Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-05

vernon yesterday at the actions of certain
foreign visitors The Europeans, especially
those from the Latin countries, are famous
the world over for their politeness and
courtesy. A section of the Marine Band
accompanied the excursionists to the home
of Washington and played an excellent pro-
gram on both the down and return trips,
besides playing program of unusual ex-
cellence on the grounds. 1t seems that
many of the foreigners are not familiar
with the national airs of this country and
the amusement of some of the more sophiS-
ticated spectators grew out of the actions
OF these polite sons of the effete countries
of the old world to show just how courte-
Gus and considerate they were. The very
first selection played by the band as the
boat pulled out of the dock was 1.-THE Star
Spangled Banner" Of course every true
hearted American stood with head barred
during the playing of the anthem This
was followed with God Save the King"
as compliment to the English delegates,
and Die Wacht Am Rhein' and 1.-The
and French contingents. At each selection
the delegates would stand with heads
barred. But the bands supply of national
airs must have given out at this juncture,
for the next piece played was a rolicking
rag-time melody with true negro syncopa-
ton of the time Down on the lower deck
of the steamer was large group of for
eigners. They heard the band and remem-
U
the program. and, feeling called upon to
continue their show of respect, gravely
rose to their feet and DOTTED their hats. A
catchy two-step followed the rag-time Sc
lection and the foreigners again paid their
tribute Of respect. The program continued
in this fashion until Mount Vernon was
reached, each time the delegates rising and
standing bare-headed in the glare of the
sun until the music ceased. The Americans
who saw the performance were apprecia- |
tive of the compliments intended. but
could not forebear to smile at the means
adopted to show it.
Miss Emma Herbert of 1882 Columbia
road is in possession of bit of history, |
recorded while fresh and new, that is in
teresting at this time, in connection with
the wonderful railroad exhibit over on the
Monument grounds. Miss Herbert has a
letter, written by her grandfather, Gen. |
Obidiah Herbert of Herbertsvlle. N j. to
his son, and her father, Jacob Herbert. at
New Orleans, La, November 10, 1881, which
relates incident of life worth record |
ing. the trial of steam carriage on what
was later the Camden-Amboy railway, now
merged into the Pennsylvania.
Gen Herbert wrote to his son:
81 would have written to you Immediately
on the receipt of your letter. but there was
a celebration or first trial Of the steam
carriage on the railroad near Bordentown
On. j. on Saturday, the 18th instant
November u, 1S3D. l went to see the ex-
hibition and write some of the particulars
to you. They had a coach that held thirty
passengers attached to the steamer, and
ran one and a quarter miles in two min
utes and twenty-five seconds. This they
repeated a great many times, as there were
a great many people and they all wanted to
ride. The legislature was all invited and
attended. and a great many of the first
class people of New Jersey. Robert Stew
ems conducted the machinery himself 1t
was a handsome performance and gave
great satisfaction
npntiOnpd the
son of John l. Stevens, the American IN
ventor and railroad man, whose sons foi-
lowed in the footsteps of their father.
Robert was a personal friend of Gen. Her
bert's The senior Stevens memorialized
the New York legislature in 1872, urging
the building of railways. and published
pamphlet in which he predicted that trains
or carriages would be drawn over railways
at the rate of twenty miles an hour. Il
can see nothing to hinder steam carriage
from moving on these ways (rails) with
velocity of 100 miles an hour, ne deciared'
and people thought him crazy. In less than
a quarter of century his son sent this en-
CINE or steam carriage" over the ways
at the rate of thirty miles an hour, ana
half century later than that 100 miles an
hour was no longer a glittering generality
but an accomplished fact.
The office of the Canadian Pacific railway.
in the Bond building Is the only railroad
office in the city decorated In honor or the
International railway congress. and Is ire
ouentIy mistaken for the headquarters or
the organization. this being due to the fact
that it has flags displayed for each nation
either inside the office or on the building
The idea of decoration was conceived by
Mr. E. v. Skinner. assistant traffic man.
ager of New York city. and carried out by
D. H Morse. the city passenger agent.
The officers representing the Canadian
Pacific at the congress are: d. McNicoil
vice president; w. Whyte, second vice pres
ident; l. G. Ogden, third vice president; w.
F. Tye chief engineer; H. H. Vaughan. SUI
perintendent motive power, and w. E. Fow-
ler master car builder.
railroad man of more than usual inter-
est is Mr.. NJ. r. Jeffords, civil engineer, OF
New York city, who is now in this city and
who has had half century's experience in
building and operating railroads not only
in the United States. but in nearly every
country the globe. His statements re-
speeding the international railway congress
now being held In this city are worthy of
note.
Upon being asked his views respecting
the benefits to be derived by the converting
of such a congress, Mr.. Jeffords said:
"The international railway congress.
which was started by a few Belgian car
and locomotive builders for the purpose of
promoting trade in railway supplies. held
its first international session in Paris III
September, 1889. 1t was looked upon as a
very small and short-lived institution with
very large-soundn gname. / attended its
first session and told Mr.. Nagiemacher, one
of its promoters and president of the Inter-
national Wagon Lit sleeping carr Com