Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1900-12-13

hundredth anniversary of the removal
Of the national capital from Phila-
delphia to Washington on December Il
next it is interesting to recall the
changes which have occurred IN TINS
city during the dying century. \ nun
dred years ago it was described by
poet as this famed metropolis where
fancy sees squares in moraSSeS,
obelisks in trees" Another cynical
writer prophesied that as soon rs
Washington died the city which Is 10
be the boosted monument of his great
ness will also be defunCt.' The Wlle
of the president who succeeded WASH
ington CMrs. Adams) was very IN
happy in her first impression OF the
capital city, describing it as "A place
of brick kilns and labOrers' huts.
PENNSYLVANIA avenue. now. as every
one knows, the principal street OF the
city. was a deep morass covered WIN
alder bushes. The streets and ave
nues" were merely indicated by cuts
through the woods. The white house
although planned on a grand scale
was in a totally unfinished condltlon'
and Mrs. Adams experience IN mousse
keeping was anything but satisfactory
IN herself. although she evidently tired
to make the best of 1t. After she Ma"
been there a short time she exclaimed
"Tf thev will nut me up some bells and
let me have wood enough to keep hre /
will be pleased. Surrounded by lot
asts. can you believe that wood Is not
to be had because people cannot DC
had TO cut and cart it? We have IN
deed come into a new country Not
single room in the white house was
ready for occupancy not even the
stairs were put through the mousse
On Monday the white house wash was
hung to dry in the cast room. Incl
dentally it may not be known to al
that the white house was named lor
the old colonial estate where the young
widow Gusts was living with her two
little children when Gen. George Wash
ington first paid her his court.
Magnificent Distances.
Looking retrospoctiyely at the capl-
tal CITY as it was in 1900 one can al
most excuse the poet Moore Tor cali
ing it in derision the city OF maghlll-
cent distances" referring probably to
the fact that the houses were Ions
way from each other Its population
was then about 5000, and it contained
only 1O9 brick houses and 253 frame
dwellings. Through the intelligence
of the people and their absolute lalth
in the permanenCe OF the capital one
is now able to appropriate Moore
expression and apply to it a meaning
which was quite foreign to his NINA
The present capital city is now known
the world over as a city not only OF
magnificent distances, but as one OF
splendid climate, superb streets, hand
some residences and cultured society.
The Program.
The program for the celebration is
as follows co.
10 a. m.-Reception at the white
house by the president of the Onitea
states to governors of states and
territories. Col. Theodore A. Big
ham will make some remarks in con,
neCtion with the display of the modei
of the new white house and Com
missioner mcfarland will present
historical sketch Of the District d
Columbia during the past century.
Suitable responses will be made ny 'he
governors of two states.
d. m.-MiIitary and naval parade
from the executive mansion to the
capitol
> p. m.-Review of parade at east
Dortico of the capitol by the president
cabinet, senators and representatives
governors of states and territories ana
other officials.
an. m.-Commemorative exercises
will be held jointly by the senate and
house of representatives. The speak
.er of the house will call the assembly
10 order and introduce the president
pro tempore of the senate as presiding
officer. Addresses will be made by
Senators John w Daniel of Virginia
and Louis Z. McComas of Maryland
and by Representatives Serene E.
Payne of New York and J. D. Richard
son of Tennessee.
p. ma formal reception and CO
lonial ball will be rendered by citi-
zans of the District of Columbia.
The following story Of the selection
of the permanent site for the capitol
is instructive, going, as it does, a lit
tie more into the legislative detail Of
the transaction:
If the first congress (Which was
called upon to legislate concerning
the establishment Of the permanent
seat OF the federal government had
not had under consideration at the
same time an act for funding the fed
eral debt and assuming the debts con
tracted by the several states during
the revolutionary war perhaps the cap
ital Of the United States would have
been permanently located somewhere
farther north. And It happened thus
virginia was especially antagonistic to
the assumption of these state debts,
for her own was safely funded at 6
per cent After a struggle the as