Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-08-29
FIFTY YEARS AGO IN
THE STAR,

Recently 1t was announced that
work had sufficiently progressed on
the development
Potomac River of park on the
Improvement" tho pntomso ~.
reclamation from the river to permit
the consideration of plans for its
future development 1t is interesting
to note in this connection that fifty
years ago the Potomac river i'm
provement" consisted merely of the
dredging of ship channels, without
any thought of the reclamation of the
low-lying lands of the river basin.
In The Star OF Adjust %. 1870. is
statement of a project then under way:
Congress having appropriated
$4,000 at the last session for the i'm
provement of the channel of the
Potomac river between the Long
bridge and Georgetown. the plans for
MEhler and submitted TO Col.
Humphreys. chief of the Engineer
Corps. who has approved them, and
work will be commenced Immediately.
Gen. Michler proposes simply to
deepen the channel on the Virginia
town to the depth of twelve feet at
low water and a width of 200 feet.
also to remove all Instructions off
Easby's point. He will invite pro-
This improvement will not consume
sls of the appropriation. but it is
r|obable that an additional appro-
ovation will be made at the next
session. to be added to the balance of
the $4,000 for the improvement of
oh "a pf the
way at the Long bridge, etc, in &C
tprdance with the general plan of
fen. Michler."
Half a century ago Mrs. Parting
iton" was a favorite character with
the American
0Mrs partinpton" public. her in
a., nocently quaint
VI Ae1 ollAueAIS' misapplications
sd mispronunciations being glee-
tally greeted as often as they were
published by their author. In The
Star of August %, 1870. is the fol-
lowing extract from lately produced
"Partingtonism":
Mrs. Darlington has been sick. and.
being inspired. expressed her feelings
in the following language: La. me!
Here I have been suffering the big.
amiss Of ,t death fas s ehTes W m1'a
bleeding plsrenology in the left hamp-
shire Of the brain. which was ex-
ceeded by The stoppage Of the left
iventilator of the heart. This gave me
an Inflammation Of the borax and
morbus. There is no blessing like
| that of health, particularly when you
are sick"
Washington had a singular meteor
illogical experience fifty years ago
at this time. which
Smoke From the is noted as fol-
Forest Fires. -, Ansust >. ,sTo.
For some days. and up to the time
| OF the current rain. this city has ben
| covered with just suck a pail of
smoke of a yellowisr color and
woody smell as prevails r California
at seasons. and which, according to a
Pacific slope theory, is the premoni-
tor of earthquakes. Another. and
doubtless the true theory is, however,
| that the California smoke comes from
| great fires in the woods of Washing
ton territory and Oregon and has no
connection with earthquakes. The
| mysterious smoke prevailing here is
undoubtedly from the great fires rag
| neighborhood of Ottawa The New
York Post says that the air was SO
smoky in that vicinity Monday night
as to retard the arrival of the Fall
| river boats. and the condition Of the
| atmosphere there is attributed to the
| cprco the Canadian fire. This
| fire has been burning for several
| weeks but it seems to have reached.
| it's height in the woods around Otta-
wa on the night of the 18th: when
might be laid in ashes. 1t was danger.
| Gus to be out of doors. on account OF
| the furious blast of smoke and Gin
ders that swept through the streets.
The loss Of life by the fire Is large
and the destruction Of prop9N 3m-
| mense. Two thousand persons4 e IS
| stated, have been rendered homeaess:
and the value of the buildings and
i crops consumed is estimated at w.
| 000, 900" 4
| ~. %. i
The last week of August, 1870. was
marked by a succession of French
misadventures and thel
M v1,- :, definite development
~-S Of the Prussian raove--
France. ment for the invest
ment of Paris. In The Star of August
%. 1870. the situation is thus sum-
marked to that date: 1's go
'The war kilograms from Europe
today are Of the same conflicting
character as on yesterday in regard
| to the positions of the contendlnR
| armies. 1t is asserted and denied tnat
Razaine is cooped up in Metz. II is
stated from the French side that the >
fact that prisoners taken oy Basa ne
! at Crayelotte are arriving at SCISSORS
is nroof that the French communica.
lions with Metz are intact; but IT
seems now to be conceded on thafd