The times., 1901-03-10
A SCENE OF GREAT EVENTS
Memories Of Historic Happenings at
the Old Willard's Hotel.
The Rendezvous of brilliant Men and
Women for Three-Quarters of ~
tentury-The Old House and the
Neu-The Last Public Gathering.

Modern business enterprise and prog
r-ss are no respecters OF places or per
SONS. unless these can be turned TO q
profitable accounting. Places in and
around Washington. with which the early
history OF the Capital is closely inter
woven. have fallen. one by one. victims
OF the irresistible tide Of modern enter
prise
The old landmarks of Washington
which act as reminders of our country
and link the present generation 10y visi-
bic signs to that Of the men who fought
for and established 4 free nation. are
slowly disappearing. giving way to the
business instinct of the twentieth cen
fury.
Upon the site of the old Willard Hotel
an old Washington landmark, its new
s., 100000 carsvansary is today proudly
rearing its dome. and IL might not be
amiss 10 recall to memory some of the
history OF the old Willard which is al
most national in character and import
Az INTERESTING HISTORY.
Few buildings i'm amy city of this coun-
try have been the scene of so many in
teresting and important events as Viii
lard's Hotel In the early days of the
Republic in 1888. Walter Stewart bought
the land on which were erected the first
buildings on the old site of Wilard's.
Prior to 1918 a small building on Penn
sylvaGIa Avenue adjoining the site in
question. was the hostelry of that vi
cinin When this house was occupied
10y Reyerdy johnson and his family il.
communicated with and formed part of
Wnlara's. When ii first opened its doors
the house assumed the titles of the
Queen and the City Hotel, ana at the
time OF its purchase by the Willard
brothers il was known as Fuller's City
Hotel Henry A Willard bought the
Pennsylvania Avenue portion of the prop
erty May q. 1S5o. In 1873 the upper por-
tiou OF the grounds was purchased. and
the hotel was remodeled to its recent
form in 1873.
There were four Willard brothers who
had a part i'm running the hotel. which
under their management became famous.
Edwin D0rr Willard and Henry Augustus
Willard were the original owners. Later,
Joseph G. Willard was taken into partner
ship. Edwin Dorr Willard died during
the ciyil war from the effects of q disease
contracted while in service. Caleb G.
Willard, the present owner OF the Ebbitt
House. entered the service Of his broth
ers as a bell boy Joseph G.. Willard man
aged the hotel for a greater number Of
years than any other member of the VII
lard family.
The hotel was built by Col. John Tay-
loe and was inherited by his son, Ben
jamin Ogle Tayloe. Il WIS not pecUni-
arily successful. however, as il was
Thought to be too far up town. Mrs Tay-
Ioe. who was born in Troy. y. y, visited
her Chlidhood's home every summer. and
an travelling on one Of those floating pal
aces the day boats on the Hudson River
she was struck with the business energy
and desire 10 please everybody, manifest
ed Toy the steward. On her return Nr
Tayloe mentioned the want of success
which had attended his hotel. and she re-
marked that il he could get Mr. Willard.
the steward Of the Albany steamer. as its
landlord. there would be no fear as to its
success
Mr Tayloe wrote 20 IT. A Willard
native OF Westminster, Vt, who came to
Washington. and was soon. IN connection
with his brother, Z. .. Willard. in charge
Of Mr. Tayloe'S hotel. then called the
City Hotel The Millards gave TO this
establishment the same attention which
had characterized their iabors or board
the steamboat. They met their guests as
they allEhted from the stages in which
they came Ia Washington. They stood at
the head oi their dinner-tables. wearing
white linen aprons, and carved the joints
of meat. the turkeys and the game. They
were ever ready to courteously answer
questions. and 10 do all in their power to
make sojoUrn at the City Hotel home
Ike and agreeable.
EFFORTS CROWNED WITH SUCCESS.
Success crowned these efforts to please
the public and the City Hotel soon took
the first rank among the caravansaries Of
the National Metropolis. Z. y. Willard
retired. and Henry A Willard took into
partnership with him Joseph G. Willard.
while Caleb c. Willard became the land
lord Of The Ebbitt House. In time il was
determined 10 rebuild the hotel. which
was done under the superintendent OF
Henry 4. Willard
When tne house was completed. Novem-
Der 20, l,l7. it was decided that thence
forth il should be called Willards Hotel
and about one hundred gentlemen were
invited 20 "a banquet given at it's opening
After the cloth was removed. the health
Of the Nessrs- Willard was proposed as
The first toast Henry A Willard was
seated at the head Of the table with Bei,
Jamn OEie Tayloe at his left and Edward
Everett at has right He was then only
tweuty-four years old. and not given 10
with trembling voice stammered. Gen
tIemen. / thank YOU very much for this
honor. hut Mr.. Everett can ten You iu
much better language than is al my com
mand the feelings of gratitude which
harbJr for you-'
Mr Edward Everett complied with Mt
Wizards request. and spoke with his ac-
cgstomed ease. saying that there are oc-
casions when deeds speak louder than
words. ana this was one Of them. Instead
OF AIR. WIZARD returning thanks To- the
company present. H. was the company
that was under obligations 10 him. Ia
TACT ne thought that in paying their re-
spccts 10 -ur. Willard. they were but do
Mg "a duty. though certainly duty most
easily peri rmed Mr. Everett went on 20
say That under the roof which sheltered
them he had passed o winter with John
Quincy Adams. Chief Justice Marshall
Judge story. Mr Calhoun. Mr. Clay. and
AIR Webster These are all gone, said
he. -but with them ] could name another.
low living and not unworthy to be as
saciated with them Washington Irving
.le-. gentlemen, Mr.. Everett CcUtlu- /
5.d. there were giants iu those days, /
giants pa intellect; but IN character and 4
S.lrlt they were gentlemen and In their 4
z mililr' Intercourse with each other they /
had all the tenderness of brethren.
y he historic memories connected with Z
would nh a volume. Within its 4
walls tha distinguished men Of the coUn- 1
tIE have sat in council and At the social /
board lts parlors have been radiant with i
O.. most beautiful women in the land
citizens have left it's walls 10 become /
] .r-sidcnts. and cN-Frcsideuts have /
sought its shelter, after yielding place to /
their successors. one day the scene OF (
tle sittiugs Of a Peace Congress. its halls Z
t.T q Il al