Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-07-02
Fifty Years Ago
In the Star

construction Of The Star Building for the
e.. enlargement of its printing
facilities fifty years ago is
annex thus reported in the issue OF
Mishop June u, 1889:
The brick foundation and side wall
of the one-story addition to The Star
Building. to be temporarily used as an
engine and boiler room, gave way last
evening. The engines used in driving
the presses and furnishing power to other
machinery in The Star establishment
were buried under mass Of debris. The
large boilers, which are located in the
rear part of the building, escaped serious
injury although the connecting pipes
were damaged. The roof supported by
the wall came crashing down upon the
main shaft connecting the engine with
the three powerful presses in the adjoin-
ing building and also with the machinery
in the stereotyping room on the second
floor This heavy shaft was badly bent
and rendered useless for the present and
considerable other damage done. Fortu-
nately no one was injured as the only
person about the premises at the time
was the night Waterman, who was in
another part of the building. The acct
dent occurred about 8: 80 clock and the
noise made by the falling wall and escap-
ing steam soon brought a crowd to the
scene. Mr.. Jacob Simpson, one of the
efficient assistant pressmen. was in the
nelghborhood and hurried at once to the
building
The brick wall, which was about IL
feet high and supported a portion of
the weight of the roof, was weakened by
the excavation which is being made for
the new addition to The Star Building,
although a bank of clay some 2 or 3
1eet from the foundation of the wall and
supposed to afford ample protection had
been LETT undiSturbed by the workmen,
but the recent heavy rains had under
mined 1t and the foundations thus un-
oermlned gave way and the wall fell"
Inc Star In the same issue printed the
following explanatory note:
Owing to circumstances entirely be-
yond its control, The Star is Obliged tn
ask the indulgence of its readers and
advertising patrons for any shortcomings
that may be observable in its columns
for day or two, as we'll as for such
delay as may occur in the delivery of
the paper to city subscribers.
The late prolonged and heavy rains
joined to the Earring of the powerful
machinery used in printing the large
daily editions of the paper, caused the
foundation and side wall of the boiler
and engine rooms to give way last night
along the line of the deep excavation
being made for the new Star Building.
carrying with it and partially DESTROYING
the main shaft and some portions of the
engine, thus entirely cutting off steam
power from the presses and other ma.
chinery of the office.
Happily the presses of the Nationa,
1rloune can accommodate The Stars
forms with slight modification. and
through the kindness of its proprietor
capt. Lemon, and those in charge dur
ing his absence in Europe, the mechan-
lcal facilities of that ONCE have been
placed at the disposal of The Star So
until other provision can be made the
several editions of the paper will be
printed there. Meantime ARRANGEMENTS
are IN progress to secure electric motor
power sumcient to drive all The Stars
presses. as usual, within q few DAYS
Until that Is accomplished it will be
necessary to close the several forms of
the paper considerably earlier than
heretofore and necessarily also some s,b-
scfioers will receive their copies of the
paper somewhat later. To reduce these
drawbacks to minimum ADVERTISING
patrons are urgently requested to send
IN their announcements more promptly
than customary and as early in the dav
as possible. On its part, The Star prom
ises that all Interruptions consequent
upon the accident shall be as slight and
brief as they can be rendered by Wen
directed energy and liberal money ex-
penditure"