National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-04-24
IMPORTANT EPOCHS SINCE ITS BIRTH.

While the people of the country are EosorSed
in centennial anniversaries, the first of which has
1ust now been celebrated at Lexington and Con-
cord it is interesting to the curious 70 trace the
history Of W ashingtOn, which is exactly quarter
Of q century junior to the Independence of the
nation.
IN I775 commenced the great struggle for ma
tionaI independence. Ten years later, in June,
ITSa, in Congress-then assembled in New York
the first effort was made to estab ish the National
Capital on the Potomac river.
In 1857 a resolution was introduced in Congress
&c establish the seat Of Government at George
tUSgD, On the Potomac. This resolution was not
In i7S9 both the States OF Maryland and Viz
Einia by Legislative acts, rendered to the United
States tracts Of land ten miles square, in their
spective States, for the seat Of Government.
In July, 1880, an act passed Congress establish
ing the permanent seat Of Government on the PO-
tCILac riyer between the mouth Of the Anacostia
AMI the CUnecOCheague.
In March, I7gl- an amerdatory act so changed
the location as TO allow the territory to extend
down the Potomac as far as the mouth OF Hunting
creek.
nicatiCn concerning the future capital, called it
the Federal CITY, About this time it was
agreed 10 by Congress to name the District of ten
mIles square the Territory OF COluU Oia, and the
city. Washington. In September, 1928, the cor
neT stone Of the capital WIS laid with Masonic
hCnCTs, Washington himself participating as
Grand Master in the ceremonies. Congress had
enacted that the seat OF Government SaoGli De
removed 10 this city in 1900. The financial con-
ditiCn Of the country such that IL required an
almost superhuman effort on the part Of the COM
mlssiOners to accomplish the preparations for this
event AID to Gen. Washington, more than TO any
other person, is due success.
virginia made a donation Of Sl20,0Oo, and
MARYLAND, $1,000 for the expense OF putting the
Public buildings in readiness. By the forced
SaIe oIIublic lots and all other means sufficient
money could not be raised. Congress refused
apy AID whatever, and President Washington,
almost unaidet, appealed to the State of Mary
land for a lean OF 100000, which he eventually
sUcceeded in securing, but the credit Of the coun-
try was in such a deplOrable condition the State
OF Maryland required the additional guarantee
OF The private credit Of the commissioners for the
payment Of the loan. Washington did not live
70 see the Federal City, the child of his own
conception, occupied as the capital OF the country
be had done SO much to establish. He died in l7go.
In 1900 the
WAS REMOVED TO WASHINGTON,
as had been determined by Congress. One wing
OF the Capitol, the Presidents house and temper
airy buildings tor the War and Treasury Offices,
were already erected. Nostree;s we're visible. New
Jersey avenue being about the only passable
street south Of the Capitol, was merely road
along which were q few houses. Pennsylvania
avenue. from the Capitol to the White House,
was deep morGss, covered with alders, except
the roadway, which had just then been cut
through. Between the White House and George
town was one row OF houses, recently erected,
which was known as the six buildings" There
were fifty or sixty unfinished houses on Green
leafs Point, mere shanties; sl2O, very few near
what is now the Navy Yard. row Of houses
had been erected On the ca 81 side of what was in
tended as the Capitol square for The accomoda-
ton Of congressman, and few other blocks
about the city. The only substantial residences
were those of Dudley Carroll and Motley Young.
The Carroll mansion is still standing. The
Young house was removed about the middle OF
the century to accommodate the opening Of q
street southeast.
The whole population within the limits Of the
city would not exceed about five hundred per-
labCrers, mainly Irish. CONGRESS assembled for
the first time in Washington November q, $500.
BY act sf Congress jurisdiction was assumed over
the District Of Columbia in 1901, and the laws Of
force over those portions OF the District coded by
these States respectively.
In 1902 municipal form OF government was es-
ablished for the city and the Levy Court 10 the
county. The appointment o! mayor was vested
in the President OF the United States every year,
and the two branches Of the City Council elected
also established an Orphans Court, q Circuit
Court, and a registrar Of wills.
LEAPING OVER QUARTER OF CENTURY,
We ind in IH25 a population OF about Is 900 peo-
little upwards OF :, 500; OF these there were $50
Sheps and warehouses and 40 public buildings
About so tenements were built in the year 1875
he value OF real and personal property was, in
round numbers, IS, COO, 600, and the tax 5000
During this lapse Of quarter OF a century the
Capitol and Presidents mouse had been burned
library Of Congress was entirely destroyed. In
1915 President Jefferson donated his private
library Of 7,CO0 volumes to Congress, and accu-
mutations Increased the number TO about 1900
volumes in 1925.
Tie two wings of the Capitol had been rebuilt
Shu 'oundatlon laid for the centre and dome. The
Iiaiiv 'iiz.i - r. -
80 e. now appesIs. 4,urlng the progress OF
rebuilding the President resided in the 'Octagon
house, at the corner Of New York avenue and
Eighteenth street, now occupied BY the hydro
graphic Office Of the navy, and sometimes called
the haunted castle" There were in the District
twelve churches: three Catholic, two Episcopa-
lian, three Presbyterian, three Methodist, Zone
cOIOTed,) two Beptist, one Unitarian, and one
FrienGs'. There were six lodges Of Ereenasons.
Columbian College was Incorporated in 1871. The
medical department, called the National Med
zeal College" established in 1924. The first
course Of lectures commenced March, 1875. The
law department was also Incorporated, and the
nTEt coarse of Law lectures commenced in 1875.
The first bank, the Bank OF Washington
was chartered in 1911. The Bank Of the Me.
tropolis' and also the Patriotic BANK were char
tered in 1877. Streets and avenues were opeaed;
parks laid out, and the city had assumed some
hing Of a metropolitan aspect. The public
Tary character, have long since entirely disap-
peaTed, and are forgotten.
Again we leap over quarter Of . century and
take view OF
WASHINGTON IN 1850.
We fnd population OF 10000, with nearly q, 900
bnilGings, public and private. The Old Capitol,
which in 1925 was in process Of construction, was
finished. The War and Navy buildings were
erected as they now stand, west of the White
House. East Of the w hite House, and standing
in the tame relative positions TO it as the War
and Navy Departments, were buildings for the
Treasury and State Departments, the former
standing where is now the south wing Of the
Treasury, and the latter in the place now covered
by the north wing. In 1888 the Treasury build
ing was destroyed by IRE. Soon after this occur
renee there was begun the erection Of the present
building, and in 1871 it was completed as it now
nf VIII
A building occupied By the Post Once Depart
meDt was destroyed by IRE in 1895. The present
general Post Once building, the first structure
Of marble erected in the city, was commenced in
1913, and in 1850 was nearly finished. By act OF
Congress, in 1885, bureau Of patents was created
Prior TO this date all patent business had been
done in the Post Office Department building. and
when that building was destroyed by tire all
models and records were burned.
The present Patent On &c building was soon
after begun, and in 1850 the central portion was
finished.
During this PERIOD also, the Naval Observatory
was established and completed substantially as it
The Smithsonian Institution was instituted BY
act Of Congress in lS46. The cornerstone Of the
present structure was laid May ], 1897, aud was
vet Unfinished In 1850.
BY act Of Congress in 1885 the National Wash.
iDgton Monument Association was Incorporated
July 4, lS4S, the cornerstone OF the monument
was laid with Masonic ceremonies.
In 1850 there were in the District Of COlum 6ia
thIrty-one churches-six Methodist Episcopal
lie, three Baptist, one Protestant Methodist, one
Lutheran, one Unitarian, one Friends and foul
African churches of various denominations.
There was q grand lodge and eight subordinate
lodges Of MSsons, two Royal Arch chapters anc
one encEmpment Of Knights Templar; one grand
and titeen subordinate lodges OF Odd Fellows
and four encampments. There were one grand
and seven subordinate divisions Of Sons Of Ten
perance.
During this period Of a quarter OF a century
very great progress had been made in the i'm
movement OF streets and avenues in further carry
ing out and beautiiying parks and in arehitec
tuTe But all these sink into inEignitcance anC
utter obscurity when viewed in comparison witt
the lapse Of the last twenty-five years.
sKvKNTY-FIVE YEARS AGO,
On the 18th day Of April, Congress passed an ac
making the necessary appropriation for removing
the archives OF the Government to the District o
before in the history Of the world seen the CapI
tai Of a nation arrive at such proportions as ha
this.
At the end Of the first and second quarters o
the centenary life Of the Federal City IL wa
used as . reprOaeh and disgrace to the nation
that its Capital was not yet out of her sWaddlinL
clothes and was still in the mire. 1t was re
teeth all such scandal, TO overlap all barriers
and to stand up in the full stature, and clOEheC
10 all the babiIimentS Of great city.
This would be glory and progress enough. Blu
We see in 1873 population Of $50 900 souls in thu
District We see streets and avenues paved
marks laid out and beautiied and public anC
private buildings erected In style Of architecture
tai cities Of the old world. We see Capitol said
be me grandest building IN the world. We se'
Government buildings SURPRISING In utility suc
coDvenienee those Of any government. Th(