Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-12

FavOrite Design Proposed for Monu-
ment to Mark the Site of washing
tons birthplace.
dalton. The contract for the wharf was
let last fall to a Philadelphia construction
company at $3.50. and the supervision of
the contractors was intrusted to Col. John
M. Wilson. U. s. A., the officer in charge
of the Executive Mansion and of the public
buildings and grounds in Washington The
wharf will be built near the junction of
Bridges creek and the Potomac on the left
bank. 1t will resemble the wharyes con-
structed by the Navy Department at Key
West, Fla, and Newport r. L., and will
consist Of cast-iron screw piles sunk into
the river bottom. with a timber deck. II
viii measure 1.O5O feet long by IL feet wide,
with head 40 by 90 feet 1t will be both
durable and slightly. and will give easy &C.
cess from the Potomac to Wakefield the
historic Washington farm, and allow COM
Portable transit from the shore to the spot
where Washington was born. The work
will be pushed rapidly from now forward,
and the chances are that II will be finished
some time in July next although the con-
tract does not require its completion until
August.
Near the steamboat Harding and close bv
Bridges creek is the old Washington family
vault, containing the bones of Washington's
father, Augustine Washington, and of Au-
gustine Washingtons first wife, and of
some OF his ancestors. This vault will be
Enclosed in some suitable way, as an incl
cent to the general project, to prevent the
further dissertation by predatory tourists
Of the remains and the stone slabs covering
them. From the wharf at Bridges creek
an improved roadway will be made and
inclosed by fence on either side lead
ing southwestward and southwark a mile
and half to the site Of Washington's birth
place, Wakefield house, on the bank of Pope's
creek, wide arm of the Potomac
nny tvs,
the foundation walls. flush with the ground
The landscape surrounding the site is not
particularly attractive at present but with
proper grading. planting and improvement
II could doubtless be transformed into a
handsome park. 1t Is like any common fall
low field, covered at irregular intervals with
grass and weeds and here and there dotted
with clumps Of wild fig bushes, ragged pine
trees. hemlocks and shapely cedars. On
the spot where the old Wakefield house
stood. flat-sided freestone slab was place
in filial devotion in the year 1915 by .feorge
Washington Parke Custis, Washington's
adopted son, bearing this inscription:
HERE
On the 22nd February 173I
GEORGE WASHINGTON
WAS BORN.
As late as 1854 this slab was still intact
but with the action Of time and the depre-
dations Of relic hunters it is now no longer
recognizable.
After the death Of Augustine Washington
the Wakefield property was inherited by
his son. Augustine, jr., Georges next
youngest brother. on attaining his majority
Years afterward 1t came into the possession
Of Col. Lewis W. Washington, when a
reservation was made Of the spot which
the old house had occupied. In 1853 this
reservation. together with the burial plot
at Bridges creek. was presented to the
state OF Virginia by its owner, upon condi-
ton that the place be inclosed and a fitting
monument inscribed as the birthplace of
Washington. But this was not done, and
subsequently the Virginia legislature ceded
back the reservation to the last owner, Mr..
John E. Wilson, the husband of Betty
washington, whose grandfather was VIM
Augustine Washington. the half-nephew Of
George.
In 1879 the need Of a proper memorial to
mark the Washington birth site was called
to the attention of Congress, and in June
OF that year an appropriation of 5000 was
granted for a monument, to be erected
under the supervision Of the Secretary of
State. In the early spring Of 1880 William
NJ. Evarts, then Secretary of State. and
much interested in the success of the
project, visited the place and exerted him
self In the consideration of plans and de-
signs for the monument. In May follow
ing he reported to the House Of Represen-
tatives his opinion that $50, 600 instead of
5000. would be necessary to provide such
structure as the nature and dignity of
the subject demanded, and, as a result, the
appropriation was increased by Congress
In February. 1884. to the higher figure
and preliminary steps were at once taken
to carry the plan out.
Portions Of the Wakefield farm, with a
rude roadway leading from the landing. and
family vault at Bridges creek to the birth
site on Pope's creek, were then purchased
from Mr. Wilson, the last owner, at a cost
of about $4,000. and subsequently a survey
Of the property and river shore was made
by Col. Thomas L. Casey of the engineer
corps Of the army now brigadier general
and chief Of engineers. Col. Casey there
upon reported that the land secured by
the government could be inclosed at a
reasonable cost by 1900 feet of wire fencs