Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-21
Capital Sidelights



Capital Is undergoing wonderful period
of rebuilding, the wise and century
spanning foresight Of George Washing
ton in personally selecting the site for
the seat of Government and in laying
out the main features of the Federal
City amazes those who are carrying out
the plans he laid down.
This is emphasized by William Tyler
Page, who as veteran clerk of the House
has had much to do with the passage
of legislation for the development and
establishment of the Capital, and who
Is executive secretary of the George
washington Bicentennial Commission.
Mr.. Page takes great qualification in
pointing out to the youth of today with
their greater opportunities how they
may well emulate the traits and rules
self-control. He points out that WASH
ington from his early youth was q
business man.
With his earnings he bought property,
here and there. He knew real estate
values. He was always on the lookout
for sound investments.
In the purchase of frontier lands and
in the promotion of plans for the build
| ing up and development of new parts
Of the country he was performing i'm
! portant public service. He opened up
vast tracts of land fitted to become the
home Of millions Of American farmers.
He assisted his brother Laurence in
various business enterprises, among them
| the Ohio Co., which had a grant of
| 100000 acres on the east side of the
Ohio River At 81 he organized the
Mississippi Co. to take the place of the
Ohio Co. In his remarkable will we
find Western lands appraised at over
100000 which he owned. After his
brother Laurence's death he acquired
Mount Vernon and added to its acres,
becoming the successful owner and di-
rector Of an agricultural estate of 5000
acres. He prepared q treatise on agri-
culture.
To the original acreage Of Mount
Vernon he added $500 acres, one-third
Of which he placed under cultivation.
His management of this estate was
businesslike. He kept set of account
books as ne did for all his other en-
terprises; he also kept labor costs and
in fact detailed records Of all transact
tons. He farmed the place scientifically.
In after life he wrote: II am led to re-
fleet how much more delightful TO an
undebauched mind Is the task Of max
ing improvements on the earth than
all the vaanglory which can be acquired
from ravagtng 1t by the most uninter-
rupted career of conquests."
Washington developed into q captain
Of industry. He became part proprietor
Of large iron works. and shipped his
products direct to England. He was
connected with a number of real estate
and transportation companies. He
managed the estate of his wife, the rich
widow Of Col Gusts, and Of his step
| children. and so successful was this
management that his stepchild, John
/ Parke Gusts, at 81, became the richest
! young man in Virginia
WaShington's responsibilities led him
| into the field of banks and banking,
and gave him such knowledge of bank
| ing method as caused him, when Presi-
dent Of the United States, to approve
! the bill for a national bank against
great opposition. For the Custises he
was q large stockholder In the Bank
/ Of England. washington was q stock
/ holder in the Bank of Alexandria and
in the Bank of Columbia, then In
Georgetown. It was in the latter that
the stock in the Potomac company was
deposited, this stock having been pre-
/ sented to him by the Virginia Legisla-
i ture, and which Washington beQueathed
for educational purposes.
Due to his own investments he be-
came the president of the James River
Co. and OF the Potomac River Co. The
latter involved the first interstate COM
nnerce negotiations in this country.
Washington saw possibilities Of water
way from the sea to the Great Lakes by
way of the Hudson and Mohawk VAL
/ ley. the present route of a great barge
| canal. He Joined with Gen. Clinton
in the purchase Of 5000 acres near
| Utica. He was manager of one Of the
1rst conservation companies in the Eng
lish Colonies, which under hts direction
for five years drained a part of the
Dismal Swamp and made good money
out Of 1t.
Tn short" says Mr.. Page, George
Washington, poor boy, with little edu-
cation, succeeded in business as in the
other things his hands and mind found
| to do, and at the time of his death
was one of the richest, If not the rich
! est man in the United States. Read
| his remarkable will, written by him
! self. And behold there the trained mind
Of business man, careful and pains
| taking in minutest details, expert ac-
| countant, meticulous and precise book
keeper. see there reflected the perspicac-
! ity Of the cautious banker, manufac-
|. Jurer, realtor, and the keen mind of an
| able lawyer. and then wonder how so
much wisdom, how such versatility,
could possibly be concentrated into the
mental and physical alchemy of one
human being.
Realizing his own limited educa-
tional facilities. is 1t any wonder that
he was solicitous to provide liberal IA
( cilities for the youth Of the future, which
| we are now enjoying, and to say in his
! Farwell Address. Promote, as an OBJ
iect of primary Importance, institutions
for the general diffusion of knowl-