Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-05-21
FIFTY YEARS Ago
IN THE STAR

admitting COL
Colorado Admission orado as a
Vetoed by President. 1-nion n,t ths
President vetoed it. In The Star of May
Is. 1866, is the following on the subject:
THE message of the President COM
municating to the Senate his objections
to the bill for the admission of Colo
RADIO as a state into the Union is con-
else. but comprehensive, while his ar
Euments are unanswerable. The coun-
try cannot perceive any more than the
President the high public necessity
which would justify a departure from
the law of equality which has been so
generally adhered to in our history
That 10000 people in Colorado should
have two votes in the Senate, while
100000 people in New York have no
more and that the same 10000 should
have three votes in the electoral COL
lege while the most populous state has
but thirty-three, may work very well
for the maintenance and perpetuity of
party power. but that 1t is just and
compatible with the public interest is
not so clear.
Have the advocates of this mea sure
pondered one fact? Setting aside every
thing else. would the admission of Col
orado at this time be safe precedent?
The majority in Congress, in spite of
partial legislation and party maneu-
vers. cannot expect to retain power for
ever, and the means they now use for
that end may be turned upon them
selves. Already the division of the old
states to form new ones is agitated in
several sections south of Mason and
Dixon's line; and If precedent is now
set. the process may be carried to an
indefinite extent. The limit must be
defined somewhere. If 10000 people
are entitled to two senators. then why
not 100000, 1,000?. 100? This argument
ad homimen will no doubt convince even
those who are deaf to the voice of JUS
tice and blind to the public good
The payment of prize money was be-
ing carried on for some time after the
close of the civil war in
Prize Money settlement of claims
/. pn against the government
e" AoPe' In The Star of May II,
1866, is the following description of the
method of payment:
'.As but few of our readers in all
probability are acquainted with the
methods used in the distribution and
payment of prize money by the depart
ments of the government having these
matters in charge and as many are in
terested in the subject we give the fol-
lowing for their information: The or
der for distribution. accompanied by
the prize list. is sent by the Secretary
of the Navy to the fourth auditor of the
Treasury, where it is at once taken in
hand by the computing clerk, who
makes the requisite apportionment ac-
cording to the law in force at the time
of capture. This. after receiving the
signature of the auditor. is sent to the
second controller, who. if it is correct,
gives it his approval and returns 1t to
the auditor as ready for payment. All
claims then on file with the auditor are
taken up. examined and orders for pay
ment made, which are also signed by
the auditor and sent to the controller
for his revision: after which they are
returned to the auditor, recorded, and
letters of transmittal written to the at
torneys or claimants, as the case may
be. Each letter is then copied, the GER
tff1cates are inclosed and the letters
mailed. The length of time consumed
depends upon the number of certificates
which may have been previously sent to
the controller Frequently there are
from 500 to 1900 already there. which
must be disposed of before new ones
can receive attention"
Efforts were being made fifty years
ago to fill the Eastern branch flats. but
they were on a small
Exeavatino scale and only Incl
dental to another line
VIC ooAoA' of public Improvement
In The Star of May 10, 1866. is this
paragraph:
The contractor for excavating the
deposits from the eastern section of the
Washington canal, Mr.. P. Farquhar, as
also the subcontractors. Messrs. MUIR
ply G. Co, are getting along finely and
notwithstanding the late rain has put
the work back a little, they can easily
have it done in the specified time. Mr.
Severson, the engineer in charge of the
work, says that if it was necessary to
do so, he could. with a few more hands,
complete this portion of the work in
two days, and that the work, with pres
ent force, will be completed by the mid
die of June. The deposits from the.
lower portion of the work are loaded
on scows and fioated to the Eastern
lowlands west of the mouth of the
canal, while this side some is wheeled
out on barrels and some shoveled out,
and in the vicinity of Maryland avenue
the deposit Is lOaQeQ directly on carts
and hauled to the adjacent low grounds.
Messrs. Gait & Brown. who have the
contract for constructing the cause
way, have already much of their tim
Der on the ground, at the foot of 18th
street, and a powerful steam pile driver
which will be put in operation Monday
next, at which time they will set their
hands to work and complete it as soon
as possible"
The day is gone past when Washing
ton was RECALLED by stone battles be-
tive IN rival
Sunday Stone Fight gangs, but fifty
at Four-Mile Run. W 1 fyeon ,nes
sometimes being even arranged after
the exchange of challenges. In The
Star of May 81. 1866. is a description of
one of these fights:
Yesterday morning a gang of $50 or
200 young rowdies passed over the
Long bridge to go to Four-Mile run to
in the Sunday fights that
regularly take place in that vicinity
between the rowdies of Alexandria and
the District of Columbia. A gentle
man who saw the gang waiting at the
bridge until the draw was closed-it
being opened at the time-describes it
as a mixed multitude of boys of all
ages and all colors. some well dressed
and some in rags. The bootblack legion
was largely represented. AS soon as
the draw was closed they rushed over.
whooping and shouting. They had
their disgraceful battle according to
even muskets were brought into requi-
SitiOn by the roWdy cOmhatapts and