The morning times., 1896-06-14
HISTORIC POLICE STATION
Earliest Quarters and Lookup
in Washington Destroyed.
ON LOUISIANA AVENUE
Recent Fire Gutted a Building AsSo-
ciated With Which Is Some Inter.
esting Local History.

The destruction by fire OF the building at
No. 92s Louisiana avenue on the night Of
May 3 obliterated a landmark, the history
OF which is closely connected with the po-
lice department OF the city.
hisbuilding, or rather its first and second
stories, for it was only two stories high
then, was for many years not only police
headquarters. but the only police station n
the whole District.
So many years has IL been since the
hufldiDg was in actual use for police pur-
poses that very little is remembered of
It and that little not SO Connected as To
make complete history. However, suf-
ficient is known to make the history Of
the old building and the scenes once en-
acted in and about it very interesting to
the members OF the younger generation.
Although as early as 1913 the general
government authorized the building Of
clock ups" aud watch houses it was not
until the early forties that well regula ted
and separate police department was or
ganized. The iock-ups and watch houses
which were built were Intended only as
temporary places OF detention. and were
roughly constructed of plain planks and logs.
They weuldmore properly have been called
"black holes,' for they had but one door
aud were without any other means of
light, Ventilation, ingress, or egress. Those
who were SO unfortunate as to run afoui
OF the la n aud land In one of these 'lock-
ups would soon learn that prison life
was dark one.
SOLITARY CONFINEMENT.
1t wasfn measure, solitary confinement,
for il there is indeed anything that ma kes
a person feel severely alone and lonesome
il is darkness. dense darkness. At this
time the city was divided into four dis
tricts. Seten years later the size of the
distficts or wards was decreased, and the
Number Increased to six.
This was the condition Of affairs from
1913 until the Winter Of 1889, whep
more more "SHs SoH s ND csn E sas
were tpeh called, by the building of an
additional story on the ''scale house" of
tho Center Market. Two years later the
Auxiliary Guard was organized. with John
Il. Goddard as captain, which office he
held with the exception Of q few years
until the organization of the Metropolitan
police force in 1861.
During the early fifties the building at
No. 92e Louisiana avenue, which was
later known as the Federal guardhouse, was
also occupied by the Auxiliary Guard, and
also as magistrates office. At that
time. as already stated, it was only two
stories in height and was soldly built OF
brick and stone.
The ceilings and the cages which stood
on either side OF the wide hallway, were
built OF iron. The second story was used
for quarters for the constabies and for a
magistrates office, while the rear part
OF the first story was what was commonly
known as 1.-THE bath"
METROPOLITAN POLICE.
The Metropolitan police force was Gre
ated by act OF Congress August 6, 1861 but
it was not until September IL following
that it became reality aud commenced
active operations. The newly organized
police departme ut was given headquarters
iu the Federal Prison." which was at
that time occupied by the regular army post
then in the city ard used rs a place of con-
tinement and punishment for refra ctory
soldiers, deserters,> bounty Jumpers and
criminals.
Itwasa boutthis time that the un fortunate
civil war fever was at its height here as
well as every where else. As consequence
the rapid increase in numbers of the mill
tary at the Federal guartihouse made IL
necessary that either the police or the
military should vacate the premises.
As the smaller body OF the two, the
Metropolitan police removed its head
quarters during the. winter of 1e61-62 TO
ore Of the old Capital prison buildings,
which occupied the SQ0are on which the
Congressional Library building now stands
Here, as well as at the old headquarters,
could not give an account OF themselves
were sobe red up with q shower bath.
This bath was nothing more nor less
than thorough dreuching with water by
means Of a hose, which was kept for the
purpose and 1t is said that it never took
more than minute or two to sober up I he
worst kind Of q drunk.
After leaving the Capitol prison building
on account OF its unhealthy condition the
police headquarters were removed several
times until located In the building on t he
corner of Fifth and D streets northw west,
where they remained until moving to the
present quarters on Louisiana avenue, be-
tween Four-and-a-nalf and Sixth streets
north west.
STILL 1T STANDS.
But in all these years, aud Dotwith-
standing the many changes and develop
ments Of the police department the old
Federal prison il still remembered by
many and spoken of as the original police
headquarters Of the District police. 1t
was In the vicinity OF this building