Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-16
A LITERARY CENTER
Washington Boasts q Long
List of Authors.
GOVT PUBLICATIONS
RESIDENTS WHO HAVE ATTAIN
ED WIDE FAME.
A Fruitful List Of Writers Of Books
Furnished by the Dis
trict.
GOVT PUBLICATIONS

Outside the notable galaxy of New Eng
land writer's which adorned the latter half
Of the nineteenth century, and the last OF
whom passed away with Lowell. what city
can furnish a more fruitful list of writer's
of books than Washington?
|, No one will attempt to answer this ques-
ton, which is asked by n> less literary
authority than DR.. A. r. Spofford. around
whom the Library of Congress has grown,
when he comes to consider the backing in
the way of books and authors which DR..
Spofford has to substantiate his claim.
Thirteen Presidents of the United States
have been authors including Mr.. Roose-
Welt, and more than that number of cabinet
officers. This peculiar literary distinction
which Washington may justly claim as her
OVID is far from comprising even 1.-THE
of the long list of her author-cltizens, some
of whom have achieved worldwide fame
IN letters while others have divided their
eminence in official and scientific pursuits.
DIR. Spofford was asked recently if he
could tell of the literary features of wash
ington in a column Of The Star. He thought
for moment and then remarked, in his
Enthusiastically pleasant but earnest man
ner, Il could tell it much easier in page"
Then he paused and reminisced.
Beginning in 17o6.
The beginning of Journalism in Wash
ington, away back in 1896. is the starting
point Of the native literary production of
the city. From that point as the pinnacle,
like the glistening aluminium point on the
top of the Washington monument, the de-
scent may be made in solid polished marble
blocks of literature of all classes-scientific,
historical, governmental, fiction and cur
rent ublications-sufficient in bulk and
quality to rival that historic pile to the
father of his country.
The Washington Gazette, published twice
a week by Benjamin More, was the initial
publication of the national capital. 1t lived
but two years, from June IL, 1896, the date
of it's first number. 1t was not until two
weeks before the first Congress met in the
city in November, 1900, that Washington
had another literary production-the Ma
tional lligencer-transplanted from PHIL
adelphia by its editor, Samuel Harrison
the vessel bearing the plant of the 1ntell1-
gencer sailed for no less than six weeks III
making the trip from the Quaker city, via
the Delaware river, Chesapeake bay and
Potomac river. The Intelligencer lived for
over half a century as a reliable and tnflu-
entail publication. Two of its early editors
Seaton and Gales, jointly did their own re-
porting and were accorded seats beside
the Vice President in the Senate and the
Speaker in the House. Both Seaton and
Gales became mayors of Washington, and
that honorable post has been filled no less
than five times by journalists.
Other names in the early literary history
Of the city and which will always be con-
nected with its foundation in letters are
James c. yelling, who also made his per-
sonal impress on the Intelligencer; Col.
Peter Force, still held in reverent memory
and noted for his American Archives and