Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-01

from twenty to thirty cents which. In
twenty years, reached twenty-five to fifty
cents per foot. Mr.. Law was the owner of
the lots forming the northeast part of the
square, which. however. he transferred to
Thos. Peter in trust for his wife, Eliza Park
Gusts Law, from whom he separated after
orief married life.
In 1901 John Kearney leased building
site at the southwest corner of and 14th
streets subsequently buying it. He erected
here three-story double brick house
which in 1852 was valued at $500. This
was the residence of the kearneys for nearly
half a century. the family Including Sur
geon kearney. United States navy and Col.
James heariiey, who engineer. had
charge of the construction of the Washing
ton canal. Lots four and five on which
whut was known as the Washington Hotel
or Mansion House was erected were in IDS
the property of Mr.. Hoban, but In 1901 the
first was leased to VIM. Lovel! and the fol-
lowing year the improvements were valued
ut $1,000.
The next year the other lot was trans
ferred to Mr. Lowell, the description reading
between the houses of Mr. Blunt and Mr..
Lowell" II is not known to what use Mr..
Lowell devoted this property but as the
city councils met there 1t is believed to
have been a tavern or hotel. Tappan Web
ster appears as the owner in 1869.
In 1871 lot four with brick house between
the house occupied by VIM. Rhodes and the
frame building of James Mclaughlin was
transferred to Rhodes and during the war
In 1916 Col. John Tayloe became the owner
of these lots with parts of others, and the
property was known as the Washington
Hotel property. In a few years it became
Barnard's Mansion House and later was
sdccessivey under the management of San
ford, Fuller, Cohurn and Hands. part
OF the adjoining lot on the east was leased
by Mr.. Hobdn III 1911 to Peter Fallette, who
kept a public house there till 1917 when he
transferred his lease to Barzillia Wright.
who held it for a year when b. Fish be-
came tie lessee. In 1881 n. JewWitt held
the place and later Galabrun famous
French chef took the place and 1T was soon
the resort for some of our best people, as
well of foreign representatives.
In 1860 a lot on one corner of 18th street
was owned by Walter Stewart, and the lots
on the west and north in 1910 were in the
name of John Hoye, who in 1913 bought
the corner lot. Col. Tayloe, few years
later, owned this property and erected
row of seven three-story brick buildings
facing the avenue, and one detached on
14th street. These were assessed at S2i,o
They were intended for dwellings, but in
1918 Col John Strother bought them ana
converted them into a hotel which soon be-
came famous.
Charles Dickens a Guest.
In 1899 Dickens stopped there and in his
American Notes says: THE hotel in which
we live is long row of small houses 'front.'
ing the street and opening at the back
upon q common yard, in which hangs a
great triangle. BY this the servants are
called, the number of strokes upon 1t IN
dicatng In which of the seven houses the
servant is needed, and this striking is con-
tinuous
After Col. Strother had decided back the
property it became Wlliamson's Hotel for
some years, then Sanford's Mansion Hotel
and Fuller's City Hotel. 1t was in the
latter's tenancy that it was used by the
general post office, whose quarters in the
Rio6gptt Hotel L. street were Durnet
in 1886
In 1s47 Joseph c. and Henry H Willard
leased the property. and the buildings being
remodeled they soon had q paying custom
and were enabled to buy the property in
1888. Soon after the northeast corner OF
the square was purchased, and before the
war the hotel was extended to street
The Wizards sold out to Presby, Sykes and
Chadwick, in the fall of 1861.
When the Fulers ran the hotel they had
their private residence on 18th street, north
OF the hotel, and their stable was on the
site of the new Municipal building. In the
days of Strother there was livery stanle
in the alley behind the hotel which was
kept by Isaiah Ware.
In 1904 r l.. Carpenter leased two lots,
including the corner of 18th street and the
avenue, and Alex. Mcdonald bought part of
one of them, erecting a frame house on
the avenue, valued al $500. In 1915 James
Patterson bought on the corner, erecting a
frame house, valued at 500, and, improving
it, the valuation was raised to $3.50. In
1928 r. NJ. Gibbs owned the west part OF
the square on which was a house valued at
$500 Richard Forrest owned brick house
on the avenue near the corner. of 500
value, which, in the thirtes, was owned
by B. l.. Lear. and also frame houses valued
at So, 500 at the corner of 10Th and
streets, In one of which John Kennedy had
conducted grocery, and it was used FOR
the same purpose by w. h. Laub In the
thrties. FOR some years the Misses Filling
owned small brick building 10Th street
in which they conducted a notion store.
Mr.. Corcoran in 1889 made his initial pur-
chase on this square and the Corcoran
building is evidence that he added thereto
until he had secured the full site. About
1SOS one of the Irish patriots appeared in
this locality, Mr.. Nicholas CaIian, the pro-
genitor of the well-known family of that
name.
Flees From Home and Kindred
Mr. Callan, native of Dundalk, ireland,
had been in the revolutionary army Tight
ing against England when, in 179S he was
taken prisoner and jailed in Dublin. lie
being a surveyor by profession and good
penman, the prison authorities made use
of his services in keeping the accounts and
he was rewarded with a pass to go out in
the town.
Watching for an opportunity to get away,
he finally succeeded. and reaching his home
at Dundaik called on his wife and with
her and their child. left his home and kim
dred. made his way to a vessel and sailed
for Philadelphia They carried nothing
with them save glass vase which the wife
long cherished as the only relic they had of
their old home. They remained in Phila-
delphia few months and, coming to this
city, resumed housekeeping on the south
side of F street between 18th and 18th
streets, where Mr.. Callan opened a classical
school for boys, preparing many OF the
youth for college and the professions. Mr..
Callan was one of the troopers at Biadens-
burg in August 1914, and was mortified
that his old enemy was not repulsed.
The family moved to the south side OF r
street near 18th street about 1898. buying
lot 10 on which a brick house, valued at
81 400 was erected. Here were born Nicholas
Callan, the weIl-known justice of the peace
and agent, John F., long a druggist and
Michael p. post office clerk AMI build