Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-05-07
wAsHlNGToN's EARLY COMMERCE..
subject Discussed by the COlumbis
Historical Society.

SuuJect discussed Dy the Columbia
Historical Society.
The last regular meeting for the present
season of the Columbia Historical Society
was held last evening at the home of the
president of the society, DR.. ]. NJ Toner
14+5 Massachusetts, avenue. There was a
good attendance and the final meeting
not only for the season, but of the first
year of the existence of the society, gave
evidence not only of the prosperity of the
yourg organization, but of the valuable
work which is being done in arousing an
interest in local history.
A paper on the early commerce of Wash
ington was read by Mr.. Worthington c.
Ford, in which he pointed out the char
acter of the early commerce of this sec
ton OF the country, and referred to the
plans proposed for establishing commercial
water communication between the western
country and the eastern seaboard. His
estimate of the value of the commerce of
this District, represented by the trade
from the port of Georgetown, was re-
ferred to in the discussion which fol-
lowed the reading of the paper.
Mr.. NJ. l. Weller said that he had re-
Gently come into possession of the books
of the firm of Lear & Co., which had
warehouse Oh the Potomac in the vicinity
Of where the Analoston boat house now
stands. These books, Mr.. Weller stated,
showed that this company carried on quite
an extensive foreign trade
Mr.. A. r. Spofford said that he had re-
Gently had occasion to look over the early
files of the Alexandria Gazette and from
the accounts there given of the commerce
of that port, which was then in the Dis
trict, 1t was evident that it had reached
considerable proportions, much larger
than the figures indicated in Mr.. Fords
paper.
\ report was made by Prof. MCGEE, the
chairman of the committee on communica-
n is1 40
programs for the various meetings held
. curing the year, and said that seventeen
papers had. been presented, mainly on SUBJ
jects of local history. This had not COM
prised the entire work of the society, as
the papers read and discussions had led
to the preparation of historical papers,
which had been published in newspapers
and in other ways, and there were also
a number which were in course of prepa-
ration and which, no doubt, would be sub
mitted at future meetings of the society.
Progress, Prof. MCGEE said, had been
made in preparing for the first publication
of the society. He had proofs of the first
volume which will be issued, containing
an account of the formation of the So
eiety, the inaugural address of the presi-
dent and the address by Mr.. A. r. Spot
ford A list Of officers and members would
be appended. Material for another volume
was nearly in hand and that would COM
prise the papers and the letters which
were presented at the meeting of the So
Getty when the symposium on LEnfant
and Ellicott was held. A proposition had
been made to have an exhibition of paint
IL gs, prints and other matters relating to
the history of the city, and the use of the
Cosmos Club Hall had been rendered for
such a purpose. 1t was deemed best, how
ever not to attempt to give such an eX-
hibition until next fall. 1t was hoped, he
said, that all members of the society would
interest themselves in the matter, and, by
calling the attention of persons who pos
sessed articles of interest to the matter. as
full collection as possible would be Sc
cured. TIE society then adjourned.