The morning times., 1895-08-04

the house, which some people contend was
built originally as a fort, there Is n pas
sageway leading through tunnel-HKe
exit to the lower garden. The proprietor
seems TO think this dismal place was an
exit from the house TO be used as means
of escape to the river in case OF an attack
from the Indians.
Theprincipal room of the house, no wever,
and the one which is.so historic, is the first
on the left as one enters the house. II is
like the hallway, paneled and painted blue.
1t is fashioned in heavy carved frieZe and
chairboard, and over the doors are very
elaborately designed ornaments, which give
them top-heavy appearance In the
embrasures Of the windows, almost a foot
below the sills, are wide deep seats, which
easily accommodatetwo persons.
1t was in this drawing room, early in
April, 1855, where, through the cour-
tesy of its owner, John S. Carlyle, esq,
Gen Braddock and Admiral keppel held
conferences with the executives OF the
several colonies concerning plans for the
proposed hostilitieS of the English against
the French and Indians. Besides the
five colonial Governors, Gen. Washing
ton, then a young major, was also present.
NO WASHINGTON THEN.
The old Braddock house is now silent,
but could its venerable walls talk what
tales they could tell OF heated discussions
as to routes and plans-of bumpers drank
10 what they thought was foregone
conclusion.
AT that time. and for years afterward-
nearly half a Century-tbcre was no such
thing as the city of Washington. The
country where the nations capital now
stands was then n strip OF woods, almost
an unbroken wilderness, and the nation
itself was not then even thought Of. The
colonies We're under British rule, and the
Colonists were anxious to resist the en-
croachments OF the French and their In
dian allies and possibly anxious, also,
To gain reuowu and a few thousand acres
of land for their trouble.
Alexandria, being Braddocks headquar-
ters, it was also made the recruiting
station for his army. Thither his small
fleet of two warships and half dozen
transports, containing about 800 men
each. had proceeded from Hampton, to
be increased later by ahout half that mum
Ter OF colonial troops from Virginia and
North Carolina.
The route taken by this army is very
accurately traced The transports pro-
ceeded eight miles further up river from
Alexandria and landed where Washington
now stands The general himself came
ashore at a point where is now the naval
observatory grounds.
MARCHED TO CUMBERLAND.
They then marched up the ROloInuc Nalley
TO Fort Cumberland, now the city Of Cum
berland, Maryland, and struck out over
the mountains by a trail "blazed" through
the wilderness to Smithfield and Fort Ne
! cessty, thence north to Connelisville and
| Mt Pleasant, then north to the Green's
| burg and Pittsburg turnpike, and finally
! due west across the Monongahela river to
! the dismal backgrounds. The Old National
! pike follows nearly in this trail through
! the mountains, and il was the writer's
! privilege to 90 over this ground last sum
mer in quest Of information.
Surprising as it may seem, there were
! found to be no less than dozen graves OF
| BTaddOck, according to the country folk
| each OF whom insisted that the grave is
| on their property, and they each showed
| US mound to subStantiate his claim.
As for the authenticity OF Braddock land
| ing at the observatory grounds, or at the
| footofTwenty ty-fourthStreetn north west there
| is only oral tradition to suhstantiate the
| claim, as the most diligent hunt has failed
| to find any mention of it in books bearing
| on the subject. However. many antiquar
| lans here have given their assurance thatthe
tradition is positively grounded ON fact