The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-12-13

| wealth, ana that II would remain SO III
definitely. For many days this locatiO
appeared to have a better chance of be
coming the capital than either Harris
burg, Baltimore, New York, Germantown
Philadelphia, or any other place proposed
| Nrights Ferry was shown in the debat
4 u Ice .he veritable hub of the universe
| a region favored by nature above all 9th
trs. one gentleman. advocating the loca
| ton there. claimed that not merely tn
| soil. the water. and the advantages Of ma
| turs were unsurpassed. but said: If hon
cable gentlemen were disposed to pa
! much attention TO a dish of fish, he coul
assure them their table might be furnish
| ed with fine and good from the waters 0
| the Susquehanna.
F., Mr.. Madison favored the shores of tn
| Potomac as the place, and insisted the 10
cation should be in central position
| geographically speaking. The first reasol
assigned by him was that the Government
! would eXpend probably half a million dol
( lars, and every citizen should partakc o
this advantage as equally as nature ha'
rendered 1t possible. And further he said
| II it.were possible to promulgate our law:
| by some instantaneous operation, 1t woul'
| be OF less consequence IN that point o
view where the Government might b,
placed
| Upon a vote being taken in the House
the advocates of Wrights Ferry, on lht
| Susquehanna, triumphed, but the Senate
amended the bill by inserting German
town. The House would not acct p, the
| amendment. and the session end d with
cut an agreement. The subject was
brought forward again in the spring OF
1890, and after something of repetition
of the proceedings of the former session
the compromise was made by which 1t
was agreed that assumption should pre-
vail, and that the Capital should go per-
marently to the Southern location on the
banks of the Potomac. Accordingly, on
July IL, 1890, Congress passed the act,
which provided, among other things.
that district of territory not exceeding
ten miles square, to be located as here
after directed on the river Potomac at
some place between the mouths of the
Eastern Branch and Conogocheague, be.
and the same is hereby, accepted Y The
permanent seat of the Government If the
United States
And further provided that prior to
the first Monday in December next. all
offices attached to the seat of Govern
ment shall be removed to, and until the
first said Monday in December, in the
year 1890. shall remain at the city Of
Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsyva-
mia, at which place the session of Con-
gress next ensuing to the present shall be
held
THE act was amended March 8. 1871.
by which it was provided that the lines
were to be SO run as to include portion
of the territory below the mouth of the
Eastern Branch. 1t was also provided
that the public buildings should be erect
ed on the Maryland side of the Potomac
River.
Mr.. Hamilton and his followers were
made happy by the passage of the as
sumption act. the national credit was
established and made sure, and has never
since been shaken-except temporarily
and We all trust is destined TO stand I'M
impaired so long as the X. sublic sur
wives. The hopes of the other localities
Harrisburg, Baltimore. New York, Ger
mantown. and Wrights Ferry-to become
the seat of Government were forever
blasted. Philadelphia was put eff by be-
ing given n temporary blessing of ten
years short duration.
Preparations for Removal.
THE preparations for the removal be-
gan at an early date after the passage
of the act of January 16, 1890. Under the
law three Commissioners were appont ed
by the President in January %, 1871, to
survey the territory for the District. The
States Of Maryland and Virginia, respec-
lively, having passed acts of cession,
the survey wac n,adv, end Aaroh az
1871; the President. by formal proclama-
ton. declared and made known the terri
tory ten miles square for the District
ION September is. 1888 the corner
stone of the Capitol building was laid by
President Washington with imposing GER
pmQniPS A nrncpSSiQn. I,
others-of Free Masons and of the mill
tary and civil authorities took app.o-
pirate parts in these ceremonies. The
Masons were represented by the Grand
Lodge of Maryland and by lodge No. %,
of Alexandria. Va. Washington deliv-
cred an address. After the ceremonies
ended all partook of a barbecue feast
prepared for the occasion.
In pursuance of law IN May. 1900, the
ten years having expired, the archives
and general offices OF the Federal Gov
eminent were removed to Washington,
and hence my subject today, The Trans
fer of the National Capital from Phi. la
delphia TO Washington" ! need not go
further that ] have. as my subject does
not require 1t. into the assignment of
reasons why the Capital was transferred
to Washington. the motives which caused
the removal, and the arguments which
were potential in bringing it about.
shall not recitc at length the details of
the removal. We learn that on May %,
1890, notice was posted on the office
door of the Secretary of State. In Phil
adelphia, of which the following is a
copy: The Office of the Department of
State will be removed this day from
Philadelphia. All letters and applica-
lions are therefore to be addressed to
that department at the city of Washing
ton from this date
President Adams had left PHILADELPHIA
the preceding day, and made the journey
to Washington overland. The books, pa
pers. furniture. etc, of the Government
were brought by water transportation
and landed at one of the wharves, and
thence carted to the several Offices
was then mere village and
poorly prepared TO entertain the officers
Of the Government. although the number ,
was small. The employees for the first
year in the new city apportioned among
the departments were as follows: Sac
clerks; Treasury Depart
ment. 20: War Department. u; Navy
l6. and PostofIice Depart
ment. 10. making in all 126 CLERKS The
total sum paid in salaries in that year
was S125. ISL.
THE population Of the city was esti-
mated to be about 1900. The salts irs
show that on May Il, 1900, there were
100 brick and 253 frame houses in the
city. One gentleman describing II sand
1t is the best city IL the world for ::
'uture residence
And he added: We want nothing here !
but houses. cellars. kitchens. wcll-in-
formed men. amiable women and other |!
little trifles of this kind, 10 make our
city perfect
Although this description vas given &
% the public we are not informed hist !!
.nyona made protest againsS the classif- .
alton of well-informed men and ami
able women with cellars ana kitchens. /