Evening star., 1945-07-01
Fifty Years Ago

a real Fourth of July
Old Fashioned celebration. The tra-
Fourth ditional observance of
Independence Day, as
staged half a century back, has not
been .approximated in the Nations
Capital within the memory of any
body less than 80 years old Noise was
the principal factor of the authentic
procedure. And where did that in
gredient come from? The Star for
June a., 1895, answers: Last week
IL big ships reached this country from
Hong Kong loaded down with fire.
crackers. They carried 100000 pack
ages. In each package there were
"a firecrackers. That makes $4,000 900
firecrackers- To render this vast pros
pect of Joy more comprehensive .
firecracker Is inches, long and If
these 100000 packs were laid out in
one continuous line 1t would
make line 15,161 miles long and 1t
would reach half way round the world
Emerson's shot would be nowhere in
comparison"
A paragraph in the society column
of The Star of June "A, 1895, told of
the marriage Of Lieut.
1t. kutz's Charles Willauer Kutz of
Weddino the Corps of Engineers,
United States Army, and
Miss Elizabeth Randolph Keim, an
nounced to be solemnized at Christ
Cathedral, Reading, Pa, the following
evening. Rev. DR.. William p. Orrick
was to oficiate. The bridegroom, it was
explained, would appear in full military
uniform; the ushers would be his class
mates at West Point; a large number.
of Army Officials" would be present.
In other words, the wedding would be
a military wedding. indeed. Everything
was carried through as planned. and
the same may be said for a 50th
anniversary of the event, celebrated
at two parties In Washington last
week. Lieut.. Kutz Is now Brig. Gen.
Kutz. Engineer Commissioner OF the
District Of Columbia. With him and
his wife for their golden wedding were
their daughters, Marian and Emily, now
respectively Mrs. Lewis T. Ross and
Mrs. Wilson G. Bingham, both Army
wives.
The Star for June 26, 1895, reported
the death of Col. A. st. Clair Denver, a
brother of Gen. James
Forty Miner William Denver. founder
Departs of the capital of the
State Of Colorado, and
like him man of sterling character,
splendidly typical of the early pioneer
of the Far West" It further was set
forth that the deceased was "a Forty
miner and attained several positions of
honor and distinction in California,
serving in the State Senate and as clerk
of court for several years" For per-
haps decade and half he had been
engaged in the practice of law in WASH
ington. The FQrty-niners' Association,
"of which Col. Denver was an honored
and cherished member" probably would
attend his funeral in a body, it was
suggested. Rock Greek churchyard was
Chauncey M. Depew, according to
The Star of June %, 1895. lis about to
marry again." The ora
Mr.. Depew tor and statesman, al
ToAorv legedly, "let the secret
'o' out himself while in
Washington recently" But the name
of his prospective wife was mot given"
She merely was said to be "of one of
the first families" of New York, an
orphan and worth $8,000,000." When
by agreement he met newspaper corr
respondents at his office in Grand Gen.
tral depot. Mr.. Depew declared: THE
story is made out of whole cloth. / do
not know Of any young lady with
$8,000,000 who would have me-" In
1901, however, he was welded to May
Palmer, who survived him when he died
in 1928.
Hundreds of American soldiers and
sailors in recent years nave attended
service at
Westminster Cathedral westminster
Construction Begun Tasnearal ,'l 1l IN
If any of them have realized that the
structure Is less than SO
years old. The Star for June 20, 1895,
however, chronicled the laying OF the
foundation stone by Cardinal Vaughan
in the presence Of the Ambassadors of
the Catholic countries. the Catholic
bishops, the Catholic nobility OF England
and Archbishop Stoner, who represented
the Pope. 1t was remarked that; THE
spectacle was unique in ecclesiastical
splendor."
n %K -
The greatest scientist of his time,
only Charles Darwin, came
to the end Of his distin-
Huxley guished career on June 20,
n;.. 1895, and the news Of his
death was announced in The
Star Of that date. He was Thomas
Henry Huxley. native OF Ealing In