Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-07
commenced to arrive. Then 1t became APP
parent that the war was on In earnest.
Hotels and Playhouses.

Hotels and Playhouses.
Public houses hotels and saloons were 10
be found anywhere, till the names of near
ly every northern state and city and those
of prominent Americans were utilized on
their signs and places of amusement null
tiplied. Theatrical performances took place
as formerly. and, as may be imagined, the
audiences were made up to large extent
of the military. Soldier straps and other
insignia were conspicuous in the audiences.
The soldier element was catered to every
where, and what had been the Old Amer
lean Theater, and afterward Cops assem-
bly, rooms. on Louisiana avenue east Oh 0tn
street. was opened as the Canterbury. Inc
performances were of the variety style, ana
were attended exclusively by men. 1t was
run on popular prices, and audiences were
such that often standing room was at a
premium. Here many of the popular songs
OF the day were introduced, under the LEAD
Of a child singer, and audiences went wild
when some patriotic choruses were sung.
Ihis theater had an orchestra and a band
of about ten performers They were said
to be perfect musicians, as they played the
same pieces so often that a discord was i'm
possible. Before every performance there
would be march from 18th street down
the avenue, followed by hundreds, who
soon crowded the building from pit to
dome Turner Hall, on New Jersey avenue,
was the scene of performances in German,
and the soldiers of that nationality were
much in evidence. There were other places
of amusement for the soldier, and two or
more theaters attended by the general pub
lie. Excursion parties the river and in
the neighboring groves were unknown.
The utilization of church buildings for
secular purposes had deprived some
gregations of places of worship, but home
less congregations were given shelter in
occupied edifices, and it is needless to say
that in a general way church work did not
suffer, but rather it's fields of usefulness
were increased. There were, however,
instances where the old halliparapt
feeling continued, and some Withdrawals
took place, caused by pastors, as was
Claimed, taking ultra ground in some cases.
and in not speaking positive enough in re-
spect of the war in others. Notwithstand-
ing there were religious services Sundays
In the camps, conducted by the chaplains
churches, at times the relgiously inclined
soldiers were seen at the services in
the churches. and attachments were form
ed which, when the war was over, led to
permanent membership.
The News CATERERS.
There were in circulation here the Balti-
more and Washington papers. the National
lntelligencer, Republican and States in the
morning, with the New York and Philadel-
phia papers arriving about noon, and Tho
Star In the afternoon the latter publishing
special editions as the news demanded be-
sides two regular editions. Aside from the
all white, for it was not till the was
we'll nigh over that the colored "newsy'
was tolerated, the latter seeming content
with the bootblack business. In those
times many of the newsboys made big prof
it's, particularly when important news ap-
peared. AS camps were extended into Vir-
ginia and up the Potomac some of the more
enterprising Of the news sellers followed
them.
There was scarcely an hour, day or night
when the newspaper offices were not sur
rounded by anxious crowds intent on learn
ing the latest from the front The phrase
All quiet on the Potomac" became pop
ular one. and to those who were impatient
those who contended the operations were
too slow-it was adopted synonymous
with the phrase mastery inactivity The
service supplied the news, the principal
points Of dissemination being the execu-
tive departments and the newspapers.
Some idea of the difficulties encoun-
tered by the news gatherers may be had
when it is stated that there was much of
the red-tape method used in some quarters
and news was suppressed till common ru-
NOR would so eXaggerate a skirmish or
movement that those in position to know
could not recognize it.
Officers and men from the front often
brought eXtraVagant rumors and official
reports sent in had to pass through a num-
Der Of hands before they could be made
public. 1t may be imagined, therefore,
that there were periods when the public
mind was intensely excited. However as
the war progressed the authorities i'm
proved their means of communication with
the front and the bars were let down to
the news gatherers whenever they could be
without interfering with the plans of the
government.
Slaves Flock to the City.
1t was but few months after the COM
mencement Of hostilities before many Of
the slaves in the adjoining states made
their way into the District and the camps
believing that the new administration in
sured them freedom. The law then was not
in their favor and some soon found that
full freedom was not to be melted out to
them. There were a number of instances
in which runaway slaves reached some of
the camps, and exciting scenes followed at
tempts made by their owners to capture
them. Seldom were any returned The
first proclamation of President Lincoln
fixed the date OF emancipation of the slaves
In the District on April 16, 1862, and by this
period the number had been greatly in
creased by those who came from the front
and the adjoining country. The general
proclamation was issued in September of
that year and January 1, 1868. was the day
of emancipation for the whole country.
Then every colored face beamed with joy.
In such numbers did they come into the
lines and make their way to see "Massa
Linkun" that 1t was not long before the
buildings and camps had to be prepared for
their accOmmOda ton. what was known as
Duff Green's Row." now included in the
library site, quartered many hundreds; bar
racks between Rhode Island avenue. @, 18th
and 18th streets; barracks the high
school square between 9th and 7th, o and
streets and settlement in South Washing
ton were some of the places of retreat, and
subsequently many were housed near Freed
mems Hospital and in other places.
Included among the refugees were many of
the Baptist and Methodist faiths from Vir-
ginia and numbers of Catholics from Mary
land. The Rhode Island avenue colony was
an attraction, especially Sunday after
moons, for besides an aged colored preacher
who answered to the name Of John de
Baptis',' there were a number of younger
opponents of religion, and none lacked the
gift of CAB. 1t was the custom for many
hundreds of the white people to walk out
to the camp to see the contrabands at
worship. Old John, after opening a meet
ing and starting a younger brother to
preaching, would walk to another part of
the camp and start an overflow meeting.
After sometimes having started three or
four meetings he would walk down in a
ditch and preach to the white people who
were there spectators. His talks were
original as well as his hymns, the latter
often made up by him as he went along,
and his white hearers did not fail to hear
toll n isa fcl1i OH oha