Evening star., 1944-02-27
Fifty Years Ago
Fifty years ago there was speculate

rHty years ago tnere was speculation
on the identity Of the new Commissioner
for the District,
New Commissioner and it was settled
For the District on February Is,
1894. The decision
was the last act of President Cleveland
before leaving for Chesapeake cruise.
The Star Of February 26, 1894, speaking
Of the President, remarked: He had
made up his mind that Col. George
Iruesdell was the best man for the place,
and that he would send in his nominal
tion, If the colonel was agreeable" Mr..
Cleveland had talk with the pros
pective appointee, found him willing to
accept. and the nomination was made.
The Star gave a sketch of his career,
which included long residence in WASH
ington, activity in the real estate busi-
ness, knowledge of engineering and
finance, in addition to service In the
Civil War.
In these days when Presidents travel
half way around the world risking tor
pedoes, bombs. gun
The President fire and airplane
Tokes q Trip crashes, little jaunt
on the Chesapeake
Bay scarcely would be worth mention
ing. Not so so years ago. The Star of
February 27, 1894, devoted ample space
to Grover Cleveland's trip, and even
managed to register little anxiety:
News has reached here to the effect
that the good ship Violet weathered the
blizzard Sunday night (February 25) in
fine shape in a cove a short distance
below Alexandria, and that her dis
tinguished passengers decided to con-
tinue their cruise, despite wind and
weather. The President, Secretary
left here in the Violet Sunday afternoon
in wild and tempestuous snowstorm,
and as they passed the night on the
river in comparatively small steamer
there was naturally some apprehension
yesterday as to their safety" The storm
lifted next day.
Washington, the convention city, was
host to the National Electric Light Asso-
citation for it's
Electric Convention 17th annual
Here meeting in Grand
Army Hall, to
continue three days. THE various par
lors and adjacent rooms of the Ebbitt
House, headquarters of the association"
said The Star of February ~, 1894, ARE
taken up with many interesting exhibits
of electrical appliances. These are stud
led carefully by the various repre-
sentatives, who are working electricians,
not theorists. They are on the lookout
all the time for new inventions that
will be Of service to them, and are ready
at any time to receive hints, no matter
where they come FROM"
Many changes in high naval personnel
were scheduled to take place, and The
Star of February
Chances in ~, 1894, referred to
Navel Personnel them. The moves
A.IA.....t were hastened by
the civil war in
Brazil, still going on, with no immediate
end in sight It could not be foreseen
that the rebels would lose before the
year was out. and 1t was thought de-
sirable to be prepared. This prepara-
ton for war that never came of"
had an effect four years later on an
other conflict, the war with Spain. In
connection with naval strength, The
Star of February 49, 1894, reported the
impending trial at Indianhead, Md, of
the biggest gun yet, a 13-incher-no
popgun even today. THE gun is nearly
40 feet long" said The Star, weighs
over go tons and throws q projectile
weighing 1,l00 pounds with charge of
$50 pounds OF powder = There are
IL Of these mammoth engines of de-
struction to be divided equally among
the battleships Indiana, Oregon and
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