Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-03-04
A Visit to Mount Vernon.

to enjoy himself on Sunday, the celebration
of tie birthday of the Father of his country
took place on the 23d. Taking advantage
of q most clear and beautiful, spring like
day, your correspondent could think Of no
better way to celebrate the day than by TAX
ing trip to the home and final resting
place of him who was ''frst in peace, first
in war, first in the hearts Of his country
men, The sun shone clear and warm,
the air was pure and balmy, the broad
waters of the muddy Potomac rolled gently
while the hills Of Virginia were just begin
ming to put on their green mantle.
The native Westinghouse, or even those
who have lived here for years, cannot think
of visiting Mt. Vernon more than once i n
lifetime, and those we find a fellow trav.
elers on the boat are therefore mostly stran-
gers or new comers 1t is a very remarka-
BILE circumstance that one may find in
Washington thousands of people who have
lived here for years and years, and no
never have been outside of the city to visit
places of interest in its immediate neigh Dor
hood, while they will often have trave led
to the sea shore, to Northern cities, and
even to Europe. They have never seen he
Soldiers Home, only mile or less from the
street cars, have only heard of Airing ton.
where are buried thousands of brave soldiers
who defended their homes, have never even
visited the dome of the Capitol, whenc.
view unsurpassed in beauty and grandeur
greets the eye. Thousands of people crowd
the dusty streets on this Monday to see the
flags waving, but only small company of
some $50 or 200 persons sal! down the riv-
er to enjoy the pure air and view the beau
tful scenery for which the Potomac is pro-
verbal
Almost every object that meets the eye
has some historic interest. From the deck
Of the steamer We see quite plainly on the
Virginia shore the beautiful Arlington,
once the home Of the adopted son of George
Washington and of Robert E. Lee, now, in
consequence of his treason, the property of
the Government and the last resting place
of nearly 10000 soldiers who fought and
died tor the Union. Near to US is the Long
Bridge that unites Washington and the
Virginia shore, only lately rebuilt and now
occupied by railroad that connects the
Northern and Southern system Of railroads
owned or controlled by the railroad king,
Tom Scott. During the war this bridge,
as we'll as the Aqueduct bridge at
Georgetown, a little further up stream was
strongly guarded, while the Virginia hills
were bristling with Qualifications and dotted
with white tents and barracks. Leaving
the wharf we pass closely by the Washing
ton Arsenal, where the conspirators of
Abraham Lincoln were tried, and where
Mrs. Surratt was hung. The building, the
old Penitentiary. has been demolished, and
the grounds are but little used. We reach
the eastern Branch, tributary to the coto-
mae, on the Western shore OF which is the
Navy Yard, lately the scene of some excite
ment but now again in its every day tri {.
In tie stream are two or three monitors,
and the bare smasts of some huge wooden
ships are ..seen here and there. The piles
remaining standing from the bridge across
branch burned by the British in 1914 are
dimy seen, while new bridge has been
built lower down, nov about to be replaced
by an iron structure. On this bridge the
horse of Wilkes Booth fell, as be was gal.
Looping away from the scene of his terrible
deed, and the riders ankle was broken.
On the opposite shore is the little village
OF Uniontown, and higher up the hill the
District Insane Asylum. further down
the eye meets the sites of several old forti-
fcations on the Maryland side, thrown up
during the war to protect the river and the
land approaches to the Capital. On the Vir-
GINA side we are approaching Alexandria,
while in the dim distance back of it Is seen
Fairfax Court House, often during the war
occupied by the Confederates. The steamer
touches at the old city, once, and until
lS49 part OF the District Of Columbia,
now belonging to Virginia. Once a city of
some Importance it is now rather dilapida-
ted old place, and a picture of what Wash
ington only a few years ago was, before the
SbIeCto "C1C poSSo, "hu suO PAoPSA'y ALA-
proved. Further down the river, the
shores of whichs gradually rise from the
waters on the waters on the Virginia shore
while rather low on the Maryland side,
we'll wooded, but only spsrsely cultivated,
the boat stops at Fort Foote on high bluff
on the Mary land shore, and again at Fort
Washington and old fort, built with strong
walls of stone and brstling with cannons,
rem hiding one of Fort Smelling, and proba-
bly, built at about the same time or even
earlier. Opposite this is Mt. Vernon, the
object Of our journey, and here we land.
The Mt. Vernon estate, comprising sew
eral thousand acres of land, was originally
owned by brother of George Washington,
who built the mansion, low, two story
frame house, sc feet in length, with a row
of columns ia. front. The estate was ma
terially improved by Washington himself,
who lived here tor many years, and was
very fond Of the place. After his death it
was bequeathed to his nephew Bushrod
Washington, who sold 200 acres ot,it COM
prising the mansion and the land imme
diately surrounding it to the '.Ladies' Mt
Vernon Association" who now own it. 1t
is in charge Of board Of ladies consisting