Evening star., 1919-04-27

lISHtSO, IL at Gil, Dy RaS or Oil lamps,
which were
To Light Street Lamps isnited by
by Electric Spark. .h . orsht sI,n
howeve
was being given to the possibility OF
applying electricity to the illumina-
tion system by employing electric sparks
for ignition. In The Star of April 10.
1859. is the following item on this
subject:
"A Mr. Wheeler proposes a plan for
lighting the streets of New York by
electricity. His method is similar to
that in operation in the dome OF the
Capitol and the halls of Congress in
this city. and Mr.. Stewards new store.
and the picture gallery of his new
house in New York He claims that
the whole expense of laying wires,
erecting the batteries and lighting
the city would be saved and paid for
IN few years at the present cost Of
simply lighting the lamps. He esti-
mates that in twenty years the saving
BY the proposed arrangement IL any
lamp should be extinguished acct
dentally 1t will imm ediately relieht
Itself. In addition to the proposed
electrical lighting the wires can be
used for telegraphic purposes and
complete system Of telegraphic com
munication with every part of the
city can be arranged. The subject
mas been referred to a committee of
aldermen"
During fhA civil
was imposed by the federal govern
ment to defray
Local PAYERS of in part the ex-
Income Taxes. saoca tfaordinary r., .s sx-
United States. 1t was still being paid
in 1869. and in The Star Of April %
OF that year appears a list, occupying
more than a column. Of ''the solid men
Of the District" including those
whose net incomes were over $4,000
a year after deducting the exemption
Of $1,000 and house rent. taxes and
other allowances. The Star said Of
this list:
The income returns Of most of our
well-to-do citizens. published in an
other column of today's paper, will
OF general interest, but as indicating
in many instances how great show
and much style can be kept up on a
very small amount Of money. This
must be the true explanation OF the
modest figures In some cases. Or else
we are forced to the conclusion that.
making due allowance for invest
ments in dividend paying stocks
where the tax is deducted. a large
number Of our citizens heretofore con-
sidered shrewd and thrifty are violat-
ing the plainest principles Of domestic
economy by living beyond their means
or at least drawing on their reserves
to meet current expenses.
Seriously, however, the figures
published throw no light at all on the
income actually received during the
year in good many instances. as the
amount given shows only the net in
comes. which in other words is the
900 exemption by law, the amount
paid for rent and necessary repairs nf
homestead and income from dividends
on bonds, stocks Of banks, railroads
insurance and other Incorporated
companies that pay a revenue tax on
such dividends at the offices It the
companies. These deductions will. Of
course. materially reduce the figures
Of incomes Of persons whose invest
ments are largely in such securities
-,.
Reference has been made in this
column recently to the subject OF art
at the Capitol.
History of Art Much interest was
o, being manifested
az %Ao o"PA'oA on that topic fifty
years ago. In The Star Of April %.
1859. is given the text Of a note ap-
pended by F. c. Adams to a history of