The Washington herald., 1906-12-09
Big MEN LIVED THERE
Carolina Apartment House
Teens with Interest.
WAS AMOS KENDALL's HOME
American Realty Company Occupies
Room in which He and Samuel F.
b. Morse worked Ont Plans for the
First Telegraph Line in the World.
William Mckinley Once Rented 1t.

The rooms occupied by the American
Realty Company. at 70s Eleventh street
northwest. rival ali others in the city
probably in historic interest. In the cen
ter of the main Office hangs a chandelier
placed there By Amos Kendall, who was
Postmaster, General under President
Jackson. The cross beams are ornament
ed with miniature. old-fashioned. wood
burning locomotives. patterned after
those used by the Baltimore and Ohio
when 1t first ran into Washington.
1t was in this room that Mr. Kendall
and Samuel F. B. Morse worked out the
plans for the first commercial telegraph
line in the world. which was operated
between Washington and Baltimore. In
the old house on Eleventh street, Of
which this Office IS a part. lived many
eminent men. One of them was POstmas-
ter General Barry, who first leased. and
then bought, the north half Of the house,
while Amos Kendall lived in the south
half
Among the eminent men who occupied
the house at one time or another were
Commodore Charles w. Skinner, [. S. N;
ington; James T. Du Bois, editor Of the
Inventive Age; Senator Willard Warner.
OF Alabama. Gen. W. S. Rosecrans, while
Register Of the Treasury; Stephen r.
Mallory, Senator from Florida; Jesse J.
Finley. Daniel w. VOORHEES,, of Indiana;
Senator p. B Plumb, of Kansas; ], Proc
tor Knott, Senator from Kentucky; John
Slidell, Of Louisiana fame; Senator T. B.
Vance, Of North Carolina; George S.
Boutwell,, of Massachusetts; Simon Cam
eron, Senator Mills, Of Texas, and VII
liam Mckinley, who rented it for few
months during one of his terms in Con-
gress.
Old House Remains Intact
The old house, when purchased a few
years ago by the Carolina Apartment
House Company, had such historical as
sociations that it was preserved and con-
verted into an apartment known as the
Carolina, a large six-stoTy structure be-
ing erected in the yard. 1t was changed
by tearing down the old second story
entrances, the ground floors being made
over into stores and a new entrance con-
structed between them. The old house re-
mains almost in its entirety, hoary with
traditions and teemiug with history since
the year 1t was built-1S2S
It is said that J. Howard Payne. author
Of Home, Sweet Home" was a constant
visitor at the home Of Amos Kendall
The structure which is four stories
high and was in its day one Of the finest
in Washington, was known for many
years as the Washington House." from
the fact that it was built upon the lot
owned by Richard c. Washington, who.
with his family, was the first occupant Of
the north side Of the structure. The lot
was bought when the original Van Ness
estate was subdivided. and was at the
time in the suburbs, a COW pasture, grown
over with underbrush, adjoining
A Center of Social Gayety.
During the years of its occupancy by the
long line Of distinguished persons, Wash
ington House was the center Of social
gayety Many of the big parties Of the
olden time were held there. and among
those who called to pay their respects to
the heads OF the house were Presidents,
Cabinet ministers. members OF the diplO-
matte corps, and almost all the prominent
men who were included in the best social
circles of the Capital.
The Carolina Apartment Company that
acquired the property several years ago
and built the Carolina apartment house,
was chartered on May a. 1900. Since that
time it has erected the Plymouth apart
I1ent house at 1886 Eleventh street north
west, and until recently had its Offices in
that building. The American Realty Com
pany was organized under the laws OF
Virginia October !. 1906. and recently es-
tablished its headquarters at the Caro-
Ina, in the old reception room on the sec
ond floor. The incorporators Of the com
pany are
J. s. Tomlinson, president; Thomas Som
nrNilla vice nrasident. 9. Q. TYIer. score