Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-21
FIFTY YEARS Ago
In THE STAR


Followers of Nimrod will doubtless read
this extract from The Star of October 13.
1856, with mingled feelings
Damp of amusement and pity for
Sport. their unfortunate colleagues
of half century ago:
I'VE have been amused at the description
given to US by an old gunner of the state
in which he lately found couple of our
amateur sportsmen in the vicinity Of Ben
ning's bridge. 1t is well known that the
ortolan shooter provides himself with
skiff of light draft in which to traverse the
deep marshes. and while he takes his posi-
ton forward, gun in hand, man Is sta
toned at the other end to propel the boat
AS these skiffs are necessarily somewhat
of the eggshell order. the chances are that
the parties. if not careful and experienced.
will meet with an occasional capsize.
Our friend says he was making his way
cautiously through the marsh when he en-
countered a waterlogged skin moving
slowly along. and at each end of which q
mans head was visible above lie water.
One Of the heads opened his mouth and
pathetically inquired the nearest way to
the shore. The 'cussed skiff.' he said, had
a knack Of kicking up and fitting them in
the water at every attempt to shoot. He
added emphatically, and somewhat pro-
fanely. that if this was the sport cracked
up in ortolan shooting he wanted no more
of 1t. Our friend, the gunner, is confident
he has seen these same amateurs behind
the counter of one Of our fashionable dry
goods stores, but is probably much mis-
taken in that
Tn, tIn TIL.
graph which will doubtless bring back to
the minds of the older citi-
Stole Gems a practice Of their own
Hose Reel, youth. Boys-and men as
well-still run to fires. but
the supplanting of the old hand apparatus
by horse-drawn steamers, reels. trucks
Chemicals and towers has robbed the
sport of its former zest of personal partic-
1pat1on. There is at least no present in
diligence in the practice here described:
Last night a hose reel was brought from
the seventh ward into the fourth ward by
number of young men, for what purpose
was not apparent, there was no alarm
of fire in that section of the city. The aux
iliary guards. hearing the noise, went to
see what the matter was, and finding sew
eral minors dragging the reel they ar
rested them and put them In the guard
house. Justice Birch, at the request of
Capt. Mills. who did not wish to retain
Tie
The alarm was false; the young men were
pulling the reel; they were under twenty
one years Of age and liable each to $40 fine
and the costs; but as this was the first time
they were caught the justice administered
repr1mand and advised them to break up
their organization, property owners in
the seventh ward were opposed to it,
warned them that If taken again they would
be made to pay the full penalty. and then
dismissed them.''
The relation of the younger members of
the community and the fire department
was just then under serious
SCHOOLS ana local discussion as this item
Firemen. in The Star of October Is,
1855. indicates:
ION Monday night several members of
the board of aldermen expressed their
opinion as to the present condition Of the
fire department in this city. The subject
under consideration was the bill changing
the Northern Liberties engine house into a
school house and appropriating $4,000 for
the purchase of a lot and the erection of a
two-story house thereon for the use of said
company.
"Mr. Ruff explained the object of the bill
Dill, as the first intention was that the
house and ground should be for the use of
the public schools when needed. He had
no objection to give the company a house
for their apparatus but did not think it
should be expended in erecting ball rooms
for fire or other associations
Mr. Ruff explained the object of the bill
to be to separate the public schools from
the engine house; that being very i'm
proper place in which to give children
right training. He thought the amount
proposed sufficient to purchase a lot and
build house good enough for the proper
purposes of the fire company.
'Mr. Smith argued that the money might
be best used by the schools and allow the
company to remain. For his part he was
sorry to see the condition of the fire de-
partment; not an alarm of fire occurred
that the streets were not filled with half
nedged young rascals. who were not care
In his own ward. without the knowledge or
wish Of the citizens. kind Of fire associa-
ton had been formed: he had but recently
heard of 1t and was opposed to the plan.
at fires was occasioned by the minors who
were allowed to run with the companies:
and IT was time for the companies to get
rid OF them"
A few years ago four young women
professionally known as the Cherry Sis
tiers, created furore in
aimed at theatrical circles by CONS
the Actors. ing east from Iowa, where
they had managed to make
money because they were so very far short
of the dramatic standards. Their chief bid
for notoriety was the fact that they were
compelled to play literally behind net,
to protect themselves from the missiles
hurled by aroused spectators. This pleas
ant practice Of throwing things at actors
has practically disappeared from the CEN
tiers Of civilization. Half a century ago it
was in vogue in Washington to some ex-
tent, as this extract from The Star of Oc-
tober IT, 1856, indicates:
Some of our playgoing population seem
vary
constitutes fun and propriety. Not many
nights ago person threw cabbage upon
the stage during the performance. and last
night fellow, either crazy or drunk, we
should think. threw a live cat upon the
stage during the representation Of "She
Stops to Conquer He was promptly
arrested, taken to the guard house, where
he was fined IS and costs. Much indigna-
tion was expressed by the audience as well
as indignation that such an occurrence
should have happened in Washington
theater."