The Washington times., 1902-10-06


vicinity, but some of them are woefull
inadequate in the information they i'm
part. The historical house at tn
Squares northwest corner and next doc
to the temporary residence OF Presiden
Roosevelt, which Commander Stephel
Decatur built the year before he wa
killed in duel. with prize none
earned in the war of 1912. is marke,
with Decatur's name. but the sign fail
to say that Gen. Edward Fitzgeral,
Beale, one of the noted figures of the
civil war, resided there for many years
and that score of distinguished men
foreign ministers, Cabinet members
Senators, and heroes of battle on sea
and land-lived there also.
Interesting Historic Spot.
A cream colored brick dwelling on the
north side of the Square, between the
homes OF Senator Depew and Henry Nd
ans. the historian. now occupied as a
school for girls, bears a placard saying
that Gideon Welles, Lincoln's Secretary
OF the Navy, occupied it, but the mark
ing committee stopped there ana failed
to indicate that SlidelI. of Trent affair
fame, and other PRONE 1,ent historical
characters also dwelt within its walls.
In front of big floral pot at the
center of the south side of Lafayette
Square and directly opposite the White
House. is board that tells the old SOL
dler that on this site was erected the
stand from which Lincoln and Sher-
man reviewed the grand parade of war
veterans in May, 1865.
The site of the old War Department.
the site of the hotel where Lincoln
stopped when he came to Washington to
be inaugurated, the churches where
Scott, Grant, Mcclellan. and other noted
generals ''orshipped. and scores more of
places that are of interest to visitors.
and particularly to veterans of the civil
war. are indicated in this manner.
The signs indicating sites of places
which were of historical interest in the
civil war, and prior to that time. en-
phasize the great changes that have
taken place in Washington even within
the past few years.
Now a Business Street.
Street, which was a fashionable
residence locality when the war began,
is now the principal shopping thorough
fare, and in other parts of the present
business section hotels and private
dwellings. where great men lived or did
their work, have been torn down to
make way for modern business struc- |
lures.
or all the many sections of the city |
which are interesting on account of their
historical associations, Lafayette Square |
is practically alone in maintaining most |
of its old time characteristics. The big
red house on the east side of the square.
built by Commodore John Rodgers. and
occupied by Secretary Seward when the
Payne attacked him in his bed
room, and later the residence of James
6. Blaine. was torn down some years
ago. and a theater erected on Its Ate.
but nearly all the other houses erected
on the streets fronting this beautiful
park within the past three quarters of
a century are still intact
War Vessels Ordered Here.
To help make encampment week at
.ractive for visitors, the Navy Depart
nent ordered TO Washington five ships
Of war which are lying at the navy yard
a hp MI nf hn Aro
ipon which the yard is situated These
'essels are the old frigate Hartford,
'arragut's flagship in the battle of Mo-
'ile Bay. and now training vessel
he cruiser Lancaster. another veteran
" the civil war, and also used now
or training purposes; the cruiser yacht
iayflower, which was recently fitted I'D
or the use of the President the dis
atch boat Dolphin. which, like the
iayflower. saw service in the West In
les in the Spanish war, and the yacht
ylph, used by the President at Oyster
lay last summer.
The veterans are to be entertained
lso by several displays of fireworks
n the White Lot, which will be the GEN.
er of interest during the week. The
White Lot is great reservation owned
y the Government. 1t extends from
he Presidents grounds southwark for
everal blocks. In its center is a large
liptical field, upon which have been
-ected three great assembly tents. HI
lmed in honor of Grant Sherman. and III
neridan, and two smaller but stilI III
'acious canvass structures. called il
eade tent and Farragut tent. iii
Headquarters for Corps. HI
Around it's circular edges are sixty
more smaller tents which serve az
'adquarters for the various CORPS or
nizations of the civil war. naval vet
ans OF that war. colored troops, men
10 were in Confederate prisons. army
rises, Sons CT Veterans. and snapisb
ar veterans To the east and west of
e ellipse. near Fifteenth Street on the
e side. and near Seventeenth Street
the other, are scores of tents in
lich many veterans will be lodeed
rec thousand more soldiers have been III
zen sleeping quarters in the new Gov
lment Printing Office
rhe greatest distress is felt by tho III
'itors over the fact that presi,jan,
osevelt will not be able to reviow tba
rades or to participate in any of the
ercises of encampmeut week. When
, Grand Army held its encampment
re In 1892. there was similar disan- III