The sun., 1873-09-23
THE PRESIDENTS FRIENDS.
HENRY ID. COOKE IN a MILLION
DOLLAR STEAL,
Sea ndaIous Robbery Of the Citiyens of wash.
ingtOn-The Way Congressional Ihyesti-
gaiion wns Sduclchcd-Wn- not Uou.
Henry T.. Dawes a Partner in thts Bold
aud Atrocious Fraude

~
aud AtrociOus Frhudf
Correspondence Of The sun
WAHuNGToN, Sept. 12.-When the pro-
pretors of the land on which the city Of Wash-
iugton was located conveyed the same 10 the
Commissioners appointed by President W ash
lugton under the acts ot July IL, lI'O, and March
3, lial hey reserved square OF ground be-
tween !, ycnth ant Ninth streets, fronting on
Pcun-y ania avenue. Tor market house pur-
poses. This square N given 10y them to the
city for the sole use and bchooi ~ the citizens
thereof for "A market house site, provided they
chose tn use 1t for such a purpose. when the
city was laid out by Major LEnfaut and map
of the same was engraved and publ shed under
his supervision In Philadelphia in l'5!' this
square of ground appeared thereon, and thence
(, rward WIS known a. tho Market rcserva-
tiur." Market Space and Market square
From the time whereof the memory OF the
"oldcat inhlbitant runneth not 70 the con
trarv. this space was used AZ puhnc market
For nearly eighty years the citizens OF wash
iuctun recognized the ground ~ the common
heritage uf themselves ana their helts, anu
Vlpred 10 u. The Ctty IN it, corporate capacity
during nearly three quarters OF century never
advanced any claims 10 or cNefclSeu any con-
troll over IL save to prescribe the nrcrs sary rules
and regulations for the protection OF the cit-
zciIs In their rights.
THE uArCutSG or the PLor.
n 1855 pa conspiracy was set on foot 10y ii. ID.
Cooke, A. x. Shepherd, ". ;. Huntington, aud
numberof Others To- get possession of this square
OF ground, and with ii the exclusive privilege of
I having "A market house thereon. They attempt
ed to buy bill through the CITY Councils giving
hem this privilege. but the opposition Of the
press and the indignation OF the people de-
featcd their scheme. They thon determined
to 20 to Congress and get their franchise from
that BODY They knew very vol that Congress
had no authority whatever to dispose OF square
which mad been reserved to the people b, the
original owners. but this did not deter them In
| the least. They went about the work Of goh-
bling the square ana fastening upon the people
IL hal. aslN q
the following mauner: They employed an arch-
tect 10 prepare plans for the huldlngs which
they proposed to erect. and which wetc truly
prAnd--on paper. There was 60 toe a mammoth
] hotel fronting On Pcuu~ylVlnil avenue, equal In
capacity 50 tho tifth Avenue and St. Nicholas
/ combined. and Of uIlatiul maXnticcnce.
! In Tho rear Of this pile was TO hc located the
market house proper which was desitncd on IN
| equally eNtraVagslnt scale. over the lower
! story were To- bc three iiumcnse public halls.
which were % be fec once in four years Tor in
/ aucuration hnlls. These plans were gotten up
/ ia cle ,ant style, and Photographic copie, were
/ Iiaced intcn or dozen SNOW windows on the ave
nue.. Tho members of the Ring and their hirengs
! every wher, lauded the achemc to the skies.
/ For ,no~c who raised their Vuices e. denounrc
/ this tti,k to alpropuMc tho people market
/ house site and enrich the Ring 10y taxing the
/ food OF the masses the King advocates had
/ plausible story ready. The income. they said,
! from the Grand Hotel would be enormous
I great 'hat the stockholders would be content
/ with the diVidcnds derived from 1t alone. and
/ thu people would really have all the advantage
J ut q Ialttti market house for nothing.
now THF IoB WAS rtT THROUGH CONGRESS
! Tho ti,.e. w,r, ausplc,ou4 for the Ring. The
I II ,..s. L .uuli.t,c ON tAa District of Colum, ia
a. t.-,s. .l.i ny.r lt one nlrtnn e. Cook Of ii IL
A y.h' 'hsi loo. .lrr.ii,;.d by tLa agents II tho
i.t- lY liberal rnuisrs of Market House
I et.'l Thr. ni40 counted am ing t,slr art .la
ft.rI. iu tle House Adoiphus 4 rlnuer ~
Nrv Ynth Nm William. uf Indiana and Cha..
: 4. ir.i,. III vi ,,f.iu. wnila In Inc senate
+ tr.y r,i.rt an the c.Grcr,tilu of Patterson.
/ Tot,or. " ii.ou aud Cameron on the Sd II
I.hr trr, ls.lL Mr. Tanner by unanimous con-
s.nt i,.,oi "A lilI 10 incorporute tho wash
i,,l,,, N,~lc, t,,,,r, ne 4, ,bich r,,s road argt
nnd -,cotd INN, aud referred 10 tbe com mittee
On Public Huili,nss and Grounds Tanner >
/ r"nfuitft,e On March Is Mr. Tanner rrpnr.ci
h-rk tbe Nm win Inc reromm'nd,tion that Il
dn tn.a Ihe Ust Of incnrtnrators cupfnined
thr iues -. f..'t, r,.t,,t Nh llrus 1f Wash-
/ if-t u vtn bnd Ia, c.nrocfiou ,yhntryrr
/ Ni-i, tir '"trnIe mud who had
ma hon ,t.,,-,.od tbsf their names
b. ! Icon u.. 4 'l',ie ~. done 10 civ. the
T In .,.c 81 I'n,.', ADD decor. fhs
III, - t.l f,, .,r,. 4, h &C. f'tn f,l,i ,rif,
ffT, v.l.,i,. ,,,i,,r r.e ast nj me Iri,.r,t on
w., drawn under. she Supervision Of VIM T..
chandler Zen liuilrl' ana SI'et t1-hHi' Wu3
were I'i ,,'httu lu tut Juo ~ n'vl'N any
Ic,a,4Nt': II allpNeu 'lt Ny'hl llaill '' 'a''' a
sen h"nos' l" h"rF.W i,.hSl ail A,,dlt ih =
ta-ra' "lI y ~ u Wy NuN't ,'",. ~ N N
thr ''tM "l ' nun, cE' AZ - !, ' & 90 tto; ; y
Per "nmum i"I 'ne "itNt "i We i,oo' 9l is sns
yiiN. ih' ',Ni-' r.H1l.' ~ "i imc ! ~ ~MnrA'.