Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-07-02

There were few persons in the crowd that at
tended the auction sale of the Willard Hotel
property yesterday afternoon who could have
made the first payment on the property as re-
CURED by the terms Of the sale. In fact there
was no thought that any individual would buy
the property unless il was one Of the Viii
lards. Men who can handle a property that
costs at the outset at least half million of dol
lars and necessitates an expenditure of at least
million more are not very numerous. In all
the gossip about the sale, and Of course there
has been great deal, as this is the most i'm
portnnt and valuable piece of property that has
ever been offered at public sale. there was a
good deal said about syndicates that had organ
ized FOR the purchase of this property. One
combination of capitalists from New York city
was credited with Having had plans made
for nine-story hotef6y2ding to cost a million
OF dollars. There were one or two other syndi-
Gates mentioned interested in this sale and
the conclusion was reached in some quarters
that the property would bring at least 81 ,0oO,-
600.
PROMINENT PEOPLE AT THE SALE.
The crowd that assembled at the l4th street
entrance to the hotel about o'clock was not of
an opulent character. There were few promi-
nent citizens, but the great majority were those
who had been attracted TO the sale by CURIOSITY
Among the first arrivals was Mr. Jos c. Willard.
VINO stood on the opposite side OF the street and
then crossed over and entering the avenue
door OF the hotel came around to the side
entrance, and took his position in the door wav.
Nhen the sale began Young man stood within
convenient distance. and through him Mr..
Willard made his bids To his right a short
distance MIR. Henry A. Willard and Mr.. Henry
h. Willard stood, and near them the trustees,
Messrs. Morris and Mattingly. Col. Staples,
the proprietor of the hotel. E. Kurtz johnson,
Nathaniel Wilson. NJ. VI. Parker William Pitt
Kellogg, and others were seen in the throng.
A few moments after o'clock the ringing of
the bell ceased. and then Mr.. Sloan. of Latimer
Sloan. uuctioneers. mounted low rostrum
and read the advertisement of the property
Without any further prelimnaries he offered
the property the bidding to be on the basis of
so much per square foot.
THE FIRST BID.
The first bid was els. Then came the next
dollars, both bids from persons in the immedi-
ate vicinity of the auctioneer Some one in the
outskirts of the crowd bid sl7 and Mr. Joseph
c. Willard promptly raised the bid TO SIS At
that point the bidding Jagged although the
auctioneer descanted on the value of the prop
erty and also stated that it was susceptible Of
economical subdivision. there was not a line
in the plot more than 100 feet. However, he
could not get the next dollar.
Mr.. JOS. C. WILLARD GETS 1T.
He tried to induce the bidders to go half
and then quarter of dollar, but failing the
property was finally knocked down. to Mr.
Joseph c. Willard for SIS per square foot The
property was purchased in the name of s. C.
Maitland. The sale aggregated S6O2. 406. which
may be regarded as the value placed on the
ground alone. Under the new assessment the
valuation Of the entire property, including i'm
proyements, is S507,7S Three years ago the
| assessment was only S233. SOB.
The property is improved bv the building
known as Wizards Hotel and Willard Hall Ii
has frontage Of 1879 feet on PENNSYLVANIA
| avenue, 25l on 1fth and 1913 on street and
contains 80, 467 square feet Of ground.
WHAT BROUGHT ABOUT THE SALE
The sale was the result of legal proceedings
begun on January 8, 1888. when Henry h.
Willard fled bill in equity against Joseph C.
Willard for partition of this property. A short
time previous to the filing of the suit Mr..
Henry A. Willard had transferred TO his son,
Henry X. Willard, his undivided half interest.
and the legal proceedings were begun by the
latter. The suit was contested. The Court in
General Term ordered the sale and an appeal
was taken to the United States Supreme Court
In Nav last the opinion of the Supreme Court
was rendered by Justice Gray, which affirmed
the decree of the District court. The sale WAS
therefore, ordered and VIM +. Mattlnglv, coun-
sci for Joseph C. Willard, and Martin F. Morris,
the counsel for Henry K. Willard, were APP
pointed trustees.
1t will be necessary for the court to confirm
the sale, and the practical outcome Of it will be
that Mr.. Joseph Willard will pay TO Mr.. Henry
K. Willard the value Of his half interest in the
property and then the title will vest solely in
the former.
1t is a coincidence that in the evidence given
By real estate experts in the case four wears ago
he ri fi,pa tod 10 he -,
$500, 900. although some thought that il might
bring $40 per foot and Others named a lower
price.
HISTORY OF THE HOTEL.
Like several other buildings used for hotel
purposes in this city Wizards Hotel has grown
with the growth Of the city. When frsterected
it was comparatively small building, located at
the corner Of Pennsylvania avenue and l4th
street. Subsequently the private residences
adjoining on 14th street were absorbed into the
building until finally ii reached its present size
The original hotel building was owned by Mr.
John Tayloe and was built about 1878. II was
first known as the Mansion House. and il is a
singular coincidence that the old yellow build
ing, which isstlll standing to the west of Wizards
Hotel, was also erected by Mr.. Tayloe. This
was in the year 1898, and il was one of the first
buildings erected in this city for hotel purposes
This hotel was also at one time known the
Mansion House and later the City Hotel. the
latter name being also borne at one period by
Wizards Hotel
THE FIRST PROPRIETOR.
The first proprietor of Wizards or as II was
then known, the Mansion House, was John
Strothers. In 1928 he was succeeded by Basil
Williamson. who changed the name to the Will
hanson Mansion Hotel. He informed the public
that considerable improvements had been made
and that it was NOW one Of the most extensive
hotels in the District" With considerable
pride he mentioned that the hotel contained 100
rooms and he added: st must be visible to all
who have ever stopped at this house that it
possesses great advantages in point Of situation,
being Immediately in the neighborhood of the
Presidents house, public departments, Bank of
the United States and the most fashionable and
healthy part OF the city. The Mansion House
is situated on Pennsylvania avenue and l4th
street, showing beautiful front on both with
large rangesof apartments on the avenue for
families or private parties, each suite of rooms
having separate entrance, which makes fami-
lies as retired as they could desire"
Mr.. FULLER's PRoPRIEToRsHIP.
Mr.. Williamson, however, only remained in
charge Of the hotel for about three years and
then Azariah Fuller became the proprietor
He also changed the name to the American
Hotel, and, following the example Of his pre-
decessor, he issued an announcement in which
he drew attention to the advantages Of the To-
cation in much the same terms and added:
Attached to the establishments is an extensive