Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-12
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star


Fifty years ago the District Commits
sioners, completing the absorption Of
Georgetown into Washing
0LreeC ton, issued an order chang
Na-., ing the names of the streets
~'""es' Of the former to correspond
with those Of the latter. The Star In
its issue Of October z, 1880, comments
as follows:
eff the District Commissioners have
authority to change the names of the
streets in what was formerly the
borough Of Georgetown-and as to this
there viii probably be no doubt ex-
pressed and no valid objection urged
1t is beyond question that they equally
have the authority to change the names
Of any or all the streets In Washington.
that while they were the other day is
suing the order regarding Georgetown
they did not 60 step further ana give
substantial and proper names to those
streets in the city which are now desig-
mated by the meager and unmeaning
appellation afforded by the letters Of
the alphabet. All the advantages Of
the alphabetical systenn-and they are
neither few nor trihing-could be pre-
served by adopting the plan heretofore
advocated in The Star. This plan, our
readers will remember, simply contem-
plates that full and appropriate name,
beginning with the same initial 1t now
has, shall be given to each one of the
lettered streets. These names, it Is sug-
gested, should be those of distinguished
American citizens, about whose his
torical importance and hold on the af-
fections of the people there could be
no question-those north of the Capitol
to bear the names of men distinguished
in the walks of craftsmanship, ltera-
ture, the arts and sciences, and those
south to be named after military and
naval heroes. This classification would
do away with the present duplicated,
easily confounded and senseless nomen-
clature. and give to each street prop
er, significant and euphonious name
without sacrificing any of the advan-
tageS Of an alphabetical arrangement.
The adoption Of such names would,
moreover, indisSolubly bind up with the
everyday life Of the National Capital q
part Of the history, honor and glory
Of the whole country point which
would not be overlooked by any other
nation than this"
X y
In The Star Of October 9, 1880, is
printed a third Of a column of con-
Local News Ends" which fl D U19s sn q
"a py;.F vivid picture of the Capt.
=" 0AAoA' tai of a half q century
ago, in part as follows:
The proposed parking Of the street
between the Ebbitt House and Wizards
on Fourteenth street has been aban-
doned for the present. The unusual
growth Of the shade trees has been
noticed this past season. The Sum-
mer's dog war does not seem to have
decreased the midnight concerts. An
extension Of one OF the lines of street
railway to the new Bureau of Engrav-
ing and Printing Is talked of. The
laying OF the granite blocks on grades
on Eleventh street is completed. It
takes the new sweeping contraption
nearly all night to sweep K street; the
old contractor swept 1t in few hours.
Secretary Sherman,S new residence
opposite Franklin Square is about COM
pleted. The M Street Bridge is being
Congress will be implored
this coming session to increase the
water supply. Returning visitors can
see that the Washington Monument has
grown this year. The Star received its
telegraph matter one day this week
over one Of its new stenotelegraphic
machines, which receives messages in
shorthand. At the recent Boston con-
vention the Washington Fire Depart
ment was regarded as one Of the best
in the United States. The telephone
line runs from Georgetown to Cumber- |
land and is the longest line in the !
United States, 1873 miles. Franklin Park |
contains greater variety of trees than |
any park in the country of its size. The |
Baltimore and Potomac Railroad will |
be double tracked in less than year. |
The police have broken UP the monte |
pecting strangers at Arlington. Com
plant is made that q gang of boys |
are breaking windows along Vermont |
avenue and r street with bean shoot !
era: the police have been notified"