Evening star., 1941-08-03
Fifty Years Ago
In The Stur

Fifty years ago plans we're afoot to
build large city post Office. the site
chosen being at Pennsylvania
Site for avenue and Eleventh street
P.O 1t was at that time a vacant
lot. Says The Star of August
4, 1891: The process of the acquisition
of the title for the new city post
Office is nearing an end. 1t is quite
likely that by the 1st of September the
title to the entire square will be so
completed as to enable the supervising
architect of the Treasury Department
to begin work on the plans.
"Mr. Hugh Taggart, the assistant
United States attorney, said . that
he expected to be able to finish his work
on this case in 10 days"
The building itself was not completed
for about seven years.
While preparedness was not topic Of
prime Importance so years ago the Navy
was being steady built up.
New An item in The Star of Au-
Cruisers gust l, 1891, shows this:
The contract for building
cruiser No. 13 has finally been awarded
to the Cramps of Philadelphia.
Cruisers Nos. IL and 13 are two of the
most important ships in the Navy and
by far the most difficult to build. They
are to have a guaranteed speed of 81
knots for four hours in the open sea.
- The Messrs. Cramp having finally
consented to reduce their bid SIS, 900, the
contract was awarded
The annual G. A. r, rally or encamp-
ment took place in Detroit. The Star Of
August 4, 1891, tells some
9. A. R. at thing of it: This is De-
Detroit troit's great day. All night
the sound of fife and drum
and the tread of marching bodies were
heard in the streets. Today the great
parade of veterans, line many miles
long is moving There are over 10000
men in the line, all proudly wearing the
Grand Army blue, and fully 100000
strangers in the city crowded with De-
troit's own population along sidewalks,
in balconies and in observation stands
along the route.
"A good proportion of the G. A. r.
men who throng the streets and hotel
lobbies wear among the collections of
badges on their breasts the ribbon of
the Washington Committee inscribed
with the words Washington in 1892"
AS stated in last weeks column, this
hope was fulfilled.
A disastrous fire occurred in Chicago,
although q mere flare-up in comparison
with the great conflagra-
Chicooo ton which had occurred
BIoze there 20 years before, virtu-
ally destroying the city. A
dispatch from Chicago, dated August 3,
1891, and reprinted in The Star, says:
THE immense department store of Sic
gel, Cooper e. Co., seven-story build
ing covering quarter of block, at the
corner of State and Adams streets, was
entirely destroyed by fire this morning.
The loss on stock and buildings will
ICdCll SOVOVVOs itC
Gated to The Leader, on the opposite
side of the street and did damage there
to the extent of 100000" Other lesser
establishments also were involved to
bring the loss over the million mark.
ConservationiStS will be interested to
note that at about this time naval YES
se,s were ordered to patrol Bering Sea
and warn away seal poachers, appar-
emily without violence if possible. The
Star of August l, 1891, says: The COM
manders of the different cruisers in the
Bering Sea have divided the sea into
four districts, which are patroled and
sailing vessels warned away. 1t is be-
heved that once having received the
necessary legal warning, sailing vessels
will leave"
History tells, however. that there was
some trouble from sealers who deliber-
ately lodged service Of the papers con-
stitutins the Legal warning.