Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-24
| GROWTH Numbered
Section Near Tiber Creek Set
tied Slowly.
LAY OF THE LAND WAS LOW
Small Stream Wound It's Serpentine
Course Through Square.
FIRST THEATER BUILT THERE
On Its Stage Joseph Jefferson APP
peared, and Vaudeville Delight
ed the Early Settlers.

credence Is given to the accounts handed
down to this generation the wonder Is not
the slow rate at which this slice Of the mu-
nicipality made progress; but that substan-
tial citizens settled upon 1t and worked en-
ergetically to build 1t up. For, as before
stated, there was south of 1t the Tyber,
which was being converted into the Wash
fngton canal, the completion of which was
problematical; the lay of the land was low
In comparison with the grades of today,
and in 11th street there was a small stream
whose head was in the neighborhood of
18th and G streets, and which followed a
serpentine course. However useful this was
| for carrying off water, etc, it had well
worn an unsightly gully in the street, and
| as early as 1909 had put the corporation to
the expense of bridging it. Yet at an early
period a building for theatrical purposes
was erected there known later as the
Washington Theater or Assembly Rooms.
| 1t Is needless to say that the former inhab-
| itants would find little familiar to them in
| this section, though there are a few old
buildings standing
Important Early Event.
Aside from the selection Of the site for the
Washington Theater at the northeast corner
of 18th and c streets In the early years OF
| the last century the most important event
was the settlement Of the avenue front, at
least that portion about 10th street. There
are standing today, as Nos. 1904 and 6
Pennsylvania avenue, three old-fashioned
brick houses which bear few signs Of their
age. Though 1t cannot be ascertained in
what year they were erected, there is little
doubt that they were built in the early days
of the century, for the lot No. Z, was in
1902 in the possession of VIM. H. Dorsey,
who owned much city property, and In 1911
| that was owned by Philip Mauro and later
by Jacob Felius.
This section was included in then Burns
tract when the city laid out and the
fr0,, ff,,cr 1ai., OFF IN
eight lots, the avenue front into but two.
In 1900 Pratt, Francis and associates owned
half of Them the other half being held by
the original proprietor, David Burns, from
whom it descended to his daughter, Mrs.
Van Ness, wife of Gen. Van Ness. The 10th
street corner portion from the middle of the
square lot became the property of VIM. II.
Dorsey When the first assessment was
made by the corporation in 1903 the avenue
front was valued at II cents per foot, the
18th street front at 8. the 10th and
streets property at cents. BY 1907 these
valuations were reduced about one-thrd.
The first Improvement assessed was in the
name of Gen. John p. Van Ness of $4,000 on
lots 3, 4 and >, the theater building on the
site of the present Kernan's Lyceum The
alter whose walls contain some ofsthe orig
inal building. In 1911 Capt. Philip Mauro
bought lot I, the 10th street corner, and Tor
a few years conducted the business OF an
auctioneer there, but later he was estab-
lished In the neighborhood of 1th and the
avenue.
The Original Owners.
This lot was subdivided into A. B, c
and d about 1915, Julius Filius taking
sub B. west of the corner, which afterward
went into the hands of Gaetano Carusi, as
did also original lot s, on 10th street, the
owner later selling this to Anthony Hol-
mead Michael Sardo bought sub A, at
the corner; Frederick Singer sub c, and
John Knoblock sub d. Before lS2o mrs
q
g. purcha sing later; and in few years
G. c. Grammer owned lot on c street;
John Coad leased part of lot adjoining;
the theater property, which .hea was "a
Carusis. David English about this time
had property on the avenue, and Mrs
BaItzer, Andrew Way and Christopher An
drew owned in property lot 6. the Harvey
corner Mr. Sardo who had kept a grocery,
was then conducting boarding house in
his dwelling, corner of 10th street, and was
assessed at the rate of $4,000. On the lower
floor Passet & Fadeullhe upholsters
and paperhangers, were loca ted. The three
houses west bore an assessment of 1890
each and were in the names OF q. Carusi.
Frederick Singer and ]. knoblock. A small
house, valued at 500 in the name OF Mrs.
BaltZer and some vacant ground were be-
tween Mr.. knoblock's house and the house
Familiarity known as Betsy Braden's board
ing house. on the corner. this being three
story brick valued at Sc, 100 On the 10th
street front property owned by Andrew
Faw was assessed at 81, 100 and the theater
property. in the name of the Carusis, at
$4,000 The ground valuation was thirty
five cents per foot on the avenue and on
some lots was as low as fourteen cents.
Before the Thirties.
Before the thrties Mr.. Singer. who had
kept a grocery next to the Carusi residence,
sold his place to Pau! Kinchy, a confection-
er and Chef and Charles Lyons, carpen-
tor Sad the 10th and q
streets. The ground valuation about 1882
had risen to sixty cents on the avenue,
the lowest price being eighteen cents. The
following assessments We're made: Charles
property to the Carusis; $1,000 on nth
street and the avenue to Mrs Braden;
1900 and 1890 to Mr. Sardo.
In the square south there were twelve
original lots which were valued first at
three cents a foot, but 1t fell in 1907 to one
cent. They were then owned by Thomas
Law and the owners of the Burns estate.
There was nothing doing in sales for a
third of century other than by lease with
the privilege to purchase. In ISIS John
Carothers leased lot 10, at the southwest
corner OF 10Th and c streets, having in 1924
a building on the lot. then valued at eight
cents a foot. Henry Ault. timer, owned
property on lot {, at the southeast corner
Of 18th and c, in building of the like
value. Samuel Walker had leased before
that time lot 8, fronting on c street. and in
1873 James Green had leased parts of lots
10 and Il, on 10th street. In 1880 they were
listed for only $500 improvement in the
name of Thomas Law and one of 81 800 in
the. name of John Carothers
Fronting Canal Basin.
In 1888 Capt. Caleb Buckingham became
the owner of a lot on c street, subsequent
ly buying to the corner of 18th street. and
Thomas NJ. and Benedict Milburn became
the-owners of a lot fronting the canal
basin. The southeast quarter of the square
was used by Peter Cazenave as a wood
yard for many years. Mr.. CaZenave was a
grandson of Motley Young one of the orig
inal proprietors whose lands Joined those of
Burns in this square, and it was believed
that he inherited the ground. At any rate.
the Youngs claimed interest here, and as
late as 1853 the heirs thirty or more, join |
ed in a deedsto George N. Young convey |
Ing all their interests here.
That the site of the first building erected |
for theatrical purposes In the District should |
have been the northeast corner of 18th and |
c streets northwest is dificult to under |
stand by those who have knowledge through |
reading and family tradition Of the physical |