Evening star., 1920-11-21
FIFTY YEARS AGO IN
THE STAR,

4 - = \ AAk1AN0 0VV AAu
THE STAR,
Washington has been called a news
paper graveyard" 1t has been the
scene OF probably
"The Patriot" more new publishing
ry enterprises than any
Ae0"eu' other city In the
United States in proportion to popu
lation. Just fifty years ago another
one of these newcomers appeared. and
The Star. in its issue of November IL.
1870. gave its greeting in the follow
ing editorial paragraph:
The Patriot is out this morning.
making a decidedly handsome appear
| ance for first issue. The editorials
are rather long, to our notion, but
probably now that the paper has de-
fined its position 1t will not hnd 1t
necessary to indulge in two-column
| stifiiy democratic. as was to be ex-
pected from & paper starting out OH
that avowed mission. In its business
| announcements IL has the good sense
to declare that 1t will not solicit ad
vertisement by runners. believing
this practice to be neither profitable
| nor creditable to a journal Of good
standing. This Is the doctrine The
Star has always maintained and prac-
ticed with the most satisfactory re-
suits. The news and local departments
| OF the Patriot are well filled and the
paper throughout bears the marks of
| ability and enterprise. We welcome
1t very cordially to the field Of wash
ington Journalism"
The inherent weakness of the plan
to move the capital from Washington
to another city Is
Capital Moving well developed in
C..e paragraph quoted
A ~sA0n' from another paper
in The Star OF November IA. 1870:
Referring to the western project
for removing the National Capital. the
Davenport. Iowa. Democrat says:
The movement is now really weak
not necessarily. It might be q
| west Of the Alleghanies acquiescs In
the removal. but in nothing else. Ask
any one of the western states where
they would have the seat Of gov
ernment OF the nation removed to and
the answer would be as various az
IS
There was no method of street
in the then state
Fire Companies for Of the streets of
Street Sprinkling. the .' esuss "s Of
much public discomfort from the dust.
In The Star Of November II. 1870. is a
! letter from "A Citizen" advocating the
use Of the fire apparatus for this pur-
pose. saying:
The fire companies no doubt do a.
| most of their time is unemployed
and must hang heavily on their
hands, 1t seems to me that no objec-
ton could be made to this use Of
their spare time. So great 10 the
evil in many portions Of the city. out
side the business thoroughfarea that
some Of the citizens would gladly
contribute privately tV have IL
abated. II it could be done 1t reason
able cost. But the inability Of many
to meet the outlay and the high rate
OF taxation for other purposes In the
city render it impossible to effect
anything by private effort. II there
fore the object could be accomplished
LHc way proposed, WITHOUT any
additional burden on the people,
would it not be a most desirable re-
suit"
When the time came to pave Penn
sylvania avenue a controversy arose
as to the obligation
Omnibus Line Of the Washington
and G org o " n
1AVPOSeu' Railroad Company to
pave between their tracks. Tho COM
pany objected. on the ground that the
wood blocks would afford a bad foot
hold for the horses. Public feeling
rose high on the question. as indicated
by the following in The Star Of Novem
Der Is, 1870:
I'VE have pointed out to the rail-
road company repeatedly that they
have nothing to gain and everything
to lose by invoking the i'll will OF the
community to the extent they have
Az an instance in point. and as illus
trating the feeling aroused by their
selfish course, we may mention that
the project Of establishing an omni-
bus line on Pennsylvania avenue was
discussed among some Of our business
men this morning. and in q few min
utes' time the money necessary to put
it in operation was guaranteed by
parties of entire responsibility.
Now, though the immediate provo
cation to the establishment of this
omnibus line is undoubtedly the re-
fusal Of the railroad company to as
sumo its share of the burden OF i'm
proving the Avenue, for which busi-
ness men and citizens are taxed SO
heavily, yet the parties who favor the
project are cool-headed, practical
men, who believe that 1t will pay. 1t
seems a new style OF omnrfbus has
come into use. which. by its conve-
nience and comfort is proving q for
midable competitor with street cars
for travel. 1t is hung low. and Is
therefore readily accessible, and 1t
has one great advantage over the
street car in being able to take up
passengers from the sidewalk instead
of from the middle Of the street.
Ladies'. for instance, could step dry
shod from the curb into ono Of these
omnibuses instead Of being compelled
to wade through the mud and nth of
the unpaved railroad tracks. On
smoothly paved streets these omni-
buses are said to run with less jar
than the street cars. and are in every
way more desirable SO far as cleanA-
ness and comfort are concerned. For
the present. 1t is proposed to run
them between the Capitol and 17th
street. and they would quite certain
ly get the cream of the travel ON this
great thoroughfare.