Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-08
FIFTY YEARS AGO
IN THE STAR

The railway station was one of the
busiest places in Washington fifty years
ago. and the following arti-
Railway Gle in The Star of December
l. 1892, affords an interest
0toI1oA. ing description of the con-
ditipns there:
THE 10Th Regiment of New Jersey Vol
unteers, which has for some time been
doing guard duty at the depot OF the
Baltimore and Ohio railroad, has been
relieved by Company G, I'd District Vol
unteers, unde., command of Capt. Stock
bridge. Perceptible beneficial changes
have lately been made under the direc-
Diamonds. 1t will be remembered that
heretofore the soldiers doing guard duty.
when not Immediately employed. were To-
Gated about the door Of the ladies' wait
ing room, in the depot their knapsacks.
blankets and muskets lying around every
where much to the annoyance of ladies
waiting for the departure of trains. Mr..
Edmonds has obviated this inconvenience
by locating the soldiers at the opposite
side Of the building, and has erected
RACKS IOr C0elr use 10 deposit tnelT DdS
gage. The guards are also now extend
ed all round the building for the protec-
ton of passengers and others having
business with the company. The bene-
fetal effect of this is apparent to every
one. Passageways and entrances are now
not, blocked up. and better order is con-
sequently preserved.
The railroad company have of late in
creased the rolling stock of their road
by the addition of ten new and magniil-
cent ears, at a cost of s1O0,0W These
cars were built at the cOmpany's works
at Mount Clare and are first-cass in all
respects. The seats and interior fittings
OF the cars are Of black walnut. and the
cars are so arranged as to be much
more roomy than the ordinary railroad
carriages. There is no spring to the
seat. but the car is so constructed that
peculiar easy rocking motion is given
when the train moves. The interior of the
car presents to some extent the appear
fact, is copied after the interior of
the steamboat Isaac Newton. The cars
have openings in the top, allowing
more free circulation of air. a great
desideratum in a crowded car filled
with people.
ness in the passenger travel of the road
at this time starting off as they do
fourteen and eighteen cars filled with
Passengers -everything is conducted
management Of Mr.. Edmonds. All the
passengers are not only provided with
seats, but they are so classified as to
secure to all the greatest possible
amount of pleasure and comfort on their
journey. Certain cars are especially as
signed to ladies. and they are not. there
fore, thrown into promiscuous assem-
blages and disagreeable associations.
1.-THE depot and cars, too, are now kept
in a more clearly condition than here
<oFo I, ;-L& al.
very extensive. During the week pre-
ceding Thanksgiving large business
was done in freight. of boxes contain
ing turkeys. chickens, etc. from parties
in the north to their soldier friends
and relatives in the camps about Wash
ingtOn. On one night no less than fifty
boxes of this sort of freight arrived.
Among the most obliging and indie
fatigable officials at the depot is Mr..
Reuben Collins. who has charge of the
that position for seventeen years. and
has never vet lost single piece of
baggage. although between 300 and 400
pieces have been assigned to his care
at one time"
In The Star of December p 1862. is an
abstract of the annual report of the COM
missioner of pubic buildings
Shaky and grounds, which is of in
D.1 tereSt now rejecting the
difficulties then experienced
in the matter Of the Long bridge. which
was at that time regarded with quite as
much suspicion as, it was many years
later:
THE Long bridge over the Potomac
river has been used as a railroad bridge
during the past year and has been kept
in repair by the War Department at
very great expense. The structure is too
weak to sustain the weight of heavy
trains and has several times given way
under their pressure. The ordinary
travel over the bridge has been entirely
by recent order of the War
to the great inconvenience
of the community.
andria, Washington and Georgetown Rail-
road Company propose to construct new
bridge by the side of and connected with
the present structure. 10 be occupied
exclusively by the railroad track The
construction of such an additional bridge.
while it would increase the capacity of
the road to facilitate the transportation
required by the government, would great
ly promote the convenience of the pubic
by leaving the old bridge open for ordi-
nary travel 1t is desirable that Congress
shall. as early as possible. authorize the
to construct the additional
bridge proposed
PickpOcketS were very busy in Wash
ingtOn at this time fifty years ago. the
light-fingered gentry COM
PickpOcketS ing in here for the winter
vr, as the most southerly
d. WoIh. city they could reach
without passing through the military
lines In The Star of December ), 1862,
is a news item giving warning to the
public in connection with the arrest of
an artful dodger who was caught at his
tricks at an auction at the corner of
9th street and Pennsylvania avenue. and
was arrested after a chase. In The Star
Of the next day is this paragraph:
Yesterday afternoon Mr.. Peter Palmer
of Schenectady, n. Y, was riding in
one of the city railroad cars, and it
was so crowded that he and many
others were obliged to stand. Mr..
Palmer noticed a respectfully dressed
old gentleman who was crowded next
him, and that he had inserted his hand
under his (Mr PSI vest. Although he
had $50 he did not suspect any wrong
intention of the old gentleman. At 18th
street the car stopped and the old man
got off, and Mr.. Palmer soon after
missed his money He went at once to
Patrolman Dom in search of his fell
but did not find him for
some time, and then he had changed his
hat for cap TWenty-one dollars
were found upon him when searched.
including a note similar to one among