Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1895-08-14
AN HISTORIC HOUSE.
BreatheS of Memories of George
Washington.
1T STILL STANDS FIRM AS A ROCK.
Within Its Walls He First Met and Loved
the Charming Widow Custis-Near
the Potomac.
IT STILL STANDS FIRM AS A ROCK.

Perhaps the most interesting of the
revolutionary relics is an old mansion
in Alexandria, Va, which ought to be
regarded as one of the most historical
houses in America. The place stands
in square ON Fairfax street, and COM
prises an antique hotel known as the
Braddock House, while the real point
of interest, the old Carlysle House, is
not to be seen. from the sidewalk at all.
The hotel covers the portion Of two
sides of square, standing on corner,
but within it's grounds is the smaller
building, both being connected by
high porch. At the foot of the square
is large garden overgrown with
weeds. A few hundred yards off
flows the Potomac river, and the
houses perch just ON the side of the
hill. From the street nothing of the
Carlysle house can be seen, but on pass
ing down the river a full view is OBJ
tained.
Standing in rear corridor of the
hotel one looks out at mansion which
was once the liveliest of the hospitable
abodes of olden times The bricks are
still sound, but the front is dull with
the rains and suns of fleeting years
The stately porch of white pillars is
shut in by the towering mass of the
hotel, and the walk in front is high
in air, the ground having been cut
away to level the new buildings found
alton. The stone steps on which the
old gallants whispered airy nothings
in the moonlight now catch only the
ceaseless sound of the ticking wires in
the telegraph Office below, and the yard
where Washington and Lafayette
smoked their cigars, or, in earlier days,
when Lieutenant Washington conferred
with Braddock, is but the site of busi-
ness offices and stores.
The Carlysle House is built upon
vast stone fort, of whose birth history
has no record, but it is supposed to
have been erected by the very earliest
settlers as defense against the Indians.
and some place the date of its begin
ming as early as 1670-years before
Washington was born or any one
dreamed that new republic would
spring into life in the recently discov-
cred world. The stones are heavy
gray ones. and within the dark re-
cesses are narrow, damp cells, which
tradition says were used as slave pens
and as stables for the cattle when the
settlers feared an attack from Indians.
So old is this part that the iror frame
of the doorway which in some places
is four inches thick, has in others rotted
off until scarcely an inch is left.
When, in 1882. John S. Carlysle, col
lector of the port of Alexandria, and
contractor for the work on Christ
Church, made his house, he simply
turned the old fort into a cellar and
above it erected mansion, which is
commodious house, even at the present
day.
The first place entered is a large
hall, into which broad stairway
curves down from the rear. The
wood of the steps and newell post is
of solid mahogany, and the value thus
represented is said to be several hun
dred dollars. On the right are several
empty rooms, which must have been
used as parlors; on the second floor
are any number of bed chambers, while
ON the left of the hall and opposite to
the parlors is room which has seen
most of the great men who made Amer
lean history. 1t is the ballroom. a
rather small apartment in contrast with
the magnificent proportions Of our
modern palaces ON the Hudson or Fifth
avenue, but sufficient for the needs of
the time.
The walls are tinted blue and the
room is of panelings of oak. Above
the door and the mantel are elaborate
carvings and,a large frame for pictures
built in the wall like those seen down
at Mt. Vernon.
Here it was that Washington, then
an ambitious young man. received his
commission in the British army, from
the hands of the English General,
Braddock. and from this point they
set out ON the expedition to Fort Du-
quesne, an enterprise from which Brad
dock never returned, for his body was
buried near the place of defeat.
Washington. being a frontiersman,
knew the methods of warfare en-
ployed by the Indians and warned Gen.
eral Braddock that it was useless to
fight savages by the military tactics of
European nations. But, like most
Englishmen, Braddock thought be
knew all that was necessary, but found
too late that Washington's advice was
the only proper one. In this house, it
is said. the conversation relative to the
expedition against the Indians took
place. And it was here also that the
council of five Governors took place.
The men present were Governor Din
widdie of Virginia, Governor De Lancey
of New York, Governor Morris OF
Pennsylvania, Governor Sharpe OF
n \ l. II