Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-19
FIFTY YEARS AGO
IN THE STAR

Railroad accidents were not as common
half century ago as they are today, and
attracted a wider notice.
Narrow Circumstances not of tragic
E.c.r. nature lent a peculiar in
terest to narrow escape
from a disaster described In the following
paragraph In The Star of May IL. 1857:
I'VE learn from a passenger that when
the train that left Philadelphia at
$50 O'Clock on Saturday night last reached
a point within twenty -one miles from
Baltimore the driving wheel of the engine
broke. and being on a straight line of
road; the engine-drfver managed to stop
the train without disaster. Most of the
passengers then proceeded on foot to the
magnolia station Baltimore and Philafiel-
phia railroad). where the telegraph, operator
was awakened. and piled the wires for
tnree hours without obtaining a response
from him who should have replied from
the telegraph station in the Baltimore
depot In the meanwhile q messenger was
sent on foot to Baltimore-eighteen miles
Ior assistance and actually performed the
whole distance before relief engine left
there for the disabled train. When an
answer was extracted from Baltimf e per
telegraph It was that everybody was away
from the depot whose business it was to
get the desired engine in motion. At the
end OF six and one-half- hours after the
breaking Of the wheel the relief arrived
and the train was duly brought into Balti-
more.
When the accident occurred they are
said to have been running at the rate of
forty-ffye miles per hour, being somewhat
behind time. Had the accident occurred
engine on straight piece of road, nought
would have prevented smash-up that
might have killed and wounded perhaps
nifty persons, who (the. latter would have
1t might have been. ere relief could have
been expected from Baltimore
Washington's James Creek canal problem
was not as acute fifty years ago as 1t later
became. but 1t was sufilc' emily
James menace to health to evoke
Creek numerous suggestions for an
abatement of the nuisance. In
The Star of May II. 1867, is description
of scheme just proposed to dig a ship
canal to follow the line of the creek The
Star says:
This arrangement would. If carried out.
restore the city canal to its original direc-
ton as laid down on the old city maps
An appropriation was made by Congress
last winter of 5000 for flood gate at the
mouth of this creek. This was done with
view to draining the creek and IL possible
to prevent the decay of vegetable matter.
which gives rise to that poisonous miasma
SO productive of chtiis and fever all along he
marsh and extending even past the Capitol
to the neighborhood Of English Hill, and as
far as the residence Of Judge Douglas. The
draining of this creek will produce change
in some degree, beneficial to that district,
but much more so would the proposed
canal. In the first case the effect would be
only partial in the last II would be COM
plete. Every tide would carry off down the
river channel the putrid outpourings of the
city sewers. which now to a great extent
remain and poison the air which perhaps
compelled to breathe daily during the warm
season. The proposed flood gate at the
mouth of the creek will be so arranged as
to open at the ebb tide and close at its
flood. The river water will be thus pre-
vented from passing into the creek and
every ebb will carry out into the river all
that has accumulated behind the dam.
That these improvements will have most
beneficial results Is shown by the aireaoy
increased activity In real estate transactions
and building operations in the seventh
ward"
- as.-i.4 4 ~, 5.s.- t,,35,t
. Washington was evidently suffering from
a social reaction from. the. inauguration
excitement land actiyttX
Dull Judging from the following
paz. paragraph printed in The
Star Of May Is. 1857. -
These are emphattcaily dull days in
Washington, in all matters save busi-
ness affairs. Old Sol continues to hide
his smiling face behind hazy clouds,
SO that az yet -the Washington pub
lie have tasted precious little of his
geniality OF the season, and the con-
sequence Is that though we are without the
winters attributes of excitement, so far we
are also without any OF those which usually
mark the federal metropolis during the sea-
son Of flowers. The summers gaiety OF
our population has not commenced. The
young folks who usually at such a time
parade Pennsylvania avenue and saunter
in the public grounds with the influence of
our fine climate during the most delightful
period of the year evidently peryading all
their faculties seem to be victims OF
shrewd suspicion that Jack Frost still
fingers near enough to give them blue
noses at will. We haven't laid eyes on
summer-looking man since October last,
save him in the Panama hat, sky-b1ue vest
and claret-colored swal1owtafled coat with
yellow handkerchief half out OF his breeches
pocket and woe-begone countenance ludt-
crously contrasting with his odd ha biliments
who was wont to saunter through the ave.
nue. and in the Senate gallery in December,
January and February last-not one other.
So the city looks positively dolorous the ap.
pearance OF the few ofiiceseekers still lin
gering here aiding to give folks even more
philosophic than ourself the. blues 80
4 =
The following. paragraph printed in The
Star of May L.: 1857. indicates that the
s. ~. guardians of the. park spaces
Ont of had troubles half century
p.,d. ago greater than those endure
ed today by their successors:
Lately various persons have been COM
hitting depredations upon the grounds OF
the Smithsonian Institution which have
required the interference Of the captain OF
the auxiliary guard as check. Mr.. ]. B.
F'rere, a guard detailed for duty at that
post. saw number of persons harvesting
grass there yesterday without authority,
and arrested one of them, who proved to be
least at fault and was dismissed on his
giving information which may lead to the
arrest of the more guilty parties.
"Some years ago high official function
airy was seen on a cunning expedition for
blue birds and robins in the Capitol
grounds, and more recently a lad prepared
himself with hook and line to catch gold
fish in the basins at the Capitol both UNI
der the impression that being public prop
erty any one had a right to enjoy 1t. But
both we're taught differently by the police
and lessons will soon be given to Others"
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