Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-01
IN bOASTFUL BELFAST
Scotch-|rish City Where Skull
Cracking Was Perennial.
RACE AND RELIGIOUS BIAS
Manufacturing Center Whose Prod
ucts Amount to Millions Yearly.
EXPORTS SENT EVERYWHERE
Gen. Ross Who Captured Bladens-
burg in One Of the Bloodiest Con-
ficts, Known to Warfare.
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.


Special Correspondence of The Star and the
Chicago ecord-Herald.
BELFAST. Ireland, August 26. 1903.
The traveller from the south or west en-
tiers a zone of prosperity when he comes
within forty miles of Belfast The Prot
estant counties look like an entirely diff
ferent world. The beautiful rolling land
scape, with an occasional grove and flow
ering hedges, is similar to that Of the en-
tire east coast of the island. but the farms
are larger and more thoroughly cultivated.
Very little of the land is given up to
grazing, few cattle are seen, but fields OF
grain. fax. potatoes. turnips and other
vegetables take the place of pastures, and
the large farmhouses are surrounded by
we'll kept gardens and big barns. There
are no more filthy one-rOomed cabins with
manure piles in front of the door. and
but few signs of poverty or neglect. The
people live in twO-story houses and sleep
in beds instead of on the mud floor. They
have cook stoves and ranges, instead Of
out of doors. There are no barefooted
women, and none with blankets over their
heads. Every one seems to be we'll
dressed and to have a pride of appearance
as well as habits of neatness. All bear
evidence of comfortable circumstances.
Tall chimneys rise from the centers of the
towns. We see large factories in every
village and square miles Of linen cloth
spread out upon the turf to bleach.
Bad Manners at Belfast
The north of Ireland is as different from
the rest of the country as New England
is from Alabama. And there is CORE
spending difference in the character of the
people. They are not so genial, gentle
and obliging up here. They are not so
poetic, but more practical. And they are
always looking out for themselves. The
manners of Belfast are said to be the
worst in the world. The people are often
offensive In their brusqueness and abrupt
ness, and a stranger Is sometimes repealed
by their grun replies. The people make
no pretensions to poiteness and speak
their minds with plainness and direct
ness that is sometimes disagreeable But
they have a reputation for honesty. en-
terprise. industry and morality. which
they consider virtues of greater impor-
lance and higher value than the art Of
politeness.
"Sir John Ross-of- Bladensbure."
There is series of beautiful villages
and towns along the coast south of Bel
fast and one of them is called Rosstrevor
thus named by gentleman of the name
of Ross who married an heiress by the
name of Trevor, a younger daughter of
the Viscount of DUNCAN. 1t is situated
upon height near the Bay of CARING
ford. where st. Patrick landed when he
arrived in Ireland upon his missionary
summer residence. and has a background
Of wooded hills. beautifully sprinkled with
villas. The village shows evidence of the
fostering care of its late owner, Sir David
ROSS. and its present owner, Sir John
Ross-of- Bladensburg, who is commits
sioner of police for Ireland and a person
of great importance in his own estima-
ton. as we'll as that of others. He takes
an active part in political and ecclesi-
astical affairs. and is always occupying a
front seat when anything Is going on
He signs himself John-Ross-o of Bladens-
burg. because his grandfather. Maj. Gen.
Ross. commanded the British troops at
the battle of Bladensburg, and, after one
of the most bloody and important con-
fiicts in the history of human warfare
he led them triumphantly into the capital
of the United States and destroyed the
palace of the President. the parliament
more appears in the much-published
biographies of the Ross family and so.
because of the glory thus acquired they
have added the word "Bladensburg' to
their name.
Hero of the "Bloody Battle" of
Bladensburg.
The Ross family has erected an obelisk
to the memory Of their famous ancestor.
upon a prominent promontory above the
sea at Rosstrevor, and inscribed upon it
the following epitaph:
The officers Of grateful army
Which, under command Of the laniented
Major General Albert Ross,
Attacked and defeated the American forces at
Bladensburg on the 2ith Of August, 1914,
And the same day
Victoriously entered Washington,
The capital Of the United states
Inscribe upon this tablet
Their admiration Of his professional skill
And their esteem for his amiable
Private character.
There are three other inscriptions of
similar purpOrt. one on each face of the
pedestal. Gen. Ross, 1t appears. is buried
in Halifax.
Belfast a Manufacturing Center.
Belfast is the center of great manu-
featuring district. Each factory is sur
rounded by groups of neat twO-stOX
brick cottages. with gardens, churches.
schoolhouses and shops which are very
different from the rest Of Ireland and are
similar to those in the suburbs OF Phila-
delphia. Belfast ranks high among the
cities of the world. It Is
proud of the title of the Chicago of Ire
land" The people are as boastful Of