Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-31
FIFTY YEARS AGO
IN THE STAR

Living in the suburbs was not in vogue
half a century ago as it is today. owing to
the lack o. rapid transit ac-
Suburban commodations. But Wash
r-., ington was making a be-
ginning in that direction.
In The Star o. May ~. 1858. is an article
reciting the railroad facilities afforded the
residents of the capital, in part as fol-
lows
''Notwithsta nding the unusual backward
spring the changes wrought of late in the
face o. nature remind us that summer is
at hand and that we must make prepara-
ton for its long sultry days and weari-
some nights as we'll as its luscious fruits
and lovely flowers During the biting
blasts of winter what DR. Young calls the
sweet security of streets is certainly very
desirable but woe unto those whose lot
1t is to spend the dog days in the midst
o: brick walls and dusty thoroushfares.
Our attention has been particularly drawn
10 this subject by the changes lately
made upon the railroad between this city
and Baltimore. and we could not help OBJ
serving how admirably suited they are
to promote the health. comfort and con-
venience of our many friends In the en-
ploy of the government and their inter
esting families According to the new
schedules. trains arrive at Washington at
$40 o'clock am and leave 1t at 3:2, ana
| q o'clock p m. thus enabling government
officials who may choose to reside any
where nearby the line Of the road 10 be
| in their places of business at an early
hour and return to their homes and fam
lilies in good season"
Few visitors to the Capitol are aware
| that one of the bas-relefs in the rotun-
da when originally exc
VIM. PENIS cuted. committed seri-
Headoaar Gus historic inscc'iracy.
which was fortunately
corrected in season. In The Star Of May
%. 1855 is the following anecdote:
THE historical scenes IN the walls Of the
| Capitol rotunda have always been
themes Of admiring comment. as we'll FOR
| their appropriateness historical scenes
as for the beauty and faithfulness of their
execution They were all carved In the
walls after their erection. There is a
clever story about the scene over the
| door leading to the Senate chamber.
which represents the immortal William
Penn engaged in making a treaty with
the redskins of Pennsylvania. The scene
Gevelot. and was finished du1ipg ses-
! sion Of Congress: and whenVcompleted
| the members were invited to examine
| and crticise It, It was pronounced to be
| excellent and many compliments were
paid to the artist for the correctness with
| which he had performed his labor. The
committee was about to turn away when
Honorable John Randolph. who had been
| intently regarding the scene. suddenly
uttered an exclamation. All turned back
| to behold the sarcastic sage of Roanoke
| holding on to his side with one hand and
pointing with his other to the figure of
William Penn. whom the artist had rep
resented in cooked hat The discovery
| of the sober Quaker in a tile so foreign
to his calling afforded no little amuse-
! ment to the lookerson: and finally the
| artist had to remove the hat by chiseling
away the entire block of stone from
| block in its stead. From this was cut the
broad brim now seen in the representa-
| ton
| Photo-engraving had not been perfected
| fifty years ago. although the possibilities
| OF the art were known
Photographic to experimenters and
| r,~r.r;,~ some progress had been
made toward their de-
velopment. In The Star Of May %. 1858.
| appears discussion OF tie subject.
1T is scarce necessary to give a detailed
account of photography: the art is well
enough understood. in its principal fea-
lures. from its general use for making
| portraits. In this branch OF the arts 1t
has already covered the whole field. 1t
was only few years ago that an attempt
was made to accomplish by photography
/ the more important objects of its true
| originator. Mr.. Niepce of Chalons. His
aim was to produce. by the action of light
| upon a chemically prepared surface, an
| engraved plate of picture or drawing.
| from which thousands of copies could be
| struck off by the use of common print
| ing press. Mr.. Niepce unfortunately died
| before accomplishing this desirable re-
| suit Others have taken up the subject
| and results recently obtained on this side
of the Atlantic and in Europe warrant the
| belief that 1t will not be long before Mr..
Niepce's highest expectations will be real
lied 1t is source of pride to to know
| that in own city the most valuable
and decisive advances have been made
| since Daguerres death. Mr. Schimmelfe-
| mig. a scientific engineer of this city. after
| experimenting for the last two or three
| years with the view of applying the art
| Of photography to engineering and en-
craving. is believed to have finally over
come SO many OF the difficulties as to be
| able to make a direct copy on a mathe-
matcally true reduction Of any map
picture subject of nature upon a me-
tallic plate or wood block"
During the session of 1858 an attack
| was made In Congress on a cherished
local institution, the omni
Horse bus An effort was actual
r.r. ly made to establish
! Eorse-car line on Pennsyl-
| vania avenue. 1t did not succeed. but
! the discussion of the subject indicated
| that the iconoelastic spirit Of progress
| was abroad In The Star of May %. 1858,
is an extract from a speech delivered In
the House by Representative Ward Of
New York in favor of the projeo of lay
| ing a horse rail" In Pennsylvania ave-
| nue..
Il am not surprised" said Mr.. Ward.
lat the prejudice that man.fests itself
in regard to this railroad 1t existed for
some time in the city of New York, after
the first introduction of passenger rail
ways: We have seen hostility arising
wherever railroad enterprises Of this kind
| have been projected. But completed and
| put in operation we have found them
| beneficial and of great public conven-
| fence In the city OF New York. where
| we have five or six railroads through our
| avenues. but a small part. II my. OF our
citizens would desire to have those tracks
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