Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-24

\ features of that locality at the period.
| Though close to the avenue. 1t was only
short square from the walls OF the canal,
and at one time but few yards from the
waters of the creek which ran through this
section to the Potomac. Indeed, the very
doors of the building were at times under
| water during storms or high, TIDES: ~ ,s
a small hall on the square west, Dut the
| surface Of the ground on the west side OF
| 11th street was slightly higher. and on the
square south there was no settlement Tor
years. The old theater became the city
| post office for a time In the early fort1es
While the office was located there the
! neightorhood was never lonely one;
When malls were received and dispatched
| by stage there were scenes entirety I'M
| known to the present generation. There
was on the southeast corner OF IL! don
and G streets in the twenties a $5VU
improvement, assessed to Thomas Law. and
the ground had risen from a few cents-one
to three, then to sixteen and twenty. John
Carothers, from 1913 to 1922 was in business
at the southwest corner of 10th and T.
streets, going from there to New York ave
nue., 18th and streets, where he estab-
| lished tannery about 1929
Wild Waste Nearby.
South of these places was wild waste for
a number of years II the business along the
canal wall is excepted 1t may be said that
the location south of the theater site was
comparatively unknown to the public Of
fifty years ago. when the steamed oyster
| business was started by the late Thomas NJ.
Harvey In the two-story brick building at
the southeast corner of 18th and c streets.
which In few months had become a most
popular place.
There had been some thea triccal perform
ances in the infant years of the capital be-
fore 1903. companies of stroliing players CIV
Ing shows at Conrad & McMunn's tavern,
now the Varnum, at the northwest corner
nd Gtr Nd
the Great Hotel. afterward the post office.
which was burned in December, 1896 In
1s"5 movement looking to the erection of
a permanent temple for theatricals was
made by the opening of subscription books,
and in April of that year there was a meet
ing over yer a which Daniel Carroll presided,
committee appointed.
Gen. Van Ness Treasurer.
zen. Van Ness, at that time a major Of
the militia of the District was the treas
urer. Associated with him were Samuel Har-
rison Smith, the founder of the Intelligencer:
Robert Brent. the first clerk of the Dis
trict Court. and Thomas Law, a capitalist.
all OF whom were prominent in measures
aHectlng the interests of the capital city.
According to Mr.. A. 1. Mudd, whose pro-
genltors We're among the early residents of
washington, the money needed, raised by
STOCK at $oO per share, did not flow into the
some Sl3,CG0 was finally finished Mr. Ma
glnnes opened it November IS. 1904. with a
srana medley entertainment Of song dance,
,nasi DC plc5ures etc, lasting month. 1t
was opened and closed alternately for some
years ana, railing to pay to the satisfaction
OF the shareholders, it was put nm for sa1a
AZ 49, anu 1913. but was not disposed of.
AS before. performance and vacation alter
lated until April 10. 1870, when fire do
stroyed all save the walls and doubtless
n na,l not the adjoining boarding house of
~
with snow the flames would have snread
nere Joseph Jefferson, Mr.. Warren NJ
p penneli; Mr. and Mrs. Wood. Mr.. and Mrs
burke Mr.. and Mrs. H. WalIack and n,has &C.
iIeu The vaudeville also was nor mn
known here was ho. I'M
AFTER the fire the walls were found To he
,l 49, H. ana the Carusi family having set
tieo on the avenue near 1Olh street bo,,nht
the property. There were the fa,ba,
G,delaho. and his three sons, gifted as mn
s.nsa ana artists; the father also we'll
sons ~ ia" and linguist of note The
sons, samuel, Lewis and Nathaniel had es
tapEshed a reputation as professors of
music dancing and painting; and here
could be fitted up a building in which their
a'oea'lohs could be easily followed
Purchased Old Ruins.
ne oio ruins were purchased in 1922. and
'.ie Ai'ehtion was to enlarge it: but when
the attempt was made to take down Tho
wall and 1t was pulled over In one solid
e"oHh' the other walls were allowed To re-
nam. From 1922 till 1858 the names of
earusis Assembly Rooms applied as wei,
as tarusfs Dancing School, and in that
peiioo II played an important part in the
history of the city. Many an aged gentle
man or lady can recall pleasant scenes of
the past, especially the famous Nav halls
given by Lewis Carusi and his pupils the
Inaugural balls of Van Buren,. Harrison
- o.A anu others before such had grown
9S TO
Mllltary and civic organizations often gave
palls mere and theatrical, musical and lit
erary entertainments, temperance and oc
within its walls pace
Inc Carusis. who We're associated with
the assembly rooms and the property in this
section Tor years, had for a few years after
the arrival of the family-Gaetano tho
father, and three sons-in this csnntrv
uhder an engagement with Commodore
r[epIe 10 form and instruct band for the
marine CORPS, resided first near the navy
yard. subsequently they lived on nth
street above + street. and later south If
the avenue. Having in course of few
years established themselves as musicians
ana teachers, they took a more pretentious
residence, what is now 1904 Pennsvlvania
avenue, as did Michael Sardo. also a mn
stefan. on the corner of 10th street. Dur
ing the war of 1872 the latter was engaged
OF the avenue, where he is said to have sold
ms whole stock to the British soldiery.
being soon the richest man in Washfnpton
IN pounds, shillings and pence While the
family residences of the Carusis and Sar
dos were here, there also were on the
square the homes of Col. Joseph Watson.
Col. D. P. Polk Senator Poindexter
George NJ. Bibb, whose son John married
a Carusi; Col Ashton. Mrs Blake widow
of Major Blake; James B. Colvin, editor
and publisher of the Register as we'll as
the boarding houses of Mr. Sardo Mrs Bra
den and Mrs. Stewart F. Stengers grocery
store, {. Polkinhorn's harness shop, G. Cal
Tiers silversmith store, Benjamin Cham
o ."a ehgravers shop p. kinchey's confec-
tlonery store, John Coad's cabinet shon