Evening star., 1941-04-20
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

Fifty years ago Washington was
startled by serious accident at the
Shoreham Hotel, in
Accident at which several f1oors
Old Shorehom collapsed and piled
up debris in the
LOBBY. Fortunately no one was hurt.
This was the old Shoreham, built in
1889 by Levi P. Morton, who was at the
Time VICE President of the United
States. After housing many famous
persons, including Woodrow Wilson.
Thomas Marshall and Gen. Pershing,
1t was torn down in 1923 to be replaced
by the present Shoreham office building.
An accident which might have re-
suited in the death or manning of manv
individuals took place at the Shoreham
Hotel this afternoon april II, l89D
shortly after 2:30 o'clock" said The
Star. "Workmen were engaged in jack
Ing up misplaced girder. q. The
jack rested on the stair hallway on the
nth floor. and as that was simply a
mass of light timber, heavy concrete
and ornamental tiles, the floor resist
ance was insufficient, and the lack sIp-
ports and everything else but the work.
men fell on the floor below and the
Suooen impact caused that to give vav
also. This was repeated until the mass
OF timber and plaster landed in the
basement and blocked up the interior
entrance to the cafe. The escape of
the Workmen and of those who ordi-
narily use the hotel stairways was
hardly short of miraculous"
President Harrison, on a 9O0O-mile
tour, according to The Star of 50 wears
ago, was received enthusiastically at
Iexarkana, Tex.-Ark., and later at Pal
estine. Tex. At the former city. his
train arrived at 1;3O o'clock last nisht
ana the station was thronged with
people, Notwithstanding the lateness of
the hour. The run from Little Rock
was marked with enthusiasm at
all stations on the route - especially
at Malvern. Ark, where the President
was honored with display of fireworks
ana serenade. The national flag vss
conspicuous feature OF the decorations
everywhere
OF especial interest today is a talk
gwen so years ago to a Washington
audience by the Arctic explorer. Robert
Peary, then naval lieutenant. on the
subject OF Greenland. 1t was delivered
at the Academy OF Music under the
auspices Of the Geographic Society. and
told in part of his Forthcoming attempt
to penetrate the mysterious frozen
island now so much in the headlines.
1t Peary," The Star reported, lis a
Well-built, tall man of about 80 or rs
He began by speaking of the in
Vulnerable details for such an expedi-
ton as he has projected into a land
Where little can be found and nothing
bought. The lecturer gave some
interesting figures concerning the di-
mensions and features of Greenland.
showing 1t to be rather larger than is
ordinarily supposed. It's 750Ooo
square miles have population of about
10000, including some 300 Europeans
mostly Danish. The path over
which the party is to travel is the hard
dry snow that covers the vast frozen
reservoir that forms the interior of
Greenland. From IS to 20 miles
a day Is thought to be a conservative
estimate of progress.
AT the conclusion of Mr.. perry's
remarks, Gardiner Hubbard. presi-
dent OF the National Geographic So
ciety, stepped to the front of the stage
and presented him with beautiful
silk flag of the United States to
plant farthest north"