Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-29
FIFTY YEARS AGO
IN THE STAR

The following paragraph, printed in The
Star Of March %. 1858, under the head
Of River News" is an ex-
Free ample of the items often to
be found in the daily papers
of this region before the
war between the states.
About one week ago a colored profess
sor of the art pugilistic, named William
Vincent. passed through Washington to
Alexandria, where he made arrangements
for a sparring exhibition to come off
there. He then got on board the steamer
Page to return to Washington. Capt
Price. in passing around to collect the
fare from the passengers. came across
Vincent and demanded his fire. papers
as usual. The man made reply that he
did not chose to show his papers. and
pulling out a dime and two coppers said
as he held them forth, that that was all
the free papers he chose to show. Capt
Price informed him that the law compelled
him to cause the free papers Of any col
ored man, passing out of the state of Wiz.
ginia. to be exhibited. or said colored
man must be vouched for by some re-
d ds stili remained indifferent ' and
when the boat reached the landing he en-
deavored to 60 ashore. but was prevented
by Capt. Price. He then hauled off and
StTuCh tH6 captain TWO uSdNy Uio"S
which had the effect to disable him: but
several of the deck hands sprang upon
the fellow and secured him, after some
| trouble. and locked him up In the hold.
He was taken to Alexandria and there
| arrested and taken before magistrate,
who heard the evidence Of the captain and
the hands and sentenced the prisoner to
receive thirty-nine lashes ON the bare
back. pay fine of IS and give security
that he would never come into the state
of Virginia again. The punishment was
inflicted on last Sunday morning. "
HAN century ago. when gas was the
latest and best means Of Illuminating
public halls and other
Lighting places of assemblage, the
w.t.. problem of ignition was an
No~J' awkward one. The lighting
of jet after jet by hand was slow and was
sometimes dangerous. An experimental
device had been installed in the new
House of Representatives hall. which
proved fairly satisfactory, but left much
to be desired. In The Star of March Is.
1858. is news paragraph indicating that
progress was being scored:
"A Mr.. Samuel Gardiner, jr., of New
York has invented and patented new ma
chine for lighting public halls, churches.
theaters and all large rooms where many
gas lights are used, by means Of cleo
| tricity. He has attached this machine
| to the large chandelier in the United
States Senate chamber now the Supreme
Court room) and on Wednesday morning
the whole 1900 burners In the Senate
were. by simply touching a key. instan-
| taneously ignited. This experiment was
tried upward OF one hundred times, and
each time With complete success. The OPP
orator. who stands on the floor Of the Sen
ate hall, has perfect control over the gas,
which Is turned on gradually or rapidly
at pleasure. by the simple process of
| touching an electric key. Placed in close
contact Is another key. by touching which
the entire chandelier. containing no matter
how many burners. is Illuminated as sud
denly as though by a fash of lightning
By simple reversion of the key the light
Is as suddenly extinguished. The expert
ments with this new lamplighter were
witnessed by large number of persons.
who had been apprised beforehand Of the
| matter"