Evening star., 1900-08-02
OLDEST INHABITANTS.
Proceedings of Monthly Meeting Held
Last Night.

At the monthly meeting of the Oldest In
habitants' Association IN the Corcoran
building last evening Mr.. T. V. Noona n
presided, with Janes Croggon as secretary.
The following were elected to membership:
James Williamson of 1910 street; August
Hcester. 17oi street: w. A. Clark. 1924
34th street. and T. A. King. 459 G street.
DIR. Howard moved that a framed photo
graph of the members as taken July be
procured.
An engross2d letter of thanks to Walter
B. Williams was ordered to be prepared for
his gift of bust of Washington and a
pedestal.
Mr.. Noonan referred to the association
having relic OF the Davy Burns house-a
lath secured when it was demolis hed-and
presented a lath taken from the house of
Washington Berry. better known as Edge
wood Manor. in Metropolis View. and lat
terly occupied by Mrs. Kate Chase Sprague.
This house was directly east of Glenwood.
and had been demolished preparatory to
the erection of st. Nincents Orphan Asy-
lum. Mr.. Noonan also stated that he had a
piece of of the levy court boundary
stones which long stood at the junction of
Glenwood and what was known as Bour-
Diary road. which he would present These
stones he said. were. kept whitewashed
that they might show better at night.
Mr. Oliver announced the. death of Mr.
Fred. w. Brandenberg, long a member of
the association. and Ir. Joseph Prather
spoke of his life The corresponding secre-
tary was directed to send a memorial card
to the family expressing the sympathies of
the association.
Mr. Max Lansburgh read sketch of
Robert Morris. showing that he had much
to do with the location of the federal CITY
on the Potomac. Briefly noting that he was
born in England in 17:s} and came to this
country in lIi6, settling in Philadelphia
and mentioning his services in the Cont
mental Congress. he asked. Who can say that
these United States would exist today had
1t not been for this one mans financial
ability?
The question of removing the government
from Philadelphia was being considered
and in ltS5 Morris was elected one of the
commissioners to build a federal city. In
l'sI story was circulated that the Nir-
glnl2nS ana PennsylVanianS had made n
bargain. the temporary seat of government
to he in Philadelphia and the permanent
seat on the Potomac. Then it was proposed
to locate on the SiIsquehanna Morris work
ed against this location. and offered. If the
state declined. to raise SlGJ.e11 himself if
Germantown was selected. He succeeded
but the bill was amended in the House and
went over to the next session. Virginia had
proposed to Maryland that they cede ten
miles square. and offered to donate $40 900
II Maryland would give three-fifths that
amount. Pennsylvania in general way
agreed to site on the Potomac If the tenn
porary residence remained ten years at
Philadelphia and Morris was satisfied
Ihe President, says Maclay, through JEFF
ferson. Madison, Carroll and others urged
the business. and if they had not closed
with these terms. ii is said a bargain
Wouid nave been made for a temporary res
ldence in New York. and 1t was natural he
washington should have preferred this
location to one 300 miles from Mt. Vernon
Alter noting the selection of the site Mr.
Lansburgh spoke of the embarrassment of
the commissioners for want of money. and
referred to Morris and Greenleaf who, In
G@' purchased 6.WD lots. aggregatng 5,265
feet each at $50 per lot. payable in seven
annual instruments, agreeing to build
twenty brick houses covering / 800 square
ieet annually. and there is authority that
ne and his partners bought about as much
more of private narties