The Lamar register., 1899-11-15
THE DEWEY HOUSE.
COMES TO HIM AS A MATTER
OF CUSTOM.
anmes Given to Military Heroes
sherman. sherIesp, Logan, Hancock
and ntIes Were Presented with Resi-
dences by Friends and AdmIrers.
washington letter.

The house that is 10 be given to Ad-
miral Dewey is not the first presented
by admiring friends TO officers OF the
army and navy. there having been sew
eraI such by way Of precedent; but
1t is the first that has ever been sub
acribed to by the country at large and
under government auspices. The first
house presented TO an officer OF the
army was given to Gen. Grant by his
enthusiastic and admiring friends upon
his coming to Washington at the close
Of the war. This house is situated on
The north side of l street, between
Second and Third streets, northwest,
and although forty years have passed
since it was built is still fine man
sion, plain, but decidedly dignifed
and substantial. The entire block
bounded by l and X and Second and
Third streets was bought by Senators
Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois. and
Rice OF Wisconsin. with Vice President
Breckenridge. Upon the eastern por-
tion OF this block, facing on street.
they built there three spacious houses.
but before they were completed war
was declared, and yiee-President
Breckinr!dge departed abruptly for the
South, to assume At later period the
presidency OF the, Confederacy.
leaving his house on the hands of the
contractor, who rooted it in. laid floors.
and put IN doors and windows. and
rented 1t for hospital during the war
20 the government. AT the close OF
the war the house was properly fin
ished and a committee representing
the friends OF Gen. Grant bought II
and the adjoining lawn, measuring
1l5x315 feet. for the sum of $4,000,
and presented 1t, suitably furnished. to
Gen. Grant, who occupied 1t until his
Inauguration as president in 1859.
when he removed to the white house,
When the houses were puilt the
neighborhood was decidedly aristo-
cratic, but with tho departure OF Gen.
Grant it rapidly lost It's prestige the
center OF fashionable life moving
nearer to the executive mansion. The
neighborhood. still thoroughly good,
is quite outside the boundaries of the
social world OF today.
When, upon the accession OF Gen.
Grant TO the presidency, Gen. Sherman
took command OF the army. some New
York friends bought OF Gen. Grant the
house. furnished, for s65, 900 and pre-
sented it 10 Gen. Sherman, who occu-
pied 1t until 1871, when the headquar-
tiers OF the army was moved to ST.
Louis. where 4 fine house was given
to him by the citizens. Sherman then
sold the Washington house to Mr..
Matthew G. Emery, who now occupies
It. During the time that Gen. Sher-
man owned it he practically divided
the house into two and built new
entrance to the western side. After
the property passed into the hands Of
Mr.. Emery he completed the division.
and the eastern half is rented to a
private family. The house contained
originally about thirty rooms. The
corner, or eastern, house, built by Sem
etor Douglas, and for some time oe-
cupied by him. is now used by Mgr.
Martinelli as a Catholic Apostolic le-
CATION. The house in New York city
which ex-President Grant made his
home after his famous toHr OF the
world was also the gift of friends.
This fund for the benefit of Gen. Grant
was managed by the late Mr.. Frank
Work. OF New York City. and amount
ed to s250,000 The house was pur-
chased out OF this fund. ant for some
thing like sloO. coo. Gen. Grant lived
here until his departure for Mount Nc
Gregor. where he died. Mrs. Grant
sold the house some little time after
.@a