The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1901-02-19
WASHINGTON IN 1912.
A Travellers Description of How the
Capital Looked Then.

A Travellers Description OF How tine
Capital Looked Then.
Few of the many people who go to
Washington today would recognize de-
scription of that city given by New
York merchant whose business took him
south in the autumn of 1872. From an
attic chest, where they have been left to
grow yellow with age, the letters OF this
merchant to his wife and children have
been brought to life. The Independent
prints few extracts from them.
At this time the capital had been set
tied dozen years, and the capitol and
executive mansion stood as they were be-
fore the British burned them Washing
ton itself was a settlement--largely marsh
adjoining Georgetown, port OF some
commercial consequence.
81 have the pleasure to inform you,
writes the traveller, that | arrived here
at the seat of the great government OF
these United States this afternoon with
out accident, but most exceedingly IA
tigued, as you may well suppose, having
ridden about $50 miles since the day be-
fore yesterday morning. lodge in this
| town (Georgetown), which adjoins the
city of Washington, as the best public
| house is here.
4Tn coming passed through the center
Of the great named city-that Is, by the
capitol, the presidents house, and so
forth, which are one or two miles from
my lodgings. and am almost enchanted
with It'll mean the situation of the city,
| for there is nothing yet here constituting
one, being comparatively without houses
or streets. As to houses they are very
few, and those very scattering; as to
| streets. there are none, except you would
call common roads streets"
His description of his first night at the
hotel is quaint enough. He says:
81 wrote you evening before last, the
evning Of my arrival. The house where
lodge is very large-say 90 rooms-and
my room very intricate. As the mai
closed at in the morning it was neces
sary to post letters in the evening. d.
rected the servant not to go to bed unit
he took my letters to the postOfice.
81, however, did not finish them til
nearly IL o'clock, when ! rang the bel
again and again without being answered
| Surprising the rascal asleep in the kitch
4 en-. took my candle and left my cham
Der, which was in one Of the wings OF thu
house, to find him. After hunting loni
time without being able to find either hin
or the kitchen 1 opened door that led t.
the yard. AS 1t rained and blew violent
IL, out went my candle and left me Il
total darkness. then endeavored t.
find my chamber again, but that was NO
easy.
"After being completely bewildeFed
exerted my lungs to arouse some persoI
as a guide, but received no reply excep
the echo of my own voice. At length
succeeded in gaining my chamber ant
concluded to go to bed.
Luckily after I got comfortably il
bed Waterman came past my window
bawling out, Past o'clock and yer,
stormy nightv on which sprang out
bed and called to him to take my letter
to the postc ice. which he consented t
do. / accordingly wrapped them In
sheet of paper to keep them from tn
wet, with a quarter Of a dollar, an
threw them out Of the window, and
hope he put them in the postoeice, as d
nrcmised to do