The Washington times., 1918-03-17


cousin advised me to go see Lcwder-
miIk's collection Of old washington
piaybills. And / did. And I'm glad.
For instance. Mr.. Loomis showed
me . playbill OF the frst theatrical
performance ever staged In WASH
ington-
The bill belongs to a Washington
man OF prominence. MR. JAMES p.
HOOD. and Judge IL was purchased
by him from Hancock's delightful old
tavern on Pennsyivania avenue, be-
tween Twelfth and Thirteenth streets.
Hancock's was swept away in the
dry wave.
The performance Of which the bill
is q survivor took place In -Ths
United States Theater In the City Of
Washington" September /, 1900. The
n. ARTHUR SMITH Of that day
was 3 dual Institution, a. tickets
we're to be purchased either at wsy
4 Grof's Print shop or at McLsugh-
Inns Tavern. In Georgetown
There are other bills. For IN
stance at Pennsylvania avenue and
Ninth street there stood namboyant
theater known as Varieties" and
according to Mr.. Loomis' collection
on January 2s, 1854, = soul gripping.
blood curdlfng act known as "Ths
Skeleton Accuser" was given there.
That was a. war time show-without
q war tax on theater tickets.
Probably many Washingtonians re-
member "The Varieties" don't
Whether 1t stood where Parker.
Bridget & Co. stands. or at JAMES r
OYSTERS corner or on the opposite
side, now occupied by . Christiani
drug store. cannot tell.
Also there Is a playbill from the
Washington Theater," opened with
great patriotic fanfares July 4. 1898.
an era Of great Americanism-
The play was The Spy"
The aaBpe Of at. JEFFERSON.
is a minor part, Is one Of the inter
sstiRg items.
CONGRESSMAN BEN JOHNSON
has brought to light a fact gen
orally forgotten by the ordinary
man. / refer to his statement in
the House one day last week that
Georgetown was incorporated under
the British crown. in 1750.- Further,
that it was separate municipality
until February 81, 1871, when its
existence was repealed
and it was merged. into the Districs
Of Columbia
All this was recalled by Ben
johnson in his explanation that
there is no such place as Washing
ton. You may recall that he settled
that point legally q few months ago
and that he induced the President
to change the manner Of concluding
his proclamations.
The President used 10 say:
Done at the City of Washington
ON such and such date.
NotD he says dome N the Distriet
Of CotIns6iG.'
Let Mr.. johnson explain in his
own words:
Strange to say, in 1902, when the
city Of Washington was first char
tered. there were no limits fixed for
the municipal corporation It Just
simply Incorporated the city Of
without even saying IL
was In the District Of Columbia, and
no limit was fixed to the boundary
Of the corporation. II had been COM
monty accepted that Florida avenue
was the northern boundary Of II, that
the Eastern Branch Of the river was
another boundary, and that the Po-
tomac river was another boundary.
But that Is not true.
No boundary whatever, as ]
stated, was ever fixed for the city
Of Washington when It was incor-
porated as q municipality. BY the
act Of February 21, 1871, the charter
Of the city Of Washington was repeal
ed entirely But the Constitution Of
the United States hxes the District
Of Columbia as the seat Of govern
ment. The act Of July 1s. 1790. pro-
vides for the requirement Of the Dis
trict Of Columbia. and that act also
makes the District Of Columbia e.
the seat Of Government.
"In 1890 the capital was In New
York, and q compromise was made
at that time by permitting the capital
to 90 to Philadelphia for the next
ten years, and then to be removed to
the District of Columbia In Decem-
Der, 1900"