Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-04
Old Canal in History of Georgetown

rs thousand guns were turned oIt and VAse
amount Of other war material.
BY some it is said that he never owned
slaves: by others, that he did. But he was o
devout sort Of q man, and the chances are
that he did not. However, the people Of
Georgetown especially had q high regard for
him. and made him the mayor Of the town ID
1919 and he served in that Office for two years,
O. until 1921.
There are few men in this world today quite
o. frank and honest as was Mr.. Foxan. En-
Deed when there a movement On foot IN
1e07 for the Government to erect 10 own
foundry and east its own guns and Mr.. FoxaM
was approached as to his views upon the ed
visibility Of doing 30, did he attempt 10 throw
cold water On the proposition because 1t woul0
cripple his industry and throw him out %
business as all men but one In q million woaa0
have done? He did not; but as Madison Davis
has told us: He frankly stated that IN Mg
judgment the proposed Undertaking would be
o wise one; that In a short time the employees
se3eeted by the Government to do It's work
would acquire all the skill that might -
needed: that he himself would give his bese
services and the benefit OF his long experience
IN England and in this country to make taae
establishment a success; and he recommended
not that the Government should buy the q.
ready equipped Columbian Foundry, and TINS
IN Q measure save him from loss, Is many
another man would have done. but that If
SHOULD construct entirely new concern, the
"details Of which he candidly explained, on -
own land at Greenleafs Point IN the city a
Washington, where, indeed, the War Depaxts
ment did eventually erect an ordnance n1anU~
factory and arsenal"
In his own words he concluded his reply ~
saying:
while have been endeavoring to throw my
ideas together on paper, and give my opinions
ct large on the necessity and utility Of q
national foundry, think you viii agree with
me that have done it like one that had NO
establishment Of the kind of his own, and not
like one who has an establishment Of the kind
and who has nearly his all invested In it, and
this done at the particular request of the Cow
eminent, and also that at the time they shan
withdraw their aid and patronage therefron1,
It viii rs q mandatory, with all its expensive
machinery, become useless and of little value
30 me, its proprietor"
A/HKN the proposition again came up IN
w 1886. when Gen. Mason owned the 1oun.
dry, the Government found 1t was dealing with
q different man. one who saw things IN dif.
1erent light. Again Mr.. Davis tells us:
HE did not propose if he could help n, %
have his property ruined by the creation Of d
heW and up-to-date establishment beloneing
TO the Nation, and doubt he sincerely fell
mat the best policy for the Government %
pursue would be to create larger plant upon
The basis Of the private one already In exase~
ence. In other words, he thought that ii6
own property should be purchased and altered
or enlarged to meet the public wants. HN
therefore bestirred himself at once partieus
larry among his friends in Congress, and sue.
ceeded In having the Committee on Military
Affairs hiring In q report recommending the
purchase q his plant for SIS 900, and I'D
acquisition Of 10 acres of adjoining land ben
longing to the Chesapeake d Ohio Canal o.
Tor the erection OF an addition to the naanakp
factory. and this notwithstanding the facs