Evening star., 1924-05-11

Half century ago the Washing
ton Monument stood in an unfinished
state, with a wooden
To Finish +he roof over the top a
little above the point
wall now shows in the shaft No
work had been done on it for many
years. The organization engaged In
raising funds for the enterprise was
unable to carry on the project. 1t
was generally recognized that the
to take hold and finish the work In
The Star of May 4. 1874, is an item
telling of a move to that end:
Gen. Chapman District delegate)
in the House today introduced bill.
which was referred to the select com
mittee on the Washington Monument.
providing that s325,000 be appro-
priated by the government for the
completion of the Washington Monu-
ment to a height not exceeding 450
he expended under the direction of
the President of the United States.
provided that the Monument shall be
completed before July 4, 1876. Sec
ton 2 provides that the Washington
Monument Society shall reconvey to
the United States all the right. title
and interest to the lot of ground
known as Reservation No. in the
city of Washington, and shall trans
fer to the engineer in charge OF
pubic buildings and grounds all prop
erty, materials, books. papers, etc, in
possession of said society,""
John Morrissey was a wen known
New. York character fifty years ago.
politician with
John Morrissey crude methods and
rL given to direct ac-
III iin'' tion. In The Star
of May z, 1874. is an item telling the
story of a characteristic perform
ance by him:
"On Tuesday night last State Sena-
tor John Fox entered the Maison
Doree in New York and after few
minutes conversation with some
friends went into the barroom. While
there the Hon. John Morrissey came
in and the two Tammany leaders
were soon engaged in conversation.
Their friendly talk gradually changed
into a dispute that finally eliminated
in a wrangle. At length Morrissey
could not be reelected to any office
in the city of New York Senator
Fox's reply was an offer of a wager
that MorriSsey could not be elected
to any office. Morrissey again as
serted that the senator could not be
reelected and renewed his offer to
back up his assertion by a bet OF
either $1,000 or $4,000. A war of
words then followed, which ended by
Morrissey calling Senator Fox a liar.
The senator's face colored up and he
askAd Morrissey to retract what he
had said. Morrissey declined to do
so and put up his hands as though
he expected that the senator might
whose hands were incased in gloves.
did not offer to strike, but asked
Morrissey to put down his hands.
saying: You do not mean to hit
me-? NO. replied Mr.. Morrissey, L
don't want to hit you You gam
tor Fox, excitedly and advancing. At
this Morrissey stepped forward and
struck the senator in the face and
butted him in the head twice. As he
put himself in position to deliver
another blow mutual friends of the
combatants interfered and separated
them. Senator Fox's face was bruised
and slightly cut
X
Some one who has been examining
the Congressional Directory" says
The Star Of May 9, 1874.
Analysing finds that there are in
Congress. pradnstss ns of rsom ~
are senators. There are 1ee lawyers,
t150 bankers and business men. 20
journalists, IS farmers and 80 whose
occupations are not given. Ninety
served in the war of the rebellion,
73 in the Union army and II in the
Confederate army; 43 call themselves
generals, Al have been judges at varks
Gus times, including 3 chief justicess
II have been state governors and I
Vice President of the republic: 165
IA nF