Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-05-02
THE BLODGET CLAIM AGAIN
What Mr.. LOrin BlOdget Says.
To the Editor of THE EVENING STAR:

To the Editor Of THE EVENING STAR:
PHILADELPHIA, April p, 1885.
find in THE STAR of Saturday an article SO
remarkable for its errors of fact, and so unjust
to the founders of Washington city, that ask
you in simple justice to give place to brief re-
ply and correction, at least for SO much as re-
lates to Samuel Blodget, and the estate which
have represented since 1851. No just or ade-
Quate history of the remarkab bile" events con-
nected with the early days OF the city has yet
been written and while your article affords
some valuable items for such a history, it Is
especially unjust to the only Northern man
who came with his fortune and all the friends
he could then or afterward persuade to join
him-among them Templeman, DIR. Thornton
Gilman, Greenleaf and others-to devote his
lie to the founding of what he believed would,
in his own words, lone day become the noblest
city of the universe. Samuel Blodget, then
wealthy man and capitalist, with large invest
ments in Boston and in Philadelphia, gave his
aid TO the almost hopeless undertaking ofbuild-
ing capital city in a vacant plat of farms and
woods, without dollar of money appropriated
by Congressman there were no purchasers or
I798, other than those he brought from Boston Cos
ErSt, and taken from Philadelphia. And for all
the purchases made by him, and also by the
friends he brought, he paid cash at the time of
purchaSe;-tOr the Jamaica tract $4,000 in
silver coin. He also purchased one-fifth of an
to negotiate in 1898, paying in cash an Install
ment of $4,000, which was the money &C
tually used in eXcavating the sites and in lay
ing the foundations OF both the Capitol and the
Executive Mansion-then called the palace"
My knowledge is positive and thorough on all
these points OF the early history OF the city, as
derived from the records Kept by the Commits
sioners of the District, 1871 to 1902, from the
papers and published memoirs OF Samuel Blod-
get in Sol, 1893, 1906 and 1910. The coun-
sci of the estate from 1926 to 1s51 was David
A. Hall. esq, who personally urged on me In
1852 the justice OF the title of the estate to large
tracts of the Jamaica property, not then reached
by open streets or other city improvements.
Many venerable residents OF Washington who
knew Samuel Blodget personally and iamented
his death in 1914 expressed the hope that the
heirs would carry out the enterprises he had
undertaken, and which were crushed by the
wreck OF values and the burning of the Capitol
in 1914. But have no intention here to argue
the questions OF title or the rights of the heirs
That title has never been disputed, and the
questions raised in disposinS Of the trust to the
Insurance company or the trust for the found
ing OF the National University are merely pre-
llminary. have only to say that from 1852 to
the present time no conyeyancer or other auth
GRITTY on titles in the District has assumed ito
pass the Blodget titles as the expression is
anu there Is no obscurity abO ut them whatever
ON the history of Washington, in it's patriotic
aspects there is need to make some corrections
OF existing misapprehensions. From the time
that Gen. Washington was in camp at Cam
bridge in 11.o, have the records to show that
Samuel Blodget formed purpose to aid his
great commanders efforts to found @ national
city and "a national university, and after the
war, In which he began service as soldier and
captain of the second New Hampshire batta-
commercial business at Boston, and also lett
still larger investments in Philadelphia, to 90
10 the site selected for the new federal city early
IN 1871 Then he gave his time and money
largely as the adviser and trusted friend of the
commissioner, and especially eonfded in by
bought lands and lots he did, and when the
Commissioners finally settled their long ac-
count with him in 1900, they perfected his
title 10 every lot he originally bought and also
To many bought by his friends on his recon-
mendation; his entire investment in property
/ hat pfn fnSi -, Id
moirs, and being shown by his deeds on record,
to have cost him 100000. And on this great
wears, being by far the largest taxpayer In
Washington from 1898 TO 1907.
Samuel Blodget was from the beginning a
Washington. He was the leading corporator
and the largest stakeholder in the first bridge
over the Potomac at Georgetown, chartered
December goth, 1871. He was the leading cor
poraror of the Bank Of Columbia, established
in 1892 at Georgetown and large stock
holder. He was appointed supervisor of the
Buildings and in general of the affairs of the
District III January, 1898, and by direction of
the prizes of which he guaranteed, and person
ally paid many years later. He provided the
money to build a fine hotel. which was at one
for the general Post 0ffice. He " founded the
Tontine Insurance company in 1903, and in
ment to establish National University. and
author of q costly design for the building which
| Is now in the Force library.
But do not desire to trouble you with de-
tails, and simply say that / know positively
what l here assert, and have original papers
and proof of all these events. There cannot be
many persons at present resident in Washing.
| ton whose personal knowledge is more ample
than mine acquired during nearly forty years OF
residence, and the full history Of all public
| events being OF undisputed record only apollo
gise for not making this protest sooner 10 do
Justice to those whose efforts and sacrifices es-
| tablished the city OF Washington where it is in
spite of the seishness of its rivals ut the north,
and in spite Of the sordid policy Of Congress
which never appropriated . dollar to aid its
| founders. Very respectfully yours,
| LoRIN BLoDeEr
The beautiful farm of Ole Bull, at Madison
| Wis, has been bought for $40, 600 by the state
| as . residence for the governor,