Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-10-20
BY F. REGIS NOEL.

Many times recently the question
has been asked whether or not the
city hall. now the District Of Column
bia courthouse, the beautiful Georgian
building at the head of John Marshall
place, was built by the proceeds OF
lottery. The prevailing opinion seems
to be that it was. But the answer to
the question is found among the i'm
portant local events of a century and
is almost entirely negative. The re-
juvenated courthouse is to be dedlcat-
ed with impressive ceremonies on the
9th instant. Its connection with lot-
terry schemes has always been inter-
esting, and the present is timely for
an answer to the inquiries. A COM
plete answer embraces an explanation
of the sources from which funds for
the building were obtained.
Mentions City's Foundation.
Unique circumstances attended the
foundation of the city of Washington.
Unlike most cities, it was built ac-
cording to a grand plan developed, in
advance. by Pierre Charles L'Enfant
and Andrew Ellicott. The land upon
were erected was owned by COMPARE
lively few men, who dedicated it to
the government. The land was then
divided into squares, subdivided into
lots. and, In this shape, half of the
territory was returned to the grant
ors. For some time the usual income
from the land was suspended; adven-
turers and spectators without sur
plus funds took up many of the lots
and the government owned the bal
ance. Hence there was scant income
for improvements. Modern mushroom
cities are perhaps the nearest COM
parison to the city of Washington in
the early part of the nineteenth CEN
fury. The territory between the Cap
itol and the White House was abso-
iutely impa sSable, and one of the first
appropriations was $4,000 to build a
roadway for the chief executive and
members of the Congress. In this
condition of affairs. raising money by
lotteries was one of the methods re-
sorted to by the hardpressed city to
raise funds for expenses and improve
ments.
Lottery Popular at That Time.
The spirit of the times was by no
many of the inhabitants were adven-
turers. and nothing was more hazard
Gus than investment in a lottery. as
will hereinafter more fully appear.
That game was as popular as cham
pionship series or the blackboard re-
production today. and every little
shop along the Avenue, now used per
EapS for snapshot or souvenir busl-
ness, was then a fortune" office. At
tempts were made to raise funds for
erecting schools, jails. penitentiaries.
city halls and even cathedrals. The
city or corporation Of Washington
was one of the foremost promoters OF
lotteries. and the leading citizens
were managers. Conducting a lot
terry became an exact science.
About 1915 a limitation was put on
the practice by the Congress passing
various acts restricting the amount
to be raised to $4,000 in any one year.
board of aldermen of the city of
Washington to obtain the sinews of
war for paying an architect and
building the much-needed city hall
by lottery. A resolution of the coun-
ellis that it is expedient to raise. by
expenses) for building, es-
tablishing and endowing two public
schoolhouses, on the Lancastrian
system; for building a penitentiary,
and for building a town house, or
city hall. in the city of Washington"
was approved by President Monroe
May 10, 1915 (cf. Burch's Digest. 1923,
p. I'D.
This lottery. or class. as it was
called, was sold in toto by the man
ayers. Roger c. Weightman, John
Davidson, Thomas H. ellis, Andrew
Way. jr,; Moses. Young. William
Brent and Daniel Rapine. to one
David Gillespie of New York city for
the sum of $4,000. the above-named
city fathers retaining supervision of