The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-05-20
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
The Weeks DOingS at the Ma
tiOnal Capital
SOMETHING ABOUT AN OLD TOWN.

laid out and named IN 1751. George Washing
ton was then but 10 years old, engaged in sur
veying under Lord Fairfax, and had as yet
gained no reputation, military or otherwise.
He was certainly not the father of his country
to such an extent that town was likely to be
named after him. 1t is no doubt true that this
place took its name from King George, Of Eng
land. to which country all the American
provinces were at that time loyal. The general
belief that its founders wished to manifest their
admiration for George Washington arises from
the mere coincidence of names.
Georgetown now comprises simply two wards
of the city of Washington. This relation has
existed since 1871, when Congress established q
government for the entire District of Columbia
and created it municipality. AS far back as
1856 proposition to unite the two cities was
seriously discussed. Joint committees were
appointed and meetings held, but the wooing
did not prosper. An irreconcilable disagree
ment arose on some point regarding the chan
mel of the river. This forbade the bans, and
the nuptials were indefinitely postponed. The
marriage finally took place at the muzzle of the
shotgun in the hands of Congress. The dis
lance between the two places long since dis
appeared. The streets and buildings are con-
tinuous, and if the wayfarer did not know that
Rock Creek was once the line between the two
places he would not know where Washington
ends and Georgetown begins.
The town-for we will at this time allow 10
TO maintain its identity, to which its old resi-
dents cling with so much tenacity-is prettiy
situated on a group Of hills overlooking the
Potomac River. In fact the streets 90 up and
down so much as almost to cause the pedestrian
a stomachic disquiet akin to seasickness. The
business portion, or that which might have
once been so designated, has a very decidedly
gone-tO-seed" appearance. Many Of the build
ings are hoary with age. Grass grows between
the cobblestones Of the pavements on some Of
- 1r.swtr
them the appearance Of a Connecticut sheep
pasture. The grass furnishes change of diet
TO the goats from the oyster and tomato cans
that plentifully strew the alleys and byways.
Many years ago the commerce Of Georgetown
was extensive. Vessels arrived daily from for
eign and domestic ports and its wharves and
warehouses were a scene of busy life. This Ia
almost wholly thing of the past. Its COM
merce would vanish entirely but for the fact
that it is the terminus of the Chesapeake &
Ohio Canal, and few ships are still attracted
by the coal-carrying trade. The Canal Com
pany is, however hopelessly encountered with
debts. and it is considered probable that the
property viii soon go into the hands of a re-
ceiver. Repairs are not kept up and breaks are
frequent, causing at times an entire stoppage
Of business This canal was one of the earliest
public works projected In the country.
The charter was issued in 1924, for a canal
from Georgetown TO the Ohio River. The
United States and the cities of Washington,
Georgetown and Alexandria subscribed largely
to the enterprise. Some $3,500O00 was raised,
and it was innocently believed that this would
carry the enterprise through. 1t took q years
and over $11 600 200 to build the canal as far as
Cumberland, Nd distance Of $50 miles, and
no work has been attempted beyond that point.
Much Of the route lies through a mountainous
country, involving enormous expense and great
engineering skill TO overcome the obstacles that
nature had interp0sed. There are IA locks,
with total lift +" OF 6I0 feet. The first shovel
struck into the ground for this great work was
in the hands of President John Quincy Adams.
The occasion was one Of great rejoicing 1t was
some time after the opening Of the canal before
| its business became profitable. Then for years
| it iourished and poured money into the pock-
cts of the people Of Georgetown. Latterly the
trade has been largely diverted into other
| channels. The canal appears TO have outliyed
its usefulness. 1t has fallen into what Mr..
Cleveland would call q state of "innocuous
| desuetude," and il little more than q wreck.
| Corresponding TO its decline the business Of
| Georgetown has been gradually running down
at the heel. In point of maritime importance
| the place is now a mere cipher. Its warehouses
are tumbling down and its moss grown wharves
are rotting away. The town has no railroad,
and is simply getting left" in the onward
march of the procession.
/ But in the midst of crumbling walls its citi-
| zens yet point with pride" to the old historic
associations that cluster around the name of
Georgetown. In this country Of rapid progress
a hundred years makes antiquity. The stranger
looks with feeling Of veneration upon build
| iDgs erected a century and quarter ago. Al
though they are valueless except as mementoes
| of the past, he feels that to raZe them would be
| sacrilege. The hum Of busy life was heard in
| the streets Of Georgetown while yet the howl
ing savage was holding his scalp-dance on the
sites of Chicago and st. Louis and Cincinnati
and Cleveland.
Georgetown was incorporated, with power to
elect Mayor, Alderman, etc, in 1882 Its popu-
lation was then about 900. The city of Wash
ington had not yet been even thought Of. 1t is
a singular fact, aud probably without parallel
in the country, that from 1889 TO 1871, when
the charter was annulled, period OF 81 years,
Georgetown had but two town clerks John
Mount was chosen TO that Office at the incorpo-
ration, aud hung on 10 it for 81 years-truly an
example worthy Of emulation. The infrmi-
ties of advanced age at length compelled him to
"let go" in 1856, and he died the following
year. This melancholy result OF his resigning
his Office has been ever since warning to all
oiliceholders in Washington not to put their
lives in jeopardy by quitting their positions
The warning has been carefully needed. Mr..
Mounts successor made good start in the same
direction, holding the Office from 1856 to 1871,
when he was legislated out by the act of Con-
grcss before referred 10.
At the present timo there are about $1,000
post-ofices in the United States. In 1870 there
were but 10, of which Georgetown was one. II
was in operation in 1776, when Benjamin
franklin was POstmaster-General. The rates
of postage in those days sound oddly enough
now: Letters, 60 miles or less, z cents; 10C
miles, IL cents; 200 miles, Is cents; 300 miles
10 cents; 400 miles, "a cents; 500 miles, q
cents; COO miles, 80 cents. Even at those rates
people had TO go after their letters. There were
no carriers to call around and ring the door-bell
Now for two cents our accommodating Uncle
transports a letter 1900 miles, and places it in
your hand miles from the post-otiiee.
The Farmers and Mechanics Bank of George
town has safely weathered the financial storm:
of ~ years. II was organized in 1914. During
it's existence IL has had but four cashiers. None
of them became residents OF Canada The record
, Of the Bank Of Columbia was not so good. ii
was chartered in 1893, with capital stock o.
100000, which was on a great scale FOR those
days. For time il did very large business
but failed disastronsly in 1896, causing wide
, spread ruin. The United States Government
had at that time no vaults OF its own. Uncle San
kept a bank account with this institution, anC
had on deposit at the time of the failure TIT
Z snug sum of $4,000. It was a total loss, al
being swallowed up in the general wreck. III
, was a good customer for the bank, but after thi
loss he determined to take care OF his owl
money. The loss opinched him little for
while, but he managed TO rub along withou
being forced to make an assignment
AMERICAN OPERA.
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