National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-11-22
TALES OF OLD TIMES
eEORGET0wE's GLORY AND THRIFT BE-
FORE WASHINGTON WAS BUILT.
The Somi.Annusl "Reminiscences OF Su-
ter's Tsvorn--Joseph Semmcs and His
Scheme for Rapid Transit-Tho Plague Of
Black Ants In the Old Town.

In the long ago when Georgetown was
in the frat flush Of her youth, when the
canny Scotchmen settled in Duck Lane,
filling the ground and building for them
selves quaint, low.roofed dwellings, when
the good old days of our forefathers were
In full swing, the little place was of
goodly import and beautiful to the eye Of
tho stranger in tho spring time and the
summer. What is now "the heights"
and Justly the pride Of tho townspeople
for its beauty, was thon but wilder
ness, through which wandered game of
all description, and rosounded now and
then to tho voice Of tho Indian braves,
whose hunting ground 1t was. Water
street was then the business mart, and
scattered here and there were the COM
Portable houses of tho early settlers, about
which on all sides were extensive grounds
running down to the waters edge. Here,
all along Rock creek, then up the Po-
tomac, past Anacostia island, past the
Three Sisters, up as far as the Little and
Great Falls, were towering orchards.
Bonnie, indeed, was the picture, with the
green slopes running down to tho waters
brink, while sailing slowly past in their
stately fashion 1oated the snow-white
swan, from which the river takes its
name-"Potomac," in Indian language,
meaning the river of swans"
By the act of the Maryland legislature
of 1751, whom the location of the town
was fixed at the mouth Of Rock creek,
provision was also made for holding annu-
ally two large fairs in the months of April
and October. This custom our English
cousins borrowed originally from the
Germans. whose great yearly fair at
Leipsic was matter Of such moment that
authors from all parts Of the fatherland
sent to this gathering their precious man
uscript there TO find sale. The people
Of Montgomery county and generally
throughout Virginia thronged to these
fairs for the purpose of disposing of their
country products and having good time
generally. To this goal the youths from
the adjacent counties spurred on their
tagging steeds to be In time for the long
talked.of festival whore hearts, as well as
greetings. were given in exchange for
those of the fairs neighbors.
Into the port of Georgetown sailed
great ships laden with cargoes of goods
from every quarter of the globe. In
these, her green and salad days, she was
progressive in the realm of letters, and it
ia fact worthy Of note that several of
tho large papers now established in Bal
timore emanated directly from this little
town, and not few of New York's mer-
chant princes in those early days began
life here in humble fashion.
Unimportant In the worlds calendar as
is the Georgetown Of to-day, it formerly
was of significant import to the world ut
large since hers we're the hands wherein
were held the plastic clay from which
was to be fashioned the great capital Of
the nation-a city of wondrous beauty,
whose broad avenues, winding drives,
magnificent public buildings, and spa
cious reservations were to elicit from
foreigners of every nationality unstinted
need Of praise.
Into this sparsely settled place, this
little town of George" booted and
spurred, came riding the manly form OF
our first president in all speed to reach
his destination, where awaited L'Enfant
and those few chosen ones with whom he
held long conclaves over tho surveying
and laying out of tho sister city to be
named in his honor. In those carly days
there had come from Scotland one John
Suter, who upon arriving on these shores
built an inn after the fashion Of those in
his native country. The house, long
low, wooden structure, ons and a hall
stories in height. gable rooted, with wide
spreading porches on both sides, stood on
the west side of Congress, below Bridge
street, in what ia now the bed of the
canal. When the march Of improvements
in later days advanced this far, and it
was decided to build the canal, Suffers
inn shared the fate of many another his.
toric building, and was ruthlessly leveled
to the ground.
1t was to this inn, morning after morn
ing, that Gen. Washington came after
the long ride from his house at Mount
Vernon. The sitting room witnessed
many a distinguished gathering, anG
here were propounded and discussed
affairs of weight and import. Gen
Washington having conceived II liking fol
the place, and finding mine host an hon
est good fellow, made this house his head,
quarters whenever through business or
pleasure no should DO called from hii
country seat at Mount Vernon. Only upor
occasions of state was the numbering old
coach used, the generals favorite steed
bearing him along ut a goodly pace.
laundering over the road to Alexandria
out into the open country, and thus tc
Analostan's--then Mason's-islaud, and
from here, by ferryboat, which piled from
this point to Geddes' landing at the june
tion of Water and Market streets, or
Duck lane, as il was called from the i'm.
mense number of these birds allowed to
roam at large by the inhabitants OF thai
section
Directly adjoining Suters's inn was
Semmes's tavern. which, after passing
from the hands Of the original proprie'
tor, was called tho White House hotel
After selling this property, Joseph Semme!
built and kept the large brick structure
now known as the Morgan house. Thii
same Joseph Semmes appears in his day
to have been quite noted character, full
of queer crotchets and ideas, the givinl
voice to which not a few times mad,
trouble for him. Full of his strang,
ideas, ever quick to adopt new systems
and modes of thought, 1t is small wonder
that he grew to be looked upon by hi
neighbors as man Of eludition-one t.
whose counsel it was well to lend lis
tening ear. Flattered by the considera
tion thus willingly accorded, the OLD
fellow one day electrified his comradc!
by propounding startling theory. The
Garth he declared was round that fac
having been demonstrated beyond {
uOuDU ny PeinOus VI Nerhclty
and learning. Something beyond
this, which had never yet beer
thought of were the splendid capabilities
offered by this very rotundity for in
creased facility in travelling from one dis.
tant point of the earth to the opposite
side. The tardy method of going to ses
in great ships was to DO abandoned, super
coded entirely by the new plan, leaving
the former one for the use of old fogie'
who cared not to keep pace with ad-
vanced ideas. Tunnel the earth Hi
auditors sat dumb at the magnitude Of
the great scheme-lost in admiration o.
the mighty brain whose workings could
evolve such stupendous enterprise. Tun
mel the round earth from end to end
Begin simultaneously at the Arctic and
Antartic poles until, working ever to-
ward the center, the great feat accom-
plished, brother should meet brother face