Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-17

About this period Mr.. Zainnon Richards
built on the northwest corner OF 14th street
and New York avenue a two-storied school
building and opened the Union Academy,
school of note. Maj. A. E. Richards after
ward superintendent Of police, became as
ISOLATED with his brother, and there were
other assistants In addition to Mrs. q. Rich
ards. who had charge of the female de-
partment Later DR.. w. 2, johnson built
a home on II street. east of 14th street. and
Mrs. Rogers erected a house near by.
The ground east Of the Arlington, be-
tween H, 1 and 18th streets, was In the
early days valued at and cents per foot.
In this square Francis Mercer, in 1900.
owned lot, and shortly after A Dtndo.
G. Andrews and Nicholas King were In
terested. BY 1920 lots had passed into the
hands of Col w. p. Randolph, surgeon
general and others, and improvements had
been made by Robert NJ. Harrison. we'll
known carpenter. who paid on a house OPP
posite the Arlington. and which Is yet
standing. 5000. He later erected similar
honse William Denman was assessed on
| $500 near by; Samuel Breton, grocer. was
| assessed 81 600 on 18th street, and ]. and
S. Siott $500 near by. w. w. Corcoran. in
the 4o's bought lot on II street, near Yer
mont avenue. where for some years anterior
| TO the erection of his palatial residence al
! the corner of Connecticut avenue, he lived.
| At the corner of Vermont avenue and III
| street Rev Or. Smith Pyne of st. John
| Church and Commodore c. w. Morris OF
the United States navy lived some years
| Col w L. Hodge and Maj. W. ID. Mutt,
both treasury officials. were owners OF lots
| in this square.
North of I street and east of 18th street
| were the building lots In 1902 valued at
| three cents per foot, and that was doubled
| In twenty years Naturally the growth was
slower than to the southwark.
A Sleep of Twenty Years.
For twenty years after the plan of the
city was adopted there were no convey
ances of property in the square for imme-
date building purposes. The first lot sold
was No. I, at the southeast corner of the
square, to William Cammack, in 1912, and
the next TO William Wilcox. In 1917 Wal
ter Heron and James Thoeburn held two
lots each, and in 1919 Commodore Stephen
Decatur held twelve lots. In 1920 few
houses had been erected Mr.. Wormeley
built one worth $3.50, Eliza Headly one at
1900 Col. Bomford one worth $500, Francis
Catcher $3.50, all on ! street
Between Franklin Park and Farragut
square Benjamin Bacon, Charles Carter
Gen. James McHenry, secretary OF war;
DR.. w. Thornton, a commissioner ABOUT
1900, took up nearly the whole square when
the valuation was less than two cents per
foot About 1880 there was a row OF two
stored frames on the l street front OF the
square, known as Breretons row, ana III
1929 the trustees of the First Colored Pres
hyterian Church purchased the site and es-
tablished the church on 10th street. rms
was the result of the efforts of Rev John
F. Cook who gathered number OF coloreu
children and started a Sunday school IN
his schoolhouse on the north side of II
street, east of 14th street.
Square go, north of II street and west
OF 14th street. was owned to a large eX-
tent about 1900 by II. II. Chapman, ana
some of the lots stood in that name TIL
recent years. Thomas SnoWden was the
owner of several lots after 1888, ana IL
is believed that he erected the prick
house which stood on the northwest cor
ner of II and 14th streets, and which,
early in the last century, belonged TO
Henry Whitecraft. and before $50 was
bought by 2. c. Dyer of the city post OIL
fee, who lived there with his family
MANY wears The northeast corner OF the
square was owned by the chapman lam
lily for many years. one OF Whoh became
n Walker by marriage. For some years
before the civil war there was then a
grocery here which afterward became
wei known by the opposition of nelgh-
bors to the issuance to 1t OF a hquor
In 1890 the corner of 18th and H streets
was purchased for st. Matthew CathoHc
Church. and that was erected WITH d
residence for Father Donelan, the pastor
Eor Years the church buildings, the Dyer
and Walker residences and rev frames
on 14th street were the only improve
ments About 1900 the ground n was val
reached, and the house at 18th ana II
streets was valued at $1,000.
The Davy Burns Tract.
That busy mart known in real estate
circles as square 223 between 14th, 10th
and G. streets and New York avenue is
included what was the Davy Burns tract
This. after being cut up in building lots
to be measured by feet and inches, was
taxed by the corporation In lS0Z on the
basis of cents per foot. In loZo II was
raised to 10 and % cents. Ihere were rev
transfers and little building in the FIRST
quarter of the last century. In 1911 Alex
ander Mcdonald, a messenger In the treas
ury bought the corner OF loth ana u
streets and had his residence valued az al
$3.50 then In 1918 John A. Wilson settled
on the lot adjoining the corner OF q ana
18th streets, erecting a house taxed for
81 700 which in the thirttes was bought
by BENJAMIN L. Lear. The corner lot was
improved by a shop valued at $40 assessed
James Dunlop. This lot was unused save
by shops, carpenters and painters, for
many years.
lot on New York avenue. which was as
sessed in the twenties at $3.50. This house
was standing till the seventies and 1t hS-
ured as "Old Mother Mulligan S in con-
gressionaI investigation some thirty years
ago.
The lot adjoining Mr.. Taylor's house on C
street was owned by r. Harrison before
1920 when, with a frame house, il was
sold to Isaac Randolph and taxed for $3.50
In 1927 this was bought by David A. Gard
ner who erected a brick residence of two
stories. Long afterward Mr.. Gardner built
a home in New York avenue in the rear
of his old home.
In the forties Frances Catcher, long
colored messenger. owned and lived on g
street.
In 1913 John Douglass, the florist. built
a fine brick home on street, with green
houses fronting 18th street, where he laid
the foundation Of a business followed by
many houses today.
The late J. W. Marin bought the corner of
New York avenue and 18th street in 1851.
erecting several houses and establishing
himself in the drug business in which he
made a competency.
One would suppose that this section Dor
dering on the sites for the public offices
would have been improved by the grading
of streets, the laying Of footwalks before
other less important portions. The valua-
ton Of the land was at such a figure as to
prevent much general Improvement by the
city, and the cost of foot pavements being
chargeabIe to the abutting property, there
was little effort made for such improve
ment, a ridge of gravel to many being sat
isfactory.
BY the twentles there were brick pave
ments about the public offices and on the