Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-04
FIFTY YEARS AGO
IN THE STAR

In I'LL OlAN
Asphalt pavements were not in vogue
fifty years ago, but efforts were being
made to secure a street
Experimental covering of somewhat the
character of that which
is now universally used.
In The Star of September %, 1858, is the
following paragraph:
Canal Commissioner Wise has recently
been experimenting with new style OF
flooring for the iron bridges across the
canal. In answer to his communication
to the city council asking small appro-
priation for the purpose of testing his new
flooring they appropriated a sum of $50.
which he has expended in laying down
one Of the carriageways across AZ street
bridge. The idea is to give substantial
covering to prevent the Earring occasioned
by the passage of carriages, which is de-
structive to all bridges, to economic the
wear and tear of the planking. The plan
is to lay the foundation of stout planks
over which Is spread coating Of gas tar
and sand mixed together, which Is a sub
stance of the nature of asphaltum: over
this is placed a coating of gravel, which,
being thrown on while the composition is
soft, and the whole gradually hardening,
which is far more desirable in every re-
spect than could be prepared by any other
method for twice the cost. This style of
composition is used for paving streets in
several large cities in Europe. particu-
larly in Paris. Let us have all the
bridges on the canal covered in the same
manner; the cost is little and the saving
of wear and tear to the planking meal
cula BILE.
On the 18th of September occurred one
of the most shocking disasters in the his
tory of the sea. The
Austria steamship Austria was
n;.,.4a, burned in mid-ocean on
the way rom Hamburg
to New York, with an estimated loss Of
$50 passengers only about 81 of the ships
company being saved. In The Star Of
September %, 1853, is a column dispatch
from Halifax giving the statement of
Charles Brews, one Of the passengers of
the Austria. His description is dramatic
in its details Of the catastrophe. The ship
was steaming rapidly head to the wind
when the fire broke out and the flames
spread swiftly to every part Of the YES
sci. The people were caught with prac-
tically no warning Although boats were
lowered 1t was almost impossible to res
cue the passengers, who were driven by
and We're finally hemmed in by the wall
of fire. Those who escaped suffered Sc
verely from exposure. The boat in which
Mr.. Brews managed to find a space was
picked up by French bark. after he had
padded for some distance with laths that
had been nailed together for sheathing
for the sides. His description of the man
ner in which the fire originated follows:
The fire is known to have arisen from
very culpabe negligence Of some of the
L.
cred it expedient to fumigate the steerage
with burning tar. The operation was to
be performed by the bOatswain under the
superintendent of the fourth officer The
dip in tar to produce smoke. The end be.
came too hot to hold and he let it drop
upon the deck, to which it set fire. The
tar upset and Immediately all was in
| flames. A feeble attempt was made to
extinguish it, but without effect. There
was nothing at hand to meet such an
emergency.
THE rescued passengers saved nothing
but the clothes on their backs and even
the greater part Of these were torn off
/ and otherwise lost. Six hundred souls
We're supposed to be on board, including
| many women and children.
| There were no labor unions fifty years
ago, but strikes were none the less re-
sorted to by working men
Capitol as means of securing re-
s+r;ko dress of grievances or in
crease of wages. The plas-
terers working at the Capitol extension.
about seventy in number, came to the
conclusion that their services were worth
$3.50 a day, an increase of 80 cents. Capt.
NJ. c. Meigs, the engineer officer in charge
Of the work. differed on this point from,
them and the result was a strike at the
| Capitol. Capt. Meigs wrote on the Both
of September to Mr.. II. Jones. foreman OF
| the extension work. a letter which ap-
peared in The Star of October l, in which
in part he said:
Il have caused inquiry to be made and
have ascertained that the wages now and
for sometime past paid at the Capitol are
| ployers in this city and from % cents
| to 371s cents da!' higher than paid in
Philadelphia and New York. 1 lately
| sent you to New York in order to procure
! finer work at the Capitol. not finding a
sufficient number Of skilled hands here
unemployed. You found. 1 understand
| no difficulty in procuring many as were
| needed, willing to come here and work &c
| the end of the season at the rates here
tofOre paid on the Capitol extension.
"All these considerations led me to be-
| lieve that the wages paid are as high as
| in the present state of trade ought to BE-
offered. While I understand that every
man has the right to carry his labor to
| the best market and to demand for it the
| highest wages he can obtain, / do not
| think that when the full wages of the
| trade are being paid regularly. witt
steady work and proper treatment, work
! men do right in endeavOring by a com.
binatiOn to take advantage of the sup
| posed necessity of completing certain
| work before the meeting of Congress ano
| thus to compel officer of the govern.
ment to pay them wages above the ruling
| rates of their trade, and therefore ex-
| travagant.'
! Those were the days of the high hat
once called Familiarity and half contemptu
ously the plug. The style o,
High 1888 and for some years a,
u.+. about that period was a long
! barreled crown, such as now
! would cause any urchn to turn in the
street with sounds of ribald comment
| The high hat WAS not reserved then fol
! occasions of social significance or fol
particular times of the day. 1t was worI
| by draymen and even the workingmer
who were engaged in erecting the pubic
! buildings about the city. Photographs
! taken of the Treasury extension work
81, ln ftS,t n ch p