davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Wilmington morning star., 1941-01-01
R A. M.

Funeral services for Mrs. A. M.
schulken, &c, widow of Charlie
S~chulken, who died at 11:35 O'Clock
Monday morning at her home al
6o6 South Front street, will be held
at 3 O'Clock this afternoon from the
late residence and from st. Paul's
Lutheran church, corner of Sixth
and Market streets. Burial will fol
low in Oakdale cemetery.
The Rev. Walter B. Freed, assist
ed by the Rev. Edwin F. Keever, will
conduct the services.
Active ~pallbearers will be: John F.
Rulfs, Sherman Schulken, Louis
Hanson, Harvey Harbers, John D.
Doscher, and Carl Oldenbuttle.
Honorary pallbearers will be: DR..
w. H. Moore, Z. A. Henderson, H. f.
Often, John H. Kuck, John Brunges,
c. P. B. Mailer, Eddie Schulken,
Carol B. Render, and Conrad B. Yves
sell.
The Wilmington morning star., 1941-01-01
CHARLES P. GORMAN, JR.

Funeral services for Charles Pat
tison German, Jr., %, who dice
here yesterday morning at 2:30
o'clock after a lengthy illness will
be held from the Church of the
Covenant this afternoon at
o'clock.
DR.. J. Harry Whitmore, pastor
of the church, will conduct the
services. 1nterment will follow ir
Oakdale cemetery.
Active pallbearers will be: Bruce
Joslyn, of Canton, W. D. Jones,
James L. German, Grover c. Cor
man, Jr., E. Mosley Fonvielle,
and Leo Sykes. Honorary pallbear'
ers will be: DR.. j. E. Evans, W.
D. McCaig, J. R. Benson, j. B.
Huntington, w. H.. Henderson, Eu-
gene johnson, c. L. Brown, w. A.
Simon, Sr., H. Lacy Hunt, M. c.
Stack, Louis Marks, Robert Hen
son, of Canton, B. S. Carr, and
Marsden Bellamy, Sr.
Mr. German vas a native OF
Wilmington and was a graduate of
New Hanover high school. He
graduated from N. c. State col
lege in chemical engineering and
held a position for several years
with the Champion Paper and Fl
bre company, of Canton, as techni-
clan in the chemical department.
He had been living in Canton for
some time.
He was a member of the Church
of the Covenant.
Mr.. German is survived by his
wife, Mrs. Adna Smith German, and
one son, Charles P. German, 3rd.,
his mother and father, Mr.. and Mrs.
C. P. German, one sister, Mrs. AL
bert Simon, n brother, John Cor
man.
The Wilmington morning star., 1941-01-01
r MARY F. RATE

Funeral services for Mrs. Mary
frederick Bate, So, were held from
ST. Mary's Catholic church yesterday
morning at 10 o'clock with Fatbe,
cornelius Murphy officiating. In.
terment followed in oakdale GENE.
terry.
Pallbearers J. G. Taylor, L.
L.. Mills, F. M. Mccoy, Martin
flannagan, Harry Gardner, :. J
Alien Sr., and W. R. Jones.
She Is survived by two daughters,
Elizabeth and Louise Bate, Of
wilmington; n son, William E
Bate, OF Florence, S. c.; one sis.
ter, Mrs. B. G. Blanchard, oil
warsaw; and an aunt, Mrs. Eta
f. West, of Warsaw.
The Wilmington morning star., 1941-01-01
WALTER CAMP. JR.

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 31.-(R-
Walter Camp, Jr., 40 son of the mar
who popularized selection of all
America football teams, died eoday.
The pounger Camp retired in 1885
as president of Inspirational Pic
lures, which produced such movies
as "Resurrection' with Dolores De
Rio and 1.-THE White Sister" with
Lillian Gish.
Survivors include Camps THIRD
wife, Mrs. Margaret J. Camp, for
merly associated with the Marie Har
riman galleries in New York City
They married in 1899, four years aft
err his divorce from the former Mrs
Gladys Smith, whom he married il
1888. His first wife was Aviatri2
Ruth Elder. They were divorced in
1882.
The Wilmington morning star., 1941-01-01
COBR

PARTITION, Dec. 31.-lR-Collier
Cono, %, prominent retired merchant
and farmer and former Robson
county member of the house of rep.
resentatives, died this morning at his
nome here following a long illness,
Funeral services will be conducted
from the Parkton Baptist church
Wednesday at 3 p. m. with the Rev.
John Gibbs, pastor, officiating. The
Rev. J. L. Jenkins of Boiling Springs
and Rev. DR.. c. H. Durham of Lum-
berton, will assist.
Before retirement, Mr.. Cobb was
a prominent merchant and farmer of
Partition and was for many wears rec.
ognized as one of Robeson's leading
citizens. He had taken an active part
in the county's social, political and
religious affairs before ill health
forced his retirement several years
ago.
He is survived by his wife, Mrs.
Mary Hughes Cobb; one daughter,
Mrs. e. S. Webb of Raleigh; two
brothers, John Cobb of Lumber
Bridge, and j. J. Cobb of Parkton:
and a sister, Mrs. Charles Murphy
of Lynchburg, Va.
Active ~pallbearers will be nephews
John G. Hughes, Jr., Neill David,
Duncan and Edwin Hughes and Gel
len and Thornton Cobb.
The Wilmington morning star., 1941-01-01
SAM LANGSTON

LONG CREEK, Dec. 31.-Sam
Langston, 81. died at his home here
yesterday morning around $50
o'clock.
Funeral services will be conducted
from the home Wednesday afternoon
at 8 o'clock, with burial following
in the family cemetery.
He is survived by his wife, six
children, Thelma, S. j., Bernard,
Blanche, Maude and Edward Earl
Langston, two sisters, Mrs. E. Bon
ey, of Wilmington, and Miss Cora
Langston, of Rocky Point.
The Wilmington morning star., 1941-01-01
OBITUARIES

of more than 70 industrial patents
died today while awaiting treatment
in a dentists office.
Evening star., 1941-05-04

diflora, pride Of China, common
laurel, tulip tree, dogwood, holly,
hawthorn, horse chestnut, Spanish
chestnut, walnut, hickory, mountain
ash, lime tree, evergreens dncluding
the several varieties of pines), aspen
and sycamore"
In the report of the Smithsonian
Institution for 1848. it is said
During the past year the commit
tee has entered into contract,
amounting to sl,050, with Mr.. John
Douglass of Washington for inclos-
ing the grounds Of the institution
with hedge and for planting trees
and shrubbery. The architect hav-
ing marked out the paths and roads
and indicated the positions of the
trees and shrubs, these, comprising
about $50 species, principally Ameri-
can, have already, for the greater
part, been planted, as well as the
surrounding hedges, which are to
consist Of pyrocanthus, osage-
orange. cherokee rose and hawthorn,
respectively, on the four sides of the
lot"
Many Of the trees then planted no
doubt still remain growing in these
grounds, although the superintend-
ent Of public buildings and grounds,
in his annual report for 1900, does
not enumerate half so many species.
But whatever may have happened
later, the Smithsonian Institution
certainly did its part and pioneered
the way toward making something
out of this expanse of waste land,
and shortly after its cornerstone was
laid it began to inclose its grounds
Evening star., 1941-05-04

obliged to dismount, and would
greatly have preferred to return in
the same manner as came.
st walked afoot at a great rate,
followed by a numerous and jovial
company, which increased in pro-
portion as we advanced. We ar
rived at a neighboring house where
they offered me some excellent
potatoes. But whether the dish was
not to my taste, or that 1 was too
eager to reach Philadelphia before
night, my stomach rejected these
kind offers. My apparatus was then
put on a cart, mounted a horse
not quite so spirited as the first, and
proceeded in the company of great
number of horsemen, 8 miles to a
tavern, where a dinner was pre-
pared for us. 1t was here that had
the good luck to meet Jonathan Pen
rose, esquire, who kindly determined
not to quit me. I accepted with
pleasure a seat which he offered me
in his carriage. to bring me to the
banks of the Delaware. We then
crossed the river. When we arrived
at this side we were 8 miles from
Philadelphia. Here my generous
companion had another carriage
ready, which conveyed us to his
Evening star., 1941-05-04

there were a number OF ropewalks,
one at the end of Greenleaf Point,
designed by George Hadfield; one
at PARROTS Woods, north side of R
street near the head of Thirtieth
street; one somewhere in Judiciary
Square, another on the north side
of Pennsylvania avenue between
Third street and John Marshall
place, and still another in the
square bounded by Third, Fourth,
I and K streets S.W.
Just prior to the invasion Of
Washington by the British in 1914,
Ringgold and Heath thought the
Mall would be a good place for a
ropewalk and so they constructed
one along Seventh street that ex-
tended from Independence avenue
northward toward Constitution
avenue. 1t was completed about
August Il, when operations began,
and "a large concourse of persons
assembled to witness the process
of making rope, and to whom re-
freshments were served" The main
structure was 1900 feet long, and
lighters are said to have come up
the Tiber to the north end of the
building, near Seventh street, for
the purpose of conveying rope to
the Navy Yard.
Being largely used for military
purposes, this walk was burned by
the British when they invaded
Washington on August "a, 10 days
after it began to operate, and th'
Evening star., 1941-05-04

which his memorial now stands.
Beside the Mall, he also designed
the improvements to the square
south of the White House, and to
him is due in large measure, as one
writer has said, "the present bril-
liancy and beauty of Lafayette
Square"
In this project Mr.. Downing was
ably assisted by w. D. Breckenridge,
the botanist of the Wilkes expedi-
ton in 1888, who was placed in
charge. of the Botanic Garden in
1850, as well as by that celebrated
horticulturist, John Saul of Wash
ington, of whom it has been said
that he did more toward the de-
velopment of California by sending
there from his greenhouses in this
city a considerable part of the many
Towering plants and fruit trees for
which the Golden State is famous.
And both of these worthy men
proved able successors to Mr.. Down
ing following his unexpected death
and continued on with his uncom-
pleted work.
Ropewak Made.
One of the things, Of which there
were many century ago, but which
would be hard to find today, is a
ropewalk. In his poem, THE Rope
walk" Henry Wadsworth Longfel-
low has given very good descrip-
ton of this most interesting build
ing where rope was made before
modern machinery took the place of
what we would regard today as an
tiQuated methods.
In the early days of Washington
Evening star., 1941-05-04

house in Southwark. Whilst I TOOK
some refreshment, Mr.. Penrose
ordered another carriage, wherein
he had the kindness to conduct me
to my lodgings, where arrived at Z
O'Clock.
MY first care was to go and
present my respects to President
Washington and to inform him OF
the happy effects of the passport he
had been pleased to grant me. I
had the honor to offer him my
colors, which he politely accepted.
and thereby acquired fresh claim
to my gratitude. From thence I
waited on the patriotic Minister OF
the French Republic to the United
States, and his reception was such
as might have been expected from
the worthy representative of d ma
ton who places her chief glory in
cherishing and protecting the
sciences and fine arts"
If it were possible for the beloved
Washington to return for a little
visit wouldn't he be pleased to see
the graceful planes speeding across
the sky. And wouldn't he be amazed
and delighted at the monster air.
port nearing completion just across
the Potomac from the National Capt.
tai.
Evening star., 1941-05-04

Mall prior to 1850 as a large COM
mon, stretching from Seventh to
Twelfth streets, and from the canal
to B street, south, presenting sur
face of yellow or white clay, cut
into by deep gullies, and without
trees except one or two scraggy and
dying Sycamores. The streets named
were mud roads, along which an
omnibus scrambled once a day, to
the steamboat wharf, and foot travel
paced its muddy or dusty way over
the bleak, unhoSpitable common in
zigzag meanderings.
The first real awakening in car
ing for these grounds did not come
until after Congress had conveyed
to the Smithsonian Institution the
south half of so much of the Mall
in the City of Washington as now
lies between Ninth and Twelfth
streets, said to contain 10 acres.
Smithsonian Work.
The cornerstone of the SmithSon-
ian Building was laid May /, 1847,
and naturally improvements to the
grounds followed. Prior to this
event, however, on March 26 Of the
same year, the Board of Regents.
In anticipation of the necessary set
ting which the building would re-
quire, adopted the following reso-
luton:
Resolved, That among the trees
to be planted within the grounds
of the institution there be included
the following: Elm, birch, oak,
Usage orange, pecan, sugar maple,
silver-leafed maple, weeping willow,
silver-leafed willow, magnolia gran
Evening star., 1941-05-04

with a temporary 6-foot paling
fence, whitewashed. However, evi-
IDENTIFY, there had been a wooden
fence around the Mall between
Seventh and Twelfth streets at an
earlier date, as permission was given
the contractor to use the old posts
and rails of the former Enclosure.
Sought Landscape Expert.
Indeed, from what knowledge we
have of the condition of the Mall
when, in 1851, Mr.. Downing was in
vited by the commissioner of public
buildings to lay it out, it was any
thing but picturesque stretch of
land. The invitation to Mr.. Down.
ing by the Commissioners came as
the result of a prior invitation ex-
tended to him by President Fillmore
in 1850, at the urging Of the regents
of the Smithsonian Institution and
by several prominent citizens of
Washington, who saw the necessity
of securing for this work the aid Of
an efficient landscape gardener.
This invitation was accepted, and
Downing Immediately set to work
designing and perfecting his plans
for a succession of connecting parks,
with continuous walks and drives,
the area to be treated by him ap-
proximating 160 acres, the largest
grounds, to this extent, up to that
times, laid out according to the
rules of art in this country.
In May, 1851, Downing came to
Washington and began his labors,
taking personal charge of the
grounds between Seventh and
! Twelfth streets, near the center OF
Evening star., 1941-05-04
By Fl. o. Bishop.

Don't sneer or snicker if you are
told that George Washington pre-
dicted flying across the Atlantic
Ocean.
And don't act fresh or cynical if
some one tells you that Washington
was the first to sponsor and witness
an air fight in the United States.
That many-sided man did those
two things.
This article will tell you all about
these historic events, known to COM
paratively few people, and yet ex-
citingly interesting in these days Of
airlines everywhere in America and
across the oceans.
On a sunny spring day, April 4,
1884, Washington, from his home
at Mount Vernon, wrote a nice
chatty letter to his old French
friend, Maj Gen. Duportail, a resi-
dent of Paris. A paragraph in that
letter was one of the most surprls-
ingly prophetic ever penned by man.
1t reads as follows:
81 have only newspaper accounts
of balloons, to which 1 do not
know what credence to give; as the
tales related of them are marvellous,
and lead us to expect, that our
friends at Paris in little time will
come flying through the air instead
of ploughing the ocean to get to
America"
Now just think of that!
It was five years before he became
Evening star., 1941-05-04

the first President of the United
States.
The first air-flight in America was
in the nature of balloon ascension
which covered parts of Pennsylvania
and New Jersey. 1t was staged at
Philadelphia, then the Capital of the
United States, January 9, 1893, in
the presence of President Washing
ton and thousands of amazed men,
women and children.
This first flight in the air in this
country was made 10 years after
Pilatre de Rozier made the first
balloon ascension in the history of
the world at Paris, October, 1888.
This initial flight, which was really
the great-great-great-granddaddy
of our preSent-day systems of air
transportation, gave the Parisians
the greatest thrill of their lives.
After making number of sue
cessful flights de Rozier made a
landing that was not success. He
was succeeded by one of his rivals,
Jean Pierre Blanchard, who contin-
ued the history making air expert
ments. He was the first man to
cross the English Channel in a bal
loon, and soon become the super
colossal sensation" of Europe. He
was the Barnum of his day.
After making first flights in the
leading European countries he de-
cided it was high time to visit the
new American Republic beyond the
Atlantic and show President Wash
ington and the other scrapping
Americans his wonderful machine
that could lift itself from the earth
and carry human being through
| the air.
News of the coming of Blanchard
with his flying contraption was
sent all over Eastern Pennsylvania
and New Jersey by men on horse
back. There were many scoffers
then as now. How they did laugh
at the idea of man in buggy
galloping around the heavens with
out horses hitched to iti How will
the thing get back to earth," they
dShCu. OOuIltS Sllo SUI
of witchcrafty," declared others
Congress ought to do something
about it, shouted few reformers
Story Told.
The graphic story of that first air
flight in this country, and President
Washington's deep interest in it, as
we'll as the public generally, was
printed in a publication of that
perioc and reads as follows:
Mr.. Blanchard, the bold aero
naut. agreeably to his advertise
ment, at 5 minutes past 10 o'clock
Yesterday morning, rose with a bal
loon from the Prison Court in this
city, in the presence of an immense
conccurse of spectators there as
sembled on the occasion.
"The process of initiating the bal
loon commenced about 9 o'clock.
Several cannon were fired from the
dawn Of day until the moment Of
elevation. A band Of music played
during the time Of initiating; and,
Evening star., 1941-05-04

delphia was put to press, the editors
have been favored with a copy of
the paper there alluded to, which
the President handed Mr.. Blan-
chard as he was stepping into the
car. 1t Is as follows:
George Washington, President
of the United States of America, to
all to whom these presents shall
come:
"The bearer hereof, Mr.. Blan-
chard, citizen of France, propos-
ing to ascend in & balloon from the
City of Philadelphia at 10 o'clock
am. this day, to pass in such direc-
ton and to descend in such place
as circumstances most convenient;
these are, therefore. to recommend
to az citizens of the United States,
and others, that in his passage,
descent, return, or journeying else
where, they oppose no hindrance or
molestation to the said Mr.. Blan-
chard.
And that, on the contrary, they
receive and aid him with that hu-
manity and good will which may
render honor to their country and
| justice to an individual so distin-
guished by his efforts to establish
and advance the art in order to
make 1t useful to mankind in
general.
"'Given under my hand and seal
at the City of Philadelphia, the
ninth day of January, 1893, and the
Independence of America the seven
teenth.'"
Blanchard's Report.
And now I shall tell you what
Blanchard himself had to say about
this first air-fight in the United
States. The following description
is taken from his journal written
Immediately after the trip:
ct hastened to take leave of the
President and Mr.. Tiernan, Min.
lister of France to the United States
I then received from the President
the most f1attering mark of hi.
good will in the passport, which he
was pleased to deliver to me with
his own hand. I never felt the
value of glory so much as I did ir
that moment, in the presence of 6
hero, whom she had constantly at
tended at the head of armies, an6
with whom she still presided over
the councils of his country.
1.-THE moment of my departure
was announced by the last discharge
of the artillery. I then ascendec
my car, and threw out as much
ballast as appeared necessary.
MY ascent was perpendicular
and so easy that I bad time tc
enjoy the different impressions
which agitated so many sensible
and interesting persons, who sur
rounded the scene of my departure
and to salute them with my flag
which was ornamented on one side
with the armoric bearings of the
United States, and on the othel
with the three colors so dear to the
French nation. Accustomed as
have been to ths pompous scenes
Evening star., 1941-05-04
Government
Took Title
In 1871
Land Near Capitol
Heavily Wooded
At That Time

brickWork was later torn down and
the bricks used in constructing q
similar building near the same site.
Tiber Creek, which flowed along
the northern boundary of the Mall,
and emptied into the Potomac River,
was in a general way comparable to
Rock Greek, though probably much
wider as it approached the river,
and at times backed up as far as
midway between D and z streets,
from about Twelfth to Fourteenth
streets and parts of Pennsylvania
avenue from the Capitol to Four
teenth street, were occasionally
covered with water during freshets
along the upper Potomac.
At an early date this creek was
turned into what was known as the
Washington City Canal and in time
formed a connecting link at Seven
teenth street and Constitution ave-
nue. with the Chesapeake g. Ohio
Canal. where at this point can still
be seen the old stone building used
by the lockkeeper, which was erected
in 1887. Originally it stood few
feet away to the west, but in 1917
was moved to its present location.
In the SOS the canal section from
Eleventh to Fifteenth street be-
came a very unsavory place. Dur
ing that period, as washington was
on the borderline between the
North and the South. many Of the
criminals and roughnecks of both
sides congregated here, and soon
the city had to provide additional
Jail and workhouse accommodations
| for this riffraff. Here murders be-
came frequent, robberies common,
and crime in general flourished to
such a degree that even the police
avoided this section when possible.
A few years after the filling up
of the old canal commenced, in
| the late '70s, conditions in this
locality began to improve, and to-
day it would be hard to compare
the old with the new Washington
or visualize what Constitution ave-
nue. and the Mall once looked like.
Evening star., 1941-05-04

when it began to rise, the majestical
sight was truly awful and interest
ing. The slow movement of the
band added solemnity to the scene.
Indeed, the attention of the multi
tude was so absorbed that 1t was a
considerable time ere silence was
broken by the acclamations which
succeeded.
AS soon as the clock had struck
10, everything being punctually
ready, Blanchard took a respectful
leave of all the spectators, and re-
ceived from the hands of the Presi-
dent paper; at the same time the
President spoke a few words to the
bold adventurer, who Immediately
leaped into his boat, which was
painted blue and spangled. The
balloon was of a yellowish colored
silk, highly vanished, over which
there was a strong network. Mr..
Blanchard was dressed in a plain
blue suit, a cooked hat, and white
feathers. AS soon as he was in the
boat, he threw out some ballast, and
the balloon began to ascend slowly
and perpindicularly, while Mr. Blan-
chard waved the colors of the
United States and those of the
French Republic, and fourished his
hat to the thousands of citizens
from every part of the country, who
stood gratified and astonished at his
intrepedity.
Made 20-Mile Speed.
AFTER few minutes, the wind
blowing from the northwest and
westward, the balloon rose to an i'm
mense height, and then shaped its
course toward the southwark and
eastward. Several gentlemen gal
loped down the Point road, but soon
lost sight Of it, for 1t moved at the
rate Of 20 miles an hour.
Great numbers, who had neg
lecte6 to purchase tickets, were
afflicted with considerable regret at
not having been Immediately pres
ent in the Prison Court to see the
preparations, and to witness the un-
daunted countenance of the man
who thus sublimely dared to soar
through the regions of the air.
Anxiety for the safety OF the aero
naut was painted on every face
from the time the citizens lost sight
of him, and various were the con-
lectures as to the place where he
would land.
"" +" We were happy to meet Mr.
Blanchard again in the city, going
to pay his respects to the President
of the United States. He informed
us that his aerial voyage lasted 46
minutes, in which time he ran over
a space of is miles, and then
descended a little to the eastward
Of woodbury., in the State of New
Jersey, where he took carriage
and returned to Coopers Ferry, and
was at the Presidents at half past
O'Clock.
Presidents Words.
~Since the preceding sketch Of
! Mr.. BlanchardB ascension ut Phila-