Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-23
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

With President Garfield lying Ill from
the wound inflicted by Guiteau so
No Understudy n mens BUSINESS 's was
For President. Tsss sIsc.ed s0 S1,r-
ing the weeks Of his inability to attend
to the duties Of his ONCE. The star
Of August IS, 1881, however. says:
The statements telegraphed from
washington that the continued illness
Of the President Is causing inconven-
fence in the departments. and, In fact,
ohstructing the machinery OF govern
ment, are not confirmed by the heads
Of these departments. In interviews
with chiefs Of soine Of them, published
only few days ago in The Star, the
extent Of the Inconvenience resulting
from the Presidents protracted illness
was summed UP IN the words OF q cab
met officer: It only compels Us to let
few men, who we think ought to be
turned out, remain In ONCE . while
"The subject of the Presidents con-
diticn and its effect upon public husi-
ness has been harped upon by some
journals Of the country In sensational
style. with the view of creating the i'm
preston IN the public mind that the
Vice President should assume the pres
idential seat and duties until the Presi-
dent RECEIVERS. In the first place. there
is no power vested in any person or
body to determine what constitutes
presidential inability. Even II Con-
gTesS were now IN session there would
be no occasion for any determination
of the question as to whether the Pres
ident's present condition is one Of in
ability. as contemplated in the Con-
stitution. Only the other day the
President attended to . state matter
requiring his attention. The country
may rest entirely easy IN the assurance
that whenever the affairs ofsGovernment
Is not able to give, he viii make It easy
for the Vice President 10 discharge the
functions of the ONCE ad interim.
There viii be no need Of pressing the
matter upon his attention"
~
Considerable excitement was created
this morning" says The star Of An
Guiteau's scrimmage by by : report sport
With a Jail Guard. b snss ,o GIIsssu
ously assaulted one of the jail guards
with the shank of shoe. The truth
Of the story, as learned by Star re-
porter at the jail, Is as follows:
About half past { o'clock this morn
ing one of the guards, William Q; Nc
Gill, looked into Guiteau's cell and saw
him in q very unusual position at his
cell window. McGill, thinking that the
man was attempting to escape or TO In
lure himself, asked what he was doing,
and getting no answer went into the cell.
Guiteau turned and clinched with the
guard. There was q desperate struggle,
during which the guards pistol was dis
charged. The ball passed out of the
door and lodged In the wall opposite.
Another guard. j. w. Jones, nearing the
ance and parted the struggling men.
Guiteau was again secured In the cell
Neither of the men was injured"
~
The following IN The star Of August
10, 1881, describes the cable car system
which 80 years ago appeared
CaDle to be the best solution OF the
car. rapid transit problem In this
"The question of devising motive
power for street cars, less expensive and
less troublesome than horses, has oc-
CH0lcQ bklG AbtGAt44AA "a 4AAhNA4t0AS eA@NA
scientists for many years, but It has
never been quite satisfactorily solved.
steam has been tried frequently. but It
mas never worked well. In San Fran
cisco for some time q system Of pro-
peIling the cars BY means Of wire rope
has been IN use. and now Chicago ana
Philadelphia propose to try the expert
ment. II IS stated by those engaged n
running Q two-horse car u II CENTS
TO maintain the prnpeiliug power and 3
"a paw lahoTs taxes, etc. The wire rope
plan w1u admit e rtuning two or more
cars together, like asRailroad train. Gil
Of which can be atteneed to By one
cullductor. The system q descrihed Is
follows: The wire rope issplaced m .
pite laid between the tfN1k& and IS put
Ia motion hy revolving druIl operated
~ steam engines located at Wpyenient
Intervals. A long groove or ~ In the