March 23: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY
ON THIS DAY IN 1874, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “Col. Forney and other prominent Philadelphians are in Washington, to make a final effort in behalf of the Centennial Exhibition. If Congress will do nothing for it they want a positive declaration to that effect, so that there may be no mistake about it.”
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ON THIS DAY IN 1905, the Eagle reported, “Spring cleaning has begun at St. Paul’s on up-to-date lines, says the London Daily Mail. The traditions of the cathedral were enriched by a new precedent yesterday, in the introduction of a vacuum cleaner, and the calm of the stately cloisters echoed with the rapid throb of the engine, as the dust was sucked off the musty library shelves and old oak carvings. Recently an attempt was made to give the outside of the cathedral a sort of dry shampoo with the new American sharp sand blast. It was found, however, that a hardness of the stone made the cleaning a long and tedious undertaking. Several days were occupied in cleaning a few square yards on the north side. When cleaned, this portion was treated with a new decay-resisting composition. It is, however, generally considered that the hard shell which the weather has caused to form on the surface of the stone is a natural protection that it would be inadvisable to remove. There are, moreover, some who would not care to see London’s cathedral cleaned up like a new hotel, and who prefer the lights and shadows that time has painted on it.”