Evening star., 1919-12-28
FIFTY YEARS AGO IN THE STAR
Still hammering away at the quns.
lion Of the bad pavement of Pennsyl-

Still hammering away at the quns.
tion OF the bad pavement Of Pennsyl-
vania avenue and
Avenue Paving the possibility of
Urged Again. ing much more at
tractive with it's chief thoroughfare
well covered, The Star Of December
20. 1869, printed the following:
why should not Washington be in
winter, from its mild climate and its
various attractions while Congress is
in session, what Saratoga or Newport
is to the country in summer? Why.
for instance, could not the upper
tendon of northern cities, who take
their summer residence at Newport, in
their own houses and provided with
their own stylish teams and turn
outs, do the same in winter at Wash
ington? II there is any reason why
not it will probably be found in our
pavements. Charles Astor Bristed has
tried the experiment and his fine
team may be seen not infrequently
upon the Avenue, but he evidently
does not find it as pleasant drive
as the Harlem lane or Touro avenue.
We have seen him picking his way
carefully along among the ruts-we
might almost say the quagmires-of
Pennsylvania avenue in slow, doubt
full fashion, we'll calculated to dampen
the enthusiasm Of a man who has
been used to spin along over smooth
road after a fast team. And YET TINS
wretchedly paved street, dreaded by
man and beast. needs only good
wood pavement, such as that of
Wabash avenue. in Chicago. to make
1t the finest drive in America. We
doubt If even in the world a street
of such noble proportions can be
found in the heart of the city so
well adapted for the display of hand
some equipages. Its imperial width
makes it now concededly the finest
street known for parades. process
sions, etc, and it needs nothing but
good pavement of wood. dry. clean
and smooth. at all seasons OF the
year. to make it resort of the
fashion of the country"
Commodity exchange has long since
ceased to be the basis Of business. but
according to an item
commodifv in The Star Of Decem-
$1,000. Der 20. 1859. it was
GAcnAnse' experiencing a revival
in Massachusetts,. a paper OF that
state being quoted as follows:
"The good old style Of things is
coming around again in Berkshire.
The farmer takes a load of wood to
market and IL pays for a barrel of
flour, which has not been the case be-
fore in nearly ten years"
The Star, commenting on this, says:
"The good style of things. indeed,
Except in the matter of grain. per-
haps. farmers were never so profitably
situated with respect to the value of
their products as compared with other
articles of daily consumption as they
have been lately and as they are now.
And this without taking into account
the discrimination in their favor in
for example. that a dozen Of eggs
would hardly pay for a yard OF
the commonest brown muslin. and
pound of butter would buy no more
than a yard of ordinary calico or a
pound Of sugar. How is it now? The
purchasing power Of q dozen of eggs
is equal to four or five yards of the
same sheeting. while a pound of but
ter is good for at least four yards
Of good calico or as many pounds Of
choice brown sugar. And so on through
the whole category"
In The Star Of December 21, 1863, is
a news item telling Of the Introduction
Of bill by Senator
Apportionment schurz. providing
for the establish
VI 00' nnent of civil serv-
ice system after an examination con-
Quoted by board Of nine commission
ers. In the same issue. however. is no.
- s~k~ - ~
resentative Hay Of Illinois and a joint
resolution by Representative Dewess OF
North Carolina, the effect Of which, if