The Washington critic., 1888-01-07
wAsniNGroN IN taia.
Interesting Facts shown by an Old City
Directory.

ington Directory and National Regis
ter for 1916" published in this city by
Gather & Addison in that year. II
is n small book, only about half an
inch in thickness and could be carried
in coat pocket. It's contents COM
prise the names Of citizens and their
residences and employments, a synop-
tical almanac for 1916, interest table,
time table, lists Of officers of the
Municipal and Federal Government,
o Congressional directory and the
usual fund of general information to
be found in the city directory of to-
day. The volume states that William
w. Seaton was mayor of the city,
which was then divided into six
wards.
THE MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT.
The municipal government con-
sisted of board of six aldermen and
a common council Of six members.
Among the names of the various at
taches of the Mayors staff are those
of five superintendent of chimney
sweeps" whose duty it was to en-
ploy honest and capable boys to per-
form the necessary duty in those days
of keeping the chimneys free from
SCOT. Washington of that day was a
struggling, dirty, muddy place, there
being only a few decent streets in the
town. The directory says that there
were 5,63S dwelling houses in the
town, and assuming six persons to q
house, the population was 33,774.
The city postoAice, then small in
stitution, was under the charge of
| Charles X. Gardner, at salary of
$1,000 per year. II required only
eighteen clerks to do all the work.
The whole mail service of the country
was required to be carried on at u cost
not exceeding 81 100000.
The magnetic telegraph was in full
operation between Washington and
Baltimore and messages were trans
mitted at the rate of one quarter of
one cent for each letter There were
thirty-three churches in the city at
that time. Epiphany, ST. Johns, St.
Matthew's, Trinity, Foundry and the
Ascension were among the first
churches established. The principal
hotels were Coleman's (now the Ma
tional), the City Hall, corner Four
teenth street and Pennsylvania ave
nue.; Browns Indian Queen, Pennsyl-
vania avenue, between Sixth and Sew
enth streets; the Republican House,
on d street, between Ninth and Tenth
streets, now "Dick" Morgan's restau-
rant, and Congress Hall, opposite the
Metropolitan.
THE PEOPLE WHO LIVED HERE.
The directory of the names of in
habitants is an interesting study. 1t
comprises the names Of many people
whose lives were connected with the
growth and prosperity of Washington
and who were prominent in the his
tory of the country. The city at that
time was divided into two divisions.
The western division then, as now,
was the most thickly populated, and
comprised call that portion of the
city lying west Of the Capitol grounds,
being west of First street west" The
houses were not numbered, and, in
giving the address of q citizen, the
directory simply stated upon which
side of the street he lived and between
what streets. For instance, in the
column of WIS there is this: "Web-
ster, Daniel, Senator, n, side D., bet
5 and W." Again, Madison
Mrs, widow of ex-President, corner
Lafayette Square and ii, H."
In looking through the directory
many people will be recognized who
are living yet. The name of the ven
erable Isaac Bassett, who was then 6
messenger in the Senate; w. w. Cor
coran's name; Michael Tally, then 6
grocer; 81. Shillington, agent Balti
more Sun, at Mr.. Brashear's, near tho
railroad depot" Horatio King, then {
clerk in the Postofiice; George Ban
croft, the historian, then Secretary o.
the Navy.
The name of James X. Polk, Presi
dent of the United States Ia
a salary of S25, 900 per year,
Winfield Scott, General of the army
Philip Barton Key, District Attorney
who was shot by Sickles; Ogle Tayloe
Simon Cameron, Calhoun and Col
quit, Senators (the latter's son nov
in the Senate); ID. l.. Yulee, who bull
J the beautiful house on Connection
avenue; John Quincy Adams, q Rep
resentative in Congress, and Jefferson
Davis and Robert Toombs, also Rep
resentatives, and Thomas II. Benton
} Edmund Burke and James Buchanan
} SOME OLD NAMES.
In the whole city, according TO tn
; directory, there were but 80 Smiths,
Joneses and 80 Browns. Among tn
names of the old business firms whicl
will be recognized are those of Mid
3 dleton & Beale, wholesale grocers
Allison Nailor, William M. Perry, tn
dry goods man; Boteler, crockery
Riggs & Corcoran, bankers at th
f present site of Riggs bank; A. Har
; cock, who kept the "Star Coffe
i House" in the place where his grand
/. son now does business; Madame Dc
larue, S. Bacon & Co., M. Briel, cor
! fectioners; u. ID. Gilman, pharmacies
e A glance over the directory of X
: day reveals some interesting compar
( sons. AS shown above, the director
a for 1916 names thirty-three churche
> in the city. Now there are 1911. Thel
! are thirty Smiths and thirty Brown
/ in the old directory, and in that of t,
;. day there are l,7l0 Smiths and / sc
v Browns. The $500 names in the d
: rectory, in population of about 30
900, contrasts with 77,51S now out {
2 population of nearly quarter of
n million.
l. | GnaniaI Tpafu IN II anh n II