Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-20

ing business section, with its forge. saw
mill, griSt mill, stores and boarding
houses. and distinguishing the residential
district was an imposing residence for the SUI
perintendent of the company.
Matildaville like all boom towns, also had
its centers of recreation and entertainment and
TefreShment. Presiding over one of the pleas
anteSt of these social establishments was
popular widow, Mrs. Jane Myers, whose
afluence had led her to rent half dozen
houses for 81 each, monthly.
The Widow Myers appears to have been a
vivacious figure in the little town, and her hos
pitality was much in demand.
John Davis English traveller and writer,
who inspected the works at Great Falls,
mentions the widow quites favorably in the fol-
lowing excerpt from his book, Personal Adj
ventures and Travels of Az years in the
United States &C.:
II beheld the course of large river abruptly
ObStructed by rocks which it was break
ing with q tremendous roar, while the foam
of the waters seemed ascending to the clouds
and the shores that confined it to tremble at
the convOlution. I gazed for some time in
silent awe at this war of the elements, when,
having recovered from my admiration, I could
not help exclaiming to the Great Maker of
Heaven and Earth, Lord, what is man that
Thou art mindful of him. or the son of man
that Thou regardest him?'
"A little below the Falls on the banks of the
Potomac stand few scattered buildings, which
form a kind of hamlet called Charlottesville
(Matildavie?). The first settler in this savage
wilderness was the lady of Gen. Lee, from
whose Christian name the place takes its ap-
pefation. In a house of entertainment kept by
Widow Myers was accommodated with a
supper and a bed. This buxom widow was a
Methodist and possessed of considerable prop
erty."
Mrs. Myers evidently maintained an inn or
pub" for her place is mentioned by other
visitors. In 1902 Manaseh Cutler proponent
of colony for veterans of the Revolution,
wrote: Arrived at the Great Falls and put up
at Mrs. Myers. The appearance of the river is
singular. Filled with rocks about three fourths
of a mile-no large cataracts, but frequent falls,
and brought into narrow bed, with high rocky
banks at the locks At the lower locks appeared
about 40 feet wide; said to be 35 feet deep.
The work of the locks (six in number) very
neat The lower lock cut through a solid rock
by blasting about AZ feet deep and IL feet wide
The water was to have passed this day. but,
not being quite completed, is to be opened for
the passage of boats on Tuesday, February 2
The canal is three-fourths mile It is a place
capable of much business by water works, but
Incidence reigns and the country through which
we passed the picture of laziness negligence and
poverty
THE Incidence of which Mr.. Cutler spoke
= seemingly worrisome to Supt. Rumsey
and his superiors, for much difficulty was
encountered in obtaining good workmen and
retaining them. According to Mrs. Cora Bacon
Foster in a comprehensive article to be found
in the records of the Columbia Historical So
cety, free white labor of the time was I'M
Bkillful and unreliable" Recourse was made to
slaves. "A large number of "redemptioners," or
indentured Irish servants were purchased from
European ships landing in Baltimore but these,
too gave trouble.
The Alexandria Gazette Of January /, 1885,
reported that several servants who had been