Evening star., 1943-06-27
Fifty Years Ago
in The Star
Fifty years ago. although the heyday
OF steamboat racing on the Mississippi

Fifty years ago, although the heyday
Of steamboat racing on the Mississippi
had passed. captains on
Steamboat the Potomac were unoffi-
Roeinq? cially and Illegally indulg-
ing in the sport to the det-
riment of public safety. The Star of
June rs, 1893, editorially condemned the
practice: "Conscienceless and smooth
tongued navigators Of the Potomac may
make frequent and emphatic denial of
charges that steamboat racing is in?
dulged in on the river, but the fact re-
mains-and glib falsehood will not cover
1t up-that many of the boats are over
exerted in efforts to catch up with or
get away from the craft of competing
lines. On Saturday last the steamers
Harry Randall and Wakefield went down
the river, the Harry Randall having on
board about 400 men, women and chill
dren. The Wakefield desired to
cross to the Virginia shore, but did not
want to fall astern, so tried to get far
enough ahead to cross the. Randall's
bow-something that did not seem to
be possible. The result of the maneuyer-
ing was collision in which, fortunately,
no one was hurt. -" Some day a large
number Of Washington's reputable citi-
zens will 60 out for holiday and .ow-
ing to some such carelessness as that of
Saturday will never come back any
more"
The sudden stoppage Of unlimited
coming Of silver in India did nothing to
help the impending
A Blow Agoinst panic Of %. This ac-
Free Silver. ton has intensified the
situation" read The
Star of June n, 1893, "and there is q
very general feeling now that something
must be done here, and done very
quickly. BY the stoppage of free coinage
in India large supply of the worlds
money is cut off, and Uncle Sam is left
standing almost alone with the burden
of silver on his shoulders. 1t is believed
that the situation makes 1t greatly more
probable than before that the Sherman
(Silver purchase) law will be repealed,
and large number of the public men
here believe that 1t will hasten the meet
ing of Congress" 1t was not until three
years later that the full force of free
silver broke upon the Nation and split
the Democratic party wide open, result
ing in the defeat Of william Jennings
Bryan In the national election.
Departure for the United States was
announced in The Star Of June 27, 1893,
of the new envoy from
New Minister China: "Ho Jang You
From China. has already started
from the Flowery King.
dom for his new home. This should
bring him to this city by the latter part
of next month, rather earlier than was
at first anticipated. He is a man
of high rank and has the complete con-
f1dence of the court. He is popular
man in his own country, and 1t is thought
will be popular addition to the diplo-
matte corp in this city"
A little over two weeks after the disas-
trous collapse of the Ford's Theater
building in Washington
A Hotel a similar tragedy occurred
CoIIopses. at Fort Scott. Kans. In
a dispatch from there,
The Star of June 26, 1893, reported:
"At $50 O'Clock this morning, without
moments warning, the fremont House,
four-story brick structure, collapsed,
burying nearly seventy-five people in
the debris. 1t is not known how
many people are beneath the ruins, but
1t Is believed that the death list will
reach over twenty" Thus was further
incentive given to q campaign for better
inspection OF buildings designed for pub
lie use--a campaign begun shortly after
the Ford catastrophe.