The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1900-01-06
THE DEWEY HOUSE.
COMES TO HIM AS A MATTER
OF CUSTOM.
Homes Given to Military Heroes-Grant
Sherman, Sheridan, Logan, Hancock
and Miles Were Presented with Resi-
dences by Friends and Admirers.
washington letter.

AN Oho IhdL ! > " DC 5lNCh ~ Eu
miral Dewey is not the first presented
by admiring friends to officers of the
army and navy, there having been sew
eral such by way of precedent; but
1t is the first that has ever been sub
scribed 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 | street, between
Second and Third streets, northwest,
and although forty years have passed
since it was buil:. is still q fine man
sion, plain, but decidedly dignifed
and substantial. The entire block
bounded by I and K 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-
ton of this block, facing on | street,
they built there three spacious houses,
but before they were completed war
wac utOlolCdg dHu ( Nol 81
Breckenridge departed abruptly for the
South, to assume at a later period the
vice-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 it for a hospital during the war
to the government. At the close OF
the war the house was properly fin
ished and a committee representing
the friends of Gen. Grant bought it
and the adjoining lawn, measuring
115x315 feet, for the sum of $4,000,
and presented it, suitably furnished, to
Gen. Grant, who occupied it until his
inauguration as president in 1869,
when he removed to the white house.
When the houses were Duilt the
n~eighborhood was decidedly aristo-
cratic, but with the departure of Gen.
Grant it rapidly lost its 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 $65, 900 and pre-
sented it to Gen. Sherman. who occu-
pied it until 1874, when the h%eadquar-
tiers of the army was moved to St.
Louis, where a 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 a 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 SEN
ator Douglas, and for some time oC-
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 tom 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 $3.50, 900. The house was pur-
chased out of this fund, and for some
thing like 500, 600. Gen. Grant lived
here until his departure for Mount Nc
Gregor, where he died. Mrs. Grant
sold the house some little time after
and took up her residence in Wash
ington with her daughter. Mrs. Sar-
toris. The last and most costly home
given to Gen. Grant was the tomb in
Riverside Park, his final resting place
costing about $500, 900.
On Nov. !, 1888, Gen. Philip Sheri-
dan assumed command Of the army
and removed with his family from Chi
cago to Washington. The gallant
general had many warm friends in
Chicago, and they quietly planned a
gift which should testify in a sub
1tantial way to their love for him
Samuel Johnson of Chicago and TWEEN.
ty-three close friends contributed eacf
the sum of $4,000 and bought tins
house, No. 1917 Rhode Island emu
Washington. Forty-tive thousand dol
lars was the price paid, and s., 900 wa
surprise to the general, who knew
nothing about it until the deed wa
presented to him in his Office. The en-