The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1910-11-24
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w hington
was selected as a site for city from
The very first day, and has been grow
ng as a city, in numbers, in beauty
and in Importance from that day to
The present hour.
Washington is great city, not sole
ly because 1t is the capital of the
United States, nor because here are
made the laws of the land, nor is her
greatness from her magnificent build.
lngs; she Is great because of the
mighty men who have so linked their
nalnes with her history that they are
l part of her. and their immortal fame
embellishes and ennobles this spot
where they fought in the arena of ma
lional conflict, not as mere men, put
like imperishable gods
Let us forget the present, and go
back a hundred years or so, and with
the city being mapped and built, and
meet the men who walked its streets.
There was much dispute as to wnere
the capital of the nation should be.
The southern states, supported by the
great influence of Washington, Jeffer-
son and Madison, declared for some
spot on the Potomac; the northern
states did not want 1t so far south,
and ridiculed the idea of selecting a
spot still in the rough and making a
city Of it. They first wanted it on the
Susquehanna, then on the falls of the
Delaware, and later went so far as to
carry the vote in favor of German
town, now suburb of Philadelphia
but delay ensuing, the vote was re-
considered.
Eventually q compromise was eff
| fected the southern members voting
for a bill the northern states wanted
badly, and then the northern men
voted for a site on the Potomac, Civ
Ing the sole power to the president tc
select federal territory mot exceed
ing ten miles square on the River Po
tomac, at some space between the
mouths of the eastern branch and the
Conongocheague, for the permanent
seat of the government of the United
States"
| hNl SilC vi tnt ltSCuI City W DIS BIC
lected by Washington in 1871. The
place was well known to him from
his boyhood, and was only Ia mile!
from Mount Vernon. Alb Virginian!
of that day were sure that the Pc
tomac would be the route of trave
to the interior, and that commerc,
would pass through Chesapeake ba.
and the Potomac to and from Europe
Hence, the new city was to be no
only great in political sense, bu
would be great commercial cente
as we'll
French military engineer who de
cided to stay in this country rathe
than return with the French troops
was selected to plan the new city, an
the Washington of today is very large
ly the creation of his brain.
The White House was designe
after the palace of the duke of Leir
ster, in Dublin, and so named ate
the early home of Martha Washins
ton. on the Pamunky river, in Vii
ginia. The cornerstone was laid 4
1893.
For the capitol 16 designs were sui
mitted and rejected, but finally ID
William Thornton submitted a desig
that pleased both Washington and Je
ferson, the latter saying: 1T capt
waited the eye and judgement of all.
The cornerstone of this building wa
laid on September IS, 1898. with NJ;
sonic ceremonies, and it is said tha
after the ceremony the assemblag
retired to an extensive booth wher
, they enjoyed barbecue feast"
The work of making the city wer
on, but it was not taken possession {
by the authorities of the nation unit
October, 1900, when President job
; Adams and his cabinet and clerk
7 moved to Washington.
General Washington, who had S,
lected the site, who had pushed tn
building in every way in his powe
and who was intensely interested
the project, did not live to see the fu
fillment of his desires-its occupatio
by the ruling authorities; he havin
passed away in December, 1899.
nM neath Rate