Evening star., 1948-12-05
Fifty Years Ago

Accidents at grade crossings were numerous
fifty years ago. and The Star conducted an
aggressive campaign for the elm
CROSSING ination Of such functions of rail-
Trooedy roads and ordinary wagon roads
The issue of the paper for Decem-
ber /, 1898, contained long and pitiful story
about how Fannie Bell Harris, 8, and George
Herbert Gray, 6, were killed in Ivy City while
on their way to school. They were riding in
two-seated blackboard with Harry McDon-
ough, II, when they were struck by Baltimore
& Ohio express. "A passenger on the train told
q reporter: "The safety gates were up and
did not see the gatekeeper. These unprotected
grade crossings-when will the Congress of the
United States stamp them out?"
'The fiftieth anniversary Of the accession of
the Emperor Francis Joseph to the throne Of
Austria" announced The
Frai,cis Joseph's Star on December 2, 1898,
Jubilee was celebrated this morn
ing at 10 o'clock by solemn
high mass at st. Matthews Church. The Rev.
Father Samuel F. Bart was the celebrant with
the Rev. Father Lee as deacon and the Rev.
Father String as subdeacon. The edif1ce has
seldom held such distinguished gathering as
that which assembled President Mckinley
from the White House and occupied front
pew directly in front of the altar In the ad
joining front pew across the main aisle were
Sir Julian Pauncefote, the British Ambassador,
and Count Cassini, the Russian Minister. They
were resplendent in full uniform Repre-
sentativeS Of Germany France, Argentina,
China. Japan, Korea, Portugal and Hawaii
likewise were present, all in festival attire The
papal legate, Archbishop Martinelli, occupied
place in the sanctuary
A local story in The Star for December 3.
- and famous trade-chimney sweep
Chimney ing ut is more than probable
Sweeps that the old municipal ordinance
providing superintendents Of CHM
ney sweeps and requiring the sweeping OF
chimney when, in the judgment OF the super
intendent of sweeps 1t is necessary, will be
abolished by the District Commissioners" the
article explained. commissioner Wight has
been in communication with the authorities
of the principal cities Of the country, with the
view of ascertaining whether such a. require
ment is In force in those cities. He has found
that Washington is about the only city where
Q regulation Of this character remains on the
statute books" 49,.
-
In The Star of December 5, 1898, all of the
first and second pages and half of the third
= 171s columns of type-were used
Centennial to reproduce the complete text
Messooe of President McKinley's annual
message to. Congress, outlining
the history of the war with Spain and furnish
ing report on relations with Hawaii and
Russia. Of special importance to Washington
readers, however, was the closing portion OF
the document in which the Chief Executive
called for an appropriation for the celebration
of the centenary of the Federal seat OF gov
ernment in the District of Columbia This
event, Mr. Mckinley declared, assumes all the
more significance when we recall the clrcum-
stances attending the choosing Of the SITE the
naming Of the Capital in honor of the father
Of his country and the interest taken by him