Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-31
FIFTY YEARS AGO
In THE STAR


lowing paragraph print
ed In The Star Of January "a. 1853, In the
form Of letter to the editor:
II read with much pleasure yesterday
card Of thanks from the president of
one of our fire companies. In which Is
an expression Of obligation to another
fire company for services rendered In pro-
curing water to extinguish a burning
dwelling and save an adjoining one. This
evidence Of good feeling between our fire
companies should be hailed with delight.
Let us hope that the example may prove
contagious and that a generous emula-
ton may take the place Of the bitter
rivalry which too often exists. Our fire.
men would then occupy the place In the
esteem of their fellow citizens to which
their voluntary labors and perilous eff
forts to save life and property SO Justly
entitle them. All honor to these brave
hearted. generous men! One word of
counsel to them-if there exists between
different companies any cause, real or
Imaginary. Of ill-feeling. let it be forgot
erous to forgive. Let the right hand
Of fellowship be extended, and then as a
band Of brothers and protectors OF life
and property will they be viewed by ALL"
On Friday, January Il, 1859, An excited
colloQuy occurred In executive session Of
the Senate between Sen
Executive ators Douglas and Fitch
so..,on. Of Illinois regarding
federal appointments in
that state. The newspapers promptly
printed circumstantial reports Of the at
fair. which caused q sharp exchange OF
notes between the two Illinois legisla-
tors. This exposure Of executive session
secrets caused one Of those disturbances
which have occurred from tho very be-
ginning Of the government regarding the
myth of mystery In matters discussed be-
hind the closed doors of the Senate. In
The Star Of January 20. 1859, is this
paragraph touching upon the subject:
Never in the course Of our experience
here have we seen , the 81 pubic PUPIL more
yesterday in the Senate that the leak
through which the public got an inkling
Of the details of the muss occurring In
secret session Friday last was q trap door
from somewhere in the lower regions up
into the galleries Of the chamber which.
II climbable for anything but cat, could
hardly have accommodated all the cor
tant papers that on Saturday contained
accounts of the affair. Our own opinion
Is that those correspondents. suspecting
that something extraordinary was about
to transpire, dispatched each his own
confidential lack cat to climb the sinuosi-
ties Of that remarkable dismal defile and
listen. Otherwise, how could each of
them obtain and publish as different ac-
counts Of the affair as they did,"
Washington was greatly interested in
the subject of the proposed horse-car
line on Pennsylvania
Street-Car avenue, and eagerly dis
vu,a.h cussed tho details of the
plan. The question Of
gague was one of tho most hotly de-
bated points at issue. Should the local
rails be four feet apart. or four feet
eight and one-half inches. as In New
York? The Star. in its issue OF January
"a. 1850. characterized the New York cars
as too wide and cumbersome, adding
an argument that might. with interest. be
considered by the interstate commerce
commissions local representatives:
1.-THE New York two-horse cars have
more width than is necessary to give the
requisite space through the center. The
extra width which DIRECTORS seem to
think SO necessary to comfort Is generally
not uncommon to see fifty persons riding
in a car, the actual sitting capacity of
which does not exceed twenty-four. Those
who stand tread upon the feet Of those
sitting, and entering or going out Of
car SO loaded Is process which is by no
means calculated to improve ones toilet.
This has become positive nuisance, and
at times ladies are completely debarred
from riding on that account. The people
of New York do not look upon any other
W nf a
perfect absurdity. On the contrary. If
the whole system of roads in that city
were to be destroyed tomorrow and re-
built, narrower track and a lighter and
smaller vehicle would be adopted"
There was no interstate commerce COM
mission half century ago, and no talk
Of government regulation Of
Railway railway rates. Judging from
p.+as the following paragraph, print
ed In The Star Of January %.
1889, discrimination was practiced when
ever and wherever it was possible in or
der to give an advantage:
THE officers Of the four great railroad
routes leading ffom the Atlantic states to
the west have i;'cl been holding a private
convention at Wizards Hotel. In this city,
for the consideration or subjects OF mu-
tual interest. 1t is rumored that one of
the principal topics of discussion has been
the position assumed by the Baltimore
and Ohio road in reference to the main
tenance of freight and passenger rates.
giving Baltimore important advantages
for western business, against which the
other lines are said to protest The pres
idents, respectively, Of the Pennsylvania
and the New York and Erie roads are
said to have stated that they had been
demonstrated with by the merchants of
Philadelphia and New York for keeping
their rates above those of the Baltimore
road, thereby diverting trade from those
cities to Baltimore Mr. Garrett Of the
Baltimore road is said to have expressed
the determination of his company to ad-
here to their Baltimore policy the cor
nerstone Of which was to protect the mer-
camille interests of that city against the
rivalry of her great Atlantic sisters The
meeting adjourned last night without ar
riving at any harmonious conclusion that
we have been able to hear Of"
CALIFORNIA AND JAPAN.
From the Albany Evening Journal.
Whenever California feels moved to
toko action without consideration of its