Evening star., 1917-03-18
FIFTY YEARS AGO
IN THE STAR

AN LII NXNN
ocean travel was much slower fifty
years ago than it is today. but no less
expensive. Perhaps
Ocean Travel in terms of per
A.,, diem charges the
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. rate prevailing for
tirst-class passage then was less than
at present. but the cost of the journey
to the traveller was in fact higher than
at this time. In The Star of March
13. 1857. appears an advertisement of a
grand excursion" to the Paris expo
sition" on the new and first-class
ocean-going steamship Havana, 1000
tons burthen, Stephen Whitman. COM
mander." The ship was to sail from
New York. April II. taking passengers
for Paris. London and Bremen. and re-
turning was scheduled to sail from
Havre, June s. giving passengers holding
excursion tickets about six weeks in Eu-
rope. 1t was announced that This mag
ntfcent steamship is divided into water
slght compartments and has been newly
furnished and elegantly fitted up ex-
pressly for this voyage"
The Havana was to carry only first
class passengers, and among the attrac-
tlons announced was the presence on
board or an experienced surgeon and a
full band of music. The price of the
to Havre. according to the size Of the
stateroom, and to Havre and return, $3.50
and $500.
Although the disposition in Virginia
was toward the reconstruction of the
state in strict accordance
Virginia with the federal enact
NIT. ment. there We're some
1ac'lons' who opposed and sought a
different adjustment. In The Star of
March IA, 1867. is the following:
There seems to have been regular
alliance formed in Richmond between
the parties respectively headed by
Messrs Ould and Baldwin on one side
and Messrs. Bolts and Hunnicutt on the
other, to defeat in the house of delegates
the state senate bill for the reorganiza-
ton Of the state government under the
military reconstruction act. Messrs.
Ould, Baldwin & Co. seek the bills de-
feat, because it frankly acquiesces in
the fiat of Congress shelving the class
of southern leaders who still strive to
keep the south devoted to secession and
to rebel leading politicians. who teach
that the whole duty of man. south Of the
Potomac. is to hate and damn negroes and
Yankees. Messrs. Bolts, Hunnicutt &
Co. aim to disfranchise all who bore
arms against the United States in the
late rebellion. Congress has wisely
voted down that proposition. Fortu-
nately, the supplemental reconstruction
bill, when 1t becomes law, will relieve
the southern masses without distinction
of color from all danger from the
schemes of both extremes as referred
to above. 1t will compel the prompt re-
organization of all the southern states
governments in accordance with the
spirit Of the times, which secures the
necessary downfall OF the influence of
the secession leaders over the southern
people, the great desideratum in that t
quarter.
Base ball was being doomed in
Washington fifty years ago, but it had
not yet become profess
Rase Rail sional. In The Star of
March IA, 1867. is a
League. news item telling of the
organization of the local clubs into
what would now be known as a
league. as follows:
Last evening meeting of the rep
resentatives of the various base ball
clubs of this city was held in the
gates from the National. Jefferson. Po-
tomac, Olympic, Continental. Union,
Empire. Interior. Gymnastic and Capt.
tol clubs being present. The name
Bali Players of the District of Co
lumbia,' and the following named
gentlemen were elected as officers:
President. Charles E. Coon of the En-
pire Club: first vice president. r. E.
Elleabach of the Gymnastic Club; Sec
ond vice president. A. G. Mills of the
Olympic Club; recording secretary, S.
E. Slater of the Continental Club; cor
responding secretary. ]. R. Lathrop of
the Union Club: treasurer, w. c. Nc
Intire of the Potomac Club.
From time to time half century
ago report circulated in New York
that large numbers
nun1ioated of United States
bonds had been by
plicated and issued. Though denied. it
was revived for the purpose, it is be-
lieved, of advancing the premium on
gold and depressing the government
securities. The Treasury Department
issued an explicit explanation of the
slender foundation of this reported
fraud. 1t appeared that there had
been some Implications of bonds in
seven different issues and denomina-
tions, the total value of the coupons
being only $16.25210. These duplica-
tions We're caused in very few
cases by errors of the operators in
numbering them. In the majority of
cases they were the work of persons
who had stolen coupons and changing
the numbers on them in order TO take
them out of the list of stolen bonds re-
ported to the Treasury. In few cases
the bonds were counterfeit. A letter
from S. B. Colby, register of the Treas
ury, to Representative Samuel Hoop
e'r, Of Massachusetts was printed set
ting forth the facts and noting that
the errors attributable to the govern
ment itself were the result of bond is
sues during the civil war.
X
During the session of Congress just
closed an effort was made to secure an
increase in the number
lew Court of judges in the District
Supreme Court, but in
A'euu.eu' the crush of legislation