Evening star., 1934-09-09

He was greatly interested in the City Of
Washington. and served in the City Council
almost continuously from 1917 to 1885, once as
president Of the Common Council. but usually
as an alderman.
At one time he determined to abandon
literary pursuits for the law, and even went
so far as to fit himself for this profession and
to form a partnership with the celebrated
Thomas Law, whose American wife was Mrs.
Washingtons granddaughter, but his activities
as a lawyer soon ended after he became
librarian of Congress.
However his newspaper work did not cease
and for a while he edited the National
Register. Indeed, it was due to his contribu-
ton to the columns of the National Journal,
an anti administrative organ, that President
jackson removed him from public ofhce( be-
cause it said, he had given circulation to
scandalous stories concerning the late Mrs.
jackson.
In 1922 Mr.. Watterston was appointed one
OF the special commissioners to sell the Low
Ground lots and several reservations ON
Pennsylvania avenue, one Of which had been
reserved for the United States Mint. Some
years later he became secretary of the WASH
ington Botanical Society and later helped to
form the Columbian Horticultural Society.
Early IN 1840 Mr.. Watterston was a Signer
to a memorial to the House of Representatives
requesting that the benevolent design of the
late James Smithson of England should be
the establishment of an institution In this city
for the diffusion of knowledge among men,"
and this memorial, which was also signed by
Peter Force, then mayor Of Washington, and
Oh. w. Goldsborough, John w. Maury, John
Wilson, George Adams and Samuel Byington,
had much to do toward securing legislation to
place the institution in this city as well as In
shaping its activities.
4 A fha uyo I, Net
w Society was formed in the aldermen,s
chamber in the City Hall (now the court
house,, September 26, 1888, Mr. Watterston
was elected its first secretary, and no higher
tribute can be paid him here for his zeal In
helping to erect the great white shaft to the
memory Of Gen. Washington than the ac-
Acknowledgement paid him in the History of the
Washington National Monument and Washing
ton National Monument Society,"" where the
compiler. the late Frederick L. Harvey, says:
"Of the founders Of the society the name Of
George Watterston calls for especial mention.
With him originated the conception Of the
enterprise. He remained as secretary of the
society from its beginning to his death, in
February, 1854, conducting its extensive
correspondence. preparing its numerous adj
dresses and publications, and, it appears, In
every branch OF the societys business he de-
voted his whole time and energies to its object
with constant, ardent and effective zeal To
no one name does the country owe more In
the labor and effort to rear a monument TO
the memory of Washington than to that of the
society's first secretary
Incidentally, this work gives the
reasons why the site upon which the Monu-
ment stands was selected. They follow:
THE site selected presents beautiful view
Of the Potomac; is so elevated that the Monu-
nent will be seen from all parts of the city
and the surrounding country, and, being a
public reservation, it is safe from any future
obstruction of the view. It is so near the
river that materials for constructing the
Monument can be conveyed to it from the
river at but little expense: stone, sand and
lime all of the best kind be brought TO
it by water from convenient distances; and
marble Of the most beautiful quality, obtained
at distance of only IL miles from Baltimore,
on the Susquehanna Railroad, can be brought
in