Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-22
THE FIRST PRESIDENT
City Bearing His Name OBJ
serves Anniversary.
PATRIOTISM WITHOUT NOISE
"0n to Alexandria" Was the Cry Here
This Morning.
ALL CONvEYANCES CROWDED
Scenes at the Railway Station and
Steamboat Wharf-Traveled
by Special Car.
ALL CONVEYANCES CROWDED

| That wisest, most patriotic and far-seeing
| of all Americans, George Washington, first
| President of the United States, was hon
| ored today in the capital of his country
| by appropriate exercises in celebration OF
| the 174th anniversary of his birth.
| 1t was the sort of celebration that 1t
| Is believed, he would have approved-not
the noisy hustle OF the Fourth OF July.
| when the animal spirits of young America
| are let loose but more quiet and dignitied
| observance. intended to honor the memory
of the man who, above all others, Amcri-
cans everywhere delight to honor.
| There was municipal celebration OF
| the day here. Patriotic societies held In
| dividual meetings at which Washington was
| the theme and where the hours were de-
| voted to cOmmemorating his achievements.
| The Association of Oldest Inhabitants, the
| Mexican War Veterans. the Minute Men,
! the Historical Society and a number OF
| other organizations all held gatherings. But
| 1t was left for Alexandria TO furnish the
| real old-time celebration. Prepare tions to-
/ shlS event had been going on for weeks,
| anC the day In the old town was made
| memorable by parades and addresses and
| an array of local and imported oratortcal
| talent such as had never before been as
| sen bled there.
| The national capital was quiet The de-
| rartments were closed, and even the down.
| town streets almost deserted. 1t was a far
! Gay for going out of town, and from early
| morning all of the departing trains the
| electric cars and all other sorts of avail
| able conveyances We're crowded.
Weather Man Was Kind.
For once the weather man had been
kind. The grounding. the goose bone and
| all other signs to the contrary it was an
/ ideal day. The sun was bright and the
| flags a ba
| gentle northern breeze 1t was cool. but
not too cold to make even outdoor cele-
brating a pleasure. 1t was Just such A
day as had favored the Longworth-Roose-
Veit wedding and little more could be said
than that.
have seen the city of his name even with
her deserted, clean-swept streets he would
| have decided that the new order is bet
Ter than the old In the place of half
/ TILED cornhelds and uncut forests that had
| marked the site of the city in his day
| he would have found long avenues of as
| phalt whirrng electric cars and chug-
| chugging autos speeding between stately
| buildings that have risen where in his day
| all was desOlatiOn and desertion
| 1t was magic transformation for a
| scant century. But the first President
| could he have viewed It, and seen AZ the
same time how the nation which annu-
| ally reyeres his name has preserved almost
| untouched his home and estate at Mount
! Vernon, would have understood that there
| are some things still sacred to the hustling
| money-making American public, and that
| once a year at least the wheels of com
| merce stop and the nation pauses in its
/ wild rush ahead to contemplate the mem
! ory OF the man who backed by a small
| and feeble people, started the nation on
| ward In its career of commercial conquest
and world domination
"On to Alexandria,"
| "On TO Alexandria" was the popular cry
| here this morning. Thousands in the
| capital city, not wholly satisfied with the
| opportunities at present afforded here for
| publicly celebrating the anniversary of
| Washington's birth, journeyed to the
nearby Virginia city to take part in the
| great demonstration there this afternoon
| These pilgrims to the home town of the
| first President began their celebration
| here. They kept 1T up the journey of
| seven miles or so, and were keyed to the
| proper pitch of patriotic fervor by the
| time set for the great event of the day
| The sound of music and the voice of hi
| larity marked the numerous professions
! to the ferry boat wharf and the railroad
| stations. There. with the drums still
| beating, the joyous crowds got aboard
| and were quickly conveyed to Alexandria,
The two principal centers OF embarkation
| for Alexandria were the wharf OF the
| ferry boat Woodbury., at the foot of 1th
! street, and the station of the Washington,
! Alexandria and Mount Vernon electric road
| at the corner of PENNSYLVANIA avenue and
! 18th street. Most of the larger organiZa-
| tions chose the ferry boat, while in the
main individuals and small parties selected
| the electric line. At both points the crowds
| began to gather early In the day.
| Shortly after O'Clock the waiting room
| of the electric road and the space about It
began to fill. No disorder occurred, but
| the two policemen stationed on duty there
| We're not long in reaching the conclusion
| that more officers were needed. They COM
| municated their views to headquarters, and
in a short while the detail had been In
| creased to six men, in charge of Sergeant
| Hatley of the first precinct.
Crowds Kept From Congesting.
The officers stationed at different points
| kept the crowds from congesting to such a
| degree as to interfere with the boarding
and alighting from the trains. The latter
difficulty was small in comparison, as
| scarcely any one was coming away from
/ Alexandria this morning
| with the excellent equipment of cars
| which the road was able to marshal and
| man for the occasion together with the
| precautions taken by the police, the best or
| order was maintained throughout the morn
| ing. Trains came in rapidly and filled up
| Immediately pulling out without delay.
| Their places were taken at once by others
| In waiting short distance down the track
/ At times the line OF trains In waiting
| stretched out for several squares There
| was no repetition, therefore. of the rush
| and jam OF the surging crowds which at
| tempted TO go to Alexandria to celebrate on
| similar occasion two years ago. Then
| men and boys frequently hung on by sin
| gle hand grip, while not few made the
| journey perched on top of the cars. Many
| more had 10 abandon the trip.
| A delegation of the Minute Men accom-
| panied by band discoursing lively airs
| was among the organizations to make an
| early journey over the electric line. They
| were followed shortly by Maryin's Band OF
| eighteen pieces and Padgetts band of six
| teen instruments, the latter under the d.
| rection of Prof Carlton A. Padgett.
To Old Virginia's Shore.
/ Down the broad thoroughfare of Penn
| sylvania avenue every now and then bands