Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-13

from the building inspectors Office not
many days ago. Then all the occupants
were required to vacate the building and
fence was erected about 1t TO prevent loss
OF life and limb.
When a Star reporter entered the old
time building his footballs caused uncanny
echoes throughout the dreary Railways and
It seemed as if the roost'' was peopled by
shadowy ghosts of past ages.
"Buzzards Roost a veritable landmark
the condemned and dingy looking structure
IT now is. Old inhabitants say in its palmy
days. long before the civil war. the struc-
ture was reckoned one of the finest busi
ness houses in Washington.
Since the war, however, Its career has
been somewhat checkered. it is said, and
many interesting "reminiscences of its occu-
pants and uses are being related
Two Versions Given.
Asked how the building gained its I'M
poetic appellaton of "Buzzards' Roost,"
venerable Washingtonian said to The Star
man:
II have heard two stories concerning the
origin of it's name. The first that dur
ing the war several men who
gagged in the traffic OF supplying substitutes
for men who had been drafted for service
in the army had their headquarters on the
upper floor of the building. These men
would intercept negro refugees from the
south as they fed to Washington by way of
the Long Bridge via the Acqueduct or
the Long bridge or via the Aqueduct or
In the old structure
These Colored refugees were termed
'buzzards.' and their quarters were desig-
mated as the buzZardS rooSt.' The Substl-
tutes were hired to drafted citizens at hand
some figures and would take their places
and serve soldiers. OF course, the 'buz-
Yard procurers would reap handsome re-
wards Tor their services
The OF her story that in the early
days of Washington, when the health regu-
lations We're not strict as they are now,
buzzards were encouraged to come into the
city as they are now in some other cities.
to clear away the offai and other refuse
matter In those days the old building was
one of the talest in Washington. it is said.
and the winged SCIVengerS tired out after
their days of sanitary labor. were wont 10
fly 10 the top of the structure and there
rODst until morning. This led old gen
tleman who kept a tailor shop near Ith
street and Pennsylvania avenue northwest
to remark one morning. he observed the
rows of big black birds on the caves:
THAT building has become regular Duz-
yards roost."
Ever after IT was referred to as "Buz-
yards R0oSt" and the name chung to II
like grim death, even though those IN these
later days who referred to it as such dld
not know how the name originated.
Variety of Tenants.
MANY peoples of many countries and
cllmes and several shades of color have ten
anted the building in days gone by, and
queer scenes have been enacted in its rooms
and varied qualifications. Several years
ago il WAS the scene of a lively police raid,
and an alleged swindling scheme OF clever
design was brought TO light a result.
There was a so-called stock brokers' office
in a building on r street between 18th and
l4th streets northwest at that time known
h.. f.T. ID A
transactions at this office Ii came under the
suspicion of the police. The wires which
supplied its "tickers" with stock quotations
We're supposed to extend To Wall street,
New York, direct, and to furnish the very
latest and most reliable information from
the stock markets of the metropolis.
The police traced the wires and dispelled
the Illusion. The terminals of the wires
were found in room on the second floor,
+ street side, of Buzzards Roost. The win
dows of the room had been covered by thick
manila paper to prevent spying from the
outside. and other precautions taken against
intruders.
Inside the room was found a complete au-
tomato set of machinery, which could be
manipulated by the telegraph operator i'll
the office at the hotel TO give any quotation
for any stock he might desire to sell
The police confiscated the automatic outfit
and treated IL just as they would the para
phernalia OF gambling resort The pro-
prietors were arrested and punished under
the law. and demure little Russian tailor
moved in.o the vacated rooms in Buzzards'
RooSt.
Romance Revealed
Another interesting Renaissance of the
venerable structure was related by a one
time occupant of a suite In 1.-The roost."
AT the time In question the tenants were
colored and white, with a sprinklng OF
Cinnamon. The whites represented several
nationallties. Among the tenants was
buxum colored woman. who was. described
TO be black as the ace of spades"
Chinese lottery dealer. known as Charley
Lee. fell desperately in love with the
woman and married her.
About that time buriesque company was
performing at one Of the Washington thea
tiers. and among its members was a popular
song composer. He heard of the marriage
12 New Cases of Typhoid Yesterday.