Evening star., 1918-07-28
FIFTY YEARS AGO In THE STAR

pie. cents; Strawberries. cents:
huckleberries or blackberries, 8 cent?.
and other edibies equally IN proper
ton. The provisions are bought at
wholesale in the markets."
Washington's police forcs was not
big enough nifty years ago to patrol
all parts Of the city thor
Fighting oughly and suppress the
n. disorders that prevailed
eass' periodically in some sec
tions. One of the most frequent forms
Of turmoil was the rock battle, by
means Of which antagonistic gangs of
boys and young men manifested their
mutual dislikes. One OF these is de-
scribed in The Star of July "a. 1858.
as follows:
"a rock battle of formidable prer
portions took place about O'Clock
yesterday evening between a lot of
colored and white boys near the
corner of sth and H streets. South
Washington" (By South Washington
is meant the southwest section. as
applied in those days to the part of
the city south of the Mall, or more
specifically known as the Island.)
about thirty or forty were engaged
on each side, and some of the bellig-
erents. being nearly grown, hurled
For a few minutes the air was
speckled with stones and bricks.
causing 4 general scamperiEg to
safety among ladies and children who
happened to be in front of their
residences or walking to enjoy the
evening breeze, and greatly damag-
ing shutters. windows and doors
wherever they struck. A Mrs. Robin
son was struck on the shoulder with
q stone while passing into the house
with her infant child in her arms.
These disgraceful exhibitions occur
and summary measures are demanded
to put them down before serious con-
sequences ensue."
After the civil war souvenirs OF the
conflict were occasionally hshed up
out of the river and
Explosion NJ the small boys OF that
A., orr period ran serious
Vld SHELL risks investigating
these souvenirs. In The Star OF July
"a, 1858. is a paragraph which tells
Of the explosion Of a shell on the
river bank between 9th and 9TH
streets. A youth named Robert Ter
relI was slightly injured. 1t seems
that the shell had been nshed up out
of the river near the arsenal "by q
white man known as Blind Cook.
whose habit it is to collect together r
whatever rubbish he can for sale
"A heavy rainstorm visited Washing
ton on the cath Of July, 1858. which.
however. did no dam
| nsvo .fof;ro age. This was the edge,
| however, Of q very dis
Sto1m. astrous storm which
swept through Maryland and caused
serious destruction Of property and
heavy loss of life. Baltimore was
flooded, in consequence Of the sud
den rise of the waters Of Lake Ro-
land. which overfowed. The Pataps-
| co was carried out of its banks and
all the way down its course heavy
4 toll was taken. The damage at Ell
licott City was particularly heavy
| fifty persons being drowned in that
| vicinity. The storm seriously damaged
the railway lines and interrupted
telegraphic communication for man.
] hours. In Baltimore one of the MOS
exciting incidents was the sweepihs
| away Of a street car with about q
dozen passengers. the conductor and
driver mounting the horses and rid
\ ing away just before the flood car
ried the car of the tracks. Some
~ The pasSenRers saved themselves
by climbing on the roof and reach
ing the awnings, but two of them
were drowned, when the car finally
overturned.