Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-07
FIFTY YEARS AGO
IN THE STAR

| The camels imported from Asia and
Africa into the southwest for possible use
in this country arrived in
| imported good condition and were
| Camels.S turned out In the arid re-
gionss to accustom them
selves to their new surroundings. In The
Star Of April 3, 1857, is an article about
them. in part as follows:
The camels in Texas have been heard
from up to the 18th Of March. They are
doing well. and those first brought over
are in use for the transportation Of sup
plies between San Antonio and Camp
Verde. Three little ones were born in
March and Ave or six more births are ex-
pected. From the reports Of the condition
| OF the animals at present, and through the
eleven months that the first Importation
| have been on the continent, We may re-
gard all doubts to their acclimation
dissipated and that SO much of the expert
ment is a fixed fact. The only remaining
tndeterminate point Is the character of
the stock that may be produced. For this
time Will be required. The officers in
charge are. however. sanguine that 1t will
fuliy equal that Of Asia Minor and Africa,
highly developed.
1T may be said in the progressive spirit
that marks the age and especially our
country, we shall soon cover the interior of
America with a network of railroads
Looking at its vast extent and measuring
the future by the past. we may ask, How
soon! In one two or three centuries1
ana In the meantime may not the camels
prove OF great utility to trade, and even
contribute to the building up of the very
railroads In question? These are matters
Tor serious consideration and should be ex-
ahmed without prejudice and intelligently.
Fair play for the camel experiment.
1t Is interesting in this connection to re-
fleet that the last spike in the first trans
continental railway was driven only twelve
years after the foregoing was printed, in
1853, and that well inside of the first half
century following the estimate of zone, two
or three centuries the western country
was 50 thoroughly covered by a railroad
sipie. would have been an anachronism.
incidentally it may be noted that the ex-
pertinent failed, owing to the bad effect of
the alkaline soil Of the southwest upon the
80
Apropos of the crinoline barring COW posts
In front Of the gates of Lafayette Square,
a correspondent wrote a let
Unpopular ter to The Star, which ap-
Posts. pears in the issue Of April 8,
1857:
/ noticed piece in your paper the other
day justifying the planting Of posts in front
S-S o~|So w A|oAdySlIo SQudTS. III
humble opinion they are not only a hoop
smashing continuance. but they are gawky
ill-timed. out Of place and entirely use
less; and show great lack of judgment. I
believe 1t Is alleged that they are there to
keep the cows out of the place. in case the
DO They are Of no benefit, only to mar
the beautiful appearance, to obstruct the
passages and to defy entrance of the fair
ones. who would prefer observing from the
of how, eo1x.
narrow limits. Why was not a slight neat
semi-circular railing gate, intending in
ward, placed at each entrance; similar to
that in front of the War Department.
which would be at the same time effectual
In keeping cows out; also a neat and eff
Gent passage? / hope this will be looked
to, and that In place of those useless, Of
fensive posts some sensible continuance NAV
be substituted. l need say no more They
show for themselves"
The Potomac fisheries were highly i'm
portant factor in the Industrial equation
Of this region half a century
Redolent ago. but there were serious
FishtoWn drawbacks to the process.
The lower portion of Alex
andr1a was known as F'ishtowu and 1t bore
an unsavory reputation, being offensive to
the moral as we'll as the olfactory sensi-
oiities OF the community at large. In The
Star OF April g. 1857, Is description of
this delectable colony. in part, as follows:
Reader, were you ever in Fishtown? If
never and you have nerve enough to see
most instructive aspects go over on the
Page, the Collyer or the Washington some
day shortly and visit that huge dm)moraI
mushroom which springs up In the course
OF the first night Of every spring. wherein
refreshing breezes wend their way I'D the
Potomac. 1t Is the point at which the
heavy transactions in the fish caught on
the Potomac during fishing season. take
of the greater part Of the labors by day
and by night of the perhaps five thou
sand Potomac river seine haulers. who.
from the 10th Of March to the LIST Of May,
annually rescue from the depths Of our
noble river treasures in the shape of shad
and herring worth In the aggregate an al
most fabulous amount Of money. From
one to three hundred schooners and sloops
are engaged In bringing the fish up to that
point and from three to six hundred people
are employed there in the business Of
them away. while the outside crowd Of
employers. sellers, buyers from a distance,
boothkeepers. folders. dancers. drinkers.
loafers and loaferesses number perhaps
packed and damned amid tons of reeking
fish refuse on ard around single wharf
located on an outskirt of Alexandria,
whose police is always prudently aug
mented to cover the urgent necessities Of
the occasion; for considerable portion of
the 'goodlie (ungodly) companie' gracing
Fishtown. between their propensity for ex-
ecrable whisky and their taste for rowing
and rioting. require to be kept in check by
the presence of stern and efficient officers
Very few Of such Of the denizens OF Fish
town belong in Alexandria, The District
Of Columbia supplies her with perhaps
more than half Of them, and as q conse--
querce our police reports during fishing
season are meager OF commitments to the
workhouse."
THE NEW MEMBER,