The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-12-29


And pebblestone pavements which. wear out our
My master looks dull and his spirits are sinhinef
From morning till night he is smoking and think
Laments the expense OF destroying the fort
And says your great people are all Of a sort.
He hopes and he prays they may die I'm a stan
| II they leave us in debt for Federal hall
| In fact, he would rather timber or dig
Than them removing to Connogochearuc.
Where the houses and kitchens are yet to b
The trees be felled and the streets to be named
AS far back as 1888 a congressman
| wrote to friend: where win congress-
| establish their resfdence7 is a question
| much agitated. It is a question OF
great importance no less to the United
States in general than to the particular
/ state that may obtain the honor It
seems the general voice OF the people
that large cities are to be avoided. For
this opinion a variety of reasons are to
/ be assigned too obvious to need emu
meration. A small state, nearly central,
ought to be preferred to an opuient
state either northward or southwark.
and on this account New Jersey has
many voices. Whatever disadvantages
hereafter may minsle themselves with
the emoluments attending the perma-
nent residence Of congress, IL is not to
be doubted that the real estate in the
vicinity, and even throughout the state,
viii instantaneously receive a great ads
ditional value''
This prediction seems to have been
borne out by the rise in values In
Washington Immediately after a. was
laid out as a city. Though It was at
that time described as "a town without
houses and streets and the entire dis
lance from the capitol to the White
House was a morass," In May, 1900.
there were 375 houses of brick and wood
up and being erected, lots southwest OF
Massachusetts, avenue We're selling at
an average price of S343 and northeast
at $105. while lots binding on navigable
waters went at S12.7i per front foot.
The different states seemed to enter
tain this opinion, for several OF them
began to bid for the national capital.
New York offered to cede the town Of
Kingston and Maryland the city Of
Annapolis. what think you" wrote q
virtuously indignant Philadelphia man
to correspondent, "of this kind Of auc-
tioneering?"
BY a resolution of congress copies Of
the acts of the legislatures Of New
York and Maryland We're transmitted
to the executives of the respective
states. who were informed that the first
Monday in October. 1888. was assigned
for taking said affairs into cOnsidera-
ton" This enterprising scheme pro-
voked proffers from several other
states, but it was afterward proposed
that buildings for the use Of congress
be erected on or near the banks Of the
Delaware. provided a suitable district
can be secured on or near the banks OF
said river for a federal town, and that
the right of soil and an exclusive or
such other Jurisdiction as congress may
direct shall be vested in the United
States"
A long and tedious discussion follow
ed. during which one proposition was
entertained which provided for two res
licences or congress, one on the banks OF
the Potomac and the other on the banks
of the Delaware, where they should
hold sessions alternately. It was in 1888
that member of the house from Vir-
ginia offered the federal government
ten square miles OF territory or any
lesser quantity in any part of his state
which congress might choose and was
followed by a similar offer from Mary
land. Finally, after a seven years
on the 18th of July. 1890. Pres
ident Washington approved and signed
the following bill: BE IL enacted. etc.
that a district of territory not exceed
ing ten miles square. to be located as
hereinafter directed. on the river Poto-
mac, at some place between the mouths
of the Eastern Branch and Connogo-
cheague, be and the same is hereby ac-
cepted for the permanent seat OF the
United States"
ing was laid with impressive ceremo-
MES by President Washington on the
18th OF September, 1893. and all haste
was made to erect a suitable structure
for the housing Of congress and the ma
tional official archives. The govern
ment had held a great sale Of lots in Oc-
tober. 1871, which Spectators from all
over the country attended in crowds.
and prices ran high. From the revenues
thus obtained and with the money de-
rived from loans the White House was
started in October. 1892. and the capitol
the following year.
President Adams spoke feelinRly
when he alluded to the abundant lack
Of accommodations for the congress-
men, for had not his own wife called
"a wilderness city" and
the executive mansion barn UNIT for
human habitation? MIR. John Cotton
Smith. a representative from President
Adams own state Of Aiassac husetts.
says he found only one wing Of the cap
tol constructed. and the White House
a mile distant which were shining
objects in contrast with the dismal
scenes around them ~ without ade-
Iuate accommodations having trav-
ersed the distance from their respective
homes by stagecOach or on horse back.
and with no means for social entertain
nent. the congressman Of that first ses-
sion at Washington were indeed in a
lismal plight
But they held an exciting session not
and there We're several
men in attendance whose names are
still treasured by their country. One
IF the most important things they did
was to decide the presidential election
when IL was thrown into the house ow-
ng to a tie between Jefferson and Burr
The decision was in favor OF Jefferson
IN the 18th Of February. 1901. and con-
sequently he was the first OF our presi-
ients to be inaugurated at washington
The aspect of the capitol at that time