Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-16
OLDEST AUCTI0NEER
WALTER B. WILLIANS IN BUST-
NESS HALF A CENTURY.
Eas Made the Corner Of 10th and D
Streets Famous - Talked
Himself Rich.

Man accommodates his household goods
about him, enjoys them for time ana
then for various reasons they are almost IN
variably dispersed to the four corners OF
the earth Sometimes death is the cause;
financial distress, removal to other parts of
the country are other causes. Washington
is a city, above all others in this country,
where the populat ton is of a floating charac-
ter-that is, the population numbers fiuctu-
ate This Is to be accounted for by the
vast number of government officials, army
and navy officers, senators, congressman
and others who temporarily inhabit the ma
TONS capital, and, leaving for other points,
DISPOSE of their household furnishings
through the agency of the auctloneer
Therefore that gentleman Is very neces-
sary medium of exchange, and we could not
we'll do without him.
1t is something worth while to be the
oldest active man in any line of commercial
success, but think what it means TO be the
Oldest auctioneer in q city like Washington
That's the proud distinction of Walter g.
Williams, who mas literally talked himself
into success and wealth.
Mr.. Williams was born in Maryland and
came to Washington when child
AS a boy of fourteen he entered the auc-
>tion house of Green & Williams, then To-
Gated on the southeast corner of 18th and d
streets A. Green. who began business as
an auctioneer in Washington in 1880, and
Wash" B. Williams composed this firm.
So successful were they that in 1871, finding
they had outgrown their 7th street quar-
tiers. they removed to the corner of 10th
and D.
This was and is a famous auction corner.
tioneers in the early history of the city,
had his place of business and subsequently
the well-known house of j. c. MCGUIRE &
Co. was located here. Mr.. Green died in
1874, but the business was continued I'M
der Wash. 3. Williams until 1878, when he
retired.
Walter B. Williams then went into bust
ness for himself. and he is at present the
oldest auctioneer in the city in point of
service.
Mr. Williams remembers the time when
there were not days enough in the week to
hold auction sales, and holding half a dozen
sales at the same time in different parts
of the city at that. This was during the
war period, when the numerous changes in
cident to the unsettled condition of the
country made the auction business an ac-
tive one indeed.
During the war Mr. Williams relates that,
In 1862, he was recording sales of the Bean
estate Among the goods and chattels was
man, crying and holding her child close.
was placed upon the block. After few
bids a colored man appeared and succeeded
in outbidding the others, and, securing the
woman and child. announced that they
were his wife and child. He paid part of
the purchase price down, and the enamel
patton proclamation saved him the rest.
Mr. Williams spent five days in the pen
itentiary as recording clerk during the auc-
ton sales of fittings and furniture of that
institution. This was after the execution
of the Lincoln conspirators, and Mr.. Will
liams secured some interesting souvenirs of
that occasion.
When one considers that Mr.. Williams
has hunted over the grounds which are now
occupied by the British legation and ada
cent houses saw that ground sold at a
nominal figure and built upon as it is now.
one can see that he has not only helped the
city grow, but has seen the progress made.
He has a store of anecdote and reminis-
CO nse enough to write q book