Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-12-19
THE FIRST CHRISTMAS
Looking Back to the Beginning Of
This Century.
NOT AN UNHAPPY TIME.
It Was Celebrated With All the Warmth Pc
culiar to the Southern Nature-Obstinate
Old David Burns Disturbed In His Quiet
Changes OF Observance at the Capital.
Written for The Evening Star.

than any other city to live in. is hardly o good
reminder of the first Christmas that the city Of
Washington ever saw. And yet that first
Christmas was not bad one, either, for our
grandfathers knew how to enjoy themselves in
hearty, whole-souled way. They had no fur
naces or hot-water heaters to keep their houses
at an even temperature, nor did they have iron
ranges on which to cook the Christmas dinner,
but they had enormous freplaces in which
burned great logs of wood, and near one Of
these there was warmth enough and good cook
ing could be done The first Christmas in the
capital Of the new nation was not an unhappy
one.
Nearly every resident of Washington knows
David Burns little cottage at the foot of 18th
street and the story Of how he and Gen.
Washington quarreled about the land for the
new federal city. In these days Of progress it
1t is every mans effort to become rich as he
can, but David Burns remains n bright and
SHINING example OF man who endeavorcd to
remain, comparatively speaking, poor. A city
was to be planted on his farm; hacks were TO
roll over the land where only farm teams or
horseback riders or occasionally som fine gen.
tieman's chariot had ever been; hotels were to
spring up; taverns and tavern loafers and
Office seekers and politicians were to- come and
disturb the peace of David Burns. All this he
seemed to foresee. and so he rebelled and de-
manded to be let alone-to be permitted 10 live
quietly in his little cottage. to till his fertile
soil and to bring his children UP in safety and
seclusiOn.
ANXIETY TO GET THE CAPITAL.
In reading the history OF those early days it
is easy to realize how very near We came to
having no car ital city on the banks OF the Po-
tomac. Christmas of 1889 saw David Burns
cure In his possessions, and there was no rea-
son for supposng that the three generations of
descendants which were to succeed him would
not live like the three generations which had
preceded him in quiet rural occupations. Blu.
while he sat quietly in his little porch in the
summer of 1888 great struggle was beginning
and his fate was being decided without his con-
sent. Yet if he had followed the debates of the
new Congress his suspicious would not have
been aroused Congress was then sitting in
New York, and on August % there WIS
laid before it 1.-THE memorial of John
Cox and others, citizens of New Jersey and of
the state OF Pennsylvania, praying that the
future seat of government might be estab-
lished on the banks of the Delaware, and pro-
posing cession OF a tract Of land OF ten miles
square, and q little later in the year Lancas-
ter. Pa, wanted to donate portion of its ter
rltory, and Germantown, near Philadelphia;
Yorktown, west OF the Susquehanna; Harris
burg, on the SusquehanLa, and Heading. the
Schuylklil, were all mentioned as good places
for the capital Of the United States. No de-
cision could be reached, and the question was
adjourned to the next session OF Congress.
CHRISTMAS IN 1889.
But while there was nc Christmas for Wash
ington-for there was city of Washington
in 1889, the day was duly observed in the coun-
try round about with high feasting and reyelry
in the true old Virginia and Maryland style.
This certainly very different from the
Puritan New England Christmas. With them
the day was solemn and severe and WIS in
reality somewhat in the nature of protest
against the wild merrimcnt OF the cavaliers and
their descendants. Thanksgiving day was the
New Englanders festival and Christmas was
the southerner's 1t essentially the old
English jollifcation, ana it has been truthfully
remarked that whatever else the southerners
had lief. behind them in the old country they
had at least brought their Christmas with them,
and they celebrated it on the Potomgs very
much their fathers had celebrated it in
England. OF course dinner was the most i'm
portant event of Christmas day. The huge
ham. the large turkey, the great joints of beef
and the wassail bowl Of strong liquors
were indispensable parts of the Christmas
feast, and before this century WAS born the
eighteenth century went out in a blaze Of
Christmas glory, because the king Of Christmas
drinks had been invented. Yes. egS-nog was
drunk by the good people who lived upon the
banks of the Potomac before the District Of
Columbia was laid out. There mistletoe
for Christmas, too, You may be cure, ana AS the
tddles played and while the egg-nog passed
around there was much coy struggling and
chasing into corners and many snatched kisses.
Has the mistletoe disappeared from this favored
region? Are we so refined that We can do with
ont It, and Is 1t improper except Tor the chill
dren? No, no; let us be young again on Christ
mas night. and let tho mistlatoe hang from the
chandelier and let us enforce the ,eEalty that
is ours of riSht-that is, if we can. 1t was a
country Christmas that our forefathers had and
their large houses were filled with ali their
relatives, who were as numerous es The clan Of
a highland chief.
DAVID BURNS LAST QUIET CHRISTIANS.
David Burns never passed another such
Christmas as that of 1859. In the summer of
1880 the question of a seat of government came
up in Congress again and committee of the
Senate reported in favor of the eastern or
northeastern bank of the Potomac. There
was much wrangiins and jealousy. Was this
the center OF population? Was no. Baltimore
better? Would not Old Philadelphia do? What
made the Potomac region such u garden spot
as the Virglnisns all declared il to be? Virginia
wanted the earth. Maryland was in favor of
Baltimore. Baltimore petitjoned and George
town petitcned. James Madison worked like
beaver for the Potomac. An amendment In
favor OF the Delaware was voted down; so we're
amendments in favor OF Baltimore and Ger
mantown, and the bill iavoring the Potomac
was passed.
The Christmas of 1880 found poor David
Burns in trouble. for Gen. Westinghouse
consequence in Burns eyes merely because ne
was the husband OF the wealthy Mrs. Custis-.
had begun negotiations for the land where our
city now stands. obstinate Mr.. Burns" as
Washington called him, Was obliged finally to
yield the city was planted and large riches
were thrust upon the unwilling la.ld owner.
There were two children who were ,td inherit
all this money, a boy and girl. and the former
dying left the little girl to become, ten years
later, 1.-THE heiress Of Washington" % W.
THE FIRST REAL CHRISTMAS IN WASHINGTON
The Christmas Of 1900 was the first real
Christmas in the capital Of the United States
The ten years before had been a transition
period. The city was laid ont, there were q
few scattered houses, but there was no gov
eminent OF the United States hero. and WASH
ington without the government was nothing
Blu: i'll October OF 1900 there sailed up tho Po-
tomac u packet slOop bearing the government
records, brought around from Philadelphia
which had until then been the scat Of govern
ment. Congress had taken u recess from No.
vember II to May II, but ON the latter date
there we're few members and Senators in at
tendance and 1t was not until some days after
that any business was done. The new menu
bers found almost nothing at the new federal
city except fine plans. The Willie House
was built, but not yet fnished; one
wing Of the capitol could be used ons pinchs
the departments almost had to camp out Con.
gressmen were hard put to it to find any place:
to sleep and many had to live in Georgetown.
three miles away, with desperately bid road
between. 1t is refreshing in tho chorus of
tan oh rhnr ~ ri l.