Evening star., 1950-01-22
Fifty Years Ago

The Star OF January Is, 1900, contained
an obituary notice concerning Forster H.
Jennings, who had died
KemorkooIe Ioung at his home, 7l3 Sew
Man Dies enth street NE, the
. night before, aged ~
years. Descended from Colonial and revo-
slut1onary stock, he was described as - gen.
tleman by birth, instinct and education" ("
His facility as q writer had been recognized
at Is. when he became q contributor to The
Star and various New York and Western
papers. He illustrated scientific articles and
made cartoons for political use. Because
he had studied zinc etching, 1t was said Of
him that he was lone Of the few who could
write book. illustrate it and prepare the
pictures for printing" He was an expert
in heraldry and designed coats of arms for
numerous clients. At 18 he wrote "Prover-
bial Philosophy of Confucius." He served
as foreign secretary of the Korean Legation
ana was planning history Of Korea when
ne was stricken with his last illness. while
having deep religious feeling, he believed
IN no creed, was a student of religions and
could state the tenets of all churches"
1.-The heroic bronze statue of Daniel
Webster. standing in the triangle Just west
of Scott Circle, at the
Websters Stotue intersection of Massa-
Received chusetts avenue and Six
teenth street NV" re-
ported The Star on January 1s. 1900, "was
formally presented to and accepted by the
Government of the United States today, and
promptly at noon the flag -draped figure was
unveiled by Jerome Bonaparte, a great
grandson of Webster. The donor of the
memorial is Stilson Hutchins of this
city, native of New Hampshire" Lafayette
Square Opera House was the scene of the
ceremony presentation President Mckinley
was in attendance. Senator William E.
Chandler presided The principal orator was
Senator Henry Cabot Lodge of Massachu-
setts, but Secretary of the Navy John D.
L0hg also spoke. Gaetano Trentanove was
the sculptor. His work was cast by Fratelli
CALI at Florence in Italy.
Henry Morton Stanley, the explorer, con-
tributed to The Star of January 20. 1s00 an
article entitled, Blanks on
Much the Map" in the course of
UnexpIored which he called attention
to the theory: "The great
Siberian railway will afford many starting
place for explorations to. the south and the
fifth part of the Asiatic continent which lies
bCbWCCA A1dhC Odlhdl dIlO tllC k2uUdldyd
range furnishes a very large field for them.
Sven Hedin has made brilliant record in
traversing the heart of Asia, and 1t would be
singular If his successful exploration should
not stimulate others to emulate his hardi-
hood and daring" A second feature in the
same issue Of The Star began: Next to
Russia herself, no country in the world will
reap 30 much benefit from the completion
Of the trans-Siberian railroad as the United
States" But the explorations, If actually
accomplished, remain unannounced in 1850
and the benefits Of the rail line across
Siberia are not as definite or as real as they
seemed when these quoted words first were
printed
- ~
Just half a century ago Capt. Christmas
Dircknich Holmfeld was in Washington for
the purpose Of persuad-
Donish Islonds ing the United States to
for Sole purchase the Danish West
Indies. The Star for
January. 10. 1900, chronicled his arrival and
let 1t be known that he had approached
Secretary Of State John Hay. "It is a matter
Of long standing knowledge that Denmark