Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-05-23

THE EVENING STARS FORMER HABITATION-ITS
EARLY DAYS AND THE PART IT PLAYED-THE
OLD NATIONAL neutrality-suspicious. IN
THE ART OF PRINTISG-TBE BUILDING AS
CHOLERA H0SPTAL-BUsINEsS Firms THAT
HAVE FIOURIsHED THBRE-THE RECOLLEC-
TIOSs OF ONE OF MR. PETER FORCES AP-
PRENTICEs.
An old-fashIoned building Ia modern street
Is full Of suggestion to the mind of the man
who has time to indulge in dreams. Por him
who loves to lOiter in the shadowy by-ways of
time and summon again to life with fancy's
magic touch the throngs that peopled them
when spectral past was living present, such
house has more attractions than the most i'm
posing and snowy pile that modern architecture
AND enterprise can produce 1t gives definite
Skyline to the vista of time-a setting Of real
1stic scenery for the stage on which is enacted
the drama of his fancy
Such q building is
THE GABLE ROOTED STRUCTURE
at the southwest corner of Pennsylvania ave-
hue and 18th street, where Mr.. Thomas Dow
ling, the auctioneer. now has his wareroOms. 1t
Is not building ofvery great antiquity except
in a relative sense. Over half a century has
gone since 1t first stood forth shining in new
paint TO challenge the admiration OF the visitor
The memory of many old inhabitants who do
not yet consider themselves antiquated, and yet
In this nineteenth century fifty years would be
quoted In the market of time as worth about
Tour times fifty years taken out of any other
century. There are buildings in the city that
We're old, OF at least middle-aged, when this
particular building was in its swaddling clothes
and sticky with fresh mortar, but then they
have led tame sort of existence and can I'M
fold no story OF the times through which they
have passed. except the grooming tale of their
own small affairs. like the gossip of some old
crOny whose world Is circumscribed by the
Shadows about her own hearthstone In those
days when men built houses. walls were made
thick and beams were selected for their strength,
and the whole was topped off with good sturdy
rafters that would Withstand the blasts of a
Century, sothis building comes to US in the wear
OF our Lord 1SS3-like q robust, welpreserved
gentleman of the old school-offering sub,tan-
tial testimony of the wisdom and
soLID VIRTUES OF THE OLDEN TIME
and existing rs standing rebuke to the fOles
and vanities of the present,-in the building
line. 1t rears its chimneys to the Skies In q
logged, Independent way, as if to put to shame
the upstairs that seem to want to make the
world believe that people who live In them do
not need to Cook or to warm themselves. It's
dOrmer windows look down upon the avenue in
quiZzing way. az if half distrusttui of the gay
and endless pageant. How many inaugural
professions have those dOrmer windows looked
down upon. How many illustrious men, whose
very names now seem eloquent OF the doughty
deeds. and the lofty craftsmanship of the dis
tant past, have once been a living part of that
ever-moving throng passing under the scrutiny
OF those dOrmT windows Like some staid and
plain Old matrOn. 1t seems to frOWn upon it's
younger neghbors with their corniced and pill
steredfrOnts. Like the same old matrOn peal2aps,
memories OF its own youth may not be unmixed
with vanity. For then it was one of the most
pretentiouS of the gabed and chimneyed houses
shat were half hidden behind the thick foliage
of the tall trees that gave the avenue the ap-
pearance OF broad aisle in green grove.
Then, without doubt, it plumed itself on
being cOmeer than its neighbOrS
WHEN THE HOUSE WAS BUILT.
II was about 1880, or little before that, that
Its walls began to rise and assume such proper
lions as to excite the envy of it's neighbors if
brick and mortar capable of envy. At
least 50 far as reliable testimony can be OBJ
tained from old inhabitants it was before the
cholera of 1882 for Mr.. Force had his printing
Offlce there before that time Mr.. VIM j. Stone
built the structure, and his widow, who still
lives in this city, now owns 1t. Mr..
Stone was an enTraver and photographer who
Tor some years previous to erecting this building
mad an office in a building still standing on the
the north side of Pennsylvania avenue between
12th and 18th streets. The front Office was pro-
vided with scmi-crcular window protesting
npon the street, which formed an outlook from
which one standing inside could look up and
down the thOrOughfare. Much of the engraving
and hthographing used In illustrating reports
and public documents of that day was done in
this office After the building was erected the two
stores occupying the ground floor were devoted
10 the sale of dry-goOds. and they were con-
sdefed very desirable business stands. The
Corner store was kept by Mr.. Walker q brother
an'aw OF Mrs Gales, and in the adjoining store
Messrs. Plttman Lawrie displayed their
tempting fabrics to the bellies of that day Up
STAIRS on the second floor the whole area of the
C %n nI was thrown into one room and there
MT Peter Force had his printing office The
building was left in an unfinished state, the
rooms not having been partitioned of.
CHOLERA HOSPITAL.
When the cholera visited the city in 1892
Mr. Stone gave the use of the building as a
hospital, 1t being commodious, and the size OF
the rooms giving it especial advantages for hos
pital purposes. Rows of cots took the place of
printers cases. Afterwards the building was
finished and Mr.. Stone moved into It with his
family, his Increasing business demanding more
SOmmodlous quarters than those afforded by biS
mouse on the north side Of the Avenue. Here
MS family resided until 1919. Subsequently, IL
was taken by Edward Green a cabinet-maker
whose establishment was famous In It's time
AFTER that the building was again invaded
by the journalist apd the printer and Tn. EVEN
ING STAR. which had begun its existence in
Other quarters. was issued from there. The store
On tine corner has been occupied by q number
u
Dy Metzerott 4 iIitz. In that year 1t became
Hrst associated with the business to which II has
since remained steadfast. Cooper 4 Lstimer.
sactioneers, the successors Of Mr.. James
AcGuire, who for many years was located at the
corner OF 10th and d streets, moved into the
building, and there conducted an establishment
which has developed into the large concern that
now occupies the whole building. Six wears
alterwards the firm name changed to Latimer &
Cieary. and subsequently Mr. Thomas Dowiinp
ecceeded this firm, Mr. Marcus I.atimer re.
manning with him as business manager and
auctioneer.
4. Since the building was erected, many revolu-
lions have been silently and swiftiy
wrought In its early days IL saw the old stage
Soacn gradually make way for the steam cars
within the period of its history the telegraph
has been developed. But more intimately is its
HISTORY associated with that Of
THE DEVELOPMENT OF PRINTING
When Mr. Peter Force had his Office there
science and Inventive genius had done little to
aid the printer since the days Of BENJAMIN
tTranhlin. The paper published nv Mr. Force