“FREE BURGHS” IN THE UNITED STATES* 
B}' Jamks H. Blodgett, 
Late Special Agent of Census in Charge of Education 
Three bridjies across the Potomac river connect the District of 
Columbia witli the State of Virginia. Tlie upper one, known as 
the Chain bridge, just below the Little falls, the head of tide- 
water, is too far from dense population to be frequented by foot 
passengers. Three miles below the Chain bridge is the Aqueduct 
bridge, practically the head of navigation, since only small pleas- 
ure boats and scows to bring stone from the quarries go above it. 
Along the Virginia shore, above the Aqueduct bridge, are va- 
rious “ resort houses,” more or less permanent, ostensibly for 
legitimate relaxation and pleasure, but viewed with suspicion 
by the authorities on both sides of the river, justified by results 
of occasional raids by officials. At the Virginia end of the same 
bridge is a straggling group of houses known as Rosly n, a favorite 
place for those who want to go beyond the police restraints of 
the District of Columbia, and particularly for those interested in 
the gambling device known as policy, a sort of lottery, especially 
attractive to the colored people. 
Between the Aqueduct bridge and the Long bridge, two miles 
or more farther down, at the upper extreme of dense habitation, 
the low ground on the Virginia side is brushy, with but few 
houses, and is a rambling ])lace for various kinds of boys and 
men, Avho find the towpath of the abandoned canal a convenient 
footway. The high lands contain the Government reservation, 
comprising Fort Myer and the Arlington national cemetery. 
Close to the Virginia end of the historic Long bridge are a few 
houses known as Jackson City. Freedom from rigid police con- 
trol has made this a convenient place for gambling in various 
forms. Close by, known as Alexander’s island, is maintained, 
irregularly, a race-course. Three miles farther is another race- 
course, known as St. Asaph. A good part of the racing in sight 
♦ This ai tide, written for The National GEOCRArHic Magazine, is less technical and 
has less of legal citation and quotation of authorities than a paper bearing the same title 
read before the Anthropological Society of Washington, November 5, 1895. The latter, 
valuable for purposes of reference and verification, will be printed by the American 
Historical Association. 
IIG 
