Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-13
DEDICATED TO ATHLETICS.
The New House of the Washington Ath.
letic Club.
Fine Building That Has Risen On
south Capitol Street.-The Piaeky
Club That Erected 1t.

Those who heard. not quite two months
ago. OF the Incorporation Of the Washington
Athletic Club In South Washington, In very
Few cases knew just what it meant, and IL
they are interested in the growth Of ath-
letics In the city would be repaid for a visit
to that quarter. 1t would surprise them to
ind out what was going on there. They
would find that new athletic club had
been started. having five-story brick club
house on South Capitol street between n
and o streets southwest, with as finely an
equipped gymnasium as any in the city.
They would find that after untold attempts
and failures. an organizatio had been at
last formed in that locality, where the need
had been SO long felt. that was actually 60
ing to go.
The Club House.
The club house of the Washington Ath-
letic Club is large, commodious brick
building of five stories. with frontage on
South Capitol street Of about fifty feet. and
running half way back through the block.
On the ground floor are two large, we'll
lighted rooms In front, one of which is rent
ed by the South Washington Citizens Asso-
citation. while the other is to be utilized as
barber shop. Back of these is a large
room in which is splendid bowling alley
and plenty of room for other features yet
TO be added. The front rooms in the floor
above are furnished as parlors with a
piano and other necessary aquisitions, with
a reading room adjoining, where a circulate
Ing library Is to be established as soon as
possible. The gymnasium occupying the
rear portion Of this and the next floor Is all
that could be desired. 1t contains ladders,
swinging rings. sets of dumb bells and In
dian clubs, parallel and horizontal bars, and
all manner of apparatus to the value of
over 81. 500, and the gallery running around
close to the walls Is to be turned into a foot
track. Twenty-seven laps around this
course Will measure exactly a mile. A port
able stage may DE erected in the rear of
The gymnasium floor, and the room thus be
adapted to entertainments or balls.
|. On the top floors are Office rooms, baths,
store rooms and the like. The interior fin
ishings OF the building and the basement
are not yet quite completed, but the work is
quickly going on.
The Club.
The formation Of the Washington AthIet-
ic Club was the cherished scheme or three
or four of the residents Of that section for
long time. who at last mustered courage
to organize and call for members. sixteen
responded, and in a week another call was
made this time the ranks swelling to TWEEN
ty-two.
Thus 1t grew and prospered, and finally
on october "a. it was Incorporated, the
stock which was issued being promptly
bought up. The cost of the club house was
$22,UOo Of which $1,000 was secured by a
lean and the rest raised by the members
The club now numbers lo6 persons in good
standing. and the list is growing daily.
saturday has been set aside for the boys as
a day when they can have things pretty
much all to themselves. and there will also
be day for the ladies, when they can
come there to play and sing. The members
OF the club have already made an envia bic
reputation for themselves. In bowling they
have shown up In frst-class shape, many
good players having been found among
them, and a number OF them are very cley-
er with the gloves.
About 500 was cleared by the entertain
ment and hop given at the club house on
thanksgiving night, on account OF the
large attendance, although the affair was
not intended as money making scheme by
any means.
Another entertainment and ball will be
given on New Year night, and later in the
winter or early spring a fair will be ar
ranged for. by which the club expects to
reap something of a harvest.
The officers of this new and plucky club,
which has got on a firm footing in such a
short time, are deserving of much credit
for their efforts, as is each member for his
personal interest in the success of the Or
ganization. The officers are: William Rich
ard. president: Henry Storey, vice presi-
dent; Noble Richards, secretary; George
A. Martin, financial secretary, and Austin
s. Franklin. treasurer.