National Republican., 1873-09-29

| "oNluk uNcH htulCU 10y tllt neat, Mgf
. afterwards replaced by the beautiful pudding
stone columns which now adorn tho old Hall
small frame Is seen In the drawing, whcr
three poplars stand. This was the dwellin,
OF Mr. Lenthall, an architect Of the Capitol
Gather Of John Lenthall, late chief OF In,
bureau Of construction who was Killed h,
the falling Of the arch over the old Suprem,
Court room about the year 1905. He wa,
experimenting the striking away of the cen
tres under the arch when the whole cam,
down. There were some miraculous escapc,
on the occasion. Mr.. Lcnthall was the only
person killed.
AT that time there was
| ApESsE FOREST OF OAKS
extending from the foot of Capitol lIlll, q.
| First street, on toward Second, aud back
north, TO the rear OF the Washington house
In these woods the English mocking bird, aud
other feathered sopgsters, were very common.
| In this vicinity was q fine spring surrounded
by some lofty oaks whore the Fourth Of July
barbecues were held In early times.
In cutting down the ground for the tsr.
race at the Capitol In 1895, q worthy old clti-
zen, Mr.. George Blagden, who was supcrin.
tending the work, was killed by the falling OF
i the bank upon him. He had been supcrin.
tendcnt Of the frec-stone work from the com
menccment Of the Capitol building.
In lSOt5, while Mr.. Underwood and his
brother were students at Parson Mccormick 4
1 IHNhoti oh NaIiNtt NHtN luftt
evenings in the week after the school wns
dismissed to attend q night-school for In.
struction In sacred music, taught by q Mr..
| Wider, who was one of the stonecutters at
the Capitol. He took snuff to excess, by
which, Of course, his voice was not improved,
but In those days there was no choice OF
| teachers. To while away the timc until can.
die light the boys used to scat themselves on
the brow OF the liill on summer evenings lis
tenlng to the
GRAND CONCERT or THE FROGS
In the marsh and Tiber, which they occupied
| from the foot of the Hill TO at least as far US
Ninth or Tenth street west. They were In
Vulnerable, consisting Of the great bull aud
| all the lesser frogs, so that there were voices
| adapted to all the parts from the low double
bass to the finest treble, and the harmony
and time were so perfect that the finest ear
could detect no discord among these natural
performers, and the volume Of sound was
equal to that produced by modern full brass
| band, rs II might be heard on still summer
evening for two miles.
At that time (ls05) there was no dwelling
house between the Capitol and Sixth street
| west except white two-story frame on the
north side OF the Avenue near the corner Of
Second street, which In subsequent years was
| owned by the late Gregory Ennis. On the
northwest corner OF Pennsylvania avenue
and Sixth street stood q ycllowish frame
building, then occupied as the store and
printing office Of William Duane, where Gen.
Roger Weightmau, eN-mayor of Washington,
and yet living, learned the art of printing.
Between the Avenue and Tibcr creek, nearly
as far as Sixth street, there was thick uh-
dergrowth Of oak and other bushes. which In
those days formed covert for rabbits, quail,
and birds Of various kinds.
The road from McCormick's school, de-
scending Capitol Hill, passed close by the
fruit trees, then standing where a man named
MeGirk had been hung for numbering his
ACoNTRAsT.
Mr.. Underwood contrasts the Washington
Of those carly days with the Washington of
1867, when he wrote. Then there was not
single square paved throughout the city;
gravel walks were the best footing, and not
lamp to guide the nightly traveller. Now, be-
sides continuous pavement from George
town to the Navy Yard, along Pennsylvania
avenue, lighted BY gas, and numerous other
avenues and streets thus paved and lighted,
the water from the Great Falls of the Poto-
mac has been brought down and diffused
throughout the city, which formerly was de-
pendent for Its best water, to great extent,
on few springs. Then there was popula-
ton OF perhaps 800 or 5000; now IL num-
bers 100, 900. Then the boarding-house keep
ers had often to go not only to Georgetown,
but sometimes to Alexandria, for their mar
keting, as the small market at Seventh street,
open three mornings In the week, did not
furnish the necessary supply.
Mr.. Samuel Stettinius, who kept grocery
store on Pennsylvania avenue, corner Of c
street, and owned the lot In the rear, on
which the Bank OF Washington now stands,
used the latter sito as
AwAGoN YARD,
where he furnished ample accommodation
for oil the country wagons that came any
distance for the night previous to the market
day. Not only was 1t thes necessary to go to
Georgetown to procure supply for the table,
| but for dry goods and groceries. The con-
tents OF all the Washington grocery stores In
that day could have been stored away In o
corner Of any one OF our large grocery stores
Ike Hall Il Humc's. Any one OF fifty of our
present dry goods stores, Pcrrys for instance,
contains more stock than oil such stores In
Washington at that time.
As TO HOTELS AND BOARDING HOUSES
which now abonnd at the national metropolis,
| the following advertisement which appeared
| In the National Inteiligencer of October TO-
1903. shows that there was difficulty then Ia
obtaining accommodations even for Congress,
small as that body then was:
such of the Inhabitants OF Washington
~ are desirous OF accommodating members
OF Congress with board are requested to leave
their address with THOMAS CLAYTON"
Mr.. Claxton was then doorkeeper of the
House, and came here from Philadelphia
when the seat of Government was established
at Washington, In 1900.
The following notice from the National In
teligsncer of November 20, 1905, reads little
strange in this day OF progress:
'Genteel, private boarding and lodging.
confined exclusively to members Of Congress.
Subscriber having altered and fitted up the
two houses opposite Mr.. Duane's book k-stOre.
Pennsylvania a7npue, containing thirteen
rooms, neatly furnished and having laid In a
stock Of wood and coal sufficient for the
whole OF the session, and provided good
cooks, has, besides, private parlor for the
use OF families. JoHS DoYNE."
National InieRigencer Of February II, 1906
and sign I'd by several Of the most respectable
and law-abidin3 citizens of Capitol Hill,
shows the interest they took In the execution
Of laws designed to preserve the peace OF the
city at that carly day:
=" The Subscribers give notice that they will
enforce the penalty OF the law regulating tip
pllng shops and taverns on the Capitol Hill
and vicinity" Signed by Daniel Rapine,
William Brent, George Blagden, Grifith
Ceombe, Henry 1ngle, Charles Warden and
John COyle.
tive times shows with what formality Invita-
tions were extended to witness school exam
ination, then regarded as quite an important
event:
"A public examination Of the Washington
Academy, east, will take place on the 24th
instant, at the house Of the subscriber. Eng
lish grammar class will be first examined z,
the classics; 3, geography. The parents,
guardians, and friends of the institution are
especially Invited. Also, the honorable MEM
bers Of the Senate and House of Representa-
uyes, and all others who may think ft and
proper to attend. \ number OF speeches,
dialogues, &c, will be delivered at u p. m.,
by the pupils Of said academy at Mr. Frost's
hotel, Capitol Hill. "R. ELLIOTT.
"WAsHINoToN, Dec. 0, 1906"
We shall continue our researches among
the literary and historical archives of the
Oldest Inhabitants Association, and give our
readers the benefit of them from time to
time.
WEATHER REPORT.