Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-19
HEAR C|TY'S HISTORY
Progress Related Before Ver-
mont State Association.
HOW SITE WAS SELECTED
Fred L. Fishback illustrates Inter-
esting Talk With Stereopticon.
ORGANIZATIONS MAY UNITE
Members Invited to Attend Meeting
of Various State Bodies at Pub
lie Library February FL.
ORGANIZATIONS MAY UNITE

The development of Washington as the
Capital city and its history from the
days of Washington and LEnfant to the
present time were told of last night at a
meeting of the Vermont State Associa-
ton at the Washington Club by Fred L.
F>ishback. clerk to the Senate committee
on rules. who has made a study of the
subject as we'll as collection of pic
lures in connection with it. which he ex-
hibited last night in stereopticon form.
Mr.. Fishback declared that the banks
of the Potomac river were selected as the
site for the National Capital in conse-
quence of an agreement between Alex.
| ander Hamilton of New York and Thorn
as Jefferson Of Virginia. At the close OF
the revolutionary war. he said, the states
owed a number Of debts contracted for
the purpose of prosecuting the war; and
the northern states sought the consent OF
the southern states for the newly formed
government to take over these debts as a
national one.
Alexander Hamilton, speaking for the
northern states, Mr.. Fishback said,
brought about an agreement that If the
southern states would consent to this as
sumption of debt by the new national
government the capital should be located
In one of the southern states. Thomas
Jefferson representing the southern states
in the agreement.
Mr.. Ffshback also told his audience of
many other interesting things, not gen.
orally so well known. in regard to the
capital, one of which was that the dag
onals Of the original ten miles square of
the District of Columbia intersect at the
point where the Pan-American building is
now located in Potomac Park
Meeting Places of Congress Shown.
Mr.. Fishback told of the various places
where the Congress sat before it was
finally decided to create a District of Co
lumbia. and how the growth Of the idea
that it was undignified for the Congress
to move about so often brought about the
establishment of a federal district He
showed pictures Of the various meeting
places of Congress, in Philadelphia, Lam
caster (where it met one day., Tren-
ton. Annapolis and Baltimore, and told
of its meeting in building on the north
side Of E street between 7th and Sth
streets, where the present land office is,
and later at LIST and A streets northeast,
in a building occupied by Congress for
three years. which was afterward used
as a prison during the civil war.
Mr.. Ffshback told Of the reconstruction
Of the Capitol in 1919. and said it was
the Portuguese minister of that day, a
w.t. who had in derision named Wash
ington 1.-The City of Magnificent Dis
tances, because at that time there was
nothing much but "distance'' to Wash
ington. Charles Dickens also, Mr. Fish
back recalled. had fling at the Wash
ingtOn of early times when he said during
and following his visit here that the ave-
nues of the city began at nothing and led
nowhere. Mr.. Fishback threw on his
stereopticon screen picture of some of
the present-day avenues. with the quota
ton He laughs best who laughs last"
Avenues Named for a Reason.
The avenues Of the city, Mr.. Fishback
said, were named as they are for a rea-
son. Pennsylvania avenue was the name
selected for the principal avenue of the
city. leading from the Presidents house
to the Capitol, he declared, because Penn
sylvania was the principal state among
the colonies. the seat of the government
previously and the keystone state of
the original thirteen.
Mr. Fishback brought his lecture down
to the present time. paying attention to
the Washington of Gov. Shepherds day
Gov. Shepherds widow and his grand
daughter. Miss Brodie, were present in
the audience last night. Mr.. Fishback
gave much of the credit for the present
beauty of the capital to the efforts of
Gov. Shepherd. He expressed criticism
of the proposed Potomac Park site for
the Lincoln memorial.
Preceding Mr.. Fishback's address. a
short business session of the Vermont
State Association was held, and w. II.
Husband president Of the association, in
troduced M. F. O'Donoghue president of
the California State Association, who
urged that the various state associations
in Washington. of which he said there
are about twenty. should organize in a
federation of state associations. and he
invited the members Of the Vermont or
ganiZatiOn to attend a meeting of the
various associations at the Public Lii
brary the evening of February 81, when
it is hoped to form permanent organiza-
ton. Mr. O'Donoghue said that he had
so far invited the state associations Of
Nebraska, Indiana. Ohio, Maine and
Missouri to join in this federation, and
that they probably would do so. He pro-
posed that the federation. if formed. shall
bring about a celebration in Washington
February % of Washington's birthday
under the auspices of the federation, and
as a body eventually take an active part
in all public celebrations in Washington.