Show I THE OLD VAN NESS MANSION Site of This Once Historic Structure Now Occupied by Home of Bureau Bu-reau of American Republics The Bureau of American Republics Is an Institution supported by 21 republics re-publics of the Americas for the promotion pro-motion of cummerjo and trade and for tine cultlvavtloti of peace and friendship It occtiplcu a white marblu building south of the Corcoran gallery gal-lery on tho grounds of the old Van Ness place For this building Andrew An-drew Carnegie contributed 760000 For a long time tho Van Ness mansion man-sion was one of tho historic buildings of the city It was built by Lntrobo one of the architects of tho capital for Gen John P Van Ness who married mar-ried Marcia Burns daughter of Davie Burns ono of the original landholders landhold-ers of tho city Orusty Davlo Burns lived In a rude cottage near the river and cultivated a largo plantation extending ex-tending over tho spot where the White House now stands Tho demand for his land made him wealthy and his only child Marcia was known as the beautiful heiress of Washington For somo time Burns was opposed to tho projected transfer of land to the government gov-ernment and the president and com missioners had several conference with him On one of these occasions ho choleric Scotchman answered one of Washingtons arguments by this outburst I Eupposo Mr Wash Ington you think people are going to alto every grist fm you as pure grain but what would you have been It you hadnt married tho rich Widow Custis General Van Ness a wellborn New Yorker was ono of many suitors for ho hand of Marcia Burns Ho became a resident of Washington living at first with his brldo In tho old cottage which she would never permit to betaken be-taken down Ho became mayor of tho city his portrait was painted by Gil bert Stuart the mansion erected on ho Burns estato was one of tho finest In tho country and tho resort of the distinguished people of Washington In Oak Hill cemetery Van Ness had erected a tomb In Imltattoi of the temple of Vesta On each anniversary of his death the legend has It that his favorite troop of six white horses make a ghostly midnight gallop around the old mansion Whether the Bureau of American Republics will Inherit In-herit the ghostly horses with tho site of tho ancient mansion remains to be seen |