Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-05-10
Written for THE EVENING STAR
TWENTY-ONE YEARS AGO.
Some Reminiscent Observations by a
Former Washington Correspondent.

after was actively engaged in newspaper work
at the national capital 1t was an attractive
place then, but, with the exception of few
conspicuous landmarks, bore little resem-
blance to the beautiful city of today. The
Capitol, the White House, the Treasury. Post
Office and Interior Departments of the great
public buildings, alone unchanged. That
magnificent pile of granite occupied by the
State, War and Navy Departments had not
been built. and the State Department occupied
rented building far out l4th street. The
Washington Monument was then of lowly
estate and the surrounding grounds were
tenanted by geese and frogs. OF hotels. the
Arlington was in course of construction; what
IS now, IN part the Riggs House Office
building occupied by the government; the
EoDltt House was much smaller and less pre-
tentlous edltice than at present, and the Kirk
wood on Pennsylvania avenue and 18th street.
has given way to a more modern structure for
other uses. Wizards, the Metropolitan and
the NATIONAL, on Pennsylvania avenue. have
Undergone little change. Welcker and
"ormley had very modest quarters compared
with those they now occupy, but their cuisines
were noted then as today. In front of where
stands the brick market building on Pennsyl-
wanna avenue were dirty and diapidated wooden
sheds used for market purposes which fortu-
haIeiy burned down a few years later. There
were very few modern buildings on the south
slde or the avenue from 18th street to the Cap
ltoi. Beginning at the corner of 18th were
three old-fashloned dwellings,, said to date
Dack 10 the days of President Jackson. In one
OF them l had a room. Opposite was Ham
mack restaurant, for many years the largest
ana best IN the city and much frequented dur
ing the war and later by newspaper men. 1t
was closed about 1870. On the corner above
was one-story wooden building.
THE GROUNDS ABOUT THE CAPITOL
building were unimproved. but the noble trees
ma nfSil 10 h. -L,la 81 ~.
foliage contrasting pleasantly with the marble
walls and the white dome above outlined
against the blue sky. On the east front was a
small and rather barren-looking square. in
closed IN an iron fence and containing
Greenoughs statue of Washington On waste
tracts OF land IN the northern section of the
city, now occupied by closely built streets and
costly private residences, goats cropped the
scanty heritage and the freedman pastured his
COW. The streets were unpaved and mud and
dust aiternated, both in extreme, as the
weather was wet or dry. The Baltimore and
OHIO furnished the only railway connection.
and passengers for the south had to ride i'll
transfer coaches to the ferry boat for Alex
andrla, where they took the train.
OLD NEWSPAPER ROW.
The officers OF the Associated Press and
Western Union Telegraph Company were moved
In the spring of 1869 from near Il street on Penn
sylvanla avenue to the corner of PENNSYLVANIA
avenue and 18th street; and the correspondents,
many of whom had their offices i'll the Colonial
tlon building, moved also and established on
| l4th street what soon came to be known as
Newspaper Row. On the lower floor of a brick
building formerly known as the Occidental
Restaurant, and still bearing the name on the
fan-llght over the entrance, were the offices of
the New York World and New York Tribune
Next door above, in another brick building, was
the office of the New York Herald Then came
some one-story wooden buildings, in which vari-
GUS correspondents had rooms among them W.
Scott Smith of the Evening Press Association.
Up flight of outside wooden steps was the
Office of the New York Times, and next above,
down flight of steps, was the Boston Journal,
Ben: Perley Poore occupying a little niche
IN the basement under the grocery store COR
ner OF + and l4th streets Maj. r. P. Noah of
Brick Pomeroy's Democrat had rooms on the
ground floor of dwelling on between l4th
| and 10th streets, while George Alfred Town
send did his newspaper work at his residence,
| then, l believe, on Capitol Hill. 1t may sur
prise the correspondent of today to learn that
the White House news at this time Cup to the
4th OF March, 1862 was a monopoly in the
hands OF w. w. Worden, President JOhnson's
private secretary, while w. Il Shaw known
even then as the "Nestor Of the Row." was
looked to by the leading papers for news of the
committees when Congress was in session. The
Associated Press, at the head of which was
Father" O.. Al Gobright had one room on
the ground floor al Joining the w. u NJ W.
Barr attended to The Southern Associated Press,
while ID. X. Mckee and J. q. Holland were Mr.
Gobrights capable and popular assistants.
The Baltimore Associated Press had their own
congressional report furnished by f. A. Rich
ards0n and o. X. Harris, assisted by 'Pop"
Ca. b. Talcott.
QUIET TIMES.
After the Inauguration of President Grant,
the adjournment of Congress and the stream
OF ofhce-seekers had measurably subsidized
there were quiet times on the Row" In one
or the other of the Offices the newspaper mon
would gather and, with feet on the window sill
or tables, smoke their cigars, compare notes
and tell stories Sometimes games with OBJ
long bits OF pasteboard were INDUCED in, and
think have heard the word pitch used in
this connection; but, as / did not .'touch." |
was not "detiled." An occasional visitor was
Beau Hickman, then in his decadence. Clad
IN seedy ralment, equity and rheumatic, he
wandered almlessly about. An introduction To
the beau of other days" no longer cost a
dollar. quarter was gladly received and
even dime was acceptable. The Associated
Press quarters were then favorite resort fer
newspaper men, telegraph operators when off
duty, and such naturally gifted narrators as
co.'s. DICK Wlntersmlth and Tom Ochiltree
Among the best-known operators were Ham"
Young, Fred Royce and Marean. Wizards
| HOTEL for many years before and after favor
lite 'stamplng-grOund"o of the correspondents
was then conducted by Sykes & Chadwick
| Here, during the summer, would be found at
breakfast about ii am, at table at the ex-
IRENE end of the long dining room, Gen. +.
L. Spinner, the treasurer of the United States.
and his daughter, Col. Russell II. Conwell
Maj X. z. Noah, James r. Young, then chief
correspondent of the New York Tribune, and
one or two other newspaper men. These were
| famed guests and the portly forms of the land
lords Of those days were evidences of the good
fare served at Wizards.
OLD CORRESPONDENTS WHO ARE GONE
In looking over a list of the active COR
respondents in 1869 find that death has re-
moved the great majority, while some Of those
who survive are engaged in other fields.
| very few l am unable to trace. The dead in
clude the following: George W. Adams Miss
NJ. A. Snead, j. b. Stillson, H. ]. Ramsdel!,
Justin l.. Colburn, Mary Clemmer, NV. Knowl-
ton, J. Mcfarland, w. W. Worden and Ben:
Perley Poore, and of local newspaper men well
known on the "Row," T. B. Florence, l. N. Bur-
! rift, s. V. Noyes and R. f. Bosseau Many of
these were personal friends as well as business
associates, and will ever have a place in nv
memory Messrs. Adams and Ramsdell were
among the first of my newspaper acquaintances
at the national capital, and regard for them and
| interest in them did not wane when left the
beautiful city in 1879 to take up my abode on
the rockbound coast of Maine. 1t seems to
me worthy OF note that on every Saturday be-
fore the opening of Congress from 1869 to
1879 Mr.. Adams and myself walked to the
Capitol to take notes Of the preparations On
| the Senate side for most, If not all, Of that
time We were received by Sergeant-at-Arms
French, who took great pride in showing us