Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-07-25
FIFTY YEARS AGO In
THE STAR,

The news columns of The Star at
this time fifty years ago were filled
with dispatches from
The News of Europe relative to
A. the war between
Prussia and France
These dispatches were fragmentary
and conveyed but little information
as the situation is seen n perspective
1t had been expected that the cam
paign would open with a great en-
gagement. and the early moves of
both sides of a feeling out order
were confusing TO Transatlantic read
ers. In The Star of July IS, 1870. is
the following comment:
The war in Europe is naturally
the prevailing topic and not much
else stands a chance of being read.
The tone of our exchanges continues
| to show that American sympathy is
very generally on the side of Prus-
STA, the only exception being in the
| case of some of the southern papers
This exceptional sympathy from that
section may be accounted for perhaps
from the fact that during the rebel
| lion the sympathies and aid of Ma
poleon were given to the south, while
Prussia was friendly to the Union.
| 'One cause for the preponderanoe-
of sympathy in behalf of Prussia in
, this country is doubtless from the
| large German element in our midst.
In our city, for instance. the extent
| of that element may be judged from
| the size Of the procession that passed
through the streets today on it's way
| TO the German festival at the Schuet-
zen Park. And whether from north
Germany or south Germany it is all
the same; they all stand by father
land and every portion OF IT in a
| contest with France. 1t will be idle
proclamations to the south German
states.
Public impatience expected a great
battle within forty-eight hours of the
declaration of hostilities. and there.
were reports in the morning papers
of a conflict at Forbach. in France,
but there is not only no confirmation
of the reports, but the probabilities
| are all against its occurrence and es-
pecially on French soil. 1t must be
! remembered that every passage on
the line between France and Prussia
is heavily fortified, on either side. and
it is probable that more or less siege
work will precede any battles in the
open field.
Meantime, however. the diplomats
are busy and the different European
powers are announcing the position
/ they will take in the contest Most
of these definitions of status are con-
fldential, however, and bind the pow
ers that make them to little or
| nothing"
Much public annoyance is caused
in the present state Of disrepair along
| the lines of the city
IWavy Street street railways by the
reflections of the rails
CaI HALLS. from the true level
and line These irregularities. which
cause much lurching of the cars. are
due to the breaking of the yokes be-
low the surface of the street. Fifty
years ago there was similar trouble,
but due to a different cause. as thus
noted in The Star of July is. 1870:
The power of the suns heat is
just now curiously illustrated on the
line of the F street railway fhe
l track layers on that road, between
18th and 14th streets. failed to make
| allowance for the expansion ana con-
ttrdctlOn OIL Tie IFoH, PldSlh6 Ni'S
so close together as to allow no pay
or space for the lenethenlng OF the
| rails in hot weather. The result is
that at numerous places between the
points named the rails have oeeh
forced to find room by drawing the
| spikes and raising themselves in the
/ form of a bow or arch from TWO TO
| three inches above the Jumpers upon
| which they are laid. AS cohee-
| ouence a ride over that part OF the
| line is at present somewhat like the
, rolling of vessel and the erect
presented to the eye is decidedly odd.
Washington was shocked on July 20.
i1s7o. by the suicide of Provost Para
dol, the French
Su;cide of the minister at TINS
capital. According
French Envoy. to The Star of
that date, he shot himelf through the
: heart at his residence. $50 New YORK
avenue. in the early morning. the
deed was done while he was laboring
, under temporary alteration of nina
: from excitement occasioned by the
s war complications of Europe. and the
, worrying and undue exposure 10 IL
hot sun he had undertaken an tne
| emergency The excessive heat OF
the past few days had prostrated
} bin, Greatly. seriously disturbing his
mental faculties II. Paradol LETT
t France July 2 for this country
, relieving NJ Barthemy. When ne lelt
| France there were no signs or a con
} | flict with Prussia, but on his ARRIVAL
in New York he received the mrs
intelligence of the preaca. which
disturbed him greatly He took pos
! session of the New York avenue
house only five days before. ana on
the Sunday evening after his arrlNa Al
he sent his son and daughter TO New
: mort Nj. Paradol was a distinguished
French Journalist. He had Always
1 been warm friend of the nlted
States a devoted admirer OF Abraham
| lincoln. and his appointment as MN
!, lister to this government had peen
S regarded as an effort by Napoleon III
to cultivate more friendly relations
$ with the United States.
Abatement of the Washington canal
nuisance was actually in prospect
fifty years ago.
&c tho The sundry civil
bill for the fiscal
Canal Nuisance. year ending June
On 1871 contained a clause providing
that the mayor of the city or WASH
ineton. the Secretary of the INTERIOR
.ha commissioner of public buildings
ND Grounds, the architect of the
: canitol extension and two others 10
no named by the mayor were APP
IN