Evening star., 1909-06-06
FIFTY YEARS AGO
IN THE STAR

Just prior to the civil war a sentiment
in favor OF a resumption OF the slave
trade developed in the
Slave southern states. Several
r-.d. captures had been made
by naval vessels Of block
ade-running slavers, but so small was the
patrolling force that cargoes of Africans
were frequently landed. In The Star of
May 3O 1859, is the following editorial
paragraph dealing with this situation:
THE evident excitement in the south
In favor of the renewal OF the African
slave trade Is working its legitimate re-
suits in the way of generating the coun-
ter excitement at the north. where all
bthe newspapers are vehemently protesting
against the apparently growing favor
with which the idea Is received in the
| slave-holding section of the confederacy.
That 1t Is growing In popular favor
throughout the south Is fact so palpa-
BILE that none may now deny 1t. Where
one person professed to favor it year
ago at least fifty now avow approval OF
It, The failure to convict Capt. Corrle
| and the abortive results of the Georgia
trials, and of the efforts of the authori-
ties to get possession of the negroes i'm
ported in the Wanderer. indicate most
forcibly that the notification of the law
against the commerce Is about to be as
universal throughout the south as the
notification of the law against slave
stealing-the fugitive slave law-has been
at the north. The result bids fair to be
the virtual immunity of the trade after
the cargo shall have been landed. We
take 1t for granted that the government
will strain every nerve to prevent the
landing of such cargoeS and that Its In
creased efforts to that end will prove of
much avail. Nevertheless until Congress
shall change its system Of legislating for
the navy so to enable the department
to build suitable vessels to intercept the
savers. they will frequently make sue
cessful voyages, despite all the govern
ment can do. 1t will be recollected that
through the sympathy Of the people of
Cuba with the trade the landing of car
goes of slaves on that island is Of weekly
occurrence. though English and Ameri
can men -of-war guard the west coast
of Africa, while English and Spanish
men-of-war almost surround the island
to intercept them when about to land
The spectacle Of the public necessities
being used for advertising purposes is so
rare nowadays that the
moving following paragraph In
M.cbiras The Star of May 81, 1859.
Wilt be read with interest
by the present generation. although 1t is
to be borne in mind that horse moving
machines were then sufficiently of nov
city to warrant the treatment of this
demonstration as Of news interest:
To-day in the process of cutting the
| grass In the public grounds south Of the
Presidents house three improved mowers
were used under the immediate super
vision OF Mr.. Bartholow and Mr.. Simp-
son, the agricultural implement dealers
-
Mr.. B. ran a two-horse buckeye ma
chine and a one-horse Woods patent.
while Mr.. S. ran a two-horse machine of
Woods patent. The newspaper an
nouncement made yesterday that the
caSiOn would be embraced to test their
relative capabilities drew a crowd of
| some hundreds of persons to the grounds,
| not few of them being Immediately in
terested in agricultural improvements.
The ground moved was measured off for
sWath of the width of four feet two
inches. while the Wood two-horse ma
chine cuts one of four feet width The
result of the contest between them was
evidently In favor of the former. which,
| though it had the heavier and more tan
| gled grass to cut. did its work the quick
est, cleanest and with least noise"
Washington suffered considerably fifty
years ago from the freedom with which
! animals strayed about
Hlrctne the streets nothwithstand-
| r,+r,dor ing the law of estrays.
Cows. horses. pigs and
goats ran at large in some sections with
practically no restraint. the last named
creatures sometimes doing damage. as
the following para graph In The Star of
June 1. 1850. indicates:
Very heavy complaints have lately
| been made to the police officers OF this
| city against the evil practice of sundry
violators Of the city ordinance forbidding.
| under a penalty, the keeping of goats
| and suffering them to go at large In the
public streets of this city. to the serious
| annoyance and detriment of many citi-
zens and housekeepers. A lady residing
| In the fourth ward, not far from the
city hall, informed us that about ten
days ago a goat trespasser got entrance
| into her house, walked upstairs into bed
room. pulled down the muslin window
curtains and tore them to pieces. The
same goatish intruder afterward walked
into an outbulding and devoured nearly
half bushel of potatoes. On attempting
| to eject him from the premises tho goat
| Immediately put himself In a fighting at
| titude and would not clear out. This
goat. which has pair of formidable
| horns. and is we'll known for his butting
| propensities Is said to be owned by
| lady on English Hill. 1t is probable
| that the goat was raised in the family.
as it has very characteristic proclivties.
| especially In the potato line, being capa-
bile of devouring half bushel at a single
meal and apparently not satisfied with
| that"
Back in the fifties the Chesapeake and
Ohio canal was an important artery Of
| commerce in this section
Canal of the country, and
| rn Georgetown, as it's ter
| minal, was a busy place
The following paragraph of June 2. 1850.
suggests the change that has come on the
other side of Rock creek during the past
| half century:
THE number Of boats and quantity Of
coal arriving by the canal is without
precedent in it's history. The entire
wharf front. from the market house to
the stop-lock, is literally covered with
boats. In some places two abreast. For
| several days past they. together with a
| multitude of men, mules and horses en-
ployed in running them, have been
curiosity to look at. The coal Is accu-
mulating in immense quantities upon the
wharves for the want of vessels to take
| 1t away, and unless vessels can soon be
| had they will have to suspend unloading
| the boats for want OF room. At least
| fifty OF from two to three hundred tons
are wanted Immediately"
ZEPPELIN.