Evening star., 1949-02-27
Fifty Years Ago

The Star for February 10, 1899, featured an
illustrated story about the Photographic art
Of Frances Benjamin
Miss Johnston Johnston, even then IA
photooronher nous for the excellence
of her pictures. An eXhi-
bitien of her camera studies was on display
at 1926 Connecticut avenue NV. With AL
bert Stieglitz Of New York she had won ac-
claim in Paris. Vienna and London Her
achievements were commended for 'vigor-
BUSINESS of treatment and cleTness OF in
tention which seem to be somewhat lacking
in the average American work. The Star
explained: Miss Johnston began to make
pictures nearly 10 years ago. She was so
successful that her descriptive articles and
their clever illustrations always found
market. In this particular field she is looked
upon as the pioneer not only among women,
but Of Photographic illustrators generally"
After half century, she still is busy record
ing beauty-especially the charm Of old
American houses-with her lens. She is in
defatigabe, and a multitude of friends re-
joice that she still keeps going
** Il
"Dearth of oysters throughout the East"
reported The Star on February 20, 1899. "is
being keenly felt here in
Oyster Washington. sehding the
Shortooe prices of the few obtainable
previously known. An oyster famine is re-
garded by many as one of the most serious
Of calamities. but unless the ice now cover
ing many of the famous oyster beds Is
thawed or artifcially removed within the
next few days. such will be the result. For
the past week the price of oysters has sailed
upward at rapid rate, until now those on
the market are bringing from 2 to 3 cents
apiece by the thouSand-an almost unprece-
&>I p,,,1 To- sc
twice what they were in grandpa's time. The
Potomac Fish Co., Inc, yesterday quoted $5
buShel.
The Post Office Department under date of
February 81. 1899. shipped to Puerto Rico a
package of 100000 stamps
SfomPs to overprinted Porto Rico"
Puerto Rico and The Star for the day
declared: 1T is evidently not
the purpose of the government to get out
distinctive set Of stamps for our new possess
sion. At any rate. nothing is known of it at
the Post Office Department, where arrange
ments are rapidly being completed for the
new Cuban stamps" The supplies forwarded
to the island were listed as: 100000 copies
of the 1-cent issue; 100000 Of the 2-cent;
100000 of the scent; and 100000 OF the
10-cent. Scott's Catalog for 1949 mentions
the series as Numbers 210 to 214. mint prices
80 cents. Is cents. SIS cents and $1.35 each,
with an Scent stamp (213) at $3.50 copy.
y
In the society column of The Star of Feb
ruary %, 1899, it was announced. that:
Lady Curzon, vicereine Of
lody Curzon India, has received another
Honorsd distinction from Queen Vic
toria in having conferred
upon her the decoration of the imperial
order of the Crown of India. Mr.. (Joseph)
Letters daughter is the sixty-fifth member
of the order. OF royalty besides Queen Vicr
toria and the Princess of Wales. such per-
sonages as the Empress Frederick of Ger
many, Princess Charles and Princess Thyra
of Denmark, the Duchess of Edinburgh and
a score of other princesses have been deco
rated" Lady Curzon before her marriage in
1895 had been W. bpinst0n BELLE Her