Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-15

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ninety-nineyears. Smith Thompson, Secretary
OF the Navy. lived on Pennsylvania avenue OPP
posite the War Department. have been
the house so long occupied by Judge Mont
gomery Blair. Col John Tayloe occupied the
house corner New York avenue and 18th street.
so long unoccupied because 1t was said to be
haunted. Elias Travers had bakery on the
avenue where Franklin, optician, is now Two
houses set back in a long yard. A small frame
house was occupied by Mr.. Eberbaugh q
confectionery, with q small bar in the rear.
VIM J: Stone lived between that and the cor
ner OF 18th street John Underwood. the
the Century, lived on Capitol Hill
THE FIRST LANcAsrERIAN school,.
Henry Ould taught school in . white
| rough-cast house corner Of I4th and G streets,
which had been used by Mr.. Jefferson for q
| stable. It was the first Lancasterian school in
America. Bernard Caulfield, whose son. Barney
Caulheid, was a member of Congress from
chicago years after, at this time lived on +
street between 9Th and 7th. Opposite the
school kept by Mr.. Ould Count de Menau, who
was charge daffaires of France, 1ive1 in q large
vIlla-like house. he also built the Chain build
Ing, as 1t was called, on H street. where Gen.
scott resided and where Speaker Banks lived
while occupying that position. Capt Chauncey
Bestor was at this time clerk in the Post Office
department. Peter Casanova and John Van
heswlck lived near the Long bridge. Lewis
Clephnne por trait painter, and james Clephane
resided on the south side OF G between
18th and 14:h streets. Mrs. James NJ
Farnum lived on 9Th street near the
avenue, where for many years Silas H.
Hill lived, until he built the house on E
street. at the corner of 9th, where Chief
Justice Chase lived so long. Richard Wallach,
ST. had his law Office on 9th street near the
avenue. DR.. Tobias Watkins. who. by-the-bye
edited the Portfolio. from which the extract of
travel was made in my article Of last week,
was secretary TO the commission under the
Florida treaty. He was subsequently fourth
auditor and was removed by Gen. Jackson,
charged with being defaulter, and for some
years was imprisoned in Jail. After several
trials he was acquitted. He kept the drug
store at the corner Of ~ street for some
years. and there DIR. Daniel B. Clarke began
his business career, which has been DO success
ful. When DR.. Watkins kept that store it WAS
the rendezvous OF the Senators and Representa-
tlyes who boarded in that neighborhood. DR..
Watkins subsequently became a member OF the
National intell0encer editorial staff. Brooke
Williams OF the adjutnnt generals Office re-
sided In Georgetown: Purser VIM lived near
the navy yard; Vim. Writ resided on G street
between 18th and 18th streets; Joseph Wood,
the portrait painter, whose pictures are now
priceless, lived at Rumpff's City Hotel opposite
Browns. Geo. Wood was the author of Peter
Schemlhl in America" Modern Pilgrims
and Future Life, or Scenes i'll Another
World" After the publication Of "Gates Ajar"
by Elizabeth Stuart Phelps this last book was
repubtlshed under the title of Gates Wide
Open" Mr.. Wood was in 1922 clerk in the
general land office and resided on Pennsylvania
avenue between 21st and nd streets, but in
1870, April g. he wrote Mr.. Corcoran a note in
closing piece OF poetry from Sunday paper
ana says: DIR James c. Hall, your friend and
mine, with whom 1 have lived for the last
twenty years. came up to my sitting room this
morning to read me poem he had found adj
dressed to you, ana which we admired for its
grace, beauty and eloquence. At my request
the doctor gave me the paper from which l have
cut out the poem lif perhaps You Day not have
seen IT., for the sake OF the author-who is I'M
known to me-and tor your qualification, for
you must be conscious that these lines are true
and are SO regarded by all about you.
Rni fath ard hope this word will disasres.
with great regard and respect,
GEORGE WooD."
THE FIRST TELraRAPHIc MESSAGE.
Mr.. Wood was one of those friends Of Prof
Morse whose confidence in the telegraph real
lied them handsome fortunes. Mr.. Woods
nephew, Charles +. Wood, was one of the best
known men about town when the Blues figured
conspicuously, and he was in the ranks at the
famed Baltimore encampment. He was one of the
most extravaGant dressers of the day, no dude,
but handsome and manly. He inherited from his
ton in the telegraph company at Boston for
years, but believe he is dead. The mention
OF the name Of George Wood recalls the coming
OF the meeting of the Old Timers Telegraphic
Association, when Miss Annie Ellsworth,
now Mrs. Roswell Smith, will be present Miss
Ellsworth sent the first message over the
Morse line between Washington and Bal
timore when the line was completed.
Her father, Henry l.. Ellsworth, was
commissioners of patents for several years,
and while holding that position began. at
his own expeDse, to send ont seeds and encour-
age the formation of the botanical garden and
the propagation houses which have grown into
the vast establishment presided over by cabi-
net minister. MIR. Ellsworth was one Of Prof.
Morse's most steadfast friends. A gentleman
tells me that such was tho prejudice against the
invention that members were not anxious to APP
pear on the record as favoring what was termed
y'Gradgrinds' HkeCaye Johnson "a chimerical
scheme. and Truman Smith Of Connecticut
urged them to let the bill making appropriation
go through without call Of yeas and NAYS, and
it passed the Houee. 1t was late in the session
when it reached the Senate, near the last night,
when Silas Wright called up the bill and moved
its passage. and it passed mem con-" 1t was
so late, and Prof. Morse and all his friends, ex-
cept Miss Ellsworth, had gone, despairing Of
success, and when next morning she announced
IT to the professor he was overcome with emo
ton. For some years after the success between
Washington and Baltimore had been demon
strated 1t was very difficult matter to secure
capital for its extension and in a letter to Mr..
Corcoran Mr.. Amos Kendall says: THE sub
scrlption for Sl5, 000-deemed sufficient to con-
struct line of two wires between New York
and Philadelphia-was headed by you with
subscription of 1000. 1t was gotten up after
the failure of all our efforts to raise dollar in
New York or Philadelphia. Your example,
doubtless induced others to subscribe, and to
your confidence in Prof. Morse's invention and
your kindness to him and his friends is ascrib-
able the pecuniary means of testing the value
OF mode of communication which now per-
vades the civilized world. 1t was
practically another OF your many kindnesses to
me and q boon of inestimable value to the
worthy inventor of the American electro-mag-
netic telegraph"
SOME NOTABLE NAMES.
I was allowed a few days by DR.. Danl. B.
Clarke, president, and Mr.. Young, the secretary,
to examine the book in which the first meeting
was recorded OF the gentleme who organized
the Franklin Fire Insurance Company. It was
held at Davis Tavern. July 10, 1915 Those
present at this meeting were DR.. Frederick May,
Alexander Mccormick, David OFT, Peter Lenox,
Charles Glover, Col. Samuel Miller of the
marlns corps, VIM. A. Bradley, John Law,
Robt. Y. Brent and John Davidson Mr.. David
son was elected president and MIR. Charles
Glover secretary. Tho first insurance issued
was to Elisha Riggs, the grandfather OF MIR. E.
Francis Riggs; Vim. Williamson and Col Bonn
ford. In 1920, when Mr.. John Quincy Adams