Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-24
FIFTY YEARS Ago
IN THE STAR

From the time of the establishment of
the street railway in this city the operat-
ing company
Street Railway under pressure to
Improvements. ,is s. ' sos , u's,t sas
then regarded as the rapid transit of the
people. In The Star OF August L. 1865,
is the following news article:
lat a late meeting of the directors of
the Washington and Georgetown Street
Railroad Company it was determined to
largely increase the facilities for ,travel
on the several tracks of the company.
Two-horse cars will be placed on the 14th
street line and they will run from the
Boundary to the Avenue and thence to
the east side Of the Capitol. The cars
have already been ordered from New
York Other improvements have been
authorized by the directors. The COM
pany have been remarkably fortunate
with their horses during the heated term.
Notwithstanding the immense increase OF
travel consequent on the indispostion of
people to walk. only nine horses have
to the excellent treatment of the horses
in driving and watering"
The news columns of The Star during
this period just fifty years ago were flied
with announcements of
GrOundS OF the work of the enroll
rA. ment board in complet-
ing the local draft, in
passing upon applications. for exemption,
giving the names of those whose cases
were passed upon by the board. The
grounds upon which exemptions were
granted are interesting. Following are
some of them: Only support of orphaned
brother, excessive stammering. only sup
port of widow, over age, under age,
dwarf, only parent of child under twelve
years. alien. father of motherless chill
dren. only son of widow, only support
OF aged parents, right eye blind, TWO
members of family in service. extreme
deafness. In one case a young man APP
peared and claimed exemption on the
ground of being a felon, having served a
year in the penitentiary at Baltimore.
He was accompanied by young man
and young woman, who testified to the
correctness of his statement. Before the
exemption was granted however. the
young woman witness robbed the board
ing house in which she was stopping and
the two young men We're placed under
arrest as suspicious characters.
The resumption of the draft in New
York was being watched with keen in
terest for signs of
Peaceful Drafting a disposition to re-
rv new the rioting. In
IA A'~" n The Star of August
20, 1863, is the following on this subject:
1.-The renewal of the draft in New York
yesterday was not attended by any out
break or disturbance. The governments
military preparations in that quarter
have been such that the copperhead poll
ticians and other aiders and abettors of
the rebellion there dare not continue their
labors to place the city again at the
mercy of a mob of thieves and other such
characters The result of the quiet con-
summation of the draft there in its effect
upon our cause in Europe as well as
throughout the south will be of as great
Importance as the winning of an impor
tant victory in the field could be. In
Europe the battle of Gettysburg. Lees
Port HUDSON and the condition of affairs
at Charleston have together shorn the
rebel agents and sympathiZers- in that
quarter of the world of all hope save
in that of a counter,reyollSon in the
AS futile as all in our loyal states know
any such hope to be, it is nevertheless
the only hope left them.
I'm the south when it becomes known
that the draft has been successful every
yhar n hog off, iatl in,
York there will be prompt demonstration
in various quarters against the further
prosecution of the war, similar to those
that are taking place now in North Caro-
lima. The hopelessness of the cause of
the oligarchy will quickly break their
power under the influence of the
efforts Of the leaders of the Union
party who were driven into the
rebellion by force of the arms in
the hands of the conspirators and their
tools. There are unmistakabe signs that
a powerful Union party is about to raise
it's head in every state in rebellion ex-
cept South Carolina. going before the
people on the plea that all the troubles
the south has suffered have been brought
about by the original secession leaders.
who must be cut down promptly to safe
what the war they initiated for their
own ACKNOWLEDGEMENT has left to the peo-
pie there. The certainty that the armies
Of the Union will shortly be 100000
any lingering hope, as it does. that the
war schemes of the cOnspirators may
possibly succeed. will do much indeed
to secure influence and power for the
anti-secessionists. who now making
an open stand against the war in all
quarters of the SOUTH
The advertising columns of The Star
at this time fifty years ago shows the
effect of the draft upon
Advertising this community. For in
e4:4..4., stance. the following an
ouo"'A'' nouncement appears reg
ularly;
DRAFTED men should be careful to have
their exemption papers correctly prepared
or they will not be exempted. Capt John
m. McCutcheon attorney at law. at 474
18th street. opposite the post office, is
drawing these papers according to reg
ulations."
Here Is another:
Drafted men looking for substitutes
should call on us. We can furnish re-
liable men, charging reasonable commits
sion, and will attend to your business
without trouble or loss of time. W. B.
Lewis & Co. auctioneers, AT 7th street"
Here is another of somewhat the same
sort:
"A number of substitutes on hand
strong, healthy men that are sure to
pass. Apply to w. H. Hope 3oO E. street
The advertiser in the following in
stance evidently nrefarred RI deal di-