Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-13
FIFTY YEARS AGO
IN THE STAR

AAv - ~ ~ - "A ~
While Congress is now contemplating
further LEGISLATION addressed to the point
Of correcting certain &C
PUBIC tons of the board Of edu-
SelsccI. cation. ffty years ago the
board Of school trustees was
engaged in asking Congress for help. In
The Star Of January II. 1851. is q news
article recitin9 resolution adopted at a
late meeting of that board. The where
ases'' set forth that "a well-organized sys-
tenn of public instruction Is recognized by
every intelligent community as essential
to the existence of the republic that 'the
citizens of Washington annually manifest
increased solicitude in behalf of this great
American institution" that ''in consequence
of the limited resources available for
school purposes the trustees are compelled
to refuse the benefits of learning to hun
dreds of children thirsting for knowledge"
and that 1.-The Senate of the United States
have, with promptitude and unanimity.
most gratefully appreciated by our citi-
zens, passed bill providing means for a
more efficient expansion of our public
school organization. which bill is now be-
fore the House of Representatives" There
fore the trustees formally asked the con-
sideration of the bill by the House at as
early period as can be consistently al
lotted for that purpose, relying on the
sense of justice and the sagacity of that
honorable body for propitious action there
on, especially when it is remembered that,
out of the enormous grants of public lands
made by Congress in aid OF education
throughout the Union. not single one
has ever been awarded to the District Of
Columbia"
In a column Of news briefs in the issue
of January Is. 1857. the following are to
be found. doubtless of inter-
various est to some readers of today:
Items. Water is selling at St.
Paul, Mimi. at ten cents a
barrel
1.-The gas mains in Philadelphia measure
over 314 miles.
I'm one day last week there were five
tons Of cells shipped to New York by q
single town in Massachusetts.
AT a late meeting of the Philadelphia
Baptist Association the baptism of lady
one hundred years old was reported.
1T is estimated that the number Of per-
sons afflicted with insanity in the United
States at present reaches 25.OOO
Chicago Is becoming the religious me-
tropolis of the west: there will soon be
within and around 1t not less than FIVE
theological seminaries
THE board of trustees of the village Of
Salem, Washington county (state not
named). have disbanded the fire company
and directed their clerk to sell their en-
CINE, there being no need for it.
1.-The Catholics of New Jersey find it
difficult to comply with the order of their
six carriages On Sunday. at Newark, q
funeral presented a singular spectacle;
there were the six carriages only. but hun
dreds followed them on foot in promis-
cious and disorderly crowd. altogether more
unsightly and annoying than the long
string of carriages which the bishop has
abolished"
Members of Congress were as prone half
a century ago to deliver political speeches
and manufacture campaign
Political material" in the course Of
Speeches. the debates in the two
houses as they are today.
In The Star of January 16. 1857, Is the fol-
lowing paragraph bearing on this practice:
"The House of Representatives have 1t in
their power at any moment. almost to put
a stop to the waste of time in the delivery
of speeches on general politics. That Is.
by changing their rules SO as to make 1t
obligatory on all to confine their remarks
in debate in committee of the whole on
the state of the Union to the subject nOmi-
nally before them for consideration, as
when debating in the House, or in
committee of the whole House The rem
edy for the terrible disease Of the day is
simple. we'll known and sure to effect
radical cure of the cacoethes loquendi
which so destroys all hope of the proper
transaction of their legitimate business.
The leave to print was not then one
of the congressional prerogatives. there
being, indeed. no Congressional Record and
no great printing shop working night and
day to turn out the golden words and
hoJ1 btc Of roan n
a form convenient for mailing to distant
constituents.
Details of the Inauguration ball enter
prise were being worked out enthusiasts
tically. In The Star of jan
Ball uary 10. 1857. is the following
Plans. news item:
I'VE understand that the
committee Of strangers and citizens here
having this matter in charge have deter
mined to erect on Judiciary Square suit
able building for the purpose. 1t is to be
a grand hall. 225 by 65 feet high. in the
clear of the story. Parallel and adjoin-
ing it is to be erected suitable supper
room, 225 feet long. The whole is to be
papered, decorated. warmed. etc. as
to make 1t comfortable. convenient and
elegant indeed The tickets are to be $40
each: agents are now soliciting SubScrip-
the most splendid entertainment ever COM
ing off In this country. Some 300 tickets
have already been taken"
In another issue of The Star about this
time is to be found an item quoted from
the Democratic Review, as follows:
1.-The Inauguration Of James Buchanan
promises to be the most magnificent In
stallation of a chief magistrate of the
United States that has ever taken place.
The military and civic organizations Of the
large cities are making preparations to
visit Washington the occasion. Among
the rest we notice the Seventh Regiment
of the first division. New York State Mil
itia, of the city of New York: the Burgess
Corps of Albany: the keystone Club of
Philadelphia and the Young Mems Demo-
cratic Union Club of New York, who will
be accompanied by Dodsworths full band"
HUGHES.