Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-12-21
OUR LOCAL RULERS.
The Thirty-Nine Nen Who Have Gov
erned the District of Columbia.

The total number of meu who nav be clasSi-
fed under the above heading of local rulers of
the national metropolis number thirtv-nine,
viz: Mayors, 20; governors, ., and commits
sioners, II. OF these, six were ex-members of
Congress- two newspaper editors OF note. and
the balance were composed of lawyers, men of
business, army officers. bankers and men OF
prominence in the community. The events
with which many of them have been officially
ACKNOWLEDGMENT as the war Of 1872 and the war
for the Cnion-have become prominent N our
national history; and. as they have. to some
extent, been the custodans of the city which
belongs to the whole American people, it is
more than merely proper that their services as
public men should be chronicled for the edit
cation of the general public. 1t is therefore of
interest TO note that Mr.. Charles Lauman of this
city Is now preparing for publication volume
winch VIII accomplish for our local rulers what
MS dictionary of Congress secured for our ma
lonal law makers. The idea of the work came
TO the author from volume which was pub
llshed IN Copenhagen in 1891. and. while it COW
cred period of nearly two hundred years.
contains only sixteen biographies but illus
trated with portraits of superior excellence
While the Copenhagen book takes the lead
on the score of time and antiquity, it NAV be
claimed for the Washington volume and our
local rulers that they witnessed the spending
of an almost matchless amount of money,
chiefly for the public buildings, of which they
were IN reality the custodians. For example,
the amount OF money that was expended for
the public improvements i'll Washington and
Tor other local purposes from 1890 to 1876 was
S92, 1870 the more important items being as
follows: Capitol, Sl7,lS7,69l; patent Office
sl3.lS7,9O3; Treasury department, S7.O62. $40;
streets and avenues, S5,915.294: benevolent in
situations. S4.7S2 448; penal institutions 81 49,
392; Department of State, S4.9S9,94S: library of
congress, ~, 5T6,o4I; executive mansion, ST.
6t0,4i9; War department, S2O44 Cos; Navy de-
partment, 1889 ,l36; aqueduct. $4.OOO.022;
public grounds. 81. SOL 537; Smithsonian insti-
tuition, S2.3O5, 42O; Department of Agriculture,
50 ia, 1872; Post Office department, g. 1874 500
With these figures before them the public
cannot but be impressed with the dignity and
responsibilities which are attached to the Official
management of our local affairs and it must
ever be source of pride and thankfulness on
the part of the American people that the local
rulers OF their chief city should always have
proven themselves to be men OF high character
and spotess integrity.
The following Is complete list of the local
rulers of Washington:
MGyors-Robert Brent, 1902: Daniel Ranine
l9l2; James II. Blake, 1913; Benjamin c. Orr
1917; S. L. Snallwood, 1919; Thomas Carbury
!oZZ; H. L: Nelgltnlan. 1924; Joseph Gales.
1927: j. T. Van Ness, 1890; VIM \. Bradley.
1884; Peter Force, 1896; William W. Scaton
$50; ". Lenox. 1870; j. VI. Maury. 1852; J. T.
Towers, 1854; W. b. Magruder, 1856 James c.
Berrett. 1853; Richard Wallach, 1861; 5. j.
Bowen, 1868; NJ. q. Emery. 1870.
G0vernors-HenryD D. Cooke, 1871; Alexander
r. Shepherd. 1873
Commissioners-Wm Dennison. 1874: Henry
1. BLOW, 1874; j. II. ketcham. 1874: S. L.
Phelps, 1873; Thomas b. Bryan, 1877: Josiah
Dent. 1873; Thomas ?. Morgan, 1879: VIM. J.
Iwlnlng, 1878; Joseph Il. West. =; q. J. Ly-
decker, 1882; J. Il. Edmonds. 1888: Samuel T.
Nheatley, 1856; VIM Z. Webb. 1885: VIM. Lud-
low, 1856; Charles ". Raymond. 1888; John W.
Douglass, 1889; l.. q. Hne 1889