Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-17
BIZ JENNY GIRToN WALKER.

TIME many-sided George Washing
ton has been made to figure, in
one aspect or another, as the
IA prototype of every President Of
the United States whose inau-
guration has taken place since his own
l40 years ago; but never until the pres
ent year could comparison be made
to the washington who was an en-
gineer by profession and also, with
continental vision and purpose" a
promoter of the great engineering en-
terprises of his day.
Indeed, it is a fact seldom realized
that Washington'S professional en-
cheering activities we're interrupted
only by the responsibilities he accepted
during war time and as President of
the United States Even then" says
Lehman, Washington was esteemed
for practical abilities now not often
ascribed to him." adding "Of his many
merits. none seems to me more striking
and more valuable to the newborn
Nation than his foresight, his early
perception of the importance OF the
highways of commerce"
One might like to claim that our first
engineer President, like the second,
Herbert Hoover, began his professional
career as a mining engineer; but ne
was only Z years old when the family
moved to the neighborhood OF Fred
ericksburg, Va, in order to be near the
Principal Iron Mines, and he never
seems to have taken much interest in
the mining company OF which MS
father was president.
Young Georges future is known TO
have been the subject of many family
conferences in the years following
Augustine Washington's death, and the
- ufQ nUidAnflV
chosen after a naval career had been
decided against Just why Is a matter
of conjecture. In the early days OF
Virginia, surveying held many OF the
attractions for an active boy Wnlcn
aeronautics has today, for 1T meant new
worlds to conquer, with plenty Of thrills
as well as hardships. Georges guard
fans knew also that this branch OF en-
pineering in region of land grants
and growing settlements was potn
profitable and of good standing
He could not have peen more enaLl
10 or IA years old when he made ms
first SURVEYS. for there Is at Cornell
university a manuscript volume OF his
"Book of Surveys, 1746," while the
Library of Congress "Copy-Book, l745,
contains. along with many other
mathematical diversions, definitions
and simple exercises in the Art OF
Measuring Land" According to his
own journal, at Is he bought
Counter" for a Gunters chain was
the necessary instrument USED IN lana
measurement. Thus equipped ne was
ready to make the early maps OF Mount
Vernon in the Library of Congress col
lection, including one designated as
"A Plan of Major Lawrence Washing
toms Turnip Field as Surveyed by me,
and signed &C. W., 1747."
X X x
MANY biographers have not given
NA Washington credit for this early
study and practice, but start him forth
at the age of 10, valiant and tnexperi-
enced. to make a survey in the vast
wilderness beyond the Blue Ridge where
a part Of Lord Fairfax's land grant was
situated. AS a matter of fact, he ac-
cornpanied George William Fairfax
seven years his senior, who had spent
at least two previous seasons IN sur
viewing his uncle'S lands, and Mr.
James Gem, the licensed surveyor OF
Prince william County. The object
Of the trip is explained by Georges
notebook entry of March 80, This
Morning began our Intended Business
OF Laying OF Lots"
There were dangers enough on The
trip, perhaps, for one writer goes so fai
as to say that taking into consideration
the inferior weapons and means Of
transportation of those days Washing
ton ventured upon as great task a!
would characterize today journey Il
the Poles or to the interior of Alaska
or Africa" If any reception com
mittee awaited the return of the adven
turous heroes, George does not note it
the last entry in his diary reading
simply, Mr.. Fairfax got safe homt
and l myself safe TO my Brothers
which concludes my Journal" His
earnings Of $3.50 day made the triI