Evening Star Newspaper, February 20, 1897, Page 15

THE EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1897-24 PAGES. RIVER FRONT STORIES > Recollections of Traffic in the Early Days. BOATS IN THE HEART OF THE CITY ——— The Arks That Once Navigated the Upper Potomac. MANY MARVELOUS CHANGES OR SEVENTY years, as boy and man, I have lived on the river front,” said Mr.Thomas W. Riley, nd for over fifty years I have carried on business there on my own hook. My business has been in all lines about the water, but principal- ly In wharfing, wood and coal, and in fish nd oysters, my slways having been at Riley's foot of 11th street, where my father carried on the same kind of business before me. I have, therefore, seen the river front when it was at its I have seen it when times were very lively there, and I have seen it when it was very dull. I was ng long before the iron horse made e with long trains of cars, in when nearly everything that came to this city necessarily had to come by water, and I handled a great deal of it. ‘Fifty years ago the river front, all the way from the Arsenal grounds up to 17th street, presented a very busy appearance, I t the ans assure yeu. Every wharf was busy, and sbips from all lands, flying every flag known to civilization, could nearly always be seen here. The ships not only came here, but many ts the ship that was built on the ri all t r front and sailed from here to parts of the world. Great steamboats— grest for that dey—were built at h street wharf, and many were re- i repaired. The Signet, the Sydney, Joe Johnston, the Chesapeake and y others were built there. The ship- ing business was carried on by an cnglishman named K. H. Lambell. His reman, Charles Edmonston, who died only week before last, with a deserved rep- as the best’ house builder ever ed a great deal of this busi- Mr. Edmonston carried into the ship- building bu: s the same care and hon- that made him so reliable and re- ed as a house builder. Ships, large 1s the hundreds were built and Mr. Lambell. Many of them At Easby’s wharf, near the servatory, many vessels were also rebuilt. Mr. Easby, like Mr. Lam- bell, was also an Englishman. “Bat the steam horse proved that busi- ness could be done at a more rapid rate than the water could ficat ships or the biow them, and since the day when railroad announced itself ready and i itself able to move goods the ship- ping business began to decline. I have seen the day when there were twenty or thirty steamers running regularly from this city to New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Boston. Story of the Oyster Trade. “Probably I have had a closer and longer connection with the oyster business from its start in this city then any other,and,indeed,- than all other men combined. Originally all the oyster business was done in Georgetown, and it took nearly twenty years to get the de moved to the llth street wharf, ere it has been ever since. It was small enough in early 8, the arrivals seldom ever being over one hoat load in a week, and oftentimes it Fas been even less than that, sometimes being only one load in a h. In those days oysters were only down in the Chesapeake bay, and one two of the sounds adjacent thereto. or Such a thing as taking an oyster from the Potomac fifty years ago was not even dreamed of. Now nine-tenths of the oys- ters which are brought here by the oyster fleet, for there are about fifty boats in the business, large and small, are taken from the Potomac at various localities be- tween here and the Chesapeake bay. The custom of many persons go- ing to the wharf, selecting their oysters and eating them on the spot, as it were, seems to be growing, though it has existed since the arrival of the first load which ever arrived here. There are also hundreds of heads of families who send their buckets regularly to the boats for their oysters, preferring to buy them di- Fect from the boats, rather than from dealers. I don't think, however, that I ever saw a lady on the oyster wharf until during the war. Since then there is scarce- ly a day during ‘he oyster season that ladies are not to be seen there. ‘The fish business has always been large here, especially during the shad and her- ring season, though the special branch of it known as ‘struck’ fish has almost en- tirely disappeared. By a ‘struck’ fish I mean cleaning, salting or smoking them. Of course, the fishermen and seine men always preferred to sell their fish fresh, but when they could not there was always @ market for them after they were salted or smoked. Men who owned large numbers of slaves, from all parts of Maryland, Vir- ginia and elsewhere, were the buyers of struck fish, for they were used very largely as food for slaves. I have seen hundreds of large ve owners drive to the wharf and bay struck fish by the wagon load. The Principal users of struck fish now, as be- fore the war, are colored persons, ‘though, es I said before, the trade has dwindled down to almost nothing in comparison to what it was years ago. The enormous bus!- ness of cleaning fish, or something else that F do not know of, was a source of reat attraction to wild ducks. In my boy- hood days I have seen the river literally covered wfth ducks. My father, I remem- ber, had a blind rigged up just off where the Independent Ice Company wharf now is, at the foot of 9th street, and he often snot ducks by the dozen without going fifty yards away from his own wharf. If any one took any trouble at all, it was easy to kill a hundred wild ducks within a radius of a quarter or half of a mile from any of the wharves in a half day. Sold the First Coal Here. “The wood business was also the cause of @ great deal of shipping in early days, for even as late as fifty years ago there was not a pound of coal to be had in this city, and there was not a stove which could burn ft, even if coal could be had. My father inaugurated the coal business, and I per- senally sold the first load of coal ever burned in Washington. The wood always came up the river tn flat-bottom boats, and they were run up into Tiber creek, which made in from the river at 17th street. The wood business was carried on along what is now B street, from 17th down to 6th streq, and it was increased very consid- erabs} when the canal was built to that point. For years I owned and on @ wood yard on the exact ground on which the Baltimore and Potomac depot is now located, and every stick of my wood came up there by water, either in Tiber creek, which was a natural stream, or the canal, which was afterward constructed. There Were at least twenty-four wood yards along the banks of the creek or canal. So also all of the lumber used in building up this city came. When the canal was first construct- ed it allowed boats of heavier draught to pass up, though in a few years it began to fill up, and forced the larger vessels to un- load on the river front. “At my wharf all of the stone and ma- terial arrived which was used in the con- Struction of the Smithsonian Institution, the Soid Home and several other pub- Ue buildings. Besides this, I contracted for ard hauled the lumber and every stone to the building sites. It ts hard to realize the wonderful changes that have taken lace. In those days there was a mall on je maps, but it was only on the maj ‘There was not one tree between the White House and the Capitol. The mall of today, With its elegant structures and attractions, was then simply a cow pasture, used by everybody in common. There were no Gairies then, and every one either kept a ow or got milk from a neighbor who did. Ne Milk Wagons Then. “Such a thing as a delivery of milk, ex- @ept in the immediate locality of where the cow was kept, was not known. The people of the entire city pastured their cows, and horses, too, on what is now the beautiful grounds of the Smithsonian, Agricultural Department, Botanical gardens, Monument park and the White lot. Those who lived uptown, of course, had no need of pastur- ing their horses or cows there, for there was plenty of pasturage in that section of the city, for many is the cow and horse I have seen at pasture on Lafayette Square, Franklin Park and on the fields and com- | mons everywhere north of K street. To us boys, who lived on the ‘island,’ as all of South Washington was then called, and as it was made by the creek or canal, we thought we were in the woods when we got as far out as K street, though the ‘slashes’ hardly began until M street was reached. From there out it was farm land or woods. “In my boyhood days there was a great deal of business done in what were known as arks by those who lived on the upper Potomac. They had no other way to bring their wheat, corn, oats, hay and other produce to market. These arks were large wcoden floats, put together in a substantial, though inexpensive manner, with wooden bolts and pins. They carried a great deal. ; These arks were floated down the river and helped with poles where they were not car- ried by the current. On their arrival in Georgetown, after their contents were sold, the arks were taken to pieces and the lum- | ber sold. I have seen hundreds of them. This was before the opening of the Chesa- peake and Ohio canal. People nowadays talk about push and enterprise as If it was a@ new invention, and they the only discov- erers and owners of it. Though I have al- ways tried to keep up with the procession in a business way, I assure you, I have seen evidences of a ‘get there’ spirit among the grandfathers of some of the business men of today that surpassed much of their so-called push. These ark owners had goods to sell, and, though they did not come with lightning speed, they got down to market just the same. Once a Boat Landing. “It may seem strange to those who cross over B street at 14th, where Pettitt & Dripps’ iron foundry is now located, on their way to the monument, when they are told that all the excursion steamers for many years staried from that point, by way of the canal, but such is the fact. So also did all the excursion parties for Ar- lington or Custis’ Springs, as it was then called. It was a favorite excursion place. The boats generally used were barges or flat boats, and were chartered for that purpose. Frequently they were poled, but often they could sail. The water was deep enough in those days to cross over into Virginia from almost any point, the course being direct. Many of the excursions were met by Col. Parke Custis, who was by marriage one of the Washington family, and who lived at Arlington long before Gen. R. E. Lee lived there. “The rowing clubs and the yachting clubs also started their regattas from that point, as many of our older people will remem- ber. Even boys of forty-five or fifty years of age will remember the swimming pool on the north side of the Monument lot which was known as the ‘Tobacco Box.’ It was as popular in its day as the bathing beach is now during the bathing season. The colored Baptists for many years cele- brated all their baptizings at the Syca- more, which is about where the bathing beach is located, though nearer somewhat to the Long bridge. I remember very well the laying out of Jackson City, at the Vir- ginia end of the Long bridge, and heard the speech of Gen. Jackson on that occa- sion. I also remember that the crowd of invited guests invaded the rooms where the lunch and drinkables were set out, end that after Gen. Jackson finished his speech there was not enough of anything left for him to get a bite. “There was not a ratlroad anywhere in the United States in my early days,” said Mr. Riley, “and business had to be done by staging or by boats. I often went to Baltimore and even farther by the stage route. The trip took four and a half hours, there being three changes of horses en route. The stages were generally drawn by four horses, and held nine or ten per- sons and in pleasant weather two extra passengers on the top of the stage. The fare was $4 for each passeager. In 1846, when the first railroad trains ran between here and Baltimore, they charged $2.50 for each passenger. The stages met this cut and held on for some time, but finally when the railroad reduced the price to $1.50 the stages suspended business. The stages from Baltimore started from the Indian Queen Hotel, afterward known as Brown's Hotel, and now as the Metropoli- tan. The start was usually between 9 and 10 in the morning, there being but one stage each way each day generally, though on special occasions there were as many as three stages started out each day. This did not include all the traveling, for many persons drove their own teams over the road very frequently.” Mr. Riley celebrated his seventy-sixth birthday recently, but does not consider himself by any means an old man yet. He personally supervises his extensive business interests at his wharf and else- where throughout the city. “NAJINE.” A Reminiscence of Moscow—May 26th, 1896. BY SIR EDWIN AENOLD, K. C. 1 EB, 0. 8. 1. (Copyright, 1897, by Sir Edwin Arnold.) Written for The Evening Star. Once in our lives we did meet, Najine! ‘The “‘chance of the crowd in the street” it has been— And thinking hereafter of golden-domed Moscow I shall remember ycu most, Najine! Exquisite eyebrows you had, Naji green; and straight as a cypress, Tall as a birch tree, Watching you walk was a joy, Najine! Sbapely and white was your hand, Najin2! No pearls like your teeth in the stores were seen, And your feet, in their sky-blue silken stockings, Might have carried a goddess of Greece, Najine! ‘The speech fell soft from your lips, Najine! An dewdrops from rose leaves slip. Between Your tcrgue’s bright talk, and the help of your laughter, ‘Twas casy to understand Russ, Najine. You will hardly recail me for long, Najine? ‘Though I put you forever in song, Najine! Just once and again you may meditate mutely On our meeting snd parting-and sigh, Najine! For some other to know you at sight, Nafine! A girl of a thousand, who might have been— Were fate but fair—a duchess in satins, Not a rodiste from Warsaw, as now, Najine! You could wear rich gems in your hair, Najine! As well as the best who were there, Najive: ‘That day in the stream of the proud Coronation, Riding in coaches of gold, Najine! When I helped you ot of the press, Najive! ‘There rolled to your shoulder a tress, Najinc! As brown and gleaming and daintily braided As the stately Tsaritea’s own locks, Najine! ‘They shine like suns of red gold, Najine! ‘Those cupolas, holy and old, on the scene Where we two met, in the splendid proccesion! While Moscow shouted and clanged, Najine! Gold and purple and white, Najine! Spangled with blue and alight with green; Domes and pinnacles, palaces, churches— Noble ycur Kremlin did show, Najine! I know it, for not very far, Najine! I watched while you crowned your Tsar, Najine! And the dusk of the church was alight with rubles, - And the sky burned scarlet with fags, Najine! Yet I write no verse to those wonders, Najine! Nor sing of those clamorous thunders, Najine! A gray eyed seamstress of Warsaw haunts me, ‘Thinking of Moscow, and all, Najine! You can bate as well as you love, Najine! You are eagle as well as white dove, I ween! Some lightning lurked in your glances, I fancied— All Polish girl that you are, Najine! Some wrath for a wrong that slept, Najine! "Twas & potable silence you kept, Najine! While the others huzza’d for Tsar and Tearitss— Have you never forgiven Pojarski, Najine? Good-bye, pleasant friend of one day, Najine! Heaven keep yon safe in its way, Najine! I tell you again, when I talk of Moscow, You come to my mind most, dear Najine! London, June 6, 1896. _ ———+o+____ From a Rival Standpoinat. From the Boston Courter. . St. Louis Man—“So you are still in the business of trying to save souls, eh? And in Chicago at that!” Clergyman—“Yes, sir.” Clergyman—‘“‘Well, you see, my consis- bent On almost entirely made up of miscos- potists.” HISTORIC BEQUESTS Washington and Franklin Each Gave a Thousand Pounds, RESULTS OF A CENTURY REVIEWED One Endowment in Boston and the Other in Alexandria. —_—_+—_—__ BENEFITS CONFERRED eed EORGE WASHING- ton and Benjamin Franklin each made an investment of £1,000 colonial cur- rency. for the benefit of their fellow men just a hundred years ago, and it is in- teresting to note what has been the result of those two investments in the century which has passed. Franklin’s in- vestment was confided to Boston; that of Washington to Alexandria. To the town of Boston Franklin gave £1,000 sterling, to be managed by the sele>t- men and the ministers of the oldest Epis- copal, Congregational and Presbyterian churches of the town. This sum was de- vised to be “let out upon interest at 5 per cent per annum to such young married artificers, under the age of twenty-five years, as had served an apprenticeship in that town and had faithfully fulfilled the The Old Academy. duties required by the indentures.”’ Security was to be taken for their bonds “for Span- ish mill doliars, or to the value thereof in current gold coins, and as these loans were intended to assist young married artificers in setting up their business, they were to be proportioned by the discretion so as not to exceed £60 to one person, nor to be less than £15.” A Pessimistic Anticipation. Franklin believed that the annual turning over of this capital would continually avg- ment the fund, and he suggested that “there may be in time more than the occa- sion in Boston may require, and then some may be spared to the neighboring and other towns in the state of Massachusetts.” He continued: “If this plan is executed and succeeds as projected for one hundred years, the sum will then be £131,000," of which he desired £100,000 to be laid out in bridges, public buildings, ete., for the Lene- fit of the people of Boston. The remaining thirty-one thousand pounds, he says, “will at the end of the second hundred years, if no unfortunate accident has prevented the operation, be- come four millions and sixty-one thousand pounds sterling,” which he apportions then between the city of Boston and the gov- errment of Massachusetts, not presuming, he adds, to carry his views further. It appears, however, that instead of the im- mense eum of one hundred and thirty-one thousard pounds, or over half a million of dollars, being realized from Franklin's fund in the hundred years, it now amounts to only about $36,000. So uncertain are the anticipations of the shrewdest of men as to the operation of events in the future. Franklin's legacy has, however, still a fu- ture before it. Its benefits will be not pe- cuniarily enormous as he expected, but it will probably be used during the present mor.th to endow a trades school, and thus set cut in a new course of beneficence. Washington's Bequest. George Washington's bequest of a thou- sand pounds began where Franklin’s has ended, in a schocl. He had announced scme time before to the trustees of the Alexandria Academy that it had been long his intention “to invest at my death one thoveand pounds in the current money of this state, in the hands of trustees; the interest only of which to be applied to in- stituting a school in the town of Alexan- dria for the purpose of educating orphan children or the children of such indigent parents as are unable to give it.” He fur- ther wrcte: “It is also my intention to ap- ply the investment to the sole purpose of edveation, and of that sort of education as would be most extensively useful to the people of the lower classes of citizens, viz., reading, writing and arithmetic, so as to fit them for mechanical purposes. “The fund if confined to this would com- prehend more subjects, but if the trustees should conceive that this fund would be more advantageously applied toward cloth- ing and schooling than solely toward th latter I will acquiesce most cheerfully. ‘The trustees replied that ‘‘as to the propo- sition of leaving it hereafter at ‘the op- tion of the trustees to apply part of the benefaction to the purpose of clothing the objects of it, they are of the opinion it will be better to be applied toward schooling them only.” Paid Interest Himself. Washington himself paid the interest of this investment to the trustees while he lived and by Fis will made the bequest perpetual, the £1,000 being considered equal to $4,000. He declares in his will that “to the trustees (governors or by whatso- ever other name they may be designated) of the academy in the town of Alexandria I give and bequeath in trust, $4,000, or in other words twenty of the shares which I hold in the Bank of Alexandria, toward the support of a free school established at and annexed to said academy for the pur- pose of educating such orphan children or the children of such other poor and indigent persons as are unable to acom- plish it with their own means, 1d who in the judgment of the trustees of the said seminary are best entitled to the benefits of this donation. The aforesaid twenty shares I give and bequeath in per- petuity—the dividends of which are only to be drawn for and applied by the eaid trustees for the time being for the uses above mentioned.” Began With Twenty Pupils. The trustees, as soon as Washington's bequest became available, made an agree- ment with Philip Webster under which he contracted “to teach twenty scholars the several branches of reading, English, writ- ing and the common rules of arithmetic for the sum of fifty pounds, being the do- nation of General Washington.” This school was opened in the third story of the Academy building, which still stands on the rear of the lot adjoining the pres- ent Washington public school, at the cor- ner of Washington and Wolfe streets. The school was transferred about 1812 to. the Lancasterian school budding: adjoining, and this building, after continuing a free school of Alexandria for over half a cen- tury, gave way about fifteen years ago to @ comfortable building, an exact reproduc- tion of the Amidon school building of South Washington. In this building and in the ecetene: 18 Acafemy building, where General Washington’s school w: first established, there are now twelve yobiie schools for boys, and the entire pub- lc school system which has grown out of the donation of General Washington com- prises in all five large school buildings, with room for 1,800 jis, male and fe- male, white and _ colo! which last year educated over 1,600 pupils on the average during each school day. ‘This is the result of ral Washington's one thousan@ pounds. In pecuniary ;.value alone the school buildings are estimated at $35,000, and the school property jn all is worth at least $50,000. The Results Compared. So the two bequests have gone on to- gether, Franklin’s for money and interest and Washington’s for education and men- tal improvement, and at the end of the century Franklin’s bequest brings $36,000, while the result of Washington’s donation is $50,000 at the least. As to what work of cultivation and elevation Franklin’s bequest has accomplished no estimate can be given, but Washington’s money has helped, as far as school education may help, to lift up and improve at least. 40,000 children, and in the end Franklin’s bequest, which is now to endow a trade school, follows on somewhat in the line pointed out by Gen. Washington when his money began over a century ago the education of twenty chil- dren of indigent parents. UNIVERSITY NOTES Catholic University. At the last meeting of the University Club the following officers were elected: President, Rev. F. P. Duffy; vice president, J. T. Mott; secretary, F. P. Guilfoile; treas- urer, James Igoe; executive committee, Rev. Fathers Tettermer and O'Neill, W. T. Cashman, Wm. Scott, T. J. McTighe and J. P. Murray. Monday evening the club has arranged for a Washington celebration, and there will be addresses by Revs. Duffy, Deering and Fox, an original poem by F. P. Guilfoile, a paper by A. McGuire, a solo by Father Tettermer and songs by the Uni- versity Club Quartet. The faculty of the school of philosophy is making preparations for an elaborate celebration of the feast of St. Thomas Aquinas on March 7, that being the pa- tronal feast day of that department. Dr. Conaty, the rector, will attend the consecration of Bishop Prendergast at Phil- adelphia next Wednesday. On the same day the vice rector, Dr. Garrigan, will at- tend the consecration of Bishop Quigley at Buffalo. Prominent visitors the past week have been Bishop Matthew J. Harkins of Prov- idence, R. 1.; Rt. Rev. James A. Healey of Portland, Me.; Rev. Arthur Tecling of Newburyport, Mass., and Very Rev. George De Shou, C. 8. P., superior of the order of Paulist Fathers of New York. The university library has received from Bishop Curtis of Wilmington, Del., a very rare and valuable set of books known as the “Babylonian Talmud.” It consists of twelve folio volumes and is printed in He- brew. A beautiful bronze medal commem- orative of Princeton's sesquicentennial has been received from the trustees of that in- stitution. Senator Carter of Montana has presented a set of the “Messages and Ve- toes of the Presidents,” but perhaps the most valuable gift received recently is a fac-simile copy of the most ancient Mexi- can Codex from the Duc de Loubat of New York. M.Loubat has had this work printed at his own expense and has donated a copy to each of the most prominent universities of the world. The article of Dr. Shanahan in the last Bulletin, “The Idea of God,” which is an attack on a book of the same title by prof. Fiske of Harvard University, has attracted wide attention. Dr. Shaflahan defends the doctrine of St. Augustine, Prof. Saussure’s article, “A New Line of Geometry,” in the same issue, has also’ been widely com- mented upon by mathematicians. Dr. Conaty will attend the Johns Hop- kins twenty-first commemoration exercises in Baltimore, Monday. The University Chronicle, which has heretofore been published as a part of the Quarterly Bulletin, is to be issued monthly. The first issue, a double number for Janu- ary and February, appeared this® week. Three serial publications gare now issued by the university: The Bulletin, an aca- demical journal, quarterly; the Chronicle, an official chronicle of ‘events, monthly, and Pittonia, a botanical publication, at in- tervals, during the he Pittonia is conducted by Dr. professor of botany. bi" = Senator Thomas M.: Carter lectured on Washington, the Citizen, in the public lecture course last Thursday. The lecture next Thursday will be by Rev. A. P. Doyle, C. S. P., secretary of ‘the Catholic Total Abstinénce Union of America, his topic be- ae “A Discussion of Methods of Preven- tion.” ne, Howard University. At the Sunday song service in Miner Hall tomorrow evening the following program will be rendered: Song, “Safely Through Another Week,” full chorus; anthem, “Christ, the Everlasting,” President’s Glee Club; invocation; duet, “Beacon Light,” Messrs. Hughes and Jacobs; solo, “A Moth- er’s Prayer,” W. B. Ballard; reading, Miss Jackson; solo and chorus, ‘Evening ‘Time,” George G. Turner and President's Glee Club; song, “Memories,” Glee Club; read- ing, Miss Hooe; chorus, “Let Me Fly to Thee,” Glee Club; song, “Wandering,” Glee Club; address; hymn, “God Be With You.” A business meeting of the Glee, Banjo, Mandolin and Guitar Club was held Thurs- day afternoon, at which several invitations were constdcred. A Melanchthon meeting was held Tues- day evening. The mock congress is still tangled up in the debate on the free coinage Dill, and the indications at present are for an in- definite continuation of the discussion. The Theological Debating Society is ar- ranging for a special program, to be given at one of their meetings in the near fu- ture. Georgetown University. Invitations have been issued for the Mer- rick medal debate, which will take place Monday evening next in*Gaston Hall, un- der the auspices of the Philodemic Society. The question is “Resolved, That it is the duty of the United States government ‘to intervene in such a way as to terminate the Present strife in Cuba.” ‘Phe speakers are Chas. F. Cutley and Wm. EB. Fox on the affirmative, and Benedict F. Maher and Timothy Welch on the negative. The judges are Senator Thos H. Carter, So- leitor Geherai Conrad and Librarian A. R. Spofford. Maurice B. Kirby will preside. The reception committee, consists of R. J. Watkins, H. R. Gower, J. F. Collins, E. F. Brady, D. B. C. Waggaman, A. A. Alex- ander, J. 8. Bates, F. W. Romaine, and the committee on arrangements includes J. H. McAleer, D. W. O'Donoghue, J. D. Sulli- van, J. 8S. McNamara, P. W. A. MacMahon and D. J. Ferguson. Music will be furnish- ed by the Glee, Banjo and Mandolin Club. The Philonomosian Debating Society elected John English secretary Wednesday evening. e = E. D. F. Brady delivered the first/of a series of public lectures in Gaston<Hall Thursday afternoon. His topic was “Joan of Arc.” This course will be continued Thursdays during March and April. Arrangements have been completed for a concert by the Glee, Banjo, Mandolin and Guitar Club Monday evening, Marclr 1, in Gaston Hall. The proceeds will be devoted to the athletic association fund. ~ Committees have Pe appointed to ar- range for @ Mardigray. celebration. The chairman of each is gf below: Finance, Timothy Welch; banquét, M. Head; enter- tainment, E. Brady; program, J. H. sidy; music,-J. F. C floral, Fox. There will be a noon, an entertainme: the evening, followed ‘The Morris Literary at the meeting tomorrdw= solved, That the arbitration treaty now be- fore the United State; pecpate should be ratified.” Michael J. Far! will speak in the affirmative and Thomas Driscoll in the negative. —— At the last meeting of the Law School Debating Soctety the f were chosen as the speakers in tl public: debate, which will take place #% t ain lecture hall of the law building 8: jay evening, March 6: Stephen J. Casey of Rhode Is- land, J. Raymond Stafford‘of the District of Columbia, P. C. Burk’ of the District of Columbia and Joseph Chez. The rector, Father J. Haves Richards, is in Woodstock, Md., attending a meeting of the provincial committee on studies. Capt. Joe Kelly has had the base ball team out several hours each day during the bright weather this week, and says he is going to work them hard every day tha: t they can i the ‘field. He is highly pleased wit tas showing “mands Bo shee . Th +-graduate law, class isto’ be: ex- gained. Romensulsng tow Says Justice Morris on Friday next. - Z a The Enosinian.Society-—last~.gight dis- cussed, “Resolved, That the Senate should Rebinson, Broadus, Jones and R. Harlan spoke in the affirmative, while Messrs. Everett, Hays, Hoover and Q. Harlan up- held the negative. The News was edited by Miss Ross and the Bee by Mr. Stuart for class I ard Mr. Beatty for class II. A mass meeting was held Thursday even- ing to form an athletic association, and committees were appointed to press the matter before the various departments. The Law School Debating Society next Saturday evening will discuss, “Resolved, That Alaska should be represented in Con- gress.” The speakers will be J. P. McCain, W. S. Smith and W. W. H. Robinson, af- firmative, and I. Q. H. Alward, C. 8. Frost and F. G. Huebner, negative. The junior law class will give a dance to the students and their friends next Friday evening. F. G. Handy is chairman of the committee in charge. The patronesses are Mesdames Adlai EB. Stevenson, J. G. Car- lisle, U. S. Grant, Nellie G. Sartoris, Cal- deron Carlisle, N. C. Blanchard, Philip Sharp, Wm. Emory, Marcus J. Wright, Will H. Maury and W. G. Johnson, Miss Herbert and Mme. Romero. A meeting of the senior class was held last night, and a report from the commit- tee on class history was received. Cards are cut for a reception to be given by the Columbian Women on Monday even- ing. Dean Mentague will address the alumni of Frederick Academy, Frederick, Md., Tues- day evening on the celebration of the one hundredth anniversary of its foundation. The subject of his address will be “Rela- tions of Alumni to Their Alma Mater. National University. At a meeting of the junior class held Sat- urday evening, February 13, 1897, the fol- lowing gentlemen were elected class offi- cers: President, E. 8. Bailey; vice prest- dent, S. B. Fowler; secretary, C. W. Rider; treasurer, W. C. Balderson. At a meeting of the senior class held Tuesday, February 16, the following gen- tlemen were selected to serve on the joint executive committee: J. L. Underwood, G. D. McQuestery, C. H. Merrilatt, C. K. Allen, J. H. Magraw, G. R. Davis, G. N. Brown, G. Clarke, H. W. Bowen, C. H. Taylor and G. W. Dietrick. At a meeting of the joint Debating So- ciety of the National Law School it was decided to hold the public debate on Tues- day evening, March 25, 1897, in the lecture hall of the Law School building. The question will be selected Tuesday evening next. The gentlemen chosen to take part are as follows: W. L. Lowe of Texas, F. 8. Smith of the District of columbia, F. Nye of the District of Columbia, G. N. Brown of Wyoming, C. H. Merrilatt of the District of Columbia, and E. P. Hamlin, jr. = Filtering the Water Supply. ‘To the Editor of The Evening Star: In view of the great importance of adopt- ing some means for purifying and cleans- ing the water supplied by our water works, the report of Consul Mason as to a new system adopted at Worms may prove of interest to our citizens. The matter of filtering the water has been considered ard reported upon time and again, but has always been condemned because of the heavy expense of the plant, and of operating it. General Meigs, who built the original aqueduct, had the water analyzed, and at that time reported that {t was superior to the Croton water of New York, and for that reason said “it does not need to be filtered.” Various official reports since then have stated that the water was chemically pure. In 1886 the Commissioners in their Teport say that “if public filtration be re- sorted to to correct this difficulty (its tur- bidity) the cost would be so large as to prevent the immediate consideration of es- tablishing the plant,” and Senator Harris in his report on increasing the water sup- ply, made March 9, 1882, reported against filtration on account of its “great expense.” The subject was also considered by Col. Samo in 1875, and again by Gen. Casey in 1880, who also objected to it on account of the great expense. He estimated that to filter 26,000,000 gallons, the plant would cost $913,400, and the running of it $28,470 per annum. As the supply is now much greater than that, and when the tunnel is completed is expected to reach seventy-five or eighty million gallons, it will be seen that the cost by the same plan of using sand beds would far exceed Gen. Casey’s estimate. ver pure the water may have been when the aqueduct was built, there can be no question that it is rendered less pure now by the growth of population along its banks and its greater pollution from sewage, etc., and that the addition of land that is cultivated in the area that drains into the Potomac and its tributaries has largely increased the turbidity of the water, so that now nearly all agree that something should be done to remedy exist- ing evils. If, therefore, any plan has been or can be devised by which the cost of filtration can be so reduced as to render its adoption feasible with us, it Is a matter of great importance. In the report of Consul Mason is a de- scription of a new system which he de- scribes and illustrates. Briefly described, the apparatus consists of a battery or series of porous plates com- posed of sharp sand and pulverized glass, baked under a high temperature and of any form desired. Those in use at Worms are molded into hollow plaques or plates, about forty inches square and eight inches thick, with @ 2-inch space Yr the center. What they term a battery of these are set in a ce- mented vault into which the water is fed under a pressure of three or four feet head. The water passes through the porous sides to the space inside, from which it 1s con- ducted by a pipe, and is thereby filtered on substantially the same plan as-in the Pas- teur filters in common use in families and elsewhere. By means of pipes the filtered water can be fed to the space inside, the pressure on the outsidé being removed, when the pas- Sage of the water through the walls from the inside outward soon removes the dirt that has accumulated on their exterior, and thus the filter is cleansed without re- moving or disturbing any of the parts, it only being necessary to open and close cer- tain cocks. It appears from’ the consul’s report that in 1889 the city of Worms began the filtra- tion of its water supply taken from the River Rhine, by the sand-bed Process, simi- jar to that used at Berlin. With 13,000 Square feet of sand-bed filters, they filtered 792,510 gallons per day; but that not being sufficient they concluded to increase the amount by the use of the new or Fischer system above described. Consul Mason says: “One of the ten vaults used for the sand beds was cleaned out, and 500 of the Fis- cher plates placed therein. The whole cost of the change was $9,600, and the new filters, occupying about one-ninth as much Space as the sand filters, doubled the fil- tering capacity of the entire installation. In other words, 500 Fischer plates costing, set up and ready for operation, $9,600, and occupying only 130 square meters of space, filtered as much water as the sand filters, which occupy 1,170 square meters, and cost '$30,000."" And he adds, that from a long series of analyses and careful observations made by the sanitary authorities of Worms, it ap- pears that the efficiency of the two sys- tems, worked side by side, is practically identical. If these statements be correct, as we have every reason to believe they are, it would seem that the cost of filtering our water supply can be so reduced as to make it possible for us to have it done. The idea of a commission to examine and report on the condition and sources of pol- lution of our water supply is an excellent one, and if now in addition to that some means can be provided for an examination of and report on this new filter system, and the result shall prove as favorable as rep- resented, we would be in a condition to do something in the way of filtration by the time the tunnel can be completed. W. C. DODGE. ratify .he arbitration treaty.”. Mesers: | How Fido eave away tis mistress.—Life. THE $3 RATE A WARNING AND A REBUKE Against the Deceiving of the Sick by. Men Who Are Not Doctors. Doctor McCoy Amply Repaid for the Expense. by the Gratitude of Patients and Words of Approval From All Right Thinking Men and Women. Doctor McCoy is amply repaid for the expense involved in the 83 rate by the gratitude of hundreds of patients, who are receiving the benefit of hin perb skill at this purely nomi: cont. He Is repaid a thousand times over by letters and words of approval from those who hnd been deceived by medical confidence mained under the Free or No Charge mask, against which confidence games the $3 rate was given as a weapon to protect the people. When men who are not doctors at- tempt to coin a disreputable gain by trading upon the sick aMllicted, the first step im their dece; invariably the effort to dclude the sick by the terms “Free” or “No Charge.” When such med lo fakirs brought into competition with phys cians of skill and the physicians of skill have their rates so low that they but cover their expenses, then the bogus doctors no longer make money, and as it Is money alone they are after, they soon retire from the field. As a warning and a rebuke to them and their methods, the establishment of the rate of $3 2 month has served as nothing else could have served. Doctor McCoy gave the $2 rate to a patients and to cover all discases, His determination that none should be unwittingly or unknowingly im- posed upon by medical pretenders and bogus doctors was as broad the whole field of medicine. Doctor McCoy simply reserves to himself the right to withdraw it by siving due notice im the public prints when it is found to be absolutely necessary, He would be glad to co tinue this rate indefinitely for the purpose for which it was given. The crowds of patients who are seeking his services will very apparently re- duce this in a short time to a physical impossibility. He insists upon pe: sonal care and attention to all his patients, He does not let out h work to hired doctors or cheap salaried men, and so he only promised to maintain this offer as long as the resources of his office will permit it; that is, until the num- ber of patients under treatment be- comes so great as to prevent the possibility of personal care and at- tention to every case. DR. McCOY’S RECORD. The Six Years of Preparation. Matriculant at University of New York. First honor man In his class. Winner of famous Loomis prize. Candidate for Bellevue. Hospital appoint- ment... -March, 1879 Chosen by competitive examination, open to all jcian of March, 1879 During service at visiting phy- sician to training school for nurses....April, 1880 Served as resident physician to Bellevue. .1879-1880 Study in hospitable of London and Dublin. .....1881 -February, 1879 Formulation of regular treatment for chronic trou- bles as a result of hospital experience. ......1882 Formulation of regular treatment for the cure of catarrhal, bronchial and lung diseases......183 Announcement of Dr. McCoy's cures first introduced voluntarily by well-known journalists, with pic- tures and interviews of patients cured. April, 1884 Doctor McCoy treating over one thousand patients a Seep = 1885 students from Bellevue. The second visit to Europe for further hospital Study and Inspection. Serving in the laboratories of Prof. Koch, at Ber- Study in Charitie Hospi Clinic under Von Bergmann... Formulation of a system of medicine based on the discovery of poison in the blood as the origin of disease. . : ++ 1891 ‘The system perfected by application and experi- ment in cases selected from Dr. McCoy's prac- tice. S35 5555 1892 The world startled by Dr. McCoy's Discovery of a cure for Deafness...... September, 1895 Location ot a permanent national practice in Wash- ington... +++++-March 28, 1896 James O'Hara, 722 H st. n.w., City: “I had been deaf for fifteen years. I was very deaf when I went to Doctor McCoy. My left car was RESTORATION OF HEARING LOST FROM LIGHTNING STROKE, J. F. Doran, 1205 N st. 2 “Ll was struck by lightning about twenty years ago and became so deaf that E could not near the voice of the priest during the church service. Now I can hear the sound of the razor on my face while shay ing. “After the gtroke by lightning I was uncons: ious for some time, and when I regained my senses there were sharp riaging nolses in my ears. From that time on I began to lose my hearing. Finally I became so deaf that I could not hear oniinary conversation or the ticking of the clock or the cloa- ing of the door. I Could Net Hear the Sermon in church, even when sitting very near The speaker. I have been attending early mass for a jong time, Dut before going to Doctor McCoy I could wot hear a word of the service. ‘After taking treatment, the first impsovement that I noticed was that I could hear the voice of the priest during the service, whic for years. Now I cam bear disti ‘says. on in the snine room where I ain sitting. In fi my hearing has been restored to normal condi = tly everything he I can also bear ordinary conversation going HOW HER TEACHER HELPED ALICE LY TO A CURE OF D NESS, Miss Alice Lyles, 215 South Alfred et., Alexandria, Va., fourteen years 0 remember when I was not deaf. My sister read about Doctor McCoy, but I was afrald te go to him for fear he might hurt me. He didn’t, though. Don’t you think Iam glad I went to him? All of a sudden I heard what the folks were saying at home. At school I Can Hear Every Word the teacher says. My teacher is Miss Davis of the Peabody School. She lets we out of school to take the treatment.’ Mrs. Sarah Lyles, her mother, says: “My dangh- ter had been deaf since she was five years She could not bear any ordinars conversation. is intensely happy over her cure by Doctor Mt She said: ‘Ma, I can hear everybody thing fs #0 plain now.’ ” Miss Davis, the teacher, says: knew Alice—that was three rears ago she wi very deaf. This term I noticed it more than ever, until the last few weeks, when I noticed sbe heard better. Now she readily answers any ques- tions. It used to be painful to me to give her recitations at all. Now she can hear mv.” Raymond Dickson, Bright- ood avenue n.w., aged 10 years. Cured of deafness. LEFT SCHOOL BECAUSE OF HIS DEAFNESS; HEARING RESTORED. Raymond Dickson, Aged 10 Years, Brightwood ave. n.w., city. His mother had to take him from school. She says: “Ills teacher sald that Raymond was so deaf that it was useless to have him in school. She could not make bim un- derstand. “When he was six years old he was run over by a carriage, one of the wheels passing over his head. From this time he became deaf, so deat that we found great difficulty in making him understand at all. It was necissary to shout at him to make him hear a word. Whenever he cauglt cold bis hearing would Necome even worse. “It was because of the statements made by oth- ers of their cures, of the young and ol we took Raymond to Doctor McCoy, It m: very Lappy to say that my son now bears perfectly, He umlerstands our conversation, and he can dis- tinctly hear a watch tick when Leld six inches from his ear. “With his deafness he was troubled wifh rum- bling noises in bis head, which have now ceased. “His bearing returned suddenly; we first. noticed it when we found that he could hear every. word of our conversation carried on in ordinary tone, We are very grateful to Doctor McCoy for what he has done for our boy.”” STILL MAKING THE CHILDREN HEAR; NO OPERATION—NO PAIN. Master Henry Ochmann, 507 Stanton Place me. Aged 12 years. His mother says: “My son had been deaf for two years. His ears constantly discharged, and he suffered all the time from severe beadache. He attends St. Mary's School, but because of bis deafness he could not understand his teacher, and she would be often obliged to reprimand him'®ecaues-she thought him stupid or heedless. “¥ read of Doctor McCoy's mats wonderfal cures THEY WERE DEAF, “ had been very hard of bearing for elgiteen months. Doctor McCoy “Comptétely restored my beariug. I most heartily recommend his treat- ment.” Dr. J. M..Cawdea, Consulting. Physiclans. 715 13th Street Northwest. Office Hours, 9 to 12a.m.,1teSpm.6 to 8 p.m.datly.Snpdey,19 a.m, te 4 p.m.