The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-08-09


have alone made 1t famous, and place to be
coveted by the speculator as good invest
ment. But lying close as 1t does to the beauti-
full Capital City. with only ribbon OF water
between, IL is comparatively unknown, in
,teresting as It is historically, as well as for it's
natural beauties The charming bit OF river
from which the little town takes its name, is
fed from both its source and mouth. 1t drains
portion OF Maryland where natural springs
'how into It, and 1t is the right arm OF the
Potomac sweeping eastward, and is daily
flushed by tides from three to five feet high
Anacostia is one mile within the radius OF the
District line, but close enough for its popu-
,Iation-male--to be deeply Interested in the
political commoton going on yearly just
,outside the circle that environs her and
while her citizens cannot vote, they take
deep interest In Maryland politics, and use
all their influence of voice pen, and presence
on election days to carry on the fight for
success. Anacostia proper has white popu-
lation who are, outside OF the Government
clerk circles, Democratic to man HIS
dale, Potomac City and Garfield, not far away,
are colored settlements and all go Republican
'in sentiment
In the early time before Washington was
city save on paper, Anacostia was an lnoian
town occupied by a band OF Powtowmacs.
The name Anacostia is corruption OF or
modification of an Indian word, and means ON
the coast Although the little cluster OF
towns on the Maryland side OF the river, was,
during the late unpleasantness, for postal con-
venence classed as Uniontown, when the
cruel war was over, the citizens petitoned
Ito have the original name restored to the
post office, and it was done. They saw to it
that the horse cars and grocers wagons each
bore the old-new word Immediately, and any
man or woman who now asks about affairs In
Uniontown never gets an answer-the con-
tempt and disgust of an original Anacostlan
ebeing too deep for utterance.
During the war Notifications bristled over
these circling hills, and Fort Stanton, the
lordliest of them all, still stands dsmantled
monument of that sanguinary time. General
Howard, then in command of the slave refu-
gees, made arrangements with the Govern
ment to furnish bit Of land and material to
leach householder for small homestead for
these helpless wards Of the nation; and with
much native insight, IL not wisdom, these sons
of Ham proceeded to pitch their cabins and
plant their truck gardens ON the very loveliest
lumbia. It is an old saw that "The lame and
the lazy are always provided for by kindly
Providence These refugees were lame
enough specimens of humanity, heaven knows,
in those days, and not few of them were too
lazy to work, many of which characteristics
appear in this generation of young men, who
still play ball all summer while wives and
mothers buy the bread by days work or over
the tubs. All the same, these sons of Ham
are cute enough when it comes to bargaining
for their lands They are attached to them,
and if anybody wants them he must pay well.
Nobody does want it in single parcels, but
some day along will come wise syndicate
with pocketful of cash, which will swoop
up the whole section. What views of the
river they command, and Of the city unsur-
passed In beauty and variety with hill and dale
thrown in. People who have taste and artis-
tic leanings, with an ardent love OF nature
and who can afford enough elegant leisure to
enjoy it, one day will rejoice to possess these
lovely environs of Anacostia. That is hardly
prophesy 1t is so clearly to be seen.
Let me throw in pen sketch from my win
dow on Woodbine Terrace. To my left juts
out bold, green promontory OF the Asylum.
grounds, on which there is a delightful drive.
Just beyond it one can count the houses in
Fairfax. AT this point on the water the Po-
tomac and Anacostia kiss each other and go
diving on together in loving companionship
to the sea. 1t looks like lake from this point
aud white sails futter in the morning breeze
Ike flock of swans. Or, during the day the
ferries, the big steamers or the shipping fly
back and forth, giving thousand pictures
worthy an artists pencil. A little farther up
the river one sees the portico Of Arlington
cleaning yellow through the trees, while the
tower of Fort Meyer is just beyond. In the
bright light of morning Georgetown College
sits like castle in the distance, with the
white rim of the receiving reservoir glistening
in the background of hill and sky. The old
observatory comes into view, with old Sol sa-
luting its dome, which reflects back his golden
beam with a silvery smile. The shaft of the
Washington monument shines white as milk,
or tipped In rose pink as the fogs and mists
fshroud the city from view, or float round it
like black cloak which it filings off with
frt presenting series of weird and unique
effects. The picturesque pile of the Smithson-
ian group of buildings with the classic lines
of the War Department, Treasury, Patent Office
and other public buildings I'LL the foreground.
The Soldiers Home tower, Howard Uniyer-
.sity and lastly, but most beautiful OF all, the
dome OF the Capitol adds its bell-like aspect
of charm to scene of unrivalled loveliness,
within which scope lies all the great buildings
of the CAPITAL CITY To come back to the