Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-23
FIFTY YEARS AGO
IN THE STAR
For many years one Of the reasons why
the water power at the Great Fails or the

the right to use the water
at that point. One Of them was started
about fifty years ago. as the 1oho"ihs
paragraph in The Star OF August TO-
1853, indicates:
During the several days Of last week
the parties to the appraisement Oh the
claim of the Great Falls Manufacturing
Company to prospective damages TOT the
abstraction of the 100000 gallons OF
water for the use Of the washington aque-
duct and for a part of Conn's Island at
the Great Falls and also part or the
bed OF the stream were occupied In ne
gotiations for its adjustment. The mat
ter was not settled, however, and Will
probably occupy several days more, as the
names of the legal advisers and agents
Of the claimants is legion. On the part
of the claimants quite an array OF legal
force is employed comprising members
of the profession who rank among the
best In the country, viz: Messrs. Bowie
and Kilgour at Rockville, ex-Gov: Lowe
of Frederick City. r. e. Scott, Messrs
Pendleton, Love and Strother OF virginia
and Mr.. Chiffon Of Washington CITY: Inc
government has engaged Messrs: Ouid ana
Caperton of Georgetown. D. c.; Brewer or
Rockville and E. c. Darlington of WASH
ington A number Of interesting questions
have grown out of the Investigation. in
volving in part some of the fundamental
principles of the law as to . the PUBIC oc
rights OF riparian proprietors and In part
the degree of power embraced In charter
from the state of Virginia to confer ute
to the stream and bed of the Potomac
river The Jury of inquisition numbers
seventeen men, of whom twelve must be
unanimous before an inquisition can be
made. The amount OF water which Will
be required by the aqueduct will not ex-
coed one-eighteenth of the contents OF the
river at its lowest stage.
The first messages over the Atlantic cable.
consisting of an exchange Of greetings be-
tween Queen Victoria and
Cable President Buchanan, were
Messares. transmitted on the 18th
of August 1853. In The
Star of the next day these messages ap-
pear in full with appropriate comments:
The Queens message was as follows:
1.-THE queen desires to congratulate the
President upon the successful completion
of the great International work, in which
the queen has taken the deepest interest.
The queen Is convinced that the President
will join with her in fervently hoping that
the electric cable which now connects
Great Britain WIN the OulteQ 0totOS Will
prove an additional link between the ma
lions whose friendship is founded upon
their common interests and reciprocal es-
TEEN. The queen has much pleasure In
thus communicating with the President
and renewing to him her wishes for the
prosperity of the United States"
The President responded as follows:
1.-THE President cordially reciprocates
the congratulations Of her majesty the
queen on the success OF the great inter
ASatA~ Vxlf CHI n
science, skill and indomitable energy OF
the two countries. 1t Is q triumph more
glorious. because far more useful to man
kind, than was ever won by conqueror on
the field of battle. May the Atlantic
telegraph, under the direction of heaven.
prove to be bond Of perpetual peace and
friendship between the kindred nations
and an instrument destined by divine
providence to diffuse religion. civilization
and law throughout the world. In this
view will not all the nations of Christen-
dom spontaneously unite in the declara-
ton that 1t shall be forever neutral. and
that It's communications shall be held
sacred in passing to the places of their
ties?"
Observant citizens Of Washington half a
century ago were greatly distressed at
the evidences that INSULT
Juvenile cient attention was being
correct;on paid by the authorities to
the subject of juvenile
correction and reform. In The Star of
August 10, 1858, Is an editorial on this sub
ject urging the establishment Of an insti-
tuition:
1T is demonstrated that society should
establish these institutions. for two
cosent reasons, namely. to protect
its younger members against ire
mediable corruption. But, while this
is the duty of all communities, it is
fourfold more the duty of the citizens of
Washington. Here exist all the reasons
in its favor which can be urged in the
case of any large city. The temptations
to crime are nowhere superior to what
they are here This is the metropolis of
the nation and visitors come hither from
all parts of this country and from almost
every country in Christendom. The latter
especially regard this city as the index to
the nation and from the impression 1t
| conveys to their minds they deduce their
opinions of our national character. They
cannot easily realize that the capital of
the country is behind it's other cities in
any important respect. and we ought not
to be thus behind. Yet we are behind in
this feature, which Is very important
one; and we would therefore urge our citi-
zens to take measures at once for the
establishment of a house of correction for
the vicious youth of Washington CITY,"
The public was growing impatient be-
cause the Atlantic cable, the successful
laying of which had been
Sub-Oceanic hailed throughout the
SIGNALS country as an event of
epochmaking Importance.
was not promptly opened for e trans
mission of commercial dispatc.-es. In
The Star of August 10, 1858. is a para
graph reprinted from the Boston Post
explaining the reason for this delay:
THE Advertiser has intelligence from
Trinity bay asserting that the delay in
sending messages across the Atlantic was
owing to two causes. 1t appears that in
the passage of one electrical signal
across the ocean not only Is an appre-
ciable time consumed, but the signal it.
self changes in a degree It's original char
acter. 1t is. so to speak stretched out.
A signal which on a short line would
seem perfectly sharp and prompt takes
| the form of a long wave and requires
some six to ten seconds to declare itself
between the beginning Of it's effect and
the end A distinct feature to be observ-
ed is the swell of the prolonged signal
1t has most force In the middle of it's
period and gains and loses that force
gradually. The ordinary instruments in
use for telegraphing are not adapted to
such peculiarities In the electric signals
and therefore material alterations will