00000611 |
Previous | 611 of 684 | Next |
|
small (250x250 max)
medium (500x500 max)
Large
Extra Large
large ( > 500x500)
Full Resolution
All (PDF)
|
568 HISTORY OF MARYLAND.
Act, by which he was authorized to make " any part of the territory below the
said limit, and above the mouth of Hunting Creek, a part of said district, so
as to include a convenient part of the Eastern Branch, and of the lands lying
on the lower side thereof, and also the town of Alexandria, provided that no
public buildings be erected otherwise than on the Maryland side of the
Potomac."
On the 24th of January, 1791, President Washington, in compliance with
the Act of Congress, appointed Hon. Thomas Johnson and Hon. Daniel
Carroll, of Maryland; and Dr. David Steuart, of Alexandria, Virginia, commissioners, and directed them to lay off " the Territory of Columbia." Haying
completed their task of selecting the site, the president, on the 30th of March
folloAving, located the district for the permanent seat of• the government, and
in a letter to Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State, dated March 31st, 1791,
he gives the folloAving result of his efforts:
" The terms entered into by me, on the part of the United States, with the land-holders
of Georgetown and Carrollsburg are—that all the land from Rock Creek along the river
to the Eastern Branch, and so upwards to or above the Ferry, including a breadth of
about a mile and a half, the whole containing from three to five thousand acres, is ceded
to the public on condition that when the whole shall be surveyed and laid off as a city
(which Major L' Enfant is now directed to do), the present proprietors shall retain every
other lot; and for such part of the land as may be taken for public use, for squares, walks,
etc., they shall be allowed at the rate of twenty-five pounds [$66.67] per acre, the public
having the right to reserve such parts of the wood on the land, as may be thought necessary to be preserved for ornament; the land-holders to have the use and profits of all the
grounds until the city is laid off into lots, and sale is made of those lots, which by this
agreement become public property. Nothing is to be allowed for the ground which may
be occupied as streets or alleys." 1
Under the date of April 10th, Mr. Jefferson replied, rejoicing in the
economy of the bargain :
" The acquisition of ground at Georgetown is really noble, considering that only £25
an acre is to be paid for any grounds taken for the public, and the streets not to be counted,
which will, in fact, reduce it to about £19 an acre. I think very liberal reserves should
be made for the public."2
The territory thus selected by Washington was mainly owned by four
planters, Daniel Carroll, David Burns, Samuel Davidson and Notley Young,
who conveyed their property on the 19th of June, 1791, to Thomas Beall of
George, and John M. Gantt, in trust, to be laid out for a Federal City; and
the said Thomas Beall of George, and John M. Gantt, were to convey to the
commissioners for the use of the United States forever, all the streets and
such of the said squares, parcels and lots as the president should deem proper
for* the use of the United States forever.
In carrying out the objects of the Act of Congress, the commissioners on
the 15th of April, superintended the fixing of the first corner-stone of the
District of Columbia at Jones' Point, near Alexandria, Avhere it was laid Avith
1 Sparks, x., p. 147. 2 Varnum, p. 27.
| Title | History of Maryland - 2 |
| Creator | Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas) |
| Publisher | J. B. Piet |
| Place of Publication | Baltimore |
| Date | 1879 |
| Language | eng |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Title | 00000611 |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Transcript | 568 HISTORY OF MARYLAND. Act, by which he was authorized to make " any part of the territory below the said limit, and above the mouth of Hunting Creek, a part of said district, so as to include a convenient part of the Eastern Branch, and of the lands lying on the lower side thereof, and also the town of Alexandria, provided that no public buildings be erected otherwise than on the Maryland side of the Potomac." On the 24th of January, 1791, President Washington, in compliance with the Act of Congress, appointed Hon. Thomas Johnson and Hon. Daniel Carroll, of Maryland; and Dr. David Steuart, of Alexandria, Virginia, commissioners, and directed them to lay off " the Territory of Columbia." Haying completed their task of selecting the site, the president, on the 30th of March folloAving, located the district for the permanent seat of• the government, and in a letter to Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State, dated March 31st, 1791, he gives the folloAving result of his efforts: " The terms entered into by me, on the part of the United States, with the land-holders of Georgetown and Carrollsburg are—that all the land from Rock Creek along the river to the Eastern Branch, and so upwards to or above the Ferry, including a breadth of about a mile and a half, the whole containing from three to five thousand acres, is ceded to the public on condition that when the whole shall be surveyed and laid off as a city (which Major L' Enfant is now directed to do), the present proprietors shall retain every other lot; and for such part of the land as may be taken for public use, for squares, walks, etc., they shall be allowed at the rate of twenty-five pounds [$66.67] per acre, the public having the right to reserve such parts of the wood on the land, as may be thought necessary to be preserved for ornament; the land-holders to have the use and profits of all the grounds until the city is laid off into lots, and sale is made of those lots, which by this agreement become public property. Nothing is to be allowed for the ground which may be occupied as streets or alleys." 1 Under the date of April 10th, Mr. Jefferson replied, rejoicing in the economy of the bargain : " The acquisition of ground at Georgetown is really noble, considering that only £25 an acre is to be paid for any grounds taken for the public, and the streets not to be counted, which will, in fact, reduce it to about £19 an acre. I think very liberal reserves should be made for the public."2 The territory thus selected by Washington was mainly owned by four planters, Daniel Carroll, David Burns, Samuel Davidson and Notley Young, who conveyed their property on the 19th of June, 1791, to Thomas Beall of George, and John M. Gantt, in trust, to be laid out for a Federal City; and the said Thomas Beall of George, and John M. Gantt, were to convey to the commissioners for the use of the United States forever, all the streets and such of the said squares, parcels and lots as the president should deem proper for* the use of the United States forever. In carrying out the objects of the Act of Congress, the commissioners on the 15th of April, superintended the fixing of the first corner-stone of the District of Columbia at Jones' Point, near Alexandria, Avhere it was laid Avith 1 Sparks, x., p. 147. 2 Varnum, p. 27. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| B |
|
| C |
|
| G |
|
| H |
|
| M |
|
| T |
|
| U |
|
