Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-01
FIFTY YEARS AGO
IN The STAR

Monday. February %. 1864. fair was
opened in the patent Office for the
benefit of the
Great Fair for Christian com
Soldiers Benefit. the s' families OF
soldiers of District volunteers. for
which preparations had been in prog
ress for some time. The Star OF that
date contains q long account OF the
program for the opening and de-
scription of the scene of the fair, as
follows:
THE room in which the fair will be
held Is a fine, large hall in the north
end of the patent office building. The
entrance will be at the east door OF
the hall. On either side of the door
are pyramids of drums and other ar
ticles used in war, and two ranges o.
muskets, with bayonets fixed, form
semi-circles on either side. Below the
muskets are piles of sabers arranged
in pyramidal form. The cannon or
either side and a pile of cannon ball:
help to fill out the martial picture
About the ranges of muskets are q
number of rebel flags, captured in diff
ferent battles during the war;. ant
among them is a regular palmetto OF
South Carolina flag"
In The Star of the next day is ar
account of the opening of the fair
which was attended by President ant
Mrs. Lincoln and Robert Lincoln. Tho
opening prayer was offered by Rev
DR.. Sunderland, after which l.. E. Chip.
penden, register of the Treasury, de
livered an address and B. B. French
read a poem. Calls for President Lin.
coin brought forth short speech from
him. The various booths and table.
were in charge Of leading matrons anf
misses of Washington society and con-
tanned a great wealth of goods. mos
OF which had been donated for sale
to swell the fund. One of the most in
fair was that prepared by teachers an
pupils of the public schools. which wa:
appropriately decorated. From one O
the booths ''mush and milk" was
served for those with a taste for tina,
then popular article of food. The
fair continued until March IS.
X x
In The Star of February "A. 1864, is a
brief account of a performance at will
lard Hail. = which o d
0ovVAPVkL oitll lew years ago
p..l the south side of f street
just west of 14th-of the
Davenport brothers. who half century
ago were popular in cabinet seance''
entertainment. The Star said:
Without committing ourselves to the
theory of spiritual interference in the
matter. We must admit. that their per-
formances were very mysterious and sur
prising. We do not wonder that they
have created such an impression through
out the country. The manner in which
their musical feats apd tests of strength
are performed, while firmly and apparent
ly immovably bound is a standing puzzle
to the shrewdest observets, scientific or
otherwise
Washington contained a large number
Of freed negroes at this time fifty years
ago. and to some eX-
No "Jim Crow" tent they were patrons
c4A C. of the local street car
resented by some white users of the cars,
and as result of complaints the Senate,
on the 9Th of February 1854 passed a
resolution directing the District commit
tee of that body to inquire into the mat
ter. In The Star of February %, 1854,
is the following report from the COM
mittee:
'"The committee on the District of Co
lumbia, who were required by resolution
of the Senate to consider the eXpediency
of further providing by law against the
exclusion of colored persons from the
leges in the District of Columbia have
had the matter thus referred to them I'M
der consideration and beg leave to report:
THE act entitled An act to INCORPORATE
the Washington and Georgetown Railroad
Company approved May II, 1862, makes
no distinction as to passengers over said
road on account of the color of the pas
senger, and that in the opinion of the
committee colored persons are entitled to
all the privileges of said road which other
persons have. and to all the remedies for
any denial or breach of such privileges
which belong to any person. The COM
mittee therefore asks to be discharged
from the further consideration of the
premises"
=:
AS the winter waned in 1864 keen in
terest was aroused as to the prospect
of active campaigning
Sherman by the Union armies.
Gen. Sherman took the
OdApalsA' initiative. under Gen.
Grants direction, in working south
ward from the Federal base below
Chattanooga, and there was naturally
a general curiosity as to his objective.
In The Star of February IS. 1864, is a
statement of the situation with refer
ence to Shermans movements. as fol-
lows:
up to pm. today it was understood
that nothing late had reached WASH
inpton direct from Gen. Sherman COM
mand its route being such as TO pre-
clude information Of his progress from
coming through Union sources until
several days after its receipt up to
corresponding dates through rebel
newspapers. 1t is very clear that his
destination is as much myth to the
outside world here as it was i'll Rich
mond on the goth We are SO far only
certain Through rebel accounts) that
he has already inflicted as much dam
age upon the Confederate cause by the
destruction of their great southwestern
would have done had he captured Mo-
bile. They dread his progress due east
more than directly toward Mobile. be-
cause to be cut entirely of from Ar
kansas, Mississippi. southern Alabama
and Louisiana will prove greater loss
to their future military operations than
the mere loss of Mobile. We would
much prefer to hear that Selma and
Montgomery. Ala, are in our hands be-
fore hearing that Sherman Is within
striking distance of Mobile. which
would Immediately afterward become
ours almost without any contest what