Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-08
Population of the District Outside t
City Proper.
sDecrease.

In checking up these totals there is found
to be In one or two instances slight dis
crepancies. probably owing to errors in the
printing or compilation of the census re-
ports. But these differences are not i'm
portant Again, it must be understood the
figures cover only the Maryland cession.
They simply exclude the original munich
pality of Washington, as carried in the first
tabulation above, and include all the bal
ance of the District, with Georgetown,
which, down to 1871, was an Independent
municipality, and, like the capital itself,
under the direct control of Congress.
The growth of Georgetown proper in the
early days was as slow as that of the capt.
tai. In 1910, after an existence of ninety
years, its population was no more than I
80; in 1850 it was 1866; In 1860, S,T33; in
1870, IL 1854; in 1880, 12,57S; liz 1890, 14,016,
and in 1900 I454S. Yet Georgetown com
mercially was always point of great inn
portance. The figures relate only 10 the
original limits of the city prior to its abol-
ishment as distinct municipality. The
growth in population of the District west
of Rock creek should properly be largely
credited to Georgetown were lines of de-
marcation to be longer considered
Georgetown's Origin.
Georgetown had it's origin as a village as
early as 1T51, by an act of the colonial gov
eminent Of Maryland. 1t was Incorporated
as a city December %, 17S9, a year or two
before the capital was located here. Its
charter was abolished by the act of Con-
gress reorganzing the territory of tie Dis
trict of Columbia in 1871. In the early ac-
counts of the capital Georgetown Is often
mentioned as being two or three miles
away" and many members of the Con-
gress. which first assembled at the new
ca pital, were obliged to take quarters in
1.-The thriving city of Georgetown by rea-
son Of the dearth of quarters in Washing
ton They rode to and fro in hackney
coaches" But for more than sixty years
Washington and Georgetown have been one
solid town, separated only by Rock creek,
the buildings being continuous from the
capital. particularly along Pennsylvania
avenue, to Georgetown. But Georgetown
will always be Georgetown in local nomen-
clature.
Other and more potent causes than nero
sentiment have at last interviewed to pro-
mote the growth of Washington. Congress
and the official establishment, our fine pub
lie buildings, monuments, museums, parks
and points of historic interest have hereto
fore been the chief drawing cards. Those
other causes. more distinctly In evidence
in the last ten years, are the betterment
and extension of the street railway systems
to and beyond the District lines compre-
hensive and efficient street and park i'm
provements, the opening OF many new
streets and the extension of others into
available sections, the tremendous Increase
in our financial facilities. our advantages
as an educational center, our ideal system
of municipal government, and the fmpor-
lance of Washington a national center
of society pure and simple, aside from the
official element
The foregoing figures, and those of the
forthcoming city directory carrying them
forward five years. indicate that the
Spouse to these spontaneously improved
conditions has been prompt. There are
other elements operating, but the foregoing
are the main factors (which have cleared
the way to an unprecedented boom $50
called now evidently impending.
Great manufacturing establishments are
coming and will find lodgment along the
river on both sides. One of Washingtons
future advantages. heretofore little noted
Is the inexhaustible water power provided
by the rapids of the Potomac river from
point to point high up Great Falls,
and even above. In the near future all this
power will be utilized for the generation of
electricity sufficient for the wholesale con-
of a city of millions.
LESLIE j. PERRY