Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-05
FIFTY YEARS ago
IN THE STAR

The freight congestion between Wash
ington and the north continued so serious
at this time half q century
Wagon ago that 1t is necessary to
r:.lA resort to horsepower for
1eA6AI' relief. as indicated by the
following paragraph in The Star of Oc-
tober 2S. 1861:
The failure OF the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad Company to comprehend the
urgent necessity for laying down a dou-
bic track between this city and Balti-
more, to accommodate the immense
amount Of freight seeking transit over
1t. has resulted in private enterprise
starting a successful opposition TO the
road by running freight wagons over the
turnpike between the two cities. 1t is
evident that nothing but direct route
from here to Annapolis. or a direct con-
Meeting link with some Pennsylvania
road. will afford the facilities for com
munication with the north and west re-
CURED"
Accidents such as that which Is told In
the following paragraph printed in The
Star of October 80, 1861.
drowned IN were not uncommon In
~. r:h Washington half a CEN
sAe A1UeI. fury ago, when there
were many death traps such as that
which figured In the fatality described.
especially in the neighborhood of tue
canals which ran through the city:
Last night between u and o'clock
Thomas WEIGH, an old and well known
hackman. was driving around with two
ma
Thomas w. Burch. in his coach. and in
attempting to pass along I'd street. at the
culvert on Pennsy wanna avenue. where
the bank Of the Tiber Is dila pidated and
the carrlageway narrow, he drove too
near the edge and he and his horses,
coach and passengers were tumbled down
the BANK. Brown and Burch escaped
from the coach without serious INJURY
but the driver was caught under the car
riage in the stream and drowned. The
horses were badly bruised AMI the Goa n
smashed. WEIGH was near sixty years OF
age and half his life had been spent in
the hack business
halloween was much more riotous
occasion half a century ago than It is
at present. and in the alb
halloween sence of an efficient police
proo+;o., force to check the liveli-
ness OF the juvenile dispo-
sition residents OF Washington were
rather seriously annoyed. In The Star
of October 81. 1861, is this account OF
what was expected to happen that night
To-day being the vigil or eve of All
Hallow day. is known as All Hallow eve.
Haliowmas has been celebrated in the
mother country from time fmmemorial
ringing ho ~ L.
and certain fortune telling customs. Here
these customs have quite died out. 'Hol-
Ter eve.' as II is called by the boys, is
still celebrated in manner Of their own,
by going around hooking cabbages wher-
ever they can find a garden UNPROTECTED,
and hanging their plumber to door knobs
and throwing 1t into peoples doors and
at the head of any one unlucky enough
to get within range. This practice is q
reprehensible one and should be stopped
summarily. as accidents often happen,
and II Is only a few years since that q
party OF thoughtless youths In this city
caused the death Of a lady through the
fright she received from their throwing
some of these vegetable missiles at her
when she answered ring at the door"
4:
The retirement Of Gen. Scott from ac-
tive duty at the head Of the army took
place on the LIST of No
Gen, Scott vember. 1851, and Is de-
nxI scribed in The Star of the
day following. He wrote
his letter asking to be relieved of active
duty owing to his physical infirmities, on
responded on the LIST Of November. the
matter having been considered at cabinet
meeting on that morning. At o'clock in
the afternoon the President. accompanied
by the cabinet. proceeded to the resi-
dence of Gen. Scott and Mr.. Lincoln read
to him his official order placing the vet
eran soldier on the retired list of the
army without reduction OF current pay,
subsistence or allow ances, and express
ing the nations sympathy with him In
his physical Affections and appreciation
for his services rendered in the course
Of a long and brilliant career. The
Stars account continues:
THE venerable general. oppressed by
infirmity and emotion, rose with difficulty
to make to the President his acAnowl-
edgments in touching terms. concluding
with the declaration that the kindness
manifested toward him on this occasion
he felt to be the crOwning reward OF a
long life spent in the service of his coun-
try and his deep conviction OF the ulti-
mate triumph OF the national arms over
rebellion and the happy termination Of
the present unnatural and parricidal war.
The President responded in a feeling
manner, expressing a profound sentiment
Of regret with which the country as well
as himself would part with public serv-
ant so venerable in yeas and SO inus-
trious for the services he had rendered.
The remarks of both were mutually kind
patriotic and impressive. AT the close of
the interview the President and cabinet
shook the aged general by the hand and
took their leave"
--------------------
which provided gold for merchants OF
Phoenicia and Arabia, and which eventu-
ally becsme influenced by and pc. haps
absorbed In a more powerful and wealth.
er organization of Semites.
R. N Hall indicates that the ruins age
ia z 600 wears as minimum He SAYS that