metropolitan line at New
York avenue and Fourteenth street north
west. A horse car brings the swinger
around the circle to Ninth and East Capi
tol streets northeast, and In walk Of
four or five blocks home is reached The
passenger is carried more than fifty
squares through a pleasant portion of
the city for 4 l 6 ceuts. This affords
very cheap recreation.
Have YOU noticed how the catapillars
are making their appearance on many
of the sha de trees along the city's streets?'
remarked Judge Hagner. of the supreme
court of the District to-day. in the Sec
ton of the city in which I reside the
spests are really assuming alarming num-
bers. Along Seventeenth street, 10 the
vicinity of II street, branches on many uf
the trees are literally eaten bare of their
leaves by the destroying insect. and un-
less some preventative measures are soon
taken 1 believe the trees will be ruined
The presence OF the caterpillar is always
olighting on vegetation, and its evil ef-
iects are often not discovered until too
late. think that the attention of
the superintendent OF public pa arking should
be called to the matter, and that he should
immediately set to work to have the in
sect exterminated."
A colored woman weighing somewhere
between 200 and 700 pounds last night
created more excitement than n country
circus with a side show at the corner of
New York avenue and Ninth streets. 1t
seems that she had been transferred from
the Columbia line. 1t is not known whether
she was transported on top of the car
or on a trailer especially prepared for
the emergency.
In any event, the coiored woman was
there, and attempted to board an odd
fashioned ccnter-aisle horse car from the
Off side. But the effort was futile, and
she became wedged in the opening. An
electric car going in the opposite direction
came along ans attempted to pass, but
vas unable to do so. Others followed,
and soon there was long string In each
direction. Spectators gathered frUm all
quarters and furnished the usual quantity
Of conflicting advice. After considerable
difficulty the w0uld-be passenger was ex-
tricated from her position, and at last
advlces was patiently waiting on the side
walk for some satisfactory method of
transportation.
Detective Henry Lacey, OF the Metro
politan police force, is one of the very few
colored men in the country who have made
I record for Themselves in the secret branch
OF police business. Detective Lacey,
since he has been one of Inspector Holm
oerger's corps, has developed a new phase
IF police work. He has had marvellous
success in ferretins out crime among the
.ower classes, especially the colored people,
and he is assigned to the majority of cases
where colored people are the offenders.
Dasides the fear his position inspires, he
possesses the respect Of the people of his
race in the District, and is never at loss
for some one from whom to obtain mforma-
ton His methods are SO careful and secre-
tive that he has been dubbed ''The Dark
Secret" by the other members OF the de-
tective corps, and he wears his sobriquet
proudly
An Expert Opinion.