Evening star., 1914-12-27

ly enlisted In the navy, and IN other
parts of the country there were similar
results. These drawbacks. together
with the practices OF bounty jumpers,
have prevented the government from
getting anything like 100000 men. and
it is said that the yield is but 40 per
cent. say. 100000, In all. The call for
100000 will fill up the original demand
and give to the government the force
which 1t needed months ago. The
requisition must be met, without the
necessity Of drafting. we hope. and by
the encouragement of volunteering,
which 1t is the duty Of every good citi-
zen to assist
-.
Fire drills were not practiced inl
schools and other places OF large regu-
lar assemblage nifty
Stampede at the years ago. and pan
Printing Office 1oo oses,usa sreapsatlv
than at present. In The Star Of De-
cember %, 1864, is a news article de-
scriptive Of a rush of frightened peo- ,,
pie in the government printing office,
fortunately not resulting In grave in
juries:
Yesterday morning, at about 10
o'clock, the hot-water pipes in thel
building burst, causing loud and
rushing noise, something similar to
the noise made by blowing off steam
from a large steam boiler; when the
great number Of girls in the room. who
are engaged at folding documents. ETC..
stampeded, supposing the boiler had
burst in the pressroom, and made
grand rush for the doors, some 'fainting
before they reached it. and tumblins
pellmell down two pairs of stairs, which
caused an alarm in the composing
room, when most of the men ran as
manfully as did the girls. and 1t was
with great difficulty that the more self
possessed could prevent some OF the
panic-stricken males and females from
throwing themselves over the stair BAN
listers and from the windows. A cou-
pile of men in the composing room ap-
piled to earnest prayer Tor deliverance
and many were the embraces between
old and young, male and female. who
felt sure they were going into eternity
then and there. To make the matter
worse, on reaching the pavement the
heels of many took an upward nisn.
were quite seriously injured and some
had to be taken home in conveyances
One of the competitors was run over by
about thirty men and girls before ne
could gain his feet, and anotner; IN
ribs, to the best of his knowledge and
belief. The break in the pipes was
soon fixed, and all who were able re-
sumed work. rejoiced to find them
selves still alive and kicking.
,s%
According to The Star of December %,
To TO a
school for the District
Reform started at a meeting of the
board of aldermen when
SCHOOL. James A. Wise stated
that he had called on some prominent
scriptions for such an institution and that
he had the promise of $1,000 from the
firm of Riggs & Co., bankers. an equal
sum from Jay Cooke & Co. and from Mr..
Savage upon condition that the addition
al amount requisite to start the insti-
tuition should be raised. He was assured
that II the citizens would raise $4,000
Congress would appropriate $4,000 more,
which would purchase a suitable place
for the purpose.
A severe cold snap occurred at this
time fifty years ago and the Potomac
froze over, to the serious
The River Inconvenience of those
dependent upon the river
SA"@e"' for communication. Sew
eral steamers were caught and held
fast in the ice. including three army
transports loaded with troops. The
Star of December "a, 1854. says:
THE Potomac river is still covered
with ice and the channels are frozen
over. although the government tug Pa
cific succeeded this morning in cutting
her way through two-inch-and-a-hal
ice from the 7th street wharf to the
icebound boats off Giesboro Point
Yesterday afternoon the mail boat
Daniel Webster, Capt. Charles Deering.
which was caught in the ice off Gies-
boro Thursday morning, was pulled out
by tugboat after her passengers had
walked ashore, but Immediately after
ward she ran aground and is now fast
again. The Morris. Osgood and Seneca,
which got fast in the ice at the mouth
Of the Georgetown and Washington
channels, have been unable as yet to
get loose. The troops on these trans
ports walked to the shore on the ice
during yesterday and have been pro-
vided with comfortable quarters at the
cavalry camp. At the mouth Of the
channels the ice is Pill ID up in some
places to the height of fifteen feet. Be
tween this point and Al exandria there
are fifteen barges and Sc hooners lying,
loaded with forage for the quartermas-
ters department, unable to get up to
the city. OF course. the Alexandra and
Washington ferryboats IRE not run
ming. but parties desiring 10 visit Alex
andria can take the cars at Maryland
avenue. Last night the iceboat Allan
tic, from Philadelphia, reported to
Capt. Allen of the river transportation
office for duty. and this morning she Is
engaged in endeavoring u open the
channel. It is hoped that navigation |
will be resumed in a few days"