Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-11
FIFTY YEARS AGO
IN THE STAR

Half century back street pianos such
as those now occasionally heard here had
not been invented. but the
street old-fashioned hand organ
Mus;c was in evidence. greatly to
the distaste Of the musical
ly inclined and the lovers of quiet. In
The Star Of October 4. 1855 is the follow
ing paragraph on the subject:
For months past our city has been in
tested by a gang of vagabond organ
grinders. who daily and nightly travel
about the streets, blockading the side
walks by collecting gangs Of persons of
all colors around them to listen to their
performance. Recently a new detachment
has arrived. the majority of the men
armed each with box Of whistles and the
female with a tambourine. The most at
tractive of the parties is couple Of the
individuals-one a harper, a neat-looking
fellow, who thrums the pieces he has
learned right we'll; the other an outland-
ish creature dressed Ia Turk. who plays
a fiddle and at the same time by q wise
arrangement beats a drum. cymbals. tri-
angle. ETC., and supplies the place of a
monkey by picking up the pennies that
reward his labors.
In addition to the unlawful assemblies
lhCy CISdtS, lucSc ltlHeTdnIS are great all
noyances to our citizens. specially in
those neighborhoodS where persons are
suffering with sickness. few nights
ago we counted as many as five of those
whistle boxes in full squeal at the same
time In the square where an old citizen.
since dead was lying very i'll. These are
|obstructions that ought to be attended to.
If we mistake not, the police few years
ago found means by which the city was
relieved Of those nuisances for consid
cradle time'
1t has been good many years since
Maggie Mitchell trod the boards in this
city. Half century ago
maggie she was just gaining her
Mitche1l remarkable hold upon the
public favor, a hold which
she did not relinquish for several decades.
She appeared in Washington during the
week and a half beginning October 4,
1858. performing such plays as Satan in
Paris" ''The Maid With the Milking
PAIL" '"The Young Prince" Katy
OShiel.'' THE French Spy" 1.-The Pet of
the Petticoats." THE Four Sisters" 1.-The
Wept of Wish-ton-wis "Woman's
Stratagem. "A Husband at Sight"
THE Wild Irish GAL" Mature Versus
Philosophy" Masks and Faces and
1.-The Wandering Boy" Several Of Miss
Mitchelrs plays offered her an oppor-
tunity to display her wide versatility. In
''Woman's Stratagem" she assumed five
different characters. and in Loves STRAIT
agems" she presented four impersona-
tons. The Star said of her first perform
ance:
Pretty and sparkling Maggie Mitchell
commenced last night and achieved at
once her accustomed success; her fas-
cinating sway was acknowledged by the
very fine audience present with a warmth
and fullness which few If any other art
iste in her line could have extorted. Miss
Mitchell is decidedly the most attractive
actress In the peculiar role she essays
now before the country; her exceeding
personal charms would alone suffice to
endear her to any American audience;
but to rare beauty she adds abilities of
the most brilliant order and a vivacity.
archness and abandon Of style fully ire
sistible."
X
The long suffering residents Of the is
land. that part of Washington lying south
of the old canal, finally deter
Citizens mined about fifty years ago
pro+e.+ to get together for redress
of grievances, and started a
movement which may be regarded the
beginning of the citizens associations
which have become in recent years
characteristic feature Of local life. The
Star of October 6, 1853, speaking of the
matter, says:
THE seventh warders. always on the
alert where there is interest or the pub
lie good Is concerned, are experiencing
general waking up as to the ways and
means OF abating certain ward nuisances
and Of bringing about a number Of neces-
Sary improvements. The subject Of
market house to be situated in a central
location in the seventh ward Is agitating
the popular mind. and at the same time
endeavors are being instituted for doing
away with several old-establiShed annoy
ances which have long since become the
objects OF a special anxiety to those in
terested in the welfare of this important
portion of the federal metropolis. In
view Of the want of the fast augmenting
population a number Of the leading citi-
Zens have determined to call a meeting
Of the citizens of the ward for the pur-
pose Of taking into consideration. among
other things. the opening OF 9Th street
market house and the drainage OF
James creek"
The Star proceeded in the article to
discuss the best ways and means for &C
complishing these objects. especially the
last named. but it was many q year be-
fore the malodorous influence Of James
Creek canal ceased to menace the health
Of the islanders.
j. X
Leading citizens Of Washington were
striving fifty years ago for the estab
lishment Of high school
High to supplement the primary
c, schools of the District. But
there were those who OBJ
tected to the enterprise on the ground
that the District was not ready for such
an extension. In The Star of October z,
1858, is the following statement Of this
point of view: