The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-06-02
A NASHINGTONIAN
NEARLY Go YEARS
Long Residence Of New Off
Ger of Oldest Inhabitants.
KNEW MARTIN VAN BUREN,
Henry M. Dellinger, Eighty-tw Years
Old, Has Seen the National Capital
Grow Up From $4,000.

Eighty-twO years old. though he looks
not over sixty, with erect body, bright
eve. and vigor in his step, is Henry NJ.
Dellinger. who has just been chosen vice
president OF the Association of Oldest
Inhabitants Of the District of Columbia.
For more than three score years he
has been & member Of one church In
Washington. holding the record for con-
tinuous membership. He enjoys unusu-
ally good health. which he attributes to
moderate eating, steady use Of chewing
tobacco, with a smoke every morning
and a little "sniftcr' at home If he feels
he needs II, but never over bar.
lie has Travelled through the East,
with frequent visits to New York, Balti-
more. and Boston, and is now contem-
plating a trip to California TO round out
his American travelling experiences. His
favorite paper is by all odds The Times,
since you can find the news there quick
ly and find it in just the shape you
want T.. well condensed, without any
unnecessary words"
Mr.. Dellinger is now retired from bust
ness and lives at 231 G Street north
west He owns the. property at the
Streets. and keeps there a second story
carpenter shop. on the G Street side,
which he calls his 'old curiosity shop"
work. He collects his own rents and
does his own carpenter repairing.
Plans of the Association.
The regular monthly meeting of the
Association Of Oldest Inhabitants of the
District Of Columbia was held last even
ing in the rooms of the organization in
the Corcoran Building.
Apropos Of a celebration Of the Fourth
r,E I'll
several ways of spending the day. 1t
was finally decided to go to the Jones
farm at Clear Springs near Chevy Chase
Lake.
DR.. Joseph Howard read letter from
W. W. Birth. the oldest member of the
association. on the subject members
have been discussing as to the date Of
the erection Of the old Riggs Bank
Building.
A Washingtonian Since 1898.
Speaking of his long residence in
Washington. Mr.. Dellinger said today:
Z have lived here since August, 1885
] was born in Williamsport. Washing
ton county. Nd, on the 22d Of February.
1s22 I learned the carpentry business
Under Tom Ciscle in GEORGETOWN. and
afterward under ohm c. Hardness, a
prominent man in those days. I started
IN small way on G Street between
Fourth and Fifth. Then ! carried on
business for fifty years. until ten years
ago. when j threw up the sponge, to live
retired.
4 remodeied Oak View for President
Cleveland in 1886 and did all w c Whit
ney's work, built his ballroom in I
Street between Seventeenth and Eight
zenith Streets, and fixed up the Lough-
borough place, near the TenleytOwn
Road. when he bought it.
For siNty-One years I have been n
nf cell H1nsnv-
Fifth and + Streets. That's no discredit
Tor any man. I am the oldest member
who has belonged to that church con-
secutiVely from year to year / hold
the position Of trustee there. and stew
ard, also.
Liked the Smallpox.
The best thing / ever had was the
smallpox ] used 70 have such bad sick
headaches before that. but afterward I
never did,
4 was the originator Of what is called
the Failing Waters Fishing Club on
the Potomac, at the place where Lee
crossed when he came back from Get
tysburg- There were seven members at
first. but some OF them died and the
rest I bought out.
Since ! came here the city has grown
from 5000 10 10000. All the prominent
public buildings have been put up in my
time have known all the Presidents
IRON Van Buren, down, and have shaken
hands with most Of them. / shook
hands with Lincoln and remember him
very we'll
The lecal street car system has been
developed entirely in my recollection
Why. when came here buses were
run from the Navy Yard 20 Georgetown.
AID theGare was u cents. I fitted up
tho laboratory here for Samuel r. 3.
Morse, the inventor OF the telegraph and
lernt HlDer well the two messages first
sent from Baltimore. One announced
the death Of one of our naval commO-
dOres at Cadiz. Spain-we didn't have