Attention Focused on Washington, D. C.

One day, a number of us, weary and nearly disheartened, came to the office of the Pacific Press Branch, in New York City. There we found a letter from Mrs. White, addressed to the General Conference Committee, dated May 20, 1903, in which she said:AGP 347.5

“In regard to establishing the institution in New York, I must say, Be guarded. I am not in favor of it being near New York. I cannot give all my reasons, but I am sure that any place within thirty miles of that city would be too near. Study the surroundings of other places. I am sure that the advantages of Washington, D. C., should be closely investigated.” E. G. White Letter 106, 1903.

Up to this time, we had not thought of the advantages of Washington, D. C. Many of our brethren on the committee thought it would be a great blunder to locate so far from the port of New York. Elder H. W. Cottrell and I said: “We are counseled to investigate, and we shall go to Washington, D. C., and see what we can find.”AGP 348.1