Evening star., 1919-11-16

Capital moving continued to be q
favorite diversion on the part of the
press of different
Damage Menace in parts of the coun-
r.:s., try fifty years ago,
Capital Moving. DESPITE the fiasco
Of the St Louis convention. The sub
tect was coming to be looked upon with
an appreciation of the insuperable diff
culties in the way Of the transfer Of the
seat Of government from Washington.
The Star Of November 9. 1859. says:
''The Chronicle makes a strong point
against the capital-moving jobbing
scheme. that the litigation which would
be endless and appalling. The people of
Washington-the property holders and
men in active business-have an actual
legal interest in the presence Of the cap
ital. which never seems to be taken into
consideration in the current discussion
forcible wrestling of their interests, and
the owners would then become invested
with definite rights. capable Of being
prosecuted in a United States court or
land bought. the houses built, the money
invested in, Washington, were all on
condition. which condition was the i'm
piled promise Of the government that
the capital should forever remain where
it now stands.
THE Chronicle cites as analogous the
case Of the removal of Marshall College
from Mercersburg. Pennsylvania, to
Lancaster. when the citizens Of the for
mer place got damages from the college
authorities. Also the case Of Jefferson
College. which it is proposed shall be
removed from Canonsburg, in the same
state. to Washington. a village seven
miles distant. The citizens Of Canons-
burg have promptly applied for an in
Junction restraining the removal, alleg-
ing their rights in the permanent exist
ence of the college in their village. This
case Is now in process of argument, the
ablest and strongest lawyers in that sec
ton of the state being engaged in it.
"And how infinitely greater the
wrongs which would follow the removal
Of the National Capital than any which
could be pleaded as consequent on the
withdrawal from a country town Of an
ordinary collegiate institution.
Both Washington and it's guests on
notable occasions suffered so much
from spasmodic
Entertainment crowding fifty
of Big Crowds. 1ssd hsfors and
after-that a sentiment prevailed here
for provisions against discomforts
and against extortion at such times.
In The Star of November, 1869, is the
following letter from a reader:
THE proposal to hold a worlds fair
in this city will suggest to many
minds the propriety of some improve
ment on the past in the ways of man.
aging crowds. Perhaps we might take
inf ha
judiciously humble enough to wish
to do better than we did at the last
inauguration. In Boston committee
of arrangements received notice OF
every room in the city offered for
rent at that time, and strangers ap-
plying to the committee were at once
assigned to comfortable quarters In
Washington, on the Sd OF March,
good, large, vacant rooms within a
quarter of a mile of the depot had
not found tenant at 81 per day;
while at one of our hotels long bill
lizard room was filled with single cots
at SIS per night. In Boston the hack
men were under municipal reguia.
tions forbidden to impose unusual
fares upon strangers. In Washington
on March 4, some hackmen charged
$40 for the use of carriage for the
day. while SO was the combined price
of all for taking a gentleman and lady
to the bali. There will! be time
enough De1Or6 tnc IaIT All Ao'A ~
Improve in all these matters. Let US
hope there will be ability and inclination
on the part Of those who manage to DO
So Let us hope that the true interests
Of the city will be cared for by those
who have a permanent location here;
that strangers will not be put In respon-
sible places merely because they possess
a resounding title. The arrangements
for the crowds that have for two
wears attended at Arlington on Deco
ration day and the scenes of the
inauguration ball have strong tend
ency toward exciting disgust in the
minds of all who remember them.
In the-name of comfort. decency and
respectability, let us hope that our
future will develop on all similar
occasions with marked progress.
The troubles between the corpora
tion of Washington and the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad
N o. n ond c;+v' Company came to
crisis fifty years
in a Fight. ago in a verita-
ble war. The story of the first days
enearement is told in The Star Of
November IL, 1869, as follows: