Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-03-08

on the banks Of the Potomac, to be ready for
the sessions of Congress by the first Monday in
December, 1900
On March 80, 1891, will have been reached
1ngtons proclamation, dated at Georgetown,
defining the lines of the federal territory ac-
cepted by Congress and ordering the three
commissioners whom he had appointed to
permanently mark the lines and proceed with
the work of erecting the public buildings.
April Is. 1871, 3 pm, Friday, the initial or
corner stone of the federal territory was placed
with appropriate Masonic ceremonies at Jones
point Cor upper cape) on the Virginia side of the
Potomac river at the confluence of Hunting
creek, one mile east of south of the court HOUSE,
of Alexandria, Va. This stone is now walled H.
the steps of the sea wall of the light house ar
that point. From this stone during the ensu-
ing year the lines of boundary were run by the
'geographer general" and marked with stones
inscribed, facing the territory: Jurisdiction OF
the United States, opposite Virginia or Mary
land, facing north, 1892, facing south position
OF the magnetic needle.
August % 1871, Maj. L'Enfant. French en-
glneer In the late continental army, laid his
plan Of the city before President Washington,
having been ordered in 1890 to prepare a de-
sign.
September 9, 1871, President Washington,
having approved the plan, directed that the
title of the map will be map of the city of
Washington in the territory of Columbia" The
names OF the city and territory and designa-
tons of the streets we're determined at meet
ing OF Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State,
and James Madison, Representative from Vir-
ginia, with the commissioners Of the city al
Georgetown few days before. After much
hesitation, and only through the persuasion OF
Jefferson and Madison, would the President
assent to his name being applied to the federal
city. This original plan, preserved in the Office
of the engineer of public buildings and grounds
exhibits the foundation of the magnificent
capital which this generation enjoys in the
closing years OF the first centenary Of the per-
manent seat OF government of the republic
October II, 1871, the first public sale of lots
Of which the government had 10, 1876, took place
at Georgetown and ranged in price from $26 sc
to $500. SO. The first series offered was along
Pennsylvania avenue beyond 18th street.
WHITE HOUSE CHRONOLOGY.
The chronological record OF the executive
mansion is as follows:
March IA, 1892, the city commissioners ad.
verified for plans for a Presidents house.
July 49, 1872, the plans were examined by
the commissioners at Suffers tavern, 1.-THE
Fountain Inn" in Georgetown. That submit
ted BY Jas. Hoban, an Irish architect who had
had experience in building plantation houses
for the cotton kings of South Carolina, re-
| ceived the first premium Of $500. Hoban re-
calling the memories of the capital city Of hi
native isle reproduced in his plan the
palace Of the duke Of Leinster at Dublin as 9
suitable structure for the abode of the Presi.
dents OF the republic struggling through the
! infant stages Of national life.
October Is, 1892, the corner stone of the
''Presidents palace" 40 it was then called, VA
laid. II was great occasion. The commits.
| siouers of the city, accompanied by the Fre<
Masons, architects and inhabitants Of George
town, the neighboring metropolis, Funkstown,
Hamburg and Csrrollsburg, the primitive set
! Elements on the Potomac and Anacostia, within
the prospective limits Of the federal city, and
the jewellers in tents and hastily erected struct