Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-09-06

zone by ore the objects which were IA
miliar to us a generation or two ago are
slowly but surely disappearing from our
streets said an octogenarian of the capt.
tai today.
Il saw a man seated upon the curb of a
street in the northwest this morning who
reminded me OF my younger days. He was
an Inherent umbrella member. the first l
have seen in some months. He was sitting
cross-kneed. with his little kit of old UNI
brelIa handles. ribs and a dilapidated
cover or two spread upon the sidewalk,
iHdustriously mending an old umbrella.
His whole outfit was not worth iEtrin-
sically fifty cents, but II po- 7essed a value
To MIN that was not appreciated by those
who paused for the nonce to give him a
fieeting glance of wonder and perhaps
sympathy. Yet We old fellows we'll remem-
Der the time when his call, oil umbrel-
lastomend, was as familiar as is the cry
we hear today of, 'banans. ripefeashba-
mans {. crab man. heresyercrabman-
Another Inherent street workman who
has about passed Is the knife and scis-
sors grinder, with his little hand cart
with its big wheel and grindstOne. the lat
ter usually much worn on the sides. Oc-
casionally we hear the tinkle of his bell.
nut in most large cities he has disappeared,
SHpplaDJed by the street cutler in a wagon
drawn by a horse, who has his regular
customers among the butchers and grocers
iZe him
Both OF these latter street characters
make comparatively little noise in pro-
claiming their presence, but IT the fish,
man of the old days, with his well-remem-
hered tin horn. who has passed never to
come again. The old fishman and his ear
piercing tin horn were inseparable with the
early dawn. especially on FRIDAYS and he
would Keep up his blasts all day without
fatigue. As the scissors grinder rang his
bell. so the fshman footed his horn, and
we never saw a fishman with a bell nor a
scissors grinder with a tin horn. Each
stuck tenaciously to his own time honored
method of acquainting the public with his
presence.
Again. while on the subject of the pass
ing or familiar street characters the old
travelling clock member who would tramp
along day after day, with a clock dial in
his hand. behind which was fastened a
gong bell, which he would ring sharply
every few steps, has disappeared | have
not seen one in some time in Washington
and he too. in other cities has gone the
way Of the oldfashioned street tradesman
who used to greet US every day when we
were twenty-One'
These are but few of the street charac-
ters once so plentiful on the sidewalks. and
The old boys of today, we stroll around
with hands behind our backs, miss
them. as We miss many OF the other sights
formerly 20 be seen in cities generation
ago"
- X *
THE accident to the President" said an
experienced Washington railroad man this
morning. calls up point about travelling
in this country that should be emphasized
over and over again until It becomes fix
ture in the mind of the ever hurrying
American public. though 1 doubt if advice
and terrible object lessons will have the
desired effect.
p,rru+rv- II 4Lo oro
thought of all who walk or drive over
railroad tracks to get over before the train
comes instead of waiting until the train
has passed l. does not appear to matter
whether the train is yard or one mile
of. the hasty notwithstanding American
wants 10 get over first. and in these two
words lie the secret of the many distressing
accidents in this country and their absence
in the slower-going European countries.
''One notices in cities the same spirit Of
haste in men skipping in front of an APP
preaching street car. just missing the
fender by inch. and sometimes not miss
ing II, with consequent loss Of life or limb
We see the same spirit in women when
there are several together trying to cross
the street, all running ahead of the car
like a string Of little ducks making for a
mill pond.
The best succ:nct advice that a railroad
man can give. and In a form that ought
never To be forgotten. IS contained In the
three words. Stop, look and listen upon
reaching the crossing OF any railroad,
whether trolley or steam. There whole
books in these expressive words. II we
stop. We are safe for the moment. If we
listen. We are Goubly safeguarded In de-
tecting the rumble of the approaching
train. or in hearing the whistle the en-
Eineer is supposed 10 sound at the cross
ing. but which he sometimes forgets and
II We look, We will see the train or the
smoke from the engine If the wind should
IN he he rhEr
sound of the whistle.
In driving In the country we so often
near one or more of party excla!m at a
railroad crossing. oh, let's hurry IN and
get over before the train comes This
hasty. th"ughtless suggestion TO the driver
has meant the death OF hundreds of such
been in the vehicle who would have
cnunSel6d remaining on the near side of
the track until the train passed. or It was
demonstrated that none was near. People
In vehicles are. as rule, was the case
N the Presidents carriage. helpless as on
board OF ship. and completely under the
control Of the driver. driver VIII often
take chances that his passengers WoIIId
not. and if the engine skins the tailboard
OF his wagon he laughs at the fright of
those in the rear seats.
Grade crossings will in time dimin sh
these accidents near cities, but the dav Of
the universal abolition Of the grade cross
ing IS unfortunately distant Until then
never forget at railroad crossings to Stop
look and Ls;en.'"
x
In bidding for the printing of postage
stamps fo- the next year the bureau of en-.
craving and printing did so with the knowl-
edge that Il would probably lose some
money in the course of the year. That this
loss OF money might be made up in some
way. Assistant Secretary Allies, who has
immediate charge of the bureau, has been
looking around for some time for method
by which he could economize In the ex.
penses OF the bureau without cutting down
the salaries of the employees and without
increasing the number OF hours II has
been rather hard to find ways OF cutting
down the expenses of the institution. and
Assistant Secretary Allies has laid before
Secretary Shaw every tentative proposition
that has suggested itself. The other day
In submitting TO the Secretary a number