Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-10
WASHINGT0N'S HOUSES
FATHER OF HIS COUNTRY OWNED
TWO NEAR CAPITOL.
Theme of Paper Read Before Columbia
Historical Society-Hotels
Of Early Days.


houses erected by George Washington on
North Capitol street was read by Mr..
Henry B. LOCKER last evening before the
Columbia Historical Society at its regular
monthly meeting in the banquet hall of the
Shoreham Hotel. Before beginning the reg
ular program Of the evening the presiding
officer, DR.. A. r. Spofford, made some an
nouncements and read the list of names Of
persons who had just been elected to MEM
be-ship. AS the list Of members is re-
ceiving many additions just now this part
Of the remarks of DR.. Spofford was heard
with much interest.
The first paper of the evening was then
read by Mr.. LOCKER He told some facts
relative to the erection of the houses, which
were commenced during the year 1893, and
read an autograph letter from the first
President to DR.. Thornton relative to the
design of the buildings. He also displayed
two pictures of the buildings, one taken
during the war and the other showing the
buildings they now stand.
1t was stated by Mr.. LOCKER that the
Kenmore Hotel formerly the Hillman
House,, on North Capitol street between b
and C streets, is composed Of two houses
that were built for General Washington by
William Thornton, the architect of the
Capitol
In the discussion which followed the read
ing of the paper Mr.. Lewis ]. Davis read an
extract from a letter in the collection of Mr..
s. H. Kaufman in reference to these
houses. 1t was dated Mount Vernon, jan
uary %, 1893. and was written by General
Washington to his nephew, Mr.. Robert
Lewis.
Looking After His Rents.
After referring to some matters In refer
ence to his plantations the writer stated:
'It would be very convenient and &C
ceptable thing for me to receive my rents.
oF hon OF lu
as you can furnish me with them. On what
1 supposed. at the time, moral certainty
of receiving considerable payments (before
Christmas) for lands l had disposed Of
have entered into a contract for building
two houses In the federal city for the ac-
commodation Of Congress-the members, I
mean)-and am obliged by that contract to
make considerable advances of money this
winter and early in the spring, which I
shall not be enabled to do, under the above
disappointments, without having recourse
to borrowing from the bank Cat its ruinous
INTEREST," unless 1 can be aided by my rents
and other resources on which did not cal
culate."
In another paragraph he refers to press
copy of a former letter which he lnclosed.
This reference is interesting as showing
that this process of reproducing letters was
in use at that time.
Extracts from some letters written by
Gen. Washington to DR.. William Thornton
were read by Mr.. ]. Henley Smith from the
originals which are in his collection of fam
lily papers He stated that he had about
fourteen of such letters He also had the
account made by Dr.. Thornton to Gen.
Washingtons executors for the money ex-
pended in the erection of the buildings.
Early Washington Hotels.
The next paper was read by Mr.. w. B.
Bryan and gave an account Of the hotels
in the city during the period from its
foundation down to the year 1914. 1t was
pointed out that as such places were the
centers Of much Of the public life Of the
town and were widely known that they
were commonly referred to in the days
when the population was scattered and
house numbers were unknown, In order to
fix the location OF residences and business
places. Hence it was necessary in order to
understand many allu.,ions in the old news
papers and other records to know the exact
location Of the taverns
The first of the places of which there is
a record was the tavern kept by John Trav-
ers on the Eastern branch. which was
opened for business in the summer Of 1793
In the fall Of that year the corner stone
of the building known as the Great Hotel
was laid. This structure was erected by
Samuel Blodgett at the northeast corner
of 9Th and E streets. but was not occupied
by the protector and was never used for
hotel purposes.
AS early as 1895 the Little Hotel on F
street near the corner Of 18th street was
open for business, and in the following
year Mrs. Elizabeth Leslie made a public
announcement Of the Capitol Hill Tavern,
which is supposed to have been in the
vicinity of the Capitol. Shortly afterWard
Mr.. William Tunnicliff opened the Eastern
Branch Hotel, at Pennsylvania avenue and
9th street southeast, and then subsequently
erected structure at the southeast corner
of A and list streets northeast, where he car
ried on the business. Mention was also
made of the hotel Of William Rhodes at
the northeast corner of 18th and F streets,
and then to one subsequently kept by the
same man on Pennsylvania avenue be-
tween 14th and 18th streets. The beginning
ern, occupying a portion of the site of the
present Metropolitan Hotel was traced. In
later years this place became the leading
hosiery Of the city.
Other Hostelries.
The various hotel enterprises of Pon:ius
D. STEELE were described who for num-
Der Of years carried on the business In
several buildings near the Capitol. Refer
ences were also made to Tomlinson's and
Coolidge's hotels in the vicinity of the
Capitol.
At the beginning Of the year 1914, the
writer stated, the principal hotels in the
city were Drummond's and Shurnway's,
near the navy yard; Tomlinson's. near the
Capitol; the Indian Queen and McLeod's,
fo rmerly Rhodes on Pennsylvania avenue,
and the Franklin House of VIM. O'Neale,
on l street between Goth and 21st streets.