Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1912-05-21
There are in Washington many

ana documents. they make many
finds" of value
Braddock's Rock Marked.
Not long ago it was discovered that
what is known as Braddock's Rock
was unmarked. This was the rock
on which General Braddock landed at
Georgetown when he was on his way
with George Washington as a lieuten-
ant overland to meet the French In
western Pennsylvania, an expedition
in which Braddock was defeated, the
remnant of his forces being saved by
the generalship of Washington. This
rock has now been marked, an inter
est in it's marking being taken by
James Bryce, the British ambassador.
who was present on the occasion.
As fast as it can be done, the old
houses which have historic interest
are being marked with bronze tablets
bearing inscriptions to show in what
their chief interest lies. 1t has been
feared always that the needs of bust
ness would make the destruction OF
old landmarks inevitable, but the
Washington people who are interested
in preservation matters seem to be
Just as much alive to the work as were
the Boston people who insisted that
the Old South church and the Old
North church should be saved when
II was proposed that they be demol-
ished TO make room for commercial
houses, 1t is said that in Boston
S250,00 was subscribed in twelve
hours to be used to save the "Old
South" where the fiery Otis preached
resistance to tyranny.
Famous Washington Churches.
The most famous church in Wash
ington is the ancient Saint Johns of
the Protestant Episcopal communion.
situated on Lafayette square. 1t is
an old building and long since its
congregations have outgrown the edi-
nee, but there is no present intention
of the parish authorities to move else
where or to demolish the structure.
st. Johns is the church which Mrs
Taft attends and which was attended
by Mrs. Roosevelt and. prior to the
presidents and their families
One of the Oldest Roman Catholic
churches in Washington was Saint
Mathews, which was situated at Fiji
teenth and H streets. The congrega-
ton outgrew its quarters and after a
good many heart-burnings and consid-
cradle opposition the old building was
given up and a new one was built on
Rhode Island avenue. The original
property was sold and there now
stands on its site a great structure
known as the Southern buildings, in
which are located the headquarters of
the organization devoted to the devel-
opment of the natural and business
resources of the southern states.
There are other old edifices in
Washington which have been written
about time and again and probably
the publicity has helped in saving
them from destruction, for Washing
ton business men realize that the
more attractions in a historic way
the city has the greater will be the
throng of visitors. Examples of old
buildings which have been preserved
by popular sentiment are the homes
of Commodore Decatur and of Mrs.
Madison. The two most prominent his
torical houses in the vicinity Of Wash
ington of course will be preserved, if
they can be. for all time They are
Washington's home at Mount Vernon
and the home of the Custis and later
of the Lee family at Arlington.
Many Contests to Be Settled.
Politicians in WASHINGTON of both
parties are looking forward with
tho keenest interest to the forth
coming meeting of the national com
mittee of their partien, one Of
which is to meet in Chicago and
the other in Baltimore prior to the
assembling of the great party conven-
tons.
The Sharpest interest at this writ
ing centers la the meeting OF the Re
publican national committee. solely
for the reason that it must pass iudg-
ment upon a far greater number OF
contests than will be presented for
consideration to the committee of the
other party. The convention system
of selecting district delegates. and
state delegates, too, for that matter.
which still prevails in most of the
states-although it is likely to give
way to pure primary system before
long-is held to be responsible for the
many contests which the Republican
national committeeman will have to
decide. According to the figures Civ
en- out in Washington there will be
at least $50 delegates to the conven-
ton whose seats will be contested.
The greater number of contests prom
ised will originate with Mr.. Roose-
velt's lieutenants and the lesser num-
Der with Mr., Tafts lieutenants.
Things may so frame themselves be-
tween now and the meeting of the
Republican committee in Chicago that
no matter how the contests are de-
cided they will have no effect on the
nomination. OF course, when two
chief candidates have anything ike
an equal following of delegates the
decisions as regards the contested
seats may compass the nomination of
one man and the defeat of the other.
If either of the leading candidates for
the Republican nomination shall have
pledged to him or understood to be
in his favor a great majority of the
delegates he can perhaps AFFORD to
give all the contested seats to his
rival. 1t is likely. however, that at
Chicago the decisions of the commit
tee on the contested delegations may
affect the nomination result. and so
it is that today in Washington there
is the keenest interest in what is go