Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-16
WASHINGTON JOURNALISM, PAST AND PRESENT
BY CROSBY S. MOVES.

In the latter part of December, 1917. l.
sickly youngster, left my home in Maine for
Washington in quest of a milder climate.
Partly for exercise and partly for economys
sake | walked a good part of the way from
Philadelphia to Washington. On the last
day of that month | had walked from
Baltimore as far as BetSville, when | was
overtaken about shutdown by a jolly old fell
low who was driving into Washington with
a load of produce for the Washington mar
ket. | very promptly accepted his invita-
ton to ride in with him to the city. but
afterward concluded that l had better
walked. For it soon appeared that he only
wanted to get to Washington in season to
place his wagon in good position for the
market next morning. He stopped at every
grogshop on the road, and there We're a
good many of them at that time on the old,
much-traveed Baltimore and Washington
turnpike. He not only took many drinks
himself but insisted that l should drink
with him. In those days it mortal
offense to refuse to drink when invited, and
the whisky sold at those places was vile
stuff but as he grew more stupid and less
vigilant | managed to empty my glass into
the spttoon often as it was replenished.
cold | had no overcoat and altogether my
night ride into Washington was a pretty
dismal affair. 1t was nearly midnight when
we reached the city, and just as we came
to the Center market, then called the Marsh
market. the bells We're ringing the old year
out and the new year in.
The market house then was a set of tum-
ble-down sheds moss covered, doorless and
the lodging place for tramps and Migrants
of all sorts Back of it was the filthy old
canal, the city cesspool. the receptacle for
all the offal of the city.
| lodged for the night at one of the small
taverns on 9TH street, opposite the market,
called then "Cattail Row In the morning
| paid a levy for my lodging and d ftp"
for cup of coffee and some doughnuts at
the market house In those days the old
Spanish silver currency was in use, and the
small coins were the levy worth 1212
cents, and the ftp" 81 cents. When the
coins were worn beyond recognition they
were scratched with a cross and then
passed only for 10 cents or , cents, respect
lively After my light breakfast | started
out to see Washington, heading first for
the Capitol as most visitors do.
On my way to the Capitol attracted by
sign, l stopped and engaged board at the
boarding house of Michael McDermott
southwest corner of Sd street and Pennsyl-
vania avenue. where Mades' Hotel now is.
Mr.. McDermott had large coach factory
and warehouse on his premises, running
through to Missouri avenue. | paid $2..J0 per
week for board at McDermOtt's, and got
good, substantial fare with no trils. McDer-
mott boarded his workmen, a hearty set of
fellows, and what with their boisterous de
mands upon Sally. the colored cook. for
immediate service, and their running fire of
criticism upon her cooking, the meal hour
at McDermOtts was always very noisy
and jolly affair. Sally could always an
swer in kind to their bantering and give
them plenty of sauce in return.
On engaging board at the moderate sum
IF s. 30 per week my next thought was as to
the means to pay it. The total of my funds
that morning Sl.62h | had been en-
gagged by DR.. AlonZo Garcelon, afterward
the famous democratic governor of Maine
to write letters for his paper. the Lewiston
tMe) Journal, and also by Mathews < Nor
ris. the publishers Of the Yankee Blade, a
popular humorous paper of that day. Sub