Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-02-03
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

Half century ago it was proposed
that the states provide dwellings at
Washington for their
houses Tor senator's. This was dis
S.no+ors cussed in the following.
printed in The Star of
January 26. 1874:
referring TO an item in the Tri-
bune stating that President Grants
scheme of building houses for cabinet
officers at Washington has prompted
member OF the Maryland senate To
introduce into that body a bill APP
'propriating s5Oo09 for the purpose
of building permanent residence al
Washington for each United States
senator from that state, the Philadel-
phia Item says:
The writer of this paragraph first
made the suggestion that the states
should build dwellings for senator's
in Washington. The article was
printed in Col. Forneys Chronicle and
1t caused considerab BILE comment at
the time and met with general ap-
proyal. The state should own the
dwelling and the senator should fur
nIsh and occupy it during his term
sions adjoining for convenience II
is not improbable that a bill will be
presented in our legislature to this
laudable end. Independent of the CON
venience to the senators and con-
stituents. this suggestion if gener-
ally carried out will help to improve
and embellish the Capital Of the ma
ton: it will make society more per-
manent, and it will give impetus To
the broad and statesmanlilse idea of
the President that nothing should be
left undone to make Washington Il
metropolis in reality. Let all the
states follow Maryland
:: ::
In view Of the recent suggestion of
the replacement of the old structure
across the Potomac near
ChaIn Washington known as
Rr;dpa the Chain bridge, the an
nounoement In The Star
of January %. 1874, that the bridge
was then approaching completion, is
of interest. This article states:
There have been several bridges
| erected on the site Of this one and
on each successive one built the de-
fects in the plans and constructions
of the former ones were sought to
be avoided. Much money has been
| the floods. The term Chain bridge
comes from the first structure erected
on the site some thirty-five or forty
years ago. which was swept away by
heavy food. This was an iron sus-
pension bridge, supported by immense
cable chains stretching from pier to
pier, but it was found that these sup
ports afforded a Judgment for the ice
and driftwood. which finally resulted
| in the destruction of the bridge"
i X
In a letter in The Star printed
January %. 1874, 4 correspondent re-
fers to a proposal
Departmental before Congress
the expenses of
running the government departments.
involving a change of office hours
from am. to 4 pm. The writer
says:
THE wisdom of this proposed en-
actment is problematical. especially
in view Of the fact that it emanates
from class of public servants who
draw $4,000 per annum for a service
of four hours per day. The parable
of the mote and the beam may be
applicable to this case. and il is GER
tainly questionable whether these
legislation in the face Of their own
record. The employees of the Treasury
Department, as rule, bring to bear
more executive ability in the dis
charge of their duties than better
paid and less worked public officials.
If retrenchment be the watchword.
our representatives In Congress need
be at no loss, as their intelligent con-
stituents will assure them, Of dis
covering other means of it's exercise
| than by diminishing the pay and in
creasing the labor of government
clerks"