Evening star., 1944-06-04
Fifty Years Ago

Half a century ago, Great Britain
wanted the United States to know that
the growth Of the Ameri-
Navy can Navy was not sub
Influence ject Of anxiety. When
the officers of the u. S. S.
Chicago were entertained at dinner in
London on May "a, 1894, The Star for
the following day printed long cable
dispatch headed Should Be at Peace"
In which quotations from important
British newspapers were included. The
sense Of the opinions cited was that
increase OF Yankee naval power was
merely IAN almost unconscious response
of great Nation to the imperative
calls OF its natural destiny"
y \
IAN organization named the Civic
Center Of Washington" it was an
nounced in The Star
Chest Of May rs, 1894, 'has
forerunner been started" as re-
suit Of an article In
the Review Of Reviews advocating prac-
tical cooperation among the social
agencies Of The city. "The object OF this
organization" as outlined In compre-
hensive report, was to bring into ''har-
monious and effective action" the
many various charities" of the Capt.
tai. 1t was proposed to prevent the
reachable causes OF poverty"-an OBJ
jectiye by no means new then nor now.
The modern Community Chest has
similar purpose.
The Star for May rs, 1894, gave in
dorsement to suggestion offered by w.
J: Hampton to the effect
Flag on that ..'the design Of the
Stomps American flag be adopted
by the Post Once Depart
ment as a permanent design for, the q
cent postage stamp" Described as
purely patriotic in its origin" the pro-
posal was considered to have "at least
the merit of attractiveness." It was
argued that "the flag is unquestionably
an esthetic success" so no "canons of
art" would be fractured" by the use of
it on postal labels.
y y * X
Joseph B. Martin was the author of
feature story in The Star for May 26,
1894, concerning the Co.'S
Cosmos mos Club and its distin-
Presidents guished founders. Major
John Wesley Powell, di-
rector of the Geological Survey and OF
the Bureau Of Ethnology in the Smith
sonian Institution, had been the first
president, beginning his service in 1873
Then followed Prof. Spencer F. Baird,
secretary OF the Smithsonian; DR.. James
Clarke yelling, president of the Colum-
bian dater George Washington Uni
versity, and Major Powell again. MIR.
Martins finding was that the average
member was mot disputatious, un-
pretentious and even jolly good fell
low"
An event in the religious life of
Washington half century back was
the dedication of st.
st. Cyprion's Cyprian's Roman Catho-
Opened lie Church for colored
worshipers May q,
1894. The Star published comprehen-
sive account of the evolution of the
parish under the leadership OF Father
James r. Matthews and, on the day
following the opening of the new sane
tuary at Thirteenth and C streets
Sc, described the sacred ceremony
conducted by Cardinal Gibbons 1t
was mentioned in the report that the
ground for a parish school had been
given by Mrs. Marion Atkins, a gener-
Gus resident of the neighborhood, men,
bers of whose family still are to be
found there
"An excellent prospect" for album
dant supply Of good water and "unlim-
tied" power facilities was
City Water forecast for Washington
Supply in survey by Col George
H. Elliott of the Engineer
Corps of the Army, reproduced with a
map in The Star for May %, 1894. The
Great Falls of the Potomac were the
central feature of the projected develop
ment. Col. Elliott advocated that the
Government should purchase every
thing in sight" so that the area around
the rapids might be conserved. A strong
editorial supported the proposal.
%x
President Cleveland The Star for
May 80 chronicled. journeyed to Arling-
ton for Memorial
Doy Of Day services there.
Remembrance One of the orators
of the occasion was
Representative William J. Bryan of
Nebraska. already famous for his elo-
quence-a talent which gained him the
nomination of his party three times,
hut elactin1a To thu chiaf irt &C