Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-09-18

this stream in the same direction until It
crossed pennsylvania avenue, where the
we crossed the bridge. At that time there
was not a single house on the avenue from
the Presidents house to the Capitol.
Acres of Forest Trees.
ION the east side Of the road there WERE
suppose, several acres of elegant forest
trees. On the west side there were not so
many, there being only a narrow strip. I
think that part, or perhaps all Of them,
were on the public mall. The bridge, as
well as can remember, was constructed in
this manner: There was a causeway. or
rather two small wharves, constructed Of
logs and filled in with earth on each side Of
the creek. They were built so close to one
another that a large scow could scarcely
pass between them. On these wharves. or
causeways, the bridge was erected. The
bridge was very low and not wide enough
for two carriages to pass side by side. We
then passed through the woods, where a
most beautiful sight presented itself to my
view. vast plain of old fields extended
southwark. almost as far as my eye could
reach. and scarcely anything could be seen
on either side but the old mansion, the
Twenty buildings and a few old farm houses.
l judge there were not more than q half
dozen houses, including the old mansion.
until We reached Greenleaf's Point. As
stood at the little 7th street bridge 1 could
see the north wing Of the Capitol just ris-
looking to the left could see the Presidents
house, perhaps half-story high. These
We're the only public buildings then being
erected. The avenue itself was almost i'm
passable for carriages Of any kind.
F Street in the Early Days.
'"The only place that had anything like the
appearance of a town or village was r
street between 18th street and st. Patrick's
Church on 10th street. Beyond there were
no houses except few shanties for labor
ers near Blodgett's Hotel and a few scat
tered old frame houses on the old fields
north Of street. There were at that time
only three streets. or parts Of streets, be-
X street from the lower bridge to the Six
buildings, where 1t entered the avenue; Sec
ond. the avenue from the Six buildings to
10th street, and from 18th along F street to
st. Patricks Church. There was a road
which continued on from the little branch
over q street between 9th and 10th streets
In nearly a straight line on the high ground
north Of the avenue. until 1t reached the
Tiber. not far from the foot Of Capitol Hill.
These were the only streets in Washington
which were open. In fact. there were no
houses to form Streets
Primitive Pennsylvania Avenue.
In another part Of his work Mr.. Hines
says he is confident when he first saw Penn
sylvania avenue there was not one house on
1t. 'The commons, where now the avenue
westward, was almost impossible for vehi-
cles OF any kind. Indeed. 1t was difficult for
persons to walk in some places on account
Of mud, bushes. thorns and briars. and more
particularly on the south side, where the
clumps of thorn bushes in some places were
80 thick that believe they were cut down
with scythes. so as to enable the workmen
to make a footway to 18th street. This
they did by carting. earth. gravel. chips Of
free stone. &C., on both sides Of the avenue
TO the full extent until tolerably good
footway was made all along. On the north
side Of the street 1t was not quite SO bad,
because the road from Georgetown to the
Capitol ran pretty much on high ground
from about 9th street In a southeasterly d.
below Blodgett's Hotel. thence by McGirks
little jail and on past the rear Of Jackson's
Hall. the Tiber Creek. and thence to the
foot of Capitol Hill. where 1t turned south
ward and passed along where Breckenridge
Church was afterward erected.
After the footways were completed they
commenced filling and ieveiing the center
OF the avenue until a pretty good road had
lUl, the planting Of trees was commenced
along the avenue" Mr.. Hines says that
there were two rows of these trees planted
on each side Of the roadway: that they were
Lombardy poplars and that he several
times saw Mr.. Jefferson. the President
watching the workmen as they planted the
trees.
A Hot Fourth Of March.
i"ehci Lttc III NAttirlS the CITY,
as compared with those THOSE accounts
have been cited. the comments made by
John Davis. an Englishman. who wrote a
rather egotistical but entertaining book Of
travels In the United States, are worth a
reverence REL, He came to this city in March
IsS.: 70 witness the Inauguration of Mr.
JEFFERSON, whom he greatly admired and to
whom he dedicated his book of travels He
had one rather notable experience which
VIII be surprise to every one who has at
tended an inauguration Of President On
the morning Of the 4th Of March ne seya
that ne walked from MacLaushfiin's Hotel
IN Georgetown Through the houseless
streets Of the imperial city" ''The excess
I've heat cf the sum-" he adds. provoked
thirst. and to allay It we retired into the
woods and seated ourselves by the Tiber."
Hfs account Of JeHerson's COMING 10 the
Capitol Is followed by Mr. John r. Morse
ir: who states In his recent life o. Thomas
Jefferson. which forms a part ~ the Amer
lean Statesmen series. that Jefferson rode
to the Capfto' on the dav NJ his inaueura-
ton on horseback. unattended and h,trhed
his horse 70 the wooden fence that then sur
POUNDED the building. and proceeded IN the
Senate chamber. where he delivered his IN
aug1iral