Evening star., 1904-04-30

returning home had the honor Of capturing
several prizes in, Journeys given by Italian
and French clubs.
Returning home in fall Of 80, Colonel May
was given reception at the Metropolitan
Club and to the gentlemen who gathered
at that banquet he unfolded in the most
enthusiastic manner the beauties of the
great Scotch game. From this grew the
Wa shington Golf Club Subsequent meet
ings were held and in the spring of '93
the club was organized and a committee
appointed to look after the details of select
ing a home and course. Colonel May head
ed this committee and for weeks trips were
taken through the surrounding country Of
Maryland and Virginia. the present site
on the hills overlooking Rosslyn being fin
ally decided upon.
The first intention of the founders was to
keep the club down to small membership,
hut almost Immediately after 1t was known
that an organization had been effected ap-
plications began to pour in at the rate of
fifty a week. The first limit was placed at
fifty, then it WAS advanced to a hundred
hut this held only for month and finally a
Limit OF 200 was positively decided upon
Folding TO the present time.
The Course and Club House.
After the course above Rosslyn had been
decided upon and in the earliest days Col.
May and his friends rented one room in a
small house overlooking the course as sort
Of club house. The players outfits were
stacked up in corners in the most primitive
way, Lat the rush of membership was so
strong IT was decided that something better
was necessary und the Washington Golf
Club was incorporated in the fall of 1893.
The original members were: Col. Henry
May, Edmond Curtis. then assistant secre-
tary Of the trea srry, John A. Baker. George
g. Fraser, George Helien, David King and
Judge John Davis. After the incorporation
papers arrived the following officers were
-l..t~. -
Henry May: vice president, George S.
Fraser; secretary, Edward F Riggs; treas
urer George HELEN. anG captain of greens,
William F.. Curtis. These officers, with John
A. Baker and the late Senator James Nc
MILAN, constituted the governing board.
During the winter Cf 1S93-94 there WAS
great activity in the club the present beau
t:ful home was purchased, a professional
obtained and the course placed in fine con-
6ition for play. The little old farm house
was at one time the property Of Mr. Ross,
after whom Rosslyn was named, and at the
period OF purchase belonged to the Marshall
estate. Just how much the building had
gone to decay through neglect can be CLEAN
ed from the fac: that just $20O purchased
the house. The committee having the i'm
provemeEts in charge lost no time in OBJ
tanning estimates and something like $1,000
was spent in making the site the present
cczy nome of the club. Immediately upon
the completion of the house the players
focked to the course and golf was given
great impetus. One of the ideas that proved
unusually attractive came from Col. May.
who secured Virginia cook to serve din
ners that for Years were the talk of the
city owiBg to their originality and tooth
someness. No such corn cakes and hot
bread lad ever Bcen heard Of before. Be
sides there were Dainty dishes that seemed
to be especially conceived for the satisfac
ton of hungry golfers.
A capacicus covered porch runs along the
front of the house and from the easy chairs
he a ia n ho a1ti H.
irgton can be had as well as the Potomac
and the Virginia hills to the south as far