Evening star., 1909-07-11
FIFTY YEARS AGO
IN THE STAR


paragraph In The Star of June ), 1859:
"A fine display of fireworks. prepared
under the direction of Maj. Ramsay, by
Mr. Thomas B. Brown. chief pyrotechnist
at the arsenal. completed the celebration
of the day. The display drew thousands
of people to the grounds south OF the
Presidents house, and the scene, when
lit up by some brilliant pyrotechnic ef-
fects. was picturesque in the extreme.
About 10 o'clock, on the dispersion OF the
multitude, a scene of wonderful anima-
ton. gayety and hustle was witnessed on
the streets near the Treasury building,
where the omnibuses and private car
ria ges for all parts of the city were tax
ing up their crowded freight of human
beings"
4
Numerous excursion parties celebrated
the Fourth fifty years ago by leaving
Washington for the near
Holiday by resorts. But they were
Rattle not all entirely happy in
their experiences, as the
following para graph from The Star July
3, 1859. indicates:
Upon the arrival of the Mount Vernon
at the Alexandria wharf yesterday, on
the return excursion trip, fierce stone
battle was entered upon between Alexan-
drians and Washingtonians. Our inform
ant, who was on board and behind the
Smokestack, says the stones came like
hail and were varied with an occasional
crack of pistol. The order was given
to cast off the ropes for the boat to leave,
and the crowd upon the wharf opposing
the Alexandrians rushed for the boat
Then came shower of stones that
smas shed the glass and thin woodwork of
the steamer. A lady was struck upon the
head with large stone, inflcting a very
ugly wound. 1t was surprising that amid
such a storm of missiles few persons were
hit at all and but a single one seriously
injured. Previous to the arrival at Alex
andria there had been some contention
between the parties on the boat
~
Half a century ago it was unlawful for
coiored persons to assemble in Washing
ton without having first
oAAa"1u1 secured permits author
AssembIage. izng them to meet.
Whenever they wished
10 engage IN dance or meeting of any
Kind they were required to secure official
permission. In The Star Of July Z, 1857,
is paragraph bearing upon this rule:
1T frequently occurs that colored per-
sons are put to heavy cost in consequence
OF being taken in what is known in mu-
nlclpal law pariance as unlawful assem-
blages.' into which they are trapped by
the prOprietOrs of houses, telling them
that the mayor had given a permit to
hold the ball or party in which they are
taken. The rule recently adopted pre-
vents the possibility of any permitted
party being disturbed by the police, as
all permits pass through the hands or the
chief OF police, who notifies his officers
The mayor does not now give the per-
mits, but this is done by the chief of
police. The system of giving passes at
the Suardhouse to colOred persons to be
out after hours has been abolished to a
considerable extent and now colored per-
sons are required to obtain passes from
their employers or masters. Many quiet
and orderly servants have been deceived
by the keepers of dance houses and have
paid heavily for their experience.
X
The musicians OF Washington MAIN
tanned unique organization half GEN.
tury ago under the
musical name. of the Transient
cluh Club" In The Star OF
July s, 1859, is a para
graph descriptive of this club:
Among the social parties celebrating
the Fourth in the vicinity of this city is
one of a novel character, little known to
our people, though its organization sew
eral years ago was announced in the pa
pers. 1t is musical club composed of
professors and amateurs belonging to all
quarters of the Union. who are accus-
toned to pay an annual visit TO the city.
They usually notify their secretary here
of the time of their visits. and the meet
ings are arranged to correspond, and are
held at the private residences of the
friends of the club. The character Of the
music is widely different from that usually
rehearsed in this city for concerts. ETC.,
and Is generally OF the most difficult of
the compositions of the great masters.
attended,
several who were expected falling to ar
rive. and consequently their evenings
were passed in the rehearsal of songs,
duets. trios or other music which did not
require heavy chorus.
The Georgetown correspondent of The
Star, taking cognizance of certain COM
plants voiced by citizens
Georgetown OF that city that the
poorbouse premises of the poorhouse
and the workhouse were
not being carefully managed, made
visit to the institutions in question and in
The Star of July 8, 1859, told as follows
of what he saw:
Instead of finding it a garden farm,
we found 1t an apt illustration of the
field Of the sluggard. Instead of finding
it teeming with the rich products of
fruitful season we found the grounds in
the most shamefully neglected condition.
some portions so reduced as to be almost
incapable of producing anything. and
other portions overrun with weeds. with
only here and there a patch of Stinted
looking vegetables. There cannot be
found today on all the grounds one-half
peck of vegetables of any kind suitable
for the table except a few scrubby- looking
h1ets, notwithstanding it is now midsum-
mer. The thrvlng-looking peach orchard
has disappeared. The apricot, cherry
and other fruit trees are dying out and
yield nothing. Notwithstanding there is
sufficient garbage and vegetable matter
about the premises to feed from a dozen
to Ntwenty hogs, there is not one to be
found on the place. In a word there can
not be found today on the premises, tit
for immediate use, one dollars worth of
anything necessary for the sustenance
of the inmates that was not purchased
out of the corporation treasury. Where
the public will fix the blame of this ne
glect we know not. For our own part,
we think it justly attaches to those vino
have been intrusted with it's general su-
pervision-we mean the trustees, who are
required by law, and paid for the serv-
ice, to visit the establishment at least once
month for the purpose of seeing that
it is properly managed That this duty
has not been performed. no one can deny
who will take the trouble to visit it."