Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-18
FIFTY YEARS AGO
In THE STAR

Lost and ing to indicate the changes that
r.a have occurred here in that space
Of time In the issue Of August
10, 1857. Is an especially suggestive collec-
ton of these announcements. Four per-
sons advertised for the recovery Of lost
cows or horses. one for a runaway slave.
and two proclaimed the finding of animals.
The runaway slave advertisement was
frequently inserted during that period, as
many negroes were Just then trying to es-
cape into the northern states. despite the
fact that the bred Scott decision gave
their owners the undoubted right Of re-
covery. These advertisements were always
accented by the marginal insertion Of tiny
illustrations, showing a man or woman
In the act Of hustling off with a bundle.
In one issue Of The Star about this time
the proprietor Of a marble yard offered
cents reward In announcing that an
lndentured apprentice aged seventeen
and half years had run away from
him, and warning all persons from har-
boring or hiring the fugitive. No ex-
PLANTATION Of the small sum offered ap-
pears. The numerous advertisements of
lost cattle disclose the loose methods of
owners of cows and horses in pasturing
them. They were allowed to grazo on the
open commons and often without being
fastened to stakes. These public pastures
supplied the greater part of the food for
The drainage Of Washington was not OF
the best' sort fifty years ago. and whenever
heavy rains fell the fact was
Drainage deeply impressed upon the
s,.+e,,, public mind. In The Star OF
August II, 1857. Is an article
on this subject:
The recent drenching rains have flooded
US with communications upon the subject
Of the drainage of our city, than which no
other Is Of more Importance to the future
Of It's health and comfort. We select for
publication today the following brief one.
which, will be perceived. is particularly
pertinent in its suggestions:
Although l have no direct interest In the
welfare of Washington. 1 would still make
suggestion to its authorities and people
that will probably at some future day be
regretted II not deplOred unless they give
it attention 1t is this: To commence i'm
mediately the necessary preparation 10
receive the water and use 1t, when 1t
reaches the city, and to connect with that
preparation some general system OF drain
age
certain that he comprehends his subject
thoroughly His words of advice are sound
and should be needed and speedily improved
on. Whenever Washington city may be sup
piled with the constant flow of water
through its streets, to be incident to the
supply by the government aqueduct, extern
sive changes and improvements In Its sys-
TEN Of drainage cannot fall to prove neces-
sary. Most Of them can and should be
anticipated, and to that end it is high time
that. as our correspondent suggests. those
in authority were commencing to prepare
the drains and sewers to receive the aque-
duct water.
Back in the f1fties Blakistone's Island
was one Of the favorite river resorts, and
was annually visited by
Blackistone's large numbers Of heat
po1;l,o, fleeing Washingtonians. In
The Star of August II.
1857. is an appreciation Of It's charms:
"A friend who has lately soJourned at
Blakistone's pavilion writes us in I'M
stinted praise of the many comforts and
luxuries it affords to all who visit 1t. Its
bathing. fishing. sailing and delightful bay
breeZes, he tells us. are unsurpassed. while
the host. in the manner in which he fur
nshes his table and provides all other
desirable creature comforts for his guests.
is host in himself. Families visiting
there may rely on escaping the annoyance
Of intercourse with the gambling fratern-
ity and It's train. Col. Blackstone permits
nothing to be carried on upon his premises
by which the unwary or inexperienced
may be f1eeced, and, therefore, while his
establishment meets the antictpations of
all others. 1t is, of course, no place for per-
sons who visit watering places to make
their jacks out Of the guests. Col B. is
winning golden opinions by the Steadiness
with which he refuses to wink at VIOLA
lions Of his rules in such matters, from
all whose good opinion Is worth having,
and in time he will find that he has made
more by refusing to rent rooms to be used
for playing faro in them than by pocket
ing the enormous rents charged usually
and paid at watering places for such ac-
comm rotations"
Washington, in common with all other
communities, has always sought more
trade It is seeking 1t to-
Local day 1t was seeking it fifty
nrod. years ago, as the following
from The Star Of August
IS. 1857. attests:
"A letter in the Baltimore American says,
"A gentleman who came over the Orange
and Alexandria railroad yesterday says
that the present travel over that road
is unparalleled in its annals. Nine cars
filed to their utmost capacity, landed their
living cargoeS In Alexandria last evening.
He also states that the freight trains
brought down about 10000 bushels of grain
yesterday
I'VE have repeatedly endeavored to i'm
press on our city readers the Importance
to their business future Of the great Cen
trail railroad to the Mississippi, of which
thaHOrange and Alexandria railroad Is the
eastern end. The above paragraph, how
ever embraces arguments to that end far
more potent practical and tangible than
any that have cudgeled out Of our
brain Now. out of the nine carloads OF
passengers at least 100 If not twice as
many, stopped over in Washington city.
They must necessarily spend among US
for some remain over here days and weeks
an average Of S.. Say that they spent
here but an aggregate Of $500 a day-no
mean addition to the amount of money
in circulation.
Those who sent down the 10000 bush
els of wheat to Alexandria can hardly
avoid spending more or less Of its pro-
ceeds here, or leaving some Of 1t with our
neighbors Of Alexandria, whose business
prosperity must necessarily beneflcially
affect ours
when the great chain of railroads shall
be finished 1t cannot happen otherwise
than that nine full carloads Of passengers'
will be brought not once day over them
to Washington, but twice, thrice or
oftener. Our interests are at this moment
far moro Intimately bound up with the
speedy completion of the extension Of this
Orange and Alexandria railroad than with
any other, or all other, public works In
the United States together. and it is but
our duty to ourselves to leave no stone
unturned to expedite that so desirable con-
clusion."