Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-05-12

But few of the present residents of the city have
an idea how the city OF magnificent distances
looked half a century ago,and most OF the streams
having long since been arched over and converted
into eewers, larger proportion OF the population
have no knowledge that such streams as Goose
Greek, James Creek and Tiber Creek ever existed.
To thousands the statement that small nsh have
been caught not so yards from the National Hotel
and near the site OF the Masonic Temple sounds
like fiction. 1t should be borne in mind that
James Creek tnow a canaD east of arsenal grounds
was a considerable stream extending from Sd
street west in north northeast direction to South
Capitol street and due north from TO streets
south. AT Virginia avenue q small branch, after
ward converted into canal and now filled in,
TO the Eastern Branch. At E street andSouth Cap
itol James Creek received the waters OF several
small branches, one having its source In a spring
at the intersection OF North Carolina avenue and
Sd streets southeast. This flowed westward to
1st street west, where 1t received the waters OF a
syivania avenue and I'd street southeast' and one
less than 100 yards west. Several springs, one
known as Carrolls spring, emptied into this
James Creek flowed from northwesterly direction
to Sd street west, where, Immediately on a line
the Capitol and Goose creek rom the WestW wa
united. 1t is not generally known that there was
once located on reservation IL grlst-mtll, the
| ruins Of which are remembered by many old citi-
Gems
CANAL AND SEWER.
Goose and James Creeks were converted into the
Washington City Canal, through which the tide
ebbed and flowed, and on which lumber and pro-
canal rapidly filled up with mud and 1t was with
difficulty Kept in serviceable order. Finally it was
abandoned as q canal and being converted into q
sewer the foot bridges at Sd and 10th streets and
the Larger bridges at ~ 9TH, 10th and 14th Streets
New Jersey avenue and NJ street southeast disap-
peared; The Ttber proper was the aggregation Of
several branches a Surtp n
known as Moore's, near the head OF 18th street
west which, making its way down to X street,
from a spring In MI. Pleasant Joined It. This
turned slightly southeastward, crossing New Jer-
sey avenue. between Q and streets. and North
Capitol street, between N and o. About LIST street
west II received run from MOores spring, near
Rock Creek church, the waters OF which ran
through the Beaie property.
GEN. BEALE's LAKE.
Here small lake had been made on which Gen.
Beale and his brother had boat in which to exer-
cise 1t was also stocked with fish, and they ante
dated the Fish Commission in raising fish some
years The stream from North Capitol street made
a curve TO the southwark, running between North
Capitol and LIST streets east, crossing North Capt.
tol street again at Massachusetts avenue. Near NJ
street north 1t received a small stream from the
lexington (GaleS) farm, which crossed Boundary
street short distance east OF LIST street east. In
the neighborhood OF LIST and N street north there
Of the century as Pierces Mil T and after. fer.
ward, as Logan'S, and 1t was favOrite pic
mic place for the military, fremen and
school children. This mill was operated by
a branch which ran through lexington. A small
branch, having It's source In the nefghborhoOd OF
Rodbirds Hill and Births Hill, and entered the
main stream few yards north Of street. between
list and cd streets northeast. Near the northeast
corner OF New jersey avenue anu ID street north
west, the Tiber was joined by branch running
from the eastern part OF the city. This had one
source in the Trinidad tract Washington Brick
Machine Co. 8 property, running sOutheastward to
near 18th and streets, and westward almost
parallel with F street to Delaware avenue, and
thence southwark to the confluence near street
and New Jersey avenue taking In a small branch
having its source between 9th and 7Ih Maryland
avenue and streets northeast. From the inter-
section with Massachusetts avenue at North Capt.
toll street the general course OF the stream was
southwest, crossing Pennsylvania avenue at I'd
where its waters divided, moving into James Creek
and Goose Creek.
THE WILLOW SPRING.
few feet south of and LIST streets northwest
the waters Of the TiDer were reinforced by stream
having its source north OF the present K-street
market, 9TH and X streets. This was north Of
street, between 4th and 9Th streets, and was
known far and near as the Willow Spring. Its gen.
eral course was directly south, about where
Prather's alley is now located through the squares
north OF Judiciary Square. entering It near the
northwest corner, crossing 4th street a few yards
south OF L street; thence through the square be-
tween ID, Z, Sd and 4th streets, emerging near u
street, and crossing the point made by the inter-
section OF ID street and Indiana avenue east OF Sd
StTeet. his emptleu lnLO tne TlDer q Few yards
south OF LIST and streets In Judiciary Square
this stream took in the waters from what was
known as the Leech Spring, from the fact That DIR.
Devaughn, noted cupper and leecher kept his
leeches there. This was located on New York ave-
nue. between 9th and 9th streets, and then ran q
zgzag course through the squares south till q
street was reached when It turned into the Willow
Spring branch. The largest tributary to Goose
Greek, commonly known as the western section OF
and emptied near where the wholesale market is
now located, 10th ana Streets 1t may be inter-
esting TO note that the original number Of Frank
lin square was 2i9 and that IL was not set apart
by The Commissioners as Is generally supposed as
public reservation.
FRANKLIN SQUARE SPRINGS.
This was originally low ground and there were q
number of springs upon 1t, the water being Of most
excellent quality and inexhaustible In quantity.
In 1929 for purpose OF supplying the Executive
Mansion and the Treasury Department with
water, the Government purchased this sQuare1or
$1,000. and the water was carried in wooden pipes
Treasury and the Executive Mansion. The pipes
were tapped by some OF the citizens and one line
OF pipe was lald TO the corner o. street north
18th street where drink Of the clear waters OF
Franklin Square may be obtained. The surplus
was allowed 10 continue its course and the stream
forming lake near the Intersection OF 18th and /
streets flowed southwark TO the corner or 18th and
II streets, furnishing Covers tan yard with water;
thence to the square south OF ii street. turning to
the eastward crossing the square south OF street
between 18th and 18th a few yards south OF it,
thence IN u SOUTHEASTERN ulrecJl0n 10 the square
bounded by 9th and 10th + and q Streets when It
took southwark course. In this square, then
known as the Asylum Hill, II received the waters
from spring In the rear OF the "Blue House" "a
mud building colored blue on 10th street between
n street and Massachusetts avenue), and also
from a small spring east OF 10Th street and south
OF NJ. West or Mckendree church there was, frty
years ago, marsh and an Old-faShiOned rustic
bridge over the deepest part OF II. over the
FRANKLIN square Branch on street was an arch
way, and II Is said that Snow the caterer escaped
from the mob by going through 1t.
FISHING NEAR THE MASONIC TEMPLE SITE.
Just north OF street II received the waters from
spring now under the pavement on the street
front OF Masonic Temple, the stream In this square
passing FEW yards west OF the building. IL was
rapidly running stream and some OF our Old citi-
ington, when boy caught herring in this square
when they were making their way 70 spawning
ground Leaving + street the stream took a south.
west course TO the square below and thence south
ward striking ID street east Of Frank Wards dairy
thence crossing Pennsylvania avenue where an
thence 70 the canal basin at 10th street Another
adjunct 10 Goose Greek was the stream from the
CITY springs north OF street, between Az and
9th streets, which to-day furnishes the National
HOTEL Havener'S bakery and other places In the
neghborhood, and several MIGRANTS with water
This emptied into the creek near the site OF
the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad depot
In the western part OF the city the largest stream
was that known as Slash Run, now converted into
sewer This entered The corporate limits ut the
intersection Of Boundary and streets. between
18th and 18th Streets and It's course was very
curving, until 1t emptied into Rock Creek Just
south or the P-street bridge, near 2,d street. This
run received smaller streams on It's course, and
leaving Boundary street by a southwest course tt
reached 18th street, between and T. and ran
N n ~ lfr