davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1940-11-17

who witnessed their destruction, as
we'll as the unique and methodical
way in which the enemy carried out
his diabolical purpose.
Dolly Madison Account.
A few days after the British had
left, Mrs. Samuel Harrison Smith,
wife of the founder of the National
Intelligencer, was given this brief
account by Dolly Madison, with
whom she was taking tea. She said
Fifty men. sailors and marines.
were marched by an officer, silently
through the Avenue, each carrying
long pole, to which was fixed a ball
about the circumference of a large
plate. When arrived at the building
each man was stationed at a win
dow, with his pole and machine of
wild fire against it. At the word of
command. at the same instant the
windows were broken and this wild
fire was thrown in, so that an in
stantaneous conflagration took place
and the whole building was wrapped
in flames and smoke. The specta-
tors stood in awful silence, the city
was light and the heavens Redeemed
with the blazel"
Here, as in the case of the Capitol
and the other buildings burned, the
loss of public property-especially of
valuable documents-Was consider
able. No doubt the heavy rain and
terrific wind following Immediately
after the burning of Washington
contributed to the loss and confu-
sion, but it also probably caused the
British to leave here little sooner
and do just little less damage than
they would have done or intended to
do
Speaking of this phase of the
catastrophe, one writer says: That
fearful night was followed by next
days tornado, which at LeeSburg,
as at Washington, uprooted trees,
unroofed tenements, and every
where around superadded tempest
uous to belligerent destruction and
alarm Many of the records Of the
War, Treasury and Navy Depart
ments were destroyed; some were
saved, less by any care than by
the tempest which arrested hostile
destruction before its completion
and drove the enemy from the
Evening star., 1940-11-17
Referred Back Tale Involving Sacred Property

of the group noted a French army
ration wagon parked nearby. 1t was
the work of but a few moments to
roll it smack into the middle of the
track, there to act as a bulwark
against the German steam roller
Soon it attracted the notice of the
sentry, who galloped up to investi-
gate. took one Mortified look, and
called the corporal of the guard.
The corporal, even more Mortified,
summoned a lieutenant, who called
out the entire guard-two squads.
At his orders they fixed bayonets,
and in jig time the American con-
tingent found itself surrounded by a
ring of steel.
AS the only officer present, the
author became the automatic target
of the French lieutenant. He could
do pretty we'll on such elementary
French phrases as "the pen of my
Evening star., 1940-11-17

private who ate the banana. The
private takes the rap-kitchen po-
lice or extra duty.
News of the ultimate triumph of
justice then retraces the entire
cumbersome route. The corporal
reports to the sergeant, who relays
it to the second looie He gives it to
the first looie, who spills it to the
captain. The major is next In line,
then the lieutenant colonel. The
lieutenant colonel pushes it on to
the colonel, who waddles into the
rarefied atmosphere surrounding
the general and explains that the
criminal is now peeling potatoes
instead of bananas. The final stage
is reached when the sovereign
United States, represented by the
Congressman, learns of the punish
ment.
In rare instances, when the con-
ditions are just right, it may be pos
sible to pass the buck upward. Once
upon a time the author got away
with it, while lieutenant in the
occupied potion of Germany in
1919.
He was on leave at the time, and
had become stranded at a little
two-by-four joint on the Rhine in
the French-occupied zone. The train
on which he had been travelling had
pulled in to this place, Niederlahn-
stein, and refused to 60 any farther.
There were no more trains that day,
and the problem was how to get to
Ehrenbreitstcin. 1t was solved by
the station master, who pointed out
sort of Toonerville trolley line.
A little party made up of one
lieutenant one sergeant, one cor
poral and four privates disgustedly
marched over the tracks and await
ed transportation. In about Is
minutes a weird-looking street car
came along, but the motorman paid
no attention to stop signals. The
next car, 20 minutes later, also failed
to stop.
Something was radically wrong.
There had been a terrific struggle
to make the world safe for democ-
racy, supposedly successful one,
out evidently some one had neglect
ed to inform the knights of the troll
ley that Germany had lost the war.
Or perhaps, like Hitler, they just
didn't believe it. 1t was a Sunday,
and the little village was almost
completely asleep. Far in the dis
tance French sentry patrolled his
post, but there was no other sign
Of life.
In their search for some means to
make the next car stop. or bust, one
Evening star., 1940-11-17

valuable papers, such as could
not be replaced, among which were
those relating to the revolutionary
county land script and the CORE
spondence of the Secretary of the
Treasury from the commencement
of the Government up to 1882, in
cluding the rough draughts of the
letters of the secretary and the an
swers thereto"
Fhe burning of the Blodgett Ho-
tel Building on December Is, 1886,
and the destruction of a part of the
old Patent Office on September "a,
1877. resulted in the loss of much
valuable Government property,
which could not be replaced
In the case of the former, the
building which was on the north
side of E street between Seventh
and Eighth streets, where now is the
General Land Office, was completely
consumed before the fire companies
could be of any service. In this
building were the Patent Office, the
Post Office Department, and the city
post Office, and the greatest loss sus-
tanned was that of all the models
deposited with the Government
from the beginning of the patent
service in 1790-a real calamity
to inventive science.
The loss in valuable papers and
models in the Patent Office fire of
1877, was equal to. if not greater
than the fire of 1886.
Upon this occasion the fire started
shortly after IL o'clock am, in
what was known as the Green
House" just under the roof of the
present Patent Office Building and
directly over the portico of the west
or Ninth street front. Instead of
turning in an alarm Immediately
when the fire was discovered, an at
tempt was made by the employees to
subdue the flames themselves.
Evening star., 1940-11-17
By Basil Gordon.
So your number is up!

So your number is up!
If it was one of the first drawn,
you should tear out this article and
keep it with you until you know it
by heart. The lesson for today is the
influence of military rank upon the
ancient and honorable art of passing
the buck.
The general direction of travel OF
the buck is down, like water seeking
its own level, until 1t eventually
lands in the lap of some raw recruit
incidentally, that is why he is
known as a buck private, who is
often puzzled what to do with 1t, as
there is nothing lower on earth than
he. His best bet is to make lateral
pass, legal if he can get away with
it, to some other rookie not quite so
quick on the trigger.
AS an illustration of the workings
of the law. take the case of Con-
gresham on an inspection trip to a
draft camp. He strolls along, accom-
panied by a retinue OF big shots
anxious to please him. All Of a sud-
den he slips on a banana peel and
breaks his journey.
The impartial observer would not
regard the incident as of any great
consequence, thinking that 1t had
little or no bearing on the progress
of national defense. But no impair
tial observers are present. To the
favored few of the enlisted personnel
who chance to observe 1t, it stands
out as a bright spot in an otherwise
dull day. To the accompanying Of
ficers. it is hideous debacle.
AS the unfortunate Congressman
is helped to his feet, he starts the
buck by telling the general what he
thinks of the camp. The general,
after soothing him, makes the next
move. It is quite instructive; he
turns to the nearest colonel and un-
loads it.
The colonel is no slouch, either;
he is almost as good as the general.
With a reaction time only a trif1e
slower he shades his eyes and peers
abount until he spots a lieutenant
colonel, who salutes and assumes
temporary custody Of the banana
problem, until he can find a major.
The major digs up captain. Swift
ly the net closes in on the culprit. A
rapid double play ensues, captain to
first lieutenant to second lieutenant.
The shavetail selects sergeant and
demands action. The sergeant grabs
a corporal, and threatens to get him
busted unless he can produce the
Evening star., 1940-11-17

aunt from Nantes is blue" and my
mothers female cousin grows red
roses in her garden" if spoken slow
ly; but when it came to rapid-flre
invective he was more or less sunk.
After many requests to go slow he
got the gist Of the argument.
The whole business, said the
Frenchman, was ''incroyable
believable. The wagon was sacred
property of the French Republic,
and its theft constituted sabotage
and treason. BY this time a trolley
had come up, changing furiously at
the barrier, raring to go. All Amer
ican attempts to roll it aside and
hop aboard were frustrated. At any
move toward the wagon, a bayonet
barred the way. Shouting to make
himself heard over the din of the
bell, the French officer informed the
author that he was under arrest. If
Evening star., 1940-11-17

Clay, James w. Shields, Charles
Lyons, Daniel Boyd, George Gran
dali. Nicholas Callan, Philo Hale,
E. H. Cummings, James H. Causten,
Samuel C. Potter, John N. Lovejoy,
jr.; Thomas Scrivener, Richard Ste
wart, William Archer, F. R. Dorset,
j. L. Anthony, William Thompson,
Charles L. Coltman. William Morton,
]. D. Freeland, John P. Pepper,
Jacob Hines Charles Petit, David
Brearley, Alexander Mcdonald
James Moore, Charles B. Davis,
Joseph Lowell, S. NJ. Mexican. John
Woodside. F. A. DickinS. William
Easily, John Kennedy, A. r. Watson
and Fielder R. Dorset.
Some of these names will be fami-
liar to old Washingtonians. Nicho-
las Callan lived to a ripe old age
and was for years secretary Of the
Association of Oldest Inhabitants.
Capt. William Easily was we'll iden-
titled with early Washington. and
some of his descendants are among
our present residents. Jacob Hines.
brother of Christian Hines, lived
to be 81, and he, too, has de-
scendants living here.
Cause of Fire.
At the time no one seemed to
know what caused the fire, and
for awhile not even a suggestion
was offered. The testimony cover
ing the efforts to extinguish the
blaze was quite interesting and
shows us today the difficulties en-
countered years ago by the volun-
teer fire companies with a few fire
engines. a limited amount of hose
without universal connections and
a very meager water supply.
When the first persons arrived
upon the scene they hunted for the
locked up in a little building close
| by, but too small to be of service
in such a big fire. Charles Pryse
then ran to the headquarters of
the Franklin engine, at the south
east corner of Fourteenth street and
Pennsylvania avenue, where he
found the door locked. Indeed, his
story as embodied in his deposition
Evening star., 1940-11-17

place in December. 1886, and a To-
cal newspaper carried the following
reference to the case:
Trial of Richard H. White for
arson, in setting fire to the Treas
ury Department in Washington
City, on the 30th of March, 1888.
The prisoner pleaded not guilty.
He is well looking man. between So
and 40 years of age, with an intel
ligent countenance. His hair is
very dark, almost black, and rather
curly He has whiskers and dark eye
brows. His complexion is rather
pale. He was genteely dressed in a
bottle green frock coat and a fash
ionable black velvet waistcoat and
black stock His wife and wifes
mother sat by his side = The
prisoners wife is handsome woman
and said to be very intelligent.
The district attorney opened the
case and said it would be proved
that the prisoner, who was man of
education, had made use of chemical
preparations for the firing of the
building and its contents. 1t would
be proved that he took house in
this city and brought on his furni-
ture and other goods from New York
some time before the burning of the
Treasury Department"
Harry White was convicted of the
crime of arson on January 16. 1887
and a new trial was asked but de-
MED, and the prisoner sentenced to
10 years imprisonment, but whether
he actually served his sentence is
doubtful. Among the jurymen who
sat in the third trial of Richard
White. which began April 20. 1887,
and which resulted in a hung jury.
was Michael Larner. member of a
well known family of that name.
Loss of Papers.
Undoubtedly the most unfortunate
part of this fire was in the loss of
Evening star., 1940-11-17

Capital. After their departure sew
eral of the written books of the
department were found in the mud,
soaked with water from the rain
which so opportunely fell-which,
by drying them in the sun and re-
binding them, were recovered
Great numbers of books and pa
pers, however, were irrecoverably
lost"
Work on New Building.
Naturally, plans were soon under
way to construct a new building,
and by 1919 we find an appropri-
alton of $4,000 for covering the
building with slate, which would
indicate that it was almost COM
pleted by that time, and as the
building was mainly of brick it is
safe to guess that the same walls
were used in the new building, as
was the case in restoring the
Capitol.
However, it was not intended
that even this building should re-
main very long, and on the early
morning of March 30, 1888, it was
again thoroughly damaged by fire.
OF course, Andrew Jackson, the
then President, ordered an inves-
tigation.
First, he wanted to know, What
started the fire?" And if that ques-
ton was answered, then, WAS it
accidental and how did it happen?"
Third, What proper exertions were
used to preserve the books, papers
and public property in the building.
as we'll as to save the builting
itself?"
In all. SO persons appeared before
Judge Cranch and made sworn
statements as to their knowledge Of
the fire. These included: Isaac Cod
dard, William c. Goddard, Charles
F. Wood, Abraham Butler. David A.
Gardner, William Greer, R. P. An
derson, F. r. Dorset, James Cum
mings, B. J. Miller. B. F. Peasants,
Andres M. Laub, Horace E. Wolf,
Thomas w. Dickens, William T.
Read, Samuel Handy, William
Archer, Thomas R. Gedney, Asbury
Dickins. Charles Pryse, Westol M.
Hone, William M. Stewart, John R.
Evening star., 1940-11-17

dazed. and repeated the words in
his own language, to make sure
that they were right 'Lyewtenong
Zhazzbo Smeet?" he queried, "du
Troisieme Corps de Balloon, Troop
Koo?"
"Mais oui," said the author. Ger
tangmong.'
And who. pray, is your COM
manoing officer?" he persisted.
Your correspondent paused to
think this out. The urgency of the
situation had not allowed 1t. Jazzbo
Smith much time to devote to the
important choice of the officer who
would have the honor of command
ing him, but it occurred to him now
that his superior should be, if pos
sible, remote from petty worries and
annoyances, and too busy to bother
himself over details.
THE Balloon Corps is brand-new," "
answered 1t. Jazzbo Smith 1T is
a special idea of Gen. Pershing's, -
and he has not yet appointed a
commander. Meanwhile, all its
members are responsible to him in
person.
Sets New Record.
To cut it short, he got away with
it. Never in military history was
the buck tossed any higher from
such low level. In a few minutes
the jolly little party was en- route
CT in tyr
So full of sunshine was the heart
of the newly created 1t. Jazzbo
Smith that he decided to spread
some of the surplus into the lives
of any American soldiers, members
of Pershing's Sd Balloon Corps or
otherwise, seen wearing their feet
out in the foolish pastime of hiking
Jazzbo told the sergeant to tell the
corporal to tell a private to stick
close to the motorman and gently
slug him if he refused to stop for
any American signal.
The careful student by now will
have some idea of how the buck
moves when confined to military
channels. and will have observed
that the trick, if stuck with it, is to
pass it on before it gets hot enough
to burn the fingers. And "on,"
barring great luck, means down"
The ambitious private should
therefore study and work hard to
become a corporal, an Office made
famous both by Napoleon and Hit
Ter. Even if he rises no higher, it
is indeed comfortable feeling to
look at those stripes on the arm,
which mean that he has seven pri-
Yates In his squad to serve as shock
absorbers.
Evening star., 1940-11-17

it was his last act, he said, he was
going to arrest some one.
Upon hearing it put this way, your
correspondent began to see a gleam
of hope. He cast a speculative eye
over the group of his comrades in
arms. He had never seen any of
them before, but that didn't matter
Surely between them the sergeant
and the corporal could pick out one
of the four privates as sacrifice on
the altar of militarism, and make
the world safe for the survivors
There was much to be said, after all
in favor of old military customs and
he blessed providence for the pres
ence of six soldiers of lower rank to
take the rap. No doubt a nobleman
of old imperial Russia would have
felt the same way, if he had been
caught out on the steppes at night
in a droshky with a pack of raven
ing wolves bowling for his blood and
had had the good luck to have with
him half dozen moujiks whom he
Authors Ruling.
But for some reason the French
man refused to accept any substi-
tutes; he demanded the one and
only genuine scalp of an American
officer. He was politer, having
cooled off a few degrees, but was
firm on the main point. The author
told him he couldn't get away with
it. 1t was, he said, unconstitutional
and not at all according to Hoyle to
arrest a soldier of an allied power
All he could do was to report him to
his commanding officer. \
The young French lieutenant
wavered slightly, and his opponent
was quick to seize the advantage.
His commanding officer, he said, was
a great admirer of France and
would be very hard on any sub
ordinate who dared commit crime
against it. Probably the offender
would spend a year or so in the
doghouse, but it should be an
American doghouse, not French
one.
With considerable reluctance he
agreed, and produced a notebook
and pencil to take your correspond
ent's name and organization. In
spired by the splendid spur of ne
cessity, your correspondent took the
book into his own hands and wrote
therein the following instructive
words:
LIT Jazzbo Smith, @ Troop, Sd
Balloon Corps"
The Frenchman seemed q bit
Evening star., 1940-07-05
Foster Portrait Given
old Kentucky Home
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
BARDSTOWN, KY, July 5.-A
portrait of Stephen Collins Foster,
noted American composer, was dedi-
Gated here yesterday in the "Old
Kentucky Home" he made famous
in song.
The occasion marked the ami
versary of Fosters birth, July 4,
1926.
The portrait of the composer was
done by Howard Chandler Christy,
and was presented to the old Ken
lucky Home" by the Honorable Order
of Kentucky Colonels, an organiza-
ton composed of some of the thou
sands of persons holding honorary
commissions from Kentucky gov
ernors.
A letter from President Roose-
welt was read in which he stated:
"On the day of Stephen Collins
Fosters birth. July 4, 1926, there
was great, noisy, national celebra-
tion of the 50th anniversary of the
adoption of the Declaration of In
dependence. Under that immortal
document was established a de-
mocracy which skeptics and re-
dictionaries had prophesied would
never endure. But it did, and it
has, and it will
Gov. Keen johnson of Kentucky
accepted the portrait.
Evening star., 1940-07-05
CaroIe Lands Of Screen
Marries Willis Hunt, Jr.

BY the Associated Press.
HOLLYWOOD, July 5.-Carole
Lands, blond and 81, one of the
movies newest stars, eloped by air.
plane to Las Vegas last night. was
married and hurried back to begin
a new picture today.
Said the bridegroom, Willis Hunt
jr., %, yacht broker: 1T was all SC
sudden, we had no time to make
honeymoon plans. Anyway, that
will have to wait until Miss Lands
completes the picture.
The marriage was performed by
Justice of the Peace George E
Marshall, with the airplane pilot
and deputy county clerk as wit
nesses. The bride wore gray polka
dot dress and no hat. Hunt re-
marked it was "awfully hot" on the
desert.
Both said they had been divorced
from previous mates in May, 1910
Miss Lands gave her true name as
Frances Ridste Wheeler. Her first
husband was Irving Wheeler, q
writer.
Evening star., 1940-07-05
New Division Directors
Of n. Y. A. Are Appointed

Two new division directors have
been appointed to the staff of the
National Youth Administration, it
was announced today by Admins
traitor Aubrey Williams. They are
Charles Hubbard Judd of Chicago
and John H. Lasher of Wisconsin.
DR.. Judd will be director of the
student work program. Chairman
OF the department of education at
the University of Chicago for 27
years, DR.. Judd has been con-
sultant on the N. Y. A. staff for
nearly two years. He has written
extensively on psychology in rela-
ton to education and democracy.
Mr.. Lasher will be director of the
works projects division in the WASH
lngton office. A veteran of the
World War, he has been State youth
administrator in Wisconsin for the
past five years.
Evening star., 1940-07-05

KENNEDV Kennedy, Near 4th N W
AAA1SA>ADA RA GSaO Mat PM
Parking Space Available tn Patrons
HealthfulIy Air Conditioned.
EDDIE CANTOR JUDITH ANDER
SON in FORTY LITTLE MOTHERS. '
AT 1:30, 3:35. 5:35. 7:40, 9:45.
Evening star., 1940-07-05

picture to two-one gives Shirley a
1776 background, the other is a
straight modern drama based on
Scott Fitzgerald's short story, Baby
Ion Revisited" At the moment it
looks like the latter Douglas
Fairbanks, jr., has lost his English
accent! 1t was kidded out of him
by Ben Hecht, who is directing Doug
on the Before I Die" set. It's posi-
lively amazing. If you close your
eyes, you'd never guess it was Fair
banks speaking.
Claudette Colbert says for you not
to get excited about that s426944
salary she earned in 1899. She says
that $307 ,440 went in State and Fed
eral taxes, her agent took 10 per
cent of the lump sum, and other
incidental pay-outs leave her with
approximately $4,000. Which is still
nice money-if you can keep it!
X X
Robert Taylor shows me a news
paper clipping from his home town.
Under the heading 40 Years Ago.
is the following. "Spangler Arlington
Brough, cellist, and (some one else)
violinist, are going to Clay Center,
where they will play duets this sum-
mer season for the radio. Best of
luck boys, from Beatrice" Before
you jump. to conclusions, Beatrice
is a town in Nebraska. Before
putting the clipping into his pocket
Bob says, with mock sadness, II was
a good cellist in those days. Now
I'm just an actor" And a good
actor, too, Bob.
(Released by the North American
Newspaper Alliance, Inc)
Evening star., 1940-07-05

CEMTp 425 9th St. NV
St NIL ME-. 2s11 0uens 1000
Healthfullv Air Conditioned.
ANGEL FROM TEXAS" with FIDDLE
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1870. AZ. < S.15. FDDTE CANTOR
In FORTY LITTLE MOTHERS" At
1:40.[ 2:55. 6:1O. 9:25
Evening star., 1940-07-05

CALVERT wS. s5s. .asn wis. A,,: A,;. nv; s'M
| Parking Space Available to Patrons.
Healthfully Air-Conditioned,
WHEN LEIGH. ROBERT TAYLOR
| in WATERLOO BRIDGE" At ].
| 3:10. 5:15 1:35. a:35. Donald Duck
IN "Donald's Dog Laundry"
Evening star., 1940-07-05
Iroq Foreign Minister
Asks Syrio's Freedom

BY the Associated Press
BAGHDAD, Iraq, July 5.-Gen.
Nuri Es Said Pasha, Iraq's Foreign
Minister. asserted today that both
1raq and Turkey believe Syria
should enjoy complete independence
from France, which holds a man
date over the territory.
The Foreign Minister'S statement,
declaring the Syrians were eft for
independence" was made on his re-
turn from conference with Turkish
officials at Ankara.
Both Turkey and Iraq have mu-
tual assistance pacts with Britain.
An authorized statement in London
recently declared that Britain would
not permit Germany or italy to sue
ceed France in occupation OF Syria.