Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-02-25
FIFTY YEARS AGO
In THB STAR

IN THE STAR
The U. 8. 8. Swatara. carrying john
H. Surratt. accused of completely In
the Lincoln assassination
Surratt plot. arrived on the navy
yard on the 18th of Feb
AII1Ves. ruary. 1867. from Egypt.
where surratt had been arrested. Ac-
cordine to The Star OF the next day.
Commander Jeftries Immediately com
municated with the Secretary OF the
Navy, and R. J. MeiEs. the clerk OF
the court, issued q bench warrant au-
thorizing Marshal Gooding to take the
prisoner from the Swatara. The Star
says:
Marshal Gooding is ready to take
charge Of the prisoner as soon as ne
is notified by the department OF their
readiness to deliver him to the civil
authorities. He will then proceed to
the navy yard with the warrant ana
take the prisoner in his custody. es-
corting him to the jail. where he Will
be placed in the charge OF warden
Brown for safekeeping. Mr.. Brown
has lately had fitted up in the Jail
three ironclad cells, one on each moor.
which are used for the confinement OF
murderers and desperate characters.
Surratt will be placed In one OF tnese
cells, from which there Is no possiDie
chance of escape. and there Is no d0upt
about his safekeeping. No one Will pc
allowed to see him except his counsei
and the officers Of the prison.
tn no ct
fifty yards from the wharves or the
navy yard, and up to noon today no
communication whatever had been nao
with her or from her except that Com,
to Admiral Radford short time after
her arrival and left his dispatches for
the department. The mail this morn
ing was taken on board by a rope from
fined below decks, strongly guarded.
and Is in excellent health. He speaks
but little and positively denies that
he is John Surratt. He Is now clothed
store, his zouave costume being much
worn"
The project for a public park com
prising the lands adjacent to Rock
Creek Park in the
Rock Creek Park District was under
consideration fifty
AcSASlatloA. years ago, and a
bill to that effect was passed by the
Senate. In The Star OF February "a
1857, is the text of the measure, which
had passed the upper house the day
previous. 1t provided that tract OF
land in the District along and adjacent
to Rock creek embraced within the
I ~ Nd ~
made by Brevet Brig. Gen. Michler.
| under the order of the Secretary OF
War in pursuance of Senate resolu-
ton of July Is, 1865, should be pur-
chased by the United States for the
purposes of public park. free to all
persons under such regulations as to
police and government as might by
proper authority be established.
commission was created, consisting OF
Brevet Maj. Gen. NJ. c. Meigs. Brevet
Brig. Gen. N. Michier and Bfevet Maj
Gen H. G. Wright. charged with the
duty of negotiating with the owners
and receiving written proposals for the
! sale to the United States of their tracts,
or such portions of them as the com
missioners deemed necessary or de-
sjrable. The commissioners were to
make a report to the next Congress OF
their action. setting forth the purchase
agreements entered into by them. the
, boundaries and estimated values of all
|
| pfiation was carried and no purchases
were to be effected without subsequent
authority from Congress.
x'k
The controversy over a new bridge
| across the Potomac at OF near George
- town ragged fu-
Georgetown Bridge riously at this
Controversy. aeo, various in
terests pulling in different directions
| In The Star of February 90. 1857. Is
| the following:
1.-The joint resolution which passed
the House of Representatives directs
| the Secretary Of the Interior to order
a survey. by competent engineers. OF
| the ground and river near the Aqueduct
| bridge, in the District of Columbia, and
| report on the practicability of con-
Potomac, with the cost thereof, etc, es-
| timating the cost for common bridge
and for a bridge both for railway and
common travel; also to examine and
| report touching like bridges at or near
the Long bridge. 1t is well that a mat
| ter of such Importance. not only to
local interests here, but to all con-
cerned in facilitating travel between
the north and south, should be carefully
considered before final action is taken
There is one fact Which must be
borne in mind. Those who argue In
favor of a bridge at the Georgetown
aqueduct represent the disadvantages
Of draw or draws such as those in the
Long bridge, on account of their delay
ing travel. and sometimes causing Sc
rious accidents But bridge at the
aqueduct will not obviate these objec-
tfons. because a draw would be neces-
sary there. Not only are there prop
erty owners along the Potomac above
the aqueduct who claim unobstructed
navigation to their quarries. etc. but
there are many business men in the
District cities who would establish coal
wharves along the Potomac and ex-
tensive factories above the aqueduct
IL 1t did not interrupt navigation. there
being no draw in the present struc-
ture. These are among the reasons
why Georgetown demands the removal
Of the aqueduct. Now. if the contem-
plated bridge is built much further UP
the Potomac. the increased distance be-
tween Georgetown and Alexandria will
lead to much greater loss of time
daily than would occur at a draw in
the Long bridge occasionally"
John II. Surratt was arraigned in
court before Judge Fisher February
%, 1867. according to
r II S,,%ro4+ The Star Of that date
He evidently decided
Arraigned. not to continue the
denial of identity. for when he was
ballad by name ne responded and plead