Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-12
FIFTY YEARS AGO
In THE STAR

Naturally there was great interest
throughout the north in the fate OF the
Monitor, the first federal
Monitors ironclad. which had rendered
Loss. suen v,.a'ls impor'an. ser ss
Stars announcement of the laundering OF
the vessel off Hatteras. printed in the is
sue of January 3. 1863. was followed in
the issue of Monday. January 5. 1868. by
full report from Commander Bankhead.
written on board the T. S. s. Rhode Is
land under date of January 1, the Rhode
Island having been the steamer in tow OF
which the Monitor left Hampton roads on
the 10Th of December Commander Bank
head tells of the gradual increase of the
sea swells after passing Cape Henry in
smooth waters. Under the influence OF
the heavy wash over the base Of the tur-
ret 1t was found that the packing of
oakum had loosened somewhat from the
working of the tower. The pumps. how
ever. were able to keep the vessel clear of
the water that penetrated through the
sight holes of the pilot house and the
brace of the tower. During the next
morning. however, the wind increased in
strength and the sea rose. causing the
vessel to plunge heavily and the tower to
loosen more and more. Although the
heaviest pumps were put in service. they
were unable to gain on the water and at
1880 o'clock at night a distress signal
was sent to the Rhode Island, from which
two boats were dispatched. In the heavy
sea the transshipment Of the crew of the
Monitor was extremely difficult and the
Rhode Island herself was in grave danger
of destruction. Finally 1t was determined
to continue. but the water put out all the
fires and left no steam pressure. The an
Choir was dropped and the Monitor swung
to the wind, but she was filing rapidly
and the deck was on a level with the sea
when the commander ordered the crew to
abandon ship. 1t was in these operations
that several were lost. In all, four Off
GERS and twelve men lost their lives. The
doned.
In The Star of January 5, 1869, is the
following news item relative to the affairs
of the w a s.h n n
Street Car Georgetown Railway Com
Tro,.f.,., pany, which were just
then of great interest to
the local public:
Tomorrow the company will put in
force a new regulation respecting trans
fers, by which the Office of transfer
agents will be abolished. The conductors
will hereafter issue them to passengers at
the points where the transfers are made.
and by punching the tickets prevent fraud
on the company by their being used twice.
New rules in relation to the carrying of
bundles. etc, have been adopted. The
company are now engaged. in removing
the track on New Jersey avenue to the
center Of the street. in accordance with
the late decision Of Judge Merrick, and in
short time will have their cars running
to that point as usual. Last week the
employees of the company were treated to
handsome supper. served at the instance
OF the directors, those Of the Georgetown
and 14th street lines dining in Georgetown
and of the navy yard and steamboat
lines at Sanderson's Navy Yard"
On the 9TH of January, 1863, a steam
boat laden with women and children left
Washington for southern
women Sent points under permits Is
=. c.,,4h sued by the Secretary OF
=" 0""sn' War. The news of this is
that day. There were some 45O persons
on board the steamer New York. coo
having been granted permission in ALL
The baggage had been carefully inspected
before admission to the boat. to prevent
the possibility Of adding to the food and
drug supplies of the Confederate capital
From many Of the trunks contra band
articles were taken by the inspectors. In
some of them were drugs, shoes, dry
goods and other things greatly needed
at Richmond. From one trunk was taken
a sufficient quantity of dry goods to
stock a country store. In some of the
trunks were as many as twenty-five pairs
of shoes, but no passenger was allowed
to take more than three pairs. One lady
when asked why she needed so many, re.
piled that she generally wore out two
pairs a month. Many letters were ten.
dered to the passengers on the New York
by persons who wanted to communicate
with friends in Richmond. but this could
not be permitted. No soldiers accompa.
MED the boat, but Col. Baker and num-
watch.
In The Star of January 8. 1853, is the
account of an unusual accident at the
corner of Sd and N streets
warehouse southeast, where a three
r.,1. story grain warehouse
ooAA"P0eS' stood on the bank of the
canal. While a gang of a dozen or more
colored men were engaged under the di-
rection of Capt Joseph NJ. Simms in
storing grain, the chimney was heard to
crack. and the men Immediately ran out,
but the chimney seemed to settle back in
its place and they returned and renewed
their work. Shortly afterward the walls
began to crack and fall out in all direc-
tons. and the floors, carrying about :D.OOO
bushels Of grain, collapsed. Capt. Simms
was covered with grain and debris and in
stantly killed. His body was recovered
some time afterward through the efforts
of citizens. and particularly members OF
the American Hook and Ladder Com
pany. No other deaths occurred, but sew
eral of the workers were badly hurt. The
house was an old one, having been built
more than fifty years before. 1t mad
been used for various purposes. having
once been a warehouse. but for some
years prior to the accident had been used
as a dwelling, Capt Smms living next
door.
X
Among the petty swindlers who fiocked
to Washington to .victimize the soldiers
and others during war
Watch times were peddlers who
dealt in fake jewelry. In
AonSS' The Star of January O.,
1863, is this paragraph: