Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-03
Fifty Years Ago
I'm The Star

Hall century ago Congress was OH
the point of making legislative provi-
sion for the taking OF the
Census decennial census. It was
n,.r;ns expected that more ques-
@ue1ies' tons would be asked by
the enumerators in order to enrich the
statistical information obtained The
Star in It's issue of January q, 1879,
says:
I'm connection with the new census
bill the pure cussedness' which prompts
SO many people to mislead the census
taker when nothing Is to be gained
becomes a fresh subject for wonder.
Railroad companies are naturally ret
icent about their business, those who
follow certain professions do not ex-
cite surprise by shrinking from pub
licity. and it is not unreasonable that
ladies of uncertain age should object
to removing this uncertainty. But in
addition to these and to the class
which prevaricates because 1t somehow
looks upon the questions OF the census
taker as personal affronts, there Is
found a species of humanity whose re-
plies to the patient census taker can.
only be understood by remembering
that human nature Is human nature
and that the world Is given to lying
The long intervals which intervene be-
tween censuses in this country cause
the periodical census anecdotes to be
ever new and fresh. AS suggesting
that the argument from statistics fur
nished by the census Is peculiar TO
western civilization and Is disdained
among Asiatic nations, the reply of q
Turkish cadi to Mr.. Layard's English
traveller and archeologist) request for
information in the form OF figures Is
pertinent:
my illustrious friend and JOY of my
liver: The thing you ask of me is both
difficult and useless. Although have
passed all my days in this place.
have neither counted the houses nor
have inquired into the number OF the
inhabitants, and as to what one per-
son loads on his mules and another
stores away In the bottom OF his ship;
that Is no business of mine. But, above
all, after the previous history Of this
city, God only knows the amount OF
dirt and confusion that the infidels
may have eaten before the coming OF
the sword of Islam. It were unprotit-
able for us to inquire into it. oh, my
soul! Oh, my lambl Seek not after
the things that concern thee not. Thou
earnest unto us and We welcomed thee;
60 in peace
X X
The question of how to correct a
decidedly unwholesome condition al
ting the
Potomac River health Of WASH
Menace to Health. much ~ ! discussed e !
half century ago, the discussion con-
tinuing for several years, until finally
the river front improvement was decided
upon and eventually executed. The Star
of January 20. 1879. says:
"Tt Is stated that in view of the NOR
tality among Congressman this session
there is disposition on the part OF
Congress to pass measure providing
effectively for sanitary defects in the
drainage in Washington and upon the
river front. The congressional NOR
tality this season may or may not be
due to local causes. but there is no
doubt that through the persistent neg
lect of Congress to give any thought
to the condition of the great river that,
with Its branches and tributaries. nearly
envelops the National Capital, the chan
nels Of that great stream have got so
choked up and the current so scatter
ed over wide marshes and flats that
1t Is a wonder the city has escaped q
malarial plague. The Anacostia branch
of the river that used to be navigable
all the way to Bladensburg Is now a
swamp filled up with rank vegetation,
the haunt of reed birds and malaria.
The Potomac on the west front Of the
city Is filled UP with mile-wide flats
to such an extent that the sewage
lodges on the reedy marshes. forming
q pestilence- breeding nuisance of un-
bearable offensiveness Last Summer
the evil had reached such point that
the District authorities were obliged to
spread disinfectant over these fats as
palliative measure, though, Of course,
1t could not afford any permanent or
adequate relief. The stencil Srcm this