The Yale expositor., 1906-04-06
HOUSE WITH HISTORY
NOTABLE STRUCTURE TORN
DOWN AT BALTIMORE.
Place Of Many Secret Meetings in the
Past--Where Confederate Letters
Were Kept and FiIibustering Expe-
ditions Planned.

With the removal of the name
Chesapeake house from 223 East
Pratt street, where it has been fami.
liar sight for eighty-two years, a re-
hinder of interesting historical events
will go and the spot on which they
happened will be wiped out for the
dock improvements.
The sites occupation by a restau-
rant known as the Chesapeake house,
says the Baltimore Sun; dates back TO
1924, when it was opened for James
Hodges. He had fought when the
British tried to capture Baltimore in
1914, and, it is thought, selected the
name of his hostelry in commemora-
ton of having assisted in driving the
British from the Chesapeake.
At first the house was a three story
and half brick dwelling, the lower
story being fitted with eating booths.
across the front of which were cur
tains to give privacy to the guests. In
other respects the idea of an old inn
was carried out in the general out
fitting. In time it was modernized,
but some of the original features were
left.
A new front was placed in the old
building before the great fire, in
which it went down with many valu-
able relics. One in particular, for
which a handsome sum of money was
several times offered, was a large, old
fashioned hall clock, in which secret
messages were deposited, to be, In
some mysterious way, delivered to the
confederate president. Jefferson Da-
Wis, and Gen. Robert T.. Lee. 1t Is re-
lated that many a letter to- mother,
sister or sweetheart from the Mary
land confederates in the field found its
way into a secret recess of the old
clock, from which it was taken to the
anxious heart awaiting it. The "out-
going" letters found a hiding place
there until some brave courier gather
ed them and crossed the line with his
load of messages.
When the coffee fleet loaded car
goes of -four at the foot of South
street the Chesapeake house was the
rendezvous of the masters for meals.
A record still preserved shows that OF
the great number who resorted thither
thirty-fve masters and officers have
been lost at sea since 1850.
The fire destroyed the place, with
the many buildings that surrounded
it, The Bulack brothers were quick
to erect a one-story building on the
site, with the intention of restoring it
to the original size, but the authori-
ties willed otherwise. But on the one
story shack the name Chesapeake
house was painted.
In the quantity furnished parlor on
the second floor of the primitive res
taurant many of the most successful
fiilibustering expeditions were plan
ned and carried ont by such men as
the late John ID. Hart, Capt Samuel
Hughes, Dynamite Johnny O'Brien
and Capt. Wiborg. The last of the ex-
peditions-that of the Laurada-was
planned in the upper story of the
Chesapeake house.
In this same old history-making res.
promoted by men who have since be-
come famous in the business. Many
of the companies that sprung into ex-
istence during the past twenty years
were first discussed over pot of ale
or q dinner in this place.
John Allen, known as the lonely
trader to the West Indies, whose trips
to the islands with his small schooner
loaded with what was supposed to be
provisions and dry goods. but under
meath which were filibusters articles.
was connected with the Chesapeake
house, being the brother of Mrs. Blu
lack. He was never heard of after
leaving port until he tied up at Bow
ly's wharves with his schooner loaded
with bananas.