Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-05
Data of Interest in Connection With
Centennial Celebration.
WASHING10N'S EARLIEST PERIOD
Addresses Last Evening Before the
Columbia Historical Society,"
HABITABLE HOUSES IN 1900

centennial period in the history of our city,
which begins next year, were discussed at
regular meeting of the Columbia His
torical Society held last evening in the
banquet hall of the Shoreham. When the
president Of the society Mr.. John \. Has
son. called the meeting to order he looked
upon a large gathering OF men and women
who were interested in the past as well as
In the present of the District Of Columbia.
He announced that the society, in further
ance Of it's policy Of contributing to the
current interest In regard to the centennial
OF the District, Is arranging to make a list
as complete as possible, of the names of
those who are residents of the District
whose families resided in the city of Wash
ington in the year 1S0O He stated that the
society could be materially aided in this
work if the information is sent by those
interested to the secretary of the society,
Mrs. Mary Stevens Bean. He also stated
that Mr. Justice Hagner had sent for in
spection a colored print of Washington and
Georgetown. which was engraved in I.oII-
don in l~o1. and added that it could he seen
at the close OF the exercises.
The president Then introduced Mr.. w. B.
- Bryan. who made an address which was
Illustrated by map of the city, showing
the location by squares of the habltable
houses in Washington on the 10Th of May,
1909. The speaker stated that this map
mad been prepared from a tabular state
of the city commissioners. and attached to
memorial Of the commissioners on the
affairs of the city which was sent TO Con-
gress by President Jefferson January IL,
1902 Mr.. Munroe gives list of the
squares on which May II. $500. were To-
Gated the habitable houses. and further
classifieS them by stating whether they
were built Of brick or wood.
Total Number of Houses
The summary shows that there were 100
hrig n nd Of
making total of 372 houses. This Gunner
alton had been transferred to a modern
map of the city. which was exhibited by
the speaker and explained. He stated that
it had been prepared by the District sur
veyor. Mai LOCKER, from information fur
nished by the speaker. The squares shown
in Mr.. MunrOe's Il bles having improve
ments were indicated the map in red
and in this way Il rather graphic repre-
sentatiOn of the Improvements at that early
period was presented The accounts given
by contemporaries We're compared with this
official statement and 1t was shown that
the tendency IF Improvements as noted by
the different visitors to the city about that
period We're also indicated on the map.
The speaker stated that less than one
half Of the total number of houses shown
the map were located In the section of
The city between Georgetown and the Capt.
toI, while the map indicsted quite a large
Proportion in the general vicinity of what
Is now the arsenal and the Eastern branch.
Upon the conclusion of Mr.. Bryans re-
marks Mr. Spofford was called upon to
read his report. which was followed by a
discussion.
Removal of the Government.
NJ \. r. Spoford, chairman Of the COM
mittee appointed in pursuance of a vote of
the society. at the last meeting to con-
slider and report upon the historic facts
connected with the removal to the District
of Columbia Of the permanent seat Of gov
eminent of the United States made an
elahorac e report. At the outset he stated
that the duty with which we were charged
required careful and systematic eXami-
nation Of the legal and documentary evl-
denCe bearing upon the subject, including
acts OF Congress, executive orders and proc
Iamations. departmental records and con-
temporary letters and journals In the en-
tire absence of any comprehensive history
Of the various steps connected with the
initial organization Of the government in
this District we have been much aided by
the researches as to portions of the in
quiry contributed by members of this so
c.ety TO its archives. and especially those
of DIR. S. c. Busey and Messrs. W. 2.
Bryan and H. T. Taegart. Thanks are
also due TO President Kasson and to Mr..
Osborne for important facts concerning
early executive and judicial records col
He then gave brief summary of the
legislation which established this District
as the permanent seat OF the government
The report gave in full the law OF July TO-
1920. authorizing the establishment of the
seat of government on the banks of the
Potomac.
Wide Liberty of Choice.
This act" the report stated 1T will be
observed left a wide liberty of choice to
the President Of any site within about
hundred miles above the confluence Of the
Eastern branch and the Potomac But an
amendment passe1 by Congress the next
year and approved March 3 1871 Il L. S
Statutes al Large. 2lb. repealed the linn
itation Of the ten miles square. which
Guired II 10 be located above the mouth of
The Eastern branch. and authorized the
President to include the town Of Alexandria
and adjacent lands lying below. well
above. that branch. on both sides of the
Potomac.
Previous action by President Washing
ton had been taken by the appointment of
three OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. johnson,
Stuart and Carroll-on January 90 1871
under The act Of 1890, and by a proclama-
tion January "a, 1871. directing them to
proceed forthwith to run lines of expert
ment.' beginning on Hunting creek. Va.
running due northwest ten miles: thence
due northeast ten miles crossing the POtO-
mac into Maryland: thence due southeast
ten miles. and thence southwest ten miles
TO the place Of beginning messages and
Papers Of the Presidents, 1uU). This loca-
ton, not IN terms provided for in the first
act. appears TO have been made with a view
to secure amendat0ry legislation and per
haps to make his lines Of experiment sat
isfdctory alike to Congress. to Maryland
and to Virginia. IN view Of the sum of
$1,000" voted by the Virginia IegisIa ture
- A free gift toward the public buildings
IN case Of acceptance by Congress Of her
act 81 cession Of December y. 1883.
MaryIand's Contribution.
Maryland also gave the sum of ST. 600
outright for the public buildings besides
ce,iinE the land for the federal district De-
cember % 17ss, and afterward, by three
Successive acts. in 11!6. 1927 and 1884
loaned the large sum of $4,000 for the
same object. on the personal security of
the commissioners, added to that of the
government, the amendatory act having re-
peatsd the stipulation that the government
buildings should be erected on the Mary
land side OF the river.
The corner stone Of the District of CO.
lumbia was laid on the Virginia side April
l., 14gl with Masonic ceremonies March
u. 1I9l. Washington met the chief land
holders in the District at Georgetown who
agreed BY deed attested March 20 to con-
Ney 10 the President and commissioners all
their lands In fee simple. retaining an I'M
divided half interest in the lots that might