Evening star., 1933-02-26

been 40 or so years ago. Perhaps there Will
not be the same display Of attractive uniforms
which existed before the formation OF the Ma
tional Guard, when each military contingent
tried to outdo the others in dress, equipment
and in military perfection and precision, ana
when every so,dier boy had wife, sister,
mother or sweetheart standing on the :idewalk
ready to applaud his particular company when
it passed by. What march they did put up
for the spectators in yc olden days! Many OF
us can never forget.
Then there were the outside soldier CON-
panies that competed with the boys from the
District of Columbia at the various National
drills and encampmentS held throughout the
country. How glad our men were to meet them
on such occasions and to show them real South
ern hospitality. There was no question IN
those days where the members of our visiting
militia were going to stop-that was indeed,
all arranged by the local boys themselves; for
the latch strings of our homes were always on
the outside for the crack companies from other
cities who had no doubt before-upon some
noted occasion-:ngratiated themselves with the
men of the District when visiting outside OF
Washington.
Undoubtedly the Inauguration of Mr.. Roose-
welt will be a great affair. but to the people Of
the District it will lack the local coloring Of
former days. There will not be the same per-
sonal and individual touch that prevailed at
the first Cleveland and at several subsequent
inaugurations 1t will be more National in its
character, and the Army, the Navy and the
Marine Cc.ps will no doubt carry off the hon.
Ors of the day.
The Washington Light Infantry Corps will
not be in line 1t was one of our earliest mill
tary bodies organized September IL, 1886; di-
vided into four companies in 1858, and mus
tered into the United States service on April 10,
1861 being the first organization to volunteer.
After the Civil War it was organized by sur
viving members May IL, 1871. and incorporated
the following year. In December 1882, it was
divided into four companies, with Lieut. Col.
William G. Moore commanding; Harrison
Dingman, judge advocate; George Breitbarth,
a well-known furniture dealer. quartermaster;
j. T. Dyer paymaster; Levi Woodbury., COM
missary; E. G. Wheeler, ordnance; w. j. Acker,
engineer; Hamilton E. Leach. surgeon; T. E.
McArdle assistant surgeon; A. w. Kelley, in
spector; w. H. Harrison, adjutant; c. H. Our
and, sergeant major; George Woodbridge, color
sergeant and Walter E. Hewett, quartermaster
sergeant w. N. Dalton was captain OF Com
pany A. with j. G. Cowie, first lieutenant; b.
r. Ross was capatin of Company B, E. L. Neu-
never first lieutenant and William L. Cash
second lieutenant; j. c. Entwistle, captain Of
Company c., C. G. Sloan, first lieutenant, and
j. S. Miller captain of Company D, J. p Duffy
being first lieutenant
ONLY recently its magnificent acmory and
~ theater were razed, together with other
structures in order to clear the triangular block
in front of the Department of Commerce for
park purposes The theater opened No
vember 10, 1884, by John w. Albaugh and the
play house took his name and was for number
of years known as Albaugh's Grand Opera
House.
Many Washingtonians will recall this OPEN
nroh 10 ono in
theatrical life Mr.. Albaugh was there in full
dress as was his treasurer, Harry c. Fisk, IA
ther OF the two Fisk brothers, Lieut.. Howard
s. and Harry c. of The Star composing room
So was the doorkeeper, John E. Buckingham
who acted in like capacity at the old Ford
Theater in Tenth street, on the evening OF
April a. 1865, when Abraham Lincoln was
assasinated
The business manager, Tom Bivins, was also
In evidence upon the suspicious occasion, and
the inimitable Ed Hay read from memory a
dedicatory poem by John v. Hood, the f1rst
verse of which said:
What shall I say to all this list'ning
throng
| Who come tonight to cheer their hearts
with song,
To listen to the notes that rise and fall
Throughout this spacious and majestic
hall
And for the moment Danish from their
breast
All thoughts save those that give the
spirit rest?
Rude in my speech am I; the actors gift
I have not, nor the wondrous power to
lift
The soul from earth and move the
peoples heart
To noble thoughts by his delightful art;
Yet here, surrounded by SO many friends