Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-11

latfon the stars to be arranged in q circle. p
Wherever the flag has been seen people
have asked what suggested the design. an6
while there are many traditions as to Its
origin 1t Is generally attributed to Washing
ton.
The general found in his coat-of-arms oil
his family hint from which he drew the
design for the nag. The coat-of-arms OF
the Washington family has two red bars or
white ground and three gilt stars above
the top bar.
When the time arrived that flag had tc
be decided upon, the vessels on the seas as
well as the armies On the land. being In
need of a standard to mark and lead them
Washington decided that his coat-of-arms
with few notifications, would be fitting
emblem for the new nation. The decision
| once made to give America a flag which
would answer for all the colonies washing.
| ton. as the head of committee of three
consisting of Robert Morris and Col. Ross
met to discuss ways and means Of planning
the banner and having it made.
The flag proposed by Washington was de
cided upon, and Col. Ross suggested tha
they visit his niece and solicit her assist
ahce. Washington. knowing from persona
experience. Mrs Ross skill with the needle
as. according to tradition. she embroidered
his shirt ruff1es, Immediately agreed to the
plan, and the three makers of history made
trip down to the quaint little house, No
2o9 Arch street, Philadelphia which is still
standing, to consult her. -~ .-~s
work. and in few days a beautiful star
spanSled banner was ready to be unfurled
She had suggested one alteration in the de-
sign submitted by Washington. The gerr
erai mad made his stars six pointed. as they
were on his coat-of-arms; Betsy Ross made
hers with five points-and with five ro;nt:
they have been ever since. III %. 49,.
For number of years the flags of the
government were made, by Mrs. Ross; and
the business descended to her children .and
was carried On. by4slserr DAUGHTER Il fssTissa
Ciaypool, who reiinquished it on becomirfs
a member of the Society of Friends. lest her
handiwork should be used in time of war
according to early records the stars and
stripes were first publicly displayed on the
anniversary of American Independence
which was celebrated In Philadelphia
charleston, s. c., and other places July A.
1777. =
military service was at Fort Stamoix. aft.
erward named Fort SCHUYLER now Rome
New York, in 1777. On August 2 of tina
year the fort was besfeged by the English
a a Indians; the garrison was without a
nag. but one was made in the fort The
red stripes were made of a petticoar fur
nished by woman, the white stripes and
stars were supplied by an officer, who gave
nus shlrt TOT that purpose and the blue was
a piece OF Col. Ganesvoort's military clna h
Three women worked on the flag. and II
was raised to victory when, on the I'd of
August. the redmen and the English were
defeated at the fort.
AS long the states remained tb;-tear
In number the original design Of cirrIe of
stars was satisfactory, but when In I7aI
vermont, and In 1872, Kentucky were taken
into the union. 1t was decided to arrange
the stars IN the form of one consteIlatfo
In 1875 1t was decided to add a str;ne a 9
well as star, for each state which care
into the union, consequently In that wear
Vermont and Kentucky were marked ON
the flag. one by white and the other by a
red stripe.
Some wise prophet. looking ahead scme
twenty years or more, saw that this pla n
OF adding stripe as well as a star for each
state added to the Union would mean a
constant changing of the flag. and ne a
great growth of the country was foreseen n
was soon appreciated that in a few wears
by this plan. the flag would bcccme So
large and ungainly that its beauty would
be lost.
In 1872 committee was elected bv Con-
gress to decide upon permanent design
for the flag. and the result was that the
original thirteen stripes were again used
the stars being arranged. it's thirteen stripes
and stars corresponding in number to the
states in the Union, became the established
emblem of the Union.
The first flag under this new design was
made by Mrs. Reid. on the 4th Of July 1918
There were twenty stars, and an addition
of one star being made on account of the
admission of Illinois in that year and IL,
same design is in use today, with additional
that time.
Nothing Is known of what became of the
first United States flag made by Mrs Ross.
but the bringing to this country of the re-
mains of John PAUL Jones, to be reintombed
at Annapolis. recalls the fact that in the
National Museum there is the first United
States flag ever hoisted over an American
warship, and this flag was unfuried by JOHN
Paul Jones This flag was given TO Presi-
dent Mckinley by Mrs. R. P. Stofrord. a
lineal descendant of Bayard Stofford who
was an officer on the Bonhomme Richard
and the Scraps with John Paul Jones' This
flag was made in Philadelphia by Misses
Mary and Sarah Austin.
In the days of Betsy Ross flags were
made in small quantities and almost en-
tirely by hand. The flag sewers were ex-
tremely well paid. and their duty was rank
ed among the most patriotic tasks connect
ed with the shaping of the early republic.
The hagmaking of today Is different
matter. There are flag factories. where
the flags are woven all in one piece, and
where the flags are turned Off In ali sizes
from the tiny flag which is to be worn in
the buttonhole to the great nag which
hangs at the end of political hall or the
nag which waves over public building.
rags are made nowadays of many ma
terials. There is the durable bunting flag
and the just as durable cotton flag The
n uslin flag is a useful thing and the print
ed flag has its own field. And then there
are the silk flags. which are largely for
ornament. but which are turned out in
great quantities ever year for mantelplece
or picture frames.
Flags must be made two-sided for ho.h
sides are seen as the nag flaps in the
breeze; and they must be made all In one
piece. for they will otherwise tear to shreds
in the wind.
But even with the utmost care in making
the American flag, Ii is not durable AFFAIR.
II soon goes to pieces. and its life. lie II Ibe
In constant use. is seldom more than two
weeks in duration. sass
II you were to buy an American nag and
were to hoist 1t upon hagstafx on top OF
a tail building. and II there were to como
a spell. of windy weather. the chances are
that inside OF three days the nag would
show Sits. and that In week II would be
flag In tatters- And why should mot che