Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-02-10
THE GEORGETOWN BRIDGE
BY Frederic J. Haskin

y
Warrington, Feb. 1o.--Tbc iridss
now under construction which VIII /
cross the Potomac river, connecting
with the City Of washington
Mt Thirty-fourth street. was original
ly designed ns memorial 10 Francls
scott Key. author OF the star Spang-
led Banner and once a resident OF
old Georgetown. The General Essem-
bly, Of Maryland made Georgetown
town In 1851. 25 years before that
province ceased 10 be ,oya' TO the
British Crown. The old town. fcw
part OF Warrington. evidently was
built on the ashes Of the Indian VII
lage OF Tohoge.
How surprised the o.d residents
would have been ID have awakened
some fine morning. u find this giis-
tening white structure N place of their
little river ferry. Their only bridge
was al Little Falls miles above
the prescrtNYridge-sit ard was made
OF tifnbcrs swiing on chains. In the
Charter Of tho, Georgetown Corpora
ton Il was written that the city
should keep the chain bridge and the
road leading 20 the bridge free and in
repair forever" The Georgetown ferry
nt one time was ~ dispute, fer Vir-
ginia claimed the river az hers. The
ferryman WIS persuaded TO row tho
sheriff to the Virginia shore. lie wos
arrested when be stepped onto yir-
I ginia soil 20 collect his fec and taken
for trial T. Fairfax Courthouse.
Many years ago. in the shadow of
4 this new structure, there came an1
went the ships OF the Dutch East
Indies bringing silks ind jewels, and
returning down TO the sea with their
cargoes OF tobacco. There also docked
the Shenandoah, which went regular.
ly to Europe with her hold fun Of IN,
Virginia weed, to return laden with
salt. Sailing packets PIT out for New
York with -four; and once on a Satur
day night the schooner Pearl siippet
silently dogn the river with most o
the slaves Of the town On board, caus
Ing o scarcity OF sunday nlornin:
breakfasts any putting great copster
nation In the hearts or the house
wives.
Old Port OF Ccorgctswn.
Many tales were tod Of the boat
which put into port and Il was sal
that when Spilman sailed from James
town IN the pinnace Tiger" man
years before to t-ads with the Indian
for corn. that Captain Henry F'leet'
9 who was among those to land, wa
, captured and held. He learned tn
Indian language and alrncst entirel
forgot his own. Later he was ran
n a -. rr--.
s he told many wonderful stories, and /
i writing of the upper Potomac sa,
g 1T aboundth with ell manner OF isl
n The Indians IN one night VIII cato
80 surgeons IN q place of the riv.
If not above 70 fathorns broad. And (
II for deer. buffaioes, bears, turkey
= the woods do swarm with them az
the soil is exceedingly fertile
=. The spot where the sturgeon we
= caught has since been identified
the stone house and mill built al)o
the end of the eighteenth century
Amos Cloud: the mill Is now know
az Eads Mill. George Washington "
said TO be exceedingly fond Of fs
~ and fishing was one of his pastime
in a letter he has said he went
~ Had one stood where the nor
- abutment of the new bridge no
- towers In those early days he wou
have looked over the old ''ousine
section;" on Browns Bakehouse"
Water street, John Lawrenceis Sk
- Dressing" on Fayette street, "Da'
"a sons Soap and Grease Factory
Water street near Frederick, on {
Ia tobacco warehouses, tie inspect
Iv House" and the wharves. II was
n busy little town and many shops
at miscellaneous character flourish
le. and grew. An extracs from an
letter written by Major Ellicott TO
wife Sally, when in the city TO ma
IS a survey. reads 'I bought for you
a little shop in Georgetown, p
OF black rnitts and a small smslli
ed bottle"
10 In olden days two fairs were b
n annually by the town. Each (
he lasted three days. The first y
ID set for thes first Thursday in octol
he and the second began on the seco
me Thursday in April, and on these de
tut all persons We're free from are
of save only for felony and breach
be peace. The gentry came from
ler and near in satins and homesp
nj and the fair was tremendously oper
zen by the bailiff, who read proclamas
90 which began 20 yes, and that's
ed time, O yes. and that's twa tim
ene O yes, and that's the theird and |
timei come all manner of person
aal whereupon he stated what must
yer be done by the peppls on the day
ohi der penalty OF punishment and
ieo ended with 'and I'll haam to my d
on ner.n In 1863 the race track
On opened in conjunction with the IA
30 30 with gentlemanly betting. 1t is !
sns of George Washington that he atte
~ ed the races. bst moderately, and g
orally subscribed to the purses.
~ old fairs were say and festive
casions, statesmen and private ,
,lsd zens gathering together for pleas
IA recreation.
om- hey House Now Store.
On the spot where now is b,
- built the north approach of the
ner. bridge stands little shop Hopl
Hardware Store. 1t is all that is
s Of the Francis Scott Key man.
~. Srom this house went forth his
sons VITO were killed. one in a due
pr 49, One bright morning, the Fourtl
~, July in 1928, 60 the accompaniment
the Marine Band. a little party