Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1934-04-01


u n land which now Is occupied by
~" the City Of Washington, at
i v Suffers Tavern, Georgetown, In
the Spring Of 1871, he found
there q group Of men Of many minds and
opinions, but quite similar to the men Of today,
since each one had in mind, particularly hts
own interests. With Washington, however the
question was a national one, and he had come
to lay the case, as he saw it. before the prop
erty owners. who at first seemed not so willing
to turn one-haf of their land over to the
Federal Government on q gamble.
Fortunately for the historian and those IN
terested in the past, Washington kept q fairly
good account of what took place at this meet
ing, which was held on Tuesday, March %,
1871, and so we find him recording the fol-
lowing:
ITO this meeting I represented that the con-
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
buildings. they might, by placing the matter
On contracted scale, defeat the measure alto
gether, not only by procrastnation but for
want Of the means necessary to effect the work;
that neither the offer from Georgetown For
CarOllsburgh, separately was adequate 70 the
end Of insuring the object; that both together
did not comprehend more ground, nor would
afford greater means than was required :or the
Federal city: and that, instead Of contending
which Of the two should have it, they had bet
ter, by combining more offers, make 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 q union"
The wisdom of the Presidents remarks evil
IDENTIFY bore fruit, for In his record Of March
30 he says:
The parties to whom I addressed myself
yesterday evening, having taken the matter
into consideration saw the propfiety 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-hah Of the land they severany
possessed, within bounds which were designated
As necessary for the city to stand. with some
other stipulations which were inserted IN the
instrument, which they respectively subscribed"
IA ND thus the City Of Washington came into
y being just 143 years ago last Friday
In all, there were about II parcels of land
the most interesting, historically, being that
pf Beal's Levels, since this includes all the
space now known as the Triangle upon which
several Federal buildings have lately been
erected as well as the old Post Office and
Patent Office Buildings at Seventh and r
streets, and the south half of the White House
and White House grounds
Another important tract, which bordered
this one on the north was known as Port
Royal. This, in 1871, comprised three main
parcels. the owners being Samuel Davidson.
Gen. John Davidson, and Dominica Lynch and
Comfort Sands. A section of the aforementioned
property was in the name of Dickens, Morris
and Nicholson.
Port Royal extended from about Eighteenth
street and New York avenue northwest north Of
Rhode Island avenue; thence eastward. south
OF this avenue, to Third street northwest:
snence south to street, and thence eastward,
on an angle. to the place of beginning all lines
being approximates
= Samuel Davidson, who owned the tract to
The east, lived in a small log building, 20 by II
feet, on Seventeenth street between L and M
streets. John Davidson, who owned the middle