The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-10
INNS OF OLD WASHINGTON
Taverns Of Antiquity Described by
an Old Resident.
y,-sca Guests Were Lighted TO led
BY Candles and Called to Dinner
by Loud-SouH;iing Gongs-An Era
in the District When Landlords
Carved the Meat ut the Table.

]. A. Wineberger, once among the
most prominent stationers and booksellers
in this city, has devoted much time to Sc
curing data relating to Washington, and
the material he has arnassed is little less
than astonishing. This material forms. in
fact, large library, and Mr.. Wineberger
takes great interest in describing the
magnitude of his collection. while at the
same time touching upon a hundred and
one items of interest concerning the city.
.'One locks in vain,' said he to Times
representative, lin the histories or guide
books of London, Paris, or other places
for more than mere mention of the inns
and hotel as houses of entertainment; yet
these books will inform YOU about mat
tiers of every kind dating back to the thir-
teenth century.
AN hotel is vertically little city in it.
SELF and every hosiery possesses a his
tory not altogether unworthy the pen of
the historian. In 1896. the first year In
which the census was taken. there were
1900 people settled in what is now the
city of Washington. Even in that early
period of the city's growth there were hO-
tells; or taverns as they were then called;
but they were really nothing more than
wayside inns.
The first hotel building in Washington
to deserve the name was commenced July
4. 1898. by a man named Blodget- but IT
was never completed, nor ever occupied
for its original purpose, thereby strictly
conforming to the city's character at that
time as described by Tom Moore, namely,
a magnificent intention
"All parts of the city in those days had
an unobstructed view of this building,
which had on its pediment in large CAPT
tai letters Hotel and was styled By the
owner The Union Pacific Hotel but bet
ter known as the Great Hotel The OWL
er lost 1t in lottery. II was on the site
now occupied by the northwest corner of
Eighth and E Streets. and the Thirteenth
Congress, at its third session. met in it on
the 18th of September. 1914, after the
burning of the Capitol by the British. The
Government purchased this building for
the General Postcfiice in 1910. and built
thereon an addition for the City Postoffice.
and over this, with an entrance on Seventh
Street was the Patent Office. This build
ing was burned down in 1886. Upon its
site was erected by the Government the
magnificent marble structure which has
until recently been used as the General
Fostoffice
.The Tunnicliff Hotel, called the Eastern
Branch Hotel, was situated on Pennsyl-
vania Avenue and Ninth Street east. The
establishment, upon being opened, was adj
vertised in the newspapers by William
TunnicIff, the proprietor, in the following
words: The subscriber having opened an
house Of entertainment in the city CT
Washington on Pennsylvania Avenue,
square 925, those who wish to visit this
place will find its situation within few
Yards of the Capitol. from which there is
a view of the whole city and the adjoining
neighborhood Of Alexandria and George
town. In the immediate vicinity was the
first actual racecourse in the District. ana
in a published notice il was said: The
horses to be entered with William Tunni-
cliff, at the Eastern Branch Hotel. near
the race grounG, October q. 1881 A train
ing ground, known afterwards as DR..
Thorntor's, was situated northeast of
Franklin Row, and Jake Dixon, Of whom
il was said by the boys that ne would bet
$500 on the grey mare, trained horses
there.
I'm 1895 The Little Hotel so-calied in
contradistinction to Budgets. known as
The Great Hotel was erected on the
southeast corner of F and Eleventh
Streets A part of the old building is
still standing In October. 1897, j. Nes-
mith made the following announcement:
To the Citizens of Washington-The
subscriber having in carly life been con-
yersant with the education of youths.
and observing the wants of school. Will
open one on the 1st day of November next.
at his house on F Street north. half way
between the Great and Little Hotels.
,.-Stelle's Hotel was at the northeast
corner of First and A Streets south. 1t
was opened about the year 1912. This
property was owned by Daniel Carroll.
who rented 1t in 1910 to n. L. Queen; then
again. in 1916, to the same person, and 1t
WIS known as Queens Hotel up to tie
year 1925, when Carroll advertised to sell
it. A visitor to the city wrote: ! lodged
at Steile's near the Capitol. As there
were no hacks at that time, when went
to the Presidents (Jefferson) to dine, the
day after my arrival. had to walk a mile
and q half to his home, through Pernsyl-
yania Avenue.
Among the District Marshals accounts
for the year 1904 is an item of debt
against the United States for the use of
a room in this hotel for the grand jury, the
amount being IS. STEELE moved from this
hotel il 1910 to one on the southeast cor
ner of New Jersey Avenue and A Street
south, built by Daniel Carroll. He called
his new place the City Hotel. which was
was the first time the former adjective
was applied to a Washington structure.
This structure was said to have been
bred feet and containing fifty rooms. The
last vestige of it. white succeed, was re-
moved some fifteen years ago.
A Leader of the Ancients.
washington Hotel. on the north side
OF Pennsylvania Avenue, between Four
teenth and Fifteenth Streets. was owned
by John Tayloe who built it before the
year 1898. Its name WAS changed several
times from Washington. as originally, to
that OF the City Hotel. then to the Man
sion House and later the European Hotel
It changed propretcrs more than any ho-
tel in this city. namely: John Mcleod, p.
Heronimus. Joshua Tennison. Alex San
,crd. W. s. Williamson, John McCarty, -
Barnard. Galabrun. and ID. Rowland In
the early days of Washington the stages
stopped at this hotel on their way from
Georgetown TO Bait more.
The Franklin House was at the north
EAST corner Of Twepty-frst Street west
Pennsylvania Avenue. and / Street. II
was opened sometime in the year 1900 by
William O'Neale who. in 1915. announced
TO the public that the Franklin House,
which the proprietor had refitted at con-
siderable expense, will be opened on the
ist OF next December for the reception OF
members of Congress. or ladies and gen.
ueInen WHom elther pleasure or business
may call to the city. He has rooms neat
iy and comfortably furnished for the ac-
coInrnodation CT private messes. has provid-
ed himself with first-rate French cook
and pledges himself that neither expense
nor trouble shall be spared to render the
entertainment of those who may favor him
with their custom equal al least to that
Of any other establishment in the District
A post coach and four horses Will be kept
fo- the conveyance of the members of Con-
sress TO and from the Capitol. The accom-