davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-09

picnic OF jerked beet sandwiches-and in
q fortnight she had graduated him from
nickelodeons and ice cream sodAs to
problem plays and cut flowers, with little
suppers where the walters wear evening
clothes and own corner lots. and q date
at the jewelers. for next morning. or
course 1t was a one-sided affair: what
chance has q guileless western man with
bank account against e maiden lady
with her mind made up? BY the middle
OF October she was calling him by his
first name and by Thanksgiving she was
sporting q blue solitaire diamond on her
third finger and consulting dresgmakers
about the trousseau.
AfA
1.-THE wedding was to- be pulled on at
1850 In the morning. SOS they could catch
the 8 o'clock train for the far west. their
future home Also. it was to be a quiet
affair: In the boarding house parlor; no.
body present but the landlady and myself
and the bride-and, OF course, the parsoh
person and this western party defendant.
1.-THE night before the threatened event
II turned bitter GOLD and. Of course. the
boarding house furnace got sulky and
went out. It was q shivering, blue-posed
bunch Of us that gathered in the little
boarding house parlor the next morning.
ali except the bridegroom: he waG miss
ing. We waited IN objectionable fffteef,
minutes while the bride got snufiy and
the landlaAy got sour and the parson got
AT lesstA the 1aadaaAy. with patisnee
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-09
Dick Zepp's Home.
0NE Of the romantic spots in Rock Creek
~ Park, and one which few persons VS.

0NE Of the romantic spots in Rock Creek
~ Park. and one which few persons WIS.,
it, is the little field which Dick Zepp titled
for many years before that part Of Rock
creek and Broad branch country be-
came a national park. An old chestnut
tree stands where Zepp's home was. The
tree cast its shade on Zepp's house for
many summers. On the east edge OF the
field. over where the pines swish in the
winter wind and of course soLgh ana
sigh in the airs of summer. you may see
old burrows. Plow marks are very per-
sistent in q stin clay soil or where pines
or woods grow up protect the burrows
from erosion. This field Ii now the
il not nearly 30 well patronixed or so
much used by Washington horsemen as
the hurdle field where old Jane Dickson
and her family lived for ever SO many
years. However. some of the horsemen of
the park find their way over there.
An old road, scarcely more than a
woodland trace, runs north to the Mill
tary road, and south from this field leads
q saddle path, which winds through deep
! woods and down steep hills to dirt
road. You can pass under the cement
bridge which spans ravine ana over
which this dirt road passes. and the sad
the edge OF Rock creek. where the creek
Is really rocky and where the water
roars.
At the creek edge you will turn to your
right, because you uiuSt AuoW tudt ehe
water is running toward the city. and
after a stiff up and down hill ride or walk
you will come to the confluence of Rock
creek and Broad branch and find yourself
once more In the strong tide Of park
travel.
This north jumping field is a very quiet
place. 1t is broad hilltop. To the west
and on considerably lower ground Is one
OF the smooth roads over which automo-
biles whis, but this road may easily be
nut out OF view and ii is far enough away
that the sound of autos will not reach
you. At this season the field IL covered
with dry bunch grass with green blades
cleaning under the dead. There are
thousands of brown stalks tipped with
gray fuzz. Last summer and autumn this
was golden rod. Sedge Is waving over in
the east part Of the field and at that side
are thick pines, where, IL a cold wind is
blowing man may ind shelter. Through
these pines may be seen the trace Of nu
merous old roads, some Of them now not
more than rabbit paths. In this quiet
place you can light your pipe and take a
day dream while your horse nibbles al
the sparse green that is just beginning to
come up.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-09
Changing the Landscape.

THE face of the earth has been
changed on the north hand as you move
along the north drive of Potomac Park
between 22d and 23d streets. The swales
and folds of the south slope OF the hill
on which stand the new Naval Hospital
and the Museum Of Hygiene have been
filled in and the slope has been given a
symmetrical grade, the bottom Of the
slope reaching nearly to the park drive,
which follows close upon what in the
older surveys was called Lower Water
street. The hillside on the north has q
raw aspect, being deep covered with clay
Of many hues, yellow. gray. slate and
red. The surface is coarsely clotted and
the slope has not yet been so smoothed
that one cannot trace the many wagon
loads that have been dumped there.
On the east side of the street which
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-09

project is regularly entered on steps
should be taken to secure the title OF the
United States to all the land to be re-
claimed, and. this will require the action
of Congress.
With the excavated material from the
deepened channel dumped on the mats.
conditions in Anacostia grew rapidly
worse. and still the work of real reciama-
ton Jagged In 1898 there was joint
resolution of Congress which provided
for IAN estimate for the Improvement OF
the Anacostia river and the reclamation
of its flats between the District hnes ana
the mouth OF the river and also Tor GER
tain Information in regard to the owner
ship of the flats and the cost OF acquir-
ing any lands owned by private parties. "
The resolution made an appropriation or
$1,000 for the surveys required. The
called for under the resolution was as
signed to the. charge of Lieut.. Col.
Charles J. Allen. Corps OF Engineers,
u. s. A., by letter from the chief en-
gineer May 2, 1893.
x X
The report Of the president of the
Board Of Trade, Theodore w. Noyes. in
1898, shows that the improvement ofsthe
Anacostia had not made much progress,
was working for the solution Of the
that report:
The Board Of Trade, representing in its mem
bership every section Of the District and every
with those subjects which are Of general con-
Germ, is a needed unifying force in the life and
progress OF the municipality. The board
ful6lling this function and consistently acting on
this line Of policy Ia close touch with the Com
missoners, and acting, far as the public
interests permit. In harmony with them, con-
cedng to the citizens associations in the var-
sections the handling Of matters peculiarly
sectional and local. and banding together the
public spirited from all the associations and
from the citizens generally for the promotion
power for good in the community. In municipal
as in national development we are to know no
NORTH no south. no east. no west. All Wash
ington IL to work for wise highway extension,
though the subject is OF greatest immediate
concern to the suburban city; for the removal Of
grade crossings though East and South Wash
ington are the special sufferers from this evil;
for an increase in the water supply, though this
lack Is most painfully felt in the high sections
of the community; for comprehensive sewage
disposal. though the low-lying business section
will benefit most thereby: for the reclalnatio
Of the marshy fats. whether in the Anacostia.
west; for abating the nuisance of open sewers.
whether they deface the northwest In the shape
Of Rock creek, or the southeast, In James Creek
canal.
At the annual Board of Trade shad
bake May 8, 1899, Mr.. Noyes on the SUBJ
ject of the neglect by Congress of the
Potomas said, In part:
The evil results Of this neglect of the Navy
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-09

Steiner had q firm belief in the future of
the Lone Star state. and. retiring from
the practice Of medicine he devoted HIM
self to developing his resources acquired
there. he married, after leaving tho army,
Miss Laura Fisher Of the well known
Baltimore family, ana took his wife at
once to the home In Austin. All his
children were born there. In addition
to Mrs. Burleson, DR.. Steiner left another
daughter, Mrs. Johns, who also resides in
Austin. and q son, DR.. Ralph Steiner. one
Of the most distinguished physicians in
the state. and at present serving as state
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-09

fore her chapter relating to the develop
ment of the historical side of the organi-
zation and its splendid work for the gen.
eratiOns to come In this matter OF keep
ing the records.
: A side of this interesting personality is
one which will make q universal appeal.
Mrs. Burleson Is fine cook-a scientif-
ically trained and entirely experienced
cook.
las one Of the duties Of the home-
keeper" she said, SIS to provide nutri-
ton for the family, some years ago
took up cooking from q practical stand
cally and from the point of view of those
who have the meal to eat. This combi-
nation is capable of exhausting much
mental energy and it is fascinating
study, which RECOMMEND to all who find
their interest in other things tagging.
Living SO near the Mexican border, Next
can food has come to form q part of our
menu, and 1t prevents undue monotony.
l consider that to be good cook Is to
be useful person. and I have always
encouraged my daughters to try their
recipes, even at the expense Of offending
the cook by a little disorder in the
kitchen. I believe in knowing how to do
everything well. and so have trained
my daughters. I believe in cultivating
every talent and inclination so as to have
the day well filled. In diversity of occu-
patton comes mental relief and content.
OF course. reading is my chief joy, and I
can have at least an hours reading.
read political news with avidity, but I
find great pleasure in the modern dramas,
especially those Of the great Norwegian.
Danish. German and French masters who
deal with the philosophy OF the hour. I
find the drama the highest expression of
literary art. and in it, rather than in
novels or essays. the problems of today
held up for reform. Naturally, then. the
theater Is one Of my pleasures, and a
great play is treat which appeals to
all my family, as well as myself"
Mrs. Burleson comes of distinguished
ancestry through both her parents. Her
father, Dr. Josephus Steiner. was a ma
tive of Maryland. He studied medicine
and entered the army. where his career
was eminently successful. He was sur
geon in the frontier posts and went
through the entire Mexican war, after
which he severed his connection with the
army and located at Austin, Tex. Ds.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-09

possess every attraction with which 1t car
be invested by the intelligent and foster
ing care of those who are 1ntrusted WIN
its Immediate supervision.
1.-THE people OF the country Will sus-
tain and approve the efforts of their rep
resentatives in the discharge OF this re-
sponsibility."
In submitting the bill Josiah Dent OF
the board of Commissioners wrote tna'
Happily the contamination OF this prof.
ect, which includes in its scope the East
ern branch of the Potomac on which are
located the federal arsenal and navy yard
will add to the domain OF the United
States as riparian proprietor more than
one thousand acres OF valuable land, suf-
ficient, it is believed. to reimburse the en-
tire cost of the improvement.
August s, 1870. s. T. Albert. United
States civil engineer. to whom the matter
harbor had been committed in 1874. made
a report to Brig. Gen. m. g. Wright chief
engineer u. S. A.. in which he reviewed
the work done under federal auspices 1or
the improvement Of the harbor OF Wash
ington from the first appropriation made
March 2. 1888, to aid the citizens Oh
GEORGETOWN in removing the obstructions
to navigation in the Potomac, for the
purchase of the Little Falls bridge and the
construction of a turnpike road. Slight
reference is made to the Eastern branch.
4
One may run through the records for
many hours in q search for matter bear
ing on the reclamation OF the Anacostia
flats, but on coming to the year 1890
things appear more hopeful. September
10, 1880, $4,000 of the appropriation for
the improvement ofsf7Washington harbor
was made available for the dredging of
the Anacostia, and in 1891 Col. Hams. in a
report, says that IA contract has been
made for improving the Anacostia river
from the navy yard to Giesboro Point.
Under this contract the channel is to be
deepened. to 20 feet with a width Of 200
feet, and the material excavated to be de-
posted on the hats in embankment SO as
to control the currents and reduce the de-
posts in the navy yard channel
In his report for 1892 Col. Hams said
that the improvement of the Eastern
branch recommended "contemplates
dredging a channel "a feet deep by 200
feet wide up to the Navy Yard. bridge,
with a basin in front of the navy yard 400
feet wide and "a feet deep, this channel
to be widened at reduced depth to 1000
feet as the demands Of commerce may
require. The material dredged is to be
redeposited on the flats or marshes on
either side of the river. The total cost
is estimated at $G58OOO." Among some
of the things which Col. Hams wrote in
his 1892 report was this: Before the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-09

health officer. The Steiners went to Mary
land four generations ago from Winter
hoff, near the city Of Zurich. Switzerland.
They were family OF Lutheran ministers
and physicians. The nrst OF the line who
went to Maryland was the frst Lutheran
minister in Frederick, and emigrated in
response to q call from q small congre-
CATION there.
Mrs. Burleson finds great pleasure In
which she spent In Europe finishing her
education she has made several trips
since. When her children were old enough
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-09

Thomas Church. and was followed by a
breakfast at home
To the recent hopors coming to Mr..
Burleson must be added that of a name
sake. his daughters little son born in
their home In San Antonio on the 10th OF
February. He is called Albert Sidney
Burleson Negley.
Mrs. Burleson before devoting herself
to plays dealing with various humorous
phases of modern life had been a regular
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-09
BY MARGARET B. DOWNING.

RS. b L r l. ESON
presents m a n v
charming phases
of a strong person
ality, and. though
she is totally with
out ambition to be-
come a leader of
social affairs. she
will unconsciously
make her impress
on the new admin
istration. On both
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-09

HEN the govern
ment reaches the
conclusion to Gre
ate a great botanic
garden. and ii is
proposed to even
tually remove the
present & at d e II
from its old, ia
miuar and conspic-
uous site to one in
Rock Creek Park
or in Potomac
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-09

A CABINET Hostess Who
4 ! Is Very Well Known in
Washington-Has Lived in
the Capital Nearly Fifteen
Years-Was, Before Her Mar
rage, Miss Adele Steiner,
Daughter of the Late DR..
Josephus Steiner, u. S. A.,
a Resident of Austin, Tex.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-09

from Georgetown to the mouth Of the
Eastern branch and Of the Eastern branch
from its mouth to the navy yard bridge
were made in 1887 by Lieut. Diving OF
the navy. in 1857. by r. w. Burgess, civil
engineer, and Capt. I. G.. Woodruff, Corps
of Typographical Engineers, In 1852, by
Garlic Patterson of the coast survey. In
1867 by Charles Fendall Of the coast sur.
very. and in 1871 by J. E. Weyss and C.
Thompson. acting under Maj. w. p
Under an act Of Congress approved March
5. 1872, board Of survey was created
to devise plan for the permanent i'm.
provement Of Washington harbor and the
reclamation Of the flats, and although
this board concerned itself mainly with
the subject of the Potomac fats. 1t gave
consideration to the Anacostia flats.
In 1873 the committee of one hundred
sent a memorial to Congress, in which II
was set forth that:
The marshes which skirt the entire front o.
our city are the growth Of years OF neglect o.
National Capital, and the remedy is to be founi
only IN judicious plan for harbor Improvement
win Be alike promoted. Congress- ha. Iavishes
millions on the rivers and harbors Of the couD
consideration are INSIGNIFICANT as COMPARED witt
Washington, while comparatively nothing ha.
been done for the harbor Of its capital Or To-
the navigation OF q great. river. which has thu
capacity to float its navy and to sustain a vas
maritime commerce.
December 10, 1879, President Hayes sent
to Congress a message accompanying q
bill submitted by the Commissioners OF
the District Of Columbia "For the reclaim
alton Of the marshes in the harbor Of the
cities of Washington and Georgetown, and
for other purposes" That bill embraced
a plan for the reclamation Of the marshes
of the Potomac river and OF the Eastern
branch within the limits Of the city OF
Washington. and was carefully framed
with a view to economy in the prosecu-
ton Of the work" President Hayes In
his message to Congress wrote:
''The attention Of Congress is again in
vited to the urgent need Of legislation
for this important public work, which has
been too long delayed. The Improvement
contemplated Is essential to the health OF
those who reside whether permanently or
temporarily at the capital, and to the safe
and convenient navigation Of the waters
in its vicinity for vessels employed In the
service of the government and for the
purpose Of commerce.
'It is a measure OF more than local ben.
eft. The capital Of the nation should be
relieved from every disadvantage which
1t Is practicable to remove and should
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-09
A. WITH THE RAMBLE]@5k61fdfll
n II aM Nhhz]nk,9mnLuum XN@d@l1

between 22d and 23d streets there is on
the plat a triangular reservation marked
Res. III. 1t is only on the plat. Per-
haps some time lawns and strubbery
and flowers maygro wthere. This land
looks down upon and over the whole Of
Potomac Park
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-09

contributor to periodicals and magazines.
She wrote g. series OF short sketches for
well known magazines on quaint hap
penings In society, and her monologues
were nationally known. Mrs. Burleson
has also written many historical articles
dealing principally with Texas subjects.
and her account OF the treaties regulating
the waters OF the Rio Grande between
Texas and Mexico was recognized as Civ
ing graphic and forceful resume of the
long litigation She belongs to the ID. A.
r. and last autumn she read a paper be-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-09


it was used as a hospital. In 1862. eight
frame wards fronting on eth street were
erected, and these, together with the
armory building, were known as Armory
Square Hospital. At first this hospital
was under the direction of DR.. d. W.
Bliss, then a surgeon of a Michigan regi-
ment and who, afterward. became cele-
brated as surgeon n-chief to President
Garfield during his lingering struggle
against the wound of the assassin. In
the direction of Armory Square Hos
pital DR.. Bliss was succeeded by DR.. G.
C. Byrne and he in turn was succeeded
by DR.. c. A. Leale.
After the civil war, the militia of the
District not being reorganized, the build
ing remained unOccupied. In 1875 after
the close Of the centennial exposition the
government officials in Washington look
ing around for some storage place for
the various exhibits presented by foreign
governments until the National Museum
building could be erected, made use Of the
old armory building and an approp riation
was made each year for the care of the
building and the exhibits contained in it,
until 1885. There was no legislation re-
lating to this building for some time
after that year. but the Smithsonian In
stitution, the National Museum and the
fish commission retained possession.
Gen. Ordway requested Of the Secretary
of War that the building be returned to
the District National Guard. The fish
commission complained that it had no
other place for its exhibits and the mat
ter found its way to the Senate committee
on appropriations. That committee found
that the claim for the building on behalf
of the District Guard was justified by the
law and agreed to provide other quarters
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-09

the qucStioi VI tire
national arboretum will probably again
come up. This question of national
arboretum came in for considerable dis
cussion about 1901. The establishment
of an arboretum in Washington was one
of the plans Of Andrew Jackson Downing,
. the early landscape architect. Part of
the inscription on the Downing memorial
vase in the Smithsonian grounds Is that
when these grounds were proposed he
was at once called to design them, but
before they were completed he persisted
in the wreck of the steamer Henry Clay.
Downing had a plan "for converting the
whole Mall. including the Smithsonian
grounds, into an extended landscape gar
den. planted with, specimens, properly
labeled, of all the varieties of trees and
shrubs which will flourish in this eli
mate"
In the report of the Secretary of Agri-
culture in 1899 it was written that lone
of the needs of the department is an
arboretum in which can be brought to-
gether for study all the trees that will
grow in the climate of Washington. The
need of such an establishment was felt
early in the history of the capital and
was brought forward more than fifty
years ago among the various plans pro-
posed for the use of the Smithson be-
quest. which was finally devoted to the
founding of the present Smithsonian In
stitution.'
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-09

@YHE reclamatio of the AnacOStfa
flats has been big public
question for many years. It is
a work that has been demand
ed in the interest Of sanitation,
navigation, wharfage facilities and the
comprehensive extension of the park sys-
tenn of the capital. One can stand on
the Navy Yard bridge and overlook the
sweeping. gracefully curving harbor lines
in course of establishment and can see
acres Of river bottom that have been lifted
above high tide and can see many other
acres in process of reclamation. The work
below the Navy Yard bridge proceeds not
SO rapidly as citizens Of the District
might wish and the reclamation work
above the bridge is still in the future,
but the near future.
The city founders thought that the Ana
costa river would be Washington's river
of commerce. On the L'Enfant map of
1871 one, may read that From the en-
trance Of this river the Eastern branch
up to the second bridge the depth of
water is from five and one-third to four
fathoms, the deepest all along the shore
line, where wharfs are marked" The
Ellicott map Of 1892 shows an average
depth of twenty -four feet in the Anacostia
along the east front Of the city and only
ten feet in the Potomac along the city
front. The Dermott map of 1897 gives
the average depth Of the Anacostia. as
twenty-five feet and the average depth of
the Potomac along the west front Of the
city as eight feet.
In the report Of the committee on river
and harbor improvement Of the WASH
ington Board Of Trade for 1909. is this:
The reclamation Of the Anacostia river IS now
engaging the attention OF all residents Of the
District, not only for it's menace to the public
health. but for the equally strong reason that
the commerce Of the District Of Columbia stands
in pressing need OF additional wharf facilities
and looks to the improvement OF this river AZ the
only possible relief to provide the city with
repeatedly emphasized this necessity. but 1T can
never lose sight OF the historical facts that all
expenditures for such reclamation should properly
be borne wholly by the United States: certainly
the District OF Columbia ought to be relieved OF
this burdensome expense arising from the mex
cusable neglect Of the United States government:
remembering that when the state OF Maryland
passed its act Of cesslon of this territory to the
United States. IT turned over to, the latter a
broad river navigable to Bladensbura. at which
place ocean vessels were loaded with tobacco,
fore the responsibility for its present deplorabe
condition rests upon the governing powers.
Surveys Of various parts Of the Potomac