Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-14
FAIREST OF FLAGS
General Observation of the Stars
and Stripes Anniversary.
EVERYBODY Is HIGHLY ENTHUSIASTIC
The Liberty Emblem Floats Above
Fiag-Oecorated Community.
HISTORY OF THE STANDARD

If any one ever had any doubt about the
patriotism of the people OF Washington 1t
would have been quickly dispelled today
Il the person who entertained it had taken
a jaunt through the business and residence
portions of the city. There were flags
everywhere Immense banners fioated
proudly in the strong breezes from hun
dreds of flag poles; smaller standards We're
hung out from thousands of windows, and
coruices and doorposts were wreathed with
masses Of brilliant bu1tins. 1t is safe to
say that in no American city was the an
nIversary OF the adoption of the stars and
stripes as the emblem of liberty more gen.
orally observed than in the capital of
the nation which enjoys such
largess of the benefits which the
beautiful banner represents. Not alone,
however. was the recognition of the flag
confined TO floating it to the breeze from
residences and business establishments
Thousands of men and hundreds of women
went about their daily duties proudly wear
Ing tiny United States flags over their
hearts, while almost every public school
scholar in the District exultantly bore the
stars and stripes to school this morning
and listened 10 their teachers tell them the
touching story Of the significance of the
day. In many of the school rooms brief
patriotic exercises were also held. and al
together the little ones, who are to become
the strength as they are now the hope of
the nation. received patriotic inspirations
that cannot fail to prove beneficial to them
In their future state as citizens of the great
republic.
How Betsy Ross Made the First Flag.
The story OF the first American flag has
been often told. but viii never fail to be
new and entertaining. In 11T1 Congress ap-
pointed a committee. with Gen. Washington
at its head, 70 design a flag suitable for the
new bern nation. This committee prepared
a design and then looked around for some
one to make the haS in accordance with it.
- young woman named Betsy Ross, who
was noted for her skill in needlework, lived
IN a little house on Arch street, Philadel-
phia, which is still standing. 1t is said that
she used TO make the handsome rutfied
bosCms of the shirts that Gen. Washington
himself wore; but, at any rate, the great
patriot was familiar with her handiwork,
SO he called upon her, and showing her the
rough draft of the flag, which draft Is still
In the possession OF the State Department.
asked her ii she could make such banner
Betsy mCdestly said that she would try. The
design adopted by the committee consisted
OF alternating red and white stripes thir-
teen in number. and thirteen six-pointed
stars on a background of blue. symbolic of
the union of the thirteen colonies states.
BETSY Ross suggested that fve-pointed stars
would be more appropriate, and Gen. Wash
in the arrangement of the stars was made
from the original circle to the old idea of
cross.
First Used by Paul Jones.
The flag made by Betsy Ross and submit
ted by the committee was adopted by Con-
gress on June IA. 1TT7, and she was commits
stoned to make a great many more. Her
uncle. Col. Ross an officer of the revolution,
is said to have provided her with the means
10 secure the necessary material, and there
Is a record of an order on the Treasury De-
partment, made in 1717, ITO pay Betsy
Ross fourteen pounds twelve shillings two
pence for flags for the fleet on the Delaware
river Betsy Ross afterward married
John Claypoole and died January 50, 1886,
in the eightv-fifth year of her age. She is
buried in Mount Moriah cemetery at Phila-
delphia.
Though the flag was adopted in June the
formal announcement Of it was not made
until September 3 following, when, for the
first time, il was flung to the breeze as a
Rational ensign. The 1irst public use of It
was made by Paul Jones, who ran it to the
masthead of his brig, the Ranger at
Portsmouth, and put TO sea to prove him
self a terror to the English merchant ves-
sells. Prior to this. nearly every colony had
from one TO i've symbols, but all now
adopted the stars and stripes. The flag was
hrst flown on land during the campaign
winch resulted in the capture of Philadel-
the recognized ensign of the American re-
public until May 1. 11gJ when the number
OF stars and stripes We're each increased to
1fteen, TO take on Vermont and Kentucky
This enlarged flag was fioated during the
war of 1872 and 1S14
Changed to Its Present Form.
In 1916. a number Of other new states
having been admitted. Congress appointed
committee to consider the question of al
tering the dag. Capt. Reid. the naval hero
advocated before the committee the reduc-
tion OF the number of stripes to thirteen,
and the adoption of a number of stars equal
To the number of states, formed into the
shape of a large star This arrangement
was not approved wholly, but the following
year similar bill, with the exception OF the
arranging of the stars, was passed by Con-
gresS and Received President Monroe's sig
nature April Is. ISIS. and this is the flag
that Is daily seen floating from the flag
Stairs of the United States government.
The union has now been changed from a
square to rectanSle, and on il are forty-
Tour stars,symbOlic Of the number of states
The stars are arranged in six straight lines
the upper and lower lines having eight
stars. while the other four lines contain
seven stars each.
Gen. Grants Old Flag
Col. Amos Webster, who was a member
Of Gen. L. 5. Grants staff, had floating
from his residence. No 2O2O f street north
west, today the flag presented to him by
Gen. Grant at the close of the war This
flag fiOated over the headquarters of Gen
Grant at City Point and AppOmattox Court
House, Va, in 1865.