Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-12-14
FIFTY YEARS AGO IN THE STAR

tion OF the underpaid government
elerks to migrate westward:
Horace Greeley is always advising
city people to leave the occupations
they have been trained to and go
to farming-to go out west and dig
at any rate, to go and dig somewhere.
and whenever the government clerks
hint that their pay is not equal 10
the increased expenses of living his
panacea is always forthcoming-to
resign and go west and dig. No mat
ter what their capacity and training
for their present occupation, or how
ever badly adapted they may be for
tillers of the soil, or whether they
Mr.. Greedy tells them one and all to
go and dig.
bust fellows who loaf about our cities
could employ their muscles to better.
advantage in farm work. but thel
large portion of those to whom Mr..
Greeley dispenses his gratuitous ad-
vice would make about as poor a
figure at farming as set OF neld
hands would at their places at the
desk. And what would be the speedy
result il Mr. Greeley's advice were
followed is shown by such statements
as we find in the Chicago Tribune. to
the effect that 10000 men are out or
employment in Chicago. and the
streets of that city are filled with
idiers and Migrants: that laborers.
unable to get any work in the coun-
try west of Chicago. have poured
from the country to the city, ana
that the most disastrous conse-
ouences and results are to be eX-
pected.'
The Star lost no opportunity or &C.
casion fifty years ago to plea for the
Improvement of Penn
The Avenue sylvania avenue. whic"
was in a most disgrace
Pavement. full condition through
lack Of adequate pavement. In its
;ssue of December 10. 1869, it says:
eft is well for congressman. our
citv fathers and property owners on
PENNSYLVANIA avenue that the poor
horses cannot make speeches. or cas-
votes, If they could, , we Ia n,id mot mot
be left much longer in its present
disgraceful and dangerous conoltiol-
what might easily be made the finest
drive and promenade in the worid Is
now really one OF the iea ;n a' decentlv
paved. And not only that; 1t rs UNI
comfortable for those persons opiieea
| to use it, unsafe for their horses anu
terribly destructive of their Nehicies;
aBut a change in these respects is
not all that would be gained by the
much needed Improvement. EVER
niece of property fronting on the Ave
rue would at once be increased IN
value ten times its proportion o. the
cost of properly paving the whole
roadway. Is it not possible, there
| fore. to get something done in TINS
direction, and that without further
delay? If Congress refuses 10 pay
the portion of the cost which snould
rightfully be borne by the genera
government, let out municipal author,
flies. the street railway company ana
the property holders obtain the neces-
sary permission and do the work AT
their own expense. Ii wouio De one
of the best investments they ever
made. Not only would it be returned
To them directly in more valuable
property. but one OF the cniet glories
of Washington would be brought pc
fore strangers in such manner INA snae
any single one of which we can now
think toward dispelling the whole
idea of removing the capital.
80
Tn keeping with the movement IN
der way in many cities at this time
fifty years ago,
Militia Company steps were being
taken here toward
Organized. the formation of
new militia organization. The news
| of the matter is told in The Star OF
November II, 1869. reporting an ad-
journed meeting of the promoters
with Dr. j. A. Rowland presiding ana
Capt. James Cross acting as secre-
tary. The name of the organization
as adopted is the First National
Guards of Washington" The follow
ing civil officers were elected: Capt
Dudley A. Fish, president: c. L. Hulse,
vice president: Robert McMinn, re-
cording secretary; Capt. James Cross,
financial secretary; S. II. Murell, treas