Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-26
FIFTY YEARS AGO ).
IN THE STAR

In LIE OlAN
For years the Long Bridge was regarded
as menace to the security Of local prop
! erty and after several ex-
High periences with Potomac fresh
| w. cts the prayer of the citizens
| A' whose interests lay In the
lower section Of the city was that the
structure might be carried away. In The
Star of September 10. 1859. is an account
| of q freshet which aroused the keen ap-
prehensions of all Washingtonians:
The heavy rains Of Friday and Satur-
day caused a freshet yesterday sufficient
| to alarm those owning property along the
canal and the river. The river rose about
four feet above ordinary high tide. pro.
ducing a current of great strength and a
velocity equal to ten miles the hour. en-
idangering especially wharf property below
the Long Bridge. An old hulk of sunken
| schooner, which was removed from Lenox' S
dock some two years ago to a point about
400 yards above Long Bridge, where 1t lay
nearly buried in the sand. was foated to
the surface and thrown with great force
against the bridge near it's north terminus,
|
the piers; but, fortunately, 1t lodged In
such manner as to become barrier
! against damage by the driftwood. a YES
| sci in passing through the north draw was
driven against the slips so as to dislodge
| them from the running gear, and travel
| was delayed for some hours. At the south
draw the drift logs tore away some OF the
piles. The railroad track was torn up at
| q point some hundred yards beyond the
| south terminus. SO as to prevent the cars
l two
| Baltimore broke away from her Hoorings
at the 9Th street wharf and was dragged
down the river as far as Geesbury. At
| the western wharves the water began to
assume a serious appearance about Z
| o'clock Sunday. About o'clock this
| morning 1t reached to within a few feet of
| the old stonehouse and within an inch of
| the floor of the new warehouse. The fndi-
| cations now are that the water may raise
some inches higher than at the last tide"
"a drawing with specifications, pre-
pared by c. r. Cluskey, esq. for the pro-
posed new central guard
New Guard house, says The Star Of
uor.. September q. 1859. has
been approved by the
| mayor. The design is made with refer
! ence to a building eighty feet deep by
| forty feet in width, and is pronounced to
| be very complete. It provides for an IL
| Illuminated clock tower and alarm bell. q
| large room for watchmen on duty. a
trial room. armory. property room, pris-
oners' cells, ETC., and we'll ventilated
apartments for common watchhouSe lodg-
| era The entire design Is adapted to fill
a long needed want In this community
and Is SO prepared as to embrace every
| convenience and combines two essential
requisites. viz: economy and durability.
We learn that the work of erection will
commence Immediately and that the new
| by the beginning Of winter. The order to
| survey the lot and get 1t ready for the
builders has been issued, but the sur
| veyor can do nothing until the ground Is
in more favorable condition than at
| present
The performance of Our American
Cousin" at the Washington Theater was
profitable one for the manage
Double ment, so that the play was con-
p,1I tinued for three nights beyond
the usual week. In The Star
! Of September %, 1859. is the following:
THE performance of Speed the Plow'
and Our American Cousin at the theater
| last night on the occasion Of Mr.. Clarkes
| benefit was in the happiest vein of the
| artists and was enjoyed by one Of the
| largest and most fashionable audiences
| of the season. Mr.. Clarke as Farmer
Ashf1eld and Asa Trenchard and Mr..
Wheatly as Ben Handy and Lord Dun
dreary acquitted themselves in their u.s.
| ual admirable manner. while Miss Ed
wards. the pretty new actress, as Miss
Blanford in Speed the Plow' and Miss
Charlotte Thompson as Flora Trenchard
| in Our American Cousin could not have
| haen eYca11ad AnnthaP n '0nr
American Cousin deserves particular
mention. and that Is the character Of
Abel Murcott, by Mr.. M. v. Lingham.
| who performs this difficult role with f.
| deity to nature that cannot be surpassed
| The beautiful and accomplished Mrs.
| Gladstane-is announced for tonight, for
one night only. as Lady Teazle in the
School for Scandal Mr.. F. Chippendale
sonating Sir Peter Teazie. Mrs. Julie
| DAILY, Our Female American Cousin is
| announced to appear. shortly"
High expectations had been aroused
both In Europe and America fifty years
ago by the construction
Great of the Great Eastern.
r..+.r, the largest steamship
that until recent years
| was ever planned. She was launched
during the spring of 1859, and was given
| a trial trip early in September. In The
Star Of September "a. is an article COM
prising description Of the trial. obtained
! from the London Times
THE tugs were cast of at Chapman's
Head, the passengers. with the ships band.
being assembled aft and the crew forward,
AS soon as the vessel was left to herself
an increased amount of speed was got on
her. This was done only to give her good
steerage way. Throughout the whole
course down the river the paddle engines
had never been moved with a greater
speed than from four to six revolutions
minute, and the screw from twelve to
eight. However. when the tugs were cast
adrift. In ten minutes the vessel set at
fore oil do,nhf 70 hor holm fha