Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-09
FIFTY YEARS AGO
In THE STAR

The New Year White House reception
appears from the following paragraph in
The Star of January >,
New Year 1860. to have been con-
D.4: Quoted half a century
e'ePtioA. ago in about the same
manner as at present:
Despite the bitter cold Of the day, the
New Year reception at the White House
was quite as largely attended as on any
previous occasion, and the ladies' who
were present in full force, had the added
luster of brilliant compilations of nature S
own providing. Marshal Selden officiated
with characteristic urbanity in presenting
the visitors to the President and was
handsomely supported by Mr. Commits
sioner Blake. President Buchanan was
looking in excellent health and had cor
dial word to say to all visitors, whether
OF high or low degree Capt. Goddard
was In attendance with his entire police
force and the arrangement by which the
vast throng was fled through the recep-
ton rooms without pressure added very
materially to the enjoyment of all con-
cerned. The Marine Band was present
In full numbers and discoursed their usual
quota OF airs. patriotic and sentimental,
attracting dense crowd to their imme-
date vicinity. The usual order of recep-
ton was maintained today. The foreign
ministers were received at IL o'clock the
Judges of the Supreme Court at half
past II. the officers of the army and
navy at quarter to II and the citizens
generally at T. O'Clock. Long before the
hour of Il arrived the outside gates were
constantly inquiring Of those in attend
ance how long 1t would be before they
could be admitted, and when at the hour
the gates were opened there was a COM
plete rush: each one seeming bent on
reaching the. mansion before his fellow.
We noticed a large number of members
of Congress present, and many other dis
tlnguished persons. The reception ter
minated at O'Clock precisely
Every condition at the opening of the
year 1880 pointed to a decided boom in
the local field a prospect
PROSPERITY that was destined to be
NIL seriously affected by the
OS" increasing sectional ten
sion. In The Star Of January ,. 1860,
is the following survey Of the local stu
alton:
THE opening of the year 1860 finds the
federal metropolis steadily progressing
i'm all the substantial elements of true
municipal prosperity. The increase of
the number Of it's permanent inhabitants
In the course of the past year has been
entirely satisfactory to those most in
terested in having it fast become a vast
city. The extraordinary demand for
building and other mechanics of all de-
scriptions. up to the beginning of the
current freeze, together with the extraor-
binary number of new buildings erected
and old ones renovated this fall. also tell
the tale of the extra accommodations
housing of our metropolitan population
and the convenient transaction of their
business The style in which these inn
provements have been made. too, is a
great stride in advance OF the styles in
vogue here previously: many OF the new
way. while not a few of the newly erect
ed business places have been constructed
on models and in a manner that would
grace the finish of the finest blocks on
Broadway, New York. The failure of the
House to organize has of course operated
to embafrass business here to greater or
less extent. Yet on the whole no other
community on the North American con-
health, steady and remunerating employ
ment, and individual and collective pros
jerity to be thankful for than this COM
munity on the opening of this year of
our LORD, 1850.
4
In The Star of January 3, 1850. are two
separate items relative to institutions that
have passed with the
Slaves and years. One of these re-
n. 1ates to the ancient GUS
OVAV1cts. tom known as 'hiring
day" in Alexandria. being a quotation
from the Gazette Of that city:
yesterday was hiring day at Cats
Tavern. West End. The number of serv-
ants for hire was about $50. being less
than have been offered usually on New
Year day. Rates were much lower than
last year-men hired from $40 to $40 per
annum; women $40 to $50. and children
$50 to SIS. At Fairfax Court House on
Thursday the rates of hiring were much
lower than last year, ruling about the
same as those at Cats Yesterday
The other Item was news brief as fol-
lows: ''In Alexandria yesterday num-
Der of slaves were sold at public sale. I'M
der a decree of court A likely man aged
about twenty-one years brought 81 $50:
another. about thirty years old. brought
$1.1OO. and another. thirty-five years Of
age. $1,000. A slave woman about thirty
years of age and two children. sold to-
gether. were purchased at 81. 100
In the advertising columns of The Star
at this time appeared a bid for sealed pro-
poSals for the hire of contract labor, is
sued by c. P. Sengstack, warden of the
United States penitentiary here. The bids
were to be opened January Is for the la
Dor of from thirty to forty convicts in
the institution for one or two years. the
bidders to specify the kind of work. the
number Of men, the probable amount of
shoproom needed and the price per day
for labor. The shoproom was to he fur
nished and the disc pline maintained at
reserving the right to select such bids and
business as would best promote the inter-
est of the institution.
The deadlock in the House of Repre-
sentatives over organization was not
broken with the resump
House ton of the sessions after
c.4 the opening of the new
VVAseo'' year, as many had hoped.
Mr. Sherman of Ohio was within three
votes of election as Speaker. The twenty
sixth ballot gave him 1O4. with 1O7 neces-
sary, Mr.. Vallandigham getting 60 and
Mr.. Gilmer 10. with the rest scattering
The twenty-seventh ballot. taken on the
same day. January 6. gave Mr.. Sherman
1O3 Mr. Booock SO and the rest widely
scattering. The twentye ghth ballot
taken on the 9th just before adjourn
ment, gave Mr.. Sherman 100. McClernand
81, Bocock 81. Quarles II and the rest
scattering. This contest was the first of
the legislative skirmishes over the slavery
a l,,In In Il;