St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1904-06-08
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
Interesting Washington Gossip - The
Foundry Church - National Geo
graphic society's Annual Outing.

We have had a remarkably cool spring,
so the intense heat which prevailed the
first and middle of this week was felt to
be oppressive, but cool winds sprang up
Friday and the weather now is delight
full. Receptions and graduating exercises
in schools and colleges are now the order
of the day and will be continued into
June. Miss Alice Roosevelt has gone to
the Fair at St. Louis, where she is visit
ing friends, and created quite sensation
there, where all the women wished to see
the daughter of the President. Many Of
the western people are ardent admirers
of President Roosevelt. A gentleman
from Kansas stated that all of his
actions and movements are followed
with the greatest interest by the people,
the west than any other president for
years. Mrs. Smith, president of the w.
c. T. U. of the District, said last winter
that they had traced out the para
grapher who put in a report in a west
ern newspaper that he was cigarette
hend, and it was utterly false, for he
never uses tobacco in any form. Mrs.
Ellis also stated publicly that the Presi-
dent not only received the ladies of the
w. c. T. u. very courteously when they
called to ask to have public matrons
appointed in New York, but he at once
took steps to have it done. He is a man
of deeds as well as of words, and if his
election depended upon women, as far as
she could see, he would be the next presi-
dent.
street. although never advertised among
the church notices, always seems to be
crowded, for many strangers go, hoping
to gain a glimpse of him, and he is quite
faithful in his attendance, occupying the
third pew from the front on the left.
The minister preached a most excellent
practical Bible sermon, when we heard
him, and at the close of the service the
people all stood and waited until the
minister came down and met the Presi-
dent in the aisle when they proceeded
out together. The President walks to
and from church in very democratic
manner. This is a small, new church
and you can see the little old one in
the rear, where they worshipped when
he first came as President. A little over
handsome Foundry church of the Metho-
dists. The old Foundry church on 14th
and 6 streets, N. W., one of the old his
toric landmarks, was sold for 5000, 900,
it was stated, and that paid for this new
building. It is handsomely carpeted and
has quite number of memorial Win
dows and many committee rooms and
dining rooms for receptions. In one is
the portrait of the man in Georgetown
who owned the iron foundry for making
cannon and other articles for use, and
when the British burned the White House
in their attack upon the capitol, he fully
expected his buildings to be destroyed,
but some say it was a friendly shower,
and others, the wind turned the current
of air in another direction and his build
ings were saved, and the old Foundry
church was so named for his generous
donation, in gratitude to the Lord.
The National Geographic Society of
this city went to the battlefield of Ante
tam this year on it's annual outing.
There was a special excursion of six cars,
we'll filled, from the Baltimore & Ohio
R. r., to Keedysyille, Nd, when car
riages and barges were taken to the
battlefield, four miles or more distant.
The frequent showers of the week before
had brought out the foliage of the trees
beautifully and the great fields of wheat
looked in promising condition. Mont
gon1ery county seems to be in high
state of cultivation, gentlemen declared.
Excursions in Washington are interest
ing for several reasons, for you usually
| find people from many different states
| with whom you find it interesting to
| compare notes on many points of inter
est. We found we had prominent officers
| from both the north and south, who
engaged in friendly conversation about
their experiences in the civil war, nearly
~ years since. The woods had been
cleared away and roads laid out, SO it
made it difficult to recognize all the
places at first. AS we rode past the
markers and someone would call out
"Longstreet's forces" "Hill's Division -
or Lees brigade" in thrilling tones.
you knew at once he was a southerner.
We found it a billy section and imagined
we saw the soldiers toiling up the emf
nences on that September day and night.
We recalled the mistake which the rebel
leader, Gen. Robert E. Lee. made when
he resolved to invade Maryland, prom
ising them his protection, fully expecting
that they would rise at once for "the
recovery of their liberties It was then
that he made a great mistake, for they
failed to rally round the rebel leader and
did not wish to come under his wing
They preferred to remain loyal to theil