The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-05-22
WASHINGTON.
CHAPTER r

CHAPTER L.
When we gained our liberty and be-
came IA free and independent country
we were governed then, as now, By
a body of men known as Congress-.
For tho lack OF u capital this body
met at different cities. They finally
came to the conclusion that 1t was
most essential to have national cap
ital--a permanent seat Of government.
Then the question arose as to where
1t was to be located.
History tells us that this was
burning question and hard one to de-
eide. New York offered the thriving
town of Kingston. Maryland. Annap-
oils. with three hundred acres of land.
virginia offered williamsburg. which
contained large public buildings, also
large tract of land. 1t will be seen
that this offer counterbalanccd the
offers of the other states
After seven years of hard struggling
Congress passed bin on July 16. 1890.
providing for tract OF land not eX-
ceeding an area of ten square miles,
located on the Potomac River some
where between the Eastern Branch
and Connogocheaque, the same to BIS
a. permanent seat of government. The
President was given power to appoint
three commissioners. with himself, to
survey and select the tract.
President Washington appointed
Thomas Johnson and Daniel Carroll,
OF Maryland. and David Stuart, of
Virginia, as commissioners to select
the tract They selected tract OF
land ten miles square. laid at such
an angle that the corners pointed
exactly north. east south and west.
Tho south corner was at north OF
Hunting Creek. known as Jones FONT,
on the right bank of the Potomac
near the city of Alexandria; the north
corner about mile from Rock Creek,
In RIaryland, the west corner near the
Four Mile Road, in Virginia; the east
corner about two miles east of the
Eastern Branch. near Blandensburs,
Nd.
On March 90, 17s1, Washington.
with the three commissioners and two
surveyors, Major Pierre Charles LIN
FAINT. and Andrew Ellicott. rode over
the new territory. Standing on the
heights above Georgetown most pic
turcsque scene met their eyes. There
flowed before them the majestic river,
offering commercial ingress and
egress: the city of Alexandria a little
further off; then the thriving town OF
Georgetown below. and the fields OF
Maryland and irginia--the whole
thing of beauty and grandeur. an ideal
place for permanent seat OF govern
mont
April 10, 1901. the first boundary
stone was laid at Jonos's Point. near
Alexandria with Masonic ceremonies,
The address Of the day was delivered
by sthe Rev. James Muir.
1t will be we'll to give here little
bit of the Indian history OF this ter
ritory. When John smith explored the
Chesapeake Bay and Its tributaries hs
found that the Manachoacs and the
Monacans inhabited what is now
known as the District of Columbia.
We find in a proclamation issued by
Washington April 80, 1904, that he
always spoke Of the capital as tho
Federal city"
On September 8, 1901, the three COM
missioners, with Jefferson and Madl-
son, held a meeting at Georgetown and
named the city after George Wash
ington our first President, known as
the Father of our Country" The Dis
trict of Columbia was called after the
great navigator Christopher Columbus.
who was the first to prove the world
to DO round. and a discoverer of the
two great continents-North and South
America. What more appropriate men
could the permanent seat of govern
ment be named after than these two
who figured SO prominently In our
early history?
The founding of the city was at
tended with many hardships, principal
ly for the lack Of funds washington
himself personally solicited aid from
different States. and did all In his
power for the promotion of the capital
He laid the cornerstone of the Capitol
building on September IS. 1893.
The first Congress convened at the
capital city on November %. 1900, un-
der the presidency Of John Adams
(To Be Continued.)
ROBERT w. ALLEN. JR.