Evening star., 1945-05-27
Fifty Years Ago
An editorial in The Star OF May 81

1895, filed solemn complaint against
an idiosyncrasy which
Senseless" even now, after half a
Nomes century, still is prevalent.
THE saying used to be
that is was wise child that knew its
own father" it was observed, 'but in
these days of fads and foibles and silly
affection, it is wise child that knows
its own name. photographic lunacy is
getting to be epidemic as to proper
names, and expert juggling with per-
sonal nomenclature has progressed to
such an extent that the finality of its
evolution is matter for serious con-
sideration. The introduction of the
hyphen was not so bad until it began to
be used to link together the two and
sometimes three very ordinary names of
those who were often very ordinary peo-
pie, but the new style of spelling is some
thing that should be frowned upon. 1t
is not at all unusual, for instance, to
come across sentence in a society
column nowadays announcing that Miss
Bessye This is visiting Miss Edythe That.
Could any form of affectation be more
senseless?"
The Star for May %, 1895, reported
the appearance on the local water front
Of the steam yacht
"FIootine PoIoee" Sapphire. pleas
On View ure craft built at
Leith, Scotland, for
Amzi Lorenzo Barber. 1t was described
as being ZIG feet overall with 27A foot
beam. Her draught is IA feet and her
tonnage CTS. There are 10 staterooms
for the owner and his guests and ac-
commodations for crew of 26 men.
The yacht is white, with sea green tap
ping. She has a triple-expansion engine
of the compound surface condensing
type, with boiler pressure of 100 per
square inch, and Is fitted with steam
reversing gear" Cabin walls forward
were of teak with ceilings of white and
gold. lover the door leading into the
main saloon is handsome silver plate,
with the name of the yacht inlaid with
large polished sapphire gems, which cost
a small fortune" The wealth which
made possible the construction of the
palace afloat" came from the exploita-
ton of the famous asphalt lake in Trini-
dad, discovered by Christopher Columbus
on his third voyage to the New World
and leased from the British government
by Mr. Barber for AZ years. Prior to
1892 upwards of 100000 square yards
of asphalt pavements had been laid in
30 cities of the United States either by
the yacht owner personally or by the
corporation which he controlled.
A brief front-page article in The Star
of May "a, 1895, chronicled the passing
of beloved champion
Cubon PotFiot of freedom for Cuba.
Killed "Ofncial confirmation
has been received here
of the report of the death of Gen. (Jose)
Marti = in battle with the govern
ment (Spanish) troops" the account
said. 'The other Cuban leaders-G Gomez,
Maceo and Borrero-were known only by
name in this country, but Marti is per-
sonally known throughout the United
States. =" - He has passed much of his
time in Washington, his last service here
being as delegate to the Pan-American
Monetary Conference"
Thousands of young men, it safely may
be supposed, have considered the feasi-
bility Of migrating
A South Sea Islond to the islands of
Romance Oceanica and find
.. ing there beautiful
prototypes of modern glamour girls, but
only very few of the dreamers so years
ago actually tried the experiment. The
Star for May "a, 1895, announced that:
'From Tahiti comes news that J. Lamb
'Doty, American consul to the Society
Islands, has married hah-caste girl
and has set up housekeeping. The girl
boasts the name Of Mueva Turnero
Rauri, and she Is said to have brought
neat dowry to her husband. She is only
16, and Doty first met her few months
ago on the beach Of a neighboring island,
where she was trying to shore her cap
sized canoe" The bridegroom, it was
stipulated, was well known In Wash.
ington," where he has started his career