DEVELOPMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 167 



With the difficulties of low credit, there was another which 

 interfered with the immediate development of values in the Dis- 

 trict. There was no certainty as to what part of the city would 

 be the choicest section. Robert Morris, who speculated in Dis- 

 trict lands, bought east of the Capitol. Some bought in what 

 is now the northwest section, which has become the most fashion- 

 able residential quarter of the city. Washington paid about 

 $1,000 for two lots in the vicinit}'- of the Capitol. He was en- 

 tirely opposed to the sale of large tracts to individuals, as it was 

 his opinion that this process would retard the real and legitimate 

 growth of the city. 



The commissioners, however, while having his advice at hand 

 did not follow it in every instance. The government was em- 

 barrassed by the inability of some of the purchasers of the largest 

 tracts to pay therefor. Of course, it was very natural that the 

 lots on Capitol Hill would bring the highest figures ; but the 

 chief owner of land in that vicinity held his lots at such high 

 figures that those who desired to purchase in the District were 

 compelled to seek lots in the opposite direction. An owner of 

 land along Pennsylvania Avenue, seeing this determination on the 

 part of the principal owner of Capitol Hill lots, offered his lots 

 to all who would build on them, and thus it was that the popu- 

 lation and business were located west instead of east of the Cap- 

 itol. These experiences have been repeated over and over again 

 in the District of Columbia. 



The chief cause of the variation in values at that time, and for 

 three-quarters of a century afterwards was the uncertain attitude 

 of Congress itself or the uncertainty or variableness of its action. 

 It could not be expected, however, that there would be much 

 economic growth until the term of the residence at Philadelphia 

 should terminate. This was the year 1800, although the cor- 

 nerstone of the capital was laid with Masonic honors by Wash- 

 ington himself, September 18, 1793, and in June of the last 

 year of the i8th century the government moved its entire equip- 

 ment to the District. The Capitol, White House, Treasury, and 

 War Department buildings were either in process of construc- 

 tion or just completed, but there were no other buildings of 

 any size or importance, not even public houses. The dis- 



