Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-04-04
FIFTY YEARS AGO
IN THE STAR.

buildings being fred al
Arson most nightly. In The
Att. Star of March .. 1859. is
the following news item
telling of the latest occurrence of this
character.
Another incendiary bonfire lit up the
seventh ward Saturday night. Between
ana O'Clock frame building belonging
to the estate of William Bird and occupied
by Cassell & West as a feed depository,
was fired and consumed. giving barely
time to save horse from the flames But
for the strenuous efforts Of the fireflen the
row of large frame houses in the neigh
borhood must have shared the same fate.
Near about the same time an attempt
was made to fire two frame houses in the
same neighborhood. Under these cir
cumstances the citizens of the seventh
ward. in despair of any aid from the
constituted authorities, may we'll look
about them for the means Of self pro-
lection. The police force as at present
uniformed is not calculated for the de-
lection of these incendiary villains. In
stead of the officers watching them, they
are quite competent to watch the officers.
who are easily distinguishable by their
d
of the present police force, which appears
to be too unwieldy for active duty. could
be advantageously employed in citizens
dress. and that the city authorities can
quite as legitimately offer rewards for the
detection Of the destroyers of poor mems
frame homes as of rich mems tall bricks.
In justice to the authorities we should
add that they are actively engaged In
making excuses for doing nothing
Many residents OF Georgetown were
strongly in favor Of the annexation of
that city to Washington
Georgetown fifty years ago. but de-
Annexation. spite their efforts to this
end it was not for many
years that the two municipalities were
united. In The Star Of March 20, 1859, .s
the following paragraph in the George
town correspondence:
"A meeting of our most substantial citi-
zens was held Saturday last for the pur-
pose of considering the question OF an
nexation to Washington. AS this meeting
was merely preliminary, nothing further
was done than to exchange opinions as
to the Importance Of the measure and
the most suitable steps necessary to be
DeIOTe
those interested in it's contamination. A
committee was appointed to prepare lne
necessary papers for the signature of
our citizens favorable to the project. In
conversing with our business men we
have found quite a number Of large prop
erty holders, who are deeply interested in
the prosperity of our city, who were de-
cldedly opposed to the measure when it
was agltated a few years ago. whose
opinions have changed in regard to the
In, l<~
summation. We have also found many
who are decidedly hostile to the measure.
In most cases. however. their objections
savored very strongly Of partisan spirit.
They seem to think that 1t is a favorite
scheme of some political party to advance
their own interests. The question Is evil
IDENTIFY very grave one. so far as the
future of Georgetown is concerned, and
in our opinion of too much Importance
to admit of being mixed up with ex-
traneous questions of no importance. 1t
is one that should be fully and fairly
discussed and then left to stand or fall
upon Its own merits
Washington's accommodations for the
entertainment of transients were first
class half a century ago,
transient as far as the hotels were
Ras;d.n+s concerned, but 1t was Diff
ficult for people who de-
sired to remain several months to find
dwellings for lease for such periods. In
The Star of April @ 1859, is an extract
from the Newport, r. l., News noting the
renting of numerous cottages and man.
sions In that city for the summer season
The Star was moved thus to comment
upon the lost opportunities to add to the
local population:
why would it not be good specula-
tion for Washington capitalists to put up
buildings TO accommodate the hundreds
who come hither to participate in the
gayeties of which this metropolis Is the
scene during our season? Our season is
great deal longer than that Of New
port. for 1t commences generally several
days prior to the annual sessions Of Con-
gross and continues to the close whether
the session be a long or short one 1t
is, in fact. the fashionable winter resort
many more would come hitler to spend
their winters II they could obtain private
residences where their domestic affairs
would be under their own control. Again.
by having such residences for the accom-
mediation of visitors. many of those
whose visits now continue but for a few
weeks only would most probably remain
throughout the entire session of Con-
gress, and very likely, especially where
the session is a long one, many would
continue with us during the entire year.
Numbers might also thus be led to become
permanent residents who, under existing
circumstances, would never think of max
ing this their permanent abode"
4 \
Fire bells have generally passed out of
use in American cities, but half a CEN
fury ago they were clam
Fire orously in evidence n
~, The Star of April 2, 1859
is paragraph which will
doubtless remind the elder citizens of the
old days when they ran to the fires
with the pumps:
Yesterday afternoon the booming of a
strange fire bell caused some little sensa-
ton and inquiry. The Perseverance Ere
Company lost their alarm bell by the
fire which burned their engine house sew
eral years since and have had a new bell
cast from the old metal. with the addi-
ton of two or three hundred pounds OF
new. Yesterday 1t was tried and found
to be equal or superior in tone to the
old bell. 1t was cast at East Midway,
Mass. by G. Holbrook. who was also the
maker of the Oh. bell. The president of
the company stated yesterday that as
alarm bells frequently became to be
nuiSances in city he intended to ask the