Evening star., 1942-07-05
Fifty Years Ago
in The Star

Fifty years ago, there being no
challenge to our independence as there
is at present, independence
Fourth of Day was celebrated vigor-
I.,Iv ously all over the Nation.
The Star of July 4, 1892
said: In all the patriotic history OF
this city there never was such Fourth
of July as this one. Heretofore, and
especially in recent times the fire
cracker and the small boy with blis-
tered hands and singed hair have been
the principal local features on the ami
versary of that great occasion from
which all truly American history dates
its commencement. Today there was
oratory of the starriest description and
music that was resplendent with instru-
mental stripes. The old-fashioned can
non was not there, and the awkward
or thoughtless man who insists on haV-
ing his arms blown of cut no figure
in the proceedings; in their places
were battery of modern guns, and
enough artillerymen to operate them as
noisily and as safely as the most en-
Enthusiastically cautious could desire
Today modern artillery is engaged in
preserving our independence, a far more
exacting task than that of merely cele-
brating 1t.
July 4, 1892, besides being the 1l6th
birthday anniversary of the Republic.
was the actual birth
Birth OF q day of a new poit-
Political Porty ical party, the Peo-
pies party. The Star
of that date reported from the con-
vention hall at Omaha: THE situation
this morning was one almost unpar-
alleled in the history of presidential
conventions. 1t had been expressly in
tended to make the nominations on the
country's natal day in order that the
ticket might be surrounded with the
proper eclat, and hence the prellm-
mary organization was advanced two
days in order that the desired effect
might be accomplished. But today the
majority of the delegates are waiting
for a final word from Judge Walter @.
Gresham, to confer with whom dele
CATION was due in Chicago at O'Clock" ;"
Later James B. Weaver of Iowa was
nominated for President and James B.
Field of Virginia for Vice President.
Considering that it was minor party
Just organized, it did not do so badly
at the polls in November. 1t polled GO
electoral votes, with a popular vote of
over a Million ,O55 ,424 to be exact.
Little hope was expressed for Cyrus
West Field, the great ocean n-cable pio-
neer. The Star of
Cyrus w. Field July 4, 1892, said: "At
Dice the residence of Cy-
rus w. Field Dobbs
Ferry, N. " at 10 o'clock this morn
ing it was stated that he was still alive
but sinking very fast" Mr.. Field, in
his 88th year, had been stricken few
days before His condition had grown
so alarming that friends and relatives
had been summoned Even after this
attack he rallied slightly, and it was
not until July IL UIldG he pdSSeu away.
The most serious labor trouble of the
year broke out in bloodshed at Home
stead, Pa, place
Labor Trouble at now within the met
Homestead ropolitan limits of
Pittsburgh. So i'm
portant was the news that The Star of
July 6, 1892, got out an extra. The story
follows: "At an early hour this morn
ing 300 Pinkerton detectives Gin the en-
ploy of Carnegie SteeD arrived in Pitts
burgh from the East. They were quietly
marched to the Monongahela River,
where they were loaded on barges and
shipped to Homestead at 2:15 The
news Of their arrival spread rapidly,
and when the steam tug Tide, towing
barges, arrived there were 5000 people
waiting to meet them. AS soon as the
Pinkertons attempted to land they were
met by firm refusal from the men,
and battle followed" 1t was a real
battle The workers even used artillery
in the form of an old cannon. They
drove the Pinkertons off. There were
many casualties and some deaths. Later
the labor troubles, caused by q wage
dispute, were adjusted.