Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-12
BACK TO EARLY DAYS
ReceIIections of Georgetown
by William A. Gordon.
THEME OF AN ADDRESS
Speaker Relates Incident Occurring
Prior to Civil War.
PORT ONCE AN IMPORTANT ONE
Community the Home of Diplomats
and Government Oficials-Buses
as Public Vehicles.
PORT ONCE AN IMPORTANT ONE

| Personal recollections of old George
| town, "reminiscences of fifty and sixty
years ago, by William A. Gordon pro-
vided the subject of a lecture last night
before the Georgetown Citizens Associ-
| alton at a meeting in its rooms, at sd
| apd NJ streets
| Though Georgetown is now a small
part of Washington said Mr. Gordon
| in the closing sentences of his lecture
1T would be we'll to bear i'm mind that
| in the past it was prosperous place and
| of much commercial Importance; that
| from its first settlement it's citizens We're
| men of intelligence. enterprise and prob
ity, ever anxious to develop the interests
of the town and ready to devote their
time, thoughts and money to that OBJ
ject: that its professional men and it's
merchants and mechanics were of a high
order. and its educational facilities of a
superior character. its social life pure
| and hospitable
Its people We're brave people, and dur
ing the colonial and revolutionary wars.
| the war of 1912 and with Mexico the civil
war-fghting on both sides-and the war
with Spain the town sent to the field
many more than it's quota, and / never
heard of Georgetown man who failed
to do his full duty on the battlefield
White Men Visit Site in 1908.
June 10 1905 a white mans eye first
looked upon the site of the future George
town, when John Smith and fourteen
companions reached the head of naviga-
ton on the '.Potawomek' river John
Smith, in his quaint narrative, said Mr..
only ;Iol
ings in a manner recognizable today. but
told a fish story of the waters in the
vicinity that would hardly bear the light
of investigation. SO thick We're fish in
the river said Smith. that they were
packed tightly from the bed to the sur
face of the water. their noses sticking
out He and his men, unprovded with
nets, were tempted to catch them with
frying pan.
Endeavoring to avoid a historical ac-
count of Georgetown. MIR. Gordon brief
ed some few incidents of the prior life of
the community to give the setting for his
own experiences. He quoted from the
writings of Capt. Fleet, trader, who
anchored a few miles below the falls.
June 26. 1852. giving this account of his
surroundings:
This place without question is the most
healthful place in all the country, and
more convenient for habitation, the air
temperate in summer and not violent in
winter. And as for deer buffalo, bears,
turkeys, the woods swarm with them, and
the soil is exceedingly fertile. But
above this place the country is rocky and
mountainous.
Suggested as Location for Capital.
These physical advantages, maintained
by the citizens of Georgetown, were
pointed out in memorial to Congress,
October. $780, urging the location of the
federal caDital in the vicinity
Mr.. Gordon was born in Georgetown
and has passed his entire life in the
community. What he himself observed
as ubiquitous boy was considered in
the greater part of his lecture.
Closely built up in certain localities,
there are comparatively few dwellings
elsewhere and these were situated on
large tracts of ground. Today new streets
have been made, old streets named for
early Presidents and revolutionary he
roes, now designated by numbers and let
tiers, the whole laid over with buildings
erected wall to wall.
Domestic servants in those days We're
negro slaves leased at a small annual
wage, with clothing added, by those who
did not own them. a NANNY was kept
by nearly every family where there were
children.
At Christmas time the negro servants
hung up their stockings and were re-
membered. All who had ever belonged
to the family or had lived in the house
showed up Christmas day for present
or something to eat. Christmas eve
ing hymns. In the morning the leader
would show up to receive token.
Special Privilege Conferred.
Christmas eve was the only night
negroes were allowed to be on the streets
after O'Clock. Under the law a bell was
r;lng and horns sounded. after which any
negro found the streets without
written pass from owner or employer
was arrested, if found by the two or three
watchmen, and was released by payment
of a small fine or punished in lieu thereof,
in the morning.
The watchmen were on duty at night,
patroIled the town andS called the hours.
Mr.. Gordon has heard them cry out: "One
o'clock bright fair night. AIS we'll.
and -Four O clock, cold, sharp morning.
AIS we'll" Constables preserved the
peace during the daytime.
The annual May day parade. next TO
Christmas, was the great day for the ne
gro slaves. 1t was holiday for all the
negro drivers. They celebrated with pa
rade and festival. decorating their vehi-
cles. and. headed by band, marched
to the outskirts. where the day was spent
in eating. drinking, dancing and singing.
AS a boy. Mr.. Gordon learned to swim
in the swimming hole deep place
III the canal near Iie Sdtt DIT III &c
Sisters College pond, now filled IN was
the ice skating place. In an Old ware
house on Water street, by digging in the
soft dirt. the boys used to hunt for and
find Indian beads and bells and other rel
les of the early traders.
The port of Georgetown was busy
place in the days before the civil war.
Ships were there from Europe. south
America and the West Indies. Ihe
Dodges of Georgetown were ship owners
and the principal merchants engaged in
foreign trade.
Buyers Here From other Points.
Sugar and molesses brought by their
ships to their wharyes were the occasion
of sales attended by buyers from New
York and other northern cities. Eiabo-
rate meals were supplied. open to all
Corners. Pineapples and bananas brought
by captains of their vessels from tropical
ports We're the beginning OF the trade In
tropical fruits, now SO extensive.
Fourth of July was a great day. A
cannon doomed out in the morning. After
breakfast. all roads led to PARROTS
woods. Here an all-day picnic was held
with music oratory and games The
! eatables, spread out on tables. and bar
rels of water and lemonade We're free
| for all. Then there was the procession
of the Sunday schools, an important in
cident of the occasion.
Fireworks. made at the arsenal under
direction of army officers, were dis
charged at night, on the grounds south
OF the White House. Sometimes there