Evening star., 1935-07-21

of the commissioners that his own
bond was required from the State of
Maryland for money lent to complete
the public buildings.
Being the son of a Scotchman, he
naturally inherited some of his fathers
Scotch thrift, and as evidence Of this
he is said to have adapted to his own
use as kitchen door step the rejected
keystone of the then new K Street
Bridge. On this his name was CHS
eled, but since even stone will wear
out, this inscription also finally van
ished under the tread Of many feet.
A THOUGH Gustavls Scott was
- thrifty, yet he was not particularly
fortunate in his investments, as we
might well judge from letter dated
May 8. 1902. and written by Thomas
Jefferson and addressed to Joel Bar
low, then residing In Paris. The let
ter in part reads: There Is o most
lovely seat adjoining this city-on
high hill, commanding a most extern
sive view of the Potomac-now for
sale. A suburban house, gardens, etc.,
with 80 or 40 acres of ground. 1t will
be sold under circumstances of dis
tress, and will probably go for the half
of what it has cost. 1t was built by
Gustavus Scott, who Is dead-a bank
rupt" Scott died here in Washington
in 1901, most likely at Kalorama, and
his will was the first recorded in the
District of Columbia.
Barlow was not quick enough and
the property was bought in by Col.
William Augustine Washington,
nephew Of the first President, who
remodeled the mansion and made ad-
ditions which added to its utility and
attractiveness. However, Col. Wash
ington was not SO taken with the place
that he felt obliged to keep it in he
face of good offer, and so in 1907 he
sold it to Joel Barlow for $4,000. And
it must have been right after this pur-
chase was made that Fulton came here
as guest of the fighting chaplain Of
the Revolution, as Barlow has been
called.
Recently the writer looked over the
pages of the National Intelligencer to
see if there was any reference there
to Fulton's coming to Washington,
which, naturally was some time sub
sequent to his arrival In New York on
December 13, 1905, but If it was there,
he did not find it in his superficial
search, nor did he find any reference
to Robert Fulton around that date.
But we do know that Fulton spent
some time at Kalorama before return
ing to New York and to Paulus Hook
Ferry, which later became Jersey City,
where he is said to have been engaged
in building the framing and gearing
for the Bolton and Watt engine. This
is said to have been in March, though
in that same month Fulton and Bar
low are reported as having planted
two English elms at Kalorana, which,
as years went on, attained great size
and were still fine specimens when,
more than a century after they were
planted, they were removed in order to
permit the lowering Of the grade Of
Twenty-third street.
A FTER BARLOW took possession Of
- Kalorana, many improvements
and changes were made in the man
sion and grounds In which the advice
Of Fulton and the architect Latrohe
was sought and followed, and Presi-
dent Jefferson, who was also q frequent
visitor to Barlow's estate, was fire.
quently consulted on fruit culture
and gardening, and here it is said the
first sugar beets were raised In this
country. It Is also stated that the
owner of Kalorama and Fulton would
frequently spend their mornings on
the banks overlooking Rock Greek, ad-
miring its picturesque scenery.
Therefore. knowing the active life
led by the artist-inventor from early
childhood, and the fact that every
where he went he did make expert
ments when possible, 1t is but reason
able to conclude that In an environ
ment Of seclusion, 50 adaptable to his
purposes, as was the broad expafse
of Rock Greek as it existed near Kalo-