The times., 1901-06-23
GROWTH OF THE CAPITAL
Interesting Record of Building
Operations From 1919 to 1853.

Splendid Residences which Fell to
Ruin without Occupants - Presi-
dent washingtOn's Capitol Hill
yenture-some of the Early Houses
at goes without saying said an old in
habitant of this city recently, that the
people who settled Washington in the
early days consisted chiefly if not entirely
of those who were attracted here by the
operations of the Government. There
may have been a few spectators, but, If
they were successful they must have been
gifted with truly prophetic vision. More
over, Washington, or, as Thomas Moore
called it. The city of magnificent dis
tances,' did not offer much encourage
ment to spectators, as what was theh
esteemed the choice land was owned by
few residents.
1T was thought that property contig-
nous to the Capitol was the most ue-
sirable for residence purposes, as is eVl-
denced today by the old buildings stand
ing in the neighborhood of the white
domed structure. Hereabouts stood what
were known as the Twenty Buildings,
which, it is said. fell to ruins without ne
ing occupied President Washington him
self selected a site and erected build
ing in the neighborhood of the Capitol,
which was afterward known for a num-
Der of years as the Washington prop
erty,' and which has lately been used
as a hotel. In this neighborhood, also,
were several other old residences. The
Chief Justice of the District of Columbia,
William Cranch, the clerk of the local
courts, and several other notables lived in
this neighboThood.
'On New Jersey Avenue, south of the
Capitol, a number of fine old residences
existed IN the early days. Among these
was DR.. Frederick Mays house. Dr. May
was the leading physician of the city, and
a building adjacent TO his abode was oc-
cupied by one of the local banks. For
many years after the organization of the
local courts Of the District of Columbia
they occupied quarters near the Capitol.
Everyone. of course. knows why the
city was not built toward the east of the
Capitol The first landmark. still to be
seen. by the way, indicating the new and
wholly unexpected course of improve
ment, was the Six Buildings on Penn
sylvania Avenue between Twenty-frst
and Twenty-second Streets, which are
still standing Then came the Seven
Buildings on the Avenue between Nine
teenth and Twentieth Streets. also in ex-
istepce. Then O'Neil's hotel. known in
later days as Gadsby's Row. and several
other structures of minor Importance were
erected in this locality. Pennsylvania
Avenue, the great thoroughfare between
the Capitol and the Presidents house
seemed to offer the most advantageous To-
cation for the erection of business houses,
and before long this street, which Len
fant had selected as the grand passage
way between the legislative and executive
departments. notwithstanding its line lay
through what seemed to be an impene-
trable morass and swamp. gave promise
of being what he said IL must be-the
main artery of the business life of the
city
Without entering into detail regarding
the further improvements of this city,
nor describing the fine residences erected
in the early days matters which have been
abundantly discussed, soLie general sta
tistics regarding improvements may De
cited. According to records kept by john
Sessford, there were in Washington. in
1919, =, ,02S houses and l29 other shops ara
buildings; in 1920, there were erected 10
houses and shops; IL 1921. 80 houses; IN
is2S 1i3 houses. 7 shops and additions; in
1Srj IS houses. shops, and addltlohS' IA
1924. 49 houses, 6 shops, and additlons; N
1895 6S houses. 10 shops, and 10 addltlohsI III
1926 102 houses, % shops, and 10 additions;
in 1927. l23 houses. . shops, and 25 addl-
tious; in 1923, 15S houses, q shops, ana q
additions: in 1929, las houses. 10 shops, anu
IL additions. The total number OF struc-
lures erected in this city during the usC-
ade ending in 1893 was Leg houses, lSJ
shops and 1l2 additions.
In 1880 the number OF houses erecteu
was 17S shops "a, and additions IA IN
1S31 las houses and IS shops; in 1S32, 62
houses and u shops; In 1893, z houses, L
shops. and Y additions: in lS3i, 63 houses,
II shops and additions; in lS5o. Y
houses, 10 shops. and IS additions; in 1876,
II houses. 10 shops, and 10 additions; IN
1887. So houses, IS shops, and addltlons'
in ls8S, s. houses, q shops. and additions
in 1893, III houses, Z shops, ana Il addl-
tons The total number of houses erect
ed in the decade ending in 1893 was,
houses. SOS; shops lI3, and addltlonsn w.
In 1870 there were erected us houses.
13 shops and IA additions; in 1s41, ZIG
houses. % shops and l3 additions; in 1Sl2,
2q5 houses Il shops. and q additions; IN
lS43. 322 houses, 10 shops, and . additions ;
In lS44 357 houses IS shops, and a addl-
tfons; in 1915 33S houses. % shops, and a
additions in 1876, 20s houses, l6 shops. ana
II additions; in 1877. 12S houses. shops,
and additions: in 1S4S, al houses. II
shops. and % additions; in 1873, ls4 houses,
9 shops. and Il additions. Total number
of houses. etc. erected during the deGade
ending 1b49, 2,36f houses, I4o SHOPS anu 19A
additions.
In 1880 there we're erected ~ houses, 70
shops. and q additions; in 1851, i5S houses,
2s shops. and a additions; in 1852, 632
houses 10 shops, and additions: in 1853,
5J6 houses, % shops. and 81 additions.