Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-08
IN c|Trs EARLY DAYS
Erection of Original National
Theater in 1884.
THRICE DESTROYED BY FIRE
History of Apollo Hall, Built in the
Early Thirties.
SITE OF BUS HEADQUARTERS
Occupants Of Rum Row - Hotel at
Which Visiting Indians Ere
quently Were Guests.
,ITE OF BUS HEADQUARTERS

The erection of the original National
Theater on the present site was regarded
as the important addition Z the neigh
borhood. The building of The structure
followed the formation of joint stock
company in September, 1884, in which
Messrs. Henry Randall, Richard Smith,
Columbus Mclean. George Gibson and
VIM. Brent were the managers. They pur-
chased two lots from Gen. John Mason
and commenced the enterprise. In July
of the following year the property was
conveyed to Mr.. w. w. Corcoran and then
reconveyed to the trustees, Messrs. RAN
dali. Smith, Brent and b. Ogle Tayioe.
That year it was completed. The opening
production was the comedy, The Man OF
the World followed by farce, December
7, 1885 The lessees and manager were
haywood, RoWbotham and Pratt of the
Chestnut Street Theater. Philadelphia. In
the course of ten years some of the most
celebrated stage personages achieved tri-
umphs, among them Nine. Celeste. James
Brutus Booth, Edwin Forrest. Ellen Tree,
Fanny hilsler and others.
A play called "Pocahontas," written by
Col G. Washington Parke Gusts of Ar
lington, was produced here in 1887, as was
also an Indian play called Pontiac; or.
the Siege of Detroit" written by Gen.
Alex. Macomb. at that time the commander
of the United States army. Both met with
success.
Failures in 1874.
Some failures in 1874 are recalled fall-
ing off OF patronage was involved and the
stockholders. unable to sell their holdings.
| the property, which had cost $4,000. was
disposed of to Gen. Van Ness, Ben Ogle
Tayoe and Richard Smith, and was re-
opened In February of that year under
new management. Ole Bull was welcomed
about Christmas, 1874. and 1t was then
proposed to give circus performances in
the theater, N. A. Howes troupe appearing
| here in The lessee became dis
couraged and gave up, whereupon W. E.
Benton became the lessee. The night after
Mr.. Folks Inauguration as President,
March 5, 1916, the building was totally de-
| stroyed by fire, as were also several build
| ings on E and 18th street.
| The ruins remained eyesore for sew
| eral years. In December, 1850, in a tempo
| rary structure, the celebrated Swedish
| songstress Jenny Lind, electrified the audi
| ence. For the third time the theater was
| rebuilt. 1t was reopened December 10,
| 1856, E. A. Marshall being the lessee. with
| Matilda Heron, in The Hunchback. as
| the attraction December %, 1852, the
| Grand Italian Opera Company, and Febru-
| airy Lola Montez appeared. For a few
! years following opera and the drama were
! successfully presented. January II, 1856,
| the theater was again burned. The lot re-
manned idle until 1862, when the theater
was rebuilt and the lessee and manager,
Leonard Grove. opened 1t April y. 1852.
Place for Public Meetings.
| Apollo Hall was long a place for public
| meetings and entertainments, and played
| an important part in the early history of
| the city Erected in the early thirties on
| the south side of E street. the lower por-
| ton was used grocery store by w. M.
| Morrow, who also for a time conducted
| there broom factory. The hall was used
| for balls, parties, lectures and entertain
| ments. Many man dated his reformation
| by signing the temperance pledge there in
| the forties when '.The Washingtonians'
| held nightly meetings in the hall. The lat
| ter was the birthplace of the Church of the
| Epiphany. The then little congregation was
| organized and worshiped here in 1889, be-
| fore erecting the church on q street. Wy
| man. the magician, gave his performances
in the hall For many years the hall was
used as a dancing academy, first by Prof.
Liable and afterward by Madame Blake,
one of the handsomest women of her day,
| who later became the wife of United
States senator.
In the hall in the thirties. There were
many fairs and lectures held there, and in
political campaigns the hall was rallying
point.
Apollo Hall was burned twice, late in the
forties the last time 1t being completely de-
stroyed- Its blackened walls stood for
many years as a reminder of what 1t had
been.
In the twenties the New York Avenue
Church was erected under the name of the
Second Presbyterian Church. 1t was plain
chapel-like brick edifice. and 1t stood alone
with no improvements in sight northward
and few in other directions. The Foundry
Methodist Chapel had been erected at G
and 14th streets in 1916 and was almost
as lonely.
Coach Factory and Stable.
On the square west there were in early
days the stables Of Fuller's City Hotel
at the corner of E street. The Majors
early in the thirties established a coach
factory and stables on 1917 street. and
finally took possession of the entire square
In the business. Allison Nailor was the
leading spirit. and. notwithstanding that
twice was his establishment swept away by
fire. each time he rose again. At the fire
of March II, 1S49. he lost thirty horses
and several omnibuses.
In 1850 what bore the name of Rum Row
was made up largely of places where
liquor was not hard to obtain and "a
game could be easily found. At the cor
and later the Office of the Associated Press
adjoining the drug store Of Kidwell &
Laurence, over which DR.. Hon had his
dental office. Next was Campbelrs wine
store, then Smells Hotel and garden, John
Ushers restaurant and c. w. Flint's like
establishment. Halls gambling rooms were
over the latter. The Union Office adJoined
the building on the east with the theater
next A marble yard, conducted by Ruther-
ford who was in turn succeeded by Kirk
patrick & Kelly, fanked the restaurant of
Dry west, ana Mlcnaei IdlIy was next
to him. Henry Olive kept lottery office,
and three houses belonging to Allison
Nailor Allied up space until the two build
ings known Graysons Hotel. on the
corner of 18th street, were reached.
Stopping Place for Indians.
On the corner of 18th street, in two
story brick structure. was Jones restau-
rant Nearby were Selhausen's cigar
store. Isaac Higgins, jeweier and watch
maker; the home of Mrs. Balcher and the
ruins of Apollo Hail..
The Western Hotel, or Indian boarding
house, at the southeast corner of 13h and
E street was under the management of
the we'll known Jimmy Maher, the magnet
of the boys of the city, for there were
from about 1890 down to 1860 delegations
of Red Men there constantly and they
were regarded with great courtesy with
his stabling and shops, a large three-story
brick building. the hotel proprietor used
nearly the whole OF the E street front of
the square. This was the headquarters for
Majors line of stages. or omnibuses, rum
ming first from the Capitol and afterward
from the navy yard gate to GEORGETOWN.
It was long the leading livery stable of this
city. the sons of Mr.. Nailor continuing the
business for many years
t. IL k1~o&