Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-27
ACROSS CON TINEhT'
Mr.. Henrys;:M. Dellinger Re-
turns From y Leng Journey.
SPRY AT EIGHTY THREE
HELPED MORSE TO ESTABLISH
FIRST TELEGRAPH LINE.
Likes to Climb Mountains and Fish for
Bass-Long a Resident
of District.
SPRY AT EIGHTY THREE

Nearly eighty-three years old and as
spry as most met at fifty" is the way
neighbors of Mr.. Henry M. Dellinger speak
OF him. One of his friends described him
as the youngest old man he has ever
known.
Notwithstanding the fact that Mr.. Del
linger has experienced the blasts of more
than four score winters and the balms of
as many summers, he has recently re-
turned from journey across the conti-
nent to San Francisco and it's Golden Gate,
and when seen by a Star reporter at his
home, 231 street northwest, he bore no
traces of WEAKNESS as result of his long
pilgrimage toward the setting sun.
Indeed the trip seemed to have sharp
ened his appetite for travelling, for upon
reaching Washington he decided to round
on his western tour by taking a bass
fishing and mountain climbing trip to his
native heath, or Gods own country" as Mr.
Dellinger described western Maryland in
general and Washington county in partic-
ular. He was born at Williamsport
washington county, Md. on February %,
49,, and says his recent visit to the pic
turesque mountains and green fields of his
birthplace gave him new vim
Resident of District Since '3S.
Although born in Maryland, Mr.. Del
lumbia since August, 1898, and is vice pres
ident of the Oldest Inhabitants Associa-
ton.
His secret of perpetual youth is to serve
God faithfully and earnestly and do all Inc
sood you cam, and, he added, you will in
turn be blessed Mr.. Dellinger's cheeks
are rudy. his step alert and his figure as
erect as that of West Pointer. He has
oeen described as being as straight as a
pine and hardy as an oak 1t is said he
mas been a consistent Christian and for
sixty-one years has regularly attended one
e1urch-W esley Chapel, at 9TH and F
streets northwest
Mr; Deilinger started from WASHINGTON
ON ms trip across the continent August IL
ana returned September 49, He returned
I ITo,n ms visit to Big Slack Water, near
Wllilamsport, Md, on September %. While
IN the west he spent five days in Yellow
stone Park.
Has Seen Twenty Presidents.
Reverting to his long residence in this
CITY, Mr.. Dellinger said he had been in the
presence of twenty presidents of the United
states, and had Shaken hands with MANY of
theH' commencing with Van Buren, and
concluding with Roosevelt. The twenty. he
acded, included John Quincy Adams after
nus term as President and while he was a
representative In Congress
IhlS vigorous old gentleman has ret;red
from active business but he owns tho
property at the southwest corner of 9th
ana " streets northwest, and he terms his
second-story carpenter shop there "the old
curiosity shop He learned the trade of
carpenter under Tom 7Cissel, in old George
town, back in the early ferties, and after
ward worked with John c.. Hardness an
other old-timer and prominent man in his
day. He has seen Washington grow from
struggling settlement of 35 900 inha bitants
TO Its present magnificent dimensions with
population of 800 OO9
The Old Buses.
All the principal government buildings
were erected during his residence here. and
he witnessed the evolution of the present
rapid-transit street system from the
numbering old buses which operated over
the rocky roads from Georgetown to the
navy yard, when the fare was IL cents each
way. There were no conductors on the
'busses the passengers being required to
hand their fares up through a hole in the
roofs of the vehicles to the drivers To
stop the clumsy vehicles it was necessary
to tug al a stout strap, which was attached
to the drivers foot or some other part of
his anatomy.
ton here for Morse, the inventor of the
telegraph, and remember, the first messages
which were transmitted over the wire to
Baltimore. One of these dispatches told
of the death of an American naval officer
al CadZ, SPAIN and another announced the
nomination of James X. Polk for President
Mr.. Dellnger regards an attack of small
ever had" Prior to the attack he was sub
ject to severe spells of sick headache, he
said, but since then he has never ex-
perienced a headache of any sort.