Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-07-24

Many sections in and about the District
of Columbia abound in points OF HISTORICAL
interest and of human interest. and ire
uuently these features figure largely IN
various phases OF the transfers Ifoh
family to family of the real estate m
yolved For example. there is the FED
eral spring on the property now owned
nv the John L. Prosise family near Lloyd
station. Alexandria county. Va, which
has been known and appreciated for the
clarity and sweetness of its water almost
if not quite from the original settlement
or the countryside. Stories about the
spring, which may be legends and which
may be facts. are floating about the al
1acent country. and a good round dozen
of romances might be recounted In which
this buhbling bowl of clear water figures
either in the opening or the closing chap
ter.
II Is evident that all along the nigh
ridge Of hills on which the Prosise nome
is located the underlying streams OF
water are among the purest ana tne coiu-
est which are available 10 SUBURBAN
dwellers. Tests have been made or the
water taken from wells at various points,
and always 1t has proved Itself Tree from
contamination of any sort Ana the
Federal spring has the added advantage
of finding its outlet through nature 8
channel rather than through man-made
tube or excavation.
The Hume spring is the only other
spring In that portion of Alexandra
county which has stronger flow Than
the bowl on the Prosise place, and the
Hume spring, because Ii is approached
been surrounded by a pretty grotto, is
better known to the travelling public.
Lloyd a Friend Of Lincoln.
Like all other property in this vicinity,
the land which now constitutes the Pro-
sise place was originally portion of an
immense royal grant, and 1t did not take
on the individual characteristics of a
home farm until shortly before civil war
time. Richard Lloyd, one of the +. +. ".
Lloyds of Alexandria county, returned to
the state after several years spent in the
west. and stories bearing every trace OF
authenticity are to the effect that Rich
ard Lloyd became firm friend OF Abra-
ham Lincoln in Illinois. a friendship
which he retained to the day of Lincoln $
death. It is related that Lloyd nearly
always drove an old white horse, and his
eQuipage was frequently drawn up in
front of the White House.
At any rate, Lloyd built the big brick
house at the top of Lloyd Hill, and the
skill and care of the builders of those
days is reflected In the perfect preserva-
tion of the mansion to the present day.
Brickyards were few and far between in
the early sixties, but much of Alexan-
dria county's soil is of excellent brick
clay, and the Lylod house was construct
ed entirely OF bricks baked on the prem
Uses from the clay secured in digging the
foundations. That no expense was spared
in the building is evidenced by the size of
the contractors bill-S2I. O0O-and pc
culiar feature Of this document, which is
still preserved. lies in a deduction of $50
ION account of quantity OF wine stolen
by the carpenters from the wine cellar
TO the admission Of the guilt OF some OF
his men, however. the contractor added
the statement that he had personally at
tended TO the locking of the door of the
wine cellar, but he forgot to take into
account the possibility of the workmen
cutting trap door through the floor and
thus reaching the rare champagnes and
h.,y0