Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-19

OUT. IneTe were SIX OF CneSe cOnpanleS-tn0
Franklin, the Northern Liberties the Persever-
ance, the Capitol Hill Navy Yard First Ward,
and Union The strongest rivalry was between
the Union and Franklin. The Perseverance
and Union were on good terms: but the
Fraklin would attack either both whenever
they met, and the reverse. The Northern Lib
critics Company was the most reckless. and they
had a lively hatred for the Perseverance. Co
ing home II they passed each other some half
grown boy in one party would throw a stone
at the other, and then the fight would begin.
They would leave their engines and have
hearty conflict. It used to be hard work for
the Auxiliary Guards such occasions, and
we not only had to keep the crowd In order
about the fire, but to keep the FIRE companies
away from each other much as possible"
IN stating his toughest experience on the
! police force, he said: 1T was the night the
mob was going TO gut DIR. Baileys printing
ONCE, where the abolition newspaper, the Ma
tional Era, was issued. I was presiding in my
lodge at Odd Fellows Hall, Seventh street,
that night, when word was brought that there
going to be a row. I hurried up the street
and found crowd in front of the ONCE, and
at once pushed my way to the door. Presently
some Of my men came around. The crowd
was a very determined one, and vented their
feelings by throwing stones through the win
dowS and bowling. They told me had better
get away from the door, as they were going in.
said that they would have to go over my
body
"A large paving stone, thrown by half
grown boy, struck the building and glancing
off, fell on my shoulder. I then made them
speech. and said that if there were any men
in the crowd who responsible for this dis
orderly assemblage let them come forward and
not send their half grown boys then called
upon all good citizens to aid me in protecting
private property and the peace of the city.
further demonstrations N
the part of the crowd, and presently something
called them away, and they went to the Patent
Once steps, where speeches were made be-
lieve that if had not taken my place between
the door and the mob they would have Quilted
the Office, and this act would have been the
cause for the removal of the Capital from the
city"
president TYLER'S administration was a
very interesting one. nationally and locally.
Perhaps the most notable piece of legislation
to be put through by Congress was the joint
resolution consuming, under certain conditions,
to the admission of Texas into the Union,
which was approved March /, 1345 The gold
pen with which the bill was signed was given
by the President to Mrs. Tyler. who afterward
proudly wore it suspended from her neck.
The Morse telegraph not only got a good
start during his administration, when the first
formal test was made on May "a, 1874, but the
first public telegraph Office in the world vas
opened that Autumn in building on the west
side Of Seventh street between and F streets,
now marked with bronze tablet.
One Of the worst disasters to occur on the
Potomac, near Fort Washington, took place
early in 1914, and President Tyler miraculously
escaped injury. The accident occurred aboard
the u. S. S. Princeton, under command Of
Capt r. F. Stockton, who had invited large
number Of important people to visit the ship,
then lying on Alexandria.
THE National Intellgencer of February 90,
1874, gives an excellent account of what
happened on the fatal day when the Secretary
Of State, the Secretary of the Navy and other
distinguished public persons were killed. The
account in the paper reads:
I'm the whole course of our lives it has
never fallen to our lot to announce to our
readers a more shocking notwithstanding
in all its circumstances and concomitants-
than that which occurred on board the United
States Ship Princeton yesterday afternoon,
whilst under way in the River Potomac, IA
or IS miles below this city.
Yesterday was a day appointed by the
courtesy and hospitality of Capt. Stockton.
commander Of the Princeton, for receiving as
visitors to his fine ship dying off Alexandria,
a great number of guests, with their families,
literally and numerously invited to spend the
day on board. The day most favorable,
and the company was large and brilliant, of both
sexes. not less probably in number than 400,
among whom were the President of the United
States. the heads of the several departments
and their families.
AT a proper hour after the arrival of the
expected guests the vessel got under way and
proceeded down the river to some distance
below Fort Washington. During the passage
down one of the large guns on board carrying
a ball of 225 pounds) was fired more than once,
exhibiting the great power and capacity of that
formidable weapon of war. The ladies had
partaken Of a Sumptuous repast, the gentlemen
had succeeded them at the table, and some Of
them had left it, the vessel was on her return