The Washington herald., 1906-12-28
SPITE FENCE FEUD
Structure Has Cut Out Light
for twenty-five Years.
BUILT TO PLEASE WOMEN
After Quarter of Century the Neigh
bOrs Speak OF Ola Quarrel with
Tinge of Regret, but Queer OBJ
struetiOn VIII Remain Standing
and Continue 10 Gather Moss.

DdiIlloIe, Ndu-, Dec. ZI-For a quarter
OF a century one Of the oldest spite
fences on record has shut out the light
from the second-story hall window on
the north side Of the house at 2S52 Penn
sylvania avenue, and now. though It is
old and messy and covered with vines
which have grown with the years. there
seems 10 be no prospect that it will not
live to remind more generations Of the
ancient misunderstanding which caused
its erection. II Is a board obstruction.
raised on stills. just large enough to
cover the window, and it stands within
few inches Of the window opening.
In the house against which the spite
fence is raised there are three genera
tons OF the family of Mr. and Mrs. VIII
lam Messersmith, and the heads Of the
family have lived there for forty-three
years this coming April. In the next
house to the north lives the family Of
Mr.. Alexander Megary, the head of which
raised the fence years agO-some say
twenty years, some say twenty-five
People passing look up at the odd struc-
ture and wonder what it means and ask
questions, and then is told the story Of
the strange feud which has lasted so
long.
Quarrel starts with Children.
Away back yonder. when Baltimore was
far TO the south and east of the place
where now the GilmOr street cars turn
into Druid Hin Park that was all coun-
try. The Godmans owned and lived in
the present Megary residence, and then
the Whineys, and succeeding them came
the Megary family. Mrs Messersmith
and Mrs. Megary were young married
people then. and their children used to
play together on the lots about the
houses. Children will quarrel. il is said
and the Messersmith snd Megary chill
dren were not exceptions First il was
that thing. then this, then another. and
in time the mothers began TO take up
for their respective children. until there
was mutual agreement to disagree
Then, the Megary side says. the Messer-
smith family began 10 throw dirt. ami
hair, and refuse Of various sorts from the
hall window into the Megary flower gar
den, and the wind would often take up
the dirt and carry IT over close TO the
Megary residence. Protests were made,
and the elder Meyary finally called on
intended 10 build an obstruction against
their window % keep down what had be-
come nuisance. The MesseTsmith denial
was emphatic. and then the MegaTy side
charged the Messersmith side with spy
ing on the Megary dressing rooms from
The hall window. One night the Messer-
smiths retired, and when they awoke in
the morning the fence that was 20 shut
them off was In position.
Don't Mind IL, Except
Were used to it now and don't mind
it a Bit said Mrs. Messersmith, and
three generations, down to a toddling
babe. joined IN approving that statement
of course. il shuts of our light, but
we have been shut of from light for
twenty-three years by that fence. and we
can get along without it just as we'll as
not We don't care to talk about the
trouble. She thought she was right and
l thought I was right and maybe We
were both q little wrong. but once
quarrel starts, you know it's hard 10
stop H. First il was the children, then
they said our family looked into their
rooms from the hall window, then they
said we threw dirt out, and one thing led
to another until the fence went up. I
don't know whether it will ever come
down. but aside from people always ask
ing what it is, we don't mind It,"
Built to Please the women.
Personally, don't care If the old
thing fails down said the elder Me
gary, with a kindly twinkle in his eye.
1t was an old quarrel. first about this
thing and then about that and 1 just
had to build that thing 10 please the
women folks and keep peace in the fam
lily. OF course. il looks odd. and il does
attract lot of attention and make lot
Of talk. but it's up, and it's been up seven
or eight years fifteen years short Of the
Messersmith estimate-"and l suppose
it'll stay up until it gets tired of stand
ing there
And the old spite fence still stands.
gathering moss and vines every year. a
constant reminder of a quarrel which is
now toothless and bent with age.