Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-10-17

| A CENTENNIAL. Anniversary THAT SHOULD IN
/ TEREsr EVERY CITIZEN OF THE DISTRICT
SOME "DETAILS WHICH THE OCCASION BRINGS
| TO LIoHr-rRoUBLEs OF THOSE DAYS.
| One hundred years ago today occurred the
| first sale Of lots in the national capital. The
/ 18th of October should figure as a sort OF
Fourth of July in the year book Of the average
real estate dealer and owner in the District Of
Columbia, and today might appropriately have
been celebrated with honors of lasting nature.
On this day one hundred years ago the broad
acres of Davey Burns Motley Young. Daniel
/ Carroll and Samuel Davidson began to pass into
hands Of the people who had SO long been want
| ing them THAT obstinate Mr.. Burns" as Presi-
dent Washington denominated the honest land
holder and the most tenacious of them, had
given the commissioners no end of troubl lie, and
| they doubtless felt burden lifted from their
! minds when his opposition ceased and the sale
| of lots was actually begun, one hundred years
ago today.
WHEN THE TROUBLE BEGAN.
The story of the early days OF the capital city
is of course a familiar one in a general way,
| but many interesting details are recalled by the
centennial of this greatest of events in its his
tory. The trouble began" during the session
| in Philadelphia in 1887 of the convention to re-
wise the federal system of government, at which
time it was proposed that the new Constitution
| should provide against selecting for the seat of
government any city or place where q state
government might be fixed, in order to pre-
vent any question of jurisdiction arising. This
was finally arranged by a feature Of the Consti-
tuition as 1t now stands, by which any state
where the capital city should be located was to
cede full possession to the ground, ITO exercise
exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever
over such district mot exceeding ten miles
square, as may by cession Of particular states
and the acceptance Of Congress become the seat
| OF government of the United States"
How CONGRESS WAS BOTHERED.
The result was that the First Congress when it
met in New York in 1888 soon found itself
'pestered" with appeals and memorials for the
location of the permanent seat of government.
New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, George
town, Alexandria and many other places were
ambitious to become the seat of government,
as well they might have been. That the problem
grew to be very difficult one and the contest
bitter and largely sectional one Is well known.
The fact that New York was at that moment
providing Congress with suitable meeting
place free OF cost was urged by the New Workers
as evidence that she could always do well by
Congress. They would not listen to a location
so tar south as Maryland or Virginia. On the
other hand it was known that Washington ia
vored the Potomac, and the southern members
of course stood by him and their section. The
the first session of the First Congress, and did
not end until the second session of the same
Congress, when a bill was passed locating the
seat OF government ION the river Potomac, at
some place between the mouths OF the Eastern
branch and Conococheague."
The following copy OF the act which estab
lished Washington as the permanent seat of
government will be interesting to many peo-
pie on this centennial anniversary occasion. 1t
was finally passed by Congress July 8, 1880:
THE LOCATING ACT.
Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and
House Of Representatives of the United States
of America in Congress embed, That dis
trict of territory not exceeding ten miles
square, to be located as hereafter directed on
the river Potomac. at some place between the
mouths of the Eastern branch and Conoco-
cheague, be and the same hereby accepted
for the permanent seat of the government of
the United States; provided, nevertheless, that
the operation of the laws of the state within
such district shall not be affected by this ac-
ceptance until the time fixed for the re-
moval of the government thereto and until
Congress shall otherwise by law provide.
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted That
the President of the United States be author
lied to appoint and. by supplying vacancies
happening from refusals to act or other causes,
to keep in appointment as long as may be nee
essary three commissioners, who, or any two of
whom, shall. under the direction OF the Presi-
dent, survey and by proper metes and bounds
define and limit a district so defined limited
and located. shall be deemed the district ac-
cepted by this act for the permanent seat Of
the government OF the United States.
Sec g. And be it enacted, That the said COM
missioners or any two of them shall have power
to purchase or accept such quantity of land on
the eastern side of the said river within the said
district as the President shall deem pror er for
the use of the United States, and according to
such plans as the President shall approve said
commissioners or any two of them snail. prior
to the first Monday in December in the year
1900, provide suitable buildings for the accom-
mediation of Congress and Of the President and
OF the public Offices OF the government of the
United States.
Sec. 4. And be it enacted That for defraying
the expenses of such purchases and buildings
the President of the United States be author
lied and requested to accept grants OF money.
Sec. 5. And be 1t enacted, That prior to the
first Monday in December next all officers at
tached to the seat OF government OF the United
States shall be removed to and until the first
Monday In December 1900, shall remain at the
city of Philadelphia in the state OF Pennsyl-
vania, at which place the session Of Congress
next ensuing the present shall be held.
Sec. g. And be 1t enacted. That on the first
Monday In December, iii the year 1900. the seat
Of the government OF the Cnited States shall by
virtue of this act be transferred to the district
and place aforenamed. and all offices attached to
the said seat of government shall accordingly
be removed thereto by their respective holders
and shall after the said day cease to be exer-
cised elsewhere, and that the necessary expenses
of such removal shall be defraye ed out of the
duties on import and tonnage, of which suffi-
Client sum is hereby appropriated.
July 10. 1880.
(Approved) GEORGE WASHINGTON,
President of the United States.
THE COMMISSIONERS SELECTED.
The commissioners selected to lay out the
future city Of Washington were Hon. Daniel
Carroll Of Maryland, DIR. David Stuart of Viz
ginia and Gov. Thomas johnson of MARYLAND,
ana they had as interesting time in their
work as Congress had had in locating the city
which they were to lay out They decided 10
call the district the Territory Of Columbia
and to name the city in honor of Washington.
Then began a long struggle with the men who
owned the land inside the teu-mile limit
There were some twenty-five or more of
them. though David Burns, Motley Young,
DAME, Carroll and Samuel Davidson were the
most prominent. Burns, it may be added, was
| the most stubborn, and by a singular coiuci-
dence the one landmark left in reminder Of all
| these men on this centennial occasion is the
| cabin of old Davey Burns, who ''sassed'' Presi-
| dent Washington when he urged him to accept
| the terms offered. saying: Il suppose, Mr.
| Washingto you think people are going to
\ take every grist from you as pure grain; but
| what would you have been if you hadn't mar
| ried the rich Widow Custis?'
Washington OF course took great interest in
the work of the new capital CITY, and used TO
Z h. -