Evening star., 1932-03-27
Old Georgetown in History of District

tention in which they seemed engaged did not
in my opinion comport either with the public
interest or that Of their own;-that while each
party was aiming to obtain the public build
ings they might, by placing the matter on a
contracted scale, defeat the measure alto
gether; not only by procrastination but for
want of the means necessary to effect the work:
That neither the offer from George Town
or Carrollsburgh, separately, was adequate 10
the end Of insuring the object; that both to-
gether did not comprehend more ground nor
would afford greater means than was required
for the federal city; and that. instead of
contending which of the two should have 1t
they had better, by combining more offers
make a common cause of it and thereby secure
it to the district-other arguments were used
to show the danger which might result from
delay and the good effects that might proceed
from a Union.
"Dined at Col. FORESTS today with the Conn
missioners d. Others
Wednesday. 30th.
The parties to whom addressed myself
yesterday evening" having taken the matter
into consideration, the propriety Of my
observations; and that whilst they were con-
tending for the shadow they might loose the
substance; and, therefore, mutually agreed and
entered into articles to surrender for public
purposes, one half of the land they severally
possessed within bounds. which were desig-
mated as necessary for the city to stand with
some other stipulations, which were inserted
in the instrument which they respectively sub
scribed.'
\h/AsHINoToN also dned at the Union Hotel
or Union Tavern, as it was also called In
the early days, for in his diary, under date, Of
February T. 1873, we find this note: Went 10
A1Ffk1 k1x--E El~4-.
dined at Col. Fftzgeralds g. lodged at Mr. r.
Peters Visited the Public buildings in the
morning, met the Compy, at the Union Tavern
& dined there
And again we fnd it said August 5, f7se,
just few months before his death:
Went up to, George Town to a general
meeting Of the Potomac Company-dined at
the Union Tavern % lodged at Mr. Laws"
The old Union Tavern referred to was built
in 1885, and occupied the northeast corner OF
Thirtieth and M streets, and was destroyed by
fire in 1892 It was rebuilt in 1896, and In its
remodeled form stands today
In 1901, William w. Birth, then 90 years
old, in speaking before the Association of Old
est Inhabitants Of Gen. Washington and the II
Street Bridge, said:
THE bridge spoken of, which then spanned
Rock Greek, was a single drop-stone one, re-
moved before was born. Over it Gen. Wash
mgton at the end of his. presidential career
passed on his way to Mount Vernon. He had
spent q night at the house of his family connec-
ton, Mr.. Peter, who lived within square Of the
bridge, and the inhabitants of Georgetown and
its vicinity, learning Of his intention to resume
his journey on the following morning, as
senbaed at the bridge to greet him and bid
him adieu. My relatives present, and
have told me Of this occurrence saying thas
on beholding the man who had done so mucl1
and sacrificed and suffered much to bring
a n icSlIa and hx uxSr<
counsels to establish good government, al
hearts were deeply touched and no eyes I'm
that assemhlage were unmoistened' A scenes'
as they often said, never to be forgotten"
Washington also visited Georgetown College
and quite likely q number of the residences
Of the town occupied by his close and personal
friends
Christian Hines, who had personal recollsC-
tions Of visits Of Gen. Washington to George