Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-10-12

tried, convicted and sentenced to be hung.
When the day of execution approached the
boys of the academy, only two squares dis
tant, many of them acquainted with the
captain and his men, became very anxious
to witness the to them unusual spectacle
and appealed to our teacher, Daniel n. Has
kell for permission to see the hanging. Our
instructor consented on the condition that
parents did not object. In the belief, now
suppose, that the scene would act as last
ing restraint on tempers and passions, leave
was given, and a large number of the boys
were present at the spot where the poor
wretch was to suffer for his misdeed. The
locality where the suspending beam was
erected was in the center of the square
bounded by I'd, Sd, and E streets north
west Moses Young, in the century pre-
ceding these occurrences, owned and cult
waited this and adjacent lands as his farms.
His dwelling, which was torn down only
few years ago to make room for the Car
Isle improvements, stood d street be-
tween Sd and 18th streets, directly opposite
the triangle upon which a Masonic monu-
ment has been recently erected to COM
memorate a distinguished man of the
der. At the time of this intended eXecu-
ton there was old dilapdated farm fence
standing diagonally across the square, with
its ditch and bikes, and the old ridges of
corn rows were distinctly visible. Along
the south side of the fence the fearful-look-
ing gallOws were erected. AS noon drew
near-the hour of doom-a swift moving
horse, with rider, neared the Jail, then at
the center of Judiciary Square, a reprieve
was announced, and a forfeited life was
spared Imprisonment being substituted for
death. The Presidents clemency saved the
young people present from a hardening and
harmful spectacle.
Springs, Swamps and Snipe.
We will now return to the West End"
as there is wide area north and south of
K street and the avenue within city limits,
which is entitled to notice. Taking up the
numbered streets we begin with 2Sth which
is the extreme western limit of old Washing
ton. On the east side of this street fifty
four feet south of K, stood the frame and
brick residence of John Shaw, which sat
twenty feet back from the building line
next south of that, with space of eighteen
feet between the two. Leonard Harbaugh
mad erected an ornamental two-story brick
winch was about seventy-five feet back
from the street South, of him. but not adj
Joining, there were three frame dwellings
built on brick Easements on the street line
the southernmost of the row being within
hfteen feet of the high tide line the deem
water line being 200 or more feet to the
southwest. The low ground here was sub
Ject to tidal overflow and covered an area
OF three or four acres, 1 think. Its shape
was irregular, having five Sides parallel
sides being one of Rock creek and the
other about forty feet from the west side of
nth street At about the intersection Of
tnls line and the south side of l street
there was copious spring of very fine
drinking water, known as the Gum
spring. from its being in the cavity of a
large decayed stump Of blue gum tree 7
nave quenched my thirst many a time at
TINS cool spring when a small boy Jack
snipe and yellow shank blowers were reeu-
lar spring and fall visitors to this low
ground and to corresponding area west
OF the creek, bounded on the north and
south by Water street and the Potomac
and having it's western limit at Washing
ton street, the creek separating the two
HiaIshes. Both sWamps were overlooked
at hlgh toe, and both were covered with
growth of wild oats and wankapins Each
of these marshes were in season the resort
OF sunners, as there was then no law pro-
hiolting shooting within the city limits.
Sparsely Settled NeighborhOod,
IWenty-seventh street south of X had but
seven or eight buildings on it's entire
length down to point about $50 feet south
of G street, where it meets the river. Two
OF these houses were on the west side of
the street between K and 1, one on each
side of a public alley. The north one was
IN use by Mr.. Walker, a son-in-law of
Joseph Wilson, sr. A son of Mr.. Walker
was for many years connected with the
bank of Lewis Johnson & Co. The dwell
ing south of the alley was tenanted by
Nathaniel Fry, department officer an un-
Gle by marriage of the late Johnson HELEN.
Ihese houses were neat two-story bricks
and are yet standing. On the east side in
a two-story brick built some forty feet back
ment clerk, lived, and a short distance be-
low him there was small frame, the name
OF the occupant of which | can't now re-
can. From this down to short distance
below ii street there were no houses [
street, Virginia avenue and II street inter-
vened, leaving very little building space
Between H and G, in a neat two-story
brick, Joseph Wilson, ST.. lived He was in
government employ. Two of his sons. Jo-
seph and John, attended the Western Acad-
envy; Iney We're each at different times at
the head of the land Office
The Wilson house is now a part of the
gas company's holdings in that locality.
They have large area of ground in square
fronting on G, H, 26th and 9th streets.
On the south side of G street and fronting
on 9th street and the river is a large stone
warehouse and its wharf. This property was
originally owned and for many years in
use by John Davidson, who did a large
shipping and storage business there in the
early days of the last century and the lat
ter years of the previous one 1t is now
well known as the G street wharf and is
and always has been since it's beginning
in constant active USE
Windmill Point.
Twenty-sixth street, I remember. had in
the second decade of the century just ended
but four or five houses on it between K and
G, two small bricks on the east side and
two or three small frames on the opposite
side, and these were uetween K and I
U
any kind between 1 and and south of G,
but two very small tenements occupied by
hucksters and fishermen named Lucus and
Bannfster. Beyond these, at the extreme
end of the land. there stood in my boyhood
days a windmill, constantly in active ope-
ration, and the locality was widely and To-
miliarly known Windmill Point"
When Captain William Easily established
his shipbuilding yard nearby, the point took
the name of Easby's Point and the ancient
name was soon forgotten. When a lad 1
had large collection Of flint arrow heads
and an unusually fine specimen of an In
dian-made stone ak, which an older BROTH
er had found about the point. The place
had evidently been a great resort of the
aborigines for fishing, as there were many
other collections, including rude pottery,
gathered there by other parties. The river
in this locality was in my youth famous
fishing place and had doubtless been con-
stantly resorted to by the red men in the
past centuries. A great abundance of fish
in all the varieties common to the Potomac
no doubt attracted the early inhabitants
from long distances and in great numbers
which accounts for the quantities of their
war and domestic implements found here.
Remarkable Hunting and Fishing,
Wild swans, geese and ducks in immense
numbers resorted to the river here, as their
favorite food, tie wild celery abounded in