The Washington times., 1901-12-01
BUSINESS MEN OF
OLD WASHINGTON.
The Butcher, the Baker, and Can
dlestick Maker.
RAPID STRIDES IN TRADE.
TWO Gr"cerr Supplied the Want. of
the Forefnthers OF the Capital In
Iso@-Four Lawyers, Three Preach
ers, and Fifteen Gentlemen 4. cry


present. In 1908. as is ascer;aiaed by rare
documentary evidence. there we're, In the
Capital Of the nation, architects, mer-
chant tailors, 1 notary public. 10 clerks.
Il merchants, is stonecutters, lumber
merchants, IS carters, II tailors. 10 gen
tlemen, sailors, s peddlers, painters.
painters and glaciers. So carpenters. II
1oiners, physicians, cabinctIaakers
10 printers. so laborers. IS bricklayers, 1
turner, sailmakers, cooper, 1 nail cut
ter, 13 house carpenters, 2 tinners %
shoemakers. pump makers, / millwright.
tavern keepers, 13 plasterers, bakers,
l carver and glider, brickmaker, stone
masons, 2 booksellers, grocers, "a Of
heers of the Government, l brewer, 4
lawyers, blacksmiths, fnasons, min
isters OF the gospel, schoolmasters, 80
shopkeepers, chair makers, 2 coach
makers, etc.
1t is learned that. in 1904, preparations
were made for the holding of a fair in
this city. 1t was thought that great bene-
| fit would result, both to the city and to
the farmers of the vicinity. This first
fair commenced May 1. 1905, and con-
tinued three days James Hotan, Joseph
Hodgson, and Henry Ingle were appointed
| directors.
| Arrival of the Mary Ann.
On October is. 1905. the sloop Mary Ann,
from Guilfor6, Conn, arrived at the navy
yard, and had for sale on board potatoes,
onions, cheese, hay, clover seed, table
! fish, etc. About the same time the
sehooner-Ann arrived at Lears wharf with
eighteen hundred bushels of GOALS" from
Nicholson & Heath's black pits, Rich
in Virginia. They were offered for sale
on board the schooner.
An act OF the council of Washington,
| adopted April II, 1906, with reference to
/ the baking of bread, is of considerable
interest to those who like TO trace the
| growth of the industry of their native or
residence city. The act regulated the
weight and quality OF bread. 1t provided
/ that after the LIST OF June, 1866, bread
made OF offered for sale in the city of
Washington should be made from inspect
ed flour. either suDerfne. fine. or mid
ding, without any intermixture of the
same, or the addition Of any Indian meal
! or flour from any other grain. All bread
| offered for sale was required to be
| stamped with the initials OF the maker
Any bread offered for sale not 50 stamped
was to be forfeited to the wouid-be pur-
| chaser, or 10 the trustees OF the peor OF
| the city of Washington. Single and dou-
BILE loaves OF bread, of all qualities, were
| required to be of specified weights, The
price of flour was to be ascertained the
| last week OF every month by the mayor,
| or by the register in the absence OF the
| mayor, from respectable merchants living
/ in the county of Washington, and pub
| Iished in the city newspaper Ior the pen
| eft OF those concerned; and this price
was to govern the size of the loayes Oh
bread for the next month; except that IN
| case of any sudden rise in the cash price
! of flour the mayor was authorized to es-
/ tablish the standard price of -four each
week.
In 1906 William Nichols was one of the
/ leading dry goods merchants in the city,
keeping a great variety Of goods in
store there lately occupied by Mr.. Mel
| win.
| The First Music Dealer.
In February. 1907. P Mauro notified the
public that he had just imported direct
from London, England, four English
pianofortes. with additional KEYS. Astor
makes. together with other musical in
struments. THE above instruments have
been examined by the subscriber, who
| (fattering himself to be a judge) will.
when sold warrant them to be of superior
quality and without any defect"
Tunis Chavin, dry goods. merchant, IN
February. 1903. removed to his new store
near the navy yard gate. About this
| time F. A Wagler offered for sale two
''fortepianos" made by Broadwood, and
they we're probably superior to any in the
place; also all kinds Of dry and wet
goods, among the latter being brandy
six years old"
The Washington Commercial Company
was organized at a meeting held March
Is. 1903, ut Stelle's Hotel. Twelve di-
rectors were chosen as follows: Thomas
| Tingey. Peter Miller, John McGowan, C.
w Goldsborough Joseph Forest, James
| D. Barry, Alexander Kerr. Adam Lindsay.
| John 2. Van Ness, William Prout. Samuel
| N Smallwood and James Cassin. Joseph
Forest was chosen president of this COM
pany. which carried on general whole
! sale business. In August, 1868, they re-
/ ceived from New York large shipment
| of various kinds OF goods. liquors. sugars,
| teas. conees, spices. and groceries. This
company continued to do business many
years.
The growth of the city was slow until
after the war of 1872. The Egmber of
stores in Washington at the close CT this
war was so limited that the inhabitants
we're compelled to 40 to Georgetown or
Alexandria to purchase necessary arti-
cles Of dry goods, hardware, groceries.
china. glassware, etc. but by 1916 there
had been such an increase in the growth
of business houses in the central part
of the city that every article of necessity,
convenience. and even of luxury could be
had without difficulty at home.
Pennsylvania Avenue In 1916.
At this time the number of stores on
Pennsylvania Avenue. between the Cap
itol and White House, was as follows:
Dry goods, 16; groceries, 7; hardware. 2;
china glassware, etc, 2; drug stores, 2;
millinery stores. 9; confectioneries. 8;
hats. shoes, etc, 2; books and stationery,
2; leather stores. 1; cabinet stores. 8;
chair factories, 1; merchant tnylors," s;
plate, jewelry, etc, 3; and at the same
time there were plenty of mechanics in
the different branches, two extensive ho-
| tells and a reading room well supplied
with books papers, etc.
Among the book stores in the city in
1919 were those of David & Force and
| Henry Guegan. Pishey Thompson came
| later but not many years after 1920. On
January u, 1929, Mr.. Thompson advertised
for the first time in Washington Web
ster's Dictionary in two large quarto vol