Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-11
THE VAN NESS PROPERTY
Statements by Mr.. w. E. Curtis Re.
garding It Corrected.
To the Editor of The Star:

To the Editor Of The Star:
The story is old of the American who
on the arrival of his train jumped off
without looking at all. of the Englishman
who stopped to see If he had left any,
thing. and of the Scatchman who turned
around to See il any one else had left
anything. Possibly Mr.. William e. Cur
It's had this story in mind when in writing
the article which appeared in The Even
ing Star Friday last entitled Mr. Carne.
efe's Gift" He referred to the difficulty
which Washington found in bringing the
old Scotchman. David Burns. to the terms
which the government could offer for his
land. Mr.. Curtis stated that Burns was
''avaricious cunning. elusive and ambigu-
Gus in his phrases" If he had stated
what the federal government. whose funds
were low. asked of the nineteen original
prOprietors of the land within the limits
of the city his statement that David
Burns was avaricious would seem to
have been without foundation. for of the
III acres of land within the city as
originally laid out extending from the
river to what is now called Florida ave-
nue.. but what was formerly known as
Boundary street the owners gave 36U6
acres outright for avenues, streets and
alleys. 982 acres for" the government to
sell to enable 1t to raise the money TO
pay for 34l acres at $G6 % an acre. which
were designed for government use, in
ducing the original owners to believe that
by the establishment of the seat of gov
eminent here the 9S2 acres which they
retained out of the entire Gill acres
would become SO valuable that they would
be compensated in the end for the sacri-
fee Mr.. Curtis stated in the article
referred to that the proceeds Of the sale
Of. David Burns farm to the government
made him rich. leaving the impression
that the government paid for all of his
land at a high figure. when as a fact
the government actually paid for only
a small portion of his land which 1t
took and gave little for that.
Mr.. Curtis also stated that John r.
Van Ness, whom Marcia Burns married
and who was a member of Congress from
New York state was reelected one term
after his marriage that he was the first
mayor of Washington. that they lived in
great state in their new mansion until his
death in 1892. leaving one child. who be-
came the wife of Mr.. Middleton Of South
Carolina. -.r
These statements are at such variance
with the actual facts that they should
MT go unchallenged..- John P. Van Ness
was never elected member of Congress
but once, and that time to the Seventh
Congress, which began March 4. 1901 and
his seat was declared forfeited January
II, 1903 he having accepted and exercised
the office of major of militia under au-
thOrty of the United States within the
then-called territory Of Columbia More
over he was not the first mayor of WASH
ington. WashingtOn's first mayor was
Robert Brent, who served from June. 1867,
to June. 1872, and seven other men. name
ly, Daniel Rapine. James H. Blake. Ben
Thomas Carberry. Roger c. Weightman
and Joseph Gales. jr:: served as mayor
before John P. Van Ness. who held the
office from June. 1890. to June. 1884.
Washingtonians are familiar with the
most of these names. which have been
given to our public school buildings.
John p. and Marcia Burns Van Ness
moved into their new mansion, whose site
will be occupied by the beautiful structure
for the bureau of American republics.
daughter. Ann Elbertine Van Ness. mar
red Arthur Middleton OF South Carolina,
and within two years 1.-THE young wife
was carried to the grave with her baby
Lockwood in her Historic Homes in
Washington"
Marcia Burns Van Ness devoted her life
to charitable work. and the establishment
of the Washington City Orphan Asylum
is due to suggestion made by her. 1t
is said that the war of 1872 left to the
care of the citizens of Washington many
orphans; that the warmest sympathy of
Mrs. VanNess was elected for the father
less children; that. moved by the fire.
Quency of the appeals to her charity, she
conferred with Mrs. Obadiah Brown
wife of the pastor of the First Baptist
Church. as to effecting an organization
by which permanent relief could be as
sured the orphans of the city and neigh
borhood, and that result of this in
terview public meeting was held Octo-
Der 10. 1915, when the Washington City
Orphan Asylum was instituted. An old
painting of Mrs Van Ness representing
her caring for little children hangs in the
parlor OF the institution, at the corner of
14th and streets. 1t is not generally
known that from 1866 to 1873 the State
Department occupied the building now
used by the orphan asylum.
Mrs. Van Ness was at the head of the
orphan asylum for fifteen years. filling
the position known first difectress
when 1t became. vacant by the retirement
to her Virginia home of Mrs. Dolly Madi-
son, at the expiration of her husband S