Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-03

IN !: :: !; :: :: !: :: !:
on the avenue and adj
u VIZ iacent streets in that
h - one need be so very old
as to remember il, that part of Pennsylvania
avenue was the finest part Of all Generally
what now are beer saloons and huckster shops
we're fine residences. at least residences Of
fine people. with good second-class and thor
oughIy respectable hotels interpreted. where
members of Congress and other people Of
prominence lived. There the Henry Clay
House the City Hotel, the United States. the
ST. Charles and others. which. IL they were not
really frst-class houses came very near TO 1t.
An OFFSET TO TEE WEST END.
II WAS q fair Offset to the other west end
Of the avenue, where. as a general fact. the
legations were, saying nothing of the White
House and departments. Mr.. Corcoran made
q point so far as he could, of keeping the lega-
tions in that quarter. and ii is related that the
way the half . dozen or more dwellings now
occupied as boarding house on the south
side Of I. between 18th and 18th streets. came
TO be built was this: One day. so the tradition
reads. friend of Mr.. Corcorsn said to him:
"You had better look ont or you'll see the lega-
tons going to Indiana avenue. where three
houses are going up that are already engaged
for such tenants" OF hurried Mr.. Corcoran
TO Indiana avenue. and sure enough there he
beheld then and what for that time were
first-class houses constructing. and it was easy
TO believe that the other part of the story was
equally true Ii was not many days before
what was known a. Corcoran row was con-
traced for. and in the shortest time completed,
LousSs At for legations as no previous houses
were In time they were SO occupied. What
ws .ne oOlec, ol oanolns tne humans avenue
- n, Ieca.io,,s TO- Ala ,is havs s,r 81 ,bs,
lind Of occupancy.
PROMINENT PEOPLE nm LIVE THERE
d., ,r,r,;,.r, r.o,,lu H., !, ,ho, -, ,f.ho
:, T -, - -
''!' ~n'o"s mem "f' "eos'el III me ouiiuiiS
now occupied IN part by the Police Court,
known a. the Webster Law Building There
were a number of handsome private residences
and boarding houses in that quarter-houses
a. in other qusrters-where there were congress
sional messes-that is, where Congressmen
formed themselves into messes of hall a dozen
or more II was at the Cushing House. still
q boarding house. in the rear of the National
On G street. where the Maine delegation for
years mainly lived. among them Mr.. Fessenden
Frequently these ..messes" we're dodgers only.
meals being taken in different places. but GEN
orally q mess meant both lodging and board
Few members of Congress kept house as now
in those DAYS. Few members could afford TO
bring their wives, and fewer still brought their
families to Washington: those who did lived at
some leading hotel or swell" boarding place
By far the larger number of Senators and mem
bers lived in quarters below 9Th street A few
lived in Georgetown and some in Alexandria
On the spot and in the neighborhood of where
the Arlington Hotel now stands was a fash
ionable neighborhood. the residences of cabi-
net and other high officials
vrpsrrR-s xur IN rur c,p,-o,
-, - ~,
a' nv "nus ''"i ,nins " see nr- "eps,er
coming rom his residence down 9th street of a
morning and wheel into the avenue to proceed
10 the Cspi,oL Those vho rememher him, nead
not have described 10 them his dre.s az hlns
swallow-tail coat of ample dimensions and
metal buttons. vest of bud. with the same de-
scription of buttons, trouser. OF blue white
necktie ample almost OVERLOOKING shirt collar.
all surmounted bv hat that conported With
these with the Websterian gait and the gold
headed cane which he knew 40 well how to
handle. Thus attired the great statesman was
never to be forgotten AZ he rounded into
the avenue from 9Th stree, one could bar,Iv
help hkening him to a double-deck war shin
with all sails spread to the breeze. an object Of
imposing strength and beauty.
II is related that a North Carolina Democrat
in Congress. who was living At tie National Ho-
tel invited a constituent of so rnuoh borna i'm
Portsnee as to entitle him to an invitation to
vs.: MN m masnihg,on wnne congress was In
never .Aen hnwexsr 80 90 ~ nm ~, NC nai
peculiarities. He came and il was only the
next morning after he arrived that the Repre-
sentative. his guest and number OF others were
cOngregated, as il was the won't on the corner
Of the avenue and 9Th street. after breakfast
smoking some cigars others the preferred nine
when Mr.. Webster was seen approaching with
even more than his usual maenificence The
North Carolina halter of the great man was first
to see him. and as he approached and his i'm
posing presence became clearer he was all the
more impressed, almost fixed in his tracks in
deed. As Mr.. Webster rounded into the avenue
the gentlemen on the corner saluted him bv
hitting their hats and bowling with becoming
respect a salute which Mr.. Webster returned ss
only he could. The North Carolinian. almost
entranced, had already seized his ha, with both
hands, and he stood still. gazing AT Mr. Webster
with ewes liked in wondering admiration az
the god-like proceeded on his way 10 the Can
i;ol while the others had resumed their accns-
man. he asked
1T is Mr.. Webster was the answer
That Webster" said he After pausing as If
70 take the whole fact in. he added with
NJ tnt same Time covering
broad br;m A. ,bs 80 ,;n. sadin VIZ. .I,a his
Webster man. gentleman. after thi.r'
eLAh HAMMER DIFFERENT.
M 'iay manner was different. He, too,
frequently walked TO the Capitol and although
he was familiar figure ON the ave,.,,s ,,so,1Io
On fine rn,,rn;,vs va,h.-os = a.. -s,iFN,,f.
see him Fsnsc,sI7S - IN "a ny ~ S''e"aiA 70
rno,her, .nd ,o;--a - - nc Ease Win
nisv NJ, Ci.ri e.. no mao chnaren 10 dis
80. = - e~"Ss wore leasant