Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-23
Celebration Of George Wash
ington's Anniversary.
PATRIOTS IN SESSION
LOCAL HOLIDAY OBSERVANCE rs
QUITE GENERAL.
Many Washingtonians Journey to
Alexandria to Witness Ceremonies
and Pageant-Stores Closed.

Il
The anniversary of George washingtons
| birth Is being celebrated today with the
quiet and dignity which always mark this
occasion of so much patriotic significance
In the national capital. named. for the
| father Of his country, who was born Ill
years ago. Since the time of the death
of this great man his birthday anniversary
| has been celebrated with ever-increaslng
interest and enthusiasm. The first cele-
brations were small affairs. confined for
| the most part to his native commonwealth
| OF Virginia. But the patriotic custom soon
grew in popularity, and throughout the
| last century there hardly village
or hamlet or busy city of the country
| wherein some service significant Of the
day was rot held. The twentieth century
finds the American people stin more rever-
ent and devoted in their annual tributes
| to Washington. Not alone Is this true.
| but the celebrations now extend across
the seas, and wherever little colony of
the children Of Uncle Sam Is to be found.
| there, toe one VIII find homage each Feb
| ruary % to George Washington. The clos
| ing war Of the nineteenth century which
so decidedly changed the map of the east
| ern and western hemisphere also had the
effect OF extending the celebration OF this
| day.
| In the churches Of the city yesterday
the life and character and example of
| Washington entered largely into the pulpit
| discourses of the day. In many instances
| special church services were arranged.
| Very few clergymen overlooked the occa-
| sion for some reference to the American
| ideal.
Celebration General Today.
Today the celebration is general IN char
| acter. The great government departments
are closed and their thousands are enjoying
the annual February holiday. Many Wash
fngtonians have journeyed to Alexandria to
witness the elaborate ceremonies and the
| gorgeous pageantry the patriotic citizens
| of that ancient and honored city of Virginia
| have arranged I'VE are to celebrate Wash
tngton's birthday as 1t was never celebrated
| before" wrote the Alexandrians in their
| invitations. I'VE dislike to show I'D the
| laxity of other municipalities in this re-
| spect," they added, but We must do It."
| The weather conditions are all these citi-
gems could desire, and Washingtonians who
| made the journey to Alexandria were am
ply repaid by the entertainment afforded
them.
Cars and Boats Crowded.
Early this morning there were lively
scenes witnessed about the steamboat
| wharves and the railroad stations where
passengers were waiting to start for Mount
Vernon and Alexandria. On the electric
| railway all the cars Ct the company were
In service. while the two boats of the
ferry company were unable to carry all
who wanted to participate in the exercises
in Alexandria. At o'clock this afternoon
| 1t was estimated that fully six thousand
persons had awaited themselves Of the op-
portunity to visit the tomb Of Washington
| and swell the crowd at the celebration
across the river. 1t was almost impossible
to hand out tickets sufficiently fast to ac-
| commodate those who were on hand al the
| depot OF the electric cars during the noon
hour. About 1000 passengers had gone
| The regular schedule had to be abandoned
| because of the additional service. At the
| steamboat wharf the crowds awaiting the
hnat or the boats were larger than the
cursloniSts were delayed short time.
The steamer Charles Manchester left her
| wharf at the usual hour with more than
100 passengers aboard for Mount Vernon,
and at O'Clock the steamer Harry Randall
carried down 200 members OF Webster
Lodge, 4. of p. and their friends. The
marched to the wharf. A stop was made
| in front of the residence of Frank P. Hall,
7th and K streets southwest member Of
the lodge, and the band serenaded him.
Each member of the band was presented
| with a floral decoration for his coat and
| then the march to the boat was resumed.
Earlier in the day the Unised States Marine
| Band. escorting a detachment OF marines.
went to Alexandria by steamer. The band
and marines attracted attention all along
the line Of march and had a large follow
| ing.
Other organisations that were to partici-
| pate in the birthday affair went by boat or
| train. Some Of them were accompanied by
bands, while others went without music.
The crowds Of excursionlsts included men,
| women and children, and hundreds patron
lied boys who were selling badges for the
occasion. Miniature hatohets and punches
of cherries were largely In evidence, and
| those who composed the jolly crowds were
given to understand that they were to be al
| lowed the freedom OF the Virginia city.
Anticipating the increase in traffic over
| the lines to Alexandra. the police had an
| extra number of men on duty to handle the
| crowds. The latter were orderly. and little
| trouble was experienced. Captain Board
man detailed Detectives Tyser and Trumbo
| to go to Alexandria to work with the police
| there and prevent the operations OF pick
pockets. II possible.
The Formal Celebrations.
While there are no public demonstrations
in Washington city, there are still a number
of formal celebrations in progress. Follow
ing their time-honored custom. the Oldest
Inhabitants Association arranged elaborate
ceremonies for this morning The celebra-
ton was the most enthusiastic. most inter-
esting and successful the venerable resi-
dents Of the capital have ever held.
The Sons OF. the Revolution met with pa
triotic program this morning at tne-N New
Willard Hotel. -.
The Children of the Revolution have made
their annual pilgrimage to the tomb OF
Washington at Mount Vernon.
The number OF general visitors at Mount
Vernon was unusually large.
In a mercantile way the day Is being quite
generally celebrated. A large number OF
stores were closed all day while the great
majority shut their doors between II and
o'clock noon. .'.
Banquet Feature Of Observance.
The birth Of General George Washington
was commemorated by the bookbinders OF
the government printing office Saturday
evening by a banquet at Bessler's Hotel.
on Pennsylvania avenue. Covers were laid
for one hundred. and MI. William C. Con-
nor presided as POSTMASTER. The evenings