Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-27

FIFTY YEARS AGO
In THE STAR
Weather memory being VIGOROUSLY
tickle 1t Is doubtful whether many Wash
ingtonians remember the cli-
Trying matte conditions Of the last
Season. quarter of 1858. and the fol-
lowing paragraph printed in
The Star of December 20 of that year may
stimulate recoliections of one of the most
trying seasons known in this vicinity:
1.-The weather-though such in this
region for six weeks past as to give folks
in the cities the blues and to half smother
those in the country in interminable mud
has been really Godsend to the public
interests. For a long previous season so
little rain fell as not only to destroy
mucf, of the yield of Indian corn in al
directions that should have been gath
cred in the fall. but to do infinite dam
age otherwise. We refer to the drought s
effect In shortening the fall pasture ir
half the states Of the Union and in
doubling the labor Of preparing the land
seeded down to wheat, and further in rem
dering Improbable for the time being
every description Of mechanical labor that
required a medium supply of water to be
profitably conducted. The drought was
really a national calamity. Again. how
ever, thanks to the disagreeable weather
OF the last six weeks. the earth is sat
urated with rain, the streams are full
and the wheat crop has attained full
start, finer than almost any previous one
within the memory of man, start which
bids fair to make up to the farmers their
losses from the extraordinary prevalence
of the rust that scOurged the country II
all directions last summer. We are.
the mud now in the streets Of Wash
ington."
Half century ago the concertina. ar
Improvement on the old-style accordion
was a popular musical nov.
Musical city. and an expert per-
Novelty. former was kept busy al
one of the city hotels CIV
ing demonstrations of the instrument ano
instructing its purchasers. In The Stal
Of December %, 1885, is printed para
graph referring to this matter:
Herr Meyer, teacher OF the concer
tina, may at nearly al times be found a
Browns by those desiring either to pur
chase or learn to play on this delicious
and SO cheap musical instrument. Whicf
for its cost and the space 1t occupies dis
mony than is conceivable on the part OF
one who has never heard Herr Meyer
play upon it. 1t embraces five full oc
taves of tones, which are as delicate ane
apparently as powerful as those of a fine
chamber organ, and any piano player car
master the principles of the instrument ir
a few lessons; for it is played precisely
on the principle of the pianoforte. The
only difficulty in the way of the piano
player is to learn its gamut: that is
In that particular only is it played other
wise than as a piano Is played. We are
very sure that a single months perse'
verance in studying the instrument under
Herr Meyers instruction will enable any
fair piano player to discourse delightful
music indeed upon it. Upon picnics. a:
an accompaniment for the voice, it will
prove the thing OF all others-a fine piano
or organ which may almost be carried II
a gentleman's breeches pocket
Half a century ago Mrs. Julia Dear
Hayne was one Of the "old timers" OF
the American stage. Hell
Veteran name is probably now re
Actr.es called with difficulty by
the elder theatergoers
for she did not achieve the distinction
Of Charlotte Cushman or some other ex
ponents of the dramatic art. She ap
peared in Washington for a weeks en-
gagement beginning December 90 1858
presenting such plays as THE Hunch
gomar." Loves Sacrifice Blanca ane
Julianni." "Fazio,'' 1.-The Lady of Lyons
and "Blackeyed Susan" OF one of the
performances The Star of December -
1858, said:
'The theater was indeed crammed las
night, in theatrical parlance, from phi
to dome, to see Mrs. Julia Dean Hayne
as Parthenia in 'Ingomar. 1t must b.
confessed that she has somewhat failed
In vigor and voice within the last few
years, but the fire of genius still burns
unabated and with the tinge of thought
fulness naturally acquired by time anc
experience she is, if any different, more
interesting than ever. None OF her ole
friends, or anybody else in the city
should fail to see her during her present
themselves superbly last night and the
after-piece was wholesomely amusing"
For long time there was but single
line of railroad connecting the capita
with the northern cities
Railroad namely, the Baltimore
Project. ana o"'o. other pro1ect'
were on foot which were
however, slow of contamination. One Of
the enterprises, originally for a line from
Baltimore down through the peninsula be
tween the Potomac and Chesapeake bay
but eventually a straight route between
Baltimore and Washington. was In process!
of organization at this time in 1858. Ii
The Star of December "a of that year 1:
the following paragraph:
1.-The stockholders of the contemplated
railroad between Baltimore and point
opposite Aqua creek held meeting Sat
urday last at Upper Marlboro. A num-
Der of gentlemen interested were present
from Prince George. Charles, Anne
Arundel and St. Marys counties. The OBJ
ject of the NEE ing was to elect sever
directors to manage the affairs of tht