Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-12-05

The National Capital as IL was i'm 1922.
View of the Past Obtained Through
An Old City Directory.

There is nothing which makes the growth Of
city more apparent than comparison Of an
old-time directory with one Of those of late
years. A person well acquainted with the diff
ferent localities OF this city may. by such com.
parison, obtain pretty fair idea of the changes
made as to the fashionable localities. One look
ing over the Washington directory of 1922. the
first general directory of the city ever published,
is struck by the great increase in population
and the changes of fashionable localities This was
published by Judah Delano, and contains the
name, occupation and residence Of each head OF
family and person In business; the names of
the members of Congress- and where they board,
together with other useful information, and was
printed by William Duncan, 18th street. 1t
is a small book of less than $50 pages, and the
directory proper contains but "a pages. aver
aging s. names to a page, and, lying beside one
of the large volumes now published, is mere
pigmy. The total population of the city, by the
census of 1920, being but 13.247. of which ]. 945
were slaves and 1896 free cOlored, the book
would seem to be fully In proportion to It, There
were then six wares; Thos. Carberry was mayor,
VIM. Hewitt register. and Thomas l.. Noyes
clerk to the mayor and register. Mr. E. j. Mid
dleton, who died at an advanced age, few
weeks since. was then clerk of the board of
aldermen. Judges Cranch, Thurston and Morsell
held the Circuit Court, it's October and April
terms. at the Old Capitol building corner of
North and list streets-the City Hall not then
having been completed for the courts, although
the corporation end (west wipg) was occupied.
The Avenue then was common dirt road and,
as Dickens described it, the city was one of
magnificent distances. The hotels were Stroth-
ers, where Wizards now is Oath street and
pennsylvania aVenue); Browns Indian Queen,
now the MetrOpolitan the City hotel (Rumf's),
opposite Brown; Franklin (Wm. O'Neale's)
Pennsylvania avenue, between Goth and 21st
streets. Ouppn'S hotel Gar nj
and streets south, and the Washington (San-
ford's). Pennsylvania avenue above Wizards.
The banks were the branch of the US bank,
corner of and 18th streets; Patriotic bank,
PENNSYLVANIA avenue, between 9th and 10th
streets; Bank of Washington, on New Jersey
avenue, between b and G streets south,
and Bank of Metropolis, 18th and
streets. There are four markets mentioned in
the book-the Center, Western, Capitol Hill and
Eastern, or Navy Yard market. The Washing
ton Asylum was then on NJ street, between 9th
and 18th northwest; the Orphan Asylum estab-
lished in 1915 on 18th street. between Fl and 1
streets. The burying grounds were the
Western, between S. 7, 10Th and Goth
streets northwest. known as Homeads;
Eastern. square 1925; Episcopalian. near
Episcopaan. (new) between 18th. 18th. r and
streets. and tathOlic, at the head of Sd street
west The churches were two Episcopal. st.
Johns and Christ; three Presbyterian, first,
(south of the CaptoD; second, now New York
Avenue, and DR.. Lauries. on the site occupied
by Willard Hall, near 18th; two Baptist, first,
Q9th. between G and H). and second Navy
Yard; two Methodist. Foundry and Navy Yard;
two Catholic, st. Patrick's and st. Peters, and
the Unitarian, 10Th and D Streets There were
but two public schools, the Eastern, taught by
Mr.. Tippett, and Western by Henry Ould.
Among other officers of the corporation were
managers of the city lotteries, to raise fund for
building two public school houses. a penten-
tiary and city hall. In the list of residents two
are put down as captains of steamers. viz:
Charles Walker. of steamer Washington, E street,
between 10th and 18th southwest. and Joseph
Johnson. OF steamer Dandy, q street W, near
Eastern Branch.