Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-11

years ago as evidences of just where and
what comprised the District of Columbia,
or. in other words the boundary markers
surrounding the ten miles square"
Erected about 40 years ago. these
markers have withstood many and varied
kinds of weather, but still stand. at least
In the majority Of cases, as mute testi-
mony of the limits of the National Cap
ital. Many of them are found only after
a prolonged search, while others can be
seen any time. provided the casual pass
erby knows what he Is looking at.
There is at least one person In Wash
ington, however, who has taken the
time and trouble to hunt up all these
markers. That person is Fred E. Wood
ward of IA S street northwest. and, in
addition to finding the markers them
selves, Mr. Woodward has accumulated
much data concerning the District of
Columbia in it's infancy. especially in
direct connection with the markers.
xk
zone point in particular" said Mr..
Woodward regarding the boundary mark
ers. lis that careful study of their po-
sition tends to destroy that popular belief
regarding Washington being ten miles
square That is not only not the case at
the present time. but has never been.
TheUnited States coast survey. after hav-
ing made thorough measurements. showed
that that statement was only true as an
approximate one. For example, to be
exact. the northeastern line extends
263.1 feet beyond the ten-mile point, while
the southwestern line is almost as much
in excess, being 1905 feet. The other
two corners are not exact either. The
northwestern line extends Is feet over the
ten-mile mark. and the southeastern 7O.5
feet While in no case is the distance
very great, II shows, however, that In
speaking of the National Capital as ten
miles square 1t is. like many other pop
ular terms, only approximately true.
Then, too, the distance between each
of the boundary stones on the Maryland
side is not exactly one mile, as might be
expected. The closest to one mile is in
the case of stones numbers / and on the
southwest line, the distance between them
being just one foot short of the mile.
Those two stones are near Benning, but
o similar case exists between stones num-
bers and on the northwest line near
Chevy Chase Circle, the distance here be-
ing the same In some cases the dis
tance between two stones was not in
tended TO be a mile, and they were
marked with the exact distance they did
cover. But the measurements of which
/ speak as being inaccurate were in those
cases where one mile vas supposed 10
have interviewed. In one Of these In
stances as many as forty feet too much
Is found. while in another instance the
distance falls short of a mile by 13o
feet
Established by an act of Congress in
11g the District of Columbia was first
called the Territory of Columbia" The
term used on the markers themselves.
however, is not that, nor the present day
term, but Jurisdiction of the United
States" in every instance. 1t was Maj.
Pierre Charles L'Enfant who made the
surveys for the seat of the federal gov
eminent, and among his notable assist
ants We're Maj. Andrew Elicott Lieut..
Isaac Rotterdam, Nicholas and Charles
King, the Count de Graft and Benjamin
Eanneker.
"Banneker" said Mr. Woodward, was
a free negro who was celebrated as a
mathematician and astronomer. He not
only attracted the attention OF Washing
ton and Jefferson by his wonderful abil-
tty. but, on account Of his knowledge OF