The Washington times., 1906-09-23
Apartment House to Take
Place of Old ShackS on
First Street.
LITTLE ITALY" DOOMED
buildings With a History
Will Make Way for the
March of Progress.

Visitors 10 the Capitol building have
Frequently remarked on the squalid sur
roundings which gave TO this magnin-
cent pile such an unfavOrable setting
tOf late wears the erection of the Con-
,gresblonai Library and the tearing away
10 make room for the new buildings for
ithe Senate and House OF Representa-
ltives give promise of a condition which
in the near future viii make for such
handsome improvements that viii fit
tlngly surround the grandest structure
the world is said TO contain.
Private enterprise, too. has not been
lacking IN an attempt to better the con
dtions. and the handsome buildings
erected by Col. Alonzo o. Bliss. on the
northern side Of the grounds. not only
present a fine appearance. but have
shown the wisdom OF building in a sec
ton which must always command the
attention of the public.
There still remain few eyesores TO
be removed and tomorrow workfnen will
commence the demolition of the row
of frame buildings on the corner OF
First and b STREETS northwest. which
have a history intimately connected
with the growth of Washington.
Old residents of the city viii remem-
Der the appearance Of the Capitol
grounds in the days Immediately prior
TO the civil war, when. instead OF the
beautiful lawns which now surround
them. heavy woods and thick mOrasses
were To be found Streets which are
now we'll graded were then but indif-
feFent highways. and not infFequently
wagons became mlred almost TO the
hubs in the thick mud OF the ciry's
streets.
Built in the Fifries.
Sometime in the ffties the row of
seven frame dwellings which are now
about TO pass away TO be succeeded by
a palatial apartment house. were erect
ed by John Purdy. then a prominent
contractor and at one time president of
the Patriotic Bank. which was located
on the corner now occupied by the Lin
coin National Bank al Seventh and d
streets northwest.
At the time they were considered
quite pretentious structures. and it is re-
lated by John A Murphy. who for
more than forty years conducted a gro
Gerry store at the corner Of First and B
streets, that from that row have gone
forth many excellent citizens, whose
names and that OF their wives as well,
are a part OF the history OF the city.
one tenant Mrs Mary Campbell. has
lived In the row since they were first
erected. and when notified that she must
leave as the houses would shortly be
demolished, tears came came TO her
eyes as she recalled the years that had
passed and the many joys and trials
that had come TO her in all the passing
time under that one roof
Known as little Italy"
If late years the locality has fallen
into disrepute and has been variOusly
described as Little Italy" from the
preponderance Of the foreign element
that have taken possession Of IT, and
''Milonaire's Row" by way of facetiOus
sarcasm.
In few months this famous row viii
be but a memory as on the site viii
stand a handsome apartment house,
which Colonel Bliss has contracted 70
build that will add one more 20 the
many improvements he has already
made IN that locality.
The ground. which has a frontage of
I25 feet on First street by a depth or 90
feet on b street, will be entirely covered
by a uve-story building containing fifty
apartments of two and three rooms
each, every room being an outside one
and nearly all Of them overlooking the
beautiful Capitol Park. The design,
which Is by Architect A. Goenner is Of
simple colonial style. built of colonial
brick with gray stone trimmings and
will be a model of interior convenience
as we'll as OF exterior beauty. The
building will be entirely OF fire-proOf
construction and will have all the latest
modern devices both for the comfort
and accommodation Of tenants
The cost of construction is estimated
AT 100000 and Ii is expected TO be ready
for occupancy by July, 1901. W. +.
Euiny ara con ira CrOTE
This building viii make the fourth
large one erected by Colonel Bliss In
that Immediate neighborhoOd the Bliss
Building the Hotel DrisColl and Al 3
street being already identified with the
locality