Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-24
FIFTY YEARS ago
In THE STAR

capitai during the civil war had an album
dance of news TO print.
An Editor but at the same time
A-..+.d they were surrounded by
difficulties and dangers
owing to the fact that they were under a
censorship increasingly rigid In It's Sc
verify. In The Star OF March Is. 1862. Is
paragraph descriptive OF the unpieas-
ant experience OF not merely the publisher
but the stafr Of one OF the local papers:
An order was issued yesterday morn
Ing for the seizure Of the printing Office
and the arrest Of the publisher and print
ers OF the Washington Sunday Chronicle
and their trial by court-martial, their pa
per having on Sunday published news Of
military operations and movements. there
by disregarding the order OF the Secre-
tary Of War and making Itself liable to be
proceeded against under the fiftyseventh
article Of war. The order OF arrest was
placed in the hands OF the military gov
ernor Of the District Of Columbia and the
editor OF the paper was brought before
him. The editor stated that the news was
handed In at very late hour and the pa
per went to press without his personal
supervision. He expressed his regret at
the violation Of the order and promised to
guard carefully against a recurrence OF
similar publications, whereupon at the
request of the military governor. he being
satisfied that the offense would not be re-
peated. the execution Of the order was
suspended"
After the battle between the Monitor
and the Merrlmac there were many sug-
gestions from southern
Grabbing the sympathizers of meth
49,. DDS of overcoming the
0AiA'oA' advantage which the
presence of the "cheesebox on raft"
gave to the federal forces at Hampton
roads. One Of these proposals was that
a Confederate vessel should steal out at
night and kidnap the Monitor. On this
point the following paragraph was print
ed in The Star of March 10, 1862:
"a correspondent of the Baltimore
American wants those knowing individuals
who speak so confidently of the Merrimac
graphing the Monitor and towing her
into Norfolk to 'grapple' themselves with
the problem as to how long 1t would take
the former vessel to tow the latter into
Norfolk, supposing the black cheesebox
should, in addition to the exertion Of her
process, happen to let go its anchor with
fifty or sixty fathoms Of chain attached
on good holding bottom. The writer
might also have asked what the effect
would be. supposing the Monitor sue
cumbed to the towing operation, and,
when she had been dragged within good
hitting distance of Norfolk. opened her
two guns on the city. A retired sea cap
tain out west suggests that the tower of
the Monitor should be covered with a
pn nj and fa1low (91lch Is
frequently put on ships bottoms). which
would present a perfectly smooth surface
and greatly increase the chances of shot
glancing off. if they happen to hit the
vessel, and would likewise increase the
difficulties Of the graphing process
In the same issue of The Star is a
news note to the effect that the Rich
mond Dispatch "intimates that the Vir-
ginia alias the Merrimac, since her re-
cent contest with the Monitor, has chang
ed her forward and aft pivot guns for
two of the celebrated Armstrong guns, Of
heavy caliber'
John T. Ford's new theater on 10th street
between and F, which afterward be-
came internationally ia
Theater nous as the scene Of Lin
coins assassination, was
OPeAIilg. opened on the 10Th Of
vi
French Spy" by Miss Lucille Western.
OF this event The Star said in its issue of
March %:
1.-THE opening Of 'Ford's Atheneum' last
night brought together large gathering.
and the expressions of satisfaction with
the building and the company, expressed
with such unmistakable emphasis by the
audience, must have been gratifying to
he lor0o-Ypfndad nrnnF1afOr
Mr. John T. Ford, who has at so much la
Dor and expense provided this beautiful
and spacious structure for dramatic rep
reservations in the city of Washington.
Cozy, we'll lighted, well ventilated, ele-
gantly furnished and with facilities Of in
gress and egress never before afforded by
a theater here, it is very bijou of a
dramatic temple. We have not space today
to speak in detail of the dramatic company,
and must make mere mention OF two
the beautiful and brilliant Miss Lucille
Western and the capital comedian, Mr..
Bishop, both of whom stepped at once
into popular favor, it was quite evident.
The opening address, written Tor the oc-
livered with fine effect by Miss Annie
Graham"
The people of the north were highly
encouraged by the events Of the early
spring. including the
Encouraging capture of Fort Dom
elson and the success
01IuotloA' Of the Monitor at
Hampton roads. In The Star of March
%, 1862, is the following summary Of the
situation in the south Mississippi valley:
1.-The government had received nothing
by telegraph from Island No. 10 today. up
to pm. As per the mornings tele-
grams Of the Associated Press. 1t is
evident that Commodore Foote and Gen.
Pope are gradually and surely carrying
out their program for the reduction OF
the place. We doubt not that much OF
the delay has been occasioned by their
great anxiety to make as heavy haul
of prisoners there as may be possible
under the circumstances.
TT is highly probable that ere this
there has been a battle between the
Union forces at Savannah, Tenn. under
Gems. Grant and c. F. Smith, and those,
numbering 1900, which Gen. Beauregard
has hastily collected within ten miles of
that point most of which were formerly
parts of A Sidney Johnsons panic
stricken Bowling Green racers. No ap-
prehension concerning the result of a
collision between those forces is enter
tanned here. If, as we anticipate, Beau
regard is used up, the way to the rear
of Memphis will be entirely clear for the
further progress Of Grant and Smith. to-