Part 7 (1/2)

[Ill.u.s.tration: Mr. G. W. Mankin]

The strength of this army corps before the last of May consisted of 922 officers and 17,467 men. In June the number in camp was 1,103 officers and 26,002 men; in July the strength of the corps was 1,183 officers and 29,747 men. In August the corps consisted of 1,347 officers and 33,755 men, the highest number in this corps before disbandment at the end of the war.

By orders of May 24, the troops then on duty at this point were organized into a First Division composed of three brigades of three regiments each, and by orders of June 9, 1898, the Ninth Ma.s.sachusetts Volunteer Infantry and 33rd and 34th Michigan Volunteer Infantry were const.i.tuted a separate brigade.

On June 9th the separate brigade mentioned was a.s.signed as the First Brigade, 3rd Division. On August 2, 1898, a second brigade was organized composed of the First Connecticut Volunteer Infantry, and the Third Virginia Volunteer Infantry.

The First Brigade, consisting of the Ma.s.sachusetts and Michigan troops, left Camp Alger for Santiago de Cuba on June 22 and 24, 1898. Troops of the Second Brigade were returned to their States for muster out on September 7 and 8, 1898.

The tents of the provost guard pitched at the electric railway terminus at East End with pickets posted at various street corners made Falls Church appear like a town under martial law. Under all the circ.u.mstances the conduct of the troops was admirable. The homes of the citizens were thrown open to the soldiers doing picket duty in the village, and the ladies of the place vied with each other in contributing to the comfort of sick soldiers at the camp.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Mr. C. H. Buxton]

The summer of 1898 was a most eventful one in Falls Church. No such stirring scenes had been witnessed here since the days of the civil war.

Troop trains arriving or departing, drills at camp and practice marches through the town, martial music from many bands, reveille and taps, all contributed to impress the town folk with the fact that the country was at war.

FINANCES OF THE TOWN. The expenses of the town government for the year ending August 31, 1904, was $2,188.47. The a.s.sessed valuation of the town is $420,125, which is about 50 per cent of the real value. The tax levy for all purposes is six mills. The levy is divided as follows: For corporation purposes three mills; for school purposes three mills. The total receipts for fiscal year 1904 were $2,289.20.

There is no bonded indebtedness. A number of times propositions to bond the town for school or street purposes have been voted upon but each time the citizens have decided against incurring any bonded debt.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Mr. Summerfield Taylor]

The following are the officers of the town government:

OFFICERS OF THE TOWN. George N. Lester, Mayor; Henry Crocker, Clerk; John N. Gibson, Sergeant; R. C. L. Moncure, Corporation Attorney.

Members of Council: 1st ward, Elmer I. Crump, S. E. Thompson, G. A.

Brunner; 2nd ward, E. A. Kimball, Geo. N. Lester, Geo. W. Hawxhurst; 3rd ward, Thomas Hillier; Wm. M. Ellison, H. C. Birge. Committees, Street Lamp Lighting: E. A. Kimball, Thos. Hillier, S. E. Thompson. Finance: Wm. M. Ellison, Chairman, H. C. Birge, Geo. W. Hawxhurst. Board of School Trustees: J. W. Brown, Chairman, R. J. Yates, Clerk, J. S. Riley.

HEALTH. In the matter of health Falls Church leads. Statistics obtained by the U. S. Census Bureau relating to the mortality rate show that out of 341 towns and cities from which returns were received the lowest death rate for the year ending May 31, 1900, was in St. Joseph, Mo., with 9.1 for each 1,000 inhabitants, followed by Portland, Oregon, 9.5, St. Paul, Minn., 9.7, and Minneapolis, Minn., 10.08. For the same period there were only 5 deaths in Falls Church, its population then being 1,007. The average annual death rate in Falls Church is about 9.5 per 1,000, only 57 deaths having occurred here between August 17, 1898 and September 2, 1904, a period of a little over six years.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Mr. A. P. Eastman]

The death rate in the United States for 1900, according to census returns was 17.8 per 1,000, the rate in cities where such statistics were gathered being 18.6, and in rural districts 15.4.

For the purpose of comparison the death rate per 1,000 in the following cities as reported by the U. S. Census Bureau for 1900 will be of interest. Baltimore, Md., 21.0; New York, N. Y., 21.3; Was.h.i.+ngton, D.

C., 22.8; Alexandria, Va., 24.2; Norfolk, Va., 25.2; Lynchburg, Va., 27.7; Richmond, Va., 29.7; Petersburg, Va., 31.1.

IDEAL COUNTRY HOMES. To the generosity of a nearby nurseryman the town is indebted for its wealth of trees. When the first streets were laid out Mr. D. O. Munson donated liberally from his nursery stock and to him is chiefly due the credit for the present attractive appearance of the tree-lined streets.

The conventional arrangement of the average suburban town has not been followed in laying out the streets of this village, and even the sinuous main avenue, lined on either side by a row of full grown maples, adds to its charm. Beyond the town to the westward the view of rolling plain and delightful wooded expanse greets the eye, and in the distance the smoky Sugar Loaf looms up to beckon one to mountain scenes. In an afternoon drive from the village to the south or west the lover of nature may find pleasure at every turn.

The healthfulness of Falls Church is proverbial, while its charming situation, accessibility to the city of Was.h.i.+ngton and the homelike tone pervading every part of its area have surprised and attracted all whose privilege it has been to visit here for the first time. The place to the tired city man can afford all the enjoyment of retirement and tranquillity. With an abundance of green lawns, well shaded walks and drives, pure water, churches, good schools and the necessary stores; what more could the seeker desire to complete his ideal of a country home.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Mr. Geo. F. Rollins]

Possessing advantages imperfectly pictured herein, Falls Church welcomes the jaded fathers and mothers from the city to the place where children may enjoy life with nature, where the climate, conducive to refres.h.i.+ng sleep, soothes tired nerves and makes life to such again buoyant with youthful hopes and joys.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Old Colonial Church.]