Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-06
FIFTY YEARS AGO
In THE STAR

In THE STAR
There was no lack of excitement in the
old days In Washington. Something was
Fair ror sn ,ns,srce the sn,.ode
Charioteer. thus recounted In The Star
OF July 30. 1855. was OF the
kind to enliven the community:
'On Saturday night, between 10 and IL
o'clock. several Of the streets and avenues
Of the metropolis were selected for the dis
play of extraordinary equestrian feats. by
an amateur. . We were standing In
front Of Browns Hotel when suddenly cries
were heard proceeding from near the COR
ner of Pennsylvania avenue and 7th street
Of stop them! Stop themr 'Ho! Hot Go
It, you beauties the last in the shriil
tones Of q female The utmost
possible confusion existed IN that direction
for a few moments only. Men, black ana
white. were seen flying from every direc-
ton to the great point Of attraction: heads
were popped out of windows; pianos ceased
playing. and the organ-man. who was grind
Ing meanwhile, was left without listeners.
"A hack and horses constituted the more
prominent features of the performance
While the wonder and alarm continued, the
horses dashed from Ith street into LOUIS
lana avenue and thence into 9th street, to-
ward Pennsylvania avenue. City fathers
(several of them), gentlemen belonging to
the military. errand boys. hackmen, mer-
chants and others. intensely excited TOT
their own safety. took refuge In doorways.
The swiftly moving team, however,
fit by to the relief of the spectators and
without a trace Of the least damage.
"A young woman had mounted mack,
box and put whip to the horses and
dashed swiftly up one street and down
another the speed rivaling that ever dis
played in a hippodrome. The equestrienne
may well claim an equality with the ancient
Jehu and really 'drfveth furiously Wnen
she is in charge Of team and Is hfndered
by no Instructions. She at last halted
between Az and 9Th streets. In LOCALITY
known as Marble alley. when. as finale 10
her performances she displayed DISPOSE
ton to faint, but yielded to the persuasion
of a crony to postpone until another time
the interesting feat"
X
Gone are the days Of the annual distri-
button Of schol prizes and premiums. days
once fraught with hopes and
School fears on the part Of anxious
Prizes. pupils and fond parents. But
In 1885 the custom of re-
warding the brightest and best behaved
pupils was In full flower. The Star Of July
81 said:
''The annual distribution of premiums to
the pupils of the first and several district
schools took place yesterday afternoon at
the Smithsonian. The room was densely
thronged with ladies and gentlemen. to-
gether with a very large number of child
rem who were neatly dressed and evidently
delighted with the exercises. The board OF
school trustees were in attendance. super
intending the proceedings. Suitable adj
dresses were delivered and there was pleas
antly exciting music, and not the less well
come, singing by the children"
Then follows a list of the awards. filling
nearly column and a half. In the list for
Primary No. T. of the I'd district occurs
this interesting note:
Premium for punctuality to John Ma
gure. who has not lost a single day and
been all that a teacher could wish. and
more than any would expect. and who has
received the silver medal every year since
his entering the school: for this reason 1t
is given to the next best scholar
John was by no means alone in receiving
distinguishing mention. however, for Cath
arine V. RiggIes of Primary No. 2 first dis
trict, was honored for not having lost day
from school in four years.
The great space lying Immediately south
of the White House grounds. known as the
White Lot, has been open to public use for
so long that 1t is impossible for most
WashingtoniaEs to recall any other condi
ton to mind. In fact. it is just half a CEN
fury since 1t was given over to the people.
The Star of August 2. 1855. saying:
THE superintendent of the public grounds
In the vicinity Of the Presidents mansion
public, its improvement having been suff-
GENTLY completed. This is the large public
lot Immediately south of the Executive
Mansion, extending down to the rivers
shore. 1t is much the largest finished reser-
walton in Washington, and is prepared with
serpentlne drives. as well as the necessary
foliage and walks. which (the connecting
drives perhaps a mile in length. One
enjoys there necessarily all the breeze that
may nearly always be found In the immedi-
ate vicinity of the river. 1t can hardly be
long before our fellow-citizens. who ride on
horseback sport eQulpages, Will avail
themselves frequently of the comfort and
pleasure to be found in this new public
square"
1t Is only a few years ago that the fine
collection of animals now constituting the
permanent population of 20
1r1zz1y illogical Park had its begin
Bear. ming In a small herd of buff
falo sent to Washington from
the far west to insure preservation in
the interest Of science. Other animals were
presented to the Smithsonian Institution
from time to time until the family of pets
south of the building became too big for
comfort and park was specially provided
for them. 1t has perhaps passed out of the
recollection Of all but a very few Washing
tonians that there was an earlier beginning
of ZOO in this region. A grizzly bear
was sent to the Smithsonian from the
Rocky mountains and was kept for a short
time In uncomfortable quarters. For the
sake of the bear and the workers of the
institution a change was decided upon, and
The Star of August 4. 1855, notes that the
grizzly had been transferred to the farm
of the Insane Asylum, where there is al
ready a large collection of undomesticated
animals"
I'VE learn" continues The Star, that an
officer connected with the Smithsonian has
been considerably annoyed by visitors, who
so frequently ask him, Where's the bear,
sir? It's not here. Where is it? Gone
to the Insane Asylum What! Is 1t
crazy? asks an aged matron in tones of
surprise. It's sent there to be taken care
Of and to be kept out of harms way The
polite and accommodating janitor scarcely
freed from this dialogue. Is again inter-
rupted by a nurse and half dozen small
children. who came to see the bear. Ex-
plantations again to be made, and re-
plies are given to very many questions, n
til he exclaims: L wish I had never seen
~ J'ro