Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-07-04
FIFTY YEARS AGO
In THE STAR

In The Star OF June %. 1889. Washington
was suffering seriously
Artistic from the heat at this sea-
son half century ago:
&ounIaAn' "All who would keep
the air cool about their premises at such
q season as the present. we advise to call
and see the fountain which the Messrs.
Willard have erected in the center of the
elegant little square which their hotel
surrounds. It's cost-some S1,2oo-is, of
course, much more than that of a suit
able one for a private dwelling OF modest
pretentlons would be. The latter might
be constructed at from $50 to 500 to an
sWer all desirable purposes. That at WIZ
lards' Hotel Is one of the most beautiful
marble ornaments (standing. perhaps,
thirty feet high in Washington; and 1t is
In design and execution. indeed. a credit
TO the artistic taste and skill or the
marble workers of the federal metropolis.
It casts a solid spirelike stream far UP
toward the clouds, or a graceful canopy
of spray in all directions. which, at
length, falling on the large marble vases,
each of less diameter than the lower one,
OF which the ornamental portion of the
fountain Is composed, cools the atmos-
phers for fifty feet around astonishingly."
+x
The Black Hand was not known half
century ago, but diabolism was neverthe-
less occasionally In evil
Diabolical dence in the news. In
The Star of June 80, 1850,
SSo' is paragraph telling 'o1
a peculiarly atrocious plan to destroy
steamboat that had just been discovered
and aborted at Cleveland, Ohio:
"a man named Cooley has been ar
rested at Cleveland charged with con-
spring to blow up the Michigan Southern
railroad steamer. City of Buffalo. 1t
seems that some weeks since, while Capt.
Ward was at Cleveland on business, this
man came to him. protesting great
friendship for him, and denouncing the
the establishment of second line of
boats between Cleveland and Buffalo.
After talking a while he intimated he
knew of means which would remove this
of the route. Perceiving that the fellow
was scoundrel and evidently harboring
some mischievous design, the captain
took him into private room, where the
villain unfolded his plan, which con-
sisted In providing heavy charges of pow
der in tin caniSterS, SO made as to be
fastened to the boat under water. con-
nected together and touched off with a
slow fuse He proposed to blow up both
the railroad boats for $500. Upon Capt.
w. expressing some doubts as to his
ability to accomplish SO great and haz-
ardous an undertaking, he stated that he
had blown up one vessel in a similar
way, and gave the name, time and place
The captain then gave him $40. with
which he was to procure fifty pounds OF
powder, and 1t was arranged that the
City of Buffalo, which remains in Cleve-
land over the Sabbath, should be blown
up at her dock on that evening. The
officers were notified of what was going on,
and bounced upon him Saturday night"
A sentiment for safe and ,sane
Fourth" existed in this city fifty years
ago and was evidenced
Fire annually on the eve of
Independence day in the
oeAAs' form Of communications
In the newspapers. one Of which, printed
in The Star Of June 80. 1859, called at
tention as follows to a nuisance:
LAS the Fourth of July approaches an
uneasy feeling begins to pervade q con-
siderable portion of the community in ap-
prehension of the ringing of fire bells on
the night Of the Sd. AS these bells are
necessarily, with few exceptions, close to
almost Immediately over sick beds. the
amount of suffering that may be thus I'M
Intentionally inflicted is very great. This
remark applies at present particularly
to the large bell of one of our fire COM
panies. Surely, il the matter was proper
~ presented to the young gentlemen who
are principally active In the case. they
would be willing to restrain their en-
thusiasm till the approach of daylight
and let people have nights rest
Apropos of the Fourth. preparations for
celebrating which We're actively in
progress at this time
Penitentiary half a century ago. the
following paragraph in
1as1Ao'Asin' The Star of July /, 1859,
is Of present interest:
"A very unique celebration OF the
Fourth will take place this year at the
penitentiary OF the District. The VEN
cradle warden, acting, no doubt on the
supposition that patriotism induces more
integrity, has devised an entertainment
and celebration for the convicts under his
charge. The chapel of the institution,
which has been draped and otherwise pre-
pared. will be the scene of the festivities.
The Declaration of Independence will be
read and an original address delivered by
two Of the prisoners, and other exercises
are to be conducted by the chaplain, Rev.
Mr.. DOrTance. These concluded, q repast
superior to the ordinary prison fare will
be discussed. The worthy and respected
warden appears to know that a strict
discipline coupled with kindness is best
adapted to the moral reformation of those
intrusted to his care
x *
In the course of the report of police
magistrate proceedings in the issue of
July 2. 1859, Of The Star,
Policeman the following paragraph
Officer Narrower of the
fifth ward was arrested by Officer Zim-
norman for violating a city ordinance
by tying q horse to a tree box. The
chief of police was a witness against him
and testified to seeing him tie his horse.
The chief said as the officer was bound
under his oath to arrest persons for such
violations of law, he ought to be careful
to never violate them himself. The off,
a strict constructionist, but as the prin-
ciple was now being applied to him, he
thought he should in the future pursue
a like course. Profanity on the street was
an offense punished frequently when
committed by non-officials. If the law
be strictly construed, some of our city
officials will be obliged to improve their
language or pay for the privilege of
swearing in the street. Justice Dom
fined him S1.5S.