Evening star., 1936-12-20

AhC obdA VA DCSChlVC1 Gug 4OOOy tAuo
tells the story of the changing Of the
Names of Streets at % tbe ..st es and ID
of Lafayette
Square from numeral to the title desig-
nations which they now bear:
Capt. Symons. under the direction OF
Col. Ludlow. has given orders which will
probably require the ladies living on
Lafayette Square to change their visit
ing cards or subject their friends here
after to considerable confusion. The
order is a simple one, changing the
street signs on lamp posts about the
square. A law or ordinance of the old
corporation. approved February Is. 1889,
and which has since slumbered in inoc-
cuous desuetude. has been unearthed at
the District Building. This ordinance
is as follows: That the street immedi-
ately west of Lafayette Square. running
north from the Executive Mansion to H
street, shall hereafter be known and
designated as Jackson place, and that
the street Immediately east Of Lafayette
Square, running north from the Execu-
tive Mansion to H street, shall hereafter
be known and designated as Madison
place. provided that the Mayor, upon
approving this joint resolution, shall
obtain the assent Of the President Of
the United States to the same The
approval of President Buchanan, under
date Of February %. 1859, is afixed to
the measure. The street on the west.
named by this ordinance Jackson place,
is now labeled on the lamp posts as
Sixteen and One-Half street, and that
on the east, called Madison place, is
automatically labeled as Fifteen and
One Half street"
"The transfer Of the Aqueduct Bridge
to the Government was completed yes
Purchase of the noon. :" saws The
Aqueduct Bridge. Star OF Decem-
Der 81, 1885.
"Col. p. c. Hains of the Engineer Corps.
to whose credit the funds for the pur-
chase were placed, gave the owners OF
the bridge q check on the Treasury for
s87 500, the cash payment agreed upon.
The appropriation amounts to $125,000,
but $4,000 was reserved, according to
law, for the condemnation of the north
ern abutment; 100000 was retained for
claims of the District on account OF taxes
and advances made by West Washington
and $500 for the settlement OF other
claims against the owners or lessees OF
the bridge. TIE purchase of the bridge
was completed just one day within the
limit allowed by law. Had the matter
remained pending until tomorrow the
Secretary of War would have been re-
Quired to secure a site for a free bridge
at the Three Sisters. The Aqueduct
Bridge will be rebuilt above the piers
and turned into a free bridge, but ii
will probably be some time before active
operations are commenced"
The Star OF December al. 1886. thus
commented editorially upon the pur-
chase Of the bridge:
THE transfer of the Aqueduct Bridge
to the Government is at last an accom-
plished fact. It had been so long de-
layed that only few hours Of grace
remained to keep 1t within the limita-
ton imposed by the statute. However
the rule Of better late than never Il
applicable here. The title having passed
there is no power that can prevent q
conversion Of the bridge inVo free high
way except Congress, which has still the
right to repeal the appropriation already
made or refuse others that may be
needed. There is no danger Of anything
Of that sort, because the tendency OF
Federal legislation has been for some
years in the direction Of broadening
rather than circumscribing the privileges
of the people"