Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-04-06
AS THE BRITISH LEFT 1T.

As THE BRITISH LEFT 1T.
lots. After vain attempts to fill their loan with
cash the sum of 600 600 was obtained from the
state of Maryland in United States 6 per cent
stock. which the city commissioners sold at the
market price. Such was the deprecated credit
OF the government at that time that the
stock was only worth about GO cents on
the dollar. The state authorities evidently
did not consider Washington city lots ample
security for the payment of the loan. and so
they obtained in addition the personal bond of
the commissioners who were men of means.
Three years later, however, when an additional
loan of $4,000 was obtained from the state of
Maryland under the same condition. the secur-
lilies of the government had appreciated to
such an extent that the commissioners were
able to sell the stock at so cents on the dollar.
The credit OF the city, however. had not i'm
proved, and two citizens and large property
owners, Uriah Forrest and JAS. NJ. Lingan were
required as securities for the payment of the
money.
OPPOSITION OF CoNGREssMES.
Before, however, this last loan was secured
the commissioners. in the year 1898, asked
Congress for an appropriation of 100000 to
enable them to complete the buildings One
of the commissioners went on to Philadelphia
to lobby the bill through He found that there
was considerable opposition among the MEM
bers of Congress to the character of the two
buildings then being erected. 1t was thought
by some that two such large buildings were
unnecessary. One ought to be sufficient. it was
said. To the dismay of the commissioners it
was suggested that the erection of the White
House be abandoned. that the capitol be
finished, and that "a house for the President be
erected near the capitol. Another plan pro-
posed was to stop the work on the capitol and
fit up the White House for the use of Congress,
and estimates were actually secured from
Architect Hoban of the probable cost of the
work: Another bone OF contention was the
location of
The BUILDINGS FOR THE EXECUTIVE DEPART
MENTs.
Gen. Washington had. during a visit to the
city just prior to his retirement from the pres
idency, selected the southeast and southwest
corners OF the Presidents grounds as the loca-
non of the two buildings it was proposed to
erect for the departments. His reasons for
placing them near the Presidents house rather
than the capitol building he stated were that
III the former location the public business was
less likely to be interfered with by the too fire.
quent visits of members of Congress-. and also
that the constant communications between the
President and departments made it necessary
that the buildings should not be far apart
After considerable delay on the part of Con-
gress the appropriation was finally made and
the commissioners We're allowed to continue
| the work as 1t had been originally planned.
! This was not, however. accomplished until an
appeal had been made 10 President Adams who
sdiu tndl NE Idu 100 great a regard Tor the
opinion of General Washington to oppose any
action taken by him. although he was OF tie
opinion that the department buildings ought TO
be near the capital, not only because of the
convenience to members of Congress. but be-
cause the grouping of the public buildings in
one location would induce private individuals
to erect houses there and thus furnish lodgings
for the members of Congress. Gen. Washing
ton was at that time dead, and the yielding of
the President and Congress to his known wishes
4rtlrr ii
his contemporaries of the great Washington.
FROM PHILADELPHIA TO WASHINGTON.
The White House having thus made a narrow
escape from being transformed into '.The
Congress House." was prepared with as much
rapidity possible for the reception of the
President. The government was formally trans
ferred to the new city in the summer of 1900
Two brick buildings, two stories high, and
containing thirty rooms each. had been erected
at the corners of the President square desig-
mated by Washington. One, known as the
| Treasury department building, occupied por-
ton OF the site of the present south front of
the Treasury building. The war Office as the
| other building was called, occupied the site
about where the center portion of the State,
war ana Navy department building now stands
This latter building, enlarged by the addition
Oh third story and wing, was known in
! later years as the Navy department
building, and was but recently re-
moNtu 10 make room Tor the new building
| Neither the capitol nor the Presidents honse
was finished when their occupants came to this
city. Mrs. Adams. who took possession of the
| White House IN November. 1900 has left a
! VIVID description of the baroness and incom-
| pleteness of the house which, however, she said
/ was upon grand and superb scale" But
/ few OF the rooms were finished, and the east
room she used as a drying room to hang mn
| clothes in. The ground about the house was
/ Uttered up with the debris of building and the
| frame sheds built for the use of the workmen
/ were still standing. Mrs. Adams endured the
/ discomforts of the house for only one winter
and in March, 1901, the White House received
as its occupant the third President, Mr.. Jeffer-
son. The house was described as barren.
/ draughty and barn-hke" when Mr.. Jefferson
| lived there, and it Is evident that the work of
| completion was not fastened. 1t had already
! cost a large sum ofmoney for those DAYS anfCon-
gress, by annual appropriations, was paving off
the loans, at part is hardly necessary to add
which had been made to prepare the public
| buildings for the use of the government Of
/ Eaa.lz H. =. /.