Evening star., 1950-10-01
Washington Lore
Nations Capitol Has Many Collections
OfMemorobiIio Connected With Founder
By John CIoqett Proctor

SVs" 80
If there is one place more than
another that should glorify the
name of Washington. that place
should be the National Capital
the City of Washington-the place
that bears his illustrious name.
He took a most active part in all
the details leading UP to its selec-
ton, and even lived to see the
Capitol and White House well
along toward completion. He COW
cred the entire 10 miles square
for the purpose of observing the
best places for the more prominent
Government structures. His cor
respondence regarding the terri
tory, selected under the act of July
16, 1870, is quite voluminous and
deals with all of its early phases.
After appointing the Commits
sioners, on March II, 1871, he
wrote from Philadelphia. as fol-
lows:
"I have thought best on every
consideration to fix Monday next
for the day of my departure from
this city, in which case I expect
to be four days in travelling to Bal
timore, and as I shall be under
the necessity of going by the way
of Annapolis, I must calculate
upon three days more for my jour-
ney from Baltimore to that place
and my stay there. One day will
carry me from thence to George
town, which will bring 1t to Mon
day, the 28th Of this month, at
which time, If no accident inter-
venes, I shall expect to meet the
Commissioner at that place, Of
which I shall thank you to give
them notice"
Stayed at Georgetown
On the morning of March %
he was met on the road by the
principal citizens of Georgetown
and escorted by them to Suffers
Tavern, where he lodged. He i'm
mediately begun to check up on
the surveys made by Mr.. Ellicott,
the draft of the grounds being
assigned by Washington to Maj.
Pierre L'Enfant. On the evening
of his arrival, he was entertained
at dinner at Suffers Tavern by the
Mayor of Georgetown. Thomas
Beall.
BY appointment. the President
also met Thomas johnson, Daniel
Carroll and DR.. David Stuart. the
three men whom he had selected
as Commissioners of the city, and
the next day they rode together
over the site.
According to Heads of Fami-
lies" Census of 1790), John Suter
had at that date seven sons and
four daughters and four slaves.
His son, also named John. was
one of the signers of q petition. in
1795, to the Grand Lodge Of Ma
sons of Maryland for a charter
to form a lodge in Georgetown.
Washington had every conf
dence in the Federal Capital and
only a little more than a year be-
fore his death, purchased lot 16
(now lot 39) in square 634, it be-
ing on the west side of North Capt.
tol street between B and c streets.
He soon thereafter began the erec-
ton of two houses. which were not
quite completed at the time Of
his death. Prior to this, in Sep
tember. 1893. he purchased four
lots in what had been the town
site of Carrollsburg, the location
Of which would be about from
Third street Sc. to First street
Sc, and from N street south to
the Eastern Branch. The follow
ing year he bought the west half
of square 81, bounded by Twenty
fifth, Twenty sixth, D and E
streets NV, and subsequently he
also purchased the remaining half
of this square.
Two Homes Destroyed
Regarding this project he wrote
from Mount Vernon to DR.. William
Thornton, under date of Decem-
ber 20, 1898:
Dear Sir: Inclosed is a check
on the Bank c. Alexandria for
$500 to enable Mr.. Blagden, by
your draft, to proceed in laying
in materials for carrying on my
buildings in the Federal City"
When the British burned the
| Capitol in 1914. these two houses
were among the private properties
partly destroyed, the reason as
signed being that Government
property was stored there. This