Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-05-03
EAST WASHINGTON IN THE PAST.
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SOME HISTORICAL. HOUSES
BLESS me. sir, when think of it, hardly
know the place" The speaker was Col. James
A. TAFT. one Of the old men and sages of Capitol
i!, and he sat in his coy little office, Just in
the dusk Of evening-that hour when the gath
eling gloom Of night obscures the present and
gives vivid distinctness to the phantom memo
ries of the past He spoke Of the changes i'm
the city since, in his boynood, he stole apples
OUT OF the Ingle orchard, wiled away his truant
hours in hunting ducks, or sharing rabbits
where now long rows OF houses stand, watched
the stage coach as it ratified i'm over the old
Bladensburg pike, or gaZed IN rapt wonder at
the stately ships in the Eastern branch. He
could remember how august and terrible
Squire Young. who dispensed justice
with an impartial hand on Capitol Hill to small
offenders. used to appear to the Youngsters
when they were dragged trembling before him
for some bOyish prank Then, there was the
''iock up" that stood at the intersection of
pennsylvania avenue and street. warning
to al! evil-doers and the old Columbia engine
house, long since RACED to the ground to make
way for the extension of the Capitol grounds;
the Capitol Hill market, that stood right in the
middle Of East Capitol street, between LIST and
I'd. and other places about which he used to
linger as boy, and which have long since
passed away. like those whose faces he knew
and loved in those happy days.
REcoILEcTI0Ss OF TUE PAST.
''There have been many changes in my time. !"
said Col. TAFT. every house can see from my
Office up and down Pennsylvania avenue, ex-
cept two, has been built within my recollection.
Why. / used to shoot wild ducks from behind
the bushes where DR.. Chester's church now
stands. There used to be pond there"
capitol Hill was considered then as the most
promising part of the city, was it not5" asked
THIS STAR.
'Capitol Hill was the place New Jersey ave-
nue., south Of the Capitol, was the aristocratic
part of the town. Why, there were no pave
ments on Pennsylvania avenue west of the Capt.
toll There were logs over Tiber Creek, and when
the creek ran high. they used to be washed away.
Tho city was expected to grow east. The prom.
inent men-Cabinet officers and Senators-lived
on Capitol Hill. John c. Calhoun died in the
Old Capitol or one Of the houses now known as
the Old Capitol. Other distinguished men lived
!iere. The two old yellow stuccO houses joined
together on North b street. facing the Capitol
grounds were in those days fashionable con-
gressional boarding hOuse-Mrs. McArdle's
boarding house. The Carroll row was the
Queen hOtel-a fashionable resort. The Hill has
been cut down since then, and this building has
been left high above the street. There are not
many people who know that the Capitol grounds
were cut down once before this last cutting. The
house where Mr.. Middleton lives, on NewJersey
avenue, was in thOsedays
THE BANK OF WASHINGTON,
the principal bank Of the town. I remember
well seeing President Monroe riding up there
in top boots, with his serving man In top boots
also. and going into the bank to get his salary
The Treasury department used to be on Capitol
Hill then. It was in building on East Cap
ito street, near 1st and part of the old Treasury
building forms the back building of Mr. Ordway =
house the first house on East Capitol street on
the north side. Nearly all the houses
on New Jersey avenue are venerable. The
old coast survey building was built by Thomas
Law. who was of noble family of England
We boys used to play around Carroll hill where
iudd!ngtOn manor stood. There used to be a
fine spring there. l remember that tannery
was built below the hill and this spring fur
nislied all the water used in the business OF the
tannery. There are number of fine old houses
OH the hill. The old house at the corner Of
Maryland avenue and B street. where
Congressman Barbour lives, is the one
from which barber, named Dickson,
shot at Gen. Ross, the British General. when he
entered the city by way of the Bladensburo turn
pike. We boys used TO see what was said to be
the grave of Gen. Ross horse, killed by Dick
sons shot. 1t was about where tile alley 'is
located. just north of the Capitol grounds. near
the house built by Gen. Mckee Dunn"
"Was the city further east much developed
them"
Why the Navy Yard was quite busy and
thriving place. l could point ont houses down
there that must be nearly one hundred years
Old. There have been some changes since
was boy down there. but not many. 1t was
like two separate towns then, with hills and
ravines between. We boys used to have stone
fights with the Navy Yard boys, and many a hard
battle We had. too"
THE VALUE OF REAL. ESTATE.
twas there much demand for property gu the
Hill then 2" asked The STAR.
Il remember one thing very we'll that showa
how eligible place Capitol Hill was considered,
and how property here was estimated. bly,
father wanted to buy lot on East Capitol street,
between LIST and Cd, on the north side. 1t be-
longed to Daniel Carroll, of Duddlngton. and he
asked $3.50 loot for it. BY father did not
think he could pay so much for it. was brash
sort OF boy and told my father would try to
get lower price for it. T went to sec Daniel
Carroll-and l remember him well-a man OF
venerable appearance-aud told him my father
was poor. and wanted to get place
to tell my father that he could have the lot for
81 % foot on my account. Well. my father
did not think he could afford that either.
mention this to show how property was held.
Property below the hill was not worth much
In those days man had TO hold 800 In real
member q man named Carbcrry was running for
Office and in order that might vote for him he
transferred to me the property where the Balti-
more & Ohio depot stands. which was then a
swamp. was to re-trausfer it. After the cleo
ton l became very uneasy for fear the
gift would be left on my hands and
l would have to pay the taxes on 1t. l did not
feel easy until the re-transfer had been arranged
1t was not worth the having. The property in
the north and northwest Of the city was not
worth mill q foot. You could have got every
other lot for nothing. Capitol Hill was the
great place. Yes, sir; there have been great
changes in my day." and Col. TAFT, bidding the
reporter good night, closed his Office and dis
appeared in the darkness which had now set
tied over the hill.
As indicated by Col. TAFT, in the early days of
the CITY, what were called Navy Yard Hill and
Capitol Hill, held very important positions with
reference to the other parts OF the CITY, and con-
trasted favOrably in Improvements of every kind
with any other quarter of Washington. Several
of the old landmarks are still standing-notably
the old Carroll mansion. the old Blagdon man.
sion on New Jersey avenue. and several other
edihces-for which the brick was brought here
from England.
WHY THE CITY GREW WESTWARD.
Nearly this whole section was in the early
days of Washington owned by Daniel Carroll,
Thomas Law and the Greenlear family. The
comparatively slow development Of this part of