Evening star., 1902-01-09
DAMAGE REPAIRED
Restoration of the Government Works
on Greenleaf's Point.
DESTROYED BY THE BRITISH IN 1914
Growth of the Establishment Now
Known as the Arsenal.
OF HISTORIC INTEREST

OF HISTORIC INTEREST
A short time after the close of the war of
1872 measures were taken to re-establish
the government works at Greenleafs Point
which had been destroyed by the British
in August, 1914. The invaders had thor
oughly done the work of destruction, and
the arsenal had to be constructed anew,
only the land being left, with the ruins Of
non-combustibie property which could not
be carried away. The ordnance corps as a
distinct branch of the service was then
new, and most of the officers detailed for
that service were from the artillery branch.
Prominent in matters affecting the equip
ment of the army was Col. George Bonn
ford. who was the head of the corps long
series of years and we'll known to the elder
Washingtonians as the popular host of
Kalorama. The location of an arsenal at
the seat of government was in his opinion,
a necessity, and 1t may be said that it was
through him that the arsenal was re-estab-
liShed in 1916.
The buildings In that portion of the
grounds known as the quadrangle, which
in the early days constituted the arsenal
proper. were erected during the years 1916
and II, at a cost of some $50, 900, and they
are yet standing. They are eight in num-
Der, two stories in height, and were at first
occupied by the officers and enlisted men
for quarters and as shops, the latter being
In the two warehouses on the north and
south sides of the square They formed an
inclosure about the size of city square in
which prior to 1920 ample room was found
for all the purposes of an arsenal. Thus
the quadrangle is an interesting object les
son as to what diminutive establishments
sufficed the demands of the government in
the early days.
The magazine for the powder was built
at a safe distance from the city, mile or
two above Georgetown, about the same
time.
From government documents on file it
would appear that Col. Bomford took a per-
sonal interest in the establishment, and
that from December, 1917 when Brevet
Major James S. Nelson was placed in COM
mand, the charge of it was in the hands of
civilian superintendent, Capt. A D. VII
lard, referred to in a former article. There
were thirty enlisted men under Major Mel
son, and about the same number of civilian
employees prior to 1920, and the old work Of
building gun carriages and cleaning and re-
pairing arms were the principal Industries.
Thomas Given and ten men were engaged
on gun carriages; Eben Ward and twelve
others on arms, and there We're few
blacksmiths under Nehemiah Griffin. The
wages then were from S1.25 to 81 per day.
the time running from sun to sum- and
but little was thought of distance, Messrs.
IlSS ell, JOHN II. rawlings ana OCnerS reSlQ-
ing not far from the present site of The
Star office.
The government papers also show that
there was a liberal allowance Of liquor
made the men, for the anti-canteen people
had not then commenced their crusade.
The grandchildren of some who lived then
say their grandfathers on entering the ar
senal shops would find two buckets one of
whisky and one of water. with a tin cup
between them, and before quitting time
each day the liquor bucket would be dry
Some of the workmen, but not many
lived in Carrollsburg, on the east side of
James creek, beating back and forth, and
but few lived on the point From about
this time to a date several years later it
was one Of the finest neighborhoods of the
city, such men as Richard Bland Lee, Judge
OF the M Orphans Court; Mr.. Bulfinch. archi-
tect; Thomas Dougherty, clerk Of the
House Of Representatives; Commodore
John Rodgers Of the navy and John Wheat
having their homes here. Property was
held high and men who worked for their
daily bread could not afford to pay the rent
asked In fact, the uptown workmen claim
ed they could live cheaper on PENNSYLVANIA
avenue. One Of them lived long enough to
see an entire square Of point property on
Az street sold for $500.
The Improvement Made.
Major Nelson remained in command to
April, 1921, and before he left there was
improvement beyond the quadrangle OF
IoIl. lOT SHOPS were erected east
of the square and guns and shot stored
north of it, while some lumber sheds were
erected about the site of the present bar
rack buildings and the title Washington
| arsenal was given the place.
Captain William Wade of the 4th Artil-
lery succeeded Maj. Nelson in April, 1921
During his term, in 1922, Lieut.. Simonson
came on duty here; Lieut.. w. E. Williams
came in 1923 and Lieut.. W. H. Bell, 4th
| M oh,
| 1926.
The gradual increase of the force and
| multiplication of work continued, but not
to such an extent as to require much
| ground. Fully two-thirds Of the reserva-
| tton was not Of military service, that por-
| ton between street and the building por-
| tfon, which was tilable, being cultivated,
and the small guard house at and AZ
! lection of the crops
| 1t was before Maj Wade left that the
! question Of a site for penal institution for
convicted prisoners in the courts Of the Dis
| trict and the United States became the
| theme of discussion. The north end of the
! reservation was selected as the SITE and
| the penitentiary was erected there.
! Lieut.. Bell succeeded Maj Wade for a
| few months, in 1926, having his first expert
| ence in the command of the post which he
occupied years after, and Lieut.. Symington
| followed him. serving till 1888. Lieut. John
| Childs was on duty here in 1892
Capt. Alfred Mordecai was the first can
| tain of ordnance to occupy the position of
| commander of the arsenal, and he served
! but few months for In 1888 he was fol-
lowed by Capt. Bache. who remained until
| January. 1886, and Lieut. J. B. Scott Of the
| 4th Artillery succeeded him, serving till
| October, 1886. In 1882 there was but a
| small amount of work being done With
but two commissioned officers. ten enlisted
| men and thirty-one employees there was
| barely force enough to keep up the repair
| work and to care for the tools and stores.
| In the following year, however. there was
| some Improvement of the grounds in level
| ing the surface and filling UP the marshy
places. A slight elevation on which the one
! gun referred to in former article as in
| charge of Capt. Willard, north of the quad
! rangle was then cut down.
1t was in the younger days Of Gen. George
! D. Ramsey, captain in the ordnance corps
who commanded the arsenal from October,
| 1896. for two years, that decided imeetus
was given to the work, and the arsenal by
| rapid strides, becoming much more than a
| mere storehouse and repair shop. More
ground was required, or rather the marsh
along the eastern side of the point was a
| menace to health. A sea wall having been
| built more than four acres of land was re-