The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1879-12-27


helped by the guests who sat nearest to
them. 81 have Il delicious quarter of NUT
tor from the valley of Virginia" Mr.. Brown
would announce, III 4 stcntorian tone, which
could he heard above the clatter Of crocliery,
| the din of steel knives and forks "Lrt me
send a rare slice, Mr. A. Colonel d, will
you not have p bone" "Mrs. c. send un
your plate for a piece of the Kidney
Mrs. d, there is fat and tender .nongrel
goose nj the other end OF the table" Joe
pass around the sweet potatoes 'Colo-
mel L, will you help to that chicken pie be-
fore you?" Those at the table thus knew
what was before them without reading
eiaborately printed bills Of fare, often con-
tanning the names of Il dozen dishes that
have no existence except in the imagination
of the caterer. The expense Of living at
THE INDIAN QUEEN
was not great. Tic price Of board was 31.15
per day, S10 per week, or So per month.
Transient guests were charged fifty cents
for breakfast and for supper, aud seventy
five cents for dinner. Brandy and whisky
were placed on the dinner table in dccant-
ers, to he drunk by the guests without addi-
tional charge therefor. \ bottle of real old
Madeira, imported into Alexandria, was
supplied for s.; sherry, brandy. and gin
were Size 4 bottle and jamaica rum 81.
~ The bar, toddics were made with unadui-
tcrated liquor and lump sugar; the Xxx ale
came from the brewery on the bank of Rock
Greek; fresh mint for julepS WAS brought
from the country every day, and yet the
charge was but twelve and a half cents a
drink. On high days and holy days Brown
would conc0ct Ioamimg egg noe in a mann
moth punch bowl once owned 10y Washing
ton, and the guests of the house were all
invited to partako. The tavern desk was
behind the bar, with rows of large bells
hanging by circular springs on the wall,
each with 4 bulet-shapet! tongue, which
continued to yibrate for Some minutes after
having been rung, showing to which room
it belonged. The bar keeper prepared the
drinks - called for, saw that the bells were
answered, received and delivered letters and
cards, and answered questions by the score
He was supposed to know every body in
Washington, where they resided, and at
what hours they could lie seen.
Washington had then been called by an
observing foreigner the city of magnifi-
cent distances, an appellation which was
well mer;ted. There was group of small,
shabby houses around the navy yard and
IL +l,>
river bank, just above the arsenal, which
was to have been the business center Of
the metropolis; and Pennsylvania Avenue
from the Capitol to Georgetown, with the
streets Immediately adjacent, was lined
with houses, many of them with chops on
the ground floor. The executive depart,
ments were located in four brick edifiCes on
the corners of the square, in the center of
which was the White House Tie impos-
ing baiiding now occupied by the depart
ment OF the interior had not been COM
menced, rer had the general post office re-
placed large brick structure, intended for
hotel, but which the Iecuniary nccessi-
tics of the protector forced him to dispose
of in a lottery before it was completed. The
fortunate ticket was held by minors, whose
guardian could neither Sell the building nor
finish it, and it remained forty years in a
diapidatcd condition.
Georgetown. situated al the head of the
tide water of the Potomac, was Il port of
COMMERCIAL CoNSEer EECE.
The lun bering six-horse wasons of the plant
erS of Maryland and the farmers of Penn
Sylvania brought loads of wheat and of corn,
taking back goods, groceries, and salt. To-
bacco had been raised in large quantities in
the surrounding region during the preced-
ing century, but it had SO exhausted tEa
soil that its cultivation had been abandoned
as no longer profitable, and iht. large inSpec-
ton warehouse ut Georgetown was sener-
ally empty. The Potomac river above
Georgetown was nayigated rs far as Cum
berland by tiat-hottoned long boats called
"gondolas. These brought down consid-
cradle quantities of flour, corn, pork, and
iron, much Of which was shipped at George
town to other ports: but as they could not
be taken haci. against the stream, they were
broken up when their cargoes had been de-
Gvercd and the materials were sold to the
dealers in lumber. During tho year 1912,
several hundred hossheads Of Louisiana
sugar were brought by the way of the Mis-
siSsppi, the Ohio, and the Potomac rivers
to Georgetown. This was a realization of
Washington's idea that the city which lie
founded and which bore his name would
become an entrcpot Of the Mississippi Val
ley destined for shipment abroad. He dis
played his faith in this belief by the pur-
chase of wharf lots, which would not to-
day bring what he paid iior them.