Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-11-08
THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
An Interesting History.
BY ARROYO.

III.
BY ARROYO.
A large part Of the site of tine city was owned
by David Burns, Daniel Carroll, Samuel David
son, Motley Young and Robert Peters. In addi-
ton to these were many owners Of small places
and village lots; for two small vllages-Ham-
burg and Carrollsburg-already existed on the
proposed site.
Hamburg was near the site of the present
Observatory. while Carrollsburg was situated at
the junction OF James Creek with the Eastern
Branch where 1t occupied an Irregular shaped
piece OF ground of one hundred and sixty acres,
as appears from the following certificate of the
clerk OF Prince George county, Maryland:
At the request of Henry ROZer, Daniel Carroll
and Motley Young. the following certificates OF
Carrolsburgh were recorded this twenty-third
day OF July, lI73:-CarrOllsburgh. Beginning at
stone marked B Of C, standing on the north
west side of the Eastern Branch of the Potow-
mack River, at or near the east side of the mouth
OF St James Creek, and running up, by and
with The Eastern Branch Aforesaid, two hundred
and eighty-stX percheS and thirteen feet to
stone marked No. IS, standing by the side OF the
the mouth OF small gut or Greek empty1ng into
the Eastern Branch aforesaid; then running
westerly one hundred and forty-nine percheS
and six feet on direct line to stone marked
102, standing by the east side of Saint James
Creek to the aforesaid beginning stone marked
OF c., containing and now laid out for one
which is now laid off into lotts streets and alleys
for town called Carrollsburgh
hereby certify that the foregoing is a true
copy taken from Liber B. b., No. q folio $685. &c.
one of the Land Records of Prince George County.
JOHN r. MAGRUDER, Cl'k.
Much trouble was experienced In recon CLING
the conflicting interests, and in contendlng with
the obstinacy of some, and the rapacity of 9TH
ers, but finally all the proprietors within the
pounds as follows, beginning on the east side OF
Rock Creek at stone standing in the middle OF
the road leading from Georgetown to BIa1enS-
burg; thence along the middle of said road to a
stone standing of
Branch OF Goose Creek; thence SolitheaSterly,
making an angle OF 81 degrees % minutes with
the meridian TO a stone standing In the road
leading from Bladensburg to the Eastern Branch
Ferry; then south to stone eighty poles north
OF the east and west line already drawn from
the mouth of Goose Creek to the Eastern Branch;
then east parallel to the said east and west line
to the Eastern Branch; then with the waters OF
the Eastern Branch, Potowmack River and Rock
Creek, to the beginning" conveyed their lands
to Thomas Beall and John N. CAN'T, trustees
for Federal city.
The conditions of the deeds were to the effect
that the lands should be laid OF for Federal
city, with such Streets squares, parcels and lots
as the President OF the United States should d.
rect, and the trustees were to convey to the
Commissioners appointed, for the use OF the
United States forever, all the streets and such
OF the squares parcels and lots, as the President
should deem proper, for the use of the United
States, and the remaining lots were to be divided
on fair and equal terms If no other mode OF
division could be arrived at, then the United
States were to take every alternate lot, except
In the case Of the proprietors OF small places In
the villages on the proposed site who were to
receive lots OF equal value as near their former
possessions as the plan OF the city would allow
For all the squares, parcels and lots. appro-
prfated to the use of the United States, not
counting the streets as part OF the same, the
owners were TO receive e25 per acre in Mary
land currency, equivalent TO S65sS federal
money. For the streets and the lots, divided by
mutual agreement, or by alternate numbers,
nothing whatever was to be paid, these being a
donation to the United States. The whole
amount OF land which by the original agree
hnp nanf
TACT, equivalent TO donation, the small pay
ment TO the owners having been made out OF
the proceeds OF lots sold no money being paid
out OF the Treasury OF the United states for
this purpose. The squares, reservations and
building lots, sold TO the United States, amount
ed to 54l acres. rood and % percheS, for which
lots assigned TO the United States in the divi-
sion, for which nothing was TO be paid. was
1916. Sales OF these lots began even before the
laying out OF the city was finished the first sale
having been made october II, 1871, as shown by
the following extract from the minute book of
AT ameeting OF the commissioners at George-
town, on the nth day OF october, 1891, present.
roll, eSqs., the following order and direction to
OCTOBER II, 1891
"The President of the United States doth
hereby order and direct that the sale of lots In
the city of Washington, to commence this day,
be OF such lots as the commissioners or any two
OF them, shall think proper, that the same sale
shall be under their direction, and on the forms
they shall publish"
The first purchaser was George Dlgges, who
took lot No. -, in square 126, at f150, Mary
land currency, equivalent to 800, OF which he
paid about one-third in cash, but never made
any further payment, becoming perhaps doubt
full as to whether the speculation would pay,
and the lot reverted to the government. George
Washington purchased several lots, two OF
which were on the western slope OF Capitol hill,
then called Jenkins hill. On these he agreed TO
build two brick houses, for each purchaser was
acter OF the Improvements was specified in the
contract These lots are now included In the
Capitol grounds
The report OF W. Noland commissioner of
public buildings. Dec. %. 1884, gives the value OF
lots sold by the United States up to that date as
Sl4l 024.I5, while 1889 remained unsold, valued
az Sos, 22l. 4s. In addition to these lots valued
at So,O 900 had been given away by act Of Con-
gresS, as follows:
TO washington City Orphan Asylum -. 900
~ SISTERS OF Charity. Observation-Disclosures. 10000
TO columbia College. .............2 Is 900
10 georgetown College. $4,000
the total area OF the land transferred to the
trustees for federal city has been vartouSIv
estimated at from 6,100 to 7134 acres The
meteS and bounds, as given are not tn a form
to admit the computation OF the area hut there
are at least ten square miles, or over 8 600 acres
within the limits OF the city or Washington: of
which ,O5S acres were re-transferred to the
perches paid for as above, and the rest either
taken up by the streets or held by the United
states as building lots The government has
made many purchases OF land In the District
since the original transfer, and 1t held In the
year 1865 within the limits Of the city OF Wash
lngton, fraction over 631 acres, not including
tpe avenues, streets and alleys, nor the small