Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-10
INDICATES PROGRESS
Development Along + Street
From 9th to 18th.
GREAT INCREASE NOTED
First of Pretentious Buildings on the
Thoroughfare.
BIG BUSINESS AN EXPERIMENT
Views of Pioneers Who Had Faith in
the Section-Some of the
Improvements.
GREAT INCREASE NOTE
BIG BUSINESS AN EXPERIMENT

The commercial development OF street
northwest from 9th to 18th streets. within
comparatively recent years. Is typical of
the progress and prosperity of Washing
ton. Everybody who was familiar with
this locality a trife less than a generation
ago will recall the fact that Gonzaga Col
lege occupied the present site of the Co
Iumbia National Bank. and that the bal
ance of the square on the north side of f
street toward the west was the burying
ground of st. Patrick's parish.
Some quaint architectural relies OF old
times were fixtures on F street in those
days President George Washington pro-
mulgated some building regulations in this
town once upon a time. and whether they
were more or less satisfactory to the towns
folk of that day than are the regulations
in force now to present residents, he en-
forced them promulgated
One Of these forbade the erection of houses
of greater height than thirty feet-that
Is. two full stories of ten feet each. and
the slanting roof to rise ten feet. Out of
this roof protruded the old dormer win
dOws, which meant somewhat cirCum-
scribed third story.
A member of the Oldest Inhabitants AS
ISOLATION VOuches for this regulation and
tells OF some of this type of houses which
were not very long ago in f street. Be
tween 1876 and 1850 the street presented the
appearance of quiet residence section. and
there was little or nothing to suggest the
tremendous business activity and CONNER
Cial progress that have resulted in estab-
fishing It's position today a great COM
merciaI thoroughfare. stirring and throb-
hing artery OF trade, second. perhaps, In
Importance to none in the city. The his
tory of its growth from place of restful
calm. appropriate to street of homes. into
one Of the busiest marts of trade in all
Washington. is full OF interest to those
" have watched business progress in
different sections of Washington, and who
believe in the great commercial future that
undoubtedly lies before the city as whole.
First of Big Buildings
The frs, buildings Of consequence on r
street were erected just after the close of
the civil war and occupied sites at the ex-
IRENE points of that portion of the street
now under consideration. The Masonic Tenn
pie was constructed in 1867 under the su-
pervision of Mr.. Noble d. Larner. at the
corner of 9th and F streets northwest and
Mr.. Corcoran about the same time erected
his building at 18th and F streets north
wess.
The Hooe building, now used by the ge-
illogical survey, was constructed by Hooe
Brothers. the dry goods merchants, and
when this property was afterward pur-
chased by G. c. Willard II was remodeled
and additions made. the old Lyon House on
the west and the two small buildings on
the east DelglE torn uOWh LOT THIS purpose
The pioneer to construct a new business
building on the street in 1876 was Mr.. b.
II. Warner. who in speaking of the i'm
provements of that day. said:
Many people thought then that 1 had
more energy than judgment Very soon
after my building was finished Mr.. Wagga
man built his Office the street. In
a few years many other structures fol-
lowed. The location OF large places of
business on the street for long time
considered experiment.
Il was instrumental in locating the At
lantic building. the Washington Loan and
Bank. which aided very much In attracting
business to this end OF the street. There
has been very great advance in property
during the past thirty years. In 1873 prop
erty worth now s25 per foot could have
been bought for 50 per foot Gradually the
old residences have been either converted
into business places or torn down and new
stores erected. The street now Is the prin-
Clpal thoroughfare In the city
other Structures Follow.
W. B. Moses built in 1884 and Woodward
& Lothrop soon followed The Kellogg and
Sun buildings were erected about this time.
and II is ted that Mr.. Abel OF Baltimore
paid less than 81 a square foot for the
ground on which the latter building stands.
The Columbia Bank. the Equitable. the
Glover and the Adams buildings added to
the interest In the locality a business
thOroughfare. and Mr.. Henry Strong OF
Chicago became interested in building ac-
tIviyles 20 the extent Of erecting at differ
ent times the buildings at the southwest
corner OF + and 18th streets, at the north