Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-01
FIFTY YEARS AGO
IN THE STAR

Washington had many unique and In
teresting characters half a century ago
we'll known to practically all
ttIniun residents. One Of these was
:. a young mulatto known as
LICK. ''Injun Dick" who gave the
police much trouble. In The Star OF July
q. 1859. is a news paragraph concerning
this atrocious parsonage:
"Injun Dick the noted Juvenile mu-
latto. whose petty operations have given
so much uneasiness to the citizens of
Swampoodle and adjacent regions of the
fourth ward for several years past, has
again made his appearance in his old
locality, and even paid a visit to the
county Jail. Some months ago Dick was
taken from the city by his mother to
Cumberland. That salubrious mountain
region did not suit Dick: he longed to
be with his companions in Washington
padding in the muddy waters OF the
Blue Cork by day and at night operating
scientifically upon the exposed property
Of his neighbors. About three weeks ago
Dick took passage on a boat and soon
arrived in this city by the aging ca
nawl.' He soon gathered crowd OF
juveniles around him, and chickens
geese. turkeys. etc. began to disappear
from the premises or their owners. n
last Dick was nabbed by Officer thinner
man and yesterday was brought out for
trial Dick plead guilty to hooking one
turkey. but 1t was the littlest one OF
all. and he believed the man got that
again The Jail was intimated by the
justice and this brought from Dick his
old game to secure dismissal-a first-rate
imitation of extreme agony. The crying
was well done. but his eyes would yield
no tears: 1t was decided by the justice
to give him Into the hands of a gentle
man who engaged to send him to his
mother. Dick dried up in a minute and
went or with his guardian laughing"
The taxpayers of WASHINGTON were
wrought up fifty years ago over the ques
ton Of the expedients 70,
Taxation raising local revenues, and
o-.. in this connection the fol
auee'1on' lowing item in The Star of
July %. 1859, indicates that the DISPOSE
ton to resort to pamphlet printing was
strong in those days:
Our attention has been called to A
pamphlet published recently by an intel
ligent citizen Of Washington, in which
the question Is considered as to the
power of Congress to lay capitation OF
other direct tax upon the people of the
ceeds to show that under the Constitution
and the terms of the cession made by
the states Of Maryland and Virginia nc
such power Is vested in Congress, unless
such tax be made in proportion to the
population as previously ascertained by
the census. and at such times a like tax
be imposed upon all the states of the
Union. Should Congress not possess this
power. then it is feared that the cor
poration, created by an act of Congress
~ ,ie A11r
we'll worthy the attention of the citizens
and particularly the owners OF property
and from the important fact that the
point being successfully maintained be-
fore the proper tribunal. 1t follows tina,
authority
washington was always ambitious te
establish direct water communications
with the large shipping
Steamer points of the north, and
r: was gratif1ed when at las
1T was placed in com.
munication In this manner with New
York In The Star of July 80. 1859, is
the following paragraph:
1.-THE establishment OF a line of steam.
ships between this city and New York is
now q fixed fact, and our citizens may
soon welcome the first ship at our west
ern wharves. where the depot will be
established The first steamer OF the line
the Mount Vernon, has been launched
and Is now receiving her machinery, and
will start on the 10Th of August from
New York for this city. The steamer is
700 tons burthen, $50 feet in length and
constructed with a view to speed as well
as safety. Her consort, the Monticello
will follow the succeeding month The
accommodations for passengers will be in
all respects equal to those. Of the best
Liverpool ocean steamers, and an idea
OF the effectiveness of the service pro.
posed by the company may be formed
from the fact that the officers and crews
Will be uniformed and regularly drilled
to their duties. The trips will be made
In from thirty-six to forty hours. Stop
ping at Alexandria goods for the south
and southwest will be discharged from
the ships and carried to any point on the
same bill Of lading. The special agents
Morgan & Rhinehardt. are about con
structing upon the wharf a warehouse
40 by 40 feet for the reception and dis
charge of goods, SO as to shelter them
effectually from the weather The Mount
Vernon and Monticello will begin the
trade and run this season. Next year
two others will be added to the line''
Originally the Secretary of State was
the official registrar of copyrights. but
about half century age
Copyright that duty was transferred
r.,4. to the commissioner OF
patents, in whose custody
the copyright work remained until it was
transferred to the librarian of Congress
In The Star of July 80. 1869, is a news
item to the following effect:
THE patent Office has received the fol-
lowing number Of books, pamphlets, etc.
from the State Department, under the
recent act of Congress transferring juris-
diction Of copyright matters: Miscel-
laneous books, A.503; do. pamphlets
L961: law books. 1851; music books, s3l
volumes; music, unbound pieces, SIC;
maps not mounted. S73; maps mounted,
6S.
"a pamphlet entitled THE Geographical
Ledger and Systematized Atlas-beine
q united collection Of Typographical maps
projected on one universal principle, and
laid down by one scale, proposed to be
extended to different countries as ma
terials can be procured'-is the oldest Of
This book is by Chris. COLES of New
York. N. T., printed by John Buell., "a
Little Q street. 1904 There is doubt, how
ever. as to whether this pamphlet was
ever copyrighted. as there is no evidence
to show that it was. The first well as
certained copyright is for a book entitled
christianity. the True Theology in an
sWer to The Age Of Reason by William
Patten. A. NJ, minister Of the Second
congregational Church in Newport, War
rem. r. l.; printed by A. Phillips. This
was copyrighted on the 9th of May, 1895.
In the clerks Office of the district OF
Rhode Island"
ALfONSO'S TROUBLES.