Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-12-13
"REMINISCENCES OF WASHINGTON.
BY AN OLD INHABITANT.

tereSting "reminiscences from which we take
the following. MI Slams said:
i was Torn in Montgomery county. about
twelve miS from Washington in II9t NV
father moved to Frederick county in lSa5 and
cultivated Il farm Situated about fifteen miles
east frOEI Frederick city.
My first visit TO Washington was In 1866. and
to the Executive Mansion. where my father h I'd
sent me with wagon load of oats iOr President
JefiersOn's horses. and there l saw for the fist
time the great apostle OF democracy. and well |
remember his commanding appearance. He
looked to me, then unaccu>tomei to great men.
to be in all respects President, and maize an
impression on my youthful mind that seventy
years have not effaced. He happened to b near
the stables when i was experimenting the de-
livery OF the oats. and probably thinking that
was too small a lad for such work. and had come
into the enclosure from idlenesS or curiosity.
asked me what wanted | replied that had
brought the oats from my fathers farm. stick
to that, boy" he rcjOned; - cultvate the soil,
and assist TO develop the wealth OF your coun-
try"
THE WHITE HOUSE SEVENTY YEARS AGO
In entering the executive square. / drove
through pair of rough wooden gates, which
were located opposite the front door of the
house; and often through the long lapse OF time
since that day, i have driven round and through
the beautiful grounds now surrounding the
Presidential Mansion. but can safely say that
have never had so pleasant drive as that when
l was seated on the bags OF oats and met
Thomas Jefferson
When / returned home my rustic acIuaint-
aliCe NOulu often prevail upon me 10 relate the
incident OF my interview with jefferson: and
would take in with open mouths my description
OF the event; the glory OF my boyhood.
My next visit TO Washington was in 1898, in
company with my father to look after legacy
left me by his cousin Edward SimmS, an old
man without family, who had lived for many
years in Georgetown and died there We travel
ed from our farm on horseback, and went to the
best hotel or tavern, as they We're called in
those days. in the city. II was kept by Mr..
Rhodes another cousin of my father, ana was
n npar = In str
where the building now stands. 1t was known
for many years AS the Williamson hotel. and is
now occupied as places OF business. My father
directed Inc to diSmount. and pull Il rope with a
knot at the end, which was hanging in front of
the door. Selling the rope aud giving it viror-
Gus pull produced a sound from the rear OF the
building which might have aroused the ''Seven
SleeperS." and out came IA Stableman as black as
the ace OF spades, who, with polite bow, his
ebony viSage wreathed with the loud smile
peculiar 10 his race said, Young Mu5Sa, you
pull strong, you must belong to Old Nirgnny.
Must tuck your horses; and how much oats
must give them?" We surrendered our horses
tavern to refresh ourselves and to make inquiry
about the custodian of wills.
TIE WASHINGTON TAVERN OF 1903.
Nothing more distinctly marks the progress of
the age, and the improvement of the city, than
the contrast between the elegant and luxurious
hotels of this day and the rude unpretending
tavern of 1S0S. Although at that time the a
commodatiOnS for man and horse afforded food
and shelter, yet a vision OF the luxurious eStab-
nshmentS OF the present day would have APP
peared TO the comparatively plain people OF
that period as something which was possible to
the speculative imagination, but could rot be
realized, until centuries OF prosperity had placed
unbOunded wealth In the hands or Americans
Wealth that required many ages in the daSpot-
1sms OF the old world 10 accumulate. has been
developed in less than century by the energy
and enterprise OF IA Tree people. But 10 come
back TO my narrative. We were Informed that
the Register of Wills kept the records at his
house, IL small two-story brick building on tie
opposite side OF the avenue. We weEt a.:ra s
the avenue to his house. and knocked at tue
door. A cnlored servant responded to our sut.i-
mons and informed us that the registers hoa
OF business were after O'Clock. Mr. Rcwtt,
the register. held three Offices. and hal am.le
leisure for recreation after he had faithfully p T.
formed the duties OF all or them. lie was reg D
ter OF Wills Justice OF the peace and clerk N
one OF the executive departments of the Cover l.
mentS, where Ii was said in order to aCcomm >
date his clients. he performed most Of his bu 81
less as justice OF the peace. The Secretary 1t
the head of the department thought it interfered
TOO much with the public business, and issued
an order prohibiting the transaction of any bust
ness In the department other than that connect
ed With the executive government. Mr.. Hewitt
deemed II due 20 his customers to give them no.
tice of that order by sign over the door of his
room in the department The painter: in a
spirit OF abbreviatiOn, left out the word busi-
ness, and the public were informed by the read
ing OF the sign. that
''No MORE JUSTICE WILL BE DONE HERE"
which attracting the attention of the Secretary,
who was Lot too dignifed to enjoy Joke he,
with mock gravity, informed Mr.. Hewitt that
although he had great respect for his character
he considered that public notice that mo
more justice will be done here" was reflection
on his administration, and directed him to take
down the sign.
We called on the Register at the hour named
and found him IN his parlor. My father stated
the object OF our visit, and Mr.. Hewitt went to
an old wooden chest in corner OF the room, in
na1 IN
have been deposited and produced the will of
my Old Cousin Edward, which gave us the de-
sired information about my legacy After leav-
ing Mr.. HeW1ttS house we were Joined by my
cousin Thos Clarke, OF Georgetown, and my
father leaving us | started out to see the CITY,
with Cousin Tom as cicerone. We first took a
look at the White House and executive build
ings, and standing in front OF them there was
scarcely anything else to be seen the view
being intercepted in almost every direction b.
forest trees, except alosg Pennsylvania avenue
and F street. The thoroughfares were called
by courtesy, In view OF what they would even
tually become, streets and avenues, bat they
were then nothing but country roads. tilled with
CLOUDS OF dust in dry, and sometimes impossible
mud, in wet weather. did not go further east
at that time but Cousin Tom informed me that
few fine buildings had been erected, and
others were in course OF erection on Capitol Hill
aid Greenleaf Point, and quite number OF
houses OF more modest pretentions had been
built in the eastern part OF the city. known as
Navy Yard hill. y TO accommodate the employees
OF the navy yard and the people engaged in the
various pursuits connected with furnishing
domestic supplies The navy yard was then in
full operation, and in which many OF the finest
ships OF the navy have been built and fitted out
for sea- and among them the historic frlgate
Brandywine. The city west OF the Capitol,
which now contains three-fourthS of the entire
population, and is nearly covered with good
buildings many OF which are elegant houses
and some paatial mansions, was then with the
exception OF a few isolated houses on street
and Pennsylvania avenue, and number of
frame dwellings built In the most primitive
style, covered by forests, orchards, corn fields
and cabbage gardens, which as you may mag
tne possessed no attraction for me, who had
been born on farm, and at the suggestion OF
Cousin Tom we started out through the city
IN PURSUIT OF GAME,
which could then be found within its limits,
from the Capitol to Georgetown and from the
river to its northern boundary. After hunting
through the northwestern part of the city l
found myself In Georgetown, having walked
through kaorama and being met there by my
Iather we returned home to our farm In Fred
eflck county, where / remained until 1911. l
was then sixteen years OF age, and believing
tnat farming, notwithstanding Mr.. Jefferson'S
admOnltlon TO me, [when was delivering oats
at his stables four years Defore) was not my
oeStlny, started for the city OF Frederick and
commenced life on my own hook with one dol
Lar and fifty cents in my pocket and with
very Scanty wardrobe. / applied to George
Bear, afterwards member OF Congress. and
who at that time kept dry goods store In Fred
erich City, for employment, but by his advice 7
n % n