Evening star., 1915-02-14
FIFTY YEARS AGO
IN THE STAR

some
weeks OF inactivity. got into action
about this time
heneWed ACTIVITY fifty years ago
a+ tha Eror+ and resumed Of
fensive opera
lions against Lee at Richmond. News
OF this appeared in The Star of Feb
ruary Z. 1865. indicating that Grant
mad concluded that the time had come
to put the final pressure on the Con-
federate capital. The operations re-
ported in this issue were not of any par
ticular magnitude, but were for the
purpose of extending and advancing
the Federal lines.
Nothing has reached US conflrma-
tory or contradictory of the report al
luded to by us in our first edition that
Grant has gained a position command
ing the Southside road. At all ac-
counts. however, he has certainly gain
ed positions nearly. If not quite, as ad-
vantageous to us and damaging to the
enemy as the command of the South
have broken the line of Confederate
works guarding the Boynton plank
road. by which nine-tenths of the sup
plleS to Lees army Is now wagoned.
We are satisfied. too, that these sue
cesses were gained with remarkably
little loss on our side. not one-third
what the enemy suffered. The rebels
are said to have suffered terribly in
their desperate attempts to retrieve the
ground they lost"
The presidential vote was counted in
the House of Representatives February
s, 1865, and according
crowd at the to The Star of that
ron;+o1 date an immense
throng gathered. The
"At an early hour the visitors COM
before the hour of IL the galleries and
corridors were filled almost to suffoca-
ton by the dense crowd eager to Sc
cure a glimpse of the proceedings
within the hall. The floor of the House
was thronged with visitors introduced
by members, much to the dissatisfac-
ton of some. Mr.. Harrington of In
diana complaining that strangers were
being admitted through window by
the negro barber. Several attempts were
made to have the hall cleared of visi-
tors, without avail, however. and
strangers continued to slip in during
the whole of the proceedings. No gen.
tlemen were admitted to the ladies'
galleries. and in the rush for eligible
seats crinolines collapsed most ex-
traordinarily. The reporters gallery was
also occupied by the fair sex, much to
the distinction of the representatives
of the press"
Visitors to Paris have frequently
urged that Washington should be given
tre tment
Proposed Treatment architecture
of Pennsylvania Ave. tha t
which prevails in the French capital.
In The Star of February 10, 1865. is to
be found a letter from a citizen making
the same suggestion:
Opposite the Louvre at Paris is a
long row of beautifully constructed
buildings extending for many blocks
along the principal street of the city.
These buildings comprise several large
and we'll arranged and furnished hotels
with large courts and fountains IN
their center. Also several large public
halls and suites of rooms are arranged
for families. which can be rented, fur
nished or unfurnished. for a month,
year or term of years. They are built
of stone and correspond in the style of
their architecture. The second story
projects beyond the first, which is used
for stores, and it is supported by large
stone pillars or arches. leaving COW
cred pavement between them and the
stores.
These blocks of buildings, which add
greatly to the beauty of the street run
ming by the emperors residence. were
built by large companies of capitalists
in Paris and other French cities. The
same plan could appropriately be car
ried out on Pennsylvania avenue, in
Washington, between the Capitol and
the Presidents mansion. Capitalists
of Washington. Baltimore, Boston and
other cities could join together and in
the \above manner enrich themselves
and beautify the appearance of the
principal street in the most distin-
interest in the nation. Besides large
and elegant hotels, with large courts
and sparkling fountains in their CEN
terS, with heavy columns and balco-
MES in front, and with an entrance to
drive through. after the style of Euro
pean hotels, suites of well arranged
rooms could be prepared for the use of
congressman and c6mmodious halls and
stores built for general use The pub
lie buildings in Washington merit the
of the world. and the Capt.
tol cannot be surpassed by any Euro
pean structure of its character; but the
private property presents an inferior
appearance on contrast. and there is
need of some such undertaking as
above mentioned to make at least the
private property on the principal street
correspond with the massive buildings
by the government The
building up and Improvement of the
private property of Washington is
that should interest all
Americans. so that the entire city may
present a finished and elegant appear
ance. Therefore a company formed of
capitalists from different parts of the
country to aid in the general improve
ment of the nations capital could not
be Objectionable"
Having given orders for the resump-
ton of active operations against Rich
mond, Gen. Grant