Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-13
REVIEW f HISTORY
FORT WASHINGTON AND OLD
TIME Library COMPANY.
Topics Of Papers Read Before Columbia
Historical society-Annual
Meeting Held.

AT
Two papers Of interest were read at the
meeting Of the Columbia Historical Society
last evening in the banquet hall OF the
shoreham Judge A. B. Hagner, vice presi-
dent Of the society, occupied the chair. The
first paper Of the evening was read by DR..
j. w. Morgan, and proved to be a careful
research into the history Of Fort Wash
tngton. Md. AS was pointed out by the
author OF the paper, this fort was the be-
ginning Of the military defenses of Wash
1ngton, as the site was selected by Gen.
washington in 1904 and the plan for the
erection OF the fort prepared by Major
l. Enfant, the author Of the plan of the city
OF Washington. under the direction of Gen.
Washington. At that time, and for some
years later, the place was known as Fort
Warburton. The exact date OF the change
to the present name is not known to DIR.
Morgan. Although supplied with a garri-
son and mounted with guns, no defense
was made of the place against the advanc-
Ing vessels Of the British in the war Of 1872
and the enemy passed up the river without
interference. Before the troops left the
fort was injured by an explosion, whether
DR.. Morgan.
Dr. Morgan traced the subsequent history
OF this post and remarked that 1t is now
noat1ng a garrison flag. He gave many
1acts OF value relative to the early history
OF the river and Of that section of Mary
land. especially during the colonial period,
ana his account Of the locality was Illus
trateo by q contemporary map, which he
scale, 80 that 1t could readily be seen.
In the discussion Of the paper Col. B. K.
Roberts. who Is in command Of the fort,
spoke Of the interest he felt in the past
purpose to bring together all possible infor-
nation He then spoke Of the present con-
dition Of the fertilization, which he said is
entirely outside the old walls.
Washington Library Company.
The next paper was read by Mr.. w. Daw-
son johnson. which gave an account of the
old Washington Library Company and
other local Libraries. He said that as early
as 1877 library had been formed in Wash
ington with Nicholas King as librarian. and
this was followed by the opening Of cir
culating library in the year 1901 by Rich
ard Dinmore, and subsequently by Hugh
Somerville. In 1905 the Anacostia library
was established at Sth and L streets south
east. The author also referred to the pri-
vate library Of Joel Barlow in his residence
at Kalorama. which was said to have been
at that time the largest and most valuable
private library in America. Then in 1911
came to the establishment Of the Washing
ton library, which was formed at meet
Ing Of the shareholders held at Davis tav-
ern April !. 1911. when Rev. James Laurie
was chosen presidentyand a board Of direc-
tors was selected. On the 21st of March,
1872, the library was opened in the front
room on the first floor of a house on Penn
sylvania avenue, probably on the south side
between 18th and 1872 streets. By the year
1915 the library had increased to 800 vol
umes. In 1917 Gideon Davis was appoint
ed librarian and the library was removed to
fIn IN,
Pennsylvania avenue. At that time the
library was open daily except Sundays.
For several years the library occupied the
east end of the upper story of the post
1t was kept until 1927 In 1925 the circulat-
ing library Of Davis & Force was pur-
chased. which was an important accession
to its shelves. The collection Of books of
chase in the year 1919. of the Union Cir
culating library. kept by Joseph Milligan. a
bookseller in GEORGETOWN. The following
year the circulating library of Davis &
Pennsylvania avenue, adjoining Davis Ho-
tel -
Many Volumes Added.
BY this purchase some 1900 volumes were
added to the library, making a total Of
about 5000, and the second printed cata-
logue appeared in the year 1926, consisting
of 81 pages. At that time the directors de-
sired to buy lot and erect a building for
the use Of the library and an address was
issued to the citizens Of Washington urging
them to become subscribers in order that
aid be given to the building project Au-
thority was also asked from Congress to
raise $4,000 by means Of a lottery, but this
request was not granted. In the spring Of
1927, the old Masonic building located on
the west side Of 18th street between and
D streets northwest, opposite Carusis as
sembly ROOM was purchased by the library
company. The first floor only Of this build
ing occupied by the library, the second
floor being let to a Masonic lodge, to the
Odd Fellows, and afterward used as a
school room. Here the library remained
with little change In it's constitution and
character until it's removal to the Y. NJ. C.
A. building in the year 1869.
During the discussion which followed the
reading Of this paper 1t was pointed out
that the books had been transferred from
the Y. M. c. A. Association to the public
schools and then large number had been
traded off for school books, and the small
number of what now remains of this collec-
ton was in the library of the Central High
School.
Mr.. Lewis ]. Davis showed a catalogue Of
the Davis & Force collection, the senior
member of that firm having been his grand
father.
Mr.. J. Henley Smith, the grandson of
Samuel Harrison Smith, stated that his
grandfather had given to the library a COM
plete file of the National Intelligencer and
asked If it was known what had become of
that file. 1t was stated that it was sup
posed the newspapers had gone the way of
the other books. Judge Hagner said he
supposed the disappearance Of the library
was due to the condition of men as de-
scribed by some one, who said that in re-
gard to books men were bad accountants,
but good bookkeepers."
Annual Election.
At the close Of the program the annual
meeting Of the society was held when the
reports were presented and the officers were
elected as follows: President, John A. Kas-
son. vice presidents Ainsworth r. Spofford,
Alexander B. Hagner; treasurer, William
A. Mearns; recording secretary, Mrs Mary
Stevens Beall; corresponding secretary, NJ.
l. Weller; curator, James F. Hood; chron-
icer, w. B. Bryan; managers, Elizabeth
Bryant Johnston, Tallmadge A. Lambert
UNAVOIDABLE LOCATION.
Maj. sewel's Report Regarding Site
Of Proposed Army College.
Major sewelg" the engineer officer in
IL