Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-02

0AESx$lSSMA property, II seems not
Ys&t4k&rTtN Inappropriate to lay
NJ N{ %k before it's readers a
~ q: 6: 5: :; :: E:
the federal city, from
which an interesting comparison may be
made of values now and then.
These commissioners were appointed by
President Washington, in accordance with
an act of Congress passed July ., 1890.
They were Gen. George Johnson, an old
revolutionary officer. then living at Freder-
lex, Nd, and afterward governor of that
state; Daniel Carroll of Duddington. one Of
the original propritors Of the land embraced
In the city limits, and brother of Archbish-
op Carroll, the founder Of Georgetown Col
lege, and Doctor Daniel Stuart. who had
married the widow Of Col. John Parke Gus
us, Washington's stepson, and who was
then the Presidents family physician.
These gentlemen appear to have labored
under many difficulties. The proprietors of
the lands to be taken as a site for the CITY
were. like the ordinary run Of men, more
anxious to enrich themselves than to assist
the government, and many were the OBJ
stacles and frequent the alterca lions, before
an agreement was reached. which enabled
'he commissioners to plat the land and
make sale OF the lots agreeably to law.
Finally, however. a deed for the property
was obtained, by which the original owners
conveyed the land in trust, upon condition
that 1t should be surveyed and laid off into
streets. squares and lots. The owners were
to donate the land occupied by streets. For
the reservations for public buildings and
n he
currency. or s66 % per acre One-half of
the lots remaining were to be retained by
the owners and the other half to be sold bv
the commissioners and the proceeds devoted
TO the erection of public buildings and the
Improvement of the city
Having thus obtained control of the prop
erty. after due advertisement the commits
sioners commenced the sale OF lots on Mon
day. october II. 1891
-s The First Lot Sold
was lot 30. In square 126. This square
bounded by l and K and 18th and 18th
streets northwest, is now one of the most
fashionable locations in the residence part
or the city. The University Club. formerly
the residence of Gen. McComb, is on its
southeast corner, and a few doors above 1t,
on street, Is the old Albert mansion owned
and occupied successfully by Secretaries
F'relinghuysen. Whitney and Wanamaker.
whose ladies' made it the center of official
society during three administrations. 1t is
now the property of Mr. Rowland Of New
York. Lot 30 is on the west side of 18th
street, racing Farragut Square, and is now
owned IN part by the Maulsby estate. 1t
was purchased by George Diggs for ESQ.
Maryland currency, or $500 United States
money. Maryland pound being equal to
S2Z-S at that time. This seems to have
rfSeF
Thomas Lee Shippen bought the next lot.
NO. %. for els. and Peter Casanave got
NO. y, the northeast corner of the square
f foG, tlol. Lot 81. however, was bid up to
t2ol, and at that price was knocked off to
Henry Carroll That was the highest figure
reached during the whole sale This lot
Is now owned and occupied by Nathaniel
w jacob Welsh bought lots 90 and
- on the south side of X street, about mid
way the square. for f75. or 500 each This
wound up the sale for that day. only six
lots having been sold.
The Sales of the Second Day.
These were opened with lot L. in square
los. between H and 1 and 18th and 10Th
streets. Maj. Tobias Lear, Gen. Washing
tons private secretary, bought it for fIl2
Four other lots in this square were sold
at about the same price, and then they
passed to square IS, between l and X and
10th and 2lst streets. Seven lots In this
square were sold at from f79 to fl2O. Jacob
Welsh bought lots for fs6 and 10 for go,
upon which now stands "Gadsby's row.
at the corner of 2lst and X. Two lots 4
and D. in square lOI on the north side of
K between 18th and 18th, bringing f1Ol
and 100. respectively, finished the sale for
| that dAy.
The third days sale started with lots =
and &. in square 20. between and H and
2lst and 22d. They were purchased for
f6l and eco by Mr.. John Davidson one of
4 a nrloi nl nt,rsn
section He seems to have owned a great
deal of what is now very valuable property
in the heart of the residential part Of the
city. An old plat in the Congressional Lii
J brary gives plan of the distribution of
the Davidson estate, under decree of the
chancery court of Maryland" embracing
thirty squares and parts of squares be-
tween G and o and 9th and 10th streets
northwest. the distributes being Samuel
Davidson. Eleanor Harris, William David
son, Margaret Davidson and Mary Chap
man. The mansion house of John David
son stood on the northern half Of square
2S4 between 18th and 18th and K and l..
To return to the sale, Thomas Pierce
bought lot Z. square ~, between and H
and 21st and I'D streets, for f75 and lot 10
for flOl. George Diggs paid f95 for lot II
and f16 for lot IL, and Jacob Welsh bought
lot 10 for f61. Joseph Hodgson paid f65 for
| lot 3. in square -, between H and 1 and
2lst and 22d streets. Then three lots We're
offered in square 127, between H and 1
Lee bought lot IS for EGO and lot % for f62
Maj. L'Enfant, who laid out and plated
the whole city, seems to have thought that
here was the place to put his money, so
he purchased lot 30 in this square 1t is
on 18th street next the corner of H, where
the Albany now stands. and Dr. j. Ford
Thompson lives on the spot selected by
the celebrated engineer. L'Enfant's pur-
chase wound up the sale for that day and
for that year. AS we see it now, he might
perhaps have made a better investment
on F street, but the present value of his
lot shows a very handsome profit on the
original cost.
The COnmissiOners' Report.
The Commissioners appear to have been
more than satisfied with the prices brought
We find In the Washington papers" in
the State Department a letter from Dr.
Stuart to the President, inclosing list
of the sales, in which he says: Il have to
observe that the general opinion is that the
lots have gone too high. The chief pur-
chasers yesterday and the day before We're
from the eastward. / was happy to find
today they were intermiXed with purchas-
ers from Carolina and Norfolk. You will
understand that they are all actual sales,