Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1882-12-12
w For the SPECTATC
Letter from Washington.
WASHINGTON. Dec

WASHINGTON, Dec 9Th, 1882.
Mr.. EDlTOR:-I dare ssy few Of
your readers are aware that there II
now encl''sed inside the walls of the
Mansion House in Alexandra build
ing built of hewn freestone and brick.
that were imported from England some
where between TAO and 1850 A wealthy
Englishman of the name OF Carlisle
built it. He was an ancestor of some of
the Herbert and nulaney families The
style Of the building In the exterior 10
much akin 10 it's appearance to that Of
Pnhique church. four miles from Mt.
Vernon, In which Gen. Washington
worsbipped. The writer visited it
something over thirty years ago, and q
minute description Of it, whilst 1t
would be interesting, is not exactly
germane to our present sketch Suf
fee it to say. the Pohique. Christ's
church of Alexandria. and the Falls
church, some five or six miles up the
Potomac from the city, were all built
ing of material from England At the
date of Gen. Rraddock's preparation
for his march towards the head of the
Ohio, there was q cOnvOcatinn of the
Governors of the Colonies. (thirteen,)
and they met, as many of them as at>
tended, at this historic mansion. as Mr..
Carlisle had invited Gen. Braddock to
make it his headquarters This was,
10 fact, the first Colo' ial Congress 1t
| WAS here Gen. BraddOck offered to
Gen. Washington his ce mmissiOn as
one of his aids. Strange as 1t may app
pear, our attention was for the frat
time called to 1t tn day, aud We carried
with US venerable looking citizen of
your town, we met at the TOntine no.
tel, where we had taken quarters last
evening.
He entered the front part of the ht,-
tel, and though We did not see bin. we
ut once recOg lied him. as we would do
sny where in the dark, by his voice.
He was much interested in its history
The Mansion House eiph{Nses as part Of
it's eastern aide what was one of the
earliest established banks iu the district
We regret we can't give you it's cnrrec,
name and exact date Of erection, but 1t
WAS in the latter part of The last or ear
" part of this century The walls are
p TO 8 feet thick Tue Newton family
kept the hotel many years ago, and 1t
then passed into the hands of Mr.. Jas.
Green. who was, 10 his day, the mort
extensive cabiuet. maker in this city.
he EXTENDED the walls OF the not
around the Braddnck house. that p0v
constitutes u court, so to- aprxk. We
regretted we 1"pld not see the interior
II IL locked up. containing much OF the
furniture, &c of the sou of MIR. James
Green, who Inherited 1t. aud has re-
Gently traded it to Mr.. Brown, Of Brook.
Ign, for some eight teutments IN that
city. each OF v hich rents for 81, 600 to
81 200 per annum. MIR. Brown has
opened 1t under the name of the Brad
dock House." although his changes and
im improvements are net complete.
The citizens of Alexandria are priok-
ing up their ears, snd taking courage,
a. Il Iegsrds the improvement Of their
town. Much building of new tene-
ments, aud fitting up Of old ones, IL 60
ing on.
In view Of the contemplated filling
up of the "Flsts" here, the Alexander
ans regard 1t with compiacency, and as
an old citizen Of the burg Informed Us,
and expect to recover q serious loss their
town incurred after the war in the fish
landing. that was worth several thou
sand dollars we think $40 600, or $l2 :
600 per aunum. Thesein were lard
ed there formerly, and the fish whole
sailed. ANTIQUARY.