Evening star., 1901-05-04
Interesting "reminiscences of a Wash
ington NonagenarianY
HISTORIC PLACES And PEOPLE
Washington, Randolph, Peggy
ONeal and Lorenzo Dow.
WEST END RESIDENC

sSth and K streets. there was punt III tne
pos of the eighteenth century a convenient
and handsome stair landing place for river
travellers coming to the then embryo ma
fional capital This structure was mace
of Stafford county. Va, sandstone
>fron, the same auarries that furnished the
material used in the construction of the
Presidents house and the old sections OF
the Capitol. 1t was not finished with the
rhisel. but with the pick, or quarry
dressed
The form of the landing was sem1curcu-
lar At low tide level substantial plat
form, some six by three feet. was solidly
sedded on a gneiss foundation, and from
that rose a series of twelve or fourteen
steps of eight by twelve inches rise and
tread. terminating at the then street grade
In a graceful sweep up ana down the
rreek some thirty feet in length py
breadth of about fifteen feet. me cfeth itt1
from the bridge down to its mouth, little
west of the present canal outlet lock, nao
then a sufficient depth of water TO sateiy
float sIOops and schooners of conslderapie
size bringing wood building ana pay
stones and sand. The first wharf, ABOUT
1oO feet below the bridge. was owned ana
in use by Shaw & Birth. my grandfather
and father: the next one was used by
man named Miller, who carried on the pot
terry business there; then came the pupllc
fish wharf. and below 1t three or iour
landings used for general purposes prlHs-
ing the line of wharyes down to some TWO
or three hundred feet from the river.
Changes of Time.
II to the time of the construction OF 'he
Chcsapeake and Ohio canal at that point
about ISs0-these wharves were IN con-
stant use and a considerable business was
done there. My grandfather's dwelling was
near by and / was therefore familiar with
the locality down to the year $50, when
the canal construction doing away win
H. line of Wharyes changed the character
Of the entire neighborhood
Whether the landing stairway named
above. was removed by the board OF puo!lc
works or not l am not Informed, but the
reliability is that as the material used
In il had a value every veSt1ge OF the
structure went to pot. 1t Is greatly 10
: be regretted that such work, marking
the early efforts here at improvements
should have been destroyed, but snch IS
the general fate in new communities mere
Is no sense of value in old things, carry
F5DduaarkSr Like much other matter Whlch
II was then thought or pretended necessary
/, remove or that could be made available
S,r other purposes. material or all hiiluS
was unhesitatingly appropriated nuch ol
jt as / know to my cost without compen-
tsation to owner 1 never toucn TINS SUD
1ect without realizing the great lh!nstlee dSe
frua myself and co-owners then IN S3o'Wo
worth of real estate. And the board got
si1on0 of it for street improvements
washinEton's Departure.
The bridge spoken OF which then spanlieo
Rock creek was single drop-stone one re-
moved before 1 was born. Over 1t Gen.
Washington at the end OF his presidential
career passed on his way to Mount Vernon
He had spent night at the house OF MS
family connection Mr.. Peter, who lived
within a square of the bridge. and the IN
habitants of Georgetown and it's vicinity
learning Of his intention TO resume his jour
ney OF the following morning, assembled at
fhe. bridge TO greet him and bid him adieu.
NV relatives were present and have told me
of this occurrence. saying that "on beholo-
fng the who had done 50 mdch anu
saCrifc+d and suffered SO much to bring the
war to {. successful issue, and by wise coun-
sels TO establish good government, all
hearts were deeply touched and no eyes In
Iha- ass-mblage were unmoistened "A
scene" as they often said, never 10 De
forgotten"
III. Mr.. Peter here mentioned an
,1rrl.. or e,randuncle. / think. of one Of the
ekiTrrl architects whose heads and hands
lei ir the planning ami successful construc-
ton IF your beautiful S,ar printing estab-
lshmcnt,
The Model Printing House
q ilr world in all probability.
TE.. house Of Mr. Peter. where Washing
ta1 lodged. is still standing, though, from
f.r,r--sed street grade and undermining Of
the building 1t does not look as it did in the
s.i5ne ago. Its occupant in 1922. - or "A,
when / became familiar with it, was John
Peabody a famous auctioreer. doing bus
mess in Georgetown. a man of unbounded
wit. gathering by that trait large attend
auCa al his sales. Mr.. abOdy near
relative of the phiIanthropist of that name.
and grandfather of our 'old fireman OF the
sam, CpguOmen, whose father. also named
John sailed from the old town to the West
JnGIa Islands as captain of the ships Eagle
and Shenandoah. belonging to Walter
Smith a merchant in the town, whose resi-
dtuve still appears on the corner (southeasO
Of y and Potomac streets.
Following Mr.. Peabodys tenancy in the
Peters house was that of James Leander
Cathcart who had think. been abroad in
some capacity for the government. The
names of succeeding tenants cannot now
recall except William Hayman. who. If
am not in error. purchased the Peter house.
Mr. Hayman built the large structure on
the northeast corner of K and 9th streets,
and there carried on the brewing business
until his death This building Is now oc-
Cupied by Heurich bottling house.
On the square next east. on the south
sid. of h street, are two handsome three
story brick dwellings,. built about 1870. One
OF these house was. between 1915 and 1890
occupied by Mr. Baker. British consul. and
,he was succeeded in tenancy and office by
MIR Nulrobas. These houses are near 2oth
street and are but little changed In all
these years.
Scene of Royal Entertainments
Passing northward. up 18th street, to
Pennsylvania avenue and l. street, at their
northeast Junction stands Columbia Hos
lital. The section of this building about
Z
with front of say. fifty feet was in the
early days a very handsome double two
story dwelling. literally ornamented with
circular nodded stone window and door
heads. with similarly nodded connecting
imFUsts. The street grade here was. in the
2HS, much higher than now. so that the
principal floor was reached by flight of
six or seven steps Here then lived Tench
RngSold. for several years marshal of the
District of Columbia
After Mr.. Ringgold vacated this large
house it became the home of Mr. Baggott
the English minister here and during his
occupancy it was the scene of a very bril-
liant festival. given by Mr. Bagg0tt to
commemorate the birthday of George "
The English king was then called Gentle
man George" his deserts were In the other
direction His moral status was anything
but reputable. On the evening of the day
OF this celebration the legation was eIe-
ganuy illuminated. and drew out a large
collection of the people of town and city.
The minister's coach. its four-horse team
end The entire outfit was gorgeous. The Nam
ma cloth OF the Coachman'S seat was of