Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-04
f DIRTY EARS AGO
When the Boys Ran to Fires With
the Machine
Bridges Over the Canal and the Tiber
Names of Gangs Tint Ruled
the Various Localities.
THE DAYS OF LONG AGO.

Air-"Auld Lang Syne"
The days OF yore wen not forget
Nor scenes used to know,
The girls Of old. the boys we met,
In the days Of long ago.
We walked the streets OF living green, (Note II
Few pavements did know,
By bridges frail crossed the streams, O)
In the days of long ago
And fish We caught at Theirs WALL QTID
We waded to and fro
And rivals stoned hill and mall Qv.)
In the days of long ago.
We picnics held at rural springs. (v)
With sprightly lass ard beaux.
When hearts were filed with joy supreme,
In the days Of long ago.
When 10 the tune of Ia de dah" CvL)
We made a martial show.
In time Of peace, prepared for war;
In the days Of long ago.
When we ran the old machines, VII)
To meet the frey foe,
And on the flames sent the streams
In the days of long ago.
Now We are weak. ard gray and bald.
The weight OF years doth show,
But young We feel, as recall.
The days of long ago.
i. Forty years ago but few of the streets
of the city had been opened, graded and
graveled, and most of them were overgrown
with grass and weed. The ordinary street
was wagon road, through a mass of vege-
tatioh. while ridge of dumped gravel,
three feet wide. formed the footwalk.
III. The bridges over the canal were a
brick arch. at New Jersey avenue, and
wooden structures at 18th, 18th, 7th a.
streets. Maryland avenue. l. and n streets
southwest. The Tiber was spanned ny an
arch on Pennsylvania avenue and I'd street
northwest, and frail wooden bridges at
Indiana avenue and Sd street and II street
near 1st street northeast, and on North
Capitol between New York avenue and o
street A branch Of the Tiber entered the
city near the head of Sth street northwest
turning near r street. where it received a
run from the westward. and over the latter
was simple but strong narrow bridge at
It'll street, and at other places crossings
were made by means Of a single plank or
log. Slash run. from near the head of 18th
street. flowed southwark to near l. street
to I'D, and thence to Rock creek, at .
street. Primitive bridges crossed 1t ct
Connecticut avenue and 10th street, and at
other points it was forded. The stream
from Franklin Square coursed east of 18th
to below H street, thence eastward across
10th. and southwark to the canal, emptying
in the basin, where the wholesale market
is now located. This was arched at the
avenue, ID, E and F streets, forded at Ct
street and bridged at 10th. 18th, and 18th
streets and New York avenue
III. Many of the Oldest Inhabitants remem-
Der sitting on the walls of the canal fishing
for perch, smelt, sun and cat fish; and
some now dead were wont in conversation
to recall catching herring in a dip net in
the stream. from Franklin Square, north of
+ street. The water In the canal was but a
few feet deep. sufficient to float a small
craft. and considerable trade was done in
lumber, lime. wood. ETC.. along its banks.
At low tide in many parts boys could con-
veniently wade IT. particularly east of eth
street.
w. 1t was customary for the boys to run
in gangs, and they assuming to rule their
respective neighborhoods, collisions fre-